Interview: Ghanaian lawmaker says Belt and Road is driving Africa toward industrialization

Xinhua) 14:42, October 05, 2023

ACCRA, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China has gradually propelled Africa toward industrialization, a Ghanaian lawmaker has said.

Kofi Adams, a member of parliament (MP) in the Oti Region of Ghana, told Xinhua in a recent interview that African countries should embrace the assistance to reap the benefits of the BRI.

Adams visited China in August to participate in a training program organized by China's Ministry of Commerce, during which his perception of the BRI was further deepened.

He said China initiated the BRI to support trading and economic development.

"Despite all other means of transport available to them, including aviation, ocean travel and rails, China thought it necessary to initiate the BRI to reach out and make movement and trade easier for everybody around the world," the Ghanaian lawmaker said.

Through the BRI, he said African countries have started developing critical infrastructure, such as railways, harbors and airports, to help Africa industrialize, develop infrastructure and trade networks, and invest in human capital as China did, which would lead to the attainment of Africa's Agenda 2063 to transform the continent into a major player in the global economy.

Another area Adams touched on is energy, where China is investing in power generation to support industrialization.

He cited the example of Ghana, where China has invested in the Bui hydropower dam, the second-largest hydro dam in the country, and some solar energy projects.

"Today, we have a level of stability in energy because of Chinese investment. And we all know what energy does to industrialization. And how many countries may be willing to give us that much to invest into such projects as China has done?" he said.

For many African countries, the MP said their industrialization agenda would not have taken off without the support of China.

Adams noted that China is investing not just in Ghana. "In Ethiopia, you will find their presence in rail development, aviation and ports. Also, in Kenya, Angola and many other African countries, you will find the presence of Chinese in activities that have keenly supported the industrialization drive," he said.

The MP opined that Chinese investment in Africa would yield higher development and industrialization results if the continent directed some resources into integrating trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Through integration, he believed Africa would create a bigger economy, with larger GDP and more opportunities for investment and trade.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Hongyu)
Feature: China-built gas processing plant contributes to green development of Iraq's oil field

Xinhua) 10:36, October 07, 2023

BAGHDAD, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese energy companies have completed the mechanical work for the first associated gas processing plant in the Halfaya oil field, which is located in Iraq's southern province of Maysan.

The plant, expected to be operational in the first half of next year, is part of Iraq's efforts to improve its capacity for processing gas, benefit economically from gas, and reduce carbon emissions.

Governor of Maysan Province Ali Douai said exploiting associated gas is one of the Iraqi government's priorities, noting that with the operation of the plant, five flaring sites will be shut down, contributing to reducing pollution.

At the ceremony to mark the completion of the mechanical work for the project, Ali Maarij, undersecretary of the Iraqi Oil Ministry for distribution affairs, also confirmed that the project is "one of the main projects in Iraq to eliminate gas flaring, treat it, and benefit from it."

While referring to Chinese companies' contribution to the project, the official said "the Chinese companies have made a distinguished presence in Iraq at more than one level," adding that "this will positively impact diplomatic and political relations between the two countries."

PetroChina and the China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation (CPECC) have engaged in this project to help reduce the wasteful burning of gas in Iraq and bolster its green development.

Fang Jiazhong, head of PetroChina's Halfaya oil field, told Xinhua that the plant is the first of its kind ever built in Iraqi oil fields to take full advantage of the gas produced during oil extraction.

As the operator of the Halfaya oil field, PetroChina has invested more than one billion U.S. dollars in building the plant since 2019, which will convert associated gas into usable purified gas, liquefied petroleum gas, sulfur, etc., according to Fang.

The Halfaya oil field, covering an area of 288 square km, comprises more than 300 oil wells, three crude oil processing facilities, two power plants, a water treatment plant, a natural gas processing plant, and a civil airport.

As the oil field's annual production capacity is estimated at 20 million tonnes, the gas processing plant is expected to produce purified gas sufficient to generate 5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

"Upon the completion of the plant, the energy shortage in Iraq will be significantly eased, with the environment and climate improved, more oil and gas products produced, and outstanding economic value created," Fang said, hailing the project as a model of Chinese-Iraqi cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

CPECC, co-builder of the project, is responsible for the design, marketing, construction, trial operation, and maintenance of the plant, according to Jiang Feng, general manager of the CPECC's Middle East branch and head of the plant project.

"Most advanced technology and equipment have been applied in the project construction," Jiang said, noting that the project also provided numerous job opportunities for local people and will generate more social and economic value in the future.

Nashaat Dhiyaa, 31, an Iraqi engineer who worked with CPECC for more than six years, believed the gas processing plant would bring economic benefit to Iraq, whose power plants mainly operate on gas but are still reliant on gas imports from neighboring countries.

Talking about his achievements in CPECC, Dhiyaa said he has gained good experience and got promoted, as well as seen his financial situation greatly improved.

According to the World Bank report, Iraq's volume of flared gas exceeded 17 billion cubic meters in 2022, the world's second-most after Russia.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
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A missile attack hit Russian-occupied Crimea at around 6 p.m. local time, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Oct. 7.

The ministry later reported a second attack at 10 p.m. local time.

Both attacks were carried out with converted S-200 anti-aircraft missiles, the Defense Ministry said.

Reports emerged on social media that an explosion was heard near Dzhankoi in northern Crimea and the trail of the missile was visible in the sky, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Local residents also told Suspilne that multiple explosions were heard in Yevpatoriia, while the outlet Crimean Wind reported explosions in Krasnoperekopsk.

Since the summer, there have been increasingly damaging attacks on Russian military targets across the peninsula, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014.

One key target has been the Black Sea Fleet, which is currently based in occupied Crimea.

The fleet has suffered a series of major attacks over the past weeks, including strikes on a command post on Sept. 20 and on its headquarters on Sept. 22.

Read also: Military intelligence: Special forces land in Crimea in military operation

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
An artist's rendering shows the security building planned for the LG Energy Solution plant in Queen Creek.

Queen Creek Town Council approved changes to its agreement with LG Energy Solutions that extend deadlines for various construction and payment obligations for the town and the car battery maker.

The South Korean-based battery manufacturer initially announced it was coming to the town in April 2022 and later announced in March it was quadrupling its initial investment at the plant.

The state will provide millions in incentives, including tax credits and a deal-closing fund.

Locally, Queen Creek and Pinal County approved a development agreement with LG in 2022 to provide employment incentives and outlined timeline obligations both parties needed to meet.

However, with the expansion, the town needed to revisit its timeline in the agreement for phase one of the plant.

The factory will become the towns largest employer and is expected to create more than 2,800 jobs. The development agreement approved between the town, county and LG provided incentives for hiring residents in Queen Creek and Pinal County.

Learn more: Is Mesa ripe for business investment from South Korea? Mayor John Giles thinks so

The contract included extensions to employment incentive deadlines, a water waiver and details for the construction of a workforce training facility.

Queen Creek is also obligated to build new roads, water and sewer infrastructure that will amount to $84 million. The town is in the process of securing $50 million in external financing to pay for the construction while it waits to receive construction sales tax revenue.

The town will need to start construction by June 16 and complete the improvements within seven-and-a-half years, according to changes in the agreement.

The town has no specific date of when LG will break ground but said the company is looking at late this year or early next, said Constance HalonenWilson, a town spokesperson.

An artist's rendering shows some of the buildings planned at LG Energy Solution's battery manufacturing plant in Queen Creek.

Employment incentives

Pinal County and Queen Creek will pay LG to hire its residents, according to the development agreement.

The initial agreement stated the company has to hire a minimum of 2,800 full-time employees within 10 years of the land acquisitions. Now, that date is Dec. 16, 2033.

The county and town will need to start providing job reimbursements by Aug. 31 for town and county residents.

The amount of payment didnt change from the initial agreement. Pinal County will pay the company $3,000 per county resident employed at the factory and $1,500 for each non-Pinal County resident employed at the factory for training assistance. Queen Creek also will provide $250 in reimbursement per employee, up to $700,000.

Water agreement waiver

Queen Creek waived a part of its water ordinance that would have required it to enter into a Sustainable Water Allocation Agreement for non-residential customers that go beyond a Tier 1 water allocation, which allows an average customer to consume up to 60 acre-feet of water annually.

Any annual water use above 100 acre-feet of water or 89,275 gallons of water per day would put the customer within the towns Tier 2.

One acre-foot of water serves about three average households a year.

Instead, the town will enter into a separate utility agreement with LG that will detail the rate the company will pay for its water.

Councilmember Travis Padilla said at Wednesdays council meeting he was comfortable voting to waive the agreement because in the future utility agreement, the town would be ensuring LG does fund and pay for their own water like every other business of this magnitude.

That agreement will come to the Town Council for approval. Having a separate utility agreement will allow the Town to work with LGES on their specific needs without impacting current utility customers, HalonenWilson told The Arizona Republic.

A preliminary rate letter outlined the projected annual water usage at the buildout. Those 2022 numbers suggest it would use more than 645 million gallons of water a year or 1,981 acre-feet of water a year. It is also projected to produce nearly 328 million gallons of wastewater.

But those numbers for buildout are no longer accurate, as LG has expanded its campus and changed the site plans for phase one, HalonenWilson said.

Go deeper: Korean battery giant LG announces huge expansion of plans for battery factory in Queen Creek

Training facility

A part of the agreement is details on Pinal Countys obligation to build a training facility for workforce development.

Central Arizona College, a Pinal community college, and the county will construct the building at the Superstition Mountain Campus in Apache Junction.

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors in September approved the use of $9.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to help fund construction of the facility. Queen Creek will not be contributing any cost to its construction, HalonenWilson said.

The county has capped its contribution to the workforce facility and employment incentive at $17.4 million.

According to the updated agreement with LG, the center needs to be completed by Sept. 30. If the training facility is not ready in time for the company to start training its employees, the county will need to make space elsewhere on the community colleges campus at no cost to LG.

The battery manufacturer will have priority use of the training facility for the first five years following the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

A college spokesperson did not provide a total cost of the training facility, for which it has yet to break ground.

Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers Mesa and Gilbert and can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @maritzacdom.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Queen Creek, Pinal update contracts for LG battery plant
WASHINGTON  Command posts must become nimbler and better networked over greater distances to prevent an enemy from targeting them and killing soldiers, according to U.S. Army leaders closely watching Russias assault on Ukraine for lessons in warfare.

Command posts of old were relatively stationary, a bear to construct and then breakdown, and often distinguishable by their heat, noise and electronic signatures. Such recognizable targets will not cut it in a fight against advanced adversaries such as Russia or China, as battlefields teem with advanced sensors, powerful jammers and weapons touting extended ranges, said Mark Kitz, the services recently installed leader of Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical.

We learned a significant lesson in Ukraine, right? You have to move. These lower echelons, below the division, their command posts have to move to be survivable. They have to be dispersed to be survivable, he said in an interview. The command posts that we were building and architecting, with the network as an enabler, clearly would not be survivable in a large-scale combat operations fight.

The Army is investing in several efforts to improve endurance, concealment, and the speed at which commanders can pause, plan and move again. Among them is whats known as Command Post Integrated Infrastructure, or CPI2, which combines trucks with communication nodes and off-the-shelf commercial technologies.

The CPI2 setup underwent testing in August at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. The trials, which came in the wake of four other soldier feedback sessions, featured newly introduced mobile command platforms and command post support vehicles.

Kitz found the exercise enlightening and said it demonstrated that flexibility is key to survival and long-term success. He plans to prod industry at the Association of the U.S. Armys annual convention in early October about whats feasible.

Each of these commanders is going to want to tailor their command post, said Kitz, whose office helps develop and deploy tools troops use to share information, like radios and command-and-control applications. Some of them are going to be really good with this Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles variant that we gave to the Stryker brigade. Some want to do planning on the move and have their command post be fully on the move.

One of the things that were embarking on is making sure that our command posts of the future are not one option, he added, noting such a move would be a change for the Army. If they want to do it in an FMTV, we can do it like that. If they want to do it in their Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, how can I architect a command post that gives them a JLTV variant?

A fight with either Russia or China would mean contending with an avalanche of sensors: drones buzzing overhead, as is seen in Ukraine; signals intelligence tools cuing in on communications; and thermal imaging, like forward-looking infrared, zeroing in on heat signatures. It would also demand battlefield hubs be scattered across hundreds of miles, over mountains, between islands and throughout cities, straining the digital tubes that funnel intel to and from the front lines.

Mark Kitz, the program executive officer for command, control and communications-tactical, answers a question Aug. 15, 2023, at the AFCEA TechNet Augusta conference in Georgia. (Colin Demarest/Staff)

That future is radically different compared to the decades the U.S. military spent in the Middle East and elsewhere while attempting to eradicate extremism and topple terrorist cells.

Most of our commanders have grown up not having to worry about that problem. When you were in a forward-operating base in Iraq and Afghanistan, it wasnt a challenge, Ward Roberts, the assistant lead at PEO C3T, previously told C4ISRNET. We have seen that when you have a highly skilled enemy, you cant sit there very long. If you do sit there and long, theyre going to find you. If they can find you, they can target you.

To get it right, PEO C3T is concentrating on factors such as connectivity, camouflage, ergonomics, power management and shelter.

The command post innovation comes as the Army increasingly focuses on the division, not the brigade, as the unit of action. The pivot, alongside an initiative known as the division as a unit of action network design, is meant to free up soldiers by elevating burdensome tasks and coordination.

We want to, or we recognize, that the future fight for the Army will have the division as a linchpin of the network, Kitz said. Weve got to be able to architect our network much more flexibly, weve got to be able to architect our command posts much more flexibly if were going to operate in Indo-Pacific Command versus what we see in Ukraine. Theyre very different environments.

Thats one of the things Im learning in this early C3T journey, he added. Each of these commanders wants to employ their network in very different ways. How do we enable that?

Kitz took the reins of PEO C3T in June. He previously led Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors, a one-stop shop for Army spying, jamming and aircraft survivability suites.
People walk atop the rubble of a tower destroyed in an Israeli air stike in Gaza City (Mohammed ABED)

President Joe Biden pledged "rock solid" support for Israel on Saturday in the face of what he described as "terrorist assaults" by Palestinian militant group Hamas, with an announcement on US military assistance expected imminently.

High-level discussions between US and Israeli officials on military aid were already underway, a US senior administration official said, with an announcement by Washington possible as early as Sunday.

Biden described the assault as "a terrible tragedy on a human level" and said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to underline his support.

"I told him the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults," Biden said in a televised address from the White House.

"In my administration, support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering," he said.

"We'll make sure that they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed Washington's commitment, saying "over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs."

As the attacks threatened to trigger a wider conflict, Biden also warned "this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching."

Biden stressed that Israel -- which the United States has supplied with billions of dollars of arms -- has "a right to defend itself" after Iran-backed Hamas launched air, sea and land strikes.

The senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed it was "too early to say" whether Iran was "directly involved" in Hamas' large-scale attack, but that there was "no doubt Hamas is funded, equipped and armed by Iran and others."

Meanwhile, top US diplomat Antony Blinken spoke with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas -- whose West Bank-based Fatah movement is a rival to Hamas -- and "called on all leadership in the region to condemn" the attack on Israel.

- Trump weighs in -

Former president Donald Trump weighed in, blaming Biden, without evidence, for indirectly funding the attacks.

"These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force," Trump said in a statement.

"Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration."

Trump's allegations reflected Republican claims that $6 billion released last month to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange deal was used to fund the Hamas attack.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said on social media that "this is a shameful lie in every respect, at a time when both parties should be totally united in supporting Israel's defense."

The money "can only be used for verifiable purchases of humanitarian needs like food & medicine," Bates added, in a fierce pushback against the claims.

There seemed little chance of keeping US partisan politics out of the matter, with the senior administration official saying that the situation in Congress -- where the lower chamber currently lacks a leader -- will likely complicate any US action.

- Peace agreements -

Israel normalized relations decades ago with neighboring Egypt and Jordan and in 2020 added three more Arab states to the list -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco -- in what Trump considered his towering foreign policy achievement.

The so-called "Abraham Accords" also included sweeteners from Trump, including a promise to sell jets to the United Arab Emirates.

"We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible," Trump, who plans to stand against Biden in the 2024 election, said.

Before Saturday's assault, Biden had been hoping to transform the Middle East -- and score a pre-election diplomatic victory -- by securing recognition of the Jewish state by Saudi Arabia, the guardian of Islam's two holiest sites.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Saturday that "this unprecedented and brutal attack by Hamas is not only supported by Iran, it was designed to stop peace efforts between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"A peace agreement between those two nations would be a nightmare for Iran and Hamas."

"It would serve Israel and the world well to respond to this outrage by launching an operation that will destroy the Hamas organization -- not just contain it," he added.

Biden has had recently rocky relations with Netanyahu, publicly criticizing him for overhauling Israel's judiciary, a step seen by opponents as undermining democracy.

bur-bfm/acb
The United States is considering the possibility of a three-way exchange, which provides for the transfer of the Iron Dome to Poland in exchange for Poland providing Ukraine with some Patriot systems.

Source: Politico, citing Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen

Details: As Politico reported, Hollen can offer a "workaround" to help Ukraine, which consists of a three-way exchange.

In particular, as Politico writes, Poland, as a NATO member, can receive the American Iron Dome systems and provide Ukraine with part of its Patriot air defence systems.

Politico notes that the need to consider the issue in this way arose after Israel rejected the request of Washington and Kyiv to provide the Iron Dome to Ukraine.

Previously: US President Joe Biden's administration is considering using a State Department grant programme to send additional military assistance to Ukraine.

Background:

Of the US$25.9 billion allocated by Congress to replenish the stockpile of weapons that were sent to Ukraine, US$1.6 billion remained.

In addition, the US has about US$5.4 billion left to supply weapons and equipment from its stockpiles. The US would have already exhausted these funds if the Pentagon had not realised at the beginning of the year that it had overestimated the equipment already sent.

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!
Next week, the administration of US President Joe Biden is expected to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine worth about US$200 million.

Source: Reuters, referring to sources

Details: The media outlet notes that the composition of the next military assistance package is still being formed.

It is scheduled to be announced in Brussels on Wednesday at the 16th Ramstein-format meeting.

Reuters adds that the expected cost of the new package will be about US$200 million and may include similar ammunition and armoured vehicles that were in the last aid packages.

Background:

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States has provided Kyiv with over US$43.9 billion in military aid, according to official figures.

Last weekend, the United States, at the last moment, approved a temporary budget that prevents the government from shutting down, but without funds to help Ukraine increase the chances of its adoption.

After that, US President Joe Biden called on Republicans in Congress to prevent problems with aid to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the situation with the vote for the interim budget in the United States and its signing by President Joe Biden would not affect the receipt of previously announced aid to 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!
The White House and other US politicians voiced their support for Israel on Saturday after attacks from Hamas stunned the world.

Joe Biden said he spoke to Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu , on Saturday, assuring him that the American government is ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, Biden said in a statement that also warned any other party hostile to Israel against seeking advantage in this situation. Washingtons support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering, the president said.

Later on Saturday, Biden made further remarks in a press briefing. The world has seen appalling images, he said. Thousands of rockets in the space of hours raining down on Israeli cities.

In the street, in their homes, innocent people wounded. Entire families taken hostage by Hamas just days after Israel marked the holiest of days in the Jewish calendar.

The US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin , said on Saturday morning that he was closely monitoring the attack after Hamas gunmen infiltrated into Israeli towns and villages and launched a large aerial operation from the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Related: Hamas and Israel at war: what we know so far

Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism, Austin said in a statement.

And the White House national security council spokesperson echoed Austins condemnation of the attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians.

There is never any justification for terrorism, Adrienne Watson said. National security adviser Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners.

The statements come after retaliatory Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, which have so far left 48 dead and 461 injured, according to the the Palestinian Red Crescent, with the death toll likely to rise.

Netanyahu, said: We are at war, and we will win it, after the sudden attack on the 50th anniversary of the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

But Bidens opponents have also been quick to criticize the presidents handling of foreign affairs in light of the attacks.

Iran has helped fund this war against Israel, and Joe Bidens policies that have gone easy on Iran has helped to fill their coffers. Israel is now paying the price for those policies, said Floridas governor, Ron DeSantis, a Republican running for his partys presidential nomination.

DeSantis appeared to be referring to a prisoner swap deal the Biden administration arranged with Iran last month. Under the deal, the United States waived sanctions to allow the transfer of $6bn in Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar, a step needed to carry out the US-Iran prisoner swap.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, another far-right Republican, echoed that sentiment on X, formerly known as Twitter. President Trump would have NEVER given that money to Iran, she said.

Its unlikely that Bidens recent policy has had any impact on the attacks today. A Biden administration official said not a dollar of the $6bn has been spent yet. And the money is intended solely for humanitarian purposes.

I cant comment on 2024 because of the Hatch Act. But I can clarify the facts: not a single cent from these funds has been spent, and when it is spent, it can only be spent on things like food and medicine for the Iranian people, said Watson, the national security council spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Jewish Democrats in the House issued a joint statement, also calling the attacks a form of terrorism.

We are united in standing with and supporting our ally Israel as it responds to terrorist attacks from Gaza, read a statement from House Democrats including Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.

Hamas has declared war on Israel and her people. Our alliance with Israel is unbreakable; our commitment to Israels security is ironclad. We extend our condolences to the families of all those killed, our hopes for recovery for the many hundreds wounded, and pray for the safe and immediate return of all hostages taken. We support Israels right to defend itself  to protect its people and communities  and will do all we can to ensure Israel has the ability and capacity to restore and maintain its security and the safety of all its citizens.
U.S. President Biden speaks about the September Jobs Report at the White House in Washington, U.S.

By Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden offered Israel on Saturday "all appropriate means of support" after a deadly attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas and warned "any party hostile to Israel" not to seek advantage.

U.S. and Israeli officials were coordinating about Israel's military needs in the wake of the attack, with a decision expected soon, a senior U.S. official said.

The United States is working with other governments to make sure the crisis does not spread and is contained to Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack in Israel, the official said.

"We want to make sure this is contained in Gaza," the official told reporters.

The assault by the Iran-backed Islamist group erupted amid efforts by Biden and his team to negotiate a landmark normalization agreement between foes Israel and Saudi Arabia and a U.S.-Saudi defense pact.

Biden spoke by phone to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to offer U.S. support, with scenes of violence playing out on American news networks. The two leaders have had strained relations but met in New York last month in a show of solidarity.

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel," Biden said in a written statement issued after their call.

In his televised remarks later, Biden issued a blunt warning.

"Israel has a right to defend itself and its people - full stop," he said. "Let me say this as clearly as I can. This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching."

The senior U.S. official, speaking on a conference call, said there was no indication yet that Iran was involved in the Hamas attack but vowed to look into it.

Amid worries about a massive Israeli intelligence failure, the official said Washington had no specific warning or indication that Hamas would launch the attack.

"We always share timely intelligence," the official said.

Biden directed his national security team to stay in touch about the situation with countries throughout the region including Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and European allies.

The violence came as Washington was in disarray: Republicans are looking for a successor to ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy of the House of Representatives, and a budget showdown looms with Biden and his Democrats that could lead to a government shutdown in about 40 days.

Biden's choice to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, has yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

IRAN CRITICISM

Republicans seeking to oust Biden in the 2024 presidential election were quick to criticize his handling of the situation.

"Iran has helped fund this war against Israel, and Joe Biden's policies that have gone easy on Iran has helped to fill their coffers. Israel is now paying the price for those policies," said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican running for his party's presidential nomination.

DeSantis appeared to be referring to a prisoner swap deal the Biden administration completed with Iran in September. The deal was first made public in August. Under the deal, the United States waived sanctions to allow the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar, a step needed to carry out the U.S.-Iran prisoner swap.

A Biden administration official said not a dollar of the $6 billion has been spent yet. The money is intended solely for humanitarian purposes.

"I can't comment on 2024 because of the Hatch Act. But I can clarify the facts: Not a single cent from these funds has been spent, and when it is spent, it can only be spent on things like food and medicine for the Iranian people," said White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

The Hatch Act prohibits White House officials from engaging in political activity.

Brian Nelson, a senior Treasury Department official, said: "All of the money held in restricted accounts in Doha as part of the arrangement to secure the release of five Americans in September remains in Doha."

The impact of the Hamas attack on the U.S.-Israel-Saudi normalization negotiations was unclear, but the U.S. official said Washington would not let the militant group derail the talks.

The United States has been insistent any agreement include some Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, but what those would be remained a subject of negotiations.

Reuters reported last month that Saudi Arabia is determined to secure a military pact requiring the United States to defend the kingdom in return for opening ties with Israel, and will not hold up a deal even if Israel does not offer major concessions to Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick; additional reporting by Ismail Shakil; editing by Heather Timmons, Chris Reese and Diane Craft)
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is leading a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers on a visit visit to China (ALY SONG)

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Chinese firms of "fuelling" a drug addiction crisis in the United States, as he met with officials in Shanghai on the first leg of a visit to the country.

Schumer is the latest high-level American official to visit China as Washington seeks to ease tensions with Beijing.

He met Saturday with Chen Jining, the ruling Chinese Communist Party's chief official in Shanghai, according to a pool report, stressing the United States "does not want to decouple our economies".

He also raised the issue of Chinese firms' role in the fentanyl drug addiction crisis in the United States.

"This is not the government but this is Chinese companies," he stressed.

"They are fuelling the fentanyl crisis that is poisoning communities across the United States," he said.

Washington this week sanctioned a China-based network for producing and distributing chemicals used to make drugs -- including those fueling the deadly fentanyl crisis in America.

Beijing has said it opposes the sanctions, and insisted the opioid problem is "rooted in" the United States and not its responsibility.

Schumer also said Sunday he would seek to raise Beijing's alleged unfair trade practices during his visit.

"Many of our constituents feel that in instances China does not treat American companies fairly when we talk to our American companies, they bring this up including many of them that are here," he told Chen.

"We believe we need reciprocity, allowing American companies to compete as freely in China as Chinese companies are able to compete here," he said.

- 'Very productive' -

Bloomberg has reported his delegation is seeking a meeting with President Xi Jinping.

The delegation's plane landed early afternoon in Shanghai, China's economic powerhouse, where they were greeted by US Ambassador Nicholas Burns.

Asked about his expectations for the visit, Schumer said he was hoping for "very productive discussions".

Accompanying Schumer is Republican Senator Mike Crapo, who represents the state of Idaho -- home to chip giant Micron, currently in the crossfire of US-China disputes over semiconductors.

Four other senators are joining the delegation.

China has said it welcomes the delegation and that it hopes it enhances the lawmakers' "understanding" of the country.

Beijing's foreign ministry said the trip would "promote dialogue and exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries, and inject positive elements into the development of China-US relations".

US media reported the group will seek to raise issues ranging from the climate for US businesses in China to human rights.

The delegation will also stop off in South Korea and Japan, The New York Times reported, citing the senators' offices.

It is the latest in a series of visits by US officials to China, as both sides aim to defuse rankles across a range of security and economic issues that have been at their highest levels in years.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, as well as Climate Envoy John Kerry, have all visited China this year.

And President Joe Biden on Friday said he may meet Xi in San Francisco in November as Washington and Beijing push to reset ties, but added that nothing is scheduled yet.

"There has been no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," Biden told journalists after reports that they were set to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco.

Biden is set to host leaders from across the region on November 16 and 17 in the California city, and speculation has mounted that it could be the venue for a rapprochement.

The White House had begun making plans for a meeting on the sidelines of the summit in a bid to stabilise relations, The Washington Post reported, quoting one official as saying "it's pretty firm".

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit Washington ahead of the APEC summit.

bur-oho/je/sco
Utah author Shannon Hale discusses her childrens book, The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink during Banned Books Week at the University of Utahs Marriott Library in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. Hale said she was criticized for writing a book series that included an effeminate boy character. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah author Shannon Hales inspiration for her childrens book Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn was her children.

To illustrate her point, she projected several photographs of one of her kids dressed in a variety of costumes on a wall during a recent presentation at the University of Utahs J. Willard Marriott Library.

Look how sweet she is, said Hale, beaming with pride.

What Ive learned from being a parent is the same kid has a lot of different ways of being, a lot of different identities that they try on. Their favorite animal changes every week. Their favorite color changes every week. They can be complex and interesting, said Hale, speaking during an event in observance of Banned Books Week.

What this book is trying to say to those kids is I see youre changing all the time and thats OK. I see where you are now and I love it. I love where you are. When we give kids that kind of love and acceptance then they have a space to grow into, said Hale, a New York Times best-selling author and a Newbery Honor winner.

Earlier this year, a member of the Katy Independent School District board of education in Texas flagged the book as containing sexually suggestive material, deeming it out of compliance with Texas law HB900. The law prohibits possession, acquisition and purchase of books rated sexually explicit material by schools and permits their exclusion.

As questions about what is appropriate for students are raised around the country, lawmakers in Utah have passed legislation they say is intended to establish age-appropriate limitations for materials in school libraries.

The challenge against Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn

The childrens book, which Hale read to the audience at the U., is for children ages 3-5, according to Amazon.com. The website describes the book, published in 2021, as a delightful kitty and unicorn story that celebrates the magic of friendship  and being exactly who you want to be!

Im not sure where the suggestive part came in. Ive never been able to get anybody to tell me what that was in reference to, said Hale.

Another thing they objected to was using they as a singular pronoun, which is also not in the book. They was only ever used for multiple characters, not that theres anything wrong with that, but it wasnt there. So this was a misreading, somebody who has misread this book, she said.

The school district responded to the school board members concerns by halting students access to all new library books for the 2023-24 school year until the district could develop a policy to implement the legislation.

Hale, who writes childrens books, graphic novels and some books for adults, said none of her books are on banned books lists but she has learned that some of her books have been quietly removed from circulation in school libraries.

If thats happening to me, I know thats happening to a lot of other writers as well. Whats actually happening is much larger than the list that were actually seeing, she said.

Hale said she believes the energy behind efforts to remove books from circulation in school libraries is fear based.

Amy Sonnenberg of Draper wipes away tears while listening to Utah author Shannon Hale speak during Banned Books Week at the University of Utahs Marriott Library in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. Seated with Sonnenberg is her daughter, Greta, 9. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Ive been told the problem with it (Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn) is it encourages children to be who they are, said Hale, mother of four children.

If you tell your child to be who they are, and you cant control what theyre going to become, and thats really scary, she said.

The response to fear is control, Hale said, and thats what were seeing.

Hale challenged the audience to consider how to inject compassion into that fear because fear cannot exist when theres compassion involved. As soon as we inject compassion into fear, the shell dissolves and whats left is curiosity. When were curious about things, then we really make solutions, then we can really see what the problems are and we can problem solve.

Hale said she wants to be so compassionate with the parents who flagged this book, and the school board that stopped all of the buying because they are afraid, and that doesnt feel good, and they need compassion, too.

Utah author Shannon Hale becomes emotional while speaking during Banned Books Week at the University of Utahs Marriott Library in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Managing sensitive materials in Utah school libraries

Nationally, book challenges and removals have increased nationwide over the past two years, which The New York Times reports came about with the rise of parents rights groups formed to challenge COVID-19 restrictions in schools during the pandemic now pivoting to examining school library collections and waging challenges.

One such group is Utah Parents United, which did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, sponsor of Utahs sensitive materials legislation, HB374, said his intent was to establish age-appropriate limitations for materials in school libraries.

To the idea of a public school system with no limits on materials accessible to students grades K-12, Ivory said, Well, any adult should reject such irresponsible notions out of hand.

Its not book banning, he said, but HB374 established a standard in state law for sensitive materials, which resulted in schools establishing processes to review and remove library materials that run afoul of state law.

Ivory said there continue to be issues with some school districts implementation of HB374 and he anticipates filing legislation in the Utah Legislatures 2024 General Session to further clarify HB374.

Passed by Utah lawmakers in 2022, the law defines sensitive material as instructional materials that are pornographic or indecent, colloquially referred to as the bright line rule in state code.

We still have a number of schools that havent figured out how to administer the bright line rule and yet they are the first ones to complain about the mental and behavioral health issues when it was the State Board of Education that made that direct connection of the importance of protecting students from the harmful effects of pornography, Ivory said.

While the development of book challenge policies and book challenges themselves were the stuff of highly contentious school board meetings in Utah, that appears to have waned.

This past week, the Davis School District Board of Education ratified the recommendations of its board-level sensitive materials appeal committee to remove two books from school libraries.

Review committees had recommended retaining Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and to retain in high school libraries only The Poet X. The board action overturned the initial review committees recommendations.

The New York Times best selling, award-winning The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo is about a young girl in Harlem who discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mothers religion and her own relationship to the world.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is about a social loner teenager in Pittsburgh, who navigates high school by becoming everyones acquaintance but not in a particular clique. His only real friend since childhood is Earl Jackson. When Gregs mother tells him that his childhood friend, Rachel Kushner, has been diagnosed with leukemia, she urges him to rekindle their friendship and to help Rachel feel better, which alters the course of Gregs life.

No one addressed the Davis School Board regarding either book and the ratification of the appeals committees recommendations were part of the boards consent agenda, which was approved with no discussion.
by Jose Gabriel Martinez

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) is a great institutional innovation that has played an important role in global trade and development over the last decade, Nicaraguan Minister of Development, Industry and Trade Jesus Bermudez has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Bermudez said that "a greater degree of competitiveness in global trade is the key to success," and that is precisely what the Shanghai FTZ, the first of its kind, has offered since its launch in China in 2013.

The Shanghai FTZ is a pioneer project which established an unprecedented degree of openness in relation to foreign investment and international trade, both in goods and services, said Bermudez.

"It is extremely important for foreign trade because it serves as a mechanism to simplify trade in general, creating a more efficient and competitive business ecosystem," he said.

Pilot FTZs have accelerated China's process of economic transformation and modernization, something Nicaragua understands well and has implemented at home for years, taking into account the country's own characteristics and development needs, he added.

"It is something that we share with China. We also have free trade zones, which are oriented toward a development model based on increasing exports and attracting investment," said the Nicaraguan minister.

According to a white paper released at a forum commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Shanghai FTZ, it had attracted 84,000 newly-built enterprises by the end of 2022.

Benefiting from the FTZ's development, the Pudong New Area had attracted 18,691 new foreign investment projects as of 2022, with a cumulative registered capital of 217.27 billion U.S. dollars and a cumulative actual foreign investment of 74.99 billion dollars, according to the white paper.

Such figures, Bermudez said, confirm that FTZs give "greater impetus" to foreign trade and benefit the companies that settle in them.

Among the benefits, the minister said, were an increase in foreign direct investment, growing business opportunities, lower logistical costs and simplified bureaucratic procedures.

Bermudez also mentioned reduced tariffs and taxes on imports of raw materials, inputs, intermediate goods and capital goods that companies use to produce their final product.

In Nicaragua's case, said Bermudez, FTZs or free zones have played a significant role in the country's economic development and influenced its position in the Central American region from an economic and commercial perspective.

"They have contributed to the growth of foreign direct investment and the growth of employment," said the minister.

"Free zone companies in Nicaragua annually contribute 48 percent of the total exported by Nicaragua and generate approximately 133,000 direct jobs," he said.

Over the last five years, Bermudez added, free zone exports have grown at a rate of 8.7 percent annually, which has helped Nicaragua obtain preferential access to external markets through a network of trade agreements and diversify its investment in such sectors as textiles and agribusiness.

"Free zones have helped promote a more solid export-oriented industrial base in the case of our country," Bermudez said.

Regarding the Shanghai FTZ, Bermudez believes it has contributed to reaffirming China's role as a proactive major economy globally, along with such initiatives as the Belt and Road Initiative, "a trade route that involves China's economic cooperation with countless countries, including Nicaragua."

"Free zones are very important. They continue to be very important because they generate commercial potential and foreign direct investment potential," said the minister.

The free trade agreement between China and Nicaragua signed in late August comprises broad incentives for production, export and foreign direct investment, so the FTZs "will continue to play an important role in the development of both countries," he added. 
NASHVILLE, Tenn.  For months, Carlton Clemons endured crippling pain from a rotting wisdom tooth. He couldnt sleep, barely ate and relied on painkillers to get by.

The 67-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee, could not afford to see a dentist on the $1,300-a-month his family gets in Social Security and disability payments. So he waited for the state to roll out a program this year that offers dental care to the more than 650,000 Medicaid recipients like him who are 21 and older. Tennessee is spending about $75 million annually on the program.

Man, I thought I had made it to heaven because the pain was over, he said after the tooth was pulled in July at the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry. When they did pull it out, I was so happy. I was so glad. Everything just changed after that.

His wife, Cindy, who also is on Medicaid, has had her teeth pulled at the clinic.

Danielle Wilkes is seen by a dentist during a clinic visit Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Wilkes waited five years to have her teeth repaired after getting several teeth knocked out in a car wreck. She was able to receive dental care after an expansion of the state's Medicaid program.

Medicaid, the federal and state health insurance program for the poor, requires states to provide dental coverage for children but not adults. But with a growing recognition of the economic and health costs of poor dental health and an influx of federal pandemic dollars, six states began or expanded their Medicaid programs this year to provide coverage for adults.

More: Gov. Tate Reeves announces plan to help struggling hospitals. Details here

Access remains difficult in many of those states with some dentists refusing to treat Medicaid patients. Even those who want to expand their practice are finding themselves caught up in red tape.

Dr. Victor Wu, the chief medical officer for Tennessees Medicaid program, said he was pleased with the rollout of Medicaid dental benefits that started in January, but he acknowledges the state needs to build out its network and increase the participation rate among dentists.

While dental care often is seen as routine, the poor often go without any care for years or even decades. Doing so has significant costs, both to taxpayers and to those who cannot afford treatment.

One study from Texas A&M University found that treatment for preventable dental conditions represents up to 2.5% of emergency room visits, at a cost of $2 billion a year. An additional $45 billion is lost year in productivity in the United States annually from untreated oral disease, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

You put off care and you get sicker and then it becomes a crisis where youre missing work or you end up going to the emergency department where you get a big bill and you dont get the tooth actually taken care of, said Dr. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi, the chief executive officer of Interfaith Dental Clinic which has offices in Nashville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

You need good teeth to have good employment, Switzer-Nadasdi said.

All states provide some Medicaid dental benefits for adults, but some limit it to only specific segments of the population, like pregnant women or those who have intellectual disabilities, or cover only emergency care, according to CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a nonprofit that advocates for expanded dental care.

Hawaii, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland and New Hampshire were the latest to begin or expand their dental coverage; they did so this year.

In New Hampshire, the state is spending $33.4 million over 12 months to provide dental care to its 88,000 Medicaid recipients.

There is an increasing understanding that oral health is inseparable from health care, said New Hampshire Democratic Rep. Joe Schapiro, who was the prime sponsor of the expanded dental benefits bill. The amount of money spent on other health care problems that are related to oral health and the amount of money spent on emergency care when people cant get any kind of preventive or restorative care is not only unfortunate for those peoples health but cost a tremendous amount of money.

In Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear pressed ahead with emergency regulations ensuring that about 900,000 Kentuckians would continue having access to dental care after the Republican-led legislature rejected his proposal.

We are focused on removing roadblocks that prevent people from getting back into the workforce, and this program does just that, he said.

Virginia expanded its Medicaid program in 2021, budgeting $282 million for the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years to cover dental procedures for more than a million recipients. Last year, Kansas gave dental access to nearly 137,000 Medicaid recipients at a cost of $3.5 million in 2022 and $1.2 million in 2023.

While advocates are welcoming these changes, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Utah and Louisiana still only offer limited benefits. The Utah Legislature passed a bill to expand Medicaid dental coverage but is still waiting for federal approval to put it into effect.

Even as states add dental coverage, millions of beneficiaries are being culled from the Medicaid program nationwide as part of a review of eligibility, something states were prohibited from doing during the pandemic.

There are also plenty of hiccups in states that have expanded care, including Tennessee. Among the biggest is that too few dentists, especially in rural areas, are taking Medicaid patients, resulting in long waiting times and hours-long drives in search of care. Only about 15% of dentist take Medicaid in New Hampshire, 24% in Tennessee and 27% in Virginia.

Many dentists and groups advocating for expanded care blame Medicaid reimbursement rates. New Jersey only covers 13.3% of what a dentists normally charge, Michigan covers 17% and Rhode Island 22.4%, according to 2022 data analyzed by the American Dental Association. Illinois, New York, Ohio and Oregon each cover a little more than 28%.

Most states, though, cover between 30% and 50% with Alaska and North Dakota covering at least 55% and Delaware, 76.9%.

Dr. Heather Taylor, an assistant professor at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indiana University, said some of Indianas Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental have not increased since 1998.

Its almost like were incentivizing our dentists not to treat the ones that are in need, because we dont pay them even half of what they could get from private insurers, she said.

Tennessee Family Dental, which has four clinics in the state, has experienced overwhelming demand from Medicaid patients. Dr. Ryan ONeill, a dentist who owns the business, said he got some 300 calls on the first day and that some of his patients have traveled from 30 minutes away or more.

He wants to hire more dentists but said it can take upward of four months to get one certified under Medicaid. He also is struggling with a Medicaid billing system that routinely rejects some claims and he said there is a lot of inconsistency over what is approved and what is denied.

Offices are hesitant to go in network because theres a lot of unknowns, O'Neill said. Were still learning what the rules are and, you know, trial and error in terms of how were supposed to deal with a particular situation.

Danielle Wilkes, a 26-year-old mother of five from Ashland, Tennessee, drove 90 minutes to see ONeill after calling dozens of dentists in her area and finding none who takes Medicaid. Her cousin, June Renee Pentecost, also came with her for treatment.

For the past five years, Wilkes had been waiting to see a dentist after getting several teeth knocked out in a car wreck. She was told it would cost her thousands of dollars for multiple crowns, which she could not afford.

I was mad at first but I was like there nothing she could do. Im just going to have to wait until my kids are grown up, she said, adding that the pain often brought her to tears.

But here she was in a dental chair, her pink hair standing out against ONeill and dental assistant Jasmine Webb in black scrubs. Afterward, the soft-spoken Wilkes said she was just happy to finally get the work done, even if she had to pay $400 that Medicaid did not cover.

In a different room, Pentecost was getting examined for a root canal. It had been more than a decade since she last saw a dentist because she was deterred by the cost despite years of pain. A mother of five, she figured dental care would take away from spending on her children.

I couldnt play with my kids because my head was hurting," she said.

The 30-year-old was relieved to get the work done but wondered why the state had not offered the benefit sooner.

Im hoping my pain would ease up and quit once I get my teeth fixed and then I wont have so many headaches and feel so bad, she said.

___

Associated Press writer Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky, contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Utah pushes own plan as some states expand Medicaid dental coverage
Vermont 'suspicious' trail death near Castleton campus ruled a homicide, victim had gunshot wound to the head

Authorities have identified the Vermont woman who was the victim of a "suspicious death" Thursday on a popular trail.

The Vermont State Police said identified the victim as 77-year-old Honoree Fleming of Castleton, Vermont. She died from a gunshot wound to the head and her cause of death was determined to be a homicide.

The death occurred Thursday near the Vermont State University, Castleton campus, which is under a shelter-in-place order.

The school was closed Friday and all events have been canceled because of the ongoing death investigation.

VERMONT CITY REELING FROM HIGHEST NUMBER OF HOMICIDES IN DECADES AFTER DEFUNDING POLICE

"A shelter-in-place order continues for anyone who is on campus," the school said in a message on its website. "Campus members should monitor their email for updates and information about counseling resources available to them."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The Vermont State Police responded to Rail Trail near 1587 South St. in Castleton at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday after receiving a call reporting a dead woman in the area. Upon arrival, troopers located Fleming and pronounced her dead at the scene.

The agency said a witness reported hearing gunshots before noticing a possible suspect walking northbound on the trail toward the university campus. The Vermont State Police conducted a house-to-house canvass of the area near the Rail Trail Thursday night but did not locate anyone.

"We have no idea where this gentlemen, suspect took off," VSP Maj. Daniel Trudeau said Friday.

The witness described the person seen near the campus as a White male with short, dark hair, standing at approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall. The man was reportedly wearing a dark gray T-shirt and carrying a black backpack.

Authorities have not said whether Fleming was targeted. The suspected is considered "armed and dangerous," police said. Authorities also urged nearby businesses and residents to review their surveillance and game cameras for the possible suspect from the early afternoon hours on Thursday.





Original article source: Vermont 'suspicious' trail death near Castleton campus ruled a homicide, victim had gunshot wound to the head
A vigil was held Friday night to honor a Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson.

Hundreds of loved ones and community members gathered at the Manhattan Beach Civic Center Plaza to remember fallen officer Chad Swanson, 35.

The deadly crash, which involved four vehicles, occurred on Oct. 4 around 5:15 a.m. on the northbound 405 Freeway near East Del Amo Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.

During the crash, Swanson was struck and ejected off his motorbike, authorities said. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died.

Swanson had been with the Manhattan Beach Police Department for 13 years. Colleagues from Manhattan Beach police shared stories about Swanson who was a loving husband and father to three young boys.

He left such a deep and profound impression on us all that it would be impossible to let him fade, said Officer Donovan Torres, Swansons colleague.

Officer Chad Swanson. EOW photo provided by Manhattan Beach Police.

A candlelight vigil was held on Oct. 6, 2023 to honor Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer Chad Swanson who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson. (KTLA)

Officer Chad Swanson in a family photo.

A candlelight vigil was held on Oct. 6, 2023 to honor Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer Chad Swanson who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson. (KTLA)

A Manhattan Beach officer was killed in a crash on the 405 Freeway on Oct. 4, 2023. (KTLA)

A Manhattan Beach officer was killed in a crash on the 405 Freeway on Oct. 4, 2023. (KTLA)

A candlelight vigil was held on Oct. 6, 2023 to honor Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer Chad Swanson who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson. (KTLA)

A candlelight vigil was held on Oct. 6, 2023 to honor Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer Chad Swanson who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson. (KTLA)

A candlelight vigil was held on Oct. 6, 2023 to honor Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer Chad Swanson who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson. (KTLA)

A candlelight vigil was held on Oct. 6, 2023 to honor Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer Chad Swanson who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson. (KTLA)

Officer Chad Swanson is seen in this Oct. 3, 2017, file photo. (KTLA)

Just last Sunday, I watched Chad lift kids onto motorcycles at the car show and when it was over, he saw my wife struggling to get back towards the station. He turned around and helped her inside, recalled Manhattan Beach Police Captain Andrew Enriquez.

Swanson was on his way to work when he was killed in the multi-vehicle wreck. News of his death sent shockwaves across Manhattan Beach, bringing together both those who knew him well and those who didnt.

Just a great person, said Quinn Barrow, Swansons colleague. He personified what youd want in a police officer.

Back in 2017, Swanson was wounded in the Route 91 Harvest country music festival mass shooting in Las Vegas, according to the Daily Breeze.

He personally was responsible for saving several lives and helping rescue victims out of that area, said Manhattan Beach Police Lt. Kelly Benjamin.

He would take the shirt off his back, said another friend of Swansons. He was in Route 91 and he went back in to rescue a ton of people so I dont think there is enough to be said about who he was.

Fridays candlelight vigil continued into a sunset procession to the Manhattan Beach Pier which was lit in blue as a firetruck holding an American flag stood at the piers entrance, honoring a man who will forever be known as a hero to this community.

Ill look for other ways to see you, Chad, said Enriquez. You wont be forgotten and youll live on through stories told for generations to come.

Funeral arrangements for Swanson have not yet been announced. A fundraiser for Swansons family has been established by the Peace Officers Research Association of California.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Virgin Galactic continues to make spaceflight history.

The company successfully sent a Pakistani to space for the first time on its "Galactic 04" mission, which lifted off from New Mexico's Spaceport America this morning (Oct. 6). That passenger was adventurer Namira Salim , founder and chairperson of the nonprofit Space Trust.

Today's milestone comes less than two months after Virgin Galactic launched the first former Olympian and the first mother-daughter duo to the final frontier on its Galactic 02 flight. The daughter in that duo, 18-year-old Anastatia Mayers, also became the youngest-ever spaceflyer during that mission.

Related: Meet the crew of Virgin Galactic's 'Galactic 04' mission

four people in blue spacesuits look at the window of a spaceplane

Galactic 04 began at 11:28 a.m. EDT (1528 GMT) this morning, when Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity space plane lifted off beneath the wings of its carrier craft, known as VMS Eve.

Eve carried Unity high into the New Mexico skies, ultimately releasing the space plane at 12:10 p.m. EDT (1610 GMT) at an altitude of 44,341 feet (13,515 meters), according to Virgin Galactic. Unity then fired up its onboard rocket motor, powering its way to suborbital space and attaining a top speed of Mach 2.95  nearly three times the speed of sound  along the way.

Salim and her fellow space tourist customers  British advertising executive Trevor Beattie and American astronomy educator Ron Rosano  got to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and see Earth against the darkness of space. They reached a maximum altitude of 54.3 miles (87.4 kilometers).

Their flight ended at around 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT), when Unity finally touched down at Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic said in an emailed statement.

Joining Salim, Beattie and Rosano in Unity's cabin was Beth Moses, Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor. Kelly Latimer and C.J. Sturckow piloted the space plane, and Nicola Pecile and Jameel Janjua were at the controls of VMS Eve during the mission. (The carrier plane also landed back at Spaceport America.)

RELATED STORIES:

 Virgin Galactic launches 1st mother-daughter team and 1st Olympian to space on 2nd commercial flight (video)

 Virgin Galactic launches 3 of its original space tourist customers to the final frontier (video)

 Space tourism companies might learn a lesson from the Titan sub disaster. But are they ready to listen?

As the mission name indicates, Galactic 04 was Virgin's fourth commercial spaceflight. Rosano, Beattie and Salim were the company's 17th, 18th and 19th astronauts, respectively, Virgin Galactic said.

Galactic 04 adds to Salim's adventurer credentials, which were already considerable. For example, she's the first Pakistani to travel to both the North and South Poles.

Salim is one of Virgin Galactic's "Founder Astronauts," having bought her ticket way back in 2006. She paid $200,000 back then; the price has since risen to $450,000.

Virgin Galactic has one main competitor in the suborbital space tourism business: Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' aerospace company. However, Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle hasn't flown since suffering a failure during an uncrewed research flight in September 2022.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 3:05 p.m. ET on Oct. 6 with flight statistics from Virgin Galactic.
Citizens of a northwest Virginia town will continue to have a beloved library after elected leaders voted to fund the institution after months of debate around access to books came to an end. The long-standing discord surrounding including LGBTQ-related books at Samuels Public Library reached a resolution on Tuesday as Warren County officials and library leaders signed a collaborative agreement.

This new memorandum of understanding marks a significant moment following months of fervent debates that mirrored a larger national discourse on LGBTQ+ representation in public spaces.

The dispute ignited when the conservative group Clean Up Samuels advocated for removing LGBTQ+ books aimed at young readers, prompting the county to withhold crucial funding from the library. The group claimed that the books were pornographic and wanted them taken out of circulation.

Samuels Public Library, which has been autonomous as a nonprofit, had been targeted by the county for a takeover. That's something the library's trustees flat out rejected.

This spurred a robust community reaction, with groups like Save Samuels vehemently campaigning to maintain the librarys operational autonomy and the inclusivity of its collection.

Related: This Small Virginia Town Could Lose Its Library Over LGBTQ+ Book Brawl

A notable moment in this debate transpired in a September Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting, where local real estate agent and community activist Stevi Hubbard passionately defended LGBTQ+ representation in library materials. Unveiling a petition with around 5,000 names, Hubbard underscored the fiscal irresponsibility and potential legal repercussions of extracting the contested books.

Charles Chip Stewart of Save Samuels shared a reflection on the communitys response to the controversy with The Advocate, stating, In response to the homophobic demands of a tiny but very vocal minority, the Warren County Board of Supervisors attempted to illegally deprive citizens of their civil rights... Save Samuels shows a community can rise up against hatred and intolerance to protect our rights and the rights of all community members.

Stewart noted the significant loss of three cherished library employees amid the controversy but highlighted the silver lining of increased patronage and donations to the library, attributing it to the communitys rallying support.

This weeks agreement looks to create a collaborative plan for the library going forward. The new arrangement includes a county supervisor joining the librarys executive committee, among other measures.

Melody Hotek, the president of the librarys board of trustees, lauded the agreement as a positive outcome for all Warren County residents in a news release on Wednesday.

The library has witnessed a surge in visitor numbers and donations amid the controversy, underlining the communitys strong backing despite the earlier resignation of its director over the summer. The library's visitors are up 15 percent, according to The Washington Post. Its donors are up a quarter since last year.

Hubbards earlier words resonate as the community navigates the contentious intersection of public service, representation, and inclusivity. During her impassioned speech, she encapsulated the fiscal implications and the broader societal message tied to the librarys content dispute, challenging the board with a poignant question.

How much are you willing to pay for their bigotry? she asked. How much are you willing to pay?
RICHMOND, Va.  Next months Virginia state legislative election will provide the most meaningful read yet on the 2024 political environment.

Polls show deep dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden . But Democrats keep winning special elections, overperforming Bidens 2020 margins. Economic indicators point to durable growth and low unemployment, but few voters say the economy is headed in the right direction.

At a moment when the best electoral indicators are all over the place, the Virginia races will help cut through the noise.

Its a large sample: Some 140 seats in the General Assembly are up for election on Nov. 7. Both parties are conducting robust, fully funded campaigns. And the territory on which the majorities of the state House and Senate will be decided looks a lot like the kinds of places that could determine which party wins control of the presidency and Congress a year later.

Republicans are running their campaign through a PAC controlled by allies of the states ambitious-but-term-limited Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin . That PAC, Spirit of Virginia, has identified 17 state House and Senate districts as crucial  and their demographic and political characteristics will sound familiar to anyone whos followed elections since Donald Trump s 2016 victory.

Theyre all  suburban swing districts that we see are always competitive for congressional races, Dave Rexrode, the chair of Spirit of Virginia, said in an interview here this week. You see theyre always the tipping point for a lot of statewide races.

To win those swing seats, both parties are test-driving messages that will also be at the forefront of the 2024 election.

For Democrats, that means a big focus on abortion. Republicans, meanwhile, are talking about crime and education  two major themes of the national partys campaign in last years midterms  while folding in critiques of Bidens handling of the national economy.

Which messages resonate most will determine which party controls the state Legislature  and provide valuable clues about 2024.

The normal indicators are pointing in different directions nationally

The debate has been raging inside the Democratic Party for months: How concerned should they be about widespread voter dissatisfaction and an unpopular president?

According to the latest RealClearPolitics averages, only 23 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction, Bidens approval rating is more than 14 points underwater, Trump leads Biden by 1 point after losing the last election by 4 points and Republicans currently edge Democrats on the generic congressional ballot by a similar margin.

But Democrats keep winning at the ballot box.

Of the 27 special elections held so far this year  26 for state legislative seats and one congressional race  Democratic candidates have outperformed Bidens margin over Trump in 20. Democrats have outrun Bidens margin by an average of nearly 8 percentage points across those races, according to the website Daily Kos Elections.



And that count doesnt even include other high-profile victories for the party, including flipping a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin in April and the August defeat of Republicans efforts to amend the Ohio state Constitution that became a proxy battle over abortion rights.

Virginia is shaping up to be a highly competitive proxy for the national mood. Once a battleground state, Virginia has turned blue: Its voted Democratic for president in the past four elections, and Biden beat Trump by 10 points three years ago.

But both public and private polls show Youngkin is more popular than Biden in Virginia, including in many of the races in play next month.

The wind is kind of at our back in these districts, said Rexrode, citing the gap between Biden and Youngkin in polls at the district level. But theyre still incredibly close.

Democrats have also done well in special elections in Virginia this year, outrunning Biden in three of them, but falling short of the 2020 performance in two. But in one of those two races, Democrats actually won back a state Senate seat from a Republican who had ousted a Democratic congressional incumbent in Virginia Beach last fall. And in the races where Democrats overperformed 2020, it was by a greater margin than Republicans overperformance in the others.

If you look at specials, if you look at what happened in 2022, I think the environment is better for Democrats than what people may typically think, said Matt Calderon, the campaigns director for Virginia Senate Democrats.

Special elections can be challenging to interpret, given the low turnout in races conducted outside the typical voting calendar. But Virginias state legislative races  often referred to around here as the off-off-year elections, since they arent synched up with either federal races or the states gubernatorial elections  usually feature low turnout. In 2019, when Democrats flipped control of both chambers of the state Legislature (Republicans won back the state House majority in 2021), some Republican-leaning voters stayed home, said Rexrode.

The higher the turnout we have this year, he added, the better off were going to be.

What to watch in Virginia

Virginia wont just settle the argument about whether polls or special elections are a better indicator of the political environment headed into 2024  it will help explain why.

Both parties are campaigning on the same issues at the core of the 2024 election, and theyre targeting the types of swing areas that will also determine key swing states like Georgia and North Carolina.

According to operatives in both parties, the races most up for grabs in Virginia are clustered in places like Loudoun County, a competitive-but-blue-trending, affluent exurb west of Washington, or racially diverse Prince William County, also near D.C. There are also close contests in the suburbs of this capital city, and in Hampton Roads, in the states southeast corner.

In most cases, these districts were once more Republican but have drifted away in the Trump era. Youngkin won many of them  12 of the 17 districts the governors PAC is targeting, Rexrode said  but Republicans havent proved that any shift back is durable.

The issue of abortion is front and center, and the Virginia results will show whether its still salient.

Much of Youngkins agenda has been stymied by the Democratic-controlled state Senate, but the governor and many of the GOP candidates have gotten behind a 15-week abortion ban, with exceptions, if they control both chambers next year.

The threat is incredibly clear. There is nothing theoretical about whats happening, said Amy Friedman, the executive director of the Virginia state House Democratic Caucus. If Republicans gain power, they are going to ban abortion.

Both parties agree that, despite Bidens unpopularity and voters broad dissatisfaction with the direction of the country, public support for abortion rights boosted Democratic candidates in last years midterm elections.

Similarly, Republicans are reprising Youngkins education-focused messaging, which propelled him to a narrow victory over former Gov. Terry McAuliffe two years ago. And especially in districts within the Washington media market, GOP candidates are campaigning on fighting crime  a test of how the issue might play in the nations suburbs next year.

Both parties expect control of the state Legislature to come down to very tight margins.

But a decisive victory for either party would be a flashing-red indicator. A GOP sweep would set off alarm bells for Democrats that they cant ignore Bidens poor poll numbers any longer. Democratic wins in both chambers would suggest voters havent stopped punishing Republicans for the end of Roe v. Wade, with only a year to go until the presidency and control of Congress are up for grabs.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 198 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 1,600 wounded amid Israeli retaliation following Saturdays Hamas attack.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it is launching Operation Swords of Iron to strike back.

Dozens of [Israeli military] fighter jets are currently striking a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said.

Watch the moment Israeli fighter jets strike Palestine Tower behind Al Jazeeras Youmna El Sayed as she reports live from Gaza  pic.twitter.com/dXHVRJiCOC  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 7, 2023

On Saturday night, local time, Israels infrastructure minister announced that he has ordered the Gaza Strips electricity to be cut.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also announced on Saturday night that the IDF intends to destroy locations where Hamas members are said to be hiding. Netanyahu told Palestinian civilians to leave those unspecified locations immediately. The IDF blew up an 11-story building in Gaza City on Saturday, after warning residents to evacuate.

Earlier, Hamas fighters launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from air, land and sea, firing thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip early Saturday and killing at least 70 people.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, saying Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

The Israeli military said it had killed hundreds of Palestinian militants in southern communities along the Gaza border since Saturday morning.

The initial attack by Hamas caught Israel off-guard coming on Simchat Torah, a religious holiday and 50 years to the day since the 1973 Mideast war.

Seth Frantzen, Middle East security analyst, told The Daily Beast that todays unprecedented attack by Hamas has shattered Israels sense of security on the Gaza border.

The massive attack showed that Israel was lulled into a false sense of calm and that managing the conflict through precision strikes over the last years has not weakened Hamas. Now Israel faces the difficult choices about going to war while Hamas holds numerous hostages which it has been parading on film all day, he said.

Smoke is seen in the Rehovot area as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip. Ilan Rosenberg

Hamas launched more than 2,000 rockets toward Israel, according to the Israeli authorities, and claimed to have captured several Israeli soldiers. One resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz told the countrys Channel 12 television station that militants were trying to break into their homes.

Israels health ministry said at least 779 wounded have arrived in hospitals so far. At least 198 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Saturday, with 1,610 injured, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said.

Absolute chaos. Video reportedly shows Israeli settlers in Sderot running for their lives as rocket fire from Gaza targets the illegal settlement. #Israel #Gaza pic.twitter.com/R6R2gIlKzs  Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) October 7, 2023

Hamas, which rules Gaza, said it was behind the operation it dubbed Al-Aqsa Flood.

Enough is enough, Mohammed Deif, the leader of the group's military wing, said in a recorded message.

If you have a gun, get it out. This is the time to use itget out with trucks, cars, axes. Today the best and most honorable history starts, he said, according to CNN.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned in a televised address that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

The Israel Defense Forces have released video of what it says are retaliatory airstrikes on Hamas in Gaza.

Since this morning, the State of Israel has been at war, Netanyahu said at the beginning of a political-security cabinet meeting. Our first goal is first of all to cleanse the area of the enemy forces that have infiltrated and restore security and peace to the towns that were attacked. The second goal, at the same time, is to exact a huge price from the enemy, also in the Gaza Strip. The third goal is to fortify other arenas so that no one makes the mistake of joining this war. We are at war, in war you have to keep calm. I call on all citizens of Israel to unite, to achieve our highest goalvictory in the war.

People react near a fire after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, Israel. Amir Cohen

Hamas fighters have taken hostages in Kibbutz Beeri in Israels south, according to Haaretz. A resident told there told Haaretz that he and his family have been hiding in bomb shelter since Saturday morning.

President Joe Biden issued a statement condemning the terrorist attacks in Israel, saying he told Netanyahu that the U.S. stands ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel.

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My Administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering, he said.

Biden added that he and his wife Jill were keeping in our prayers all of the families who have been hurt by this violence. We are heartbroken by the lives that have been tragically cut short and hope for a swift recovery for all those who have been wounded.

Israels opposition leader Yair Lapid said Saturday that he is willing to establish an emergency government with Prime Minister Netanyahu to oversee the difficult, complex and protracted campaign which lies before us.

In the current state of emergency, I am right to put aside differences, to establish with him a professional, limited emergency government, which will oversee the difficult, complex and protracted campaign which lies before us, he said.

The attack comes amid surging violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in the West Bank, which is part of the territories where Palestinians have long tried to establish a state.

An injured soldier is brought into the Surasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv. Amir Levy

Commentators remarked on surprise nature of the attack, which escaped the attention of Israeli intelligence.

Olga Glikstein, a political analyst based in Tel Aviv, said people were shocked by the news. Everybody is talking about how Netanyahu missed the invasion, where was our security, our intelligence? she said.

After sleeping through air raid sirens on Friday night, she heard a big boom at 2 p.m. This is very serious. Iran, Saudi, Turkey and many other players in the Muslim world are suspected of helping Hamas. Israel, which was too relaxed during the Shabbat, is now going to demonstrate a massive retaliation. But the questions to Netanyahu will remain, she said.

The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah congratulated Palestinian fighters for the attack, saying the operation was a decisive response to Israels continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalization with Israel.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Israel and Palestinian militants are at war after stunning and deadly surprise attacks by Hamas that coincided with a major Jewish holiday and the 50th anniversary of the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur war. It was one of the most significant attacks on Israel in decades, with militants infiltrating 22 towns and army bases by land, air and sea, on motorbikes and by parachutes and motorboats.

Hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed, and thousands more on both sides injured .Perhaps dozens of Israelis have been kidnapped in a dramatic and unprecedented move, setting off a panicked scramble among Israelis trying to track down their loved ones. The attacks are being referred to as Israel's 9/11.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a long war ahead, and retaliatory military strikes were leveling building in Gaza, a Palestinian territory on the Mediterranean Sea controlled by the Palestinian military group Hamas. In Northern Israel, Israel and Hezbollah militants from Lebanon exchanged fire, signaling that the battle that started Saturday could evolve into a broader regional conflict.

The attack appears to have caught Israel off-guard on Simchat Torah, an important Jewish holiday filled with dancing and partying. It has also revived memories of the 1973 war, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

"We are at war, and we will win it," Netanyahu said.

In Saturday afternoon remarks from the White House, President Joe Biden condemned the attacks, which involved dozens of gunmen and thousands of rockets. Biden pledged that U.S. support would not waver as Netanyahu promised a crushing response.

A picture taken from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip shows smoke billowing next to an Israeli observation tower on Oct. 7, 2023.

Biden calls attacks on Israel 'appalling'

President Joe Biden said Hamas surprise assault on Israel was appalling and condemned the Palestinian militant groups attacks on civilians as unconscionable in Saturday afternoon remarks in which he pledged that U.S. support would not waver.

Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. Full stop, Biden said. There's never a justification for terrorist attacks.

Bidens remarks came after gunmen from the Palestinian militant group Hamas infiltrated southern Israel, launching thousands of rockets overnight and into the morning.

Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for Israels security in a call earlier on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Members of the presidents Cabinet were also in touch with their Israeli counterparts following the attack.

This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage: the world is watching, Biden said in remarks that appeared to refer to Iran.

The U.S. president said he had also spoken with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Saturday and U.S. members of Congress.

- Francesca Chambers

What is Simchat Torah? Religious holiday celebrations interrupted by attacks

The attack on Israel by Hamas forces coincided with the Jewish religious holiday Simchat Torah.

Simchat Torah, which means "the joy of the Torah," is supposed to be a day of rejoicing when Jews celebrate completing the end of the Torah cycle and beginning again," said Ruth Franklin, a Jewish writer and a finalist for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature.

Simchat Torah is part of the holiday Shemini Atzeret. In Israel, they are celebrated on the same day and often referred to interchangeably. For Jewish people outside Israel, Shemini Atzeret is usually a two-day celebration, with Simchat Torah occurring on the second day.

At one synagogue about 90 minutes north of the epicenter of the attacks, half the people celebrated and danced with the Torah while the other half arrived in their uniforms and left their neighborhoods to serve, said Yael Eckstein, president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

Shaya Lerner, director of Israel Affairs at the Anti-Defamation League, said many Jewish people let their guard down and celebrate on Simchat Torah.

I think there was an intentionality in having this attack because of the historic significance and it's a day of letting down your guard and celebrating the Jewish Torah and not being prepared for this sort of conflict, Lerner said.

- Jeanine Santucci and Krystal Nurse

Emergency UN Security Council meeting called

As rockets and gunfire continue, world leaders will convene as soon as Sunday to address the latest conflict in Israel.

The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting at the behest of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who said he was shocked over the attacks.

Brazil will spare no efforts to prevent the escalation of the conflict, he said in a Saturday post to X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Brazilian leader emphasized how the international community must, work to immediately resume negotiations that will lead to an economically viable Palestine which can coexist peacefully with Israel within safe borders for both sides.

Brazil assumed the rotating presidency over the 15-nation Security Council this month, which gives it the authority to call such a meeting.

- Phillip M. Bailey

Death toll rising

As the world digests what looks to be one of the widest attacks against Israel in almost a half-century, the death toll is rising.

As of Saturday afternoon, there were reports that more than 250 people have been killed, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Around 200 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in a combination of retaliatory shootouts or airstrikes, according to the Gazan Health Ministry.

- Phillip M. Bailey

What is the Palestinian group Hamas?

Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, is a militant group that is also one of the two main Palestinian political parties. Its political arm governs more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

Hamas, whose main power base is located in Gaza, has been designated a terrorist organization by dozens of countries, including the U.S., because it is committed to the destruction of Israel. It has used suicide bombings and rocket attacks against Israeli civilians as part of that aim.

It was founded by a Palestinian activist connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist organization with ties to Egypt. Iran provides Hamas with financial, material and logistical support and it also cooperates with Hezbollah, another Iran-backed, U.S.-designated terrorist group, based in Lebanon.

- Kim Hjelmgaard

A colossal intel failure  Im stunned

Marc Polymeropoulos, a former longtime senior CIA operations officer on the Middle East and elsewhere, questioned how Israel, with its first-class intelligence-gathering network, could have missed signs of such an impending attack.

Israeli intel has sophisticated technology...that blankets the West Bank/Gaza, Polymeropoulos said in reference to Israels human intelligence and signals intelligence networks. It's their raison d'etre. How this happened  the colossal intel failure  is incomprehensible. Having worked with Israelis, plus time in West Bank and Gaza, I'm stunned.

I'd add, what about the US IC? ....and Egyptian intelligence?," he said, referring to the U.S. intelligence community. Other Arab services? Jordanians, Saudis and Qataris? Polymeropoulos asked on X. Did absolutely ever(y) intel service in region miss this? So many questions.

- Josh Meyer

Israel confirms civilians and hostages taken by Hamas

Hamas militants who crossed over the border into Israel early Saturday have taken civilians and soldiers as hostages, the Israeli military's top spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, confirmed in a briefing with reporters. Hagari did not specify how many, though he did say some have been killed.

In the past, Palestinian militants have used Israeli soldiers as bargaining chips to secure the release of their own fighters held by Israel. In one notable case, that of the Israeli solider Gilad Shalit, Israel released more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners to secure his freedom in 2011.

Shalit had been held for almost five years.

- Kim Hjelmgaard

More: What was the Yom Kippur War? Why Saturday surprise attack on Israel is reminiscent of 1973

What was the Yom Kippur War?

The Yom Kippur War of 1973 took place after Israel had expanded its territory increasing tensions with neighboring Arab states, according to American University. On Yom Kippur - or the Jewish holy day of atonement - Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a surprise attack against Israel.

The war lasted for three weeks and ended after the United Nations Security Council called for a ceasefire, according to Britannica.

For Israel, even though they controlled more territories than at the start of the war, it was nevertheless a major political defeat, and the country was reeling from the loss of life on a scale it had not experienced since 1948, said Boaz Atzili, an associate professor at the school of international service at American University, in a news release.

 Sudiksha Kochi

More: On their nation's 75th anniversary, Israelis ask: Is this still a democracy?

Former US security officials decry attack, question whether Israel missed key warning signs

Former U.S. national security and counter-terrorism officials expressed shock at the scope of the assault, and the coordination it must have required. They also questioned whether it was a colossal intelligence failure by the Israel government.

"Today's attack by HAMAS on Israel is unprecedented given the scope and complexity of the operation into Israel. Rather than a single terrorist attack, this was a complex operation that involved commando teams and rocket attacks against multiple targets, Javed Ali, a former senior U.S. counterterrorism official at the FBI, White House and National Security Council in the Trump administration, told USA TODAY.

As a result, it must have required deliberate planning over a long period of time, and could have involved coordination and operational support from Iran, which has long provided the group with weapons and money, Ali said. Lastly, given the broad nature of the operation, the fact that Israel appears to have lacked advance warning is surprising, given Israel's excellence in intelligence and domestic security."

Others were even more critical of Israel for missing signs of an impending assault.

To call this an intelligence failure is too simple. Every single piece of defense  air, land, water  failed. It is inexplicable to those of us who have worked with them or know their capacity, tweeted Juliette Kayyem, a former top Department of Homeland Security official.

This attack is HUGE. Hostages taken. Civilians and soldiers mass executed. It could lead to a regional war, tweeted Malcolm Nance, a former 36-year U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism official.

The attack could also raise questions about whether the U.S. government missed key warning signs.

- Josh Meyer

How will protests affect Israel's ability to fight Hamas?

The Hamas attack on Israel comes as reservists in Israel's military have for months skipped training and taken part in protests over Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu's attempt to force through controversial reforms to the country's justice system, including curbing the powers of its Supreme Court.

Israel relies on its reservists to train younger military personnel and to generally keep the country combat-ready in a neighborhood where it faces many security threats outside and inside its borders. And Israeli officials and members of its military and security establishment have previously expressed alarm that these protests could damage its ability to deal with a major security threat.

However, leading members of reservist protests groups said Saturday they would be joining the fight.

"We call on anyone required to stand up for the defense of Israel immediately and without hesitation. At this moment, the most important thing is the security of our country's citizens," said Brother and Sisters in Arms, one such group, in a statement.

- Kim Hjelmgaard

US leaders condemn attack

Across the U.S. many elected officials waking up to Saturday's news denounced the actions by militants, who launched an early morning assault on southern Israel.

The cold-blooded massacre of innocent civilians being committed by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists is shocking, despicable, and an act of war, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Israel has every right to defend its citizens and the United States must stand by our ally.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said Saturday morning he was deeply saddened and alarmed by reports coming out of Israel.

We must condemn terrorism in all its forms, he said. Praying for the victims of this disturbing violence and that peace may prevail."

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was recently ousted as speaker of the House, called Israel the "strongest ally in the Middle East" for the U.S. in a social media post.

"Make no mistake: Israeli civilians are being slaughtered by Hamas terrorists," he said. "We condemn these attacks, stand with our dear ally, Israel, and support its right to defend itself in this war."

- Phillip M. Bailey

Related: Israel's military reservists have transformed a political crisis into a security one

What is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

It's one of the world's most enduring and intractable conflicts that connects to a century of competing claims to land, borders and rights in a region of deep historical and religious significance.

The United Nations in 1947 tried to divide the-then British Mandate of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states. A year later, when the state of Israel was created, the first Arab-Israeli War broke out. Ever since Israel's victory and following several other wars, Palestinians have gradually been displaced from territory that they also see as their rightful homeland.

As this displacement has happened, Palestinian militants groups have sprung up, sometimes joining but also sometimes in opposition to, Palestinian political groups.

Hamas, for example, has both a political and militant wing.

Today, tensions between Israel and Palestinians have continued to simmer in East Jerusalem (which Palestinians claim as a future capital), the Gaza Strip (a Palestinian enclave on the Mediterranean Sea) and the West Bank (the main bulk of current-day Palestinian territory that is effectively controlled by Israel).

- Kim Hjelmgaard

'We understand that this is something big'

Israel and Hamas have fought several wars since 2007. However, it is rare for its fighters to infiltrate Israel on this scale and this appears to be the biggest attack by Hamas on Israel in years.

Millions of Israelis were seeking safety in bombers shelters and safe rooms. There were reports in Israeli media that Palestinian militants were holding Israelis captive in Ofakim, a southern town.

"We understand that this is something big, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters.

- Kim Hjelmgaard

Why is Hamas attacking Israel now?

Mohammed Deif, the leader of Hamas military wing, said that the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, was in connection to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem that is the third holiest site in Islam.

The site, which is also located on the holiest site for Jews  who refer to it as the Temple Mount  has long been a flashpoint between Israelis and Palestinians. Israeli security services routinely raid the compound.

Enough is enough, Deif, said in a recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

'With rockets we somehow feel safer'

In Nahal Oz, a kibbutz about 2.5 miles from Gaza, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

World reaction to Hamas attack

French President Emmanuel Macron : "I strongly condemn the current terrorist attacks against Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and loved ones."

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen : "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks."

U.S. National Security spokesperson Adrienne Watson: "The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians."

Contributing: Associated Press, Francesca Chambers, Joey Garrison

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Updates: Israel says it is 'at war' as Hamas launches surprise attack
Pius XII 's silence on genocide will be debated this week during an international conference (Andreas SOLARO)

The Vatican may have saved thousands of Jews during the wartime papacy of Pius XII but the late pope's silence on genocide will be debated this week during an international conference.

The conference of scholars to be held in Rome from Monday to Wednesday comes two years after Pope Francis ordered the unsealing of Vatican archives from the papacy of Pius XII, who led the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958.

Francis' move, which followed decades of pressure from scholars fiercely divided over the former pope's perceived passivity during Nazi Germany's extermination of millions of European Jews, made available about 16 million new documents to historians and theologians.

But the disagreements remain.

Things are "neither black nor white", said Etienne Veto, the auxiliary bishop of Reims and former director of the Cardinal Bea Center, a Rome research institute on Jewish-Christian relations.

Still unchanged, said Veto, are the two radically opposed narratives that researchers are working to reconcile about the actions of Pius, who was trained in law and served as Holy See nuncio to Prussia and then Germany before becoming pope.

One narrative sees Pius as a reclusive pontiff, hidden away in his Vatican palace who never publicly denounced the persecution, deportation and extermination of the Jews.

Another views him as a discreet and savvy pope, whose army of priests and nuns helped hide at least 4,000 Roman Jews while seeking to protect Catholics in Europe.

- Defenders and critics -

The newly opened archives "do not change the main line of historiography, which is that of public silence", said Nina Valbousquet, a historian of anti-Semitism at the French School of Rome.

"What we see more is the underlying reasoning," Valbousquet said.

The Vatican has defended Pius XII, saying he saved many Jews by having them hidden in religious institutions and that his silence was born out of a wish to avoid aggravating their situation.

His supporters see the wartime pope as seeking to combine a diplomat's prudence with the desire to retain papal neutrality.

Gabriele Rigano, a professor of contemporary and Church history at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, said Pius's silence reflected "a conscious choice that responds to different needs of the papacy and the Catholic Church, which can be summarised by the policy of impartiality".

Vatican thinking at the time also viewed an ultimately victorious Germany as a bulwark against Communism and the Soviet Union, noted Vaticanist Marco Politi.

Among the wealth of documents showing that the Vatican was aware of the extermination of Jews in the Nazi concentration camps was a letter from a German Jesuit priest, Lothar Koenig, to Pius' private secretary, the German Robert Leiber.

- Dying every day -

Koenig's letter of December 14, 1942 -- revealed last month by a researcher -- mentions the "blast furnace" in the Belzec death camp in Poland, where "up to 6,000 men and women die every day, especially Poles and Jews".

The main contribution of the newly opened archives, however, reflect changes in Church policy towards Jews following the war.

The Curia, or government of the Holy See, "was marked by strong anti-Judaism, which bordered on anti-Semitism", said Rigano, while Pius's silence contrasted with the attitude of his predecessor, Pius XI .

The latter protested against Italy's Fascist-era racial laws, writing: "We Christians are spiritually Semites."

The Holocaust became an "awakening" for the Church, which realised that its own teachings could have become "a breeding ground for the poisonous plant of anti-Semitism", Veto said.

Still, the Vatican was slow to react, said Valbousquet, citing "the persistence of anti-Jewish prejudices within the Church in the immediate post-war period and the lack of awareness of what the Shoah was".

It was not until 1965 that the Second Vatican Council published the "Nostra Aetate" declaration on the Church's relationship to non-Christian religions. That document once and for all rejected anti-Semitism.

A formal process for Pius's beatification began in 1967. But since Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 proclaimed him "venerable", a further step towards sainthood, the process has stalled.

gab/ams/gil/mca
A European Vega rocket launched 12 satellites toward orbit tonight (Oct. 8) on its first mission of the year.

The Vega, which is operated by France-based company Arianespace, lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana tonight at 9:36 p.m. EDT (0136 GMT on Oct. 8).

The 12 satellites were all deployed on scheduled, being released into low Earth orbit (LEO) by about one hour and 45 minutes after launch, according to Arianespace.

Related: Vega rocket launches Earth observation satellite and 4 cubesats into orbit

The 100-foot-tall (30 meters) Vega is designed to loft relatively small payloads. It's capable of carrying 3,300 pounds (1,500 kilograms) to a circular orbit 435 miles (700 kilometers) above Earth, according to Arianespace's spec sheet.

The Vega debuted in February 2012 and has flown 22 times to date, which explains the name Arianespace gave to tonight's mission: VV23. The flight was the first for the standard Vega variant since November 2021.

Its upgraded, more powerful cousin, the Vega-C, has flown twice since then, in July 2022 and December 2022. The latter of those two Vega-C missions  its second ever  ended in failure, due to a flaw in the nozzle used on the rocket's second stage.

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Two main payloads went up on VV23: THEOS-2 ("Thailand Earth Observation System-2"), a 919-pound (417 kg) Earth-imaging satellite that will be used by the government of Thailand; and FormoSat-7R/Triton, which was developed by Taiwan's space agency.

The 531-pound (241 kg) FormoSat-7R/Triton "is equipped with the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R), which collects signals that bounce off the sea surface," Arianespace wrote in a press release. "It helps scientists calculate the wind field over the oceans. This data will be shared with the global meteorology community, contributing to the forecast of typhoon intensity and trajectory."

VV23 also lofted 10 other payloads for six different customers, which you can read more about in the press release. Altogether, the 12 satellites that launched tonight weigh 2,738 pounds (1,242 kg), according to Arianespace.

Arianespace originally tried to launch the mission on Friday (Oct. 6), but that attempt was called off when a "red status" interrupted the countdown in the final minute due to a measurement on the Vega rocket that was "slightly above its maximum threshold," Arianespace officials said in a statement.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 10 p.m. ET on Oct. 9 with news of successful launch.
The delegation of envoys visits the dispatch center at the Nairobi Station of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

NAIROBI, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has been a catalyst for transformation in Kenya since its launch six years ago, a group of foreign envoys based in Kenya have said.

Speaking during a ride at the SGR passenger train from Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to the coastal city of Mombasa Friday, the envoys noted that the modern railway project has unleashed myriad benefits including seamless mobility of people and cargo, revitalization of commerce and investments along its 472-km corridor.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian was joined by ambassadors from Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Hungary, and Ethiopia to sample the safe, efficient, and speedy ride guaranteed by the SGR passenger train.

The delegation of envoys that included Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT), watched promotional videos to mark the sixth anniversary of the launch of Mombasa-Nairobi SGR on May 31, 2017, and visited the dispatch center and the China-Kenya monument before embarking on the journey.

Russian Ambassador to Kenya Dmitry Maksimychev said the ride offered him a platform to experience the benefits of China-Kenya cooperation, adding that the SGR project was a model of technology transfer to spur inclusive development.

In addition, Maksimychev noted that the modern railway project adhered to ecological protection ethos during its construction besides enhancing connectivity between Kenya's two largest cities which are commercial and logistical hubs.

An early fruit of China's proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR is also a flagship project of Kenya's Vision 2030 long-term development blueprint.

It is a critical component of the Northern Corridor of the East African Railway Network and was selected as the 2018 Global Outstanding Railway Project by Engineering News-Record, a weekly magazine.

Construction of phase one of the 472-km SGR project from Mombasa to Nairobi, which began on Dec. 12, 2014, was completed two and a half years later ahead of schedule. The construction of phase 2A of the project which runs from Nairobi to the Rift Valley town of Naivasha covering 120 km commenced in October 2016 and was completed on Oct. 16, 2019.

Having operated without major hitches for 2,314 days as of Sept. 30, 2023, the modern railway line stretching from Mombasa to Naivasha had transported 2,405 million standard containers and 28.609 million metric tons of goods since its reception.

The number of passengers transported through the Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha SGR in the same period stood at 11.155 million, with an average seat occupancy rate of 95.8 percent.

Iranian Ambassador to Kenya Jafar Barmaki said that a modern railway network was a strategic investment for the East African Nation given its ability to ease mobility, enhance connectivity and accelerate economic progress.

Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, the high commissioner of South Africa to Kenya, said that given its positive impact on the local economy and livelihoods, the SGR has served as an inspiration for other African countries in their quest for revolutionizing mobility. 

Children wait to board a train at the Nairobi Station of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

The delegation of envoys watches performance at the Nairobi Station of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)
(The Hill)  Internationally known fashion company Prada has announced its taking its designs to outer space.

The Italian Luxury company announced Wednesday it is partnering with Axiom Space to design NASAs next generation of lunar spacesuits for the team setting out on the 2025 Artemis III mission to the moon.

The Artemis III crew will be the first crewed lunar landing in more than 50 years, since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA said this mission will be the first time humans explore the region near the moons South Pole.

Artemis II, the second schedule mission, plans to make history with the Nov. 2024 mission around the moon. It will be the first time a woman, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and a person of color, Pilot Victor Glover, are going to be on a moon mission.

The Artemis III crew has not yet been named by NASA.

Pradas technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advance technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy spacesuits, Axiom Space CEO Michael Suffredini said in a statement.

The organizations said the new spacesuits will have updated technology and greater protection from the elements. It will enable greater exploration of the moon than ever before, the joint media release said.

We are honored to a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space, Prada Group Marketing Director Lorenzo Bertelli said in a statement.

Our decades of experimentation, cutting-edge technology and design know-how  which started back in the 90s with Luna Rossa challenging for the Americas cup  will now be applied to the design of a spacesuit for the Artemis era, Bertelli added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A new study shows that GLP-1 injectables, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Saxenda, could cause severe digestive complications.

A new study suggests that people taking popular injectable weight loss medications, including Wegovy and Ozempic, may be susceptible to serious complications.

In a research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), University of British Columbia researchers noted that the individuals may be more likely to develop severe digestive problems such as stomach paralysis, pancreatitis, and bowel obstructions than those who take other weight loss medications, CNN reported.

The researchers findings were obtained by filtering through a random sample of more than 16 million insurance claims from a broad prescription drug database filed between 2006 and 2020.

The US Food and Drug Administration authorized semaglutide, or Ozempic and Wegovy, in 2021 for obese patients who do not have diabetes and need to lose weight. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock)

While the probability of the complications occurring in individuals appeared to be low, researchers contend that demand for the medications has skyrocketed, with tens of millions using them globally.

They added that even uncommon risks could result in hundreds of thousands of additional cases.

When you have millions of people using these drugs, you know, a 1% risk still translates to many people who may experience these events, said lead study author Dr. Mahyar Etminan, an epidemiologist at the University of British Columbia.

Researchers looked for patients who received two injectable medications, semaglutide (injected weekly) and liraglutide (a daily injectable). The medicines are GLP-1 agonists, which delay the transit of food through the stomach.

They can help people with diabetes regulate their blood sugar and lead to significant weight loss for those with or without diabetes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized semaglutide in 2021 for obese patients who do not have diabetes and need to lose weight. It is marketed as Ozempic when it is recommended for diabetes and Wegovy when used for weight reduction.

The prescribing information for Wegovy warns about several serious side effects, including pancreatic inflammation, gallbladder and kidney problems, blocked intestines, severe allergic reactions, increased heart rate, suicidal thoughts and vision changes in people with diabetes.

A warning for ileus, or obstructed intestines, was also recently added to Ozempics warning label. According to the labeling, the most prevalent adverse effects include nausea, vomiting and constipation.

In absolute terms, the group receiving Ozempic had a nearly 1% rate of new occurrences of stomach paralysis. Researchers discovered no bowel blockages in the Ozempic group, and there was a 0.5% risk of pancreatitis.

There were four incidences of gastroparesis or stomach paralysis among the 600 patients using Ozempic, two cases of pancreatitis, no bowel blockages, and five instances of biliary illness.

The research thus far has limitations, including that it is observational and cant prove the drugs caused the diagnosed conditions. Additionally, though the researchers only studied semaglutide and liraglutide, they surmise complications may be linked to all GLP-1 class medications. This class includes tirzepatide, currently marketed as the diabetes medication Mounjaro and under review by the FDA for weight loss, reports Time magazine.

While researchers took steps to try to find individuals who might have been using the drugs for weight loss, there is no sure way to confirm why they were injecting them.

Still, this is the first time researchers have been able to put numbers to these risks. Experts who were not involved in the study said it was well conducted but has some limits and wont be the final word.

Researchers hope their study will help people make more informed drug decisions and that regulatory agencies and drug makers will consider updating their products warning labels, which currently dont include the danger of gastroparesis. Time reports that on Sept. 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked manufacturers of semaglutide drugs to include a warning in the medication label about the possible risk of intestinal blockage, after receiving 8,500 reports of the condition from both diabetic and non-diabetic users.

Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk said it stands behind the safety and effectiveness of all its GLP-1 medications when used correctly.

With respect to the study, as the authors acknowledge, the study has limitations, including potential confounding by indication and by other factors, the company said, CNN reported.

The manufacturer recommended patients take their medications for their approved indications, adding, Treatment decisions should be made together with a healthcare provider who can evaluate the appropriateness of using a GLP-1 based on assessment of a patients individual medical profile.

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The post Weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy may lead to serious complications, study finds appeared first on TheGrio.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  Whales, dolphins and seals living in U.S. waters face major threats from warming ocean temperatures, rising sea levels and decreasing sea ice volumes associated with climate change, according to a first-of-its-kind assessment.

Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration examined more than 100 stocks of American marine mammal species and found more than 70% of those stocks are vulnerable to threats, such as loss of habitat and food, due to the consequences of warming waters. The impacts also include loss of dissolved oxygen and changes to ocean chemistry.

The scientists found large whales such as humpbacks and North Atlantic right whales were among the most vulnerable to climate change, and that other toothed whales and dolphins were also at high risk.

The study, published last month in the journal PLOS ONE, is evidence that the way the U.S. manages whales and dolphins needs to adapt in the era of climate change, advocates for marine mammals said.

The news is bleak, but the assessment also is the first to look solely at marine mammal stocks managed by the U.S. and the results can help inform federal ocean managers about how to safeguard the vulnerable animals, said Matthew Lettrich, a biologist and lead author of the study.

As the climates changing, were seeing some of the effects already, and some of our marine mammal populations are more vulnerable to those changes than others, Lettrich said. Based on this study, we see a good proportion are highly and very highly vulnerable.

The researchers studied marine mammals living in the western North Atlantic ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. The animals are managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the arm of the federal government responsible for stewardship and protection of marine resources.

The scientists looked at the animals degree of exposure to climate change and sensitivity and capacity to adapt to it. They found 72% of the stocks were highly or very highly vulnerable to climate change, with a little less than half falling in the very high category.

The warming ocean primarily harms marine mammals by altering their ability to find food and reduces their amount of suitable habitat, the study said.

However, the scientists said changes to ocean temperature and chemistry also can change sound transmission. That can affect the sonar-like echolocation marine mammals such as dolphins use to communicate and hunt. Climate change must be considered to adequately manage species, the study states.

The NOAA study is significant because its the first to look broadly at U.S. marine mammals and attempt to predict their resiliency to climate change, said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, a biologist with Massachusetts-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation who was not involved in the study.

The whales will benefit from the study if the information is used to implement laws protecting them, Asmutis-Silvia said.

The U.S. is one of the most data-rich countries when it comes to marine mammals, and those data should be driving what are arguably some of the worlds strongest laws to protect marine mammals, she said. However, data are meaningless without the political will to implement management measures.

The impact of climate change on whales around the world has grown as a subject of scientific inquiry in recent years. Many studies about whales and climate change look only at a single species or a narrower geographic area, said Laura Ganley, a research scientist with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

But the way climate change affects the giant animals is global in nature, so the broader approach is helpful, she said.

Many scientists have said the vanishing right whale that lives off New England in the summer is made more vulnerable by changes to its food availability caused by warming waters. But climate change also clearly affects less-studied species, Ganley said.

This isnt just impacting North Atlantic right whales or bottlenose dolphins. This is impacting most stocks in the United States, and not just the ones in the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Maine, said Ganley, who was not involved in the study.

Climate change also could affect the distribution and behavior of marine mammals, the study states.

Whales such as the right whale, which travels north every year from the waters off Georgia and Florida, migrate hundreds of miles annually to breed and feed. Many also migrate across international boundaries, which could require new kinds of cooperation between countries. That is true of seals with large populations in the U.S. and Canada, such as the gray seal, the study says.

The federal government has tried numerous methods in recent years to try to protect declining whale species, including implementing new restrictions on commercial fishing and new vessel speed restrictions. Whales are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with large ships, and scientists have said both threats are made more severe by warming waters because ocean changes cause whales to move outside of protected zones.

Safeguarding whales during the era of climate change will require ocean managers to plan for a future in which whale habitats are potentially less suitable due to the warming waters, said Gib Brogan, campaign manager with environmental group Oceana.

This study provides guidance on how managers could prioritize species that are most vulnerable to climate effects and give these species the attention that they need, Brogan said. If we are going to preserve biodiversity, including marine mammals, ocean managers need to explicitly account for current and future changes in the ocean as they consider ways to conserve marine life.

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No matter how big or small, every company is built from the ground up, and this Delaware business literally helps others with that task.

Bancroft Construction's efforts earned it second place in the midsize category in Delaware Online/The News Journal's Top Delaware Workplaces for 2023. The Wilmington company has consecutively ranked among the state's top workplaces over the last seven years and won first place last year.

Now with 140 employees across three locations in Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey, Bancroft leads many construction projects on the East Coast.

Bancroft prides itself on building long-standing relationships and caring about the details, according to the company's website.

"At Bancroft, our experienced team of professionals devote their heart, time, and energy to more than just the job at hand. With us, youll find a partnership to last a lifetime."

From school renovations to revitalizing cultural landmarks, Bancroft takes on a variety of projects and always considers customers and their visions.

"I get to do a wide variety of tasks. I genuinely feel as though I am appreciated, understood and that my success matters to my superiors," one Bancroft employee said. "I am excited to come to work every day, and I never feel as though I'm not supported or knowledgeable when it comes to my role."

The company is currently working on multiple projects in the Delaware area. One of those projects is a redevelopment of 134 E. Main Street in Newark.

The redevelopment involves demolishing a two-story building to build a five-story apartment complex equipped with 31 apartments, a leasing office, a gym and a mail storage room, according to the company's website. That project's turnover is slated for the end of summer 2024.

Working through the COVID-19 pandemic, the company built the FinTech Innovation Hub at the University of Delaware's STAR Campus. The hub serves as a tool for students, researchers, business experts, and the public to learn about and develop financial technology.

The $38 million center  a partnership between the University of Delaware, Delaware Technology Park, Discover Bank and the state  hosted a ribbon-cutting Wednesday to officially open the space.

"We can proudly report that Bancroft powered through the pandemic without closing a single job site or laying off a single resource," said CEO Greg Sawka. "Every member of Team Bancroft proved to be resilient, even in the toughest of times."

One employee described the construction company as "a well-oiled machine." Another said, "It doesnt feel like a job if you love what you do."

The construction companys origin began with Stephen M. Mockbee Builders in 1975. Bancroft has experienced over 46 years of continuous growth, according to its website.

"We always remember that we dont just work with concrete and steel," the company touts. "We work with people."

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Bancroft Construction still top-ranked by employees for Top Workplaces
In the early hours of June 23, 1985, a bomb planted in the cargo hold of Air India flight 182 traveling from Montreal to New Delhi exploded off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people on board.

The people arrested and charged for the bomb attack were Indian-born Sikh Canadians, alleged by prosecutors to be radical separatists seeking revenge for the Indian armys deadly storming of the Golden Temple in Punjab state the previous year. Only one was convicted; two were acquitted in 2005, and in 2016, Canada released the only person ever found guilty of the bombing.

Nearly four decades on, that terrorist attack  which remains the worst in Canadas history  and the wider history of overseas Sikh separatism has suddenly been thrust back into the international spotlight in the wake of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau s allegations the Indian state may have been involved in the June killing on Canadian soil of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

New Delhi had previously designated Nijjar, an Indian-born Canadian national, as a terrorist, and accused him of being behind a banned militant group that sought to radicalize the Sikh community across the world in support of Khalistan  a separate Sikh homeland that would include parts of India.

Nijjars supporters rejected the terrorist label, arguing it was used to discredit the Sikh leader, who was known for his Khalistan advocacy and speaking out against alleged human rights abuses by Indias government.

Trudeaus assassination claim has inflamed relations with New Delhi, which has fiercely denied the allegation and taken a series of diplomatic measures to make clear its displeasure with Canada.

Relations between the two countries  both key US allies  have nosedived and neither side shows signs of backing down.

The question some are now asking is, why has an issue that has laid largely dormant in recent years suddenly become such a live issue again?

Irish naval authorities bring ashore debris from an Air India Boeing 747 in Cork, Ireland, following the bombing of the aircraft on June 23, 1985. - Andre Durand/AFP/Getty Images/File

Stuck in the past?

Sikhism, a monotheistic faith, was founded in the Punjab region in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, a non-practicing Hindu who preached about freedom of religion, community service and inclusiveness.

Amplified calls for the creation of Khalistan date back to when India gained its independence in 1947. The departing British split the country in two, in what became known as Partition, with the demarcation slicing Punjab  once home to a large and powerful Sikh empire  in half.

Muslims were expected to go to newly formed Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs to independent India. While Sikhs formed a majority in Punjab, they were a minority in India, where they today make up less than 2% of the countrys 1.4 billion population.

A nurse with two child victims of communal violence in Amritsar, Punjab, during the Partition of British India in 1947. - Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images/File

Some in the Sikh community felt mistreated in the new Hindu-majority nation, and the struggle began for greater political and cultural autonomy. Bloodshed between Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus ensued, prompting some Sikh leaders to call for the creation of a new homeland.

The calls sparked further clashes between the separatists and the Indian government, which claimed many lives.

But while there hasnt been an active insurgency in Punjab for nearly three decades  a 2021 Pew Research Center survey found 95% of Sikhs were very proud to be Indian, while 70% agreed that a person who disrespects India cannot be a Sikh  security officials in the region have in recent years sounded the alarm for renewed calls for separatism after sporadic violence, blasts and targeted killings of Hindu religious leaders.

Khalistan is now mostly a bogey term in India, said Amandeep Sandhu, author of Panjab: Journeys Through Fault Lines. But there is a sense that injustice has been done to the Sikhs and Punjab.

Earlier this year, police embarked on a colossal hunt for Amritpal Singh, a Sikh separatist who had revived calls for an independent homeland. His comments about social issues and protecting religious rights of Sikhs against Indias ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) struck a chord among some in the state.

Police had accused Singh of attempted murder, obstruction of law enforcement and creating disharmony in society, prompting him to hide from authorities while hundreds of his supporters marched through the streets of Punjab, demanding his freedom. He was arrested in April, after more than one month on the run.

Amritpal Singh leaves the Golden Temple along with his supporters, in Amritsar, India, March 3, 2023. - Stringer/Reuters

And amid tensions with Canada, Indias anti-terror agency last week conducted raids across seven Indian states and union territories in connection with alleged Khalistan violence and promised a reward for information leading to the capture of five individuals who it accused of spreading terror in the state of Punjab.

Memories of a painful insurgency

Prime Minister Modi and the ruling BJP have long maintained that Canadas inaction toward extremism within the sizable Sikh diaspora poses a national security threat to India.

And although Modi has yet to publicly address the growing rift with Ottawa, Indian authorities have called Canada a safe haven for terrorists, and New Delhi has suspended visas for Canadian citizens, citing security threats against diplomats in the country.

At the same time, some Sikh supporters of Khalistan have made comments perceived as anti-national and threatening toward India and its government.

India has consistently accused Canada of accepting people responsible for violence in India and has asked for the extradition [of Sikh separatists] including those responsible for the Air India bombing, said Suhasini Haidar, diplomatic affairs editor at The Hindu newspaper in New Delhi. India has always said Canadian authorities have been dragging their feet over it.

That bombing capped a period when clashes between the Indian state and Khalistani militants had reached an apex.

The decade-long Khalistan insurgency in the 1970s and 80s saw the massacre of civilians, indiscriminate bombings and attacks on Hindus. And in counterinsurgency operations, Indian security forces were accused of a multitude of human rights abuses.

The first photos of the damaged Akal Takhat after the army stormed the sikh Golden Temple complex in Amritsar on June 9, 1984. - Sondeep Shankar/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The insurgency reached its peak in 1984 when then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered Indian troops to storm the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Sikhisms holiest shrine, to dislodge a Sikh militant and his supporters who had been hiding in the complex.

The operation destroyed much of the temple and left hundreds dead, sparking widespread Sikh outrage. Months later, Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards in an act of revenge.

In some ways, before extremism came to the West, it was Sikh extremism that was defining Indias national security concerns, said Harsh Pant, vice-president of the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi think tank. As a result, there is a degree of sensitivity involved in how the Indian government frames its national security agenda.

Riots broke out in the days after Gandhis assassination, killing some 3,000 people  predominantly Sikhs  according to official figures, in one of the worst outbreaks of communal violence since Indias partition.

A disconnect with the diaspora

In the years that followed Gandhis killing, advocacy for Khalistan diminished within India, though painful memories remain etched in the minds of many Sikhs still living there, many of whom were afraid to speak to CNN for fear of retribution from authorities and because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Those events continue to resonate with the Sikh diaspora in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, many of whom say they are still seeking reconciliation for the human rights abuses committed against the community.

Protesters rally outside the Indian consulate in Toronto against the Indian government's alleged involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on September 25, 2023. - Cole Burston/AFP/Getty Images

Several overseas Sikh organizations say the Khalistan movement is being falsely equated with terrorism by the Indian government, and say they will continue to peacefully advocate for the creation of a separate homeland.

Those violently pursuing the Khalistan cause, analysts say, form a minority in Punjab. Indian communities have dissociated, more or less, dissociated from the idea [of Khalistan], said Pant, the analyst.

The national security establishment is saying this is now less of a responsibility for the Indian government at home, but there is more responsibility on our partners in UK, Australia and Canada to see how this can be best resolved.

As such, Nijjars death has come to symbolize a growing disconnect between members of the Sikh diaspora and Modis government.

For weeks after Nijjar was gunned down by two masked men while he was in his van outside a Sikh temple, many Canadian Sikhs urged authorities to investigate the murder, claiming he was killed for political reasons.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to media outside his office in Ottawa on September 25, 2023. - Blair Gable/Reuters

And Trudeaus statement was welcomed by some members of the diaspora.

The larger [Sikh] community is standing by the statements from Trudeau and they want action upon this, said Jasveer Singh, a British Sikh and senior press officer with the Sikh Press Association.

There is a sense that Sikhs are incapable of being free [in India], he added. Theres a lot of depth to this issue.

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Measures that would have improved public access to legislative business and expanded public comment opportunities were struck down by Wilmington City Council on Thursday.

The resolutions, brought before the public body by Councilmember Shane Darby, would have required draft legislation to accompany council and committee agenda items and added public comment following each legislative item during council meetings.

The two resolutions were swiftly defeated by council members, who expressed concern over burdening city staff with additional posting requirements and prompting lengthy meetings with added public comment.

Wilmington City Councilwoman Shane Darby speaks during an event at the Police Athletic League of Wilmington Center on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Darby recently brought two resolutions before city council that would have expanded public comment and improved access to council's legislative business.

Its just unfortunate that the community is looking to participate, they want to participate, and its very limited, Darby said. They try to go to the committee meetings to participate, but the legislation isnt ready. Its like, what are we asking for? How are we being efficient to make sure people can participate and we have additional public comment for them?

The Wilmington legislative body has struggled to follow council rules and Open Meeting laws in the past.

COUNCIL CORRUPTION: Former Wilmington Council president faces trial for public corruption criminal charges

It was found in violation by the Delaware Department of Justice in 2019 after the council barred a city resident from speaking during public comment and then-Council President Hanifa Shabazz had the resident arrested. And earlier this year, the DOJ determined the council illegally picked new members in a secret vote and was forced to retake the vote publicly.

OPEN MEETINGS VIOLATION: Wilmington City Council illegally picked new members in secret vote, state DOJ says

Requiring draft legislation for agenda items

Darby sought to close a loophole in City Council rules, which doesnt require legislation to be posted publicly with a meetings agenda, with Resolution #0353.

The measure failed 6-5, with council members Michelle Harlee and Chris Johnson absent.

Council members Zanthia Oliver, Vincent White, Bregetta Fields, Al Mills, Maria Cabrera and Latisha Bracy voted against the resolution while Darby, Yolanda McCoy, Nathan Field, James Spadola and Council President Ernest Trippi Congo voted for it.

I want transparency to the community so that they have time to digest and read and participate in our government, Darby said. We are actually the only government that allows for something like this to happen. You cant go on a state level to a committee meeting that is posted and not have the legislation available. It is just unacceptable to me.

Wilmington City Councilwoman Zanthia Oliver

Oliver pushed back on the resolution that she felt unfairly blamed council staff for the delays.

This makes it seem like nothing is being done accordingly, and I think the staff does a good job so I am not going to be in favor of this, she said.

CITY ETHICS REFORM: Wilmington council defeats bill to prevent hiring members' relatives to legislative body

Other council members said they needed to figure out where the bottleneck in getting information was before changing council rules.

Darby said she specifically worked with council staff on the resolution, who helped her identify the problem within council rules.

Its not staff; they are just following the rules, Darby said. What Im saying is there is a loophole in our rules.

Adding public comment during legislative business

Darby also brought Resolution #0354  first introduced by the late council member Linda Gray  which would have given the public an opportunity to comment on each legislative agenda item during regular council meetings.

The public previously had this opportunity, but council rule changes removed this comment period because meetings ran late and people would repeat themselves, Oliver said.

People coming up and saying they are for or against an ordinance, thats what the committee meetings are for, she said. Thats why we as a collective body did remove it because people want to get home to their families, staff is working all day and we are just in here real late.

PARKING PROBLEMS: Why Wilmington wants talks on parking ticket woes behind closed doors

Many other council members concurred, noting that residents already can comment during committee meetings and at the beginning of council meetings, and can connect with members in other ways, like via phone or email.

I think there is ample opportunity for public comment, Councilmember James Spadola said. This could make it harder for the public to engage if every ordinance is a 45-minute debate when it could have been 10 minutes otherwise.

City Council, President, Trippi Congo interacts with a member of the community during the annual August Quarterly Festival Sunday on August 27, 2023 at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park in Wilmington.

The measure failed 9-2 with Darby and Congo the only members in favor of the resolution.

I believe the meetings are long because of council members. I dont believe the public makes the council meetings long at all, or the committee meetings, Congo said. Its funny how we kind of pick and choose when we say debate is only for committee, when we come here and we debate pretty much every piece of legislation, but we wont allow the public to do the same.

Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-598-5507. Follow her on X at @mandy_fries.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Why Wilmington City Council voted no to expanded public access
TechCrunch

The mysterious "Project Nessie," hinted at in what little was not redacted in the FTC's lawsuit against Amazon, is indeed an algorithmic pricing scheme that raised prices where it could do so safely, generating some $1.4 billion for the company during its years of operation. No wonder Amazon wanted to keep it under wraps! Unfortunately, when the lawsuit was filed, it was full of redactions, and Nessie was clearly the biggest risk, with every mention and entire pages of the section dedicated to it blocked by black bars.
MADISON, Wis. - Is it time to beef up Wisconsin Capitol security? The Wisconsin Capitol has 12 places around the building where people can enter during the day; through one of those entrances Wednesday, police said a man with a gun walked right in and asked to see the governor.

There are no metal detectors to walk through. The state is in the minority in the country. The Council of State Governments in 2021 found 37 state Capitols had metal detectors.

Now, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos agree: They're not bringing in metal detectors. They said they want the public to be able to access their elected representatives.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers

Evers told Wisconsin Watch that he is against reducing entrances or forcing people to go through security screening. Vos said on X that he agreed with the governor.

FOX6 News asked lawmakers about the building's safety after Wednesday's incident.

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"There are plenty of examples of better security in Capitols all across the country. Not knowing all the details of what happened (Wednesday), I dont know what the right answer is," said State Rep. Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay). "I do think we should be looking at some answers from other states. I think we need to be having a public hearing on gun laws that can keep us safer."

Wisconsin State Capitol Police

"I guess this is as safe as it is anywhere else," said State Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine).

Wisconsin State Capitol Police said Joshua Pleasnick was shirtless with a holstered handgun Wednesday looking for the governor. Officers told him he couldnt open carry a gun, and then arrested him. They said Pleasnick posted bail and returned later that same day outside the Capitol with an "AK-style rifle." Again, authorities said he was demanding to see the governor.

Wisconsin law allows people with concealed carry permits to bring their guns into the Capitol. Wanggaard, a former police officer, has a permit and carries inside the building.

"That's why I'm not concerned about my security, because I can defend myself in the building  and others if I had to," he said.

Andraca also has a concealed carry permit.

"Ive been to many state Capitols all over the country, and most of the ones Ive been to have some sort of security, and they dont allow you to carry guns into the Capitol," she said. "I think theres a debate whether or not we should be able to do that in the state house."

Several lawmakers shared their thoughts after the arrest. Some said they and their staff are rattled. Others said they didn't want to talk pubically about security issues, while others said it was too early to know what should come next.

"We figured out it's about 70 to 72 different doors, plus all the lower level windows and first floor windows that you have access to," Wanggaard said. "All those are access points, too, so anytime you have so many entrances and exits, it's really hard to secure to a point."

"When you come to the Capitol, whether thats because youre on a school visit, or whether you are just there to look around at one of the most beautiful Capitols in all of the country, you should feel safe and people who work inside the Capitol should feel safe, too," said Andraca. "If were not going to get better gun laws, we need better security. Personally, I think we need both."

More on security

Capitol police do have cameras throughout the building, and offices are equipped with buttons that can be pushed to signal police in times of emergency.

In January 2022, someone in the office of state Sen. Joan Ballweg triggered the alarm, but no officer responded. That resulted in the state Senate ordering an outside audit of the Capitol Police by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department.

Capitol Police instituted numerous changes following that report, including improving the emergency alarm system, and lawmakers in August ordered another review by the Legislative Audit Bureau that is slated to be done by the end of next year.

There have been temporary upgrades in Capitol security.

Wisconsin Capitol, Madison

Metal detectors were installed at the Capitol in late February 2011 at the height of protests over then-Gov. Scott Walker's proposal that effectively ended collective bargaining for most public workers. Protests lasted for weeks and grew as large as 100,000 people, with demonstrators spending weeks in the Capitol in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to block the proposal.

The metal detectors were removed in June 2011 under an agreement reached between Walker's administration and the state employees union, which sued to get the Capitol reopened without metal detectors.

The Legislature voted to legalize the carrying of concealed weapons in 2011, and allowed them in the Capitol. Leaders argued then that if they were banned in the Capitol, then metal detectors would have to be installed to catch people trying to illegally sneak them in.

State Capitol security concerns were raised again after the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But at the time, the Wisconsin Capitol was closed to the general public due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a case challenging the states Republican-drawn legislative districts, a decision that could spur impeachment proceedings against a newly elected justice, Janet Protasiewicz , who refused to recuse herself from the case.

The decision to accept the case  known as an original action because it means the case will bypass Wisconsins trial and appeals courts  comes over the objections of at least two of the courts three conservative justices and the states leading Republicans, who have threatened to impeach Protasiewicz before she can rule on it.

Recusal decisions are controlled by the law, Protasiewicz wrote in her 47-page decision to remain on the case. They are not a matter of personal preference. If precedent requires it, I must recuse. But if precedent does not warrant recusal, my oath binds me to participate.

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The courts decision to accept the case will force Republicans to make a decision soon about whether to proceed with an impeachment of Protasiewicz, who won a commanding victory in April and was seated on the bench Aug. 1. The Republican-controlled state Assembly is set to convene Tuesday.

The courts conservative members reacted with fury to their liberal colleagues decision to accept the maps case.

Four members of this court have chosen to chip away at the publics faith in the judiciary as an independent, impartial institution, undermine foundational judicial principles such as stare decisis, and cast a hyperpartisan shadow of judicial bias over the decisions of this court, wrote Justice Annette Ziegler, one of the courts three conservative justices. Such shortsighted behavior demonstrates the court majoritys sheer will to expedite a preconceived outcome for a particular constituency. This abandonment of their judicial oath is disappointing.

Protasiewicz became a target of Republican impeachment efforts after she called the maps rigged during her campaign and declared herself a supporter of abortion rights. Republicans have said those statements violated Wisconsins judicial ethics codes, and they have demanded that she recuse herself from the maps case.

The Wisconsin Assembly, where Republicans hold a 64-35 advantage, needs just a simple majority to impeach Protasiewicz. Once impeached, she would be forbidden to act on cases until a state Senate trial. Conviction and removal by the state Senate requires a two-thirds vote  exactly the majority that Republicans hold in the chamber.

Time is of the essence for both Republicans and Democrats, who have long grappled over the states legislative maps. The current maps created a near supermajority for Republicans in the state Legislature, even though Democrats had won a vast majority of statewide elections since 2018. Republicans feel compelled to stop Protasiewicz before she can invalidate the maps that have cemented their control of the Legislature, while Democrats are hoping for new maps to be installed in time for the 2024 elections.

Protasiewicz had not spoken publicly about the case, but during her campaign this spring she committed to recusing herself only from cases brought by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, which spent $10 million backing her and last month rolled out a $4 million effort to pressure Republicans not to impeach her. Only one Republican member of the Assembly has stated publicly that he opposes removing Protasiewicz.

Barry Burden, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the latest fights over the states Supreme Court made clear that the line that once separated the justices from partisan politics had completely disintegrated.

The kind of bare-knuckles politics that has defined the state for the last 15 years has now bled its way into every aspect of state political life, including the judicial branch, he said.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
In the late summer of 2020, four months after Emily Noble was reported missing, her badly decomposed remains were discovered in a wooded area near her home in Westerville, Ohio, a town just outside Columbus. A USB cord was wrapped around her neck.

Authorities turned to a well-known strangulation expert, Dr. Bill Smock, who concluded that shed been choked to death  and her death had been staged to look like a suicidal hanging. Nobles husband was indicted in her murder and, in the trial that followed, forensics played a key role. Smock was the prosecutions star witness.

When the case went to trial in August 2022, a board-certified forensic anthropologist, Heather Garvin, challenged Smocks claims. Now, three more board-certified forensic anthropologists who reviewed reports from the case for NBC News said the states key expert had little evidence to support his claims and raised concerns over his role in the trial.

The three anthropologists, who analyze skeletal remains and are certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, were not involved in the trial of Nobles husband, Matheau Moore, 52. They reviewed forensic reports obtained by NBCs Dateline.

He makes firm authoritative statements, which I do not think you can support with any evidence, Nicholas Passalacqua, director of forensic anthropology at Western Carolina University, said of Smocks strangulation claim.

My biggest concern is that the opinion of someone who is not a pathologist and who is not board-certified in forensic pathology has been given this amount of weight in a court of law, said Natalie Langley, president of the American Board of Forensic Anthropologists.

I think this case highlights the importance of scientific standards in the forensic sciences, said Marin Pilloud, a professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada in Reno. In so far that misinterpretations of the data and hyperbolic statements can have serious repercussions. It is critically important to not overstate findings and to stick within the realms of scientific findings.

murder victim (Courtesy Matheau Moore)

In an interview with NBC News, Smock dismissed the anthropologists concerns and said he had studied strangulation and asphyxiation for nearly four decades. He stood by his findings and said there was only one possible cause of Nobles death.

As far as Im concerned, Emily Nobles hyoid bone fracture did not come from her hanging, he said. It came from strangulation.

Despite Smocks assertions, the jury returned a not guilty verdict for Moore.

One of the Delaware County prosecutors who tried the case, Mark Sleeper, told  Dateline  that Smocks conclusions were his strongest piece of evidence at trial. He declined to comment on the experts concerns in response to a request from NBC News. In an interview with Dateline he pushed back against Garvin, the forensic anthropologist who testified for Moore, saying she didnt have the same expertise as Smock and wasnt able to properly analyze Nobles fatal injury.

Garvin, who is also a professor of anatomy at Des Moines University, responded that it was clear Smock did not understand fracture biomechanics.

I am not saying that this is a hanging based on the fracture pattern, she added. I am refuting Dr. Smocks claim that this fracture pattern cannot occur in a hanging and I do so using the scientific literature.

Moores lawyer, Diane Menashe, attributed the failed prosecution to a problem she summed up as garbage in, garbage out. Nobles bones were mishandled, she told Dateline and noted in her closing argument, producing flawed conclusions with little scientific certainty.

Youre only as good as the information you get, she said.

Hundreds of strangulations, high-profile cases

Three local women searching for Noble told Dateline they found her skeletal remains on Sept. 16, 2020, months after Moore reported her missing from her home in Westerville. She was discovered in a wooded area where she often foraged for edible plants. They found her in a kneeling position, suspended from a branch.

Westerville police Detective Steve Grubbs, who led the investigation into Emilys disappearance and death, confirmed to Dateline that Noble was suspended by a USB cord. A water bottle containing alcohol was also at the scene, he said.

At the request of a local coroner, the Injury Biomechanics Research Center at the Ohio State University analyzed the remains and reported what Sleeper described to Dateline as two major findings: Emily Noble suffered perimortem trauma  or trauma from around the time of her death  to her nasal bones and throat, including bilateral fractures to her hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage.

Eleven days after the university lab filed its report with the coroner, the coroner concluded that Noble died from multiple injuries to the head and neck. The report, which was obtained by Dateline, was largely based on the labs findings and did not say if she died by suicide or homicide.

After the reports were completed, Grubbs reached out to Smock for an opinion.

They wanted someone who has expertise in evaluating strangulation-related deaths, Smock told Dateline.

forensic medical expert (Pool/Court TV via AP file)

Smock said he is not a forensic pathologist  a medical doctor whose expertise is in determining cause and manner of death and performing autopsies  but a forensic physician, which he described in his case as a medical doctor with specialized training in forensic medicine and forensic pathology.

He completed a one-year fellowship in clinical forensic medicine with the Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner in 1994, he said.

Smock later testified in the Noble case that hed been trained to perform autopsies and had participated in thousands, including hundreds of cases involving strangulations, according to a transcript of the court hearing. He said hed edited and written multiple textbooks on the subject and had been recognized as an expert in strangulation more than 100 times in state and federal courts in the United States.

Among the high-profile cases he testified in were the murder trials of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and Robert Feldman, a Colorado man convicted of murder in his wifes death last year after Smock said the scene had been staged to look like a suicide. In both cases he testified for the prosecution.

After reviewing the lab report and images of Nobles remains and the crime scene, Smock came to several conclusions about Nobles death, including that she died by homicide: She sustained at least one episode of manual strangulation and suffered a quadruple fracture that was not consistent with a ligature strangulation, he wrote in a May 27 report obtained by Dateline.

Noble also had facial fractures caused by significant blunt-force trauma from around the time of her death, which was staged to look like a suicidal hanging, Smock wrote.

A warrant for Moores arrest was issued June 17, the same day a grand jury returned an indictment charging him with murder.

Sleeper pointed to the couples troubled marriage as a motive, but Grubbs, the detective, acknowledged to Dateline that authorities had no DNA or blood linking Moore to Nobles death. (In an interview with Dateline, Moore acknowledged that the couple had troubles after his son died by suicide in 2019  I was a wreck, he told Dateline  but he said the marital relationship had improved before Nobles death.)

Their strongest evidence, Grubbs told Dateline, was Smocks opinion.

You would love to have the full confession, the detective said. Youd love to have it on videotape. You would ultimately love to have anything like that. But what we have is Emilys body, and Emilys body is telling us the fact that we have a homicide.

Standing by his conclusions

In court testimony and in an interview with Dateline, Smock offered more details about his conclusions. He pointed to medical literature on hangings and said that a woman of Nobles small size  she weighed less than 100 pounds  could not have suffered a quadruple throat fracture from an incomplete hanging, as the position she was found in is known.

If there was anything even close in the medical literature, its never been reported, he said. No woman of her size, her stature has ever had those sorts of fracture patterns from leaning forward into a ligature. It doesnt happen.

But forensic anthropologists familiar with the research said that Smocks definitive claims gloss over important gaps in the literature.

Much of it does not report body weight, so it is hard to state with certainty that all of the literature does not support these findings, Pilloud, the University of Nevada professor, said in an email. And much of that research is relatively inconclusive, Langley, from the American Board of Forensic Anthropologists, said.

In an interview with NBC News, Smock said that his students at the University of Kentucky, where he is a professor of emergency medicine, helped him review 1,400 hangings for the case. He was unaware of how many included body weight.

In an email, Garvin, the Des Moines University professor and a board-certified forensic anthropologist who testified in Moores defense, cited conflicting findings in the literature, including weight (some researchers have said heavier people are more prone to fractures; others have not) and type of hanging (some have found fractures are more common with incomplete hangings; others have not).

The one thing that they almost all agree on is that age is a significant factor, with more fractures in individuals over 40, she said.

I think if youre going to look for such specifics in the literature, then you really should look at the whole picture, she wrote. Were not just talking about a 95lb woman. Were talking about a 95lb, 52 yo woman who had osteopenia, a condition that can make bones more fracture-prone, Garvin said.

Lack of proof is not proof, Garvin added. Absence of evidence of this exact injury occurring in this exact same scenario does not mean that it cannot occur.

Asked if he considered the variables highlighted by Garvin, Smock said yes  but where that data wasnt available in the literature it doesnt exist.

Ive been studying asphyxiation, strangulation for almost 40 years, he said. I teach asphyxiation-related deaths all over the world, to the FBI, to the U.S. attorneys office, to judges and prosecutors. I dont know what the background is of these forensic anthropologists, whether they have studied strangulation, specifically trauma to the neck, the larynx to the hyoid bone, as I have for 40 years. Im not sure where theyre coming from, but if they cant show you a case with similar variables as Emily Noble, with a hyoid bone fracture, then it doesnt exist.

Claims of incorrect, outdated methods

Another problem with Smocks conclusions, the experts said, was his claim that Noble showed signs of significant blunt-force trauma  a finding that he said he based on the Ohio State University report that described facial trauma from around the time of her death.

Garvin, who reviewed hundreds of high-resolution 2D images for the case, disputed that finding. In an email, she said it was fairly easy to determine that the fractures were healed and from a broken nose. (Noble fell and broke her nose in 1983, according a police report obtained by Dateline.)

Pilloud and Langley, who reviewed a report from the lab that includes low-resolution images, also disputed its finding of perimortem trauma. Passalacqua, the forensic anthropologist from West Carolina University, criticized the labs processing techniques, saying it used incorrect or outdated methods  such as letting the bones soak in a hydrogen peroxide solution for 24 hours  when it examined Nobles remains. And he said the report offered unsupported conclusions about facial trauma.

In an email, lab director and forensic anthropologist Amanda Agnew defended her lab and its practices, saying the concentration of hydrogen peroxide was low  2%  and the goal was to preserve the skeletal remains for long-term analysis.

This was especially difficult in this case given the condition of the remains, which were mummified, she said.

Agnew and a co-author of the report were the only ones to examine the remains in person, she added, and other anthropologists weighing in were likely unable to see what they saw, she said.

It can be extremely difficult to see some evidence of trauma in a 2D image, especially in very small and thin bones of the face, the lab director said. It is best practice to observe the actual remains to be confident in observations.

Agnew added that in an effort to remain unbiased, she did not talk to Smock after he signed on to the case, nor has she read his report or seen his testimony.

I would like to make it clear that myself/OSU did not assist Dr. Smock in any way, nor was there any communication or collaboration between OSU and Dr. Smock before, during or after the trial, she said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian security forces have arrested a number of Boko Haram and al-Shabab terror groups linked suspects, local officials said Saturday.

The Sidama Region Peace and Security Bureau said in a press statement that the suspects were caught red-handed while planning to carry out terror attacks in various parts of Ethiopia in coordination with transnational terror groups and armed rebel outfits.

The statement disclosed the terror suspects were detained in a joint operation carried out by the Sidama Region security task force, the Ethiopia National Defense Force and the Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

The statement didn't detail the exact number of the detained terror suspects. It didn't specify the type of terror attacks either or the terror targets the suspects are accused of planning to strike.

The statement, however, showed photos of at least three terror suspects and high-tech communication equipment they're accused of using to secretly communicate with each other.

Al-Shabab is a militant Islamic rebel group mainly operating in conflict-wracked Somalia but it has also been implicated in terrorist attacks in several other East African countries.

Boko Haram is a militant Islamic rebel group originating from Nigeria but it has also been implicated in terror attacks in several West and Central African countries. 
Debris of Russian missiles, illustrative photo

A woman has been killed and several civilians were injured in a series of Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhya, Poltava, and Kherson Oblasts overnight on Oct. 7.

The woman casualty was killed in Bilenke, Poltava Oblast, after the Russians dropped cluster bombs. Two others were injured in the attack, according to regional governor Yuriy Malashko.

Read also: Ukraine grapples with another complex large-scale Russian drone attack overnight

A 52-year-old man was wounded after the Russians shelled the Dniprovsky district of Kherson early on Oct. 7, according to the head of Kherson Citys Military Administration, Roman Mrochko.

Read also: Ukraine shields its energy infrastructure in several defensive layers  official

Nine private residences were damaged in a Russian missile attack on Myrhorod, Poltava Oblast, the regional military administrations head, Dmytro Lunin, said, adding that there were no reported casualties.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
CHICAGO - Chicago police are investigating the sexual assault of a 28-year-old woman in the Loop early Friday morning.

Around 12:30 a.m., police say the woman was found lying in a hallway asleep. When she was woken up, she complained of having abdominal pain.

The woman was transported to Northwestern Hospital.

Nobody was reported in custody. The investigation is ongoing.
A 32-year-old woman is suing an upstate New York health system and doctors, alleging that a neurologist refused to provide her treatment because she was of childbearing age.

According to the complaint, Tara Rule suffers from cluster headaches, and was seeking treatment from a neurologist at Glens Falls Hospital, which is owned by Albany Med Health Partners.

After her previous doctor retired, she was referred to Dr Jonathan Braiman, and sought treatment from him in September 2022. While at an appointment with Dr Braiman, Ms Rule was told that although there were safe, effective treatments were available for cluster headaches, he could not prescribe them to her insurance not covering care that could cause potential birth defects.

Ms Rule then argued that she already takes medication  Cellcept  for another condition that has the potential to cause birth defects, and her insurance covers that prescription without issue. Dr Braiman then told Ms Rule that she was wrong, and that Cellcept does not wield those side effects. She pressed him to look up the side effects, which he read aloud at the appointment  in a conversation that was recorded.

He then asked the 32-year-old what she would do in the event of a pregnancy, the complaint stated. Ms Rule said she would have an abortion.

After some back and forth, Dr Braiman suggested Ms Rule think deeply about her use of Cellcept, given the risk of birth defects, and added that she should bring her (male) partner in on the conversation about her treatment. However, she countered that her partner had a vasectomy, so the risk of pregnancy was out of the question, the filing states.

Ms Rule then apparently asked the neurologist if it would be safe to prescribe this same treatment for women who have gone through menopause, to which he said: Yeah, they would be.

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Cutting straight to the point, Ms Rule asked: So, the only reason you wont prescribe me these treatments is because I could get pregnant? But she didnt get a straight answer. The doctor then asked, Hows your sleep?

The filing states that the neurologist denied safe, effective treatment for her disabling condition due to her age and sex, and that he refused to provide her treatment options based solely on the potential for pregnancy, despite [Ms Rule] repeatedly telling Dr. Braiman that pregnancy was neither a possibility nor a concern.

He said as long as I am of childbearing age, regardless of sexual partner, regardless of birth control method, regardless of any of that, I cant take the treatment, Ms Rule said in a tear-filled TikTok video on the date of her appointment.

In an interview with Jezebel, Ms Rule underscored that the pregnancy question gets more complicated in a world after Roe v Wade fell. Where are we drawing the line here? Are hospitals going to require someone to share a pregnancy test, proof theyre on birth control, get a hysterectomy, to get life-saving health care? She said she hopes her case can create more protections for those of childbearing age in a post-Roe world.

A spokesperson for Albany Medical Health Partners told the outlet that it cannot comment on pending litigation.

Under the Affordable Care Act, it is unlawful for providers to refuse to treat an individual  or to otherwise discriminate against the individual based on sex or age as well as to deny or deny treatment on these bases.

But the situation only got worse for Ms Rule.

A week after her appointment with Dr Braiman, she went to the emergency room  due to the untreated cluster headaches and her vitals were dangerously out of range due to the pain of the untreated condition, the complaint states.

But chaos didnt stop for Ms Rule. A nurse practitioner, Christine Calistri, then told her that she was being discharged for live streaming, which, she said, was 100% illegal. Security guards then stood outside of her room as Ms Rule repeatedly denied that she was live streaming, the complaint states.

As a result, Ms Rule was asked to leave the premises, despite the fact that she was still high on the pain scale and records indicate her blood pressure and pulse were still abnormally high; she was not transferred to a different facility, the complaint added.

But still, the saga continued. After Ms Rules partner posted a negative review on Google, Ms Calistri reached out to him, an unauthorized party to receive Plaintiffs private health information, via Facebook, where she disclosed Ms Rules health information and said that because of the negative review, her children were receiving threats to their life.

Ms Rule sent a complaint to the emergency care center about the nurse practitioner, which found no impermissible HIPAA violations occurred. She also filed a complaint with the New York State Department of Education, which found Ms Calistri to be in violation.

On top of this judgment, hospital records subpoenaed by Ms Rules lawyer found that the nurse practitioner wrote that Ms Rule was feeling better, which was normal and that she had requested to be discharged. These documents also noted instructions to escort Ms Rule off the premises, seemingly contradicting the other paperwork.

On top of the violation of the Affordable Care Act claim, Ms Rule accused the defendants of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the New York State Patient Bill of Rights, and federal regulations. She also accused Ms Calistri of violating HIPAA.

In the year since her appointment with Dr Braiman, Ms Rule told Jezebel that she still hasnt been prescribed the medication she sought to treat her cluster headaches. Ms Rule added that she never intended her experience to amount to a lawsuit, but merely wanted an apology.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a wide scale attack on Israel early Saturday, the largest attack in its conflict with the country in decades. Hamas militants invaded multiple Israeli towns and the group launched a mass of missiles into Israel, killing at least 250 people.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

The attacks, nearly 50 years to the day after the 1973 Yom Kippur war, were met with shock and prompted widespread support for Israel from most world leaders and governments.

European and American leaders were quick to denounce the attacks, while governments in the Middle East often declined to explicitly back Israel in official comments while urging both sides to stop the violence.

United States

The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

United Kingdom

I am shocked by this mornings attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on X, formerly Twitter. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. Were in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.

India

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Foreign Ministry called for an immediate halt to the escalation between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely following the developments of the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a high level of violence on several fronts there, the ministry said in a statement.

Germany

Terrifying news reaches us today from Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel.

France

I strongly condemn the current terrorist attacks against Israel, French President Emmanuel Macron said on X. I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and loved ones.

Turkey

We call for restraint from all parties, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said at a political party meeting Saturday. They must refrain from aggressive acts.

Russia

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the conflict an expected development and denounced U.S. involvement in the region and American support of the Ukrainian military.

Clashes between Hamas and Israel on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War come as an expected development. This is what Washington and its allies should be busy with, Medvedev said on X. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been going on for decades, with the US the key player in it.

But instead of actively working at Palestinian-Israeli settlement, these morons have interfered with us, and are providing the neo-Nazis with full-scale aid, pitting the two closely related peoples against each other. What can stop Americas manic obsession to incite conflicts all over the planet?

Egypt

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry warned of grave consequences for an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, according to the state news agency, Reuters reported.

It called for exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger.

Qatar

The Qatari government blamed Israel for the violence while calling on both sides to halt attacks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds Israel alone responsible for the current escalation due to this ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which is the repeated raids on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under of the protection of Israeli police, the ministry said in a statement.

Updated 4:02 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Palestinians celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. | Hassan Eslaiah, Associated Press

Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel early Saturday, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has characterized as an act of war.

Since this morning, the State of Israel has been at war, Netanyahu said in a statement Saturday, noting that Israeli leaders are working to clear out hostile forces and exact an immense price from the enemy.

We are at war. In war, one needs to be level-headed. I call on all citizens of Israel to unite in order to achieve our highest goal  victory in the war, Netanyahu said.

Related

So far, Hamas militants have fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip, according to The Associated Press. Theyre also reportedly holding some Israeli soldiers and civilians captive.

Mohammad Deif, who leads Hamas military wing, has said Saturdays surprise attack on Israel is only the beginning of whats planned.

(Deif) said the assault was in response to the continued blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al Aqsa  the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount  increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and continued growth of settlements, AP reported.

On X, the site formerly known as Twitter, President Joe Biden described the Hamas militants actions as appalling.

Today, I spoke with (Netanyahu) about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israels security, Biden said, noting that he and Jill Biden are expressing their heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones.

Today, I spoke with @IsraeliPM about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israels security. @FLOTUS and I express our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones.  President Biden (@POTUS) October 7, 2023

Republican Sen. Mike Lee wrote on X about the attacks, saying, Hamas terrorists have killed a hundred innocent Israeli civilians, wounded hundreds more, and taken dozens of hostages. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, and my prayers are with the families suffering from these unprovoked attacks.

In a separate post from his personal X account, @BasedMikeLee, Lee criticized Biden for enabling Iran to access previously frozen funds as part of a prisoner exchange last month.

That ransom money provided material support to Hamas, Lee argued, echoing similar concerns raised by other Republicans on Saturday.

Hamas terrorists have killed a hundred innocent Israeli civilians, wounded hundreds more, and taken dozens of hostages. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, and my prayers are with the families suffering from these unprovoked attacks.https://t.co/GwSSreYkVO  Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 7, 2023

Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, also took to X to condemn the attack on Israel.

Horrific attacks on Israelis by Iran-backed Hamas. Vile, inhumane brutality once again descends on a peaceful nation. We stand wholeheartedly with Israel and support its right to defend itself, Romney said.

Horrific attacks on Israelis by Iran-backed Hamas. Vile, inhumane brutality once again descends on a peaceful nation. We stand wholeheartedly with Israel and support its right to defend itself.  Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) October 7, 2023

Heres how other political leaders have reacted to the growing conflict in Israel:

U.S. leaders on Israel attacks

The United States unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities. There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with those government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israels right to defend itself, said U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in a statement.

America stands with Israel. The vicious attack on our most sacred ally by Hamas terrorists cannot stand. The Israeli people have our unwavering support and the Israeli government has every right to defend its citizens against this act of war, said Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is speaker pro tempore of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Former president Donald Trump released a statement on his 2024 campaign site, These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force. Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration. We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again.

The terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel are absolutely horrific. The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so. My prayers are with the dead, reported hostages, and hundreds injured, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X.

Iran-controlled Hamas terrorists launched a literal war against Israel tonight. Our Israeli allies will now do what they must to defend themselves and I stand with them as they confront this violence and these atrocities. The United States must continue to support Israels absolute right to self-defense and ensure it has the military resources and diplomatic support it needs to confront the genocidal Iran-controlled terrorists who seek Israels destruction, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said on X.

I condemn in the strongest terms Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the barbaric tactics they are employing. Israel has the unequivocal right to defend itself and its people. America stands with Israel, Utah Rep. John Curtis said on X.

Unfortunately, another consequence of Bidens bumbling, anti-American policies. Our friends suffer. Please pray for Israel, Utah Rep. Burgess Owens wrote on X.

I was saddened to wake up to news of Hamas attack on the State of Israel, prompting a state of war to be declared. I fully support Israel and their right to defend themselves, and I pray this conflict ends swiftly, Utah Rep. Blake Moore wrote on X.

Other Utah leaders on Israel attacks

Utah has a long-standing relationship with Israel, and we will stand by our ally as they face the aftermath of an unjust attack on their country and people. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this act of terrorism. Israel, and its people, will be in our prayers, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on X.

These are horrible developments with dire consequences. Our hearts and support are with the state of Israel and our friends in Utahs Jewish communities, said Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson on X.

World leaders on Israel attacks

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X, Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel. These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this. Civilian life must be protected.

Utah has a long-standing relationship with Israel, and we will stand by our ally as they face the aftermath of an unjust attack on their country and people.



Our hearts go out to all those affected by this act of terrorism. Israel, and its people, will be in our prayers.  Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) October 7, 2023

America stands with Israel.



The vicious attack on our most sacred ally by Hamas terrorists cannot stand. The Israeli people have our unwavering support and the Israeli government has every right to defend its citizens against this act of war.   Patrick McHenry (@PatrickMcHenry) October 7, 2023

These are horrible developments with dire consequences. Our hearts and support are with the state of Israel and our friends in Utahs Jewish communities.  https://t.co/U7iJb8fexw pic.twitter.com/rfLDzuNOsB  Lt. Gov. Deidre M. Henderson (@LGHendersonUtah) October 7, 2023

I condemn in the strongest terms Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the barbaric tactics they are employing. Israel has the unequivocal right to defend itself and its people. America stands with Israel. pic.twitter.com/2AsE16kG7c  Rep. John Curtis (@RepJohnCurtis) October 7, 2023

The terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel are absolutely horrific. The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so. My prayers are with the dead, reported hostages, and hundreds injured.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 7, 2023

Unfortunately, another consequence of Biden's bumbling, anti-American policies. Our friends suffer. Please pray for Israel. https://t.co/1srszaCPxQ  Burgess Owens (@BurgessOwens) October 7, 2023
Years of advocacy paid off on Saturday for the people whose work keeps the California Legislature functioning.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he signed into law a bill that will allow them to form a union. The measure covers staff for lawmakers and committees, sergeants and other support personnel.

Assembly Bill 1, carried by Democratic Assemblymember Tina McKinnor of Inglewood, gives legislative employees the legal right to organize and collectively bargain with the Assembly and Senate Rules Committees starting in 2026. The original bill would have been effective two years earlier, but amendments made in the Senate labor committee extended the timeline.

AB 1 is about respecting the staff who do the hard work. Im so overjoyed that my former colleagues in the Legislature are finally getting the respect and recognition they deserve, said Shubhangi Domokos, a former legislative staffer and chief of staff for the California Labor Federation, the bills main sponsor.

The most gratifying part of the process of passing AB 1 was the outpouring of staff who voiced their support for a union, it took a village to get this done, Domokos added.

This years effort marked at least the fifth attempt since 2000 to give staff a union. None of the previous pushes, three of which were led by former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, even received a floor vote. They were stymied not by a vocal, well-funded opposition, but strategic inaction by certain members.

Several factors gave supporters hope this year. Chief among them was the Legislatures leftward shift after the 2022 midterm election, which brought in a fresh class of diverse, progressive and labor-friendly Democrats. McKinnor amassed 42 co-authors from both chambers, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Senator Dave Cortese (D-Santa Clara), chair of the Senate labor committee.

Last month, California lawmakers in both chambers approved AB 1 by more than a two-thirds majority. Many of the Democrats champion unions and labor issues, a point of contention among some staffers who argued the members should play by the same rules as the rest of Californias employers.

If youre all for unions, then you should let your workers have a chance to potentially be represented by a union, said Robert Cruz, a current Assembly legislative aide, in a recent interview with The Bee. Cruz voiced support for the bill during its first hearing before the Assembly public employment committee.

Staff say a union would give them the protection to speak up about workplace issues, such as bullying, sexual harassment and other misconduct. The union could also potentially help them bargain for better wages and overtime eligibility.

Grayson Doucette, legislative director for Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, D-San Fernando Valley, spoke in support of AB 1 at the very first Assembly Public Employment and Retirement committee hearing. He told The Bee that Newsoms approval, while momentous, was also just the next step in what would be a multi-year process.

Having something concrete to point to helps any conversation move forward, Doucette said. There will be something in law that outlines the framework.

Former employees have testified before committees that theyve felt pressured to complete duties outside their job description without proper compensation, such as approving payroll or even assembling a members IKEA furniture. Some have also had to use vacation time to campaign for their bosses.

Excluded from collective bargaining are any department or office leaders who bear responsibility for hiring, firing and managing staff. Confidential employees, who mainly work in human resources but could also include the Legislative Analysts Office, are also excluded.

The Assembly and Senate Rules committees can choose to exclude up to a third of employees from collective bargaining. The rules committees, rather than the Public Employment Relations Board, also have sole discretion over the makeup of each bargaining unit. Employees cannot be divided into units based on political party affiliation.

McKinnor previously said the implementation delay to 2026 will give both employees and the employer time to prepare. Staff need time to organize themselves and choose a union representative. Meanwhile, the employer needs time to write detailed job descriptions that outline the duties and responsibilities associated with each classification.

We want to do it right the first time, McKinnor said.
NEW YORK -- Leaders in New York and New Jersey are reacting to the unprecedented Hamas attack in Israel on Saturday.

Israeli authorities said hundreds were killed and hundreds were wounded in the deadliest attack in Israel in years, CBS News reported.

The NYPD released a statement saying, "We are aware of the situation and continue to monitor for further developments. At this time there is no known threat nor nexus to New York City."

NYPD deploying resources to Jewish communities

Mayor Eric Adams said the NYPD is deploying resources to Jewish communities and houses of worship across the five boroughs as a precaution.

"We have resources on the ground in Israel gathering intelligence, and we are continually monitoring multiple channels to identify any potential threats, both here and abroad. I am also communicating directly with Police Commissioner Caban and Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Weiner about the situation. While there is no credible threat to New York City at this time, our administration is in touch with Jewish leaders across the five boroughs, and we have directed the NYPD to deploy additional resources to Jewish communities and houses of worship citywide to ensure that our communities have the resources they need to make sure everyone feels safe," Adams said.

We extend our sincerest condolences for all the innocent lives lost in these attacks, and hope that not another family has to experience the pain of losing a loved one.



My full statement: https://t.co/4SsgIXgWmH  Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) October 7, 2023

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson added, "Working closely with our law enforcement partners in our Borough to ensure that our Jewish communities, Muslim communities, synagogues and mosques are safe during this time of heightened security. We stand with Israel and are praying for abundant peace."

Working closely with our law enforcement partners in our Borough to ensure that our Jewish communities, Muslim communities, synagogues and mosques are safe during this time of heightened security. We stand with Israel and are praying for abundant peace.  @NYPDPBBronx  Hon. Vanessa L. Gibson, MPA (She, Her, Hers) (@Vanessalgibson) October 7, 2023

Gov. Hochul working to get New Yorkers home safely

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, "As the home of the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, New York condemns the abhorrent attacks by Hamas. I stand with the people of Israel."

As the home of the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, New York condemns the abhorrent attacks by Hamas. I stand with the people of Israel.  Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 7, 2023

She also spoke to CBS New York about her efforts to get New Yorkers in Israel home safely.

Read more: Gov. Kathy Hochul "working tirelessly" to get New Yorkers in Israel home safely in wake of Hamas attack

CBS New York's Jessi Mitchell also spoke to people from the Tri-State Area who are trying to find a way to get home.

Read more: Americans in Israel trying to find a way out after Hamas attacks: "People have to live in fear"New York, New Jersey leaders condemn attack in Israel

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, "The terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel are absolutely horrific. The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so. My prayers are with the dead, reported hostages, and hundreds injured."

The terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel are absolutely horrific. The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so. My prayers are with the dead, reported hostages, and hundreds injured.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 7, 2023

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said, "I'm horrified by the scenes we've seen in Israel today. I strongly condemn these terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens, and my heart goes out to the families of those who have been killed or injured. The United States' support for Israel is unwavering."

I'm horrified by the scenes we've seen in Israel today. I strongly condemn these terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens, and my heart goes out to the families of those who have been killed or injured. The United States' support for Israel is unwavering.  Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) October 7, 2023

Rep. Ritchie Torres said on X, "I stand it with Israel as she seeks to defend herself ... Those who insists Israel do nothing in the face of terror are holding the Jewish State to a dangerous double standard that no other country, including our own, would ever accept."

I stand it with Israel as she seeks to defend herself.



Imagine terrorists armed with machine guns invading your community and home, searching for people to murder and abduct.



If your community and home were invaded, if your family, friends, and neighbors were murdered,  Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) October 7, 2023

On X, the New York City Council Jewish Caucus wrote, "As Jewish members of the @NYCcouncil, while we should be celebrating the joyous holidays of Shabbat and Simchat Torah, we are instead heartbroken at this morning's unprecedented terrorist attacks on Israel. We stand with Israel and condemn these attacks."

As Jewish members of the @NYCcouncil, while we should be celebrating the joyous holidays of Shabbat and Simchat Torah, we are instead heartbroken at this morning's unprecedented terrorist attacks on Israel.



We stand with Israel and condemn these attacks.  NYC Jewish Caucus (@NYCJewishCaucus) October 7, 2023

Rockland County Executive Ed Day released the following statement;

"My administration extends sincere condolences to all the innocent lives lost in terrorist attacks in Israel Saturday. "These horrific attacks claimed the lives of at least 300 people and left over 2,000 injured. "Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by an attack that can only be described as pure evil."

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement, saying in part:

The world must unequivocally condemn terrorism against innocent civilians. Just like any country, the State of Israel has a right to defend itself and rescue hostages who have been kidnapped. As a state with one of the largest Jewish and Israeli American communities in the world, today's news is especially hard to fathom. As Governor, I stand with the people of Israel in this dark hour in a united show of resolve against terrorism.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin released a statement saying in part:

I have been in communication with the 21 County Prosecutors and law enforcement leaders across the state. While there is no credible threat to safety, law enforcement will be increasing patrols in sensitive areas -- particularly houses of worship for both the Jewish and Islamic faiths -- and taking other steps out of an abundance of caution. We also call upon New Jersey residents to be extra vigilant, and if you see suspicious activity please report it to your local authorities without delay.

Statement from Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin Regarding Precautions Being Taken in New Jersey in Response to the Attacks in Israel. pic.twitter.com/DACQ1AO4nG  Attorney General Matt Platkin (@NewJerseyOAG) October 7, 2023

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez released this statement:

I emphatically condemn the murderous invasion by Hamas into Israel during its religious holidays. The killing of innocent Israelis in their homes by Hamas, during an invasion from Gaza, shows them to be what they are  a murderous terrorist organization. I hope the detractors of Israel will now understand the constant life and death struggle the Israeli people live with every day. It is time for the international community to unequivocally condemn Hamas. The United States must unequivocally stand with Israel at this time of war with Hamas.

Leaders across the U.S. have vowed to support Israel after the attack.

New York landmarks to light up in support of Israel

Gov. Hochul has directed landmarks across New York state be illuminated in blue and white in solidarity with Israel.

Those landmarks include:

One World Trade Center,Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge,The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building,Empire State Plaza,State Fairgrounds - Main Gate & Expo Center,Alfred E. Smith State Office Building,Niagara Falls,Moynihan Train Hall,The Walkway Over the Hudson State Park and Friends of the Walkway Over the Hudson,Kosciuszko Bridge,And Albany International Airport Gateway.

Mayor Eric Adams shared a photo of New York's City Hall also lit in blue and white.

New York City has the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, and we stand side by side with Israel every day  but we do so with extra resolve tonight. pic.twitter.com/CmWuKGEEfg  Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) October 7, 2023

Click here for the latest updates from CBS News

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Donald Trump 's lawyer Alina Habba listens as the former president addresses the media during his fraud trial in New York in October 2023 (KENA BETANCUR)

Former president Donald Trump won a temporary respite Friday in his civil fraud lawsuit when a New York court granted a delay in canceling his licenses to operate his businesses in the state.

The billionaire, the favorite for the Republican nomination in next year's presidential race, filed an appeal on Wednesday to halt his trial before the New York court.

The hearings, held without a jury but with Trump in attendance, began on Monday following a surprise ruling from Judge Arthur Engoron late last month that there had been repeated fraud by the Trump Organization, and ordering the cancelation of the business license of Trump and his two grown sons Don Jr and Eric.

In a ruling from an appeals court in New York Friday, judge Peter Moulton refused to suspend the trial but ruled that a stay was granted on the "order directing the cancellation of business certificates."

The ruling marked a temporary win for the ex-president, who faces a partial dismantling of his real estate empire after Judge Engoron's September decision.

The appeals judge on Friday heard arguments by Trump's lawyers and by attorneys for the plaintiff, New York Attorney General Letitia James , who is seeking a $250 million judgment against Trump, accused of fraudulent business filings.

"This is everything owned or controlled by the defendant. Once you dissolve, you dissolve," argued Trump lawyer Christopher Kise, according to ABC News in the courtroom. "It's chaos. It's chaos right now."

James' representative, Judy Vale, argued that "there's just absolutely no basis for an interim stay of trial that's already been going on for a week."

Trump spent nearly three days in the Manhattan court this week, in the courtroom itself and in the hallways, talking with the press.

James shot back Wednesday by calling his court appearance "nothing more than a political stunt, a fundraising stop."

He in turn called the African American attorney general, who is a Democrat, "corrupt" and "racist."

She reaffirmed that "justice will prevail" when the trial resumes on Tuesday.

nr/jh/bfm
An Oak Lawn woman faces a first-degree murder charge related to the fatal stabbing a 16-year-old mother in the Loop earlier this week.

Authorities on Friday charged Egypt Otis, 18, in the slaying of Heaven Taylor three days prior and she was expected to appear before a Cook County judge for a detention hearing Saturday, according to Chicago police.

Police did not say what sparked the killing.

Taylor, a sophomore at UCAN Academy South and the mother of a young son, was stabbed about 11:30 p.m. on the first block of West Van Buren Street, just north of the Harold Washington Library, police said

Colleen Collins, principal of UCAN Academy, said Taylor had a $1 million smile and a big personality.

The teens death was the fifth Loop homicide this year, according to police.
Information about the possible death of one Ukrainian citizen in Israel is "being verified," and the search for two other citizens is underway, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram on the evening of Oct. 7.

Following an attack by Palestinian armed group Hamas on Israel on the morning of Oct. 7, Zelensky said that he has "been in constant contact with our diplomats and intelligence."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was "at war." Fighting in Israel and Gaza is still underway.

According to Reuters, over 200 Israelis have been reported killed and over 1,000 have been wounded.

Zelensky said the assault was "thoroughly prepared" and added that "the whole world understands which terror sponsors could have encouraged and organized this attack."

He called Ukrainians in Israel to take all possible precautions, follow the instructions of the security forces, and contact the Ukrainian embassy "by any means available to you" if in need of assistance.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry estimates there to be around 500,000 Ukrainians in Israel, and has set up an operational headquarters to assist them.

Read also: Every family affected: Devastated village copes with aftermath of Russian strike on funeral

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CANBERRA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The birth of a giraffe calf at Australia's National Zoo has been described as a boost to conservation efforts for the species, state media reported.

Mkali in September became the fifth giraffe born to the same parents as part of a species management breeding program at Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium.

Under the breeding program, which is coordinated by the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA), over 100 select species are being bred at sites across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Sophie Dentrinos, wildlife supervisor at the National Zoo and Aquarium, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Saturday that the giraffe breeding program was helping boost genetic diversity in captivity.

"That breeding program is here to make sure that we're maintaining the best genetic diversity we can for giraffes, and ensuring we've got that healthy population in zoos should anything happen to them out in the wild," she said.

"They are suffering a silent extinction, with about a 30 percent decline in numbers over the last couple of decades."

According to the Namibia-based Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GFC), there are approximately 117,000 wild giraffes left in Africa, down from more than 155,000 in the 1980s.

Dentrinos said the decline was particularly concerning because of the 2016 discovery by researchers from the GCF and Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre in Germany that there are multiple different species of giraffe.

"There are four species of giraffes that we now know exist, as opposed to one," she told the ABC.

"We thought for a long time all giraffes were the same, but we now know they're all distinctly genetically different, and then once you start breaking them down into different sub-species their numbers become quite low." 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned attacks on Israel by Hamas militants in a Saturday post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Today, the entire world saw horrifying videos from Israel. Terrorists humiliate women and men, detain even the elderly, and show no mercy, Zelenskys post read. In the face of such a terrorist strike, everyone who values life must stand in solidarity.

We in Ukraine have a special feeling about what has happened. Thousands of rockets in the Israeli sky People killed just on the streets Civilian cars shot through Detainees being humiliated, Zelensky continued. Our position is crystal clear: anyone who causes terror and death anywhere on the planet must be held accountable. Todays terrorist attack on Israel was well-planned, and the entire world knows which sponsors of terrorism could have endorsed and enabled its organization.

Hamas attack involved its militants infiltrating Israeli towns and the launching of missiles into Israel. Fighting in the region has resulted in the deaths of at least 250 people in Israel and 232 in Gaza, according to Israeli local media and the Palestinian government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack murderous in a televised address Saturday.

We are at war  not in an operation or at rounds, but in a war, Netanyahu said. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.  We are at war and we will win it.

Zelensky also said Israel has a right to defend itself against terror in his post.

As any other state, Zelensky continued. And its critical that the whole world responds to terror in a unified and principled manner.

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said early on Saturday that the U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians.

There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, Adrienne Watson said in a statement. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners.

Updated 4:08 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and other world leaders have condemned Hamas' assault on Israel on Oct. 7 and expressed solidarity with Israel.

The Palestinian armed group Hamas launched an attack of unprecedented scale on Israel on Oct. 7, using missiles and soldiers who infiltrated into Israeli territory. At the time of this publication, fighting in Israel, as well as in Gaza, was still underway.

Over 100 Israeli civilians have been reportedly killed thus far and 740 wounded, and the number is reportedly expected to rise. An unknown number of Israeli soldiers and civilians were being held hostage as well. Palestinian authorities in Gaza said that 198 were dead amid the fighting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his first public statement after the attack, saying, "Citizens of Israel, we are at war. And we will win."

Zelensky denounced Hamas' offensive, writing on Telegram, "Whoever uses terror is a criminal against the whole world. Whoever sponsors terrorism is a criminal against the whole world."

Other world leaders swiftly responded to the attack.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized it as "terrorism in its most despicable form."

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry described the attack as an act of terrorism and expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU.

Following Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Hamas won local parliamentary elections and quickly consolidated power by defeating their political competitors at the ballot and in armed combat on the street. Hamas has effectively controlled Gaza since 2007 and has fought numerous times with Israel, most recently in 2022. The escalation on Oct. 7 is likely the most significant outbreak of fighting since a seven-week war in 2014.

The Foreign Ministry announced it is opening an operational headquarters to help Ukrainians currently in Israel after the attack by Hamas, spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko wrote on Facebook.

He said that no Ukrainians are among the victims of the violence. However, he urged those in the country to "remain vigilant and closely follow the messages of Israeli local authorities."

There is a large Ukrainian community in Israel, estimated by the Foreign Ministry as being around 500,000, most of whom left Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The vast majority of them are Jews from Ukraine, but there are also tens of thousands of ethnic Ukrainians.

In addition, some 15,000-40,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered Israel since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. It is unclear what their status is, or how many have stayed in the country.

Politically, Israel has largely refrained from explicitly backing a side in Russia's war on Ukraine, and has thus far not provided any significant military aid to Ukraine. Israel has complex relations with Russia, but has also long been enemies with Iran, a shared adversary of Ukraine.

Read also: Zelensky holds phone call with Netanyahu on visa-free travel

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned the massive terrorist attack on Israel, carried out by Palestinian group Hamas, in a statement on Oct. 7.

"Nowhere in the world should we give terror a single chance, because terror is always criminal; Not only against a country or its specific victims, but against humanity and our entire world," Zelenskyy said.

Read also: At least 22 persons killed as Hamas launches surprise massive attack on Israel

Israel has an unquestionable right to defend itself Zelenskyy said, and called for those responsible to be held to account.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Israel are ready to help their fellow citizens, Zelenskyy said. He called on Ukrainians in the country to follow the instructions of security forces on the ground and to closely monitor the situation.

Read also: Israel announces state of war as Hamas militants enter Israel from Gaza after massive deadly rocket attack

"If you need help, please immediately contact one of our diplomatic or consular missions in any way available to you," Zelenskyy said.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The Republican candidate for the 53rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates may not live in the 53rd District.

Thats the concern of some locals who want to know where candidate Tim Griffin actually resides.

I hear hes sleeping on peoples couches. He doesnt have a place to live, Ginger Burg, a Republican in the district, told The Daily Progress. When he gets his kids for the weekend, he doesnt take them back to his place, he takes them to a one-bedroom apartment in Arlington.

For months, residents in Bedford County, which is part of the 53rd District, have been skeptical that Griffin lives where he says.

While he is currently registered to vote at 1128 Cottonwood Manor Drive in Forest, that is a different address than the one he listed when he filed to run for office in March.

Further, it is not clear he does indeed live at 1128 Cottonwood Manor Drive. His name does not appear to be listed in the apartment buildings electronic directory, and the property manager would not disclose to The Daily Progress whether or not the unit is currently leased.

Some skeptical locals have gone as far as to hire a private investigator to determine if Griffin lives where he claims.

Reached for comment by The Daily Progress, Griffin himself would not disclose his current address.

Questions about Griffins residence have persisted for years.

During a child support case in November 2021, Griffins attorney was unable to explain where Griffin lived, saying his client often stayed with friends, went camping or rented hotel rooms.

Well thats essentially being homeless, the judge responded. This should not be very complicated to get a physical address.

Earlier this year, three Bedford County Republicans filed a petition to challenge Griffins voter registration while he was running in the Republican primary. Griffin claimed to be living in a garage at the time.

The trio was granted a hearing presided over by Barbara Gunter, the Bedford County general registrar.

As an attorney, you have talked about election integrity, [you] should know how to establish a legal residence. It is not hard, petitioner Margie Jones said during the hearing, referencing the fact that, ironically, Griffin is an election law attorney.

According to their complaint, Griffin changed his residence to 102 North Woodfin Court in Forest the same day he filed to run for office. The property includes a home and a detached garage.

At the hearing, petitioners argued that the garage Griffin was living in did not qualify as a domicile or place of abode as defined by the Code of Virginia.

To support their argument, they referenced a notice of violation sent from the county to the property owner in April. The notice explained that because the garage was not zoned for occupancy, no one was permitted to live there.

I order that the use of the detached garage as a dwelling unit cease within 30 days of receipt of this notice, Jordan Mitchell, the county zoning administrator, wrote.

At the hearing, petitioner Donald Toms said the countys ruling proved that the garage did not legally constitute a dwelling and thus Griffins voter registration should be revoked.

Toms argued that to establish a domicile, a person must intend to remain in that location. Griffin did not intend to continue living in the garage, Toms said.

The Department of Community Development has essentially ordered Mr. Griffin to vacate the garage, Toms said. Mr. Griffin cannot show that he has the intent required to establish domicile.

Later during the hearing, Griffin called the case appalling and characterized it as an attempt by his primary opponent Sarah Mays to disenfranchise him.

They want to criminalize their political opponents, to bring the full force of the government and the law against them over a political disagreement, he said.

Two days after the hearing, Gunter ruled that Griffin had met legal residency requirements.

While the petitioners allege that garage cannot be used as a residence, they did not present any evidence this is not where Mr. Griffin stays or is the place where he lays his head, Gunter said.

John Kramer, the owner of the property, told The Daily Progress that the garage has a bathroom and is available for rent on Airbnb. The property address is not listed on Airbnb.

Kramer would not say when Griffin moved out.

Griffin has since changed his voter registration to the apartment unit on Cottonwood Manor Drive.

When asked if that unit is leased, an employee in the leasing office said she was searching for the unit on her computer. Then, she hung up the phone.

Seconds later, The Daily Progress received a call from the property manager.

We dont disclose anything about our units or any of our residents, the manager said.

Griffin would not divulge his current address when contacted by The Daily Progress. Instead, he only offered a campaign statement.

This issue has been handled by the Bedford Registrar. We would refer you to the Registrars ruling, which clearly states that Mr. Griffin is a resident of the 53rd District and is legally allowed to vote and run for Delegate in the 53rd District, the statement reads.

But that ruling, of course, was in regard to the garage on Woodfin Court. When this was noted to Griffin, he responded by sending the campaign statement a second time.

If he does not live in the district, then Virginia law clearly says he is not qualified to vote in the district nor represent it.

Still, even as questions about his residence persist, Griffin is on track to win his election in the heavily Republican district.

His Democratic opponent Sam Soghor will have an uphill battle. He is the lone person working on his campaign, and the district overwhelming votes Republican. Gov. Glenn Youngkin won 73% of the vote there in 2021.

Soghor has never met Griffin and said he wants his campaign to focus on his own merits instead of his opponent.

But he said he often receives messages from voters concerned about Griffins residency, or lack thereof.

As a candidate, Soghor said he wants to focus on the issues and avoid negative campaigning.

But as a voter Im very concerned about this, he told The Daily Progress, adding that he has just one home and sleeps there every night.

If I really live in Albemarle County but I have a crash pad in Amherst so Im going to run in Amherst, thats not something Id consider to be an acceptable thing to do, Soghor said. If there is as much evidence out there as people say there is, and if the Griffin campaign cant say something straightforward about it, then thats really problematic because we need leaders with integrity.
Amherst County has declined an offer from the state to purchase the Central Virginia Training Center, a former state-run campus that served individuals with disabilities and is a site area officials are positioning for potential redevelopment.

On April 12, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services declared the CVTC site of about 350 acres on Colony Road in Madison Heights as surplus property. In the letter, VDBHS stated the county had 180 days to make a proposal for the sites use by the county for a bona fide economic development activity.

CVTC, which at one time was the countys largest employer, closed in 2020 after its last remaining resident was relocated. The Amherst County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday directed County Administrator Jeremy Bryant to sign a letter to the Virginia Department of General Services stating the county does not wish to submit a proposal for purchase.

However, Amherst County does wish to point out that this property is very important to the long-term viability and future of the County, the countys response letter states. We do request that the Commonwealth of Virginia carefully consider its future decisions as it has to do with this property and be aware of the implications it could have on a small rural county.

The letter states a master plan for redevelopment of the site was completed last year and is included in the countys comprehensive plan for growth and future development. CVTC is zoned public land, P-1, and any future sale of the property to a private owner would require a rezoning, which would necessitate complying with the comprehensive plan, according to county officials.

As part of the future development, we believe it is best if the property is sold to a single qualified developer that can implement the Master Plan, instead of it being parceled off, the countys letter to the state reads.

That master plan calls for a mixed-use development, basically a complete teardown and redo of the Central Virginia Training Center, Bryant told the countys board of supervisors Tuesday.

Bryant said his understanding is the Economic Development Authority of Amherst County also would send a similar letter to the state declining to purchase the property. He said county staff and the EDA, in partnership with the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, on Sept. 29, hosted a developer showcase of the CVTC property.

We filled the parks and recreation bus up with interested developers, Realtors and other officials. We toured the property, Bryant told the board of supervisors. And well do that again. Well plan a second developer showcase to continue to showcase the property.

The county has an access agreement with the Virginia Department of General Services where it has ability to go onto the property as needed, according to Bryant.

The CVTC site across the James River from downtown Lynchburg formerly served as an asylum, a state hospital and a training school, and in 1983 was redesignated as CVTC and was used by governmental agencies until its 2020 closure, according to a master plan for the greater Madison Heights area going to supervisors later this month for inclusion into the comprehensive plan.

The CVTC campus and the adjacent VC Mobile Home Park are planned for redevelopment into a mixed-use, walkable neighborhood, the Madison Heights Master Plan draft document states. The final redevelopment proposal recommends an urban in nature neighborhood with access to a contiguous network of streets and accessible nature paths.

The CVTC master plan, which is available for viewing at trainingcentermasterplan.com, includes multimodal opportunities within the new street network and a funicular connecting the site to the regional trail network.

The master plan indicates most existing buildings at the site are not fit for preservation and envisions a redevelopment reflecting the sites historic architectural character. The redevelopment plan proposes to do so by using adaptive reuse strategies for the several remaining buildings and key site features.

The site could also support convenience retail and office uses. The redevelopment plan envisions nearly 1,500 residential units, roughly 80 hotel rooms and 470,000 square feet of commercial and industrial space, according to a description of the site in the Madison Heights Master Plan draft.

Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, recently said he was able to secure $6 million in the state budget to aid redevelopment efforts at the CVTC site as a remediation incentive to help with marketing the property to developers.

Victoria Hanson, executive director of the countys EDA, said redevelopment of the CVTC site at its highest and best use will help restore the 2,400 jobs and $87 million in annual economic impact that was lost from the closure. The $6 million in added state funding is a valuable incentive for a developer because it allows recouping some of the costs of clearing and/or remediating the 90-plus structures on the CVTC property, according to Hanson.

Tyler Creasy, the countys director of community development, spoke during the Amherst County Planning Commissions Sept. 28 meeting of developers touring the CVTC site that week.

I think its going to be something great for the community and I hope something comes out of it, Creasy said.
The eight candidates running for four seats on the Amherst County School Board up for election on Nov. 7 at a recent public forum addressed issues affecting education, including closing the achievement gap, reducing chronic absenteeism and attracting and retaining employees.

The Amherst branch of the NAACP hosted the Sept. 26 forum at Monelison Middle School that gathered the candidates  four incumbents and four challengers  to the stage.

Ginger Burg, one of two at-large representatives on the seven-member board, is running for a second term against David Childress and Charles Johnson III. Chris Terry, the District 3 representative and boards current chair, also seeks a second term in a race against Dawn Pool. District 1 representative Lori Saunders, who was appointed in April to fill a vacancy, is running opposite Angela Wilder, a retired educator who most recently worked in Rockbridge County Public Schools.

The boards longest current-serving member, District 4 representative Priscilla Liggon, is running unopposed.

Academic goals, policy

Childress, a 1989 graduate of Amherst County High School who has 20 years experience working in education, including stints in Amherst County Public Schools and Lynchburg City Schools, said he is running to give back to the community that helped him and his family greatly when they lost their home in the April 2018 tornado that devastated much of the Elon community where he resides.

He said it is important to recognize each student is unique in his or her own strengths, challenges and aspirations, and the education system needs to be tailored to meet their diverse needs.

There is no substitute for a highly qualified teacher, Childress said. A good teacher is able to discern the individual needs of their students and are able to provide the differentiated instruction that those students would need in that class.

It is imperative, he added, that teachers on the front lines of education must have the confidence and support of school administration and the school board to maintain classroom discipline.

We must work collaboratively to establish clear and fair discipline policies that prioritize the learning environment for all students. Its all critical to recognize the expectations placed on our teachers are constantly increasing, Childress said. We need to ensure our educators receive the necessary reports and resources to meet these high standards. I think we also need to remove some of the administrative burdens that fall on our teachers. We need to simply let our teachers teach.

Burg said the board worked diligently to keep schools operating during the coronavirus pandemic, hired reading specialists to help close the learning gap and she also worked with law enforcement to tackle critical issues with behavior.

We now received Medicaid reimbursements for some of our services we provide to our students, saving you your tax dollar money, Burg said. I always advocate for parental rights. I like to create Amherst-based policies, not Richmond policies. We need our policies to reflect Amherst County and our values and not Richmond. Together, we have accomplished a lot for Amherst County students but there is still so much to do.

She said polices affecting the schools must benefit the county.

We cant just keep rubber-stamping policies, Burg said. We have to makes sure we form our policies that reflect us. Not Richmond, not Fairfax, not Loudon County, but Amherst County. I believe Amherst County should come first and should always come first.

She said efforts are ongoing to get students more actively engaged in class and also attract teachers to the division, adding each day is a recruitment day in an educational climate of support and trust under the leadership of Superintendent William Wells.

We cant have our kids come to school every day sitting in front of a Chromebook, Burg said. We have to have them engaged. We have to have our teachers feel supported and welcomed and appreciated. If we have happy teachers were going to have happy students.

Johnson said as Upper Education Manager for the James River Association he works to strengthen educational opportunities among local youth. He said if elected he would collaborate and work to be transparent and dedicated to students success.

As a board member I prioritize listening to the community, setting clear goals and working collaboratively to achieve those, Johnson said. One of my core objectives as a school board member will be to ensure equity and inclusion in our schools. To achieve this I will advocate for policies that prioritize, that advocate for equal access to resources, opportunities and a quality education to every student.

He said addressing the achievement gap among different student populations is his top priority.

I believe in providing target intervention, early childhood education programs and mentorship intervention to support students who may be falling behind, Johnson said. Its critical to foster a culture of high expectations for all our students regardless of their background.

Saunders said the most effective trait of a school board is to put the children first and embody the divisions motto of every child every day.

Im going to listen to District 1 and all their concerns, take those concerns back to the board and lets figure out how we can address them and how to move forward, Saunders said. I will ensure that all policy, all current and future policy  is fair and equitable across the board for every child. Every child in Amherst County has a right to a quality education. And we have that duty to ensure they get that education.

Saunders said the division is making strides in closing the achievement gap and it cant get complacent and she urges parents to get involved in helping make those gains.

Wilder said shes been in public education for more than 25 years as a teacher at the elementary, middle and high school levels and as an administrator. The teachers, paraprofessionals and bus drivers are in the trenches and need to know the school board supports them, she said.

The biggest role of a school board member is to support our students, support our staff and make every single school a welcoming environment so when a child gets off the bus or they step out of a car to go into class they feel safe, Wilder said. Every child should feel like theyre comfortable in a classroom.

She said the division should expand the territory where it searches for new teachers and look to veterans exiting their military careers and others who are changing jobs as a pipeline for new employees, as well as promoting from within.

Pool said she is running to ensure that we keep the Amherst County community values that weve always had in this county intact.

Our children are going to these schools and they will be the future of Amherst County so I want to make sure what they are being taught in schools, the core values that they leave school with are values that reflect Amherst County, Pool said.

She said everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and with respect regardless of their background or personal preferences, adding its important that parents not be excluded in decisions and policies.

We have to be careful not to exclude Christians and things they are not comfortable with, Pool said. I want to lead our administration to practice inclusivity in a way that shows respect for all people. We do need to understand there always going to be differences among us and we have to learn to respect those differences and work together for the betterment of all students education. And I truly believe that one of the roles of the board is to address social controversy that is happening in our country, in our state and in our county.

She said she fully supports the recent model policies on transgender students from Gov. Glenn Youngkin that she felt strikes a great balance of respect for all students while empowering parental rights and parents ability to make decisions for their students. The Amherst school board recently voted 6-1, with member Dawn Justice opposed, to not adopt that state policy and go with a nondiscrimination policy already in effect that Wells said would meet legal requirements.

Pool said she believes cultural guidance for students should come from their home. She said her family personally was affected by learning loss during COVID, she was spurred to become active in school board meetings and run for office in hopes of making a positive difference.

Terry said he is running again to continue deep relationships he formed with the school system when his children attended Elon Elementary School, Monelison Middle School and Amherst County High School.

I think that is what keeps our teachers motivated, our students going, our parents engaged  is having those relationships, knowing they have somebody they can come to if theres a problem and having somebody who can help them get the answers, Terry said.

He said the most recent data linked to all schools becoming accredited shows the high school making significant strides, which he added didnt happen by accident.

COVID did put us back. It kept them out of classrooms, it kept them away from being with their teachers and their friends and the way kids learn, Terry said. Amherst County was one of the first to step up and be able to get kids back into school. It was a struggle but we got them back in school.

Terry said the key to recovering from learning loss was getting children back into schools and putting extra effort forward, noting its important to not get complacent and expect more from students academically.  Thats only going to make them achieve more, he said.

Liggon, who has served on the board for 24 years, said shes enjoyed being part of the action in Amherst County and she is running again because she felt more work needs to be done in making the schools better.

We, under the superintendents recommendations, try our best to provide the same platform for every student, Liggon said. Yes, we take into consideration not everybody is in the same place in their learning  but at the same time the table is spread the same from Amherst County  when we speak about equality and equity, were simply saying a chance for everybody to be on the same playing field.

She urged the community to get involved in helping the division continue to make academic strides.

Teacher pay and politics

The candidates spoke of ways they would strive to improve pay for teachers, with some mentioning bonuses and working within the budget to find more money that can go into their pockets. A few mentioned pay is greater in neighboring Nelson County and other localities, and the division is doing what it can within its means to properly compensate employees.

All eight candidates are running as independents. The Amherst County Republican Committee has endorsed Childress, Pool and Wilder.

During the forum, the candidates were asked about the role of politics affecting education and how they would respond to political pressure.

Were not always going to agree, you may be on the right or you may on the left  I think as a school board member our No. 1 priority should be our students, Childress said. There is no right, there is no left  its whats right for our students, whats right for our community, and thats what I pledge to always seek to do is whats best for our students and you do that through transparency, by having a civil dialogue 

He said the board and public have to be able to discuss both sides of an issue, meet in the middle and sometimes just agree to disagree while seeking to make decisions in the students best interests.

I truly believe that politics have no business in our schools, Burg said. I have voted down both Republican and Democrat policies. Ive received complaints from both sides. I believe putting in Amherst County staff, students and families above all. We cant keep switching everything every year depending on whos in office and whos not.

Burg said in her first term she ran as a Republican-endorsed candidate and recalled a story of a person not coming to her sooner with a problem because they were from another political party and didnt think she would care.

I dont want anyone in the community, anyone in our staff to ever think I would let politics or anything like that come between my job and helping somebody with their issues, helping somebody get their voices heard, Burg said. I never want to have anybody feel that way again in Amherst County.

Johnson said when addressing public concern or criticism he would always keep students first.

We are doing this for the students so there will be people who agree and disagree but at the forefront will be our students, Johnson said. When facing public criticism or pressure from a political group I will actively listen, respect diverse viewpoints and engage in a critical dialogue. My focus is always on the best interests of our students and the community.

Saunders said schools are not the place for politics and Republicans and Democrats alike in the community have the same goal in doing whats best for the children and ensuring they have the best quality education.

Thats the bottom line: we are here for the same good thing, Saunders said.

Wilder said she also would listen to the public and work to address concerns.

I might agree with what you have to share but Im going to listen every single time because Im a lifelong learner and you only learn when you listen, Wilder said.

Pool said she would treat public criticism or disagreements with an open heart and mind and he is very open to finding common ground for working together for the betterment of students. She emphasized her Republican values but said she would always vote her conscious and be transparent in how she comes to decisions.

Ill never allow someone to tell me how to vote, whether thats a political group, a recommendation from an administrator that I dont agree with, Pool said.

Terry said he has taken darts from both sides and goes into meetings with thick skin, noting he can walk into room one night and be a hero because of a decision and a few months later find himself compared to Satan because of another.

I signed up for it to take care of our kids, Terry said. I get so bent out of shape seeing the pendulum swing so far from one direction to the other  nobody can find a happy medium. There is still a middle ground. Im not saying the left is completely wrong or the right is completely wrong, there is a happy medium. You know who is in the happy medium  our kids. Theyre the ones we need to be thinking about. We need to put our students first, everything else second.

Liggon said no one will ever hear her publicly declare what political party she belongs to. She added she will not discard anyones comments to the board but she will take into consideration what is good for the county as a whole, her district and the students.

The party of these children is the party I represent, Liggon said. I dont ever get too far wayward, left or right. I dont swing either way to be honest. Im going to stay right in the middle where right is right is wrong is wrong.
The Madison Heights Master Plan, which will help shape the future of Amherst Countys most populated community for many years to come, recently was presented to the countys planning commission.

This master plan creates a blueprint for Madison Heights that guides future public investment and private development in ways that contribute to a successful and prosperous community, Tyler Creasy, the countys director of community development, said. The master plan reinforces a sense of local community, provides ways to improve the areas overall quality of life, plans for necessary expansion of public facilities and services, and provides ways to increase positive economic development.

The commission voted unanimously in late September to recommend the plans approval and its inclusion into the county comprehensive plan for overall growth and development, which is headed to the countys board of supervisors.

The county in December 2021 initiated the Madison Heights Conceptual Master Plan process to define a vision for the future of Madison Heights. Planners and administrators worked with a team of consultants and worked closely with an advisory committee of local staff, leaders, county residents, business owners, service providers and others to understand the conditions, needs, concerns and desires of the Madison Heights community.

The plan aims to reinforce a sense of local community, improve the areas overall quality of life, plan for necessary expansion of public facilities and services, and increase positive economic development. The study area includes Old Town Madison Heights and all areas east of Virginia 163, west of the U.S. 29 Bypass and south of Amelon Road. The study also examines a core development area of undeveloped land east of U.S. 29 Business.

Stakeholders in the process have collected and analyzed a range of demographic and economic data, including traffic, vehicle crashes, road volume, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, hydrology, slopes, water and sewer lines, key destinations, existing land uses, and more. The mapped information helped the team identify viable and non-viable locations for potential improvements or future growth and plan for the protection of existing neighborhoods and other features.

The planning process also included input from Madison Heights community members, which according to county officials is reflected in the document.

A major feature in the plan is the Madison Heights Town Center, a residential and development plan underway on 170 acres just north of the Seminole Plaza shopping center.

The project by developer Sam Patel is the countys first mixed-use traditional neighborhood development zoning district and recently broke ground.

Creasy said Patel is making headway on construction of a three-story apartment building close to U.S. 29. The building that housed the former Executive Inn motel will be demolished as part of the work.

That project is moving along nicely, Creasy said of the overall town center development. A lot of hours being put into it from county staff but were excited for it.

The proposed development includes a mix of residential, commercial and civic uses, including up to 75,000 square feet of commercial space near the projects entrance along U.S. 29 Business, up to 1,100 new residences in a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and apartments, a church site and a 13-acre central park to be deeded to the county for public use, the plan states.

The town center project, which is projected to take years to build out, includes 280 proposed multifamily units, 390 townhomes, 590 single-family homes with a total of 2,370 units overall and 207,000 square feet of commercial space.

Just south of the project, construction also has started on a new Cookout restaurant between Seminole Drive and Lakeview Drive.

Thats exciting  everybody likes their milkshakes, Creasy told the commission on Sept. 28. Weve got some good stuff coming down the pipeline that we cant talk about yet but I cant wait to bring it to [the commission] because its exciting stuff that may be happening in the county.

The economic study looked at trends in Amherst County and Madison Heights showing that county lost population at the same time as the Lynchburg region grew, which is largely attributed to the gradual closure of CVTC, the one-time largest employer in the county that closed in 2020. The study also showed that, with proper development, Madison Heights could tap into a robust regional market to shift the local market over several years, the plan states.

The document also recommends access management measures intended to increase road capacity, manage congestion and reduce crashes by managing access points on roadways. Potential alternatives for the Madison Heights area include a roundabout at the intersection of U.S. 29, Amelon Road and Elon Road, and right turn lanes on to Woodys Lake Road, Dillard Road and Seminole Drive, among a few others.

Near-term recommendations include establishing gateway signage to welcome travelers to the U.S. 29 Business Corridor in Madison Heights, a range of corridor landscaping improvements and various zoning measures.
BEDFORD  A proposed 165-unit apartment development on U.S. 221 in Forest drew a unanimous denial recommendation from the Bedford County Planning Commission after more than a handful of residents expressed concerns over traffic and the project being too dense for the area.

The developer for Carriage Square LTD requested rezoning for roughly 9 acres at 16380 Forest Road from planned commercial development, PCD, to high-density multifamily residential, R-4, to establish five buildings with 33 units each.

The proposed rezoning would allow for more apartment units on the subject parcel due to the difference in allowable density between the PCD zoning district, which is a maximum of eight units per acre, and R-4, or a maximum of 24 units per acre, according to the county. The concept plan shows five three-story buildings totaling 165 units and 360 parking spaces with associated landscaping, buffer yard requirements and a new full access entrance from Forest Road.

Scott Beasley, of Lynchburg engineering company Hurt & Proffitt, said the proposed apartments are consistent with recent development in the area. The Gables of Jefferson Commons apartments are located across the road.

The corridor is obviously busy and is not really suited for single-family developments, which is what is on the property at this time, and there is a high demand for housing and apartments, Beasley said. The developer is not going to want to put something there for no reason. Theres a demand for housing and apartments and its an opportunity to provide affordable housing options for people in the community.

Beasley said the development is estimated to generate about 740 vehicle trips per day, which is lower than what another commercial, retail or mixed-use residential/commercial use would generate.

Jordan Mitchell, the countys director of community development, said the proposed apartments are estimated to bring 12 to 21 more students to the community. The staff report presented to the commission shows the three nearby public schools are not at full capacity while Jeff Burdett, a commissioner, said his expectation is a full buildout of 165 units would bring more children than forecasted in the report.

Im not opposed to growth. Im in favor of growth, Tony Simmons, a Forest resident, said during a public hearing Tuesday. Its really the engine of our economy and a free market system. What I am opposed to are the continuing approvals of these dense, multi-family  multiple units.

He said its tough to turn in and out of the Gables community where two of his grandchildren live and a new apartment complex across the street will only add to the congestion and could lead to fatal crashes.

Right now, U.S. 221 is like a racetrack  it really is, Simons said. Its 45 miles an hour but it needs to be monitored because no one is doing 45 miles an hour on it, I can tell you that.

Elizabeth Manns, a county resident, said zoning in place on Forest Road preserves scenic views and keeps the corridor from being like Timberlake Road.

High-density apartments are the answer to every developers dream because they are the most profitable, not because they are the most suitable, Manns said in voicing her opposition.

Forest resident Debbie Farrago said the proposed multi-family project is certainly not compatible with nearby zoning.

We dont see any advantages to the community by approving this, Farrago said. The disadvantages are youve now set a precedent for other developers that will overwhelm our schools that are already pushing capacity, put a strain on our resources and create major problems with no fixes in sight. If you approve this project, is there any high-density zoning that would be denied?

Farrago and others expressed concern the project is too much for what the area can handle.

We are at a critical point in Forest, Farrago said. If you approve this plan, you are setting up a domino effect for others to be able to build that will encroach on our most agricultural, rural preserves.

Resident Gared Shuey spoke of heavy congestion on U.S. 221 and said he does not feel the proposed project is in the communitys best interests.

Ralph White, an adjacent landowner, said he isnt totally opposed but he is concerned how his property would be affected. Im not a planner, Im a farmer, he said, adding he wants to protect his land for its highest and best use.

Forest resident Brenda Harvey asked if the sewer system could handle the influx of new residents the project would bring and quoted a 1970 song by Joni Mitchell with the popular lyric: They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

I think we have enough parking lots in Forest already, Harvey told the commission.

Burdett said he fears the project will lead to vehicle wrecks.

Traffic safety is my biggest concern. I just see Death Trap 2000 happening between the Gables and this entrance, Burdett said. Do I think the use is bad for that property? No. The future land use is zoned for mixed use. This is not out of what would be expected.

Burdett said as several citizens pointed out the infrastructure is not in place and while he is generally pro-development there are aspects of the plan in his view as a planner that are not resolved.

I dont think the area can handle the volume, the density that this proposal is calling for, John Moisa, a commission member, added.

Commissioner John Briscoe also described himself as pro-development but said he is afraid for people driving on the corridor in that vicinity and new apartments in that stretch would be too much.

I dont think its going to be very safe, Briscoe said. I dont think its a good idea.

Commissioner Ronald Berman agreed the added stress for the roadway is too much. I think its going to be very dangerous.

The rezoning request now heads to the Bedford County Board of Supervisors for review and a public hearing.

Nick Kessler, the commissions chair, said he drives Forest Road daily and he envisions major crashes happening regularly.

I have very serious concerns about this project at this location with the density, the ins and outs of traffic, Kessler said.
Eviction hearings in Pottawattamie County are held in a small, nondescript courtroom on the third floor of the county courthouse. These hearings take place almost daily in five-minute increments, with no fanfare, and often, with no defendant.

Once people can't pay rent or they receive a notice, they assume that they're out of rights to the home, too, said Patrick Took, an attorney with the Iowa Legal Aid southwest regional office. Some people will just assume that they have no rights and just either get out because the landlord asks them to, or they'll assume that they shouldn't even show up to their hearing because they don't have the money.

Took is one of a handful of ILA lawyers who set up shop outside Courtroom 3D every day at 10:30 a.m.  except Tuesdays, when eviction hearings are in the afternoon  to staff the nonprofit legal assistance organizations Eviction Help Desk.

The Pottawattamie County help desk is one of six that ILA has arranged across the state, and the only one west of Des Moines. ILA started the help desks in 2021  at the height of the COVID pandemic  to help increasingly vulnerable people stay housed, or to at least mitigate the consequences of the eviction.

We cant always show up and make something happen, but surprisingly often we can, Took said. Or landlords theres a lot of landlords, and even attorneys, Ill say, that are not following the law to a tea. They probably dont even know it. They think they are, but maybe they file too early or they dont deliver the notice in a way that we can ensure that the tenant got it. A lot of the time we get evictions dismissed on landlords not providing notices the right way. They might mail it, but not post it to the door. They might get the dates wrong on their notice for how much time you have to pay. Thats a really common one, and something small like that, thats enough in our state to get it dismissed. And then the landlord would have to start over.

Simple filing errors can be enough to have an eviction dismissed, if you know enough about eviction law to notice. And even if the ILA attorney cant halt the eviction, they might be able to negotiate with the landlord or landlords attorney for additional time for the tenant to pay the rent or just more time to vacate the premises.

I think that has been one of the resounding successes of having the help desk up at the courthouse, said Erin Planalp, managing attorney for the ILA southwest regional office. Because there are absolutely cases where we know there's not a defense that we can raise to try and get that case dismissed, but because we've been able to be up there, we've gotten to know the landlords a little better and we've gotten to know the attorneys that represent them and they've been very receptive to working things out with us.

Those small details are one of the reasons why Took encourages anyone facing eviction to attend their hearing.

It's almost always recommended that you show up to your hearing, and to realize that you're not kicked out before your hearing, Took said. A lot of people will assume they're out of luck, and once they see the legal proceeding they assume that they're going to be in trouble if they're still in their place. But no, youre absolutely allowed to still be in your home up until the hearing, and you're not going to get kicked out the day of the hearing either.

If the attorneys are unable to negotiate an acceptable compromise, and the eviction judgment goes against the tenant, the judge will issue a writ of possession, which is a court order that allows a landlord to reclaim ownership of their property, and is served to the tenant by the county sheriffs office.

Once the writ has been handed over to the sheriffs office, a deputy will schedule a date and time to actually execute the writ.

If you are evicted, and a writ of possession is issued, Took suggests contacting the sheriffs office right away to find out when the eviction will take place.

We always have to tell people to, like, don't vacate before your hearing, Took said. No, you're not going to get kicked out that day, don't just spend that day just moving everything out. Go to the hearing and see if there's something that can be worked out, if there's a defense, or see if you can get connected to some resources.

Resources available to tenants facing eviction include Heartland Family Service, Together, New Visions Homeless Services, the Municipal Housing Agency and Inter-Faith Response, which provides financial assistance with as little strings attached as possible, according to Took.

Their whole thing is that they can get you $200 to $400 almost on the spot, Took said. No one gets paid there, everyone is a volunteer  and they sit there and they take all the intakes and they make sure they get stuff that people are going to need, and then they they give them about $200 to $400. No other organization is able to work on that kind of speed where they can just do it without (requirements).

Pottawattamie County has a general assistance fund that is to be used as a last resort, according to the countys website. If a renter is unable to receive assistance from one of the community resources listed on the website, they could be eligible for up to $500, but only for the current months rent. The fund will not help with previous months rent.

The Iowa Finance Authority can also help with rental assistance through its Home and Community-Based Services Rent Subsidy Program, but, again, only if one of the local community resources are unable to help.

Evictions in Iowa were on the rise even before COVID, though perhaps nowhere in the state had a greater increase in the number of evictions filed than Pottawattamie County. According to data compiled by Iowa Legal Aid, evictions rose 20% statewide between 2016 and 2019, but in Pottawattamie County, evictions increased by 51% over the same period.

The number of evictions statewide dropped by about one-third once the federal moratorium was enacted in March 2020, and later as renters accessed federal rental assistance funds.

In 2019, there were 18,072 evictions in Iowa. In 2020, that number dropped to 12,582. By 2022, evictions were back up to more than 18,300.

In Pottawattamie County, ILA data shows 387 evictions filed in 2021. The number jumped to 538 in 2022, and with 462 evictions through September of this year  an average of nearly three per weekday  2023 will probably surpass that total.

I don't envy the clerk of court at all, because by law, (eviction hearings) have to be scheduled when a landlord files, the hearing has to be scheduled within, I think, eight days, Planalp said. Especially when you get some of the landlords who tend to file quite a few evictions, they'll file them in batches, so it definitely fluctuates for sure. I cover Tuesdays and Fridays (staffing the help desk), and I would say, anecdotally, to have around five a day feels about normal, but we certainly get days where there's 13 on the docket.

Facing eviction can be extremely stressful, and a lot of people think they can just take care of it themselves, that theyll find some way to get the money they owe, but the sooner someone contacts ILA or one of the local housing agencies, the more assistance they can provide.

Usually a lot of people feel shame when they receive a notice, and  I understand that mindset, that a lot of people don't want to accept help, and their first instinct is not to start contacting financial assistance, Took said. They want to work it out themselves and I understand that pride entirely. Everyone wants to be as self-sufficient as possible, but not all financial assistance can help you right when you're at court already.

Financial assistance is available because society understands that everyone goes through a difficult period every once in a while, Took said.

I always want to urge people that, it might not feel that great, but it's there for you to use, Took said. And it's there because people realize that there's a lot of people in a hard position that deserve that money and deserve to be able to stay housed. Everyone benefits when there's less people on the street and there's more people in their houses.

For more information about Iowa Legal Aid, visit iowalegalaid.org.

Click here for more information about Iowa's tenant and landlord rights.
A Norfolk man caught with about 2 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop near Columbus last year was sentenced to federal prison on 
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Morocco is set to enhance its food sovereignty by making available an additional million hectares dedicated to cereals, agriculture minister Mohamed Sadiki said.

Morocco imports between 3 and 5 million tons of soft wheat depending on its own drought-affected output.

This year, Morocco had a below average cereals harvest and is expected to import up to 5 million tons of soft wheat.

The minister acknowledged it was difficult to meet self-sufficiency in wheat. But he said efforts are underway in this regard as part of the Generation green strategy which would enable the kingdom to cover a large part of its needs.

The goal is to produce at least 9 million tons of cereals, that is more than the current average harvest of 7 million tons, he said.

Morocco consumes some 450,000 tons of soft wheat monthly and plans to import some 5 million tons this year, half would be supplied by France, according to French exporter group Intercereales.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, arrived in Marrakech on Friday afternoon leading an IMF delegation, to take part in the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF, scheduled for October 09-15.

Georgieva, who was greeted at Marrakech-Menara international airport by Minister of Economy & Finance, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, expressed her delight to be in Morocco to attend these meetings, describing Morocco as a magnificent country inhabited by a strong, resilient people.

We are together here in Morocco to show our solidarity with this country that holds a special place in my heart, she told the press.

Emphasizing the significance of the IMF/WB Annual Meetings, the economy and finance minister said Morocco today welcomes the Gotha of world finance with the hospitality that is the hallmark of our country. The WB-IMF Annual Meetings, which return to African soil after a 50-year absence, are an extremely important opportunity to address and discuss a number of major issues concerning the future of the world, she said.

Morocco is honored to be hosting this major event, despite the earthquake that struck several regions of the Kingdom, she stressed.

According to the organizers, this major event will bring together some 14,000 participants from the four corners of the globe, including some 4,500 representatives of the 189 delegations officially led by finance ministers and central bank governors.

The Meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss global economic issues, development challenges and financing policies against a backdrop of slowdown exacerbated by rising geopolitical tensions.

The WB/IMF Annual Meetings will feature side-events to discuss issues such as the energy crisis, climate change, migration, international cooperation, post-Covid recovery and global political and economic fragmentation.
Secretary General of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Hussein Al-Cheikh has commended the firm and unwavering support of King Mohammed VI to the Palestinian cause and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The Moroccan stance regarding the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is appreciated and applauded by Palestinian leaders, led by the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, Hussein Al-Cheikh said at a joint press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, following talks held in Rabat Friday.

In the same vein, he highlighted that Moroccos prominent position at the continental and international levels makes the Kingdom an influential player in all the political developments in the region. He added that Morocco, with all its potential, plays a very significant role in upholding the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people in various continental and international forums.

Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of intensifying consultations to develop a unified Arab position with the aim of strengthening and consolidating the Arab role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Echoing the PLO official, Nasser Bourita said Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of King Mohammed VI, will always be an active player in all initiatives aimed at establishing a comprehensive and equitable peace, guaranteeing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, based on consensus, and in accordance with international and Arab benchmarks.

He highlighted Moroccos constant position on the Palestinian cause, a fundamental and crucial issue in the Kingdoms foreign policy, and emphasized the special interest granted to this issue by the King, who has consistently expressed Moroccos support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their state within the 1967 borders, with East Al-Quds as its capital, in a bid to preserve stability in the region.

Referring to the ongoing violation of Palestinian rights, Bourita said that Morocco, as part of its strategic choice in favor of peace and its relations with the Israeli side, is committed to playing the role of peace promoter and to working to weaken the extremist parties that exploit the Palestinian cause for the sake of one-upmanship rather than engaging in the search for solutions.

In this vein, he underlined Moroccos firm opposition to any unilateral action likely to compromise the prospects of peace, destroy the two-state solution and exacerbate extremism and violence in the region.

Regarding the situation in Al Quds, Bourita stressed the special attention that the King pays to the Holy City, in his capacity as Chairman of the Al Quds Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, highlighting the Sovereigns commitment to preserving the citys legal status and civilizational character.

He stated further that the King ensures that the diplomatic and political dynamic is in phase with actions on the ground, recalling that Rabat-based Bayt Mal Al Quds Asharif Agency works to support the resistance of the inhabitants of the Holy City and preserve the Arab-Muslim identity of the Al Quds through concrete projects. Over 90% of the funds financing these projects come from Morocco, he recalled.

Bourita also mentioned the opening of the Moroccan Center in Al Quds as a space to support Palestinian civil society and initiatives to preserve the citys identity.

At the bilateral level, Bourita emphasized the directives issued by the leaders of the two countries to reactivate bilateral cooperation mechanisms. In this connection he said that in the coming weeks there would be an intensification of sectoral visits between the ministers of the two parties, in addition to efforts to hold the Moroccan-Palestinian Joint Commission.

Moroccan-Palestinian talks focused on enhancing cooperation in the economic, political, and tourism sectors.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, commended the exemplary spirit of solidarity that prevailed in Morocco, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, to support the earthquake victims that struck several regions of the Kingdom.

This came in a message read out on his behalf by the High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Angel Moratinos, Friday evening at the opening ceremony of the 44th edition of the International Cultural Moussem of Assilahs autumn session.

Antonio Guterres conveyed in his message his support and expressed his solidarity following the earthquake that affected several regions of the Kingdom, praising the strong mobilization of the Moroccan people, who have become an example of solidarity, under the enlightened leadership of King Mohammed VI.

He also praised the generosity of the Moroccans who demonstrated remarkable solidarity to aid the earthquake victims.

Guterres also highlighted the uniqueness of the Assilah Moussem, which succeeds every year in hosting an elite group of intellectuals, politicians, and researchers, and reaffirmed his interest, as Secretary-General of the United Nations, in the African continent in general, and the Greater Sahara in particular.

This edition, taking place from October 6 to 26, under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI, at the initiative of the Assilah Forum Foundation, features the organization of several symposiums as part of the 37th edition of the Al-Mutamid Ibn Abbad Open University, along with various artistic and cultural activities.
Morocco has expressed its deep concern at the deterioration of the situation and the outbreak of military action in the Gaza Strip, condemned attacks against civilians wherever they may be, and called for an immediate halt to all acts of violence.

A statement issued this Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Morocco which has repeatedly warned of the repercussions of the political deadlock on peace in the region, and of the risks of aggravated tensions resulting from it, calls for an immediate halt to all acts of violence and a return to calm, while avoiding all forms of escalation that could undermine the chances of peace in the region.

Morocco, whose Sovereign, King Mohammed VI chairs the Al Quds Committee, stresses that dialogue and negotiations remain the only way to achieve a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, based on the resolutions of international legality and the two-state principle, as agreed internationally, the statement said.
UPDATED, Oct. 9, 2023, 11:15 am: Corrects death years for Shirley and Marty Aylward and adjusts location of Wallace-area bombing range.

***

DICKENS  Few people and far fewer buildings remain to testify to the night World War II became real here.

As far as Pat Aylward knows, hes the last alive who saw it.

He was 9 years old when a bomber from McCooks wartime U.S. Army Air Corps base missed its practice range in southwest Lincoln County and dropped its load of 10 dummy bombs on two passes over Dickens instead.

The same thing had happened four months earlier at Tarnov, nearly 200 miles away. A pair of planes from a different base dropped eight practice bombs, one of which went through a house. No one was hurt either time.

Tarnovs bombing made Nebraska headlines. But only two papers seem to have written about the one at Dickens at the time. This paper wasnt one of them.

Dickens 100 or so residents didnt forget the bombing. But as the years went by, they forgot when it happened.

Eighty years later, The Telegraph can confirm the date  Dec. 27, 1943  after searching digitized newspapers.

As for the details, I do remember it just like it happened last night, said Aylward, 89.

Practice ranges

Several cities and towns across Nebraska hosted wartime military facilities or industries. North Platte did not, though it developed a unique industry  morale  with its immortal World War II Canteen.

Air Corps leaders announced plans in 1942 for 11 airfields to train crews for the extensive bombing campaigns to follow over Germany, Italy and Japan.

One was the 110-building McCook Army Air Base, nine miles northwest of that city. It hosted some 15,000 service members and 500 civilians from April 1, 1943, to Dec. 31, 1945.

A Nebraska historical marker and a handful of structures mark the bases site about three miles west of U.S. Highway 83.

They include four of the airfields five hangars and a vault that stored the top-secret Norden bombsight  vital for accurately locating targets  between training flights.

McCook crews trained on three of the wars most prominent U.S. bombers: the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and B-29 Superfortress. Its generally believed the practice bombs that hit Dickens came from a B-24.

Aylward, who still lives in his familys ranch home about five miles north of Dickens, described two practice ranges roughly 40 to 50 miles northwest to north of the McCook base and 20 to 25 miles south to southwest of North Platte.

One was northeast of Dickens, along Somerset Road and a little north of the NCORPE water augmentation project.

The other range  the intended destination that late December night  was seven miles north of Wallace, just east of Nebraska Highway 25.

There were carcasses of those bombs out there for several years. Just a little tin, said Aylward, who used to graze his cattle on the Wallace-area range.

He was born three-fourths of a mile northeast of his home on Hershey-Dickens Road. But as Christmas 1943 neared, Aylward lived with his family and attended school in Dickens, which had 115 people in the 1940 census.

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad high line is inactive but remains in place. Dickens retains a U.S. post office in a newer farm home, but Aylwards school, a bank building and a grain elevator  all of them decaying  are the only major buildings left from the town he knew.

He can show you where the others stood. Especially Ed Rays grocery.

Hit-and-miss training

Neither The Telegraph nor the original North Platte Daily Bulletin, which merged in 1946, seems to have taken note of the McCook air bases practice ranges in their county.

Not so the Lincoln County Tribune. Its Medicine Trail correspondent reported on Nov. 18, 1943, that several sections of land have been taken over and posted for a range west of the Kunkel ranch where George Knoll lives.

Another item in the column noted the proximity of the former Lone Star and Medicine Trail country schools. Lone Star Road crosses Somerset Road, indicating that the writer referred to the bombing range northeast of Dickens.

A Dec. 9 Tribune item, datelined Star Dist., said a bomb made a 3-foot-deep hole at the DeWitt White farm on Dec. 7, the second anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

No one was hurt, but the horses and chickens were frightened, and Patty ran to the house crying from fear, it said. Some of the neighbors heard the noise of the explosion and saw the smoke.

On Dec. 26, practice bombs accidentally set a fire in the hayfield of Guy and Louis Fear  burning up five stacks of hay, the Tribunes Wallace correspondent wrote Dec. 30. This was 1 miles north of the bombing range.

Aylward said the nonlethal practice bombs let fliers know where they hit.

Filled with about 50 pounds of sand, they were about the size of a 10-gallon cream can, he said. They had a shotgun shell in them that on impact exploded. Smoke would come from them. You could hear a little bit of a bang. Sounded awful loud when you were 9 years old.

He would become intimately familiar with them right after Christmas.

Dec. 27, 1943, was cold but clear in nearby North Platte. That evening, Aylward and his 9-year-old friend Lawrence Shill were in Rays grocery store at the southeast corner of Dickens main intersection at Fremont Street and Champion Avenue.

In those days, the grocery store was a meeting place in the evening, Aylward said. Ray would maybe stay open until 9 oclock at night.

That night, they heard an explosion. Right next to the store. Then more in quick succession.

The one bomb hit about 40 feet from where everyone was at, he said. There were probably a dozen people in there in the evening.

Betrayed by streetlights

Both practice ranges had rows of lights identifying them to the fliers. Army personnel based in Wallace would go out to the two practice ranges and turn the lights on when notified of a mission.

But they didnt that night.

As the story goes, the Army people went to North Platte and had a little celebration, Aylward said. And they celebrated a little too long, and they didnt get back in time to start the generators and turn the lights on on those bombing ranges.

Champion Avenue had three streetlights a block apart apiece. Aylward said it appeared the bomber pilot mistook them as his targets  the same mistake, according to news reports, that led to Tarnovs bombing on Aug. 16, 1943.

So after the plane searched for the bombing ranges, they thought (the target range) had to be Dickens, I guess, because Wallace had a lot more streetlights, he said.

The people in Rays store went outside after the first explosions. There was smoke all over town from the little bit of smoke those bombs put out. Of course, it dispersed the evening at the grocery store. Everybody headed for home.

The boys headed toward Aylwards house. Then they spotted the errant plane. It made two turns as it lined up for a second pass.

Aylward said he didnt link the McCook base to the bombing runs that night. After Pearl Harbor and all that, we thought the Japanese were after us for sure.

The plane both times flew northwest to southeast over Dickens, he said. That suggests the plane had flown from the McCook base toward the practice range north of Wallace, missed it was dark, turned around, spotted Dickens streetlights and concluded he had overshot his target.

The bomber started its second run. Aylward said he and Shill headed for our houses, probably on a dead run. 

With the second pass, we were kind of under it. Believe me, we were pretty damn scared.

They heard more explosions, farther away. Then it was over.

Finding the bombs

Army men from Wallace showed up the next morning, charged with finding the bombs remnants and determining what had happened. Aylward and Shill were hanging around downtown.

When they found out that we had a really good idea where they were all dropped, well, why, they loaded us up in the jeep with them and we went and picked up the remains, he said.

We were able to take them right down the line where they went.  We felt like heroes the next day. Even the older people who were at the grocery store that night did not know as much as we did.

After the first bomb struck near Rays grocery, the next fell into the yard of Alice Turners home just southeast of the store, according to Aylward and Tribune reports on Dec. 30, 1943, and Jan. 6, 1944.

A third bomb struck the top of the lumberyard building, went out the north side and exploded in the alley back of the garage, the newspaper said.

A fourth landed near the Burlington water tank and a fifth near the grain elevator, Aylward said.

No buildings were struck during the planes second pass. Two bombs landed in Henry Devenys pasture north of the Dickens school. The last three fell in Jim Fristos cornfield east of South Dickens Road.

But an article in the Wallace Winner, reprinted Jan. 6 in the Sutherland Courier, gave a different rendition.

The Armys investigation, it said, found that the plane had been bound for the practice range north of Wallace. It was flying about 175 mph at about 20,000 feet, it said.

As Dickens is only six air miles from the target range and at the speed at which the plane was traveling, the item said, it was necessary for the bombardier to have the dropping chute ready having only two or three minutes before he would be over the target site, so he had to open the chute while he was still over the town.

It continued:

For some unaccountable reason there was a malfunction in the dropping chute and bombs dropped while over the town. Four of the bombs struck the corner of a shed in the lumberyard, and the fifth bomb struck the ground in the alley behind one of the stores.

The bombs which struck the lumber shed tore through the corner of the building before exploding, so that no fire was caused, although the shed was damaged considerably.

An investigation was made by Army men, and it was found to have been an unavoidable accident.

Little but memories

It cant be said that World War II destroyed Dickens, though it might have had the bombs been real.

The town faded away after it, though. It had 16 people in 1990 and hasnt been listed in the census since.

Rays grocery was demolished in about the early 1960s, said Aylward, a 1950 Wallace High School graduate.

I tore the lumberyard down myself in the late 1950s when a man needed lumber, he added. We split the lumber that was useable.

He served in the Army in 1957 and 1958, then started farming closer to Nebraska Highway 23 before moving into his current home in 1962.

Aylward and his wife, Shirley, married in 1956 and had three children before she died in 2015. Son Michael lives five miles south of Dickens, while daughter MariJo Rugh lives in Windsor, Colorado. His other son, Marty, died of leukemia in 2016.

As Aylward and his wife took a bus tour in the mid-1990s to Branson, Missouri, they ran into a former Arnold-area resident who had served at the McCook air base.

When he mentioned that, we got to visiting about the bombing at Dickens, Aylward said. And he said, You know, I put the bombs in the airplane that they dropped there.
The North Platte Telegraph hereby nominates the Honorable Mike Flood of Norfolk, representative of Nebraskas 1st Congressional District and former three-term speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, as the next speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

(Stay with us, dear reader, please. Theres a larger point here.)

We havent approached Mr. Flood in this regard, nor has he approached us. The thought likely would shock him.

We also could support our own 3rd District Rep. Adrian Smith of Gering, who also has experience in Nebraskas one-house, officially nonpartisan Legislature, or Rep. Don Bacon of Omahas 2nd District, who has the experience of putting his country first while wearing its military uniform.

But we offer (or pick on?) Mr. Flood to lead your distinguished body because of the most undistinguished things that have engulfed your chamber in recent years and, finally, this past week.

We have just seen a handful of Republican members join with every Democratic member to depose a GOP speaker of the House for the alleged cardinal sin of putting our nation before his party.

At last, we ought to add. Were well aware that Mr. McCarthy, the honorable gentleman from California, put himself and his party first so very many times that he was bound to fall should he stop.

Be that as it may. On the verge of your shutting down the government because winning elections matters more to you than passing budgets, Mr. McCarthy this year reached across the aisle  twice  to find enough support to buy more time for your House to do its constitutional duty.

And he paid with his job.

The Republicans who insisted on this course (none of them from our state) have proved what they value most.

And Democrats? Mr. McCarthys predecessor, the honorable Democratic gentlewoman from California, simply said it has long been the tradition of the House that the majority party elects the speaker.

Tradition, yes. But if party leaders can no longer be counted upon to put the business of the country first, then you must cast them aside and form a coalition to choose leaders who will.

We offer Mr. Flood as your next speaker because he has the most experience among you of uniting lawmakers of disparate views and partisan hues to perform their first duty.

Our Unicameral has officially put Nebraskans over parties for 86 years. Mr. Flood served as its speaker longer than anyone. And he showed a remarkable ability to bring liberal, conservative and moderate state senators together to solve difficult issues.

Honorable members, this endless hyperpartisanship is destroying everything our Founders and their successors sacrificed and died for.

We humbly submit that the most qualified among you to decisively change this course are the three representatives from our great state of Nebraska.

But if experience in leading a lawmaking body is most important, then we propose that the members of the House, red, blue or purple, nominate and vote for the honorable gentleman from Nebraska, Mike Flood.

We yield the floor.
The aftermath of an air strike in Gaza. Photo: CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Shutterstock

More than 1,800 people are reported dead in Israel and Gaza following Hamas militants stunning surprise attack on Saturday and hundreds of retaliatory Israeli air strikes on targets in Gaza. Hamass multifront attack, which clearly caught Israel off guard, is the largest the country has faced in decades and a startling escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in the occupied territories and Gaza, which has been under a strict Israeli blockade since Hamas took control of the densely populated strip of land in 2007. As of Tuesday, more than 1,000 Israelis are confirmed dead and over 800 in Gaza are reported dead. Below are live updates on this brutal ongoing conflict and its consequences.

This post has been updated.
(CNN)  The unexpected success of Squid Game gave a green light to bringing more South Korean dramas to the US, with Paramount establishing a partnership with Seoul-based CJ ENM to do so. The latest fruit of that relationship, Bargain, isnt as compulsively watchable as Squid Game but echoes it in one key respect, darkly reflecting a society where life is cheap, and the class divide can be fatal.

In that sense, both shows have something in common with other high-profile South Korean productions, among them the Oscar-winning film Parasite, in which a family of struggling grifters preyed upon and manipulated a wealthy one.

As NPR reported when Squid Game took off, this strain of drama had its roots in an economic crisis South Korea experienced in the late 1990s that devastated its middle class. If theres a common theme to all of these, its desperation and the lengths to which one will go to survive, even if that comes at the expense of others.

Like Squid Game  which Netflix will soon exploit further with a game show inspired by the series  Bargain takes that question to unsettling extremes, with an extra twist of distastefulness for good measure. The story begins in a hotel room, where Hyung-soo (Jin Sun-kyu) has come to meet Joo-young (Jun Jong-seo, delivering a standout performance) for an arranged paid sexual encounter. Having gone to a remote location, Hyung-soo peppers the young woman with questions about her age and virginity.

Hes right to be suspicious, but its in the wrong ways, since Joo-young is part of an elaborate ring that lures men to the hotel, then drugs them and auctions off their organs. Yet before Hyung-soo can be reduced to eyes, kidneys and other vital organs, what appears to be a devastating earthquake strikes, seriously damaging the facility and throwing everything into chaos, as those trapped inside must suddenly forge alliances  some quite unexpected and awkward  in hopes of getting out.

As if that werent enough (and frankly, it is, since the story gradually begins to fly off the rails after the strong start), much of the action unfolds in the form of long, continuous tracking shots, fueling the sensation of anarchy and confusion. Along the way, crumbs dribble out about how various characters wound up in this predicament, with the disclaimer Joo-young has already shown herself to be an accomplished liar in terms of taking her at her word.

Adapted from a 2015 short film, Bargain begins to take too many strange and unnecessary detours, but its still oddly compelling and grimly humorous. At the very least, youre unlikely to see much thats like it, in ways both good and bad.

One of the blessings of streaming has been expanded shelf space for programming produced all over the globe, acquired as much for financial reasons  its generally less expensive than homegrown fare  as an effort to broaden cultural horizons. Yet as Squid Game demonstrated, theres increasingly an audience that wont be scared away by subtitles, as they once might have been, if the story delivers.

Bargain isnt perfect, but it is interesting and wildly unpredictable, while further highlighting the intriguing work coming out of South Korea. For those who got caught up in Squid Game, the six-episode commitment isnt a bad bargain.

Bargain premieres October 5 on Paramount+.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Like Squid Game, Bargain trades on the life-is-cheap edge of South Korean drama"
The Smiths Station Fire Department will undergo a forensic audit on the heels of the resignations of high-ranking members and a 22-page letter filled with complaints and accusations about the department, according to the Smiths Station Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

The SSFDs board is down to three members after one resigned and chairman Felton Adkinson died on Saturday at age 85. Remaining board members Dwayne Peterson, Todd Boatner and interim chairman Walter Cox will establish an accountability committee and retain a new attorney. The board handles personnel and budgetary responsibilities, such as the creation of new positions at the district.

On Sept. 5, Fire Chief Joe Walden resigned from his role as the vice chairman of the board. Joe Waldens wife, Susan Walden, resigned from her position as the board secretary shortly after her husband resigned. The former attorney for the district resigned three weeks ago. The SSFPD decline to share the name of the previous attorney.

The fire chief resigned three days after someone anonymously posted a 22-page document online on Sept. 2 that cited several complaints and allegations levied against SSFPD leadership and government officials. In Tuesdays board meeting, the Smiths Station Fire Protection District said itll hire a company to do a forensic audit of the Smith Station Fire Department to address the allegations mentioned in the document.

Near the top of the 22 pages of complaints, it states that the complaints and allegations came from the Smiths Station Fire Protection District (SSFPD) coverage area taxpayers, homeowners, residents, current and past SSFPD firefighters, and SSFPD Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel.

The accusations in the document are spread across 15 issues, and they include allegations of improper financial accountability standards, an intent to commit fraud, financial misconduct, ethical misconduct, unauthorized use of government property, disregarding the Alabama Open Meetings Act, toxic leadership, favoritism, nepotism and using positions for personal gain.

The leadership at the department still operates as if it is still in the 1970s/1980s where the good-ole-boy system is still in effect, the document said.

The complaint alleges previous and current officers and volunteers expressed legitimate concerns about the organizations operations, including violations of Alabama laws and ethical or financial misconduct.

Peterson, who joined the board in January, said the need to show public transparency drove their decision to hire a company to conduct an audit.

Nothing in that dossier has been proven so far. Its just allegations for right now, but were trying to let the citizens know that we are looking into it and trying to be as transparent as possible, Peterson said.

The district has also decided to establish an accountability committee. Randy Mauldin and Joe Crawford, two Smiths Station with no ties to SSFPD, have already been selected. The board of directors will continue to search for a third member.

Among those who attended the Tuesday meeting were Executive Director Matt Russell with the Alabama Fire College and Scott F. Pilgreen, the state fire marshal. Russell opened the meeting with a statement addressing the allegations against him and the Alabama Fire College.

This was written to be inflammatory and they got my attention. Because to some degree, somebody has imbued my character, Russell said. Its unfortunate that we have to be here tonight. It sounds like you guys have some internal organizational issues that you need to get resolved.

The complaint alleged that the SSFPD violated its PTO policy in allowing Daniel Green, then serving as a captain, to take approximately four weeks of paid time off in 2023 to teach at the Alabama Fire College.

Executive doesnt see Green as a conflict interest

Alabama Fire Colleges executive director said they hire folks just like Green, and theres no conflict of interest.

We need him to teach our classes, because its what he does every day. Then he can pass that information on to other people. Im certain that he does the same thing within this organization. Thats what he should be doing. And if you value him as an employee, as an inspector at the very least  you would want him to pass this stuff on to other people, Russell said.

Russell did not specify which allegations he was addressing,

He went on to refer to Green as a subject-matter expert. Hes one of many adjunct instructors that the Alabama Fire College employs. The Alabama Fire College has 50 full-time employees along with around 175 adjunct instructors.

Green was named interim fire chief following Waldens resignation. On Sept. 20, Green resigned from his position as interim-chief, but he rescinded the resignation 10 days later and returned to the SSFPD in that capacity. When asked about his resignation, Green referred our inquiries to the SSFPD board of directors.

Peterson confirmed that following the resignation, Green stayed around the department to help out with some administrative issues before returning to the interim role.

We are not the fire service police

After Russells comments ended, the state fire marshal addressed the board, SSFPD members and residents.

Pilgreen has been the state fire marshal since 2016. He has over 40 years of law enforcement experience and served as deputy state fire marshal in Smiths Station.

Pilgreen also serves on the Personnel Standards and Training Commission at the Alabama Fire College.

Pilgreen stated theres not a lot of meat to the 22 pages of allegations, but he highlighted what his office has dealt with in the past.

We are not the fire service police. The reason I bring that up is because my office  among others  get too many calls every day. Literally, folks every day of every week call about allegations about the fire service particularly the volunteer fire service. They forget why that department was created to begin with.

The department was created to begin with to serve the citizens who live within that volunteer fire service area or in this case, the Smiths Station Fire District. Yall are the reason this department exists, Pilgreen said.

During his remarks, Pilgreen cited five arrests his office made across three departments in Southwest Alabama due to calls they have received.

Pilgreen said the suspects were charged with multiple felonies. Among them was someone who allegedly used department funds to pay bills while another group used department funds to pay for lawn care equipment. Then they allegedly agreed to work with the department as a lawn care company.

Make it about the people

Pilgreen addressed the room during Tuesdays meeting.

I will tell the membership here...Its not about you. It never will be about you. Its about these people. Always will be about these people.

And I will tell you this, so hear me close. Im glad its being recorded. If anybody in membership at this fire department cannot put their own special interests aside and make it about these people, then get out of it. And do it now.

Pilgreen mentioned that the SSFPD leadership invited him and that surprised him. He echoed Russells comments that the residents can take charge. They can direct the department where they want it to go and fix the issues before the Marshals office gets involved. He said his office is very good as a criminal investigative agency, and our job is to sell prison time.

Board says first responders did no wrong

Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton spoke at the meeting after board member Peterson made a motion to add him to the agenda. Sexton is a former deputy chief with the district. He called for the board to resign or direct their staff to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by residents seeking more information.

The board did not respond to Sexton, but Peterson delivered a prepared statement to close the meeting.

The dedicated firefighters and EMS personnel of this department are in no way connected to the recent allegations of wrongdoing online in the dossier, Peterson said. They have nothing to do with any of that. Thats leadership and thats the board thats in front of you. So we take full responsibility for everything that has happened. And Id like for you to look at these heroes who give up their time voluntarily to go out and put their lives on the line to save people in the community.

Plans to adopt budget postponed

During the meeting, the board intended to present and adopt the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year and explain fire fee rates. Those plans were postponed until an audit can be completed. According to the board, SSFPD had an revenue of $1.7 million compared to a total expenses $1.4 million from October 2022 through August 2023.

The meeting continued on with other business. Cox highlighted an item on the agenda about getting new locks for the facility at 50 Lee Road 430 due to resignations and changes in leadership. The board will get quotes on those in the near future.

The SSFPDs board of directors next meeting is set for Nov. 7. Peterson said the board will work with the Lee County Commission to fill two vacant seats, but there is no timetable for that. The board is traditionally made up of five members, four of which are appointed by the Lee County Commission and the final spot is nominated by the mayor of Smiths Station and voted on city council.
Job Hazard Analysis  Construction Industry Tips and Tricks

Job hazard analysis (JHA) in the construction industry is crucial because it proactively identifies potential hazards and establishes preventative measures, ensuring the safety of workers and minimizing costly project disruptions due to accidents or injuries.

Done properly and regularly, JHA allows safety managers to systematically evaluate job tasks for potential dangers, develop mitigation strategies, and implement safety protocols tailored to specific job functions. By proactively addressing and eliminating hazards, managers can reduce the risk of accidents, injuries, and illnesses, ensuring a safer work environment and fostering a culture of safety awareness among workers.

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DATE: October 19, 2023

TIME: 2:00PM ET - 1:00PM CT - 11:00AM PT

Speaker

Paul A. Esposito, CIH, CSP

President and Owner of STAR Consultants Inc.

Since 1997, Mr. Esposito has been President of STAR Consultants, Inc. With over 40 years of technical experience, he has a Masters in Health and Safety from Johns Hopkins University, is a Certified Industrial Hygienist, a Certified Safety Professional and certified as a Management Systems auditor. Based in Annapolis, MD, Mr. Esposito assists STAR customers worldwide in the implementation, delivery and assessment (audit) capabilities of EHS programs and management systems.

Some of his specialty areas include: risk assessment and management; auditing and audit program development; leading metrics (to include risk-based metrics utilizing a balanced scorecard approach); management systems development; and Voluntary Protection Program surveys and inspections.

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An effective green energy transition doesnt just depend on the deployment of solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicle fleets  it also hinges upon a rapid buildout of all of the infrastructure that those components rely on, from long-term energy storage solutions to power lines. And grid regulators are really dropping the ball.

The electrification of the global economy is going to require a massive and unprecedented buildout of the power grid...yesterday. Already, green energy projects are being abandoned because of issues with grid connectivity and permitting, or languishing fully formed for years while they wait their turn to plug in. The issue is complex and multiple; its not just a matter of building more transmission and distribution networks, switching stations, and transformers, its an issue of permitting and byzantine permitting and regulatory processes that can bog down new projects for years.

The scale of the challenge  as well as its urgency  are both unprecedented and enormous. The International Energy Agency calculates that meeting global pledges to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 will require annual investments in energy sector infrastructure and technologies to nearly quadruple over the next 7 years  from todays level of more than $1 trillion to $4 trillion by 2030.

The issue is particularly pressing in places with rigorous regulatory mechanisms that require lengthy bureaucratic processes at odds with the urgency of the decarbonization imperative. In both the United States and Europe, getting all of the permissions necessary to build new grid projects can take a full decade. In a September Financial Times op-ed, EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson decried the fact that securing permits for grid reinforcements can take up to ten years in Europe. Meanwhile, in one particularly egregious example from the United States, the TransWest Express project took a full 18 years to get approved, and is still expected to take another five years to be completed.

The issue doesnt only apply to new development projects  insufficient grid infrastructure is also negatively impacting the functioning of already online renewable energy production. Curtailment is becoming an increasingly widespread and pressing issue, as solar and wind farms are forced to stop production when the grid cant handle the influx of electricity  an extremely wasteful practice which undermines the efficacy of renewable energy expansion.

In South Koreas Jeju Island  a poster child of green energy expansion  incidences of curtailment have skyrocketed from just three cases in 2015 to a whopping 103 cases in 2022  a record high. The situation in Jeju is the canary in the coal mine for other nations which have failed to adequately prepare their energy grids and other essential infrastructural components. The expansion in renewables is necessary to meet Jejus goals but has brought acute disruptions to its existing energy system, Inside Climate News reported in August. Already, Australia, Japan, and China, and parts of the European Union and the United States are facing similar hurdles. California broke its own record for solar and wind curtailments earlier this year, and, according to the United States Energy Information Administration, Texas is next.

A recent opinion piece in the New York Times proposed a solution to this nightmarish gridlock of red tape: remove all of the overlapping and redundant federal- and state-level systems and institutions currently tasked with reviewing and approving grid projects and hand the responsibility over to a single national entity. The same logic applies to the European Union, which clearly desperately needs to retrofit its own regulations, which were designed far before the decarbonization movement was in motion. The private sector has also gotten involved. Google has thrown money and brainpower behind a reimagining of key permitting processes which are currently serving as major bottlenecks for the tech sectors own decarbonization efforts.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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SMMT's chief executive, Mike Hawes, and other experts stress the need for government incentives to sustain the momentum toward electric vehicle adoption.

The UK government's decision to postpone the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles until 2035 has upset automakers who invested heavily in green vehicles.

New car registrations in September rose by 21%, marking the 14th consecutive month of growth, with electric vehicle numbers increasing by 18.9%.

New car registrations soared last month, industry figures show, as pent-up demand for new vehicles helped the auto sector motor towards its 14th consecutive month of growth.

September was the second busiest month of the year, with a 21 percent jump taking registrations to 272,610, according to the latest data from trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The electric car market continued to grow, with battery electric vehicle (BEV) numbers rising 18.9 percent and marking the 41st consecutive month of growth.

But overall BEV market share dipped slightly to 16.6 percent year-on-year, down from 16.9 percent and driven by a fall in demand from private buyers.

The figures come just weeks after Rishi Sunak rowed back on one of the governments central automotive policies, a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, delaying its implementation until 2035.

Many automakers reacted furiously to the news, with a number of major players, including Ford, BMW, Vauxhall, and Aston Martin, having invested heavily in the transition to greener vehicles.

And experts said today that consumer demand could be affected, with incentives required to keep the shift moving.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, hailed the bumper September but warned that the government needed to provide more incentives to encourage electric adoption in its upcoming Autumn Statement.

Unlike in the other major markets working towards a 2035 deadline, UK private motorists have no incentives to encourage them to go green.

This means adding carrots to the stick  creating private purchase incentives aligned with business benefits, equalising on-street charging VAT with off-street domestic rates and mandating charge point rollout in line with how electric vehicle sales are now to be dictated, he said.

The forthcoming Autumn Statement is the perfect opportunity to create the conditions that will deliver the zero-emission mobility essential to our shared net-zero ambition.

David Borland, EY UK and Ireland automotive leader warned that the governments decision to move the sales ban from 2030 to 2035 could have a negative impact on consumer demand for EVs in the short term, well as potentially affecting demand from fleet operators as both groups work out what the changes mean for them.

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Borland added that with the industry investing significant capital in anticipation of a 2030 ICE sales ban, the policy shift could see supply outstripping demand  a concern given the fact residual values of EVs are already facing challenges.

By CityAM

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Valero Energy Corp has shut down certain units of its 290,000 barrel-per-day oil refinery in Corpus Christi following a fire, according to a recent filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The filing, made on Thursday, said that the fire at its Bill Greeheyor West planthad been contained, adding that there were no injuries. The refinery utilized appropriate procedures to expedite a systematic shutdown of relevant units and minimize emissions, the filing read.

Valero also experienced a fire at the same refinery back in Mayagain at the West Plant. Most of the motor fuels that come from Valeros Corpus Christi refinery come from the West Plant, which plant processes both sweet crude and sour crude, as well as residual fuel oil, according to Valeros website.

The East and West refineries produce gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, asphalt, and aromatics.

Distillate inventories in the United States have long languished well below what is typical for this time of year. At last EIA count, distillate inventories in the United States were 13% below the five-year average.

News of the shutdown comes as Russia, the worlds top seaborne diesel exporter, lifted its ban on pipeline diesel imports after just a week. The ban lifted the price of crude oil most suitable for making diesel and jet fuel, sending prices for this feedstock upward.

Valeros West plant receives some of its feedstock by tanker or barge via deepwater docking facilities along the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, while West Texas or South Texas crude oil comes into the refinery via pipeline, Valeros website explains.

The West plant was commissioned in 1983, then known as the Bill Greehey refinery. Valero says it is one of the most complex refineries in the world.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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The ratification further strains the Armenia-Russia alliance, already compromised due to perceived Russian inaction during Azerbaijan's attacks and criticisms targeting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Armenia seeks to use the Rome Statute not against Russia, but to bring charges against Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev for alleged war crimes in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia's parliament voted to ratify the Rome Statute despite strong opposition and warnings from Russia, who sees this move as antagonistic given the ICC's arrest warrant against Putin.

The Armenian Parliament on October 3 adopted a bill ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court by a vote of 60 to 22.

The largely figurehead president, Vahagn Khachaturyan, is expected to sign the bill and finalize the ratification in the coming days and make the country the 124th member state of the Statute.

Armenia's ostensible strategic partner Russia has for months warned against the move. The ICC has an outstanding arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, meaning that if Putin were to visit Armenia he could theoretically face arrest.

Just days before the vote, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov warned that Moscow would perceive the ratification as an "extremely hostile" move towards Russia, and the Russian Foreign Ministry said it would have "most negative consequences" for the countries' bilateral relations.

Armenia has long said joining the Rome Statute is not a move against Russia but rather conditioned by its own security interests. Though it seems like a remote prospect at this point, many in Armenia hope to one day bring charges against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for war crimes against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

A former chief prosecutor of the ICC, Luis Moreno Ocampo, said in August that Azerbaijan's then-ongoing blockade of the region amounted to an act of "genocide." (That was before Azerbaijan's lightning offensive on September 19-20 led to the exodus of nearly all of the region's Armenian population.)

In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for committing the "war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation." As per the ICC regulations, member states are bound to detain Putin if he arrives in the respective countries.

But Armenian officials have been at pains to assure Russia that there are mechanisms to bypass the requirement to detain Putin if he came to visit.

"I don't think there can be talk of arrest. The solutions, which are based on paragraph 2, article 96 of the Rome Statute, have been proposed to our Russian partners. It implies the signing of a bilateral agreement, which allows the creation of certain guarantees for the concerns that some partner countries might have. The text was presented months ago, and we are waiting for our partners' proposal," Yeghishe Kirakosyan, the Armenian prime minister's representative on international legal affairs, said on September 28.

After the vote, Peskov was more measured in his criticism lamenting the "incorrect step" by the Armenian parliament while adding that there is still a lot uniting the two countries.

"At the same time, of course, we will have additional questions for the current leadership of Armenia," Peskov added in reference to Moscow's thinly veiled desire to see the ouster of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government.

Indeed, the Rome Statute is only one of a litany of points of tension between the two strategic allies. Armenia was unhappy with the performance of the 2,000-strong Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh following Armenia's defeat in the 2020 Second Karabakh War. Yerevan alleged the peacekeepers failed to fulfill their obligations to protect Karabakh's Armenian population.

Armenia applied for the military assistance of Russia and the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) during Azerbaijan's September 2022 attack on Armenia, but received none. The Armenian MFA accused Moscow of "absolute indifference" during the attacks on the country when Azerbaijan captured territories inside Armenia.

In a new turn following Azerbaijan's complete takeover of Karabakh, Prime Minister Pashinyan was obviously referencing Russia when he said: "Some of our partners are increasingly making efforts to expose our security vulnerabilities, putting at risk not only our external, but also internal security and stability, while violating all norms of etiquette and correctness in diplomatic and interstate relations, including obligations assumed under treaties."

He also said that ratifying the Rome Statute was necessary in part because the security guarantees Armenia is supposed to enjoy as a member of the CSTO were "not effective." Armenia has recently refused to participate in military exercises and meetings with allies in the CSTO.

Meanwhile, as the Armenian opposition staged protests recently demanding Pashinyan's resignation, Kremlin propagandists encouraged Armenians to join in lest they "become complicit in an Armenian genocide."

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Russian officials and media have actively targeted Nikol Pashinyan of late, accusing him of "selling out" Nagorno-Karabakh and "flirting" with the West in opposition to Russia.

In a statement on October 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that if Armenia decides to leave CSTO, it will be its "sovereign" decision, but that he hopes "that the ties that have existed for centuries between the Russian people [] and the Armenian people cannot be destroyed by any temporary administration."

By Ani Avetisyan via Eurasianet.org

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Line fill is set to commence some time in the next quarter, with the process expected to take between six and seven weeks, Trans Mountain said on Friday.

Line fill will require 4.5 million barrels of crude oil and is the last step before crude deliveries from the pipeline can begin.

We expect commercial operations to commence near the end of Q1 2024, Trans Moutain said in a Friday statement. The timeline was disclosed following the companys victory in a dispute with the Stkemlupsemc Te Secwepemc Nation First Nation over Trans Mountains request to reroute its pipeline through a 0.8-mile segment of the indigenous groups territory. In that case, the Canadian regulator CER sided with the pipeline, clearing the way for a new route, and avoiding months of possible delays should the route change not receive approval.

The $22.6 billion Trans Mountain expansion project will triple the pipelines capacity to 890,000 barrels per day.

Originally, the pipeline expansion was set to help Canada export its heavy crude oil to Asia via tankers from the Canadian West Coast. But as the expansion project took years to clear permitting, financial, and construction hurdles, the global crude oil flows changed with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Fierce opposition towards the project in British Columbia also led to a change of ownership as it forced Kinder Morgan to reconsider its commitment to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline, which would increase the daily capacity of the pipeline to 890,000 barrels per day from 300,000 bpd. So the government of Canada reached an agreement with the company back in 2018 to buy the Trans Mountain Expansion Project and related pipeline and terminal assets.

Now, 130 different indigenous groups have expressed interest in purchasing a partial stake in the Trans Mountain oil pipeline.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Over the 25 years that Oregon has offered assisted death, there have been shifts in the volume and sociodemographics of the patient population, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.

The researchers found that the number of assisted deaths in Oregon increased from 16 in 1998 to 278 in 2022. Patients' insurance status changed from predominantly private (65 percent) to predominantly government support (79.5 percent) over time. Relatedly, there was an increase in patients feeling a burden and describing financial concerns as reasons for choosing an assisted death. The reported length of the physician-patient relationship declined from 18 weeks in 2010 to five weeks in 2022. The proportion of assisted deaths referred for psychiatric assessment remained low (1 percent). Data regarding complications, especially around decision-making, drug efficacy, and the nature of palliative care support, were missing or not collected.
The Omaha Police Department has identified the four officers who fired at 39-year-old Patrick Wright on Tuesday night, striking him multiple times.

Police Sgt. Jacob Chong with nine years of service, Officer Andrew Ramsay with 11 years of service, Officer Kyle Graber with nine years of service and Officer Nicholas Molek with seven years of service, all of OPDs Criminal Investigations Bureau, fired at Wright after stopping the car he was driving near 61st and Jaynes Streets, police said.

Wright is expected to survive his injuries, police said Friday.

OPDs Officer Involved Investigations Team has interviewed the officers and witnesses in the incident and has conducted a review of the body-worn camera footage, according to a statement released Friday.

Police provided the following timeline of the incident based on the investigation:

Officers responded to North 21st and Pinkney Streets at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday night for a 911 call that a man had just pointed a firearm at the caller, the release said.

The caller described the suspects vehicle as a two-door red Chevrolet SUV and gave the first three letters of the license plate. The caller also stated that the suspect was a Black male about 35 years old and named Patrick Wright.

There was another man in the red SUV with Wright, the caller said. The caller also said that he did not know why Wright pointed a black handgun at him and that he feared that Wright would return to harm the caller and his family, according to the release.

At 7:33 p.m., officers responding to the area saw a red Chevrolet SUV heading west on Ames Avenue from North 24th Street that matched the description provided by the 911 caller, the release said. Another man also was seen in the passenger seat of the SUV. Officers gave this information over the radio and began surveilling the vehicle with unmarked police vehicles as it drove west on Ames.

OPDs helicopter also was requested for aerial assistance.

At 7:42 p.m., gang-unit detectives tried to make contact with the two men in the SUV when it pulled over near North 61st and Jaynes Streets, the release said. Two of the three unmarked police vehicles the detectives were driving had their red and blue emergency light activated.

Before detectives were able to exit their police vehicles, the driver of the SUV, who was later identified as Patrick Wright, immediately got out of the SUV with what officers described as a black/silver handgun in his right hand and pointed directly toward the officers, the release said.

The four officers fired their service firearms at Wright after exiting their vehicles, striking Wright multiple times, the release said. Multiple loud verbal commands were given by officers during the interaction.

Officers then moved to Wright with a ballistic shield and provided him with lifesaving medical aid before he was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center by Omaha Fire Department personnel, according to authorities. Wrights injuries were not considered life-threatening as of Friday.

A handgun with a loaded magazine and a round chambered was found near Wright when officers approached him, police reported.

The Douglas County Attorneys Office has been consulted on the investigation and charges are pending.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  The BTS-inspired "Seven Phases" exhibit by visual artist James Jean is coming to Manila on Oct. 27, the Hybe Insight announced on Friday.

The visual exhibit is a collaboration between the K-pop superstars and the artist aiming to take Filipino Armys "on a journey through artistry, creativity, and the world of BTS."

The exhibit was first displayed at the Hybe Insight Museum in Seoul in 2021. It was also brought to Galeria Hauptwache in Frankfurt, Germany last June.

The "Seven Phases" exhibit in Manila will run until Dec. 3 at 4th floor, Bldg. A. of SM Megamall.

The seven-member boy group is currently on hiatus as three of them  Jin, J-Hope, and Suga  are enlisted in the military. Meanwhile, V and Jungkook have recently released their solo projects.

BTS leader RM earlier said they plan to resume activities as a group by 2025.

BTS last performed for their Filipino fans during their "The Wings Tour" in 2017.
Two struggling schools in northeast Nebraska are getting a new round of state intervention after past efforts have produced little improvement.

The State Board of Education approved a new plan of action on Friday in an attempt to help Isanti Community Schools boost academics and attendance.

Isantis elementary school and high school are part of the Nebraska Department of Educations priority school program, which selects the lowest-performing schools in the state for special intervention in order to improve academic achievement. Each school in the program creates a plan for improvement in partnership with state officials.

The program has so far included Loup County Elementary School in Taylor, Nebraska; Schuyler Central High School; Druid Hill Elementary School in Omaha; and all three schools in the Isanti district, including the middle school.

The Isanti Community Schools, which have also been known as the Santee Community Schools, are located on the Santee Sioux Reservation and have roughly 200 students.

Schools in the Isanti district are the only ones remaining in the intervention program. The other schools exited after making progress toward specific goals.

After a school is in the priority school program for three consecutive years, the state board is required to reevaluate the schools progress plan and either significantly revise it; create a new one; or find alternative administration for the school.

Isantis elementary school and high school have been on the priority plan since 2019, while the middle school entered the program in 2015. The middle school wasnt part of this years review by the state board.

Shirley Vargas, school transformation officer at the Department of Education, worked with the district, school board and community to create a new plan for board approval in June. But the board rejected that plan in September after four members voted no, saying the improvement goals were too low.

For example, at the beginning of this school year, just three of 54 elementary students scored above the 40th percentile on their English Language Arts MAP Growth assessment  less than 6% of those tested.

The progress plan initially aimed to raise this to 15%, but board members including Elizabeth Tegtmeier said that was not a high enough goal. On Friday, Vargas came back with a revised goal of 20%.

Tegtmeier said on Friday that she remains concerned that the plan sets the bar too low.

With a class of 25 children, she said, a 15% target would mean that 3.75 kids would be proficient in reading, Tegtmeier said. Now we are looking at five out of 25 proficient in reading. Its still just a very strong concern about the other 80%, because Im pretty passionate about literacy.

Vargas said the benchmark is at 20% to allow enough time for students to make sufficient progress and the goal can always increase in future years.

While this may be the target, absolutely there is work being done to ensure that everyone is improving, Vargas said. But we need a realistic target here. The team believed  and I support this work  that 20% is appropriate given the push you all gave.

Another concern that board members had was about the chronic absenteeism rates at both the elementary school and high school. Chronic absenteeism is defined by when a student missed 10% or more of school days in a year. This is an issue that schools across Nebraska are also struggling with.

During the 2022-23 school year, 48% of students were chronically absent in the elementary school, while 100% of high school students were chronically absent.

The high schools priority plan states the goal is to reduce its chronic absenteeism rate to 90% and the elementary school to 38%.

Some strategies the schools are going to focus on to improve attendance include having weekly attendance meetings and hosting social events for students like an end-of-week party in class or gatherings on Mondays and Fridays. Other interventions include meeting with families and having teachers greeting students at each classroom door.

As for academics, the elementary school is implementing new curriculum and offering daily intervention time for students. Student engagement will also be tracked using a rubric.

On Friday and in previous meetings, Vargas has stressed that school administration, school board members, tribal council members, the community and state education officials have been working hard to improve Isanti schools.

Its intangible  I cant actually put into direct action what it means for a teacher to feel defeated every time they are trying something new and dont see a change, Vargas said in June. How do you stand in front of a board and say, We know its kind of low, but its also really realistic when the percentage of proficiency for many years has been zero? We havent necessarily seen growth.

Leadership turnover has made it difficult to make continuous improvement in the Isanti district. Vargas said that Isanti has had nine superintendents in the last decade. In the past five years, the district has gone through four high school principals.

The districts current superintendent, David Mroczek, had to assume the role of high school principal last year after the principal resigned, Vargas said. This year, the reservations tribal council received a new chairman while the school board also received a new president and vice president.

Board member Lisa Fricke agreed with Vargas, saying the proposed goals were sufficient for this year and the board can keep in contact with Isanti administration to track progress more closely.

Were talking about last-ditch efforts for kids we should be valuing and focusing on, Fricke said. They have been struggling for so long and they have new leadership  they have hired someone who is Native American  who I believe can help be a stimulus for positive change.

Both plans for the elementary and high school were approved on Friday, with Penner voting no to both and Tegtmeier voting no on the high school plan. The Isanti district will continue to work with state education officials and will report progress in the coming months to the state board.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of September 2023
NEW YORK  Donald Trump's civil fraud trial will move ahead next week after the former president lost a bid Friday to halt the proceedings while he fights a pretrial ruling that could strip him of Trump Tower and other marquee properties.

An appeals court judge rebuffed Trump's push to pause the New York trial, but agreed to leave him in control of his holdings for now. The decision, after an emergency hearing Friday afternoon, came five days into the trial.

Trump went to the courthouse for the first three days of the trial in New York Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit, observing testimony  and complaining to TV cameras outside about a case he deemed "a witch hunt and a disgrace."

Trump's lawyers asked the state's intermediate appellate court to suspend the trial and prevent Judge Arthur Engoron from enforcing a ruling he made last week. Engoron's decision revoked the Republican presidential front-runner's business licenses and puts a court-appointed receiver in charge of his companies.

"This is a massive error. It is irreparable," Trump lawyer Christopher Kise told the appellate judge, Associate Justice Peter H. Moulton. Kise argued that the ruling will make defendants in other cases fear that their companies and properties will be seized without recourse.

Trump's lawyers claimed Engoron's ruling could harm not only the ex-president and other defendants but as many as 1,000 employees.

State Deputy Solicitor General Judy Vale told the appeals judge that James' office already offered to keep the business licenses as-is until after the trial. Kise acknowledged the offer, but said he was worried Engoron wouldn't allow it.

"We could have resolved some of this, and we're still happy to do so," Vale said.

She called the defense arguments for a delay "completely meritless" and noted that mounting the trial has been "an enormous endeavor." It has entailed extensive court planning, security resources for Trump's attendance and special arrangements for media and public access.

Ahead of the hearing, James said Trump and the other defendants "can continue to try to delay and stall, but the evidence is clear, and our case is strong."

She declined to comment as she left the emergency hearing, at the state's Appellate Division, First Department in Manhattan.

The appellate court last week rejected the defense's last-minute effort to delay the trial just days before it began. On Thursday, Trump's lawyers dropped a lawsuit they filed against Engoron as part of that challenge.

Engoron ruled last week that Trump committed years of fraud as he built the real estate empire that vaulted him to fame and the White House.

The judge, ruling on the top claim in James' lawsuit, found that Trump routinely deceived banks, insurers and others by exaggerating the value of assets on his annual financial statements, which were used in making deals and securing loans.

Trump denies wrongdoing, claiming some of his assets are worth far more than what's listed on the statements.

Before the appellate action, former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified at the trial Friday that values he assigned to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida  as much as $739 million in 2018  were based on the false premise that it could be sold as a private residence. Such use is prohibited by Trump's 2002 agreement with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

"Were you aware that Mr. Trump had deeded away his right to use the property for any other purpose than a social club?" state lawyer Andrew Amer asked.

"I was not aware," said McConney, who's also a defendant in this case.

The trial will resume Tuesday with Trump's longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg on the witness stand.

Weisselberg, a defendant, oversaw Trump's deals, was involved in securing loans and supervised McConney's work on the financial statements. He left jail in April after serving about 100 days for dodging taxes on $1.7 million in job perks.

As the trial unfolded this week, Engoron issued an order Thursday setting procedures for enforcing his ruling. He gave both sides until Oct. 26 to submit names of potential receivers and gave Trump and other defendants seven days to provide a court-appointed monitor, retired federal judge Barbara Jones, with a list of all entities covered by the ruling.

He also ordered the defendants to give Jones advance notice of any application for new business licenses in any jurisdiction and attempts to create new entities to "hold or acquire the assets" of a company that's being dissolved under the ruling.
Jared Kerkman wishes it hadnt taken a string of serious accidents to get the state to listen to local residents about what they see as an unsafe stretch of Nebraska Highway 2 near Palmyra.

But Kerkman, chairman of the villages Board of Trustees, is happy that something is finally being done.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation on Thursday announced it will lower the speed limit on a section of Nebraska 2 near Palmyra while it evaluates the safety of the highway.

The department said the speed limit will be lowered from 70 mph to 55 mph immediately near Palmyra from about mile marker 475.5 to mile marker 477. Signs had already been changed by Thursday afternoon.

The move comes after two high-profile crashes over the past month on the stretch of road, which is about 20 miles east of Lincoln.

On Sept. 12, a driver rear-ended a school bus that was turning into a driveway, causing the bus to tip over on its side, injuring nine students and the bus driver.

On Sept. 28, 62-year-old Tania Greene of Lincoln was killed when her car was struck as she tried to cross Nebraska 2.

Nebraska State Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas said the driver who crashed into the bus was cited for careless driving, while the accident that caused Greenes death is still under investigation.

Kerkman said Palmyra residents have contacted state officials in the past about safety concerns on Nebraska 2, especially on the east end of town, where there is limited visibility due to curves in the road.

Unfortunately, we didnt seem to gain much traction until a string of recent accidents in the area, he said.

Kerkman said hes lived in Palmyra for almost 20 years and has seen the number of accidents on the highway increase.

One rural fire department in Otoe County says its data shows accidents are up considerably this year.

In a letter sent to the Lincoln Journal Star on Wednesday, Jon Moller, chief of Douglas Fire & Rescue, and Denton Underwood, the departments rescue captain, said the two crashes in September are among eight that Douglas Fire & Rescue has responded to on that stretch of highway this year, already more than in any year since at least 2019. Greenes death was also the second fatality this year and fourth since the beginning of 2020, according to the letter.

The two officials said crashes on that stretch of Nebraska 2 have made up 67% of the departments motor vehicle accident calls this year, compared with a historical average of 27%.

The letter said that most of the accidents have involved high rates of speed, which exacerbates the severity of the crashes and increases the risk of severe injury.

The speed limit on Nebraska 2 between Lincoln and Nebraska City was raised from 65 mph to 70 mph in 2018, after the Legislature passed a bill raising speed limits on the states highways and expressways. The Transportation Department, in a press release, said it has studied the speed limit and the design of the road twice since then and has determined the highway is consistent with state and national design standards.

But residents say the highway has long been a problem in the Palmyra area, and they have been trying to get state officials to do something about it for years.

Im impressed that theyre actually looking into it this time, said Ben Leseberg, rescue chief for Palmyra Rescue Service, which is the primary agency that responds to crashes on the highway.

It makes us feel like were being heard.

However, Leseberg said hes not sure a lower speed limit is the answer. Hed like to see on- and off-ramps like what have been built at Bennet and Syracuse. Failing that, he said flashing yellow and red lights at the intersection on the east side of town might be effective at getting people to slow down.

Kerkman said he, too, would prefer on and off ramps but believes the reduced speed limit, is a step in the right direction for making Highway 2 safer for everyone.

State Sen. Julie Slama, whose district includes the area, weighed in on social media, saying in a Thursday Facebook post that the speed limit reduction, isnt a permanent or complete solution, but its absolutely a good step in the right direction.

Palmyra, thank you for never giving up on this fight, she said in the post. Your voices were finally heard.
A 27-year-old inmate at the Tecumseh State Prison is dead after he and four others intentionally set fires in their cells Thursday night, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.

Dayne Urbanovsky, director of strategic communications for the department, identified the inmate who died as Jesse Spencer.

She said that around 6 p.m. Thursday, five inmates, including Spencer, intentionally set fires inside their cells in a housing unit.

Urbanovsky said staff members responded immediately, including members of the facilitys Corrections Emergency Response Team. All five initially refused staff orders. Three ultimately complied and were escorted out.

When staff members went in to retrieve the two others, Spencer was found lying in his cell. They attempted lifesaving efforts, but he could not be revived, she said.

Staff members put out the fires before local fire crews arrived at the prison. No other housing units were affected, and no other inmates required medical attention.

Two staff members were examined at the hospital for medical situations related to the incident that were not serious.

Spencer began serving a sentence of 20 months to three years in 2014 for stealing a car in Beatrice but later got additional time for incidents in prison, including charges for assaulting two guards in Lincoln in 2016 and threatening a prison corporal in 2017.

His full term ended up being 12 years and four months to 20 years.

Urbanovsky said, as of Friday afternoon, the prison remained on modified operations while the incident was being investigated.
STOCKHOLM (AP)  Norwegian writer Jon Fosse, whose work tackles birth, death, faith and the other elemental stuff of life in spare Nordic prose, won the Nobel Prize for Literature on Thursday for writing that prize organizers said gives voice to the unsayable.

The novelist and playwright said the prize was recognition of literature that first and foremost aims to be literature, without other considerations  an ethos expressed in dozens of enigmatic plays, stories and novels, including a seven-book epic made up of a single sentence.

Fosses work, rooted in his Norwegian background, focuses on human insecurity and anxiety," Anders Olsson, chair of the Nobel literature committee, told The Associated Press. "The basic choices you make in life, very elemental stuff.

One of his countrys most-performed dramatists, Fosse said he had cautiously prepared himself for a decade to receive the news that he had won.

I was surprised when they called, yet at the same time not," the 64-year-old told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. "It was a great joy for me to get the phone call.

WHY DID THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE GO TO JON FOSSE?

The author of 40 plays as well as novels, short stories, childrens books, poetry and essays, Fosse was honored for his innovative plays and prose, which give voice to the unsayable, according to the Swedish Academy, which awards the prize.

Fosse has cited the bleak, enigmatic work of Irish writer Samuel Beckett  the 1969 Nobel literature laureate  as an influence on his sparse, minimalist style.

Edmund Austigard, executive officer of Fosses publisher, Samlaget, said the author described his work as slow writing and reading literature.

Its not a type of literature that you bring to the beach and read in an hour or two," he said. Its a type of literature ... that invites you into a unique world and invites you to stay there for a while.

WHAT IS THE NYNORSK LANGUAGE?

While Fosse is the fourth Norwegian writer to get the literature prize, he is the first in nearly a century and the first who writes in Nynorsk, one of the two official written versions of the Norwegian language. It is used by just 10% of the country's 5.4 million people, according to the Language Council of Norway, but completely understandable to users of the other written form, Bokmaal.

Guy Puzey, senior lecturer in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Edinburgh, said Bokmaal is the language of power, its the language of urban centers, of the press. Nynorsk, by contrast, is used mainly by people in rural western Norway.

So its a really big day for a minority language, Puzey said.

Norway culture minister, Lubna Jaffery, told news agency NTB that it was a historic day for the Nynorsk language and Nynorsk literature.

Norway's Bjrnstjerne Bjrnson received the prize in 1903, Knut Hamsun was awarded it in 1920 and Sigrid Undset in 1928.

In recognition of his contribution to Norwegian culture, in 2011 Fosse was granted use of an honorary residence in the grounds of the Royal Palace.

WHAT DID JON FOSSE WRITE?

His first novel, Red, Black, was published in 1983, and his debut play, Someone is Going to Come, in 1992.

His work A New Name: Septology VI-VII  described by Olsson as Fosses magnum opus  was a finalist for the International Booker Prize in 2022. The final volume in a seven-novel exploration of life, death and spirituality contains no sentence breaks.

His other major prose works include Melancholy; Morning and Evening, whose two parts depict a birth and a death; Wakefulness; and Olavs Dreams.

His plays, which have been staged across Europe and in the United States, include The Name, Dream of Autumn and I am the Wind.

Fosse has also taught writing  one of his students was best-selling Norwegian novelist Karl Ove Knausgaard  and consulted on a Norwegian translation of the Bible.

HOW DID JON FOSSE REACT TO THE NEWS?

Mats Malm, permanent secretary of the academy, reached Fosse by telephone to inform him of the win. He said the writer, who lives in the western city of Bergen, was driving in the countryside and promised to drive home carefully.

I stand here and feel a little numb, but of course very happy for the great honor, Fosse told Norway's TV2.

The Nobel Prizes carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million) from a bequest left by their creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. Winners also receive an 18-carat gold medal and diploma at the award ceremonies in December.

SHOULD I HAVE HEARD OF JON FOSSE?

Though his books have been translated into dozens of languages and his plays produced around the world, Fosse is what some critics might see as a classic, safe Nobel choice: A highbrow European man with little name recognition beyond small literary circles.

The prize has long faced criticism that it is too focused on European and North American writers of style-heavy, story-light prose. It's also male-dominated, with just 17 women among its 119 laureates, including last years winner French author Annie Ernaux.

Others point out that the prize has gone in recent years to a strong mix of authors with both critical acclaim and robust sales, such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Mario Vargas Llosa and Alice Munro. And the most populist choice by the committee  2016 laureate Bob Dylan  also sparked plenty of controversy and debate about whether his lyrics rose to the level of literature.

Publisher Austigard said Fosse's slow prose could be  just what we need and just what people are looking for in a frenetic world.

Its birth, its love, its death. Its about what it means to be a human being."

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands, and Lawless from London. Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen contributed from Copenhagen.
HROZA, Ukraine (AP)  A Russian rocket blast turned a village cafe and store in eastern Ukraine into rubble Thursday, killing at least 51 civilians in one of the deadliest attacks in the war in months, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top officials in Kyiv.

Rescuers searched for survivors in the remains of the only cafe in the village of Hroza. Body parts were strewn across a nearby children's playground that was severely damaged by the strike. Cellphones were collected and put in a courtyard nearby, waiting to be claimed. Occasionally, one of them rang, lighting up a shattered screen.

Around 60 people, including children, were attending a wake at the cafe when the missile hit, Ukrainian officials said.

Zelenskyy, attending a summit of about 50 European leaders in Spain to drum up support from Ukraine's allies, denounced the strike as a demonstrably brutal Russian crime and a completely deliberate act of terrorism.

According to preliminary information from Kyiv, the village was hit by an Iskander missile.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the strike horrifying and said it demonstrated why the United States is doing everything it can "to help the brave people of Ukraine to fight for their freedom, to fight for their democracy.

Hroza, which had a population of about 500 before the war, is in the northeastern Kharkiv region and was seized by Russia early in the war before being recaptured by Ukraine in September 2022. It's only 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Kupiansk, a key focus of the Russian military effort. Zelenskyy visited the area Tuesday to meet with troops and inspect equipment supplied by the West.

Dmytro Nechvolot told The Associated Press he was looking for his 60-year-old father, who attended the wake for a soldier from Hroza who died last year but who was reburied after being identified by DNA. Nechvolot kept walking up to his father's red car, which was still parked nearby, while waiting for confirmation that he had been killed.

I have lost a man I looked up to, a beloved father, and an unforgettable grandfather, he said.

On Thursday, Zelenskyy was at a summit of the European Political Community in Granada, Spain, where he asked for more Western support, saying that Russian terror must be stopped.

Russia needs this and similar terrorist attacks for only one thing: to make its genocidal aggression the new norm for the whole world, he said in a statement posted on his Telegram channel. Now we are talking with European leaders, in particular, about strengthening our air defense, strengthening our soldiers, giving our country protection from terror. And we will respond to the terrorists.

The key for us, especially before winter, is to strengthen air defense, and there is already a basis for new agreements with partners, he told the group, which was formed in the wake of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Heeding Zelenskyy's cry, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany will supply Ukraine with another Patriot missile air defense system. He expects Russia will again target crucial infrastructure and cities across Ukraine in the winter months.

This is what is now needed the most, Scholz said after meeting Zelenskyy, according to the German news agency dpa.

Last winter, Russia targeted Ukraine's energy system and other vital infrastructure in a steady barrage of missile and drone attacks, triggering continuous power outages across the country. Ukraine's power system has shown a high degree of resilience and flexibility, but there have been concerns that Russia will again ramp up its strikes on power facilities as winter draws near.

Zelenskyy noted that the Granada summit will also focus on joint work for global food security and protection of freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, where the Russian military has targeted Ukrainian ports after Moscow's withdrawal from a U.N.-sponsored grain deal designed to ensure safe grain exports from the invaded countrys ports.

The U.K. Foreign Office cited intelligence suggesting that Russia may lay sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports to target civilian shipping and blame it on Ukraine.

Russia almost certainly wants to avoid openly sinking civilian ships, instead falsely laying blame on Ukraine for any attacks against civilian vessels in the Black Sea, it said, adding that the U.K. was working with Ukraine to help improve the safety of shipping.

Speaking in Granada, Zelenskyy emphasized the need to preserve European unity in the face of Russian disinformation and to remain strong amid what he described as a political storm in the United States.

Asked if he was worried that support for Ukraine could falter in the U.S. Congress, the Ukrainian president stressed that his visit to Washington last month made him confident of strong backing by both the Biden administration and Congress.

Zelenskyy called for more air defense systems, more artillery weapons and shells, and more long-range missiles and drones for Ukrainian soldiers, as well as other forms of support and security guarantees to help protect Europe from potential aggression by Moscow.

Earlier Thursday, Russia targeted Ukraine's southern regions with drones. Ukraines air force said the countrys air defenses intercepted 24 out of 29 Iranian-made drones that Russia launched at the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions.

Andriy Raykovych, head of the Kirovohrad regional administration, said an infrastructure facility in the region was struck and emergency services were deployed to extinguish a fire, but there were no casualties.

In other Russian attacks in the past day, two civilians were killed by shelling in the southern city of Kherson and one died after a strike on the city of Krasnohorivka in the eastern Donetsk region. At least eight people were wounded, according to Ukraine's presidential office.

A Russian strike on a hospital in the city of Beryslav in the Kherson region ravaged the building and wounded two medical workers, according to the regional administration chief, Oleksandr Prokudin.

Ukraine, in turn, has struck back at Russia with regular drone attacks across the border.

In Russia's Kursk region that borders Ukraine, Gov. Roman Starovoit said Ukrainian drone attacks resulted in power cuts in several areas. He also said Ukrainian forces fired artillery at the border town of Rylsk, wounding a resident and damaging several houses.
Keys of Hope: Dueling Piano Night

To benefit Project Oz

Friday, Sept. 29

Castle Theatre, Bloomington

The Illinois Interior Design Association hosted a Dueling Piano night attended by 400 guests to benefit Project Oz and celebrate the agency's 50th anniversary!

Project Oz provides support to youths and families, with services including suicide counseling, education and career planning, student support services, safety planning and healthy living strategies. They also provide aid, shelter and safety for runaway and homeless youth both in McLean and Livingston counties, reaching 8,000 young people annually.

The night also featured a silent auction, a Bremer Jewelry raffle, food trucks and a photo booth.
Delta Dental kicks off Land of Smiles tour

NAPERVILLE  The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation will visit 14 Central Illinois schools this month and next, including in McLean, Macon, Sangamon, Knox, Peoria, Vermilion, Champaign, Fulton and Stark counties.

This free educational initiative aims to empower pre-kindergarten through third grade children with essential oral habits. The program has been designed not just to educate, but to also entertain.

The program features characters like Captain Super Grin, Terri Tooth Fairy, and their nemesis Caz Cavity to teach about oral hygiene, nutrition and regular dental check-ups.

The program reaches more than 30,000 children annually. This fall, it will reach 24,674 pre-kindergarten through third grade students in 119 Illinois schools.

Tooth decay is one of the leading chronic disease that affects children today, particularly in Illinois. Twenty-two percent of Illinois third graders have untreated tooth decay, and Delta Dental aims to curb that statistic.

Delta Dental partners with school administrators and nurses to bring the Land of Smiles program to Illinois elementary schools each fall and spring. The program has reached 524,078 students at 983 Illinois elementary schools over the past 13 years.

The program will be coming to the following schools:

Stark County Elementary School, Oct. 9

Avon Elementary School, Oct. 10

Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Oct. 10

Heritage-Homer Elementary School, Oct. 11

Pine Crest Elementary School, Oct. 12

Oakwood Grade School, Oct. 12

Illini Bluffs Elementary School, Oct. 13

Hedding Grade School, Oct. 13

Laketown Elementary School, Oct. 23

Tri-Valley Elementary School, Oct. 23

Thomas Metcalf Lab School, Oct. 24

Michael E. Baum Elementary School, Oct. 25

Montessori Academy for Peace, Oct. 25

Parkside Elementary School, Nov. 8

Visit landofsmilesil.org for more information.
PONTIAC  Snap Canna, a cannabis dispensary company based in the Chicago area, is set to open a location in Pontiac in the coming weeks, marking Livingston Countys first adult-use recreational cannabis dispensary.

The 2,300-square-foot shop will be under the same roof as the Shell station at 1910 Reynolds St., just east of Interstate 55.

Tanya Griffin, CEO of Snap Canna, said her business, which recently opened its flagship dispensary in Elk Grove Village, is dedicated to a fast, frictionless customer experience.

The whole concept of Snap Canna is to get people in and out very quickly, she said.

To help streamline the customer experience, Griffin said the store will accept credit cards and Google Pay.

Should the State of Illinois permit the use of drive-thru service at dispensaries in the future, Griffin said Snap Canna will be prepared for that as well.

Pontiacs new dispensary will offer a wide selection of cannabis flower, edibles and other products. Currently, all of Snap Cannas products come from other vendors.

Although efficiency is the goal, Griffin said she also wants to create a welcoming experience for customers.

Erica Mealey, general manager of the Pontiac store, said one unique feature of the store will be a wall with samples of terpenes, the aromatic oils emitted by cannabis and other plants, that customers can smell.

Mealey also lauded the diverse staff of Snap Canna.

When people come in, it doesnt matter what age, theres somebody here to relate to, and I think thats really great, Mealey said.

Griffin said the dispensary still is waiting on an inspection by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which should happen within the next few weeks.

If that goes well, Snap Canna can begin serving Central Illinois customers toward the end of October.

The store will be open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Cannabis tax boom: States collect a whopping $15.1 billion in revenue since weed legalization Cannabis tax boom: States collect a whopping $15.1 billion in revenue since weed legalization Cannabis Tax Revenue State By State
SPRINGFIELD  Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced $2.1 million in grants for 13 bike path projects, including one in McLean County.

Through the Illinois Bicycle Path Grant Program, $200,000 was awarded for the Birky Pond Bike Path Constitution Trail Continuation at Heartland Community College. The bike path is seen as an invitation for the community to enjoy views of the campus pond, the wildlife it attracts and the native vegetation, according to a statement from the governor's office.

The goal of the program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is to provide financial assistance to eligible local governments to assist them in the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of public off-road, non-motorized bicycle paths and related facilities.

The program is funded through vehicle title fees, with a maximum grant of $200,000 per project.

Families of all kinds delight at Bloomington "DiverCITY" event WELCOMING WEEK 091823-blm-loc-2divercity.JPG 091823-blm-loc-3divercity.JPG
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  Consumers can expect no price hikes in rice anytime soon as the country's supply is enough to last until at least early 2024, a Department of Agriculture (DA) official said Friday.

"Mataas, o bumper, ang ating harvest ngayong wet season magmula po noong katapusan ng Agosto. Ngayong Setyembre hanggang Oktubre hanggang Nobyembre...wala tayong inaasahan na pagsipa pa ng presyo," DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa told a public briefing.

"Maasahan natin na talagang sapat, maganda at matatag ang supply ng bigas natin na maasahan natin hanggang sa pagpasok ng susunod ng taon na 2024," he added.

[Translation: We have had an abundant harvest this wet season since the end of August. This September until October and November, we expect no increase in rice prices. We can expect that we have enough, abundant, and stable supply of rice until early 2024.]

The national inventory stock may reach 77 days in October and 94 days in November, while the country has imported 271,000 metric tons of rice in September, said De Mesa.

According to the DA's latest price monitoring, the per kilogram cost of local regular milled rice is 44, while well-milled rice is 48.

The price adjustments took effect days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lifted the price ceiling on rice, which set prices at 41 to 45 per kilogram.
WASHINGTON  The Washington Bicentennial Committee will host the Historic Haunted Hustle on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Participants will run/walk through Washington's historic neighborhoods. There will be a half-mile kid's run at 4:30 p.m. and a 5K and 1-mile adult run at 5 p.m.

The cost is $40 and includes a T-shirt, snacks and one drink chip for the Washington VFW Post 9016. Costumes are encouraged.

An after party will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the VFW, with food, drinks, children's activities and an awards ceremony at 6 p.m.

The event is sponsored by Summit Masonry & Stoneworks.

Those who wish to participate can register up until the day of the event online at raceroster.com by searching "Historic Haunted Hustle."

10 spooky Halloween party decorations you can buy on Amazon 1. Matthew + Mae Handmade Felt Halloween Garland 2. Halloween Party Plate Set 3. Halloween Ghost Cocktail Napkins 4. Halloween Disposable Ghost Paper Cups 5. Halloween Moon Black Cat Wreath 6. LED Eyeball String Lights 7. Coffin Letter Board 8. Black Tiered Dessert Serving Tray 9. Apothecary Bottles 10. Skeleton Skull Neon Sign
CARLINVILLE  The license of a funeral director at a Carlinville funeral home under investigation for its handling of remains has been revoked.

Albert Heinz of Heinz Funeral Home/Family Care Cremations had his funeral director and embalmer's license permanently revoked Thursday, according to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation records.

The funeral home is at the center of an investigation by Sangamon County officials for alleged mishandling of human remains, including providing families with ashes for cremations that never happened.

Records from the department indicated that Heinz had his funeral license revoked for "vital records non-compliance, professional incompetence or untrustworthiness in funeral practice, taking undue advantage of clients amounting to perpetration of fraud, performing any act or practice that violates funeral regulations, unprofessional conduct and charging for professional services not rendered."

Chris Slaby, public information officer for the department, said determining disciplinary action for those who violated regulatory statutes was handled on a case-by-case basis. Complaints made toward the department are kept confidential until action is taken.

"When a license is revoked, licensees are prohibited from practice during the revocation," Slaby said. "Licenses that are permanently revoked are ineligible for restoration."

Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon began investigating Heinz Funeral Home after being contacted by a hospital who had been holding a body in its morgue for over a month. The family of the deceased told him that they already had what they believed to be their mother's ashes given to them by the home.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered no cremation had taken place, Allmon said, and the remains the family possessed belonged to another Sangamon County resident.

Allmon's office then discovered other similar situations had happened to families in contact with Heinz Funeral Home, including one instance where it was believed a person was cremated under a different name. Authorities also discovered three bodies in an unrefrigerated setting and "in an advanced state of decomposition" when visiting the funeral home last week, Allmon said.

Since then, Allmon said his office had recovered over 40 sets of cremated remains from the funeral home, "some of which were not labeled at all." The office has also fielded hundreds of calls and received dozens of ashes from families who were given the wrong remains, he said. The three unrefrigerated bodies were taken by the coroner's office and able to be identified by Allmon.

The investigation had also found that the incidents extended to families outside of Sangamon County.

"This investigation involves multiple jurisdictions," Allmon said, "and coroners and law enforcement agencies of several counties are now receiving calls."

Those who believe they may have been affected by the actions of the funeral home are encouraged to contact the Macoupin County Coroner's Office at 618-444-7304. Anyone with any information can contact the Carlinville Police Department at 217-854-3221 or info@carlinvillepolice.com.

Photos: Pritzker Military Archives Center
Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt has rubbished the annual teachers' awards organized by government to reward outstanding teachers in the nation.



This year's teachers' awards saw Faith Aku Dzakpasu, a teacher at GRETA D Shepherd Two Basic School in the Greater Accra region, being adjudged the "Most Outstanding Teacher".



For her prize, Faith Aku Dzakpasu was presented with a prototype of a three-bedroom apartment to be built at a place of her choice in any part of Ghana, one million Ghana cedis worth of insurance from the State Insurance Company (SIC) and 1000 exercise books.



The first runner-up award went to Isabella Wussa-Tetteh of Sege D/A Primary in the Greater Accra Region and she took home a 44 pick-up truck, one million Ghana cedis worth of insurance cover from SIC and 1000 exercise books.



The second runner-up position went to Fredous Idi-Amin of Ogbojo Presbyterian Basic School who also was given a brand new saloon vehicle, one million Ghana cedis insurance cover from SIC and 1000 exercise books.



But to Kwesi Pratt, rewarding three teachers out of the lot is not as commendable as improving the working conditions of teachers nationwide.



He explained that a mammoth number of teachers in Ghana are suffering, faced with unbearable conditions that make their work extremely difficult and uninspiring.



He also alluded to the government's inability to uphold its promise to pay allowances to the teachers, particularly those posted to the villages and also touched on the government's failure to provide laptops to all the teachers who were promised laptops to aid their teaching.



Mr. Pratt was further very worried about the high teacher attrition rates as revealed the Registrar of the National Teaching Council (NTC), Dr Christian Addai-Poku, which shows over 16,000 Ghanaian teachers have applied to the Department of Education in the United Kingdom (UK) for employment and 10000 of the applicants with Ghana Teacher Licences have been certified to work in the UK.



To him, organizing an event and giving awards to a few doesn't suffice to deal with these major challenges affecting teachers, so asked government to fix the problems instead of receiving praises for rewarding some hardworking teachers.



"When the year ends and you select one and promise to build a house for the person, you have done nothing. The plight of teachers isn't a small thing at all. This is why they are running away like there is war in Ghana...Are you going to blame them? Is their fault?", he commented on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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.

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There is a looming danger that poses a death trap for innocent pregnant and nursing mothers who frequently patronize Ghanas premier Kole Bu Teaching Hospital for healthcare attention as its maternity block is now a point of death due to its devastating nature.



Since its commission about five decades ago, the facility has not undergone any major renovation, and officials of the hospital remain grossly adamant and unconcern about the block which is near its feet, creating a grave danger that poses a death trap for both innocent pregnant and nursing mothers who frequently patronise the facility.



Patrons especially pregnant and nursing mothers on several occasions have raised alarm over the fragility and cracks which have boldly been developed all over the building.



According to the patrons, several concerns were raised to authorities of the hospital for the necessary remedies to be administered but all fell on deaf ears where the magnitude of the cracks are such that, pregnant and nursing mothers have to say their last prayers whenever they visit the facility.



The building has reached a point where almost all the mosquito nets have been removed mostly pushing patrons to either bring in their mosquito nets to keep their babies to avoid being bitten by the dozens of mosquitos and dangerous insects and reptiles that have comfortably found the maternity block as their everlasting abode.



The toilets are in a very disdainful and awful state that makes it uncomfortable for mothers to use whenever they visit the block as the toilet seats, plumbing and drainage systems are very horrible to witness. The tiles on most of the floors at the block have been in very bad condition for years without any attention given to the block.



A frustrated and livid staff who gave her name as Kwasimaa Amoah chided the Board and Management of the Kole Bu Teaching Hospital for their gross ineptitude in seeing to the rapid deterioration of the building while they focused on unnecessary activities which do not merit the well-being of their clients.



The staff also took the president and his appointees to cleaners over what she termed as an empty-condemned bunch of incompetent executives who instead of focusing on addressing a major challenge like fixing the maternity block, putting up over $ 300million Bank of Ghana headquarters for their selfish political aggrandizement to the detriment of the masses.



Madam Josephine Yeboah a sixty-two-year-old pensioner who came to visit a relative who was on admission at the block could not hide her displeasure, saying this was her third visit within ten years and still come to meet the same bad condition that the maternity block had a decade ago.



She could not fathom why governments both past and present turn a blind eye to such an important facility which serves as a life-saving point for newborn babies and their mothers but rather spend on irrelevant projects just to satisfy their means as they can afford to cost of medical expenses outside the country.



Most patients who were on admission at the time of filing this report appealed to the government to as a matter of urgency attend to the maternity block by ensuring that the building is renovated to enable avert a near-foreseen disaster.



The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attention was drawn to immediately call authorities of the Kole Bu Teaching Hospital to order relating to the deplorable state of the building to help save innocent lives.



Efforts to reach out to authorities especially the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the hospital to comment on this revelation prove futile with a flimsy excuse by a staff of the PR department that his boss has been engaged and would not be able to attend to reporters on this matter.



More to come soon.

Source: Frank Akwaboah Boateng - Healthcare Delivery Freelance Reporter









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.

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NPP Presidential aspirant and Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyepong says he has apologized to former President John Mahama.



"Yesterday, I was bold to apologize to (Former) President Mahama...the man (Mahama); naturally he's a fine gentleman to me. He may have his shortcomings but I feel so guilty about how our relationship got destroyed...He was on really good terms with me but...I've done a sober reflection and realize that I made a mistake" he said in a one-on-one interview on Neat FM's Me Man Nti programme.



Listen to him in the video below





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.

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Emmanuel Okai Mintah, a former Eastern Regional Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has assumed the role of Chairman for the party's National Youth Working Committee. Joining him in this vital leadership role is Kweku Asiedu Nketiah Jnr, who has been appointed Vice Chairman of the Committee. These appointments were formalized during a succinct inauguration ceremony held at the Sunlodge Hotel in Accra on a Friday.



Hon. Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, the General Secretary of the NDC, had the honor of inaugurating the Committee, emphasizing the importance of upholding the party's principles and constitution. He challenged the committee members to approach their responsibilities with diligence, ensuring that their efforts align seamlessly with those of the Youth Wing and the broader party.



Speaking at the ceremony, Lawyer George Opare Addo, the NDC National Youth Organizer, underscored the pivotal role the working committee will play within the Youth Wing's administration. He stressed that the committee's efforts would work in synergy with the Youth Secretariat to advance the Youth Wing's objectives.



Mr. Okai Mintah, in his acceptance speech, expressed deep gratitude to the National Youth Organizer and the entire party leadership for entrusting them with this important role. He reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to working tirelessly to secure victory for the NDC in the 2024 general elections.



He stated, "This is a significant responsibility, and we are fully dedicated to fulfilling our mandate. On behalf of the entire committee, we pledge our utmost efforts to secure victory for the NDC and HE John Dramani Mahama in the 2024 general elections."



The committee members boast diverse backgrounds across various industries. Chairman Okai Mintah emphasized that each member would bring their unique experiences to bear in fulfilling their mandate.



The NDC National Youth Working Committee will be at the forefront of Youth Wing operations, particularly in campaign efforts leading up to the 2024 general elections. As part of the inauguration ceremony, other ad-hoc committees and directorates within the Youth Wing were also sworn in.



Mr. Okai Mintah's longstanding service to the party, spanning roles as a TEIN Activist, Constituency Executive Member, Deputy Eastern Regional Treasurer, and Eastern Regional Youth Organizer, reflects his commitment to the NDC. He is an accomplished entrepreneur with interests primarily in the mining sector. He holds certifications as a Certified Information Systems Auditor (ISACA) and a Project Management Professional (PMI). His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Laws degree from Brunel University London, Executive Development in Supply Chain Management and Logistics from the University of Ghana Business School, and a BSc in Business Administration from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology.

Source: Peacefmonline









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.

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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:

Whooping crane on Aransas Wildlife Refuge in Texas. Conservation projects around the Refuge offer a particularly good return-on-investment for many species. Funders along whooping cranes migration route could increase their impact by allowing funding to support projects around the Refuge. Credit: S. Hillebrand, USFWS

Governments, nonprofit organizations, and other groups spend roughly $100 billion a year to support conservation. Restrictions on where conservation funds can be spent, however, prevent organizations from focusing on the most promising opportunities to help species. A new study led by researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, suggests a way to improve the situation.

"There are plenty of conservation bargains still available in the United States," said Paul Armsworth, professor in the UT Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and lead author of the study. "Some peak biodiversity spots are in locations where, if left unprotected, the threats facing species are more pressing, but the cost to protect habitat in these areas are lower."

According to the research team, this combination of factors means biodiversity from conservation projects offers a high return on investment, but limitations attached to funding often dictate where funds will be concentrated. Private donors, for example, favor conservation projects near where they live, which may not overlap the best places to protect species. As a consequence, many of the best opportunities to protect species miss out on funding.

"The end-result is like giving food stamps to support a family, but then requiring they spend a portion of those funds in every section of the grocery store. The support is helpful, but if we let conservation organizations focus on where they can do most good, their impact will be so much larger," Armsworth said.

Conservation scientists have pointed out this disconnect before, but tools used by conservation organizations to prioritize where to work fail to include restrictions on conservation dollars. Additionally, many policy-makers and private donors remain unmoved by conservationists' pleas for unrestricted funds.

"Although completely unrestricted funds are the most desirable, they are hard to come by," Armsworth said. "Our approach addresses this reality and shows public and private funders what allowing even a little more flexibility would offer. Perhaps a private donor could be asked to support conservation of a river system or migratory species and allow some funding to flow to projects in neighboring states that are key to its protection."

By drawing on the concept of exchange rates, just like a currency exchange counter at the airport, researchers demonstrate the available gains for biodiversity when funds can be moved from one place to another. The team showed that adding even a little bit of funding flexibility in conservation grants greatly improves outcomes for species under threat.

"This paper underscores the importance of discretionary funding that is flexible and can be applied to the highest priority and impactful projects, regardless of their geography," said Joe Fargione, The Nature Conservancy's Science Director for North America.

The work is published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

More information: Paul R Armsworth et al, Multiplying the impact of conservation funding using spatial exchange rates, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (2023). DOI: 10.1002/fee.2678 Journal information: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
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:

Namira Salim during a press conference in Islamabad in 2006.

Adventurer Namira Salim became the first Pakistani to travel into space on Friday, riding aboard Virgin Galactic's fifth successful flight in five months, the US company announced.

Salim, who previously traveled to both poles and has also parachuted over Mount Everest, was among the first customers to buy a ticket with billionaire Richard Branson's space company after it was founded almost two decades ago.

"I love my title 'first Pakistani astronaut,' it's like being a very special princess of the country. Maybe nicer than being a princess," Salim told AFP back in 2012.

Virgin Galactic said Salim is also a resident of Monaco and the United Arab Emirates.

That makes her the first person from Monaco and the first Emirati woman to travel to space, the company said.

American Ron Rosano and Briton Trevor Beattie were also passengers on Friday's trip, dubbed "Galactic 04."

Beth Moses, a Virgin Galactic employee, and two pilots were also aboard.

Unlike traditional vertical launches into space, Virgin Galactic utilizes a specialized, twin-fuselage aircraft to carry the passenger vessel high in the sky.

The mothership then releases the spaceplane, which in turn engages its thrusters to soar into space at speeds approaching Mach-3.

Passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness, where they are free to perform somersaults and gaze out the window at the curvature of the Earth.

The craft then glided back down, landing just over an hour after takeoff from Spaceport in New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic competes in the "suborbital" space tourism sector with billionaire Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin, which has already sent 31 people into space using a vertical liftoff rocket.

But since an accident in September 2022 during an unmanned flight, Blue Origin's rocket has been grounded. The investigation into the accident was closed at the end of September by the US aviation regulator, which requested the company make changes before its flights can resume.

 2023 AFP
By Politico Staff Writer

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has hosted officials of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) to advance discussions on the Implementation of Audit Recommendations contained in Audit Reports.

The meeting with the two stakeholders was held at ACC Conference Room in Freetown on the 26th September, 2023.

The Deputy Commissioner of ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie in his statement reaffirmed the Commissions commitment to working with the IGR and GACC, stating that the ACC has been taking considerable actions on Audit Reports for the past four years.

He said they have noted recurring issues flagged in previous reports that were published and called for swift and appropriate actions. He further said that at the commencement of the Commissions interventions, there were sections of the public questioning the Locus Standi of the ACC which he said falls within the mandate of the Sierra Leone Parliament.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that in collaboration with Parliament, the ACC has the power to initiate actions on suspected instances or allegations of corruption brought to it by any means. He also spoke about the Commissions signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Audit Service Sierra Leone as a mark of partnership and collaboration so as not to allow the corrupt people get a field day.

He said part of the terms of the MoU is for the Audit Service to direct matters that are clear cut suspected acts of corruption for its attention, intervention and action even before the eventual Report.

Mohamed Ibrahim Justice Ganawah, Senior Economist at IGR, in his statement commended the Commission, saying before this time, Auditors were constrained with accessing important documents from Public Officials as they were mostly not provided. He added that the intervention of the Commission has conditioned some of these public officials to avoid those acts and be serious with their work.

This disregard is the reason why more than 50% of the huge cash losses were not recorded, he said.

He added that a lot of improvement has been made in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). He expressed concern on time and value for money, calling on the ACC to consider it seriously when actions on the misappropriation of public monies are taken.

The Executive Secretary of GACC, Beauty Emefa Narteh, commended the ACC and expressed her pleasure of working with the Commission. She said it is very important for countries to accord audit recommendations, the importance they so deserve thereby maximizing their implementation.

She noted that in most countries especially in West Africa, there is the problem of trivializing audit recommendations which she said informed their intervention with focus on Ghana, Sierra Leone and Benin.

Director of Intelligence and Investigations at ACC, Evelyn Kuyateh explained how the Commission actually rolls out its interventions when Audit Reports are published.

She spoke about the ACCs specialized Elite Scorpion Team at the fore to address issues identified as quick-fix and which during their raids effect arrests over most especially issues that have to do with misappropriation.

ACCs Director of Public Education and External Outreach Department, Patrick Sandi, highlighted the exclusive work of his Department with respect to responding to audit reports. He noted that the ACC usually and promptly informs the public through Press Conferences, Serialized Media Releases and Radio and TV Programmes on its various actions and interventions.

Presentation of Copies of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 as amended in 2019 by the Deputy Commissioner climaxed the event.

Copyright  2023 Politico (02/10/23)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  Drag performer Pura Luka Vega was released from police custody Saturday afternoon after posting bail.

Manila Police District spokesperson PMaj. Philipp Ines told CNN Philippines that Vega was released from the Santa Cruz Police Station at 2 p.m.

Vega, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagante, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with a case filed by a group of Black Nazarene devotees over the artist's controversial performance of "Ama Namin" or the Lord's Prayer.

Based on the earlier police report, the arrest warrant against Vega was issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 36 Manila for violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, with a recommended bail of 72,000.

READ: Drag performer Pura Luka Vega arrested by Manila police

The performance, which took social media by storm last July, depicts the artist in a drag outfit meant to resemble Jesus Christ while performing a rock rendition of "Ama Namin."

Vega apologized to those who were offended by the video, but stood by it and said it was their way to "challenge notions of praise and worship" and to "heal the exclusion I [Vega] have experienced as a Catholic, as a queer person being somewhat being made to feel that I don't really belong."

Because of the performance, several cities and towns around the country have declared Vega persona non grata including Manila, where the performer was detained. The designation means a person is unwelcome in an area, but it is purely symbolic and has no legal power.
By: Mabinty M. Kamara

Issues of online violence continue to exert a tight grip on the participation of women and marginalized communities in public life, including governance. The digital space is witnessing a concerning trend that threatens to roll back the hard-fought progress made by advocates across the globe in advancing women's rights. Sexist content and various forms of online criminality, such as cyberbullying, take centre stage during critical moments like elections.

Cyberbullying, a disturbing manifestation of online violence, involves intimidating and harassing individuals, groups, or institutions through electronic devices like phones and computers. In Africa, where gender dynamics still exhibit dominance and superiority, this malevolent behaviour becomes increasingly prevalent when women dare to rise and assert themselves.

Female politicians often face unique and degrading scrutiny that delves into their personal lives, relationships, and even their sexuality, overshadowing their qualifications and competence as leaders.

The Sad Reality: Gender Bias in Political Scrutiny

In the realm of politics, when male candidates vie for positions of trust or seek election, their competence, strength, and power are put to the test. However, public scrutiny often fails to delve into their personal lives or question how they balance family responsibilities with their public duties for efficient service delivery. Instead, discussions tend to revolve around their wealth, successes, education, and social connections.

Conversely, when a woman steps forward to compete on equal footing with a male counterpart for the same position, her personal life, including relationships, family matters, and even her sexuality, suddenly become a subject of intense public debate and scrutiny. In this glaring double standard, the focus shifts away from her capabilities and competence to fulfil her prescribed mandate.

This gender bias in political scrutiny perpetuates a troubling pattern that hinders women's progress and representation in public office, denying society the benefits of diverse and inclusive governance.

A Universal Crisis: Global Women Face Similar Battles

The unfortunate reality is that gendered attacks on women in politics are not confined to Africa or underdeveloped nations; they constitute a global issue. Even in the United States, heralded as the cradle of modern democracy, women candidates find themselves subjected to an onslaught of online abuse.

The 2016 elections between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton stand as a stark example, with Clinton enduring a torrent of online trashing from opponents and supporters alike.

During the campaign, the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, resorted to using crude displays to undermine his female opponent, aiming to weaken her confidence. Clinton's response revealed her resilience and empathy for young people experiencing similar online bullying.

You are looking at somebody who's had a lot of terrible things said about me," she said.

Adding that "I am old enough that it doesn't particularly bother me but I can't imagine what it's like to be, you know, a young person in today's world where that's coming at you all the time," she said.

This response came after her main challenger had referred to her as "schlonged." His description came after Clintons long delay to return to the stage after a bathroom break during a weekend debate.

It only took a strong and courageous woman to battle with such a man who types every character his fingers touch on the keyboard.

This has deterred many women, especially in Africa from venturing into public life not to talk about politics.

The Case of Sierra Leone: Escalating Cyberbullying During Elections

Sierra Leone witnessed a surge in cyberbullying against female political figures during its recent elections, exacerbated by increased internet penetration and mobile phone access. According to DataReportal-Global Digital Insights, there were 2.67 million internet users in Sierra Leone in January 2022.

"Sierra Leone's internet penetration rate stood at 32.4% of the total population at the start of 2022. Kepois analysis indicated that internet users in Sierra Leone increased by 296 thousand (+12.5 percent) between 2021 and 2022" it reads.

The 50/50 Group, advocating for political equality rights in Sierra Leone, voiced grave concerns over cyberbullying targeting women leaders and election observers.

"Cyberbullying against women in leadership positions not only undermines their contributions but also has broader implications for the overall democratic process. Such harmful behaviour can deter women from participating in politics, limit their representation and deny society the benefit of diverse and inclusive governance," the statement reads in part.

During the elections, the Elected Mayor of Freetown was subjected to constant bullying, with attackers mocking her love for "red lipstick." She also became popularly known as the "woman with the issue of blood" after she had made a social media post about a scene she claimed was overflowing with human blood at her partys office (which turned out to be fake), following an altercation between his party and state security personnel.

Another victim of online intimidation was the head of the National Elections Observation Group, Marcella Samba Sesay, who endured several instances of cyberbullying throughout the election period.

Disturbingly, the impact of cyberbullying extended beyond the digital realm. During one of the town hall meetings held by Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL), it was reported that a female parliamentary aspirant after several online harassments and bullying was also physically attacked after the election results were announced and her party didn't win.

The Way Forward

Sierra Leone enacted a cyber security law in 2021; however, its implementation has faced challenges for law enforcement agencies. Consequently, fake news, hate speech, and cyberbullying have thrived. Urgent attention is required to equip and empower the Cyber Unit to effectively address online violence. Collaborative efforts with social media platforms like Meta and Twitter are crucial to swiftly remove problematic contents.

According to the European Union Elections Observation Mission preliminary report, Meta introduced only basic measures to prevent abuse and speed of harmful content.

"Fact-checking recognized by Facebook did not have a solid presence in Sierra Leone and Meta did not have the so-called trusted partner in Sierra Leone who would have a direct communication line with Facebook," it reads

Conclusion

The prevalence of online violence against women in politics necessitates a united response from governments, social media platforms, and civil society. Sierra Leone, like many other nations, must prioritize the implementation of cyber security laws and ensure effective enforcement to combat cyberbullying.

By empowering women to participate in public life without fear of online violence, will foster diverse and inclusive governance, safeguard democracy, and promote gender equality.

Copyright  2023 Politico (02/10/23)
By Abdulai Fasineh Dumbuya

The US Embassy in Freetown in partnership with Fourah Bay College (FBC) conducted a Media Literacy Training on Countering Disinformation, Misinformation and Fake News, with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the new player.

Addressing the student trainess, the Emerging Voices Specialist at the U.S. Embassy, Abass Kalokoh said that the rise of AI has given birth to new forms of disinformation and misinformation.

According to him, this synthetic media manipulates and modifies data and multimedia by automated means, noting the fear that it could supercharge fake news, spread misinformation and distrust of reality.

Speaking on the types of (AI), he said "Deep Fakes" are synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else's likeness.

"This is a powerful technique to manipulate or generate visual and audio content with a high potential to deceive," he said.

He went on to say that "Speech Synthetic" is another branch of synthetic media that can artificially produce human speech, saying that it incorporates a model of the vocal tract and other human voice characteristics to create a completely "synthetic" voice.

He said that there is a growing number of people, especially the youths, who are confusing the three variants under discourse: Disinformation, Misinformation and Fake News. He said while information is a human right issue across the world, the youth should be oriented on both the good, the bad and the ugly sides of it.

Explaining the three variants, he said disinformation is a false information intended to deliberately mislead the public by intentionally misstating the facts, whereas misinformation on the other hand is a false and inaccurate information by getting the facts wrong.

Kalokoh went on to say that fake news is the mother of disinformation and misinformation which, according to him, is purposefully crafted, sensational, emotionally charged, misleading or totally fabricated information that mimics the form of mainstream news.

Underscoring the impact of fake news, he said many bloggers and journalists alike are making a good sum of money from the public and describes the act as "encyclopedia of fake news", which has the tendency to affect the social, economic or political values of the society, as it appears to be a packaged and distributed as legitimate news.

"This is how even our newspaper editors are using their papers to launder the image of their media outlets to the government and, as such, they will end up misinforming the public, which is totally against the cardinal principles of journalism profession," Kalokoh said.

He noted that disinformation is an attribute of the government the world over as they use it to craft information in a way that when they release it in the public space, the public will take it as false but also as a reality. And he added that misinformation is usually ascribed to citizens such as bloggers, who use their platforms to attract more followers at the expense or detriment of the people.

"Because people may have affected interest in a particular issue  sometimes for social, economic or political gains  they will definitely ignore all the available tools to test the veracity of the information before sharing it in public domain. This is why misinformation has been part of our lives and is gravely impacting our lives too," Kalokoh continued.

He encouraged students to be better versions in terms of dealing with disinformation and misinformation- related issues by ensuring that whenever they come across information that's confusing , they should stop and think because, by so doing, he said they will spot information that is reliable or misleading.

Speaking to Politico, one of the students, Osman Kargbo, said that the occasion has been a vital learning and training curve . He said that in order to counter disinformation and misinformation people should self-censor themselves to curb disinformation, misinformation and fake news in the country.

Meanwhile, the occasion marked the first batch of the Media Training Session comprising 50 students from all faculties at FBC. The programme is targeting 300 students on Media Literacy to run at intervals, up to November.

The first event commenced at the FBC Library, on the 29th September, 2023.

Copyright  2023 Politico (02/10/23)
A new research vessel is among the projects that more than $2 million in environmental grants will fund at the Lake Champlain Research Institute at SUNY Plattsburgh. The projects the grants support include Lake Champlain microplastics research, stoneflies assessment, assessment of private roads on aquatic habitats, examining the role of climate change and storms on the lake temperature and structure of the ecosystem, long-term monitoring of the lake, and outreach and education of the local community.

The universitys current research vessel dates back to 30 years ago, said Dr. Tim Mihuc, director of the Lake Champlain Research Institute, in a press release.

A portion of this years funding builds on multi-year projects like a data buoy that the institute has used for several years near Valcour Island to monitor how the conditions in Lake Champlain change over time, according to the Research Institutes press release.

Funding also pays for graduate and undergraduate research assistants and Lake Champlain extension specialists. The Research Institutes close relationship with SUNY Plattsburgh allows for students to have access to undergraduate and graduate research opportunities.

We want to incorporate students in all the work we do. Thats a guiding principle of the institute, Mihuc said. They get real work experience.
ATLANTIC CITY  A three-alarm fire broke out at a vacant property Saturday morning, fire Chief Scott Evans said.

At 7:36 a.m., firefighters responded to reports of a fire in the 100 block of South California Avenue, Evans said. They found heavy smoke and fire coming from the second and third floors of the building.

"We had every firetruck in the city there," Evans said. "We had six engines, two ladders, a rescue company, five chief officers and an air unit. We also had mutual aid from neighboring fire companies in Ventnor, Pleasantville and Absecon to cover the fire stations."

Evans said the building was a large house that had been transformed into rooming houses and then became a vacant, boarded-up building.

The property was not city owned. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority recently sold properties on the block to owners who had intended to tranform them into Airbnbs, Evans said.

"Since the building was boarded up, it delayed firefighters getting access inside the building and to fire on arrival," added Evans, noting firefighters had to break out heavy cutting tools, such as saws, to remove plywood from the windows and door. "The delay in getting access allowed the fire to grow and expand, making it extremely difficult for firefighters to get inside."

Evans said the first engine companies that arrived stretched hose lines to protect fire from spreading to other buildings.

The fire was under control by 9:30 a.m. Companies cleared the scene around 1 p.m.

The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation, Evans said.

"We know the place is frequented by homeless," said Evans. "There were reports of homeless leaving the place right before the fire, but nobody was in the building when the fire happened."
CAPE MAY  American history buffs have long used the question of whether you preferred Alexander Hamilton or Thomas Jefferson as a conversation starter and as shorthand for differing views of American history.

Think Beatles or Stones? or Marvel or DC?, but for historians.

Robert Watson always knew where he landed.

Ive been a Hamilton man my entire career, said Watson, a distinguished professor of American history at Lynn University in Florida and a presidential historian.

For decades, many young people automatically went for Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, polyglot and polymath, whos right up there in the Big Four on Mount Rushmore.

But then, Jefferson has not been the subject of a hit Broadway musical, at least not yet.

Now, when Watson speaks to high school students, many are already familiar with the founding father because of Lin-Manuel Mirandas acclaimed hip-hop-informed musical about his life, which used non-white actors to tell the story of the American Revolution.

Its great to see the renewed interest in American history, Watson said this past week.

Ocean City honors Dr. King, calls for unity OCEAN CITY  Speakers at Ocean Citys observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day called for a 

He gave the musical good grades for accuracy, and said he did not take issue with the few liberties taken under dramatic license. The musical is based on the 2004 biography by Ron Chernow, which Watson described as excellent.

Watson is set to discuss the nations first secretary of the treasury at 5 p.m. Sunday at Convention Hall, in Hamilton, the Man, the Myth, the Musical, presented by Cape May MAC. Tickets are available for $40. Teachers and students will be admitted free with valid school identification.

The lecture is part of the annual Lessons of History: Distinguished Lecture Series.

Watson has written more than 40 books and won the silver medal in history for his recent book, George Washingtons Final Battle. He also wrote Affairs of State and has analyzed Hamiltons misdeeds in the 2021 foreword to Alexander Hamilton: Adultery and Apology, originally published in 1796, in which Hamilton attempts to explain and rationalize his marital affairs.

Watson plans to examine Hamiltons life, covering both the historic truth and the Broadway interpretation.

He will explore the lasting impact Hamilton had on the state of New Jersey, including the founding of the U.S. Coast Guard and his duel with Aaron Burr in Weehawken, Hudson County.

Thanks to the hit Broadway show, Hamiltons legacy has been rediscovered. This talk will go behind the musical and popular narrative to reveal several compelling and complicated facets of his remarkable life, Watson said. Hamilton was, without question, one of the most important of all the founders in shaping the new nation, but he was also perhaps the most interesting, controversial, intelligent  and least likely of the impressive group that forged the republic.

While Hamilton centers on the conflict between Hamilton and Burr, up to the duel that ended his life, the second act of Mirandas musical delves into his rivalry with Jefferson, a rivalry some historians say helped shape Americas political structure.

Heres what Cory Booker has to say about American politics, Chris Christie and Tim Scott Americans feel more divided than usual and somber about the state of the country, but Sen. Cory Booker is preaching the virtues of unity and kindness in ballrooms, potato fields and firehouses across the state.

There are reasons so many backed Jefferson for so long, Watson said. Hamilton had an ingrained distrust of the people, and the founder of Americas first national bank seems unlikely to get the kind of street cred afforded to the author of the Declaration of Independence.

Even Watson described the document as one of the greatest in human history.

But he pointed out that for a very long time, few Americans were aware of how far Jefferson fell from his self-evident truths that all men are created equal, with the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Jefferson held slaves, hundreds over the course of his life, and the current historical consensus is that he fathered the children of Sally Hemings, who was both his slave and the half-sister of his wife.

Jefferson grew up in privilege, born on third base, as Watson put it, and did not see combat in the Revolution, while Hamilton was born poor and illegitimate and distinguished himself both in his own efforts and in uniform in George Washingtons army.

He was in the trenches. He walked the walk, Watson said. He was also an early supporter of the abolitionist cause and for the inclusion of Jews in American life at a time when that was a progressive idea. He was also progressive on the status of women, Watson said.

At his talk, Watson plans to discuss some of the actual events that inspired songs in the musical, including the Battle of Yorktown and the meeting between Jefferson and Hamilton described in The Room Where it Happens.

Watson described Hamiltons life as Shakespearian.

Its a whopper of a story, he said, adding he suspects a lot of the people who attend his talk will leave on Hamiltons side.

Cape's parkway rest stop is named for a beloved novelist. But there is no sign of it on site. While the name of celebrated novelist Toni Morrison appears on maps and plans, it does not appear on the building or the exit signs at what remains the Ocean View rest stop, the last or first rest stop on the parkway, depending on which way you're heading.

For more information, visit capemaymac.org or call 609-884-5404.
Hard Rock walks against suicide: More than 750 walkers took to the Atlantic City Boardwalk last month to raise more than $270,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Preventions Out of the Darkness Community Walk.

Team members from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City led the walk and broke records for the number of walkers and the amount of money raised. The record-setting amount included a $50,000 contribution at the Machine Gun Kelly concert Sept. 9 at Hard Rock Atlantic City. Hard Rock Hotels are planning an additional $25,000 contribution to the American Society for Suicide Prevention as part of Hard Rocks sponsorship of the Audacy We Can Survive concert, set for Oct. 14 in Newark.

Im so proud of the many Hard Rock Atlantic City team members, along with our impressive community partners, who rallied behind this very important cause this year to make a statement and raise awareness for mental health and wellness. Together, we raised the highest amount of donations in the state, which will make a tremendous impact to help educate people and reduce the stigma associated with mental health and suicide, said Hard Rock General Manager Michael Sampson. World Suicide Prevention Day was marked on the same weekend as our walk, amplifying our message that suicide is preventable.

Emergency preparedness seminar: The Ocean City Environmental Commission will sponsor a free presentation on emergency preparedness at 7 p.m. Oct. 17 in the Chris Maloney Lecture Hall at the Ocean City Free Public Library, 1735 Simpson Ave. City Emergency Management Director Frank Donato will discuss how to stay safe and informed during hurricanes, winter and summer storms, and other emergencies.

High holiday food drive: Members of Beth El Synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, Shirat Hayam and Temple Beth Shalom hosted high holiday collections to support Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties. The agency received more than 200 bags of food that will stock the pantrys shelves to assist people in the community.

The participating synagogues and community members donated many of JFS top necessities, including peanut butter, jelly, soups, canned tuna, cereal, sauce, rice, pasta, vegetables and snacks.

With the generosity of congregation members and community residents, our food pantry can continue to serve thousands of people each year, said Andrea Steinberg, JFS CEO.

With Thanksgiving approaching, JFS is experiencing an increase in requests for meals. JFS continues to collect monetary donations as well as bags of essential holiday food items to provide to local families. A $45 donation to JFS allows the agency to purchase a turkey and trimmings for a familys holiday dinner. Bags also can be donated with non-perishable items including macaroni and cheese, yams, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, string beans and corn.

Turkey Drive donations can be mailed to JFS, 607 N. Jerome Ave., Margate, NJ 08402 or made online at jfsatlantic.org. Non-perishable food donations can be delivered to JFS. For more information about the JFS Food Pantry, email Vanessa Smith at vsmith@jfsatlantic.org.

AC library promotion: The Atlantic City Free Public Librarys Board of Trustees has named staff member Melissa McGeary the librarys new assistant director.

McGeary began her career at the library in 2017 as a part-time library associate. She became the adult service librarian in 2018 and was promoted to senior librarian, head of adult services in 2019. Her responsibilities have included supervising the Circulation Department and Richmond Branch Library, planning adult programs and developing the adult collection of materials.

I hope to continue removing barriers to access and ensuring that the library is accessible and welcoming to all members of the community, McGeary said. A big part of that means reexamining some of the librarys policies and procedures to see where we need to improve to be more equitable and inclusive.

McGeary earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree from Rutgers University in 2018. She also holds an Associate of Arts in humanities from Atlantic Cape Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in history from Stockton University.

Womens Hall of Fame: The Cumberland County Womens Hall of Fame is seeking nominations of accomplished women to be honored at its 13th annual induction ceremony next year. The deadline to nominate is Oct. 15.

Anyone can nominate outstanding women who have made significant contributions to a profession, the community and/or womens causes. Women selected for the hall must be or have been an innovator and a role model. She also must be a native of Cumberland County, be employed in the county or have made her contributions there.

To access the nomination form, visit ccwhof.org or contact Kim Litchendorf at 856-305-4213 or klitchendorf@cumberlanddairy.com. Typed hard copies of the nomination form should be sent to: Kimberly Litchendorf, 110 Laurel Heights Drive, Bridgeton, NJ 08302.

Winners will be notified in November. The induction ceremony will be held March 20, 2024, at Merighis Savoy Inn in Vineland.
EGG HARBOR CITY  The Atlantic County Firefighters Association parade has been hosted in Egg Harbor City since the association was founded in the city.

The tradition continued Saturday.

We are thrilled to celebrate that we truly have been a relevant, effective Association for all of those 100 years, said Howard Berchtold, the association chairman, who also noted how exciting and rewarding it was to reflect on the moment. Clearly the fire service in Atlantic County is strong. The association has been a major contributor. Many of us represent generations of firefighting and membership in the Association.

Since the firefighters associations 1923 inception, the nonprofit organization has provided a variety of services for its 43 fire department and company members, which includes fire organizations from all of the countys career and voluntary municipal departments. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Atlantic City International Airport, the South Jersey Transportation Authority Fire Department and the Air National Guards fire department are also members.

The association has acted as an open forum to exchange different techniques and ideas; coordinated county-wide communications and mutual aid; trained all levels of both career and voluntary fire members; and hosted community events.

Some of those events include fire safety or prevention demos, the annual 4-H County Fair, memorial services for firefighters who have died, valor award ceremonies and years of service ceremonies for members completing 50 years of service.

The association hosted parades for its 25th, 50th and 75th anniversaries, so it only made sense to host another one for the 100th, Berchtold said.

And everyone loves a parade, he added, noting the departments were proud to show off the various fire apparatus to other fire members, the general public, and most important, the future firefighters lining the street.

Many of us represent generations of firefighting and membership in the Association, Berchtold said.

That was important for John Krumaker, a firefighter for the Sweetwater Fire Company who attended Saturdays celebration with his wife, Samantha, and three kids.

My son Ryder is only 4, and he wants to be a firefighter, said Krumaker. I want to start that lineage for my family. A lot of grandfathers, fathers and sons in Sweetwaters fire department have done it for a while and pass that tradition on.

At noon, about 100 different firetrucks, boats and other fire apparatus from about 45 different departments affiliated with the association made their way from Bremen Avenue south to Route 30, then west to Philadelphia Avenue, and circled back to the lake.

Families living along the parade route could be seen hunkered down in lawn chairs, sipping on beverages while kids ran around the front yards laughing, patiently waiting to hear a faraway fire siren, or see emergency lights flickering in the distance, as it signaled to them that the parade was about to pass by.

Vern Cruse, chief of the Scullville fire department, said the parade brings awareness to the fire departments, shows the general public the vastness of the fire community and lets people understand the variety of different fire services members do.

Tamra Brown also noted it was a positive way to see all the departments get together and celebrate an important milestone.

They see so much, too much, so this is a fun way for them to get together, said Brown, whose husband is a first responder and has served in the U.S. Coast Guard for more than 26 years. Life is too short and everyone should take a minute to acknowledge them. We dont see the sacrifices they do to help the community, so its nice for everyone to come together and truly appreciate them.

PHOTOS Atlantic County Firefighters Association's 100th anniversary parade
Drone attack on Syrian military academy kills over 80

Xinhua) 10:39, October 07, 2023

Syrian army members attend a funeral for people killed in a drone attack in Homs, central Syria, Oct. 6, 2023. A drone attack on the Military Academy in Syria's central province of Homs on Thursday has claimed the lives of 80 people and left 240 others injured, said the Syrian Health Ministry. (Str/Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- A drone attack on the Military Academy in Syria's central province of Homs on Thursday has claimed the lives of 80 people and left 240 others injured, said the Syrian Health Ministry.

Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabbash announced later Thursday that the casualty count is still provisional, with six children and six women wounded seriously.

The incident happened after a graduation ceremony for Syrian military officers at the Military Academy in Homs.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights disclosed a higher death toll of over 112, including 14 civilians.

The UK-based watchdog group noted the presence of Syria's defense minister at the ceremony, who departed before the attack.

The Syrian military refrained from explicitly naming the culprits, but characterized them as "terrorist groups backed by known international parties," and vowed to deliver a resolute response.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement following the attack, calling on the UN and the UN Security Council to denounce the assault vehemently.

The ministry pinned responsibility on the United States, branding the attack as "part of the brutal attacks perpetrated by the U.S. occupation-backed terrorist groups to destabilize the situation in Syria."

The Syrian government declared a 3-day official mourning period beginning on Friday, during which flags in Syria and at all Syrian embassies and diplomatic missions overseas will be lowered to half-mast.

Oman, India, and Iran expressed their condolences to the Syrian government, according to the state news agency SANA.

This incident is part of a rising trend of drone attacks in Syria in recent months, with rebel factions employing drones to target government installations and infrastructure.

Conversely, the Syrian government and its allies have also harnessed drone technology for offensive operations against rebel strongholds.

The Syrian civil war, which erupted in 2011, has inflicted substantial casualties and left the nation fractured, as government forces remain embroiled in conflict with a variety of rebel groups.

People mourn for relatives killed in a drone attack during a funeral in Homs, central Syria, Oct. 6, 2023. A drone attack on the Military Academy in Syria's central province of Homs on Thursday has claimed the lives of 80 people and left 240 others injured, said the Syrian Health Ministry. (Str/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  The Liberal Party on Saturday said it will keep Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo as a member despite some clamor to sanction [her] following her defense of confidential funds, particularly of Vice President Sara Dutertes offices.

The party said its management committee unanimously reached the decision, together with some district representatives.

Rep. Stella Quimbo is still a member of the Liberal Party, read the statement, which Rep. Edcel Lagman, president of the party, released to the media.

It said that while Quimbos views on the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education  as well as her position on the Maharlika Investment Fund  run contrary to the collective position of the party leadership and ranking officials, it recognizes its members right to express differing views.

The enduring tradition of the Liberal Party is to allow its members to take independent views on national issues in recognition of a members freedom of expression and dissent, the party said.

It also noted that Quimbo later acknowledged the need for more transparency on the use and audit of secret funds, and better accountability on the part of officials.

After drawing flak for backing the vice president, Quimbo called for the creation of a House Special Oversight Committee for confidential and intelligence funds to promote transparency in the budget.
Israel faced an onslaught of over 5,000 rockets that pierced the sky, triggering sirens across the country

Israel has declared a 'state of war' in response to a devastating rocket attack launched from the blockaded Gaza Strip. Hamas militants claimed responsibility for what they termed their "first strike."

On the morning of a festive holiday, Israel faced an onslaught of over 5,000 rockets that pierced the sky, triggering sirens across the country. The situation remains tense as both sides grapple with escalating hostilities.

According to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue agency, two people have also sustained injuries, of which one is in critical condition.
A Scott County jury on Friday found a Clinton man guilty on 14 of 16 charges alleging he sexually abused, prostituted, extorted and provided illicit drugs to underage girls in Bettendorf and Davenport.

Daniel Craig Jones, 46, whose trial began Monday, could face serving the rest of his life in prison depending on how the Scott County judge presiding over the case constructs Jones sentences on each of the charges, and whether the sentences on each conviction run concurrently, meaning at the same time, or consecutively, meaning back-to-back.

Jones was found guilty of two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, and four counts of distributing drugs to a minor. Each of those charges is a Class B felony under Iowa law that carry a prison sentence of 25 years.

He also was found guilty of three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of lascivious acts with a minor-fondle or touch. Each of those charges is a Class C felony that carry a prison sentence of 10 years.

Jones also was found guilty of two counts of prostitution, and one count of lascivious acts with a child-solicitation, each of which is a Class D felony that carry a prison sentence of five years, and one count of indecent contact with a child, an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of two years.

Jones is being held in the Scott County Jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 29.

According to the arrest affidavits filed by Bettendorf Police Detective Brian Hanssen, Jones sexually abused a 13-year-old girl three times between June 1, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2022. Jones was on parole from the Iowa Department of Corrections at the time the abuse began.

The abuse took place at a home in Davenport, another time at a residence in Bettendorf and a third time in the parking lot of a Bettendorf restaurant.

Jones also delivered marijuana to a 16-year-old girl in exchange for nude photos of her. He also delivered marijuana to a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl, police said.

On two occasions between Nov. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022, Jones solicited nude photos from two girls by threatening them, according to the affidavits. In each instance, he met the girls individually at Veterans Memorial Park in Bettendorf. He then displayed a black handgun and threatened the girl and her family if she did not comply, records state.

Between Dec. 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, on three occasions, he is accused of exchanging sexual favors from a 16-year-old girl for money and drugs. He even offered money for rent, an iWatch, an iPhone and hair extensions in exchange for sexual services, according to the affidavits.

Jones also attempted to coerce a 16-year-old girl to be a prostitute. According to arrest affidavits, he showed the victim an HBO documentary on Nevada's Moonlite BunnyRanch as well as a photo of a worker he purported was making $1,000 a visit as an example of how much money the victim could make as a prostitute.

According to the arrest affidavits, during a text conversation on April 4, 2023, the two talked about the number of people she would have to sleep with to make the kind of money she wanted. He told her she was active enough and could make big money.

Jones criminal history includes convictions for theft by passing bad checks in both Iowa and Illinois, and a federal conviction for trafficking in cocaine and marijuana.

On March 26, 2018, during a hearing in Dubuque County District Court, Jones was sentenced to five years in the Iowa Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to a charge of second-degree theft for passing a bad check at Theisens Home, Farm & Auto.

On April 6, 2018, during a hearing in Scott County District Court, Jones also was sentenced to five years in the Iowa Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to a charge of second-degree theft for passing a bad check at Menards.

According to electronic records of the Iowa Department of Corrections, Jones was released from prison and placed on parole on Oct. 24, 2018. He was released from parole on Oct. 12, 2022.

On May 12, 2016, during a hearing in Rock Island County Circuit Court, he was sentenced to 18 months on conditional discharge after pleading guilty to passing a bad check.

On Dec. 8, 2004, during a hearing in U.S. District Court, Rock Island, Jones was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. He also was ordered to serve five years in supervised release.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Jones was released from federal prison on April 24, 2009.
OCTOBER 8

Quad Cities Interfaith (QCI) is proud to announce its 1st Inaugural Fundraising Banquet "Unmasking Injustice: Whats Behind the Mask?" Set to be held at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8 at the Rhythm City Casino. Guests are welcome to partake in a cocktail hour commencing at 5:30 PM, with the main program set to begin at 6:30 p.m.

QCI has a long track record of being at the frontlines of fighting injustice. Some of QCIs current and most ambitious projects include working around the creation of a Scott County Community ID and building a strong Quad Cities Tenant Alliance. A call to action will be made at the banquet to ensure everyone has access to basic identifications and safe, stable, and affordable housing.

The banquet will feature Photographer and Multimedia Artist, Miriam Alarcon Avila. Her acclaimed work "Luchadores Immigrants" has seen exhibition spaces from the Des Moines Art Center to the German American Heritage Center and Museum.

Additionally, in alignment with QCI's vision, this years awardees of the QCI Community Leadership and Justice Award are Isaac Carr, Citizenship Coordinator at Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees and Brian Foy, founder of the Edwards UCC Tutoring Program. This year QCI will honor Leslie Kilgannon, Executive Director of the Quad Cities Housing Council and former Quad Cities Interfaith Executive Director with the 2023 Marvin Mottet Leadership Award.

Join QCI in this monumental evening, celebrating achievements, forging connections, and highlighting the heroes among us. Your presence will be a testament to the continued commitment towards building a more inclusive and just society.

Quad Cities Interfaith is a coalition of congregations and community groups that have come together to build local leadership and address issues in the Quad-City region of Illinois and Iowa. The group works to improve the quality of life in the region by developing leaders in congregations and other institutions, so as to introduce values into public dialogue and speak with a strong, unified voice in decisions that affect Quad-Citians.

OCTOBER 15

The 20th Annual, Quad Cities "Night to Honor Israel" will be held at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.), Sunday, Oct. 15, at (host site) River City Church, 2305 7th Ave., Moline.

A night of singing, dancing, prayer and giving, where Christians and Jews join together to support of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

Keynote speaker, direct from Jerusalem, is Danielle Mor, Vice President of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Danielle is responsible for building bridges of friendship and meaningful partnerships between Christian friends of Israel and the Jewish Agency. Born in Connecticut, her family immigrated to Israel when she was a child. Danielle was a commander in the Israeli Air Force and has degrees from Hebrew University and the University of Haifa.

This year's free will offering will go directly to assist Jewish families fleeing antisemitic hate in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Belarus and immigrating to Israel.

The music and dancing this year will feature the Scott Schaefer Band, the Temple Elim Dancers and Flagbearers, and Ballet Quad Cities.

All funds raised for 2023 will go to assist Jewish families fleeing antisemitic hate in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Belarus and immigrating to Israel. Donations may be sent at any time to Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, P.O. Box 2, Moline, IL 61266. Please make checks payable to JFQC or Online at http://www.qcnthi.com/

You can join live on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/QCNTHI

For more information, go to www.qcnthi.com or call 309-793-1300.
JOHNSTON  Falling enrollment numbers are a top concern for Iowas private university administrators as they look to attract students and make the cost of attendance more accessible.

Graceland University President Patricia Draves and Simpson College President Jay Byers said during a taping of this week's episode of "Iowa Press" on Iowa PBS that both schools are making efforts to lower tuition and attract students to their schools even as many Iowa students are opting to skip a four-year postgraduate education altogether.

Iowa Wesleyan University, a 181-year-old private college in Mount Pleasant, closed its doors this year after months of financial struggles including rising costs, slowing enrollment and a drop in donations.

Byers said the biggest problem facing private Iowa universities is the number of college-age students who choose not to seek a four-year degree, which is higher than surrounding states.

Thats the biggest challenge that were all sort of facing in terms of that percentage of students who dont think they need to go to college anymore, Byers said. And how can we show them and their families that that value is still really, really important.

Enrollment at both public and nonprofit private universities has been falling since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to national data. Iowas public universities reported small increases in enrollment this year after several years of falling student numbers.

Enrollment numbers at both Simpson, based in Indianola, and Graceland, which has a campus in Lamoni, are bucking national trends and are higher this year than they have been in the last few years, Byers and Draves said.

Draves said that enrollment increase is a response to the school prioritizing programs like business and digital content creation. The college also added a transformational leadership program last year that each student is required to take in addition to their major.

They know they need the career readiness skills in order to move into the workforce, and that major is allowing them to do that, she said.

Tuition changes attract students

Both universities have made changes to their tuition plans in an effort to attract new students and make the prospect of private higher education more attainable for incoming students.

Last month, Graceland announced it would cut its base tuition from $32,500 to $19,950 and simplify its financial aid process in an effort to encourage prospective students to consider the school.

The new tuition is closer to the actual price students were paying after financial aid packages, according to the schools website. Draves said the change was, in part, to make the schools education seem more accessible to students.

We found that 70% of students werent even looking at us based on that sticker price, Draves said. And then a big part of it is also just simplifying the process, so we committed to simplifying the financial aid process.

Since Byers took over as president earlier this year, Simpson College announced it would cover full tuition for a students first year if the student lives in Iowa and their familys income is less than $100,000. It also provides a full-tuition scholarship to at least one student from each of Iowas 99 counties.

Affordability and accessibility is really important for us. About a third of our students are first generation college students and about 40% are Pell eligible, Byers said. So were very much a college of social mobility.

Online college enrollment is on the rise: What brings students to virtual campuses? Remote learning was already on the rise before COVID-19 New career opportunities are on most online students' minds
The state alleviated some of Grand Gateway Hotel owner Connie Uhre's legal troubles on Sept. 27 when they dismissed a bond violation case against her.

But Uhre is still scheduled to go to trial next week for an alleged May 2022 cleaning spray assault on protesters, and federal lawsuits against her family and the hotel's parent company continue in the wake of Uhres March 2022 comments about Native Americans.

Deputy Pennington County State's Attorney Rachel Lindsay listed the reason for the dismissal of the misdemeanor bond violation as "best interests of justice."

Back in May 2022, Uhre was arrested and charged with three counts of simple assault after she allegedly sprayed protesters near her hotel with Pledge cleaning spray. After her arrest, the court ordered her to have no contact with any of the three alleged victims.

On June 6, the 76-year-old Uhre was accused of violating the no contact order for Sunny Red Bear, an action organizer at NDN Collective who was allegedly sprayed by Uhre.

NDN Collective, a Native American non-profit based in Rapid City, organized the May 2022 demonstration in response to Uhre's social media comments in March 2022, in which she stated that Native Americans would no longer be allowed on the hotel premises or in the adjacent Cheers Lounge.

The comments came in the wake of a shooting at the hotel that left a young Native American man fatally wounded. The police arrested a Native American suspect, who was ultimately charged with murder after the victim died two weeks later.

At the time of the alleged bond violation, Red Bear told the Journal that Uhre was in the same restaurant as her, and did not leave despite seeing her.

Uhre was arrested, booked into the Pennington County Jail and released the next day on her own recognizance after her initial appearance in court. The court held one other hearing in early July and set trial dates for late October, which have now been cancelled.

Uhre's simple assault trial is scheduled for Oct. 11, 12 and 13 at the Pennington County Courthouse.

An attempt to have her case heard in a different county because of publicity failed when Magistrate Judge Scott Bogue denied the request for a change of venue.

If convicted, she could face up to one year in the county jail and up to a $2,000 fine for each count.

In addition to Uhres comments prompting condemnation from local law enforcement and political leaders, civil lawsuits followed shortly after.

NDN Collective filed a federal lawsuit against the hotel, its parent company Retsel Corporation, Uhre and her son Nicholas Uhre.

In October 2022, the Department of Justice filed a civil rights violation lawsuit against Retsel Corporation, Uhre and Nicholas Uhre.

One of Uhre's other sons, Judson Uhre, filed a lawsuit in June 2022 against his mother and two brothers  Nicholas Uhre and Chad Uhre  claiming they did not act in the best interest of the business.

Judson Uhre filed a notice of intent to dismiss the case on Sept. 20. He was quoted in The Daily Beast in June announcing his intent to drop the case.

Both federal lawsuits are pending.
Retired Health Service Commander Anthony Kathol of Martin declared his candidacy to run in the South Dakota District 27 state senate Republican primary race. In a press release this week, Kathol described his background and desire for pursuing the job.

Kathol was born and raised in South Dakota and grew up on a 320-acre family farm north of Yankton. He is one of 10 children of Mary Ann and the late Mark Kathol. His parents were organic farmers and sharecroppers who raised corn, oats, alfalfa, hay, wheat and potatoes. In addition, the family milked cows, raised feeder pigs, cattle and poultry.

Kathol graduated from Yankton High School in 1987. He completed his bachelors degree in Civil Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1991. As he embarked on his engineering career, Kathol was initially an Ensign in the Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program and upon college graduation was promoted to Lieutenant JG in the United States Public Health Service. He was deployed to multiple field office locations of the Indian Health Service constructing sanitation facilities on Indian Reservations located in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Arizona, California, Utah, Idaho and Washington.

Kathol spent the last eight years of his engineering career working on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation serving many Oglala (Lakota) people within Bennett, Jackson and Oglala Lakota counties with an average annual construction budget in excess of $1.25 million. Under his leadership, the IHS Martin Field Office provided individual water and sewer facilities to 578 homes serving an estimated population of 3,180 people within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation from Fiscal Year 2005 to 2012. In addition to providing individual sanitation services, Kathols greatest accomplishment was to complete the engineering design, supervise the construction, and completion of the operation and maintenance manual of the Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond and Wetlands community sewer system located southwest of Pine Ridge.

Kathol is actively involved in his community serving as a commissioned lay minister, catechist, certified cantor and president of the finance council at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Kathol is also engaged in the mens fraternity group at his local parish.

Kathol said he is running because he is concerned about the direction that South Dakota is heading. With the influx of new people moving in from out of state, property values are skyrocketing and forcing veterans, seniors, widows and those who live on fixed incomes to choose between paying for food, utilities, prescription drugs or their property taxes.

Kathol is a conservative and supporter of small businesses, including family-owned farms and ranches. Kathol said he is a person with passion and has a deep commitment to public service and desires to serve as the state senator for all voters across the district under a District 27 First platform.

Kathol urges anyone who is not registered as a Republican to register before the May 20, 2024 deadline to vote in the upcoming Republican Primary Election.
The Daly Mansion made an exciting discovery about James Hamilton, the towns namesake.

Each month the Daly Mansion has a fun fact on their Facebook page called Did you know?

Operations Assistant Elena Lopez was working on one about James Hamilton when she hit a road block. The historical centers she contacted had only the basic information on him  that he worked for Marcus Daly and platted the town.

The Ravalli County Museum, the Daly Mansion archives, the University of Montana and the Butte archives  all had that information but no more.

Lopez considered selecting a different topic but out of curiosity decided to persevere. The search was difficult especially since shortly after Marcus Daly died, his personal records were burned, by his prearranged order.

Lopez said her first glimmer of success was that she discovered a historical pageant written as a graduate student thesis in 1959. The title is Hamilton, a legacy for the Bitterroot Valley. [An historical pageant-drama of Hamilton, Mont.]. Donald William Butler wrote it to earn a Master of Arts Degree at Montana State University.

It gave this beautiful, colorful history of the founding of Hamilton, Lopez said. In the pageant there is a discussion between Mr. Daly, his vet, and a horse trainer and they are talking about Jim Hamilton.

She also searched for a photo of James Hamilton because the town she grew up in had the portrait of the founding father in a city park.

There was not a picture of him [James Hamilton] anywhere, Lopez said. I called the museum and said, We have a beautiful town and we dont know who it is named after? My initial guess, when I first moved here, was that it was named after Alexander Hamilton.

She signed up for newspapers.com and entered the information she had  the results were a slim thread of hope.

The article talked about Jim and his wife, Rose, buying land here, Lopez said. Rose Hamilton was Rose E. Toole  the sister of John and William Toole.

She said James Hamilton was the brother-in-law to William Toole and former Montana legislator John R. Toole, grandfather of K. Ross Toole, historian of the American West and Montana.

I had that information and then had the wifes name to go off of, Lopez said.

From Roses name she found James Hamiltons obituary and their daughters name.

When I read the obituary I screamed because it said he was from Anaconda and Hamilton, the latter named after him, Lopez said. I now had all the names of his kids, and his siblings so I went on ancestory.com and found the gravestone. I clicked a button and his picture popped up. I was so excited.

The photo of James Hamilton was taken in 1876 when he and the Toole brothers arrived in Salt Lake City. The photo was saved by Nora Marie Toole Clifton, John R Toole's daughter, who also saved letters and family items creating a family archive.

Lopez said that Hamilton arrived in Montana from Wisconsin via Salt Lake City, Utah, Idaho and Anaconda, Montana, where he met Marcus Daly.

Sometimes history is a mystery, she said. It is nice to have a face. Mr. Daly didnt want [the town] named after him and in that [graduate thesis] pageant the conversation has someone asking Mr. Daly if it would be named after him  Are you going to call it Dalyville? And he answered, No, I want it named after Jim here. So, I wanted to know who Jim was.

Lopez said Hamilton plotted the land, ran the towns first store for two years and fell in love with it.

Just like Mr. Daly fell in love with the land when he came to get wood for the Anaconda mine, Lopez said. Hamilton and Toole worked at the smelter in Anaconda. So, Hamilton was Dalys front man and purchased the land for Daly and gave it to Daly. There were mixed emotions and people would have skyrocketed the price if they knew it was for Marcus Daly.

Lopez said she is excited to finally have the story of James Hamilton and is continuing her monthly Did You Know? Facebook posts. One of the mansion posts includes information about Mark Twain.

There is an affiliation between Mark Twain and Marcus Daly, Lopez said. They ran in the same circles and might have hung out. They certainly had mutual friends and knew of each other. Ive also got one about William Randolph Hearst. George Hearst is William Randolph Hearsts dad and was Mr. Dalys [financial] partner. He was actually at the Queen Anne version of the mansion [in the Bitterroot Valley].

Lopez said she started studying history when she was 20 years old and loves it.

I fell in love with the mystery and getting to figure out roots, she said. It is exciting because there is a story in everything. Im curious to know more. I get to do operations work and look up history, I pretty much have a dream job.

Lopez said she, too, fell in love with Hamilton when she and her children moved here eight years ago.

I fell in love with the mansion when I did my first haunted hayride and the headless horseman galloped across the back of the mansion grounds, Lopez said. History is important to know. I give tours at the mansion and talk to people in the gift shop.

Lopez is sending her research findings to the University of Montana and hopes her exciting discovery about James Hamilton brings more visitors to the Daly Mansion. She said an exhibit about James Hamilton is in the works.

It would be cool to have the key players in the founding, she said. It was Marcus Dalys money but he had other people involved. It would be nice to recognize them.
Montana School Boards Association executive director has issued a memo to his membership on the 95-mill issue. It appears he is looking to garner support for the administration to litigate this issue (asking for the Department of Revenue or the governor to seek injunctive relief), and he makes a few statements that need corrections.

First, counties have been given the calculated levy authority by the Department of Revenue indicating the current levy authority is 77.89 mills. That is indisputable. The law requires the Department of Revenue to perform that calculation each year, because the mills are subject to 15.10.420 and the result of that calculation, this year, is a levy authority of 77.89. The levy authority is not 95 mills this year, and Mr. Melton cannot continue to say otherwise.

Secondly, he impugns the integrity of his membership and the role of the of the Board of County Commissioners when he states, If the counties can simply disregard a calculation of another governmental entity that is referenced in law and decide on their own how many mills they will impose, what's to stop them at the 95 mills? The Department of Revenue has performed the calculation and provided the calculation to Montana counties. That total is 77.89 mills. Montana counties have asked, in writing, under whose authority is the state requesting that each county levy above the stated levy authority for this year, and no county has received a response. None. The levy authority this year for the state equalization mills is 77.89 mills.

He is correct that the reduction in mills, if the county levies only what the current mill levy authority calculated by the Department of Revenue is, will result in a decrease of approximately $80 million dollars to the state General Fund. Please be aware that the adopted budget offered by the Legislature and signed by the governor estimated a Montana General Fund ending fund balance of $638.3 million in fiscal year 2024 and $525 million in fiscal year 2025. The updated revenue projections show that they are on pace to exceed those estimates.

When Mr. Melton insinuates that the reduction in property tax revenue will impact school funding, he is wrong. School funding and the formula to determine school funding is already set. The state of Montana is on pace to generate over $600 million in excess cash reserves this fiscal year. The reduction in property tax revenue resulting from counties levying the current mill levy authority established by the Department of Revenue will simply require an adjustment to the revenue projections and may result in a decrease in the estimated General Fund ending balance.

No school will be impacted. No property taxpayer will make up the difference. When Mr. Melton states otherwise, he is wrong.

The Department of Revenue has submitted a form letter telling counties they may levy 95 mills for school equalization. The Department of Revenue provided documentation on their calculation of the current mill levy authority, established at 77.89 mills. No one has provided any justification, authority, or explanation for how a board of county commissioners can levy 95 mills. Absent the state proving it has authority  and further, who has that authority  to levy an amount different than the calculation, the responsibility to follow the law now falls on the counties and again, saying any of this impacts school funding is wrong.
Virginia had its best day running the football in nearly a year. The Cavaliers piled up 221 yards on 45 carries against a William & Mary defense that had been one of the stingiest, albeit at the FCS level.

Its running backs Jones and Pace  ran 32 times for 217 yards. Jones finished with a career-high 134 yards and Pace added 83, his most since transferring from Clemson.
Gaza and Jerusalem (CNN)  Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country was at war on Saturday, after Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a deadly barrage of rockets and sent gunmen into Israeli territory in a major escalation of the long running conflict between the two sides.

Militants launched a barrage of some 2,200 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, according to the Israeli military, while armed gunmen infiltrated into Israel by land, sea and air  in paragliders. Multiple explosions were heard over Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and in southern Israel  some blasts likely the interceptions of incoming rockets  while air raids sent Israelis pouring into underground shelters.

The Israeli military said it was dealing with hostage incidents in two locations in southern Israel.

By the early afternoon, some 70 were dead and hundreds more were injured in Israel, according to Israels rescue service Magen David Adom (MDA). Israel responded by launching strikes on what it called Hamas targets in Gaza.

The Palestinian health ministry said that nearly 200 Palestinians had been killed and 1,610 injured in the violence, but did not make clear where the deaths occurred or whether the toll included Hamas militants or civilians in Gaza.

Netanyahu said operations were under way to clear out militants from infiltrated towns and that he had also issued a call-up of reservists.

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war, Netanyahu said in a video statement, adding that Hamas, the Palestinian militant movement that runs Gaza, had launched a murderous surprise attack against the state of Israel and its citizens.

The surprise assault on Saturday was unprecedented in recent history in its scale and scope, falling on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 War in which Arab states blitzed Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Dubbing the operation Al-Aqsa Storm, Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif said in a recorded message that the group had targeted the enemy positions, airports and military positions with 5,000 rockets and that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza.

If you have a gun, get it out. This is the time to use it  get out with trucks, cars, axes, today the best and most honorable history starts, Al-Deif added.

Hamas said on Saturday that it had captured several Israeli soldiers near the border.

Israels military has not confirmed the reports, but one video published by Reuters appeared to show Palestinian gunmen dragging what looks like an Israeli soldier out of a tank at a fence separating Gaza from Israel. Other videos published by the militant group show at least three men dressed in civilian clothing held at gunpoint; Hamas said the men were Israeli soldiers.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Lt Col Richard Hecht said in a briefing that Israeli forces are fighting on the ground as we speak, listing multiple locations where fighting was taking place, including several villages, army bases and border crossings.

Hecht declined to answer repeated questions from journalists about whether the IDF had missed intelligence that the attack was coming.

Israel responds to air, sea and ground assault

Police were responding to multiple locations and threats, Israel Police spokesman Dean Elsdunne said, adding that bomb squad technicians have been deployed to clear missile debris and shrapnel sites.

Another IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, said the military was fighting in 22 locations, without specifying further. He said there were hostage situations in two locations  Ofakim and Beeri.

Residents of Kibbutz Beeri and Kibbutz Nir Oz, two Israeli communities, told the countrys Channel 12 television station that assailants from Gaza were trying to break into their homes. They have repeatedly pleaded on television for assistance from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

One resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz told the broadcaster over the phone that his family, including two children ages 7 and 9, have barricaded themselves in a safe room while militants fired at the door.

Channel 12 also reported that infiltrators had taken hostages in Netiv HaAsara. Israeli authorities did not immediately confirm any details about those reports.

It is rare for Palestinian militants to be able to make it into Israel from Gaza which is sealed off and heavily watched by Israels military.

The IDF warned Israelis who live near Gaza to stay in their homes or head to shelters.

Social media footage obtained by CNN showed multiple masked gunmen in a pickup truck driving down a street in the Israeli city of Sderot. Gunfire could also be heard in the video.

The MDA said their teams were responding to areas where rockets had reportedly hit, as well as reported live firing incidents, and urged people to go to a protected area when an alarm sounds.

The rescue service added that one of its staffers had been killed and another four had been wounded in the attack, and one of their ambulances had been taken into Gaza.

Zaki Heller, the MDAs spokesperson, urged people to donate blood and said a special blood donation drive is being organized in Tel Aviv for Saturday morning due to an urgent need.

Social media footage obtained by CNN showed the aftermath of a rocket strike in Ashkelon, a coastal city in southern Israel, where multiple cars could be seen burning next to an apartment complex, a thick plume of black smoke billowing into the air.

Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, were conducting security assessments at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, Netanyahus office said.

Gaza is one of the most densely packed places in the world, an isolated coastal enclave of almost 2 million people crammed into 140 square miles.

Governed by Hamas, the territory is largely cut off from the rest of the world by an Israeli blockade of Gazas land, air and sea dating back to 2007. Egypt controls Gazas southern border crossing, Rafah.

Israel has placed heavy restrictions on the freedom of civilian movement and controls the importation of basic goods into the narrow coastal strip.

The world reacts

The White House issued a statement condemning the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians.

We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, said the statement from National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

Stephanie Hallett, the top American diplomat in Israel, wrote on social media: I condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israels right to defend itself from such terrorist attacks.

In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the parties involved to act with restraint in light of the events in Israel this morning and to stay away from impulsive steps that will escalate tensions, while Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said he is in intensive communication with international officials to stop the ongoing escalation.

Many European leaders have taken to social media to denounce the violence.

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she unequivocally condemned the violence. It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his full solidarity with the victims, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany condemns these Hamas attacks and stands by Israel.

LIVE UPDATES: Militants infiltrate Israel from Gaza as Hamas claims major rocket attack
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently sued Third Bench Holdings LLC on behalf of three employees, contending that they were retaliated against in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

According to the federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, Third Bench owns several millwork, cabinet installation and property renovation companies.

The lawsuit alleges that in August 2021, managers Gabriel Dominguez and Yasmin Saenz (a husband and wife), who worked at the subsidiary companies, thought they were being discriminated against due to their national origin, Hispanic, and believed the Third Bench controller, Melissa Johnson, was providing disproportionate oversight to them versus non-Hispanic employees. Saenz expressed these concerns in an open meeting, and then contended she was excluded from future meetings.

Later that month, Saenz complained to Third Benchs COO. According to the lawsuit, the COO told Saenz not to go to HR and that (he and Saenz) could fix it between themselves. The EEOC alleges that despite the redirection and assurance by the COO, Saenz was given no reason to believe that (the COO) exercised his responsibility to take further preventative, corrective or remedial action at that time.

Things then quickly unraveled.

In mid-September, Saenz complained about the alleged discrimination to HR manager Lori Nawman, who had begun working for the holding company four months earlier. Upon receiving Saenzs complaint, Nawman forwarded the information she received to the CEO.

A few days later, Saenz complained again to Nawman, this time stating that Johnson was condescending and withholding work-related assistance from Saenz and Dominguez. Saenez feared retaliation.

Nawman informed the CEO that she thought Johnson was harassing her (the HR manager) for expressing concern of Saenzs complaints. The CEO did not take further corrective or remedial action at that time.

Saenz complained again to Nawman, stating that her situation was getting worse and that she thought she was being retaliated against by Johnson and the COO for her complaints.

Nawman opened an internal HR investigation into Saenzs complaints. She conducted an investigation and then sent an email to the CEO with interview notes, including those from Dominguezs interview.

The next day, Nawman sent an email titled: Yazmin Saenz Title VII Complaint to the CEO as part of her investigation. Later that same day, Dominguez was terminated and Saenz demoted from general manager to salesperson, all allegedly at the instruction of the COO and CEO.

Nawman thought that Johnson continued to subject her the HR manager) to harassment.

Nawman informed the CEO that she (the HR manager) intended to file a charge of discrimination with EEOC because of Johnsons continued harassment of her.

The company hired a third-party human resources contractor to investigate Nawmans concerns. Nawman was interviewed by the investigator, who, according to the lawsuit, advised the HR manager that she did not have standing to make a claim under Title VII and the investigator allegedly attempted to persuade Nawman not to file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC.

Three days after her interview with the investigator, the investigator terminated Nawman allegedly at the order of the CEO.

The EEOC alleges that the defendants decisions to terminate Dominguez, demote Saenz and terminate Nawman were in retaliation for engaging in statutorily protected activities in violation of Title VII.

So much went wrong here.

To prove retaliation, an employee needs to demonstrate that he/she:

1) engaged in protected activity (the employee complains of harassment or discrimination, opposes harassment or discrimination or participates in an investigation into harassment or discrimination);

2) the employer took materially adverse action against the employee; and

3) there is a causal connection between the #1 and #2.

Here, we know that all three engaged in protected activity: Dominguez participated in an investigation, and this was known to the CEO, and the other two lodged complaints. Further, the Supreme Court has held that terminating the fiance of someone who engaged in protected activity could be retaliation, which is relevant because Dominguez is Saenzs spouse. The two terminations and one demotion all are materially adverse actions, and a reasonable person could conclude there is a causal connection between the complaints and the actions by the employer.

Most important, employers cannot ignore complaints  ever.

Investigators need to be free to conduct objective investigations without management interference. And, of course, investigators should not be telling witnesses they have no case. COOs should not tell employees not to go to HR.

Once a complaint is made, the employer must take active steps to prevent retaliation.

5 tips for managing workplace burnout What is workplace burnout? Connect with friends in your industry Approach your boss Set a defined schedule Take small breaks during the day Create space for fun and self-care
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Jeff E. Schapiro Politics Columnist Follow Jeff E. Schapiro 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

They knew each other by reputation, record and their shared religion: Virginia politics.

Major Reynolds, Charlie Davis and Panny Rhodes came by that faith differently: Reynolds, a Democrat, by birth. Republicans Davis and Rhodes, respectively, by broadcasting and by refusing to be one of the boys. Reynolds, 89, and Davis, 77, died Sept. 18. Rhodes, 81, died Thursday.

They represented a seemingly anachronistic brand of politics: keenly competitive yet sensibly cooperative, practiced with a hint of intimacy that may no longer be possible in a state that  in their lifetimes  was fully transformed from a rural backwater preoccupied with race to a multi-hued suburban dynamo.

As the grandson of the founder of the eponymous aluminum manufacturer, Reynolds  alternately an executive, legislator and philanthropist  embodied the business-friendly, socially progressive iteration of the Virginia Democratic Party that would dominate the state for more than a decade, beginning in 1981 with the election of Gov. Chuck Robb.

Some of the seeds of that era were planted 15 years earlier with the victory for the House of Delegates of Sarge Reynolds, Majors younger brother, for whom the promise of a sterling career that some said would include the presidency ended with his death to cancer at the all-too-young age of 34 in 1971.

Major  born Richard S. Reynolds III and known by the nickname adopted from his paternal great-grandfather  preserved his brothers legacy but nurtured his own.

In the late 1970s, he served a single term in the House, where he advocated for tougher conflict-of-interest rules and state promotion of Black history  prescient positions almost certainly dismissed back then by the uber conservative old guard as the whims of a wealthy dilettante. Fifty years on, as Reynolds friends have noted, these proposals are realities.

Voters decided that Reynolds  a Churchill buff who saw in his heros life the opportunities and limits of politics  would go no further than the General Assembly. He lost the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 1977 to someone who had Sarge-like celebrity in spades: Robb, a son-in-law of the late President Lyndon Johnson.

But Reynolds  ever dapper, mixing stripes and plaid long before it was fashionable  remained a presence in politics. He raised money, organized campaigns and recruited candidates. As younger members of his family did the unthinkable  support Republicans  Reynolds, whose wife, Pam, has a GOP pedigree, remained a stoutly loyal Democrat, even securing office space in Richmond for such hopeless causes as Walter Mondale in 1984.

Charles J. Davis III  Charlie, to friend and foe, alike  never strayed from his roots in Franklin County, a moonshine hub in near Southwest Virginia. Under his desk on the third floor of the state Capitol, where he was GOP Gov. John Daltons final press secretary, was a large, glass jug of untaxed corn liquor. Unclear is how it got there or where it went when Davis left government to become a lobbyist for a giant railroad.

It was easy  and perilous  to underestimate Davis as a lobbyist, who also plumped for tobacco, gambling and the high-cost, instant-loan industry. His swaggering style, the burgundy-colored muffler wrapped around his neck, the omnipresent cigarette, the blue humor and a one-on-one manner that recalled a practiced lounge lizard were distractions from his sharp eye, attuned ear, knack for detail and ability to say a lot with only a few words.

Those skills were refined in Davis first line of work: He was a reporter, covering the news for a big-stick radio station in Richmond to which everyone  defined as politicians, policymakers, bureaucrats, lobbyists and corporate and professional types  tuned in throughout the day. Davis knew that audience before he became part of it.

Swapping information is the stock and trade of reporters and lobbyists. For the latter, it can have significant  read: expensive  implications for their clients. So Davis didnt hesitate to alert the cigarette maker he represented that legislation it sought, and requiring the company to use self-extinguishing paper for the billions of butts rolled in Virginia, could lock the firm out of foreign markets with different manufacturing standards.

If a call from Reynolds was a chance for him to filibuster, a telephone  for Davis  was a weapon of mass instruction. Hed happen on a yellowed news clipping or a note from a politician of yore; ring you up; explain their back story in provocative language unfit for a family-oriented publication; and  because he knew you might treasure it as he had  drop it in the mail to you.

Anne Rhodes  her nickname, Panny, was rooted in her youth in North Carolina  shared, too, mostly in the marketplace of ideas.

A member of the male-dominated House from 1992 until 2002, Rhodes was a rarity: a moderate Republican, representing Richmond and part of Henrico County. She discomfited her party by comfortably defying its orthodoxy. Unlike most Republicans, Rhodes supported abortion rights and opposed tax cuts. Such stands infuriated Gov. Jim Gilmore, who personally recruited a primary challenger to Rhodes in 1999 because she resisted Gilmores car-tax rollback as fiscally irresponsible.

After all, Rhodes knew her way around a budget. She was a mathematics major at Duke and a numbers-cruncher for a defense company on some of the Pentagons priciest weapons systems. In floor speeches punctuated with a smile and an occasional note of disbelief, Rhodes  also given to great gusts of gesticulation  would question the arithmetic of tax breaks and fret over their impact on schools and health care.

Rhodes easily brushed aside her opponent, pulling nearly 60% of the vote. In the heart of her district  Richmonds affluent, leafy West End  the challenge to Rhodes was not only considered bad manners, it was bad politics. Rhodes centrist views nicely suited her constituents, including Democrats, who didnt hesitate to go into the Republican primary to vote for Rhodes  if only to teach Gilmore a lesson.

By 2001, Rhodes was fully estranged from her party. She would support Democrat Mark Warner for governor that year, saying he would undo damage inflicted on the budget by Republicans  never mind that it would require Warner breaking in 2004 a campaign promise not to increase taxes.

This is not to suggest that Reynolds, Davis and Rhodes were the embodiment of the good old days, which, at times, could be pretty bad. They would admit as much. But it is to say that the three were committed to Virginia; that they were definitely characters and, occasionally, caricatures.

PHOTOS: General Assembly Building construction
Michael Paul Williams Columnist Follow Michael Paul Williams 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

As throngs of protesters took to Richmonds streets demanding justice and taking down Confederate monuments, a 70-year-old retired banker in Roanoke took the fate of a city memorial to Robert E. Lee into his own hands.

On the night of July 22, 2020, William Clay Foreman used a chain and a rented truck to topple the 10-foot-tall granite obelisk memorializing the Confederate general  a preemptive strike in a city that was going through the public process of removing the marker in a downtown pocket park, according to The Roanoke Times.

I didnt want it to become like a mini-Richmond, Foreman said.

Foreman eventually pled guilty to a misdemeanor. He died in August 2022. But his spirit lives on in Roanoke, a place that only half-heartedly bought into the Lost Cause idolatry. On Wednesday, in what was formerly Lee Plaza, the city unveiled a statue to Henrietta Lacks, described by civil rights attorney Ben Crump as the mother of modern medicine, according to The Roanoke Times.

Lacks went to the hospital at Johns Hopkins University in 1951 for treatment of the cervical cancer that would eventually kill her. Tissue taken from her tumor  without her knowledge or consent  became the first human cells to regenerate every 24 hours; those immortal HeLa cells enabled groundbreaking research and innovations. But it was only in August that her family reached a settlement with a science and technology company that it said took Lacks cells and profited from them, according to the Times story.

Lacks grandson, the familys lawyers and the sculptures artists were among more than 300 people on hand at what is now Lacks Plaza.

To me, it was a breathtaking moment, said Mayor Sherman Lea. Were just so proud and happy that we can recognize her.

Lacks lived only briefly in Roanoke; the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. never visited. And yet their statues are the most prominent in this city of just under 100,000 people in southwestern Virginia.

Charles Price runs the Harrison Museum of African American Culture. His wife, Anita Price, is a former vice mayor of Roanoke. On Wednesday, he was one of the folks removing the covering from the Lacks statue. On Friday, he called his hometown a unique space that allows the growth of the African American community.

Only about 29% of Roanokes population is Black; 7% is Latino. But its City Council is among the most diverse youll find in Virginia. Three members are African American, one member is Latina, and three members are openly gay white men. Meanwhile, a Roanoke Democrat, Del. Sam Rasoul, is one of two Muslims in the Virginia General Assembly.

Its an unusual profile for a Southern city with the lovely mountain setting and relative size of Asheville, North Carolina, but not its unabashedly progressive reputation. But Roanokes history has few parallels to Richmonds.

Roanoke was a boomtown that sprang up in the 1880s as a result of railroads and the opening of the coal fields, earning the nickname The Magic City. An influx of residents from other regions, and immigrants from abroad, gave Roanoke a different character than that of antebellum, old-money Virginia, says veteran journalist Dwayne Yancey, editor of Cardinal News and former editorial page editor for The Roanoke Times.

Roanoke wasnt here during the Civil War. So its history is very different from other cities in Virginia, Yancey said.

Roanoke was no utopia. It had its share of racial issues. But a young Linwood Holton discerned a difference between Roanoke and the rest of Virginia.

In 2017, a downtown plaza was dedicated to Holton, who as governor ushered in a new era of race relations in Virginia. A Roanoke Times story on the occasion recalled young Holtons decision to set up a law practice in Roanoke thusly: Though Roanoke was highly segregated and slow-walked school integration until the early 1970s, Holton saw it as more free of the plantation mentality of old South cities that favored segregation.

Or as Lea said in an interview Friday, Weve always tried to be inclusive and just highlight those things that have made a difference in our community and in our country.

Yes, Roanoke is a heavily Democratic city, he said. But he attributes the diverse composition of the City Council to the trust built by members being active in their communities. They accept people for what they bring to the table, he said of Roanoke residents.

The Roanoke memorial is the only statue of Virginia. It sits at the foot of a pedestrian bridge that also bears his name and links downtown Roanoke to the historic Black neighborhood of Gainsboro. That neighborhood commemorates legendary civil rights lawyer Oliver W. Hill Sr., who was born in Richmond but spent his formative years in Roanoke, and Edward R. Dudley, who in 1949 became the first African American to hold the rank of ambassador.

Black folks in Roanoke had their share of battles. But Yancey says white business people, observing troubles elsewhere in the South, worked behind the scenes with prominent Black leaders to bring about integration: The flip side is some people say that means there isnt much civic activism in Roanoke because there wasnt that history of having to fight for things.

An August 1961 moment belies that sentiment.

The Baltimore Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers were slated to play a preseason game at Roanokes Victory Stadium. Both teams were integrated, and the NAACP appealed to them not to play in a segregated stadium as dictated by Virginia law at the time. The teams said they would not cross an NAACP picket line, and Black fans bought tickets in the white section. Roanoke officials essentially looked the other way, according to a website honoring the late Roanoke civil rights leader the Rev. R.R. Wilkinson.

When that moment of racial reckoning arrived in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, there were confrontations between law enforcement and protesters in Roanoke. But there were precious few Confederate monuments for protesters to focus their ire, even if they were so inclined.

I think Roanoke has always been a very practical place, Yancey said. Not that statues are impractical, but Roanoke has not been a fancy place. Its history was the blue-collar railroad town. And putting up statues to grand figures of the past wasnt your top-of-mind thing.

Think of where Richmond and the nation might be today if the Lost Cause narrative hadnt prevailed. The embrace of sedition and secession more than a century and a half later has become, again, an existential threat to our nation.

As long as people cling to it, there will always be unrest.

After the monuments in Richmond: What Richmond's historic Monument Avenue looks like now
As a returning citizen and someone who has had my rights restored, I am appalled by the governor's lack of compassion for the voting rights of all Virginians. In March 2023, the office of Chesapeake Sen. Lionell Spruill Sr. released information to the community that the governor had basically ceased all restoration of rights for prior convicted felons. The restoration of rights process has been slowly getting better over the past 20 years in a bipartisan effort. Virginia Organizing, a statewide group of which I have been a chapter member for three years, was shocked by this discovery.

In 2019, my voting rights were restored by then-Gov. Ralph Northam. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. I would watch the news and see the things that are going on in politics and in our communities throughout the country and say, "Somebody should do something about that." I realized that I was somebody who should do something. I have been exercising my right to vote since that time, trying to effect change for myself and those who cant do it themselves at the polls.

Voting rights are civil rights. Gov. Glenn Youngkin should not be preventing anyone from participating in this civil process, especially those who have served their time and want to contribute in a meaningful way to bettering their community through the democratic process.

Darnell Coleman.

Richmond.
Lopez Obrador details complications and Tren Maya delays

Mexico City, Mexico  President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced that on December 15, the Palenque to Cancun section of train will be inaugurated.

In a morning press conference, the President explained that construction on section 5 will be extended to the end of January 2024, the month in which the section from Cancun to Tulum will be complete.

In February, the 1,554 kilometers that will connect Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo will be consolidated, he said in a statement.

In the case of section 5, the fact is it has been more complex than we imagined because we are building so as not to affect underwater rivers, cenotes. The train is being built above, more than 80 kilometers of double-track viaducts, so yes, it is a very complicated project.

Nowhere else in the country is there 80 kilometers of second levels, which is what is being carried out, he explained.

We have been very careful not to affect underground rivers, not to affect, of course, archaeological zones, cenotes. () There are wildlife passages that have not been done in the country in all of history. We are talking about the Maya Train having more than 500 wildlife passages, he added.

Section 5 is divided into northern and southern subsections. The first, in charge of military engineers from the Secretariat of National Defense, and the second made up of construction companies who are developing this route in a coordinated manner.

Lopez Obrador pointed out that the main challenge to be resolved in the coming weeks is the completion of the Boca del Cerro bridge, located in Tenosique, Tabasco, which will cross the largest river in Mexico, the Usumacinta.

Boca del Cerro bridge, Tenosique, Tabasco Photo: Fonatur

This bridge, by the Mota-Engil company, will be the flagship of Mexican civil engineering by achieving the necessary precision to join the lines of the Maya Train,  he said.

If we are lucky, because luck counts in everything, in a month and a half the bridge will be there and we will be able to go to Palenque and we will be able to inaugurate the section from Palenque to Cancun, he stated.

He reiterated that in parallel, Sedenas military engineers are building the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Tulum International Airport which will open on December 1.

It is one of the most important airports in the country and the world, a great project, a very beautiful, quality project, he stated.

The President also celebrated the sale of tickets for Mexicana de Aviacion, the new state-owned airline, before its start of operations scheduled for November 30.

Tickets for the new Mexicana line are already being sold. Mexicana planes are going to start flying again and they are going to fly to Tulum, he said.
Lopez Obrador reiterates proposal to purchase Riviera Maya land from Vulcan Materials

Mexico City, Mexico  President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reiterated the proposal to rescue and purchase 2,400 hectares of land from Vulcan Materials.

On Friday, he pointed out that the American company, for 36 years, has exploited without measure 1,200 hectares of jungle, underground rivers, cenotes and mangroves in Quintana Roo to extract limestone for U.S. export.

For several decades, the Sac-Tun (formally Calica) company carried out blasting to break up karst soil as deep as 11 meters below the water table. The continuous use of explosives contaminated the water with nitrates and other substances, he said during his Friday press conference.

The mining activity destroyed the diversity of the site by affecting 942 species of flora and fauna. This is the largest ecological disaster caused by a foreign company in the Yucatan Peninsula, particularily in Riviera Maya, he said.

Sac-Tun incurred another illegal action with the retention of groundwater in 4.24 square kilometers, that is, more than 40 million cubic meters. The concession to the company was for just 1.7 million cubic meters, which means that it used 20 times the volume it had authorized. This caused the collapse of caverns, as well as sinkholes in the area.

The company has exploited limestone rock since 1986, violating environmental regulations and permits granted by authorities. Until now, no environmental remediation projects have been carried out in the area despite the obvious damage caused to nature, he explained.

They (Americans) always talk that they are very concerned about climate change, what more support to conserve the environment than accepting an agreement like the one we are proposing? the president questioned before media.

The territory, that entire area was destroyed and we are going to defend that this area can no longer continue to be used as a material bank. In addition, they have about 2 thousand more hectares under concessions and it is jungle. It is not possible to allow them to continue exploiting, he added.

Last month, Lopez Obrador pointed out that parent company Vulcan Materials had not responded to Mexicos offer to purchase the land.
Mexico and U.S. discuss drugs, cross border violence and gangs

Mexico City, Mexico  A meeting between Mexico and the U.S. lead to agreements on the issues of synthetic drugs, cross border violence and gang generation.

Secretary Rosa Icela lead the meeting of high level security talks. There were agreements and comments on some of the issues that are already being worked on, others are new proposals, she reported after the meeting.

We agreed to reinforce the work to prevent the use of synthetic drugs, especially fentanyl, with campaigns to prevent young people from falling into addictions and prioritize the causes that generate violence with universal social programs, so that the population, especially young people, have options for development and growth.

Also, to get to the bottom of the origin of the chemical precursors. We reiterate the issue of monitoring chemical precursors, since Mexico is not a producer of fentanyl, it is a transit country and no laboratories dedicated to it have been detected in the country, she said.

She also highlighted a proposed coalition.The important thing that Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena was saying about holding a coalition, a meeting of countries that produce dual-use chemical precursors, to regulate the market, to establish controls and prevent illegal trafficking. In this way, we act in favor of the health of our people.

This is a proposal from the Secretary of the Navy and we are going to advance the coalition that the United States currently has on this issue. We will reach an international agreement for the benefit of the population so that chemical precursors are marketed with all the rules and controls of the final destinations.

We will also continue to pursue criminal organizations that buy, manufacture and distribute synthetic drugs, she explained.

Another point is Mexicos request for support from the neighboring country to stop the illicit entry of high-powered weapons, as well as authorities of both countries being committed to combating gangs that traffic people.

This coordinated work between our nations has the common objective of returning peace and tranquility to our communities, and this will only be possible if we work together, because we are stronger when we are in alliance, and we can be more efficient in solving the problems we face.

Your presence here is very important, because we are neighbors, we are partners and we are allies.
Mexico to recover value of three Florida apartments illegally purchased in Garcia Luna case

Mexico City, Mexico  President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says that Mexico will recover $2.5 million USD, equivalent to 44 million pesos from the Garcia Luna case.

He said the money will be recovered from goods purchased illicitly by Genaro Garcia Luna, the former Secretary of Public Security. He says the property was illegally purchased during the six-year term of Felipe Calderon.

In a morning press conference from Quintana Roo, he explained that the Government of Mexico demanded the return of resources from three apartments that Garcia Luna and his wife Linda Cristina Pereyra Galvez bought in Florida.

They are assets that they obtained, that they bought in Florida with money of illicit origin, with money from acts of corruption committed in Mexico, he explained.

This first victory, he said, was achieved thanks to the determination of a judge in Florida who ruled in favor of the federation. Within a period of 10 days they will be returned to Mexico. He says the value of money stolen from Mexico while he was in office is in excess of 600 million pesos.
Roanoke police announced the fourth gun violence-related arrest of the week Friday.

The most recent one is connected to a February 2019 homicide.

Akoye D. Johnson, 32, of Roanoke, was indicted Oct. 3 on three charges connected to the death of 28-year-old Milton Roman: first-degree murder, robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to a police department news release.

Roman, of Brooklyn, New York, was killed on February 2, 2019 in the 1300 block of Maple Avenue Southwest. Police found him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds just before 11:30 p.m. He died later at the hospital.

A preliminary investigation by police found that Roman and an acquaintance were in a residence on Maple Avenue when the shooter entered the home, intending to rob them, police said in a 2019 news release.

After a physical altercation, shots were fired, and Milton was struck by bullets, police reported. Miltons acquaintance also sustained minor injuries

Police said Friday that Johnson was identified as a suspect as the investigation continued. The indictments handed down by the October meeting of the Roanoke Circuit Court grand jury were served to Johnson Thursday, according to the Friday release.

He was taken into custody without incident by the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

We commend the actions of the Roanoke Police Department personnel who were involved in this case from the beginning, the police department said. Their long hours, hard work, and commitment to solving this homicide brought this man to justice. We hope this arrest brings some comfort to Miltons family and community, who continue to mourn his loss.

We also want to thank our community and the personnel from our Commonwealth Attorneys Office who worked with us diligently on this case, leading to this successful outcome, Fridays press release concluded.
Gaza (CNN)  Multiple militants from Gaza have entered Israeli territory, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Saturday, shortly after a barrage of rockets left one person dead and at least three injured.

Palestinian militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for the rocket attack.

Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif released a recorded message, announcing operation Al-Aqsa Storm and saying the Palestinian militant group targeted the enemy positions, airports and military positions with 5,000 rockets.

The IDF has warned Israelis who live near Gaza to stay in their homes.

One person died and at least three were injured when a barrage of rockets was fired from Gaza toward Israel Saturday morning, Israels Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue service said.

The rockets, which were witnessed by a CNN producer in Gaza, prompted sirens as far north as the Tel Aviv area, east to Beer Sheva, and many other locations in between.

A woman in her 70s in Kfar Aviv in the Gderot region died following the barrage, the MDA said.

Two other people in the Ashkelon area were lightly injured, the rescue service said, while a fourth person  a man in his 20s in Yavne  was moderately injured by shrapnel.

The rockets were fired at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning local time (11:30 p.m. ET), when most Israelis are likely to have been asleep.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant are conducting security assessments at Israel Defense Forces headquarters in Tel Aviv, Netanyahus office said.

This is a breaking news story. More to come.
The Montgomery County-Radford City-Floyd County Branch of the NAACP held its 47th Freedom Fund Banquet on Sept. 23 in the ballroom of the Highlander Hotel and Conference Center at Radford University.

The theme of the banquet, attended by 175 people, was Moving Forward.

Each year at the last 28 banquets the branch has awarded the Nannie B. Hairston Community Service Award to a branch member who has contributed significantly to social justice and civil rights in the New River Valley.

This year the award went to Dr. Thomas M. Sherman, according to an NAACP news release. Sherman has been a member of the local community since 1971, when he joined the faculty at Virginia Tech.

In the School of Education he made significant contributions in the design and development of learning environments, and sound assessment models and strategies, according to the release. He also provided effective leadership as president of the Faculty Senate and as president of the Faculty Senate of Virginia, where he worked to strengthen ties to the Virginia General Assembly and the Virginia Business Council of Higher Education, according to the release.

For many years Sherman has championed the cause for justice, inclusion, and fairness throughout the community as an individual, but also as a public servant, according to the release.

Sherman served on the Blacksburg Town Council from 2002-10, where he was instrumental in the preservation of St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall, built in 1905, a centerpiece of the historical Black New Town community.

Through his persistence and help of others the hall is listed under the National Register of Historic Places. He has also been an advocate for the underserved and minority communities through op-ed pieces in the newspaper and volunteer work in the region, according to the release.

Sherman is a long-time NAACP member.

The branch also annually awards up to five Samuel H. Clark Scholarships of $2,000 to local youth connected with the NAACP who are pursuing post-secondary education.

This years scholarships went to: Tyler Graves from Blacksburg High School to attend New River Community College; Richard McCrae from Christiansburg High School to attend New River Community College; and Robert McCrae from Christiansburg High School to attend Virginia Tech, according to the release.

The banquets keynote speaker was Dr. Takiyah Nur Amin, director of diversity, equity and inclusion for the Virginia Tech College of Architecture, Arts and Design. In 2014, Amin launched her own company, Black Girl Brilliance, offering consulting for academic professionals and support to institutions committed to transformational change in curriculum, policy, and practice, according to the release.

Additionally, she has worked at the intersection of faith and justice-making, as content director and member of the Organizing Collective Board for Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism.

Amin spoke on the topic, Moving Forward. The accomplishments of the 20th Century are now under attack and this is no time to be on the sidelines, she said.

While the teaching of racial issues has become controversial, she noted that when she was growing up in Buffalo her family never left it to the schools to teach her all of history. Her parents added their own curriculum: African consciousness curriculum on Saturdays at the library.

This helped her and her friends to scheme for, dream for and plan for their future, according to the release.

She reminded those gathered that we cant just be with people who look like us. We have to be concerned with the marginalized as well. We thrive together or not at all. The only place we are going is together, according to the release.

She closed by modifying the famous line from Martin Luther King: The arc of the universe may bend towards justice, but only because we push it that way! according to the release.

The chapters president, President Deborah H. Travis reminded those gathered of some of the branchs work in the past year, including voter education and health education.
They knew each other by reputation, record and their shared religion: Virginia politics.

Major Reynolds, Charlie Davis and Panny Rhodes came by that faith differently: Reynolds, a Democrat, by birth. Republicans Davis and Rhodes, respectively, by broadcasting and by refusing to be one of the boys. Reynolds, 89, and Davis, 77, died Sept. 18. Rhodes, 81, died Oct. 5.

They represented a seemingly anachronistic brand of politics: keenly competitive yet sensibly cooperative, practiced with a hint of intimacy that may no longer be possible in a state that  in their lifetimes  was fully transformed from a rural backwater preoccupied with race to a multi-hued suburban dynamo.

As the grandson of the founder of the eponymous aluminum manufacturer, Reynolds  alternately an executive, legislator and philanthropist  embodied the business-friendly, socially progressive iteration of the Virginia Democratic Party that would dominate the state for more than a decade, beginning in 1981 with the election of Gov. Chuck Robb.

Some of the seeds of that era were planted 15 years earlier with the victory for the House of Delegates of Sarge Reynolds, Majors younger brother, for whom the promise of a sterling career that some said would include the presidency ended with his death to cancer at the all-too-young age of 34 in 1971.

Major  born Richard S. Reynolds III and known by the nickname adopted from his paternal great-grandfather  preserved his brothers legacy but nurtured his own.

In the late 1970s, he served a single term in the House, where he advocated for tougher conflict-of-interest rules and state promotion of Black history  prescient positions almost certainly dismissed back then by the uber conservative old guard as the whims of a wealthy dilettante. Fifty years on, as Reynolds friends have noted, these proposals are realities.

Voters decided that Reynolds  a Churchill buff who saw in his heros life the opportunities and limits of politics  would go no further than the General Assembly. He lost the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 1977 to someone who had Sarge-like celebrity in spades: Robb, a son-in-law of the late President Lyndon Johnson.

But Reynolds  ever dapper, mixing stripes and plaid long before it was fashionable  remained a presence in politics. He raised money, organized campaigns and recruited candidates. As younger members of his family did the unthinkable  support Republicans  Reynolds, whose wife, Pam, has a GOP pedigree, remained a stoutly loyal Democrat, even securing office space in Richmond for such hopeless causes as Walter Mondale in 1984.

Charles J. Davis III  Charlie, to friend and foe, alike  never strayed from his roots in Franklin County, a moonshine hub in near Southwest Virginia. Under his desk on the third floor of the state Capitol, where he was GOP Gov. John Daltons final press secretary, was a large, glass jug of untaxed corn liquor. Unclear is how it got there or where it went when Davis left government to become a lobbyist for a giant railroad.

It was easy  and perilous  to underestimate Davis as a lobbyist, who also plumped for tobacco, gambling and the high-cost, instant-loan industry. His swaggering style, the burgundy-colored muffler wrapped around his neck, the omnipresent cigarette, the blue humor and a one-on-one manner that recalled a practiced lounge lizard were distractions from his sharp eye, attuned ear, knack for detail and ability to say a lot with only a few words.

Those skills were refined in Davis first line of work: He was a reporter, covering the news for a big-stick radio station in Richmond to which everyone  defined as politicians, policymakers, bureaucrats, lobbyists and corporate and professional types  tuned in throughout the day. Davis knew that audience before he became part of it.

Swapping information is the stock and trade of reporters and lobbyists. For the latter, it can have significant  read: expensive  implications for their clients. So Davis didnt hesitate to alert the cigarette maker he represented that legislation it sought, and requiring the company to use self-extinguishing paper for the billions of butts rolled in Virginia, could lock the firm out of foreign markets with different manufacturing standards.

If a call from Reynolds was a chance for him to filibuster, a telephone  for Davis  was a weapon of mass instruction. Hed happen on a yellowed news clipping or a note from a politician of yore; ring you up; explain their back story in provocative language unfit for a family-oriented publication; and  because he knew you might treasure it as he had  drop it in the mail to you.

Anne Rhodes  her nickname, Panny, was rooted in her youth in North Carolina  shared, too, mostly in the marketplace of ideas.

A member of the male-dominated House from 1992 until 2002, Rhodes was a rarity: a moderate Republican, representing Richmond and part of Henrico County. She discomfited her party by comfortably defying its orthodoxy. Unlike most Republicans, Rhodes supported abortion rights and opposed tax cuts. Such stands infuriated Gov. Jim Gilmore, who personally recruited a primary challenger to Rhodes in 1999 because she resisted Gilmores car-tax rollback as fiscally irresponsible.

After all, Rhodes knew her way around a budget. She was a mathematics major at Duke and a numbers-cruncher for a defense company on some of the Pentagons priciest weapons systems. In floor speeches punctuated with a smile and an occasional note of disbelief, Rhodes  also given to great gusts of gesticulation  would question the arithmetic of tax breaks and fret over their impact on schools and health care.

Rhodes easily brushed aside her opponent, pulling nearly 60% of the vote. In the heart of her district  Richmonds affluent, leafy West End  the challenge to Rhodes was not only considered bad manners, it was bad politics. Rhodes centrist views nicely suited her constituents, including Democrats, who didnt hesitate to go into the Republican primary to vote for Rhodes  if only to teach Gilmore a lesson.

By 2001, Rhodes was fully estranged from her party. She would support Democrat Mark Warner for governor that year, saying he would undo damage inflicted on the budget by Republicans  never mind that it would require Warner breaking in 2004 a campaign promise not to increase taxes.

This is not to suggest that Reynolds, Davis and Rhodes were the embodiment of the good old days, which, at times, could be pretty bad. They would admit as much. But it is to say that the three were committed to Virginia; that they were definitely characters and, occasionally, caricatures.
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SIOUX CENTER, Iowa  Jennifer Jansen, broker/owner of Epic Realty, Inc. in Sioux Center, has been named the 2023 Realtor of the Year by the Iowa Association of Realtors.

The Realtor of the Year award is given annually to one Iowa realtor who has contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession and their community at large during the last year, according to a press release from the Northwest Iowa Board of Realtors. Jansen is a board member of the Northwest Iowa Board of Realtors and was its president in 2020.

Jansen, who holds a number of professional designations and accreditations, serves on various committees and makes regular trips to conferences in Des Moines and Washington, was licensed and became a realtor in 2005; she opened her brokerage in 2014.

Epic Realty serves Sioux Center, Orange City and surrounding Northwest Iowa communities with a 10-member real estate team. The brokerage will mark its 10th anniversary in February. The firm has received the Best in the Northwest award for two consecutive years, and Jansen herself has been named the regions Best Realtor," according to the press release.

Along with winners from other states, Jansen will be recognized at the National Association of Realtors membership convention in November in Anaheim, California.

Jansen, who is described in the press release as "a strong supporter of the Realtor Party" (a political affiliation that lobbies for the real estate industry's interests), also serves as the realtor association's federal political coordinator for Rep. Randy Feenstra.

Outside her work in real estate, Jansen is dedicated to community service. She is a member of the Sioux Center Health Executive Board and the Ignite Leadership Committee. Active as a 4-H Club Leader and FFA Alumni Board President, Jansen has also previously served on the Sioux Center Chamber of Commerce Executive Board.

A graduate of Leadership Sioux Center, Jansen invests in the community through volunteer work in a variety of organizations that support youth and families. She also spends time engaging at local schools and colleges, providing learning opportunities for students interested in the real estate industry. She is actively involved in her church and numerous civic organizations.
ORANGE CITY, Iowa  While out on duty, Sioux County Sheriff's Deputy Jessica Dorhout often finds herself being ignored.

No matter the situation, people walk right past Dorhout and straight to her new partner.

"I've never been more happy to be invisible," Dorhout said. "It's been great."

It's understandable, given the friendly personality of McGrath, the 19-month-old yellow Labrador now accompanying Dorhout on her rounds as a resource officer in Sioux County schools.

Sioux County Sheriff therapy K-9 McGrath, a professional therapy K9 working for the Sioux County Sheriffs Office, sits in a squad car with his handler, Deputy Jessica Dorhout.

The newest K9 in the sheriff's office, McGrath isn't the typical imposing police dog whose job is to sniff out drugs or chase down fleeing suspects. Instead, he's a licensed therapy dog, believed to be the first among Northwest Iowa law enforcement agencies. His job is to love and be loved, to calm tense situations.

"As soon as I walk in the door, he sees kids moving and his tail's wagging," Dorhout said. "I can hear students down the hall yelling, 'Big Mac' (as he's commonly known)."

McGrath's job is to pass out warm fuzzies, but he's more than just a cute, friendly face. Dorhout said studies have shown that dogs can have a soothing effect on victims and witnesses, and she can vouch for McGrath's effectiveness in tense situations after just a little more than a month since she brought him home from a Kansas trainer.

Sioux County Sheriff therapy K-9 Professional therapy K9 McGrath takes a nap at the Sioux County Sheriff's Office. Acquired in August, McGrath is believed to be the first and 

He's helped troubled students calm down, whether it be in a school or home setting. He's an icebreaker, getting students to open up and trust Dorhout. She sees him playing a role in de-escalating crisis situations and helping crime victims or witnesses of traumatic events relax while telling law enforcement officers what happened. There are likely other ways he can be of service yet to be realized.

"I'm learning what his capabilities are and what services he can provide. Basically he's there for love and to brighten their day," Dorhout said.

After months of training, McGrath's intuition kicks in when entering a room. He can sense who needs some attention, even if his human handlers think everything's OK.

"I'm learning just how aware of people's moods he is," Dorhout said. "It's his presence. You can tell when he's in the office, the mood is different."

Sioux County Sheriff therapy K-9 Sioux County Sheriff Jamie Van Voorst pets McGrath, the department's professional therapy K9, as McGrath sits in Deputy Jessica Dorhout's squa

A therapy K9 is a different way to approach certain situations, part of an emphasis the Sioux County Sheriff's Office is placing on being more aware of mental health situations. Four deputies, and now McGrath, belong to Sheriff Jamie Van Voorst's mental health unit, which has training in response to incidents in which mental health is a factor as well as offering peer support and debriefing.

It's becoming more common for law enforcement agencies to train officers how to better respond to mental health situations, Van Voorst said. Before making the budget request for McGrath, he researched therapy K9s, and learned they're becoming more widely utilized by law enforcement as a way to diffuse tense situations.

McGrath is a pilot program, and, if successful, Van Voorst said he's got room in his budget for a second therapy K9.

"If this is the start of something and it's the new future, we're excited to be part of something great," he said.

Sioux County Sheriff therapy K-9 McGrath, a professional therapy K9 is shown with his handler, Sioux County Sheriff's Deputy.Jessica Dorhout. McGrath can be utilized to help c

A number of Sioux County residents are excited, too.

Van Voorst said he receives emails from parents asking if the K9 will be coming to their child's school. School administrators call Dorhout to request McGrath's presence.

Whether he's at school to calm down a disruptive student or sit next to a child too anxious to read aloud in front of the class but at ease reading to a dog, McGrath's already proved to be a popular pup.

"So far it's been completely rewarding," Dorhout said of her first K9 partner. "I'm excited to see where it goes and the positive impact it can have moving forward."
Where and how do you spend advertising and marketing money? Which advertising and marketing channels should you use? These become two of the most important questions a business owner has to wrestle with year after year. And today, you find so many channels available to you and so many expert voices clamoring for your attention. Dont get swept away by a current of media buzz. Avoid making unprofitable decisions.

Advertising and Marketing Channels

Keep this in mind. Consider your options in light of what works for whom and why these options work. Try to better target your advertising and marketing spend. Then get a better idea about what outcomes to expect.

Drive Traffic to Your Website Sell Your Business Discover the Zoho Ecosystem Advertise Your Business Here

Digital Strategies

Every business today needs a digital marketing strategy. At the very least, your small business needs a website. Youll find this statistic shocking! Research indicates that slightly less than half of all U.S. small businesses do not have a website.

Lets assume that you have a site. Now the first question you need to ask yourself is whether or not your competitors have sites. If they dont, then having a good site and keeping it up to date may be all you need to do. If you owned the only yoga studio in Anytown USA, this might be you.

SEO

But if you have competitors  and thats most of us  then search engine optimization (SEO) becomes important. Great SEO gets your business at or near the top of search results. This brings us to the next question: Are your customers local? If theyre local, then your focus should be on local SEO optimization and long-tail keywords (words that you want to feature on your pages). Scott Keever SEO uses a local plumber to illustrate local and long-tail keywords:

Plumbing company near me

Best plumber in New Jersey

Top plumbing companies in Chicago

Best plumbing company for water damage

Can I fix a leaky pipe?

Closely related to SEO is paid search engine advertising. Nearly every purchase today starts with an internet search, so buying ads on Google and other search engines that are displayed when people search for your long-tail keywords can pay offor at least get visitors to your site.

Small Business Deals

Targeted Digital Advertising

This takes us to a type of advertising that is a bit more sophisticated: retargeting. If youre selling something, theres an overwhelming chance that prospects wont buy on their first visit to your website, so you want to get your ad in front of their eyeballs a few more times. With retargeting, theyll see your ad as they surf the web.

Note how I said retargeting is good for businesses that are selling something. Its not a very good strategy for businesses whose customers are making a spur-of-the-moment buying decision, restaurants for example. In this case, geofencing or geotargeting may be the way to go. A huge number of searches today are being done on smartphones. With this strategy, Google ads and social media ads are displayed when a prospect is within your defined area.

Social Media Channels

Next up is discussing the role of social media. As I mentioned above, you can advertise on social media, but your digital strategy can be further enhanced by establishing and maintaining a presence. In this case, you need to ask yourself if your customers use social media, and if they do, which channels do they frequent. Maybe all your buyers are senior citizens and few are habitual users of social media. However, this probably isnt the case, so you need to match demographics to preferred social media channels and go to work on those channels.

Let me first give you what I think is the Golden Rule of social media: Have something extremely engaging to say/show. The goal of social media is to create followers and if your posts are mundane, no one will follow you in the long run.

I also want to loop back to our discussion of SEO because social media and SEO can work together. You see, an important element of SEO is how often your site or pages within your site are visited. The more visitors, the higher placement on search results. In other words, rather than actually finding great content, search engines simply follow the herd and assume the herd has found the great content. If you can direct the herd to your pages via social media  to your blog or posted videos for example  search engines will assume you have content worth featuring highly in search results.

Dont expect an immediate payoff from social media; youre trying to build familiarity youre your name and establish your credentials/trust.

Social media influencers can turbocharge this process a bit. Paying the right influencer or micro influencer can put your product or service in front of a lot of prospects much more quickly than you can probably achieve by yourself.

Analog Strategies

Digital strategies get almost all of the hype today but dont forget about more traditional ways to get your message out to your prospects. Even Google  who has every digital marketing tactic at its disposal  has promoted services to me via snail mail.

Targeted local mailings, for example, can be extremely cost-effective, and if done well, their return on investment can be calculated down to the penny  unlike some digital strategies.

Newspapers, magazines, radio, and television ads are all worth considering. Local businesses may have never before considered television advertising, but with the latest tools, buying TV time isnt much different than signing up for a Google ad.

And before I leave the topic of traditional local ads, I want to mention one of my favorites: company vehicles. You see these around town all the time. They can be a truck with the company colors and logo on it, or they can be a car wrapped with incredible graphics.

I know a landlord who needs to replace the windows in a duplex he owns. He was talking about it the other day and mentioned that he keeps seeing the Pella Windows truck all around town. That tells him that Pella has a lot of customers in his area so they must be doing something right.

Ive given you a rundown on most of the tools in the local business advertising and marketing toolbox. Few owners can do all of them. The idea is to start with the ones you think will work best, keep the ones that prove their worth, and then experiment with the one you are less confident in.

You might be surprised by the outcome.

Channel Description Key Considerations Digital Strategies Essential for businesses; includes having a website and online presence. Ensure your website is user-friendly. Check if competitors have websites. SEO Improves search engine rankings; focus on local SEO and long-tail keywords if customers are local. Local SEO optimization and keyword research are critical. Paid Search Advertising Utilize paid ads on search engines to capture potential customers. Target long-tail keywords and monitor ad performance for ROI. Retargeting Re-engage potential customers who didn't convert initially. Effective for products or services that require multiple touchpoints. Geofencing/Geotargeting Display ads when prospects are within a defined area, often used for mobile marketing. Suitable for businesses with local, location-dependent customer decisions. Social Media Channels Establish a presence on relevant platforms; engage and create followers. Match demographics to preferred social media channels; focus on engagement. Traditional Strategies Traditional advertising methods like direct mail, print, radio, and TV ads. Local businesses can consider TV advertising; company vehicles as mobile billboards.

Mastering the Advertising and Marketing Maze: Key Takeaways

In the ever-evolving world of advertising and marketing, a few key takeaways can help guide your business decisions:

Digital Dominance: Embrace digital marketing as the cornerstone of your strategy, beginning with a user-friendly website.

Embrace digital marketing as the cornerstone of your strategy, beginning with a user-friendly website. Know Your Competitors: Assess whether your competitors have a digital presence, and tailor your strategy accordingly.

Assess whether your competitors have a digital presence, and tailor your strategy accordingly. The Power of SEO: Invest in search engine optimization to secure prime placement in search results.

Invest in search engine optimization to secure prime placement in search results. Local SEO: If your customers are local, prioritize local SEO optimization and long-tail keywords.

If your customers are local, prioritize local SEO optimization and long-tail keywords. Paid Search Advertising: Capitalize on paid search engine advertising to capture motivated prospects.

Capitalize on paid search engine advertising to capture motivated prospects. Retargeting: Implement retargeting for products or services that require multiple touchpoints before conversion.

Implement retargeting for products or services that require multiple touchpoints before conversion. Geofencing and Geotargeting: Use geofencing to reach potential customers when they are physically nearby.

Use geofencing to reach potential customers when they are physically nearby. Social Media Engagement: Establish a strong presence on social media, offering engaging and valuable content.

Establish a strong presence on social media, offering engaging and valuable content. Synergy with SEO: Leverage social media to boost site visits, positively influencing your search engine ranking.

Leverage social media to boost site visits, positively influencing your search engine ranking. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with social media influencers to swiftly expand your brands reach.

Collaborate with social media influencers to swiftly expand your brands reach. Traditional Tactics: Dont overlook traditional advertising methods like direct mailings, newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV ads.

Dont overlook traditional advertising methods like direct mailings, newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV ads. Branded Vehicles: Consider using branded company vehicles as mobile billboards to increase local visibility.

Consider using branded company vehicles as mobile billboards to increase local visibility. Iterative Approach: Continuously refine your strategies based on performance, and be open to experimenting with new channels.

Continuously refine your strategies based on performance, and be open to experimenting with new channels. Creativity Wins: Engage your audience with captivating content and memorable branding across all channels.

Key Takeaways Description Digital Dominance Make digital marketing a central part of your strategy, starting with a user-friendly website. Know Your Competitors Evaluate whether your competitors have a digital presence and adjust your strategy accordingly. The Power of SEO Invest in search engine optimization (SEO) to achieve better visibility in search results. Local SEO Prioritize local SEO optimization and use long-tail keywords if your customer base is local. Paid Search Advertising Utilize paid search engine advertising to target motivated prospects and drive traffic to your site. Retargeting Implement retargeting for products or services that require multiple touchpoints to convert potential customers. Geofencing and Geotargeting Use geofencing to reach potential customers when they are physically nearby, especially in mobile marketing. Social Media Engagement Build a strong presence on social media platforms by creating engaging and valuable content. Synergy with SEO Leverage social media to increase website visits and positively impact your search engine ranking. Influencer Partnerships Collaborate with social media influencers to quickly expand your brand's reach and credibility. Traditional Tactics Don't dismiss traditional advertising methods like direct mailings, newspaper ads, magazines, radio, and TV ads. Branded Vehicles Consider using company vehicles as mobile billboards to enhance local visibility and brand recognition. Iterative Approach Continuously refine your strategies based on performance data and be open to experimenting with new marketing channels. Creativity Wins Engage your audience across all channels with captivating content and memorable branding to stand out.

The Power of Data Analytics in Advertising and Marketing

In todays fast-paced digital landscape, the success of advertising and marketing efforts relies heavily on data analytics. While the article has covered various advertising and marketing channels, its crucial to emphasize the role of data-driven decision-making in optimizing these strategies.

The Importance of Data

Data analytics provides businesses with invaluable insights into customer behavior, campaign performance, and market trends. It enables you to make informed decisions, allocate resources more efficiently, and maximize the return on investment (ROI) for your advertising and marketing efforts.

Customer Insights

One of the primary benefits of data analytics is its ability to help you understand your target audience better. By analyzing data from various sources, including website traffic, social media interactions, and email engagement, you can create detailed customer personas. These personas can help you tailor your messaging and advertising content to resonate with your audiences preferences, interests, and pain points.

Optimizing Campaigns

Data analytics allows you to track the performance of your advertising and marketing campaigns in real-time. By monitoring key metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per acquisition, you can quickly identify which strategies are delivering results and which need adjustments. This agile approach enables you to allocate your budget to the most effective channels and tactics.

Personalization and A/B Testing

Personalization is a game-changer in modern advertising. Data analytics empowers businesses to personalize their marketing messages and offers based on individual customer behavior and preferences. A/B testing, for example, lets you experiment with different ad creatives, headlines, and calls to action to determine what resonates best with your audience. This iterative process can lead to higher conversion rates and improved ROI.

Attribution Modeling

Attribution modeling is another critical aspect of data analytics in marketing. It helps you understand the customer journey and identify the touchpoints that contribute most to conversions. By recognizing the channels and interactions that play a significant role in the path to purchase, you can allocate your budget more effectively and prioritize the strategies that drive results.

Predictive Analytics

Looking beyond current performance, data analytics also enables predictive modeling. By analyzing historical data and market trends, businesses can make educated predictions about future consumer behavior. This foresight can inform long-term marketing strategies and product development decisions.

Data Privacy and Compliance

As you delve into data analytics, its essential to prioritize data privacy and comply with relevant regulations, such as GDPR or CCPA. Ensuring the ethical and legal handling of customer data builds trust and protects your brand reputation.

Continuous Learning

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, staying updated with the latest data analytics tools and techniques is essential. Regularly invest in training and skill development to harness the full potential of data-driven marketing.

In conclusion, while selecting the right advertising and marketing channels is crucial, the power of data analytics cannot be underestimated. Businesses that embrace data-driven decision-making can fine-tune their strategies, personalize their messaging, and achieve better outcomes in a competitive marketplace. Data analytics is not just a tool; its a strategic asset that can drive your business towards sustainable growth and success.
In a square mile radius in Germantown, Maryland are about 6 Asian grocery stores. Yet I visited the one store whose location was way off the main road and was difficult to find. I saw a sign for the business in another Asian grocery store and knew that they stocked goat meat, which is a delicacy for meat eaters from the Indian sub-continent.

I cant tell you how many countless times I have used a new business based on their business signs. Business signs work  and heres why.

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5 Reasons Why Business Signs Work

Location

For a brick and mortar small business your sign is important as it acts like a guidepost to guide customers to your place of business and attract the attention of new customers. If you are a new business, people driving by will be attracted to stop in and try your business. People moving to the area look for local businesses that they can start visiting.

Brand Promise

A sign should always be neat and bright and should convey the promise of your brand, convey the high standards of your business, your differentiation. A sign board that is damaged or smudged may fail to convey your brand.

Special Occasions

In the photo above, SXSW is a large event in downtown Austin and this small business is attracting event attendees walking by. Find local events and community gatherings like parades to create awareness for your business

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Competition

When Groupon rented ad space outside Living Socials offices in downtown Washington, D.C. it created some buzz. You see these signs often on highways advertising restaurants or gas stations just a few miles ahead of an exit ramp. Signage is important in a high traffic location as overflow traffic from other places can find your business and make an impromptu decision to use your business.

Online-Offline Connection

Take a look at the picture at the very top of this post from an Irish pub in the Cleveland Park area of Washington, D.C. that advertises their Facebook page.

Adding your website url to your sign is a good idea for people who dont have time to stop and can check you out later. Adding a QR code is a good idea if your sign can be scanned easily.

In photos of your business on your website, it may be a good idea to include pictures of your businesses physical location, signage and neighborhood. So that when people visit, they are already familiar with how the business and surroundings look.

More and more people are finding your business online, but that is only half the story. If you have a great location, you can also appeal to new people who are walking past your business every day.

Reasons Description Location Business signs serve as guideposts for brick-and-mortar businesses, directing customers to their physical location and catching the attention of potential new customers. Brand Promise A well-maintained and visually appealing sign conveys the brand's promise, high standards, and differentiation. Damaged or unclear signs can fail to represent the brand effectively. Special Occasions Leveraging signage during special events and community gatherings, like parades or festivals, can create awareness and attract event attendees to your business. Competition Strategic signage in high-traffic areas and locations with competition can divert overflow traffic from other businesses, leading to impromptu decisions to use your services. Online-Offline Connection Business signs bridge the gap between the online and offline worlds by promoting online presence through website URLs and QR codes, enhancing accessibility for potential customers.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Advertising and Marketing

While implementing various advertising and marketing strategies is essential, its equally crucial to measure their effectiveness. Without data-driven insights, its challenging to determine which strategies are delivering the best results and where adjustments are needed. Heres a section that explores the importance of measuring the impact of your efforts:

Understanding ROI and Key Metrics

As you navigate the intricate landscape of advertising and marketing, tracking the return on investment (ROI) and key performance indicators (KPIs) becomes paramount. These metrics provide a clear picture of how well your strategies are performing and whether they align with your business goals. Heres why measuring effectiveness is crucial:

ROI Assessment: Every advertising and marketing dollar spent should contribute to your bottom line. By tracking ROI, you can determine which channels and campaigns provide the highest returns. This information empowers you to allocate your budget more effectively, channeling resources into strategies that generate revenue. Conversion Rates: Understanding conversion rates is vital to gauge the success of your marketing campaigns. Whether its website visitors becoming customers, social media followers engaging with your content, or email subscribers making purchases, tracking conversions helps identify whats working and what needs optimization. Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC): Knowing how much it costs to acquire a new customer is crucial for sustainable growth. Compare your CAC to the lifetime value of a customer to ensure your marketing efforts are cost-effective. If CAC is too high, consider refining your strategies or targeting a different audience. Click-Through Rates (CTR): CTR is a valuable metric for online advertising and email campaigns. It indicates the effectiveness of your ad copy, email subject lines, and calls to action. A high CTR suggests that your messaging resonates with your audience. Engagement Metrics: On social media and content marketing platforms, engagement metrics like likes, shares, comments, and time spent on a page reveal how well your content connects with your audience. Engaging content often leads to increased brand awareness and customer loyalty. Customer Feedback: Dont underestimate the power of customer feedback. Reviews, surveys, and direct feedback provide insights into customer satisfaction and areas for improvement. Listening to your audience can guide your marketing efforts in the right direction. A/B Testing: Experimentation through A/B testing allows you to compare different marketing approaches and determine which one yields better results. This iterative process can help refine your strategies over time. Google Analytics and Marketing Tools: Utilize analytics tools and marketing platforms to gather valuable data on website traffic, audience demographics, and user behavior. These insights can inform content creation, ad targeting, and website optimization.

The Continuous Improvement Loop

Measuring effectiveness isnt a one-time task; its an ongoing process. Regularly review your data, analyze trends, and adjust your strategies accordingly. This continuous improvement loop ensures that your advertising and marketing efforts remain aligned with your business objectives and adapt to changing consumer behaviors.

In the dynamic world of advertising and marketing, success hinges on your ability to evolve, refine, and optimize your strategies based on measurable outcomes. By tracking ROI and key metrics, youll not only maximize the impact of your efforts but also stay ahead in the competitive landscape. Remember, what gets measured gets managed, and what gets managed gets results.

Key Metrics Description ROI Assessment Evaluating the return on investment (ROI) is essential to understand the financial impact of your advertising and marketing efforts. It helps identify which strategies are most cost-effective and contribute positively to your bottom line. Conversion Rates Tracking conversion rates reveals how successful your marketing campaigns are in turning prospects into customers. It can be measured across various touchpoints, such as website visits, social media interactions, or email sign-ups. Customer Acquisition Costs Calculating the cost of acquiring a new customer (CAC) helps assess the efficiency of your marketing efforts. Comparing CAC to the lifetime value of a customer ensures that your acquisition strategies are sustainable and profitable. Click-Through Rates (CTR) CTR is a crucial metric for digital marketing campaigns, indicating the effectiveness of your ad copy and calls to action. A higher CTR suggests that your messaging resonates with the target audience, driving more clicks and engagement. Engagement Metrics On social media and content platforms, engagement metrics like likes, shares, comments, and time spent on a page reflect the level of audience interaction. Engaging content often leads to increased brand awareness and customer loyalty. Customer Feedback Customer feedback, obtained through reviews, surveys, and direct communication, offers valuable insights into satisfaction levels and areas for improvement. Listening to your audience helps refine your marketing strategies and meet customer expectations. A/B Testing A/B testing involves comparing two variations of a marketing element to determine which performs better. This iterative process helps optimize messaging, design, and other aspects of your campaigns based on data-driven results. Google Analytics and Tools Utilizing analytics tools and marketing platforms provides detailed data on website traffic, audience demographics, and user behavior. These insights inform content creation, ad targeting, and website optimization, enhancing overall effectiveness.

The Psychology Behind Effective Advertising and Marketing

Understanding the psychology of consumers is paramount when it comes to crafting successful advertising and marketing campaigns. While strategies and channels are essential, the human element plays a central role in influencing buying decisions. This section delves into the psychology behind effective advertising and marketing:

Appealing to Emotions

Emotional Storytelling: Humans are inherently emotional beings. Effective advertising often taps into these emotions, telling compelling stories that resonate with the audiences feelings and experiences. Whether its a heartwarming narrative or an inspirational journey, stories evoke empathy and connection. Emotionally Charged Imagery: Visual elements, such as images and videos, have a powerful impact on emotions. Choosing imagery that aligns with the emotional tone of your message can evoke the desired feelings in your audience. For example, images of happiness and joy can be used for products associated with positive experiences.

Building Trust and Credibility

Social Proof: People tend to trust the opinions and actions of others. Incorporating social proof, such as customer reviews, ratings, and testimonials, can build trust in your brand and products. Consumers are more likely to engage with businesses that have a proven track record. Authority and Expertise: Establishing your brand as an authority or expert in your industry can instill confidence in potential customers. Share your knowledge through content marketing, blog posts, and informative videos to position yourself as a trusted source of information.

The Power of Persuasion

Scarcity and Urgency: The fear of missing out is a potent motivator. Creating a sense of scarcity or urgency in your marketing messages, such as limited-time offers or low-stock alerts, can drive action as consumers seek to seize opportunities before they disappear. Reciprocity: People are inclined to reciprocate when they receive something of value. Offer free resources, downloadable guides, or valuable content in exchange for email sign-ups or engagement. This reciprocity fosters a sense of obligation, leading to future interactions.

Understanding Cognitive Biases

Anchoring: The human brain often relies on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions. Use anchoring to your advantage by presenting higher-priced options first, making subsequent choices seem more reasonable. Confirmation Bias: Consumers tend to seek information that confirms their existing beliefs. Tailor your messaging to align with your target audiences values and preferences, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.

Personalization and Relevance

Personalized Experiences: Leverage data to create personalized experiences for your audience. Tailor product recommendations, email content, and advertisements based on individual preferences and behaviors, enhancing relevance and engagement. Segmentation: Divide your audience into segments based on demographics, interests, and behavior. This allows for targeted messaging that speaks directly to the unique needs and desires of each group.

By understanding the psychological drivers that influence consumer behavior, you can create advertising and marketing campaigns that resonate on a deeper level. Effective marketing isnt just about showcasing products or services; its about connecting with people on an emotional and psychological level, ultimately driving them to take action. Whether youre aiming to inspire, build trust, or persuade, psychology plays a pivotal role in shaping successful marketing strategies.
Last year, Boston Launched a successful grant program to encourage entrepreneurs to make the most of vacant storefront locations across the city. Now, the city is launching another round of funding to make even more of an impact. Read more about this small business grant opportunity and others in the roundup below.

Boston SPACE Grants

Boston just announced a second round of its SPACE grants program to support small businesses and fill vacant commercial space Downtown and other neighborhoods. The SPACE Grants program, which stands for Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises, will award grants of up to $200,000 to up to 20 businesses during this round. Eligible businesses can use funds to open their first physical location or expand to a new location in the city. Businesses filling vacant storefronts downtown and those that were most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will receive priority. The deadline for this funding round is November 10.

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New Jersey STEP Grant

The New Jersey Business Action Center (NJBAC) recently received $850,000 in federal funds to support the New Jersey State Trade Expansion Program. The program will use funds to support eligible small businesses entering the export market or those looking to expand their international trade efforts. The grant is part of a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Small Business Administration, which awards funding to various state agencies so they can disperse it to businesses interested in making the most of international trade opportunities. The NJBACs Office of Export Promotion will oversee the funding program for small businesses.

King County Department of Local Services Storefront Repair Program

King County, Washington, is overseeing a new grant program to support small businesses that have experienced vandalism or break-ins. The King County Department of Local Services Storefront Repair Program is open to businesses in unincorporated parts of the county with ten employees or less. Those businesses can apply for up to $5,000, which can be used to repair or restore storefronts that were damaged by vandalism. Eligible business types include retail, grocery, food service, medical, and professional service businesses, among others. The county is currently accepting applications, and the application period will run through December 31, pending the availability of funds.

Accessity U.S. Bank Foundation Grant

Southern California nonprofit lender Accessity recently received a $750,000 multiyear grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation. Accessity will use the funds to help small business owners in the lenders six-county Southern California service area, specifically providing access to funding and educational resources. The organization specializes in helping businesses that have struggled to access capital due to short or non-existent operating histories, past credit issues, or language barriers. The three-year grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation will allow the organization to continue and expand that mission.

AICPA Foundation Grants

The AICPA Foundation is offering grant scholarships to CPA exam candidates and accounting students. The program includes more than $75,000 in funds, which are available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents with financial needs who are seeking a CPA license. Up to 50 candidates will receive up to $1,500 through this program, which can be used to cover fees related to the exam or preparatory courses and materials. The grant isnt specific to those looking to start businesses but can be useful for those looking to start CPA firms in the future.

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Walmart.org Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs Grant

Walmarts philanthropic arm, Walmart.org, recently presented a grant to the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs in downtown Atlanta. The $800,000 grant aims to support the Russell Centers efforts to stimulate entrepreneurship in Atlantas Black community. The organization will use grant funds to create and staff a new academy to teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurial success.
Small business owners often treat health and safety inspections with a certain amount dread because of all the red tape and potential sanctions for the smallest infraction. At the same time, there are certainly excellent reasons to focus on workplace safety.

In 2015, 93 Americans were killed on the job every week, and three percent of all workers were hurt or became seriously ill. By conducting proper workplace checks, quite a few of those deaths and injuries probably could have been avoided.

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Thats precisely why the US Department of Labor has stepped up with a free, voluntary On-site Consultation Program designed to help companies identify and mitigate workplace hazards that could ultimately cost lives. If you own a small business, its something you should definitely consider.

What is the OSHA On-site Consultation Program?

Headed by the departments relatively small Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the On-site Consultation Program sees trained consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers of all shapes and sizes to identify workplace hazards and offer advice on how to avoid the risks associated with those hazards. Consultants also help companies to develop bespoke injury and illness prevention programs.

These consultations are totally different than enforcement inspections, and dont result in companies being penalized for non-compliance with OSHA standards. They merely raise a flag on potential issues and show business owners a clear path to resolving them  which is probably why so many businesses have joined the program.

Last year, OSHAs On-site Consultation Program conducted around 28,000 visits to small business work sites, employing over 1.1 million workers from all over America.

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Why Should Your Business Join OSHAs On-site Consultation Program?

Signing up for OSHAs voluntary program is a proverbial triple-win for a companys workers, managers and its bottom line.

By signing up for an inspection, companies will be able to recognize and remove hazards, protecting staff from injuries and saving lives. The program also helps companies to establish and promote safety plans that bolster staff development and improve morale.

Meanwhile, these consultations can be real eye-openers for managers in terms of compliance with important laws and can build trust with employees. Finally, in terms of a companys bottom line, the program can work wonders by decreasing workers compensation costs, lost workdays and costly equipment damage.

The implications here are huge. After all, according to the National Academy of Social Insurance, sick or injured workers cost American employers a collective $62 billion per year.

There are plenty of case studies to back these points up  and because OSHAs advice is free and confidential, businesses have got absolutely nothing to lose.

Benefits of Joining OSHAs On-site Consultation Program Description Hazard Recognition and Removal Participating in the program allows companies to identify and eliminate workplace hazards, ensuring the safety of their employees. Safety Plan Development The program assists businesses in creating and promoting safety plans, which contribute to staff development and boost overall employee morale. Compliance Awareness Consultations can raise managers' awareness of compliance with important laws and regulations, reducing the risk of legal issues. Trust Building Participation in the program can help establish trust with employees by demonstrating a commitment to their well-being and workplace safety. Cost Savings The program can lead to cost savings by reducing worker's compensation expenses, minimizing lost workdays due to injuries, and preventing costly equipment damage. Financial Implications Addressing workplace safety can have significant financial implications, as businesses collectively bear substantial costs associated with sick or injured workers. Case Studies Numerous case studies highlight the program's effectiveness in improving workplace safety and financial outcomes. Free and Confidential Advice OSHA's advice is both complimentary and confidential, making it a valuable and risk-free resource for businesses seeking to enhance workplace safety.

How Does the Program Work?

OSHAs On-site Consultation Program is pretty simple, and its open to all businesses. But because its voluntary, youve got to request a consultation yourself.

In order to make this request, companies will need to find their local programs office using OSHAs Consultation Directory. After making contact, a consultant then talks you through your companys unique needs and sets up a site visit based on your work schedule, the time required and how high a priority it sounds like your workplace may be in terms of unchecked hazards.

When consultants come for their visit, theyll be able to conduct a thorough inspection of the site. This includes an appraisal of all mechanical and environmental hazards and physical work practices, as well as an appraisal of any current injury prevention program you might have in place.

There will then be a conference with management on the findings, followed by a written report identifying hazards and suggestions on how to solve any particular problems. The consultant should also be able to assist you in developing and providing a training program for your employees, as well as an effective injury and illness prevention program.

Your consultant will not issue citations or propose penalties for any laws you might be breaking, and wont report possible violations to OSHA enforcement staff. That being said, if you fail to eliminate or control serious hazards that were flagged as part of your consultation plan, the situation might later get passed on to an OSHA enforcement office.

Again, the program is voluntary, so businesses are under no obligation to take advantage of it. But then again, youve got nothing to lose by getting in touch with your local program office  and it could save you a lot of hassle and cost later.

The Tangible Benefits of Prioritizing Workplace Safety

Beyond the immediate, obvious advantages of ensuring a safer working environment for employees, businesses that actively prioritize workplace safety can also reap a variety of tangible benefits:

Boost in Productivity: When employees feel safe at work, theyre often more motivated and focused, which can lead to higher productivity levels.

When employees feel safe at work, theyre often more motivated and focused, which can lead to higher productivity levels. Enhanced Reputation: Businesses that are known for maintaining high safety standards can gain a positive reputation among customers, partners, and potential hires. This can be a significant competitive advantage.

Businesses that are known for maintaining high safety standards can gain a positive reputation among customers, partners, and potential hires. This can be a significant competitive advantage. Lower Turnover Rates: Employees are more likely to stay with a company that demonstrates a genuine commitment to their well-being. This can reduce the costs associated with hiring and training new staff.

Employees are more likely to stay with a company that demonstrates a genuine commitment to their well-being. This can reduce the costs associated with hiring and training new staff. Insurance Savings: Many insurance providers offer reduced premiums or incentives for businesses that maintain low workplace injury rates. Over time, these savings can add up.

Many insurance providers offer reduced premiums or incentives for businesses that maintain low workplace injury rates. Over time, these savings can add up. Avoidance of Legal Complications: By adhering to safety standards and regulations, businesses can reduce the risk of costly lawsuits or penalties related to workplace accidents or non-compliance.

By adhering to safety standards and regulations, businesses can reduce the risk of costly lawsuits or penalties related to workplace accidents or non-compliance. Higher Morale: A safer workplace typically results in higher morale among employees. This can lead to improved teamwork, collaboration, and overall job satisfaction.

Benefits of Prioritizing Workplace Safety

Prioritizing workplace safety is essential for the well-being of your employees and the success of your business. Here are some tangible benefits that come with a strong focus on safety:

Boost in Productivity: When employees feel safe at work, theyre often more motivated and focused. This increased sense of security can lead to higher productivity levels as workers are less distracted by safety concerns.

When employees feel safe at work, theyre often more motivated and focused. This increased sense of security can lead to higher productivity levels as workers are less distracted by safety concerns. Enhanced Reputation: Businesses that are known for maintaining high safety standards can build a positive reputation among customers, partners, and potential hires. This reputation can serve as a significant competitive advantage, attracting more clients and top talent.

Businesses that are known for maintaining high safety standards can build a positive reputation among customers, partners, and potential hires. This reputation can serve as a significant competitive advantage, attracting more clients and top talent. Lower Turnover Rates: Employees are more likely to stay with a company that demonstrates a genuine commitment to their well-being. A safer workplace can reduce turnover rates, saving you money on hiring and training new staff.

Employees are more likely to stay with a company that demonstrates a genuine commitment to their well-being. A safer workplace can reduce turnover rates, saving you money on hiring and training new staff. Insurance Savings: Many insurance providers offer reduced premiums or incentives for businesses that maintain low workplace injury rates. Over time, these savings can add up significantly, reducing your overall operational costs.

Many insurance providers offer reduced premiums or incentives for businesses that maintain low workplace injury rates. Over time, these savings can add up significantly, reducing your overall operational costs. Avoidance of Legal Complications: By adhering to safety standards and regulations, businesses can reduce the risk of costly lawsuits or penalties related to workplace accidents or non-compliance. This proactive approach can protect your companys financial stability and reputation.

By adhering to safety standards and regulations, businesses can reduce the risk of costly lawsuits or penalties related to workplace accidents or non-compliance. This proactive approach can protect your companys financial stability and reputation. Higher Morale: A safer workplace typically results in higher morale among employees. When workers feel their safety is a priority, it can lead to improved teamwork, collaboration, and overall job satisfaction. This positive atmosphere can contribute to a more harmonious and efficient work environment.

Benefits of Prioritizing Workplace Safety Description Boost in Productivity Prioritizing workplace safety fosters a sense of security among employees, leading to increased motivation and focus, resulting in higher productivity levels. Enhanced Reputation Businesses known for maintaining high safety standards build a positive reputation among customers, partners, and potential hires, providing a competitive advantage and attracting top talent. Lower Turnover Rates Demonstrating a commitment to employee well-being reduces turnover rates, saving costs related to hiring and training new staff. Insurance Savings Many insurers offer reduced premiums for businesses with low workplace injury rates, leading to long-term cost savings and improved financial health. Avoidance of Legal Complications Adherence to safety standards minimizes the risk of costly lawsuits and penalties related to workplace accidents or non-compliance, safeguarding the company's financial stability and reputation. Higher Morale A safer workplace results in higher employee morale, fostering improved teamwork, collaboration, and job satisfaction. This positive atmosphere enhances overall work efficiency and harmony.

Conclusion

The imperative of prioritizing workplace safety cannot be overstated, particularly for small business owners who may approach health and safety inspections with trepidation due to concerns about red tape and potential penalties for even minor infractions. However, as weve explored in this article, the compelling reasons to focus on workplace safety far outweigh the initial apprehension.

The statistics from 2015, where 93 Americans lost their lives on the job every week, and three percent of all workers suffered injuries or serious illnesses, serve as a stark reminder of the pressing need for proactive safety measures in the workplace. Many of these tragic incidents could have been averted through proper workplace checks and the mitigation of potential hazards.

Enter the US Department of Labors On-site Consultation Program, under the auspices of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This voluntary program, which is free of charge, is designed explicitly to assist businesses, especially small ones, in identifying and mitigating workplace hazards that have the potential to claim lives and cause serious injuries. It offers expert guidance and consultation, making it an invaluable resource for small business owners who are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of their employees.

One of the key distinctions of the On-site Consultation Program is that it operates independently of enforcement inspections. Unlike the latter, participation in this program does not result in punitive measures or fines for non-compliance with OSHA standards. Instead, it takes a collaborative and educational approach, raising awareness about potential issues and providing clear pathways to their resolution. This unique approach has resonated with countless businesses, prompting them to join the program.

In the most recent year, OSHAs On-site Consultation Program carried out around 28,000 site visits to small business worksites, benefiting over 1.1 million workers across America. These numbers underscore the programs reach and impact, demonstrating that an increasing number of small business owners recognize the value of prioritizing workplace safety.
Recognizing the potential challenges AI-enhanced content poses, a new initiative has been launched to ensure creators label their AI-generated materials. This move supports the responsible use of AI in creativity and underscores the importance of media literacy for both creators and viewers.

AI: A Double-Edged Sword

While AI presents creators with groundbreaking opportunities to enhance their work, theres an inherent risk: the audience might be misled or confused if unaware of AIs role in generating or editing content. Addressing this, the new labeling tool ensures clarity by allowing creators to tag content significantly altered or completely generated by AI technology.

The tool aligns with recent Community Guidelines emphasizing the need to label synthetic media  AI-produced content featuring realistic images, audio, or video. This policy offers viewers a proper context, reducing the potential spread of misleading content. Now, creators have an accessible avenue for compliance through the label, besides other disclosure methods like captions or stickers.

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A Community of Informed Users

To foster an understanding of the new labels, educational resources and videos will be disseminated in the coming weeks. Over time, its anticipated that these AI-generated content labels will be as commonly understood and utilized as verified account badges and branded content labels.

A step ahead, automatic labeling of AI-generated content is also on the horizon. Tests are underway for an AI-generated label that, in the future, will be automatically applied to identified AI-edited or created content. Highlighting their commitment to clarity, AI products on platforms like TikTok will soon be explicitly marked with AI in their name and label.

Advice from the Experts

Experts in the field underscore the importance of such initiatives. MITs Dr. David G. Rand, who provided insights into the design of AI-generated labels, highlights the significance of platforms having effective labeling policies. His research suggests that the term AI-generated is universally comprehended as denoting AI-produced content across global demographic groups.

Building a consensus and navigating the intricate landscape of AI calls for collective efforts. Platforms are increasingly collaborating with industry peers, experts, and civil society. Commitments to best practices, such as the Partnership on AIs Responsible Practices for Synthetic Media, reflect this trend. Moreover, initiatives like partnering with Digital Moment, a nonprofit, for roundtables with young community members highlight the emphasis on understanding diverse perspectives on AIs online evolution.

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An Evolving Approach to AI

While the landscape of AI-generated content is dynamic, the commitment to adapt and iterate remains steadfast. These initiatives begin a journey where platforms, creators, and viewers collaboratively ensure that AI is harnessed responsibly and transparently. Small businesses, especially those leveraging AI for content creation, should heed these emerging practices, aligning their strategies to be transparent, responsible, and in tune with community expectations.
(CNN)  The number of people killed when a drone laden with explosives hit a military a military college graduation ceremony in the western Syrian city of Homs rose to 89 early Friday, with nearly 300 others wounded.

Five children and 31 women were among the dead, Syrias state-run news agency SANA reported.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. In an earlier statement, the defense ministry on Thursday blamed terrorist organizations supported by well-known international parties. Among those with critical injuries were families invited to the ceremony as well as graduating students, it said.

The Syrian armed forces said the attack was unprecedented, and vowed to respond with full force and determination, warning that those who planned and executed the attack will pay dearly.

The ancient city of Homs, once known as the capital of the Syrian revolution, was the site of intense battles between regime forces and opposition fighters seeking to unseat President Bashar Al Assad in 2012. The city fell to the regime in 2014, when rebels left it after a two-year siege.

The Syrian president now controls most of the country, with the exception of a northern strip held by various rebel factions, including Kurdish groups.

Located in the agricultural heartland of Syria, the western city had long been a transport and commercial hub of vital strategic importance. The road through Homs connects the capital, Damascus, in the south, to Syrias largest city, Aleppo, in the north.

On Thursday, civil defense group the White Helmets, comprised of nearly 3,000 volunteers working to save lives in Syria, said the Syrian regime forces launched systematic attacks on civilians in northwestern Syria, killing at least 12 people and injuring 49.

Among the 49 injured civilians were 12 children and 11 women, according to the group.

Syria has been carrying out airstrikes routinely in the area against what the regime calls terrorists.

Heavy artillery shells and rocket launchers were unleashed upon more than 15 cities, towns, and villages across Idlib and the Aleppo countryside in northwest Syria. Notably, markets, schools, public facilities, and humanitarian workers were targeted in these attacks, the White Helmets said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the group reported airstrikes targeting a school in Sarmeen city in the eastern countryside of Idlib, resulting in the death of one child and injuries to six civilians, including three girls  with one being an infant  and two women.

Northwest Syria has witnessed its third consecutive day of deadly bombardment, the group said on Thursday.

Turkey strikes Kurdish targets in Syria

Meanwhile, at least 11 people were killed on the other side of the country Thursday by Turkish airstrikes targeting Kurdish-controlled areas of northeastern Syria, according to a statement by Kurdish security forces in the region.

The Turkish state launched on Thursday a series of attacks on our regions with more than 15 drones penetrating the airspace of northeastern Syria, and again targeted many positions, infrastructure, service facilities, and gas and oil stations, resulting in death and injuries. Its aggression also affected areas populated by civilians, said Asayish, the Kurdish internal security force.

Turkeys military has launched a series of airstrikes against Kurdish targets in Syria and Iraq following a deadly bombing in the Turkish capital on Sunday. The attack in Ankara was claimed by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has carried out a decades-long insurgency against the government and is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.

In a separate incident, a US fighter jet shot down an armed Turkish drone in Syria that was operating near US military personnel and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), officials familiar with the incident told CNN Thursday.

The backbone of the SDF is the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey says is a wing of the PKK.

The US assessed the armed drone as a potential threat, and issued more than a dozen warnings before shooting it down, the officials said, adding that several drones made repeated approaches toward US troop positions.

It is unclear how the warnings were issued. There were no reports of US casualties, an official said.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said that the drone didnt belong to the Turkish armed forces, Reuters reported. CNN has reached out to the Turkish government for comment.
Peak offers 360 degree panorama of whole mountain range.

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On my way down from the Vychodna Vysoka peak, an older Polish hiker asked me how long it takes to get to the summit. As mentioned in the previous instalment of this two-part series, I do not speak any Polish, but because our languages have some similarities, I could understand her.

"About ten minutes," I replied, much to her relief. When I added that the circular view the peak offers is both beautiful and stunning, she seemed to understand only partially, so I made a circular gesture with a finger. "Ah," she said, nodding. She added that her hiking partner was waiting for her at the start of the path to the peak and would continue towards the nearby Litvorova Dolina valley when she got back. I bade her farewell and went on my way.

Polish was not the only foreign language I overheard on the trail to Vychodna Vysoka. Just as I had on the previous day, I heard a lot of Czech and Hungarian, but this time there was a little bit of German and English, and, surprisingly, French added to the mix.

There is something truly wonderful about greeting fellow hikers with a smile and being greeted back in their native language, maybe even exchange a few words, knowing you are both on the same page.

What to expect

As the weather forecast promised a sunny day, I opted for another hike on Tuesday, September 26. This time it was the loop trail to Vychodna Vysoka, a 2,429-metre peak located in the heart of the High Tatras on the main ridge, and then through the Sedlo Prielom saddle to the Velka Studena Dolina valley.

The trail - which takes approximately 10 hours, has a length of 22 kilometres, elevation gain and loss of around 1,700 metres each -is demanding not only physically, but technically as well. There are several exposed sections, meaning a large risk of injury as any false step could result in a serious fall, secured with chains and iron stemples. Moreover, the final stretch to the peak requires some climbing as well, and the slope towards the saddle is littered with loose rocks.
Police raid Speaker of Parliament's companies, Hepatitis A epidemic in eastern Slovakia, top food retailers in the country.

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Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, October 4 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Police raid Speaker of Parliament's companies

Speaker of Parliament Boris Kollar (Sme Rodina). (Source: TASR)

Early on Wednesday morning, the National Crime Agency (NAKA) launched an operation codenamed Targets investigating extensive economic crime carried out between 2011 and 2021. Police officers conducted raids at 17 locations in Slovakia.

One of them took place in a building located at Leskova 5 Street in Bratislava at which several companies owned by Speaker of Parliament and Sme Rodina chief Boris Kollar have their headquarters, including the popular radio station Fun Radio. The party itself has headquarters at the same address.

Another raid took place at the SLOVCLEAN company, which is linked to former Sme Rodina MP Martin Borgula. The MP has previously been charged with corruption but the case was later dropped on the orders of General Prosecutor Maros Zilinka.

Kollar called the raid a "ridiculous police circus" and said police came for four invoices they had received three months ago. He also claimed the raid was a cover-up of a more serious problem - reintroduced border checks.

Meanwhile, Kollar announced that he would no longer answer the questions of the dailies Sme and Dennik N and the news website Aktuality.sk, calling them "PR agencies". He labelled journalists from these media outlets as "propagandists".

The September 30 election were a debacle for the Sme Rodina party, which got just 2.2 percent of all votes. In recent months, Kollar's past scandals regarding his behaviour towards women have caught up to him. Not very loyal voters are also seen as the reason behind the party's failure.

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FEATURE STORY FOR WEDNESDAY

When an English word has no Slovak equivalent

Reading in English can prove a challenge. (Source: SME)

The English language has roughly 900,000 words, while Slovak has roughly 700,000, according to Juraj Dolnik, professor at Comenius University's Slovak language department.

As English has more words than Slovak, there are English words that have no equivalent. The latest edition of the Slovak Matters column deals with some of these.

EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND

Come to Stupava and enjoy Cabbage Days

Dni Zela (Cabbage Days) in the town of Stupava near Bratislava. (Source: TASR)

The town of Stupava near Bratislava regularly hosts Dni Zela (Days of Cabbage) during the first weekend of October, and this year is no exception. Between October 6-8, visitors to the western Slovak town will be able to learn more about the tradition of growing cabbage and cooking cabbage soup. For more information, click here (in Slovak).

IN OTHER NEWS

Any crossing of tourist border points e.g. mountain crossings in the Tatra Mountains, will be considered illegal border crossings , the Polish Border Guard has said. On Tuesday, Poland was one of several countries that introduced border checks with Slovakia.

, the Polish Border Guard has said. On Tuesday, Poland was one of several countries that introduced border checks with Slovakia. Retail revenues in Slovakia were down 2.1 percent year-on-year in August , dropping for the seventh month in a row, the Statistics Office reported on Wednesday.

, dropping for the seventh month in a row, the Statistics Office reported on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety MEPs backed the candidacy of Slovak European Commission Vice-president Maros Sefcovic , who should oversee the implementation of the European Green Deal. (TASR)

, who should oversee the implementation of the European Green Deal. (TASR) On Wednesday, the Kosice-based Childrens University Hospital (DFN) reported an 'alarming situation' in regards to Hepatitis A with all beds in its infectious disease department occupied. Due to increased incidence of the virus, the Louis Pasteur University Hospital (UNLP) in Kosice has banned visits until further notice. Hygienists in the Presov district, eastern Slovakia, reported more than 130 cases of the disease and four active outbreaks. Of 90 beds in the local hospital's infectious disease department, 85 are occupied. (TASR)

all beds in its infectious disease department occupied. Due to increased incidence of the virus, the Louis Pasteur University Hospital (UNLP) in Kosice has banned visits until further notice. Hygienists in the Presov district, eastern Slovakia, reported more than 130 cases of the disease and four active outbreaks. Of 90 beds in the local hospital's infectious disease department, 85 are occupied. (TASR) In response to growing threats to media freedom and the industrys viability, MEPs adopted a position on a law to strengthen the transparency and independence of EU media. EP wants to oblige member states to ensure media plurality and protect media independence from governmental, political, economic or private interference, ban all forms of interference in editorial decisions and prevent external pressure being exerted on journalists. (EP News)

Several border crossings between Slovakia and Poland have been closed for transport due to illegal migration. Locals say they were not ready for it. Pictured is the Chochoow - Sucha Hora crossing. (Source: TASR)

WEATHER FOR THURSDAY

Overnight, there will be ground frost in some parts of valleys of north-central and north Slovakia. The day will be mostly sunny, occasionally cloudy. Temperatures between 17 C and 22 C. (SHMU)

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The perpetrator faces charges that could result in 15 years in prison.

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His job was to help people, but now he faces charges of rape. The Sme daily has obtained a court document issued by a judge that recounts the events of the morning when the 54-year-old paramedic allegedly abducted the 22-year-old student. The document indicates that the assault was premeditated.

Upon searching the suspect's residence, the authorities discovered needles, medical supplies, and a significant quantity of prescription sleeping pills. According to Judge Roland Kemeny, who ordered the detention of Ivo P. in mid-September, the suspect had plans for additional attacks.

The judge's four-page detention order describes how the paramedic is suspected of abducting the drama student, administering a sleep-inducing substance, detaining her in his residence for over a day, and eventually leaving her injured outside the main hospital in Bratislava's Petrzalka borough.

One of the reasons for the suspect's detention was that the police found a large amount of sedatives, including ketamine and haloperidol, during a search of his home. The judge therefore concluded that he could harm other women.

The attack was planned
https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/hamas-sneak-attack-on-israel-deemed-major-failure-for-israeli-intelligence-1114006542.html

Hamas' Sneak Attack on Israel Deemed 'Major Failure' for Israeli Intelligence

Hamas' Sneak Attack on Israel Deemed 'Major Failure' for Israeli Intelligence

Early on October 7, Palestinian militants based in the Gaza Strip launched a surprise offensive against Israel dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, launching thousands of missiles while other groups advanced into Israeli territory.

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2023-10-08T09:58+0000

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While Palestinian militants fought their way into several Israeli communities and military installations, taking a number of Israeli soldiers prisoner and seizing military hardware, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have retaliated with airstrikes against the Gaza Strip. Death toll on both sides keep rising and Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly declared that his country is at war, vowing to drive the Hamas forces from the territories they infiltrated during this attack. Dr. Meir Elran, a retired IDF brigadier general and a senior research fellow and head of three security programs at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, told Sputnik that the attack began at about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and apparently caught the Israeli forces completely by surprise. Describing the attack as a premeditated, pre-planned assault on the part of the Palestinian Hamas movement, Elran admitted that the militants managed to successfully hide their preparations from the Israeli agencies that are supposed to uncover such plots beforehand. This just shows you that here in the neighborhood, here in the Middle East, things can happen. Even those things that you do not really predict will happen, the former IDF officer mused, noting that, this major failure of the Israeli intelligence calls for a very serious investigation. I'm sure that we're going to do that. I'm sure that lessons will be taken. But unfortunately, it's happened. And as I said before, this was not the first time this happened to us, he added. Elrans concerns were echoed by Dr. Simon Tsipis, an expert on national security, political science, and international relations, who argued that the current crisis has become probably one of the biggest failures for the Israel Security Agency (ISA), Israels internal security service. While it is unclear at this time exactly how the Palestinian militants managed to obfuscate their preparations, Tsipis speculated that ISA might have been deliberately misled by its own assets in the Gaza Strip whose hatred of the Israelis prevails over their greed, as he put it. According to Tsipis, the current situation was made possible in no small part due to the current political crisis in Israel whose right-wing, radical government likely regarded provoking a war as its only chance to stay in power. The overall readiness of the Israeli armed forces was reduced by the actions of many officers who, having become disgruntled with Netanyahus government, said they will not report for duty, while Hamas militants thrived thanks to generous financial support from Arab states, Tsipis added. He also observed that the current Hamas incursion is an unprecedented move for the movement which seems to have carefully planned its actions. Previously, a single boat could land on a shore and deploy" but they would have been "swiftly liquidated." Or there were previous instances where several militants managed to "sneak (into Israeli territory) by land. But right now, they are attacking across all fronts, so to speak, Tsipis elaborated. Despite all the media attention that the current escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has attracted, Tsipis argued that, at this point it is merely a local clash that is unlikely to transform into some regional or global conflict  assuming, of course, that some foreign actor, such as Hezbollah, does not attempt to use the situation to further its own goals, he added.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/huge-mess-whats-known-so-far-about-hamas-israel-armed-standoff-1114004861.html

'Huge Mess': What's Known So Far About Hamas-Israel Armed Standoff?

'Huge Mess': What's Known So Far About Hamas-Israel Armed Standoff?

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas after the Gaza-based militant groups surprise attack against the Jewish state on Saturday. Hows the situation developing? Check Sputnik to find out.

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Beginning: Siren Heard 'Across Israel'In the early hours of Saturday, air raid sirens were heard in southern and central Israel in response to missile strikes by the militant group Hamas.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in turn, said that they had retaliated by hitting targets in the Gaza Strip. According to the IDF, Israelis across the country "woke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza."The IDF also claimed that it is fighting in several locations in the state as some Israeli residents insist that Hamas fighters were trying to break into their homes.'Day of Greatest Battle'Senior Hamas commander Mohammad Deif, in turn, was quoted by a US news agency as saying that about 5,000 rockets had already been launched at Israel and that the militant group has decided to say enough is enough."He was echoed by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, who touted the Hamas operation as a "decisive response to Israel's continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalization with Israel."Palestinian media has, meanwhile, reported that an array of Israelis have been taken captive by Hamas fighters and Hamas media posted what looked like a destroyed Israeli tank. The footage cannot be independently verified.Another American news outlet reported that Hamas had captured several Israeli soldiers near the border after the militants entered the Jewish state by land, sea and air using paragliders.'We are at War' In an address to Israeli citizens earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that "we are at war".He pledged that the enemy will pay an unprecedented price for the attack, which reportedly claimed the lives of 22 Israelis , and that his country will win this war."Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for his part, said that Hamas made a grave mistake this morning by infiltrating southern Israel. According to him, IDF soldiers, who kicked off Operation Swords of Iron, are fighting the enemy at all the infiltration sites.Russia, Turkiye Urge RestraintRussia is in contact with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries on the issue of exacerbation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has told Sputnik.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his part, urged the conflicting parties to act with restraint [] and to stay away from impulsive steps that will escalate tensions."Speaking at his ruling party congress in Ankara on Saturday, Erdogan also urged against any kind of attempt to harm the historical and religious status of Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.'Two Reasons' for Standoff - Analyst In an interview with Sputnik, Professor Kobi Michael, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University and former deputy director-general and head of the Palestinian desk at the Ministry for Strategic Affairs, has meanwhile warned of far-reaching implications from the current Israel-Hamas armed standoff.He insisted that the Jewish state has been at war with Hamas at least since 2018, but most recently in the last year and a half. The expert bemoaned the fact that the Israeli leadership in the last year has failed to contain the situation and to keep calm at any price.This is something the Iranians really dont like and Hamas really doesnt like. And they do all the possible efforts in order to escalate the situation, to destabilize the situation, in order to embarrass the Saudis in order to prevent the Saudis from making any sort of advance in this process, he pointed out.According to Prof. Michael, another reason pertains to the domestic political crisis in Israel, with Hamas believing that the Israeli government is pretty occupied with all of its domestic problems and that the IDF will be unable to retaliate.He also argued that Hamas is historically at a turning point, because the group is not going to be what it used to be before, also after this war. Dwelling on the people of Gaza, the pundit predited that they would pay a very heavy price and this finally might be an opportunity for the region to reshape the regional architecture.

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operation iron swords, armed standoff between israel and hamas, militant group hamas, hamas' missile strikes on southern israel
https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/island-of-despair-spanish-el-hierro-overwhelmed-by-migrant-surge-1113986522.html

Island of Despair? Spanish El Hierro Overwhelmed by Migrant Surge

Island of Despair? Spanish El Hierro Overwhelmed by Migrant Surge

The island of El Hierro faces capacity strains due to the surge in migrants. Local authorities decry lack of support, demanding urgent assistance for migrants.

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Over the course of 48 hours, 1,200 individuals made their way to El Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Islands, known for its population of just 11,000.Only nine migrants had made it to the island by June 8. But the figure has now surged to 3,300 in the last few weeks.Alexis Ramos, a spokesperson from the Red Cross, stated that the island is in dire straits. He explained that people arriving are disoriented and feel a bit drained. He added, "they're arriving, but they don't really know where they are. They are in shock and also a little bit exhausted."Due to a capacity shortage, the Emergency Coordination Center has transferred irregular boats to neighboring Spanish islands. Nevertheless, local authorities have expressed a sense of abandonment.President Fernando Clavijo of the Canary Islands has criticized the Spanish government for its silence on the archipelago's migration emergency. He stressed that the situation has become intolerable for the Canary Islanders.Clavijo underlined the declaration of a social crisis, stressing the urgency of assisting adult migrants and minors. This announcement coincided with 27 European Union leaders meeting in southern Spain to find solutions and avoid a potential new migration catastrophe.In recent years, the Canary Islands route has gained notoriety as one of the most perilous paths to Europe. Shockingly, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that one meets a tragic end for every 20 people embarking on this journey. This figure surpasses the dangers of alternative routes to Europe.El Hierro, the farthest island in the Canary Islands, lies in the Atlantic Ocean, offering a final opportunity for many to set foot in Europe.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221101/un-experts-stark-dehumanization-of-african-migrants-at-perimeter-of-europe-remains-unaccountable-1102925220.html

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Death Toll From Hamas Air Strikes in Israel Rises to Over 700

The death toll from Hamas air strikes in Israel has risen to more than 700, an Israeli broadcaster reported on Sunday.

At the same time, the number of those wounded in Israel has increased to 2,243 people as a result of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Israeli newspaper reported, citing the country's health ministry.

The report said that 22 people were in critical condition, 343 were seriously injured and 439 sustained moderate injuries.

The Israeli government announced earlier on Sunday that it had invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law, which means the country officially entered a state of war.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/russia-monitoring-situation-with-natos-military-activity--moscow-1113996712.html

Russia Monitoring Situation With NATO's Military Activity - Moscow

Russia Monitoring Situation With NATO's Military Activity - Moscow

Russia is monitoring the situation with NATO's military activity in Europe to plan a response, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik.

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UK Defense Minister Grant Shapps said on October 1 that the UK is deploying Typhoon fighter jets to Poland to protect its NATO ally from an alleged threat from Russia. Moscow is monitoring the situation with the buildup of troops and the development of NATO military activity on the eastern flank of the alliance, the development of new routes for the deployment of US forces and assets to Europe and the creation of new command structures on the European theater of operations. These negative factors are taken into account when we are planning our response, Zakharova said. She said this deployment actually means the West's air support for the group of troops in eastern Poland, on the borders of the Russia-Belarus Union State.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231003/how-clinton-used-russias-1993-crisis-to-dupe-yeltsin-on-natos-eastward-march-1113895633.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/russia-urges-israel-palestine-to-cease-fire-return-to-negotiations---foreign-ministry-1114003454.html

Russia Urges Israel, Palestine to Cease Fire, Return to Negotiations - Foreign Ministry

Russia Urges Israel, Palestine to Cease Fire, Return to Negotiations - Foreign Ministry

Russia calls on Israel and Palestine to cease fire and return to the negotiating table and considers the current escalation a very dangerous relapse of the long-running conflict, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Sputnik on Saturday.

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2023-10-07T11:26+0000

2023-10-08T10:04+0000

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"We are in contact with all of them, calling on them to cease fire and return to the negotiating table. How receptive are they to our appeals? Well, we are in favor of resolving all issues peacefully on the basis of mutual interests," Bogdanov said. Russia is currently in contact with Israel, Palestine, Egypt and other Arab countries to de-escalate the situation, Bogdanov said. "We are in touch with everyone. We're asking them to stop as soon as possible. There are many victims, destruction and those injured. It is necessary to stop all this as soon as possible and sit down at the negotiating table, especially since the international legal basis is known  there must be a fair, comprehensive solution to the conflict. Our position has not changed," Bogdanov said.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/russian-air-defense-systems-destroy-ukrainian-s-200-missile-flying-to-crimea-1114008576.html

Russian Air Defense Systems Destroy Ukrainian S-200 Missile Flying to Crimea

Russian Air Defense Systems Destroy Ukrainian S-200 Missile Flying to Crimea

"The Ukrainian missile was timely detected and destroyed in the air by the Russian air defense systems," the defense ministry said in a statement.

2023-10-07T20:07+0000

2023-10-07T20:07+0000

2023-10-07T20:07+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

ukraine

kiev

kiev

crimea

crimea

russian air defense forces

russian air and space forces

s-200 missile

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"On October 7, at about 22:00 Moscow time [19:00 GMT], the Kiev regime attempted to stage a terrorist attack on the territory of Crimea with a surface-to-air missile of the S-200 air defense system, converted into a strike version. The Ukrainian missile was timely detected and destroyed in the air by the Russian air defense systems," the defense ministry said in a statement.

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(CNN)  The US State Department is preparing to officially designate the military takeover in Niger as a coup detat as soon as next week, three US officials told CNN, a decision which could have dramatic implications on the ability of the US to work with a crucial counter-terrorism partner in the region.

The department is set to announce that the US will be suspending certain forms of assistance to Niger as a result of the coup designation, an official and another person familiar with the discussion said.

The US embassy can continue to operate and the US military will be able to legally keep forces in Niger if a coup designation is made, US officials said. But the Pentagon is still assessing how the change will impact the approximately 1,000 US forces stationed in the country, officials said.

US officials said it is unlikely that US forces withdraw completely, and some will probably stay in a more limited intelligence gathering role.

As we continue our diplomatic engagements to preserve civilian rule in Niger we are continuing to assess additional next steps but have nothing to preview at this time, a State Department spokesperson said.

A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment.

The administration could continue with life-saving and other kinds of assistance that are important for US security interests while simultaneously suspending other assistance to the government, including economic and security assistance. Those details are still being ironed out.

Nigerien military leaders overthrew the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, in July. But, unlike some allies, the US had been reluctant to formally label the takeover as a coup, because it is a legal designation that would require the US to restrict certain forms of foreign aid to Niger  most notably, security assistance funding for Nigerien forces.

The coup designation could result in US funding and support for the Nigerien military being cut off, which the US military has sought to avoid  even as France announced last week that it was pulling all of its troops out of the country by the end of this year. The US has worked to support Nigerien forces for a decade to bolster their fight against terrorists in Africas Sahel region, and the US has several bases inside Niger from where it conducts counterterrorism operations.

According to the US Embassy in Niamey, since 2012, the Pentagon and State Department have provided Niger more than $350 million in military assistance equipment and training programs  one of the largest security assistance and training programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

But US law requires that funds appropriated by Congress for training and equipping a foreign military must be restricted in the event that a duly elected countrys leader has been overthrown by that countrys military.

There has been frustration in Congress with the administrations lack of communication with the Hill, and the administrations slow decision-making process, a person familiar with the discussions said.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in Djibouti last week that the US still has essentially the same footprint in Niger as it did before the takeover, and has continued conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the purposes of protecting the US forces still stationed there. But, he said, the US has not resumed any operations with the Nigerien forces.

The US military mission in Niger is one of the main reasons why the US held off so long on legally declaring the situation a military coup detat, instead engaging in extensive diplomacy to try to reverse the Nigerien military takeover, officials previously told CNN. But those diplomatic efforts havent been successful, and the military is still in power.

Weve come very close to say, again, that this is an attempted coup, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on August 15 when asked why the US had not made the legal designation. I think, by all means, from State Department, from DOD, from other levels of government, we are trying to work through this in a peaceful manner. As you know, Niger is quite a critical partner to us in the region.

The Secretary of State could issue a waiver to reinstate the military aid once a coup is determined, but only if he decides that it is in the national security interest of the United States and consults with Congress first, according to the Congressional Research Service. Congress for the first-time last year incorporated the waiver into its 2023 omnibus spending bill.

Senior Pentagon officials believe that keeping a presence in Niger is vital to efforts to tackle terrorism in the region and believe that its feasible even amid the domestic political turmoil there. Several of the junta leaders have worked with and been trained by the US as part of the US security cooperation with the country, current and former officials told CNN, and Nigerien military leaders have not voiced anti-American sentiment or asked the US to leave.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/russian-air-defenses-destroy-3-tochka-u-missiles-over-belgorod-region-1113999786.html

Russian Air Defenses Destroy 3 Tochka-U Missiles Over Belgorod Region

Russian Air Defenses Destroy 3 Tochka-U Missiles Over Belgorod Region

Russian air defense thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to strike the Belgorod Region using Tochka-U missiles, as all three of them were shot down, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

2023-10-07T08:50+0000

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2023-10-07T08:50+0000

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"Today, at about 10:00 (07:00 GMT), an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack on targets on the territory of the Russian Federation using three Tochka-U operational-tactical missiles was thwarted," the ministry said in a statement. All three Ukrainian missiles were destroyed over the region by air defense units on duty, according to the statement.Ukraine has been attacking Russian Belgorod region over past years, targeting civilian infrastructure. Kiev uses aerial attacks by drones and missiles and also sends sabotage groups. Russian Armed Forces down drones, intercept missiles and decimate sabotage groups.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231006/f-16s-atacms-and-taurus-missiles-to-ukraine-could-spark-nato-russia-escalation-1113959199.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/trump-endorses-jim-jordan-for-speaker-putins-valdai-speech-and-rfk-jr-to-run-as-independent-1113993756.html

Trump Endorses Jim Jordan for Speaker, Putins Valdai Speech, and RFK Jr to Run as Independent

Trump Endorses Jim Jordan for Speaker, Putins Valdai Speech, and RFK Jr to Run as Independent

On todays episode of The Backstory, host Rachel Blevins discussed current events including Donald Trump endorsing Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House, and Hillary Clinton calling for deprogramming Donald Trumps followers.

2023-10-07T04:05+0000

2023-10-07T04:05+0000

2023-10-11T09:19+0000

the backstory

radio

pmc wagner

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jim jordan

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Trump Endorses Jim Jordan for Speaker, Putins Valdai Speech, and RFK Jr to Run as Independent On todays episode of The Backstory, host Rachel Blevins discussed current events including Donald Trump endorsing Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House, and Hillary Clinton calling for deprogramming Donald Trumps followers.

Mark Sleboda - International Relations and Security Analyst | Putin Comments on the Death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, Ukrainian Lives Are Viewed as "Cheap: to the Elite, and Western Media Fail to Show Up at Valdai Discussion ClubTom Luongo - Geopolitical Analyst | Who Will RFK Jr Take More Votes From?, Republican Voters Want Another Option, and Democrats Will Stick with Joe Biden Lori Spencer - Jfk Historian and Co-Host of Strange Bedfellows podcast | Robert F. Kennedy Jr Will Make an Announcement in Philadelphia, The Democrat Party is unrecognizable, and Both Parties are Scared of Third Parties Crystal Zevon  Antiwar Activist | Bernie Sanders Has Always Had a Poor Record on Foreign Wars, Antiwar Activists Arrested Outside Senator Sanders Office, and Washington DC has No Plan to End the War in Ukraine In the first hour, Rachel spoke with Mark Sleboda about the investigation into the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, Western media admit to Russia's success fighting Ukraine, and the future for the Wagner PMC. Mark talked about the speech by President Putin in Sochi and how the Western media twisted Putin's words on the 2014 coup in Ukraine. Mark commented on the speculation of the Prigozhin airplane death and the Western media say Putin has sought to expand land conquests. Rachel spoke with Tom Luongo about the cost of living, Democrats frustrations with Joe Biden, and Jim Jordan's chances of winning the Speaker of the House. Tom explained why he thinks no one wants to replace Joe Biden for the 2024 election and Donald Trump's endorsement of Jim Jordan for House Speaker.In the second hour, Rachel spoke with Lori Spencer about the 2024 election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr rumored to announce an independent run for President, and how the Democrat party has changed over the last three decades. Lori commented on Joe Biden's refusal to provide Secret Service protection to Robert Kennedy Jr and why Robert F. Kennedy has chosen to run for President in 2024Rachel spoke with Crystal Zevon about the antiwar activists arrested outside Bernie Sanders office, raising awareness to end the war in Ukraine, and the lack of answers on how to end the war in Ukraine. Crystal talked about her arrest experience in Washington DC and how Bernie Sanders can not explain the end to the war in Ukraine.The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comCatch us in the US at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/ukraine-lost-almost-200-military-in-donetsk-direction-in-past-day-1114003976.html

Ukraine Lost Almost 200 Troops in Donetsk Direction in Past Day

Ukraine Lost Almost 200 Troops in Donetsk Direction in Past Day

In the Donetsk direction, the South group of the Russian armed forces repulsed 3 attacks of the Ukrainian army over the day and the enemy lost up to 190 servicepeople and 5 units of equipment, including one US-made M777 howitzer, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

2023-10-07T12:37+0000

2023-10-07T12:37+0000

2023-10-07T12:42+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

ukrainian crisis

ukrainian counteroffensive attempt

russian defense ministry

high mobility artillery rocket system (himars)

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"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern group of forces, supported by air and artillery fire, repelled three attacks by Ukrainian assault groups in the areas of the settlements of Kurdyumovka, Veseloe and Severnoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy's losses in this direction amounted to up to 190 Ukrainian servicepeople killed and wounded, three vehicles, a US-made M777 artillery system and a D-30 howitzer," the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine has also lost up to 50 soldiers in the Zaporozhye direction, up to 225 servicepeople in the South Donetsk direction, more than 100 people in the Kupyansk and Krasny Liman directions, the statement read. Meanwhile, Russian air defense systems shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft, 38 drones, 7 HIMARS shells and 4 HARM anti-radar missiles over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230912/they-dont-want-to-die-pointless-death-why-ukrainian-troops-increasingly-surrender-1113318870.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230923/ukrainian-draft-dodger-says-hed-rather-shoot-himself-in-the-leg-than-return-to-front-1113604550.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231007/us-china-preparing-for-safe-return-of-pandas-discuss-future-cooperation---embassy-1113996485.html

US, China Preparing for Safe Return of Pandas, Discuss Future Cooperation - Embassy

US, China Preparing for Safe Return of Pandas, Discuss Future Cooperation - Embassy

The US and Chinese governments are preparing for the safe return of the family of giant pandas from the National Zoo in Washington back to China, while also discussing future cooperation on these black-and-white bears.

2023-10-07T04:17+0000

2023-10-07T04:17+0000

2023-10-07T04:14+0000

world

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tian tian

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"Recently, the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the National Zoo in Washington had announced that the three giant pandas  Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji  will return to China at the end of the year as previously scheduled," Liu said, adding that "China and the United States are going through the relevant procedures and are preparing for their transportation to ensure that the panda family has a safe journey home." At the same time, the US and Chinese technical cooperation units are communicating on future collaboration on giant panda research and conservation, he added. The spokesperson said that 51 years ago the Chinese giant pandas named Ling Ling and Xing Xing were brought to the US as "friendship ambassadors," while cooperation between the two countries on giant panda conservation and research started in 2000. Liu pointed out that the facilities and equipment of the National Zoo in Washington are fully functional, the breeding management system is sound, the operation standardized and the food supply guaranteed. "The zoo has outstanding scientific research strength, and is equipped with experienced full-time breeders and a professional veterinary team. All conditions there can guarantee quality living conditions of giant pandas," Liu said. "Since the cooperation began, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have given birth to four cubs, bringing joy to the American people and making our two peoples closer to each other. In particular, the birth of Xiao Qi Ji, whose name means 'little miracle,' brought encouraging news to panda lovers all over the world during the pandemic." On Thursday, a Sputnik correspondent visited the pandas in the Washington zoo and spoke with several visitors. Peter, a Taiwan national and Virginia resident, told Sputnik he heard on the news about the transfer and drove to see the bears. He described the decision not to extend the contract as "sad." Gregory from Florida came to the zoo specifically to see the pandas and upon learning from the Sputnik correspondent about the forthcoming transfer, said that it was upsetting and wrong that the US would be left without the cute bears who make people happy.In August, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said she did not know if President Joe Biden would raise the issue of extending the stay for the three pandas during a possible meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231006/washington-zoo-to-return-three-pandas-to-china-by-end-of-2023---chinese-fm-1113972511.html

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Three $70,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Standardbred Development Fund finals took place on Friday, Oct. 6 at the Freehold Raceway half-mile oval -- two trot finals for two-year-olds and one for three-year-old pacing fillies. George Brennan drove two of the three stakes winners on the 11-race card.

In the seventh race final for three-year-old pacing fillies, Brennan steered 3-5 favourite Two Pistol Annie (pictured above) out of post four to the lead after battling Pembroke Southie and Austin Siegelman in the first turn. Once they cleared, Brennan and the young Lazarus N filly never looked back and continued to pace the mile in speedy fractions, arriving at the quarter pole in :26.4, the half in :54.4, three-quarters in 1:23.3 and completing the mile unchallenged in 1:52.4. Two Pistol Annie is trained by Izzy Estrada for Ontario owners Brenda and Tess Waxman. Pembroke Southie finished second for trainer Mark Ford and the Per Engblom trainee Devilish Dreams finished third with Jim Marohn in the bike.

Brennan came back to win two races later in the ninth race final for two-year-old male trotters with Poof Of Record for trainer Nifty Norman and owners Melvin Hartman of Ottawa, Ont., and Florida's David McDuffee. The 2-5 favourite Mr Grant, Seven Reps and Dryden Hanover battled early on and eventually settled in single-file in that order after reaching the quarter pole in 29 seconds. Poof Of Record and Brennan were not far behind them. The trotters reached the half in :59.3 and shortly after Brennan launched the Muscle Hill gelding to the outside and duelled the commanding Mr Grant and Jim Marohn past the three-quarters in 1:28.1 and down the stretch from first-over. Just before the wire, the D.R. Ackerman trainee Mr Grant broke stride. After a nail-biting inquiry, Mr Grant, who crossed the wire a neck in front in 1:57 was placed second and Poof Of Record was granted the win. Poof Of Record went off at 5-1 and paid $13 to win. Ron Burke trainee Seven Reps and Joe Bongiorno rounded out the top three.

The final for two-year-old filly trotters took place in race five where Corey Callahan piloted the Tactical Landing daughter Eloise to victory from post eight. After being parked out for most of the first quarter, Eloise and Callahan cleared at the :28.2 marker. The filly then opened up by four lengths and led the rest of the pack to the half in :58. As they passed the three-quarter pole in 1:27.4, Callahan and the Ron Coyne Jr. trainee faced pressure from 8-5 favourite Blazing Deo, who challenged from first-over with Brennan in the bike. Tactical Lori rallied late in the hands of Austin Siegelman but they couldnt quite catch Eloise, who crossed the wire in 1:57.4 and survived an inquiry after taking a few missteps in the last turn for her third (consecutive) win. She was sent off at odds of 7-2 and paid $9 to win. Nifty Norman trainees Tactical Lori and Blazing Deo were second and third, respectively. Eloise is campaigned by the NewJersey-based Ron Coyne Stables along with partners Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta., and New York's Richard and Farrell Carney.

The stakes action in Freehold, New Jersey continues tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 7, with the SDF final for three-year-old colt pacers as well as the first leg of the SDF stakes for two-year-old filly pacers. Post time for the first race is 12:30 p.m. The last Thursday of racing this year at Freehold will be next week on Oct. 12, featuring the second leg of the SDF stakes for two-year-old colt pacers before the racing schedule shifts back to Fridays and Saturdays.

(With files from Freehold Raceway)
Millionaire T C I kept plugging down the centre of the track after unbeaten tempo-setter Karl in a fist fight to the finish that went by way of photo to T C I in the second of five divisions for the $341,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday, Oct. 6 at The Red Mile.

T C I and David Miller took the lead from post five to a :28.4 first quarter and gracefully relinquished control as 3-5 Karl (Yannick Gingras) brushed out of third to the backstretch to take the lead. The betting principles trotted one-two through a :56.4 half and to three-quarters in 1:24.4, where David Miller began looming off the pylons with T C I. Karl accelerated for home but T C I continued with wearing pressure through the final eighth of a mile, to which Karl responded but fell short at the beam by a scant nose. Southwind Metric gave chase behind the pair for third and Fly By took fourth.

We were going pretty easy fractions and I knew it was going to be a sprint, said Miller. My horse, he felt great. I moved him over and halfway through the stretch I pulled his plugs and he gave a little surge there. He likes to put his nose in front.

Ron Burke trains T C I, a winner in 10 of 11 starts and $1,295,870 in the bank for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi. The colt by Cantab Hall paid $4.16 to win.

Trainer Ake Svanstedt collected a pair of the five frosh trotting colt dashes beginning in the opening race with a 27-1 upset by Mr Bluebird in 1:53.1.

With even-money favourite Smart Schooner breaking stride behind the gate, 6-5 second choice Hankins Hanover pushed for the lead alongside Wild Ticket to a :27.4 first quarter. Svanstedt settled Mr Bluebird into third and waited to ply his attack through dawdling middle half sectionals of :57 and 1:26.1. Mr Bluebird took flight in the sprint for home and slid to command with ease to score by 1-1/4 lengths over Wild Ticket with Hankins Hanover fading to third and Lindys Coyotito taking fourth.

I didnt know what to expect, co-owner Jeff Gural said of Mr Bluebirds upset. Ake said in Florida this was his best colt, and then when we came north the horse wasnt good. He started to get better, last week he raced better and I thought maybe [hed improve]. Truthfully, I thought this was the least likely horse [of mine] to win.

Mr Bluebird bagged his second win from seven tries and added to a bankroll now worth $56,444 for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC and Torbjorn Swahn Inc. The colt by Six Pack paid $56.76 to win.

Bryant Bros S and Svanstedt gamely fended off their challengers to take the third division in 1:54.2.

Away second through a :28.1 first quarter, Svanstedt circled Bryant Bros S to the lead before a :57.1 half. He then snagged a breather to three-quarters in 1:27 as 7-5 favourite Ordained plugged uncovered towards the top. Ordained kept pushing forward through the stretch but Bryant Bros S kept battling back to win by a nose. Flight Landing grabbed third and Magic Hill finished fourth.

Hes a big horse, said owner Perry Soderberg. When he came over from Sweden, we bought him in Sweden, he was kind of skinny. He grew quite a bit, but were taking our time with him. Hes not ready 100 percent I dont think. Most likely he has the Kindergarten and Valley Victory if hes still doing well. I think hes going to be very good next year if were lucky.

A colt by Varenne, Bryant Bros S broke his maiden in his seventh try and has now earned $70,805 for owner Soderberg Bloodstock LLC. He paid $6.42 to win.

Marcus Melander trainee Security Protected rebounded off a loss in the Mohawk Million with a resounding win in 1:52.4 to win in the fourth division.

Driver Tim Tetrick moved Security Protected out of third after a :28.2 first quarter to take the lead from 15-1 shot Show Me past a :56 half. The remainder of the mile became an exhibition for Security Protected as he sprinted for home off three-quarters in 1:25.2 to open three lengths on Show Me to the finish, who held second from even-money favourite Winter Soldier as he levelled off from a first-over bid in third.

Hes been racing good all year to be honest, and then we took a shot in [the Mohawk Million, but] were parked on the outside there it was a tough trip for him, said Melander. He hasnt raced many races on big tracks, so [1:]52.4 today, I was very impressed with that.

Security Protected competes for owners Howard Taylor, Brad Grant and Order By Stable AB. The colt by Father Patrick won his fourth race from eight starts and has accrued $245,930 in earnings. Off as the second choice in the betting, he paid $7.32 to win.

Pick Pocket pulled back-to-back upsets after a double-digit win in the Bluegrass to land another double-digit score in the final International Stallion Stake dash for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

Driver Anthony MacDonald planted Pick Pocket on the point to a :28 first quarter and found himself in the pocket as Mars Hill wanted the lead up the backside. Mars Hill cleared control out of third by a :56.1 half and strolled through the final turn while Situationship powered along the rim out of fifth. By three-quarters in 1:25.1, Mars Hill tried to quicken with the challenge from Situationship, but Situationship slid by with more steam. Though MacDonald had a seam to veer off the pylons and to the center of the course to give Pick Pocket open road. He responded and collared Situationship at the beam by a neck in 1:53.1 with Mars Hill third and Thinker Monkey fourth.

He got a great trip in behind a horse that looked a little vulnerable, said MacDonald. I was able to sneak my way out and he punched through.

Eric Patalan trains Pick Pocket, a son of Walner, for owners TheStable Pick Pocket Group and Hutchison Harness LLC. He won his fourth race from 10 starts and has now earned $155,860. Pick Pocket paid $22.94 to win.

Geocentric Stays Unbeaten in Eight with International Stallion Stakes Win

Brian Browns undefeated Sweet Lou filly Geocentric once again found the winners circle to tally her streak up to eight with a 1:49.3 victory going first over to win the second of three divisions for the $254,500 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies.

Starting from the pylon post, Geocentric raced fifth to a :27.3 first quarter, where Canigetalouploup rushed forward to take the lead from Genie Hanover. Canigetalouploup kept the tempo chugging through a :55.4 half and to three-quarters in 1:23.1 while Tim Tetrick moved methodically to the outside with Geocentric and gradually reeled in her rivals to the top of the stretch. Geocentric ranged to within a length of Canigetalouploup coming for home and downed her rival with ease through the straightaway to open two lengths to the finish with Genie Hanover holding third and Flawless taking fourth.

I think we were in the right place at the right time [to buy her as a yearling], said Brown. She was just a nice looking horse, she was correct in every way you could look at her and she fell in our price range.

She probably had a little more work done in this last month than she has all year, Brown also said. Feet, we switched to razor pads for this start. It looked like it helped her, in her last start she looked a little knotty. Ive tried to stay out of her way all year. Shes just been one of those horses that everybody says from day one you knew were good. Every time you trained her, just nothing went wrong with her.

Geocentric has now earned $536,751 for owners Milton Leeman, Alan Keith, James Stambaugh and Joe Sbrocco. She returned $2.10 to win.

My Girl EJ delivered in the first division off a bottled-up third-place finish in the Shes A Great Lady final to win as the 7-5 choice in 1:49.1.

The Ron Burke-trained daughter of Sweet Lou raced headstrong through a :27.3 first quarter until driver Dexter Dunn let her roll to the lead before a :55 half. My Girl EJ carried her speed through the final turn to three-quarters in 1:22.4 and stayed resolute through the lane to hold off the late charge from 9-5 second choice Blue Pacific by a half length at the finish. Watching You closed for third and pocket-sitter Caviart Belle faded to fourth.

Shes been good all her life shes had tough trips and tough luck, but shes been good every start, said co-owner Howard Taylor.

Winning her third race from nine starts, My Girl EJ has now earned $260,285 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Elizabeth Novak and Howard Taylor. She paid $4.90 to win.

Ron Burke had another winner when Camerican pulled pocket and powered past pacesetter Peace Talks to win in 1:50.3.

Grabbing control to a :27.3 first quarter, Camerican yielding command up the backstretch as Peace Talks pushed out of third to seize the helm by a :55 half. Peace Talks slowed proceedings to three-quarters in 1:23.1 to brave for the sprint to the finish and engaged when Camerican pounced from her seat, but Camerican kept persistent pressure to the finish. Peace Talks caved by a neck to the 5-2 second choice with Asweetbeachhere taking third and Miraculous Deo closing for fourth.

Camerican, a daughter of American Ideal, races for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Lawrence Karr, M1 Stable LLC and Jack Piatt III. She won her third race from 10 starts and has now banked $187,612. She paid $7.56 to win.

Each division of the $254,500 Perfect Sting International Stallion Stakes was sponsored by the Perfect Sting Syndicate, Brittany Farms and Val DOr Farms.

Racing at The Red Mile resumes on Saturday, Oct. 7 with four divisions of the $348,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies and four divisions of the $285,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. First-race post time at The Red Mile is 1 p.m. (EDT).

(The Red Mile)
In their matchup last week, Captain Albano snapped Newsrooms unbeaten record. With the pair escaping one another in the International Stallion Stakes on Saturday, Oct. 7 at The Red Mile, Captain Albano and Newsroom posted the fastest victories of the four divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Captain Albano (pictured above) catapulted from off the speed to notch another victory going away in 1:50.1 to win in the opening $72,000 International Stallion Stakes division for the frosh pacing colts and geldings.

Driver Todd McCarthy asserted Captain Albano into the pace through a :27 first quarter but yielded command to Total Stranger into the backstretch. Total Stranger then let a lively Cupid Shuffle dart from fourth to the lead through a :55.2 half as he keenly carried the field to the final turn. Cupid Shuffle held a diminishing lead by three-quarters in 1:23.1 and turned for home under siege with Captain Albano charging strongest of all. McCarthy moved Captain Albano to the centre of the track and zipped by to record a widening three-length victory over 37-1 shot Courtship closing for second. Cupid Shuffle held third from Steely Knife in fourth.

We picked him out at Harrisburg and thought he was maybe on the small side, but he grew into himself and hes been getting better every week, said co-owner Lou Manfredi, of LA Express Stable. Hopefully he stays healthy until [Breeders Crown]. We plan on going.

Winning his sixth race from seven starts, Captain Albano has now banked $275,680 for owners Patricia Stable, LA Express & Sjoblom Inc. and Michael Dolan. Noel Daley trains the son of Captaintreacherous who paid $2.14 to win.

Handed his first loss in his career last week by Captain Albano, Newsroom returned to the winners circle with a game victory in the second frosh pacing colt and gelding dash.

Starting from the pylon post in his $71,000 division, Newsroom pushed for the lead to a :27.4 first quarter with Boston Rocks settling into the pocket and Lou Vuitton sitting third. Newsroom strolled to the half in :55.4 and to three-quarters in 1:23.3 and braved the crashing waters through the stretch to win in 1:50.1. Boston Rocks made an attack through a seam at the inside but was fended off by a neck. Lou Vuitton angled to the outside but finished three-quarters of a length back in third. Captain Luke kicked off a helmet late but was left in fourth.

Hes pretty tough [on the front], said winning driver David Miller. So far, no complaints with him. Today, he got a little rank in the hole  I was going to try to race him out of a hole  but he felt back to his old self today and fought them off through the stretch.

Newsroom has now won seven times from eight starts and earned $223,025 for owner Val DOr Farms. Joe Holloway trains the colt by Always B Miki who paid $3.26 to win.

Ron Burke scored a victory in the third division with Booming Economy, a fresh acquisition who motored down the road to a 1:50.3 mile in his $71,000 split.

Booming Economy swept from post six to the top to a :27.3 first quarter with Nuclear sitting the pocket. Better Is Nice, the 2-5 favourite, sat fifth and waited to make his move through a :55.4 half, though picked up his speed to the turn as Booming Economy tried to sprint away. Yannick Gingras slipped clear of his rivals to three-quarters in 1:23.3 and kept Booming Economy to task as he wandered through the lane. Nuclear mounted a bid to the inside that fell a head short at the beam while Better Is Nice settled for third. Icaco Hanover took fourth.

A colt by Captaintreacherous, Booming Economy competes for owner-breeders Howard Taylor, Chuck Pompey and Edwin Gold. He won his third race from seven starts and pushed his bankroll to $120,000. Booming Economy paid $7.70 to win.

Cote Keims Captaintreacherous gelding Magnifico Hanover went another muy magnifico effort with a 1:51.1 pillar-to-post job in the final division for pacing colts and geldings.

Brian Sears sent Magnifico Hanover for the front to pocket 1-5 favourite Remember The Alamo through a :26.4 first quarter. No challenges came for Magnifico Hanover through the middle half, so he strolled through a clip of :56.3 and 1:25. Remember The Alamo tipped out of second as Ivy Park rushed along the rim through the final turn but Magnifico Hanover split away from his competition in the lane. Avenger Force gained ground to the inside to snag second from a flattened-out Remember The Alamo, beaten 2-3/4 lengths, with Number Cruncher taking fourth.

Hes done everything weve asked so far, said Sears. Hes a very smart horse and knows what hes doing. [We] got a pretty slow second quarter  pretty good headwind right now  so he kind of made it his own way.

Magnifico Hanover has now won four times from five tries and earned $102,625. Cote Keim trains the gelding, who paid $8.12 to win.

Three of the four divisions for the $285,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings went as The Tall Dark Stranger and were sponsored by the Tall Dark Stranger Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms. The other division went as The All Bets Off and was sponsored by Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Pizzelle Powers to Fastest Win in International Stallion Stakes

Chris Beaver pupil Pizzelle pulled off the pylons to the final turn and slid to the lead with ease to nab the first of four $86,500-plus International Stallion Stakes divisions for two-year-old trotting fillies.

Draw The Line led the field to the quarter in :28.1 with Pisco Sour positioned second and Glamorous Hanover in third. Pizzelle raced fourth and stayed in fourth through a :57.3 stroll to the half, but soon got her cue to go from David Miller circling the final turn. Pizzelle marched forward and collared Draw The Line after three-quarters in 1:26 to then pull away in the lane and win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:53.2. Pisco Sour slid through the inside for second, but was placed third for a pylon violation. Draw The Line moved up to the second spot and Glamorous Hanover took fourth.

I got her early in the sale last year and we thought [she was] pretty cheap for $65,000  shes always shown me an absolute ton of speed and shes natural gaited, a lot cleaner than most horses I trained, said Beaver. She had a little bit of a rough patch in the summer; she wasnt trying real hard. We took a step back, turned her out for a little bit and shes come back better and better every week since. I thought if she raced good today like she did last week wed go to the Breeders Crown.

Pizzelle won her second race from nine starts and has now earned $101,500 for Beaver and co-owner Donald Robinson. The daughter of Walner paid $6.06 to win.

Andy McCarthy bided his time on cover through the lane and struck within the last eighth of a mile to land Buy A Round in the winners circle again after a 1:53.3 mile in the second division.

Senorita Palema powered from the outermost post to lead the field through a :28 first quarter. Buy A Round sat sixth into the backstretch and made no moves while the tempo stayed tepid to a :57.1 half. To the final turn, Buy A Round flushed cover from Date Night Hanover and sat perched through three-quarters in 1:26.3, but stayed tucked behind a wall through the lane until late stretch. Buy A Round uncorked a swift rally in the last strides to win by a head over a fast-closing Sierra Girl. Senorita Palema held third and Date Night Hanover settled for fourth.

Shes quite a filly, said winning owner-breeder Fred Hertrich III. Noel [Daley]s done a great job with her. Shes average size or a little bit below average size, but when she turns for home she absolutely takes no prisoners. Luckily at this big Red Mile, we had enough room to work and sprint home and get the money.

Buy A Round has now won five times from seven tries and has accrued $267,500. Noel Daley trains the daughter of Walner who paid $3.22 to win.

Jim Doherty Memorial winner Soiree Hanover mounted a similar stretch charge to claim a narrow victory in the third frosh filly trot division.

Paulina Hanover stole a soft middle half after posting a :27.3 opener. Warrawee Michelle, the 6-5 second choice, sat third with even-money favourite Soiree Hanover in no hurry from fifth. After a :58.4 half and three-quarters in 1:27.1, the favourites took action. Warrawee Michelle ground first over after Paulina Hanover while Soiree Hanover followed in tow and then angled wide in the last eighth to accelerate and put a neck in front of Warrawee Michelle in 1:54.1. Paulina Hanover settled for third and 98-1 shot Spy Coast took fourth.

Its a great feeling  I won some races in Sweden, but its huge to be here and win a race at The Red Mile, said Swedish co-owner Calle Wihlborg, who experienced wins with Commander Crowe during his stateside starts but had no wins in Lexington before today. Shes a great filly. Im so thankful to Lucas and his team. They do a great job with this fantastic filly.

Soiree Hanover, a filly by Walner, won her fifth race from seven starts and pushed her earnings to $436,175 for owner Snogarps Gard Inc. Lucas Wallin trains the filly, who paid $4.06 to win.

Favourites dominated in the filly trots and nearly landed the gamble in the final division until Santa Croce crept through a crevice to the pylons to upend 4-5 favourite R Melina in 1:54 at odds of 40-1.

Todd McCarthy rolled Santa Croce from post seven and brushed to lead Miss I La after a :28 first quarter. R Melina then moved from fifth and slowly advanced to clear command after a :57.2 half. Holding a mild tempo through the final turn, R Melina kept Volcanic Blue Chip parked and came under urging to re-engage after three-quarters in 1:26. R Melina fought but drifted through the stretch, opening a lane for Santa Croce to slip through and push a nose in front to the finish. Miss I La weaved through traffic to finish third and Volcanic Blue Chip settled for fourth.

She really raced good [last week], she actually trotted a back half in [:]54 and a piece last week, said winning trainer Jim Campbell. She trained down like a real nice filly, but we just hit some unfortunate sickness, and bad things happened at bad times for her. But we were very happy with her last couple of races here. Shes a nice filly, shes growing a lot and were probably just going to make this her last start of the year and turn her out, let her mature and get ready for next year.

Santa Croce competes for owner Coyote Wynd Farms. The daughter of Father Patrick broke her maiden with the victory in her eighth start and has now earned $83,300. She paid $83.62 to win.

Three of the four divisions of the $348,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies were named The International Moni and sponsored by the International Moni Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms. The other division was named The Chapter Seven and was presented by Blue Chip Farms.

Racing at The Red Mile will conclude for the stakes meeting on Sunday, Oct. 7 with a 15-race card headlined by the 131st edition of the $450,000 Kentucky Futurity. Sundays card features high-money guarantees with mandatory payouts: four $10,000-guaranteed pools for the Pick 6 (starting in Race 1), Early Pick 5 (Race 3), Late Pick 5 (Race 8) and Late Pick 4 (Race 12). The Red Mile will also feature $20,000 guarantees for the Early Pick 4 (Race 6) as well as in the Trifecta pools for the Kentucky Filly Futurity (Race 10) and the Kentucky Futurity (Race 15). Red Mile also offers an industry-low 12 per cent takeout on its Pick 5 and Pick 4.

First-race post time at The Red Mile is 1 p.m. (EDT).

(With files from The Red Mile)
Rappahannock County was singing the blues during the third annual John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival on Sept. 30.

The event, held at Eldon Clover Hill Farm outside of Woodville, hosted a gathering of hundreds to watch artists perform in honor of the festivals namesake.

Were paying a tribute to John in his hometown, said Kenner Love, a member of the festival committee. We want to celebrate John and the region.

Many of the groups invited to perform were chosen due to having a personal connection to Jackson, including Bobby Glasker of the rhythm and blues band, Bobby G and the Heavies. His grandmother was a distant cousin to the blues artist. Glasker said his father and Jackson were both born in 1924 and had known each other growing up in Woodville.

I think its wonderful, its great and I hope it can continue, he said of being part of the festival and playing in honor of his distant relative.

Harmonica player Phil Wiggins was a contemporary of Jackson and played in same shows as the Woodville native in the Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area. Wiggins is well known for playing alongside guitarist John Cephas as an acoustic blues duo.

John was a brilliant guitar player and musician. I got to meet him and he brought this whole environment with them. It was as if we were sitting in his living room, Wiggins said of his first encounter with Jackson at a show in an Alexandria venue.

After the show, Jackson asked Wiggins to play with him at a festival, but Wiggins said he never showed up, believing Jackson was joking. When they met up later, the harmonica player learned the offer was serious and the two began a long friendship until Jacksons death in 2002.

Other musicians at the event included Wiggins backing band, House Party, guitarist Frank Fotusky and the Erin Harpe Country Blues Duo.

A friend of Jacksons, Frank Matheis, served as the festivals master of ceremonies.

Matheis said that, in spite of the racial issues Jackson faced and only having a 1st-grade education, he grew up to be a kind man and would have been honored by the festival that bears his name.

If he was here today, if he saw all the neighbors and friends, the new generation of people who came out to honor him, that we had a festival in his name, how reverent the people were for him, the respect he was getting, he would cry.

A Piedmont Blues legend

According to the Virginia Department of Historic Records, John Jackson was born near Woodville on Feb. 25, 1924 as one of 14 children to tenant farmers Suddy and Hattie Jackson. It was through his parents Jackson learned songs on the guitar and the banjo and learned more from records, traveling and local musicians.

During his childhood Jackson developed his distinct picking style which would come to define the Piedmont Blues and distinguish it from other styles from areas such as the Mississippi Delta, Memphis and Chicago.

Jackson moved to Fairfax County in 1949 where he worked various jobs and eventually started a grave-digging business. Jackson was noticed by Smithsonian musicologist Chuck Perdue at a gas station in 1964 and was introduced to the Washington folk scene that same year.

He went on to record eight albums and tour clubs and festivals across the United States and Europe. Jackson received the National Heritage Fellowship Award in 1986. He passed away at his home in Fairfax Station on Jan. 20, 2002.

I think he (Jackson) really relates to the history and culture of this community, said writer Randy Rieland. His music reflected the house parties where he performed because African Americans couldnt go anywhere else. That was part of the culture and that was kind of forgotten. What this (festival) does is revive it and revive his memory.
A program implemented at Chadron State College aims to address teacher shortages that Panhandle schools face, the Nebraska State Board of Education heard during its monthly business meeting at the Gering Civic Center on Friday, Oct. 6.

Chadron State College Vice President of Academic Affairs James Powell and education department faculty member Donald King spoke regarding a program implemented at the college that is already beginning to turn out certified teachers with preestablished ties to their schools and communities.

The program is designed to help paraeducators take the next step and earn their teaching degrees. King said that although the teacher shortage is a widespread issue, it can impact districts in smaller towns, like the Panhandles rural communities, in uniquely challenging ways.

To address those challenges, Chadron State College initiated its paraeducator-to-teacher program, which saw 60 paras enroll within its first academic year. The program now has more than 160 participants, and was even able to recently offer a $1,000 sign-up bonus to interested paras through a pipeline grant that it hopes to continue.

Powell said the program started by targeting paras interested in teaching special education classes. This was partly due to their experience, and partly due to the challenges that come along with recruiting college graduates from out east and outside of Nebraska to move to communities like Bayard, Hemingford and other Panhandle towns where their services were needed.

And yet you had people in those towns, committed geographically, Powell said. They were already proving that they wanted to work with children. They were in a classroom, they were going to stay in a classroom Theyre not going anywhere. Thats the people we need to work with our students.

Paraeducators who enter the program get to keep working, earning income and gaining classroom experience while taking classes. As Chadron State is committed to forming and maintaining partnerships with participating school districts, those districts also get to play a role in shaping their future teachers and benefit from their continued education.

We promise them that they will stay in their classroom, Powell said. They can do all of their teaching in that classroom and when they get to the student teaching part of it, the teacher and the para simply trade roles.

From its origins focusing on SPED, the program has extended to include several different endorsement areas across a wide range of grade levels

In addition to helping resolve the teacher shortage, King touted the programs ability to replenish and revitalize the teaching workforce, allow current educators to help develop their future peers and improve the overall quality of instruction and learning across the state.

Other business for the board included passing two resolutions naming special distinctions for the months of October and November. In line with federal acknowledgments, the board officially recognized October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month and November as National Native American Heritage Month.

During his report to the board, Nebraska Commissioner of Education Brian Maher expressed his gratitude for the hospitality shown to the board during its trip to western Nebraska. He also signaled his intention to maintain a presence in the west in efforts to serve the entirety of Nebraska equally as its board of education.

I challenge us to continue to think about how we continue to do things like this moving forward, Maher said.

The boards visit to the Panhandle also included visits to educational facilities in Scottsbluff and Gering.
Bogota (CNN)  Venezuelan authorities on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader and former interim president Juan Guaido, who dismissed the move as politically motivated.

During a press conference in the capital Caracas, Attorney General Tarek William Saab alleged that Guaido had used the state-owned oil company PDVSAs resources to finance himself and pay his legal expenses.

Juan Guaido used PDVSA resources to finance himself, pay his legal expenses, and forced PDVSA to accept his financing terms. These decisions caused losses to the nation of $19 billion, resulting in the almost definitive loss of Citgo, Saab said, adding that Venezuela will request a red notice from Interpol.

For this reason, we have opened a new investigation against former deputy Juan Guaido, and we have requested an arrest warrant against him, he said.

Guaido served as the interim president of Venezuelas transitional government from 2019 until late 2022  when he was ousted from his leadership role after struggling to make significant gains against the authoritarian regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

This spring, Guaido traveled to Miami, where he has remained. Speaking to CNN on Friday, he said, Of course, I want to be back in Venezuela, but at least here I am alive and free, which is not the same for many Venezuelans who are behind bars or have been murdered by the dictatorship.

The allegations

Saab said the arrest warrant against Guaido will be for the alleged crimes of treason; usurpation of functions; profit or extraction of money, securities and public goods; money laundering; and association.

He also said that least 28 investigations are ongoing in the country against Guaido for a raft of alleged crimes including usurpation of functions, money laundering, terrorism, arms trafficking, and treason.

Those who at some point believed in this guy and went out to march; they see that they found it to be a vulgar criminal of the worst caliber, robbing and kidnapping, Saab said.

Guaidos spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations, but during a live transmission on his Instagram account, Guaido described them as false and challenged President Maduro to submit to justice himself.

This message goes to you, Maduro, tomorrow lets meet at any prosecutors office in the US or, if you prefer, another jurisdiction, The Hague. We can then go directly to the jurisdiction that also points (to) you directly, Guaido said.

In June, the International Criminal Court ruled that prosecutors should resume investigating alleged crimes against humanity in Venezuela by security forces under President Maduro.

The question is, why now? Why did the dictatorship not do it before? he said of the arrest warrant. So no, Maduro, I did not allow you to kidnap me, I will not allow you to take away my voice, and I will continue to denounce you in all places where possible, as a criminal.

An upcoming vote

Venezuela is due to hold a presidential vote in 2024, though critics have cast doubt on whether elections can be free and fair in the countrys repressive political climate.

Guaido called on his followers to vote in the upcoming opposition primary election on October 22, saying, today the vote is kidnapped in Venezuela, but we have an opportunity to mobilize again to confront Nicolas Maduro.

The US, which had long been a supporter of Guaido, has somewhat softened its stance toward Caracas as the region struggles with rising energy costs and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants.

On Thursday, senior officials in the Biden administration said the US will restart deporting Venezuelans directly to Venezuela in an attempt to curb the record influx of crossings at the US-Mexico border, marking a major shift in policy.

Venezuelans who cross the US-Mexico border unlawfully and lack a legal basis to remain in the US will be eligible for removal, the senior administration officials said, adding that Venezuela had agreed to accept back its nationals.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the new policy a key piece of the administrations approach to migration. Advocacy groups however have slammed the shift as dangerous for deportees; the policy will likely lead to unsafe returns, Refugees International warned in a statement.

In his interview with CNN on Friday, Guaido said he didnt believe that the deportation deal was connected to his arrest. However, he did say that it underlined Maduros interest in gaining international recognition as Venezuelas head of state.

They are not going to stop the migration situation just by stopping migration or connect flights. We need to put a stop to the regime and recover rights in Venezuela, Guaido said.

The only thing Maduro is looking for is recognition, and even with these deportation flights, hes going to spin them as de facto recognition for his regime. Thats what he gets from this, he continued.

We never expected that Venezuelan migrants would reach the US directly, on foot, from Venezuela. Those are thousands of miles of desperation through the jungle. But we need to change the situation in Venezuela, bringing the country back to democracy, if we want to solve the migration crisis.
Local veterans Lawrence Gibbs and Sandi Raney received quilts from the Panhandle Blocks Quilts of Valor as recognition of their service Saturday afternoon.

Gibbs enlisted as a Marine in 1966 and served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968. He turned down a college deferment to join the military and was active in Vietnam for 13 months. During his time in the military, he achieved the rank of Lance Corporal.

Gibbs said he celebrated his 19th birthday in Vietnam and missed his 20th birthday by six days while he was deployed. Upon his return, like many other veterans of the Vietnam War, he says he did not receive a warm welcome, making the ceremony especially meaningful for him.

Its nice to be thanked for your service, when a lot of us got back from Vietnam there wasnt a lot of thank yous, he said. Thats changed in recent years which is appreciated, but it sure hurt a long time ago.

He was also presented a Vietnam Veteran lapel pin that the Quilts of Valor gives to veterans who served from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975.

Raney, who is now a nun and does counseling in Cheyenne, served in the Coast Guard and the Navy during her time with the military. She was stationed in Portsmouth, Virginia, where she was a petty officer second class and a storekeeper.

She handled contracts while she was stationed there for the Coast Guard.

Later, she would rejoin the military, in the Navy Reserves in 1988. She was activated and reached the rank of E4 where she worked as an aviation machinists mate. While with the Navy, she would also be deployed during Operation Desert Storm.

As an aviation machinists mate, she worked on and repaired jet engines. She was stationed in Dallas and was sent to Germany as well. Raney said she was somewhat surprised to hear of her nomination but was grateful, nonetheless.

I did not expect to be nominated because a lot of people cant see a nun as being a veteran. ... They have a hard time reconciling both of those, she said.

It was clear how much the moment and the recognition meant to her as she became choked up as she was wrapped in her quilt.

Its been a huge blessing, Raney said. Ive always been discounted for serving in the Coast Guard, because everybody thinks that the Coast Guard is not a real service, and I lost a great deal, with my service into the Navy, and going to Desert Storm so its humbling to have so many people turn back and recognize me.

The Panhandle Blocks Quilts of Valor Chapter is based in Alliance and serves all of the Panhandle and most of western Nebraska. Since the chapters inception here, its members have made and presented over 1,000 quilts to Nebraska veterans.

To nominate a friend or family member who has served in the military for a quilt there is a form available on the Quilts of Valor website, www.qovf.org/nominations-awards/.
Allen Tate Companies, a Carolinas real estate company, is partnering with Royal Properties of the Carolinas Inc. on the opening of its Troutman office.

The Allen Tate Troutman/Royal Properties office is located at 445 N. Main St. in Troutman. The office serves the greater Lake Norman region, including Troutman, Statesville, Mooresville, Sherrills Ford, Catawba, Cleveland and Denver.

Royal Properties of the Carolinas was founded in 2002 by Mike Todd, Joan Green, Jayne Hayden and Kay Novick in Mooresville. In 2007, the company opened a second office in Troutman and later consolidated the two offices into its current location. Royal Properties specialized in residential real estate sales, property management and commercial real estate.

Todd is the current owner of Royal Properties and will serve as broker in charge. He earned his real estate license in 2000 and previously worked in the construction field. He is a member of the Troutman Rotary and served on the Troutman Planning Board for 11 years. Todd and his wife, Jean, have a daughter Brianna and make their home in Troutman. He enjoys restoring old cars and racing go-karts.

Partnering with Allen Tate will give my company and its agents access to training, tools, technology and support to serve our clients even better, Todd said. The Allen Tate brand will also make us more attractive to the best agents in the area and allow us the opportunity to grow with the most professional team.

Royal Properties has grown steadily in the Lake Norman area and will allow us to better serve buyers and sellers in the northern and western communities of this beautiful region, said Gary Scott, president, Allen Tate Company. Were very excited to partner with Mike and his team.

In addition to Todd and Green, Realtor Mike Cerven will also partner with Allen Tate. Assistant Property Manager Kim Bonarrigo will continue to work with Allen Tate/Royal Properties.

To contact an agent in the Allen Tate Troutman office, call 704-528-9550.
Windy Gibson said she has three heroes  Jesus, Dolly Parton and RuPaul  and all three have been inspirations as she is fighting back from breast cancer.

Gibson, of Cherryville, was one of more than a dozen women who were nominated for a few hours of pampering at the Day of Sass on Tuesday.

After a double mastectomy, chemo and radiation, Gibson said shes relied on her faith and drawn inspiration from the positive attitudes of Parton and Paul. You have to keep the faith, she said.

A Day of Sass was the brainchild of sisters Kristen Mayle and Jamie Beecham, who wanted to remember their mother, Sheila Braniff, on her birthday. The sass comes from the name Braniff was called by her grandchildren  Sassy. After her death from cancer in 2014, Mayle and Beecham started making fun and brightly colored caps, called Sassy Caps, to give comfort to those going through cancer.

A few years ago, they came up with A Day of Sass to remember their mother on what would have been her 70th birthday. The day was billed as a one in which cancer survivors would be pampered and showered with love.

What was intended as a one-time deal has grown into an annual tradition on Braniffs birthday to show women they are not fighting the cancer battle alone.

It offers those nominated a chance to be the center of attention and let cancer take a back seat for a day, and its all provided without cost to the women who are chosen for A Day of Sass.

On Tuesday, some of the 20 women who were nominated for A Day of Sass came to Fields at Skycrest in Cleveland and received facials, makeup, hair styling and a chance to get their fingernails done.

Gibson was taking her turn at the makeup station. She said she was thrilled to get the message that shed been nominated and chosen for A Day of Sass. Shed received a treatment on Monday and her husband told her shed need to get some sleep Monday night but that was tough. I was so excited I couldnt sleep last night, she said.

Gibson was so determined to enjoy her hours at A Day of Sass that she brought different outfits to change into for the various stations and even added glitter to her makeup.

While Gibson was getting her makeup applied, at another station, Doris Edwards of Charlotte was relaxing as McCall Brock gave her a manicure. This is just wonderful, Edwards, a breast cancer survivor, said. I just love to get pampered.

Nearby her granddaughter, LaTia Edwards, was preparing to get a facial from Kelly Miller. LaTia is also a breast cancer survivor. She and her grandmother were diagnosed two years apart. This is absolutely wonderful, she said. I am so blessed to be here.

LaTia Edwards also discovered another positive aspect of A Day of Sass  the opportunity to meet and talk to other cancer survivors. As Miller began her facial, she chatted with Wynter Jones of Denver.

Mayle said thats something that has happened at A Day of Sass every year. She said the women talk, laugh and, at least for a few hours, can put the thought of cancer on the back burner.

We had a couple of women come a few years ago, and now they are best friends, she said.

The facial station was one of the last stops for Jones, who started out getting her hair styled by Charlena Pinkston. This is awesome, she said.

The day was equally enjoyed by those providing hair styling, make up, facials and manicures.

Pinkston said she was getting as much, if not more, joy out of lending her talents to A Day of Sass as did the women. Its amazing, she said. Its a very humbling experience.

Brock said the reaction from women like Doris Edwards was the reason she signed up to help. I love putting a smile on peoples faces, she said.

Some of those donating their services this year include Catering by Tracy, Katherines Big Give, BeCause Cosmetics, Willow Branch Flowers and Design, A Linen Affair, Pinkies on Main, Beautiful Faces by Melissa, Whos the Fairest?, Danielle Gallo Photography, Oriental Trading and the Mooresville Costco.

Angelia Harris of Charlotte came to A Day of Sass thanks to the nurse navigator who has been her support system since her breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Harris said she was looking forward to all of the pampering A Day of Sass offered. I needed this, she said.

She said she is doing well since her diagnosis and, like Gibson, credits her faith as the reason behind her positive attitude.

Its in Gods hands, she said.

Mayle said this years Day of Sass welcomed the largest number of nominees since it began. All of the 20 women who were nominated were not able to be there due to health reasons but she hoped those that did emerged with a positive experience.

And from the comments from many of those who came to A Day of Sass, as well as the volunteers who provide services, that hope was realized.

Mayle said she believed her mother would be proud of the work she and her sister have done to give women with cancer a respite from the disease for a few hours. I think she is enjoying this as much as we are, she said.
In every job youve had, youve probably noticed that some employees seem to stand above the rest. They are the people that everyone looks to, and theyre known as someone who gets things done. That person is not necessarily in a leadership role, but the organization just wouldnt operate as well without them.

You are probably familiar with Dr. Stephen Coveys classic book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The individuals that I just described are what I call highly effective employees. They demonstrate a strong work ethic and character. Regardless of their role, most likely they also possess redeeming leadership qualities, too.

Often, these highly effective employees go unrecognized because they make what they do seem so effortless. If you are in leadership in your organization, you know the importance of recognizing the employees who stand out so that you can show your appreciation and encourage others to follow their example.

In the spirit of Dr. Covey, here are seven habits of a highly effective employee:

They prioritize time management. Highly effective employees make a plan and stick to it. These individuals understand that adhering to a schedule keeps them on task and helps to not waste other peoples time. This also shows reliability; these individuals show up and are present when they say they will be.

They communicate clearly and concisely. Highly effective employees understand different communication styles and can communicate effectively with all audiences verbally, through email, on the phone and face-to-face. Their co-workers look to them to recap meetings and conversations, which they can do because they were actively listening. When these individuals speak, people listen.

They show respect to all individuals. Whether it be their peers, supervisors, partners, or clients, these individuals treat everyone with equal respect. They understand that mutual respect builds stronger relationships. Tough situations and conversations in the workplace are inevitable. Highly effective employees can handle them with grace while always maintaining respect to all parties.

They pay attention to deadlines. Work gets crazy sometimes. Highly effective employees plan around this so they can accomplish their tasks. As soon as they know that they arent going to meet a deadline, they clearly communicate with anyone affected  before the deadline is missed. This also strengthens workplace relationships because it shows that they are honest and respect the impact of their actions on others.

They are genuine and authentic. Highly effective employees bring their best selves to the table. They focus on their responsibilities and dont get sidetracked by office politics. When you talk with these individuals, you know their questions come from a place of genuine interest or concern about how best to support their colleagues.

They stay positive. Highly effective employees dont ignore areas of conflict, but they do approach them with a positive outlook by presenting solutions. They fully support the companys mission and vision, focusing on improvement rather than unproductive criticism.

They are accountable. Ive saved the most important for last. Highly effective employees hold themselves accountable for their work and their actions. They know that they are not perfect, and they admit when they have made an error. They are open to others ideas rather than always insisting on getting their way. They welcome constructive criticism so that they can continually improve.

Now for the big question. Would you consider yourself to be one of these highly effective employees? Think about which of the traits listed above you demonstrate, and which are opportunities to improve.

As youve read through my list, youve probably thought of current or past co-workers who earned your respect. Ask yourself what qualities made them so effective, and how you can use them as role models. You will be a highly effective employee or leader in no time, if you arent one already!
Instead of using Mondays holiday as a training day like in past years, staff at a Longview-based credit union will be volunteering in Cowlitz County and beyond.

More than 200 Red Canoe Credit Union employees plan to tackle service projects that include landscaping, organizing food bank donations and delivering meals to seniors when the business is closed Monday for the federal holiday Columbus Day. Some states call the holiday Indigenous Peoples Day, Native Americans Day or American Indian Heritage Day.

Staff plan to help organizations such as Lower Columbia CAP, Highlands Neighborhood Association, Community House on Broadway, Youth and Family Link, Cowlitz County Humane Society and the Castle Rock Senior Center during this inaugural Red Canoe Community Impact Day, according to a press release from the business.

Staff also collected clothing, books and food to donate Monday.

Red Canoe reports to have branches in Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, Woodland, Federal Way, Puyallup, Covington, and Lake Tapps, Washing and Albany, Oregon.

Giving back to the communities we serve is at the heart of what we do, said Amy Davis, chief marketing officer for Red Canoe in the press release.
On more than 6 billion separate occasions in just one month, the ringing of cash registers in India was replaced by audio confirmations on a digital sound box. Add instances of people paying one another rather than merchants, and the world's most-populous nation drummed up more than 10 billion cashless transactions in August. All were online, instantaneous and cost nothing.

At least most of them didn't. Since April, customers dipping into their mobile-phone wallets to settle bills of more than 2,000 rupees ($24) may have to bear a part of a 1.1% fee, but only if they are scanning a different platform's quick-response code. This charge goes from the merchant to his QR code provider  Walmart Inc.-owned PhonePe or homegrown Paytm  for hooking up with Alphabet Inc.'s Google Pay. But the Unified Payments Interface, a common protocol for people to send and receive money into accounts at different banks, remains free for regular use.

Banks do try to impose some costs on high-volume users, and the government gives them money to promote low-value online transactions and make formal credit available to disadvantaged groups like street vendors. Yet, a lot of the lenders complain about being made to watch the swelling wave of online payments from the sidelines, rather than being allowed to ride it. Without a profit motive, how will India sustain an industry that  starting from nowhere seven years ago  has come to transact nearly $2 trillion of value annually?

It appears that those concerns are overblown. Even with a free public utility, India's payment revenue swelled last year to $64 billion, behind only China, the U.S. and Brazil, and rivalling Japan, according to McKinsey & Co.'s latest global survey. The rising tide of online transactions has led to a surge in digital commerce. That has, in turn, lifted other boats: Credit card usage has also expanded.

Nor has the lack of a profit motive stifled innovation. New initiatives like pre-approved credit lines will supplement the original protocol that only allowed customers to debit bank accounts or wallet balances to pay someone. Since last year, credit cards have also been allowed to be linked  but only if they are on India's RuPay network. Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc., which have grumbled about the country's absence of a level playing field, would love to be included.

It's a different story from other successful payment systems. While McKinsey expects instant payments, led by the Pix platform, to account for half of the growth in Brazil's payment revenue from transactions through 2027, the comparable figure for India may not even be 10%.

India's profit from payments will expand because of sheer volumes. A fifth of the country's 620 billion transactions last year were settled digitally. By 2027, the figure would rise to 765 billion, and nearly two out of three of these exchanges would be online. Nimble fintech firms would aggressively scout for every new avenue opened by technology or regulatory change. However, there is ample room for banks to pursue various use cases depending on their specific core competencies and strategic priorities, the consulting firm notes.

Initially, banks were reluctant to promote the shared network, fearing it would cannibalize their proprietary apps. Those fears weren't unfounded, though in the process of losing their moat, the lenders have won access to the world's fourth-largest pool of payment revenue. And this is just the start. From fees on cards to interest income on credit lines, new opportunities may arise in adjacent activities. In the first two months of last quarter, Paytm distributed $1.3 billion in loans on its platform on behalf of lenders, a 137% jump from a year earlier.

The instant-payment protocol may have become wildly popular, but it has only scratched the surface of its potential. The National Payments Corporation of India, the network's operator, is taking it global. From Paris to Singapore and Dubai, there will be plenty of fees and currency-exchange commissions to be earned when Indian tourists use their rupee wallets  funded by credit lines from local lenders  at shops overseas.

For India's banks that have turned a giveaway into a catalyst for last year's 38% revenue growth, it makes sense to not upset the status quo. There's much to be gained from an online payment system that is familiar, fast, and free.

Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies and financial services in Asia. Previously, he worked for Reuters, the Straits Times and Bloomberg News.
The Group of Seven nations are preparing to ask tech companies to agree to a set of rules to mitigate the risks of artificial intelligence systems as part of a proposal aimed at uniting the divided approaches in Europe and the US.

The 11 draft guidelines, which will be voluntary, include external testing of AI products before they're deployed, public reports on security measures and controls to protect intellectual property, according to a copy that was seen by Bloomberg News and may be agreed to next week in Japan. The document is still being discussed and its contents and the timing of an announcement may still change.

Still, the countries  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and US  are divided about whether the companies' progress should be monitored, people familiar with the matter said. While the US is opposed to any oversight, the European Union is pushing for a mechanism that would check on compliance and publicly name companies that had run afoul of code, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private.

After OpenAI's ChatGPT service set off a race among tech companies to develop their own artificial intelligence systems and applications, governments around the world began grappling with how to enforce guardrails on the disruptive technology while still taking advantage of the benefits.

The EU will likely be the first Western government to establish mandatory rules for AI developers. Its proposed AI Act is in final negotiations with the aim of reaching a deal by the end of the year.

The US has been pushing for the other G-7 countries to adopt voluntary commitments it agreed to with companies, including OpenAI, Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google in July. President Joe Biden's administration has also pushed for regulation of AI in the US, however, the government is limited in what it can do without action from Congress.

The proposed guidelines include requirements to:

Run internal and external tests before and after deploying products to check for security vulnerabilities, including red teaming that emulates attacks

Make reports on safety and security evaluations public and share information with organizations including governments and academia

Disclose privacy and risk management policies, and implement controls for physical security and cybersecurity

Identify AI-generated content with watermarking or other methods

Invest in research on AI safety

Prioritize developing AI systems that address global challenges including the climate crisis, health and education

Adopt international standards for testing and content authentication

Control the data going into the systems to protect intellectual property and personal information.

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set for its upcoming missions Shukrayaan to Venus and the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat). These missions come after the successful Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L-1 missions. Let's take a closer look at what ISRO has in store.

XPoSat Mission

In December of this year, ISRO will launch XPoSat, also known as the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite. This satellite has a unique purpose: to study bright X-ray pulsars and stars that are nearing the end of their lifecycle. It will provide valuable insights into the universe's secrets.

Shukrayaan Mission

ISRO is gearing up for the Venus mission, known as 'Shukrayaan.' This mission aims to explore Venus, the brightest planet in our solar system. Scientists have already configured the mission, and its scientific instruments are ready. ISRO plans to launch Shukrayaan in December next year, with orbital manoeuvres scheduled for the following year. This timing is crucial because it allows the spacecraft to reach Venus using minimal propellant. The next suitable launch window won't come until 2031.

During a recent address to the Indian National Science Academy in Delhi, ISRO Chief S. Somanath explained the significance of studying Venus. Venus has a thick atmosphere with an atmospheric pressure 100 times that of Earth. It is a hostile environment, full of acids, and its surface is a mystery. Understanding Venus helps us grasp the possibility of Earth undergoing similar changes in the distant future, TOI reported.

Venus: Earth's Closest Neighbour

Venus is Earth's nearest planetary neighbours, often referred to as Earth's twin due to its similar size and density. Other countries have previously launched missions to Venus, including the European Space Agency's Venus Express and Japan's Akatsuki Venus Climate Orbiter. NASA's Parker Solar Probe has also made multiple flybys of Venus.

Future Missions

ISRO has ambitious plans for future missions. Somanath mentioned a satellite called ExoWorlds, which will study exo-solar planetsplanets beyond our solar system that orbit other stars. There are over 5,000 known exo-planets, with at least 100 believed to have atmospheres. The mission aims to study these atmospheres to determine if they could support life. Additionally, ISRO is in the conceptual stage of planning a Mars Lander Mission.

In short, ISRO is making significant strides in space exploration with upcoming missions- Shukrayaan and XPoSat. These missions will expand our knowledge of the universe and potentially uncover new insights about our own planet's future. ISRO's dedication to scientific discovery promises exciting developments in space exploration.

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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:

UAW President Shawn Fain addresses picketing members at a General Motors service parts operations plant in Belleville, Michigan on September 26, 2023.

Citing last-minute progress in talks, the head of the US auto workers' union said Friday the labor group would maintain its current strike but not expand it to other plants this week.

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain hailed a "breakthrough" concession from General Motors in response to another threatened expansion of the three-week partial stoppage.

Fain maintained the possibility of escalating the strike further down the road, but did not add any new plants to the target list after announcing prior expansions the last two Fridays following the initial stoppage on September 15.

"Here's the punchline: Our strike is working," Fain said in a webcast update. "But we're not there yet."

Fain said GM has "leapfrogged" Detroit rivals Ford and Stellantis in agreeing "in writing" to include the auto giant's electric battery plants under the UAW's national agreement.

GM has three battery plants under its Ultium Cells joint venture with Korea's LG Energy Solution in the states of Tennessee, Michigan and Ohio, with one of the plants not slated to come on line until 2024, according to Ultium's website.

What the agreement means in terms of how workers at these facilities will be compensated and whether the pay and benefits will match those of conventional jobs was not immediately clear from Fain's statement.

Previously, auto company officials have said they were unable to set terms for the plants because they are joint ventures and not solely under the purview of the Detroit auto giants.

Following Fain's presentation, a UAW press release was headlined, "UAW wins just transition at General Motors."

Fain said GM's shift addresses the worry that that the transition to electric vehicles (EV) will lead to the replacement of high-paid conventional auto jobs with lower-paid EV posts in what the labor leader has called a "race to the bottom."

GM's statement did not directly comment on the EV battery facilities.

"Negotiations remain ongoing, and we will continue to work towards finding solutions to address outstanding issues," GM said. "Our goal remains to reach an agreement that rewards our employees and allows GM to be successful into the future."

Labor relations expert Harry Katz characterized the EV concession from GM as significant given that much of the EV supply chain is not unionized.

"There are positive signs that this will settle in the not too distant future," said Katz, a professor at Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Fain plans to attend a rally at Ford's Chicago plant, along with other labor leaders and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

'Outsmart' corporate America

Wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "Eat the Rich," Fain reviewed the state of play, with each of the companies in many cases offering slightly different response to key union demands.

Fain said the union is being "strategic" in using the threat of more stoppages to win a better contract.

"Our goal is not to just get mad and shut it all down... but to outsmart and out-organize corporate America," he said.

The UAW launched a targeted strike on September 15 on the Detroit Three, calling for stoppages at a handful of plants, while leaving most of the union's 146,000 US hourly auto workers on the job.

With dual earlier expansions of the strike the prior two Fridays, the total number of workers on strike stands at about 25,000.

Friday's pause in escalation will be a relief to the three companies, although Fain held out the possibility of ramping up the action further if progress stalls.

Ford said "we remain open" to working with the UAW on future battery plants, which are still under development.

Workers have not yet been hired for the battery plants, but "when they are, they can choose union representation and enter into collective bargaining," Ford said.

Stellantis said it has "good momentum" on reaching a deal.

"We are making progress, but there are gaps that still need to be closed," said a letter from Mark Stewart, chief operating officer of Stellantis North America.

 2023 AFP
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:

Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, parents of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, arrive for the second day of their son's fraud trial in New York.

Sam Bankman-Fried knowingly used FTX clients' funds without permission to invest through his personal hedge fund, the disgraced crypto titan's former business partner testified in court on Friday.

Zixiao "Gary" Wang, a co-founder of FTX with Bankman-Fried, has already pleaded guilty to multiple counts related to the crypto trading platform's stunning collapse, and has agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors.

He is the first major witness to appear at his former partner's trial, which began on Tuesday in New York and could last up to six weeks.

The 31-year-old Bankman-Fried, known as "SBF," has been charged with seven counts of fraud, embezzlement and criminal conspiracy, and if convicted could face more than 100 years in prison.

In November 2022, his cryptocurrency exchange platform imploded, unable to cope with massive withdrawal requests from customers panicked to learn that some of FTX's funds had been committed to risky operations by Alameda Research, Bankman-Fried's personal hedge fund.

Wang, who was technology chief at the time of the collapse, on Friday described Bankman-Fried as willing to break the law and lie to enable FTX and Alameda to post strong growth and profits.

He said that in 2019, a few months after FTX was created, Bankman-Fried had its software modified to allow Alameda to withdraw unlimited funds from the platform.

That code was not disclosed to the public or investors, according to Wang, whose own sentence has not yet been handed down, though it is expected to be reduced due to his cooperation.

Bankman-Fried falsely told journalists and investors that "Alameda was treated like any other trader on FTX" and that FTX "didn't use customers' money," Wang testified.

"Customers did not give us permission to use it for other purposes," Wang said of the funds, which prosecutors also allege were used by Bankman-Fried to purchase Bahamas real estate.

The line of credit granted to Alameda was gradually raised, eventually reaching the astronomical sum of $65 billion, he said.

At the time of FTX's bankruptcy, some $8 billion in customers' funds were missing, borrowed by Alameda, which was unable to reimburse them.

Wang also said that Bankman-Fried had on several occasions requested customer losses be put on Alameda's books, in order to hide the transactions from the general public and not damage FTX's image.

The trial is set to resume on Tuesday, with testimony expected from former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison, who has also pleaded guilty and pledged to cooperate with prosecutors.

 2023 AFP
Through SkillsUSA and the Bryan school district, Rudder High School students Citlaly De Santiago and Destini Mack recently visited the nations capita to learn about leadership and make lifelong memories.

SkillsUSA is a Career Technical Student Organization (CTSO) where students can compete with other students around the nation to build leadership skills and learn college and career readiness.

As a part of their curricula, district officers within the program were able to attend the Washington Leadership Training Institute conference as well as visit a wide variety of District of Columbia landmarks, including the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial, and visit with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to discuss topics related to their classes.

PheLicia Thompson, criminal justice educator at Rudder High School, led the students during their trip and said the two students who went are officers with the SkillsUSA program.

Once they are selected as an officer with SkillsUSA, they make the agreement that they will be a part of the training and leadership conferences, Thompson said.

Students were able to gain hands-on education in leadership, history and the justice system, and Thompson said she was delighted to see her students participate.

Ive been to Washington D.C. before but to see it on the academic level with SkillsUSA was something that was phenomenal, she said. It was an experience that made me proud that my students were a part of it.

Thompson said teaching is a great passion of hers, and with previous experience as a Brazos Valley Juvenile Detention Center supervisor she hopes to inspire a positive change and love of criminal justice in all her students.

My husband had to have emergency open heart surgery, so that caused me to resign from my position [as BVJDC supervisor] to take care of him, she said. [After], I was told they had a position at Rudder High School for criminal justice  teaching is my first love, so thats what brought me to the school district.

For future and current trips, Thompson said she wants all students to feel accomplished and use the experience to guide their future endeavors.

I hope this gives them preparedness and readiness for what they want in their future, she said. They should take every little detail [of the trip] and use it to build a solid foundation to have their future.

De Santiago, a sophomore at Rudder, said the D.C. trip helped her work on both her professional and personal goals.

I also learned more about communication, she said. I have to speak out  English is not my first language so its hard for me to pronounce some things.

De Santiago said she especially enjoyed exploring the capital and learning about the justice system during the trip.

One of my favorite experiences was walking around D.C., she said. The Supreme Court is beautiful, especially in real life, with beautiful sculptures inside.

With the experience shes gained during the trip, De Santiago said she knows what she wants to do after graduation.

Oh, I have everything planned out, she said. I know exactly what I want to be: a police detective. And I know that Im going to be in the police academy in my last three years of college.

De Santiago recommends SkillsUSA for interested high schoolers looking to find a strong community or to work on their skillset.

People who dont know SkillsUSA should do a little bit of research or have someone in SkillsUSA talk to them about it, she said. Because I would 100% recommend SkillsUSA.

Mack, a junior at Rudder, said shes seen herself grow more confident through participation in the program.

I learned how to become a leader and just use that leadership, she said. Ive been very shy, but coming into this program, Ive learned how to go out of my comfort zone and just speak to random people.

The D.C. trip allowed Mack to meet a wide variety of people for the first time, something she said shes grateful for.

I met a boy named Sebastian, and on the very last day, we had this dance and I felt like we really got to know each other, she said. It was an amazing time.

Overall, Mack said she learned the importance of trusting herself, planning ahead and tackling challenges head on.

Just dont doubt yourself. Dont be a procrastinator either because it will be stressful, but you just have to go with the flow, she said.
Accurate Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 32,929 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,536 shares during the quarter. Accurate Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $1,196,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Benin Management CORP increased its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Benin Management CORP now owns 38,516 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,413,000 after purchasing an additional 1,109 shares during the period. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC increased its stake in Pfizer by 3.0% in the second quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 25,874 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $949,000 after acquiring an additional 743 shares during the period. Lawson Kroeker Investment Management Inc. NE increased its stake in Pfizer by 0.7% in the second quarter. Lawson Kroeker Investment Management Inc. NE now owns 239,517 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $8,785,000 after acquiring an additional 1,725 shares during the period. Diligent Investors LLC increased its stake in Pfizer by 1.4% in the second quarter. Diligent Investors LLC now owns 57,566 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $2,112,000 after acquiring an additional 775 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Trust Co increased its stake in Pfizer by 10.6% in the second quarter. Charles Schwab Trust Co now owns 38,669 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,470,000 after acquiring an additional 3,691 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.05% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently weighed in on PFE shares. Credit Suisse Group cut shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the company from $47.00 to $40.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $75.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. TheStreet cut shares of Pfizer from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, September 25th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $38.00 to $35.00 in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $40.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Pfizer has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $45.88.

Pfizer Price Performance

Shares of PFE stock opened at $33.13 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a 1 year low of $31.77 and a 1 year high of $54.93. The firms 50 day moving average is $34.81 and its 200-day moving average is $37.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $187.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.81, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a current ratio of 2.12, a quick ratio of 1.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.67 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.10. Pfizer had a net margin of 27.55% and a return on equity of 28.36%. The business had revenue of $12.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.36 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.04 earnings per share. Pfizers revenue was down 54.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 4th. Investors of record on Friday, November 10th will be issued a $0.41 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 9th. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.95%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is currently 43.62%.

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.

Further Reading

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The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of ASUSTeK Computer (OTCMKTS:ASUUY  Free Report) in a report released on Tuesday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the stock.

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded ASUSTeK Computer from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 26th.

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ASUSTeK Computer Price Performance

About ASUSTeK Computer

ASUUY stock opened at $61.34 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $52.70 and a 200 day moving average price of $48.25. ASUSTeK Computer has a fifty-two week low of $56.91 and a fifty-two week high of $61.34.

(Get Free Report)

ASUSTeK Computer Inc researches and develops, designs, manufactures, sells, and repairs computers, communications, and consumer electronic products in Taiwan, China, Singapore, Europe, the United States, and internationally. The company offers Internet information services; maintenance and operating services for information hardware; services information technology and communication products; and leases real estate property.

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BerganKDV Wealth Management LLC reduced its holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM  Free Report) by 18.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,160 shares of the companys stock after selling 261 shares during the period. BerganKDV Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland were worth $88,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. increased its position in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 4.7% in the 1st quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 43,470 shares of the companys stock worth $3,463,000 after buying an additional 1,940 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank increased its position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 0.4% during the first quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 276,660 shares of the companys stock valued at $22,027,000 after purchasing an additional 1,138 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland during the first quarter valued at approximately $574,000. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland during the second quarter valued at approximately $691,000. Finally, Transform Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 21.3% during the first quarter. Transform Wealth LLC now owns 204,456 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,287,000 after purchasing an additional 35,944 shares during the period. 77.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Archer-Daniels-Midland from $83.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, July 31st. Argus upped their price target on Archer-Daniels-Midland from $91.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 1st. StockNews.com began coverage on Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research report on Thursday. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Roth Mkm began coverage on Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research report on Thursday, June 22nd. They issued a buy rating and a $92.00 price target on the stock. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $97.50.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Price Performance

Archer-Daniels-Midland stock opened at $72.85 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.63. The firm has a market cap of $39.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.73, a P/E/G ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.83. The businesss fifty day moving average is $80.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $78.12. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has a 52 week low of $69.92 and a 52 week high of $98.28.

Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 25th. The company reported $1.89 EPS 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 for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.82 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.15 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Archer-Daniels-Midland Company will post 7.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 16th were paid a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.47%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 15th. Archer-Daniels-Midlands dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.03%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Fruit Molly L. Strader sold 1,455 shares of the companys 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 transaction, the insider now owns 10,809 shares of the companys stock, valued at $938,221.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.

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Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its position in Block, Inc. (NYSE:SQ  Free Report) by 39.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 301,464 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 85,079 shares during the quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd.s holdings in Block were worth $20,068,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of SQ. IAG Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Block by 100.0% during the 1st quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 400 shares of the technology companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of Block during the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Block during the 1st quarter worth about $32,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC bought a new stake in shares of Block during the 1st quarter worth about $41,000. Finally, Trust Co. of Vermont bought a new stake in shares of Block during the 1st quarter worth about $47,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.17% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $90.00 target price on shares of Block in a research note on Tuesday, August 29th. UBS Group downgraded Block from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the company from $102.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 6th. Truist Financial cut their price target on Block from $90.00 to $85.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 4th. Stephens cut their price target on Block from $90.00 to $80.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 4th. Finally, Piper Sandler cut their price target on Block from $83.00 to $77.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and twenty-three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Block presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $84.19.

Insider Transactions at Block

In other news, insider Brian Grassadonia sold 4,584 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.00, for a total value of $192,528.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 293,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,319,860. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Brian Grassadonia sold 4,584 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.00, for a total value of $192,528.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 293,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,319,860. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Ajmere Dale sold 629 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.49, for a total value of $35,532.21. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 72,981 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,122,696.69. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 30,541 shares of company stock worth $1,722,034 in the last three months. Insiders own 10.79% of the companys stock.

Block Stock Up 2.8 %

Shares of SQ opened at $43.84 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.92, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $55.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $61.88. Block, Inc. has a 52 week low of $40.77 and a 52 week high of $89.97.

Block (NYSE:SQ  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 3rd. The technology company reported $0.39 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $5.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.10 billion. Block had a negative return on equity of 0.61% and a negative net margin of 1.38%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 25.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.19) EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Block, Inc. will post -0.27 EPS for the current year.

Block Company Profile

(Free Report)

Square, Inc provides payment and point-of-sale solutions in the United States and internationally. The company's commerce ecosystem includes point-of-sale software and hardware that enables sellers to turn mobile and computing devices into payment and point-of-sale solutions. It offers hardware products, including Magstripe reader, which enables swiped transactions of magnetic stripe cards; Contactless and chip reader that accepts EMV chip cards and Near Field Communication payments; Chip card reader, which accepts EMV chip cards and enables swiped transactions of magnetic stripe cards; Square Stand, which enables an iPad to be used as a payment terminal or full point of sale solution; and Square Register that combines its hardware, point-of-sale software, and payments technology, as well as managed payments solutions.

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Aspire Private Capital LLC lifted its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV  Free Report) by 0.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,298 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF makes up 0.9% of Aspire Private Capital LLCs holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. Aspire Private Capital LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF were worth $2,807,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in IVV. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 117,228.0% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 195,582,257 shares of the companys stock worth $75,144,659,000 after acquiring an additional 195,415,560 shares in the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 212,409.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 53,346,337 shares of the companys stock worth $23,776,996,000 after acquiring an additional 53,321,234 shares in the last quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 38,525.9% during the 1st quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 11,421,288 shares of the companys stock worth $27,783,000 after acquiring an additional 11,391,719 shares in the last quarter. IMC Chicago LLC grew its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 122.2% during the 2nd quarter. IMC Chicago LLC now owns 534,522 shares of the companys stock worth $238,242,000 after acquiring an additional 2,941,401 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Citigroup Inc. grew its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 2,989.6% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 2,619,850 shares of the companys stock worth $1,076,968,000 after acquiring an additional 2,535,055 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Trading Up 1.2 %

Shares of NYSEARCA:IVV opened at $431.38 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $333.74 billion, a PE ratio of 18.43 and a beta of 1.00. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a twelve month low of $349.53 and a twelve month high of $461.88. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $443.89 and a 200-day simple moving average of $432.12.

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Profile

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.

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Coca-Cola HBC (OTCMKTS:CCHGY  Free Report) had its price objective trimmed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from GBX 2,600 ($31.43) to GBX 2,400 ($29.01) in a report published on Tuesday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on CCHGY. Barclays upped their price target on Coca-Cola HBC from GBX 2,700 ($32.64) to GBX 3,000 ($36.26) in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Coca-Cola HBC from GBX 2,950 ($35.66) to GBX 3,150 ($38.08) in a research report on Monday, July 10th. Finally, Societe Generale raised Coca-Cola HBC from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, August 25th.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on CCHGY

Coca-Cola HBC Stock Down 1.6 %

Coca-Cola HBC Company Profile

CCHGY opened at $26.12 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $28.26 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $29.23. Coca-Cola HBC has a one year low of $20.81 and a one year high of $32.19.

(Get Free Report)

Coca-Cola HBC AG engages in the production, distribution, and sale of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages under franchise in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers sparkling soft drinks, adult sparkling, hydration drinks, juices, ready-to-drink tea, energy drinks, dairy, coffee, water, plant-based drinks, premium spirits and flavored alcoholic beverages, and snacks.

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Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. cut its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 13.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,301,224 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 814,454 shares during the period. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. owned approximately 0.09% of Pfizer worth $194,449,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. 25 LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Freedom Wealth Alliance LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. Macroview Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Pfizer by 70.0% during the 1st quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 962 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 396 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GeoWealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 1st quarter worth approximately $49,000. 68.05% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Pfizer Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of PFE opened at $33.13 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $187.05 billion, a PE ratio of 8.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.61. The companys fifty day moving average is $34.81 and its two-hundred day moving average is $37.25. Pfizer Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $31.77 and a fifty-two week high of $54.93. 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 Announces Dividend

Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.67 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $12.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.36 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 27.55% and a return on equity of 28.36%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 54.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.04 EPS. Analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 4th. Investors of record on Friday, November 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.41 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 9th. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.95%. Pfizers payout ratio is 43.62%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on PFE. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $40.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and set a $75.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Credit Suisse Group lowered shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $47.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on shares of Pfizer from $45.00 to $44.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Finally, HSBC initiated coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday, July 14th. They set a buy rating and a $50.00 target price on the stock. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $45.88.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on PFE

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.

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Equities researchers at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) in a note issued to investors on Thursday. The firm set a hold rating on the insurance providers stock.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $188.00 to $191.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, July 24th. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on Travelers Companies from $208.00 to $176.00 in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Travelers Companies from C$183.00 to C$185.00 in a report on Thursday, July 20th. Morgan Stanley reissued an equal weight rating and issued a $185.00 price objective on shares of Travelers Companies in a report on Friday, July 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Travelers Companies from $183.00 to $185.00 in a report on Thursday, July 20th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $195.00.

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View Our Latest Stock Analysis on TRV

Travelers Companies Stock Down 0.6 %

Shares of TRV opened at $162.95 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $37.31 billion, a PE ratio of 17.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.59. Travelers Companies has a 1 year low of $155.72 and a 1 year high of $194.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.33. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $164.71 and its 200-day simple moving average is $171.08.

Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The insurance provider reported $0.06 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.05 by ($1.99). The company had revenue of $10.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.97 billion. Travelers Companies had a net margin of 5.77% and a return on equity of 10.75%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.57 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Travelers Companies will post 12.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Travelers Companies

In other Travelers Companies news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,000 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $175.05, for a total value of $1,750,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 14,080 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,464,704. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 1.29% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Travelers Companies

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of TRV. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in Travelers Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $160,000. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 28.8% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 5,934 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $1,084,000 after acquiring an additional 1,327 shares in the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 11,905 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $2,210,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares in the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 40.6% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 51,551 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $9,420,000 after acquiring an additional 14,873 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 5.0% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 27,212 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $4,952,000 after acquiring an additional 1,286 shares in the last quarter. 81.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Travelers Companies Company Profile

(Get 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.

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Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (NYSE:TV  Free Report) had its target price cut by UBS Group from $6.00 to $3.40 in a research note released on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the stock.

TV has been the topic of a number of other research reports. TheStreet downgraded shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a research report on Thursday, September 28th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 30th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. in a research report on Tuesday, September 19th. They set a hold rating on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. from $6.10 to $5.20 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 29th. Finally, Benchmark restated a buy rating and set a $12.00 price target on shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. in a research note on Monday, July 24th. Three equities 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 stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $7.05.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. Trading Down 0.7 %

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. stock opened at $2.87 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. has a 12-month low of $2.77 and a 12-month high of $6.57. The firms fifty day moving average is $4.04 and its 200 day moving average is $4.67.

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (NYSE:TV  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, July 31st. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.05 by ($0.04). Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. had a negative net margin of 17.11% and a negative return on equity of 9.55%. The company had revenue of $1.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.05 billion. As a group, research analysts predict that Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. will post 0.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. American Century Companies Inc. grew its stake in shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. by 9.3% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 158,379 shares of the companys stock worth $1,853,000 after acquiring an additional 13,444 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. in the 1st quarter worth $111,000. qPULA Trading Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. in the 1st quarter worth $119,000. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL grew its stake in shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. by 4.9% in the 1st quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 7,438,203 shares of the companys stock worth $87,027,000 after acquiring an additional 344,658 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gabelli Funds LLC grew its stake in shares of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 4,138,000 shares of the companys stock worth $48,415,000 after acquiring an additional 101,800 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 37.47% of the companys stock.

About Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.

(Get Free Report)

Grupo Televisa, SAB. operates as a media company in the Spanish-speaking Mexico and internationally. It operates through three segments: Cable, Sky, and Other Businesses. The Cable segment operates cable multiple system that provides basic and premium television subscription, pay-per-view, installation, Internet subscription, and telephone and mobile services subscription services, as well as sales local and national advertising services; and telecommunication facilities, which offers data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers through its fiber-optic network.

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Virgin Money UK (OTCMKTS:CYBBF  Free Report) had its price objective trimmed by Royal Bank of Canada from GBX 225 ($2.72) to GBX 220 ($2.66) in a research note released on Tuesday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Berenberg Bank lowered their price target on Virgin Money UK from GBX 400 ($4.84) to GBX 250 ($3.02) in a report on Friday, August 4th. Barclays reduced their price objective on Virgin Money UK from GBX 230 ($2.78) to GBX 210 ($2.54) in a research note on Friday, August 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on Virgin Money UK from GBX 220 ($2.66) to GBX 210 ($2.54) in a report on Friday, September 22nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Virgin Money UK from GBX 175 ($2.12) to GBX 180 ($2.18) in a report on Thursday, August 3rd.

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OTCMKTS:CYBBF opened at $2.15 on Tuesday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $2.12 and its 200 day moving average is $1.97. Virgin Money UK has a fifty-two week low of $1.44 and a fifty-two week high of $2.29.

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Virgin Money UK PLC provides banking products and services for consumers, and small and medium sized businesses under the Clydesdale Bank, Yorkshire Bank, and Virgin Money brands in the United Kingdom. The company offers savings and current accounts, mortgages, credit cards, and home loans; business loans, overdraft facilities, treasury solutions, and corporate and structured finance; asset and invoice finance services; risk management; international trade services; and home, car, and life and critical illness insurance products.

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James Robert Allen, the 40-year-old Suffolk man arrested and charged Thursday with attempting to kidnap a University of Virginia student, will not soon be getting out of jail.

Judge Andrew Sneathern made that determination Friday morning during a brief hearing in Charlottesville General District Court.

Im not going to set bond, said Sneathern. Im going to hold you without.

As he appeared on video feed from the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, where he was taken after his Thursday afternoon arrest in Louisa County, Allen gave no evidence of emotion. He answered the judges two questions, which were his name and whether he desired an attorney.

Lets see if I qualify for a court-appointed attorney, Allen replied.

Sneathern appointed the Office of the Public Defender to represent Allen, who stands accused of two felonies: strangulation and abduction.

Liz Murtagh, chief of that office, stepped toward the bench.

Ill be back in my office in about 15 minutes if you could give me a call, she told the prisoner on the screen.

The judge said that he would be willing to hold a bail hearing if the defense attorney seeks one. If that doesnt happen, Allens next appearance will likely be Dec. 14, the date Sneathern set for the preliminary hearing.

Unless Allen waives his right to that process, the court will probably hear from Robert Emery, a UVa professor whose family intervened in the Wednesday night incident.

Id be happy to testify, Emery told The Daily Progress. I got a very close-up look at him.

In a telephone interview with The Daily Progress, Emery shared details from the incident that first drew his attention at the corner of Rugby Road and Burnley Avenue.

I was getting ready for bed and heard screaming outside my bedroom window, said Emery, who said his thoughts quickly tracked from college hijinx to domestic squabble and then, due to the intensity of the sounds, a more serious matter.

Clearly, he said, something was wrong.

As Emery threw on sweatpants and prepared to bolt outside in his bare feet, he said he asked his wife to call 911.

There was screaming coming from behind the truck, said Emery. And a man appeared from behind the truck and started screaming that I was interfering.

Emery said Allen managed to get the young woman into the truck as he was telling him that the police had been called and were en route. He could not say how Allen managed and did not remember seeing any weapon.

At that point, the truck roared south on Burnley, said Emery, whose daughter and her boyfriend, visiting from medical school, took the lead in chasing the vehicle.

Along the way, his daughter said she heard the attacker shout, Get out of the truck, according to Emery. We believe he pushed her out of the truck.

The truck bore right as the roadway became Cabell Avenue, and the vehicle began hitting parked cars before reaching a T-intersection where the truck crossed Grady Avenue. The vehicle came to rest against the trunk of a tree in a fraternity house yard.

Back on Cabell Avenue, the Emerys found the victim hiding behind a car and suffering from physical injuries and major trauma, something that Emery, a psychologist, would recognize.

She asked us, Please dont come any closer, Emery recounted.

Eventually, Emery said the family sat down several feet away on the pavement and waited for police to arrive. Emery said that his daughter, Lucy Emery, ended up in the ambulance and then spent several hours at UVa Medical Center with the young woman.

She saved herself by fighting him off and screaming for help, said the older Emery, who also credits his family members and his daughters boyfriend for heading toward the terror.

It wasnt just me shouting, he said. I think this guy saw the other people behind me.

As a psychologist, Emery may be trained not to make too many predictions, but seeing what he saw including the duct tape that had bound the womans wrists, he offered one here.

I feel like she may not be alive if we hadnt intervened, said Emery.

Hes not the only one with that view.

It sounds like they saved her life, Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis told The Daily Progress. Community members that get involved to help people theyve never met is amazing, and I thank them for it.

The investigation into the case is still ongoing, according to authorities. It has not been reported how the student came to be in the vehicle with Allen or how Allen, after the truck was wrecked, made it to Louisa County where he was ultimately detained.

The vehicle was a commercial pickup truck bearing the livery of Curtis Contracting Inc. of West Point. That companys vice president, Steve Ordung, told The Daily Progress Thursday that he was still following the investigation before declining to answer any quesitons.
They knew each other by reputation, record and their shared religion: Virginia politics.

Major Reynolds, Charlie Davis and Panny Rhodes came by that faith differently: Reynolds, a Democrat, by birth. Republicans Davis and Rhodes, respectively, by broadcasting and by refusing to be one of the boys. Reynolds, 89, and Davis, 77, died Sept. 18. Rhodes, 81, died Thursday.

They represented a seemingly anachronistic brand of politics: keenly competitive yet sensibly cooperative, practiced with a hint of intimacy that may no longer be possible in a state that  in their lifetimes  was fully transformed from a rural backwater preoccupied with race to a multi-hued suburban dynamo.

As the grandson of the founder of the eponymous aluminum manufacturer, Reynolds  alternately an executive, legislator and philanthropist  embodied the business-friendly, socially progressive iteration of the Virginia Democratic Party that would dominate the state for more than a decade, beginning in 1981 with the election of Gov. Chuck Robb.

Some of the seeds of that era were planted 15 years earlier with the victory for the House of Delegates of Sarge Reynolds, Majors younger brother, for whom the promise of a sterling career that some said would include the presidency ended with his death to cancer at the all-too-young age of 34 in 1971.

Major  born Richard S. Reynolds III and known by the nickname adopted from his paternal great-grandfather  preserved his brothers legacy but nurtured his own.

In the late 1970s, he served a single term in the House, where he advocated for tougher conflict-of-interest rules and state promotion of Black history  prescient positions almost certainly dismissed back then by the uber conservative old guard as the whims of a wealthy dilettante. Fifty years on, as Reynolds friends have noted, these proposals are realities.

Voters decided that Reynolds  a Churchill buff who saw in his heros life the opportunities and limits of politics  would go no further than the General Assembly. He lost the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 1977 to someone who had Sarge-like celebrity in spades: Robb, a son-in-law of the late President Lyndon Johnson.

But Reynolds  ever dapper, mixing stripes and plaid long before it was fashionable  remained a presence in politics. He raised money, organized campaigns and recruited candidates. As younger members of his family did the unthinkable  support Republicans  Reynolds, whose wife, Pam, has a GOP pedigree, remained a stoutly loyal Democrat, even securing office space in Richmond for such hopeless causes as Walter Mondale in 1984.

Charles J. Davis III  Charlie, to friend and foe, alike  never strayed from his roots in Franklin County, a moonshine hub in near Southwest Virginia. Under his desk on the third floor of the state Capitol, where he was GOP Gov. John Daltons final press secretary, was a large, glass jug of untaxed corn liquor. Unclear is how it got there or where it went when Davis left government to become a lobbyist for a giant railroad.

It was easy  and perilous  to underestimate Davis as a lobbyist, who also plumped for tobacco, gambling and the high-cost, instant-loan industry. His swaggering style, the burgundy-colored muffler wrapped around his neck, the omnipresent cigarette, the blue humor and a one-on-one manner that recalled a practiced lounge lizard were distractions from his sharp eye, attuned ear, knack for detail and ability to say a lot with only a few words.

Those skills were refined in Davis first line of work: He was a reporter, covering the news for a big-stick radio station in Richmond to which everyone  defined as politicians, policymakers, bureaucrats, lobbyists and corporate and professional types  tuned in throughout the day. Davis knew that audience before he became part of it.

Swapping information is the stock and trade of reporters and lobbyists. For the latter, it can have significant  read: expensive  implications for their clients. So Davis didnt hesitate to alert the cigarette maker he represented that legislation it sought, and requiring the company to use self-extinguishing paper for the billions of butts rolled in Virginia, could lock the firm out of foreign markets with different manufacturing standards.

If a call from Reynolds was a chance for him to filibuster, a telephone  for Davis  was a weapon of mass instruction. Hed happen on a yellowed news clipping or a note from a politician of yore; ring you up; explain their back story in provocative language unfit for a family-oriented publication; and  because he knew you might treasure it as he had  drop it in the mail to you.

Anne Rhodes  her nickname, Panny, was rooted in her youth in North Carolina  shared, too, mostly in the marketplace of ideas.

A member of the male-dominated House from 1992 until 2002, Rhodes was a rarity: a moderate Republican, representing Richmond and part of Henrico County. She discomfited her party by comfortably defying its orthodoxy. Unlike most Republicans, Rhodes supported abortion rights and opposed tax cuts. Such stands infuriated Gov. Jim Gilmore, who personally recruited a primary challenger to Rhodes in 1999 because she resisted Gilmores car-tax rollback as fiscally irresponsible.

After all, Rhodes knew her way around a budget. She was a mathematics major at Duke and a numbers-cruncher for a defense company on some of the Pentagons priciest weapons systems. In floor speeches punctuated with a smile and an occasional note of disbelief, Rhodes  also given to great gusts of gesticulation  would question the arithmetic of tax breaks and fret over their impact on schools and health care.

Rhodes easily brushed aside her opponent, pulling nearly 60% of the vote. In the heart of her district  Richmonds affluent, leafy West End  the challenge to Rhodes was not only considered bad manners, it was bad politics. Rhodes centrist views nicely suited her constituents, including Democrats, who didnt hesitate to go into the Republican primary to vote for Rhodes  if only to teach Gilmore a lesson.

By 2001, Rhodes was fully estranged from her party. She would support Democrat Mark Warner for governor that year, saying he would undo damage inflicted on the budget by Republicans  never mind that it would require Warner breaking in 2004 a campaign promise not to increase taxes.

This is not to suggest that Reynolds, Davis and Rhodes were the embodiment of the good old days, which, at times, could be pretty bad. They would admit as much. But it is to say that the three were committed to Virginia; that they were definitely characters and, occasionally, caricatures.

PHOTOS: General Assembly Building construction
Three businesses were named winners in their categories in the Nebraska State Fairs annual Battle of the Businesses volunteer competition.

The competition tallies the number of hours employees serve each year at the Nebraska State Fair. Businesses are divided into small, medium and large organizations during the competition.

The Battle of the Businesses is a great opportunity for businesses to serve their local communities, have a little friendly competition, and be an important part of the Nebraska State Fair, said Haley Roush, volunteer coordinator for the fair.

Winners are CHI Health St. Francis, large business; Mars Pet Care, medium business; and Summit Real Estate, small business.

CHI Health St. Francis and Summit Real Estate are new winners in 2023. Mars Pet Care is a repeat winner as the medium business having won in 2022.

The winners will each receive an individual trophy recognizing the achievement.

Nebraska State Fair volunteers provided more than 14,000 hours of assistance in putting on the State Fair this year. Information on joining the Nebraska State Fair Volunteer program is available at StateFair.org.

With the new 2024 theme of All Roads Lead to Fun the 2024 Nebraska State Fair is set for Aug. 23 through Sept. 2 in Grand Island.
HASTINGS  Five Hastings College students  including one from Gibbon and another from Hastings  arrived in Ireland last week as part of this years Irish Fellowship Program, a competitive study abroad program that allows students to conduct their own research in Ireland.

The group will live in County Clare, a region in the west of Ireland that offers educational opportunities suitable for the students, before they return to campus Oct. 19.

Irish Fellows is an undergraduate program that gives Hastings College students the opportunity to learn both academic and life skills while they conduct an independent research project that aligns with their academic interest, said Dr. Rob Babcock, a Hastings College history professor and director of the program.

To be considered for the Irish Fellows program, students are required to submit a project proposal, which includes a main research component. Then after completing their research in Ireland, students will present their findings in a public forum later in the academic year.

The program is sponsored by Hastings College and is funded nearly entirely by donations from alumni and friends of the college, including many former Fellows, and exists in partnership with Davy Spillane, the Grammy Award-winning Irish musician. The goal of the program is to blend on-campus coursework with independent study while in County Clare.

The 2023-24 Irish Fellows include:

 Alissa Bailey, a biology major from Gibbon, studying Emergency Medical Training Comparison: Ireland and the U.S.

 Karson Weiss, an art major from Hastings, studying The Evolution of Irish Ceramics Based on Historical and Societal Context.

 Kierra Spurgeon, a biology major from Omaha, studying From Genes to Breeds: the use of Genetics in Livestock Research in Nebraska versus Ireland Compared.

 Josephine Parker, a business and community development major from Omaha, studying A Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Brain Drain between rural Nebraska and rural Irish communities.

 Emily Nevins, an English and Marketing major from Littleton, Colorado, who is completing an internship with Salmon Poetry Publisher.
Grand Island Public Schools said Friday Steve Helgeland will resign his position as Gates Elementary principal pending adequate replacement.

Grand Island Public Schools said it is sad to see him go but are incredibly grateful for the service and expertise he has brought to Gates in his short tenure with the district.

Helgeland has served as Gates principal since July of 2023. While enjoying his time leading the Gators, Helgeland has also discovered growing needs to be closer to his family located out of state.

Out of respect for students, families, and staff, Helgeland shared his intention of resignation early in the year so it may provide ample time for the district to find the right next leader for Gates, the district said.

In the meantime, Mr. Helgeland remains committed to the job and the mission of supporting every student and their learning experience, the district said.

GIPS intends to list the Principal position next week and seek internal and external candidates who may be interested.

Our goal in making this change is to provide the best possible support for our students and staff at Gates, as well as supporting Mr. Helgeland. We appreciate Mr. Helgelands willingness to work with the district to best utilize his talents and to provide the best learning opportunities for our students, Superintendent Matt Fisher said in a release.
On Saturday morning, Palmer music teacher Anna Sake was proud of her students, with whom she has been working for 13 years.

These seniors are the first class of kindergartners I got to teach, an emotional Sake said after the Harvest of Harmony parade.

Sake was tearful because she loves our band so much. She wants us to succeed, and shes a great teacher, said sophomore Hailey Weller.

Fifty-six Palmer students marched in the parade, playing Narco by Timmy Trumpet.

Sake, who is Palmers K-12 director of music, doesnt know if her students enjoy marching. But they have a lot of pride when they do it. They put a lot of effort and hard work into it.

The hardest part of preparing is just finding time in their schedules, because were a Class D school and theyre involved in absolutely everything, Sake said.

In the morning, band members are busy with cheer practice, FFA, dance and one-act play. At night, they have games. Students follow that schedule consistently.

But on Saturday morning, Sake was just very proud of them. And I cant wait to see what else they do this year, she said.

Weller said the Palmer students like marching.

Well, we act like we dont. But then afterward, the students talk about the parade and how they did, which makes Weller think they enjoyed it.

Because Miss Sake puts so much passion into it, I think it bleeds into us a little bit, Weller said.

Playing in the band is easy because we have so much talent, Weller said. The biggest challenge in a parade is probably just being consistent and staying in consistent lines.

Whats the hardest part of marching in a parade?

For me, its definitely walking backwards, said Megan Toahty, drum major for Fullerton High School.

Toahty, who also plays trumpet, was one of 59 Fullerton students in the parade. They played 24K Magic.

I think it went really well, said Colton Kohl, the schools K-12 music director. The kids just seemed to be in step, playing out and articulating the way I wanted them to.

Kohl said the students love parades, because they get to share music with people. The challenge is being perfect in every aspect.

In addition to Harvest of Harmony, Fullerton performs in the Columbus parade and the Veterans Day parade in Central City.

In Columbus, Fullerton took first place in Class D, Toahty said.

The students worked really, really hard during the summer, Toahty said. She hoped the band would get a good score in the field competition later. I want it to be for something, she said, referring to the work theyd put in.

The Loup City band, headed by Kyle Knaub, totaled 18 students. The group played Thriller.

Senior Anthony Braesch, marching in the parade for the fourth time, said the best part is all the people and the music.

Knaub was excited about the field show. Thatll be a lot of fun.

The chilly forecasts for Saturday morning didnt come to pass.

Shortly before 8 a.m., the temperature in Grand Island was 34. Two hours later, it had climbed to 47. Just before 7 a.m., the Grand Island temperature was 32.

Grand Marshal Diane Miller, a former teacher, heard people calling out Miss Miller as she passed.

So I knew I had a lot of students in the crowd, she said.

Miller, 66, said the parade was wonderful. Its such an honor to represent Grand Island, she said.

Miller rode in a 2002 Corvette, owned by Mike Milhon.

Sen. Pete Ricketts began the day visiting veterans at Precinct Auto, 320 N. Lincoln Ave. Every year, owner Jack Luth invites veterans to attend a pre-parade gathering at the used car business.

Dan Naranjo gave the invocation. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Stephanie Hongsermeier sang God Bless America. About 20 people attended the gathering, which started at 7 a.m.

Ricketts has appeared at Harvest of Harmony many times.

I was just telling my campaign manager on the way in how much I love this parade. It is great, he said in an interview.

Ricketts often says Nebraska is what Americas supposed to be. And Grand Island lives up to that with this parade, he said.

The Grand Island parade always has great participation, and its just a ton of fun, Ricketts said.

Another parade Ricketts likes is the Groundhogs Day parade in Unadilla. Its much shorter than this parade. Its only three blocks long, he said.

On the Fourth of July, Ricketts attends the Ralston and Seward parades. Hes also a regular at the Central City parade and Czech Days in Wilber.

After his visit to Grand Island, he attended a lunch and pheasant shoot in Tekamah.

PHOTOS: 81st Harvest of Harmony parade in Grand Island Schools from throughout Nebraska marched in the 81st Harvest of Harmony parade in Grand Island. Firefighters Members of the Grand Island Professional Fire Fighters Local 647 carry the flag to begin the 2023 Harvest Of Harmony parade Saturday in downto Police honor guard and firefighters Members of the GIPD Honor Guard and Grand Island Professional Fire Fighters Local 647 carry the flag to begin the 2023 Harvest of Harmony para Northwest Members of the Northwest band march during the 2023 Harvest of Harmony parade Saturday in downtown Grand Island. Harvest of Harmony The University of Nebraska at Kearney band. Harvest of Harmony parade More than 200 entries marched in downtown Grand Island during the 81th Harvest of Harmony parade on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. GICC band Members of the Grand Island Central Catholic band march during the 2023 Harvest of Harmony parade Saturday in downtown Grand Island. Palmer band A Palmer High School trumpet player plays their horn during the Harvest of Harmony Parade on Saturday. Diane Miller Harvest of Harmony Grand Marshal Diane Miller waves at parade goers Saturday. Candy A young boy throws out candy during the 2023 Harvest of Harmony parade Saturday in downtown Grand Island. GISH band Members of the Grand Island Senior High band spin while performing during the 2023 Harvest of Harmony parade Saturday in downtown Grand Island. Northwest Members of the Northwest band march during the 2023 Harvest of Harmony parade Saturday in downtown Grand Island. Bigfoot Bigfoot thought the Harvest Of Harmony parade was a myth so he had to see it for himself that it does exist. GILT Toad Schroeder of the Grand Island Little Theater has some fun with the crowd during the 2023 Harvest Of Harmony parade Saturday in downtown G Harvest of Harmony The Kearney Catholic band. Harvest of Harmony The Kearney Catholic band. Harvest of Harmony The Kearney Catholic band. Harvest of Harmony A member of the UNK flag team gets ready to twirl during the parade. Harvest of Harmony The University of Nebraska at Kearney band. Harvest of Harmony The York High School band. Harvest of Harmony A drummer with the University of Nebraska at Kearney marches in the parade. Harvest of Harmony The University of Nebraska at Kearney band. Harvest of Harmony The Shelton High School band. Harvest of Harmony A Shelton High School flag team members shows off the colors. Harvest of Harmony The Shelton High School band. Harvest of Harmony The Centennial High School band. Harvest of Harmony The Centennial High School band. Harvest of Harmony The High Plains band. Harvest of Harmony The High Plains band. Harvest of Harmony The High Plains band. Harvest of Harmony The York High School band. Harvest of Harmony The York High School band.
After many years unmarked, a historic Grand Island man finally has a grave marker.

Born in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri in 1844, Thomas Tommy was the second of nine children born to Thomas and Emily. Though Tommy the younger and his family were slaves under their holders surname of Ranney, they took on the last name Goodchild in July 1865, after slavery was abolished in the state.

According to Hall County Historical Society Vice President Michelle Setlik, Tommy Goodchild moved to Grand Island around 1874, following his older brother Wilford Goodchild. The brothers built a new barbershop together on Third Street in 1877 after Wilford Goodchild had opened one on Front Street a few years earlier.

After Wilford Goodchild died, Tommy Goodchild continued the business and was able to grow it. Setlik said that Goodchild had one of the first hot water bathing rooms in 1879, and had expanded to include four barber chairs and a childs chair, an eight-room bath house, and had an in-home ladies shampooing service by 1884.

It was one of the best, if not the best, barbershops, shave parlors and bath houses in Grand Island, said Setlik.

Goodchild was also a labor advocate, having led a labor parade with barbers, clerks, businessmen and women who demanded better working hours. According to Setlik, Goodchild led the parade through downtown Grand Island and to the City Hall, where he was able to meet and discuss working hours with the mayor and Nebraskas lieutenant governor.

Setlik also believes that Goodchild treated his employees well, as some of them went on to open businesses of their own.

I think he was just an individual who really cared about the working class person, said Setlik.

Goodchild was also a volunteer firefighter at Grand Islands first fire company, Always Ready Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1. Goodchild first joined in 1876 and would remain a volunteer until his death.

On Friday, Oct. 6, supporters held the dedication of a newly installed grave marker for Goodchild at the Grand Island City Cemetery. The ceremony was held by the Hall County Historical Society, Grand Island Fire Department, and Grand Island Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 647.

Goodchild died of consumption, modernly known as tuberculosis, in 1892, when he was 48 years old. According to Setlik, on the day Goodchild died, then Chief Peter Heintz requested that firemen belonging to all the different companies take part in his funeral the next day.

The entire Grand Island Fire Department joined a large procession of mourners who made their way to this very spot and (said) their final goodbyes to the man who could always be trusted to answer the call, said Setlik during the dedication. Who had goodwill for all and malice toward none, who was an exemplary citizen that was straightforward, honest, and honorable at all times.

In order to honor the legacy of Tommy Goodchild, it was decided that he should get a permanent grave marker. Goodchilds grave had been unmarked beforehand, with Setlik unsure if there had been a marker when he originally died.

There might have been some kind of marker that just had been lost to time, said Setlik. Maybe it was something temporary, like a wood marker.

According to Setlik, the idea came about after the historical society decided to fix Wilfred Goodchilds grave marker, which they noticed was broken during a cemetery tour.

After a bit of discussion, it was decided that a new grave marker would be purchased for Tommy Goodchild. The society has used money to fix graves before, but they had never bought a new one.

With help from the IAFF Local 647, the HCHS was able to raise around $3,000 for the grave marker. During the dedication, Setlik credited and thanked many people for helping with the grave marker.

Indivduals Michelle Setlik Thanked for Helping The Grand Island Firefighters IAFF Local 647

The Grand Island Cemetery crew for helping to install the base of grave marker

Brent Linder, owner of Sin City and Wave Pizza, for sponsoring Marker Mondays and helping to fundraise money for the grave marker

Steve Markham, who donated a very special matching gift in memory of his father-in-law who was a firefighter.

Jacki Proctor, who is also the daughter and sister of former Grand Island firefighters and draw the Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1 emblem on the grave marker

Stuhr Museum for the archive photograph that was placed on the grave marker

Wegner Monument Company in Central City who did the engraving on the grave marker

Everyone who donated or participated in the fundraising events

The marker was placed on Goodchilds grave on Monday, Oct. 2.

The ceremony had three speakers. The first was Setlik, representing the HCHS and telling everyone Goodchilds story. The second was Grand Island Fire Department Fire Chief Cory Schmidt, who spoke about Goodchild from the perspective of a firefighter.

Firefighters dont serve for glory or recognition, firefighters serve because it is the right thing to do, said Schmidt. With what I now know about Tommy, I believe he felt that same way.

The last speaker was Joe Burrows, president of the IAFF Local 647, who gave a short speech about how Goodchild was truly a trailblazer in many aspects of his life.

Its not everyday that we get to honor someone like Mr. Goodchild, said Burrows. But its great that we get to do that here today.

Setlik said that Goodchild was a very important and beloved person in the community. A Black man that left a mark on Grand Island, and whose legacy continues to inspire and unite people.

Now with a permanent marker in the ground, many people in the future will know where to honor the history of Tommy Goodchild.

(Goodchild) made his place in the world, said Setlik. The world wasnt very kind to him when he was born, but when he left this world, he was beloved by the people in this community.
Amata-invested industrial park in northern Vietnam to welcome automobile component project

By Tri Duc Sat, October 7, 2023 | 9:45 am GTM+7

Taiwan-invested Renli Industrial Vietnam Co. Ltd. has leased three hectares in Song Khoai Industrial Park in Quang Ninh province to build an automobile component factory.

Renli and Amata City Ha Long JSC, the operator of the industrial park, signed a land use right sublease agreement for the move on Thursday. Song Khoai Industrial Park is the third industrial park in Vietnam invested by Thailands industrial real estate developer Amata Corporation.

The Taiwan-invested firm is set to kick off construction of the plant later this quarter, aiming to open in June 2025. Once operational, the factory is expected to employ 600 workers and 40-50 foreign experts.

Representatives of Amata and Renli Industrial sign an agreement in Quang Ninh province, northern Vietnam on October 5, 2023. Photo courtesy of Quang Ninh newspaper.

Amata Corporation was granted an investment certificate to build Song Khoai Industrial Park in 2018, covering 714 hectares. So far, the facility has attracted investments of over $1.1 billion. Chinas Jinko Solar, one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, is the biggest investor with two projects totaling $865 million.

In June, Quang Ninh province granted investment certificates to two projects proposed by Apple supplier Foxconn with total registered capital of $246 million. The 6.3-hectare FECV Foxconn Quang Ninh factory, with an investment of $200.24 million, will manufacture and assemble electronic components, chargers, and charger controllers for electric vehicles. The 4.1-hectare FMMV Foxconn Quang Ninh plant, with an investment of $46 million, will manufacture components for communications and IT products. Both projects are located in Song Khoai Industrial Park.

In January, Japans Tenma Corporation said it planned to invest $150 million in building an 18-hectare plastic molding plant in the facility. Also in the month, Japans Yaskawa Electric Corporation said it planned to invest $100 million in building a 12-hectare factory in Song Khoai Industrial Park.
Sabeco appoints Lester Tan as new general director

By Bach Quang Sat, October 7, 2023 | 6:27 pm GTM+7

Sabeco, a leading beer maker in Vietnam, has appointed Lester Tan Teck Chuan, a Singaporean national, as its new general director, effective from October 1.

In his new role, Lester Tan assumes responsibility for shaping Sabeco's overall business and sustainable growth strategies while reinforcing its core strengths, the brewer said in a release.

Lester Tan brings to Sabeco a wealth of experience, boasting over 28 years of expertise in the beer, spirits, and beverage industry across various Asian markets, including Thailand, Myanmar, Mongolia, and Singapore. "Throughout his career, he has consistently catalyzed positive changes and fueled business growth within the organizations he has led."

"Over the past five years, Sabeco has made significant strides in enhancing its business capabilities, streamlining processes, and executing transformative initiatives. To continue this remarkable transformation journey, the company requires fresh ideas, innovative perspectives, and renewed vigor.

"We believe the new leadership will spearhead transformative business strategies and guide this centuries-old company to greater heights," the firm's board of directors stated in the release.

Lester Tan Teck Chuan, Sabeco's new general director. Photo courtesy of the company.

As the newly appointed general director, Lester Tan will spearhead the second phase of Sabeco's transformation, focusing on sustainable growth and further cementing its position both domestically and internationally, aligning with the group's vision for 2025 to strengthen its leadership in the Southeast Asia region.

Lester Tan said: "Having had the opportunity to engage with Sabeco's team, customers, and consumers, I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us. I am honored to collaborate with Sabeco's leaders and colleagues to drive sustainable growth for the company, deliver enhanced value to our shareholders, and continue creating a positive socio-economic impact in the communities where we operate, and for Vietnam."

Before assuming his role at Sabeco, Lester Tan served as the Chief of Beer at ThaiBev PLC, overseeing Thailand's beer market from 2020 to 2023. He also held CEO positions in beer and beverage businesses in Mongolia, Myanmar, and Thailand.

In 2018, Sabeco embarked on a transformation journey, guided by seven strategic pillars, with the aim of becoming a globally competitive company.

The year 2021 marked the culmination of the first phase of the company's transformation, punctuated by significant milestones. This achievement has set the stage for its second transformation phase, characterized by six key pillars: sales, brand/marketing, production, supply chain, people, and unlock - all supported by the Sabeco 4.0 project and other governance initiatives.

Thailand's ThaiBev spent almost $5 billion acquiring a 51% stake in Sabeco from Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade in December 2017. Its current holding is 64%.
Vietnam sees continued robust investment in logistics

By Lan Do Sat, October 7, 2023 | 9:39 am GTM+7

Vietnam's logistics market is looking vibrant, with big firms such as FM Logistic and Transimex JSC opening new facilities in September.

SPX - a delivery service provider with a freight forwarding network spanning 63 provinces and cities across Vietnam - held the inauguration ceremony of its 100,000 m2 automatic goods sorting center in VSIP Industrial Park, the northern province of Bac Ninh on September 8.

This is SPX's largest and most modern sorting center in Southeast Asia. The center is mostly automated and able to handle up to 2.5 million parcels per day after phase 1, and is expected to reach five million parcels per day in phase 2. The sorting capacity of the center has an accuracy of up to 99.97% thanks to the automated system.

On September 28, French logistics giant FM Logistic inaugurated its second Vietnam distribution center in the southern province of Binh Duong. The contract logistics provider said it was strengthening its omnichannel capabilities in Vietnam with the opening of the new distribution center at the VSIP II Industrial Park.

The warehouse of French logistics giant FM Logistic in VSIP II Industrial Park. Photo courtesy of FM Logistic.

The $25 million facility, located 43 km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, provides cutting-edge warehousing, handling, co-packing, distribution, and e-commerce services. It will serve multiple customers simultaneously while utilizing space and resources to meet demand fluctuations.

Spreading across 20,000 square meters with the potential to expand to 50,000 square meters, FM Logistic Vietnams new warehousing facility is equipped with 78 docks and furnished with best-in-class safety and security features, providing cost-efficient, quality storage, handling, and distribution services.

On September 29, two subsidiaries of Transimex JSC - Long An Investment One Member Limited Liability Company and Long An Logistics JSC - held the inauguration ceremony of phase 1 of Long An cold storage at Vinh Loc 2 Industrial Park in Ben Luc district, Long An province. The investment for Long An storage is VND1 trillion ($41 million).

Long An cold storage has a total area of 29,000 m2 and a capacity of 56,000 pallets. Warehouse system with deep freezing area, goods preparation area, 46 dock doors, and yard capacity for trucks and tractors to enter, exit, and export goods, suitable for all types of goods requiring temperature preservation.

Previously, on March 23, Lazada Logistics Vietnam officially inaugurated Lazada Logistics Park, with the focus of the most modern high-tech goods sorting center, at Song Than 1 Industrial Park, Binh Duong province. With a total area of nearly 20,000 square meters, the new sorting center is capable of handling up to 1 million parcels per day, and the level of automation is up to 99% thanks to modern technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Full of potential

According to Thomas Rooney, senior manager, Real Estate Consulting Services, Savills Hanoi, with strong developments, logistics in Vietnam is still concentrated mostly in large markets. This is an opportunity for investors in this segment to provide supply to meet the growing needs of the sector.

Rooney added that the current logistics market has not yet fully exploited its potential. Supply has not really met demand, requiring investors to flexibly come up with new models and optimize available warehouse space.

Vietnam is becoming one of the world's prominent manufacturing centers with an increasingly improved investment environment and major trade agreements being signed. This has created more attraction in Vietnam's industrial market for the investment portfolios of large and reputable international enterprises. Investment in infrastructure and logistics systems will also strengthen the supply chain for manufacturing businesses.

"Along with that, the positive outlook of the e-commerce industry and the continued increase in demand for fast delivery promise to be a premise for the logistics market to further develop in the near future with effective operating models, Rooney commented.

Assessing the prospects of logistics in Vietnam, Stephane Graber, general director of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), said he had just had a survey trip to Vietnam in the summer to prepare for the FIATA World Congress held in Vietnam in the next two years.

After Covid-19, certain activities are being reallocated to Asia, and one destination for logistics activities is Vietnam. As more and more manufacturing activities are carried out in Vietnam, the country has many opportunities to develop its logistics industry, Graber noted.

Vietnam not only benefits from all modes of air, maritime, and rail transport, but also river transport, which are advantages to building a regional logistics center, he added.

At the Vietnam Logistics Conference 2023, with the theme "Vietnam Logistics: The Road Ahead," on October 5, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Duy Dong said that in recent years, Vietnam has actively directed the improvement of mechanisms, policies, and infrastructure to develop the logistics field. Thanks to that, the capacity and ranking of Vietnam's logistics industry are improving and tending to expand.

Citing the World Bank's ranking, he said that Vietnam currently ranks 64th out of 160 countries in terms of logistics development and ranks 4th in the ASEAN region after Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
CARBONDALE  Dr. Catherine O'Connor, breast surgeon and the medical director for breast services at SIH, took some time Friday to talk about risks for breast cancer and how to determine if you need genetic testing for cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We like people to start thinking about breast screening, their family history and where this all fits into their lives, OConnor said.

According to information on the SIH website, everyday 25 Illinois women are diagnosed with breast cancer. The good news is breast cancer detected early can be treated.

One test that can help identify whos at risk for breast cancer is genetic testing. Genetic testing is done through a blood test or sometimes a saliva test to see if a person is at high risk because of a genetic change.

OConnor said some genetic mutations can put women and men at higher risk for not only breast cancer but other cancers as well.

When we talk about genetic testing for breast cancer, it is something that is offered at least here to all women with active breast cancer or a history of breast cancer, to see if that was what influenced them getting their breast cancer. Then, it can inform both treatment decisions as well as whether or not family members need to be tested, OConnor said.

She added that genetic testing is not something offered to every person who walks in. You must have a family history and that means having a conversation with family members.

The Breast Center at SIH follows the National Cancer Cure Network guidelines as to who should be tested, if they dont individually have breast cancer.

So, it will be a first degree relative with breast cancer under the age of 50. Maybe theyve got two relatives, a mother and sister. It can be on the fathers side of the family. You cant leave that off because either side has equal influence, OConnor said.

Family history of other cancers like pancreas, melanoma, ovarian cancer, or prostate cancer in man at a young age, factor into determining if someone meets the criteria for genetic testing.

Once family information is available, your doctor can help determine if you are high risk and what additional screening should be done at what age. There are a lot of different options.

OConnor said there are a variety of guidelines regarding mammograms, another type of screening, and what age people should start getting them.

The US Preventive Services Task Force used a generic, large population analysis as a guide to determine when and how often people should start getting mammograms. Other organizations like the American College of Surgeons, the American College OBGYN and the radiology group have different guidelines.

So when you look at all of it, you have to look at is somebody at average risk or not average risk, and you need to talk to your primary doctor or OBGYN to see if you are at risk or not average risk, OConnor said.

She added that your ethnic group makes a difference. Black women need to start mammograms earlier. They get breast cancer 10 years earlier than other ethnic groups, and they have a tendency to get some other cell types that are more aggressive.

So you have to start a 40 for sure for African American women need to start mammograms at age 40 for sure, but other women can wait until age 50. Talk to your health care provider about how often you need a mammogram.

OConnor said that generally speaking, a 25-year-old should have a talk with her doctor about her risk for breast cancer. That is the age that screening would generally start for high risk individuals.

She said a 17-year-old who has a grandma with breast cancer shouldnt be thinking about her risk. That is for the adults to do.

If a grandmother has a gene for breast cancer, it is 50-50 that her children or one of her siblings has it. They need to be tested first. If that individual is negative, they cannot pass down the gene. Their children cannot get it and do not need to be tested.

Also, your genetic test results cannot be used against you for health care, according to federal law. That doesnt mean those result cannot be used by disability or life insurance companies. Its a conversation you must have when considering genetic testing.

It's important not just to get genetic testing, but also to have the genetic counseling, OConnor said. You need to know upfront what are the pros and cons of it. What could it mean, what are you going to do?

She continued saying its important to have post-test counseling in place, too. If something comes up, you can have a discussion with somebody who is board certified, has a master's degree and is licensed in the state of Illinois. The counselors keep up on new information.

Again, OConnor recommends to start your risk assessment by talking with your family and your primary care doctor.

For more information on the breast cancer services at SIH, including screening, visit www.sih.net.
CARBONDALE  In the tradition of Southern Illinois University Carbondales longstanding commitment to sustainability and being green, the university is planning a variety of special events this month in recognition of October as Campus Sustainability Month.

The climate crisis is impacting all of us but unfortunately, it disproportionally affects the poorest countries and people, said Aimee Lemrise, sustainability director. They are more exposed and vulnerable to the impacts. Education is a key force for climate resilience and we must take the lead, beginning on the SIU campus. Together as a team, we can make an incredible impact. In the coming weeks, we have a series of events planned to provide valuable information, get people involved, and help us all work together toward the common goal of creating a sustainable world.

Begins with brownbag lunch

The kickoff event is a brownbag luncheon featuring a discussion led by Lemrise and Lea Gilbertson, geology associate lecturer, from noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 12 in Parkinson Laboratory, Room 103. Her presentation will focus on sustainability and energy, and everyone is welcome to attend. Participants may bring their lunches.

Planning is also underway for an event on Oct. 24 to mark United Nations Day. Details are still being finalized, but plans call for a variety of interactive activities in front of the Sustainability Hub in the Student Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Also on that day, the Tree Campus Higher Education Advisory Committee, the SIU Forestry Club and the Society of American Foresters will be hosting about 170 local children from Carruthers Elementary School in Murphysboro for a tree walk on campus and demonstrations of various outdoor hands-on learning activities.

Workshops, chats

A pair of Sustainability Chats is planned as well, with the first set for 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Hub at the Student Center. A second will follow at the same time on Dec. 1. These chats will be used to help reestablish the campus Sustainability Working Groups, which make recommendations to address various areas of sustainability. Anyone who is interested in SIU sustainability is encouraged to attend.

Throughout the year, the Sustainability Office is also sponsoring a series of free eco-friendly craft workshops for students, offering fun ways to upcycle. In September, Salukis created glamour from garbage by making upcycled jewelry from recycled materials. On Oct. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Student Center Craft Shop, Aaliyah Lewis, a sophomore fashion studies student, will present Scrunchies from Scraps, showing them how to transform old Saluki tote bags and T-shirts into stylish hair scrunchies. At the same time on Nov. 30, students can learn to make reusable, eco-friendly beeswax food wraps. Advance registration is required.

Pumpkin Smash finale

The grand finale takes place in November, and its a pumpkin smash, a creative and fun way to compost jack-o-lanterns. The Great Southern Illinois Pumpkin Smash is set for 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 4 at the SIU Farms Service Center, 2704 Union Hill Road in Carbondale.

Its a family friendly event featuring pumpkin smashing activities for all ages. Participants will want to dress for the fun as they make tower drops or catapult, T-ball, mallet smash or otherwise destruct their pumpkins. The smashed pumpkin remains will all be taken to the universitys Forced Air Composting Facility on Pleasant Hill Road and thus kept out of landfills. Please note that pumpkins must be free of candles, stickers, glitter, yarn or other synthetic decorations.

Lemrise notes that more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown in the United States annually, primarily for fall festivities, and millions of the fruits, which are 90% water, end up in landfills. Indeed, as much as 40% of the food in America ends up in landfills, contributing to 14% of the countrys methane emissions every year, she notes.

Thats why the SIU Sustainability Office, SIU Student Sustainable Farm, Jackson County Health Department and Green Earth Inc. are partnering to host the inaugural Southern Illinois pumpkin smash, which organizers believe to be the first such event outside of the greater Chicago region.

Advance registration is appreciated, although not required. Sign up online. Volunteers are also needed and can sign up online.

For those who dont have time to stay, there will be a drop and go spot.

Active year planned

Lemrise said she is busy planning a wide variety of activities throughout the coming year and rejuvenating and updating various sustainability programs. The Saluki Green Action Team, comprising students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of SIU who are committed to making the community more sustainable, is active again.

Learn more about the many sustainability initiatives on the website. Or email sustainability@siu.edu or call 618-453-2846 for additional details.
One person was killed and other was injured in an early morning crash near Orangeburg on Saturday, according to Master Trooper Mitchell Ridgeway of the S.C. Highway Patrol.

The collision occurred on U.S. Highway 178, near Canaan Road, around 5:30 a.m. Thats about two miles west of Orangeburg.

A 2015 Toyota SUV, occupied by the driver and passenger, was traveling west on U.S. 178 when the SUV went off the road to the right, struck a ditch and then collided with a tree, Ridgeway said.

The driver died at the scene.

The passenger was medivacked to a hospital in Augusta, Georgia.

The Orangeburg County Coroners Office didnt immediately provide the name of the person who was killed in the crash.

The collision remains under investigation by the S.C. Highway Patrol.
(TBTCO) - Cac quan chuc Cuc Du tru Lien bang My (FED) uoc cho la se giu nguyen lai suat on inh o muc cao nhat trong 22 nam khi ket thuc cuoc hop keo dai hai ngay vao thu tu, 1/11. Tuy nhien, cac nha au tu va nha kinh te se theo doi cac dau hieu e thay lieu lai suat co giu nguyen nhu vay hay khong - hoac lieu ngan hang trung uong co con nghi rang ho co the can phai tang lai suat tro lai trong nhung thang toi hay khong?
Out on the mile-high prairies of Green River, atop the worlds largest known deposits of trona  a mineral compound with wide commercial application ranging from glass to detergent  the Tata Chemicals mining company works around the clock: it extracts and processes ore 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Days at the Tata mine arent just long, theyre energy intensive, and for decades the industry has relied on coal for thermal energy needed to process ore into soda ash. But this month the company took a decisive step toward a history-making new energy paradigm.

Tata Chemicals Soda Ash Partners (TCSAP) last week signed a cooperation agreement with BWXT Advanced Technologies (BWXT), a nuclear components company and longtime government services contractor, that sets the stage for the use of small-scale nuclear reactors at its Green River mines. Together the two companies are now developing an assessment and implementation plan that has the potential to reduce energy cost while zeroing out greenhouse gas emissions.

It is truly a history making moment. And I dont mean to embellish. It really is, said Jon R. Conrad, Director of Governmental Affairs for Tata Chemicals, who says the two companies have been working toward this agreement for 18 months. Its huge. Its huge for the nation, our industry, and the world.

Green Rivers soda ash mines contribute over $100 million in taxes and royalties to the state of Wyoming annually. And if the BWXT collaboration delivers on its promise, trona could be a driving industry for decades to come.

For many, however, the excitement is beyond soda ash and bigger than nuclear energy, too.

The interesting thing isnt the nuclear reactor technology. The interesting thing is what this technology allows you to do that you couldnt do before. Its hugely valuable and really important in the frontier of economic competition, said Dr. Steven Aumeier, Senior Advisor of Strategic Programs for Idaho National Laboratory.

Nuclear boosters like Aumeier say projects like this will bolster our economy and facilitate the energy transition on two fronts. In addition to providing low-emission energy, they also provide a roadmap for the development of critical minerals used in battery technology  which will speed the transition to national energy security.

A lot of critical minerals that are driving this low-emission economy, cobalt, nickel, graphite, rare earths and lots of other mineralsare in really remote locations, he said, offering as examples Alaska and Canada.

They have huge resources of minerals, but theyre in locations where you cant just plug your equipment into a power line. Thats where micro nuclear reactors come along and provide heat and power with zero emissions in completely remote environments. Thats hugely important.

If realized, the Tata-BWXT collaboration will represent the first-ever private sector use of modular reactors. Yet, considering their transformative potential, its odd that only now  a quarter in to the 21st century  are small-nuclear projects nearing commercial application. The technology itself, after all, isnt new.

Small reactors have been in use for close to 70 years, beginning with the nuclear-powered submarine USS Nautilus launched in 1954. So why has nuclear technology been sitting on the bench?

A major factor driving the demand for nuclear today is coming from the corporate sector, whose leaders are eagerly seeking to reduce emissions in order to satisfy their consumer bases while meeting carbon regulations and gaining a competitive edge.

Investors and capital and equity markets are saying, Guys, were doing this. This is the direction were taking. So if you want your project financed or you want us to buy your widget or gadget, and your material  its just got to have to have a lower emission [footprint], said Aumeier.

The answer is very simple. The demand signal change markedly over the past 10 years. Industry and commerce want to have it as and energy sources, and a lot of whats driving this is the need to power commercial operations in more remote environment.

Adopting the technology has also been complicated by longstanding suspicions of nuclear amongst the general public, who soured on its prospects early following a spate of lurid nuclear outcomes in the later 20th century. But experts say there is a tide change taking place, and attitudes toward fission technology are softening.

Erik Nygaard, Director of Product Development at BWXT, says hes witnessed a shift of perspective toward nuclear.

I think theres a lot of people that are my parents age and older that are really antinuke, anti-nuke for any and all reasons. A lot of them, frankly, are good reasons, said Nygaard.

I think what were seeing is a lot of younger kids, and people that are really starting to be conscious about environmental issues, whether theyre climate change, whether theyre wild fires, you name it, people are coming out for a lot of different reasons and saying, Well, how do we decarbonize and how do we build more resilient energy systems.

Nygaard believes that technical safety advances have improved the nuclear sectors public relations too. Though the fundamental science underlying microreactors has not changed, experts say the industry has steadily enhanced so-called passive safety technology thats meant to preempt calamitous outcomes. BWXT, for instance, uses in its reactors TRISO fuel, comprised of tiny uranium pebbles encased in layers of carbon and ceramic material that prevent the release of radioactive byproducts.

Theres an astronomical amount of science and engineering that went into each coating, said Guard. Each one performs a different function, and when you stack them all up together, you get that performance attribute of being really, really reliable, and being really, really safe.

Ongoing geo-political conflicts are also galvanizing interest in nuclear. The war in Ukraine and subsequent disruptions in the global market for fossil fuels have heightened calls for more secure, domestic energy sources, according to experts interviewed for this story.

People are starting to be really sensitive to resiliency and reliability. The war in Ukraine has really freaked a lot of people out, Nygaard said. Now people are looking at the energy system holistically and asking, How do I have local resiliency and local reliability? Nuclear technology really helps because its basically stored energy on site. You bring a reactor online and it runs for several years without having to worry about putting in fuel.

These shifting conditions have further pushed states and the federal government to ramp up support for the industry. And while the Tata-BWXT agreement is designed to advance the respective companies private sector positions, the project in Green River is indirectly benefitting from public coffers.

In August the Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA) awarded a $10 million matching grant to BWXT to assess and demonstrate the applicability of microreactors for potential use in the state; the projects ultimate goal is to bolster the Wyoming extraction industries through carbon-free production of electricity and high-temperature process heat, according to a statement from the WEA.

The money comes from the $150 million pot of Energy Matching Funds (EMF), a program created by the legislature in 2022 to advance the states energy policy. The money is allocated to the Office of the Governor and administered by the WEA.

BWXT has also received support from a cost sharing contract with the U.S. Department of Energys Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. These public private partnerships aim to quicken the process of taking technology from the laboratory the marketplace  and soon, leaders hope, to the mile-high prairies of Wyoming.
Here Weed Go! is back! After a few weeks in the wilderness, the podcast that puts the flame to flower when it comes to seed to sale coverage of Americas fastest growing cash crop: cannabis!

Im your host Eddie Celaya, cannabis, travel and food reporter for TucsonMarijuanaGuide.com!

Before I get this joint lit, I wanted to remind everyone that it really helps the podcast, and I truly do appreciate, when you subscribe, share and comment on Here Weed Go!, wherever youre streaming or downloading it from.

You can also give the podcast a shout and a follow on social media on Instagram by searching for the username Here.Weed.Go. And of course, dont forget to visit TucsonMarijuanaGuide.com to see all of my latest content, and to subscribe to the weekly Here Weed Go! newsletter.

Let me know what you think by emailing me at ecelaya- thats ecelaya@tucson.com to let me know what you think!

Anyway, about this episode youre currently listening to: its the start of a new season and new approach. Appropriate then to speak with someone who is using a technology that is on the cutting edge and disrupting everything it approaches.

Im referring to AI, or artificial intelligence. While the concept and its use within everyday technology is often taken for granted (think about predictive text for texting  thats AI), the latest offerings in the field have taken businesses in the cannabis (and media) space by storm  and with some push back.

My guest today however is an advocate for its use, at least when it comes to processing the mountains of paperwork and navigating the oftentimes contradictory levels of regulatory red-tape that comes along with establishing and running a marijuana business.

Dustin Robinson is an attorney and founding partner of Mr. Cannabis Law, a cannabis and psychedelics-focused law firm based out of Florida. His firm is pioneering the use of AI software to help speed up and simplify a process that has become for some, an insurmountable hurdle to gaining some sort of foothold in the burgeoning industry.

Our conversation begins with Robinson explaining how he came to a career in law, by way of accounting

MORE INFO

More on Mr. Cannabis Law: https://mrcannabislaw.com/

The on-stop shop for more Here Weed Go! episodes, stories, video and audio content and more: https://linktr.ee/hereweedgo

To sign up for the Here Weed Go! Newsletter: http://tucne.ws/hereweedgo
FORMER finance minister, Winston Dookeran, is calling for a shift in the Caribbean integration model in order to forge wider convergence spaces for approaching production, the institutional framework and economic frontiers.

Dookeran, an economist and former central bank governor, said the current integration model seems limited by size, design an inertia.
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The report on the investigation into the death of WASA employee Kern Ettienne will be made public.
A sanitation worker stands next to the garbage bin containing a bag in which a newborn baby was found at Maraval on Wednesday.
Over 40 pct of autumn grains harvested in China

Xinhua) 10:40, October 07, 2023

A farmer operates an agricultural machinery to dry corns at Fuliuyao Village of Xiwangzhuang Town in Zaozhuang City, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 5, 2023. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday that 42.2 percent of autumn grains had been reaped across China.

Over half of the middle-season rice, over 40 percent of corn, and around 40 percent of soybeans have been reaped so far, according to the ministry. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday that 42.2 percent of autumn grains had been reaped across China.

With regions like central China's Henan Province hastening harvests amid agreeable weather conditions, this year's autumn harvest is up to speed with that of the same time last year, said the ministry.

Over half of the middle-season rice, over 40 percent of corn, and around 40 percent of soybeans have been reaped so far, according to the ministry.

China has taken multi-pronged measures to ensure a bumper autumn harvest. The Ministry of Finance allocated 2.4 billion yuan (about 334 million U.S. dollars) worth of subsidies in August for fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural sprays to improve the yields of autumn grains.

China aims to stabilize its annual grain output at over 650 billion kg, according to the country's 2023 government work report.

A farmer arranges harvested corns at Liunansu Village of Guangzong County in Xingtai City, north China's Hebei Province, Oct. 5, 2023. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday that 42.2 percent of autumn grains had been reaped across China.

Over half of the middle-season rice, over 40 percent of corn, and around 40 percent of soybeans have been reaped so far, according to the ministry. (Photo by Wang Lei/Xinhua)

Farmers dry corns at Zhoujiazhuang Village in Jinzhou City, north China's Hebei Province, Oct. 5, 2023. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday that 42.2 percent of autumn grains had been reaped across China.

Over half of the middle-season rice, over 40 percent of corn, and around 40 percent of soybeans have been reaped so far, according to the ministry. (Photo by Jia Zaixing/Xinhua)

A farmer operates an agricultural machinery to thresh corns at Fuliuyao Village of Xiwangzhuang Town in Zaozhuang City, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 5, 2023. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday that 42.2 percent of autumn grains had been reaped across China.

Over half of the middle-season rice, over 40 percent of corn, and around 40 percent of soybeans have been reaped so far, according to the ministry. (Photo by Wang Hainan/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on Oct. 5, 2023 shows farmers arranging harvested corns at Beitian Village of Hutun Town in Liaocheng City, east China's Shandong Province. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday that 42.2 percent of autumn grains had been reaped across China.

Over half of the middle-season rice, over 40 percent of corn, and around 40 percent of soybeans have been reaped so far, according to the ministry. (Photo by Ma Hongkun/Xinhua)

A farmer operates an agricultural machinery to harvest rice at Baita Town of Xianju County in Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 5, 2023. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday that 42.2 percent of autumn grains had been reaped across China.

Over half of the middle-season rice, over 40 percent of corn, and around 40 percent of soybeans have been reaped so far, according to the ministry. (Photo by Wang Huabin/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
I really cant understand what the hype is about with respect to the President calling out t
Researchers, academics and forensic experts from all four southern-border states met Friday at the University of Arizona to pursue a set of shared goals: developing a standardized system to document migrant deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border, and building a centralized database to help illuminate trends in migration.

Effective and humane border policy requires a deeper understanding of migrant deaths border-wide  and that requires good data, said Daniel E. Martinez, co-director of the UAs Binational Migration Institute and an associate professor of sociology.

Martinez is a member of the multi-state working group whose members gathered at the UA Student Union Memorial Center Friday for a mini-workshop. It was the public portion of the groups three-day conference on migrant deaths, funded by a grant from the UAs Office of Research, Innovation and Impact.

Lacking reliable federal data on migrant deaths at the border, stakeholders in various states have taken it upon themselves to develop sound methods to document the deaths. These efforts will hopefully also help policymakers better understand the impact of U.S. border policy, Martinez said.

The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner has led the way in this field, and has become a model for other forensic efforts.

They really represent the gold standard when it comes to trying to classify, enumerate and track migrant deaths, and also to work with consulates and NGOs to help identify individuals and reunite the remains with loved ones, Martinez said. Nothing like this really exists in other regions of border.

The workshops panelists  hailing from California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas  discussed their efforts to count migrant deaths, the challenges they face and their progress so far.

Forensic anthropologist Molly Miranker, postdoctoral researcher at Texas State University, pointed to the migrant-death map developed by Tucson nonprofit Humane Borders and the Pima County medical examiners office. The level of detail in the mortality data enables meaningful analysis that simply cant happen in other jurisdictions, she said at the conference.

I cannot stress enough how important it is that Arizona, for now, is the only jurisdiction that can do meaningful geospatial analysis, trend analysis, even predictive models ... and potential indicators for identification based on these data, she said. No one else does this.

Just before Fridays public event began, Dr. Raquel Rubio-Goldsmith, who co-founded the UAs Binational Migration Institute in 2004 and is considered the mother of ethnic studies in Tucson, described her joy at seeing so many experts gathered there, and her sadness that this work is still so necessary.

She recalled when migrant deaths began accumulating in the Southern Arizona desert, following the 1994 implementation of the U.S. border policy known as prevention through deterrence." She and colleagues started working to compile reliable, rigorous data on the phenomenon. She said it was due to the openness and compassion of the countys then-medical examiner, Dr. Bruce Parks, that they were able to launch the work that continues today: chronicling the migrant-death crisis.

He is a hero, she said of Parks. He allowed us to go into his archives and his data, and let us use it, so we could begin to make sense of what was happening.

Nearly two decades later, those efforts are more important than ever, Rubio-Goldsmith said.

Border Patrol data lacking

More than 4,100 people have died in the Southern Arizona desert since 1990. That includes 27 sets of human remains discovered in September alone, according to preliminary monthly data shared by Mike Kreyche, mapping coordinator for Humane Borders.

But along the southern border, researchers are still struggling to get an accurate picture of the number of migrant deaths on U.S. soil.

The official figures compiled by Border Patrol are unreliable, Martinez said. Especially in the past decade, they have deviated significantly from the numbers reported by the Pima County medical examiners office in the Tucson sector, he said.

For example, in fiscal year 2021, Border Patrols count of border deaths in the Tucson Sector was 78, compared to the 225 recorded by the Pima County medical examiner.

There has been a notable disconnect, Martinez said.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson did not directly respond to the Stars questions, submitted on Tuesday, about this disparity and about the challenges in getting an accurate count.

In a statement, the CBP spokesperson emphasized the dangers of crossing the border between ports of entry, despite false claims  repeated by human smugglers persuading migrants to make the trip  that the U.S. has open borders.

When migrants cross the border illegally, they put their lives in peril, the statement said. No one should believe smugglers or others claiming the borders are open. The borders are not open and people should not make the dangerous journey; individuals and families are subject to border restrictions, including expulsion.

Challenges in other states

Arizona has advantages in locating and counting migrant remains, compared to other states, Martinez said.

Arizona tends to have larger counties that are better resourced than Texas counties. Arizona border counties also have a lot of public land, which is easier to gain access to than the mostly private ranch land on Texas border with Mexico. And while the Southern Arizona terrain is rugged, at least its walkable, Martinez said. Texas has a lot of deep sand and low scrub brush that makes it almost impossible to get in there and look for remains, he said.

The large number of small counties is a challenge for researchers trying to calculate migrant deaths in the state, panelists said during the workshop. Most of the counties in Texas dont have a medical examiner; they have justices of the peace, who are also responsible for civil court cases and marriages, and have little training in forensics, said Courtney Siegert, anthropologist and post-doctoral scholar at Texas State University.

Stephanie Leutert of the University of Texas at Austin described the process of compiling migrant-death counts from three Texas counties, and comparing them with the official figures from Border Patrol. She found between 2009 and 2017, Border Patrol missed 128 of the cases reported by the counties, she said. She also noted that Border Patrol reported 74 cases that werent in the county data during that period.

Marni LaFleur, of the University of San Diego, said its only been recently that death investigators in Southern California have begun noting whether someone may be a migrant, and its not always clear how individual counties define a migrant death, she said.

Her attempt to count migrant deaths using publicly available data found 2,051 deaths in two counties  San Diego and Imperial counties  since the early 1990s.

This data is not pretty, its not easy to map, she said. But I think the important thing to note is that California is not a place where this happens once in a while; this is something thats happening all the time.

In New Mexico, the number of border deaths has historically been low, said Heather Edgar, forensic anthropologist at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. Thats because the state has a short border with Mexico, fewer economic opportunities compared with other states and rugged terrain south of the border, she said.

But in the last two years, the number of border deaths has exponentially increased, as overall migration rates have surged and border enforcement in Texas has pushed more migrants to the west, she said.

The state is newly confronting challenges that stakeholders in states like Arizona have long been dealing with, she said.

We dont know how were going to pay for DNA analyses, she said. We dont know how were going to deal with long-term storage (of unidentified remains.) ... How will we adjust to this new caseload?

Focus on policy

This weekends conference was the first in-person meeting of the migrant-deaths working group, which has been meeting virtually since October 2021.

The working group was initially organized by Cate Bird, missing persons and forensic manager for the International Committee of the Red Cross. The ICRCs role has been to connect working-group members with one another, and also to connect the working group with similar forensic and research efforts outside the southwest border region, including around the Mediterranean Sea, where tens of thousands of migrants have drowned trying to reach Europe.

Were really optimistic about what this group can achieve, Bird said. We may have initially brought people together, but the working group members themselves have taken the lead and really owned this.

Central to the mission of the working group is maintaining a focus on the humanity of deceased migrants, as well as on their surviving loved ones, Martinez said. Working group members also hope to create a border-wide centralized database of unidentified migrants, which could aid in efforts to use DNA analysis to identify missing migrants and repatriate their remains.

Mapping the locations where remains were found also helps identify sites where multiple migrants have died. That information not only aids advocates who place water for migrants in distress and conduct search-and-rescue missions, but it can shed light on the human impact of U.S. border enforcement policy, Martinez said.

For example, to better understand the impact of Title 42 pandemic-era border policy, Martinez studied the location of migrant deaths in the Tucson Sector before and after the policy was implemented.

Title 42, technically a public-health code, allowed border agents to immediately expel most migrants without giving them the opportunity to request asylum. Previously migrants were usually apprehended under Title 8 and had the opportunity to request a credible-fear interview, which could open the door to an asylum hearing.

Migrants apprehended and expelled under Title 42, which expired in May, were more likely to cross again, Martinez said. About 26% of migrants crossed again between ports of entry after being expelled, compared with 7% before Title 42s implementation, he said.

Those repeated efforts could explain mapping data that shows a greater concentration of migrant remains close to the border, suggesting repeat border crossers were in a weakened state and were more at risk of succumbing to dehydration and exhaustion, he said.

We need to continue to work on this, Martinez said at the workshop. I think were starting to scratch the surface of whats going on.
A federal grand jury in Tucson has added hate crime charges against the man accused of burning two historic Douglas churches in May, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Friday in a news release.

Eric Ridenour, 58, already faced counts that included arson and obstruction of religious beliefs in connection with fires at Saint Stephens Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church, both in Douglas.

The indictment alleges that Ridenour intentionally set fire to the religious institutions because of his hostility toward their progressive doctrines, particularly their practice of having women and members of the LGBTQ community serve as church leaders, the release said.

Ridenour was arrested in May and indicted in June.

Ridenour could face decades in prison if convicted, the release said.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover had drafted a motion asking to vacate charges against the man convicted in the deadly 1970 Pioneer Hotel Fire months before announcing the charges against him would not be dropped, court records show.

Last month, Louis Taylors attorneys, Stanley Feldman, John Leader, Peter Limperis and Timothy Stackhouse, filed a motion in Pima County Superior Court asking that the decision be reconsidered. It included records of various drafts of motions from the county attorneys office regarding vacating Taylors convictions. The filing of the motion came after a federal court judge ordered that the records be given to Taylors attorneys.

Feldman said it was a prolonged fight to get these records as well as the depositions of Conover and Gabriel Jack Chin, the former head of the PCAOs conviction and sentencing integrity unit. Conover has since testified in a deposition, and Feldman said they are waiting for the transcript, hoping to get to the bottom of why she changed her mind.

Taylor served 42 years in prison after he was convicted of starting the downtown Tucson fire that killed 29 people in 1970. In 2013, Taylor made a deal with former Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWalls office and pleaded no contest to the charges. That set aside his conviction and released him from prison.

Two years later, Taylor sued Pima County and the city for violating his right to due process and a fair trial, maintaining his innocence. However, due to the no-contest plea, Taylor was prohibited from seeking damages for his time in prison.

In a drafted motion dated May 30, 2022, Conover moved to vacate Taylors convictions and dismiss the indictment with prejudice, meaning it could not be refiled.

After careful evaluation, this office has concluded that the judgement in this unique case must be vacated and the case dismissed because the conviction was based on an erroneous application of the law, the draft motion said.

The draft motion also states that the prosecutors office insisting on a no-contest plea was improper for two reasons: newly discovered evidence and misconduct.

It was later discovered that the states key witness and arson expert, Cyrillis Holmes, had theories of arson that were not only wrong for a number of methodological reasons, but were also based on race, the draft motion said.

The draft motion also states the prosecutor on the case, Horton Weiss, had a long record of litigation misconduct and committed serious acts of misconduct during this particular case, including improper contact with the judge and jury.

Under the circumstances, this case should have been dismissed in 2013. The state now moves this court to achieve justice and uphold the integrity of conviction in Arizona by ordering that result, the draft motion said.

Three months after that draft, Conover announced that she would not drop the criminal charges against Taylor after her office did not find any new evidence of innocence, the Star reported at the time.

If Taylor were to have been exonerated, it would potentially have allowed him to seek compensation for a wrongful conviction.

The motion filed by Taylors attorneys also included drafts from a PCAOs conviction and sentencing integrity unit report that recommended Taylors convictions on 28 counts of murder be set aside.

That drafted report, dated Jan. 11, 2022, said a review of the case showed misconduct and procedural defects. It stated no reasonable fact-finder could now conclude that Taylor is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

It went on to say that Holmes racial theories and the changes in fire science were clearly new evidence that warranted setting aside Taylors conviction.

This office insisted on a no-contest plea in 2013 because it concluded that there were questions about whether the flaws in Holmes expert testimony were newly discovered. This conclusion is not supportable even apart from the basic errors in Holmes arson analysis, at least his crackpot racial theories were newly discovered. If the trial judge would have been made aware of the basis for Holmes race-based theory, his testimony would have likely been precluded, thus affecting the outcome of the trial, the draft said.

A memo from Chin to Sam Brown, the countys chief civil deputy attorney, said the office recommended supporting Taylors post-conviction relief efforts since the evidence that led to his conviction is inconclusive and tainted by racism, records say.

When asked about the drafts, Conover said that after an exhaustive investigation, the conviction and sentencing integrity unit was persuasive and the initial recommendation was to move to vacate the criminal conviction from 2013. Since, at that time, it looked likely that her office would take action, she began calling stakeholders to give them warning.

During Memorial Day weekend in 2022, a three-hour summit with the conviction and sentencing integrity unit and their appeals chief was held. By the end of the gathering, Conover said, it was agreed that her office could not move forward.

We all agreed at the end of that weekend we didnt have anything that we could put on for evidence that would have been new since 2013, Conover said. As surprising as that outcome was even for us, it became clear that we could not credibly go forward and to try to vacate the sentence.

Conover said it took several more weeks of analysis due to the reversal of thinking, but by the end of June 2022 they began drafting the news release that announced they werent taking action.

It was unpopular, but the job is to do the right thing and these kinds of decisions are difficult decisions, Conover said.

Conovers involvement in the Pioneer Fire case has been a touchy subject for years, with critics citing conflict of interest issues.

Before LaWall retired, her office hired an outside attorney to represent the county in Taylors civil lawsuit, saying it did so because Conover had conducted research for one of Taylors parole hearings when she was in law school. They also said Conover discussed her dismay with how the case was handled throughout her 2020 election campaign, the Star reported.

Conover has said the conclusions made by LaWalls team were wrong, and she never represented or participated in the representation of Taylor, whether in law school 20 years ago or since.

Most recently, an affidavit from Nina Trasoff, a former TV news anchor and past City Council member, said she volunteered to edit news releases for Conovers office. Trasoff said she helped edit a news release about Taylors exoneration that was scheduled to be issued on May 28, 2022, court records say.

However, that news release was never issued to the public and months later, it was announced that Taylors charges would not be dropped. Trasoff said Conover told her she decided not to go with the original news release, because Phoenix lawyers had threatened bar discipline and possible disbarment if she went forward with the plan to exonerate Taylor, court records say.

In response to these claims, Conover has said shes proven that the decisions she makes are her own and based on facts and the law.
No one knows exactly what will happen to Tucson or the desert surrounding it over the next 1,000 years, but a new art project on Tumamoc Hill could offer a pretty good snapshot someday.

The Millennium Camera is designed to record a continuous, deep-time-lapse photograph of the evolving view from Tumamoc, as human development, climate change and other factors transform the landscape.

The idea is the brainchild of Jonathon Keats, an accomplished artist and self-described experimental philosopher whose wide-ranging interests include humanitys frayed connection to the natural world and the notion of long-term thinking in a society increasingly distracted by its own rapid advancement.

Keats called his handmade camera a philosophical instrument for mental time travel. He wants people to imagine what the finished photo might look like and how it will be received by the people who find it in a thousand years.

Its a chance to examine our present from the perspective of someone living in the year 3023 and to think about how we can make the picture look like what we would want them to see, said Keats, who is a research associate with the University of Arizonas Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill.

In that way, the Millennium Camera is a time capsule thats self-fulfilling, he said.

It was installed in early July, its aperture permanently open to the world and pointed west towards Starr Pass Resort and the Tucson Mountains.

The entire apparatus resembles a copper-colored sledgehammer thats been bolted to a railing, along with an interpretive sign, where Tumamocs popular walking path winds past the Desert Lab buildings about halfway up the hill.

That location was chosen to take advantage of an adjacent bench where people can sit, view the present landscape and contemplate possible futures, including future expansion of urban development, Keats said.

Pinhole in time

Eventually, he hopes to place a few more 1,000-year cameras on the hill, including one pointed east toward downtown Tucson, but those plans are contingent on additional funding.

His device is a resilient spin on the traditional pinhole camera. Light enters through a tiny opening punched through a thin sheet of gold and shines on a copper plate glazed with rose madder, a red pigment that fades gradually in sunlight.

Brighter objects in the frame will cause the pigment to fade more quickly, eventually producing a red and white positive image of the landscape in front of the camera.

After a thousand years, unchanging objects like mountains should be rendered clearly, while more temporary features like buildings will appear like ghosts as they rise and fall over the centuries.

Nothing so ephemeral as a person will show up in the image. Keats said anyone wishing to pose for a selfie in front of the Millennium Camera will have to stand there for a few hundred years in order to register at all.

Anything thats transient is not going to be recorded, he said.

The barrel-shaped camera, roughly the size of a soda can, is crafted from materials that dont rust or easily break down, and there are no moving parts. But even with all that engineering, Keats acknowledged that there is very little chance of successfully capturing a 1,000-year time lapse  or that anyone will recover the image some day.

What he is doing is as much of a philosophical exercise as a photographic one, he said.

The grant-funded project is a partnership between the U of As Arizona Institute for Resilience, the College of Fine Arts and the Desert Laboratory.

The new device on Tumamoc joins a growing Deep Time Photography network that already includes 1,000-year cameras in the Austrian Alps, the Nevada shore of Lake Tahoe, Amherst College in Massachusetts and overlooking Tempe from Arizona State University, where Keats served as an Imaginary Fellow.

In 2014, he oversaw the placement of 100 century cameras around Berlin in hopes of capturing 100-year-long exposures of the European city.

In May of this year, he hosted a workshop at the boathouse on Tumamoc Hill to show people how to make their own pinhole cameras for taking very long exposures.

He said the more deep-time cameras that are deployed around the world, the greater the chance that at least a handful of them will survive so their images can be found and marveled at a few  or maybe even a few dozen  generations from now.

The long view

In the meantime, Keats is working on several other unusual, extremely long-range projects that blend art and science.

One involves planting an ironwood tree sapling on Tumamoc Hill and using its growth to measure time. He also wants to build a similar natural calendar in Nevada using the bristlecone pine, a species of tree with the longest known lifespan of any organism on Earth.

In both cases, Keats said, the clocks would tick in so-called arboreal time, which he expects to gradually diverge from our standard, Gregorian calendar due to growth fluctuations brought on by drought and other impacts of climate change. He hopes the resulting difference between natures calendar and the manmade one will prompt people to reconsider time and place from the trees perspective.

Keats has already partnered with the Anchorage Museum on a project called Alaska River Time, essentially a clock that speeds up and slows down with the flow of glacial and spring rivers in that state.

He was also the mastermind behind another public art project on Tumamoc Hill last year that invited visitors to wax poetic about the weather on slate panels placed along the walking path. That collaboration between the Desert Laboratory and the U of A Poetry Center was called Future Climate Proverbs for a Changing Desert Environment.

Clark Reddin is director of operations for the Desert Lab. He helped Keats put up the Millennium Camera on Tumamoc.

Reddin described his initial reaction to the project with one word: wonderment.

I volunteered to be the person who takes the camera stock out in a thousand years, he said with a laugh.

If hes being honest, though, Reddin doesnt think theres much chance that the camera will actually last that long. The copper and steel frame holding it up will almost certainly corrode and collapse before the year 3023, he said.

But thats not really the point. The camera is designed to engage the imaginations of people walking on Tumamoc Hill today, not whoever might stumble across it centuries from now, Reddin said.

Its asking people to think about their environment from a different perspective, he said. Thats really the value of it.
The University of Arizona and the family of a professor who was shot and killed on campus last year are working together to resolve the family's multimillion-dollar claim against the university, the two parties say.

Thomas Meixner, the head of the UA Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences Department, was killed on Oct. 5, 2022, in the Harshbarger building on campus, where the department still operates today.

In a joint statement Thursday, the school and the attorney for the family said they're working to resolve the $9 million claim.

The announcement was made the same day as Meixner's memorial service was held at St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Church as part of a campus-wide recognition of the anniversary of the professor's slaying.

"To honor the memory of Professor Thomas Meixner on the anniversary of his death, the University and Professor Meixners family are working together to resolve the claim that the Meixner family has brought against the University," the family and the school said in a joint statement.

Saturday, the attorney Greg Kuykendall shared a statement from the family.

Everyday, we grieve the loss of Thomas Meixner. He was a beloved Wildcat, brilliant mind, and exceptional father and husband. The Meixner family is, with courage and love, tirelessly working for change to ensure the safety of all Wildcats," the family said.

The family's $9 million claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, was filed in March against the university's governing body, the Arizona Board of Regents.

It claims the shooting was a "direct consequence" of the university's failure to respond to repeated threats made by Murad Dervish, who was arrested and charged with Meixner's death. His trial was set to begin in September; however, it was recently pushed to 2024.

The allegations were backed up by a report, also made public in March. The 205-page report released by PAX, the outside consulting firm, listed 33 recommendations for the UA to adopt. It cited systematic issues in the university's emergency response systems which failed in taking preventative action in the months leading up to the shooting.

"The University and the Meixner family look forward to improving the safety and security of all those touched by this killing, as well as doing everything possible to insure such a tragedy does not strike anyone in the University of Arizona family again," the joint statement said.

In May, UA President Robert C. Robbins announced that Paula Balafas was out as chief of the UA Police Department. She was replaced by Chris Olson of the Oro Valley Police Department. Steve Patterson, a former Tucson-based FBI agent was named interim head of the university's newly formed Office of Public Safety in April.

New door locks and signage to buildings and classrooms campus-wide were announced ahead of the fall semester, which welcomed the university's largest incoming freshman class to date. Additions, updates and the creation of new student resources were part of the university's effort, with the hopes to improve to the university's response in the event of another crisis.

Meixner's death was just weeks before the 20th anniversary of a shooting at the UA's College of Nursing. In that 2002 shooting, a former UA nursing student killing three of his former professors and himself.
Jimmie Tramel Tulsa World Scene Writer Follow Jimmie Tramel 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

Two new promotional clips for Killers of the Flower Moon have been released in advance of the Oct. 20 debut of the Martin Scorsese film.

The shot-in-Oklahoma film is described as an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal.

Based on the true story of the Osage "Reign of Terror," Killers of the Flower Moon is told through the improbable romance of characters played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. The film, which also stars Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons, tracks the suspicious murders of the Osage, who became some of the richest people in the world after oil was discovered underneath their land.

One new promotional clip shows characters played by De Niro and DiCaprio engaging in a heated conversation after a murder doesnt happen the way it was supposed to happen. The other new promotional clip shows characted played by DiCaprio and Gladstone in playful conversation while taking a drive through town.

Killers of the Flower Moon is from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Scorsese. The film is based on David Granns best-selling book.
A 22-year-old Bixby man has received three life sentences in connection with a double homicide and an unrelated attempted carjacking and shooting.

Hunter Isaiah Hobbs was convicted in October 2022 of robbing and murdering Caleb Vaughn Collier, 20, and Kelly Ray Olen John Landsaw-Davis, 21, in Tulsa Countys Haikey Creek Park, north of 121st on both sides of Garnett Road  putting it in both Bixby and Broken Arrow  on May 13, 2021.

Hobbs and another defendant, Denim Lee Blount, 19, were also charged with taking Colliers truck during the robbery.

Prosecutors alleged that Hobbs and Blount also tried to carjack a man five days before the Broken Arrow killings. The man was shot May 8, 2021, at an apartment parking lot in the 7400 block of East 47th Street in Tulsa.

The man survived after being shot about 10 times when he refused to give up his vehicle to two men. The pair fled after the shooting.

Prosecutors claimed in court filings that Blount was a member of the Hoover Crips while Hobbs had indicated an interest in joining the gang.

The victims picked Hobbs and Blount up in the early-morning hours of May 13, not aware that Hobbs and Blount planned to rob them, and the four men drove to a parking lot in Haikey Creek Park.

When Blount stated that the robbery targets would be able to identify them to authorities, Hobbs said: Then well just off them, according to federal prosecutors.

Hunter Hobbs conspired with an accomplice to rob two acquaintances and then killed them so they couldnt report the robbery to police, said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Prosecutors say Blount tricked Landsaw-Davis into handing over a handgun he was carrying. Hobbs then drew a .45-caliber Colt pistol and ordered the victims out of the vehicle.

Hobbs shot Collier eight times in the torso, and Blount shot Landsaw-Davis with a 12-gauge shotgun, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Hobbs reloaded his pistol and fired another seven rounds into Colliers head and neck, killing him, prosecutors said.

Witnesses testified that Hobbs laughed and joked about the killings, mocking his victims last dying breaths.

Hobbs will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Blount, who is Native American, is yet to be adjudicated. Collier and Landsaw-Davis were both Cherokee citizens, and they were killed within the Muscogee Nation reservation, establishing federal jurisdiction.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell also sentenced Hobbs to 20 years each for two counts of conspiracy to carry, use, and brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 25 years for attempted carjacking and 15 years for robbery in Indian Country. All sentences will run concurrently.

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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

First District Congressman Kevin Hern will not further pursue the speakership of the U.S. House of Representatives, he said Saturday.

In a letter to fellow Republican House members, Hern said a three-way competition for House leadership would not be in the best interest of the party or the country.

House Republicans must unify  and do it fast, Hern wrote. Its clear to me that a three-man race for Speaker will only draw this process out longer, creating further division which would make it harder for any candidate to reach 217 votes.

Winning the speakership would require 217 votes in the Houses current makeup. The GOP caucus currently has only 221 members, leaving it little room for disagreement on the floor.

A faction of the GOP used that narrow majority to hold up McCarthys confirmation as speaker in January and to force him out last week.

Whatever happens next, our Conference must commit to stay in the room, turn off our phones, and work together until we have a candidate who can earn 217 Republican votes, Hern wrote. When we leave that room and head to the House floor, we must show the world that we are united in support behind our Speaker and ready to do the work we were elected to do.

Hern did not endorse either of the two announced candidates for speaker, Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

Hern himself never formally announced a candidacy, but said on Wednesday he was looking into the possibility of seeking the position as a dark horse compromise option. In his letter, Hern said he communicated with every member of the Republican Conference.

Appearing on Fox News Saturday morning, Hern said events in the Middle East and elsewhere demonstrate a need to stabilize U.S. leadership.

Im going to step aside and let (Jordan and Scalise) make their best case, Hern said. We need to get Congress back open for business.

Elected only in 2018, Hern would have been the first representative to be chosen speaker as soon as his third term since 1881. He had hoped that newness might work in his favor with Republican members demanding change.

The Republican Conference is scheduled to meet Tuesday with the intention of electing a speaker on Wednesday.

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Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan bid to fill top job in leaderless U.S. House.
An inter-level private school in Dak Lak Province, located in Vietnams Central Highlands, has stopped conducting full-body searches on each of its students before they are allowed to enter its classrooms, after the media reported on the controversial pratice.

Le Ngoc Son, principal of Dong Du Private School in Dak Laks Buon Ma Thuot City, said on Friday that he had notified all parents of his schools students about the discontinuation of the procedure.

The schools board of directors and pedagogical council would like to extend our heartfelt apologies to all parents for the schools enforcement of security measures upon students arrival, Son wrote in an open letter.

The school has effectively managed security concerns, establishing a welcoming, safe, and healthy educational and living atmosphere that provides reassurance to both parents and students, particularly those in boarding or semi-boarding arrangements.

Son evaluated that the bag and body search measures, which involves a relatively simple process where students raise both arms to shoulder level while staff scan them and pat them down, have successfully prevented the intrusion of negative influences into the school environment.

The negative influences include banned stuff, such as knives, scissors, and cigarettes.

It has resulted in an absence of school-related violence and fostering a sense of security among children during their academic pursuits, instilling confidence in parents regarding their childrens safeness at school, the school principal stated.

The widespread support for these measures among parents and students is a testament to their tangible positive impact.

However, a minority of parents and students still hold reservations about the schools approach to implementing these measures.

In response, the school has temporarily suspended the entry body searches on students.

Instead, the school will engage in research to introduce more suitable methods for ensuring students adherence to school regulations in the future.

Son also urged parents and students to contribute their ideas and recommendations to the school regarding safety measures, aiming to eliminate the need for bag and body searches.

Feedback and suggestions from parents are highly valuable to the schools efforts to enhance students compliance with rules, Son conveyed.

Do Tuong Hiep, deputy director of the Department of Education and Training of Dak Lak Province, previously called for an immediate halt to the full-body searches on students at Dong Du School on Thursday after Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper had reported on the procedure.

According to Hiep, this approach fails to effectively deter incidents of school violence.

The measure has also sparked mixed opinions among students and parents regarding the balance between safety and privacy.

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Southeast Asian countries have agreed to prioritize helping each other overcome rice supply shortages and other food-related problems, Malaysia state news agency Bernama reported, citing the agricultural minister.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached the agreement at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur this week, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said on Friday, according to the agency.

"ASEAN collaboration means if we face rice issues, ASEAN member countries will give priority to ASEAN nations first," he said.

Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand said they would consider any new requests for additional imports, Mohamad said.

Malaysia, which imports about 38 percent of its rice needs, is among several countries affected by top exporters like India restricting shipments. The government on Monday announced subsidies and other measures to offset rising prices of grain and ensure sufficient supply in the market.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned of legal action against anyone found hoarding rice, to prevent consumers from stockpiling local grains.
Check out the latest news in Vietnam today:

Society

-- The health authority in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam has reported the second monkeypox case who is a 19-year-old resident in the provincial city of Thuan An, a local health official confirmed on Friday.

-- Two local children, aged three and 10, have succumbed to dengue fever and hand, foot, mouth disease in two different districts in Ca Mau Province, southern Vietnam, the provincial Department of Health announced on Friday.

-- Local households engaging in lobster and oyster farming in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam are reeling under losses following mass lobster and oyster deaths during two days starting from September 21, the provincial animal husbandry and veterinary sub-department said on Friday.

-- Multiple Vietnamese provinces, cities and the waters in the northern part of the East Vietnam Sea are expected to experience heavy downpours on Saturday, in addition to possible flash floods and landslides in some northern mountainous provinces such as Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, said the national weather center.

Business

-- The first phase of the Cao Lanh-An Huu expressway project, linking Dong Thap Province with Tien Giang Province in southern Vietnam, has faced a cost overrun of VND1.936 trillion (US$79.2 million), according to the Ministry of Transport.

-- Vietnamese retail giant Saigon Co.op said on Thursday it will take legal action to protect its supermarket brand Co.opmart whose logo was found in an Asian supermarket in Australia, despite the fact that the retailer neither franchised this brand to any business nor made investment overseas.

-- The administration of Lam Dong Province in Vietnams Central Highlands region is set to start work on the Tan Phu-Bao Loc expressway project, which will connect Lam Dong with neighboring Dong Nai Province, in the final quarter this year, after missing the deadline to break ground on the project last month, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

World News

-- A bus crash in the south of Mexico on Friday killed 16 Venezuelan and Haitian migrants and left 27 others injured, Reuters cited state authorities as saying in a revised statement.

-- At least 42 people were killed after a glacial lake burst its banks and triggered flash floods in the Indian Himalayas this week, government officials said on Friday as rescuers kept searching for almost 150 missing, Reuters reported.

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Local households engaging in lobster and oyster farming in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam are reeling under losses following mass lobster and oyster deaths, the provincial animal husbandry and veterinary sub-department said on Friday.

The mass lobster deaths took place during two days starting from September 21 in Cam Ranh City.

Prior to the incident, local inhabitants spotted a red stream of water, measuring 200 meters wide and 600 meters long, some 500-600 meters away from the shore and near an area where lobsters died in large numbers.

At a lobster farm owned by Dang Ngoc Thanh, some 40 percent of lobsters housed in 17 cages died while all lobsters in eight nursery cages died.

Similarly, half of juvenile lobsters kept in four cages at a farm run by Nguyen Minh Tan also died.

Owners of some other lobster farms in the neighborhood also reported lobster deaths but at lower rates.

Tran Thanh Thuy, deputy head of provincial animal husbandry and veterinary sub-department, said competent forces collected and tested water samples at these farms and found that the oxygen content there was very low.

The shortfall of oxygen for a quite long time can leave lobsters dead, Thuy elaborated.

Regarding the red stream of water, it disappeared before a working team from the sub-department visited the area for collecting and testing water samples, Thuy said.

The impact of the red water stream, which was possibly caused by algal blooms, probably led to the low oxygen content and then mass lobster deaths, the sub-department said.

Local seafood farmers should regularly monitor environmental factors, especially the oxygen content, and the health condition of lobsters in their farms to timely cope with any issue arising.

Some aquaculture businesses in Van Ninh Town also reported mass oyster deaths.

Up to 90 percent of oysters at a farm run by Pacific Nha Trang oyster company died, causing the firm to incur an estimated loss of some 70 metric tons of commercial oysters.

At another oyster farm owned by Phan Tan Tri, 70 percent of the oysters there died, equivalent to a loss of some 10 metric tons of commercial oysters.

The sub-department attributed the mass oyster deaths to high-density farming, inadequate nutrition, and unpleasant weather conditions.

To prevent similar incidents, local aquaculture farmers and businesses should space farming cages, closely monitor the health of oysters, and prevent the water in the cages from being contaminated, the sub-department advised.

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Some 1,000 out of over 5,000 workers joining a strike which began on Monday were back to work at Taiwanese-invested leather shoe manufacturing company Viet Glory in Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam on Friday morning.

Nguyen Van Thuc, a representative from the Nghe An Province Confederation of Labor, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday that these employees returned to work at their factory in Dien Chau District following several dialogues.

The confederation and the firm held multiple dialogues to explain workers benefits, while the firm got some opinions of employees and pledged to fix some company policies in the coming time, Thuc said.

These workers walked off the job in demand of higher wages, but the firm explained that it currently offers a basic salary of VND4.13 million ($169.5), well above the VND3.64 million ($149.4) regional minimum wage in Dien Chau District.

The company also said it was not able to revise up worker salaries, and expected employees to sympathize with the firm.

To stimulate its workers and increase their incomes, Viet Glory raised performance incentives starting from Sunday last week.

The firm might consider offering workers the 13th month pay and an increase in the number of workers entitled to allowances for working in hazardous conditions.

The workers have taken five days off, while the firm had earlier announced that those who leave work for five days in a month without permission will be terminated.

The Party Committee of Dien Chau District on Thursday organized a meeting discussing measures to deal with the strike at Viet Glory.

Secretary of the Party Committee of the district Ha Xuan Quang tasked the Dien Chau District Confederation of Labor with calling on workers to return to work, and launching the hotline to receive employees opinions and complaints.

The solution is aimed at ensuring the laborers rights and benefits.

Quang also asked Viet Glory to commit to meeting workers reasonable demands.

Authorities in Dien Chau District on Friday morning approached the firm to bring workers back to work, ensuring that no one is sacked.

More than 5,000 workers gathered in front of the companys factory to join a strike on Tuesday, demanding some labor benefits, mainly higher wages.

Founded in Dien Chau District in 2019, Viet Glorys footwear manufacturing and processing factory can turn out up to 25 million products per year.

The company currently employs 6,000 workers.

Earlier, workers from the company went on strike after the Lunar New Year holiday in 2021 and 2022 to demand higher wages.

The company later established a labor union in March 2021.

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Police of northern Vietnams Quang Tri Province have rescued a young man from a scamming group that promised him a job at a wood factory but took him to the so-called Golden Triangle bordering Thailand, Laos and Myanmar to send him to an exploiting casino or fraud company there.

The youth, 23-year-old Le Duc N., a resident of the provinces Trieu Phong District, was rescued in Laos and sent back to his family on Friday evening, after he managed to escape from his job scammers, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Do Duy Hai, head of the Security Investigation Department under the Quang Tri police department, said Saturday.

The rescue took place successfully with the assistance of Laotian police, Hai said.

Earlier in September, N. was searching for a job via the Internet when he was promised by a person from a social media site to offer him a simple job with extremely high pay at a wood workshop in a Vietnam-Laos border area, the young man narrated.

Knowing N. was falling into debt, that person even said he would provide N. with in-advance money to help him repay his debt.

Persuaded by such promises, N. agreed to take a trip led by a group of people to the Lao Bao border gate area in Quang Tri Provinces Huong Hoa District in late September.

Upon reaching Lao Bao, the group took me, along with some others, to cross the border to enter Laos via a trail. After that, everyone got in a car that ran for two days.

N. said at that time he did not know where he was taken to, but after the border-crossing and from talks exchanged during the journey, he knew had been deceived by the group.

The young man later took advantage of the time when the car stopped at a motel to secretly use his phone to text his mother for help.

Le Duc N. (3rd, R) is seen being handed over by police in northern Vietnams Quang Tri Province to his family after he was rescued in Laos. Photo: Q. Nam / Tuoi Tre

Through the GPS on his phone, N. knew he was just a few hundreds of meters from the Golden Triangle area.

He could see many casinos located not far from his place, N. narrated.

As soon as receiving her sons message, N.s mother contacted Lieutenant Nguyen Thanh Luan, a relative of hers, who is working at Quang Tris Dong Ha City police, for support.

After hearing N.s report online, Luan advised him to escape from the group as soon as possible, as the official believed that the swindlers would send N., as well as other victims of high-paying easy job scam, to an exploitative casino or a fraud firm in the Golden Triangle region.

Luan asked N. to seek help from local residents or any local government office he could find on the way to escape.

N. later successfully absconded from the group when they were preparing for a meal.

He ran for five minutes and rushed into a restaurant asking for help. Fortunately, there was a local police officer among the diners at the eatery and the officer took N. to the local police office for reporting his case.

Meanwhile, Luan had reported the job scam to the Quang Tri police department, which immediately sent a task force team to Laos to rescue N.

After traveling nearly 1,500 kilometers, the team picked up N. at a motel where N. was staying under Laotian polices arrangement.

The Golden Triangle is a special region, so Lao police advised us to leave the area soon to avoid any potential danger, said Captain Ngo Quang Tien, a member of the team.

If N. were taken into this area already, then the rescue would become extremely difficult, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hai stated.

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The health authority in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam has reported the second monkeypox case who is a 19-year-old resident in the provincial city of Thuan An, a local health official confirmed on Friday.

The patient, named L.M.T, earlier had close contact with another patient with confirmed monkeypox in neighboring Ho Chi Minh City, said Huynh Minh Chin, deputy director of the provincial Department of Health.

T. visited Becamex International Hospital, located in the province, where he tested positive for monkeypox, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

He is under quarantine and medical treatment at Thuan An City Medical Center.

A working team led by Chin has worked with Thuan An Medical Center to jointly take measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

Those who have come into close contact with T. since September 5 would be tested.

Binh Duong detected its first monkeypox case on September 23, who is a 22-year-old resident in Bac Tan Uyen District.

The patient has recovered and is expected to be discharged from hospital on Tuesday next week.

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Easy Tiger producers Rob Gibson and Ian Collie recently signed a deal for representation with Creative Artists Agency which has offices in LA, New York, Washington, London and more.

Easy Tiger is turning out a hefty hit slate of late with Logie-winning Colin From Accounts, The Twelve, plus Scrublands, One Night, Desert King, and true crime docuseries The Hunt for the Family Court Killer, which will launch on 10/Paramount+.

Easy Tiger previously produced Doctor Doctor for Nine and Sunshine for SBS.

Source: Deadline
New Prime Video film The Burial is based on a lawsuit brought by Mississippi funeral director Jeremiah OKeefe against the Loewen funeral company, and if you like your David v Goliath courtroom dramas it will be deliciously satisfying.

After all you get the towering talents of Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones and Jurnee Smollett, along with Alan Ruck and Bill Camp.

The 1990s case surrounds OKeefe (Jones) being high in debt seeking to sell 3 of his 8 state funeral homes to Canadian funeral giant Raymond Loewen (Camp) -but the deal stalled, with young black lawyer Hal Dawkins (Mamoudou Athie) convinced their tactic was to drive OKeefes family business into bankruptcy. Loewen also had a reputation for exorbitant prices in an increasingly monopolised business which he refers to as The Golden Era of Death.

My customers are dead guys! Loewen boasts.

When OKeefe decides to sue for breach of contract, Dawkins suggests he hire charismatic Willie E. Gary (Foxx) who had built his wealth and reputation on never losing a case in 12 years. Indeed, its a fine line between the theatrics of a flashy lawyer and a Baptist Revival preacher, with Willie comfortably testifying in court as passionately as from a pulpit.

But for OKeefes conservative white lawyer (Ruck), having to work alongside an all-black legal team tests his tolerance.

Make no mistake, The Burial is a film about race. When Loewen realises the case will be tried by Gary before a black judge and predominantly black jury, he hires young black lawyer Mame Downes (Smollett) who has a reputation as the python.

There are classic courtroom scenes with Foxx and Smollett going to to toe on the floor, snappily edited together.

The script by Doug Wright, with director Maggie Betts, allows for plenty of rises and falls in the plot, where all hope is lost, and emotions and tenacity are forced to dig deep to push towards victory. That in turn lends itself to scenery-chewing performances from Foxx, in particular, as well as veteran Tommy Lee Jones and the mettle of Jurnee Smollett. Special mention too to Mamoudou Athie, quickly dismissed as a wet-behind-the-ears young black lawyer.

The film is a little long-in-the-tooth with a running time tipping two hours, but is overwhelmingly carried by its prevailing sense of justice, deep racism and white entitlement. And watch for a special cameo when the final credits roll.

If you love your John Grisham courtroom sagas, or Erin Brokovich-style fights against the big guy, The Burial easily has you covered.

The Burial screens Friday October 13 on Prime Video.
Nigel Farage talks to the News Letter editor Ben Lowry at the Conservative Party conference yesterday and says that Lord Empeys criticism of him was misguided (Photo: Ben Lowry)

This week the News Letter asked the ex Ukip leader about his reported belief in the Irish Times that there would be an all Ireland. We did so at the Tory party conference in Manchester after criticism from the ex Ulster Unionist leader Lord Empey, who in this newspaper last Saturday noted that report and also that Mr Farage had reportedly said that he always got on well with Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald. This would be music to the ears of republicans, Lord Empey said.

But when we put this to Mr Farage on Monday as he was broadcasting for the TV channel GB News, pictured, he replied: "So what I said at lunch with the Irish Times was there was no prospect of a united Ireland in the foreseeable future. No prospect whatsoever. The North doesn't want to join the Republic and the Republic wouldn't want the trouble the North brings.

"What I did say was I can't foresee where we're going to be in 100 years' time. I think I was slightly misquoted by the Irish Times, quite frankly." This newspaper also asked Mr Farage about Ms Lou McDonald. He said: "I stood by her on a platform in the Irish referendum. He called Lord Empey small-minded.

The Irish Times reporter Mark Paul has contacted us, and said: The verbatim quote, which I have on tape, is what was printed in the Irish Times. In full, it is One day there will be a united Ireland. But its not on the horizon immediately. Just for practical reasons.

Further to that, and not in the article, I then immediately asked him that if there was a united Ireland, would it be Sinn Feins version of it (or more accurately, I suggested it probably wouldnt be SFs version and invited him to comment on that), and he said No. He was agreeing it would not be a SF version.

Mr Paul said: He never said anything like that to me about 100 years or any similarly constructed sentence. He might well think he said this but, actually, he didnt  at least not to me. He was clear to me that he felt a united Ireland would happen one day but it wouldnt be soon. The quote I used reflected all of that. Everything I say above is backed up by the tape recording. I represented his comments fairly.
By Maayan Lubell, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ammar Awad

JERUSALEM/GAZA/SDEROT (Reuters) -Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas rampaged through Israeli towns on Saturday, killing at least 250 Israelis and escaping with dozens of hostages in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago.

More than 230 Gazans were also killed when Israel responded with one of its most devastating days of retaliatory strikes. Fighting continued into the night.

"We will take mighty vengeance for this wicked day," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"Hamas launched a cruel and wicked war. We will win this war but the price is too heavy to bear," he said. "Hamas wants to murder us all. This is an enemy that murders mothers and children in their homes, in their beds. An enemy that abducts elderly, children, teenage girls."

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the assault that had begun in Gaza, a narrow strip that is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, would spread to the West Bank and Jerusalem. Gazans have lived under an Israeli blockade for 16 years.

In a speech, Haniyeh highlighted threats to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, the continuation of the blockade on Gaza and Israeli normalization with countries in the region. "How many times have we warned you that the Palestinian people have been living in refugee camps for 75 years, and you refuse to recognise the rights of our people?"

Bodies of Israeli civilians were strewn across the streets of Sderot in southern Israel, near Gaza, surrounded by broken glass. The bodies of a man and woman were sprawled across the front seats of a car.

"I went out, I saw loads of bodies of terrorists, civilians, cars shot up. A sea of bodies, inside Sderot along the road, other places, loads of bodies," said Shlomi from Sderot.

Terrified Israelis, barricaded into safe rooms, recounted their plight by phone on live television.

Esther Borochov, who fled a dance rave party attacked by the gunmen, told Reuters she survived by playing dead in a car after the driver trying to help her escape was shot point blank.

Story continues

"I couldn't move my legs," she told Reuters at the hospital. "Soldiers came and took us away to the bushes."

Senior military officers were among those killed in fighting near Gaza, the Israeli military said.

Israeli troops clashed with Hamas fighters throughout the night in some parts of southern Israel. In a briefing on social media, an Israeli army spokesperson said the situation was not fully under control.

The Israeli prime minister's office said the security cabinet had approved steps to destroy the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad "for many years", including cutting electricity and fuel supplies and the entry of goods into Gaza.

In Gaza, black smoke, orange flashes and sparks lit the sky from explosions. Israeli drones could be heard overhead. Earlier, crowds of mourners had carried the bodies of militants through the streets, wrapped in green Hamas flags.

Gaza's dead and wounded were carried into crumbling and overcrowded hospitals with severe shortages of medical supplies and equipment. The health ministry said 232 people had been killed and at least 1,700 wounded.

Streets were deserted apart from ambulances racing to the scenes of air strikes. Israel cut the power, plunging the city into darkness.

BIDEN OFFERS SUPPORT TO NETANYAHU

Western countries, led by the United States, denounced the attack.

At the White House, President Joe Biden went on national television to say Israel had the right to defend itself and issued a blunt warning to Iran and other countries hostile to Israel. "This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching," he said.

A senior Biden administration official told reporters that the United States was working with other governments to make sure the crisis does not spread and is contained to Gaza.

The United States has been trying to strike a deal that would normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, seen by Israelis as the biggest prize yet in their decades-long quest for Arab recognition. Palestinians fear any such agreement could sell out their dreams of an independent state.

Osama Hamdan, the leader of Hamas in Lebanon, told Reuters that Saturday's operation should make Arab states realize that accepting Israeli security demands would not bring peace.

"For those who want stability and peace in the region, the starting point must be to end the Israeli occupation," he said. "Some (Arab states) unfortunately started imagining that Israel could be the gateway for America to defend their security."

Across the Middle East, there were demonstrations in support of Hamas, with Israeli and U.S. flags set on fire and marchers waving Palestinian flags in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

The Hamas attack was praised by Iran and by Hezbollah, Iran's Lebanese allies.

Long after nightfall, residents had not been given the all-clear to go home.

"It's not over because the (army) hasnt said the kibbutz is clear of terrorists," Dani Rahamim told Reuters by telephone from a shelter where he was hiding in Nahal Oz, close to the Gaza fence. Gunfire had subsided but regular explosions could still be heard.

Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the group was holding a large number of Israeli captives, including senior officials. He said Hamas had enough captives to make Israel free all Palestinians in its jails.

Hamas, which advocates Israel's destruction, said the attack was driven by what it said were Israel's escalated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and against Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif said, announcing the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media and calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

Gaza has been devastated by four wars and countless skirmishes between Hamas and Israel since the militants seized control of the strip in 2007. But the scenes of violence inside Israel itself exceeded anything there even at the height of the Palestinian Intifada uprisings of past decades.

That Israel was caught completely off guard was lamented as one of the worst intelligence failures in its history, a shock to a nation that boasts of its intensive infiltration and monitoring of militants.

Scores of Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded in clashes at Gaza's border into Israel, where fighters captured the crossing point and tore down fences. Some of the dead were civilians, among crowds that attempted to cross into Israel through the damaged gates.

"We are afraid," a Palestinian woman, Amal Abu Daqqa, told Reuters as she left her house in Khan Younis.

The escalation comes against a backdrop of surging violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where a Palestinian authority exercises limited self-rule, opposed by Hamas that wants Israel destroyed.

The West Bank has seen stepped-up Israeli raids, Palestinian street attacks and assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages. Conditions for Palestinians have worsened under Netanyahu's hard-right government. Peacemaking has been stalled for years.

There were clashes in several locations in the West Bank on Saturday, with stone throwing youths confronting Israeli troops. Four Palestinians including a 13-year-old boy were killed. Palestinian factions called a general strike for Sunday.

Israel itself has been experiencing internal political upheaval, with the most right-wing government in its history attempting to overhaul the judiciary.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and Ammar Anwar in SderotAdditional reporting by Henriette Chacar, Emily Rose and Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Writing by James Mackenzie, Tom Perry, Michael Georgy, Peter Graff and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie, Diane Craft and Lisa Shumaker)
Turkey's defence ministry said Friday it had a launched a new wave of air strikes against Kurdish targets in Syria in retaliation for a bombing attack in Ankara.



The announcement came just hours after Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the US downing of a Turkish combat drone involved in the Syria operation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Turkish defence ministry said it had hit 15 Kurdish targets in northern Syria on Friday evening "with the maximum amount" of ammunition.

The targets included "headquarters and shelters" used by Kurdish forces that the United States has relied on to fight the Islamic State group in Syria.

Fidan told Blinken that Ankara's air strikes in Syria will continue "with determination" despite Thursday's drone episode -- the first of its kind between the strategic NATO allies.

Turkey stepped up cross-border air raids against Kurdish targets in northeastern Syria and northern Iraq in retaliation for a bombing in Ankara that injured two policemen last Sunday.

Turkey concluded that the two assailants who died in the Ankara attack came from Syria.

The SDF said Friday that eight civilians were among the 15 people confirmed killed in the first two days of Turkey's strikes.



Read more on FRANCE 24 English



Read also:

Turkey arrests dozens of suspected Kurdish militants following Ankara attack

Turkey strikes Kurdish PKK targets in Iraq after Ankara suicide bombing

Clashes in Northeast Syria between army, pro-Turkey fighters kill more than 20
Details of funding for the A75 road upgrade have yet to be fleshed out, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has said.

The project to improve the road, which links the ferry port at Cairnryan to the north of England, was mentioned in the Prime Ministers Conservative party conference speech.

As one of a number of road projects benefitting from funding freed up by cancelling HS2, Rishi Sunak said it would connect our Union with the A75 boosting links between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Speaking to the PA news agency during a trade visit to Vietnam, Mr Jack said the A75 went through his Dumfries and Galloway constituency.

He said: Im delighted there will be money for that.

Weve already agreed with the Scottish Government a feasibility project, the UK Government is funding 7 million on the upgrade of the road.

And then theres the 36 billion thats been freed up from the HS2 project and some of that 36 billion will be apportioned to the A75.

Asked how much this would be, he said: No, weve got to thrash out the details.

These are discussions Ill be having in the very near future but we havent fleshed out the detail yet.

He added: Obviously I want to see it starting in the next few years, but it will take a number of years to complete

Following the Prime Ministers statement, First Minister Humza Yousaf told reporters that he doubted the money would be forthcoming.

Mr Jack was in Hanoi to promote Scotch whisky exports and meet members of the Vietnamese government.

As well as whisky, the UK delegation discussed cooperation around Vietnams offshore wind power ambitions and a new partnership between the British University in Vietnam and Stirling University.

Exports of whisky have grown more than threefold since 2019 when a new trade deal was signed.

Mr Jack, who is the first Scottish Secretary to visit the southeast Asian country, said the spirit was very, very popular in Vietnam.
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.
HA NOI  About 100 outstanding farmers and 63 agricultural cooperatives in Viet Nam will be honoured by the Viet Nam Farmers' Association at a ceremony on October 13 in Ha Noi.

The event is part of the "Proud of Vietnamese Farmers programme, an annual activity to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam Farmers' Association and the 8th National Congress of the Vietnam Farmers' Association.

The 100 outstanding farmers are selected from 250 farmers who are nominated by farmers from provinces and cities, along with experts, scientists and journalists. Among the 100 excellent farmers, Ngo Van e, a farmer in Tra Vinh Province, achieved the highest revenue at VN140 billion (compared to VN70 billion in 2022) through the industrial shrimp farming model.

Within the framework of the "Proud Vietnamese Farmers in 2023" programme, there are two other sideline events, including the 8th National Farmers Forum in 2023 with the theme of the Vietnam Farmers' Association participating in collective economic development in agriculture and the seminar "Digital transformation of banking, finance and opportunities for farmers."  VNS
HA NOI A top priority among Vietnamese businesses is to diversify their supply sources, as shown in a recent survey by Vietnam Report, a market research company in Viet Nam.

According to the report, 72.7 per cent of all participants said they want to seek out new suppliers at lower prices and they want to do so in the near future.

Businesses said the main objective is to cut down costs and improve competitiveness. In addition, a more diverse supply will help minimise risks of interruption.

However, many said they have been struggling in their quest to find new suppliers, especially for imported raw materials.

Meanwhile, economists and industry experts have long voiced their concerns over the low utilisation rate of tariff advantages from the free trade agreements (FTAs) that the Southeast Asian economy has signed.

For example, Dr Nguyen Thai Chuyen from RMIT University, an Australian university in Viet Nam, said there is a lack of understanding and initiative among businesses regarding the Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

He said a recent report by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) indicated that more than half of participating businesses did not possess a deep understanding of the EVFTA.

The trade deal has been hailed as an opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to import raw materials, adopt advanced technologies and develop new industries.

However, according to the chamber Vietnamese businesses currently benefit from very few tax cuts from the trade deal including preferential import tax rates. Numerous businesses said they were not aware of existing preferential policies or that they failed to prepare the required documents to benefit from them.

Meanwhile, China remained Viet Nam's largest supplier. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade's data, China remained Viet Nam's largest supplier with an estimated turnover of US$ 68.13 billion in the first 8 months of 2023

Most businesses have a preference for Chinese suppliers as they can provide raw materials at very competitive prices. This, however, could result in complications later when they attempt to leverage tariff advantages when exporting to some key FTA markets, including the EU.

Chuyen said EU markets have strict rules over quality, safety requirements for industrial goods, and sanitary and phytosanitary standards for agricultural and food products. This has been a major obstacle for Vietnamese businesses due to their reliance on imported raw materials from China and ASEAN countries, making it difficult to control quality standards.

Economists and industry experts have long urged businesses to be more proactive and diversify their supply sources.

Some progress has been made on that front. In the first eight months of 2023, Viet Nam imported 1.18 million tonnes of corn from India, 22 per cent of the total amount imported for the period, an increase of 74 per cent from the same period last year. VNS
HCM CITY  Viet Nam, as an open economy with multiple Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in place, is committed to fulfilling its obligations in the automobile import sector.

Experts have, however, pointed out that despite its efforts, Viet Nam still needs to strike a balance between customs duties and the legal framework for importing automobiles, components, and spare parts.

More time is needed for the country to implement the committed provisions and enhance trade and investment relations with other countries, they said.

As of August 2023, the country has signed 16 Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and is recognised globally as an open economy, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In the first eight months of 2023, total import turnover of goods reached US$207 billion, down 16.2 per cent year-on-year, it said.

There has been a decline in items such as scrap steel, gemstones, precious metals and products, automobile components, and spare parts.

On the other hand, there has been an increase in items such as passenger cars with fewer than nine seats (up 3.6 per cent year-on-year).

Viet Nam primarily imports Completely Built-Up (CBU) cars from Asian countries.

Indonesia and Thailand are the two largest export markets for Viet Nam, accounting for 41.9 per cent and 41.5 per cent of market share respectively, according to a 2022 report from the General Department of Customs.

China accounts for 10 per cent, while the US and EU account for 6.6 per cent, according to the report.

Similarly, for automobile components and spare parts, Viet Nam mainly imports from South Korea, China, ASEAN countries, and Japan.

South Korea has the largest market share, accounting for 26 per cent of the total import turnover of this group of goods nationwide. EU countries have a very small market share (about 1.83 per cent).

The discrepancy in market share is primarily due to preferential tariff policies, in addition to geographical advantages and established bilateral and multilateral relations.

Currently, Viet Nam applies a zero per cent tariff until the end of 2027 for automobile components and spare parts imported from ASEAN countries under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).

Similarly, many automobile components and spare parts imported from South Korea are also subject to a zero per cent tariff starting from 2022, according to a Government decree issued in 2022.

However, the tariff rates for automobile components and spare parts imported from 27 EU countries are still relatively high.

According to the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), the import duty rates will gradually reduce to a zero per cent by 2027.

For example, under EVFTA, car tires are currently subject to a tariff of 12.5 per cent in 2023 and will be reduced to a zero per cent tariff by 2027.

Under the UKVFTA, some products will be subject to a zero per cent tariff as early as 2025.

In terms of customs clearance for goods, the Government has issued a decree regulating the inspection and certification of technical safety and environmental protection of imported automobiles and components.

This is in line with international conventions of which Viet Nam is a member.

The decree, which takes effect from October 1, 2023, prioritises customs clearance for imported automobiles and components that meet certain criteria.

In addition, under the EVFTA, Viet Nam will accept the approval label of UNECE attached to imported parts and equipment from the EU and UK in the future.

According to ZF Aftermarkets assessment, despite differences in import tax rates, Viet Nam still has potential for a large market for automobiles and automobile components and spare parts.

The number of new cars on Viet Nams roads is expected to increase by 10 per cent over the next five years, indicating a high demand for purchasing automobile components and spare parts.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam is taking measures to promote the negotiations of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), which is expected to be a driving force for Viet Nam to tap the Latin American market, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said.

Currently, MERCOSUR members, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, do not have free trade agreements with countries whose export structure competes directly with Viet Nam. Accessing this bloc market via an FTA will create a significant boost for Vietnamese export goods to them.

MERCOSUR is a dynamic, competitive, and developing economic region. It is the fifth-largest economic region with a total GDP of US$4.58 trillion in the world and is also one of the leading food raw material and energy production regions.

Moreover, MERCOSUR is a potential market, with nearly 300 million consumers, about 70 per cent of the South American population, for Viet Nam's export products such as garments, footwear, handicrafts, and processed foods.

MERCOSUR is Viet Nam's 13th largest trading partner, with bilateral trade value rising from $2.45 billion in 2011 to $12 billion in 2022. Of this, Viet Nam's goods exports to MERCOSUR reached $3.3 billion, while imports from this region amounted to about $8.7 billion.

Trade value between MERCOSUR and Viet Nam accounts for nearly a quarter of the total trade value between MERCOSUR and ASEAN, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

However, logistics costs for goods from Viet Nam to this market are high due to the long distance, language differences, and lack of direct freight or passenger transport routes. Most importantly, the two sides have not yet established a free trade agreement (FTA).

According to the ministry, MERCOSUR countries excel in producing and exporting farm produce, animal feeds, industrial materials, and minerals. In contrast, Viet Nam's main exports to the bloc are electronic and telecommunication devices, apparel, and footwear. Such a complementary structure of goods without direct competitiveness is a strength for Viet Nam in approaching this market.

Furthermore, the four South American nations have not signed any trade agreements with countries whose export structure directly competes with Viet Nam. As such, access to this market will significantly boost Vietnamese goods.

MERCOSUR Parliament (PARLASUR) leaders have also expressed a keen interest in Viet Nam being the gateway for MERCOSUR to enter ASEAN.

They support the early launch of the Viet Nam - MERCOSUR FTA negotiations to open markets for each other. This will facilitate goods trading activities, diversify the structure of import and export products, and promote the growth of bilateral trade value in the future.

As one of the MERCOSUR countries, Brazil is now Viet Nam's largest trading partner in South America and vice versa, Viet Nam is Brazil's largest trading partner in Southeast Asia. The trade turnover between the two countries in 2022 was about $6.78 billion, marking an increase of 6.6 per cent compared to 2021 and threefold over the past decade.

Speaking at the discussion between Viet Nam-Brazil businesses during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Brazil last month, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien emphasised that Brazil could become a bridge to help Viet Nam's goods access Latin American countries' markets as well as the MERCOSUR market.

Similarly, Viet Nam can serve as a bridge to help Brazil access the ASEAN market with over 650 million people and the even larger market of 800 million people of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Minister Dien stated that investment from multinational companies into Viet Nam is expected to increase as the country becomes a primary production centre in the global supply chain. Consequently, Viet Nam's demand for raw materials will surge, offering Brazil opportunities to expand its supply of raw materials to Viet Nam, especially those for emerging industries.

The minister suggested that both sides intensify the exchange of business delegations to explore investment and business opportunities in the two markets, fostering trade and investment ties between the countries.

Minister Dien also urged Brazil to provide more favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to access the Brazilian market, especially in sectors like agriculture, footwear, wooden furniture, handicrafts, and seafood.

Brazilian business representatives praised Viet Nam's development potential and recognised the vast cooperation possibilities in fields like agriculture, processing, manufacturing, aviation, mineral mining, technology, and renewable energy.

Regarding economic and trade relations, Viet Nam and Brazil have the potential to boost their bilateral turnover to $10 billion by 2025 and $15 billion by 2030, as noted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

Viet Nam hopes Brazil, a founding member and the current rotating president of MERCOSUR, will continue to support and expedite the commencement of FTA negotiations between Viet Nam and MERCOSUR, Son added.

According to statistics, trade between Viet Nam and the Americas, comprising 35 countries including MERCOSUR members, reached $153.9 billion last year, growing by 10.7 per cent annually.

Of this total, Viet Nams imports and exports were valued at over $128 billion and $25.7 billion, marking increases of 12.2 per cent and 3 per cent year-on-year, respectively. This led to a record trade surplus of more than $102.5 billion.

Trade values with major regional markets experienced stable growth: the US (11 per cent), Brazil (6.6 per cent), Canada (16.5 per cent), Mexico (7.1 per cent), Chile (9 per cent), and Argentina (8.3 per cent).

Ta Hoang Linh, director of the MoITs European-American Market Department, believes that Vietnamese goods can establish a stronger foothold in the Americas when businesses leverage existing FTAs.

The ministry's strategy emphasises maximising the benefits of the 15 existing FTAs and advocating for the negotiation of new agreements, including one with MERCOSURr.

Furthermore, as Linh highlighted, Viet Nam has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, driving the nation to champion green production and environmental protection. This commitment will give Vietnamese exports a competitive edge in the future, especially as demand for eco-friendly products rises in European and American markets.  VNS
HA NOI  The Government issued a report to the National Assembly on Friday that outlines the plan to relocate governmental offices away from Ha Noi City Centre.

The Ministry of Construction has targeted 36 governmental offices for relocation, of which, 18 ministries, four ministry-equivalent agencies, eight Governmental agencies and six central organisations are the tenants.

After the Ministry of Construction proposed a plan, the Prime Minister agreed that departmental headquarters will be concentrated in the West of Ho Tay (on approximately 35ha) and a portion in the Me Tri area.

According to the plan, the relocation consists of two groups: the first group includes agencies that have built their headquarters at new locations, including 23 agencies, of which, eight agencies have been allocated land and implemented new construction, and 15 agencies are undergoing in-place renovations; the second group includes 12-14 agencies that would be relocated.

Furthermore, the Government stated that a plan to relocate higher education institutions and hospitals from the central area of Ha Noi will be proposed and submitted by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health to the Prime Minister. Relevant agencies and localities in the capital region are actively implementing this task.

Previously, in April 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed Decision No 423/QD-TTg approving the planning to construct working headquarters for ministries, Government agencies, central agencies of organisations in the capital city of Ha Noi until 2030.

The plan aims to establish a system of working headquarters for ministries, government agencies, central agencies of organisations under the Government, and central agencies of mass organisations in Ha Noi that meet standardised, synchronised, modern criteria to fulfill the working conditions of central ministries and sectors in the capital city of Ha Noi. It also contributes to the urban renewal and reduces congestion in the inner city of Ha Noi. VNS
HA NOI  A handbook focused on traffic safety within school zones has been was launched following two years of research and its application in various pilot schemes across different regions.

The research for the handbook was initiated based on the Prime Minister's directive in Decision No 2060/Q-TTg dated December 12, 2020. This decision endorsed the national strategy to bolster road traffic safety from 2021-30, with a vision extending to 2045.

Central to the strategy is the ambition that by 2030, all school entrances situated on national highways, provincial roads, and primary urban routes will experience stable traffic, ensuring safety and avoiding congestion.

In 2021, the AIP Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and the University of Transport and Communications, crafted the handbook aiming to safeguard Vietnamese students during their commutes to school.

Two months prior, the MoT dispatched the handbooks to regions throughout the country, serving as a guideline for the initiation of projects, works, and strategies to bolster road traffic safety within school zones.

Nguyen Cong Bang, the Deputy Director of the Department of Transport under the MoT, remarked during the handbook's unveiling on Friday that children, particularly those commuting solo to school, are considered a high-priority vulnerable group in many sectors, especially transportation.

Data from the National Traffic Safety Committee indicates that between 2016-20, traffic accidents involving individuals under 18 years of age represented 6.75 per cent of all accidents across the country. This figure increased to 10.63 per cent in 2021.

To mitigate the risks faced by children and students during their school journeys, Bang emphasised the necessity of prioritising safety in school zones during the construction or improvement of infrastructure and traffic facilities.

Following the motto Children today, the world tomorrow, children are the happiness of each family, and the future owners of the country, thus protection of children is not only the responsibility of each individual, each family, and each school, but also of society, said Bang.

Nguyen Xuan Tung, a specialist from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Transport and Communications and a contributor to the handbook, stated that its primary objective is to tackle road traffic safety concerns, ranging from the planning and infrastructure development phases to the design and assessment of traffic safety in school zones.

Significantly, the handbook delineates the concept of a "safe school zone". This serves as a foundational reference for planners, designers, builders, and policymakers to implement strategies that reduce risks for students commuting to schools in Viet Nam.

Tung said: We urge professionals, including designers, engineers, and experts in road infrastructure and traffic, to utilise the handbook as a guide when executing projects associated with school zones.

During the launch, attendees were privy to insights gleaned from various provinces and cities that have trialled enhancements in traffic infrastructure around schools.

There was also an exploration of potential solutions to enhance traffic safety in school zones across the nation.

Presently in Viet Nam, over 17 million children commute between their homes and schools two to four times daily, as per MoT statistics.

A considerable number of these students walk to school on roads lacking pavements, many of which feature mixed traffic lanes.

The more alarming problem is that vehicles speeds around schools frequently exceed internationally recommended speed limits for school zones, said the MoT.  VNS
According to a report sent to the National Assembly, the State Bank (SBV) had informed about coordinating with relevant ministries and branches to submit to the Prime Minister for consideration of supplementing state capital for BIDV from the remaining profit after taxes, After setting up funds in 2021 and directing Vietcombank and VietinBank to complete the plan to enhance capital from the remaining profit after taxes, after setting up funds in 2021

Implementing Resolution 43/2022/QH15 of the National Assembly and Resolution 11/NQ-CP of the Government, authorized by the Prime Minister, the State Bank of Vietnam presented and reported to the National Assembly at the 5th session of the 15th National Assembly. on some contents of increasing Agribank's charter capital from the state budget to the amount of 17,100 billion VND (of which 2023: 6,753 billion VND; 2024: 10,347 billion VND).

on behalf of the Government, the SBV has signed document No. 288/CP-KTTH on June 9, 2023, and sent it to the National Assembly's Economic Committee to have a unanimity on the content expected to be included in the Resolution of the 5th session, 15th National Assembly on investment policy to supplement Agribank's charter capital

For three joint stock commercial banks with over 50% of charter capital possessed by the State (Vietcombank, VietinBank, BIDV), the State Bank has coordinated with relevant ministries and branches to submit to the Prime Minister for consideration of supplementing state capital for BIDV from the remaining profit after taxes, after setting up funds in 2021 and instructing Vietcombank and VietinBank to complete the plan to increase capital from the remaining profit after taxes, after setting up funds in 2021 for submission and approval

In addition, to improve the financial capacity of national commercial banks, based on the proposal of the State Bank, the Prime Minister promulgated Decision No. 326/QD-TTg on March 31, 2023, approved Investment plan to supplement state capital at Vietcombank from the source of dividend payments to state shareholders through Vietcombank issuing shares to pay dividends from the remaining profit after taxes, after fund deductions and distribution. Cash dividends, stock dividends in 2019, from the remaining profit after taxes, after appropriation of funds and cash dividends in 2020.

The State Bank has submitted to the Prime Minister for approval a plan to invest in additional state capital at VietinBank from the remaining profit after tax, after appropriation to funds in 2020.
At the Vietnam Logistics Summit 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, jointly hosted by SLP Vietnam and VIR on October 5, Alexander Olsen, vice president of Freight Management & Commercial at ITL Corporation, unveiled the firms ambitious plans.

Alexander Olsen, vice president of Freight Management & Commercial at ITL Corporation

Specifically, ITL Corporation is primed to channel a substantial investment of around $200 million into warehousing infrastructure over the next half-decade. According to Olsen, this substantial commitment is a testament to the pivotal role that Vietnam plays in their strategic expansion.

"Vietnam is our key market with a high potential for development," Olsen said, emphasising the pivotal role that Vietnam plays in their expansion strategy.

"I see the opportunities for Vietnams logistics sector are extremely good. The 'China + 1' strategy, infrastructure improvements in Vietnam, growing manufacturing, and the ongoing trade tensions between the US and China have attracted significant investments into the country."

According to Olsen, as more companies adopt the 'China + 1' approach, diversifying their supply chain strategies to reduce dependence on China, it creates new avenues for expansion in the logistics sector.

This strategic shift is complemented by Vietnam's commitment to enhancing its infrastructure and connectivity, fostering an environment conducive to attracting foreign investments.

However, challenges remain, especially regarding infrastructure.

"From a logistics perspective, we foresee a growing demand for assets and enhanced infrastructure," Olsen said.

Vietnam's existing infrastructure, while improving, presents challenges to the sector's efficiency. Despite this, notable progress includes the development of new ports in the southern regions of the country and the ongoing completion of a vital highway connecting the north and south.

Private companies like ITL Corporation are playing a pivotal role in addressing these infrastructure challenges by making substantial investments in areas such as warehouses and fulfillment centers.

"Within ITL Corporation, we are focusing on expanding our port facilities and using transportation to integrate services, promoting sustainable development," Olsen said. "Additionally, we are working on enhancing solutions to reduce logistic costs, a critical area of concern."

Trucking currently constitutes a heavy reliance within Vietnam's logistics network, leading to significantly increased transportation costs.

"Even external technology investments are not uniformly accessible at 100 per cent. Vietnam presents distinct challenges, such as the absence of suitable technology for freight vehicles, software incompatibilities with management systems, language barriers, and regional-specific technology optimization hurdles, all of which complicate the adoption and utilisation of technology within the country," he said.

In a discourse on sustainable growth, Olsen added, "Our focus revolves around warehousing, energy conservation, and the utilisation of electric vehicles, with several solutions actively being deployed. A notable development includes the formation of an electric vehicle fleet."

Vietnamese government committed to boosting logistics infrastructure At the Vietnam Logistics Summit 2023 co-hosted by SPL Vietnam and VIR, representatives from the Vietnamese government reaffirmed the country's steadfast dedication to enhancing the nation's logistics infrastructure.
A Waco developer is aiming to bring a grocery store to 1726 Austin Ave., where Waco's uptown and downtown merge, and where streetside shops give way to stately homes.

Peter Ellis is seeking local tax incentives to help create an oasis in the mid-city food desert, in a location that once housed an H-E-B supermarket.

He's not naming names, but says the vacant building that he bought in September 2022 was "built by H.E. Butt himself, and is being restored to its original intent."

"This will be the latest and greatest version of a Texas-based prototype, something that would really serve the local population well," said Ellis. "We talked to a gamut of grocery chains, spoke to people coast-to-coast, from Florida to California. There are wonderful models out there, but we decided a Texas-based grocery would contribute more to the local economy."

Ellis is pursuing $1.1 million in aid from the newly created Tax Increment Financing Zone No. 4, which uses a portion of property taxes collected in a large section of Waco to promote development and public improvements.

The TIF zone board will consider the request at a noon meeting Tuesday at Waco City Hall's third floor. If the board votes to fund it, the recommendation would go to the Waco City Council for final approval.

Waco City Manager Bradley Ford said city staff is recommending a TIF award of $486,000. But in an email statement to the Tribune-Herald, he said Ellis may get more assistance. He said the city may award the project $350,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, along with a possible sales tax reimbursement deal worth $240,000.

That would provide $1 million in taxpayer assistance for a project to cost $5.6 million, Ford said.

"Peter has been working hard to bring an innovative project that hits a key target of redevelopment in Waco, a downtown grocer," Ford said.

The structure dates to 1950, when H-E-B built it as its second Waco grocery store, a year after building an Elm Avenue store.

The building was vacant by the late 1960s but was remodeled in 1971 to become Hicks Rubber Co., a tire shop. In recent years it served as home to Sedberry Furniture.

A real estate listing on LoopNet notes the two-story building covers 38,740 square feet. It has 52 parking spaces, or 1.34 spaces per 1,000 square feet leased.

Ideally, said Ellis, a grocery store would open in late 2024.

A grocery will dominate the site, located across Austin Avenue from the Waco-McLennan County Main Library. But a sign appearing on the glass storefronts stretching along the avenue says that Ellis' Anthem Waco is offering 1,000-to-10,000-square-foot sections of lease space.

"Build to suit ... tenant improvements," says the solicitation.

Ellis said the location is ideal, affording convenient access to Interstate 35 and to Waco Drive/Highway 84.

He said a grocery there "would be less than 20 minutes from a quarter-million people," mentioning outlying communities such as McGregor, West and Bruceville-Eddy. He said Austin Avenue serves as a prime traffic generator, likely to produce more volume as development pushes uptown. New antique, novelty and clothing shops pop up to join such establishments as Sironia, Simply Irresistible and Stumpy's Hatchet House.

A new restaurant, Toasted Yolk Cafe, is attracting crowds to 17th Street and Washington Avenue, a block from the proposed grocery.

Ellis said his team has a head start on the grocery conversion as the building was designed to accommodate a food store. He said the one-acre corner ensures ample customer parking, adding that the city's involvement may mean the library could accommodate overflow parking.

In an email response to questions, Waco Mayor Dillon Meek expressed enthusiasm for the venture.

"We are excited about the possibility of a cool, high quality, Texas-based grocer with a track record of success entering into the downtown market," he stated.

Ellis said Meek, City Manager Ford and the city's economic development office "have been key in welcoming this tenant to Waco, representing a big part of this being pulled together."

He said he will strive to use local contractors, architects and engineers to accomplish the conversion. He said the grocer will tap local resources as it pursues fresh produce.

"The Waco (Downtown) Farmers Market has proven there is high demand for quality, local goods," said Ellis. "Folks drive in from 30 minutes out to be part of that."

The Tribune-Herald ran a special section in April 1950 devoted to the opening of the H-E-B on Austin Avenue, the place described as "huge and beautiful," with an ice cream fountain and lunch counter.

Ellis said he studied the actual blueprints used to build the original H-E-B store on Austin Avenue, and will incorporate elements into his vision.

"We will restore the soda fountain bar, creating a place for onsite consumption and meeting up for coffee, drinks and food. We see this as a service to the community, a key part of attracting this tenant," Ellis said.

Waco-area developers have recently talked up the idea of recruiting Trader Joe's, a California grocery chain that has expanded tother states with its compact, upscale stores.

Asked about that possibility, Ellis replied: "Trader Joe's does a great job, I've been in dozens of them. But they definitely are not local, and painting a mural on the wall does not make you local."

Typical H-E-B stores run much larger than the nearly 40,000 square feet available at 17th Street and Austin Avenue. But the San Antonio-based chain operates 10 Central Market stores statewide, some smaller than 40,000 square feet.

Ellis has involved himself in other downtown ventures, including converting the Praetorian building, 601 Franklin Ave. to lofts and retail. He also remodeled the historic Stratton building at Eighth Street and Austin Avenue as an event center with 30 loft apartments upstairs. The project was originally pitched as a high-end department store, but Ellis shifted gears in 2021, citing pandemic-era business conditions.

Ford said it is his understanding Ellis received $1.1 million in TIF money to support the Stratton remodeling.
A procedure recently used to remove a tumor from a Waco womans heart at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest shows promise as a less-invasive alternative to open heart surgery, according to the cardiologist who led the effort.

Dr. Nilesh Goswami said the procedure he used in April to remove a benign 4-centimeter tumor from the heart of Waco woman Kay Bradford, a 77-year-old former music teacher and grandmother of 12, has seldom been used before and he hopes it can be studied and become more widely used. Goswami, the director of Baylor Scott & Whites cardiac catheterization lab, has submitted a case report detailing the procedure to a medical journal.

The nonsurgical procedure left Bradford with a much shorter recovery time: only one to two weeks of rest compared to a typical recovery time of two to three months for traditional open-heart surgery.

Goswami said the procedure was done by inserting a catheter into the femoral artery, which connects to the right atrium of the heart where the tumor was located. The catheter then traveled all the way up the artery to the tumor, where the tumor was cut away using electrocautery, a method in which electricity is passed through a wire, heating the wire and allowing it to cut tissue like a hot knife through butter.

The tumor was then sucked out in one piece through the catheter, functioning as a sort of vacuum cleaner. The whole procedure took about an hour.

Goswami said he submitted a case report of the procedure last week to the medical journal Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. He said if the report is published, it would be the largest documented tumor removed in one piece using this type of procedure.

Bradford said the heart tumor was initially discovered in 2020. After a multitude of scans, the tumor was determined to be benign, and since she had no ill effects, Bradford, her family and her doctors decided to wait.

I had the option of waiting and watching or having it removed through surgery, Bradford said. I kind of live by the axiom of if aint broke, dont fix it.

By 2022, the tumor had grown to 4 centimeters, big enough that her cardiologist recommended it be removed through surgery. However, Bradford was hesitant to undergo open-heart surgery to remove the tumor because of how long she would need to spend resting. Bradford said she cares for her husband, who has mobility issues due to his service in the Navy and dementia. She also works in the baby nursery at Highland Baptist Church and as a ticket usher at Baylor University sporting events, so being out of commission for two to three months was not an option.

While trying to think of nonsurgical options to remove the tumor, Goswami got the idea to perform the procedure after reading about a similar procedure that was done last year in Seattle by Dr. James McCabe, a cardiologist with the University of Washington Medicine Heart Institute. A press release from University of Washington Medicine describes the procedure as the first of its kind and says it only took 30 minutes to complete.

Goswami said the tumor removed during the Seattle procedure was also only half the size of the tumor he removed from Bradford. By publishing the case report, Goswami said he hopes other doctors can look to the procedure as an alternative to open-heart surgery.

Most places, surgery is the gold standard and the default decision, Goswami said. Its not that theres anything wrong with surgery at all. It obviously works very well. We need to do surgery on a lot of these cases. But as technology moves were seeing that we can do similar procedures to surgeons without the cutting.

Goswami said advancing technologies are allowing for better treatment options for patients, many who are frightened by the prospect of open-heart surgery, an often risky procedure that can take multiple hours, as opposed to the minimally invasive, short procedure time seen in Bradfords case.

Bradford said the procedure was able to help her get back to full strength in only a few weeks. She said she thanks God for guiding Goswami and his team.

I give God all the glory, Bradford said. I had a wonderful team. I believe God guided the team making the decisions.
Fans of Waco hip-hop and R&B radio station KWBT-FM (94.5, The Beat) have had to do some searching for their music and the stations personalities this week after a move to a different frequency.

The Beat now is at 107.3 FM, the frequency once occupied by Spanish language KBHT-FM (La Mejor), with the stations programming and on-air personalities intact.

On-air personality Devin Patton, known to listeners as DJ Precyse, said his colleagues at The Beat were excited about the move and have received support from listeners who followed them in the shift to a new frequency. The Beat has been active in the Waco community for years and has been one of the lead organizers for the annual Juneteenth Family Fun Day.

Patton, the longtime night DJ for The Beat, now holds down afternoons for the station and saw his program extended an hour, from 3 to 7 p.m., as a consequence of the move. His lead-in, DJ Batman, or James Lewis Jr., retains his midday slot as well, Patton said.

The Beats staff now are located in M&M Broadcasters studios at 5501 Bagby Ave. M&M Broadcasters owns and operates KBHT-HD4.

The Beat, started by Edward Graham in 2010, has been at 94.5 FM since 2014 when the stations programming team left its home at KHBT-FM (104.9) over a format dispute with M&M Broadcasters.

M&M Broadcasters owner Gary Moss said Graham approached him several weeks ago about moving The Beats programming and staff from KWBT-FM over to M&M Broadcasters.

A swap of The Beats music programming and community outreach for 107.3s existing Spanish language music and programs seemed reasonable, Moss said, and he approved the move, which will not require a change in station call letters.

The spring Nielsen radio ratings book showed KBHT-HD4, La Ley, with a rating of 0.5 among listeners age 12 and older. Country powerhouse WACO-FM (100) continued its local domination with an 11.1 rating, nearly double that of No. 2 rock station KBRQ-FM (102.5) at 5.8. No ratings were available for KWBT-FM in the spring 2023 and fall 2022 Nielsen ratings books, but the station had a 6.6 rating in fall 2021, which tied it with contemporary hits KWTX-FM (97.5) for second among listeners 12 and older.

The Beats change in channel position may mean a shrinkage in its over-the-air reach with KBHT-HD4s broadcast power of 250 watts compared to KWBTs 3,200 watts.

Federal Communications Commission records show KWBTs license is held by Jerry and Loy Lenamon and Kennelwood Radio.

Efforts to contact Graham and Lenamon on Friday were not successful.
WASHINGTON  After a single Republican member of Congress instigated Kevin McCarthys removal as House speaker, a handful of Texas Republicans are trying to change the rules to make it impossible to happen again.

Under rules negotiated in January during McCarthys tumultuous first election, any member of the House can motion to vacate the chair  a procedural move that will force a vote to remove the speaker. That was how the process worked until 2019, when then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi significantly raised the threshold. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, an ultraconservative Florida Republican with a notorious antipathy toward McCarthy, launched the vote this week to remove McCarthy, leading to the first time in American history that a speaker was actually ousted by the measure.

But some Texas Republicans are sick of the leverage the rule has had over the conference, saying it has pushed leadership into the hands of the most extreme right-wing members of the party.

I voted NO on the rule in January due to the 1 member threshold to vacate the chair. After electing a Speaker, a rule change needs to be the first order of business, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, posted on social media Friday morning. Gonzales also said in January he opposed the rules package out of concern that an accompanying agreement to lower federal spending could impact defense funding.

A host of other Republican members, including U.S. Reps. Dan Crenshaw of Houston and Michael McCaul of Austin, signed onto a letter Thursday to the rest of the party demanding the conference address fundamental changes to the structure of our majority to ensure success for the American people.

Ashamed and embarrassed by what happened on the Floor this week, we refuse to allow the eight members who abandoned and undermined our Conference to dictate every outcome in policy and personnel for the remainder of this Congress, including the upcoming selection of the Speaker of the House, the letter said.

Forty-five members, including top McCarthy allies who bargained on his behalf during the January rules negotiations, signed onto the letter. The letter was distributed for signatures across members of the Main Street Caucus, a Republican group who styles itself as pragmatists.

It is not a new concern. The one-member threshold played a major role in Speaker John Boehners resignation in 2015, and McCarthy tried hard to avoid a similar situation for himself. The one-member threshold was one of the last concessions McCarthy gave to ultraconservative members in January who dissented his speakership without major rules changes to give the far-right a greater voice.

Crenshaw said at the time that he was deeply uncomfortable with the rules changes and frustrated that the far right was delaying the election of a speaker to milk out more influence.

You have to remember the Democrats could do the same thing and stop our stuff, Crenshaw said in a January interview. Like, I dont think they think through some of these things.

He reiterated his point during a Texas Republican delegation lunch Wednesday, saying a lot of members still have concerns with the rules.

But the far-right members who first negotiated the rules package, which a handful of Texans had a key role in negotiating, dont want it touched, saying it took back power from a tightly knit group of party leaders and is better in line with how the founders wanted the House to function. U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud, a Victoria Republican who was one of the far-right members demanding concessions during the January speaker race, said Wednesday that the rules changes were meant to rewrite the muscle memory of Congress.

Those are things that I would hope would outlast this term, and frankly, would outlast my service here, Cloud said in a brief interview. So any pushes to change the rules back would be a concern. Thats a concern that I wake up with every single day.

No Texas Republicans voted Tuesday to remove McCarthy.

Under Pelosi, the majority of a party caucus had to support a motion to vacate for a vote to take place on the floor. Pelosi created the higher threshold after witnessing Boehners departure and facing her own challenge in 2019, when 15 Democrats voted either against her speakership or voted present. She still won enough votes to be elected that year, but had to promise not to serve as speaker for more than four more years. Pelosi stepped down from party leadership and handed the baton to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries this year.

A new vote on updating the rules would have to happen after the House elects its new speaker. Republicans are planning a House-wide vote Wednesday for the position, but theres no guarantee it will end smoothly in a single vote  or day.

Three Republicans are openly vying for the spot: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio and Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern of Oklahoma. Scalise is already in leadership, with experience serving as McCarthys top lieutenant. Jordan is a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus and has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Neither have commented so far on how they would deal with a rule change to the motion to vacate.

Hern defended the rule as precedent, and said he had no plans to change the rule, though he was open to hearing arguments for doing so.

Listen, this was that way for 200 years, Hern said. Only Pelosi changed it to protect herself and to make bad policy.
Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday endorsed a slate of primary challengers to state House Republicans who voted to impeach him, a new front in his political revenge tour since the Texas Senate acquitted him.

Paxton threw his support behind seven challengers, including those running against House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, and Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, chair of the House impeachment managers. Paxtons campaign described it as an initial round of endorsements and promised more details soon on a statewide Fall tour, including campaign stops with the candidates.

Texas conservatives have seen their State House hijacked by liberal RINO Republicans for far too long, Paxton said in a statement. Im making these endorsements to begin restoring a conservative majority in our state House.

Phelans campaign fired back, saying his constituents will not be swayed by the West Texas billionaires and their cult of out-of-town political puppets seeking to influence southeast Texas.

The West Texas oilmen Tim Dunn and Dan and Farris Wilks have been top donors to House primary challengers over the years and more recently bankrolled efforts opposing Paxtons impeachment.

The endorsements come about three weeks after the Senate acquitted Paxton in his impeachment trial, ratcheting up a civil war among Texas Republicans. The House overwhelmingly voted in May to impeach Paxton, accusing him of abusing his office to help a friend and donor, Nate Paul.

In total, 60 out of 85 House Republicans voted to impeach him. Two Republican Senators voted to remove him.

Paxton quickly made clear after the acquittal that he would be campaigning against the House Republicans who supported his impeachment.

The seven endorsements Paxton announced Friday were for David Covey, who is challenging Phelan; Wes Virdell, who is challenging Murr; Andy Hopper, who is challenging Rep. Lynn Stucky of Denton; Mike Olcott, who is challenging Rep. Glenn Rogers of Graford; John Perez, who is challenging Rep. Mano DeAyala of Houston; and Matt Morgan, who is challenging Rep. Jacey Jetton of Richmond.

Paxton also backed Brent Money, one of six candidates in the November special election to replace expelled former Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City.

The conflict between Paxton and Phelan is especially intense. Paxton has repeatedly called on Phelan to resign, but the speaker has said he is not going anywhere.

While his opponents embark on their political revenge tour, Dade Phelan remains focused on the far more important issues at hand, like cleaning up after the Biden Administrations disastrous border policies in the upcoming special session and growing the House Republican majority in 2024, Phelan campaign spokesperson Cait Wittman said in a statement.
WATERLOO  On a breezy morning when dappled sunshine glints through maple tree branches on First Presbyterian Churchs west side, Mary Mumm said, the sanctuarys numerous stained glass windows sparkle.

Theres been more than one Sunday morning when Ive pointed that out to people, said Mumm, who joined the church more than 22 years ago. Im in and out of the sanctuary and every time I walk in I get this feeling that this is a worshipping place. I feel calm.

On Sunday, First Presbyterian Church, 505 Franklin St., will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its historic building. The public may attend the commemoration ceremony at 10 a.m. Former pastors and parishioners are planning to return for the celebration, including pastors Amy Wiles, Cathy Young, John Cable and the Rev. Pat Geadelmann.

It will be a joyous occasion to see the pews filled with people and to emphasize our rich and faithful history, said the Rev. David Feltman, transitional pastor.

Church artifacts and photographs are on display in Dierenfield Chapel. Registration has closed for the special luncheon following Sunday morning service.

Organizers planned to unveil contents from a time capsule placed in the church cornerstone in 1923 but it was opened recently and we discovered that the items inside had sustained water damage, said church member Nancy Newhoff, former editor of The Courier. We think the items were hymnals and a list of parishioners names. We have them drying to see if anything is salvageable.

The church was originally formed in 1854 by a group of six Presbyterians meeting in a log cabin. In 1857, the congregation dedicated a new church building at Park Avenue and Jefferson Street.

Its third building, The Boulder Church, was constructed entirely from a single boulder that came from a farm in east Waterloo. Built at East Park Avenue and Mulberry Streets, it became nationally famous in Ripleys Believe It or Not. When the present building was constructed, Boulder Church was sold and later demolished.

Known for its carillon bells that can be heard ringing throughout downtown, the century-old church is celebrated for its Gothic Revival architecture. Building began in 1922 with completion and dedication in 1923. It was described as one of the finest ecclesiastical structures on the American Continent in design, grace, symmetry and convenience, according to 1923 text with the original blueprints.

The massive, historic church with its tower is striking at the corner of Franklin and East Fourth streets. No expense was spared in its construction, said Feltman.

Built from buff brick trimmed with white stone, the church is distinguished by a tower that soars 80 feet high and 20 feet square, housing the carillon bells. There are 14 bells, including one that strikes the hours. Each Sunday before worship begins and each day at noon, a song is played on the bells.

People are drawn by the bells, Feltman said. I hope they return for the teaching. The sanctuary is a sacred place. If what you want is a traditional service, a meaningful service, we have it here.

Massive oak beams support a vaulted roof in the sanctuary. Woodwork is Flemish oak and ceiling decorations are of rare testalated design in panels, according to original blueprints. Walls are a lighter golden hue, and there are 25 stained glass windows that have undergone repairs in recent years.

Equally awe-inspiring is the imposing Skinner organ, a gift of the James Black Dry Goods Co., as a memorial to Mr. Black, who was a member of the congregation. It was installed in 1923, when the building was erected. The original console, facade and several ranks of pipes are still in use. The organ features 1,715 speaking pipes, controlled by 27 stops.

In the late 1970s, artwork by Larry Lightbody was installed on the east transept, a large Celtic cross on the outline of a globe with an arching rainbow. It symbolizes Gods redemption and the churchs responsibility to carry the message to the world, according to a church history compiled in 2004 by the late George Day. He was a church member and University of Northern Iowa professor emeritus.

Beneath the main auditorium is a gymnasium/multipurpose space and a professional-quality kitchen and dining room. Theres also Calvin Hall for coffee hour after worship. In 1954, an addition provided more classroom space and a fellowship hall. A covered entrance, new parking and better accessibility, including a new elevator, were added in 2016.

One of the pews was refinished for the new entrance, and I remember it was dark and scarred up, said Mumm. And when the refinisher brought it back it was beautiful. It was almost like it was saying, Im old but Im still useful, and I can still be beautiful. It reminds me of our church building  useful and still beautiful.

When the church opened its doors in 1923, there were 800 members. Now there are 175.

Were struggling and were fully aware of that  as are all churches today, said Feltman. While concerned about the future, he also celebrates the dedication and faithfulness of parishioners. There is genuine caring here and I appreciate so much that people know and love each other.

The facility is regularly used for groups such as Scouts and is home to such entities as the North End Cultural Center. The service- and mission-oriented mindset of its congregation is reflected in the churchs history in starting Synodical Presbyterian Hospital and Westminster Presbyterian Church. Cedar Valley Hospice, House of Hope and Northeast Iowa Food Bank are among organizations that can trace their beginnings to the congregation.

Five Cedar Valley churches partner each Sunday to provide Sunday Night Suppers, a free community meal. It is prepared and served at First Presbyterian and volunteers from all the churches fill shifts to prepare and serve the weekly meals.

The church is an active partner with the Walnut Neighborhood Association and LINK ministries, which is connected to the Christian Community Development Association.

Photos: Europes sacred sites draw record crowds of tourists
WATERLOO  A call was made to prioritize public education in Iowa and support school board candidates who feel its important.

Waterloo Councilmember Ray Feuss led the main program at the Black Hawk County Democratic Partys first-ever chili supper fundraiser Thursday at the Local 838 UAW Hall.

He spoke about the importance of public education and how he and other Democrats believe its been under attack for a while, even before the laws adopted this year by the Legislature.

Those included a school voucher bill, giving taxpayer dollars to parents to help pay for their kids private K-12 education, and a bill placing restrictions on LGBTQ topics and school library books. The laws were supported by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Republican legislative majority.

State Education Association Executive Director Mary Jane Cobb was originally supposed to speak but became ill and couldnt make it. The keynote remarks instead came from Feuss, a director for the Iowa State Education Association and a former elementary school teacher.

Those whove sought to dismantle public education have begun to run in elections that have had low turnout and theyve systematically taken over school boards in which public participation is low, he said.

Feuss noted wanting to support people who believe in preserving public education and listening to the teachers in the classroom. He brought up the ousting of former Cedar Falls school board member Jeff Orvis in 2021 because of the conservative swing. Hes on the ballot again this November.

About 100 people were in attendance. A number wore the partys new people over politics shirts. Waterloo Councilmember Nia Wilders chili received the most votes.

We need more young people but well keep working at it, said Melodie Cummings, a retired Waterloo elementary and middle school teacher. But Ray is right about education. We cant let tax money go to private education. And a lot of people dont know whats going on. Even the small towns.

The Black Hawk County party has at least 50 active members, according to Chair Vikki Brown. The partys largest fundraiser is slated for May when it hosts its Hall of Fame event to honor those who dedicated significant time and service to the party.

Here in Black Haw County, I feel like the party is united but there is some concern about the party outside the county and outside the state. Some are sick and tired of whats going on and we need to remember that were all Democrats, said Brown.

The event was a success and the money goes toward helping our candidates win at election time, she added.

The party offered any candidates the chance to speak and address the party. Waterloo Councilmember Belinda Creighton-Smith spoke. She is seeking reelection in Ward 4 this November after a win during a special election earlier this year.

Paul Dahl of Webster City, who has ties to Waterloo and La Porte City, also gave remarks. Hes planning a run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2026.

The Black Hawk County Democrats have an office at 307 E. Fourth St. open every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
CEDAR FALLS  A cordial mayoral debate Wednesday saw two Cedar Falls candidates give their views on their vision for the future, how they will go about communicating with residents and the role of the mayor.

Danny Laudick, 35, a community and business development professional, and Walter Burtis, 33, owner of The Brass Tap, answered questions developed through community input at an event led by Northern Iowa Student Government, Women of Action, Cedar Valley Activate, and the Cedar Falls-Waterloo Branch of the American Association of University Women.

Laudick said Cedar Falls future centers on providing quality of life amenities often seen in larger cities while maintaining its small town charm. Cedar Falls needs the leadership to create a vision with residents and then work with city staff to execute it.

Having grown up here, we used to have really strong leadership that knew how to work together, find consensus  we didnt agree on everything, you never do, but you found the 80% you agreed on and moved forward with it and worked on the 20% you dont, he said.

Burtis also highlighted Cedar Falls as the quaint and beautiful area for your family to be raised. Maintaining its identity while seeing growth is important. But its necessary to pinpoint areas that need attention and get everyone on the same page.

I think we have to do a better job in listening to our residents as well as finding ways to make the city more efficient, he said.

Any lack of progress is due to a true disconnect between what City Council is looking for or the direction theyre trying to go and what the city staff is presenting or being told to do.

I think we have to be able to hold ourselves accountable as elected officials, but also the city staff, said Burtis. I think we have to have metrics in place to be able to achieve, and it starts with creating an appropriate foundation and building upon that.

Laudick said it comes down to one word: trust.

Theres an old saying that business moves at the speed of trust. If you dont trust the people youre working with, if you dont have a good relationship there, if youre not able to give them the benefit of the doubt in a situation where youre unsure about their reasoning for something, its really hard to move forward and make progress, he said.

Laudick said the mayor should talk with everyone, not just the people he or she agrees with, with the end goal being consensus and addressing disagreements.

Both candidates were asked how they would inspire the volunteerism needed for a thriving community. Laudick said the elected officials need to get out in the community living the same issues and being representative of what we hope to see.

He its not just the mayor who must be involved  its people running businesses, organizing events. They volunteer for things, they help out their neighbors when they need it.

Burtis pinpointed the volunteerism seen downtown, but noted the entire city is deserving of such efforts.

I think we need to find ways to strengthen the volunteer base and in doing so, provide attention not only on the downtown district, he said.

Photos: Police find at least 115 bodies at Colorado 'green' funeral home
WATERLOO  Thousands came out on Saturday to see former president and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump as he made a campaign stop at the National Cattle Congress grounds.

Its one of a slew of stops Trump has made in the state leading up to the Iowa caucuses in January, including one in Cedar Rapids the same day. Trump used the opportunity to address his supporters.

Things are not the same as they were just three years ago when you take a look. They werent ever as good and now they are really, probably maybe the worst weve ever seen in terms of our country, Trump said. You need to get every patriot you know and make sure that theyre registered  and get them out to vote and get them to go to their local precinct caucus meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 15.

Urging his supporters to vote, he likened the election to going to war with some very evil people.

We are not going to have a country left if we dont win this election, Trump said. And I used to say that about 2016  this is the most important election, and I meant it. This is now the most important election.

Trump touched on a variety of topics, speaking about immigration, the economy, the war in Ukraine and the recent terrorist attacks in Israel. He also talked about his legal troubles.

Now the nice part about my indictments is theyve driven us up because they realize theyre fake and phony, he said.

Im the only person that ever got indicted whose poll numbers shot up through the roof, he boasted.

The rally was organized by the Republicans of Black Hawk County. Committee member April Melton said shes been making calls since May and found out last Friday that Trump would stop in Waterloo.

Its fantastic to see all of my friends and my local community members come out and support a former president and the frontrunner of the 2024 election, Melton said.

The majority of those in attendance were local, including Nira Achey from Waterloo. A retiree, Achey worked at Hy-Vee until recently to supplement her income. She said that is one of her main reasons for supporting Trump.

Im tired of the economy. Im tired of all the freebies people get, Achey said. Im 78 years old, still working and theres something wrong with this picture.

Another local supporter who waited in line to see the former president was Kevin Wolfe. Wolfe said he was always a fan of Trump the celebrity but only voted for him in 2016 out of opposition to Hillary Clinton. He became a supporter after seeing him in office.

Hes the best president weve ever had and Im hoping to see him back in office, Wolfe said, or at least someone with the same kind of ideals as him.

The event attracted people from outside the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area, as well. Friends Nicole Nosbische and Connie Dianda were among them.

Nosbische came from Clear Lake. Born with her right side weaker than her left, she said Trumps policies had been beneficial to those with medical disadvantages. This included the 2018 Right to Try Act, which allows terminal patients to try new procedures before they are fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Nosbische also credits Trump with awakening her interest in politics, saying he inspired her to potentially run for office.

We need a voice. Thats why I want to run for office  to inspire people like myself, Nosbische said. Because some dont have a voice or dont know how to vote because they never got taught.

Dianda came out from Mason City, where shes running for the school board. Having spent time living in California, she said she was appreciative of the Iowa caucuses being the first in the nation.

Hes the greatest president that weve had in the history of the United States, barring Lincoln perhaps, Dianda said. So Im just so happy and proud that hes running again.

Dianda also denounced the legal issues Trump has faced in recent months.

And its just a crime what theyre doing, she said. Its just election interference is what theyre doing.

In addition to being the venue for Trumps rally, the National Cattle Congress was the holding site for nearly 400 undocumented immigrants taken into custody during the Agriprocessors raid in Postville. The 2008 raid, carried out during the George W. Bush Administration, was the largest workplace U.S. immigration raid in U.S. history up to that point. Around 300 of those detained received jail sentences and were deported.

Several Agriprocessors managers  including chief executive officer Sholom Rubashkin  also went to prison. Rubashkin received a 27-year sentence after being convicted on 86 counts of financial crimes. Seventy two immigration charges were dropped after his financial fraud convictions.

In 2017, Trump commuted Rubashkins prison sentence after eight years served.

Photos: Former President Donald Trump speaks at Commit to Caucus event in Waterloo Trump 1 Trump 2 Trump 3 Trump 4 Trump 5 Trump 6 Trump 7 Trump 8 Trump 9 Trump 10 Trump 11 Trump 12 Trump 13 Trump 14 Trump 15 Trump 16 Trump 17 Trump 18 Trump 19 Trump 20 Trump 21 Trump 22 Trump 23
Homeownership lets you build equity, put down roots, and make a place your own. But in recent years, achieving this part of the American dream has become much more difficult.

Adjusting for inflation, the cost of a newly constructed single-family home in 2022 was over 2 1/2 times more expensive than in the 1960s. So for young adults in their mid-20san age when many people think they should buy a homethe goal might seem out of reach. The actual average age of a first-time home buyer in 2022 was 36, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a new, single-family home for the last 60 years to illustrate how home prices have grown. Using Census Bureau data, we analyzed the median list price for a newly constructed home from 1963 to 2021 and the Consumer Price Index to calculate each year's absolute and inflation-adjusted prices.

The basis of the Census Bureau data is new constructions, which are often more expensive than existing homes. The list price includes both the house and the land. This story does not include houses built for rent, those built by the owner, or ones by a general contractor on the owner's land.

It's true that location plays a role in home prices. For example, homes in the Northeast and West have always generally been higher than the rest of the country. But the data still shows that average prices have grown substantially over time.

Check out the cost of buying a home the year you turned 25.
The outbreak of fighting between Hamas and Israel on the 50th anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur War is an event that could have been expected. This is what Washington and its allies had to do. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been going on for decades. And the US is a key player there.

But instead of actively working on a Palestinian-Israeli settlement, these idiots got in on us and are helping the neo-Nazis with all their might, pushing two close nations into conflict.

What can stop Americas manic passion for sparking conflicts everywhere on the planet?

Apparently, only a civil war in the United States.

Medvedev
The family of the deceased, identified as Charlene Wimbush who died at 43, filed a case against a NYC funeral home. Relatives say that her body was taken without permission and soon after, several actions were done to the body to make its condition worse.

Body snatchers

Owens Funeral Home, which took the body a week ago, is owned by Isiah Owens. According to the story, Owens went and got the body from the New York Medical Examiner's Office without any documents or permission from Wimbush's relatives, reported NY Daily News. As far as the family was concerned the funeral home had no right to get the body, but why the medical examiner allowed the body to be taken was not explained.

The details

Wimbush died at Harlem hospital on February 11, 2021, from cardiac arrest. Her relatives called Owen's Funeral Parlor because they did the final rites for the deceased parents before in New Jersey. This was what was mentioned in the Bronx Supreme Court, where the case was file by Tracy Reese and four others, who are relatives of the deceased woman.

One of the problems was Owens said he could not remember where Charlene's parents were buried. Relatives were aghast at the cold attitude towards them in a meeting and he was not amiable on a phone call, which aggravates the tense situation further. When an NYC Funeral home gets body under these circumstances, it can be considered criminal.

Read also: Stolen SUV Hearse Recovered With Body Inside After Highway Pursuit by Police

Isaiah Owens said that he hqe been in the industry for 50 years and also had a "good name" in a short interview. He asserted that he had a verbal contract with Wimbush's common-law husband, but it was hampered by the difficulty to establish her parents' gravesite. He alluded to the suit as a "complete farce.", noted by Yahoo News.

In the end, the family ended the negotiations with the parlor and decided on an alternative venue but not Owen's. On February 23, the parlor operator called the family and said he got their relative's remains from the NYC coroner's office. He added that the body had been embalmed already by his technicians.

A statement from the case said that the relatives had not allowed Owens or Owens Funeral Home to touch the remains of Wimbush, which is the main complaint in the lawsuit.

Closed casket required

Many relatives were distressed at what happened to Wimbush's body. One statement, from the suit, said she was not fit for an open casket funeral.

According to a report, the Owens Funeral Home has been taking bodies from the coroner's office without permission. This new lawsuit mentions that in 2013, the funeral parlor operator had done the same thing to another family and it was documented too.

Kin of James Turner filed a case for the situation where an NYC Funeral home gets body without permission. The owner confessed that of the 400 final rites services done in 2011, more than 200 had no permission said the court. Eric Rothstein, an attorney for the Wimbush family said, noted sNewsi," "Owens Funeral Home's conduct is reprehensible, and it makes them appear like body snatchers, previously having been held culpable for the same thing."

Related article: Woman Revived from Death? Funeral Home Staff Shocked After Woman Wakes Up Seconds Before Getting Embalmed

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 Top News Today

Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Sergei Shoigu has inspected the progress of fulfiling the state defence order at the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association Plant, an enterprise of the defence industry complex.

 General of the Army Sergei Shoigu has expressed condolences to Syrian Minister of Defence Major General Ali Ben Mahmoud Abbas in connection with the terrorist attack on a military college in Homs, Syria.

 The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has reported on the results of the special military operation for the period from 24 to 29 September 2023.

 In the period, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 14 group strikes by long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles at the AFU military facilities.

 Fighter aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down Su-27, Su-25, and MiG-29 of Ukrainian Air Force close to Soldatskoye (Dnepropetrovsk region), Sergeevka, Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

 Press centre chiefs of Vostok, Zapad, Tsentr, and Yug groups of forces make statements on current situation in the areas of responsibility.

The Russian Defence Ministry shows 2S31 Vena self-propelled artillery mortar systems in action in Artyomovsk direciton in the course of the special military operation.



Contract servicemen undergo combat training sessions at Voronezh training ground.

On 6 October 2023, another attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by an uncrewed surface vehicle against facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation was foiled. Moreover, Russian airspace control systems detected an aerial target approaching the State border of the Russian Federation over the Norwegian Sea.

 Logistical support units of the Russian peacekeeping forces organised thebaking of bread and its targeted delivery to local residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.

#TopNews

 Russian Defence Ministry
Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu inspects fulfilment of state defence order at the Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant defence industry enterprise in Krasnoyarsk region

The Russian Defence Minister inspected production workshops of the enterprise and the technological process of serial production of the Sarmat 5th-generation strategic missile system.

Currently, the enterprise manufactures the first supply of mass-produced missiles which will be put on combat duty as soon as possible. In a missile deployment area of a formation at the final stage construction, installation, and commissioning works are carried out on units and systems of the silo launchers and the command post.

The management of the enterprise briefed the Russian Defence Minister on fulfilment of contracts for the production of the Sarmat strategic missile system, and the Minister focused the attention of the companys management on that issue. To implement directives of the President of the Russan Federation the promising Sarmat strategic missile complex is being put on combat duty. The re-equipment of Strategic Missile Forces for this complex which will become the basis of the ground grouping of Russias Strategic Nuclear Forces is a priority in ensuring the countrys defence capability. Currently, the task of equipping the first missile regiment with the Sarmat complex at the main Russian Strategic Missile Forces facility is being solved said Russian Defence Minister.

In turn, the CEO of JSC Krasmash reported on expansion of the production capacity of the enterprise, introduction of modern technological equipment, and imminent commissioning of a new production building of the mechanical processing plant with an area of 18,000 square meters for 300 workplaces equipped according to the modern standards.

 Russian Defence Ministry

WtR
A 19-year-old Winona man was arrested Thursday after police say he fired one or two shots Sept. 23 on the 900 block of West Seventh Street.

At about 11 a.m. Thursday, Salvatore Donato Piscitiello was taken into custody by the Winona Police Department and was referred for charges of felony possession of a firearm with an altered serial number and felony reckless discharge of a firearm.

On Sept. 23, residents in the area of the 900 block of West Seventh Street reported hearing gun shots and a verbal argument outside, according to the Winona Police Department.

When officers arrived, a minivan leaving the scene was pulled over by police. Six people, including Piscitiello, were identified in the vehicle, all of whom police said were involved in the incident.

Police reported one of the women in the vehicle had been involved in a physical altercation outside with a woman from a residence in the area, resulting in minor injuries.

During the altercation, a SIG Sauer .45 caliber pistol was fired into the air. The loaded pistol, which had its serial number ground off, was located in the van and confiscated by police. At the time, none of the van's occupants admitted to firing it.

One spent shell casing was located in a nearby front yard.

No one was injured due to the fired shots, but police report a vehicle in the area may have been dented by a ricocheted bullet.

Police said Friday that after speaking with people involved and examining evidence at the scene, officers learned Piscitiello owned the gun and fired the shots.

According to police, Piscitiello made potentially incriminating statements during the investigation.

Nobody else involved in the incident has been charged as of Friday morning, but more charges could be made.
Winona Area Public Schools elementary students may have a shorter school year than originally planned.

Because of the second phase of the district's heating and air conditioning project at Jefferson and Washington-Kosciusko elementaries needing an extended construction timeline over the summer, the district's board of education has been presented with the option to shorten all three elementary schools' school calendar by one week.

If approved as proposed later this month, the school year for early childhood through fourth grade students would end May 30, instead of the originally planned end date of June 6.

School schedules for older students would not change.

As part of the proposal, Goodview Elementary would be used to offer the districts child care program Key Kids exclusively to Winona Area Public Schools families during the week of June 3.

Key Kids would then move to Winona Middle School and be opened to the general public's children for its normal summer programming.

If the school year is shortened, the calendar will still meet the state's required instructional hours and days for the students.

District superintendent Brad Berzinski confirmed to the board also that, even if there are necessary snow days that would lower the amount of instructional days further, the district would not be penalized by the Minnesota Department of Education.

Elementary staff would continue work during the week of June 3 but will be in different work spaces.

Berzinski said the district has been aware since at least July that an extended construction timeline was needed for the summer of 2024.

Berzinski shared with the board Thursday that the 2024-25 school year for all students in the district may additionally include a one-week delayed start to help accommodate the construction.

The calendar committee will examine the best ways to potentially make up for those days later in the 2024-25 school year.

The potential adjustment to the elementary schools' current school year calendar is expected to be voted on Oct. 17 during the board's regular meeting.
Kraft Heinz  Beaver Dam celebrated its 95th year in Beaver Dam on Friday on what is also National Manufacturing Day.

Manufacturing is Wisconsins largest industry contributing to one in six workers in the state, according to WisBusiness.

Beaver Dam Mayor Becky Glewen spoke at the plant on Friday and declared Friday as Kraft-Heinz 95th Anniversary Day in Beaver Dam. The factory has been in Beaver Dam since 1928. Kraft and merged with Heinz in 2015.

The Beaver Dam facility has been a long-standing employer and is currently employing 230 people, Glewen said. The Beaver Dam facility makes award-winning Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and this year Kraft Heinz will celebrate its 95th year of making Philadelphia Cream Cheese in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Lois Cook has worked at Kraft since 1978.

Its changed a lot but it is still the same very, very good place to work as it has been, Cook said. One blessing after another for me ever since I started here.

Terry Schmitt, who has been in the maintenance department of Kraft for 36 years, has also enjoyed his time at Kraft Heinz and has loved watching the growth of the plant.

A new intake  where the milk is brought into the building  that was put up was probably the biggest one, Schmitt said. That was about 15 years ago.

Gary Livingston has worked at the factory for 29 years and followed in the footsteps of his mother, who worked there before he did.

My boys worked here temporary during the summers while they were going to school, Livingston said. Its been great to me, and I think it has been great to Beaver Dam.

The general manager for the Kraft Heinz plant in Beaver Dam, Michelle Terwilliger, said the factory is adding a new brick line in 2024.

We will be under construction starting in January and expect the new line to start up in October, so we will be staffing up for that, Terwilliger said. Some big changes internally for us. We will be able to make one-third more of the brick cream cheese, which is about 150,000 pounds per week.

The factory currently does about 5 million pounds of cream cheese a week and has the capability for 7 million pounds.

Bill Palm, the director of supply development for Kraft Heinz Corporate, also attended the celebration.

This plant is the foundation of our Philadelphia Cream Cheese business, Palm said. Without it, we could not support the business structure for the company. They do roughly 50 percent of all our cream cheese that supports the network.

The other plant that makes Philadelphia Cream Cheese is in New York, Palm said.
Two Portage organizations received a helpful visit Thursday from a group of Chicago charter school students who are all about service in their sophomore year.

Students from the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools visited Portages River Haven Homeless Shelter and Habitat for Humanity of Wisconsin River Area ReStore as a way of meeting their 40-hour community service requirement, said Shauna Anderson, sophomore class adviser and high school math teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.

The focus every year for our sophomore class is service, said Anderson. So this retreat kicks off the service that our students have to do for the year.

Each year, students at the school receive a list of potential locations in need of help in the Dane County area. The students are then tasked with ranking the sites in order of interest, which is how the two Portage locations were chosen, school officials said.

Our students felt it was really important to help the unhoused, said Anderson. So they were looking forward to coming (to River Haven) and doing whatever was necessary to help.

The charter school from Chicago is a private educational preschool and K-12 system that is affiliated with the University of Chicago in Illinois. Almost half of the students enrolled at the school have parents who are faculty or staff at the university.

All of this is so cool, said Angie Braddock, executive director and case manager for River Haven Homeless Shelter. I wanted this building to be welcoming for people, so it all needed a facelift and a refreshing. To have the students combined with the volunteer pull (from the community) is really cool.

Projects completed at the homeless shelter by students and community volunteers, Bob Van Derhyden, Denise Cada, Annette Hart, Laurie Sumwalt, and Kasey Fragoso, included interior painting, landscaping and the sorting of donated goods.

The second location the Chicago charter school students voted to visit was the ReStore building in Portage. Students at the site had the opportunity to demolish and break their way through old, unusable pieces of furniture headed for the garbage, along with pulling nails out of old deck boards.

The students who seemed to be having the most fun at the ReStore site were those smashing old furniture with a sledgehammer and axe, said Alyssa Steinbach, manager of the Habitat for Humanity of Wisconsin River Area ReStore building.

Other projects at the ReStore site included organizing books, sorting housewares, washing windows, sweeping and paint removal.
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An Israeli tank deploys between houses in the Israeli town of Metal, as seen from the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Kfar Kila, Lebanon, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Israel's military battled to drive Hamas fighters out of southern towns and seal its borders Monday, as it pounded the Gaza Strip from the air and mustered for a campaign its prime minister said would destroy "the military and governing capabilities" of the militant group. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Palestinians search for bodies and survivors in the rubble of a residential building leveled in an Israeli airstrike, in Al Shati refugee camp Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. As Israel escalates its war on Hamas, it will confront many of the same dilemmas it has grappled with over decades of conflict with the Palestinians. It will want to punish Hamas like never before, but without killing so many Palestinian civilians that it loses international support. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
(Photo : NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)

As international health experts expected 2.1 million COVID-19 deaths in the following months, China's funeral homes and hospitals have reported being swamped.



As China struggles with a tidal wave of new COVID-19 infections, its funeral homes are the latest business to come under pressure.

Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that one funeral home in Shanghai, which handles five times more bodies each day than usual, is providing families only five to ten minutes to grieve the deceased in a simple manner.

China's COVID-19 Chaos

The Longhua Funeral Home placed remains on stretchers so that mourners could quickly pay their respects before being escorted away, according to the publication. Currently, the entire system is immobilized, a Longhua staffer told Bloomberg.

People on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, shared footage showing lengthy lineups in front of the funeral home, with one user claiming that at least thirty people had begun lining up at 2:00 a.m. on December 27.

Due to the increased demand for funeral services, individuals have begun to line up outside crematoriums to sell their spaces at inflated rates. Local police detained 20 scalpers "without the requirement for burial services" and death certificates on December 29 at Baoxing Funeral Parlor in Shanghai, according to the city's public security department on December 30.

Even in Beijing, public services have been under a tremendous amount of stress for weeks. Health officials reported on December 11 that emergency services were inundated with more than 30,000 calls per day.

Chen Zhi, head physician at the Beijing Emergency Medical Center, appealed to locals to phone medical hotlines only if they were experiencing a life-threatening illness. According to the Beijing Daily, he stated that current resources for handling emergency calls and deploying ambulances are extremely limited.

The unknown is the real number of COVID-19 deaths in China since its quick openness. The central government excludes individuals with other pre-existing conditions from its official COVID-19 death toll and only includes fatalities from pneumonia or respiratory failure.

Since December 6, when President Xi Jinping's government announced an unexpected pullback of its zero-COVID policy, official reports from the country's National Health Commission have only acknowledged six new coronavirus-related deaths.

The official death toll for the whole pandemic, beginning in 2019, was at 5,241 as of the most recent report on December 24, 2022. Amid a rush of new cases, the commission stated on Christmas Day that it would no longer offer daily updates to its coronavirus data.

Data businesses in other parts of the globe estimate that China's death toll might approach millions within a few months. Airfinity, a UK-based health data organization, projected that 9,000 people per day were dying in China from COVID-19 and expected a cumulative death toll of 1.7 million from the reopening until April.

Another analytical business, Wigram Capital Advisors of Auckland, predicted that one million Chinese will perish from COVID throughout the winter. During the first 20 days of December, Chinese officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 250 million individuals were infected with COVID-19.

The Financial Times reported, citing two individuals with knowledge of the situation. If accurate, these figures contradict the government's most recent official estimate of 348 thousand illnesses.

Read Also: Australia Helicopter Collision: 2 British Newly Wed Among 4 Who Died During Mid-Day Incident on Holiday

WHO Claims China Underpresents Severity of COVID-19 Cases

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has accused China of "underrepresenting" the severity of its COVID-19 outbreak and questioned its "limited" definition of what constitutes a Covid fatality, while top global health authorities have urged Beijing to disclose more information about the explosive spread.

The WHO Executive Director for Health Emergencies elaborates. In terms of hospital admissions, ICU admissions, and deaths, according to Mike Ryan, China's existing statistics "underrepresent the full effect of the disease."

He admitted that several nations have experienced delays in reporting hospital data, but cited China's "limited" definition of a COVID-19 death as a contributing factor, CNN reported.

Only those COVID-19 patients who died from respiratory failure are recorded as having died from COVID-19. According to data posted on the website of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in the two weeks preceding January 4, China reported fewer than 20 deaths from local COVID-19 cases.

Related Article: China Aims To Build Territory on Moon Amid Space Race, NASA Chief Warns

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The following is a press release from the US Justice Department regarding the indictment of former US Army Sergeant Joseph Daniel Schmidt.

Defendant Arrested Upon Arrival in San Francisco on Flight from Hong Kong

A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last duty post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in western Washington was arrested today on an indictment charging him with two federal felonies: attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, will appear in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California later today and will be brought to the Western District of Washington for further court proceedings.

"Individuals entrusted with national defense information have a continuing duty to protect that information beyond their government service and certainly beyond our borders," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. "The National Security Division is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who violate that duty."

"Members of our military take a sworn oath to defend our country and the Constitution. In that context, the alleged actions of this former military member are shocking - not only attempting to provide national defense information, but also information that would assist a foreign adversary to gain access to Department of Defense secure computer networks," said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. "I commend the FBI for their diligent work to end his alleged efforts to betray our country."

Read Also: Former Husband and Wife Real Estate Investment Team Indicted for $2.25 Million Fraud Scheme

According to records filed in the case, Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020. His primary assignment was at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information. After his separation from the military, Schmidt allegedly reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email offering information about national defense information.

In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong and allegedly continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information he obtained from his military service. He allegedly retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to Chinese authorities to assist them in efforts to gain access to such networks.

Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until this week when he scheduled to fly to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport.

Attempts to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg for the Western District of Washington and Deputy Chief Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related Article: FBI Highlights Online Safety Tips During Cybersecurity Awareness Month

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Tri-Star Pictures Movie

Filmmaker Scott Derrickson gets candid about the long overdue 'Labyrinth' sequel which seems to be in limbo since he was confirmed to sit behind the lens for the project in 2020.

Oct 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - Scott Derrickson has no idea what's happening with the "Labyrinth" sequel. The "Doctor Strange" filmmaker was enlisted to be helming the fantasy back in 2020 after Fede Alvarez - who had signed up in 2017 - dropped out, but he admitted a script for the film still hasn't been finalised.

"I don't know what's happening with that. We never got the script all the way to a place where the studio wanted to make it, but I was very proud of the work that we did on it. And it's a hard, hard project to turn into something commercially viable, because it's so imaginative and surreal that there's no way that it can be done cheaply," he told ComicBook.com.

"And at the same time, it's so daring and different that it is a tough movie for a studio to feel competent that it has enough commercial value to earn a profit. So I think that it's a tough nut to crack, but all I can tell you is I'm very proud of the work that we did on it. We certainly had a great film in mind."

Scott teased there was a "really cool idea" on how the sequel would address the Goblin King, who was played by the late David Bowie in the original 1986 film. He said, "Because the project is still in development, I probably shouldn't say. Because I think we had a really cool idea, but I don't want to blow that in case the movie does get made."

Original star Jennifer Connelly previously told Collider in 2021 she had "had conversations" about being part of the sequel but "wasn't "really sure where that's going to land." Jim Henson's original film followed teenager Sarah (Connelly) as she embarked on a quest to rescue her baby brother Toby after he is kidnapped by Goblin King Jareth.

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Despite being ineligible to run for the Oval Office because he was born in Austria, the 'Terminator' actor insists he would have made a great commander-in-chief in the U.S.

Oct 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - Arnold Schwarzenegger believes he could've been a "great" US President. The 76-year-old actor became the Governor of California from 2003 until 2011 and, although he's not eligible to run for the White House, Schwarzenegger believes he could've done a very good job.

"I think that I would've made a great president. I think that I have the energy and the will to bring people together," the Hollywood star - who isn't eligible for the role because he was born in Austria - told Howard Stern.

Despite this, Schwarzenegger doesn't harbour any bitterness, acknowledging that America has given him so many opportunities in life. He explained, "I felt like everything I've accomplished in my life - [the] bodybuilding career, the movie career, becoming Governor, setting up my Schwarzenegger Institute, all this stuff, the millions of dollars I made and everything - it's all because of America. So, why would I complain about the one thing I can't do?"

Schwarzenegger recently claimed that he was "made in America." The actor confessed that he's not a "self-made man" and that he has lots of people to thank for his success.

Schwarzenegger - who was born in Austria but moved to the US to pursue a career in bodybuilding - told Interview magazine, "I always said you can call me anything you want, but don't call me a self-made man, because I'm not. Who made me? We can say god, or we can say my mother and my father."

Schwarzenegger acknowledges that America has given him an opportunity to transform his life. He said, "I'm the last one to say, 'I'm a self-made man.' I would say I was born in Austria, made in America."

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In a lawsuit, Tran Dang, who was initially cast to appear in season 5 of the show, accuses the production company behind the show of assault, false imprisonment and negligence.

Oct 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - "Love Is Blind" creator Chris Coelen has responded to a lawsuit by a former contestant named Tran Dang who accused the production company behind the show of assault, false imprisonment and negligence. In a statement to PEOPLE, Coelen claimed that he was never made aware of such an incident on the set of the Netflix series.

Coelen stated that he supports people who came forward about sexual assault. However, he insisted that production was "never told that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made."

"If anybody ever came to us and said they felt unsafe in any way, we would immediately remove them from the experiment and talk to them, and try to get to the bottom of it," he told the publication. "Unfortunately, in this case, that kind of sentiment was never addressed to us in any way, nor was any alleged wrongdoing brought to our attention ever."

"She did not make any kind of claim of assault of any kind," he added. "We would not continue filming with someone who was expressing that an incident of that sort had happened. We have round-the-clock psychologists, a highly trained production team, we have a whole battalion of people who's job it is to make sure that we prioritize our participant's well-being. But the participant has to be actively involved in that process."

Additionally, Coelen commented on Dang's false imprisonment claim, calling it "preposterous." The creator pointed out that cast members are always allowed to exit the show like Aaliyah Cosby, Taylor Rue and Jared Pierce a.k.a. JP did this season.

"The participants are not under our control. They are living their lives. We come in, we film them for a period of time, we leave. They can leave - as many, many, many people have before - anytime they want," Coelen noted.

He further argued, "And we are not filming around the clock. We are not mounting cameras in their personal living spaces. We don't do that. We're like a documentary. They are alone during periods of times, they are not under surveillance. We do not tell people what to say, what to do, we consistently tell people that this is their journey, this is their life to lead as they choose. We're there to follow it."

Coelen also denied allegations that the production pushed alcohol to the cast during filming. "Those allegations are 100 percent false and defamatory. It's not true in any way ... we don't push alcohol. Everyone has consistent and regular access to food and water," he said.

"In the pods, they're on a 68,000-square-foot sound stage, where it's dark, there's a lot of people, there's a lot of equipment, and even for me, it's very confusing to get around from place to place," he went on saying. "Because of that, and because we want to protect the integrity of the experiment, we do not want them wandering around by themselves, and wandering over into [the other sex's] living quarters, because sometimes people are tempted to do that - we want to avoid that."

He further explained, "So if they need to go to the bathroom, they tell us and we have someone escort them to the bathroom. That is how it works in the pods. When they are out of the pods, they can go to the bathroom whenever they want."



Coelen also claimed in his statement that "we will vigorously defend ourselves." While showing support for people coming forward with sexual harassment allegations, he noted that "her allegations against us are completely meritless."

Kinetic Content, LLC and Delirium TV, LLC also spoke out against the allegations in a joint statement, which read, "We support and stand with victims of sexual assault, but Ms. Dang's claims against the producers are meritless. We document the independent choices of adults who volunteer to participate in a social experiment. Their journey is not scripted, nor is it filmed around the clock. We have no knowledge or control over what occurs in private living spaces when not filming, and participants may choose to end their journey at any time."

The statement continued, "We take any and all concerns of our participants seriously and prioritize their well-being. Obviously, we cannot address undisclosed concerns, and throughout the time that Ms. Dang was involved in the production of Love is Blind, she never informed the producers of any alleged wrongdoing of any kind. Nor did she choose to end her participation in the experiment. Instead, Ms. Dang continued in the experiment for weeks after the time her lawyers now claim an incident occurred. We deny and will vigorously defend the allegations against us."

In her lawsuit, Dang alleged that she was "aggressively recruited" by Kinetic's casting team to appear in season 5. She eventually agreed to join the show despite not seeking involvement. She also got engaged to fellow participant Thomas Smith, who sexually assaulted her on May 3, 2022 after they flew to Mexico while filming was ongoing.

"Smith, and without Ms. Dang's consent, forcefully groped her, exposed himself in the nude, and repeatedly made sexual contact over her express objections," the complaint read. It also added that "because of [Kinetic Content and Delirium TV's] 24-hour surveillance of cast members, most, if not all, of these traumatic acts were likely captured on film."

Dang claimed in the complaint that as she's "not a very assertive person," she "was baffled that no one had intervened to stop the harassment." When she decided to report the incident, an assistant producer "gaslighted her, implying that she was at fault for what had happened with Thomas Smith by not communicating effectively or somehow not taking the 'relationship' seriously."

Dang also alleged that Thomas harassed her during a May 14 phone call in Houston. He also complained to producers about Dang reporting his behavior. Dang eventually decided to quit the show after attempting to notify producers about her experience. However, she was then told to film a "final scene" where she was fed lines by producers. That prompted Dang to consult with an attorney "after this horrific experience."

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Meanwhile, the rapper's ex Julia Fox claims that the Yeezy designer treated her like 'his little puppet' and 'weaponized' her against the former star of 'Keeping Up with the Kardashian'.

Oct 7, 2023

AceShowbiz - Kanye West is legally married to Bianca Censori. The hip-hop star and the 28-year-old architect wed under a confidential marriage license in December, but their union wasn't made public at the time and speculation has swirled for months about their relationship status.

Over recent months, it's been widely speculated that the celebrity couple aren't actually legally married. However, the news outlet has now revealed that the 46-year-old rap star and Bianca tied the knot in Palo Alto, California, on December 10, 2022, one month after he finalized his divorce from Kim Kardashian.

A source told DailyMail.com, "They are besotted with each other. I can assure you they are very much married."

The rap star and Bianca have been determined to keep their romance low-key. The insider shared, "Ye has been a megastar for two decades and counting, and his first marriage was to someone who lives almost full time in front of a camera."

"Bianca and Ye have a totally different vibe. They are very private, very affectionate and totally devoted to each other. I think they both enjoy carving out time that's just for them," the source continued. "For that reason they've been extremely hush-hush about the specifics of their wedding day. I don't think anyone besides the pair of them know exactly how it went down."

Meanwhile, Julia Fox recently accused Kanye of weaponizing her against Kim. The actress dated Kanye after he split from the brunette beauty, but Julia was left feeling like "his little puppet." Julia told the Los Angeles Times newspaper, "I learned very quickly that I was being weaponized. I just felt like his little puppet."

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Khloe insists wearing a waist bag is convenient when doing school run with her daughter True Thompson and jokingly assures her critics that 'everything's gonna be OK.'

Oct 8, 2023

AceShowbiz - Khloe Kardashian has defended her decision to wear a "fanny pack." The 39-year-old reality star has reacted after some fans didn't seem to approve of the fashion choice, and she has insisted the accessory is "just convenient for carpool" when it comes to picking up daughter True, five, from school.

"For those of you who love to remind me about the fanny pack situation I don't need the reminder. I'm gonna go do school carpool and a fanny pack is just convenient for carpool, OK?" she joked in an Instagram Story.

She teasingly flashed the peace sign and insisted everything would "be ok" whether she wore the accessory or not. She quipped, "I get it. I love you guys. Everything's gonna be OK. Fanny pack or not, everything's gonna be OK."

Last month, Khloe unveiled her Fabletics collaboration after teaming up with the brand on a new activewear collection under the name The Khloe Edit. At the time, she explained how she is more inspired to work out at the gym if she's feeling "really cute."

She told Vogue magazine, "If I feel really cute in the gym, it really makes me want to go and work out. So I do think investing in good workout clothes motivates you."

And while she has defended her fanny pack, she did open up to the publication about some of her style regrets. She said, "Anything from when the neon-colored jeans were in. And why was I wearing these or fringe sandals? I don't even like sandals like that."

"But when the boho style was thriving, I would be like, I want to wear that too, just because everyone was wearing them. But I'm not the boho girl, and I think you just have to know some trends are cute, but they're just not for you."

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Over the years, while styles, trends, and attitudes have changed in West Bengal, one thing has remained constantthe spirit of celebration. Through these decades, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has been an integral part of Durga Pujo celebrations and proudly maintains its status of being Kolkata's most esteemed Pujo Awards since 1985. It has not only led the transformation of pandals from simple setups to vibrant centers of art, culture, and creativity but has also gone behind the scenes to recognize and celebrate the individuals who contribute to making Durga Puja memorable for all. As a tribute to the dedicated people and pandals that have been part of Sharad Shamman for nearly four decades, Asian Paints has released a heartfelt TVC.

Beyond the extravagant pandals and the radiant lights, there exists an unseen army of individuals who labour tirelessly, often unnoticed but never unfelt. They are the unsung heroes of the festivities, the backbone of Pujo. This year, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman pays homage to these unsung heroes who meticulously attend to every detail, from crafting pandal decorations to rearranging furniture, ensuring that every aspect of the festival is perfect. Their ad film is a musical tribute to the resourceful neighbourhood individuals who breathe life into the Sharodiya by simply being a part of it.

Created by Ogilvy, the TVC takes viewers through the lesser-explored alleys of festive Kolkata. It sheds light on the labours of love that ultimately culminate in the grandeur and captivating experiences of Durga Pujo. Unlike the well-known pageantry of Pujo, the TVC focuses on the preparations that build up to it which is where the true essence of the festival resides  in the anticipation and fervour of Agomoni. The ad film offers glimpses of small, heartfelt moments  neighbourhood uncles guiding pandal builders to their designated spots, young girls lending a hand with decorations, and a differently-abled woman using her feet to paint alpona on the ground. It also showcases a group of artistic boys and girls painting a mural of Durga on a wall. Each frame is filled with warmth and camaraderie, highlighting themes of inclusion and acceptance.

Speaking about the film, Amit Syngle, MD & CEO of Asian Paints Limited, shared, "Asian Paints Sharad Shamman stands tall almost four decades on due to efforts of countless artists, sculptors, devoted committee members & communities or paras at large who work diligently to make their para-pujos special and grand. We at Asian Paints are happy to have infused thematic excellence into Kolkata Pujos & championed the cause over years. The love that we have got from the people of Kolkata is special as they fondly refer to Asian Paints Sharad Shamman as the Oscars of Pujo. Last year, this festival received global recognition when UNESCO honoured it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a milestone made possible by these heroes & paras collectively, who have worked relentlessly over decades to make their Pujos . They truly embody the heart and soul of Pujo festivities. In our 39th year of Sharad Shamman, we celebrate and pay tribute to these exceptional individuals through our heart-warming film."

Durga Pujo is the only time of the year when the art of love and the love of art become one and the same. The days leading up to the big festival transforms into a celebratory workshop of laughter, inclusivity and creativity. Boundaries dissolve and differences get resolved when Pujo comes knocking on the door. Thats what we have tried to show and celebrate through this film. It is an homage to the festivity of creativity., said Sujoy Roy, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy.
The second edition of CMOs Charcha - Bengaluru Chapter 2023, held yesterday (October 6, 2023), brought together forward-thinking marketers, industry experts, and thought leaders. Presented by NewsFirst Kannada and hosted by Adgully, CMOs Charcha - Bengaluru Chapter 2023 is more than just a conference; its a celebration of the marketing industrys innovation, resilience, and adaptability.

The theme this year was Marketers Blueprint: Embrace Automation, Inclusivity, and Sustainability. The theme reflects the current needs of the marketing industry, especially with the growing importance of automation and inclusivity in reaching diverse audiences. Innovation, of course, is always a key driver of success. The theme encapsulates the marketing industry's quest to adapt, connect, and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. Its a recognition that staying ahead in this field requires a multifaceted approach that respects the past, embraces the present, and constantly innovates for the future.

The event saw an interesting panel discussion on Harnessing the power of Data Driven Marketing, which was chaired by Siddharth Dabhade, MD, MIQ, and the esteemed panelists included:

Mukesh Ghuraiya, Chief Marketing Officer, Modi Naturals

Ashish Bajaj, CMO, Narayana Health

Amit Kumar Banka, Head - Growth Marketing, Swiggy

Saurabh Jain, President, South, Havas Media Group

Mukesh Ghuraiya noted, What exactly happens is that data driven marketing or the evolution of data driven marketing, over the traditional means of marketing, that change has happened in terms of the personalisation of the experience. If I understand my consumers more deeply  their behaviour, preferences and choices  I will be able to offer my proposition in a slightly better way and my marketing budgets and media dollars will be more efficient and work better for me. As a consumer, if I visit a coffee shop and they know the kind of coffee I prefer, they will have my loyalty for a long time, if they know that I prefer my coffee a certain way. It will be my go-to place then for sure. On the other side, as a marketer, because I come from a FMCG background, we have an olive oil or edible oil portfolio, the kind of personalisation or surrogacy cohort that we are trying to identify are people who are health conscious.

Citing Swiggys example, its Head - Growth Marketing, Amit Kumar Banka, said that it is a platform where food is the entire crux. A lot of people keep ordering on Swiggy on a daily basis, or they use the platform to buy grocery from the Instamart section of Swiggy. One of the examples where we have used a lot of data in the right manner, which has also helped us to improve the orders coming from similar set of consumers, is with respect to heuristics. For example, during the Navratri festive period, a lot of people dont eat non-vegetarian food, even though they may be a regular non-veg eater. Now as part of the entire algorithm, the kind of data pattern we take from those data set of consumers is that when we are targeting them with a specific communication of a food or to compel them to order again within that time, whether it is in the month of Shravan or Navratri, if we know that this person in the past has not ordered non-veg food, who otherwise have been ordering non-veg on a regular basis. We consciously target only vegetarian food items to them and we have seen, people love that a lot.

He added, We have started getting customised communication based on their browsing behaviour, based on their buying pattern, based on taking some of those nuances into consideration. And it has really helped the users to become more connected with Swiggy as a platform. And this has also helped us in terms of lot of cross pollination.

Coming from a healthcare background, Ashish Bajaj said, Data marketing can really be the key for the healthcare industry, it is personalised to the core. It is individual healthcare data that can be utilised in terms of setting up context, for their well being. Swiggy, Zomato have used data marketing brilliantly well. There will be more and more cohorts that keep adding to know a person better, from that point of view, definitely there is a requirement for currency change in itself, because otherwise every platform will have its own currency, or something to evaluate at. First that needs to be sorted, after that its pure play conneting it together."

Saurabh Jain shared about one of the television plans that he has worked very closely with, especially with the team and the marketing heads for a jewellery brand. Normally, television is a medium where you do not relate live data, but what we did was we mapped each and every spot with the time band, with the traffic on the website, and we said came to know which genres were working and which spot was working. We did a lot of data science in that short term effect of a spot, long term impact of a spot, and the overall results were astounding. One is a planning based on BARC and TAM, which used to happen, and here we are doing a live planning that tells me to reduce my genre wise spends of maybe a GEC by 70%. It is not coming from past data, it is coming from live data, so I love that kind of working.

These are edited excerpts. For the complete panel discussion, please watch below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epKkeK-0Qog
After the successful event last year, the second edition of CMOs Charcha - Bengaluru Chapter was held yesterday (October 6, 2023). The theme for this year was Marketers Blueprint: Embrace Automation, Inclusivity, and Sustainability. The exclusive industry event brought together forward-thinking marketers, industry experts, and thought leaders under one roof. This event serves as a platform for marketing professionals to engage in meaningful discussions, share innovative strategies, and gain insights into the ever-evolving landscape of marketing.

CMOs Charcha - Bengaluru Chapter 2023 witnessed an insightful keynote by Pradeep Kumaar (Prady), CEO, Neil Patel Digital India, who spoke on Purpose of Interactive Content in Digital Marketing.

Kumaar started his address by highlighting the purpose of interactive content. Do you know why only 25% of clicks websites get more than 15 seconds of attention? he asked, adding, People no longer read everything they come across, but rather scan information. Therefore, the content needs to be more crispier, more engaging and get audiences connected.

Speaking about the challenges, Kumaar said, Getting your audience to engage with you is one of the toughest challenges of digital marketing. According to him, the solution is to make ones audience directly interact with the content. So, passive audiences will be turning into active audiences with interactive contents. The experience they will feel will create an everlasting connection. Interactive content is not new, but it is becoming more prominent. Its taking over the title of King, he noted.

Continuing with his address, Kumaar shared the seven types of interactive content, First comes Data Visualisers, which helps customers recognise landscapes, then assessments, which helps customers to evaluate, then comes demonstrations. Further comes Calculators, which helps customers to measure benefits. The next step is Product Selector, which helps consumers to narrow options. The consumers then come to e-commerce, which helps them complete the purchase. Lastly, comes Gamification, which helps consumers stay loyal. Brands like Swiggy, Zomato and many e-commerce websites utilise it. Loyalty is the function of memory and the only way to create is by peak end rule.

Kumaar emphasised that understanding ones customers needs is a very crucial aspect. He said, 70% of the customers give their loyalty only if a company understands their individual needs and engages with them.

On why one should use interactive content, Kumaar said, Apart from increasing customer experience, it builds rich prospect profiles. A conversation study by Demand Metric indicates when examining very effective content, interactive blows away passive content for educating the buyer.

According to Kumaar, the benefits of using interactive content include, support in collecting zero and first-party data, increasing branding and social media reach, and standing out amid the competition, among others.

He also highlighted nine interactive content ideas to boost e-commerce store engagement, which are:

Calculator

Polls, Questionnaires & Quizzes

Chatbots

Infographics

Lookbooks

Emails

Videos

Image Sliders

Product Description and Recommendation

These are edited excerpts. For the complete keynote address, please watch below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epKkeK-0Qog
(Photo : Photo by Mary Altafeer-Pool/Getty Images)

Former United States President Donald Trump won a partial victory after Judge Aileen Cannon ordered a temporary pause to deadlines in the Republican businessman's hush money case.

Former United States President Donald Trump won a partial victory in his legal challenges after Judge Aileen Cannon ordered a temporary pause on the deadlines about the Republican businessman's hush money case.

The case involves alleged payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels and is one of many legal challenges the former president faces. The pause will affect a series of significant pre-trial deadlines of prosecutors' sharing of sensitive materials that Trump is entitled to while building his defense in the case.

Judge Grants Temporary Pause in Trump Case

Judge Cannon authorized a paperless order that delayed the deadline she previously set for October 2023 through May 2024. The latter is when the trial for the former president and his three co-defendants in the case is scheduled to start in Fort Pierce, Florida.

While the federal judge's order does not address the May 20 start date for the trial, it did note that all of the scheduled deadlines that were connected to classified information were put on hold "pending consideration and resolution" of a Trump motion that proposed a new timeline when it was filed last month, as per Yahoo News.

The filing on Sept. 22 accused special counsel Jack Smith's team of making allegedly unjust efforts to "foist rushed CIPA litigation on the Court, President Trump, and his co-defendants." On Wednesday, a separate motion was filed by the former president's legal team, making the trial schedule a point of contention after Trump requested a delay of at least six months with regard to the trial's start date that would push it beyond the 2024 presidential elections.

That particular motion cited ongoing legal litigation over the sensitive evidence alongside scheduling conflicts with Trump's other federal criminal case in Washington, DC. In the filing, Trump's attorneys said that the Mar. 4, 2023, trial date and the underlying schedule in the hush money case require the defendant and his lawyers to be in two places at once.

Read Also: Donald Trump Seeks Dismissal of Election Interference Case, Claims Presidential Immunity

Partial Legal Victory

However, some legal experts questioned Cannon's decision on Friday and suggested it could pave the way for the former president to delay the trial date. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, national security lawyer Bradley Moss said that the real question now is how long it would take Cannon to rule on the matter.

At the center of the case is how the defendants and their attorneys will handle the classified materials based on national security requirements. Trump and his attorneys argued last month that he and his co-defendants have not yet had access to "significant portions of the materials," according to ABC News.

The classified materials involved in the case are so sensitive, prosecutors said, that they cannot be stored even in the highly secure facility in Miami that Trump and his legal team have been using. They argued that the items must be reviewed under strict supervision in Washington to avoid potential issues, said the New York Times.

Related Article: Justice Department's Press Release on the Indictment of Former US Army Sergeant Joseph Daniel Schmidt

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A retired Indiana sheriffs official said Casey White planned to kill Vicky White once they made a successful getaway.

Retired Vanderburgh County Maj. Jason Ashworth told ABCs 20/20 on Friday that Casey White told him, outside of the interview room and away from any cameras, that Vicky White had no future with him.

He described her as a liability. He described her as someone who didnt have criminal mind, Ashworth said in the two-hour special, Catch Us If You Can.

Once they got to the mountains and they had made it, that he was going to kill her, Ashworth said.

Casey Whites attorneys, however, denied those claims and believe that Casey White loved and still loves Vicky White.

The segment unveiled new information in the infamous 2022 manhunt, which ended in a police chase, a crash, Casey Whites capture and Vicky Whites suicide.

That includes details about how the two may have carried out a sexual relationship inside the north Alabama lockup and letters Casey White wrote before the manhunts deadly ending.

Who knows what the truth is, Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office investigator Sgt. Matt Burbank told anchor Deborah Roberts. Casey White only cares about one person and that is Casey White.

Here are five other details included in the show.

Vicky White was armed during the escape.

The ordeal began on April 29, 2022, when the 56-year-old Vicky White casually left the Lauderdale County Jail to transport Casey White, 40, to a court hearing, which was later learned was a ruse.

When six hours passed without their return, it was initially feared that Vicky White had been taken hostage.

That theory fell apart when investigators, pouring over jail security cameras, immediately noticed something amiss.

Vicky White not only showed no sign of fear or distress as the pair left the jail, but she appeared more than comfortable while breaking protocol by walking in front of Casey White.

But it was something else  so subtle  that provided a bigger clue. Though it was a somewhat warm day, Vicky White was wearing a jacket and when the wind blew it open, it revealed she had a gun on her waist.

Jailers are not allowed to be armed. Investigators told 20/20 that was the first sign to them that Vicky White may have been involved in Casey Whites escape.

Investigators quickly learned she planned to never return.

When investigators went to the her parents home, they found her purse  with all her identification and credit cards  on her bed. She had strategically placed her will and life insurance policy on a dresser to be easily found.

A number of red flags popped up during the investigation, Chad Hunt, commander of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, based in Birmingham, said on the show. That was the big one.

It showed, investigators said, that Vicky White wasnt planning to return.

She is not expecting to come back alive, Burbank said.

Investigators learned of a storage unit rented by Vicky White. There they found evidence of an alias and a burner phone used to rent the unit.

Vicky Whites disappearance with inmate Casey White led to an 11-day, multi-state search involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Take a closer look with @DebRobertsABC at the moment Vicky escorts Casey White out of the Alabama jail. What do you see on the video? #ABC2020 pic.twitter.com/lZiCfpDHNW  20/20 (@ABC2020) October 7, 2023

Vicky White, leading up to the escape, had bought a shotgun and an AR-15 from a gun store in Huntsville. She took those guns, as well as her service weapon, with her when the pair went on the run.

Its telling us that there is a plan here, Northern District of Alabama U.S. Marshal Marty Keely told 20/20.

They began to take a deeper look into her life and her finances  she had recently sold her home, cashed out her 401k and abruptly announced the day before the escape that she was retiring.

They had a full-blown romance with phone sex and moments together in the jail shower.

Investigators found evidence of a relationship between Casey White and Vicky White going back about two years, including 1,100 phone calls recorded by the jail.

Investigators said Casey White would tell Vicky White how beautiful she was, but when the compliments were done, he would always proceed to tell her something she could do for him.

As for Vicky White, Burbank said, She sounded like a woman in love.

Every phone call ended with phone sex, Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly said.

They also found a jail surveillance video in which Vicky White was delivering commissary goods to Casey Whites cell. A hand reached out of slit of a pass-through, handed Vicky White a note and touched her hand.

An Oct. 6, 2023, ABC 20/20 special focused on the escape of an Alabama jail inmate and a jail supervisor that led to an 11 day manhunt. (Courtesy of ABC 20/20)

The special also featured an exclusive interview with Casey Whites former cellmate, Georgineo Lopez, who said he had known Vicky White for years and had seen a drastic change in her once Casey White entered the picture.

At the beginning, she was by the books, Lopez said. But she changed a lot.

He said Vicky White would often stand at the window and look into their cell. She even had a shower curtain installed so that they would have more privacy when they showered.

The other cellmates couldnt see behind the curtain, but Lopez said Vicky White would stand outside the window while Casey White showered. At 6-feet, 9-inches tall, Casey White stood tall above the top of the shower curtain and could see Vicky White.

She acted like she couldnt see him, but she knew what he was doing, Lopez said. Casey White would stand in the shower playing with himself, while looking at Vicky.

The 20/20 show also revealed that while all the other inmates were sent out to the prison yard, Casey White was allowed to stay behind in the cell, where there are no cameras.

I guess thats when they were having their private relationship, Lopez said.

Vicky was able to arrange Casey to have time all by himself and she could have been with him at those times, Sgt. Burbank said. They had a full-blown romance.

Casey White saw her as a grandmotherly figure.

Marshal Keely said they had a psychological profile compiled on Casey White. That profile suggested that Casey White looked at Vicky almost as a grandmother figure.

I know that sounds strange because they were obviously engaged in a sexual relationship, Keely said. But for that reason, the information that we were receiving was that in all probability, he wouldnt hurt her.

The show revealed that investigators got a big break in the search when they recovered the bright orange Ford Edge that the pair had used as their initial getaway car, once they ditched the sheriffs cruiser.

When the Ford was recovered, it was discovered that they had tried to spray paint the vehicle to change the color but had botched the job.

Inside that car they found receipts from the store where they bought the spray paint. That led them to store surveillance footage and their first look at Casey White after he had escaped.

As has been previously reported, Casey White and Vicky White had bought a pickup truck once they ditched the orange car.

Looking at license plate readers and traffic cameras, they noticed a Cadillac was always following that pickup truck, and that a blonde woman appeared to be driving.

They also spotted that Cadillac pull up to Weinbach Car Wash in Evansville, Indiana, which is where the pair had dumped the blue pickup truck, to pick up Casey White. It was a call from the car wash owner that was the beginning of the end of the manhunt.

Having her own vehicle, she had an opportunity to leave, and didnt, Hunt said.

After 11 days, investigators tracked down Casey White and Vicky White at the 41 Motel in Evansville. While law enforcement waited for a tactical team to assemble, the pair left the hotel room and then the chase was on.

Our immediate fear was that they were going to get out and shoot it out, Hunt said.

I think they were ready to almost have a Bonnie and Clyde moment, now-retired Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding told 20/20.

An Oct. 6, 2023, ABC 20/20 special focused on the escape of an Alabama jail inmate and a jail supervisor that led to an 11 day manhunt. (Courtesy of ABC 20/20)

The ABC special showed body camera footage from the police chase which ended in that crash. Casey White was heard saying, Help my wife. Is my wife OK?

Authorities said a single gunshot was heard, and Vicky White was found unresponsive but still breathing. She later died at the hospital. Her death was ruled a suicide.

Casey White planned to die in a shootout with police.

In the getaway car, investigators found letters written by Casey White on a legal pad, which investigators said he had penned in the event of his death.

The first, Sgt. Burbank said, was an open letter to law enforcement in which he wrote, If youre reading this, I am dead and I made Vicky White get me out.

In another he wrote, Me and my wife are all over the news. Yall are stupid but my beautiful wife wants me to shoot her when and if yall (expletive) catch us. She wanted me to so we can go together.

In yet another letter, Casey White wrote, Tell all my family I couldnt take prison no more and thought I might as well for sure get a few sorry S.O.B.s.

Investigators said they took that to mean he planned to kill law enforcement officers.

Earlier this year, Casey White pleaded guilty to first-degree escape. As part of that plea, the felony murder charge in connection with Vicky Whites death was dismissed.

District Attorney Connelly told 20/20 that Casey White wont be eligible for parole until he is 100 years old.

Among the friends and coworkers interviewed by 20/20 for the special was Lauderdale County Circuit Judge Carole Medley, who said she was close to Vicky White.

She would have been horrified by the media, the attention, the national press, Medley said. She would not have wanted any of that.
Men who graduated from an Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles program intended to guide them to employment and stability and away from crime say it is working.

The bureau, working with Ingram State Technical College and other public and private partners, operates the PREP Center inside what was once a private prison on U.S. 80 in Perry County.

Carlton Jones, 58, an Atlanta native, one of 17 men who donned robes for a graduation ceremony on Friday, said the teachers and other professionals at the PREP Center helped change his thinking and gave him skills to find a good job.

This is not my first merry-go-round, Jones said. So it gave me an opportunity to gain some tools that I didnt have before during my first one, two or three incarcerations. Im sad to say this is my fourth time. But this particular time, Ive never been more ready to take on the world. Because now I have this skillset, the tools, and the mental capacity. An old saying, I know better, therefore Im going to do better.

The PREP Center opened in November 2022. The men who received diplomas Friday are the third graduating class.

Jones and 10 others completed a tree-trimming program that taught them how to clear power lines, operate skid steers and forklifts, and other skills needed to do risky work safely. Alabama Power Company proposed and developed the tree-trimming program, an example of training aimed at filling high-demand jobs. The graduates were the first to complete the 10-week program, which started in July.

Tim Tavel, CEO of PowerGrid Services, a company based in Hartselle that provides tree pruning, storm repairs, pole replacement, and other services for utilities across the nation, said the program is unique and fills an important need. Tavel said PowerGrid Services spends a lot of money hiring employees only to find that some are not cut out for the work. Tavel said giving the men who have come through the PREP Center a second chance is the right thing to do and can be beneficial for the company.

They, number one, understand the job and task that were asking them for, Tavel said. Theyve already had some training and some skills for those jobs. So its a cost-savings to us. And also gives us confidence about retaining these employees going forward.

These 11 candidates today. Theyve already put in their applications. So after today, were going to start reaching out to them immediately and start offering positions and start offering jobs.

Last year, the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles bought what was a 700-bed private prison in Uniontown. The Legislature appropriated $15 million for the purchase, plus $4 million for renovations.

LCS Corrections Services built the prison in 2006. It had been vacant for years when the bureau bought it from GEO Group. The bureau signed a $5.2 million, two-year contract with GEO Reentry Services to staff the PREP Center.

Bureau Director Cam Ward said most of the men who are good candidates for the program are those who have committed property crimes, often as consequences of addiction. The PREP Center assesses the men for mental health, substance abuse, and adult education needs.

Along with the graduation on Friday, the bureau held a news conference at the PREP Center to announce Alabamas participation in Reentry 2030, a nationwide initiative that aims to reduce recidivism by 50 percent by 2030. Reentry 2030 was started by the Council for State Governments. Alabama is the third state to join, following Missouri and Washington.

Ward said there are more than 44,000 people in Alabama who have been previously incarcerated.

Thats a population that we cannot ignore, Ward said. Its too big of a population. Whether a veteran, whether theyre in some other agency jurisdiction, theyre out there and we have an obligation and we have an opportunity to serve those people and make sure they dont go back into the criminal justice system.

Overcoming fear

Jason Watters, workforce development coordinator for Alabama Power and project manager for the tree-trimming course, said the second class is underway and has 18 participants. They will finish in December.

The trainees start with a climbing assessment using a 65-foot concrete pole at the PREP Center. Watters said the assessment helps determine if the men can learn to rely on safe practices and equipment to work far above the ground, understanding that the climb is a new experience for most.

Were not looking for them to be experts, but we want to gauge if they can do it, Watters said. Now how quickly, but how safely are they climbing? Are they following all the proper safety procedures that theyre taught before we go out there?

Jones made it even though he said he he has a fear of heights.

My first time climbing that pole, I got about halfway down and realized I wasnt scared anymore, Jones said. Because the first thing they tell you is, trust your equipment. So, once I got to the top and the harness felt just like a jacket on me, it let me know that safety was their first priority. So once they knew you were safe, and once you felt like you were safe, the sky was the limit.

Richard Tillman of Andalusia, 40, who said he has been incarcerated for more than three years after a parole violation, said he joined the tree-trimming program to make his time pass faster and allow him to be outside.

But the truth is, from the very first moment I stepped into the class, it grabbed my attention and held onto it, Tillman said.

He said he learned more than practical skills, including how to trust the men he was training with.

I came here with the mindset of I didnt deserve to be here, Tillman said. It took me a minute to realize you didnt have to be addicted or you didnt have to be any type of thing to be here. But you could have something wrong with your thinking. So this program actually taught me how to change my thinking. And once I sat down and evaluated myself and the situation that I was in, at the end of it all, it was all about my thinking. My choices in life is whats made me come here.

Effective teachers

Carlos Smith, 41, said he initially did not want to be sent to the PREP Center after serving more than 20 years for robbery. But he said the PREP Center staff and teachers treated him respectfully and he accepted the situation and sought to benefit from it.

Im here so Ive got to deal with it, Smith said, describing his attitude. So once I got to that level, I was more interested in the classes and all that. I started seeing that a lot of stuff they were saying pertained to me. The way I was thinking, criminal thinking, I started to change it.

That was the hardest part for me, Smith said. Changing the way I think, changing the way I see things. Im thinking 100% different. I see things as on a positive level now. I dont dwell on the negativity. I dont blame people for my actions or my mistakes. Im more accountable now.

Smith said it was the quality of teaching at the PREP Center that made the difference.

I aint saying that just to be saying it, Smith said. But now we have some wonderful teachers. Even the officers. They have to help you keep your mental state at a certain level too, a positive level. They always treat you with respect. Anything you need, they try to help you get it.

Jones, who spoke at the graduation ceremony, also praised the PREP Center teachers.

If my high school teachers were as great as these ladies, I dont even think I would be here, Jones said. These ladies are exceptional teachers. Thank you.

Jones said a message on a poster at the center captured how his outlook has changed.

I choose to live by choice, not by chance, Jones said. Never again will I take chances with my freedom. Never.

Knocked down, getting up

Bureau Director Ward, in closing remarks on Friday, thanked the family members who came to the ceremony for sticking by their loved ones. He told the graduates that they would always encounter negativity from some people because of what they have been through. But he said to remember that everyone has struggles.

Ward said hes a movie buff and talked to graduates about a message from one of the Rocky movies.

If you get knocked down, and you get up and you move forward, that is how winning is done, Ward said. And today youre going to walk out of here because youve been knocked down, youre getting up and youre moving forward. And that means, winners are walking out of this building today. Youre going to make it.
If you start sniffling and sneezing, theres a decent chance you can see a doctor this week in the Birmingham area. But if your arthritis flares up or if youre dealing with depression, it might be months before someone can get you on their calendar.

Dr. Anupam Agarwal, UABs Senior Vice President of Medicine and Dean of UABs Heersink School of Medicine, said these long wait times can be attributed to a national physician shortage that has impacted everything from primary care to mental health for the last several years.

Data from the Robert Grant [Naval Medical Research] Center says we need 612 primary care physicians [to meet patient needs], and this is not the Birmingham this is for the entire state, Agarwal said. So, you can just imagine how that shortage of primary care doctors would overburden our healthcare systems, whether its our clinics, our emergency rooms, and so on Whatever happens nationally, is so much more pronounced for our state.

While there are currently 39 primary care physicians within 10 miles of Birmingham who are accepting new patients (according to physician search portal Healthgrades.com), some dont have openings until November or December. Depending on who can accept your insurance, this may leave non-emergency patients without primary care for a month or more.

If you are looking for a specialist, your chances of seeing someone before 2024 continue to dwindle. Rheumatologists (specialists for joint and musculoskeletal diseases like arthritis) and urologists (specialists for urinary tract and male reproductive system) are two of the most difficult specialists to get an appointment within the metro area, with most not accepting new patients until next year according to Healthgrades.
After an unprecedented surprise attack in Israel that has left hundreds dead and more wounded, Alabama leaders spoke in support of Israel.

Hamas militants launched thousands of rockets into Israel and carried out an infiltration into the south of the country. The attack took place early Saturday morning during a Jewish holiday, Simchat Torah, in which Jewish people celebrate completing the year-long cycle of reading the Torah scroll.

The Israeli rescue service Zaka said at least 200 people were killed and 1,100 wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in decades, according to the Associated Press.

Alabamas politicians largely stand with Israel in the conflict. In 2021, Gov. Kay Ivey signed a resolution for the state to stand with Israel and condemn Hamas amid war.

Ivey posted her support for Israel on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Saturday.

The heinous terrorist attacks on Israel  a great ally of our country  must be stopped. Israel is a special and sacred place  a place that has personally impacted my own faith, Ivey said. We must pray for the people of Israel.

Other Alabama politicians joined her in showing support for Israel.

Israel has every right to defend itself and respond to these vicious terrorist attacks with overwhelming force, U.S. Sen. Katie Britt said in a release Saturday. What the world is watching today is both tragic and foreseeable. Strength deters war, while weakness invites it.

This summer, Britt joined 17 colleagues in signing a resolution to reaffirm American support for Israel. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives 412-9-1.

In a region full of dangerous adversaries, Israel is a shining beacon of freedom, Britt said. As Alabamians, were incredibly proud of the fact that our state was the first to recognize Israel as a nation more than 75 years ago.

Britt used the opportunity to condemn President Joe Biden for his recent U.S.-Iran prisoner swap deal.

Make no mistake  the people of Israel are paying the devastating price for President Bidens $6 billion ransom payment to Iran, Britt said. That disastrous deal was announced by the Administration on the anniversary of 9/11, and now Israel is facing its own 9/11 at the hands of Iranian proxies.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville shared Britts sentiments about Biden in the wake of the attacks.

Last month, Joe Biden gave $6 billion to Iran. Now, Iran is waging war on one of our closest allies and murdering innocent people, Tuberville posted on X. Joe Biden needs to explain to the American people why he is handing over billions of dollars to supporters of terrorists.

U.S. Rep. Terri A. Sewell, who represents Alabamas 7th district, said she condemn(s) in the strongest terms the horrific terrorist attack being perpetrated by Hamas on the people of Israel.

There is no excuse or justification for such despicable violence, she said.

Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter echoed the words of other political leaders of the state.

Alabamians continue to stand tall with our nations strongest and most loyal Middle Eastern ally, he said in a release Saturday. Our prayers of support go out to the Israeli military forces, the nations leaders, and all of those who lost family, friends, and neighbors to the senseless Palestinian violence.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
This past week marked the 85th anniversary of the Munich Agreement that annexed the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to Hitlers Germany. Despite the political murders, the persecution of Jews, the genocidal rhetoric, the fact Germany illegally occupied the Rhineland and annexed Austria less than two years prior, British prime minister Neville Chamberlain, along with French diplomats strong-armed Czechoslovakia into letting Hitler annex the Sudetenland, emboldening Hitler and enabling him to seize the rest of the country six months later. A year afterward, Hitler invaded Poland and World War II started. Refusing to see him as who he was, Chamberlain insisted on dealing with Hitler in a practical and businesslike manner.

Bidens recent prisoner swap with Iran suggests we havent learned a thing from the lessons of Munich, and the dangers of appeasing evil. While everyone is glad to see families reunited with their loved ones, there was an enormous cost to this deal that will leave Americans less safe.

Lets just call it what it is: the Biden administration paid a ransom to the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.

The U.S. recently agreed to release five Iranians mostly charged with stealing military and sensitive technology, in exchange for five American citizens held as political prisoners. Additionally, the U.S. waived sanctions allowing the transfer of $6 billion dollars to Iran. The administration says it will be able to restrict this money for humanitarian purposes. In fact, once the money is in Iran it will be difficult to track, and along with the money currently used for humanitarian purposes, can now be reallocated for purposes of terrorism.

Such a deal paints a target on Americans around the world. It legitimizes taking hostages for use as bargaining chips and fundraising tools, but even that is not the worst of it.

The Iranian regime begins and ends with Islamic totalitarianism, and its spread. Iran funds the terrorist groups Hezballah and Hamas, and have ties to dozens, if not hundreds, of terrorist attacks. The 1983 bombing of Marine barracks that killed 241 Marines, embassy and USS Cole bombings, attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq, all have bloody Iranian fingerprints on them, as well as a foiled 2011 bombing in Washington D.C. Their parliament regularly shouts Mar Dar Ameerka, (Death to America). Political dissent and homosexuality are both punishable by death. Morality police brutally enforce Shariah law. Last year, they killed 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for not wearing a hijab. Widespread protests ensued, which the regime suppressed by killing 500 people.

The Biden administration evades this when they enter into deals with Iran on such terms. An agreement implies both parties benefit. If Canada and the U.S. agree to eliminate tariffs, both countries deem that beneficial to them. The assumption in this example is that both nations have friendly relations and a basically freedom-oriented worldview. But if one party sees your existence as incompatible with its vision of a religious theocracy, what possible benefit can come from making them stronger? $6 billion dollars buys a lot of suicide bombers, and bankrolls a lot of caliphate-rhetoric imams. That is not a deal, but a capitulation. It is a surrender of the principle that we stand firm in the values we uphold.

Most alarming, its a lot of cash to support a nuclear-armed Iran. The Iranian regime has been enriching uranium for years, inching closer to nuclear armament. It claims that it is for peaceful purposes. Given its history, we would have to be delusional to believe them. (If its for peaceful purposes, why do they develop it in an underground bunker?) When Russia invaded Ukraine, the world witnessed how delicate it is to manage a nuclear regime when it decides to use force. Putin and his state-controlled media use nuclear blackmail basically every night. There is one fundamental difference, however. I believe Putin is not suicidal, which makes his threats mostly hollow. Imbued with religious extremism, the Iranians are much more likely to be unafraid of death, making a nuclear-armed Iran much more dangerous.

The Biden administration seems to think that if only we show kindness and make goodwill gestures, the Iranians will soften their stance, as if by a law of physics. But human nature is not mechanistic, and doesnt automatically respond in this way. The Iranians are animated by an ideology of Islamic totalitarianism. When we blank out that fact and enter into deals with them on the grounds of pragmatism, we will get duped every time.

You wouldnt hire a contractor for your house or a babysitter to watch your kids without judging their reputation and character. If you did, it would only be a matter of time before it was met with disastrous consequences. I fear that, just like Chamberlains appeasement, Americas will also end in war, with the biggest question being on how large a scale, and how many kidnappings, terrorist attacks, and proxy wars, well tolerate in the meantime.

Image: Public Domain
Presidential wannabes agree that China is the greatest geopolitical threat and that the solution is economic decoupling. But decoupling from China will be economically disastrous for Americans while leaving unaffected Chinas mission to unseat the American superpower. Its partner in this mission is Russia. Thats why the war in Ukraine matters.

Candidates havent mentioned our adversaries plans because voter priorities are the economy and preserving freedoms. This makes sense. Voters dont prioritize unknown issues, and American education, unlike education in China and Russia, doesnt focus on maintaining the nations strength and integrity. No one learns that, if Russia and China are ascendant, that endangers American freedoms, breaks the economy, and introduces world chaos. Presidential candidates should explain that economic decoupling wont protect America from its greatest geopolitical threats and then articulate how their approach will.

Chinas and Russias missions are rooted in righting the perceived wrongs of history. For 500 years, from 1453 to 1945, a contest for global supremacy took place between the Chinese, Russian, European, and Turkish empires. After WWII, the United States was central to creating a new rules-based world order.

Memorialized in the U.N. Charter, empires were to be dismantled and made part of history, and all nations committed to honoring sovereign borders. However, the signatures of Russia and China didnt signify agreement. Their conduct demonstrates that they reject the Charters principles, which reflect Western influence and a Western rules-based order.

Image: Xi and Putin (edited). YouTube screen grab.

One of Chinas goals is to restore the most expansive borders of the Chinese Empire. Taiwan is first. Next up could be Arunachal Pradeshs disputed border with India or Russian Manchuria.

Russias goal is to resurrect the dismantled Soviet empire. Ukraine is first among fourteen target sovereign states, including three members of NATO. Putins strategy is the same Military First approach used by Russian leaders from the time of Peter the Great (1682-1725) onward.

Russian leaders know their place on the world stage relies on military power because economic power has been elusive. If they stop flaunting military power, they become the unthinkablea second-rate power. Military First works because Russians have learned that they must sacrifice quality of life because their sovereignty is always at risk.

Chinas strategy is psychological warfare. The Chinese have always viewed nations using weapons to secure power as feeble-minded. But armed nations inflicted a Century of Humiliation on China. In 2023, the Chinese know that weapons, like their 340-plus warships and a partner that is the worlds nuclear superpower, can play an important role in psychological warfare. This complements their traditional psychological focus of painting adversaries as inferior powers. China (and Russia) offer an echo chamber for Biden/Harriss obsession with slavery, gender, and sex as personal variables and policies abdicating personal responsibility.

American voters who think addressing wokism isnt a priority dont know how profoundly our adversaries use progressive policies to paint America as an immoral, unequal, divided, declining superpower. Russia loves it when the White House threatens new defense outlays unless it includes free travel for soldiers seeking abortions. Add repurposing American media coverage of insurrections, unfair elections, and corrupt political families, and its easy to depict America as inferior.

Inferior nations are also dependent on others. China uses its economic heft to secure the real and psychological dependence of foreign nations. When Russia, the Turks, and Europe secured global power through colonial empires, China did so with a global tributary empire that sees foreigners, including Westerners, validate Chinese superiority and submit to Chinese demands. In exchange, China allows them to trade in peace.

China knows that economic ties are binding ties that wreak havoc when broken. No one weaponizes [economic] interdependence more than China. Today, Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has, at last count, 147 indebted clients, with positions indistinguishable from tributes sucked into Chinas orbit.

Even absent BRI, Taiwans economic dependence on China places it in the same orbit as most nations, including Ukraine, Russia, and many Western nations. The latter are bracing for Chinese responses to economic decoupling. First up are restrictions on the metals the world needs for green energy, semiconductors, and defense materials.

To achieve their goal of diminishing America on the world stage, China and Russia have been using education to prepare their people for the road ahead. Some Russians initially protested the war in Ukraine, but then they learned that they were in the middle of a global confrontation with the West, and so, right or wrong, they need to take their countrys side.

In 2022, Russia launched a new patriotic history that indoctrinates Russians so they can draw correct conclusions from the past. In 2023, Russian universities began teaching Fundamentals of Russian Statehood, which prepares students for ongoing wars with the West because its necessary for Russian peace. They teach Western inferiority. Abortions, veganism, and childfree lifestyle have been labeled as the cult of death.

When China lost the Cold War, the Chinese Communist Party immediately implemented a Patriotic Re-education Campaign to indoctrinate students in the who, what, and why of Chinas Century of Humiliation and Chinas long-term goal. Its a history of victimization by white oppressors and a goal of a world taking the lead of benevolent China.

Is it chance that this campaigns message is remarkably like lessons taught in many American schools about white oppressors, or that Chinas lessons unify the nation while Americas divides? Chinas spies have infiltrated the U.S. Congress and law enforcement, so why not Americas education system?

While Russia has a bullseye on the West, Chinas is on white people, and this includes Russians. Chinas greatest humiliations came from Japan and Russia. Russia forced China to cede Russian Manchuria, prevented China from re-annexing Mongolia, and invaded Xinjiang. The 1968 Brezhnev Doctrine threatened interference in Chinese sovereignty. The mutually acrimonious 1969 Sino-Soviet split included armed border clashes over parts of Russian Manchuria. Recently, China began calling areas in Russian Manchuria by their Chinese names.

China has disguised its Russian animosity with its psychologically potent no limits partnership. Its not happenstance that there is growing cooperation on advanced military and nuclear technology between Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Russia has allied with Iran for drones and possibly missiles, and North Korea, which is a Chinese satellite, is supplying its ammunition. All this concerns America and its Israeli, South Korean, and Japanese allies. Its also not a coincidence that China stays on the sidelines, orchestrating a benevolent power image that allegedly complies with multilateral sanctions against Russia.

China knows that Russias military image and credibility have crumbled. But Russia remains useful for depleting Western ammunitions, flaunting its nuclear arsenal, distracting Americas allies, and enabling images of bombed-out Ukrainian cities. Add Chinas military buildup and Taiwans economic dependence, and China has a potent psychological campaign to encourage Taiwan to wave a white flag. Meanwhile, Xi can smirk at Big and Little Russians (also known as Ukrainians) killing each other while sending its troops to Arunachal Pradesh and bolstering the harassment of Taiwan.

What could go wrong if Americas adversaries achieve their mission? Economic impairment, freedoms imperiled, a return of sovereign infringing empires, more nations choose autocratic dictates over a western-rules-based order, and China humiliates white people and becomes the new solo economic and military superpower without firing a shot. It would be good if presidential candidates helped voters to understand the what and why driving geopolitical rivals, in addition to whats at stake, and endeavored to convince voters that they have what it takes to outsmart calculating adversaries executing strategies to achieve a new autocratic-centric world order.
In a recent article, Jonathan Tobin reviewed the events surrounding the introduction by Anthony Roka, Speaker of the Canadian House in Ottawa, of Yaroslav Hunka as a 99-year-old Ukrainian hero in World War II who was in attendance in the Canadian House gallery. It turned out that this hero of Canada and Ukraine was a dedicated member of the Nazi SS and was instrumental in the persecution and death of many Jews during World War II. To celebrate this individual and to ignore the travesties of his past was a monumental faux pas, and Roka resigned as head of the Canadian House. This honoring of Hunka seemed to support Russian accusations against Ukraine that there is a strong thread of Nazification in Ukraine which is poisonous to the body politic of Eastern Europe.

Tobin finds reason after reason to see active anti-Semitism in the Ukraine despite the fact that Zelenskyy is Jewish. Yet throughout the article he keeps inserting that Putins motives are very bad, implying that we cant just abandon Ukraine for that would be throwing out the baby with the bath water. Ultimately, the badness of both the Ukraine and Zelensky on the one side and Putin on the other side is so problematic that we are faced with a type of political gordian knot with so much evil that it seems impossible that any policy could have a good end. He even points out that the 17th-century national hero of the Ukraine, Bohdan Khmelnitsky, was a horrible murderer of Jews. But then he rushes to say that Putin is a very bad dude, so the reader should not think that he is taking the side of Putin against Ukraine. Still, he feels comfortable asking about all the money we are spending in the Ukraine.

It has already been revealed ad nauseum that Ukrainian government and business ventures are deeply beset with a subculture of bribery. The country and its institutions move forward with too many individuals who are seeking personal aggrandizement at the expense of the institutions they control or represent. That is why both ethical and legal restraints should be in play and are in play albeit in some countries and companies more than others. Ukraine is a place where ethical restraints are less in play.

However, despite the recent incident in Canada, do not think that there is only anti-Semitism in Ukraine and not in Russia. The Jews were hated in both those countries long before the Nazi presence. Do not pose the issue as Ukrainian anti-Semitism vs. Putin on a power trip, which is what Tobin does, and not only Tobin but other commentators. Catherine the Great of Russia created the Pale of Settlement with its restrictions on where Jews could live, and czars after her and Cossacks under their command set up many restrictions on Jews. My mothers cousin, who eventually got out of Russia and had her own lovely family and a peaceful life in Tennessee actually was raped repeatedly by Cossacks who had gone through her town or shtetl in Russia before she emigrated. These societies are generally cruel and corrupt whatever achievements they may lay claim to.

Anti-Semitism was not created by the Nazis, but the Nazi policies were the most harsh. The East European Slavic people did not themselves establish concentration camps and gas chambers, but the Jew hatred of the Nazis was not the main reason the Slavs were opposed to the Nazis. The main reason they opposed the Nazis is that they did not want Germans ruling over them.

Too many columnists like Tobin see the leaders and events within a framework of civil rational discourse. He and others strain to make sense of that which cannot be understood from a western civilization or American civilization mindset. Too many political figures -- especially in the former communist countries -- are power-mad pigs beholden to criminals masquerading as officials and top businessmen (oligarchs).

Who knows who is pulling Zelenskyys strings? Are there oligarchs telling him Do diss,Volodymyr, or you vill vake up dead. Stop thinking of oligarchs as though they are simply overaggressive lobbyists. No. They are mobsters. And we know that Hunter, and most likely our President, had dealings with these people.

Consider Hunter Biden as he sat on the board of Burisma. He was obviously corrupt. He was paid for his connection to his father, and Tony Bobulinski already told Tucker Carlson that Bidens brother told him that they could do this because of plausible deniability. All that means is that with the network of over 15 companies set up in Biden family members names, a specific payoff to Joe for a particular policy decision or moneys to Ukraine could not be proven or tracked. Thats the way of oligarchs, and Joe essentially became part of the Ukrainian oligarchal setup. He was bought and paid for, body and soul. The corruption of Ukraine and of Russia and the Bidens is the main story here.

Hopefully the above commentary and reflection on history is beginning to open our eyes to the reality that we are sending a fortune to Ukraine not because of its higher moral standing. There is no higher moral standing there, any more than in Russia, regarding ethical conduct or attitudes and practices of government and business. And both countries have a reprehensible history related to Jews. Rather, the multiple LLCs in the names of Biden family members as well as conversations with Bobulinski and Devon Archer suggest that our President was the big guy in a brilliant but illegal scheme of influence peddling.

It seems likely that Joe Biden was on the receiving end of so many bribes from Ukraine, he must now pay off his owners. They are calling in the years of payoffs. Give us support or we will out you. Give us support because we supported you. We bought your services and you willingly promised to supply the needed services at a time of need. This is that time, and we are calling in what we bought! That demand coming from the oligarch class in Ukraine is probably why we are throwing so much support to Ukraine, and this writer is also assuming that there are also corrupt dealings between the Bidens and Russia, which is why the President has not taken an even tougher line against Russia.

True statesmanlike leadership from the U.S. would have put our political currency into establishing a truce, not in defending Ukraine to the extent that we have. Our policy seems to be an expression of U.S. corruption at the highest level.

Tobin sidesteps the entire issue of Biden corruption and Russian and Ukrainian oligarch corruption in favor of addressing neo-Nazism in Ukraine.

Image: RawPixel.com
(Photo : Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Hungary and Poland voiced their opposition to the European Union's joint statement on new migration policies to address irregular immigration in the region.

Hungary and Poland stood together to reject the European Union's proposed migration reform that threatened to derail the Granada summit involving the region's leaders.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki both shot down a proposed statement for inclusion in a document on the Granada summit's conclusion on Friday. The situation forced European Council President Charles Michel to issue a separate statement in his name.

Hungary and Poland Reject EU Migration Policy

He talked about asylum policy and border protection and noted that the French and German leaders said that the legislative process on the issue would still move forward as planned. Additionally, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who hosted the summit, dismissed concerns about the situation.

Sanchez added that the most important thing is what their interior ministers achieved just a few weeks ago with the agreement on crisis regulation. He argued that this is because that is what is relevant in political terms, as per Aljazeera.

However, the Granada summit did give Morawiecki, facing a general election this weekend, and Orban a stage to brandish populist credentials for their domestic audiences. The Polish prime minister boasted that his veto of the joint statement on migration meant that the process would not be able to move forward.

On the other hand, the Hungarian prime minister compared accepting refugees to sexual assault. Orban noted that the migration agreement is impossible politically, not just today, but for the next few years.

Read Also: Pope Francis Opens Vatican Synod on Catholic Church's Future; Publishes New Document on Environment, Climate

He argued that this is because legally, the region is, as he said, "we are raped." He questioned the desire for a compromise during this kind of situation. The bloc of European nations has continued to be divided on addressing irregular migration in the region.

So far this year, roughly 250,000 people have arrived beyond regular border crossings to the EU, home to about 450 million people. According to Reuters, Berlin, Madrid, and Rome all voiced their concern about increasing irregular migration, which is a politically sensitive matter.

Addressing Irregular Migration

Morawiecki also accused Germany and Poland's opposition leader of collaborating to push new EU laws that would fine countries if they refused to host people from the Middle East and Africa. He said that his country does not agree with someone else furnishing its home.

This week, 22 out of the 27 member nations of the EU agreed on ways to handle irregular immigration at times of significantly high arrivals. It was a step forward to reforming the bloc's inefficient asylum and migration rules.

In response to Hungary and Poland's actions, EU leaders agreed to remove a 119-word paragraph related to the bloc's general pledges on migration from the text of a final communique concluding their summit in Granada.

They instead adopted a "Granada declaration" on other issues that included an overall strategy for the bloc in the years to come. The Guardian said that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also played down Hungary and Poland's objections to the statement, saying that there was still "broad support" at the summit for the proposed laws.

Related Article: EU Member States Agree on Series of New Procedures To Address Migration Crisis

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Straight from A Clockwork Orange, the prescient Anthony Burgess novel (and equally visionary movie by Stanley Kubrick), a caravan of hundreds recently spent two days looting dozens of stores in Philadelphia. A social media influencer even livestreamed it to thousands.

Clockwork Orange questions whether an authoritarian government should reprogram humans to make evil impossible. This is in response to a revolt by part of society (the Droogs), devoted to a bit a the ol ultraviolence by adopting nihilism, a deliberate absence of morals and values.

Fifty-one years after Burgesss novel, the Droogs seem starkly familiar: menacingly dressed sociopaths, speaking near-incomprehensible dialect, who burn, loot, and murder their way across the urban landscape.

But Burgess got the conundrum only half right: the question today is not whether authoritarianism can engineer morality but instead whether governmental leftists can destroy rational incentives for mutually beneficial behavior with the goal of engineering nihilism.

Why would any government do that? Because nihilism promotes civil disorder which, in turn, justifies more governmental intervention to solve the problem it created. As Saul Alinksy, strategist for the Left, put it: The first step in community organization is community disorganization. To create the socialist utopia they envision, leftists must first degrade existing society.

Success in social engineering

The answer as to whether government can create nihilism, as demonstrated by the last three years, is yes. Starting with Antifa and BLM riots of 2020 -- fully supported by leftist local governments -- urban centers in Democrat-led cities like San Francisco have spiraled into a doom loop wherein urban business flees flash mob looting and skyrocketing violent crime. A few examples:

San Francisco : After flash mobs looted Neiman Marcus and other stores, two dozen retailers have left. Walgreens closed 12 San Francisco stores, while upscale Nordstrom pulled its two stores, including its Westfield mall flagship. Australian furniture retailer Coco Republic, which invested heavily in its showroom off Union Square, abruptly closed the store less than a year after opening across from Macys. Once fashionable Union Square is now a ghost town.

: After flash mobs looted Neiman Marcus and other stores, two dozen retailers have left. Walgreens closed 12 San Francisco stores, while upscale Nordstrom pulled its two stores, including its Westfield mall flagship. Australian furniture retailer Coco Republic, which invested heavily in its showroom off Union Square, abruptly closed the store less than a year after opening across from Macys. Once fashionable Union Square is now a ghost town. Los Angeles : Even two years ago, 20+ robbers at the popular Grove shopping center used a sledgehammer and assorted weapons to smash one of a Nordstroms windows, reportedly taking mens clothing. That was childs play, however, compared to the recent flash mob of 100+ that looted a 7-Eleven.

: Even two years ago, 20+ robbers at the popular Grove shopping center used a sledgehammer and assorted weapons to smash one of a Nordstroms windows, reportedly taking mens clothing. That was childs play, however, compared to the recent flash mob of 100+ that looted a 7-Eleven. Philadelphia: Even the examples above pale in comparison to the two-night Philadelphia flash mob spree featuring caravans of hundreds who wrecked dozens of stores, including T-Mobile, Apple, Lulu and Footlocker outlets. One of the looters, a social influencer calling herself Meatball, gleefully livestreamed the event to 181,000 Instagram followers, rationalizing it by explaining Everybody gotta eat. A tearful Meatball seemed less gleeful when charged with six felonies.

Nor are these isolated phenomena. In 2022, crime in New York City increased by 31%, including increases of 41% in grand larceny, 36% in robbery and 34% in burglary. Similarly, Chicago experienced a 35% increase in violent crime, Seattles increased by 23%, Baltimore by 8%, and the District of Columbia by 21%. In D.C., mayhem reigns, with increases of 38% in violent crime, including 63% in robberies, 27% in homicides, 14% in sexual abuse, and 4% in assault with a deadly weapon.

Meanwhile, as Target closes stores in New York City, Seattle, San Francisco-Oakland, and Portland, OR, the National Retail Federation concludes, Retail crime, violence and theft continue to impact the retail industry at unprecedented levels, detailing increasing shrink rates resulting in $112.1 billion in 2022 losses.

Leftists love to hide this phenomenon by citing national statistics rather than for urban centers they control or, with homicide, by citing declines from 2021 without noting that 2020 and 2021 experienced horrendous increases over previous years. According to FBI Uniform Crime Reports, nationwide homicide increased by 30% in 2020. In 2021, 12 major U.S. cities achieved record homicides.

Despite rising homicide, however, 2020 FBI crime data reveal that nationwide arrests plummeted 24%, attributed by criminologists to the large number of police officers who retired or resigned in 2020 and 2021.

Engineering nihilism

Anyone who studies behavioral psychology understands why urban crime is exploding: withdrawal of incentives to obey the law. First, Democrat-led cities prosecuted shootings by law enforcement officers (LEOs) as racist, leading said LEOs to reduce personal risk by backing off, a phenomenon labeled the Ferguson effect after the Hands up, dont shoot lie about the justifiable shooting of Michael Brown in Missouri.

Next came defund the police, featuring multi-million-dollar cutbacks in police funding (including our own little Portland, OR, aka Asheville). Together with the systemic racism fraud, it created not only cutbacks in law enforcement, but retirement or resignation of thousands of LEOs who understood that they, not criminals, were now the target.

According to the Police Executive Research Forum, nationwide police department retirement rates jumped 45% over 2020 and 2021. Another 18% of officers resigned. Meanwhile, Black youth who bought the systemic racism lie increasingly resisted arrest at rates, as suggested by informal news reviews, of between 8 and 10 times higher than whites.

But the coup de grace was implementation of progressive criminal reforms like no-bail release; downgrading sentences for what previously was grand larceny; ostensible harm reduction strategies like legalized open-air drug markets; refusal to prosecute even violent crimes; and widely publicized prosecution of lawful citizens in New York and St. Louis who had the audacity to defend themselves against criminals and looters.

Hijacking American justice

Enter uber-leftist billionaire George Soros. Yes, Soros gets accused of every evil befalling American society. But in this case, he earned the rap.

Since approximately 2015, Soros and his Open Society Foundations have been shoveling millions to justice reform political action committees and dark-money non-profits such as the Community Resource Hub for Safety and Accountability, which itself is sponsored by the notoriously leftist multi-billion-dollar dark money fund, Arabella Advisors.

George also discovered where he could get the most bang for his leftist buck: cheapo down-ballot district attorney races where just a few hundred thousand dollars can install a leftist into position to control an entire justice system.

In a New York Post article, Matt Palumbo, author of The Man Behind the Curtain: Inside the Secret Network of George Soros, says Soros spent $40 million electing social reform prosecutors -- chump change for a billionaire, but enough to elect at least 75 prosecutors in low-turnout races.

According to the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, Soros prosecutors now control:

25 of Americas 50 most populous cities

20% of Americas population, but 40% of Americas homicides

More than 1/3 of all violent and property crime

The names of many Soros-backed prosecutors are notorious:

Kim Foxx : Chicago, refused to prosecute Jussie Smollett, oversaw Chicagos exploding crime

: Chicago, refused to prosecute Jussie Smollett, oversaw Chicagos exploding crime George Gascon : Los Angeles, subject to attempted recall three times

: Los Angeles, subject to attempted recall three times Chesa Boudin : San Francisco, recalled by voters after retailers fled the city

: San Francisco, recalled by voters after retailers fled the city Alvin Bragg : New York City, currently torturing the law to persecute Donald Trump

: New York City, currently torturing the law to persecute Donald Trump Andrew Warren : Tampa, FL, removed by Governor Ron DeSantis

: Tampa, FL, removed by Governor Ron DeSantis Kim Gardner: Prosecuted Mark and Patricia McCloskey for defending themselves against looters, resigned under pressure

Incidentally, Soros is now worth only $8.6 billion because he donated $32 billion to his leftist Open Society Foundations.

A Clockwork George

Senator Tom Cottons comments to the NY Post said it best: Everywhere Soros-backed prosecutors go, crime follows The only good Soros prosecutor is a defeated Soros prosecutor. You cant convince me one of the worlds richest billionaires is so stupid he doesnt realize his impact on crime.

While A Clockwork Orange questioned an authoritarian government that eliminated moral choice, A Clockwork George deliberately creates criminality to degrade society and necessitate socialist authoritarianism. As Burgess said in his novel, To devastate is easier and more spectacular than to create.

As always, leftism creates nothing; it only destroys.

F. Paul Valone is the author of Rules for Anti-Radicals: A Practical Handbook for Defeating Leftism, the culmination of three decades directing conservative political organizations.

Image: Warner Bros.
Hamas is, as of last night, once more conducting a major frontal attack on Israelsomething that hasnt happened since our last Democrat president, Barack Obama, left office.

President Biden can now put a new notch in his proxy war gear. After years of Bidens disrespecting both Israels brave new capital in Jerusalem and its long-serving Prime Minister Netanyahu; after filling relevant diplomatic positions with people who hate the Jews; after arming anti-Israel terrorists of every stripe in the area, we should now expect some contrasting sangfroid and tut-tutting during the weekend from the White House spin people and associated networks. The spin starts here.

Mort Klein righteously and knowledgeably recounted some of Bidens more egregious moves against Israel in his op-ed just days ago.

I quote Mr. Klein heavily below, as he is a reliable source and one of our few specifically informed commentators on a reinstated Mideast crisis that most Americansbadly schooled, lied to, and left clueless by Bidens media-- are waking this morning to be surprised by:

President Joe Biden and his administration have been pursuing the same hostile-to-Israel policies promoted by the Obama-Biden administration. Lets not be fooled. Extolling ironclad friendship between America are simply meaningless and phony words when Biden is enriching the Iranian terror regime with billions of dollars in funds and sanctions relief; pressing Israel to cede her sovereignty and security to a Palestinian terror state on Auschwitz lines that would render Israel indefensible; and sending over $1.5 billion to Hamas-allied UNRWA and to the Palestinian regime thereby freeing up funds for the Palestinian Authority to continue paying Arabs lifetime pensions to murder Jews and Americans. These policies threaten Israels existence and Jewish and American lives.

Under pressure from President Biden and his diplomatic army, Israel surrendered 330 square miles of natural gas-rich maritime territory to Hezbollah: 100% to Lebanon, 0% to Israel.

Hezbollah gained billions in revenue; whereas, Israel became the loser in both maritime security and resources, as David Friedman also reported.

According to Mr. Cohen, Bidens hand is to be seen in restarting Obamas boycott of joint U.S.-Israeli science and technology research, cooperation, and projects -- over the 1949 ceasefire lines:

The boycott discriminates against primarily Jewish institutions such as Ariel University. By contrast, Palestinian Arab institutions over the ceasefire lines are receiving U.S. assistance. The U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs just announced a joint doctoral degree program with the Muslim 'Al Quds' University: located in Jerusalem and throughout the 'West Bank.'"

Mr. Cohen also argues that Bidens buy-in to the current discussions of a Saudi-Israeli oil deal contains new demands for Israeli concessions to the Palestinian Authority terror regime, that is, a reprisal of the recently defunct a Palestinian state solution.

On the subject of Bidens work to undermine the Jerusalem capital (diplomatically sourced about in his ever-envied nemesis, President Trump), Mr. Cohen says,

Bidens State Department sent U.S. taxpayer funds to a partisan, main organizer of the divisive anti-Netanyahu, anti-judicial reform demonstrations that endangered security by closing down major roads and the airport. Biden and his ambassador to Israel Nides also pressured Israels government and publicly spoke against the needed judicial reforms that Israelis voted for, thereby undermining Israeli democracy.

We need not point out, but will, that Israel is a democratic nation that provides critical regional security.

In a connected argument, Cohen cites Bidens clear engagements against Israel by setting up a new office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem:

Biden repeatedly pressured Israel to allow the U.S. to re-open an illegal consulate for Palestinian Arabs in western Jerusalem, undermining Israeli sovereignty over her capital. The U.S. State Department denied reports that the U.S. had given up this effort and instead stated that the Biden administration is still committed to opening an (illegal) Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Biden opened a U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) in Jerusalem, which undermines Israels sovereignty. A few days ago, OPA applauded UNRWA giving $3.6 million to terrorist hotbed Jenin. In his joint press conference with Palestinian Authority president/dictator Mahmoud Abbas, Biden called ordinary Israeli checkpoints, which are necessary for security, indignities against Palestinians.

Mr. Cohen counts thirty Biden appointees and nominees to posts that bear upon Israel and Jews in general. He claims, referencing the zoa website, that many are Obama-Biden administration holdovers with anti-Semitic and anti-Israel intent.

Joe Biden will go down in a history for his trouble-making if nothing else. We woke up this morning with another example of this, and another burden of an oncoming war, and another stealth war for America so long as Biden calls the shotsincreasing the worlds current count of chaos coming from America.

Image: Screen shot from The Guardian video, via YouTube
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City is down in Mexico talking "migrants." His message is simple: We want you, we need you, we love you but not in New York.

Over in Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has discovered that there is a humanitarian crisis. Wonder how he came to that conclusion? Maybe having the airport full of migrants will do that to you. Or maybe having citizens scream at town hall meetings will open your eyes.

The mayor is apparently riding one of those buses back to Texas. I guess he promised the voters that he is going down to see it for himself. Too many Democrats into roots these days. They always look for "root causes" when they don't want to see the truth.

This is the story:

The progressive also appeared to take shots at the Biden Administration - when asked about concerns about the growing number of migrants being housed in police stations, airports, and even schools. He said: 'This is a growing crisis, not only for the city of Chicago but for the entire globe. 'The population shift that we are experiencing as the result of the failure of federal policies is now impacting the people of Chicago in a very dramatic way,' he said.

Yes, "the failure of federal policies." How about a failure of implementing federal policies? What we see down on the border is just a bad case of lawlessness or something similar to what happens in his city every weekend.

I'm sure that the two mayors will come back and say that we must address the root problems of poverty, the legacy of Spanish colonialism, climate change, global warming, the history of U.S. imperialism, and the failure of the GOP Congress to pass immigration reform.

Will any reporter ask them what any of that has to do with the buses showing up in their cities? After all, they didn't have the migrant crisis when the Orange Man was running things and the root causes were alive and well.

The two men will come back and ask the Biden administration for money. They won't get the money and then will blame the governor of Texas.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

Image: Ted Eytan
The situation in Israel is changing with incredible rapidity, but its still possible to understand some of whats going on. This post puts together a few ideas about whats happening.

One. The date of this attack is symbolic to the Muslim attackers. On October 6, 1973fifty years ago, almost to the daythe Yom Kippur War began when a coalition of Arab states attacked Israel. After 19 days of fierce fighting, Israel won a decisive victory. Muslims never forget military victories or losses and, as weve seen before, they like to time their attacks to coincide with those anniversaries. This attack is intended as revenge for and a re-do of that war.

Two. Unlike the Yom Kippur War, which started with an attack by state actors, this is terrorism funded by state actors (almost certainly Iran, of course). What this means is that the combatants arent making even a pretense of abiding by the Geneva Conventions rules of warfare. Using military-grade weapons, this is an attack targeted almost entirely against civilians.

Moreover, as the Twitter links below show, this is a war being fought in a decidedly pre-modern way. One of the books I like to recommend is Steven Pinkers The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. Another book I like to recommend is Nicholas Wades politically incorrect A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History (which a black friend recommended to me).

Image: A bloodied female hostage. X screen grab.

Taken together, the books spell out this message: Humans, like the apes from which they descended, are an inherently violent species. In Stone Age times, warfare was a perpetual activity, killing as many as 25% of any given tribe.

However, in certain cultures, the Rule of Law rose to replace violence as a solution to conflict. Might didnt make right; justice made right. In these societies, whether through imprisonment or execution, violent actors were removed from the gene pool. The societies reserved violence only for sanctioned warfare and, since WWII, the Geneva Convention has tried to restrain even the horrors of war.

However, other societies have never abandoned their Stone Age approach to violence. They do not believe in a negotiated peace, the miracle of trade as a path to coexistence, or the inherent value of human life, especially the most vulnerable lives (i.e., children). Violent people are not removed from the gene pool, and their cultures accommodate, encourage, or even celebrate violence.

When these people go to war, they do not distinguish between trained and armed combatants, on the one hand, and civilians, on the other hand. They merely see good targetsand the best targets are the ones who cannot fight back and who can be brutalized as a warning to all who would dare to stand against the victorious tribe.

With that in mind, here is a series of tweets about the nature of the attack from Gaza:

Hamas might call it war, but the footage Hamas is putting out shows that it is nothing like war. Its a medieval tribal raid with indiscriminate killing, hostage taking, then running away.

Hamas is also providing self-incriminating evidence of war crimes.  Hussain Abdul-Hussain (@hahussain) October 7, 2023

This is just harrowing beyond words! Hamas terrorists take an Israeli family hostage. You can hear kids in the background crying! pic.twitter.com/60edxjzWln  Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) October 7, 2023

Palestinian terrorists captured an Israeli woman and took her hostage. Just hear her screams. pic.twitter.com/L8obwWxpL9  Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) October 7, 2023

BREAKING VIDEO: The moment a #Hamas drone drops a bomb on an Israeli ambulance.



This is a war crime. #IsraelUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/bCTm0TadpZ  StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) October 7, 2023

Palestinian terrorists groups kidnap women and children from Israel and take them to Gaza to hold them hostage pic.twitter.com/tTUuG8EVgZ  Visegrad 24 (@visegrad24) October 7, 2023

An Israeli woman is abducted by Hamas and taken hostage. This is unprecedented. You dont see this happening anywhere else. pic.twitter.com/T7yijAzE5E  Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) October 7, 2023

 There are many horrific images and videos circulating on social media: Mothers, fathers, and children are being murdered by #Palestinian terrorists who infiltrated local communities in #Israel from #Gaza. The terrorists are going house to house and executing families while pic.twitter.com/zhgvC4KKme  StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) October 7, 2023

These are the innocent Palestinian civilians, cheering to the public display and lynching of Israeli victims of the terror attacks.



These are the people you support when you say Free Palestine, next to the pronouns in your names...pic.twitter.com/WH5pvxRD29  Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) October 7, 2023

You can find hundreds of other tweets making these same points: Hamas is deliberately targeting the civilian population as cruelly as possible, and the ordinary citizens in Gaza are delighted.

Three. The Biden administrations first instinct was to render Israel, the worlds only Jewish state, helpless in the face of a vast, sustained terrorist attack against its civilian population. Only when that idea went over like a lead balloon because most Americans dislike seeing Jews subject to attacks that perfectly mimic Nazi activity did the Biden administration change its message.

The following tweet, since deleted, was the State Departments first instinct (keeping in mind that the State Departments anti-Israel animus goes back decades but got beefed up under Obama and Biden):

The new message is that Israel does, in fact, have a right to defend her population:

Statement from President Joe Biden Condemning Terrorist Attacks in Israel



This morning, I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel. The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists  Yashar Ali  (@yashar) October 7, 2023

That message, of course, is meaningless. What will matter going forward is what the Biden administration does, rather than what it says.

Four. The only way to fight this war is to fight to complete victory. As Ive written annually at Passover for years, totalitarian states do not stop until the leadership is defeated. Hamas will happily see its people killed and, indeed, will view their deaths as a public relations triumph. This war must be fought to Hamass annihilation and, because Hamas uses women and children as shields, it will be a bloody, disheartening war.

However, when evil is abroad, the innocents will always suffer. The only question is how long you will allow that suffering to continue. Do you go for a quick victory or a drawn-out one that sees ever greater numbers of children killed on both sides of the battle lines?

Naturally, the Biden administration and the Europeans will urge Israel to abandon the war before achieving victory. Israel has yielded to these demands for decades. At some point, though, Israel must choose victory over an endless bloody war waged relentlessly against it by a fanatic, genocidal opponent.

Five. Hamas is an Iranian satellite. It doesnt move without Iran, and the thousands of missiles and rockets it used against Israel almost certainly came from Iran. That means that, when Biden flooded Iran with funds, he enabled Iran, in turn, to enable Hamas. Iran is thrilled:

JUST IN: Irans parliament chanting Death to Israel, Death To America pic.twitter.com/KsOFbkUl39  Wayne DuPree  (@WayneDupreeShow) October 7, 2023

Six. The leftist media are disgusting.

Hundreds of Israelis dead and injured. 50+ Israeli hostages. Hamas militias killing innocents in their homes, 2,200 missiles launched in an unprovoked, surprise attack...



MSNBC: "I couldnt think of a better gift for Benjamin Netanyahu right now than this kind of incursion..." pic.twitter.com/YIQH6Zep6V  Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 7, 2023

It's also time for Israeli leftists to recognize that the enemy isnt Netanyahu; its the Muslims and their Western allies who want them dead.

Seven. If the surrounding Arab states stay out of this, the war will end quickly, either with Israel finally defeating Hamas or, more likely, with Israel yielding to international demands that she walk away without achieving anything. However, if the surrounding Arab states, looking at the Biden White Houses barely-hidden animus toward Israel, decide that this is a good time to attackwell, Armageddon (i.e., Megiddo) isnt located in Kansas or Ukraine. Its in Israel.
It's amazing what the Marines have to put up with, situated as they are on the edge of a big blue city full of wokesters with bright ideas.

According to NBC News:

An idea to relocate thousands of homeless people living on the streets of San Diego to a camp at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is gaining traction. Once you have, let's say 5,000 beds, a clean, healthy, safe, secure environment, then you can return to full rule of law in the streets, canyons and parks," businessman George Mullen said. Mullen and partner Brian Caster came up with the Sunbreak Ranch concept 10 years ago. It's a plan to build a massive camp on base where the homeless can have access to centralized service without the influences that plague some on the streets. The plan would require leasing several hundred acres of MCAS Miramar land.

You read that right, they want to move the bums out of the city and deposit them onto one of the Marine Corps bases. Way to go for military readiness, having the Marines deal with tent cities, open-air drug abuse, psychotic episodes of the users, plus all the local cartel drug dealers bringing the drugs in. They may claim to be a rehab center but this is what happens with rehab centers, and this sounds like a local booster bid to sweep the problems over to the Marines. Who wouldn't want to sign up for the Marines with a homeless encampment the local attraction on base?

The Marines, though, who need that land for military operations, have issued a facts-of-life warning to the local loonies about what they are actually asking for.

According to the Voice of San Diego, an indy paper in the city:

Monday, the Marine Corps sent a letter to Mayor Todd Gloria apparently intending to squash the idea, at least on the governments land. The letter, from Col. T.M. Bedell, commanding officer of the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, explains why the military base is not a suitable location for such a concept. The site is an approach corridor where four aircraft have crashed in the last 20 years, Bedell wrote. The land contains unexploded ordnance, sensitive vernal pool watersheds that support endangered species and three live-fire pistol and rifle training areas. These training ranges include surface danger zones and explosive safety arcs, he wrote.

Explosive safety arcs? Unexploded ordnance? Live firing rifle and pistol ranges? Lots of plane crashes?

That's right, they want to place the homeless and all their drug and drug-related mental health problems there.

What could go wrong?

It goes to show that the local lefties are fed up with the homeless ruining the city's downtown area, and they'd like to sweep the problem off to where only the Marines can see them.

The idea is a bad one, not just because putting hardened street bums in the vicinity of idealistic young servicemen and servicewomen is a recruitment killer, but because what's proposed is a vast new NGO empire, which will entrench itself as a continuous crisis that never gets solved, draw vast amounts of money, and eventually call the political shots as to what goes on on the Marine base. We've seen this dynamic very well in places like San Francisco. That they are planning this nonsense for a Marine base which served the entire country is a bad deal for the U.S., given the importance of military readiness.

Based on the Voice of San Diego report, which came out with the original story, it appears that San Diego's mayor, lefty Todd Gloria, who's not the worst lefty out there, actually slyly commissioned the letter to be written to inform these starry-eyed woke dreamers that the location is, as the Marines put it dryly, "not suitable." Not even Gloria wanted this to happen, but the lefties insist they are holding onto the dream and will continue to push for it.

San Diego is a vast urban area that is filling up quickly as illegals roll in, apartment blocs go up, and leftists take over. One of the last areas of open land is at Miramar which is in the red-voting northern part of the city, which the lefties would obviously like to get their hands on to strike it rich.

All signs suggest this bad idea is not going to happen, but the lefties insist they will keep lobbying. The homeless problem is not going to be solved by setting up another NGO taking over a Marine base with the claim that 'ours will be a really good rehab." That they are proposing to place the homeless onto an area with unexploded ordnance tells us that their gambit isn't really about helping the homeless. It's about them, and their quest for an NGO empire.

Image: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, photo by Lance Cpl. Owen Kimbrel // U.S. Marines // public domain
The New York Times published a news article titled Greece, Battered a Decade Ago, Is Booming by Liz Alderman, with additional reporting from Niki Kitsantonis on Monday, September 25.

The article informs us that Greece was hit by an economic crisis a decade ago. It had, then, a load of debt  (doesnt it now?)  which it could not repay and almost left the eurozone.

So far so good.

The newspaper informs that today it is one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe.

Again, so far so good.

And clearly, the famous credit rating agencies are upgrading Greeces debt rating and thus, opening the way for large investors and the economy is growing at twice the rate of the eurozone average. Thats right.

But at the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), economist Dean Baker noted that the claim needed context:

Since the eurozone growth rate for 2023 is projected to be 0.8 percent, growing twice as fast is a rather low bar.

There were other problems as well.

The Times mentions that unemployment is at 11 percent, which one would say, with a dose of humor, is Greek statistics, because the probability is that unemployment is much higher. (Greeces past government falsified fiscal data in order to enter eurozone.)

Dean Baker pointed out though:

The 11 percent unemployment rate is far higher than the rest of the European Union, which has a 5.9 percent unemployment rate.

To say the least.

Everywhere in Greece there is poverty, and bad conditions in society.

I am one of the Greeks living in New York, and I have received many messages and phone calls from Greek people who want to immigrate to America because they cannot make ends meet. Friends and family members ask me the same: They are forced to do two-three jobs to survive. The minimum wage is 780 euros (650 net). So, how is it that the article describes a miracle? One could argue that even the examples of the people mentioned in the article are not typical.

And the tourists who have returned en masse, as the article states, has not helped to improve incomes. On the popular islands  that the average Greek cannot afford to visit  usually, there are galley-slave conditions for the workers.

Unfortunately, in Greek society, a small percentage of 5%-10% live well  the oligarchs eat with golden spoons  and the rest suffer.

Children of the poor go to school hungry. The country has some of the most expensive fuel in Europe, expensive food, high VAT, and very expensive electricity. Many do not have money for dental care, to change tires on the car, or, to start a new family.

The Times writes that the misery of austerity is still fresh for some people and no, it is not fresh; it is still present in the social conditions.

Nowhere is it mentioned that the government gave, until recently, Soviet-style food pass and fuel pass coupons, which helped the re-election by a landslide of the conservative leader Mr. Mitsotakis. This image is not beautified by the fact that the companies Microsoft and Pfizer are investing in Greece.

For reasons that are understandable, rating agencies like DBRS Morningstar and Moodys do their job. Very likely for them, a strong economy means the old neoliberalism that laid Greece low earlier. You can see the signs of it everywhere: In purchasing power that is getting worse every year, and in cheap labor. And this is hardly a country full of Bernie Sanders-type voices, it really is what people are seeing.

The New York Times should not present these assessments while ignoring the poverty that still exists in the country that gave birth to democracy. The Times has accustomed us to a more critical look at the suffering of ordinary people, which remains the reality in Greece. But they didn't do it in this piece.

As we say in Greece, Can a dead man dance? No! So, the information given by the Times should create a complete picture and not the opposite.

Perhaps, we can accept that somehow, the good American newspaper wants to help improve the desperate economic situation that continues to impoverish the Greeks and stop the transfer of wealth to the few by encouraging foreign investment. Good psychology is everything, even in matters around the economy. But until real economic growth returns, the country will continue to live its own difficult fate, its own 1929, similar to the conditions America experienced at the start of the Great Depression era.

Dimitris Eleas is a New York-based writer / article writer/ activist / political scientist originally from Greece and contributes to SLpress (Athens) and The National Herald (NYC). You can contact him via e-mail: dimitris.eleas@gmail. com.

Image: Dimitris Eleas
One of the things the transgender lobby insists upon is that encouraging gender-confused people to have surgeries and take hormones saves lives. Denying them these opportunities, were told, is tantamount to murder. More evidence, though, is piling up that the opposite is true. So-called gender affirming care is terrible for peoples health. The latest evidence is a European study about the soaring rates of heart disease that result when people take hormones that occur naturally in the opposite sex.

Parents whose children come home from school (or college) announcing that they are, in fact, transgender often consult experts to learn more about this announcement. The experts will tell them that, if they dont acknowledge, encourage, and embrace their childs new identity, thats the equivalent of a death sentence for their child. Why? Because the child will commit suicide if not allowed to swallow or shoot up powerful hormones and then chop off and remake body parts.

However, were slowly learning that the contrary is true: The only real gender affirming care is to guide a confused child back to the gender of his or her chromosomes, which reflect the only two genders there are. (Alternatively, one might give gender-confused men testosterone and gender-confused women estrogen. Thats an idea that hasnt been tried.) Everything else really is a death sentence.

Image by Andrea Widburg using AI.

A Heritage Foundation study revealed that, in states allowing minors to bypass their parents to get so-called gender affirming care, the suicide rates were 14% higher.

Contrary to claims by advocates, puberty blockers are not harmless. Instead, they damage bone development and, because hormones affect all organs, not just the sexual organs, they may interfere with the brains development, too. As for the brain-body connection, children on puberty blockers may not only end up being sterile, but theyll also never be able to experience sexual pleasure. The drugs are proving to be so dangerous that Britains National Health Service will no longer prescribe them to children.

The cosmetic surgery that makes people a weird simulacrum of the opposite sex is devastating for the body. I wont go into detail here but, if you look it up, youll find that the post-surgical recovery is grueling and often never complete, and that the people who experience it, especially the men, never recover full, or even any, sexual function.

But wait, as the old Ginzu knife commercials used to say, theres more! Even if people dont have surgery or puberty blockers, the hormone treatments they must take as adults damage their hearts. In one of Natures great ironies, a Danish study that looked at 2,671 so-called transgender people shows that the same estrogen that protects women from heart attacks before menopause proves to be severely damaging to men who take it:

Trans women [i.e., men] taking [female] hormones are up to 95 per cent more likely to suffer heart disease, a new study has found. Researchers found that trans women [i.e., men]  people born male who identify as women  taking gender-affirming hormones are almost twice as likely to suffer from any cardiovascular disease as men.

In other words, menany men, no matter whether they think theyre women or butterfliesare going to destroy their hearts if they take estrogen. Its not just men, though, who suffer. Women who take male sex hormones lose the benefit of the natural estrogen their bodies produce:

The study revealed that all transgender people r egardless of the sex they were born or the gender they were transitioning to, were at significantly increased risk from deadly conditions like heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and high blood fat and cholesterol levels. [snip] People who were assigned male at birth and taking oestrogen as a trans woman, were 93 per cent more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than men and 73 per cent more likely than women. [Emphasis added.]

The men also increased dramatically their risk of getting Type II diabetes, along with all the consequent health effects.

Back in the 1970s, Chiffon Margarine had an ad campaign claiming its margarine was so close to butter in flavor that even Mother Nature would be fooled. The tagline was Its not nice to fool Mother Nature. Since then, of course, weve learned that margarine is not a healthy alternative to butterquite the opposite, so it really was a bad idea to fool Mother Nature. And now were learning very quickly that its not nice to fool Mother Nature about chromosomal sex, either.
Kevin McCarthy was always accused of being a "deal-maker," and that was somehow part of his downfall. So, too, Donald Trump was hailed for the "Art of the Deal." Neither man, though, as I see it, really was much of a negotiator on national legislation or much else  largely because they had little to offer the other side.

Right now, as weak as the Republicans in Congress are, they have the potential to make a great deal for themselves. They have something Biden and the Democrats are desperate to have (as are Mitch McConnell and the Zelensky Republicans) and which, at the same time, should be no major problem to conservatives.

That is aid to Ukraine. For some reason the liberal Dems, after decades of being squishy-soft on the old Soviet Union, and then Obama's outright appeasement of Putin's Russia, have decided we need to fight it out to the last Ukrainian trans spokeswoman.

As I noted earlier this year, Ukraine, after wrecking much of the Russian army and its modern equipment, was going to exhaust its own resources, and we would be at some kind of stalemate by autumn. A lot of Ukrainians still want another year of support to regroup and wear down the Russians to the point they might still collapse. Possible, but not likely.

Still, they are doing a great service for the world as a whole. The Russian military is so weak now that it will be decades, if ever, before the Russians can again bother the NATO countries, or embark on other misadventures. They are so hard up for equipment that they are even stripping the defenses on the sensitive Kuril Islands off Japan.

The usual folks on our side are unalterably opposed to helping Ukraine, for peculiar reasons  Tucker Carlson, Doug Bandow, etc. But for most conservatives, another year of supporting Ukraine's military seems like hardly the worst thing our tax money supports.

Rather, we should exult in our good fortune. Democrats have adopted the Ukraine War as closely to their hearts as Drag Queen Story Hours. They care about nothing else these days. They want it so badly now, so let's trade for the thing we really want: fixing the southern border.

This would include restoration of Remain in Mexico for asylum-seekers and strict limits on the number of immigrant paroles and Temporary Protected Status waivers. Things are so bad that Biden is doing a bizarre flip-flop on building more sections of the border wall. So Democrats are finally starting to crack on this issue, anyway.

Let's hope the next speaker will take yes for an answer, and we can make a deal to finally close off the millions of illegals flooding our country. That would be a real Art of the Deal.

Frank Friday is an attorney in Louisville, Ky.

Image via Pxhere.
At first bomb, it appears that Islamic Jihad and Hamas (and no doubt others) in Gaza have conspired to destroy Israel and wipe her off the map, something they have been threatening to do for ages. They took the first step today in a massive, unprovoked attack on civilian areas inside Israel. More than 2,000 rockets managed to overwhelm Israels famous Iron Dome defense.

Here is a video report:

Foaming-at-the-mouth bloodthirsty Jihadis have gone into Israeli neighborhoods and taken dozens of men, women, and children hostage.

Armageddon has begun and its going to get worse fast.

Israel will be swift to retaliate and it will be devastating. One of the finest fighting forces on the planet, Israeli soldiers, pilots, warriors will fight and destroy large swathes of Gaza and beyond.

As Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, famously said to illustrate Israeli resolve:

"If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel."

Israel and the Jews are destined to prevail. They may lose a lot, they always do, but they will prevail.

I write this while the news is still fresh. Much more information will come out and whatever the outcome, Israel will prevail. The forces of evil on this planet, including some in the United States, will cheer on the Jihadis. Some will help them. Many will rejoice that the Jews are getting theirs. But they must beware.

Israel is not going to go away. She will not be wiped off the map and she will not capitulate. The lines are being drawn as we watch; those who cheer on the Jihadists, like Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and many others in our government and out, and those who will cheer on and defend Israel, including Christian evangelicals will go head-to-head.

Despite Joe Bidens supposed pro-Israel words, I dont know where he really stands on this issue because he lies so often, but this I can tell you: Those on the side of the Jihadists will not prevail. Perhaps drawing stark lines along this fault will weed out some of the more fulminating anti-Israel Jew-haters.

And finally, what so many around the world are thinking or saying out loud: This never would have happened under Trumps presidency. Biden is seen as weak and feeble around the world. Trump was a wild card no one wanted to mess with. That was a good thing. This is yet another reason Trump needs to win in 2024  to keep the worlds thumb-sucking crazies cringing under their binkies.

We must double down on our prayers and support for Israel. She is a symbol of success, of courage, of rising out of the ashes.

Never again.

Image: Screen shot from The Guardian video, via YouTube
Interview: China perfect market for Europe's wine industry, says Slovak winemaker

Xinhua) 10:44, October 07, 2023

BRATISLAVA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Europe's wine cellars are brimming, while demand for the product is steadily increasing in China, Slovak winemaker Eduard Sebo told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The recent drop in demand across Europe keeps pushing the prices down and threatens to destroy the wine industry, he said.

As a result, vineyards are being uprooted and local wine producers are forced to distill wine into other products like alcohol for disinfectants or look for new markets, he added.

Meanwhile, wine consumption and production are on the rise in China, Sebo said after he attended a recent competition between Central and Eastern European and Chinese wines, part of the 2023 China-Central and Eastern European Countries Wine Culture Festival held in Cangzhou city in northern China's Hebei Province.

Around 320 wines produced by 20 winemakers from 16 countries were rated by three commissions and about half of the samples were Chinese. Sebo's winery took home a gold medal for the Muscat Blanc a Petits Grain variety.

Citing the rapid growth of wine consumption in China in the past 15 years (up from 0.02 liters per capita to 2.2 liters per capita), Sebo said he had great expectations for Europe's struggling wine producers.

Wine competitions have a strong tradition in Europe and Sebo came up with the idea of comparing European wines with the ever-progressing varieties produced in China a couple of years ago, in hopes of promoting these products among Chinese customers. He initiated the first two competitions together with his Chinese partners and took part in this year's third edition.

During his stay in China this time, Sebo visited a high-profile winery in eastern China's Shandong Province. Sebo, who is also president of the United Industries investment group, was deeply impressed by the size and level of technology implemented on site.

The 73-year-old businessman was especially surprised by a "25-story research and development building, ten wine bottling machines and autonomous carts whizzing around the compound."

Confident in the Chinese wine market's potential, his company has also set up a joint venture, the Zhongjie Nitra Winery in Cangzhou.

Sebo is also planning to bring the wine competitions nearer to the public. "We have started talks with two big provinces and their administrations in order to attract more Chinese businessmen and producers (into the competition)," he said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
On Friday, a family in Florida was convicted to federal prison for more than 12 years for selling dangerous drugs and claiming it is the remedy for COVID-19, containing a toxic industrial bleach.

Jonathan Grenon, 37, Jordan Grenon, 29, Joseph Grenon, 36, and Mark Grenon, 66, were found guilty of conspiring to defraud the United States by distributing an illegal and mislabeled medication, the Department of Justice confirmed.

The Grenon's Family Scheme

The Grenon Family sold $1 million worth of their "Mineral Miracle Solution," which was claimed to be a cure for COVID-19.

The mislabeled drugs were sold under the disguise of a church group called Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, federal prosecutors confirmed to ABC News.

The "Mineral Miracle Solution" (MMS) is composed of sodium chlorite and water. The family attracted victims by promoting their drugs to cure 95% of known disorders, such as COVID-19, Alzheimer's, autism, brain cancer, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis.

It was revealed that the US Food and Drug Administration did not even approve MMS to be in the market as a treatment for COVID-19 and other diseases that the Grenons have proclaimed.

The prosecutors showed the jury images and video of hundreds of blue chemical barrels filled to the brim with roughly 10,000 pounds of sodium chlorite powder found in Jonathan Grenon's backyard in Bradenton during his trial.

The labels on the drums warned consumers not to ingest the substance because it was poisonous. The drugs were proven to have hazardous effects when taken.

Read Also: Dead Star Hits Earth With Powerful Energy Blast, Baffling Scientists

Food and Drug Administration Recognized Symptoms

According to the DOJ, when MMS was orally taken, it transformed into chlorine dioxide, a potent bleach used for bleaching pulp, paper, and textiles. The main MMS component had warning signs stating the substance was poisonous, explosive, and extremely risky to consume.

"The FDA has received reports of consumers who have suffered from severe vomiting, severe diarrhea, life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration, and acute liver failure after drinking these products," the FDA said.

The FDA warned about the intake of MMS way back in 2010, wherein the MMS caused severe response. The worst cases of taking MMS lead to people's death and poses life-threatening conditions.

The Grenons denied their wrongdoings during the trial by telling the prosecutors that the revenue from selling MMS was for church donations to avoid going to jail. They threatened to use force against the sitting judge and vowed to return with another lie. The church was found not to be related to any religious affiliations.

The attainment of the arrest of the Grenon Family was assisted by the Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attaches of the Justice Department in Bogota, Colombia. Additionally, they are dealing with Mark and Joseph Grenon's deportation.

The federal government sued the Grenons and Genesis II Church of Health and Healing. The DOJ summarized Jonathan and Jordan's case under fraud of mislabeled medication.

Related Article: US DOJ Announces Indictments Against Chinese Fentanyl Supply Chain Producers

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 7 - Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Saturday strongly condemned the "traitorous attack" unleashed by Hamas against Israel in which several dozen people are reported to have died and hundreds have been injured.

"I have learned with deep consternation the news of the attack that since dawn this morning has involved several regions of the State of Israel," said Mattarella in a message to his Israeli counterpart President Isaac Herzog.

"In these dramatic circumstances, let Italy's expressions of solidarity reach you, Mr. President, and all Israeli citizens.

We sincerely sympathise with the bereaved families of the victims and wish the many injured a speedy and complete recovery," he continued. "I would also like to reiterate my firmest and most convinced condemnation of this traitorous attack, which attacks Israel's security and distances the prospect of a lasting peace - hoped for and felt to be necessary by all - between Israelis and Palestinians," concluded Mattarella.

On Saturday afternoon the emergency first aid service Magen David Adom reported that more than 40 Israelis had been killed by the rocket shower from the Gaza Strip and other attacks by armed groups linked to Hamas.

The same source said 740 people have also been injured in the attacks, which Israeli Premier Benyamin Netanyahu has described as "a war".

"Citizens of Israel, we are at war and it is not just an operation, it is really a war," said Netanyahu, adding that he had given the order to the army to call up reservists and to "respond to the war with impetuosity and on a scale that the enemy has not known until now".

"The enemy will pay a price it has never had to pay. We will win," he added.

Meanwhile, the health ministry in Gaza said that so far 161 Palestinians had been killed and 931 injured.

Gaza sources say these numbers include Hamas fighters who entered Israel at the start of the attack and were killed in fighting with the Israeli army. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 7 - The German government intends to stop funding non-governmental organisations (NGOs) conducting migrant search and rescue missions in the central Mediterranean from 2024 following protests from Italy, Bild newspaper reports.

However, it could take more than a month before the decision is finalized, the paper added.

In the 2023 budget the German foreign ministry had reportedly allocated around two million euros for NGOs participating in the so-called civil fleet of vessels engaged in the sea rescue of migrants and refugees between Italy and north Africa.

"Now the U-turn: in the draft 2024 budget, the ministry has not included the same two million allocation" for NGOs, the paper wrote on Friday, citing sources in the budget committee who reportedly claimed the omission "is not an oversight".

"The Chancellery is opposed to the additional payment, and the foreign ministry thinks the same way," the sources said.

However, a report by the same paper on Saturday suggested that lawmakers representing the Social Democrats of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Greens of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock may be opposed to the move.

"In two weeks' time, the budget managers of the parties (in the majority 'traffic light' coalition) will discuss Baerbock's budget. In mid-November, the budget committee will meet to finalise the 2024 budget. At that point it will finally be decided whether or not the 'sea rescuers' will continue to receive tax money from Germany," wrote Bild in its paper edition on Saturday. "When it comes to money, it is not the government but parliament that has the final word," added the paper, claiming to have information that the Greens parliamentary group is already lobbying for the allocation for sea rescue to be reincluded in next year's budget.

"Now the government will have to fight with the 'traffic light' parliamentarians, in particular with the Greens parliamentary group, to keep millions for sea rescue activists out of the budget," continued the paper.

"Otherwise, Germany will face enormous problems with (Italian Premier Giorgia) Meloni," concluded Bild.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared to patch things up at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the informal European Council meeting in Granada on Friday following tensions over migrants.

The row centred on the decision by Germany to fund German NGOs that carry out search-and-rescue operations in the central Mediterranean and then disembark rescued the migrants and refugees in Italy.

There had also been differences between the two States over the key crisis management section of the new EU pact on migration and asylum, but agreement was reached on this on Wednesday after Germany dropped an amendment. (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 7 - Israeli Ambassador to Italy Alon Bar on Saturday thanked President Sergio Mattarella for his "clear and explicit message of support for Israel" following the surprise massive rocket attack by Hamas from Gaza starting early Saturday morning in which medical sources now say over 100 Israelis have been killed and around 900 injured.

"We are very grateful for the thousands of messages of support we are receiving from politicians, officials, partners, friends and also from other Italians who follow the news and do not remain indifferent. Thank you all," wrote Bar on X.

Bar said he had also spoken to centre-left opposition democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein, who "expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned the terrorist attack by Hamas". (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 7 - Leader of Italy's leading trade union confederation CGIL Maurizio Landini on Saturday urged Italians to continue to fight for their rights and for the Constitution at a demonstration organised by a network of associations, opposition parties and unions in Piazza San Giovanni in central Rome.

"We represent the majority of this country. We need to fight," Landini said from the stage, addressing the crowd on an estimated 200,000.

"We will not stop and we will go on until we get results," he added, renewing calls for the introduction of a minimum hourly wage.

"5-6 euros per hour are starvation wages, unacceptable," said Landini, also criticising the government's decision to put on hold examination by parliament of a joint opposition bill on the minimum wage in order to give the National Council for Economics and Labour (CNEL) time to come up with a comprehensive proposal in time for the 2024 budget.

"Instead of taking the responsibility to convene social partners and say what it wants to do on contracts, on the law on representation, on the minimum wage, the government has subcontracted its role to the CNEL. It is an attack on the free action of workers," the CGIL leader said. (ANSA).


A ceremony is being held in an Irish village to mark a year since 10 people died in an explosion at a service station.

Voice of an Angel was played as the memorial service began just before 3pm.

Locals were silent as they gathered at the street leading to the site of the blast.

Four men, three women and three young people, ranging in age from five to 59, died in the blast that took place in the Co Donegal village of Creeslough on the afternoon of Friday October 7 last year.

Fr John Joe Duffy speaks at a commemoration and remembrance service in Creeslough, Co Donegal on the first anniversary of the explosion at a service station which killed 10 people. Picture date: Saturday October 7, 2023.

Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine ODonnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, fashion student Jessica Gallagher, Celtic fan Martin McGill, Sydney native James OFlaherty, shop worker Martina Martin, carpenter Hugh Hughie Kelly and 14-year-old Leona Harper were killed in the explosion.

A vigil mass is to take place at 7.30pm at St Michaels Church to remember those who died and those who were injured, and to thank the first responders to the scene.

The rescue and recovery effort, involving members of the community and emergency services on both sides of the border, was praised and sympathies were shared from across the world in the aftermath of the explosion.

A year on, no update has been given publicly on what caused the explosion.

Seven people died in the explosion at Applegreen service station (Brian Lawless/PA)

Irish police previously said the incident was being treated as a tragic accident, with a gas leak considered as one possibility.

An Garda Siochana said ahead of the anniversary that its investigation was continuing as expeditiously as possible.

It said that over 1,350 lines of inquiry had been actioned and more than 900 statements had been taken.

Various Garda agencies are involved in the investigation and are being assisted by the Norwegian company Det Norske Veritas, which specialises in investigating and testing energy systems.

Gardai at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ahead of the anniversary date, the families of those who died requested that the media respect their privacy.

Irelands premier Leo Varadkar said: Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones and the community in Creeslough today and every day. Seasimid libh.

Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said he was thinking of the people of Creeslough today, one year on since the terrible tragedy.

We remember the 10 lives lost, those injured, their families, and an entire community united in grief, Mr Martin said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Comedian Eddie Kadi and professional partner Karen Hauer have scored the first 10 of the Strictly Come Dancing series with their couples choice performance.

The 40-year-old said he had a whole other level of respect for street dance after performing on movie week to Men In Black, dedicating the dance to his family who migrated from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Judge Shirley Ballas, who awarded the first 10, said: When you do something well, it needs rewarding. This was slick, it had style, it was edgy, it was entertaining, you found your groove.

Everything that you love in dance you were able to bring today as a partnership, I absolutely loved it.

Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu topped the leader board (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

The couple were beaten to the top spot on the leader board by one point after Irish TV presenter Angela Scanlon and her professional partner Carlos Gu scored 35 for their Charleston from the film Damn Yankees, while Scanlons parents watched from the audience for the first time.

The professional dancers kicked off the show with a magical Disney-inspired medley  which included songs from Pocahontas, Frozen and red-haired Dianne Buswell leading the dance to The Little Mermaid.

Presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman began the third week with Mickey and Minnie Mouse to celebrate 100 years of Disney, while characters Goofy, Donald and Daisy Duck also walked out with the judges.

Movie week saw veteran broadcaster Angela Rippon channel Julie Andrews, with a cropped blond wig during her quickstep to Do-Re-Mi from the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical film The Sound Of Music, alongside professional partner Kai Widdrington.

The studio is alive with the sound of music, host Daly said, before the couple scored a total of 26.

Angela Rippon channelling Julie Andrews (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier impressed with his hip action during his Romeo + Juliet samba, which judge Anton Du Beke described as a remarkable doubled-jointed trick pelvis, which scored he and Buswell 32.

Meanwhile Paralympic champion Jody Cundy, who only had two days of training after his prosthetic leg became infected, was at the bottom of the leader board after scoring 20 for his Viennese waltz with Jowita Przysta to the 2009 film Up.

Reigning champion Przysta said: He had two days, he pulled it off, he said to me I want to perform because it means so much, I am super proud.

Actor Layton Williams and professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin, who received nines across the board in week two, scored 28 for their Grease-inspired Viennese waltz to There Are Worse Things I Could Do.

Revel Horwood said: I think you came out with way too much attack  it became jagged and lacked grace.

Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

It remained a special dance for Ukrainian Kuzmin whose parents watched from the audience, saying: I was really excited and I was really nervous but it just makes me feel like a kid, at the end of the day Im just a kid from Ukraine who is just living his dream.

Other movie week highlights included a Viennese waltz from actress Ellie Leach to the Disney film Encanto, a magical Bridget Jones-inspired rumba from actress Amanda Abbington and a Cabaret Charleston from broadcaster Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

Love Island star Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima received 25 for their Puss In Boots pasodoble, as did actor Nigel Harman with his Batman-inspired jive alongside professional partner Katya Jones, both dressed in capes.

Struggling with her confidence after being in the dance-off, Nikita Kanda channelled 90s film Clueless for her jive with partner Gorka Marquez, but placed second from the bottom at the end of the night with a score of 21.

Last week, former Family Fortunes host Les Dennis was the first celebrity eliminated from the competition after he found himself bottom of the leader board.
Labour has unveiled pledges to double the number of diagnostic scanners in hospitals and get tough on property developers as the party sets out its stall on health and housing ahead of its conference in Liverpool.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner promised the party would deliver the biggest boost to affordable housing for a generation in an interview with the Guardian outlining proposals for planning reform.

Meanwhile, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Labour would funnel 171 million a year into a fit for the future fund for purchasing new equipment to cut NHS waiting times.

Renewing his warning that the service must modernise or die, he told the Times the money would be enough to double the number of CT and MRI scanners in the NHS over a parliament, so patients get diagnosed with conditions earlier.

New equipment would have inbuilt artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic tools and would be funded by scrapping the non-dom tax status.

It comes as MPs, delegates and lobbyists gather in Liverpool this weekend for five days of policy debate, rallies and networking at what could be Labours last conference before a general election expected next year.

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer will head to the annual gathering buoyed by a comfortable lead in the polls and a resounding by-election victory over the SNP in Scotlands Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat.

His deputy Ms Rayner, who is also shadow levelling up secretary, will use her main speech to pledge a decent job, a secure home and a strong community for all under a Labour government.

Labours by-election victory in Rutherglen and Hamilton West provided Sir Keir Starmer with a boost ahead of the conference (Jane Barlow/PA)

The Oppositions plan for secure homes to end the Tories housing emergency will also feature, following an interview in the Guardian in which she promised to prevent developers wriggling out of their affordable housing obligations, known as section 106 rules.

Under its proposals, Labour said it would set up a new expert unit to give councils and housing associations advice to get the best deal during negotiations with property firms.

It would publish guidance that would effectively restrict developers to challenging 106 rules only if there were genuine barriers to building homes.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will take to the main stage on Monday to detail how Labour would revive the sluggish economy, before Sir Keirs keynote address on Tuesday.

The Labour Party womens conference will take place in Liverpool on Saturday, the day before the main events get under way.

Rishi Sunak used his Tory conference speech to cancel the northern leg of HS2 (Danny Lawson/PA)

The gathering follows the Conservatives conference in Manchester, which was overshadowed by the fate of HS2.

Mr Sunak defied senior Tories and business leaders to scrap the rail line from Birmingham to Manchester, saying the facts have changed and the cost of the high-speed rail scheme had more than doubled.

Sir Keir has said Labour cannot commit to reversing the decision if it wins the next general election due to the damage done by the Government.

The Tories urged him to clarify his position on HS2, as well as his support for a raft of transport schemes announced by Mr Sunak in place of the cancelled leg.

Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands said: We all know Keir Starmer wont tell us his plans if he becomes prime minister because hes afraid of losing votes, and he changes his position to whatever he thinks people want to hear.

Congratulations, @mgshanks, Labours new MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West. This is a seismic result. Voters have sent a clear message: it is time for change. Labour will deliver. https://t.co/ijp6sjipBp  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 6, 2023

Our country faces an important choice: Rishi Sunak, who will make the hard but necessary long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for the future, or Sir Keir Starmer, who is just like the same old politicians that have come before  always focused on the short-term and lacking the backbone to make the big changes Britain needs.

Mr Streeting in turn attacked what he claimed was a governing party appearing in hock to cranks, crackpots and conspiracy theorists on the right after the Tory conference saw a minister claim Labour was relaxed about taxing meat and another rail against sinister 15-minute cities.

I think there will be many decent, mainstream longstanding Conservative supporters who looked in on the Conservative Party conference this week and wondered what on earth happened to the party of Churchill, he told the Times.

Ahead of the conference, which carries the slogan Lets get Britains future back, Ms Rayner said: With five prime ministers in seven years and constant chaos and instability, Britains future has been left to take a back seat. The Tories legacy is national decline  a nation levelled down and starved of hope.

While the Tories have stolen Britains future, its Labour that will give it back with our plan to make working people better off by securing growth for all people and in all places.
The Return to Nature Funeral Home, a green funeral service company in Colorado, is under investigation after authorities discovered hundreds of corpses improperly stored.

Officials said they were alerted to the funeral service's location in Penrose, Colorado after residents complained that the establishment was reeking of foul stench.

Colorado Green Funeral Found Storing Hundreds of Corpses Improperly

The Return to Nature Funeral Home, which specializes in green burials, is being investigated by the Fremont County Sheriff's Office. The investigation is being assisted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered over 115 dead bodies improperly stored at the Colorado funeral building. Unfortunately, officials said that identifying all the corpses would take months to complete.

During a press conference on Friday, Oct. 6, officials said that the improperly stored corpses at the Return to Nature Funeral Home created a hazardous scene.

"Without providing too much detail to avoid further victimizing these families, the air of the funeral home where the bodies were stored was horrific," explained Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper.

Since the issue is quite serious, Colorado Governor Jared Polis decided to issue a local disaster emergency to make state resources available to investigators.

Authorities said that it is unclear whether the discovered corpses were intended for cremation or burial. However, the official website of the Green Funeral Home confirmed that they already halted their cremation services in July.

"There have been a lot of questions and concerns expressed by the community, especially those families who entrusted their loved ones to this funeral home," explained Cooper via Yahoo News.

He added that their main priority right now is to focus on the families of the dead bodies.

Read Also: China Surging COVID-19 Deaths Overwhelm Funeral Homes Prompting To Give Families Only 10 Minutes To Mourn

What Return to Nature Funeral Home Clients Should Do

The Associated Press reported that family members getting the Return to Nature Funeral Home services or if their deceased loved ones are already in the green funeral service provider should contact the sheriff's office and other investigators.

Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller already warned that the ongoing investigation could be a very long process since they need to conduct forensic identification, such as getting the DNA and fingerprints of the affected corpses.

As of press time, the FBI is sending additional investigators. These include a technical hazardous response team and a disaster recovery team.

The FBI promised that family members would receive a notification and further assistance once the dead bodies were identified.

Related Article: NYC Funeral Home Gets Body and Botches Embalming, Family Files Court Case

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Rishi Sunak has said Israel has an absolute right to defend itself as the countrys prime minister said it was at war following attacks by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip.

The UK Prime Minister said the Government is in contact with Israeli authorities after Hamas sent fighters across the border and fired thousands of rockets in what it said was a new operation.

Israels premier Benjamin Netanyahu said the group would pay a price that it hasnt known until now as he ordered up a call of reservists.

Mr Sunak, writing on X, said: I am shocked by this mornings attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.

Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.

Were in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was shocked by the attacks in Israel (Peter Byrne/PA)

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote on social media: The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians.

The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

Israel has a right to defend herself.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamic militant group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007 and the two have fought wars ever since.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly condemned the attack (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu made his first remarks since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak on Saturday.

We are at war, Mr Netanyahu said. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Hamas caught Israel off-guard on Simchat Torah, a major holiday, with a show of force including the deployment of dozens of soldiers to the countrys heavily fortified border on Saturday.

The attack revived memories of the 1973 war almost 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas, describing the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing.

The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has condemned horrific attacks by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip in southern Israel.

Militant group Hamas has sent fighters across the border and fired thousands of rockets in what it said was a new operation.

Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was at war as its military began striking targets in Gaza in response.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly condemned the attack (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Cleverly wrote on social media: The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians.

The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

Israel has a right to defend herself.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamic militant group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007 and the two have fought wars ever since.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has said her number one focus in government would be to unlock more affordable homes with a plan to get tough on developers.

The party has pledged give local authorities greater powers to negotiate with property firms and build in the areas they need as it sets out its stall on housing ahead of its conference in Liverpool.

Ms Rayner, who is also shadow housing secretary, declined to give a specific number when asked what Labours new homes target is, saying it must first unlock the blockages in the current system.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner says the party has pledged to give local authorities greater powers to negotiate with property firms (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

But she said the party was focused on exceeding the unmet Tory pledge of 300,000 new homes a year, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Thats what my priority is.

If I get into government, if were fortunate enough that the British people give us that opportunity, then my number one focus is to deliver on making sure weve got those houses for the future.

The party is pledging to prevent developers wriggling out of their affordable housing obligations, known as section 106 rules, by introducing an expert unit to give councils and housing associations advice on negotiating with property firms.

It would publish guidance that would effectively limit companies to challenging these requirements only if there were genuine barriers to building homes.

Ms Rayner, who arrived alongside leader Sir Keir Starmer in Liverpool earlier to crowds of Labour supporters, has promised the proposals would help the party deliver the biggest boost to affordable housing for a generation.

Homelessness charity Shelter welcomed the proposals as a good start but said only a national programme backed by serious investment would tackle the housing crisis.

Meanwhile, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has pledged to double the number of CT and MRI scanners in hospitals as part of a bid to cut NHS waiting times.

Labour would funnel 171 million a year into a fit for the future fund for purchasing new equipment to help patients get diagnosed earlier, he said.

New equipment would have inbuilt artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic tools and would be funded by scrapping the non-dom tax status.

NHS Providers described the plan as a positive step but warned its success would hinge on the details of its funding, calling for clear allocation of resources, timelines and transparency.

The British Medical Association welcomed the proposals, but urged Labour to also set out a plan for improving conditions for doctors to address the key limiting factor of staff shortages.

It comes as MPs, delegates and lobbyists gather this weekend for five days of policy debate, rallies and networking at what could be Labours last conference before a general election expected next year.

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer will head to the annual event buoyed by a comfortable lead in the polls and a resounding by-election victory over the SNP in Scotlands Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat.

Labours by-election victory in Rutherglen and Hamilton West provided Sir Keir Starmer with a boost ahead of the conference (Jane Barlow/PA)

His deputy Ms Rayner, who is also shadow levelling up secretary, will focus her main speech on housing as well as pledging a decent job, a secure home and a strong community for all under a Labour government.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will take to the main stage on Monday to detail how Labour would revive the sluggish economy, before Sir Keirs keynote address on Tuesday.

The Labour Party womens conference is taking place in Liverpool on Saturday, the day before the main events get under way.

Rishi Sunak used his Tory conference speech to cancel the northern leg of HS2 (Danny Lawson/PA)

The gathering follows the Conservatives conference in Manchester, which was overshadowed by the fate of HS2.

Mr Sunak defied senior Tories and business leaders to scrap the rail line from Birmingham to Manchester, saying the facts have changed and the cost of the high-speed rail scheme had more than doubled.

Sir Keir has said Labour cannot commit to reversing the decision if it wins the next general election due to the damage done by the Government.

The Tories urged him to clarify his position on HS2, as well as his support for a raft of transport schemes announced by Mr Sunak in place of the cancelled leg.

Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands said: We all know Keir Starmer wont tell us his plans if he becomes prime minister because hes afraid of losing votes, and he changes his position to whatever he thinks people want to hear.

Congratulations, @mgshanks, Labours new MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West. This is a seismic result. Voters have sent a clear message: it is time for change. Labour will deliver. https://t.co/ijp6sjipBp  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 6, 2023

Our country faces an important choice: Rishi Sunak, who will make the hard but necessary long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for the future, or Sir Keir Starmer, who is just like the same old politicians that have come before  always focused on the short-term and lacking the backbone to make the big changes Britain needs.

Mr Streeting in turn attacked what he claimed was a governing party appearing in hock to cranks, crackpots and conspiracy theorists on the right after the Tory conference saw a minister claim Labour was relaxed about taxing meat and another rail against sinister 15-minute cities.

I think there will be many decent, mainstream longstanding Conservative supporters who looked in on the Conservative Party conference this week and wondered what on earth happened to the party of Churchill, he told the Times.
Hillary Clinton says 'MAGA extremists take their marching orders from Donald Trump' - Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

Hillary Clinton has called for a formal deprogramming of Donald Trumps supporters, comparing followers of the former president to cult members.

The former First Lady, who lost to Donald Trump in the 2016 election, launched the withering attack on the Republican front-runners backers during an interview on CNN aired on Friday.

Sadly, so many of those extremists, those MAGA (Make America Great Again) extremists, take their marching orders from Donald Trump, who has no credibility left by any measure, she said.

Hes only in it for himself. Hes now defending himself in civil actions and criminal actions. And when do they break with him? You know, because at some point, you know, maybe there needs to be a formal deprogramming of the cult members.

Critics were quick to suggest her remarks could serve to whip up hard-core Trump supporters and followers of an array of conspiracy theories who believe a hidden secretive elite and deep state is running Washington.

Throwing fuel on the fire

Some accused Ms Clinton of rekindling the furore which followed her 2016 description of Mr Trumps supporters as a basket of deplorables.

That outburst was viewed in some quarters as a major own goal that contributed heavily to Ms Clintons election loss by insulting blue-collar voters in swing industrial states who, feeling they had been let down by the elite in Washington, in turn backed Mr Trump.

Analysts said her latest comments would not help incumbent president Joe Biden as he gears up to challenge for a second term in the White House in next years election.

If I was in the White House, I would prefer not to have former nominees dropping these sorts of bombs, said Christopher Galdieri, a professor of politics at Saint Anselm College.

I think she is enjoying the fact she is a private citizen and doesnt have to worry about the repercussions.

We should expect to hear him talk about this. I dont know whether his base can get even more riled up. Its throwing fuel on the fire, and the fire is doing pretty well already.

Mr Trumps supporters wasted little time capitalising on the gaffe.

President Trump has said countless times that they are only coming after him because he stands in their way from coming after you  and Hillary Clinton just confirmed that to be true, said Karoline Leavitt, spokesman for the Trump-supporting Make America Great Again political action committee.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a leading rival of Mr Trumps for the Republican nomination, joined the chorus of condemnation of Ms Clintons remarks.

These are patriotic Americans. They want to see the country do well, he said of Mr Trumps supporters.

Some people would be with Trump no matter what, but I think the bulk of the people  appreciate what he did, but they also understand that he has got limitations in terms of his electability.

Poisoning the blood of our country

Meanwhile, the former president also found himself at the centre of renewed controversy after he accused undocumented immigrants of poisoning the blood of our country in a recent interview.

Nobody has any idea where these people are coming from, and we know they come from prisons, he said in a 37-minute interview with Raheem Kassam, the editor-in-chief of The National Pulse and a former director of Breitbart News in London.

We know they come from mental institutions, insane asylums. We know theyre terrorists,

His remarks echoed far-Right and white supremacist rhetoric about the threat posed to America by immigrants.

The controversy came as Mr Trump also ruled himself out of becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives, instead throwing his support behind Ohio congressman, Jim Jordan, one of his staunchest allies on Capitol Hill.

There had been growing calls for Mr Trump to take the post, for which he would be eligible despite not being a member of the House.

The former president, who is reportedly planning his first visit to the US Capitol since the January 6 insurrection after a tumultuous row in the GOP, gave his full-throated backing to Mr Jordan on his Truth Social channel.

He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, and has my complete and total endorsement.

With the Speaker needing the backing of 218 members of the House  almost the entire Republican caucus  Mr Jordans election is not guaranteed, given the bitter rift between the partys centrist and ultraconservative wings.

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Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced Friday that he is not resigning from his seat and plans to run for reelection in 2024, shooting down reports that he is considering stepping down following his stunning ouster as Speaker earlier this week.

Im not resigning. I got a lot more work to do, McCarthy told reporters in the Capitol.

Asked if he plans to run for reelection next year, McCarthy responded yes.

The comments came shortly after Politico, citing two people familiar with the matter, reported that McCarthy was considering resigning from the House before the end of his term. Following that report, CNN said McCarthy was expected to step down, per two sources familiar with his thinking.

McCarthy, however, emphasized to reporters that he has no plans to leave Capitol Hill.

Im still here finishing my job, all right, he said. If I make any other difference, dont read it by somebody else. I will tell you.

The speculation regarding McCarthys tenure in Congress came days after the House voted to remove the California Republican as Speaker, the first time in history a lawmaker was booted from the top spot in the chamber.

Eight Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), voted with all Democrats present to eject McCarthy from the role in a 216-210 vote largely in response to GOP frustrations over McCarthys decision to put a clean continuing resolution on the floor to avert a government shutdown. The stopgap bill cleared both chambers in overwhelmingly bipartisan votes.

In a press conference Tuesday night, McCarthy announced that he would not run for Speaker again.

When asked if he would remain in Congress following his ouster from the job, McCarthy responded, Ill look at that. Pressed later in the media availability if he was considering resigning, McCarthy said, I havent thought about it.

The California Republican told reporters Friday that he did not consider resigning at any point. Asked what had changed between now and his press conference Friday, he pointed to the deliberations he has before deciding to run for another term every cycle.

I looked at it every time I have to decide whether Im gonna run for reelection or not, McCarthy said.

Questions about McCarthys post-Speakership future in the House do not come without precedent.

Former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) resigned from the top job and his seat in the House simultaneously in the middle of his term in 2015, as conservatives threatened to force a vote on ousting him from his post. In 2018, then-Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) announced plans to retire from Congress at the end of his term.

But in a break with that precedent, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has continued to serve in Congress despite stepping down as leader of House Democrats.

McCarthys ouster has left the House without a Speaker, which means the chamber is unable to conduct legislative business. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) is currently serving as Speaker pro tempore but is only able to preside over the chamber and the eventual Speaker vote.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are currently vying for the top job. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, is also considering a run.

Updated at 5:58 p.m. ET

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez released a scathing statement in response to Joe Biden's decision to expedite border wall construction at the US-Mexico border to curb illegal immigration.

The Biden administration announced on Thursday that it would expand the border wall, which began construction under President Donald Trump, and that it would begin to deport thousands of Venezuelans who have crossed the border in recent months.

The announcement reversed a move Mr Biden made earlier in his presidency to stop the construction of any new portions of the wall. His administration is waiving more than 20 federal laws and regulations to allow for the construction to continue.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez criticised the administration for the decision both to continue the construction and to ignore federal law while doing so.

The Biden administration was not required to expand construction of the border wall  and they certainly were not required to waive several environmental laws to expedite the building," she said in a statement. "The president needs to take responsibility for this decision and reverse course."

She said a "wall does nothing to deter people who are fleeing poverty and violence from coming to the United States."

The congresswoman argued that the desperation faced by migrants is too great to be deterred by a wall.

"You do not risk your life or your childrens lives going through the Darien Gap or traversing hundreds of miles of desert if you have any other options," she said. "Walls only serve to push migrants into more remote areas, increasing their chances of death."

Ms Ocasio-Cortez called the move a "cruel policy."

Though Mr Biden previously described the border wall as "not a serious policy solution," the more than 50,000 migrants from Venezuela who crossed into the US last month have apparently prompted a change in thinking in the White House.

The policy shift comes only three weeks after the Biden administration granted a temporary legal status to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants who already crossed into the US unlawfully.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez called policy solutions like the border wall a money pit.

Exactly! Its always one money pit away.



Forget discussing foreign policy, sanctions, immigration policy, & factors incentivizing people to travel on foot in the first place.



Instead throw more money at the problem in another border deal until its weaponized again, & repeat https://t.co/N9nHu8wBH1  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 6, 2023

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the move, saying in a statement that the decision to continue construction was a legal requirement stemming from appropriations made during Mr Trump's administration.

There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States, he said in the statement, noting that waiving laws and regulations was necessary to complete the work in a timely manner.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez rejected the policy as effective, and said the US needed to re-examine its role in causing the conditions that force migrants to flee their homes.

"Instead, the U.S. must take examining the root of migration more seriously, re-examine policy towards Latin America, and stop contributing to the destabilization that drives migration - as Senator Marco Rubios Venezuela sanctions have done," she said. "We also have to finally invest in meaningful immigration reform.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre ducked questions about the wall on Thursday after Mr Mayorkas issued a call for continued construction and the waiving of regulations to get it done.

She insisted that "I've not seen [Mr Mayorkas'] full statement" and said Mr Biden had been "very clear that he doesn't believe it's effective."

Mr Mayorkas attempted to soften the news of the continued construction by pointing out that the Biden administration hasn't implemented any "new" policy, but that it is simply following through on previous policies established by Mr Trump.

"I want to address todays reporting relating to a border wall and be absolutely clear," he told the White House press pool. "There is no new Administration policy with respect to border walls. From day one, this Administration has made clear that a border wall is not the answer."
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Saturday decried the unconscionable" assault by Hamas militants and his administration pledged to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself after the surprise attack that drew worldwide condemnation and anger from Israel's allies.

Biden said from the White House that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop. Theres never a justification for terrorist attacks and my administrations support for Israelis security is rock solid and unwavering.

The president also warned Israeli's enemies that "this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching.

Biden said he would keep in close touch with Netanyahu, and had called Jordan's King Abdullah II and members of Congress to discuss the situation.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was at the White House for meetings and spoke to Israel's president and foreign minister, while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israel's defense minister. The Pentagon chief said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel to protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism and with its defense needs.

Hamas' unprecedented incursion, which Biden noted came not long after Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, was the deadliest attack in Israel in years and was threatening to spiral into a broader conflict. Israel retaliated with airstrikes in Gaza. We are at war, Netanyahu said.

Biden said the people of Israel were under attack orchestrated by a terrorist organization" and that "in this moment of tragedy, I want to say to them and to the world and to terrorists everywhere, the United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have their back. Well make sure that they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves.

He said ``the world has seen appalling images -- thousands of rockets in the space of hours raining down on Israel cities and that Hamas had killed not just Israeli soldiers but also Israeli civilians  in the street, in their homes, innocent people murdered and wounded, entire families taken hostage by Hamas just days after Israel marked the holiest of days in the Jewish calendar. Its unconscionable.

The hostilities dealt a significant blow to U.S. efforts to expand the Arab-Israeli Abraham Accords normalization agreements, not only with Saudi Arabia, which has commanded most of the public attention, but also with smaller Arab states.

U.S. officials say they intend to press ahead but acknowledge efforts are unlikely to bear fruit while there is an active conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Blinken had been planning a trip to the Middle East, with stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia, later this month, but those plans are now on hold, according to multiple U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations.

In the immediate term, these officials said the U.S. would work Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among Arab partners in the region, to try to deescalate the situation. But given the scale of the Hamas attacks and Israel's military response, the officials said they were not optimistic about any short-term solution.

Like Biden, who said the U.S. unequivocally condemns this appalling assault, many world leaders stressed that Israel has a right to defend itself and they pledged solidarity.

We believe that order will be restored and the terrorists will be destroyed, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a post on his official Telegram channel. Zelenskyy, who is Jewish and had relatives who died in the Holocaust, said Israels right to self-defense cannot be questioned."

European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen denounced the senseless attack by Hamas and said, This violence is neither a political solution nor an act of bravery. It is purely terrorism.

German Chancellor OIaf Scholz said his country stands beside Israel, a sentiment echoed by the Austrian chancellor, Karl Nehammer. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted that he was shocked by the attacks and that Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.

In Vienna, the Israeli flag was raised at the Austrian chancellors office and Foreign Ministry in a gesture of solidarity. "There is no excuse for terror, Nehammer said in a post on X.

Mikhail Bogdanov, Russias deputy foreign minister and a former ambassador to Israel and Egypt, told the state Tass agency that Moscow was in touch with all parties (of the conflict), including Arab countries and urged an immediate cease-fire and peace between Hamas and Israel.

Bogdanov did not specify the Arab nations with which Russian diplomats were speaking.

Saudi Arabia called for an immediate halt to the fighting, urging both sides to protect civilians and exercise restraint.

The kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation, the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights and the repetition of system provocations against them by Israel, a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.

But in Iran, Israels regional archenemy, members of parliament opened their session Saturday by chanting Death to Israel and Israel will be doomed, Palestine will be the conqueror. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said todays operation created a new page in the field of resistance and armed operation against occupiers, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.

In Lebanons Palestinian refugee camps, hundreds took to the streets to celebrate the operation by Hamas. In the Bourj al-Barajneh camp south of Beirut, residents danced in the streets, while young men in the northern city of Tripoli distributed celebratory sweets to passersby in the streets.

In the Bekaa Valley, pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked the roads. The countrys highest Sunni religious authority called for mosques to broadcast God is great over loudspeakers following afternoon prayers in solidarity with our people in Palestine.

___

Associated Press writers from around the world contributed to this report.
A man accused of kidnapping nine-year-old Charlotte Sena is being investigated for potential links to the unsolved murders of two women nearly two decades ago.

Craig Ross, 46, is facing charges of kidnapping in the first degree in connection with Charlottes abduction on 1 October. New York State Police said earlier this week that the child was snatched while riding her bike during a family camping trip at Moreau Lake State Park in Saratoga County.

Two days later, Charlotte was found inside a campervan parked behind the home of Mr Rosss mother in Ballston Spa. Mr Ross, who is also accused of delivering a ransom note at the Sena family home in the early hours of Monday, was arrested after fingerprints pulled from the note matched his records from a 1999 DUI arrest, police said.

Saratoga County Sheriffs detective Matthew Robinson has now told the AlbanyTimes-Union that his agency is considering potential links between Mr Ross and the murders of 18-year-old Jennifer Hammond and 19-year-old Christina White, whose bodies were found in the area after they went missing in 2003 and 2005, respectively.

At this time, we have no information to indicate that he was or was not involved, Mr Robinson told the Times-Union. Theres no, like, hot lead that says hes our guy or anything like that ... [Were probing any] association [he] has with any major case in the area.

Hammond went missing in 2003 while soliciting magazines in the Creek and Pines Trailer Park, in Ballston Spa, according to New York State Police records. She never showed up at a designated spot where her employer had arranged to pick her up and a previously purchased bus ticket to her home state of Colorado was never used.

Her belongings were left behind in an Albany hotel where she had been staying with other coworkers.

Two years later, in June 2005, White was reported missing by family members after she vanished from the Ballston Spa area. A year later, her remains were found on Daketown Road in Greenfield, and authorities were able to determine that she had been stabbed in her abdomen.

Christina White (left) and Jennifer Hammond (rigth) both went missing from the Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, area just years apart (New York State Police)

Then, in October 2009, Hammonds skull was discovered in a wooded area off of Lake Desolation Road, also in Greenfield. Because the rest of her remains were never recovered, Hammonds cause of death remains unknown.

Authorities have long suspected that the two cold cases may be connected because both victims went missing in the same area and their remains were also located in the same town.

Mr Robinson declined to comment on whether Mr Ross had ever been questioned in connection with the Hammond and White cases.

He said Mr Rosss name never came up during the years-long investigation with any kind of significance, but the Saratoga County Sheriffs Office was probing any potential connections.

There is no direct evidence or information that links Ross to the White or Hammond cases, Mr Robinson added.

Gov Kathy Hochul revealed during a press conference late Monday night after Charlottes rescue that Mr Ross was not a registered sex offender. Officials at the press conference only mentioned a 1999 DUI arrest when asked about the kidnapping suspects criminal history.

Saratoga County Sheriffs Office released mug shot of Craig Nelson Ross Jr. He is charged with the kidnapping of Charlotte Sena (Saratoga County Sheriffs Office)

New York State Police officials have since confirmed to The Independent that Mr Ross was arrested five years ago over a domestic dispute. According to the law enforcement agency, the unnamed victim accused Mr Ross, who lived in Corinth at the time, of applying pressure on their throat during an altercation on 21 April 2017.

Ross Jr was arrested at the scene and transported to SP Wilton for processing, a spokesperson for NYSP said in a statement. He was arraigned at the Moreau Town Court and released on his own recognizance.

The NYSP said it could not comment on reports of pending investigations involving Mr Ross.

New York State Police will not confirm, deny, or provide any information concerning investigations that did not result in criminal prosecution, the agency said.

Mr Ross is being held without bail at the Saratoga County Correctional Facility. Authorities said that more charges are expected pending the ongoing investigation.

He is expected to appear in court again on 21 November.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de Leon and former Councilmember Gil Cedillo filed separate lawsuits Friday, alleging invasion of privacy and negligence. (Los Angeles Times)

Two prominent Los Angeles political figures are suing over an incendiary secret recording that upended City Hall nearly a year ago, according to filings posted on the Superior Court's website.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de Leon and former Councilmember Gil Cedillo lodgedseparate lawsuits Friday, saying the recording didpermanent harmto their reputations and careers. Both lawsuits allege invasion of privacy and negligence and seek damages.

Cedillo's lawsuit targets the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, along with Karla Vasquez and Santos Leon, who were both employed by the powerful union coalition when the conversation was recorded in October 2021.

De Leon's lawsuit names only Vasquez and Leon as defendants, not the federation.

The recording at the federation headquarters became public nearly a year ago, drawing furious protests and prompting the resignation of two others who attended the meeting  council President Nury Martinez and Ron Herrera, the then-head of the labor federation. The conversation, which centered on the city's once-a-decade redistricting process, included racist and derogatory remarks about Black Angelenos, Oaxacans and others.

Read more:The entire L.A. City Council racist audio leak, transcribed and annotated by our experts

Although the filing does not yet appear to have been processed by Los Angeles County Superior Court, Cedillo's legal team provided a receipt issued by the court in response to the filing. De Leon's lawsuit also appears in the court system's processing queue.

Both lawsuits argue that the respective defendants surreptitiously recorded the October 2021 meeting without knowledge or consent. Both filings also portray the release of the audio as a "textbook 'October surprise'" designed to inflict maximum reputational damage.

Cedillo lost his bid for reelection in June 2022, several months before the release of the audio. De Leon finished third in the June 2022 mayoral primary, failing to make the runoff, and is running for a second council term in the March 2024 primary.

A spokesperson for the labor federation, a nonprofit group that represents unions from across the county, declined to comment. Cedillo and De Leon also did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawyers for Vasquez and Leon did not immediately offer comment.

Neither Leon nor Vasquez, who are married, has been publicly identified as suspects in the criminal investigation into the surreptitious recording. At the time of the recording, Vasquez served as an executive assistant to Herrera, the leader of the federation, and Leon was the organization's accountant.

Los Angeles police served a search warrant at their Eagle Rock home in July. Leons computers were taken by police, according to an individual who has knowledge of the warrant but was not authorized to speak publicly. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said earlier this week that there were no updates on the police investigation into the tape recording.

Read more:Police investigating City Hall audio leak search home of two labor federation staffers

The lawsuits were brought by two separate legal firms, with Geragos & Geragos representing De Leon and Kabateck LLP representing Cedillo.

Both filings include similar language. They argue, among other things, that comments heard in the recording were taken out of context or featured Spanish slang that was improperly translated.

"But the most glaring fact omitted from the public discourse over this conversation is that Mr. Cedillo never made any comment that was even remotely offensive during the illegally recorded conversation," Cedillo's lawsuit said. "He was, in fact, silent during those comments.

De Leon's filing includes the same sentence, with "Mr. De Leon" instead of "Mr. Cedillo."

"Nuance was ignored, context was hijacked and a frenzy was manufactured," De Leon's lawsuit said.

Cedillo's filing alleges that his "entire lifetime of service was jettisoned because he failed to object to comments made by his colleagues."

After the audio became public, Cedillo denied making racist statements but apologized for remaining silent.

It is my instinct to hold others accountable when they use derogatory or racially divisive language. Clearly, I should have intervened, he said at the time.

Cedillo did not step down in the wake of the uproar, instead deciding to avoid council meetings for the remainder of his term. In December, hours after he left office, he released a three-page letter in which he said he was a victim of "cancel culture."

I publicly apologized for not cutting off my colleagues when their comments crossed a line, Cedillo wrote. But to resign for staying silent, with no look at who said what in that room, and ignoring the totality of my work and history? That is unacceptable.

De Leon has repeatedly apologized for his part in the incendiary conversation. Unlike Cedillo, Martinez, and Herrera, who all declined interview requests after the recording came out, De Leon talked extensively to media outlets and answered questions about what was said in the closed-door meeting.

At one point in the audio, Martinez accused Mike Bonin, a white council member, of using his Black son as an accessory. De Leon responded that it was like when Nury brings her Goyard bag or the Louis Vuitton bag.

De Leon later apologized for that flippant remark, saying the comment was actually directed toward Martinez and her penchant for having luxury accessories and luxury goods. The councilman also told Noticiero Univision anchor Leon Krauze that he was horrified when Martinez used the phrase parece changuito or like a monkey, when talking about Bonins son and that he felt horrible and failed to speak up.

After Martinez launched into a lengthy discussion of Bonins son bouncing off the walls of a float during a parade and how he needs a beatdown, Cedillo appeared to say that the boy needs a pinch.

Later, when Martinez employed stereotypes long used against Oaxacans in Mexico and in the United States, saying she sees a lot of little short dark people in Koreatown, Cedillo chimed in and stated, Puro Oaxacans. Puro Oaxacan Korean."

Not even like Kevin  little ones, said Cedillo, making a reference to De Leon.

Cedillo is seeking punitive damages, general damages and compensatory damages, among other things, saying the release of the audio caused him to lose income and job offers. De Leon's complaint states that he was the target of verbal assault, ethnic slurs, death threats, being spat on, and permanent damage to his reputation and political future."

Cedillo's lawyer, Brian Kabateck, declined to discuss the lawsuit, saying in an email that it "speaks for itself." De Leon's lawyer Kimberly Casper did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Times staff writer Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Reuters) -The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday.

Here is some global reaction.

UNITED STATES

"There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement released by the State Department.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

UNITED NATIONS

U.N. Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said: "This is a dangerous precipice, and I appeal to all to pull back from the brink."

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk said:

"This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians ... Civilians must never be the target of attack."

PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS

The Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops", the official news agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying.

IRAN

An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday congratulated Palestinian fighters, the semi-official ISNA news site reported. "We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem," it quoted Yahya Rahim Safavi as saying.

Iran's state television showed parliament members rising from their seats to chant "Death to Israel".

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani spokesperson was quoted by ISNA as saying: "In this operation, the element of surprise and other combined methods were used, which show the Palestinian people's confidence in the face of the occupiers."

GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ

"Terrifying news reaches us today from #Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel," Scholz said on social media.

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON

Macron strongly condemned the attacks.

"I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them," he said.

SAUDI ARABIA

The foreign ministry called for an "immediate cessation of violence".

EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

Egypt warned of "grave consequences" and called for "exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger".

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU

"Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel. These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this. Civilian life must be protected," he said on X.

BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER JAMES CLEVERLY

"The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself," Cleverly said.

EUROPEAN UNION

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form."

Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said: "We unequivocally condemn the attacks by Hamas. This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing."

TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN

"We call for restraint from all parties," Erdogan said.

QATAR

The foreign ministry said Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinian people, and called for both sides to show restraint.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MIKHAIL BOGDANOV

Russia is in contact with Israel, the Palestinians and Arab countries in connection with the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Bogdanov said, urging restraint.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY

Zelenskiy condemned what he called a "terror attack" on Israel and said Israel's right to defend itself "cannot be doubted".

HEZBOLLAH

The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, an arch foe of Israel, said it was in "direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance" and described events as a "decisive response to Israel's continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalisation with Israel".

POLISH PRESIDENT ANDRZEJ DUDA

"I'm shocked by today's brutal attacks on Israel by Hamas. Rockets attacks and detention of civilians as hostages arouse our deepest opposition. Poland strongly condemns all acts of violence," Duda said.

CZECH PRESIDENT PETR PAVEL

"The attack conducted from the Gaza Strip is a deplorable act of terrorism against the State of Israel and the civilian population," Pavel said in a statement

"The rocket attacks and the infiltration of Hamas commandos into Israel will block any efforts for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for a long time."

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

"A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was held today on the dramatic situation unfolding in Israel, which has been the target of a military and terrorist attack," a statement said. "The government is following the evolution of the situation with concern ... Particular attention is being paid to the security of the Jewish community in the country."

KUWAIT

Kuwait expressed its "grave concern" over developments between Israel and the Palestinians, blaming Israel for what it called its "blatant attacks".

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

"The UAE calls for the exercise of maximum restraint and an immediate ceasefire to avoid serious repercussions," the official news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

JAPAN

Japan strongly condemns rocket launches and cross-border attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups into Israeli territory, the foreign ministry said.

KENYA

"We repudiate the planners, funders and implementers of this heinous attack. While Israel has a right to retaliate, a peaceful path to resolving this unfortunate development is urged," Korir Sing'oei, principal secretary at Kenya's foreign ministry, said on X.

(Compiled by Reuters bureaux; Editing by Jan Harvey, Andrew Cawthorne and Ros Russell)
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko claims that the U.S. government is the one triggering Russia to use its nuclear weapons.

This was shared by the Belarusian leader during his visit to a military facility in the Brest region.

Lukashenko made his comments after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that they could revoke the ratification of a treaty banning nuclear tests.

Is US Triggering Russia's Nuclear Weapons Usage? Belarus President Says Yes

Lukashenko explained that he is getting the impression that the U.S. military is the one pushing Russians to use nuclear weapons. But, he clarified that his statement is his own opinion.

"They arm Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelensky and his army and provide long-range missiles. Even missiles able to fly for 300 km (186 miles)," said the Belarusian president via CNN World.

He warned that if any Russian territory is struck by the long-range missiles provided by the U.S. to Ukraine, Moscow will certainly retaliate.

"One such attack deep into the Russian territory and the response will be colossal. Otherwise, why do we need these (nuclear) weapons for?" added Alexander.

He further stated that the rising tensions between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. could lead to a scenario where the Russian government will just "take out the red button and put it on the table."

As of press time, U.S. President Joe Biden is still making efforts to ensure that Ukraine will receive the military and financial aid it needs to fight against the ongoing Russian invasion.

But, the Ukraine assistance faces uncertainty after the ousting of Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Read Also: Russia Plans New Naval Base on Black Sea Coast Near Occupied Georfia Region Following Crimea Retreat

Russia Completes Nuclear-Powered Missile Test

The Associated Press reported that Russia successfully tested an experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile.

This was boasted by Putin on Thursday, Oct. 5. After making the big announcement, the Russian president added that their parliament is considering revoking the global nuclear test ban.

During his speech, Putin said that they effectively completed the development of the Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile and the Burevestnik cruise missile.

He added that they are already working on these destructive nuclear weapons so they can enter production.

Aside from this, Vladimir Putin also explained that the U.S. government did not ratify the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban. He compared it to Russia, which signed and ratified the treaty.

Putin argued that if Russia decided to revoke the global nuclear test ban, it would only mirror the "stand taken by the U.S."

Related Article: Putin Claims Russia Tested New Nuke Missile, Threatens to Revoke Global Test Ban

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
By Maayan Lubell, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ammar Awad

JERUSALEM/GAZA/SDEROT (Reuters) -Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas rampaged through Israeli towns on Saturday, killing at least 250 Israelis and escaping with dozens of hostages in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago.

More than 230 Gazans were also killed when Israel responded with one of its most devastating days of retaliatory strikes. Fighting continued into the night.

"We will take mighty vengeance for this wicked day," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"Hamas launched a cruel and wicked war. We will win this war but the price is too heavy to bear," he said. "Hamas wants to murder us all. This is an enemy that murders mothers and children in their homes, in their beds. An enemy that abducts elderly, children, teenage girls."

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the assault that had begun in Gaza, a narrow strip that is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, would spread to the West Bank and Jerusalem. Gazans have lived under an Israeli blockade for 16 years.

In a speech, Haniyeh highlighted threats to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, the continuation of the blockade on Gaza and Israeli normalization with countries in the region. "How many times have we warned you that the Palestinian people have been living in refugee camps for 75 years, and you refuse to recognise the rights of our people?"

Bodies of Israeli civilians were strewn across the streets of Sderot in southern Israel, near Gaza, surrounded by broken glass. The bodies of a man and woman were sprawled across the front seats of a car.

"I went out, I saw loads of bodies of terrorists, civilians, cars shot up. A sea of bodies, inside Sderot along the road, other places, loads of bodies," said Shlomi from Sderot.

Terrified Israelis, barricaded into safe rooms, recounted their plight by phone on live television.

Esther Borochov, who fled a dance rave party attacked by the gunmen, told Reuters she survived by playing dead in a car after the driver trying to help her escape was shot point blank.

"I couldn't move my legs," she told Reuters at the hospital. "Soldiers came and took us away to the bushes."

Senior military officers were among those killed in fighting near Gaza, the Israeli military said.

Israeli troops clashed with Hamas fighters throughout the night in some parts of southern Israel. In a briefing on social media, an Israeli army spokesperson said the situation was not fully under control.

The Israeli prime minister's office said the security cabinet had approved steps to destroy the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad "for many years", including cutting electricity and fuel supplies and the entry of goods into Gaza.

In Gaza, black smoke, orange flashes and sparks lit the sky from explosions. Israeli drones could be heard overhead. Earlier, crowds of mourners had carried the bodies of militants through the streets, wrapped in green Hamas flags.

Gaza's dead and wounded were carried into crumbling and overcrowded hospitals with severe shortages of medical supplies and equipment. The health ministry said 232 people had been killed and at least 1,700 wounded.

Streets were deserted apart from ambulances racing to the scenes of air strikes. Israel cut the power, plunging the city into darkness.

BIDEN OFFERS SUPPORT TO NETANYAHU

Western countries, led by the United States, denounced the attack.

At the White House, President Joe Biden went on national television to say Israel had the right to defend itself and issued a blunt warning to Iran and other countries hostile to Israel. "This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching," he said.

A senior Biden administration official told reporters that the United States was working with other governments to make sure the crisis does not spread and is contained to Gaza.

The United States has been trying to strike a deal that would normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, seen by Israelis as the biggest prize yet in their decades-long quest for Arab recognition. Palestinians fear any such agreement could sell out their dreams of an independent state.

Osama Hamdan, the leader of Hamas in Lebanon, told Reuters that Saturday's operation should make Arab states realize that accepting Israeli security demands would not bring peace.

"For those who want stability and peace in the region, the starting point must be to end the Israeli occupation," he said. "Some (Arab states) unfortunately started imagining that Israel could be the gateway for America to defend their security."

Across the Middle East, there were demonstrations in support of Hamas, with Israeli and U.S. flags set on fire and marchers waving Palestinian flags in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

The Hamas attack was praised by Iran and by Hezbollah, Iran's Lebanese allies.

Long after nightfall, residents had not been given the all-clear to go home.

"It's not over because the (army) hasnt said the kibbutz is clear of terrorists," Dani Rahamim told Reuters by telephone from a shelter where he was hiding in Nahal Oz, close to the Gaza fence. Gunfire had subsided but regular explosions could still be heard.

Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the group was holding a large number of Israeli captives, including senior officials. He said Hamas had enough captives to make Israel free all Palestinians in its jails.

Hamas, which advocates Israel's destruction, said the attack was driven by what it said were Israel's escalated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and against Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif said, announcing the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media and calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

Gaza has been devastated by four wars and countless skirmishes between Hamas and Israel since the militants seized control of the strip in 2007. But the scenes of violence inside Israel itself exceeded anything there even at the height of the Palestinian Intifada uprisings of past decades.

That Israel was caught completely off guard was lamented as one of the worst intelligence failures in its history, a shock to a nation that boasts of its intensive infiltration and monitoring of militants.

Scores of Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded in clashes at Gaza's border into Israel, where fighters captured the crossing point and tore down fences. Some of the dead were civilians, among crowds that attempted to cross into Israel through the damaged gates.

"We are afraid," a Palestinian woman, Amal Abu Daqqa, told Reuters as she left her house in Khan Younis.

The escalation comes against a backdrop of surging violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where a Palestinian authority exercises limited self-rule, opposed by Hamas that wants Israel destroyed.

The West Bank has seen stepped-up Israeli raids, Palestinian street attacks and assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages. Conditions for Palestinians have worsened under Netanyahu's hard-right government. Peacemaking has been stalled for years.

There were clashes in several locations in the West Bank on Saturday, with stone throwing youths confronting Israeli troops. Four Palestinians including a 13-year-old boy were killed. Palestinian factions called a general strike for Sunday.

Israel itself has been experiencing internal political upheaval, with the most right-wing government in its history attempting to overhaul the judiciary.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and Ammar Anwar in SderotAdditional reporting by Henriette Chacar, Emily Rose and Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Writing by James Mackenzie, Tom Perry, Michael Georgy, Peter Graff and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alex Richardson, Nick Macfie, Diane Craft and Lisa Shumaker)
WAILUKU, Hawaii  About two months after historic wildfires scorched Maui, tourists will be allowed to return to the Hawaiian island this weekend.

The wildfires began Aug. 8 and quickly spread throughout parts of the island due to gusty winds. The number of fatalities currently stands at 97, making the wildfire event the nations deadliest in more than 100 years.

In addition to the lives lost, wildfires cost the island up to $6 billion in economic losses, with a significant portion of that total derived from tourism dollars.

A yellow home in Lahaina stands untouched as wildfires burned through the homes and cars around it.

An average of 65,000 to 75,000 tourists per day visited Maui before the wildfires, making up a third of the islands population on any given day, according to Ilihia Gionson, Public Affairs Officer with the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

"It's a really big part of life on Maui," Gionson said. He noted that about half of Mauis jobs depend on tourist spending.

LAHAINA RESIDENTS SIFT THROUGH RUBBLE AS THEY RETURN HOME FOR FIRST TIME SINCE DEADLY HAWAII WILDFIRES

From large resorts to small, family-owned shops, a variety of businesses on Maui have begun to reopen on a rolling basis. Some will be open for tourists this weekend. Others may take more time to welcome back visitors.

Their return will help the people of Maui rebound from the wildfire disaster.

Noe Lopes sits with her granddaughter Leilani and great granddaughter Kawehi as they wait to return home near Lahaina. August 10, 2023

"To try to mitigate a secondary disaster of people losing their jobs, perhaps losing their homes in ways other than the fire, we definitely want to mitigate that by making the invitation for people to come respectfully, compassionately and mindfully," Gionson said. "Come and visit, and still keep in mind that folks have been through a lot."

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Three brush fires swept through the island of Maui, with the deadliest one being the Lahaina wildfire. Thousands of residents were displaced across Maui and were not allowed to return home until Sept. 25.





Original article source: Maui set to reopen to tourists after deadly, devastating wildfires
At least two people were killed by Hurricane Lidia after the monstrous storm slammed into Mexico late Tuesday south of the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph.

According to officials, one man was killed in Nayarit after a tree fell onto his vehicle due to the strong winds, and another person died while trying to cross a river in Jalisco. Two other people were also injured in Jalisco, according to officials.

Hurricane Lidia was ripped apart by Mexicos mountainous landscape and dissipated Wednesday morning just hours after it made landfall. Forecasters said heavy rain and gusty winds will continue to threaten the region Wednesday leading to a risk of flash flooding and mudslides.

Hurricane Lidia made landfall near Las Penitas, Mexico, on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

Scenes from Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit showed palm trees bending almost in half due to the destructive winds as heavy rain pelted the region while the storm was making landfall.

According to Reuters, officials in Nayarit were busy working to clear trees and debris from roadways. More than 100 people sought safety in shelters as the storm battered the area.

Lidia struggled for days to reach hurricane status as it approached the west-central coastline of Mexico and finally became a Category 1 hurricane Monday night.

The storm then rapidly intensified throughout the day Tuesday and reached Category 4 status just before landfall south of Puerto Vallarta near Las Penitas in Jalisco.

The strongest landfalling Pacific hurricanes.

The Category 4 hurricane was the strongest cyclone to impact Mexico since Hurricane Patricia in 2015 produced winds around 150 mph. Lidia is now the countrys third strongest landfalling Pacific hurricane on record.

Storm surge led to several feet of inundation of coastal communities.

The National Hurricane Center said the remnants of Lidia could produce an additional 2-4 inches of rain across portions of western Mexico throughout the day, bringing the storm total amounts to 12 inches in some areas.

According to Mexicos National Meteorological Service, gusty winds will continue along the coast. Waves of up to 10 feet can occur along the coast of Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco and Michoacan.





Original article source: Deadly Hurricane Lidia becomes one of Mexicos strongest landfalling Pacific hurricanes
Russia plans to withdraw its ratification of the 1996 treaty that prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons, the countrys envoy to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation [CTBTO] said on Friday.

Disturbed by the move, the US denounced it as endangering "the global norm" against nuclear test blasts.

The announcement by Mikhail Ulyanov on Friday added new fuel to tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscows invasion of Ukraine and arms control disputes between the worlds largest nuclear weapons powers.

Mr Ulyanov, Moscows envoy to the CTBTO, said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that "#Russia plans to revoke ratification (which took place in the year 2000) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty."

"The aim is to be on equal footing with the #US who signed the Treaty, but didnt ratify it. Revocation doesnt mean the intention to resume nuclear tests," he said.

The CTBT has been signed by 187 countries and ratified by 178 but cannot go into force until eight specific holdouts have signed and ratified it. China, Egypt, Iran, and Israel have signed but not ratified it. North Korea, India and Pakistan have not signed.

While the United States signed but did not ratify the treaty, it has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions since 1992 that it says it has no plans to abandon.

"We are disturbed by the comments of Ambassador Ulyanov in Vienna today," a US State Department spokesperson said in a statement. "A move like this by any State Party needlessly endangers the global norm against nuclear explosive testing."

#Russia plans to revoke ratification (which took place in the year 2000) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (#CTBT). The aim is to be on equal footing with the #US who signed the Treaty, but didnt ratify it. Revocation doesnt mean the intention to resume nuclear tests  Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) October 6, 2023

It said that Russia should not be wielding arms control and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric in a failing attempt to coerce other states, in an apparent reference to Moscows efforts to pressurise countries into withdrawing their arms support and aid to Ukraine.

Mr Ulyanovs statement came a day after Russian president Vladimir Putin said that Moscow could look at revoking its ratification of the CTBT.

He argued that Russia could mirror the stand taken by Washington.

Theoretically, we may revoke the ratification, he said, after Moscow successfully tested an experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Moscow last tested a nuclear weapon in 1990, before the collapse of the Soviet Union a year later. It ratified the global test ban in 2000.

Many Russian hawks have spoken in favour of resuming the tests, since its invasion of Ukraine, in February last year.

Mr Putin said that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasnt yet formed an opinion on the issue.

Im not ready to say yet whether its necessary for us to conduct tests or not, he said.

"It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any State Signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT," Robert Floyd, the executive director of the CTBTO, which monitors compliance with the pact, said in a statement.

"The Russian Federation has consistently reaffirmed its strong support of the CTBT since its very inception, helping to negotiate the Treaty in the Conference on Disarmament, signing the day it opened for signature on 24 September 1996, and ratifying it in June 2000," he added.

Russian withdrawal could be a blow to the treaty since, like the eight key holdout countries, it is one of the "Annex 2" countries that must all ratify the treaty it for it to enter into force.

"I look forward to continued close cooperation with the Russian Federation and all States that have committed to creating a world free of nuclear testing," Mr Floyd said.
By Daniel Wiessner

(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp must provide U.S. regulators with documents detailing its spending on efforts to discuss unionizing with workers, part of the agency's probe into whether the coffee chain violated financial disclosure laws, a federal judge has ruled.

The decision, which the U.S. Labor Department announced on Friday, requires Starbucks to document travel expenses it paid to send former CEO Howard Schultz and other company officers to Buffalo, New York in 2021 after workers there filed a petition to hold a union election.

The Labor Department subpoenaed the information as part of its investigation into whether Starbucks should have disclosed expenses related to the trip and bonuses paid to the company officers. Federal law requires employers to report expenses aimed at discouraging organizing and union membership.

A Buffalo Starbucks in December 2021 became the first in the company's history to unionize, and workers at more than 360 U.S. locations have followed suit.

Starbucks and Schultz have faced allegations of widespread illegal union-busting from workers, labor groups and Democratic lawmakers. The company has denied the claims and is defending itself against scores of complaints before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which is separate from the Labor Department.

Last week, the NLRB said Starbucks must turn over a document dubbed the "petition store playbook" outlining how the company would respond to worker petitions for union elections. NLRB lawyers requested the document in a case involving organizing at a Connecticut store.

In the ruling issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman in Seattle also ordered the coffee chain to provide records of its expenses to create and maintain a website providing information about union organizing.

Starbucks in a statement said it had not been accused of wrongdoing by the Labor Department, and would "continue to engage with government officials to provide clarifying information on our compliance with decades of labor law."

Jeff Freund, director of the Labor Department office that enforces the reporting law, said the judge's ruling will help the agency determine whether Starbucks was required to report expenses related to the trip to Buffalo and the website.

The department served the subpoena on Starbucks earlier this year and filed a court petition in May after the company objected.

Starbucks had argued that the disclosure law did not require reporting of payments to its own employees involved in responding to union campaigns.

The company said the Labor Department had never previously required that information, and that it was illegal for the agency to reverse course without adopting a formal rule.

Pechman in her ruling said Starbucks could raise those arguments as defenses if the Labor Department accuses the company of violating the disclosure law, but not in an attempt to toss out the subpoena.

(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and David Gregorio)
By Tuvan Gumrukcu

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held calls on Saturday with his regional counterparts to discuss the fighting between Israel and Palestinians, a foreign ministry source said, as Ankara said it stood ready to help de-escalate the situation.

The source said Fidan discussed the conflict with his Saudi, Qatari, Iranian, Palestinian and Egyptian counterparts, but did not provide any further details. The source later said Fidan had also discussed the situation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a call.

Earlier, Turkey's foreign ministry repeated President Tayyip Erdogan's call for restraint and strongly condemned the loss of civilian lives.

"We emphasize that acts of violence and escalation linked to these benefit nobody," the ministry said. It also urged citizens in the region to remain in secure, indoor locations.

"Turkey is always ready to provide any help it can to ensure that the developments in question do not escalate further and get taken under control without spreading to a wider region," it added. "In this regard, we continue our intensive contacts with the relevant parties."

The conflict comes as Turkey, which has backed Palestinians in the past and supported a two-state solution to the conflict, works to normalise ties with Israel after years of animosity.

The former allies mutually expelled ambassadors in 2018 and have often traded barbs on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But a regional charm offensive launched by Ankara in 2020 prompted a thaw and subsequently led to the re-appointment of envoys.

Israel had also long complained of Ankara's hosting of leaders of Hamas, which Turkey does not view as a terrorist group.

Prior to Saturday's violence, Erdogan had said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may visit Turkey in October-November to discuss cooperation on energy, while Turkey's energy minister said he planned to visit Israel in November.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Nick Macfie and David Holmes)
Ukrainian forces have gained ground near Bakhmut as Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russias strike on a funeral service inhuman and a completely deliberate act of terrorism.

It comes after a village where a Russian missile killed at least 52 civilians in one of the deadliest attacks in the war had no military targets, according to Ukraines defence minister.

About 60 people, including children, were at a wake in Hroza, in eastern Ukraine, when the missile hit.

Defence minister Rustem Umerov said: The terrorists deliberately carried out the attack during lunchtime, to ensure a maximum number of casualties.

There were no military targets. This is a heinous crime intended to scare Ukrainians.

Just 24 hours later, another Russian missile killed a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother in the city of Kharkiv, not far away.

The attack also injured 28 people, including an 11-month-old baby, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said.

Elsewhere, according to the latest report from The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian military sources reported a successful offensive south of Bakhmut near Andriivka and advanced in western Zaporizhia Oblast on 6 October.

Key Points

Boy, 10, killed and dozens injured as Russian rocket strikes Kharkiv

Russian missile strike on Ukraine village kills over 50 during memorial service

Ukraine gains ground in counteroffensive near Bakhmut

Putin deliberately attacked civilians in Kharkiv strike, says Zelensky

Drone attack near Moscow thwarted by Russian defence forces

In pictures: Firefighters battle blaze next to Danube river

15:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Photos show firefighters working to extinguish a fire on the port infrastructure on the Danube river in the Odesa region on Friday.

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

Russia hits Odesa grain facility in overnight missile strike

15:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian forces carried out an overnight missile strike on Ukraines southern Odesa region, damaging port infrastructure, Ukrainian authorities said early on Saturday.

Governor Oleh Kiper said four people were wounded in the strike, which hit a boarding house and a portside grain facility. He did not specify where the attack took place.

Ukraines military said the strike involved supersonic Onyx missiles fired from Russian-occupied Crimea.

Russian forces have carried out regular missile and drone strikes on port infrastructure in recent weeks, making it difficult for major grain producer Ukraine to export its products.

Moscow quit a deal in mid-July that had enabled Black Sea grain shipments and helped combat a global food crisis.

Car bomb kills official in Russian-held Ukrainian town -governor

14:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A party official in the Russian-held town of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraines Kherson province was killed by a car bomb on Saturday, the provincial governor said.

Vladimir Malov, executive secretary of the town branch of Russias governing United Russia party, died in hospital, Vladimir Saldo said in a post on his Telegram channel.

He said it had been a terrorist attack, meaning one orchestrated by Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv.

Officials seen as supporting Russian rule in the parts of Ukraine that Moscow claims to have annexed since its full-scale invasion in February last year have often been targeted in assassination attempts, many of them fatal.

In July, Russia said it had thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to kill Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-backed head of unilaterally annexed Crimea, arresting an agent before he could blow up Aksyonovs car.

Ukraine voices support for Israels right to defend itself'

14:08 , Andy Gregory

Ukraines foreign ministry has voiced its support for Israels right to defend itself and its people as Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel and stormed across the heavily fortified border from Gaza.

The ministry said it strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

IDF says it is striking targets in Gaza

14:07 , Andy Gregory

The Israel Defence Forces have said they are striking targets in Gaza, as Al Jazeera cites medical sources claiming that scores of Palestinians have been killed.

IDF says it struck 17 military compounds and four headquarters belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, among other targets. pic.twitter.com/NtWCfNKy1C  Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

IDF says it struck a Hamas terror cell near the Erez crossing on the Gaza border. Footage shows several airstrikes in southern Israel earlier. pic.twitter.com/6Gu57MMZYO  Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

Rishi Sunak says Russia's attack on Ukrainian supermarket shows Putin's 'barbarity'

13:39 , Andy Gregory

12:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Footage from inside Kharkiv apartment captures aftermath of deadly strike

Russian defence minister inspects nuclear missiles entering service soon

12:16 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu has inspected the manufacture of Sarmat, Russias new silo-based intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile system, due to enter service shortly, his ministry said on Saturday.

Shoigu essentially repeated comments by President Vladimir Putin that the missiles were being made combat-ready, but the timing of the statement added to an intensification of Russias nuclear rhetoric in its standoff with the West over the war in Ukraine.

Re-equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with this system, which will become the basis of Russias ground-based strategic nuclear forces, is a priority in ensuring the countrys defence capability, Shoigu was quoted as saying.

On Thursday, Putin said Russia had successfully tested the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable cruise missile with a potential range of many thousands of miles.

And after Putin declined to rule out the possibility that Russia could carry out explosive nuclear weapons tests for the first time in more than three decades, officials on Friday promptly said Moscow would take steps to revoke its ratification of the global Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which it calls a special military operation, prompted the West to send billions of dollars of weapons to Ukraine, and Finland and Sweden to seek to join the U.S.-led NATO alliance.

In response, Moscow has suspended its participation in the New START treaty, the last remaining pact limiting the size of the Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals, and hinted at a possible use of nuclear weapons if it feels sufficiently threatened.

Russia plans to reverse global nuclear test ban, announces envoy

11:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia plans to withdraw its ratification of the 1996 treaty that prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons, the countrys envoy to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation [CTBTO] said on Friday.

Disturbed by the move, the US denounced it as endangering the global norm against nuclear test blasts.

The announcement by Mikhail Ulyanov on Friday added new fuel to tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscows invasion of Ukraine and arms control disputes between the worlds largest nuclear weapons powers.

Russia plans to revoke global nuclear test ban, announces envoy

You can still smell the blood: Inside the village where more than 50 were killed by a Russian missile

11:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Many woke up dazed in the Ukraines Hroza on Friday  with the village in the northeast of the country having lost a sixth of its residents in the devastation caused by a Russian missile strike the previous day.

Ihor Klymenko, minister of internal affairs of Ukraine, said the village only had 330 residents  and that at least 52 had been killed in the assault. He added that every family had at least one person they knew at the wake for Ukrainian soldier Andrii Kozyr inside the cafe (and grocery shop) that was wrecked by the missile.

That wake followed a funeral that had been an attempt to rebury a father who had been killed in Russian-occupied territory last year. Now candles mark the spot where the lives of those mourners were lost.

The Ukrainian village where 50 were killed in a Russian missile strike

In pictures: Bereaved Ukrainians grieve for killed family members in deadly Hroza strike

10:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The strike in Ukraines northeastern village of Hroza left hundreds grieving as they lost family members. The photos below show just a few of the bereaved.

15-year-old Ksiusha Mukhovata shows pictures of her family in the village of Hroza near Kharkiv (AP)

Tetiana Lukashova, 66, shows pictures of her family in the village of Hroza (AP)

Valerii and Liubov Kozyr lost their daughter and son-in-law in the attack, along with their son-in-law's parents, who had been childhood friends of theirs (AP)

Scale of deadly Russian strike in Kharkiv village shown in drone footage

10:02 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Scale of deadly Russian strike in Kharkiv village shown in drone footage

Russian journalist detained in Cyprus has left island

09:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Russian journalist detained in Cyprus for allegedly being a threat to national security has left the island, Cypriot media said on Saturday.

The journalists detention on Thursday in Nicosia sparked a rare crisis in relations between Russia and Cyprus, with the Cypriot ambassador summoned to the foreign ministry in Moscow for an explanation.

Russian news outlets have identified the journalist as Alexander Gasyuk, who worked in Cyprus for state-run newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta. He was quoted as telling TASS that he was manhandled by Cypriot police and that he was told his residence permit was being revoked because he was allegedly a security threat.

Russias Foreign Ministry said any suggestion of inappropriate activities by the journalist were absolutely far-fetched.

Cypriot state broadcaster CyBC reported that Gasyuk had left Cyprus late Friday. His family had also left, it reported.

Cyprus has been tight lipped over the incident, other than to say authorities were taking all appropriate measures to protect national security. A foreign ministry spokesperson declined further comment when approached by Reuters on Saturday.

It was unclear how long Gasyuk worked in Cyprus.

Based on his most recent dispatches, he covered an independence day parade in Nicosia on Oct 1 which focused on Russian-made tanks being on display, celebrations by a number of Russians living in Cyprus of annexation of territories in Ukraine and an interview with Russias ambassador to the island.

Cyprus and Russia have close cultural and business links, but those have cooled significantly since the war in Ukraine. Nicosia has followed its EU partners in imposing wide-ranging sanctions on Moscow.

One civilian killed in Ukrainian shelling of Russia's Belgorod region - governor

09:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The governor of Russias Belgorod region said on Saturday that one civilian had been killed in the village of Urazovo, near the Ukrainian border, as a result of Ukrainian shelling.

Russian air defence systems downed three Ukrainian missiles over the region, he said earlier.

Attacks on regions of Russia adjoining Ukraine have become an almost daily occurrence in the last few months.

Kyiv does not typically claim responsibility for attacks on targets inside Russia.

Russia plans to reverse global nuclear test ban, announces envoy

08:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia plans to withdraw its ratification of the 1996 treaty that prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons, the countrys envoy to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation [CTBTO] said on Friday.

Disturbed by the move, the US denounced it as endangering the global norm against nuclear test blasts.

The announcement by Mikhail Ulyanov on Friday added new fuel to tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscows invasion of Ukraine and arms control disputes between the worlds largest nuclear weapons powers.

Russia plans to revoke global nuclear test ban, announces envoy

Ukraine village reels after deadly missile strike: Everything was burning

08:24 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Every family in Ukraines northeastern village of Hroza was affected after a missile strike killed 52 people on Thursday, obliterating a sixth of the local population, say locals.

However, it may take several months before DNA analysis can identify the majority of the remains. For now, the names are scrawled on cardboard or white plastic squares, and strings mark the boundaries of the fresh graves.

Dozens of people gathered in the local cafe for a meal to honour Andrii Kozyr, a soldier who died in the war against Russia, with almost every household in the village sending someone to mourn the native son.

Ukraine village reels after deadly missile strike

Ukraine gains ground in counteroffensive near Bakhmut

07:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian forces have continued counteroffensive operations near Bakhmut and advanced in western Zaporizhia Oblast on October 6, according to the Institute for the Study of Wars latest report.

Ukrainian military sources reported a successful offensive south of Bakhmut near Andriivka.

(AP)

US expels two Putin diplomats

06:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Biden administration has ordered two Russian diplomats be expelled from the United States in retaliation for the expulsion of two American diplomats from Moscow last month.

The State Department said it had taken the action in response to Russias declaring the pair persona non grata because of contacts with a Russian national who had once worked for the now-closed US consulate in Russias far-eastern city of Vladivostok and was arrested this year.

The department will not tolerate the Russian governments pattern of harassment of our diplomats, spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Unacceptable actions against our embassy personnel in Moscow will have consequences.

The expulsions come at a time of animosity between Washington and Moscow over the war in Ukraine and as diplomatic relations have plummeted to their worst level since the Cold War.

The Ukraine village where more than 50 were killed by Russian missile

06:30 , Namita Singh

A sixth of the residents of Hroza, in the northeastern Kharkiv region, are dead. Maira Butt speaks to some of those who now have to deal with the pain and grief.

The Ukrainian village where 50 were killed in a Russian missile strike

Precision missile strike on cafe hostike soldiers wake decimates Ukrainian village

06:00 , Namita Singh

The cafe had been closed throughout the war but reopened especially for a dead soldiers wake, and almost every household in the village sent someone to mourn the native son.

When the gathering to honour Andrii Kozyr was struck by a precision missile that Ukrainian officials said was fired by Russia, almost every household in Hroza in eastern Ukraine lost someone. The cafe was obliterated. Entire families perished in an instant. In all, 52 people died out of a population of 300. Many villagers now suspect that a local may have tipped off Russian forces.

On Friday, a day after the strike, an earth mover extended the graveyard to make room for them all.

Among the dead were a couple who left behind four children, the village leader and three generations of the soldiers family, including his wife, mother and son, who also fought for Ukraine and had requested leave to attend the funeral held shortly before wake.

Report:

Precision missile strike on cafe hosting soldier's wake decimates Ukrainian village

Russian ex-TV journalist sentenced in absentia

05:45 , Jane Dalton

Reminder: A court in Moscow has handed a former state TV journalist an 8-year prison term in absentia for protesting against Russias war in Ukraine:

Former Russian state TV journalist gets 8 1/2-year sentence in absentia for Ukraine war criticism

Drone attack near Moscow thwarted by Russian defence forces, reports Tass

05:20 , Namita Singh

Russian air defence forces reportedly took down a Ukrainian drone near Moscow causing no damage or injuries early today, according to Russian state-owned news agency Tass.

The attack repelled over the Istra district northwest of the capital, was allegedly an attempt by Ukraine to target Russian facilities, Tass reported, citing Russias defense ministry.

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said preliminary reports showed no casualties or damage but that emergencies services are working at the scene.

Flight operations resumed at Moscows Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports after being suspended temporarily.

The alleged attack on Russia follows Russian air strikes on Ukraine yesterday that Ukrainian officials said killed a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother in Kharkiv and damaged grain and port infrastructure in the Odesa region. A day earlier, Ukrainian officials said dozens were killed in the village of Hroza in northeastern Ukraine during a gathering to mourn a fallen Ukrainian soldier.

Flags at grave of fallen soldier

04:30 , Jane Dalton

Ukrainian flags and floral tributes at the grave of fallen local soldier Andriy Kozyr, at a cemetery in Hroza (EPA)

We repelled attack on Sevastopol, says Russian chief

03:15 , Jane Dalton

Russian anti-aircraft units repelled on Friday what appears to have been an attempt to attack on Sevastopol from the sea, the Crimean ports Russian-installed governor said.

Anti-aircraft systems have been in action, governor Mikhail Razvozhayev wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Preliminary indications are that an air attack from the sea has been thwarted.

Drone footage shows scale of strike in village

02:05 , Jane Dalton

Scale of deadly Russian strike in Kharkiv village shown in drone footage

Destruction in Kharkiv

Saturday 7 October 2023 00:55 , Jane Dalton

A dramatic picture captures the moment black smoke billows into the sky and the ground is covered in debris after the latest deadly attack in Kharkiv:

This morning, russians attacked the center of Kharkiv with Iskander missiles.

Two buildings have been damaged, while another has been destroyed. Sixteen civilians have been injured.

A 10-year-old child was killed. His body was discovered beneath the debris by rescue workers. pic.twitter.com/7MCdf0AIG6  Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) October 6, 2023

We were meant to be dead'

Friday 6 October 2023 23:46 , Jane Dalton

We were meant to be there. We were meant to be dead, says a woman who had been due at the wake where more than 50 people were killed.

Maira Butt speaks to some of those who now have to deal with the pain and grief:

The Ukrainian village where 50 were killed in a Russian missile strike

Footage captures aftermath of strike that killed boy, 10

Friday 6 October 2023 22:35 , Jane Dalton

Footage from inside Kharkiv apartment captures aftermath of deadly strike

US set to announce more weapons for Ukraine

Friday 6 October 2023 21:30 , Jane Dalton

The Biden administration is expected to announce a new weapons package for Ukraine next week as the Pentagon continues to use up funds discovered due to a multi-billion-dollar accounting error, US officials said.

Mr Biden has been asking Congress to approve another $24 billion related to Ukraine.

The composition of the next round of weapons aid is still being formulated and is set to be unveiled on Wednesday at the 16th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels where security assistance will be a key topic, the officials said.

It was expected to have a value of around $200 million and could include similar ammunition and ground vehicles that have been in recent aid packages.

Mr Biden has vowed to replenish stocks of arms sent to Ukraine. The true cost of shipping weapons is measured when the replacement is purchased.

Only civilians, no military targets at scene of deadly attack

Friday 6 October 2023 20:30 , Jane Dalton

A village where a Russian missile killed at least least 52 civilians in one of the deadliest attacks in the war had no military targets, according to a police chief investigator.

Sergey Bolvinov, Kharkivs regional police investigator, told CNN: Not a single military object, not a single military vehicle. All the dead and wounded people are civilians.

Defence minister Rustem Umerov said: The terrorists deliberately carried out the attack during lunchtime, to ensure a maximum number of casualties.

There were no military targets. This is a heinous crime intended to scare Ukrainians.

Analysis: Why two of the EUs biggest political headaches arent going away

Friday 6 October 2023 19:45 , Jane Dalton

The EU and Kyiv have a lot of work to do to make Ukraines accession to the bloc work:

Why two of the EUs biggest political headaches arent going away any time soon

Recap: Ukraine says gains made in intense fighting in east

Friday 6 October 2023 19:12 , Jane Dalton

Ukrainian forces have advanced in the eastern part of the war-hit nation where officials said Vladimir Putin has deployed over 110,000 troops, but Kyiv officials reported pressure further north:

Ukraine says gains made in intense fighting in east despite Russias aerial dominance

Nuclear-test-ban body: Concerning if Russia considered quitting treaty

Friday 6 October 2023 18:40 , Jane Dalton

The head of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) said that for Russia to consider pulling out of the treaty would be concerning after Moscow indicated it was moving towards revoking its ratification.

The Russian Federation has consistently reaffirmed its strong support of the CTBT since its very inception, CTBTO chief Robert Floyd said in a statement.

It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any State Signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT.

Analysis: Cracks are starting to show in Europes support of Kyiv

Friday 6 October 2023 18:08 , Jane Dalton

It is not the United States that has turned out to be the weakest link but Slovakia, and it could be followed by Poland, writes Mary Dejevsky:

Are the cracks beginning to show in Europes support of Ukraine? | Mary Dejevsky

In pictures: The aftermath in Hroza

Friday 6 October 2023 17:32 , Jane Dalton

A memorial made with candles and flowers (AP)

(AP)

Police officers inspect the fragments of a Russian missile (AP)

Hand grenade fragments found in bodies

Friday 6 October 2023 17:04 , Jane Dalton

And here are Mr Putins claims:

Hand grenade fragments were found in the bodies of victims in Prigozhin's plane crash, Putin says

Russian commentators mock Putins Prigozhin hand grenades claim

Friday 6 October 2023 16:52 , Jane Dalton

Russian patriotic bloggers have poured scorn on president Vladimir Putins intimation that mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhins plane was blown up with hand grenades, while those on board were high on cocaine and alcohol.

The private jet on which Prigozhin was travelling to St Petersburg crashed north of Moscow killing all 10 people on board on August 23, including Dmitry Utkin, co-founder of the mercenary Wagner group, four bodyguards and a crew of three.

Mr Putin said on Thursday fragments of hand grenades were found in the bodies of the dead and that investigators had ruled out any external impact on the plane such as a missile.

However, he said investigators had been wrong not to have carried out alcohol and drug blood tests, given that 5kg of cocaine had been found by the Federal Security Service at Wagner premises in St Petersburg earlier this year.

Wagner communications channels were silent, but some supporters and patriotic bloggers expressed disbelief.

The Children of the Arbat pro-war Telegram channel posted: So a short summary: the most combat-ready unit in the history of modern Russia was commanded by alcoholics and junkies who, being professional military men, did not know how to handle hand grenades?

In pictures: Aftermath of Russian air attack on Kharkiv

Friday 6 October 2023 16:07 , Tara Cobham

A local resident passes by a crater caused by a Russian rocket attack, which hit several buildings in central Kharkiv (AP)

Emergency workers search for victims after a Russian air attack that damaged an apartment building in central Kharkiv (AP)

Russia scrambles fighter jet to escort US patrol plane over Norwegian Sea

Friday 6 October 2023 15:30 , Tara Cobham

Russia scrambled a MiG-31 fighter jet on Friday to escort a US Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol plane approaching its airspace over the Norwegian Sea, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

Ukraine freezes assets of three Russian tycoons, say prosecutors

Friday 6 October 2023 15:00 , Tara Cobham

A Ukrainian court has frozen the Ukrainian assets of three Russian businessmen over their alleged support for Russia's war in Ukraine, prosecutors and the security service said on Friday.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said assets owned by Mikhail Fridman, Pyotr Aven and Andrey Kosogov had been frozen. They were considered part of President Vladimir Putin's close circle and contributed to "large-scale financing of the Russian Federation's armed aggression", it said.

The three businessmen did not immediately comment on the moves and comments by the SBU and prosecutors.

"At the request of prosecutors... assets of 20 Ukrainian companies totalling over 17 billion hryvnias ($464.48 million)were frozen," the Prosecutor General's Office said on the Telegram messaging app.

It said the frozen assets included securities and corporate rights of mobile phone operators, a mineral water producer, financial and insurance companies.

"The beneficial owners of the companies are three Russian oligarchs who own one of the largest Russian financial and investment consortia," it said.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said assets owned by Mikhail Fridman and two other Russian businessmen had been frozen (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Watch: Scale of deadly Russian strike in Kharkiv village

Friday 6 October 2023 14:28 , Tara Cobham

Turkish ship not damaged in Black Sea explosion, says maritime authority

Friday 6 October 2023 14:00 , Tara Cobham

A Turkish-flagged general cargo ship that was sailing on Thursday in the Black Sea en route to Ukraine's Izmail port did not sustain damage from an explosion, Turkey's maritime authority and the ship's captain told Reuters on Friday.

"An explosion occurred 15-20 meters behind the Kafkametler ship en route to Izmail port from Batumi port while it was cruising off the coast of Romania/Sulina (port)," the authority said.

The ship continued sailing to its destination to deliver its cargo following checks and there was no evidence that the explosion was caused by a mine, it added.

Maritime sources said on Thursday that the vessel had hit a sea mine and sustained minor damage, although the crew was safe.

The vessel's Istanbul-based operator Kafkametler Maritime said the vessel was currently on its way to Izmail port and ship congestion in the Danube channel meant it was moving slower. The company added that the crew were safe and the vessel did not need any maintenance.

The vessel's captain said separately in a statement that while the cause of the blast was not clear, the explosion appeared to have been caused by a bottom mine in the Black Sea.

What are Russias Iskander missiles?

Friday 6 October 2023 13:30 , Tara Cobham

Ukrainian officials have said a number of Russian Iskander ballistic missiles have struck the northeastern Kharkiv region in the last 24 hours.

A 10-year-old boy and his grandmother were killed in the city of Kharkiv itself , officials said on Friday morning, after a strike on Thursday afternoon in the same region killed at least 52 civilians in the village of Hroza. That attack was one of the deadliest attacks in the war in months.

Officials said preliminary information indicated the Kremlin's forces used two Iskander missiles in the attack on Friday, the same as in the previous day's strike. A number of people, including young children, were injured in both attacks, Kyiv said.

Tom Watling reports:

What are Russian Iskander missiles?

Every family in Hroza affected by missile attack, says Interior Minister

Friday 6 October 2023 13:00 , Tara Cobham

People from every family and household in Ukraine's north-eastern village of Hroza have been affected by a Russian missile attack that killed 52 people on Thursday, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko has said.

The missile slammed into a cafe and grocery store during a gathering to mourn a fallen Ukrainian soldier, Ukrainian officials said.

"From every family, from every household, there were people present at this commemoration. This is a terrible tragedy," Klymenko told Ukrainian television.

He said the strike was clearly targeted and that Ukrainian security services had launched an investigation into the matter.

Volodymyr Kozienko sits in front of his damaged house next to the site of a Russian military strike in the village of Hroza (REUTERS)

Kremlin says no final report yet on cause of Prigozhin plane crash

Friday 6 October 2023 12:30 , Tara Cobham

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that investigators had not yet produced a final report on the cause of the plane crash that killed Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in August.

On Thursday President Vladimir Putin said fragments of hand grenades were found in the bodies of the victims.

The plane crash that killed Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in August (AP)

New Russian strikes on Ukraine also hit port facilities

Friday 6 October 2023 12:00 , Tara Cobham

Russia unleashed new air strikes on Ukraine early on Friday, killing a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother in the city of Kharkiv and damaging grain and port infrastructure in the Odesa region in the south, Ukrainian officials said.

The drone strikes targeted Odesa and Mykolaiv regions in the south, Dnipropetrovsk region in the southeast, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions in the centre and also Kharkiv region in the northeast, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app.

One drone attack damaged a grain silo in the Izmail district of the Odesa region, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. Nine trucks caught fire at the site but the fire was put out quickly.

"The air alert in Odesa lasted for three-and-a-half hours," Kiper said. "The enemy once again targeted the border and port infrastructure of the Izmail district."

The Ukrainian military said that operations at an international ferry checkpoint 'Orlivka' on the border with Romania were suspended and vehicles were rerouted following the drone attacks.

Firefighters working to extinguish a fire on the port infrastructure on the Danube river, in the Odesa region (AFP via Getty Images)

You can still smell the blood: The village where more than 50 people were killed

Friday 6 October 2023 21:38 , Jane Dalton

We were meant to be there. We were meant to be dead, says one woman who had been due at the funeral service targeted by a Russian missile.

Maira Butt speaks to some of those who now have to deal with the pain and grief:

The Ukrainian village where 50 were killed in a Russian missile strike

Sunak says attack on Ukrainian supermarket shows Putins barbarity

Friday 6 October 2023 11:30 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak has said Russias attack on a Ukrainiansupermarket, which has killed 49 people, including a six-year-old boy, shows Putins barbarity

The Russian strike targeted a supermarket in eastern Ukraine in the village of Hroza.

Speaking on Sky News, Mr Sunak said: It just illustrates Russias barbarity and President Putin can say all he likes.

There is one person responsible for all of this illegal unprovoked war and it is him and he should stop. Thats why the UK has been steadfast in supporting Ukraine and will continue to do so.

Lucy Leeson reports:

Rishi Sunak says Russias attack on Ukrainian supermarket shows Putins barbarity

UN rights chief deploys field team to probe Russian attack on Hroza

Friday 6 October 2023 11:00 , Tara Cobham

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday deployed a field team to probe the Russian attack on the Ukrainian village of Hroza that left at least 52 people dead.

"The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, who saw for himself the horrific impact of such strikes, is profoundly shocked and condemns these killings," OHCHR spokesperson Elizabeth ThrossellAAA told reporters in Geneva.

"He has deployed a field team to the site to speak to survivors and gather more information."
Every family in Ukraines northeastern village of Hroza was affected after a missile strike killed 52 people on Thursday, obliterating a sixth of the local population, say locals.

However, it may take several months before DNA analysis can identify the majority of the remains. For now, the names are scrawled on cardboard or white plastic squares, and strings mark the boundaries of the fresh graves.

Dozens of people gathered in the local cafe for a meal to honour Andrii Kozyr, a soldier who died in the war against Russia, with almost every household in the village sending someone to mourn the native son.

When the gathering was struck by a precision missile that Ukrainian officials said was fired by Russia, entire families perished in an instant. In all, 52 people died out of a population of 300, while only six people in the cafe survived, with villagers suspecting that a local may have tipped off Russian forces.

From every household, there were people present, said interior minister Ihor Klymenko.

My neighbours, my neighbours, Valentina Kozeinko, a 73-year-old retiree, wailed in agony. A lot of our people died there, she told CNN. It was a powerful strike, very powerful, I came out and everything was burning, she recalled. It was so scary  The corpses were burned and there was blood everywhere.

Among the dead was Valeriy Kozyrs daughter, Olya, who was survived by her three children. Mr Kozyrs son-in-law died in the attack as well.

"It would have been better if I had died," he said quietly as he wept. "Oh God, you cannot punish me like this. To leave the father and take the children!"

Wiping tears from his face, the 61-year-old explained that he must now work out how to care for his three grand-children aged 10, 15 and 17. Mr Kozyr wants to bury Olya and her husband side-by-side in a single grave.

People lay flowers and light candles as Ukrainian rescuers work to remove debris following a Russian strike (AFP via Getty Images)

Like much of the region east of the regional capital of Kharkiv, Hroza was under Russian occupation for six months, until September 2022, when Ukrainian troops liberated the area.

Locals say it is strictly a civilian area. There has never been any military base, whether Russian or Ukrainian. They said only civilians or family came to the funeral and wake, and residents were the only people who would have known where and when it was taking place.

Moscow denies targeting civilians in its full-scale invasion, a position it repeated on Friday in response to the Hroza strike. Thousands have been killed in a bombing campaign that has hit apartment blocks and restaurants as well as power stations, bridges and grain silos.

Ukrainian officials said the weapon was a precision Iskander-style missile, which is said to have an accuracy of five to seven meters.

Dmytro Chubenko, spokesperson for the regional prosecutor, said investigators are looking into whether someone from the area transmitted the cafes coordinates to the Russians  a betrayal to everyone now grieving in Hroza.

Ukrainian emergency personnel clear debris on the site of a Russian strike which hit a shop and cafe in the village (AFP via Getty Images)

Many share that suspicion, describing a strike timed to kill the maximum number of people. The date of the funeral was set a few weeks ago, and the time was shared throughout the village late last week.

Not all of the victims have been identified. Regional police investigator Serhiy Bolvinov told reporters late on Thursday that authorities would have to use DNA to identify some of the victims because their remains were beyond recognition.

"Corpses lay there in that yard, and nobody could identify them," said Valentyna Kozienko, 73, speaking near her home close to the site.

"Half the village is gone, families are gone," said Kozyr, standing beside his wife as she wept. "All the time they miss. Well, this time, they hit.

"Now Ill have to cross out half my phone book."

Additional reporting from the wires
By Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden offered Israel on Saturday "all appropriate means of support" after a deadly attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas and warned "any party hostile to Israel" not to seek advantage.

U.S. and Israeli officials were coordinating about Israel's military needs in the wake of the attack, with a decision expected soon, a senior U.S. official said.

The United States is working with other governments to make sure the crisis does not spread and is contained to Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack in Israel, the official said.

"We want to make sure this is contained in Gaza," the official told reporters.

The assault by the Iran-backed Islamist group erupted amid efforts by Biden and his team to negotiate a landmark normalization agreement between foes Israel and Saudi Arabia and a U.S.-Saudi defense pact.

Biden spoke by phone to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to offer U.S. support, with scenes of violence playing out on American news networks. The two leaders have had strained relations but met in New York last month in a show of solidarity.

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel," Biden said in a written statement issued after their call.

In his televised remarks later, Biden issued a blunt warning.

"Israel has a right to defend itself and its people - full stop," he said. "Let me say this as clearly as I can. This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching."

The senior U.S. official, speaking on a conference call, said there was no indication yet that Iran was involved in the Hamas attack but vowed to look into it.

Amid worries about a massive Israeli intelligence failure, the official said Washington had no specific warning or indication that Hamas would launch the attack.

"We always share timely intelligence," the official said.

Biden directed his national security team to stay in touch about the situation with countries throughout the region including Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and European allies.

The violence came as Washington was in disarray: Republicans are looking for a successor to ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy of the House of Representatives, and a budget showdown looms with Biden and his Democrats that could lead to a government shutdown in about 40 days.

Biden's choice to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, has yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

IRAN CRITICISM

Republicans seeking to oust Biden in the 2024 presidential election were quick to criticize his handling of the situation.

"Iran has helped fund this war against Israel, and Joe Biden's policies that have gone easy on Iran has helped to fill their coffers. Israel is now paying the price for those policies," said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican running for his party's presidential nomination.

DeSantis appeared to be referring to a prisoner swap deal the Biden administration completed with Iran in September. The deal was first made public in August. Under the deal, the United States waived sanctions to allow the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar, a step needed to carry out the U.S.-Iran prisoner swap.

A Biden administration official said not a dollar of the $6 billion has been spent yet. The money is intended solely for humanitarian purposes.

"I can't comment on 2024 because of the Hatch Act. But I can clarify the facts: Not a single cent from these funds has been spent, and when it is spent, it can only be spent on things like food and medicine for the Iranian people," said White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

The Hatch Act prohibits White House officials from engaging in political activity.

Brian Nelson, a senior Treasury Department official, said: "All of the money held in restricted accounts in Doha as part of the arrangement to secure the release of five Americans in September remains in Doha."

The impact of the Hamas attack on the U.S.-Israel-Saudi normalization negotiations was unclear, but the U.S. official said Washington would not let the militant group derail the talks.

The United States has been insistent any agreement include some Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, but what those would be remained a subject of negotiations.

Reuters reported last month that Saudi Arabia is determined to secure a military pact requiring the United States to defend the kingdom in return for opening ties with Israel, and will not hold up a deal even if Israel does not offer major concessions to Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick; additional reporting by Ismail Shakil; editing by Heather Timmons, Chris Reese and Diane Craft)
By Brenda Goh

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Saturday Washington did not seek to decouple from China, but wanted reciprocal and fair treatment for U.S. companies, as he kicked off a rare trip to the world's second-largest economy.

Schumer, who made the remarks at a meeting with Chen Jining, Shanghai's Communist Party Secretary, said the United States did not seek conflict and wanted to achieve a level playing field, "as we compete economically."

Schumer is leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to Asia, which includes stops in South Korea and Japan. It aims to advance U.S. economic and national security interests, and in China, the group hopes to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The trip follows visits by a series of high-level Biden administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in August.

Schumer said "many of our constituents feel that in instances China does not treat American companies fairly," stressing the need for "reciprocity, allowing American companies to compete as freely in China as Chinese companies are able to compete here."

After passing a sweeping bill last year to boost competition with China in semiconductors and other technology, Schumer and Democratic committee leaders said in May they would write legislation to limit the flow of technology to China, deter it from initiating a conflict with Taiwan and tighten rules to block U.S. capital from going to Chinese companies.

The group of six senators, co-led by Republican Mike Crapo, will meet government and business leaders in the three countries they are visiting, and from U.S. companies operating in the region.

Other senators on the trip include Republicans Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy and Democrats Maggie Hassan and Jon Ossoff. The group landed at Shanghai's Pudong airport at 2 p.m. (0600 GMT).

Shanghai's Chen said the ties between the two countries were the most important bilateral relationship in the world, and said there was a need to cooperate.

The Biden administration has placed curbs on chip exports to China, saying they aim to deny it access to advanced technology that could further military advancements or rights abuses. China hit back with accusations of economic coercion.

Raimondo said in August that U.S. companies had complained to her that China has become "uninvestable", pointing to fines, raids and other actions that made it risky to do business there. "For U.S. business in many cases, patience is running thin, and it's time for action," she said.

(Writing by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Robert Birsel and Ros Russell)
On Tuesday, 'The Last of Us' star Ashley Johnson, 40, and six other women accused Brian Wayne Foster, a former critical employee, of domestic violence, intentional infliction of mental distress, sexual battery and assault, and stalking.

Johnson and other women processed and filed a civil complaint against Foster, her ex-boyfriend, in Los Angeles.

Ashley Johnson, Others File Lawsuit Against Ex-Boyfriend

The copies of the lawsuit's complaints, which differ from woman to woman, were revealed to process the investigation. Allegations against Foster include assault, gender abuse, domestic violence, and civil rights crimes. According to the court document, Foster's actions caused Johnson to believe he intended to murder her.

The seven victims are California residents, including Johnson's sister, Haylie Langseth. Johnson claims in the lawsuit that the intoxicated Foster harassed and groped her during a family gathering in front of her kids.

Foster was also connected to a controversy involving physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, wherein several fabrications, threats, intimidation, and manipulation were done to control the victims.

Johnson allegedly said Foster threatened to extort her for $150,000, claiming he would expose "personal information," in an interview with AVClub.

The lawsuit also includes allegations of verbal abuse and groping from several other women, including subordinates at Critical Role, who claim that Foster exploited his position at the company to seek access to women. These allegations are in addition to those made by Johnson and her sister.

Read Also: Washington Seaplane Crash Update: NTSB Blames One Mechanical Issue; Agency Explains How To Avoid Similar Incidents

Johnson Traumatized After Breakup With Foster

The Los Angeles Police Department assisted Johnson when she requested assistance in May, and they looked into her allegations.

Foster started acting strangely after the couple split in March 2023, carrying a sizable black duffel bag, an ammo case containing two airsoft pistols altered to look like real ones, and a garotte, a device for strangling people.

According to the lawsuit, Foster seized control of Johnson's home security cameras and microphones to monitor her and track her comings and goings after Foster was forced to leave Johnson's house by the police due to an Emergency Protective Order.

"After years of suffering Foster's abuse and being pushed towards an emotional breakdown as a result, Plaintiffs have had enough," the suit stated.

To shield others from suffering the same fate as Foster's victims, plaintiffs attempt to break the silence. No woman should have to endure the abuse and fear that Foster inflicted upon the Plaintiffs and other women.

Ashley Johnson remained brave and continued the lawsuit with the other women whom Foster had sexually abused. As the investigation continues, other victims are now speaking up against Foster.

The collaboration of the women to take down Foster is an example of women's empowerment and advocacy against rape and sexual abuse. Until now, Johnson is still recovering from her trauma and issues with Foster.

Related Article: India: Girl Gang-Raped, Brutally Dumped in 50 Ft. Deep Well as New Delhi Faces Outrage Over Increasing Sex Assaults |



@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A woman whose body was found in the Mississippi River on Friday afternoon near East St. Louis has been identified, according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr.

Breanna E. Kincaid, 32, was pronounced dead at 1:55 p.m., Dye said. Her last known address is in the 2100 block of Hildebrand Street in Madison.

She was found in the river off of the 100 block of Riverfront Drive in East St. Louis.

East St. Louis Police notified the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group of a body found in the river around 1:20 p.m., according to a release from the state police.

This is an active investigation and there is no further information at this time, the release states. Anyone who has any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the ISP by email at ISP.CrimeTips@Illinois.gov. Witnesses can remain anonymous.
A Georgia woman is accused of trying to pocket more than $1.5 million in insurance payments for hospital stays authorities said never happened.

The 54-year-old, from Rome, was arrested Sept. 27 and charged with insurance fraud, Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John Kings office said in an Oct. 5 news release.

She also faces one count of forgery.

From October 2022 to January 2023, authorities said the woman submitted medical invoices for hospitalizations as part of accident claims she filed with Guardian Insurance Company. All of the alleged hospital stays occurred out of state.

She received a $10,000 payment for a phony medical claim showing she had been hospitalized in Yuma, Arizona, authorities said.

After this apparent success, (the woman) went on to file claims using forged invoices for hospitalizations in Miami, Florida and Los Angeles, California, King said in the release. However, the hospitals had no record of (her) being a patient at their facilities, and her claims were rightly denied.

In all, authorities said the woman tried to solicit more than $1,557,000 in insurance payments.

She was booked into the Floyd County Jail but wasnt listed among the inmates as of Oct. 6.

Rome is about 70 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.

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A man identified as the suspect in the Monday killing of Philadelphia journalist and community advocate Josh Kruger knew the victim, police said Friday.

Robert Edmond Davis, 19, was identified as the "offender" in Kruger's slaying and a warrant was issued for his arrest, Lt. Hamilton Marshmond said at a news conference Friday afternoon

Davis should be considered armed and dangerous, police said. Anyone who knows his location should contact authorities, they said.

The journalist, known for his advocacy for LGBTQ+ people, Philadelphians living on the streets, and people living with addiction, may have been counseling the teenager, police said.

At this time we believe that Mr. Kruger was trying to help Mr. Davis, and they were acquaintances, Marshmond said. He was just trying to help him just get through life.

He said the suspect might have been homeless at some point. Additional details about the relationship were unavailable.

Davis should be considered armed and dangerous, police said. Anyone who knows his location should contact authorities, they said.

Josh Kruger. (JoshKrugerPHL via X)

Kruger, 39, was shot inside his home at 1:28 a.m. Monday. Police said he sustained seven gunshot wounds to the abdomen and chest.

It wasn't clear how the shooter ended up in the victim's home, which did not appear to have been breached before the attack early Monday, according to earlier statements from police. Marshmond said police don't believe Davis had been staying at Kruger's home at the time.

Security video reviewed by police showed Davis at the location early Monday, Marshmond said.

Asked about a possible motive, Marshmond indicated investigators were still unsure.

"As to the why, I do not know at this time," Marshmond said.

Police have not had contact with the suspect since the murder, Marshmond said.

The lieutenant thanked the public as well as Krugers family and friends for providing information and assisting the police department in this investigation.

Without the help of you all, we would not have been able to identify Mr. Davis so quickly, he said.

The warrant for Davis includes charges of murder and related offenses.

"We are also asking Mr. Davis to surrender himself to the police. Our goal is to have Mr. Davis taken into custody in a safe manner for the public, our officers and himself," Marshmond said.

The journalist was known in the community as a social justice advocate and had worked for Mayor Jim Kenney's administration as a spokesperson for the Office of Homeless Services. He also wrote for various news outlets including The Philadelphia Citizen and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

At Friday's news conference, Prosecutor Bob Listenbee read a statement from District Attorney Larry Krasner, which described Kruger as "an openly queer writer who wrote about his own journey surviving substance use disorder and homelessness."
Hundreds of people in Israel are reported dead and thousands are injured after Hamas militants fired rockets from Gaza and launched a ground incursion, Israeli officials said Saturday. Hundreds more are dead and injured in Gaza after Israel launched retaliatory attacks, Palestinian officials reported.

PHOTO: Cars are burning after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a parking lot and a residential building in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against Israel. (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

Up to 50 Israelis had been held hostage by militants on Saturday, the Israeli Command told ABC News. They were freed Saturday evening, but officials said an unknown number could still be held in captivity. There is still ongoing fighting in several towns, the officials said.

"We are at war. We will win," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday.

The Israeli Defense Forces earlier declared "a state of alert for war," according to a statement issued by the IDF.

According to the IDF, a high-ranking Israel Defense Forces commander was killed in action Saturday.

Col. Jonathan Steinberg, 42, the commander of the Nahal Brigade, was killed during a confrontation with Hamas, IDF said.

Palestinian militants fired at least 2,200 rockets toward Israel, the IDF said. Meanwhile, Hamas claimed at least 5,000 rockets were fired, all landing in southern and central Israel.

Air raid sirens began sounding in Jerusalem at 8:15 a.m. local time warning citizens of the attack.

"Over the past hour, the Hamas terrorist organization launched massive barrages of rockets from Gaza into Israel, and its terrorist operatives have infiltrated into Israel in a number of different locations in the south," the IDF said early Saturday.

"Civilians in southern and central Israel must remain near shelters, and in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip, inside shelters," the IDF continued. "The Chief of the General staff is currently conducting a situational assessment and approving plans for the IDF's continued activity. The Hamas terrorist organization is responsible for these attacks and will face consequences for them."

PHOTO: Rockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against Israel. (Fatima Shbair/AP)

Netanyahu released a video statement Saturday, making his first comments in Hebrew.

"This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered  first of all  to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists," Netanyahu said. "This currently is being carried out. At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it."

Elsewhere, the IDF confirmed that they are striking Hamas targets in Gaza as a result of the incursion, according to a statement on social media.

In remarks from the White House on Saturday, President Joe Biden said U.S. support for Israel is "rock solid and unwavering."

"Israel has the right to defend itself and its people full stop. There is never a justification for terrorist attacks and my administration's support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering. Let me say this as clearly as I can. This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching," Biden said.

In a statement earlier, Biden said he spoke with Netanyahu, telling him that the U.S. "condemns" Hamas' assault on Israel.

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel," the statement said.

In response to the barrages of rockets launched by Hamas from Gaza at Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hamas targets in Gaza.  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

The U.S. embassy in Israel earlier said that it is "closely monitoring" the security situation.

"The U.S. Embassy is aware that there have been casualties as a result of these incidents. U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire, often take place without warning," the embassy said in the statement announcing the security alert.

U.S. Embassy personnel are currently sheltering in place and the ambassador condemned the attack in a message on social media, saying "I condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israel's right to defend itself from such terrorist acts."

"The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism," read a statement from National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson, condemning the attacks against Israel. "We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners."

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a statement said he is 'closely monitoring" the situation and said the Department of Defense "will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

A U.S. defense official told ABC News that Austin had a call with his team this morning including U.S. Centcom Commander Gen. Eric Kurilla  Israel falls under Centcom's area of responsibility.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the U.S. supports Israel's right to defend itself and "unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says his people have the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops," according to Reuters.

Today marks the day that 50 years ago in 1973 when the Yom Kippur War -- or the Arab/Israeli War -- began.

ABC News' Joseph Simonetti contributed to this report.

Hundreds dead, thousands injured in Israel and Gaza after Hamas launches rockets; Israel declares war originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
What was once Hurricane Lidia, the 12th named storm in the Eastern Pacific basin, has lost wind intensity over the mountainous terrain of western Mexico, transitioning to a tropical rainstorm. Lidia formed on Tuesday, Oct. 3, well off the coast of western Mexico. Late Monday, Oct. 9, Lidia reached hurricane strength (maximum sustained winds greater than 74 mph, or 119 km/h).

By Tuesday afternoon, Lidia intensified to Category 4 hurricane strength with winds of 140 mph (225 km/h) as it churned about 110 miles (175 km) off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, maintaining that peak strength until it made landfall early Tuesday evening near Las Penitas in the state of Jalisco. Lidia then had a drastic decline in intensity through the night as it tracked over the highly mountainous terrain of southwestern Mexico.

Not only did Lidia make landfall as the first major hurricane of the season in Mexico, but no other systems have hit the country as a hurricane this year.

"Hurricane Beatriz never made landfall, but it came within 25 miles of the Mexico coast on Jul. 1, 2023," AccuWeather Meteorologist and Social Media Producer Jesse Ferrell said. "Hilary was a tropical storm when it made landfall Aug. 20 on the northern part of Baja California Peninsula."

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The last major hurricane to strike Mexico was Roslyn on Oct. 23, 2022, north of Puerto Vallarta, Ferrell added. Before that, the last two Category 3 hits were Hurricane Grace in 2021 and Hurricane Willa in 2018.

Gusty winds began to spread across parts of west-central Mexico on Tuesday morning, and an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 170 mph (274 km/h) was put in place ahead of Lidia's arrival.

Rainfall from Lidia is expected to persist across the region through Wednesday, PDT, and a swath of 1-2 inches (25-50 mm) of additional rain can cover portions of the Mexican states of Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Zacatecas and Jalisco.

Rainfall totals can range from 2-4 inches (50-100 mm) across upslope regions from Culiacan to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with concentrated totals of 4-8 inches (100-200 mm) possible near Nayarit and southern Sinaloa. The AccuWeather Local StormMax across west-central Mexico is set at 16 inches (400 mm) for Lidia.

Lidia was designated as a 4 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes.

The terrain of western Mexico will play a large role in the additional rainfall that Lidia spreads onshore, specifically the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range that runs northwest to southeast across western Mexico.

As the air is forced upward and cools over the higher terrain, water vapor condenses and a higher concentration of rainfall can occur along the windward side of the mountains.

"When tropical systems interact with orographic features, the mountains can have a similar effect of squeezing water out of a sponge. As a result, flooding issues can be enhanced," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva.

Forecasters say that mudslides and flash flooding will be a continuing concern in locations that receive heavy rainfall from Lidia.

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.
We have the right to vote! Gabriel Reynolds, a sophomore at New England College, chanted through the windows of Simon Center Great Room.

Reynolds was peacefully protesting presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy by chanting about the voting age, holding a homemade black Sharpie sign with the words "No Forever War in Mexico," and playing his guitar. Ramaswamy calls for increasing the voting age to 25, unless an 18 year-old citizen passes the same civics test given to immigrants seeking American citizenship.

Ramaswamy took part in a SiriusXM town hall at New England College, hosted by David Webb, where, throughout the hour-long taped radio broadcast set to air Monday morning, there was Reynolds lingering voice demanding change.

PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, left, invites New England College student Gabriel Reynolds, who was protesting him outside an event,, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, in Henniker, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa/AP)

Following the radio broadcast portion of the event, Ramaswamy opted to take more questions from the crowd.

But, aware of the noise outside, Ramaswamy signaled to host Webb, David, why dont I let the gentleman outside in. He clearly wants to come in.

Ramaswamy exited the student center with David Webb to personally invite the single protester into the town hall. The press followed outside, jumping off the staged media risers to catch the potential interaction, while attendees crowded the windows to watch the event unfold.

Would you like to come in and join us because Ive noticed youve been very vocal through this? Ramaswamy continued, I just want you to know that you dont have to be outside. Youre allowed in.

Reynolds noted that he was told he wasnt allowed to bring signs into the event.

I have something to do with that. You can bring in the signs if you want, but who needs to sign when you have your own voice. Come on inside and we will give you a chance to ask a question.

After proceeding to help pack up Reynolds guitar equipment, Ramaswamy mentioned, Ive been outside of rooms that Ive tried to get into before, so thats been frustrating.

He ushered the young student to sit in the front row for the remainder of the event.

(MORE: Vivek Ramaswamy insists only 2 candidates matter in GOP primary race: Him and Trump)

As the scrum transitioned to a town hall, Ramaswamy allowed Reynolds to ask one of the last questions.

He asked, How do you expect to get the American people's support behind an invasion of Mexico to take out the cartels when we could in fact just help them succeed financially and bring them out of a deep poverty without the bloodshed of a single American? And how do you expect to gain support for a war like this if you take away our right to vote?

Ramaswamy answered that the two of them actually share a lot in common.

First of all, if there's an anti-war current in that question, boy, do we share that in common. I mean, the world we're in right now. Sleepwalking our way into its war in Ukraine that does not advance the U.S. national interest. And there is a bipartisan consensus pushing us further and further into that war," Ramaswamy said. "I'm deeply worried that we are inching closer to a major armed conflict with a nuclear power, possibly World War III ... So there's one presidential candidate who is anti-war and wants to keep us out of World War III. That's me.

In what could have been a pivotal positive moment between the politician and student, Reynolds said he left disappointed, overwhelmed and flustered by the chaos. He even noted that he plans to vote for Marianne Williamson in the upcoming primary.

ABC News caught up with Reynolds after the town hall where he described Ramaswamy's actions as a public relations stunt.

It felt like a little bit of a PR stunt. Like my opinions were being trivialized in a way. I appreciated the gesture, but I know that he was just doing it for the camera. And that, yeah, so I'm a bit overwhelmed right now.

Since the action unfolded, the Ramaswamy campaign has plastered the exchange all over their social media suggesting it was a "good day in New Hampshire."

https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1710353248429699315

But Reynolds wasnt satisfied with Ramaswamy's answer.

He answered half of my question. But I still think that he has imperialist influence in Mexico, which is not something that this country shied away from. We see it in our trade deals. We see it with NAFTA in the 1990s leading to the uprising in Chiapas, Reynolds explained. Our Mexican brothers and sisters. Our American brothers and sisters ... do not need to shed blood over this. I think that there are economic resources that we have available in order to not have a conflict here.

During their banter outside, Ramaswamy mentioned that the two of them shared a lot in common.

Asked if Reynolds shares this sentiment, Reynolds took a somber long pause and put his hand on his heart, Well, we both have hearts.

Vivek Ramaswamy stops town hall to invite student protester inside originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Employees at two of the largest drugstore chains in the United States say harsh working conditions make it difficult to safely fill prescriptions, which could put the health of their customers at risk. Now, theyre demanding change by staging a series of walkouts across the country.

Pharmacy employees at some Walgreens stores, including pharmacists, technicians and support staff, are planning a walkout between October 9-11, an organizer, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from the chain, confirmed to CNN. Some employees plan to walk out for just one day, while others expect to shutter their pharmacies for all three days.

Employees at more than 500 of Americas approximately 9,000 Walgreens stores across the United States have expressed interest and solidarity, a Walgreens pharmacy employee and walkout organizer said, though fewer will likely end up participating.

CNN spoke to employees at three Walgreens stores in three states who said they plan on walking out.

The planned action comes after pharmacy employees walked off the job at multiple CVS stores in the Kansas City area last week.

The coordinated action at some Walgreens stores is in response to what pharmacy employees call burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations levied on pharmacists from corporate management, according to the organizer. As a result, employees often find themselves falling behind and dealing with angry customers.

The company sets performance expectations based on the number of team members each pharmacy should have, said the pharmacy worker. However, in reality, staffing is much lower than that. At the same time, the worker said, theyve cut training hours for new technicians.

We dont believe that Walgreens is allowing us to give our patients safe care on a daily basis, the organizer explained. Walgreens isnt responding, theyre not fixing those things.

A representative from Walgreens said the company has increased training for new pharmacists but has put a pause on what it called non-critical training during the busy immunization season.

Walgreens representatives also told CNN that there have never been corporate quotas and that all task-based metrics for retail pharmacy staff as part of team members performance reviews were eliminated last year. The company said it has made $265 million in incremental investments in its nationwide pharmacy team this fiscal year and has created dedicated positions to manage inventory and administrative tasks for pharmacists.

Still, one pharmacy employee who said staff at their store will participate in the walkout on Monday told CNN that they are expected and incentivized to administer more vaccines. I spend almost all of my day in the shot room, and if Im not in the shot room Im filling prescriptions because were so behind, they said.

There have been nights where Ive been on the verge of tears because of how hard it is, they said. I had a patient give me a fist bump and tell me I was doing a good job, and that meant so much to me. The patients are caring more about us than the employer is.

Another pharmacist told CNN that he expects his pharmacy to close during the planned walkout period and that hes heard from Walgreens pharmacists at 13 other stores in his state who are interested in participating.

Were going to do way more harm to people in 10 more years of operating like this than we would with a three-day walkout, the pharmacist said. Its time to try something different. Every year we get the same promises and every year we get the same Band-Aid on the problem.

In a statement to CNN, Walgreens acknowledged that pharmacy employees were overworked.

The last few years have required an unprecedented effort from our team members, and we share their pride in this work  while recognizing it has been a very challenging time, said Fraser Engerman, a communications director at Walgreens. We also understand the immense pressures felt across the US in retail pharmacy right now. We are engaged and listening to the concerns raised by some of our team members.

Walgreens is committed to ensuring that our entire pharmacy team has the support and resources necessary to continue to provide the best care to our patients while taking care of their own well-being, added Engerman. We are making significant investments in pharmacist wages and hiring bonuses to attract/retain talent in harder to staff locations.

Walkouts at CVS

Pharmacy employees of Walgreens and CVS and pharmacist advocates told CNN that their work has always been difficult, but the pandemic made things near impossible. Employees describe severe and chronic understaffing, low pay, high vaccination quotas, long stretches without bathroom breaks, abusive management and violent customers.

Inspired by successful labor strikes across the country this year, theyre saying enough is enough and organizing walkouts as part of what some labor advocates are calling pharmageddon.

In September, CVS pharmacists shuttered as many as 22 pharmacies in two walkouts over two weeks in the Kansas City area in a planned protest, prompting executives from the Rhode Island-based retailer to meet with staff and assure that additional support and higher overtime pay were coming.

Pharmacists are doing exactly what theyve been trained to do, which is evaluate the situation and take whatever action is necessary to ensure that theyre providing the best patient care, said Michael Hogue, CEO of the American Pharmacists Association, who traveled to Kansas City to meet with CVS executives and walkout organizers this week. We have a widespread problem in the US of inadequate staffing in community-based pharmacies.

A CVS Pharmacy in Washington, DC. - Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Prem Shah, CVSs chief pharmacy officer and president of pharmacy and consumer wellness, issued an internal memo, reviewed by CNN, apologizing to his pharmacy teams for failing to address the concerns in the region more quickly.

Another meeting with Shah is planned for late next week, but no time or location has been set, a CVS walkout organizer told CNN.

CVS representatives told CNN that no specific meeting has been arranged because executives dont see this as a one-time meeting or update, situation. Its a continuous two-way dialogue to share how were meeting the commitments we made to our teams and to continue to hear their direct feedback, said Amy Thibault, lead director of external communications for CVS Pharmacy.

Were committed to providing access to consistent, safe, high-quality health care to the patients and communities we serve and are working with our pharmacists to directly address any concerns they may have, Thibault told CNN in a statement. Were focused on developing a sustainable, scalable action plan that can be put in place in markets where support may be needed so we can continue delivering the high-quality care our patients depend on.

A lead organizer of the CVS walkouts in Kansas City told CNN that if there is no meeting this week there could be another round of labor action.

A national movement

Even a day without access to medication would be disastrous for Americans, said Amanda Applegate with the Kansas Pharmacists Association. But making sure that youre getting those prescriptions out in a timely, efficient and safe manner is [why] pharmacists are walking out, she said. Pharmacists arent demanding huge pay increases and vacation days, she added, theyre asking for more help to get their jobs done.

This week, more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walked off the job, citing similar problems and marking the largest health care worker strike in US history.

Pharmacist advocates believe that the walkouts will likely continue for some time. CVS and Walgreens pharmacists are not currently represented by a union and these efforts have been coordinated by individual workers. However, multiple sources told CNN that employees at CVS and Walgreens have recently been in touch with union groups.

While Kansas City has been a tinderbox, said Applegate, these walkouts could have happened anywhere.

Its a hard job on a good day. Its an incredibly rewarding job, but its hard, she said. And so the idea of pharmacists essentially being turned into ATMs in these environments, encouraging volume over quality, is why this is happening.

This story has been updated with new information.

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India can become a true partner to West Africa by treating it as an equal and investing in its development without any strings attached.

A recent report in the Washington Post underscored the ostensibly direct involvement of the British royal family in the grotesque practice of slave trade. The royals of Great Britain are not the only ones complicit in the rapacious exploitation of the African and Asian continents. Many other royal households in Europe derive their continued wealth from their past involvement in such and other dreadful atrocities. The Europeans have unfortunately never paid reparations or apologised sincerely ever to the peoples of Asia and Africa for their extractive and exploitative occupation that drained the human and material wealth of these lands for over two centuries or more.

The recent coups across a host of West African nations colloquially referred to as the coup belt have once again focused attention on continued European interference in Africa. There is another player whose equally predatory behavior is finally now raising hackles across Africa and that is the Peoples Republic of China. However, first an overview of France, for the role of France in Africa, a leading European colonialist of the yesteryears, with a continuing African hangover, may just be in order.

Niger has become the penultimate country in West Africa where the army has seized control after Gen. Abdourahamane Tchianis successful coup detat. Niger follows Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Chad and was succeeded by Gabon in late August 2023. They are all former French colonies. Sudan, a former British colony, had also witnessed a military overthrow in October 2021.

Interestingly, in all these countries except Sudan, the ostensible raison detre for the coup is the continuing French economic and military influence over the region. There has been an upsurge of anti-French sentiments across its former colonies in Africa.

West African countries have demanded that French troops leave the region and stop interfering in their internal affairs. Consequently, there have been protests and attacks on French embassies, and military barracks. Due to the increasing animosity from the local populace in Mali and Niger, the French were compelled to leave their embassies and scale down or mitigate their military presence in the region.

Before understanding the reason for this uptake in such anti-French sentiments in the region, and its possible implications on India, some historical context is imperative. The French empire was one of the most powerful empires in human history. At its zenith it controlled almost ten per cent of the worlds land area, stretching all the way from Southeast Asia to West Africa.

The French influence, particularly in West Africa, was predominant in comparison to any other European power. Almost 17 modern-day nations of West Africa were colonies of the empire. France oversaw a rather ruthless occupation of this region as was the case with other colonial powers, too, of those times. It exploited the human and natural resources of these areas for the benefit of the motherland.

Post Second World War, as decolonisation commenced, the French apprehending that they may lose these regions coerced its colonies to sign a Cooperation Agreement. Accordingly, in exchange for foreign aid the now-erstwhile colonies were compelled to provide France access to its natural resources and allow it to maintain a military foothold in the region. Moreover, the French insisted that, rather than having their own currency, they were to use the franc of the Financial Community of Africa (FCA) that was pegged to the franc (and subsequently the euro). This ensured a continuing economic leverage over these countries.

Though the French ordained these measures were optional, any defiance was met with strict retaliation. When under President Ahmed Sekou Toure Guinea decided to withdraw from the FRA and the Cooperation Agreement the French cut off all foreign aid to Guinea and did everything to destabilise that government. Moreover, in order to ensure that the region doesnt fall under the Soviet sphere of influence, the Americans extensively supported the French in their colonial pursuits. This unofficial policy of the French to ensure that its former colonies would remain dependent on France and be maximally advantageous to the French was known as Francafrique.

The rise of China in Africa has had a significant influence on shifting the balance of power in Francophone Africa. France's share of African trade has declined considerably. China has filled the vacuum by becoming Africa's largest trading partner. Moreover, the inability of French forces to combat the rising Islamic radicalism in the region, along with increasing allegations of corruption against Francophile elites, has intensified anti-French sentiments in the region.

As a consequence, countries across Africa are now opting to hire Russia's Wagner Group that provides the requisite military muscle without imposing any political or diplomatic imperatives. Essentially, they are guns for hire  carpetbaggers largely content as long their monetary contractual obligations are honored.

President Macron's recent efforts to ease tensions and offer concessions to the region are seen as too little, too late to address the issue. Many mega economic players in Africa are now supportive of military coups that are surreptitiously if not allegedly sponsored by Russia and China as an alternative to the Francafrique system.

There has been a growing demand from the West, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to impose sanctions on Niger and other countries where military coups have occurred. Furthermore, there is an increasing call for military intervention in these countries by other ECOWAS member states. If this were to occur, it might potentially ignite a full-scale war in West Africa.

The changing circumstances in the region have opened a Pandora's Box for India. As part of India's engagement with ECOWAS it had in 2006 provided a Line of Credit (LoC) worth $250 million to the group. Furthermore, India has made significant investments in the energy, telecom and transportation industries of ECOWAS countries. Any escalation of geopolitical tensions in the region will pose a significant threat to Indian investments in the region. Moreover further augmentation of Chinas economic and military influence in Africa including establishment of Chinese military bases would only work to Indias detriment.

The European model still anchored in colonialism, extraction and oppression and the Chinese model predicated upon debt trap diplomacy should not be the sole alternatives for Africa.

India can become a true partner to West Africa by treating it as an equal and investing in its development without any strings attached. Through such partnerships, based on trust and fairness, India can contribute to the development and stability of West Africa, paving the way for a more prosperous future for both. India's initiative to include the African Union in the G-20 can serve as an excellent springboard for this endeavour.
(Photo : JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

A member of the Israeli security forces stands along a debris-strewn street in Tel Aviv, after it was hit by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale attack against Israel on October 7, firing thousands of rockets from Gaza and sending fighters to kill or abduct people as Israel retaliated with devastating air strikes.

In a stunning turn of events, Israel has declared itself at war following a bold and unprecedented strike by Hamas.

Vowing to seek vengeance on an immense scale, Israel finds itself on high alert after Hamas launched a barrage of rockets across the heavily fortified border with Gaza. This shocking attack, executed through land, sea, and air, has left the nation in a state of heightened tension and uncertainty.

Israel War: Civilians, Security Held Hostage After Massive Palestinian Attack

he Palestinian militant group has caught Israel off guard with a military threat, exactly 50 years after the harrowing Yom Kippur or October war. This unexpected development marks the most significant challenge Israel has encountered in the past five decades.

In a distressing turn of events, a significant number of Israelis have reportedly been held captive in an Israeli settlement situated in close proximity to the Gaza border. Disturbing footage capturing individuals being forcefully handled has emerged on various social media platforms, further intensifying concerns surrounding this incident.

In a swift and decisive move, Israel wasted no time in retaliating against the early morning assault. Responding with full force, the nation launched a series of attacks within the Gaza region. As tensions escalated, warning sirens blared across the southern and central areas of the country, prompting Israel to also call up its military reservists.

According to Israeli army officials, Saturday has been described as "the worst day for Israeli civilians ever." Reports suggest that the tragic event has resulted in a staggering death toll of at least 150 Israelis, while over 1,500 individuals have been reported injured.

In a recent statement, Major Nir Dinar of the Israeli army expressed astonishment at the unprecedented figures involved in the ongoing situation. Describing the capture and hostage-taking of Israelis as both "unbearable" and "terrible," Major Dinar highlighted the severity of the issue at hand.

An attack unfolded on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, leaving Israelis in a state of alarm. As the sun rose, sirens blared throughout the southern and central regions of the country, including the bustling cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as per The Independent.

Hamas, reportedly launched a daring assault on the border, targeting nearby settlements. Shockingly, there are even reports of individuals paragliding from Gaza into Israel as part of these attacks.

Read Also: US Tourist Jailed Over Damaged Roman Sculptures at Israel Museum

US President Joe Biden Offers Israel 'All Appropriate Means of Support'

In a recent video shared on social media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a bold statement, declaring that the nation is currently engaged in a war. Netanyahu has issued orders for strikes on Gaza and has urgently called for an "extensive reserve mobilization" in response to the unprecedented incursion.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has strongly denounced what he has described as an "appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists." The President has unequivocally stated that Israel possesses the right to protect itself and its citizens.

Biden added, "My Administration's support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering."

In a recorded message that has emerged, Mohammed Deif, the enigmatic leader of the military wing of the group, has made a strong statement, declaring "Enough is enough."

Per NBC News, Deif's message serves as a rallying cry, urging Palestinians to unite and join the ongoing fight.

In a momentous declaration, he proclaimed that today marked the pinnacle of the ultimate conflict aimed at eradicating the final vestiges of occupation on our planet. Furthermore, he revealed that an astounding 5,000 rockets had been unleashed into the skies.

The militant group has announced that it has successfully taken a significant number of hostages, which reportedly includes several high-ranking Israeli officers.In a somber tone, Western leaders expressed their deep concern and sorrow over the sudden eruption of violence.

Related Article: Israel Forces Kill 2 Palestinians, Injure Dozens in Occupied West Bank

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The Chungthang factor in the Sikkim disaster is unquestionably man-made. What about the melting water of the glaciers?

Till the December of 2004, I had no idea how devasting a tsunami could be. But when I travelled to Car Nicobar, one of the islands in the Bay of Bengal battered by the tsunami, I saw devastation unlike anything I had seen before in real life, photos or movies, caused by a towering wall of water that came crashing down on human habitation and wiped it off the face of the earth.

A tsunami in a river. Thats how a former journalist Anand Sankar, who has reported for years on the impact of development across the Himalayas, described to me the tragedy that hit Sikkim late on the night of October 3. A tsunami of muddy, debris and rock-filled water, he explained.

And it resonated.

I could imagine a mountain of water thundering down the steep slopes and narrow valleys of the Lachen river, gathering momentum, joining the Lachung river to birth the Teesta and then crashing into the Chungthang dam, smashing it and battering everything in its way downstream.

What happened? A natural calamity or a man-made disaster? As Sikkim picks up the pieces, politics has already kicked in. Sikkim chief minister P.S. Golay has squarely blamed his predecessor. Careless work while constructing the Teesta III dam (at Chungthang) resulted in the Sikkim catastrophe, Mr Golay has been quoted as saying.

We would have survived the catastrophe if the previous government had made had made a stable, standard dam. But the then government made a substandard dam despite inflating the project cost from Rs 5,000 crores to Rs 13,000 crores. It was a careless piece of work, he said.

But all this is really old hat. What Mr Golay should have talked about is GLOF and Black Carbon and the unthinking pace at which hydroelectric power projects have come up in several states across the Himalayas.

Sikkim has certainly stamped the term GLOF into our vocabulary: Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding.

When glaciers melt, its waters collect in deep ravines beneath it and turn into lakes. As the melting continues, the lakes expand. This has been happening in the Himalayas for several decades. There are at least 56 such lakes in the mountains that scientists have identified as GLOF-prone. At least 14 of those are reportedly in Sikkim.

In the last decade, remoting sensing satellites have put out alerts that the South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim, which is at 17,000 feet above sea level, was expanding significantly. Since 2013, interventions were made to siphon out water from the lake. In 2016, Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakhs celebrated environmentalist, went and laid pipes at Lhonak to siphon out water. Wangchuk was the inspiration for the character played by Aamir Khan in the movie 3 Idiots.

This September, a team from the NDRF, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority and the Swiss Development Corporation trekked up to set up a monitoring system at two lakes, Lhonak and Shako Cho. The team returned on September 20 to Gangtok. On September 21, the monitor at Lhonak stopped working though the one at Shako Cho continued to work. The Swiss team was informed and was expected to return soon to fix the monitors and also install an early warning system.

But time ran out.

On the night of October 3, an ITBP camp at Janak close to Lhonak called up the administration at Chungthang to report a drastic rise in the water in the Lachen river and a statewide alert was sounded.

What happened at Chungthang dam is not clear yet. Did officials there have time to open a spillway?

If there is a sudden rush of flood water into the reservoir, the spillway can be opened to drain it out in a controlled manner. But the spillways capacity was simply not adequate to drain out the water from Lhonak and the reservoir combined.

To keep the numbers simple, Lake Lhonak spilled out 100 hectares of water. The reservoir had 10 hectares of water. That gigantic volume with the momentum of the lake outflow rushing down steep slopes down some 50 km from a height of 17,000 feet to Chungthang at about 6,000 feet -- the dam didnt have a chance.

Part of the Teesta III Hydropower Project that was commissioned in 2017 to produce 1200 MW of power, the Chungthang dam, like most, was built to last a hundred years. But it is gone in six. The project was dogged by controversy with environment activists protesting dam construction in a fragile ecosystem in a seismic zone. But they failed to stop it. Today they believe had there been no dams on the Teesta, the impact of the GLOF event would have been much less damaging.

The Chungthang factor in the Sikkim disaster is unquestionably man-made. What about the melting water of the glaciers? That too, caused by global warning and climate change. Anand Sankar, the former journalist who gave the Sikkim tragedy the name by which I shall remember it  river tsunami -- reports that in his travels in the Himalayas, he has found black patches of soot on glaciers and ice formations. It is Black Carbon, something that is being studied by scientists now because it apparently hastens the melting of ice.

Black Carbon is something we create and put to the atmosphere from cars, factories and burning crops in farms. Its a threat to our glaciers that we are yet to start talking about. The river tsunami in Sikkim should certainly change that.
Today's news: at least 42 people have died in floods in the Indian Himalayas. The Myanmar High Court dismissed appeals of six corruption convictions against Aung San Suu Kyi. Over 43 million children internally displaced in Asian nations due to climate change. Islamabad wants to expel all illegal immigrants, primarily Afghans, by 1 November. Aiea task force will visit the Fukushima plant at the end of the month, the first time since the start of spill operations. Russian coal export prices increased by 14% in September.

CHINA

Travel in and out of China saw a surge during the eight-day Golden Week holiday, when the national holiday coincided with the autumn holiday, approaching pre-Covid-19 levels. The average number of trips reached 1.477 million, which is 85.1% of the average number of trips recorded in 2019 and four times higher than in 2022. The government expected an average of 1.58 million trips per day.

INDIA

At least 42 people have been killed as water leaked from a glacial lake, triggering flash floods in the Indian Himalayas. Rescuers are busy searching for the missing, at least 150 but the number could increase. Lhonak Lake in the north-eastern state of Sikkim overflowed on October 4 due to torrential rains and an avalanche, causing the Teesta River to overflow its banks. It was one of the region's worst disasters in more than 50 years.

MYANMAR

Myanmar's High Court yesterday rejected the appeals against the six corruption convictions of former State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi. Four cases are related to the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation and two linked to businessman Maung Weik. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, jailed following the military coup in February 2021, is serving a 33-year sentence for convictions in 19 trials.

ASIA

According to a United Nations report, over 43 million children in Asia are internally displaced due to climate change. At the top of the list of the most affected nations are China, India and the Philippines. Between 2016 and 2021 there will be 20 thousand new minors displaced per day due to events linked to extreme natural events including floods, storms, droughts and fires.

PAKISTAN - AFGHANISTAN

Islamabad has issued a provision ordering all people living illegally and without title to leave the country by November 1st. Acting Interior Minister Sarfarz Bugti added that assets or properties of "illegal" foreigners will be confiscated. The provision applies to immigrants of all nationalities, but mostly affects Afghans.

JAPAN

A task force from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit the Fukushima nuclear power plant, scene of the 2011 atomic accident, from 24 to 27 October. Experts will see the plant for the first time since operations began in August of release of treated radioactive water. A choice that has pushed other nations, such as China, to ban the import of fish.

RUSSIA

Russian coal export prices increased by 14% in September, on the eve of the October holidays in China and in light of the reductions in domestic extraction decided by Beijing, in addition to the growth in demand from India. According to Gazprombank, the increases will continue in view of the winter, while the metallurgical sector could decrease due to the limitation of steel production in China.

KAZAKHSTAN

The Astana Parliament denounces the spread of radical Islamic tendencies, calling on the government to take adequate measures to eradicate the Salafist and Wahhabi movements. Under consideration are bans on extremist literature and limitations on religious clothing in public (hijab at school) and defense of the dombra, a traditional stringed instrument that Islamic radicals consider "sinful".
The ceremony was originally planned for 19 February, but was postponed due to the earthquake. It is the only Christian (Syrian Orthodox) building built in the last century in Turkey. It can accommodate 750 worshippers inside, and there were many requests for the inaugural service. Christian leader: a message of freedom and tolerance.

Istanbul (AsiaNews) - For the Christians of Istanbul, the economic and commercial heart of Turkey, tomorrow 8 October is a day of celebration: inside the Syrian Orthodox church of Saint Ephrem, the first and only to be built in the modern era and republican, the first Eucharistic liturgy is celebrated in the presence of the faithful after over three years of work.

The place of worship, the only one "to be built from scratch" in over a century, is located in the Yesilkoy district, in the European part of the metropolis, and around four million euros were spent on its construction.

Interviewed by Turkey's Anadolu newsagency , Sait Susinthe, president of the Istanbul Syriac Kadim Foundation, expresses enthusiasm and satisfaction on behalf of the entire community for the opening.

Although the inauguration of the works with the laying of the first stone dates back to 2019 - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was also present at the event - it took almost 10 years to complete the various steps that led to the realization of the work.

We should have inaugurated last February 19th recalls the Christian leader Susin, but the devastating earthquake of February 6th interrupted plans. It was a great tragedy for the whole country. In these circumstances, it was out of the question for us - he explains - to proceed with the inauguration".

He goes on to explain that it is a work that has had a wide following among the Syriac communities in the world, who have followed the construction process closely and many have made requests among Christians in Turkey to be able to participate in the first celebration.

Our phones ring constantly. This is also a prestige - adds Susin - for our country" and it is also a message of freedom and tolerance towards the "preconceptions" held abroad towards the former Ottoman Empire.

I hope that the prayers offered here  he underlines  will be useful in strengthening unity, solidarity and cohesion in our nation.

The inauguration ceremony will see the participation of a representative of the Patriarchate and a heterogeneous group of delegates from both Turkey and abroad, as well as government officials on the upper floor of the building which has a capacity of 750 people.

The church, conceived as a five-story project in an empty area of the Latin Catholic cemetery, is located in Yesilkoy in the European area, where the large part of the Assyrian community resides.

One floor of the structure is reserved as a cultural room for the community, which can gather after mass or at the conclusion of ceremonies such as baptisms, funerals and weddings, as well as for meetings and conferences. On the ground floor there are the bishop's quarters, rooms for welcoming guests and a car park.

Freedom of worship is guaranteed in Turkey, but freedom of religion has been violated on various occasions in the recent past.

The Turkish government has interfered in the selection of Church leaders. Some clerics have been killed, namely Fr Andrea Santoro in 2006 and Mgr Luigi Padovese in 2010. Some churches and Church-owned buildings have been confiscated. A US clergyman, Rev Andrew Brunson, was detained and later released.

In recent months, there have also been cases of land disputes, desecration of cemeteries and expropriation of places of worship.
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After having already ranked the 10 most exciting four-door sedans you can buy in 2023, were here to do the same with their fastback siblings, simply because we choose to acknowledge the distinction and refuse to call the likes of the Porsche Panamera or Acura Integra a sedan.

EV

#10. 2024 Polestar 2 ($62,000, dual motor, 455 hp w/Performance Pack)

Photo: Polestar

AWD

#9. 2024 Acura Integra Type S ($50,800, 2.0L VTEC turbo, 320 hp)

Photo: Acura

#8. 2023 Kia Stinger GT2 ($51,890, 3.3L twin-turbo V6, 368 hp)

Photo: Kia

#7. 2024 BMW i4 M50 ($69,700, dual-motor, 536 hp)

Photo: BMW

#6. 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQS Sedan ($147,550, dual-motor, 751 hp w/boost)

Photo: Mercedes

SUV

AMG

4MATIC

#5. 2024 Audi RS 5 Sportback ($78,900, 2.9L twin-turbo V6, 444 hp)

Photo: Audi

#4. 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance ($127,800, 4.0L twin-turbo V8, 621 hp)

Photo: Audi

#3. 2024 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid ($196,400, 4.0L twin-turbo V8 PHEV, 690 hp)

Photo: Porsche

#2. 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-door Coupe ($170,350, 4.0L twin-turbo V8, 630 hp)

Photo: Mercedes

#1. 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid ($86,000, tri-motor, 1,020 hp)

Photo: Tesla

The distinction is rather simple. Youve got your notchback sedans with their horizontal trunk lids, and then youve got your fastbacks, with hatchback-like roof-mounted hinges for the tailgate. The latter are more practical and, in many instances, better-looking from a design uniformity standpoint.To be clear, well only be including fastbacks where the trunk lid opens together with the rear window, which means that fastback-styled sedans, like the Tesla Model 3 or the Lexus IS, wont be taken into consideration.Lastly, the vast majority of brownie points will go to cars with exciting power units, rowdy exhaust systems and aggressive styling, which means that for anto earn a high ranking, it would have to be something truly bonkers.With no honorable mentions to... mention, lets jump right into our list, counting down towards a clear and definitive fastback king While the Polestar 2 is indeed an electric vehicle and is also probably the least exciting car to look at from this bunch, the fact remains that you can still have a lot of fun behind the wheel while going in a straight line.This means opting for the flagship dual-motor all-wheel-drive specification, as well as the Performance Package, which results in you putting down 455 horsepower.Why didnt we opt instead for the Polestar 2 BST edition 270, you ask? Fair question. It is more powerful than the regular model, but unfortunately you cant order one right now and registration of interest is closed, at least for the time being. Also, only 270 cars will be produced worldwide, so availability was always going to be an issue.As for the BST edition 230 , its not particularly more powerful or quicker than the normal dual-motor version, and you might still face some availability issues.Back to the Long Range dual-motorspec, it costs $54,300, but once you add the Performance Pack, the MSRP morphs into $62,000. In exchange for spending the extra cash, you get a performance software update with launch control, to go with both handling and power upgrades.In a straight line, itll hit 60 mph in a little over four seconds flat, which is more than sufficient.Even though its not as quick as the Polestar 2, the Acura Integra Type S should ultimately prove more exciting to drive. Its basically a posh Civic Type R, powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, good for 320 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque  a tiny bit more than you get in the Honda.Unlike the Polestar 2, the Integra Type S actually looks like it means business, thanks to its aggressive body kit with the wide bumper, side skirts, beefy rear diffuser and triple exhaust outlets. Theres no sleeper status to be earned here, as this Acura will advertise what it is and what its all about from a mile away.Other things to get excited about include the four-piston Brembo brakes, six-speed manual transmission (exclusive, as in you cant get this car with an automatic gearbox), wider tracks, adaptive dampers and the presence of a Sport+ driving mode, which sharpens up everything. All this for just $50,000 sounds pretty good, right?The Integra Type S is the cheapest car on our list, although whats coming up at no. 8 will give it a run for its money in just about every department, while just edging it out overall.As fun as the Acura Integra Type S can be, its just not as cool as the Kia Stinger, purposely built as a front-engine rear-wheel-drive fastback (with available AWD).Kia unveiled the Stinger back in 2017 at NAIAS, basing the design on the GT Concept from 2011. Right away, the public was quite taken with just how different this Korean fastback was compared to any of the brands other products.This was never meant to be some budget family car, but rather a mid-size offering that appealed to driving enthusiasts without setting them back as much, financially, as say something with a BMW or an Audi badge.Sadly, the Stinger will depart these shores indefinitely following the current model year, with the Korean brand choosing instead to focus its resources on battery-electric offerings. To be fair, they are proving to be quite good in that department, but the Stinger will be missed, rest assured.Still, you can grab yours today in either GT-Line or GT2 spec, the latter being the more exciting-to-drive variant. Its powered by a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, good for 368 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque, with everything going to either the rear wheels exclusively, or to all four wheels, via an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.As for what it can do in terms of acceleration, itll hit 60 mph in about 4.6 seconds. Pretty impressive, right?To say that the BMW i4 is nothing more than a 4 Series Gran Coupe with electric drive would be... uhm, well it would be correct actually. Its hard to think of the i4 as being terribly exciting, but the M50 specification does look impressive on paper.Also, keep in mind that the i4 has a wider track and a lower center of gravity than say, your run-of-the-mill BMW 3 Series. Heck, the i4 M50 has a lower center of gravity than the i4 eDrive40, so its not like BMW didnt do their best to make this flagship specification stand out.Overall, youre looking at a 48:52 weight distribution, which coupled with the two powerful electric motors, allow for a very enjoyable driving experience.Floor the throttle and youll be putting down a peak 536 horsepower and 586 lb-ft of torque, which in turn will get you to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, which is proper quick. Supercar quick. However, as much fun as launching an i4 M50 would be, you could have more fun behind the wheel of a rival fastback, for only a few extra grand.Before we talk about said rival, which is coming up at no. 5 on our list, we have one more EV that borderline edges out the i4 M50, simply because its a great deal more powerful.Even though Mercedes name for its non-EQS model is literally the EQS Sedan, technically this car is a fastback. It does have a few classic notchback sedan qualities, but the tailgate, the sloping roof and short rear overhang prevail over any superficial marketing decisions as far as Im concerned.Speaking of marketing decisions, the-spec EQS Sedan used to have a longer moniker, if you recall. With a bunch of numbers and the termscribbled onto the bodywork. Today though, if you visit Mercedes official website for the U.S. and click on the EQS , youll find that the flagship specification is simply called the AMG EQS Sedan.Weird? Maybe a little, but any time you can actually shorten a cars name, its probably a good thing.Anyway, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQS Sedan is a very expensive car, with a starting MSRP of $147,550, and thats before you tick any of the options youll undoubtedly end up ticking.In return for all that money, you get a dual-motor setup that combines for 649 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque. However, when you engage Boost, you get a maximum of 751 hp, which in turn takes this behemoth from zero to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds.If it wasnt for the extra power, the AMG EQS Sedan wouldve had no business being ranked ahead of the i4 M50, but sometimes brute force can be very convincing.The RS 5 Sportback is one of Audis best-looking cars, force fed by the same power unit that animates the Porsche Panamera 4S, namely a 2.9-liter TFSI twin-turbo V6, producing 444 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque.Everything goes to all four wheels via the carmakers quattro all-wheel drive system, with the help of an 8-speed automatic gearbox. In a straight line, you can hit 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.8 seconds, before maxing out at 174 mph.Visually and mechanically, you get the honeycomb grille, wider fenders, different bumpers (compared to the regular A5 and even the S5), plus Audis Dynamic Ride Control system with variable damping.So then, whats the RS 5 Sportback doing on this list? Well, it is a fastback, so it fits our criteria perfectly. Its also aggressively styled and wickedly fun to drive, so its hard to imagine anyone having a better time in the i4 M50 or even the AMG EQS. Sure, the latter is much quicker off the line, but unless its literally twice as fast, were not ranking an EV over something like the RS 5.There is one Audi you can buy thats arguably better than the RS 5 Sportback, and as "chance" would have it, its up next in our rankings.Look it, the Audi RS 7 is the quintessential fastback. Actually, the A7 Sportback is, but the RS 7 is the tip of the spear as far as the A7 range is concerned.The best you can do right now if you plan on walking into an Audi dealership, is drive off with an RS 7 Performance, which comes with larger turbos and extra boost, raising the output to 621 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque.Its more comfortable, yet also faster than the RS 5 Sportback, which means the latter doesnt have a prayer in toppling its larger siblings in any performance-based rankings that we can think of.Speaking of how fast this car really is, it needs just 3.3 seconds to hit 60 mph, which is insanely fast compared to some of the other cars on our list. To be fair, the price is also insanely high, but in its defense, its cheaper than the AMG EQS, yet quicker despite having less horsepower.Bottom line, fastbacks dont get much sweeter than this, and the only way to top this flagship spec RS 7 via internal combustion propulsion, is by spending a great deal more money on either of these next two cars were about to crush on.According to the German carmaker itself, the Porsche Panamera is available in two body styles, a sedan and a Sport Turismo. The latter is a sharp-looking station wagon, while the former is, lets face it, by no means a sedan.The Panamera is, and has always been, a conventional fastback with roof-mounted hinges for the tailgate. But its not like Porsche could have ever made it into something else  it's almost impossible to envision their design language on a traditional three-box notchback sedan.This is a flawless car on nearly every level. Its a mechanical masterpiece in how exceptionally well it drives and how luxurious it is inside. Of course, the most desirable specification is the Turbo S E-Hybrid , which will set you back a pretty penny with its $196,400 starting MSRP.In return for your drug money... sorry, I mean totally legitimate money, you get a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine with plug-in hybrid assistance, producing a maximum output of 690 horsepower. If you also get the Sport Chrono Package, you can accelerate to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds flat in this thing.Some people have even clocked the Turbo S E-Hybrid at 2.8 seconds to 60 mph, which is absolutely mental when you consider that this car weighs 5,280 lbs.Pro tip: You might be just as happy with the regular Panamera Turbo S (cheaper by $10,000), which has less power at 620 horses, but on paper, its just as fast to 60 mph as the plug-in hybrid variant.It should have been impossible to find a more exciting-to-drive fastback than the flagship spec Porsche Panamera. Seriously now, we had to compare notes with several other publications to reach something even remotely resembling a consensus.Yet, a lot of industry experts, including yours truly, believe that the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-door Coupe is just about good enough to edge out the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid as far as these rankings are concerned. And just so there are no misunderstandings, it edges it out by a nose hair.Alright, you require justification on this one, thats fair. Heres why the Merc is ever-so-slightly better than the Porsche: its lighter, feels like a smaller car in the corners, has better steering (believe it or not), and a more melodious engine.In other words, its just more fun to drive, and thats what ultimately matters most.As for good, hard facts, the four-door AMG GT 63 S utilizes a handcrafted 4.0-liter twin turbocharged V8, good for 630 horsepower. With the help of AMGs awesome Speedshift MCT 9-speed gearbox, itll get you to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds, which may not be as quick as the Panamera Turbo S / Turbo S E-Hybrid, but its right up there.If we were going just by handling and visuals, the Tesla Model S would have had ZERO business getting ranked ahead of any of the previous four or even five models named on this list.However, the simple fact that you will outrun a freaking Bugatti Chiron over a quarter mile if you opt for a Model S Plaid , makes the latter the absolute most exciting fastback money can buy, period.Its just impossible to argue with a Bugatti-beating family car that costs $86,000. By the way, that price includes estimated gas savings of $3,900 over 3 years. But even without the savings, Tesla have made some significant price cuts, which makes the flagship Model S Plaid even more appealing than when it used to cost over $100,000.With its three electric motors combining for 1,020 horsepower, the Model S Plaid can accelerate to 60 mph in 1.99 seconds, before maxing out at 200 mph. It also has an EPA estimated range of 396 miles, but you'll need to drive somewhat conservatively in order to get anywhere near that figure, in real world conditions.Ultimately, even though the Plaid is by no means as dynamically capable as a Panamera or an AMG GT 63 S 4-door Coupe, and would certainly not entertain you as much on a race track, theres just no ignoring what it can do while accelerating to 60 mph, over a quarter mile, or even a half-mile.Think of it this way, you need a Rimac Nevera in order to outrun it, and the Nevara is a $2 million car. Case closed.
In less than three months from now, we will all be celebrating New Year's Eve. And it can be difficult for some of us to think that we're closer to the year 2040 than we are to the year 2000. Despite all that, Mattel has already started introducing its 2024 Mainline series. With 15 new cases coming up, we're bound to see a lot of new castings and recolors.

Second Super Treasure Hunt for 2024

Photo: Ministry of Diecast

Mainline Highlights

Photo: Ministry of Diecast

Legends Tour Winner Has Arrived

Photo: Ministry of Diecast

I showed you a first glimpse of Case A for 2024 a little under one month ago, and there were quite a few exciting items inside. The highlight of this first set of 72 cars was the Ford Escort RS2000 Super Treasure Hunt with its simple Spectraflame Green paint job and Real Riders 8-spoke wheels. The second STH collectible for 2024 has arrived, and it's a tricked-out version of the '18 Chevrolet Camaro SS.Brendon Vetuskey designed this casting, first appearing in Muscle Mania in 2018. The following year, Mattel included the Camaro in the iD series. By 2022, this casting had moved to the NFT Garage line-up, but only 1,200 units ever left the factory floor. That's why some people have listed theirs for as much as $450 on eBay. Over half a decade since its Mainline debut, the '18 Camaro SS has reached Super Treasure Hunt status with Case B for 2024.It features a Spectraflame Black paint job with orange stripes and 5-spoke Real Riders wheels. It might not be as exciting as the first STH of the year, but it's still a pretty good release. Still, judging by some of the spy photos circulating online, some incredible machines are on their way for 2024. And the following three STH models will all be replicas of European vehicles.Information on Regular Treasure Hunts of the future is scarce, but the new one is finally out in the open. I remember buying the third iteration of the Hot Wheels Ain't Fare casting last year, as owning a tiny yellow bus felt fantastic. The 2024 Case B TH is the sixth version of the Ryu Asada-designed casting and is not entirely undesirable. I've seen worse TH models, but it doesn't stand up to the '47 Chevy Fleetline from Case A.But let's dive deeper into Case B and see what else is coming soon. Limited Grip is an unlicensed casting, but you can instantly tell it's a replica of an actual vehicle. It is the third iteration of the tricked-out pickup truck and the first one not to feature the Black Widow exhaust livery. It's also interesting to note that Mattel opted for a different set of wheels instead of their usual strategy of using the same design for several iterations in a row.Seeing a new design on the '82 Nissan Skyline R30 feels good, as the 2023 model looked like a repeat model altogether. The late Ryu Asada designed this casting, too, and it first hit the market in the 2018 Factory Fresh series. The purple, black, and gold color combo is fitting for a Japanese machine, and it's also the most complex livery we've seen on this item so far. But it doesn't come close to being as exciting as the new yellow Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7.This is the third variation of the Fraser Campbell-designed casting, which might be the best yet. And if you love yellow Porsches as much as I do, you'll be happy to know that Mattel's got a Premium 911 Turbo arriving soon. But more on that in a future story. If you live in Europe or North America, you might have yet to hear about the Proton Saga. However, the Malaysian automobile has sold almost two million units across Asia since its debut in 1985.Mattel has a factory in Malaysia, so there's your connection. Online communities have been going bonkers upon hearing the news, so we'll see at least one or two more variations of the Saga in 2024. The 1956 Corvette has received the Hot Wheels treatment, as flames are now part of its design. Only time will tell if this will convince people to buy it. But I'm certainly a big fan of the new livery for the El Segundo Coupe.The first two iterations were boring, with their dual-tone graphics. But things are looking much better now, and the new wheel design works better with the fantasy casting than the Wire Spoke ones. I just realized I don't own a single Hot Wheels motorcycle, whereas I have nine bigger bikes from other manufacturers on display. But the new color variation for the Honda CB750 Cafe looks pretty tempting.If Mattel came up with a replica of my 1999 Suzuki SV650S, I would snatch that up instantly! Tesla fans will probably feel the same about the fourth iteration of the Model Y, which now features a nice Deep Blue Metallic finish. I wonder if this casting will make it to the Premium series soon. The Nissan Patrol Custom is back with a new design and is still a hillclimb monster. The Mountain Rescue livery is complete with "snow-covered" wheels, and I might pick this one up for diversity. 11 months have passed since I wrote about the Texas Toot.This is one of the most insane Kei Trucks out there, and it won the 2022 Hot Wheels Legends Tour. The 1992 Autozam Scrum is a small vehicle, so seeing it on Monster Truck wheels and hearing the big Chevy V8 is surprising. Craig Meaux and Manson Cheung worked together on designing this tiny replica, and you can't help but be excited about future Hot Wheels Legends Tour winners. The Mazda Autozam is one of the highlights in Case B, but there's still more to uncover here. The '72 Stingray Convertible is back, and this white one is the third version of the casting that first arrived in stores with the 2023 Mainline series.And if you still wanted more Corvettes , Mattel's got you covered. I talked about the '76 Greenwood 'Vette in a previous story, and it's one of my favorite Hot Wheels castings. The new iteration features a Metalflake Plum finish, with white and orange stripes to make it pop. I hope Mattel will develop a future design that will look as good as the 2012 Road Racer model, which was spectacular in red, white, and blue. I was a huge Honda fan in Junior High before I even dared to dream about an RX-7.I would still love to own a Civic SI, and seeing the new gold one in Case B brought up many memories. I still need to add the Ultra Hots version to my collection, and another idea struck me simultaneously. Wouldn't it be great if Mattel started creating replicas of hero cars from the Need for Speed series of video games? The latest iteration of the Civic SI is the 29th overall since the casting debuted in 2001. And it has been over a decade since we last saw one with Real Riders wheels on it! That doesn't seem right, does it now? There have been some weird casting/livery combos lately; think of the Fast and Furious R34 GT-R and Toyota Supra Seeing an HKS design on the '19 Ford Ranger Raptor isn't as provocative, but it still makes for a rather strange sight. This is the kind of livery you would have expected to see on a Japanese machine, but most collectors won't mind adding this to their collection anyway. But it will be in lower demand than the Volkswagen T2 Pickup. You can even use this to haul a small Hot Wheels casting if you'd like to, making for a budget Team Transport combo while you're at it.Jun Imai designed this casting for its 2017 Art Cars debut, and this is the 11th iteration so far. Mattel skipped this one in 2023, and it last came out in the FAO Schwarz Gold Multipack, alongside other vehicles such as the 1963 Aston Martin DB5 and the '71 Porsche 911. Case B also contains a recolor of the Audi RS e-tron GT, which reminds me of a verse on Rick Ross's 2006 hit "Hustlin."It feels surprising to see the Ford F-150 Lightning Custom back so soon, but I can't decide whether it looks better with the Ryu Asada 6-spoke wheels or the Aerodisc ones. That's about it for the 2024 Hot Wheels Mainline Case B, not counting the slightly outdated Humvee casting, which has been around since 1992.
The world is rallying behind the EV offensive as more countries and regions vow to phase out combustion vehicles. Kia is now among the most appreciated brands at the forefront of this offensive, but it wasn't always like that. Here's how Kia advanced from a small bicycle manufacturer to the posh EV maker of today.

EV

A young brand with a history in EVs

Photo: Kia

Kia Soul EV: the precursor of the modern Kia EVs

Photo: Kia

ICE

kWh

Kia Niro EV: stealing the limelight

kW

Photo: Kia

E-GMP platform: the backbone of Kia's current EV lineup

Photo: Hyundai

Kia EV6: the electric vehicle that jumpstarted Kia's electric revolution

Photo: Kia

Kia EV9: the three-row SUV that aims to revolutionize the electric SUV segment

SUV

Photo: Kia

AWD

Kia adopts Tesla's NACS charge plug in the US

Photo: Baayta via Reddit

Kia's future electric vehicles: 14 new models by 2030

Photo: Kia

DRL

Kia doesn't have a seasoned history like many American or European car brands have. It didn't invent the automobile like Daimler or the series production line like Ford. It started small, and for decades, it was seen much like many Chinese brands were a decade ago: laughable manufacturers of knock-off copies of other successful car models. Still, the Koreans rode the third wave of successful car manufacturers after Japanese brands conquered the world in the 1960s.Even in its modern history, Kia wasn't seen as anything revolutionary, similar to its sister-brand Hyundai. They have been building honest cars at affordable prices for the past two decades without standing out for anything in particular. But as therevolution started, Kia was at the forefront of this offensive, thanks to the excellent EV-dedicated platform known as E-GMP. But the beginnings were humble, and it's worth reminding everyone how far the Korean brand has come.Since we're mainly talking about Kia's electric cars, we can jokingly say that the Korean brand produced its first zero-emission vehicle in 1952. It was a two-wheel vehicle, the first bicycle ever made in Korea. Its first car came much later, in 1974, as a licensed copy of Mazda Familia, a small family car sold in Korea as the Kia Brisa. The military dictatorship in Korea put a stop to Kia's automotive efforts. Things got back on track in 1986, and Kia partnered with Ford and started producing several Mazda-derived models.As you see, there weren't many opportunities for the Korean brand to explore electric vehicles. By the time it produced its first car, the 1970s oil crisis was over, and nobody thought of electric vehicles. However, Kia made its first fully electric car in 1988: the Besta EV. The Besta was the passenger van version of the second-generation Bongo, a small cabover pickup truck. Although not sold commercially, the Besta EV was used for live broadcasting during the 1988 Seoul Olympics.Surprisingly, another crisis provided the most significant boost to Kia. The Asian financial crisis forced the Korean brand to declare bankruptcy in 1997, and Hyundai outbid Ford to acquire a controlling stake in the company. That was the start of an impressive journey for Kia, which led to where it is today. And since Hyundai was among the pioneers of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, Kia followed that path too.The experimental Kia Sportage Fuel Cell EV was launched in 2004, followed by its first commercially available FCEV model, the Mojave, also known as Borrego in the US. It was announced in 2008 during the Los Angeles Auto Show and was produced in limited numbers between 2010 and 2012. Kia later quit the FCEV game and launched its first series production electric vehicle in 2014: the Soul EV.The Soul was actually designed by Kia's design center in California, so it has a solid North American vibe. The Soul EV was based on the second generation of the model and was pretty advanced for the time. Remember, the Nissan Leaf was launched only three years earlier, and the first Tesla Model S was delivered in 2012.The Kia Soul shared the design and platform with itsbrother, which explains why the performance was not very good. A square box cannot be very efficient, and the 120-mile (190 km) range was nothing to impress, considering the Tesla Model S already offered twice that. But the Soul EV was much more affordable, although this meant limiting the Li-ion battery capacity to only 27The Kia Soul EV got a massive battery capacity boost with the second generation launched in 2019. The Soul EV II had a 64 kWh battery, doubling the range compared to the previous generation. Unfortunately, the redesigned model was delayed in the US due to the pandemic and later canceled altogether. The main reason was that Kia already had a successful electric vehicle in the US market: the Niro EV.The Kia Niro launched in 2016 with gas-powered, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully-electric powertrains. The Niro EV was the latest to enter the market in 2018, sharing the powertrain and battery configuration with the Hyundai Kona EV. The most capable variant featured a 64 kWh battery and a 150(201 horsepower) electric motor in a front-wheel drive configuration. The official EPA range was 239 miles (385 km), a respectable figure at the time.Hyundai launched the second-generation Niro in 2021, with the Niro EV debuting in April 2022. The updated model shares the platform with the second-generation Kona and, like the previous model, is also available as an ICE, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric version. Technically, not much has changed compared to the previous generation, with a similar 64-kWh battery and 201-horsepower motor. Still, the range is now 253 miles (407 km) thanks to improved efficiency.The Kia Niro EV starts at $39,600 , which should've been a competitive price. Unfortunately, it doesn't qualify for the IRA tax credit, which means it can't compete with the bestseller Tesla Model Y. Outperformed in power and range and more expensive, the Kia Niro EV is also overshadowed by its more modern sister, the Kia EV6. The latter debuts Hyundai-Kia's most modern automotive platform, the E-GMP.E-GMP stands for Electric Global Modular Platform and was designed from the ground up to underpin all future electric vehicles of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Hyundai first acknowledged the development of the new platform in 2017, at a time when very few carmakers have done so. If you're curious, Volkswagen developed its MEB platform around the same time. The advantage of having an EV-dedicated platform, as opposed to an adapted ICE architecture, is a more efficient construction and improved space offering.Unlike the Volkswagen platform, which was designed as a stop-gap measure (but never replaced), Hyundai-Kia shoots for the stars with the E-GMP. This is an 800-volt architecture, something that only Porsche developed at the time. The advantages of having double the voltage are multiple. The current drawn from the battery is halved, reducing the copper wire diameter and saving weight in the process.The higher voltage also allows higher performance and shorter charging times, with EVs built on the platform charging from 10% to 80% in about 18 minutes. That's about the fastest on the market when connected to a 350-kW charger. The E-GMP also uses more efficient hairpin-winding motors, which Tesla only recently started offering. Another advantage of the E-GMP platform is the support for bi-directional charging.The EV6 was not only the most advanced electric car in Kia's lineup but also the first to use the new nomenclature, which will range from EV1 to EV9 . The design is hard to fit into one category, with characteristics at the crossroads between hatchbacks and crossovers. This has the advantage of being unique, although the cabin space and the trunk capacity suffer. Kia compensates for this with a comprehensive feature list and an impressive build quality that puts rivals to shame.The price in the US starts at $42,600, which is $3,000 higher than the Niro EV. However, it has many advantages, which makes the difference well worth it. Among them are the better range, the fact that it can also be ordered as an all-wheel drive model, and the performance boost afforded by the E-GMP platform. If you're a fan of sporty driving, the Kia EV6 GT puts 576 horsepower under your foot, enough to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. It will set you back $61,600, though, which is quite steep.The most affordable variant, the Kia EV6 Light, has a 58-kWh battery pack and a 167-hp motor, allowing it to travel 232 miles (373 km) on a charge. The Wind trim ups the battery to 77 kWh and the motor to 225 horsepower, with a 310-mile (499 km) range. Adding a front motor raises the power to 320 horsepower, but the range takes a hit at 282 miles (454 km). Finally, the EV6 GT sacrifices a lot to feed the 576 horses, dropping the range to 206 miles (332 km).The EV9 debuted in April at the 2023 New York Auto Show and made a strong impression. The three-rowis the second Kia EV built on the E-GMP platform and probably the most expensive, with a starting price of $54,900. The pricing of the higher trims is still unknown, even though the sales will start this quarter. It's important to know that the EV9 will become Kia's first made-in-USA electric vehicle from next year.Although the EV9's range and power figures are not that impressive, Kia's electric SUV has a lot to speak for itself. The RWD variant will reach about 300 miles of range with the larger 100-kWh battery. It will not be very fast, though, as its electric motor has only 201 horsepower. The maximum power of 379 horsepower is available in theconfiguration, although the range will be penalized in this case. We still don't know by how much, as Kia has not yet revealed all the technical details.The most exciting detail of the Kia EV9 is its modular cabin, with the swiveling captain's chairs on the second row as the electric SUV's signature feature. It is slightly longer than the Telluride, offering a spacious cabin and many storage compartments. The trunk has up to 20.2 cubic feet (572 liters) of cargo space with all three rows raised. When both rows of rear seats are folded, the volume increases to 81.9 cubic feet (2,320 liters).Kia, alongside its parent company Hyundai, announced adopting the NACS charging plug on its electric vehicles starting in Q4 2024. All existing Kia EVs will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network in 2025. The move has been highly anticipated, although the Korean carmaker had few incentives to adopt Tesla's open-sourced charging standard. Its 800-volt electrical architecture makes the Tesla Supercharger a less-than-optimal charging solution for Kia EVs.The reason is that all Supercharger stations in the US are now populated with 400-volt chargers, and experience shows that they don't offer an acceptable charging time for an 800-volt EV. This mainly happens because their internal DC-DC converter is limited to 50 kW. This is a serious shortcoming , as the DC-DC converter is essential to converting the 400 volts delivered by the Supercharger station to the 800 volts needed by the car's battery.To improve this situation, Hyundai must change the DC-DC converter (or, rather, the inverter it uses for this purpose). Kia's future EVs will likely offer at least 100 kW in this department. Another way to alleviate this problem is by using 800-volt Supercharger stations. Tesla is already deploying Supercharger V4 stations in Europe, and the first US station will come online soon . Supercharger V4 is said to charge at 1,000 volts, vastly improving the charging experience for Kia and other 800-volt EV owners.Last year, Kia confirmed plans to launch 14 EV models by 2030, with total sales of 1.2 million cars per year. While the number of models seems overblown, the planned output seems rather disappointing. Many carmakers aim to simplify their lineup, so 14 models are overkill. Also, Tesla is on track to produce 1.8 million EVs this year, and planning for only 1.2 million in seven years doesn't seem ambitious enough.The plans may have changed already, and we're all anxiously awaiting the Kia EV Day, scheduled for October 12, to learn more. Until then, we only have a teaser photo showing five car silhouettes. Based on theirsignatures, we can identify the EV6, EV9, and the upcoming EV5, which has just been unveiled in China . The scarce information points to an electric Sportage equivalent, which was long in the making.The smaller crossover could be the rumored EV4 subcompact SUV that will be unveiled during the October 12 EV Day. The model will likely come in a single-motor configuration, akin to a Niro EV replacement that will slot beneath the EV5 in the future. Finally, the fifth silhouette looks like a sedan (could it be EV7?), which means Kia might be preparing its own take on the Hyundai Ioniq 6. Considering the two brands launch their models in pairs, a Kia electric sedan seems long overdue.
North Korea is suspected of being behind a massive breach of a decentralized finance project last month, which led to a loss of up to $150 million, a senior White House official was quoted as saying Friday.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, made the remarks, saying the hack into Mixin Network has "some of the same attributes of past North Korean attacks."

"The tradecraft appears to be the same kind of tradecraft we've seen from the DPRK previously," the official was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

She hinted that the United States would seek to intervene to recover the stolen funds if possible, according to the news outlet.

The suspicion against the North comes amid growing concerns that Pyongyang has been engaging in cryptocurrency thefts to extract funds to help bankroll its weapons programs amid deepening economic hardships under international sanctions. (Yonhap)
An epic lightship and the debut of the new 750S supercar and of the Artura. This is how McLaren inaugurated its largest standalone showroom in the world in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Photo: McLaren

It is also the largest dedicated Service Center globally, operated by a team of McLaren-trained engineers with over 40 years of combined McLaren experience. The center has a capacity to service up to 150 cars per month. It is now part of a global network of over 100 locations in over 40 markets.Over 200 customers and VIPs were present at the opening gala, together with Michael Letters, CEO of McLaren Automotive. It was just the right moment for the regional unveiling of the McLaren 750S in a dazzling lightship in downtown Dubai, which was visible for miles around, not far from the Burj Khalifa, which is still the tallest building in the world, but not for long.The new McLaren showroom spans 950 square meters of floor space and has vast space for displaying the companys automobiles. It also integrates the McLaren Special Operations (MSO) studio. That is where customers can customize the cars that they order in virtually unlimited manners.The opening of the showroom in Dubai is seriously enhancing the presence of McLaren in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates is the biggest market in the region for the British carmaker.The company is expecting the network to meet the ever growing demand and has ramped up the production of the Artura supercar , which was unveiled in 2022. It is McLarens first series-production high-performance hybrid model after the plug-in hybrid P1, now in its first full year of production.It is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that operates alongside an electric motor for a combined output of 671 horsepower (680 PS) and 531 lb-ft (720 Nm) of torque. Those are enough for the Artura to run from 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in 2.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 200 kph (124 mph).Furthermore, the newly introduced McLaren 750S is already sold out well into 2024. The successor of the 720S, the 750S is McLarens lightest and most powerful series production supercar, mostly due to the extensive use or lightweight materials. It comes with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V engine, rated at 710 horsepower (720 PS) and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm). It does the 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) in 2.9 seconds, on its way to a top speed electronically limited to 341 kph (212 mph). The 750S does the quarter mile in 10.3 seconds. The supercar is equipped with the Drift Mode, which operates the stability control in order to let the model drift.McLarens portfolio also includes the new Solus GT , a track-only, single-seat hypercar, previewed by the futuristic concept designed specifically for the Gran Turismo SPORT video game.Powered by a 5.2-liter V10 engine, the Solus GT eventually moved from the virtual world to production, bringing along 829 horsepower (840 PS) and 650 Nm (479 Nm) of torque. Only 25 customers worldwide are getting it for a jaw-dropping price of $4 million. The first example was delivered back in August at The Quali, a Motorsports Gathering, taking place during the 2023 Monterey Car Week. The other 24 are to follow shortly.This year, McLaren celebrates the 60th anniversary since racer Bruce McLaren founded the company.
Google continues the work on refining Android Auto, and while users keep struggling with issues, the search giant ships new mysterious updates whose purpose is hopefully to resolve these problems.

The company rarely talks about its Android Auto updates , and version 10.6 makes no exception.Android Auto 10.6 is now available for download in the stable channel, which is a little surprising considering Google did not release a beta build this time. The search firm typically releases beta updates, giving testers the opportunity to take the new releases for a spin, eventually promoting them to the stable channel if no major bugs are reported.Android Auto 10.6 seems to change this approach, making its way directly to production devices. It also launches without a changelog, meaning that Google provides no information about what's new in the update.It doesn't mean the company has nothing to fix in Android Auto.The most recent bug reports come from users who updated their devices to Android 14, Google's latest and greatest version of its mobile operating system. Android 14 reportedly leads to all kinds of problem s on Android Auto, beginning with app crashes and ending with lag that makes using apps impossible. The most common problem appears to be this lag that makes Android Auto unresponsive, especially with navigation apps. Google Maps and Waze can't follow users on the map, losing tracking and, therefore, providing inaccurate navigation directions.Android 14 is still in the early release stage, so the number of reports in this regard is still limited. However, we should learn more about how Android 14 impacts the Android Auto experience in the coming weeks and months when more device manufacturers bring the new operating system to their devices.Meanwhile, if you want to download Android Auto 10.6, you have two options. One, you can wait for the update to appear on the Google Play Store, when the new version will be offered automatically to your device. No input will be required on your side, as the update will be automatically downloaded and installed through the store. Two, you can get Android Auto 10.6 manually by downloading the stand-alone APK installer.The method involves downloading the APK file , saving it to the local storage, and then launching the installation by tapping the installer. The process is fast and simple, and users must only follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. In some cases, you'll need special permissions, as Android devices aren't configured to allow the installation of apps from non-Google Play Store sources.If you notice something new in Android Auto 10.6 (I didn't, as I already installed the update on my device and took it for a quick spin), make sure you drop us a line to let everybody know about it in the comment box after the jump.
The minivan segment is slowly but steadily shrinking, with most automakers leaving it behind to concentrate on crossovers and SUVs. We're probably a few years away from seeing the complete death of this body style, and it will be a sad day for the automotive world when that happens.

ICE

MQB

Don't get us wrong, we were never fans of the people carrier, but in the wake of the crossover boom, it is becoming slightly more appealing, and a modern take on something like the Volkswagen Sharan may not be a smart move from a financial standpoint, but it would probably sell in enough numbers to justify it.Why mention this model in particular? Because it was brought back to life with a CGI twist, sending ID.7 vibes. Sugardesign_1 on Instagram stands behind these renderings that imagine what a new Sharan may look like if it was revived and built on the same platform as the electric passenger car mentioned above, sporting similar styling.Closely related to the smaller ID.3 and the ID.4 crossover, Volkswagen's ID.7 is based on the Group's MEB platform that supports multiple powertrain configurations. Therefore, a hypothetical new Sharan would feature several assemblies and would also support a hot variant with previous-gen supercar-like output and all-wheel drive.But as appealing as a modern Sharan may sound to certain people, they will have to erase this thought from their mind, as chances are it will never happen. The final copy left production for good last year, rolling off the line at the Palmela factory in Portugal. It was based on the old A6 platform, just like the B7 generation Passat, first-gen Tiguan, and its Mediterranean cousin from SEAT, the Alhambra.The powertrain family consisted of the usual gasoline and diesel engines, which were available with manual and automatic transmissions. Sporting a larger overall footprint compared to the original and being lighter, the second and final generation Sharan survived for twelve long years, with a mid-cycle refresh received in 2015 that premiered at the Geneva Motor Show.Now, Volkswagen may not be interested in bringing back this moniker to use on a large-powered minivan anymore, but its spirit (kind of) lives on in the Viloran that's being sold in China. This minivan uses theA2 architecture of the Atlas/Teramont, and it is offered with gasoline power and a seven-speed DSG, delivering the thrust to the front axle.In Europe and North America, its indirect replacement is the ID. Buzz . A modern revival of the iconic Bus, the battery-electric people carrier uses the MEB construction. It is bound to arrive at dealers in the United States in 2024, with the full details and pricing to be announced in due course.
Rivian is currently one of America's most prominent automakers. The R1T and R1S are highly capable vehicles and have received praise from nearly everyone. They're not perfect. But they are better than the competition in more ways than one. Now that the "Max Pack" battery is here and reaching customers, everyone wanted to know what's up with the size and the official range. Let's see what's what. The company gave us a clear answer.

EV

IIHS

Photo: Rivian

Something for anyone

R1T with the dual-motor and large-pack battery  starting at $79,000; [eligible for half of the EV tax credit]

R1T with the performance dual-motor and large-pack battery  starting at $84,000;

R1T with the quad-motor and large-pack battery  starting at $87,000;

R1T with the dual-motor and max-pack battery  starting at $89,000;

R1T with the performance dual-motor and max-pack battery  starting at $94,000;

R1S with the dual-motor and large-pack battery  starting at $84,000;

R1S with the performance dual-motor and large-pack battery  starting at $89,000;

R1S with the quad-motor and large-pack battery  starting at $92,000;

R1S with the dual-motor and max-pack battery  starting at $94,000;

R1S with the performance dual-motor and max-pack battery  starting at $99,000.

Photo: Rivian Automotive LLC

Being adventurous without experiencing range anxiety

kWh

Photo: Rivian

One smart approach

Photo: Rivian Automotive LLC

SUV

Rivian is still in a rough patch with its stock price, which will most likely be dealt with as we go through 2024. The automaker's CFO, Claire McDonough , said on two separate occasions that the young marque should reach profitability by the end of 2024. We'll find out if things are on the right track in October 2024 and get the official confirmation that the brand is cashflow positive in early 2025.But if you're like us, the stock price might not be what piques your interest the most. The zero-emission vehicles are enough to fascinate prospectivebuyers and gearheads. After all, there aren't many autos out there with a McLaren 720S-inspired suspension setup, impressive off-roading abilities, boatloads of power, cleverly designed storage areas, and a topsafety rating. Those are just a few of Rivian EVs' qualities that helped them gain popularity with customers and investors.However, the brand continues investing in making its products better. It's actively working on developing its 800V architecture, it continuously updated the R1T and R1S over time (even though that also meant the elimination of some accessories like the 12V outlets ), and has constantly spent considerable amounts of time making the software better without allowing Apple or Google to enter the ecosystem.Many respectable brands keep investing in their offerings. But Rivian is one of the few that keep doing so, no matter what analysts have to say. There's a clear path forward, and the young Irvine-based automaker plans to follow it without compromise.Soon, the Georgia plant will enter the construction phase, and the more affordable R2-series units will follow in 2025. Rivian might just be the next Tesla. The potential certainly is there, but the road to success remains complicated.Currently, customers can order and take delivery in a couple of weeks or months the following all-electric Rivian-made vehicles:The standard (smallest) high-voltage energy storage pack is not available yet. It will enter production in the summer of 2024 and is expected to have the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry.It's still a lithium-ion battery, but the cathode's composition is free from pricey nickel and cobalt. That makes it more attractive for companies because they're cheaper to manufacture and more user-friendly because they can be charged to 100% without worrying too much about degradation.The slight disadvantage is that they are not as energy-dense as those with rare cobalt in them and may be more susceptible to drastic weather changes. But the best thing about them is that the LFP chemistry is more durable in the long run and is considered safer overall.When writing, the maximum range anyone can get from their R1T or R1S is possible only when the vehicles ride on 21-inch wheels. Both can go 352 miles on a single charge when equipped with the 135-(133-kWh usable) large-pack energy storage unit.It's also worth noting that some claims categorize the 135-kWh figure as the usable part and the buffer as measuring 6.1 kWh. That would mean the large-pack battery's total available energy storage capacity is 141.1 kWh. However, the consensus is that the large pack measures 135 kWh.But for $10,000, customers can upgrade to the largest battery Rivian assembles in Normal, Illinois. It ups the maximum range by up to 58 miles. The R1T has the most zero-emission go when the max-pack battery is put in the skateboard chassis  410 miles . The R1S gets 400 miles out of a single charge.Initially, many expected the max-pack energy storage unit to measure 180 kWh. However, the automaker confirmed for autoevolution that the size is 149 kWh  31 kWh less than initial estimations. That figure represents the total battery capacity, a.k.a the gross size that includes the buffer too. The brand is not yet ready to disclose the usable capacity.Rivian explained that making the high-voltage max-pack battery much heavier than its large-pack counterpart (which weighs 1,754.7 lb) was unnecessary to achieve the mileage promised two years ago. Adding more cells would have certainly made the R1T and R1S weigh more.Its engineers developed a new battery management system that "optimizes and increases the usable battery energy from a new version of our 2170 battery cell with advanced chemistry that allows for both higher energy density and higher absolute energy." In non-corporate lingo, that means Rivian found a way to deliver the promised 400+-mile range without adding more cells and increasing production costs.The 2170 cell is named as such because "21" refers to the diameter and "70" to the length. Both values are expressed in millimeters, and the cathode is based on the nickel-cobalt-aluminum oxide (NCA) chemistry. As stated above, the LFP chemistry should debut with the standard pack. Rivian already uses LFP energy storage units for its all-electric EDV vans.That must be why the max-pack-equipped R1T and R1S can only be paired with the Enduro drive units developed in-house. They require less energy than the all-electric quad-motor pickup truck andThat might have also helped the brand keep the production costs at a more acceptable level because Samsung SDI should still supply the 2170 cells. Keeping the same business partner and not exploring various other products allows the automaker to run a tight, efficient ship.However, Rivian pointed out that the max pack's 149-kWh capacity is currently available for vehicles that are now shipping. That leaves the door open for a hypothetical 180-kWh energy storage unit that could work with the quad-motor R1T and R1S. Do note that the company has not shared plans for an upcoming 180-kWh battery with us. It's just our interpretation of the message.Finally, we're left with one all-important clarification  customers who want a dual-motor Rivian R1T that can go 410 miles on a single charge or a Rivian R1S that can travel 400 miles on a full battery must come up with an extra $10,000 (or $7,000 for early reservation holders).New buyers will pay $208.3 per kWh to move from the dual-motor large-pack to the dual-motor max-pack R1S and $172.4 per kWh to go from the dual-motor large-pack to the dual-motor max-pack R1T. All they must ask themselves is if the upgrade from the large-pack battery is worth it.
The world of Android Auto and CarPlay adapters keeps growing, allowing users to convert a wired connection into wireless for added convenience.

However, a new adapter category gains ground at a fast pace as it transforms a regular Android Auto and CarPlay connection into full Android.Not long ago, I told you about CARLUEX Pro, an adapter whose goal was to turn wired CarPlay into a full Android computer connected to your infotainment screen. With full Android, you can enjoy the freedom of Google's mobile operating without struggling with app restrictions or anything similar.A full Android computer also offers easy access to the likes of Netflix and YouTube (you could also enable these apps on Android Auto and CarPlay if you know where to look for instructions), so adapters powering the conversion rapidly grow in popularity.CarLuex, the maker of the device I reviewed earlier this year, is now working on a new adapter. Called CarLuex 3.0 Mini, the device is mainly aimed at BMW models, with the company explaining that 98 percent of the cars produced by the German brand should be supported. If your BMW rolled off the assembly lines between 2015 and 2022 with at least iDrive 7, it should work correctly with the new adapter. The latest models are also supported.The Pro version didn't support BMW cars, but the Mini version, specifically built with the German brand in mind, is also likely to work with other vehicles. I doubt that the company will put restrictions in place to block the connection to non-BMW cars, so pretty much anyone should be able to get full Android as long as their car comes with wired Android Auto and CarPlay support.The parent company has provided limited information on the Mini adapter, as it plans to kick off a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in the coming weeks. The full specifications should be revealed when the campaign page goes live, at which point we should also find out the Android version that powers the device.CarLuex Pro worked flawlessly in my car, except for a few occasional crashes, mainly produced by overheating. The device can handle many demanding tasks, but playing 4K video sometimes produces excessive heat, leading to random crashes. Otherwise, you can use the adapter for anything from navigation to watching videos and Netflix shows. Unfortunately, it does not feature restrictions to block video playback when the car starts moving, so I hope common sense will come to the rescue and prevent drivers from letting YouTube play content on the screen when they start driving.CarLuex Pro was a little expensive, so hopefully, the Mini version will be cheaper, especially as it's aimed at just a single car brand.
The debut of the iPhone 15 last month has been plagued with a never-ending series of issues. While a new device hitting various problems is very common, with the parent companies shipping fixes specifically to address these complaints, this isn't the case with the iPhone 15.

The frightening issue in BMW cars

Photo: Apple

Photo: Apple

Photo: Apple

Bug reports keep pouring in, and despite rolling out fixes, Apple has a hard time bringing everything back to normal.One of the most concerning problems concerns the wireless charging in the car.BMW owners have led the way for a rather unusual issue, especially in the Apple ecosystem. They claim that wirelessly charging the smartphone in their cars fried the iPhone, breaking down the NFC sensor and making it impossible to make contactless payments.It sounds terrifying, but bricking the iPhone is allegedly just a matter of minutes in a BMW car.According to all these BMW owners, once you connect the iPhone to the BMW wireless charger, the device starts charging normally but also begins overheating.It doesn't take long for the iPhone to hit its temperature limit , triggering the protection systems. The iPhone eventually locks access to the device to protect its internals, claiming it needs to cool before allowing the owner to use it.The next reboot is fatal for the iPhone as the device enters data recovery mode. At this point, many iPhone owners seem lost, as they've never seen the screen and have a hard time booting back to the home screen.Those who manage to do it claim the iPhone 15 is then broken down, as Apple Pay no longer works. The one to blame is the dead NFC sensor, which has apparently been fried after the smartphone was connected to the wireless charger in the BMW.Most people reach out to Apple for support, and the company replaces the broken iPhones without asking further questions . This seems to suggest that Apple is aware of the issue, but the company hasn't officially commented on the problem.BMW has also remained tight-lipped on all these reports.However, the last few days brought us reports from non-BMW car owners who claim that the iPhone 15 is also getting excessively warm when using the wireless charger. Audi , Ford, and even Tesla owners explain their iPhones suffer from overheating when charging wirelessly.All these reports certainly sound worrying, especially after the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 forced the South Korean company to pull the device completely. At that point, the battery in the Note 7 came with a manufacturing defect that produced overheating at random times, leading to small explosions and even fire.The iPhone 15 is not even close to such a critical scenario, but if you're worried about charging your smartphone in the car, here's why you shouldn't be.First, wireless chargers typically cause overheating, whether used on a desk or in the car. Wireless chargers use electromagnetic coils, creating a magnetic field between a transmitter and a receiver. Electromagnetic induction usually has several limitations, particularly to prevent overheating.BMW's wireless charger provides up to 1A charging current and 5W charging power, aligning with the majority of other similar chargers on the market. In fact, it's even slower than the wireless charger I use at home for my iPhone.What you must know is that overheating is perfectly normal when charging your smartphone wirelessly. BMW's hardware is no different from the other chargers out there, supporting the Qi standard and, therefore, being compatible with the majority of smartphones on the market. BMW even labels the charger as "tested and approved by BMW engineers."While wireless charging produces moderate heat, you can always switch to wired charging if you're concerned about other issues with your iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 uses USB-C, so depending on your car's USB port, you need a USB-A to USB-C or USB-C to USB-C cable.Wired charging can also lead to overheating, as the fast charging rates warm the battery. However, everything happens within supported temperature ranges, so the risk of fire is reduced to the minimum.The overheating problems reported in non-BMW cars are unlikely to be related to the issue affecting customers of the German brand. Most likely, it's the normal overheating I told you about when using wireless chargers, so as long as the iPhone doesn't enter the protection mode, you're good to go.At the end of the day, there are two things that you must remember. Overheating while charging the device wirelessly is normal. And two, you can always switch to wired charging to avoid all these problems on the iPhone 15.As for the issue that fries the NFC port in the iPhone 15 , it's up to Apple to figure out what happens. The company has so far remained tight-lipped, so until then, just use wired charging in your BMW to stay on the safe side.
Most car buyers look at modern cars as if they worked like old ones. Nothing is further from the truth, especially when you talk about door handles. Battery electric cars were the first ones to ditch a mechanical connection between them and the lock mechanisms, which already created serious issues when the modern solution failed. Meeting one of the engineers with insight into such decisions was an unmissable opportunity to clarify that.

SUV

Photo: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo

Victor Prado joined ZEEKR Europe in September but has been working with Geely and all its brands since February 2017. The Product Specialist was at the ZEEKR X European premiere, and it was a pity I could not talk more time to him. Anyway, the electronic door opening was a discussion topic.According to the engineer, ZEEKR went from the mechanical door handles in the 001 to the electronic derivative for several reasons. The first is aesthetic. Prado defends that the electriclooks a lot more elegant with its opening solution than the vehicles that still use the traditional solution.The second reason for these electronic door opening tech is aerodynamics. ZEEKR wanted a flush design that spared the X from having anything increasing its amazing drag coefficient of 0.28. The 001 has a mechanical door handle that retracts when it is not in use, but that leads us to the third reason for these electronic locks: cost.In a E-segment vehicle such as the 001 , ZEEKR can afford to have these expensive door handles. In the ZEEKR X, they will make it less competitive. For a brand that is still introducing itself to customers, pricing is critical. Buyers may feel attracted to the design, performance, or technology, but they will only make the move if it is also a good deal.As I wrote in my impressions about the ZEEKR X, the brand did excellent work with the mechanical releases that these electronic door locks demand. Unlike mechanical components, they will fail if the 12V system fails for any reason. This has caused scary situations for several drivers and car occupants in Tesla vehicles. In at least one fatal crash, they may have contributed to the driver's death.On April 17, 2021, William Varner, 59, and Everette Talbot, 69, died in a fiery crash in Texas. First responders said no one was in the driver's seat of the Tesla Model S, raising concerns that Autopilot could be involved. While Talbot's body was in the front passenger seat, Varner's was on the left side of the back seat. As the steering wheel deformed with the crash, the prevailing hypothesis is that Varner tried to escape the burning car. As the front door didn't open, he went to the back seat, where a latch under the seats should open the door. The Model S either did not know that or did not have time to react. The autopsy revealed that he was intoxicated by smoke inhalation and died from thermal injuriesIn a more recent episode, Jamil Jutha had to escape from his Model Y by kicking the window. On May 20, 2022, he was driving toward Mountain Highway in Vancouver when his Tesla stopped working. When smoke started invading the cabin, Jutha did not know his car had a manual release for the doors and had to kick the window to escape. Any company adopting electronic door locks has to make sure the buyer knows where they are.Prado told me that the ZEEKR X is still in the second development stage of door handles. In his words, the future involves buttons, something that the Ford Mustang Mach-E already presents. As the video below demonstrates, we can also see that in the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE concept. The ZEEKR Product Expert thinks all future cars will have this solution. Press the button, and an actuator will pop the door open. The external door panel will not have any cuts, which should reduce water ingress and noise complaints.The drawback is that we are moving into a terrain that depends on 12V batteries to work. They're the same components that often die without warning after a few years of loyal service. These parts are also among the most vulnerable in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) , with several cases of them failing earlier than they should in most electric cars, with the most famous occurrences involving Teslas and Lucids. That is frequently credited to relying on DC-to-DC converters instead of alternators, which BEVs do not have.While that is not sorted out, having doors that only open if the 12V battery is working as it should is risky. Whether we like it or not, that's the direction modern cars are taking for the reasons Prado told me in the chat we had about this. If vehicles could at least monitor the health of their 12V batteries or if the high-voltage unit could deliver that energy in emergency situations, that would be a much easier change.
7 October 2023 19:00 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Recently, France's top diplomat Catherine Colonna announced that her country is ready to deliver weapons to Armenia. She noted that France had given its agreement to the conclusion of future contracts with Armenia which would allow the delivery of military equipment to Armenia so that it can ensure its defense.

Actually, she did not clarify what kinds of weapons would be delivered, but it is clear that Armenia is going to diversify its arms suppliers. As is known, Russia had long been Armenia's main supplier of military hardware and ammunition. However, Armenia has increased its defense budget and its military budget has surpassed $1bn successively for two years. Besides, Armenia purchased different types of weapons from India and international media outlets claim that extra contracts were signed between the two countries. It seems France will be the next big arms supplier for Armenia after India. Besides, the rhetoric of the French Foreign Minister and Defense Minister foreshadows that the country aims to stir up the region by arming Hayestan and trying to change the balance of power.

Speaking to Azernews on the issue, the military expert Ramil Mammadli noted that from 2015-2016, differences of opinions began to form between Russia and Armenia in a number of directions, and these diversities also led to the application of a number of restrictions on arms sales to Armenia. He said that only the previously signed contracts, such as the sale of Iskandar tactical missiles, Smerch missiles, etc., were implemented.

"However, after that period, almost no agreement over fundamental and strategic deals was signed. If we dig a little deeper, we see that one of the reasons for this is the warming of relations between Armenia and the West. Of course, Armenian-Western relations made Russia reconsider this issue regarding the supply of weapons. The reason that pushed Armenia to turn to France and India was the emergence of a different process. Undoubtedly, the main reason was the war in Ukraine. As is known, immediately after Russia's war in Ukraine, Russia imposed a restriction on the export of military products abroad," Ramil Mammadli said.

He pointed out that simultaneously, a number of countries allied to Russia, such as Belarus and Kazakhstan, which manufactures the products of the Soviet-Russian military industry, also imposed restrictions on exports. In this case, Armenia began to renew cooperation with India, which partially produces these products or produces a more modernized version, and the previous negotiations were resumed. He noted that one of the main factors in the strengthening of military cooperation between India and Armenia is the close relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

"As for France, this country is an old ally of Armenia. Even during the time of the USSR, French-Armenian relations existed as a separate line, and thanks to this line, bilateral cooperation in the field of culture was carried out. Certainly, the Armenian lobby in France played an active role here. Now, France is considering selling air defense systems to Armenia initially. Of course, although this is a strategic weapon, it cannot be considered a serious threat to Azerbaijan, because it is not an offensive weapon. However, let's not forget one point the radar systems of the air defense forces have the ability to scan the area, that is, the airspace. Depending on its strength, this scanning can increase or decrease. This makes it possible to see the deep airspace of Azerbaijan," Military Pundit told.

Touching on the possible changing of balance, the military expert emphasized that these weapons cannot change the balance of power. Because first of all, Armenia lags behind Azerbaijan; secondly Azerbaijan strengthens its arsenal as well.

As for increasing of military budget, Ramil Mammadli pointed out that the figure is not very important, because it is known that the prices of military products are rising all over the world. He added that social demand has also increased. Let's not forget that the increase in defense costs does not only mean the purchase of weapons and ammunition but is also used to pay the current costs of power structures.

"Besides, as far as I know, Armenia is negotiating the purchase of offensive weapons from France. The gradual purchase of such weapons from India has already begun. However, Azerbaijan is implementing its measures in this direction. It is taking serious steps towards further modernization of the army. Strengthens the air defense system. It is taking real steps towards obtaining more sophisticated offensive weapons. In particular, I would like to note that the weapons and equipment park of the Azerbaijani army has been sufficiently strengthened, updated, and perfected over the past three years. In the word, Armenia cannot be superior to Azerbaijan from a military point of view with this budget and these countries," the expert underlined.

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Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov

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7 October 2023 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

It is the population of Armenia that suffers the most from the erratic foreign policy of Armenia - as a result of which, Armenia became an isolated country in the region. Moreover, two out of four bordering countries from east and west have closed their borders with Armenia. All regional infrastructure projects bypass Armenia due to its fluctuating policy, which negatively affects the financial well-being of Hayk. However, Azerbaijan, primarily to ensure stability and peace in the region, has repeatedly created fertile conditions for Armenia to join large-scale projects - but each time, Armenia has not been able to take advantage of this opportunity - instead of more effective cooperation, it has strengthened separatism and anti-Azerbaijani propaganda.

The first proposal was that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline would pass through the territory of Armenia, not Georgia. The reason is simple: If the project had passed through Armenia, it would have been shorter and its construction would have been cheaper. In addition, Armenia had an obligation to withdraw from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. However, Yerevan refused this obligation and completely ignored the 4 UN resolutions.

Finally, after the Second Garabagh War in 2020, the geopolitical realities in the region sharply changed. Moreover, the damage caused by the global pandemic to the world economy made it necessary to take more adequate measures. Conflicts became an additional burden for the world. At such a moment, there were real demands for the opening of the Zangazur corridor for new opportunities. However, Armenia directed its efforts towards creating an obstacle in front of the opportunities that arose. This not only harmed Armenia's own economy but also marginalized the country instead of integrating it into the world.

On September 25, 2023, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkiye signed the Protocol of Intent on the Kars-Nakhchivan railway project between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkiye as a continuation to the MoU signed on March 11, 2022, for the creation of new communication links between the East Zangezur economic region of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, passing through the territory of Iran.

Azerbaijan is establishing a connection with Nakhchivan through Iran, and this will create additional opportunities for the countries of the region by serving to increase the potential of the East-West Transport Corridor, as well as the expansion of transport and economic relations in the region.

But the chance was once again given to Armenia this time - the last offer to Armenia to join regional infrastructure projects came from the European Union. Thus, the EU suggested Armenia join the power line under the Black Sea to Europe. However, it is still questionable whether Armenia will be able to evaluate such a lucrative proposal.

Azerbaijani economist and politician Natig Jafarli commented on the issue in an interview with AZERNEWS. He said that this opportunity offered by Europe is a positive step regarding peace in the region.

N.Jafarli also noted that this new infrastructure project, in fact, aims to transport electricity generated from renewable sources in Azerbaijan to Europe via Georgia going under the Black Sea. And as is known, Azerbaijan is one of the main participants of this project.

The proposal of the European Union is to look for ways to achieve lasting peace in the region by involving Armenia as a participant in regional projects. It is possible for Armenia to participate in the project, in which Azerbaijan is also a participant. However, it is possible for Armenia only if a peace treaty is to be concluded, the Garabagh issue is resolved forever and the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia started. In this case, I do not think that Azerbaijan will object to Armenias participation. Probably, the only main issue is that in the near future, it is necessary to put aside some of Armenia's hesitations about the peace agreement and carry out serious work on it, Natig Jafarli added.

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Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov

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7 October 2023 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

On October 6, a delegation led by the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov paid a visit to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry.

The Kazakh delegation first visited the graves of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev and prominent ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva in the Alley of Honor and laid flowers.

In the Alley of Shehids (Martyrs) the guests laid flowers at the graves of Shehids, who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. They laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame monument.

Then the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry hosted a solemn welcoming ceremony, and Azerbaijani and Kazakh Defense Ministers passed along the guard of honor. The national anthems of both countries accompanied by the military orchestra were performed. In accordance with the protocol, Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov signed the Book of Honor.

At the expanded meeting, Azerbaijan Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov welcomed the guests and expressed his satisfaction with seeing them in Azerbaijan. The Minister emphasized that the bilateral military cooperation between the two countries is based on friendship and fraternal relations.

The Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan expressed gratitude for the warm reception and hospitality. The Kazakh Defense Minister congratulated his colleague on the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan prayed Almighty Allah for the repose of the souls of the Shehids (Martyrs) and expressed deep condolences to their relatives.

Colonel General R. Zhaksylykov expressed satisfaction with the current state of military cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, the sides emphasized the importance of the "Khazri-2023" Joint Tactical Exercises held in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea with the participation of warships and military personnel of the Naval Forces. The importance of the conducted exercises in terms of increasing the professionalism of servicemen was noted.

It was pointed out that the exchange of mutual experience in the army development of both countries is of special importance.

The sides discussed the development prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the military, military-technical, and military educational fields, as well as other issues of mutual interest.

In the end, the "Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2024" was signed.

After the meeting, the delegation attended the Cybersecurity Hub of the Azerbaijan Army's General Staff, the Central Command Posts of the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry, and the Air Force. The visitors got acquainted with the general work done there.

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President Yoon Suk Yeol held telephone talks with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during which they agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation of their countries in various fields, Yoon's office said Saturday.

In the phone call, which was made Friday, Yoon and Salman praised the progress of bilateral cooperation that has been made in a wide range of areas since the crown prince's visit to Korea last year.

They also agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the economy and various other fields, according to the presidential office.

Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, visited Korea, Nov. 17 last year. He met with Yoon as well as major political and business figures, including Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Euisun Chung, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, during his 20-hour stay.

During their meeting, Yoon and Salman agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, defense, infrastructure and construction.

The combined scale of contracts and memorandums of understanding that South Korean firms signed with the Saudi Arabian government, businesses and institutions on the occasion of Salman's visit is estimated at $30 billion. (Yonhap)
7 October 2023 14:12 (UTC+04:00)

On October 6, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov and other officials participated in the Distinguished Visitors Day held as part of the "Khazri-2023" Joint Tactical Exercises, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry.

First, the memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev was honored and a wreath was laid at the monument in the territory of the military unit.

Then, at the Central Command Post of the Naval Forces, the delegation was reported on the planning of the "Khazri-2023" Joint Tactical Exercises, the training process, as well as the activities carried out in stages. It was highlighted that the exercises, in which the delegation of the Iranian Naval Forces participates as observers, are being held in two stages.

It was emphasized that during the exercises, both countries servicemen demonstrated high professionalism in implementation of joint activities.

The Defense Ministers observed the fulfillment of tasks on the relevant episodes in the territorial waters of the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and positively evaluated the progress of the exercises.

It should be noted that the "Khazri-2023" Joint Tactical Exercises, held with the participation of warships and servicemen of the Azerbaijani and Kazakh Naval Forces, will last until October 8.

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7 October 2023 11:30 (UTC+04:00)

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Heydar Aliyev, founder of the modern independent state of Azerbaijan, outstanding political and state figure, the main moments of the bright, rich and honourable life path of the Great Leader of Azerbaijan are presented, his unique political and state activity - moments of his life given to the people in chronological order, Azernews reports, citing AzerTac.

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2 August. President Heydar Aliyev took part in the event dedicated to the Day of Azerbaijani Cinema and delivered a speech.

5 August. Aksoy received Erdal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aksoy Holding Company .

6 August. Iran received delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister of Asia, Oceania and Commonwealth of Independent States Mohsen Aminzadeh.

9 August. It received a Russian delegation.

10-15 August. He visited the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. As part of his visit, he held a meeting at the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan. He met with residents of Shahbuz, Sadarak, Sharur and Babek districts. He addressed a meeting dedicated to the establishment of the Nakhchivan branch of ANAS and took part in other events.

19 August. He received a delegation led by Turkish State Minister Rashad Doghrun.

He held consultations on proposed changes to the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

20 August. He received the Ambassador of the United States of America to Azerbaijan, Ross Wilson.

21 August. He addressed the residents of "Heydar Park" in Nizami district.

23 August. Turkish "Marmara" group received delegation of Strategic and Social Research Foundation.

24 August. He answered journalists' questions while voting on proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted in 1995.

27 August. Received Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Azerbaijan Klaus Grevlich.

28 August. He met with delegation headed by Turkish State Minister for Maritime Affairs.

29 August. He was received by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine.

30 August. He met with students who entered universities with the highest scores.

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The Great Leader pays special attention to solving the problems faced by Nakhchivan living under blockade, ensuring the security and development of the Autonomous Republic, and periodically visits the homeland where he was born and raised. One such visit took place on 10 August 2002. As it is seen from the chronology, the programe of the six-day visit was rather rich: meeting in the Supreme Assembly of the Autonomous Republic, event devoted to establishment of Nakhchivan branch of ANAS, acquaintance with construction of Vaykhir water reservoir, meetings with residents of Shahbuz, Sadarak, Sharur and Babek districts.

Addressing the meeting held in the Supreme Assembly, Heydar Aliyev talked of numerous problems of the Autonomous Republic and works done to solve them. He emphazsed importance of establishing transport and communication ties with the capital Baku, especially population growth.

Quote: Up to 400 thousand people live in the Autonomous Republic. Population growth is also good and should increase. I believe that real Nakhchivans should not leave Nakhchivan and go somewhere else. I still say that if there was not such a difficult situation in Azerbaijan at that time and there was no great need for me, I would not have left Nakhchivan. I came to Nakhchivan in 1991 with the aim of living here for the rest of my life."

On the eve of his visit to the Autonomous Republic - 7 August, President Heydar Aliyev signed a decree on establishment of the Nakhchivan branch of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. During his visit, he held a meeting on the establishment of the unit. In his speech at the meeting, he shared his thoughts on upcoming tasks and said the ancient history, culture, science and literature of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which have been little studied so far, should be thoroughly reinterpreted. and scientific works and popular books should be written about it.

Great Leader also emphasised the importance of studying the nature of Nakhchivan and natural monuments of this ancient land and said: "Unfortunately, the unique nature, natural resources, land and natural monuments of Nakhchivan are still not properly studied, perhaps it would be correct to say that they are not studied at all. There is a great need to study these issues that I am putting forward. Because Nakhchivan, as an integral part of Azerbaijan, occupies a very big place in the history of the Azerbaijani people and in the concept of Azerbaijan as a whole".

Speaking at the meeting dedicated to the construction of Vaykhir reservoir, President Heydar Aliyev said the reservoir will play an important role in the socio-economic life of the Autonomous Republic, and the issue of Nakhchivan's water supply will be solved to one side.

It should be noted that Vaykhir reservoir named after Heydar Aliyev was put into operation on 19 December 2005 in the presence of President Ilham Aliyev. With a total volume of 100 million cubic metres, the reservoir can irrigate 16,830 hectares of land.

Thinking about the future of the Motherland and considering science and education as the main means of national revival, the Great Leader managed to allocate annual quotas for our republic in the advanced universities of the former USSR to ensure training of national cadres during the first period of his leadership of Azerbaijan. On his initiative, in 1970-1980, more than 15 thousand Azerbaijani specialists of higher education were trained in various specialities in more than 170 prestigious universities of the former USSR.

On 30 August, Heydar Aliyev, who considered development of education as one of the priority tasks in the years of independence, met with students admitted to higher educational institutions with the highest scores in 2002/2003 academic year. Emphazising the advantage of conducting admission to higher education institutions by test method, he said: "Since it has a positive result, we support this method, have created and will create necessary opportunities for its continuation in Azerbaijan. We used to use many methods of admission to higher education institutions to make the admission fair, but only those who have knowledge were admitted to higher education institutions. But unfortunately, the recent measures did not bring the desired results. The test method is much more advanced than theirs."

In his speech, the president also touched on the disturbing points and shortcomings associated with education.

Quote: I am concerned about general education, that is, the primary education of our young people, the situation in secondary schools, the education that secondary schools provide, and the level of knowledge of the children who graduate from these schools. That's what worries me. It shows the level of knowledge of our people in general. Because individual people who achieve very high results, or students who do scientific work, cannot yet show the general level of knowledge of the people, of the nation. It cannot be an indicator. This indicator is in secondary schools.

At the end of his speech, the Great Leader addressed the students invited to the meeting and said: "Young people studying in higher schools of Azerbaijan, you are the future of our country. You will not have a near future, but a distant future. Azerbaijan will live and develop in the future on the shoulders of young people like you. I also wish that Azerbaijan's independence, economic policy realised in Azerbaijan continue, so that Azerbaijan can successfully live as an independent state. Let the welfare and life of our people improve day by day. For this purpose it is necessary to work, sacrifice, and young people like you should prepare for the future. I look at you and all young people, all students with great hopes for the future of Azerbaijan".

This tradition, the foundations of which were laid by the National Leader, and the state concern for education successfully continued in the subsequent period. In 2003-2023, thousands of school buildings were built or thoroughly repaired in the country. Presidential scholarship was established by the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev for students admitted to higher education institutions who showed the highest results in entrance examinations. Hundreds of young Azerbaijanis are currently studying abroad within the framework of the "State Programme for 2022-2026 on education of young people in prestigious higher education institutions of foreign countries".

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7 October 2023 12:30 (UTC+04:00)

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Vladimir Orlic on 6 October. The Foreign Ministry's Press Service Department reports that current issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia, as well as the current situation in the region were discussed at the meeting, Azernews reports.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted with satisfaction the importance of mutual contacts and visits, especially the current political dialogue between the leaders of the two countries, in developing the agenda of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia in various spheres.

Recalling that Serbia has always fully supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country in the past Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, as well as in the post-conflict period, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stressed that the application of double standards to these important principles of international law is unacceptable.

The other side was informed in detail about the current situation in the region in the post-conflict period, the normalisation of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the peace process, as well as the efforts undertaken towards the reintegration of Armenian residents living in Garabagh.

Speaking about the anti-terrorist measures initiated in response to the regular provocations of the Armenian armed forces, which continue to exist in our territories since the period of occupation and in violation of international law, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted that as a result of these measures, the scale of illegal militarisation in the Garabagh region is once again clear to everyone.

Despite the elimination of this real threat to peace and security in the region, he noted that today a number of countries are taking very dangerous steps to project their domestic political programs on the region in various ways.

Despite the current problems, it was stated that our country is determined to prevent such attempts, as well as to promote the peace and reintegration process.

Speaker of the National Assembly Vladimir Orlic expressed satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan, as well as the reception of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev within the framework of the visit, and was convinced that such visits will contribute to the development of the existing friendly relations between our countries at different levels, including at the inter-parliamentary level. Despite the fact that the situation and picture in the region is quite clear, it was brought to attention that contradictory positions put forward by a number of countries on international law and current realities are regrettable.

During the meeting, views were also exchanged on other issues of mutual interest.

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7 October 2023 12:00 (UTC+04:00)

Russian peacekeepers temporarily deployed in the territory of the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan have closed three observation posts over the past 24 hours, Azernews reports, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

The ministry noted that two permanent and one temporary observation posts were closed.

According to the data of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan as of October 2, 2,608 small arms, 235 grenade launchers, 60 cannons and howitzers, 31 units of armoured vehicles, etc. were confiscated after the completion of local anti-terrorist measures in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan.

To recall, dismantling of temporary observation posts along the former line of contact between the parties in the Asgaran, Aghdara, and Shusha districts has been completed.

Earlier, the head of the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that the length of stay of Russian peacekeepers in Garabagh would be determined in contact with Baku based on the situation in the region.

The duration of the Russian peacekeepers' stay in Garabagh will be determined in contact with Baku, depending on the situation on the ground, she explained.

Recall that the Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed to areas of Azerbaijani territories in accordance with the tripartite Declaration dated November 10, 2020.

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7 October 2023 13:20 (UTC+04:00)

"There are no Azerbaijani citizens among the dead and wounded in Israel". This was reported by head of the Press Service Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Ayhan Hajizadeh. He noted that the Ministry is in constant contact with the Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel, Azernews reports.

Aikhan Hajizadeh also emphasised that in the near future Azerbaijani citizens will be called upon to follow the instructions of state institutions.

To recall, commander of the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigade of the armed wing of Hamas, Mohammad al-Daif, announced the beginning of Operation Storm Aqsa against Israel, 5,000 rockets were fired on the territory of the Jewish state. as part of the operation.

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7 October 2023 13:33 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has made a phone call to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on October 7, Azernews reports.

The head of state congratulated Vladimir Putin on his birthday and wished him new successes in his statehood activities and robust health.

Vladimir Putin thanked the President of Azerbaijan for his attention and congratulation.

The heads of state underlined successful development of friendly relations between the countries in various fields, and discussed the issues related to the prospects for cooperation

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7 October 2023 15:00 (UTC+04:00)

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel has issued an appeal on its page on X, following major attack launched on Israel this morning and the state of alert in the country, Azernews reports.

The appeal says that the Israel Defense Forces have declared a state of alert.

"In this regard, we strongly recommend that Azerbaijani citizens do not travel to Israel, observe security rules, be cautious, and act in accordance with the recommendations of local government agencies," the embassy said.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel's Defense Minister Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.

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7 October 2023 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

The next round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State of Qatar was held in Baku on 6 October, this was reported by the Foreign Ministry's Press Service Department, Azernews reports.

The political consultations were held by Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev and Qatari State Minister for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad Al-Mureihi.

During the consultations the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in the spheres of political, economic, energy, humanitarian, inter-parliamentary relations, issues of cooperation within the framework of international organisations, including the UN, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation were discussed. - The issues of the United Movement were discussed.

The sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The State of Qatar was briefed on the post-conflict situation in the region, including the rehabilitation, construction and reintegration works being carried out in the liberated territories.

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7 October 2023 16:15 (UTC+04:00)

The Eternity-2023 computer-assisted Command and Staff Exercises held in Baku with the participation of Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian servicemen ended, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry.

During the exercises conducted with the involvement of the three countries servicemen and representatives of relevant government agencies, tasks on organizing the protection of strategically important and regional economic projects were fulfilled.

Center for War Games of the Military Administration Institute of the National Defense University hosted an event on the occasion of the completion of the exercises.

At the event, it was noted that the main objective of the exercise was to strengthen mutual cooperation and ensure interoperability between the armed forces of Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Georgia. It was also emphasized that all tasks assigned during the Eternity-2023 computer-assisted Command and Staff Exercises were successfully accomplished.

In the end, the sides exchanged gifts and a photo was taken.

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7 October 2023 18:42 (UTC+04:00)

The Azerbaijan-Israel Working Group on Inter-Parliamentary Relations has issued a statement regarding the large-scale attacks on Israel, Azernews reports.

"We strongly condemn today's attacks on Israel from the territory of the Gaza Strip, which were accompanied by rocket attacks deliberately targeting civilian objects, residential areas, and individuals.

The Working Group of Azerbaijani-Israeli inter-parliamentary relations expresses condolences to the families and relatives of those killed in these merciless attacks and wishes healing to the wounded.

We are with the people of Israel in this difficult time".

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A large-scale international fireworks festival took place in Seoul, Saturday, drawing a crowd of about 1 million people as the city government beefed up measures to ensure public safety, officials said.

Under the theme "Lights of Tomorrow," the 2023 Seoul International Fireworks Festival, organized by Hanwha Group, was held at the Han River Park in Yeouido.

The annual event featured two teams from Korea and China, and around 400 drones were mobilized for the massive fireworks display, Hanwha officials said.

Poland was supposed to showcase fireworks but was unable to do so due to technical issues.

This year's event deployed the largest number of barges yet for the biggest-ever international fireworks event, the officials added.

The event was livestreamed on its official YouTube channel, Hanwha TV, as well as on its exclusive app, Orange Play.

Considering the huge crowd, the Seoul municipal government established a comprehensive safety headquarters at the event venue and increased personnel in charge of crowd control and other safety steps by 26 percent compared with last year.

Emergency medical arrangements were in place, and parts of the roads on Yeouido were completely blocked off from 2 p.m. through 11 p.m.

Hanwha said it also dispatched 3,400 officials and volunteer workers to the venue, 20 percent more than a year earlier, and installed more surveillance cameras for enhanced monitoring of large crowds. (Yonhap)
7 October 2023 22:28 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev congratulates President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his re-election as chairman of the Justice and Development Party of Turkiye, Azernews reports.

Dear Mr. President,

My dear Brother,

I sincerely congratulate you and all members of the Justice and Development Party, the leading political force of the Republic of Turkiye, on the occasion of the Grand Congress and your unanimous re-election as Chairman of the Party. This is an expression of the national determination, a clear manifestation of the unlimited confidence, trust and support of members of the Justice and Development Party, and a sign of a high appreciation for your contribution to the development and advancement of brotherly Turkiye.

The Grand Congress of the Justice and Development Party is a historic event in the public and political life of the Republic of Turkiye. I am sure that the important decisions made at the Congress will make an exceptional contribution to determining the future directions of the party's activities, achieving the new goals set for the well-being of your brotherly people, and implementing the "Turkiye`s Century" vision, which will ensure a new stage of socio-economic development of your country.

The Justice and Development Party, of which you are the founder and leader, has served the Turkish state and people with dignity and honor ever since its inception, showing loyalty to its program, stated principles and actions, achieving great success in every field, and helping your country become a global power center and authoritative country in the international world. You have played an invaluable role and made unparalleled contributions to all these achievements. This is why your name is forever engraved in the history of Turkish statehood.

We are happy with and proud of Turkiye`s success under your wise and decisive leadership, as well as its growing reputation in the world. I would like to note with great joy that the Azerbaijan-Turkiye brotherhood, unity and strategic alliance are exemplary and are at their highest peak. Our intergovernmental relations built on a solid foundation of mutual trust, support and solidarity are also making an important contribution to regional cooperation, stability and security.

I am sure that the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, based on the unwavering resolve of our brotherly nations and the "One nation, two states" principle, will continue to develop and strengthen thanks to our joint efforts.

I convey my sincere congratulations to you and every member of the Justice and Development Party again and wish the party further success, peace and prosperity to the brotherly state of Turkiye and its people.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 7 October 2023

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7 October 2023 23:03 (UTC+04:00)

President of the European Council Charles Michel has called President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

During the phone conversation, the sides exchanged views on regional issues.

The head of state noted that including Azerbaijan in the quadrilateral statement without the participation of Azerbaijan in Granada was not the right approach. President Ilham Aliyev also said that due to the well-known position of France, Azerbaijan did not participate in the meeting in Granada. The head of state emphasized that the provision of weapons by France to Armenia was an approach that was not serving peace, but one intended to inflate a new conflict, and if any new conflict occurs in the region, France would be responsible for causing it.

The President of Azerbaijan pointed out that the anti-Azerbaijani statement adopted by the European Parliament on the basis of a xenophobic and chauvinistic approach and the opinions expressed in it were unacceptable, adding that this did not serve peace and stability in the region.

President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan had fully restored its sovereignty by using the right of self-defense in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, and neutralized illegal military units existing in its territory. In this regard, the steps taken by Azerbaijan were in full accordance with international law. The head of state added that, on the contrary, the states that did not understand the essence of this issue had serious problems with international law due to their policies in different regions of the world.

President Ilham Aliyev said the central government had provided humanitarian assistance to the Armenian residents of Garabagh and the process of their registration had started. The President of Azerbaijan stressed that it was the so-called regime that had forced Armenians to leave the territory.

President Ilham Aliyev said that eight villages of Azerbaijan were still under Armenian occupation, and stressed the importance of liberating these villages from occupation.

The head of state noted that work was being carried out towards the creation of a regional transport corridor between Azerbaijan and Iran, and that a groundbreaking ceremony had been held for the construction of a bridge and border and customs infrastructure, as well as shore fortification projects in the area near Aghband settlement of the Zangilan district.

Charles Michel said that the European Union was ready to continue its efforts towards the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

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7 October 2023 11:00 (UTC+04:00)

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning, Azernews reports.

First, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water and air. There are already casualties among the civilians. According to the evidence in the video, dozens of armed Palestinians are infiltrating Israel from the Gaza.

The press service of the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that rocket fire is being conducted on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Alarms sound continuously on Saturday morning in many localities of the country, including the Tel Aviv area and its environs. Residents of the southern and central regions of Israel are advised to stay near shelters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for Tel Aviv, where he will soon hold an urgent meeting with the leadership of the country's security agencies against the background of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip that began on Saturday morning.

This was announced by the office of the head of the Israeli government.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is aware of the details of the incident and will hold an operational meeting with the security leadership in the coming hours," the statement said.

The head of the Government has already left for Tel Aviv, where the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense and security agencies of Israel are located (the residence of the Prime Minister and the main state institutions are located in Jerusalem).

According to statement, Israeli army declared a "state of readiness for war" after launching a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip early Saturday morning.

"The Israel Defence Forces announces a state of readiness for war," the statement said.

"Israeli citizens in the southern and central regions are obliged to remain near shelters, and in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip, inside shelters. The Chief of General Staff is currently assessing the situation and approving plans for the continuation of army operations," the army added.

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7 October 2023 14:00 (UTC+04:00)

The commander of the Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigade of the armed wing of Hamas, Mohammad al-Daif, announced the beginning of Operation Storm Aqsa against Israel, 5,000 rockets were fired on the territory of the Jewish state. as part of the operation, Azernews reports.

Mohammad al-Daif said that the Palestinian people have started the project of establishing a state. According to him, rockets were fired at Israeli military facilities and airports. In addition, Palestinian groups infiltrating Israeli-controlled territories seized a police centre in the city of Sderot.

Israeli emergency services reported that one person was killed and 15 others were injured in the Palestinian attacks. CAHAL, on the other hand, declared martial law in an 80-kilometre area around the Gaza Strip and said strikes had been carried out in the blockaded region.

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7 October 2023 21:00 (UTC+04:00)

"Armenia has been financing, sponsoring separatism or, to put it a bit harsher, terrorism on the territory of Azerbaijan for thirty years," blogger Natalie Aleksanyan wrote on her Facebook page, Azernews reports.

"Recognising Azerbaijan's territorial integrity on the basis of the Alma-Ata Declaration, Nikol Pashinyan stated that Garabagh is Azerbaijan and has always been so. It directly follows from this that Armenia has been funding and resourcing the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan for thirty years. In other words, it has sponsored separatism or, to put it a little more harshly, terrorism on the territory of Azerbaijan. This is not my analysis, it is a fact obvious to any person with legal knowledge.

And if we add to this the information that Azerbaijan will receive from the "Artsakh bandits" in its prison, Armenia will face very serious proceedings in international courts. The international community is generally pro-Armenian and will try to protect us in this matter, as it has been directly involved in the ongoing games around Garabagh. It is still unclear how the processes will develop, but it is a fact that Armenia's image will be hit hard.

How will Pashinyan's government act to deflect the blow from Armenia? Firstly, it is necessary to give a precise legal assessment of what happened from the day Robert Kocharyan illegally seized power in Armenia until now. Things and events should be called by their names. The fact that the perpetrator is an Armenian should not prevent his criminal prosecution. The leaders of the Garabagh clan living in Armenia should be imprisoned. Dashnaktsutyun with its fascist ideology should be banned in Armenia, as it happened during the reign of Ter-Petrosyan. Secondly, all the property of the looters should be nationalised down to the last penny so that Armenia has resources for possible future reparations.

Yes, it should be clearly stated that for many years Armenia has been ruled by terrorists who illegally seized power and conducted their terrorist activities both in Armenia itself and abroad, including in Azerbaijan. We must not allow the terrorists nicknamed "Mr President" to once again make us all guilty while they themselves enjoy the loot.

We must not be afraid to cleanse our country of filth. Only and only in this case Armenia will soften the blow that awaits it. And if we do everything wisely, there will be no blow at all. We can prevent the catastrophe awaiting us, but if we do not have the strength to do it again, we will indeed become the culprits of what happened and will once again bear full responsibility for the crimes of the bandits of the Garabagh clan," Natalie Aleksanyan wrote.

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7 October 2023 15:50 (UTC+04:00)

The Government is actively arming the armed forces. It was noted that against this background was convened an emergency meeting of Palestinian leaders, Azernews reports.

Recall, in the morning of 7 October radicals from the Gaza Strip fired rockets at Israel. In response to the massive rocket fire on the Palestinian side, the Israeli army announced the start of Operation Iron Swords.

As a result of the Hamas attack on Israel, 545 people were hospitalised, at least 22 people were killed in the incident.

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7 October 2023 18:30 (UTC+04:00)

NATO and Iranian representatives commented on the armed conflict between Hamas and Israel, this was reported by Israeli media, Azernews reports.

Alliance Deputy Secretary General Mircea Joan said: "I am disappointed today with our Israeli friends over the loss of life. I stand in full solidarity with Israel in the face of the horrific attacks."

The deputy said he had been to Israel a few weeks ago and that they had discussed a new level of co-operation between NATO and the country.

Yahya Rahim Safavi, military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, emphasised Tehran's support for Hamas and thanked it for the operation: "We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinian fighters for the freedom of Jerusalem."

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7 October 2023 22:30 (UTC+04:00)

Morocco announced that it has gotten back three fossil remains of three different species, dated back to 250 million years ago, from the US, Azernews reports.

Moroccan Culture Minister Mehdi Bensaid said the announcement of the repatriation of the fossil species was during this weeks US-Morocco Law Enforcement Seminar for Countering the Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property. The event at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in the capital Rabat was also attended by US Ambassador to Morocco Puneet Talwar, who handed over the three fossil species to the Moroccan government, according to Bensaid.

The three fossils are reportedly a Mosasaurus skull, Basilosaurid jaw, and Cetacean whale vertebra.

Bensaid stressed the need to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries to enhance cooperation in the field to counter illicit trafficking in cultural property.

Morocco is seeking to repatriate its cultural heritage through signing deals with various countries.

In 2017, Morocco managed to block a planned auction in Paris of a 66-million-year-old marine dinosaur skeleton which was originally discovered in the city of Khouribga, central Morocco.

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Early voting for next week's by-election for the chief of Seoul's Gangseo Ward office finished Saturday with a turnout of 22.64 percent, the highest ever in Korea's by-election history, election authorities said.

During the two-day advance voting period, 113,313 out of the total 500,603 eligible voters cast their ballots, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).

The turnout is the highest ever figure for any of the country's by-election and local elections.

The previous record for by-elections was set in 2021 with 20.54 percent, and the highest-ever turnout for local elections was 20.62 percent for last year's June 1 voting, the NEC said.

The main voting day is Wednesday next week.

The election is to pick one of Seoul's 25 ward chiefs, but it is widely seen as a key test of voter sentiment ahead of the National Assembly elections slated for April next year.

The by-election takes place after Kim Tae-woo was removed from the top ward post in May due to a suspended prison sentence given to him for leaking official secrets he gained when working for a special inspection team under the presidential office during the previous administration.

But the ruling People Power Party has named Kim as its candidate after his right to run in the election was reinstated, following a special presidential pardon in August.

Jin Kyo-hoon, a former deputy chief of the national police, from the main opposition Democratic Party is widely regarded as his main rival.

A total of six candidates are running for the by-election, including Kim and Jin. (Yonhap)
Because they know how to best allocate the public's money back to the right part of the public, the Democrats will NOW always prevail and get my vote.

With patriotic pragmatism the cornerstone of the best of the Republican Party, they will ultimately save this Constitutional Republic from self-destruction.

Since the Executive Branch is so important to turn this Representative Republic around, I am still on Team Trump in 2024.

Since the nation may need a different path to Conservative patriotism in the Executive, I am joining Team DeSantis.

Because I am entitled to take the government dole, the prevailing favoritism whenever possible, I will support any, and every Democrat candidate.

367 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?
The Donald Sadler regime in Washington has given us a huge tax increase and very questionable spending including some insider dealing. While we need to change who sits in the mayor's chair to someone with more transparency and proper management ability, we also need to get away from the type of city council that has fueled the Sadler circus.

"Boss Hogg" Sadler has one of his most notorious "yes men", Richard Brooks running for reelection, but the second one, Renn, is not running again. To get him a knee jerk majority, Sadler has recruited two new "yes men", Antwon Horton and Anthony Tyre. That threesome would give Sadler anything he wants and would be a roadblock for a mayor other than Sadler.

On the present council, two members have regularly stood up to Sadler and worked for the citizens interests, William Pitt and Bobby Roberson. Roberson is running against Sadler for mayor and Pitt is seeking another term on the city council. Pitt was endorsed by Sadler last election, but showed clearly that his allegiance is to the citizens instead of personally to Sadler, so Sadler is opposing him this time. Pitt and Roberson were the two council members who voted against Sadler's 12% tax increase.

William Pitt is a solid defender of our citizens and deserves reelection. But where do we find two others to make a majority.

One place to start is the two registered Republicans running, both standing tall for the taxpayers, Andrew "Tex" Melton and Gary Ceres. Pitt, Melton, and Ceres would form a council majority. That would drive a stake through the heart of the Tammany Hall type regime Washington has had for the last two years.

Are there others worth considering for a fourth and fifth vote? Some will want to stop with those three, while others will want to exercise all five of their votes.

The two other Unaffiliated candidates are worth a look, A.J. Congleton and Ellen Brabo. Congleton has not been running a very active campaign, but at least is not in Sadler's pocket. Brabo is running an active race with the support of the washington Chamber of Commerce. She runs her own small business that should give her the sort of business sense the Sadler group has lacked. The red flag, however, is that while she put in an appearance at a Sadler event, she has not done so after being invited to a Roberson event. What makes that more sticky is that the Sadler event was a campaign fundraiser while the Roberson event was a candidate forum where all the council candidates in attendance were given time to promote their own campaigns.

One of the Democrats may also be worth considering, Leesa Peyton Jones. She is a well spoken black lady who has been instrumental in the Underground Railroad museum, but is not in Sadler's pocket. She has called for greater transparency in city government and pledged not to vote for a tax increase.

The other incumbent Democrat running is Lou Hodges who is personally a nice lady who won election last time on a strong sympathy vote for her husband who had recently died of Covid. On the council, however, she has been weak and vacillating. Although she initially said she opposed Sadler's tax increase, she ultimately allowed herself to be pressed into being the deciding vote to pass it.

The Sadler machine operates through the mayor calling in council members one or two at a time on Friday before Monday's council meeting to press them to vote for his positions. Roberson has pledged not to play that game with the council. But each council candidate should be asked if they are elected and so is Sadler, whether they would participate in this underhanded scheme that undermines open and transparent government..
Ruth Langsford has described husband Eamonn Holmes as a Belfast boy who longs to retire to his home country  and said shell be happy when the couple relocate to Northern Ireland.

Opening up about her relationship with the Belfast born presenter and all that family means to her in the podcast How to Be 60, Ruth (63) said: Ive always known Eamonn wants to be in Northern Ireland, and I think well have to find a compromise.

You talk about things like that (retirement) as if theyre so far away and suddenly youre facing the day. Youre like, oh my, were in our 60s. Probably well end up with somewhere here (England), a smaller home, and have something there (Northern Ireland).

I love Northern Ireland. But its a different feeling for me than for Eamonn. He has all his family there. Ive got my family here.

But Eamonn is a Belfast boy and the thing is, I dont really come from anywhere. My father was in the army and when anyone asks me where Im from all I can say is I dont know! I dont have that draw to anywhere I can go back to as home.

Ruth, who married Eamonn in 2010, also opened up on some of the sadder times in her life, including the suicide of her older sister Julia Johnson in 2019, and was full of praise for the way husband Eamonn helped her cope.

Ruth Langsford and sister Julia

Ruth said Eamonn and their son Jack, now 21, both supported her and she told how her job also helped her after Julias death as it gave her structure back in her life.

Eamonn was amazing during that time, she said.

Eamonn pointed out that he was, in effect, losing not one, but two of the most precious people in his life  Julia and me. He showed me how I had so much to live for in Julias memory  and beyond.

He pleaded with me not to let it win, by ruining everything I had achieved  and still had to celebrate.

I needed that, because I could lie and cry all day about my sister. I needed that focus and structure back in my life.

When I first met Eamonn he couldnt get his head around the fact, as he said, my parents sent me away to boarding school. Id tell him all the time they didnt send me away, it was a way of life in the army.

But that taught me its not simply how much time you spend together, its the quality of that time together.

It also taught Ruth to keep a calm head in a crisis.

When Eamonn fell down the stairs in the middle of the night, it was very scary, but I knew there was no point in me flapping. Let me get a blanket, let me get a pillow, let me phone an ambulance, let me sit with you. Im calm like that.
Belfast Telegraph Property Awards recognise the achievements of the sector

Staff at DWF who won Legal Team of the Year with Greg Henry of sponsor McConnell Property

Belfast Telegraph Editor-in-Chief Eoin Brannigan, Sales Manager Karen Thompson, Business Editor Margaret Canning and Ed McCann, director of publishing operations Mediahuis Ireland at the awards ceremony

Young Agent of the Year Andrea Martin from Smartmove Housing with Sarah Ewing from sponsor Shoosmiths

Brian Reid, regional development director of e-surv, presents the award for Young Professional Personality of the Year to Carolyn Brady of Rider Levett Bucknall

Paddy Gray receives his Personality of the Year award from Belfast Telegraph Editor-in-Chief Eoin Brannigan and James Burleigh, full fibre build senior manager at Openreach

A housing expert has been named Property Personality of the Year at the 2023 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards in partnership with Openreach.

Paddy Gray, Professor Emeritus of Housing at Ulster University, has held numerous roles in housing in the voluntary and community sector, including as chair of leading housing associations.

Winners were announced across 19 categories at the Property Awards in Belfasts Crowne Plaza Hotel, which was attended by around 700 guests. The event, the most prestigious in the industry, was hosted by comedian Neil Delamere.

It was the first year in which broadband provider Openreach was title sponsor of the event.

The winners were chosen from a record number of entries by a panel of esteemed judges led by Sharon McClements, a lecturer in the built environment at Ulster University.

The winning entries included people and businesses in architecture, estate agency and the legal profession.

And housing developments by developers such as Hagan Homes Mulberry development and Alskea Ltds West House development at Belvoir Park were recognised.

Eoin Brannigan, Editor-in-Chief of the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life, said: Congratulations to all our winners in the 2023 Belfast Telegraph Property Awards.

Its been a fantastic event which were proud to host every year to celebrate the property industry.

Its been getting bigger and better every year, from 250 guests in 2014 to just under 700 this year.

Thank you to our main sponsor Openreach and all our category sponsors.

James Burleigh, full fibre build senior manager at Openreach, added: We are delighted to partner with the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards this year. The property sector is a really important partner to Openreach; designing, building and selling the homes and properties of the future.

As lifestyles change, remote working being only one example, the homes that people want to live in are changing and the demand for connected technologies is only ever going to increase. We understand that availability of high-speed broadband has a direct impact on house prices and saleability and we are working with the property industry to future proof our network.

The judges described Professor Gray as a well-known face and voice in the property sector.

He is an expert who speaks all over the world and has published over 400 publications on housing-related issues, they said.

He has held countless roles in the voluntary and community sector, including as chair of leading housing associations.

He has been President of the Chartered Institute of Housing and is currently a Commissioner of the Department for Housing Local Government and Heritage Housing Commission.

He is also currently Chair of the Private Rented Tenants Voice Steering Group for Housing Rights NI He is very deserving of this recognition for his unwavering commitment to the housing sector.

Carolyn Brady of Rider Levett Bucknall was named Young Property Professional of the Year, a category sponsored by e.surv Chartered Surveyors.

A spokesman for e.surv said: What an outstanding achievement. e.surv sends its congratulations to Carolyn Brady for being named the Young Property Professional Of The Year.

"She has proved she is an exceptional individual with a real talent in property. We wish her continued success, and hope that her career continues to go from strength to strength.

2023 Property Awards Winners and Sponsors

Property Marketing Campaign of the Year

Sponsor: Barrett Group

Winner: Lagan Homes and MCE

Fit Out of the Year

Sponsor: WH Stephens

Winner: Alskea Ltd  West House

Residential Development of the Year

Sponsor: Close Brothers Property Finance

Winner: Radius Housing

Commercial Development of the Year

Sponsor: Carson McDowell

Winner: RPP Architects  Ebrington Hotel

Mixed-Use Development of the Year

Sponsor: Radius Housing

Winner: Hagan Homes  Mulberry

Innovative Use of Technology in the Property Sector

Sponsor: Progressive Building Society

Winner: iamsold

Property Management Company of the Year

Sponsor: McQuillan Companies

Winner: Gordon Estates Management Ltd

Residential Lettings Agency of the Year

Sponsor: Fiduciam

Winner: Fetherstons

Property Deal of the Year

Sponsor: Wilson Nesbitt

Winner: Loft Lines  Titanic Quarter, Belfast (Lacuna Developments)

Climate Initiative of the Year

Sponsor: Millar McCall Wylie

Winner: Radius Housing

Architectural Practice of the Year (Commercial)

Sponsor: Mills Selig

Winner: TODD Architects

Architectural Practice of the Year (Residential)

Sponsor: Mills Selig

Winner: Marshall McCann Architects

Young Architect of the Year

Sponsor: RTU

Winner: Andrew ODoherty  TODD Architects

Young Agent of the Year

Sponsor: Shoosmiths

Winner: Andrea Martin  Smartmove Housing

Property Legal Team of the Year

Sponsor: McConnell Property

Winner: DWF (Northern Ireland) LLP

Commercial Estate Agency of the Year

Sponsor: A&L Goodbody

Winner: CPS

Residential Estate Agency of the Year (Sole)

Sponsor: TLT

Winner: McMillan McClure Estate Agents

Residential Estate Agency of the Year (Multi Branch)

Sponsor: TLT

Winner: UPS

Developer of the Year

Sponsor: Propertynews

Winner: Strand Homes

Young Property Professional of the Year

Sponsor: e.surv Chartered Surveyors

Winner: Carolyn Brady, Rider Levett Bucknall

Property Personality of the Year

Sponsor: Openreach

Winner: Paddy Gray
Following months of behind-the-scenes planning, Irish makeup artist and entrepreneur Aimee Connolly is beyond excited to have opened her first store in Northern Ireland.

Located on the ground floor of Victoria Square, Belfast, the brands flagship Sculpted By Aimee opened its doors in late September much to the delight of the droves of Sculpted fans who had queued from early morning for the occasion.

The opening actually surpassed every single one of our expectations in the sense of the level of support, the hundreds of people that showed up to celebrate with us, says Aimee (30).

It was just the most amazing energy for the day and I think it probably surprised us all. I think when you go into a new territory, as excited as you are, you can also be a little bit apprehensive and nervous about what to expect, but it was amazing.

When we look at Northern Ireland, Belfast was always going to be our primary destination. It's what's been most requested.

I had been looking for the guts of 12 months at locations, so yeah, it was amazing for it to come to fruition so fast.

Aimee Connolly

In addition to the vast makeup and skincare offering, the Belfast store is running limited-edition offers, and a team of Sculpted MUAs are on hand to deliver a range of services including complementary shade matching and makeup advice.

The premises has its own luxurious purpose-built studio space, The Suite, which is available for private bookings for hen and bridal parties, masterclasses and lessons, makeovers, and events.

We're really lucky as a brand, we have the most amazing retail partners and distribution channels with the likes of Boots and pharmacy, so people can avail of our products in a lot of locations, which is really important to us in terms of maintaining that accessibility, Aimee explains.

I think where we're very careful in how our flagships are positioned  like this new store in Belfast  is that its the full Sculpted experience that you cannot get in every location. So, the first thing is, you have every single product under one roof, which we would love to have in every booth location, but it's physically not possible from a space point of view.

Also, it very much plays homage to my beginnings as an artist, in that you have a Sculpted-specific ambassador and artist on hand to assist you with any questions, any tips, and just making people feel really empowered in actually getting proper use of the products.

A visit to Sculpted By Aimee really is all about the experience, Aimee says: Not only are you coming in and dealing with hopefully a gorgeous Sculpted artist whos super bubbly and helpful and delighted to have you there  there's also makeovers, makeup lessons, and we have lots of events, hen parties, corporate events, you name it.

We want it to be a place of fun that people can come with their pals if they want to or equally have a bit of TLC for themselves on a Saturday before they're heading out to an occasion.

Aimee in her new Belfast store

2023 has saw the Sculpted By Aimee brand go from strength to strength. In addition to the new store, Aimee, who recently tied the knot with her long-time love John Greene in France, launched her new Love Story  The Collection bridal makeup range. Also, the number of customers who have signed up for Sculpteds first beauty advent calendar is simply eyewatering, she says.

What drives the entrepreneur forwards, she believes, is energy, enthusiasm, a strong work ethic, but most importantly  passion.

The number one thing for me is the passion and I think to be honest, this spans beyond me into whoever works in a startup, Aimee says.

It's chaotic, it's busy, it's relentless, it's consistent, it is non-stop, that if you don't love it, you would just literally bow out. And the same with those who work in the team. I do have a very high work ethic. I do love work. I do expect that.

So, that's also why people need to really enjoy what they're doing. And that's the magic of a startup because I think you can really reap the benefits of the efforts you put in, you're not just a cog in the wheel that is a number on a taskforce; you physically make an action and its actually felt or shown on something that that goes into the real world. So, it's brilliant.

I think passion for me would be really up there. It's actually an acronym that we base our Sculpted core values on as a team. So, it's a very important word for me in my whole journey.

Whilst many brides talk about how stressful wedding planning is, Aimees experience was quite the opposite.

We honestly had just had such a ball, she says.

It was just so much fun. I think because work is so busy, I really wasn't stressed with planning. It was nothing in comparison to what we usually do, so it felt really enjoyable. [I was] really chilled about the whole thing and it was just lovely having everyone together.

For the newlywed, the most memorable moments of her wedding include a family get-together prior to the big day and walking down the aisle.

We had both our families together two nights before, for a barbecue in the chateau, Aimee says.

That was lovely, because you're sitting there, it's all super chilled, it's not the wedding day yet, we're probably never going to have this time again where everybody is abroad.

Obviously my mom walking me down the aisle, that was extremely emotional. It was so special.

And myself and John had a little drink of champagne upstairs in our room before the meal. That was really nice to connect for a few minutes and be like: Oh my God, this is wild.

And then, probably my most favourite, and I think a lot of the guests would say the same in terms of the party element, was the moment where we're walking into our dinner reception. It was outside on the grounds of the chateau and the band had everybody up on their chairs. We hadn't even had a bread roll yet. It was the most electric feeling I've ever felt, and that was just before I delivered my speech. So, everyone was on a high.

Whist Aimee and John havent booked their honeymoon, they have their sights set on an action-packed holiday and plan to go in January.

I'd love to do somewhere like South America, that I've never done before, and maybe climb Machu Picchu or something, she says.

Whatever we do, it'll be active enough anyway.

Until then, Aimee is focusing on business.

Obviously we need to nurture our Belfast and store and what's happening up there, she says.

We are naturally coming into our busiest period of the year.

We've just launched a huge category for us in brows this week. It's our first entry into that feature on the face that we have not yet played in, so its a big, big moment of celebration for us.

We may have one new home to launch before Christmas that I cant share where that might be just yet. And then we have our Christmas collection, which is always a huge moment of anticipation.

For more from Aimee, see www.sculptedbyaimee.com
Sustainability and energy efficient properties are to the fore, but theres still much to be done as experts explain

Insulation is one of the principles of passive house design

A report has revealed that nearly two-thirds of housing stock here are falling short of energy efficient targets.

Research, carried out by Ulster University (through Professor Martin Haran & Forum for Better Housing Market NI) found that 60% of homes in Northern Ireland will need improving in order to meet net zero targets  roughly 50,000 buildings per year to be upgraded to meet 2050 targets.

We are a long way off meeting this target, says architect company Marshall McCann, which says that Northern Ireland has the worst housing stock in the UK and Ireland.

We are also the only region in UK and Ireland not to have any grants or incentives to upgrade the thermal efficiency of our homes. Ireland currently has grants up to 50,000 for all houses built pre-2011. These grants are not means tested, explains Roisin McCann from the company.

The average EPC [energy performance certificate] rating of houses in Northern Ireland is Band D (SAP rating 57), with over 75% of housing worse than band C.

Research also shows that houses in the most disadvantaged areas of Northern Ireland score the lowest EPC ratings. Detached houses in rural areas score the worst, with apartments performing the best.

Read more Generation Rent: Rising cost of homes keeping people off the property ladder

The Forums report, New Foundations: The route to low carbon homes, sets out recommendations to support the process of decarbonisation across our housing sector, which currently contributes to 14% of the localitys total greenhouse emissions, much higher than counterparts in Great Britain.

The report recommends the development of a single policy vision focusing on incentivising developers, construction firms and homeowners to create more energy-efficient homes.

From my viewpoint, the new build sector will take care of itself in that regulations invariably will mean that we will have to get to a higher build standard, says Professor Martin Haran, who led the research.

Building regulations are already moving there so itll be a requirement for new developments to conform and comply with new building regulation specifications.

Passive homes are becoming increasingly popular

At the rate older homes are being upgraded with better insulation and energy efficient heating, NIs housing stock will not meet UKs 2030 carbon reduction targets.

Professor Haran speaks of a need for a culture change and education for developers who may believe such decisions will add costs to their build.

Theres increasing evidence from Europe or even from the Republic of Ireland that through innovative design, through creative material sourcing and procurement, that the actual costs of building net zero or passive house standards can almost be neutralised in many respects.

The other thing that is if youre building to a higher standard, does that invariably mean that the value of what youre building is greater. And then it comes back to how do we value energy efficiency? How do we apply the energy efficiency features? Is that adding value to your property? So if youre building to a higher standard, is the value of what youre building more sought after in the market and are purchasers willing to pay more?

The new build sector, he says, is not the most problematic  its the existing stock sector. Over 80% of houses in NI that will be in situ in 2050 have already been built, but there remains a hesitancy to undertake retrofitting.

Theres a consensus and a feeling that somewhere down the line, governments are going to have to provide some form of grant funding or incentivisation to do this. As a result of that, people, even if theyre willing to do it, or thinking about doing it, or gaining knowledge and insight about what they want to do in terms of retrofit, arent willing to push the button, because why would you spend your own money [when] in a years time, two years time, three years time down the line, there may become a grant funding available, says Professor Haran.

And the reality is, were seeing funding initiatives in GB, so why would those not at some point be brought to NI.

So, I suppose that creates a backdrop where there is a reluctance and a hesitancy even amongst those that are showing an appetite to do so, and probably have the financial capacity to do so, not actually pressing that button just yet.

Finding retrofitting solutions  fabric-based interventions, low-carbon heating systems  and developing a more diverse range of incentive-based green mortgage products, was another suggestion made by the report. Existing houses need to become more sustainable, but according to the Forums report, retrofitting capacity needs to double if 2030 targets are to be met.

There is a saying, The most sustainable building is an existing building, says Roisin from Marshall McCann.

This means that an existing building has carbon embodied within it; to knock down and build new is not a sustainable way, as that means we are using more carbon  the initial building was built, and carbon is used to demolish the house (and potentially ends up in landfill), then more carbon is used to build a new house.

Sustainability is a very generic term. Retaining and upgrading a building is generally the most sustainable (i.e. least harm to the environment); but it does not necessarily mean your house will be as easy to heat as a new build. Embodied carbon and operational energy are two different strands of the sustainability agenda in construction; both of which play an important part.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have set climate goals for 2030, an aid to move us towards net zero in 2050. These goals set out targets for the operational energy use of the house (how much energy it will take to operate the home to a healthy living standard), the amount of embodied carbon (i.e, how much energy has been put into the construction of the house.

Insulation is one of the principles of passive house design

With the recent cost of living crisis, the hike in energy prices, and the increased summer temperatures, people are more incentivised to build more sustainably.

That said, upgrading the energy efficiency of a house needs to be done carefully, and it may not be easy or cost effective. Though house specific, possibilities include the addition of insulation, achieving better airtightness to reduce air leakage and draughts while increasing ventilation.

Careful thought and detailing is required; but for all our health, thermal comfort, and the reduction of operational energy, it is essential that our existing housing stock is upgraded, says Roisin.

Each house needs to be assessed individually, to understand its construction, and how best to make the house more thermally comfortable.

As energy prices rise and climate awareness increases, theres a move towards building to the Passive House standard, the fastest growing energy performance standard in the world.

Benefits for homeowners include healthy properties, thermally comfortable to live in, with low running costs.

There are also studies showing that Passive Houses are more healthy to live in; especially for those with respiratory or allergic tendencies, due to the high quality of light and air within the home. Mould growth, condensation, and toxic gases in the home are reduced.

As Passive House architects, Marshall McCann adhere to a fabric first approach: get the fabric (construction) of your house first, reduce carbon emissions and running energy costs before adding technology to produce energy.

The five principles of a Passive House together mean consumers reduce heating demand to a low level, what Passive House Association of Irelands chairperson Barry McCarron calls the secret sauce.

They are the insulation of floor, wall and roof, thermal bridging (attending to weak points such as junctions which may allow heat to pass through more easily), triple glazed windows, then making the building airtight to mechanically ventilate it.

But what has happened before is that the interaction of these last two principles got confused, says Barry over this debate within the construction industry.

Sometimes, building regs are advocating increased air tightness, but then theyre also advocating natural ventilation. The two are incompatible.

The two are a contradiction; you cant make it airtight and expect it to be naturally ventilated.

Barry is also South West Colleges Research and Development Coordinator for the Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies.

In 2021, the colleges Erne Campus became the first educational building worldwide to achieve the highest international standard in environment construction  Passive House Premium.

Across Northern Ireland, moves are being made to adopt Passive House design principles, including in developer Fraser Millars Lancaster Park development in south Belfast. The company aims that its homes consume between 75-90% less heating energy than a conventional home.

If I asked my students what percentage of all emissions globally comes from aviation, most people would give you an answer of 10%, 20%, says Barry.

The figure is actually less than 3%. Buildings is actually 40% and the single biggest problem facing the world, its even higher than agriculture, its higher than transport.

Buildings really are the low hanging fruit that should be tackled in this debate, not culling the herd.

I think all those things would probably have to happen to get to net zero, yes.

But if you were to start at the start, buildings are an easy win.
A former police officer has called for a review of the culture around sexual offence cases in Northern Ireland which he believes is resulting in lenient sentences for perpetrators.

Jon Burrows said any future justice minister at Stormont must address the roots causes of those who carry out violent or predatory crimes against vulnerable people getting off lightly.

Its been going on for too long, he said.

I am not convinced that prosecutors and judges are fully cognisant of the impact sexual offences have on victims.

It comes after a Belfast man who raped a stranger as she walked home after a night out with friends was handed a six-and-a-half-year sentence at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday.

Stephen Dalton (39) was jailed for the sex attack committed on September 10, 2021 by Judge Paul Ramsey KC who described the case as disturbing.

The perpetrator, with an address at Fairfax Court in Belfast, will spend half the term in jail, followed by the same period on licence when he is released from prison.

The court heard that, despite pleading to charges of rape and sexual assault, Dalton, of Fairfax Court in Belfast, told a probation officer he was innocent.

Judge Ramsey said he had considered defence submissions which spoke of Daltons low IQ, his poor mental health and his issues with substance and alcohol misuse.

His defence also said the incident was impulsive rather than planned and that his guilty plea spared his victim the trauma of a trial.

UUP leader Doug Beattie criticised the sentencing in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter describing it as Really poor.

Three years behind bars is far too lenient, he added.

Judges are bound by sentencing guidelines and must take into account mitigating circumstances, such as early guilty pleas, co-operation with police and remorse, as well as aggravating factors, such as intent and excessive violence.

The Gillen Review, a report published in May 2019 into the law and procedures in serious sexual offences in Northern Ireland, made over 250 recommendations.

New laws came into force here last week which grant anonymity to people suspected of sexual offences until they are charged and mean members of the public will be excluded from Crown Court cases.

But Mr Burrows called for a closer look at how existing measures are implemented  including sentencing frameworks  as he warned PSNI and PPS promises to take sex crimes seriously is being completely undermined in some cases.

There is also no deterrent for would-be offenders and there is a complete lack of accountability in the justice system, he added.

"It seems to be a cultural problem in NI rather than a policy issue but both need to be looked at.

"Its not about locking everyone up and throwing away the key, but sentencing should reflect the seriousness of the crime.

The retired senior officer called for training to be put in place for prosecutors and judges to understand the impact on victims.

Maybe they are too detached from the issue and need to better understand what someone goes through when they have suffered, he said.

Then there are too many cases being heard in Magistrates Courts despite being eligible to be tried in the Crown Court.

"In some cases, suspects are brought to Magistrates Courts which have very limited sentencing powers and upon being convicted they receive non-custodial sentences.

"That is because prosecutors completely misjudge the seriousness of offences and I think that needs to be reviewed.

"There are cases being fatally undermined by the PPS from the outset.

The ex-policeman also expressed concern about convicted criminals being given too much credit for mitigating factors such as entering a guilty plea.

"A lot of times offenders only plead guilty at the end of the process once an overwhelming amount of evidence has been gathered against them, Mr Burrow said.

"The whole point of getting credit is that the victim has been spared unnecessary anguish and it speeds up the system.

"A guilty plea should not be accepted as a mitigating factor unless it comes very early in the process.

Failure to address the problem, Mr Burrows warned, will send out a worrying message to the public.

"The core function of the criminal justice system must be to protect people from those who pose a danger, he added.

"A deterrent is needed to send out a signal to society that it is worth coming forward to report sexual abuse or violence.

In response to criticism of the PPS, its senior assistant director and victims champion Marianne OKane said: These cases present challenges for the entire criminal justice system including the police, prosecution and judiciary, as well as the statutory and community sectors who offer support to victims.

It is wholly untrue and improper to suggest that prosecutors fatally undermine prosecutions, that we are detached and that we do not understand the impact of these crimes on victims.

We make decisions on the investigation files we receive from police strictly in line with the Code for Prosecutors and after an impartial and objective application of the legal test for prosecution.

Ms OKane said prosecutors see every day how such offences can have a devastating and long-term impact on victims lives.

She continued: "Serious sexual offences cases are considered by a team of highly trained, experienced and committed specialist prospectors in the PPS Serious Crime Unit.

"The team is trained to understand the complex issues these offences present, including the impact of trauma on victims. We prosecute sexual offences cases at their height, where we have the evidence to do so and work to ensure that victims are kept informed at key points and treated with respect and empathy. A sense of compassion and understanding is fundamental to the work of the unit.

We refute the damaging suggestion that the PPS is unaccountable  our decisions are subject to multiple tiers of scrutiny, including by victims and the court. We also publish a Sexual Offences Statistical Bulletin annually and are transparent as to our performance in these cases with our stakeholders and the wider public.

Ms OKane explained that some sexual offences, excluding serious sexual assault and rape, can be heard in either the Magistrates Court or Crown Court, and it is for the PPS to determine which is the appropriate court to hear the case.

"When a case can be heard in either court tier, we carefully consider a variety of factors, including all the evidence and circumstances of the case and the defendants offending history, when deciding the most appropriate venue. Central to this decision is an assessment of whether the Magistrates Court has sufficient sentencing powers, she added.

Whether a case is heard in the Magistrates Court or the Crown Court, we understand that sometimes victims may be disappointed with the sentence handed down by the court. However, the PPS does not decide sentences - in every case, it is the trial Judge who decides the appropriate sentence.

Similarly, the PPS does not make legislation or sentencing guidance, and this is matter for the government and the judiciary respectively.

We recognise how difficult many victims of sexual offences find their experience of the criminal justice system, and we agree that more needs to be done across the system and in wider society to ensure every victim has confidence to report their experiences to police.

"The PPS continues to work with all our criminal justice partners including the PSNI on the implementation of the recommendations of the Gillen Review, which was commissioned by the Department of Justice to examine law and practice around serious sexual offences.

We encourage any victim of sexual offences to report their experiences to police. We want to reassure you that the PPS and police take these cases extremely seriously. You will be listened to and always treated sensitively.
Police have said they attended a Belfast fun fair earlier this evening due to large crowds but found no reports of injuries.

Several posts on social media on Saturday afternoon suggested multiple people may have been injured at Fundamania which is currently located in the Boucher Road area of the city.

However, a police spokesperson dispelled rumours of injuries and in a statement confirmed they attended in a crowd management capacity.

A PSNI spokesperson said: Police received a report of large crowds attending a fun fair in the Boucher Road area of south Belfast this evening, Saturday 7 October.

"Officers attended in a crowd management capacity and there were no reports of injuries. Event organisers closed the gates for a time as a health and safety measure to prevent from overcrowding.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service also confirmed there had been no injuries at the fun fair which is running until 15th October.
More than 1,000 Israelis and Palestinians dead as conflict continues

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel

Hundreds of people have been injured in the attacks, with at least 22 Israelis dead, according to Israeli officials.

Palestinians celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City (Fatima Shbair/AP)

Smoke rises from an explosion caused by an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

DUP MP Carla Lockhart has branded a tweet from Alliance leader Naomi Long pathetic and said the party is sitting on the fence amid ongoing violence in Israel after Hamas.

In a post on the website X, formerly Twitter, Ms Long called for justice for all instead of lighting up buildings in solidarity.

Instead of lighting up buildings in solidarity with either 'side' in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, maybe we should instead light a candle for peace in the darkness of war, and in memory of all those whose lives have been lost. My prayer is for peace and justice for all x, she posted.

The tweet was met with criticism from Ms Lockhart who claimed the Alliance Party was refusing to condemn Hamas, which launched a series of surprise attacks on the nation over the weekend.

"Pathetic from the Alliance party, the DUP MP wrote.

Not one word of condemnation for the terrorists of Hamas. Over 700 people dead in Israel and not a word of condemnation from the party.

Sitting on the fence for political expediency doesnt cut it, wrote Ms Lockhart.

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City (Fatima Shbair/AP)

Ms Longs post referred to several buildings across the world, including No 10 Downing Street, demonstrating support for Israel by projecting the flag or lighting up the building in the flags blue and white colours.

Ms Lockhart also reposted a tweet which showed the Brandenburg Gate with the Israeli flag projected onto it and asked why Belfast had not done the same.

When challenged in the replies to her tweet, including by former police officer Jon Burrows who claimed Ms Long was showing neutrality and therefore a dereliction of leadership duty, the Alliance leader hit back to disagree.

Jon, I didn't suggest 'neutrality'. I suggested that a ceasefire is the interests of all of the people - Israeli and Palestinian - though not necessarily what their respective governments will seek. Standing for peace in the face of violence isn't a neutral position, she responded.

Middle East conflict: What happened and what could follow

Many political figures in Northern Ireland have waded into the commentary over the violence which has so far killed over 1,000 Israelis and Palestinians.

Over the weekend, Sinn Fein was branded shameless over social media posts following the deadly attack by Hamas.

DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly hit out after the partys youth wing Tweeted a photo of a Palestinian flag, saying it was a disgrace.

The post was also criticised by UUP leader Doug Beattie, who also described a post from the partys South Down MP Chris Hazzard in support of Palestine as crass.

It came as the Assembly watchdog was urged to probe a disgusting pro-Palestinian Tweet from People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll.

In the most serious escalation in the decades-old conflict in a generation, Palestinian militants launched an unprecedented assault into Israeli territory, sending fighters across the border and firing thousands of rockets.

Israel retaliated with strikes in Gaza City, reducing buildings to rubble. Its premier Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel will take "mighty vengeance for this black day".

He warned people living in Gaza to leave as he vowed to turn parts of the territory "into rubble" in revenge.

Massive shooting of rockets amid unprecedented Hamas operation against Israel

A 20-year-old British man serving in the Israeli army is among the dead. Nathanel Young was serving with the Israeli Defence Services when he was killed on the Gaza border on Saturday.

His death comes after 26-year-old Jake Marlow, who went to the same London school at Mr Young, was reported missing while providing security at a music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, close to the Gaza border.

Dozens of Israelis have been taken hostage by Palestinian militants. The Israeli Embassy to the United States put the figure at 100 in a social media post.

There has been widespread condemnation, with US President Joe Biden saying support for Israel was rock solid and unwavering.

However, Sinn Feins youth wing, Ogra Sinn Fein, was criticised after Tweeting an image on Saturday evening of a Palestinian flag.

Ms Little-Pengelly said it was shameful by Sinn Fein.

She added: No matter the view on the region SF may have, the murder and torture, including of many, many civilians, is wrong and evil. To allow the official Sinn Fein youth organisation to post this of all days is a disgrace.

Mr Beattie said he was staggered by what he said was Sinn Feins support for Hamass actions.

He also described as unbelievably crass comments by Mr Hazzard on X, where he said: Palestinians must be free to live without oppression, apartheid & colonisation, adding Free Palestine.

Sinn Fein was contacted for comment on both posts. The party referred to an earlier statement from TD Matt Carthy

Mr Carthy said: The attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians and military targets, and the Israeli bombardment on Gaza, must stop immediately. These events have the potential to lead towards a new dangerous tipping point.

He added: A lasting and just peace between Palestinians and Israelis requires an end to the occupation and apartheid systems being imposed upon the Palestinian people.

Earlier, West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll sparked anger after Tweeting: Victory to the Palestinian Resistance, accompanied by two clenched fist emojis.

Mr Beattie has reported the post to the Assemblys Standards Commissioner.

UUP deputy leader Robbie Butler said Mr Carrolls comments were utterly disgusting and despicable.

Such acts, as with any act of terror, must be condemned in the strongest sense by all right-minded people. To act or comment on this horror with triumphalism is nothing short of abhorrent, he said.

Therefore, I was shocked and disgusted to see a People Before Profit MLA - Gerry Carroll - tweet 'victory to the Palestinian resistance' as these images were being broadcast on our screens.

Promoting violence and a terrorist attack in this manner is not acceptable and brings Stormont into disrepute.

"On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party MLA group, my party leader is reporting him and his comments to the Standards Commissioner.

Alliance MP Stephen Farry said the post was shameful.

Former First Minister Dame Arlene Foster said: Surely this is against the Assembly pledge against violence. Its absolutely disgraceful.

On Saturday evening, Tel Aviv and other central Israeli cities were hit by a new barrage of rockets.

President Biden reaffirmed the US's full support for Israel, saying its support is "rock solid and unwavering".

"This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks, to seek an advantage. The world is watching, he added.

Israels ambassador to the UK says the country is now in a necessity war with Hamas to protect our people.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast from Givat Shumel in Israel, Tzipi Hotovoley says Israelis woke up to a nightmare, and called Hamas a terrorist organisation that targets civilians and innocent children.

Read more US and European leaders condemn Hamas attack on Israel

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007 and the two have fought wars ever since.

Hamas caught Israel off-guard on Simchat Torah, a major holiday, with the strength, sophistication and timing of the attack shocking Israelis.

On Sunday an Israeli military official said "hundreds of terrorists" have been killed and dozens captured amid ongoing fighting with Hamas militants in Gaza and southern Israel.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari spoke to reporters more than 24 hours after the Palestinian militant group launched an unprecedented assault into Israel.

Israeli soldiers battled Hamas fighters in streets in the south of the country on Sunday and exchanged strikes with Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group in the north.

The prospect of Hezbollah joining the fighting a day after the attack from Gaza raised the chances of a broader conflict.

Hamas fighters, backed by a volley of thousands of rockets, broke through barricades around Gaza early on Saturday to rampage through nearby communities in Israel.

They took captives back into the coastal enclave, including women, children and the elderly, while Israel's retaliation strikes levelled buildings in Gaza.

Israeli media, citing rescue service officials, said at least 300 people were killed, including 26 soldiers.

More than 400 Palestinian militants have been killed in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip, and dozens more have been captured, according to IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari.

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen used explosives to break through the border fence enclosing Gaza, then crossed with motorcycles, pick-up trucks, paragliders and speed boats on the coast.

They rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles from the Gaza border, while Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israeli cities.

On Sunday, the Israeli military said its forces were fighting Hamas incursions in eight places.

An Israeli military spokesperson said two hostage situations had been "resolved" but did not say whether all the hostages had been rescued alive.

In a televised address on Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military will use all of its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities.

"All the places that Hamas hides in, operates from, we will turn them into ruins," he added.
A DUP MP has said decisions over the partys strategy on the Windsor Framework havent even cleared the first hurdle and will only be taken after a response from the Government.

Sammy Wilson said nothing has changed following the DUP executive meeting in Lurgan on Thursday night.

The party, however, will not be making public what was discussed at the 130-strong gathering, insisting it was an internal meeting and what was said will remain internal.

Nothing has changed, the East Antrim MP told the Belfast Telegraph.

No decisions have been taken. We havent even cleared the first hurdle yet, as there has been no response from Westminster.

This meeting has been blown out of all proportions.

The party meets every two or three months in this way. It gives a chance for all members  MPs, MLAs, right down to the grassroots  to talk, gauge opinions.

This was not called for any other reason, and some have decided to make a lot more of it than what it was intended to be. It was scheduled, but happened to coincide with other issues that have been going on. Nothing more than that.

To be honest, we are surprised such a big deal has been made of it. But some will always try to read more into it than there is.

The DUP pulled First Minister Paul Givan from the Executive in February 2022 in protest at the internal UK trade barriers created by the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Power-sharing has not functioned for 20 months.

The UK and EU agreed the Windsor Framework earlier this year in an attempt to address unionist concerns about the protocol, but the DUP wants further assurances over NIs place in the UK internal market from Westminster.

One of the main parts of the framework  the green/red lane system for the movement of goods  became operational at NI ports on Sunday.

Mr Wilson said that once correspondence from Westminster on potential changes to the Windsor Framework are received, the party executive will meet again to reach a decision.

That will happen when other things happen, he added.

Party officers will consider what is on the table when that is received and they will present their decision to the party executive and [onward] for ratification by the party as a whole.

Were not at that stage yet, despite some trying to make more of a regular party meeting than there ever was.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson outside Brownlow House following a meeting of the DUP's ruling executive in Lurgan on Thursday. Pic: PA

On Thursday night, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was adamant there is absolutely no dissent within the party, insisting there was a strong, united approach.

In terms of taking soundings, I talk to my party all the time, he said.

I hold town hall meetings with people. I listen to what people have to say and our concerns.

Indeed, many of those who have concerns are at the heart of the proposals we have put to the Government.

Were waiting for the Government to come back now with the latest set of proposals.

Well keep working at this. It would be great to see an outcome that works for Northern Ireland.

We know that the Government is in a position to respond to our latest proposals. We expect that that may come in the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been briefing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on discussions held between his government and the DUP.

Mr Sunak met Mr Varadkar during the European Political Community summit in Granada, where the Irish premier expressed concerns about the democratic deficit caused by the continued absence of an Executive.

But he claimed that there is now a window of opportunity to restore powersharing at Stormont.

Mr Varadkar said it was a good conversation.

The indication I was given was that things were slowly moving in the right direction, he explained.

But, of course, the difficulty that we all understand at this stage is theyve been slowly moving in the right direction for some time but dont seem to have got to a conclusion yet. But hopefully well get there.

Perhaps this is another window of opportunity to come to an agreement between the UK Government and the DUP.

Hopefully thats the case, but that remains to be seen over the next days.

The UK Government said the lines of communication between the UK and Ireland will remain open.

The Prime Minister set out the steps the UK is taking to ensure a return to powersharing and the two agreed to stay in close contact in the coming weeks, Downing Street said.
An award-winning entrepreneur who attended the One Young World Summit in Belfast has gone viral on social media after sharing her childhood nostalgia when she posted about a Tipperary water bottle.

Sara Wahedi (28) currently lives in Canada, coming to the country originally as a refugee from Afghanistan with her mother and brother when she was aged six.

As her mother worked three jobs, Sara and her brother were looked after by a Norwegian-Canadian woman called Marit and her husband Merrill, who was from Ireland.

Saras post told of her memories being triggered when she picked up Tipperary bottled water on a train to Dublin and how the tune of a song from her childhood came back to her.

The Tipperary water bottle

She told the Belfast Telegraph it was routine practice for Merrill to sit on the porch of his suburban house, stare out to the trees with a pipe in his mouth and sing the wartime song Its A Long Way To Tipperary.

When Sara picked up the bottled water on Thursday, while travelling from Belfast to Dublin, she said she was hit by a strong sense of nostalgia and that the sound of Merrill singing came back to her.

Almost immediately, I began humming a tune. I searched Tipperary song on Google and learned that it was an old wartime song, she said.

I remembered Merrill and how he would hum the song and raise his arms like a conductors baton and usher my brother and I to join in.

When we were walking around Belfast earlier this week, my brother smiled solemnly to himself, she added.

I asked him what he was thinking about and he said: Wouldnt it have been amazing if Merrill was with us right now?

While in the city, Sara won the One Young World Entrepreneur of the Year award for creating digital app Ehtesab.

Her app works essentially as a 999 system to provide emergency information to Kabul residents in Afghanistan and has become a vital lifeline to women and girls since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021, providing them with reliable information about the danger around them.

Sara is the first Afghan woman to receive the award.

While in Belfast, she told the Belfast Telegraph there was something familial about being here, putting it down to the city reminding her of her father figure Merrill, who passed away about five years ago.

It was a real full-circle moment when I picked up the water bottle and the song started playing in my head and all these memories came back, she said.

I would have loved to have called him up and told him how much I loved it here.

I hadnt seen Merrill for nearly 15 years, Id say, but those memories of him humming that song really stuck with me, and when I saw the bottle it was almost like an out-of-body moment.

To be here in Ireland for my trip for work is so unbelievable  but sad at the same time because I wish he was still here. But I see his kindness everywhere.

Sara Wahedi in the Linenhall Library in Belfast

Sara said that she has found the people of Northern Ireland extremely kind.

I must have chatted to someone I just met outside Belfast City Hall for a good half an hour the other day, talking about work and Afghanistan, she said.

It is clear that the people here, and the community in Belfast, seem really aware of whats going on in the world. And there is that ability to provide unconditional support to people in need. Its very kind and pure.

There is a real Irish solidarity with the Afghan people, and refugees in general. I have never experienced solidarity like this.

Although this has been her first time in Ireland, Sara said she will 100% be back.

I go to Columbia university and I am kicking myself that I didnt sign up for a semester [at] Trinity College Dublin, but I think I might go back and ask.

My eyes are definitely set on the UK. I will definitely be back. I might even do a road trip to Tipperary.

After tweeting an image of her Tipperary water bottle along with the back story about Merrill, Sara received an invitation to the Tipperary Peace Convention by the honorary secretary.

If I hadnt already booked my flight home, I definitely would have gone. Next time... she said.

In just 24 hours, Saras tweet was liked more than 43,000 times and shared by over 4,000 people.

Sara and her brother have both praised the warm nature of the people of Ireland north and south during their time here.

It is definitely where Merrill got it from, she said.

And I would say that is the reason my brother and I turned out to be such good kids. He was our father figure growing up. And the kindness we had growing up... we came here and realised where it came from.
Rishi Sunak has said the UK Government stands in full solidarity with Israel against a cowardly and depraved attack after more than 200 people were killed during an incursion by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip.

Britain will co-ordinate support for the Middle Eastern country with international partners over the next 24 hours as it reels from a surprise onslaught by Hamas on Saturday, the Prime Minister said.

Israels premier Benjamin Netanyahu said we are at war following the attack, and that the group would pay a price that it hasnt known until now as he called up reservists.

Mr Sunak wrote on social media: As the barbarity of todays atrocities becomes clearer, we stand unequivocally with Israel. This attack by Hamas is cowardly and depraved.

We have expressed our full solidarity to @netanyahu and will work with international partners in the next 24 hours to co-ordinate support.

At least 250 people have been killed and 1,500 have been wounded in the violence, according to the countrys national rescue service  making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

And at least 232 people have been killed and 1,700 wounded in Gaza in Israeli retaliation, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Hamas caught Israel off-guard on Simchat Torah, a major holiday, with a show of force including the deployment of dozens of soldiers to the countrys heavily fortified border on Saturday.

The attack revived memories of the 1973 war almost 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

Videos released by Hamas suggested at least three Israelis had been captured alive.

And footage has been posted on social media of fighters from the group parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets.

People look at the damage from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip into Tel Aviv (Moti Milrod/AP)

US President Joe Biden said he spoke to Mr Netanyahu about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel.

He said: The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

Jill and I are keeping in our prayers all of the families who have been hurt by this violence. We are heartbroken by the lives that have been tragically cut short and hope for a swift recovery for all those who have been wounded.

My team and I are tracking this situation closely, and I will remain in close touch with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote on social media: Hamas are not fighters.

Hamas are not militants.

Hamas are terrorists.

There is no other word to describe the brutality of firing rockets or terrorist attacks targeting civilians.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

Israel has a right to defend herself.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamic militant group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007, and the two have fought wars ever since.

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City (Fatima Shbair/AP)

In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu made his first remarks since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak on Saturday.

We are at war, Mr Netanyahu said.

Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas, describing the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing.

The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.
China ensures safe return trips from 8-day holiday

Xinhua) 10:44, October 07, 2023

BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese railways, power grids and airports are working to guarantee safe return trips as the eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday will end on Friday.

The country recorded more than 17 million railway trips on Wednesday and expects to see 17.95 million trips on Thursday, according to data from China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway).

The company plans to put 12,351 trains in operation to cater to the travel demand.

Local subsidiaries of China Railway and some airports are improving passenger services, while the Guiyang bureau of China Southern Power Grid has emergency maintenance teams on call 24/7 to ensure the safe functioning of power facilities.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Smoke rises after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house in Ashkelon, southern Israel (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

The US and European leaders have voiced solidarity with Israel as they condemned the Hamas attack on the country.

US President Joe Biden on Saturday decried the appalling assault by Hamas militants and his administration pledged to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself after the surprise attack that drew worldwide condemnation and anger from Israels allies.

Mr Biden made clear in a call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support, according to the White House.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken went to the White House for meetings and was phoning foreign counterparts, while defence secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Israels defence minister.

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, Mr Biden said in a statement that also warned any other party hostile to Israel against seeking advantage in this situation.

Washingtons support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering, the president said.

His Pentagon chief said the US was committed to helping Israel to protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism and with its defence needs.

The head of the European Unions executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the attack is terrorism in its most despicable form.

She said that Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the militants rocket fire and the escalating violence shock us deeply.

He added that Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote that he firmly condemns the terrorist attacks against Israel and expressed my full solidarity with the victims, their families and their loved ones.

Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Italys government condemns the attacks on Israel with utmost firmness.

At risk are the life of people, the security of the region and the resumption of any kind of political process, Mr Tajani said in a social media post.

Ukraines foreign ministry voiced its support for Israels right to defend itself and its people in a post on social media.

The ministry said it strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Ukraine has been fighting a war against Russia since its neighbour invaded in February 2022.

The White House said that it unequivocally condemns the Hamas attacks.

We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the National Security Council.

The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism.

Meanwhile, Lebanons Hezbollah congratulated Hamas for the operation, saying it had divine backing.

The group said the attack is a response to Israels crimes and attacks on holy places and that the will of the Palestinian people and the rifle of the resistance is the only alternative to face occupation.

Hezbollah said that its military command in Lebanon is following the developments on the ground and is in direct contact with the Palestinian command and they are both evaluating the situation and the ongoing operation.
Music and Gigs

Matt Willis on addiction: I went to rehab three times for other people
But Conrad McQuaid, who owns Thomas Street Leisure Ltd in Dungannon, did not want to talk about it or his links to the leading dissident when visited by Sunday Life.
Who would send their kids out to a monster like that? But we did: Parents of Coleraine abuse victim speak out
This is the Co Antrim man who has denied sexually assaulting three different women.

Jordan Leonard Charnley did not appear at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Monday, but his solicitor confirmed the 32-year-old was entering not-guilty pleas to the charges against him.

Charnley, freed on bail to an address at Thornhill Drive in Ballyclare, faces seven charges of sexual assault, allegedly committed against three victims, on dates between April 20 and May 6 this year.

District Judge Peter King adjourned the case to October 16 to fix a date for the contest.
A rapist sentenced to 12 years in jail after abusing his stepdaughters has been handed two months in prison for breaking the conditions of his release by drinking alcohol.

Judge Geoffrey Miller KC said Wayne Jenkins had breached the spirit and terms of his licence several times.

He told the 50-year-old, who appeared at Downpatrick Crown Court via video-link from jail: You know what the terms are, you know what they mean and you know why you are prohibited from drinking.

He added while he could have revoked his licence, which would have kept him in jail until 2027, he was instead suspending it for two months.

Jenkins, originally from Portavogie but now living in Hereford, was arrested by English police last week and brought back to Northern Ireland.

He appeared in court on Friday, charged with six counts of breaking licence conditions.

According to the prosecution, he associated with children on at least 12 occasions since July 7 and consumed alcohol in a village pub.

Judge Miller was told that since been freed in June 2021, Jenkins had breached his licence and Sexual Offences Prevention Order multiple times.

He was previously spotted in park in Belfast and once entered into a relationship with a woman in violation of his release terms.

After moving to Hereford, members of the public contacted the police to say they were worried about him visiting a village pub.

A defence barrister said after being arrested and shipped back to a cell in Maghaberry, Jenkins knew he could not break his release terms again.

He knows that if theres any further breaches or lack of compliance, he is staring down the barrel of serving out the rest of his licence, the lawyer added.

Suspending Jenkins release for two months, Judge Miller said: Anything less than total compliance will result in draconian measures being taken.

In 2015 Jenkins was handed a 14-year sentence, reduced to 12 on appeal, for the rape and sexual abuse of his two stepdaughters, who waived their right to anonymity so he could be named and shamed.
These are two of three men charged with illegal hare coursing in rural Co Antrim.

At Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday, the trio of alleged dog hunters denied each of the three offences against them, all alleged to have been committed on January 22 this year.

They are Darren Prenter (27) from Velsheda Court, Patrick McGourty (28) from Cranbrook Court and Patrick Robert Shannon (51) from Annesley Street, all in Belfast.

They are jointly charged with three offences, including aggravated trespass in Glenwherry Moor, where they are said to have disrupted habitat management by engaging in hare coursing and participating in a hare coursing event.

Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with greyhounds and other sighthounds.

A motion to outlaw the use of greyhounds to chase and kill hares was passed by a narrow majority of 23 to 18 after a seven-hour debate at Stormont in June 2010.

In court on Thursday, defence counsel Grant Powles told District Judge Nigel Broderick the defendants were denying the offences against them, so the case was adjourned to October 19 to fix a date for the contest.
Pinata by Leopoldo Gout

Tremblays Head Full of Ghosts meets Mexican Gothic in Pinata, a terrifying tale of possession. Carmen Sanchez and her two daughters leave New York for Mexico so she can supervise the renovation of an ancient abbey. An accident at the worksite unearths rare, ancient artifacts, and the renovation is canceled. Carmen and her girls have to go back to New York, but something malevolent and unexplainable follows them home.

They were worshiped by our ancestors. Now they are forgotten.

Soon, theyll make us remember.
Three bears that snuck into a tatami mat factory in northern Japan and holed up inside for nearly a day have been captured, town officials say.

A patrolling town official spotted the bears, believed to be a parent and two cubs, as they walked into a tatami factory on Wednesday morning in Misato, a town in northern Akita prefecture, where there has been a growing number of reported bear attacks in or near residential areas.

An owner of the tatami factory said he saw the bears walking outside, but never thought they would come inside.

Town officials and police officers rushed to the site, each wearing a helmet and carrying a shield, and kept watch. Local hunters used fire crackers to try to scare the intruders out, without success. They later set up a pair of cages at the entrance of the tatami factory and waited overnight. ...continue reading
Former Goldman Sachs executive Roger Ng (center) leaves Brooklyn Federal court in New York, accompanied by defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, May 6, 2019.

UPDATED at 7:15 a.m. EDT on 2023-10-07

An ex-Goldman Sachs banker convicted in the U.S. for his role in the theft of billions of dollars from the Malaysian 1MDB fund was traveling back to Malaysia, his lawyer said late Friday, after a federal court ordered his clients extradition to face trial there.

The federal court in New York City determined that Ng Chong Hwa (commonly referred to as Roger Ng) would be brought back to the United States after the Malaysian trial to serve 10 years in prison.

Roger is en route to Malaysia. I will continue to engage the authorities there once he settles in, Marc Agnifilo, Ngs New York attorney, confirmed to BenarNews on Friday evening.

Ng was convicted in April 2022 for taking part in a scheme to steal billions of U.S. dollars from 1MDB, a beleaguered state development fund at the heart of a scandal that brought about the downfall of former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Last March, Ng, a Malaysian national, was sentenced in New York on two counts of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering

Under an extradition treaty between the U.S. and Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur had handed Ng over to American authorities temporarily to stand trial at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.

[T]he defendant shall be remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service  on October 6, 2023, at a time to be determined by the USMS, to effectuate his return to Malaysia, U.S. Margo K. Brodie, chief judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, ruled on Thursday, according to a copy of her order.

On Friday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals declined comment, saying the agency has a policy of not commenting on a prisoners transfer.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian envoy to Washington confirmed that Ng was to be returned to his country.

Ambassador Nazri Aziz, who was appointed to the post in February, said Malaysian officials expected Ng to be extradited as soon as possible.

He said he could not release travel information for security concerns.

If the U.S. did not trust in the government, they would not be sending back prisoners to the country of origin, he said. It shows the U.S. trusts the present government.

Back in Malaysia, Tan Hock Chuan, a lawyer representing Ng, Tan Hock Chuan, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Malaysian Attorney Generals Chamber declined comment.

In April, a Brooklyn jury found Ng  who had been extradited from Malaysia in 2018 to stand trial  guilty of all charges against him following a trial which saw his former boss and co-conspirator Timothy Leissner testify against him.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleged that Ng, joined by Leissner, fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low (whose real name is Low Taek Jho), and others conspired to steal more than $2.7 billion (11.3 billion ringgit) from 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

While on the witness stand for several days, Leissner testified that he, along with Ng and Low, had used off-shore accounts and shell companies to disguise the flow of funds, according to news service reports.

If we told any bank the truth, it wouldnt work.  The house of cards would have fallen down, he testified.

In addition, the DOJ charged Ng with conspiring to violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by paying bribes to government officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi, and conspiring to circumvent Goldman Sachs accounting controls.

A woman walks past the construction site of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) flagship Tun Razak Exchange in Kuala Lumpur, July 3, 2015. [AFP]

The 1MDB scandal, in which at least $4.5 billion was looted from the fund established by Najib in 2009 to spur development in his country, led to the ouster of his government in an historic election in 2018. In July 2020, the ex-prime minister was convicted of massive corruption in connection with the scandal and was sent to prison in August 2022.

In March, a Malaysian Federal Court panel denied Najibs final effort to be freed from prison over his 12-year sentence following his conviction on charges linked to 1MDB affiliate SRC International. The former prime minister who lost power when his ruling coalition fell in the 2018 general election faces additional trials linked to 1MDB.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Attorney General Idrus Harun said his office had rejected an attempt by Jho Low to settle the 1MDB criminal case against him. The subject of an international manhunt  Interpol has filed a red notice against him  faces charges in the U.S. as well.

The AGC [Attorney Generals Chambers] confirms that Jho Low, through his representatives, has made attempts to engage with the Government of Malaysia for a settlement this year, the attorney general said in the statement at the time. All offers for a settlement from Jho Lows representatives were rejected by the AGC.

Idrus did not comment on reports that Jho Low had offered 1.5 billion ringgits ($318 million) to settle the charges against him.

Nazmul Ahasan in Washington and Minderjeet Kaur and Iman Muttaqin Yusof in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.

This report has been updated with information to confirm that Roger Ng was returning to Malaysia.
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Differing infant mortality rates in Japan and the US are not connected to vaccine policies
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Artificial intelligence allows scammers to search the internet in a matter of minutes and collect a huge amount of information, including social media posts, photographs, voice sound tracks, and videos from places such as YouTube and TikTok.
Michael J. Arnold, right, appeared in Bennington (Vt.) Superior Criminal Court on Thursday represented by attorney Thomas W. Costello, of Brattleboro, Vt., left. Arnold is accusing of using a private airplane to stalk a former acquaintance.
Fred Rutberg is the publisher of The Berkshire Eagle. He can be reached at frutberg@berkshireeagle.com.
The Tanaiste has condemned attacks from Hamas militants on Israel and called for all hostilities to stop.

Micheal Martin was reacting after the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, resulting in at least 22 casualties, according to Israeli authorities.

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Mr Martin, who is also the Minister for Foreign Affairs, expressed his sympathies over the lives that had been lost.

I strongly condemn the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and attacks against Israel from Gaza. I deeply regret the loss of life and the impact on civilians. I call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities.  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) October 7, 2023

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I strongly condemn the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and attacks against Israel from Gaza, Mr Martin said.

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I deeply regret the loss of life and the impact on civilians. I call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities.

The Tanaiste travelled to the region last month on a three-day diplomatic trip where he met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and president Isaac Herzog.

He also travelled to the occupied Palestinian territory where he met with president Mahmoud Abbas.

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'War'

Earlier on Saturday, Israel said Hamas had declared war as its army confirmed fighting with militants in several Israeli towns and military bases near Gaza and Mr Netanyahu vowed to retaliate.

"Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known," he said. "We are in a war and we will win it."

At least 22 Israelis were killed in the attack so far, Israel's ambulance service said. Around 545 Israelis had been wounded, the health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it had responded with air strikes into Gaza, where witnesses reported hearing heavy explosions and multiple dead being carried into hospitals.

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Palestinians transport a reportedly captured Israeli person in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: AFP via Getty

The attack marked an unprecedented infiltration into Israel by an unknown number of Hamas gunmen crossing from the Gaza Strip, and the heaviest blow for Israel in the conflict with Palestinians since the suicide bombings of the Second Intifada some two decades ago.

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The militant Islamic Jihad group said it had joined the attacks and was holding several Israeli soldiers captive and Hamas social media accounts showed footage of what were said to be Israeli captives being taken alive into Gaza.

The Israeli military has declined to comment on the reports but has not denied them either, saying it would address the reports later.

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Israeli broadcaster Reshet 13 TV News said militants were holding Israelis hostage in the town of Ofakim, and that five Palestinian militants had been killed in the town of Sderot and homes had been set on fire.

Israeli media reported gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel. Israel's police chief said there were "21 active scenes" in southern Israel.

In Gaza, people rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of conflict ahead. Some evacuated their homes and headed for shelters.

Palestinian men stand in an enclave seized from the Israeli occupation near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Photo: Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty

Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," he said, adding that 5,000 rockets had been launched.

In Gaza, the roar of rocket launches could be heard and residents reported armed clashes along the separation fence with Israel, near the southern town of Khan Younis, and said they had seen significant movement of armed fighters.

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Palestinians in Gaza were bracing for Israel's response.

"We are afraid," Palestinian woman, Amal Abu Daqqa, told Reuters as she left her house in Khan Younis.

Others in Gaza expressed disbelief at the infiltration into Israel. "It is like a dream. I still can't believe it," said one Gaza shopkeeper.

The attack came a day after Israel marked the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war that brought the country to the verge of catastrophic defeat in a surprise attack by Syria and Egypt.  Additional reporting: Reuters
While Ireland has no shortage of homegrown superstars  like Cillian Murphy and the late, great Sinead OConnor  there are famous faces all over the world with Irish heritage.

So, which Hollywood stars have Irish links you may not know about?

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Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise has centuries-old Irish roots (Ian West/PA)

The 61-year-old actor, born in New York and best known for his roles in Top Gun and the Mission Impossible series, is actually called Tom Cruise Mapother IV  and has Irish heritage dating back centuries. In fact, the star himself only discovered the extent of these roots during a visit to Ireland in 2013, when genealogists Fiona Fitzsimons and Helen Moss researched the origins of his name.

Mapother has English roots but the Cruise family name can be traced back to 12th century Ireland. Historically, a Cruise was a knight of the infamous Strongbow, according to the Irish Family History Centre. The Cruises were granted land in north Dublin, and so their legacy began.

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Emily Ratajkowski

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Emily Ratajkowski spends her summers in Cork (Jennifer Graylock/PA)

Model and author Emily Ratajkowskis full name is Emily OHara Ratajkowski  and she has a big connection to Ireland.

Born in London and mostly raised in California, the 32-year-old used to spend summers in Ireland and has previously talked about having Irish heritage on both sides of her family. Plus, her artist father has now lived in Cork for over 20 years, where she still regularly visits.



I absolutely love Ireland. Its one of the most beautiful places on earth and I have strong ties here, Ratajkowski said in an interview in 2013. I love the pubs  the fact that you can find all ages there. Its so easy-going, an old man could be dancing with a young girl having a bit of fun and no one bats an eyelid.

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Meryl Streep

Meryl Streeps heritage goes back to Donegal (Matt Crossick/PA)

The Mamma Mia! and The Devil Wears Prada star also has roots in Ireland. The 74-year-olds maternal great-great-grandparents, Manus McFadden and Grace Strain, were from the Horn Head district of Dunfanaghy in Donegal.

Streep visited Donegal in 1998 for a screening of the movie version of Brian Friels play, Dancing At Lughnasa. She later told RTE Radios Ryan Tubridy Show in 2018: I had a wonderful time, an especially wonderful moment up in Donegal, where we were in a town and the kids got up at a school and they danced for us and we had a little Guinness as well on the way in. It was sort of one of the most magical afternoons of my life and unforgettable.

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Christina Aguilera

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Christina Aguileras mother has Irish roots (Doug Peters/PA)

Singing superstar Christina Aguilera (42) was born in Staten Island, New York. Her fathers Ecuadorian, while her mother, Shelly Kearns, has Irish roots.

Aguileras parents separated when she was young, and she was mostly raised by her mother. In 2018, the star posted a picture of herself in Dublin on Instagram, with the caption: Proud of my Irish roots.

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Ryan Reynolds

Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds is a proud Irish-Canadian (Martin Rickett/PA)

Deadpool star, Hollywood heart-throb and Wrexham FC co-owner Ryan Reynolds may have been born and raised in Canada, but he has a surprising Irish link.

During an interview in 2011, the 46-year-old talked about visiting Ireland with his brother. Yes. Ive been to Dublin and Galway. My brother and I just toured around there for a while. We have relatives there, whom we completely avoided, he joked. The actor was also raised in a Catholic household.
Julia Bradbury has said Ireland has cemented its place in my heart after exploring the island for her new travel programme.

The four-part series, titled Julia Bradbury Irish Journey, sees the presenter return to the isle where she was born to witness the landscape, culture and history on offer.

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Each episode sees Bradbury explore a different region and various cities including Cork, Dublin and Derry.

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Reflecting on making the show, she said: I was born in Dublin so its been wonderful to explore the island of Ireland and learn more about the place of my birth.

There is such a huge variety of things to do and explore. If historic sites like the Rock of Cashel are your thing, the history runs deep across the destination and theres an embarrassment of riches to visit.

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I tried my hand at sea kayaking in west Cork and surfing in Donegal, and walked across a fair few stunning landscapes including treading some of the Dublin Coastal Trail and the dramatic limestone pavement of The Burren.

From savouring the local foods to taking in vibrant cities like Derry-Londonderry, and celebrating the renowned music and arts scene, Ireland has cemented its place in my heart. Its been a real gift to film this series.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Julia Bradbury (@juliabradbury) Advertisement

In the first episode, the TV presenter will take a trip through the south of country from Tipperary to west Cork, trying her hand at kayaking and seaweed foraging along the way.

Next up she will take on the Wild Atlantic Way, going from the rocky Burren to the hills of Connemara.

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The third instalment will see her explore Dublin.

During her time there she will visit Croke Park and experience traditional Irish music and learn about why it is regarded as a great literary city.

The final episode will see Bradbury travel through the North and the northwest corner of the Republic, experiencing everything from sailing to surfing to a seaweed bath.

The series will launch on Channel 4 on Saturday, October 7th, at 8.35pm
Getting a bit out of breath during a strenuous workout or sprinting for a bus is usually completely normal.

But if youre breathless for no apparent reason, or getting far more puffed out than usual, you might be wondering whether something is wrong.

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Here, experts to talk through some common causes.

Asthma

Getting breathless when you go out in cold air, exercise, or youre around animal fur? These can all be triggers for asthma  a common condition caused by inflammation of the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.

Symptoms of asthma include wheezing, feeling short of breath, tightness of the chest and also a dry cough, particularly at night, says Caoimhe McAuley, MPSI, director of pharmacy and superintendent pharmacist at Boots Ireland. If experiencing these symptoms, it is best to see your GP to confirm a diagnosis of asthma, and to begin to manage it with medication [usually involving inhalers].

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Asthma Society of Ireland (@asthmasocietyofireland)

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Pharmacists can also provide asthma education and help people with their inhaler technique. Its also important to be aware of asthma attack risk, adds McAuley.

For people who already have a diagnosis but feel their symptoms are getting worse, its important to see your doctor again. This is because your asthma may now be uncontrolled due to different factors, such as not using your medication correctly. If asthma which is worsening is left unmanaged, there is a risk of having an asthma attack, she explains.

Emergency warning signs of an asthma attack include severe breathlessness, worsening of symptoms that do not respond to the use of the blue reliever inhaler, and pale/blue lips and fingertips. If this happens, seek help immediately.

Infections

If youve also been feeling generally unwell with flu-type symptoms, breathlessness could be due to an infection.

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McAuley says: There are many different types of respiratory infections, such as the common cold, chest infections, bronchitis and pneumonia. Breathlessness can be a symptom along with sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, fever, muscle pain, and a cough which may bring up phlegm.

Most respiratory infections pass within a week or two by resting, staying hydrated and using painkillers to relieve symptoms, she adds. You should contact you doctor if your symptoms get worse, if you cough up blood/notice blood in your phlegm, if youre pregnant or over 65, and if you have a health condition that weakens your immune system like HIV or take medications which weaken your immune system, like corticosteroids.

Underlying cardiovascular problems

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Breathlessness could be linked to underlying cardiovascular issues  affecting the heart and blood vessels  in a range of ways.

People with angina, caused by the narrowing of the arteries to the heart, and thus a lack of oxygen to the heart, can experience chest pain and breathlessness, says Dr Angie Brown, consultant cardiologist and medical director at the Irish Heart Foundation.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Irish Heart Foundation (@irish_heart_foundation)



Severe valve disease either narrowing, causing valve stenosis, or a significant leaky/regurgitant valve, can also put pressure on the heart, causing breathlessness, Brown adds. Abnormal heart rhythms such as atrial fibrillation (AF) can lead to breathlessness in some people  particularly if the heart rate is fast, this is sometimes accompanied by palpitations.

Heart attack

A heart attack is more likely to cause sudden breathlessness, that may be accompanied by chest pain, and sometimes other symptoms such as throat or left arm pain, sweating and nausea can occur, says Brown. If you think you are having a heart attack, the advice is to call 112 or 999 as this is an emergency and you need to seek urgent medical attention.

Remember, while heart attacks are often sudden and severe, symptoms can sometimes be more mild too  especially in women. If in doubt, always seek urgent help, just in case.

Lung cancer

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Most people experiencing breathlessness will not have cancer  but its important to be aware of the warning signs. Lung cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Ireland, according to the Irish Cancer Society, mostly affecting people aged over 50, although it can impact younger adults too.

Breathlessness may be accompanied by wheezing, chest pain, frequent chest infections and a chronic cough. People may also feel tired for no reason, experience unexplained weight loss and notice theyre coughing up blood-stained phlegm. These symptoms dont necessarily mean you have cancer, but its always best to get things checked quickly.

Anaemia



Low iron can cause increased breathlessness (Alamy/PA)

Getting more out of breath than usual  and exhausted all the time? It could be worth getting your iron levels checked.

While lung conditions like asthma can lead to shortness of breath, especially during exercise, having low blood iron can be another contributing factor. This is known as anaemia, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, says McAuley. Symptoms include tiredness, shortness of breath or chest pain. You may also experience fatigue, dizziness or light-headedness, cold hands and feet, pale skin.

The most common reason anaemia occurs is due to an iron deficiency in the body, but it can also be due to a vitamin deficiency, heavy menstrual periods, pregnancy, or chronic conditions, she adds. See your doctor if you experience tiredness, weakness and breathlessness and dont know why this is happening.

Always speak to your own doctor if you are concerned about your health.
A cyber terrorist who was jailed after hiding his support for the so-called Islamic State on a James Bond-style cufflink has been refused parole.

Samata Ullah, then 34, created a one-stop shop for terrorists from his bedroom in Cardiff, Wales, offering a range of guidance on how to stay one step ahead of police and security services.

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At the time of his arrest in the city on September 22nd, 2016, he had USB cufflinks with a Linux operating system loaded on it and a hoard of extremist data including 15 copies of the IS propaganda magazine Dabiq.

The court heard he had advised others not to store incriminating information on computers and recommended using USB sticks to keep it away from the prying eyes of authorities.

Samata Ullah used USB cufflinks to conceal his support for the so-called Islamic State (Metropolitan Police/PA)

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Ullah was jailed at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales in 2017 after he admitted to five terror offences, including membership of IS, also known as Daesh, as well as training and preparation of terrorist acts.

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He was handed a sentence of eight years in jail with a further five years on extended licence.

Ullah was refused release by a panel of the UK's Parole Board in September 2022 after a hearing.

A spokesperson for the board said: Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

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A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

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Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead-up to an oral hearing.

Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing.

It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing, which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.

Under current legislation, he will be eligible for a further review in due course. The date of the next review will be set by the Ministry of Justice.

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Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Polices counter-terrorism command SO15, said at the time: It is the first time we have seen anything on this scale.

He had set up a self-help library for terrorists around the world and they were using his library.

The prosecution said Samata Ullah represented a new and dangerous breed of terrorist (Metropolitan Police/PA)

There was guidance on encryption, ways to avoid detection from police and security services, expert tuition around missile systems and a vast amount of propaganda.

He was self-taught. He has accessed it online himself and compiled a lot of material and put it into his own library. He has created a one-stop shop for terrorists.

In my view, he was a very dangerous individual although he was operating from his bedroom.

We know Daesh were using that material to both seek guidance and instruction.

Brian Altman QC told the court: The prosecution says this defendant represents a new and dangerous breed of terrorist, a cyber terrorist.

British counter-terrorism police had tracked him down after being passed intelligence by the FBI, who had been handed the information from authorities in Kenya, who had arrested another man.

Ullah, who had been diagnosed with autism, was in regular contact with the man via encrypted Telegram chats in which he vowed to use his special skills to help in the IS campaign.

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Samata Ullah modified his voice and wore gloves in videos to avoid detection (Metropolitan Police/PA)

He told him he would take whatever advice and knowledge I have and contribute it to the Caliphate, the court heard.

From December 2015, he provided instructional videos on how to secure sensitive data and remain anonymous online with the use of the Tor programme and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption.

In the videos, his voice was modified to avoid detection and he wore woolly gloves to disguise his skin tone, Mr Altman said.

He developed a website on computer hacking and kept numerous extremist documents and videos on electronic devices at his Cardiff home.

In all, officers seized 150 devices and trawled through eight terabytes of data, the equivalent of 2.2 million copies of the ebook of War And Peace.

Ullah had 150 devices seized by police containing eight terabytes of data (Metropolitan Police/PA)

They also found Ullah had hijacked 30 dormant Twitter handles and had 50 email addresses and nine phone numbers.

Ullah admitted researching ZeroNet and developing a version of his blog website using the decentralised internet-like peer-to-peer network.

He also pleaded guilty to having a book entitled Guided Missiles Fundamentals AFM 52-31 and an electronic PDF version of Advances In Missile Guidance, Control And Estimation for terrorist purposes.

The court heard how Ullah lived alone, just around the corner from his mother and sister in Cardiff.

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In August 2016, he got a job in the Legal and General pensions department in Cardiff but left before his training was complete on September 12 after being warned about his performance.

Mr Altman told the court that the Crown disputed the suggestion that his activities were part of a fantasy life.
The US and European leaders have voiced solidarity with Israel as they condemned the Hamas attack on the country.

US President Joe Biden on Saturday decried the appalling assault by Hamas militants and his administration pledged to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself after the surprise attack that drew worldwide condemnation and anger from Israels allies.

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Mr Biden made clear in a call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support, according to the White House.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken went to the White House for meetings and was phoning foreign counterparts, while defence secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Israels defence minister.





Today, I spoke with @IsraeliPM about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israels security. @FLOTUS and I express our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement  President Biden (@POTUS) October 7, 2023

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, Mr Biden said in a statement that also warned any other party hostile to Israel against seeking advantage in this situation.

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Washingtons support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering, the president said.

His Pentagon chief said the US was committed to helping Israel to protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism and with its defence needs.

The head of the European Unions executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the attack is terrorism in its most despicable form.

She said that Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.

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Terrifying news reach us today from #Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel.  Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) October 7, 2023

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the militants rocket fire and the escalating violence shock us deeply.

He added that Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote that he firmly condemns the terrorist attacks against Israel and expressed my full solidarity with the victims, their families and their loved ones.

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Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Italys government condemns the attacks on Israel with utmost firmness.

At risk are the life of people, the security of the region and the resumption of any kind of political process, Mr Tajani said in a social media post.





Ukraines foreign ministry voiced its support for Israels right to defend itself and its people in a post on social media.

The ministry said it strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Ukraine has been fighting a war against Russia since its neighbour invaded in February 2022.

The White House said that it unequivocally condemns the Hamas attacks.





I have spoken to President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu.



I condemn the attacks carried out from Gaza on Israel, its soldiers and its people.



France stands in solidarity with Israel and the Israelis, committed to their security and their right to defend themselves.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 7, 2023

We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the National Security Council.

The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism.

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Meanwhile, Lebanons Hezbollah congratulated Hamas for the operation, saying it had divine backing.

The group said the attack is a response to Israels crimes and attacks on holy places and that the will of the Palestinian people and the rifle of the resistance is the only alternative to face occupation.

Hezbollah said that its military command in Lebanon is following the developments on the ground and is in direct contact with the Palestinian command and they are both evaluating the situation and the ongoing operation.
Nigel Farage accused the Tories of copying the rhetoric of Reform UK, but not the actions, as he opened a party conference centred on Brexit and immigration.

The former Ukip leader said the Conservatives have become a social democrat party in all but name with big-state, high-tax policies.

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Both Mr Farage and Reform UK leader Richard Tice have sought to paint the party as an alternative for those on the Tory right who voted Leave in the 2016 referendum.

Their attack on the UK government centres on what they claim amounts to a failure to properly deliver Brexit by repealing more EU-era laws and controlling immigration more tightly.

Speaking at the Reform UK conference, which carries the slogan Lets Save Britain, Mr Farage told the PA news agency: A lot of the arguments that were making, arguments on the cost of net zero, arguments on what is happening in the English Channel, for example, have been noticed, and the rhetoric was very much copied by the Conservatives over the course of the last couple of weeks, but not the actions.

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Today I told Reform UK conference there is a huge gap in the political market to leave ECHR and stop mass migration.



No other party even wants to discuss these important issues. pic.twitter.com/D8PIrEkIBW  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) October 7, 2023

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Reform UK, previously named the Brexit Party and headed by Mr Farage, has never had any MPs.

It also had a poor showing in the May local elections, failing to gain any seats despite fielding nearly 500 candidates and losing half its councillors, retaining eight.

But the party has consistently been in fourth place in opinion polls at around 6 per cent, just ahead of the Green Party.

It has returned the word Brexit to its party logo for its 2023 conference, saying it intends to reclaim the word from the Conservatives in the run-up to a UK general election expected next year.

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In his speech to party conference, Mr Tice sought to appeal to opponents of climate policy and open borders by saying Reform UK wanted to go net zero on immigration rather than carbon emissions.

Appearing to refer to people who arrive in the UK having crossed the Channel, he said: Lets pick up, lets take back to France, and then show the EU leaders this is what they need to do in the Mediterranean.

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There is an alternative to Labour and the Tories.



Only Reform UK have the bold policies to fix broken Britain.



Together, Lets Save Britain. pic.twitter.com/tF4NV8Tm3a Advertisement  Richard Tice  (@TiceRichard) October 7, 2023

Only then will this crisis, this hurricane of migration that Suella Braverman talked about, only then will it be stopped.

Mr Tice was alluding to the British home secretarys controversial speech at Tory Party conference in which she said a hurricane of mass migration is coming, causing unease among some senior Conservatives.

The four-day event in Manchester included a surprise appearance from Mr Farage, during which he snubbed British prime minister Rishi Sunaks open door policy on a return to the party but gleefully posed with a steady stream of Tory members.

Maybe he thought that I could be tempted to re-join a party that has betrayed many of those Brexit promises, he said to loud applause in a speech at the Reform UK conference.

Its very, very sweet of you Prime Minister but Im really sorry, the answer is no, I will not.

He said he would focus his efforts on backing Reform UK, saying there was a gap in the political market for the party to fill.

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Likening its position to that of Ukip in 2012, Mr Farage said: This party has been bubbling away quietly just under the radar.

Reform UK plans to field 630 candidates across England, Scotland and Wales in the next general election.

It has ruled out standing aside to allow the Conservatives to gain more seats, as it did in more than 300 seats under its Brexit Party name in 2019 to avoid splitting the Leave vote.
A surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which combined gunmen breaching security barriers with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza, was launched at dawn on Saturday during the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah.

The attack came 50 years and a day after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched an assault during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in an effort to retrieve territory Israel had taken during a brief conflict in 1967.

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This is how it took place:

Covering rocket barrage

At about 6.30am (0430 GMT) Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fired a huge barrage of rockets across southern Israel, with sirens heard as far away as Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

Hamas said it had fired 5,000 rockets in a first barrage. Israel's military said 2,500 rockets were fired.

Smoke billowed over residential Israeli areas and people sheltered behind buildings as sirens sounded overhead. At least one woman was reported killed by the rockets.

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Dawn infiltration

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The barrage served as cover for an unprecedented multi-pronged infiltration of fighters, with the Israeli military saying at 7.40am (0540 GMT) that Palestinian gunmen had crossed into Israel.

Most fighters crossed through breaches in land security barriers separating Gaza and Israel. But at least one was filmed crossing on a powered parachute while a motorboat was filmed heading to Zikim, an Israeli coastal town and military base.

Videos issued by Hamas showed fighters breaching the security fences, with the dim light and low sun suggesting it was at around the time of the rocket barrage.

One video showed at least six motorbikes with fighters crossing through a hole in a metal security barrier.

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A photograph released by Hamas showed a bulldozer tearing down a section of security fence.

Fighting at Israeli military bases

Israel's military said at 10am that Palestinian fighters had penetrated at least three military installations around the frontier - the Erez border crossing, the Zikim base and the Gaza division headquarters at Reim. It said fighting at Erez and Zikim continued.

Hamas videos showed fighters running towards a burning building near a high concrete wall with a watchtower and fighters apparently overrunning part of an Israeli military facility and shooting from behind a wall.

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Several captured Israeli military vehicles were later pictured being driven into Gaza and paraded there.

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Border town raids

Fighters raided the Israeli border town of Sderot and were reported to be in another border community, Be'eri, and the town of Ofakim 30km east of Gaza, according to Israeli media citing phone calls from residents.

A video verified by Reuters showed several gunmen riding the back of a white pickup truck moving through Sderot.

Many residents of southern Israeli towns have fortified areas in their homes that function as bomb shelters and on Saturday they were using them as panic rooms.

Israel's military ordered residents to shelter inside, saying on the radio "we will reach you".

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By mid morning Israel's police chief Yaacov Shabtai said forces were engaging gunmen in 21 locations and at 1.30pm. the military said troops were still working to clear communities that had been overrun by gunmen.

Casualties

A Reuters photographer saw bodies on the streets of Sderot. Israeli news media have reported at least 100 Israelis killed and 800 wounded.

Hamas videos and unverified images circulating on social media showed dead civilians, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said Hamas gunmen had gone house-to-house killing civilians.

Taking captives

World Five things to know about the Hamas militant group... Read More

Israeli media has reported that gunmen have seized hostages in Ofakim. Islamic Jihad said it was holding several Israeli soldiers captive and Hamas social media accounts showed footage of appearing to show captives being taken alive into Gaza.

One video showed three young men in vests, shorts and slippers being marched through a security installation with Hebrew writing on the wall. Other videos showed female captives.

Another showed fighters dragging at least two Israeli soldiers from a military vehicle.

Israeli strikes

At 9.45am, blasts were heard in central Gaza and Gaza City and at 10am. Israel's military spokesperson said the airforce was carrying out strikes in Gaza. Medics in Gaza said dozens of people were killed in the strikes.
The leader of Islamic militant group Hamas has announced the beginning of a new military operation against Israel, with a number of Palestinian militants infiltrating into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

In a rare public statement, Mohammed Deif said that 5,000 rockets had been fired into Israel early on Saturday to begin Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

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The Israeli military said a number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory, with residents along the border area ordered to remain indoors.

The Israeli military usually carries out airstrikes in response to rocket fire (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometres (40 miles) to the north, during the early morning barrage that lasted more than 30 minutes.

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Israels Magen David Adom rescue agency said a 70-year-old woman was critically injured when a rocket hit a building in southern Israel.

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Elsewhere, a 20-year-old man was moderately injured by rocket shrapnel, it said.

There was no immediate response from Israel. But the Israeli military usually carries out airstrikes in response to rocket fire, raising the likelihood of wider fighting.

Although there was no claim of responsibility for the rocket fire, Israel typically holds the ruling Hamas militant group responsible for any fire emanating from the territory.

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The launches came after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007.

The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy.

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Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year.

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Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed.

Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

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The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks.

Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.
US president Joe Biden said on Saturday the United States was ready to offer "all appropriate means of support" to Israel after an attack from Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and warned "any other party hostile to Israel" not to seek advantage.

The attack from the Palestinian Islamist group erupted amid efforts by Mr Biden and his team to negotiate a normalisation agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia and a US-Saudi defence pact.

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Mr Biden spoke by phone to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to offer US support, with scenes of violence playing out on American news networks. The two leaders have had strained relations but met in New York last month in a showing of solidarity.

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel," Mr Biden said in a statement issued after their call.

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"Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation," Mr Biden added.
Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas rampaged through Israeli towns on Saturday, killing more than 200 people and escaping with hostages in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago.

More than 230 Gazans were also killed when Israel responded with one of its most devastating days of retaliatory strikes.

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"We will take mighty vengeance for this black day," prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"Hamas launched a cruel and wicked war. We will win this war but the price is too heavy to bear," he said. "Hamas wants to murder us all. This is an enemy that murders mothers and children in their homes, in their beds. An enemy that abducts elderly, children, teenage girls."

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the assault that had begun in Gaza would spread to the West Bank and Jerusalem.

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"This was the morning of defeat and humiliation upon our enemy, its soldiers and its settlers," he said in a speech. "What happened reveals the greatness of our preparation. What happened today reveals the weakness of the enemy."

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Bodies of Israeli civilians were strewn across the streets of Sderot in southern Israel, near Gaza, surrounded by broken glass. The bodies of a woman and a man were sprawled across the front seats of a car.

"I went out, I saw loads of bodies of terrorists, civilians, cars shot up. A sea of bodies, inside Sderot along the road, other places, loads of bodies," said Shlomi from Sderot.

Terrified Israelis, barricaded into safe rooms, recounted their plight by phone on live TV.

"They just came in again, please send help," a woman identified as Dorin told Israel's N12 News from Nir Oz, a kibbutz near Gaza. "My husband is holding the door closed ... They are firing rounds of bullets."

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Esther Borochov, who fled a dance rave party attacked by the gunmen, told Reuters she survived by playing dead in a car after the driver trying to help her escape was shot point blank.

"I couldn't move my legs," she told Reuters at the hospital. "Soldiers came and took us away to the bushes."

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In Gaza, black smoke and orange flames billowed into the evening sky from a high rise tower hit by an Israeli retaliatory strike. Crowds of mourners carried the bodies of freshly killed militants through the streets, wrapped in green Hamas flags.

Gaza's dead and wounded were carried into crumbling and overcrowded hospitals with severe shortages of medical supplies and equipment. The health ministry said 232 people had been killed and at least 1,700 wounded.

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Streets were deserted apart from ambulances racing to the scenes of air strikes. Israel cut the power, plunging the city into darkness.

Biden offers support to Netanyahu

Western countries, led by the United States, denounced the Palestinian attack and pledged support for Israel.

At the White House, president Joe Biden said Israel had the right to defend itself "full stop".

"We will never not have her back."

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Across the Middle East, there were demonstrations in support of Hamas, with Israeli and U.S. flags set on fire and marchers waving Palestinian flags in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

The Hamas attack was openly praised by Iran and by Hezbollah, Iran's Lebanese allies.

By nightfall on Saturday in southern Israel, residents had yet to be given the all-clear to leave the shelters where they had hidden from the gunmen since the early hours.

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"Its not over because the (army) hasnt said the kibbutz is clear of terrorists," Dani Rahamim told Reuters by telephone from the shelter where he was still hiding in Nahal Oz, close to the Gaza fence. Gunfire had subsided but regular explosions could still be heard.

Hamas said it fired a fresh volley of 150 rockets towards Tel Aviv on Saturday evening in retaliation for an Israeli air strike that took down a high rise building with more than 100 apartments.

Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the group was holding a big number of Israeli captives, including senior officials. He said Hamas had enough captives to make Israel free all Palestinians in its jails.

US president Joe Biden with secretary of state Antony Blinken delivers remarks on the attacks in Israel in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington.

The Israeli military confirmed Israelis were being held in Gaza. A military spokesman said Israel could mobilise up to hundreds of thousands of reservists and was also prepared for war on its northern front against Lebanon's Hezbollah group.

Hamas, which advocates Israel's destruction, said the attack was driven by what it said were Israel's escalated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and against Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif said, announcing the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media and calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

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Gaza has been devastated by four wars and countless skirmishes between Hamas and Israel since the militants seized control of the strip in 2007. But the scenes of violence inside Israel itself were beyond anything seen there even at the height of the Palestinian Intifada uprisings of past decades.

That Israel was caught completely off guard was lamented as one of the worst intelligence failures in its history, a shock to a nation that boasts of its intensive infiltration and monitoring of militants.

In Gaza, a narrow strip where 2.3 million Palestinians have lived under an Israeli blockade for 16 years, residents rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of war ahead. Some evacuated their homes and headed for shelters.

Scores of Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded in clashes at the border into Israel, where fighters captured the crossing point and tore down fences. Some of those dead were civilians, among crowds that attempted to cross into Israel through the damaged gates.

"We are afraid," a Palestinian woman, Amal Abu Daqqa, told Reuters as she left her house in Khan Younis.

Backdrop of surging violence

The escalation comes against a backdrop of surging violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Israeli occupied West Bank, where a Palestinian authority exercises limited self-rule, opposed by Hamas that wants Israel destroyed.

In the West Bank, there were clashes in several locations on Saturday, with stone throwing youths confronting Israeli troops. Four Palestinians including a 13-year-old boy were killed. Palestinian factions called a general strike for Sunday.

Israel itself has been experiencing internal political upheaval, with the most right-wing government in its history attempting to overhaul the judiciary.

Meanwhile, Washington has been trying to strike a deal that would normalise ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, seen by Israelis as the biggest prize yet in their decades-long for Arab recognition. Palestinians fear any such deal could sell out their future dreams of an independent state.
Whether its advocacy, whether its being in touch with him on the telephone or going to visit him. Were all working to free Julian and to keep him alive, essentially. In 2019, United Nations special rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer said Assange had been exposed to prolonged psychological torture while being detained. The UK government disagreed with several of Melzers findings and said it did not engage in torture as a practice. Julian Assange in 2017. Credit: AP Shipton said the psychological effects on Assange were evident to those who talked to him. He knows exactly whats in store for him and thats why the doctors say that hed rather die than face prison in the US, he said.

Over the years if you go and visit him, you can see the deterioration in him personally and physically. Loading It is his fifth year in prison now ... Hes been held there solely at the request of the US regarding this extradition. Its this sort of endless, endless punishment thats just wearing him down. Shipton said the image of Assange in a US prison with poor conditions also weighed heavily on everyone campaigning for his release, including fears they may never see him again. Thats what were very fearful of. That hes taken there, and hes just lost to us, he said.

At the moment, the prison conditions are really bad, but he has a visit every week with his kids and his wife. He has a phone call. Thats his lifeline, thats whats keeping him going. Thats his connection to the outside world and if hes extradited and thats taken away from him, then I dont know how he will be able to keep fighting and be able to survive. John Shipton, father of Assange and Gabriel, has been campaigning across Latin America and North America to encourage Washingtons allies to put pressure on the US government to drop the espionage charges against his son. Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for Assanges release when speaking to the United Nations in September. A full-page advertisement, signed by 64 Australian parliamentarians, calling for an end to Assanges prosecution and incarceration, appeared in the Washington Post on September 19.

Gabriel Shipton said he had been meeting with politicians across the US political divide. He said he believed that there was an expectation from the Australian public that Albanese would discuss Assange when he is in Washington from October 23. In August, US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy flagged a potential plea deal between Assange and US authorities that could end Americas pursuit and allow him to return to Australia. Shipton said Assange would likely be open to such a deal. As principled as you are, at some stage you just want to go home to your family. If somebodys holding the key to your cell and says you can leave, you can go home to your family, be with your kids, go out and see some sunshine or touch grass again. Would you say no?

It is hard to understand how long Julians actually been detained. One of the changes that we deal with in our day-to-day lives, like self-checkout at the supermarket. Julians never seen that. Independent Kooyong MP Monique Ryan was one of six federal MPs who visited the US in a delegation last month to discuss Assanges case with lawmakers. US Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green (front) meets with Labor MP Tony Zappia, former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, teal independent Monique Ryan, Liberals Alex Antic, and Greens senators David Shoebridge and Peter Whish-Wilson. Credit: X The bipartisan group also included former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, Liberal senator Alex Antic, Labor MP Tony Zappia and Greens senators Peter Whish-Wilson and David Shoebridge. Ryan said many of the politicians they spoke to didnt realise Australians felt strongly about Assanges release.

They thought that either we didnt care or some of them thought the issue had been resolved long ago, she said. Pretty much everyone that we spoke with agreed that they thought it was a reasonable thing to take action on, and that they would help us. Were in the process of entering into a hugely significant, long-term relationship with the commitment to AUKUS. This could be a potential irritant, the significance of which could increase over time if the situation doesnt get resolved. We said to them dont let this one individual issue get in the way of what is has been a very productive long-term relationship. When asked if he would discuss Assanges case with Biden, Albaneses office referred to the prime ministers previous statements.
While Saturdays shooting was connected to organised crime groups involved in the tobacco wars, police were still to determine the exact motive for the attack, he said. Theres a number of disputes that are occurring within these organised crime groups. Some of them relate to illicit tobacco, some of them can relate to drugs ... and some can be other financial, personal disputes. Investigators are also probing whether a drive-by shooting at a home in Excelsior Heights, Craigieburn, linked to Issa was connected to Saturdays shooting. A couple in their 50s sleeping inside the home were lucky to escape injury during the September 14 attack, which caused extensive damage to the facade of the property. OHalloran said he was thankful no one else was injured in Saturdays fatal attack.

It would have been incredibly frightening for people in the car park at that time to witness, he said. Incidents such as this and the indiscriminate use of firearms is completely unacceptable, particularly in public areas at any time. He said police had rolled out mitigation measures to prevent retaliation attacks. The two victims were sitting in their parked car at the shopping centre when gunshots were fired through the passenger side and rear windows. While Issa was killed, a 28-year-old man from Hadfield was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries and remained in a stable condition on Sunday.

Police said one of the getaway cars was a black Range Rover Sport, which was later found torched in Westmeadows, about 12 kilometres south of the shooting scene. One of the gunmen is believed to have suffered burns when the Range Rover was set on fire. A car destroyed by fire at Westmeadows on Sunday morning. Credit: Luis Ascui OHalloran said the offenders were then seen crossing a footbridge before getting into a blue Toyota Corolla, which was found burnt out on the banks of Merri Creek near Hamersley Court, Reservoir, just after 5.30pm on Saturday. The group then piled into a third getaway vehicle and fled. OHalloran said witnesses and dashcam footage would be vital to the investigation and urged anyone with information to contact police.

Hours after the offenders fled, a distressed group of people huddled together at the crime scene until after dark on Saturday. Some had to be restrained at times as they clashed with police while trying to get closer to the bullet-riddled car and the sheet covering a figure on the ground beside it. A second burnt out car linked to a fatal Craigieburn targeted shooting sits wrecked on the Merri Creeks banks on Sunday. Credit: Luis Ascui People could be heard crying as detectives and forensic officers combed the scene nearby. One witness, who did not want to be identified, said they saw several men wearing balaclavas jump out of a car before gunshots rang out on Saturday. [The gunshots] stopped and they sped off. I had to swerve so my car didnt get hit, they said.

The witness said they saw blood on the neck of the seriously injured victim. The shooting was the latest in a series of targeted killings carried out in public in Melbourne in recent months. Underworld figure Gavin Capable Preston was shot dead at a cafe in Keilor in a daylight hit last month. Abbas Jr AJ Maghnie, the son of late underworld enforcer Nabil Maghnie, was seriously injured in the shooting, which sparked fears of a new gangland war. Preston, one of Melbournes most violent gangland figures, had long been waging bloody feuds with other underworld identities. A contract was taken out on his life after his release from prison this year as his many enemies doubted his claims he would leave old rivalries behind.

Preston had also tried to muscle in on the lucrative extortion racket being waged against Melbournes tobacco retailers that led to more than a dozen firebombings since rival organised crime gangs began fighting over the trade earlier this year. OHalloran said the Preston killing and Issas shooting death seemed to be separate incidents. When asked about the investigation into Prestons death, he said: Im confident well bring the person or people responsible to justice sooner rather than later. In August, police also began to probe whether the tobacco feud could be connected to the murder of underworld figure Mohammed Afghan Ali Akbar Keshtiar, who was gunned down near Chapel Street while walking home from the gym. However, Keshtiar had a long, violent history of other underworld disputes and had been an assassination target before.

Police Superintendent Jason Kelly said a significant investigation into the illegal tobacco trade had been under way for six months and 13 people had so far been arrested. The new taskforce includes officers from Victoria, as well as Australian Border Force, the Tax Office and Australian Federal Police. Kelly said they were aware of a number of major players involved in the crime syndicates. The Craigieburn shooting came just hours after another tobacco shop was apparently firebombed in Melbournes south-east.

The back of the shop in Bentleigh was set alight about 1.30am on Saturday, days after police CCTV cameras were set up outside the shopfront and weeks after it was first targeted in September.
Trade Minister Don Farrell and key cabinet ministers will mount a high-powered push to reset the energy security partnership with Japan on Sunday, in a bid to assuage concerns over Australias reliability as an exporter and investment destination for coal and gas.

Japans Energy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura will meet Farrell in Melbourne, along with Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Resources Minister Madeleine King, to cement an agreement for greater dialogue on proposed policies in commodities like coal, gas and iron ore, and climate action.

Trade Minister Don Farrell will lead high-powered ministerial talks with Japan. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

It is unprecedented for three Australian ministers to attend the annual Australia-Japan Ministerial Economic Dialogue, a move spurred by months of anxiety within Japans senior leadership over Labors domestic energy policies.

Japan sources two-thirds of its coal, a third of its liquefied natural gas and more than half of its iron ore from Australia. Any disruption to supply could disrupt Japans industry, harm its economy and raise household power bills.
Israel has vowed to exact an unprecedented price for one of the deadliest attacks on the nations home soil in decades, declaring war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas after its surprise invasion by land, sea and air.

War erupted in the region on Saturday morning (Saturday evening AEST) after Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets across the border, catching the country and intelligence services unawares with a multi-front sunrise attack unseen in its level of co-ordination.

Israeli media have reported at least 250 Israelis had been killed and more than 1000 were injured, while Gazan health officials said 232 people were killed and 1697 wounded during Israels retaliatory air strikes on Gaza City. The death toll on both sides is expected to rise.

Israeli troops were still clashing with Hamas fighters in some parts of southern Israel at 9.30am (AEST). In a briefing on social media, an Israeli army spokesperson said the situation was not fully under control.
Washington: Amazon has taken another step towards offering its own broadband service.

It launched its first pair of prototype satellites for its planned Kuiper internet network into space from Florida, before sending thousands more into orbit to beam a home internet service globally and compete with SpaceXs Starlink.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket emblazoned with the Amazon logo lifted off from Cape Canaveral shortly after 2pm Eastern time (5am AEDT), carrying the two Kuiper test satellites, a long-awaited mission Amazon initially had intended to launch using different rockets.

An Atlas 5 rocket with the Amazons Project Kuiper Protoflight spacecraft lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Credit: AP

It will be a test of the e-commerce and web services giants technology in space before it deploys 3236 more satellites for broadband services in the next few years. It will be competing directly with Elon Musks SpaceXs nearly 5000 Starlink satellites in orbit.
In a relief to the liquor industry, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, during its 52nd meeting in the national capital, on Saturday, decided not to levy tax on Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA), a crucial raw material for producing alcoholic beveragesfor human consumption-- giving states the exclusive rights to impose a tax on it.

However, neutral alcohol intended for industrial purposes remains under the GST purview, attracting an 18 per cent levy. The Council further specified that converting barley to malt, regardless of its end-use, will be subjected to a 5 per cent GST, not 18 per cent.

The GST Council has today ceded the right to tax the ENA, used for human consumption, to the States, keeping the issue of healthy Centre-states relationship in mind. If the States want to tax it, they are welcome to do it, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while briefing media post Council meeting.

Citing Allahabad High Court judgment on the issue stating that the state had lost its legislative competence to impose taxes on the sale of ENA, Sitaraman said that Council is not taking a call to tax it, although the right to tax lies with it.

"The Council law committee will examine suitable amendments in law to exclude ENA for use in manufacture of alcoholic liquors for human consumption from the ambit of GST," according to the statement issued after the GST Council meeting.

Ceding the right to tax ENA to the states despite the Allahabad HC decision speaks very highly of the cooperative federalism that GST has enabled," said M.S Mani, partner, Deloitte India.

Other important determinations included reducing the tax rate on molasses from 28 to 5 per cent, which Sitharaman believes "will be beneficial to sugarcane farmers and reduce cattle feed costs".

Additionally, the Council settled on zero tax for millet-based food preparations containing a minimum of 70 per cent millets when sold loosely, while a 5 per cent levy will apply to pre-packaged forms. The Council also highlighted that 2023 is recognised as the International Year of Millets.

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Among the key resolutions taken during its meeting, the Council has also allotted the industry additional time until January 24 to appeal orders passed till March 23, subject to a pre-deposit of 2.5 per cent of the total disputed amount.

In efforts to boost tourism, foreign vessels are now exempted from Integrated GST for coastal runs.

Tweaks in appointment rules for the forthcoming GST appellate tribunal (GSTAT) were also deliberated upon. The age limit for its President is capped at 70 years and 67 years for its members. Eligibility criteria for appellate tribunal members now include advocates with up to 10 years of experience. The move will pave the way for the tribunal to get operationalised in the current fiscal itself.

The Council also cleared air on taxability regarding a host of issues including personal guarantee offered by directors to the bank and similarly corporate guarantee provided for related persons.

It has clarified that there will be no tax on the personal guarantee offered, while there will be 18 per cent tax on 1 per cent of the total loan amount in case of corporate guarantee to related parties.

Council addressed concerns raised by states on e-gaming, cess issues

Regarding e-gaming and compensation cess, the Council addressed concerns raised by states like Delhi and Goa.

Clarifying the stance, Council said that taxes are not levied retrospectively on online gaming firms. The law remains the same and those involved in betting are always being charged 28 per cent GST.

Ahead of the September 30 deadline, the revenue department had issued tax notices to several known online gaming companies including Dream 11 etc. The total tax demand raised so far is to the tune of about Rs 1 trillion.

The notices were slapped ahead of a new taxation regime for gaming firms kicked in from October 1, making them liable to pay 28 per cent on the entry bet. So far, total 18 states have introduced the changes in their respective state laws, while remaining 13 states are expected to do it through ordinance.

There was some discussion on it, certain members did raise this issue, said revenue secretary Sanjay Malhotra. "And it was informed to them that this is not retrospective in any way because this is how the law was earlier. The law has not been amended retrospectively. These liabilities were already existing", he said.

On compensation cess, there will be a discussion on the "prospective planning" of cess collection, and the issue will be taken up in future, Sitharaman clarified. Added that there will be no talks on extension of compensation to states.
Shahrukh Pathan, who hogged media spotlight as he pointed a pistol at a policeman and threatened to kill him during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, was granted bail on Saturday.

Pathan, however, will remain in jail as he is an accused in another rioting case.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat pronounced the order on a bail plea by Pathan, who was accused of being part of a riotous mob that inflicted gunshot injury to a person. The alleged incident happened near Maujpaur Chowk on February 24, 2020.

In the overall facts and circumstances of the case where accused Shahrukh Pathan has been in custody since April 3, 2020, the (case is at the) stage of the prosecution evidence, where public witness and injured Rohit Shukla has been examined and relevant remaining witnesses are all police officials, and all other co-accused persons are on bail, the present bail application of accused Shahrukh Pathan is allowed, ASJ Rawat said.

The court directed Pathan to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the like amount as condition for bail.

The court said Pathan did not shoot victim Rohit Shukla but was claimed to have been present in the mob that shot him.

It further said, The court is also conscious of the fact that accused Shahrukh Pathan is also involved in another rioting case (FIR No.51/2020 Police station-Jafrabad) where he is stated to have made an attack on the life of a police official, however, the said case will be dealt with on its own facts.

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Nepal and India have discussed a wide range of issues relating to mutual security, defence supplies, training and capacity building as part of the efforts to step by bilateral cooperation.

The two sides held the 15th Meeting of the India-Nepal Bilateral Consultative Group on Security Issues (BCGSI) in Pokhara, Nepal, on October 5 covering a wide range of issues relating to mutual security, defence supplies, training and capacity building and joint military exercises.

The two sides also discussed exchanges of visits, joint expeditions and adventure activities and cooperation in disaster management and information sharing, according to a press statement issued by the Indian Embassy here on Saturday.

During the bilateral meeting, the Indian delegation was led by Anurag Srivastava, Joint Secretary (North), Ministry of External Affairs, India, and the Nepali delegation was led by Bhrigu Dhungana, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The delegations comprised officials from respective ministries of defence, foreign affairs, home affairs, and directorates of the Indian Army and the Nepali Army.

The BCGSI, established in 2003, is an important institutional mechanism between India and Nepal for promoting bilateral defence and security cooperation.
Biotechnology major Biocon on Saturday said the US health regulator has issued a complete response letter for Biocon Biologics' application for Insulin Aspart, a proposed biosimilar for diabetes treatment.

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) to convey to the company that its initial review of an application is complete, and it cannot approve the application in its present form.

"The CRL did not identify any outstanding scientific issues with the product. The CRL references the requirement for a satisfactory resolution of deficiencies from the pre-approval inspection (PAI) of our Malaysia facility for Insulin Aspart, held in August 2022," Biocon spokesperson said in a regulatory filing.

The company had submitted a comprehensive Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) plan in September 2022 that the agency found to be adequate and indicated that it would require a re-inspection of the Malaysia facility prior to the approval of the application, it added.

"The company will continue to engage with the USFDA for an expeditious resolution and approval of its biosimilar Insulin Aspart application. This decision has no impact on the manufacturing or distribution of the company's existing commercial portfolio," the spokesperson said.

Biocon Biologics is a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd.
By Jessica Shankleman and Joao Lima

Parts of Europe are baking in an unusually warm October, raising further concerns of the impact of rising greenhouse gas emissions on the climate while delaying the start of the continents heating season.



Portugal has issued yellow alerts for high temperatures over the next few days. In Spain, highs in Madrid will clock in above 30C (86F) on both Saturday and Sunday, at least 6C above normal, according to a forecast by Maxar Technologies.

London, which endured some cold and bleak weather during the summer, is forecast to reach at least 22C on three of the next five days, while Paris climbs to 26C on Tuesday. Temperatures are also expected to be above average in Germany and Italy.

Climate change is already significantly affecting the UKs weather, with more and more events becoming ever more extreme, said Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the UKs Met Office. He said Great Britain is expected to see temperatures about 6C above average for early October.

Portugals Institute for Sea and Atmosphere said on Wednesday that the current weather pattern may extend into next week.

Spain experienced six consecutive days of extraordinarily high temperatures from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, and summer-like readings could persist for an unprecedented 16 days, according to Aemet, the countrys meteorological agency.

Its definitely quite unseasonably warm and its probably pretty close to record warmth, said Steven Silver, senior meteorologist at Maxars Weather Desk.

On the island of Madeira in the Atlantic, south of Portugal, a record high for October was recorded on Thursday in the city of Funchal. The temperature reached 34.7C, exceeding the prior high of 34.3C set in October 2014.

Beaches in the greater Lisbon area were packed on Thursday, a national holiday, and may fill up again over the weekend as locals and tourists seek some autumn swim-time.

The Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards issued a statement last week warning about the risk of drowning since many beaches are no longer monitored by lifeguards after the main summer season ends, the news agency Lusa reported.

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Earlier this week, scientists confirmed that the September global average temperature broke records by an extraordinary margin. The temperature anomaly for the month was roughly 1.7C above pre-industrial levels, above the symbolic 1.5C mark set as the stretch goal in the Paris Agreement.

Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels regarded as are the main driver of rising temperatures. The global average temperature this year has also seen a boost from El Nino, a natural climate shift in the Pacific. Other factors, such as a decline in cooling aerosol pollution from ships, may also be pushing temperatures up incrementally.
President Joe Biden said Friday that he could potentially meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco.

There has been no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," Biden told reporters when asked about the prospects of a face-to-face meeting with the Chinese leader.

Biden and Xi have not spoken since their meeting last November of the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

White House officials have previously made clear that they hoped the two leaders would soon hold talks, and administration officials have been working to get the Chinese to agree to a meeting.

Relations between the world's two largest economies have faced no shortage of strain over the last year.

The Biden administration shot down a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the continental US earlier this year. The Chinese government hacked the emails of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The US government has restricted the exporting of advanced computer chips to China.

The two countries' differences have also been exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine and China's increased assertiveness in the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing has stayed on the sidelines since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. But the White House has publicised a US intelligence assessment indicating that Beijing has weighed assisting Moscow with weaponry.

Despite the differences, there have been stepped-up efforts in recent months by the two sides to manage the relationship.

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held talks last month on the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. That meeting came after Secretary of State Antony Blinken,Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Raimondo, and climate envoy John Kerry have all travelled to Beijing in recent months to meet with top Chinese officials.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is set to lead a bipartisan congressional delegation to China next week.

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Donald Trump is again testing the power of his endorsement.

With an early morning social media post on Friday, Trump inserted himself into the chaotic race to replace Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker by backing Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan for the post.

The move was the latest example of Trump attempting to flex his influence within a Republican Party he has already fundamentally reshaped in the eight years since his first White House bid.

I think he does well. I hope he does well, Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination, said of Jordan in a Friday interview with Real America's Voice. He's got competition, as you understand. And they're friendly with me, too. Very nice people and good people. We'll see what happens.

With Trump's firm grip on the GOP base, his endorsement can effectively clear the field in many congressional primaries. But the speaker's race is more complex, an intraparty fight that will play out in secret at points and in a tense environment with many Republicans furious about McCarthy's ouster.

Jordan is facing at least one other candidate House Majority Leader Steve Scalise who is also on good terms with Trump. It's unclear whether anyone has enough votes to win the gavel and if Jordan were to lose, another Trump ally could emerge.

Taken together, the dynamics mean that Trump's backing of Jordan may do little to sway the results. And that may not ultimately matter much.

Regardless of who becomes the next speaker, Trump has undeniable sway over House Republicans. It was his supporters led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz who orchestrated McCarthy's ouster and who have driven much of the House GOP's agenda.

They have been unable or unwilling to pull themselves from his grip and now find themselves heading toward another presidential election with him at the top of the ticket, even as many in the party worry about his electability in November and his potential impact on down-ballot races.

But other factors are at play in the complicated deliberations. Speaker's elections are contests that can turn on personal relationships and deals between lawmakers that fall outside ideological lines.

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It also remains unclear how much political capital Trump intends to use whipping votes on Jordan's behalf. While Trump was poised to support Jordan, he was angry that Texas Rep. Troy Nehls broke the news before he was ready, according to two Republicans familiar with his thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A Trump spokesman did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

Trump's 11th-hour interventions helped McCarthy win the speakership after 15 rounds of voting back in January, but the holdouts in that case were Trump allies. This time most hardline conservatives were already lining up behind Jordan.

Instead, Jordan has been courting Republican moderates, trying to convince them that they will be heard if he is elected, despite his reputation as a hard-liner. Trump's endorsement ties Jordan even closer to the former president, potentially making it more difficult for moderate members to support him.

For his part, Jordan said the endorsement would aid his bid for the gavel.

He's the leader of our party, and I think he's going to be the next president, Jordan told reporters Friday at the Capitol.

Beyond the immediate dynamics on Capitol Hill, Trump's involvement in the speaker's race speaks to his outsized role in the party. More than three months before the first votes of the 2024 campaign, Republicans are increasingly open in referring to Trump as the party's leader. That's despite the fact that he faces four separate criminal indictments.

And as he appears once again in a strong position to capture the GOP nomination, Trump's penchant for the spotlight is on display.

After creating a media firestorm Monday when he showed up at his civil fraud trial in New York, Trump quickly jumped on the speakership news that threatened to shift attention from his direction.

After several of his closest allies raised the fanciful notion that Trump himself could potentially serve as speaker perhaps on an interim basis Trump stoked and flirted with the notion of swooping in to save the leaderless caucus from the chaos he has helped to stoke.

"A lot of people have been calling me about speaker. All I can say is we'll do whatever's best for the country and for the Republican Party, Trump told reporters at the courthouse Wednesday.

He later told Fox News Digital that he would be open to serving 30 to 90 days in the role.

Trump was soon planning a trip to Capitol Hill where he planned to address Republicans at a closed-door candidate forum a trip first reported by The Messenger that would have marked his first visit to the building since the violence of Jan. 6, when a mob of his supporters stormed the building trying to overturn the election he lost to President Joe Biden.

That trip is no longer expected, according to Nehls and others familiar with the plans.

Jordan has long been one of Trump's biggest champions on the Hill. He has led investigations into prosecutors who have charged the former president with criminal conduct and has been helping lead efforts to impeach Biden.

Ahead of January 6, he helped Trump strategise about how Congress could help Trump overturn his loss to Biden. In return, Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom the nation's highest civilian honour five days after the attack on the Capitol.

Scalise, a veteran member of leadership who is also vying for the speaker's gavel, has support from a significant portion of the Republican Conference, while other GOP lawmakers are either looking elsewhere or waiting to make their choices known.

Trump's involvement in the House GOP's upheaval comes just as Republican leaders have been trying to tamp down the drama and soothe tempers. On Friday, a planned Fox News debate between the candidates was called off. Republicans are also trying to avoid the spectacle of a protracted speaker's contest by finding a consensus candidate in closed-door meetings next week.

However, many are bracing for a days-long contest. The last time they all gathered in the same room shortly after McCarthy was removed as speaker insults were hurled and some lawmakers even thought it could turn to blows.

So far, the contest for the speaker's gavel has been dominated by lawmakers seen as loyal to Trump. Jordan, Scalise and Rep. Kevin Hern, who is considering entering the race, all voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.

That could prove useful to Trump if he ascends to the White House again. Trump's agenda while in office was often thwarted by congressional leaders from his own party as he clashed with former House Speaker Paul Ryan and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

In the years since leaving the White House, Trump has broken from past precedent and endorsed hundreds of like-minded candidates, hoping to fill the House and Senate with lawmakers who share his America First outlook should he become president again.
As the West continues to provide aid for war-torn Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that Ukraine would not survive for more than "a week" without Western military and financial aid, reported Al Jazeera.

Putin made this claim on the same day when the European Union official warned that the bloc could not replace the funding gap if the US's support dries up for Kyiv.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden said that he "does worry" US support for Ukraine might get derailed.

Putin while speaking at the meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, said that Ukraine was being propped up "thanks to multi-billion donations that come each month".

"If one just stops, it will all die in a week," Putin said.

"The same applies to the defence system. Just imagine the aid stops tomorrow. It will live for only a week when they run out of ammo," he added.

Additionally, Putin further noted that Ukraine had lost over 90,000 troops since Kyiv's counteroffensive against Russian forces till date.

Moreover, while addressing a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Spain on Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the EU could not replace the US as Kyiv's primary donor.

At a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Spain on Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU could not replace the US as Kyiv's primary donor.

"Can Europe fill the gap left by the US? Well, certainly Europe cannot replace the US," Borrell said.

Moreover, the EU and the US, which includes most NATO members are crucial in Ukraine's fight against Russia.

Over this period of time, the EU and its member states have promised over USD 100 billion of aid to Ukraine, including financing weapon deliveries.

Meanwhile, Washington has committed USD 43 billion in military assistance, whereas, Congress has approved USD 113 billion, including humanitarian aid.

However, following the weekend deal struck with opposition Republicans to avert the US government shutdown, the new US funding for Ukraine has been at a standstill.

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Following the US House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to oust Republican Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, it has made the Ukraine support even more uncertain.

Hours after the short-term spending bill was passed to avoid a government shutdown, US President Joe Biden assured that Washington will "not walk away" from supporting Ukraine, CNN reported.

"I want to assure our American allies and the American people and the people of Ukraine that you can count on our support. We will not walk away," CNN quoted Biden as saying.

Moreover, some of the hardliners also want US aid to Ukraine to cease, according to Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking to the meeting in Spain of European leaders on Thursday expressed concerns about Washington's "political storms" but noted that he was confident that he still had US bipartisan backing.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron reassured Zelenskyy of further support and pledged "tireless" support for Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron reinforced that message in a meeting with Zelenskyy, pledging "tireless" support for Ukraine.
USISPF president and CEO Mukesh Aghi on Friday said it was unfortunate that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations against India in his parliament last month were brought without concrete evidence.

Tensions flared between the two nations after Trudeau's allegation linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.

India strongly rejected the charges and also voiced its concern over the safety of Indian diplomats and India's diplomatic premises in Canada.

It's unfortunate that an important issue was brought without any concrete evidence into the parliament and from there the relationship between the two nations has gone down, Aghi told PTI in an interview.

The relationship goes way back between the two countries. You have a large trade, over 230,000 Indian students studying there. Canada has invested almost $55 billion in India and it's unfortunate that a country's prime minister goes into a parliament and says credible allegation and not being able to come out with evidence to show that those allegations are credible, he said.

I think mature minds have to take over and calm the situation as this has an impact, because Canada is going to leverage the United States to put pressure on India, Aghi said.

Responding to a question, Aghi felt that the diplomatic row between Canada and India would have an impact on India-US relationship, but in the long term the bilateral relationship between the two countries would continue to grow deeper and broader.

The US-India relationship is geopolitical. It is tied to economic issues and the Indian-American diaspora. Yes, it will have an impact, but in the long term the relationship will continue to grow deeper and broader itself, he said.

According to Aghi, the allegations by the Canadian prime minister were driven by domestic politics and his dependence on a Sikh dominated party for his own political survival.

There are two factors. One is domestic politics. The NDP, which supports Prime Minister Trudeau, is a Sikh dominated party. So, you have to have that vote coming in. So domestic politics took over, national interest, he said.

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And that's a pity because you always drive national interest first before you drive domestic politics. The second factor is that the conversation between PM Trudeau and PM Narendra Modi for the second time was not very warm and healthy. I think Trudeau felt upset about that and that also rolled into his statement in the parliament, Aghi said.

He said India is a rising power, if it wants to be a great power, it has to be a responsible power. As far as the market goes, geopolitics goes, India's importance will get more and more stronger.

We have to understand, nations have to protect their interest, Aghi said.

In this case, you have Khalistanis for the last 20 years basically creating challenges for India. The bombing of Air India where 329 people died, only one person was prosecuted. Completely shameful the process the way they handled it. I think as far as where it goes for India, I think yes, India will face some challenges in the short term, but in the long term I think India will keep on continuing rising as an economic power and as a global power, Aghi said.

In response to a question, the USISPF chief said what is happening in Canada is not free speech.

When you look at the statements coming out, you are taking ballots in British Columbia to create a separate Khalistan. You're having floats which are celebrating assassination of former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi. This is not free speech. This is all about trying to create that sense of or target towards India itself, he said.

I don't think that's healthy and Canada should have talked about this, worked with India from that perspective. We (Canada) talk (about) Nijjar a simple plumber, but if you look at his background, he's a convict. And they talk about him using a machine gun in a shooting gallery itself. I think the story and the narrative from Canada is so different from the story and narrative from India's perspective. I think both countries have to sit down and find out and . deal with this, he said.

When asked if he senses, an anti-India undercurrent in the US as well, he said, What we have seen is the progressive left, especially the media seems to project him (Modi) as a demagogue, basically not understanding that here is a government in the last almost nine and a half years has brought 300 million people out of poverty, he said.

On social media, he noted, one can see China is inflaming the whole situation.

Yes, it does benefit. Because if it can derail the relationship between India and the US it is in the interest of China. We also have to be very cautious and mature about it to make sure that we don't derail the whole process we have created in the last 20 years itself. So the onus is on India, onus is on the United States to make sure the relationship does not get derailed because it's a win-win relationship between the two countries, Aghi said.
A delegation of US lawmakers led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in China on Saturday in the first congressional visit to the country since 2019.

The trip comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries and as Chinese and American officials try to lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November.

The delegation of six senators, which includes three Democrats and three Republicans, landed in Shanghai in the mid-afternoon. The Republicans were led by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the senior member of his party on the Senate Finance Committee. Schumer is a New York Democrat.

A series of high-ranking Biden administration officials have met their Chinese counterparts in Beijing in recent months, but no other US lawmakers have made the trip since China lifted its COVID-19 restrictions in December of last year.

China said in a statement earlier this week that it hoped the visit would contribute to a more objective understanding of China in the US Congress.

Schumer's office said he would focus on the need for reciprocity from China for US business in trade and on maintaining American leadership in advanced technologies for national security.

He also hopes to discuss human rights, fentanyl production, and China's role in the international community, as well as areas for potential cooperation.

A smooth visit could help pave the way for a Biden-Xi summit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting in San Francisco next month. The senators hope to meet Xi in Beijing during their visit.

A Chinese international relations expert said that Schumer's visit is a sign of improvement in China-US relations.

If the talks proceed well, there is the possibility that President Xi will meet Schumer, said Wang Yiwei, the director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China.

If their meeting is realized, the chances for a Xi-Biden meeting will become greater.

The White House has been in touch with Schumer and supports the delegation's visit to the region, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said after the trip was announced.

Also Read US announces action against Chinese fentanyl supply chain producers US Treasury Secretary Yellen calls CEOs with warning on US debt ceiling On the brink of govt shutdown, US Senate tries to approve funding India-US ties is 'important for security, prosperity of world': US lawmaker US Senate passes bill to raise debt ceiling to avert first-ever default Hamas has started a war that 'Israel will win', says defence minister Trump is inserting himself in race to become next speaker. Will it matter? Pakistan to go ahead with eviction of illegal immigrants, says report Israel declares 'state of alert' for war as rockets from Gaza hit country Nato in a bind as Russian attacks edge closer to alliance's territory

The senators will go to South Korea and Japan after their stop in China.
Amid the diplomatic sparring and souring of bilateral ties in the wake of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Special Envoy and Coordinator, Global Engagement Centre, James Rubin said the standoff was a "tricky subject" as he sought cooperation into the investigation as far as it goes.

During a virtual press briefing on October 5, the US special envoy said, "This is a tricky subject. Let me just say that we support Canada's investigation. We want everyone to help - including the Indian Government - help advance the investigation into this murder, and we would urge everyone to cooperate and to take the investigation as far as it goes."

On whether such tensions as the one between New Delhi and Ottawa could breed disinformation campaigns, Rubin said it is an area that is ripe for "information manipulation".

"Let me just say in our report, if you take a look at it, there are a few examples given about particular Chinese interference in Canadian domestic politics and in their universities and ways in which they've sought to manipulate their individuals, coerce individuals, and discredit individuals. And those accounts are in the report, and I urge you to take a look at that. This is obviously an area that is ripe for information manipulation," he said.

"I haven't seen any specific evidence of the Canadian-Indian issue, but I do know that China has made a big effort to interfere in the domestic affairs of Canada through the ways I mentioned. And it's particularly ironic, because you may remember that for decades China was the loudest demander that nobody interferes in their domestic affairs, and yet when it comes to information manipulation, when it comes to interfering in the politics in Canada, when it comes to the South China Sea, where they're interfering in the territorial waters of countries around the region, when it comes to the famous balloon incident - suddenly sovereignty is not so important to the Chinese Government," the state department spokesperson added.

Also Read Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar and why his murder has led to a diplomatic row Canada committed to 'closer ties' with India, says PM Justin Trudeau India-Canada row: Hardeep Singh Nijjar not religious figure but terrorist Piaggio Vehicles launches Justin Bieber X Vespa in India at Rs 6.45 lakh Nijjar, Trudeau's allegations and India's counter: All you need to know Bankman-Fried stole customer funds from start of FTX: Co-founder to jury LIVE: Air India cancels two flights in wake of Hamas attack on Israel Ukraine would die in a week if Western military aid stops: Russian Prez Taiwan looks forward to joining hands with India: Representative Ger US expels two Russian diplomats, after two diplomats asked to leave Moscow

The State Department spokesperson was presenting a report that showed how China had been trying to distort global information.

"This is the first comprehensive US State Department analysis of how Beijing employs these deceptive and coercive methods as it attempts to distort the global information space. It is doing so to advance its geopolitical objectives," Rubin told media persons.

"When the provenance of information is not clear, when we don't know that it's the Chinese Government or the Russian Government doing something, that's when it's information manipulation. The Chinese have a phoney persona called Yi Fan, which we talk about in this report, who purports to be an international affairs commentator when we know full well he's a foreign affairs operative for their foreign ministry. So that's the hard part. I can't tell you for sure whether that will happen in Canada." he added.

Meanwhile, amid the diplomatic spat, New Delhi has suspended the visa operations to Canada and sought a reduction in Canadian diplomatic presence in India citing "interference in internal matters".

Addressing the press briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "Given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence here...and their continued interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing on the modalities of achieving this."

"Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction," he added.

Asked if the reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats could result in a decrease in the number of visas issued by the Canadian High Commission in India, Bagchi said, "It's up to the Canadian side, who they choose to staff the High Commission with...our concerns are related to ensuring parity in diplomatic presence."

Earlier, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau claimed his country's national security officials had reasons to believe that "agents of the Indian government" carried out the killing of the "Canadian citizen" Nijjar. The allegation was termed absurd by the Ministry of External Affairs. (ANI)
Whats new: Hong Kong and Singapore can learn from each other as they share many similarities and are stepping into a new phase, Chinese billionaire Li Ka-shing said via a video link earlier this week.

Both are legendary cities, as Hong Kong transitioned from a fishing port to a financial center, while Singapore evolved from a harbor to an international metropolis, Li told the Asia Future Summit, an event marking the 100th birth anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapores late founding prime minister.
One lesson of the Ukraine War is that various types of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are a lot more useful as weapons and for battlefield surveillance than anyone expected. This was unexpected and spurred the development and production of new AUD (Anti UAV Defense) systems. The latest one is a lightweight device called EnforceAir. This was developed in Israel for protecting airports and other potential targets from UAV intrusions or attacks. What makes EnforceAir work is software and the ability to detect a UAV up to 4,500 meters away, analyze the UAVs control signals and then disable them by taking control of the UAV and landing it. Each EnforceAir unit weighs 11.5 kg (25.4 pounds) for the tripod mounted version and the 19.5 kg for the backpack version. Unlike most other AUDs, EnforceAir does not depend on missiles or gunfire to deal with UAVs. Its electronic approach does not depend on dealing with UAVs from one manufacturer. Israel does not allow Israeli military equipment to be sold or sent to Ukraine. This is because Israel depends on Russian cooperation to prevent Iranian attacks on Israel from Syria.

NATO military assistance to Ukraine recently included a second mobile AUD system. This one is the Norwegian Cortex Typhon that is mounted in a German Dingo armored truck, and has a UAV detection system combining a RWS (Remote Weapons System) armed with a 12.7mm machine-gun to destroy hostile UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). The system can be used in fully automatic mode, to fire on any UAV within range, or with the operators having the option to decide which target is hostile or friendly and not fire on friendlies. The 12.7mm machine-gun has an effective range of two kilometers, which is about half the range of the 70mm guided rocket used in an earlier AUD system. The machine-gun bullet is much faster than the guided rocket.

In 2022 the American Vampire AUD system was sent to Ukraine. Vampire is palletized. That means all components are secured on a shipping pallet that can be mounted in a pickup truck or military vehicle like the hummer. Vampire consists of a telescoping mast mounting an electro-optical/infrared modular sensor ball and laser designator, a generator for power and Fletcher launcher that carries four APKWS 70mm laser-guided rockets. These weigh only 15 kg (32 pounds) each and have a range of about a thousand meters when fired from the ground. Vampire can be used to detect and fire APKWS laser guided rockets at air and even ground targets. Any UAV, cruise missile or helicopter within range is vulnerable. Vampire is designed to be reconfigured, which is the kind of system Ukrainians prefer. The Fletcher launcher is designed to use the new, longer range APKWS rockets that gain additional range by having a larger rocket motor which makes the APKWS longer. Ukrainians are expected to modify Vampire to better suit their needs or simply to obtain longer range while carrying more rockets ready to fire. Vampire was effective in Ukraine and now Cortex Typhon will seek to do as well or better.

Until the Ukraine War created an enormous demand for AUDs, Israel was the leader in combat proven AUD systems. One example is Skylock, which proved itself against Iranian UAVs used during the early 2021 Hamas/Israel ten-day war with Israel. This brief conflict provided ample opportunities to test new Israeli AUD systems. Israel is a leader in the development of AUDs, mainly because it faces attacks from the widest variety of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) types, and the most attacks using UAVs. EnforceAir is a later development that only uses electronic means to defeat threats.

In preparation for a large-scale use of different type UAVs against Israel from Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza, or Hezbollah (Lebanon) and Iran (Syria), Israel had developed numerous ways to detect and destroy or disable hostile UAVs. During the recent ten-day war Israel detected and defeated six Hamas UAV attacks. There may have been other Hamas UAVs launched that never got near the border because of UAV malfunctions or operator error. The six UAVs that were a threat were all detected and taken down via missiles, usually from Iron Dome but one was by an air-to-air missile, and at least one UAV was disabled using a technology that Israel would not discuss. This was probably one of the electronic AUD systems, which Israeli tech companies have developed over the last few years.

A new (to large-scale combat) system Israel would discuss was one that received data from all sensors (radars or electronic detection systems) and, in real time, created a single database/map display of all enemy systems detected. One feature of this new systems software was an accurate estimate of where UAVs were launched from. This provides an opportunity to attack the UAV operator or launch site. This system was already causing more losses to Hamas rocket launching teams, who thought the Israelis were just getting lucky. Now Hamas knows that luck had nothing to do with it. Israel has often sought to come up with defenses against new enemy weapons or tactics with a multi-system solution. Nowhere has this been more evident than when it comes to the growing threat from armed UAVs.

For over a decade, many if not most new AUD systems have come from Israel. Many specialize in the use of multiple sensors and systems to detect and disable UAVs. The best and most recent example of this is Skylock, an AUD system using multiple sensors and EW (Electronic Warfare) equipment, plus a short-range laser, to detect, identify and jam or take over unidentified UAVs trying to enter military bases, airports, or industrial facilities. Skylock uses a combination of radar, electro-optical (visual) and electronic signal monitoring sensors capable of detecting the smallest UAVs, especially quad-copters, approaching a restricted area. Another Israeli approach is to use an interceptor UAV that can drop a net on a UAV but the preferred method is to jam the UAV control signals or, if possible, seize control and land it.

A growing number of AUDs are built to deal with any small UAV. One of the more effective, and expensive of these AUDs is the Israeli Drone Dome system. These cost $3.4 million each and consist of a 360-degree radar system, an electro-optical day/night surveillance unit and a wideband (most frequencies drones use) detector. With all this Drone Dome can reliably detect any small quadcopter or fixed-wing UAV within 3,500 meters. Most quadcopters and UAVs encountered are larger and can be detected out to ten kilometers. Once spotted, Drone Dome can use a focused jamming signal that will disrupt any radio control signals and force the drone to crash or operate erratically. Drone Dome has an optional laser gun that can be aimed by Drone Dome to destroy the drone at ranges up to 2,000 meters. In a combat zone, you can also employ machine-guns to bring down the drone. Many buyers do not purchase the laser option and depend on Drone Dome being able to reliably detect all manner of small quadcopters from several manufacturers.

What makes Skylock and Drone Dome different is their heavy use of electronic sensors to detect and jam the control signals used by UAVs, leaving the laser as a last resort. Several such AUD systems are already in service and effective because they are good at detecting UAVs electronically, and either jamming those control signals or taking over the control signals and capturing (by making it land) the UAV. American troops in Iraq and Syria were asking for AUD systems that use lasers, plus better UAV detection systems as well those with jammers to disable UAVs. There is also a need for AUDs that can detect and destroy UAVs that do not use control signals and basically go on pre-programmed missions. This can be to take photos or deliver a small explosive. Usually, it is to take photos and return. Drone Dome is one of several AUD systems equipped to detect and locate UAVs operating in pre-programmed mode and destroy or disable them quietly with a vehicle-mounted laser.

AUDs like Drone Dome also use one or more radar systems and one or more sensor systems for detecting UAV control signals or visual images that pattern recognition software can quickly identify. While commercial UAVs are more common, the basic design principles have not changed. AUDs are constantly evolving to better detect and disable or destroy unwanted UAVs. The best ones are recent models that tend to be very expensive and used only for extreme situations, like UAV defense in combat zones. Airports, especially the large ones are going to have to join the military in buying the latest AUDs, which at least lowers the AUD price and inspires even faster innovation and development.

Ukraine could have used Skylock or Drone Dome, but Israel does not provide weapons for Ukraine because of an arrangement with Russia to assist Israel in keeping Iranian forces in Syria from getting close to the Israeli border or launching any attacks on Israel. In Ukraine, NATO nations providing weapons are not directly threatened with Russian attacks. Such is not the case with Iranian forces in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. It is not yet clear if Vampire and Cortex Typhon were more or as effective as the Israeli AUD systems.
The flash flood, triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday, had a significant impact on over 25,000 people in the scenic Himalayan state. It caused extensive damage, including over 1,200 houses destroyed and the loss of 13 bridges.

The question arises: what led to this catastrophe? The answer lies in the influence of climate change, which has played a pivotal role in exacerbating the severity of this weather event. Just understand in simple words- the length of Lhonak glacial lake is continuously increasing because of the speedy melting process on the top of the peaks. Scientists alerted the administration about the flash flood in 2021. The study in 2021 highlighted the growing size of the Lhonak glacial lake, which was particularly sensitive to extreme weather events such as cloudbursts.

But, nobody bothered about it and finally, the flash flood affected 25,065 people across four districts - Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi.

Current Situation in Sikkim

Currently, road connectivity between these districts has been severed, and numerous bridges have been washed away, severely impacting communication in North Sikkim. The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim rose to 27 on Saturday even as search operations continued for the 141 people who are still missing.

However, what we urgently need to emphasize is the profound impact of climate change. We must connect the dots to understand the cause of this cloudburst.

Robust Disaster Management Plan is a need of an hour

According to climate scientists and meteorologists, the only viable solution to safeguard the people of the Himalayas from such incidents is meticulous disaster planning and mitigation, as the exact timing of glacier-related floods or lake outbursts remains unpredictable.

South Lhonak Glacier's melting over the years is a matter of great concern. Multiple studies have shown that it is one of the fastest-retreating glaciers, resulting in the expansion of the connected lake, which is now the largest and fastest-growing in the state.

The glacier retreated approximately 2 kilometers from 1962 to 2008 and then receded another 400 meters from 2008 to 2019. This has raised alarm bells due to the downstream valley's high population density and existing infrastructure.

According to scientists, these types of floods can be triggered under extreme meteorological conditions, especially heavy rainfall events that erode the damming moraine and lead to the lake overflowing.

Increasing Silt

Another factor contributing to the problem is the increasing silt deposited by the retreating glaciers. Glaciers contain a mixture of loose sediments, and in the higher Himalayan regions, this sediment concentration is so high that even minimal rainfall can transport boulders and debris downstream, making it unsuitable for dams and tunnels.

Sensitive Seismic zone

Furthermore, seismic activity in the highly active seismic zone where South Lhonak Lake is situated can compromise the structural integrity of the moraines, potentially leading to catastrophic ice/rock avalanches. If you talk about the whole Himalayan Region, from Hindukush to Myanmar the whole region is sensitive about earthquakes.

Erratic Monsoon Patterns

The erratic monsoon patterns in the Eastern Himalayas, dominated by monsoons, have exacerbated the situation. Snowfall, which nourishes glaciers, has been replaced by erratic rainfall patterns, with more heavy rain days and increasing dry periods due to global warming leading to increased glacial melt.

What do scientists say about the Sikkim Flood?

The views of scientists on the Sikkim cloudburst incident shed light on the issue. Dr. Farooq Azam, a glaciologist from the Indian Institute of Technology-Indore, noted that the breach of this lake and its impact on the dam had already been predicted in 2021. He explained that as glaciers advance, they erode the riverbed, deepening the river, and climate change has resulted in erratic precipitation patterns, including cloudbursts, which can partially breach moraine dams.

Prof. Mahendra P Lama, Founding Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University, expressed sadness at the devastation and highlighted the warnings about potential floods and glacial lake outburst floods in earlier reports. He emphasized the potential of harnessing renewable energy from mountain rivers for regional development but stressed the need for responsible project implementation and environmental impact assessments to avoid disasters.

Anjal Prakash, a Clinical Associate Professor and Research Director at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business, and an IPCC Author, emphasized the lack of monitoring of the vast number of glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. He suggested that scientific monitoring and data sharing with policymakers are essential to make informed decisions and prevent such disasters from escalating further.
Currently the number of Russian tanks available is shrinking faster than the Ukrainian tank force. The key factor here is the inability of Russia to manufacture enough tanks to cover losses, much less increase their tank force. Russian manufacturing in general is suffering from Western sanctions which Russia tries to mitigate with substitution or smuggling. This is an imperfect solution and is not w0rking. Another problem is that their one tank manufacturing plant, Uralvagonzavod, can only produce about 300 tanks a year. This assumes they have access to the needed components, which is currently not the case. Fixing crippled but repairable tanks is also disrupted by not having enough tank transporters to carry damaged tanks to a rail road that will take them to a repair facility. These facilities are still busy refurbishing elderly (1960s) T-62s for infantry support duties. Production of the 115mm main gun of the T-62 ceased production decades ago while many of the stored T-62s have 115mm guns that already have a lot of use and cannot fire many more shells before the barrels need replacement. Artillery barrels in general can only be fired a certain number of shells before they become unreliable and inaccurate. Tank guns fire higher velocity shells than the shorter barreled field artillery and so become unreliable much faster.

Ukraine has access to lots of imported Western tanks as well as more tank repair facilities. Most of the imported Western tanks are more capable than anything Russia has. Older tanks donated to Ukraine, like Leopard 1A5s, are superior to the T-62. The Leopard 1 entered service in 1961 and began getting replaced by Leopard 2s in 1979. The original Leopard 1 was first upgraded in the 1970s to the Leopard A1. The A2, A3 and A4 upgrades were implemented in the 1970s and the A5 upgrades in the 1990s. Some 4,700 Leopard 1s were built between 1965 and 1984. In the 1990s major users of more capable Leopard 2s retired many of these tanks. Germany had 2,100 Leopard 2s and retired most of them by selling them off, at very attractive prices, to friendly countries. Despite this flood of low cost Leopard 2s, many nations kept their Leopard 1s. The 42-ton Leopard 1 and its 105mm gun can deal with any Russian tank, but not as efficiently as a 61-ton Leopard 2 and its 120mm gun. Ukrainians have been building tanks for nearly a century and know these combat vehicles quite well. A hundred Leopard 1A5s will overwhelm the Russians faster than a few dozen Leopard 2s and Challengers 2s. There are more Leopard 1A5s available from European nations that realized their values and put them in storage rather than scrapping them. Most NATO users want to hold on to most of their Leopard 2s, just in case. That means more Leopard 1s are available and Ukraine is eager to have them. About a hundred American M1 began arriving in Ukraine during September 2023. Earlier 31 were made available to train Ukrainian crews and mechanics. The U.S. built over 10,000 M1s since it entered service in 1982. The M1 and Leopard 2 are roughly equal in capability although the M1 has more combat experience. Both cost about the same at $6 million, which is twice what a new Leopard 1 cost. Meanwhile, Ukraine believes a hundred Leopard 1A5s arriving first can get most of the work done.
The criminal justice sector in India offers an array of rewarding careers. From becoming a criminologist, prosecuting attorney, judicial officer to working in law enforcement, corrections, or policy development, the field is vast and growing. Discovering the right career path in this field depends upon one's interest, educational background, and skills.

Higher Education Opportunities in Criminal Justice

Educational institutions throughout India provide a diverse selection of undergraduate and postgraduate programs specifically tailored for individuals interested in pursuing a career in Criminal Justice. These comprehensive programs aim to equip students with a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential for excelling in the dynamic and demanding criminal justice sector. By enrolling in these recognized educational institutions, students can expect to immerse themselves in a stimulating academic environment that fosters critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and ethical decision-making skills. Through a combination of classroom lectures, practical training, and hands-on experiences, students are exposed to real-world scenarios and challenges, enabling them to develop the necessary expertise to effectively navigate the complexities of the criminal justice industry.

Essential Skills and Qualifications for a Career in Criminal Justice

Besides possessing a relevant degree, qualities like critical thinking, effective communication, problem-solving skills, ethical judgment, and respect for diversity are vital to thrive in a criminal justice career. A criminal justice professional must be able to analyze complex situations, make sound decisions, and think critically to assess evidence and solve cases. Additionally, effective communication skills are essential to interact with diverse individuals, including victims, witnesses, suspects, and fellow colleagues, in order to gather information and maintain professional relationships.

Moreover, ethical judgment is paramount as criminal justice professionals are entrusted with enforcing and upholding the law. They must make moral decisions that align with principles of fairness, justice, and respect for individual rights. Additionally, respect for diversity is vital in a criminal justice career as professionals encounter individuals from various cultural backgrounds, socio-economic status, and belief systems.

Job Prospects in Criminal Justice in India

Skilled professionals in the criminal justice sector are in high demand due to the diverse range of opportunities available to. These opportunities span across a variety of fields such law enforcement agencies, legal firms, and correctional institutions. Law enforcement agencies offer positions like officers, detectives, and crime analysts, providing professionals with the chance to work directly in law and order. Legal firms offer roles such as defense attorneys or paraleals, allowing individuals to contribute to the justice system through legal representation and support.

Furthermore, non-profit organizations specializing in criminal justice advocacy or victim support are always in need of professionals who are passionate about making a positive impact on society. Higher education institutions provide opportunities for professionals to teach and conduct research in areas such as criminal law and criminology, shaping the future of the criminal justice system. Finally, policy think-tanks offer positions for experts who can analyze and develop innovative solutions to address the challenges faced by the criminal justice system. The abundance of opportunities in the criminal justice sector reflects the significance and demand for skilled professionals in this field.

Exploring Different Roles in the Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system encompasses a wide range of essential roles that collectively work towards law and order within society. These roles include law enforcement officers who enforce laws and investigate crimes, lawyers who represent both the prosecution and defense, judges who preside over legal proceedings and make impartial rulings, and probation officers who supervise individuals on probation or parole. Each of these roles plays a vital part in maintaining the integrity and functionality of the criminal justice system. By working collaboratively, they aim to uphold justice, protect the rights of individuals, prevent crime, and rehabilitate offenders. Whether it's the initial investigation conducted by law enforcement officers, the legal representation provided by lawyers, or the guidance and supervision offered by probation officers, every role within the criminal justice system contributes towards achieving a fair and effective resolution to criminal cases.

Preparing for a Career in Criminal Justice

Starting a career in criminal justice entails a comprehensive process that encompasses formal education, on-the-job training, and a commitment to continuous learning. Achieving proficiency in this field requires staying abreast of regular updates in laws and understanding the ever-evolving developments in the criminal justice system. However, knowledge acquisition does not cease with the completion of formal education. Real-world application and on-the-job training play a crucial role in honing practical skills and gaining hands-on experience. Engaging in internships, cooperative education programs, or entry-level positions within the criminal justice field equips individuals with the necessary tools to navigate real-life scenarios.
The Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL) has issued the AGCL Recruitment 2023 Notification, which offers a promising chance for individuals looking for government jobs in Assam. This recruiting campaign has 11 job openings for positions such as General Manager, Chief Manager, CSR Officer, and others. Interested people should apply offline before October 16, 2023. To be considered for these positions, applicants must have specified educational qualifications as well as 2 to 21 years of experience in their respective industries.

Overview

Organization Name Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL)

Post Name General Manager, Chief Manager, and other posts

No.of Posts 11

Application Starting Date Started

Application Closing Date 16th October 2023

Mode of Application Offline

Category Government Jobs

Job Location Assam

Selection Process Interview

Official Website www.assamgas.org

AGCL Recruitment

The AGCL is an Indian enterprise engaged in the business of natural gas in India. Its mission is to provide gas to enhance the quality of life while maintaining high safety standards and customer satisfaction. To fulfill this mission, the AGCL regularly holds job recruitment, where they offer various open positions to potential employees across different divisions.

AGCL Recruitment Notification

These notifications serve as an official statement coming from the AGCL about job positions available for application. They provide detailed information about the roles, such as the number of vacancies, roles responsibilities, job location, and timeframe for the application. Potential applicants can access these notifications through the official AGCL website or other credible job platforms.

Application Form

The application form is an essential document needed to apply for any job opening at AGCL. This form requires prospective applicants to give their personal information and relevant career data. It's important to fill this form accurately as it serves as an introductory document of the applicant's eligibility. You can find these application forms on the AGCL official website.

Organizations like the AGCL play a significant role in solving unemployment in India by offering numerous job opportunities every year. As such, understanding the recruitment process, including the notifications and application forms, is essential for any career-oriented individual looking to seize these opportunities. Always check the AGCL's official website or trusted career websites for the most recent and reliable recruitment information.

Salary

Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 1,10,000/- per month.

Selection

Personal Interview
Photo: The Canadian Press The RCMP logo is seen outside the force's 'E' division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 16, 2023. A 29-year-old woman who was among a group of women and children returned to Canada in April after years in a Syrian prison camp has been charged with a terrorism-related offence.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A 29-year-old woman who was among a group of women and children returned to Canada in April after years in a Syrian prison camp has been charged with a terrorism-related offence.

RCMP say the charge was laid following an investigation by the force's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.

Four Canadian women and 10 children landed in Montreal in April after being held for years at the al-Roj camp, with three of the women arrested upon arrival and released on conditions.

Police say Ammara Amjad was arrested in Milton, Ont., on Thursday for allegedly participating in activities of the Islamic State group.

Amjad appeared in Brampton provincial court for a bail hearing and has been released subject to conditions.

Her next court date is set for Nov. 17.
Tibet makes strides in preserving ancient books at Potala Palace

Xinhua) 10:45, October 07, 2023

LHASA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Potala Palace management authority has announced significant achievements in preserving and utilizing its extensive collection of ancient books and documents, thanks to a special project.

The project was launched by the central government in late 2018 with a dedicated fund of 300 million yuan (41.8 million U.S. dollars) to conserve and explore the use of ancient books and documents at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

So far, the project has archived more than 12.3 million folios from 3,499 collections of ancient books and documents, and digitally scanned 3,152 folios from 41 collections of rare pattra-leaf scriptures, according to Butri, an official with the Potala Palace administration office.

The office recently published a series of books presenting the latest research findings on the valuable ancient texts in the palace's collection.

"Ancient books and documents are important carriers of ancient cultures, with extremely high historical, scientific and cultural value," Butri said, adding that he believes the research results will play a pivotal role in further promoting the preservation of Potala Palace scriptures and the interpretation of ancient texts in Tibet.

The Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands as a treasure house of Tibetan history, culture and art.

It houses nearly 40,000 collections of ancient books and documents in multiple languages. Among the most significant collections are scriptures written on around 30,000 pattra leaves.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Moscow, Oct 7 (UNI) Two Russian diplomats are being expelled from the United States without any explanation as the State Department is simply taking revenge with another confrontational act, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said in a statement.

A source from the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday confirmed to Sputnik that the United States had decided to expel two Russian diplomats and called the decision "unfounded."

"I can confirm that a few days ago the US authorities made this latest confrontational attack and declared 'persona non grata' two diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Washington," Antonov said. "However, the following fact is surprising: when presenting the note on the expulsion, colleagues at the State Department assured us for some reason that they did not intend to advertise this story and share details with the press."

The US administration, he added, wanted to show that the recent expulsion of American diplomats from Russia for "subversive activities has not gone unanswered."

"It is noteworthy that when I asked during a meeting at the State Department to explain what exactly our colleagues were accused of, the interlocutors were unable to provide any arguments unless one counts the reference to the fact that, they say, the authorities of the host country are not obliged to explain anything. Thus, in fact, we are dealing with banal revenge, which does not honor American diplomacy," Antonov said.

UNI/SPUTNIK AKS
Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks he could've been a "great" US President.

The 76-year-old actor served as the Governor of California from 2003 until 2011 and although he's not eligible to run for the White House, Schwarzenegger believes he could've done a very good job.

The Hollywood star - who isn't eligible for the role because he was born in Austria - told Howard Stern: "I think that I wouldve made a great president. I think that I have the energy and the will to bring people together."

Despite this, Schwarzenegger doesn't harbour any bitterness, acknowledging that America has given him so many opportunities in life.

He explained: "I felt like everything Ive accomplished in my life - [the] bodybuilding career, the movie career, becoming Governor, setting up my Schwarzenegger Institute, all this stuff, the millions of dollars I made and everything - its all because of America. So, why would I complain about the one thing I cant do?"

Schwarzenegger recently claimed that he was "made in America".

The actor confessed that he's not a "self-made man" and that he has lots of people to thank for his success.

Schwarzenegger  who was born in Austria but moved to the US to pursue a career in bodybuilding  told Interview magazine: "I always said you can call me anything you want, but dont call me a self-made man, because Im not. Who made me? We can say god, or we can say my mother and my father."

Schwarzenegger acknowledges that America has given him an opportunity to transform his life.

He said: "Im the last one to say, 'Im a self-made man.' I would say I was born in Austria, made in America."
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Here are upcoming road closings for the weekend:

3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival

Beginning Friday afternoon, until Sunday, at 2 a.m., the following roads will be closed for the 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival:

Riverfront Parkway from Erwin Marine to Aquarium Way

Power Alley from Aquarium Way to Riverfront Parkway

Chestnut Street from Aquarium Way to Riverfront Parkway

All trucks over two axels will not be allowed on Riverfront Parkway north of MLK Blvd

Moccasin Bend Fall Classic



On Saturday, from 7:45-9:45 a.m., Moccasin Bend Road will see runner participants for the Moccasin Bend Fall Classic 10K and will share the road with local traffic. All runners will travel in the opposing traffic lane for additional visibility. The event will take place between Hudson Rd and the end of public right-of-way at the Moccasin Bend Institution. Motorists are asked to follow directions given by on-site officers and to use caution.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Football Game



The following roads will be closed on Saturday, from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.:

Reggie White Blvd between the Chattanooga Skate Park north entrance and W 20th Street

Chestnut Street between W 17th Street and W 19th Street

W 19th Street between Reggie White Blvd and Chestnut Street

Street parking will be prohibited on Chestnut Street within the closure on the dates/times listed above. Vehicles left within the closure will be towed at the owner's expense.

Chattanooga Market



Reggie White Blvd between W 19th Street and the Skate Park access road will be closed on Sunday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. for the Chattanooga Market.

Tennessee Valley Pride Parade



The following restrictions or road closures will be in place on Sunday, at 11:30 a.m. for an estimated one hour:

Walnut Street between E 3 rd Street and E 4 th Street

Street and E 4 Street The right, westbound lane of E 4 th Street between Walnut Street and Market Street

Street between Walnut Street and Market Street Market Street northbound between E 4 th Street and Aquarium Way (detour via Broad or HWY 27 to reach North Chattanooga)

Street and Aquarium Way (detour via Broad or HWY 27 to reach North Chattanooga) Aquarium Way westbound between Market Street and Chestnut Street

The parade will disperse once exiting Aquarium Way at Chestnut Street.

Chattanooga Motorcar Festival



Street closures in preparation for the 2023 Chattanooga Motorcar Festival will begin on Sunday, at 10 p.m. with the following streets:

 8th Street between Broad Street and Pine Street

 The intersection of Chestnut Street and 8th Street

 Chestnut Street will be restricted to local traffic only between 8th Street and MLK / 7th Street

A full traffic impact announcement associated with the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival will be announced early next week.

View CDOT's map of events and road closures for full details of these activities and other projects underway in our public space.


Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report:

ACKLIN, MARQUAN DAEJION

209 TUNNEL BLVD CHATTANOOGA, 374112750

Age at Arrest: 21 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

THEFT OF PROPERTY

POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE



BLADWIN, LATONYA ANN

1825 S WATKINS ST CHATTANOOGA,

Age at Arrest: 32 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

DOMESTIC ASSAULT



BRADSHAW, JOSHUA ALAN

5753 OLD DAYTON PIKE CHATTANOOGA, 37415

Age at Arrest: 38 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING OR



BROWN, COURTNEY MONIQUE

155 HIGH ST CLEVELAND, 37311

Age at Arrest: 29 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)



BUSH, MILES JARBA

5007 14TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374073419

Age at Arrest: 21 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

THEFT OF PROPERTY

POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE



CAMAS GODINEZ, EVELYN MARILI

3916 6TH AVE APT A CHATTANOOGA, 37404

Age at Arrest: 26 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT

DRIVING ON ROADWAYS LANED FOR TRAFFIC, VIOLATION

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

IMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE



CARTER, KEILA SHRON

1664 GREENDALE WAY HIXSON, 37343

Age at Arrest: 25 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

THEFT OF PROPERTY



CHOICE, DEVIN TERRELL

634 MAPLE STREET COURT CHATTANOOGA, 37402

Age at Arrest: 28 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF



CHRISTIAN, TYLER BENIJAMIN

2546 BANKS ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37412

Age at Arrest: 31 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY)

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY(CONDUCT

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (ASSAULT)



FALLINS, MARTEISIA DELANE

1611 MULBERRY ST CHATTANOOGA, 37404

Age at Arrest: 32 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

AGGRAVATED CHILD ABUSE

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT



FOOTES, CHIQUITA LYNETT

1204 POPLAR STREET APT B CHATTANOOGA, 37402

Age at Arrest: 47 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)



GOODRUM, JAMES LUCIOUS

1400 NORTH CHAMBERLAIN AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374063318

Age at Arrest: 55 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT



GREENE, ASHLEY KAY

7356 LEE HWY Chattanooga, 37421

Age at Arrest: 40 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY)

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (FRAUDULENT USE OF DEBIT CA



GREENFIELD, LESLEY DALE

1 DAY ST SIGNAL MOUNATAIN, 37377

Age at Arrest: 41 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)



HILLIARD, STANLEY MICHAEL

410 PARAGON DRIVE RED BANK, 37415

Age at Arrest: 72 years old

Arresting Agency: Red Bank

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE



HODGE, ELIJAH CURTIS

4118 13TH AVE HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37407

Age at Arrest: 43 years old

Arresting Agency: East Ridge

PUBLIC INTOXICATION

ATTEMPTED ESCAPE

RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS



HOGAN, HUNTER RYAN

9218 RIVER OAKS ROAD HARRISON, 37341

Age at Arrest: 29 years old

Arresting Agency: Collegedale

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)



HURT, JASON WILSON

942 JACKSON BLVD FRNT 942 BIRMINGHAM, 352172943

Age at Arrest: 19 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

DOMESTIC ASSAULT



JOHNSON, CHRISTIE CHARLENE

109 MORNINGSIDE SODDY DAISY, 37379

Age at Arrest: 41 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

LIGHT LAW VIOLATION

POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL.

OR MANUFACTURING)SIMPLE POSSESSION (PETITION TO REVOKE)JOHNSON, TORIANA MAHOGANY3900 5TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374072628Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDOMESTIC ASSAULTJOHNSON, VINCENT OSHEA4004 CLIO AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDASSAULTDISORDERLY CONDUCTKAMPF, DONNA E155 WOODY DR RINGGOLD, 37412Age at Arrest: 58 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeRECKLESS DRIVINGDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEKENNEMER, ELDRIDGE LEBRON4913 EDINGBURG DR 4913 HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 374102120Age at Arrest: 54 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDFAILURE TO APPEARLEAVITT, JAMES KEVIN1217 WEST WALDEN LAFOLLETTE, 37766Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffFUGITIVE (CATOOSA CO GA)MANSKE, SEAN J13441 CINDY DR SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffDOMESTIC ASSAULTDOMESTIC ASSAULTMCDUFFIE, GERALD DOMINIQUE1905 COOLEY STREET HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeTHEFT OF PROPERTYPOSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOKPOSSESSION DRUGS-PARAPHERNALIAMOORE, GARTH DUSTIN LAMAR2847 MICHIGAN AVE RD,N.E. APT 4 CLEVELAND, 37323Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)NORTON, RUSSELL LEE1244 KENZIE LANE HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 40 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffDISORDERLY CONDUCTDOMESTIC ASSAULTRETALIATION AGAINST JUDGE, JUROR, OFFICERPACE, THOMAS THURSTON5037 JOHNSTON RD MCDONALD, 37353Age at Arrest: 36 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffTHEFT OF PROPERTYPARKER, ANTONIO514 SHANNON AVENUE CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 62 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDINDECENT EXPOSUREPICKETT, BRIAN STANLEY4725 SABRINA LANE APT# 103 HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 44 years oldArresting Agency: TWRA Game/FishEVADING ARRESTCAMPING IN A WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA POSTEDPOLLARD, MARCUS LARENZO5322 CLEMONS RD CHATTANOOGA, 374123184Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDTHEFT OF PROPERTYPOSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONYDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOUNDERS, ARRIANA DECAMREA7710 LEE HWY UNIT 106 CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDOMESTIC ASSAULTPRUITT, CHRISTOPHER ELIJAH1416 DALLLAS LAKE HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffDOMESTIC ASSAULTRAMIREZ, VICTORINO2408 SUNSET STRIP HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 38 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEREDDEN, LAURA BETH5970 DAYTON BLVD CHATTANOOGA, 374151212Age at Arrest: 46 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAROBERTS, ALISHIA GLYN3821LONGVIEW DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37409Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffTHEFT OF PROPERTY (CONDUCT INVOLV.MERCHANDISE)ROBINSON, MEKHI TETHSHAUN3902 6TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374072601Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDOMESTIC ASSAULTSCHICHTEL, LEVI H309 WALMART DR LOT 56 SOODY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 20 years oldArresting Agency: Soddy DaisyAGGRAVATED ASSAULTRESISTING STOP, FRIST, HALT, ARREST OR SEARCH911 VIOLATION (IMPROPER USE)SMITH, JAVONIA L506 FISHER AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374063440Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDOMESTIC ASSAULTSMOLIK, RAYBURN RAY1204 LAKEVIEW DRIVE ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 57 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIASTAMPER, WILLIAM DAVID7604 STANDIFER GAP RD CHATTANOOGA, 374211184Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALESTONE, JOSHUA ERNESTPO BOX 2382 OOLTEWAH, 373632382Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGVANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEFTHEFT OF PROPERTYEVADING ARRESTSWANSON, ASHANTI NICHELLE2439 BRIDGEWAY CIRCLE CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 19 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDOMESTIC ASSAULTTATE, BRANDON J2421 NORTHBRIER CIR CHATTANOOGA, 374062667Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDVIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING ORTAYLOR, RANDALL LEE22 STARVIEW LN APT 413 CHATTANOOGA, 374191925Age at Arrest: 24 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDTHEFT OF PROPERTYPOSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMEDPOSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONYDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALETRYON, GAVIN BLAKE4350 PROSPECT CHURCH COLLEGEDALE, 37363Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: CollegedaleBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)WALTON, CHEON KASHETTA1609 ANTIOCH ROAD DALTON, 30721Age at Arrest: 47 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)WARD, TYLER ALLEN309 WALMART DR SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 30 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffTHEFT OF PROPERTY-OVER 1000 (AUTO)DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSELEAVING SCENE OF ACCIDENT W/DAMAGE TO VEHICLETHEFT OF PROPERTY-OVER 1000 (AUTO)VIOLATION OF PROBATION (AGG BURGLARY)VIOLATION OF PROBATION (DOMESTIC AGG ASSUALT)VIOLATION OF PROBATION (SIMPLE POSS. OF METH)WHITEAKER, KINSLEY MORGAN2439 POLLAND LANE CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 30 years oldArresting Agency:Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)WOODS, CAMRYN J8200 E 35TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDSPEEDINGPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEUNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPONYANCY, MATTHEW SCOTTHOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 316322016Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGDISORDERLY CONDUCT

Here are the mug shots:

ACKLIN, MARQUAN DAEJION

Age at Arrest: 21

Date of Birth: 05/25/2002

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY

POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE BLADWIN, LATONYA ANN

Age at Arrest: 32

Date of Birth: 05/09/1991

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT BRADSHAW, JOSHUA ALAN

Age at Arrest: 38

Date of Birth: 01/20/1985

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING OR BROWN, COURTNEY MONIQUE

Age at Arrest: 29

Date of Birth: 10/14/1993

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

BURNETTE, NICKOLAS TRAY

Age at Arrest: 23

Date of Birth: 01/11/2000

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

CRIMINAL TRESPASSING

THEFT OF PROPERTY BUSH, MILES JARBA

Age at Arrest: 21

Date of Birth: 02/13/2002

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY

POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE CAMAS GODINEZ, EVELYN MARILI

Age at Arrest: 26

Date of Birth: 04/03/1997

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT

DRIVING ON ROADWAYS LANED FOR TRAFFIC, VIOLATION

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

IMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE CARTER, KEILA SHRON

Age at Arrest: 25

Date of Birth: 06/02/1994

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY CHOICE, DEVIN TERRELL

Age at Arrest: 28

Date of Birth: 12/17/1994

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF CHRISTIAN, TYLER BENIJAMIN

Age at Arrest: 31

Date of Birth: 01/17/1992

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY)

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY(CONDUCT

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (ASSAULT)

FALLINS, MARTEISIA DELANE

Age at Arrest: 32

Date of Birth: 06/28/1991

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

AGGRAVATED CHILD ABUSE

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT FOOTES, CHIQUITA LYNETT

Age at Arrest: 47

Date of Birth: 10/30/1975

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

GOODRUM, JAMES LUCIOUS

Age at Arrest: 55

Date of Birth: 02/21/1968

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT GREENE, ASHLEY KAY

Age at Arrest: 40

Date of Birth: 03/31/1983

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY)

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (FRAUDULENT USE OF DEBIT CA GREENFIELD, LESLEY DALE

Age at Arrest: 41

Date of Birth: 05/22/1982

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

HODGE, ELIJAH CURTIS

Age at Arrest: 43

Date of Birth: 11/03/1979

Arresting Agency: East Ridge



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

PUBLIC INTOXICATION

ATTEMPTED ESCAPE

RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS HOGAN, HUNTER RYAN

Age at Arrest: 29

Date of Birth: 05/31/1994

Arresting Agency: Collegedale



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

HURT, JASON WILSON

Age at Arrest: 19

Date of Birth: 08/28/2004

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT JOHNSON, TORIANA MAHOGANY

Age at Arrest: 22

Date of Birth: 06/26/2001

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT KAMPF, DONNA E

Age at Arrest: 58

Date of Birth: 06/15/1965

Arresting Agency: East Ridge



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

RECKLESS DRIVING

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

KENNEMER, ELDRIDGE LEBRON

Age at Arrest: 54

Date of Birth: 03/17/1969

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

FAILURE TO APPEAR LEAVITT, JAMES KEVIN

Age at Arrest: 31

Date of Birth: 08/17/1992

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

FUGITIVE (CATOOSA CO GA) MCDUFFIE, GERALD DOMINIQUE

Age at Arrest: 33

Date of Birth: 12/11/1989

Arresting Agency: East Ridge



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY

POSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOK

POSSESSION DRUGS-PARAPHERNALIA MEZA PASCUAL, CARLOS DANIEL

Age at Arrest: 33

Date of Birth: 11/04/1989

Arresting Agency: Tenn Hwy Patrol



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

SPEEDING

DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE MOORE, GARTH DUSTIN LAMAR

Age at Arrest: 32

Date of Birth: 09/30/1991

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

PACE, THOMAS THURSTON

Age at Arrest: 36

Date of Birth: 03/06/1987

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY PARKER, ANTONIO

Age at Arrest: 62

Date of Birth: 05/18/1961

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

INDECENT EXPOSURE PICKETT, BRIAN STANLEY

Age at Arrest: 44

Date of Birth: 01/23/1979

Arresting Agency: TWRA Game/Fish



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

EVADING ARREST

CAMPING IN A WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA POSTED PIERCE, CHELSEA ELIZABETH

Age at Arrest: 30

Date of Birth: 01/18/1993

Arresting Agency: East Ridge



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

POSSESSION OF LEGEND DRUG

EVADING ARREST POLLARD, MARCUS LARENZO

Age at Arrest: 23

Date of Birth: 01/21/2000

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY

POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE

POUNDERS, ARRIANA DECAMREA

Age at Arrest: 26

Date of Birth: 01/27/1997

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT PRUITT, CHRISTOPHER ELIJAH

Age at Arrest: 23

Date of Birth: 06/06/2000

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT RAMIREZ, VICTORINO

Age at Arrest: 38

Date of Birth: 01/07/1985

Arresting Agency: East Ridge



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE REDDEN, LAURA BETH

Age at Arrest: 46

Date of Birth: 12/01/1976

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ROBERTS, ALISHIA GLYN

Age at Arrest: 32

Date of Birth: 03/31/1991

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY (CONDUCT INVOLV.MERCHANDISE) ROBINSON, MEKHI TETHSHAUN

Age at Arrest: 21

Date of Birth: 01/22/2002

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT SMITH, JAVONIA L

Age at Arrest: 25

Date of Birth: 08/15/1998

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT SMOLIK, RAYBURN RAY

Age at Arrest: 57

Date of Birth: 08/29/1966

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHE

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF METH) STEIN, ALEX M

Age at Arrest: 35

Date of Birth: 10/30/1987

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC ASSAULT STONE, JOSHUA ERNEST

Age at Arrest: 31

Date of Birth: 08/24/1992

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

CRIMINAL TRESPASSING

VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF

THEFT OF PROPERTY

EVADING ARREST

SWANSON, ASHANTI NICHELLE

Age at Arrest: 19

Date of Birth: 01/27/2004

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT TATE, BRANDON J

Age at Arrest: 21

Date of Birth: 09/23/2002

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING OR TAYLOR, RANDALL LEE

Age at Arrest: 24

Date of Birth: 04/26/1999

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY

POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED

POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE TRYON, GAVIN BLAKE

Age at Arrest: 25

Date of Birth: 07/28/1998

Arresting Agency: Collegedale



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

WALTON, CHEON KASHETTA

Age at Arrest: 47

Date of Birth: 07/29/1976

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

WARD, TYLER ALLEN

Age at Arrest: 30

Date of Birth: 04/03/1993

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY-OVER 1000 (AUTO)

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

LEAVING SCENE OF ACCIDENT W/DAMAGE TO VEHICLE

THEFT OF PROPERTY-OVER 1000 (AUTO)

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (AGG BURGLARY)

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (DOMESTIC AGG ASSUALT)

VIOLATION OF PROBATION (SIMPLE POSS. OF METH) WHITEAKER, KINSLEY MORGAN

Age at Arrest: 30

Date of Birth: 09/07/1993

Arresting Agency:



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION WOODS, CAMRYN J

Age at Arrest: 23

Date of Birth: 09/17/2000

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

SPEEDING

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON YANCY, MATTHEW SCOTT

Age at Arrest: 31

Date of Birth: 12/27/1991

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 10/06/2023

Charge(s):

CRIMINAL TRESPASSING

DISORDERLY CONDUCT




Barbara Jean Barnes (nee Doyle) passed peacefully on October 6, 2023, at 84 years of age.

She is survived by daughter Cathi Smothers (husband Dale), son Jeffrey Barnes (wife Lori Martin), grandsons Kris Morrison (wife Gina Morrison)and Kevin Smothers (partner Evans Ayala), sister Elizabeth Carty, niece Maren Hartman, nephew Matthew Carty, and a number of beloved cousins and friends.

She was preceded in passing by her husband, Charles.

Barbara was born in Syracuse, NY and raised in Penn Yann, NY in the Finger Lakes region; an area she carried in her heart always. As an Air Force wife, she cared for her family as they travelled across the nation and world, with assignments to Texas, Alaska, and Japan. While she loved seeing new sights, she was most gratified meeting new people and learning about their world. While in Japan, she trained to become a master Japanese flower arranger under a master sensei and taught conversational american language to employees of the Olympus camera company. She shared her back country camping skills with Girl Scouts in Japan and Alaska as well. When Charles retired from the Air Force, the family moved to his hometown of Chattanooga, where Barbara went to work for the Chattanooga Public Library, ultimately retiring as a Children's Librarian, another position she cherished. Throughout her life, Barbara exercised her passion for crafting.

At various times you could find her focused intently on ceramics, sewing, knitting, crocheting, cross stitch, embroidery, dollhouse miniature making, and more. Barbara appreciated the opportunities she had, and took great pleasure in the successes of her family and friends. She is dearly missed, deeply appreciated, and always loved.

In accordance with Barbaras wishes, there will be no memorial service. She will be reunited with her husband in the Chattanooga National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Welcome Home of Chattanooga hospice facility are encouraged and appreciated.

Arrangements are by Comfort Cremation Center, Chattanooga (423) 531-7141 www.comfortcremationcenter.com
Elvis Presley made a lot of money, but he spent even more. His father began to panic, and ultimately begged his son to stop spending so frivolously.

As Elvis Presley rose to fame, his father, Vernon, was by his side, helping him manage his affairs. Vernon and Elvis got along well, but they had different approaches to life. Elvis liked to spend extravagantly, gifting expensive presents to the people around him on a whim. Vernon was far more frugal. By the mid-1960s, he had to beg his son to stop spending so much money.

Elvis began spending money extravagantly, much to his fathers dismay

In the mid-1960s, Elvis began buying horses. Priscilla Presley had mentioned wanting one, and soon, everyone in Elvis entourage had one. While driving in Mississippi, Elvis and Priscilla fell in love with a 160-acre ranch. He decided that he had to have the home.

We were determined to buy it, never foreseeing the burden it would become, Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. He wanted the ranch as much as I did, even though Vernon said that at $500,000 it was overpriced. He felt the owner could offer a much more desirable deal and tried to persuade us that financially it was not a good move. Elvis movies were continuing to decline in popularity and record sales were down. He was averaging a million dollars a film and the money was going out as quickly as it was coming in.

Elvis, Vernon, and Priscilla Presley | Oscar Abolafia/TPLP/Getty Images

Still, Elvis bought the home. He put in mobile homes for each member of his entourage and bought them all trucks. He hired a staff to care for the horses and purchased any kind of equipment he could possibly need for life on a ranch.

He continued spending money as if it were going out of style, Priscilla wrote. Alarmed, Vernon literally begged him to stop, but Elvis said, Im having fun, Daddy, for the first time in ages. Ive got a hobby, something I look forward to gettin up in the mornin for.'

Elvis Presley had to make movies he hated for the money

Elvis insisted on pouring money into the ranch, leaving Vernon in a panic. He asked Elvis manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to find Elvis an acting job so they could have a stream of income.

Still, [Elvis] enjoyed giving and sharing even as his own bank account was radically diminishing, Priscilla wrote. An expensive hobby, the ranch had already cost him close to a million dollars and created a serious cash-flow problem. In daily phone calls to the Colonel, Vernon pleaded with him to come up with some work to divert Elvis from his spending spree.

Elvis didnt want to make the movie, but Vernon told him that was too bad. They needed the money.

The Colonel promptly made arrangements for another movie, Clambake, Priscilla wrote. Elvis read the script, yet another beach-and-bikini movie, and hated it. Vernon convinced him he didnt have much choice. We need the money, Son. And Elvis was committed.

Elvis father, Vernon, was more careful with his money than his son

Elvis spent money as soon as it hit his wallet, but Vernon was far more frugal. When Priscilla first moved to Graceland, Elvis told her to ask Vernon for money whenever she needed it. After only her second time asking, though, he snapped at her for having spent the money he previously gave her in just two weeks.

Thats my daddy, Elvis told her, laughing. Hes always been tight. Getting money from him is worse than going to the local bank, even if youve got good credit.

Elvis and Vernon Presley | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

He explained that this was why he put Vernon in charge of his finances.

Thats why I have him taking care of my bills, he said. Every pennys accounted for. I wouldnt trust anybody else. Too many thieves.
The Cherokee Art Market will showcase the work 150 elite Native American artists from across the country.
OKCICs dedicated staff began administering flu vaccines to ensure its patients well-being for the upcoming year on Oct. 2.
Alvin Camba in Phenomenal World:

A pillar of Indonesias unprecedented economic growth over the last decade has been its ban on the export of raw nickel ore. This national experiment in downstream industrial policy began with the 2009 Mining Law signed by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, which mandated the domestic processing of all commodities mined in the country. The export ban on nickel was only partially implemented in 2014 amid widespread opposition from the mining sector, and it came into full effect in 2020.

Before the ban, Indonesia predominantly exported raw nickel ore, which is minimally processed into nickel matte. The countrys nickel-related exports were a modest US$6 billion in 2013. By 2022, this figure had risen to nearly US$30 billion, propelled by the exports of higher value-added products such as stainless steel and battery materials.

Chinese firms that were large players in the downstream nickel-based production had no choice but to expand their operations within Indonesia to secure access to its abundant nickel resources. The rapid growth of the nickel sector was facilitated by direct investments under the Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese state-owned banks financed the construction of coal power plants and basic infrastructure, integral components of the industrial areas that fostered economies of scale and agglomeration.

The outcomes of these policies have been mixed.

More here.
This 40-year-old woman and her husband, who is 41, have been married for eight years. But, back when he was in his twenties and early thirties, he decided to embark on a different career path.

Her husband opted to become an entrepreneur partly because he had a hard time keeping a job. It even got so bad that owning his own business was the only way her husband could possibly earn some money.

Apparently, her husbands supervisors were either dumb or controlling. Sometimes, he also just didnt have enough experience or the right degree for positions that he was willing to tolerate.

Finally, some of her husbands former jobs just have terrible hours. So, with all of this being said, he decided to become an entrepreneur.

I understand his struggles with all those reasons, and when we started dating 14 years ago, I was the primary breadwinner simply by nature of the fact that I had a steady source of employment, she recalled.

At the time, her husband also told her that she was only the second serious girlfriend he had ever had. Yes, he did hook up with some women before they met, but most of the women were much older, and the hookups were one-time things.

So, by the time they began dating, her husband was always the person actively pursuing her claiming he was lucky to have her. He also said that she was worth the world because she was different from other New Yorkers and saw invisible people.

Anyway, that was almost a decade and a half ago. And now, she and her husband are married and have two daughters together who are 8 and 5 years old.

Their finances also stabilized by the time they were 35 years old, and she was always supportive of her husbands business. In fact, she even quit her job to care for their children after he decided to move their family to a nice suburb in Connecticut.

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'We need prayers for Gods protection': Ugandan couple forced to flee home after converting to Christianity

NAIROBI, Kenya  An elderly couple in eastern Uganda has fled their village after Muslim relatives upset with their conversion to Christianity threatened to destroy them and their home, sources said.

In Wakalende village, Kyebando Ward in Mayuge town, 70-year-old Sula Mugudi and his wife, Aisha Mugudi, 62, put their faith in Christ on Sept. 16 during a churchs week-long evangelistic campaign of home visits.

Three days after converting, the couple attended a church all-night prayer vigil, returning home on Sept. 20 to find that relatives who had learned of their conversion had bashed bricks from their modest home.

As we returned back to our grass-thatched roof house, we found some of the debris around the house, Sula Mugudi told Morning Star News. On entering the house, we found there was a threatening message, Today if we find you around, we shall destroy you with the house. You have become an embarrassment to our Muslim family by joining a wrong religion.

The fearful couple left the house immediately.

It was a very difficult moment for us  no place to stay, no clothing and beddings, Mugudi said.

A pastor whose name is withheld for security reasons said the couple has been relocated as far away as possible to avoid attacks by their Muslim relatives.

When the couple arrived at our church, they looked shaken and fearful, he said. The church has hidden them for the sake of the church as well as for the lives of these two new Christians. We need prayers for Gods protection and providence.

The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.

Ugandas constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate ones faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Ugandas population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.
As former prisoner, I feel sick about US handling of Iran

I have been sick to my stomach for days. The criminal Islamist Iranian regime continues to threaten the world and brutalize its own people. It must be stopped. Sadly, too many Americans dont know, dont care, or are suffering delusions that the regime can be negotiated with. It cannot. America needs leaders who will not appease and enable the Iranian regime, but who will confront it, and bring it to its long-overdue end.

I have been sick since watching the recent Republican presidential debate. It pains me that Iran was mentioned, neither as a matter of foreign policy nor as a matter of US domestic policy.

I have been sick because, for me, this is very personal. In 2009, I was arrested and sentenced to death by hanging, incarcerated in Irans notorious Evin prison for nine months. I was found guilty of the crime they call apostasy, simply becoming a Christian in Iran. Throughout my life, I have witnessed misogyny and brutality against women, fear of the regime as a Christian, and evil perpetrated at every level of Iranian society. In prison, I witnessed the suffering of hundreds of women, brutal torture, and the execution of many.

My pain deepened this week, reading about another beautiful young girl, Armita Granvand, who was savagely beaten by Iranian morality police, and now is in coma, for the crime of not covering her hair properly. Of course, she had no trial, not that the Iranian judicial system does anything other than hand down the most severe penalties for offenses against Islam. She was just a 16-year-old girl, pounced upon and beaten.

Rubbing salt in the wounds, the journalist who reported it, Mariam Lotfi, was arrested for covering the story. And the regime threatened and paraded out Armitas parents, forcing them to claim she simply fell.

Another young girl, Zahra Hatami, recently committed suicide after being expelled from school for the crime of wearing nail polish. She threw herself from the top of a building near her school, unable to cope with Irans gender apartheid. She was in 8th grade.

The Biden administration did not execute these women, but has blood on its hands all the same, having enabled and emboldened the Iranian regime rather than resisting it. It is unconscionable that the Biden Administration was behind the recent $6 billion ransom to the Islamic regime, to free Americans held hostage. America needs a leader who will confront the Iranian regime properly. If the Republican debate is any litmus test, I fear that whoever succeeds Biden will be no better.

The message this sends to the regime is that they can do anything they want and have billions to fund it. It is akin to poking the Iranian people in the eye who are praying and protesting for regime change.

A year ago, another young woman, Mahsa Amini, was also savagely beaten by the morality police for the crime of not wearing her hijab properly. Since then, millions of Iranians have increasingly expressed their voice, their yearning to be out from under the heel of the regime. The Biden Administration betrayed them in 2022, the same way the Obama Administration betrayed the Iranian people during the 2009 Green Revolution, the suffering that I witnessed in prison firsthand with thousands arrested, beaten, and murdered.

Today, Americans, and people of good conscience around the world need to ask from where the Islamist regime gets its legitimacy when millions of Iranians are saying no to its evil. By appeasing criminal ayatollahs with the blood of thousands of people on their hands, American leaders who do anything other than fight to end the regimes terror have blood on their hands too.

Shame for allowing the Iranian president known as the butcher a platform in the US to mock human rights and American values by bowing down to terrorists instead of making them accountable and bringing them to justice.

The criminal Islamic regime has ruled by murdering, torturing, raping, and executing many innocent people. They will continue as long as they are in power because they are evil to the core. I could have suffered worse, becoming one of those victims, when I was facing death by hanging because of my faith in Jesus, had it not been for massive international support that put pressure on, and embarrassed, the regime. I was not ransomed but released because of international pressure, without which I would not be alive today.



Pressure, not appeasement, must be both our foreign and domestic policy.

I experienced the brutality of this regime not only in prison but living every day in Iran under the harsh rules of Islam. I witnessed the execution of my best friend and many others. My husband was tortured, suffered 80 lashes on a trumped-up criminal charge of drinking wine, and beaten to death. I will never forget the skin peeling off his back as a result of those lashes.

Experiencing these injustices changed me forever. Even living in the greatest country on earth, I cannot enjoy my freedoms as long as these murderers rule my country of birth, threatening and murdering innocent people in Iran and around the world. Iran has infiltrated U.S. politics, media, and education to corrupt my adoptive country as well.

All Iranians are asking of Western politicians is to not support the murderous regime, not empower them while they are sacrificing their lives for their freedoms. All they are asking is to be given basic human liberties, not closed Western eyes in the face of their suffering.

I feel ill when I see how the West has fallen for Iranian lies, employing policies of appeasement and enabling them. I dont expect better from the Biden Administration, though I pray that a Republican candidate will stand strong against the Iranian regime. If I were moderating the debate, I would ask questions that all Americans deserve answers to:

If the child-killing ayatollahs had raped, tortured, blinded, and murdered your own children, only because of how they dress or freedom of speech, what would be your policy regarding these terrorists?

If these criminals arrested your own daughter for the crime of not having a proper Islamic hijab, beating her to death, like Mahsa Amini, or into a coma-like Armita Granvand, what would you do about Irans gender apartheid?

If evil people would rape your own daughter before their executions and refuse to give her body to you after being murdered, like what happened to my dear friend, Shirin Alam Hooli, what would you do?

If these misogynist murderers would blind your daughter by shooting at their eyes or throwing acid in her face to disfigure her, what would be your policy toward the Islamic extremists?

When you see the Islamist regime in bed with Russia, providing weapons to brutalize Ukraine and others, will you turn a blind eye, or seek to put an end to this evil and murderous collaboration?

When you hear threats Death to America and Death to Israel as Iran churns its way to a nuclear weapon, what would your foreign policy be to protect America and the world?

When you see the actions of the Islamist regime, will you send them billions of dollars to empower them, and give them a seat in the international community to mock human rights and laugh at us? Or you would do anything in your power to make them accountable, eliminate the regime, and free Iran and the world from their threats?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Closing our eyes to the injustices Iranians are facing now and empowering the evil regime invites that evil into our homes. Indeed, they have infiltrated deep into our system because of weak leadership and a refusal to see evil for what it is.

Its been documented that the regime has infiltrated our politics, media, and education to normalize and desensitize against its evil. I experienced this firsthand studying in America, witnessing how some of my professors mislead students that Iranian officials are rational people, and can be dealt with, even with nuclear weapons.

I feel ill when I see our government risking the lives of Americans by hiring those who have been trained and planted by the regime to infiltrate the highest echelons of our government. It is foolish to reject truthtellers and those who truly experienced the brutality of this regime like me and elevate the spies of the regime who lobby for them.

Official Iranian media sent a video showing the map of the world eliminating Israel used to teach children. They brainwash children with their dangerous ideology about destroying an entire country, and millions of Jews, as just another savage way to seek destruction, to spread their evil ideology everywhere.

America must stand strong in the face of these very real facts and threats from Iran and elect strong and competent leaders who understand these threats and who are willing and ready to engage them, not appease and enable them. America needs strong leadership to protect our national security and values, not to bow down to terrorists who threaten us from within and outside our borders. America needs leaders who will not pay the ransom and or sign a nuclear deal with a terrorist regime, but who will sanction and squeeze the regime from outside, while helping freedom-seeking Iranians from within. America needs a strong leader with clear policies to help Iranians put an end to the evil regime, so Iranians will be free, and the world will be free from the regimes threats.
Israel under attack: Pray for Gods merciful intervention

Heartbreak. Shock. Agony. Devastation. Confusion. Rage. These are just a few of the emotions flooding the hearts of millions of Israelis in the midst of an unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas. This is a time to stop and pray for the merciful intervention of God.

What makes this attack all the more insidious is that it comes almost 50 years to the day of the infamous Yom Kippur War in 1973. At that fateful time, Israel was attacked in the midst of 24 hours of prayer and fasting on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

The current attack, on Oct. 7, did not just come on Saturday, the Sabbath, but on what is called Simchat Torah, the joy of the Torah, the greatest day of celebration on the Jewish calendar. This is the culmination of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), a day of singing, dancing and rejoicing.

But this day, instead of dancing there is wailing and mourning. Bloodshed has filled the land.

First there were reports of a limited number of casualties. Then shocking news of as many as 70 Israelis killed and 700 wounded. Then reports of more than 100 dead and 900 wounded. And the battles still rage as I write, with reports of Israeli civilians and soldiers taken hostage by Hamas.

And consider that the Jewish population of Israel is roughly 45 times smaller than the population of America, meaning that, proportionally, Israel has already suffered far more casualties than our nation suffered on 9/11. Talk about devastation.

A report from friends in Israel, sent out in the midst of the hostilities, stated that, At approximately 6:30 a.m. Israeli time, on a quiet Shabbat morning, we were awakened by the repeating wailing of air raid sirens. For the past four hours the Islamist terror group Hamas has been firing rockets across southern Israel (Beersheva, Arad, Dimona, Sderot, Ashkelon, Ashdod, etc.) and also at the Greater Tel Aviv area and at the outlying suburbs of Jerusalem. ...

Simultaneously, at least 10 white pickup trucks driven by Hamas suicide squad jihadis crossed into Israel (as well as some on ultra-light single-place powered parachutists) and attacked approximately 21 sites, including kibbutzim and moshavim (farms), small towns (including police stations). They have been slaughtering civilians, including mothers and children, breaking into houses and indiscriminately killing the inhabitants. We have friends who have terrorists in their house as I write.

What an indescribable nightmare.

And remember: slaughtering women and children and innocent civilians in cold blood is a major goal of these murderous terrorists. This is how they wage war.

To the unsuspecting Israelis, this onslaught must surely have looked and felt like an invasion from hell  from the air, on the ground, from house to house. Paragliders. Motorcycles. Vans. Rockets. All with venomous intent, and every single terrorist ready to die for the cause. For them, this was a holy war. What a satanic perversion.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed Operation Swords of Iron, stating, Since this morning, the State of Israel is at war. Without a doubt, the response will be fierce, intense, and unrelenting. Much more blood will be shed.

Of course, there are endless questions and, at this early stage, few definitive answers.

What, specifically, provoked this attack? Was it Israel and Saudi Arabia finding more common ground in their shared hostility to Iran?

It is well-known that Iran helps finance and support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad who serve as proxies in their war against Israel. And the Saudis, who are Sunni Muslims, recognize that their greatest enemy in the region is not Israel but Iran, which is Shiite.

Our friends in Israel write, Iran is catalyzing terror attacks against Israeli civilians to threaten Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States about the warming of military ties between the Saudis and Israel. This is a warning shot across the bows.

This could well be true.

On Israels side, what happened to the nations fabled intelligence systems? How could an attack like this, which doubtless required months of careful planning and coordination, catch Israel by surprise? And what of the right-wing Israeli governments promises of greater national security? How on earth could this happen?

More broadly, what can be done to stop this cycle of violence? Hamas wants to exterminate or drive out every Jew from Israel. The Jewish nation simply cannot exist.

So, it would seem that Israel must permanently break and disable Hamas, and America has assured Israel it will have everything necessary to strike back.

Yet Hamas governs Gaza Strip by democratic elections, and this terrorist organization continues to have great influence in the West Bank, which is currently governed by the Palestinian Authority.

Worse still, every Hamas terrorist who is killed by Israel becomes a martyr for the cause, inspiring the next generation to fight back against what they perceive to be the evil occupier. And every attack by Israel on Hamas in Gaza, no matter what precautions are taken to avoid civilian casualties, is perceived as an attack on the populace as a whole. It almost feels like a lose-lose situation.

Thats why we need to pray for Gods merciful intervention and for the hearts of everyone in the region  Jewish and Christian and Muslim and others  to turn to Him as the only One who can save and deliver.

May He guide Israel during these critical hours and days. And may He be near to the shocked mourners who now fill every part of the Land. The day of joyous celebration has become a day of agony and loss.
Christians condemn Hamas attack on Israel; soldiers, civilians taken hostage by militants

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 7, 2023: At least 250 Israelis have been reported killed and over 1,500 have been injured in Hamas attacks that included over 2,000 rocket launches on Saturday. The terrorist group invaded 22 communities where fighting is ongoing into Saturday evening local time. It's reported that at least 230 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. The IDF also confirmed that an unknown number of Israeli civilians and soldiers are being held hostage by Hamas. Speaking from the White House late Saturday afternoon, President Joe Biden said the U.S. stands with Israel and support is "rock solid." The president's comments come after U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs for posting a message on social media urging Israel to "refrain from retaliatory attacks."

Original report:

Christians have joined in the condemnation of a major Hamas attack on Israel that has prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare, "We are at war."

Thousands of missiles rained down on Israel from the Gaza Strip in a surprise attack launched across land, sea and air in the early hours of Saturday morning, killing at least 70 and injuring hundreds of civilians, many being treated in hospitals.

Israel has retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza. Israeli officials said 161 people have been killed in the airstrikes and nearly 1,000 injured.

Dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers have been taken hostage by Palestinian militants. The BBC reports that Hamas claims it has abducted 53 Israelis.

Footage of Hamas kidnapping Israeli women pic.twitter.com/J7ojlsgLMk  Harrison Krank (@HarrisonKrank) October 7, 2023

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and calling for restraint on both sides.

"We are grieved and deeply concerned at the violence in Israel and Gaza, and we unequivocally condemn the attacks by Hamas," they said.

"We pray for those who are mourning, those who are injured, and all those fearing for their safety.

"We pray for restraint on all sides, and renewed efforts towards a just peace for all. The way forward must be for both sides to build confidence in a secure future through which Israel and its people can live in security within its internationally recognized borders, and Palestinians have their own state and live in their lands in security, and with peace and justice."

The Rev. Johnnie Moore said his organization, the Congress of Christian Leaders, has issued an emergency call to prayer "for the peace and security of Israel."

"Churches all over the world will gather this weekend standing with Israel and dedicating time to pray for Israel," he said.

Philosopher and Anglican theologian Phillip Blond said on X, formerly Twitter, "Islamism once again deliberately massacring civilians  this time in Israel  where they are roaming the streets killing women and children with knives and guns  glorifying in their brutality as they torture, maim and kill. This is what we all must fight for it is manifest evil."

The Rev. Marcus Walker of Save the Parish, wrote on X, "The atrocities unfolding in Israel are horrific. O prayer for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces."

Originally published at Christian Today
Loren Cunningham, Youth With a Mission founder, dies at 88

Loren Cunningham, an author and founder of the prominent Christian youth organization Youth With a Mission, has died from cancer. He was 88.

In an announcement on its Facebook page, YWAM confirmed that Cunningham had died in his sleep at his home in Kona, Hawaii, on Friday in the early morning hours local time.

Cunningham is survived by his wife of 60 years, Darlene, his children, David, Karen and Judy, and three grandchildren, Madi, Kenna and Liam.

According to the obituary posted on his website, Cunningham founded the global missions group YWAM in 1960, which boasts around 2,000 chapters in nearly every country.

Millions have served in YWAM programs as students, short-term volunteers and full-time staff, stated the obituary. Many have credited YWAM as among the world's largest and most significant mission movements.

Born in 1935 in California, Cunningham felt called to ministry at 13, when he attended a revival meeting. In 1956, while staying at a missionarys home, he had what he later recalled as a vision.

Suddenly, I was looking at a map of the world, only the map was alive and moving! I could see all the continents, and waves were crashing onto their shores. Each wave went onto a continent, then receded, then came up further until it covered the continent completely, Cunningham recounted, as quoted in the obituary.

The waves became young people  kids my age and even younger  covering all the continents of the globe. They were talking to people on street corners and outside bars. They were going from house to house and preaching the Gospel. They came from everywhere and went everywhere, caring for people. Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the scene was gone.

Loren oversaw the launch of various Christian entities, including YWAM Olympic Outreaches, the International Torch Run, Cardinal Points Prayer Days, the University of the Nations, YWAM Ships, and Pray OMT, among others.

Loren also authored several books, including Is That Really You, God?, Making Jesus Lord, Daring to Live on the Edge, Why Not Women?, The Book that Transforms Nations: The Power of the Bible to Change Any Country, and We Can End Bible Poverty Now.

In March, it was reported that Cunningham had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer following a full body scan in Honolulu, according to an update given by his wife, Darlene.

We have already decided as a family to prioritize Loren's QUALITY of life over trying to extend the length of time, through chemo or other treatments that could reduce his energy and productiveness, she stated, as reported by CBN.

He has Jesus, family, friends, and vision. Who could ask for more?
Oklahoma high court rules against UMC churches prohibited from disaffiliating amid LGBT schism

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled against two congregations seeking to leave the United Methodist Church amid the ongoing debate on homosexuality within the denomination.

First United Methodist Church and Church of the Servant, both located in Oklahoma City, filed separate lawsuits to get the UMC Oklahoma Conference to allow them to hold disaffiliation votes.

After hearing oral arguments on Thursday, Oklahoma's highest court concluded that civil courts should not have a say in a religious body's disaffiliation process, reversing lower court rulings in favor of the congregations.

In a statement published by The Oklahoman on Friday, the Oklahoma Conference said it was "thankful that the justices of the Oklahoma Supreme Court have taken jurisdiction of the case, and we are looking forward to the written opinion of the court."

"We appreciate the time and attention the court has given to this important issue," the regional body added.

First Church leadership addressed the ruling in its most recent weekly newsletter, explaining that the congregation will consider next steps.

"Your Administrative Council is looking into what options are available to us as to our next path forward and will hopefully make a decision within the next few weeks," the newsletter states.

"In the meantime, please continue to pray for God's guidance, continue to serve Him through the ministries of First Church and that no matter what, He will continue to be glorified in all that we do."

In April, the Oklahoma Conference held a special session where it voted to approve the disaffiliations of 55 churches.

First Church and Church of the Servant filed separate lawsuits against the conference in response to the regional body not allowing them to hold votes to possibly leave the UMC.

The churches believed the matters were property disputes, not cases about religious doctrine, insisting that the conference didn't want to lose their valuable properties even though it allowed other churches to disaffiliate. But the conference rejected that the case was simply a "property dispute."

In July, Oklahoma County District Court Judge Aletia Timmons ruled in favor of First Church, concluding that the conference committed several actions that prevented the congregation from joining 55 other churches in disaffiliating. The judge ordered the conference and delegates to consider and vote on the church's disaffiliation.

In August, Timmons ruled in favor of the Church of the Servant, with the UMC district superintendent initially scheduling a church conference on Sept. 5 as part of the disaffiliation process.

The conference appealed and argued that the district court rulings interfered with internal church processes protected under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

Later that month, the Oklahoma Supreme Court put an emergency stay on the lower court ruling, preventing the vote from occurring until the litigation was completed.

Over 6,200 congregations have left the UMC since last year, driven to do so by the divisive debate over whether the denomination should allow the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals, which are prohibited by the UMC Book of Discipline.

Many progressive leaders within the Church have refused to enforce or follow the rules, prompting many theological conservatives to leave the denomination.

A conservative faction launched an alternative denomination known as the Global Methodist Church in 2022. Many disaffiliating Methodist churches have joined the new denomination, while others have become nondenominational.
Over 300 babies saved by organization providing safe haven for moms and newborns

A grieving husband who founded an organization dedicated to preventing infant abandonment after the tragic death of his wife has managed to save over 300 lives since dedicating his life to serving women and their babies.

Nick Silverio is the founder of A Safe Haven for Newborns which was launched in Miami before expanding its reach to 67 counties in Florida.

The organization is an affiliate of Heartbeat International, a group with a worldwide network of more than 3,000 pro-life pregnancy centers. Silverios group works to prevent infant abandonment by offering counseling support to parents in overwhelming situations and ensuring women and their children have a safe place to stay.

By helping mothers access resources, the organization enables them to keep their babies, pursue an adoption plan, or surrender their newborns to a designated Safe Haven location. Under Florida law, a woman can legally and anonymously leave an infant at a fire station, an emergency medical facility, or any other location recognized by state law.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Silverio said he started A Safe Haven for Newborns after his wife of over 30 years died in a car accident in 1999. While Silverio and his wife had no children, having lost two babies to miscarriages, the pair were Godparents to 14 children, and they also cared for their nieces and nephews.

One night, a few months after the accident, Silverio recalled that he was flipping through a magazine, not paying any particular attention to what he was reading, until his finger suddenly stopped on a certain page. The article was about the crisis of infant abandonment, and Silverio said he felt a calling from God.

And I believe at that moment, that was a message from God to me that this is what I should be doing for the rest of my life, the organizations founder said. It was just a positive, real strong message.

Since Silverio started A Safe Haven for Newborns in 2001 through the Gloria M. Silverio Foundation, a nonprofit named for his late wife, the organization has saved 382 lives. As the Safe Haven founder explained, the group has saved 372 lives in Florida, along with several more in other states and one in Honduras.

At the time of the organizations founding, Silverio owned an IT business operated by 13 employees who helped him set up the website for A Safe Haven for Newborns. Now, the organization has multiple volunteers throughout the state assisting with operations, and Silverio noted that many have been with A Save Haven for Newborns for 18 to 19 years.

The main source of the organizations funding, according to Silverio, is its three annual fundraising events which have featured women the group helped in the past as speakers. In addition to its fundraising events, the group earns money through individual donors and grants.

Our goal is to help a mom keep a baby, have a healthy baby, have the baby at the hospital, he said. If we can get her the support, quite often, she will do that.

But if thats not the case, she can choose direct adoption, where she would talk to the adoption agency and make that choice, he continued. Or she can utilize the Safe Haven program, which allows her to leave the baby at a hospital, no questions asked.

According to Silverio, parents in need can contact Safe Haven for help through its website or its hotline services, which operate all day and every day of the week. The helpline services are available to English and Spanish-speaking individuals.

If a mother is without a safe place to stay, Safe Haven will set her up in a motel or provide her with a referral for a maternity home. Safe Haven also works with a network of pregnancy centers through Heartbeat International and Heartbeat of Miami to connect parents with counseling services or information about free resources.

Moments before the interview with CP, Silverio said Safe Haven had received a call from the aunt of a 23-year-old girl who is two months pregnant. The Safe Haven founder said the group was working to find the girl a place to stay and connect her with a program that offers job training.

We help a lot of women, lots of women, in whichever way we can, Silverio said.
Pastors say there's a dire need for forgiveness, lament some Christians not in forgiving mood

When some Christians hear the words forgive or forgiveness, it might bring up feelings of grief, painful memories or bitterness and resentment toward others.

Yet other believers feel warmth in their hearts followed by relief and the joy of reconciliation.

Throughout the Bible, God shows how much He values forgiveness. In Colossians 3:13, He instructs Christians to forgive as the Lord forgave you, and to forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins (Mark 11:25).

For National Forgiveness Day, The Christian Post interviewed pastors to learn more about why God expects Christians to forgive and why forgiveness is increasingly difficult for many believers who find themselves unwilling to forgive even after years or decades have passed.

According to a 2019 Barna Research study, while most Christians have engaged in no-strings-attached forgiveness at some point in their lives, one in four practicing Christians struggle to forgive.

James Slick, the executive pastor of Summit Baptist Church in Acworth, Georgia, told CP that there is always going to be a need for forgiveness, because, in every relationship, there are going to be weaknesses, challenges and struggles.

In our relationship with God, there's always a need for forgiveness because we're always going to be imperfect. As hard as we try to be really good people, we're still going to make mistakes. We're going to fall short of God's glory. We're going to have what we would call sin in our lives, Slick said.

There's a constant need for there to be forgiveness that we either request from God or that God grants to us. And the same thing exists in our relationships with people. The bottom line is, I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. And as a result of the fact that we're never going to be perfect, there's always going to be a need for forgiveness.

Slick said he learned in his life that there is never a reason to withhold forgiveness from anyone because bitterness only hurts the person who is harboring it.

Slick shared that he encountered two tragic situations where he had to find forgiveness and it wasn't easy. However, he knew finding it in himself to forgive had to happen in order to obey Gods biblical commands.

We realized at one point in our lives that one of our children had been sexually abused by another family member. The only thing I can tell you is, I keep going back to what I believe Scripture teaches and that is Jesus said, If you're not willing to forgive people for their sins, how can you expect me to be willing to forgive you? Slick said, adding that he forgave the family member.

That has been something that's really been a primary thought in my life as I've gone through the ministry. Because sometimes, when you're in the ministry, everyone would think that you're treated really well, just because you're representing Jesus Christ. But that's not always the case.

In addition to his child being abused, Slick said he also had to forgive his father for many things that occurred when he was in high school and college.

I was raised in a family where my father suffered significantly with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of trauma that he experienced while in the military. This was years ago before PTSD was ever diagnosed properly or accurately, and it was before it was understood to exist, Slick said.

Our relationship was very tumultuous, mainly because of the issues he experienced from PTSD. And I will be honest, it took a lot of prayer and a lot of seeking God's help for me to reach the point where I could say, I forgive you.

Slick said that forgiveness has become increasingly difficult for many in society because people have distanced themselves from their Creator.

I think what's happened in our world is that we have moved further and further away from biblical principles as it relates to the kinds of relationships we should not only have with God, but the kinds of relationships we should have with each other, Slick said.

He added: "We live in a very self-centered world where most people are functioning on what I would call an earthly wisdom, as opposed to a heavenly wisdom. Earthly wisdom is evil in the way that it leads people to make decisions. And as you make decisions, that's going to impact the kinds of relationships that you have with people, which would ultimately impact your attitude about forgiveness and encouragement and love and support and all of those issues that I think are clearly delineated in Scripture.

Forgiveness: Posture of the heart

Charles Washington, the pastor of Regeneration Temple Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, told CP that forgiveness is a posture of the heart, which in many ways mirrors the act of repentance.

Repent means to turn. Repent means to make a decision. If I was caught in a sin, when I repent, it's not just saying I'm sorry. Its saying I've turned from what I'm doing. I've changed my heart, and I've changed my mind not to do it again, and I'm going in another direction to follow Christ, Washington said.

Likewise, forgiveness is a heart thing. Just like repentance, if I forgive, I'm not going back to the same issue. I'm not bringing it up. I don't have to keep rebuking you or talking to you because Ive forgiven you in my heart. It doesn't matter what you say, he added.

Jesus spoke to many people in the Bible about how they would say things, but their heart was not right and He knew that. Their lips didnt match their heart.

Washington said that if someone wants to forgive, they need to be aware that their heart is the first thing that needs to be changed because forgiveness starts at the heart.

With God and with Christianity, everything is a matter of the heart. That's why David said, Lord, create in me a clean heart. He didn't say, Lord just change my mouth. Because if I changed my language, but my heart isnt changed, then it doesn't mean anything. And out of the heart, the mouth speaks, he said.

Washington had to learn to live without his father, who abandoned him when he was 8 years old, and as a result, he felt bitterness and resentment toward him for many years.

It was hard for me for a while to deal with that. I held a lot of hurt and pain and unforgiveness for that. But I realized that I was only hurting myself by holding him in bondage. And by thinking that I was holding him in bondage, I was the one behind the prison bars, he said.

I dealt with that for many years. I had to ask God to give me a forgiving heart, that I may be able to forgive and that's how I got through that.

'Selfie-generation' lacks forgiveness

Christians moving further away from forgiveness is a direct result of the times people are living in, Washington added, labeling the present generation "the selfie generation."

We're in the generation where, by and large, it has become a lot about ourselves. The Bible says, In the last days, men will be lovers of their own selves. That Scripture kind of tells us what day we are in, he said.

With people being more focused on themselves, Washington said, it has become harder for many to spend any time thinking about how they can love others better and engage in forgiveness wholeheartedly.

The Scripture tells us that in the last days, we will be a selfish generation.  With all of the social media platforms, it's about how many likes and followers you get. I do understand why this is happening because the world teaches you to be all about yourself, Washington said.

The Bible teaches to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him. It's a different philosophy. You've got the Kingdom of light and you've got the kingdom of darkness. And many of us in the world are influenced by the kingdom of darkness and not the Kingdom of light.

The Churchs role in forgiveness

Andy Rogers, the family ministry pastor at Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia, told CP that he doesnt think there is any direct correlation between declining church attendance in the United States and the decline in those who are engaging in forgiveness.

However, he said, it's worth recognizing that many churches are working toward spreading forgiveness among their congregations.

"If you start living in a world that welcomes, that extends forgiveness and receives forgiveness on a regular basis, you're going to be a healthier person. It really doesn't have to do so much with the four walls of the church," Rogers said.

But we also know that the Church is sharing that truth if they are a Bible-believing church that believes that the Word of God is the inherent Word of God, that everything that's in it is real, that everything in it is truth, and that you have to accept the Word of God for what it is.

Rogers said that, in his own life, he once thought he forgave someone, but he later came to realize that he unknowingly still harbored some bitterness toward that person.

There was a pastor that I had worked for, and I was let go from a church. There were some things that were going on in the church. It wasn't too healthy. I was asked to leave and I had done nothing wrong. They couldn't give me a reason, other than the fact that they were kind of cleaning out, just to get some fresh people there that didn't know about some past things that happened at the church, Rogers recounted.

I actually asked for forgiveness or whatever for my feelings that I had toward him. And I also wanted to share some of the things that deeply hurt me and he had the opportunity to apologize. We actually sat down at Starbucks and did this reconciliation, he said.

Fast forward 10 years later, we were both in the same spot together and we kind of brushed paths. And all those old feelings of hurt and bitterness resurfaced and it showed in the way I treated the pastor. And I was like, what just happened? I forgave him 10 years ago.

Rogers said the bitterness he still held toward the pastor hurt him more than anyone else, recalling that I had reached down and I grabbed that stuff up from the foot of the cross."

"That negates the work that Jesus did when we take it up, and we try to deal with it on our own. We have to let that go. And even when we're tapes or keep replaying past hurts in our minds thats part of resentment. We have to let it go, he said.

One reason that Christians might be moving further away from engaging in forgiveness, Rogers said, is possibly because they might be saying I forgive you in order to obey God, but they are not really engaging in genuine forgiveness toward those who harmed them.

Our society as a whole is not in a very forgiving mood. As a family ministry pastor who works with younger generations, I think it's even more important for us adults to reach out to the next generation in the Church and explain what forgiveness does. What are the benefits of being forgiven? Rogers said.

Being a believer, you need to have a better understanding of who Jesus Christ is because in and of itself, forgiveness is OK. But unless you add that element of Jesus Christ doing that work on your heart, it's not going to mean a whole lot.
Are your fingerprints in Heavens database of offenders?

When 9-year-old Charlotte Sena was abducted off a bicycle trail last weekend while camping with her family at a New York state park, a massive search immediately ensued involving up to 400 local, state and federal law enforcement officers. Thankfully, Charlotte was rescued after police discovered fingerprints on a ransom note left by her kidnapper at the girls home.

The fingerprints of Craig Ross Jr. were in a law enforcement database due to a 1999 drunken driving charge. After authorities located a home occupied by the suspects mother, Charlotte was found in a camper parked behind the building. The young girl was found in a cabinet where she was covered up, but appeared to be outwardly physically unharmed.

Without those crucial fingerprints, who knows what might have happened to Charlotte?

I would like to switch gears a bit and address something pertaining to your own set of fingerprints. You may be aware that Heaven has a detailed record of your entire life. You realize what this means, dont you? Your fingerprints are in Heavens database of offenders.

This is the point at which many people check out. They wrongly assume that any discussion concerning their sins against God is pointless and not worth considering. They feel God doesnt want to frighten people regarding their appointment in His courtroom on Judgment Day.

Freeze right there in your analysis! Hold that thought. Dont instantly dismiss it without first giving it some serious reflection.

The devil, of course, wants you to avoid any such contemplation. Satan whispers to you: You are just fine. You have nothing to worry about regarding Heaven and Hell. You are a good person.

Freeze that frame! Study it intently. And then ask yourself, Can I really trust my own analysis on this issue? What if I am wrong about the way God deals with offenders? Can I afford to be wrong about my eternal destination?

Scripture declares: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

Have you ever been afraid that God might punish you forever for your sins? Do you realize what God did to rescue you from eternal punishment in Hell? If you dont embrace the good news of the Gospel before you take your final breath, you will enter Heavens courtroom on Judgment Day with blood on your hands, rather than the blood of Jesus cleansing your soul.

You are just trying to scare me Dan. No, I am trying to warn you if you do not yet know the One who went to the cross to suffer the punishment you and I deserve.

And I am absolutely trying to convince you to reject conventional wisdom. Why? Simply put, The wisdom of this world is foolishness in Gods sight (1 Corinthians 3:19). Let that fact sink into your mind as you consider how many times over the years you have been wrong about something.

Does your opinion carry more weight than the Word of God? What makes you think your perspective is reliable, especially concerning your record of offenses in Heaven?

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). That could easily be you if you are not careful.

Do you see things from Heavens standpoint, or simply from your limited vantage point? The Apostle John saw a vision of what will transpire at the end of time.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books (Revelation 20:11-13).

These books contain a detailed record of our lives. How many times have you violated Gods perfect standard with your thoughts, words and deeds? Each one of your violations is recorded in Heaven's books. The evidence against you is actually much stronger than fingerprints, and it will condemn you on Judgment Day.

That is, unless your name is written in the book of life. You see, the book of life contains the names of those who have accepted the free pardon God offers us. This pardon is available to anyone who will come to the Father through the Son. It is for anyone who will repent of their sins and accept Christs sacrifice on the cross as the payment for their sins.

The reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. This doesnt mean it is easy to live the Christian life, but it is certainly easy to be saved, redeemed, justified, born again and forgiven through faith in the Savior. Justification occurs on the front end of your relationship with God. (see Romans 5:1,9 and Galatians 3:16,24).

And what about those who refuse to place their trust in Jesus?

John wrote, If anyones name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).

There you go again Dan. You are trying to frighten me. Not at all. I am just trying to warn you. There is absolutely no reason to be afraid if you will simply humble yourself before your Creator and accept the payment He made for your sins on the cross. Turn away from your sins and come to the Lord with childlike faith.

Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (2 Corinthians 3:16).

Unless you turn to Jesus and receive Him as your Savior, you will remain spiritually blind and unconcerned about Heavens detailed database of offenders. That is, until you enter Gods courtroom on Judgment Day. You will become deeply concerned at that moment I assure you.

We all have fallen far short of Gods perfect standard. If left to ourselves, we would be lost and condemned to Hell forever. No one wants to be thrown into the lake of fire, but that wont prevent it from happening to everyone whose name is not in the book of life.

As an ambassador for the King of Kings, I strongly urge you to forsake conventional wisdom, and rely instead upon Gods wisdom.

The holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15).
Jesse Barron in Book Forum:

IN HIS 1980 ESSAY ON THE AMERICAN SCENE, Within the Context of No Context, George W. S. Trow supplies an anecdote from Harvard in the early 1960s. During an art history class on the Dutch masters, a Black student described Rembrandt as belonging to the white students in the room. The white students totally agreed with this. They acknowledged that they were at one with Rembrandt, Trow writes. They acknowledged their dominance. They offered to discuss, at any length, their inherited power to oppress.

At the time, the prevailing wisdom was that these students were expressing white guilt. A generation later, Trow thinks the prevailing wisdom was wrong. No, he writes, it was white euphoria. Many, many white children of that day felt the power of their inheritance for the first time in the act of rejecting it. One way to look at Trows revision is as a cynical teardown of 60s idealism: it looked sincere in the moment but was actually just privileged self-indulgence. But guilt and euphoria are fully compatible moods, not mutually exclusive ones. You can usually detect both of them whenever the children of privilege try to describe their own experience.

More here.
Quoting Scripture is forbidden in public?

Whats that book those presidents swear in on every four years? Of course, its the Bible. Is it just a prop or is there meaning to that tradition?

One of the great religious liberty groups in our day is First Liberty, founded by Kelly Shackelford and based in the Dallas area. First Liberty is fighting the good fight on behalf of our nations first liberty, religious liberty  in the courts of the land and in the courts of public opinion.

Recently, they sent out a communique, dealing with a battle over quoting the Scriptures in a school board meeting by a school board member in the Phoenix area.

Heather Rooks is the school board member who has been banned from quoting the Bible during board meetings.

First Liberty describes what happened: Ms. Rooks began her term as an elected member of the Peoria School Board in January 2023. During each Peoria School Board meeting, the agenda includes a brief Board comments period where individual board members may offer remarks of their own choosing.

And then they add, Since the beginning of her public service on the board, Ms. Rooks has opened her comments by quoting a short scripture from the Bible. The Peoria School Board subsequently received letters from anti-religious organizations demanding it stop Ms. Rooks from reading Scripture. In August, the school board chairman instructed Ms. Rooks to stop quoting Scripture during meeting time specifically set aside for board members to comment on any topic they choose.

Rooks told First Liberty: I am grateful to be a part of the Peoria Unified School board. As a member of the school board, I understand the weight and significance of all of our decisions, and simply find quoting scripture out loud to be encouraging to myself and to many in attendance.

First Liberty has now filed a lawsuit on behalf of Rooks, so that the censoring of the Bible will stop.

Four decades ago, the ACLU, which one conservative wag labeled, the Anti-Christian Litigation Unit, sued to halt the practice of chaplains to open the legislative sessions in the state of Nebraska because this supposedly violated the establishment clause. This case went to the highest court of the land.

In 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case in favor of chaplains. This case, known as Marsh v. Chambers, is one of the SCOTUS decisions that First Liberty mentions in this new lawsuit.

In that case, the Supreme Court declared, The practice of opening sessions of Congress with prayer has continued without interruption for almost 200 years, ever since the First Congress drafted the First Amendment.

Did the founders want America to be a secular wasteland? Not at all. The Bible was very important to those who founded this country. Some of them served in Bible societies, in order to distribute the Scriptures throughout the land.

When Bibles that had been printed in England ran out during the 1770s, the framers even voted to recommend a Bible published by a Philadelphia-based printer.

In the streets of Philadelphia, to this day, not too far from Penns Landing and Delaware River Waterfront, you can see a sign highlighting the Robert Aiken Bibles.

Heres what the sign says: Robert Aitken (1734-1802). An influential revolutionary-era printer, he operated a shop on this block. In 1782, Aitken printed the nations first complete English Bible. It received the endorsement from Congress and was the only new Bible available to colonists due to printing restrictions and import embargoes.

Bridwell Library Special Collections explains, When America declared its independence from Britain at Philadelphia in 1776, Americas printers were no longer bound by the Royal Patent prohibiting the production of English Bibles in the colonies.

Indeed, on September 10, 1782, Congress declared: Whereupon, Resolved, That the United States in Congress assembled...recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States, and hereby authorize [Robert Aitken] to publish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper.

The Bible was important to virtually every founder of America. For example, John Adams made this entry in his diary on February 22, 1756: Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God ... What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be.

Todays secularists are on a mission to drive any vestige of our nations Christian heritage out of the public arena. But it is precisely that Biblical legacy that has given us our liberty. May the Bible be proclaimed throughout the land for freedoms sake, yes, even at school board meetings.
Christians condemn shocking Hamas attack on Israel

Christians have joined in the condemnation of a major Hamas attack on Israel that has prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare, "We are at war."

Thousands of missiles rained down on Israel from the Gaza Strip in a surprise attack launched across land, sea and air in the early hours of Saturday morning, killing dozens and injuring over 700.

Israel has retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza. Israeli officials said 161 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 injured.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and calling for restraint on both sides.

"We are grieved and deeply concerned at the violence in Israel and Gaza, and we unequivocally condemn the attacks by Hamas," they said.

"We pray for those who are mourning, those who are injured, and all those fearing for their safety.

"We pray for restraint on all sides, and renewed efforts towards a just peace for all. The way forward must be for both sides to build confidence in a secure future through which Israel and its people can live in security within its internationally recognised borders, and Palestinians have their own state and live in their lands in security, and with peace and justice."

Rev Johnnie Moore said his organisation, the Congress of Christian Leaders, has issued an emergency call to prayer "for the peace and security of Israel".

"Churches all over the world will gather this weekend standing with Israel and dedicating time to pray for Israel," he said.

Philosopher and Anglican theologian Phillip Blond said on X, formerly Twitter, "Islamism once again deliberately massacring civilians - this time in Israel - where they are roaming the streets killing women and children with knives and guns - glorifying in their brutality as they torture, maim and kill. This is what we all must fight for it is manifest evil."

Rev Marcus Walker of Save the Parish, tweeted, "The atrocities unfolding in Israel are horrific. O prayer for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces."
Elderly couple left homeless for converting to Christianity

An elderly couple in eastern Uganda has fled their village after Muslim relatives upset with their conversion to Christianity threatened to destroy them and their home, sources said.

In Wakalende village, Kyebando Ward in Mayuge town, 70-year-old Sula Mugudi and his wife, Aisha Mugudi, 62, put their faith in Christ on Sept. 16 during a church's weeklong evangelistic campaign of home visits.

Three days after converting, the couple attended a church all-night prayer vigil, returning home on Sept. 20 to find that relatives who had learned of their conversion had bashed bricks from their modest home.

"As we returned back to our grass-thatched roof house, we found some of the debris around the house," Sula Mugudi told Morning Star News. "On entering the house, we found there was a threatening message, 'Today if we find you around, we shall destroy you with the house. You have become an embarrassment to our Muslim family by joining a wrong religion.'"

The fearful couple left the house immediately.

"It was a very difficult moment for us  no place to stay, no clothing and beddings," Mugudi said.

A pastor whose name is withheld for security reasons said the couple has been relocated as far away as possible to avoid attack by the Muslim relatives.

"When the couple arrived at our church, they looked shaken and fearful," he said. "The church has hidden them for the sake of the church as well for the lives of these two new Christians. We need prayers for God's protection and providence."

The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.

Uganda's constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one's faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda's population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.

 2023 Morning Star News
Amy Kapczynski, Reshma Ramachandran and Christopher Morten in Boston Review:

There have been no higher-stakes public investments recently than those the federal government made in biomedical research and production to make COVID-19 vaccines. Many commentators, conservatives and progressives alike, have seen the program that directed these investments, Operation Warp Speed (OWS), as a key example of how the government can enact new industrial policythe deliberate attempt to shape different sectors of the economy to meet public aims. David Adler, for example, calls OWS a triumph and validation of industrial policy, concluding that the initiative illustrates best practices in program design, as well as in government contracting and should be a model for efforts to implement industrial strategy more broadly.

We think this view is seriously misguided. There is nothing new about industrial policy if it simply means public investments that yield vast benefits and outsized control for the private sector and comparatively little for the public. As historian Brent Cebul describes in his new book, Illusions of Progress, supply-side liberalisma pattern of governance that directs federal money toward public aims but cedes critical aspects of policy, rules, and authority to the private sectorhas a long history in the United States. In the late New Deal, ambitious federal spending programs like the Works Progress Administration gave significant control to local actors in order to overcome opposition of racist demagogues and business elites. This decentralized, deferential administrative model had staying power because it compensated for a lack of state capacityand in turn, it helped ensure that no such capacity would be built. Cebul traces this template through the design of the postwar Federal Housing Administration and urban renewal into the 1980s and 90s, when public-private partnerships and market-centered solutions became predominant during the Carter, Reagan, George H. Bush, and Clinton administrations.

The case of COVID-19 vaccines extends this pattern of political economy.

More here.
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Astra Taylor Courtesy: Astra Taylor

Early on in Astra Taylor's new book, "The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart," she tells a story set in the Brooklyn cafe where her sister worked until recently. On a quiet day, one of the baristas was talking with a regular customer, a specialist in medieval history, when her phone rang. It was her boss. He ordered the barista to stop chatting with the customer. There were at least eight security cameras placed throughout the small cafe, and the boss had been watching a livestream from his laptop. The security cameras were there, at least in part, to make the workers feel insecure about holding on to their jobs, Taylor writes. "Even when all they wanted to do was show a bit of kindness and community to a local eccentric, the workers were perpetually worried about being fired." More from Personal Finance:

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How Congress may fix looming Social Security benefit shortfall Taylor doesn't end the story there. She also tries to understand what might be propelling the boss of the cafe to be so vigilant in the first place. She lists some of the consequences of owning a failing business: potentially owing thousands in employee benefits, and being unable to make good on your contractual promise. She writes that bosses "aren't acting in a vacuum." This is the topic of her book  the fact that wherever we fall on the economic ladder, we're all spurred on by insecurity. "We can see the degree to which unnecessary suffering is widespread even among those who appear to be 'winning' according to the logic of the capitalist game," Taylor writes. Taylor is a writer, documentary filmmaker and organizer. In 2014, she co-founded the Debt Collective, a union for debtors, which has become among the most influential groups pushing for student loan forgiveness. Her latest book began as Massey Lectures, a series of talks aired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Former speakers include the author Margaret Atwood and linguist Noam Chomsky.

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The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

'There is existential insecurity'

Annie Nova: You write that a certain sense of insecurity is intrinsic to being human. But how is the insecurity so much of us feel today not necessary or inevitable? Astra Taylor: I think there is existential insecurity. We're insecure creatures. We're vulnerable. What I call "manufactured insecurity" is something that exploits those vulnerabilities. AN: Why do we think it can be so hard for us to talk about or face our insecurities? AT: People are encouraged to hide their vulnerability, and to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. I've learned from organizing that economic issues are always emotional issues, and politics issues are always psychological. Today, the right wing is really speaking to people's insecurities but not in a way that's honest or makes them feel solidarity with other people who are vulnerable. Instead, it does so in a way that makes people want to push even more vulnerable people to the margins. Authoritarian politics is all about denying vulnerability.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards "The Age of Insecurity Coming Together as Things Fall Apart." by author Astra Taylor Courtesy: Astra Taylor

AN: How would being more honest about our own vulnerabilities help? AT: I wrote in the book that all sorts of bad things can happen to us. You can get cancer. There could be another pandemic. I was speaking abstractly at the time. And then the next thing I know, my husband got cancer. That experience just drove home the whole theme of the book, which is that we're vulnerable. You never know when you're going to be the one needing a hand. And so are we going to structure society to bail each other out when tough times come? Or are we going to continue further on this path where we leave everybody to sink or swim? AN: Do you mind me asking how your husband is doing? AT: He's doing fine now. He got two CT scans and he's clear. Luckily, we had health insurance. Working with the Debt Collective, I see how lucky we were that we didn't have to take on a lot of medical debt. It was a classic American situation at the hospital. They told us, "You can pay in cash now and get a 20% discount." AN: I'm really glad to hear he's OK. Whenever I do a story about people getting debt forgiveness, I'll get comments from people who are upset or angry that others got that relief. Why do you think this is? AT: I love that question, and it's kind of what motivated this book. I was wondering why there is this constant sense of scarcity. There's something about the current political and economic climate that just makes people have this scarcity mindset. We're so afraid of becoming more insecure. We're all so worried about the future, that we're just tending to our own little corner. And when we see other people get ahead, we assume it means less for us. But that doesn't have to be the case.

'Security is all about the future'
US President Joe Biden addresses the terrorist attacks in Israel from the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 7, 2023.

President Joe Biden on Saturday detailed a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he expressed support for Israel after the deadly attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people," Biden said in a statement.

Later on Saturday, Biden held a public briefing to double down on his support for Israel, noting that he had been taking calls around the situation since around 7:30 a.m. ET. He said he has been in touch with Congress members, the U.S. national security team, the military, diplomats and more "to make sure that Israel has what it needs."

"The United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have their back," Biden said.

The president did not take questions at the briefing.

Biden's support comes after Netanyahu declared his country "at war," following the early morning surprise attack from the Palestinian militants, escalating a longtime conflict in the region. Magen David Adom, Israel's emergency services organization, said that so far about 70 people have been killed in Israel with hundreds more injured.

Israel's counterattack against Gaza killed roughly 200 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Biden added that his administration's support of Israel is "rock solid and unwavering" and that he will keep "in close touch" with Netanyahu as the situation develops.

The Prime Minister's Office said that in the phone call with Biden, Netanyahu "made it clear that a forceful, prolonged campaign  which Israel will win  is necessary."

Biden joins other world leaders in his stance of solidarity.

According to Netanyahu's office, the Prime Minister also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Saturday, both of whom "expressed full support for Israel's right to defend itself."

The Council of the European Union also issued a statement of support for Israel and called for "lasting and sustainable peace" in the region.

In a separate statement, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also condemned the attacks and voiced support for Israel.

"We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel," Blinken wrote in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks."
Emergency workers search for victims of a Russian rocket attack in the village of Hroza near Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 5, 2023.

In a burial plot next to a field outside the remote Ukrainian hamlet of , residents removed undergrowth and cleared away litter to make space for more graves.

Working quietly, it was something to distract them from the horror of what happened the day before.

As dozens of people gathered in the local cafe for a meal to honor a soldier who died in the war against Russia, a missile struck, killing at least 52 people.

It was one of the most deadly attacks during 20 months of fighting, and one that has devastated the tiny, tight-knit community.

Shock is giving way to grief, as well as questions about how the Russians could have known about the gathering in what some Hroza residents say was a deliberate attack.

Read more about Russia's war on Ukraine: How $6 billion in Ukraine aid collapsed despite support in Congress

Among those killed was Olya, 36, who is survived by three children. Her husband died too.

Her father, Valeriy Kozyr, was at the cemetery preparing to bury her and his son-in-law.

"It would have been better if I had died," he said quietly as he wept. "Oh God, you cannot punish me like this. To leave the father and take the children!"

Wiping tears from his face, the 61-year-old explained that he must now work out how to care for his three grandchildren aged 10, 15 and 17. Kozyr wants to bury Olya and her husband side-by-side in a single grave.

He told Reuters he was not in the cafe on Thursday because he worked night shifts as a security guard, and so was spared.

Nearby, three brothers were readying a plot in which to bury their parents, both killed in what President Volodymr Zelenskiy has called a deliberate Russian assault on civilians.

Moscow denies targeting civilians in its full-scale invasion, a position it repeated on Friday in response to the Hroza strike. Thousands have been killed in a bombing campaign that has hit apartment blocks and restaurants as well as power stations, bridges and grain silos.

One brother began to dig while another picked up discarded plastic bottles.

"We lost 18 people on one street, where our parents lived," said the third, 41-year-old Yevhen Pyrozhok. "On one side, the neighbors are gone, and on the other side a woman is gone."

The men said they did not know when they would be able to have the funeral because their parents' bodies were still being examined by investigators in Kharkiv, the closest big city in northeastern Ukraine.

Not all of the victims have been identified. Regional police investigator Serhiy Bolvinov told reporters late on Thursday that authorities would have to use DNA to identify some of the victims because their remains were beyond recognition.

"Corpses lay there in that yard, and nobody could identify them," said Valentyna Kozienko, 73, speaking near her home close to the site.
Israelis inspect damage caused by a rocket attack from Gaza. Palestinian militants in Gaza unexpectedly fired dozens of rockets at Israeli targets early on Saturday, the Israeli army said. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas rampaged through Israeli towns on Saturday, killing at least 250 people and escaping with hostages in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago. More than 230 Gazans were also killed when Israel responded with one of its most devastating days of retaliatory strikes. "We will take mighty vengeance on this black day," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "Hamas launched a cruel and wicked war. We will win this war but the price is too heavy to bear," he said. "Hamas wants to murder us all. This is an enemy that murders mothers and children in their homes, in their beds. An enemy that abducts elderly, children, teenage girls." Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the assault that had begun in Gaza would spread to the West Bank and Jerusalem. "This was the morning of defeat and humiliation upon our enemy, its soldiers and its settlers," he said in a speech. "What happened reveals the greatness of our preparation. What happened today reveals the weakness of the enemy."

People try to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on October 7, 2023. Ahmad Gharabli | Afp | Getty Images

Bodies of Israeli civilians were strewn across the streets of Sderot in southern Israel, near Gaza, surrounded by broken glass. The bodies of a woman and a man were sprawled across the front seats of a car. "I went out, I saw loads of bodies of terrorists, civilians, cars shot up. A sea of bodies, inside Sderot along the road, other places, loads of bodies," said Shlomi from Sderot. Terrified Israelis, barricaded into safe rooms, recounted their plight by phone on live TV. Esther Borochov, who fled a dance rave party attacked by the gunmen, told Reuters she survived by playing dead in a car after the driver trying to help her escape was shot point blank. "I couldn't move my legs," she told Reuters at the hospital. "Soldiers came and took us away to the bushes." Senior military officers were among those killed in fighting near Gaza on Saturday, the Israeli military said.

Smoke and flames billow after Israeli forces struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City, October 7, 2023. Mohammed Salem | Reuters

In Gaza, black smoke and orange flames billowed into the sky from a high-rise tower hit by an Israeli retaliatory strike. Crowds of mourners carried the bodies of freshly killed militants through the streets, wrapped in green Hamas flags. Gaza's dead and wounded were carried into crumbling and overcrowded hospitals with severe shortages of medical supplies and equipment. The health ministry said 232 people had been killed and at least 1,700 wounded. Streets were deserted apart from ambulances racing to the scenes of air strikes. Israel cut the power, plunging the city into darkness.

Biden offers support to Netanyahu

Western countries, led by the United States, denounced the Palestinian attack and pledged support for Israel. At the White House, President Joe Biden went on national television to say Israel had the right to defend itself and issued a blunt warning. "This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching," he said. A senior Biden administration told reporters that the United States was in intense talks with Israel about its particular needs as it responds to the attack, noting that Washington always shares timely intelligence. The official said the United States is working with other governments to make sure the crisis does not spread and is contained to Gaza.

Members of the Israeli frorces take cover on the side of a street in Ashkelon as sirens wail while barrages of rockets are fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7, 2023. Ahmad Gharabli | Afp | Getty Images

Across the Middle East, there were demonstrations in support of Hamas, with Israeli and U.S. flags set on fire and marchers waving Palestinian flags in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The Hamas attack was openly praised by Iran and by Hezbollah, Iran's Lebanese allies. Long after nightfall, residents had yet to be given the all-clear to go home. "It's not over because the (army) hasn't said the kibbutz is clear of terrorists," Dani Rahamim told Reuters by telephone from the shelter where he was still hiding in Nahal Oz, close to the Gaza fence. Gunfire had subsided but regular explosions could still be heard. Hamas said it fired a fresh volley of 150 rockets toward Tel Aviv on Saturday evening in retaliation for an Israeli air strike that took down a high-rise building with more than 100 apartments. Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the group was holding a large number of Israeli captives, including senior officials. He said Hamas had enough captives to make Israel free all Palestinians in its jails. The Israeli military confirmed Israelis were being held in Gaza. A military spokesman said Israel could mobilize up to hundreds of thousands of reservists and was also prepared for war on its northern front against Lebanon's Hezbollah group. Hamas, which advocates Israel's destruction, said the attack was driven by what it said were Israel's escalated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and against Palestinians in Israeli prisons. "This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif said, announcing the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media and calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight. Western countries, led by the United States, denounced the Palestinian attack and pledged support for Israel. "I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement issued after the two men spoke on a call. "Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation," Biden added. Across the Middle East, there were demonstrations in support of Hamas, with Israeli and U.S. flags set on fire and marchers waving Palestinian flags in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The Hamas attack was openly praised by Iran and by Hezbollah, Iran's Lebanese allies.

Palestinians take control of an Israeli tank after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. Said Khatib | Afp | Getty Images

Gaza has been devastated by four wars and countless skirmishes between Hamas and Israel since the militants seized control of the strip in 2007. But the scenes of violence inside Israel itself were beyond anything seen there even at the height of the Palestinian Intifada uprisings of past decades. That Israel was caught completely off guard was lamented as one of the worst intelligence failures in its history, a shock to a nation that boasts of its intensive infiltration and monitoring of militants. In Gaza, a narrow strip where 2.3 million Palestinians have lived under an Israeli blockade for 16 years, residents rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of war. Some evacuated their homes and headed for shelters. Scores of Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded in clashes at the border into Israel, where fighters captured the crossing point and tore down fences. Some of the dead were civilians, among crowds that attempted to cross into Israel through the damaged gates. "We are afraid," a Palestinian woman, Amal Abu Daqqa, told Reuters as she left her house in Khan Younis.

Backdrop of surging violence
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 6)  Sen. Bato dela Rosa on Friday said he is with Vice President Sara Duterte on calling those who oppose confidential funds as enemies of peace but clarified that it only applies to lawmakers under the Makabayan bloc.

Duterte, who has received heavy criticism for spending 125 million in confidential funds in 2022 in a matter of days, said in a speech on Wednesday that those who oppose confidential funds oppose peace, and in turn are enemies of the state.

READ: VP Duterte defends confidential funds: 'It should not be constrained by time'

I am with Vice President Sara in saying na yung mga tao na yan [those people]I am with them when they declare that yung humaharang diyan ay yung mga enemy of peace [those blocking confidential funds are enemies of peace]. I am referring to the enemies of peace as to those yong [from the] Makabayan bloc, Dela Rosa said in a phone interview shared with reporters.

The senator made it clear that he is not referring to other politicians who may have other reasons for being against confidential funds, but just to left-leaning groups that would be affected if the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) were given confidential funds next year.

Gagamitin talaga yan against sa kanila (Makabayan bloc) doon sa mga nangre-recruit sa mga kabataan dun sa eskuwelahan, kaya sila nagkukumahog na haharangin yan, Dela Rosa claimed.

[Translation: The confidential funds will be used against their recruitment of youth among schools, thats why they are rushing to oppose it.]

For Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, who is part of the Makabayan bloc, it is a waste of time to respond to Dela Rosas remarks since the senator did not study the issue fully, adding that the Duterte ally assumed the OVP has an allocation of confidential funds in 2022.

ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, a House deputy minority leader, said it is understandable that Sen. Bato dela Rosa would defend confidential funds and VP Duterte because they abhor transparency and accountability.

They have spent billions of taxpayers' money trying to red-tag us in the Makabayan bloc and other critics of the Dutette administration then and link us with the CPP-NPA-NDF but up till now they have found nothing because it is not true, she added.

Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas has yet to release a statement.

The House of Representatives has already decided to realign the combined 650 million request for confidential funds for the OVP and DepEd, which Duterte concurrently heads, to security and intelligence agencies.

RELATED: House not likely to return Saras secret funds
Nyingchi Initiative released to boost development of trans-Himalaya region

Xinhua) 10:46, October 07, 2023

LHASA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation released the Nyingchi Initiative in the southwestern Chinese city of Nyingchi on Thursday in a bid to deepen international cooperation in the trans-Himalaya region.

Around the theme of "promoting the harmony of humans and nature, sharing the fruits of cooperation and development," participating parties have had an in-depth exchange of views on eco-environment, development cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and reached broad consensus, said the document.

In the initiative, China has proposed to deepen international ecological cooperation and promote harmony between humans and nature; strengthen international development cooperation and share the outcomes of the development; promote people-to-people and cultural dialogue and exchanges and safeguard the diversity of world civilizations; and maintain international peace and security and improve the global governance system.

The trans-Himalayan region is characterized by a large population, diverse civilizations and substantial ecological diversity, and its development is crucial to the common well-being of people all over the world, the initiative noted.

"We will strengthen infrastructure development in railways, roads, power grids, communications and aviation across the trans-Himalayan region, build a three-dimensional trans-Himalayan interconnection network, further expand opening up, intensify economic and trade exchanges and cross-border cooperation, deepen agricultural cooperation and rural revitalization, and jointly build the Trans-Himalaya Economic Cooperation Belt," read the initiative.

The document also seeks to promote clean and low-carbon energy and its safe and efficient use in the trans-Himalayan region, accelerate collaboration in new energy, environmental protection and other fields, and facilitate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development in the region.

This forum is a testament to the boundless potential of international cooperation and the strength of regional partnerships, said Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, Nepal's ambassador to China, adding that it underscores the importance of transcending borders, forging meaningful connections between nations, and addressing common challenges together.

The forum, co-hosted by the regional government of Tibet and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled to run from Oct. 4 to 6. Representatives from more than 40 countries, regions and international organizations attended the forum.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 6)  Chief presidential legal adviser Juan Ponce Enrile has asked the Sandiganbayan to drop his plunder case over the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund.

The anti-graft courts third division last month granted his motion for leave of court to file a demurrer to evidence, which seeks the immediate dismissal of a case soon after the prosecution rests its case.

Enrile has filed his demurrer and the prosecution has been given a period of time to file its comment/opposition, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Cabotaje-Tang said.

The defendant waived his right to present evidence on the ground that the prosecutions evidence is weak. A leave of court has to be granted first before a defendant can file a demurrer.

Meantime, the court denied the motion for leave of court filed by Enriles former chief of staff and co-accused, Gigi Reyes.

Enrile and his alleged cohorts were charged with plunder and graft in 2014 for allegedly funneling over 170 million in pork barrel to bogus non-government organizations controlled by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu maintained that they are closely monitoring the developments in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) citing its crucial role in global trade since it is part of an international waterway.

Speaking to reporters, the Australian envoy reiterated their commitment to work with the Philippines in terms of maritime security.

"A lot of attention with what we are seeing in the West Philippine Sea, these things really matter to Australia because that's an international waterway that supports global trade," she said.

"Australia is spending more and more attention to what it is we can do wth the Philippines in terms of maritime security," Yu added. "We're not thinking about just in terms of vessels and access to military power. You're also thinking about in terms of maritime environment."

The Australian envoy said talks of trilateral patrols in the WPS between Australia, the Philippines and the United States are still ongoing.

"I know for a fact that all those discussions are underway as we speak," Yu said. "So, our [defense departments] are working through those details very carefully."

"It's normal practice not to actually talk about operations that are planned in advance anyway," she also said. "The conversation is currently underway. I think we've heard both our Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary [Gilbert] Teodoro are committed to this. So of course, we'll be delivering on that commitment."

Yu also said that talks on possible joint patrols with the United States and the Philippines are also underway.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  No Filipino has been reported dead or hurt so far in Israel following a surprise attack from Palestinian militants on Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

However, the Philippine Embassy in Tel-Aviv and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said they received unconfirmed reports of Filipinos killed in the unrest and kidnapped by militant forces of the Hamas Islamist movement as claimed by some news aggregators, which the agencies are attempting to verify.

One of the news aggregators, Visegrad 24, tweeted that some Thai and Filipino workers had been kidnapped by Hamas Saturday morning and posted a photo of several men held at gunpoint. This has not yet been verified.

CNN International, in its live coverage of the attack, said that militant forces had taken hostages and prisoners of war.

LIVE UPDATES: Israel says it is 'at war' after Hamas surprise attack

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said majority of Filipinos in Israel are far from Gaza, where around 2,200 missiles from the Islamist movement Hamas were fired.

Yung majority diyan, malayo from Gaza (Majority of them are far from Gaza)," he told CNN Philippines Newsroom Weekend. "They are usually in Tel Aviv or in other cities like Haifa, some in Jerusalem...Doon mismo sa area (In that area), I believe theres only a handful."

De Vega said the Philippine Embassy is waiting for the Israeli governments call for evacuation.

The strike by the militant group has left at least 70 people dead and nearly 800 injured, according to a report by CNN citing Israel's rescue service Magen David Adom. Reports also said that militants have entered the Israeli territory.

Meanwhile, live reports from CNN said that nearly 200 were killed and over 1,600 were injured in Gaza, a Palestinian territory bordering the eastern and northern parts of Israel

This has triggered Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war and retaliate with massive strikes against a number of Hamas targets in Gaza.

But Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said that everyone should still be on guard as the Israeli government has yet to take full control of the streets.

So basically, people have to stay indoors, lock the doors, and wait for further instructions, and certainly not go out, he told CNN Philippines.

Senator Joel Villanueva shared to reporters on Saturday images of text conversations between Filipino pastors based in Israel.

In one of the conversations, a Filipino woman in Jerusalem said she was seeking protection in a bomb shelter amid heavy rocket fire in her area.

In another, a Filipino man in Bat Yam said the bombing began at around 6:20 a.m. in Israel, adding that soldiers and civilians had been killed, while some Israeli forces were captured by Hamas.

Meanwhile, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) issued an advisory urging Filipinos in the country to take precautionary safety measures and to follow the instructions provided by the Israeli Homefront Command.

The DMW, the Philippine Embassy, and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Israel are closely monitoring the situation of Filipino residents amid unrest in the country.

It shared that the Filipino community leaders are in contact with the Philippine Embassy and the MWO, and that the Pinoys there remain calm and are accounted for.

The DMW also said that the family of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Israel has sought assistance from the agency. It said that it contacted the OFW and found her safe.

The DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration set up a 24/7 Task Force for OFWs in Israel and their families, which can be reached through these numbers:

Hotline: +63 2 1348

WhatsApp and Viber: +63 9083268344 | +63 9271478186 | +63 9205171059.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has launched a further investigation into the cyberattack on the state health insurer, warning legal actions against officials over possible negligence.

The NPC Complaints and Investigation Division found that the data leak on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) involved a staggering 734GB worth of data, including personal and sensitive personal information.

In light of these findings, the NPC has launched a sua sponte investigation to ascertain the full scope of this breach, identify the responsible officials, and recommend legal prosecution to the fullest extent permissible by law, the NPC said in a statement.

Hackers began exposing some PhilHealth data, including personal details on employees, on the dark web early this week after the government failed to pay $300,000 (roughly 17 million) in ransom money.

The commission added that PhilHealth could be held accountable for the incident as the data breach may have been caused by the expired antivirus software.

The NPC will leave no stone unturned in its investigation into the potential negligence of PhilHealth officials and explore whether any efforts have been made to conceal pertinent information, it said.

It also warned the public that anyone who is caught processing, downloading, or sharing the exfiltrated data from PhilHealth will be held accountable for unauthorized processing of personal information and may face criminal charges.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo is set to meet Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong next week for the 6th Philippines-Australia Ministerial Meeting (PAMM).

In a briefing with reporters, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu said the meeting, which happens every two years, will take place in Australia and will also involve trade officials.

"The main purpose of this very important meeting will be to put our strategic partnership into action," Yu said.

"Our ministers will be coming together only less than a month of our leaders' meeting to get to work out what it is that we can do more often," she added.

The envoy did not disclose whether there will be new agreements to be signed.

"There will be some announcements made after the meeting," Yu said.

The ministerial meeting comes after the visit of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the Philippines last month, where he and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. elevated their countries' bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

A separate statement shared by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual would also be attending the meeting.

Australian envoy sees positive economic outlook for PH

The Australian ambassador also shared her thoughts on the economic outlook of the Philippines.

She noted the positive economic gains of the country amid global challenges.

"I am very optimistic," she said. "I think the Philippines' economic outlook is excellent."

"When you look at what's happening to the rest of the global economy, I think to some extent, you know, those downgrades are fair enough," she also said. "But still, Philippine economic growth has been strong and the outlook has been strong."

The envoy added that the government also rolled out policies to make the country investment-friendly.

"I think we've seen very, very good signals from President Marcos about how serious he is in making the Philippines an investment-friendly economy and those things are really working and you are starting to see significant foreign investment coming through and potential investors showing interest," Yu said. "So, my outlook for the Philippines is very positive."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  The Philippines and Canada vowed to bolster bilateral defense cooperation, emphasizing the broadening scale of interoperability between the Philippine Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy.

During a courtesy call on the Department of National Defense (DND), Canadian envoy to the Philippines H.E. David Bruce Hartman said his country is committed to "supporting the rules-based order of the Indo-Pacific region."

"Both sides expressed their strong and resolute commitment to enhancing Philippines-Canada bilateral defense relations with the purpose of maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," a statement from DND said.

Hartman earlier told CNN Philippines that Manila and Ottawa are finalizing a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation.

He said Canada is also pushing for coast guard-to-coast guard cooperation with the Philippines.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  The Sandiganbayan has allowed Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile to file a motion to dismiss his plunder case over the alleged misuse of 172 million of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF).

In a Sept. 18 resolution released recently, the anti-graft court granted the former senator's motion for leave to file a demurrer to evidence.

"Accordingly, accused Enrile, through counsel, is given 10 days from notice hereof within which to file his demurrer to evidence while the prosecution is given a similar non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt thereof within which to file its comment and/or opposition," the resolution read.

A demurrer to evidence means the accused seeks to dismiss the charges without presenting counter-evidence.

State prosecutors completed in July their presentation of evidence against the 99-year-old politician in both his plunder and 15 counts of graft cases on the alleged misuse of his PDAF or pork barrel.

Aside from Enrile, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla were also indicted in the 2013 multibillion-peso pork barrel scandal.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7)  The National Museum of the Philippines is now offering weekly yoga classes in selected areas inside the facility in celebration of the Museum and Galleries Month.

In a statement, the museum said "it aims to provide experiences that promote and improve well-being through a sensory activity that combines yoga with art therapy."

On Oct. 4, the museum uploaded a video showing around 18 participants with their yoga mats and doing stretching exercises in front of Juan Luna's Spoliarium painting.

Netizens were quick to react and said the program somehow disrespect and disrupt preservation of historic pieces at the museum.

"I cannot see the significance of doing yoga in a [supposedly] controlled environment. Yung humidity content of the surrounding will definitely have an effect on The Spolarium. Your strict protocols run counter to the purpose of this event," a user commented on Facebook.

Some aired expressed concerns on exposing the paintings to other elements such as sweat from the participants.

"Aren't we the taxpayers spending so much money to keep the humidity of that room stable to safeguard the country's most important painting? Yet, of all places, we chose to put a bunch of sweating yogists inside it? For what?" a netizen asked on X, formerly Twitter.

Others questioned the appropriateness of conducting a yoga class while Luna's "Spoliarium" depicts dead bodies of gladiators being dragged mercilessly.

"This is insensitive considering that the iconic painting of Juan Luna should remind us that our collective ancestors died in the hands of our colonizers," a netizen commented on Facebook.

"Paano kakalma kung ang kaharap mo ay image of oppression? [Translation: How can you relax if in front of you is an image of oppression?]" another X user said.

Some, on the other hand, backed the program, saying it's an effective way to bring yoga to more people.

"It's open to anyone, what's all the fuss? Museums, libraries, etc are multipurpose third spaces," a netizen said. "I'm pretty sure having 15 people doing stretches in a room can't alter the entire space's temperature."

"This is an initiative of the [National Museum] for healing. This isn't a new concept, and some of the positions were formulated in relevance with the artwork being shown in the said area," an X user said.

"Yoga at the Museum" will have three more sessions on Oct. 11, 18, and 25.

These will be held at the Old Senate Session Hall, Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. Hall, and the Vicente and Carmen Fabella Hall, respectively.
Lebanon: Prison blaze kills three

At least three people died as fire broke out at a prison in eastern Lebanon on Friday (October 6), media reports said.

Prison fire leaves 3 people dead in Lebanon. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash





The incident, which took place at the facility in Zahle- the capital city of the Beqaa Governorate- left 16 others injured.



According to reports, the inmates set fire to their cells in anger after an apparent escape attempt was uncovered.



Police said the blaze started in several cells on the second floor in the main prison after prison guards discovered a hole dug in a wall as part of a planned tunnel, a report from Arab News stated.

Following the discovery prisoners attempted to take several security staff hostage before setting fire to mattresses and blankets in their cells.

A security source told the outlet that the prisoners only released the staff when the fire got out of control, quickly spreading to the upper floors of the prison building.



Civil Defence team reportedly rushed to the spot to bring the blaze under control.



With 620 inmates, Zahle prison is considered as one of the largest in the country.



Lawyer and prison activist Rabih Qais told Arab News that Zahle, like all Lebanese prisons, suffers from overcrowding.



More than 60 percent of prison inmates are of Syrian or other non-Lebanese nationality, he said.


New COVID-19 wave hits Singapore, with 2,000 cases per day, but no plans for social restrictions

Though no longer termed a pandemic, COVID is once again creeping up on Singapore  in this quiet new wave, the number of new cases per day has averaged 2,000 in the past two weeks, compared to the daily average of 1,000 about three weeks ago.

A July 2022 post by this Instagram account holder urged people to keep wearing masks in order to stay safe. Photo courtesy: Instagram/datsjusmee

Revealing these figures, Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said yesterday that there were no plans to bring back social restrictions. He was speaking at the official opening of the Stepping Stones Rehabilitation Centre and Serenity Centre at the Institute of Mental Health.

As most countries have managed to vaccinate a large section of their populations, a COVID wave is no longer the scary term it once was. About five months ago, in early May 2023, the World Health Organization officially declared that the worst of the global threat from the novel coronavirus was over. The New York Times quoted WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as saying, It is with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency.

However, the NYT report added: But WHO officials warned that the decision to lift the emergency does not signal an end to the pandemic, and cautioned countries not take this as reason to dismantle COVID response systems.

Singapore saw a COVID wave in March-April this year, before the current one in September-October. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that these cases were mostly caused by two descendants of the XBB Omicron variant  EG.5 and HK.3. Together, they account for over 75 per cent of cases now, he said.

The minister added that the nature of COVID had now changed to endemic, the word for a disease that is commonly found in a particular region. We will treat [COVID] as an endemic disease, which is in line with our strategy, and live with it, he said. After all, there has been no evidence to suggest that the new variants are more likely to lead to severe illness compared to previous variants.

The minister still urged caution, saying that the protection afforded by COVID vaccines would not remain permanently effective. He also warned that unvaccinated individuals  as per Singapore data from the March-April wave  had a much higher risk of infection under the current wave, especially if they also had not developed a COVID infection before, something that would create natural antibodies.

Ong said that based on Singapore data, there was a clear indication that protection wanes, [and] it happens at around the 12-month interval after anti-bodies were acquired either through a vaccine or through an infection.

People, especially senior citizens and those vulnerable otherwise, were advised to wear masks in crowded public spaces and take their vaccine shots annually. Vaccination would help them recover in case of a coronavirus infection.


Needless to mention that it was one of the latest attempts by highest level individuals in the Bangla government to malign the image of the soft spoken gentleman. Recently more than 175 global leaders including Nobel laureates, elected officials, business and civil society leaders urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to suspend all legal proceedings against Prof Yunus. In a brief response to local reporters, Prof Yunus stated that he had done no wrong and hence nothing to be worried about. Globally recognised as the pioneer of microfinance and social business enterprises, Prof Yunus reposed full faith in the judiciary of Bangladesh.Needless to mention that it was one of the latest attempts by highest level individuals in the Bangla government to malign the image of the soft spoken gentleman. Recently more than 175 global leaders including Nobel laureates, elected officials, business and civil society leaders urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to suspend all legal proceedings against Prof Yunus.

It was preceded by another letter, endorsed by 40 global personalities, to Hasina regarding her governments ill treatment of him. Even 34 eminent Bangladeshi nationals also came forward raising voices for Prof Yunus asserting that Hasina, who will seek the mandate of 130 million Bangladeshi voters in the forthcoming national elections for her fourth consecutive term in office, continued using hostilities against the most awarded Bangladeshi gentleman.

Recently, the United Nations human rights office also issued a statement supporting Prof Yunus saying that it was worried over smear campaigns against him. It was followed by a statement from Amnesty International, where they asserted that Hasina was weaponizing labour laws to harass and intimidate Prof Yunus.

The international body argued that Prof Yunus, being the chairman of Grameen Telecom management authority, has been falsely accused of employment-related violations. He along with three board members (Ashraful Hasan, Nur Jahan Begum and Mohammad Shahjahan) are facing a criminal case under the country's labour laws.

The ongoing trial is just one of more than 150 cases filed against Prof Yunus after the ruling Awami League party came into power in 2008. Amnesty International believes that initiating criminal proceedings against Prof Yunus and his colleagues for issues that belong to the civil and administrative arena is a blatant abuse of labour laws and the justice system and a form of political retaliation for his work and dissent. His case is emblematic of the beleaguered state of human rights in Bangladesh, where the authorities have eroded freedoms and bulldozed critics into submission, said a statement.

It is time for the Bangladesh government to put an end to this travesty of justice, said Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, adding that the governments relentless smear campaign against Prof Yunus shows the desperate lengths the current regime is willing to go to set an example through the hounding of an 83-year-old Nobel laureate.

It is time Bangladesh govt puts an end to travesty of justice, said Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International

Those violating labour rights must undoubtedly be held accountable, however rather than misusing labour laws and criminal justice to harass Prof Yunus, the authorities should focus on combatting extensive threats to labour rights such as unsafe factories which continue to claim the lives of thousands of Bangladeshi workers, she added.

The question that arises here is, why Hasina is so aggressive against the global campaigner for a poverty free world. First assumption was that Hasina herself wants recognition (preferably with a Nobel award) for her excellent works since 2008. Lately, the civil society embraces speculation that the combined opposition parties (led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party) may project Prof Yunus as their leader in the forthcoming polls.

Needless to mention that Prof Yunus tried to form a political party (Nagarik Shakti) in 2007, but abandoned the idea quickly. However, Hasina and her supporters still assume Prof Yunus as a powerful rival to her political career. So she continues maligning Prof Yunus on every possible occasion.

As the country goes to general elections in the next few months, the apprehension of erupting violence continues, as the opposition alliance is still demanding Hasinas resignation for the sake of a free and fair election in Bangladesh. They are demanding for a neutral caretaker administration in Dhaka to conduct the forthcoming elections, so that the ruling Awami League can not rig the polls.

Otherwise, they may boycott the national election, as they did in 2014 and 2018. Hasina has already made it clear that she will not resign, thus paving the way for a series of street protests (often turning violent) by the opposition parties across Bangladesh in the coming days.



---

*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

Bangladeshs lone Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, who is serving as the chairman of Grameen Telecom, appeared before the anti-corruption commission (ACC) in Dhaka on 5 October 2023, as he was summoned over the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the workers benefit. A few others close to Prof Yunus were also summoned to appear before the commission.
The brain is the most important organ in the body, according to the brain. It took a while, however, for us to get any idea of just what it did. When the Ancient Egyptians preserved organs after someone died, they didnt bother with the brain, since they didnt know what use it had. Later, Aristotle had a theory about the brain  it was wrong, but it was interesting.

Read on to find out what it was, along with the meaning behind the slogan penis can surprise you.

15 Grounds for Appeal A British defendant suffered a bit of an inconvenience in 1999, when a judge sentenced him to two years in prison. The judge did this after hearing a jury deliver a verdict of guilty. The jury foreman had actually said not guilty, but someone coughed, drowning out the word not.

14 Scary Snails The strongest natural material isnt any metal or gem. Its mollusk teeth. Sea snail teeth are a mixture of iron crystals and protein and are harder than diamond and stronger than Kevlar.

13 Damn You, Autocorrect Actress Thandiwe Newton was known as Thandie Newton for years, and this was never some conscious professional move. It followed her name being accidentally misspelled Thandie in the credits of her first film, Flirting. Advertisement

12 The Mislabeled Drug In 2003, Johns Hopkins put out a study on the mental effects of ecstasy. Later, they had to retract the paper when they discovered an error. By accident, instead of ecstasy, theyd given all but one of the research subjects meth.

11 Always a Smaller Fish One Peruvian spider constructs a larger fake spider in its web out of leaves. Prey flee the sight of the fake spider and land right in the clutches of the real one. Advertisement

10 Train Stop E. Frenkel was a Russian who described himself as a psychic, claiming to be able stop bicycles with his mind. When people doubted him, he took it up a notch, standing in the path of a freight train so he could stop it using his mental powers. That was the end of E. Frenkel, Russian psychic. Advertisement

9 Ol-Fac-Tory There may be a link between sex and nasal function. Early experimental nasal surgeries to treat sexual dysfunction worked out terribly for everyone, but scientists have had more luck with experimental sex to treat nasal dysfunction. Advertisement

8 The Death Mask Franklin Roosevelt died following a hemorrhage that he experienced while sitting for a presidential portrait. That makes him the rare person to have his final conscious moment captured on canvas.

7 Worms Are Gross You might have heard earthworms create rich soil, which is great for plants. Thats not quite true. Most earthworm species are invasive, and their munching actually hurts forests. Advertisement Advertisement

6 All Natural Sugar Jif is not legally allowed to call their signature natural product peanut butter. They have to call it peanut butter spread. It contains too much sugar and oil to qualify as peanut butter under FDA rules.

5 The Radiator People 2,300 years ago thought that the brains only function was cooling the blood. They concluded this because the brain has so many folds, and anything with that much surface area is usually designed to radiate heat. Advertisement

4 A Modest Proposal The first recorded suggestion of daylight saving time came from Benjamin Franklin. He proposed it as a joke, because the idea was ridiculous. Advertisement

3 Cool, Glitter To combat a chlamydia outbreak, Norway commissioned a giant penis costume that blew gold confetti on people. Penis can surprise you was the message of the campaign.

2 Gas Leak Know the smell of natural gas? No, you dont. Its odorless. The smell we associate with it is a substance called mercaptan that is artificially added to it so that were able to detect leaks.
This weekend sees the release of Foe, a sci-fi drama set in the future in which a married couple (Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal) learn that the husband must go to space as part of a government mission  and that hell be replaced at home by a simulant until he returns. Despite its fine actors, the movie is Not Good, featuring a twist ending that is poorly executed. While watching Foe, I thought about the fact that big, shocking twists primarily happen in serious dramas. Bruce Willis can see dead people. Leonardo DiCaprio is actually a mental patient on Shutter Island. Rosebud is a sled. This sort of thing doesnt happen too often with comedies.

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Its pretty obvious why lighthearted films dont contain huge twists: Comedies are meant to be fun, so revealing some horrible truth  like, Darth Vader is Lukes father  isnt exactly the M.O. But on occasion, a comedy will pull the rug out from under its audience, shocking viewers with a surprise they didnt see coming. Some surprises are better-executed than others, though, so I decided to highlight five of the most memorable comedy twists, passing judgment on how good the actual twist is. As I suspected, most of these twists are meant to be humorous, but one of them  and, I would argue, the best of the five  is actually quite touching. (And, uh, Spoiler Alert, I guess, if you havent seen these movies.)

5 This Is Spinal Tap (1984) Whats the Twist? Things are not looking good for the band at the end of This Is Spinal Tap. Nigel (Christopher Guest) has quit the group, leaving David (Michael McKean) and Derek (Harry Shearer) to muddle through on a lackluster American tour that seems like it will be Spinal Taps last. But just when David and Derek consider dissolving the band and revisiting their ambitious idea for a Jack the Ripper musical  Saucy Jack sounds kinda catchy, right?  Nigel reappears, revealing that, inexplicably, Sex Farm has become a massive hit in Japan, giving Tap new life. Nigel rejoins the band, and everything (presumably) ends up happily ever after. Advertisement How Good Is the Twist? Let me say first: I adore This Is Spinal Tap. Incredible film. However, the second half of the movie always makes me so sad. Those poor guys, everything is going wrong for them! Its almost too painful to watch. So even though it might be more likely in real life that Tap would shrivel into irrelevance, the twist is awfully satisfying because it lets the gents reunite and enjoy one last hurrah. (Fun game to play: Where would Spinal Tap be in 2023? Probably playing state fairs and still trying to make people smell the glove.)

4 Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) Whats the Twist? For most of the film, snarky ad exec Neal (Steve Martin) is desperately trying to extricate himself from Del (John Candy), a needy, backslapping salesman who hes stuck with as they try to get back home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. Eventually, though, Neals opinion of Del softens  sure, the guys overbearing, but hes basically a good dude  and they form a bond. Then, just as theyre about to finally be free of one another, Neal realizes something: Del has nowhere to go. Turns out hes homeless, still grieving the death of his wife years ago. (He had pretended to Neal that his beloved was still alive and waiting for him.) Del didnt have a reason to get back to the Windy City  he just wanted someone to hang out with for a little while. Advertisement Advertisement How Good Is the Twist? Initially, writer-director John Hughes was going to have Del admit to Neal that hes homeless, rather than Neal figuring it out on his own. But that ending didnt work. In the original version, Candy sort of ambushes Steve, Planes, Trains and Automobiles editor Paul Hirsch explained. And the version we came up with was better for both characters, because it gave Candy more dignity, that he wasnt throwing himself in front of Steve, and it was better for Steves character that he had enough empathy to figure out what was going on. The twist helped elevate a great comedy into a poignant all-timer. Theres no gimmick or trick to it, completely earning the reveals emotional wallop. Plus, the scene helped reinforce the films central theme: The more you get to know someone, the more you come to care about them. Which, honestly, is a great message for the holidays. Advertisement

3 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) Whats the Twist? In this remake of the 1964 comedy Bedtime Story, Freddy (Steve Martin) and Lawrence (Michael Caine) are rival con men who have spent the entirety of the film trying to best one another, deciding to settle their turf war with a bet: Whoever can bilk American heiress Janet (Glenne Headly) out of $50,000 first will get to stay in the fabulous French Riviera, while the loser has to depart. Both men earn the trust of this gullible, lonely beauty, but in the end she pulls the biggest scam of all: Shes actually the infamous con artist known as The Jackal, successfully fleecing Freddy and Lawrence, who all this time thought they were duping her. Advertisement Advertisement How Good Is the Twist? Bedtime Story, which starred Marlon Brando and David Niven, didnt contain the same twist, which was added to the Frank Oz remake. Plenty of heist movies and con-artist flicks have switcheroo endings, but the one in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is especially well-done. Headly, who died in 2017, totally sells her characters naivete, then does a believable about-face when we learn her true motives. And when you rewatch the film, part of the pleasure is in seeing Freddy and Lawrence so confidently assume theyve got her number. They have no idea who theyre dealing with. Advertisement

2 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) Whats the Twist? Its not quite the end of the film, but the major revelation comes when intrepid sleuth Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) puts it together that the murderer hes been looking for, disgraced former Miami Dolphins kicker Ray Finkle, is actually Police Lieutenant Lois Einhorn (Sean Young)! Who he kissed earlier in the movie! Einhorn is a man! Advertisement How Good Is the Twist? Obviously, Ace Ventura was basing its big twist around a similar one used in the Oscar-winning 1992 drama The Crying Game. (If the allusion wasnt obvious, director and co-writer Tom Shadyac included Boy Georges version of the title song in his movie.) Advertisement As a plot point, its not a bad twist  as a joke, its a lot iffier. Ace freaks out over the revelation, pouring toothpaste down his throat and even setting his clothes on fire because hes so repulsed that he made out with a guy. (When he proves his theory to the rest of the male police force later, they similarly lose it.) Even at the time of Ace Venturas release, some condemned the gag, calling it homophobic, although Carrey felt critics missed the point. I wanted to keep the action unreal and over the top, he said in 1994. When it came time to do my reaction to kissing a man, I wanted it to be the biggest, most obnoxious, homophobic reaction ever recorded. Its so ridiculous it cant be taken seriously  even though it guarantees that somebodys going to be offended. Advertisement Carreys a comedic genius, but I think the way the movie recoils at the Finkle/Einhorn twist undermines his argument. The early 1990s were definitely a period where Ha ha, someone is gay/trans, gross! jokes were commonplace, which didnt make them okay. Advertisement Advertisement
November 29 2019 was my first day out of prison in 14 and a half years. As if to show me what Id been missing, the sky was a fierce blue and the sun shone brightly across London. The city was buzzing. I had Learning Together, a Cambridge University education programme for prisoners, to thank for my temporary freedom.

I had been invited to a conference to celebrate its fifth anniversary at Fishmongers Hall, by London Bridge. While my plus one was my escorting officer Adam, it still felt incredible to be outside and in the real world.

Jack Merritt, 25, the Cambridge graduate who had become my mentor in what I hoped would be my final stretch in prison, greeted me with a hug. He had a posh accent and a friendly smile: he was super-smart and could have got a job anywhere, but he believed lifers like me had potential and was dedicated to helping us.

Fishmongers Hall was like a museum. I noticed a pair of narwhal tusks fastened to a wall, the relics of bygone fishing trips to the frozen North.

Mid-morning, we stopped for a break. In the next session, I was to read a question to a panel of guests. I was anxious, but excited. Almost immediately, a womans high-pitched screams came from below. A Learning Together volunteer rushed in. Its Usman, she said, frantically dialling a number on her phone. I jumped up and made my way to the door.

In the next session, I was to read a question to a panel of guests. I was anxious, but excited. Almost immediately, a womans high-pitched screams came from below

It felt like time had slowed down. My blood was loaded with adrenaline. As we reached London Bridge, Usman turned and began swinging his knives. Just grab him, I told myself, writes STEVE GALLANT (pictured)

I knew I had to slow him. The only weapon to hand was a narwhal tusk. Usman came swinging his knives towards me. I hit him hard  but it seemed to have little effect

At the bottom of the stairs, a young woman was sprawled on the floor with blood coming from her neck. Another girl, lying in the foetal position, had a large pool of blood forming beneath her.

Suddenly, I was face-to-face with Usman Khan, a former prisoner and fellow Learning Together guest. He had a razor-sharp, eight-inch blade taped to each wrist and an explosive belt around his body  though it later proved to be fake.

I knew I had to slow him. The only weapon to hand was a narwhal tusk. Usman came swinging his knives towards me. I hit him hard  but it seemed to have little effect.

I struck out again, missing by a whisker. His knives came close and then: Crunch! I hit him hard across the shoulder, snapping the tusk. He burst into the street, heading to London Bridge. I went after him. The streets were busy. Get back! I shouted. Its a terrorist!

Usman turned to face me. I struck him again with the broken tusk but somehow he managed to grab it and rip it from my hands. I backed off as he threw it at me.

It felt like time had slowed down. My blood was loaded with adrenaline. As we reached London Bridge, Usman turned and began swinging his knives. Just grab him, I told myself. Take him to the ground. I made a lunge for his jacket with both hands and we went down.

Somehow, Usman managed to get back to his feet. In the confusion that followed a gap opened, offering me an unobstructed view of his face. I punched him hard in the jaw. Crack! And another: Crack!

Ministry of Justice worker Darryn Frost took the other narwhal tusk to fight Usman. Unmarked police cars then screeched to a halt and within seconds officers were leaping over the barriers with guns drawn. Usman was shot twice but not before hed fatally stabbed Jack and fellow Cambridge graduate Saskia Jones, 23. To my surprise, he attempted to climb to his feet.

Usman was hit by a Taser, then shot for a third time. He sank to the floor and remained there.

As I walked away, a whirlwind of thoughts went round my head as my adrenaline began to come down from its intoxicating peak. Did that really just happen?

My previous act of violence had cost someone their life, shattered many others in the process and landed me a murder conviction in 2005, a life sentence.

Shocked and confused, yet struck by a sudden moment of clarity, I turned to the chap with the narwhal tusk and said, That was my first act of violence in 14 and a half years. Id broken my vow.

When I arrived at HMP Frankland, a Category A prison in County Durham, to begin my sentence, it held some of the most dangerous men in the country. And now, me. I had killed a man after he attacked my girlfriend, Jayne.

He and some mates had forced their way into her flat and smashed up her sound system. When Jayne tried to stop them, they hit her on the head with a claw hammer, then threatened to return and kill her.

I found out later they had done this because the mans girlfriend thought Jayne was playing her music too loudly. Jayne pleaded with me not to retaliate, but I was too angry to listen. Violence had been present throughout my youth as a bullied, skinny child on a council estate in Hull. By 17 Id finished my education at a school for naughty kids, left with no qualifications and had convictions for fighting and petty offences, culminating in an eight-month jail sentence.

That hindered my job prospects and prevented me from joining the Army. I meant to hurt the man who hurt Jayne, not kill him, but my attack spun out of control, earning me a murder conviction, carrying a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 17 years. I took a long look at my life and I didnt like what I saw.

Where had violence got me? It had cost me my freedom and, although she had spent a year faithfully visiting me, ultimately it also cost me the most important thing in my life  Jayne had told me she couldnt go on. It was over. Something had to change. I vowed never to use violence again.

I hit the gym, stopped smoking and resisted friendly offers of hooch (made from fermented fruit). I quit these vices overnight, no withdrawal symptoms.

I realised it wasnt the substances Id been addicted to  it was the lifestyle. Learning to write became an obsession. During my years in prison I went on study for GCSEs, then A-level philosophy and a degree in business management.

Usman Khan (pictured) had been planning attacks on the Stock Exchange, Parliament and the US Embassy and was one of scores of Islamic terrorists who came into the prison system while I was inside

Usman Khan had been planning attacks on the Stock Exchange, Parliament and the US Embassy and was one of scores of Islamic terrorists who came into the prison system while I was inside. There was concern on high that extremism would lead to people being radicalised in prison. I can tell you that fear was well-founded. My perception of Islamic terrorists at the time was of disenfranchised street kids with low IQs who were easily led and manipulated.

Dhiren Barot put that stereotype to bed. He was serving 40 years for plotting terror attacks in the UK and US. Although he had an air of arrogance, he was quiet, well-kept and highly intelligent. He became an agent for Al-Qaeda. and his conviction was considered one of the most significant since 9/11. To many of his brothers filtering into the system he was revered. So when he was attacked, allegedly by Gary Moody and an associate, with a pan of boiling cooking oil poured over his head, it caught the attention of the 20 Al-Qaeda sympathisers being held at Frankland.

One of those was Omar Khyam, serving 20 years for plotting to explode a fertiliser bomb in London. At just over 5ft, skinny and quiet, he blended into the background. So at first no one noticed when, with a pan of hot oil in his hand, he strolled from the kitchen towards a group of white prisoners chatting away at a table.

One of these was Malcolm Cruddas, an armed robber due to be released. He didnt notice Khyam walk up behind him and pour the entire contents over his head.

There was now a battle for wing control. Those who had stoked the fire had created deadly enemies. It didnt matter to the terrorists, as they had committed themselves to a violent cause, and some were only alive because their bombs had failed to detonate. Nor did it matter to the hardened gang members and individuals (on both sides), who made a life out of reputational violence.

When you spend years under the same roof as terrorists, you engage in conversation in a dinner queue or the gym and can learn all sorts.

Some are incredibly good communicators and charismatic. They know their subject very well, which typically involves resentment of the British state.

I would often see a newly arrived prisoner fall under the wing of an extremist or gang member. Groomers, often formidable alpha males, know that when a new arrival enters Frankland, they are likely to be scared, directionless, impressionable and possibly resentful towards the justice system.

The target is treated with kindness, offered nice food and brought into a welcoming circle of friends. At a moment of loneliness and despair, thats comforting.

Next, they are exposed to a set of values that set them apart from the prison population. At a time when you are confused about your life, thats intriguing and enlightening.

Then they are offered a reason for their existence, reinforced with literature and an ideology. Now thats a sense of purpose with meaning. And anyone who converts to Islam receives an Arabic name  a new identity to separate them from their culture, their past and, possibly, their family.

Once that change in demeanour is picked up by prisoners who dont share the same views, the new guy is perceived as a threat. If only subtly at first, the others behave differently to the convert, which reinforces the guidance from his groomers: dont trust anyone but us.

Clued-up extremists know the right to religious practice makes it harder for the authorities to intervene when they groom other prisoners and disseminate their ideology, behaviours they can easily pass off as sharing ones faith.

Moments before the screaming started at Fishmongers Hall, Id had my photo taken with Jack Merritt, who came into my life when I moved to Warren Hill jail in Suffolk in 2016

Allowing terrorists and extremists to associate with other prisoners makes grooming very difficult to prevent. But it is not half as difficult to spot. Going from being clean shaven and wearing a Nike tracksuit to suddenly wearing a kameez and sporting a long beard is one possible sign.

Moments before the screaming started at Fishmongers Hall, Id had my photo taken with Jack Merritt, who came into my life when I moved to Warren Hill jail in Suffolk in 2016. Being in a progressive prison and learning with Jack and colleagues was a great education. It wasnt just to do with academic work: their values of community and kindness were passed on to us, even in the smallest ways.

Jack always turned up for lectures with a bag full of M&S food. We hadnt had food like this for years: it was like tasting freedom.

As I ran back into Fishmongers Hall I didnt see Jack. I asked Simon, one of Learning Togethers PhD students if Jack was OK.

He shook his head. What are you saying, you havent seen him, or have you? Is he hurt? He continued to shake his head, unable to speak.

A couple of metres away the woman whod been stabbed remained motionless as paramedics removed the defibrillator pads and shook their heads. Her name was Saskia Jones, a kind-hearted young woman with a bright future.

Next day, I remained in my cell. I learned that the other woman who had been stabbed multiple times had survived, just.

But tragically Jack  the young man who had helped me to believe a good life could lie beyond prison and who cared more for Usmans future than any of his so-called brothers  was dead.

Steve Gallant was released from prison under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in August 2021. He was awarded the Queens Medal for Gallantry for his actions during the attack at Fishmongers Hall.

lAdapted from The Road To London Bridge by Steve Gallant (Seven Dials, 8.99) to be published on October 26.  2023 Steve Gallant. To order a copy (P&P free on orders over 25) go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
Violence in the Middle East is back with a vengeance.

The timing of the brutal attacks by Hamas has been triggered by an attempt to exploit bitter internal divisions in Israel but on a deeper level, the assault has been driven by Hamas's overlord Iran, a theocratic Shia Muslim state that is engaged in a struggle for power and influence across the Middle East.

Yesterday's attack was clearly months, even years, in the planning.

Funds to carry it out and the technology for the missiles almost certainly came from Iran, which has proxy forces throughout the region.

The chilling fact is that Tehran's tentacles are spreading remorselessly as the regime supports other terror groups in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.

Iran's mullahs, reviled by many outside Iran but also by many Iranians fed up with despotism, want to destabilise relationships between the Muslim Sunni world and Israel. Recently, those relationships have been improving.

Iranians attend a gathering in Tehran on Saturday, in support of Palestine after Hamas militants launched a deadly air, land and sea assault into Israel from the Gaza Strip

Iranian supporters of Hezbollah wave Palestinian flags during a celebration of the attacks that the militant Hamas group carried out against Israel

People walk atop the rubble of a tower destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Saturday

Bob Seely is MP for the Isle of Wight

It is in all our interests that the Arab world and Israel settle their differences, as difficult as that will be, not only because that would bring peace, a good thing in itself, but also because we need to reach out to states throughout the world to encourage and support democracy.

Iran is allied to Russia, and Russia is allied to China. All three are profoundly hostile to the West and wish to undermine the international order: Iran by destroying peace between Israel and the Sunni world, Russia by destroying Ukraine and challenging the West through hybrid war, and China by threatening Western interests in the Pacific, particularly by destabilising Taiwan.

Without doubt, Iran's military development is being helped by Moscow which, in turn, needs Iran's drone technology and is using hundreds of its Shahed drones to attack military and civilian targets in Ukraine.

Like Russia is doing in Ukraine, Iran-backed Hamas is using medium-range missiles to make life hell for civilians in Israel. This technology is becoming cheaper and more easily available. Every few years, Hamas becomes more sophisticated in its targeting, while the payloads missiles can carry grow larger.

The most worrying danger is that these capabilities will become a threat  not only to life but to Israel itself  especially if Iran develops its own nuclear bomb, which some believe is only a matter of time.

Against this dangerous background, in addition to military capability, Iran and its Hamas proxy have been emboldened by the perception of Western weakness.

This is epitomised by the White House under President Joe Biden, a man whose grasp of policy and mental acuity do not inspire confidence.

The sense of decline that the 80-year-old exudes has been reflected in a series of events: America's shambolic withdrawal from Afghanistan; the one-sided deal for the release of US hostages held by Iran in return for colossal payments, and the friction in US relations with Saudi Arabia.

Iran sees all this as evidence of Western vulnerability and is eager to test us.

We must not be found wanting.

Any retreat in the face of violence and intimidation would be fatal to our interests and bad for our alliances. Here is what we must do. First, support Israel and ensure that Iran does not succeed in undermining the normalisation of relationships between Israel and other Middle East nations.

Thousands of Iranian people stage a demonstration and carry Palestinian flag in support of Hamas and Palestinian resistance in Tehran, Iran on October 7

Reserve Israeli soldiers line up to register for duty in a northern Israeli town on October 7, after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a large-scale surprise attack against Israel

People standing on a rooftop watch as a ball of fire and smoke rises above a building in Gaza City on Saturday

Second, there must be more  and public  discussion of what happens if, or when, Iran gets nuclear weapons.

Given the evil irresponsibility of Iran's mullahs, such a moment in history would be massively destabilising in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Saudis would either demand nuclear guarantees or get their own bomb from Pakistan.

Would Europe stand with the US or would Iran's mullahs be allowed to blackmail the world?

Third, we in Britain must urgently think about missile defence. What we have seen in Ukraine, and now in Israel, is the growing importance of missile defence and the increasing threat from massed missile attack, especially given the new role of drones in warfare.

Finally, we need a much more robust response to Iranian threats of violence in the UK, both against Jewish people and against Iranian dissident groups threatened by intimidation or assassination from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Indeed, our Government should immediately ban the IRGC.

Britain is far from the Middle East, but Cyprus, which holds British military bases, is not. Neither are our allies across the Gulf.

The technology Hamas is using comes from Iran  and Iran has many other counties such as Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in its sights.

Make no mistake, what is happening in Israel and in Ukraine is a grave warning to us.

BOB SEELY is MP for the Isle of Wight.
Hidden in vague and cloudy policy documents, the real plans of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party will remain largely concealed from public view until after the General Election.

The actual campaign will feature the usual extravagant promises about how Labour will save the NHS, build millions of houses and transform schools  promises which you do not even have to be especially old to mistrust.

Most people over 30 should recall what actually happens to these sectors when Labour runs the country. Voters would be wise to pause and consider what they can make out in the swirling verbal smog which surrounds Sir Keir, his aides and his advisers.

For example, what will a Starmer government actually mean for the vexed transgender issue? A 'simplified' procedure for altering gender will surely not be a more difficult one  and if 'less intrusive', this presumably means a smaller role for the medical profession.

Then-Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer (left) stands with the then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at the EU Commission headquarters on March 21, 2019 in Brussels, Belgium

And the fate of motorists? Labour is clearly fearful of being too specific, after the drubbing it received at the Uxbridge by-election thanks to London Mayor Sadiq Khan's Ultra Low-Emission Zone. But there are hints, under the superficially attractive banner of 'clean air', that Labour are prepared to embark on more measures which would end up being paid for by hard-pressed taxpayers who need their vehicles to work.

Labour's instincts remain what they have always been: more bossy interference with private life and more taxes to pay for it. Just because they have got rid of Corbyn does not mean Labour have abandoned other more subtle forms of militant Leftism.

Voters would be wise to watch and listen carefully indeed as Labour parade themselves in Liverpool this week.

Easing the leash on tech giants would be a grave mistake

The Government is in danger of making a grave mistake over the regulation of the giant California tech companies. These immensely powerful corporations have become over-mighty subjects in many countries  ours included  because of their vast reach and deep pockets.

Rishi Sunaks government has been making sensible plans to limit their power, and there may be an investigation into their apparent use of algorithms to skew internet search results.

Nobody objects to these companies success. Yet there are concerns about their effect on other businesses in the same field, who believe their ability to compete fairly is being constrained.

The Digital Markets Bill, as planned, addresses this problem. But this wise scheme appears to be in danger.

Rishi Sunak arrives to attend the third meeting of European Political Community in Granada, Spain on Thursday

Changes are being considered to the Bill, now going through Parliament, which would weaken the industrys new regulatory body, the Digital Markets Unit (DMU). The existing plans allow for a quick and relatively cheap appeal system, which would not favour those with the most money, the biggest armies of lawyers and the greatest power. But the changes would give the tech monsters an advantage, allowing for far wider and more expensive appeals.

UK news providers have voiced fears that the amendment could leave the DMU powerless to act in favour of fairness, as it would be bogged down by endless, expensive legal pettifogging.

The Prime Minister is a man in touch with the modern world and familiar with Californian thinking, which is a good thing. But he should recognise that the interests of this country, and of freedom in general, would be better met by sticking to the original appeals plan.
Prince William will long be remembered for his early good looks - that touch of Diana in the bashful looks and smouldering stare.

Today, William is 41 and a father of three. Yet there is no shortage of adoring fans - as he found last week on a visit to Cardiff.

In fact, the Prince of Wales, accompanied by his wife, Catherine, was mobbed by well-wishers - and cheekily told them: 'I draw the line at kissing!'

Later, the room erupted when the prince joked: 'Who is pinching my bottom?

Prince William was met with lines of female fans waiting for their turn to hug the father-of- three during a visit to the Grange Pavilion in Cardiff

In fact, thanks partly to his growing action man persona, William is becoming quite the hunk, a view supported both here and in America, where the Prince made a recent appearance to promote his Earthshot Prize.

He might have considerably less hair than in his youth, but royal fans still claim they were left feeling hot under the collar by recent snaps.

One wrote: 'Absolutely gorgeous, as ever our Prince William is Hot Hot Hot!'

While another commented: He has such an aura of quiet authority & self assuredness about him. I think that's why William always draws people in.'

A third thought the Prince of Wales ought to be in the running for the next 007 franchise.

Here, we take a look at the Prince of Wales today - and the Prince of twenty years ago. (And we think he's doing pretty well...)

Prince William caught the eyes of a new generation of fans as he rolled up his sleeves and sported a casual look as he visited the Billion Oyster Project in New York last month

Most people spend their teenage years feeling awkward and uncomfortable in their own skin, this wasn't the case for Prince William who has embraced his looks as the years go on

William has remained the action man we all know and love over the last two decades

Royal fans were left swooning after Prince William showed off his polo skills in a charity match back in July (right), mirroring his glory days in the early 2000s (left)

Both William's polo performances and look in uniform have wowed a number of royal fans over the years
Erudite, dapper, waspishly witty and incorrigibly pompous, celebrity psychiatrist Frasier Crane became one of TVs most beloved characters in the 90s.

Played by Kelsey Grammer, he made his first appearance in the hit 80s sitcom Cheers before going on to feature in its even more popular spin-off Frasier.

The show earned 37 Emmy Awards in its 11-year run and next week it returns to our screens after 19 years in a reboot that Kelsey terms his characters third act.

He may be sporting trainers rather than his customary Italian shoes, but fans of the original show neednt fear  nothing about Frasier remains unpretentious for long.

Sitting here with a cold brew in my hand, I feel amalgamated with the hoi polloi, he remarks while sipping beer in his new local. As his friend drolly replies, You are the classic everyman.

Kelsey Grammer (centre) and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Frasier and Alan, with a colleague

Having played Frasier for two decades, was it difficult for Kelsey to return to a role hed mined so comprehensively?

Ive always been amused by the people who used to say, How do you play a character for that long? Id jokingly say, Well honestly, how do you live for that long? he counters, when we speak before the Hollywood writers strike.

Frasier is a remarkable sort of innocent. The world always surprises him.

Reviving a much-loved show comes with inherent risks and in the case of Frasier perhaps doubly so, given that many of its favourite characters are missing from the reboot.

Gone are Frasiers brother Niles and his wife Daphne, as well as his father Martin, who we learn has recently passed away (actor John Mahoney died in 2018).

Instead, Frasier finds himself in Boston, back where it all started with Cheers (Frasier was set in Seattle).

His career as a radio and TV shrink is behind him and hes teaching at Harvard University. Hes also attempting to forge a closer relationship with his son Freddy (played by British actor Jack Cutmore-Scott).

Yet it soon transpires that Freddy had far more in common with his blue-collar grandfather Martin than he does with his own dad.

Having dropped out of Harvard against his fathers wishes, Freddy now works as a fireman and shares modest digs with his roommate Eve (Jess Salgueiro).

And just as Frasier struggled to relate to his father in the original show, the new series sees him attempt to bond with his son.

Hes helped, and often hindered, in his quest by his old Oxford chum Alan Cornwall, now a professor at Harvard.

Niles, Roz, Frasier, Daphne and Martin in the original series

Hes played by Nicholas Lyndhurst, another TV legend thanks to his role as Rodney in Only Fools And Horses, and he steals virtually every scene hes in.

The quickest way of telling you something about Professor Alan Cornwall is the brief on page one of the script: Alan is British, boozy and out of f***s to give. And I thought, Yeah, I can do that, says Nicholas.

Apathetic and lazy, he couldnt differ more from his uptight friend, yet the two share a bond.

I would say that Frasier hasnt had a true friend before, says Nicholas. But sometimes you have a friend where you can just sit in silence for hours. You dont have to say anything. I think Alan is that to Frasier.

Nicholas and Kelsey worked together four years ago in the West End production of Man Of La Mancha and Kelsey personally selected Nicholas for the part.

Hes one of the best actors in the world and hes one of the funniest people alive, he says.

This is a welcome return to our TV screens for Nicholas, who was last seen starring with his son Archie four years ago in the CBBC series So Awkward.

The next year Archie died from a brain haemorrhage aged 19, and the show dedicates its opening episode both to him and to John Mahoney.

Indeed, while the memory of Martin Crane is felt in the show, so too is the echo of Niles and Daphne. Their son David (Anders Keith) accompanies Frasier to Boston and, with his prissiness, bears a strong resemblance to his father.

Frasiers old radio producer Roz (Peri Gilpin) and ex-wife Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) also appear in the ten-episode run, setting the stage for the return of the successful shrink whose only problem is communicating with those closest to him.

Its always been cleverly written, says Nicholas. Its always been hugely entertaining and he finds himself in all sorts of situations now. I think viewers will be intrigued.

For fans of the original, says Nicholas, returning to the show will feel like putting on a lovely warm jumper. As long as the jumper is made from 100 per cent pure cashmere, Frasier Crane will almost certainly approve.

Frasier, from Friday, Paramount+.
Foodies have taken to social media to share their most bizarre experiences

A meal out at a fancy restaurant is a treat many of us - we expect top notch food and great presentation, especially if the venue has a Michelin Star.

But not every diner is impressed with flare and flavour...

From portion size to odd presentation, even at the most luxurious establishments, people can be left disappointed by what shows up on their plate.

We've rounded up some of the most ridiculous meals foodies have eaten at restaurants and shared to social media.

The first of which is this bread posted by the Reddit user 'trublue4u22,' which was bizarrely served to someone in a Versace shoe.

We've rounded up some of the most ridiculous meals foodies have eaten at restaurants and shared to social media

Some surimi served on top of a broken pringle shared by 'Ikigairamen' in the 'r/StupidFood' thread.

Someone replied to the strange choice, saying 'It feels like a joke. This cant be serious. Making a customer pick food out of a shoe feels like a king throwing coins to a jester and making the king laugh'.

Next up is some surimi served on top of a broken pringle shared by 'Ikigairamen' in the 'r/StupidFood' thread.

The user wrote 'Seen in a sushi restaurant in my city. I still can not believe it'.

People replied 'Damn, even got a broken Pringle too' and 'not even a full chip, the audacity of this place'.

Sticking to the fishy theme, another user was served two pieces of sushi on top of a hat with decorative leaves.

The user 'SuperJezus' joked 'Sushi for M'Lady?,' prompting someone to ask 'Do you keep the hat? Is it included in the meal price?

Others added 'Hats off to this place' and 'This is the stupidest thing I've seen in a long while'.

Meanwhile, someone else had a fright when their desert looked like something out of a crime scene.

Next up is some surimi served on top of a broken pringle shared by 'Ikigairamen' in the 'r/StupidFood' thread

Meanwhile, someone else had a fright when their desert looked like something out of a crime scene

Another Reddior, who goes by 'slicedmoonstone' on the app, questioned 'Wouldnt just be easier to bbq them on the cob?' after they were served individual pieces of corn on skewers

One Twitter user called his experience at 11 Madison Park, 'the most expensive joke ever'

A Redditor, who goes by 'mortiphago' said they ordered the salad at 'the fanciest restaurant in town,' and shared a snap of some tomato and cheese with a green substance

A Redditor who goes by 'pabloiswatchingyou' posted a picture of the red handprint captioned 'A handful of raspberry sauce at a fancy restaurant'.

However an experienced restaurant worker joined the thread to reassure people it is hygienic, writing 'Weve done this in a restaurant Ive worked in before the cooks hand is always gloved and always a new one if its something like this.

'Most likely done by the Pastry chef or dessert chef who isnt normally working by any of the grease or other things (least where I was). But I get where it would freak people a bit lol'.

Another Redditor, who goes by 'slicedmoonstone' on the app, questioned 'Wouldnt just be easier to bbq them on the cob?' after they were served individual pieces of corn on skewers.

Someone replied 'This is the kind of crap I would have my kids do if they wanted to help make dinner but there was nothing for them to do'.

One Twitter user, @supreetkay, called her experience at 11 Madison Park, 'the most expensive joke ever'.

One man and his wife 'accidentally went to a Michelin Star restaurant' on their honeymoon in Ireland

Reddit user 'SoDakZak' decided to share some pictures of the experience - writing that they had 'Something, Pea Soup, scallop n bread, 1/7th of a cauliflower, some sort of meat, a light (I believe) lemon dessert, and a special chocolate cake dessert'

Another foodie was left disappointed after their free birthday cake at a fancy restaurant, turned out to be no bigger than a coin

She posted a snap of what looks like three pieces of tomato on her plate, adding 'They took girl dinner to another level'.

Another Redditor, who goes by 'mortiphago' said they ordered the salad at 'the fanciest restaurant in town,' and shared a snap of some tomato and cheese with a green substance.

Replies read 'Yeah thats a refund right there' and 'Thatll be $20'.

One man and his wife 'accidentally went to a Michelin Star restaurant' on their honeymoon in Ireland.

Reddit user 'SoDakZak' decided to share some pictures of the experience - writing that they had 'Something, Pea Soup, scallop n bread, 1/7th of a cauliflower, some sort of meat, a light (I believe) lemon dessert, and a special chocolate cake dessert'.

However, he did say the food was 'incredible'.

Another foodie was left disappointed after their free birthday cake at a fancy restaurant, turned out to be no bigger than a coin.

In replies of the Reddit thread they added that they 'split it 6 ways,' which another user said was 'even sadder'.
Hollywood hunk and new bachelor Hugh Jackman may be feeling like a fish out of water after jumping back into the dating scene for the first time in 27 years - but according to insiders, he's ready to find love again.

After nearly three decades of marital bliss together the Aussie megastar, 54, and ex longtime sweetheart Deborra-Lee Furness, 67, announced their decision to split, to the shock of many fans around the world.

And while many would assume the next phase of such a grand decoupling would include typical Hollywood mud-slinging, the split is said to be 'amicable' with the pair remaining firm friends.

With the couple revealing their split just one month ago, some fans may question whether it's too soon for Hugh to be back in the dating pool.

However, relationship psychologist Limor Gottlieb, of Brunel University, London, told FEMAIL that dating after divorce moves at different paces for different people and there is 'no one-size-fits-all approach'.

While reports indicate that Hollywood hunk Hugh Jackman, 54, is on the hunt for new love, experts reveal how long you should wait to date after a divorce

She explained: 'The ideal waiting period to date after divorce varies and is very personal. While some studies suggest waiting a year or more to ensure emotional healing and readiness, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.

'Factors such as personal emotional resilience and attachment styles all play a role. But ultimately, there is no fixed waiting period.

'The key is to prioritise one's own emotional well-being and readiness for a new relationship rather than adhering to a specific timeline'.

But if you're fresh out of a heartbreak like Hugh, the expert advised it's best to be honest with yourself and take the time to heal if you need it, in order to inspire 'confidence' when you do begin to date again.

After nearly three decades of marital bliss together the Aussie megastar, 54, and ex longtime sweetheart Deborra-Lee Furness (pictured), 67, announced their decision to split, to the shock of many fans around the world

Our expert advised new singletons like Hugh and Deborra to heal from their previous marriage before diving into the dating pool

She also emphasised the importance of 'self-awareness and emotional readiness' before joining the dating world, as well as treading delicately if young children are involved.

She continued: 'My advice is take time to heal from your previous marriage before diving into the dating pool to ensure you're emotionally ready.

'Also be mindful of your children if applicable. Children need time to adjust to the divorce before facing the introduction of someone new.'

Hugh and Deborra-Lee, 67, shocked their fans last month when they announced they were divorcing after 27 years of marriage.

'We have been blessed to share almost three decades together in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth,' the couple said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

'Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition.'

They signed the statement as 'Deb and Hugh Jackman,' adding: 'This is the sole statement either of us will make.'

The Australian couple share two children together; Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18.

Last April, the pair celebrated their anniversary and Jackman had posted a gushing tribute to his wife on Instagram.

'I love you Deb. Today is our 27th wedding anniversary. 27 years! I love you so much,' the Wolverine star wrote in his caption.

'Together we have created a beautiful family. And life. Your laughter, your spirit, generosity, humour, cheekiness, courage, and loyalty is an incredible gift to me. I love you with all my heart,' he shared in the heartfelt post.

While he is undoubtedly more well known than his wife, Deborra-Lee had already shot 20 movies by the time she and Jackman met while costarring as a prison psychologist and a brain-damaged convict in ABC TV's 10-episode series Correlli in 1995.

Deborra-Lee most recently played Jill Bailey alongside Eric Bana in Robert Connolly's sequel Force of Nature: The Dry 2, which was released in Australian and New Zealand theaters on August 24.

In February, Hugh told Smooth Radio: 'I think honesty and intimacy and making time [are the secret to a long and happy marriage]. You can't just assume that things will just tick along okay. You have to make time.'
Jane Seymour may have finally found happiness with new beau John Zambetti - but it has been a very rocky road to get there.

The 72-year-old actress went Instagram official with the guitarist earlier this week alongside a sun-soaked snap alongside the caption 'I've never been happier.'

But the latest partnership comes after a long list of other failed romances for the English beauty.

She has been married four times before - to theatre director Michael Attenborough, artist Geoffrey Planer, manager David Flynn and actor James Keach - as well as enjoying a long-term romance with producer David Green.

Each was plagued with its own scandal from bankruptcy to infidelity but the star has never been one to dwell.

The 72-year-old actress went Instagram official with the guitarist earlier this week alongside a sun-soaked snap alongside the caption 'I've never been happier'

The mother-of-four previously said: 'I'm simply not prepared to look back. It's pointless, particularly when I have so much to be happy and thankful for. All my husbands have been great men. I loved them all.'

In her own words, the actress has described the high volume of her marriages as 'frightening', although she ultimately has no regrets about her romantic experiences over the years, despite noting that it was never her who ended the relationship, but rather her spouses.

To this day, Jane speaks highly of her former partners - although she has confessed that the heartbreak she suffered during each of her unions ultimately led her to swear off marriage once and for all.

'The number of marriages is frightening but the explanation of all of them is perfectly rational,' she told Hello! in a recent interview.

'When the marriage was good, it was great and I never ended any of them. I was having a career and they found somebody else while I was busy working, I think a bit of that went on.

In her own words, the actress has described the high volume of her marriages as 'frightening', although she ultimately has no regrets about her romantic experiences

'But with the men who are the fathers of my children, even though the marriage ends, the parenting never ends. You created life and you have these beautiful children that are a big part of your life.'

Jane has noted that her fame may well have been to blame for the breakdown of at least a few of her relationships over the years - a bitter pill to swallow for a woman who has achieved so much throughout her Hollywood career.

'It's no fun to break up in marriage, but at different times in your life, you are looking for different things,' she continued in her Hello! interview. 'And it can be hard to be married to somebody that is working a lot, that is out there being recognized.'

Here, FEMAIL has laid bare the ups and downs of Jane's tumultuous love life as it seems she has finally found the one.

1971 to 1973: She married Michael Attenborough 'too soon' after tying the knot aged 20

Jane met first husband Michael Attenborough while appearing in his father Richard's 1969 production Oh! What A Lovely War in what was her film debut at the age of 17.

Michael reportedly asked if she liked the theatre and, after receiving an encouraging response, took the opportunity to fill her diary with play dates.

She tied the knot with the theater director in 1971 when she was just 20 years old and has since reflected that the she married 'too soon.'

Previously giving advice, the former Bond girl mused: 'I'd tell my younger self not to get married so early.

Jane believes that she married theatre director Michael Attenborough 'too soon' after the tying the knot aged just 20

'When I was 20 we got married. And when I was 21 we got divorced. I perfected the art of getting married too soon.'

In 1973, Jane's career was catapulted to new heights following her stint as a Bond girl - tarot card-wielding Solitaire - in Live And Let Die alongside Roger Moore.

She said: 'I had a big crush on Roger Moore from watching The Saint, so to be making out with him as a Bond girl in Live And Let Die was pretty wild.'

But that same year, she and Michael divorced.

She previously told The Times: 'I got the Bond film and he was working in the theatre and he sort of decided that wasn't the world he wanted and he met someone else'

'He scribbled in someone else's diary, yes. A nice way of putting it. Without warning.'

In 1973, Jane's career was catapulted to new heights following her stint as a Bond girl in Live And Let Die alongside Roger Moore

But, despite their union only being brief, Jane has since insisted that there is no ill feeling between the former couple.

She reiterated: 'I think Michael and I realized we were too young. We grew up together. I grew up with his sisters. We all shared rooms together.

'And we're still very close friends.'

She also still has a lot of love for Michael's father, who died in 2014, stating: 'He was my mentor and a very important part of my life. I miss him terribly and I'm still very friendly with the rest of the family.

'They invited me to Westminster Abbey for his memorial service and I sat with all our mutual friends and family right at the front.'

1977 to 1978: Her marriage to artist Geoffrey Planer only lasted a year

Four years after her first marriage ended, Jane wed artist Geoffrey Planer - who had been a friend of her ex-husband.

But their union was also set to be short lived - only lasting a year.

The friction between them reportedly stemmed from Geoffrey deciding that he no longer wanted to live in America.

Jane told The Times: 'It was his idea that I should go to America and he was going to come, but then when he did, he decided it wasn't for him.

'So that's what happened there, but he's still one of the closest friends I have on the planet.'

Four years after her first marriage ended, Jane wed artist Geoffrey Planer but their union was also set to be short lived - only lasting a year

And the former Playboy star was relatively unfazed by her two early divorces, adding: 'I don't really consider them marriages because we didn't have children.'

Elsewhere she said: 'I had two short marriages. It doesn't look good on paper.

'But in my household there was a pressure that you weren't supposed to have sex until you were married. Which is completely insane.

'I think you should learn to live together before you consider marriage.

'And have some really great rows and break up a couple of times before you contemplate it, because you have to learn how to come back from those things.'

1981 to 1992: Manager David Flynn left her with a $9 million debt and multiple lawsuits from banks

Undeterred, Jane threw herself whole-heartedly into marriage with manager David Flynn whose other clients included the likes of Warren Beatty and Paul Newman.

The couple welcomed two children - Katherine and Sean - who they raised alongside David's daughter Jenni from a previous relationship.

Having tied the knot in 1981, she explained: 'I married him because he was very attractive and I was madly in love, and he was already managing all my money, so I thought he was a clever man.'

Undeterred, Jane threw herself whole-heartedly into marriage with manager David Flynn in 1981

But their marriage came crashing down after more than a decade when Jane discovered he had not only been unfaithful but had also lost their family fortune - rendering her bankrupt.

'He was my husband and business manager so, of course, I trusted him,' she said. 'But he had invested in all kinds of business transactions that I knew nothing about.

'By the time I found out, everything had gone. It was horrendous. I felt so angry and betrayed.'

Jane was left her with a $9 million debt and multiple lawsuits from banks.

Only the arrival of her starring role in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman  the series that ran from 1993 to 1998  saved her from being destitute.

'I was penniless and homeless, then this television role dropped like manna from heaven. The production company literally gave me and the children a roof over our heads.'

The couple welcomed two children - Katherine and Sean - who they raised alongside David's daughter Jenni from a previous relationship

Only the arrival of her starring role in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman  the series that ran from 1993 to 1998  saved her from being destitute

Reflecting more recently, Jane told the Daily Mail in 2020: 'When I found out he had lost my money and been unfaithful, that was the end of that.

'You could say I chose the wrong person, but we raised children we adore and we get along very well now.'

Speaking about how she learned to move past the upset following the split, Jane told Today that the key 'is to let go. To try to find a way to communicate and keep what was good in the relationship.'

'Especially when co-parenting,' she continued. 'And I tried to look at my side of things: "What could I have done differently?"

'But it's hard when you're a mother and you work. It means sometimes you're gone. And sometimes you may be in a relationship where they would rather that you were there 24/7 and never worked.'

'That hasn't actually been the case with me, but that's the only thing I can look at that I did really wrong  I went to work,' Seymour said, adding: 'But I was providing for the whole family, so it's very hard.'

1993 to 2015: Actor and director James Keach 'found somebody else'

Her most recent marriage was with actor and director James Keach with whom she welcomed twins John and Kristopher with the help of IVF in 1995.

Jane risked her life to have the kids. She suffered from pre-eclampsia  dangerously high blood pressure  and ended up having an emergency C-section six weeks prematurely.

She previously revealed: 'It was a miracle, I was very fortunate. James and I really wanted children, but it was impossible for us to have them together. We tried everything. I'm so glad I did because I can't imagine life without my two boys.

'But I was doing Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman at the time. It wasn't easy, in fact it was one of the most insane things anyone could do and ultimately it became life-threatening.'

Her most recent marriage was with actor and director James Keach but the split would ulimtely leave her devastated

The couple welcomed twins John and Kristopher with the help of IVF in 1995 before James 'found someone else'

Yet, Jane would be left deeply wounded by the break down of the relationship in 2013 which was officially dissolved in 2015.

Although there were rumors that he had an affair, Jane had never admitted the painful truth until recently.

'Choices were made that I couldn't live with,' she said, choosing her words carefully.

'I thought we were going to be married for ever, but James made a choice that I wasn't privy to. He found someone else. I felt horrible, devastated.

'I don't do well with betrayal. If someone says: "Things aren't good, let's separate," it would be different. But I was never privy to that conversation.

Jane learned to push past the hurt to successfully co-parent her kids. Pictured: Jane with kids John and Kristopher Keach as well as Jenni, Katherine and Sean Flynn

'By the time I found out  entirely by accident  it had been going on for some time, so that was that. It was someone I knew, so that was very frightening.

'I tried to figure something out, but I realized that the marriage wasn't going to work. We are friends now, and were always determined to be good parents, but it was devastating at the time.'

Following the split, she said: 'I felt so vulnerable. My self-confidence took a real knock. I tried a bit of dating  not anything like Tinder.

'That sounds just horrible. But friends introduced me to friends. However, there was never a spark.'

2014 to 2023: Jane felt that marrying David Green 'would be the most horrible thing in the world'

The Somewhere in Time actress's most recent romance prior to Zambetti was with British movie producer David Green, who created the popular 1988 rom-com Buster.

The pair were introduced by their mutual friend, novelist Sally Emerson, who brought him over for breakfast at her home in Malibu, California.

She told The Times: 'He came over and we just didn't stop talking. His best friends and my best friends were the same best friends. It was like Sliding Doors.'

Elsewhere, Jane said: 'I'm incredibly fortunate, I think we both are.

'We've been through similar things and have a lot in common. We've known each other for 37 years through work. He was supposed to direct me in a movie about Mata Hari which never happened.

The Somewhere in Time actress's most recent romance was with British movie producer David Green

'He also interviewed me for a show called Hollywood Women. So we've met on a number of occasions but I never knew him very well.

'But now is a different time in my life. We both have grown-up children the same kind of ages; we're both still working; and he lives in California, as do I.'

Jane and David dated for nearly a decade, during which time she gushed: 'David's in the business so he knows how crazy an actress's life can be. He's supportive of everything I do and we're very happy.'

She told The Scotsman that finding love again at her age was a nice surprise, revealing: 'Falling in love again is especially sweet at my age  it's like a whole new world.

'It's so nice at this time in my life to find someone with whom I have so much in common. It was totally unexpected as I certainly wasn't looking for romance, but I'm very happy it's happened.'

Jane and David dated for nearly a decade, during which time she gushed: 'David's in the business so he knows how crazy an actress's life can be. He's supportive of everything I do and we're very happy'

But the pair never tied the knot.

The mother-of-four said that Green had proposed to her in the past but she felt exchanging vows with him 'would be the most horrible thing in the world' in terms of the dynamics of their relationship.

Jane added: 'I just said I would never put a number on his name.'

It is unclear when their relationship broke down but one of Jane's followers commented on her recent Instagram post to pose the question: 'What happened to David?'

To which, she responded: 'We decided we were better as friends.'
Meghan Markle proved her fashion prowess once again when stepping out and about in Los Angeles this week.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, 'ran into' a TV host on Thursday night and posed for a selfie in a car park.

Opting for a laid-back California look, the Duchess of Sussex wore a Ralph Lauren oversized striped linen shirt, priced at $168, as well as a pair of $1,059 aviator sunglasses from British brand Linda Farrow.

Adding to her stylish ensemble, the beaming mother-of-two sported a smattering of glamorous makeup and kept her hair in a chic up-do.

Meghan shared the 'super friendly' chat and selfie in California with a pop star turned prominent TV journalist well-known for her red carpet work.

Meghan Markle cuts a casual figure as she smiles for photograph with TV host Jen Su (top right) after 'running into' the Duchess in LA . Jen was partying with friends Melissa Leonard (second from right) and Madison Leonard (left), a Philadelphia influencer-socialite and her daughter

Jen Su shared the picture and said Meghan was 'low key' and 'super friendly'

It came just hours after it was revealed that she and Prince Harry will head to New York for another royal-style engagement.

Meghan looked happy as she stood with the three women Thursday evening, with one saying the mother-of-two was 'low key and super friendly'.

The selfie was with broadcaster Jen Su, a big name in South Africa on TV and radio who became famous after winning Taiwan Idols - a Taiwanese version of Pop Idol - and releasing four albums. Since then she has been a regular at celebrity events, reporting and appearing on the red carpet.

Ms Su shared the picture on Instagram, declaring: 'Landed in LA and on our way to dinner, we ran into Meghan Markle. Totally low key and super friendly, nice conversation'.

Jen was partying with friends Melissa Leonard and Madison Leonard, a Philadelphia influencer-socialite and her daughter.

Madison also shared the image with the tongue-in-cheek caption: 'Which one is the real duchess?'

The meeting came shortly after it was announced that Meghan and Prince Harry will return to New York City in mid-October for Archewell's mental health summit, the first ever in-person event for the foundation.

Multiple sources have claimed Meghan is about to announce a new project - insisting it is not a relaunch of her lifestyle blog The Tig. It comes after the Sussexes' lucrative Spotify deal was dramatically pulled. Ms Markle has been much more visible on the LA scene recently, including two nights watching Beyonce.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be in the Big Apple on October 10 for the event, five months after their 'near catastrophic car chase' through the city.

The Archewell Foundation's Parents' Summit is aimed as helping families navigate children's mental health and wellness in the digital age, PEOPLE reports.

The event has specifically invited parents who have experienced a loss due to or connected to their child's social media use.

'The families have been engaged with The Archewell Foundation for the past year, bolstering community and driving towards solutions,' a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE.

'Together, they are united in their mission to share personal experiences, data, and research to ensure the same does not happen to other families,' they said.

Meghan and Harry will also be joined by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to discuss mental health in a panel hosted by Carson Daly.

The pair - who are no strangers to advocacy work - were in New York in May for the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards, where Meghan was honoured.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will return to New York City in mid-October for Archewell's mental health summit, the first ever in-person event for the foundation. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Women of Vision awards in NYC in May

The Archewell Foundation's Parents' Summit is aimed as helping families navigate children's mental health and wellness in the digital age, PEOPLE reports

A statement from the Sussexes' spokesperson called the incident a 'near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi.'

The spokesman said the couple, as well as Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, were the victims of a 'relentless pursuit lasting more than two hours.'

It has been suggested that they were trying not to be followed to where they were staying on the Upper East Side of the city.

New York police subsequently told NBC that they did not believe the chase was 'near catastrophic,' however. They described it as a 'bit of a chaotic scene'.

Julian Phillips, deputy commissioner of public information in New York also revealed that the NYPD 'assisted' the couple's private security team.

New York Mayor Eric Adams expressed empathy - describing the actions of the paparazzi as 'reckless' and 'irresponsible' - but said he would find it 'hard to believe' there was a two-hour high speed chase.

It's unclear how long Meghan and Prince Harry will be in New York City for their upcoming visit but they will be in town for World Mental Health Day on October 10.

According to PEOPLE, the couple will partake in a conservation about social media, mental health, and how to empower and uplift others.

The summit as a whole is part of Project Healthy Minds' second annual World Mental Health Day Festival, which tackles the mental health crisis.

The topic is near and dear to Meghan and Prince Harry, who have been open and honest about their own mental health struggles in the past.

On the Archetypes podcast last October, the Duchess of Sussex discussed her own experience getting a referral to see a professional when she was at her 'worst point.'

'I think at my worst point, being finally connected to someone that, you know, my husband had found a referral for me to call. And I called this woman,' Meghan said.

'She didn't know I was even calling her. And she was checking out at the grocery store. I could hear the little beep, beep, and I was like, 'Hi,' and I'm introducing myself and that you can literally you're going, wait, sorry. I'm just. Who is this? Um, and saying I need help. And she could hear the dire state that I was in,' Meghan said.

'But I think it's for all of us to be really honest about what it is that you need and to not be afraid to make peace with that, to ask for it,' the Duchess of Sussex recalled.
Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain looked every inch the proud parents as they watched Princess Leonor take part in her flag swearing-in ceremony today.

Their 17-year-old daughter, who heir to the Spanish throne and holds the title of Princess of Asturias, appeared regal in military uniform while standing in formation alongside her fellow cadets.

The ceremony at the Military Academy of Zaragoza was presided by her father, King Felipe, 55, who was joined by Queen Letizia, 51.

While the monarch wore his military uniform, his wife opted for a sleeveless blue and black polka dot dress which featured drop hem detailing and a cinched waist.

As per tradition, the ceremony saw Leonor kiss the Spanish flag after swearing an oath of allegiance to her King.

Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain looked every inch the proud parents as they watched Princess Leonor take part in her flag swearing-in ceremony today

Leonor appeared regal in military uniform while standing in formation alongside her fellow cadets. Pictured right: As per tradition, the ceremony saw Leonor kiss the Spanish flag after swearing an oath of allegiance to her King

After the Spanish anthem was played, King Felipe reviewed the troops, walking in front of his daughter.

The princess, who will be 18 at the end of this month, had spent all week rehearsing for four hours a day, local media reported.

Her sister, Infanta Sofia of Spain, 16, was notably absent from today's event because she is studying at the UWC Atlantic College in the Welsh county of Vale of Glamorgan.

The school is often referred to as 'Hippie Hogwarts' thanks to its progressive approach to education and picturesque castle setting.

Leonor's General Military Academy of Zaragoza, meanwhile, follows a strict timetable during the week, but the princess free to return home at the weekends if she's not on manoeuvres.

After the Spanish anthem was played, King Felipe reviewed the troops, walking in front of his daughter

The princess, who will be 18 at the end of this month, had spent all week rehearsing for four hours a day

The ceremony at the Military Academy of Zaragoza was presided by her father, King Felipe, 55, who was joined by Queen Letizia, 51

Spain's Princess Leonor swears in the Spanish flag during an official ceremony

After training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, which is Spain's equivalent to Sandhurst, she will go to naval school, and will complete her three years at the General Air Academy.

The princess revealed her enthusiasm for being a cadet at the Princesa de Girona Foundation award ceremony in Girona, in Catalonia, on July 5.

She said: 'I have just finished high school and I am about to start a new stage with a period of military training.

'I am happy because I know how much the Spanish value our armed forces... it is an important moment in my life and I feel very excited and determined to continue learning and giving my best effort.'
King Charles is said to be 'subtly punishing' Prince Harry over their rift, while Prince William is 'full of regret' that his and his brother's 'relationship is irretrievably broken', a royal expert has claimed.

It is believed the British monarch, 74, will now only communicate with his youngest son, 39, through palace advisors, reported The Sun.

Royal author Duncan Larcombe told the publication: 'It appears that King Charles approach towards Harry now is business as usual - "if you want to see me you need to make an appointment".

'Harry will have to get past the grey suits and jump through hoops to talk to his father. It's very standoffish but I think that's a way that the King is subtly punishing his son.'

The royal expert claimed the King is still upset by the claims the Duke of Sussex made in his memoir Spare - particularly those concerning Queen Camilla, in which she was labelled 'dangerous' and a 'villain'.

It is believed King Charles, 74, will now only communicate with his youngest son Prince Harry (pictured together in 2019), 39, through palace advisors

Indeed, it was reported that Camilla herself was 'hurt' by the contents of the book, according to one of her closest friends.

'Of course it bothers her, of course it hurts,' Fiona, the Marchioness of Lansdowne - who was one of the Queen's official companions at the King's Coronation, told the Sunday Times.

'But she doesn't let it get to her. Her philosophy is always, "Don't make a thing of it and it will settle down  least said, soonest mended."'

Meanwhile, Duncan said Prince William, 41, and Harry's 'relationship is irretrievably broken'.

The expert said: 'Im sure William is full of regret that things are the way they are, as they were once very close... But Harry has offered up a betrayal that no brother should put up with.'

Earlier this year, insiders expressed their belief that a reconciliation between Harry, Prince William and their father is not out of the realm of possibility.

Meanwhile, Duncan said Prince William, 41, and Harry's 'relationship is irretrievably broken'. Pictured, the brothers in July 2021

'It's fixable,' they told The Times. 'Both sides need to hold their hands up and admit ''we didn't get everything right, and we got a lot wrong''... It's going to take flexibility on all sides, but it can be done.'

'It needs Harry over here, in the room with the King and Prince of Wales, a couple of other family members, some of 'his people' he trusts who always had his back, so he doesn't think he's being ambushed.'

However, the Prince of Wales may be slightly harder to win over, the source added.

Harry had shared deeply personal recollections of brotherly spats, revealed text messages between his wife Meghan and the Princess of Wales during their now infamous bridesmaid dress argument and accused the future King and Queen of endorsing his Nazi costume.

Even still, the royal source says William's loyalty is ultimately to his country, and he will reconcile if he believes it's the best thing for the future of the monarchy.
A chip shop claims they have discovered what they believe to be one of the UK's biggest spuds.

Archie's Fish and Chip Shop, in Minster-in-Thanet, Kent, took to social media to show off the whopper of a potato, that they say resembles a seal or a hippopotamus.

Owners Natalia Sidorova, 50, and Alexander Povalyaev, 42, revealed the huge potato was delivered in a bag from a supplier.

Employee Roni Gill, 23, said: 'We went to cut our chips to fry and this is one of the potatoes that came out of our bags.'

The potato weighs just over two kilograms and measures 10x6 inches. The chippy has been hosting a guessing game for customers and intend to keep the spud until Saturday.

Archie's Fish and Chip Shop, in Minster-in-Thanet, Kent, took to social media to show off the whopper of a potato, that they say resembles a seal or a hippopotamus

Natalia said: 'We believe that is the one of the big potatoes in the UK. We have decided to keep it till Saturday (October 7) and let our customers guess how heavy it is.

'Then we will clean it and will make chips and also will ask our customers to guess how many portions we will get from it.'

The couple, who are originally from Russia, said it was the biggest potato they have ever come across in nearly ten years of working in the chippy.

They still don't know how many portions the potato will yield - but Alexander speculated it could be 'two medium portions'.

The world record for the biggest potato is held by Nottinghamshire vegetable grower, Peter Glazebrook for a spud weighing 4.98 kg.
Holidaymakers were today warned about the dangers of parasites abroad after a record number of Brits were struck down last year.

A post-Covid travel boom to exotic destinations may be to blame, experts say.

Nearly 1,000 cases of travel-associated parasitic infections were detected in the UK last year, up from an average of 870 pre-pandemic.

Such illnesses include leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis, which are spread by insect bites or parasitic worms.

The bugs can infect organs and trigger long-term damage and, in severe cases, prove fatal.

They can be found in the Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa  popular winter holiday destinations for Brits.

The figures act as a warning to travellers to check which bugs can be picked up at their holiday destination and take precautions  with health chiefs warning it is easier to prevent an infection than treat it.

Cases of leishmaniasis  a parasitic infection spread by tiny 2mm sandfly bites  shot up to a record 51, compared to the 18 annual cases logged before the Covid crisis. Pictured: leishmaniasis infection in bodily tissue

Data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that, of those arriving in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2022, 20 cases of cholera were reported. This is compared to around 15 per year pre-pandemic

Health chiefs say the rise in the number of people struck by the bugs was expected in the post-pandemic era.

Brits made 71million trips abroad in 2022, a four-fold jump on 2021, when many saw their holiday plans were curtailed by travel restrictions. However, the figure was still below the around 90million trips logged in 2019.

Reports of some diseases, like the mosquito-borne infection chikungunya, are still below levels seen pre-Covid.

Only parasitic infections and cholera are at record highs.

Dr Meera Chand, deputy director at the UK Health Security Agency, told MailOnline that there had been a 'general increase' in travel-associated infections in 2022.

This 'expected due to increase in travel after the easing of Covid travel restrictions at the end of 2021', she said.

What infections reached record levels? Cholera The infection is caused by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. Cases in 2022: 20 Pre-pandemic average: 15 Leishmaniasis The parasitic infection is spread by tiny 2mm sandfly bites. Cases in 2022: 51 Pre-pandemic average: 18 Schistosomiasis It is caused by worms that infect people who are swimming in contaminated water. The parasites then travel through the blood to the liver and bowel, where they start to lay eggs within weeks. Cases in 2022: 123 Pre-pandemic average: 47 Soil-transmitted helminth infections Most cases are caused by walking barefoot in contaminated soil, which allows the parasite to penetrate the skin and travel to the intestine, where they lay eggs. Cases in 2022: 262 Pre-pandemic average: 75 Advertisement

'However, it is important to note that not all infections have returned to pre-Covid pandemic levels,' Dr Chand added.

But Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist from the University of East Anglia, speculated the spike may be down to Brits taking more extravagant holidays to locations which are disease hotspots.

He argued those who kept their job throughout the pandemic may have saved up by not needing to commute and being unable to take foreign holidays  leaving them better off.

Professor Hunter told MailOnline: 'So, what do you do with all this extra money?

'You buy holidays in more exotic locations than you would have normally been able to afford and so catch interesting and exotic infectious diseases.'

He noted that this is only a theory, but is a 'plausible one'.

Cholera

Data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that, of those arriving in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2022, 20 cases of cholera were reported.

This is compared to around 15 per year pre-pandemic.

The infection is caused by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. Diarrhoea, vomiting and leg cramps are the main symptoms but up to half of cases can be deadly if they are not treated.

It used to kill thousands in Victorian times but has been largely eliminated from large parts of the world.

People struck down, who shared their travel history, had travelled from Pakistan (10), Bangladesh (4), India (2) or Iraq (2).

Health chiefs blamed the record figure on flooding in Pakistan, where 660,000 people have reported symptoms of the bug as a consequence of being forced to drink contaminated water and a lack of access to hand washing facilities.

However, since 2022, 30 other countries across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean have reported cholera cases or outbreaks.

Regularly washing hands, only drinking tap water that has been boiled and brushing teeth using bottled water can reduce the risk of catching the bug when travelling in areas where it is rife.

A vaccine is available for those travelling to remote areas where cholera is common and people who are disaster relief workers.

Afghanistan, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti and Ethiopia have logged the most cases have reported the most cholera cases in recent months, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Leishmaniasis

Cases of leishmaniasis  a parasitic infection spread by tiny 2mm sandfly bites  shot up to a record 51, compared to the 18 annual cases logged before the Covid crisis.

There are three different forms of disease spotted among those who have the infection.

The first only causes a painless red spot which turns into an ulcer over weeks or months and heals without treatment.

Cases of leishmaniasis  a parasitic infection spread by tiny 2mm sandfly bites  shot up to a record 51, compared to the 18 annual cases logged before the Covid crisis

But others may develop an infection in the lining of their nose, mouth or throat, which can trigger breathing problems.

In even more severe cases, the infection can spread to the liver, spleen and bone marrow and trigger a fever, loss of appetite, weight loss and abdominal pain. It can be fatal if not treated.

Health chiefs said the species of parasite behind all the leishmaniasis cases they identified can lead to this form of severe illness.

But they admitted that the exact reason for the spike last year is 'unknown'.

Brits travelling to rural, forest or jungle areas of countries where the disease is present are urged to avoid outdoor activities after dusk, keep their skin covered and use insect repellent to reduce their risk of contracting leishmaniasis.

Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Maldives are among the nations where the infection spreads. It can be easily treated with anti-leishmanial medicines but can be fatal if left untreated.

Schistosomiasis

The UKHSA also reported record cases of an infection caused by a parasitic worm that burrows into the skin and can live in the body undetected for years.

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, was detected among 123 people in 2022, a 162 per cent increase on the 47 cases detected per year, on average, pre-Covid.

The worms infect people who are swimming in contaminated water. The parasites then travel through the blood to the liver and bowel, where they start to lay eggs within weeks.

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, was detected among 123 people in 2022, a 162 per cent increase on the 47 cases detected per year, on average, pre-Covid

Some eggs remain in the body and are attacked by the immune system, while others are passed in urine and faeces. Without treatment, the worms keep laying eggs for several years.

The only initial symptoms of an infection are small, itchy red bumps on the skin for a few days where the worms have burrowed in.

But after a few weeks, some people develop a fever, rash, cough and diarrhoea, as well as muscle and joint pain. Long-term complications include permanent damage to the digestive, urinary and nervous system, depending on the site of the infection.

However, those who have the infection can't pass it on to others. And the infection is usually easily treated with a short course of medication, called praziquantel, which kills the worms.

Instead, it spreads when eggs pass out from the body into water, where they release tiny larvae that must grow inside freshwater snails for a few weeks before they can infect another person.

The parasite is most commonly found in Africa but it also lives in parts of South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia. Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa and the Philippines are among the countries where it can be picked up.

Travel history was only known for a handful of the UK's 123 cases in 2022. Of these, two had been in Ethiopia and two had recently been in Sudan.

Infections caused by a swathe of parasitic worms, collectively known as soil-transmitted helminth infections, shot up to 262 in the UK last year. For comparison, this is 53 per cent higher than the 171 cases logged in 2021 and 3.5-times higher than the pre-pandemic average of 75 annual detections

Soil-transmitted helminth infections

Infections caused by a swathe of parasitic worms, collectively known as soil-transmitted helminth infections, shot up to 262 in the UK last year.

For comparison, this is 53 per cent higher than the 171 cases logged in 2021 and 3.5-times higher than the pre-pandemic average of 75 annual detections.

Health chiefs said the reason for the spike was 'unclear'.

Travel history was only known for three cases, which had recently been to South Africa, Sudan and Zambia.

Nine in 10 cases were strongyloidiasis infections, which are caused by the roundworm Strongyloides stercoralis (S. stercoralis).

Most cases are caused by walking barefoot in contaminated soil, which allows the parasite to penetrate the skin and travel to the intestine, where they lay eggs.

These then hatch in the gut, with some passed from the body in faeces, while others reinvade the intestine, resulting in an ongoing infection.

Stomach pain, diarrhoea, coughing, wheezing and itchy skin are the most common symptoms. Blood tests or stool samples are used to diagnose the infection.

Antiparasitic ivermectin is used to treat the infection.

In severe cases, the disease can become life-threatening among those who are immunosuppressed.
READ MORE: Student, 24, graduates college after arson attack that killed five

Officers at Houston Police Department have now made him an honorary officer

Zaid Garcia, from Texas, lost both his hands, eyes and right arm in a fire

A 19-year-old boy who miraculously survived a fire that left 80 percent of his body burnt has been made an honorary police officer in Texas.

Zaid Garcia, from Galveston, Texas, lost both his hands, eyes and right arm at the age of two after a candle fell onto his blankets while he was sleeping.

Doctors said he would never survive the fourth-degree burns  but after countless operations and skin grafts the toddler beats the odds.

And now officers in Texas have made a dream he has had ever since he was 10 years old come true by making him a member of their squad.

Zaid Garcia, from Galveston, Texas, has been made an honorary member of the police in the area. He said he had dreamed of this moment since he was ten years old

Zaid Garcia, from Galveston, Texas , lost both his hands, eyes and right arm at the age of two after a candle fell onto his blankets while he was sleeping. When he visited the police department, pictured, doctors gave him an honorary police officer uniform

He was thrilled to have achieved a dream he has had for ten years and said the day was one of the best of his life

Mr Garcia said: 'I am so excited, really, I have no words.

'This is like one of the best days of my life.'

'I told her, mom, I think I can do it, you know, and to be honest I didn't even believe it myself.'

He added: 'Since my accident happened, I like to protect people. So my dream was kinda like to be a police officer.'

On a visit to Houston Police Department's Academy in North Houston, officers presented him with a junior uniform  which made him jump up and down with excitement.

Their chief, Troy Finner, also gave him a certificate to officially make him an honorary member.

And the force took him out onto their test track to learn how to make a traffic stop, take down a suspect and pull a car over.

'Stop, I'm officer Garcia!', he can be heard shouting while smiling during his test drive in pursuit of another car.

He was also asked to speak to the young cadets about his experience.

He said, reports Click2Houston: 'I ended up proving doctors wrong, too, you know.

'They thought I could not make it, but here I am.'

Sergeant Jeremy Lahar said: 'They really kind of make you take a step back and be appreciative of everything that you might take for granted on a daily basis.

'Everybody who's come in contact and had the pleasure of meeting him today has left better than before they met him.'

'Officer Garcia' visited the Academy in December last year for the presentation, but clips have recently re-surfaced on social media.

Earlier this month, officer Garcia also posted a video of himself once again trying on his police uniform.

The day was made possible by social media personality Isaiah Garza, from Los Angeles, who organized the day after hearing about Mr Garcia's story.

Mr Garcia suffered his injuries a decade and a half ago at the age of two when a candle set his blankets on fire as he slept in his bed.

After the accident, Mr Garcia was flown from his home in Mexico to San Antonio, Texas, for treatment for his fourth degree burns, including countless surgeries, amputations and skin grafts, which ultimately saved his life.

The two-year-old lost both of his hands and five toes and his eyes were so severely burned that doctors covered them with skin to help them heal. He hopes to regain his sight and have the skin over his eyes removed and his eye lids reconstructed.

When Mr Garcia was released from hospital, his family settled in Texas, where he currently attends a school for the blind.

In 2019, he hit the headlines for raising money to help with surgeries and possibly restore his sight.

A GoFundMe page set up by non-profit organization Special Books for Special Kids set a goal of $60,000  but supporters rallied behind him and donations quickly ballooned to more than $365,000.

A spokeswoman for the website said the donations were used to cover his ongoing medical expenses.

She said: 'The fundraiser was started for Zaid's 'functional surgeries and then for potential reconstructive procedures'.

'All funds raised went directly to Zaid's mother for Zaid's ongoing medical expenses.'

The day was made possible by social media personality Isaiah Garza, from Los Angeles, who set it up after hearing Mr Garcia's story

Mr Garcia is pictured above after being presented with a certificate making him an honorary member of the Houston police force

He is shown above with the force's chief Troy Finner posing for a photograph

The teenager lost both of his hands and five toes, and his eyes were so severely burned surgeons covered them with skin to let them heal

He has been blind since the age of two after a candle caught fire to his blankets as he slept

Most people do not survive third-degree burns  which destroy two of the three layers of skin  affecting more than 50 percent of their body, and infants rarely survive burns that destroy more than 15 percent of their skin.

The survival chances are even lower for fourth-degree burns like Mr Garcia's, which affect the bones, muscles and tissues.

Doctors say in cases where people do survive, the burns are so bad they need to amputate the affected limbs and perform multiple operations. Even then, people are still left with severe scarring and long term effects.

At the time of the fundraiser, Mr Garcia said: 'I'm sharing my story to inspire people and show them that miracles do exist.

'When I was two-and-a-half my mom took me to bed and [...] a candle fell and it caught on fire.

'I was super injured. I've had so many operations now that I can't even remember. I'll probably have more skin grafts [in the future].

'They amputated both my hands and they took the fingers too. I have both my legs and feet.'

He added: 'The doctors shut my eyes under the skin. I don't know why they didn't just take them out - probably because they thought I would see in the future.

'So my next hope is to get my vision back. I've been blind since the accident. If I was to have this surgery it would be the first time I'd see the world properly [since before the fire].'

Speaking about his childhood, Mr Garcia said: 'It was hard growing up to be honest. People are scared of me because of the way I look and when I was young, I tried to commit suicide.

'My mom told me that was not the right thing. I was finding it hard to fit in at school and make friends. I work hard to improve each day. I just want to be accepted.

'When people meet my parents, my mom prepares them. She explains, 'Hey, I have a child with disabilities'.

'She prepares them. Of course, they get surprised, but [soon] they only care about my personality.

'[When people meet me now], I hope that they think I'm interesting - that I'm easy to talk to. I like going out with friends and giving them time to talk with me if they need something.

'I like to sing and sometimes I write songs or poems. I love art and playing around with pencils. I have other interests, and I hope people see that when they meet me.'

Mr Garcia has overcome many obstacles throughout his life, but remains hopeful for the future, with his eyes now set on being a translator and motivational speaker.
The mounting obsession with our gut microbes shows no signs of peaking  with study after study looking at the impact that this community of bacteria, viruses and fungi has on our physical and mental health.

Most recently, research has shown they could reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and even affect your desire to exercise.

But more quietly in the background, scientists have also been looking at another group of microbes that we all house  those on our skin.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, with a surface area of around 22sq ft. And each square inch is covered with microbes  with at least 1.5 trillion of them in this tiny space.

Ive written before about the importance of looking after your gut microbiome, but your skin microbiome is just as important for your wellbeing.

Among other things, the bacteria that live on skin protect you against invasion by other, more dangerous microbes by making your skin more acidic  which stops pathogens from growing there.

So how can you help these microbes keep you and your skin in great condition? Here are some suggestions, based on the latest science.

Scientists have also been looking at another group of microbes that we all house  those on our skin (file image)

Eat prebiotics  and probiotics

Although prebiotics (fibre-rich foods, e.g. onions and leeks) and probiotics (foods rich in good bacteria, e.g. yoghurt and sauerkraut) will primarily help boost the health of your gut microbiome, the bugs on your skin are closely related (mainly through the influence your gut microbes have on your immune system).

In addition, several large-scale studies have found that those who eat more vegetables have fewer wrinkles and plumper skin, mainly thanks to the fact that plants contain an array of anti-ageing compounds, particularly carotenoids.

Eating carotenoid-rich foods helps protect your skin, and the bugs that live on it, from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light.

As the name suggests, you can find them in carrots  but theyre also in other yellow, orange and red fruit and veg, such as tomato, squash, melon and mango.

Just how much impact a healthy gut microbiome can have on your skin was revealed in a fascinating study in Nature Medicine in July.

Researchers at the University of Montreal Health Centre showed that boosting a patients gut microbiome via a faecal transplant could improve their chances of surviving skin cancer.

When patients with malignant melanoma were given a faecal transplant before immunotherapy, it improved the likelihood of them having a positive response to this cancer treatment.

Several large-scale studies have found that those who eat more vegetables have fewer wrinkles and plumper skin (file image)

Wash behind your ears and between toes

Its the sort of thing you were probably told as a child, and it turns out that this is really good advice. That, at least, was the conclusion of a study published last week in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.

Lead researcher, Keith Crandall, a professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at George Washington University in the U.S., said he was inspired to do the study by his grandmother, who always instructed the kids in his family to scrub behind the ears, between the toes and in the belly button.

For the study, 129 students were asked to swab different areas of their body, including the forearms, calves, behind the ears, between the toes and in the navel.

This revealed that the skin on their forearm, calves and navels  areas we normally clean thoroughly in a bath or shower  contained a great diversity of microbes, which is a sign of healthy skin. The samples from behind the ears and between the toes, however, were more likely to contain fewer species  and among them were more trouble-making pro-inflammatory microbes, which can lead to skin diseases such as eczema or atopic dermatitis (which causes severe itching).

Indeed a previous review, in the journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, found that people with conditions such as dermatitis, acne and a common form of hair loss (alopecia areata) have a different mix of microbes from those with healthy skin.

Fortunately, our skin microbiome also contains viruses called bacteriophages (which means bacteria eaters), which new research shows help us wage war on trouble-making bacteria.

Scientists at the Medical University of Vienna recently isolated bacteriophages from the skins of people with atopic dermatitis which specifically attack the bacteria that trigger the disease  though there werent enough to have much of an impact, clearly.

But now these phages have been identified, the team are hoping to grow and use them as a novel way of treating this and similar skin ailments.

...But Dont clean your skin too much

While washing is important, avoid using harsh skin cleansers or scrubbing vigorously, as these can damage the skins natural defences, including the good bacteria that live there.

And remember  particularly during the winter months, when skin gets drier and flakier  to moisturise straight after you have washed your face, when your skin is low on natural oils.

A study in the journal Scientific Reports last year found that using a moisturiser for five weeks reduced dryness and boosted levels of good bacteria on the skin.

Choose a partner with healthy skin bugs

People who live together tend to have similar microbial communities on their skin, according to a 2017 study by the University of Waterloo in Canada. In fact, their skin microbiomes were so similar that it was possible to guess, with 86 per cent accuracy, who lived together solely by looking at their skin microbiome.

If you spend a lot of time sharing intimate spaces with another human, you end up sharing lots of skin microbes. So try to choose a partner with a good skin microbiome: failing that, encourage them to follow my other three steps!

High blood pressure is a silent killer  most people dont know they have it until something goes wrong; they have a heart attack, for instance.

While research shows that exercises such as the plank or wall sits can reduce blood pressure, the routine  four two-minute wall sits, with two minutes rest in between, three times a week  can be too much for many.

Theres an easier route: a new study in sedentary older adults found that just increasing their daily step tally, from 4,000 to 7,000, reduced blood pressure by as much as medication. As 3,000 steps is less than 30 minutes extra walking, it seems a good investment in your future health.

Benefits of a ginger biscuit

Ginger is one of my favourite spices, whether in ginger biscuits, tea or in a stir-fry. Its also a traditional remedy for a range of health conditions.

But in modern terms, the best evidence for it is in treating nausea.

One study, published in 2018 in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, showed that ginger was more effective than a placebo for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (possibly because it has been shown to speed up stomach emptying).

Now researchers at the Colorado School of Medicine in the U.S. have found it can reduce inflammation and could potentially help people with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

When healthy volunteers took 20mg a day of gingerol (the active ingredient in ginger)  equivalent to 25g of fresh ginger  for seven days, it reduced the activity of white blood cells called neutrophils, which become overactive in autoimmune diseases.

More research is needed, but I feel justified in continuing my ginger biscuit and tea habit.

Ginger is one of my favourite spices, whether in ginger biscuits, tea or in a stir-fry

Harnessing your brain to ease back pain

If youre one of the 5.5 million Britons regularly taking painkillers, you may well know that they are rarely effective, particularly in the long term. But could tapping into the power of your mind help?

This was the suggestion from a study, published last week in JAMA Network Open, which showed that helping people with chronic back pain where theres no obvious cause (80 per cent of cases) think differently about it could significantly reduce their symptoms.

The researchers used an approach called pain reprocessing therapy (PRT), where patients are taught that pain signals can be deactivated.

Therapists encourage them to do gentle movements, while reassuring them that the pain isnt a sign of danger, and that it will eventually disappear if they keep working away at it. Another important part of PRT is training in managing emotions, such as anger or despair, that may be making the pain worse.

In the study, 151 people with chronic back pain were allocated four weeks of PRT, a placebo injection in the spine or usual care. Results showed 60 per cent of the PRT group reported being pain-free or nearly pain-free afterwards, compared with 20 per cent in the placebo group and 10 per cent of those receiving usual care. And the pain reduction in the PRT group was largely maintained a year later.

If youre in chronic pain, your GP can refer you to a pain clinic. However, to get PRT you may have to go private.
Severely ill patients could soon be given a blood test that can show in seconds if they have sepsis  the immune system reaction that can kill within hours.

The 100 single-use kit  which works using the same technology as Covid rapid lateral flow tests  could also be used to spot the early signs of other diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

Sepsis occurs when bacterial infections such as pneumonia, or viral infections, including flu, send the immune system haywire, causing it to attack major organs. About 150,000 people a year are admitted to hospital with the condition, and it leads to about 48,000 deaths, but there is no reliable test for it.

The British scientists behind the kit, known as a multiplex test, which could be given to paramedics and hospital teams, say it could be available in the UK by 2025 and save thousands of lives each year.

Right now, it takes far too long to diagnose sepsis, says Dr Mike Hudson, chief executive of EDX Medical, the firm behind the test. Our blood test could help get people into hospital quicker and reduce the number of sepsis deaths.

In March, actor Jason Watkins (pictured) said the death of his two-year-old daughter Maude due to sepsis in 2011 was avoidable because hospital staff missed the warning signs

Sepsis occurs when bacterial infections such as pneumonia , or viral infections, including flu , send the immune system haywire, causing it to attack major organs

Right now, it takes far too long to diagnose sepsis, says Dr Mike Hudson, chief executive of EDX Medical, the firm behind the test. Our blood test could help get people into hospital quicker and reduce the number of sepsis deaths

There are at least 245,000 cases of sepsis in the UK every year, many developing while patients are in hospital. The first symptoms are often severe breathlessness, high temperature, slurred speech or disorientation. However, these are often missed by doctors or mistaken for less severe conditions.

In March, actor Jason Watkins said the death of his two-year-old daughter Maude due to sepsis in 2011 was avoidable because hospital staff missed the warning signs.

Experts say they have long known what changes in the blood  known as biomarkers  are linked to sepsis, but have not been able to build a rapid test that can reliably diagnose the condition.

There are biomarkers in the blood you can look out for that suggest something is going wrong in the immune system, says Dr Hudson, but there are around three to five different biomarkers that all need to be there to prove its sepsis, otherwise it could just be a fever.

Currently we can carry out a test in a lab that can spot these changes, which can take up to a day, but the rapid test technology that can be done in the patients home, by a GP or ambulance crew isnt there yet.

Dr Hudson believes the test will be the answer to that problem.

A finger-prick sample of blood is dropped on to the device, and within minutes dots on a paper screen flag up different biomarkers that are present in the blood.

If you did the test and three out of five of the sepsis biomarkers flashed up, it would be clear the patient needed urgent specialist hospital treatment, says Dr Hudson.

Trials have found that the test can spot most biomarkers linked to sepsis. Other biomarkers could indicate up to ten other diseases, including bladder, pancreatic, cervical and breast cancer, the makers say.

A study of the tests effectiveness is due to be published before the end of the year.
The window seat of an aeroplane. How many times have I sat in one on the way back from holiday and wished I could get out a mirror and a pair of tweezers?

If, like me, the hairs on your chin sprout even more lustily when you are away on holiday (with no decent bathroom lighting), you will know what I mean. If I had my own private plane, Id almost look forward to this very moment.

Facial hair, honestly. Its really not fair. The way, once we hit menopause, the hair on our heads (and in my case my legs) seemingly migrates to our chins.

And its not just my, um, beard I am talking about here. What about how awol my eyebrows have gone ever since I hit 60?

Im thinking of one particularly purposeful rogue hair that Ill prune with a pair of nail scissors of a morning and by the next day, I swear, will have corkscrewed back to its original length.

Christa D'Souza enjoys the primal thrill of plucking a big hair right out of its root with a brand-new pair of Tweezermans

Then (though I hesitate to draw attention to them) there are my sideburns. The really galling thing is that now Im in my seventh decade they grow white. Sigh.

A bristly chin, Carlos Menem sideburns and, if this is the trajectory, a comb-over as Nora Ephron once so famously said, and Ill paraphrase here, when you get to a certain age, youre only ever eight hours away from looking like a bag lady.

Female facial hirsutism may just be a fact of life. Caused by an excess of androgen hormones surging around the body, it often develops in women around menopause when our bodies are depleted of oestrogen and the male hormone testosterone dominates.

For this reason, HRT can often prevent it, but what of those, like me, who cannot or do not want to take HRT?

Not that it all happened when I hit middle age. Ive always been hairy. I come from hairy stock. I started waxing my legs when I was 12 and having electrolysis on my chin when I was 15.

Jolen Creme Bleach was my teenage friend. I can still remember its smell and the way that, inevitably  because I was never patient enough to keep it on for long enough  it turned the hair above my lip orange.

I also remember once, at college in the US, a cute male flatmate walking in on me while I was applying it. What the hell are you doing? I remember him whooping. Shaving?

Hair plucking is quite meditative... a bit like needlepoint

I learned over the years to manage the problem (and childbirth for some reason helped a bit on the hormone front). Polonecks in between electrolysis, tweezers in my purse at all times, Nair Men (for ones legs), and so forth.

A good friend or loyal sister helps too, to discreetly point out any strays before the big date or the important meeting.

Unlike the colleague who watched me interview the dishy Spanish actor Benicio Del Toro on some magazine shoot and then told me about the great big hair on my chin glistening provocatively in the camera light.

Latterly I tried laser hair removal, sugaring, threading, you name it  none of which ever had a lasting effect. All that electrolysis in the 80s and 90s proved a waste of money. All that pain  and they came back as quickly as if theyd been shaved.

Now Im 63 I dont care as much as I did. Not that Im saying I let it all hang out  of course not  but its something I can joke about with contemporaries.

I dont mind my partner catching me in the act of tweezering. Besides, the action of hair plucking is quite meditative and satisfying, a bit like needlepoint.

Did you know that Princess Luciana Pignatelli, the 60s and 70s socialite, used to pluck the hairs out of her legs just for the pleasure of it growing back? This will only sound weird to those of you out there who are blissfully hairless.

As I think about the prohibitively expensive back-lit magnifying mirror Ive just had installed in our new bathroom in Greece for this very purpose  and the primal thrill of plucking a big juicy hair right out of its root with a brand-new pair of Tweezermans  I cant help pitying anyone you can't relate.
The shoe designer, 42, tells Charlotte Vossen about quirky wine labels, Champagne with ice and her favourite 50s cocktail shaker

Growing up in Rio, Brazil, my favourite drink was Guarana Antarctica. Its a sparkling soft drink made from berries that is well-known over there, like Coca-Cola. Its one of the two drinks that Ill have when I visit Brazil  the other is fresh coconut water on the beach as soon as I arrive.

There are some Brazilian shops in London where you can buy Guarana so sometimes Ill treat myself.

Im all or nothing, so I save drinking alcohol for when Im out or at parties. Ive found this great [alcohol-free aperitif] Ginger Switchel by Mother Root. Its a ginger and apple cider vinegar cordial that I add to cold fizzy water and lots of ice.

Shoe designer Charlotte Olympia, 42, grew up in Rio, Brazil where her favourite drink was Guarana Antarctica, a sparkling soft drink made from berries

Burgh Island Hotel, off the South Devon coast, got Charlotte hooked on piscines in coupes

Sometimes Ill throw in a sprig of mint and its like a nonalcoholic mojito.

My local pub, The Shoe [in Exton, Hampshire], makes the best G&Ts. Im not particular about gin but I do judge the book by its cover when it comes to alcohol. I love Mermaid Gin  its a beautiful bottle  and Tanqueray because its old-fashioned.

Everyone has fun with tequila

My husband Maxim and I drank cold beers after he proposed to me on the beach in Rio. Its what we enjoy drinking most, rather than something more traditionally ceremonial. For me, a beer has to be super chilled.

I cant drink a pint of lager  I like them small, so they stay cold. Noam beer is one of my favourites because it tastes good and, again, comes in a gorgeous bottle.

Burgh Island, off the South Devon coast, has a beautiful bar with a glass dome. Its the art deco hotel where Agatha Christie wrote one of my favourite books, Evil Under the Sun.

Charlotte serves palomas at parties

My husband knows Im a big fan, so its one of the first places he took me after we started going out. We had to dress in black tie for the evening and drank piscines in coupes [Champagne on the rocks]  I then went through a phase of drinking them.

Great wine is probably wasted on me. I enjoy a young fruity Fleurie or Pinot Noir that almost looks watered down. That said, there is one red wine that I can remember the name of: Ormiale, a Bordeaux. We met a guy who makes it on a road in Greece in the middle of nowhere. We started talking, he told us he made wine, so my husband bought some  and it is delicious.

Im joining my local vineyard, Exton Park, for a couple of days to help with their grape harvest this year. I like supporting local businesses, and I always have a bottle of their sparkling wine in my fridge.

When I throw parties, I like the wine to suit the theme. I served Tarot Grenache at a lovely Halloween dinner because the skull label was very fitting.

I also organised a circus party and had a nice Pinot Noir called Le Fat Bastard with a balancing hippo on the label.

Im a sucker for an eye-catching bottle, but it also has to be drinkable because Im offering it to guests.

When they come over, my friends know that theyre going to be drinking palomas. I think theyre a great refreshing drink  I had them all summer  and everyone has fun with tequila.

Charlotte and her husband both love a chilled beer

I always use the pink grapefruit mixer by Two Keys because I havent tasted one better.

As a designer, I appreciate beautiful objects. My bar at home has Fornasetti wallpaper with old goblets on it. I have more glassware and cocktail shakers than I need.

Ive also got the most beautiful cocktail book, Ted Sauciers Bottoms Up from 1951, which I bought in a vintage shop. But my favourite piece is a 50s glass cocktail shaker with spiders webs all over it.

Im not thinking about what people should toast me with at my funeral. Were all going to die but I dont think that far ahead.

Im the kind of person who celebrates their birthday  and the following day I start planning my next one.
EATING OUT

Its not often I find myself enamoured by the patissiers art. And its even less usual to devote an entire review to such frivolities and fancies, however exalted.

My tastes are resolutely savoury, and, while I have the utmost respect for the pastry chef, their skills are best appreciated by palates rather more gilded than my own.

In short, what I know about cakes could barely fill a small profiterole. Still, when a trickle of praise turns into raging torrents of adoration, it seems only fair to look closer. Especially when the editor is a fan.

And Birley Bakery, sitting on Chelsea Green, is a beauty, no doubt about that, from the pale-yellow awning to the rich crimson walls, hand painted in the style of an old-fashioned Chinese teahouse  all swooping cranes, paper lanterns and bamboo.

The wall lights resemble huge chanterelle mushrooms; blue and white Portuguese tiles line the back kitchen, and stools are topped in handsomely colourful wicker.

Flaky and fabulous: Birley Bakery on Chelsea Green beats the competition by a mile

Detail is everything, as youd expect from owner Robin Birley, an old friend, and the man behind 5 Hertford Street and Oswalds.

At the bakerys heart are vast gleaming glass cases, overflowing with meringue tarts, apple turnovers and Paris-Brest.

There are chocolate tortes, lemon tarts and raspberry tartlets; great mountains of glossily lacquered croissants, piles of iced cinnamon brioche and towers of triple-chocolate cookies; rye bread, craggy-crusted baguettes and vast sourdough loaves.

Gleaming glass cases overflow with tarts and turnovers

The smell is intoxicating, in a room that shimmers and seduces  the classic Parisian patisserie, as imagined by Powell and Pressburger.

All this means precious little if the baking isnt up to scratch. But everything I eat, on this gloriously sunny late-summer morning, lives up to its surroundings.

Pissaladiere cravat  soft, sweet confit onions, scented with thyme and lavished with anchovies and olives, all wedged between brittle, golden millefeuille pastry  is rich, intense and bathed in Provencal sunshine.

Paris-Brest, the choux pastry as light as a whim, bulging with hazelnut cream and none of the tooth-aching oversweetness you find with inferior specimens.

A croissant whisks one back to the oft-imagined France of the ancien regime, where things are properly done  all light, flaky, buttery allure.

As I go, I pick up a tub of Birley bitter-chocolate ice cream. Not cheap. But there are none better. Not unlike Birley Bakery.

About 15 per head. Birley Bakery, 28-30 Cale Street, London SW3; birleybakery.com

DRINKS: Charlottes southern Italian sips

Southern Italy and Sicily have diverse terrains, abundant sunshine, unique indigenous grape varieties and excellent value wines.

Puglias plains yield rich reds, historic Campania brings expressive examples and Sicilys volcanic soils foster vibrant mineral-driven wines.

Lets embark on a journey through the grapes Fiano, Falanghina, Primitivo, Frappato and Susumaniello, to embrace Italys southern charms.

Extra Special Fiano Terre Siciliane 2022 (12.5%), 6.75, Asda, Tesco Finest Falanghina 2022 (13%), 8.50, Tesco and Pasqua DLZ Idealysta Rose Puglia 2022 (12.5%), 12.99, Majestic

Extra Special Fiano Terre Siciliane 2022 (12.5%), 6.75, Asda.

Meet a dangerously quaffable vino with notes of lemon blossom, thyme and crushed stone. Perfect for an aperitif or to pair with fish.

Tesco Finest Falanghina 2022 (13%), 8.50, Tesco.

Made for Tesco by Campanian winery Feudi, this white is sophisticated, with a hint of spice: a winner with a roast chicken dinner.

Santa Tresa Frappato Sicily 2022 (13%), 10.99, Waitrose and Vallone Susumaniello Salento Rosso 2020 (13.5%), 9.50, thewinesociety.com

Pasqua DLZ Idealysta Rose Puglia 2022 (12.5%), 12.99, Majestic.

This pretty pink rose is based on the Primitivo grape. Expect ripe berries and a hint of sweet herbs, such as mint and basil.

Santa Tresa Frappato Sicily 2022 (13%), 10.99, Waitrose.

Im fanatical about Frappato, Sicilys answer to Pinot Noir. This wine has an electric ruby hue, along with raspberry notes and a spicy finish.

Vallone Susumaniello Salento Rosso 2020 (13.5%), 9.50, thewinesociety.com.

This ancient lesser-known grape thrives in Puglia  and my choice is bold and smooth, full of bramble and mocha nuances.
Some the UK's best and brightest in beauty shared their tips and tricks with YOU

CAROLINE HIRONS

Launching a beauty blog in 2010 catapulted Hirons to fame. She now has millions of followers on social media, a bestselling book, Skincare: The New Edit, and her own beauty range, Skin Rocks.

I won't be seen in public until I've done shower, teeth and skincare. I'm 54  I have to spend my time wisely! If I have to look semi-groomed, I put some JVN Complete Air Dry Cream (from 10, spacenk.com) in my hair and use DryBar's The Lemon Bar Paddle Brush (28, uk.drybar.com) to scrape it into a bun.

I never turn off the light before I've done a second round of skincare. If I get in at 5pm, I'll do my evening beauty routine then; if I don't go to bed until midnight that's an extra seven hours for it to take effect, so I'll put on another layer of what I'm using  usually Skin Rocks Retinoid 2 (75, skinrocks.com).

My beauty secret? When I'm travelling I put hand cream up my nose. It keeps the nasal cavity wet so it catches any bacteria. It was a tip I read in Harpers & Queen about 20 years ago and the rare times I forget, I get ill.

Launching a beauty blog in 2010 catapulted Hirons to fame. She now has millions of followers on social media, a bestselling book, Skincare: The New Edit, and her own beauty range, Skin Rocks

They're the brains behind go-to brands that have supercharged the UK hair and skincare industry - here's how they look their best

The faces behind some of the UK's best and brightest in hair and skincare share their beauty tricks and go-to products

Skin Rocks Retinoid 2 (below, 75, skinrocks.com)

I still remember the first time I tried the Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 (89, embassyofbeauty.co.uk) while training as a facial therapist in Paris. It was the 1970s formula you can only get in the States. (I've heard it's going to be discontinued, so I need to stock up. If I get five bottles they'll last me until I die  like vinegar, it never goes off.) It goes on, it burns, your skin goes numb, then it starts tingling again and you just think your face is melting.

skinrocks.com

LISA ELDRIDGE

Since launching her own online beauty tutorials in 2010, make-up artist Eldridge now has more than two million subscribers to her YouTube channel and almost as many followers on Instagram. In 2018, she launched her own beauty range, Lisa Eldridge, which now has concessions in both Liberty and Selfridges.

I won't be seen in public until I've curled my eyelashes and put on mascara. I love Japanese-made lash curlers by brands such as Shu Uemura and Surratt Beauty.

I never turn off the light before I've removed my make-up. I hate it coming off on the pillow. I use my own Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser (43, lisaeldridge.com), which takes off everything  waterproof eye make-up, longwear foundation  in one go and moisturises as well.

My beauty secret? I've got make-up brushes that are 25 years old because after I've washed them, with Fairy Liquid and a Sigma Brush-Cleaning Glove (31.95 for two, londonlovesbeauty.com), I rinse them in the direction of the hairs, squeeze them and use my fingers to tease them back into shape.

I still remember the first time I encountered make-up. I opened a kitchen drawer full of foundation  Estee Lauder, Revlon, Helena Rubinstein. When I asked my mum about them, she told me they were all the foundations she'd bought that were the wrong colour. We called it the foundation graveyard.

lisaeldridge.com

In 2018, she launched her own beauty range, Lisa Eldridge , which now has concessions in both Liberty and Selfridges

Lisa says she uses her own Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser (43, lisaeldridge.com), which takes off everything

VANITA PARTI

The founder and CEO of Blink Brow Bar established her first outpost in Fenwick, London, in 2004. Blink now has bars across the country as well as in New York and Paris, as well as a range of brow products.

I won't be seen in public until I've put on under-eye concealer, even for the supermarket or the gym. I'll use Laura Mercier, or sometimes Bobbi Brown: two brands that have always been really good for brown skin tones.

I never turn off the light before I've used my Nourishing Brow Oil (24, bbb-london.com) and given myself a bit of a brow massage. As a result, they're softer and glossier when I wake, and the blend of lavender and sandalwood is really relaxing.

My beauty secret? A paste of yogurt, lemon and turmeric  homemade  under the eyes for ten minutes really brightens the area. I learned it from my mother and I try to do it once a week.

I still remember the first time I bought eyeliner. I was 13 and it was the Rimmel kohl from Superdrug. I wanted to look like those Bollywood actresses, but I looked more like a panda.

bbb-london.com

Blink now has bars across the country as well as in New York and Paris. Expect a new range of brow products soon

Vanita says she never turns off the light before she's used her Nourishing Brow Oil (24, bbb-london.com)

SARAH BOYD

She has been the UK managing director of Sephora, the French beauty giant, since it started shaking things up in the UK in 2022.

I won't be seen in public until I've brushed my teeth! I'll walk the dog in my pyjamas, but I do brush my teeth first!

I never turn off the light before I've applied a sleeping mask. I love waking up feeling as if my moisturiser has been working all night. I try a lot of different ones so have a few on rotation  Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask (27) and Laneige Water Sleeping Mask (26, both sephora.co.uk). I was recently in the US where I bought a sleep mask by Summer Fridays, which I hope we'll be stocking over here.

My beauty secret? I love a red lip  Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in 01 (11, sephora.co.uk) suits every skin tone and makes you look so bright and alive, I am obsessed!

I still remember the first time I had a facial laser treatment, a few days before I had to go on a business trip. It was four or five years ago and afterwards I looked like a tomato that had been barbecued, crossed with a snake that was shedding its skin: bright red with brown lines all over my face!

sephora.co.uk

She has been the UK managing director of Sephora , the French beauty giant, since it started shaking things up in the UK in 2022

Sarah says she enjoys using the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask (26, both sephora.co.uk) before bedtime

DIJA AYODELE

A skincare expert and aesthetician with her own London clinic, West Room Aesthetics, Ayodele is also the founder of the educational platform Black Skin Directory and author of Black Skin: The Definitive Skincare Guide.

I won't be seen in public until I've washed my face  you've got to get the sleep out of your eyes  and put on some basic moisturiser and sunscreen.

I never turn off the light before I've put lip balm on. I'll even get out of bed to apply it. Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment in Watermelon Slice (16, rhodeskin.com) is the one I carry around with me, and Omorovicza Perfecting Lip Balm (36, omorovicza.co.uk) is by my bed.

My beauty secret? If you like really hot showers like I do but want to protect your face, press a facial oil into your skin before you shower. I've been using Zelens Power D (from 47, zelens.com).

I still remember the first time I let my sister's best friend shape my eyebrows  they have never been the same since. It was my 16th birthday and she made them so thin  90s thin  it's a mistake I'm still paying for 24 years later.

dijaayodele.com

Dija Ayodele is also the founder of the educational platform Black Skin Directory and author of Black Skin: The Definitive Skincare Guide

SUE FOX

She's been the president of The Estee Lauder Companies UK & Ireland since 2021, overseeing more than 25 brands, including Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Mac and Aveda.

I won't be seen in public until I've put my mascara on  sometimes black, often brown. I'm currently trying the new Clinique High Impact High-Fi (27, clinique.co.uk).

I never turn off the light before I've had a cup of camomile tea, played a few silly escapist games on my iPad and applied Tiger Balm (7.99, boots.com) to my neck and shoulders. I've been using it for years. I discovered it when I was living in Singapore and it really relieves tension and loosens tight muscles.

My beauty secret? I utterly love having a real tan and, although I do wear factor 30, I also sunbathe. I've never tried fake tan because I love the feeling of the sun on my skin.

I still remember the first time I used Sun In on my hair to bleach it when I was in my teens  not a good look! Also, I thought I rocked the classic 80s big hair perm, probably at about the same time, but looking back at photos, it didn't suit me one bit. In fact, did it suit anyone?

elcompanies.co.uk

She's been the president of The Estee Lauder Companies UK & Ireland since 2021, overseeing more than 25 brands, including Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Mac and Aveda

Sue never turns off the light until she's had a cup of camomile tea, played a few silly escapist games on her iPad and applied Tiger Balm (7.99, boots.com) to her neck and shoulders

LAUREN BOWKER

With her background in textiles  specifically those that change colour in response to light and heat  perhaps inevitably, The Unseen Beauty  the company she founded  has created eyeshadows that look different in daylight and under a camera flash, and partnered with Schwarzkopf to create hair dye that changes colour according to the temperature.

I won't be seen in public until I've cleaned my teeth  that's non-negotiable. Although I wouldn't want a conversation with anyone until I've had a coffee  oat or soya cappuccino.

I never turn off the light before I've taken my make-up off  I cannot stand the feeling of morning-after cracked mascara and dry concealer. It all comes off with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (10, boots.com) and a cloth.

My beauty secret? A Sudocrem (6.49, boots.com) 'face mask', applied in a thin layer before bed and slept in, is magic. Formulated for nappy rash, it gives you skin like a baby's bum. I have been doing it for big occasions since I was about 13.

I still remember the first time I used fake tan. I was in year nine and stole my mum's St Tropez to try it on my legs. The next day my legs and palms were Oompa Loompa orange. I lied and said I had been cutting carrots! I have not touched fake tan, or bronzer, since.

theunseenbeauty.co.uk

With her background in textiles  specifically those that change colour in response to light and heat  perhaps inevitably, The Unseen Beauty  the company she founded  has partnered with Schwarzkopf

A Sudocrem (6.49, boots.com) 'face mask', applied in a thin layer before bed and slept in, is 'magic', Lauren says

JO HANSFORD

Launching her first Jo Hansford salon in Mayfair in 1993, she has been dubbed the best tinter on the planet, with a list of celebrity clients including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Queen Camilla.

I won't be seen in public until I have put on my mascara: Lancome's Hypnose Drama (29, johnlewis.com). I hope it's never discontinued  my eyelashes are so fair that I look like a ghost without it.

I never turn off the light before I've applied Dior's Creme Abricot (below, 27, selfridges.com) to my cuticles. I don't use any face or eye cream as I think skin should breathe at night, but as you get older your hands give you away.

My beauty secret? I wish someone would invent a robot toenail cutter  I'm of an age where I can hardly get down to do them. If robots can clean the carpet and cut the lawn, a robo-pedicure would be nice.

I still remember the first time I was given Bal a Versailles perfume by a wealthy client. I was about 20, just starting out at Vidal Sassoon, and I always admired hers. It was like being given the crown jewels. I've worn it ever since.

johansford.com

Launching her first Jo Hansford salon in Mayfair in 1993, she has been dubbed the best tinter on the planet

Jo never turns off the light before she's applied Dior's Creme Abricot ( 27, selfridges.com) to her cuticles

LISA PAYNE

As head of beauty at trends intelligence agency Stylus Innovation+ Advisory, Lisa Payne's role involves keeping abreast of beauty innovation around the world, forecasting the industry's next big thing, and helping brands work out what consumers are going to want to buy - and why - in the future.

Won't be seen in public until I've lifted my face. I always wake feeling puffy but five minutes with a micro current device, such as NuFace (from 135, currentbody.com), or even just some gua sha stones, lifts everything and gives me back my jawline.

Won't turn off the light before I've combed my hair, put a hair mask in and braided it. Percy & Reed's Overnight Recovery Mask (28, johnlewis.com) is one of the best things I've ever used on hair. You don't need to wash it out in the morning and it leaves me with lovely, soft, shiny waves.

Just can't get on with Baccarat Rouge. I don't get it. People are obsessed with it and I feel like I'm missing out on it, so whenever I see it I always spray and see if things have changed, but I just smell nothing.

Don't tell anyone this but most oral probiotics don't work. You'd be far better off eating fermented foods every day. In fact in Japan, menopausal women very rarely experience hot flushes or the symptoms that Western women get and scientists have put that down to daily consumption of fermented foods.

Wouldn't it be nice if Korean formulations were more widely available in the UK? The sophistication of their ingredients, formulas and textures is incredible - especially in their SPF products  but just generally they're dedicated to creating a really pleasurable sensorial experience and making products people really want to use.

I still remember the first time I really treasured a make-up product - it was the Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush. Those pearlised shades, the cute little pots and the brush that fitted over the top, that slightly old lady smell they had. I loved them.

stylus.com

EMMA CRAYTHORNE

Dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne has democratised access to dermatological expertise with Klira, a service that offers personalised prescription skincare, delivered monthly to your door.

Won't be seen in public until I've put SPF on. I wouldn't want to go out without brushing my teeth but if I was forced to pick just one thing, it would be SPF. I rotate a few  currently Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun (16, sephora.co.uk), Isdin Solar Allergy (21.50, sanreva.co.uk) and Altruist SPF 50 (5.25, altruistsun.com).

Won't turn off the light before I've done my super minimalist skin routine - Hado Labo Cleansing Oil (18, skincupid.co.uk) to take off my SPF and then I use my Klira cream (49/month, klira.skin)  that's literally all I do.

Just can't get on with most of the over-the-counter products that claim to treat medical conditions, such as acne, rosacea and pigmentation. They're almost all overrated and overpriced.

Don't tell anyone this but using a spray mist - like the Evian Skin Mist (from 3.99, superdrug.com) - to mimic a humid environment, especially in winter when the air is dryer, plumps the epidermis, gets rid of fine lines, makes skin feel more comfortable, and helps makeup sit better. Skin just looks and feels better when it's humid.

Wouldn't it be nice if the claims made for skincare were subject to the same scientific rigour as claims made for medicines?

I still remember the first time I fell under the spell of a beauty product. My grandmother used to use a very simple moisturising cream from Boots that had cucumber in it and I loved the smell. I rediscovered it recently, in different packaging, but the formula and the smell was identical. It took me back to being five again, and going to her house every day after school.

klira.skin
Would you talk to your nine-year-old child or grandchild about debt? What about bailiffs, or mortgages? Most of us would shy away from discussing money problems with such young children, but DebtAware, a financial education charity, plans to change that.

Today, I've joined a Year Five class at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Chorley, Lancashire, to see the work the charity is doing first-hand.

The sunny classroom, adorned with colourful posters on the importance of reading, is hushed. At the table in front of me, pupils are engrossed in a worksheet on the difference between good and bad debt.

In today's economic climate, the need for financial literacy could not be more urgent.

Debt has been the morning's topic of conversation and one pupil, Isabelle, ten, tells me eagerly she's saving money to buy her first home. 'When I see something I want I look at how much money I've got and remind myself that I need other things,' she says, keen to show she has taken the lesson on board.

Focused: Adele Cooke joins Year Five pupils for their class learning about debt at St Mary's in Chorley

The average level of debt in the UK has soared by 19 per cent since 2022, according to personal insolvency provider Creditfix.

Nearly six million low-income families have unsecured debt, totalling around 14.2 billion as of May 2023, according to charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Almost six in ten of those who say they use credit to pay bills have less than 200 in savings. Since it started visiting schools in January 2013, DebtAware has taught more than 80,000 children money management skills including how to budget and borrow. This year it will deliver lessons to around 100 schools in the North East.

The programme is run by the Debt Advice Foundation, a national charity offering free and confidential help to people worried about loans, credit and debt.

Around three quarters of 18 to 24-year-olds say that they wish they had been taught more about money in school, according to research released last month by digital payment provider Pay.UK.

Back in the classroom, today's lesson is being led by Brian Souter, a DebtAware volunteer.

An animated retired teacher with more than 50 years of experience, Brian captivates the students' attention from the moment he walks into the classroom.

'The Debt Advice Foundation helps people who have fallen into debt but our role is prevention instead of cure,' he says. 'Our aim is to give children knowledge, understanding and skills so they will develop a good attitude to money and will be sensible and safe. At this age, children will learn the right skills, but by secondary school it may be harder to make an impression.'

Today's session aims to teach a Year Five class the difference between wants and needs. In the coming months, this class will also learn about budgeting, payments, savings and borrowing. 'What is debt?' Mr Souter asks the class in a sing-song voice.

'Debt means borrowing money and having to pay it back,' chant the children in unison as they read from a worksheet.

The lesson covers money issues in great detail and it's fascinating to watch the class discuss the importance of good debt. Good debt is money that is borrowed for a reason that has a lasting benefit and paying back the loan is within your means.

On another worksheet, the children are given definitions for financial terms including mortgages, credit cards and bailiffs.

Under the national curriculum there is no obligation for primary schools to teach their pupils about money.

Instead, schools can decide to work with the charity the PSHE Association to develop their own curriculum, which can include lessons on saving and spending and how to get value for money.

It's not until pupils reach secondary school age that the Government recommends children are taught about debt.

Yet all of the children I speak to are already aware of the dangers of running out of money. Among them is Declan, ten, who proudly shows me his black Fitbit smart watch, which he uses to track his spending.

'Learning about money now means we won't make mistakes when we're older,' he says confidently. 'I'm saving my money now so that I have even more when I grow up.'

Year Five teacher Lisa Hesketh believes it's essential to give children the knowledge to be able to manage their own finances.

'These children need to have a knowledge and understanding of money at a young age in order to make them confident later on. They can then ask questions in everyday life and have conversations with family at home.'

'In every module debt is revisited to make children aware that there is good and bad debt,' she says.

'These children need to have a knowledge and understanding of money at a young age in order to make them confident later on. They can then ask questions in everyday life and have conversations with family at home.'

For Isabelle, these lessons will help her get one step closer to her dream of owning her own home one day.

'My family and I rented for three years and we lived in three different houses. Now we're getting our own house,' she tells me proudly.

'I have a bank account I put my money into as I want to make sure I invest now so I have enough money for when I'm older so I can get a proper house too.'

Maybe we could all do with a lesson or two.

... and here's how you can teach your own children

You can start to talk to children as young as three or four about money  as soon as they begin to ask questions, suggests Money Helper, a Government-backed money guidance website.

At this age, many children can understand that items cost different amounts of money, so try talking to your child or grandchild about how much things cost when you next go to the shops. When shopping together, you could ask them to hand over the cash to help them practise counting out coins and notes.

By the age of five or six children begin to understand the concept of saving, so encourage them to put aside some of their pocket money each week for a toy they want.

When a child reaches seven or eight, they can recognise the difference between wants and needs. Try asking them to categorise different items such as a laptop, mobile phone or pair of trainers into whether they are a want or a need  or both using a Venn diagram  suggests Brian Souter of DebtAware. You could also ask them to identify good and bad reasons for borrowing money.

When they are thinking of spending their pocket money, you could also ask them to write a shopping list of what they are going to buy and how much it will cost.

When your child starts secondary school you can begin to talk to them about how to be responsible with money. Between the ages of nine and 12 children usually begin to understand how to keep a budget and check a receipt or bank statement.

At this age children are ready to learn about debt, so discuss why you pay interest when borrowing and ask them what they would do if they couldn't pay it back.

A good way to build on existing knowledge is to offer the chance to earn extra cash by doing additional chores around the home.

You could also set them a savings goal for things they may want.

For more tips and tricks visit moneyhelper.org.uk/en/family-and-care/talk-money.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

K.P. writes: I own a second home which was rented out. The tenant moved out and the house sat empty until three months later, when I decided to use it as a weekend home.

Since then, gas and electricity has typically cost about 200 a month, but Ovo insists I owe more than 3,700. This appears to cover the three months when the house was empty.

I have meter readings and have asked Ovo repeatedly to calculate the true amounts but they have not done so. This is driving me nuts!

Tony Hetherington replies: You sent me copies of the bills issued by Ovo, demanding 3,757 in all, which would be a staggering amount for just three months of gas and electricity.

Promise: Ovo's claims on service rang hollow

But you also sent me the meter readings you received from the solicitors and estate agents who handled the return of the property to you, and those readings should have been the starting point for your own bills. The figures were way out of line with the demands you actually received.

When I contacted Ovo, its staff had second thoughts. They got in touch with you and said the tenant had carried out the meter readings while he was living in the house, and had given very low readings for his bills. It was those low readings that Ovo used as your starting point, and which generated a huge bill for you.

After juggling some figures, Ovo decided you did not owe 3,757. Instead, Ovo owed you 675, with a further 100 on top to say sorry for everything that had gone wrong. You and I both breathed a sigh of relief. Everything had been sorted out.

Except it hadn't. A few days later, Ovo told you it wanted to collect 994 from your bank every month as a direct debit. And then a bill arrived, showing you owed Ovo 2,152. This was not just madness, it was madness on stilts. Ovo blamed its own set-up, saying its billing system was 'live', and 'the more you provide meter readings, the more accurate the recommended direct debit will be'. You should install smart meters, you were told. But for now, the only outcome would be a direct debit at a slightly lower figure of 815, and this could only be reduced further once you had consented to pay the 815.

These debits were produced by an automated system. In direct contrast, Ovo admitted it had manually calculated that a more likely figure was, in fact, 252 a month. But it could not override its system.

This craziness could not continue, and even Ovo acknowledged this. When I pressed again for answers, it sent you the 675 it had earlier agreed was the credit balance on your account. It sent the extra 100 apology. And it juggled again with its latest demand, deciding you did not owe 2,152. Instead, you owed 25.

So we breathed another sigh of relief. Everything was fine. Except it wasn't. Ovo's app suddenly asked you to set up a direct debit, this time for 816 a month. You have now dumped Ovo.

There is only so much madness one utility customer can take. But there seems to be no limit to the madness that utility companies in general can inflict on their customers.

Upset at email to my late wife

C.F. writes: My wife died two years ago. We both banked at Santander, and all monies in her accounts were transferred to me by the bank's bereavement unit.

I have now received an email asking my dead wife to attend a branch with proof of her identity.

Upset: After losing a family member, there are few things more upsetting than receiving letters and messages sent to them by companies

Tony Hetherington replies: After losing a family member, there are few things more upsetting than receiving letters and messages sent to them by companies that have already been informed of their passing.

When Santander's email arrived, you contacted the bank but nobody could explain what had gone wrong or even tell you which of your late wife's accounts was involved. You were told someone would get back to you, but you heard nothing more.

Santander told me: 'We are very sorry for our error in sending this email. When we are notified of a customer's death, all communications from us to them should be switched off and we are investigating why this did not happen in this instance.'

I can tell you that the cause of the problem was that someone tried to log in to your late wife's online account. The account was, of course, already closed. There is no way to tell whether that attempt was deliberate, but the bank wanted to see your wife as a security measure. Santander recognises the distress this caused, and has backed up its apology with 200 which you are donating to charity.

We're watching you Essex Police is looking into allegations made by investors in foreign exchange firm CashFX. I warned in 2020 and again in 2021 that CashFX is acting illegally as it is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. The firm is based in Panama but has operated a network of recruiters in Britain, claiming to pay returns of two or three per cent per day. Many investors have complained they have not been paid and cannot withdraw their money. A spokesperson for Essex Police said: 'We are making an assessment of a number of allegations of fraud, and our enquiries continue in order to establish the dynamic of the suggested investments'. Anyone wishing to report a complaint should contact the police through Action Fraud.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Posh sandal maker Birkenstock is set to make its debut on the New York Stock Exchange as soon as next week in what many are predicting will be another blockbuster float to hit the US markets.

The purveyor of cork-soled footwear, described by some as the 'world's ugliest shoe,' has become a global mega-brand and this year received a further gust of publicity when it was featured in summer smash hit Barbie.

Investors are salivating over the prospect of a listing, with the firm aiming to achieve a market value of up to 7.6 billion, which is bigger than British Airways' owner IAG.

Best foot forward: Posh sandal maker Birkenstock is set to make its debut on the New York Stock Exchange

But Birkenstock would do well to heed the tale of another famous footwear brand that saw its fortunes turn sour on the public markets.

Bootmaker Dr Martens made its London debut in January 2021 with a value of 3.7 billion, but since then a string of profit warnings have caused its share price to crash by more than 60 per cent.

Birkenstock should be wary of being wrong-footed by fickle investors.

Standards slipping at Aldi?

Aldi is known for its metronome-like efficiency.

One former employee even described the supermarket chain as 'a logistics firm that just happens to do food retailing'.

So standards must be slipping for its UK accounts to be overdue at Companies House.

After all, we already know last year's operating profit trebled to 180 million so there shouldn't be anything to worry about, should there?

Labour's DJ declines DJ disco role

Today marks the start of the Labour Party's annual conference, in what is likely to be its last before the next General Election.

While the mass gathering will be dominated by packed meeting halls and gossip from the fringes, Labour's student wing will also be holding a disco.

Unfortunately, the students' first choice of DJ, ex-Treasury committee chair and now Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, has politely declined, saying he is 'the most unqualified person' for the job among Labour MPs.

This is despite his initials creating the apt moniker 'DJ DJ'.

He did, however, offer to chat about 'fiscal rules or economic growth', in what was perhaps a covert move to kill off the disco entirely.

Rumours over next John Lewis boss

David Potts, the soon-to-depart chief executive of Morrisons, was the name on everyone's lips last week when Dame Sharon White announced her term as chair of John Lewis Partnership was coming to an end.

But might another supermarket retail veteran be in the running?

Justin King, who led Sainsbury's for a decade and before that Marks & Spencer Food, seems to have the right CV.

King also seems in prime position as he already sits on the M&S board as a non-executive director.

So would he be up for the job?

'No comment,' he says.

Contributor: Patrick Tooher
The boss of one of the City's leading brokers has called on the Government to extend inheritance tax relief to more London-listed stocks to boost investment in the UK.

Julian Morse, co-chief executive of Cavendish Financial, said such a move would 'bolster investment into smaller companies which create the majority of jobs in the UK'.

It comes as data shows such a policy would knock less than 2 per cent off the sum raised by the Treasury from the levy, dubbed the 'most hated tax' in Britain.

Under current rules, only shares in companies listed on the LSE's junior market, AIM, are eligible for inheritance tax relief.

But Morse and other City figures said this should be expanded to include companies listed on the main market of the stock exchange up to a certain market value, rather than scrapping the levy entirely.

Investment boost: Under current rules, only shares in companies listed on the LSE's junior market, AIM, are eligible for inheritance tax relief

He added that any Labour or Conservative government should maintain the relief on AIM and unquoted stocks or risk 'untold damage to those firms which would directly impact job creation and GDP'.

The head of another major brokerage firm in the Square Mile said extending inheritance tax relief to the main market would 'absolutely' encourage investment in UK stocks, which over the past few years have struggled with low valuations, leaving them vulnerable to swoops by overseas buyers and private equity sharks.

Craig Coben, former head of equity capital markets at Bank of America, said the UK tax system was incentivising people to 'invest in other asset classes, such as residential property, over main market shares'. He added: 'It's worth thinking about ways to redress this bias against equities.'

This was echoed by Charles Hall, head of research at investment bank Peel Hunt, who said extending inheritance tax relief would be a 'very realistic' approach that could relieve takeover pressure on small and mid-cap companies. He added: 'It would help revitalise the ecosystem and provide additional demand turbocharging the market.'

The comments came as data from investment manager M&G compiled for The Mail on Sunday estimated that extending inheritance tax relief to main market stocks would knock just 1.4 per cent off the 7 billion raked in by Revenue & Customs from the levy each year.

'These are not difficult or expensive changes. It wouldn't require massive Government largesse,' Hall said. An extension of the tax relief, rather than abolishing it as previously mooted by Rishi Sunak's Government, is favoured by some in the City, due to fears that eliminating the levy could trigger a mass selloff in AIM shares.
Demands are growing for a cut in VAT at pubs, clubs and restaurants as the hospitality sector reels from the devastating impact of train strikes.

Last week's walkouts alone cost the battered industry 360 million, according to the trade body UKHospitality.

And the series of stoppages has hit London's economy to the tune of 571 million in the past year, figures from the Centre for Economics and Business Research think-tank show.

Now the Labour Party, which is way ahead in the opinion polls, is being urged to give the sector a big tax break by one of its leading business supporters.

Sacha Lord, a night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, wants Labour to commit to cutting VAT for the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Reeling: Demands are growing for a cut in VAT at pubs, clubs and restaurants

The rate was slashed during the Covid lockdowns but went back up to 20 per cent after the economy reopened.

'The 12.5 per cent VAT rate was a lifeline during the pandemic and must be reinstated,' Lord said.

He added that this would allow the UK to compete with many European countries where the average rate is lower.

'Ultimately 12.5 per cent of revenue for the Exchequer is better than 20 per cent of nothing, which will increasingly be the result if businesses go under,' he said.

Lord, an entrepreneur who runs the Parklife music festival, was speaking as delegates gathered for this week's Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
A large collection of treasures from the Rothschild family's private collection is set to go up for auction in North America for the first time and could fetch an eye-watering $30million.

Art, furniture, jewelry, ceramics and silver owned by the banking dynasty will be sold by Christie's in New York over several auctions from October 11.

The sale titled Rothschild Masterpieces includes more than 600 items which once belonged to Baron James de Rothschild, his wife Betty, and their sons Baron Alphonse and Baron Gustav.

A 17th century oil on panel piece titled 'A young woman holding a hare with a boy at a window' is among the most the coveted and is estimated will sell for between $3million and $5million.

Other Rothschild items include a series of gilded leather panels 'unseen in public for 150 years' and made by a Rembrandt follower, expected to sell for $1.5million, and a pair of late Louis XV giltwood and white-painted fauteuils, worth up to $1million.

A large collection of treasures from the Rothschild family's private collection is set to go up for auction in North America for the first time and could fetch an eye-watering $30million. Pictured- Mounted hardstone cabinet with five figures worth up to $1million

Art, furniture, jewelry, ceramics and silver owned by the banking dynasty will be sold by Christie's in New York over several auctions from October 11

A 17th century oil on panel piece titled 'A young woman holding a hare with a boy at a window' is among the most the coveted and is estimated will sell for between $3million and $5million

Green porcelain dinner and desert crockery set expected to sell for up to $150,000

The trove of treasures come from Baron James' homes in Paris and the Chateau de Ferrieres which were so impressive they had the gout Rothschild style named after them.

The items have remained in the hands of their descendants for decades.

'This week of auctions will make history,' Christies Deputy Chairman Jonathan Rendell told The New York Post.

'For the first time, one of the great collecting families of Europe is offering its important and intimate heirlooms at auction in the United States. The quality of the 600-plus objects in these sales is as extraordinary as the range.

'Throughout the 19th century, the Rothschild familys collecting was the stuff of legend.'

He added: 'The Rothschild masterpieces are already causing a stir in the market.'

Other items on sale include a first century Roman Sardonyx cameo portrait of the Roman emperor Claudius which is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000.

Two bronze marble busts of Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus which could sell for $400,000

Rare suite of King Louis XV Savonnerie panels predicted to sell for $150,000

The trove of treasures come from Baron James' homes in Paris and the Chateau de Ferrieres which were so impressive they had the gout Rothschild style named after them

Painting of the triumph of David which is worth up to $2million

The last time this item was auctioned at Christie's in 1899, it sold for around $4,500, which is worth around $496,000 today, before it was purchased by the Rothschilds.

'These are things that have been kept away since the end of the 19th century. And unless you knew this particular branch of the family, you wouldnt have seen them,' Rendell told CNN.

'Its not the type of thing that, in New York, we normally get to play with. Youre more likely to see a sale like this in Europe.'

The Rothschild family's set of porcelain tureens, covers and stands will also be auctioned and is expected to sell for up to $50,000.

Furniture, ceramics, silver, tapestries and jewelry which demonstrate their unique taste, described by Rendell as 'an extraordinary combination of sumptuousness and domesticity', are also up for auction.

'This is the sort of thing that, 100 years ago, 150 years ago, the market would have gone crazy for. We dont get a bulk of this type of material coming up for sale anymore,' he added.

Those who are strapped for cash are able to bid on items online from $100.

Italian ormolu-mounted cabinet on a stand which could fetch up to $500,000

Piece painted by Francesco Xanto Avelli in a workshop from 1541

Portuguese silver-gilt ewer worth an estimated $300,000

King Louis XV patinated bronze and ormolu mantel clock with an elephant- expected to sell for up to $90,000

Most of the items are currently on a world tour but will hit auction at Christies Rockefeller Plaza headquarters in the evening on October 11.

The sale will then continue on the mornings of October 12 and October 13 with an online sale taking place between October 3 until the 17th.

Members of the French branch of the Rothschild family are said to have specifically wanted the sale to take place in New York. Part of the family lived in the US during World War Two.

Rendell pointed to a 'rationalization' and a 'generational shift' to be possible reasons the collection is being sold now.

'Not everybody lives like a 19th-century Rothschild, even the Rothschilds,' he said.
Birmingham has the worst food standards across the UK according to shocking new research has shown, with several post codes across the city among the dodgiest in the country.

Recently, MailOnline asked whether Leytonstone High Road was the worst place in the country to eat because of the number of zero-rated food establishments in close proximity.

But new research has found that in Norwich, Bath, Swansea, Salford and Birmingham, there is a two in five chance of finding a meal that does not reach minimum legal standards.

Local authorities are tasked with regularly inspecting establishments which serve food such as bars, restaurants, hotels and cafes. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, these businesses are graded with a score between Zero and Five.

Firms have to score a three to reach the minimum food standards. A zero score requires urgent improvement, with the outlet facing potential prosecution.

This week, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, some 13,990 businesses failed to reach the minimum legal standard of three stars. In Scotland, which is subject to a different rating system, a further 3,227 firms failed to reach the minimum standard.

DATA CORRECT AS OF OCTOBER 3, 2023

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In London, the average is one-in-three.

The survey was conducted by NoDepositDaily.com.

Mervin Davids from NoDepositDaily.com said: 'Local authorities inspect food establishments every six months to a few years, depending on how much risk they pose. Not all businesses display their hygiene score, except for those in Wales and Northern Ireland, where this is required by law.

'If you have experienced food poisoning, found foreign objects in your food, purchased an expired meal, noticed unsanitary premises or the allergen information was unavailable or incorrect, you can contact the local council that business belongs to. They will then decide the right course of action so that other customers are safe.'

The researchers analysed 3,851 establishments serving food in Birmingham, using data from the Food Standards Agency. The average score across Birmingham was 4.15 stars.

Only 58.5 per cent of firms managed a maximum score of five. In the postcodes B19, B21 and B8, only 37-38per cent of businesses fully complied with the law, according to the research.

Those seeking for a safe night out in the Venice of the north should go to businesses in the postcodes B43, B35 and B72.

One of the firms inspected in the Lozells area of Birmingham was Asim Pizza and Kebab shop, which was told on July 19, 2023 that 'major improvement' was needed on the hygienic handling of food and management of food safety, while improvement was needed on the building's cleanliness.

These are the postcodes in Britain with the lowest average food standards ratings, according to new research

Asim Pizza and Kebab House in Birmingham received a ZERO star rating when it was visited by food standards inspectors in July 2023

Raka Raka in Salford also received the lowest food rating when it was inspected

Ya Koyas in Manchester was inspected on July 7, 2023 and the owners were warned that 'major improvement was necessary across all sectors

Salford-born folk legend Ewan MacColl wrote his most famous song about his home town. Many believe Dirty Old Town was about Dublin, but it could have been about the local restaurants on the streets where he grew up. It averaged an average score of 4.3 out of five. Of the 1,021 firms inspected, 59.16 hit top marks.

The worst postcodes in the area were M8, M7 and M60, while the best locations were M50, M28 and M3.

Raka Raka restaurant located in an industrial estate on the outskirts of Manchester was visited on December 19, 2022. It was told it required major improvement in cleanliness and food safety management, while improvement was required with their food handling measures.

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The Roman city of Bath was third on the list. According to the team behind the study told MailOnline: 'The 533 food businesses inspected so far in this otherwise elegant Georgian city have an average score of 4.32. Two in five of them still do not fulfil all the legal hygiene requirements. As it is a relatively small city with just two postcodes, the difference between them is negligible, with BA1 being slightly less sanitary than BA2.'

Avellinos Italian Deli and Cafe in Walcot, Bath was found to have generally satisfactory cleanliness, however, when visited on August 15, 2022, there was major improvement needed in the management of food safety, while further improvement was needed in hygienic food handling.

In the north west, Liverpool is renowned for its links to music and culture, but with an average food rating of 4.33 it is fourth on the list of shame. Of the almost 3,000 outlets inspected, areas such as L27, L10 and L6 had the lowest ratings in the city, compared with L67, L69 and L70.

South Parkway Fish Bar was visited by health inspectors on September 6, 2023. It was warmed that urgent improvement was needed in the building's cleanliness, while major improvement was required concerning food handling. Improvement was also needed with the handling of food being prepared for customers.

South Parkway Fish Bar, pictured, was visited on September 6, 2023 where it was warned that improvement was needed across the board

Along the M62 in Manchester, almost 3,000 businesses were inspected where they received an average score on 4.38. In Manchester Airport, every venue inspected received a five star rating, though those seeking food in the M14, M18 and M40 areas had the lowest average ratings.

One of those businesses to receive a poor rating was Ya Koyas Restaurant in Kenyon Lane, Manchester.

It was inspected on July 7, 2023 and the owners were warned that 'major improvement was necessary across all sectors.

In Wales, Swansea achieved an average score of 4.40, with the lowest ratings in SA4, SA1 and SA6 - the same average as Leicester, where LE4, LE5 and LE2 had the greatest number of problems.

The final spots on the list were awarded to Southend-on-Sea, London and Norwich.

Avellinos Italian Deli and Cafe in Walcot, Bath was found to have generally satisfactory cleanliness, however, when visited on August 15, 2022, there was major improvement needed in the management of food safety, while further improvement was needed in hygienic food handling

Researchers said: 'The average hygiene score across all 280,659 studied food businesses in the UK is 4.57, with 73.35 per cent of them fully compliant with all the legal standards. Meanwhile, Lincoln is the highest-ranked city for food hygiene, followed by Wrexham and Colchester.'

'Greater London is the ninth filthiest UK city to eat in. Home to 126,699 inspected food businesses across 33 local authorities, Greater London scored 4.41 for hygiene. The chances of consuming food prepared in less-than-perfect conditions is one in three here.

'The worst postcodes across the whole of Greater London are UB2 in Ealing, UB9 in Hillingdon and E10 in Waltham Forest. The cleanest eateries in London are located in SE9 (Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham), W3 (Ealing, Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow), and W10 (Kensington and Chelsea, Brent, Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham).'

**Food Standards Data Correct as of October 3, 2023 and is subject to change**
Intimate new photographic portraits of Edward VIII as a young man are up for auction.

Taken when he was the 25-year-old Prince of Wales in 1919, they are likely to have been a gift for his married lover of the time Freda Dudley Ward - whose 15-year affair with Edward ended only when she refused to leave her husband.

Edward would end up marrying another married woman, Wallis Simpson, and abdicate the throne in the process.

But in some ways the long relationship with Freda was the most passionate and illuminating of all, as this extract from Rachel Trewethy's compelling biography makes clear...

Previously unseen images of Edward VIII as a 25-year-old Prince of Wales are to be sold at Chiswick Auctions. Signed E on the front for Edward and David on the back - the name by which his family knew him - they are thought to have been a gift for the Prince's married lover, Freda Dudley Ward. The photographs are expected to sell for up to 1500

It was a letter written by a man who clearly felt trapped. Weighed down by responsibility, the author was desperate to escape it all with the woman he loved.

And, as he fantasised about resigning his position as heir to the throne and starting a new life, Edward, then Prince of Wales, told his married lover he could be free to live or die according to how hard I worked, though I should have you all to myself sweetheart and should only then be really happy and contented.

For anyone familiar with the abdication crisis of 1936, such sentiments might seem unsurprising. After all, Edward VIII had gone so far as to relinquish the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

Yet this particular letter was written 17 years earlier  and the lover he addressed was not Wallis but another woman entirely.

Socialite Freda conducted a long affair with the Prince of Wales. She was married to William Dudley Ward, MP for Southampton and a Lieutenant Commander of the Royal Naval Reserve

Freda is pictured between the future George VI and his brother Edward, who was briefly Edward VIII. The photograph is taken around 1925

Socialite Freda, left, pictured in 1937 with Lady Birkenhead attending a Christening at Gray's Inn Chapel in London. By this stage, Freda's former lover had moved on to Mrs Wallis Simpson - and abdicated as King

For a decade and a half, Freda Dudley Ward was the most important person in Edwards life, a woman for whom he felt an all-consuming passion every bit as strong as that he later felt for Wallis.

Indeed, Fredas power over Edward was emotional as much as sexual. She was not just the princes lover, she was also his confidante, one who seemed almost to wield the authority of a dominatrix.

As he repeatedly begged her to marry him, Edward demonstrated an unsettling level of devotion, frequently abasing himself with baby talk in letters to his precious darling little Mummie and even begging for punishment  a fervour no doubt increased by the knowledge that Freda not only had a husband, but a second, more agreeable lover.

Fredas hold over Edward was powerful indeed  and had she acquiesced and agreed to marry him, then it is likely she would have been the woman provoking a constitutional crisis. And we would never have heard the name Mrs Wallis Simpson.

Freda and Edward first met during a Zeppelin raid in March 1918, after Freda took refuge in the doorway of a grand house in Belgrave Square, London.

A party, with the Prince of Wales among the guests, was taking place inside, and when the hostess invited Freda inside, Edward was captivated. Petite and pretty, with dark curly hair and sparkly, periwinkle blue eyes, 24-year-old Freda exuded sex appeal and warmth. She gave the impression of needing a mans protection, yet beneath the vulnerable exterior, she was a strong woman.

Perhaps the quality that made her most attractive to men  particularly rather insecure ones  was her ability to build them up and make them feel good about themselves. And the prince, charismatic, charming and dapper but with complex insecurities, was looking for a woman just like Freda.

True, there was an awkward disparity in social status as Freda was no aristocrat. Born Winifred Birkin in 1894, she was the eldest child of a Nottingham lace manufacturer, Colonel Charles Birkin, and his American wife. There was, however, another, even more significant problem: she was not free.

Freda had married William Dudley Ward, a handsome, up-and-coming Liberal MP, shortly before her 19th birthday in 1913, and together they had two daughters, Penelope (Pempie) and Angela (Angie).

By the time Freda met the prince, however, the marriage was under strain. And when, in 1917, her husband William, or Duddie, was made vice-chamberlain to the Royal Household  a job that took him away from home  a bored Freda found new ways of amusing herself; among them, a growing dalliance with the most eligible bachelor in the world.

Soon, the besotted couple found ways to be together almost every day. Physically they were well matched. Edward was a little taller than Freda, but both were fashionably svelte. When not in London, Freda stayed at Kilbees Farm, near Windsor, owned by one of her husbands sisters, and the couple could meet there undetected.

Mrs Dudley Ward pictured in The Tatler with daughters Penelope and Angela

The Prince of Wales, second from the left, stands next to Mrs Dudley Ward at the Plaza Theatre. With them are Viscountess Furness and Prince George of Hanover

Edward and his TWO menages a trois...at the same time This remarkable photograph, above, illustrates how Edward conducted two of his affairs simultaneously. Though his adultery was kept secret from the public, his lively social life meant it was well-known on the London scene. This 1932 picture shows the prince accompanied by two of his mistresses on a trip to the theatre. On the left is Freda Dudley Ward, the glamorous, sexually dominant woman who was one of the loves of his life, despite her being married and conducting a separate affair with banker Michael Herbert. On the right is another lover, Thelma Furness, an American who was at the time married to Marmaduke, Viscount Furness. She later introduced Edward to Wallis Simpson. Advertisement

Edwards passion for his married mistress became all-consuming. If they were apart, he would phone her four or five times a night. If she were not at home, he was bereft.

He spent much of the 1920s on a series of Royal tours around colonies to thank them for their war effort. While he was away, he bombarded Freda with dozens of letters written to My Angel and signed with tons and tons of love from your E.

He would look at her photograph, which was kept in a little leather frame by his bed when it was not in his pocket, and kiss it. He told her that thinking of her made him feel fearfully naughty.

READ MORE: The Prince and the prostitute - and a sensational shooting at the Savoy Advertisement

Freda was the grown-up in their partnership, and that was a large part of her appeal. Indeed, Edward had found dominant women attractive long before Wallis Simpson arrived on the scene. Explaining to Freda what he needed in a relationship, he wrote: You know you ought to be really foul to me sometimes sweetie and curse and be cruel; it would do me worlds of good and bring me to my right senses!!

In one he asked her to come up to London to give me that hiding. In another he wrote: I do need you so so badly to chase me into bed with a big big stick.

Sex had been a major preoccupation for him since 1916, when his equerries took him to Amiens and introduced him to a French prostitute called Paulette.

Soon afterwards, he began having an affair with a Parisian courtesan called Marguerite Alibert, known as Maggy, who enjoyed a reputation as a dominatrix (and who would later make headlines when, in 1923, she shot her Egyptian playboy husband, Ali Fahmy, in the Savoy).

In his relationship with Freda, it was clear that he was looking for a mother figure as much as for sex. He complained to her about the stifling formality of court life, his dislike of official duties and even his doubts about whether he ever wanted to be King. For all his popularity, meeting so many people who had such high expectations of him was a constant strain.

When he said to Freda that he had had enough of princing and wanted to be an ordinary person with a life of his own, she was honest with him. She told him that he could not be an ordinary person because he was born to be King and whether he liked it or not, that fate was awaiting him. He could not escape it. Edward wrote to Freda that the only thing he wanted in the world was to be with you always and that it would break his heart if she stopped loving him.

He promised to just nip off with you at any moment and to any place in the world if you will make up your mind to do so  if you knew how very deeply and truly I loved you to the exclusion of all else in the world

For Freda, though, the idea of marrying or running away was ridiculous. As she was already married there would have to be a divorce, and his parents and the Church would never have allowed it. Nonetheless, the couple enjoyed a lively social life, with dances every night in Mayfair and Chelsea. The prince loved to dance. Gossip columnists noted how perfectly he partnered Freda.

A portrait of Freda from an unknown date. She was the grown-up in the relationship; he called her 'Mummie'

Freda arrives at St Margaret's Westminster for her wedding to William Dudley Ward in 1913

They went to nightclubs including Ciros, Quaglinos and the Kit Kat but their favourite was the Embassy, in a basement in Old Bond Street.

When the Charleston arrived in London from the US they had lessons at the Cafe de Paris.

Freda, however, was interested in politics and preferred thinking people to the cocktail set.

One friend described her as one of the brightest women hed ever known. She visited slums and reported back to the prince about the experience.

Meanwhile, Fredas husband seems to have accepted his wifes relationship with the heir to the throne. It is likely that Duddie would have wanted to avoid the inevitable scandal involved in divorce, not to mention the detrimental effect on his career and on his daughters. Increasingly, Freda and Duddie led separate lives.

Freda introduced her daughters to the prince and he genuinely adored them. Pempie and Angie saw so much of their mothers lover that he was soon treated as an honorary uncle whom they called Little Prince. When Freda was away, he would sit with the girls, cutting out pictures until their bedtime.

Much of London society knew about Freda and Edward, as did the Government, but the affair was kept secret from the public.

When Edwards parents discovered the truth, they were horrified, of course, seeing Freda as a scarlet woman or, in the snobbish words of King George V, the lace-makers daughter. As time went on, upset by all the gossip and suffering bouts of depression, Freda made several attempts to end the relationship, but Edward just would not let her go and used every form of emotional blackmail he could muster.

On one occasion, he wrote in terms that would give Freudians a field day: From now onwards Ill twy [sic] to teach myself to look on you only as Fredie Mummie though its going to be the hardest task of my life; [...] but I swear I will twy [sic], though a chap can love his mummie. Addressing her as little slave or parpee (puppy), there was a slavish quality to his adoration that prevented it being completely reciprocated.

There was another barrier, too  because for most of their relationship, Freda had been involved in an equally intense affair with Michael Herbert, a banker and a cousin of the Earl of Pembroke.

Dark-haired, handsome and slight, not only was Michael an eligible bachelor, he was fun to be with and had an infectious smile.

The prince, too, had additional affairs, often with women in Fredas circle. It was even rumoured that he had a fling with her youngest sister, Vera.

In 1926, Edward met, and later started seeing, a twice-married American, Thelma Furness  as well as Freda, of course. Thelma was kind and beautiful, yet she could only provide the physical comfort the prince needed, not the emotional support. Thelma recognised that Edward was a complex personality, but she never came near to understanding him  although for that there was no need, as Freda was still there, playing the role of mother confessor in his life. He continued to visit her most afternoons.

In June 1930, Freda finally divorced Duddie on the grounds of his adultery. The divorce came too late for Michael. In September 1932, he died from an abscess on his lung, bronchio-pneumonia and cerebral toxaemia. He was only 39. Freda was devastated. Her family believes that he, rather than the Prince of Wales, was the love of her life.

Now, for the first time, the prince could have been the only man in Fredas life. Yet, as with Michael, her freedom had come too late. The relationship with Edward, although intense, was already past its peak.

Today Thelma Furness is best-known for her role in introducing her fellow American Wallis Simpson to Edward. It was at Burrough Court, her country home, that the two first met on January 10, 1931.

After that, Thelma encouraged Edwards friendship with Wallis, then married to Ernest Simpson, an Anglo-American shipping broker, because she hoped finding witty guests outside of his usual circles would keep him amused.

Walliss sharp wit and repartee had piqued the princes interest more than Thelma  one of his two mistresses  had intended, however. In 1934, after returning from a trip to America and reunited with Edward at her Regents Park house, she found him polite but distant.

The next weekend, she joined the prince and the Simpsons at Fort Belvedere, Edwards home in Windsor Great Park. At dinner, Thelma noticed that Edward and Wallis had developed private jokes.

After watching her friend and lover together, Thelma knew what had happened: she had been replaced. She left Fort Belvedere the next morning, never to return.

The end of Edwards 16-year relationship with Freda was equally brutal and abrupt. After she hadnt heard from him for a few weeks, she called St Jamess Palace and was told by the operator: I have orders not to put you through.

Freda and the prince never spoke again, and she was deeply hurt by his neglect. He had made up his mind that he wanted to be with Wallis. And this time, he was not willing to listen to reason and take no for an answer. Edward was determined to make a lasting commitment, no matter how great the cost.

 Rachel Trethewey, 2018
A council that claims tackling climate change is a priority has been accused of hypocrisy after it was revealed that 387 of its 420 vehicles are diesel-powered.

Just one of Oxfordshire County Councils vehicles runs off petrol, none are hybrid and only 32 are electric.

The revelation is particularly at odds with the council's aims as Oxfordshire was previously branded Britain's 'wokest' county by critics, after its Lib Dem coalition council introduced a series of controversial new eco-policies.

Since clinching power in May 2021, the Lib Dem/Green/Labour alliance has introduced a ban on meat at council meetings and backed controversial traffic schemes prioritising cyclists - despite heavy opposition from residents.

The council introduced controversial low traffic neighbourhoods in Oxford two years ago and has plans to install traffic filters and has also promoted charging points for electric cars across Oxfordshire.

But despite councillors enforcing sweeping changes affecting the lives of car-using people across the county... they have so far failed to police their own fleet of gas-guzzling vehicles.

A council that claims tackling climate change is its priority has been accused of hypocrisy

Just one of Oxfordshire County Councils vehicles runs off petrol , none are hybrid and only 32 are electric

The authority has also sparked criticism from farmers - including Jeremy Clarkson, who owns a farm in Oxfordshire - after announcing plans to become the first council in Britain to start serving plant-based food at official functions.

Councillors behind the scheme proudly boasted, 'this is what climate change action looks like'. But the authority did little to calm criticism after finally revealing its meat-free platter.

Rather than serving up meat reared or vegetables grown in the county's many hectares of farmland, the platter contained kiwi, a fruit commonly flown in from far-flung locations including New Zealand and California, and pomegranate, which are usually grown in north Africa.

Liam Walker, who represents Hanborough and Minster Lovell on Oxfordshire County Council, said: I think many residents in Oxfordshire will find it pretty hypocritical that the coalition are constantly looking at ways to hammer motorists, yet they cant even get their own fleet of council vehicles in order.

The council really does need to focus on getting the basic services right, rather than focusing on this gesture politics we are sadly seeing more and more of in Oxfordshire now.

LTNs prevent motorists from taking shortcuts through residential streets, whereas traffic filters block cars that do not have a permit from passing through.

It was revealed that 387 of the council's 420 vehicles are diesel-powered

The gas guzzling trucks spell trouble for Oxfordshire's environmental credentials

The authority sparked controversy and criticism from farmers, including Jeremy Clarkson, who owns a farm in Oxfordshire, after it became the first in Britain to start serving plant-based food at official functions. One Green councillor, Ian Middleton, sharing a picture (pictured) of the meat-free meal however described it as an 'absolute triumph'. Others criticised the fact that the air-mile intensive feast containing kiwi, watermelon and pomegranate

The council has also been criticised over controversial Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes, which have been slammed for putting the needs of cyclists above those of careers by some protesters. Library image of a LTN in Oxfordshire

The council is also pushing a radical anti-smoking agenda, aiming to become 'smoke free' by 2025. The plans, which have been criticised as anti-free choice, will see smoking at outside bars, restaurants and offices banned and will also see the creation of spaces where people feel 'empowered' not to smoke. Pictured: Library image of people sitting in a smoking area of a pub in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire County Council plans to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on creating gender neutral toilets - despite criticism by Conservative opposition members

Councillor Eddie Reeves, leader of the Conservatives on Oxfordshire County Council has accused the council of waging a war on motorists and Liam Walker, who represents Hanborough and Minster Lovell on Oxfordshire County Council agrees

The schemes have been criticised for increasing pollution on other roads and slowing down emergency service response times.

Councillor Eddie Reeves, leader of the Conservatives on Oxfordshire County Council said: The council has been run by various assortments of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors in recent years, few, if any, of whom have any commercial experience.

Rather than taking practical steps to green the council like reviewing its fleet and dispensing with surplus estates, they have embarked instead on a war on motorists with selective low traffic neighbourhoods and camera-controlled traffic filters.

Fire engines or other specially equipped vehicles, which are more difficult to replace, make up 178 of the diesel-fuelled vehicles used by the council.

The council has ordered ten small accessible electric minibuses which are pending delivery.

An Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson said: The council is expanding its fleet charging infrastructure in line with and ahead of the fleet replacements to ensure that new electric vehicles can be utilised as soon as they are received.

Oxfordshire County Council is working towards phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles in our own fleet, ensuring where feasible all new vehicle acquisitions are zero tailpipe emission by default.

Most of the fleet vehicles operated by county council are leased, therefore in order to minimise the cost on the public purse we will undertake this transition as vehicles come up for lease renewals or reach their end of life.

The council has already begun transitioning to a zero-tailpipe emissions fleet and increasing its charging infrastructure, with 32 EVs (this comprises of 13 cars, 17 vans and two minibuses) and 46 charge points currently in place.

Funding has been agreed to replace the majority of the councils fleet with electric vehicles over the next three years in line with current fleet aging and lease expiry, this will provide the best possible financial value and reduction in emissions.

Work is underway between teams within the council to expand the councils EV charging infrastructure in line with the increase in electric vehicles.

This will involve additional charging equipment within council premises, home chargers where feasible provided by the council for staff that regularly keep fleet vehicles at their homes overnight and increased access to public charging where practical and for resilience in the case of issues with other equipment.
A Biden-appointed bureaucrat working at the top of an immigration enforcement agency has been accused of undermining its mission from within, letting thousands of illegal migrants off the hook, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Claire Trickler-McNulty, a powerful director in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), previously worked for a nonprofit organization that demanded an end to deportations and was affiliated with an 'Abolish ICE' movement during her tenure.

She has now carved out an influential role within immigration enforcement, but is using it to push her own woke agenda, while working remotely more than 2,500 miles away from the department's headquarters, according to sources on the Committee for Homeland Security.

It comes amid migrant crossing chaos at the U.S. Southwest border, with 232,972 enforcement encounters in August, up 14 per cent on the same time last year.

Republicans are now concerned that unelected mandarins are exacerbating the crisis by funneling money to anti-enforcement groups and pedaling policies contrary to ICE's mission of enforcing immigration law.

Claire Trickley-McNulty, a top official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been accused of turning the agency into a 'social services' while working from home more than 2,500 miles away from the department's headquarters in Washington D.C.

Trickler-McNulty has been accused of pushing 'soft-touch' policies amid migrant crossing chaos at the U.S. Southwest border. Pictured: A border official helps a migrant cross the Rio Grande from Piedras Negras, Mexico, into Eagle Pass, Texas

Trickler-McNulty previously worked under Andrew Lorenzen-Strait (pictured) at ICE. Lorenzen-Strait is now at the center of a corruption probe after he landed an $87million contract for a nonprofit organization to provide hotels for illegal migrants just months after he left the ICE

Trickler-McNulty, a political appointee who worked on the Biden-Harris transition team, leads the ICE's Office of Immigration Program Evaluation (OIPE), which signs off contracts relating to immigration detention.

Prior to her role at the agency, Trickler-McNulty was Deputy Director for Legal Services at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), a nonprofit organization which has previously demanded an end to deportations.

In May 2020, while Trickler-McNulty was at KIND, the group signed a letter alongside an 'Abolish ICE' group, which criticized government immigration policies.

'Abolish ICE' is a broad movement which favors social service provision for illegal migrants over detention and deportation.

Republicans on the Committee on Homeland Security fear that Trickler-McNulty has now attained a disproportionate level of influence at ICE, citing a recently published internal memorandum from former Acting ICE Director Tae Johnson stating that all contracts relating to detention programs be approved by her personally.

Committee sources told DailyMail.com that Trickler-McNulty was now using her influence to turn ICE from 'a law enforcement agency into a social services provider'.

The official is allegedly pursuing 'soft-touch' policies instead of detention and removal programs, without the public realizing, the sources said.

They highlighted the current ICE Alternatives to Detention contract, which under Trickler-McNulty has been split into three separate contracts, including one for 'community services'.

This includes services such as 'parenting education'.

Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) told DailyMail.com: 'ICE has a critical mission to fulfillenforcing America's immigration laws and removing those who have entered, or remain in, our country unlawfully.

'Unfortunately, we are finding more and more evidence to show that a select group of unaccountable bureaucrats are making operational decisions limiting ICE officers' ability to pursue, detain, and remove illegal aliens with no lawful basis to remain in the country.

'It makes no sense that individuals like Claire Trickler-McNulty, who have previously worked for organizations that advocate limiting or ending enforcement of our immigration laws, should now be setting policy governing the execution of those laws.

'We need to get to the bottom of the Biden administration's assault on immigration enforcement, and the individuals tasked with leading the charge.'

Before joining KIND in June 2019, Trickler-McNulty was Deputy Assistant Director at ICE under Andrew Lorenzen-Strait.

Lorenzen-Strait is now at the center of a corruption probe after he landed an $87million contract for an NGO to provide hotels for illegal migrants just months after he left the ICE.

He was later caught on camera appearing to refer to the deal as a 'corrupt bargain' in a conversation with conservative nonprofit group Project Veritas.

Trickler-McNulty previously worked for a nonprofit organization that demanded an end to deportations and was affiliated with an 'Abolish ICE' movement during her tenure

Former ICE official Lorenzen-Strait was caught on camera appearing to describe an $87million ICE contract he landed while working for nonprofit group Endeavor as a 'corrupt bargain'

Republicans say his relationship with Trickler-McNulty, who has final approval on detention contracts at ICE, threatens the department's impartiality

Trickler-McNulty had recently taken up her new role at ICE at the time and her relationship with her former boss is now coming under scrutiny.

Republicans on the Committee on Homeland Security are demanding all communications between the pair relating to federal contracts involving the Department of Homeland Security or ICE since November 2020.

A letter from the committee to Acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner said it was 'concerned that Ms. Trickler-McNulty's history and relationships may undermine ICE's enforcement mission'.

The letter, shared exclusively with DailyMail.com, also cited Trickler-McNulty's lack of law enforcement experience and her decision to manage OIPE while working from home, according to committee sources.

'Ms. Trickler-McNulty's lack of law enforcement experience and association with nonprofit organizations that win lucrative government contracts call into question her impartiality in ICE's contract process,' the letter, signed by Green, Dan Bishop (R-NC) chairman of the investigations subcommittee, and Clay Higgins (R-LA), chairman of the subcommittee on border security, added.

Trickler-McNulty is originally from Boulder, Colorado, and now lives in Edmonds, Washington, according to her Facebook profile, the other side of the country to the ICE headquarters in Washington D.C.

Republicans also highlighted data that they claim shows immigration enforcement has been on the decline since Biden took office.

For example, removals of illegal migrants have plunged under the Biden administration, with around 72,000 carried out in 2022, down from 267,000 in 2019.

The $87million ICE contract at the center of the committee corruption probe was awarded to the nonprofit Endeavors without a competitive bidding process in March 2021.

But the department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) subsequently found that the ICE did not adequately justify the absence of a competitive tender, while Endeavors 'had no experience providing the services' covered by the contract'.

The OIG also found Endeavors spent nearly $17million on hotel space and services that went largely unused.

ICE rejected the majority of the auditor's recommendations.

Asylum seekers cross the Rio Grande from Mexico into the United States on September 30, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas

A U.S. Border Patrol agent supervises as immigrants walk into the United States after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico on September 30, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas. The agent had cut coils of razor wire to let them pass through for processing

Republicans are investigating Security of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas (above center) over claims he has failed to enforce the nation's immigration laws

The Committee on Homeland Security's investigation into possible corrupt border contracts comes after DailyMail.com revealed that the Biden administration helped a US security firm land a vital $600million contract to stop drugs and weapons flooding the country despite its prior failings and an FBI probe into one of its former executives.

The Committee is now examining how ICE's mission is being carried out and whether it is being corrupted altogether, including any possible waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

It is part of the Committee's months-long investigation into Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who Republicans say has failed to enforce the nation's immigration laws.

Mayorkas has previously told the Committee that 'the safety and the security of the American people is our highest priority' and disputed characterizations that the border is 'open'.

Accusations that the Biden administration has gone soft on immigration come after the White House made an unexpected U-turn this week by revealing it will build 20 miles of border wall in Texas to combat the latest surge in crossings.

The stunning policy reversal followed demands from Democrat-run cities such as New York and Chicago that Biden do more to stop migrants entering their communities and straining their resources.

Biden had declared on his first day in office that building a wall - one of Donald Trump's flagship pledges - wasn't 'a serious policy solution'.

An ICE spokesman said: 'Responsibility for administering the U.S. immigration system spans multiple agencies within the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.

'Policy decisions at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are made with coordination through interagency working groups to ensure ICE is working on behalf of the public and within the confines of the law.

'ICE continues to facilitate the safe, orderly, and humane management of the U.S. immigration system alongside its federal partners.'

Lorenzen-Strait resigned from Endeavors in September. The organization has previously said that the Project Veritas video 'focuses on actions Andrew Lorenzen-Strait took after his time of employment at Endeavors' and that the organization was 'in no way responsible for his business or personal actions since he left our employment'.
Ranchers in Wyoming have slammed proposals to turn more than 1.3million acres of land into conservation areas amid fears it could decimate their livelihoods.

Farmers warned the plans could be more destructive than 'pearl harbor, the civil war and 9/11 combined'.

The proposals from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) concern the Rock Springs Management Area, a swathe of land encompassing the Red Desert, as well as the renowned hunting grounds of the Greater Little Mountain Area.

But critics say the plans could lock out hunters, as well as restrict farming, energy development and mining - effectively rendering the area 'no longer for human use'.

Now Republican Governor Mark Gordon has announced he is exploring Wyoming's options for taking legal action against the Biden administration sanctioned plan.

Lifelong rancher and Wyoming Rep. Bill Alleman has warned the proposals could have catastrophic impacts for farmers in the state

A plan from the Bureau of Land Management outlines plans for the protected areas

The BLM has already admitted the 'preferred' option from its $9 million draft is one where 'socioeconomic impacts would be largest', due to the substantial changes to land use.

It would mean 1.6 million acres of land in total end up designated as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, slashing more than 7,600 acres of available grazing land and reducing 'flexibility for live stock management'.

Ranch owner and Wyoming Rep Allen Slagle said the loss is 'enough to take out entire ranches from having any grazing'.

The Republican said: 'I have one whole pasture that if they took it up it would take most of my winter grazing away. That's really a critical thing.'

Republican Rep Bill Allemand, whose family have owned a ranch for generations, blasted the plans as part of Biden's 30x30 agenda.

The scheme seeks to conserve 30 per cent of US land and oceans by 2030 but has been dubbed a 'land grab' by politicians.

Among them are 15 Republican governors who have written to the President with concern over efforts to 'to enlarge the federal estate or further restrict the use of public lands in our states'.

Allemand said: 'This is probably the biggest disaster in the history of the United States, affecting more people than the Civil War, Pearl Harbor or 9/11 combined. I urge everyone to call the governor and stop this state-killing BLM plan.'

Hunters could also be barred from much of the area, according to hunting guide Rep John Winters, due to plans to limit off-road vehicle use to designated trails, among other restrictions.

He there would be 'significant impact' to hunting and the recreation industry in the Cowboy State.

Ranch owners and Wyoming representatives Allen Slagle (left) and Chip Neiman (right) have urged Wyoming residents to contact the governor to oppose the plans

The Bureau of Land Management, overseen by Tracy Manning-Stone (pictured), has invited the public to comment on the proposals which are being posed as one of four options for the area

Winters added: 'It will severely curtail access, even to residents [...] if it is designated wilderness no motorized vehicles will be allowed.'

Most significant would be a heavy clampdown on mineral extraction. More than 2.5 million acres would be closed to mineral material sales and almost two million acres could be pursued for withdrawal from locatable mineral entry, according to the report.

Rep Chip Neiman, a rancher from Crook County, branded the plans 'an absolute full-on effort to completely disallow the use of land'.

He added: 'You might as well have just stamped on "No longer for human use" on these lands. We know that's not functional that's not practical. We the people of Wyoming need to rise up and stand against this and support for our industries.'

The Wyoming Stockgrowers Association has also called for BLM to withdraw its plans and draw up a new alternative.

Executive director Jim Magagna, told The Fence Post that the proposed amount of ACECs is unprecedented.

He said: 'In the past, its been used for small areas that have really unique characteristics and theyre applying it to half of the Rock Springs Management Area, 1.56 million acres of ACEC and that literally puts everything at risk.

'It means no energy development, renewable or fossil fuel, either one and no mining.'

Partof this $19.5 million ranch falls within the boundary of the Rock Springs Management Area, which stretches across Lincoln, Sweetwater, Uinta, Sublette and Fremont counties in southwest Wyoming

Supporters of the plans argue that the ACECs would provide vital protection for wildlife.

Alec Underwood, program director of Wyoming Outdoor Council, said: 'With its strong protections for wildlife, cultural values, wide-open spaces, and recreation, theres a lot to be excited about in the draft.'

The BLM, headed by Tracy Stone-Manning, began a 90-day public consultation on the proposals which lasts until November 16.

It said in a statement: 'The purpose of the land use plan is to establish guidance, objectives, policies, and management actions for public lands administered by the Rock Springs Field Office.

'The plan is comprehensive and will resolve and address issues within the RSFO jurisdictional boundaries which are identified through agency, interagency and public scoping efforts.

'The BLM strives for a balance of opportunities to use and develop BLM-administered resources within the planning area, while promoting environmental conservation.'
Stunning unseen Slim Aarons' photographs have been memorialized in a new book celebrating the luxurious lives of Hollywood's elite.

The book is the ultimate and most comprehensive collection of George 'Slim' Aarons' photography and features more than 100 previously unpublished images.

It details the groundbreaking five decades of Aarons' work and begins with his fieldwork as an army photographer.

It then continues through his fledgling days in Hollywood, opening the LIFE bureau in Rome, doing fashion and travel shoots for Holiday, and finally traveling the world for Town & Country.

Slim worked between 19162006 and was among his generation's most influential photographers.

His photographs have appeared in countless magazines, including Town & Country, Life and Holiday.

The host, Slim's friend and owner of the Kaufmann House Nelda Linsk, shines in yellow at the centre of the party

North Conway, New Hampshire, a woman looks out to the snow while holding skis

Stunning unseen Slim Aarons' photographs have been memorialized in a new book celebrating the luxurious lives of Hollywood's elite

Poolside at Bouldereign, Carl Howgard's home in Carefree, Arizona, 1973 Slim Aarons is part of the collection

Sotogrande pool, Spain, in 1975 transports readers back in time through the brilliant photographs

Viscountess Harriet de Rosiere at Mougins, France, were among the subjects of the brilliant photographer

Marianne Faithful and Mick Jagger at Castletown House, in 1968 were among the glitterati who also featured

The book captures Slim's decades of work and that spanned through five decades
Sir Keir Starmer sparked a heated debate when he unveiled Labour's plans for supervised toothbrushing in schools in order to solve the problems in NHS dentistry.

The 111million-per-year plan would see teachers in areas where pupils have high rates of tooth decay supervise the morning dental routine of pupils aged three to five.

Labour wants to tackle tooth decay caused by poor dental hygiene, which is the most common reason for children aged between six and 10 to be admitted to hospital.

Figures show that 42,000 children went to hospital to have teeth removed in 2021/22, 26,700 of whom had tooth decay as their main diagnosis.

But the policy proposal for a future Labour government has has attracted sharp criticism from those who argue it is a waste of teachers time. Many are already considering leaving the profession due to high stress levels and burnout.

Tory ministers also claimed it would have to be funded Labour says it would be bankrolled by abolishing tax breaks for non-doms, which it says would raise 3.2billion.

Sir Keir said: 'People are finding it impossible to get an NHS dentist when they need one. My Labour government will not stand for millions of people being denied basic healthcare.

Backers of the move, including the UK's largest dental body, the British Dental Association, argued that investing in better dental care for young children would be vital not only for the health benefits, but also reduce strain on the NHS.

BDA chairman Shawn Charlwood said: 'Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children, so supervised brushing is a no brainer. It's a tried and tested policy that would pay for itself.'

But health minister Neil O'Brien said: 'Labour's sums do not add up. They are taking people for fools.'

And National Association of Headteachers general secretary Paul Whiteman said: 'We have serious reservations about how such a policy could work. It is not the role of teachers to be making sure children brush their teeth each day. We should demand more than window dressing from all of our politicians.'

So what do YOU think? Should teachers shoulder the burden for improving the dental care of children? Would this work? Have your say now in the comments.
In her lawsuit filed two years later she sought damages from couple Jacqueline McMahon and Timothy Hayes despite having no proof of her injuries

Unearthed court filings obtained by DailyMail.com reveal Elizabeth Hirschhorn is a serial litigant who had also tried to sue a couple over a 2017 car accident in LA

'Tenant from hell' Elizabeth Hirschhorn is a serial litigant who sued a Los Angeles couple over a car accident two years after it happened  only to be accused of lying about the extent of her injuries and having no facts to back up her case.

Hirschhorn, 55, was dubbed 'America's worst Airbnb guest' earlier this week after it was revealed that she has squatted in a guesthouse in ritzy Brentwood for over 540 days  and countersued owner dentist, Sascha Jovanovic, 61, when he tried to evict her.

Now DailyMail.com has discovered another case, filed in June 2019 over a July 2017 traffic accident, that overlapped with two other cases  one in LA over an unpaid $19,000 AMEX credit card bill, and a second in Oakland which saw her refuse to leave a two-bedroom cottage she had sublet.

Court papers revealed Thursday by DailyMail.com showed that, as in the Jovanovic case, she cited ill-health and Covid-19 regulations as reasons for her staying put in the Oakland property  despite paying no rent to owners Brian and Gordon Bishop.

Elizabeth Hirschhorn, the Airbnb guest refusing to leave a guesthouse in Brentwood Hills, LA, was unmasked by DailyMail.com. She is pictured at a Harvard reunion

Hirschhorn is currently locked in a legal battle with homeowner Sascha Jovanovic after overstaying her tenancy at the luxury rental for more tan 540 days rent-free. She is now demanding $100,000 to vacate the house

DailyMail.com unearthed legal filings that show the Hirschhorn has a history of launching lawsuits and countersuits, including a 2019 case she filed against married couple Jacqueline McMahon and Timothy Hayes over a car accident two years earlier

Approached by DailyMail.com and asked about his unwanted tenant, Brian Bishop, 58, of Albany, California, acknowledged his legal fight with Hirschhorn but said the LA case 'resonated' with him but he could not comment on what the 55-year-old received in exchange for leaving his $2.5million cottage.

Attempts to contact Hirschhorn have proved unsuccessful.

She is now facing a further legal fight after Jovanovic's lawyer pledged to file a fresh appeal in light of DailyMail.com's revelations  noting that the Oakland and AMEX cases are evidence of her acting in 'bad faith'.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, attorney Sebastian Rucci said: 'We will bring this the Oakland and AMEX cases to the judge's attention in the Los Angeles case, as her filings are in bad faith.

'We will secure a judgment against her and evict her from the Los Angeles house without paying her anything. We will also ask the judge to sanction her with legal fees.'

Hirschhorn is currently demanding $100,000 to vacate Jovanovic's guesthouse and managed to get a settlement in the Oakland case, which ended in July 2021  shortly before she moved in there in September 2021.

Hirschhorn's legal fights, which dragged out for years, left the Harvard-educated woman empty-handed  and in the AMEX case, on the hook for a $19,000 bill plus costs after an LA judge decided she was responsible for the full amount on the credit card, despite her protestations.

The car crash case, which meandered on until March 2022, ended with it being thrown out  despite multiple rounds of discovery and motions galore.

Hirschhorn sought compensation, claiming she suffered wage loss, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, and other damages, the documents show

She accused Jacqueline McMahon and Timothy Hayes of general negligence in a motor vehicle accident

McMahon and Hayes responded to her complaint denying every allegation and saying she had failed to provide any facts to back up her case. The suit was finally dismissed in 2022

She had claimed that she was hit by a vehicle driven by married couple Jacqueline McMahon and Timothy Hayes at a Los Angeles intersection in July 2017.

In the legal papers, she blames the crash entirely on the couple, accuses them of negligence and says she faced significant medical bills and was left unable to work as a result.

Hirschhorn describes herself as a writer and film producer on her Linkedin page. But she has barely worked since 2002  with her IMDB page showing her last credit was a writing gig for five episodes of The Osbournes that year.

She demanded damages from McMahon and Hayes  only for them to say she had failed to provide any facts to back up her case.

In a response seen by DailyMail.com, they said they 'specifically deny' that plaintiff was damaged in the amount alleged, or in any other amount, or in any manner whatsoever, by any act or omission on the part of these answering defendants.'

Hirschhorn was still fighting the case and the AMEX bill while living in Jovanovic's guesthouse rent-free and refusing to leave.

The AMEX case, which was initially filed in Oakland before being moved to Los Angeles, also saw Hirschhorn countersue  claiming the credit card company had not reimbursed her for a series of false charges made by a relocation company and that therefore, she was not liable.

In the end, the case was settled after more than two years of wrangling in April with Hirschhorn forced to admit that she is on the hook for $19,037.96 plus costs and ordered to repay the money in installments of $541.67 per month.

She is now facing the prospect of further legal wrangling, despite having been granted permission to stay at Jovanovic's home by an LA judge who found she had the right to be considered a tenant and enjoyed the legal right to stay on - even though she owes $60,000 in back rent for the 18-months-and-counting she has stayed since her six-month tenancy expired.

Hirschhorn has now been dubbed 'America's worst Airbnb renter' after it emerged she was demanding $100,000 to vacate the home of host Sascha Jovanovic (left)

Jovanovic's attorneys tell DailyMail.com they are now preparing their appeal in light of Hirschhorn's previous 'bad faith' legal actions after an LA judge ruled she had the legal right to stay at the property

According to the lawsuit, things took an ugly turn when Jovanovic went to do some maintenance at the guesthouse after receiving a complaint from Hirschhorn and noticed mold and water damage around the sink and water dame to a doorway which he claimed were not there before her stay

Rucci says he believes the judge misinterpreted the tenancy law and is preparing an appeal against the decision to be filed this week and is also looking at bringing a new case against her under civil racketeering laws due to her litigious past and previous tenancy dispute.

Hirschhorn's lawyers say their client should be allowed to stay due to Jovanovic's failure to get a permit for a shower in the guesthouse which he has retrospectively applied for but cannot complete without getting access to the property  which Hirschhorn has denied him.

According to her San Diego attorney Colin Walshok, that makes the guesthouse a 'bootleg' rental property  which lets Hirschhorn off the hook for $60,000 in back rent and also puts her in line to be reimbursed for the $19,000 rent she paid up front via Airbnb in September 2021.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Walshok also accused Jovanovic of harassment and insisted that the two had agreed a longer tenancy  despite Rucci pointing out he has no documents to prove it.

In the punchy statement, Walshok said: 'Ruthless unhinged landlord Jovanovic is spreading vicious fake news stories about tenant Hirschhorn to mislead the public about the many laws he broke.

'This is a malicious smear campaign about a tenant who did not do the things Jovanovic is telling the public she did.

'Jovanovic is making up elaborate false stories, false facts and false documents. He has intentionally not disclosed that he agreed to a long-term lease with the tenant outside of the Airbnb platform.

Oakland property: Court filings obtained by DailyMail.com reveal Hirschhorn was involved in a similar squatting dispute at this cottage she sublet in 2019. The case was settled just two months before she moved into her current rental

Further court papers obtained by DailyMail.com show Massachusetts native Hirschhorn was also sued by American Express over an unpaid credit card debt totaling $19,617.82 in February 2021

'It was never a six-month lease. He lies to cover up all the rent she paid and her willingness to pay even higher rent.'

Walshok did not respond to a request from DailyMail.com asking for more information about what exactly the 'false stories, false facts and false documents' might be.

When Walshok's statement was put to Rucci, he noted the lengthy correspondence between Hirschhorn and Jovanovic in the court file and added: 'Documents? That's amazing. So, I assume the emails from Elizabeth are false then? It's very detailed and you don't have to take my word for it.'

He told DailyMail.com he believes Hirschhorn is holding out for a settlement like the one she received in the Oakland case, saying: 'She countersued. If she has a claim, she will get her day in court.

'But what is your purpose for staying there right now? Your purpose is that you're hoping to get a settlement.

'Well, we're not going to push it through insurance and Sascha's not going to pay you $100,000.

'The only purpose for her being there is fundamentally because of what happens if they lose later.

'One of the judges told her  he said, well [if you lose] then you'll owe $60,000 to be paid over 10 years, and that's on you.'
A British terrorist who stored military information on James Bond-style USB cufflinks and wanted to help ISIS encrypt their communications has been refused parole.

Samata Ullah, then 34, created a 'one-stop shop' for terrorists from his bedroom in Cardiff, offering a range of guidance on how to stay one step ahead of police and security services.

The jihadi - a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin - wanted to help ISIS fighters across the world and anti-terrorism police described the scheme as the largest they had seen when he was convicted in 2017.

The trial at the Old Bailey in London was told that Ullah was traced to his bedroom following the arrest of a contact in Kenya who was allegedly planning an anthrax attack.

British counter-terrorism police tracked him down after being passed intelligence by the FBI, who had been handed the information from authorities in Kenya.

Ullah's home was raided in October 2016 and the former insurance worker was found with 30 metal cufflinks used to store extremist material.

Samata Ullah, then 34, created a 'one-stop shop' for terrorists from his bedroom in Cardiff, offering a range of guidance on how to stay one step ahead of police and security services

Judge Gerald Gordon sentenced Ullah to eight years imprisonment, and told him he would have to serve two thirds behind bars, and a five-year extended licence period.

The judge said: 'He spent effectively all of his time on his own in his bedroom.

'He had taught himself substantial IT skills, the use of which lie at the heart of the prosecution case.'

In February 2020, emergency legislation introduced after the Fishmongers' Hall and Streatham terrorist attacks ended automatic early release for terrorists serving standard determinate sentences.

This forced them to spend a minimum two-thirds of their term behind bars before being considered for release by the Parole Board.

Ullah, now 40, became eligible for his first parole hearing last year and in September 2022 was told that his appeal to be released on licence had been rejected.

The Parole Board states: 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on whether a prisoner would represent a significant risk to the public after release. It is up to the offender to demonstrate that they are safe for release, and that is hard to do.'

A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board refused the release of Samata Ullah following an oral hearing.

'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

Ullah's home was raided in October 2016 and the former insurance worker was found with 30 metal cufflinks used to store extremist material

'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing.

'Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing.

'It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.

'Under current legislation he will be eligible for a further review in due course. The date of the next review will be set by the Ministry of Justice.'

The trial heard that Ullah became a key member of a group calling itself the 'Cyber Caliphate Army' - a disparate gang of computer experts who specialise in 'hacking and writing death writs'.

One of the USB cufflinks, which Ullah had bought on a Chinese website, had a PDF version book titled 'Guided Missile Fundamentals' and another called 'Advances in Missile Guidance, Control, and Estimation.'

On a shelf at his home, officers discovered a computer disk with messages from the Cyber Caliphate Army, which helped prove his links to ISIS

The trial at the Old Bailey in London was told that Ullah was traced to his bedroom following the arrest of a contact in Kenya who was allegedly planning an anthrax attack

The first was a manual used by the US to train rocket engineers until the 1970s and the second explained the science behind missile guidance systems.

In messages, Ullah said he hoped his 'brothers' in ISIS could use the information to 'learn the basics of rocket design' as part of a plan 'to destroy or jam drones and planes'.

Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, said at the time: 'This defendant represents a new and dangerous breed of terrorist.

'He is a cyber-terrorist who deployed his, not inconsiderable, self-taught information technology skills, to further the cause of terrorism and in particular the cause of ISIS.

'All this he did from the relative safety, or so he thought, of his bedroom in Cardiff.'

Divorced Ullah, who previously held down a job in the pensions department of Legal and General, ran the scheme from the house he used to share with his mother before she moved out.

Another cufflink was loaded with an open-source computer operating system known as Linux, which is popular with computer programmers.

He hoped the programme would allow ISIS fighters to communicate anonymously online to avoid detection.

Ullah also worked on a website which was mainly in English and published 'everything about the Islamic State, fatwa [religious rulings] and articles.'

Ullah was arrested in the street in Cardiff on September 22 last year in order to stop him from deleting material on his computer.

Security services managed to track him down after Kenyan authorities, backed by US law enforcement, arrested a man called Ali Mohammad Abdi.

Abdi's mobile phone revealed an encrypted Telegram chat group which included Ullah among its members.

On a shelf at his home, officers discovered a computer disk with messages from the Cyber Caliphate Army, which helped prove his links to ISIS.

David Cawthorne, prosecuting, told an earlier hearing: 'The primary criminality involves the use of the internet and communication with others, including those involved with Daesh (ISIS).'

Evidence had to be translated and evaluated and fitted into the current laws with help from technical experts from SO15 and MI5.

One hundred officers were deployed when Ullah was arrested in Cardiff in September 2016.

Ullah is a British national who was living alone, having divorced from his wife.

On his behaviour when he was picked up, Mr Haydon said: 'The character in the virtual world is very different from the real world.

'He started off very meek and mild. In the end it dawned on him what trouble he was in. He had a definite thirst for knowledge and was clearly very committed to the cause.'

Ullah was born in Wales and had community ties in Cardiff, although he was described as a solitary character.

The senior officer said the 'vast majority' of Ullah's material had been taken off the net with help from internet providers around the world. Most of the Twitter accounts had also been deleted, he said.
A 10 million Surrey mega mansion owned by the widow of a Russian billionaire who mysteriously died after falling out with Vladimir Putin has burned to the ground.

The huge state-of-the art dream home was completely destroyed just a day after the completion of a three-year multi million pound refurbishment.

Owner Inna Gudavadze is the widow of Badri Patarkatsishvili, a one-time ally of the Russian dictator who became one of his fiercest critics - and who many suspect was assassinated.

Devastated Gudavadze, 67, had hoped to move into the stunning country pile imminently - until a huge blaze tore through it two weeks ago.

Now all that remains of the super mansion are charred walls and foundations reduced to rubble after the gigantic fire that lit up one of the UK's wealthiest neighbourhoods.

The huge state-of-the art dream home was completely destroyed just a day after the completion of a three-year multi million pound refurbishment

The mansion has been completely gutted by the blaze, which engulfed the home on September 23

Eight fire crews were drafted in to try to bring the inferno under control on September 23 - but they couldn't put it out in time and now investigators are trying to piece together exactly what happened.

The three-floor, nine bedroom property  which had taken nearly three years to construct  was destroyed within a few hours and was left a crumbling ruin.

Georgian-born Ms Gudavadze  worth an estimated 650 million  is understood to have seen the mansion in Leatherhead, Surrey, which boasted spectacular views over the North Downs, as her 'dream home'.

She was preparing to make the move from her base in London with daughters, Liana Zhmotova, 43, and Iya Arkadyevna Patarkatsishvili, 40.

The house, which had been fitted out with a cinema, a family room and a lift down to a 1million basement, part of which had been turned into a wine tasting and dining area, was built on the sprawling estate she inherited from her late husband, Patarkatsishvili.

Billionaire oil baron turned politician Patarkatsishvili fled Russia in 2000 after falling out with Putin and being accused of fraud and of attempting to organise a prison-escape of a fellow oligarch.

He moved into a manor house on the Surrey estate in 2006 and died there two years later after suffering a sudden heart attack at the age of just 52.

His death coming so soon after that of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, sparked fears that he too had been poisoned  especially as he had revealed publicly he feared hitmen were coming for him.

Owner Inna Gudavadze is the widow of Badri Patarkatsishvili, a one-time ally of the Russian dictator who became one of his fiercest critics

Badri Patarkatsishvili (right) fled Russia in 2000 after falling out with Putin

Eight fire crews were drafted in to try to bring the inferno under control

However, an inquest later ruled he was suffering from severe heart disease.

Police examined the mansion for evidence of foul play but found no evidence. But this didn't dampen suggestions that the KGB may have been involved.

The new mansion his wife had built is 300-or-so metres from the manor house where he died.

Ms Gudavadze  who at one time was the tenth wealthiest woman in Britain - declined to comment on the fire but project manager Dean Windebank told MailOnline that it is believed to have started from a parapet on top of the roof.

The construction  estimated to have cost at least 5million so far has now been temporarily halted while an investigation into the exact cause takes place.

Mr Windebank said: 'It's hit everyone very hard, a real punch in the gut after all that work and money spent.

'We were there practically there, the house was almost finished. The super structure was up, we'd just put in the belvedere tower a few weeks before, the lift shaft was in and we were starting to take down the scaffolding.

'All we had to do were some finishing touches on the portico and add some windows and doors in to some of the downstairs rooms and that was it.

'The house looked fantastic, it looked lovely and we were all really proud of the work so to see it all go up in smoke like that is absolutely gutting.

'Inna  like the rest of us  is crushed. This really was a labour of love and I think she was hoping to be moving in in a few months. I think this was going to be her dream house.

Patarkatsishvili died after suffering a sudden heart attack at the age of just 52

The new mansion (pictured, plan for the construction) Inna Gudavadze had built is 300-or-so metres from the manor house where her husband died

The house had three storeys and nine bedrooms, and was located in the heart of Surrey's countryside

'But if there's one positive to take away from this is that nobody was inside at the time and nobody was hurt.'

Mr Windebank said the house had been largely built using a 'timber frame with a nine-inch brick skin'. He added: 'Timber can catch fire and go up rapidly but whether this fire would have been as devastating if there'd been more traditional materials used, it's too early to say.

'The fire investigators are still looking at it, as are the insurers, but one thing is clear the structure that remains is going to have be flattened and we'll have to start over from scratch.

'Only the basement - we hope  can be saved.'

The mansion was built perched on a small hill overlooking Patarkatsishvili's old manor house, which Ms Gudavadze now owns and has turned into a base for her staff and security.

Workers based at the manor house raised the alarm when they spotted smoke billowing from the new mansion a little further up on the estate.

At its height the fire could be seen from some five miles away on Epsom Downs.

Neighbour Roland Davis, brother of Dragons' Den presenter Evan Davis, said: 'We were out when the fire took hold initially and came back to several fire engines parked in the tight country lane.

'You could see large plumes of smoke coming from the house but the flames were only really high for about half-an-hour or so, which I find rather strange considering the amount of damage done to the property.

'The fire must have spread very quickly because it was largely put out after a few hours. The fire crews were flying a drone over the house to help pinpoint the worst affected areas.

'They were here pretty much through the night dampening down. Inna showed us the damage to the house a few days later and it's very severe.'

Now all that remains of the super mansion are charred walls and foundations reduced to rubble

The fire is the latest mishap to befall those exiled from Russia to London's commuter belt after falling out with Putin.

Boris Berezovsky, a business partner and friend of Patarkatsishvili, was found hanged in his bathroom at his home, Titness Park, in Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire in 2013.

And just last March 66-year-old oligarch Mikhail Watford, formally Mikhail Tolstosheya, was discovered dead in the garage of his home in nearby Virginia Water, Surrey.

The cause of the blaze is so far unknown but Surrey Police say there appears to be no suspicious circumstances at this stage and the matter has been passed over to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.

A spokesman for SFRS said: 'We received a call on Saturday 23rd September around 18.00pm to a report of a fire on Downs Lane, Leatherhead.

'Eight fire engines were sent within the first hour, alongside an aerial appliance, with the first arriving at the scene around 18.10pm.

'A fire had broken out in a residential building under construction. The fire was tackled and crews began leaving the scene around 23.40pm, although some crews and appliances remained behind to monitor hot spots.'
When photographer Blair Bunting was offered the chance to fly to the edge of space in a military spy plane, he knew it would be an opportunity to capture once-in-a-lifetime footage.

The two-hour trip which took years to organize saw Blair, 41, shoot from a U-2 Dragon Lady - a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft that has been in service with the US Air Force for almost 70 years.

As well as breathtaking photos - the first commercial-quality images taken from a U-2 - Blair, who lives in Phoenix filmed sensational footage and was able to shoot a second U-2 in another first.

In his five-minute video, Blair included a behind-the-scenes shoot of what it took to get him space-ready. He can be seen putting on his space suit and going through tests before boarding the U-2, while Blair is filming. Viewers get to see him shooting a second U-2 as well as video and images of the Earth's curvature.

'We did a photoshoot at the edge of space to show the legacy of the U-2 spy plane... We told the story of the Dragon Lady through a series of images captured on the ground and over 70,000ft above the Earth,' Blair, an advertising photographer said in the video. 'It was an incredible experience that I will never forget.'

Blair Bunting, 41, went on a U-2 Dragon Lady to shoot pictures at the edge of space

Blair's incredible flight came about after he was privileged to fly with the USAF Thunderbirds, during which the pilot took him to 50,000 feet, did barrel rolls and pulled 9.4 G-force

Blair's incredible flight came about after he was privileged to fly with the USAF Thunderbirds, during which the pilot took him to 50,000 feet, did barrel rolls and pulled 9.4 G-force.

After the footage was released in 2014, Blair, who wrote a blog about his experience, was approached by a friend and former pilot of the 425th Fighter Squadron who told him '50,000ft is higher than a jetliner, but you know there's a plane that goes even higher'

After years of planning and discussions, during which time Blair had become a father, he received a text message that read: 'High flight has been green-lit.'

'I told no one of this, as mentally I could not process it... I had just been cleared to do a photoshoot at the edge of space,' he said. 'I wasn't overly excited or emotional; rather, I was stunned and in disbelief.

'While I loved the idea of what it would be like to see the curvature of the Earth and the blackness of space, there was a more cautious side of me that was incredibly terrified by it all.'

Preparation for the big day included taking extensive measurements for a special high-altitude spacesuit down to the circumference of each knuckle on Blair's hands.

'The spacesuit was tailored so that if a rapid decompression happened, the pilot's arms would stay down so that they could eject from the plane,' he explained.

'This made it difficult to photograph, as the suit fights you when trying to raise your arms with a camera. On top of this, I would have to rely on a LCD screen as the fishbowl on my head made it impossible to use the regular viewfinder. These were only some of the considerations I had to think about daily.'

Blair knew he would need to be in the best shape physically and mentally to make the most of the flight, so he quit drinking alcohol and started working out with a trainer three times a week

Blair, an advertising photographer said in the video: 'We did a photoshoot at the edge of space to show the legacy of the U-2 spy plane... We told the story of the Dragon Lady through a series of images captured on the ground and over 70,000ft above the Earth. It was an incredible experience that I will never forget'

Preparation for the big day included taking extensive measurements for a special high-altitude spacesuit down to the circumference of each knuckle on Blair's hands.

'The spacesuit was tailored so that if a rapid decompression happened, the pilot's arms would stay down so that they could eject from the plane,' he explained

In his five-minute video , Blair included a behind-the-scenes shoot of what it took to get him space-ready. He can be seen putting on his space suit and going through tests before boarding the U-2, while Blair is filming

Blair knew he would need to be in the best shape physically and mentally to make the most of the flight, so he quit drinking alcohol and started working out with a trainer three times a week.

'I'd continue this for the next six months so that my shoulders would be strong enough to combat the suit,' Blair said. 'One final thing I took on was daily meditation, suggested by one of the pilots for mental focus beyond the noise of the suit.'

Blair's life began to revolve around the project. He tested equipment and researched which lenses and cameras would be best to use.

'I was becoming more and more confident in all the pre-production behind the shoot, and finally, I received a phone call from the base that said my mission was confirmed: the flight would take place on April 14th at 11am.'

With the flight just days away, Blair headed to Beal Air Force Base where he underwent an extensive physical examination with the flight doctor.

'In the first hour of being on the base, I realized how significant this was. The gravity of what was unfolding before me really started to sink in, and there was an electric feeling in the air.

'Everyone I met was thrilled to be a part of a civilian high flight  this hadn't happened in several years... After an hour and a half of checkups, I received clearance for a high flight.'

'I was becoming more and more confident in all the pre-production behind the shoot, and finally, I received a phone call from the base that said my mission was confirmed'

After two hours, it was time to come back down to Earth. But Blair says the journey has left him with a different perspective

'In the first hour of being on the base, I realized how significant this was. The gravity of what was unfolding before me really started to sink in, and there was an electric feeling in the air'

'Returning home from this journey was different than any flight I've ever done. I had a new respect for what home was, and even though I was only gone for a little while, I had missed it dearly, he said'

Blair's wife Erin came to join him at the base, and it was time for him to get suited - in 'what felt like an oversized La-Z-Boy chair'. He was then taught how to eat, drink and urinate while in the plane.

On the big day, Blair woke at 4am 'equal parts excited, nervous and scared shitless.'

After tests and checks - which revealed the air seal in his helmet needed to be removed and replaced three times - it was time to head to the U-2.

Once integrated, Blair was brought his equipment and braced himself for the departure.

'The takeoff is far less violent than one in a fighter jet and is quite peaceful in many ways. I took the time to take in my surroundings, the world getting smaller below us. Things soon became surreal as my pilot began calling out 10,000 feet, 20,000 feet, and 30,000 feet,' he said.

'I hadn't realized how high we were until about 20 minutes into the flight when my pilot told me to look to my 9 o'clock, where we saw a commercial airliner flying at its max altitude  we were further above it than its distance from the Earth. The perspective was mesmerizing, and I took my camera out for a quick grab.

'Not long after, we caught our first glimpse of the second U-2 and started flying patterns to draw it closer to us. After about 30 minutes of flying in formation with the other U-2, my pilot and I cut him loose.

Blair's wife Erin came to join him at the base ahead of the big trip

'We circled the plane until the light hit it just right, and I fired the shutter. It only felt like minutes, but in reality, we had been up there for several hours'

'We proceeded to climb to an even higher altitude. Things started to become difficult for me to process as I tried to wrap my mind around what I was witnessing When I pictured going to the edge of space, I imagined myself feeling at ease with the idea that I was closer to the stars, and somehow closer to those that have left us. This thought couldn't be any further from the truth.

'When I got up there, I realized that all I've ever loved and ever will love was on the Earth glowing below me. Space felt empty and void of life In truth, space is merely the platform to take in Earth's natural splendor.

'Not long after the sky had darkened, the sides of the horizon started to bend, as if the pressure of the darkness above had forced them downward. At that moment, I was witnessing the curvature of the Earth I allowed myself to take it in as much as I could, but as soon as I realized it was becoming too strong of an emotion, I diverted my attention to the project.

'We circled the plane until the light hit it just right, and I fired the shutter. It only felt like minutes, but in reality, we had been up there for several hours.'

After two hours, it was time to come back down to Earth. But Blair says the journey has left him with a different perspective.

'Returning home from this journey was different than any flight I've ever done. I had a new respect for what home was, and even though I was only gone for a little while, I had missed it dearly,' Blair said. 'As with tradition, as soon as I stepped back onto Earth, they handed me a bottle of champagne and we began celebrating.

'Everyone wanted to ask questions about the flight, and all I wanted to do was thank them for their support. The truth is, it would be weeks before I could begin to comprehend what I had seen and been a part of. I'll forever be humbled by the opportunity and the trust of those around me to do this photoshoot, and I'm honored by the effort it took to bring these images to life. It was truly the journey of a lifetime.'
Hundreds of thousands of Australians are missing out on Medicare benefits which have been left unclaimed due to an issue which can be easily fixed.

A massive $225million in Medicare payments remains in the coffers of government agency Services Australia.

The unpaid benefits have been mounting up because millions of Aussies have not updated their details on their Medicare and MyGov accounts.

Hundreds of thousands of Aussies are yet to claim their Medicare (pictured) benefits as their details are not up to date on their Medicare and MyGov accounts

Figures obtained from Services Australia at the end of August show more than 954,000 Australians are eligible to receive their share of unclaimed benefits.

NSW has the largest number of residents with unclaimed repayments.

Almost 280,000 people are yet to claim almost a whopping $70million in benefits.

About 237,000 Victorians are yet to claim benefits worth more than $57 million while almost 200,000 Queenslanders are eligible for more than $44million in repayments.

Opposition government services spokesman Paul Fletcher lashed out at the government for keeping money from those that need it most.

He urged Government Services Minister Bill Shorten to 'come clean' and explain why the government is 'sitting on so much money rather than it being directed to the relevant customers'.

'Millions of families are struggling, and we have a government that focuses more on spin than substance when it comes to supporting households,' Mr Fletcher claimed.

Thousands of Aussies are yet to claim Medicare benefits worth more than $200million according to figures (pictured) obtained from the Services Australia website

Liberal government services spokesman Paul Fletcher (pictured) urged the government to release the payments to those who need it most

General Manager of Services Australia Hank Jongen said the repayments cannot be processed until recipients update their details online.

'The agency can't make payments to Medicare claimants if there isn't a valid bank account registered to their Medicare account, or if the details are incorrect,' Mr Jongen said.

'Once bank details are updated, unclaimed Medicare benefits are usually made within three days.'

Services Australia states on its website that payment will be withheld until they have the correct details from customers.

'Well hold your Medicare benefit if we dont have your bank details,' the website states.

'As soon as you tell us your bank account details, we can pay you your Medicare benefits.

'Well automatically pay any future benefits into this account once we assess and approve your claim.'

The Services Australia website states people can only claim their Medicare benefits if the agency has the correct details for the customer, otherwise the repayments will be withheld

People have been urged to update their contact and bank details on their Medicare and MyGov accounts to ensure they get their payments.

Those without a Medicare account have also been urged to set one up and link it to their MyGov account so their details are up to date.

People can also contact or visit their nearest service centre to get assistance in managing their details.

The simple workaround would allow refunds and payments to be processed and sent to recipients.
Police have reportedly wrongly labelled hundreds of alleged rapists as women in referrals to the Crown Prosecution Service - despite Home Secretary Suella Braverman's orders not to.

The scale of police adopting the self-declared gender of suspected rapists has been shown for the first time in figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

In the last four years, police forces have referred 260 'females' to the CPS to consider a rape charge, The Telegraph reports.

Another 209 alleged sex attackers have been recorded as an 'unknown' sex, which is thought to include people who identify as non-binary. Despite the Home Office insisting police should record the biological sex, it remains voluntary guidance and is down to each force.

By law, only men can commit rape. Therefore, it raises fears that self-declaring gender gets around a legal loophole.

According to CPS guidance online, rape involves penetration 'by a penis, therefore a woman can only commit this offence as an accomplice'.

It comes after a row earlier this year over trans rapist Isla Bryson (pictured) who was sent to a women's prison in Scotland before being transferred to a men's jail in the wake of an outcry

Police have reportedly wrongly labelled hundreds of alleged rapists as women in referrals to the Crown Prosecution Service - despite Home Secretary Suella Braverman's orders not to

It comes after a row earlier this year over trans rapist Isla Bryson who was sent to a women's prison in Scotland before being transferred to a men's jail in the wake of an outcry.

'I should never have been put in women's jail': Trans rapist and paedophile, 57, who sexually assaulted female prisoners during a three-month reign of terror urges government to keep transgender women out of female jails Advertisement

In a humiliating U-turn, former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said the abuser  who was born a man and only began transitioning after being charged with rape  would be moved out of Scotland's only all-female prison after just two days there.

It came after her own justice secretary Keith Brown backed the Scottish Prison Service's decision to put the transgender double rapist with female inmates in Cornton Vale.

Home Secretary Braverman has said that police should not be labelling alleged rapists as women.

Last year, she said that police forces should adopt a 'common sense' approach and earlier this year she told The Telegraph that 'in no instance' was it biologically or legally right to describe a rapist as a 'she'.

'Not only is that wrong because a woman cannot legally be a rapist, but also it's grossly insensitive and insulting to the victims of rape who are biological women,' she said.

A source close to Mrs Braverman told the newspaper: 'Only men can be rapists and official police information should be reflecting that wherever appropriate  anything else is a nonsense.'

The CPS revealed in the FoI that since 2019, about 1.5 per cent of rape suspects referred for charging decisions were recorded as 'female' by police and around 1.2 per cent were 'unknown'.

Convicted paedophile and rapist Karen White (pictured), who was born a man, molested female inmates in a three-month reign of terror at New Hall women's prison in West Yorkshire

The number of suspected rapists with an 'unknown' gender has risen from one or two a year a decade ago to 71 referrals in the last year.

In 2019, 40 'females' were referred for rape and 17 were charged. In 2020, 56 were referred and 46 charged. In 2021, police referred 81 referrals and the CPS charged 29. And last year, there were 64 referrals, resulting in 26 charges.

In the latest data available - between January and March this year - 19 'female' alleged rapists were referred to the CPS, with five charged.

The figures will no doubt increase pressure on the Government to tell police to record biological sexes rather than allow them to decide genders, as that data is repeated through the legal system.

Last week, it emerged that a notorious trans sex predator who sexually assaulted female prisoners now says she should never have been put in a women's jail.

Convicted paedophile and rapist Karen White, who was born a man, molested female inmates in a three-month reign of terror at New Hall women's prison in West Yorkshire.

White, 57, who still has male genitalia, was moved to a men's prison and later received a life sentence for a series of sex crimes. White, born Stephen Wood, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in 2018. During the case, White was referred to as a woman - and prosecutors referred to 'her penis'.

Now, in a four-page letter to a women's rights campaigner, sent from her cell at Frankland prison in County Durham, 6ft-tall White urges the Government to keep transgender women out of female jails unless they have had surgery.

White says 'all I could see was fear in the faces' of female inmates when they arrived at New Hall jail five years ago. 'They would have seen me as a man in woman's clothing and a threat to them,' writes White, who has been described as a 'towering figure in a blonde wig'.

She says 'transgender women should not be in a women's prison', adding: 'I mean all transgender women, not case by case, until they have had full reassignment surgery because it's all about the women in the women's prison and their safety should be paramount.

'Housing transgender women who have not had full surgery only continues to put these vulnerable women at risk daily and know-one [sic] should be made to feel that way in their safe environment.'
Coke - which is no stranger to bad marketing moves over its flavor - is apparently hoping on the AI bandwagon and asking consumers to try a new computer-generated flavor called Y3000 Zero Sugar.

The soda giant explains that the new drink has been built through 'human and artificial intelligence by understanding how fans envision the future through emotions, aspirations, colors, flavors and more'.

The Y3000 is available in the United States, Canada, China, Europe and Africa. Released on September 12 as a limited edition flavor, Coca-Cola is now inviting people to taste test the futuristic soda.

But, unscientific taste tests have left customers divided on the whether the new Coke hits the spot.

'It tastes like cherry cola mixed with cotton candy,' a taster named Michael said. 'It's pretty good.'

Coca-Cola decided to create a new recipe using artificial intelligence and its called Y3000 Zero Sugar

Bubble enthusiast Emmanuel told Fox News: 'I think AI-generated Coke is better than human-tried and proven Coca-Cola. This has something in it that will make me start drinking Coca-Cola.'

But many soda fanatics such as Kaycee and Mitra disagreed and said they could not figure out the new taste and preferred the original recipe.

'I can't identify the specific flavor. Kind of like cotton candy mixed with Coke,' Kaycee told the outlet. While, Mitra described it as 'tasting like medicine.'

Another sugary potion lover named Will went into detail about the futuristic drink's flavor.

'I'm feeling a little bit of strawberry, some island flavors, like a hint of papaya, a little guava in there, maybe like a hint of a mango,' he said. 'I'll give it a good 8.5 out of 10, only because I'm looking forward to more, and see what they can do with Sprite next.'

The Y3000 is available in the United States, Canada , China , Europe and Africa

Launched in 1892, the original Coke recipe is beloved and loved by many. However, some have questioned the taste of the brand's new AI-generated flavor

The Coca-Cola logo on the Y3000 bottle is made of 'fluid dot clusters that merge to represent the human connections of our future planet.'

Customers can scan a QR code on the bottle to open a website that uses the AI model Stable Diffusion to turn photos of their surroundings into images with a similar color scheme and sci-fi aesthetics. In these images, the future looks sleek and very pink

'We hope that CocaCola will still be as relevant and refreshing in the year 3000 as it is today, so we challenged ourselves to explore the concept of what a Coke from the future might taste likeand what kind of experiences would a Coke from the future unlock?' Oana Vlad, Senior Director, Global Strategy of The CocaCola Company said.

'The Real Magic brand platform celebrates unexpected connections that make the ordinary extraordinary, so we intentionally brought human intelligence and AI together for an uplifting expression of what CocaCola believes tomorrow will bring.'

A 'new' Coke formula was launched by the company in April 1985 and was set to replace the original formula, 99 years after its launch

But after nearly 1,500 complaint calls started coming in daily at the Coca-Cola office and their 800-GET-COKE phone line, the company was forced to bring back the original recipe less than 100 days later

While the Y3000 may have people divided on its taste during initial testing, Coca-Cola has not had a smooth run with all of its futuristic products.

A 'new' Coke formula was launched by the company in April 1985 and was set to replace the original formula, 99 years after its launch.

But after nearly 1,500 complaint calls started coming in daily at the Coca-Cola office and their 800-GET-COKE phone line, the company was forced to bring back the original recipe less than 100 days later.

The move has been called one of the worst marketing decisions of all time. The switch to 'new' Coke still lives on in infamy even decades later.

Then chairman and chief executive officer Roberto Goizueta said in 1995 at a special employee event honoring the 10-year anniversary of 'new Coke': 'We set out to change the dynamics of sugar colas in the United States, and we did exactly that -- albeit not in the way we had planned.'

Now, the question remains if Y3000 will last longer than 'new' Coke.
She was taken to NYU Langone-Brooklyn and is in stable condition; police are continuing to search for the suspect

The 22-year-old woman awoke to find the man fleeing the train as it pulled into the 25th Street Station in Greenwood Heights

A woman who was sleeping on a Brooklyn subway train was sexually assaulted after a man ejaculated on her face in the early hours of Friday morning

A man sexually assaulted a woman sleeping on a Brooklyn subway train early on Friday morning by ejaculating onto her face.

The disgusting act on the 22-year-old woman occurred in the early hours of the morning at about 4:20am while she was sleeping.

A southbound N train was pulling into the 25th Street station in Greenwood Heights when the man exposed his genitals and the assault occurred.

The man quickly fled as soon as the train came to a stop.

The victim was not further physically assaulted but was taken by ambulance to NYU Langone-Brooklyn. The unnamed woman is currently listed in stable condition.

A man sexually assaulted a woman on a Brooklyn subway train early on Friday morning by ejaculating on her face as it pulled into the 25th Street station

A southbound train was pulling into the 25th Street station in Greenwood Heights when the assault occurred

The victim was not further physically assaulted but was taken by ambulance to NYU Langone-Brooklyn

NYPD police have not named the suspect or released his description.

No further information about the incident has been released.

Subway crime has been labeled one of the city's major crises and though statistics say transit offenses are down slightly, even progressive Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said this summer that he was afraid for his family when they rode the trains.

'I know the statistics that transit crime is down, but when one of my family members gets on the train, I, too, get a knot in my stomach,' he told Fox 5 when asked about the perception that the subway system is becoming increasingly unsafe.

'I live here, I'm raising my family here, so we have a lot more work to do,' he added.

Major crime decreased 6.6 percent in the subway system in August, according to the city's latest crime statistics.
Twins who survived a horror bus crash on their way home from school have recalled the harrowing 40 minutes spent looking for each other among the wreckage.

Exford Primary School students and twin brothers Cadin and Ashton, 11, were on board a bus that flipped after being hit by a truck in Eynesbury, 56km from Melbourne, on May 16 at 3:40pm.

For the first time they have opened up about their recovery and how they got through the day that saw other children suffer life-changing injuries.

Ashton recalled wandering around and shouting out his brother's name while their mother was rushing to the scene on the day, all while Cadin was trapped under the bus with another student.

The two returned to school one week after the crash and have since been going on recovery camps with the non-for-profit Kids Foundation in Queensland.

Ashton (left) and Caden (right) were inside a school bus when a truck smashed into it on May 16, injuring multiple students and causing numerous amputations

Five months on the pair have said that they are still recovering from the impact and have been attending recovery camps hosted by the Kid's Foundation in Queensland (Ashton left, Caden right)

Ashton, who miraculously escaped the incident with only minor injuries, told A Current Affair that he could not find Caden anywhere after the crash.

'I couldn't see Caden get off yet so I was running around yelling where is he and it was a hard experience,' he said.

Unbeknown to his brother at the time, Caden was trapped underneath the overturned bus comforting another girl who was also unable to escape.

The boy's mother, Naomi, said that Caden had been slipping in and out of consciousness the entire time until passing tradies who came to the rescue could finally get him out as she arrived.

Naomi could not find her boys when she arrived but other mothers at the scene pointed them out to her in the crowd before she fell to her knees in relief.

I remember falling to the ground and then looked up and seen both Ashton and Caden's face and I saw the horror on their face as they were worrying about me and I thought i just have to get it together,' Naomi said.

After racing to be by their side, she was unable to figure out how to help Caden who was covered in blood and scratches.

'I just wanted to grab him and hold him but he was so cut on his face, his back, his arm and his leg, all I could do was hold his toe,' she said.

'So I got up and just made a joke about I guess were not going to footy training".'

Doctors found that Caden had a broken wrist from the impact and the boy spent days in hospital unable to open his eyes or move his mouth.

Now the twins have returned to school and Caden is still attending physiotherapy sessions, which Ashton joins to support his brother.

Caden (pictured) was stuck under the wreckage for 40 minutes as workers attempted to save him

The bus had rolled onto its side after the truck smashed into it at Eynesbury, 56km from Melbourne, trapping numerous students inside

Since the traumatic crash the twins have revealed what they would like to do in life now that they have been able to move on from their injuries.

Ashton said that he wants to be a teacher or a tradie because 'they helped us so much' on the day.

Caden will have the opportunity to meet the tradie that helped save his life at an upcoming event at the Kid's Foundation.

READ MORE: Traumatised bus driver emerges after crash Bus driver Graham Stanley bravely returned to work, a little over a day after a bus load of his young passengers were horrifically injured in the collision with a truck. Advertisement

The pair have said they want to thank all the emergency workers and unsung heroes that helped free them and their classmates from the bus.

The Kids Foundation has been holding injury and trauma recovery camps in Queensland and going to them was the first time they had been on a bus since May.

Although both children were injured during the crash, Ashton said that after going to the camp and seeing what happened to other survivors, they got off lightly.

Another student from the wreckage lost both of their arms.

Three others underwent surgery to amputate injured hands and limbs.

Truck driver Jamie Gleeson was charged with four counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury over the crash.

The 49-year-old father-of-two from Balliang, near Geelong, sustained minor injuries when his truck collided with the bus.

Melbourne Magistrates Court heard that he told police he saw a 'sudden flicker of light or sun' before colliding with the school bus.

Gleeson returned negative blood tests for both drugs and alcohol and was granted bail. He will return to court on October 18.
Wine glasses had been charged, solid silver teaspoons clinked in fine bone coffee cups and flickering candles were casting a warm glow over the gilded frames of large oil paintings as Sir Keir Starmer rose to speak.

It was late one Thursday night in January 2017, and our (then) Shadow Brexit Secretary found himself addressing guests inside the magnificent state room at the East India Club, just off London's Pall Mall.

The choice of venue sat awkwardly with his responsibilities as a member of Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet, since this private members establishment does not allow women to join. But the gathering itself was reassuringly progressive.

That's because Sir Keir was one of just over 60 smartly dressed guests supporting the inaugural fundraising dinner of a charitable organisation called the Henry Smith Club.

Named after one of the great Elizabethan philanthropists, the club had been formed three years earlier in support of a cause that - back then, at least - lay close to Sir Keir's heart.

Specifically, it provided funds to allow gifted but under-privileged young people to attend Starmer's alma mater, Reigate Grammar School, a league table-topping 22,995-a-year private school in the Surrey commuter belt.

Sir Keir, who attended RGS from 1974 to 1981, gave every impression of being an evangelical supporter of its mission to transform young lives.

It was late one Thursday night in January 2017, and our (then) Shadow Brexit Secretary found himself addressing guests inside the magnificent state room at the East India Club, just off London 's Pall Mall

An account of his after-dinner speech, published on the website of the school's charitable foundation, records that he 'spoke of his fond memories of his time at school and of the first-class education he received, which laid the platform for his successful career'.

According to his biographer, Nigel Cawthorne, Starmer also agreed to be a paid-up member of the Henry Smith Club, contributing 1,675-a-year for the privilege.

This sum, chosen because RGS was founded in 1675, went into a charitable pot. For every ten people who joined, the club would sponsor an underprivileged local boy or girl through RGS, with the school chipping in the balance of the fees.

It was a generous gesture from a man whose life's journey has, as we shall see, provided an object lesson in the transformative powers of private education.

Yet fast forward just five years and Sir Keir - who hails from a working-class family yet, for reasons I will explain, was able to attend RGS for free - has executed a volte face on the matter.

Indeed, the politician who once went to such extraordinary lengths to support his old school, and to help other children of modest means to walk its well-mown lawns, now appears intent on destroying the place.

How else, one might ask, are we to interpret his Labour Party's desire to slap VAT on independent school fees?

This highly provocative policy, which Starmer inherited from privately educated class warrior Jeremy Corbyn, will add 20 per cent to the cost of private education overnight.

Sir Keir, who attended Reigate Grammar School from 1974 to 1981, gave every impression of being an evangelical supporter of its mission to transform young lives

That will throw into chaos the financial plans of around 1.3 million parents whose children attend not only RGS (where they'll need to find an extra 4,500-a-year from post-tax income) but hundreds of schools like it.

As with any price hike, it is also likely to have an immediate impact on demand, forcing those with more modest means to abandon the sector and threatening the future of many smaller schools, along with the 328,000 jobs they support.

In the process, Starmer will make the country's 1,395 independent schools, which currently educate close to 650,000 pupils, or roughly seven per cent of the school-age population, more rather than less exclusive. He will also dramatically reduce the ability of charitable organisations like Sir Keir's Henry Smith Club to send disadvantaged children to them. Whether Starmer's tax raid will actually raise any money for the Exchequer, meanwhile, is up for debate.

Labour claims it will generate around 1.7 billion a year, to be spent on state education.

However, the party refuses to explain how the sum was calculated, or whether it has factored in the cost of schools being able to reclaim the cost of VAT on goods they buy from suppliers.

Meanwhile research this year by the think-tank EDSK found that the figure also fails to take into account the effect of some of the children being forced out of private education.

At present, each privately educated child saves taxpayers around 6,000, the amount it would cost to send them to a state school.

Under a 'best case' scenario, in which five per cent of pupils left the fee-paying sector, it would raise just 1 billion annually, while a 'worst case' in which a quarter of children leave the sector, could actually cost the taxpayer money.

One person who seems grimly aware of this is RGS's current headmaster, Shaun Fenton, who has hosted Sir Keir at a number of fundraising events.

Starmer will make the country's 1,395 independent schools, which currently educate close to 650,000 pupils, or roughly seven per cent of the school-age population, more rather than less exclusive

'Attacking independent schools won't help and is a disappointing distraction and... won't fund ambitious school improvement programmes,' he told a newspaper this month.

He added: 'I would support an increase in state school funding but this proposal may not raise any money at all, with the movement of many families out of the independent sector back to being educated at the cost of the taxpayer in the state sector.'

READ MORE: Is Keir Starmer now targeting the schools critical of his proposed VAT hike? Labour plans to charge private schools 20 per cent VAT and scrap their 80 per cent relief on business rates Advertisement

Another person who is almost certainly aware of this happens to be Sir Keir himself.

We can say so with some confidence because his support for the Henry Smith Club was by no means a one-off. Indeed, in the 2016 edition of the Reigatian, the school magazine, readers were told: 'Sir Keir Starmer MP (RGS 1974-1981) has risen up the Labour Party ranks to become Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. Keir is an ambassador for the RGS Foundation and we wish him well for his political career.'

The RGS Foundation, for which Starmer was then volunteering as an 'ambassador' is a philanthropic organisation that runs a 'changing lives' campaign which seeks 'to offer any child a place at RGS, no matter their background'. It exists to administer a 'dedicated fund', the aim of which is to 'produce sufficient income to support a wider range of deserving pupils through immediate bursarial support addressing the issue of Social Mobility in the local area'.

In 2019, more than 200 of the school's 1,100 children benefited from it. In other words, this charitable organisation, with which Starmer has been so closely involved, was created to harness the life-changing potential of the independent school sector.

That he should now be going on the offensive against that same sector speaks volumes for the cynical nature of politics. For the VAT money-grab seems almost entirely designed to ensure that members of Labour's hard-Left, with whom he has a fraught relationship, remain on-side.

Elements within the party have long harboured hostility towards parents spending money on their children's schooling.

In the 1960s, Harold Wilson's manifesto pledged to 'set up an educational trust to advise on the best way to integrate the private schools into the state system of education', and during Michael Foot's reign they sought to remove their charitable status and impose VAT on fees.

Starmer remains grimly aware of the need to retain the loyalty of more extreme factions within the Labour movement. Going after private schools is a means of achieving that

Those policies were dropped by Tony Blair, although he did abolish the 'assisted places scheme' introduced by Margaret Thatcher that saw the Government pay for 35,000 gifted pupils a year to be educated in 355 private schools. Wilson and Foot's policies were resurrected under Jeremy Corbyn, whose shadow chancellor John McDonnell supported an 'abolish Eton' motion at the 2019 party conference calling for the effective closure of all private schools.

Labour has since reined in some of its excesses, in an effort to present itself as a serious party of Government, and Corbyn has been ejected from the parliamentary party. But Starmer remains grimly aware of the need to retain the loyalty of more extreme factions within the Labour movement. Going after private schools is a means of achieving that.

'It's always hard to know what Keir thinks about anything, because he changes his mind so often, but this particular policy is about old-fashioned class war,' is how a Westminster insider puts it.

'In his heart of hearts, he may very well actually oppose the policy, and know that it's a terrible idea... but he also knows that he needs to throw red meat to his base from time to time, and this is how he's chosen to do it.'

Starmer's double standards concerning his own relationship with the private school sector appear to have begun during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions, when he was starting to consider a career in politics and when he elected to omit details of his attendance at RGS from his entry in Who's Who.

Then in 2020, when he decided to stand for the Labour leadership following Jeremy Corbyn's catastrophic election defeat, he used an interview with Schools Week, a magazine read by many Labour members from the teaching profession, to claim: 'I received a brilliant state education.'

The Labour leader, 61, (pictured with Angela Rayner (left) and Rachel Reeevs) did indeed join RGS when it was a state grammar school. In fact, he was the first (and only) member of his family to pass the 11-plus exam

The remark was at best misleading, as a glance at Starmer's early history makes abundantly clear.

READ MORE: Labour faces backlash over plans for supervised toothbrushing in schools in bid to fix problems in NHS dentistry Sir Keir Starmer's plans would mean that teachers in areas with high tooth decay would need to supervise the morning dental care for pupils aged three to five Advertisement

One of four children of tool-maker Rodney, and his wife Josephine, a nurse, the Labour leader, 61, did indeed join RGS when it was a state grammar school. In fact, he was the first (and only) member of his family to pass the 11-plus exam. Yet in one of the great ironies of political history, his chances of a better education were almost immediately thrown into peril by the Labour Party, whose education secretary Anthony Crosland had in the 1960s begun the process of trying to 'destroy every f***ing grammar school in England. And Wales and Northern Ireland.'

In September 1976, when Starmer was entering his third year at RGS, Labour's then-education secretary Shirley Williams - who by the by was a product of St Paul's Girls', one of London's swankiest private schools - instructed local authorities to abolish selective state schools.

The governors of RGS responded by re-launching the school as a fee-paying establishment.

This decision devastated Starmer's working-class parents, who could not afford to pay bills. But after they had joined a vigorous lobbying campaign championed by affected families, Surrey County Council agreed to pay for all existing pupils at RGS to continue their studies up to O-level.

Then came a second lucky break. Over the ensuing two years, Reigate flourished as an independent school, with a reputation for academic rigour and excellent teaching. With many nearby comprehensive schools regarded as basket cases, hundreds of local parents were therefore prepared to make considerable financial sacrifices to enrol their children at RGS.

That success gave its then headmaster, Howard Ballance, the financial means to set up a system of highly generous bursaries that would allow gifted but under-privileged children to attend for free.

Sir Keir was the beneficiary of such an award. Not only was he hard-working and academic, but he also displayed a talent for music.

He played recorder, flute and piano and learned violin in class with RGS contemporary Norman Cook, who later found fame as the DJ Fatboy Slim. He also attended Saturday lessons at London's Guildhall School of Music.

By the time he'd reached sixth-form, Starmer had worked his way through the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards Scheme.

As his contemporary Andrew Sullivan, now a high-profile columnist in the U.S., has recalled, this glittering track record led to him being given a free education at RGS. 'All of us were grandfathered in until we left,' he has recalled. 'Neither Keir's parents nor mine paid a cent. If we'd been forced to pay, we'd have both been forced to leave.'

One of the private schoolmasters who did most to change Starmer's life was a Latin teacher named Aubrey Scrase, who played a key role in setting up RGS's generous bursary and scholarship programme, which today assists around one in five of its pupils.

When he died, in 2016, an Aubrey Scrase scholarship fund was created 'to support disadvantaged children from the local area'.

To celebrate its launch, more than 200 former pupils gathered for a memorial service at the school where - according to an account of proceedings in the school magazine - pupils sang a medley of Gilbert & Sullivan and Mozart.

Afterwards, headmaster Shaun Fenton 'led everyone in a heartfelt rendition of the school song, To Be A Pilgrim'.

The guest of honour, Sir Keir, took to the stage and 'asked everyone to raise their glass in honour of this truly great Reigatian' by uttering Mr Scrase's catchphrase 'a fitting toast of 'silly sod'.'

As they contemplate the damage Labour's VAT policy will wreak on Reigate Grammar School and hundreds of schools like it, many former pupils will no doubt today be using the same words to describe Sir Keir.
The duo are facing a slew of charges related to the grisly discovery, including murder and tampering with a corpse

After paramedics could not find her baby, authorities say they visited her home and found the child in a car in her backyard

An Ohio mother and her 19-year-old daughter are facing a slew of criminal charges after allegedly suffocating a newborn and dumping the child in the trunk of her car.

Basma Abdul Karim Alkelezli, 36, gave birth on September 20 before allegedly placing her baby in a trash bag and enlisting her daughter Hanan Ahmad Al Jabouli, 19, to hide the body.

She then placed the infant in an orange five-gallon bucket and hid it in her car, prosecutors claim. In court on Friday, she admitted she could hear the baby crying from inside the car.

The tragedy was discovered on September 20 when paramedics with the Norwich Township Fire Department responded to reports of a medical emergency, later finding that Alkelezli had just given birth but was not cradling her child.

While Alkelezli was rushed to hospital, police visited the home and discovered a newborn baby in a car in the backyard, according to NBC4.

Both women face a slew of charges and have pleaded not guilty. Alkelezli was set bond at $2 million, and her daughter's bond was set at $1 million.

Basma Abdul Karim Alkelezli, 36, gave birth on September 20 before allegedly suffocating the newborn and enlisting her daughter to hide the body

Hanan Ahmad Al Jabouli, 19, is facing a slew of charges alongside her mother, including aggravated murder, murder, strangulation or suffocation, endangering children, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence

Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Cory Helffrich said that Alkelezki eventually told officers she was pregnant, but admitted: 'They were moving homes and the baby would have been more expenses.'

Helffrich also claimed that she told officers she did not even look at the baby and placed him in a trash bag seconds after she gave birth.

When paramedics were first warned of the medical emergency, a person - seemingly her daughter - urged officers to rush to the home, but made no mention of her having given birth.

'My mom is not waking up, I don't know what's going on with her,' they told 911 in a call released by Hilliard police.

Reports indicate that emergency responders found she was actively bleeding, but took her to the hospital without initially realizing she had given birth.

After it was determined by prosecutors that Al Jabouli had helped her mother, Helffrich claimed that she admitted to placing the child in a trash bag and then the five-gallon bucket.

'(She) admitted she could still hear the baby crying from inside the trash bag,' the prosecutor added.

It quickly became apparent she had done so, including having a recently cut umbilical chord, according to reports.

An officer also noted there was a language barrier between her and the medics, possibly leading to the delay in discovering she had given birth.

Alarmed medics alerted police after it became apparent the newborn was unaccounted for, with cops first searching the house to no avail.

After they moved to the back of the property and looked inside a vehicle parked in the backyard, where they made the horrifying find of the child abandoned but still alive.

Officers quickly began administering aid to the infant before taking him to Nationwide Children's Hospital, where he was tragically pronounced dead.

A coroner determined that the baby had been born healthy before it was killed, according to Helffrich.

Paramedics rushed to the home after reports of a medical emergency, rushing Alkelezli to hospital before realizing she had given birth - but her infant was unaccounted for

Neighbors said emergency responders administered CRP and chest compressions to the child to no avail, while a huge police presence descended on the property

The family members were indicted by a grand jury on Friday, and now face a slew of grisly charges related to the death of the child.

They are charged with aggravated murder, murder, strangulation or suffocation, endangering children, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. They pleaded not guilty during an Ohio court appearance on Friday.

Before their indictment this week, the mother and daughter were arrested on September 22 on charges of abuse of a corpse.

The Hilliard Division of Police Chief Mike Woods told reporters that officers were left shaken by the alleged crime.

'All of the officers that are here, most of them are parents, a couple of them here have newborn children,' he said.

'Its very tough on them. Im proud of them for pushing through it.'

A neighbor who witnessed paramedics trying to save the infant's life told WSYX that a huge police presence descended on the home, and saw the child carried off by a stretcher.

'They were doing compressions, you could tell by the way they were handling the situation that it was a very small person,' they said.
A rogue landlord made the subject of Britain's longest lettings ban this week who was once jailed for harassing tenants has claimed renters 'love me' - despite damning photos showing the shocking conditions families were forced to endure.

Nilendu Das, 55, was given a ten-year ban on letting out properties after city council officials took him to court - with inspectors saying his rentals were some of 'the most dangerous' they'd ever encountered.

Sheffield City Council accused Mr Das, who was once jailed for harassing tenants, of having a 'long history of operating and managing extremely poor quality housing.'

This included houses with huge piles of rubbish outside, graffiti covering the walls and holes in the ceiling.

The Indian restaurant owner has now been added to the Rogue Landlord Database and is subject to the longest letting ban in the UK. He owns multiple properties in the Crookes area of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Nilendu Das, 55, was given a ten-year ban on letting out properties after city council officials took him to court - with inspectors saying his rentals were some of 'the most dangerous' they'd ever encountered

Images showed properties with mountains of waste piled outside

But when asked about the ban, Das hit back at Sheffield City Council and said: 'My tenants think I am the best. One of my tenants said I was a good leader - they just love me.' He went on to threaten to 'go rogue'.

Photos from some of the properties Das rented show piles of rubbish outside and inside the homes, including large bikes, sacks of garbage and possessions.

Another home sees a large hole in the ceiling, while one property has huge graffiti painted all over the walls.

Parts of his properties were shown to be filthy, with dangerous fittings hanging from the ceilings.

But Das instead accused the city council of renting out dangerous accommodation.

Earlier this year, the council were found to have tenants at risk due to failures to carry out gas safety checks in hundreds of homes.

The authority reported itself to the regulator last November, confirming more than 800 checks were overdue.

Das also insisted it was problem tenants that have trashed his houses: 'I've had c**p living in my house. They have damaged it, ruined it and all sorts of things yet I'm getting the blame for it.

'It's not just me, other landlords have the same problem. But the tenants all love me as a landlord and said I'm the best - but the council have a different mind.

One house inspected by the council had large graffiti painted all over the walls

Another contained a gaping hole in the ceiling - yet Das says his tenants all 'love him'

Other images showed piles of waste inside the property, as well as a filthy hob

The insides of cupboards were found to be filthy by council inspectors

Inspectors also found dangerous fittings among the many issues, which they said placed tenants at risk

'Look how poorly the tenants are living in council flats compared to my properties.

'They have leaks and are waiting for works to be done. What about the dangerous conditions in council flats?

READ MORE: Rogue landlord who packed 40 desperate tenants into one four-bed house is banned from letting out properties Advertisement

'Tenants put at risk from carbon dioxide, almost killing elderly people which have to be moved out immediately. Is that dangerous living compared to my properties?'

He went on to claim he has 'the upper hand', but gave no basis for his comment, given he cannot rent out any of his properties for a decade.

Das was convicted of putting tenants at serious harm from fire and exposing them to substandard and dangerous conditions in their homes.

He was ordered to pay over 7,000 in court costs and fines for a list of housing offences as well as health and safety offences at his restaurant.

Das, who has previously been jailed for harassing tenants, was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order in March 2021.

But the rogue landlord boasted he's been told he's 'famous', adding: 'It's time to show [the council] I'm rogue and put my foot down. It's time to show that I'll go rogue - the council are making me go bad.

'They've ruined my reputation but it doesn't bother me, seriously. I don't care at all, but it's bothering other people like my family and workers.'

Cllr Douglas Johnson, chair of Sheffield City Council's housing committee, said Das' 'properties were some of the most dangerous properties' seen by the council.

He said: 'The length of Nilendu Das' banning order reflects the seriousness of his actions and his flagrant disregard for fire safety and the safety of his tenants.

'We are very happy to see his name on the Rogue Landlord Database.

'Mr Das has a long history of operating and managing extremely poor quality housing and has been prosecuted numerous times by the council.

'This latest prosecution has come as a result of Mr Das' continuation of the most severe housing offences.

'His properties were some of the most dangerous properties ever seen by the council's enforcement staff.'
Birmingham Council has launched a probe into fake notices which advertise 'crack and heroin zones' across the city.

The purple signs have been plastered around the city centre and appear to announce areas where the Class A drugs are 'permitted'.

The posters feature the logos of West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council, meaning that they look official.

They were stuck onto posts, street furniture and telephone boxes overnight on Thursday - including outside Birmingham New Street station.

Locals woke up to signs spread throughout the city on Friday morning.

The bogus signs read: 'Crack and heroin zone. The sale & use of Crack & Heroin is permitted in this area.'

Bogus posters have been put up in Birmingham, advertising 'crack and heroin' zones

One Reddit user said a poster had been put up on a graffitied wall in the central Digbeth district

One Reddit user said a poster had been put up on a graffitied wall in the central Digbeth district.

They said: 'Next time someone on this forum asks for recommendations for a date/day out/good time etc, just send them straight to Digbeth...'

Another sign was put up on a phone box near Grosvenor Casino in Hill Street, Birmingham Live reports.

According to Birmingham Council, around 7,000 people are currently accessing drug treatment services within the city.

The council says the sharing of needles has been reduced by 50 per cent since 2008.

Meanwhile figures from charity Change, Grow, Live published at the end of last year show that 7.8 out of 100,000 deaths are drug-related in the city. The national average is five.

A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said: 'We are aware of posters suggesting drug taking is permitted in parts of the city centre, which is not the case.

'Where identified, these posters have been removed and the matter is being investigated by the council and West Midlands Police.'

MailOnline has contacted West Midlands Police for further comment.
A 'freaked out' tenant has been left desperately searching for answers after a strange orange object began to grow inside her rental home.

The woman spotted the dark orange coloured protuberance sprouting from the corner of a window sill in her home.

The object - which appears to be filled with dust and grime - seems to have a flame-coloured surface that is inwardly bent.

An Aussie renter 'freaked out' after she spotted a strange orange object (pictured) growing inside her rental home

Part of the grimy object is seen extending outwards in front of the window.

The concerned renter who was unable to identify the bizarre object uploaded a picture to Facebook seeking answers.

She was treated to several responses from users who saw the funnier side of her frightening dilemma.

'It's The Upside Down,' one user said in reference to an alternative universe on the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, a land which houses rock particles and alien species.

'It's what I thought too when I first saw it... but please not in my house,' the woman replied.

'I was going around cleaning all windows and window sills and came across this,' she said.

'I've never seen this before.'

While other users said they were creeped out by the unusual specimen, some said that the object was a sign mould was building up inside wooden materials.

'I had this recently, it means water has got in and the wood is rotting basically,' one user said.

'My whole window frame had to get replaced  glass was nearly falling out when the builder checked it, because you could push your finger right through the wood. It was that bad.'

The object is a type of fungus which could have formed inside the wood while the property was constructed.

Karl Coppen, special projects and operational manager at MouldMen, a company that specialises in the removal of mould from homes, said the fungus had built up over time.

Mr Coppen told Yahoo the mould-like substance could have developed due to moisture which can allow it to grow quickly.

'When we see these kinds of growths, it's generally when there is a good chance of moisture,' he said.

An expert says the grimy flame-coloured object (pictured) is a type of mould which could have formed due to moisture on the surface of wooden materials inside the home

'The higher the moisture, the quicker something can spore like this.'

Mr Coppen said it's not known if the substance is toxic as there are over 100,000 different species of mould.

A lot of them need to be anlaysed through lab tests to determine how harmful they are.

'There is a lot of noise about black mould being particularly toxic and some of the dark moulds are more of a risk to health,' Mr Coppen said.

He said the fungus may have occurred due to collection of water particles which had caused moisture to build up in a dry part of the home leading to the growth of the substance.

Mould affects around 70 to 80 per cent of Australian homes.

Most homes are affected by mould which grows on wet surfaces when moisture builds up on a surface

The bacteria grows through tiny spores which are not visible to people and usually forms on a surface where there is moisture.

The spores which are airborne attach themselves to the moisture before it begins to grow on the wet surface, causing the build up of mould.

People can avoid the growth of mould indoors by allowing a good amount of sunshine and fresh air into their homes.
A school board member in Arizona has filed a lawsuit alleging rules prohibiting her from reciting Bible passages at official meetings are a violation of her free speech rights.

Heather Rooks, an elected member of the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board, sued the district in the lawsuit filed in Arizona federal court last week.

According to the complaint, Rooks had taken to reciting a Bible verse during the portion of the meeting where members can offer comments of their choosing, as means to 'fortify herself to perform her official duties'.

But Rooks says she felt 'felt compelled to stop quoting scripture' after receiving a letter from the district warning her that doing so violates the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion.

In her suit, Rooks seeks unspecified damages, and a court decision upholding her right to recite Bible passages during the board comments period as protected speech.

Heather Rooks, an elected member of the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board, has filed a lawsuit alleging that a district rule prohibiting her from reciting Bible passages at official meetings is a violation of her free speech rights

A spokesperson for the Peoria Unified District told DailyMail.com the district had been served with the complaint on Thursday.

'The district is reviewing the claims with legal counsel and will respond within the timeline outlined in the applicable rules of procedure,' the spokesperson added.

Attorney Andy Gould at the First Liberty Institute, which is representing Rooks alongside law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, said in a statement: 'Heather takes her responsibilities serving the parents and students in her community seriously, and quotes Bible verses as a source of courage and strength in performing those duties.

'Like so many dedicated public leaders throughout our history, Heather most certainly can use inspirational quotes from religious, historical, and philosophical sources and figures as a source of personal inspiration, as well and encouragement to the community at-large.'

'I am grateful to be a part of the Peoria Unified School board,' said Rooks in her own statement.

'As a member of the school board, I understand the weight and significance of all of our decisions, and simply find quoting scripture out loud to be encouraging to myself and to many in attendance,' she added.

Rooks, a mother of four who ran for the Peoria school board on a campaign for parents' rights, began her term in January 2023.

She says that since the beginning of her tenure, she has opened her remarks during the board comments period by quoting a short scripture from the Bible.

Rooks, a mother of four who ran for the Peoria school board on a campaign for parents' rights, began her term in January 2023

The headquarters of Peoria Unified School District is seen above

'At the beginning of her comments, Rooks would often recite a brief Bible versea simple quotation without elaboration or further comment,' the lawsuit states.

'Each time Rooks recited a scripture, she chose the verse to solemnize the occasion and fortify herself to perform her official duties,' the suit adds.

In her suit, Rooks cites US elected officials from George Washington to President Joe Biden, who have also quoted religious scripture in public remarks, arguing that doing so is part of a longstanding tradition and a protected form of speech.

'Rooks' use of quotations from a sacred and historical textthe world's best-selling bookto solemnize public occasions and fortify herself to perform her official duties fits comfortably within a longstanding, well accepted tradition,' the suit argues.

'This Court should declare its lawfulness and dispel the threats that have forced Rooks to suspend her practice of it.'

Rooks' attorneys say that the Peoria School Board acted after receiving letters from 'anti-religious organizations' demanding the district prevent her from reading scripture.

One of the groups that protested Rooks' Bible quotations, Secular AZ, issued a statement slamming her lawsuit as 'another in a long string of bullying behaviors aimed at intimidation of the Board, a usurpation of legitimate authority, and an enforcement of Christian nationalists' dogma.'

'Courts have continually ruled that prayer is not permissible at school board meetings because of the importance of maintaining secularism in schools and the risk of pressuring impressionable students, who often attend meetings,' the statement added.

'The fact that presidents and legislators reference scripture is irrelevant.'

The case is 23-cv-02028 in US District Court for the District of Arizona.
The female of the species is more deadly than the male, Rudyard Kipling suggested. In Ukraine, the exploits of a certain Griselda would seem to bear that out.

Last autumn, Griselda was in the vanguard when the Ukrainian army burst through Russian lines during the Kharkiv counter-offensive, winning back hundreds of settlements and more than 10,000 sq km of occupied territory.

She also played a crucial part in the tracking, targeting and elimination of at least three Russian army generals by long-range missile strikes.

Hundreds of ordinary Russian soldiers who had gathered in a barracks in occupied territory were killed or wounded in another successful operation in which Griselda participated.

But her superpowers can also be used to save lives. This summer Griselda helped rescue hundreds of civilians at risk of drowning or starvation following Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

But who is Griselda? Or, rather, what is Griselda?

Griselda is the codename for an automated military data-intelligence system developed, and run, by a hand-picked group of Ukrainian civilians with computer gaming and other IT backgrounds.

Click here to see the exclusive full report on the Daily Mail's YouTube channel.

Fighting back: Richard Pendlebury (left) is shown how the Griselda system works by Oleksii Teplukhin

Before the invasion Griselda did not exist. It was set up in extremis, to assist Ukraine's beleaguered armed forces strike faster, harder and further against the Russian invader.

The project's co-founders, two forty-somethings called Oleksii Teplukhin and Dmytro Shamrai, first met 14 years ago through their love of fantasy-themed board games. Now Griselda allows them to play a daily game of life and death against the Russian military machine.

Mail cameraman Jamie Wiseman and I were recently allowed access to the Griselda HQ in Kyiv. We can now tell some of her remarkable story.

Perhaps the most celebrated example of academics, eggheads and other puzzle-solvers being brought together for a wartime intelligence mission occurred at Bletchley Park in England during World War II.

The Victorian mansion and estate in Buckinghamshire was then home to the Government Code and Cypher School. Their speciality was the interception and analysis of enemy communication traffic.

With the outbreak of war, Bletchley Park's staff swelled from a few hundred to several thousand - mostly civilians - led by intellectual luminaries such as Alan Turing. They were able to crack the German codes, allowing the Allies to read Axis powers' signals almost in real time.

To assist this work, the Bletchley Park codebreakers built Colossus, now regarded as the world's first programmable, electronic, digital computer system.

The resulting intelligence arguably shortened the duration of the war.

The Griselda HQ in Kyiv is no Bletchley Park and Griselda herself is a very different creature from Colossus. But there is an undeniable historical, technical and motivational connection between Turing's pioneers at Bletchley and the occupants of the rather scruffy top-floor suite that Griselda calls home.

Griselda's co-founder Oleksii Teplukhin was part of that peacetime scene and ran his own IT company which was involved in a number of projects, including software development for a gambling firm. His partner Dmytro Shamrai was a well-known social activist

'I don't think I'm a geek,' Teplukhin says. 'I ride a motorcycle, I ride a snowboard. I can't call myself a geek but maybe others will think so.'

The open-plan apartment, with kitchen diner, is devoid of decoration and a little untidy, as one might expect of a place where IT guys hang out. The only clues as to what happens here are the open laptops, a whiteboard covered in programming notes in Ukrainian and the mantelpiece of the fireplace on which are displayed a deactivated rocket-propelled grenade warhead, a rocket launcher case, a gas mask and a bayonet.

There are only three people in the room. Two of them are wearing shorts, all are bearded and in stockinged feet.

The internet age allows Griselda's software developers and operators - some 50 in total, both male and female, none older than 45 - to work remotely across Ukraine and in several other friendly countries.

Before the invasion Ukraine was already a centre of excellence for software development, particularly in the gaming sector.

Boosteroid, the largest independent cloud gaming provider in the world, has its development team based here. Last spring, tech leviathan Microsoft announced a ten-year agreement with Boosteroid to bring games such as Call Of Duty to the platform.

Griselda's co-founder Oleksii Teplukhin was part of that peacetime scene and ran his own IT company which was involved in a number of projects, including software development for a gambling firm. His partner Dmytro Shamrai was a well-known social activist.

On the otherwise empty bookshelves of the Griselda HQ there is a stack of the kind of fantasy-themed board games - including Eldrich Horror and a version of Game Of Thrones - which brought the founders together.

I ask Teplukhin if he considers himself to be a geek. 'I don't think I'm a geek,' he replies, defensively. 'I ride a motorcycle, I ride a snowboard. I can't call myself a geek but maybe others will think so.'

Shamrai, who is wearing a camouflaged bucket hat, explains: 'It was in the first days of the invasion and we could hear the Russian artillery on the edge of Kyiv. To drown out that sound, we cranked up the gangsta rap we were listening to on our music player'

This scenario is analogous to the Ukrainian military's struggle at the start of the invasion to collect, analyse and act upon the millions of pieces of intelligence data that were coming in from myriad different sources, every day

The question is a little unfair. Teplukhin's skull is shaven and decorated with a large geometric tattoo. He helps target Russian forces for a living.

READ MORE: What the trench fighting of Ukraine war is really like: The inside story of RICHARD PENDLEBURY and JAMIE WISEMAN'S unprecedented access to the Ukrainian front lines, 400 yards from the Russians in scenes eerily reminiscent of WWI Richard Pendlebury on patrol with Ukrainian Special Forces soldiers in front line trenches Advertisement

He is most certainly not your average office IT guy.

In the first week of the invasion. Teplukhin packed his family off to Western Europe and joined the army to make what looked to be a last stand against overwhelming odds. But almost at once, he began to get requests from the embattled authorities to provide specialist IT help, not least by his board-gaming friend Dmytro Shamrai.

'Dima worked in Kyiv city hall on different tasks and some of these tasks were related to IT, Starlink [the satellite broadband service], the internet and so on, and he asked me to join them,' says Teplukhin. 'When [it became clear] that Kyiv would not fall . . . and that I'm definitely not so useful as a serviceman, I agreed.'

Along with Shamrai, Teplukhin was put in charge of a small team that would grow into the Griselda project.

Very soon, they recognised what Teplukhin describes as a 'huge problem' undermining the effectiveness of Ukrainian military operations. From the start of the invasion, Ukraine was outmatched by Russia by every military metric, possessing only a fraction of the manpower, tanks, aircraft, artillery, air defence and electronic warfare capability that Putin's army had at its disposal.

But there was another serious shortcoming. Imagine a 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle being emptied onto a large table in front of you. You are told you must complete the puzzle not in days or weeks, but minutes or seconds.

And there is a further challenge. Some of the pieces you need are laid out on other tables in neighbouring rooms. But the doors to those rooms are locked and you don't yet have the keys.

This scenario is analogous to the Ukrainian military's struggle at the start of the invasion to collect, analyse and act upon the millions of pieces of intelligence data that were coming in from myriad different sources, every day.

Such information was being stored by a number of computer programs that were not integrated, or with different departments or formations in the field that had no means of sharing the knowledge. Sometimes vital intelligence was not used at all.

Similarly, analysis of battlefield situations was being carried out by servicemen sorting documents manually and using office spreadsheet-style technology.

Such work might take days to come to a useful conclusion, by which time the tactical requirements could well have changed.

Ukraine did not have that time to spare. And so the civilian super-techies were called in. Codename Griselda began to take shape.

'It evolved very quickly, because we worked mostly 24 hours a day,' says Teplukhin. 'That's all we did, except sleep and eat.'

But why did they decide to call their project Griselda?

Shamrai, who is wearing a camouflaged bucket hat, explains: 'It was in the first days of the invasion and we could hear the Russian artillery on the edge of Kyiv. To drown out that sound, we cranked up the gangsta rap we were listening to on our music player.

'At that moment the question of what to call our new project was asked and we looked at the music player and saw the rap was by a group called Griselda. So that's how we came up with the name.'

Within a few weeks of this fraught conception, Griselda was born.

Griselda is the codename for an automated military data-intelligence system developed, and run, by a hand-picked group of Ukrainian civilians with computer gaming and other IT backgrounds

Teplukhin uses his whiteboard to explain how she works. The first stage of the process is the collation of all available intelligence. The sources can be broken down into five distinct categories.

IMINT stands for Imagery intelligence and includes pictorial data collected by satellites, drones, or cameras of any kind.

SIGINT or Signals Intelligence, the Bletchley Park speciality, comes from all kinds of enemy communication interception.

HUMINT or Human Intelligence is data provided by men or women on either side of the frontlines, including secret agents and civilians in occupied territory.

OSINT, or 'Open Source Intelligence', is data collected from social media and websites.

CYBERINT is the results of penetration of enemy databases.

On its own, each source is useful, but can be one-dimensional.

The Griselda platform automatically processes and integrates all the available data to provide the most accurate three-dimensional picture of what is happening on the ground at a given location.

Teplukhin gives an example of how this could play out.

A Ukrainian grandmother is living in a village in territory occupied by the Russian military. A Russian rocket launcher vehicle enters her village and is seen by Granny.

Using an encrypted messaging app on her mobile phone - most Ukrainians have these installed - she relays her sighting and the location to her son on the other side of the frontline. He in turn passes on the information to the Ukrainian military.

The project's co-founders first met 14 years ago through their love of fantasy-themed board games. Now Griselda allows them to play a daily game of life and death against the Russian military machine.

A Griselda operator is now tasked to analyse Granny's report, and does so by drawing on all the latest intelligence information held on the platform for that village and the surrounding area. The operator looks at satellite images, footage from drones and indiscreet chatter on a Russian Telegram channel used by its frontline soldiers.

This done, the operator assesses Granny's report as being 'highly credible' and passes his analysis, including a Griselda 'visualisation' of the target location, back to the military. As a result, a suicide drone is launched from the Ukrainian frontline. It finds the rocket launcher at the edge of Granny's village and destroys it.

The average time for a Griselda operator to be given such a 'task', type in the coordinates and produce their report or 'ticket', is only 27 seconds, the Griselda team claims. That is the time it takes Griselda to complete that 3,000-piece jigsaw.

Ukrainian battlefield units can access the Griselda matrix using logins and passwords. Unsurprisingly, the Russians have tried to do the same.

'We faced cyber-attacks from the second month of our existence,' says Teplukhin. 'At that time, no one [was supposed to] know about Griselda, but the Russians knew and tried to attack us, [though] unsuccessfully. They are not stupid guys.'

The 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, Ukraine's biggest battlefield success to date, was the first time Griselda was used in a large scale, fast-moving operation.

'Every few hours our 'customers' from military squads asked us to send them information about the next territory . . . the next ten kilometres, the next ten kilometres, the next ten kilometres . . . And [so the advance] continued,' says Teplukhin.

He is less forthcoming about more specific targeting operations, such as those against very senior Russian officers.

According to the Ukrainians, 15 enemy generals and one admiralhave been killed since the invasion. Griselda was involved in several of these strikes, we have been told by defence sources.

'I'm sorry, I cannot tell you details about our military operations,' says Teplukhin when asked to confirm this. He also declines to comment on Griselda's role in a missile strike on a barracks housing several hundred Russian troops, saying, 'that's too sensitive'.

But Griselda doesn't just help wreak havoc. She has assisted in a number of humanitarian operations. When in June the Russians blew up the Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper river, some 600 sq km of land was flooded and tens of thousands of civilians were caught up in the aftermath.

The breach was unexpected and, at first, rescue attempts were disjointed and haphazard.

'Volunteers from Kherson asked us to create a [data processing] system, to save people who were stuck in first floors of buildings in flood territory,' Teplukhin explains. 'It was extremely urgent because many of these people were [facing] not their last days, but their last hours.'

Within ten hours, the team had created an app they call 'Griselda Evacuation'. This collated all the rescue requests that were being put out on social media and other platforms, weeded out those that were already resolved or fake, then prioritised those that were not.

'Because, to save a dog is important, but to save 25 old ladies and men who are stuck on the first floor in their building is much more important than the dog,' Teplukhin says. 'Our app was involved in more than 800 rescues.'

Teplukhin says it shows how Griselda can be put to any number of complex tasks, far beyond war-fighting. The volunteer team is now looking for investors and partners 'from friendly countries' in order to expand.

In turns deadly and beneficent, Griselda will live on, well beyond the war that created her.
A man who killed a mother-of-two before setting her on fire at a home in Virginia has been convicted of first-degree murder and arson.

In August 2022, Richard Montano, 48, killed Silvia 'Kelly' Vaca Abacay, 40, believing her to be his ex-girlfriend.

Montano had laid in wait for his ex to return to her Fairfax home, but he ended up killing one of her friends, Abacay, who had also been staying in the apartment instead.

Montano - who now faces life in prison - stabbed her before setting fire to her body to hide the killing.

Abacay, who was married and had two children, a 14-year-old daughter and a 17-year-old son, had been visiting from Bolivia and staying at the home of Montano's ex, Fatima Via Rojas.

Silvia 'Kelly' Vaca Abacay, 40, was killed in a case of mistaken identity

Richard Montano, 48, has been found guilty of first-degree murder and arson in the case involving the killing of Silvia 'Kelly' Vaca Abacay, a 40-year-old mother of two

The trial included evidence that showed Montano entering the apartment that afternoon as he prepared to kill Rojas, his ex-girlfriend, after their eight-year relationship had come to an end.

Ring camera footage from a neighbor's house showed Montano entering her apartment several times during the preceding month without her knowledge.

He had most recently been in the house ten days before the killing.

When a neighbor heard screaming and banging from across the hall, they called 911 four times the fateful afternoon.

At the trial, jurors could hear Abacay's scream echoing in the 911 call.

'He quite literally went for the jugular. Listen to the pain and anguish in Silvia's voice as she is screaming for her life,' prosecutors said during the trial, according to NBC Washington.

'The screaming and banging continued for 15 minutes that Silvia Abacay endured a violent attack that left Apartment 101 in carnage.'

One detective testified how the attack was so violent there were blood stains running down the walls.

When emergency services arrived, police officers saw smoke coming from the apartment.

Montano was caught on doorbell camera visiting the apartment ten times before the killing

Neighbors hear banging and screaming as Abacay was brutally beaten and stabbed

Inside, they found Abacay on fire and with multiple stab wounds to her upper body.

'He lit a body on fire to cover up a gruesome murder. A gruesome murder of the wrong person. He murdered the wrong person and now he needs to cover his tracks,' prosecutors said during the trial.

First responders extinguished the fire and attempted to provide life-saving measures, however, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Medical examiners found Abacay had been stabbed at least ten times on her face, head and neck and subsequently died from multiple 'sharp and blunt force wounds' incurred before she was set on fire.

Montano fled out of a back window and went back to his home in Arlington, Virginia, where he was arrested later that day.

Abacay was found on fire and with multiple stab wounds to her upper body

Prosecutors believe that Montano mistakenly thought Abacay was his ex-girlfriend when he killed her, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano

Prosecutors believe Montano mistakenly thought Abacay was his ex-girlfriend when he killed her, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano.

'As Commonwealth's Attorney, I've seen considerable crime scenes and photos, but the photos from this case stood out in terms of the victims' injuries,' Descano said. 'This case exhibited some of the most disturbing crime scenes I've ever encountered.

'The body was so burned that the medical examiner wasn't even able to maybe accurately count how many wounds Sylvia had. That's the level of violence we saw in this case,' said Descano.

The jury deliberated on Thursday for just three hours, before returning a guilty verdict.

'Nothing is gonna bring Sylvia back. She has a husband and two teenage kids. There's always going to be pain there for them, but my hope is that this puts them on the path to healing somewhat,' said Descano.

Abacay had been stabbed at least ten times on her face, head and neck and subsequently died from multiple 'sharp and blunt force wounds' incurred before she was set on fire.

Abacay's friends described her as a great friend, mother and person who was always the life of the party

'While we can't bring Silvia back, we can ensure that Montano doesn't pose further threats to the public,' he added.

Abacay's friends described her as a great friend, mother and person who was always the life of the party. A GoFundMe was set up to help her children in the short term.

'Kelly was friendly and full of joy, and always there to help others,' her friend Jose Luis Landivar said in the GoFundMe posting. 'She was loved by so many, and will be deeply missed. Her family and friends are heartbroken at their loss.'

'I was in shock, I couldn't believe it,' said Yerin Ronero, Abacay's friend to Fox 5. 'I just couldn't believe it. The person who did it is a friend of ours. We've known each other for a long time. It's just shocking.'

Montano now faces faces up to life in prison at his January 2024 sentencing.
The owner of Britain's biggest hotel chain has told staff that 'male menopause' can 'affect trans and non-binary people'.

Whitbread, the parent company of Premier Inn, Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, also says that men experiencing 'menopausal' symptoms are entitled to special considerations such as flexible working.

The FTSE 100 company tells workers in its menopause policy that men can suffer 'physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms that relate to testosterone deficiencies', which is 'commonly known as the male menopause'.

Its listed symptoms for male menopause include mood swings, insomnia, hot flushes, loss of sex drive and erectile dysfunction.

Whitbread, the parent company of Premier Inn, also says that men experiencing 'menopausal' symptoms are entitled to special considerations such as flexible working

The company, which also owns Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, tells workers in its menopause policy that men can suffer 'physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms that relate to testosterone deficiencies', which is 'commonly known as the male menopause'

The guide states: 'As with all elements of menopause, these symptoms can also affect trans and non-binary people.

'Line managers should consider a variety of approaches.

'This may include workplace adjustments, where a man identifies that he is suffering from symptoms, which impact his wellbeing and performance at work.'

Earlier this year Janet Tidmarsh, head of diversity and inclusion for Bedfordshire-based Whitbread, said: 'The menopause is a key part of our robust diversity and inclusion strategy.

'We're so proud to be on our journey to being accredited as a Menopause Friendly Employer.'

A spokesman for Whitbread said: 'As a diverse and inclusive employer, our workplace policies take into account the evolving needs of all the people who work for us.

'Everyone experiences life changes differently and we want to best equip our managers to support people in all stages of life in order to help them live and work well.

'The information in our guide has been taken from the NHS website.

'Whilst we recognise there may be alternative labels for what is commonly-referred to as the male menopause, there are real people with NHS-recognised symptoms that are relevant for us to share with our teams. '
Ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been heckled outside an early voting booth after casting his 'No' vote in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.

Mr Abbott was pursued by a Yes supporter and repeatedly told he was 'on the wrong side of history' after emerging from an early polling station at Penrith in Sydney's west.

'Always on the wrong side of history, Tony,' the heckler said to Mr Abbott's back as he walked down stairs taking him away from the poll site.

The former PM has been ardent in his opposition to the Voice advisory body, saying that it would deepen a sense of victimhood that has become entrenched in Australia, while being a long-time supporter of constitutional recognition of First Nations people.

Watch the moment former prime minister Tony Abbott was heckled repeatedly after voting No in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.



For the latest news, visit https://t.co/sIxWrEXusH pic.twitter.com/TRVYrZqVKS  SBS News (@SBSNews) October 6, 2023

Ex-PM Tony Abbott was heckled outside of a polling centre after he confirmed that he had voted No for the Voice to Parliament referendum

The heckler berated Mr Abbott upon leaving the polling place, telling the ex-PM that he was 'always on the wrong side of history'

Mr Abbott has been ardent in his opposition to the Voice, saying that it would only deepen Australia's sense of victimhood

What began as a casual discussion about his glasses quickly devolved into Mr Abbott quickly leaving the scene after a Yes supporter began chastising him.

'I suppose I didn't need my glasses to write N-O, but I've done it,' Mr Abbott told one person before the heckler appeared.

READ MORE: Ray Martin labels the No campaigners as 'dinosaurs and d***heads' The senior journalist gave a candid speech alongside Anthony Albanese. Advertisement

'Always on the wrong side of history, mate,' the man shouted at Mr Abbott.

Mr Abbott has been a leading supporter for the No campaign on the Voice proposal, along with current leader of the opposition Peter Dutton and fellow former Prime Minister John Howard.

But all have been supportive of constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.

The former PM, who created an Indigenous Advisory Council of prominent Indigenous representatives while in office, had delivered speeches around the country, sometimes evoking the words of civil rights leaders, to campaign against the Voice.

At an Institute of Public Affairs event in Perth on August 9, he outlined the reasons he would be voting 'No'.

'Citing  the wonderful words of Bob Hawke back on Australia Day in 1988, "We are a country with no hierarchy of descent. We are a country with no privilege of origin",' Mr Abbott said.

'Citing the immortal words of Martin Luther King from an earlier generation, "I want to live in a country where my four children are judged not by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character".

'My absolute desire is that we can go forward as one equal people and that's why I'll be voting No. Because I absolutely reject any suggestion that there is something fundamentally wrong with this great country, Australia.'

Mr Abbott said if the Yes campaign for the Voice was successful, it would 'entrench victimhood in our constitution forever'.

In 2013 while he was still in office, however, Mr Abbott appeared at the annual Garma Festival to discuss Indigenous recognition.

'I want to say that as far as I am concerned, one of the most important things that any new government could achieve is the final recognition of indigenous people in the Australian constitution,' he told the crowd at the time.

'Indigenous recognition would not be changing our constitution, but completing our constitution.'

Mr Abbott also endorsed the Recognise campaign in 2015, which sought to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the preamble of the Australian constitution.

Both Mr Abbott and Mr Howard have said that Australia was 'lucky' to have been colonised and that the British settlement was beneficial for the country.

Building on the momentum, the Uluru Statement from the Heart was created in 2017 which served as the starting point for talks about the referendum.

In 2013 however, the then-prime minister said that the constitution would only be 'completed' when Indigenous recognition was enshrined in the document while speaking at the Garma Festival (pictured)

Australians have started voting in the referendum, with next Saturday October 14 the final day to vote Yes or No to both recognised First Nations people in the constitution and establish an Indigenous advisory body to the Australian parliament.

This will be the first referendum Australia has had since 1999.

The most recent Newspoll suggested the Yes vote would fail 36 to 56 per cent.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cast his vote early in the historic Voice to Parliament referendum from his home electorate of Marrickville.

'Yes for recognition, Yes for listening, Yes for better outcomes,' Mr Albanese wrote in a social media post, accompanied by a photo of him putting his vote into the ballot box alongside his son Nathan.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cast his vote early in the historic Voice to Parliament referendum from his home electorate of Marrickville
Harriel was pronounced dead at the scene after he was found under used clothes on the floor of the vehicle

After police pulled over to help him jump start his car, they discovered the bullet-riddled remains of Kemp Harriel, 26

A stranded driver found himself quickly facing murder charges after asking police for a jump, a mistake that led them to find a bullet-riddled body in his vehicle.

Jihad Gasaway, 23, was arrested on Tuesday after he pulled into a ditch on Interstate 80 in Iowa, where patrol officers found him trying to restart his car.

An arrest report claims 'after an initial investigation', Gasaway produced a handgun from his pocket, which led to a search of his vehicle.

Under a layer of dirty clothes in the passenger seat vehicle, cops discovered the body of Kemp Harriel, 26, who was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.

Jihad Gasaway, 23, is facing first-degree murder charges after a body was found in his broken-down car when police gave him a jump start

Kemp Harriel, 26, was discovered in the passenger side of Gasaway's car under dirty clothes. An autopsy determined he died as a result of two gunshot wounds fired at close range, and the death was ruled a homicide

Gasaway's broken down Chevrolet Malibu was first reported in a ditch at around 6am. He asked police to help jump-start his car, and told them about the handgun.

The search led to the discovery of Harriel, and Gasaway was taken into custody. Police put him in an Iowa State trooper's car, where he cops say he repeatedly pleaded: 'Please be okay.'

Under questioning with the Poweskiek County Sheriff's Office, Gasaway told officers he covered Harriel because he 'thought he was very cold.'

'(I) kept him warm because we were both cold, I just waited for police,' he said, according to the arrest report.

'I didn't know (victim) was gone until I watched the police eyes and read his lips that's when I started crying in the car. He was alive and talking to me.'

Officers noted that despite his insistence, Gasaway 'did not notify anyone of the male subject inside the vehicle', 'did not call 911 to request medical assistance', and did not tell troopers about Harriel until they found his body.

The grisly discovery came after Gasaway's car broke down on the side of the road on Interstate 80 in Iowa, where he asked troopers to help him jump-start it

Tributes have poured in for Harriel following his tragic death, where friends described him as always making 'sure everyone had a good time' and was the 'life of the party'

When he was asked if Harriel was alive when the car went into the ditch, Gasaway claimed he was, and coldly responded that the two men had 'got into it.'

Investigators later determined the shooting happened on the passenger side of the vehicle, finding a 9mm shell casing in the front floorboard and two bullets inside the front passenger door.

Examinations of the shell casing also found that it had been fired by the same gun found on Gasaway, per the arrest report.

In an autopsy the next day, it was found that Harriel died as a result of two gunshot wounds fired at close range, and the death was ruled a homicide.

Gasaway was initially only charged with abuse of a corpse, before the death was ruled as a homicide. He was charged with first-degree murder on October 5.

Harriel's friend Alexus Mae paid a heartbreaking remembrance post to the 26-year-old, saying he 'did not deserve' the grisly death

Harriel was remembered by many as a fun-loving person, with a fundraiser set up to pay for his funeral costs saying he was the 'type of person who made it his mission to make you smile'

Tributes have poured in for Harriel following his death, with friend Alexus Mae posting on social media that he 'did not deserve this.'

'I am having such a hard time processing this,' she wrote.

'You were always so kind hearted and genuine always kept it 100 with me. One thing for sure you made sure everyone had a good time around you and you were always the life of the party. You will forever be missed and loved! RIP Kemp.'

A GoFundMe has also been created by his loved ones to help pay for funeral costs, which noted that he was 'loved by many.'

'He left his mark on anyone who ever met him. The most giving and kind soul always looked out for his loved ones and his friends,' the fundraiser continued.

'He was someone that cherished relationships and showed out. The type of person who made it his mission to make you smile.'
The police chief who was caught out wearing a Falklands War medal despite only being 15 at the time of the conflict is facing further pressure to resign after new images called his explanation into question.

Northamptonshire Chief Constable Nick Adderley, 57, who was once tipped for a top job at the Met, is now being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The police chief has been previously described in press releases and an interview with online police magazine Police Oracle as a Falklands veteran with ten years of experience in the Navy.

But after it was pointed out he was 15 at the time and being accused of 'misleading' the public, Chief Constable Adderley said he was given the South Atlantic Medal by his older brother when he emigrated to Australia.

A second medal relating to service in Northern Ireland, which he has also been accused of wearing, was given to him by another sibling, he said.

The 'stolen valour' allegations show no sign of abating, however, as the Sun reports fresh photos now purport to show Adderley's brother Rick wearing the medal while in Australia in 2020, seven years after Adderley claims it was given to him.

It led Falklands veteran Rear Admiral Chris Parry to last night slam the police chief as a 'complete fraud'.

Chief Constable Nick Adderley, 57, has been previously described in press releases and an interview with online police magazine Police Oracle as a Falklands veteran

A photo from 2020 appears to show brother Rick wearing his Falklands medal - despite Adderley claiming he was given it in 2013

Rick Adderley, 59, was 18 at the time of the Falklands War and served in the Royal Navy before joining Australia's Queensland Police in 2013.

Photos from a ceremony in which he collected a bravery award in 2020 appear to show him wearing the same medal the Chief Constable claims was given to him.

His brother, the 165,000-per-year police chief, initially defended himself saying he is 'very proud of his Cadet, Royal Navy and Police Service' and that he also wears medals awarded to his brothers.

'I wear all my medals with pride and have always worn the two medals my brothers gave me to wear when one became critically ill and one emigrated, alongside my own.

'Having been made aware of this complaint, which has a private family impact upon me personally, I immediately took advice last week regarding the protocol and have changed the side of my chest on which these medals are worn.

'I look forward to providing the IOPC with a fulsome response at the earliest opportunity and I fully appreciate that they have a job to do.'

The police watchdog is looking into allegations of potential misrepresentation of his military service, as well as communications with the commissioner. The probe could lead to him being hauled in front of a misconduct hearing.

The married father-of-two is featured in photos which show him wearing the medal at a string of events over the years, including the Police Bravery Awards this July.

'Stolen Valour' is the term commonly applied to the act of wearing military medals or decorations that have not been earned with the intent to deceive.

It is not an offence in the UK for individuals to wear medals or decorations that they were not awarded - but it is an offence to wear a military medal without permission, according to the UK Parliament's briefing on Stolen Valour.

The Chief Constable is seen wearing the South Atlantic Medal at an official police event

Adderley has worn the medal to multiple events over the years since his brother's emigration

Adderley pictured at the funeral for PC Nicola Hughes in October 2012

Constable Adderley pinned the 1982 campaign medal to his chest  despite not joining the Royal Navy until two years later

Chief Constable Adderley is understood to have enlisted in the Navy in 1984 aged 18 - two years after the Falklands War ended. He was in the cadets from the age of 15.

The Sun reported that a Northamptonshire Police press release stated he served 10 years in the Navy, including in the 1982 Falklands War. The release has since been deleted.

READ MORE: Veterans demand police chief be sacked for wearing Falklands War medal despite never actually taking part Advertisement

But an article on Police Oracle repeated the claims: 'He is as enthusiastic now about policing as when he joined Cheshire Constabulary in 1992 after being in the Royal Navy for ten years, during which time he served in the Falklands War.'

It has now been claimed Adderley actually joined the Navy in 1984, having been in the cadets since 15, and left in 1986, and that he served as an enlisted sailor rather than an officer.

The Sun also spoke with a former colleague of Adderley, Robert Gallagher MBE, who said the policeman told him he fought on an aircraft carrier in the Falklands War.

Mr Gallagher, who is a senior forensic officer with 24 years experience in the police, noticed is said to have noticed the medal at a ceremony in 2014.

He told the paper: 'I noticed he had a Falklands medal, as I have, and asked him who he served with down south. He said Royal Navy and he was on a carrier.

'At no time did he say it was his brother's and I am 100 per cent certain of that, otherwise I'd have picked him up on why he was wearing it.'

Tom Herring, chairman of the South Atlantic Medal Association, told MailOnline that Adderley must have been aware of the rules around service medals, and the tradition of wearing medals of loved ones on the opposite side of the chest.

He said: 'He should have known better. Everyone in the armed forces knows campaign medals awarded to someone else should not be worn on the lefthand side.'

He has also been pictured wearing a General Service Medal with a Northern Ireland clasp, despite never serving in the country. It is thought the medal belongs to his other brother Dave, 53.

The IOPC reportedly launched its probe after receiving a tip-off from the local Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner.

Chief Constable Adderley was previously referred to the IOPC after the death of Harry Dunn, 19, who was struck while riding his motorcycle by a car driven by US citizen Anne Sacoolas, who then fled the country.

Adderley described the family's spokesperson as a 'problem' and posted on Twitter describing their legal battles: 'How sad but how predictable'.

Two months later he apologised to the family.

The married father of two, 57, (left) is now being investigated by the police watchdog for wearing the medals at various events

British soldiers during the Falklands Conflict in June 1982, at which time Nick Adderley would have been 15

He also sparked a backlash after he said officers may have to search shopping trolleys during the Covid lockdown if the public flout the rules.

Chief Constable Adderley warned that police could soon have to snoop on shoppers or impose road blocks to check people were leaving their homes for only essential reasons.

The Northamptonshire Police chief claimed the public had enjoyed a 'three-week grace period' and said his force will now be issuing 60 fines and arresting those caught outside without a good reason.

He said: 'We will not, at this stage, be setting up road blocks.

'We will not, at this stage, start to marshal supermarkets and check the items in baskets and trolleys to see whether it's a necessary item.

'But be under no illusion, if people do not heed the warnings and the pleas I'm making today, we will start to do that.'

After his comments, Chief Constable Adderley came under pressure from the National Police Chiefs Council, which issued a press release saying: 'The Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police has clarified his earlier statement about police checking people's shopping, confirming that this will not happen.'

Chief Constable Nick Adderley has been contacted for comment.
This comes one day after he was named for first time

Australia's alleged worst pedophile has been rushed to hospital with facial burns after a fellow inmate doused him with boiling water.

Ashley Paul Griffith, 45, was taken to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with burns after another inmate at Wolston jail allegedly attacked him on Friday.

Griffith was allegedly assaulted in unit S3 at around midday by another inmate who tipped boiling water on his head.

It's understood the water may have been combined with jam to make the burning effect worse.

The alleged attack comes just days after Griffith was on Tuesday named for the first time since being charged for allegedly sexually abusing 91 young girls over the past 15 years at childcare centres.

Ashley Paul Griffith, 45, (pictured) has been rushed to hospital on Friday after another inmate at Brisbane's Wolston Prison doused him with boiling water

Griffith is facing 1,623 child abuse offences after allegedly assaulting young girls at childcare centres in Brisbane, Sydney and overseas between 2007 and 2022.

He has been charged with 136 counts of rape and 110 counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10.

It is alleged that at least 23 of his alleged victims were aged between one and five.

Griffith's identity was unmasked for the first time on Tuesday after a change in Queensland law allowed the identity of those accused of sexual assaults to be identified prior to being committed to stand trial.

He had already spent a year in the protection unit at Arthur Gorrie jail, where he had gained a job in prison industries.

Once his identity was revealed, prison officers moved him into a detention unit for his own safety after other inmates became aware of what he had allegedly done.

He was intermittently placed into the 'special management unit' at Arthur Gorrie before being transported to Wolston.

'Unit s3 is for the most protected prisoners that make the media and the worst sex offenders,' an officer told the Courier Mail.

A Queensland Corrective Services spokeswoman confirmed to the publication that a prisoner assaulted two other prisoners at Wolston.

'One prisoner was assessed by medical staff on site with no treatment required and the other has been transported to hospital for further assessment,' she said.

'No officers were injured in the incident.'

The incident has been referred to the Corrective Services Investigation Unit of the Queensland Police Service.

The inmate is thought to have mixed jam with the boiling water, which causes the effects of the burn to be worse

Court documents reveal the extent of the heinous allegations against Griffith.

Police will allege Griffith raped one of his victims 28 times and sexually abused another 54 times.

Another young girl was allegedly raped 27 times and sexually abused 34 times, the court documents state.

A third girl was allegedly raped eight times and abused 24 times over three years.

If convicted of all offences, Griffith would be considered the worst pedophile in Australia's history.

Earlier this year, Daily Mail Australia revealed Griffith boasted about his childcare experience and discussed how he helped children 'develop their identities' in a now-deleted online profile.
A San Jose police union official dubbed the 'Breaking Bad' grandma and accused of dealing drugs out of her office, could be talking about a plea deal in her case and helping investigators.

Joanne Marian Segovia, 64, was the executive director of the San Jose Police Officers' Association and was charged with attempting to unlawfully import fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.

Legal sources have told The New York Post that the 'wheels could already be in motion' to find a bargain between the accused and the officials as Segovia's hearings in her federal case continue to get postponed.

It's unclear what the terms of a potential plea deal could include or who could be a target of the investigation.

Segovia has previously pleaded not guilty in court and has claimed that the operation was being run by her housekeeper who is a 'family friend' who suffers from a substance abuse problem, as per the Homeland Security Investigations report.

Joanne Marian Segovia, executive director of the San Jose Police Officers' Association, was charged with attempting to unlawfully import valeryl fentanyl from her home

Segovia is seen pictured with her husband Dom, it remains unclear if he was aware of the operation. Multiple loving photos of the pair appear on social media

She allegedly imported illegal synthetic opioids from India and other countries and at least once used her work computer and address (pictured) and the union's UPS account to ship the drugs within the country

'She even told one of the neighbors the case had been dropped,' a source told the Post.

She is currently free on bail, does not wear her ankle monitor and has not made an appearance in court since her first hearing in March 2023.

If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison. Her lawyers have not commented on a potential deal.

In at least one instance she is accused of using her work computer and address and the police union's UPS account to ship the drugs within the U.S.

Her ex-husband Doug Evans, 66, previously told DailyMail.com he was shocked to learn of the prosecutors' allegations against his wife.

'I can't believe that she would be involved in a smuggling operation,' he said in an exclusive interview from his Indiana home.

'I just can't believe that's her. She never broke the law in her life. She just wasn't that type of person. She wouldn't even get a traffic ticket.

Their marriage ended in 2000 before Joanne went on to marry her current husband, Dom Segovia.

She appears in multiple pictures with her grandchildren, Jennifer's kids

Segovia has worked for the union since 2003, planning funerals for officers who die in the line of duty, being the liaison between the department and the officers' families and organizing office festivities and fundraisers

Tom Saggau, a spokesperson for the police union in San Jose, said Segovia has worked for the union since 2003, planning funerals for officers who die in the line of duty, being the liaison between the department and the officers' families and organizing office festivities and fundraisers.

'We didn't have any reason to suspect her,' he said, adding that the union's board of directors has pledged to fully support the federal investigation

Federal prosecutors said that in 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a parcel being sent to her home address that contained $5,000 worth of Tramadol, a synthetic opioid and sent her a letter telling her they were seizing the pills.

The next year, the CBP again intercepted a shipment of Tramadol valued at $700 and sent her a seizure letter, court records showed.

Federal officials did not start investigating Segovia until last year when investigators found her name and home address on the cellphone of a suspected drug dealer.

The dealer is part of a network that ships controlled substances made in India to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Segovia used WhatsApp messaging service and her personal and office computers to order thousands of opioid tablets and other pills to her home and agreed to distribute the drugs elsewhere in the United States, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors say in 2021, Segovia shipped the illicit drugs to a North Carolina address by using the police union's UPS account. That address is linked to at least five illicit drug seizures, as per prosecutors.

'Based on my training and experience, I know that shippers of controlled substances often send receipts and tracking numbers as proof that they in fact sent a package,' David Vargas, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigation, wrote in the affidavit

Investigators found hundreds of photographs in a WhatsApp chat on her cellphone, including an image of the UPS shipping slip

Investigators found hundreds of photographs in a WhatsApp chat on her cellphone, including an image of the UPS shipping slip and another one of a computer screen showing a PayPal payment to an Indian name and Segovia's police union business cards under it.

'Based on my training and experience, I know that shippers of controlled substances often send receipts and tracking numbers as proof that they in fact sent a package,' David Vargas, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigation, wrote in the affidavit.

'I believe that the receipt provided by Segovia was offered by her as proof that she sent a package to the North Carolina addressee.'

According to the complaint, Segovia continued to order controlled substances even after being interviewed by federal investigators in February.

Federal agents also seized a parcel in Kentucky, containing valeryl fentanyl, addressed to the accused.

The package allegedly originated from China three days earlier and declared its contents as a 'clock,' prosecutors said.

Segovia appears in multiple pictures with her grandchildren, daughter Jennifer's kids, as well as loving pictures with her husband on her social media accounts.
Is it a puma? Is it a leopard? Whatever it is, filmmakers have uncovered an image of a 'big cat' stalking the British countryside.

The large feline was snapped in Kent and its neck muscle, ear shape and tail is not that of a domestic breed, experts claim.

It is thought it could be latest evidence of big cats in Britain and could be a rare dwarf breed known as a 'pumapard'.

They are a cross between a leopard and a puma or cougar  and have previously been born in captivity.

Both male cougar with female leopard and male leopard with female cougar pairings have produced offspring.

The large feline was snapped in Kent and its neck muscle, ear shape and tail is not that of a domestic breed, experts claim

The photo, taken in 2013, has been unearthed by makers of the new documentary Panthera Britannia Declassified.

It has the experts split, with several claiming it shows something different to your typical pet moggy.

Andrew Hemmings, associate professor of Equine Science at Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, said its dimensions suggest it is not a domestic cat.

He said: 'The developed neck musculature and curvature of the tail both suggest something other than Felis Catus.

'Scaling is difficult but this does not appear to be of adult leopard size.

'It is, however, entirely plausible that populations of leopard-sized felids could have become smaller over multiple generations, maybe in response to natural genetic selection imposed by a prey-base of smaller animals such as rabbits.

'It would make good evolutionary sense to adapt to a plentiful, low risk species such as the rabbit.'

One theory of how big cats arrived in the UK is the unregulated exotic pet trade of the last days of the British Empire.

Leopards were imported from Africa and Asia and pumas or cougars from the Americas.

Experts believe both species were released into our countryside.

Appearing in the documentary expert animal tracker Rhoda Watkins, speculates that this could possibly be a 'pumapard'.

Sarah Hartwell, owner of website The MessyBeast, said: 'The puma and leopard hybrids were smaller than either parent, but most seemed to have died as juveniles so we don't know their final size.

'The ear shape is the big giveaway. Big cats all have rounded ears.

'Domestics, and their relatives in the Lybica family, have triangular ears  wide at the base and narrowing at the tip.'

Monster hunter James 'Bobo' Fay agrees with Professor Hemmings.

He said: 'I've seen four mountain lions in the past month; I see them all the time in California.

'It possesses characteristics associated with the North American cougar. It's definitely not a bobcat.

'The tail looks cougar-like to me and it seems more muscular than a domestic cat, but my overall impression is that I'm looking at a large domestic dominant hybrid.'

Big cat researcher Kevin Steele runs the Real Big Cats In Kent Facebook group.

He said: 'There have been numerous sightings of big cats in Kent now over several decades.

'I know the location where the photo was taken and sightings are reported from that area quite often.'

Panthera Britannia Declassified by Dragonfly Films is available to buy and rent on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Google TV.
Exhibition of ancient paintings in Cyprus showcases China's rich heritage

Xinhua) 10:48, October 07, 2023

People visit the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition in Nicosia, Cyprus, Oct. 5, 2023. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)

NICOSIA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Annita Demetriou, speaker of the Cypriot House of Parliament, lauded the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition on Thursday as a testament to China's rich heritage.

The exhibition was opened on the sideline of the Nicosia Book Fest, one of Cyprus' largest cultural events organized by the Prometheus Research Institute. The book festival will open officially on Friday, with China as the Country of Honor.

Demetriou said that this exhibition showcases China's rich heritage, emphasizing humanity and drawing inspiration from nature.

The exhibition displays a collection of over 12,000 Chinese paintings spanning various historical periods.

"The connection between Cyprus and China goes beyond politics and economics; it is rooted in mutual appreciation for each other's rich history and cultural heritage," the speaker said.

The Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings, a collaborative project by Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, features works on various materials, including paper, silk, brocade, damask and linen, sourced from 263 museums and cultural institutions worldwide.

People visit the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition in Nicosia, Cyprus, Oct. 5, 2023. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)

Annita Demetriou (2nd, R, front), speaker of the Cypriot House of Parliament, and Zhang Jianchun (1st, R), vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, visit the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition in Nicosia, Cyprus, Oct. 5, 2023. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Calls to end a long-running stoush between traditional owners and other residents have grown stronger after property owners claimed they were 'chased off' from their local beach.

Some members of the Butchulla people have been locked in a tense battle with locals after they stopped them from entering Burrum Heads beach, near Hervey Bay, in south-east Queensland.

The battle, which has been ongoing for more than a year, has led to calls from Indigenous groups to push for a 'peaceful resolution' to the raging dispute.

Locals who live along Burrum Heads beach (pictured) claim they have been 'chased off' the beach by traditional owners who claim they have native title over the area

The Butchulla people were given native title to around 100,000 hectares on the Fraser Coast in 2019, around 50 kilometres from Burrum Heads.

Around 17,000 hectares of that land is exclusively used by the traditional owners.

However, a 20metre-wide strip of that land runs in front of several homes on the foreshore of the beach at Burrum Heads.

The residents say they have been 'chased off' the land while attempting to cross this land to access the beach.

Part of the beach has been cordoned off by a low-hanging mesh fence which stretches into a parking space of the beach, preventing locals from entering the land.

A small group of Butchulla people have illegally stationed themselves on the land, according to the Butchulla Native Title Aboriginal Corporation [BNTAC].

The general manager of the BNTAC Veronica Bird told the Courier Mail that native title has not been provided to the beach area.

'It's about being respectful, being good neighbours so we're all able to enjoy this beautiful country that we love,' she said.

Ms Bird told the newspaper the organisation is committed to resolving the issue peacefully.

A section of the beach has been cordoned off by a low-hanging mesh fence (pictured), preventing locals in Burrum Heads from accessing the beach

Member for Hinkler and Federal MP Keith Pitt, whose electorate covers the contested space of land, said the beach should not be considered a part of the native title granted to the traditional owners.

'The best solution is for that small section of land to be taken out of the native title agreement, that would solve a lot of problems,' Mr Pitt said.

Mr Pitt told Daily Mail Australia earlier that his office had been inundated by 'concerned Burrum Heads residents' who 'contacted my office about an area of land under native title'.

'It has resulted in restricted access to the beach and older constituents being chased off the beach,' he said.

'Every Australian is expected to abide by Australian laws and regulations, without exception.'

Federal MP Keith Pitt (pictured) said the contested land should not be afforded native title protection, which would allow locals to access the space

Ms Bird however, said the move would not be appropriate because Indigenous elders had fought for the recognition of traditional lands.

'We want to be able to honour that legacy of our elders who did not get to see our successful Native Title claim come to fruition,' she said.

A spokesman from the Queensland Resources Department said the Butchulla peoples have had their native title rights granted across several parts of the Burrum Heads area in 2019.

'We are continuing to work with the Fraser Coast Regional Council and with Butchulla Native Title Aboriginal Corporation and support their engagement with the community on management of land,' the spokesman said.
A loving mother has written a heartbreaking essay in which she tells of how her 18-year-old son was killed on his first day of college after an 'unstable structure' collapsed on top of him.

Elizabeth Kopple, from Santa Monica, California, had personally taken her teenage son, Henry, to his undisclosed college.

It was a rite of passage for both of them as she prepared to send him on the next chapter of his life. Sadly, that chapter was cut short after tragedy struck when Henry was fatally injured.

One year after his death, she describes how she is coming to terms with the family's devastating loss.

'After one final hug  He always hugged you twice when he said goodbye  I left for the airport,' Elizabeth notes.

He died days later.

Grieving mother, Elizabeth Koppel, has penned an emotional essay recounting the tragic loss of her 18-year-old son, Henry, who was killed on his first day of college

Elizabeth recounts her son's childhood and how she had watched him grow into adulthood

'He'd overcome so many challenges to get there: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and difficulty connecting with other kids,' Kopple began in the touching essay for HuffPost. 'As he matured, he gained confidence by participating in cross-country running, drama and debate.'

Henry had gone to the college, which Elizabeth does not identify by name, and bonded closely with fellow classmates, going on hikes with his newfound friends.

One week later, Elizabeth met her son on campus to be with him for a few days during his orientation.

'Henry arrived early to hike with other incoming freshmen. When I met him on campus the following week during his orientation, he introduced me to his new classmates. I joined them for a meal in the dining hall, attended a presentation for parents and helped him get settled,' she explains.

Elizabeth notes she could see that her son was happy and appeared to be quickly settling down to college life.

Within a few days it was time for her to fly back home. It was to be the final time they would be with one another.

Elizabeth writes about how she took her son, Henry, pictured, to college to make sure he was settling in and even joined him on his orientation week for a few days before parting ways

'I placed my hands around Henry's middle, pressed my right cheek to his chest, closed my eyes and squeezed. At that moment, I was embracing every version of my son: chunky baby, curious toddler, zany seventh grader in braces, hungry teenager, all the rest I knew and had known,' Elizabeth wrote.

But disaster struck just days after they parted ways, on Henry's first day of class.

He was killed beneath an unstable structure had collapsed on top of him. Two other students also were injured.

Bluntly, she writes: 'Just like that, hes gone.'

'The middle of my chest starts to ache, the way it does when something terrible might happen. But it already has. I'll never again feel my arms around my son's broad shoulders. There is so much. It's too much. In my mind, I'm still planning for parents' weekend, Thanksgiving, sending his winter clothes, and on and on and on.

'In an instant, every expectation for our family and our future was obliterated,' she writes movingly.

Henry was killed on the first day of class when an 'unstable structure' collapsed on him. He is pictured in his dorm room after being moved in with the help of his mother

Describing him as 'quirky and clumsy, brilliant and handsome, honest and kind,' from her writings it is clear how she is finding it hard to grasp the concept of life without him.

It has now been almost a full year since Henry died under such tragic circumstances.

The entire family have been trying to cope with the huge void Henry has left in all of their lives, including his younger brother who is also about to head to college.

'I'm still living, but at a lower volume,' Elizabeth explains. 'Our family has spent these months as a close-knit unit, seeking therapy, attending loss groups, and passing time with loved ones.

Elizabeth shares how the nature of grief is that it is 'all-pervading' and always present even after a good day in which she might dress up, wear makeup or 'appear well'.

'Acquaintances reveal tragedies from their pasts, and I'm more attuned to the sadness of strangers. I've connected with over a dozen grieving parents in my support groups, each with a heart-wrenching story. We understand and accept each other's losses in a way no one else can.'

While still dealing with such a massive loss, Elizabeth's other teenage son is about to move out and head across the country to attend school in Washington D.C.

Knowing she would be thousands of miles away from her only other living child, she together with husband Chuck, have decided to also move to the nation's capital to stay close with him. The family have opted to rent the home of a local professor.

It is a coping mechanism, of sorts.

'We gave him the chance to say no. He's not thrilled by the idea, but he agreed, as long as we keep our distance. He may recognize how important this is for our mental well-being,' Elizabeth explains.

'It's not a perfect situation, but it's a way for our family to move forward. Maybe there are other ways  dealing with grief is different for everyone  but this is what feels right, at least for now.

'All I can do is wish for good days ahead and never take anything for granted. This might be the happiest I'll ever be.'
Thousands of employees are set to walk out of stores in protest of burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations

Walgreens employees, pharmacists, technicians and support staff are set to walk off their jobs next week in protest of conditions they say threaten patient health and safety.

The protests are set to start on October 9 and run until October 11. Employees have the option of protesting however long they like between the three days, organizers say.

It is being done in response to what pharmacy employees call 'burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations.'

Employees at more than 500 of Walgreens' 9,000 stores across the country have expressed interest and solidarity towards 'Operation Spotlight.'

'My pharmacy has historically been top of the chain but these corporate demands are unrealistic and unfair to us and to our patients,' one employee wrote in a social-media post about the protests.

Thousands of employees are set to walk out of stores in protest of burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations

One employee took to social media to protest the working conditions and organize the walk out

Employees at more than 500 of Walgreens' 9,000 stores across the country have expressed interest and solidarity towards 'Operation Spotlight'

One Walgreens employee took to Reddit to explain the situation in their pharmacy.

They wrote: ' I have spent hours explaining to patients why we scheduled them an appointment for a vaccine we didn't have. I've also given over 100 vaccines in a day all by myself while 600+ leaflets lay on the counter.

'I have asked for help and voiced my concerns just as you have. They call you all whiners and tell you that you aren't "meeting expectations." When will they meet our expectations? When will they give us the support to meet the expectations of our patients?'

The unnamed Reddit user also goes into detail about what other employees can do in the protest, which includes contacting their local Board of Pharmacy and news channels.

'Contact your local Board of Pharmacy immediately! There is nothing Walgreens can do to punish you for reporting safety concerns. There are whistleblower protections in every state.

'Report this madness. Report the inhumane working conditions. Report the negligence and abuse our patients are experiencing. Report the dangers our patients face due to the unsafe environment Walgreens has created.

'Call your local news and let them know what is happening. Anonymous is fine, on camera, even better. You are protected as a whistleblower. I already have a major news outlet interview lined up. Reach out yourselves. Let's make this big.'

Another Reddit user gives steps on how employees can contact their local Board of Pharmacy

'There have been nights where Ive been on the verge of tears because of how hard it is. I had a patient give me a fist bump and tell me I was doing a good job, and that meant so much to me. The patients are caring more about us than the employer is,' said one pharmacist

Walgreens said in an emailed response that it was engaged and listening to concerns raised by some of its team members

Another Reddit user gives steps on how employees can contact their local Board of Pharmacy.

He wrote: 'I think we all know at this point that Walgreens is not going to change on its own. In that vein, I would like you to put pressure on our boards of pharmacy. These institutions are put in place to ensure our patients are safe.'

Walgreens said in an emailed response that it was engaged and listening to concerns raised by some of its team members.

'We are making significant investments in pharmacist wages and hiring bonuses to attract/retain talent in harder to staff locations,' the company said.

One pharmacist told CNN: 'There have been nights where Ive been on the verge of tears because of how hard it is. I had a patient give me a fist bump and tell me I was doing a good job, and that meant so much to me. The patients are caring more about us than the employer is.'

This comes a week after CVS agreed to boost hiring in its stores to ease workloads that were sometimes making it hard for employees to take a bathroom break.

Pharmacists in at least a dozen Kansas City-area CVS pharmacies did not show up for work in September and planned to be out again until the company sent its chief pharmacy officer with promises to fill open positions and increase staffing levels.

It was one of the latest examples nationwide of workers fed up enough to take action. But unlike in the ongoing strikes at the automakers or in Hollywood, the pharmacists weren't demanding raises or more vacation, but more workers to help them.

It's unclear why workload concerns that are common industrywide led to a work stoppage in Kansas City. The pharmacists involved are not in a union and haven't spoken publicly so it's not entirely clear how satisfied they are with the company's response.
Former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera denounced former president Donald Trump for claiming migrants are 'poisoning the blood of our country,' expressing his shock at the 'extraordinary, hateful, Hitler-like quote.'

Trump drew astonished backlash from critics after making the remark in a recent video interview, where he repeated his prior claims that migrants are criminals, insane, terrorists and diseased.

'Nobody has any idea where these people are coming from. We know they come from mental institutions and insane asylums. We know they're terrorists,' Trump said in the interview with The National Pulse, a right-leaning website.

'It's poisoning the blood of our country. It's so bad, and people are coming in with disease. People are coming in with every possible thing that you could have,' said Trump, the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination.

Rivera, a veteran journalist and commentator, slammed the comment as 'disgusting' in a post on X, adding: 'Not only does it harken back to the Nazi-era, it is also part of the shameful, vile, centuries old tradition of claiming falsely that immigrants carry diseases.'

Former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera has lashed out at Donald Trump for claiming migrants are 'poisoning the blood of our country,' calling the remark 'Hitler-like'

In a video post, Rivera continued: 'That's a quote -- an extraordinary, hateful Hitler-like quote from the former president of the United States. That is shocking. It is outrageous.

'It harkens back to the mid 19th century, when the Irish immigrants were accused of bringing all sorts of diseases from Europe to the United States.

'It's one of the reasons that they were hated by people, and then every successive wave of immigrants: the Italians, the Chinese, the Jewish, the Eastern Europeans.

'Now, the Latin Americans are always accused of bringing diseases, a fact that is absolutely not true. In fact, when you look at the people, the largely Latino people who are coming undocumented to this country, they are walking fifteen hundred miles.

'How many Americans could walk fifteen hundred miles, could walk through the jungles and cross rivers and so forth in search of a better life for themselves and their children?

'To just -- and to think that this guy was my friend. That is shocking. I'm so embarrassed. President Trump, former president, could say something like 'poisoning the blood of our country'. That is absolutely indefensible. It is disgusting.'

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung hit back at critics in a statement, saying: 'That's a normal phrase that is used in everyday life  in books, television, movies, and in news articles.

'For anyone to think that is racist or xenophobic is living in an alternate reality consumed with non-sensical outrage.'

The League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation's oldest Latino civil rights organization, also slammed Trump's words as reminiscent of Hitler, the genocidal dictator who presided over the murder of millions during World War II.

'With their overtly divisive and prejudiced undertones, Trump's words bear an alarming resemblance to the phrasing used by Adolf Hitler during Germany's Third Reich, where he accused Jewish people and migrants of 'causing a blood poisoning' of Germany,' the group said in a statement.

'And to think that this guy was my friend. That is shocking. I'm so embarrassed,' said Rivera, a onetime conservative commentator whose views turned against Trump in recent years

'Nobody has any idea where these people are coming from. We know they come from prisons. We know they come from mental institutions. You know, they're terrorists,' Trump said

Migrants cross the Rio Grande river border from Piedras Negras, Mexico, into the United States and climb up onto the banks on the Texas side on September 27

Migrants, mostly from Venezuela, wait on the banks of the US side of the river until Border Patrol arrive to cut open the razor wire installed by Texas National Guard on September 27

Jonathan Greenblatt, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, said Trump's comments had 'echoes nativist talking points'

League President Domingo Garcia said the comments would 'unleash unprecedented hatred towards desperate, mostly Latino asylum seekers he is targeting for political gain.'

'Using the words 'blood poisoning' is deliberately calculated to create fear and scapegoat Christian refugees. His use of Nazi code speak is gutter politics unworthy of a presidential candidate,' said Garcia.

Indeed, Hitler frequently used the phrase 'blood poisoning' to refer to the supposed threat posed by other ethnic groups.

The Nazi leader wrote in his memoir Mein Kampf: 'All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning.'

Trump's latest remarks about 'blood poisoning' also drew a stern rebuke from the Anti-Defamation League, which pointed to similar language used by mass shooters.

'Insinuating that immigrants are 'poisoning the blood of our country' echoes nativist talking points and has the potential to cause real danger and violence. We have seen this kind of toxic rhetoric inspire real-world violence before in places like Pittsburgh and El Paso. It should have no place in our politics, period,' ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said.

He called the language 'racist, xenophobic and despicable.'

'And when anyone has a large platform, they need to be careful with their voice, but when you're the former president of the United States, you absolutely need to recognize your responsibility because this kind of rhetoric is explosive and must end, full stop,' Greenblatt said.

The controversial National Pulse interview was billed as a Trump interview that 'the fake news doesn't show you.'

The Trump interview, shot at Mar-a-Lago, dropped last week but has been gaining notice after an MSNBC host highlighted the quote on social media.

The reaction to the clip echoed the fury Trump drew at the start of his 2016 campaign, when he spoke of Mexican 'rapists' coming into the country.

'They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.' he said.

'It's poisoning the blood of our country. It's so bad, and people are coming in with disease. People are coming in with every possible thing that you could have,' said Trump

Alejandro of Honduras carries his four-year-old daughter, Soy, as they walk past a wire fence while searching for an entry point into the US in Eagle Pass, Texas on Friday

Edith, a migrant from Venezuela, surrenders to a border patrol agent after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico into Eagle Pass, Texas on Friday

Immigration is now among the top concerns of American voters, with more than 10,000 migrants heading to the border each day, according to Mexico's president.

Amid the concern, President Joe Biden is facing pressure to demonstrate he is working to stop the influx as he seeks re-election in 2024.

The Biden administration this week took two actions seen by many as moving to the right on immigration.

The Department of Homeland Security waived environmental and other reviews to construct new portions of a border wall in South Texas, after Biden pledged during the 2020 campaign that he would build 'not another foot' of wall.

And US officials said they would resume deportations to Venezuela not long after the administration extended protected status for thousands of people from the country.

The sudden reversals on migration issues drew criticism from both the left and the right.

Many Republicans accused Biden of stealing Trump's policy ideas on a border wall, while liberals who oppose additional border restrictions furiously slammed Biden for betraying campaign pledges.

Upon taking office, Biden paused border wall construction and canceled the Trump administration's 'Remain in Mexico' program for asylum seekers, but kept expelling many people who crossed the border under a pandemic-era rule until this past May.

Since then, border crossings have skyrocketed, which some observers blame on Biden's administration for creating the perception that the border is open.

The crisis has sparked a backlash in some of the biggest US cities, including New York, Chicago and Denver, where elected Democrats are breaking party ranks to criticize the White House, saying they are unable to cope with the influx of migrants.

New York Mayor Eric Adams went to Mexico this week to implore potential migrants not to come to his city.

He has accused the Biden administration of not providing enough money or resources for the city to process migrants, telling reporters this summer, 'The president and the White House have failed New York City on this issue.'
Hundreds of Coles and Woolworths staff have walked off the job demanding better wages, with one union leader saying some couldn't even afford the groceries their own employers were selling.

Employees represented by the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union stopped work from 10am Saturday for two hours at stores in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the ACT.

The strike, the first of its kind on a nationwide level in Australia, impacted both Coles and Woolworths stores, amid growing union criticism of the two grocery chains.

Hundreds of staff (pictured) from Coles and Woolworths have walked off the job in a nationwide strike

About 1,000 RAFFWU members took part, with federal secretary Josh Cullinan stating staff were fighting for higher wages, safer workplaces and secure jobs.

'Workers are paid a few cents more than the minimum wage,' he told Nine News.

'They just want a living wage to deal with the rising cost of living.

'They can't even afford the groceries they're selling.'

Mr Cullinan said also he wanted casual employees to get ongoing jobs and for action to be taken on violence in stores.

'They (staff) just want to be able to have more hours in their contract to rely on,' Mr Cullinan said.

'Mega companies making mega profits should be able to provide that.

'We also want to see each time a worker is assaulted or abused to be treated like a crime.

'The level of abuse, threats, intimidation and assaults is unprecedented and outrageous.

'The employers are not lifting a finger to stop it.'

Industrial action was also scheduled to take place at stores on Friday, sparking allegations of retaliation.

The RAFFWU claimed Coles said it would stand down every worker who implemented the stop-work ban.

'Coles pays poverty wages then threatens to take even those meagre wages away from any worker who dares to stand up, the RAFFWU said.

'To avoid doubt, workers are not paid for striking and workers at Coles engaging in bans on Friday, 6 October will not be paid by Coles.

'Refusing to pay workers while they ban limited work is a choice by Coles in its ruthless exploitation of workers.

'Woolworths has not made the same choice and is not currently refusing to pay workers implementing bans.'

Workers (pictured) are demanding an increase in their wages with one union official claiming that staff cannot afford to pay for groceries on their current wages

In a statement, a Coles spokesperson said they did not expect any disruption to customers from the strike.

'We remain committed to negotiating a fair and balanced agreement for all,' the spokesperson said.

'Coles continues to provide above-award conditions under our current enterprise agreement.

'We passed on the Fair Work Commission's annual wage increase to our supermarket team members in July.

'We dispute the misinformation being pushed by the bargaining representative who is representing less than 0.4 per cent of team members and remain committed to negotiating a fair and balanced agreement for all.'

Woolworths, meanwhile, said only 300 of its 132,000 staff were expected to take part in the walk-off.

Several supermarket chains have been impacted by the strikes (pictured) after staff walked off the job on Saturday at 10am at various locations across the country

Coles and Woolworths said they passed on the wages increase recommended by the Fair Work Commission in July to workers (pictured)

A supermarket spokesperson said initial bargaining agreements with the RAFFWU had occurred.

'We have a long history of bargaining in good faith with our team and will continue to do so,' they said.

'However, we acknowledge and respect the right of team members to take protected industrial action.

'Only individuals who have appointed RAFFWU as their bargaining representative are able to participate.

'As a result, we would not expect customers or our stores to be materially impacted. '

The spokesperson said Woolworths had also 'passed on' a 5.75 per cent wage increase.
CUNY's law school banned student speakers at future commencements after last year's anti-Israel rant that called the NYPD and other groups 'fascist.'

In a now-infamous speech from last year, Yemeni immigrant Fatima Mousa Mohammed claimed laws are 'white supremacy' and attacked American institutions.

The speech drew immediate backlash from numerous organizations and elected officials, even as Fatima defended her words and doubled down on her message.

Now, administrations have quietly banned student speakers at the school's graduation, though they will still give speeches as 'pre-commencement' events.

'It's a great step in trying to combat hate speech at the law school  that they're changing the process to make sure that what happened in the last two years won't happen again,' NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov said.

Fatima Mousa Mohammed took her graduation ceremony to blast the NYPD and the US military as 'fascists' and called on her peers to continue to 'revolution' against capitalism and racism across the country

During the controversial speech, Dean Sudha Shetty was seen sitting at the stage and clapping for Mohammed.

CUNY aims to make their 2024 ceremony 'shorter and focused on making all in attendance feel welcome'

'We appreciate the small steps, but everything they do can't just be a response to bad press,' she told the told the New York Post.

The school said in a statement they are 'committed to ensuring a 'welcoming' commencement ceremony' for 2024.

Adar Rubin, an activist with End Jew Hatred also welcomed the idea that a student speaker would not be permitted.

Rubin wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the decision to 'bar a student speaker was a small step in the right direction' but that it didn't go far enough because 'allowing students to hold a private pre-commencement event opened the door for student speakers to 'spew Jew-hatred'.

'On top of that, Dean Sudha Setty's statement below categorizing the NY Jewish community's outrage and pleas to CUNY to recognize their civil rights on campus as "anti-Palestinian harassment" is beyond disgraceful,' he added.

BREAKING CUNY UPDATE



CUNY Law will discontinue their practice of selecting student speakers for their official commencement ceremony.



This is a small step in the right direction, HOWEVER, they are still allowing students to hold a private pre-commencement event where a pic.twitter.com/ngW8uu2gCm  Adar Rubin (@rubin_a1) September 20, 2023

Some students disagreed with CUNY's resolution and believe the school is restraining free speech.

'I get why they want to do it, you know, to eliminate controversy and stuff like that,' CUNY Law student Michael Piazza said.

'But, you know, I believe in free speech, so I think whether or not someone disagrees or agrees with what she said, I think she should probably be allowed to say it.'

Mohammed blasted the NYPD and the US military as 'fascists' and called on her peers to continue to 'revolution' against capitalism and racism across the country.

The future lawyer claimed black and brown prisoners are murdered daily in US jails, and turned on her own university for 'cooperating with global violence'.

Mohammed started her speech by saying: 'I chose CUNY School of Law for its articulated mission to be law in the service of human needs.

'One of very few legal institutions created to recognize that the law is a manifestation of white supremacy that continues to oppress and suppress people in this nation and around the world.'

During the controversial speech, Dean Sudha Shetty was seen sitting at the stage and clapping for Mohammed. However, numerous people spoke out after the address.

The future lawyer claimed black and brown prisoners are murdered daily in US jails, and turned on her own university for 'cooperating with global violence'.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who was present at the ceremony, later criticized the speech in a tweet.

'I was proud to offer a different message at this years CUNY law commencement ceremony  one that celebrates the progress of our city and country, and one that honors those who fight to keep us safe and protect our freedoms, like my uncle Joe, who died at age 19 in Vietnam while giving his life for our country,' Adams said.

'We cannot allow words of negativity and divisiveness to be the only ones our students hear.'

Former United States Representative Lee Zeldin and New York Republican candidate for Governor said: 'Raging antisemitism has fully consumed the City University of New York.

'Until the administration is overhauled and all Jewish students and faculty are welcome again, taxpayer funding must be immediately halted.'

'Zionism is built on racist, settler colonial dispossession and ethnic cleansing,' she said, as she nearly recited her speech word for word

But massive criticism and hate has not deterred Mohammad from her views.

'I did not think that CUNY would come out and say that my speech, which was approved by CUNY Law, was 'hate speech.' she told Alex Kane, senior reporter for Jewish Currents.

She added 'even a first-year law student would know that they are using a definition of hate speech that does not meet the legal standard.'

Mohammad then further talked about her anti-Zionist views.

'Zionism is built on racist, settler colonial dispossession and ethnic cleansing,' she said, as she nearly recited her speech word for word.

'For as long as Zionism has existed, it has wreaked violence and pain on the Palestinian people. Our tax dollars are being used to fund this violence.

She argued that her anti-Zionist views are in fact her and her classmates 'responsibility' as future lawyers - and it was her way of honoring her fellow graduates.

'Calling out Zionism was my way of honoring my colleagues selection of me as class speaker as well as our schools mission statement,' she said.

Regarding her rage-filled comments about the military, Mohammed said that CUNY students have 'been vocal in resisting racism, protesting the role of the military-industrial complex, protesting the privatization of higher education, and supporting global movements of liberation from South Africa to Puerto Rico to Palestine.'

'Those calling for CUNY to be defunded are willfully ignorant of what CUNY is and who CUNY serves,' she said.

During her time as a student in the City, Mohammed was known for being an avid protester and active member of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Conservative commentator Candace Owens, who was suspended from YouTube last month for hate speech against the LGBTQ community, had dished out some blunt advice to students at a university in upstate New York.

Speaking during the Turning Point USA Live Free Tour in Albany, a pregnant Owens addressed concerns that her very presence had made transgender students feel vulnerable.

During a Q&A session, a student asked Owens, 'What do you have to say to the trans students on this campus who feel actively victimized by your presence here?'

Owens swiftly replied, 'Life's tough, get a helmet, man, I'm too pregnant for this.'

Some students in the audience cheered her response, while others seemed to react with silence and disbelief. Owens' comment has also drawn praise on social media sites.

Candace Owens delivered some blunt advice to students during a Q&A session in upstate New York and addressed issues of 'free speech' and 'transgender' students

Students raised concerns about her presence making transgender students feel vulnerable

Turning Point USA is a nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campuses.

Owens appeared to be proud of her response, later sharing the video clip on exchange on social media.

'I am over 8 months pregnant with two toddlers at home. If you are a 20-year-old adult who feels 'actively victimized' by my standing on stage to speak about social and economic conservatism, it is because your parents failed you, entirely. It is not my job to coddle adults,' she wrote.

So far, the clip has received almost 12 million views.

Owens was robust in her defense if not patronizing towards many of those asking questions

Students asked Owens for her views on free speech and 'gender identity' and the pundit quickly had answers ready

Student: "As non-binary person, what do you have to tell me about my identity? Because I know for a fact I'm not confused."@RealCandaceO: "Great statement...You know your identity. You're not confused. Congratulations, sweetheart." pic.twitter.com/LgaKTAkEbZ  Candace Owens Podcast (@CandaceOwensPod) October 6, 2023

In another clip of the question and answer session, a non-binary student confronts Owens over her beliefs that trans people are 'confused'.

'As non-binary person, what do you have to tell me about my identity? Because I know for a fact I'm not confused,' the student asks.

Owens sidestepped the question and instead responded by patronizing her interrogator.

'Okay! Next question. Great statement...You know your identity. You're not confused. Congratulations, sweetheart. Thank you very much for your statement', she responds, shaking her head.

In a third question posted online, a student brought up the issue of free speech.

'How do you think free speech impacts everybody in the community?' Owens was asked.

As ever, Owens was quick to respond.

'I mean the idea that if somebody looks at a man and calls them a man and that they feel unsafe because they've created a false reality in their own head - I don't abide by that.

'The left is trying to make it seem that people who see reality for what it is are demented and are creating unsafe territory and that's not the truth. What i think is unsafe is for people to be affirmed in their delusions. Go live your life as you want to live your life.

'When I have to pretend that I see a woman when clearly you are a man, I shouldn't have to play that game,' Owen stated to applause.

Candace is always a delight to listen to, even if its just for 25 seconds.  Obadiah Nwasor (@IamObd) October 5, 2023

Owens' YouTube channel, which is worth an estimated $1.1 million per year, appears to still be monetized with advertiser content. She was suspended from the platform last month

Supporters of Owens praised her candied responses with a desire to see more

Supporters of Owens praised her candied responses with a desire to see more.

'Seriously? When did people become so weak and emotional? Our ancestors hunted for food and sometimes starved for days until they caught prey again, in contrast to modern humans who feel victimized by another person's presence on a campus,' wrote one Twitter user.

'Candace is always a delight to listen to, even if it's just for 25 seconds,' wrote another.

The post also attracted negative feedback, with one social media user siding with the student who asked the question, suggesting Owens should improve her public speaking approach.

Another criticized Owens describing her as a 'shill who will say anything for money.'

Last month, Owens was issued a strike by YouTube for violating the site's 'hate speech' policies.

A YouTube spokesperson said: 'We issued a strike to the Candace Owens Podcast channel for violating our hate speech policy, which prohibits content promoting hatred against protected individuals or groups, including the LGBTQ+ community.'

Three strikes against a YouTube account within 90-days can lead to its termination.

Previous content presented by Owens included accusations that anyone who shopped at Target was 'gay' and a 'pervert'. She has also claimed 'transgenderism is a cancer and we should fight it.'

YouTube's hate speech policy states content that 'repeatedly targets, insults, and abuses a group based on protected group status across multiple uploads' may lead to penalties.

Owens' YouTube channel has more than 2 million followers and worth an estimated $1.1 million per year, appears to still be monetized with advertiser content.
Israel has vowed to exact revenge on Palestinian militants after they launched a surprise attack on the country on Saturday, warning Hamas that they had made a 'grave mistake'.

Residents living close to Israel's border with Gaza have been ordered to stay inside and others have been evacuated after Hamas militants infiltrated the country by land, sea and air and launched a fusillade of missile strikes.

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that the militants will pay an 'unprecedented price' after their attacks killed at least 40 Israelis; Palestinian officials have since claimed 161 people have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Israel.

Speaking in a televised address, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas had made a 'grave mistake...and launched a war against the State of Israel' - vowing that 'Israel will win'.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was 'shocked' by the attacks, writing on X, formerly Twitter: 'Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.'

A man runs in the road as fires burn in Ashkelon, Israel, following rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip initiated by Islamic militant group Hamas

A woman and child are evacuated from the site of a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday

A family, including a tearful girl, is evacuated after a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday

An injured man is carried on a stretcher by members of the Israeli security forces following air strikes in southern Israel

Rockets have struck buildings across southern Israel - and militants are reported to have taken to the streets after 'infiltrating' the country

Smoke billows from a building in Gaza after Israel fired missiles in response to Palestinian air strikes earlier on Saturday

Hamas fighters circumvented Israel's border with the Gaza Strip by flying in via paraglider, according to the Israeli military (pictured: an alleged paraglider crossing into Israel)

Palestinians celebrate after an Israeli tank was hit by Hamas gunmen who infiltrated the south of the country, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border

A woman stands in a damaged room in Ashkelon, Israel after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip by Hamas militants

A Jewish man wearing a tallit - a type of prayer shawl - looks out from a building after a rocket attack in Ashkelon, Israel on Saturday

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Israeli residents take shelter in the basement of a building after the Palestinian incursion into the country began early on Saturday

Images issued by Hamas' militant arm, the Al-Qassam Brigades, show what it claims are Palestinian fighters infiltrating southern Israel and motorcycles riding through a hole in the Gaza border fence

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told citizens of the country that it is 'at war' with Hamas militants

Videos on social media appeared to show armed troops from the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' militant arm, moving through built-up areas firing weapons as Israeli residents were evacuated from their homes following air strikes.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Hamas called on 'the resistance fighters in the West Bank' as well as 'our Arab and Islamic nations' to join the battle.

In remarks reported by CNN, militant commander Deif said: 'If you have a gun, get it out. This is the time to use it  get out with trucks, cars, axes. Today the best and most honorable history starts.'

'Today the people are regaining their revolution,' he added, in other statements reported by AP, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to 'expel the occupiers and demolish the walls.'

In response, Israeli forces have vowed that Hamas will 'face the consequences and responsibility for these events'.

It has started striking targets in Gaza in response, and deployed countermeasures to repel further air attacks - prompting further rocket launches from inside the blockaded territory.

In a filmed statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, following the attacks, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incursion was a 'murderous surprise attack', adding: 'We are at war, not an operation, not rounds, but at war.'

Mr Netanyahu said that security forces were 'clearing villages' of Palestinian militants, and that reservists have been called up to 'return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known', vowing that Hamas would 'pay an unprecedented price'.

He added: 'In the meantime, I call on all citizens of Israel to strictly obey the instructions of the army and the instructions of the Home Command. We are in a war and we will win it.'

The combination of air strikes and on-the-ground actions have killed at least 40 Israelis, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service; Israel's health ministry said 779 others had been injured and taken to hospital.

Grim images showed Israeli civilians lying dead in the street, covered with throws and blankets, the walls and ground soaked in blood.

Emergency blood drives have been launched to help treat the wounded.

Palestinian officials say that retaliatory strikes carried out by Israel following the Hamas assault have killed 161 people and injured close to 1,000 others, according to BBC News.

Mourners have been seen carrying the bodies of Palestinian militia troops through the streets after they were killed in combat.

Palestinians are seen celebrating in the Gaza Strip after Hamas gunmen infiltrated areas of southern Israel and rocket barrages were fired into the country on Saturday

People flee as clashes flare between Palestinian groups and Israeli forces in Gaza City following the earlier air strikes

A destroyed building in Gaza City after Israel began firing counter-missiles into the occupied territory following the incursion by Palestinian militant group Hamas

Palestinians are greeted by crowds after returning from crossing the border into Israel

A member of Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades - its militant wing - holds a Palestinian flag atop a destroyed Israeli tank

Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel (pictured far right) chairs a security meeting in Tel Aviv following the start of the Hamas attacks

A video released by Hamas, captioned 'Scenes of the Qassam Brigades capturing a number of enemy soldiers', appeared to show three people in civilian clothing being detained by Palestinian militants.

The Israeli military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

But Israeli media reporters, cited by Reuters, say that up to 50 people have been taken hostage by Hamas gunmen in Be'eri, a kibbutz (community) near the Gaza border.

Israeli and Palestinian citizens have been fleeing homes close to the border as both sides stepped up air strikes and engaged in gun battles throughout the day.

Hundreds of residents in the Gaza Strip fled their homes to move away from the border with Israel after the counter-attacks began, The AFP news agency reported. that hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children were seen carrying blankets and food items as they left their homes.

One local close to the border told Israeli news website Ynet: 'We are under attack, and no one is coming to help us. For more than an hour and a half there has been non-stop shooting. They are slaughtering us here, there is no army.'

Images have circulated on social media showing what appear to be violent scenes across both Israel and Gaza.

One video, reported by the AP news agency, appeared to show the lifeless body of an Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldier being trampled in Gaza by an angry crowd shouting 'God is great'.

A further clip, the contents of which have not been verified, appears to show Palestinian militants shouting 'God is great' as they parade the bloodied and naked body of a female Israeli woman through the streets in the back of a pickup truck.

Other footage appeared to show militants dragging away an Israeli soldier on a motorcycle, while a further video appears to show a Palestinian child on the West Bank waving an assault rifle as men around her cheer in celebration.

Men believed to be Palestinian militants are seen riding an Israeli military vehicle after reportedly seizing it close to the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip

Palestinians ride what is believed to be an Israeli military off-road vehicle following the storming of border settlements by Hamas militants

A Palestinian gunman holds his weapon aloft after infiltrating the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border fence, which is heavily fortified

A car burns after a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday. Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into the country

Two women - one of whom appears to be carrying an assault rifle - look on after rockets were launched into Ashkelon in Israel

Israeli medics and security forces treat a man who was injured at the site of a rocket attack

Israeli security forces take cover during a rocket attack siren warning as rockets are fired from the Gaza strip into Ashkelon

Israeli soldiers head south near the city of Ashkelon in southern Israel after Hamas militants infiltrated the country on Saturday

Israeli soldiers on a main road in central Israel after Hamas instigated an incursion into the country

Israeli soldiers and security officials in Tel Aviv, as the office of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was set to convene a meeting with officials

Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldiers closed roads in the Sderot area, around a mile from the blockaded Gaza territory, following the attacks

Streams of rockets are fired by Palestinians in response to Israeli counter-strikes on Saturday

Rockets are fired from Gaza City towards Israel early on Saturday as Hamas declared that it had begun a new offensive against the country

A rocket is launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel by Hamas militants on Saturday - in a surprise attack that is thought to have caught the country off-guard

Burnt out vehicles lie wrecked in the streets of Ashkelon, a few miles north of the Gaza Strip

A rescue worker from the Magen David Adom disaster relief service looks on as cars burn at the site of a rocket attack in Ashkelon, southern Israel

A Palestinian medic inspects the remains of an ambulance hit by an Israeli air strike in retaliation for a surprise incursion by Hamas on Saturday

A firefighter inspects a building in Rishon LeZion - a city just a few miles south of Tel Aviv - after a rocket attack by Palestinian militants

The Magen David Adom ambulance service claimed that its medics had been fired on by Hamas militants, one of whom was seriously injured.

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometres (40 miles) to the north, during the early morning barrage that lasted more than 30 minutes.

Cities and towns in southern Israel emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza and millions of Israelis scrambled to bombs shelters while air raid sirens wailed overhead.

In the community of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings.

'With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms,' Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter in the town told the AP news agency.

'But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear,' she added, saying that she and her three children have been too scared to leave the shelter even for a moment to use the bathroom.

Images from within the blockaded Gaza territory, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967, showed Palestinians celebrating in the streets.

Palestinians could also be seen climbing on top of a burning Israeli tank that was hit at the border with the Gaza Strip, and posing for selfies.

Israel's military claims that 2,500 rockets were fired by Palestinian militants, half the amount alleged by Hamas - and said troops had 'infiltrated' the country via sea and ground as well as by air, using paragliders.

They said in a statement: 'The military declares a state of war alert. In the last hour, the Hamas terrorist organization had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, and terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations.'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose right-wing government took command in 2022 after he was ousted the year before, met with security chiefs met to discuss the attack.

Following the meeting, Israel defence minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas had started a 'war' against the country.

'Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel,' he said, adding that 'Israel will win'.

Israeli security forces take cover as air raid sirens sound in Ashkelon in the south of the country, amid further barrages by Palestinian militants

A rocket is fired from within Gaza City after Israeli forces began launching airstrikes in response to the Hamas offensive on Saturday

Palestinians climbed onto the tank and took selfies after it was immobilised at the border with Gaza - which is lined with fences, cameras and high-tech sensors

Palestinians use an excavator to break through the border fence separating the occupied Gaza Strip from Israel

Residents of Gaza hold what they claim is a number plate belonging to a seized Israeli military vehicle, given to them by Hamas militants

Shocking footage shared on social media appears to show Palestinian fighters parading the naked body of an Israeli woman on the back of a pick-up truck

A young boy runs through the street as a car that purportedly belonged to Israeli medical forces is burned in the street in Gaza after being seized by Palestinian militants

A plume of smoke rises from a residential apartment building hit by an airstrike in Ashkelon. However, Israel's Iron Dome defence system is said to have deflected much of the barrage

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said in a tweet: 'Israelis across the countryon Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torahwoke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning. We will defend ourselves.'

It later added that it was 'striking Hamas targets in Gaza'. IDF troops are also engaged in gun battles on the ground across a number of locations close to the border with the Gaza territory.

Army spokesperson Lt Col Richard Hecht told reporters of the Hamas incursion: 'It was a combined ground raid which happened through paragliders, through the sea and through the ground.

'Right now we're fighting. We're fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Strip... our forces are now fighting on the ground.'

But the attack - on Sinchat Torah, a Jewish holiday marking the end of the annual cycle of public readings from Jewish scripture - appears to have caught Israel off-guard, despite the government's campaigning on taking heavy-handed action against would-be Palestinian threats.

It will revive painful memories of the 1973 war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel's enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Lt Col Hecht would not be drawn on how Hamas had caught the army off guard, saying only: 'That's a good question.'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the 'terror of settlers and occupation troops', the official news agency WAFA quoted him as saying.

He spoke at an emergency meeting held in Ramallah with a number of top officials from the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas has also been backed by Shiite militant group Hezbollah - considered a terrorist organisation by a number of countries, including the UK.

It describing the Palestinian manoeuvres as a response to 'Israeli crimes', saying the militants had 'divine backing' and that it was in contact with the organisation.

Volker Turk, the United Nations' human rights chief, has said he is 'shocked and appalled' by the Hamas assault, and has expressed 'deep concern' at claims that Israelis have been taken hostage.

He has called for an 'immediate stop' to the violence, appealing to 'all sides...to de-escalate to avoid further bloodshed'.

Mr Turk added: 'This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians. Civilians must never be the target of attack.

'I note also that Israeli forces have responded with air strikes into the densely populated Gaza Strip, reportedly killing at least two people. I call on them to take all precautions to avoid civilian casualties there.'

Volker Turk called for an immediate end to the violence, appealing to all sides and "key countries in the region" to de-escalate and avoid further bloodshed.

The Hamas incursion has been condemned by a number of international observers, including Spain, France, the Czech Republic, the UK and the European Union.

Writing on social media, UK foreign secretary James Cleverly said: 'The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself.'

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he 'utterly condemned' the attacks, adding: 'There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region. Israel has a right to defend herself.'

The French Embassy in Israel branded the manoeuvres as 'inadmissible terrorist attacks' in a tweet - a sentiment later echoed by French president Emmanuel Macron.

A young man runs for cover as shelling continues in southern Israel on Saturday, as Hamas said it fired thousands of rockets into the country

A member of Israeli security forces (seen right) stands near burning cars following a rocket attack by Hamas in southern Israel

Israelis gather to donate blood at a hospital in Tel Aviv, following an appeal by the national ambulance service in the wake of the attack by Hamas on Saturday

UK politicians have roundly condemned Hamas' actions. PM Rishi Sunak said he was 'shocked' by the attack, while foreign secretary James Cleverly and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer both said Israel had a right to defend itself

Spain's acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said he was 'overwhelmed by this indiscriminate violence', while Petr Fiala, the prime minister of long-standing Israeli ally the Czech Republic, tweeted: 'The Czech Republic has always stood and will stand fully with Israel.'

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said she 'unequivocally' condemned the attacks, branding them 'terrorism in its most contemptible form'.

And US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that the United States would work to ensure that Israel 'has what it needs to defend itself'.

However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - who has expressed support for the Palestinian cause - urged Israel and Palestinians 'to act reasonably' and avoid 'impulsive' steps that could lead to further escalation.

Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov told news agency Interfax that it was in contact with everyone involved, adding: 'We always call for restraint.'

The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated places in the world, with around two million people packed into 140 square miles.

But it depends on Israel for water, electricity, telecommunications, and other utilities, and imports are carefully controlled by the occupying country.

Saturday's incursion sets the stage for what was likely to be a new heavy round of fighting between the bitter enemies, after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007.

The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

Saturday's incident is the most serious since a 10-day war in 2021, with Israeli media reporting gun battles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel.

The Israel-Gaza border is heavily fortified, with cameras and sensors both above and below ground to deter incursions like the one that began on Saturday - marking a significant escalation the Palestinian offensive.

The AFP agency reports that at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners were killed in the conflict this year prior to Saturday, including combatants and civilians on both sides, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Smoke could be seen rising from multiple places after barrages were fired early on Saturday in the surprise attack

A thick, dark plume of smoke rises from a damaged building in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, after it was struck by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip

A building burns in the Israeli city of Gedera after Hamas fired a claimed 5,000 rockets

Rockets landed in suburban areas, striking homes - pictured above: fire at a home in Ashkelon, southern Israel after it was struck by a rocket

Locals in Ashkelon assess the damage after rockets were fired into residential areas across southern Israel by Palestinian militants

An Israeli war jet is seen flying over the country after Hamas began its barrage on Saturday

Firefighters in Ashkelon, Israel tackle blazes started by rockets fired into the country on Saturday morning by the militant group Hamas

The vast majority of fatalities have occurred in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict.

There has been a rise in army raids, Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy.

Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.

But the escalation also comes at a delicate time for Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government, as protests against the government's deeply divisive plan to overhaul the judiciary have spread even within the ranks of the military.

Hundreds of soldiers in the military reserves have either pulled out of training sessions or said they will not report for duty over the judicial changes.

The protests threaten to undermine Mr Netanyahu's international reputation as a security expert and raising fears about the effects on the operational readiness of Israel's armed forces - which is now being unexpectedly and suddenly tested.
A grandfather and his three grandchildren on board a light plane that plummeted to the ground and exploded at Lake George near Canberra have been identified.

Peter Nally, the 65-year-old pilot, his 11-year-old grandson Raphael and two granddaughters, nine-year-old Evita and six-year-old Philomena, were killed when the five-seater Cirrus SR22 registration VH-MSF went down on Friday.

Mr Nally was a highly experienced pilot and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said on Saturday that teams were already examining the crash site in a paddock at Gundaroo, north of Queanbeyan, to determine what had happened.

'This will be a difficult undertaking given how burnt the wreckage is,' the ATSB's Colin McNamara said.

'But over the coming days, I am fully confident that the investigators will gather as much information and evidence as they can from the accident site.'

Mr McNamara said ATSB crews will monitor for spilled chemicals, burnt carbon fibre and possible explosive materials.

Investigators are reportedly focusing on why a special parachute, that is a standard safety feature on the aircraft, did not appear to deploy.

The Cirrus SR22 has a built-in whole plane 'ballistic parachute' designed to prevent such crashes.

According to the company the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System is unique in aviation, has saved more than 100 lives with a 'very high success rate' when deployed above 1,000ft.

Raphael, 11, Evita, 9, and Philomena, 6, were tragically killed when the light plane went down just minutes after taking off from Canberra Airport (pictured with their siblings and parents Elyse and Dave Smith)

The five-seater single-engine Cirrus SR22 VH-MSF crashed and caught alight near Lake George in the NSW Tablelands around 2.52pm on Friday

Investigators said working out was caused the crash would be difficult because of the level of destruction

The plane had taken off from Canberra on a 750km trip to Armidale in northern NSW but didn't make it 20 minutes into the flight.

Mr Nally, who has hundreds of hours of flying experience, is from Bunya in Brisbane and had flown from Redcliffe Aero Club to Armidale to visit his daughter Elyse.

He then took his three older grandchildren on a flight to Canberra where they visited extended family for a two days before attempting to fly back.

The plane crashed minutes after takeoff, first climbing to 9,000ft before it quickly lost altitude and smashed into the ground where it burst into flames.

The single-engine aircraft exploded on impact at around 2.50pm.

The Redcliffe Aero Club released a statement on Saturday following the crash.

'The Redcliffe Aero Club expresses its deepest condolences to the family of the pilot and passengers who were tragically killed on Friday the 6th October 2023,' the organisation said.

'The pilot was active in the social side of the Club with many hours of flying experience.'

The club added the aircraft was privately owned and not operated by the club. It is registered to Up n Up Aviation.

Redcliffe Aero Club in Queensland issued a statement on Saturday saying the pilot was active in their club

The light plane crashed (pictured) in Canberra's north-east on Friday afternoon before the aircraft burst into flames

Emergency crews (pictured) arrived at the scene following the crash as firefighters from the Rural Fire Service quickly worked to douse the flames

The Cirrus SR22 has a whole plane parachute as a standard safety feature that has a very high success rate at saving lives when deployed above 1,000ft

The plane is understood to have vanished from radar screens 16 minutes after taking off on Friday.

Air traffic control repeatedly tried to raise a response from Mr Nally but were met with radio silence before eventually raising the alarm.

Mr McNamara praised the first responders to the scene.

'These are indeed tragic circumstances exacerbated by the news that children have been involved,' he said.

He also asked for any other witnesses to the crash to contact the ATSB.

'Yesterday we were contacted by witnesses which we're very appreciative about. It does prompt me to say, if anyone has relevant information pertaining to this accident, please go to our website.'

One witness reportedly saw the plane travelling just above the tree line before it impacted heavily with ground.

The Cirrus SR-22 is a single-engine aircraft and is one of the most popular General Aviation aircraft in the world, regularly topping global best-seller lists

Six minutes after take-off, the plane made a sharp plunge near Lake George with air traffic control unable to establish communications with the pilot

The area was still alight when emergency crews arrived and firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the blaze.

'When police arrived with RFS services there was a small grass fire and obviously a catastrophic crash of a small light aircraft,' Police Superintendent Cath Bradbury said.

'The RFS extinguished the plane - unfortunately there are no survivors. They are yet to be formally identified. A report will be prepared for the coroner.'

The US-made Cirrus SR-22 is a single-engine aircraft and one of the most popular General Aviation aircraft in the world, regularly topping global best-seller lists.

Mr McNamara said engineers will study the plane's maintenance log as well as the flight history of the pilot.

The ATSB's preliminary report is expected to be released within two months.
A young driver who crashed and killed her best friend when she was speeding and 'clowning' around had only just passed her driving test a month earlier, a court has heard.

Tayla King lost control of her car on a straight stretch of road in Swansea. She crashed down an embankment and into a tree, causing her passenger, Chantelle Thomas, 18, to suffer catastrophic injuries.

Despite the best efforts of passing motorists who stopped to help - including a passing police officer who was driving home at the end of his shift - as well as firefighters and paramedics, Miss Thomas could not be saved and died at the scene.

Sentencing King at Swansea Crown Court, a judge said a young life was an 'incalculable blessing' to their parents, adding that no sentence a court could pass could bring comfort to those who were grieving, nor put a value on a life.

Ian Wright, prosecuting, said King, who was 18 at the time, had only held a full driving licence for 33 days when, on the night of January 22 last year, she drove two friends from their homes in the Swansea Valley to Mumbles and back.

Tayla King, 18, lost control of her car on a straight stretch of road in Swansea. She crashed down an embankment and into a tree, causing her passenger, Chantelle Thomas, (pictured) to suffer catastrophic injuries

The court heard the manner of King's driving caused concern to her passengers throughout that evening, with the teenager driving at speed, occasionally drifting into the opposite lane, and leaving braking at red traffic lights so late it was feared that she would not actually be able to stop in time.

The court heard of one incident during the journey when King had been travelling at speed around the sharp bend near the 'Big Apple' kiosk in Mumbles when she had ended up on the wrong side of the road, though fortunately there had been no oncoming vehicles.

The prosecutor said warnings to the driver and appeals for her to slow down from her passengers went unheeded. On the return journey back up the Swansea Valley the defendant was seen to be travelling at around 90mph on the approach to the Pontardawe roundabout.

The court heard one of the passengers was dropped off at her home in Alltwen, leaving just King and Miss Thomas in the Citroen C1, a car that had been a birthday present for the defendant from her father.

At just after 1.15am the next morning the car left the main A4067 Swansea Valley road between Pontardawe and Godre'r Graig, crashing down an embankment and into a tree.

Mr Wright said the Citroen suffered 'extensive damage' in the collision. King was able to extricate herself from the car and returned to the road where she flagged down a passing motorist, British Transport Police officer Rhys Lewis, who was driving home at the end of his shift.

The court heard King told the officer: 'I've crashed and I think I've killed my friend.'

The off-duty officer advised King to sit in the car of another motorist who had stopped at the scene and the defendant was heard to say: 'I was speeding and clowning around... going too fast and showing off.'

The court heard the policeman then went to the crashed car and stayed with the gravely injured passenger, holding her hand until paramedics arrived.

The prosecutor said Miss Thomas had to be cut from the car by firefighters and despite the best efforts of paramedics who provided advanced life support, she could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.53am.

It was later established that she died from multiple injuries, including severe brain injuries, as a passenger in a road traffic collision.

Despite the best efforts of passing motorists who stopped to help - including a passing police officer who was driving home at the end of his shift - as well as firefighters and paramedics, 18-year-old Chantelle Thomas could not be saved and died at the scene

The driver, King, was also injured in the crash and spent a week in hospital being treated for a fractured pelvis and collarbone, as well as spleen and kidney injuries.

During two subsequent police interviews she answered 'no comment' to all questions asked.

In an impact statement from Miss Thomas' mum Denise that was read to court she described her daughter as her best friend who liked nothing more than catching up with her on the sofa watching a film.

She said her daughter had ambitions to be a primary school teacher and she described the pain and devastation caused to the family by her death.

The mum said she fell into a deep depression following her daughter's death, and said she now battles every day to complete the normal tasks in life.

The mother said she struggles every time she walks past her daughter's untouched bedroom and whenever she enters the living room of the house she sees the police officer who broke the news of her death.

She added that she felt King had expressed no 'remorse and no respect' by continuing to post photographs of herself on social media in the months after the crash.

The court heard that a crash investigator had been unable to establish the speed of the Citroen at the time it left the road, and found no evidence of any braking by the driver before the incident.

The investigator concluded the car had begun to 'yaw' and spin into the opposite carriageway where it then hit the kerb and crashed down the embankment and into a tree.

The court heard there were no mechanical defects detected on the Citroen, and blood tests showed King had not consumed any alcohol.

Tayla King, now aged 20, of Church Street, Pontardawe, had previously pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving when she appeared in the dock for sentencing. She has no previous convictions.

John Allchurch, defending, said King - who is currently studying at university in Cardiff - and Miss Thomas had been best friends since the age of 11.

Chantelle with her mum, Denise. The mother said she struggles every time she walks past her daughter's untouched bedroom and whenever she enters the living room of the house she sees the police officer who broke the news of her death

He said the incident had involved 'a young, inexperienced driver driving at speeds she should not have been driving at'.

The advocate read a letter to the court that the defendant had written in which she talked about the loss of her friend, and the pain and suffering she knew she had caused Miss Thomas' family through her 'catastrophic mistake' on the night in question.

She also said she wished she could swap places with her friend and she said she would have to live with the guilt of what happened for the rest of her life. Mr Allchurch invited the court to suspend the prison sentence that was due.

Judge Huw Rees said every human life was precious and a young life was an 'incalculable blessing' to their parents.

He said no words and no sentence the court could pass would provide comfort to the family and friends of Miss Thomas, and no sentence could - nor was intended to - put a value on a life.

The judge said a friend who had been in the car on the night in question had described King's driving as erratic and said she had been driving too fast, adding that he had come to the conclusion that the defendant's driving had been 'generally poor'.

He said it was important for all to understand that the defendant was not being sentenced for purposeful killing but for causing death by careless driving.

Judge Rees said the starting point on the sentencing guidelines was one of two years detention, and balancing out the aggravating and mitigation factors brought that figure down to 21 months. With a one-third discount for the guilty plea the sentence was reduced to 14 months.

The judge said that given the sentence was one of less than two years he was obliged to consider whether it had to be served immediately or could be suspended.

The judge said none of the factors meaning it would not be appropriate to suspend the sentence - the defendant posing a risk to the public, appropriate punishment only being achieved by immediate custody, and a history of failing to comply with court orders - were present, while two of the factors meaning it was appropriate to suspend - a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and strong personal mitigation - were present.

King was sentenced to 14 months detention in a young offenders institution, suspended for 12 months, and was also banned from driving for two years and ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work.

The judge said the public spiritedness of the off-duty police officer and the others who helped at the roadside should be commended. He said he wanted to extend the court's sincere condolences to the family of Miss Thomas.
The Afghanistan earthquake death toll has now reached at least 320, according to the United Nations.

It comes on a day in which three strong earthquakes shook the world, with tremors also felt in Papua New Guinea and Mexico.

A pair of 6.3 magnitude earthquakes struck western Afghanistan on Saturday, said a spokesperson for the country's national disaster authority.

The United Nations gave a preliminary figure of 320 dead, but later said the figure was still being verified. Local authorities gave an estimate of 100 people killed and 500 injured, according to the same update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Mohammad Abdullah Jan said four villages in the Zenda Jan district in Herat province bore the brunt of the quakes and aftershocks. Dozens of houses have been damaged.

The epicentre was about 25 miles northwest of Herat. The most powerful earthquakes (6.3) struck Afghanistan at 7.41am and 8.12am. This was followed by a 5.5-magnitude aftershock, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

A map on the USGS website indicates seven earthquakes in the area. At least five powerful earthquakes struck the city around noon, Herat city resident Abdul Shakor Samadi said.

The World Health Organisation said on X it had sent medicine and supplies to Afghanistan

People piled into the streets in Herat, Afghanistan, after an earthquake shook the city

A group of people in Mexico City stand in the street after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the country late on Friday night

'All people are out of their homes,' Samadi said. 'Houses, offices and shops are all empty and there are fears of more earthquakes. My family and I were inside our home, I felt the quake.' His family began shouting and ran outside, afraid to return indoors.

The World Health Organization in Afghanistan said it dispatched 12 ambulance cars to Zenda Jan to evacuate casualties to hospitals.

'As deaths & casualties from the earthquake continue to be reported, teams are in hospitals assisting treatment of wounded & assessing additional needs,' the U.N. agency said on X, formerly known as Twitter. 'WHO-supported ambulances are transporting those affected, most of them women and children.'

Telephone connections went down in Herat, making it hard to get details from affected areas. Videos on social media showed hundreds of people in the streets outside their homes and offices in Herat city.

Herat province borders Iran. The quake also was felt in the nearby Afghan provinces of Farah and Badghis, according to local media reports.

Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister for economic affairs, expressed his condolences to the dead and injured in Herat and Badghis.

It comes on a day in which a 6.3 magnitude quake also rocked Mexico at 11pm on Friday (5:00am Saturday GMT) while Papua New Guinea was shook by a tremor of 6.7 around 7.30pm (8:30am GMT).

Strong movements were felt in Oaxaca, southern Mexico, setting off car alarms as far away as Mexico City, some 227 miles (366km) to the northwest. The quake triggered seismic alarms in Mexico City, driving residents into the streets.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake then struck northeastern Papua New Guinea, the United States Geological Survey said, amazingly with no immediate reports of damage.

An aftershock of equal magnitude hit off the coast of Madang minutes later, the USGS said.

It comes a month since a devastating 6.8 magnitude quake shook Morocco on September 8, killing around 3,000 people and injuring 5,600.

The earthquake damaged about 60,000 homes across 3,000 villages in the High Atlas mountains and their surroundings.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake in Mexico occurred shortly after 11pm on Friday local time near the town of Matias Romero in the southern state of Oaxaca.

Senior regional government official Jesus Romero told journalists no deaths had been reported but the tremor caused damage to stretches of a highway leading to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a narrow stretch of Mexican territory that separates the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans.

Damage was also reported in the city of Oaxaca, where a hospital suffered cracked walls and power outages were reported.

The mayor of the capital, home to 9.2 million people, Marti Batres, said on X that 'a slight tremor was felt' in the city, but said at the time that 'no damage has been reported so far.'

An hour and a half later, Afghanistan was struck by a significant earthquake. Residents and shopkeepers fled buildings when the first quake hit.

'We were in our offices and suddenly the building started shaking, and wall plasters started to fall down and the walls got cracks, some walls and parts of the building collapsed,' 45-year-old Bashir Ahmad told AFP.

'I am not able to contact my family, network connections are disconnected. I am too worried and scared, it was horrifying,' he said.

Crowds of women and children stood out in the wide streets of Herat, away from tall buildings, in the moments after the first quake and aftershocks which continued for roughly one hour.

Hundreds of fatalities were possible, according to a USGS preliminary report.

'Significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response,' it said.

Video showed trucks shaking from side to side as the quake rumbled on.

The World Health Organisation wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: 'WHO extends our thoughts to the people of Herat, Afghanistan who have been affected by the earthquake today.

'We have sent medicines & medical supplies to the hospitals to support treatment of those wounded.

'Our warehouse is ready to deploy for additional medicines as needed.'

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck northeastern Papua New Guinea two hours later, the United States Geological Survey said, with no immediate reports of damage.

The quake had a depth of 33 miles (53km) and hit at around 7:30pm (0830 GMT) with the epicentre about 56km southeast of the town of Madang, the USGS said.

An aftershock of equal magnitude hit off the coast of Madang minutes later, the USGS said.

Earthquakes are common in Papua New Guinea, but rarely cause widespread damage.

Outside major towns and cities, most areas are sparsely populated, and what buildings there are tend to be made of wood.

Families whose homes have been destroyed and who fear after-shocks sleep in tents outside. Pictured: Amizmiz residents at a makeshift camp

A man stands amid rubble in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Morocco September 12

Khadija Elhil Ali, 32,told MailOnline how she and her sons ran from their home mere seconds before it came crashing down. Pictured with husband Hassan and sons Youssef, 11, and Walid, 6, on the site where their house once stood

One month on from the earthquake in Morocco, the survivors are still living in tents and relying on a field hospital and temporary schools set up by the authorities.

Architects are now sketching out ideas on how to reconstruct the country's isolated and largely deprived communities worst hit by the quake.

With many homes fashioned out of mud bricks and timber or cement and breeze blocks, structures crumbled easily in mounds of debris when the quake struck, without creating the pockets of air that earthquake-ready concrete buildings can provide.

Around 300,000 people were affected by the quake, the UN estimated, with many left homeless or forced to slept on the streets of Marrakech.
The convictions of Michael Stone for the murder of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan are to be reviewed again by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).

The move comes after serial killer Levi Bellfield, who murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler in 2002, is reported to have confessed to the crimes.

Michael Stone, 63, has always maintained his innocence regarding the gruesome murders of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan who were savagely killed in 1996.

Lin, 45 and her daughters, Josie, 9, and Megan, 6, as well as their dog Lucy, were tied up and beaten with a hammer in the brutal attack in the village of Chillenden, Kent.

The only person to survive was nine-year-old Josie who sustained horrific injuries, with Stone going on to be convicted of murder and attempted murder in 1998.

Just three months after a previous review ruled out the case being sent to the Court of Appeal, Stone's convictions will be re-examined by the CCRC, which investigates miscarriages of justice.

The CCRC said in a statement: 'Michael Stone's murder convictions will be reviewed again by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) following a request from his representatives.

'In 2001, Mr Stone was sentenced to life imprisonment at Nottingham Crown Court for the murders of Dr Lin Russell and her six-year-old daughter Megan, and the attempted murder of Dr Russell's nine-year-old daughter Josie, in 1996.

'The CCRC's previous reviews found no credible evidence or argument that raised a real possibility of the convictions being quashed, these conclusions are not affected by the new review.'

Michael Stone (pictured) is currently imprisoned after twice being convicted of the Russell murders but has consistently insisted his innocence

Lin Russell, 45, her two daughters, six-year-old Megan (above with her mother) and nine-year-old Josie, were tied up and savagely beaten with a hammer in the brutal attack in 1996

Serial killer Levi Bellfield has reportedly confessed to a double murder from 1996 and signed a written statement with 'information only the killer would know'

In July, the CCRC said that were was 'no real possibility' the Court of Appeal would quash his convictions following a previous review by an independent investigator of potential miscarriages of justice.

A spokesman said: 'We have agreed to a request from Mr Stone's representatives to carry out a further review.

'While we can't comment on the specifics of an investigation, it is not unusual for different reviews to focus on different arguments or evidence.

'Our commitment to thoroughly investigate all eligible applications extends to undertaking additional work related to cases we have previously reviewed.'

Stone is serving three life sentences for the murders of Ms Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter, who were found bludgeoned to death in Chillenden, Kent, in July 1996.

The fatal attack happened as the mother and two daughters were out on a walk.

Ms Russell's other daughter, Josie, then nine, suffered severe head injuries in the attack and the family's dog, Lucy, was killed.

Last year, Bellfield, who is serving two whole-life orders, claimed responsibility for the murders before later retracting his statement.

In April, lawyers acting for Stone claimed that Bellfield had written and signed a fresh confession to the murder.

Lin, 45, her two daughters, six-year-old Megan and nine-year-old Josie, as well as their dog Lucy, were tied up and savagely beaten with a hammer in the brutal attack. Only Josie survived. The deaths in the picturesque village of Chillenden, Kent in 1996 shocked the nation

Levi Bellfield is currently serving life in prison for the murder of schoolgirl Millie Dowler (left). He has also allegedly confessed to murdering 19-year-old student Elizabeth Chau in 1999

Mr McDonald told The Guardian: 'Michael Stone has been in prison for 26 years for a crime he did not commit.

'I am really pleased that the CCRC have reconsidered their decision and decided to review this case again.

'It is essential that this review is undertaken as a matter of urgency and Stone's conviction is referred back to the Court of Appeal.

'The decision as to whether Bellfield is credible needs to be taken by the Court of Appeal, not the CCRC.'

Bellfield 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.

He was already serving his sentence when he went on trial for killing schoolgirl Milly, who was snatched from the street walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.

Bellfield was found guilty of abducting and killing the 13-year-old following a trial at the Old Bailey in 2011.
A single mother who is being evicted by a Tory MP claimed their friendship was wrecked by his party's stance over Covid-19.

Layla Williams had been employed by Tory MP Gary Streeter to look after his horses at his farm in Plympton, Devon.

Ms Williams, 38, moved into a bungalow on the politician's farm in 2018, but their amicable relationship deteriorated over the course of the pandemic.

She was initially charged 700 per month by the politician, which was later reduced to 550.

The MP, who has earned more than 140,000 since April 2019 as a non-executive director of Rentplus-UK ltd, also employs his wife, Janet Streeter, as a part-time Junior Parliamentary Researcher, according to the Register of Members' Interests.

He is not required to declare the rental income on the two-bed bungalow as it does not reach the 10,000-a-year 'substantial income' threshold.

Yesterday, CCTV footage emerged of the MP, who has been in parliament since 1992, ripping down cameras from outside Ms Williams' home.

The mother-of-one - who admits she hasn't paid rent on the property since January - claims that since he asked her and her 12-year-old son to move out, his actions has left them both in fear.

She had already installed security cameras at her home on the farm in Plympton, Devon, and has now captured footage of him 'angrily' ripping them down.

Gary Streeter seen on CCTV (right) tearing a camera off a bungalow currently occupied by tenant Layla Williams (left) who is behind on her rent

Speaking to MailOnline, Ms Williams said she initially began working for the MP in 2016, looking after his family's horses and mucking out the stables.

She said: 'Things were fine to start off with and we had a good relationship. I did not see them loads as they were away a lot but when I did it was ok and there were no problems.

'It was not until covid hit that we started having problems.'

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Ms Williams said at the beginning of 2020 she had 'different opinions' about the Tory government response to the pandemic - and claims she fell out with Streeter as a result.

She added: 'He said "we can't have you here" if you are against what we think. He said he wanted me out within two months.

'He sent me a letter saying he did not want me working there anymore. He didn't want anyone there with a different opinion.'

Ms Williams said she threatened him with unfair dismissal claim but ended up with a 1500 redundancy claim to get around that and continued living at the property.

She added: 'Since then every time I have complained about anything on the property or anything that was broken - he has threatened to kick me out. He was doing it all the time.'

Ms Williams said she reported the MP for South West Devon to police using an online form to report the alleged criminal damage and harassment. She said she is awaiting a response.

Other videos she has recorded include him attempting to bash the cameras with a stick and returning in what she said was a 'panic' to try and fix it after dumping in the bushes.

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Footage also shows Mr Streeter letting himself in through her gate - and looking in through the windows - including while Layla said she and her son were sleeping.

Mr Streeter has secured a Section 8 eviction notice against Layla at Plymouth County Court and said he would get the bailiffs round to remove her if she didn't leave soon.

He denied any form of harassment and said he had 'tried to show her kindness' but secured the order on the basis she had not paid rent since January.

But Ms Williams said she had stopped paying rent on advice after claiming necessary repairs weren't being carried out - and evidenced a Section 21 'no fault eviction' notice that was initially served as proof of his initial intentions.

Ms Williams, who has now found a new property, said she did not fight the order and would comply with it and move out soon.

But she said she wanted to speak out about her treatment as she became concerned about his behaviour.

She added: 'It has become very unsettling.

Other videos she has recorded include him attempting to bash the cameras with a stick

Mr Streeter has secured a Section 8 eviction notice against Layla at Plymouth County Court and said he would get the bailiffs round to remove her if she didn't leave soon

'I've caught him on CCTV ripping my camera off the wall, trying to get through a gate that I've now had to padlock and staring through my windows.

'The only conclusion I can draw is that he was trying to intimidate me. He has wanted me out for a long time.

'He's initially served me with a 'no fault' eviction notice so this shows this was motivated by pure and utter greed to make more money.

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'I will comply with the court order and leave without a fight.

'But I have had every right to be here and live without feeling harassed. It's been our home for many years.'

Ms Williams said she had three cameras put up, but he only seemed to be aware of one.

She added: 'I literally watched him tear one down - dump it in the bushes and peer through the window.

'This is surely no way for a MP to behave. He's been totally out of control..'

Mr Streeter has been a Conservative MP for South West Devon since 1997, previously holding the nearby seat of Plymouth Sutton between 1992 and 1997.

Ms Williams, who has lived in the area around Plympton her whole life, said: 'It's been frightening at times - thinking about him staring in through my window - when I could be in bed.'

Ms Williams said she started working for ,Mr Streeter in the beginning of 2016 looking after their horses and mucking out.

She would also house-sit and look after their dogs when they were away.

Footage also shows Mr Streeter letting himself in through her gate - and looking in through the windows - including while Layla said she and her son were sleeping

Layla said she had only withheld the rent since January after taking advice, due to the lack of work and necessary repairs at the property

Layla Williams' CCTV camera that Tory MP Gary Streeter pulled off her house

Ms Williams also has a CCTV camera on the inside of her property

The MP said: 'The tenant was served with a section 8 notice because she has paid no rent since January 2023.

'For the past two years, to help her, we have accepted a lower rent of 550 pm for a two-bedroom bungalow in the South Hams, rather than 700 as per the tenancy agreement.

'There has been no harassment at any time, just a great deal of patient kindness.

'On 19th September 2023 Plymouth County Court granted an order for possession within 14 days, plus judgment for the 4,400 arrears plus costs.

'The bailiffs will be instructed as she has still not vacated.

'I will not be making any further public comment.'

Ms Williams said she was now 'in the process' of moving out and had found alternative premises.

Devon and Cornwall Police said it was not able to comment on any of the allegations.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Israel has an 'absolute right to defend itself' after attacks by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip.

In a filmed statement Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu declared the country is 'at war' with Hamas militants after they infiltrated the country on Saturday via land, sea and air.

The Palestinian group fired a devastating fusillade of rockets into the country and sent troops across the border in paragliders in a surprise attack.

Residents have been told to stay indoors as Israeli media reports that 22 people have been killed in the attacks, citing the country's ambulance service.

In a post on X, formally known as Twitter, Mr Sunak wrote: 'I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.

'Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.

A car burns after a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday. Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into the country

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Israel has an 'absolute right to defend itself' after attacks by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip

Smoke billows from a building in Gaza after Israel fired missiles in response to Palestinian air strikes earlier on Saturday

'We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.'

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Videos on social media appeared to show armed troops from the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' militant arm, moving through built-up areas firing weapons as Israeli residents were evacuated from their homes following air strikes.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Hamas called on 'the resistance fighters in the West Bank' as well as 'our Arab and Islamic nations' to join the battle.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has also condemned the 'horrific' attacks by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip in southern Israel.

Mr Cleverly wrote on social media: 'The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians.

'The UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself.'

The attacks have left civilians injured and dead, with 15 treated for injuries in the immediate aftermath of the first missile strikes.

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance agency said a woman in her 60s was killed 'due to a direct hit', reports AFP. Elsewhere, a 20-year-old man was moderately injured by rocket shrapnel, it said. It has started emergency blood drives to treat the wounded.

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Men believed to be Palestinian militants are seen riding an Israeli military vehicle after reportedly seizing it close to the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip

Other public figures including Foreign Secretary James Cleverley and Labour leader Keir Starmer have taken to social media to criticise today's attacks

Israeli and Palestinian citizens have been fleeing homes close to the border as both sides stepped up air strikes and engaged in gun battles throughout the day.

Other public figures have taken to social media to criticise today's attacks, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

'There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

'Israel has a right to defend herself.'

Ireland's deputy premier has condemned attacks from Hamas militants on Israel and called for 'all hostilities' to stop.

Mr Martin, who is Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, expressed his sympathies over the lives that had been lost.

'I strongly condemn the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and attacks against Israel from Gaza,' Mr Martin said.

'I deeply regret the loss of life and the impact on civilians.

A woman stands in a damaged room in Ashkelon, Israel after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip by Hamas militants

Palestinians ride what is believed to be an Israeli military off-road vehicle following the storming of border settlements by Hamas militants

'I call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities.'

The Tanaiste had travelled to the region last month on a three-day diplomatic trip where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. He also travelled to the occupied Palestinian territory where he met with President Mahmoud Abbas.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokeswoman Layla Moran MP condemned 'the terrorism of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.'

'I am horrified to wake up to such dreadful scenes of violence in Israel and Palestine this morning,' she said.

'Last year, I met with Israelis living in villages on the Gaza border. I am mortified to learn that these places are facing terrorist attacks as we speak. My thoughts are with those I met, and their safety, and all those others impacted by this awful violence.

'Liberal Democrats fully condemn the terrorism of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. This violence must cease. I am profoundly worried about the prospect for broader escalation.'

The White House said that it 'unequivocally condemns' the Hamas attacks.

National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said: 'There is never any justification for terrorism.

'We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

'National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners.'

X boss Elon Musk also commented on the attacks, he said: 'Sorry to see what's happening in Israel

X boss Elon Musk also commented on the attacks, he said: 'Sorry to see what's happening in Israel.

'I hope there can be peace one day.'

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometres (40 miles) to the north, during the early morning barrage that lasted more than 30 minutes.

Cities and towns in southern Israel emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza and millions of Israelis scrambled to bombs shelters while air raid sirens wailed overhead.

In the community of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings.

'With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms,' Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter in the town told the AP news agency.

'But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear,' she added, saying that she and her three children have been too scared to leave the shelter even for a moment to use the bathroom.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamic militant group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007 and the two have fought wars ever since.
Early on Saturday, Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, striking by land, air and sea in attacks killing at least 22 Israelis.

Hamas, the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip, claims to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Emerging footage shows horrific scenes, including Palestinian groups celebrating as they paraded the naked body of a female IDF soldier on a truck through Gaza.

The coordinated attack has seen border fences broken down, tanks immobilised, dozens of hostages reportedly taken and residential buildings targeted by airstrikes.

The murder of civilians has drawn widespread condemnation from world leaders and prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say the country is at 'war'.

As clashes between Israel and Palestine grow increasingly violent, MailOnline explains who Hamas are and the background to the conflict.

Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, October 7, 2023

Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza, as Netanyahu says Palestinian attacks amount to 'war', on October 7, 2023

Cars on fire following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in into southern Israel on October 7

Palestinians ride an Israeli military jeep in the streets of Gaza during the storming of Israeli settlements by the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam militia, the military wing of Hamas, 7 October 2023

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Who are Hamas?

Hamas is a Palestinian militant group and the standing authority in Gaza, an exclave on the Mediterranean coast.

The group has controlled the Strip since winning the 2006 parliamentary elections and toppling rival party Fatah in a power struggle during the bloody Battle of Gaza in 2007.

At least 118 people were killed and more than 550 wounded during the fighting up to June 15, 2007, as Hamas militants ousted Fatah officials and took power.

In response, Israel imposed a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The conflict brought an end to the 'unity government' administering Gaza and the West Bank, with the Palestinian National Authority overseeing the eastern territory independently.

While the Palestinian National Authority still lays claim to Gaza, the city remains under the control of Hamas.

Hamas - which means 'Islamic Resistance Movement - has both a social service wing, Dawah, and a militant wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (IQB).

The IQB continues to launch attacks in Israel against both combatants and civilians, drawing condemnation from world leaders and rights groups.

In 2009, Human Rights Watch observed that since 2001 'Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza have fired thousands of rockets deliberately or indiscriminately at civilian areas in Israel'.

The organisation noted that locally made Palestinian rockets cannot 'be reliably aimed' and are 'inherently indiscriminate when directed towards densely populated areas'.

'The rocket attacks have also placed civilians in Gaza at risk.

'The unpredictable nature of the crude rockets has meant that rockets have struck areas not only inside Israel but also inside Gaza.'

'Laws-of-war violations by one party to a conflict do not justify violations by another, and reprisal attacks that target civilians are prohibited under any circumstances,' the statement continued.

Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, Israel, the UK and the US have designated Hamas a terrorist organisation.

The group says its most recent operation was in response to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and increased violence from Israeli settlers.

Hamas maintains that it would accept a truce with Israel if it were to withdraw to the 1967 pre-war borders and allow refugees the right of return to their homeland.

Israeli police officers evacuate a family from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, October 7, 2023

A man runs in the road as fires burn in Ashkelon, Israel, following rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip initiated by Islamic militant group Hamas

Palestinian people, living near the border, leave their homes and moved towards safer areas due to clashes between Israeli forces and the IQB on October 7, 2023

A view destroyed building after Israeli forces striking Hamas targets in Gaza City, Gaza on October 7, 2023

History

Hamas was founded in 1987 at the beginning of a series of protests and riots known as 'the intifada'.

Clashes had broken out in Palestine and Israel after an IDF truck hit a civilian car, killing four Palestinian workers.

While Israel denied the crash was intentional, Palestinian groups believed the incident was coordinated, with rising tensions overspilling into violence.

Hamas was formed by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist organisation founded in Egypt some 50 years prior with designs to create a state under sharia law.

The Brotherhood's spread has resulted in many different interpretations, with some variation in beliefs and practices.

Really, its ideas gained traction with Israel's victory over an Arab coalition in the 1967 Six Day War. Hamas would emerge as a resistance movement, made distinct from the Brotherhood in its decided willingness to engage in direct conflict with Israel.

The group organised its first suicide bombing in 1993, destroying a bus in the West Bank carrying Israeli soldiers, killing the attacker and a Palestinian who worked nearby.

Hamas steadily refined its techniques and engaged in retaliatory attacks on Israel during periods of conflict. The perceived resistance gained it support from Palestinians in Gaza - though Fatah would remain more popular until the 21st century.

After boycotting the 1996 and 2005 elections, Hamas participated in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, campaigning on a commitment to stamping out corruption.

The Israeli evacuation of Gaza gave credence to the view Hamas' resistance methods were working, and the group won 76 seats against Fatah's 43.

Since the Battle of Gaza, Hamas has made a number of reconciliation attempts with Fatah, without lasting agreement.

Hamas has relied on external support to keep up its 'resistance' against Israel. It finds a natural ally in Iran, which continues to pump funding into the group.

Proxy groups like Hamas have been a key part of Iran's ambitions to unsettle rivals and project power towards the Mediterranean.

At the end of last year, Arab News reported that Hamas was struggling to maintain the flow of cash as sanctions cut into Iran's ability to provide aid and munitions.

A rocket is launched from the coastal Gaza strip towards Israel by militants of the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam militia, the military wing of Hamas movement, in Gaza City, 7 October 2023

A damaged residential building in Tel Aviv following rocket launches from Gaza, 7 October

Palestinian militants drive back to the Gaza Strip with the body of an Israeli soldier on Saturday, October 7, 2023

Leadership

The organisation has a formal structure, overseen by a Politburo of 15 members responsible for setting policy and led by political chief Ismail Haniyeh.

A council responsible for electing the Politburo has four divisions, tackling West Bank affairs, Gazan affairs, imprisoned members' affairs and diaspora affairs.

Yahya Sinwar oversees Hamas in the Gaza Strip and is considered the second most powerful figure within the group.

Responsibilities here split again into a social welfare system, with Hamas collecting tax and using funding to help the poor, build schools and run medical centres.

'Hamas has been very good at compartmentalising their activities - where they have a soup kitchen, for example, they simply give soup, nothing more,' Mouin Rabbani of the International Crisis Group told the LA Times in 2006.

'But it all fits into a broader pattern of popular mobilization and becomes another way of seeking support for the organization.'

The group also has a military branch, the IQB, which is commanded by Marwan Issa and Mohammed Deif.

Writing in 1997, Professor Ilana Kass described the relationship between Hamas and its military brigades as being similar to the relationship between Sinn Fein and the military arm of the IRA.

A senior Hamas leader told Kass that the IQB 'is a separate armed military wing, which has its own leaders who do not take their orders from [Hamas] and do not tell us of their plans in advance'.

In 2015, Al-Monitor warned that the military branch of Hamas was 'gradually taking even stronger control of the movement's institutions' and dictating the movement's policies.
A mother from Coventry who attempted to help her murderer son flee to Poland has been jailed.

After Hanna Skupinski, 52 found out her son Patryk Skupinski, 37, had killed his partner Marlene Doyle, 32, she contacted another of her sons in Poland to see if he could arrange travel out of the UK.

The 59-year-old from Bell Green Road, Coventry protected Patryk Skupinski after he killed the much-loved mother-of-three on January 15, 2022 and when police officers attended her home to speak to him she initially refused to open the door.

Partners Michal Lada, 41, and Kinga Rybacka, 27, also helped to keep the murderer hidden from police at their home in Blythe Road, Coventry.

Having been found guilty of assisting an offender at a previous hearing, all three co-conspirators were jailed yesterday at Coventry Crown Court for their corroboration.

Killer's mother Hanna Skupinski (pictured), 59, hid her son from police and tried to help him flee the country

Patryk Skupinski (pictured), 37, was convicted of murder at Coventry Crown Court and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.

However Lada's involvement in removing the weapon Patryk Skupinski had used to repeatedly hit Ms Doyle while she lay in bed at her home in Othello Court persuaded Judge Thomas Rochford to hand him the longest sentence of the three.

Lada was sentenced to 42 months imprisonment less 135 days spent on a qualifying curfew while the case was progressing through the courts.

Rybacka and Hanna Skupinski were both sentenced to 15 months behind bars.

Rybacka, four-and-a-half-months pregnant, broke down in tears as she and her co-defendants were sent down.

A dock officer was forced to escort her to the cells as she clung to Lada in desperation.

Each of the defendants were offered mitigation in the form of their previous good character and a misplaced 'loyalty' to Patryk Skupinski after his shocking crime.

But each was told their offending crossed the custody threshold 'by a significant margin' and that only an immediate custodial sentence could be 'justified'.

Marlene Doyle (pictured), 32, was killed by her partner Patryk Skupinski

In jailing Hanna Skupinski, Judge Rochford said: 'You were actively arranging his escape from the UK. Whilst that plan was never put into action, I'm sure it would have been carried out had his arrest not intervened.'

Judge Rochford told Lada his role in the 'very sorry episode', was the most serious. 'Within minutes of being told by Patryk Skupinski what he had done, you were lending enthusiastic and practical assistance,' the Judge said.

'You returned with him to Othello Court at around 7am [the day after the murder]. You even climbed scaffolding outside the neighbouring building in a desperate attempt to get in.

'And further, I'm sure, having heard all of the evidence, you carried away the weapon that had been used to kill Marlene Doyle and disposed of it somewhere, never to be found.'

Earlier, in the same courtroom, Patryk Skupinski had been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.

The court was told how Marlene, a woman with 'a heart of gold', was seeking help 'to learn to become the best mum that she could be' to her three young sons.

Ms Doyle's heartbroken mum said the pain caused by her daughter death was 'unbearable'.
Nija Townsend Jr. was reported missing on Monday when he didn't report back to his ship, the USS Germantown

The family of a Navy sailor who has mysteriously vanished claim his disappearance is 'very uncharacteristic'

The family of a Navy sailor who mysteriously vanished has branded his disappearance 'very uncharacteristic.'

Nija Townsend Jr. was reported missing on Monday when he failed to report back to his ship, the USS Germantown, in San Diego after having been on weekend leave.

His colleagues contacted his mom, Courtney Frazier, to find out if she was aware of his whereabouts when he didn't report back.

She launched a frantic mission to attempt to find her son, rallying loved ones to spread messages throughout the community and has turned to investigators for help.

The San Diego Police Department and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) are working together, alongside Naval officials to help locate Townsend, who is from Lake Jackson in Texas.

The family of a Navy sailor who has mysteriously vanished claim his disappearance is 'very uncharacteristic'

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) are work together, alongside Naval officials to help locate Townsend

Nija Townsend Jr. was reported missing on Monday when he didn't report back to his ship, the USS Germantown

'The health and welfare of our Sailors is a top priority and we will continue to work with local authorities to help locate this service member,' Cdr. Arlo Abrahamson, Public Affairs Officer for Naval Surface Force, US Pacific Fleet, said.

When Frazier found out her son may be in potential danger, she reportedly attempted to file a police report, however was allegedly told at the to time it was too early, and there were indications of 'foul play or imminent danger', however she disagreed.

'At what point does it become indicative of foul play or imminent danger?' Frazier told Fox News Digital. 'Wouldn't it be better to be safe than sorry?'

She claims investigators' requests to his phone company to try ping his location have been denied because they don't have the authority to do so.

It is believed the phone is still on with battery but has not been used to make or receive any calls and no data has been used.

Townsend is described as being about 5 ft 10 inches tall, weighing between 160-170lbs

Townsend's loved ones have been making public appeals on Facebook for help

Frazier also revealed that she was told by a lieutenant that her son not showing up for his assigned duty was 'very uncharacteristic'.

'His lieutenant said no he has not done this before, this is very out of character, and he always shows up for work,' she said.

Townsend is not believed to have any issues with drugs or mental health.

He is described as being about 5 ft 10 inches tall, weighing between 160-170lbs. He also wears glasses.

His loved ones are now pleading the public to assist in their search, with his aunt Cynthia Diaz Richardson helping spread the word.

'This is unlike him not to report back to duty. Anyone that knows him knows his character and that he is responsible and would never just go missing without any word or without anyone knowing where he is at,' she wrote on Facebook.

'Asking for tons of prayers and support and for y'all to spread the word on helping us find our loved one.'
A former US Army sergeant has been charged with attempting to share national security secrets with China after parting ways with the military.

Joseph Daniel Smith, 29, was an active-duty soldier in the US Army from 2015 to 2020 and was last stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

He was in charge of a team in the Human Intelligence squad which was responsible for overseeing the 'collection operations and the production of intelligence reporting, analysis, and the dissemination of intelligence products'.

His job had access to large quantities of classified intelligence and top-secret security clearance, prosecutors said.

After he separated from the military in 2020 - Schmidt allegedly reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and emailed Chinese security services to offer information about the US national defense.

A former US Army sergeant was charged with trying to share top-secret US intelligence with China after leaving the military (stock photo)

The ex-sergeant allegedly had a device that allowed access to secure military computer networks - which he offered to give to Chinese authorities

The US Attorney for the Western District of Washington Tessa Gorman said: 'The alleged actions of this former military member are shockingnot only attempting to provide national defense information, but also information that would assist a foreign adversary to gain access to Department of Defense secure computer networks.'

According to a press release from the Office of Public Affairs for the US Department of Justice, Schmidt travelled to Hong Kong where he allegedly further tried to offer confidential information that he knew because of his high-security military post to Chinese intelligence.

The ex-sergeant allegedly had a device that allowed access to secure military computer networks - which its claimed he offered to give to Chinese authorities.

He stayed in China until this week and was arrested when he returned to the US on a flight to San Francisco.

Schmidt appeared in US District Court for the Northern District of California on Friday and is set to be brought to the Western District of Washington for further court proceedings.

The charges that Schmidt faced after his arrest at San Francisco airport are for attempting to deliver national defense information and the retention of national defense information.

Both charges are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen said: 'Individuals entrusted with national defense information have a continuing duty to protect that information beyond their government service and certainly beyond our borders.

'The National Security Division is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who violate that duty.'

Joseph Daniel Smith, 29, served on the US Army from 2015 to 2020 and was last stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state

Schmidt appeared in US District Court for the Northern District of California on Friday and is set to be brought to the Western District of Washington for further court proceedings

It comes after another instance of leaked classified documents earlier this year.

A 21-year-old National Guard member was arrested by FBI officials in April for posting pictures of between 50 and 100 classified US documents online.

Jack Teixeira was a member of the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard and unofficial leader of an online group called 'Thug Shaker Central' - within which he circulated the documents, many of which related to the war in Ukraine.

Teixeira was among the eldest in the group of mainly young men and teenagers, who were keen on gaming, guns and right-wing memes.

He went by the name 'Jack the dripper' and was referred to as 'OG' by other members.

In May a Massachusetts magistrate judge ruled that Teixeira must remain in jail while his case plays out, citing the Air National Guardsmen as a potential flight risk.

Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division said: 'Joseph Daniel Schmidt was once a trusted guardian of our nation's secrets and swore an oath to defend and protect U.S. national security.

'As alleged by the government, Schmidt betrayed his promise and potentially placed our nation at risk in his attempts to pass national defense information to Chinese security services.'
The girlfriend of murdered social justice activist Ryan Thoresen Carson failed to pick the stabbing suspect out of a photo lineup - as legal experts warn it could have 'potentially devastating' results for the prosecution.

Claudia Morales, was unable to identify Brian Dowling, the 18-year-old teen, who allegedly stabbed her boyfriend to death outside the B46 train on Monday morning.

Brooklyn Prosecutor Jordan Rossman said during Dowling's arraignment Thursday evening at Brooklyn Criminal Court that Carson's girlfriend, a witness to the slaying, 'mis-picked' his alleged killer when she was shown a group of photographs, the New York Daily News reported.

Some of the photos were retrieved from surveillance footage that captured the deadly stabbing. Rossman said, 'she picked a different person than the defendant out of the photo array.'

A police official said Morales remains traumatized by the incident and has had difficulty recounting basic details to them, ABC7 NY News reported.

Suspect Brian Dowling, 18, is seen holding a knife in his right hand as victim, Ryan Carson tries to defend himself as his horrified girlfriend, Claudia Morales was standing nearby

Pictured: The couple had attended a wedding hours before the deadly stabbing

Brian Dowling, 18, is perp walked out of the 81st Precinct on Thursday afternoon looking tearful

Rossman said two other witnesses picked out Dowling from the photo lineup and investigators seized a knife and clothing that matched what the assailant was wearing from Dowling's home, The New York Post reported.

On Thursday night, Dowling appeared in court after being charged with first-degree murder shortly after he was tearfully perp walked out of an NYPD precinct following his murder charge.

Several hours after his arrest, cops also seized a knife believed to have been used in the attack.

Dowling, still wearing the same white t-shirt that he was arrested in, looked somber and tilted his head into the air as the prosecution spoke at the hearing.

At one moment he glanced at his parents in the courtroom, who were tearful at the sight of their son in custody before he was ordered by Judge Joshua Glick to be held without bail.

His next court date is scheduled for October 11.

Former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Bederow, who is not involved in the case, said the girlfriend's inability to identify Dowling was 'potentially devastating and crippling' to the prosecution's case but added that it 'doesn't by any means mean that it's over,' The Messenger reported.

He added: 'It's really too early to tell,' said Bederow, who now is a defense lawyer.

Bederow said there does seem to be other evidence in the case that could mitigate any possible damage from the photo array mis-identification.

'If they found a weapon at this guy's apartment and it has the DNA of the victim, that's compelling in the other direction,' he said.

He further explained that this means finding as many surveillance cameras as possible to track Dowling's movements scene and potentially using cellphone data to put him at the crime scene.

Julie Rendelman, a former Brooklyn prosecutor and now a defense attorney, said the failed photo array was 'something the defense can use to raise potential reasonable doubt' but noted that 'the stabbing is caught on video and the defendant's face is fairly clear,' as per the news outlet.

'It will likely be argued by the prosecution that the witness' trauma in watching her boyfriend be stabbed before her eyes impacted her ability to identify the defendant,' she said.

Dowling's defense lawyer, Kenneth Jamal Montgomery, said he agreed that the girlfriend's inability to identify his client could weaken the case against the teen  and potentially proving valuable at trial, The Messenger reported.

Montgomery added: 'However, I am waiting to review the discovery and all of its context.'

Dowling allegedly stabbed Carson in the heart at 3:50am on Monday in a savage, unprovoked attack that erupted while the he and his girlfriend were waiting for a bus after attending a wedding.

His first-degree murder charge could see him punished by up to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, if he is found guilty.

The prosecutor argued during the Thursday night arraignment that Dowling stabbed Carson 'without provocation', and claimed that two witnesses identified Dowling as Carson's killer from a photo line-up.

The teen's defense attorney Kenneth Montgomery told the court that it was the first time his client had been arrested.

'This is a difficult case for several reasons beyond the tragedy of the loss of life,' Montgomery told the judge. 'You have an 18-year-old man  young man who has no criminal history.'

He asked the court to impose a 'serious bail' because there was no risk of the teen fleeing, saying: 'His parents are here and I assure you that there's no risk of flight, he was arrested at his home.'

The attorney's pleas for leniency failed to convince the court, however, as Judge Glick remanded Dowling 'given the nature of the charges and the narrative given by the people.'

Ryan Thoresen Carson, 32, was an advocate of social justice and left-wing causes. Friday would have been his 32nd birthday

When police issued a search warrant on the teen's home, a sweatshirt was also seized along with the suspected murder weapon that matched the kind worn by the suspect in the video of Carson's killing.

Dowling's home is a five-minute walk from where the activist was stabbed to death in the unprovoked attack.

The teen suspect was previously described as 'emotionally and mentally disturbed', but neighbors have reacted with surprise at the grisly charges, telling DailyMail.com he is the 'sweetest boy' who is never normally in trouble.

'He's a nice guy. His family are good people very respectful,' added a family friend outside the home.

Dowling is understood to work at a school in Clinton Hill, and his alleged unhinged behavior also led his own aunt reported him to police two months ago after he broke his girlfriend's belongings in a fight.

Carson, who would have turned 32 on Friday, was an advocate of social justice and left-wing causes, including spearheading a drive to implement drug injection sites across the city and was a passionate environmentalist.

He worked for the New York Public Interest Research Group for the past decade. According to the organization, he held a number of different positions. His most recent was solid waste campaign manager, in which he led the organizaton's drive to expand the state's bottle law.

His girlfriend, according to now locked-down social media profiles, was an avid BLM activist who, among other remarks, used the cop-hating acronym ACAB in some posts.

Friends set up a GoFundMe account a day after the killing to help her, and so far the campaign has raised $60,000.

It remains unclear what prompted Dowling to attack. A suspect believed to be the 18-year-old was seen in the video at first walking past Carson and Morales, before turning back.

Dressed in a suit, Carson was returning home from a wedding - and his girlfriend Claudia posted an image of them smiling together at the nuptials hours before the tragedy.

Carson was filmed pushing the attacker in the chest several times before the first strike of the knife.

At one point, the suspect asks 'What the f*** are you looking at?' before violently stabbing Carson in the chest. At the end of the video, his girlfriend could heard chillingly yelling 'Brian!' as the attacker fled the scene.

On Wednesday, the activist's friends raised eyebrows after claiming that he would have felt sorry for the teenager who allegedly stabbed him to death, and would want his killing to be used to further left-wing policies.

'I know he would have wanted people to use his death as a means to talk about structural wrongs in the city,' New York State Assembly member Emily Gallagher told The Gothamist.

'I'm absolutely positive that he would immediately see that this was a person who was suffering from a lack of resources in our community, who probably needs better mental health support, possibly housing, possibly drug support, drug treatment.

'What he would want to avenge his death is for us to fix how broken this city is.'

Ricardo, a neighbor, whose lived on the block for 15 years, said he felt bad for the victim.

'He walked from Brooklyn to Buffalo for activism and to be treated like that doesn't make sense,' he said. 'You should be out anytime. They were coming from a wedding - you shouldn't harass anybody.'

'I watched the video. The man fell you should have left him alone - right then and there.'

Ricardo, who has friends on the block, said Dowling's family stayed to themselves and called them hard working people.

'It's sad,' he said shaking his head. 'It's a tragedy that just doesn't make any sense.'

Funeral arrangements for Carson are still pending in Massachusetts, ABC7 NY News reported.
An AFP investigation has led to a former childcare worker being charged with 1623 child abuse offences against 91 children - including 136 counts of rape and 110 counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10 - in Brisbane, Sydney and overseas between 2007 and 2022.

The Gold Coast man, 45, has been in custody in Queensland since August 2022 when the AFP arrested and charged him initially with two counts of making child exploitation material and one count of using a carriage service for child pornography material.

The case is scheduled for a mention in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 21 August, 2023.

After the man was charged last year, the AFP will allege further self-produced child abuse material was identified on electronic devices allegedly owned by the man. The AFP launched Operation Tenterfield immediately after arresting the man on 21 August last year.

Operation Tenterfield has in part focused on identifying the children in the alleged child abuse material recorded at childcare centres in Queensland (10) and NSW (one), and an early learning centre attached to a school overseas.

The AFP alleges the man recorded his offending on phones and cameras while working in 10 childcare centres in Brisbane between 2007 to 2013, and 2018 to 2022; an overseas location in 2013 and 2014; and one centre in Sydney between 2014 and 2017. All the children allegedly offended against were pre-pubescent girls. The man worked at other childcare centres but the AFP is highly-confident the man did not allegedly offend at those centres.

The AFP is also highly-confident that all 87 Australian children who were recorded in the alleged child abuse material have been identified. The AFP believes the man recorded all his alleged offending.

The parents of all the Australian children recorded in the alleged child abuse material have been informed of the investigation. Some of the individuals identified in the alleged child abuse material are now aged over 18 years and have been informed. Support services have been offered and continue to be provided.

The AFP is working with international authorities to help identify four children recorded in alleged child abuse material created overseas.

The AFP Queensland Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET) and victim identification specialists from the AFP and Queensland Police Service (QPS) have been working tirelessly since the man's arrest last year to identify all children in the alleged child abuse material.

In November, 2022, the AFP provided evidence to NSW Police Force (NSWPF) to enable an investigation for the alleged offending in NSW. NSWPF launched Strike Force Boorong to investigate alleged offending in Sydney. With the assistance of the AFP, NSWPF notified families and individuals identified under Operation Tenterfield.

Operation Tenterfield with the assistance of Strike Force Boorong has undertaken detailed forensic investigations of more than 4000 images and videos containing alleged child abuse material, which was allegedly created by the man.

In July, 2023, the AFP laid further charges against the man (on top of the three original charges) for the alleged offending against 64 children in Queensland and four children overseas.

Those charges include:

In June, 2023, NSWPF laid charges for alleged offending against 23 children in NSW. Charges include:

NSWPF has issued a first instance warrant for the man's future extradition.

Operation Tenterfield has been complex and has involved highly-skilled victim identification specialists. Up to 35 AFP members have been involved in the investigation since August 2022.

The AFP thanks QPS and NSWPF for dedicating resources to the investigation.

The genesis of Operation Tenterfield is linked to QPS locating alleged child abuse images and videos on the dark web in 2014.

QPS posted them on an international victim identification database, seeking assistance from the global victim-identification community.

The AFP and other agencies examined the images but they contained few distinguishable clues for investigators to follow.

But in August, 2022, the AFP was able to trace objects identified in the background of the alleged images and videos posted on the dark web between 2013 and 2014 to a Brisbane childcare centre.

Following inquiries with the childcare centre, the AFP executed a search warrant on 20 August, 2022, in Brisbane, and arrested the man in Brisbane's southwestern suburbs. He was charged with making and distributing child abuse material that was allegedly posted on the dark web.

In the next 48 hours, the AFP executed two further search warrants including at the man's Gold Coast home and seized electronic devices allegedly containing child abuse material created by the man.

In September 2022, the AFP coordinated a joint-agency taskforce with QPS at the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) to review nearly 4000 seized images and videos the man had allegedly created.

Victim identification specialists helped identify 91 children who had allegedly been offended against by the man.

The childcare centres will not be named to help protect the identity of alleged victims.

AFP Northern Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said the AFP and other agencies were providing ongoing support to parents and children.

'The AFP, working with support services, has ensured parents and carers have received as much information as possible as this investigation continues,' Assistant Commissioner Gough said.

'I can assure members of the Australian public that if you have not been contacted by law enforcement, it is extremely unlikely your child was allegedly offended against by the man.

'The AFP is highly-confident that all the Australian children who were recorded in the alleged child abuse material have been identified.

'The AFP and our partners never gave up trying to identify the alleged offender and the children in the alleged abuse material.

'Given there were so many alleged images and videos of children recorded over 15 years on the alleged offender's devices, the process of identification took time, skill and determination.

'There is not much solace I can give parents and children who have been identified under Operation Tenterfield, but I can tell you that we never gave up, and we never will when it comes to protecting children.

'This is a distressing time for families, carers and the community broadly.

'We know this type of news can re-traumatise survivors of sexual abuse, and, please, I urge those survivors to seek support, or talk to a trusted network, if today's news has caused distress.'

Queensland Police Service Acting Assistant Commissioner Col Briggs said this outcome was the culmination of years of dedicated and complex investigation across jurisdictions.

'From the moment Argos located images of victim children being shared on the dark web in 2014 an extensive examination was launched to identify the children in the pictures,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Briggs said.

'The challenges posed by an investigation of this type were significant and officers never gave up on identifying this alleged offender, reminding themselves that everything you do online leaves a trace.

'In recent years investigators engaged the support of a joint-agency Victim Identification Taskforce at the ACCCE, with several agencies working together to ensure the victims and their families were located.

'These allegations are horrific and confronting, but I commend all investigators from each jurisdiction in their relentless efforts to ensure that our community is made safer as a result of the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald from the NSWPF State Crime Command confirmed the man would also be facing child sex abuse related charges in NSW.

'Today we announce that the NSW Police Force have issued a warrant for this man's arrest in our home state, where he faces 180 child sex abuse charges against 23 victims aged one to five,' Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald said.

'Once this man faces the AFP charges in Queensland, we will be seeking to extradite him to Sydney to face the full force of the law in New South Wales.

'This is one of the most horrific cases of alleged child abuse our detectives have seen, and we will continue to relentlessly pursue this matter on behalf of the 23 victims of NSW, who remain our number one priority.

'Alongside our partner agencies, we are absolutely committed to prosecuting anyone who goes after our community's most vulnerable.'

The AFP urges anyone in the community who needs to access support to visit the ACCCE website  www.accce.gov.au - for a full list of available support services with contact details.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.

Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety.

If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available at www.accce.gov.au/support.

Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has met with migrants in Ecuador but stopped short of telling them not to come to the Big Apple.

Adams greeted residents of a family shelter in Quito as part of his tour of Latin America in which he was supposedly setting out to deter asylum seekers from attempting to enter the US.

But staffers at the Fundacion Gotitas de Oblacion, where Adams spent about an hour with 10 migrant families, were surprised to hear Adams was meant to be deterring people from heading to Gotham, The Post reports.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams has met with migrants at a family shelter in Ecuador

Adams is expected to discuss solutions to the migrant crisis during his travels

During his visit, he addressed media with Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Gustavo Manrique (R)

He was seen out and about in the historic center of Quito as he met with asylum seekers

'I didn't know anything about that,' said one of the shelter supervisors reportedly said through a translator.

'He just came and said good job.'

Employees claimed Adams was eager to learn about the non-profit shelter and the services it provides as well as how they help migrants into work and homes.

One worker who gave Adams a tour of the facility claimed the mayor never brought up migrants  or the US.

New York City is buckling under the strain of the massive influx of migrants who have overwhelmed its shelter system and strained financial resources.

Estimated costs to accommodate them is set to tip $4.7 billion. The staggering cost is equal to the city's sanitation, fire and parks departments budgets combined.

Adams also traveled to Mexico to discourage asylum seekers from traveling to the city because it is 'at capacity.'

The state is struggling to accommodate the 122,000 who have arrived in 18 months - which is in stark contrast to when he personally welcomed them last year.

'This is just the beginning of the journey of trying to be on the ground and understand the whole flow of migrant and asylum seekers,' Adams said.

Adams, stated that the irregular migration crisis is a global threat that must be faced internationally jointly

Adams (L) and Ecuador's Foreign Minister Gustavo Manrique held a meeting at Najas Palace

A bus carrying migrants arrived in New York City on September 4 after illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border

Migrants that arrived on a bus from Texas and were dropped off at Port Authority board a black City of New York van and were taken to the family shelter in The Bronx

The comments came as he arrived in Mexico City for a four-day trip prior to arriving in Ecuador. He's also set to travel to Colombia to speak to leaders there.

Later, speaking at the base of a basilica in the city where people often pray before setting out on their journeys, Adams said he hoped to 'manage expectations' of migrants setting out on their journeys.

On Tuesday, Eric pleaded with a judge to end the city's longstanding 'right to shelter' law, asking that it be void in a state of emergency.

The city has been moving to suspend the policy for months under the surge of migrants, arguing the requirement was never intended to be applied to a humanitarian crisis such as the latest influx.

Adams plea and his trip to Mexico to discourage migrants shows a stunning reversal to the start of the crisis when he went to the Port Authority to welcome a bus full of asylum seekers sent from Texas by Republican governor Gregg Abbot.

Adams said: 'As the mayor of New York, I have to provide services families that are here, and that's what we're going to do - our responsibility as a city, and I'm proud that this is a Right to Shelter state, and we're going continue to do that.'
President Biden has offered his 'unwavering' support to Israel following a devastating attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday morning

Joe Biden has offered his 'unwavering' support to Israel following a devastating attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas early on Saturday morning.

Speaking at a press conference in the early afternoon the president reaffirmed the US's 'rock solid and unwavering' support for Israel and warned other nations not to take advantage of the situation.

'This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks, to seek an advantage,' he said. 'The world is watching'.

President Biden said 'Israel has a right to defend itself and its people' and has offered 'all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.'

Hamas fired a devastating fusillade of rockets into the country at daybreak during the festival of Simchat Torah, a day when Jews finish the annual cycle of reading the Torah.

President Biden said 'Israel has a right to defend itself and its people' and has offered 'all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel'

A car burns after a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday. Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into the country

Smoke billows from a building in Gaza after Israel fired missiles in response to Palestinian air strikes earlier on Saturday

The Palestinian group then sent troops across the border in paragliders in a surprise attack, setting off gun battles inside communities.

Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone on Saturday morning to offer US support.

The White House condemned the 'unprovoked attacks' against Israeli civilians issuing a strong statement on Saturday morning.

'The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism,' National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in the statement.

'We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.'

Israel has vowed to exact revenge on Palestinian militants, warning Hamas that they had made a 'grave mistake'.

Speaking on Saturday Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will take 'mighty vengeance for this black day' Reuters reported.

The Prime Minister said Israel will 'reach every place Hamas is hiding' and told 'Gaza's people to leave those places now', according to Reuters.

Dozens of Israelis are believed to have been captured by Palestinian militants and Netanyahu said Hamas is responsible for any captives wellbeing.

'Israel will settle the score with anyone who harms them,' he added.

Residents living close to Israel's border with Gaza have been ordered to stay inside and others have been evacuated after Hamas militants infiltrated the country by land, sea and air and launched a fusillade of missile strikes.

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that the militants will pay an 'unprecedented price' after their attacks killed at least 250 Israelis.

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Men believed to be Palestinian militants are seen riding an Israeli military vehicle after reportedly seizing it close to the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip

A woman stands in a damaged room in Ashkelon, Israel after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip by Hamas militants

Palestinian officials have since claimed more than 230 people have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Israel.

Videos on social media appeared to show armed troops from the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' militant arm, moving through built-up areas firing weapons as Israeli residents were evacuated from their homes following air strikes.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Hamas called on 'the resistance fighters in the West Bank' as well as 'our Arab and Islamic nations' to join the battle.

In remarks reported by CNN, militant commander Deif said: 'If you have a gun, get it out. This is the time to use it  get out with trucks, cars, axes. Today the best and most honorable history starts.'

'Today the people are regaining their revolution,' he added, in other statements reported by AP, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to 'expel the occupiers and demolish the walls.'

In response, Israeli forces have vowed that Hamas will 'face the consequences and responsibility for these events'.
A British father has described his 'miracle' escape from Hamas rocket attacks as he slept in his home in Tel Aviv.

Former Happy Mondays tour manager Anthony Murray said he is 'lucky to be alive' as he was woken today by the warning of sirens ringing out across the city.

Thousands of rockets rained down and killed more than 40 people in the cities of Tel Avis, Jerusalem and Sderot this morning as Hamas terrorists attacked. In response, Israeli military forces launched operation 'Iron Swords'.

Murray, originally from Manchester, described his 'absolute terror' as the bombing unfolded. He said: 'I thought I was going to die. It just all kicked off out of nowhere.'

He added: 'As soon as the sirens and bombs went off I fled into a safe room in the house I'm staying at with my girlfriend. Most houses in here have a safe room, it's a bunker below ground.

'We were in there for a few hours just hoping and praying we would stay alive.'

Former Happy Mondays tour manager Anthony Murray (pictured) said he is 'lucky to be alive' as he was woken today by the warning of sirens ringing out across the city

Smoke is seen in the Rehovot area as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip

Thousands of rockets rained down and killed more than 40 people in the cities of Tel Avis, Jerusalem and Sderot this morning as Hamas terrorists attacked

Former Happy Mondays tour manager Anthony Murray said he is 'lucky to be alive'. Pictured left to right: Bez (squatting), Paul Ryder, Anthony Murray, Gary Whelan, Ronnie Biggs, Gary Whelan, Shaun Ryder and Paul Davis

Residents living close to Israel's border with Gaza have been ordered to stay inside and others have been evacuated after Hamas militants infiltrated the country by land, sea and air and launched a fusillade of missile strikes.

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that the militants will pay an 'unprecedented price' after their attacks killed at least 40 Israelis; Palestinian officials have since claimed 161 people have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Israel.

Speaking in a televised address, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas had made a 'grave mistake...and launched a war against the State of Israel' - vowing that 'Israel will win'.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was 'shocked' by the attacks, writing on X, formerly Twitter: 'Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.

Murray said the terrorists were 'only a few streets away' from his home. He said: 'When we got out of the bunker we just decided to flee and get out of there. Looking at how close it has been, it's a miracle I'm still alive.

'Rockets were shot down by the Israeli military right above where I was staying as well. Everyone is in absolute shock. It's horrific.'

Men believed to be Palestinian militants are seen riding an Israeli military vehicle after reportedly seizing it close to the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip

A woman stands in a damaged room in Ashkelon, Israel after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip by Hamas militants

The 54-year-old said he is trying to travel to Nazareth in northern Israel - but heard it also might be blocked to visitors.

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He added: 'We're told that is being blocked off by the military. The whole place is just chaos. People are very angry.

'I have seen Israeli military vehicles. You just know they will fight back and won't take this.

'It's all madness.'

He said: 'I just had to get out of there as soon as possible. Thank God we did, Tel Aviv is now in total lockdown.'

Murray - once a major player on the Madchester scene in the 1990s and early 2000s - had been sight seeing in Bethlehem on Friday, just 24 hours before the attacks started.

He said the area had been peaceful.

Murray is currently living in Israel while he awaits trial in Turkey over his alleged role in a 80million cocaine ring.

He said: 'I'm in the country trying to get a bit of peace and quiet away from Turkey where I face trial next year.

A car burns after a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday. Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into the country

Smoke billows from a building in Gaza after Israel fired missiles in response to Palestinian air strikes earlier on Saturday

'I came to Israel to relax and all hell has broken loose. It was terrifying this morning. I could hear the sirens and then all of the explosions.'

He added: 'Israel is one of the only places I am allowed to go. I cannot go back to Turkey until the trial next year and I cannot go back to Britain.

'I have absolutely no idea what we will do now. I'm totally stuck but at least I'm alive.'

Murray - who still talks to Shaun Ryder and Bez - was one of 15 suspects held when sniffer dogs found drugs in fertiliser on a ship from Colombia.

The Turkish authorities believe he was a mastermind behind the shipment - but he denies this.

He had been in Tel Aviv for several months but tried to travel to Turkey at the end of last month but was refused entry.

He was due there for a pre-trial court appearance.
Palestinians have been seen celebrating after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing at least 70 people - with one proud father hoisting his child onto his shoulders as she waves an assault rifle and a handgun.

In a video believed to have been filmed in the West Bank, men can be heard singing and waving assault rifles in the air as the young girl holds an assault rifle in her left hand and a pistol in her right.

Another video shows Gazan women in headscarves hoisting a rifle over their heads and yelling; unconfirmed reports suggest the gun was seized from a dead Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldier.

In Israel, grim pictures have emerged of civilians crying over the bodies of their loved ones as the country's medical service said 70 Israelis had been killed and at least another 779 had been injured in Hamas airstrikes and gun attacks on Saturday.

Photographs too graphic to publish show the lifeless bodies of Israelis at roadsides and under bus shelters, the walls and ground painted red with their blood.

A young Palestinian girl holds an assault rifle aloft as she is carried on a man's shoulders following attacks on Israel carried out by Hamas militans

The girl also appears to hold a handgun in her other hand in the video, believed to have been filmed in the West Bank

A woman holds an assault rifle aloft in footage believed to have also been filmed in the West Bank. Unconfirmed reports suggested the gun was seized from a killed Israeli soldier

The woman has to readjust her face covering in the excitement of waving the rifle around

A family, including a tearful girl, is evacuated after a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday

An Israeli woman cries over the body of a motorcyclist - understood to be a relative - who was killed by Palestinian armed militants in Sderot, near the Gaza border, on Saturday

An Israeli soldier stands over the bodies of civilians who were killed by Palestinian militants

An injured Israeli soldier is brought into Tel Aviv's Surasky Medical Centre following an attack by Palestinian militants on Saturday

Israeli medical teams evacuate an injured person from the southern city of Sderot, close to the border with the Gaza Strip

Other images show the bodies of Israeli civilians spilling out of cars after being shot by militants who travelled by land, sea and air to breach the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel on Saturday.

The combination of air strikes and on-the-ground actions have killed at least 40 Israelis, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service; Israel's health ministry said 779 others had been injured and taken to hospital.

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Palestinian officials say that retaliatory strikes carried out by Israel following the Hamas assault have killed 198 people and injured close to 1,610 others.

'It's just impossible to comprehend,' Thomas Helm, Jerusalem Correspondent at The National told MailOnline today, speaking from Jerusalem.

'If you had asked me to imagine a worse case scenario yesterday, I don't think I could have come up with one short of a nuclear attack.'

Hamas said the attack was driven by what it said were Israel's escalated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and against Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

Its military commander Mohammed Deif announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

'This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth,' he said, adding that a claimed 5,000 rockets had been launched.

Videos on social media appeared to show armed troops from the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' militant arm, moving through built-up areas firing weapons as Israeli residents were evacuated from their homes following air strikes.

Hamas is said to have captured Israeli troops and civilians alike, with images and videos shared on social media showing soldiers being pulled out of tanks and people in civilian clothing being marched away by men armed with rifles.

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Palestinian militants will pay an 'unprecedented price' after the attacks; Palestinian officials claim 198 people have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Israel.

Speaking in a televised address, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas had made a 'grave mistake (launching) a war against the State of Israel' - vowing that 'Israel will win'.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was 'shocked' by the attacks, writing on X, formerly Twitter: 'Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.'

Brits have also been caught up in the biggest armed conflict Israel has seen in years following the surprise action by Hamas' militia division, the Al-Qassam Brigades.

Former Happy Mondays tour manager Anthony Murray, from Manchester, has described how he thought he was 'going to die' as he fled to a bunker following air raid alerts in Tel Aviv earlier today.

Palestinian people dance at a refugee camp in Beirut as they celebrate the Hamas incursion in Israel, which has killed more than 200 people in total

Among those celebrating at the Beirut camp was a young boy wearing militia-style fatigues, carrying a handgun

A woman and child are evacuated from the site of a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday

A body draped in a sheet lies inside a bullet-riddled car in Sderot, Israel, after Hamas militants breached the border to stage an armed incursion on Saturday

An injured man is carried on a stretcher by members of the Israeli security forces following air strikes in southern Israel

Rockets have struck buildings across southern Israel - and militants are reported to have taken to the streets after 'infiltrating' the country

Smoke billows from a building in Gaza after Israel fired missiles in response to Palestinian air strikes earlier on Saturday

Hamas fighters circumvented Israel's border with the Gaza Strip by flying in via paraglider, according to the Israeli military (pictured: an alleged paraglider crossing into Israel)

Palestinians celebrate after an Israeli tank was hit by Hamas gunmen who infiltrated the south of the country, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border

A woman stands in a damaged room in Ashkelon, Israel after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip by Hamas militants

A Jewish man wearing a tallit - a type of prayer shawl - looks out from a building after a rocket attack in Ashkelon, Israel on Saturday

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Israeli residents take shelter in the basement of a building after the Palestinian incursion into the country began early on Saturday

Images issued by Hamas' militant arm, the Al-Qassam Brigades, show what it claims are Palestinian fighters infiltrating southern Israel and motorcycles riding through a hole in the Gaza border fence

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told citizens of the country that it is 'at war' with Hamas militants

Israeli forces have vowed that Hamas will 'face the consequences and responsibility for these events'.

It has been striking targets in Gaza and deployed countermeasures to repel further air attacks - prompting further rocket launches from inside the blockaded territory.

Later on Saturday Israeli navy chiefs said they had killed 'dozens' of Hamas militants who had sought to enter the country by sea; Palestinian gunmen also breached border fences and even used paragliders to enter the country from the air.

'What's so shocking about this one is the creativity,' Thomas Helm told MailOnline today. 'People were planning for a large rocket barrage. That's what we have been worrying about for a long time. But for people to be flying in on hang-gliders, it's unreal.

'What it does more than anything else is shatters this sense that Israel... whenever you speak to an Israeli General they're obsessed with deterrence. And they worry that their deterrence has been diminished in recent months. But this shatters it.'

In a filmed statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incursion was a 'murderous surprise attack', adding: 'We are at war, not an operation, not rounds, but at war.'

Mr Netanyahu said that security forces were 'clearing villages' of Palestinian militants, and that reservists have been called up to 'return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known', vowing that Hamas would 'pay an unprecedented price'.

He added: 'In the meantime, I call on all citizens of Israel to strictly obey the instructions of the army and the instructions of the Home Command. We are in a war and we will win it.'

A video released by Hamas, captioned 'Scenes of the Qassam Brigades capturing a number of enemy soldiers', appeared to show three people in civilian clothing being detained by Palestinian militants.

The Israeli military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

But Israeli media reports, cited by Reuters, say that up to 50 people have been taken hostage by Hamas gunmen in Be'eri, a kibbutz (a type of Israeli community) near the Gaza border.

In another kibbutz, Kfar Aza, elderly residents have been forced into Palestinian territories by militants riding golf carts and motorcycles.

Israeli and Palestinian citizens have been fleeing homes close to the border as both sides stepped up air strikes and engaged in gun battles throughout the day.

Hundreds of residents in the Gaza Strip fled their homes to move away from the border with Israel after the counter-attacks began, The AFP news agency reported. that hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children were seen carrying blankets and food items as they left their homes.

One local close to the border told Israeli news website Ynet: 'We are under attack, and no one is coming to help us. For more than an hour and a half there has been non-stop shooting. They are slaughtering us here, there is no army.'

Palestinians are seen celebrating in the Gaza Strip after Hamas gunmen infiltrated areas of southern Israel and rocket barrages were fired into the country on Saturday

A man carries a crying child as they walk past a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in Gaza City

People flee as clashes flare between Palestinian groups and Israeli forces in Gaza City following the earlier air strikes

A destroyed building in Gaza City after Israel began firing counter-missiles into the occupied territory following the incursion by Palestinian militant group Hamas

Palestinians are greeted by crowds after returning from crossing the border into Israel

A member of Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades - its militant wing - holds a Palestinian flag atop a destroyed Israeli tank

Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel (pictured far right) chairs a security meeting in Tel Aviv following the start of the Hamas attacks

Images have circulated on social media showing what appear to be violent scenes across both Israel and Gaza.

One video, reported by the AP news agency, appeared to show the lifeless body of an Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldier being trampled in Gaza by an angry crowd shouting 'God is great'.

A further clip, the contents of which have not been verified, appears to show Palestinian militants shouting 'God is great' as they parade the bloodied and naked body of a female Israeli woman through the streets in the back of a pickup truck.

Other footage appeared to show militants dragging away an Israeli soldier on a motorcycle.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service claimed that its medics had been fired on by Hamas militants, one of whom was seriously injured.

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometres (40 miles) to the north, during the early morning barrage that lasted more than 30 minutes.

Cities and towns in southern Israel emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza and millions of Israelis scrambled to bombs shelters while air raid sirens wailed overhead.

In the community of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings.

'With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms,' Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter in the town told the AP news agency.

'But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear,' she added, saying that she and her three children have been too scared to leave the shelter even for a moment to use the bathroom.

Images from within the blockaded Gaza territory, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967, showed Palestinians celebrating in the streets.

Palestinians could also be seen climbing on top of a burning Israeli tank that was hit at the border with the Gaza Strip, and posing for selfies.

Men believed to be Palestinian militants are seen riding an Israeli military vehicle after reportedly seizing it close to the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip

Palestinians ride what is believed to be an Israeli military off-road vehicle following the storming of border settlements by Hamas militants

A Palestinian gunman holds his weapon aloft after infiltrating the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border fence, which is heavily fortified

A car burns after a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday. Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into the country

Two women - one of whom appears to be carrying an assault rifle - look on after rockets were launched into Ashkelon in Israel

Israeli medics and security forces treat a man who was injured at the site of a rocket attack

Israeli security forces take cover during a rocket attack siren warning as rockets are fired from the Gaza strip into Ashkelon

Israeli soldiers head south near the city of Ashkelon in southern Israel after Hamas militants infiltrated the country on Saturday

Israeli soldiers on a main road in central Israel after Hamas instigated an incursion into the country

Israeli soldiers and security officials in Tel Aviv, as the office of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was set to convene a meeting with officials

Israel Defence Force (IDF) soldiers closed roads in the Sderot area, around a mile from the blockaded Gaza territory, following the attacks

Streams of rockets are fired by Palestinians in response to Israeli counter-strikes on Saturday

Rockets are fired from Gaza City towards Israel early on Saturday as Hamas declared that it had begun a new offensive against the country

A rocket is launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel by Hamas militants on Saturday - in a surprise attack that is thought to have caught the country off-guard

Burnt out vehicles lie wrecked in the streets of Ashkelon, a few miles north of the Gaza Strip

A rescue worker from the Magen David Adom disaster relief service looks on as cars burn at the site of a rocket attack in Ashkelon, southern Israel

A Palestinian medic inspects the remains of an ambulance hit by an Israeli air strike in retaliation for a surprise incursion by Hamas on Saturday

A firefighter inspects a building in Rishon LeZion - a city just a few miles south of Tel Aviv - after a rocket attack by Palestinian militants

Israel's military claims that 2,500 rockets were fired by Palestinian militants, half the amount alleged by Hamas - and said troops had 'infiltrated' the country via sea and ground as well as by air, using paragliders.

They said in a statement: 'The military declares a state of war alert. In the last hour, the Hamas terrorist organization had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, and terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations.'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose right-wing government took command in 2022 after he was ousted the year before, met with security chiefs met to discuss the attack.

Following the meeting, Israel defence minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas had started a 'war' against the country.

'Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel,' he said, adding that 'Israel will win'.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said in a tweet: 'Israelis across the countryon Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torahwoke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning. We will defend ourselves.'

It later added that it was 'striking Hamas targets in Gaza'. IDF troops are also engaged in gun battles on the ground across a number of locations close to the border with the Gaza territory.

Army spokesperson Lt Col Richard Hecht told reporters of the Hamas incursion: 'It was a combined ground raid which happened through paragliders, through the sea and through the ground.

'Right now we're fighting. We're fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Strip... our forces are now fighting on the ground.'

But the attack - on Sinchat Torah, a Jewish holiday marking the end of the annual cycle of public readings from Jewish scripture - appears to have caught Israel off-guard, despite the government's campaigning on taking heavy-handed action against would-be Palestinian threats.

It will revive painful memories of the 1973 war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel's enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Lt Col Hecht would not be drawn on how Hamas had caught the army off guard, saying only: 'That's a good question.'

Israeli security forces take cover as air raid sirens sound in Ashkelon in the south of the country, amid further barrages by Palestinian militants

A rocket is fired from within Gaza City after Israeli forces began launching airstrikes in response to the Hamas offensive on Saturday

Palestinians climbed onto the tank and took selfies after it was immobilised at the border with Gaza - which is lined with fences, cameras and high-tech sensors

Palestinians use an excavator to break through the border fence separating the occupied Gaza Strip from Israel

Residents of Gaza hold what they claim is a number plate belonging to a seized Israeli military vehicle, given to them by Hamas militants

Shocking footage shared on social media appears to show Palestinian fighters parading the naked body of an Israeli woman on the back of a pick-up truck

A plume of smoke rises from a residential apartment building hit by an airstrike in Ashkelon. However, Israel's Iron Dome defence system is said to have deflected much of the barrage

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the 'terror of settlers and occupation troops', the official news agency WAFA quoted him as saying.

He spoke at an emergency meeting held in Ramallah with a number of top officials from the Palestinian Authority.

Volker Turk, the United Nations' human rights chief, has said he is 'shocked and appalled' by the Hamas assault, and has expressed 'deep concern' at claims that Israelis have been taken hostage.

He has called for an 'immediate stop' to the violence, appealing to 'all sides...to de-escalate to avoid further bloodshed'.

Mr Turk added: 'This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians. Civilians must never be the target of attack.

'I note also that Israeli forces have responded with air strikes into the densely populated Gaza Strip, reportedly killing at least two people. I call on them to take all precautions to avoid civilian casualties there.'

The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting following the attacks, Brazil, which currently chairs the UNSC, said.

The Hamas incursion has been condemned by a number of international observers, including Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, the UK and the European Union.

Writing on social media, UK foreign secretary James Cleverly said: 'The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself.'

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he 'utterly condemned' the attacks, adding: 'There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region. Israel has a right to defend herself.'

US president Joe Biden has been briefed on the 'appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel', according to a White House statement, adding that he was in close contact with Israel as the situation continues to develop.

The French Embassy in Israel branded the manoeuvres as 'inadmissible terrorist attacks' in a tweet - a sentiment later echoed by French president Emmanuel Macron.

A young man runs for cover as shelling continues in southern Israel on Saturday, as Hamas said it fired thousands of rockets into the country

A member of Israeli security forces (seen right) stands near burning cars following a rocket attack by Hamas in southern Israel

Israelis gather to donate blood at a hospital in Tel Aviv, following an appeal by the national ambulance service in the wake of the attack by Hamas on Saturday

UK politicians have roundly condemned Hamas' actions. PM Rishi Sunak said he was 'shocked' by the attack, while foreign secretary James Cleverly and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer both said Israel had a right to defend itself

Spain's acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said he was 'overwhelmed by this indiscriminate violence', while Petr Fiala, the prime minister of long-standing Israeli ally the Czech Republic, tweeted: 'The Czech Republic has always stood and will stand fully with Israel.'

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said she 'unequivocally' condemned the attacks, branding them 'terrorism in its most contemptible form'.

However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - who has expressed support for the Palestinian cause - urged Israel and Palestinians 'to act reasonably' and avoid 'impulsive' steps that could lead to further escalation.

Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov told news agency Interfax that it was in contact with everyone involved, adding: 'We always call for restraint.'

Hamas has, however, received support from Shiite militant group Hezbollah - considered a terrorist organisation by a number of countries, including the UK - as well as Iran; Qatar and Kuwait, however, suggested that Israel's handling of Palestine territories may have played a part in Hamas' actions.

Hezbollah describing the Palestinian manoeuvres as a response to 'Israeli crimes', saying the militants had 'divine backing' and that it was in contact with the organisation.

Iran's state television showed parliament members rising from their seats to chant 'Death to Israel', while Kuwait blamed Israel for what it called its 'blatant attacks' on Palestinian people and Qatar's foreign ministry said Israel alone was responsible for an ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinian people.

The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated places in the world, with around two million people packed into 140 square miles.

But it depends on Israel for water, electricity, telecommunications, and other utilities, and imports are carefully controlled by the occupying country.

Saturday's incursion sets the stage for what was likely to be a new heavy round of fighting between the bitter enemies, after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007.

The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

Saturday's incident is the most serious since a 10-day war in 2021, with Israeli media reporting gun battles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel.

The Israel-Gaza border is heavily fortified, with cameras and sensors both above and below ground to deter incursions like the one that began on Saturday - marking a significant escalation the Palestinian offensive.

The AFP agency reports that at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners were killed in the conflict this year prior to Saturday, including combatants and civilians on both sides, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Smoke could be seen rising from multiple places after barrages were fired early on Saturday in the surprise attack

A thick, dark plume of smoke rises from a damaged building in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, after it was struck by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip

A building burns in the Israeli city of Gedera after Hamas fired a claimed 5,000 rockets

Rockets landed in suburban areas, striking homes - pictured above: fire at a home in Ashkelon, southern Israel after it was struck by a rocket

Locals in Ashkelon assess the damage after rockets were fired into residential areas across southern Israel by Palestinian militants

An Israeli war jet is seen flying over the country after Hamas began its barrage on Saturday

Firefighters in Ashkelon, Israel tackle blazes started by rockets fired into the country on Saturday morning by the militant group Hamas

The vast majority of fatalities have occurred in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict.

There has been a rise in army raids, Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy.

Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.

But the escalation also comes at a delicate time for Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government, as protests against the government's deeply divisive plan to overhaul the judiciary have spread even within the ranks of the military.

Hundreds of soldiers in the military reserves have either pulled out of training sessions or said they will not report for duty over the judicial changes.

The protests threaten to undermine Mr Netanyahu's international reputation as a security expert and raising fears about the effects on the operational readiness of Israel's armed forces - which is now being unexpectedly and suddenly tested.
Hunter Biden's daughter Naomi allegedly vandalized the United States Capitol while working as a Senate page in 2011.

The act forced Hunter Biden to make a 'groveling apology' to the head of the page program, the New York Post reported.

The issue occurred when 17-year-old Naomi Biden was paging for Nevada Senator Harry Reid whilst still a student at at Washington D.C.'s elite Sidwell Friends high school.

In June 2011 she and a fellow page were given a tour of the Capitol dome and allegedly defaced some of the walls around the dome by carving their names into the stone.

In response Hunter Biden wrote an apologetic email to Elizabeth Roach, the longtime overseer of the Senate page program.

Hunter Biden 's daughter, Naomi, (right) allegedly vandalized the United States Capitol while working as a Senate page in 2011

'I am Naomi Biden's Dad. I cannot express how sorry I am for Naomi's behavior. I have been in meetings all day and just heard from Aliza's mother what happened' the email seen by the Post read.

'As soon as Naomi is finished work today I will be speaking with her. I am very disappointed in their behavior, but understand that the intent was not malicious,' Hunter wrote on June 30, 2011.

'It was vandalism,' one former Reid staffer told the Post.

'I remember perfectly. On the tour of the rotunda when you go up to the top of the dome, they carved their names into the stone.'

'It's up at the very top so you can only have a couple of people up there at a time. It would have had to have been on the tour. There is no way they could have gotten up there at any other time,' the insider recalled.

'They had to bring in architects and everything to buff it out.'

In June 2011 she and a fellow page were given a tour of the Capitol dome and allegedly defaced some of the walls around the dome by carving their names into the stone

Less than an hour later Roach replied 'thank you for the email and for reinforcing to Naomi the gravity of the situation.

'I instructed the pages to write apology letters to the sergeant at arms and the deputy sergeant at arms. Naomi wrote very appropriate notes to each of them,' she said.

After paging in the Senate Naomi Biden went on to the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Law School.

She later went into international arbitration law at Arnold & Porter, a white shoe D.C. law firm.
Pro-and anti-migrant groups demonstrated on Saturday outside a three-star hotel that has been closed, forcing the cancellation of dozens of weddings and parties.

The Chichester Park Hotel on Madgwick Lane in Chichester closed last week after announcing it would do so earlier in September amid uncontested reports that the decision was made so that the building could be used to house migrants.

Outside the hotel, protesters from both sides were seen holding placards, with one reading: 'Welcome Refugees'.

Another carried the message: '8m Payday Taxpayer's Expense'.

Some demonstrators were also seen using megaphones as police officers stood by. Images showed the hotel sealed off by a metal fence.

Demonstrators at the Chichester Park Hotel on Saturday. The hotel was closed last week after announcing it would do so earlier in September

Outside the hotel, protesters from both sides were seen holding placards, with one reading: 'Welcome Refugees'

Another placard carried the message: '8m Payday Taxpayer's Expense'

A spokesman for the Home Office said that they would not confirm if migrants were now living there.

The hotel was said to have been a 'big part of the community' and this is not the first protest staged to fight the decision.

Last Saturday, locals protested outside the hotel after it was closed.

The angry mob was met with opposing residents, who supported the apparent move to turn the hotel over to the Home Office. Police officers were present to facilitate a peaceful protest.

A similar demonstration that happened the previous week saw locals claiming they had 'no say' in the decision.

The sudden closure has seen hundreds of events, including weddings and Christmas parties, cancelled at short notice.

Locals believe this is due to migrants moving into the 86-room hotel after two local councils released a joint statement saying that a hotel in the area might be used as contingency accommodation for asylum seekers.

Some demonstrators were seen using megaphones

Police officers stood by to facilitate a peaceful protest

The hotel has been sealed off by a metal fence. The hotel was said to be a 'big part of the community' and this is not the first protest staged to fight the decision

The statement read: 'West Sussex County Council and Chichester District Council have recently been advised by the Home Office that a hotel in the Chichester area is being considered for use as contingency accommodation for people seeking asylum.

'Decisions around use of hotels and placements for those seeking asylum are made by the Home Office.

'We are not involved in the decision-making process.'

A grandmother-of-eight who attended the protest on September 24 said: 'Most people in Chichester are fed up with it all being done underhand - we don't have a say in it. We are angry and upset and I'm fed up.

'I've come here ever since I was a kid, it was always here, it's a part of Chichester.'

Chloe Bridger believes her 26th birthday party at the hotel, set to take place in January, was cancelled but she wasn't informed.

'I have my party here every year,' the carer said. 'It's home from home, it's like a family because all the staff know us and are really friendly with us.

'I had my last birthday here, my 21st and my wedding reception. To not be told your event's been cancelled - it's awful.'

Her father-in-law, Gareth, was set to have a joint celebration alongside her birthday to celebrate his 27th wedding anniversary.

The 51-year-old, who is also a carer, said: 'Every function out family has had has been in here.

'It has sentimental value. They must have known this was coming and in the pipeline, so why were they taking bookings?'

The cost of housing migrants in hotels has risen to 8m a day, according to Home Office figures.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We are working hard to reduce the unacceptable use of hotels by moving asylum seekers into alternative, cheaper accommodation, doubling them up in hotel rooms, and clearing the legacy backlog.'

Protesters outside the Chichester Park Hotel on Saturday

People holding placards outside the hotel for the protest

The deputy leader of Chichester District Council, Jonathan Brown, has said: 'The decision to use the Chichester Park Hotel to house asylum seekers is a private and direct arrangement between the Home Office and a privately owned business.

'The council were not consulted, were not given any input into the decision and have no powers to influence the workings of the Home Office.'

Mr Brown criticised the government for allowing 'a backlog of asylum applications to build up'.

He said that refusing to allow people to work while waiting for their applications to be processed 'doesn't help anyone'.

He added: 'The local community shouldn't need to be put in this situation.'
The ex-wife of a man who mysteriously disappeared on a Carnival Cruise ship last month claims he is still alive and wants him home.

Addison Thomas told TMZ that her ex, Kevin McGrath who is also the father of their two children, vanished without a trace during a Labor Day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas. The cruise was part of McGrath's father's 60th birthday celebration.

The ship was returning to Florida and McGrath was supposed to meet his family for breakfast, as it was the end of their voyage, but McGrath reportedly never showed and was reported missing when everyone got off the ship.

Carnival crew members and staff looked for the man and the Coast Guard conducted an extensive search but to no avail.

During the puzzling ordeal, the ship's overboard detection device was never activated and police said there was no evidence that McGrath went overboard, and that there was no sign of him onboard the ship.

McGrath pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in Tennessee in September 2022 after he threatened to kill his family.

He was sentenced to six years of supervised probation that he had violated, according to legal docs, as per the news outlet.

Thomas, who said that she would speak to her ex nearly everyday and that they still had that 'love connection' between them, said 'in my heart, I still think he is alive. I don't think he is dead or anything ...I just want him found alive and safe.'

Pictured: Kevin McGrath pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in Tennessee on September 2022 after he threatened to kill his wife and their children

Kevin McGrath holding his two young children in his arms

McGrath (pictured left) with his arm around his ex-wife, Addison Thomas and friends aboard the Carnival Cruise ship before his mysterious Labor Day disappearance

McGrath, who was living in Tennessee had gotten permission to move to Florida where he was living with his parents.

Though the cruise was a celebration for his father's 60th birthday, McGrath's probation officer said that he never got authorization to go on the family trip, and only learned McGrath violated his parole when he saw a media report.

Legal documents cite that McGrath has not been keeping in touch with his probation officer, which is part of his parole requirements, and since he went missing, all attempt to reach him have been futile.

The last time McGrath was reportedly seen was on the night of September 3. His keycard was used to enter his room around 3:30am the next day, according to TMZ the first news outlet to report on the story.

Tuesday marked one month since his disappearance and Thomas shared the daily angst.

'It s***s, we literally have to wake up everyday wondering, 'Where is Kevin?',' she said. 'I just want him found alive and safe that would literally put the pressure off my heart,' she said in part.

She said he the was nothing negative between them before he went MIA grid.

'Our relationship was not bad at all,' she said. 'We still had that love connection. That bonding. It never ended regardless of the past, it was always still there.'

She also wanted people to know that is not a 'dangerous' person and asserted that the charges were from years ago.

'Nobody should look at the charge and say, 'That is why he is missing. That is not the case here,' she insisted.

'Kevin is a human. He was a soldier. He fought for your country. He didn't have to fight for you guys and you are treating him like this dangerous guy.'

The missing person flyer distributed by the Miami-Dade Police Department

She also spoke of the negative talk she sees circulating on social media. 'The family sees the TikTok's. We see the news. We see the negative comments. We don't want you guys to assume the worst because of his charges. He is not a dangerous person.

'We are not afraid of Kevin. We love Kevin. He was literally the life of the party and not a bad person at all.

And, spoke of how she stands by him and said she 'wants the world to know that. 'He is not a bad guy at all, regardless of we are together or not I am always going to back him up.'

Looking at the camera she had a message for McGrath.

'I just want him to know that we love him dearly. He knows that. We just want him found and want him to come home to his family,' she said in part. '

I know when you see the news and all the negative talk, but we know deep down the truth and I just pray that you are found safe.
The FBI has been accused of digging up hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of Civil War gold and hiding it, as witnesses reported signs of a night dig.

Eric McCarthy, 45, and Don Reichel, 73, said they heard early-morning clatter and saw heavily loaded trucks in the remote woods of Elk County, Pennsylvania.

McCarthy, an elk guide, and his client Reichel woke up before sunrise that day to search for a rack of antlers and saw the FBI's excavation one hill over.

McCarthy saw a parked excavator, a small piece of equipment moving up and down the hill, a brown-black gash in the earth and people huddling under a canopy at around 5am on March 14, 2018.

The FBI's timeline instead shows the search team didn't arrive at the dig site until 8am that morning, hours after the claimed signs of excavation.

'I can hear some machines, or something, clanging and banging and roaring and all that stuff,' Reichel told the Associated Press.

Eric McCarthy(pictured), 45, and Don Reichel, 73, said they heard early-morning clatter and saw heavily loaded trucks in the remote woods of Elk County, Pennsylvania

Treasure hunter Dennis Parada, left, and elk guide Eric McCarthy are shown at a hunting camp in Penfield August 23, 2023

The FBI revealed a trove of records earlier this year about its search of a $500million cache of gold lost by the US government in 1863

Fortune seekers Dennis and Kem Parada have sued the FBI last year, alleging a failure to produce records of the excavation and disputing the agents' claim that the dig came up empty-handed.

The FBI revealed a trove of records earlier this year about its search of a $500million cache of gold lost by the US government in 1863.

The documents released in the legal battle only deepen the mystery over what the agency had unearthed five years ago in Dents Run, Pennsylvania.

'The FBI may have found the gold  or maybe not,' a judge noted in a ruling last week.

McCarthy thought Parada, who spent years looking for the gold before approaching the FBI with his findings, has been treated unfairly.

'I just felt like I needed to say what I saw, you know?' McCarthy explained. 'I have no ties to anybody here. It's just I felt like they were wronged.'

He said a trio of heavily loaded armored trucks rumbling past him and Reichel during their lunch break - with one truck lagging behind seemed to be weighed down.

'Eric and I both made the comment that one must be loaded.' Reichel said.

'It was loaded to the gills,' said McCarthy, adding he's driven overloaded dump trucks and 'I know what it looks like.'

The agents strenuously denies it dug after hours, saying FBI police merely conducted nighttime ATV patrols to secure the site.

'No gold or other items of evidence were located or collected. The FBI continues to unequivocally reject any claims or speculation to the contrary,' said spokesperson Carrie Adamowski.

The Paradas believe the FBI carried on their excavation during the night, before making off with the loot - depriving them of a hefty finders' fee.

An FBI photo portraying the site of its 2018 dig for Civil War-era gold is seen on Dennis Parada's laptop

The Paradas have sued the FBI last year, alleging a failure to produce records of the excavation and disputing the agents' claim that the dig came up empty-handed

The lawsuit filed in US District Court in Washington, DC, had forced the release of documents relating to the dig under a Freedom of Information Act request.

But the Paradas now allege that the FBI has withheld or 'doctored' vital information.

In particular, the claimants are seeking the release of operational records which they believe will show whether the agency planned a nighttime dig - crucial to their allegation that this is when agents snuck off with the horde.

The detectorists also say operation photographs released by the FBI do not contain timestamps, despite the camera used taking them automatically.

Warren Getler, co-author of 'Rebel Gold' and a former Wall Street Journal reporter, who began working with the Paradas in 2017, told DailyMail.com that the 'absence of timestamps goes directly to the question of a deliberate coverup of nighttime activity'.

Dennis Parada, 70, was first alerted to the possible presence of Civil War gold in the area when reading an article in Treasure magazine in 1974.

McCarthy said a trio of heavily loaded armored trucks rumbling past him and Reichel during their lunch break - with one truck lagging behind seemed to be weighed down

The FBIT strenuously denies it dug after hours, saying its police merely conducted nighttime ATV patrols to secure the site.

The story revealed a Union caravan with gold bars in false bottoms headed to the US Mint in Philadelphia had been ambushed in Elk County.

In 2004, Parada found a cave in Dents Run after a washout exposed an opening in the side of a mountain.

He says he has since visited the cave more than 400 times and has found a bullet shell, whiskey bottle and bones scattered nearby that date to the 19th century.

Gelter then set up a meeting with the FBI after radar technology suggested gold was buried there.

The agency commissioned an independent firm to carry out its own tests, which also indicated a large quantity of the precious metal could be found.
The national emergency alert system test exposed prisoners hiding phones behind bars and made them easy targets for guards, as millions received test messages with a loud alert noise Wednesday.

Prison officials across the U.S. confiscated illegal cell phones during the emergency test conducted to ensure that the government's alerts reach the public, as reported by TMZ.

A state prison official reported that two phones were confiscated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York, and guards at FCI Coleman Law in Florida similarly seized two phones after the blaring noise from the alert.

The test was conducted across the country to assess the effectiveness of the government's mass communication options.

It's unknown how many prisoners' phones were confiscated nationwide, as the Federal Bureau of Prisons said it 'does not elaborate on specific internal security procedures for safety and security reasons.'

Prison officials across the U.S. confiscated illegal cell phones during the emergency test

The test was conducted Wednesday across the country to assess the effectiveness of the government's mass communication options

A source in Nevada said prisoners likely turned their phones off before the test, as they were already aware of the alert was going to happen.

The prison did not confiscate any phones probably because the prisoners didn't turn their phones on until later that day.

The test is conducted over a 30-minute window, meaning they should have gotten the message if they turned their phones back on within the next 30 minutes.

Federal prohibits prisoners from having cell phones behind bars, which has become an escalating problem in the country.

Inmates who are found to possess a cell phone could be charged with a Class E felony.

The Tennessee Department of Correction said the felony is 'punishable by fine', adding that 'a fine of $3,000 will be imposed upon offenders who repeatedly violate this law,'

Guards at FCI Coleman Law(pictured) in Florida seized two phones after the blaring noise from the alert

A state prison official reported that two phones were confiscated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility(pictured) in New York

Corrections Commissioner Tony Parker said: 'Contraband cellphones are a significant security threat ... that leads to criminal conspiracies between people inside our correctional environment and those on the outside.'

Inmates could use their phones for drug trafficking activities, as evidenced by last year's conviction of 21 defendants involved in a drug trafficking operation led by inmates inside an Oklahoma prison.

They could also run scams with contraband cellphones behind prison walls, as the Mashall Project reported in 2019 when prisoners ran an elaborate sextortion scam from Lee Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison in South Carolina.

Inmates posed as underage girls on dating sites who then attempted to blackmail men who responded to their lures.

The scheme eventually caused the suicide of a 24-year-old veteran who had served in Afghanistan.

Prison officials and some federal agencies have proposed purchasing more advanced technologies to top illegal cellular and messaging from prison.
A 20,000 reward has been offered for the first time to help catch a killer cyclist who gunned down a man who was on a trip to visit his parents.

Carl Russell, 27, was on day release from prison when he was shot and killed by a cyclist when trying to get out of a car with his girlfriend in Liverpool at around 11.30am, five years ago today, October 7, 2018.

Since Mr Russell's murder, Merseyside Police has arrested three people in connection with the incident, but no one has ever been charged with his murder.

Detectives continue to appeal for information to help solve the murder in Belle Vale, and now Crimestoppers have offered a 20,000 reward for information the charity exclusively receives which leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible.

Police have previously released a CCTV image of a male on a pedal bike, who officers are still keen to speak to because we believe he could have information to help the investigation.

A 20,000 reward has been offered for the first time to help catch a killer cyclist who gunned down Carl Russell (pictured), 27, who was on a trip to visit his parents

Police presence and forensic teams at Cornwood Close, Liverpool after Mr Russell was gunned down by a cyclist five years ago today, Sunday October 7

ACCTV image of a male on a pedal bike, who officers are still keen to speak to because we believe he could have information to help the investigation into Mr Russell's murder

Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers said: 'We know how difficult it can be for people to speak up and pass on what they know, which is why Crimestoppers exists. Our charity, which is completely independent of the police, has always kept our guarantee of 100% anonymity to everyone who contacts us.

'That means no police, no courts, no witness statements. Essentially, when you contact Crimestoppers via our website or call our 24/7 UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111, once you're done there is no comeback.

'No one will ever know you contacted us and your information could protect Liverpool from more harm and help the family and friends of Carl see justice.'

Detective Chief Inspector Jason Pye, who is leading the investigation, is still keen to hear from anyone who has yet to come forward, but understands that some people will prefer to stay anonymous and share what they know via the charity Crimestoppers, especially as they may be eligible for a substantial reward.

DCI Pye said: 'In the last five years we have made a number of arrests, but I am still very keen to talk to anyone who was around at the time of the shooting.

'This incident happened in broad daylight at around 11.30am on a Sunday when there would have been people around.

'Over the years, allegiances can change and hopefully a 20,000 reward from Crimestoppers will be a strong incentive for anyone with information to come forward.

'We are particularly keen to speak to a male wearing high-vis clothing and riding a bike who was seen in the area at the time of the shooting. He is described as white, in his late 20s at the time, of medium build, dressed all in black and wearing a high-vis orange jacket, which was dark blue at the bottom and had a reflective band.

'Do you know who this man is? We believe he could have vital information which could assist our investigation and I would urge anyone who recognises him  or the man himself  to do the right thing and come forward.

'We are also keen to trace the driver of a white 53 plate Nissan Primestar van, which was on the estate at the time of Carl's murder.

'We are also trying to trace a taxi driver who may have overheard a conversation, that same day, about a van being involved.

'Five years on, Carl's family and friends are still dealing with Carl's loss and I can't begin to imagine what they have had to go through. We have a specially trained officer who continues to support them.'

Mr Russell's family, including his mother , sister and two brothers, have issued the following tributes.

Mr Russell's mother, Marie, said: 'On Sunday 7 October 2018, my whole world fell apart when I received the call that my son, Carl, had been murdered. Carl loved his family so much. Family life meant everything to Carl.

'My heart was ripped out that day. The emptiness and pain I feel every day. There is a big hole in my heart and it will never be filled again.

'It's been five years, but it just feels like yesterday. It doesn't get any easier. I feel it gets harder. I have an emptiness inside me due to Carl's death that will haunt me every day for the rest of my life. My husband and myself just exist now. I look at Carl's brothers and sister and I can see the impact it has on them. No parent should have to bury their child. The trauma of losing Carl has left us all with PTSD.

'I can't find the words to say how we are, except that we are all devastated and that we are appealing for anyone with information on the murder of Carl to come forward. Someone out there knows who has done this. We would like to thank Merseyside Police.'

Mr Russell's sister, Rebecca, said: 'Losing my brother has affected me massively. It has left a huge hole in mine and my family's life, and I can see the devastation it has caused in my mum and dad so much.

'They have lost their love and enjoyment of life, and nothing will ever make them whole again but having some justice for my brother would help heal some of the hurt knowing his murderer has paid the price of taking my brother's life.

'He never got to see my children, and only met my niece once. His murderer has taken away my girls' chance to meet their amazing loving and caring uncle. He was planning to have kids of his own and settle down with his partner but again that got taken away from him. His life was cut short by a vindictive act, and we will never get the chance to see him thrive as a father, husband, and uncle like I know he would of.'

Mr Russell's brother, Wesley said: 'The death of Carl has affected us all massively as a family and left us empty inside. Hopefully one day we will get justice for his death and pray every day he's not just another unsolved murder and life taken far too soon.

'It's gut wrenching to think Carl was robbed of his life at the very young age of 27 and hopefully this appeal can provide some new information that may be able to kickstart this investigation again.

'As a family we would like to keep learning on how to deal with his loss each day as it doesn't get any easier.'

Mr Russell (right) with his mother Marie (left) and his father (centre)

Police at the scene after Mr Russell was shot and killed in Liverpool in October 2018

Crimestoppers have offered a 20,000 reward for information the charity exclusively receives which leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for Mr Russell's murder

Mr Russell's other brother, Chris, said: 'For the last five years, we as a family have found it very difficult to deal with the loss of Carl. Our family was torn apart in the blink of an eye.

'Over the course of the last five years, we have drove ourselves insane trying to fill in the gaps to make sense of how this happened in the manner it did and still to this day we've not found those answers, which is frustrating.

'When we see other families being torn apart by similar things we are reminded at just how cruel life really is and sympathise with the effects caused from the aftermath.

'We would like to thank Merseyside Police for this appeal as it shows us the desire to solve this murder is still something we both share.

'For us the one thing that's never truly sat right is the planning shown in this murder, as only a handful of people knew that Carl would be visiting his parents' home that Sunday morning. We've never got the answers to fill in the blanks to the questions we ask ourselves every day.

'The death of Carl has affected us all massively as a family and left us empty inside. Hopefully one day we will get justice for his death and pray every day he's not just another unsolved murder and a life taken far too soon.'

Detective Chief Inspector Pye added: 'I want to reassure Carl's family that Merseyside Police will not give up until those responsible are put before the courts.

'If anyone has any information to help the ongoing investigation, I urge them to please come forward as a matter of urgency.'

Merseyside Police has asked that anyone who witnessed the incident, was in the area at the time, or has any information to contact them via 101, our social media desk @MerPolCC on Twitter or 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre' on Facebook.

The force add that alternatively, to stay completely anonymous and be eligible for the 20,000 reward, contact independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org and fill in their simple and secure anonymous online form. The charity's UK Contact Centre is open 24/7 on freephone 0800 555 111 where you can speak to one of their specially trained call agents.
A woman has been banned from keeping animals for five years after keeping her cats in the most 'disgusting environment' an RSPCA inspector had ever seen.

Sara Whitton kept the two flea-ridden cats in a flat in Lupton Walk in Lowedges, Sheffield which was strewn with rubbish and faeces. One of the animals was suffering from severe dental disease and had 16 teeth missing upon inspection by the RSPCA.

Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard that RSPCA inspector Jack Taylor visited the property on June 25 last year following welfare concerns about the animals. The inspector told the court he could see household rubbish all over the floor when looking through the letterbox, which made it difficult for Whitton, 52, to open the door.

Whitton was warned the environment was not suitable for her pets and was issued with an improvement notice.

But further visits to the property showed conditions had not improved and, on August 5, a warrant was carried out with the police and the cats were removed.

Sara Whitton kept the two flea-ridden cats in a flat in Lupton Walk in Lowedges, Sheffield which was strewn with rubbish and faeces

Mr Taylor told the court the property was the 'most disgusting environment [he] had ever experienced'.

'There was household rubbish all over the flat, covering every inch of floor', he said. 'The kitchen was full of mouldy food piled high. There was a fridge in the living room which was in working order, but it was full of black mouldy food and overflowing so the door couldn't close.

'There were multiple bottles of milk that were so old, the contents had solidified inside the cartons.

'It was the most disgusting environment I had ever experienced, and I could not believe a person could live in this environment, let alone cats.

'Behind the tv stand in the living room was a huge mound of cat faeces, which the cats had obviously chosen to use as their toilet as the litter tray in the bathroom was still full and overflowing'.

He made repeated attempts to meet Whitton and interview her about the situation, but his phone calls went unanswered and appointments were missed.

Environmental health officers were also unable to get her to engage with them.

RSPCA Inspector Jack Taylor told Sheffield Magistrates' Court the property was the 'most disgusting environment' he had ever seen

The court heard that both cats, called Sooty, a tabby and white male, and Kiki, a tabby female, were terrified and unhandled but were eventually caught and taken for veterinary treatment.

The court was told that during the rescue, one of Sooty's canine teeth came away from the root, and that on examination, Kiki was found to have several bald patches of alopecia, which were self-inflicted due to a severe flea infestation.

Sooty was found to have severe dental disease affecting his remaining teeth. In total, 16 were missing and had no remaining root left behind, and four were surgically removed.

Giving evidence, the vet who examined the animals said: 'It is my opinion that these cats have suffered because of the owner's failure to seek veterinary attention, especially for Sooty's severe dental disease.

'An accurate period of suffering is difficult to estimate, but due to the chronicity it might have been over six months. The owner should have sought veterinary advice when fresh blood or a strong smell was noticed.

'In Kiki's case, the severe flea infestation had caused unnecessary suffering. Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act (2006) states that animals must be protected from pain, suffering, injury or disease.

Images show the rubbish strewn around the property where the animals were kept

'Failure of the owner in this case to take reasonable steps to prevent pain, suffering and distress to meet the needs of the animal, breaches this legislation'.

The court was told Whitton was remorseful and ashamed of the situation, and recognised she had needed help, and that she no longer wished to keep animals.

Whitton admitted two charges contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 at a hearing in June as was sentenced on September 22 following a prosecution by the RSPCA.

In addition to the five year ban on keeping animals, she was also handed down a 12 month Community Order with 20 RAR days, costs of 200 and a victim surcharge of 114. A confiscation order was also imposed by the court after Whitton had initially refused to hand the cats over.

Both animals have been looked after by the RSPCA's Doncaster, Rotherham and District Brand.

Speaking at the conclusion of the case, Mr Taylor said: 'The owner of these cats was given ample opportunity to rectify the situation but conditions did not improve and it was simply unacceptable for any animal to be living like that.

'It wasn't just the conditions inside the flat. Both cats had not received anything like the right level of care or seen a vet, resulting in them being neglected and suffering from severe dental issues and skin allergies.'
A banned female drink driver, who did not have a licence, gave her best friend's details to the police when she crashed her car.

Charlotte Evans, 30, insured a Vauxhall Corsa, which she bought in April, 2021, in Chloe Cavell's name - she was her best friend of 21 years.

Charlotte, from Tonyrefail, Wales, was previously convicted of drunk driving and had been disqualified from driving, so she could not take out insurance in her name.

After having the car for just six days, Charlotte crashed into a stationary car in Arthur Street, Tonypandy.

When the police arrived, they described her speech as 'slurred', her behaviour as erratic and said she smelt of intoxicants.

Sentencing, Recorder Mark Powell KCe sentenced Evans to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered her to carry out a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and to pay costs of 250 at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday

When Charlotte was asked to give her details, she lied to the police and gave them Chloe's name and date of birth.

She was taken to Merthyr Tydfil police station and had a breathalyser test, measuring a reading of 32 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, below the drink-drive limit.

Charlotte continued to use the false name and was released by police.

After Chloe saw reports on social media that someone in a crash had used her name, she contacted the police and confronted Charlotte the next day.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday heard the defendant ask for Chloe's permission to insure her car in her name. She was unaware that she had used her name and was confused about how she had obtained insurance due to her disqualification.

The defendant told her friend she had done it because she was due to appear in the family courts and didn't want it to affect her case.

When asked if she took insurance out in her name, Evans said, 'one thing led to another'.

Charlotte, of Marshfield Court, went to Porth police station on June, 29, 2021 and said she was due to get a non-molestation order out against her ex-partner on the day of the collision. She was anxious and had a drink.

She said she became 'frustrated and panicked', which caused her to give the false details to police, but she claimed she and Chloe had taken out insurance together.

Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said this was denied by the prosecution. He said this caused Chloe stress after receiving debt letters and phone calls from insurance companies concerning the collision.

The defendant later pleaded guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice and one count of fraud.

The court heard she had previous convictions for battery and driving with excess alcohol, for which she received a conditional discharge.

In mitigation, Andrew Kendal said his client's circumstances were 'exceptional' and there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. The barrister said the defendant was in 7,000 worth of debt and only received 700 a month.

Sentencing, Recorder Mark Powell KC said: 'You have caused (the victim) considerable distress and impairment by police coming to speak to her.'

He sentenced Evans to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered her to carry out a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and to pay costs of 250.
A Harvard professor has been forced to apologize for implying the Hamas attack on Israel was an attempt to distract from Benjamin Netanyahu's 'own corruption.'

Harvard Emeritus Professor Laurence Tribe, who teaches constitutional law, posted the remark on X, formerly Twitter, only hours after a surprise Hamas attack on Israel.

Militants opened fire killing dozens of civilians and soldiers near the Gaza strip, early Saturday morning.

Tribe expressed his remorse for what he called an 'ill-informed' claim and quickly deleted the post.

Those who saw it were outraged calling the professor an 'idiot' who needs to 'go commit' himself somewhere.

Liberal political commentator Keith Olbermann also criticized Tribe's claims, calling it 'moronic and indefensible,' Fox News reported.

Pictured: Harvard Emeritus Professor Laurence Tribe, who teaches constitutional law, posted the remark on X, formerly Twitter , only hours after a surprise Hamas attack on Israel early Saturday

A fiery explosion on a Palestinian apartment building following an air strike by Israel in Gaza City following an attack in Israel by militant Hamas rulers

A crying child in her fathers arms stands in front of a building decimated by an Israeli air strike in Gaza City early Saturday morning

Reporter Julie Kelly was one of those outraged by Tribe's post and told him to 'go commit yourself somewhere'

Actor and conservative Matthew Marsden expressed his fury and told Tribe: 'What an evil person you are.'

In the since deleted post Tribe asked: 'Is Netanyahu wagging the dog of war to take attention form his own war on the independent judiciary?'

'Can anyone put that past him?'

The post also linked to the Washington Post coverage of the violent attack taking place in Israel.

The claim he made appeared to be based on a conspiracy theory that Netanyahu is pursuing a war against Hamas militants to distract from his own corruption in government.

Tribe told Fox News Digital the reason for the post and than expressed his apology.

'I sent the tweet in response to Netanyahu's reported comments before I saw the news of what Hamas had actually done, at which point I immediately deleted the tweet as a clearly premature, ill-informed and inappropriate response to incomplete information.'

He added, 'I obviously condemn Hamas's terrorist attacks and unthinkable atrocities against the Israeli people, including the murder and abduction of civilians, in the strongest possible terms and fully support Israel's right of self-defense, notwithstanding my long-standing condemnation of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and its activities in the West Bank.'

Thousands of rockets were launched and Hamas gunmen ambushed at least 22 territories outside the Gaza strip, including towns, and communities located approximately 15 miles from the Gaza border, the Associated Press reported.

Many of the armed militants were reported to have roamed the streets for hours gunning down innocent people.

At least 100 people were killed and hundreds wounded. Some Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken captive and brought into Gaza, the Israeli national rescue service said.

Army spokesperson Daniel Hagari told the news outlet said militants were also carrying out hostage standoffs in two towns.

By Saturday afternoon, hours after the deadly attack, Netanyahu said: 'What happened today will not be seen in Israel and I will make sure it does not happen again,' he said.

'The IDF will immediately use its full force to destroy Hamas' capabilities. We will avenge this black day.'

'We will turn all the places in this evil city where Hamas is hiding into ruins. Residents of Gaza, get out of there now.'

An Israeli flag is being burned in a celebration by supporters of Hezbollah during the attacks

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared his country 'at war' Saturday

Netanhayu, has been a political leader in Israel for nearly two decades.

He has been serving as Prime Minister of the country since December 2022 and had previously held office from 1996 to 1999, and again from 2009 to 2021. He is the chairman of the Likud party,

On Saturday, he declared his country is now 'at war' with the Palestinian-group Hamas after the extremist group executed a deadly barrage of rocket attacks and sent militants into Israeli areas.

There has been a decades- long running conflict between Israel and Palestine. Netanyahu launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an 'unprecedented price.'

Early Saturday, the prime minister spoke of the attack and their execution on X, formerly Twitter.

'Since this morning, the State of Israel has been at war. Our first objective is to clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated our territory and restore the security and quiet to the communities that have been attacked.'

The prime minister added, 'The second objective, at the same time, is to exact an immense price from the enemy, within the Gaza Strip as well. The third objective is to reinforce other fronts so that nobody should mistakenly join this war.'

At least 40 people in Israel have died in the horror attack, Israeli officials said. As of 3pm on Saturday, the Israeli Health Ministry reported that 908 people have been wounded and taken to Israeli hospitals, CNN reported.

In Gaza, nearly 200 are dead and more than 1,600 are injured, Palestinian health ministry said.

The Israeli 908 wounded people have been taken to Israeli hospitals, the Israeli health ministry said. Separately, at least 40 people have died in Israel, officials said earlier.

In Gaza, nearly 200 are dead and more than 1,600 are injured, Palestinian health ministry said.

The deadly attack took place on Shabbat and only hours away from the eve of Simchat Torah.

Earlier this month, Jews around the world celebrated Sukkot and observed the High Holidays of Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur.
It's unclear how much would be spent on reparations in New York, economists in California found as much as $800 billion would be needed for pay-outs.

Sideya Sherman said the controversial bill should be tweaked to avoid overlapping with two comparable state bills

The office for New York City Mayor Eric Adams says it supports the 'spirit' of a legislation that could trigger black New Yorkers to be paid reparations for slavery.

Sideya Sherman, commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Equity, said the controversial bill should be tweaked to avoid overlapping with two comparable state bills.

The bill, which was created by Councilwoman Farah Louis to launch a task force to study the effects of racial discrimination on the city could potentially lead to payments being issued, The Post reports.

During a City Council hearing on September 19, Sherman said any reparations task force needs to spend more than one-year maximum in Louis' bill before advising their findings.

She advised while some bills, which are part of a package of eight which dig into the City Council legislation hoped to remedy 'racial injustices', Mayor Adams and her office support their 'spirit and intent'.

Mayor Eric Adams supports the 'spirit and intent' of NYC black reparations bill

A large crowd of protesters wearing masks and carrying signs that say, 'Reparations Now' as they walk through neighborhoods at the Black Lives Matter protest in Bayside

While it's unclear how much would be spent on reparations in New York, economists in California found as much as $800 billion would be needed for pay-outs.

The estimate is more than 2.5 times California's $300 billion annual budget, and does not include a recommended $1 million per older Black resident for health disparities that have shortened their average life span.

Last month, a poll revealed more than half of California voters do not support cash reparations for slavery  after Gov Newsom's task force recommended residents be given $5million handout.

The research showed a potential issue for lawmakers as they begin to consider reparation in the state next year.

Governor Gavin Newsom set up a reparation task force, which suggested awarding every black resident $5million.

It also believes that those entitled to the cash should have their personal debt wiped and guarantee a $97,000 income for 250 years and $1 homes.

A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey commissioned by the Los Angeles Times found that 59 percent of voters oppose cash payments.

After two years of deliberation, the task force sent a final report and recommendations to the state capitol  where a decision will be made on the matter.

The group suggested that cash payments to all descendants should be based on health disparities, mass incarceration and over-policies as well as housing discrimination.

Up to $13,619 is recommended for health disparities each year the person has resided in California  which was worked out by comparing life expectancy between Black non-Hispanic and white non-Hispanic Californians.

Eligible descendants are recommended to be given $2,352 for mass incarceration, and housing discrimination is $3,378 for each year between 1933 and 1977, if they resided in California.

It comes as Adams met with migrants in Ecuador but stopped short of telling them not to come to the Big Apple.

Adams greeted residents of a family shelter in Quito as part of his tour of Latin America in which he was supposedly setting out to deter asylum seekers from attempting to enter the US.

But staffers at the Fundacion Gotitas de Oblacion, where Adams spent about an hour with 10 migrant families, were surprised to hear Adams was meant to be deterring people from heading to Gotham, The Post reports.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams has met with migrants at a family shelter in Ecuador

It's unclear how much would be spent on reparations in New York, economists in California found as much as $800 billion would be needed for pay-outs

'I didn't know anything about that,' said one of the shelter supervisors reportedly said through a translator.

'He just came and said good job.'

Employees claimed Adams was eager to learn about the non-profit shelter and the services it provides as well as how they help migrants into work and homes.

One worker who gave Adams a tour of the facility claimed the mayor never brought up migrants  or the US.
Why do people always zig when they should zag, and zag when they should zig? About 18 years ago, David Cameron offered patriotic voters a Tory Party more Blairite than Blair.

It was so politically correct it made your eyes water  hugging hoodies, hugging huskies, fanatically green, embarrassingly pro-Brussels, yelling in the front row of the sexual revolution  slippery as hair oil and openly dedicated to insulting and driving away traditional conservatives of every kind.

At a not-very-private dinner (it was full of journalists), Mr Cameron proclaimed himself 'the heir to Blair', and later he bullied his MPs into applauding the actual Blair creature when he finally went off to spend more time with his property empire.

Cynics noted that his whole programme was based upon the apparently bizarre idea that the Conservative Party was unpopular in the British heartlands because it was Not Gay Enough. And you voted for him.

I am not the nervous breakdown type, but I did come close to personal and political despair during this era. I may even have lost weight. I grew gaunt. I certainly lost friends and made new enemies as I cajoled, begged and pleaded with everyone I knew to refuse to support this monstrous putsch.

PICTURED: Samantha Cameron (left), Tony Blair (middle), then PM David Cameron (right). Peter Hitchens: Why do people always zig when they should zag, and zag when they should zig? About 18 years ago, David Cameron offered patriotic voters a Tory Party more Blairite than Blair

We 'had to get Gordon Brown out'. I couldn't see why. Mr Brown was significantly more conservative than David Cameron in several ways

If the main opposition party embraced the Blairite creed, I pointed out, it was pretty much the end of freedom. If voters endorsed this nasty takeover, they were engaging in a huge act of self-harm.

Cameron was holding a referendum on conservative ideas, and inviting us to chuck them all in the bin. Shortly before the 2010 election, I harangued a supposedly 'Right-wing' fringe meeting at the Tory conference on this subject. The temperature of the room dropped by about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I was received as if I was a traitor. Winning the election was all, I was told.

We 'had to get Gordon Brown out'. I couldn't see why. Mr Brown was significantly more conservative than David Cameron in several ways. (This is not a difficult feat. Most cats are more conservative than David Cameron).

So they voted for the Blairite putsch. And once he came to office, Mr Cameron was indeed the heir to Blair he had promised to be, dedicated predictably to mad green targets, same-sex marriage, stupid foreign wars, comprehensive schools and multiculturalism, just like his idol and exemplar. These events have now faded in the national memory, thanks to the great deluge of the Brussels referendum (in which Mr Cameron tried and failed to save himself at the expense of the country) and the enduring constitutional crisis that followed.

But a truly bizarre thing has happened, the opposite of common sense. Voters who were utterly fooled by the Cameron delusion, along with battalions of media commentators who likewise supported him, are now (18 years too late) declaring that the Tory Party is finished and useless, and that they won't vote for it. Some, having finally noticed the indictment I presented against the Tories all those years ago, are even citing me as a reason to take this view.

So I have to warn them that this will be a terrible mistake.

Tory supporters now seem set on doing precisely the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time. If patriotic conservative voters had stayed at home in 2010, as I urged, a few more years of Gordon Brown would have been no worse (and possibly better) than the Cameron regime. There was a good chance the Tories, soundly defeated for the fourth time in a row, would have so completely fallen to bits that we would all have realised the pressing need for something new.

We could by now have a proper conservative party  one which re-established law and justice, helped rather than hindered the married family, brought rigour back to the schools, defied political correctness, ended BBC bias, controlled our borders and spent our money wisely. Just for example.

Even with the aid of an electron microscope, I can find no trace of a conservative thought anywhere in or on or near Rishi Sunak. I have sent out expeditions to find such evidence in the Tory parliamentary party and they have returned empty-handed and sad-faced. The Tory Party is as useless as ever

The second is that you genuinely have no idea of what a Starmer government will be like, just as you had no idea of the Cromwellian destruction the Blair government was planning to unleash after 1997

Well, I don't want my arguments to be used to encourage the folly of letting Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party win next year. This doesn't mean I am in any way reconciled to the Tories. I could carve a better party out of a banana, if only there were a vacancy.

Even with the aid of an electron microscope, I can find no trace of a conservative thought anywhere in or on or near Rishi Sunak. I have sent out expeditions to find such evidence in the Tory parliamentary party and they have returned empty-handed and sad-faced. The Tory Party is as useless as ever. It believes in nothing but office. But two things have changed.

The first is that the Tories have stopped actively insulting their own supporters. Mr Sunak's slight moderation of mad plans to destroy our economy for net zero is not a huge breakthrough. But it is a break with the Cameron strategy of trying to please the BBC by infuriating normal people.

The second is that you genuinely have no idea of what a Starmer government will be like, just as you had no idea of the Cromwellian destruction the Blair government was planning to unleash after 1997. Idiots saw cheap slogans such as 'tough on crime' and 'education, education, education' and believed them. The real thing was quite different, as it will be with Sir Keir.

Blair broke up the Union, lost control of our borders, shrivelled our Armed Forces, politicised the judges and the police, tried to abolish sterling, surrendered to the IRA, wrecked our economy, our constitution, our civil service, our defences and much of our education system, and wounded the monarchy, too. He raised the rainbow flag, so we now all live under its frowning speech codes, its fierce intolerance of Christian ideas and traditional family life. And he engaged in vast public spending and redistribution of wealth.

Gosh, yes, John Major was awful, but surely he would have been better than that. Yes, the polls look bad. But these things change. If the Tories had fought a bit harder in 1964, when the polls were just as bad, they'd have won the 1964 election and saved Britain from the whole ghastly Wilson era.

AS Blair's one-time aide Peter Hyman unwisely confessed in a very unpopular newspaper where he thought you would never notice it, the Blairite project 'was infinitely more revolutionary than anything proposed by Jeremy Corbyn or his supporters.

'The idea of New Labour was to take and hold on to the levers of power. New Labour sought political hegemony: winning power and locking out the Tories to ensure that the 21st Century was a Labour century.'

Sir Keir, whose hard-Left political roots are in a revolutionary movement called Pabloism, comes from the same stable as the 1997 Blairites. He will try to manipulate the voters with populist slogans, but his real programme will be miles to the Left, concentrating more and more power in a Left-wing state. The Tories have failed to stop this rubbish because they don't believe in anything. But the Starmerites believe in more Blairism, hot and strong, for decades to come.

There's no need to be nice to the Tories. Don't ask them to dinner or send them Christmas cards. But the time for refusing to vote for them was many years ago and you missed it. Rishi Sunak is the John Major of his time. Yes, he is awful. But he is nothing like as bad as the alternative.
A warning has been issued over a dire shortage of ADHD medication that has left patients calling dozens of pharmacies to get hold of the life-changing tablets.

An ADHD charity boss said the impact of 'the sudden removal of medication is akin to removing a wheelchair from a disabled person that needs it', and urged the government to resolve the issue for the more than 200,000 people on the pills.

The government issued a safety alert saying that three medications for the neurodevelopmental disorder have been affected by supply issues which it says is 'caused by a combination of manufacturing issues and an increased global demand'.

The shortage of methylphenidate (also known by brand name Concerta XL), lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) and guanfacine (Intuniv), is expected to resolve by December

The alert also said supply issues for atomoxetine, a fourth ADHD medication, which started in July, should be over this month - but several dose sizes are still facing active supply issues.

ADHD patient Jess Price, 26, from central London, who takes atomoxetine, said that none of the 43 pharmacies they called as far as an hour away, were able to supply a full month's of pills

Henry Shelford (pictured), CEO of charity ADHD UK said the impact of 'the sudden removal of medication is akin to removing a wheelchair from a disabled person that needs it', and urged the government to resolve the issue for the more than 200,000 people on the pills

The shortage of methylphenidate (also known by brand name Concerta XL), lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) and guanfacine (Intuniv), is expected to resolve by December

The Department for Health and Social Care said that prescribers should not supply new patients until shortages are over, and that GPs should contact a 'patient's specialist team for advice on management options' if the drugs are unavailable.

Jess Price, 26, from central London, who takes non-stimulant atomoxetine, said that none of the 43 pharmacies they called as far as an hour away, were able to supply a full month's of pills. 'None of those pharmacies had my entire prescription in stock,' they said.

'ADHD medication is life changing for many with ADHD,' said ADHD UK CEO Henry Shelford. 'ADHD is a disability and the sudden removal of medication is akin to removing a wheelchair from a disabled person that needs it.'

He slammed the NHS for not having a plan in place, saying that 'people are only finding out when their pharmacy can't supply' and have 'been left stranded with no support'.

'It is an abject failure but sadly this lack of care is something we've come to expect with our stigmatized condition,' he added.

'The Department of Health and Social Care sticking-plaster memo with the suggestion that GPs 'reach out to a patient's specialist team' is laughable. Patients are often waiting years to meet that medication team. The latest quarterly data from the NHS shows there are 202,304 people in receipt of ADHD medication.

'Medication is carefully given with dosage and type worked out over months. The idea it can be chopped and changed is wrong. The idea that specialist teams have the capacity to do medication reviews in this quantity is wrong.

'This is devastating for individuals across the country and will be life-changing for some. People with ADHD are being let down by the NHS - this is just the latest way in which we are being failed.'

After ordering a prescription with online service Pharmacy2U on Tuesday, it became clear that ADHD patient Jess would have to try another route, and the GP's clinical pharmacist said, after a two day wait, to call as many chemists as possible.

Jess even resorted to putting a call out on social media and asking family across the country to see if their local pharmacy had the pills in stock - and was forced into rationing medication.

'I didn't know when I was going to get prescription in, so on days when I did not have anything important to focus on, I didn't take meds as I was worried I'd run out when I needed it most.'

The government issued a safety alert saying that three medications for the neurodevelopmental disorder have been affected by supply issues which it says is 'caused by a combination of manufacturing issues and an increased global demand'

But that is far from a perfect solution, Jess said: 'Not taking my medication significantly made my ADHD symptoms worse as it impacts things I need to do on a daily basis, including struggles with sleep and my executive function.

'It impacts my entire life. I was supposed to go to a gig today but I missed that because I struggle with insomnia so I couldn't sleep until at least half five in the morning.

'It can take three hours for me to get to sleep and it's hard to wake up, but it's significantly easier with my meds. This morning, I even had an alarm go off, the radio went off and a sunlight alarm and i just slept through it.'

Jess said that last time there was a shortage their untreated symptoms meant they faced significant issues at work and personal life due to the increased difficulty with timekeeping and organisation.

And because people with ADHD often struggle with planning and organisation, the fact that patients will need to sustained effort just to get their medications that can help is a paradoxical conundrum.

'It's inaccessible anyway, but the fact that you have to go jump more bureaucratic hoops for people that struggle with executive function makes it even more inaccessible,' Jess said.

'It feels like full-time job just to have access to my medication which is life-changing. It helps me become more functioning as a human being. I feel like a useless mess at the moment.'

Out of all the pharmacies Jess contacted, just five even had a small amount of a monthly prescription in stock - and a shortage like this has already impacted the ADHD patient three times this year.

Jess eventually managed to pick up around 12 days worth of their prescription, and was given an IOU from the pharmacy for the rest, which they remain sceptical about receiving before supplies run out.

Another patient, Jenny, not her real name, said that she has not been taking her medication, a 70mg dose of Elvanse, for more than a week because it was out of stock.

The 49-year-old social worker told MailOnline: 'I rang around a lot of pharmacies and none had a spare one in stock. Only one had Elvanse in 40 mgs and in 30 mgs.

She said her 'quality of life improved significantly by understanding myself better since knowing I have ADHD and taking medication' but that now she is unable to source the medications she is worried about losing her career.

'I am on Universal Credit now, waiting on response from ESA and having had denied PIP, I might lose my car because I definitely can't afford to pay my car loan now. And working as a social worker without a car or even getting a job will become very difficult if not impossible.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We are aware of supply issues affecting medicines used for the management of ADHD due to increased global demand, and we have issued communications to the NHS to advise healthcare professionals on management of patients during this time.

'We continue to work closely with the respective manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to ADHD medicines in the UK.'
At the eleventh hour, with the General Election perhaps less than a year away, the Tory leadership seems to have regained some fighting spirit.

That mood of determination is embodied by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who almost daily bravely dares to attack the entire destructive ethos of the progressive elite.

Through its dominance of the public realm, she warned, this upper echelon of society has been able to impose its enthusiasm for soft penalties for criminals, for open borders, gender fluidity, EU control and net zero environmental policies against the wishes of the majority of the public.

For his part, Rishi Sunak is now stressing the need to challenge the failing consensus that has had a stranglehold on British politics for the last three decades.

Already a hate figure on the Left for her outspoken attacks on doctrinaire multiculturalism and uncontrolled immigration, Braverman last week denounced the smug ranks of virtue-signallers who, cocooned by affluence, are personally protected from the disastrous consequences of the policies they advocate, such as the abandonment of robust policing in inner-cities, the disintegration of the traditional family structure or the refusal to deport illegal migrants.

That mood of determination is embodied by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who almost daily bravely dares to attack the entire destructive ethos of the progressive elite (stock image)

For his part, Rishi Sunak is now stressing the need to challenge the failing consensus that has had a stranglehold on British politics for the last three decades (stock image)

Braverman said the elite's policies are not driven by any real desire to bring improvements in British society but by an eagerness to display moral superiority over the 'bigoted' mass of working people. She declared of these woke elitists: 'The migrants won't be taking their jobs. In fact, they are likely to have them mowing their lawns or cleaning their homes.'

And in a compelling phrase  which could determine the result of the next General Election if drilled home repeatedly  Braverman went on to say: 'The luxury beliefs brigade sit in their ivory towers telling ordinary people that they are morally deficient because they dare to get upset about the impact of illegal migration, net zero, or habitual criminals.'

For me, the impact was all the greater because as a political academic I have written extensively about the chasm between mainstream public opinion, with its emphasis on traditional, patriotic common sense, and the narrow outlook of the progressive elite, with its attachment to deluded theorising. It is a division that I analyse in my latest book, Values, Voice And Virtue, which interested Braverman so much that she asked to meet me after reading it.

A world where hashtags and use of pronouns show which side you're on

One of the concepts I cover in the book is that of 'luxury beliefs' defined as ideas or values that confer status on the wealthy, but are not fully embraced or practised by them. The influence of 'luxury beliefs' as a means of winning social esteem has been charted by a number of academics, led by Rob Henderson, formerly of Cambridge University. Their fascinating research shows that in the past, members of the old elite derived their sense of status from physical manifestations of wealth, such as fine clothes, jewellery, foreign travel, servants, private carriages and large properties. But today, with prosperity spread across society, such ostentatious displays of riches have less significance. So, instead, the quest for social status now focuses more on 'cultural capital' than 'economic capital'.

For the sophisticated, urban-dwelling, university-educated class that is overwhelmingly in the ascendancy across the media, the civil service, public management, quangoland, the voluntary sector and the arts, a certain set of fashionable beliefs has become the new signifier of a higher rank in society.

Adherence to the values of the progressive orthodoxy is now the surest way to win acceptance into the elite and gain applause from its other members.

The influence of 'luxury beliefs' as a means of winning social esteem has been charted by a number of academics, led by Rob Henderson, formerly of Cambridge University. Their fascinating research shows that in the past, members of the old elite derived their sense of status from physical manifestations of wealth, such as fine clothes, jewellery, foreign travel, servants, private carriages and large properties (stock image)

The affluent Left loves to trumpet its commitment to open borders, 'safe routes' for asylum-seekers and multiculturalism as a badge of moral superiority, while portraying opponents of uncontrolled immigration as xenophobes (stock image)

Alongside these 'luxury beliefs' are slogans such as 'diversity is our strength' as virtue-signallers spout jargon such as 'intersectionality' or peddle bogus concepts such as 'heteronormativity', 'gender spectrum' and 'white privilege'.

This is a world in which social media hashtags or the use of pronouns show which side you are on in the culture wars.

Yet as the phrase infers, 'luxury beliefs' impose few costs on those who espouse them  even though the price paid by everyone else can be heavy. A classic example, as Braverman highlighted, is mass immigration.

The affluent Left loves to trumpet its commitment to open borders, 'safe routes' for asylum-seekers and multiculturalism as a badge of moral superiority, while portraying opponents of uncontrolled immigration as xenophobes.

The affluent Left loves to trumpet its commitment to open borders

But as research shows, the wealthy elitists are the least likely to suffer the financial and social costs of surging mass immigration.

They don't have to compete with mainly low-skilled migrants for jobs and housing.

They don't live in deprived neighbourhoods where rapid demographic change is eroding social solidarity and mutual trust.

The truth is that it is the working-class, the non-graduate majority, who are most likely to see their pay cut or have their rents pushed up by accelerating demand.

The same disastrous results from the elite's posturing can be seen on a host of other fronts. Its determination to uphold the narrative of multiculturalism's success led to a vast cover-up of sex-grooming gangs, often involving men from the Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian communities in towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale, while it was often vulnerable, white, working-class girls who paid a savage price for this deceit.

Similarly, residents of disadvantaged housing estates, not those of gated communities, suffer most from the elite's 'luxury belief' that criminals are actually victims of society who need support rather than punishment.

Meanwhile, women prisoners are the ones in danger from the grotesque belief that a double rapist with a penis should be housed in a women's jail because he 'identifies' as a woman.

There is also a huge amount of hypocrisy about the elite's stance, especially on the issue of the family. Liberals dismiss attempts to uphold traditional, married family life as the best way to provide stability for child-rearing.

The same disastrous results from the elite's posturing can be seen on a host of other fronts. Its determination to uphold the narrative of multiculturalism's success led to a vast cover-up of sex-grooming gangs, often involving men from the Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian communities in towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale, while it was often vulnerable, white, working-class girls who paid a savage price for this deceit (stock image)

Meanwhile, women prisoners are the ones in danger from the grotesque belief that a double rapist with a penis should be housed in a women's jail because he 'identifies' as a woman (stock image)

'Families come in all shapes and sizes,' they cry as they extol hybrid arrangements and sneer at monogamy. Yet for all their ideological disdain for the traditional family structure, the new elite are the most likely to get married and have children within marriage.

A study by the Marriage Foundation discovered that 87 per cent of mothers from higher income groups are married, compared with just 24 per cent at the other end of the social scale. Once again, it is the working-class, non-graduate majority who are the most likely to suffer the effects of the breakdown in family values that the new elite condones but rarely practises.

But there is a danger for these 'luxury believers'.

The lesson from America is that even wealthy ideologues risk being caught up in the turmoil that is fanned by their own misguided theories.

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, there were widespread demands from the Left to 'defund' the police. The result? A cataclysmic rise in violent crime and several Left-wing campaigners are among the roll-call of the dead.

In Britain, people are already profoundly concerned about the effect of luxury dogma. One survey showed that 66 per cent of voters support Braverman's view that uncontrolled immigration is 'an existential threat' to the West. Support, too, for transgender rights has collapsed.

As so often has been proved by history, the mainstream majority has more common sense and pragmatism than their ruling elites.

Over the coming months, the Tories have a great opportunity to expose the 'luxury belief' class as hypocrites who shamelessly try to garner status among their fellow elites without having to live, like the rest of us, with the pernicious effects of their virtue-signalling.
SNP rebels have warned Humza Yousaf he will face a revolt by Christmas if he does not overhaul the party in the wake of its humiliating by-election defeat.

Enraged Nationalists have pledged a leadership rebellion if 'weak' Mr Yousaf does not radically change the SNP's direction after losing Rutherglen and Hamilton West to Labour on Thursday.

Heaping intense pressure on the First Minister last night, they said he must focus on delivering for ordinary Scots struggling with a cost of living crisis rather than concentrating on independence blueprints and green policies.

They have also said that, in an effort to rescue the party from oblivion at the next general election, Mr Yousaf must perform an emergency Cabinet reshuffle to 'clear out the deadwood'.

Mr Yousaf is said to be on borrowed time

One source suggested Mr Yousaf broker a 'peace deal' with former leadership rival Kate Forbes and install her as his deputy to steady the ship.

Plans for a revolt follow predictions from a leading pollster that if the Rutherglen result was replicated across the country at the next general election, the SNP would plunge from 48 to just six Westminster seats.

Amid a historic by-election defeat for the Nationalists, Labour's Michael Shanks was elected as MP with a majority of 9,446, representing a 20.4 percentage point swing from the SNP.

Now, in his first interview since the result, outspoken rebel MSP Fergus Ewing has given Mr Yousaf two months to demonstrate he is capable of leading the party.

Mr Ewing, a key ally of Ms Forbes, said: 'We've seriously lost trust. We must change course and we must change course radically. That must be done now and before Christmas.

'If that fails to happen, then I fear for the future of the SNP succeeding in elections because, once you lose trust, you cannot expect to win elections.

'It is only salvageable if Humza is honest and stands up there in Holyrood and says: 'We've got a number of things wrong.

I've been reflecting on the result and people have spoken. We're going to make changes and they're going to be major changes, and I'll be announcing them over the next few weeks.' That's all he needs to do.

Former leadership rival Kate Forbes could be installed as deputy to steady the ship

'He may wish to change his team, for example, or have a reshuffle.'

Mr Ewing, the son of SNP stalwart Winnie Ewing, added: 'If he decides to change, then I think people will look at him again.

And he could come to be a successful leader. But if he doesn't do that, then that ain't going to happen.'

The MSP for Inverness and Nairn's stark warning comes as SNP insiders last night suggested there could be an impending 'mutiny' against Mr Yousaf's leadership in the wake of last week's drubbing.

One party source said: 'Many of us are waiting in the wings, watching on for the time being, but there will be a mutiny if he does not change course soon, that's for sure.'

Another added: 'After Rutherglen, he just looks weak. Instead of banging on about the process of achieving a second independence referendum, we need to get support up for independence first.

'We need to return to having a competent government and scrap nonsense policies like gender reform.

Focus on what really matters to people, like housebuilding programmes or sorting out massive fiscal black holes in public services.

'Humza is on borrowed time. If he doesn't do something by Christmas, him and his clique are toast.'

Ahead of the SNP conference next week, insiders have also said Mr Yousaf must drop his motion that would allow him to begin independence negotiations if his party wins the most seats at the next general election. 'That idea is just incredible in the wake of Rutherglen,' one source said.

Responding to suggestions that he could stave off a leadership challenge by bringing Ms Forbes in as Deputy First Minister, her friends refused to comment last night.

The former finance secretary was uncontactable, having jetted abroad on Friday after the by-election result.

But, reflecting on why his party faced such difficulty at the ballot box on Thursday, Mr Ewing set out the three causes of the SNP's downfall.

He said: 'Trust is the coinage or the currency of politics. We have really lost a lot of trust.

'Our currency has been devalued over the last two years and that's because of several things but I think the association with the Greens has been hugely damaging.

'There are many, many people who fear, dislike, mistrust the Greens and think they should not be in government and moreover we should certainly not have brought them in voluntarily to government.'

He continued: 'The second reason is that we've made so many promises and we fail to deliver and people now are pointing that out.

'Obviously the A9 and A96 in the Highlands have been seminal, and unless that is addressed in the promised autumn statement, the SNP may as well shut up shop in the Highlands.

'It's as bad as that because it's become a totemic symbol. You promised it and you fail to deliver.'

He added: 'The third reason is that the policies we've been pursuing don't really seem to go with the grain of society.

'The SNP are not valuing, praising, rewarding, thanking, helping people. They're hectoring, lecturing, inflicting pain.'

Mr Ewing, who was this month disciplined by the SNP for voting against Green Minister Lorna Slater in a vote of no confidence, said: 'The ethos of the SNP was we put Scotland first. I think we've moved away from that.

We moved away from it by punishing fishermen over HPMAs [Highly Protected Marine Areas], by punishing small businesses over deposit return, by punishing short-term let providers  some of the most law-abiding, hard-working people on the planet.'

Speaking from his base in Glasgow, he admitted: 'We're taking livelihoods away.'

His eyes brimming with tears, he said: 'But more than that, it is taking people's spirit and hope away.

We don't seem to realise that what we're doing is inflicting pain on people. Not helping people, not putting Scotland first at all.'

In Dundee on Friday, after failing to attend the by-election count, Mr Yousaf admitted it had been a 'disappointing night for the SNP'.

He said: 'The buck does absolutely stop with me,' but added: 'This particular by-election had some very difficult contextual factors around it.'
Crime is being driven by an entitled generation that has never been told 'no', according to one of Britain's most senior police officers.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson said people these days take pride in not respecting others and when arrested for breaking the law complain to his officers: 'You can't tell me not to do that.'

He warned the 'sooner we correct that  however we do that  the better for all of us'.

The tough comments by the head of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), who has turned around the country's second-biggest force after years of failure, come amid alarm at the increasingly brazen behaviour of shoplifters, who are ransacking stores and attacking staff confident that they will not be challenged.

While a shop theft takes place every two seconds in the UK, The Mail on Sunday has revealed that one in eight bosses do not bother reporting the incidents because they say police are uninterested.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson, right, said people these days take pride in not respecting others and when arrested for breaking the law complain to his officers: 'You can't tell me not to do that'

Home Secretary Suella Braverman (second right) with Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Stephen Watson (right) during a visit to Greater Manchester Police HQ in Manchester, as part of an announcement on police 'pursuing all reasonable lines of inquiry to solve more crime'

It has led to calls for police leaders to take action and officers will now have to check CCTV from thefts against huge photo databases to hunt for suspects.

Asked at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference what has made local communities more at risk of crime now, the GMP chief said: 'I do think what has changed in large measure over recent times is we are growing a generation of people who have never had anybody say 'no' to them.'

Mr Watson, addressing a Freedom Association debate on law and order, added: 'The trust and respect for people in a hierarchy has broken down and I think people take pride in not respecting others because they somehow see it as demeaning to respect other people.

'And we have seen a post-Covid feeling in the air where this strange sense of entitlement has become amplified.

'So many of my officers will tackle people who are doing things that are demonstrably unacceptable, and the response will almost inevitably be, 'You can't tell me not to do that.' ' Mr Watson  who in his two-year tenure at GMP has slashed 999 response times from 12 minutes to eight and more than doubled the number of arrests  said that more money should be spent on safeguarding 'very young children' before they join gangs.

'I'm not talking about 16-year- olds. I'm talking about three-year- olds. By the time they're 16 and carrying a gun they're lost to us,' he said. 'It's a tragedy... but my only interest is to lock them up because I need to safeguard the public from them.

'We need to have fewer children entering the system. But for those who will not take no for an answer, we need to lock them up.'
It is just 12 months since the first steel was cut at the Cemre yard in Turkey for a lifeline ferry which will serve a Scottish island community.

However, as our photographs show, astonishing progress means the MV Isle of Islay is on schedule to be delivered next year  in stark and embarrassing contrast to the ongoing shambles at the SNP's yard on the Clyde, where two ferries still languish more than seven years after work began, and hundreds of millions of pounds over budget.

The ferry in Turkey is one of four being built there for the Scottish Government, despite it having its own nationalised Ferguson Marine yard at Port Glasgow in Renfrewshire.

Fast progress on the MV Isle of Islay at Cemre yard contrasts with slow going on the Clyde

MV Glen Rosa at Ferguson Marine has yet to even enter the water

Phenomenal progress at the Cemre yard, 2,000 miles away on the banks of the Sea of Marmara, means the first ferry now bears a physical resemblance to its Scottish counterpart begun in 2016.

The first Turkish ferry is due to be delivered this time next year and on budget, just 24 months after its construction started.

In a confident statement of intent, Sinan Kavala, chief operating officer at the Cemre yard, said: 'The construction and outfitting of both ferries is progressing according to the schedule and budget, and we will launch MV Isle of Islay in the first quarter of 2024.'

Meanwhile, the first Port Glasgow ferry, MV Glen Sannox, is still sitting in the water outside its yard undergoing 'fitting out', having been due to enter service in 2018.

The second ferry, recently named as MV Glen Rosa, having spent years ignominiously titled Hull 802, has yet to even enter the water, and has a possible delivery date of 2025.

Steel was first cut for both ships at Ferguson Marine  then owned by businessman Jim McColl  in April 2016.

The Glen Sannox was launched in November 2017 by then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the ship having black squares painted on to give the impression that windows had been fitted.

We told how the Nationalists' yard last year reached new levels of farce when repairs were required on a propeller which had rusted up as the ship had been sitting idle in the Clyde for so long.

Critics, including Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, previously branded as 'ridiculous' the SNP Government's decision to nationalise, in 2019, the Scottish shipyard then award a multimillion-pound contract to a foreign yard.

In another vote of no confidence in its own yard in Scotland, the SNP signed a further deal in Turkey this year for two more ships to serve the Hebridean route between Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert.

It means a total of four Scottish Government ferries are now under construction in Turkey, while the SNP's yard struggles with its two-ferry order.

Historians of the Clyde's once-great shipbuilding industry have noted a deep irony in a Turkish yard building ferries for Scotland  the waters of the Bosphorus were once plied by ferries built at the Fairfield yard at Govan.

Speaking to The Scottish Mail on Sunday last year, Mr Kavala proudly revealed that his booming yard attracts a young workforce who relish the challenge of shipbuilding in the 21st Century.

He said: 'We are building a lot of high- standard ships and our young, talented and ambitious team, with an average age of 34, gain a great deal of experience in a short time.

'We have around 2,500 to 3,000 employees at the shipyard, including subcontractors. We specialise in ferries, fishing and offshore vessels, and are increasing our ability to build different types of vessels every day.

'We are very pleased to be building ships of different types and technologies for many different places in the world.'

A 2021 Holyrood probe into the ongoing saga at Ferguson Marine branded the previous management process a 'catastrophic failure'.

Last year, it emerged that nearly 1,000 cables in one of the ferries are too short and need to be replaced. Ferguson Marine paid now-departed 'turnaround director' Tim Hair more than 1 million over two years.

Speaking last month about progress in Turkey, Kevin Hobbs, chief executive of ferry procurement company CMAL, said: 'The build programme at Cemre is progressing well.'
A foreign rapist branded a 'danger to women' has been allowed to stay in the UK  because he might not be given proper medical treatment in his home country.

Joachim Cardos, 43, was an illegal immigrant in Edinburgh and dealing drugs when he raped a woman at knifepoint and left her fearing for her life.

After serving a jail sentence for what a judge described as a 'violent and persistent' attack that had a 'devastating' impact on his victim, he was ordered to be sent back to his native Gambia.

Despite the law stating that foreign nationals guilty of serious crimes should automatically be deported, the sex offender launched a human rights challenge - arguing that his health would suffer in his West African homeland.

Joachim Cardos told his victim he was going to kill her

In a move that justice campaigners have called 'an insult to his victim', an immigration tribunal ruled in favour of letting Cardos remain in the UK.

The tribunal agreed that, if deported, the rapist would 'experience genuine difficulties being able to access a regular supply of his necessary medications' and would face a 'real risk of social isolation and stigmatisation'.

Last night critics said the case showed the immigration system was putting the rights of foreign criminals ahead of public safety or the feelings of victims.

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: 'This rapist's victim may well despair at the unsatisfactory outcome of these protracted legal proceedings, which again call into question the effectiveness of removing dangerous overseas criminals from our streets.'

Cardos arrived in Britain in June 2007 on a visitor visa. When his leave to remain expired in June 2008, he stayed on illegally, living in Edinburgh and dealing drugs.

Dame Henrietta Hill turned down a challenge to tribunal decision

In October 2011, a 26-year-old marketing executive who had got his phone number outside a nightclub went to his flat in the capital's Dalry area to buy a small quantity of cannabis.

When he tried to kiss her, she turned him down but he pushed her into the bedroom.

The woman later told a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh: 'I could just see his eyes widen and his nose flare.

It just looked like an angry face. He said he was going to kill me. He said to me, 'Do you know how many people I have killed?'

Cardos grabbed her throat and she briefly passed out. When she came to, she found he was not in the room, but he returned.

She said: 'This time he had a knife. He kept saying I was bad and he was going to kill me. I thought he had flipped or was on drugs or something.' Cardos then raped her.

Passing sentence in July 2012, Judge Lord Hardie said there was a high risk of re-offending and Cardos posed a danger to women.

Cardos was sentenced to eight years for rape and a further three years for dealing a Class B drug.

Having started his sentence at HMP Dumfries, he was later sent to the State Hospital at Carstairs, Lanarkshire, after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

He was returned to the prison when doctors found his condition could be controlled with medication.

In January 2019, Cardos was served with a deportation order  but immediately launched a challenge with the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

He argued that the medicines he was receiving to treat his mental health would not be available in Gambia.

The Home Office offered to give him enough medicine to last three months, plus 1,250 to buy further supplies. He refused the offer and tribunal judges ruled that sending him back to Gambia would potentially breach his human rights.

They said there was 'a real risk that he will experience genuine difficulties in the Gambia in being able to access a regular supply of his necessary medications', adding: 'There is a real risk of at least social isolation and stigmatisation.'

The Home Secretary appealed the decision but the challenge was rejected last month.

Justice Dame Henrietta Hill said: 'The Secretary of State for the Home Department fails to establish any proper basis to interfere with the decision.'
Scotland's best-loved charity has been accused of abandoning animals after axing a fifth of its rescue centres.

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) raked in 15.5 million in donations and legacies last year and pays three of its executives six-figure salaries.

But bosses have just shut refuges that cover vast swathes of the country, ignoring locals who fear the closures could trigger a rise in unwanted pets being left to perish.

Charity chief Kirsteen Campbell pockets a fatcat salary

Meanwhile, animals needing sanctuary in the north and south could face journeys of up to 250 miles to the Central Belt.

Willie McGillivray, one of 1,500 Caithness locals campaigning to reverse the closure of the Balmore centre near Thurso, said: 'We fear this will take us back to a time when unwanted kittens and puppies were put in black bin bags and taken to the river.

'The SSPCA is abandoning these communities and these animals. This was our centre. Local people raised the money to open it and keep it going, local people worked there. We won't give up the fight.'

In 2022, the charity  whose inspectors have the power to bring prosecutions  dealt with 240 call-outs per day.

It took in nearly 5,700 animals  up 16 per cent on the previous year  as many pets bought during the pandemic are now being abandoned.

But the cost of running ten centres soared from 6.9 million to 8.8 million as the price of food and energy rocketed.

Bosses announced their decision in August to axe the centres at Balmore and Ayr.

The centres at Inverness and Banchory, Aberdeenshire, are full, it is claimed, leaving animals facing a lengthy journey to Dundee.

Matthew Reiss, an independent Highland councillor, said: 'Everyone understands the added financial pressures recently, but the SSPCA is supposed to be a charity, not a multinational focusing on the bottom line.

Many worry about what will become of the animals at two shelters axed by the SSPCA

It has millions in the bank, millions invested in the stock market, millions flowing in from well-wishers every year, and a growing number of executives with enormous pay packets.

'As in so many other situations, people in the north can spot centralisation a mile off, even when it's dressed up as benign change.'

Balmore was an animal haven for nearly 30 years, offering spaces for eight dogs, six cats, numerous small animals and a washroom for cleansing seabirds of oil.

The centre was shut last weekend, leaving Caithness, Sutherland and Orkney without a refuge. A petition to save it attracted more than 3,700 signatures.

Meanwhile, Ayr offered nine kennels and facilities for reptiles, birds and fish.

South Scotland Tory MSP Sharon Dowey said: 'The closing of the rescue centres will be a great loss to the local communities, but also to all the animals that they rescue and rehome.

They play a vital role and the SSPCA cannot go ahead with these closures.'

The SSPCA said it would press on with a new strategy to recruit temporary carers and give free pet food to owners struggling to cope.

A spokesman said: 'The way we rescue animals is changing and we're seeing more people ask for help because they are struggling to look after their pet.

'For us, a far better form of rescue is to keep an animal in a home where they are happy and to work with people to resolve any issues which are not their fault.

'We know the decision to close both centres has caused concern and upset in local communities.

We can reassure everyone that, through our expanded services, we will be helping more animals more effectively than ever before.'

Six SSPCA executives were paid more than 60,000 last year, with one  believed to be chief executive Kirsteen Campbell  said to be on between 130,000 and 140,000.
Women in childbirth are being offered an injection of water instead of the traditional 'gas and air'  in a bid to make the NHS more environmentally friendly.

For years Entonox, known as gas and air, has been the most popular method of pain relief in labour.

However, in a crackdown on harmful greenhouse gas emissions, the NHS has warned that using Entonox in Scotland is 'equivalent to 18,000 transatlantic flights'.

Gas and air has been the most popular method of pain relief in labour

Now the health service is offering expectant mothers injections of sterile water as an alternative to long-established methods of pain relief including Entonox and epidurals. Two Scottish health boards already offer the jabs but a drive towards more climate-friendly treatments could see them made more widely available.

The Scottish Government previously wrote to all health boards with a plan suggesting women should be discouraged from using Entonox for the good of the planet.

Deep breaths or jabs in the back? GAS & AIR, known as Entonox, is a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen self-administered through a mouthpiece; First developed in 1933 by anaesthetist Robert James Minnitt and instrument maker Charles King, the mix is understood to work by blocking neurotransmitters and releasing feel-good chemical dopamine  taking the edge off pain, rather than eliminating it. Quick-acting and safe, it is not harmful to the unborn child but is considered harmful to the environment. STERILE WATER is injected at four points in the lower back; First documented in 1885, it was used for minor surgery and kidney stones It has been used for labour in Sweden, Canada, Asia and Australia since the 1980s Although unclear how it works, scientists believe the perception of pain from the back is blocked by pain receptors in the skin being irritated by the injections. Although some studies found injections significantly reduced back pain, patients have complained about the intense stinging sensation when injected Sterile water has no long-term effects  and is environmentally friendly Advertisement

Last week, watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) backed the use of sterile water in England.

NHS Lothian and NHS Ayrshire and Arran have confirmed they offer the jabs alongside other forms of pain relief.

NHS Lothian's online advice to pregnant women says: 'It is particularly useful in early labour and we have seen great results with this form of pain relief.'

The NICE guidance told medical staff: 'Consider intracutaneous or subcutaneous sterile water injections as a pain relief option for women in labour with back pain. These injections can be given by a midwife trained in the use of sterile water injections.

'Explain to the woman that sterile water injections can provide relief of back pain from ten minutes after the injection for up to three hours, but there can be an initial stinging sensation.'

Those in favour of the jabs say they are cheap and effective  but not everyone agrees.

TV doctor Amir Khan branded NICE's guidance 'hugely concerning' and author and palliative care doctor Rachel Clarke said it was 'mind-boggling'.

The National Childbirth Trust website says the treatment is 'unusual' but adds: 'There is some evidence it can help. It's usually used for women experiencing strong back pain in labour.'

It is unclear exactly how the injections work, but one theory is that they stop back pain signals from reaching the brain.

In one study, six in ten women described the jabs as effective.

However, during a consultation on the treatment, the Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association wrote: 'What possible biological plausible explanation is there for benefit with intracutaneous or subcutaneous injections of water in volumes of 0.1 to 0.4mls?

'Because it is cheap and unlikely to cause harm is an inadequate

justification for a recommendation, especially as NICE does not recommend other similar non-pharmacological therapies such as acupuncture and hypnosis.'

The Scottish Medicines Consortium, which advises boards on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new medicines, said: 'Pain relief in labour is not a licensed use of sterile water for injection, so not in the SMC's remit.'

The Scottish Government plan sent to boards proposes that expectant mothers do their bit in a 'collaborative mitigation approach' to cutting the environmental impact of Entonox.

Healthcare service NHS Scotland Assure admits the benefits of Entonox but says that 'within NHS Scotland, Entonox alone is responsible for an emission footprint similar to that of 18,000 flights from Frankfurt to New York'.
The U.S. Office for Palestinian Affairs called on Israelis to 'refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks' after Hammas launched a surprise attack on Israel killing nearly 300 on Saturday - then deleted the post on social media.

'We unequivocally condemn the attack of Hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred,' the office wrote in a social media post.

'We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. Terror and violence solve nothing,' it continued on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The office, despite deleting the message later, has been slammed Saturday.

One asked on X: 'Why is @JoeBiden administration telling Israel not to respond to the horrific evil being perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists?'

The user linked back to the office's post, which is no longer available now.

The U.S. Office for Palestinian Affairs called for Israelis to 'refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks' then deleted the post

Hammas launched a surprise attack on Israel killing nearly 300 on Saturday

At least 1,100 people have been wounded in the conflict in Israel alone

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his country is 'at war' with the Palestinians militants

Dozens of users slammed the office (pictured), replying under the subsequent post with screenshots of the deleted message

The office later said: 'The U.S. Embassy is closely monitoring the security situation as a result of rockets fired from Gaza across southern and central Israel.'

Dozens of users replied under the subsequent post with screenshots of the deleted message asking: 'why did you delete this?'

One wrote: 'You are disgraceful and should be shuttered immediately.'

'Who ever put this out should be out of a job right now,' another said.

The account also reposted Secretary Antony Blinken's post condemning the Palestinian militants' attack on Israel.

'We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks,' the statement said.

Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, October 7, 2023

Cars on fire following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in into southern Israel on October 7

Palestinians ride an Israeli military jeep in the streets of Gaza during the storming of Israeli settlements by the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam militia, the military wing of Hamas, 7 October 2023

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Early on Saturday, Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, striking by land, air and sea.

Hamas, the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip, claims to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Horrifying new footage emerging this afternoon showed women being marched into vehicles full of male fighters, bloodied and bruised, often with their hands bound behind their backs.

The murder of civilians has drawn widespread condemnation from world leaders and prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say the country is at 'war'.
The Met Police will step up patrols in London amid fears of antisemitic attacks and protests after the largest conflict for years between Israel and Palestinian militants broke out on Saturday.

Scotland Yard said it would increase the presence of officers in response to a 'number of incidents'  some shared on social media  of people celebrating the attack on Israel which has put the Middle East on the brink of all-out war.

The Met said that 'an appropriate policing plan' will be put in place as the force anticipates protests over the coming days.

Conversations have also been held between the Home Office and the Community Security Trust (CST), which provides safety, security, and advice to the Jewish community.

It led to the decision to increase footfall to reassure local communities across Britain, the charity confirmed to MailOnline.

It comes after militant Islamist group Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Saturday morning, claiming to have fired 5,000 rockets before militants poured across the border, seemingly taking Israel completely by surprise.

In just 12 hours almost 400 people were confirmed to have died, with a further 2,610 injured in both Israel and the Gaza Strip.

In just 12 hours almost 400 people were confirmed to have died, with a further 2,610 injured in both Israel and the Gaza Strip, after the attack on Saturday

Hamas militants began their attack early on Saturday and appeared to take the Israelis completely by surprise

The Met Police has confirmed that officers will step up patrols in London amid fears of anti-Semitic attacks and protests

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

In a statement, Scotland Yard said: 'We are aware of a number of incidents, including those that have been shared on social media, in relation to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the border with Gaza.

'The Met has increased policing patrols across parts of London in order to provide a visible presence and reassurance to our communities.'

It added: 'We are aware that the ongoing conflict may lead to protests over the coming days. We will ensure that an appropriate policing plan is in place in order to balance the right to protest against any disruption to Londoners.'

The news comes amid fears the new escalation could seriously destabilise the region and result in an extended conflict after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told Hamas they are now 'at war'.

Since the Hamas incursion, which began on a Jewish holiday, talks between Home Secretary Suella Braverman, the Home Office and CST have been held remotely to assess the risk of retaliation upon the UK's Jewish community.

During the 2021 Gaza-Israel conflict, which began in early May, the CST documented a record 628 hate incidents directed towards British Jews between early May and early June, a fourfold increase on the same period the previous year.

The latest statistics on hate crimes, released this week, show a rise in religious-based hate crimes in 2022-23 in the UK.

Jewish communities are the second-most hit by religious-based hate crimes, accounting for 17 per cent of all those recorded.

Since the Hamas incursion, which began on a Jewish holiday, talks between Home Secretary Suella Braverman (pictured), the Home Office and CST have been held remotely

Israeli police officers evacuate a family from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on Saturday

Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence, east of Khan Younis, on Saturday

A woman and child are evacuated from the site of a rocket attack in southern Israel on Saturday

Islamophobia results in the highest number of religious-based hate crimes per year, and made up 39 per cent of them, the latest data shows.

After the scale of the Hamas attack became clear, British politicians rushed to support their own communities and the public.

Rishi Sunak said: 'I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.

'Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.'

Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

'There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region. Israel has a right to defend herself.'

Meanwhile, Mrs Braverman said: 'The barbaric attack by Hamas terrorists this morning against the Israeli people is sickening.

'The UK unequivocally supports Israel's right to defend its borders and its citizens from this evil.'

The mayor of London Sadiq Khan explicitly acknowledge the risk of increased levels of antisemitism.

He said: 'The news coming out of Israel is deeply distressing. I condemn the terrorist acts of Hamas and my thoughts are with those affected and those who have lost loved ones.

'Tragically, we know that violence in the Middle East can lead to a rise in hate crime in London. I'm in touch with senior officers at the Met and communities across our city. Let me be clear  hate crime in London will not be tolerated. Now or ever.'

Ugly scenes from Israel appear to show Hamas militants abducting women, children and even entire families off the streets and ferrying them back towards the Gaza strip.

Meanwhile, both sides are continuing to fire rockets at one another, with active fighting going on in 22 different locations.

Rockets appear to have hit targets in both the Gaza Strip and Israel itself, with multiple reports of fires and explosions in Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile the Israeli ministry of energy and infrastructure has ordered the immediate suspension of power to the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians celebrate after an Israeli tank was hit by Hamas gunmen who infiltrated the south of the country, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border

Israeli medical teams evacuate an injured person from the southern city of Sderot, close to the border with the Gaza Strip

A man carries a crying child as they walk past a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in Gaza City

People flee as clashes flare between Palestinian groups and Israeli forces in Gaza City following the earlier air strikes

Palestinians are greeted by crowds after returning from crossing the border into Israel

Gaza's power authority says 80 per cent of its electricity supplies have been shut following Israel's announcement.

The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated places in the world, with around two million people packed into 140 square miles. But it depends on Israel for water, electricity, telecommunications, and other utilities, and imports are carefully controlled by Israel.

Conflict between Israel and Palestinians has been going on for decades, but this is the deadliest attack in years, leading to fears it could start an ongoing war.

From Israel's perspective, the surprise attack has been 'humiliating', undermining intelligence efforts and overwhelming the Iron Dome defence system, which is far superior to Gaza's own anti-missile defences.

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
A Georgia mother's Halloween decorations have sparked outrage as neighbors claimed it was 'racist' and looked like a 'lynching'.

The home in Bartow County, 43 miles from Atlanta, shows a person with an animal skull over their head hanging with a noose around their neck from a tree.

Between 1882 and 1930 the American South experienced an epidemic of fatal mob violence that produced more than 3,000 victims the vast majority of whom were African American.

In Georgia alone, more than 450 lynching's were recorded, adding to bitter taste in the mouths of locals who came into close proximity with the spooky display.

Locals slammed the display, but the family don't believe they've done anything wrong. When Christol Stevenson first saw the human-like doll hanging from the tree, she couldn't believe her eyes.

'The first thing I thought of was a modern day lynching,' she told Fox5 Atlanta. 'It definitely is racist to me. It's very insulting to the Black community.'

A Georgia Resident's Halloween decorations have been slammed as 'racist'

The display appears to show a person hanging from a noose by their neck

Local residents have expressed outrage, but homeowner Rachel (pictured) says the kids love it

Her concerns are echoed far and wide across the area, with many outraged that it appears to show a black man.

Dexter Benning, the president of the Bartow County NAACP, said the display is 'crossing the line' and feels it's 'offensive'.

'It really signified and insinuated that it was a person and that it was a person of color.

'Bartow County has a history of hangings. To do that is just not appropriate.

'Black folks have endured so much in this country, and to depict someone being [hanged] is not a place that we want to be in 2023.'

Randy Livsey, a local pastor, hoped the family takes concerns seriously.

When a neighbor took down the Halloween 'decoration', the family put it straight back up

Her concerns are echoed far and wide across the area, with many outraged that it appears to show a black man

Stevenson said she thought she was witnessing 'a modern day lynching' when she drove past the display

'If you really want to celebrate Halloween and not be offensive, it shouldn't be a problem for you to take it down, hang it around the waist if you want to, or just hang up something different.'

The homeowner, Rachel, has defended the display, saying her kids 'love Halloween' and are both excited about 'Mr Creepy in the tree'.

She denies that the figure it is meant to represent a person of color, despite the dummy wearing brown gloves and a black t-shirt.

'It's just the spare clothes that my husband had that he had that he was going to throw away anyway. No other reason other than that,' Rachel told WSB-TV.

'I've had tons of people driving by taking pictures, beeping, giving me a thumbs up saying that's awesome. But then, I have other people calling the cops on me saying it's racist.

'I was just trying to make a Halloween decoration, something spooky for the kids and the adults to look at [and] enjoy.'

Locals in the area reported the display to the police at least two times.

Officers have visited the family's home but deemed they were not breaking the law.
This is the moment a man called police on 999 to report that he was being followed home by a cat.

The hilarious audio, which was shared by the Metropolitan Police on X, formerly Twitter, prompted the force to urge people not to misuse the emergency number.

The Met said: 'Calling 999 to report a cat following you is not an emergency. Calls like these prevent those who really need an urgent police response from getting through to us.

'Please only call 999 if a crime is in progress or there is a threat to life.'

In the baffling call, a man explains that he is being followed home by a cat, which started running after him, and was unsure 'what to do with it'.

The hilarious audio, which was shared by the Metropolitan Police on X, formerly Twitter , prompted the force to urge people not to misuse the emergency number (File photo)

In the baffling call, a man explains that he is being followed home by a cat, which started running after him, and was unsure 'what to do with it' (File photo)

The odd exchange begins with a police call handler saying: 'Hello Met Police, what's your emergency?'

The man then replies: 'Actually we are wallking home and there is a cat following us.

'I think it's from someone and it's following us for a long time.

He continues: 'So we don't know - even if - she started running after us.

'I don't know what to do with it.'

The handler, who is clearly in disbelief of what he has just heard, then says: 'So a cat is following you.'

This is not the first time that police forces have shared ridiculous 999 calls in a bid to spur a crackdown on wasting police time.

This is not the first time that police forces have shared ridiculous 999 calls in a bid to spur a crackdown on wasting police time.

One caller can be heard informing police they saw a deer that looked like 'Bambi' running through their estate and another dialled 999 to say 'I found a wallet'.

In another call, a man can be heard asking police to wake him at 9.30am and escort him to his court appearance.

Hampshire Constabulary also revealed they receive calls about UFO sightings and even people complaining their pizza has not been delivered.

In the audio released by police, one caller said: 'I have a letter from Hampshire police and they told me about court.

'I was wondering if someone can wake me up at 9.30am... and take me to the court.'

A stunned call handler replied: 'Sorry, have you called 999 asking us to wake you up at 9.30 in the morning to take you to court?'

Another caller dialled 999 to say 'I found a wallet' and another phoned to say 'I saw a deer running through our estate', describing it as 'like a little Bambi'.
The second largest Hindu temple in the world and the largest in the U.S. has opened to worshippers in New Jersey after taking more than 12,500 volunteers across the world over 12 years to build.

A number of celebrations in the lead up to the grand opening have taken place at the site this week.

The official inauguration for BAPS Akshardham, the massive 87,975 square-foot, 191-feet tall temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, is scheduled for Sunday.

Orchestrated by BAPS Spiritual Leader and Guru Mahant Swami Maharaj, said the Sunday ceremony will be broadcast live worldwide.

BAPS, or Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, is a Hindu tradition following the teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

New York City mayor Eric Adams, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Mod, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sent congratulations for the temple's opening.

The second largest Hindu temple in the world is set to open Sunday in Robbinsville, New Jersey

The massive 87,975 square-foot, 191-feet tall temple will open in a limited capacity after its official inauguration

The temple is expected to host events each day with a different theme related to Indian culture in the next week

The temple features 10,000 statues and 151 carvings depicting ancient Indian musical instruments

Spanning 185 acres, the grand temple is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a revered Hindu spiritual leader from the 19th century.

The temple is made of stoned of Marble, granite, and limestones - sourced from various places in Europe and shipped to India, where artisans carved intricately.

Stone pieces were then shipped to the U.S. and assembled by volunteers from all over the world under guidance of artisans from India.

The temple features 10,000 statues and 151 carvings depicting ancient Indian musical instruments.

In the past week, the temple held events each day with a different theme related to Indian culture.

The entire campus will be open to visitors starting from October 18, according to the BAPS Akshardham.

'Having this Akshardham here on American soil is not just the triumph of a community or the triumph of the diaspora  it is the triumph of the nation,' Chaitali Inamdar, a devotee, told the Washington Post.

The temple is made of stoned of Marble, granite, and limestones - sourced from various places in Europe and shipped to India, where artisans carved intricately

Stone pieces were then shipped to the U.S. and assembled by volunteers from all over the world under guidance of artisans from India

The New York tri-state area is known for its large Hindu American population and community of Hindu devotees

Stone pieces were then shipped to the U.S. and assembled by volunteers from all over the world under guidance of artisans from India

The New York tri-state area is known for its large Hindu American population and community of Hindu devotees.

In 2021, the New Jersey Akshardham was accused of using forced labor, with lawsuit alleging that the BAPS organization had enticed low-caste men from India to work for $1 an hour.

The lawsuit filed in May later expanded those claims to include temples around the country in November but has been put on hold since then.

The BAPS has constructed more than 100 temples in the U.S. and around 1,400 temples across the world, including India, the UK, US, Canada, Kenya, South Africa, and Australia.

The temple is set to draw hundreds of visitors to New Jersey

The BAPS has constructed more than 100 temples in the U.S. and around 1,400 temples across the world

The grand temple in New Delhi, India, is the world's largest all-encompassing Hindu temple. It took over five years and involved more than 8,000 volunteers in its construction.

Robbinsville Mayor David Fried thanked volunteers for their work earlier this week.

'What you are teaching our youth is so important because the next generation needs to become part of our community, and that is something that you should be very proud of,' he said at an assembly.

'We are grateful and honored that you thought to choose our community and had the vision to turn this piece of land into something that is truly unbelievable.'

The temple is set to draw hundreds of visitors to New Jersey, local publication NJ.com reported Friday.
Hotels and transport operators are braced for an invasion of 'super-bedbugs' as an infestation in Paris threatens to sweep through the UK.

The Mail on Sunday has learnt that a major UK hotel chain has been quizzing guests as they check in on whether they have arrived from France. The rooms of those who have are given a deep clean by pest control experts when they leave.

Meanwhile, Air France, which runs up to six direct flights a day from Paris to London, said it will ground any aircraft if bedbugs are detected on board.

The news comes as experts are warning that these 'super-bedbugs' have developed a resistance to insecticides.

'It's harder to kill them than it's ever been,' said Nicolas Roux de Bezieux, of pest control website badbugs.fr. 'Pest controllers have to return to kill them again because they survive the spray.'

An outbreak of the blood-sucking insects, whose bites cause painful itching, has provoked a wave of disgust in Paris, with residents and tourists taking to social media to post images of the bugs crawling across hotel bed sheets and train seats.

The bugs have been spotted and photographed on various means of transport in Paris

Eurostar said its trains between London and Paris are to be disinfected if there is the 'slightest doubt' of infestation

Air France , which runs up to six direct flights a day from Paris to London , said it will ground any aircraft if bedbugs are detected on board

An outbreak of the blood-sucking insects, whose bites cause painful itching, has provoked a wave of disgust in Paris

Images shared on social media from France show the bugs crawling across hotel bed sheets and train seats

The news comes as experts are warning that these 'super-bedbugs' have developed a resistance to insecticides

With thousands of travellers arriving each day from France on trains, flights and ferries, fears are growing that the outbreak will quickly spread here.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts, which operates 18 hotels in the UK, are asking new guests whether they have travelled from France, according to staff at one of its London hotels.

'Every time we do the check-in we ask the guest, 'Are you travelling from Paris?' ' a receptionist said.

'All the hotels which come under Millennium Group are doing this.'

A manager at the hotel added: 'As soon as the guests leave, we put that particular room out of service and we just clean everything again.'

Eurostar said its trains between London and Paris are to be disinfected if there is the 'slightest doubt' of infestation, while Transport for London bosses said they were 'monitoring' the Tube network.

Staff at the five-star Renaissance Hotel at St Pancras train station, the London Eurostar terminus, said no bedbugs have been detected there but staff have received training during the last fortnight on how to spot the pests.

Filippo Lorenzonetto, a manager at the Megaro Hotel near St Pancras, said it has also had no cases of bedbugs but he is 'concerned' about the situation in Paris.

Aviation bosses said they are closely monitoring the situation amid social media reports that bedbugs have been spotted in Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport  one of the busiest in the world.

EasyJet, which operates more than ten direct flights between London and Paris each day, last night said: 'Our aircraft are cleaned to a very high standard every night with key parts of the cabin being disinfected. We continue to actively monitor the situation in France.'

With thousands of travellers arriving each day from France on trains, flights and ferries, fears are growing that the outbreak will quickly spread here

Salim Dahou, biocide technician from the company Hygiene Premium, prepares the insecticide against bedbugs in an apartment in L'Hay-les-Roses, near Paris

Bed bugs get their name from their habit of nesting in mattresses, although they can also hide in clothes and in luggage

France has been battling a wave of the creatures invading homes and transport

The appearance of the insects, which can grow up to around 7 millimetres long, is unrelated to hygiene levels, according to the French authorities

Air France said if suspected bedbugs are reported on board one of its flights 'the aircraft would be grounded and a specialist team would immediately be dispatched to confirm or rule out the presence of these insects.

'If the presence of bedbugs was confirmed, a chemical treatment of the aircraft would be carried out.'

A spokesman for Manchester Airport said: 'We're monitoring the situation closely and staying in touch with the airlines that fly between here and Paris.'

Additional reporting: Sabrina Miller
Labour today faced a growing political row over plans to make it easier for people to change gender  just days after Rishi Sunak declared: 'A man is a man and a woman is a woman.'

In a sign of the growing gulf between the two main parties over 'woke' issues, delegates at the party's annual conference in Liverpool this week will vote on a proposal to 'modernise, simplify and reform' the transition process; if approved, the plan is likely to form part of the party's election manifesto.

The Prime Minister was cheered during his speech to the Tory conference in Manchester last week when he said: 'We shouldn't get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be they can't. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. That's just common sense.'

But a report by Labour's National Policy Forum, to be voted on tomorrow, says: 'The process of gender recognition is intrusive, outdated and humiliating.

'Labour will modernise, simplify and reform the gender recognition law to a new process, taking into account international evidence of what works.'

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner and Labour Party Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, arrive at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool ahead of the start on Sunday

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured) was cheered during his speech to the Tory conference in Manchester last week

Leader Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed his support for people being able to self-identify their gender, only to back away after a move by former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon to do the same triggered a political storm.

Experts said that the wording of the policy paved the way for the removal of the current need for doctors to sign off a change in gender.

Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch said: 'Labour backed self-ID for five years because it's what they really believe. A policy that endangers women and girls.

'This policy document shows they haven't changed their minds. We should all be worried about their real plans if they're ever in government.'

A poll for The Mail on Sunday backs Mr Sunak's definition of a woman  'a human being characterised by female biology'  over Sir Keir's by a margin of more than two to one.

The poll also shows a narrowing of the Labour lead over the Conservatives to 15 points, with Sir Keir's party on 43 per cent and Mr Sunak's on 28 per cent.

Feminist campaigner Julie Bindel said Labour was 'tying itself in knots', adding: 'It wants to appear fully supportive of both the new wave of trans ideology and of women-only spaces and sex-based rights, yet has the nerve to accuse the Tories of 'weaponising the gender war'.

'It is very hard to trust Labour when they have been so entrenched in trans ideology in recent years, with Starmer saying that 'some women can have a penis' and Lisa Nandy arguing that male child sex offenders posing as women should be allowed in women's prisons.'

Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch (pictured) said the proposal shows that Labour 'we should all be worried about' Labour's real plans if they are ever in government

The Gender Recognition Act 2004 enabled people to change gender by acquiring a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

To qualify for it, two doctors have to agree the individual is suffering from gender dysphoria before getting their decision approved by a medical panel. Applicants must also have 'lived as the opposite sex' for at least two years.'

Ms Bindel said the conference proposal 'can only mean scrapping the requirement for a medical diagnosis and approval by a panel of experts from the process of legally changing sex.

'I am not alone in suspecting senior figures in Labour, including Keir Starmer, remain committed to introducing self-ID if they win the election.

'Plenty of trans activists within the party continue to speak publicly in support of this nonsense  a couple of weeks ago, MP Kate Osborne tweeted, 'Yes, some women have a penis'.'

Labour declined to respond to Mrs Badenoch's attack. But in July, party chairman and equalities spokesperson Anneliese Dodds accused the Tories of seeking to stoke 'culture wars' by pinning hopes for electoral success on 'demonising vulnerable LGBT+ people'.
Tiny traces of oil left on the stump of the Sycamore Gap tree could help police in their hunt for the person who chopped it down, forensic scientists have revealed.

The sycamore, which stood in a dip along Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland for 300 years, had been one of the world's most photographed trees until it was chopped down in an act of senseless vandalism overnight on September 27.

The destruction of the iconic tree, which was famously featured in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, has understandably caused anger, confusion and heartbreak among locals - and detectives are hunting for new clues.

Former lumberjack Walter Renwick, 69, and a 16-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage but they were later released on bail.

In the latest twist to the Sycamore Gap mystery, it has been reported that forensic scientists are searching tree samples for traces from the chainsaw's oiler, which may have left a chemical 'fingerprint'.

Tiny traces of oil left on the stump of the Sycamore Gap tree could help police track down the person responsible for felling it, forensic scientists have revealed

Floral tributes have been left on the stump after the tree was felled in an act of vandalism, police said

In the latest twist to the Sycamore Gap mystery, it has been reported that forensic scientists are searching tree samples for traces from the chainsaw's oiler, which may have left a chemical 'fingerprint'

The oil lubricates the chain to stop it from overheating and seizing up. And forensic experts have shed new light on how a unique blend of oil could help uncover the saw used to cut down the tree.

Dr Angela Gallop, one of the UK's most experienced forensic scientists who helped to convict two of Stephen Lawrence's killers, told The Times that traces of oil left on the stump from the chainsaw could help with finding the saw which was used.

She added: 'When topping up machinery with different types of oils, you might add one type of oil with another type of oil with slightly different chemical components, and build up a chemical 'fingerprint'.'

Another source told the newspaper that farmers often try and save money by using engine oil to lubricate the chain. They added it was possible that the feller could have used a popular brand such as Husqvarna or Stihl.

'Or perhaps a blend of both might be found, giving a unique forensic makeup,' they added.

Amid the outcry from locals, politicians and environmentalists, detectives are looking at charges for felling the tree without consent, while it emerged earlier this week that they are probing some damage caused to Hadrian's Wall - a heritage site - which could bring harsher sentences.

The investigation has been hampered by a lack of CCTV and witnesses as it was carried out in the remote area in the night. This is why Northumbria Police is hoping to find answers though forensic expertise, despite lack of research in the area for trees.

The sycamore, which stood in a dip along Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland for 300 years, was one of the world's most photographed trees - but it has now been reduced to a stump

Officers hope that sawdust and tree particles will have been left on the feller's tools or clothing which could be linked back to the tree. Pictured: Forensic officers examine the tree

The Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall is seen on the ground after it was felled last month

Officers hope that sawdust and tree particles will have been left on the feller's tools or clothing which could be linked back to the tree.

It comes after bailed former lumberjack Walter Renwick declared his innocence as he returned home to a farm where police found a large chainsaw.

Mr Renwick, who was due to be evicted the day the felled tree was found, was seen back at Plankey Mill Farm last week 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.

Despite the outcry that followed the tree's felling, experts believe that it is from down and out and the stump is very much alive.

The tree was made famous in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves

Over the decades the iconic view has become the backdrop for countless marriage proposals

Jo Clark, Head of Research at non-profit The Future Trees Trust, told MailOnline: 'Broad-leaf trees such as sycamore, ash, oak, hazel, chestnut readily grow back from a cut stump, especially when young.'

When a tree is cut back to a stump and survives, it can coppice, resulting in a number of thin trunks will growing from the base rather than a single large trunk.

Mr Clark says that it is 'highly possible' that the Sycamore Gap Tree will coppice, provided the regrowth can be protected from the local deer population which might otherwise eat it.

However, even if the tree does survive in this way, it will never regrow into the same stately form that inspired tourists and film makers alike.

Earlier this week, it emerged that a 1,000-year-old tree which dates back to the Battle of Hastings was mysteriously uprooted in a 'suspected felling' - just a week after Sycamore Gap Tree was cut down.

The 40ft yew tree stood in a privately owned field near Uckham Lane, Battle, a mile from Senlac Hill.

Speculation has mounted about how it had been toppled, with some suggesting the tree was deliberately cut down while others say it could have been knocked over by recent strong winds.
One of the Armys most senior officers has warned that soldiers must become more ferocious in battle if Britain expects to defeat its biggest enemies in war.

Major General Colin Weir, a decorated Afghanistan war hero and one of the Armys most experienced combat commanders, said that the previous assumption that war was a decade away no longer applied following the invasion of Ukraine.

Claiming that a conflict against a peer enemy, such as Russia, could happen within two years, Maj Gen Weir added that British soldiers needed to be faster to the punch and better able to take a punch.

Maj Gen Weir, who is chief of staff of the field Army, said the Army had much work to do to get battle ready, adding: We need to be more effective at deep battle, more ferocious and lethal when close combat is joined.

He also warned the reality of modern warfare meant that elite units, such as the SAS, Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines, were likely to be wiped out first, as lessons from the war in Ukraine had shown.

Major General Colin Weir, a decorated Afghanistan war hero and one of the Armys most experienced combat commanders, said that the previous assumption that war was a decade away no longer applied following the invasion of Ukraine

He said: Countless episodes from history, and the Russo-Ukraine war of today, point to the reality that exquisite weaponry, elite formations and regular forces are expended first and quickly.

Maj Gen Weir made his comments in an article for the British Army Review, entitled No One Said It Would Be Easy... How We Will Fight In 2026. He said the Army was absorbing the lessons from Ukraine, to reinforce our strengths.

In a warning of what was potentially to come, he said a future war would be confused, terrifying, exhausting, debilitating, damaging to mind, body and spirit and demanding on supply chains.

He added: The timeless truths of the realities of war  in the deep, close or rear  cannot be whiteboarded or cybered away.

To date Russia has suffered an estimated 300,000 dead and wounded in the Ukrainian war, while Ukraine is believed to have casualty figures of 250,000. Russia has also lost over 2,000 tanks and hundreds of helicopters and aircraft. In comparison, Britain has an Army of around 78,000 personnel and 150 tanks.

Maj Gen Weirs warning comes amid growing fears that the West  especially those nations facing severe economic difficulties  is beginning to suffer from war fatigue in Ukraine.

The officer, from Northern Ireland, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leading his regiment through one of the most arduous periods in the Afghanistan War. He became a Companion Order of the Bath in this years Kings Birthday Honours.

Royal marine commandos line up to storm a compound during a military exercise in Dorset

Last night, Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British troops in Afghanistan, said: Its absolutely right the British Army needs to be ready to fight, but not just from 2026. The Army should be ready to fight ferociously and with great lethality at all times. That is their purpose and that is what we fund them to do.

The Ukrainian war has reminded us that mass prevails above all else. Since the war began we have been continuing to cut our Army. It is now at an unacceptably low level in terms of men and women, tanks, guns and ammunition.

If the Government is serious about being able to defend the country it needs to invest more to rebuild the Army and support it with the most effective modern technology.
Big Sur's alternative wellness retreat is hit with more allegations of racism after an anonymous employee claimed the institute exploited her labor.

A West Coast retreat, which sells itself as a 'holistic retreat and educational institute', came under fire in May after a black female guest accused the fancy retreat of being racist.

Now an employee of the company has anonymously spoken out - saying their labor was exploited and claimed that 'white individuals with less time, less experience were being promoted over me.'

The Esalen Institute - a retreat oasis in California's Big Sur - is a popular escape for the rich and famous. Accommodation ranges from a 'sleeping bag space', which costs $900 for four nights, to private suites which cost $8,000.

The employee said: 'Eventually, I was like, Whats going on here? It was troubling I wasnt being offered a promotion, troubling white people were getting promoted over me.'

An employee at the Esalen Institute has anonymously spoken out - saying their labor was exploited and claimed that 'white individuals with less time, less experience were being promoted over me.'

The retreat inspired the final scenes of the hit show Mad Men, whose troubled anti-hero Don Draper joined a hippie commune overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

According to SFGATE, who spoke to the employee making the allegations, they worked for the Esalen Institute on and off for 10 years and received room and board at the high-end retreat along with their salary.

The Esalen Institute's Direct of Operations said to reporters from SFGATE that Esalen goes 'far and above any organization' when it comes to abiding by state and federal civil rights and discrimination laws.

The employee was anxious about facing retaliation for speaking out publicly. They said in an email that it was 'infuriating to say the least reading that she was quoted saying how, when it comes to following state and federal civil rights and discrimination, the Esalen Institute goes far and above any organization.'

They said: 'I had brought these issues to her attention multiple times, and I was gaslit the entire time.'

TheDailyMail.com reached out by phone and email to the Esalen Institute for comment on the allegations they are facing but the company has not yet responded.

According to the employee, the lawsuit filed by Nicole Evans made the institute take her claims more seriously.

Nicole Evans, from Los Angeles, claims instructor Lorin Roche showed a video of a black comedian who joked that 'Irish people were the n*****s of Europe'.

Evans is seeking at least $1 million in damages over the alleged incident, which is described in the lawsuit as 'one of the most humiliating and traumatizing experiences of her life'. She claims the California retreat and its employees violated her civil rights.

Evans took a medication class led by Roche on September 7 2022, midway through her four-night stay. He allegedly played a YouTube video of the comedy routine which attendees initially found funny, but 'the room became deafeningly silent' when the n-word was used in a joke about Irish people.

Roche, who the suit calls 'a faculty member with decades of tenure at the institute', and some other attendees looked directly at Evans, the only black person present, when the clip was shown.

The employee worked for the Esalen Institute on and off for 10 years and received room and board at the high-end retreat along with their salary

Evans's lawsuit alleges that Lorin Roche (pictured) played the offensive clip during a meditation class, which Evans described as 'one of the most humiliating and traumatizing experiences of her life'

The instructor then rewound the clip and replayed the joke, causing some people to walk out of the class and leaving Evans 'completely confounded, shocked and overwhelmed with emotion', it is claimed.

The clip was believed to be of Reginald D Hunter, an American stand up comedian from Georgia who is based in the UK. A video from one of Hunter's stand-up shows, uploaded to YouTube in 2011, shows he made the same joke during a routine about time he spent in Ireland.

Evans' suit, reported by the LA Times, says that after the incident, 'she felt paralyzed and did not know what to do. She felt like a fish in a fishbowl with everyone glaring at her, which in turn made her feel unsafe.'

She chose to remain at the retreat but word spread about the incident and she was asked about it by other attendees, which made her feel uncomfortable.

Evans was supposed to attend another class with Roche the following day but chose not to. Roche's wife, Camille Maurine, who also works at the Esalen Institute, then urged Evans to attend the class to talk about the issue with him.

Roche acted like 'nothing was happening' and did not apologize, the suit claims.

He also told another person from the retreat who confronted him about it: 'I'm sorry that you regular people do not understand the brilliance of the video.'

Evans left the class 'humiliated and enraged'.

Roche only offered a 'forced' apology later that day after his wife invited Evans to a meeting with a director at the institute. Evans claims the director said 'he was sorry that this had happened to her'.

The Esalen Institute is a popular escape for the rich and famous and bills itself as a 'holistic retreat and educational institute'. Accommodation ranges from a 'sleeping bag space', which costs $900 for four nights, to private suites which cost $8,000

Roche and his wife, Camille Maurine, who also is also a member of the Esalen Institue faculty

The suit said: 'As a result of defendants' actions, plaintiff has suffered and will continue to suffer general and special damages, including severe and profound pain and emotional distress, anxiety, depression, headaches, tension and other physical ailments, as well as medical expenses, and expenses for psychological counseling and treatment.'

The suit was filed in December and a trial was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 2 2023. The Esalen Institute was approached for comment.

It claims the institute didn't take proper disciplinary action against Roche and accuses him of a history of 'discriminatory and bigoted conduct'.

The Esalen Institute was founded in 1962 and established itself as a leader in the New Age movement. The institute offers a range of classes and workshops covering activities from mindfulness and yoga to writing and dance.

The retreat's website encourages guests to 'explore your potential', saying: 'Esalen is a holistic retreat and educational institute.

'Established in 1962 and considered the epicenter of the Human Potential Movement, we are a non-profit offering comfort and space for exploration, transformation, and healing within the wilds of Big Surs majestic mountainscape and glittering coastline.

'Our curiosity and research explores new ideas around creativity and the brain, body work, spirituality, leadership, Gestalt, plant medicine, citizen diplomacy, superhumanism, the survival of bodily death, Extraterrestrial intelligence, and more.'
Israel has spent the past few days commemorating the 50th anniversary of the surprise Arab assault on Yom Kippur  the holiest day in Judaism.

Newspaper editorials and documentaries have lamented the failure of then-Prime Minister Golda Meir to prevent the attack by Egypt and Syria, and the war that ensued.

At the same time, the Islamic Hamas group was preparing to mark the anniversary with a huge onslaught of missiles.

Such context makes the failure of Israeli intelligence services to detect any signs of this attack utterly staggering.

For years, Israel's intense electronic surveillance of the Gaza Strip and use of Palestinian agents has been a byword for national defence. Indeed, over the past few weeks, Israeli security forces have been raiding small groups of terrorists in the Palestinian West Bank  and Israel seemed secure against any serious threats on its borders.

A man runs in the road as fires burn in Ashkelon, Israel, following rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip initiated by Islamic militant group Hamas

The failure of Israeli intelligence services to detect any signs of this attack utterly staggering. Pictured: Hamas fighters crossing border using paragliders

Palestinians celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence on Saturday afternoon

A building in Tel Aviv is damaged by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip on October 7

So how could its intelligence system have missed such an enormous threat from Hamas? Perhaps Israel, like much of the outside world, had become complacent about the possibility of the Middle East 'powder keg' exploding.

READ MORE: Who are Hamas? Everything you need to know about the Palestinian terror movement that has launched war on Israel Advertisement

Israelis barely noticed the increasingly aggressive rhetoric of Hamas in recent days, which was undoubtedly geeing up its supporters for something big.

Israel was also preoccupied with its internal political crisis.

Embattled by corruption allegations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Right-wing coalition has faced mass protests against its controversial reforms to the courts.

Even members of the Israel Defence Forces and intelligence services were busy taking sides in this political divide. Hamas presumably thought it could exploit this to puncture Israel's burgeoning relationship with pro-Western Arab regimes, which it so despises.

Israel, once completely rejected by the Arab world when the country was founded in 1948, made a breakthrough to widespread recognition by Arab states in 2019.

Donald Trump even drew the Gulf Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco to join Egypt and Jordan into opening trade and tourism links as well as diplomatic relations with Israel.

This left the militant Palestinians in Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza increasingly isolated in their belief that Israel has no right to exist.

Palestinians ride on an Israeli military vehicle taken by an army base overrun by Hamas militants near the Gaza Strip fence

A member of the Israeli security forces stands along a debris-strewn street in Tel Aviv

Israelis barely noticed the increasingly aggressive rhetoric of Hamas in recent days, which was undoubtedly geeing up its supporters for something big. Israel was also preoccupied with its internal political crisis

Hamas presumably thought it could exploit this to puncture Israel's burgeoning relationship with pro-Western Arab regimes, which it so despises

Palestinian militants brandish weapons as they pass through Israeli territory on trucks

A rescue worker from the Magen David Adom disaster relief service looks on as cars burn at the site of a rocket attack in Ashkelon, southern Israel

Journalists take cover behind cars as Israeli soldiers take position during clashes with Palestinian fighters near the Gevim Kibbutz

Shocking footage shared on social media appears to show Palestinian fighters parading the naked body of an Israeli woman on the back of a pick-up truck

Footage appeared to show hostages being taken by Hamas militants into Gaza earlier today

Their only allies were Iran  Israel's mortal enemy  and its regional clients, the Assad regime in Syria and the militant Hezbollah group controlling southern Lebanon.

It is the involvement of Iran that could turn this bloody assault into a devastating war. For the worst threat to Israel's security, even its existence, comes from Hezbollah, which has obtained sophisticated equipment through Iran's Syrian ally in Lebanon.

Iran, too, has a serious military industry. Its drones have been used by Putin in Ukraine, stoking Israel's fears that Iran's ayatollahs are bent on developing a nuclear warhead to tip its missiles.

If Hamas's comparatively low-tech arsenal has been able to cause such devastation in 24 hours, the prospect of Hezbollah lending support with its missile arsenal is a sinister prospect. So what next?

Although the immediate effect of Hamas's rocket attacks will be for Israelis to unite against a common enemy, it is not clear how long Netanyahu will benefit from the rally to defend their country.

Recriminations are inevitable. People will ask the glaring question: how did Israel's super-hawk leader and his hardline cabinet fail to anticipate the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War might pose an opportune moment for Hamas?

Israel has launched a fightback. Pictured: A ball of fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City

A tower block in Gaza City is hit by an Israeli airstrike after Palestinian militants struck Israel

Israeli forces have mounted strikes against targets in Gaza City following attacks today

After all, Netanyahu's political trump card has always been that he will guarantee Israel's security. While some may argue political instability in Israel will eventually be solved democratically, a chink in its armour has been irrevocably exposed. With the radicalisation of its Arab neighbours soaring, this could be much more dangerous.

There have been terrorist attacks and protests in Egypt. Even in rich Gulf States, which are said to be warming to Israel, polls suggest strong anti-Israeli views are the norm especially for under-30s  more than half their populations.

Unlike the 1973 war, which was started by armies, anything we see in the coming days and months will be a chaotic war between people.

If others are incentivised to join, it will be bloodier than anything seen yet. This is the ultimate aim of Palestinians. Cynical forces, not least Iran, will stoke the flames to achieve their common goal.

In the long term, the Islamic Republic wants to obliterate Israel from the map. In the short term, it wants to destabilise Gulf monarchs if they don't cut ties with Israel.

We will all feel the pain. Remember, the biggest global result of the 1973 war was a spike in oil prices. If instability radiates across the Middle East, energy costs will go through the roof. That will not only help oil-rich Iran, and its ally Russia, but push the West into recession. Bloodshed may be confined now to Israel and Gaza, but all the Middle East and, indeed, the world, will feel the shockwaves.
Ministers have ordered an inquiry after the Department for Education miscalculated its funding plans for the next academic year.

Senior officials have also apologised after making an error in how school funding was calculated.

DfE permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood said that officials underestimated pupil numbers, which meant that a planned 2.7 per cent increase per pupil for 2024/25 was revised down to 1.9 per cent.

She told MPs: 'We will be issuing new NFF [National Funding Formula] allocations to correct that error.'

The NFF is the method the Government uses to decide how much money should be given to English state schools each year.

DfE permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood said that officials underestimated pupil numbers, which meant that a planned 2.7 per cent increase per pupil for 2024/25 was revised down to 1.9 per cent (stock image)

The NFF is the method the Government uses to decide how much money should be given to English state schools each year (stock image)

The originally planned increase would reportedly have inflated the overall schools budget by 370 million.

It is understood Ms Acland-Hood has written to apologise to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, who sources said was 'very frustrated' when she found out about the error, and has ordered a review to ensure the mistake cannot be repeated.

Although the money for the year in question has not yet been paid out, Ms Acland-Hood said officials 'recognise that the correction of this error will be difficult for local authorities and frustrating for some school leaders'.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'School leaders will be angry that basic accounting errors may force them to rethink already tight budgets as a result of the erroneous figures they were provided.'
A Labour frontbencher has been slated for a 25,000 jolly to Brazil paid for by a charity fronted by superstar Harrison Ford.

Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy accepted the freebie  equivalent to more than 6,000 per night  in August. It cost six times more than similar trips to Brazil by other MPs.

Conservative former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'In a cost of living crisis, that much money being spent seems a bit peculiar. He needs to explain that.

'It is a very grand trip  he is looking a bit too grand even for the Foreign Office.'

During his four-night visit, Mr Lammy, 51, met Brazil's Left-wing President Lula da Silva and travelled to the Amazon to speak about 'green foreign policy'.

A Labour frontbencher has been slated for a 25,000 jolly to Brazil paid for by a charity fronted by superstar Harrison Ford. Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy accepted the freebie  equivalent to more than 6,000 per night  in August. It cost six times more than similar trips to Brazil by other MPs

In 2019, Mr Lammy tweeted: 'Go Harrison Ford' when the actor spoke at a summit that pushed for Net Zero targets across the world. But Mr Ford has been called a hypocrite for his regular use of private jets

His trip was paid for by Conservation International, an American charity founded by a former adviser to Bill Clinton, with Mr Ford in a senior role on its board.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark star Mr Ford is vice-chairman of the charity, which has offices worldwide. In 2014, he narrated a film for the charity in which he declared 'I am The Ocean'. It was part of a series with fellow Hollywood stars Julia Roberts as 'Mother Nature', Liam Neeson as 'Ice' and Edward Norton as 'The Soil'.

In 2019, Mr Lammy tweeted: 'Go Harrison Ford' when the actor spoke at a summit that pushed for Net Zero targets across the world. But Mr Ford has been called a hypocrite for his regular use of private jets.

He's always measuring the Foreign Office curtains

Mr Lammy declared his trip in MPs' Register of Interests, although he appeared to downplay the celebrity link to the visit by putting the Rio de Janeiro branch of the giant charity as the event donor's address. Conservation International is headquartered in Virginia, USA.

Meanwhile government sources said Mr Lammy has developed a reputation for openly 'measuring the curtains' every time he is in the Foreign Office.

As shadow foreign secretary he is one of the few Opposition politicians to receive briefings from Whitehall officials, and has been into the Foreign Office a number of times. One source with knowledge of the meetings said: 'He is measuring the curtains every time he's there.'

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is preparing to fly to Brazil next Autumn for the G20 summit  if he is in post. If Labour win the election, Mr Lammy could be returning to the country in a government jet.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has previously defended Mr Lammy's record as one of the party's biggest outside earners, having gained more than 200,000 since 2019 on top of his MP's salary.

During the August visit Mr Lammy spoke in favour of 'climate justice' and said a Labour government would allow Sir Keir to pursue radical climate action alongside Brazil's President Lula da Silva

He said during the trip: 'The global community has been missing the UK being serious about these issues for some time.'

He called for pausing deep-sea mining and said: 'My foreign policy will be pursued as a green foreign policy' adding: 'Our commitment to the environment is central to the way we look at the world.'

Tottenham MP Mr Lammy said the trip's cost included 'flights, accommodation, food, transport, translator, life insurance and medical support' to a total sum of 24,739 for him and a staff member.

He said the purposes of the visit were 'bilateral meetings and a visit to the Amazon region'. In contrast, former leader Jeremy Corbyn went to Brazil last year for the same number of days to observe its presidential election  at a cost of 3,680.

This included flights, accommodation, a translator and transport for Mr Corbyn and his wife Laura Alvarez.

The visit was paid for by Left-wing charity Progressive International.

Conservation International was founded by Peter Seligmann, an environmentalist who was an advisor to Coca-Cola and was made a member of the Enterprise for the Americas Board by President Clinton.

The charity's board includes actor Idris Elba and designer Stella McCartney. It raised 216million last year

Conservation International said Mr Lammy did not fly first-class.
A man gunned down in a brazen drive-by shooting could have links to suspects responsible for firebombing several tobacco stores in Melbourne.

One man, 27, was shot dead in a luxury Mercedes SUV riddled with bullets, while another man, 28, was seriously injured at Craigieburn Central shopping centre at around 3pm on Saturday.

Four balaclava-clad gunmen remain on the run after targeting the pair as they sat in the car on Windrock Avenue.

The man killed is reportedly linked to the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, the Herald Sun reported.

Police are investigating if a battle for control of Melbourne's lucrative tobacco trade is linked to the city's latest gangland execution on Saturday afternoon. A scene from the aftermath of the shooting is pictured

The shooting was the third brazen public killing in Melbourne in the past two months, all of which are suspected to be linked to the city's crime gangs.

The 27-year-old victim is understood to have links to a well-known triggerman who is aligned with the Comancheros.

READ MORE: Gangland shooting victim wanted 'ordinary life' One of Australia's most feared gangland enforcers, who was shot dead in broad daylight, dreamt of living an 'ordinary' life. Advertisement

The triggerman has reportedly been at war with another organised crime syndicate with the conflict resulting in the fire-bombings of businesses such as tobacco shops.

Footage from Saturday's shooting showed a white Mercedes GLC250 SUV peppered with multiple bullet holes.

The passenger window was blasted by nine gun shots, with at least another three apparent bullet marks denting the front windscreen.

A further four bullets were fired through the rear window, with a fifth shot into the luxury car's tailgate.

Emergency workers raced to the mall and fought to save one man but he died at the scene while the other man was taken to hospital in a serious condition.

One victim could be seen being treated on the ground by the driver's door of the vehicle, partially hidden by screens put up by police as paramedics worked on him.

The attack shocked witnesses, who ducked for safety, and quickly drew distraught relatives of the victims to the scene.

One distressed man had to be held back from trying to reach the scene as horrified bystanders looked on, while an older man broke down in tears and wailed in grief.

The alleged shooters approached the car on-foot before fleeing in a luxury SUV, with police investigating if a black Range Rover Sport found burnt out in Broad St, Westmeadows is linked to the attack.

A second torched car was found at around 5.30pm down an embankment near Merri Creek at Reservoir.

One man was shot dead in a luxury SUV riddled with bullets (pictured), while another was seriously injured at Craigieburn Central shopping centre at around 3pm on Saturday

Veronica Estimova, who works at Elevate 24:7 Fitness just metres from where the shooting happened, said she heard 'loud bangs'.

'It was quite scary, we didn't know what was going on,' Ms Estimova said.

'A group of people ran into the gym and said there had been a drive-by shooting, they said they saw a young man lying on the ground ...

'It's very concerning, you don't expect something like this to happen in broad daylight.'

Victoria Police are understood to be investigating if the latest murder is connected to a drive-by shooting at Excelsior Heights in Craigieburn on September 14.

A couple in their 50s, who were reportedly not the intended targets, were asleep inside the home at the time and were not injured.

Some 15 bullets were fired through the front window of the property.

That shooting followed just days after the gangland execution of bikie boss Gavin 'Capable' Preston who was riddled with bullets while having breakfast with the son of his former mate Nabil 'Mad Lebo' Maghnie in Keilor, in Melbourne's north-west.

Abbas Maghnie Jr, known as AJ, took a bullet in the stomach as he ran from Preston's executioner at a cafe on September 8, but managed to survive.

The masked assassin and his getaway driver had reportedly parked opposite the site of the attack for three hours before the deadly ambush.

Preston, 50, was hit with 10 bullets in the daylight shooting at Sweet Lulus cafe.

A chilling 40-second clip of the killing showed a hooded man in black sprinting towards the cafe's outdoor seating area and firing in Preston's direction.

Terrified diners threw themselves to the ground and covered their faces as the notorious criminal slumped in his seat and fell to the ground beside his table.

As the gunman ran away, two women checked each other for injuries before grabbing their handbags and escaping the cafe.

Two men then cautiously approached Preston, who was motionless beside the table where just seconds earlier he had been eating breakfast.

Preston's distraught fiance Lauran Howe had to be restrained by officers after she arrived at the cafe in the aftermath of the shooting.

The 40-second clip shows a man in all-black sprints towards the cafe's outdoor seating area and fires a flurry of bullets in Preston's direction

'He's my husband,' she could be heard screaming as she tried to get through police tape cordoning off the scene to the public.

Ms Howe eventually had to be led away by officers with another man, also known to Preston, also pinned to the ground by officers.

It's believed the alleged shooters fled the scene in a black Audi Q5. Two burnt-out cars were found after the shooting, including one just 500m from the scene.

The luxury SUV was found abandoned in nearby Blair Court before the gunmen fled in a second car.
Rishi Sunak is personally leading a drive to water down plans to regulate the excesses of tech giants, due to his 'admiration' for the companies, senior Whitehall sources have said.

Ministers are in the process of introducing a new body, the Digital Markets Unit (DMU), to make companies such as Google and Facebook pay other media outlets for using their stories and stop them from using their global market dominance to stifle competition over digital advertising.

But after intensive lobbying from the firms, Downing Street may allow them to launch expensive and time-consuming appeals against the decisions of the new body, which will be given legal powers by the Digital Markets Bill currently going through Parliament.

The body will have the power to impose fines on online firms to prevent customers or companies from being treated unfairly and to force the tech firms to allow smaller rivals access to their vast troves of data.

The DMU would also investigate the algorithms used by search engines, such as Google, which many news organisations believe are manipulated to direct search enquiries disproportionately towards Left-leaning news organisations, and filter how people access news to the detriment of quality, paid-for journalism.

Rishi Sunak is personally leading a drive to water down plans to regulate the excesses of tech giants, due to his 'admiration' for the companies, senior Whitehall sources have said

Under the existing plans, only quick  and relatively cheap  challenges to DMU rulings would be allowed, similar to a Judicial Review process.

But the proposal to allow wider appeals would make it far harder for smaller companies to ensure that social media companies pay fairly for news publishers' content because of the expensive and time-consuming process required.

A senior Whitehall source said Mr Sunak  who owns a 5 million apartment in California, the centre of the global tech industry  was 'instinctively open' to the companies' views. 'He has made no secret of his admiration for the tech giants, seeing them as a massive driver of employment,' the source said.

The source said Mr Sunak was 'furious' when Home Secretary Suella Braverman wrote earlier this year to Mark Zuckerberg, the boss of Meta, which owns Facebook, to express her concerns over the company's plans to introduce end-to-end encryption without appropriate safeguards for children.

Tech companies such as Meta play an important role in supporting UK law enforcement agencies, and Ms Braverman fears that Meta's plans may hinder efforts to detect instances of child grooming on their messaging services.

An industry source said: 'If the plans are watered down to allow full legal hearings it will be hideously expensive and time-consuming. That doesn't matter to the platforms, which have unlimited funds. The fear is that the DMU will inevitably be less ambitious as a result.'

Google and Facebook took about four-fifths of the annual digital advertising spend in the UK. Last night, senior Tory MP Damian Collins  a former Digital Minister  told the MoS: 'I would be very concerned about anything that would allow the big tech companies to bog down the process.'

A source said Mr Sunak was 'furious' when Home Secretary Suella Braverman (pictured) wrote earlier this year to Mark Zuckerberg, the boss of Meta, to express her concerns over the company's plans to introduce end-to-end encryption without appropriate safeguards for children

Mr Collins, who was also chairman of the Commons' Media Committee, added that whatever system was put in place 'needs to expedite the process' with the regulator able to make 'quick decisions'.

The News Media Association, which represents national, regional and local news publishers, raised fears that watering down the Bill would leave the DMU 'toothless' in the face of big tech. Chief executive Owen Meredith said the current plans 'will give the regulator the tools to tackle entrenched market power in the digital economy, where a small number of dominant tech giants abuse power to their own advantage  at the expense of consumers and businesses.

He said that 'preserving the Judicial Review appeals standard is essential to ensure the system works effectively'.

'Any change to the Judicial Review standard risks leaving the regulator toothless.

A Government spokesman said: 'A free press is the cornerstone of a thriving democracy. That is why we have put in place clear legal protections to ensure the press can carry out its vital role without fear of prosecution.'
Sir Keir Starmer will today try to distance his party even further from the Corbyn era by requiring all Labour members to show their patriotism.

A new membership card, issued to every member, will now prominently feature the pledge: 'Putting the country first'.

It was unveiled with a declaration from party officials that 'Labour is a proudly patriotic party', and with the signal that this was part of Sir Keir's post-Corbyn transformation of the party.

Critics of Jeremy Corbyn consistently claimed that the ex-leader was not seen as being sufficiently proud of Britain.

Last year, Sir Keir said: 'I knew in April 2020 when I became leader of the party, we had a big task before us.

Sir Keir Starmer will today try to distance his party even further from the Corbyn era by requiring all Labour members to show their patriotism

A new membership card, issued to every member, will now prominently feature the pledge: 'Putting the country first'

'We had to change the party and prepare for power all in one go. Not change for change's sake  change with a purpose: to make our Labour party fit to serve our country.

That's why we had to ripanti-Semitism out by its roots, why we had to show our support for Nato is non-negotiable, show we want business to prosper; shed unworkable policies, [put] country first, party second.'

The membership card comes after Labour broke with tradition and opened last year's conference with the national anthem.

However, party sources made clear that it was a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth and there are no plans to repeat it when the full conference formally opens Sunday.
Rachel Reeves was last night accused of a 'mad plan' that would 'strangle hope' of any real change under a future Labour government.

Left-wing MPs launched a fierce assault on the Shadow Chancellor for planning to be 'even stricter than the Tories' on public spending.

Ms Reeves also faced calls from the Tories to 'come clean' on how she would manage the nation's finances.

The row broke out over her pledge to introduce 'a new set of fiscal rules' to apply to 'every decision taken by a Labour government. We will not borrow to fund day-to-day spending and we will reduce national debt as a share of the economy.'

The vow, repeated in the party's pre-manifesto National Policy Forum review, is designed to reassure wavering voters that Labour can be trusted with taxpayers' money.

Rachel Reeves was last night accused of a 'mad plan' that would 'strangle hope' of any real change under a future Labour government

Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, also raised fears that under Sir Keir Starmer the party was retreating into 'miserable managerialism'

But last night the Shadow Chancellor was accused of 'slapping handcuffs' on Labour ambitions to effect real change.

One senior MP, who served as a Shadow Minister under Jeremy Corbyn, said: 'Elections are about hope versus fear. But Rachel's mad plan strangles the hope before we even get to a General Election.

If Labour goes into the next Election ruling out borrowing to fund day-to-day spending, which includes benefits, what happens if the economy takes a downturn? Do we just cut services? We're ruling out major tax rises so what else do we do?'

The MP added that even so-called moderate Labour MPs were 'alarmed at Rachel's spending straitjacket'.

The warning came as the boss of the party's biggest donor accused Labour of lacking ambition and 'playing it safe'. Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, also raised fears that under Sir Keir Starmer the party was retreating into 'miserable managerialism'.

At the conference today, the Shadow Chancellor will be urged to find 15 billion to restore public sector workers' pay to 2010 levels in real terms.

Beth Winter, a member of the party's Socialist Campaign Group, will say that restoring the workers' pay to at least those levels 'has to be our goal'.

A source close to Ms Reeves declined to be drawn on the plea last night, saying: 'We will set out all of our tax and spend plans at the Election'. But he appeared to seek to calm criticism of her plans by saying that during an economic crisis and recovery from it, Labour would 'clearly set out when we would return to paying for all day-to-day spending'.

Tory MP Alexander Stafford said last night: 'Rachel Reeves should come clean now on exactly what she means.

'Otherwise, it's safe to conclude that Labour is just pretending that it can be trusted with taxpayers' money when in reality it would let rip and plunge us in the mess they left us with in 2010.'
America's biggest police departments have boosted security in their respective Jewish communities, including synagogues, following Hamas militants' deadly attack on Israel.

The majority of the nation's 7.5 million Jewish people live in New York, which has a population of 1.9 million, followed by Los Angeles with 617,000, Miami with 525,000 and Chicago with 315,000.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced on Saturday that the NYPD would deploy additional resources to protect Jewish communities and houses of worship.

The NYPD is also adjusting its patrol routes to incorporate areas of significance to both Israeli and Palestinian interests.

The department's Counterterrorism and Intelligence Division remains vigilant and is operating at a heightened level of alertness in response to the attacks in Israel.

America's biggest police departments have boosted security in their respective Jewish communities, including synagogues, following Hamas militants' deadly attack on Israel

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Saturday that he had directed the NYPD to allocate additional resources to ensure the safety of Jewish communities (file photo)

Patrols were also boosted outside synagogues in Los Angeles. Pictured is the Etz Jacob Congregation in LA (file photo)

Adams said Saturday's attack, which has so far left at least 482 people dead and thousands of more injures, 'is nothing more than a cowardly action.'

'Today's attack, coming at the end of what is supposed to be a celebratory time at the end of the Jewish High Holy days, is nothing more than a cowardly action by a terrorist organization seeking to undo that peace and divide us into factions. That won't happen,' he said,

'I am also communicating directly with Police Commissioner Caban and Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Weiner about the situation.

'While there is no credible threat to New York City at this time, our administration is in touch with Jewish leaders across the five boroughs, and we have directed the NYPD to deploy additional resources to Jewish communities and houses of worship citywide to ensure that our communities have the resources they need to make sure everyone feels safe,' Adams explained about the extra security,

In California, police increased security and patrols around Jewish institutions in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

'The Los Angeles Police Department is aware of the turmoil in the Middle East and lives lost. In those areas where we serve both our Jewish and Muslim communities, we will be conducting extra patrol to ensure the safety of all,' LAPD Chief Michel Moore wrote online.

'We are appalled by this act of terrorism by Hamas against the citizens and civilian communities in Israel,' Beverly Hills Mayor Julian Gold said.

'We call on President Biden and Congress to act swiftly in support of Israel. Additionally, we hope all peace-loving nations of the world and the United Nations, will condemn this senseless violence. Our hearts are with the people of Israel as we stand together and support Israel defending itself and condemn this heinous act.'

Across the country in California , police increased security and patrols around Jewish institutions in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica

In Florida, Miami Beach Police said they were increasing police visibility 'near all synagogues and strategic locations in our city ...to ensure the safety and security of everyone.'

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 'is aware of the situation in the Middle East,' the agency said in a statement.

'We would like to ensure all residents, we are monitoring, remaining vigilant, and conducting extra patrol checks in our areas. We are working closely with our federal and local law enforcement partners to monitor the situation.'

A watch commander at the Santa Monica Police Department said: 'There have been periodic checks that we have directed to our extra cars. I sent one out when I saw the news.'

In Florida, Miami Beach Police said they were increasing police visibility 'near all synagogues and strategic locations in our city ...to ensure the safety and security of everyone.'

Miami is the country's third biggest Jewish population center home to 525,000 Jews.

Several U.S.-based airlines have canceled flights in light of the attack.

United Airlines, American and Delta have suspended service to and from Tel Aviv following the unrest.

'The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority. We are closely monitoring the situation and we are adjusting flight schedules as required,' United said in a statement.

Members of MAGEN Chicago are part of a local community safety group. They are pictured at an event earlier this week

An Orthodox Jew walks past a 'Crown Heights Shmira Patrol' security vehicle in Brooklyn. Although the unit looks like it is part of the NYPD, it is in fact a local security-patrol group

NYPD counterterrorism officers, far left, are seen outside Temple Emanu-El in New York (file)

Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday, killing dozens and stunning the country.

Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an 'unprecedented price.'

'We are at war,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. 'Not an 'operation,' not a 'round,' but at war.'

President Joe Biden delivered remarks from the White House on Saturday expressing U.S. support for Israel in light of Hamas' attack.

'We will not ever fail to have their back,' Biden said. 'Israel has the right to defend itself and his people full stop. There is never a justification for terrorist attacks and my administration's support for Israel security is rock solid and unwavering. Let me say this as clearly as I can. This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching,' Biden said.
A NSW couple have lost close to $275,000 in an elaborate scam after receiving an email requesting they settle the amount for their first home.

Simon Elvins and his wife had spent 10 years saving for their first home and were excited after buying a property in the Blue Mountains in NSW.

Mr Elvins received an email from someone he thought was his conveyancer, which detailed the purchase of the couple's home.

The email had the correct details of the new property and also requested the couple pay $274,311.57 to finalise the upcoming settlement.

Trust account details for the payment were also included, including BSB and an account name matching the conveyancer company Mr Elvins had hired.

Simon Elvins (pictured) and his wife lost close to $270,000 after he was emailed an invoice scam advising him to pay the upcoming settlement of their first home

Mr Elvin sent two transactions as the amount was too large to transfer in one go and waited to hear back from his conveyancer.

However, after not receiving a response he sent an email to his conveyancer and real estate agent who informed him that they never received the settlement payment and gave him the correct account details.

'It all looked fine. So I paid it in two amounts, because the amount was too large to do in one go,' Mr Elvin said.

'And I thought, 'this account doesn't look the same as the last one. Maybe they've got two accounts'... the realisation that we had been scammed became quite clear.'

After realising he had been scammed, Mr Elvin contacted Westpac immediately, who then contacted NAB, which was the bank of the scammers' account.

However, it had already been a week since the second transfer and almost all of Mr Elvin's money was gone, with the pair receiving just $270.72 back.

Mr Elvin believes the scammers hacked into the conveyancer's email to create the fraudulent invoice.

Data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch shows invoice scams are on the rise in Australia.

The invoice scam focus on big purchases including renovations, properties and cars, with Aussies losing about $23million between January and September this year.

Aussies reported 28,617 false billing scams in the same period - a 95 per cent increase compared with the previous year.

Consumer advocates are calling for banks to introduce a 'confirmation of payee' policy to help stop hackers from issuing fake invoices.

After transferring the amount he waited to hear back from his conveyancer. However, after not receiving a response he sent an email to his conveyancer and real estate agent who informed him that they never received the settlement payment

In Australia, under the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS), money is transferred regardless of whether the correct account name is used.

Senior policy officer at the Consumer Action Law Centre Tom Abourizk said banks do not check whether the account name matches the account number even though customers are asked to fill in both details.

Some banks have started to introduce their own systems to prevent invoice scamming.

This year, Commonwealth Bank introduced NameCheck - a policy which highlights the differences between account details and names.

Westpac did not comment on the Elvins' case but said the bank detects 60 per cent of scams.

'When funds are unable to be retrieved, reimbursement is considered on a case-by-case basis with a range of factors taken into account,' Westpac said.

Mr Elvin and his wife were able to settle on their house and not lose their $100,000 deposit.

Aussies have reported 28,617 false billing scams from January to September 2023, resulting in about $23million lost - a 95 per cent increase compared to the same period last year

However, they had to take out lenders mortgage insurance and increase their mortgage, resulting in an extra $2,000 in monthly repayments.

Aussies are urged to call a company or person asking for money to check their bank details match before making a payment in order to avoid being scammed.

Customers are also advised to use the PayID transfer system as it reveals a bank account holder's name.

ScamWatch advises those who believe they have been scammed should contact their bank, report the scam to the ACCC and notify the relevant website of the scammers profile name and details.
Smooth-talking TV legend Michael Aspel has revealed he is racked with remorse over the failure of his three marriages.

The 90-year-old broadcaster, who presented the celebrity biography programme This Is Your Life and chat show Aspel & Company, said he was 'full of regrets' after leaving wives Dian Sessions, TV scriptwriter Ann Reed and actress Elizabeth Power.

'When I look back at my life it is mostly with disappointment,' he said in an interview this weekend.

'Not about my working life, although I do wish I had remained an actor, but my regret is that I left three wives. Sometimes I wake up in the night and sit bolt upright and think, 'It was utter madness.'

'I can't find excuses. I just felt this awful need to wriggle out of my marriages. To have done it three times must be a flaw in my personality.'

Smooth-talking TV legend Michael Aspel (pictured with his current partner Irene Clark) has revealed he is racked with remorse over the failure of his three marriages

Michael Aspel with his first wife Dian Sessions whom he was married to for five years

Aspel said he believed his behaviour might stem from his childhood as a wartime evacuee in Somerset.

He said: 'Those formative years made me feel like a loner. So, I felt claustrophobic when I was bound by things I had volunteered for.'

The presenter, whose laid-back interviewing style attracted A-list guests such as Margaret Thatcher, Elizabeth Taylor and former Beatle Ringo Starr, recalled the drawn-out publicity that dogged the end of his 18-year marriage to EastEnders star Ms Power.

He had begun an affair with his current partner Irene Clarke, a production assistant on This Is Your Life, but in 1994 their relationship leaked to newspapers and he was staked out by photographers at a Manchester hotel.

'I had to go home and tell Lizzie after Manchester,' he said. 'I should have just given an interview [after the press found out]. But it just went on and on.'

Aspel has remained married to Ms Power  'never divorced, Lizzie's a Catholic'  and insists he gets on 'extremely well' with his ex-wives and children, to whom he says he was a good father.

He had two sons with his first wife, Ms Sessions, one of whom, Greg, died from cancer aged just 29.

Of his son's death, he said: 'The grief is all mixed up in one huge kind of regret. It's all part of the loss. Some of it is self-inflicted and some of it is just terrible.'

Michael Aspel with his second wife Ann Reed and their two children, twins Jane and Edward, at the City of London Hospital

Michael Aspell with his third wife Lizzie Power pictured together in 1977

Aspel and Ms Reed had twins before divorcing in 1967, and he and his third wife, Ms Power, had a further two sons. A third died at just three days old.

The presenter will be recalling his days as a wartime evacuee in a charity gala, Stars In Salute!, tomorrow at the Royal Air Force Club in London's Mayfair.

The event, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, will also feature stars such as Sir Ben Kingsley, Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville and EastEnders stalwart Pam St Clement.

Aspel, who is patron of the Evacuees Association, said in the interview with The Daily Telegraph: 'It was four-and-a-half years of one's childhood. I think about it a lot.'
British Jew Esther Marcus has spoken of her horror as her kibbutz in southern Israel came under sustained fire from Hamas terrorists for five hours.

Esther, 59, who originally comes from London but moved to Israel in 1984, has been stuck with her family of seven in a single safe room since 6.30 Saturday morning and they don't know when they will be able to leave.

The kibbutz Alumim is just three kilometres from the Gaza border and was one of many villages and settlements which Palestinian militants tried to overrun.

'I've been with my husband, son, his wife, and my daughter and her two babies in this single room,' she tells MailOnline.

'The first we knew was when the air siren went off. Because it goes off so often here so close to the border it has a special sound which is meant to make it less frightening. We all headed into the saferoom  which has a bed and a coffee table  and we haven't been able to leave here since.

British Jew Esther Marcus (pictured) has spoken of her horror as her kibbutz in southern Israel came under sustained fire from Hamas terrorists for five hours

Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel in early hours of Saturday. Pictured: A man runs in the road as fires burn in Ashkelon, Israel, following rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip initiated by Islamic militant group Hamas

'Quite quickly after the first rockets, we heard gunfire which was very close. We know there was a battle here on the kibbutz that went on for about five hours and we know people were hurt but we don't know much more than that.

READ MORE: Who are Hamas? Everything you need to know about the Palestinian terror movement that has launched war on Israel Advertisement

'We got messages telling us terrorists were infiltrating and we shouldn't move. Sometimes it sounded like a constant bout of shooting. There were times when we were told we had to try and stay as quiet as possible, which isn't easy when you have two babies in the room with you, turn off all the lights and close the windows.

'One of the struggles is not knowing what is happening other than what our phones are telling us; there could be terrorists next door and we wouldn't know.

'There are still rockets coming over all the time and it is complete chaos. My son and son-in-law have both been called up but at the moment they can't go anywhere as we all have to stay inside.

'As soon as they are allowed out, people know they will have to go off and fight.'

As a therapist as the local resilience centre, she has also been attempting to help her community; but admits that she feels powerless when people are not allowed to even leave their safe rooms because of the danger of more attacks.

'There are lots of kids who went to a party at kibbutz nearby and they haven't been heard of since; their parents don't know what is going on and its unbelievably stressful.

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Hamas militants launched an attack on land, air and sea. Here, paragliders cross the border into Israeli settlements

Rockets are launched from the coastal Gaza strip towards Israel by militants in an unprececented attack

A ball of fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City

'It is chaos  people don't even know who to phone to find out what is going on and, of course, no one can leave their houses. There are lots of people that I know who haven't been accounted for and no one knows what is going on.

'I've been answering the phone all day and some of them have been from people in hiding.

'They are telling me where they are, but no one can get to them. I have spent a lot of time talking to a young woman who doesn't have a safe room  she is hiding in the bathroom with her dog. She's completely freaking out and nobody can help her. All we can do is hope for the best and pray.'

When Esther moved to the border village in the early 1990s it was a much more peaceful situation.

'Many people from Gaza worked with us and we would go to the market there and beach there,' she recalls.

'It changed to a place with constant rocket attacks where we have 15 seconds to get to a safe room or a bomb shelter. And now this.'

Esther has another son who lives in different part of the kibbutz with his wife and baby daughter and she says they have already run out of food: 'They are living on air.'

But as the family prepared for an uncomfortable night, she says she hopes they will be able to get out of the room soon.

'But then, of course, there will be new dangers,' she says as a full-scale war seems all but inevitable.
When Rishi Sunak threw off the shackles in his speech to the Tory party conference, he opened up slivers of blue water with the Labour Party that can be detected in a Mail on Sunday poll.

Many of the Prime Minister's advisers have been urging him to overcome his innate caution and engage in the woke wars  encouraged by the mocking reaction to Sir Keir's claim earlier this year that 99.9 per cent of women 'haven't got a penis'.

Now, the Deltapoll survey, which also shows a small narrowing of the Labour lead to 15 percentage points, backs the Prime Minister's view that 'a man is a man and a woman is a woman'.

A total of 35 per cent of voters agreed that a woman was 'a human being characterised by female biology', while just 14 per cent said that 'trans women are women'. The use of woke terms such as 'pregnant person' is supported by just 11 per cent: 81 per cent want to talk about a 'pregnant woman'.

Several Tory attack lines are also supported by the findings, including that Sir Keir is 'Mr Flip-flop' over his policy U-turns. While 37 per cent think he 'sticks to the decisions he has made', 42 per cent say that he 'changes his mind'.

He is also decreed to be a 'weak leader' by 43 per cent and to have 'no real vision for the future of the United Kingdom'.

Unfortunately for Mr Sunak, he is also found wanting on flip-flops, being a weak leader and having no vision.

A Deltapoll survey, backs the Prime Minister's view that 'a man is a man and a woman is a woman'

The millionaire PM's worst rating is on 'understanding the problems of ordinary people'  just one quarter think that he does, while 64 per cent say that he is 'out of touch with ordinary people'.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman's incendiary warnings in recent speeches about the failures of multiculturism and the 'hurricane' of immigration find support, with half of respondents wanting a cut in the number of arrivals, and backing for the Government's policy of sending migrants to Rwanda.

Ms Braverman's controversial claim that there are many instances of asylum-seekers pretending to be gay in order to gain asylum in the UK  which was criticised by Sir Elton John and other celebrities  is believed by 41 per cent, while 28 per cent do not think it is happening.

Only six per cent of people agree with the notion that the UK is 'a racist country', while voters agree that 'virtue-signalling has replaced common sense in the public sector' by a margin of nearly four to one.

Ms Braverman's comments have helped her to fourth spot in the rankings of the next Tory leader. While Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are joint top, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage  who made a crowd-pleasing visit to the conference last week  is third.

Mr Sunak used his speech to try to present himself as the 'change' candidate by distancing himself from his predecessors as Prime Minister.

Several Tory attack lines are also supported by the findings, including that Sir Keir is 'Mr Flip-flop' over his policy U-turns

When asked who 'is most to blame for the current situation the UK is in', Boris Johnson is named by 20 per cent

When asked who 'is most to blame for the current situation the UK is in', Boris Johnson is named by 20 per cent, followed by Tony Blair on 16 per cent, David Cameron on 15 per cent and Liz Truss on 13 per cent. Mr Sunak's surprise introduction by wife Akshata at the Conservative Party conference receives a cool reception  51 per cent think that spouses should stay in the background  but his ban on smoking is warmly received: 60 per cent support it.

The best finding for Mr Sunak comes when voters are asked which of the two men would be most likely to win 10km running race.

Nearly half  48 per cent  back the 43-year-old Prime Minister, while 17 per cent think the 61-year-old Leader of the Opposition could sneak it.

Deltapoll interviewed 1,517 British adults online between October 5 and 7.

The data has been weighted to be representative of the British adult population as a whole.
Diplomats have held only one face-to-face meeting with the Taliban over two British men taken prisoner by the group, one of their wives has claimed.

Kelly Cornwell condemned evasive Foreign Office officials and accused them of moving too slowly to secure the release of her husband, Kevin, 53, a UN charity medic who was arrested in Afghanistan in January.

Mr Cornwell and another unnamed British man were detained by Taliban intelligence chiefs following a raid on a hotel in Kabul. Both men have been accused of being spies, although no charges have been brought.

Mrs Cornwell said she fears her husband, who has a kidney condition and requires dialysis, will die in custody as his health has rapidly deteriorated. She told the MoS: I asked from day one why nobody was making face-to-face contact and was informed it was too dangerous to send someone. Six months later, when the danger had risen, they sent someone out.

Kelly Cornwell accused Foreign Office officials of moving too slowly to secure the release of her husband Kevin, who was arrested in Afghanistan in January

Mr Cornwell and another unnamed British man were detained by Taliban intelligence chiefs following a raid on a hotel in Kabul in January

During the diplomats meeting with Taliban figures in July, Mr Cornwell and the other British detainee were brought out for a matter of a minute, she added.

The couple have seven children and 17 grandchildren between them. Kelly said she wasn't aware that Kevin had been physically tortured in captivity, but said: 'There is a level of torture involved in depriving him of his freedom, of contact with his wife and family. What we are going through every day is a form of torture.'

Scott Richards, a negotiator with the Presidium Network charity assisting the family, said that Kevin's condition had rapidly deteriorated after developing an infection in July.

There is no British embassy in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover two years ago. Efforts to secure the mens release are understood to have fallen to UK diplomats based in Qatar.

Last night, a Foreign Office spokesman said: We continue to raise the cases of British nationals detained in Afghanistan.
Disgraced Prince Andrew has been spotted horse-riding again today, as doubts about the future of his Windsor Royal Lodge home swirl.

Rumours that King Charles privately believes his younger brother 'has no long-term future' at his royal home have been circulating, despite the fact he gave Andrew, 63, more time to prove he can pay his way for the mansion's upkeep.

One family friend said: 'In all honesty, I would not expect to see the Duke of York of living at Royal Lodge in the long term. If he could pay the upkeep then he would be welcome to stay. But the chances of that happening are, frankly, remote.

'He and the duchess are rattling around in a huge property they simply can't afford.'

The King culled Andrew's annual allowance - believed to be in the region of 250,000 - following the emergence of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Andrew is said to have paid sexually abused Epstein victim Virginia Roberts 12million to settle a case she brought against him outside court - allegations he strenuously denied.

Over the past two days, Andrew has been pictured going around Windsor Great park on horseback.

Disgraced Prince Andrew has been spotted horse-riding again today, as doubts about the future of his Windsor Royal Lodge home swirl

Last month, he appeared to enjoy his equestrian activities and Range Rover driving very regularly - but less so recently has he spotted for the first time in week

Yesterday, the father-of-two sported navy jodhpurs and a zip-up jumper featuring a royal cypher on it for the outing, making sure to don a riding helmet and gloves.

Last month, he appeared to enjoy his equestrian activities - and Range Rover driving - very regularly.

The pictures follow reports that the beleaguered Duke of York has been granted permission by the monarch to 'stay indefinitely' at his Windsor mansion after they 'thrashed out a new deal'.

The pair have been at loggerheads over Charles's demands that Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah, move out of the 30-room royal property  which has problems with damp and requires several million pounds-worth of repairs  into somewhere smaller, such as Harry and Meghan's old home, Frogmore Cottage.

The Mirror reported this week that Andrew had been granted a 'stay of execution' after Charles accepted his brother should be given time to prove he can pay for the mansion's upkeep.

Multiple well-placed sources in royal circles have told the Mail that the prince isn't being 'realistic' about his financial situation after being forced to step back from public duties.

A family friend said: 'It's all a bit cloud cuckoo-land, I'm afraid. No one, not least His Majesty, believes there is any realistic, long-term chance of the Duke of York being able to keep the roof at Royal Lodge over his head.

'It's a massive property and estate that requires a huge amount of upkeep.'

The pair have been at loggerheads over Charles's demands that Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah, move out of the 30-room royal property. The King pictured in June

The King's rights to kick his brother out are limited because Andrew took on the late Queen Mother's Grade II-listed property from the Crown Estate in 2004 on a long-term lease and has funded many millions of pounds worth of renovation

The King's powers to remove Andrew are limited because he took on the late Queen Mother's Grade II-listed property from the Crown Estate in 2004 on a long-term lease and has funded many millions of pounds worth of renovations. If King Charles did persuade him to move, then the Crown Estate could even end up owing Andrew money.

But the sovereign is alive not only to how it looks for a jobless ex-royal to live in such palatial surroundings, but also to the lucrative income Royal Lodge could bring in as a rental property on the open market.

'The Duke is clearly not going without a fight,' one insider remarked. 'This will all probably end in tears. Mostly likely his.'

It comes after his appearance with the Prince and Princess of Wales last month - as the family travelled to church in Balmoral was taken as a 'public statement of togetherness'.

Sitting beside William on their way to church, Andrew appeared to be well and truly back in the royal fold.

He was driven to church by the future king, whose wife sat in the back seat.

They joined other family members at church as the Royal Family had their first summer break at the estate since the Queen's death there a year ago.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline the photographs of Prince Andrew travelling to church with the Waleses were 'clearly intended to send a message of family unity'.

Prince Andrew has been seen out horse-riding for the first time weeks yesterday, following claims that the King privately believes 'has no long-term future' at his Royal Lodge home

Yesterday, the father-of-two sported navy jodhpurs and a zip-up jumper featuring a royal cypher on it for the outing, making sure to don a riding helmet and gloves

But he insisted it was not a sign Andrew could return to public duties in any form.

'This is a sad time for the royal family on their customary break at Balmoral. They and the nation will shortly be commemorating a year since the death of the Queen,' Mr Fitzwilliams said.

'We know how close Andrew was to the late Queen, his appearance at the Duke of Edinburghs Memorial Service in March 2022, where he supported her physically whilst she was giving him emotional and financial support caused much controversy.

'It has been reported that his allowance has been cut. It was rumoured that his tenure at Royal Lodge in Windsor, which is his home, was in danger.

'He is also reportedly attempting to regain the police protection he lost when he stepped down from royal duties.'

But Mr Fitzwilliams added: 'It is important to stress that there is no possibility, as King Charles and Prince William have always realised, of him returning to public duties in any form.

'A glance at his non-existent popularity ratings in the polls make the public mood very clear on this issue.

'However what is being emphasised is harmony on a personal level and clearly he and his immediate family, who are also at Balmoral, will appreciate this a great deal, especially as the photographs we see today are such a very public statement of togetherness.'
The man in the Question Time audience who Fiona Bruce referred to as 'the black guy' has come forward - and he still wants to know why the broadcaster deleted the clip.

In Thursday night's broadcast of the show on BBC One, the host asked Roberto Gocan, 35, from the audience to put his question to the panel - but her racial description was edited out when it was uploaded to iPlayer.

Mr Gocan has now revealed that the under-fire presenter telephoned him personally to apologise - after she and the BBC said sorry in public for causing offence as she said it was 'wrong to identify him as I did'.

She called him at 10:50am on Friday after the row blew up.

Speaking to The Mirror, he said: 'Im not going to speak too much about the conversation we had. But she called me personally and I do rate her for that.'

During the live broadcast, there did not appear to be an immediate reaction to her comment by the man in question or anybody else in the audience. However, the remarks drew fury from some on social media.

On Facebook, Mr Gocan himself questioned why the clip had been deleted. He wrote: ' Dear BBC, Why did you cut out Fiona Bruce saying "the black guy in the middle" in the BBC One showing of BBC Question Time last night?

'It was audible on the live showing on BBC iPlayer. Why edit it if you think she said nothing wrong?

'Yours Sincerely, The guy in the blue top.'

Mr Roberto said the situation 'took him back' because he wasn't expecting it.

Topical news panel show Question Time has been thrown into a race row after the BBC deleted a clip of Fiona Bruce (pictured) referring to an audience member as a 'black guy'

In Thursday night's broadcast of the show on BBC One, the host asked Roberto Gocan (pictured) from the audience to put his question to the panel - but her racial description was edited out when it was uploaded to iPlayer

Mr Gocan said: 'Im not going to speak too much about the conversation we had. But she called me personally and I do rate her for that'

On Facebook , Mr Gocan himself questioned why the clip had been deleted by the BBC

He added: 'I remember thinking at the time that everyone else was being described by what they were wearing, glasses and clothing. But then it all moved on so quickly.'

'I remember talking to a family member later in the evening about the show and saying that I was going to watch it back to check that Id heard right. But that part was edited out of the show,' he said.

Former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal posted the original clip on X, formerly Twitter, writing: 'Let's hear from the 'black guy''.

She had asked the audience in Wolverhampton: 'Is it right to ban mobile phones in schools?'

The BBC presenter, whose arm was in a sling after she fell off her horse, took a question wearing a 'colourful top' and when asking for input from another audience member pointed to a 'guy there in the middle... the black guy in the middle, yes you, sir.'

No one in the studio made a reaction to the comment and the audience member then asked a question about limiting mobile use in schools as well as government funding.

In the version of the programme uploaded to BBC iPlayer, Bruce says, 'the guy in the middle, yes you, sir', with the 'black guy' description removed.

Fiona Bruce pictured today with a black eye and her arm in a sling after she fell off her horse in a recent accident

On Facebook , Mr Gocan himself questioned why the clip had been deleted in a post addressed to the BBC, he ended it with ''=Yours Sincerely, The guy in the blue top'

The BBC have since confirmed that Ms Bruce's comment had been edited out and she has since directly apologised to the audience member. The presenter said: 'I totally understand why my words last night caused offence and I apologise.

'I have spoken to the audience member directly and explained that usually I can see and describe an item of clothing or otherwise to help sound engineers with a microphone find people in the audience.

'Last night that was not the case as my view was obscured. In the split second I had, the easiest thing to do would have been to ignore the audience member and move on, but I felt strongly that his voice should be heard.

'Nonetheless, I feel it was wrong to identify him as I did and that's why it was removed from the later edited programme.'

Ms Bruce's personal apology to the member of the audience is understood to have been positively received.

Mr Roberto said the situation on Question Time 'took him back' because he wasn't expecting it

Sitting on the panel on last night's Question Time were (left to right) journalist and author and Tony Parsons, writer Emma Dabiri Shadow Paymaster General Jonathan Ashworth, host Fiona Bruce, Transport Minister Richard Holden and Iceland supermarket executive Richard Walker

Ms Bruce's personal apology to the member of the audience is understood to have been positively received

A spokesperson for the BBC said: 'We regret the choice of words used to identify the audience member.

'The intent was to ensure his voice was heard, however we recognise we should not have identified him in this way and apologise for any offence caused.

'As such the recorded version on iPlayer has been edited to remove this.'

Sitting on the panel on last night's Question Time were Transport Minister Richard Holden, Shadow Paymaster General Jonathan Ashworth, writer Emma Dabiri, Iceland supermarket executive Richard Walker and journalist and author Tony Parsons.
King Charles is set to face the biggest test to his reign next year when he flies to Australia  where calls for the country to become a republic are ever-increasing.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that royal aides are preparing for a visit to Sydney to coincide with his first attendance as the head of the Commonwealth at its summit meeting in Samoa.

A senior Australian government minister last night said the visit would lead to a renewed conversation about the country having its own head of state.

Charles is due to be at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) next October and it is predicted that he will extend the tour to visit Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

Matt Thistlethwaite, the assistant minister for the republic  an anti-monarchist role created in the Australian Labor Party last year  told the MoS: The King will always be welcome in Australia and greeted fondly by the Australian people. But in modern-day Australia his visit will trigger a renewed conversation about having our own head of state who lives with us, represents us and is an Australian.

The then Prince Charles being greeted by members of the public during a visit to Brisbane on April 4 2018

Charles chatting with an indigenous elder during a traditional Welcome to the Country Ceremony in Gove, Australia, on April 9 2018

Charles has already been criticised for not yet making an official visit to any Commonwealth country despite having been on the throne for more than a year.

Isaac Jeffrey, leader of the protest group Australian Republic Movement, added: By the time Charles visits hell have been King of Australia for more than two years. Hes hardly been in a rush to visit us and thats fine  we dont need him.

A recent survey found that 78 per cent of 1,500 Australians believe the Royal Family should foot the bill for a state visit. In 2011, it cost Australian taxpayers $2.6 million (1.9 million today) to host the Queen and Prince Philip.

Royal aides will be keeping a close eye on Saturdays referendum, where Australians will vote on whether to permit an indigenous voice in parliament. If successful, the Labor government, under prime minister Anthony Albanese, has said it will hold a vote to test the appetite to be a republic if it is elected for a second term in 2025.

A YouGov poll of 1,200 Australians last month found that 32 per cent want a republic as soon as possible  up 12 percentage points on a similar survey last year.

For his part, Charles is understood to have been left disquieted by the delay in receiving an official invitation from the Australian PM.

It is understood that should Charles travel to the country  his 17th visit to Australia  anti-monarchists would use it as the launchpad for their bid to oust him as King.

Sources claim opponents will target official engagements to press their case for an Australian to be the countrys first president.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured left) and Labor member for Hawke Sam Rae (pictured right)

They add there have been conversations on both sides and that the King has made it clear he is keen to meet as many Australians as he can when the opportunity arises.

Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie contrastingly told the MoS: The King will be very welcome on his first visit. There is a renewed enthusiasm for the Crown down-under and a sense that we share in something special and historic.

But prime minister Albanese is in no rush to send a formal invitation. One source claimed: It is fair to say there has been some disquiet about it. As is protocol, the King cannot act upon anything until he receives an official invite.

The Palace would not discuss details of talks between the King and Mr Albanese for a state visit.

In May, this newspaper revealed Charless plans to visit his first Commonwealth country  Kenya  at the end of the month. It is expected to be confirmed by the Palace in the coming days.
For many people, especially women, travelling alone can be a rewarding experience.

As the scenes in Eat Pray Love suggest, solo trips can be a great way to find yourself and learn important lessons along the way.

And, over the last few years, the travel industry has somewhat shifted, leading to more women exploring the world on their own.

Yet, despite the growing trend, women still face a unique set of challenges when abroad, arguably different to those faced by men.

Sharing to her 301,500 followers, one TikToker highlighted four countries she felt unsafe in as a female traveller.

Captioning the now-viral video, Chloe Jade said: 'This was a video that was requested by many people so I decided that I should make it.'

The travel-pro stressed that she has never run into any serious issues in these countries, but told her followers that it's important to always be 'vigilant' and 'aware' wherever you go.

Chloe said that while she has felt 'unsafe' in these countries, her experiences should not dissuade you from visiting these 'amazing' countries.

TikTok traveller Chloe Jade has shared four countries she has felt unsafe in as a woman, warning her followers to be 'vigilant' and 'aware'

Though Chloe said she never fell into any serious trouble in any of these places, she said the video has been requested countless times by her followers

Paris, France

The first location the US-based traveller felt uneasy visiting was Paris. Though she has visited the city around six times, she felt most at risk during her first trip.

Chloe, who was 22 at the time, said she had met up with a local while there, but it became clear to her the two had 'different intentions.'

She said the man had 'lured' her into getting a beer with him and tried to get her to go down a dark alleyway far from her hotel room.

Chloe said: 'I told him to f-off and I ran back to my hotel.'

She said: 'I passed out as soon as I got back, I had cold sweats the whole night and I felt like he definitely put something in my drink.'

Marrakesh, Morocco

Chloe said that while she enjoyed her trip to Morocco and didn't feel 'super unsafe' in Marrakesh, that her Turkish friend felt uncomfortable walking through the streets of the city.

'Now overall, I loved my trip to Morocco and I actually enjoyed my time in Marrakesh as well but Dilar was with me and she did not feel super safe on the streets in Marrakesh.'

The TikToker said: 'It's a very old city so the walls are very tight together and there's little passageways everywhere although I personally did not feel super unsafe a lot of the young men were pretty aggressive.'

While nothing bad happened on the trip, the pro-traveller felt it was important to mention.

Pattaya, Thailand

Chloe told her followers that while she 'absolutely loves' Thailand, they should avoid Pattaya.

Explaining why she felt unsafe, she said: 'It just feels gross, there's so many foreign men that are coming there to you know do terrible things and it made me feel extremely uncomfortable.'

Belgrade, Serbia

Chloe warned her American followers that she was met with 'hostility' while entering the country.

While nothing bad happened to her, she said she experienced the disapproval from the moment she entered the country.

Contemplating why, she told her followers: 'Overall I think it was just that they really did not like Americans.'
Big Brother is finally set to make its return to screens on Sunday five years after it was taken off air.

The upcoming series - the first to air on ITV2 - will be the 20th iteration of the show since it first debuted in 2000.

19 people have won the civilian version of the show including the likes of Josie Gibson, Kate Lawler and Brian Dowling.

While some have gone on to careers in the limelight, others decided fame wasn't for them and went back to their regular lives.

As fans prepare for another six weeks of watching the goings on inside the country's most famous, MailOnline takes a look back at the show's previous winners. But how many do YOU recognise?

Big Brother 1 - Craig Phillips

Memorable: Craig Phillips became the first winner of Big Brother in 2000 and took home the show's then prize money of 70,000

Family: Craig, who now works as a property developer, is married to wife Laura and father to daughter Nelly and son Lennon

Craig Phillips, 51, became the first winner of Big Brother in 2000 and took home the show's then prize money of 70,000.

The Liverpool native worked as a builder prior to the show and went on to present a number of renovation-related shows over the years.

He released his autobiography in 2009 and has made numerous appearances on Big Brother's spin-off shows throughout its run.

Craig, who now works as a property developer, is married to wife Laura and father to daughter Nelly and son Lennon.

Big Brother 2 - Brian Dowling

Heartwarming: Brian Dowling became a father in 2022 when he and his husband Arthur Gourounlian welcomed a daughter named Blake

Brian Dowling, 45, was crowned the winner of series two, beating runner-up Helen Adams with 58% of the public vote.

Brian, who worked a flight attendant prior to the show, came out as gay to his parents just two days before he entered the house.

He quickly launched a career in the media after winning the show and hosted Big Brother when it moved to Channel 5 from 2011 to 2013.

He continues to present shows on Irish TV and serves as the narrator on The Real Housewives of Cheshire.

Brian became a father in 2022 when he and his husband Arthur Gourounlian welcomed a daughter named Blake, with Brian's sister Aoife serving as the couple's surrogate.

Big Brother 3 - Kate Lawler

Personal: These days, Kate Lawler hosts her own podcast called Maybe Baby and gives her followers an insight into her life as mother to two-year-old daughter Noa

Mere weeks after she won the 2002 series, Kate Lawlor, 43, became a radio presenter and DJ on Capital FM.

She appeared in various men's magazines over the years including Nuts and Zoo and appeared on Celebrity Love Island in 2006.

These days, Kate hosts her own podcast called Maybe Baby and gives her followers an insight into her life as mother to two-year-old daughter Noa who she shares with her husband Martin 'Boj' Bojtos.

Big Brother 4 - Cameron Stout

Career: Cameron Stout who won in 2003 now works for BBC Radio Oakley

Cameron Stout, 52, was working as a fish trader when he won the 2003 series aged 32.

He has since gone on to work as a TV presenter, radio DJ and panto actor and currently works on BBC Radio Oakley.

Cameron previously told how he is still in touch with many of his former housemates and would happily take part in the show again.

Speaking on Good Morning Scotland, he said: I would certainly do it again with my housemates, the ones I was in there with... I think our year has done better than most in keeping in touch with everyone.'

Big Brother 5 - Nadia Almada

Wow: Nadia Almada, 46, made Big Brother history when she became the first transgender person to both take part in and win the show in 2004

Now: She went on to train as a hairdresser after winning the fifth series and now works as a stylist (pictured in

Nadia Almada, 46, made Big Brother history when she became the first transgender person to both take part in and win the show in 2004.

Popular with the public, she later appeared in Ultimate Big Brother in 2010 and was the third person evicted from the house.

After the show, Nadia released the single A Little Bit Of Action and made various appearances on game show.

She went on to train as a hairdresser after winning the fifth series and now works as a stylist.

Big Brother 6 - Anthony Hutton

Family life: Anthony Hutton now owns a barbershop and shares son Cruz with his partner Sophie

Anthony Hutton, 41, almost lost out on his chance to appear on Big Brother when he nearly didn't answer the phone call from producers because it was from an unknown number.

The Newcastle native admitted he went into a 'dark place' after winning the show after spending his winners on cars and trips with his pals to Las Vegas.

Anthony, who also bought his mother a house with his winnings, opened his own barbershop in Durham back in 2016 and he is also a keen boxer.

He is now in a relationship with his partner Sophie and the couple are parents to son Cruz.

Big Brother 7 - Pete Bennett

Where are they now: Pete Bennett has made appearances in a few short films over the years and is currently the frontman of punk band LoVeDoGz

Arguably one of the show's most memorable winners, Pete Bennett, 41, took home the 100,000 prize money on the 2006 series with 61% of the public vote.

He released his autobiography later that year where he discussed living with tourette's syndrome.

Pete has made appearances in a few short films over the years and is currently the frontman of punk band LoVeDoGz.

Big Brother 8 - Brian Belo

Privacy: Brian Belo appears to have chosen a life away from the spotlight and has not appeared on TV since Big Brother 2015

Brian Belo, 36, won the 2007 series of the show and remains the only winner to not have entered the house on Day 1, instead making his entrance on Day 12.

A superfan of the show, Brian later made a brief return for the 2015 series but left the house after a heated argument with fellow returning winner Helen Wood.

Brian previously sued the makers of The Only Way Is Essex, insisting they copied his idea from a fly-on-the-wall documentary he made called Totally Essex. The case was letter settled.

It appears Brian has since chosen a life away from the limelight as he has not appeared on TV since and also doesn't appear to have any social media accounts.

Big Brother 9 - Rachel Rice

Winner: Rachel Rice won the 2009 series of Big Brother and has since got married and become a teacher

Unlike other Big Brother winners, Rachel Rice , 39, went immediately back to living a normal life after she won the 2008 series.

The Welsh beauty made only 5,000 after winning the show as she refused to do any lads mag photoshoots.

These days, she is thought to be working as a performing arts teacher and is also married with two sons.

Speaking about her time on the show, Rachel told Wales Online:' Some people didnt like me  they said I was boring.

'They said I was boring because I wouldnt get involved in discussing whod be out, I wouldnt b***h and that I sat on the fence. But I knew my friends and family at home knew the real me. I stayed true to myself.'

Big Brother 10 - Sophie Reade

Wow: Sophie Reade carried on with her glamour modelling career after the show but looks virtually unrecognisable these days

Sophie Reade, 34, won the 2009 series of the show and was known by 'Dogface' during most of her time in the house after changing her name by deed poll for a challenge.

The blonde bombshell carried on with her glamour modelling career after the show but looks virtually unrecognisable these days.

The star regularly posts racy snaps to her Instagram and credits Big Brother with giving her modelling career a boost.

Big Brother 11 - Josie Gibson

Success: Josie Gibson is now a regular presenter on ITV's This Morning and has appeared on other shows including The Jump and Celebrity Dinner Date

One of the show's most successful winners, Josie Gibson, 38, won the 2011 series after being the clear favourite from day one.

The bubbly Bristolian enjoyed a brief romance with fellow show contestant John James Parton before they went their separate ways.

Josie is now a regular presenter on ITV's This Morning and has appeared on other shows including The Jump and Celebrity Dinner Date.

In recent months, it has been reported Josie has signed up for the upcoming series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in a 'six-figure mega deal'.

Big Brother 12 - Aaron Allard-Morgan

Business owner: Aaron Allard-Morgan has since left the spotlight and is thought to be running a bar in his hometown

Aaron Allard-Morgan, 42, won the 2011 series of Big Brother, the first edition of the show to be broadcast on Channel 5 after Channel 4 chose not to renew it.

Aaron, a contractor from Weston-Super-Mare, struck up a romance with Faye Palmer during their time in the house but it was short lived.

He has since left the spotlight and is thought to be running a bar in his hometown.

Big Brother 13 - Luke Anderson

Happy: Luke Anderson has since got married to wife Jamie-Lee and the couple now run a baking business together

Luke Anderson, 42, won the 2012 series of Big Brother after announcing he ws transgender to the nation.

Although he enjoyed his time in the house, Luke admitted he suffered from panic attacks after due to abuse he received from trolls online.

The chef has since got married to wife Jamie-Lee and the couple now run a baking business together.

Big Brother 14 - Sam Evans

Private: It's not known what Sam Evans is up to these days as he doesn't appear to have any social media accounts and has stayed out of the spotlight apart from an appearance on a Welsh TV series in 2014

Sam Evans, 33, became the first deaf person to win Big Brother when he took home the 100,000 prize during the 2013 series.

The Welshman had been working in Debenhams prior to taking part in the show and told how he intended to return to his regular job after his win.

It's not known what Sam is up to these days as he doesn't appear to have any social media accounts and has stayed out of the spotlight apart from an appearance on a Welsh TV series in 2014.

Big Brother 15 - Helen Wood

Controversial: Helen Wood released a memoir A Man's World in 2019 and has since left the public eye

One of the show's most controversial winners, Helen Wood, 37, won the 2014 series after being given a pass to the final on day one.

The hairdresser was already known prior to the show for having a threesome with Wayne Rooney while working as an escort.

She received warnings from producers during her time in the house for being aggressive towards her fellow housemates.

Helen made a brief return to Big Brother the following year where she received another formal warning for her behaviour towards Brian Belo.

Channel 5 producer Ben Frow later banned her from appearing on Big Brother again and said it was a mistake to bring her back for the 2015 series.

She released a memoir A Man's World in 2019 and has since left the public eye.

Big Brother 16 - Chloe Wilburn

Heartwarming: Chloe Wilburn gave birth to son Vinnie in 2017 with her now husband Dom Tasker and she now runs a baby clothing business called Vinellie

Chloe Wilburn, 34, beat housemate Joel Williams to win the contest in 2015 and was stunned to hear the news, crying after it was announced by host Emma Willis.

The Doncaster native worked as an office administrator before taking part in the show and said she was 'never going to get out of Donny'.

Chloe gave birth to son Vinnie in 2017 with her now husband Dom Tasker and she now runs a baby clothing business called Vinellie.

Big Brother 17 - Jason Burrill

Success: Jason Burrill has carved out a career as a property developer

Jason Burrill, 52, became the show's oldest winner when he won the 2016 series aged 45.

Although he was working as a body double at the time, Jason has since carved out a career as a property developer.

'I was offered lots from my time in Big Brother, but I decided to quit while I was ahead and to focus my efforts on what I know best  business,' he told The Sun.

'I used my winnings from the show to invest into property and got back my property development bug which has thankfully paid off.'

Big Brother 18 - Isabelle Warburton

Business: Isabelle Warburton used her 65,000 winnings to open a beauty salon in Manchester

Isabelle Warburton, 27, won the 2017 series of Brother after a 54 day stay in the house, considerably shorter than previous seasons.

She used her 65,000 winnings to open a beauty salon in Manchester.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News about the venture, she said: 'I want somewhere where people will walk out and think "I look wicked, I feel really good."'

Big Brother 19 - Cameron Cole

Last winner: Cameron Cole has since left the public eye and, according to his Instagram, studied psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London

Cameron Cole, 23, became the youngest winner in the show's history at just 19 years old when he won the 2018 series, the last to air on Channel 5.

The Norwich native went through a personal journey on the series as he came out as gay to his fellow housemates during his time in the house.

He has since left the public eye and, according to his Instagram, studied psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London.
A 'wild' new Netflix thriller is bringing viewers to tears and leaving them with anxiety.

'Nowhere,' starring Anna Castillo, dropped exclusively onto the streaming platform on September 29.

The tense Spanish survival drama follows a pregnant woman called Mia who's hiding in a shipping container onboard a boat, after fleeing a brutal totalitarian country.

After the container gets knocked overboard due to a violent storm, she finds herself alone inside it and drifting through the sea - trapped, she gives birth and is forced to survive to save her baby.

The movie has quickly attracted attention and viewers from around the world are taking to social media to recommend the 'masterpiece'.

'Nowhere,' starring Anna Castillo, dropped exclusively onto the streaming platform on September 29

The tense Spanish survival drama follows a pregnant woman called Mia who's hiding in a shipping container onboard a boat, after fleeing a devastated totalitarian country

Anna Castillo, who takes on the important role of Mia, is an award-winning Spanish actress - her first big film was The Olive Tree, where she played the role of Alma and won a Goya Award for Best New Actress.

Her characters story is bringing fans to tears and left on the edge of their seats, with one X user writing 'That Nowhere movie on Netflix was wild as hell its 1am and Im over here bawling my eyes out'.

Another said 'nowhere on Netflix got my eyes watering wtf'.

Someone else added 'This nowhere movie on Netflix giving me a heart attack every 10 mins'.

Another wrote 'When I say this movie had my blood pressure through the roof! I cant deal at all #NowhereNetflix'.

Despite being an intense watch, the movie has received a lot praise - X users dubbed it 'worth the watch,' a 'true masterpiece' and 'mind blowing'.

Someone wrote 'Top notch survival movie. Very touching and emotional. I completely enjoyed it,' while another viewer added '#NowhereNetflix had me on the edge of my seat throughout the film.

'Such an incredible story that proves a mothers resilience is the most powerful thing.'

Despite being an intense watch, the movie has received a lot praise - X users dubbed it 'worth the watch,' a 'true masterpiece' and 'mind blowing'

Fans are being brought to tears and left on the edge of their seats, with one X user writing 'That Nowhere movie on Netflix was wild as hell its 1am and Im over here bawling my eyes out,' while another said 'nowhere on Netflix got my eyes watering wtf'

Another said '#NowhereNetflix was INSANELY GOOD. So much anxiety watching it but definitely one of the best Netflix films Ive seen so far. 10/10 recommend.'

Some viewers were also left concerned, wondering whether the plot was based on a true story and that they 'hope' it wasn't - Netflix confirmed that thankfully, it's completely fictional.

Anna Castillo, who takes on the important role of Mia, is an award-winning Spanish actress - her first big film was The Olive Tree, where she played the role of Alma and won a Goya Award for Best New Actress.
Julia Fox recalled how she had only a few hours to 'gather her things' and take professional maternity photos before she gave birth to her son Valentino, now two, in her new memoir Down the Drain.

The former girlfriend of Kanye West, 33, explained that her doctors wanted to induce labor prematurely, causing her to 'panic' at the time, in excerpts from the upcoming tome, per People.

'During a routine checkup on January 16, three weeks before the due date, my doctor delivers the news no mother wants to hear: My blood pressure is approaching the danger zone and they want to induce labor today,' the edgy model wrote.

'I begin to panic. I dont have diapers or a crib. I dont even have a car seat or a stroller!' she explained.

'I tell the doctor I feel fine and beg for a few hours to gather my thingsand, more importantly, to have my maternity photos taken.'

Rushing home: Julia Fox recalled how she had only a few hours to take maternity photos before she gave birth to her son Valentino, now two, in her new memoir Down the Drain

Early arrival: The former girlfriend of Kanye West explained that her doctors wanted to induce labor prematurely, causing her to 'panic' at the time, in excerpts from the upcoming tome

The Uncut Gems star said her glam squad then had to 'rush over with makeup and clothes' to snap her pregnancy pics.

'Within an hour I have my maternity photos and am on my way to the hospital to give birth,' Julia stated.

Despite the medical scare of Valentino's early arrival, Julia wrote that her bundle of joy was 'absolutely perfect.'

She added: 'He is the most beautiful little boy I have ever laid my eyes on.

'When I see him using every bit of strength to inch his body close to mine, I am filled with a love so visceral, it could shatter the earth. I am his. And he is mine.'

While she overcame the hardship of a premature birth, parenting created another challenge, she claimed her ex Andrew was mostly out of the picture in helping her raise him. Julia had welcomed Valentino with her ex-husband, Peter Artemiev.

However, Julia is now thriving being a single mom, and the challenges of it haven't stopped her from looking for a new love, as she found romance with Kanye just a year later, having dated the rapper for a brief spell in 2022.

Family: Despite the medical scare of Valentino's early arrival, Julia wrote that her bundle of joy was 'absolutely perfect' (pictured with his father and her ex husband Peter Artemiev in 2021)

She recently admitted that she had a deeper connection than just a purely physical one with the Grammy winner.

In an interview with The New York Times, Julia was asked why 'one boyfriend [she doesn't] describe sex with is Kanye' in her new memoir.

Julia replied: 'Because there, like, wasn't any. It wasn't really about that.'

The model claimed the rapper 'weaponized' her against his ex Kim Kardashian, as the famous couple's split at the time was quite messy.

'I thought ultimately Id be helping a precarious situation, but I learned very quickly that I was being weaponized,' she explained to The Los Angeles Times.

Doting: 'When I see him using every bit of strength to inch his body close to mine, I am filled with a love so visceral, it could shatter the earth. I am his. And he is mine' (pictured February 2023)

Although she 'really understood him on a visceral level' and believed their pairing 'could be something real,' Julia said Kanye ultimately didn't treat her the way she expected.

'I just felt like his little puppet.'

While she used strong words for the LA Times interview, Julia said she 'went lightly' in describing her time with Kanye in the book, even though she didn't sign an NDA.

'Im not signing a f****** NDA just on principle. I never have, and I never will,' she explained, before adding, 'Unless its a professional opportunity, then sure.

She also hinted that she may have been blacklisted from projects because of her association with the controversial star, who was dropped by several brands following his anti-Semitic comments.

'I know for a fact Ive been up for certain things and couldnt do it because of dating Kanye. Its kind of wild.'

Back on track: She found romance with Kanye just a year later, having dated the rapper for a brief spell in 2022

Julia also said she never had too much invested in the romance, despite all the attention.

'It really wasnt that big of a deal, but other people made it such a big deal.'

After the falling out with Kanye, Julia swore off men for a while, admitting she still doesn't 'see the point' in dating.

'That romanticized idea of men doesnt exist anymore.'
Their company - Whispering Oaks Chapel - has also worked with James Corden

The couple behind Kanye West and Bianca Censori's wedding live just a stones throw away from the family of the rapper's ex-wife Kim Kardashian  and were able to keep news of their marriage secret by providing them with a 'confidential' license.

Sheila Zamel and her husband James Mayfield co-own Whispering Oaks Chapel, a company that provides intimate wedding venues and services in Calabasas and Santa Monica.

The husband and wife duo organized the nuptials of Kanye, 46, and the Yeezy architect, believed to be 28, in Palo Alto, California in December, just one month after he finalized his divorce from Kim.

Of course, details of their mysterious big day had been kept under wraps until now thanks to their confidential marriage license, which despite being legally binding, is not part of the public record and therefore is untraceable at the County Clerk's office.

Sheila Zamel and James Mayfield's company The Whispering Oaks Chapel organized Kanye and Bianca Censori's wedding

The Gold Digger rapper tied the knot to Yeezy architect Bianca in Palo Alto in December

Tables laid out for a wedding at the Whispering Oaks venue in California

The couple share several scenic pictures of their secret setting where couples can get confidential licenses

Sheila and James's business provides loved up couples with a license and officiant package, starting at $385 and offers licensed ministers, a wedding planner, and a ceremony coordinator, as well as chairs, and a speaker system.

They can also facilitate same-day confidential marriage licenses - a speedy alternative for celebrities who want to walk down the aisle while flying under the radar.

James has officiated a number of weddings over the years, although it is not known whether he resumed his role for Kanye and Bianca's big day.

According to their website, Whispering Oaks Chapel practices 'a progressive and contemporary approach to all life'.

'We share a deep respect for the traditions of all religions, practices and beliefs of modern social, intellectual and spiritual life and our primary goal is to create love, peace, compassion and harmony between all people,' it reads.

'Through our multi-denominational practices, we welcome all religious backgrounds and practices.'

Besides offering wedding services, Sheila and James host production and filming opportunities at their multiple locations, and have seemingly worked with James Corden.

They also offer prayer services, bible study, discussion groups, and guest speakers.

In 2005, Sheila spearheaded a now defunct social group called Couples Worldwide, for couples over the age of 40 looking to connect with other likeminded couples.

Whispering Oaks Chapel was able to provide a confidential marriage license, pictured Sheila

The couple's company practices 'a progressive and contemporary approach to all life'

Whispering Oaks Chapel also facilitate filming opportunities and have seemingly worked with James Corden

In an attempt to grow the network in 2011, she put an ad in her local paper, The Acorn, calling for those in committed relationships to attend group events, such as theater nights, comedy clubs, and wine tastings.

During that same year, Sheila also served as the president of the Farming Independence Harvest Festival Fundraiser, which was hosted at her Whispering Oaks Farm.

Per their marriage license, Kanye and Bianca tied the knot in Palo Alto, known as Silicon Valley.

The document was filed under their full names, Bianca Censori, and simply 'Ye' for the rapper, who legally changed his name from Kanye Omari West to the mononym in October 2021.

Explaining why the pair chose a confidential marriage license, a close friend of the couple revealed: 'Ye has been a megastar for two decades and counting, and his first marriage was to someone who lives almost full time in front of a camera.

'Bianca and Ye have a totally different vibe. They are very private, very affectionate and totally devoted to each other. I think they both enjoy carving out time that's just for them.

It was previously believed that Kanye and Bianca had tied the knot secretly in January

Kanye married his new bride Bianca just one month after his divorce from ex-wife Kim Kardashian was finalized

'For that reason they've been extremely hush-hush about the specifics of their wedding day. I don't think anyone besides the pair of them know exactly how it went down.'

The close friend added: 'They are besotted with each other. I can assure you they are very much married.'

One in five marriages in California are now officially classified as 'confidential' and do not appear in public records, but it is a legally binding marriage that would require a divorce if the union were to end.

It's still unclear exactly how long the pair had been romantic with one another leading up to the marriage, but Bianca joined Kanye's Yeezy company as an architect in November 2020.
Like a fine wine, Rhona Burchmore, 63, just gets better with time.

On Friday, the Australian entertainer flaunted her toned figure in a flirty floral dress as she attended Mamma Mia! The Musical's opening night in Melbourne.

The flame-haired songstress ensured all eyes were on her as she spun around in the flowy dress.

Rhona accessorised her ensemble with a pair of sparkly heels and also wore simple hoop earrings.

She tied her locks back and showed off her ageless beauty, by opting for a natural makeup palette which included dewy foundation, smoky eyeshadow, and a nude lip.

Rhonda Burchmore, 63, ensured all eyes were on her in floral dress as she lead the celebrity arrivals at Mamma Mia! The Musical's opening night in Melbourne

The Australian entertainer flaunted her toned figure in a flirty floral dress and a pair of sparkly heels

Rhonda was also joined at the event by former Miss Universe Australia Maria Thattil.

The model, 30, showed off her incredible physique in a figure-hugging long beige dress and strappy green heels.

Maria also held a beige bag and tied her brunette locks up into a high bun for the event.

Former Big Brother star Tully Smyth also made a style statement in a long blue dress, which featured ruffles along the slit.

Maria Thatti showed off her incredible physique in a figure-hugging long beige dress and strappy green heels

Former Big Brother star Tully Smyth made a style statement in a long blue dress, which featured ruffles along the slit as she posed alongside Yvie Jones

The reality star tied her long blonde locks back and opted for a natural palette of makeup.

She was all smiles as she posed alongside Yvie Jones at the star-studded event.

Yvie dressed for comfort in black leather pants, a white buttoned shirt and beaded necklace.

The former Gogglebox star completed her look with a pair of leopard print boots.

Former Bachelorette star Georgia Love was all smiles as she arrived in a long flowy white dress

I'm A Celebrity host Julia Morris went for a similar approach in an all-white ensemble including a blazer, pants and shirt

Meanwhile, former Bachelorette star Georgia Love was all smiles as she arrived in a long flowy white dress.

She completed her ensemble with a pair of white strappy heels and a matching coloured headband.

Georgia's natural beauty was shining as she wore a simple makeup palette consisting of foundation and blush.

I'm A Celebrity host Julia Morris went for a similar approach in an all-white ensemble including a blazer, pants and shirt.

Julia showed off her new short locks and wore a pair of comfortable white sneakers.

Meanwhile, Pettifleur Berenger showed off her unique style in a denim jumpsuit and sliver shirt with long sleeves.

Pettifleur Berenger showed off her unique style in a denim jumpsuit and sliver shirt with long sleeves

MKR's Nick Kato and Christian Grant looked dapper in black and navy tuxedos
Joanne Froggatt and Laura Carmichael showcased their chic but casual senses of style as they stepped out to the press night after party for Othello at the Riverside Studios in London on Friday.

Downton Abbey star Joanne, 43, wore a charcoal grey jacket over a white top which she teamed with a pair of flared black trousers.

She wore minimal make-up and accessorised with a gold necklace for the evening.

Actress Laura, 37, who also starred in Downton Abbey as Anna Bates, opted for a green and white striped shirt which she wore over a white top.

She wore a pair of black trousers and carried a bright red handbag with her.

In style: Joanne Froggatt (left) and Laura Carmichael (right) showcased their chic but casual senses of style at the press night after party for Othello at Riverside Studios in London, Friday

Looking good: Downton Abbey star Joanne, 43, wore a charcoal grey jacket over a white top which she teamed with a pair of flared black trousers

The screen star completed her look by wearing a pair of comfortable white trainers.

Actor Martins Imhangbe, 32, plays the title role in the Trish Wadley Productions version of one of Shakespeares greatest tragedies, Othello, at the Riverside Studios.

The play's main antagonist Iago is played by three actors, Michael C. Fox, Orlando James and Jeremy Neumark Jones.

Rose Riley will play Desdemona, Rachel-Leah Hosker is Emilia/Roderigo and Ryan ODoherty portrays Cassio/Brabantio.

Othello tells the story of a man who falsely accuses his wife of being unfaithful, believing the lie so much that he eventually kills her.

The production runs from Saturday 7 to Sunday 29 October this year.

It comes after Joanne appeared to have found love again following her split from husband James Cannon, as she was spotted holding hands with new man Mark earlier this summer.

The TV star is thought to have been seeing her new man for several months now and is 'besotted' with him.

Strike a pose: Actress Laura, 37, who also starred in Downton Abbey as Anna Bates, opted for a green and white striped shirt which she wore over a white top

Fashion focus: She wore a pair of black trousers and carried a bright red handbag with her for the evening

According to the Daily Mail, Joanne recently took him to a party with her group of pals at The Greyhound Italian restaurant in Marylebone, Central London.

She was seen laughing at the friend's birthday bash last month, and one source close to her revealed: 'Joanne is having a great time with Mark.'

It is the first time that she has been publicly linked to a love interest since she split from IT consultant James in February 2020.

The star announced the couple had parted ways just weeks before lockdown.

She said: 'We've been separated for a little while. I'm looking to the future. I'm just going to embrace this year and see what happens.'

Ex: It comes after Joanne appeared to have found love again with a man named Mark following her split from husband James Cannon (Joanne and James in 2018)

A year on, in 2021, Joanne admitted the divorce from her long-term partner had thrown her life into a state of flux.

She said: 'I didn't think I'd be divorced, I didn't think we'd be going through a pandemic, I didn't think my life would be in flux in the way it was. But I'm OK with that.

'I'm so grateful for my friends and family, for my health and to have been working so much during this past year. You realise, when it comes down to it, how many positives you have in your life.'

Joanne, who was engaged to DJ Phil Vane at 19, married Cannon in 2012 in a private church ceremony in Oxfordshire attended by her fellow Downton Abbey cast members.
Garcelle Beauvais dressed to impress in an all-white ensemble as she led stars at Step Up's Annual Inspiration Awards in Los Angeles on Friday.

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star, 56 - who recently attended her co-star Sutton Stracke's birthday luncheon - joined other celebrities at the event, such as Julie Bowen, which was held at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Step Up is notably a, 'mentorship nonprofit providing the structure for girls (and those who identify with girlhood) to define their ideal destination and get there - wherever that destination may be,' per the official website.

Beauvais - who was a presenter during the ceremony - stunned wearing a white skirt that contained circular details that flowed down in strips of fabric past her knees.

The TV personality added a sleek, white blazer on top which she fastened with a single button at the front.

So chic: Garcelle Beauvais, 56, dressed to impress as she led stars at Step Up's Annual Inspiration Awards in Los Angeles on Friday

Dressed to impress: The star - who was a presenter during the ceremony - stunned wearing a white skirt that contained circular details that flowed down in strips of fabric past her knees

She slipped into a pair of closed-toed heels that were made of a see-through material to allow her outfit to be the main focal point for the day.

Garcelle easily carried a white purse in her right hand to coincide with the color scheme of the look and to hold items she needed while attending the event. Her long locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly flowed down straight past her shoulders.

The reality star's makeup was classically done, and comprised of a layer of mascara to her lashes as well as a light, shimmering shadow around her eyes.

The beauty also added a warm blush to her cheekbones, while a nude-colored, glossy tint was worn on her lips for a finishing touch.

Beauvais was just one of many guests who stopped by the 2023 Inspiration Awards - which officially returned after the last ceremony was held back in 2019.

The event helped 'celebrate 25 years of Step Up mentorship' and attendees had the opportunity to 'hear from girls and mentors who have been involved with the organization over the years,' according to PRNewswire.

While the Inspiration Awards took place in Los Angeles, a second ceremony will be held next month on November 16 in Chicago.

Garcelle has been filtering through a busy schedule - and is slated to appear in the upcoming 13th season of Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, which will air on Bravo later this month on October 25.

Sleek: The TV personality added a sleek, white blazer on top which she fastened with a single button at the front

Radiant: Modern Family alum, Julie Bowen, was also spotted at the awards ceremony and turned heads in an eye-catching, blue dress

Stylish: The sleeveless ensemble contained a deep, V-neck cut and while the bodice was fitted, the skirt flowed down towards her ankles

Having a blast: The star slipped into a pair of black, open-toed heels to complete her overall ensemble for the special day

Striking a pose: The actress opted for minimal accessories, and was seen wearing a pair of mini, rhinestone earrings, but chose to not add any other flashy pieces of jewelry

Star-studded: All My Children alum, Abigail Spencer, also showcased her sense of style as she attended the Inspiration Awards in sunny Los Angeles

Elegant: Linda Cardellini looked chic in a denim dress and wore her brunette locks parted to the side and effortlessly flowing down in elegant curls

Modern Family alum, Julie Bowen, was also spotted at the awards ceremony and turned heads in an eye-catching, blue dress.

The sleeveless ensemble contained a deep, V-neck cut and while the bodice was fitted, the skirt flowed down towards her ankles.

A unique, floral pattern was embroidered on the front, and was made of various hues, such as black, red and silver. The star slipped into a pair of black, open-toed heels to complete her overall ensemble for the special day.

Her blonde locks were parted to the side, and easily flowed down past her shoulders in light natural waves.

The actress opted for minimal accessories, and was seen wearing a pair of mini, rhinestone earrings, but chose to not add any other flashy pieces of jewelry.

All My Children alum, Abigail Spencer, also showcased her sense of style as she attended the Inspiration Awards in sunny Los Angeles.

She donned a tan-colored, sleeveless top that was secured with a light brown, leather belt that wrapped around her midriff.

The beauty added a black, satin skirt that contained a hem that stopped a few inches above her ankles.

The Timeless actress slipped into a pair of closed-toed, black pumps and held a black purse in her hand for a final touch to the look.

On stage: Garcelle was spotted speaking to the crowds on stage during the Inspiration Awards ceremony at the Skirball Cultural Center

Glammed up: The reality star's makeup was classically done, and comprised of a layer of mascara to her lashes as well as a light, shimmering shadow around her eyes

Crossing paths: Abigail accessorized her outfit with a few, dainty necklaces and later crossed paths with Dead To Me star, Linda

Her dark locks were parted in the middle and cascaded down to brush past her shoulders in bouncy waves.

Abigail accessorized her outfit with a few, dainty necklaces and later crossed paths with Dead To Me star, Linda Cardellini.

She donned a stylish dress that was made with a dark, denim material and secured with a thin belt that wrapped around her waist.

The Freaks And Geeks alum also opted for a pair of open-toed, silver heels for a flashy touch.

Her brunette locks were parted to the side and effortlessly flowed down in elegant curls, allowing her bangs to gently fall onto her forehead.

Once the festivities kicked off, guests had the chance to mingle amongst each other and enjoyed a tasty lunch. Linda and Abigail flashed cheerful smiles towards the camera as they caught up inside the crowded venue.
In court documents she alleged the incident occurred in 2022 and was at the hands of fellow contestant Thomas Smith

The producers of the hit Netflix series Love Is Blind are being sued in a case of sexual assault, false imprisonment, and negligence by a former season five contestant.

The woman, Tran Dang, has named production companies Delirium TV and Kinetic Content in her suit, and also said there might be footage proving it, People reported.

According to TMZ, Dang  who did not make it onto the show after final edits  said the incident occurred in 2022 and was at the hands of fellow contestant Thomas Smith.

Dang and Smith got engaged during their time in the pods, but their relationship took a turn as they filmed together in Mexico, per her story.

Documents obtained by TMZ state that Smith 'incessantly groped' her, revealed his naked body, and 'forcibly and repeatedly made sexual contact' with her, all without consent.

Dang is now suing the producers for dismissing her after she brought the alleged assault to their attention.

Legal trouble: The producers of the hit Netflix series Love Is Blind are being sued in a case of sexual assault, false imprisonment, and negligence by a former season five contestant

False imprisonment was introduced in the lawsuit as Dang claimed she was forced to be on-call in her hotel room.

It was also noted that she was subject to ongoing surveillance, leaving her 'unable to exercise her will in going anywhere she was lawfully allowed to go.'

Due to the 24-hour surveillance, she believes the alleged assault was recorded.

Dang wants over $1 million in damages, and said she has experienced 'extreme emotional distress, pain, mental anguish, and suffering' as a direct result of the situation.

Love Is Blind creator Chris Coelen spoke to People, and said he was 'never told that [Dang] felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made.'

Delirium TV and Kinetic Content also referred to the claims as baseless.

Dang's lawyer, Benjamin W. Allen, told the publication, 'The producers are throwing money at the problem by spending an inordinate amount of money on losing legal positions that do nothing but delay the parties from having their day in Court.

'They lost on three distinct legal issues before the trial court and then filed three separate appeals to multiply the proceedings we have to wade through before finally trying this case.'

Details: The woman, Tran Dang, has named production companies Delirium TV and Kinetic Content in her suit, and also said there might be footage proving it

Her story: According to TMZ , Dang  who did not make it onto the show after final edits  the incident occurred in 2022 and was at the hands of fellow contestant Thomas Smith

Claims: Dang is now suing the producers for dismissing her after she brought the alleged assault to their attention

Dang initially filed the suit in August 2022, and the case has been in mediation since February 2023. The statement from Allen went on to say, 'But we are confident that Ms. Dang's position will be vindicated once we get there and are committed to seeing it through all of the way.

'We have to hold the show producers accountable. We have an ethical duty to our client to do so, but also feel a moral obligation to the next generation of reality show participants.'

Coelen responded to the allegations in a statement to People: 'If anybody ever came to us and said they felt unsafe in any way, we would immediately remove them from the experiment and talk to them, and try to get to the bottom of it.'

'Unfortunately, in this case, that kind of sentiment was never addressed to us in any way, nor was any alleged wrongdoing brought to our attention ever.'
Maya Jama relaxed with an eye mask on and sneakily drank tequila out of a water bottle while on a flight out of Fiji on Friday.

The TV presenter, 29, has been jetting back and forth from the sun-soaked destination while filming for new spin-off show Love Island Games.

And Maya took to her Instagram Stories on Friday to share snaps of herself relaxing on the plane as she left Fiji to head to Los Angeles.

The Love Island host cut a casual figure in a vibrant green and orange vest top as she sat back in her luxurious pod on the Fiji Airways flight.

Maya, who playfully posed for the camera, relaxed with two gel under eye masks on as she travelled in style on the plane.

Travelling in style: Maya Jama relaxed with an eye mask on as she shared snaps from her flight out of Fiji on Friday, where she has been filming for Love Island Games

Sneaky! Taking to Instagram, she also shared a video of herself grinning as she held up her water bottle, which she was drinking tequila out of after enjoying the drink in the airport

She also shared a video of herself grinning as she held up her water bottle, which she was sneakily drinking tequila out of after enjoying the drink in the airport.

Maya confessed in a caption: 'The tequila mixed was hitting so it came with me in the water bottle.'

Her stylist pal Rhea Francois also took to her own Instagram to share a snap from the plane, with the flight details confirming they were travelling from Fiji to LA.

Maya's latest trip comes just days after the line-up for Love Island Games was finally confirmed, with nine UK stars joining the cast.

The first ever Love Island spin-off show, hosted by Maya, will bring together former Islanders from the UK, US and Aussie versions for a second shot at love and to compete to be crowned the champion.

The hotly-anticipated series will firstly hit screens in the US on Peacock in November, before making its way to UK screens.

Megan Barton Hanson, who rose to fame on series four of Love Island in 2018, has been confirmed to be among the line-up for the show.

A source recently told The Sun: 'Megan is an amazing signing for the spin-off and bosses are rubbing their hands together that they agreed to take part.'

She has since gone on to date TOWIE stars Demi Sims and James Lock, started her own podcast You Come First and has also appeared on Celebs Go Dating.

Curtis Pritchard, who starred on series five and finished up in fourth place with then girlfriend Maura Higgins, will also be reentering the Love Island world.

Hotly-anticipated: Maya's latest trip comes just days after the line-up for Love Island Games was finally confirmed , with nine UK stars joining the cast

Exciting: The Love Island spin-off show, hosted by Maya, will bring together former Islanders from the UK, US and Aussie versions for a second shot at love

Fan favourite Liberty Poole will also return to screens after she won over a huge fanbase on the seventh series of the ITV dating show in 2021.

She was paired with Jake Cornish from the first day but their rocky romance didn't last in the villa and she left single before the final.

Scott Van-der-sluis rose to fame on the most recent series of Love Island and this will be his third Love Island venture after he also featured on the US version of the show.

Eyal Booker, Georgia Steel and Jack Fowler will also be heading to the Fiji villa along with Mike Boateng and Toby Aromolaran.

Love Island Games will see the stars 'faced with both team and couples' challenges, all while navigating dating, eliminations, recoupling and dramatic new arrivals'.

The show is set to make its debut on November 1 with new episodes streaming six days a week on Peacock.
One month after making its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, the biographical drama Priscilla has made its way to the 61st New York Film Festival.

The film, which delves into the life of Priscilla Wagner, who would ultimately be known as Priscilla Presley after her marriage to Elvis Presley, stars Cailee Spaeny, 26, in the title role alongside Jacob Elordi, 26, as the King Of Rock 'N' Roll.

Deep into promo mode for the film, the leading lady and leading man took part in the red carpet event at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, ahead of the screening that was followed by a Q-and-A with the two stars.

Their busy day also brought Spaeny and Elordi to SiriusXM's Town Hall hosted by Andy Cohen at the SiriusXM Studios.

Written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sofia Coppola, the biographical drama is based on the memoir Elvis And Me by Priscilla Presley, who also served as an executive producer on the film.

Promo mode: The stars of Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, went into promo mode for biographical drama film, which included attending the red carpet screening and Q-and-A during the 61st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center

Cool cat: Elordi, 26, was a prefect match with his cast mate, 26, decked out in a striped black suit that he matched with a white striped dress shirt and black shoes

Playful: The pair showed off their playful side when they decided to highlight their height difference

Making its Centerpiece Premiere at the festival, some of the cast and crew first made their way to the red carpet to strike a few poses for the array photographers.

When it came to fashion choices, Spaeny opted to show some skin in a white top that resembled a floral design that showed off part of midriff, arms and shoulders.

She also wore black slacks with a loose fit and a pair of matching heels that were at times hidden by the flared bottoms.

Rounding out her overall look the Springfield, Missouri native had her dark brown locks styled in a bob of sorts that was pushed over her right ear while covering the other.

After a few solo poses, the Mare Of Easttown actress would also join her Priscilla co-star for another round of photos.

Elordi was a prefect match with his cast mate decked out in a striped black suit that he matched with a white striped dress shirt and black shoes.

The Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, who's best known for his role on the HBO series Euphoria, had his his dark brown hair styled short, over both ears, with a subtle part on the left.

At one point, the pair showed off their playful side when they decided to highlight their height difference.

Chic: Spaeny opted to show some skin in a white top that resembled a floral design that matched with black slack and matching heels

Dapper: Elordi looked dapper as ever while posing for the shutterbugs

Group shot: The two stars were joined on the red carpet by crew member Stacey Battat, Lorenzo Mieli, Youree Henley and Tamara Deverell

Promo push: Producers Lorenzo Mieli and Youree Henley also posed with Spaeny and Elordi

Elordi, who is 6ft5in, stood over Spaeny, at 5ft1in, while she flashed a frightened look as she looked up at him.

The two lead actors also took a group shot with some crew member that included costume designer Stacey Battat, producer Lorenzo Mieli, producer Youree Henley and Art director and production designer Tamara Deverell.

Actress Gwynne Phillips, who plays Suzie in the film, looked lovely in an orange and red layered dress.

Padma Lakshmi showed her support for the film in a dark brown dress, while Megan Milan oozed elegance in a black number with sparkles.

Art director and production designer Tamara Deverell looked chic in a silk green blouse and black slacks.

Johnny Ross wore a checkered suit without a shirt and white sneakers.

Priscilla cast members Evan Annisette and Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll both went with black ensembles to the screening.

Josette Halpert looked stylish in a navy gown, while Jorja Cadence wowed in a skintight black lace dress

Eye-catching: Actress Gwynne Phillips, who plays Suzie in the film, looked lovely in an orange and red layered dress

Gorgeous: Padma Lakshmi showed her support for the film in a dark brown dress, while Megan Milan oozed elegance in a black number with sparkles

Happy to be here: Padma flashed a bright smile on the red carpet

Stylish gals: Josette Halpert looked stylish in a navy gown, while Jorja Cadence wowed in a skintight black lace dress

Classy: Stacey Battat was the picture of elegancein a black dress and heels

Creative touch: Art director and production designer Tamara Deverell also struck a solo pose ahead of the screening

Trendy: Dan Abramovici and Myrthin Stagg made a stylish duo

Cast support: Priscilla cast members Evan Annisette and Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll both went with black ensembles to the screening

Musical touch: Music producer Randall Poster (center) was also at the event

Show of support: Patricia Swinney Kaufman went with a black and white outfit; she is the executive director of the New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture and Television Development and the deputy commissioner of Empire State Development

Elegant pair: Youree Henley and Havilah Brewster made an elegant pair

Dapper: Ari Cohen was dapper in grey suit

Promo push: Actor Steve Way, best known for his role in the Hulu series Ramy, was also on hand for the festival screening

Strike a pose: Johnny Ross wore a checkered suit without a shirt and white sneakers

Also spotted: Dan Beirne - who also had a role as Joe in Priscilla - was seen attending the event wearing a pair of khaki slacks as well as a light pink T-shirt

Stacey Battat was the picture of elegancein a black dress and heels

After the screening Spaeny and Elordi took to the stage for the Q-and-A portion of the event, where they talked about their experience in making the movie and working with Sofia Coppola.

The filmmaker, who's the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, best known for his work on The Godfather film series, has had a knack of showcasing intimate portraits of women living complicated lives behind closed doors.

With Priscilla Coppola has once again followed that mantra, considering Priscilla went from military child to the love interest of one of the biggest stars in the world as a teenager.

Elvis met Priscilla at a party in Germany while he was stationed there by the U.S. Army when he was 24-years-old and she was only 14.

Their marriage was rocked by infidelities and substance abuse, before ultimately falling apart in 1972, five years before his death.

The stars star of the film also made their way to that SiriusXM Town Hall hosted by Andy Cohen at the SiriusXM Studios in New York City.

Spaeny would opt for a black dress with white polkadots and black strappy heels for this promotional event.

Promo mode: The stars star of the film also made their way to a SiriusXM Town Hall hosted by Andy Cohen at the SiriusXM Studios in New York City

Stylin': Spaeny would opt for a black dress with white polkadots and black strappy heels for this promotional event

Elordi and Spaeny chatted about the film and its director Sofia Coppola with Andy Cohen during the promotional event earlier in the day

Opening up: Cailee slipped into a pair of sleek, closed-toed black pumps and opted for minimal accessories, such as a dainty bracelet on her left wrist

Stylish: Elordi, who's best known for his role as Nate Jacobs on the HBO drama series Euphoria, would change into a different white dress shirt with prominent stripes and black slacks

Coming: Priscilla is scheduled to make its wide release in theaters in the U.S. on November 3

The King and Queen: Priscilla is based on Priscilla Presley's memoir Elvis And Me (1985); the legendary rocker and his queen are pictured on their wedding day on May 1, 1967

Elordi also changed up his look in different black slacks that he wore with a white shirt with more prominent stripes and shiny black loafers.

They duo not only struck a few more poses for SiriusXM, they also sat down to discuss the film with Cohen, which includd fielding questions from fans.

Along with Spaeny and Elordi, the cast also includes Dagmara Dominczyk, Raine Monroe Boland, Emily Mitchell, Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll a, Luke Humphrey, Dan Beirne, Olivia-Mai Barrett, Dan Abramovici, R Austin Ball, Evan Annisette, Gwynne Phillips, among others.

Priscilla is scheduled to make its wide release in theaters in the U.S. on November 3.
"The Peruvian community in Israel is made up of approximately 4,000 people; so far, no compatriot has been registered who may have been affected by the situation of violence that this country is going through," said Estefany Jordan, head of Peru's Consular Section in Israel.

"So far, there is no information on injuries or deaths to lament, in the case of our compatriots," she added.

The Peruvian official indicated that fellow citizens residing in said country are very concerned because they fear that their flights back to Peru may be affected.

"Although Ben Gurion Airport continues to operate, there are several flights that have been effectively canceled, and if that situation continues, we will have a situation of compatriots stranded in this country," she told Latina Noticias.

Spokesperson for Israeli Government

"Today at 6 a.m. (local time), Hamas terrorists launched more than 2,000 missiles from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli population; hundreds of terrorists crossed the border and massacred hundreds of Israelis in the villages and cities near the border," he recalled.

Haiat commented that there are no reasons for this new attack by Hamas and that Israel's Government will do everything possible to repel the bombings coming from the Gaza Strip.

An attack by land, sea, and air from Gaza towards Israel by the Islamist group Hamas has caused more than 200 deaths and injured nearly 900 people.

La Seccion Consular de la Embajada del Peru en Israel ha informado que hasta el momento no se registran peruanos afectados por la situacion de violencia que esta atravesando la region del Medio Oriente. La Cancilleria se mantiene atenta al estado de nuestros connacionales.
Whitney Port spent some quality family with her six-year-old son, Sonny, on Friday in her hometown of Los Angeles.

The star, who has been very open and honest about her and husband Tim Rosenman's struggles to grow their family with a second child, looked chic in an all-black ensemble.

While out and about the television personality, fashion designer and author was the picture of elegance in a black silk slip dress and knee-high Khaite Davis Boots.

Taking to Instagram, Port shared about her slip dress to her 1.5 million Instagram fans and followers, writing, 'this dress is @me_andem but I can't find it anywhere online! So sorry! It's so cute.'

She also accessorized with cool sunglasses, a black and gold necklace, gold AGMES earrings, and had her long blonde tresses pulled back off her face and into a ponytail.

Chic: Whitney Port, 38, looked stylish in an all-black ensemble when she spent part of her Friday out with her son Sonny, six, in Los Angeles

Doting mom: The Hills alum was spotted holding the hand of her son, who looked cute in shorts and a t-shirt

Seemingly heading back home, Port got out of her car and quickly grabbed a hold of Sonny's hand for the short walk to the front door.

Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, the youngster carried a backpack over his shoulders.

Port only just returned from her holiday to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico this past weekend, where she got in some much-needed rest and relaxation.

Her Friday also included taking to Instagram to showcase some of her Mexico outfits that she's selling on her website that called her 'Mexico trip look round up.'

In the clip, she struck a number of poses while walking in the various ensembles.

The City star also advertised that she's available to be hired as a stylist to help 'find your style' and to 'build out your wardrobe.'

Port has been dealing with fans and followers who expressed their concern that she's too thin back in July.

The comments hit closer to home when her husband also expressed worry over her thinner physique.

Fashionista: The reality star and fashion designer revealed she can't find this slip dress online

Fashion tips: Port also shared a couple of photos of herself wearing the outfit she wore to dinner Thursday night, which included baggy off-white pants and a cropped turtleneck

Working it: Port also posted a video of herself modeling the different outfits she wore during her recent trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, which she called her 'Mexico trip look round up'

Beach ready: One of the ensembles showcased in the clip showed her modeling a sheer black number over an animal print bikini that was see-through

Revealing: The mother of one also took off the sheer number to highlight the animal print bikini

She admitted to her concerned 3M social media followers that she's underweight but it's 'not something I strive for.'

The 5ft10in tall star admitted she was concerned about being underweight and said she had 'no idea' she weighed 'as little' as she did until she stepped on a scale over the summer.

She has since told fans not to worry because she is planning to 'eat thoughtfully' and 'put the right things in (her) body.'

Just before people began expressing their concern over her weight, Port revealed she and her husband were contemplating whether to go the route of a surrogate to help them expand their family.

During an interview with People she shared about the emotional and physical toll the process has been following multiple pregnancy losses.

'I suffered from secondary infertility, and it has just been such a process both physically and mentally to get to that second baby,' she confessed.

Although Port cautioned that the couple hadn't made up their minds on surrogacy just yet, she went on to explain how her efforts to get pregnant have been 'all-consuming' resulting in her struggling to find happiness.

'I wasn't able to be present and happy and a decent version of myself,' the former MTV star revealed, before adding, 'So I think hopefully if this new route can happen that would be the biggest blessing of all time. But, we'll see.'

Beachy: Port also shared a floral bikini ensemble that's perfect for the beach

Lovely: The fashion designer also paired the floral bikini top with tan leggings

Stylin': Port also wore shorts and a matching tank top for another look

Sporty: Port also nailed the casual-cool look in this blue outfit

Cool: The reality star also matched black leggings with a black and white striped top

Weight concerns: Port, who also showed some skin in this black outfit, has been dealing with concerns over her weight since July, after some people commented she was too thin

Family issues: Port revealed in early July that she and husband Tim Rosenman were contemplating whether to use a surrogate to help them expand their family after multiple pregnancy losses over the years

Port first gained recognition on the original Hills series from 2006 to 2008.

She went on to star in her own reality show, The City, for two seasons until it was cancelled in 2010.

Since then she launched her fashion line Whitney Eve and has served as a judge on the eighth cycle of Britain's & Ireland's Next Top Model.

Port would also take part in the The Hills: New Beginnings, a reboot of the original that also included original cast members Stephanie Pratt, Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, Frankie Delgado, Jason Wahler and Justin 'Bobby' Brescia.

Port and Rosenman, who started dating in 2012, will be celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary on November 7.
Julie Bowen gave curious fans an update on how her friend and former Modern Family co-star Sofia Vergara is doing months after husband Joe Manganiello filed for divorce.

The 53-year-old actress told People that Vergara, 51, is 'doing great.'

Bowen elaborated, 'Her Instagram says it all. We have spoken, and she's doing great. Sofia has always had such a wonderful family that surrounds her and wonderful friends.'

It comes three months after Manganiello, 46, and the America's Got Talent judge announced their separation in a statement to Page Six.

At the time, they said: 'We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.'

Filling fans in: Julie Bowen gave curious fans an update on how her friend and former Modern Family co-star Sofia Vergara is doing months after husband Joe Manganiello filed for divorce

Moving forward: The 53-year-old actress told People that Vergara, 51, is 'doing great'; she is seen with Joe in January

Bowen also made reference to Taylor Swift's recent appearances at Chiefs games.

'She doesn't need Taylor Swift to take her to a game. She's good,' Bowen joked about Vergara.

'But I'm super happy that all those other girls are going to games with T Swifty. I wish she had been around for me,' she added playfully.

Julie went on to praise Sofia as someone she looks up to.

'Sofia has always been my role model as far as embracing being a woman and womanly, and yet also being powerful and not... I always felt like you had to compromise one for the other,' she explained.

The Horrible Bosses star also gushed about Sofia back in August.

'I have no doubt that if she wishes to be in a relationship she will be, but she sure dont need one,' she told E! News at the time.

She added, 'Everything she does, she does with grace. And she rises above and she just goes forward. Shes warm and generous and giving to everybody around her.'

Enjoying Paris! Bowen elaborated about Sofia, 'Her Instagram says it all. We have spoken, and she's doing great. Sofia has always had such a wonderful family that surrounds her and wonderful friends'

Onward: It comes three months after Manganiello, 46, and the America's Got Talent judge announced their separation in a statement to Page Six; Pictured 2020

Splitsville: Manganiello and Vergara tied the knot in 2015 and never had children together

Bowen was among the first to show public support for Vergara after the star announced her divorce, commenting, 'This is what single and [fire emoji] looks like,' on an Instagram post.

Sofia has been active on Instagram throughout the week, sharing loads of outtakes from a trip to Paris and seemingly enjoying single life.

Manganiello and Vergara tied the knot in 2015 and never had children together.

The marriage was not a first for Sofia, who was married to Joe Gonzalez from 1991 to 1993. She and her ex-husband share son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, 32.
She was forced to pull out of competing this series after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

But Amy Dowden was in great spirits as she prepared to make her first appearance on Strictly Come Dancing since her diagnosis.

The dancer, 33, cut a stylish figure in a denim shirt dress as she headed to the studios in Elstree on Saturday.

Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, recently revealed she'd shaved off her hair after losing much of her locks during her gruelling chemotherapy treatment.

And no doubt Amy will be a guest of honour at this weekend's live show, after being unable to compete with a celebrity partner due to her health battles.

All smiles: Amy Dowden was in great spirits as she headed to the Strictly Come Dancing studios on Saturday to make her first appearance since being diagnosed with breast cancer

On Friday, the star revealed she'd bought two wigs after shaving her hair, and it had helped her to regain her confidence.

It comes after Amy underwent a mastectomy in June before doctors discovered she was also battling another form of cancer and would need further treatment.

Although she cannot take part in Strictly in her usual role this year, the Welsh dragon has expressed the incredible support she's had from her family at the BBC dance show.

Supporting the show ahead of movie week, the star took to Instagram to share a throwback snap of Amy in her tiger makeup back in 2019 for her samba performance with her partner Karim Zeroual.

She captioned the snap: 'I love Movie week on Strictly! Who's excited?'

It comes after Amy revealed she would cry herself to sleep at night as she watched her hair fall out onto her pillow in her fight against cancer.

The television favourite revealed why she decided to shave her hair off as she told The Mirror: 'I woke up one morning with quite a lot on the pillow, then I brushed it and quite a lot came out.

'I was traumatised, crying, I would only brush my hair once a day, but I would dread that brush. My husband would brush it for me so I wouldnt see.'

Surprise appearance? The star looks set to be a guest of honour at the show's Movie Wee Special on Saturday, after joining the other professional dancers leaving their hotel

Happy: The star beamed as she wrapped up in a faded grey denim dress and green head scarf while donning some white trainers

'Then it started going from on top. Ben would hear me crying most nights and come and comfort me. It was upsetting him as well. He hated brushing it.

'I would dread waking up in the morning, seeing what was on the pillow. It would be in your mouth, a trail being left, it was so distressing. So I saved myself the heartache and took control.'

Amy recently shared a heartbreaking video of herself as her hair was shaved off by her loved ones.

The Strictly star broke down in tears before she embraced the brave step she had made as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Amy says while it was tough, it was empowering to take control and is now looking forward to her hair growing back, rather than the heartache of losing it.

Brave: Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May , recently chose to take control as she shaved her hair off amid her chemotherapy treatment

Showing her support: It comes before the star took to Instagram on Friday to share a throwback snap of herself in her tiger makeup back in 2019 for her samba performance with her partner Karim Zeroual

With Strictly kicking off late last month, it has been particularly tough for Amy to watch.

Amy says she cried when she saw the professional dancers lead their celebrities down the stairs in the first show.

And while dancing is a huge part of her life, Amy says her health at the moment has prevented her from being able to move in the way she is used to.

She says she has seen her body change and has gained weight as a side effect from her treatment.

'I am missing everything', Amy says.

It comes after Amy revealed she nearly died due to the side effects of chemotherapy amid her breast cancer battle.

The Welsh professional dancer had the terrifying near-death experience after her first and second round of chemo she was rushed to hospital with sepsis and then blood clots.

She is now on blood thinners now for six months after the 'frightening' experience.

Amy also told how she at first wanted to refuse chemo as it would be 'Strictly, her hair and her life gone' but was ultimately persuaded to do it.

Amy underwent IVF to create and freeze embryos before starting her treatment with hopes to have children with her husband Ben Jones in the future.

A friend told her there was no point in her freezing her embryos as if she didn't have the chemo she wouldn't 'be around to have these babies anyway'.
Girls Aloud fans were treated to a surprise reunion on Friday night, as Cheryl and Kimberley Walsh celebrated Nicola Roberts' 38th birthday at a star-studded party.

Kimberley took to Instagram Stories to share a beaming snap with her longtime pal as they enjoyed a night out at The BoTree Bar - where catering and drinks were supplied by Lavo in Marylebone - in Nicola's honour.

Drinks included Poppy and Chloe Delevingne's brand Della Vite, while Nicola also indulged in her favourite cocktails - lychee martinis, strawberry daiquiris and Old Fashioneds.

Kimberley captioned the post: 'Celebrity Miss @lilcola last night with my girl @cherylofficial.'

Videos from the night also showed Nicola blowing out candles on her birthday cake - a signature 20-layer cake from Lavo - with presenter Laura Whitmore cheering.

Look who it is! Girls Aloud fans were treated to a surprise reunion on Friday night, as Cheryl and Kimberley Walsh celebrated Nicola Roberts ' 38th birthday at a star-studded party

Besties! Videos from the night also showed Nicola Roberts blowing out candles on her birthday cake, with presenter Laura Whitmore cheering

Girls Aloud previously split back in 2013, but following the death of their bandmate Sarah Harding in 2021, the group reunited for a performance at a charity ball in October, sparking talk of a potential comeback.

Cheryl recently hinted at a pop comeback by launching a new company with former Girls Aloud bandmates Kimberley Walsh, Nicola Adams and Nadine Coyle.

Let's Go Eskimo - named after a lyric in Girls Aloud hit Love Machine - was launched in September to handle any financial earnings made by the band, who split up in 2013.

The move has prompted speculation regarding a potential comeback for the girls, who reunited last October for a performance at a charity ball for former bandmate Sarah Harding.

Harding passed away aged 39 in 2021 after battling breast cancer, with the band later organising The Primrose Ball to raise money for the Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Cancer Research UK, as part of the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.

Discussing Harding's tragic death at the event on October 8 2022, Cheryl said: 'To be honest, I've never experienced or anticipated this grief.

'You know, Ive lost grandparents and a friend when I was younger but nothing like this. The feeling of shock and disbelief and it still lingers now.

'You feel so helpless, youve never felt hopelessness like it, its horrendous. So the fact that Sarah had one request that we can fulfil is great for us because it just feels like were doing something.'

Back together! Girls Aloud previously split back in 2013, but following the death of their bandmate Sarah Harding in 2021, the group reunited for a performance last year

Happy: A clip shared by Love Island host Laura Whitmore showed a delighted Nicola receiving her birthday cake

Old friends: The girls were back out in public in September when they attended the London wedding of celebrity publicist Simon Jones

She added: 'We felt like there was nothing we could do for so long.'

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline in January, Cheryl revealed that the loss ensured that she doesn't take any days for granted and that it brought her 'closer' to Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle and Kimberley Walsh.

She explained: 'A lot of conversations we had before she left really sparked a different perspective for me, and I'll carry that.

'She wasn't ready to leave and I think, "well I'm still here". I've got the gift of life to still live, and I'll do it with her in mind. It does shift a lot of things in your own heart.'

Detailing how Sarah's death brought her closer to her bandmates, she continued: 'With the loss and our age we just appreciate and love each other so much more.

'We always have loved each other, obviously. But it's just a different, there's a different depth to it all now.'

The girls were back out in public in September when they attended the London wedding of celebrity publicist Simon Jones.
Strictly Come Dancing bosses have updated fans on Jody Cundy's future after he was rushed to hospital earlier this week with a swollen infected leg.

The Paralympian, 44, was spotted heading to Elstree Studios to prepare for Satruday's live show

Jody, who had one of his legs amputated when he was three years old after being born with a deformed foot, was forced to forfeit two whole days of training due to the infection which prevented him from wearing his prosthetic leg.

However, the star appears to be back on his feet again as he headed to dress rehearsals with a smile on his face hours before the live show.

As he made his way to rehearsals Jody could be seen carrying a pair of crutches in his hands as he donned a casual fit for the day.

He's back? Jody Cundy is back and ready to hit the dance floor for Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night as he was spotted heading to Elstree Studios to prepare for the show

While it is still not guaranteed Jody will perform this weekend, Strictly bosses are hoping he will take to the dance floor.

A spokesperson for the BBC told MailOnline: 'We are all hopeful Jody will be able to perform this weekend and there are contingencies in place should he not be able to.'

The athlete, who is partnered with Jowita Przystal, said he hoped he would be back on the dance floor this weekend.

During Friday's episode of Strictly: It Takes Two on BBC Two, host Janette Manrara announced he and his professional dance partner Jowita Przystal, 29, were dancing again in the hope of being able to perform on Saturday.

Janette said: 'Jody told us last night that he got an infection on his leg and he hadn't been able to wear his prosthetic so he didn't get much rehearsals, weren't sure if they were going to dance but they danced today everybody!'

When asked what she thought it would be to Jody to be able to return to the ballroom, show guest, former Great British Bake Off star Briony May Williams, said: 'I think it will mean even more because they're overcoming such a huge obstacle.

'I mean, I can't even imagine having to go through that and the pain he must be going through.

'The fact that he's still going, the fact that he danced today, it's fantastic and I wish them the best of luck.'

Health scare: The Paralympian was rushed to hospital earlier this week after waking up at 4am with a swollen infected leg and was forced to forfeit two days of training due to the infection

Hopeful: A spokesperson for Strictly said that they are 'hopeful that Jody will be able to perform tonight' however, 'there are contingencies in place should he not be able to'

Athlete Jody appeared on It Takes Two on Thursday alongside his professional dance partner Jowita and said he had noticed his limb had become red and swollen after removing his prosthetic leg.

He told host Janette: 'It's been a week of highs and lows. The first two days have absolutely flown by. The end of day two we had done the full routine a number of times which I had not done for the previous two dances.

'I was really confident that I could perfect everything for Saturday. I got home on Tuesday night and took my leg off and was like "oh, that's quite sore".

'I didn't really think too much of it and cleaned it, bathed it and made sure it was all ok.

Back at it: It comes after Jody was spotted back in rehearsals on Friday after it emerged he may not be able to compete on the show this weekend following a health scare

On the move: When arriving back at his hotel after the Strictly dress rehearsal Jody appeared in good spirits as he carried a pair of crutches in his hand

Good news: During Friday's episode of Strictly: It Takes Two, host Janette Manrara announced Jody and Jowita were dancing again in the hope of being able to perform on Saturday

'I got up at 4am and looked at my leg, it was warm, swollen and I was like "that's getting infected".'

Jody revealed he went straight to hospital and was prescribed antibiotics.

However by the time the morning came, the athlete was unable to get his prosthetic leg back on because his limb was so swollen.

Jody said it has meant he has missed both Wednesday and Thursday's rehearsals.

He said: 'It is healing and getting better. The swelling has gone down a little bit more.'

The duo said they really hoped they would be able to dance on Saturday night, despite the setback.

A representative for Strictly Come Dancing told MailOnline 'He danced yesterday which was on ITV last night, and we are all hopeful Jody will be able to perform tonight, and there are contingencies in place should he not be able to.'

Jody will dance the American Smooth to Married Life from Up for Movie Week.

Last week he received 16 points for his Pasa Doble.

Strictly Come Dancing next airs at 6.20pm on Saturday on BBC One.
Former Sunrise newsreader Talitha Cummins has no regrets about leaving behind her journalism career, even though it's shifted her family dynamic.

The 43-year-old announced last week that she'd closed the door to journalism for good to focus on her newly-launched jewellery business.

Reiterating her point in this week's Stellar magazine, Cummins said that she's excited to enjoy her second career after spending the last few years being a wife and mother following her exit from Channel Seven.

'The other night I was looking through a section on my phone of the photos throughout my career,' she said.

'And I thought, well, this is the end. I'm moving on with career 2.0, moving from journalism into a whole new industry, and it couldn't be further from it.'

Former Sunrise newsreader Talitha Cummins has no regrets about leaving behind her journalism career, even though it's shifted her family dynamic

Tabitha said that her ex-NRL star husband Bec Lucas is now helping out with the domestic duties at home so she can grow her business, but the couple's two children are still sceptical about their mother's new venture.

'The kids keep saying, "Why are you doing this?" And I say, "Well, I still feel like there are things that I want to achieve",' she explained.

'I'm actually quite ambitious and quite driven and I needed some way to channel that energy.'

Tabitha said that her ex-NRL star husband Bec Lucas is now helping out with the domestic duties at home so she can grow her business. (Pictures together)

'The kids keep saying, "Why are you doing this?" And I say, "Well, I still feel like there are things that I want to achieve",' she explained

The former Weekend Sunrise reporter, 43, announced on Monday that she'd quit the media industry for good so she can focus on her jewellery business.

Posting to Instagram, the mother-of-two uploaded a gallery containing several throwback photos of herself presenting the news on Weekend Sunrise alongside the likes of Edwina Bartholomew, Mark Beretta and Simon Reeve.

'It's a big day for me today,' she began her caption, adding: 'I'm officially cutting ties with a 20 year career in journalism/television + media consulting and launching my business in diamond and jewellery creating.'

'It's a big shift, but the move to launching my own business has given me an energy and drive like never before.'

The former Weekend Sunrise reporter, 43, announced on Monday that she'd quit the media industry for good so she can focus on her jewellery business. (Pictured left with former Sunrise colleague Edwina Bartholomew)

Cummins explained that her family has been creating diamond jewellery for 50 years, and that she has launched her business in collaboration with her uncle and cousin.

She went on to note that her brand will help to 'disrupt the market' by using lab-grown diamonds instead of real ones.

'When I went to the GIA [Gemological Institute of America] to study diamond grading in London we were handed a lab grown and a mined diamond and asked to use a microscope to tell them apart. We couldn't,' she wrote.

Posting to Instagram, the mother-of-two uploaded a gallery containing several throwback photos of herself presenting the news on Weekend Sunrise alongside the likes of (L-R) Edwina Bartholomew, Mark Beretta and Simon Reeve

'It's a big day for me today,' she began her caption, adding: 'I'm officially cutting ties with a 20 year career in journalism/television + media consulting and launching my business in diamond and jewellery creating'

'We learnt that they're indistinguishable because they are chemically, physically and visually the same. They sparkle in the same way as they're made of the same substance. Pure carbon. I was fascinated.'

'Exactly the same product, much lower price point. A business was born that day. I'm excited to be a part of what's proving to be the biggest disruptor to the jewellery industry. I'd love you to follow me on this new adventure.'

Cummins joined the Seven network in 2004 and went on to serve as a reporter and weather presenter at several of the network's Queensland bureaus.

Cummins explained that her family has been creating diamond jewellery for 50 years, and that she has launched her business in collaboration with her uncle and cousin

She moved from Queensland to New South Wales in 2011 and was appointed as a reporter for Seven News Sydney, before replacing Jessica Rowe as news presenter on Weekend Sunrise in 2014.

However, Cummins departed Seven in early 2017 while she was on maternity leave.

At the time she claimed she had been sacked unfairly. Cummins subsequently reached a confidential settlement with the Seven Network.

Most recently, she worked as a newsreader on Triple M Sydney.

In October last year, Cummins made headlines after she spoke candidly about her sobriety, revealing a she decided to give up booze after missing a weekend of work.

At the height of her alcoholism, she would consume four bottles of wine a night.

Cummins joined the Seven network in 2004 and went on to serve as a reporter and weather presenter at several of the network's Queensland bureaus

She moved from Queensland to New South Wales in 2011 and was appointed as a reporter for Seven News Sydney , before replacing Jessica Rowe as news presenter on Weekend Sunrise in 2014

Speaking to Daily Telegraph at the time, Cummins said she had tried 'many times' to stop drinking before going sober for good ten years ago.

'My chief-of-staff sat me down after I'd not turned up to work for a weekend and just said, "you're not OK are you?" and I just said "no". My work facade had crumbled. Everyone knew,' she said.

While admitting it's 'hard at times' the Gold Coast-born presenter said she 'can't help' but think what she wouldn't have if she still drinking.

In October last year, Cummins made headlines after she spoke candidly about her sobriety, revealing a she decided to give up booze after missing a weekend of work

'I have an amazing husband and two children,' she said.

'The chaotic life I was leading would never have allowed me to have that... When you drink heavily, you tend to hang around people who may not be great for you.'

She added that she now has 'the ability to peel back layers in therapy' and there's a 'freedom' in 'understanding why she does the things she does.

'I back myself now. I don't rely on alcohol for confidence so I've really had to develop myself.'
It seems Georgia Toffolo may have found the one after she was whisked off to the Scottish town of Ellon with her new boyfriend James Watt.

The I'm A Celeb winner, 28, is understood to be dating the 41-year-old controversial multimillionaire founder of BrewDog, the North-East's famous brewery.

While James treated his girlfriend to a trip to his home town, he also gave her a tour of the company's flagship brewery, took her to breakfast at a nearby coffee shop and then stopped off in scenic Crovie for a few snaps for Toffolo's Instagram.

The couple were apparently set up on a blind date over the summer and the relationship blossomed from there.

One friend remarked: 'Toff has never been happier  she is grinning from ear to ear and it is lovely to see. They have spent a lot of time together since meeting. They just hit it off instantly.'

Here we take a look at Georgia's dating history - from UKIP fraudsters, cheating exes and a famous YouTuber.

Has she found the one? As Georgia Toffolo, 28, is whisked away to Scotland with new beau we look back at her turbulent dating history

New man: I'm A Celeb winner, 28, is understood to be dating James Watt, 41, the controversial multimillionaire founder of BrewDog, the North-East's famous brewery

Sam Prince: 2017

Drama: Georgia began a relationship with Lottie Moss ' ex-boyfriend Sam Prince while on Made In Chelsea, however the two split after Toff found out he had had sex with another girl

Disgusted: In an iconic scene from the show, Sam apologised to Georgia for his actions as Georgia exclaimed: 'You f****d somebody in my bed'

Georgia was first shot into the public eye when she appeared on hit reality TV series Made In Chelsea.

She began a relationship with Lottie Moss' ex-boyfriend Sam Prince while on the show, however the two split after Toff found out he had had sex with another girl in her bed.

In an iconic scene from the show, Sam apologised to Georgia for his actions as Georgia exclaimed: 'You f****d somebody in my bed. Oh My God that is the most disgusting and disrespectful thing.'

She then realised she had also slept in his 'dirty sex sheets' after he admitted he didn't change them.

While Toff managed to remain calm during the encounter she later discussed the incident with Christine Bleakley on Lorraine.

She said: 'I was so shocked when I found out the truth, but I just thought 'you know what?' I'm going to handle this in a way where Sam and I are never going to be romantically involved with each other again now.

'And I think that says so much more than screaming and shouting. I didn't want to go down that route because we will have to see each other again.'

James Middleton: 2016 - 2017

Not the one: Georgia and James Middleton reportedly began dating in October 2016, however the MIC star called things off when she appeared on the third series of Celebs Go Dating

Georgia and James Middleton reportedly began dating in October 2016, however the MIC star called things off when she appeared on the third series of Celebs Go Dating.

However in September 2017 the star revealed to The Sun that she was back with James and revealed she 'really liked him' but her job made things difficult.

She explained how men often didn't like how busy she was with work, however James seemed different and approached her to be her boyfriend.

He joined MIC with Toff to make it easier to date, however the relationship didn't work out and they split just before Toff headed to the jungle for I'm A Celeb in 2017.

Jack Maynard: 2017

Just friends: Georgia went on to be crowned Queen of the Jungle and was rumoured to be secretly dating Jack Maynard when she got back to the UK

Jack and Georgia met on I'm A Celeb, however their time together on the show was brief.

The YouTuber was kicked off the show after three days when his homophobic and racist slurs surfaced online.

Georgia went on to be crowned Queen of the Jungle and was rumoured to be secretly dating Jack when she got back to the UK.

The pair were seen out and about and featured on each other's Instagram's however Toff later revealed that they had never been official and had just been on a date.

George Lineker: 2018

Date: Georgia and George Lineker sparked romance rumours back in April 2018 after they were pictured cosying up to one another in a club

Georgia and George Lineker sparked romance rumours back in April 2018 after they were pictured cosying up to one another in a club.

The pair were spotted multiple times together as they headed back in cab together after a night out.

Inside the club, Georgia and George, son of Gary Lineker, didn't seem to mind who saw how well they were getting on as she sat on his knee for a photo and put her arm around him.

However Georgia confirmed soon after that she was 'happily single' and 'too famous for love.'

She told The Sun: 'I worry now that before going on a date that I've already been pre-judged before they've even met me.

'I'm very fortunate with what I've got in the diary at the moment, but there are massive drawbacks. When I walk down the street people shout from their cars and their vans.

'So at the moment I'm still single and very happy and not looking for anyone at the moment. But a bit of Sunday night company wouldn't go amiss, but I've got my grandparents down the road so its fine.'

Charles Goode: 2018

Smooch: Georgia then made headlines in 2018 when she was spotted out and about with Charles Goode

Georgia then made headlines in 2018 when she was spotted out and about with Charles Goode.

Charles once dated Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy before moving on to Toff.

While the pair never officially revealed their relationship The Sun exclusively reported that the two were dating at the time.

George Cottrell: 2019-2023

Rollercoaster relationship: Georgia dated the convicted criminal George Cottrell on and off for four years until their split earlier this year

Devastated: Friends of Toff said at the time that she was 'devastated' that her relationship with the financier, which had lasted four years, may be finally over

Georgia dated the convicted criminal George Cottrell on and off for four years until their split earlier this year.

The pair met in 2019 at a social event before going on to spend time with him at his 2.5 million West London apartment and enjoying weekend breaks at his family's Worcestershire estate.

However, the relationship was far from smooth sailing and the pair had multiple breaks throughout their time together.

Georgia was reportedly left heartbroken in August after George struck up a romance with the reigning Miss Montenegro, model Andjela Vukadinovic.

Friends of Toff said at the time that she was 'devastated' that her relationship with the financier, which had lasted four years, may be finally over.

The convicted criminal was a senior adviser to Nigel Farage and played a key role during the Brexit campaign and was also an employee of UKIP.

He was arrested in Chicago in 2016 and later jailed after admitting to posing as a money launderer in a bid to rip off drug smugglers.

He spent eight months in a US prison before his release.
The stars of Strictly Come Dancing reportedly earn a flat fee for appearing on the show, with the amount increasing the further they make it in the competition.

It is claimed the professionals are paid between 35,000 to 50,000 to appear on the show, and they can earn a further 35,000 if they are asked to perform on the Strictly live tour after the series, according to The Sun.

Meanwhile, the famous contestants are said to be paid the same flat fee each, starting at a minimum of 25,000 even if they leave in the first week.

If they make it to week four, they get an additional 40,000, and if they take part in the Blackpool special and the quarter final they get 60,000.

The semi-finalists reportedly bank 75,000 and the winner is said to get a massive 100,000.

Big bucks: The stars of Strictly Come Dancing reportedly earn a flat fee for appearing on the show, with the amount increasing the further they make it in the competition (actor Bobby Brazier and his professional partner Dianne Buswell pictured on show)

Raking it in: The famous contestants are said to be paid the same flat fee each, starting at a minimum of 25,000 even if they leave in the first week (Reality star Zara McDermot and her professional partner Graziano Di Prima pictured on Strictly)

A Strictly spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.

The competitors are expected to put multiple hours into rehearsing with their professional partners each week before performing live on BBC One every Saturday.

Each week, the professionals choreograph the routines and they may also appear on BBC Two spin-off show Strictly: It Takes Two.

It comes after it was reported the Strictly Come Dancing judgers were locked in a pay row with show bosses ahead of this year's series.

Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke were allegedly looking to received an 11 percent salary rise ahead of the BBC dance competition show's new season.

But according to The Sun they accepted an offer of between 3 and 5 per cent.

Head judge Shirley is reportedly already earning 500,000, Motsi and Craig rake in 200,000, while Anton is believed to be on 180,000.

A source told the publication 'There was a real stand off between the judges and the Beeb on this issue, with neither side willing to budge for weeks.

All over: The Strictly Come Dancing judges reportedly recently backed down amid their pay row with BBC bosses

Huge: Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke were allegedly looking to receive an 11 per cent salary rise

'Thankfully they reached this resolution and are now breathing a sigh of relief and able to look forward to the new series.

'The show simply felt that curing a cost of living crisis, and at a time when the licence fee has been frozen, they couldn't justify an 11 per cent rise.'

The insider added that those involved with the show began to feel like the pay row was becoming a distraction from the upcoming 21st series this autumn.

The BBC was contacted by MailOnline for comment on the matter.

It comes after the show's professional dancers reportedly slammed the judges for demanding a huge pay rise.

Despite training for long hours, the dancers - who include Giovanni Pernice, Dianne Buswell and Johannes Radebe - are paid flat fees of around 35,000 for their work on the programme.

The dancers apparently took to their group chat on WhatsApp in the wake of the news to slam the judges and are also considering asking for a pay rise.

BBC bosses were also 'incandescent with anger' after the demand for a salary increase.

Agreement: But according to The Sun they have accepted an offer of between a 3 and 5 per cent rise

Moneybags: The initially requested rise would have seen head judge Ms Ballas, who currently earns 500,000 for her three month stint, earning a staggering 15,960 per hour on the show

A BBC source told the Daily Mail: 'While there is always some negotiation that goes on when new contracts are signed each year, this is something else.

'Their jobs are some of the very best on television and they are already very well remunerated for their work so when these negotiations began this time around, there was shock and anger.

'It is also not like they spend any other time working behind the scenes like the professional dancers. They turn up, get their make up done and go in front of the camera.

'The professional dancers work tirelessly for weeks on end and they work themselves to the bone for the smidgen of what the judges already earn, let alone what they want to earn.

How much do the Strictly judges earn? Shirley Ballas - 500,000 Craig Revel Horwood - 200,000 Motsi Mabuse - 200,000 Anton Du Beke - 180,000 Advertisement

'You would think that they would be aware that they work for the BBC and that they are essentially paid for by the British public through the licence fee.'

MailOnline contacted representatives for Shirley, Craig, Motsi, Anton, and BBC spokespeople for further comment at the time.

This came after Shirley was reportedly given a 'take it or leave it' deal by Strictly bosses to stay on the show, after she revealed she may quit over online trolling.

The head judge and Latin expert was subjected to much criticism last year in which trolls slammed her decisions and accused her of ageism and sexism.

But despite previously threatening to quit, Shirley has been in talks with bosses over a potential return to Strictly, previously revealing on the Jonathan Ross show that 'their people are talking to my people'.

Shirley joined the judging panel as head judge in 2017, following the departure of Len Goodman.

Shirley recently hinted that she may not return to Strictly Come Dancing this year following the torrent of vile online abuse she received during the last series.

Negotiations: This comes after Shirley was reportedly given a 'take it or leave it' deal by Strictly bosses to stay on the show, after she revealed she may quit over online trolling

In a candid interview, she indicated the previous series may have been her last as she'd hit an 'all-time low' after the abuse 'snowballed out of control'.

The ballroom dancer told how she was constantly left in tears after every show and struggled in silence, telling how it was 'the most negativity' she had ever faced.

She told the Mirror: 'Last year I was struggling. It wasn't just a little bit, it was a lot  the majority of it was in silence. I felt the abuse snowballed out of control and impacted me in such a negative way. I'm a pretty stoic person, and I tend to hold everything in.'

She explained that when the abuse began, it seemed 'larger than anything else', with the star telling how it left her 'crying and emotional', while she was 'embarrassed' about how she felt and didn't confide in anyone.

Strictly Come Dancing 2023: Who are the couples? Nigel Harman and Katya Jones Bobby Brazier and Diane Buswell Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk Jody Cundy and Jowita Przysta Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marquez Les Dennis and Nancy Xu Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer Advertisement
Kanye West again flashed his gold wedding band on Saturday when he and wife were spotted grabbing some coffee at a Starbucks in Italy.

The display comes short after DailyMail.com exclusively broke the news that the couple  who had been previously believed to only be in a 'spiritual marriage'  were legally married.

The pair tied the knot only a month after the rapper's divorce from Kim Kardashian, 42, under a 'confidential marriage' license, and the wedding was not recorded in the public record.

Kanye, 46, entered the coffee shop wearing a layered look with a short sleeve black T-shirt over a shirt with long sleeves at the coffee shop in Milan.

The wide gold band was clearly visible on his ring finger.

Married man: Kanye West, 46, flashed his wedding ring on Saturday as he stopped at a Starbucks in Milan with his wife Bianca Censori, 28. The day before, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that the two were legally married

He completed his look with a pair of baggy jeans, black shoes and a black scarf tied around his head to hide his face.

Bianca, 28, stepped out in a revealing white body suit with a plunging neckline.

She donned silver leggings and beige high heels to complete the look.

The trained architect's short hair was no longer blonde, but a more natural looking dark shade that complemented her skin tones.

The news of the marriage being legal comes amid rumors that Bianca has been given strict rules to follow by her husband.

'Kanye has a set of rules for Bianca, which includes never speak and wear what he wants her to wear,' the source told DailyMail.com exclusively.

'She is also required to eat certain food items and to work out even though Kanye doesnt work out.

'She has no mind of her own anymore and obeys him because he has convinced her that they are royal.'

Legal: The rapper began wearing the band after it was revealed his marriage was legal and Daily Mail reported the couple had wed under a confidential marriage license in December 2022

Public record: A confidential marriage license does not require a wedding to be recorded in the public record

Identity: Kanye seemed to try to conceal his identity, hiding his face with a black scarf tied around his head. Bianca stepped out in a white body suit with a plunging neckline and silver leggings

Customers inside the Starbucks were stunned when the rapper, who changed his name to Ye in 2018, sat with them for about 45 minutes in the store.

One fan shared the interaction in TikTok video writing, 'Can someone tell my why I'm sitting with Kanye literally it's giving Delulu ohhhmygod.'

The Starbucks encounter seemed to be one of the few positive interactions the couple have had since visiting Italy.

Many Italians have spoken out critically of their behavior, especially a seemingly sexual act on a gondola in Venice.

The owner of the taxi company transporting Kanye, Bianca and a third person said the driver of the boat was keeping their eye on traffic and had no idea any hanky panky was going on.

As result of their indiscretion, the company has banned them 'for life.'

The long-running confusion around Kanye and Bianca's intriguing marriage cropped up after the pair wed under a 'confidential marriage' license in California, meaning that it was not made public record.

Many had assumed that the 46-year-old rapper and the Yeezy architect, 28, married in a ceremony that was not legally binding, as there was seemingly no evidence of the union, with reports claiming they had a private ceremony in Beverly Hills earlier this year in January without an official marriage license.

Rules: Kanye has reportedly imposed strict rules on Bianca that include what she can wear, and what she can say

Interaction: Customers inside the Starbucks were stunned when the rapper, who changed his name to Ye in 2018, sat with them for about 45 minutes in the store

Video: One fan shared the interaction in TikTok video writing, 'Can someone tell my why I'm sitting with Kanye literally it's giving Delulu ohhhmygod'

However, DailyMail.com confirmed on Friday that that was not the case after obtaining and reviewing the official document that lists their date of marriage as December 20, 2022  just one month after he finalized his divorce from his first wife Kim Kardashian in November 2022.

Per their marriage license, the happy couple tied the knot in Palo Alto, California, known as Silicon Valley, and DailyMail.com has learned the pair picked a secret location for the special event.

The document was filed under their full names, Bianca Censori, and simply 'Ye' for the rapper, who legally changed his name from Kanye Omari West to the mononym in October 2021.

Ye and Bianca were married by California-based officiant James Mayfield.

Mayfield boasts marriage 'packages' starting at $385 that do not require a courthouse ceremony. It also states on his website that a confidential marriage license does not require any witnesses to be present.

Interestingly, their marital home is listed as his ranch in Wyoming.

The rapper purchased the sprawling $14m ranch four years ago, but there's been little to no development on the property since that time.

As early as July 2020, Ye - who has an estimated net worth of $500m - began constructing mystifying domes on the land which appear to remain unfinished and he has not been pictured at the location for many years since purchasing the home.

Explaining why the pair chose a confidential marriage license, a close friend of the couple reveals: 'Ye has been a megastar for two decades and counting, and his first marriage was to someone who lives almost full time in front of a camera.

'Bianca and Ye have a totally different vibe. They are very private, very affectionate and totally devoted to each other. I think they both enjoy carving out time that's just for them.

'For that reason they've been extremely hush-hush about the specifics of their wedding day. I don't think anyone besides the pair of them know exactly how it went down.

Kanye and Bianca (seen together in August) were officially married, DailyMail.com revealed ib Friday, after they tied the knot in a secret ceremony in Pal Alto in December last year  just weeks after his divorce from Kim Kardashian was finalized

Private ceremony: A close friend of the couple tell DailyMail.com, that they've 'been extremely hush-hush about the specifics of their wedding day. I don't think anyone besides the pair of them know exactly how it went down'

Marital home: The rapper purchased this sprawling $14M ranch in Wyoming four years ago  which is listed as his marital home with Bianca

The close friend adds: 'They are besotted with each other. I can assure you they are very much married.'

One in five marriages in California are now officially classified as 'confidential' and do not appear in public records, but it is a legally binding marriage that would require a divorce if the union were to end.

It's still unclear exactly how long the pair had been romantic with one another leading up to the marriage, but Bianca joined Kanye's Yeezy company in November 2020.

A year before the end of his six-year marriage to Kim Kardashian, the father-of-four hired Bianca as an architectural designer at his company Yeezy.

Kim had filed for divorce from her former spouse after almost seven years of marriage in February 2021 with the help of 'disso queen' Laura Wasser.

Ye then moved on with Bianca, even paying tribute to her by releasing the track, Censori Overload, a play on her last name.

At this point in their relationship, we now know the couple were already married.

In the lyrics Ye revealed that he stayed celibate before tying the knot, singing: 'And The Bible said, I can't have any more sex 'til marriage.'

The song appeared to reference his split from Kim, opening with the lines: 'Waking up to 'I can't do this anymore' text', adding 'I know it's 'cause the headlines / Why she wanna leave.'

Ye and his wife Bianca then went public with their romance in January, with his new bride catching the world's attention in a number of very revealing outfits.

Whirlwind wedding: This summer, the couple have been causing a frenzy on their European vacation, stirring up controversy with Bianca's nude-themed clothes , particularly in Italy

Going public: The pair were first spotted together enjoying lunch in January this year - AFTER the pair had already wed

Per their marriage license, the happy couple tied the knot in Palo Alto, California, also known as Silicon Valley (aerial view pictured above) and DailyMail.com has learned the pair picked a secret location for the special event

Making moves: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West filed for divorce in 2021, meanwhile he was linked briefly to Julia Fox in January 2022

Warp speed romance: It's still unclear exactly how long the pair had been romantic with one another leading up to the marriage, but Bianca joined Kanye's Yeezy company in November 2020 (Pictured above in May this year)

First wedding: Ye was married to Kim Kardashian from May 24, 2014 - March 2, 2022 (Pictured above at their Italian nuptials)

This summer, the couple have been causing a frenzy on their European vacation, stirring up controversy with Bianca's nude-themed clothes, particularly in Italy.

The loved-up pair received backlash with a very amorous boat ride in August - with the couple caught in flagrante.

They were both accused of public indecency by Italian authorities on August 28, after Ye was snapped with his pants down and with his Australian bride nuzzled between his legs, during a water taxi ride on the city's famous canals.

Following the shocking sighting, the two promptly were slammed for engaging in an apparent lewd act in front of dozens of gawking tourists.
Alec Baldwin was spotted during a shopping trip in The Hamptons on Saturday morning.

The 65-year-old performer cut a casual figure as he took a short walk through a parking lot before he collected his purchases.

The 30 Rock actor, who recently shared a rare family snap on his Instagram account, opted for a burgundy-colored polo shirt and a pair of slim-fitting dark gray pants.

Baldwin also donned a pair of tri-tone Skechers and kept a black sweater slung over his left forearm.

The Academy Award-winning performer completed his look for the day with a small pair of sunglasses.

Stepping out: Alec Baldwin was spotted during a shopping trip in The Hamptons on Saturday morning

The actor's outing took place just one day after he and other producers of the upcoming western film Rust were accused of obstructing a criminal probe into the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, which occurred on the feature's set.

The cinematographer died after she was hit with a live round fired from a revolver held by Baldwin, who was filming a scene on the movie's New Mexico set, on October 21, 2021.

The news about the claim was revealed by several media outlets on Friday, and Deadline reported that the accusations were made by special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey during a hearing that took place on Friday.

During the hearing, which was held regarding documents related to the film, Morrissey claimed that the project's production team had intentionally made the case difficult to investigate.

The special prosecutor stated: 'Rust Productions has either intervened, interfered or obstructed the criminal investigation in this case.'

Morrissey then expressed her opinion regarding why the fatal shooting had occurred in the first place.

'This entire tragedy occurred because Rust Productions cut corners every chance they could and they hired inexperienced and ill-equipped crew members,' she said.

The hearing took place as part of Morrissey's case against Rust's armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

Taking it easy: The 30 Rock actor, who recently shared a rare family snap on his Instagram account, opted for a burgundy-colored polo shirt and a pair of slim-fitting dark gray pants

In trouble: The actor's outing took place just one day after he, as well as the other producers of the upcoming western film Rust, were accused of obstructing a criminal probe into the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, which occurred on the feature's set; he is seen on the movie's set in April

Tragic event: The cinematographer passed away after she was hit with a live round fired from a revolver held by Baldwin, who was filming a scene on the movie's New Mexico set, on October 21, 2021

In court: The news about the claim was revealed by several media outlets on Friday, and Deadline reported that the accusations were made by special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey during a hearing that took place on Friday

Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter this past January, although his charges were dropped in April.

Prosecutors have stated that they could potentially refile charges against the Beetlejuice actor in the future.

Hutchins' family had also filed a wrongful death suit regarding the fatal shooting, although it was settled in October of last year.

The actor ultimately returned to the feature's set to complete his scenes for the film, and its crew wrapped on May 22.
El Peru ejercera la Presidencia de @APEC en 2024. Conoce mas acerca de este importante foro de cooperacion y coordinacion que une a 21 economias del Asia Pacifico. #RumboAPEC2024 ?????? pic.twitter.com/lu1xXKzWke
Dame Judi Dench has met a rescue seal named after her which was brought into a sanctuary on the same day she visited in Cornwall.

The Oscar-winning star, 88, famous as 'M' in the James Bond films with Daniel Craig, visited the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek with her family last Friday.

As she was shown around, a female grey seal was admitted to the sanctuary's hospital after being found dehydrated and with several wounds to her flippers on Millook Haven Beach.

Leanne Attwood, the sanctuary's fund-raising manager, said: 'It was like fate. It just so happened that, as Dame Judi and her family explored the sanctuary, this pup was admitted to our seal hospital.

'With our actors and actresses naming theme this season, we knew we just had to name her after Judi Dench, who was already on our list of name ideas.'

Animal lover: Dame Judi Dench, 88, has met a rescue seal named after her which was brought into a sanctuary on the same day she visited in Cornwall

Rescued: The Oscar-winning star, famous as 'M' in the James Bond films with Daniel Craig, visited the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek with her family last Friday

Leanne said that the actress was 'an absolute delight and so gracious about the naming'.

She added: 'Dame Judi was so excited to meet the pup and tour the facilities.'

Staff are nursing the pup back to full health in the hope of successfully releasing her back to the wild as soon as possible.

They repeated the plea to the public not to disturb seal pups at this time of year, and to keep dogs on leads and children away.

Dame Judi is a keen animal lover, with a soft spot for sanctuaries and wildlife centres.

It comes after Dame Judi's partner of 10 years, David Mills, gave a rare insight into the couple's decade long relationship.

The wildlife conservationist, 77, spoke about his screen star other half during her Countryfile special last month.

David recalled meeting Dame Judi after she paid a visit to his wildlife centre in Surrey and joked 'she fell in love with my squirrels not me'.

Injured: As she was shown around, a female grey seal was admitted to the sanctuary's hospital after being found dehydrated and with several wounds to her flippers

Chanced: Leanne Attwood, fund-raising manager, said: 'It just so happened that, as Dame Judi and her family explored the sanctuary, this pup was admitted to our seal hospital'

Candid: It comes after Dame Judi Dench's partner of 10 years David Mills (pictured) gave a rare insight into the couple's decade long relationship

He said: I saw her coming in with her family, so rushed I out and made myself known. She asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?" and I said I said yes, I was building a red squirrel enclosure and asked, Will you please come and open it?'

The founder of British Wildlife Centre added: 'She said yes and the rest is history.'

Asked who she fell in love with first, David joked: 'My squirrels!'.

Dame Judi was previously married to the actor Michael Williams, her co-star in the sitcom A Fine Romance, for 30 years. He died of lung cancer in 2001, and the actress has previously said she did not think for a second she would find someone again.
Tess Daly made sure to pull out all the stops for Strictly Come Dancing's Movie Week as she put on a very glamorous display for Saturday's show.

The presenter, 54, showed off her incredible sense of style as she strutted out alongside her co-host Claudia Winkleman for the opening segment of the show.

She showed off her toned pins in a stunning pink satin gown with a daring thigh-high split, which she styled with a pair of glittering pointed heels.

Tess let her outfit do all the talking as she simply accessorised with a pair of hoop earrings as she stood alongside her glamorous co-host Claudia, 51.

For the show, Claudia looked equally elegant in a black sparkling gown with a floating skirt.

Wow! Tess Daly made sure to pull out all the stops for Strictly Come Dancing's Movie Week as she put on a very glamorous display for Saturday's show

Gorgeous: The presenter, 54, showed off her incredible sense of style as she strutted out alongside her co-host Claudia Winkleman for the opening segment of the show

She gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of red strapped heels to complete her stunning ensemble for Strictly's third week.

Tess and Claudia were joined on stage for the opening segment of the show by Mickey and Minnie Mouse as they paid tribute to Disney for Movie Week.

Tess also took to Instagram ahead of the show to show off her gorgeous outfit and flawless make-up look.

She captioned her snaps: Lights, camera, action! It's movie week on @bbcstrictly.'

After ending up in the dance-off last week, Nikita Kanda will hope to bounce back on Movie Week by dancing a Jive to Kids In America from the 1995 hit Clueless.

Layton Williams is set to perform a Viennese Waltz to There Are Worse Things I Could Do from Grease with Nikita Kuzmin, after the pair topped the leaderboard last week with an energetic Quickstep.

Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington will transform into the Von Trapps to dance a Quickstep to Do-Re-Mi from The Sound Of Music.

Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice are hoping to impress with a Rumba to Out of Reach from Bridget Jones, while Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk will perform a Jive to Take On Me from The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Show ready! Tess took to Instagram ahead of the show to show off her gorgeous outfit and flawless make-up look

STRICTLY LEADERBOARD - WEEK 3 Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu: Charleston to Whos Got The Pain? From Damn Yankees - FINAL SCORE: 9, 9, 8, 9 = 35 Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer: Couple's Choice to Men in Black from Men in Black - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 10, 8 = 34 Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola: Viennese Waltz to Waiting On A Miracle from Encanto - FINAL SCORE: 8, 9, 8, 8 = 33 Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell: Samba to Young Hearts Run Free from Romeo and Juliet - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 8, 8 = 32 Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice: Rumba to Out of Reach from Bridget Jones - FINAL SCORE: 6, 8, 8, 8 = 30 Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe: Waltz to Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffanys - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 7, 7 = 30 Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley: Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 7, 7 = 30 Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley: Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin: Viennese Waltz to There Are Worse Things I Could Do from Grease - FINAL SCORE: 7, 7, 7, 7 = 28 Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington: Quickstep to Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music - FINAL SCORE: 6, 7, 6, 7 = 26 Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk: Jive to Take On Me from The Super Mario Bros. Movie - FINAL SCORE: 5, 7, 7, 7 = 26 Nigel Harman and Katya Jones: Jive to Batman Theme from Batman - FINAL SCORE: 6, 6, 6, 7 = 25 Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima: Paso Doble to The Puss Suite from Puss in Boots - FINAL SCORE: 6, 6, 6, 7 = 25 Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marquez: Jive to Kids in America from Clueless - FINAL SCORE: 4, 6, 5, 6 = 21 Jody Cundy and Jowita Przysta: American Smooth to Married Life from Up - FINAL SCORE: 4, 5, 5, 6 = 20 Advertisement

Stunners: Tess let her outfit do all the talking as she simply accessorised with a pair of hoop earrings as she stood alongside her glamorous co-host Claudia, 51

Hopes: After ending up in the dance-off last week, Nikita Kanda will hope to bounce back on Movie Week by dancing a Jive to Kids In America from the 1995 hit Clueless

Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe are set to perform a Waltz to Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffanys, and Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell will perform a Samba to Young Hearts Run Free from Romeo and Juliet.

Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer are set to dance the first Couple's Choice of the series to Men in Black from the film of the same name.

Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola will dance a Viennese Waltz to Waiting On A Miracle from Encanto, and Jody Cundy and Jowita Przystal are set to perform an American Smooth to the heartbreaking song Married Life from Up.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley will perform a Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret, and Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima will transform into cats to perform a Paso Doble to The Puss Suite from Puss in Boots.

Rounding out this week's performances are Nigel Harman and Katya Jones, dancing a Jive to the Batman Theme from Batman.
Amy Dowden left fans in tears as she confirmed she is halfway through her chemotherapy for breast cancer on Saturday.

During her first TV appearance since shaving her head, the professional dancer returned to Strictly Come Dancing to support her co-stars.

Amy recently revealed she'd shaved off her hair after losing much of her locks during her gruelling treatment.

Starring on the BBC show, she dazzled in a white gown with silver sequins as she joined host Claudia Winkleman and the contestants in the studio.

Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, is currently unable to compete with a celebrity partner due to her health battles.

She's back! Amy Dowden left fans in tears as she confirmed she is halfway through her chemotherapy for breast cancer on Saturday

All smiles: During her first TV appearance since shaving her head, the professional dancer returned to Strictly Come Dancing to support her co-stars

Fan's of the show shared their thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one person admitting they had shed a tear at her triumphant return.

They posted: 'Just burst into tears when Amy Dowden appeared on my screen. Keep fighting!'

Another added: 'Amy Dowden choosing not to wear a wig on #Strictly tonight has just shown every little girl going through chemo that bald is beautiful. What a role model.'

'Hands up who loves Amy Dowden? And hands up who cried when she read the T&Cs,' a third viewer wrote.

Someone else shared: 'Absolutely fab-u-lous to see the gorgeous Amy Dowden tonight. What an awesome young lady.'

On Friday, the star revealed she'd bought two wigs after shaving her hair, and it had helped her to regain her confidence.

It comes after Amy underwent a mastectomy in June before doctors discovered she was also battling another form of cancer and would need further treatment.

Although she cannot take part in Strictly in her usual role this year, the dancer has expressed the incredible support she's had from her family at the BBC dance show.

Brave: Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, recently chose to take control as she shaved her hair off amid her chemotherapy treatment

Stunning: Starring on the show, she dazzled in a white gown with silver sequins as she joined host Claudia Winkleman and the contestants in the studio

Showing her support:Amy shared a throwback snap of herself in her tiger makeup back in 2019 for her samba performance with her partner Karim Zeroual as she reflected on Movie Night

Supporting the show ahead of movie week, the star took to Instagram to share a throwback snap of Amy in her tiger makeup back in 2019 for her samba performance with her partner Karim Zeroual.

She captioned the snap: 'I love Movie week on Strictly! Who's excited?'

It comes after Amy revealed she would cry herself to sleep at night as she watched her hair fall out onto her pillow in her fight against cancer.

The television favourite revealed why she decided to shave her hair off as she told The Mirror: 'I woke up one morning with quite a lot on the pillow, then I brushed it and quite a lot came out.

'I was traumatised, crying, I would only brush my hair once a day, but I would dread that brush. My husband would brush it for me so I wouldnt see.'

'Then it started going from on top. Ben would hear me crying most nights and come and comfort me. It was upsetting him as well. He hated brushing it.

'I would dread waking up in the morning, seeing what was on the pillow. It would be in your mouth, a trail being left, it was so distressing. So I saved myself the heartache and took control.'

Amy recently shared a heartbreaking video of herself as her hair was shaved off by her loved ones.

STRICTLY LEADERBOARD - WEEK 3 Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu: Charleston to Whos Got The Pain? From Damn Yankees - FINAL SCORE: 9, 9, 8, 9 = 35 Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer: Couple's Choice to Men in Black from Men in Black - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 10, 8 = 34 Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola: Viennese Waltz to Waiting On A Miracle from Encanto - FINAL SCORE: 8, 9, 8, 8 = 33 Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell: Samba to Young Hearts Run Free from Romeo and Juliet - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 8, 8 = 32 Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice: Rumba to Out of Reach from Bridget Jones - FINAL SCORE: 6, 8, 8, 8 = 30 Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe: Waltz to Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffanys - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 7, 7 = 30 Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley: Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 7, 7 = 30 Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley: Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin: Viennese Waltz to There Are Worse Things I Could Do from Grease - FINAL SCORE: 7, 7, 7, 7 = 28 Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington: Quickstep to Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music - FINAL SCORE: 6, 7, 6, 7 = 26 Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk: Jive to Take On Me from The Super Mario Bros. Movie - FINAL SCORE: 5, 7, 7, 7 = 26 Nigel Harman and Katya Jones: Jive to Batman Theme from Batman - FINAL SCORE: 6, 6, 6, 7 = 25 Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima: Paso Doble to The Puss Suite from Puss in Boots - FINAL SCORE: 6, 6, 6, 7 = 25 Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marquez: Jive to Kids in America from Clueless - FINAL SCORE: 4, 6, 5, 6 = 21 Jody Cundy and Jowita Przysta: American Smooth to Married Life from Up - FINAL SCORE: 4, 5, 5, 6 = 20 Advertisement

The Strictly star broke down in tears before she embraced the brave step she had made as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Amy says while it was tough, it was empowering to take control and is now looking forward to her hair growing back, rather than the heartache of losing it.

With Strictly kicking off late last month, it has been particularly tough for Amy to watch.

Amy says she cried when she saw the professional dancers lead their celebrities down the stairs in the first show.

And while dancing is a huge part of her life, Amy says her health at the moment has prevented her from being able to move in the way she is used to.

She says she has seen her body change and has gained weight as a side effect from her treatment.

'I am missing everything', Amy says.

It comes after Amy revealed she nearly died due to the side effects of chemotherapy amid her breast cancer battle.

Amazing: Fan's of the show shared their thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one person admitting they had shed a tear at her triumphant return

Strictly Come Dancing 2023: Who are the couples? Nigel Harman and Katya Jones Bobby Brazier and Diane Buswell Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk Jody Cundy and Jowita Przysta Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marquez Les Dennis and Nancy Xu Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer Advertisement

The Welsh professional dancer had the terrifying near-death experience after her first and second round of chemo she was rushed to hospital with sepsis and then blood clots.

She is now on blood thinners now for six months after the 'frightening' experience.

Amy also told how she at first wanted to refuse chemo as it would be 'Strictly, her hair and her life gone' but was ultimately persuaded to do it.

Amy underwent IVF to create and freeze embryos before starting her treatment with hopes to have children with her husband Ben Jones in the future.

A friend told her there was no point in her freezing her embryos as if she didn't have the chemo she wouldn't 'be around to have these babies anyway'.
Bruno Mars' sold-out Saturday night concert in Tel Aviv has been canceled amid a bloody flare-up of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict.

Hamas mounted a surprise invasion of Israel from Gaza that morning, unleashing a blizzard of rockets and breaching the border by land, sea and air.

The death toll in Israel has passed 200, with at least 1,100 wounded and an unknown number of civilians and soldiers abducted. Israel responded with airstrikes over the Gaza Strip, incurring over 200 fatalities, according to the local health officials.

'Citizens of Israel, we are at war,' declared Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowing 'to fight back on a scale and intensity that the enemy has so far not experienced. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.'

As the violence raged on, Live Nation Israel announced that Bruno's concert in Tel Aviv had been called off and the ticket prices would be refunded.

Scrapped: Bruno Mars' sold-out Saturday night concert in Tel Aviv has been canceled amid a bloody flare-up of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; pictured at the Grammys last year

'Dear customers, The performance of Bruno Mars that was planned to take place tonight is cancelled,' the company wrote on Instagram in Hebrew.

'All ticket buyers for the show will receive an automatic refund to the credit card with which the purchase was made. We stand with the residents of Israel, the IDF fighters and the security forces in these difficult moments.'

The assault from Gaza began one day after the 50th anniversary of Egypt and Syria's October Surprise that ignited the Yom Kippur War.

As this Saturday's attack unfolded, gunmen from Hamas stormed through Israeli towns, shooting the residents as well as soldiers.

Chilling footage has emerged of the militants kidnapping Israeli civilians, including old ladies as well as bruised, bloodied young women.

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday, after a clarion call from Hamas for other Muslim countries to join its war effort.

Chants of 'Death to Israel!' and 'Death to America!' rang out in the Iranian parliament, and the Taliban has reportedly asked if Iran, Iraq and Jordan could allow them to pass through the three countries in order to 'conquer Jerusalem.'

Bruno Mars played his first-ever concert in Israel this Wednesday night, singing for a whopping 63,000 fans at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park.

Venue: Bruno Mars played his first-ever concert in Israel this Wednesday, singing for 63,000 fans at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, which is pictured during a 2021 concert by Nurit Gatron

Israelis traveled to Tel Aviv from all over the country in order to take in the sold-out performance, according to the local news outlet Ynet.

Onstage that evening, Mars added a touch of local flavor to the proceedings, revealing he had learned to say: 'I love you,' in Hebrew.

Saturday night was slated to be his second and final show in Israel, also at Yarkon Park, before it was canceled on account of the invasion.

Mars is still scheduled to perform this Sunday at the Qatar Grand Prix in Lusail, after which he will take a hiatus before resuming his tour in Florida in December.
Neil Jones made an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing for the first time since his fiancee Chyna Mills gave birth to their first child.

The Strictly Come Dancing professional, 41, appeared on Strictly's Movie Week show on Saturday and was asked about his newborn daughter by host Claudia Winkleman.

He sweetly admitted he can't stop smiling after his Love Island star partner, 24, gave birth to a daughter, whose name they have not yet revealed, earlier this month.

Speaking about Neil becoming a father for the first time, Claudia said: 'Congratulations, you have a brand new baby girl.'

To which Neil sweetly gushed: 'I can't stop smiling!'

'I can't stop smiling!': Neil Jones made an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing for the first time since his fiancee Chyna Mills gave birth to their first child

He then jokingly added: 'It's better than a 10 from Craig!'

Neil and Chyna confirmed earlier this week that they had welcomed their first child together, taking to Instagram to share their happy news.

Chyna shared a black and white image of her daughters toes and penned: 'Our hearts are so full.'

The couple also shared the news with HELLO!, with Neil saying: 'Mum and baby are doing really well, she's everything we hoped for and more.'

Their Love Island and Strictly Come Dancing pals rushed to congratulate the new parents with a series of heartfelt comments.

The couple revealed in April that they were both engaged and expecting their first child together after they went public with their romance in August 2022.

In June, they announced the baby's gender while hanging out with the whole Strictly gang.

Dancers Dianne Buswell, Gorka Marquez, Vito Coppola, Carlo Gu, Karen Hauer, Nikita Kuzmin, Luba Mushtuk, Nancy Xu and Jowita Przystal all gathered round as Chyna and Neil sliced into a cake to reveal a pink sponge. They all cheered: 'It's a girl!'

New parents: Neil and Chyna (pictured in June) confirmed earlier this week that they had welcomed their first child together, taking to Instagram to share their happy news

Thrilled: Chyna shared a black and white image of her daughters toes and penned: 'Our hearts are so full'

Speaking to HELLO! magazine about the moment they found out the sex of the unborn tot with his 'Strictly' gang, Neil said: 'They were as thrilled as us...

'They'd been trying to guess if we were expecting a girl or a boy, and for the HELLO! shoot the girls wore pink or blue eyeshadow, depending on what they thought...

'Dianne was like, 'Your daughter will have so many (Strictly) aunties now!' Chyna and I are so happy and I can't wait to be a dad.'

Chyna said she had an inkling she was having a girl because of her intense morning sickness and the fact her mother had it bad with her pregnancies with her girls.

She said: 'I had horrendous morning sickness, which my mum  who's had four girls  tells me is a sign. My cravings have been for sweet food, too. Krispy Kreme donuts are my downfall.'

Neil said that he believes their daughter will be a model like his mother because of her long legs, while Chyna is tipping her little girl to be a dancer like his father.

Romance: The couple (pictured in July) revealed in April that they were both engaged and expecting their first child together after they went public with their romance in August 2022

STRICTLY LEADERBOARD - WEEK 3 Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu: Charleston to Whos Got The Pain? From Damn Yankees - FINAL SCORE: 9, 9, 8, 9 = 35 Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer: Couple's Choice to Men in Black from Men in Black - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 10, 8 = 34 Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola: Viennese Waltz to Waiting On A Miracle from Encanto - FINAL SCORE: 8, 9, 8, 8 = 33 Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell: Samba to Young Hearts Run Free from Romeo and Juliet - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 8, 8 = 32 Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice: Rumba to Out of Reach from Bridget Jones - FINAL SCORE: 6, 8, 8, 8 = 30 Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe: Waltz to Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffanys - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 7, 7 = 30 Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley: Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret - FINAL SCORE: 8, 8, 7, 7 = 30 Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley: Charleston to Money Money from Cabaret Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin: Viennese Waltz to There Are Worse Things I Could Do from Grease - FINAL SCORE: 7, 7, 7, 7 = 28 Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington: Quickstep to Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music - FINAL SCORE: 6, 7, 6, 7 = 26 Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk: Jive to Take On Me from The Super Mario Bros. Movie - FINAL SCORE: 5, 7, 7, 7 = 26 Nigel Harman and Katya Jones: Jive to Batman Theme from Batman - FINAL SCORE: 6, 6, 6, 7 = 25 Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima: Paso Doble to The Puss Suite from Puss in Boots - FINAL SCORE: 6, 6, 6, 7 = 25 Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marquez: Jive to Kids in America from Clueless - FINAL SCORE: 4, 6, 5, 6 = 21 Jody Cundy and Jowita Przysta: American Smooth to Married Life from Up - FINAL SCORE: 4, 5, 5, 6 = 20 Advertisement

He said: 'During a scan the nurse tried to get the baby to turn. When she wouldn't, the nurse joked, 'This one's quite stubborn,' and I thought, 'That's like Chyna'...

'The baby even lies with her arms above her head and with her legs crossed  just like her mum. Her legs are really long, so she could be a model, too.'

Chyna added: 'I think she's going to be a dancer, like her dad. Whenever we play music or I watch Neil perform, she moves as if she's trying to dance. I feel she and I know everything about each other, and I talk to her all the time.'

Neil admitted: 'My outlook on life has changed. It's not just about me anymore  I need to take care of two people.'
Holly Willoughby will not appear on This Morning tomorrow as she struggles to deal with the terror of an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her.

The presenter, who is being guarded by police and a security team from ITV, has decided to take time off and is likely to be replaced by Alison Hammond or Josie Gibson.

This Morning insiders say that Ms Willoughby, 42, will not return to the programme until after the half-term break because she had a scheduled holiday then, as she does every year.

The distraught star's decision came after emotional conversations with senior ITV executives on Friday.

They are now in the process of preparing Monday's episode of the daytime show with a stand-in host.

The presenter, who is being guarded by police and a security team from ITV , has decided to take time off

Ms Willoughby is unlikely to appear on the programme until the end of October at the earliest. ITV bosses are yet to decide how the programme will cover the incident.

One source told The Mail on Sunday: 'As the days go by, something like this doesn't get any easier for Holly but it is difficult to think about any kind of work right now, let alone when your job is to present a live television show.

'She needs to be around her nearest and dearest and take the right advice from the right people, too.

'The This Morning presenters have been in touch with her and they will juggle covering her role for as long as is needed.'

Ms Willoughby did not appear on the programme on Thursday as she had learned of Gavin Plumb's alleged plot to commit kidnap and murder her only the night before.

She does not work on Fridays but spent her day hearing further details of the allegations against 30-stone security guard Plumb, which left her and her family 'absolutely petrified'.

Friends have now rallied around the mother of three.

Ms Willoughby did not appear on the programme on Thursday as she had learned of Gavin Plumb's (pictured) alleged plot to commit kidnap and murder her only the night before

Holly is likely to be replaced by Alison Hammond or Josie Gibson (pictured left)

One said: 'Holly can't believe this is happening. She has just got through the whole Schofield scandal and settled back into a new routine on This Morning. Nobody deserves to endure this.'

It is not known if Ms Willoughby, who is married to television producer Dan Baldwin, has remained at her London home or whether they have gone elsewhere.

Plumb, 36, was arrested at his flat in Harlow, Essex, on Wednesday, where he was found allegedly in possession of weapons.

He has been charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap in relation to the TV presenter.

The father of two appeared in the dock at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Friday wearing a green T-shirt with the slogan 'Aged to Perfection'.

He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, address and where he worked.

Prosecutors told the court that Plumb was part of a network of like-minded individuals and that he had conspired with a man called David Nelson to kidnap and kill Ms Willoughby.Plumb is alleged to have tried to hire a hitman from the US, the court heard.

He had allegedly arranged for a third party to fly to Britain next week and made a 'detailed plan' to execute their conspiracy.

According to the charge sheet, Plumb had 'assembled a kidnap and restraint kit capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of the kidnap of Holly Willoughby'.

Police were said to have seized mobile phones and electronic devices from his flat, as well as the weapons haul.

Plumb was remanded in custody by District Judge Caroline Jackson and will appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 3.
Timothee Chalamet was pictured while stepping out in Paris on Friday night.

The 27-year-old performer stood out in an eye-catching outfit as he departed the Ritz Hotel and took a short walk through the City Of Lights before stepping into a private vehicle.

The actor, who was recently spotted in the company of his girlfriend Kylie Jenner, wore a graphic-printed white t-shirt and a pair of distressed khaki cargo pants.

Chalamet added a bit of extra shine to his look with a pair of gold sneakers that stood out against the tones of his clothing.

The Dune star completed his look with a single necklace and a black Celine cap.

A night on the town: Timothee Chalamet was pictured while stepping out in Paris on Friday evening

Standing out: The actor, who was recently spotted in the company of his girlfriend Kylie Jenner, wore a graphic-printed white t-shirt and a pair of distressed khaki cargo pants. Chalamet added a bit of extra shine to his look with a pair of gold sneakers that stood out against the tones of his clothing

The Academy Award-nominated performer was subsequently spotted in Bel Air, California, on Saturday morning.

Chalamet appeared to be treating his jet lag with a cup of coffee after flying through the night, and he opted for an all-black outfit that included a t-shirt and an oversized pair of cargo shorts.

The performer also wore a pair of black socks, as well as leather open-toed shoes.

The actor is currently preparing for the release of the musical drama feature Wonka, in which he will star as the titular chocolatier.

The upcoming movie is centered on the early life and rise of the eccentric candy maker, who was created by Roald Dahl.

Other cast members in the feature include Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson and Sally Hawkins, as well as Hugh Grant, who will portray an Oompa-Loompa.

Development on the film commenced in 2016, and Chalamet signed on to play its lead character in May of 2021.

The actor spoke about working on the project during an interview with Vogue, where he revealed why he agreed to work on the movie.

On the other side: The Academy Award-nominated performer was subsequently spotted in Bel Air, California, on Saturday morning

Comfortable clothing: Chalamet appeared to be treating his jet lag with a cup of coffee after flying through the night, and he opted for an all-black outfit that included a t-shirt and an oversized pair of cargo shorts

Keeping it casual: The performer also wore a pair of black socks, as well as leather open-toed shoes

Standing out: The actor is currently preparing for the release of the musical drama feature Wonka, in which he will star as the titular chocolatier

'To work on something that will have an uncynical young audience, that was just a big joy. That's why I was drawn to it,' he said.

Chalamet then spoke about how he wanted the movie to provide a bit of positivity in light of troubling times.

'In a time and climate of intense political rhetoric, when there's so much bad news all the time, this is hopefully going to be a piece of chocolate,' he stated.

Wonka is currently scheduled to be released to the public on December 15.
Their ITV series Breaking Dad saw Bradley and Barney Walsh become the most famous father-and-son duo in Britain.

The programme, which sees the pair take on adventurous challenges while travelling the world in a campervan, explores their bond and shows them larking around.

But Barney, 25, has revealed that while the series has been a hit with viewers, there has been another, unexpected but very welcome outcome  their on-screen antics have helped to mend broken relationships between fathers and sons across the country.

He told The Mail on Sunday: The reaction to Breaking Dad has been so lovely. Ive had lots of messages from families on social media saying theyve fallen out with their father and they havent spoken in years, but theyve watched the show and they want to reconnect with their dad.

For example, they say that they have booked a holiday with their dad or son, and they are going to go off and do something like that. It is so lovely.

If myself and dad have done that for one family  managed to rebuild that relationship  then it was a job well done and makes it all worth it.

Barney and Bradley Walsh on Breaking Dad. The show, now in its fifth series, sees the pair travel across America and Europe

The show, which is now in its fifth series, has seen the pair travel across the States and Europe, and was watched by an average five million people per episode.

Barney, who currently stars in the long-running BBC One medical drama Casualty as nurse Cameron Mickelthwaite, will once again team up with his father, 63, for the forthcoming reboot of the popular 1990s game show, Gladiators.

While there have been accusations of nepotism following the announcement that Barney would be joining his showbusiness stalwart father, he insists that the BBC chose them to front Gladiators as they could attract a full range of age groups to watch the show, which was previously aired on ITV.

He said: It was a situation where the BBC was aiming for older generations and younger generations coming together. Gladiators was absolutely huge back in the day, and a lot of the young people who were watching it when it came out have grown up and theyve now got kids of their own.

Its a generational thing. We want the parents who grew up watching Gladiators, after their parents showed them it, to then show it to their kids.

Thats why myself and my dad are doing it. Father and son, family show, bringing it all together.

Bradley Walsh has plenty of experience presenting game shows, having hosted Wheel Of Fortune in the 1990s and ITV quiz show The Chase since 2009. He also presents the revamped game show Blankety Blank, following in the footsteps of Terry Wogan and Les Dawson.

Barney 25, revealed that the hit show which attracts an average of five million viewers per episode, has helped fathers and sons across the country mend their relationships

Alongside his presenting, Bradley is an accomplished actor, with stints in Coronation Street and Doctor Who. Bradley was joined by his son for 2021 ITV series The Larkins  a reboot of 1990s favourite The Darling Buds Of May.

But Barney says that starring alongside his dad doesnt feel like work at all.

Hes my father but hes also my best mate, Barney said at the Inside Soap Awards last month. I can talk to him about anything and he can talk to me about anything, and weve got each others back. Thats what family is for. Theres no stronger relationship than blood.

The best bit of advice my dad has given me is to be yourself, to have fun and do what you love  because if you love what you do youll never work a day in your life.
Bachelorette star Michael Turnbull and his model girlfriend Charlotte Cushing are preparing to welcome their first child together.

And on Friday, the couple were spotted packing on the PDA as they headed out for a coffee in Brisbane.

The elated couple were seen packing on the PDA outside a local cafe as they enjoyed some quality time together.

Michael, 42, cut a casual figure in a white Nirvana T-shirt, black shorts and blue sneakers.

Charlotte meanwhile showcased her bump in a black long-sleeved crop top and leggings.

Bachelorette star Michael Turnbull, 42, and his model girlfriend Charlotte Cushing (both pictured) were spotted packing on the PDA as they headed out for a coffee in Brisbane on Friday

The pair couldn't keep their hands off each other and were seen hugging and kissing in the sunshine.

At one point Charlotte was seen giggling as she sat on the reality star's lap, while he cradled her bump.

The reality star, who appeared in multiple incarnations of the franchise, made the announcement that he is going to be a father last week by sharing an adorable polaroid image to Instagram.

The elated couple were seen packing on the PDA outside a local cafe as they enjoyed some quality time together

Michael cut a casual figure in a white Nirvana T-shirt, black shorts and blue sneakers

Charlotte meanwhile showcased her bump in a black long-sleeved crop top and leggings

'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.

At one point, Michael drew Charlotte in for a passionate kiss

Charlotte was seen giggling as she sat on the reality star's lap, while he cradled her bump

The reality star, who appeared in multiple incarnations of the franchise, made the announcement that he is going to be a father last week by sharing an adorable polaroid image to Instagram

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.

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.
She's never shied away from flaunting her incredible figure.

And Georgia Steel put on a peachy display as she flashed her toned bottom in bikini-clad snaps onboard a yacht on Tuesday.

The Love Island star, 25, set pulses racing in a peach string bikini as she cooled down using the boat's shower on a sunny beach getaway.

She posted a series of bikini shots to Instagram, showing off the stunning blue waters and bright sun of her mystery holiday location.

Georgia told her 1.5 million followers that she would be home soon, as she posted a video of her cat with the caption '25 hours until im back with my pride and joy'.

Holiday fun: Georgia Steel, 25, put on a peachy display as she flashed her toned bottom in bikini-clad snaps onboard a yacht on Tuesday

Stylish: The Love Island star set pulses racing in a peach string bikini as she cooled down using the boat's shower on a sunny beach getaway

The South Yorkshire native, who rose to fame on the 2018 series of Love Island, was revealed on Thursday to be taking part in Love Island Games this winter.

Georgia set tongues wagging just last week when she posed in a colourful bikini over a plate of food.

Her fellow Love Island alumnae Georgia Louise Harrison, Gabby Allen, and Eve Gale, all commented with heart-eye emojis.

Georgia will be returning to our television screens at the end of the year when she returns to Love Island, but not quite as we know it.

Alongside the stars of the US, Australian, Germany, Sweden and France versions of Love Island, Georgia will be on Love Island Games.

The show will be hosted by Maya Jama and will first air on the American network Peacock. It was first announced in April.

Love Island Games will be Georgia's first television appearance since the 2020 documentary Love Island: What Happened Next?

During this break from reality TV, Georgia has focused on her businesses and charity work.

Secret escape: She posted a series of bikini shots to Instagram, showing off the stunning blue waters and bright sun of her mystery holiday location

Holiday blues: Georgia told her 1.5 million followers that she would be home soon, as she posted a video of her cat with the caption '25 hours until im back with my pride and joy'.

Food for thought: Georgia set tongues wagging just last week when she posed in a colourful bikini over a plate of food

She is currently an ambassador for retail company Fashion Nova and is also an ambassador for the British Dyslexia Association.

Georgia shot to fame in the fourth season of ITV's hit dating show Love Island.

She was just 20 at the time and received huge backlash when she lied about kissing friend Laura Anderson's partner Jack Fowler.

Georgia finished in eighth place alongside Sam Bird. The two continued dating but ultimately split after three months.

On the show, Georgia first found love with Josh who brutally dumped her for Kaz Crossley.
China firmly opposes Japan's unilateral move of nuclear-contaminated water ocean discharge

Xinhua) 10:49, October 07, 2023

BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday made remarks on Japan's start of the second round of ocean discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on Thursday announced that it has begun the second round of ocean discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water and plans to release 7,800 tonnes of such water over 17 days.

In response, the Chinese spokesperson said China's position on the discharge is consistent and clear. "We firmly oppose this unilateral move by Japan."

"I reiterate that the ocean belongs to all humanity. The Japanese government needs to respond to all the concerns of the international community, have full, sincere communication with neighboring countries, and dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a responsible way," said the spokesperson, adding that the international community needs to push for an international monitoring arrangement that will stay effective for the long haul and ensure that Japan's neighboring countries and other stakeholders can participate substantively in the arrangement.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
#Homenaje | Desde esta casa donde se gestan las operaciones militares en el Peru, rendimos sumision y respeto al marino, al guerrero que vistiendo el uniforme de las #FFAA destaco en la operacion de rescate Chavin del Huantar y en la accion militar del Fronton,... 1/2 pic.twitter.com/XQqzTMkr6A
The context is tense between Paris and the putschists who came to power in Niamey at the end of July, but, according to a press release read on Nigerien television, Friday October 6, a coordination meeting was held Thursday between French and Nigerien military officials in Zinder (south-east of the country) to agree on the terms of withdrawal of French troops, with the common objective of a coordinated disengagement, in good order, and completed before January 1, 2024.

A coordination cell has been set up to facilitate future disengagement operations and ensure that they will take place in complete safety, under escort of the Nigerien armed forces.

The first movements will begin "by the end of the week, with the resumption of supply to the [bases] and the departure of the first soldiers and equipment from Niger to France", confirming what the general staff announced on Thursday French.

Avoid any trouble

On Thursday, the Nigerien military regime specified that the 400 French soldiers based in Ouallam (West) would leave first. Some 1,000 French soldiers and airmen are deployed at the French air base in Niamey and 400 in Ouallam and Ayorou (North-West), alongside the Nigeriens, in the so-called three borders zone between Niger and Burkina Faso. and Mali, sanctuary of the Islamic State organization.

In a second press release, the military in power said they had sent a "mission to Ouallam" with, in particular, the desire to raise awareness among the populations on the conduct to be taken until the departure of "the last French soldier from the camp" and to call them quietly to avoid any disturbance throughout the French soldiers crossing.

This withdrawal, a demand from Nigeriens, comes after a standoff of more than two months between France and the military regime resulting from the July 26 coup against President Mohamed Bazoum.
Shashtris birth anniversary celebrated

New Delhi: The nation celebrated on 2nd October 2023, the 119th birth anniversary of the late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. The occasion was marked by various programmes held in the capital beginning with bhajans at his Samadhi at Vijay Ghat organised by the Government of NCT of Delhi. Excerpts of Shastris speeches were also played.

TCS to consider share buyback proposal

New Delhi: IT major TCS will consider share buyback proposal in its board meeting to be held next week, the company said on Friday. The company had last announced share buyback of up to Rs 18,000 crore entailing 4 crore shares at Rs 4,500 apiece which closed in March 2022.

FMCG consumption showing improvement

New Delhi: Helped by encouraging macro indicators, FMCG consumption is showing improvement year-on-year, though the recovery has been gradual, Dabur India said in its quarter updates.
Male should not be apprehensive about making Delhi closer than Beijing. President-elect Muizzu must understand that Chinas engagement is a long trap. Many of African and Latin American nations are fast falling into this trap by accepting financial assistance from China. All of them should be aware that Chinas new partnership model is purely opaque and not time tested.

The recent election results in the Maldives might change Indias bonhomie with the archipelago. The President-elect Mohamed Muizzu, the winning candidate for the PNC-PPM coalition, was earlier a Mayor of the capital city of Male. In last Saturdays run-off election, Muizzu defeated incumbent President Ibrahim Solih, commonly known as Ibu of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), by 19,000 votes or an 8 per cent margin.

The Opposition parties in the Maldives branded Solihs India leaning or the India-first policy as a direct threat to the island nations sovereign status. Chinas long arm of influence through money, muscle power and wolf-warrior diplomacy are a real threat for India. With Chinese President Xi Jinping at the helm of affairs since 2012, China is all out to encircle India in its neighbourhood through its infamous String of Pearls policy. For years, the Maldives has remained under the strong influence of India. But Xis aggressive plan for the expansion of Chinas influence through the historic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has finally reached the Maldives, a country of just around 400,000 people. It is spread over 1,200 islands in 90,000 square miles which crisscrosses key trade routes wherein both India and China vie for control and influence. Abdullah Yameen, the former President of the Maldives first took initiatives to move closer to China.

The new President-elect Muizzu has come out tough on India. He has clearly revealed his soft corner for China. From the India First policy of the Solih regime, Muizzu may shift towards better friendly ties with China. He has already stated in public that the people have decided and dont want Indian troops to stay in the Maldives. Therefore, foreign soldiers cant be here against our sentiments, against our will.

Thus, it is clear that naval and air force personnel stationed on the Addu and Lammu Islands since 2013 to maintain and operate two helicopters and Dornier aircraft that India had given to the Maldives for reconnaissance operations have to be called back now. Currently a total of 75 Indian military personnel are there in these islands as per the record of the Maldivian National Defence Force. Again, the fate of the construction of a coast guard harbour base at the Uthuru Thila Falhu atoll, inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in May 2023, is uncertain. It is pertinent to mentioned here that an MoU signed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with the Maldivian Defence Minister on maritime security in February 2021 was at the centre of the Opposition protest in that country. For the Opposition, this is a secret agreement signed with India by compromising the countrys sovereignty. These issues are very sensitive and Muizzu must look into them before taking any action.

But why does the Maldives matter to India? Yes, it does seriously matter to India. First of all, the island nation is situated at a crucial location in the Arabian Sea region of the Indian Ocean and India shares a sea border with that country. The island country is very near to India. It is just 70 nautical miles from the Minicoy Islands or locally known as Maliku in Lakshadweep and 300 nautical miles from the West coast of India.

Secondly, it is situated at the centre of the commercial sea lines of communication in the Indian Ocean. Third, so far India has a preeminent position in that country, almost virtually spreading its influence over the entire nation.

Fourth, it is truly critical for maintaining regional political stability and security. Fifth, the Maldives, irrespective of its size and global influence, holds the key to important shipping lanes that continuously provide energy supply to three big economies of the region: India, Japan and China. Sixth, it is also an important member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) where India is the most dominant among all. Finally, it lies in the Indian Ocean through which major trade lanes of the globe pass. And India being a world power and now being the fifth largest economy of the world, will definitely have an eye over all its neighbours so as to build constant communication and grow trade ties with them.

For long, the Maldives have become another battleground for two neighbouring regional giants: India and China. Clearly, it is one of South Asias many nations that have been maintaining closer ties with both Beijing and Delhi. However, India has a deeper historical, cultural and economic tie with the Maldives than China does. The MEA rightly states that India and the Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links steeped in antiquity. The relations have been close, cordial and multi-dimensional. India was among the first to recognise Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with that country.

This shows how India shares an enduring relationship with the archipelago nation. Again, in 1988, the bilateral engagement flourished between the two countries, when India launched the Operation Cactus to abort a coup attempt by a group of Maldivians to depose the government of then President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The coup was led by a businessman called Abdullah Luthufi who took help of the armed mercenaries of the Sri Lankan Tamil secessionist organisation Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).

The irony is that Gayoom approached several other countries like Sri Lanka, Singapore, Pakistan, the US and the UK for immediate help to thwart the coup. When all of them refused, then UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher advised Gayoom to ask India for help. India quickly restored the status quo and brought back stability in the neighbourhood. But today, political scenario in the island nation has completely changed as China has started engaging the political leadership of the Maldives. This has become a cause of concern for India because China has simply found a secured place for both its investment and military expansion (probably in near future) right at the formers backyard.

The cordiality in bilateral relations continued between India and the Maldives during the countrys first democratically elected government in 2008. But with the coming of Abduallah Yameen coming to power in 2013, Indias relationship with the island country sharply spiralled downwards. He was famous for attacking democracy, raising the anti-India banner and advocating proximity to Beijing. His only intention was to arouse nationalist sentiment to lessen Delhis influence over the country. However, when Solih came to power in 2018, once again India-Maldives relations cemented towards better partnership and development.

It is Delhis turn now to engage the island nation. Meanwhile, the Indian High Commissioner to Male, Munnu Mahawar, has already met Muizzu and handed over a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating him on his election victory. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated that Delhi will look forward to engaging the new establishment in Male on all fronts. It is certain that the power balance between the two Asian giants Indian and China may change with the election of Muizzu. The fact is that India and China are already facing serious troubles in their bilateral relationship because of border disputes. And this came out in the open when Xi refused to attend the latest G-20 summit hosted by India last month.

Male should not be apprehensive about making Delhi closer than Beijing. Muizzu must understand that Chinas engagement is a long trap. Many of African and Latin American nations are fast falling into this trap by accepting financial assistance from China. All of them should be aware that Chinas new partnership model is purely opaque and not time tested. Unlike the American or the global liberal ties, Chinese one is more of an intervention and a sharp attack on the former. China has been facing serious problems with its own regions like Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and most prominently, Taiwan (an island that does not accept Chinas suzerainty, though it is mentioned as Chinese Taipei in international lexicon for various purposes). Especially, the smaller, poorer and island nations like the Maldives should be extremely cautious while engaging with authoritarian regimes like China.

It is better for President-elect Muizzu to take a quick decision on how to reorient India-Maldives bilateral relations before it is too late. His tenure should not be started with a negative note. Both Male and Delhi need each other. They should forge ahead with mutual understanding and trust. Both the countries need to collaborate to fight larger challenges in regard to transnational crimes, humanitarian disasters and natural calamities in the coming days.

(The writer is currently president of the Global Research Foundation)
The dates for the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram are likely to be announced on Monday.

Sources said the elections are expected to be held during the third week of November, after the festive season and before the commencement of the Winter Session, which may convene in the last week of November.

Government sources said several projects are scheduled to be announced over the weekend by both the BJP-led Central Government and the State Governments, including Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

While Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, and Telangana are likely to have single-phase elections, polling in Chhattisgarh is expected to take place in two phases due to extremism concerns, said sources.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced projects and foundations worth a lakh crore rupees, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi have been unveiling schemes to retain power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and have also been conducting rallies.

The term of the legislative Assembly in Mizoram expires on December 17.

The Mizo National Front (MNF), an ally of the BJP, currently governs the northeastern State.

The terms of the legislative Assemblies in Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to end on different dates in January next year.

Telangana is ruled by the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), while the BJP governs Madhya Pradesh. The Congress rules Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

While addressing a Briefing Meeting for Observers to be deployed for the forthcoming elections to five States, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Friday directed the commissions observers to ensure a level playing field by working in a coordinated manner to ensure free, fair, and inducement-free elections.

The CEC also emphasised the commissions focus on inclusivity, by facilitating the participation of persons with disabilities (PwD), senior citizens (80+), and particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) through special provisions such as home voting and accessible polling stations.

Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey emphasised that elections should not only be fair but also seen as fair. He instructed the observers to monitor social media and take corrective actions as and when needed.

Election Commissioner Arun Goel urged the observers to carry out their work diligently, ensuring the rule of law. He emphasised that observers serve as the eyes and ears of the Election Commission of India and should address complaints promptly.

Senior DECs/DECs and DGs also briefed the observers on various important themes related to elections, including EVM, electoral rolls, MCC, expenditure, legal provisions, IT initiatives, MCMC, and social media related SOPs.

Approximately 1,180 officials attended the sessions at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. Officers drawn from IAS, IPS, IRS cadres, and other account services from across the country are deployed as general, police, and expenditure observers.

The Election Commission completed the pre-poll review in Telangana on Thursday. The EC has already completed this exercise in other four States.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh has taunted the Congress for not yet releasing a list of its candidates for the upcoming State Assembly elections scheduled for November this year.

The BJP has taken the lead by announcing two lists, each comprising 39 candidates, with the third list featuring only one candidate, while the Congress has yet to disclose its choices.

Umashankar Gupta, the chief of Madhya Pradesh BJPs Election Management Committee, told media persons on Friday that despite the continuous campaigning by senior Congress party leaders in Madhya Pradesh for several days, they have been unable to finalise a single list of candidates.

AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi have toured different parts of the State in the recent past.

The BJP claimed that factionalism and infighting within the Congress have paralysed the party, leading to the perception that it has already conceded defeat.

Gupta alleged that ever since Congress national general secretary Randeep Surjewala arrived in Bhopal for the elections, factionalism has become evident within the Congress party. He claimed the delay in releasing the list of candidates is due to the internal infighting.

Surjewala is active in central politics and has been a Congress loyalist, while Kamal Nath is a veteran who became prominent in the Sanjay Gandhi era.

Recently, during a joint Press conference by both the leaders, Nath had clearly mentioned that he did not believe in meeting media persons because he remains busy. He had stated that since Surjewala is here, media persons should contact him only.

Gupta said this was the reason that the meeting of the Congress Screening Committee lasted for nine hours, but after seeing protest by Surjewala camp, Nath walked out.

He said, To keep Digvijay Singh away from the Congress screening committee meeting in Delhi, he was sent to count the chairs in the rally.
As diplomatic ties between the two countries continue to strain, Canada has reportedly relocated many of its diplomats from India to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

This move came after New Delhi asked Ottawa to withdraw nearly 40 of its diplomats from India, with a deadline set for October 10.

India had also issued a warning that diplomatic immunity would not apply if the Canadian staff failed to adhere to the deadline.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, on Thursday said, Our focus is on ensuring parity in Canadas diplomatic presence. We have sought parity in Canadas diplomatic presence in India, and discussions are ongoing.

Bagchi said Canada currently has a higher diplomatic presence, and discussions are taking place to achieve parity. In discussions on achieving parity, given the significantly higher presence of Canadian diplomats and their interference in our internal matters, we have sought an equal diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing, but we would expect a reduction in the Canadian diplomatic presence.

As regards to Canada evacuating its diplomats, the report in CTV News, a privately owned Canadian television network, came after India earlier this week asked Canada to withdraw several dozen diplomats from its missions amid the escalating diplomatic row that erupted following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus allegation linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist Nijjar in June.

India 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.

The Indian Government has given Ottawa until October 10 to reduce the number of Canadian diplomatic staff in the country to match the number of Indian diplomats in Canada, as reported by CTV News.

Previous reports had suggested that 41 diplomats would need to leave, but sources cited by CTV News specify that the request aims to achieve parity.

The report said, A majority of the Canadian diplomats working in India outside of Delhi have been relocated to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

Global Affairs Canada, the department responsible for managing the countrys diplomatic and consular relations, had previously said, With some diplomats having received threats on various social media platforms, it was assessing its staff complement in India. Consequently, and as a precaution, the department decided to temporarily adjust its staff presence in India, shortly after Trudeaus accusation of Indian Government involvement in the murder.
Army and NDRF teams, both on foot and in boats, have recovered 25 bodies including seven Armymen from the slush and debris of the flash flood which swept through Sikkims Teesta river, officials said on Friday.

The flood which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday also resulted in a large number of people going missing.

Officials said 143 are still missing though some 2,413 people have been rescued and are in shelters.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia compensation of `4 lakh to the families of those who died in the flash flood in the State. He also declared an immediate relief of `2,000 each to all those who are being sheltered in relief camps.

There have been damages worth thousands of crores of rupees. We cannot give exact details about damages, it will be revealed once a committee is formed and it completes its analysis. Our first priority is to save those who are stranded and provide them immediate relief, he told PTI Video.

Road connectivity between districts has been cut off and bridges have been washed away. Communication in North Sikkim has been severely affected, Tamang said.

Of the 23 army personnel who had gone missing from Bardang area, the bodies of seven have been recovered from different areas downstream while one had been rescued earlier.

Search for the remaining is continuing both in Sikkim and the neighbouring northern part of West Bengal through which the Teesta river flows, the chief minister said.

The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said in its latest bulletin that 25 people have died so far and 143 have gone missing. While 15 people, including six army personnel, died in Pakyong district, Mangan and Gangtok districts accounted for four and six deaths respectively, the SSDMA said.

Nearly 25,100 people have been affected by the calamity.

The chief minister said that he has spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, President Droupadi Murmu and other Union ministers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed solidarity with Israel after Hamas militants launched an attack on the country.

Modi condemned it as terrorist attacks in Israel as its leader Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is at war. The Indian Embassy in Israel has asked its nationals living in the country to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour, Modi said.

Israels Ambassador to India Naor Gilon, meanwhile, said here, Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists We appreciate the support of the people of India as we stand firm in the face of terrorism.

Israel is currently fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi pronged Palestinian terror attacks. These attacks which were launched early this morning by Hamas on our civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of the south and central Israel are war crimes, Gilon said.

The cowardly actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children and elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians and firing indiscriminately over 2000 missiles and rockets at our cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. Israel will take any and all actions to protect our citizens, he added.

The Indian Embassy in Israel has asked its nationals living in the country to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. The Embassy said for additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website or their preparedness brochure, it said in a statement.

In case of emergency, please contact us at +97235226748, or leave a message at cons1.telaviv@mea. gov.in. The Embassy personnel remain at your disposal for any further guidance, it added.

World leaders condemned attacks by Hamas on Israel and called for an immediate ceasefire. The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, Watson added.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that he strongly condemned the terrorist attacks against Israel.

I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks which are currently hitting Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them, Macron wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The European Union released a statement saying it unequivocally condemned the attacks. We follow with anguish the news coming from #Israel. We unequivocally condemn the attacks by Hamas. This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing. The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

Egypt also warned of grave consequences from an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in a statement from the foreign ministry carried by the state news agency on Saturday.

It called for exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger.

Italy said Saturday it backed Israels right to defend itself against the brutal attack underway after hundreds of rockets were fired on its territory from Gaza.

The Government said it condemns in the strongest terms the terror and the violence underway against innocent civilians, adding: We back the right of Israel to defend itself.

Britains Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the county also unequivocally condemns the attack. The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself, Cleverly said in a post on social media.

Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock echoed the comments.

Israel has our full solidarity and the right, guaranteed by international law, to defend itself against terrorism, Baerbock said on social media.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called on Israelis and Palestinians to act with restraint and refrain from hostile acts that could exacerbate the situation.

We call for restraint from all parties, Erdogan said at a congress for his ruling AK Party in Ankara. They must refrain from aggressive acts, he said.
The Global Terror Alliance, a think tank for the terror groups in the virtual domain, has barred the cadres of its affiliates like the Al Qaeda and ISIS from using Chinese hardware like computers, mobile phones and pen drives.

Some of the terror groups like the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Chinese terror group comprising Uyghur nationalists, has killed 20-25 cadres for possessing such Chinese hardware despite warnings.

For the terror groups, those possessing Chinese hardware are considered pro-China or even Chinese spies.

While ISIS is estimated to have nearly 10,000 terrorists in its fold, Al Qaedas operational strength is pegged at 5,000 to 6,000. The warning by the Global Terror Alliance comes amid apprehension that the Chinese hardware have backdoors or are equipped with spywares through which the data is collected by the authorities in Beijing, including the Ministry of State Security, the Chinese intelligence agency.

Besides the global terrorist groups, the anti-India terror groups operating out of Pakistan are also apprehending existential threats due to Chinese hardware. The anti-India terror groups, though backed by the Pakistani politico-military-ISI complex, apprehend that Beijing collects data through the equipment originating from China and shares such compromised data with Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the Pakistani military.

The Pakistani terror groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba among others further apprehend that there are moles in the ranks of the Pakistan spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) who share information with India and in turn compromise their security.

The apprehension by the Pakistani terror groups comes amid killings of about 15 terror operatives in Pakistan in the last few months.

Chinese hardware is suspected to be compromised and even telecommunication equipment of Chinese majors like Huawei and ZTE are being barred by several countries, including for the 5G networks being rolled out in European countries as also in countries like India and the US.

Earlier, during the UPA I and UPA II regimes here, Chinese mobile phones minus IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) were used in significant numbers by the terror groups for triggering IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), without leaving a trail by the terrorist, which made investigation of such cases difficult. Subsequently, the Government formulated policies to check the sale of such phones.

Way back in 2017, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the biggest paramilitary in the country, made Chinese mobile apps a taboo for its personnel amid a security threat from spyware and malicious wares, especially from applications developed by Chinese companies. The threat to data security came even from at least 42 popular apps like Truecaller, Shareit, Newsdog, Weibo and Wechat.

A number of Android/IOS apps by Chinese developers or having Chinese links are either spyware or malicious ware. Use of these apps by our force personnel can be detrimental to data security having implications on the Force and national security, according to communication of the CRPF then circulated to all its formations.

It is requested that all officers and men under your command may be advised not to use these apps either in office or on personal mobile phones. If some of them are already using any of these apps then they should be asked to immediately uninstall the app and format their cellphones. For strict compliance, please, the paramilitary had warned.

Through the advisory issued by the Information Technology Cell of the CRPF Directorate here also directed all its formations to issue comprehensive guidelines on using mobile applications with Chinese origin.

Similar advisories have been issued here by other agencies against using Chinese software and hardware amid concerns of data compromise.
In a span of nine years, Maharashtras Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve (TATR) has witnessed male tigers killing as many as 18 out of the 25 cubs born to two female big cats in the core of the habitat.

A team of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientists who conducted the study to understand the cub survival rate in the reserve found that between 2014 and 2023, as against the two female tigers (T7 and T12), there were as many as 7 male apex predators in their territories which led to greater competition among them for mating with their female counterparts and killing of cubs not fathered by them.

In their study titled, Cost of prime realty: Survival of tiger cubs under the influence of high-turnover and density, the wildlife experts were keen to understand the cub

survival rates of two tigresses in core area of the tiger reserve which is brimming with the royal big cats as per the latest census.

The study underscores the need to strengthen connectivity through corridors and expand the reserve wherever possible, as per the experts.

The study was presented by WII expert A Krishnan at WIIs Internal Research Seminar held last month at the Dehradun-based wildlife research institute.

It revealed that the 2 tigresses (T7 and T12) in the core area of the reserve had to sacrifice their cubs as they tried to hold their respective territories.

During the period of the study, both females gave birth to 5 litters each ranging from 15 cubs per litter. Only 2 (both males) out of 13 cubs born to tigress T12 survived till dispersal, while 5 (3 females and 2 males) out of 12 cubs born to T7 survived till dispersal. The number of males within the territory of these 2 females ranged from 27 during this period, said Krishnan.

The expert noted that in a high-density tiger reserve such as TATR, the turnover rate of male tigers in prime areas of the forest is high which leads to high cub mortality due to infanticide.

In TATR due to the high tiger density along with high male turnover rate multiple males have been observed to occupy highly or completely overlapping territories in prime areas of the tiger reserve such as areas around Jamni and Pandharpauni lakes, where the females T7 and T12 have their territories, respectively.

This leads to high competition between the males for mating with these females. Males kill cubs that are not sired by them so that the females will mate with them and it becomes difficult for the female to protect her cubs from all the males that roam in her territory and provide food to the cubs simultaneously. Due to high competition, cubs are also forced to disperse at a very young age which makes them prone to death, said Krishnan.

Principal investigators of the study included WII senior scientists Dr Bilal Habib, Capt Dr Parag Nigam, Dr Jitendra Ramgaokar, Nandkishore Kale and Kushagra Pathak.
The Delhi Polices Special Cell has arrested two members of the Canada-based designated terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla-Duneke gang of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Those arrested have been identified as Harjeet Singh alias Harry Maud and Harry Rajoura alias Bada Harry, police said.

Recently, the two members of Arsh Dalla gang nabbed by Mohali CIA were identified as Mandeep Singh, alias Deepa, of Ajitwal, Moga, Punjab; and Saurav Kumar, alias Saabi of Ludhiana.

The duo was wanted by the Ludhiana and Moga police in multiple criminal cases and had also been declared proclaimed offenders by the respective local courts.

Gangster Sukhdul Singh alias Sukha Duneke, one of Punjabs most wanted criminals, was killed by unidentified assailants in the Canadian city of Winnipeg on September 20. It is believed to be a result of inter-gang rivalry, according to officials. He was a member of the Davinder Bambiha gang, known for its involvement in a range of criminal activities, including extortion, drug trafficking, and murder.

He was sought by Indian authorities for his his alleged participation in several high-profile crimes, including the assassination of a Punjab police officer in 2021. At least 18 cases, including those for murder, attempt to murder and robbery, were registered against him.

According to intelligence reports, Arsh Dala, a designated individual terrorist under Indias Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act, has expanded his criminal network to potentially carry out terror attacks in Gurdaspur in Punjab, India.

He has formed an association with United States (US) based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). Arsh Dala, based in Canada, has been involved in various criminal activities in India, including extortion and murder, and has been linked to the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).

He is notorious for generating funds and providing logistical support to gangsters and criminals. In August 2017, Arshdeep, with the help of the Moga police, got a police clearance certificate.

At that time, he was wanted in three police cases. Later, a constable was suspended for giving him police clearance.

He went to Canada on October 22, 2018, on a visitor visa. He also obtained a permanent residency in Canada based on this passport.

A look-out notice has also been issued against him and open-dated warrant has been issued in five cases. Duneke was closely associated with Canada-based gangster-turned-terrorist Arsh Dalla. Arsh Dalla has been declared as most wanted terrorist by the India.
Scores of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists on Friday took out a rally against the Congress government here over alleged irregularities in the selection process of Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) candidates and other issues.

The ABVP workers led by national General Secretary Yagywalkya Shukla assembled at Budha Talab.

Shukla alleged widespread corruption in Chhattisgarh. After the speech, the activists began walking towards the Chief Ministers residence but were stopped by the police, leading to scuffles.

As many as 540 ABVP workers courted arrested and were released in the evening.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal (AIIMS, Bhopal) celebrated its second Research Showcase Event today at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Auditorium of the Institute. This annual event is dedicated to highlighting the remarkable progress made by the institute in the field of research and innovation over the past year.

The event was graced by the presence of distinguished guests and dignitaries, including Prof. (Dr.) Ajai Singh, Executive Director AIIMS, Bhopal, extended a warm welcome to all attendees.

Prof. Singh emphasized the institute's unwavering commitment to "treatment with research" and the pursuit of evidence-based medicine, ensuring that research findings reach patients, thus spearheading advancements in healthcare and outreach activities. He stated that Integrated Health Clinic is fully functional exclusively at AIIMS, Bhopal.

Chief Guest of the event Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, DG, Central Council of Research in Ayurveda Sciences (CCRAS), stressed that Ayurveda, one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems, has a significant role to play in managing lifestyle diseases. Ayurveda's focus on balance in the body and mind, personalized treatment plans, and the use of herbal medicines can provide effective solutions to modern health issues. Traditional medicine systems, have established methods to detect and address metal toxicity through purification processes and detoxification therapies. He suggested that collaboration between AIIMS, Bhopal and CCRAS could lead to innovative solutions using traditional healing practices for various diseases and wound healing.

In his keynote address, Prof. Abbas Ali Mehdi, Vice Chancellor of Era University, Lucknow, shed light on the profound impact of the environment on human health. He commended the event as a mesmerizing showcase of research and expressed his belief that these groundbreaking research initiatives, under the visionary leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Ajai Singh, will revolutionize healthcare in the future.

Dr. Sunil Malik, President of AIIMS, Bhopal, spoke about the Government of India's initiative to create a National Research Foundation to promote research. This initiative aims to eliminate funding constraints and promote socially relevant research endeavors.

Prof. (Dr.) Sunil Kumar Gupta, Vice Chancellor of RGPV, highlighted the need for multidisciplinary efforts to strengthen the trust between healthcare providers and patients. He encouraged students, especially undergraduates, to make the most of the world-class facilities available at AIIMS, Bhopal.

Prof. Debasis Biswas, (Dean Research), presented a comprehensive research report for the past one year, showcasing over 132 ongoing research projects. In the field of Intellectual Property Rights AIIMS, Bhopal received two copyright whereas applications for seven patents and one copyright are currently under consideration.

The event featured enlightening presentations, including Dr. Saikat Das's discussion on the collaboration between traditional Indian medicine and modern medical practices at AIIMS, Bhopal, and Dr. Adesh Srivastava's insights into AI initiatives at the institute.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), on Friday directed authorities in the National Capital Region to enforce a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants, and to take punitive measures against polluting industries and thermal power plants as the air quality in Delhi plunged into the poor category.

This action comes as part of the central governments pollution control plan known as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) which is implemented in Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution during the winter season.

While comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario in the region as well as the air quality forecasts made available by IMD/ IITM, it was noted that there has been a sudden dip in air quality in the last 24 hours leading to the air quality of Delhi moving into the Poor category. It is essential to invoke Stage-I of GRAP immediately throughout the entire NCR to take steps to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region, the commission said in a statement.

The Commission has advised people to keep engines of vehicles properly tuned; Maintain proper tyre pressure in vehicles; Keep PUC certificates of vehicles up to date; Do not idle their vehicle, also turn off the engine at red lights; prefer hybrid vehicles or EVs to control vehicular pollution; do not litter / dispose wastes, garbage in open spaces and report air polluting activities through 311 App.

According to the Commissions statement, a 27-point action plan as per Stage-I of GRAP is applicable with immediate effect from Friday in the entire NCR including proper guidelines for dust mitigation measures in Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities and sound environmental management of C&D waste, ensure regular lifting of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste, and Hazardous wastes from dedicated dump sites and ensure that no waste is dumped illegally in open land areas, carry out periodic mechanized sweeping and water sprinkling on roads and ensure scientific disposal of the dust collected in designated sites/landfills.

The Commission also advised the authorities to ensure that diesel generator sets are not used as regular source of power supply; Enforce complete ban on coal/ firewood in Tandoors in Hotels, Restaurants and open eateries and Ensure hotels, restaurants and open eateries use only electricity/ clean fuel gas-based appliances.

The CAQM, is responsible for proactively implementing GRAP, reported a sudden decline in air quality parameters in the region over the last 24 hours, with Delhis AQI reaching 212 (in the poor category).

GRAP categorizes actions into four stages: Stage I - Poor (AQI 201-300), Stage II - Very Poor (AQI 301-400), Stage III - Severe (AQI 401-450), and Stage IV - Severe Plus (AQI > 450).

Stage 1 mandates the suspension of work at private construction and demolition projects with a plot size equal to or exceeding 500 sqm that are not registered on the state governments portal for remote monitoring of dust mitigation measures.

Authorities are also tasked with enforcing a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors at hotels, restaurants, and open eateries, along with taking punitive action against polluting industrial units and thermal power plants within 300 kilometers of Delhi.

Ensuring the proper implementation of guidelines for dust mitigation at construction and demolition project sites and sound environmental management of resulting waste is also part of Stage 1.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday distributed funds and goods worth Rs. 5.78 crore to 12,730 beneficiaries in Kanker district.

At the event, Gandhi praised the welfare schemes implemented by the state government, describing them as exemplary for the welfare of people from all walks of life.

Baghel and Gandhi visited the stalls set up by various government departments. They appreciated the minor forest produce products as well as the traditional artwork created by women of Bastar division.

Beneficiaries of the Rural Industrial Park (RIPA) scheme spoke to them about the 14 Gauthans in the district being operated as RIPAs. They said 39 livelihood activities are conducted there and the group has sold products worth Rs. 51 lakh. Students from Swami Atmanand English Medium School presented Gandhi a garland made of bamboo.
The BJP on Friday lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said that the way names of AAP leaders are coming up in corruption cases shows that corruption is now a common thing in AAP.

Meanwhile, BJPs Mahila Morcha workers on Friday formed 38 groups in Delhi and launched a public awareness campaign against the liquor scam and corruption of the Arvind Kejriwal Government at major intersections. Under this campaign, women workers stood at various places carrying placards on which it was written - AAP drowned Delhi in liquor, now liquor will drown AAP.

...One of their (AAP) Ministers, Satyendar Jain, went to prison in a corruption case and he was not granted bail either, then they (AAP) went a step higher with (Delhi) Deputy CM Manish Sisodia going to prison and now MP Sanjay Singh is also on remand on corruption charges..this shows that corruption is now a common thing in AAP. The frequent arrests of its leaders have exposed the claims made by the party led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said at a press conference on Friday.

Trivedi further said, ...the proofs that have come so far show that a change in the policy (liquor excise policy) was made and this was a tactical change which shows that the whole party (AAP) was involved...they withdrew the policy as soon as the CBI inquiry started and then they defended the policy as well which has made the party sink even more in this matter...

For those who are alleging that the case is baseless, the Rouse Avenue Court has clearly observed that prima facie, the material placed before it nowhere shows that the arrest in the present case is unwarranted and unreasonable, he said.

Those who speak of having new experiences in politics ... It is no more the era of experimental politics. India is emerging strongly on the world stage to play a new role, Trivedi said, claiming that the AAP has shown how tragic and dangerous such experiences can become.

In a related development, the BJP Mahila Morcha on Friday held demonstrations to demand the resignation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal following the arrest of AAP leaders in connection with the alleged liquor scam.

Carrying placards bearing slogans against the AAP and its national convenor Kejriwal, activists of the Mahila Morchas Delhi unit held demonstrations at major intersections of the national capital. Participating in the demonstrations at ITO and Rail Bhawan, Virendra Sachdeva, chief of the BJPs Delhi unit, said Kejriwal will also go to jail in the scam.
UT Admn allows only green crackers on Diwali, Gurpurb in Chandigarh



Chandigarh: Chandigarh administration on Friday decided to allow only eco-friendly green crackers during the upcoming festivals of Dussehra, Diwali and Gurpurb. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit ahead of the festival season. Use of green crackers will be allowed on Diwali (November 12) from 8 pm to 10 pm, and from 4 am to 5 am and 9 pm to 10 pm on both Dussehra (October 24, during the burning of effigies) and Gurpurb (November 27).



AAP announces in-charge for all 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana



Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday announced the names of in charge for all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, all of whom are ministers in the Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab. The party also announced names of in charge for all the 90 assembly seats in the BJP-JJP-ruled state. Lok Sabha and Haryana Assembly polls are scheduled to be held next year. Punjab ministers, who have been made in charge for Sonepat, Hisar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Rohtak, Ambala, Faridabad, Bhiwani-Mahendergarh, Gurugram and Sirsa seats respectively, are Harpal Singh Cheema, Baljinder Kaur, Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Harbhajan Singh, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Anmol Gagan Maan, Bram Shanker Jimpa, Laljit Singh Bhullar, Lal Chand Kataruchak and Balkar Singh. Heartiest congratulations to all the Lok Sabha in-charges appointed in Haryana. With your support, we will further accelerate the campaign of change in Haryana, AAP Haryana unit senior vice president Anurag Dhanda said in a post on X.



Workshop focused on Low Emission Zones organized in Chandigarh



Chandigarh: The British Deputy High Commission Chandigarh in collaboration with the Chandigarh Administration on Friday hosted a workshop focused on the vital topic of Low Emission Zones (LEZ) within our city. LEZs, designated areas where access for polluting vehicles is restricted, are a key strategy aimed at enhancing air quality. This event received invaluable support from the UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) Skill Share program, a two-month initiative. Under the guidance of CENEX, a leading UK-based expert institution, this program will facilitate collaboration between city-level officials and CENEX experts to comprehensively assess the unique needs and current status of our city. The ultimate goal is to co-create a practical self-help toolkit tailored to LEZ implementation within Indian cities.



Haryana players shine bright in Asian Games, win 22 medals



Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday highlighted the impressive performance of Haryana's athletes at the ongoing 19th Asian Games in China. He said that out of 655 Indian athletes participating in these games, 86 are from Haryana. These athletes have collectively secured 22 medals, including 7 gold, 3 silver, and 12 bronze. Haryana athletes have achieved 15 medals in individual events, consisting of 5 gold and 10 bronze medals. Additionally, they have contributed 7 medals in team events, comprising 2 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals, said Khattar. The government has substantially raised the prize money, awarding Rs 3 crore to gold medal winners, Rs 1.5 crore to silver medalists, and Rs 75 lakh to bronze medalists. Additionally, participating athletes receive an incentive amount of Rs 7.5 lakh from the state government, shared Khattar.



Sonu Nigam Live at Nexus Elante Mall on Oct 28



Chandigarh: Nexus Elante Mall on Friday announced arrival of music maestro, Sonu Nigam, who will perform Live at a musical extravaganza known as "The Sonu Nigam Show, on October 28. With a career spanning decades and a voice that has transcended borders, Sonu Nigam is poised to deliver melodies that tug at your heartstrings and rhythms that inspire joy. With a portfolio boasting over 5,000 songs, Sonu Nigam's journey has been remarkable.



Dubai company offers free drone service to HP govt to transport medical aid to remote areas



Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government on Friday said a Dubai-based company has offered to transport without any delivery charge medicines and vaccines to remote areas of the state through drones.

The United Parcel Service (UPS) offered assistance to the disaster-hit state during a meeting of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu with UPS vice-president Christina Struller Da Costa and director Dinkar Singh late on Thursday evening. Expressing gratitude to the company for its proposal of advanced logistics technology to improve healthcare delivery in remote areas, Sukhu said that the Department of Digital Technology and Governance would develop a detailed proposal for the company, based on which the state government would decide on availing the services of UPS. Sukhu said that Himachal Pradesh has been grappling with extensive damage caused by the torrential rains and landslides during the monsoon season, resulting in huge losses to both public and private properties, according to the statement. The state government has been tirelessly working to assist affected individuals despite limited resources. It has allocated a relief package of Rs 4,500 crore, he added.
A cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday decided to constitute a State Mahua Board in Chhattisgarh to promote the collection, value addition, processing and utilization of Mahua.

Mahua trees are found in abundance in Chhattisgarh. Mahua flowers are not only edible but have medicinal properties as well. Its seeds are a good source of healthy fats.

An official communique said that considering the abundant availability and uses of Mahua, and Mahua being the main source of livelihood for people in forest areas, it was necessary to pay special attention to its production, collection, processing and value addition.

Promoting the processing of Mahua was important as it would further pave the path for establishment of biodiesel or ethanol production units. To attain these objectives, the State Mahua Board has been established, it said.

The cabinet also gave the nod to the announcement by the Chief Minister at the "Nagriya Nikaay Evam Panchayati Raj Mahasammelan" organized in Govindpur, Kanker.

The Chief Minister had announced restoring the old pension scheme in place of the contributory pension scheme for the officers and employees of the Chhattisgarh state power companies who were appointed on or after January 1, 2004. About 10,000 officers and employees these companies will benefit from this decision.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today flagged off 10 mobile Deendayal Rasoi Kendras from Smart Park. These mobile centers will go to those places in Bhopal and three other cities and provide full meals to workers and other needy people for just five rupees where such people work. Mobile centres will also be operated in other cities of the state.

Chief Minister Chouhan said that Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay considered the poor as God. He believed that if you served the deprived then it would be considered that you have worshipped God. Accepting this mantra of Pandit Deendayal Upadhayay, many schemes are being conducted in Madhya Pradesh to serve Daridra Narayan or the poor who is like God. One of these schemes is Deendayal Rasoi Yojana. CM Chouhan said that there are two main objectives of launching this scheme. One is that poor people can get food at concessional rates, second is that migrant workers and other needy citizens can get the facility of a full meal near their workplace. With this system, such labourers who come from village to city to earn their living will be able to get fresh meal at their place of work without spending much money and time. The centres operated earlier were located at one place only. The mobile kitchen centres will provide food at the cost of only Rs 5. When laborers went to other places for food, their wages were spent on food. The workers used to spend their hard-earned money just for food. State government has made arrangements to give subsidy at the rate of Rs 10 per person under the scheme.

Plan at a glance

This scheme was started in the state on 7 February 2017 with operation at 56 places including district headquarters and 6 major religious places.

At present the scheme is being operated at 166 places. Under the scheme, 2.25 lakh food plates have been distributed in the state. 25 mobile kitchen centres have been launched in the state. The cost of the mobile centre is Rs 25 lakh. It will also have modern equipment for preparing food and keeping food hot. In these centres, food is distributed from 10 am to 3 pm at the rate of Rs 5 per plate.

The cities with population of more than 10 lakh in the state where mobile centres have been launched include 3 mobile kitchen centres in Bhopal, 4 in Indore, two each in Jabalpur and Gwalior.

One mobile kitchen centre each has been operated in the remaining 12 municipal corporations and two industrial townships, Pithampur and Mandideep. It is planned to soon launch such kitchen centres in 68 urban bodies with a population of more than 20 thousand. The mobile centres are also equipped with modern equipment like heaters, mixers, grinders, which are useful in preparing food and keeping it warm. Necessary utensils have also been arranged. A timetable has been made to send vehicles to different areas.

Chief Minister Chouhan greeted the Urban Development and Housing Department for running this scheme. At the outset, Commissioner Urban Administration Bharat Yadav delivered the welcome address and gave information regarding the scheme. On this occasion, Bhopal Mayor Smt. Malti Rai, other public representatives, Commissioner Public Relations Manish Singh and other officials were present.
A 38-year-old male labourer in Chhattisgarh whose left wrist got cut by a wood cutter machine on September 25 has got his amputated hand back on his body, thanks to a seven-hour surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here.

The Bhanpuri resident was rushed to the hospital within 90 minutes of the horrific accident, with his family members bringing along the amputated hand which they had preserved in ice packs.

Doctors said the man, who was not identified by name, will be able to work normally again thanks to the timely medical intervention.

A team of plastic surgeons attended to him to replant the detached part.

The operation consumed seven long hours. Both the amputated part and stump were thoroughly cleaned and dissected to find out the critical anatomical structures before the surgery.

The team was led by Dr. Jiten Kumar Mishra, Head of the Department, plastic surgery, and included Dr. Shamendra Anand Sahu, plastic surgeon, Dr. Sudarshan, orthopedic surgeon, and plastic surgery residents Dr. Debendra Tripathy, Dr. Chandan Dey, Dr. Javed and residents Dr. Abi, Dr. Aparajita, Dr. Jalaz, Dr. Abhijit and Dr. Nikita.

According to Dr. Mishra, this is the first successful hand replantation undertaken at AIIMS, Raipur.

If the amputated part is properly preserved with ice packs without direct contact with ice, not crushed or mutilated as in sharp cuts, and when brought to the hospital within 68 hours of injury, a prompt attempt at replantation leads to a higher success rate, he said.

Prof. (Dr.) Ajai Singh, the Director of AIIMS Raipur, congratulated the surgeons.
SOFIA, OCTOBER 05, ARMENPRESS/BTA. Bulgaria is aiding three people injured in a fuel depot explosion in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Health Ministry reported on Saturday.

The blast occurred on September 25. On the following day, the European Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Centre asked the EU member states to provide aid.

The three injured persons were transported on a Spartan aircraft of the Bulgarian Air Force at the Health Ministry's request. The crew comprised servicepersons from the Vrazhdebna Air Base near Sofia. The plane departed for Yerevan on October 6. A six-member medical team from the Military Medical Academy, led by Col. Maria Georgieva, were on board.

At 00:35 hrs on October 7, resuscitation ambulances took the patients from Sofia Airport and carried them to the Pirogov Emergency Hospital. The three foreign citizens are receiving special medical care at Pirogov's Burns and Plastic Surgery Clinic.

(This information is being published according to an agreement between Armenpress and BTA.)
The appointment of Gurminder Singh as Punjabs new Advocate-General has plunged the state into a whirlpool of controversy, with states two legislators challenging the wisdom of selecting an advocate who previously represented a prime accused in sensitive sacrilege cases.

Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, a former police officer turned AAP MLA; and Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, have vehemently criticized the decision. They argued that appointing an advocate, who once defended a key accused in cases related to the 2015 sacrilege incident and the ensuing police firing in Behbal Kalan, is a grave injustice to the pursuit of justice.

Gurminder Singh had represented the suspended police officer Paramraj Singh Umranangal in a petition related to the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing case. In this petition, former DGP Sumedh Saini, IGP Umranangal, and the then Kotkapura SHO Gurdeep Singh, among others, had sought the transfer of the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the quashing of the FIR and chargesheet filed by the Punjab government-constituted SIT in the Behbal Kalan police firing case.

The case stemmed from the alleged police firing that resulted in the deaths of two protesters in Behbal Kalan, following incidents of sacrilege reported in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages of Faridkot in 2015. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had disposed of the petition in July 2022, after which Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also hailed the court verdict.

Mann had then said: The verdict has paved the way for the government to seek strict punishment against the policeman accused of firing on innocent protestors at Behbal Kalan. Both the Akalis and Congress have connived with each other to save the guilty in this case.

Political Reactions and Ethical Concerns

Gurminder Singhs appointment has drawn strong reactions from both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress MLAs, who have expressed their reservations about the decision.

AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Partap, closely associated with the investigation into police firing cases as a member of Special Investigation Team (SIT), acknowledged Gurminder Singhs capabilities but stressed the importance of adhering to principles of natural justice. He argued that representing an accused in cases related to Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan should disqualify an individual from holding the position of Advocate-General.

Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa emphasized the need to consider the sensitivity and religious sentiments of the people of Punjab. He argued that appointing someone who had represented the prime accused in these cases could compromise the pursuit of justice. Accusations of hypocrisy have also emerged, with Bajwa alleging that AAP's actions contradict their earlier stance on similar appointments during the Congress party's government. He accused AAP of favoring political interests over justice in the police firing cases.

I agree with my MLA colleague @Kvijaypratap on the fact that keeping with principles of natural justice, Gurminder Singh should not have been appointed as the AG of PunjabHe is no doubt a capable and honourable lawyer, but for a government looking to bring justice and closure to the Kotkapura & Behbal Kalan cases, one who represented the prime accused should not have been made the AG of Punjab, taking in consideration the sensitivity and religious sentiments of the People of Punjab, he said, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

States History of Controversial Appointments

This is not the first time such a controversy has erupted over the appointment of an Advocate-General in Punjab. Three out of six Punjab AGs appointed since 2017 have represented accused in 2015 police firing cases.

The appointment of APS Deol as AG during the Congress Government in 2021 had also sparked a similar debate. Deol had previously represented former Punjab DGP Saini, accused in the 2015 police firing cases.

At that time, AAP had vehemently opposed Deol's appointment, alleging a conspiracy to deny justice in sacrilege cases. The then Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, who is now the Finance Minister, had stated that legal ethics do not allow a lawyer, who is first fighting the case on behalf of the accused, to be able to fight against the accused on behalf of the government.

Outgoing AG Vinod Ghais appointment had also sparked similar sentiments. Ghai had not only represented Saini in the past but also rape and murder convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who himself is accused in the 2015 sacrilege case. Ghai was also a counsel for Congress former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who is being probed by the Vigilance Bureau in a case of alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 2000 crore in grain-lifting tenders when AAP appointed him last year while dodging the questions the party raised on Deols appointment.

The recent appointment of Gurminder Singh as Advocate-General has reignited concerns over impartiality and justice in sensitive cases that have long haunted Punjab's political landscape.
With electoral fortunes of the Bahujan Samaj Party floundering and its Dalit vote bank seemingly up for grabs, the death anniversary of Dalit ideologue and party founder Kanshi Ram on October 9 is set to be a big event. All major political parties are tripping over each other in launching programmes for Dalit outreach on the day.

The ruling BJP, Congress and Samajwadi Party have announced programmes to observe the death anniversary of Kanshi Ram.

The BJP will send out nearly 40,300 Dalit NaMo Mitras 100 in each of the 403 assembly segments of Uttar Pradesh  to enlist community support for six mega Dalit meets that the ruling party has planned across the state this month.

These six outreach campaigns are part of the BJPs plans to up its Dalit connect in the state. The strategies of the Congress and the Samajwadi Party are similar as both are eyeing BSPs Dalit voters.

Since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, non-Jatav Dalit voters had started veering towards the BJP. Barring a minor blip when the Dalit community backed the Congress-supported SP candidate in the recently-held Ghosi bypoll, the Dalit support has continued for the BJP. The BSP did not contest the by-elections.

The BJP, which is in the middle of a basti sampark (Dalit localities connect) campaign, is looking at these six meetings to ensure that the Dalit vote bank stays true to the saffron party. BJPs SC/ST wing chief Ram Chandra Kannaujia confirmed that NaMo Mitras (influentials or intellectuals from among the community) have been tasked with mobilising maximum community support.

We have approached Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for these six Dalit meets and depending on his availability, we will announce the dates of these meets, he said.

The Congress proposes to start a Dalit Gaurav Samvad from October 9, while SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, after unveiling a statue of Kanshi Ram in Rae Bareli in April, is now preparing a fresh round of community connect. In these meets, the party is focused on ensuring maximum representation from most of the Dalit sub-castes, including Jatavs, which BSP chief Mayawati hails from.

The Congress has announced the launch of a Dalit Gaurav Samvad throughout Uttar Pradesh on October 9, in its attempt to wrest back the support of Dalits and most backward classes (MBCs) in the state

The Samajwadi party will observe Kanshi Rams death anniversary across the state, and the main event will be held in Lucknow, Samajwadi Ambedkar Vahini president Mithai Lal Bharati said.

The Ambedkar Vahini in itself is the partys newest frontal organisation that was founded in 2021 ahead of the UP assembly elections for Dalit and MBC outreach. Bharati is its first president.

The BSP will also mobilise supporters for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by organising a series of programmes and workers conferences across the state on October 9. The BSP chief will pay tributes to Kanshi Ram in a programme to be organised at her residence in Lucknow.

Party workers from Lucknow and neighbouring districts will assemble at the Kanshi Ram memorial to pay tributes to the leader.

A separate programme will be organised at Kanshi Ram Prerna Kendra in Noida. A BSP leader said that the party would organise conferences in all the districts. The BSP has already organised meetings in all the 403 assembly segments and 75 districts to mobilise workers. The ideals of the party founder and his call for the political empowerment of the deprived community would be highlighted in the conferences, he added.

Of the 17 reserved seats among the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, the SP had won 10 in 2009, while the Congress, BJP and BSP had to be content with two seats each and the Rashtriya Lok Dal won one. In 2014, the BJP won all 17 of these and five years later in 2019, it maintained its hold on the reserved seats by winning 15 (along with its ally Apna Dal), with BSP winning two. Now, with the 2024 Lok Sabha polls approaching, the BJP is looking at these meets as a strategic exercise to showcase how much has been done for Dalits by the double-engine BJP government at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.
The national Capital grappled with poor air quality on Saturday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 231 on Saturday. In fact, certain parts of Delhi also recorded an AQI labelled as severe. Vehicles that visibly cause pollution will receive heavy fine impositions, while trucks not destined for Delhi will be diverted via eastern or western peripherals.

The deteriorating air quality prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to invoke stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) throughout the entire National Capital Region (NCR).

Delhis Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday launched a month-long drive to prevent dust pollution in the capital and said strict action will be taken against anyone found violating relevant norms. Under the anti-dust campaign, 591 teams from 13 departments have been deployed for inspection all over Delhi. Rai also conducted a surprise inspection at the Wazirpur hotspot area under the anti-dust campaign on Saturday. The environment minister said that the hotspot was inspected in view of the rising AQI.

During the inspection, officials of MCD, DPCC, Jal Board, DSIIDC, Delhi Traffic Police and PWD were present. Officials present in the Wazirpur area said that the main factors of increasing pollution here are illegal parking, traffic congestion, construction work near the road etc; all concerned departments have been instructed to take immediate action.

The recent directive from the Centres air quality panel, mandated a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants. Additionally, stringent measures were urged against polluting industries and thermal power plants. These actions are part of the governments broader pollution control initiative, GRAP, specifically designed for the winter season in Delhi-NCR,

This action comes as part of the central governments pollution control plan known as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) which is implemented in Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution during the winter season.

Rai said the Anti-Dust Campaign is being launched in view of the worsening air quality. This will include measures such as the installation of dust control equipment at all sites exceeding 500 square metres, with real-time monitoring available through a web portal, he said.

He said that 591 teams have been set up to ensure strict compliance with dust control norms, with 530 water sprinklers and 258 mobile anti-smog guns employed to combat dust pollution.

Rai said separate and specific action plans have been designed for each of the 13 air pollution hotspots in Delhi based on real-time air quality data collected from 40 air quality monitoring stations in the Capital

He said a total of 13 teams had been formed to implement these action plans at the identified air pollution hotspots.

The Delhi Government had last month launched a 15-point action plan to mitigate air pollution in the capital during the winter season, with a strong emphasis on addressing dust pollution, vehicular emissions, and the open burning of garbage.
Wild life week took place at Van Vihar from 1st to 7th October. On October 05, Interstate Teachers' Debate was organised.The topic was ""Natural Disasters are Manmade"".Sixteen Schools and Colleges participated . Eakta Sareen from St.Joseph's Convent Bhopal bagged the first Prize. Governor Madhya Pradesh was the chief guest .The ceremony took place at Van Vihar National Park on October 07, 2023.Being an Educator and Environment lover I always look forward to participate in such competitions and programs . Such platforms gives you a vast knowledge and learning.The eminent judges of the debate were Dr Waghmare the dept.director (now retired) Dr.Khare (another dept director now retired) and Dr.Pankaj Singh another forest official.




In a scathing attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government for having a double stand over the SYL issue, Haryana Chief Minister on Friday said that the Aam Admi Party should articulate a definitive stance on the matter. The AAP should not confine its discussions solely to Punjab Bhawan but should extend its deliberations to encompass a wider perspective on the SYL canal dispute, he added.



Addressing a press conference, Khattar called the Mann government a Dau Muhi sarkar (double-faced government) for giving contradictory statements on the SYL issue. Instead of finding an amicable solution to this issue, the Punjab government is shedding crocodile tears, he added.



The Chief Minister further said that the Supreme Court has given a three-month deadline to the central government to take possession of the land which has been acquired and urged the Central Government to immediately start the survey process in Punjab to complete the work of the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal. He expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for its decision regarding the early construction of SYL.



Khattar said that Haryana has always been in favour of finding solutions through mutual dialogue but Punjab's attitude towards the construction of SYL and the distribution of water has always been adamant.

He said that Punjab has always insisted on sharing water instead of SYL construction, whereas in the year 2002, the Supreme Court had given a decree in favour of Haryana regarding the construction of the canal and sharing of water, making it clear that under the Article 9.1 and 9.2 of the parliament, the cases of disputes between the states will be referred to a tribunal according to the 'Inter-State Water Disputes Act'. Also, the dispute over the construction of the SYL canal has not been linked to Para 9.3 of the agreement. This makes it clear that the construction of the SYL canal has nothing to do with water sharing among the states and is not a water dispute, said Khattar.



The Haryana CM said that due to the delay in the construction of the SYL canal by Punjab, not only is Haryana facing a water crisis, but the excess water of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas is going to Pakistan. Due to this, the country is being deprived of taking advantage of its water wealth. In the last ten years, 1.68 MFA of Sutlej water and 0.58 MFA of Ravi-Beas water have flowed to Pakistan, he claimed. Therefore, it is important that the construction of the SYL Canal be completed as soon as possible to prevent the loss of water resources at the national level, asserted Khattar.



The CM said that due to the non-completion of SYL construction, farmers of Haryana are suffering huge losses. With the completion of the construction of the canal, the farmers of the state will have additional water available for irrigation, which will not only increase the agricultural production but will also help increase the income of the farmers, he said.

Highlighting other benefits of completion of the construction of SYL, he said that only one channel of water carrying is available to Haryana from the Bhakra Nangal dam and that too is now 69 years old. If there is any blockage in this channel for any reason then the entire system of supplying water to Haryana will stop. He said SYL Canal will play an important role in preventing this situation and it will work as an alternative channel, which will also benefit Punjab. After the completion of the canal work, apart from supplying the water of the acquired area of Haryana, it will also carry the extra water coming during monsoon, due to which there is a flood situation in Punjab also, said Khattar.



Khattar announces regularisation of additional 303 colonies in 14 districts



Khattar also announced the regularisation of an additional 303 colonies across 14 districts with immediate effect, accompanied by an allocation of Rs 3000 crore for comprehensive infrastructure development within these colonies. These colonies comprise 193 under 39 municipalities and 110 governed by the Town and Country Planning Department. He said that 2,90,540 properties are built in these colonies and this regularisation move is expected to bring relief and development to a population of over 10 lakh residents within these areas, he said.



Khattar said that special attention is being given to sewer lines, water supply, roads, street lights, parks and other development works in a total of 404 such regularised colonies in urban areas. These notified colonies, which are being regularised, are situated on a total of 5000 acres of land. In these, the government will spend Rs 60 lakh per acre on creating civic facilities and other development works. This will improve the standard of living of the people living here.



CM announces 100 percent waiver of tax and penalty on outstanding property tax



Giving relief to the people, Khattar announced to complete waiver of taxes and penalties on outstanding property tax, providing a substantial direct benefit to property owners of around Rs 8000 crore. Besides this, he also announced a 15 percent rebate on the principal outstanding property tax, giving property owners an extra benefit of approximately Rs 1200 crore.



Taking a decision aimed at safeguarding its residents from the hazards posed by high-voltage power lines, he said that Haryana Government has decided to shift 33,000 volts (KV) and 11,000 volts (KV) power lines passing over colonies, houses, phirnis, parks, ponds, schools etc. In this regard, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, (UHBVNL) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVNL) have prepared a proposal to shift all such lines, which has been approved.
With just six days left for the 9th P20 Summit, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday reviewed the status and preparedness of Yashobhoomi, the India International Convention Centre (IICC), and its surroundings in Dwarka.

During the inspection, Saxena has directed the departments concerned to spruce up neighbourhoods in the vicinity of the IICC in Dwarka. Saxena also directed the departments to ensure that the areas surrounding the venue are plastic free.

After hosting Heads of G20 countries during the G20 summit last month, the national capital is now getting ready to host the P20 Summit (meeting of G20 Parliamentary Speakers / Presiding Officers) at the India International Convention and Expo Centre -- Yashobhoomi -- at Dwarka from October 12 to 14. The theme of the Summit is Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future, which draws inspiration

from the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Speakers/presiding officers from more than 30 countries have confirmed their participation for the summit, scheduled on October 12-14, the Raj Niwas said in a statement.

In a review meeting on Thursday, Saxena took stock of the beautification work in and around the venue.

He asked for coordination among the departments to develop the IICCs surroundings along the lines of Bharat Mandapam, where the G20 Summit was held last month.

The Lt Governor stressed that the IICC is a zero-discharge green campus and should be free from plastics, the statement said.
As the Enforcement Directorate summoned two associates of arrested AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cited Supreme Courts observation and said that the entire liquor scam is fake and termed AAP leader Sanjay Singhs arrest as the Centres vendetta against Opposition.

Kejriwal further maintained a carefree stance when asked about Congress conditional support to the AAP on the issue. Nahi karte toh na karein (if they dont want to support, let them be), said Kejriwal when asked about backing by the Congress, who is a part of I.N.D.I.A alliance along with Kejriwals AAP. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Thursday said that law enforcement agencies were being used to settle political scores.

But in the next two paragraphs of his post on X, Venugopal brought up the arrest of Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira last month in connection with a 2015 drugs case and that of party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni by the Punjab Vigilance Department in July.

Responding to media queries, Kejriwal said false cases are being slapped in an attempt to subdue and threaten Opposition leaders and parties, and an atmosphere of fear has been created, which is not good for the country. The Chief Minister was interacting with reporters during his visit to the Ghazipur landfill site in east Delhi.

We are seeing how false cases are being slapped in an attempt to subdue and threaten opposition leaders, opposition parties, Kejriwal said. In many instances, people are being split to induct them into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is not good for democracy, he charged. Kejriwals comments came two days after senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its money-laundering probe linked to the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy case.

Kejriwal claimed that not only Opposition leaders, but many businessmen are also being targeted. An atmosphere of fear that has been created in the country, not just in politics, but also in business and trade and industry, this atmosphere of fear is not good for the country. A country cannot grow (like this). The country will not progress by playing this agency-agency game, he said.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Friday alleged that the Hauz Khas village encroachment case is just the tip of the iceberg as there are several such places where extensive illegal construction is taking place under the patronage of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, MLAs and councilors.

If any officer talks about taking action against any unauthorised constructions then the AAP MLAs and councilors try to mislead the complainant by accusing MCD officers of corruption. Councilor of Patel Nagar doing such mischief is a case in point, Sachdeva said.

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Municipal Corporation Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh and Councilor Shikha Rai also attended the Press conference. Both Singh and Rai asserted that since the Aam Aadmi Party has come to power, not only illegal construction but also illegal occupations are increasing in Delhi. Whenever the MCD takes any action against such activities, the Aam Aadmi Party leaders take to the streets and stop legitimate action against the illegal construction.

Sachdeva said, Today I am placing before you the case of House No. 2 of Hauz Khas village, which comes under Green Park Municipal Corporation ward, in which Aam Aadmi Partys Delhi Mayor Dr Shaili Oberoi has played a suspicious role which needs to be examined.

Elaborating on the facts of the case, Sachdeva said the Hauz Khas village case involves an 800-yard plot of which 120 yards has a business establishment of the family of an Aam Aadmi Party MP who was running it till June 2023.

Illegal construction started in this 120 yard portion in June, 2023 and because this property falls within 115 meters of the protected monument Hauz Khas, which is a regulated area and any kind of construction is prohibited here. In the month of June, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) sent its first letter to the Delhi Municipal Corporation on June 6, 2023, directing it to stop the construction, Sachdeva said.

After receiving the ASI letter, the Building Department of Southern Zone of MCD made several attempts to stop the construction but when they could not stop it, work stop notices were given twice on July 27 and August 8, he said.
The Education minister Dhan Singh Rawat has directed the senior departmental officers to visit the schools in all the districts. In a letter the minister has asked the officers including the secretary to visit the schools and assess them on facilities, availability of teachers, student attendance, cluster schools, PM Shri schools and Atal Utkrisht schools. The officers will also hold meetings with the representatives of parents and teachers in their visits and submit their report to the minister. The officers will hold visits to the schools in the district allotted to them from October 9 to November 10.

Rawat, who also holds the health portfolio, had recently directed the officers to the Health department to visit districts for understanding the ground reality at the micro level.

The minister has directed the secretary Ravinath Raman to inspect schools in Dehradun, additional secretary Yogendra Yadav to visit Tehri and Uttarkashi, Ranjana Rajguru to visit Chamoli and Rudraprayag, Education director general Banshidhar Tiwari to visit Pauri and additional secretary MM Semwal to visit Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Similarly director, education ( secondary) Seema Jaunsari and joint secretary JL Sharma will visit Pithoragarh and Champawat, director of primary education RK Uniyal and joint secretary BS Bora Almora and Bageshwar, SCERT director Vandana Gabriyal and deputy secretary Anil Kumar Pandey Haridwar district. The minister said that the officers have been directed to visit schools in an endeavour to ensure that the different schemes are implemented at the ground level.
Union minister and BJP candidate for upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls Prahlad Patel on Saturday said a notice has been served to former opposition leader in the state, Ajay Singh, for allegedly dragging his name in the coal scam.

Patel is in the fray from Narsinghpur assembly segment.

Ajay Singh went there (Narsinghpur constituency) and said the coal scam (2005-2009) happened when I was Union coal minister and that I was involved in it, Patel, who is the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti, told media persons here on Saturday.

Patel said his younger brother (former MP minister and MLA) Jalam Singh has served a notice to Singh.

Besides Patel, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded two more Union ministers namely Narendra Singh Tomar and Faggan Singh Kulaste and four more MPs in the assembly polls, due in November this year. The party has fielded its national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya from the Indore 1 constituency.

The coal scam took place from 2005 to 2009 and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report came out in 2012. I was not even an MP at that time, leave aside being a minister, Patel said. He said no one has ever pointed a finger at him or his family members over financial irregularities. I think politics should be based on values and principles and not on false accusations, Patel added.
Fran Diaz, the founder of Autofabricantes, has embarked on a mission to transform the prosthetics industry, with a particular focus on improving the lives of children who require prosthetic devices. He recognized a glaring issue in the industry before starting his venture: prosthetic devices were often one-size-fits-all, failing to account for individual preferences and specific needs. This oversight was compounded by the exorbitant costs associated with these devices, making them inaccessible to many. In Spain, for example, the price tag for a single prosthetic device was a staggering 20,000 euros or more. Autofabricantes was established to address these issues, using 3D printing technology to revolutionize the design and production of prostheses.

What sets Autofabricantes apart is not just the use of 3D printing technology, which has become more widespread, but their unique decision-making methodology. They make users, including children, an integral part of the design and production process. This user-centered approach results in prosthetic devices that are highly effective and personalized. While Autofabricantes has a team of professionals, including engineers, designers, and therapists, the true experts at the heart of their process are the individuals who will be using the prosthetics, whether they are children or adults. Furthermore, Autofabricantes makes their designs open-source, allowing people worldwide to access and download them.

An illustrative success story from Autofabricantes revolves around a shy young boy named Leo. When Leo visited the workshop, he was encouraged to participate in the design process by choosing the colors and features of his new prosthesis. The outcome was astonishingLeo returned to school with newfound confidence, proudly showcasing his colorful and cheerful prosthetic hand to his classmates. This transformation in his sociability highlights the impact of personalized prosthetic solutions.

Fran Diazs work extends beyond Spain, with projects initiated in Mexico and Colombia. In Colombia, Autofabricantes collaborated with NGOs and government organizations to address the needs of individuals affected by the armed conflict. They shared their expertise and collaborated with local groups to establish teams similar to the one in Madrid. These experiences informed their expansion efforts, leading to the establishment of permanent teams in Mexico and plans for further expansion in Uruguay. Autofabricantes also actively collaborates with community organizations, assisting them in conducting clinical studies and long-term assessments.

Autofabricantes has had a global impact, with their open-source designs being downloaded more than 3,000 times. Feedback and interest have poured in from diverse regions, including Asia, Latin America, and various parts of Africa. Autofabricantes encourages others to adopt their designs and principles to help even more individuals worldwide.

Looking ahead, Autofabricantes seeks to collaborate with public institutions, civil associations, and private sector groups to integrate their solutions into public health approaches, both in Spain and on a global scale. They also require funding for clinical research trials to support their ongoing development. Fran Diazs grand vision for healthcare extends beyond prosthetics; he envisions a healthcare system where inclusivity and patient involvement in decision-making are the norm. To achieve this goal, he calls for public institutions to champion this new and inclusive vision, which has the potential to transform healthcare for the better.

Watch the video playlist below and visit Autofabricantes website to learn more about them.

Source: Forbes
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday held a detailed meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the state to discuss crucial agricultural and welfare issues in the State. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of efficient paddy procurement and the prevention of stubble burning, among other issues.

Chief Minister, during the meeting, emphasized the need for a smooth and hassle-free process of paddy procurement in mandis (grain markets) and the prompt lifting of crops in all districts. He urged the DCs to ensure the timely purchase and lifting of farmers' produce to facilitate them, asserting that any negligence in this duty was unacceptable.

Mann highlighted the State Government's commitment in ensuring a seamless paddy procurement process and instructed DCs to implement government decisions diligently. He urged the DCs to visit seven to eight mandis daily to oversee operations at the ground level and submit daily reports for monitoring purposes.

To maintain an effective procurement process, Mann encouraged the officers to closely monitor the procurement operations to prevent grain stocks from accumulating in the markets. He stressed the importance of keeping him updated on procurement operations by submitting daily reports on paddy crop arrivals, purchases, and payments.

The Chief Minister informed that the government had already put extensive arrangements in place to ensure the smooth, timely, and hassle-free lifting of farmers harvests. He emphasized that for the first time in the state's history, lifting had commenced from the first day of procurement, with digitization of the entire process. Mann urged the DCs to strictly adhere to the prescribed norms for timely payments to farmers.

He noted that 1,854 purchase centers had been designated by the Punjab Mandi Board and allocated to government procurement agencies. To protect farmers interests, biometric authentication methods have been introduced for those bringing grains to mandis. Mann emphasized the issuance of online gate passes for vehicles to ensure transparency in grain lifting.

Additionally, the CM urged the DCs to raise awareness among farmers about the harmful effects of paddy straw burning. He emphasized the need to combat this practice due to its environmental and health hazards. Mann mentioned that more machines had been distributed this year, compared to the previous year, and called for strict monitoring to prevent straw burning.

The paddy straw burning must be checked as it poses grave danger to atmosphere and human lifeAs compared to last year, 23,000 more machines have been given and now the DCs must ensure strict monitoring to check the menace of straw burning for next few days, he added.

Regarding flood compensation, Mann said that the Government had initiated the process to compensate the affected people for every loss incurred. Adequate funds are available in the State Disaster Fund for this purpose.

The Chief Minister also praised the Aam Aadmi clinics for providing free treatment and diagnostic services, noting their positive impact on public health. He announced plans to open more such clinics and urged the DCs to efficiently monitor their operations.

Mann highlighted the government's commitment to public health by mentioning the CM ki Yogshaala project, which offers free yoga training to people. He stated that 290 CM ki yogshaalas are already operational, with plans to open more in the future.
Punjab Polices traffic wing is set to embark on a groundbreaking journey to enhance road safety and traffic management in the state by harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In a significant move, the Punjab Polices traffic wing has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with four renowned organizations  Map My India, SAFE Society, Intozi Tech Private Limited (based in Gurugram), and Muskaan Foundation (based in Jaipur).

The significant development precedes the launch of the ambitious Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF) a specialized police team dedicated to road safety and tackling criminals.

The states Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Traffic AS Rai, leading the initiative, expressed his commitment to making Punjabs roads safer for all citizens. He highlighted that the collaboration with these organizations would employ advanced scientific methods and AI to cultivate a culture of scientific inquiry and knowledge creation. The aim is to enhance road safety strategies and optimize traffic management, revolutionizing how traffic is controlled and accidents are prevented.

ADGP Rai emphasized that this initiative would not only reduce road fatalities and serious injuries but also bolster the state's expertise in various aspects of traffic management, control, transportation, road safety engineering, Intelligent Transport Solutions, m-policing, e-policing, and training within the state police force. It would lead to a deeper understanding of traffic patterns and road safety challenges, ultimately resulting in more effective solutions.

The collaboration between the Punjab Police Traffic Wing and these organizations is expected to facilitate applied research and the dissemination of research findings for the broader benefit of society. It will promote innovation and knowledge-sharing in the field of road safety.

Punjab Road Safety and Traffic Research Centre director Dr Navdeep Asija highlighted that this initiative aimed to infuse scientific thinking into road safety efforts and would enhance data-driven decision-making capabilities within the Punjab Polices traffic wing.

The signatories of the MoUs also pledged their full support for the Decade of Action on Road Safety designated by the United Nations from 2021 to 2030. This collaborative effort holds the promise of making Punjab's roads safer, smarter, and more efficient, aligning with global road safety goals.
The AAP on Friday claimed the BJP is afraid of losing to the Opposition INDIA bloc in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the partys Government at the Centre has unleashed all its agencies to suppress the alliance. Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi said that ever since there have been talks of different Opposition parties coming together, leaders of the alliance have faced raids by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation .

She shared a list of names of such leaders, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

In the last week, the action by these agencies has intensified. First, it was the journalists who were raided and their mobiles and laptops were taken away as they had been raising their voice against the rise of unemployment under the Modi government.

Then it was TMC leader Mahua Moitra who was dragged by Delhi Police after she reached Krishi Bhawan for raising her voice. Then Sanjay Singh was arrested, Atishi said.

The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are rattled by the INDIA alliance. They know that they will lose the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to the INDIA alliance. They have unleashed all their agencies to trouble the leaders of the alliance and suppress the voice of the bloc, she alleged.

Delhi Police arrested NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and human resources head Amit Chakravarty on Tuesday after searching nearly 50 locations.
| Union Home minister Amit Shah will chair the Central Zonal Council meeting at Narendranagar in Tehri district on Saturday. According to sources, about 36 issues are on the agenda for discussion in the meeting. In addition to Shah, the Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel are to attend this meeting. Sources state that issues including the inclusion of millets in the mid day meal scheme, strengthening banking services in rural areas, internet connectivity, special fast track courts, sharing of river waters and other issues of common interest, among other issues may be discussed in the meeting. On Friday, the inspector general (Garhwal) Karan Singh Naganyal held a briefing on the security arrangements made for this important meeting.
Union Home minister Amit Shah is slated to hold a meeting with the Bharatiya Janata Party office bearers during his one-day tour of the State on Saturday. Meanwhile, the BJP is also preparing for Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposed visit to Pithoragarh on October 12.

The BJP State media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said that on Saturday Shah will hold a meeting with the partys office bearers in the BJP State office. The heads of the partys various cells, media, social media and IT office bearers will also attend the meeting. Apart from this, the party is lending final touches to the organisational programmes during PM Modis proposed Pithoragarh visit. On October 12, he is slated to offer prayers in Jageshwar after which he will visit the border area of Jolikang and interact with jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. The PM is also slated to view the products made by the locals, interact with the locals and see Adi Kailash. He will address the public in Pithoragarh on the same day and directly interact with beneficiaries of government schemes. Modi will spend the night at Mayawati Ashram in Champawat and then depart in the morning.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath arrived in Dehradun to attend the Central Zonal Council meeting to be held at Narendranagar on Saturday. He is slated to spend three days in Uttarakhand. After the meeting, he is slated to visit Kedarnath and offer prayers there besides spending the night there. He will then visit Badrinath and offer special prayers there.
The Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) has sought recovery of damages from AAP MLA from Model Town Akhilesh Pati Tripathi for the misuse of the Government accommodation through the Delhi Assembly secretariat.

The DoV has requested the Delhi Assembly to deduct the damages from his salary and credit it to the Public Works Department (PWD) along with penal interest from November 2, 2019 till date. In a letter to the Secretary, Delhi Assembly, the DoV has pointed out that Tripathi was not entitled for residential accommodation and he was found residing with family in the guise of office accommodation so recovery should be made from his salary.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has welcomed the DoV move to recover money from AAP MLA.

In case, if the amount is not credited within a fortnight, Department may explore for recovering it as Land Revenue arrears. If the damages are not paid to the department, DoV shall recommend to Revenue Department not to issue any No dues Certificate to Tripathi. In case, Secretary, Delhi Assembly challenges the order, it is requested to ensure that all the facts are properly placed before the Court without any suppression of facts by impleading all the parties. This is being advised in view of the fact that in the recent past facts were suppressed while filing and challenging the decisions of the Department, reads the letter.

Tripathi was allotted a flat type V (H-3) DDA flats, Model Town for office purpose for the period of only six months. He was told by the PWD that he will vacate the residence on October 04, 20 l6. lt was established that he is using illegally for the purpose of his residence instead of Office purpose. Nearly, Rs 27.4 Lakh (Approx.) is pending from November 22, 2019 for recovery against the MLA that was not paid so far. The damage from November 23, 2019 to as on today needs to be calculated and added further, the DoV said in the letter.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri have welcomed the final decision of Vigilance Department of Delhi Government to write to Delhi Assembly Secretary for initiating the proceedings to recover Rs 27.4 lakh from AAP MLA pending against him for misuse of office accommodation alloted for six months as a family residence for almost three years and then vacating it without paying relevant rental charges.

Taking a dig at the AAP, Delhi BJP President has said that Tripathi is a glaring example of dirty anarchic politics brought to Delhi by Arvind Kejriwal. Within days of becoming MLA, this AAP leader was involved in a riot attack on Burari Police Station in which he has been punished by Court, thereafter he did a scam of giving fake medical bills which is under investigation, he said.
About 10 students from Delhi Universitys Bharti College alleged that they were secretly filmed while changing in the IIT-Delhi washroom for a fashion show during the institutes ongoing fest, police said on Saturday.

The girls from Bharti Colleges Elantre Society, in a video posted on social media, alleged that the administration didnt take action against the accused even after being informed. A complaint was received at Kishangarh police station regarding the incident and the accused, a 20-year-old contractual sweeper, was arrested, the police said.

Today, a complaint was received through X at Kishangarh police station regarding making a video in the ladies washroom of IIT-Delhi by a boy, a senior police officer said. A case under Section 354C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Kishangarh police station on Saturday and the accused -- a contractual sweeper -- was arrested and sent to judicial custody, the officer added. Further investigation is underway, he added.

Meanwhile, IIT-Delhi has issued a statement saying the matter was handed over to the police immediately and added the institute has zero tolerance for such cases. The accused, in an unfortunate and regrettable incident, on October 6, was immediately handed over to the Delhi Police that is investigating the matter. He was identified as an employee of an agency to which housekeeping services have been outsourced, it said.

The institute treated the matter with the utmost seriousness and urgency it deserved. The institute is fully cooperating with the police and has a zero-tolerance policy for any such instance, it added.

The Delhi University Students Union also condemned the incident and demanded strict action against the accused. In a letter DUSU president Tushar Dedha urged the Delhi police to take strict action in this case.

NSUIs national secretary Nitish Gaur who participated in a fashion show competition at IIT Delhi, said,  On the day of the competition, their convenor Fatima maam forced us to participate in the event, even though we were not well prepared and she was not with us.

They had no choice but to comply with her orders and perform on the stage. However, what happened next was beyond our worst nightmare.

A housekeeping staff of IIT Delhi, who was supposed to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the premises, secretly recorded our alleged videos while some of our girls were changing in the washroom. The washroom was supposed to be a safe and private space for them, but this man violated our privacy and dignity by his disgusting act. We caught him red-handed with his mobile phone and confronted him. He confessed to his crime and begged for forgiveness, Gaur said in a press statement issued to media.

They immediately informed the authorities of IIT Delhi and demanded strict action against him. However, to our utter disappointment, they did not take the matter seriously and tried to cover up the incident. They did not register an FIR against the culprit, nor did they assure us that the videos would be deleted or not circulated, he said.
The gap between legal rhetoric and actual animal rights in India persists despite landmark judgments. Recent PILs highlight animal suffering, emphasising the need for enforceable protections. Mexicos proposed constitutional reform recognising animals as sentient beings sets a positive precedent, writes Sonal Gupta

The disconcerting disparity between legal rhetoric and the actual state of affairs concerning animal rights and protections has long been a matter of grave concern. In India, the groundbreaking judgment in Animal Welfare Board of India vs A Nagaraja & Ors (2014) ostensibly championed animal rights by affirming that animals possess a fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. However, this elevation of their status from statutory to fundamental rights, while a partial triumph, has not translated into effective protection for animals in India.

Recent developments, such as the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) initiated by the Humane Society of India in Human Society of India vs State of Telangana & Ors before the Telangana High Court, serve as a stark reminder of the harrowing ordeals faced by countless animals, including species safeguarded by the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This PIL highlights the dire conditions in unlicensed and unregulated pet shops, where animals languish and perish due to the lackadaisical discharge of statutory responsibilities.

The Telangana High Court has acknowledged this pressing issue and directed relevant authorities to submit a status report.

Confronted with this glaring incongruity, it is imperative that we reevaluate our priorities and acknowledge that the true measure of societal progress is how we treat the defenseless, voiceless beings among us. Mere recognition of rights, devoid of effective enforcement and tangible change, remains an exercise in futility. It is abundantly clear that the time for passive acknowledgment has passed; what is needed now is action-meaningful and resolute action.

In this context, the timely proposal by Mexican Senator Angel Garcia Yanez in September 2023 to introduce a constitutional reform in Mexico, recognizing animals as sentient beings in the Political Constitution of Mexico, represents a significant step in the right direction. In Mexico, as in many parts of the world, animals often suffer due to inadequate legal protection and enforcement. While existing laws may acknowledge the importance of animal welfare, they frequently lack the teeth necessary to deter cruelty effectively. Recognition of animal sentience in the Mexican Constitution would signify a paradigm shift. It would acknowledge that animals, like humans, experience pain, suffering, and a range of emotions.

The importance of such a move in India can be understood by examining the current state of laws protecting animals. In India, Sections 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Sections 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code address various forms of cruelty and atrocities to animals but prescribe meagre penalties, as low as Rs 10 and Rs 50, with short terms of imprisonment, if at all. This pales in comparison to the severity of cruelty that animals often endure, including cases such as the 2018 incident in Haryana, where a pregnant goat was raped and subsequently died. Such penalties are clearly unjust when cruelty to animals can be as heinous as rape or other unnatural offences.

Furthermore, while the Constitution of India, through its non-enforceable and non-justifiable Directive Principles of State Policy, Article 51A(g), imposes a duty on citizens to have compassion for living creatures, it falls short of recognizing the emotional, mental, and psychological suffering endured by animals. While India has instituted basic animal protections to prohibit physical mistreatment or violence, a more comprehensive approach is necessary to consider the mental and emotional well-being of animals.

The enactment of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act in the UK in 2022 serves as a commendable example. This legislation firmly incorporates animal sentience into the legal framework, marking a crucial advancement in animal welfare. Animals, though unable to communicate in human language, possess intricate biological and emotional faculties akin to humans. Their lives transcend mere existence and embody sentience, a necessitated concept for comprehensive animal protection laws.

The time for change is now. It is incumbent upon us that we act decisively to ensure a more compassionate and just world for all creatures, great and small. Recognizing animals as sentient beings in the legal framework is not just a legal necessity; it is a moral imperative.

The chasm between legal rhetoric and on-the-ground reality can only be bridged when we acknowledge and protect the sentience of animals and take concrete actions to ensure their welfare and well-being because animal life is beyond mere existence.

(The writer practises law at the Supreme Court of India)
In Jajpur, women redefine steel industry norms. From engineers to leaders, they break barriers, driving growth. Their roles empower, transforming the landscape and promoting inclusivity in the workforce, writes Sidharth Mishra

About 100 kilometres from Bhubaneswar in the midst of Odia hinterland, a quiet social revolution is taking place. The place is Jajpur, an industrial hub, developed by the Odisha Government in an attempt to cultivate a prototype of the legendary steel city of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. It is a dusty and bumpy road which takes one to Jajpur

Despite the roads, Jajpur has been a success story with big brands like Tata Steel and Jindal Stainless finding firm footing in the forested area, not just making steel but initiating a social revolution. The social revolution one is talking about is not the one which is ordinarily associated with corporate social responsibility but in the core areas of production and marketing.

Not undermining the role played by the self-help groups promoted by these consortia under the CSR activities, but what should actually be bringing laurels to these companies is the role women are playing on the shop floors of the hot and cold steel rolling mills. A quick employee survey of the Jindal Stainless at Jajpur reveals that of the 136 women employees, 74 are engineers and of them 50 work on the shop floor.

Unlike the rush we see these days in the engineering colleges for courses in emerging areas like AI, Data Science, IIoT and Machine Learning, here are women helming operations in white helmets not in air-conditioned labs but on the hot shop floor rubbing shoulders with their male counterparts. For years, the manufacturing and metallurgy sectors have been perceived as challenging and labour-intensive, often discouraging women.

However, the stainless steel industry is gradually shattering these pigeonholes as more and more women take on diverse roles within the sector. They are today working as engineers, metallurgists, or quality control experts, proving their mettle in each of these fields. Their keen attention to every facet, problem-solving abilities, and devotion to quality has helped enhance the overall production and innovation in the industry. Women have made significant advances not just on the shop floors but in various domains within the stainless steel industry, such as research and development, marketing, finance, human resources, and operations.

Their contributions have proven precious, enhancing the industry's overall efficiency and growth. The astonishing figures from the employee survey from Jindals Jajpur plant showed that there are 24 other women engineers who are deployed in departments other than shop floor operations. In addition there are nine women managers in the non-engineering departments.

That women are increasingly taking up leadership and managerial roles in the stainless-steel industry today is a matter of record. Of the 136 women employees at Jindals Jajpur plant, 22 are in leadership roles. Their ability to manage teams, harmonise operations, and make tactical decisions has been instrumental in the growth of various companies in this sector.

However, the contribution of women in manufacturing is not limited to only women engineers. Beyond the technical and managerial roles, women have also been actively participating in the workforce, contributing both to the manufacturing and the production processes. Whether it is operating heavy machinery, performing quality checks, or overseeing logistics, women are playing a vital role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the stainless steel industry. At Jindal stainless Jajpur plant, of the 136 women employees 54 are part of the skilled workforce.

According to Deepak Agrawal, Jindal Stainless unit head at Jajpur, from day one it was ensured that there was no discrimination against women when it came to recruitment or allocation of responsibilities including the leadership role. Hats off to their courage and perseverance as they overcame challenges of a very inhospitable terrain to help set-up a most modern stainless steel plant but also a lively township around it. Moreover, women in the industry have shown exceptional multitasking abilities and attention to detail, contributing to heightened operational efficiency. Their analytical and strategic thinking skills have been instrumental in streamlining processes and improving productivity, adds Agrawal.

The notable influx of women joining various roles in recent years in the stainless steel industry can be attributed to several factors, including increased education opportunities for women, changing societal attitudes towards gender roles, and government initiatives promoting women's involvement in the workforce. This shift is promoting diversity and inclusivity in leadership positions, which is crucial for fostering innovation and adaptability, says Dr DD Gautam, who teaches in the Sociology department at the prestigious Delhi School of Economics.

According to Prof JP Sharma, former Dean Business Studies at Delhi School of Economics, While the government initiatives and policies have their role, the contribution of the business houses in the private sector cannot be ignored. Elucidating further, Prof Sharma said, Jindals Jajpur plant is an example of a private initiative giving shape to government vision. The corporate house took the initiative overcoming the fear of falling production and adding losses. Such fears are not there in government, thus the contribution of the private sector in establishing gender equipoise in this sector is greater than that of the government sector.

According to Agrawal, The participation and influence of women in the Indian stainless steel industry can only grow in the coming years. The industry is continuously espousing diversity, where the prized standpoints and aptitudes of women will undoubtedly play a vital role.

Business economist and Principal of Shyamlal College of Delhi University Dr Rabi Narayan Kar says, Companies are increasingly recognising the importance of gender diversity and are implementing policies and initiatives to encourage more women to join and thrive in the industry. Measures like training programs, mentorship opportunities and flexible work arrangements support women in their careers.

As one drives back from Jajpur to Bhubaneswar, one carries the images of women working and contributing with such alacrity in a domain which till a few years back was exclusive for men. They handle the heavy-duty machinery with a tenderness which is exclusive to the female gender, a tenderness which mellows hard steel to a shiny stainless metal.

(The writer is an author and President, Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice, New Delhi)
Outraged over the series of terrorist attacks by Hamas militants, US President Joe Biden on Saturday vowed to stand with Israel and expressed readiness to offer all appropriate means of support to the Jewish nation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "at war" after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets and entering Israel by land, sea and air using paragliders. At least 100 people were killed in Israel in the attacks.

The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, said President Biden, who is personally monitoring the situation and spoke with Netanyahu on the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel.
A few short notes this month. October brings shorter daylight, cooler temperatures and changing leaves. It also brings New York State History Month and Family History Month. Now, to be fair, each month has many events, awareness, commemorations and celebrations, or whatever they are called. For us in the history and genealogy community, it is a good time to remind you what a fun time can be had as you take those first steps into your family history. Did you know that genealogy is a top hobby (avocation?) in the world. If you enjoy any of the true crime shows or podcasts, you should think about beginning a true crime journey of your own as you search records and documents looking for those hidden hints about your ancestors. It can be quite addictive. You can get started on your family journey for almost no cost aside from a computer and internet connection, as there are so many free services out there to get you going. Or visit your local library, as they have computers and library subscriptions to genealogical websites.

If you like to travel, genealogical tourism can be great fun. We had visitors this year who were going from town to town, state to state, searching for their family burial plots and the old family homestead. And they found that one of our volunteers was a member of the family, so they got new contacts and so much great help with their research.

So think about starting as you gather for the holidays. Ask around to see if anyone in the family has already created a tree? Has anyone taken a DNA test? Have you? Are there family photos hidden away? Was someone moved to start a tree after watching "Roots" and then forgot about it? If you find a storyteller in the family, turn on the phone and record them. You will not regret it doing it, as once those memories are gone, you cannot get them back. Once you start, you will find a warm and welcoming community of family researchers to help you with the hobby.

The Lock 52 Historical Society had a very nice visit from Brian Stratton, who serves as the director of the New York State Canal Corporation. In the spring we had invited the governor to stop by to see our art display about the Erie Canal, and that invitation was passed along to Mr. Stratton. In addition to our art display, we set up a tour of the Montezuma Heritage Park to show him the Cayuga-Seneca Lock 11, the remains of the Seneca River Aqueduct and the new canal boat that now carries the Dawn Jordan mural. After Montezuma, we toured the display at the Pine Street house, where he was able to view the work of local artists. The director was kind enough to give us a couple hours of his time and enjoyed his visit to Montezuma and Port Byron.

We had a question about the freshwater spring that sits along Route 38 just south of the village, and there is not a history of it. So we put the word out on Facebook asking for help, and it is safe to say that we remain uncertain. One reply was that a Mr. McCarthy came back after World War II and installed the pipes to help drain his fields. But then another said that his great-grandfather got water from the spring in the 1840s. There is nothing to say that both these cant be wrong. Someone posted a link to a find a spring website that gave it the name of DiRisio Crystal Spring, which has been reused on many sites and articles. I am not certain where that name came from, but like a bit of zombie history, once born, it never dies.

I checked the old village maps and the topographical maps, and there is no notation of the spring. The pull-off is visible on the 1964 aerial photo. There were many comments about growing up drinking the water, and before the introduction of Auburn water in the 1930s, springs were likely the safest place to get your water. Many still get their water from the spring everyday. So the history remains a bit of a mystery, and we welcome any additional comments or clues that you might be able to provide.
Pakistans former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who has been living in the United Kingdom for the last four years in self-imposed exile on Friday submitted his medical reports to a top court here in anticipation of seeking protective bail ahead of his scheduled return to the country on October 21. The PML-N supreme leader had left for London in November 2019 on medical grounds after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week bail. He had been serving a seven-year jail term at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case before securing bail for his treatment abroad.

The PML-N says Nawaz, 73, will manage to secure protective bail ahead of his scheduled arrival and he will surrender to court in the Al Azizia corruption case after addressing the nation at a rally at the Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore, on October 21.

Nawazs medical report was submitted to the Lahore High Court by his counsel Advocate Amjad Pervez. The report says Nawaz has some residual anginal symptoms which require frequent follow-up investigations in London and Pakistan. The report has been signed by Professor Carlo Di Mario, a consultant cardiologist at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the end of January 2024 for holding of general elections.

No delay in former Pms return

Former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharifs party has dismissed speculation that he may delay his plan to return from self-imposed exile in London on October 21 amid reports that a group within the party had advised him that the time was not right for the move.

Nawaz Sharif, the 73-year-old three-time prime minister is expected to lead the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in the next general election which will be held in January. The Express Tribune newspaper, citing sources, said that the partys reconciliatory group believed that the people, currently worried about the rising inflation, unemployment and excessive utility bills, were not interested in the PML-N supremos return to the country.
Turkish warplanes have carried out airstrikes on sites believed to be used by a US-backed Kurdish militia in northern Syria, after the US military shot down an armed Turkish drone that came within 500 metres (yards) of American troops, officials said Friday.

A Turkish defense ministry statement said the Turkish jets targeted some 30 sites in the Tal Rifat, Jazeera and Derik regions, destroying caves, bunkers, shelters and warehouses.

Ankara said the locations were used by Kurdistan Workers Party, PKK, a designated terrorist group behind a decades-long insurgency in Turkiye  as well as its allies from a Kurdish militia in Syria, known as Peoples Defense Units, or YPG.

The YPG is part of Syrian Kurdish-led forces  known as the Syrian Democratic Forces  backed by the United States.

The Syrian Kurdish fighters have been close US allies in the war against the militants from the Islamic State group.

Turkiye has been carrying out strikes on Kurdish targets in Iraq and Syria following a suicide attack outside the Interior Ministry building in Ankara, the Turkish capital, early on Sunday.

The PKK claimed the attack in which one attacker blew himself up and another would-be bomber was killed in a shootout with police. Two police officers were wounded.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said the two assailants had arrived from Syria, where they had been trained. He said PKK and YPG positions in Iraq and Syria have now become legitimate targets.Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria said Thursday evening that Turkish bombing had struck 21 sites and that 11 people were killed by the Turkish aggression  five civilians and six members of the local Kurdish governments Internal Security Forces.

The US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria have denied any connection to the Ankara attack and accused Turkiye of using the attack as a pretext for a new military incursion.

In Washington, the Pentagon said Thursday that a Turkish drone bombed targets near the US troops in Syria, forcing them to go to bunkers for safety. Air Force Brig Gen Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said the decision to shoot down the drone of a NATO ally was made out of due diligence and the inherent right of self-defence to take appropriate action to protect US forces.

There was no indication that Turkiye was intentionally targeting US forces, he said.

Turkiyes Foreign Ministry on Friday blamed the downing of the drone on differing evaluations of what it called a deconflicting mechanism operated between the sides.

Necessary measures were being taken to ensure a more effective operation of the mechanism, the ministry said without elaborating.

The incident did in no way affect the execution of the ongoing operation and the strikes against targets that were identified, the ministry said.

Both Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the new Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. CQ Brown, spoke with their Turkish counterparts quickly after the incident to emphasise the value they place on their relationship with Turkiye  but also the need to avoid any similar incidents in the future and ensure the safety of US personnel. The US has about 900 troops in Syria conducting missions alongside Syrian Kurdish forces to counter IS militants.

The downing of the Turkish drone occurred as a drone attack killed at least 89 people in the Syrian government-controlled city of Homs on Thursday.

In that attack, explosive-laden drones were detonated during a military graduation ceremony attended by young officers and their families.

An additional 277 people were injured, according to Syrias health ministry.

Syrias military blamed insurgents backed by known international forces, without naming any particular group, and threatened to respond with full force.

The Turkish defense ministry said Thursdays aerial operation in Syria was aimed at securing Turkiyes borders from threats from the PKK and YPG. Separately, the ministry said Turkiye had retaliated to an attack on a Turkish base in the Dabik region in northern Syria late on Thursday, neutralising 26 attackers. Meanwhile, Turkiyes state-run Anadolu Agency reported Friday that Turkish intelligence agents killed a PKK militant in an operation in Iraqs Sinjar region. The agency identified him as Ilyas Biro Eli and said he was responsible for an alleged assassination unit.

We will continue to fight terrorism wherever it emanates from. We will extinguish it at its sources, be it in northern Iraq or northern Syria, wrote Fahrettin Altun, Turkiyes presidential communications

director.

The PKK has led a decades-long insurgency in Turkiye and is considered a terror organization by Turkiyes Western allies, including the US Tens of thousands of people have died since the start of the conflict in 1984.

The US, however, regards the YPG as a key partner in the fight against the IS and does not believe the group presents a threat to Turkiye.
Achmea Investment Management B.V. raised its position in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 13.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 21,608 shares of the payment services companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,501 shares during the quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V.s holdings in American Express were worth $3,764,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. MRP Capital Investments LLC increased its position in shares of American Express by 203.8% in the second quarter. MRP Capital Investments LLC now owns 3,630 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $632,000 after acquiring an additional 2,435 shares during the period. Plimoth Trust Co. LLC increased its position in shares of American Express by 10.9% during the second quarter. Plimoth Trust Co. LLC now owns 10,836 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $1,888,000 after buying an additional 1,064 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC increased its position in shares of American Express by 1.3% during the second quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 121,957 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $21,245,000 after buying an additional 1,572 shares during the period. Creative Planning increased its position in shares of American Express by 5.7% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 123,390 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $21,494,000 after buying an additional 6,635 shares during the period. Finally, Intercontinental Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in American Express by 5.9% in the second quarter. Intercontinental Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,843 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.08% of the companys stock.

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American Express Trading Up 1.5 %

NYSE AXP opened at $149.32 on Friday. American Express has a one year low of $130.65 and a one year high of $182.15. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $158.66 and a 200-day simple moving average of $162.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a current ratio of 1.59. The firm has a market cap of $109.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.19, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.19.

American Express Announces Dividend

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The payment services company reported $2.89 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $15.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.41 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.57 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 12.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that American Express will post 11.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company 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 $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 5th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.61%. American Expresss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.42%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AXP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of American Express from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Robert W. Baird downgraded shares of American Express from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $185.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. 51job reiterated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a research report on Friday, June 30th. 22nd Century Group reissued a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Friday, June 30th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of American Express from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $197.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $173.44.

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American Express 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.

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SVB Wealth LLC lessened its stake in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG  Free Report) by 25.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 8,439 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,915 shares during the period. SVB Wealth LLCs holdings in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. were worth $1,853,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Newport Capital Group LLC acquired a new position in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in the second quarter valued at $13,016,000. Prossimo Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. during the second quarter worth about $283,000. Accurate Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 3.8% during the second quarter. Accurate Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,970 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $635,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the period. Achmea Investment Management B.V. boosted its stake in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 11.3% during the second quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. now owns 3,704 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $813,000 after buying an additional 376 shares during the period. Finally, Northwest Bancshares Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. during the second quarter worth about $221,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.15% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

In other news, CFO Douglas K. Howell sold 4,588 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $228.92, for a total transaction of $1,050,284.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 127,942 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $29,288,482.64. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CFO Douglas K. Howell sold 30,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.99, for a total transaction of $6,779,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 164,371 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $37,146,202.29. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Douglas K. Howell sold 4,588 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $228.92, for a total transaction of $1,050,284.96. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 127,942 shares in the company, valued at approximately $29,288,482.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 75,688 shares of company stock valued at $17,388,097 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AJG shares. Raymond James increased their target price on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $255.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, September 18th. Argus increased their target price on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $232.00 to $264.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 30th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $212.00 to $220.00 in a research note on Friday, June 16th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $233.00 to $237.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a report on Thursday. They set a hold rating for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $241.07.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Trading Up 1.1 %

Shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. stock opened at $232.02 on Friday. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has a 12-month low of $169.01 and a 12-month high of $237.63. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. The stock has a market cap of $50.07 billion, a PE ratio of 45.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a 50-day moving average of $227.22 and a two-hundred day moving average of $214.47.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The financial services provider reported $1.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.04. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. had a net margin of 12.11% and a return on equity of 18.65%. The company had revenue of $2.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.36 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.70 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 19.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. will post 8.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 1st were paid a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 31st. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.95%. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 42.88%.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Profile

(Free Report)

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance and reinsurance brokerage, consulting, and third-party property/casualty claims settlement and administration services to businesses and organizations worldwide. It operates in Brokerage and Risk Management segments. The Brokerage segment offers retail and wholesale insurance and reinsurance brokerage services; assists retail brokers and other non-affiliated brokers in the placement of specialized and hard-to-place insurance; and acts as a brokerage wholesaler, managing general agent, and managing general underwriter for distributing specialized insurance coverages to underwriting enterprises.

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Boston Trust Walden Corp raised its stake in shares of AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB  Free Report) by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 69,505 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after acquiring an additional 1,975 shares during the period. Boston Trust Walden Corps holdings in AvalonBay Communities were worth $13,155,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AVB. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV raised its stake in AvalonBay Communities by 290.0% during the 1st quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 156 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV raised its stake in AvalonBay Communities by 2,142.9% during the 1st quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 157 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. BOKF NA purchased a new stake in AvalonBay Communities during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $29,000. CVA Family Office LLC raised its stake in AvalonBay Communities by 106.7% during the 2nd quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 155 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fiduciary Alliance LLC purchased a new stake in AvalonBay Communities during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 88.71% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other AvalonBay Communities news, EVP Joanne M. Lockridge sold 3,331 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $186.25, for a total transaction of $620,398.75. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 21,558 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,015,177.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.42% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have issued reports on AVB. Wedbush began coverage on AvalonBay Communities in a research report on Tuesday. They set a neutral rating and a $179.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on AvalonBay Communities in a research report on Thursday. They set a hold rating on the stock. Colliers Securities upgraded AvalonBay Communities from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $202.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 14th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on AvalonBay Communities from $200.00 to $215.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. Finally, Mizuho dropped their target price on AvalonBay Communities from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, AvalonBay Communities has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $195.56.

View Our Latest Analysis on AvalonBay Communities

AvalonBay Communities Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:AVB opened at $172.00 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $180.10 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $179.88. The stock has a market cap of $24.43 billion, a PE ratio of 19.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 2.49 and a current ratio of 2.49. AvalonBay Communities, Inc. has a one year low of $153.07 and a one year high of $198.65.

AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The real estate investment trust reported $2.59 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.60 by ($0.01). AvalonBay Communities had a return on equity of 11.01% and a net margin of 46.32%. The business had revenue of $690.86 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $675.67 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.43 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that AvalonBay Communities, Inc. will post 10.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AvalonBay Communities Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.65 per share. This represents a $6.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 28th. AvalonBay Communitiess dividend payout ratio is presently 74.24%.

AvalonBay Communities Company Profile

(Free Report)

As of June 30, 2023, the Company owned or held a direct or indirect ownership interest in 294 apartment communities containing 88,659 apartment homes in 12 states and the District of Columbia, of which 18 communities were under development and one community was under redevelopment. The Company is an equity REIT in the business of developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing apartment communities in leading metropolitan areas in New England, the New York/New Jersey Metro area, the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, and Northern and Southern California, as well as in the Company's expansion regions of Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte, North Carolina, Southeast Florida, Dallas and Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado.

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Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI  Free Report) (TSE:CNR) had its target price reduced by Susquehanna from $120.00 to $112.00 in a research note released on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the transportation companys stock.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on CNI. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on Canadian National Railway from $125.00 to $122.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Evercore ISI lowered their price objective on Canadian National Railway from $119.00 to $116.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 21st. Argus cut Canadian National Railway from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, August 1st. Citigroup lowered their target price on Canadian National Railway from $125.00 to $122.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 11th. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on Canadian National Railway in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating and three have given a 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 $145.65.

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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CNI

Canadian National Railway Price Performance

Shares of Canadian National Railway stock opened at $107.12 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. Canadian National Railway has a twelve month low of $103.79 and a twelve month high of $129.89. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $112.62 and a 200 day moving average price of $116.21. The firm has a market cap of $70.01 billion, a PE ratio of 18.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.91.

Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI  Get Free Report) (TSE:CNR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The transportation company reported $1.31 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.37 by ($0.06). Canadian National Railway had a net margin of 30.21% and a return on equity of 24.62%. The business had revenue of $3.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.13 billion. Sell-side analysts predict that Canadian National Railway will post 5.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Canadian National Railway Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Investors of record on Friday, September 8th were issued a dividend of $0.5996 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 7th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.24%. This is a positive change from Canadian National Railways previous quarterly dividend of $0.58. Canadian National Railways dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 39.73%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Canadian National Railway

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway by 0.9% during the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 20,375,062 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,400,975,000 after buying an additional 188,460 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway by 2.8% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 20,007,681 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,683,831,000 after buying an additional 554,280 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway by 0.8% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 13,819,790 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,673,162,000 after buying an additional 106,492 shares during the last quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec grew its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway by 0.9% during the second quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 12,441,800 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,508,342,000 after buying an additional 108,100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway by 0.7% during the first quarter. Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd now owns 9,556,511 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,126,080,000 after buying an additional 70,386 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.60% of the companys stock.

Canadian National Railway Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in rail and related transportation business. The company offers rail services, which include equipment, custom brokage services, transloading and distribution, business development and real estate, and private car storage services; and intermodal services including temperature controlled cargo, port partnership, transloading and distribution, logistic parks, customs brokerage, trucking, and moving grains in containers.

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Dfpg Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP  Free Report) (TSE:CP) by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 11,912 shares of the transportation companys stock after acquiring an additional 408 shares during the period. Dfpg Investments LLCs holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City were worth $962,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CP. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 750.0% during the 4th quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 340 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. BerganKDV Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 193.9% in the 1st quarter. BerganKDV Wealth Management LLC now owns 338 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 223 shares during the period. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Motco acquired a new position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Central Bank & Trust Co. acquired a new position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 1st quarter valued at about $38,000. 67.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Canadian Pacific Kansas City Stock Up 0.1 %

CP stock opened at $72.85 on Friday. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has a 52 week low of $65.17 and a 52 week high of $85.40. The company has a market capitalization of $67.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.01. The firms 50-day moving average is $78.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is $78.71. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Increases Dividend

Canadian Pacific Kansas City ( NYSE:CP Get Free Report ) (TSE:CP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The transportation company reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by ($0.07). Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a return on equity of 8.92% and a net margin of 41.92%. The company had revenue of $2.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.47 billion. On average, analysts forecast that Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited will post 2.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 29th will be given a dividend of $0.1437 per share. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.79%. This is an increase from Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 28th. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys payout ratio is 16.28%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently commented on CP shares. Morgan Stanley started coverage on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a report on Tuesday, September 5th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $100.00 price target for the company. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $85.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, September 21st. StockNews.com raised shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price target on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $87.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. Finally, Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $98.00 to $93.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $92.93.

Read Our Latest Research Report on CP

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Company Profile

(Free Report)

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada and the United States. The company transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, potash, fertilizers, and sulphur; and merchandise freight, such as energy, chemicals and plastics, metals, minerals and consumer, automotive, and forest products.

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Country Club Bank GFN grew its stake in shares of Carrier Global Co. (NYSE:CARR  Free Report) by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 9,146 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 231 shares during the quarter. Country Club Bank GFNs holdings in Carrier Global were worth $453,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of CARR. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 98,174.3% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,790,574,025 shares of the companys stock worth $89,009,435,000 after buying an additional 1,788,752,009 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 33,147,448 shares of the companys stock worth $1,516,493,000 after buying an additional 206,839 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 712.1% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 17,482,866 shares of the companys stock worth $799,843,000 after buying an additional 15,330,140 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 17,377,066 shares of the companys stock worth $793,207,000 after buying an additional 342,215 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Carrier Global by 109.6% in the 1st quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 10,892,166 shares of the companys stock worth $498,317,000 after buying an additional 5,694,510 shares in the last quarter. 91.47% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Carrier Global Stock Up 1.4 %

CARR stock opened at $54.28 on Friday. Carrier Global Co. has a twelve month low of $33.10 and a twelve month high of $60.04. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04. The stock has a market cap of $45.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.54, a PEG ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 1.41. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $55.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $49.35.

Insider Buying and Selling

Carrier Global ( NYSE:CARR Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The company reported $0.79 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.03. Carrier Global had a return on equity of 25.42% and a net margin of 9.87%. The firm had revenue of $6 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.83 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.69 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 15.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Carrier Global Co. will post 2.63 EPS for the current year.

In related news, VP Kyle Crockett sold 6,817 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.22, for a total value of $403,702.74. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 42 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,487.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Carrier Global news, insider Jurgen Timperman sold 164,450 shares of Carrier Global stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.25, for a total value of $9,743,662.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, VP Kyle Crockett sold 6,817 shares of Carrier Global stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.22, for a total value of $403,702.74. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 42 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,487.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.38% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently commented on CARR shares. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Carrier Global from $54.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Bank of America cut Carrier Global from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $62.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Carrier Global from $45.00 to $50.00 in a research report on Monday, July 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Carrier Global from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and set a $53.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Friday. Finally, Argus raised their target price on Carrier Global from $52.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $55.22.

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Carrier Global Company Profile

(Free Report)

Carrier Global Corporation provides heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation technologies worldwide. It operates through three segments: HVAC, Refrigeration, and Fire & Security. The HVAC segment provides products, controls, services, and solutions to meet the heating, cooling, and ventilation needs of residential and commercial customers.

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Boston Trust Walden Corp lowered its stake in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW  Free Report) by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 152,615 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 1,111 shares during the period. Boston Trust Walden Corps holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $14,396,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of EW. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 98,836.3% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 759,315,387 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $71,626,220,000 after purchasing an additional 758,547,908 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 104,971.3% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 15,399,249 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,148,938,000 after buying an additional 15,384,593 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the 4th quarter valued at about $658,390,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 27.5% during the 4th quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 21,874,280 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,632,040,000 after buying an additional 4,712,819 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Advisers LP grew its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 161.5% during the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 3,503,803 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $261,419,000 after buying an additional 2,164,100 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.25% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Edwards Lifesciences

In related news, VP Daveen Chopra sold 8,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.00, for a total transaction of $595,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 23,950 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,676,500. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, VP Daveen Chopra sold 8,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.00, for a total transaction of $595,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 23,950 shares in the company, valued at $1,676,500. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Michael A. Mussallem sold 29,350 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.84, for a total transaction of $2,020,454.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 4,486 shares in the company, valued at approximately $308,816.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 182,859 shares of company stock valued at $14,080,422 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

Edwards Lifesciences Trading Up 2.1 %

Shares of NYSE:EW opened at $73.70 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $75.31 and a 200-day moving average of $83.07. The firm has a market cap of $44.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.61, a P/E/G ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 1.05. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a twelve month low of $67.13 and a twelve month high of $94.87. The company has a current ratio of 3.15, a quick ratio of 2.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09.

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.01. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 24.56% and a return on equity of 25.43%. The business had revenue of $1.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.51 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.63 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $95.00 to $102.00 in a research report on Monday, July 17th. TheStreet downgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th. Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $110.00 to $94.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $103.00 to $107.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Edwards Lifesciences presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $91.50.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on EW

About Edwards Lifesciences

(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

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SVB Wealth LLC lessened its holdings in shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE  Free Report) by 15.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 21,404 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 4,006 shares during the quarter. SVB Wealth LLCs holdings in General Electric were worth $2,351,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. TCI Fund Management Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of General Electric during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $2,496,379,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of General Electric by 122,242.2% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,438,063 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $878,644,000 after buying an additional 13,427,079 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of General Electric during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $635,274,000. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of General Electric by 17.3% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,490,012 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $4,639,533,000 after buying an additional 7,157,356 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its stake in shares of General Electric by 106,570.5% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 6,248,759 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $686,426,000 after buying an additional 6,242,901 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.83% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on General Electric from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on General Electric from $100.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Monday, July 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on General Electric in a research note on Wednesday, September 27th. They set a buy rating and a $141.00 target price for the company. Oppenheimer cut General Electric from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Monday, July 31st. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on General Electric from $125.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 25th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, General Electric currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $122.71.

General Electric Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GE opened at $111.47 on Friday. General Electric has a 1-year low of $48.98 and a 1-year high of $117.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.90. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $112.84 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $106.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $121.32 billion, a PE ratio of 13.22, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 1.27.

General Electric (NYSE:GE  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The conglomerate reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.22. General Electric had a return on equity of 9.30% and a net margin of 13.32%. The firm had revenue of $15.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.76 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.78 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 18.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that General Electric will post 2.29 EPS for the current year.

General Electric Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 25th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 26th will be issued a dividend of $0.08 per share. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 25th. General Electrics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 3.80%.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 112,614 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.20, for a total transaction of $12,973,132.80. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 57,923 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,672,729.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.67% of the companys stock.

General Electric Company Profile

(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.

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Beijing (Gasgoo)- On October 7, VOYAH, the premium new energy vehicle brand under Dongfeng Motor, kicked off pre-orders for its 2024 refreshed version of the Dreamer MPV model.



Photo credit: VOYAH

This latest offering represents a comprehensive overhaul of the new energy vehicle landscape, aiming to redefine the value benchmark for high-end new energy MPVs. The official launch and deliveries of the 2024 Dreamer are scheduled for October 12.

Photo credit: VOYAH

MPVs are often associated with family outings and corporate hospitality, requiring robust power for full-capacity transport. The 2024 Dreamer boasts a remarkable 420kW system power and 840Nm system torque, elevating MPV performance to that of luxury sedans and SUVs. This not only ensures a fast, precise, and stable driving experience but also guarantees comfort and safety.

Photo credit: VOYAH

In the realm of range, the 2024 Dreamer PHEV model features a larger battery pack and a brand-new hybrid engine from VOYAH, achieving the longest all-electric and overall range in its class. The PHEV model comes equipped with a colossal 43-degree super mica battery, offering a pure-electric range of 236km according to the CLTC standard and a comprehensive range of 1,231km. Meanwhile, the all-electric model now boasts a battery-only range of 650km, ensuring an extended journey without the need for frequent charging.

Furthermore, the 2024 Dreamer employs the "Magic Carpet" air suspension system combined with the CDC (Continuous Damping Control) system, enhancing ride comfort. With 23 hardware sensors and 14 active safety features, this new offering ensures a timely response to unforeseen circumstances, adding a layer of safety and peace of mind for drivers and passengers alike.
Achmea Investment Management B.V. boosted its position in shares of HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS  Free Report) by 66.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,746 shares of the software makers stock after acquiring an additional 2,303 shares during the period. Achmea Investment Management B.V.s holdings in HubSpot were worth $3,057,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC grew its holdings in HubSpot by 4.8% during the 2nd quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 439 shares of the software makers stock worth $234,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC grew its holdings in HubSpot by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC now owns 1,785 shares of the software makers stock worth $765,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in HubSpot by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,115 shares of the software makers stock worth $1,336,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP grew its holdings in HubSpot by 34.2% during the 1st quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 102 shares of the software makers stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC grew its holdings in HubSpot by 14.3% during the 1st quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 224 shares of the software makers stock worth $96,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.06% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on HUBS shares. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $625.00 target price on shares of HubSpot in a report on Thursday, September 7th. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of HubSpot from $550.00 to $600.00 in a report on Thursday, September 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of HubSpot from $536.00 to $596.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 20th. Oppenheimer restated an outperform rating and issued a $620.00 target price on shares of HubSpot in a report on Thursday, August 3rd. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on shares of HubSpot from $635.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, September 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-two have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, HubSpot has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $539.76.

Insider Transactions at HubSpot

In other news, CFO Kathryn Bueker sold 604 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $489.17, for a total transaction of $295,458.68. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 35,217 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,227,099.89. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CTO Dharmesh Shah sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $505.71, for a total value of $10,114,200.00. Following the sale, the chief technology officer now directly owns 1,411,014 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $713,563,889.94. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Kathryn Bueker sold 604 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $489.17, for a total transaction of $295,458.68. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 35,217 shares in the company, valued at $17,227,099.89. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 48,088 shares of company stock valued at $24,830,466 in the last ninety days. 4.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

HubSpot Stock Performance

NYSE:HUBS opened at $483.18 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.25, a current ratio of 2.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. HubSpot, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $245.03 and a fifty-two week high of $581.40. The stock has a market cap of $24.16 billion, a PE ratio of -116.71 and a beta of 1.59. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $510.82 and its 200-day simple moving average is $489.60.

HubSpot (NYSE:HUBS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 2nd. The software maker reported ($1.17) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.90) by ($0.27). HubSpot had a negative return on equity of 11.28% and a negative net margin of 10.51%. The company had revenue of $529.14 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $504.45 million. Analysts expect that HubSpot, Inc. will post -1.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About HubSpot

(Free Report)

HubSpot, Inc provides a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform for businesses in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's CRM platform includes marketing, sales, service, and content management systems, as well as integrated applications, such as search engine optimization, blogging, website content management, messaging, chatbots, social media, marketing automation, email, predictive lead scoring, sales productivity, knowledge base, commerce, conversation routing, video hosting, ticketing and helpdesk tools, customer NPS surveys, analytics, and reporting.

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Mcdaniel Terry & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 50,263 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 892 shares during the period. Mcdaniel Terry & Co.s holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $5,391,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. grew its stake in Exxon Mobil by 3.5% during the 1st quarter. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. now owns 4,563 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $500,000 after acquiring an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. TIAA FSB grew its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 8.2% in the 1st quarter. TIAA FSB now owns 509,184 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $55,837,000 after buying an additional 38,760 shares during the period. Horizons Wealth Management grew its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 214.6% in the 2nd quarter. Horizons Wealth Management now owns 453 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 309 shares during the period. Nvest Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 5.6% in the 1st quarter. Nvest Financial LLC now owns 3,651 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $400,000 after buying an additional 194 shares during the period. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 4.9% in the 1st quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 21,302 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $2,336,000 after buying an additional 1,003 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.53% of the companys stock.

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Exxon Mobil Price Performance

Shares of XOM opened at $107.17 on Friday. Exxon Mobil Co. has a twelve month low of $96.75 and a twelve month high of $120.70. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $112.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $109.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $429.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.57, a PEG ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

Exxon Mobil ( NYSE:XOM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 28th. The oil and gas company reported $1.94 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.00 by ($0.06). Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 13.72% and a return on equity of 25.82%. The firm had revenue of $82.91 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $81.80 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.14 earnings per share. Exxon Mobils revenue for the quarter was down 28.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 11th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 16th were issued a $0.91 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 15th. This represents a $3.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.40%. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is 29.12%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on XOM. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $145.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 27th. Mizuho reissued a buy rating and issued a $139.00 price target on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, September 25th. Wolfe Research cut shares of Exxon Mobil from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Friday, July 7th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $139.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $118.00 to $110.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 24th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $124.48.

View Our Latest Research Report on XOM

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.00, for a total value of $172,500.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 27,772 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,193,780. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben bought 458,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 31st. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $106.93 per share, with a total value of $48,973,940.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,635,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $174,830,550. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.00, for a total transaction of $172,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 27,772 shares in the company, valued at $3,193,780. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock.

Exxon Mobil Profile

(Free Report)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas.

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Carlson Capital Management lowered its position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Free Report) by 28.7% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 3,258 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,310 shares during the quarter. Carlson Capital Managements holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $376,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 102,675.5% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,860,147,936 shares of the companys stock valued at $214,642,470,000 after purchasing an additional 1,858,338,022 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 103,159.7% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 39,327,490 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,363,385,000 after purchasing an additional 39,289,404 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 4th quarter valued at about $2,736,293,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 72.4% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 26,314,030 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,919,542,000 after purchasing an additional 11,051,945 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC grew its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 30.2% during the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 35,734,925 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,801,839,000 after buying an additional 8,281,942 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.59% of the companys stock.

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Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Up 0.3 %

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $103.89 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $107.09 and a 200-day simple moving average of $110.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.28 and a quick ratio of 1.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $263.62 billion, a PE ratio of 85.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.02 and a beta of 0.34. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12-month low of $87.11 and a 12-month high of $119.65.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

Merck & Co., Inc. ( NYSE:MRK Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The company reported ($2.06) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($2.18) by $0.12. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 5.34% and a return on equity of 16.29%. The business had revenue of $15.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.44 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.87 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 3.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 6th. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th were paid a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.81%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 14th. Merck & Co., Inc.s dividend payout ratio is presently 239.34%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. TheStreet downgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from an a- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Friday, September 1st. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $122.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Friday. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $102.00 to $113.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $124.74.

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Insider Activity at Merck & Co., Inc.

In related news, EVP Steven Mizell sold 4,250 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $109.01, for a total transaction of $463,292.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,935 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,500,144.35. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile

(Free Report)

Merck & Co, Inc operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. The Pharmaceutical segment offers human health pharmaceutical products in the areas of oncology, hospital acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes, as well as vaccine products, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines.

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Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. trimmed its stake in shares of Murphy USA Inc. (NYSE:MUSA  Free Report) by 1.6% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 159,646 shares of the specialty retailers stock after selling 2,570 shares during the quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. owned about 0.73% of Murphy USA worth $49,667,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Murphy USA by 635.5% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 276,141 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $13,592,000 after acquiring an additional 238,594 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Murphy USA in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $51,918,000. Morgan Stanley increased its position in Murphy USA by 76.4% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 379,886 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $106,194,000 after acquiring an additional 164,519 shares during the period. River Road Asset Management LLC increased its position in Murphy USA by 49.1% in the 1st quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC now owns 441,007 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $113,802,000 after acquiring an additional 145,265 shares during the period. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its position in Murphy USA by 134.7% in the 1st quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 239,971 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $61,925,000 after acquiring an additional 137,709 shares during the period. 83.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Murphy USA Stock Performance

MUSA opened at $356.41 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $7.64 billion, a PE ratio of 14.08 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.38. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $323.34 and a 200-day simple moving average of $297.42. Murphy USA Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $231.65 and a fifty-two week high of $359.09.

Murphy USA Increases Dividend

Murphy USA ( NYSE:MUSA Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 2nd. The specialty retailer reported $6.02 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $6.09 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $5.59 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.61 billion. Murphy USA had a return on equity of 80.20% and a net margin of 2.59%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Murphy USA Inc. will post 21.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 28th were given a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.44%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 25th. This is a boost from Murphy USAs previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. Murphy USAs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 6.16%.

Insider Transactions at Murphy USA

In other news, SVP Christopher A. Click sold 700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $302.31, for a total value of $211,617.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO R Andrew Clyde sold 18,971 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $314.40, for a total transaction of $5,964,482.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 226,473 shares in the company, valued at $71,203,111.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Christopher A. Click sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $302.31, for a total value of $211,617.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 70,815 shares of company stock valued at $22,153,785 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 9.04% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MUSA has been the subject of a number of research reports. Stephens reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $370.00 price target on shares of Murphy USA in a research note on Thursday, August 3rd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Murphy USA in a research note on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on Murphy USA from $362.00 to $360.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Murphy USA from $330.00 to $385.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, September 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Murphy USA has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $329.60.

View Our Latest Analysis on MUSA

Murphy USA Company Profile

(Free Report)

Murphy USA Inc engages in marketing of retail motor fuel products and convenience merchandise. The company operates retail stores under the Murphy USA, Murphy Express, and QuickChek brands. It operates retail gasoline stores principally in the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest United States. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas.

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NBT Bank N A NY purchased a new stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR  Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 1,814 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock, valued at approximately $207,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust during the 1st quarter worth approximately $276,000. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 9,563 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $940,000 after purchasing an additional 469 shares during the last quarter. BOS Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust during the 4th quarter worth approximately $521,000. Oak Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 5.1% during the 1st quarter. Oak Asset Management LLC now owns 10,868 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,068,000 after purchasing an additional 531 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arlington Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 485.4% during the 1st quarter. Arlington Partners LLC now owns 1,206 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $119,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the last quarter. 99.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Digital Realty Trust Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:DLR opened at $117.37 on Friday. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $85.76 and a fifty-two week high of $133.39. The company has a market cap of $35.53 billion, a PE ratio of 90.99, a P/E/G ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.56. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $124.30 and a 200 day simple moving average of $110.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02.

Digital Realty Trust Dividend Announcement

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th were paid a dividend of $1.22 per share. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.16%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 14th. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio is presently 378.30%.

Several research firms have commented on DLR. Raymond James lowered their target price on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $155.00 to $140.00 in a research note on Friday, July 28th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $128.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Digital Realty Trust from a buy rating to a hold rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $112.00 to $131.00 in a research note on Friday, August 25th. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $80.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. Finally, Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $130.00 to $138.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $121.50.

View Our Latest Stock Report on DLR

Insider Activity at Digital Realty Trust

In related news, insider Cindy Fiedelman sold 2,770 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.00, for a total value of $346,250.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.39% of the companys stock.

Digital Realty Trust Profile

(Free Report)

Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL, the company's global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data "meeting place" and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx) solution methodology for powering innovation and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges.

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Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. lifted its holdings in Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR  Free Report) by 10.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 777,936 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 76,670 shares during the period. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. owned 0.19% of Ingersoll Rand worth $50,846,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of IR. Essex Savings Bank lifted its position in Ingersoll Rand by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Essex Savings Bank now owns 4,837 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $316,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Aspire Private Capital LLC lifted its position in Ingersoll Rand by 5.2% during the 2nd quarter. Aspire Private Capital LLC now owns 3,775 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $247,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS lifted its position in Ingersoll Rand by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 68,645 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $3,994,000 after acquiring an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. Field & Main Bank lifted its position in Ingersoll Rand by 42.3% during the 1st quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 673 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC lifted its position in Ingersoll Rand by 2.2% during the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 9,277 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $540,000 after acquiring an additional 202 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.54% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Ingersoll Rand

In other news, CFO Vikram Kini sold 169,153 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.43, for a total transaction of $11,744,292.79. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 47,917 shares in the company, valued at $3,326,877.31. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.83% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently commented on IR shares. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $66.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 4th. Cfra upped their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, August 3rd. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Ingersoll Rand in a research report on Thursday. They set a hold rating for the company. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $76.00 to $74.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 7th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 3rd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $69.18.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Ingersoll Rand

Ingersoll Rand Price Performance

Shares of Ingersoll Rand stock opened at $63.42 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.29, a quick ratio of 1.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.87, a P/E/G ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.44. Ingersoll Rand Inc. has a 1-year low of $43.57 and a 1-year high of $70.65. The firms 50-day moving average price is $66.73 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $62.44.

Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 2nd. The industrial products company reported $0.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $1.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.58 billion. Ingersoll Rand had a net margin of 10.89% and a return on equity of 11.20%. On average, equities analysts predict that Ingersoll Rand Inc. will post 2.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ingersoll Rand Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 21st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 23rd were given a dividend of $0.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 22nd. This represents a $0.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.13%. Ingersoll Rands payout ratio is 4.65%.

About Ingersoll Rand

(Free Report)

Ingersoll Rand Inc provides various mission-critical air, fluid, energy, specialty vehicle, and medical technologies in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, India, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates through two segments, Industrial Technologies and Services, and Precision and Science Technologies.

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SFE Investment Counsel raised its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 120,204 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 4,545 shares during the period. SFE Investment Counsels holdings in Pfizer were worth $4,409,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 98,197.9% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,948,438,709 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $71,468,732,000 after buying an additional 1,946,456,532 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 445,384,893 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $18,171,704,000 after buying an additional 2,516,132 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its holdings 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 valued at $8,932,423,000 after buying an additional 19,602,359 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 89,592.7% during 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 period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 109,852,779 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $4,472,433,000 after buying an additional 577,201 shares during the period. 68.05% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $75.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $62.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, September 13th. StockNews.com began coverage on Pfizer in a report on Thursday. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Barclays decreased their target price on Pfizer from $38.00 to $35.00 in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on Pfizer from $45.00 to $44.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $45.88.

Pfizer Price Performance

NYSE:PFE opened at $33.13 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 2.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $34.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $37.25. The stock has a market cap of $187.05 billion, a PE ratio of 8.81, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.61. Pfizer Inc. has a 52 week low of $31.77 and a 52 week 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 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $12.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.36 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 28.36% and a net margin of 27.55%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 54.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.04 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 10th will be given a dividend of $0.41 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 9th. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.95%. Pfizers payout ratio is 43.62%.

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.

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SVB Wealth LLC lessened its position in shares of Invesco China Technology ETF (NYSEARCA:CQQQ  Free Report) by 1.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 44,830 shares of the companys stock after selling 500 shares during the quarter. SVB Wealth LLC owned about 0.22% of Invesco China Technology ETF worth $1,778,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its stake in Invesco China Technology ETF by 95,648.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 2,222,313 shares of the companys stock worth $88,137,000 after buying an additional 2,219,992 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC grew its stake in Invesco China Technology ETF by 1,245.2% during the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 632,685 shares of the companys stock worth $22,985,000 after buying an additional 585,652 shares during the last quarter. OLD Mission Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Invesco China Technology ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $22,041,000. GFG Capital LLC lifted its position in Invesco China Technology ETF by 25.9% during the 1st quarter. GFG Capital LLC now owns 253,976 shares of the companys stock worth $8,719,000 after acquiring an additional 52,310 shares during the period. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in Invesco China Technology ETF by 49.7% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 140,566 shares of the companys stock worth $6,599,000 after acquiring an additional 46,640 shares during the period.

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Invesco China Technology ETF Trading Up 2.5 %

Invesco China Technology ETF stock opened at $36.21 on Friday. Invesco China Technology ETF has a twelve month low of $29.86 and a twelve month high of $51.19. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $38.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of $40.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $753.17 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 77.33 and a beta of 0.64.

About Invesco China Technology ETF

Guggenheim China Technology ETF (the Fund), formerly Claymore China Technology ETF, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance, before the Funds fees and expenses, of an equity index called the AlphaShares China Technology Index (the Index). The Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stock, American depositary receipts (ADRs), American depositary shares (ADSs), global depositary receipts (GDRs) and international depositary receipts (IDRs) that comprise the Index and depositary receipts or shares representing common stocks included in the Index (or underlying securities representing ADRs, ADSs, GDRs and IDRs included in the Index).

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SVB Wealth LLC trimmed its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM  Free Report) by 1.9% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 24,085 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after selling 469 shares during the quarter. SVB Wealth LLCs holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $2,431,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in TSM. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC bought a new stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Key Financial Inc increased its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 666.7% in the 1st quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 345 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. America First Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Bogart Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 71.4% in the 1st quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 365 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. 16.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Price Performance

Shares of TSM opened at $89.28 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 2.42 and a quick ratio of 2.13. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a 12 month low of $59.43 and a 12 month high of $110.69. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $91.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $93.68. The company has a market cap of $463.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.73, a PEG ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 1.07.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Cuts Dividend

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( NYSE:TSM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The semiconductor company reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.07 by $0.07. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a return on equity of 32.08% and a net margin of 43.31%. The company had revenue of $15.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.52 billion. On average, research analysts forecast that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 4.8 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 15th will be given a dividend of $0.4724 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 14th. This represents a $1.89 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.12%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.59%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. StockNews.com upgraded Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday. Needham & Company LLC lowered their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $118.00 to $115.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 21st. Finally, Susquehanna upped their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $128.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research note on Friday, July 14th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $108.33.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Profile

(Free Report)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides complementary metal oxide silicon wafer fabrication processes to manufacture logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, and embedded memory semiconductors.

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Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Aptiv PLC (NYSE:APTV  Free Report) by 148.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 136,104 shares of the auto parts companys stock after buying an additional 81,398 shares during the quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. owned about 0.05% of Aptiv worth $13,899,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of APTV. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Aptiv by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 13,839 shares of the auto parts companys stock worth $1,657,000 after buying an additional 732 shares during the period. Panagora Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Aptiv by 127.8% during the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,798 shares of the auto parts companys stock valued at $1,293,000 after purchasing an additional 6,057 shares during the period. Synovus Financial Corp grew its holdings in Aptiv by 15.0% during the first quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 3,395 shares of the auto parts companys stock valued at $406,000 after purchasing an additional 443 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its holdings in Aptiv by 25.4% during the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 5,600 shares of the auto parts companys stock valued at $670,000 after purchasing an additional 1,133 shares during the period. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Aptiv by 32.6% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,239 shares of the auto parts companys stock valued at $268,000 after purchasing an additional 551 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.13% of the companys stock.

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Aptiv Stock Performance

NYSE APTV opened at $96.97 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firms fifty day moving average price is $100.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $101.44. Aptiv PLC has a 1 year low of $78.28 and a 1 year high of $124.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 2.02.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Aptiv ( NYSE:APTV Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The auto parts company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.22. The firm had revenue of $5.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.72 billion. Aptiv had a net margin of 4.95% and a return on equity of 14.89%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Aptiv PLC will post 4.74 EPS for the current year.

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on APTV shares. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of Aptiv from $146.00 to $149.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 4th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Aptiv from $135.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, August 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Aptiv from $120.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 7th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Aptiv from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $130.00 to $140.00 in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Aptiv from $127.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 4th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Aptiv presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $133.73.

Read Our Latest Report on Aptiv

Insider Transactions at Aptiv

In other news, CFO Joseph R. Massaro sold 1,900 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.87, for a total transaction of $193,553.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 206,773 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,063,965.51. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.41% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Aptiv

(Free Report)

Aptiv PLC engages in design, manufacture, and sale of vehicle components worldwide. The company provides electrical, electronic, and safety technology solutions to the automotive and commercial vehicle markets. It operates in two segments, Signal and Power Solutions, and Advanced Safety and User Experience.

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With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

Lynk & Co's sales in Sept. jump over 35% year on year

Lynk & Co, the premium automotive brand jointly owned by Geely and Volvo Cars, announced a monthly sales volume of 21,859 units for the month of September 2023, representing a year-on-year growth of over 35% and a month-on-month increase of around 17%. Notably, new energy vehicles accounted for 31% of the carmaker's total September auto sales.

Lynk & Co 08; photo credit: Lynk & Co

Hongqi brand sells 39,000 vehicles in Sept.

Hongqi, the premium auto brand under FAW Group, sold around 39,000 vehicles in September 2023, reflecting an 18% growth over the previous year. It is worth noting that the sales of the all-new Hongqi H5 and the new Hongqi HS5 reached 12,361 units and 11,921 units last month.

CATL has fourth zero-carbon factory awarded PAS2060 certification by SGS

CATL announced in early October that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Chengdu Xinjin Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd., has been awarded the PAS2060 Carbon Neutrality Certification by the globally renowned certification body SGS. This recognition formally made it CATLs fourth zero-carbon factory to receive such certification.

Shenzhen expects around 1.3 million new energy vehicles to run on roads by 2025

On October 7th, the People's Government of Shenzhen City released the "Notice on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Achieving Carbon Peak" (referred to as the "Notice").

The "Notice" outlines several key targets: By 2025, approximately 60% of the newly added vehicles in the city will be powered by new energy and clean energy sources. At that time, there will be around 1.3 million new energy vehicles (NEVs), over 20,000 liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled vehicles, and about 2,000 fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) deployed across the city. By 2030, the proportion of new energy and clean energy-powered vehicles in newly added vehicles is projected to reach about 70%, and the total population of NEVs in the city will reach around 2 million.

All-new 2024 VOYAH Dreamer MPV kicks off pre-orders

On October 7, VOYAH, the premium new energy vehicle brand under Dongfeng Motor, kicked off pre-orders for the refreshed version of the Dreamer MPV model.

Chery Holding's monthly sales exceed 190,000 units for first time in Sept. 2023

Chinese automaker Chery Holding reported September sales of 190,080 vehicles, marking a substantial 30.7% year-on-year surge. This milestone marked the first time Chery's monthly sales surpassed 190,000 units.

Orders for all-new AITO M7 surpass 50,000 units by Sept. 6

AITO, the premium new energy vehicle brand backed by SERES and Huawei, saw its recently launched all-new M7 model make waves in the market.

XPeng to get full ownership of robot developer Dogotix

XPeng Inc. ("XPeng") recently informed that on September 29, 2023, the Sellers, the Purchaser, and Dogotix entered into the Share Purchase Agreements, under which the Sellers agreed to selling, and the Purchaser agreed to acquiring, the Sale Shares, which constitute approximately 74.82% of Dogotix's total issued shares as at the date of this announcement, for a total consideration of roughly USD98.96 million.

BYD's new energy vehicle sales surpass 280,000 units in Sept. 2023

In September 2023, BYD Company Limited ("BYD") saw its monthly auto sales hit a new high of 287,454 new energy vehicles (NEVs), marking a remarkable year-on-year increase of 42.83%.

Chery debuts multiple models at Geneva International Motor Show

On October 5, the Geneva International Motor Show 2023 was opened in Doha, Qatar, featuring a dazzling display from Chinese automaker Chery Holding. Chery Holding showcased a diverse lineup of its CHERY, EXEED, and JAECOO brands, demonstrating its prowess in pure electric, hybrid, and conventional fuel vehicles.

Five BYD's new energy passenger vehicle models debut in Turkey

On September 29, BYD hosted a brand launch event in Istanbul, Turkey, where it unveiled five new energy vehicle (NEV) models: the BYD ATTO 3 (known domestically as the Yuan PLUS), the Han, the Tang, the Seal, and the Dolphin.

ZEEKR announces foray into UAE, SA, Qatar and Bahrain

On Sept. 29, ZEEKR, a premium electric vehicle brand under Geely Auto Group, made a significant announcement regarding its expansion into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the Middle East.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Tesla recently signed a property lease agreement with a subsidiary of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone Group (Waigaoqiao). This partnership will result in the establishment of an all-in-one Tesla Center within the sprawling confines of the new Xin Park development.



Spanning an impressive 8,000 square meters, the Xin Park Tesla Center will serve as the most extensive and largest integrated Tesla facility in China, housing a comprehensive range of services including model displays, test drives, and after-sales support.



Located in the Pudong New Area, the Tesla Center enjoys close proximity to Porsche China's Academy and Sam's Club China flagship store. It is slated to commence operations in mid-2024, catering to the surging demand for Tesla vehicles.

Within the showroom, a creative energy storage product display wall will showcase Powerwall, home chargers, superchargers, Cyberchargers, and electric drive units. This presentation mirrors Tesla's mission of accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy and highlights their cutting-edge electric vehicle philosophy.

Situated in Xin Park, an innovative development nestled between the central and outer ring roads of Shanghai, this strategic location offers excellent accessibility. Just 15 minutes via the Shanghai Wuzhou Avenue will lead to Yangpu's Wujiaochang area, while the emerging Jinqiao Urban Center is a mere 10-minute drive away.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a meeting with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Friday (PTI Photo)

VIJAYAWADA: AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has objected to the approval given by the Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to terms of reference (ToR) for the Krishna Waters Dispute Tribunal (KWDT)-II.

"These terms are unscientific and detrimental to the interests of Andhra Pradesh. It is unscientific to restrict these procedures to only Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the Krishna basin, while excluding Karnataka and Maharashtra," Jagan Mohan Reddy remarked.

In a memorandum to the Prime Minister, he pointed out that as per a working arrangement related to Krishna waters by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), AP got 512 TMC and Telangana 299 TMC out of 811 TMC allocated to the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh. This tripartite agreement had been signed by the Government of India and the governments of AP and Telangana.

The AP CM said: "While this is the situation, people of Andhra Pradesh are shocked to know about the Union Cabinets unilateral approval on October 4 of ToR for KWDT-II under Section 5(1) of ISRWD Act, 1956 on the request of the Telangana as per its complaint dated July 14, 2014."

He appealed to PM Modi to intervene immediately into the matter and direct the authorities concerned not to proceed further on the terms of reference given to KWDT-II.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said: "I am of the firm view that a unilateral reference to an Inter-State River Water Dispute Tribunal only for two states (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) and the absolute exclusion of other two basin states (Maharashtra and Karnataka) is not only unscientific but is also against the overall judicious use of water resources as a national asset."

The AP CM also called upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, pointed out that five special leave petitions (SLPs) are already pending in the Supreme Court challenging the decision of KWDT-II. Jagan Mohan Reddy told Amit Shah that he had brought the matter to the attention of minister for Hydropower twice in the past on August 17, 2021 and June 25, 2022.

The Chief Minister asked the Union government to clear the pending reimbursement of 1,355.57 crore spent by Andhra Pradesh government on Polavaram project immediately. He pointed out that the revised estimates of the project have been put at 55,548.87 crore by the technical committee, but the same is yet to be approved by the Centre.

He reminded the Union home minister that the Centre has agreed to release 12,911.15 crore for implementing the relief and rehabilitation (R&R) package. But since then, as per the Lidar Survey, 48 additional habitations in 36 villages and colonies are to be shifted to safer places.

The CM underlined that the AP government needs 17,144.06 crore to implement the R&R package and construct Polavaram project as per the revised estimates. He further said Polavaram is the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh and urged Amit Shah to intervene in the matter and ensure that the revised estimates are accepted and R&R package released immediately.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. (File Image: Twitter)

Hyderabad: The state government, advancing disbursement of Rythu Bandhu aid for rabi crop, will credit Rs 7,500 crore to accounts of over 70 lakh farmers in November, ahead of Assembly polls expected in December, official sources indicated.

Political analysts cited the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu aid days before the December 7 polls in 2018 for playing a crucial role in BRS win then.

Usually, the government credits the aid in January, but keeping in view the upcoming Assembly elections, the government is seeking to advance it.

Official sources said that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao discussed the issue with financial department officials and instructed them to arrange Rs 7,500 crore for disbursement in November.

During the 2018 polls, the opposition parties complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu in November ahead of Assembly elections polling on December 7.

While the ECI barred BRS from distributing cheques to farmers, it allowed the government to directly transfer money to farmers bank accounts on the grounds that the Rythu Bandhu was an ongoing scheme and not a new scheme.

Against this backdrop, the state government feels that there would not be a restriction from ECI for crediting the aid, this time around as well.

In May, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao announced the state government's decision to advance rabi season by a month to save crops from untimely rains and hailstorms in March, during the harvesting stage.

The government will cite the same to ECI for advancing Rythu Bandhu distribution to help farmers meet cultivation costs.
Kavitha on Friday visited the Ambedkar Museum in London and emphasized that only Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao can fulfil the aspirations of Babasaheb Ambedkar. (Twitter)

London: Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha who is on her two-day visit to the United Kingdom has said that Women's Reservation Bill does not include the OBC women, so "we will continue the fight until they are included".

Speaking to ANI, K Kavitha said, "It's very important to include women from every stratum. When I say women, women of every caste, every community, every financial status, all of them are to be included. Unfortunately, this bill (Women's Reservation Bill) that we passed right now, does not include the OBC women. So we will continue the fight until they are included because they are a large section of our Indian society."

A London-based Indian diaspora think tank, 'Bridge India' invited MLC K Kavitha as one of the leading advocates for greater female participation in the democratic and political process in India.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha on Friday visited the Ambedkar Museum in London and emphasized that only Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao can fulfil the aspirations of Babasaheb Ambedkar.

During her visit, Kavitha engaged with the Indian diaspora discussed collaborative initiatives and participated in events fostering cultural exchange between India and the United Kingdom.

Upon her visit, the Joint Secretary of the Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations UK Pankaj Sham Kumar addressed the gathering in honour of the MLC visit and efforts towards strengthening Babasaheb Ambedkar's ideology.

"I was very happy to know that when the formation of the Telangana state was happening then, in 2012, she (Kavitha) sat on a dharna demanding Baba Saheb's statue in the Telangana assembly, and later when the state was formed that statue was installed. It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations UK to welcome you," he said.

MLC Kavitha's two-day itinerary includes engagements with the Indian diaspora discussions on collaborative initiatives and participation in events fostering cultural exchange between India and the United Kingdom.

MLC Kavitha on the second day of her visit, will interact with a delegation of students from NISAU in a round table discussion. She will be attending a series of events during her 2 day London Visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed solidarity with Israel after the country faced a missile attack from the militant group Hamas along the Gaza border and declared a state of war. India also issued an advisory for its nationals, asking them to remain vigilant and follow the safety protocols as issued by the local authorities.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," Mr Modi said in a message on X.

The Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon said his country appreciates the support of the people of India.

"Israel is currently fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi-pronged Palestinian terror attacksThe cowardly actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children and the elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians and firing indiscriminately over 2,000 missiles and rockets at our cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah."

"Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration by Hamas terrorists and will take any and all actions to protect our citizens. We appreciate the support of the people of India as we stand firm in the face of terrorism," Gilon said on the counteroffensive operation "Swords of Iron".

No response was available from the Palestine embassy in Delhi. However, President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas in a statement, said, "We have the right to defend ourselves against Israel and settler terrorism."

In its advisory, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv said: "In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters." It gave out phone numbers and emails and adding that the embassy personnel were available for any guidance.

Air India cancelled its October 7 flights  AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv and AI140 from Tel Aviv to Delhi  "in the interests and safety of guests and crew". Air India said passengers are being extended all support, as per their requirements.
BJP Leader Marri Shashidhar Reddy. (Image: Twitter)

Hyderabad: BJP senior leader Marri Shashidhar Reddy wrote a letter to Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to direct the Chief Secretary to take measures for the treatment of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who had not been seen in in public for two weeks.

"There has been a veil of secrecy about his health. It was revealed a few days ago that he had a mild viral lung infection. Yesterday, suddenly a disclosure was made by his son and minister K.T. Rama Rao that his father has a secondary (bacterial) infection of the lungs," he said.

He said regular health bulletins are issued by hospital authorities and state government health officials when high public officials. "This is not to be seen in this instance," the BJP leader said.

He cited the instances of Kanshi Ram and J. Jayalalithaa whose health condition, he alleged, was kept secret.

He claimed that the CM was under pressure regarding on the succession issue and said the people had the right to be briefed about their Chief Minister by competent medical authorities.
Minister Harish Rao said the Chief Minister was working on the possibilities of increasing Rythu Bandhu assistance, Aasara pensions and financial assistance provided under the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme. (Image: DC)

Hyderabad: Finance minister T. Harish Rao on Saturday hinted at more benefits for women and farmers in the BRS election manifesto, which is expected to be released later this month.

Sources said that the plan was for Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to release the manifesto at a public meeting in Warangal. With Chandrashekar Rao recovering from illness, the party has not decided a date for the event.

Addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy, Harish Rao said the Chief Minister was working on the possibilities of increasing Rythu Bandhu assistance, Aasara pensions and financial assistance provided under the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme.

Farmers receive Rs 5,000 per acre per crop, totalling to Rs 10,000 per acre in a year. Under the Aasara scheme, the government currently disburses Rs 2,016 per month to senior citizens, widows, beedi workers, filaria victims, single women, handloom weavers, toddy tappers and AIDS victims, and Rs 3,016 per month to the differently abled.

The plan to increase aid comes after the Congress, which, as part of its six guarantees to the people of Telangana, promised to increase the pensions to widows and senior citizens to Rs 4,000 per month, along with other assurances including Rs 2,500 per month to women every month, Rs 15,000 to farmers every year, including tenant farmers, and Rs 12,000 a year to agricultural labourers.

The BJP meanwhile, has been tight-lipped about what its manifesto might include, given that as a policy, the party is against freebies, although its leaders had previously said that all current welfare schemes in Telangana will continue if it comes to power.
A picture taken in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on October 7, 2023 shows burnt out vehicles outside a residential building hit in a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Palestinian militant group Hamas has launched a "war" against Israel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said, after barrages of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on October 7. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

JERUSALEM: The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea, catching the country off guard on a major holiday.

Several hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country. Israels national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

At least 561 wounded people were being treated in Israeli hospitals, including at least 77 who were in critical condition, according to an Associated Press count based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

There was no official comment on casualties in Gaza, but AP reporters witnessed the funerals of 15 people who were killed and saw another eight bodies arrive at a local hospital. It was not immediately clear if they were fighters or civilians.

Social media was replete with videos of Hamas fighters parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets and at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting "God is Greatest."

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

"We are at war," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. "Not an operation, not a round, but at war."

"The enemy will pay an unprecedented price," he added, promising that Israel would "return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known."

At a meeting of top security officials later on Saturday, Netanyahu said the first priority was to "cleanse the area" of enemy infiltrators, then to "exact a huge price from the enemy," and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza.

Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.

Israeli TV broadcast footage of explosions tearing through the Gaza-Israel border fence, followed by what appeared to be Palestinian gunmen riding into Israel on motorcycles. Gunmen also reportedly entered on pickup trucks.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Hamas to launch the attacks, which would have likely required months of planning.

But over the past year Israel's far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there , and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site .

The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of what he called "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm." The Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam, and is located on the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.

"Enough is enough," Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. "Today the people are regaining their revolution."

In a televised address, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made "a grave mistake" and promised that "the state of Israel will win this war."

Western nations condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel, while others called for restraint on both sides.

"The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians," said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. "We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks."

Watson said Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel , released a statement calling on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about " the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights."

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahu's proposal to overhaul the judiciary . Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness and raised concerns about its deterrence over its enemies.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major escalation by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms. Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israel's rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood.

"We understand that this is something big," Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.

Hecht declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. "Thats a good question," he said.

Ismail Haniyeh, the exiled leader of Hamas, said that Palestinian fighters were "engaged in these historic moments in a heroic operation" to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

"With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear," said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Saturday's wide-ranging assault threatened to undermine Netanyahus reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel. It also raised questions about the cohesion of a security apparatus crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to "Israeli crimes" and saying the militants had "divine backing." The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank , where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.

Adwan reported from Rafah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
In a growing outcry on Capitol Hill, members of Congress are expressing deep concern over the deteriorating state of military barracks and housing across the United States. Lawmakers are angry over the delayed repairs and failing conditions that servicemembers and their families endure, including mold infestations, nonfunctioning air conditioning and heating units, and more. This issue has reached a boiling point, with Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri threatening drastic action to force change.

Senator Hawley recently issued a stern warning, stating that he would withhold confirmation for all Army civilian nominations, including high-ranking positions, until the military addresses the housing crisis at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Over 1,000 family homes are in disrepair at the base, and a promised $41 million in repairs has yet to materialize.

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The Armys inability to meet its deadlines is unacceptable, and I will wait no longer, Senator Hawley wrote in a letter to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth. The soldiers and families at Fort Leonard Wood deserve better, and it is your responsibility to deliver for them.

This issue gained momentum after a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report last month exposed the dire state of military housing conditions nationwide. The report revealed that the Department of Defense has been failing to maintain acceptable living conditions, with thousands of servicemembers living in substandard conditions.

The GAO highlighted several troubling findings, including inadequate inspections of barracks and housing, a lack of oversight regarding repairs, and difficulties in tracking funding for housing-related projects. Auditors discovered broken windows, malfunctioning fire systems, poor water quality, pest infestations, and rampant mold growth. Additionally, concerns about rising crime within these communities were raised.

Auditors in the GAO report emphasized the negative impact of poor living conditions on work performance, training, and the militarys ability to attract qualified personnel.

The GAO issued 31 recommendations to address these issues, such as updating minimum standards for barracks and conducting more thorough living condition reviews. The Pentagon has agreed to implement most of these recommendations.

In response to the GAO report, a bipartisan group of 17 senators and representatives sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, criticizing the military for failing to provide the most basic oversight and care of barracks facilities at ten installations nationwide.

The GAO report provided an embarrassing list of failures they found when inspecting these buildings, the lawmakers wrote. It is clear that there are failures at all levels. Across the enterprise, personnel are shirking their responsibilities to provide service members with safe, habitable living spaces.

The dire state of military barracks and housing conditions is a growing concern that lawmakers are determined to address. The pressure is mounting on the Department of Defense to prioritize servicemembers well-being and ensure safe and comfortable living spaces.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On Sept. 29, ZEEKR, a premium electric vehicle brand under Geely Auto Group, made a significant announcement regarding its expansion into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the Middle East.

Photo credit: ZEEKR

ZEEKR said it has inked national-level distribution agreements with prominent partners in the region, including AW Rostamani Holdings from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Wallan Trading Company from Saudi Arabia (SA), Blue Lake Motors from Qatar, and Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons from Bahrain. This collaborative effort aims to establish a robust sales and service network for ZEEKR in the four GCC nations.

The recent partnership with GCC countries signifies a strategic move as ZEEKR accelerates its journey towards the global automotive market.

In the international market, ZEEKR has already set foot in European markets such as Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany. Additionally, it has signed agreements with partners in Israel and Kazakhstan.

Chen Yu, Vice President of ZEEKR Intelligent Technology, stated, Customer demand for premium vehicles with new technologies is strong in the Middle East. All ZEEKR models are built on SEA architecture and developed for the global market. The cooperations we enter today mark a solid milestone for ZEEKR in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain markets. In the future, ZEEKR will work closely with partners and improve the local sales network, offering a more immersive experience to users.

ZEEKR further disclosed its plans to expand its presence into eight additional international mainstream markets and regions this year, in addition to its presence in China and European markets. With a continued focus on the R&D of right-hand drive vehicles, ZEEKR's global footprint is set to broaden further in the future.
Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lessened its position in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX  Free Report) by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,900 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 300 shares during the quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement Systems holdings in Quest Diagnostics were worth $970,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC raised its holdings in Quest Diagnostics by 220.5% in the 1st quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 13,959 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,975,000 after acquiring an additional 9,604 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp raised its holdings in Quest Diagnostics by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 23,459 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $3,319,000 after acquiring an additional 494 shares during the period. WBH Advisory Inc. bought a new position in Quest Diagnostics in the 1st quarter worth $226,000. Trilogy Capital Inc. raised its holdings in Quest Diagnostics by 22.3% in the 1st quarter. Trilogy Capital Inc. now owns 2,247 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $318,000 after acquiring an additional 410 shares during the period. Finally, Forsta AP Fonden raised its holdings in Quest Diagnostics by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Forsta AP Fonden now owns 66,800 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $9,451,000 after acquiring an additional 3,600 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.76% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently commented on DGX shares. Piper Sandler began coverage on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Thursday, June 29th. They issued a neutral rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley restated an equal weight rating and set a $145.00 price objective on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Thursday, August 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Thursday. They set a hold rating on the stock. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $149.90.

Quest Diagnostics Stock Performance

NYSE DGX opened at $124.27 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $13.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.09 and a beta of 0.96. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $129.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $135.29. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a twelve month low of $119.59 and a twelve month high of $158.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $2.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.23 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $2.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.25 billion. Quest Diagnostics had a net margin of 8.37% and a return on equity of 16.32%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.36 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 8.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be given a $0.71 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 5th. This represents a $2.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.29%. Quest Diagnosticss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 41.34%.

About Quest Diagnostics

(Free Report)

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated provides diagnostic testing, information, and services in the United States and internationally. The company develops and delivers diagnostic information services, such as routine testing, non-routine and advanced clinical testing, anatomic pathology testing, and other diagnostic information services.

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HK culture, arts sector holds reception marking 74th founding anniversary of PRC

Xinhua) 11:05, October 07, 2023

HONG KONG, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The cultural and artistic community in Hong Kong held a reception on Thursday to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Noting that the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) offers support for developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee said that the HKSAR government is actively seizing the infinite opportunities brought by the development strategies of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Belt and Road Initiative, and other national initiatives.

The aim is to showcase the unique charm of Chinese culture to the world and demonstrate the vibrant energy of Hong Kong's blend of Chinese and Western cultures, he said in a speech at the reception.

Ma Fung-kwok, chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Member Association, said it is hoped that the industry can enhance its understanding of China's historical and cultural heritage, leverage stronger innovation and creative abilities, better grasp communication and dissemination skills, and bolster cultural confidence.

By producing more impressive works and quality content, the sector can contribute to enhancing the country's cultural soft power and shoulder the new cultural mission of the new era, Ma said.

The reception was attended by HKSAR government officials, representatives from central government agencies in Hong Kong, foreign consuls in Hong Kong, and over 400 Hong Kong culture and art figures.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 29, BYD hosted a brand launch event in Istanbul, Turkey, where it unveiled five new energy vehicle (NEV) models: the BYD ATTO 3 (known domestically as the Yuan PLUS), the Han, the Tang, the Seal, and the Dolphin.

Photo credit: BYD

In the meantime, BYD also initiated the pre-sale of the BYD ATTO 3 in Turkey, with plans to put the model available for sales to local consumers in November this year.

In a strategic partnership with the dealer ALJ Turkey, BYD intends to open five stores in Turkey later this year, spanning the capital city, Ankara, the most populous city, Istanbul, and the third-largest port city, Izmir. Starting in November, consumers can visit the inaugural flagship retail store in Istanbul to experience BYD's latest NEV offerings and cutting-edge electric vehicle technology.

Ismail Ergun, General Manager of ALJ BYD Turkey, expressed, "BYD is a globally renowned leader in NEV manufacturing, known for its exceptional battery technology and outstanding product performance. We firmly believe that BYD's high-quality electric vehicles will strongly resonate with Turkish consumers, aligning perfectly with their green mobility ideals. As the electric vehicle market in Turkey rapidly expands, our goal is for BYD's dealership network to cover 82% of the Turkish market by next year, delivering the highest-quality and most comprehensive service to our customers."

In March of this year, ALJ forged a collaboration agreement with BYD, becoming the distributor for BYD's passenger and commercial vehicles in Turkey. Leveraging its extensive resources and experience in the automotive industry, ALJ is committed to providing localized sales and comprehensive after-sales support to meet the diverse needs of Turkish customers.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On October 7th, the People's Government of Shenzhen City released the "Notice on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Achieving Carbon Peak" (referred to as the "Notice").

The "Notice" outlines several key targets: By 2025, approximately 60% of the newly added vehicles in the city will be powered by new energy and clean energy sources. At that time, there will be around 1.3 million new energy vehicles (NEVs), over 20,000 liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled vehicles, and about 2,000 fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) deployed across the city. By 2030, the proportion of new energy and clean energy-powered vehicles in newly added vehicles is projected to reach about 70%, and the total population of NEVs in the city will reach around 2 million.

Simultaneously, Shenzhen will accelerate the construction of green transportation infrastructure. By 2025, it aims to build 600,000 electric vehicle charging points, including 45,000 fast-charging piles, and ensure full coverage of fast-charging stations at highway service areas.

Yuan PLUS Champion Edition; photo credit: BYD

The "Notice" also highlights that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shenzhen's core competitive edge in modern industrial systems should be significantly improved, a modern energy system will take shape, energy resource utilization efficiency will notably increase, and green and low-carbon development in areas such as industry, transportation, urban and rural construction will achieve positive results. There will be a noticeable enhancement in green and low-carbon innovation capacity, and the comprehensive transition of production and lifestyles toward green will be comprehensively promoted. Shenzhen will pioneer the establishment and implementation of a dual-control system for carbon emissions and energy consumption in the nation and province. By 2025, the city's energy consumption per unit of GDP will decrease by 14.5% compared to 2020, and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will meet the national and provincial targets, laying a solid foundation for achieving carbon peak in the city.

Therefore, advancing the low-carbon transformation of transportation equipment will be a key measure in achieving Shenzhen's carbon peak.

Specifically, Shenzhen will further consolidate the full electrification of public buses, taxis, and ride-hailing vehicles, and accelerate the electrification of government vehicles and light-duty logistics vehicles.

Following the principles of "LNG as the primary source, electric power as the supplementary source, and piloting hydrogen energy," Shenzhen will increase the proportion of clean energy usage in heavy-duty trucks, heavy-duty sanitation vehicles, and non-road mobile machinery while gradually phasing out old, high-energy consumption, high-emission transportation equipment. By the end of 2024, all trailers and waste transfer vehicles within the Shenzhen port area will be converted to clean energy.

Additionally, Shenzhen will refine its policies for controlling the increment of private cars, encourage private individuals to purchase and use NEVs, and guide the replacement of gasoline vehicles with NEVs.

Efforts will also be made to promote the application of LNG-powered vessels in inland rivers, support the development of coastal and ocean-going LNG-powered vessels, encourage the use of electricity or LNG as fuel for harbor craft, passenger ships, and government vessels, and pioneer the application of hydrogen fuel cell vessels in the government vessel sector.
A CORK couple who met as secondary school teachers fresh out of college were married recently.

Paul Costello and Rebecca Lawlor live outside Innishannon.

The bride is originally from Bandon, while Paul is from Tinryland in Carlow.

They feature in our Wedding of the Week.

The couple decided to have a first reveal in the bridal suite, rather than wait until the ceremony.

Recalling how they first met, Paul said: We met as secondary school teachers in London fresh out of college.

We went through the same agency for the job, and Rebecca was my liaison to help get settled in the school.

The couple got engaged in October, 2019, at the top of a hike in the Seychelles during a holiday towards the end of their teaching time in the Middle East.

They were married in the Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig, in Spiritual Ceremony on July 29, 2023.

The couple were joined by family on the day, including Timmy and Breda, Rebeccas grandparents, who were key guests.

The bride got her dress and veil from Diamond Bridal. Make-up was by Eimear McKenna and hair was by Audrey Mains. Pauls suit was from Tonys Menswear in Cork city.

The bridal party consisted of chief bridesmaid and sister, Justine Lawlor.

The best man was Pauls brother Darren Costello.

Regarding the ceremony, Paul said: We have to mention the outstanding Dan Collins of Spiritual Ceremonies for his time, patience, and guidance.

We performed a humanist ceremony, and included a wine box closing as part of this. This section included placing a wine bottle into a box along with letters we had written for each other.

The couple first met as secondary school teachers fresh out of college.

Both the wine and letters would be opened on our first anniversary to read through the goals we set and reasons we wanted to marry one another.

The reception was also at the Oriel House Hotel in their excellent function room. The couple were full of praise for the hotels Kirsty Long and staff.

The couple had their wedding reception at the Oriel House Hotel.

The cake was by Cakes by Miriam, and the wedding car was chauffeured by Rebeccas uncle John Lawlor, who treated the couple to luxury and comfort on the day.

Fiona Kennedy performed for the ceremony, during the reception and meal. While the band was Off The Record. The first dance was Footloose by Kenny Loggins.

The couple went to Blarney Castle for some photographs, by Kathryn OShea.

As to the memorable thing about the day? Paul said: The reveal. We did our first reveal in our bridal suite with just ourselves and got to experience that bit of extra time and joy before our photos in Blarney Castle and ceremony later in the day.

The couple would like to thank photographer Kathryn OShea and videographer, Gordon Falvery of WedFilms.
THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Cork County Councils Library and Arts Service has launched a loan scheme of digital radon monitors at the National Radon Forum.

They are calling on householders in County Cork to take the first step to protect themselves and their families from the radioactive gas, which is the second biggest cause of lung cancer, after smoking.

Radon is an odourless, colourless, and tasteless gas which comes from rocks and soil in the ground, but can seep in through cracks in foundation or gaps around pipes.

When Radon enters a house or other enclosed space, it can accumulate to dangerously high concentrations.

Many areas in County Cork are at high risk  with as many as one in five buildings in areas including Blarney, Ballincollig, Millstreet, Buttevant, Fermoy, Mitchelstown, and Mallow likely to have high radon levels.

The EPAs website has an interactive map where you can enter your address or Eircode and see what percentage of homes in your area are likely to have a radon problem.

The radon risk map will tell you if your home is in a high radon area, which are marked red on the map, but the EPA warn that even if your home is not in a high radon area, it could still have a high level of the gas.

Borrowing a monitor from your local library is now as easy as borrowing a book and it will give a good indication of radon levels in a home, though longer testing may be required to be certain of radon levels.

EPA programme manager Andy Fanning said: Exposure to high levels of radon can cause lung cancer and many families in Cork are unknowingly living with this silent killer in their homes.

It is estimated that about 350 lung cancer cases every year in Ireland are linked to radon exposure. If high levels are identified, they can normally be reduced simply and this will immediately reduce the risk to you and your family.

Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr. Frank OFlynn said: With many parts of Cork known to have high indoor radon levels, I welcome the introduction of this loan scheme.

The availability of radon digital monitors in our libraries will make it easier for everyone to take the first step in protecting their families from this harmful gas. I encourage people to borrow a monitor from their local library.
CORK Education and Training Boards integration of Ukrainian families received high praise at the annual ETBI conference in City Hall.

Cork schools have enrolled 1,096 children into primary schools, and 533 into secondary schools since March 2022, with the Cork branch of the Regional Education and Language Team (REALT) facilitating their registration and integration.

Cork REALT works closely with the Department of Education and the ETBI to identify and meet the emerging needs of Ukrainian children enrolling in schools, with co-ordinators helping families living in 83 accommodation centres, as well as those in private accommodation or with host families, to source school places.

Pictured at the Pre Banquet Reception are, Graham Orr, IPB, Paddy Lavelle, Secretary General ETBI and Cllr Tom Fortune, Kildare Wicklow ETB, after day two of the 2023 ETBI Annual Conference, at Cork City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

The REALT team in Cork also provide guidance and information to schools who intend to or have enrolled Ukrainian pupils, and signpost families to other educational and community supports.

Speaking as part of a panel discussion on Resilience and Connection, sixth year student Bohdan Bilash, who arrived in Ireland with his family last year, said: Colaiste Gleann Li in Tralee has become my second home. A place where Ive not only expanded my horizons academically but also experienced the warmth of Irish hospitality.

Pictured are, Bohdan Bilash, 6th student Colaiste Gleann Li Kerry ETB, Bernie McNally, Secretary General Department of Educatio and John Lonergan, Writer & Former Governor Mountjoy Prison, at day two of the 2023 ETBI Annual Conference, at Cork City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Im really enjoying studying languages at school, and I also have an interest in computer hardware and software. Im still considering my options, but I think I would like to go to college and study a course like computer science.

So far, my time here has been a transformative experience, marked by positivity and growth. Irish culture, with its rich traditions and friendly people, has welcomed me with open arms.

General Secretary of ETBI, Paddy Lavelle, said: With the rise in far-right sentiment in recent months, initiatives such as REALT are increasingly important to ensure that refugees feel safe and welcome arriving here, and crucially so that they can integrate into society and begin to rebuild their lives.

Pictured speaking is Denis Leamy, Chief Executive Cork ETB, at day two of the 2023 ETBI Annual Conference, at Cork City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

It is fantastic to hear stories such as Bohdans  highlighting the pivotal role school and education play in building confidence and connections, developing your sense of self, and integrating in a community.

The theme for this years conference, which brought together over 300 representatives from across the sector and featured a line-up of over 40 speakers, was The ETB of the Future, exploring key themes such as the role of AI and technology in education, the importance of inclusion and diversity, and what learners want for the class of 2033.

Pictured are, Praise Iwuoma, Jake Fallon, Aine Casey, NLN Hollyhill Cork learners with the ETB Anthem Competition Award, during day two of the 2023 ETBI Annual Conference, at Cork City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Data from the Central Statistics Office was presented at the conference giving insights on the current landscape of the country, learner tendencies and who the learner of the future might be.

It revealed: 87% of 20-year-olds in Ireland took at least one post-secondary education programme, 70% of 20-year-olds in Ireland went into higher education either directly from school or via a further education pathway, almost all (98%) of 13-year-olds in Ireland have a smart-phone, and there has been a significant increase in the non-Catholic population, driven by growing numbers with no religion, and increases in other religions.

Pictured are, Stephanie Thompson, PhD student NUI Maynooth, Anne McHugh, CE Donegal ETB and Anouk Jasmine Albien, PhD Research Fellow Vocational Psychology & Career Counselling Universaity Lausanne, at day two of the 2023 ETBI Annual Conference, at Cork City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Commenting on the future of education, Mr Lavelle added: As we reflect on 10 years of ETBs in Ireland, its time to look to the future and focus on what lies ahead for our sector. Ireland is changing, and its important that we move to adapt with it.

The learners of the future are tech-savvy, culturally diverse, environmentally conscious, and adaptable. It is our responsibility now to ensure that the classroom of the future evolves to support them on their learning journey.
PRIMARY school students from 23 Cork schools attended a recent open night at Douglas Community School.

The principal of Douglas Community School, Pat Barry, said the night went very well.

It was a huge success, he said. It was a fantastic night. We got incredible feedback from future students and from parents. They were all very impressed and in admiration, really, of the relationship between the students and the teachers. We had 120 students that stayed back after school to help and show people around. They did demonstrations in classrooms and just interacted with the future parents and students.

Pat Barry, principal, (left) and Chris Hickey, deputy principal, at Douglas Community School's open night in Cork. Picture Denis Minihane.

We had students from 23 different national schools. There were some from traditional schools who are in our locality and some from newer schools that we traditionally wouldnt have students from. This is a strong endorsement of the school and all the staff members, and is very positive.

We got great feedback from everyone who attended. They were all extremely complimentary of the students and what high-quality ambassadors they were for the school.

Students during a wood turning demonstration at Douglas Community School's open night in Cork. Picture Denis Minihane.

The school sells itself. It has a great tradition and reputation. We offer a huge range of subjects. A lot of the parents are thinking about the immediate when they are thinking about the Junior Cycle. If they think a little bit further down the road, we offer 17 subjects for the Leaving Certificate, which is phenomenal, and helps to meet the needs of every student that we have. It is great to provide so much choice for our students at that stage.

Students (from left) Cathal Murphy, Cody Hepi and Jack Foley in a Merchant of Venice re-enactment during Douglas Community School's open night in Cork. Picture Denis Minihane.

Mr Barry said that after the parents had a tour of the facilities and met with all the teachers, refreshments were provided before the speeches were held.

Students in the music group during Douglas Community School's open night in Cork. Picture Denis Minihane.

The parents and students were allowed to tour around and see all the facilities, he said. They were able to chat with the students and the teachers. We gave them tea and biscuits in the library and then we had a few speeches. It was opened by our geography teacher, Ms Healy, who has been teaching here for 14 years. Mr Hickey, the deputy principal, spoke about the pastoral care and the extracurricular activities.

A former student at Douglas Community School also spoke about his time studying in the school, said Mr Barry.

Ben Foley holding a linoprint of a tiger which he created during Douglas Community School's open night in Cork. Picture Denis Minihane.

A past pupil, Billy Murphy, also spoke on the night, he said.

He got 8H1s in his Leaving Cert and he is now studying engineering at UCC. He gave a very personal description of his time in the school. It was very touching and very positive. He was very appreciative and thankful to all the teachers. It is very rewarding for us, as a school, to see past pupils go on and do so well.

Azem Koleci and Magdalena Zyga and their children Arti and Lona at Douglas Community School's open night in Cork.Picture Denis Minihane.

We also had several past pupils who came back as fathers of students. The wheel has gone around full circle, which is great to see. It was a very positive night. The school has a great tradition and a very bright future.
THE HSEs autumn/winter vaccination programme got underway this week with the roll-out of the free flu and Covid-19 vaccines to those in recommended groups.

The Covid 19 autumn/winter booster vaccine is recommended for people aged 50 and over, while the flu vaccine is recommended for people aged 65 and over, with both vaccines also recommended for health and care workers, anyone who is pregnant, or has a long term health condition.

Both the flu and the Covid-19 vaccines will become available in more than 850 pharmacies across the country from this week, and you can get both at the same time.

Register

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) is urging people to register for a vaccination early this year, stating that the earlier you are vaccinated, the earlier you are protecting yourself and the wider community.

Speaking in anticipation of the winter season, Dr Susan O Dwyer, IPUs head of professional services, said: It is important that we top up our winter protection.

Everyone should be aware that the flu vaccination, for instance, is required annually and that there is no guarantee that you will gain any protection from previous vaccinations because flu viruses are constantly changing and immunity from vaccination declines over time.

Equally, the protection from previous doses of a Covid-19 infection may weaken over time. Booster doses help boost your antibodies and give you good protection from becoming seriously ill or needing to go to hospital if you get Covid-19.

Dr ODwyer added that 4,604 people were hospitalised and 198 people died last alone from influenza-related illness, and that getting the vaccines also helps to alleviate pressure on our health system.
AS we mark the end of an era with the departure of our dedicated chief executive, Tim Lucey, I am thrilled to share with you exciting developments and initiatives that are shaping our vibrant county.

From affordable housing to innovative architecture and recognising excellence in local businesses, here is a glimpse into what is going on now.

Cork County Council is proud to introduce the Affordable Housing Purchase Scheme, offering two-bed townhouses and three-bed houses at Cluain Ard, Cobh. These homes, constructed by Sirio Homes, are targeted at first-time buyers without previous homeownership.

This development on The Great Island offers A-rated, high-quality family homes conveniently located near Cork Harbour and Cobh town.

What is truly remarkable is the affordability of these houses. The two-bedroom townhouses will be available from just 215,000, a 26% reduction from market value, and the three-bedroom houses from 245,000, a 23% reduction.

Cork County Council will retain a percentage equity share in the dwelling, helping make home ownership achievable for more of our residents.

Age Friendly Housing Competition

I had the honour of presenting awards to the talented winners of the Cork County Council Age Friendly Housing Competition. This competition, supported by both the council and the Cork Centre of Architectural Education, displays innovative age-friendly housing designs.

This years focus was on community-based, age-friendly designs with an emphasis on disability-aware architecture.

The winning projects, particularly Amy Cotters first-place entry, highlight the importance of designing homes that are universally accessible, secure, and welcoming. The designs are currently on display in the Foyer on the ground floor at Cork County Hall, so I encourage you to visit and appreciate the creative solutions our local architecture students are bringing to the table.

Best in Cork Awards

It is not just about housing; we also value the contributions of our local businesses. The Best in Cork Awards are an excellent opportunity to honour businesses that go beyond for their customers, teams, and communities. These awards, with a strong focus on sustainability, celebrate businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to large corporations.

If you have not already, I encourage you to submit your entry for these awards before the upcoming deadline.

The categories cover a wide range of criteria, from community connections to green innovation, ensuring that the businesses that make a positive impact on our environment and society receive the recognition they deserve.

Winning these awards can boost morale, attract talent, and provide valuable publicity.

The awards ceremony, which will also announce the Mayors Best Overall Business, will take place at Vertigo, Cork County Hall on Thursday, January 25.

Let us celebrate the successes of our local businesses that make County Cork a vibrant and dynamic place.

Digital radon monitor loan scheme

Now, it is time to focus on your health and safety. Radon, a cancer-causing radioactive gas, is a real concern in parts of County Cork. Homes in these areas are at risk of high radon levels.

To address this, the EPA and Cork County Councils Library and Arts Service have launched a digital radon monitor loan scheme, making it easier for residents to test their homes.

Radon is a silent killer, but with these monitors available at our local libraries, you can take the first step in protecting your families.

Residential units for older people

Last, but not least, the Bandon Geriatric and Community Council has signed a contract for the construction of six residential units for older people at Weir Street, Bandon.

This project will add to the existing units at Avenue Grove and enhance the communitys facilities.

These developments exemplify our commitment to providing high-quality housing options and services for our diverse population.

Finally, I urge you to check out the Cork County Council website to stay informed about these opportunities, initiatives, and health precautions.

Let us continue to work together to make County Cork an even better place to live, work, and thrive.
THE Imperial Hotel will celebrate Black History Month this October with a talk on the life of one of its esteemed past visitors, Frederick Douglass.

Douglass was a formerly enslaved Black American who became a national leader and the face of an abolishment movement in the U.S.

During a visit on October 23 in 1845, Douglass gave a speech in The Great Room at the South Mall Hotel, American Prejudice Against Colour, which was widely published.

Two days later, a great soiree was held for Douglass at St Patricks Hall in the hotel.

Those who wish to attend this free event are invited to meet outside the hotel at 5.30pm on October 12.

They will be guided on a walking tour of the Cork Abolitionists Trail before returning back to the hotel for refreshments and a historic talk titled Frederick Douglass, transatlantic abolitionism, and his October 1845 speech at the Imperial Hotel.

The walk and talk will be led by Dr Adrian Muligan and Dr Laurence Fenton, two members of the team from The Globe Lane Initiative and #DouglassWeek who created the Trail in 2021 with support from Cork City Council. The Trail commemorates the places where Douglass stayed and spoke during his visit to Cork, and celebrates the citys rich abolitionist history.

The talk will begin at 7pm in the Frederick Douglass Lounge, which the Imperial Hotel will officially launch on the evening; this newly-renovated executive guest lounge is named and decorated in honour of Douglass.

Throughout Black History Month, the hotel will allow interested visitors to view The Frederick Douglass Lounge, which is normally reserved exclusively for hotel guests.

It features a portrait of Douglass, reading materials, and framed lyrics of an old Irish verse performed by local poet Daniel Casey as a gesture of welcome to Douglass from the Anti-Slavery Society during one of their meetings.

New owner of the hotel, Louis Fitzgerald is a keen history enthusiast and collector of historical artefacts, so he is delighted to add Douglass name and story to the Wall of History in the hotels lobby.

To book go to: https://eclv.ie/Douglass
The Tanaiste has condemned attacks from Hamas militants on Israel and called for all hostilities to stop.

Micheal Martin was reacting after the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major attack on Israel, resulting in at least 22 casualties, according to Israeli authorities.

Mr Martin, who's also the Minister for Foreign Affairs, expressed his sympathies over the lives that had been lost.

I strongly condemn the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and attacks against Israel from Gaza, Mr Martin said.

I deeply regret the loss of life and the impact on civilians.

I call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities.

The Tanaiste had travelled to the region last month on a three-day diplomatic trip where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.

He also travelled to the occupied Palestinian territory where he met with President Mahmoud Abbas.

Meanwhile, the head of the European Unions executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the attack is terrorism in its most despicable form.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the militants rocket fire and the escalating violence shock us deeply.

He added that Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote that he firmly condemns the terrorist attacks against Israel and expressed my full solidarity with the victims, their families and their loved ones.
James Cox

Kanye West has been spotted wearing a rare St Mary's Christian Brothers Grammer School sport jacket in a video.

The principal of the Belfast school, Siobhan Kelly, told The Irish News that the jacket had been designed for their GAA team who were in the MacLarnon Cup Final in 2008.

There were only 38 made and despite them being for players and managers - it has somehow ended up being worn by 'Ye'.

One possible explanation is that some of the students who went to Philadelphia that summer had left it behind or had donated it to a charity shop.

"That's 100 per cent one of our tops. Only 35 tops were made and given to playing squad and management," said Mrs Kelly.

"Last night past and present pupils were messaging saying: 'That's our top!'"

West was seen wearing the jacket in a video posted by fellow rapper Ty Dolla Sign's in which he was getting a pedicure.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

The orange hawkweed, native to the Alps of Austria, grows wild from gardens in many parts of Europe. Franz Essl / University of Vienna

Many plant and animal species that originate from warmer regions are able to acclimate to more northern climates as temperatures increase due to climate change.

A new study by an international team of researchers has concluded that, as climate change continues, the likelihood of alien plant species from regions nearer to the equator being introduced by humans to northern regions on the same continent increases.

When humans transplant species outside of their natural range, serious ecological consequences, such as throwing the existing ecosystem off-balance, can result, a press release from the University of Vienna said. This can lead to economic damage, estimated at $400 billion or more annually, according to the World Biodiversity Councils 2023 report.

The accelerating climate change will increasingly allow heat-loving alien species to settle. This can lead to significant negative consequences for biodiversity and the economy in the recipient regions, explained Franz Essl, leader of the Division of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology at the University of Vienna, in the press release.

The study, The poleward naturalization of intracontinental alien plants, was published in the journal Science Advances.

The research team used examples of transplanted plant and animal species from Europe, North and South America and Australia, pointing out that alien species that establish themselves in new areas originate from their own continent more than half the time, the press release said.

Here, we studied naturalized (i.e., self-sustaining) intracontinental aliens using native and alien floras of 243 mainland regions in North America, South America, Europe, and Australia. We revealed that 4510 plant species had intracontinental origins, accounting for 3.9% of all plant species and 56.7% of all naturalized species in these continents, the authors wrote in the study.

In Europe, as well as North and South America, the research team found similarities in spread patterns. In most of the cases, intracontinental spread went from regions near the equator in the direction of the poles.

In North America and Europe, the numbers of intracontinental aliens peaked at mid-latitudes, while the proportion peaked at high latitudes in Europe, the authors wrote.

The scientists also demonstrated that native species were moving northward naturally in increasing numbers, but were mostly being transplanted by humans.

In this work, we were able to show that not only are native species increasingly migrating northwards, but alien species are also predominantly being spread northwards by humans, Essl said in the press release.

In the study, the researchers looked at the role that geographical, climatic and human factors have in the spread of alien plants on the same continent. They found that spread is counteracted by strong differences in climate and long distances.

The closer an area is to the original distribution area of a species and the more similar the climate is, the easier it is for alien species to colonize, said Bernd Lenzner, a terrestrial ecologist at the University of Vienna, in the press release.

The scientists concluded that climate change effects will speed up the spread of alien plants within the same continent.

These findings suggest that poleward naturalizations will accelerate, as high latitudes become suitable for more plant species due to climate change, the authors wrote in the study.
When Chongqing issued new gaokao rules this just spin casino no deposit bonus codesweek allowing children of migrant workers to sit the national college entrance exam in the city where their parents work, it left Zhao Tianxiang upset.

If the rule had come three years earlier, his son would have taken the college entrance exam in Chongqing, where Zhao works as a cement worker, and would be a junior in college now.

Chinas household restriction requires students to take the national college exam in their household registered place.

Zhao said his son was not eligible to sit gaokao in Chongqing, and could not take it in his rural home because he had spent his school years in the southeast China megacity. He was not enrolled in any schools back home.

My son was in constant fear that he could not take the exam. The fear made him unable to concentrate on study and his grades kept on falling. In the end, we had no choice but to let him drop out, Zhao said of his son, who has also become a cement worker.

Chongqing is the latest metropolis to ease the household restriction on migrants attending gaokao, following Heilongjiang, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong and other provinces.

Outside the pilot regions, the exam restriction is still in place, although children of migrant workers can take the nine-year compulsory education (from elementary to high schools) without household restrictions.

Thousands of migrant employees working in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, are keeping their fingers crossed for the ban to be lifted before the coming exam season in July, so their children can take the test with their peers in the cities.

There are nearly 20 million rural children aged under 14 nationwide, who have left home with their parents to cities.

Sun Leizheng, who is from east Chinas Zhejiang Province and works in Chongqing, said the citys new gaokao rule is a huge relief to him.

This means I can finally take my son with me in Chongqing. I left him studying in my home town fearing he could not take the exam in Chongqing. But the long-term separation has been distressful, said the father.

The Central Government required in August all provinces to submit plans on measures to help migrant children attend the exam before the end of the year.

Wang Boqing, president of MyCOS, a Beijing-based higher education consulting and outcome evaluation company, said that the move would definitely boost equity of schooling but was more than that.

Its really about the rights of people. Migrant workers pay taxes and contribute to government revenues. So universities in cities where they work should be open to them, because these schools all receive funding from governments, he said.

With the year end only days away, the public is expecting concrete moves from megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, where the vast majority of migrant workers live.

However, native urbanites strongly oppose lifting the household restriction on gaokao for fear that children from outside will further strain educational resources in cities.

The regions that have issued new rules are mostly provinces that are home to migrant workers rather than the hotly sought-after cities that provide jobs.

Chongqings education department predicted that children of migrant workers will only account for one percent of gaokao participants next year.

Shanghai has not given a clear date for the formation of a new gaokao rule, but the local authority said it is working on a credit-based system to ease the ban.

Under the system, children of migrant workers should get required points to qualify to attend gaokao in Shanghai. In addition to school grades, the credit also includes the number of years that their parents have worked in the city, their family property in Shanghai and years of social security payments by their families.

The Beijing municipal government reassured the public that new gaokao rules were at boardroom level, after migrant workers signed petitions and protested to local educational authorities.

Wang Boqing, the educational expert, said cities like Beijing will probably set stricter terms and conditions for gaokao eligibility and a proper threshold will be the key to the success of new rules.

If the threshold is too high, new gaokao rules will be ineffective. If its too low, native residents will resist because floods of children of migrant workers will affect their childrens chances to enter prestigious colleges, he said.

Xinhua

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Chinese businesses have entered the latest trade spat with Europe. Thenfl lines week 6 European Commission has decided to impose provisional duties on ceramic tableware and kitchenware imported from China.

The commission made the decision despite opposition from a majority of EU member states. Earlier in October, 14 of the EUs 27 members voted against the planned measures at a meeting of trade specialists.

Under EU rules, the commission only consults member states, but is not bound by their vote. However, it does need to follow the majority opinion of member states for definitive duties, which would need to be set for these products by May 15 next year.

According to the Commission, ceramic tableware and kitchenware imports from China totalled 926 million US dollars in 2011, making it one of the larger trade complaints under consideration.

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Chinas top legislature on Monday began deliberating a draft decision to strengthen the protection of personal information online.

The move is meant to promote the safe flow of personal information and protect Internet users privacy.

The draft decision, submitted to the bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), says the country will protect digital information that could be used to determine the identity of a user or that concerns a users privacy.

Network service providers and other government-sponsored institutions and companies should strictly ensure the privacy of personal digital information, it says.

The draft decision proposes the adoption of an identity management policy requiring Internet users to identify themselves to service providers, including Internet or telecommunications operators.

Such identity management could be conducted backstage, allowing users to use different names when publicizing information, Li Fei, deputy director of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee, told lawmakers on Monday.

The draft decision aims to enhance social management on the Internet and ensure the safety of information online, Li said.

Xinhua

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Amid the disputes between Air China and the EU. The Hong Kong Airlines is considering to cancel the order of ten A380s.

Climate change and industrial policy, the Chinese government is fighting with EU on these issues. The disputes on EU carbon tax now affect a big contract of the aircraft manufacturer Airbus. According to a report from South China Morning Post, the Hong Kong Airlines is under pressure to reverse the contract of buying ten A380 jumbo jets with a value of nearly four billion dollars.

We can not act against the interests of our country, said the president of Hong Kong airline Yang Jianhong.

Kenneth Tong, the man who is in charge of Management and International Relations of Hong Kong Airlines said he could not confirm the cancellation. He also did not want to comment. Airbus also showed restraint. The order status of the Hong Kong Airlines has not changed, said a spokesman.

The controversy over the big order has been there for some time. Even the order of the A380 was initially blocked by China last year. In January, it was said that the contract was signed and sealed.

Since early 2012, airlines have to buy allowances for emissions of carbon dioxide for takeoffs and landings within the EU. Airlines that do not pay the carbon tax will face the fines or even a ban from access to European airports.

China defends itself against the charges. In early February the Chinese aviation authority (CAAC) forbade domestic airlines to pay the new fees. Also, U.S. airlines are opposed to the levy, but recently they failed to file the case in the European Court of Justice.

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Chinese courts have convicted 29,140 million lotto852 people for crimes relating to intellectual property rights (IPR) since 2008, according to Chinas Chief Justice Wang Shengjun on Tuesday.

By June 2012, courts had received 20,596 IPR-related criminal cases and concluded 19,691, said Wang during a briefing to legislators at an ongoing bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC).

During the same period, 180,213 civil law suits were closed, including 5,670 involving foreign parties, according to Wang, also president of Chinas Supreme Peoples Court (SPC).

The SPC is responsible to the NPC and its standing committee under the Chinese Constitution.

The figure of concluded administrative trials stood at 8,749, with 1,088 resulting in revocation of government decisions, Wang said.

Wang highlighted the use of mediation in IPR proceedings, noting that 66.7 percent of civil IPR cases ended up in withdrawal after mediation, including the highly attended Apple vs. Proview over the iPad trademark.

The courts had also published 43,488 pieces of IPR case judgement documents on the Internet by June, so as to enhance transparency of judicial work, said Wang.

The 2008-2011 period also witnessed an average annual growth rate of 33.1 percent of registered IPR cases, 26.3 percentage points higher than those of regular civil disputes, according to Wangs report.

China had 2,731 IPR judges working in 420 courts by June, said Wang.

In response to growing difficulties in handling complex cases, Wang suggested to set up independent IPR courts, further clarify legislation on IPR proceedings and promote a culture of credit in commercial activities and social life.

Xinhua

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Chinas Ministry of Education on Monday urged more efforts to provide qualified mental health education and services to students in primary and middle schools.

Local education authorities and schools should strictly implement a newly revised guideline on mental health education,masters odds betfair miami slots according to a circular published on the ministrys website on Monday.

The circular stresses systematic arrangements for mental health-related curriculum and accessible in-school psychological counseling. It also pledged to include mental health education in the overall evaluation of a schools performance.

In-school counseling should be strengthened in order to prevent and resolve students mental health issues, says the circular.

It also highlights the guidelines requirement that each school should have at least one mental health teacher.

The guideline also introduces an examination procedure for all textbooks to be used in mental health classes from the spring semester of next year.

A previous version of the guideline was adopted in 2002.

In 2010, Chinas total enrollment at regular primary schools and junior secondary schools was 152.2 million, according to the ministry.

Xinhua

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The predominance of Bordeaux wines in the Chinese market has not weakened, but still leaves us to expect significant market share after the Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012  wine and spirits exhibition that gathered in Hong Kong. Among more than a thousand exhibitors, half of them are French.

The market for Bordeaux wines continues to grow, said Thomas Jullien from Hong Kong, China representative of the Interprofessional Committee of Bordeaux Wines (CIVB).According to the CIVB, China increased its imports by 40% per year between 2005 and 2010 and 28% in 2011, focusing on the bottle and French wines, including Bordeaux, which represents 13% of exports.

All signals show a very strong margin growth, with figures in making the market today with real consumption, says Jullien, reached by phone Friday, the day after the close of Vinexpo Asia-Pacific. Over the past decade, the opening of the huge Chinese market has revolutionized the hierarchy of the first export clients of Bordeaux wines. The Chinese market, including Hong Kong, has become the leader in volume and value. In 2001, the core of the first nine customers (Germany, UK, Belgium, USA, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Netherlands, Denmark) represent about 89% of volume and 87% of the value exported, while in 2011 they only account for 57% of the volume and 49% of the value. Today, China, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom alone drain half of the value exported in 2011.

Bordeaux has never experienced such a phenomenon of unprecedented magnitude, said Jean-Philippe Code, director of economic studies and the CIVB: in ten years, the volumes to Asia were multiplied by 100. The exponential curve of volumes of Bordeaux wines exported to China did not collapse so far, the pace of exports continuing to increase. Its exponential growth and steady. This shows that there is no disruption of the distribution chain, but a real market need, said Mr. Code.

The explanation for this is the growing number of consumers, encouraged by the Chinese government in seeing a rational consumption of red wine a health benefit as opposed to hard liquor consumed in China, according to experts.There is an excitement around the consumption of wine, in shops and even on television, testifies M. Jullien.

The dominance of China and Hong Kong exported value is also related to the number of millionaires. According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group, in 2011 China had about 1.11 million millionaires in dollars, or 31% more than in 2009, putting the country in third place worldwide, behind the United States and Japan.If Bordeaux had much success in China is primarily due to trading that has early opening these new doors, says Code, but also to the concept of brand, reputation. The wine of Bordeaux established itself as a social marker of success.

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According to the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, 1879 Tibetan monks and nuns of over 60 years will receive the first payment of pension, for the first in the 1,300 years history of Tibetan Buddhism.

The pension of 120 yuan per month will be paid to the monks and nuns once every three months by the government from year 2012.

Tibetan monks over 18 may join the pension scheme on the principle of voluntariness, and get pension after continuous payment of not less than 15 years.

Its been reported that elderly monks in Lhasa, Qamdo and Shannan have already received the pension this month.

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A U.S. Congressional delegation kicked off a two-day visit to Taiwan Jan. 8,free video slots 7780 underscoring the robust nature of Taipei-Washington ties, according to the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The aim of the groups visit is to understand the latest development in Taiwans foreign affairs, national defense and trade, as well as the regional situation, the MOFA said.

Headed by Sen. James Inhofe, co-chair of Senate Taiwan Caucus, the group includes Sens. John Boozman and Steve Pearce, as well as Reps. Vern Buchanan and Erik Paulsen. It is scheduled to meet with ROC President Ma Ying-jeou, National Security Council Secretary-General Jason C. Yuan and Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng.

The Taiwan visit is part of the delegations tour of Asia and Africa to discuss foreign affairs, security and trade issues, the American Institute in Taiwan said Jan. 7 in a statement.

Inhofe has long been friendly toward Taiwan, the MOFA said, adding that he has demonstrated his support for U.S. arms sales to the island, as well as its inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program and bid for meaningful participation in the U.N.-affiliated International Civil Aviation Organization.

We appreciate Inhofes firm support and look forward to his continued backing of Taiwan within Congress and ongoing efforts to further strengthen bilateral ties, the MOFA said.

Grace Kuo

Taiwan Today

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US President Joe Biden speaks to media about the Democrats keeping the Senate before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, Nov. 13, 2022, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: VCG

While the US Democrats will keep their narrow Senate majority for the next two years, the control of the House is still not assured for either party as counting continues in some states as of press time.Chinese analysts said the situation is not surprising and will not bring big changes to the China-US tension, but considering the Republicans could take more provocative actions against China if they take the House, albeit with a slim majority, the White House will need to handle China ties with more finesse so the US can prevent a loss of control in bilateral ties.If Republicans do retake the House, the Biden administration will face obstacles and challenges in domestic and external affairs. For instance, Republicans might slow down or pare back assistance for Ukraine and make it hard for the US to fulfill its commitments on climate change, which will weaken the US' image and authority among its allies, said experts.The top leaders of the world's two biggest economies are scheduled to meet in Bali, Indonesia on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, which is a positive signal to the world, especially to the fragile global economic recovery, and with the Democrats securing control over the Senate, some US media and observers consider that US President Joe Biden will be more confident at the upcoming talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.However, Chinese experts said Biden will need to be more cautious and balanced as he wants to prevent the China-US tension from losing control. A senior White House official said Thursday Biden wants to use the talks with Xi to "build a floor" for the relationship - in other words, to prevent it from free-falling into open conflict, Reuters reported on Friday."As we expected, the Democrats retain at least 50 Senate seats, but still look likely to lose the House, which matters due to its budget control powers, so this means the partisan struggle between Democrats and Republicans will become even more intense," Lu Xiang, an expert on US studies and a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, said on Sunday that if Republicans do regain control of the House, the commitments the Biden administration has made will be impacted on at least two issues - the Ukraine crisis and climate change, because Republicans have already questioned the necessity to provide Ukraine with such a huge amount of supplies, especially when the US economy is still in trouble, while the two parties always disagree on climate change.Recent comments from Kevin McCarthy, who is in line for speaker if Republicans win the House, exacerbated the fears among Washington and Ukraine, as well as some European allies over the possibility of a cut to financial and military supplies to Ukraine, the AP reported on Saturday. McCarthy warned in October that Republicans would not support writing a "blank check" for Ukraine if they captured the majority.Lu said the House has the power to control the budget, so no matter whether McCarthy becomes the new speaker or not, if Republicans are in majority, US supplies to Ukraine will surely be impacted.Apart from the Ukraine issue, if Republicans take the House, Biden will find it almost impossible to deliver on his promises at the COP27 Climate Summit of a "low-carbon future," and this will also further damage the mutual trust between the US and major EU members like Germany and France, Jin said."When the US alliance system is in trouble, it makes it unlikely that Biden will take a stronger position on China, so the future policy toward China would largely follow the current status quo," Jin said.The US could also ask China to offer more cooperation on issues like the Ukraine crisis, the Korean Peninsula and Iran nuclear issues, as well as climate change, said some observers."Since many communication channels have been canceled and cut off after the extreme provocation of Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan island, Biden might ask China to reopen these channels, but China won't deliver what he wants easily, because this depends on how the US acts in fulfilling its promises about the one-China principle and opposition toward Taiwan secessionism," Jin said.The Republicans are showing a much more hostile stance toward China, as politicians like McCarthy have said they will be tougher on issues like COVID-19 origins tracing and the Taiwan question, with McCarthy vowing to visit the island.More importantly, the two parties share consensus on pushing the Taiwan Policy Act, which might break the US' strategic ambiguity on the Taiwan question and bring serious damage to the foundations of China-US relations, experts said."If Biden and the White House choose the same approach as the Republicans claim they will have, China-US relations will go out of control, and this goes against Biden's plan to build a 'floor' for the ties. So after the midterm elections, Biden may take a more cautious and less provocative stance to deal with China to balance the uncertainties from Congress," Lu said.
Samsung (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will completely withdraw from the air-Conditioning manufacturing business in China, the message was confirmed yesterday by one of its executives on condition of anonymity.

The Samsung factory in Suzhou is the only manufacturing base of its air-Conditioning products. Its executive told reporter that from January this year the factory began to reduce the workload of the air-conditioning production lines, and the entire production line stopped in March. Samsung has failed to establish the cost advantage in this business sector due to comparatively small industrial scale, said the executive.

Domestic market data shows that Samsung air conditioning took the market share of 2.68% in 2007, the figure fell down to 2.45% in 2008, and less than 2% in 2009.

LG, another South Korean electronics giant has withdrawn from the Chinese air conditioning market last year. As of the end of 2010, the market share of foreign air conditioning manufacturers in China has reduced by 50% in five years.

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Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times

US President Joe Biden,during his meeting with leaders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, spared no effort wooing these countries, including elevating ties with the bloc to a comprehensive strategic partnership and promising a budget request for $850 million in assistance to regional countries.But observers said these were just "symbolic" moves and that the budget was a mere "drop in the bucket."Biden seeking closer ties with the ASEAN harbors an obvious agenda to lure these countries to stand at the frontline of confronting China, yet such agenda is what these countries are trying to shun away from in their cooperation with Washington, said experts.They warned that US' pushing such agenda risks prompting the ASEAN members to distance themselves from the US. Moreover, US' reliability and credibility are also under test among regional countries - its ties with this bloc were frayed under Biden's predecessor and ASEAN members also aren't sure whether US domestic uncertainty will deal another blow to bilateral ties.In remarks at US-ASEAN summit in Cambodia on Saturday, Biden said a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the US and the bloc will help to tackle "the biggest issues of our time."Despite claiming ASEAN as the heart of his administration's "Indo-Pacific Strategy," Biden slipped up at the summit, referring to Cambodia, which is hosting an international summit led by Southeast Asian leaders, as Colombia."This [the elevation of ties] looks more like a symbolic act. The US is playing the catch-up game with China," Koh King Kee, president of Center for New Inclusive Asia, a nongovernmental Malaysian think tank, told the Global Times on Sunday. He said China and ASEAN already established in 2021 a strategic partnership, which is a more concrete one.The US used to cultivate bilateral ties with Southeast Asian countries, the upgrade of ties with the whole bloc and doubling down on ASEAN centrality revealed that Washington now wishes the whole bloc could play a central role, to counter what the US believed is China's rising influence in this region, Chen Xiangmiao, an assistant research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.In a move to further woo these Southeast Asian countries, Biden promised a budget of $850 million in assistance for regional countries. He said it would pay for more Southeast Asian projects such as an integrated electric vehicle ecosystem and clean-energy infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions.Chen described the package as a "drop in the bucket," as the money is diminished after it's doled out to each member of the 10-country bloc; and clean projects such as integrated electric vehicle ecosystem require support of the whole industry, which is lacking in many Southeast Asian countries. "Will the US have enough money to support the follow-up investment?" asked Chen. He mocked the assistance as Washington's "promising the moon."Biden has announced a $150 million development and security package for ASEAN at the US-ASEAN Special Summit 2022 held in May, which paled vis-a-vis the $1.5 billion development assistance China pledged to the ASEAN members in November 2021 to fuel economic recovery and fight the COVID-19 pandemic.Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday attended the 25th China-ASEAN Summit, during which he called for enhancing cooperation with ASEAN members, and jointly maintaining regional peace and stability, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.Li said that China and ASEAN are comprehensive strategic partners with a shared future, and have stood together through thick and thin. "Taking sides should not have to be our choice. Openness and cooperation are the viable way in meeting our common challenges."The fundamental difference between China's and US' cooperation with ASEAN is that China's goal is to achieve a truly prosperous and peaceful ASEAN. In addition, China doesn't interfere in ASEAN members' internal affairs.In contrast, US' ASEAN policies, when emphasizing the bloc's centrality, are actually centered around itself, as Washington only wants the bloc to serve as its pawn to counter China, and to fulfill its own hegemony goal, said Chen."China's presence in Southeast Asia is basically economic, China and ASEAN economies have greater economic complementarities. For the US, its interest in ASEAN is geopolitical rather than economics," said Koh.The value of Chinese-ASEAN trade soared 28 percent to $878 billion in 2021. That's almost double the $441 billion in total trade between the US and the ASEAN bloc last year.Even though Biden has made a flurry of rosy promises to the ASEAN members, the US policies in this region are still under test as improving US-ASEAN trade ties were stunted by former president Donald Trump's move to exit the Trans-Pacific Partnership regional trade grouping in 2017, and he only made one brief appearance at an ASEAN meeting - in 2017, the year he took office.Across the region, there's deepening skepticism about whether the 2024 election might bring in a president who doesn't want to follow Biden's lead, Scot Marciel, a former principal deputy assistant secretary for East Asia and the Pacific at the US State Department, told US media Politico recently.CNN projected on Sunday that Democrats will keep their narrow Senate majority for the next two years while Republicans were widely expected to win a majority of the House.Chen believes that no matter which party wins the US election in two years, as long as Washington still sees Beijing as its nemesis, it will continue to woo ASEAN and try to elbow the bloc to the frontline of countering China in the region."However, a Republican president may seek to curtail the US economic cooperation and assistance to this region, similar to what Trump did during his tenure," said Chen. He noted such a move may again fray US relation with the bloc.Chen warned that fixating on standing up against China in the region will only alienate the bloc away from Washington as this region has repeatedly voiced that it does not want to be caught in the middle of Beijing-Washington rivalry.
Theblockchain technology application value of Taiwans e-commerce sector will reach 6,600 billion New Taiwan dollars (22.6 billion U.S. dollars) this year, a 17 percent growth over 2011, economic authorities said Monday.

The figure is predicted to top 1 trillion NTD (34.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2015. The Chinese mainland will be a key market for Taiwans e-commerce industry, according to Taiwans economic authorities at a seminar on promoting the development of e-commerce.

The industry is one of the few in Taiwan that is growing despite the global economic recession.

Taiwan authorities have initiated a program for promoting Chinese language e-commerce and transaction safety, in a bid to help practitioners enter the fast-growing mainland market, which has more than 500 million Internet users.

Taiwan and the Chinese mainland will hold discussions on issues that hinder Taiwans e-commerce practitioners from entering mainland market. These include customs clearance and obtaining the mainlands business certificates for Internet Content Providers (ICP).

The Chinese mainland has a bigger Internet market and abundant opportunities for businesses, said Zhuang Longlong, founder of Taiwan-based online shopping company PGmall.com. The firm has benefited from entering the mainland market with turnover increasing.

Taobao.com, the leading online shopping company from the Chinese mainland, said at the seminar that the websites registered users from Taiwan had reached 500,000, with a 50 percent growth in transactions.

We will strengthen cooperation with Taiwans banking and logistics industries to provide more convenience to Taiwanese consumers. We will also help Taiwans e-commerce practitioners to enter the Chinese mainland through our platform, said Li Pengjun, director of Taobaos overseas business.

Xinhua

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Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Governor Chadchart Sittipunt (right) and Asia News Network Editor Pana Janviroj admire photos during the opening ceremony of the "Changing Asia  New Normal" photography exhibition at Central World in Bangkok on Wednesday. EDMOND TANG/CHINA DAILY

A pan-Asia photo exhibition co-organized by China Daily and Asia News Network kicked off in Bangkok,vitibet prediction today Thailand on Wednesday, providing people with different perspectives on life during the pandemic through the camera lens.

Themed "Changing Asia  New Normal", the exhibition is being held in the Central World shopping center until Nov 20, coinciding with Bangkok's hosting of a key meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies. It aims to capture the changes Asia has gone through during the pandemic and encourage people to embrace a new beginning.

A total of 78 photos from 18 countries were selected for the exhibition, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Palestine, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. They were chosen by a panel of experts from more than 1,000 photos contributed by 179 photographers of these countries.

The exhibition is more than a display of some fine works of photography, said Zhou Li, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Group and publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific.

"It shows a major campaign, highlighting how people in Asia are coping and coming to terms with COVID-19," Zhou said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. He said the global public health crisis showed the need to build a community of a shared future for mankind that calls for a global solution for common problems.

Korn Dabbaransi, former Thai deputy prime minister and chairman of the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association, said the exhibition is being held with great timing as Bangkok hosts the APEC Economic Leaders' Week.

Korn said he hopes Asia will be able to show the world that it is ready to face the future in the Asian way after the pandemic.

"Photography will be the one that records history," said Chadchart Sittipunt, governor of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Noting many things have changed during the past three years, Chadchart said the exhibition is important because it reflects people's life.

Naphat Ratanasakdi, secretary-general of the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand, and Pana Janviroj, editor of Asia News Network, also delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

Thai photographer Varuth Pongsapipatt said he was proud that his photo was selected for the exhibition.

When Thailand's COVID-19 death toll was rising last year, he took a photo of Siam Nonthaburi Foundation employees at a crematorium.

"Diseases sometimes are just recorded by numbers but I tried to use my photograph to make a record of people in that situation," said Varuth. "It's not for me, but for the people who get recorded in history."
Thebetting free bonus state-owned China Aerospace & Technology Corporation (CASC) will team up with China Telecom to provide communication satellite in-orbit delivery for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to a commercial contract inked Saturday in Zhuhai.

The satellite, CongoSat-01, will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest Chinas Sichuan Province within three years from when the contract takes effect, according to Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), a CASC subsidiary that signed the contract with DR Congos National Network of Satellite Telecommunications (Renatelsat).

DR Congo is the second African country to ink a satellite delivery contract with China. Nigeria became the first in December 2004, when it signed a contract with CGWIC.

China Telecom, the countrys major telecommunications operator, will furnish information technology support for the project, according to the contract.

The satellite is expected to cover DR Congo and the whole of Southern-Central Africa, CGWIC said.

The company also said that at the ongoing China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, it has signed six contracts and agreements worth a total of 15 billion yuan (2.38 billion U.S. dollars).

China successfully sent a remote sensing satellite into space from northwestern Gobi Desert for Venezuela in September.

To date, China has conducted 35 commercial satellite launches for international customers, sending 41 satellites into space.

CGWIC expects to complete another two commercial launches this year.

Xinhua

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TIANJIN  Traditional Chinese medicine physician Wang Wenhao has become a celebrity among patients at the Huayuanjie community's health service center in Tianjin.

Thebest cryptocurrency online casino warmhearted 34-year-old started his TCM practice at the center earlier this year, and now receives around 15 patients every day. He also provides daily physical therapy for a further 15 patients, sometimes making home visits to provide acupuncture treatment and prepare medicine for those with mobility issues.

"The community health service center is useful because it provides easier access for patients. By working at the grassroots level, I can learn more about different illnesses and continuously improve myself," Wang says.

TCM physicians at the community level are a key part of "a 15-minute TCM health circle "created by the municipal health authorities to provide convenient and better medical services for residents.

"TCM services at the grassroots level are the foundation of the development of TCM, and Tianjin is striving to promote TCM to benefit more residents," says Yu Chunquan, head of the TCM bureau of the municipal health commission.

China has launched a special three-year program to promote the role of TCM in enhancing public health. It will focus on eight aspects, including the application of TCM in maternal and pediatric healthcare, elderly care, preventive treatment for chronic diseases, adolescent myopia and obesity, and the popularization of TCM knowledge.

Data shows that there are more than 260 community health service centers and township clinics in Tianjin, and all of them are able to provide such services.

"This means that people can reach the nearest health service center and receive TCM treatment in just 15 minutes," Yu explains.

TCM services at Huayuanjie community have won recognition from the locals. "Some 40 percent of the 800 outpatients received by the center every day ask for TCM services," says Zhang Na, the center's director.

"We see more young patients today choosing TCM, and we will continue to provide better TCM services for different groups of people," Zhang adds.

Mu Ruina, a resident living in Zhongshanmenjie community, Hedong district, says she is a beneficiary of the 15-minute TCM health circle.

"We signed with a family doctor who can offer TCM services. Since our children are not in Tianjin, the home-visit service can solve our problems," the 58-year-old says.

Nearly 30 percent of people in the Zhongshanmenjie community are aged over 65. Taking into account the aging population, the community has opened seven health service centers and established 21 teams of family doctors to provide better services for locals.

Meanwhile, over 80 percent of grassroots medical and health institutions in Tianjin are able to provide TCM rehabilitation services, according to Yu.

"The next step is to train 5,000 TCM practitioners for grassroots-level health institutions, providing better services for locals and meeting their healthcare needs," Yu says.
Beijing Daxing International Airport Photo: Xinhua

Multiple provincial-level regions across China have further deployed,researched, optimized and detailed the implementation of anti-epidemic measures following the roll-out of 20 measures to optimize COVID-19 response on Friday, the country's latest move in scientific and precise epidemic control and prevention work to fight the COVID-19 epidemic amid a global resurgence.It cannot be ruled out that further optimization and adjustment of Chinese quarantine measures will be made as the SAR-CoV-2 is continuing to mutate, understanding of this disease is deepened, and the entire situation of the epidemic at home and abroad is changing, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said during a press briefing by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council on Saturday.Shanghai has decreased the frequency of nucleic acid testing for local primary and middle school students at school to three times every week from five times a week, as well as rolled out other more precise epidemic control and prevention measures on Sunday in accordance with the 20 optimized measures released by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council on Friday, according to the official WeChat account of the city.The city that registered one new confirmed local patient and nine new asymptomatic carriers on Saturday with all the infections discovered under quarantine will cancel regular citywide nucleic acid testing, and the all-member testing will only be carried out when the origin and the transmission chains of the infections are unclear or the virus has been spreading for a long while with uncertain and untraceable infections.China registered a total of 1,675 new local confirmed patients and 13,086 new asymptomatic carriers on Saturday, one day after the roll-out of 20 optimized measures including shortened quarantine periods for international arrivals and cancelation of circuit breakers for inbound flights, no more requirement on the screening of close contacts of close contacts, or secondary contacts, and that the categories of COVID-19 risk areas will be adjusted from three categories of "high," "medium," and "low" to just two categories of "high" and "low" to minimize the number of people that may be subject to community lockdowns or health monitoring.China's National Health Commission (NHC) further explained and answered questions related to the 20 measures concerned by the public on its official website on Sunday.As the SAR-CoV-2 is continuing to mutate, the global epidemic is still spreading, and new flare-ups are constantly emerging in some domestic places, the scope and scale of the epidemic are likely to further expand in the country when entering the winter and spring seasons, since China has a large population and a large number of vulnerable groups, NHC said in a statement.According to NHC, infected people's workplaces and activity venues with high risk of epidemic transmission will be designated as "high" risk areas, which are designated generally based on units or buildings to minimize the control on the range and personnel.Since the latent Omicron variants are spreading faster, the epidemic prevention at venues including schools, nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals and enterprises will be strengthened.To ensure the implementation of the optimized measures and curbing local government ramping up COVID response measures, excessive policy steps such as random suspension of classes, operation and production, and adoption of static management for a long time, will be prohibited.Such behaviors will be made public and offenders will be held accountable in accordance with the law and regulations if serious consequences are caused.A task force dedicated to resolving issues related to local governments ratcheting up virus-containment measures or applying rigid steps have been set up across the country, according to NHC.Apart from Shanghai, multiple places including Beijing, South China's Guangdong and Hainan provinces, Northwest China's Gansu and Qinghai provinces and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and East China's Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces have also made swift adjustments for COVID-19 prevention and control measures after the 20 measures were released on Friday, local media reported.Beijing authorities urged more precise measures to be taken on quarantine, transport, nucleic acid testing, flow of personnel, medical services, vaccination, in service enterprises and on campuses after the roll-out of the 20 measures on Friday.Beijing municipal government officials on Saturday announced the launch of a special relief mechanism, effective from Saturday, for people who have been stranded outside Beijing for extended periods, vowing to help address situations for people who had visited high risk areas outside Beijing.The latest Omicron-hit Guangdong also vowed on Friday to strengthen scientific precise prevention and continue to improve the effectiveness of the prevention and control work, resolutely preventing problems such as simplification, one-size-fits-all, and ratcheting up virus-containment measures.The province facing a grim epidemic control situation with 247 new local confirmed patients and 3,541 asymptomatic infections registered on Saturday vowed to focus its efforts on the battle against the epidemic and curb the flare-up as soon as possible.In response to the adjusted policies, Chinese embassies in multiple countries such as Singapore, Canada, the US and Sri Lanka released notices on Sunday on the adjustments of policies on pre-trip nucleic acid testing for people going to China.Only one nucleic acid test within 48 hours before they get on board will be needed and they can apply for a health code with the negative results of the tests. Before the adjustment on the policy, two negative results of nucleic acid tests were needed by inbound travelers to China.China's NHC reiterated on Saturday that the 20 measures are designed to optimize the country's ninth edition of diagnostic and treatment protocols for COVID-19, to make the implementation of the measures more science-based and precise, noting that strict epidemic prevention and control must be combined with optimized measures, and that "strenuous efforts must be put on both.""They certainly do not mean we can slacken our response or even simply end COVID restrictions and lie flat," Mi Feng, spokesperson from the NHC, said at a press conference held by the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism against COVID-19 on Saturday.Through a series of measures, including strengthening policy interpretation and training, the authorities will promote the implementation of the 20 optimized measures, Mi said.Global Times
United Nations General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic,best cryptocurrencies by market capitalization in his recent speech in Hong Kong, described Hong Kong as a testament of the success of the One country, Two systems approach, and the benefits of unimpeded economic cooperation.

At a salon held on Saturday by the China Energy Fund Committee, a Hong Kong-based think tank, Jeremic told the audience that Hong Kong is a city that seamlessly blends diverse aspects of the past, drawing whats best from the various cultures and civilizations that interact and cross-pollinate in this part of the world.

Jeremics speech dealt with global governance, social justice, climate change, global cooperation and other topics. Afterwards, he answered questions from the audience.

Jeremic said that, with growing interdependence in the world and the further democratization of international relations, the UN  the 21st centurys flagship platform of multilateral diplomacy   will grow more prominent.

Before coming to Hong Kong, Jeremic had paid a visit to Beijing where he met with Xi Jinping, the newly-elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of China.

Jeremic said he was confident that under Xis leadership, China would complete the building of a moderately prosperous and harmonious society in all aspects, as well as further contribute to strengthening the international system of dialogue.

Having served two successive terms as Serbias Foreign Minister, Jeremic also said the people of Serbia would never forget how China stood shoulder to shoulder with them during the 1999 bombing of his country.

The people of Serbia were the beneficiaries of Chinese generous assistance in the aftermath, and they would never forget that difficult period, nor Chinas outstretched hand of support in their time of need, he added.

Jeremic was elected President of the sixty-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly on June 8 of 2012. At the time of his election, he was serving as Serbias Foreign Minister, an office he held starting on May 15 of 2007.

Xinhua

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Thecosmopolitan las vegas bungalow suite police chief of Taiyuan, capital of north Chinas Shanxi Province, has been dismissed from his post due to a scandal involving his role in covering up his sons drunk driving offense.

The decision was made on Friday at a session of the 13th Taiyuan Municipal Peoples Congress, the local legislature, which appointed Liu Suiji to replace Li Yali as the citys police chief.

Li, also former deputy police chief of Shanxi Province, had already been placed on probation within the Communist Party of China (CPC) for one year over accusations that he attempted to cover up his sons drunk driving offense.

A video showing Lis son, Li Zhengyuan, beating up a police officer went viral after it was posted to Chinese social media sites on Oct. 28, 2012.

The video shows Li Zhengyuan assaulting an officer after being stopped for a traffic violation. Officers at the scene then forced him to take a blood alcohol test, the results of which indicated that he had been drunk driving.

Instead of taking him into custody, some other officers walked him home.

An investigation by the CPC discipline authority found that Li Yali had abused his power, a form of official misconduct, while handling his sons offense.

It also shows that Li had committed other transgressions related to organization and personnel matters.

Li was suspended from his police posts, as well as removed from his post as CPC secretary of the Taiyuan public security bureau, on Dec. 7, in order for the investigation to proceed.

Xinhua

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From the end of March to April 18, within 20 days, the salvage team and the police found a total of 20 bodies in Yinwei canal of Xianyang City. The source of some corpses have not been identified yet.

The relatives of drowning person believed that the canal management department should be responsible for the death of several drownings and they are ready to sue the administration. Lawsuit is not for money, we would like to draw the attention of government departments, so that the villagers live on both sides of the canal may suffer less damage in the future.

April 13, police searching for the bodies.

April 16, the bodies have been pulled ashore.

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Procuratorial organs in northern Chinas Shanxi Province have been urged to strictly investigate the chemical leak scandal by a local company 11 days ago,grand theft crypto aces video poker according to the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate (SPP).

In a circular Wednesday, the SPP ordered serious investigation into the Dec. 31 leak of about 9 tonnes of aniline into a river in Changzhi City by Tianji Coal Chemical Industry Group, Xinhua was told Thursday.

The SPP has sent a special work group to Shanxi to supervise and direct the investigation.

Government employees whose acts in the accident constitute a crime of dereliction of duty will be handled in accordance with laws, according to the circular.

The contamination caused by the leak affected drinking water supplies of the Yuecheng Reservoir in downstream Handan, Hebei Province. The leak also polluted a river in neighboring Henan Province.

Changzhi City authorities were also found to have delayed reporting the leak until six days later.

Xinhua

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Thenine casino bonus code Peoples Bank of China (PBOC), the countrys central bank, announced Wednesday that it has signed supplementary currency swap agreements with the Bank of Mongolia, doubling the scale of a 2011 bilateral swap deal.

The supplementary currency swap agreement allows the two central banks to swap 10 billion yuan/2 trillion togrog (about 1.6 billion U.S. dollars), compared to 5 billion yuan/1 trillion togrog agreed in 2011, the PBOC said in a statement on its website.

Both sides believe the extension will help maintain regional financial stability and facilitate bilateral trade and investment between China and Mongolia, according to the PBOC statement.

Since the onset of the global financial crisis in late 2008, China has signed currency swap agreements totaling 1.3 trillion yuan with 16 countries and regions, including the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Belarus and Argentina, to reduce the use of the U.S. dollar in bilateral trade settlement and investment.

Xinhua

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Thenews on shiba inu coin Chinese government initiated a level four emergency response plan, the lowest level in the countrys emergency disaster response system, on Monday morning in response to recent floods in central Chinas Hubei province.

The National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) has dispatched teams to help with relief work, said a statement posted on the MCAs website Monday.

Downpours and floods since July 9 have left eight people dead and about 2.44 million people affected in Hubei, according to the provincial civil affairs department.

The floods have toppled 4,500 houses and forced 140,000 people to evacuate or seek emergency aid.

Local disaster relief and civil affairs authorities have sent quilts, clothes and other relief materials to affected areas, the MCA statement said.

Xinhua

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In the pre-Qin () era, the Hundred Schools of Thought were practically free to contend with one another, generating a lot of light and heat. Does it sound like today's social media? You bet.



Indeed, social media in pre-Qin China served as a public forum. Then as now, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) tirelessly asked to be taken seriously by virtue of their ideas. Then as now, ideas could make or break a social media career.



How did pre-Qin KOLs get their ideas across? They "tweeted" or "posted" on bamboo slips (), almost always with a touch of elegance and bouts of wit.



(Google image)



When these bamboo-slip bloggers made a point, they made it memorable and recitable for popularization. Popularity came with limelight, which in turn would catch the attention---if not the approval---of the powers that be. Anyway, plebeians (commoners) did matter. Grassroots' support did mean something.



Unapologetically, therefore, pre-Qin KOLs competed to prevail as living legends. No wonder their bamboo slips were slim in shape and light in weight, thus being passed around easily. Meanwhile, bamboo slip-carrying promoters were like bards, broadcasting their respective schools of thought in town squares and rural marketplaces. All in all, at the end of the day, folks literate and illiterate would be able to share what the Hundred Schools of Thought had to say---until when everybody felt like walking on eggshells, thanks to the First Emperor.



Speaking of the First Emperor, his book-burning policy probably fell short of a great success in practice. For one thing, a book made of bamboo slips could often be put together or put apart at short notice. Such flexibility gave many banned books a new lease on life. Yes, destruction and preservation could somehow co-exist, as observed by the 19th century British poet Lord Tennyson:



"Tho' much is taken, much abides."*



(*The word "abides" here means "remains." The line comes from Tennyson's epic "Ulysses.")





Author: renqiulan


Four people directly responsible for a chemical leakage incident that contaminated rivers in north Chinas Shanxi Province have been dismissed,casino extreme 1000 free spins local authorities said Sunday.

Chen Jianwen, Tianji Coal Chemical Industry Group general manager, Ren Yongjie, the groups deputy manager who is in charge of work safety, and two heads of the plants storage workshop were sacked, said Liu Dashan, Shanxi provincial environmental bureaus chief engineer.

Aniline had leaked from a broken pipe at the plant in Lucheng City.

An initial investigation revealed that a loose drainage valve in the plant, which is owned by the group, was blamed for the leak of nearly 9 tonnes of aniline.

Plant employees spotted the leak on the morning of Dec. 31, while conducting a routine check.

As of Sunday, aniline in a local river has affected the drainage area of about 80 square kilometers and 28 villages in Shanxi.

The contamination incident has also affected tap water in downstream cities in neighboring Hebei and Henan provinces.

Xinhua

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State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) meets with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan,demo slot jackpot cash slot online Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China and coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment. [Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi recognized on Wednesday Indonesia's strong efforts to ensure the success of the Group of 20 Summit in Bali.

Wang made the remarks when he met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the summit with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China and coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment.

Recalling Indonesian President Joko Widodo's successful visit to China in July, Wang said the two heads of state reached an important consensus during the visit. He confirmed that the two sides will work toward building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future, which has already been demonstrated in the high level of strategic mutual trust.

Luhut once again extended congratulations on the success of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and he expressed confidence that China will make more, and greater, achievements in advancing its modernization, particularly in areas such as enhancing people's well-being.

He thanked China for supporting Indonesia's hosting of the summit, adding that Indonesia will strengthen communication and coordination with China.

Meanwhile, Wang met with Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard on Wednesday. China and Mexico have agreed to take the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties to strengthen strategic communication and further enrich their comprehensive strategic partnership.

During their meeting on the sidelines of the summit, Ebrard thanked China for providing medical supplies and experts to help his country fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mexico will continue to support China safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, actively promote the joint building of the Belt and Road, further promote high-level mutual trust and deepen Latin American and Caribbean countries' cooperation with China, he added.

Wang said that China and Mexico, both independent countries and important emerging economies, have always treated each other with respect and on an equal footing.

China appreciates the role played by Mexico in promoting China's relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries, Wang said, and is ready to work with Mexico to deepen these relations to achieve common development.

Xinhua contributed to this story.
At present, the volume of trade in agricultural products between China and Latvia is small, but China is interested in increasing it. This was announced at a press conference after the meeting of Chinese Vice Agriculture Minister Niu Dun with the Minister of Agriculture of Latvia Laimdota Strauyuma.

According to Mr.Niu, China is especially interested in importing the Latvian blueberries, fruits, beverages, fish, beef and poultry.

Today we are working together to better organize the export and import of agricultural products, because Chinas population is very large and the government alone can not provide some specific agricultural products, said the Vice Minister.

Strauyuma noted that agricultural exports from Latvia to China now stands at 6.62 million euros per year, and 97% of exports is blueberries. Imports of agricultural products from China to Latvia stands 8.78 million euros per year, mostly canned fruits and vegetables, fish, fresh fruit and nuts.

We have discussed with the vice-minister on previous successful cooperation and decided to establish a working group at the ministerial level, which will deal with issues of interest to both parties  agricultural technologies, the development of bilateral trade, relations with competitive services and phytosanitary measures said Strauyuma.

Niu Dun said that Chinese children are very fond of blueberries, and China has 400 million children under the age of 18 years. Blueberry costs 8 U.S. dollars per kilogram, and many Chinese parents will buy it for their children. Theres great potential of this huge market, said the vice Minister.

Also, he said that Chinese people enjoy fish products, fruits, high-quality beer and other beverages from Latvia.

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With the crisis best casino guideat the U.S. southern border worsening, the services of human smugglers offering undocumented migrants help getting into the country are in high demand.

And for at least part of their journeys, Mexican cartels are recruiting teenagers, on the U.S. side of the border.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.
Police in northwest Chinas Qinghai province said Thursday that they have arrested a Tibetan man who allegedly attempted to convince another Tibetan to self-immolate last November.

Police in Tongren county said they thwarted a self-immolation attempt last year by 25-year-old monk Drolma Je after being told that the man had stored gasoline in a hotel room on Nov. 19.

A probe into Drolma Jes case has led to the arrest of Phagpa,cropbytes coin judi deposit gopay a 27-year-old man who allegedly encouraged Drolma Je to commit self-immolation, a police report said.

The report said Phagpa had maintained close contact with key members of the Tibetan Youth Congress of the Dalai Lama clique, exchanging information with and taking orders from them via the Internet.

It said Phagpa studied in India at an institution established by the Dalai Lama clique for training separatists in June 2005.

After returning to China in September 2011, he worked to spread pro-independence ideas among local students while working as a teacher at an orphanage and opening computer and English training courses, the report said.

The report, citing Drolma Jes confession, said Phagpa made several attempts to convince Drolma Je to self-immolate between June and July 2012, assuring him that photos of the self-immolator would be spread globally by organizations in India.

He claimed that the international community will pay attention if more people commit self-immolation,' the report said, citing Drolma Je.

Police also found that Phagpa is a member of the illegal Snow Tradition Cultural Service Group. He and other members of the group have attended funerals of previous self-immolators, praising them as role models and donating money to their relatives.

Police have arrested Phagpa on a charge of intentional homicide and Drolma Je on a charge of jeopardizing public security.

Multiple Tibetan self-immolations have occurred in west Chinas Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan provinces in recent months. The Chinese government has accused the Dalai Lama group of inciting and supporting such acts.

Xinhua

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Doctor Su Hang (second from right) joins a local community worker to conduct nucleic acid tests for residents in a high-risk area of Chongqing on Tuesday. Su volunteered when she learned that the community needed some extra help. [Photo by CUI JINGYIN/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Central district in Guangzhou remains epicenter of city's latest viral outbreak

Highly concentrated efforts will be made to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak in Haizhu of Guangzhou,is luna crypto a good investment Guangdong province, as infections continue to rise in the district, according to a local health official.

"We will allocate resources at all levels to tackle the epidemic in Haizhu, which is hardest hit by the city's latest outbreak," said Zhang Yi, deputy director and spokeswoman of the Guangzhou Health Commission, at a news conference on Wednesday.

On Tuesday alone, Haizhu reported 6,060 of the city's 6,296 new infections, of which 17 were found at the community level, according to the health authority.

New infections were still mostly found in the district's high-risk Kanglu area, an urban village with cramped buildings and poor ventilation, according to Zhang.

"Sporadic cases were also reported in several subdistricts, indicating the epidemic situation in Haizhu is still complex and severe," she said.

Some 176,900 nucleic acid samples were collected in high-risk areas in the district on Tuesday, carried out by 4,600 medical workers and volunteers door-to-door, according to Fu Xiaochu, deputy district head of Haizhu.

"Screening in a classified way in high-risk areas will help us detect infections more quickly and accurately," he said.

Guangzhou is the hardest-hit city on the Chinese mainland, accounting for around a third of all new infections.

The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 1,568 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and 18,491 local asymptomatic carriers, the National Health Commission said on Wednesday.

In Beijing, the city's epidemic situation is still developing, Xu Hejian, spokesman for the municipal government, said at a news conference on Wednesday.

"Beijing will continue to strengthen accurate and scientific prevention work to cope with the situation," Xu said. "Meanwhile, the government will improve the database of the permanent residents and cross-city commuters to provide better services for the public."

Beijing recorded 179 new local cases between midnight and 3 pm Wednesday, among whom 32 were detected at the community level, the local health commission said. Chaoyang district, the hardest-hit area in the capital, reported 94 cases.

"During the epidemiological investigation, the authority found that some infected people didn't wear masks properly in crowded places or failed to take tests accordingly, which has added difficulties to virus control and prevention work," said Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

Beijing is taking strict measures to reduce risks at the community level. The key areas with high infection risks should continue mass nucleic acid testing in order to discover hidden infections as early as possible. People who are quarantining at home should reduce contact with other family members to prevent infection, Xu said.

Many shopping centers and office buildings in Chaoyang on Wednesday began to require people to show negative nucleic acid test results valid from within 24 hours before entering.

Yin Li, Beijing's newly appointed Party chief, paid an inspection visit to the city's epidemic control and prevention departments on Tuesday afternoon, and said that swift action should be taken to curb the spread of the virus and to ensure people's health and safety.

In Chongqing, residents are being asked not to leave the city unless it is urgent as the city works to curb the spread of infections to other places, the local prevention and control headquarters said on Tuesday.

According to a notice released on Tuesday, residents living in quarantine and closed-loop management, or in areas with a high risk of infection or who are living in communities with people testing positive within seven days, should not leave Chongqing.

For people who must leave the city, negative nucleic test results and some other documents are required.

Chongqing reported 126 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2,688 new asymptomatic carriers on Tuesday, the local health commission said on Wednesday.

In response to increases in infections, Chongqing has transformed an exhibition center into a makeshift hospital with 12,000 beds.

Deng Rui and Tan Yingzi contributed to this story.
I do not feel safe, I want to leave China, said Thursday the civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, calling the United States for help, a day after getting guarantees of his safety from the Chinese government if he remained in his country. The United States have expressed their willing to help him.

I want to go abroad. I want the U.S. to help me and my family. They helped me before, said Chen, interviewed by telephone in Chaoyang hospital in Beijing where he was admitted on Wednesday. He got a foot injury when jumping from a wall to escape the vigilance of his many guards and escaped from his home in Shandong on 22 April. I do not feel safe here. I want to leave, he insisted.

The blind activist left the embassy of the United States Wednesday where he had stayed for six days after an agreement negotiated between Washington and Beijing for his departure. This agreement was conveniently reached on the eve of the opening of Sino-American strategic and economic dialogue, while the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had just arrived in Beijing for the high-level discussions.



Threats of reprisals against his family

Relatives said Chen left the embassy of the United States because of the reprisals threats against his family members, who will be sent to their home in Shandong province if the Chinese civil rights activist remained in the embassy.

The dissident told the CNN that he wanted to go into exile in the U.S., a prospect he had not mentioned at all during his stay in the diplomatic premises.

U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke assured that Chen has never been pushed to leave the diplomatic premises of the United States.

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Simon Jeffrey Lever, head of British General Consulate in Chongqing and many representatives from famous british enterprises were present in the Liangjiang New Area-UK Symposium of Sustainable Urban Development on March 19.

Lever has been in Liangjiang New Area many times according to his speech. The United Kingdom has become the third top trade partner in EU for China, and it is also Chinas biggest direct investor of EU. Meanwhile, Chongqing boasts rapid development in recent years, so more and more UK enterprises are willing to develop and invest in this city.

Many enterprise representatives expressed their intentions of cooperation with local enterprises of Liangjiang New Area in the Symposium.

Zhang Wenjing

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China is likely to allow the insurance funds to be entrusted to fund management companies and securities companies, according to authoritative sources.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) recently had a consultation on some issues including the use of insurance funds and strengthening of regulatory cooperation.

The two top Chinese regulatory bodies said that they will give greater policy support to encourage the long-term funds including the insurance funds into the market.

Specifically speaking, the insurance funds will be granted to be entrusted to fund management companies and securities companies in the form of special account and targeted investment in the future, the sources revealed.

Both sides have developed a high degree of consensus in terms of developing the capital market and promoting the development of institutional investors.

They also expressed their willingness to establish a more smooth communication and information sharing mechanism to strengthen the regulatory cooperation and promote the healthy and stable development of capital markets.

The CSRC regulates the Chinas securities and futures markets, while the CIRC supervises the nations insurance products and services market. Both organizations are the top regulators of their respective markets in China.

Author: Li Zhenyu

Source: Peoples Daily Online

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Chinese government will invest around 600 billion yuan (95 billion U.S. dollars) between 2011 and 2015 in turning the nations scattered and dilapidated rural lands into efficient farming areas, under Ministry of Land and Resources plans unveiled on Tuesday.

Dong Zuoji, director of the ministrys planning department, said at a press conference that the fund will help establish 400 million mu (around 26.7 million hectares) of efficient farmland across the country by 2015.

The investment will also help newly create 24 million mu of agricultural land in the period, Dong said.

The official estimated the campaign will boost the nations grain output by 25 million tonnes.

The government will optimize the layout of construction land in rural areas and urge local regions to use land more frugally, according to the plans.

Meanwhile, farmland damaged by construction will be reclaimed, Dong said.

To ensure grain security, China strives to keep at least 1.8 billion mu of farmland for grain production. However, the nation faces increasing challenges to maintain the quota as official data has showed the countrys total acreage of farmland stood at 1.826 billion mu in 2010, down from 1.945 billion mu in 1998.

Xinhua

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The University of Nebraska Medical Center received approval Thursday to start making plans for a new $2.19 billion academic medical center in Omaha, which would be the largest project in university history.

The Nebraska Board of Regents voted unanimously to let UNMC begin the process of engaging a team to develop plans for the new facility near the existing hospital complex.

Historically, the project has been known as Phase 1 of Project NExT, which UNMC officials have described as a multibillion-dollar hospital that would double as a federal all-hazards response facility. Beyond the bricks and mortar, Project NExT also includes a host of programs focused on providing education and training as well as support for research and surge capacity in the case of a long list of potential hazards.

University officials, however, now are calling the first phase of the initiative Project Health: Building the Healthiest Nebraska.

Its focused on the health of Nebraskans, said Dr. Jeffrey Gold, UNMCs chancellor, rather than partnerships with federal agencies or local relationships with organizations such as the Department of Defense, Health and Human Services and Veterans Administration.

A new academic medical center will provide more modern spaces where UNMC faculty and staff can train the next generation of health care providers, many of which are in shortage, particularly in rural areas of the state.

They will also care for Nebraskans, conduct research and offer clinical trials.

The facility wont replace regional or rural health care facilities, Gold said, but it will serve as a destination when Nebraskans need it.

It is critically important to understand, if were going to continue to provide professionals to serve the rural communities, we have to have a world-class training site in order to recruit faculty and, frankly, to bring students from all over the country here who want to learn here and will want to set down their roots and care for Nebraskans, Gold said. So this is about whos going to care for our children and grandchildren.

Some of the existing health center buildings are between 50 and 75 years old, he said. Two estimates from nationally recognized architecture and design firms indicate they need nearly $1 billion in deferred maintenance.

Putting the better part of a billion dollars into buildings that old doesnt make sense, Gold said, particularly because such work wouldnt allow for significant changes to ceiling heights, plumbing or electrical systems.

In addition, it costs up to three times as much to maintain the older buildings than it does to operate, for instance, the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, which opened in 2017.

This will actually reduce our operating cost, create more efficient and effective care and at the same time provide the ability for us to markedly expand our education programs, Gold said.

Omaha Regent Elizabeth OConnor said she doesnt see the project as just an investment in infrastructure. More importantly, its an investment in the people of Nebraska and the future of our state, she said.

The regents voted 8-0 to allow the university to engage design and construction planning teams, which will require a public bid and board approval. University officials hope to have the teams in place by the end of the year.

The teams then would create a detailed plan for the project, known as a program statement. That also would require regents approval. Gold said he hopes to see construction work begin by winter or spring 2025.

In reality, he said, the university has done a lot of planning since it was initially approached in 2014 by federal partners interested in planning to respond to high-consequence pathogens.

The university previously has identified a 7-acre site on the northern edge of campus, the former site of the Munroe-Meyer Institute, as the site of a new facility.

Gold said he is still guardedly optimistic that Phases 2 and 3 of the larger project eventually will move ahead. However, he noted there are a number of constraints at the federal level.

The regents previously approved a pilot project that allowed the university to apply for a $300 million state investment in the project, which was contingent on the university obtaining federal and philanthropic support.

Gold said the university has secured about $450 million in private support, between letters of intent and signed commitments. But were not done, he said.

According to university officials, adding more academic, research and patient care capacity in new facilities would generate between $600 million and $1.1 billion in incremental revenue annually by year seven of the project, based on Phase 1 investments and future ones.

The project would allow UNMC to expand the number of health care providers it educates, including adding about 100 new physician residency training positions by 2030.

In other action, regents also approved UNMCs plan for the research component of a new combination administration and research facility that will serve as the cornerstone for the universitys new Saddle Creek Campus.

The $87 million Campus Operations and Research Excellence or CORE Building, situated on the southwest corner of Saddle Creek Road and Farnam Street, will add to UNMCs research space, which is nearing capacity.

The facility will include two administrative floors, one for computer-based research and three for laboratory research in drug discovery, oncology and other areas. Construction will begin this fall with completion expected in early 2026.

The building is being designed to accommodate a future pedestrian bridge over Saddle Creek Road that will link the Saddle Creek Campus to the main campus. The City of Omaha will build, own and operate an adjacent parking structure that will serve the building.

The regents also approved UNMCs purchase of two Omaha properties for possible future campus development at 414 S. 40th St. and 3910 Dewey Ave.

Photos: UNMC Catalyst project to rise out of Omaha Steel Castings site
President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Nusa Dua,betway login my account datafree Bali, Indonesia, on Wednesday. ACHMAD IBRAHIM/POOL/REUTERS

Sino-Indonesian cooperation has brought regional, global benefits

President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Widodo pledged on Wednesday to foster a new pattern of high-level cooperation, as both leaders reached key consensuses on the building of a bilateral community with a shared future during a meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting between Xi and Widodo on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali was their second sit-down within four months. The Indonesian leader made his fifth trip to China in July, becoming the first foreign head of state to visit Beijing since the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Before the meeting, the two leaders witnessed via video link the trial run of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative that is expected to start operations in June and create 30,000 jobs for local people.

Beijing stands ready to continue furthering the alignment of the BRI with Indonesia's Global Maritime Fulcrum strategy and enabling the completion and operations at an early date of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia, Xi said.

Both sides should continue to move forward with the development of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor and the "Two Countries, Twin Parks "project to bring bilateral cooperation to a new level, Xi said.

The cooperation between the two nations has yielded tangible achievements that not only have benefited the two peoples but also have had a positive influence at the regional and global levels.

Xi vowed continued support to Indonesia in developing a regional production center for vaccines as well as related joint research and development.

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This years Taipei International Electronics Show (Taitronics) coordinated with several related trade fairs to showcase new products and services highlighting Taiwans special position in the global market.

The 38th Taitronics, held Oct. 9 to 12 at Taipei World Trade Center Nankang Exhibition Hall, joined forces with the fifth Broadband Taiwan, the inaugural Taiwan International Cloud Technology & Internet of Things Show (Cloud & IOT Taiwan), Taiwan International Green Industry Show and Taiwan International Smart Green City Expo.

Organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the five-show combination brought together 1,000 exhibitors in 2,000 booths, attracted 50,000 local and foreign visitors, and most importantly, generated a record US$380 million in business.

The exhibitions displayed a wide range of state-of-the-art products meeting emerging trends in related sectors. Taitronics featured the latest active and passive components, electronics components, meters, cells, power supplies and manufacturing equipment, while Broadband Taiwan spotlighted broadband products and applications, telecommunications equipment and mobile communications.

Cloud & IOT Taiwan unveiled new infrastructure, platforms and software services in the cloud computing field. The green industry and smart city expositions highlighted energy-saving home appliances, intelligent building, biotechnology, urban planning, green construction, electric vehicles and LED, or light-emitting diode, lighting.

At the Taitronics opening ceremony, ROC Vice President Wu Den-yih stressed the crucial role of the electrical and electronics industry, along with related upstream and downstream businesses, in the nations economy. In 2011 it generated production value of US$267.2 billion, accounting for 51.3 percent of total industrial output value, Wu pointed out.

Exports from the sector were valued at US$146.3 billion, or 47.5 percent of all exports, while imports reached US$73 billion, for a 25.9 percent share, he added.

The Technology Innovation Awards, organized in conjunction with the trade shows by TAITRA and the Taiwan Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association, highlighted the R&D capabilities of the countrys businesses.

Global Unique Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd., for example, took a gold medal with its aqueous radiator, a recyclable fluid radiator that is toxic-free, nonflammable and can withstand temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius without freezing, according to Global Uniques Joy Yang.

Surgetek Technology Co. also won gold with its combination-type surge energy transfer device. This equipment can handle huge invasive electrical charges instantaneously, providing effective protection from lightning strikes, even under poor grounding resistance, General Manager Liao Shun-an said.

Another top winner was Adda Corp. Ltd., a leading company in the thermal management field. Addas duster fan, with a revolutionary blade design, removes dust and heat simultaneously, said Frank Huang, senior manager of the international sales division.

The innovation behind such products has contributed to the expansion of Taiwans electronic components industry, which grew by 5.3 percent in value to US$7.5 billion from the second to third quarter, according to TAITRA. Launches in mainland China of next-generation ultrabooks, tablets and mid-to-low-end smartphones, as well as the highly anticipated worldwide release of the iPhone 5, were also major factors.

To enhance its prospects for the future, however, Taiwans electronics sector requires further technological upgrades, more efficient production processes and greater investment in R&D, TAITRA said. With these measures it could manufacture high-quality, value-added products that would be highly competitive on the world stage.

Moreover, more companies should begin creating their own brands so they can transcend the original equipment manufacturing model that brings in only relatively low margins.

Allen Hsu

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Beijing is determined to assert its rights on most of the East China Sea, reported the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun.

According Shicun Wu (), chairman of the National Institute for the Study of the South China Sea, an offshoot of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the historical rights are not only navigation but also on fishing in waters surrounding the Spratly and Paracel islands.

In a newspaper interview, Dr.Wu uses the traditional Chinese themes promoted by China, that these coral reefs were discovered by fishermen who had began to use them. And the expert added that the Spratly Islands belong to China even before the United Nations Convention to be applied. For Chinese specialist, this Convention which came into force in 1994 and was signed in 1996 by China, is insufficient to resolve issues of sovereignty over the South China Sea. We must take other international courts into account, he said. Wu believe it is necessary to distinguish issues of the South Sea from those of the East China Sea.

In any case, tensions could rise quickly. Beijing plans to increase its air patrols to cover the disputed areas between Japan and China, including the Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku Islands) and Shirakaba gas field.

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Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday said China is online slots with sticky wildsready to work with Thailand to boost bilateral cooperation and relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Thailand is an important country in Southeast Asia and plays an active role in regional affairs, Li said as he met with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa in Yinchuan, capital of northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

China regards Thailand as one of the regions most trusted partners, Li said, noting that the country is willing to work with Thailand to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen economic and trade cooperation and expand people-to-people communication to promote bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Sino-Thai relations can play a leading role in China-ASEAN relations through the strengthening of cooperation, according to Li.

Li expounded the Chinese governments stance over the Diaoyu Islands, and Chumpol Silapa-archa said he understands Chinas stance.

The vice premier also met with guests from the Arab countries. China-Arab relations have ushered in new opportunities and China is ready to push forward bilateral strategic cooperative relationship to benefit the peoples, he said.

In recent years, China-Arab exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, culture, education and other fields have made progress as the two sides have a long history of friendship, according to Li.

The guests were in Yinchuan to attend the China (Ningxia) International Investment and Trade Fair and the 3rd China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum.

Xinhua

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Thethe best slot machines to play at a casino 2012 Poland China Tibetan Culture Week opened here in Warsaw on Monday, aiming to give the Poles a glimpse of Tibet and its traditional culture.

At the opening ceremony held at the Palace of Culture and Science in the heart of Warsaw, Cui Yuying, deputy director of the Information Office of Chinas State Council, said both China and Poland have rich history and culture and that cultural exchanges play a significant role in deepening bilateral ties.

Cui, who heads a delegation of Tibetologists and artists to the culture week, said the event would showcase the economic, political, cultural and social achievements Tibet had made over the past decades, and would serve as a platform through which the Polish people can take a closer look at Tibet and get to know the region and its traditional culture better.

Wieslaw Klimczak, chairman of the Dom Polski Association, said the event would deepen the Polish peoples understanding of Tibets history and present.

The culture week, the first of its kind held in Poland, is co-sponsored by Chinas State Council Information Office, the Peoples Government of Tibet Autonomous Region, the Chinese embassy in Poland and the Dom Polski Association.

The event also features an exhibition of more than 200 photos taken by Chinese and foreign photographers and 46 Tibetan Thangka paintings, a folk song and dance performance, in addition to a series of seminars and discussions between Tibetologists and the locals.

In a letter addressed to the 2012 Poland China Tibetan Culture Week, Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, called the event a key part of the cultural exchanges between China and Poland.

His words were echoed by Chinese Ambassador to Poland Xu Jian, who said that growing cultural links between China and Poland will draw the two countries closer to each other.

Xinhua

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As historical documents go, the United States Declaration of Independence is fairly accessible. It is written in a language that is still widely spoken (unlike many texts in Latin and Classical Greek) and, at less than 300 years old, it is still relevant to modern events.

One word may cause some readers to pause, though. The word unalienable (as in unalienable rights) may seem out of place to modern speakers. Isnt the word inalienable? How could a typo slip into such an important document?

What is the Difference Between Unalienable and Inalienable?

In this post, I will compare unalienable vs. inalienableand use each of these words in at least one example sentence. This way, you will be able to see the words in their proper context.

Plus, I will show you a helpful memory tool that will make choosing either unalienable or inalienable much easier in your own writing.

When to Use Inalienable

What does inalienable mean? Inalienable is a negation of the adjective alienable. Inalienable means unable to be taken away.

Most of the time, English speakers use this word when referring to rights. Examples of rights that cannot be taken away in America are the right to free speech, the right to freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms.

Here are some more examples of inalienable in sentences,

You cant arrest me; Im exercising my inalienable rights! screamed the protester.

Some rights are not inalienable; they can be taken away under a variety of circumstances to protect public welfare.

Inalienable has roots in Latin and made its way to English via French. It was first used in English in the 17th century.

When to Use Unalienable

What does unalienable mean? Unalienable is a variation of the same word. It means the same thing and can be used in all of the same contexts. In fact, this is the version of the word that made its way into the United States Declaration of Independence.

Today, though, inalienable is actually the preferred version. Most people use unalienable only when quoting or referring to the Declaration of Independence.

This chart shows the relative usage of unalienable vs. inalienable in English since 1700,

As you can see, unalienabledominated during the time Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Since the 1830s, however, most writers use inalienable outside of direct quotations from the Declaration.

As Bryan Garner states in his book Garners Modern English Usage,

[Inalienable] is slightly better formed, with a Latinate prefix as well as suffixinalienable is preferable in all context except those where the Declaration of Independence is directly quoted or cited.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Today, inalienable is the preferred spelling of this word. The prefix in-is a Latin negation, while un-is an English form. Inalienable is therefore closer to the words roots in Latin.

Unalienable is appropriate when quoting the Declaration of Independence, but inalienable is a better choice in most other contexts. Since the prefix in- forms the last two letters of the word Latin, and inalienable comes from Latin, its easy to remember which version of the word to use.

Summary

Is it inalienable or unalienable? Inalienable is an adjective that means unable to be taken away. Unalienable is an alternate spelling that was used in the American Declaration of Independence.

To summarize,
What Is Summa Cum Laude?best online slots for usa players

Summa cum laude is an honorary title used by educational institutions to signify a degree that was earned "with the highest distinction."

Summa cum laude indicates the greatest distinction of three commonly used types of academic honors recognized in the United States, expressed in Latin. The other two are called magna cum laude and cum laude, representing degrees earned "with great distinction" and "with distinction," respectively.

The guidelines under which students achieve each level of academic honor differ from institution to institution. Increasingly, high schools across the United States also include Latin honors for students upon graduation. Although Latin honors are quite common in the United States, very few other countries around the world use the system.

Key Takeaways

Summa cum laude is the highest of three Latin honors that may be bestowed upon students earning a bachelor's degree.

Summa cum laude is a greater honor than magna cum laude or cum laude.

Criteria for the summa cum laude may include grade point average, class rank, hours and special projects (i.e., senior thesis) completed, and recommendations from an academic department.

Different institutions will select summa cum laude criteria differently.

Latin honors are impressive, but it's impossible to know how critical they are in landing a job.

Understanding Summa Cum Laude

Summa cum laude is one of the three Latin honors traditionally given to select students upon receiving a bachelor's degree, although it can in some cases be included with other types of degrees as well. Students who graduate with honors may wear colored stoles or other designations during commencement ceremonies, and the honor is read aloud along with the person's name.

Criteria for Latin honors may include grade point average (GPA), class rank, number of hours completed, and honors designations from an academic department.

Every university or college outlines its own expectations for each program. Some higher education institutions do not bestow Latin-termed honors at all. Others, like Stanford University, have a separate set of non-Latin honorary titles (such as "with Distinction") that are typically seen as roughly equivalent to the traditional Latin titles.

GPA-Based Requirements

Many institutions use cumulative grade point averages (GPA ) to determine who graduates with a summa cum laude designation. Students at the University of New Mexico, for instance, need to complete 60 credit hours toward graduation in addition to a GPA of 3.90 or higher. By contrast, Denver University (DU) requires students to have a 3.95 GPA and have completed 90 quarter hours; they must also submit a senior thesis or complete a senior project. (If they have less than 90 hours, they must receive a departmental recommendation.)

Because summa cum laude is typically the highest distinction of the three traditional Latin honors, it is typically reserved for the smallest number of graduating students. In some cases, only a handful of students will receive the summa cum laude designation upon graduating.

At institutions selecting students for Latin honors based on GPA requirements, the number of individuals receiving summa cum laude honors may vary from year to year. There may be no limit, potentially, to the percentage of students in a graduating class who could receive summa cum laude distinction, provided that those students meet the GPA requirement.

Summa Cum Laude and Class Rank

Although GPA-based requirements for Latin honors are the most common throughout higher education institutions in the U.S., there are other factors that may be included as well. One of these is class rank; some institutions reserve the summa cum laude title for students graduating at the highest levels of their class. In this case, GPA is a factor in determining whether a student receives this honor at graduation, but that student does not necessarily need to obtain a particular GPA in order to make that achievement.

As an example of how class rank-based Latin honors work in practice, graduates of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst need to finish in the top 5% of the graduating class of a particular college and complete 45 credits in order to receive the summa cum laude designation. In other cases, Latin honors are dependent upon students' performance in particular classes, often either honors classes or those relevant to their major area of study.

Students at the University of Notre Dame, for instance, earn Latin honors within the college that oversees the student's major. Graduates must finish in the top 5% of the class in order to receive the summa cum laude distinction. Because class rank changes based on the performance of other students, the GPA changes each academic year. In 2019, students in the College of Arts & Letters at Notre Dame needed a 3.94 GPA to earn summa cum laude honors. In contrast, in 2009, students needed a 3.927 GPA to earn those honors.

Latin honors like summa cum laude appear on a student's official transcript and diploma.

Example: Harvard's Latin Honors

Harvard University is generally credited to be the first U.S. institute of higher education to bestow Latin honors at graduation.

Harvard's Latin honors stand out from other institutions, both historically and through to the present day. Harvard faculty members consider candidates for summa cum laude in their field by weighing the student's grades in the courses for their major and the rigor of those courses, and a demonstration of student's mastery of their field, such as a senior thesis and/or some type of written or oral examination.

Only students who graduate in the top 4-5% of their graduating class may earn summa cum laude honors in their field. Graduates earn summa cum laude over the entire university based on the 4-5% class rank, and Harvard sets standards for the academic year each May.

Harvard College introduced two Latin honors in 1869cum laude and summa cum laude. Magna cum laude followed in 1880. As of May 2022, a student must have a GPA of at least 3.976 to be eligible for a summa cum laude.

Special Considerations

In most colleges and universities, the large majority of undergraduates completing a bachelor's degree do not receive Latin honors of any kind. For those who do, these honors are likely to impact their future in different ways depending upon a number of factors, including their field of study, future interests, and more.

Some graduate schools, for example, are particularly focused on academic rank and GPA; top law schools are famous for their stringent GPA requirements. In other fields, academic honors may be less crucial to success.

For graduates entering the job market, a Latin honor listed on a resume could well impress a potential employer, as it suggests a level of intelligence and diligence. For other employers, though, a candidate's personality and skill set might be more importantor the fact that they attended a prestigious institution, like Harvard, regardless of how well they did there. Job listings often specify a B.A. or B.S., but rarely require a certain GPA or level of academic honors.

What Does Summa Laude Mean?

Summa cum laude is an honorary distinction awarded by universities to a small fraction of college graduates each year. A Latin term, it literally translates as "highest honor" or "highest praise." These students have earned grades within the highest percentage of their class or department, or have achieved some other metric that the school considers worthy of the highest or, the summit of, recognition.

What Is Higher, Summa or Magna?

Summa is higher than magna. "Magna cum laude" is Latin for "with great distinction." "Summa cum laude" translates as "with the highest distinction." Cum laude, "with distinction" is third.

What Is the Highest Honor in College?

Generally, the highest honor in college is the valedictorian, followed by the salutatorian. As a group, the highest honor is summa cum laude. The next highest is the magna cum laude, and the third is the cum laude.

How Do You Get Summa Cum Laude?

There is no universal standard for granting a summa cum laude. Rather, it is up to each individual school, and in some cases, each school's individual department, to determine what constitutes the award.

In general, though, summa cum laude is based on a student's grade point average. Usually, it has to be high: 3.9 or above. A student's class rank, number of course hours completed, and requirements such as a thesis or senior project, might also be part of the qualifications for a summa cum laude.

How Do You List an Honors Degree on a Resume?

An honors degree is often listed directly after your degree, separated by a comma. If you include your major or field of study, it could come after that: B.A. in History, magna cum laude. If it is a Latin title, like summa cum laude, the honors degree should be lower case letters and written in italics.
Washington and Beijing,play texas tea slots free online as the worlds top and second biggest economies, should emphasize more on bilateral dialogue to clear up their misunderstanding amid U.S. refocusing on the Asia-Pacific region, U.S. experts said before the upcoming China visits by two senior U.S. offiicals.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to arrive in Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day visit, while Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is to visit Beijing in mid-September.

Two U.S. experts, in recent interviews with Xinhua, said they believe Beijing and Washington should continue the existing dialogue mechanisms, such as the annual cabinet-level U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, to avoid misunderstanding and enhance cooperation.

We just need to continue to use the dialogue mechanisms that we have, to use them more effectively, be very transparent with each other, said Bonnie Glaser, a veteran China expert at the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

We need to try to take each others interests into account and understand each others policies and priorities and avoid miscalculations, she said.

She also suggested the two major powers build some confidence by giving advance notice to each other when we plan to do things.

Noting that both countries will have a power transition in 2012, Kenneth Lieberthal, director of the John Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institute, said the two sides should avoid taking any new initiatives to prevent really bad things from happening.

Clintons and Panettas visits come at a sensitive time, when the territorial disputes in the East China Sea and the South China Sea are escalating between China and several other Asian nations.

The United States, which claims not to take sides in these disputes, is somewhat blamed for the rising tensions due to its de facto support to the parties opposite to China.

However, echoing the Obama administrations position, both Glaser and Lieberthal denied Washingtons efforts to contain China, saying the current U.S.-China relation is much different from the tug-of-war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Glaser explained her thoughts on the real aims of the U.S. pivot to Asia policy, saying China is a major factor in the U.S. decision to reshift its strategic focus to Asia-Pacific.

There is a China factor in all this. The U.S. is seeking to prevent China from miscalculation; it is seeking to counterbalance China in the region in a way that will reassure other nations, she said.

Lieberthal said the hardline stance by some folks up on the (Capitol) Hill and defense intellectuals could be viewed as threatening by Beijing, but the U.S. foreign policy is whatever the (U.S.) president says it is.

The expert served as the former senior director for Asia on the National Security Council from 1998 to 2000 in the Clinton administration.

He said the U.S. pivot to Asia reflected President Barack Obamas view that Asia is the most important region in the world.

Obama wanted to rectify his predecessors policy that put too much focus on the Middle East while regarding Asia only as an adjunct to the global war on terror, he said.

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Organizations to aid accessibility certification

As China mulls measures to provide a better barrier-free environment for the disabled and the elderly,mega 888 play book game in bet9ja organizations are being invited to apply for the right to issue accessibility certificates to participating venues.

According to a plan officially issued on Nov 10 by the State Administration for Market Regulation and China Disabled Persons' Federation, organizations must demonstrate that they are qualified and capable.

Once the organizations are approved by authorities, they will be able to certify places with barrier-free environments.

Those found in violation of laws and regulations during the certification process will face legal redress, and organizations found to be in severe breach of the law will be designated as dishonest.

Plan seeks business boost in Yangtze Delta

The National Development and Reform Commission has unveiled a three-year action plan to build a world-class business environment in the Yangtze River Delta area.

According to the plan issued on Nov 10, by the year 2025, a unified open-market system will be established in this major economic hub in China. This will allow the free, orderly flow of materials and other resources to be realized, and administrative barriers will be gradually removed.

Efforts will also be made to facilitate trade, investment and government affairs services and to reduce the cost of institutional transactions, the plan said.

Meanwhile, it aims to boost the vitality and quality of market entities and improve the efficacy of governance in a comprehensive way.

As the delta area develops, a market-oriented, world-class business environment governed by a sound legal framework will be set up, with the region expecting to become more competitive globally.

Counterfeits destroyed during crackdown

The State Administration for Market Regulation conducted a nationwide operation on Nov 10 that destroyed more than 3,000 metric tons of counterfeit and inferior commodities worth about 500 million yuan ($70.68 million).

During the crackdown, which was conducted simultaneously in 17 provincial-level regions, more than 100 types of goods, including food, drugs, clothing, cigarettes and pirated publications, were destroyed.

Reimbursement of medical fees expanded

Statistics from the National Healthcare Security Administration show that coverage of the country's direct settlement of cross-provincial outpatient expenses has expanded.

Under the program, the central government reimburses patients for their medical fees.

In the first nine months of this year, more than 20.62 million direct settlements of cross-provincial outpatient expenses were made, with patients spending more than 4.96 billion yuan ($701 million).

About 2.96 billion yuan from the public medical insurance fund was used to reimburse patients during this period, accounting for 59.7 percent of the total spent.

In a notice issued on Nov 3, the administration also said reimbursement for fees spent on the treatment of five chronic diseases and special diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, is now offered in 86 percent of the country.

By the end of September, there were about 76,100 designated hospitals and medical institutions nationwide.
Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), said that the principle of value investment has started to return to the capital market in the first quarter of 2012, and that share prices in the primary market and secondary markets are becoming coordinated.

Chinas chief securities regulator made the remarks during a recent inspection tour of southern Guangdong province, citing an overall rise in the price of blue-chips and a fall in non-blue-chips in the first quarter.

The average price earnings (PE) ratio of new stocks has fallen to 30 in the first quarter, according to a release posted on the CSRC website late Friday. In the first quarter of last year, the PE ratio for new stocks stood at more than 60.

Guo said the CSRC will continue to regulate the market with a raft of measures to improve investor education and curb speculation by cracking down on market manipulation and insider trading.

Chinas securities market is still a beginner in a transitional stage, with a lot of irregularities and speculation leading to unreasonable share price structures and causing damage to investors benefit, said Guo.

Each year, millions of new investors enter the stock market while more exit and quit trading after suffering severe losses, which is not what the regulator wants to see, Guo added.

The CSRC is also promoting reform in the initial public offering system to curb excessively high offering prices of new stocks and ensure adequate and accurate information is exposed to investors, the chairman said.

In the latest move to better protect investors interests and boost better company management, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange announced late Friday that it has improved rules for the ChiNext Board, which will allow delisting of companies starting from May this year.

Companies listed on the ChiNext Board, which started trading in 2009 and mainly lists high-tech companies and those with high growth potential, will be delisted if they receive criticism from the exchange on three occasions in three years, under the new rules.

They will also be delisted if the average closing prices of their shares fall below their face value for 20 consecutive trading days, or if their net assets turn negative in the past two years due to balance sheet correction or false auditing.

Companies listed on ChiNext will be suspended from trading if they report negative net assets in their latest annual report, said the exchange, which also vowed to tighten regulation over listing, including preventing back-door listing, and boost exposure of delisting risks.

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In recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, a months-long exhibit telling the challenging, but inspiring, history of the Nez Perce People is featured at the American Prairie National Discovery Center in Lewistown.

The center will also feature Carl M. Davis who will discuss his book Six Hundred Generations: Exploring the Indigenous Archaeology of Montana on Oct. 10. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

The conversation focuses on representative archaeological sites in Montana  habitations and villages, animal kill sites, stone quarries, rock art and battlefields  spanning 13,500 years, culminating with cultural landscapes and preservation issues that continue to be highly important to Indian peoples today.

The traveling Nez Perce exhibit, on loan from the Ravalli County Museum and Historical Society, chronicles the journey of the Niimiipuu people and offers a glimpse into the lives of the tribe today.

On display through December, the exhibit chronicles the historical journey of the Nez Perce, discussing how they lived on the land prior to Euro-American contact; and describes the period from the early 1800s to 1877, including the arrival of missionaries and miners, and early treaties.

It also details what happened in 1877 when the Nez Perce were forced to leave their homeland and the relentless pursuit that followed, their history while in exile and their long road home.

The American Prairie National Discovery Center is located at 302 W. Main Street in Lewistown, and is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan has urged the accelerated reform and innovation in the countrys insurance industry to promote healthy and stable development.

During an inspection to Shanghai on Friday and Saturday, Wang said the insurance industry was faced with great potential and opportunities amid accelerated process of industrialization and urbanization.

However, the industry development was still at primary stage, and needs to take an explorative steps to improve its systems, he said.

Wang stressed greater efforts should be made to develop pension, medical and liability insurance. The agriculture-related and shipping industries, small-sized and technology-based business should receive better insurance services.

Insurance companies should also apply prudent oversight and keep adequate capital reserve to guard against systematic risks. Fraudulent and misleading insurance sales should be cracked, he noted.

By the end of January, the countrys insurance industry had a total of 6.03 trillion yuan (957.1 billion U.S. dollars) in assets. The premium revenue totaled 1.43 trillion yuan in 2011, up 10.4 percent year-on-year.

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Theeuropol 1x2 www betway ug casino State Council, Chinas Cabinet, on Monday unveiled revisions to the Administrative Regulations on Futures Trading, which included clauses to allow overseas institutions to enter the market.

Qualified overseas institutions can conduct futures trading of certain products in futures exchanges, the revised regulations read, adding that concrete measures will be made by futures management authorities under the State Council.

The State Council said in a statement on its website that this clause left room for overseas investors to directly participate in futures trading of crude oil, which the government is currently planning to roll out.

The statement said the revisions were made to keep up with new situations and resolve new problems in futures trading. Many trading activities in recent years have had obvious features of futures trading but were not properly supervised due to the lack of unified regulations.

The revision specified the definition and characteristics of futures trading to provide a clear legal basis for futures supervision and the rectification of illegal trading activities.

The revised version will take effect from Dec. 1, 2012.

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Leninism still has relevance in China,winnerama no deposit bonus 40 a communist theory expert said Wednesday while explaining why the Communist Party of China (CPC) is upholding Leninism as one of its guiding philosophies.

Yan Jianqi, a researcher with the Party Literature Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, said at a press conference that Leninism offered guidance for poor and weak countries to build socialism in colonial times.

The failure of the Stalinist model, or the model of the former Soviet Union, doesnt necessarily mean Leninism has nothing good to learn from, Yan said.

Zhang Hongzhi, vice director of the Party Literature Research Office, said Leninism addressed an important problem in colonial times by raising the idea of securing national independence for colonized or semi-colonized countries.

The CPC enshrines Marxism, Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the Three Represents as its guiding philosophies.

The Wednesday press conference, held by the International Communication Office of the CPC Central Committee, also detailed the progress made by the Party Literature Research Office in studying and compiling Party theory and literature.

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A new plan for the college entrance exam policy for migrant children in Beijing will be worked out by the end of this 1xbet gmailyear, Beijing education authorities said on Friday.

The Beijing Municipal Commission of Education made a public announcement in response to an application filed by migrant worker volunteers in October. The volunteers asked educational departments to publish the results of migrant childrens college matriculation research and measures for balancing educational resources.

The commission said the new plan will provide equal rights to education and matriculation opportunities for migrant children.

However, it did not give a clear answer on whether migrant students who will take the college entrance exams, or gaokao, in June 2013 could stay in Beijing for the exam.

Under current policies, migrant workers children are not free to attend senior high schools or take college entrance exams outside of their home provinces.

Figures provided by the Beijing education commission indicate that about 400,000 migrant children were studying at primary and middle schools in Beijing in 2011. Only about 10,000 stayed on for senior high school there, and the rest returned to their hometowns to prepare for the gaokao or left school to find jobs.

Education departments across the country have made various efforts to create policies on the matriculation of migrant children this year, including those in Shanghai Municipality and Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangsu and Heilongjiang provinces.

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According to the announcement from Telecommunication Technology Lab of Telecommunication Research Institute, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of china has banned Google applications and its logo on new manufactured mobile devices (including mobile phones and PDA).

The new regulation starts from May 3, 2012. Google Search, Google Bookmarks and Browser are on the list of banned products. Manufacturers who do not carry out the new regulations will fail the administrative approval.

Update:

The website of the Shenzhen Company which released the notice has been shut down. Telecommunication Technology Lab of Telecommunication Research Institute has denied the release of this notification. Our laboratory didnt issue this notice, we havent received any relevant requirements from administrative department.

Previous screenshot:



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Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Thursday urged related countries to lift sanctions on Myanmar.

Hong made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on the United States move to lift an import ban on Myanmar on Thursday.

We have always been calling on related countries to remove their sanctions over Myanmar,axie infinity tool under 3.5 goals which will benefit its development, Hong said.

While meeting with President of Myanmar U Thein Sein in New York on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that Washington will ease a ban on imports from Myanmar.

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Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said Thursday that the current trade imbalance between China and the United States has mainly been caused by U.S. restrictions on over 2,400 items exported to China.

He said it will be difficult for the two countries to achieve balanced trade if the U.S. continues to maintain control over such a large variety of exported goods.

The minister made the remarks while addressing journalists at a press briefing held during the ongoing fourth round of China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), which kicked off Thursday in Beijing.

Chen urged the U.S. to stick to its pledges and take timely action in relaxing its export controls.

Currently, the fact is that the U.S. has not only failed to relax export restrictions, but has instead tightened them in some areas, Chen said.

For instance, the U.S. is now mulling loosening controls on exports of commercial satellites, but it has also stressed that the controls will not be eased for China, Chen said.

He added that a failure to remove export controls for China will be harmful to the U.S. companies and employment, as well as the U.S. plan to speed up exports.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said the U.S. will make timely and actual changes regarding this issue. I hope this day will arrive soon, Chen said.

Chen said Chinas foreign trade is now basically balanced, indicating that the exchange rate issue is already having a limited impact on the countrys foreign trade.

He urged both countries to discuss the issue during the S&ED talks.

The S&ED, initiated in 2009, is aimed at advancing the construction of the China-U.S. bilateral cooperative partnership, deepening communication and coordination on macroeconomic policies and major issues in the world economy, boosting economic and trade cooperation and enhancing communication on international and regional affairs.

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Theearn nft game oddschecker la liga Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) on Thursday formally accepted the resignation of its Chairman, Chiang Pin-kung, and elected Lin Join-sane as its new head.

Lin will act as the top negotiator between the SEF and its mainland counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS).

Founded in 1990 and 1991 respectively, the SEF and the ARATS are the non-governmental organizations authorized by Taiwan and the mainland to engage in talks regarding cross-Strait exchanges.

Chiang, who has headed the SEF since May 2008 and is turning 80, announced he was stepping down last week due to his age, physical condition and future career plans.

His resignation has been accepted by Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou.

During the period that Chiang chaired the SEF, the SEF and the ARATS held eight rounds of talks, resulting in the signing of 18 cross-Strait agreements, including the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement that has greatly boosted mainland-Taiwan trade and investment.

In the last round of talks, held in August in Taipei, Chiang and his mainland counterpart Chen Yunlin, president of the ARATS, signed two cross-Strait agreements, including a long-awaited investment protection pact.

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Chinas overseas mergers and acquisitions gained traction in recent years as domestic policies encouraged cash-abundant companies to spend on foreign assets amid the worsening eurozone debt crisis,monster axie correct score bet9ja new data has indicated.

The number and volume of Chinese enterprises overseas mergers and acquisitions transactions increased to 208 and 93.09 billion U.S. dollars in 2012 from 107 and 13.58 billion U.S. dollars in 2007, respectively, according to figures released on Monday by the ChinaVenture Group, a leading research and consulting institute.

Wan Ge, an analyst with ChinaVenture, said the European debt crisis allowed more Chinese enterprises to acquire undervalued assets in the European market.

Meanwhile, Chinas rapid economic rise created massive demand for energy and advanced technology. Energy and mining topped the list for the countrys outbound mergers and acquisitions during the first three quarters of 2012.

Sany Group acquired Germany Putzmeister at a price of 360 million euros (462 million U.S. dollars) in January, while two leading oil companies, Sinopec and CNOOC, announced the acquisition of BPs 50-percent stake in its Russian TNK-BP joint energy venture in June.

There are also signs that China is diversifying its outbound direct investment (ODI) from energy industries to other sectors including agriculture.

Eighty-two percent of Chinas ODI went to energy industries in 2009, but the proportion fell to 60 percent in the first half of this year, according to an Ernst & Young report.

Chinas ODI in non-financial sectors rose 28.9 percent year on year to 52.52 billion U.S. dollars in the first nine months, official data showed.

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City government of Yinchuan signed an agreement on building a bridge across the Yellow River with the Shanghai Greenland Group on Aug. 14,nfl player prop lines 2013.

It is said that the project, with a total length of 20.20 kilometers, will become the longest bridge on the river.

The citys riverfront district sitting on both sides of the river is the core of the inland economic experimental area in Ningxia.

The bridge when finished will play an important role to connect the city proper and the riverfront district,and promote the development of natural resource and tourism in Yinchuan.

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In 2022, the Billings Police Department averaged more than one arrest for suspicion of partner or family member assault every day of the year, which ended with more than 1,000 domestic violence investigations.

There are resources in Billings for these survivors of domestic abuse, but theyre spread out across the city.

Exacerbating the task of seeking out services across town are the emotional barriers consistent with most cases of domestic abuse; anxieties over childcare, housing and income only aggravate the trauma inherent in domestic violence.

Officer Katie Nash, along with a coalition of victim services providers, would like to see the establishment of a Family Justice Center in Billings, a single location for survivors of domestic violence, neglect or sexual abuse to connect with advocates, welfare or law enforcement.

These cases take a long time, and when youre having to worry about whats happening with a pending criminal case and trying to live your life with whatever your basic needs are, its a lot, said Nash, Billings Police Departments sole officer dedicated strictly to investigating domestic violence.

San Diego idea

Launched in 2002 in San Diego, a Family Justice Center serves as a single point of contact for survivors. It makes immediately available law enforcement, health care and housing resources for anyone trying to break away from abuse. The first center started in San Diego through a partnership between local prosecutors and police. The San Diego model, which grew to include advocates and local community organizations, has been adopted in more than 100 cities in the United States. The nonprofit Alliance for HOPE International has assisted those cities in launching their own Family Justice Center.

The capabilities and capacity of any given center rely on how many partners become involved. The Nampa Family Justice Center in Nampa, Idaho  whose partners include local rescue missions, the county sheriffs office and two hospitals  has assisted more than 25,000 people since opening in 2005, according to reporting from the Idaho Press. In 2015, the Spokane Family Justice Center moved over 30 people working in the regions domestic violence response team to one location, the Spokesman-Review reported.

Domestic violence

About a seventh of the women in the United States and one in 25 men have been injured by an intimate partner, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A quarter of the women in the U.S. have been severely injured, such as through beatings or strangulation, by a partner at some point during their lives.

In 2021 alone, according to BPD data, the departments domestic violence investigation program completed more than 450 cases. Nash, who worked domestic violence cases during overtime hours for years before committing to the job full time, welcomed a second full-time investigator two years ago. For the majority of the past decade, however, she served as the Billings Police Departments sole officer dedicated to strictly to investigating domestic violence, a generalization of offenses that can include physical or mental violence. While every patrol officer is trained to respond to domestic violence, she sees the investigations through to their resolution.

Last year, police arrested 462 people for suspicion of partner or family member assault. Those cases resulted in misdemeanor and felony charges. Since Nash is not tied to the radio like patrol officers, most of the cases she sees come directly from city and county attorneys. Its through grant funding via the Billings City Attorneys Office that Nashs position emerged.

During the years Nash has dedicated to investigating domestic violence, she said the only thing thats changed is the volume of serious crimes that her colleagues have been responding to in recent years. Aggravated assaults in Billings had an annual average of 448 from 2017 to 2019, according to BPD data, and jumped to an average of 794 over the course of the next three years. Homicides investigated by BPD similarly increased, averaging about 15 cases a year from 2020 to 2023, up from around six a year during the previous three years.

With BPD detectives dedicating more time to violent offenses, Nash said having someone committed strictly to domestic violence has become even more crucial.

"Almost all of my cases have some element of stalking, and so it's very involved, and very complex," she said.

Understanding

Domestic violence, Nash said, transcends economic or racial demographics. The survivors shes met include women who are transient, along with doctors. While the survivors come from diverse backgrounds, she said the barriers keeping them from breaking away are fairly consistent. It frustrates Nash to hear people ask, Why dont they just leave? when a myriad of factors could be at play in an abusive relationship.

What if the shelters full? Nash said. What if (survivors) dont have access to housing or finances? What if theyre dealing with substance abuse or have a warrant? These issues are frequently reoccurring no matter who the survivor is.

A lot of communities, unfortunately, only start paying attention to domestic violence after a tragedy, and so it was always 'I hope we can address it before it happens,' but obviously theres been tragedies in this community.

A primary partner for Nash in addressing domestic violence in Billings has been the YWCA Billings. That partnership has evolved over the years to include some patrol officers being equipped with cell phones that give survivors a direct line to the YWCA's 24-hour helpline. Erin Lambert, who became the organizations CEO in June, said BPD is now bringing more women to their shelter on Wyoming Avenue than ever before.

Surprisingly, she said, those who called the police to report domestic violence, and those who came to the YWCA, were mutually exclusive groups. In conversations with Nash, Lambert said she wanted to bridge that gap, which has resulted in police bringing more people to the YWCA for assistance.

Assistance includes long- and short-term housing, legal advice and accompaniment to a local hospital for medical exams for survivors of domestic abuse or sexual abuse. YWCA Billings has consistently operated at capacity, and the demand for its services has only increased over the years.

In the nearly 20 years Lambert has been with YWCA Billings, her own understanding of domestic violence has changed. She has a better appreciation for what it is, she said, and especially what it is not. An abusive relationship is not one of constant terror. Lambert likens it to living with an alcoholic.

You might have a family member whos an alcoholic, she said, and you really wish they would stop drinking. But youre not going to stop being their family member because theyre an alcoholic.

Abuse doesnt define an entire relationship, Lambert said, and its possible for a survivor to still love their abuser. Along with that relationship, she said a survivors entire support system could be wrapped up with their abuser.

Abusers can also use the criminal justice system against survivors. Those tactics include calling Child Protective Services on a survivor trying to leave, or threatening to call the police should a survivor have any warrants for their arrest. The criminal justice system, Lambert and Nash said, is not friendly to victims.

A criminal case takes a really long time to resolve, and by the time it comes to a criminal trial, (the survivor) may have reconciled with their abuser, Lambert said. If theres a financial component to their relationship, and he ends up in custody, there goes child support potentially.

And having to say terrible things about your partner on a stand in front of a jury has to be incredibly difficult and embarrassing.

Assistance can take years of investment on the part of service providers and survivors. The 90 days offered by the YWCAs emergency shelter is a good start, Lambert said, but that is not enough time to transition from chaos to stability. Even with the other services at the organization, like long-term housing based on an applicants income and relocation services, Lambert said there are still many areas for improvement.

Tribal services

Amanda Littlesun, director of the Domestic Violence Prevention Program for the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, likewise views trauma in terms of generations. Domestic violence among Native American woman, she said, does not erupt from one bad relationship. It can have its roots potentially decades ago.

Native Americans are victims of violent crimes at higher rates than any other demographic, according to federal data. More than half of Native American women have been the victims of psychological and physical violence on the part of their intimate partners during their lifetimes, per the National Institute of Justice.

When people dont understand how they got into a cycle, it can be difficult to break it, said Littlesun, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe who grew up in Browning.

Littlesun pointed to the institution of Indian boarding schools utilized by the U.S. government as an example of generational trauma that can contribute to domestic violence. Federal and religious authorities administered the schools with the aim of assimilating Native American children, many of whom were subjected to corporal punishment and sexual abuse.

Although generational trauma is a major factor in domestic violence and abuse in general for Native Americans, Littlesun said that does not absolve them of their agency.

I dont want to say its the white mans fault that we abuse each other, because we have a choice, but if we had a (Family Justice Center) that deals with the individual  that would be a proactive way of reducing the abuse.

Billings center

As Littlesun noted, one possible solution to all of these dilemmas is a Family Justice Center. With the arrival of Elizabeth Stanton with AmeriCorps earlier this year to assist BPD, plans for such a center have started to take shape through studies and discussions, most recently a strategic planning session in September. Although a site and cost have yet to be determined, Nash is confident Billings will see a Family Justice Center, but cant say for certain when.

From a law enforcement perspective, Nash said shed like to see space for herself and other investigators to hold interviews in private, soundproof rooms.

While the YWCA already offers some of the services touted by Family Justice Centers across the country, Lambert said a center could bolster services in Billings. These include services for children, mental health counseling and onsite medical care.

Littlesun, who worked in behavioral health for the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council before heading its domestic violence prevention program, said she hopes for equity and representation. She wants to see Native Americans, and possibly survivors, counted among the staff at the center. She would also like to see a commitment to aftercare for survivors.

"Whenever you take something away from somebody, even if its a negative thing  addiction, a bad relationship  you also have to replace that with something better," she said.
Entrepreneurs in China and Latin American countries began today to review their business ties from the foundation for the great potential of both regions and the deepening of social inclusion.

These issues are central to the V-China Latin America Business Summit, held today in Lima with the participation of nearly 1,000 businessmen and officials.

Following the opening of the meeting, the vice president of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Zhang Wei, told press that Latin America is an attractive place of business for China.

Zhang said that after the 2008 global financial crisis there are more options for China to launch its capital in an area like Latin America, calling it an important exchange.

The Chinese representative pointed out that trade between China and Latin America rose in 2010 to 183,000 million dollars. We expect Chinese investment in Latin America in wide areas as mining, energy, oil and petrochemical industry, infrastructure and telecommunications, he said.

According to figures from the summit, it is estimated that by the end of this year, Chinese investment in Latin America amounted to 22,700 million dollars.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has pointed out that China is the third largest investor in the region after the United States and the Netherlands.

The growing importance of trade with China was also highlighted by the president of Peru, Ollanta Humala, who encouraged the governments and Latin American entrepreneurs to leverage their business relationships to start an industrialization process that leads to development.

We all need a region that is no longer in developing countries, to become a developed region. That is the challenge of leaders and entrepreneurs, said the president during the opening speech of the Summit.

Humala also noted that China has become a strategic partner of Peru and that Latin Americans have a more dynamic regions of the world economy.

In addition, Humala stated that it is important to follow the laws of a country and have industrial peace.

The issue was also addressed by the Peruvian Minister of Economy, Luis Miguel Castilla, who noted that social inclusion policies undertaken by the Government of Peru make a very attractive country for investment.

Peru is a very important. Its macroeconomic stability, open markets and active policies make Peru an attractive country for investment and trade, he said.

Castilla said that Peru has a platform of macroeconomic stability that distinguishes it from the countries of the region, a major trade liberalization agenda and the Governments decision to seek growth that benefits the population with fewer resources.

We have a comparative advantage is the richness of our natural resources, but the challenge is to add value and a way to do this is to transfer knowledge and technology, he said.

During the two-day meeting there will be a forum, a business conference, a trade exhibition and the meeting between public agencies to promote investment and trade, as well as bi-national chambers of commerce.

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From illegal land appropriation to labor disputes and growing environmental protests,casino uk no deposit free spins the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) has been prompted to address public woes.

The Party has done so by giving them an adequate say in the authorities decision-making.

Whenever we make a decision involving the immediate interests of the people, we must solicit their views on it. We must not do anything that may harm the interests of the people and must correct any action that causes damage to their interests, Hu Jintao said in a report to the 18th CPC National Congress on Thursday.

However, Hus words did not fill Zhang Shiyou, a farmer in a small town beside the Yangtze River in east Chinas Anhui Province, with relief.

Yes, we want the right to participate in decision-making. But it is not that easy, Zhang said.

In 2011, he led his fellow villagers onto the streets to protest against the Anhui Zhongyuan Chemical Industrial Company Ltd. plant near their village, which they said caused the deaths of fish, destruction of crops and led to unsafe drinking water. The plant was producing formaldehyde.

Eventually, the villagers, with the help of journalists and non-governmental environmental groups, made the local government order the plant to remove and earmarked money to clean up the environment.

Nevertheless, we are still worried about the hidden dangers  we do not know how many other projects threatening the environment are still operating near us or are going to come to us, he said. We are eager for the right to be informed.



CALLS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

After more than 30 years of rapid development, China has become the second-largest economy in the world  but at the cost of resources and the environment.

The expansive growth pattern and the fast pace of urbanization over the past decades have led to shortages of resources, environmental degradation and even worse, an increasing number of mass incidents.

In 2012, three violent protests against the construction of chemical projects near residential compounds broke out in the southwestern Chinese city of Shifang, as well as eastern cities of Qidong and Ningbo. There were confrontations between local residents and government officials.

All of the projects were eventually scrapped and the public seemed to win.

However, experts warned that authorities must seek a systematic solution to ease public fears about environmental pollution and distrust about the government. Otherwise, similar protests will happen again.

In most cases, the government has not solicited public opinion well when it decides to launch a potentially polluting project. In addition, it has not done well in publicizing scientific knowledge to ease public worries, said Wang Kaiyu, a sociologist in Anhui Province.

China cannot develop in an all-around way without the chemical industry, but public health must be ensured at the same time, said Liu Zhibiao, president of the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.

People of all walks of life and various non-governmental organizations, especially specialized groups, should be given the chance to participate in the governments decision-making process, he said.

The CPC has been aware of the destabilizing factors in the countrys economic and social development.

In addition to pledging more say for the public in the authorities decision-making, the Party has decided to solve the environmental problem.

In Thursdays report, Hu Jintao emphasized the importance of ecological progress and advocated the building of a beautiful China in the countrys overall development plan.

We must give high priority to making ecological progress, work hard to build a beautiful country, and achieve lasting and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Hu said.

He gave ecological progress a more prominent position by incorporating it into the countrys overall development plan together with economic, political, cultural and social progress.

To build a beautiful China and a harmonious China, the Party must strike a balance between public appeals and economic development, said Wang Dong, a delegate to the ongoing Party congress and board chairman of the Gansu Dayu Water Saving Group.

Xinhua

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Near the famed golden triangle where Laos, Thailand and Burma meet, a Chinese company plans to turn huge tracts of jungle and farmland once associated with the opium trade into a tourism magnet. The company, Kings Romans, says it is building a new economy, anchored in part by a glittering new casino.

The Chinese-run Kings Romans casino is one of the most noticeable and flashy features on the Lao side of the Mekong Rivers Golden Triangle.

Kings Romans signed a 99-year lease with the Lao government to develop and run a special economic zone in a stretch of rural land spanning more than 100 square kilometers.

The plans are ambitious. Here will be the airport. Here will be the industrial zone. Here will be a bridge to connect with Thailand and Burma. The whole project will be finished within the next 20 years, explains a staff member while pointing at a map.

For now, the future airport runway is still just a road.

But construction is brisk and workers are chopping down forests and flattening hills.

Hundreds of people displaced by the building have already been relocated, and given new houses in the recently opened Golden Triangle Village.

During a recent gathering for a funeral, new residents played cards, gambled and talked about life in the company-built village.

Ouy Kham says there are not enough trees, making it too hot to grow food. Her children now farm in Thailand to make money. In the old village we had income but coming to this village we only spend money. We dont know what to sell to earn a living. Living here we cannot grow anything. We try to grow vegetables but they are not healthy, she said.

As Kings Romans remakes the Golden Triangles skyline, there are new jobs for workers with the right skills.

Burmese laborer Khun Kyar Kan has been working in the special economic zone for three years. Even though the pay is better than back home, he says there are drawbacks. In Burma I worked in farming. It was my own job and I could set my own working schedule Here I am always worried about losing my job because I cannot find another job. There is only one company here, he said.

For now, trade ships and fishermen are the picture of life here on the Mekong River.

But Kings Romans is betting hundreds of millions of dollars that Asias growing wealthy will soon join them as a fixture of the scenic and notorious Golden Triangle.

Daniel Schearf

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China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp.(CASIC),bonus boss casino a prestigious missile maker, unveiled the parent brand for its drone products and services, HIWING, on Tuesday.

The brand was launched at the ongoing China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in south Chinas Zhuhai city.

CASIC, which already owns a portfolio of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) products, is striving to develop HIWING into a comprehensive UAV system with various types of products and services.

The company will now make greater efforts in providing tailor-made UAV solutions, and in developing small- to medium-sized rotary-wing UAVs with payloads from 300 and 600 grams, from 10 to 20 kgs as well as above 30 kgs.

CASIC said it will authorize its Third Academy to conduct UAV research and production, aiming to lift its UAV annual gross output to 400 million yuan (63.6 million U.S. dollars) by the end of 2015.

Xinhua

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SHIJIAZHUANG  Ahead of National Fire Prevention Day on Nov 9,slot planet casino review firefighters in Shexian county in North China's Hebei province received more than 1,000 paper cranes.

Notes written on the cranes revealed the well-wishers to be dozens of children from a school in a mountainous area. They made the gifts to express their gratitude to the firefighters, who have volunteered to support the education of children at the school for nearly three decades.

"You are my role model, and I hope I can be a hero like you to save people in danger when I grow up," read one note on a pink paper crane.

The relationship began in 1994, when firefighters in the county heard that a student who had an excellent academic performance faced difficulties continuing his studies because his family was barely able to make ends meet.

Although they lived on meager incomes in the 1990s, some firefighters donated half their wages to support the boy.

Moreover, as they helped students at Guanghua High School  which also formerly encompassed primary and middle schools  with their physical training before the start of each semester, they noticed that many came from impoverished households.

The firefighters decided to provide financial assistance to students at the school every year, donating in the name of their fire station.

The tradition has been carried on for 28 years, despite new firefighters being recruited and older firefighters retiring. The station's support for the children has never ceased. Many students have benefited from this support, with over 130 admitted to colleges, 13 joining the army, 20 becoming teachers after graduation, and some becoming firefighters.

Inspired by the firefighters, the students also learned to give back to society. "Two decades ago, I almost dropped out as my family could barely support my education," said Li Tianbao, now a teacher at his old school. "It was the firefighters who helped me out."

Li often tells his students that "no man is an island, and we should pass on kindness and love with generosity". Over 500 students from impoverished families have been sponsored by the firefighters in Shexian, with donations totaling over 100,000 yuan ($14,000) and nearly 4,000 books provided.

The school has grown from three classrooms with three teachers to a well-known local school covering 112,000 square meters. "Even after all these years, I can clearly remember the firefighters' faces and names because they are like our family," said Zhao Jiao'e, the principal of the school since 1994.

Xinhua
Singapores Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday that they strongly urge the DPRK government to refrain from further actions that would escalate tensions and work with the international community to preserve peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.

Theada usd cryptopurview statement was released in response to media queries on the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK)s rocket launch on Wednesday.

It said the launch was a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

We deeply regret this defiance of the concerns of the international community. This does not serve the best interests of the people of the DPRK, the ministry said in a statement.

Xinhua

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Wuling electric vehicles seen on a street in Bali,5 pound free scratch cards no deposit Indonesia. [Photo/Xinhua]

A total of 300 Wuling electric vehicles are busy plying the streets of Bali, Indonesia, serving as official shuttle vehicles for the G20 Summit between the airport, hotels and other venues.

Its four-seater Air evs are expected to save carbon emissions totaling 33 tons compared with gasoline-powered vehicles during their 12-day service period during the event, said their maker SGMW.

SGMW is a joint venture based in Liuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and set up by China's SAIC Motor, General Motors and Liuzhou Wuling Motors.

"Our appearance at the G20 Summit shows that Chinese brands have the ability to compete in the global new energy vehicle market," said Han Dehong, vice-president of SGMW's operations in Indonesia.

Other electric vehicles used during the summit are from South Korea's Hyundai and Japan's top automaker Toyota.

The Wuling Air evs were made by SGMW at its Bekasi production base in the Indonesian province of West Java. The model hit the local market in August as SGMW's first electric model to be sold overseas.

The automaker said it has received over 5,000 orders for the model, which is the most popular new energy vehicle in Indonesia.

Indonesia, as the largest vehicle market in Southeast Asia, expects the share of electric motorbikes and electric cars made in the country to reach 20 percent of total car production by 2025.

Indonesia is setting a 2025 deadline for all state-owned companies to use only electric vehicles as part of its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2060, according to Bloomberg.

Han said the company will attract more Chinese suppliers to set up plants in Indonesia to beef up the local NEV industry.

SGMW's Bekasi base, with a total investment of $1 billion, started production in 2017, providing around 100,000 job opportunities for the locals.

Covering an area of 60 hectares, the base has now been developed into an auto industrial park, which involves a complete auto industrial chain.

After years of operations, Wuling has become one of the most popular Chinese auto brands in Indonesia, Han said.

According to SGMW, its sales in Indonesia reached 11,261 units in the first half, up 3 percent year-on-year.

SGMW said it will continue to expand its sales network in Indonesia and will export the electric Air ev model to other countries in the region.

The automaker said it is making every effort to advance its overseas activities, bring high-quality new energy vehicles and services to global car owners and demonstrate the high-tech capabilities of Chinese manufacturing.

As one of the most popular electric vehicle makers in China, SGMW has sold over 1 million new energy vehicles since it started to explore the segment in 2017. It is one of the fastest time frames for a brand to achieve such a milestone in the global NEV industry.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Berlin on Sunday for the fifth round of China-Germany intergovernmental consultations and an official visit to the European country.

The88 cash link alternatif trip marks Lis fourth visit to Germany as Chinese premier, and the intergovernmental conference will be the first of its kind since the two countries new cabinets took office in March.

During his stay till Tuesday, Li will meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is a frequent visitor to China.

Li and Merkel will co-chair the intergovernmental consultations to plan and coordinate comprehensive cooperation between the two countries for the next four to five years.

The two leaders will also attend a forum on China-Germany economic and technological cooperation and a presentation of the two countries cooperation on autonomous driving, and witness the signing of a series of documents.

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Hong Kong has become the worlds largest wine auction center,76ers spread crypto games binance with total sales amounted to 230 million U.S. dollars last year, the citys Financial Secretary John Tsang said Thursday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fifth Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair 2012, Tsang said, since eliminating duties on wine in 2008, Hong Kongs total value of wine imports has soared from about 200 million U.S. dollars in 2007 to 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2011.

The fair was organized by the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council. A total of some 930 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions are attending the fair this year, with Russia, Denmark and Azerbaijan participating for the first time.

Tsang said, the Wine Industry Conference, themed The Future of the Global Wine Industry  Trends and Opportunities, which is highlight of the fair, would help experts to predict where the industry goes.

Also included in the fair, is a Wine Education zone to cultivate wine appreciation and provide training for industry professionals. And apart from wine, spirits such as vodka, tequila and brandies were also featured.

Since it was first held in 2008, the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair has become the largest event of the kind in Asia.

Last year, the fair attracted a record high of 19,000 visitors from over 70 countries and regions.

Xinhua

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There are no winners in the trade war, so in the largest trade war between China and the United States in human economic history, both sides inevitably have to pay the price and bear the loss. In this regard, China has already made an estimate and prepared a plan to deal with it.

On the evening of the 9th, a spokesman for Chinas Ministry of Commerce announced four measures to alleviate the impact of Sino-US trade frictions, including: continuously evaluating the impact on various enterprises; The increase in tax revenue from counter-measures is mainly used to mitigate the impact on enterprises and their employees; to encourage enterprises to adjust their import structure; and to accelerate the implementation of the State Councils views on actively and effectively utilizing foreign capital and promoting high-quality economic development. We will strengthen the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and create a better investment environment. Obviously, in order to reduce the losses of the trade war, the Chinese government is playing a combination of both symptoms and causes, which embodies the strong ability of risk control, the determination and endurance of fighting the trade war, and the ruling concept of taking the people as the basis.

As some analysts have pointed out, the US tariff on $34 billion of Chinese imports will have an impact on some of Chinas businesses and will have an impact on the family life of its employees and ordinary people. The Chinese Government has long been aware of these consequences, so it has always made it clear that it does not want to fight. However, this trade war, the Chinese government has to fight, have to accompany to the end. Because people of insight have long seen that the United States has been engaged in a trade war for a long time, not just to achieve the so-called trade balance. The core is to crack down on Chinas ability to innovate in high technology and fundamentally curb Chinas development. It even wants to force the Chinese economy to carry out structural reforms and change Chinas development path.

Therefore, the fight against the United States trade war, for China, is related to the core interests of the country, the future interests of the nation and the interests of the people. To this end, China has to pay a certain controllable cost, to bear a certain marginal loss.

Of course, any loss of interest to China as a whole is partial and small, and may have a greater impact on individual or individual enterprises. Based on the concept of people-oriented governance, the Chinese government is bound to try its best to keep the adverse effects to a minimum. The first two measures announced by the Ministry of Commerce are a direct and effective response for damaged companies and employees that can alleviate their immediate needs. The third measure is designed to encourage firms to import more from other countries and regions, which is a suggestion from the long-term development of the enterprise, where diversification of trading partners would otherwise help to spread the risk. The fourth proposal is to improve the quality of economic development and effectively protect the soft environment of enterprise development to hedge against the negative impact of the Sino-US trade war and enhance the cohesion of the Chinese market. It has been noted that the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced on the 8th that it would further liberalize the opening of A-share accounts by foreigners, which is an orderly move by China to open its capital markets in accordance with established directions and plans. A high-quality developing capital market is naturally a strong support for the fight against the US trade war.

As the Sino-US trade war has just begun and there are many uncertainties in the future, the impact caused by it is changing dynamically, and Chinas response plan must be adjusted at any time. In response, Chinas Ministry of Commerce said it would continue to improve the policy mix, and welcome more suggestions from all sectors of the community. It can be expected that as the Sino-US trade war evolves, the Chinese governments stop-loss program will continue to be adjusted and optimized to minimize losses.

Is China really capable of paying a price in the fight against the US trade war? it is seen that China is the only country in the world with a total industrial category, with a huge consumer market of nearly 1.4 billion people. This means that even in the most difficult times, the Chinese economy can achieve internal circulation. At the same time, 91% of Chinas economic growth comes from domestic demand, and 60% of domestic demand is driven by consumption, which is constantly escalating and the market is vibrant. More importantly, the number of Chinese innovation enterprises ranks second in the world, and innovation-driven development has made the Chinese economy more resilient. In addition, China has constantly expanded its opening up in accordance with the established strategy, which has greatly enhanced the confidence of the outside world. According to the 2018 China Business Environment Survey released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, 74 percent of member companies plan to expand their investment in China this year, the highest percentage in recent years.

Fighting the US trade war is a national war for China. China has more than five thousand years of history and culture, and the Chinese people have a heroic sentiment of worrying before the peoples worries and being happy after the peoples happiness and the common peoples spirit of leaving small families to care for everyone. In the face of this national war, the Chinese people know very well that only a country has a home and are willing to bear the temporary loss of personal life and share the difficulties with a responsible government. We will safeguard the long-term overall situation of sustained economic development and national rejuvenation. This is Chinas strongest strength in fighting the US trade war!

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China welcomes U.S. congressional delegation's visit: FM spokesperson

Xinhua) 14:58, October 05, 2023

BEIJING, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to lead a bipartisan delegation of senators to visit China, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The spokesperson made the remarks after Schumer announced that he will lead a bipartisan delegation of senators to China in the coming days.

"We hope this visit will contribute to a more objective understanding of China in the U.S. Congress, increase dialogue and communication between the legislatures of our two countries, and add positive factors to the growth of China-U.S. relations," said the spokesperson.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Hongyu)
China activates emergency response for agricultural disaster

Xinhua) 11:09, October 07, 2023

BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Thursday activated a level-IV emergency response to major natural disasters with agricultural impacts as Typhoon Koinu and cold fronts will bring heavy downpours to two southern provinces.

From Friday to Sunday, gales will sweep the coastal regions of Fujian and Guangdong, while precipitation in some parts of the two provinces may exceed 300 mm, according to the ministry.

Strong winds and rainstorms could flood farmland, damage crops, and disrupt production of the fishery industry and other agricultural sectors, said the ministry.

The ministry urges the provinces to call fishing vessels to port and help harvest mature crops as soon as possible to protect the lives and property of farmers and fishermen.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
With two public meetings on climate change on the horizon, Montana regulators are already being urged to live up to a landmark court decision that upended state environmental law.

At a Billings hearing Tuesday organized on short notice to discuss changes to Montanas Environmental Policy Act, witnesses pushed back on the suggestion that Montana doesnt already have what takes to address climate change when issuing air pollution permits.

In August, Helena District Judge Kathy Seeley, ordered state agencies to begin weighing climate change impacts in their permitting decisions, throwing out a law fortified months earlier by the Montana Legislature, which intended to ban consideration of climate impacts. The lawsuit, known as Held v. Montana was brought by 16 youth plaintiffs against the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The youths argued their lives were being harmed by carbon dioxide emissions in violation of the right to a clean and healthful environment in the state constitution.

As the court in Held, v State found, DEQ knows how to do a climate change analysis, said Barbara Chilcott, attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center. DEQ did it before 2011, when the MEPA limitation that was just recently found unconstitutional passed and DEQ knows how to do that analysis now. The science is clear. We have experts in state, many of which testified during the trial, that DEQ can rely on to inform their process for analyzing climate change and greenhouse gas impacts.

The harms occurring from climate change are happening now and DEQ has an obligation to move forward as quickly as possible.

The Held decision is driving what DEQ is framing as a refresh of the Montana Environmental Policy Act, which is the road map created in the 1974 for assessing the environmental, cultural, and societal impacts of industrial projects in need of air or water permits. Everything from coal mines to crematoriums gets assessed under the rules spelled out in MEPA.

DEQ will hold hearings in Helena on Oct. 18 and Missoula on Oct. 19.

MEPA hasnt been gathering dust. Rarely does the Montana Legislature meet without taking up bills to change the Montana Environmental Policy Act, often referred to as Montanas look before you leap law for environmental permitting. The changes to the law have favored industry by making it more difficult for the public to challenge permits to pollute, while also giving state agencies less time to work on permitting before delivering an answer.

Each time the Legislature has made changes to the way air and water pollution are evaluated, the process is characterized as updating, modernizing, like the language DEQ is now using, said Derf Johnson of the Montana Environmental Information Center.

That really turns out to be a euphemism for cutting the public out of the process and limiting environmental review and the scope of the environmental review, Johnson told DEQ in Billings. Thats what were concerned about. We want to see this process result in better participation and a more robust environmental review process.

In two hours of testimony in Billings, there were two people who said they were concerned that considering climate change would drive up project costs. A spokesman for the Knife River, a construction materials and contracting company said the state should wait until there are known ways to measure the impacts of carbon dioxide.

There are known ways to evaluate carbon emissions. There is already an expectation that carbon dioxide emitted from burned coal will be calculated before mining permits are issued. A federal appellate court earlier this year, for example, concluded that 190 million tons of carbon dioxide would be emitted once coal from an expanded Montana mine was burned. Regulators have been faulted at least twice for either not estimating or downplaying carbon dioxide emissions during coal mine permitting.

A U.S. District Judge in 2018, blocked the permitting of the Keystone XL Pipeline by President Donald Trump's administration because regulators didnt analyze cumulative greenhouse gas emissions. The clock ran out on the Trump administration, which didnt correct the Keystone permitting problems before leaving office.

The Helena listening session is scheduled for 6 p.m., Oct. 18 at the Delta Colonial Hotel. The Missoula session takes place at 6 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Broadway Inn and Conference Center. There are registration links on the DEQ website for joining the meeting online and commenting.

DEQ plans an online only listening session Nov 1 in the afternoon, starting at 3 p.m.
After years of partnerships with foreign auto giants,gossip slots bonus codes Chinas domestic automakers have now begun to seek cooperation with local peers to sharpen their competitiveness in developing home-grown brands.

Two of Chinas major automakers, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC) and Chery Automobile, announced Tuesday that they will form a strategic partnership and engage each other in a wide range of areas, including research and development, overseas business and production management.

The trans-provincial agreement is the first of its kind among Chinese local automakers amid government efforts to regulate the fragmented auto market through mergers and reorganization.

Under the agreement, the two sides will capitalize on their combined strengths to offset each others weaknesses.

GAC, which has accumulated considerable management experience through its joint venture with foreign partners, has come up short in terms of brand-building and technological innovation, whereas Chery, a successful player in the low-end market, has been weak in terms of profitability.

Analysts said the new model may offer an effective breakthrough for Chinese automakers if successful, although there will be plenty of challenges and obstacles ahead due to varied regional interests.

For years, the government has been vigorously pushing for the restructuring of the fragmented auto market, which has been crowded with market players but few big-name brands.

As early as 2009, the State Council issued guidelines to streamline the auto industry. China is reportedly mulling new policies to encourage mergers and reorganization in the sector.

Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that in the first three quarters, domestic passenger cars accounted for 40.6 percent of total sales, down 1.7 percentage points from the same period last year.

Xinhua

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China should establish a climate change law as soon as possible,draftkings free bet promo according to The Climate Group on Tuesday.

The group has also suggested that the country set up a ministerial government body to improve climate finance governance.

A report issued by the independent non-profit organization advised setting up a state climate fund and a special fund for South-South cooperation in dealing with the environmental challenge.

Wu Changhua, director of the Greater China of The Climate Group, said investment was a key factor in handling climate change and society should help solve the finance problem.

The report was part of a joint program between The Climate Group and the Research Center for Climate and Energy Finance at Chinas Central University of Finance and Economics.

Wu praised the idea of promoting the Chinese governments ecological progress.

China has pledged in its 12th Five-Year Program to cut energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16 percent while slashing carbon emissions by 17 percent in the five years to 2015. That will help China meet its pledge of reducing carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 from the 2005 levels.

Founded in 2004, The Climate Group aims to inspire a clean revolution with offices in a number of countries.

Xinhua

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A model presents creations by COMME MOI during the Spring/Summer 2023 Shanghai Fashion Week in Shanghai on Sept 22,market cap currency bet365stoixima 2022. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese supermodel Lyu Yan's fashion brand COMME MOI kicked off the Spring/Summer 2023 Shanghai Fashion Week in Xintiandi on Thursday.

Performers from local Jazz bar JZ Club performed percussion music during the show.

The Spring/Summer 2023 Shanghai Fashion Show will last till September 30 and feature over 80 fashion brands.

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The world leader in helicopter plans to assemble the squirrel or the EC 135 in China in the future. The site will be operational within five years.

Eurocopter is about to follow in the footsteps of Airbus China. Implementing an assembly plant in China is enshrined in our development plan, said Lutz Bertling, CEO of Eurocopter, presenting the flight plan in Paris for the coming years.

Right now we are at the stage of determining where and with whom we will take this project. This, in conjunction with our local affiliate, said Joseph Saporito, Director of Eurocopter in charge of industrial activities and the supply chain.

The helicopter subsidiary of EADS has signed trade agreements, while the engine manufacturer Safran has established an agreement in the helicopter engines. There are other possible partners, said Joseph Saporito. As for the model that would be assembled in China, Eurocopter is considering two options: the squirrel or EC 135.

Eurocopters investment in China is part of a larger project of increased industrial presence worldwide. This is closer to the end customer by becoming citizen in the country. If the market for military helicopters is closed, said Lutz Bertling, the outlook is promising on the civilian market. In Asia, the market will grow by 40% in five years, says the CEO.

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German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will visit China and attend the 3rd foreign minister-level strategic dialogue from Oct. 11 to 13,european roulette wheel Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei announced Tuesday.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China-Germany relations. The visit by Westerwelle will further promote the bilateral strategic partnership, Hong said.

Westerwelle will attend the dialogue as guest of his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Xinhua

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Staff members work at FAW Vehicle Manufacturers South Africa in Coega, South Africa. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As a truck with a FAW logo slowly rolled off the production line in an assembly workshop in Coega, South Africa, on Friday, China FAW Group, announced that the plant had produced 10,000 vehicles since operations began.

The automaker, based in Changchun, Jilin province, set up its assembly plant with an area of 87,000 square meters, in the Coega Industrial Development Zone in July 2014.

It is the first self-operated overseas plant of FAW and is selling its products in all the major cities in South Africa.

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From luxury British couture and tea, to chocolate, beauty products, home appliances and other items, UK products have gained popularity in China in recent years. To meet this growing demand, JD.com, Chinas largest retailer, has announced plans to sell 2 billion of UK goods to Chinese consumers in the next two-to-three years. The agreement signed today between JD.com and the British Governments Department of International Trade (DIT) is focused on making it easier for British companies to access the China market via JD.

Many British brands recognise the huge potential of Chinas enormous ecommerce market, said Richard Burn, Director-General of DIT China. JD truly understands what Chinese consumers want and has the resources to help British brands ensure success in the region. Were looking forward to working with JD to bring more British brands to China in the future.

Prime Minister Theresa May, who is on her first official state visit to China since becoming Prime Minister, met with JD Chairman and CEO Richard Liu at the Residence of the British Ambassador to China. Among the topics Liu and May discussed were JDs plans to help more UK brands reach JDs more than 266 million customers.

The number of UK brands on JD has doubled over the last two years, with sales in 2017 growing 100 per cent year-on-year. World famous brands Dyson, Clarks, Johnnie Walker and Lipton are among the most popular with JD consumers. Over the past three years, Dyson sales on JD have increased by more than 60 fold.

Were pleased to be working with DIT to make it easier and more convenient for British brands to enter the Chinese market, said Winston Cheng, President of International at JD.com. Weve seen rapid growth in demand for British products from our consumers in recent years, and will look to showcase the Best of Britain on our platform even more through this agreement.

In order to promote even greater sales of British goods, JD will launch special campaigns for seasonal products and undertake other activities to give brands more opportunities to reach Chinese consumers. JD will kick off with a 24-hour Celebrate Britain sales promotion for UK products this April to introduce the Best of Britain to Chinese customers.

JD has already made a big push into Britains renowned fashion industry. Last June, JD partnered with Farfetch, to bring more niche brands from around the world to Chinese consumers. This past Autumn, the company sponsored shows at London Fashion Week and also partnered with the British Fashion Council (BFC)/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund to help the BFC deepen its engagement with the Chinese market.

JD also counts eclectic British couture house Alexander McQueen as an early adopter of its exclusive luxury platform TOPLIFE. Alexander McQueens presence on TOPLIFE will allow the house to engage with a larger local clientele, while maintaining its creative expression and unique brand identity.

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While on a break from his billy g monte casino slot gamesuniversity studies, Li Boyuan visited his hometown in Qerchen County, located in the Tarim Desert in Chinas far west, and was surprised to see that the streets once left dark due to power shortages are now bathed in light.

A lack of adequate funding for power plant construction in the past left the small town unable to access the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions massive power resources.

But now a national energy transmission network aiming to bring electricity, oil and coal to the booming coastal areas is also bringing benefits to underdeveloped counties in western China, including Qerchen.

We used to rely on a small hydro-power station and a gas power plant. We had to ration power in winter when the river froze, Li said.

The inconveniences brought by power shortages stopped a month ago when a power transmission project, which was funded by increased government revenues from energy sales, began operating.

Luo Zhiguo, a jujube farmer in neighboring Qarklik County, plans to build a refrigerator this year. Thanks to the stable power supply, the annual profits are expected to grow by 25 percent to 1 million yuan (about 158,028 U.S. dollars).

On May 13, construction began on an 800 KV ultra-high-voltage power transmission line with the worlds largest designed capacity. The 2,210-km line, which connects southern Luntai county and Xinjiangs energy base Hami with the central city of Zhengzhou, Henan Province, will have the designed transmission capacity of a world-record-setting 8 million KW upon its completion in 2014.

The construction boom on ultra-high-voltage power transmission lines comes amid the countrys efforts to transmit electricity from the energy-rich west to the booming central and eastern regions. It has also proved a boon for local economic development.

Local governments purses are expanding thanks to energy sales and a resource tax, which, rolled out in June 2010, allowed Xinjiang to levy a 5-percent tax on the regions sales values of oil and gas. The resource tax has added about 3.6 billion yuan to local government revenues annually, official data shows.

Xiao Renjun, head of the energy office with the provincial economic planning body, said the construction of the energy network has played a positive role in attracting investment, providing jobs and boosting downstream industries.

The ultra-high-voltage power grid projects have spurred power plant construction. A total of 36 million KW of thermal power and 10 million KW of wind power are to be installed in Xinjiang by the State Grid, Chinas grid-building giant, according to Xiao.

It could attract investment of 300 billion yuan and create 30,000 jobs, Xiao said.

In the meantime, Baicheng County in Xinjiangs Aksu Prefecture is using pipelines to supply eastern China with the countys rich natural gas resources. The countys fiscal revenue has jumped more than 18 times, from 40 million yuan in 2003 to 754 million yuan in 2011.

The increase in fiscal revenue has boosted local governments abilities to channel more money into social projects, thus substantially improving the lives of local people.

According to statistics released by the regional government, 167.1 billion yuan, or 30 percent of the budgeted fiscal expenditure, was spent on improving peoples living standards in 2011.

As a result, by the end of 2011, more than 1.2 million farmers and herdsmen moved into government-subsidized and quake-resistant housing that boasts access to tap water, electricity and natural gas  amenities many of the new residents had never dreamed of.

More than 6 million people, or 90 percent of residents in cities and towns, have been covered by government-subsidized medical insurance.

In Hotan Prefecture 99.66 percent of school-aged children are now attending primary school, although many used to drop out due to poverty.

About 74 percent of junior high school graduates matriculate into high schools, up from 10 percent just five years ago, according to statistics released by the education bureau of Hotan Prefecture.

Meanwhile, Li Boyuan is currently studying in a college in coastal Jiangsu Province, an industrial, developed area that has also been plagued by power shortages.

The energy transmission project is bringing adequate power and wealth for both Chinas west and east. Its a win-win scenario. Li said.

Xinhua

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A visitor takes a photo at the booth of TikTok,crypto rarity brexit betting odds a social media app of Chinese tech firm ByteDance, during a gaming fair in Cologne, Germany, in August. [Photo/Agencies]

Short-video app TikTok is working on an initiative called "Project Texas" to address the US government concerns about data security, its CEO said on Wednesday.

Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, said Project Texas is designed to isolate sensitive data of its US users so that only staff in the United States can access it. The move is part of the company's broader push to beef up data management and to ease US officials' concern about data security.

The effort is "extremely difficult and expensive to build," Chew said at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore on Wednesday.

"It's unprecedented. No company has attempted this," Chew said. "I'm very confident that through the detailed discussions that we're going to have, we will come up with a solution that will reasonably address the national security concerns."

Chew made his comments after US FBI Director Christopher Wray alleged on Tuesday that the US operations of Chinese-owned TikTok raise national security concerns, according to foreign news reports.

In response to such reports, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that the US side is spreading false information and using it as an excuse to suppress the Chinese enterprises concerned, which has become a common practice of the US.

China firmly opposes such attempts and hopes that the US side will adopt a more responsible approach, and earnestly respect and abide by fair, open and nondiscriminatory international rules, Mao said.
Google just announced that the Chinese authorities, the last obstacle to the acquisition of U.S. manufacturer of smartphones, had approved the acquisition.

Google can finally get hold of the manufacturer of smartphones, Motorola Mobility, including the redemption process for a $12.5 billion which had been initiated in August 2011. The Chinese authorities endorse the deal, said the Internet giant.

However, their agreement is subject to a significant condition, Beijing requires that Google Android system keeping free for at least five years. Other conditions are imposed by the Chinese regulator, similar to those imposed by the EU and U.S. authorities. Google will offer reasonable licensing of the intellectual property of Motorola Mobility. As a reminder, this redemption procedure had raised fears among the Android community, which feared that the Google subsidiary is favored.

U.S. and European regulators have approved the acquisition of U.S. manufacturer of smartphones as early as February this year, China was therefore the last obstacle. We are delighted that the operation has been endorsed by all jurisdictions and we expect to complete the transaction early next week, said Jennifer Weyrauch-Erickson, a spokesman for Motorola.

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NEW YORK  Star Trek actor and political activist George Takei has a picture book scheduled for next spring that draws upon his early childhood years spent in internment camps for Japanese Americans.

Crown Books for Young Readers announced this week that Takei's My Lost Freedom, illustrated by Michelle Lee, will be published April 30, 2024.

Takei, 86, spent three years in three different camps during World War II.

The camps were established after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order in 1942 authorizing the forced removal on the West Coast of those considered security risks, leading to the incarceration of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans.

My childhood behind barbed wire fences is the reason I became an activist, Takei said in a statement. "It was clear that the story about the injustices Japanese Americans faced should also be told in a way that young children and their caregivers could understand. Especially in todays political climate, my mission is to convey this chapter of American history to children so that we can all grow up knowing both the fragility and the importance of democracy and our participation in it.

Takei's previous books include Oh Myyy!: There Goes The Internet, about his substantial social media following, and the autobiography To the Stars. His graphic novel They Called Us the Enemy also shared his experiences during World War II.

Overnight, Japanese Americans were looked at with suspicion, fear and outright hatred simply because we looked like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor, Takei said during a talk at Kansas State University in September. But we had absolutely nothing to do with Pearl Harbor. We're Americans, and yet on sidewalks Japanese Americans were yelled at, spat at and assaulted.

Crown Books for Young Readers is an imprint of Random House Childrens Books.

Photos: Actor George Takei over the years
Nepalese entrepreneur Shankar Koirala presents traditional Nepalese handicrafts to visitors during the fifth China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Nov 5. [ZHU XINGXIN/CHINA DAILY]

Nepalese trader hails event for improving his best slot machines to play at pechangalife, giving him chance to pay it forward

Just four years ago, Shankar Koirala could be considered somewhat of an itinerant merchant who would peddle traditional Nepalese handicrafts at trade fairs around the world.

He estimates that, on average, he would earn about 50,000 yuan ($7,060) during each of these fairs, just enough to lead a modest life and keep his business in Pokhara, Nepal, running. Though life was not particularly tough, he concedes that it lacked the stability he desired.

This all changed in 2020 after he took part in the third China International Import Expo. He initially thought the event would be no different than the other fairs he had taken part in, but he was quickly proven wrong.

In just six days, the Nepalese entrepreneur raked in 300,000 yuan.

"I never expected the CIIE to be such a powerful place for promoting foreign products. I've been to many trade fairs around the world, but I've never gotten such a good result," he said.

Buoyed by this successful event, the Nepalese businessman went on to set up his company Angel Hands in the Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub, a permanent trading platform of the CIIE, that same year.

Located adjacent to the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the venue for the CIIE, the hub is home to a host of companies that had participated in the previous editions of the expo, allowing them to sell their goods all year round.

The move proved to be a masterstroke as it allowed him to better promote his goods and communicate with clients. At the 2021 CIIE, Angel Hands generated 500,000 yuan in sales.

"If the CIIE never happened, I think I would still be based in Nepal and constantly travel to other countries to sell my products. You could say the CIIE has changed my life for the better," said the 29-year-old.

"Before the expo existed, I was always searching for a direction. But the CIIE has allowed me to find my way. Life is now stable. Every day is a busy day but also a happy day."

This happiness, he notes, does not stem solely from the growing success of his business. Rather, it has more to do with him being able to do what he considers meaningful in life.

Love of country

Influenced by Hollywood movies he had watched on television, Koirala spent much of his younger years dreaming of traveling to the United States, where he would live a different life, one away from the countryside, field crops and farm animals.

"I wanted to become something different in life. I thought maybe I could become an engineer or run a big business one day," said Koirala.

Ironically, it was the very same sentiment that made him change his mind when he got older. Perturbed by the fact that many of his peers were looking to leave the country to seek greener pastures, Koirala set his mind on staying put and doing something more meaningful  contributing to his country's development by showcasing the beauty of Nepal's traditional products.

"Nepal's handmade products are exquisite and of high quality. All we need to do is advertise them around the world. But many people from my generation just wanted to go abroad to study and work. There weren't many who wanted to do something for their own country," he said.

In 2012, when he was just 19, Koirala took it upon himself to champion this cause, setting up a small shop in his hometown to sell traditional handicrafts. He quickly came to learn about the spending power of the Chinese.

"Chinese tourists really like our local handicrafts, and they would often buy in bulk. Given that they were my biggest customers, I started learning Mandarin to better communicate with them," he said.

Eager to learn more about China, Koirala traveled to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Chengdu, Sichuan province, and Beijing in 2013 to visit some of his customers and do some sightseeing. In 2015, he started attending trade fairs in China to expand his sales channels.

Sharing opportunities

In 2020, Koirala decided to expand his product lineup to include handicrafts made by the Women's Skills Development Organization, a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping disadvantaged and marginalized women in Nepal through skills training.

His reason was simple  he wanted to continue helping his nation by allowing his disadvantaged compatriots to tap into the new opportunities presented by the CIIE.

One of the WSDO handicrafts that Koirala sells in Shanghai is the Ranju bag, which was designed by an acquaintance of the same name who had lost her family during the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. Having witnessed how WSDO helped the woman not just regain her footing, but also thrive in life, Koirala knew the organization would be an ideal fit for both his business and his conscience.

"I feel happy selling WSDO products because they are Nepalese handicrafts and they are for a good cause," he said.

"Many of the women who make these products have sad backgrounds. Some of them have been abandoned by their husbands, and others have lost their families and have nowhere to go. When I help sell these handicrafts through the CIIE and my company, I am in a way helping improve their lives."

Koirala also makes it a point to work with artisans living in remote regions like Manang and Mustang as they usually have little to no means of selling their crafts.

Acts of kindness

But Koirala's acts of kindness have not been limited to his home nation. Earlier this year, when Shanghai was locked down due to COVID-19, the kind man signed up to become a volunteer, helping deliver supplies to members of the Fenglin Road community in Xuhui district.

"Many of the people living in my community are elderly citizens, so I felt it was necessary for young people like me to lend a helping hand with moving heavy supplies. I also thought it was the right thing to do because China had previously rendered much aid to Nepal during the pandemic," he said.

This penchant for paying it forward, Koirala muses, likely stems from his mother, who he describes as ever willing to help those in need. He recalls how she never hesitates to lend money to friends and relatives despite the constant nagging she receives from him.

"We're a family of farmers. We're not rich. But whenever someone pops by the house in need of help or money, she never refuses. I only found out the value of her actions when I got older  I realized that whenever she was in a bind, all those whom she had helped before would quickly come to her aid," he said.

"I learned that what goes around comes around. This is the beauty of kindness."
I never thought uncles and aunts from as far as America would help us like this no deposit sign up bonuses cryptoand not expect anything in returnI really appreciate it! Though I cant repay them now, I will study hard and repay them with good grades in school, Wang Xiaohui, a student at Daxingpian Primary School in Jishou, Hunan said excitingly when he learned hed received a scholarship of 800 yuan from Hearts in Action.

In recent days, the school has been decorated with colorful flags for the third Hearts in Action fund ceremony provided for by Heart Cultivation School in the United States. The receiving school is located in a remote area of Hunan, where it is common for children to have to drop out as their families are short on money. When the Heart Cultivation School became aware of their plight, it reponded with a donation that has for many students lit the road ahead with hope.

There are altogether 17 students from poor families being helped; they are known for their strong character and excellence in learning. The donations were made by several China-born teachers at the Heart Cultivation School in the US who hope the children in their homeland can get good education and look forward to a bright future.

The scholarship students expressed their gratefulness and promised to help others likewise in the future while striving toward a better society.

He Yao

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The poor indicators published by China suggest that the second world economy is slowing more severe than expected and its leaders have only limited options to find a path of strong growth, said analysts. Some even think that the Middle Kingdom may be currently experiencing the beginning of one of the worst slowdown in the last twenty years.

This is quite worrying, and its worse than before. It appears increasingly that we are witnessing a very generalized slowdown, said Zhou Hao (), an expert of the ANZ Bank in Shanghai.

This is also why the Chinese central bank announced Saturday a new lower bank reserve requirements to enable them to lend more.

The central bank had already lowered the reserve requirement in December and February. And most experts expect further monetary easing to support economic activity.

We will certainly witness further declines of bank reserve ratio in the coming months, and there may be a rise in government spending, said Zhou.

Industrial production in the workshop of the world has been increasing by only 9.3% in April, the lowest figure since May 2009. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in China fell for the sixth consecutive month in April, announced Tuesday the Department of Commerce. Investments from European Union have declined 27.9% year on year to $ 1.9 billion between January and April.

The external environment has an increasingly negative impact on China, Japan and South Korea, admitted Premier Wen Jiabao during the weekend when he met the leaders of the two Asian powers.

The Chinese government has lowered the growth target of gross domestic product (GDP) this year to 7.5%, against 8% in previous years, while the economy remains very strong investment-led.

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Changsha and Zhuzhou began to release PM 2.5 data on December 1 and 2,hands in poker chart 2012 respectively.

PM2.5 stands for particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can invade even the smallest airways. The international standards for PM2.5 emission are 75g per cubic meter every day and 35g per cubic meter every year on average.

Zhuzhou started monitoring PM2.5 on a trial basis. The real-time data at 11:00 a.m. on December 1 were lower than the international standards, marking good air quality of the city at that time. Visitors can log in the website of the Zhuzhou Environmental Protection Bureau (www.zzshbj.gov.cn) to learn the real-time PM2.5 data per hour at each operational station. The city will officially release the data per hour and the daily average data from January 1, 2013.

Changsha also released its PM2.5 data on the real-time release data system of Changsha environment and air quality (trial operation) on the website of the Changsha Environmental Protection Agency (hbj.changsha.gov.cn) at 0:00 on December 2. The air quality at eight stations was at third grade, while that at Yuhua station was good. According to the Changsha Environmental Protection Agency, the real-time monitoring data will be released each hour unless the force majeure such as machine and power failure happens.

Lv Xuefen

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MACAO -- Theplay online slot machines 2022 Guangdong and Macao Branded Products Fair was unveiled on Friday in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), showcasing selected products ranging from daily necessities, electric appliances to jewelry.

Over 300 businesses from Macao, Guangdong and Belt and Road regions joined the exhibition, which covered an area of 9,000 square meters with more than 400 booths, according to the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute that co-hosted the event with the Department of Commerce of Guangdong province.

Coinciding with the annual Chinese e-commerce festival "Double 11" that falls on Friday, local e-commerce platform Aomi use live streaming to expand online sales.

The three-day exhibition is also scheduled to stage food workshops, cooking performances, as well as matching sessions and forums for the restaurant and dining industry.
Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou Tuesday called for further promotion of peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait,casino 888 ro jackpot crush slots as well as comprehensively expanding and deepening cross-Strait exchanges.

In his New Years Day speech, Ma said Taiwan will accelerate negotiations on issues concerning the Economic and Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and the mainland. It will also further loosen regulations over the entry of mainland investment, mainland students and mainland individual tourists.

Ma added that the Taiwan authority will review and amend regulations on the relations of the peoples across the Strait, abandoning out-dated restrictions and discriminatory provisions.

He noted that Taiwan will promote the establishment of offices of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation and the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait in each others side. This will provide services to millions of people traveling across the Strait and consolidate the foundation for cross-Strait peaceful development.

People on the two sides of the Strait all belong to the Chinese nation and are Chinese descendants. The more institutionalized the exchange system is, the better people across the Strait can understand each other, and the more solid cross-Strait peace is, Ma said.

The Taiwan leader also vowed to address major challenges in Taiwans economy through measures including adjusting industrial structure, making Taiwan a free trade island, and reshuffling the research and development system.

Xinhua

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A court in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Tuesday sentenced three men to death and another man to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of attempting to hijack an aircraft in June.

Thebaccarat secrets opera mini betika Intermediate Peoples Court in Hotan Prefecture ruled at the first instance that the men were guilty of organizing, leading or participating in a terrorist group, hijacking the aircraft and attempting to detonate explosives on the aircraft.

Musa Yvsup and Arxidikali Yimin, the leaders of the group who plotted the hijacking, and Eyumer Yimin, a major participant in the planning, were sentenced to death, according to a statement from the court.

Alem Musa, who played a minor role in the plane hijacking and willingly pleaded guilty after being arrested, received a life sentence, said the statement.

All the defendants confessed the above crimes at the court.

On June 29, six people attempted to hijack Tianjin Airlines flight GS7554 after it took off from Hotan Airport and was 1,400 km away from its destination, the regional capital city of Urumqi. They used converted metal crutches and explosives they carried in disguise, the statement said.

They loudly shouted religious extremist cries, hit the cockpit door and physically and verbally assaulted the flight crew and passengers, according to the statement which quoted court testimony.

They were stopped by crew members and passengers while they were trying to detonate explosive devices, and two of the other hijackers, Ababaykeri Ybelayim and Mametali Yvsup, were injured in the fighting and later died despite medical treatment.

Twenty-four crew members and passengers were injured in the incident, which caused direct economic losses of 28.58 million yuan (4.58 million U.S. dollars), said the statement.

The court found that the group had been influenced by religious extremists and terrorists from October 2011 to February 2012, and made preparations for their hijacking from mid-May to June this year.

The group investigated airport security conditions and the lay-out of the aircraft cabin several times before they conducted the hijacking, and they prepared the tools, including the explosives, metal crutches and lighters, in advance.

The group recruited Mametali Yvsup to participate in the hijacking, and they decided to blow up the aircraft and die along with all the other passengers onboard.

During the court trial, to protect their legal rights, the defendants were allowed to use their native language and were represented by lawyers. Their relatives and members of the public were also present.

Xinhua

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SONG CHEN/CHINA DAILY

Theroulette patterns winstar roulette resignation of Liz Truss as British prime minister after only 44 days in office and the appointment of Rishi Sunak as the new prime minister, the third in two months, show inability of UK-style democracy to ensure political stability. The same is true for US-style democracy, but not to such an extent.

Western democracy is a club for the rich, based on party politics. Western polities' argument is that the grassroots can vote to choose their representatives in parliament, not the country's leader. And although the constituents can protest against government policies, such protests often fall on deaf ears because the politicians are too busy holding onto their positions of power.

Truss's downfall came about due to her plans to lower the tax burden on multi-million-pound corporations and individuals, hoping for "trickle-down economics" to help the poor. But the critics cried foul, saying the plan allows the rich to get richer and pushes the poor deeper into poverty.

In the United States, top politicians (including House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi) are all millionaires. They care little about their constituents despite the country's poverty rate reaching 11.7 percent, higher than the world average of 10.1 percent, and instead keep on printing currency bills to fight unnecessary, unjust wars across the world. Drug addiction and mass shootings, too, plague the administration as it concentrates its efforts on foreign, not domestic, policies.

China, on the other hand, has eradicated absolute poverty, the only major country to do so. It has improved the quality of life of its 1.4 billion people. And by doing so, it has also improved the living environment including land development, transportation connectivity, clean energy generation including through hydroelectricity stations. China has also taken measures to ensure internet services reach even the most remote villages. This is the result of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics.

In the West, politics is not about the welfare of the constituents, but more about survival in power or gaining power by disagreeing with everything the incumbent government does or proposes. Democracy, as seen by the West, is power in chaos. Democracy, as seen by China, is people's power, with the opinions of all sections of society including the grassroots taken into consideration before finalizing a law or a measure.

What the West refuses to acknowledge is all citizens of the People's Republic of China who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote and stand for election. They can vote to choose the deputies at town- and county- levels. And the deputies to local people's congresses, elected by citizens, vote to choose deputies at a higher-level. This is somewhat akin to the democratic voting systems in the UK, the US and other Western jurisdictions where eligible voters choose their members of congress or parliament, who in turn vote to choose the country's leadership.

In China, the word for democracy is minzhu, which literally translates to "people govern themselves". And being such a large and diverse country, China also allows for voting among ethnic constituents.

President Xi Jinping has described this system as one that puts people first, makes them responsible citizens and helps them reap the benefits of good governance.

American Sinologist Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor of politics and international relations and the director of International Graduate Program in Politics at East China Normal University (Shanghai), wrote in an op-ed on CGTN that Western democracies, including the US, have increasingly showed their inability to put people first, have failed to ensure or advance basic human rights at home and instead have become "entrenched in systemic chokepoints, and have been unable to move past historic foundations of oppression and exploitation, both at home and abroad".

Policy-making in China is not confined to politicians, as in the West, but also includes the grassroots people. That the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee is the country's top political advisory body fully demonstrates the features and advantages of China's socialist democracy by advocating broad consultation in decision-making and problem-solving.

Academic studies show policy choices established by public consultation appear to be closely aligned with public opinion.

A policy change in China is a long-drawn-out process due to the extent of public consultations, which trickles down from the top to the regional, provincial, city, town and village level. The process taps into individuals' thoughts and needs and is not hampered by political or organizational input as witnessed in the West where politicians' ideas and decisions prevail.



With the advent of modern technology, the Chinese government has increasingly utilized online consultation as a means of providing citizens with opportunities to give feedback on draft laws and regulations. Indeed, online consultation has become an instrument of governance reform, which the CPPCC has embraced as a means of cultivating popular support.

As Xi has said, the CPPCC is a great political consultative system created by the Communist Party of China. It encompasses everyone irrespective of party affiliation, all people's organizations and ethnic groups from all walks of life, in order to advance socialist consultative democracy.

The author is a PR consultant and veteran journalist. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at [email protected], and [email protected].
Family planning authorities in Shanghai Municipality are encouraging couples who are both a single child themselves to have a second baby.

Single-child couples are allowed to have an additional baby under Chinas family planning policy.

However,energy casino no deposit a survey showed such couples are only having on average 1.2 babies in the city, Huang Hong, director with the municipalitys population and family planning committee, told a press conference on Tuesday.

Economic conditions, the family environment, work pressures and fertility conditions are among the main factors that affect parents decision of whether to have an additional child or not, said Huang.

She said 7,000 families in Shanghai have lost their single child so far, bringing great sorrow to the families.

Such families have different problems relating to social security, elderly care, medical services and spiritual counseling. The city has been considering establishing a special system to help these families, she said.

Like other cities in China, Shanghai is facing an aging population. According to the figures released at the conference, Shanghai has a registered population of 14.21 million, and 24.5 percent of them are 60 or over. The percentage is expected to reach 30 percent by 2015.

The family planning policy was first introduced in the late 1970s to rein in Chinas surging population by encouraging late marriages and pregnancies, as well as limiting most urban couples to one child and most rural couples to two children, if the first one is a girl.

Under the policy, most couples born in the 1980s in urban areas right now are a single child.

Xinhua

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Chongqing proposed to complete the largest cloud computing center in China for the first time in January 2011. The construction of Liangjiang International Cloud Computing Center, the largest cloud computing pilot area in China, was started in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area on April 6, 2011.

Liangjiang International Cloud Computing Center enjoys a construction area of 2.07 million square meters and a total investment of 40 billion yuan. It is expected to be completed in 5 years and finally reaches a scale of over 100 billion yuan. There will be a about 3-kilometer data computer rooms conforming to the international standards in the core area.

Chongqing will strive to make Chongqing Cloud Computing Data Processing Center the largest cloud computing base in China or even in Asia in 3 years, according to Huang Qifan, mayor of Chongqing, at the signing ceremony of the largest software supplierNeusoft Groups settling in Chongqing in June 2011.

Huang Xiqin

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Over the past two weeks, Donald Trump said shoplifters should be immediately shot, suggested the United States' top general be executed and mocked a political opponents husband who was beaten with a hammer.

The former president and current front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination also in recent weeks encouraged the impeachment of Democratic President Joe Biden because the lowlifes Impeached me TWICE, urged his party to shut down the U.S. government with the hope it would stall some of the criminal cases he faces, and said that, if elected to the White House again, he would threaten NBC News and MSNBCs access to the airwaves over news coverage of him that he called Country Threatening Treason.

From his earliest days in public life as a New York real estate tycoon, Trump has favored language that makes him appear tough and scrappy, particularly when it comes to crime and retribution for his perceived enemies. But the rhetorical escalation on display in recent weeks is notable for its parallels to the hardline approaches that are hallmarks of authoritarian regimes that he has occasionally praised, such as the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin or North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Violence is his political project now, said Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian at New York University. It is the thing, besides his own victimhood, that he brings up the most.

Author of a book called Strongmen, Ben-Ghiat contends that Trump fits well in the category. His recent statements on shooting shoplifters, for example, call to mind strongman leaders he has previously praised such as former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, whose war on drugs featured extrajudicial killings of thousands of suspects without a trial, or other countries where military leaders disappear after falling out of favor with the regime.

Trump already has a nearly decade-long record of making inflammatory, violent statements, often without follow-through.

He has mulled shooting illegal border crossers in the legs and offered to pay the legal fees of people who roughed up protesters that disrupted his 2016 campaign rallies.

Trump's words also can rile up his supporters and have direct consequences, most glaringly in the case of Jan. 6, 2021, when his lies about his 2020 election loss revved up a mass of supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol in a failed effort to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's presidential victory.

They can also rile up Trump's own party, which then incorporates the former president's vendettas and impulses into its own agenda.

Following Trump's complaints of political persecution by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Republicans have now called for dissolving the law enforcement agency and the GOP-controlled House has launched a committee investigating the weaponization of the federal government.

After Trump mulled bombing drug labs in Mexico, his rivals for the Republican nomination have pushed increasingly aggressive proposals for using the military to attack cartels in the U.S.' southern neighbor, which would be the sort of unilateral use of force on foreign soil that Trump has railed against.

The violence and vengeance in Trump's remarks has ratcheted up in recent weeks as his lead in the Republican primary has seemed to solidify and his legal peril in four criminal cases, as well as a fraud case threatening his businesses, has intensified.

The remarks have also alarmed the legal system.

On Tuesday, a New York judge overseeing the former president's civil fraud trial issued a gag order barring Trump from talking about his staff, after the former president posted a picture of the judge's clerk on his social media network, Truth Social.

Last month, federal prosecutor Jack Smith asked for a gag order in his criminal case against Trump over his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, citing Trump's stream of inflammatory remarks about prosecutors, the judge in that case, and even his recent suggestion that Mark Milley, the retiring chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had committed treason and should be executed.

Though most in his party have stayed quiet, Trump's comments about Milley horrified some Republicans. On the debate stage last week, Trumps rivals for the GOP nomination didn't address the former president's more incendiary rhetoric. But some of Trumps rivals have even tried to mimic his more violent rhetoric, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowing to start slitting throats of federal bureaucrats once elected.

At last week's California Republican Party convention in a hotel ballroom in Anaheim, Trumps rhetoric reached yet another level. In a heavily Democratic state where the GOPs faithful have had little to cheer, the former presidents arrival sparked a celebration.

Trump joked about a hammer attack that left Paul Pelosi, the 80-year-old husband of former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with a fractured skull after a man who touted conservative conspiracy theories broke into their house last year.

Well stand up to crazy Nancy Pelosi, who ruined San Francisco  hows her husband doing, anybody know? Trump said as the crowd laughed loudly and cheered.

Photos: Trump fans gather outside Georgia jail to show support ahead of his surrender
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying assumed office in July, after being maneuvered towards the citys top political job by the Chinese central government. As details emerge that suggest Leung ran a less-than-honest election campaign, pro-democracy legislators are calling for his impeachment.

His election victory in March came after former Beijing favorite Henry Tang was accused of building an illegal basement in his multi-million-dollar home.

Capitalizing on this revelation, Leung beat Tang, the former chief secretary for administration, in a vote decided by just 1,200 broadly pro-China appointees.

According to legislator and respected lawyer Ronny Tong, it soon emerged that Leung had breached the very same planning laws in one, if not more, of his own luxury homes.

He was projecting an image to the public that he was clean himself. A lot of people think he was being totally dishonest in making such serious accusations against his opponent, yet saying nothing to the public about the presence of illegal structures at his own home, Tong said.

Leung appeared before the legislative council Monday at a hastily arranged question and answer session. Visibly strained, he offered a nuanced defense of the unauthorized building works (UBW), and their role in his election campaign.

It is a question of fact. I did not say that I had no unauthorized building works, according to my own recollection  There are some UBWs that I built. But most of them were not built by me, Leung said.

Late Wednesday, Leung faced a motion of no-confidence. Accused of stealing the election and repeatedly lying to the council, he survived a narrow vote only with undemocratically appointed, pro-Beijing legislators swaying the outcome.

Opposition Labor Party leader C.Y. Lee told the chamber, Integrity is one of the fundamentals of leadership. Next week, he said, pan-democrats would demand a special investigation into Leungs web of deceit and his impeachment will then be pursued.

There are lots of things that need to be investigated. People are very angered by his lack of integrity. Apologizing is not enough. We believe he should come clean and through the debate we can force out our concern, and force him to be accountable to the people, Lee said.

Public sentiment would appear to be swinging behind the pan-democrats, with the most recent opinion poll showing Leungs popularity falling below 50 percent for the first time. Leung supporters warn any effort to impeach the chief executive could spark a constitutional crisis in semi-autonomous Hong Kong.

Cabinet member Jeffrey Lam adds that such a move appears disproportionate to the alleged crime.

It is difficult to keep everybody happy. I think he has tried to answer most questions. There were still some legislators who are not happy  He has to deal with this. Let us see the outcome after the debates, Lam said.

With the legislature of this former British colony weighted in favor of pro-Beijing interests, Leung is likely to avoid full impeachment. But Ronny Tong sees the bigger picture.

Effectively making an attempt to evade his responsibility and tell lies would probably qualify him as the first chief executive [capable of being] impeached in the history of Hong Kong  This will raise attention not just in Hong Kong, but in the international community, and hopefully put pressure on C.Y. Leung to resign, Tong said.

Leung supporters argue the pan-democrats efforts against the chief executive only serve to incapacitate the Hong Kong government.

Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau had a message for the public. We call on the Hong Kong people to march on January 1st to show their disgust and their demand for C.Y. Leung to step down immediately, Lau said.

Protest organizers are predicting more than 100,000 people will take to the streets, despite the prospect of political uncertainty extending into the New Year.

Ivan Broadhead

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Taiwan will leave no stone unturned to strengthen its business environment,online casino with apple pay in a move to increase the nations global competitiveness and visibility, according to the Council for Economic Planning and Development Feb. 19.

The council will keep working with relevant agencies for reform guidelines that will help put Taiwan on the top 10 list of the World Banks Doing Business report by 2016, CEPD Deputy Minister Wu Ming-ji said.

According to Wu, the CEPD began implementing a four-year plan to enhance Taiwans business climate in October 2008, using as its guidelines the 10 benchmarks the World Bank report uses to evaluate the ease of doing business in an economy.

These indicators are dealing with construction permits; enforcing contracts; getting credit; getting electricity; paying taxes; protecting investors; registering property; resolving insolvency; starting a business; and trading across borders.

Over the past four years, cross-agency efforts have seen Taiwans ranking in the annual survey surge to 16th in 2013, up 45 places from 2008, Wu said.

The CEPD will evaluate the performance of Taiwans neighboring countries and propose concrete reform plans modeled after the best global practices cited by the latest report, he noted.

Several key measures have been identified, including implementing regulatory easing, proposing legal changes, streamlining administrative procedures and strengthening information disclosure mechanisms, he added.

Wu said all agencies have been directed to propose plans for review at scheduled CEPD meetings before they are submitted to the Cabinet for approval, with their implementation to be regularly monitored by a task force.

Meg Chang

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Pedersen & Partners, the fastest growing executive search firm in the world, has appointed Janet Chen () as Country Head for China. Ms. Chen brings with her a senior expertise of the Chinese market and will be a key influence in the companys development plans in Greater China.

Ms. Chen has worked for over 17 years in executive search, talent acquisition and career consulting servicesin Greater China, she has held management roles for leading international executive search firms out of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan since 1995 and built an extensive track record of recruiting leaders for major international and well-known local corporations within the FMCG, Manufacturing, Banking and IT sectors.

Ms. Chen explains: Ive been impressed by Pedersen & Partners dynamic approach and the professionalism of its international team, which will help me to support our clients better in China. Thanks to the firms integrated offices and leadership in fast growing markets like Brazil, India, Russia, Indonesia, Africa, Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe or Latin America, I will also be able to act as the point of contact to Chinese multinationals for providing them with expert advice on management issues in these regions and finding their right executives.

In her new role, Ms. Chen will be responsible for completing senior assignments in China and offering up-todate market insights to Pedersen & Partners clients, as well as conducting international assignments for Chinese corporations and promoting Pedersen & Partners quality services in Greater China.

We are excited about the addition of Janet to our team in Shanghai: she is an enthusiastic professional who brings a strong knowledge of local market trends and talents pool. Janet has gained an outstandingunderstanding of the challenges that global corporations face in Greater China and will be an ideal guide forour clients expansion in the region Says Gautier Vasseur, Partner in charge of Greater China.

Pedersen & Partners was founded in 2001 by a team of experienced executive search consultants and has quickly grown into a recognized, trusted provider of executive search services in fast growing markets. Pedersen & Partners is organised as a single profit center, where consultants work as one team across the world, whether conducting cross regional or national assignments, and can offer relevant expertise to clients where needed by delivering consistent and high quality executive search services.

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Chinas Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun on Friday put forward a four-point proposal to promote Sino-U.S. ties.

Zhang made the proposal in response to a media report on strategic distrust between China and the United States as he addressed the 8th Lanting Forum held by Chinas Foreign Ministry.

He noted that China and the U.S.,club world casino no deposit bonus codes may 2022 one of the worlds largest developing countries and the largest developed one, respectively, are the worlds top two economies, which makes their relationship one of the most important but complex.

In this era of globalization in which countries are interdependent and have closely linked interests, there has been a major shift in international relations, he said.

He added that in the face of frequent global challenges, all countries should want to stick together to meet challenges and pursue common development, calling this an unstoppable historic trend.

He said that two-way trade has surged from nearly zero when the two countries resumed contact over three decades ago to 446.6 billion U.S. dollars last year, and it is expected to exceed 500 billion U.S. dollars this year.

Dispelling mutual distrust and building a new type of relationship between major countries are demanding tasks that call for unflinching efforts from both sides.

He put forward a four-point proposal to promote Sino-U.S. ties, as follows:

First, the two countries need to have candid and in-depth communication so as to avoid misunderstandings regarding each others strategies.

Second, the two countries need to vigorously expand new bright spots in their pragmatic cooperation. China and the U.S. should seize the opportunity to cooperate in the fields of new energy, clean energy and infrastructure development, support the increase of two-way investment, step up local, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, tap cooperation potential, and actively expand common interests.

Third, the two sides need to work to ensure that dialogue and cooperation outweigh frictions and differences in the Asia-Pacific region.

Fourth, the two sides need to truly respect each others core interests.

He emphasized that no matter how much more progress China achieves in its development, it will only strengthen, not weaken, its policy of promoting friendship and partnership with its neighbors, adding that China will forever remain a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of its neighbors.

China rejects the notion that a country is bound to seek hegemony when it gains strength, because seeking hegemony or expansion is not part of Chinese culture, much less Chinas policy, he said.

History has proven that a country seeking hegemony or engaging in expansion or bullying never ends up well, no matter how strong it may be, and this is historys unbroken law, he said.

Xinhua

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The Benin Bronzes on display in Washington DC, the US File photo: AFP

Sculptures known as the Benin Bronzes on display during a press preview of the new exhibition halls at the new Berlin Palace Humboldt Forum File photo: VCG

Nigeria's famed Benin Bronzes, artifacts stolen during British colonial rule and scattered across the globe, have a new online archive that aims to become a digital record of the treasures.Thousands of metal plaques, sculptures and objects in the 16th to 18th centuries were looted from the ancient Kingdom of Benin and ended up in museums and with art collectors across the US and Europe. Many experts hail them as the zenith of African art.As Nigeria negotiates their return, "Digital Benin" provides a centralized hub of images and descriptions of more than 5,000 artifacts held in 131 institutions around the world."It is unique, new possibility to see all the objects together and to compare them," Barbara Plankensteiner, director of Germany's MARKK museum and one of the project's founders, told AFP. "It is really helpful for research for Nigerian scholars to be able to access knowledge they had not been able to before."The project, which began planning and research two years ago, was launched at an official event at the weekend in Benin City, in southern Nigeria's Edo State, the heart of the former Benin Kingdom.The platform contains a vast collection of images and details of artifacts categorized by the type of object from figureheads to shields and ceremonial roosters.It details all the institutions where artifacts are held, from the British Museum with more than 900 objects to places like Toledo Museum of Art which has just one commemorative Queen Mother head statue. Readers can also scroll through the story of the Benin Kingdom, its royalty, its chiefs and festivals, with a special section dedicated to oral history.The project comes online as international momentum grows for the restoration of African artifacts from former colonial powers Britain, France, Germany and Belgium.Nigeria's neighbor Benin earlier in 2022 inaugurated an exhibition of artworks and treasures returned by France after two years of negotiations. Those 26 pieces were stolen in 1892 by French colonial forces from the capital of the former Kingdom of Dahomey.Germany is in the process of returning hundreds of Benin Bronze artifacts to Nigeria, where a new museum is being built in Benin City to house artifacts.Many of the artifacts were originally taken in 1897, when a British military expedition attacked and destroyed Benin City, looting thousands of metal and ivory sculptures and carvings."These are our properties," Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki said at the event to open the platform."They were taken from us and they should be returned to us."The Kingdom of Benin, which despite its name was located in what is now southwestern Nigeria, traces its roots back to the first century BC.It expanded through military conquest and commerce, which with the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century developed into trade in slaves, ivory and spices.AFP
A police chief in northwest China has been removed from the post as he is best slot machines to play in vegas 2022being investigated for allegedly keeping a pair of twin sisters as mistresses, local authorities confirmed Sunday.

Qi Fang, director of public security bureau of Wusu City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has been embroiled in the sex scandal since earlier this week. He was sacked on Saturday, the Tacheng prefecture committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) announced.

Qi was accused of abusing power to give jobs to twin sisters he has been keeping as mistresses. The informers post and the photo of two scantly-clad girls in bed quickly became a hit before they were removed from iyaxin.com, one of the largest Internet portals in Xinjiang.

The post also claims that Qi rent a high-end apartment unit for the sisters in downtown Wusu and reimbursed the rent as an official expense.

An official with Tacheng prefecture committee on Sunday said that part of the online allegations were true but many claims and details remain unverified.

But the official did not elaborate on what allegations had been verified.

Qi assumed the police chief post in June last year.

He is the latest to fall in Chinas sweeping cyber- anti-corruption drive that has notably been gathering steam since the 18th National Congress of the CPC held in November.

A handful of officials have been removed from their posts for being caught in sex tape shots, keeping mistresses, and owning large number of properties. All the allegations were exposed on the Internet and the authorities responded with serious probes in relatively short time  in one case, the sacking came in some 60 hours after the Internet post first appeared.

Experts hope that active participation of the Internet users may push Chinas anti-corruption drive to a new stage.

Hu Jintao warned at the CPC congress that corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party and the fall of the state.

Xi Jinping, who took over Hu as the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, named corruption on top of the many pressing problems within the Party that need to be resolved in his first speech after being elected to the top post.

Xinhua

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Mohammed Elshijh,500 welcome bonus an Egyptian doctoral candidate at Beijing Language and Cultural University, chose to study Chinese literature after receiving his bachelors degree in 1999.

As countries with long, rich histories, China and Egypt have much in common, Elshijh said, adding that Mo Yan, winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature, is also popular in his motherland.

I have read Mos novels such as Red Sorghum and Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out. His books are full of the smells of the countryside and reflect the relationship between the land and farmers, Elshijh said.

On Oct. 11, Mo, 57, became the first Chinese national to win the top literary prize. He will attend the formal award ceremony on Dec. 10.

The Swedish Academy described Mos works as having combined hallucinatory realism with Chinese folk tales, history and contemporary life.

Through a mixture of fantasy and reality, historical and social perspectives, Mo Yan created a world reminiscent in its complexity of those in the writings of William Faulkner and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, at the same time finding a departure point in old Chinese literature and in oral tradition, read the academys citation for the award.

Elshijh said he felt fairly excited when he learned that Mo won the literary prize.

Mos winning of the prize is pushing Egypt to translate more of his works into Arabic, Elshijh said, adding that there is already an Arabic edition of Red Sorghum, but Egypts Ministry of Culture recently announced that it will translate another of Mos works from Chinese to Arabic.

However, contemporary Chinese literature remains less influential than mainstream Western literature, Elshijh said.

Cheng Shu teaches advanced Chinese reading in the International Chinese Language and Culture Center of the Beijing-based Tsinghua University. She was surprised that many of her students, who were all from other countries, were following the news of Mos award.

I know Mos works are probably too difficult for them, but I still recommended that they read some, Cheng said.

Although Chinese literature is getting more attention around the world, translated versions of Chinese works remain in small supply in places like the United States and Europe.

Jonathan Chuck, an American who has been working in social media for three years in China, has read some ancient Chinese classics in English and can name several ancient poets such as Li Bai.

Chuck said works of Chinese literature are hard to come by in the United States, as bookstores simply dont carry many English translations. Besides, China is considered a mysterious country and far away from our daily life.

Chuck said when he was in school, pupils mostly studied Western literature translated from French, German and Portuguese, not literature translated from Asian languages.

Chinas Nobel prize will inspire more Westerners to notice Chinese literature, and I may read some of Mos works, he added.

Li Ling, a professor at Beijing Language and Cultural University, said Chinese literature has less of a market than English-language literature because Western culture is the dominant culture.

Moreover, it is difficult to fully express some Chinese words in English, which can limit Chinese literature to a Chinese-literate audience, Li added.

In October, literary critic Zhou Limin noted that Western works are easily introduced to China and are favored by many Chinese readers even if they are not translated well.

Western readers are more picky about what they read, he said, explaining that if a Chinese book is not translated well, it would be out of the question to recommend it to Western readers.

Li expects Chinas Nobel laureate to expand foreign readership.

Some of my postgraduate students are quite diligent in studying contemporary Chinese literature, Li said, adding that it is not only the ones from Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, but also those from developed countries like Italy.

The dissertations foreign students hand in convey a deep understanding of Chinese literature, and they are as good as their Chinese counterparts, Li said.

Xinhua

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WASHINGTON  The white marble of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier shone bright at Arlington National Cemetery on the first day of October.

It wasnt blinding, like how unblemished snow can reflect too much light. Instead, it caught your eye, the way the sun hit the stone. A crowd had gathered to watch the ceremonies that afternoon, but the group was unified in respectful silence.

Many gathered on the nearby stairs that led to a museum commemorating the tomb, either in search of the best view or some respite from the beating sun. Still, the crowd was divided in two, with a swath cut down the middle. At the top of the stairs, in the middle of that pathway, stood Dave Liebig, of Bismarck, shoulder to shoulder with Robert Schulte.

Flanked on his other side by a towering marble column, Liebeg scanned the crowd intently. Its been decades since he served in the Army, but the one-time minesweeper took in his surroundings with precision, his eyes partially obscured by the lenses of his thin-framed black glasses, which had darkened in the sun. The shape of his eyebrows made them seem perpetually furrowed, and his flushed skin was a contrast to the shock of white hair that sat atop his head.

Eventually, Liebig fixed his gaze on the tomb directly in front of him. Its the reason he was at Arlington National Cemetery that day, donning khaki pants and a navy polo. Emblazoned on his shirt above his heart was the logo for the Western North Dakota Honor Flight, a local chapter of a national organization that brings veterans to Washington free of charge to see monuments to the wars they served in, among other historical sites.

The Honor Flight Network was created in 2005 after the completion of the World War II Memorial, when co-founders Earl Morse and Jeff Miller realized many World War II veterans were unable to visit the monument. After some initial small-scale trips to Washington, they decided to formalize the networks existence, and its more than 120 chapters have served more than 270,000 veterans in the years since.

The Western North Dakota Honor Flight was established just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and because of travel restrictions the group was forced to delay its inaugural visit until April 2022. Last Sunday, a group of 112 veterans took off from the Bismarck Airport on the organization's third flight, a two-day trip to Washington that included visits to war memorials and the Capitol.

Sunday afternoon in Washington, as Liebig stood at the top of the stairs, he was one of four veterans who would be representing the group in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please.

The voice of the attending soldier at the tomb, who had just completed a changing of the guard, echoed off the walls of the building. Attendees, many of whom were looking at Liebig, turned their heads at the sound.

The ceremony that you are about to witness is an Army wreath-laying ceremony to be conducted by the Western North Dakota Honor Flight.

Liebig straightened himself and looked out at the view behind the tomb. From his vantage point, he could see the dome of the Capitol and the Washington Monument, two of the most recognizable landmarks in America.

It underscored the gravity of the moment.

It is requested that everyone remain silent and standing. During this ceremony, all military personnel in uniform will render the hand salute, and it is appropriate for all others to place their right hand over their heart upon the command to present arms. Thank you.

With that, the soldier, who was facing the crowd, turned to face the tomb. He clicked his heels once, saluted, turned to the left with precision and walked to the end of the plaza, where another soldier waited next to a wreath adorned in flowers in patriotic colors. Down the middle of the wreath, a ribbon reading Western North Dakota Honor Flight shimmered in the sun.

Liebig and the other three honor flight attendees descended the stairs, took the wreath into their hands, placed it on a white stand in front of the tomb, and returned to stand with their fellow honor flight members. A soldier with a bugle began to play taps as Liebig saluted the tomb.

The 24-note bugle call rang out across the plaza as Liebigs hand trembled slightly with emotion. After the last note, the silence was reverent. Liebig recessed, having joined the ranks of those who have participated in ceremonies at the monument to all American soldiers whose remains have not been found or identified.

After the ceremony, Liebig walked around the side of the Memorial Amphitheater, and, out of earshot of the tomb, reflected.

I was worried I was gonna drop it, Liebig said with a chuckle and the flash of a smile. Then, in a more somber tone that indicated he was clearly awestruck: That might have been the greatest honor of my entire life.

A point of reflection

When viewed from behind, its easy to miss the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Where many national sites such as the nearby Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial tower over visitors, the wall is instead a part of its surroundings. View it from the front, and its a mass of black granite that looks like its nestled in a slice taken out of the earth.

On each end, the panels start small. They grow as they approach the center of the memorial, which at its tallest is just over 10 feet. And the wall is etched with over 50,000 names, representing the wars American losses.

At the honor flights first stop in Washington, the Marine Corps War memorial, Liebig reflected on the stops to come. He said he was excited about the opportunity to lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but that he was most looking forward to his visit to the wall.

Liebig didnt know anyone on the wall, but said it would be a point of reflection for the random and catastrophic nature of war.

I had a first cousin that I used to run around with all the time, Liebig said as the American flag fluttered nearly 80 feet above. We were like brothers, and we quit school together, and we were told to get jobs, so we joined the Army. He went to Europe and died. I went to Vietnam and came home.

As he walked the wall just hours after laying the wreath, his reverence was evident. Liebig made the journey alone, staying distant for most of the walls nearly 247 feet. His pace was slow as he paused for reflection.

Around him, many honor flight attendees pressed pieces of paper up against the wall, taking graphite rubbings of the etchings. Friends, family members, colleagues -- its a way for visitors to leave the wall with a little piece of someone theyve lost.

As he neared the end of the wall Liebig stopped again, this time stepping closer. He reached out, allowing his fingertips to brush the cool stone. He lingered for a moment before moving back and continuing on his walk, leaving the memorial behind.

While many veterans decided to stay longer at the wall, Liebig opted to reflect from a distance. On a path near the exit, he stood in the shade of a towering tree and looked out at the memorial in its entirety, piecing his thoughts together.

After a pause, he said being there reminded him of how hes paid homage to family members that served.

Its nice to stop and say hello to an old friend, he said. Ive got uncles and cousins on the wall in Bismarck, so I go up there often just to check in.

Welcome home

The sounds of the reception planned for the honor flight at the Bismarck Airport could be heard from the jetway as the veterans disembarked the plane on Monday night upon returning home.

Faint echoes of a band playing patriotic music were the first sign, with the dull roar of applause and cheers becoming clearer at the end of the jetway. At the gate, the noise became even louder. It was evident, even before a single member of the welcome party was visible, that there was a large crowd in attendance.

This was a far cry from the reception Liebig received when he first returned from his service more than half a century ago. Public sentiment soured over the course of the Vietnam War as the death toll grew and some people began to feel the war was unwinnable. At the time, it was the longest war in American history. Many veterans including Liebig received unfavorable welcomes, or no welcome party at all.

But this welcome party was sprawling.

Leading up to the security entrance, honor flight volunteers formed the beginning of a tunnel, all donning goldenrod shirts. They were the first of many waiting to congratulate the veterans.

Liebig was already near tears before he shook the hand of the first volunteer. When he made it past the security entrance, tears started flowing as he was greeted by local members of AMVETS and the North Dakota National Guard. He gasped as he saw the size of the crowd in the airport -- hundreds of community members all there to celebrate the returning veterans, filling a large portion of the lobby near the baggage claim as they packed together.

Liebig paused at the top of the escalator to look out at the crowd below. As he stood there taking it all in, there was a lull between songs. The crowd took that opportunity to start a chant: USA! USA! USA!

At the bottom of the escalator, overwhelmed, Liebig collapsed into the arms of a nearby volunteer. He wasnt the first to do so, nor was he the last. As he held up the line for a few brief moments, sobs wracked his body while he prepared to receive the greetings he didnt get when he initially returned from his service.

It was difficult for Liebig to make his way through the crowd -- people were all clamoring for the chance to shake hands with the veterans. He moved at a slow pace, interacting with all who wanted to thank him for his service, all while searching for his family. The gratitude and emotion was evident on his face.

Liebig finally found his wife, and the two embraced. She kissed him before letting him go to hug his daughter-in-law. Reunited, the trio made their way through the crowd to allow other veterans to find their way.

Standing later in a corner behind the baggage claim, amid the continued cheering of the crowd, Liebig described the experience with one word: Overwhelming.

Liebig has had a tracheotomy, so he speaks with a rasp. And as tears welled up in his eyes, his voice became even more raw, emotion overcoming him.

People, and young people, are starting to realize what freedom means, Liebig said. I think 50 years ago, the kids and their parents accepted everything and didnt think there was a price to pay for it. It feels like things have changed.
Awanish Kumar writes:

In his Untouchables or the Children of Indias Ghetto and other writings, B R Ambedkar highlighted the historic significance of the 1911 Census of India. It was for the first time that the depressed classes were identified and counted separately from the Hindu population. Caste numbers, especially the population share of depressed classes derived from 1911 and consequently 1921 Censuses, were a major point of debate during the Lothian Committee and Round Table Conferences. According to Marc Galanter, this separate enumeration changed the entire discourse around the depressed classes and their political significance in the national movement. Would the release of the caste survey report in Bihar have the same consequence in national politics almost more than a century later?
A

lessio Muller, 27, is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for watches. Or rather, he puts the companies he creates at the service of this passion. Native to Luxembourg, Alessio launched his first startup when he was 17, selling it two years later. At 19 he set up Cosmerre, delivering a range of services to the cosmetics sector. This provided the finance to make his horological dream a reality with the creation, in 2016, of Manufacture Grand-Ducale, which now has workshops in Luxembourg and La Chaux-de-Fonds, followed last year by the debut model from his brand, Duke.

Like father, like son: Denis Muller, the other half of this family enterprise, has solid experience of the luxury and fashion industries, in particular Haute Couture. As a specialist in events organisation, he has staged exclusive Haute Couture shows across the globe. In the 1990s, he started to invite master watchmakers to these runway presentations: the likes of Daniel Roth, Gerald Genta, Vianney Halter and Antoine Preziuso.

Luxembourgs first watch brand

Alessios curiosity was piqued and it wasnt long before he began to show an interest in the profession. Vianney Halter took him under his wing. In fact this year has seen the release of a Duke by Vianney Halter watch: the second series in the young brands portfolio to date. Alessio Muller is nothing if not determined: I met several independent watchmakers, including Vianney Halter who agreed to help me get started. I was 18 and for the next few years travelled back and forth between Luxembourg and Switzerland on a weekly basis.

Dukes first model, the First Edition Clarity Tourbillon, is a limited edition of eight.

At the same time, Alessio trained as a polisher under the experienced eye of Bekim Fifaj, who went on to join Manufacture Grand-Ducale. Over a period of six years, between 2016 and 2022, he mastered the expertise and tools that would lead to the First Edition: the first watch from Luxembourgs first watch brand, manufactured as two series of eight pieces.

This debut model, a 44mm tourbillon, was a long time coming. Alessio Muller put pencil to paper in 2015 with the idea of creating a minimalist design, inspired by the Art Deco style, but with more pronounced, more contemporary angles. One thing he was certain of: this wouldnt be a round watch! The case is forged from carbon fibre, produced at the atelier in Luxembourg, with titanium inserts.

My long-term objective is to do everything in-house, with the exception of sapphire crystals, jewels, balance springs and rubber straps, he explains. What about designation of origin? Swiss-Made wasnt really relevant to us and Made in Luxembourg isnt targeted enough for a brand such as Duke, so we decided to create our own label, MGD, short for Manufacture Grand-Ducale.

Lessons from Haute Couture

Most of all, father and son aim to bring their experience of Haute Couture to watchmaking. We come from a sector that sets a standard in luxury practices, with high expectations with regard to customer service and bespoke, notes Denis Muller. An Haute Couture client can invest 300,000 euros and attend several fittings for a dress which, ultimately, she will only wear once. Its a different mentality and we want to provide this level of service and good practices in watchmaking.

The second model from the young brand, Duke by Vianney Halter was created in collaboration with the master watchmaker.

Fresh from Qatar and Kuwait, and briefly touching ground in La Chaux-de-Fonds before flying off to Asia, father and son personally deliver each watch to customers around the globe. The first edition, priced at 98,000 euros, has sold out. Adding to the exclusive nature of each series, a movement will never be used again for a different line and production will not exceed 25 pieces a year, with a medium-term objective of one hundred.

Calibre 9600 is an automatic tourbillon movement whose patented sapphire oscillating weight allows every detail to be clearly seen. Power reserve is 72 hours.

Denis Muller explains how our objective is to meet the few hundred genuine major watch collectors in the world, through our personal contacts in the fashion world, by word of mouth or through selected intermediaries. We dont want to see our watches for sale in stores. We maintain a highly exclusive approach.

This desire for exclusivity is evident in the opportunities for bespoke. Customers are encouraged to consider Dukes watches as a canvas to be filled according to their wishes. By producing its own carbon fibre, Duke can fulfil requests to include gold or titanium inserts, for example, or a specific colour, or more: a Japanese customer fell in love with the movement but asked the two entrepreneurs to design him a different case. Which they did.

Alessio and Denis Muller are determined to take their time, hence the decision not to reach out to third-party investors. Their brand identity is rooted in a powerful design language, but also the alliance of traditional crafts  no watch without hand-finishing  and contemporary materials, with the state-of-the-art machinery required to work carbon or sapphire.

Vianney Halter once told me that if Id been through traditional watchmaking school, my design choices would doubtless be very different, notes Alessio Muller, whose habit of doing things differently has also given rise to an invisible (and patented) sapphire oscillating weight. We put the launch back a year just so we could incorporate this innovation into the movement. Which is really a luxury in itself.
By Izzy Hawksworth via SWNS

A daring OAP who set out to do 90 adventures before his 90th birthday, including flying a plane and riding a Harley Davidson motorbike has completed the challenge.

Malcolm Metcalf challenged himself to do 90 things he'd never done before ahead of his landmark birthday in December.

Now he has completed the tasks two months ahead of his birthday celebrations.

The challenges included judging a dog show, making rock sweets, clay pigeon shooting, horse riding and being a passenger in Elvis Presley's Cadillac.

He also went stock car racing and traveled through eight countries as part of his adventures.

The near-nonagenarian set himself the challenge to raise money for the Priscilla Bacon Hospice in Norwich, Norfolk and had until Dec. 4 to finish it.

But after wrapping it up two months ahead of schedule, he ended up trying 98 new things in total.

Malcolm, who is still 89, said: "I'm still buzzing with everything.

"When I started, I told my godson what I was doing and he said 'you're never going to do that Malcolm' and that I've taken on too much.

"But I've done it now.

"It was a bit slow to start with as I was doing around three challenges a week but the whole thing is down to teamwork from others.

"It's been marvelous."

Out of all the 98 things he's done, Malcolm said one of his favorite things to do was when he completed 15 new things in one day.

This included traveling across Norfolk in a range of vehicles including a police car, a chimney sweep's van, a Bentley and Elvis Presley's old Cadillac.

The pensioner also went in a two-seater Formula One stock car that was driven by stock car driver Phoebe Wainman-Hawkins.

Malcolm said: "Going in the Formula One car has gone to be my favorite thing.

"I had to wear a special suit and then I did six laps around the track - it was absolutely breathtaking.

"It's the fastest I've ever been on wheels.

"Five men had to get me out in the end because it was such a narrow car, so I had to squeeze in and they had to pull me out.

"But I also flew a four-seater plane from Norwich airport, where we flew all over Norfolk and we even saw my house."

In September last year, Malcolm traveled through eight countries including France, Italy, Austria and Germany on 36 trains in 20 days to raise money for the hospice.

He was inspired to raise money for them as he had an unknown serious illness when he was younger.

Now, the money he's raised has helped the hospice build a new building for patients.

Malcolm, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, said: "They are over the moon.

"The hospice has been built and I'm having a special tour of it, so I'm looking forward to that.

"But I've given them so much publicity and they treat me like a long lost son really.

"It's done so well."

Malcolm never married or had any children as he wanted to travel instead of settling down.

When he was in his twenties, he hitchhiked to Australia where he lived for two years and he once did a 10,000 mile train journey around America.

The pensioner wrote a book about his life and his travels called "My Adventurous Life" which sold out, but he now has plans to re-publish it.

However, Malcolm has said he might write a new book about the challenge but added that he won't attempt anything like it again.

He said: "I might write a book about this during the winter time so I can sit down and relax and then do it.

"That's my big thing finished now - I've done ever so well and I just live life to the fullest.

"I've got two good things in life - good health and many, many friends."
The nursing home and assisted living industries  along with a number of federal lawmakers  are pushing against a Biden administration plan to require more staffing at facilities including having registered nurses be on-site 24/7.

Last month, the White House unveiled details of new rules and regulations on nursing homes  which receive $100 billion annually in Medicare, Medicaid and other U.S. government payments.

A centerpiece of the push (and industry opposition to it) centers on federally mandated staffing of registered nurses and nursing aides.

If finalized, the proposal would require every facility to have a registered nurse on site 24/7, to have a certain minimum number of registered nurses and nurse aides to help provide routine care, and to staff according to resident needs based on a robust assessment of the facilitys residents, the Biden administration said in its September proposal.

The rule would apply to approximately 15,000 nursing homes with 1.2 million patients/residents nationwide.

The Democratic administration is also promising increased oversight of long-term care facilities spending of Medicare and Medicaid as well as inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotic medications. The White House is also concerned about private equity firms buying up nursing homes and assisted living centers and subsequent impacts on care.

The push would also have facilities provide at least 33 minutes of care to patients from a registered nurse and just under 2.5 hours of care from nursing aides each day.

This means a nursing home would need roughly ten nurse aides per each 8-hour shift in a facility with 100 residents, according to the White House briefing report.

The rules would not usurp states with even higher personnel requirements.

According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 80% of facilities would have hire additional nursing staff if the rules go in place  including 90% of for-profit nursing homes and 60% of nonprofit and government-run centers.

The Biden administration said understaffed facilities increase the likelihoods of patient injuries and deaths as well as substandard care. When nursing homes stretch workers too thin, residents may be forced to go without basic necessities like hot meals and regular baths, or even forced to lie in wet and soiled diapers for hours, the White House said in a Sept. 1 briefing paper on the new regulations.

To help address the staffing needs, CMS says it is launching a $75 million effort to help train and recruit new nurses including with scholarships and tuition reimbursements.

Industry opposition

Long-term and congregate care industry groups contend the staffing rules are burdensome and will put facilities out of business  especially in rural and already underserved areas  as their sector faces continued and post-pandemic labor shortages.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living say the Biden personnel rules will require nursing homes to hire more than 102,100 new full-time workers (including more than 22,000 registered nurses and more than 80,000 nurses aides).

The groups say it will cost the nursing home industry $6.8 billion annually  challenging a $4 billion per year estimate from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

If nursing homes are required to reduce their numbers of beds available because of staffing rules and shortages that could impact more than 280,000 congregate care residents, many of them on Medicaid, the industry associations argue.

If this rule is finalized without the financial support that nursing homes will need to hire these additional workers, hundreds of thousands of seniors will be at risk of losing the care they need, said Cory Rutledge, chief assurance officer at CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA), a Minneapolis-based professional service and accounting firm that analyzed the federal proposals for the two industry groups.

Political pushback

The industry  and its push against the Biden efforts  has some influential friends in Washington.

Twenty-eight U.S. senators wrote U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Sept. 29 voicing concerns about President Joe Bidens push for new staffing requirements on nursing homes and assisted living centers.

The 23 Republican, 3 Democratic and 2 independent senators worried about the staffing mandates include Montana Sens. Jon Tester, a Democrat, and Steve Daines, a Republican, as well as U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, James Lankford, R-Oklahoma. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Arizona, Jean Shaheen, D-New Hampshire and Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia.

In many parts of the country, Americas long-term care facilities are facing severe workforce shortage issues that are harming access to critical care for our nations seniors. With this in mind, we are deeply concerned that now is the worst possible time for the United States to establish the nations first federal staffing mandate for long-term care facilities, the senators said in their correspondence. We believe the rule as proposed is overly burdensome and will result in additional closures and decreased access to care.

The senators want President Joe Biden to rescind the rule and find alternative approaches to labor challenges.

Tester previously voiced opposition to the Biden nursing home efforts in September and earlier this year and wants different staffing rules for rural areas.

I fear a one-size-fits-all staffing mandate would undermine access to care for patients, particularly in rural communities. Instead, I urge you to work with Congress and rural stakeholders on tailored solutions that address the severe workforce challenges in underserved areas, Tester said in a June letter to the Biden administration. A blanket staffing mandate would not account for individual facilities operational capabilities and staffing circumstances.

His office cites Montana Health Care Association numbers showing 11 nursing homes have closed statewide since 2021 (including the loss of 850 long-term care bids last year.)Since 2021, Montana has seen the closure of 11 nursing homes, and in 2022 alone, the state lost more than 850 nursing home beds, according to the Montana Health Care Association.

U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Washington state Republican who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, also worries the new mandate will put rural nursing homes in a bind.

The rule will put nursing homes  particularly in rural areas  in an impossible dilemma as they grapple with how to manage current occupancy levels with the insufficient workforce available to meet the requirements. This rule fails to adequately balance the needs of seniors and nursing home staff in the face of the current staffing shortage gripping our nation.Nursing homes would have three years in rural areas to abide by the 24/7 RN mandate and five years to get in line with all the new rules. Urban and suburban facilities would have two years to have RNs on staff around-the-clock and three years for all the other mandates, according to CMS.

Labor unions support

There are some hardship provisions for facilities with chronic staffing shortages in underserved areas. Comments on the new rules are being accepted until Nov. 6.

In many states, a distinct minority nursing homes are currently in compliance with the proposed staffing levels. Those lower percentages include California (21%), Florida (20%), Texas (4%), New York (14%), Idaho (31%), Maryland (17%), Delaware (16%), Wyoming (38%), Montana (38%), Wisconsin (37%), Georgia (6%) and Louisiana (1%), according to KFF.

States with higher current compliance levels based on the proposed nursing staff regulations include Oregon (63%), Washington (49%), North Dakota (76%), Maine (75%), Vermont (75%) and Alaska (100%). Those states have staffing rules above and beyond the current federal benchmarks.

Part of Biden's push stems from the coronavirus pandemic which saw more than 200,000 nursing home residents and staff deaths attributed to the virus  approximately one-fifth of all deaths attributed to the pandemic nationally.

Nursing homes already report labor struggles with 86% reporting staffing shortages and 96% struggling to hire staff, according to AHCA. That includes nursing aides who sometimes make at or barely above state minimum wage levels with pay at times a kin to service and retail workers.

While some patient advocates wanted Biden to go even farther with new requirements, labor unions representing nursing home workers support the new federal push.

Our country's long term care system is in the midst of a catastrophic crisis, and nursing home workers and residents have suffered unspeakable consequences. In the absence of a federal staffing standard, nursing home workers have endured complete physical, mental and emotional exhaustion due to understaffed shifts and unsafe working conditions, and nursing home residents have been robbed of the quality care and quality of life they deserve, said SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry after the rules release last month.

AFL CIO President Liz Shuler also backs Bidens push to require more transparency related to nursing home ownership, finances and use of Medicare and Medicaid funds.Workers and the families of residents have been sounding the alarm for decades about the need for a minimum national staffing standard in nursing homes, and we commend the BidenHarris administration for answering the call.
A survey calling on retailers to provide a fairer deal to the UK's struggling farmers has reached over 50,000 signatures, but supermarkets are yet to respond.

The petition, addressed to the CEOs of the nations 'big six' supermarkets, has also been signed by over 100 leading figures and industry bodies.

The letter was sent to Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl just over two weeks ago asking them to treat farmers fairly, warning that the farming industry was 'on its knees'.

It is part of the new #GetFairAboutFarming campaign launched by organic farming firm Riverford, calling for better business practices to safeguard the future of British farming.

But sixteen days on, there has been a 'deafening silence' from the high street giants to the campaign.

It comes as half (49%) of British fruit and vegetable farmers say it's likely they will go out of business in the next 12 months.

The shocking statistic is included in new research by Riverford, with many farmers blaming supermarkets and their buyers as a leading threat to their livelihoods.

Supermarkets and their buyers are accused of not paying on time, pursuing cheaper food alternatives from overseas, and cancelling or changing orders at the last minute.

Three quarters (75%) surveyed say the behaviour of supermarkets is a leading concern within the industry.

According to the research, one in five farmers (22%) say they have suffered a wasted crop due to cancelled orders from supermarkets, 29% have also received a cancelled order from supermarkets with no explanation.

And just under a third of farmers (29%) say they have seen supermarkets failing to pay them within 30 days.

However, 70% of farmers agreed it would have a positive impact if buyers paid the amount initially agreed, and did not then slash prices after the initial agreement.

A further 64% agreed it would have a positive impact if buyers bought everything they committed to buy.

Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford Organic, warned that British agriculture was 'on its knees'.

"From the backing of our open letter, it is abundantly clear that this is an urgent issue which needs to be addressed," he said.

However, the silence from supermarkets is deafening. British agriculture is on its knees, with research showing that many farmers attribute their fear of closure to the behaviour of supermarkets.

"And yet not one of the Big Six has responded to our calls for better business practices, to safeguard the future of fruit and veg farmers in this country.

The supermarkets must act now. This marks a critical moment where we can take a stand against harmful practices, and create a better, fairer future for British food and farming. "

Riverfords new research also showed farmers are currently being squeezed from all angles, including the impact of climate change, the loss of post Brexit subsidies and rising input costs.

In the face of these pressures, 67% of growers surveyed agree that making a living through farming has never been harder and 61% fear that they wont have a farm to pass on to future generations.

And its not just supermarkets; over half (54%) of horticultural farmers believe farming sits on the bottom of the governments list of priorities.

Current government policies in place to protect farmers from supermarket buying behaviour are inadequate and rarely enforced, says Riverford.

Fruit and veg farmers agree, with 69% saying tougher regulations are required to redress the imbalance of power between farmers and the supermarkets and their buyers.

For example, 64% of farmers surveyed said that having a commitment for the long-term would have a very significant positive impact on their business.

The public can show their support for the campaign by signing an online petition.
The workers were not given a reason for the directive, said the sources who have direct knowledge of the matter.

The Taiwanese firm had called off all shifts on Monday at the factory near the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu state after the fire incident, two source said.

Pegatron (4938.TW) previously told Reuters in a statement on Monday "there was a spark incident" at the facility and is currently under control. The incident "does not have significant financial or operational impact" for the company, it added.

While the facility has a production capacity of about 26,000 iPhones per day, it has been assembling about 8,000-12,000 iPhones per day in recent months, an industry source said.

Pegatron declined to comment on the production estimate.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

A local official with the emergency responses department said multiple fire engines from various stations had to be brought in to douse the fire, taking nearly five hours.

"There are no injuries, no casualties, nor damage to other assets. The cause of (the) accident is currently under investigations by (the) relevant authority," Pegatron said.

A police official told Reuters an inquiry was underway along with the fire department, describing it as a minor incident.

Local media reported late Monday the fire led to black smoke covering the nearby area, with footage showing security guards trying to clear a crowd that had gathered near the entrance of the facility.

Pegatron accounts for 10% of Apple's iPhone production in India, according to research firm Counterpoint. It estimates Apple will sell more than nine million iPhones in India this year.

Apple has bet big on India since it began iPhone assembly in the country in 2017 via Wistron (3231.TW) and later Foxconn (2317.TW), as the Indian government pushed for local manufacturing.

Pegatron, which started iPhone assembly in India in September last year, is also in talks to open a second Indian contract facility for Apple near the existing one in Tamil Nadu.

The incident is the latest problem to hit one of Apple's 14 suppliers in India.

Production was hit at a Foxconn facility in 2021 by food poisoning among workers, while a Wistron plant in India was affected by worker unrest in 2020 over non-payment of wages. In February, a fire at a south Indian facility of Foxlink for iPhone charging cables forced it to halt production.

Reporting by Ben Blanchard, Praveen Paramasivam, Munsif Vengattil, Aditi Shah and Sarah Wu; Editing by Toby Chopra, Susan Fenton, Mark Potter and Aurora Ellis
Kanye West is legally married to Bianca Censori.

Kanye West has tied the knot for the second time

The 46-year-old rap star and Bianca, 28, wed under a confidential marriage license in December, but their union wasn't made public at the time and speculation has swirled for months about their relationship status.

A source told DailyMail.com: "They are besotted with each other. I can assure you they are very much married."

Over recent months, it's been widely speculated that the celebrity couple aren't actually legally married.

But the news outlet has now revealed that Kanye and Bianca tied the knot in Palo Alto, California, on December 10, 2022, one month after he finalised his divorce from Kim Kardashian.

The rap star - who has legally changed his name to Ye - and Bianca have been determined to keep their romance low-key.

The insider shared: "Ye has been a megastar for two decades and counting, and his first marriage was to someone who lives almost full time in front of a camera.

"Bianca and Ye have a totally different vibe. They are very private, very affectionate and totally devoted to each other. I think they both enjoy carving out time that's just for them.

"For that reason they've been extremely hush-hush about the specifics of their wedding day. I don't think anyone besides the pair of them know exactly how it went down."

Meanwhile, Julia Fox recently accused Kanye of weaponising her against Kim.

The actress dated Kanye after he split from the brunette beauty, but Julia was left feeling like "his little puppet".

Julia told the Los Angeles Times newspaper: "I learned very quickly that I was being weaponised. I just felt like his little puppet."
Maya Jama has confirmed her rekindled romance with Stormzy.

Maya Jama confirms Stormzy romance [Instagram]

The 29-year-old TV presenter made their relationship Instagram official, when she shared a video of Stormzy collecting her from the airport as he held up a sign reading: "Maya Jama #1 Fan".

He held a large picture of Maya in his other hand and she included some laughing and some teary emojis on her post.

Stormzy, 30, was picking Maya up after she returned to London from filming 'Love Island Games' in Fiji.

Maya and Stormzy - who previously dated between 2015 and 2019 - were spotted holding hands in Hydra, Greece in August.

Over the last few months, Stormzy and Maya had been seen together numerous times, leading to speculation they had rekindled their romance but they both remained tight-lipped about their relationship status.

In August, Maya was spotted hanging out backstage with Stormzy after a gig in London.

The TV star jetted in from Ibiza to watch the rapper perform at All Points East festival in London's Victoria Park, before heading backstage for the afterparty.

A source told The Sun newspaper at the time: "Maya and Stormzy may not be officially dating anymore, but they are still close and grew up together. She is really proud of him and vice versa. Theyll always have a special bond.

"They spent time catching up and chatting, people were looking at them and giving them their space."

Maya previously admitted that they were "just little babies" when they dated for the first time.

The former MTV presenter told the Sunday Times newspaper: "We were so young when we met, just beginning our careers.

"I was starting at MTV. Hed not even released a single at that point. We were just little babies."
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sushmita Sen (@sushmitasen47)

Aarya's third season will feature Susmita Sen, who bravely filmed for the popular series despite experiencing a heart attack earlier this year. Fans eagerly anticipating news about the upcoming season can now be thrilled as Sushmita Sen has given a strong indication that a sneak peek of the show may be coming soon. Furthermore, Sushmita Sen has also disclosed the release date, adding to the anticipation.On Friday, Sushmita took to Instagram and shared a short animated video which featured a claw on a yellow wall. The camera then turns to a maroon-coloured screen and features the series' release date which is November 3. Sharing the video, she wrote, "Sherni ke lautne ka waqt aa gaya hai."Earlier this year, Sushmita Sen took to social media to announce the upcoming third season of her Emmy-nominated thriller series Aarya. Recently, the filming for the new season was completed. In an interview with a leading news portal, Sushmita revealed that Aarya Season 3 will showcase a new chapter in Aarya Sareen's life, where she is moving forward and creating her own story, free from her past. She compared it to putting on old jeans for a new adventure.Directed by Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi, Aarya is an official adaptation of the well-known Dutch crime series Penoz. The show focuses on a woman in her middle age who faces numerous challenges while trying to protect her family.
October has a slim but exciting schedule of Hollywood shows arriving on OTT. One of the major releases of the month is the second instalment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Loki. Another show returning with new episodes is Lupin.Here are all the upcoming Hollywood shows releasing in October 2023:The master of disguise is back in Paris! The third instalment of Lupin starring Omar Sy as Assane Diop/Arsene Lupin will see the titular character on another slew of heists.Release date: October 5Taika Waititis Pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death also returns for Season 2. The new episodes follow the crewmates making an attempt to get back into the pirate world. Between the comedy and the queer love story, the show is a wholesome watch.Release date: October 5Loki is back with a glorious purpose for Season 2. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino and others, the Marvel show will follow the God of Mischief as he deals with the fallout of his and Sylvies clash with He Who Remains.Release date: October 6After The Haunting of Hill House and the Haunting of Bly Manor, Mike Flanagan is back with another horror series. The Fall of the House of Usher, based on Edgar Alan Poes classic, promises goosebumps.Release date: October 12Before we see Brie Larson in the MCUs The Marvels, we will see her feature in Lessons in Chemistry. The show, which is based on author Bonnie Garmuss bestselling novel, follows single mom Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in 1960s America who becomes a cooking show host.Release date: October 13There has been a serious lack of Regency-era dramas, but The Gilded Age arrives later in October. It will follow the high society women of New York society.Release date: October 29
Alia Bhatt Magazine Photoshoot: Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt who is known for her versatility and ability to adapt to various roles, has left the internet buzzing with her latest photoshoot for a fashion magazine.

ALIA BHATT SHARES PICS FROM HER LATEST PHOTOSHOOT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

The actress who is currently basking in the success of her recent release, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani took to Instagram and shared pictures from her latest photoshoot for an international magazine cover. The spellbinding images show her striking unconventional and avant-garde poses.

From bending gracefully to the ground to lounging lazily on a couch, and squatting elegantly on the floor, Alia's pictures show her effortlessly embracing offbeat postures.

While one of the pictures show Alia in a sheer red dress, and multiple others in black outfits, and one in a soft pink co-ord set, Alia radiates charisma in every shot. Check out the cativating snaps.

NETIZENS REACT TO ALIA BHATT'S PHOTOSHOOT

Alia looked stunning in all the pictures, but her poses sparked a hilarious meme fest on social media. Netizens even compared her to Zara models.

One user described hilarious events with her series of pictures and wrote, "PIC- 1-When BHIKAHRI is coming n I'm watching him from my home

PIC2-Wo mere ghar tak aa gaya

PIC3-Saamne he baith gaya

PIC4--Kuch nahi dene pe wahi let gaya

PIC5-Dance dikhane lga

PIC6-Gussa ho gaya

PIC7-tiger shroff kr ke dikhane laga

PIC8-Mere iske bawjood mana karne pe gaali dene laga."

Another user commented, "Is this a pose, madam, or are you doing yoga? I can't quite tell." One more said, "These are Zara model poses." And a third comment read, "Ma'am, it seems like your knees are hurting a lot these days, and your health might not be great... maybe eat a bit more so that we can see you towering like a tower."

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Alia featured in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and also made her Hollywood debut with Heart of Stone. She will next feature in Jigra, in which she has also donned the producer's hat.

DISCLAIMER: The particular article is a compilation of thoughts shared by social media users on the subject. Ideas expressed do not reflect the view of Filmibeat.
Rakul Preet Singh is one of the most prettiest actresses and has gained immense popularity across various film industries. Having left a delible mark on the audiences since her debut, the leading lady has continued to prove her mettle and has stamped her ability across various enterttainment industries. In her evolving career, the actress has worked with the biggest superstars of Indian cinema, and her chemistry with the co-stars she worked with has etched a different place in the hearts of the audience. Recently, Rakul performed at the event 'Entertainer No. 1' in Qatar, where her stage performances set the stage on fire and garnered whistles and clappings from the audience.

Besides this, Rakul Preet Singh was seen dancing with Varun Dhawan at the event, and the duo gave an electrifying performance in the romantic song 'Apna Bana Le' from Bhediya. Their performances were truly the biggest highlight of the whole event, and everyone went gaga over this fresh pairing dance performance that lit up the stage. In just a few minutes of dance performance, both superstars of the younger generation have won the hearts of everyone. It would definitely be a feast to watch this fresh and appealing pairing come together for an out-and-out romantic film. Having received massive accolades from everyone during a stage performance, fans are excited to see them together on-screen as they would definitely make an iconic pairing on-screen and are manifesting a movie of both together.

Meanwhile, Rakul Preet Singh, who had five prominent releases last year, has two big successful releases with 'Chhatriwali' and I Love You', will be seen in the Pan India film 'Indian 2' and also has another big film, 'Ayalaan', and some interesting unannounced films in the filmography.
Shiyas Kareem's Statement: Actor Shiyas Kareem, who was arrested in connection with a rape case, has made a statement to the police regarding the allegations against him.

Highest Grossing Malayalam Movies: Kannur Squad On The Verge Of Entering The Top Ten List

According to the reports, he said that he had promised marriage to the complainant and that the sexual intercourse between them was consensual. Shiyas Kareem also revealed that the complainant had not disclosed her prior marriage and the fact that she had a son.

According to Shiyas Kareem's statement, he borrowed five lakh rupees from the woman, and the money was used to purchase the car that she currently owns. He is set to appear in Hosdurg Court.

Chennai Arrest And Legal Battle

Shiyas Kareem's arrest took place at Chennai airport after he was accused of extorting money and sexually harassing a young woman under the pretext of marriage. The Kerala Police had issued a search notice for him. Upon his arrival in Chennai from Dubai, he was apprehended by customs officials and subsequently handed over to the Kerala Police. Shiyas was then brought to Kasaragod Chandera station at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday.

Previously, the High Court had granted interim bail to Shiyas Kareem with certain conditions. In his bail application, he asserted that the woman had engaged in a relationship with him in order to extort large sums of money by making threats. The complaint against Shiyas was filed by a fitness instructor in Ernakulam and a native of Kasaragod Padanna, which was lodged at the Chandera police station in Ernakulam last month.

Leo Cast Salary: Thalapathy Vijay To Sanjay Dutt - Discover The Earnings Of The Star Ensemble For Their Roles

Shiyas Kareem, a notable figure in the world of modelling, made his mark on both television and cinema. He gained fame as one of the prominent stars on the reality show "Star Magic," which aired on the Flowers channel. Shiyas Kareem's talent and charisma led him to the top five in the 'Mr. Grand Sea World 2018' competition held in Bulgaria. He also participated as a contestant on the popular reality show "Bigg Boss Malayalam." Additionally, he showcased his acting skills in films such as "Captain," "Veeram," and "Salmon."
Anupamaa twist: In a shocking update, Samar died in Rupali Ganguly and Gaurav Khanna's show. It's hard to believe that the character is no more. Considering he was a strong support system to Anupama, fans are disheartened over his death. Rupali Ganguly's power-packed performance during the scenes have left the audience emotional.

ANUPAMAA-ANUJ DIVORCE ON THE CARDS?

Sonu, who wanted to kill Anuj, shot a bullet at him but Samar saved him by pushing him away. However, he lost his life and succumbed on the spot. Samar's death left the entire Shah household in a state of shock. Both Dimpy and Anupamaa became numb after hearing the news about him passing away.

According to a promo, Vanraj will accuse Anuj of being responsible for his son's death. He alleged that Anuj locked horns with a gangster and caused Samar's demise in the serial. Anuj even apologised to others, stating that he felt bad Samar died while saving him from Sonu.

Remember the time when Maya tried to wreak havoc in MaAn's lives but the couple never got divorced? Despite the separation, the two lovebirds didn't opt for a divorce. Is a divorce on the cards after Samar's death? This is the question that has been asked by many fans on social media.

When we asked a reliable source, he SAID, "MaAn are not getting divorced for the time being. However, separation is on the cards as the Shah family members including Baa and Vanraj will influence Anupama to take a major decision. How she reacts after Samar's death will form the crux of the story."

ANUPAMAA NEW ENTRY: WILL A LAWYER ENTER SHOW?

Gossip mills suggest that Anupama's lawyer, who will fight Samar's case against Sonu, will enter the show. There's no official confirmation about the upcoming track. Speculations are rife that the production house is in talks with known names for playing the role of a lawyer.

A source exclusively told Filmibeat, "The makers are busy chalking out a proper track after Samar's death. The sequence featuring Samar's death and Anupamaa's emotional reaction has left everyone shocked. The production doesn't want to leave any stone unturned to entertain the audience and deliver quality episodes. There's a buzz that a lawyer might enter to help Anupamaa fight the case against Sonu. Will he affect MaAn's relationship? No, he won't."

Anupamaa co-starring Sudhanshu Pandey, Madalsa Sharma, Nidhi Shahi, Nishi Saxena airs every day on Star Plus at 10pm.
The much talked about Bigg Boss Telugu 7 has never failed to surprise the audience. The popular reality show, which is being hosted by Nagarjuna Akkineni, has come up with an interesting ensemble of contestants which has been grabbing the eyeballs since the first day. And while Bigg Boss Telugu 7 has managed to keep the audience intrigued for over a month now, the show is set for an interesting twist.

As per the recent buzz, Bigg Boss Telugu 7 will be witnessing the entry of wild card entries this weekend. While several names have been rumoured to be entering the popular reality show, among these is Nayani Pavani.

Who is Nayani Pavani?

For the uninitiated, Nayani Pavani happens to be an actress, dancer and social media influencer who is also known for her massive fan following on TikTok. She is primarily famous for comedy video clips, dancing videos and performs lip-syncs on TikTok( Musical.ly) and is quite active on Instagram as well. In fact, Nayani is also known for her impressive fashion statements.

Apart from Nayani, there are reports that Bhole Shavali, Ambati Arjun will also be participating in Nagarjuna's show. However, an official announcement about the wild card entries is yet to be made.

Meanwhile, Bigg Boss Telugu 7 is also set to witness another twist this week in the form of elimination. To note, Tasty Teja Prince Yawar, Subhashree, Priyanka Jain, Shivaji, Gautham Krishna and Amardeep have been nominated for elimination. As there are speculations about who will be eliminated from Bigg Boss Telugu 7 this week, rumours are rife about Priyanka and Subhashree's eviction this weekend.

On the other hand, gossipmills are also abuzz about double elimination in Nagarjuna's show. According to a tweet shared on social media, Bigg Boss Telugu 7 will be an interesting twist with double elimination. Reportedly, while one of the bottom three contestants will be evicted, one of the nominated contestants will be sent to a secret room for the another twist. Gossipmills are abuzz that Amardeep will be sent to the secret room on the pretext of elimination
BERLIN  In Germany, as in a number of European countries, support for the far right is surging.

Buoyed by discontent over the economy and energy policy, Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) has been gaining in the polls ahead of regional elections in East Germany in 2024 and in Bavaria later this fall. An anti-migration, climate change-denying party, AfD won its first district council election in Sonneberg  a town in eastern Germany  this past June and holds 78 seats (a little more than 10 percent) in the national legislature.

The backing it has picked up is notable: National polling averages currently show the party with 21 percent support, higher than that of the 18 percent held by Chancellor Olaf Scholzs Social Democratic Party (SPD). And in recent polls of specific German states, AfD has become one of the most popular political parties in some regions, getting up to 34 percent support in Thuringia, for example.

AfDs gains have raised alarms among historians and political leaders, given the countrys history with Nazism. The AfD says it is not interested in neo-Nazism and has publicly tried to distance itself from neo-Nazi organizations. Its ties to right-wing extremists are deep, however, and, as with the Nazis, nationalism and the scapegoating of minorities  including Muslim migrants  are key to its ideology.

Thus far, the major German political parties  the center-left SPD, the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the environmentalist Greens  have declined to work with AfD at the federal level. But there is concern that mainstream parties may begin to normalize the AfD in order to build governing coalitions and to consolidate power.

One thing is: never underestimate [the AfD]. Never, says Christoph Kreutzmuller, a Holocaust historian and former curator at the Jewish Museum in Berlin.

Vox sat down with Kreutzmuller, who now chairs the Aktives Museum, which is dedicated to confronting the history of Nazis in Berlin, to discuss the lessons we should take from Germanys past and the reasons the right is seeing this resurgence now.

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This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Li Zhou

Could you start by talking about some of the political and economic factors that fueled the rise of the Nazis?

Christoph Kreutzmuller

I think the most important is a general wariness, dissatisfaction of a huge part of the population with ... the Republic, seen as the one who kind of lost the war.

[And] in the mid-1920s, the feeling, Hey, we are getting somewhere, we are moving, was quite broad. But then, of course, came the economic catastrophe. And this small party, which had been tolerated by too many for far too long, became a serious threat.

This is something we want to think about because, in 1923, this small radical party tried to putsch. And instead of, you know, prohibiting this party, which was against the rule of law, which was against the Constitution, they were only disbanded for a short time. Adolf Hitler, the head of the putsch, was given a very honorary prison treatment, in which he was able to write his fake news book, which became an international bestseller.

They missed the chance in 1923 to say full stop. They missed a chance in saying full stop when ... the Nazis rose to power with brawls and violence. [There were] a series of lost chances to enforce the rule of law. And, of course, then its the Depression. And in times of fear, anxiety, and millions unemployed, lots of people look for a strong figure.

[Additionally], anti-Semitism was one of the core political messages. After World War I, a quite big portion of the population seemingly needed something like a scapegoat. And Jews were then in Europe, in a Christian-based society, the easy scapegoat to pick.

Li Zhou

Was there a sense that other parties helped normalize Nazi leadership?

Christoph Kreutzmuller

In the state of Thuringia, there was a Nazi minister in a coalition party as of 1931. There were quite a few of those states Germany consisted of then that had established the Nazi form of government or had let Nazis come to power. So that normalized it, of course.

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And thats the question that is debated [about the AfD] right now. Can you form a coalition with those people and make them accepted as normal partners? And theres a huge understanding right now, or was a huge understanding: No, you may not, because they dont play according to the rules. And the rules are the content of our Constitution and the rule of law.

Theres real concern. And the head of the CDU right now is not as adamant as his predecessors.

Li Zhou

What parallels do you see now with the rise of AfD and the current far right and that of the Nazis?

Christoph Kreutzmuller

In times of anxiety, people tend to become more extreme because theyre afraid to lose [what they have].

We all know now that theres big changes coming [on climate and other issues] and we are afraid of these big changes. The other thing you got now ... is you [have] this fascist revival all over Europe. They are supporting each other, of course.

[There is also] scapegoating again, and its forgetting that ... Germany needs the influx of new people because we are a dying society, we are too old. And without people coming in, it will be an even huger recession. And in 10 years, we dont have the workforce anymore. So we do need them now. We do need everyone who wants to come right now. And every economist will tell you that.

[Its] a very, very old pattern. Antisemitism was rooted in this Christian society. Now its against foreigners, and of course, its connected to this anti-Muslim attitude that lots of people share.

Li Zhou

In a way, it felt somewhat surprising to see the resurgence of the far right in Germany given the countrys recent history and attempts to reckon with it. Im curious if you have found it surprising.

Christoph Kreutzmuller

No, I mean, theres more than one factor. One is that history is long gone now. People have forgot what it really [was] like in Europe. The witnesses are dying  the eyewitnesses  and so the impact is dying. Its not just like the witnesses of the persecuted, its the people... who can say, Look, my village has been bombed, and it was dreadful. That is kind of receding, this acute knowledge of destruction and murder.

And the other thing is that you can certainly see that the AfD is stronger in the East, and one of the reasons for it is that in West Germany, the talk, like the bottom up talk about Nazi perpetrators, about Nazi ideology, about the persecution of the Jews. This bottom-up process is really grassrooted in society, and ... that really helped. And that process didnt happen in the GDR (German Democratic Republic, occupied by the Soviet Union), [at least not until] much later, and then ... not so rooted in society.

Li Zhou

What are the arguments youre seeing AfD make that are resonating with voters?

Christoph Kreutzmuller

One of the main arguments of the AfD is that they are not a real party. They are different: We dont do it like the big ones. [They say that to] voters forgetting that after [existing for] 10 years, they are an established party.

The other is a very strong nationalistic argument, that us Germans have to find ourselves again, and that resonates quite well, especially in the East, because as strange as it may, its something that still lingers in the corners there, which has got something to do with not really talking about the perpetratorship in Nazi Germany.

In the course of the reunification, the people in the East tend to think that they have been neglected and not heard, and they should be heard. And thats another bit of it, which I find quite understandable because they were really not heard in the early years and lost lots of their lives. I see that. But of course, its not a justification to supporting Nazis or neo-Nazis.

And, of course, [they support] disbanding the EU because people dont understand what the EU is and that one of the greatest benefactors of the EU is Germany.

But the main argument is nationalism, and we are different.

Li Zhou

Was there more Germany, either politically or societally, could have done to stop the progression of AfD?

Christoph Kreutzmuller

The Office of the Protection of the Constitution [which is meant to protect the German government from anti-democratic extremism] actually opened an investigation. And its becoming clearer and clearer that [the AfD] is in huge parts, or in part, against the Constitution, and could [therefore] be prohibited. And you know, the case hasnt been solved yet. (Editors note: German law has a formal process for banning political parties found to be a danger to the state, in order to prevent anti-democratic extremists from using parties to take control of the country.)

But this is a question that is widely debated right now in Germany. And maybe it comes a bit late. I think if you think about the chances we. as a society, missed in saying, full stop, You are not playing according to the rules, so you dont play with us anymore. You are fascist and you are against our Constitution, and our beliefs on how to live together, you are to be prohibited.

Those chances are kind of fading, even though the arguments are growing. [Its] ever more difficult to really prohibit this party because theyre gaining so much support. I mean, how do you then prohibit a party that has got, and will gain 30 percent of the votes?

Li Zhou

What lessons do you think are important for people watching the rise of the AfD to keep in mind from German history?

Christoph Kreutzmuller

One thing is: Never underestimate them. Never. And do enforce the rule of law. I mean, thats what weve got, for Gods sake. Thats the only thing weve got as a society.

Weve got the Constitution, which I see as part of the rule of law. Apply it. And that applies for the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the United States of America.
Bigg Boss Telugu 7 wildcard contestants: It's difficult to keep calm as Nagarjuna's show will soon introduce wild card entries, who are expected to change the dynamics inside the Bigg Boss house. The show has been making waves ever since it went on air on Star Maa. Be it the fights or the twists in elimination, Bigg Boss Telugu season 7 has remained in the headlines for different reasons.

BIGG BOSS TELUGU 7 WILDCARDS NAME

If the recent buzz is to be believed, Bigg Boss Telugu 7 will have a 'mini-launch' event on October 8 to mark the entry of the wildcard contestants. While the production house has confirmed that new wildcards will enter the BB house, they have not officially revealed the names of Bigg Boss 7 Telugu wildcard contestants.

The names of Pooja Murthy, Bhole Shawli, Ambati Arjun, Nayani Pavani and Anjali Pawan have been rumoured to be a part of the show. While gossip mills suggest that these celebrities have been offered the show, they have refrained from reacting to the rumours. Interestingly, there is a buzz that Anjali Pawan might be replaced by Kevvu Karthik.

WHO IS POOJA MURTHY?

Pooja Murthy is an Indian TV star, who works in the Kannada and Telugu industry. She was born and bought up in Bengaluru. The small screen diva is the latest wildcard contestant to enter the Bigg Boss Telugu 7 house.

Did you know she started her career as a child artist with the Kannada serial 'Railu Jeevi'? Pooja later worked in shows like Antharu, Mahanadhi, Milana, Pom Pom, Oh Devare, Pancharangi, to name a few, according to a report in All Wiki Biography.

Pooja Murthy is fondly known for her role in Gundamma Katha. Pooja enjoys a good fan following on social media. With over 88k followers on Instagram, she is one of the most popular TV stars on the platform. Earlier this year, her photo with Nani went viral on the internet.

WILL BIGG BOSS TELUGU 7 WILDCARD CONTESTANTS CHANGE GAME?

Pooja Murthy, Nayani Pavani, Bhole Shavali, Ashwini Sri, Arjun Ambati are the five wildcard contestants, who have entered the Bigg Boss Telugu, are expected to shake up the game. It remains to be seen if the wildcards will be able to challenge the current members of the BB house or not.

Considering their potential, Bigg Boss Telugu season 7 fans believe that the wildcards specially Ashwini and Arjun have high chances of winning the show. Only time will tell if they are able to leave a strong mark on the audience or not.

Keep watching this space for more updates.
ABU DHABI, UAE, Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In alignment with the industry trend of focusing on innovative technologies to accelerate decarbonisation and energy transition, Yantai Jereh Oilfield Services Group Co., Ltd. showcased its latest products and solutions for oil and gas industry at ADIPEC 2023.

This year, with the theme of "Low Carbon, High Intelligence, Enhanced Efficiency", Jereh, with its interactive lighting matrix, digital sand table, 3D project video, brought Jereh's latest equipment, services and integrated solutions in the field of oil, gas, and surface engineering, environmental management. All demonstrate the new achievements and breakthroughs of localisation, low-carbonisation and intelligence of Jereh in the Middle East.

As the acceleration of energy transition, oil companies are focusing on technological solutions that can not only offer stable operation and cost efficiency, but also meet the needs of environmental protection as COP28 approaches. Jereh's turbine fracturing and electric fracturing solutions stand out due to their safety, reliability, high efficiency and environmental protection, as well as their outstanding market performance.

The Jereh CTU, cementing and are also favoured by Middle East customers. Through continuous improvement of its own technology development and innovation, Jereh helps customers to achieve an efficient and environmentally friendly oil and gas extraction.

In 2021, Jereh signed the ADNOC pilot production facility project in the UAE. In the same year, the company was awarded the JPF-5 project of Kuwait Petroleum Company, with a contract value of over $426 million. At present, the project has completed the design and procurement, and the construction is expected to be completed by the end of November.

While remaining at the forefront in oil & gas industry, Jereh actively explores its possibilities on environment protection. Jereh showcased oily waste treatment solutions as Jereh latest technology in environmental protection. As the main force of the solution, the continuous rotary TDU, equipped with the innovative sealing technology and kiln barrel self-cleaning coking technology can effectively solve the problems of coking of high liquid content and high asphaltene materials and ensure effective heat transfer. At present, the equipment have been successfully applied in many oilfields and refineries globally, making them an excellent choice for the ME market, where environmental protection requirements are becoming increasingly stringent.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/low-carbon-high-intelligence-enhanced-efficiency-jereh-showcases-at-adipec-2023-301950041.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 6, 2023) - Eureka Lithium Corp. (CSE: ERKA) (OTCQB: SCMCF) (FSE: S580) ("Eureka Lithium" or "Eureka" or the "Company") announces that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement financing (the "Private Placement") of up to 2,000,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.50 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000.

Each Unit shall consist of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company ("Share") and one-half (1/2) of one (1) Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase a Share at an exercise price of $0.65 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

Closing of the Private Placement is anticipated to occur on or about the week of October 30, 2023. Closing is subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals. The net proceeds of the Private Placement are intended to be used to advance the Company's Raglan West, Raglan South and New Leaf Camps and for general corporate purposes. Finders' fees may be paid to eligible arm's length persons with respect to certain subscriptions accepted by the Company.

Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Units issuable under the Private Placement will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in Canada and other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A.2 of NI 45-106 (the "LIFE Exemption"). Because the Private Placement is to be completed pursuant to the LIFE Exemption, the securities issued in connection with the Private Placement will not be subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

There is an offering document dated October 6th, 2023, related to the Private Placement that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.eurekalithiumcorp.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or available exemptions from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States, or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Corporate Video

To view a new Eureka Lithium corporate video, visit www.EurekaLithiumCorp.com (https://eurekalithiumcorp.com) or the following URL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vvm0zfNFp4

Corporate Presentation

Visit the Eureka Lithium homepage or click on the following URL to view the Company's Corporate Presentation:

https://eurekalithiumcorp.com/EurekaLithium_Q3_2023.pdf

About Eureka Lithium Corp.

Eureka Lithium is the largest lithium-focused landowner in the northern third of Quebec, known as the Nunavik region, with 100% ownership of three projects comprising 1,408 sq. km in the emerging Raglan West, Raglan South and New Leaf Lithium Camps. These claims were acquired from legendary prospector Shawn Ryan and are located in a region that hosts two operating nickel mines with deep-sea port access.

For more information please contact:

Jeffrey Wilson

Chief Executive Officer

Email: info@eurekalithiumcorp.com

Cautionary Statement

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, such as statements regarding the contemplated closing of the Private Placement or whether it will close at all, the use of proceeds from the Private Placement, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's expectations and are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, nor that the Private Placement will be completed as contemplated, or at all. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/183260
SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- vivo today announced the launch of Funtouch OS 14 for vivo users in international markets. The Android-based system comes with all the benefits introduced in the new Android 14 version, with a unique vivo twist to deliver an enhanced, always-smooth user experience. With a focus on improving memory management, multitasking capabilities, personalization, privacy and security, as well as offering new video editing tools to allow for greater creativity and flexibility, Funtouch OS 14 ensures users enjoy every interaction with their device.

Smooth Envision: Smooth, Every Time

Funtouch OS 14 introduces Smooth Envision, an innovative approach that makes the OS experience smoother inside and out. By reducing the number of persistent processes and optimizing RAM usage, Funtouch OS 14 enhances system performance, responsiveness, and the ability to keep more apps active simultaneously. This enhanced RAM Saver feature adds up to 600 MB in available RAM space to devices with RAM configuration of 8 GB and above, making multitasking a breeze. For additional convenience, a new App Retainer feature ensures whitelisted apps that have not been closed manually are always restored to the last interface so users can easily continue where they left off.

On select smartphone models, smoothness is also achieved visually with Motion Blur, another exciting upgrade that uses advanced algorithms to simulate motion blur when opening and closing apps on the home screen. This software-driven approach enhances the smoothness of displays with a 60 Hz refresh rate by an impressive 18.7%, ensuring silky-smooth visual transitions.

Do More at Once with Enhanced Multitasking Features

Funtouch OS 14 takes multitasking to the next level, introducing an upgraded small window feature. Thanks to the improved visibility of adjustment lines, users will now find it easier to navigate and understand the adjustment range. Users can keep up to 12 small windows active in the background, and the OS offers support for side-swipe suspension, giving users more control. For scenarios such as ride-hailing, watching a video, and chatting at the same time, when users want to focus on one app but still monitor another, a new non-interactive mini small window mode is introduced. Users can easily switch between the small window modes with a single tap.

More Color, More You: Personalize Your Experience

Funtouch OS 14 introduces a range of new personalization options, enabling users to express their unique style. Users can now customize the clock style on the lock screen, with options to choose from three clock layout styles and eight font styles. New always on display stylesi and a new minimalist theme have also been introduced. Based on Material You design, the new monochrome theme, called MY color palette, is simple and elegant and offers a diverse section of colors to choose from. Additionally, this feature contributes to power saving by optimizing the display for grayscale visuals.

Get Creative with New Advanced Video Editing Tools

Funtouch OS 14 comes with enhanced video editing capabilities, making it easier for users to create unique and captivating content without the need to rely on third-party apps. Users can now export videos in their original quality, supporting lossless export. Customizable video quality settings, including resolutions up to 4K at 60FPSii , give users greater creative control. Additionally, 25 filters have been added for easy video editing, all presented in improved thumbnails to better showcase the unique effects and usage scenarios and make it easier to choose.

Furthermore, Funtouch OS 14 delivers an improved album browsing and viewing experience, allowing users to adjust the video playback speed, loop playback, enjoy full-screen playback, or take screenshots.

Safeguarding User Privacy and Security

Funtouch OS 14 empowers users to share their device while maintaining control over their personal information. A new Smart Mirroring feature allows users to seamlessly share their screen without worrying that the notification bar will pop up, accidentally revealing any personal information. Furthermore, users' hidden photos are now protected with an additional password verification step.

Availability

Funtouch OS 14 will be available for download starting from mid-October on vivo X90 Pro and iQOO 11.

About vivo

vivo is a technology company that creates great products based on a design-driven value, with smart devices and intelligent services as its core. The company aims to build a bridge between humans and the digital world. Through unique creativity, vivo provides users with an increasingly convenient mobile and digital life. Following the company's core values, which include Benfen*, user-orientation, design-driven value, continuous learning and team spirit, vivo has implemented a sustainable development strategy with the vision of developing into a healthier, more sustainable world-class corporation.

While bringing together and developing the best local talents to deliver excellence, vivo is supported by a network of R&D centers in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an and more cities, focusing on the development of state-of-the-art consumer technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence, industrial design, imaging system and other up-and-coming technologies. Vivo has also set up an intelligent manufacturing network (including those authorized by vivo), with an annual production capacity of nearly 200 million smartphones. As of now, vivo has branched out its sales network across more than 60 countries and regions, and is loved by more than 500 million users worldwide.

*"Benfen" is a term describing the attitude on doing the right things and doing things right - which is the ideal description of vivo's mission to create value for society.

Stay informed of latest vivo news at https://www.vivo.com/en/about-vivo/news

i Always on display styles availability varies based on hardware specifications. ii Available resolution options may vary across smartphone models.

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Goodness Growth and Grown Rogue each issued warrants to the other to purchase listed shares



Issuances were announced in May at the same time as a strategic agreement between the Parties

MINNEAPOLIS and MEDFORD, Ore., Oct. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. ("Goodness Growth") (CSE: GDNS; OTCQX: GDNSF), and Grown Rogue International, Inc. ("Grown Rogue") (CSE: GRIN; OTC: GRUSF) (collectively the "Parties" or the "Companies"), today announced that they have completed the issuance of warrants to purchase listed shares as previously announced on May 25, 2023.

In May, the Companies announced their intention to issue warrants (as described herein) at the same time the Companies announced a strategic agreement (the "Agreement") whereby Grown Rogue supports Goodness Growth in the optimization of its cannabis flower products, with a particular focus on improving the quality and yield of top-grade "A" cannabis flower in Minnesota and Maryland. The issuance of those warrants has now been completed.

On October 5, 2023, Goodness Growth issued 10,000,000 warrants to purchase subordinate voting shares of Goodness Growth to Grown Rogue, with a strike price equal to C$0.317 (US$0.233), which represented a 25.0 percent premium to the 10-day volume weighted average price ("VWAP") of Goodness Growth's subordinate voting shares on the trading day immediately prior to the effective date of the Agreement. Similarly, Grown Rogue issued 8,500,000 warrants to purchase shares of Grown Rogue to Goodness Growth, with a strike price equal to C$0.225 (US$0.166), which represented a 25.0 percent premium to the 10-day VWAP of Grown Rogue's subordinate voting shares on the trading day immediately prior to the effective date of the Agreement. The warrants exchanged in the agreement were issued with five-year terms to exercise (provided that the Grown Rogue warrants may terminate earlier on an insolvency event relating to Goodness Growth), may not be registered with the United States Securities & Exchange Commission or qualified by any Canadian provincial securities commission, and are not assignable except as set forth in the warrant certificates, as more particularly described in the May 25, 2023 announcement.

The aforementioned warrants and shares underlying such warrants are subject to a four-month and one-day hold period from the date of issuance under applicable Canadian securities laws.

About Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc.

Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. (CSE: GDNS; OTCQX: GDNSF) is a cannabis company whose mission is to provide safe access, quality products and value to its customers while supporting its local communities through active participation and restorative justice programs. The Company is evolving with the industry and is in the midst of a transformation to being significantly more customer-centric across its operations, which include cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale and retail business lines. Today, the Company is licensed to grow, process, and/or distribute cannabis in four markets and operates 14 dispensaries in three states. For more information about Goodness Growth Holdings, please visit www.goodnessgrowth.com.

About Grown Rogue International, Inc.

Grown Rogue International, Inc. (CSE: GRIN; OTC: GRUSF), is a craft cannabis company focused on delighting customers with premium flower and flower-derived products at fair prices. The Company's roots are in Southern Oregon where it has demonstrated its capabilities in the highly competitive and discerning Oregon market and, more recently, successfully expanded its platform to Michigan. The Company combines its passion for product and value with a disciplined approach to growth, prioritizing profitability and return on capital. Its strategy is to pursue capital efficient methods to expand into new markets, bringing craft quality and value to more consumers. The Company also continues to make modest investments to improve its outdoor craft cultivation capabilities in preparation for eventual interstate commerce. For more information about Grown Rogue, please visit www.grownrogue.com.

Contact Information:

Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc.:

Amanda Hutcheson

Senior Manager, Communications

amandahutcheson@goodnessgrowth.com

(919) 815-1476

Grown Rogue International, Inc.:

Investor Relations Desk

invest@grownrogue.com

(458) 226-2100

Forward-Looking Statement Disclosure

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable United States and Canadian securities legislation. To the extent any forward-looking information in this press release constitutes "financial outlooks" within the meaning of applicable United States or Canadian securities laws, such information is being provided as preliminary financial results and the reader is cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for any other purpose and the reader should not place undue reliance on such financial outlooks. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "should," "believe," "could," "looking forward," "may," "continue," "expect," "will," "subject to," and variations of such words and phrases, or any verbs in the future tense. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Forward-looking information includes both known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Goodness Growth and Grown Rogue or their subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this press release. Forward-looking information is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of Goodness Growth's and Grown Rogue's management teams, believed but not certain to be reasonable, in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions, and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment, and the availability of licenses, approvals and permits.

Although Goodness Growth and Grown Rogue believe that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because Goodness Growth and Grown Rogue can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to the timing of adult-use legislation in markets where the Company currently operates; current and future market conditions, including the market price of the subordinate voting shares Goodness Growth and Grown Rogue; risks related to epidemics and pandemics, federal, state, local, and foreign government laws, rules, and regulations, including federal and state laws and regulations in the United States relating to cannabis operations in the United States and any changes to such laws or regulations; operational, regulatory and other risks; execution of business strategy; management of growth; difficulties inherent in forecasting future events; conflicts of interest; risks inherent in an agricultural business; risks inherent in a manufacturing business; liquidity risks and other risk factors set out in Goodness Growth and Grown Rogue's Annual Reports for the year ended December 31, 2022, which are available, if applicable, on EDGAR with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under the Goodness Growth's and Grown Rogue's company profiles on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. Except as required by law, Goodness Growth and Grown Rogue undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
Switching study conducted to evaluate whether switching from reference aflibercept to SB15 maintains comparable clinical efficacy and safety



Post-hoc analysis demonstrates biosimilarity between SB15 and reference aflibercept before and after switching

INCHEON, Korea, Oct. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. today announced that it presented a post-hoc analysis of the Phase 3 clinical study results for SB15, a proposed biosimilar to Eylea (aflibercept), at EURETINA 2023 being held from October 5 to 8 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

In this Phase 3, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group multicenter studyii, a total of 449 study participants were randomized 1:1 to receive 3 monthly intravitreal injections of either 2 mg SB15 or reference aflibercept (AFL) initially, followed by treatment once every 8 weeks up to week 48. The aim of the post-hoc analysis was to find out biosimilarity between SB15 and reference aflibercept.

This post-hoc analysis demonstrated that switching to SB15 from AFL maintained comparable clinical efficacy and safety in treating patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), confirming biosimilarity between these agents before and after switching.

The primary endpoint was change from baseline in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at week 8; all endpoints were followed through week 56. The efficacy and safety after switching were compared with that of prior to switching. A post-hoc analysis was conducted on efficacy endpoints including change in BCVA and central subfield thickness (CST), using data measured at time of re-randomization at week 32 prior to injection as the new baseline to compare clinical biosimilarity between SB15 and AFL post-switching (AFL/SB15 group vs AFL/AFL group).

"We are pleased to present the switching data of SB15 from reference aflibercept that continues to demonstrate its comparable clinical efficacy and safety in treating patients with nAMD. We hope the study results also help allay concerns over safety and efficacy of biosimilars for their use in patients who were previously treated with reference product," said Hyejin Kim, Vice President and Medical and Lifecycle Safety Team Leader at Samsung Bioepis. "We will continue to advance with our scientific research, publication and educational activities to bring more awareness of biosimilars among ophthalmologists," she added.

Samsung Bioepis and Biogen announced in November 2019 that they had entered into an exclusive commercialization agreement for two ophthalmology biosimilar candidates, SB11/BYOOVIZ (ranibizumab) and SB15 (aflibercept) in major markets around the world.

"This post-hoc analysis provides valuable insights on the outcomes of switches from the reference biologic to SB15 and may help clinicians to make well informed decisions on potential use of SB15 if approved", said Mourad Farouk Rezk, Vice President and Head of Global Medical and Development, Biogen Biosimilars Unit.

SB15 switching data aside, Samsung Bioepis also showcased two other presentations at EURETINA and the details are as below:

Presentation Title Presentation Details Pre-to-Post Switching Efficacy and Safety Assessments of SB15 (Proposed Aflibercept Biosimilar) in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Findings from a Post-hoc Analysis of a Phase III Clinical Trial Session: Free Paper Session 13: AMD III

Date/Time: Oct 7 (Sat), 16:19-16:25 PM CEST

Abstract Number: CA23211

Authors: Srinivas Sadda, Se Joon Woo, Mario Bradvica, Attila Vajas, Min Sagong, Jan Ernest, Jan Studnicka, Miroslav Veith, Edward Wylegala, Sunil Patel, Cheolmin Yun, Inkyung Oh, Mercy Yeeun Kim, Hyerin Jang, Taehyung Kim, Seungkee Kim, Wooree Choi, Neil M. Bressler Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing SB15 with Reference Aflibercept in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: 56-Week Resultsiii



Session: AMD

Abstract Number: CA23305

Authors: Se Joon Woo, Srinivas Sadda, Mario Bradvica, Attila Vajas, Min Sagong, Jan Ernest, Jan Studnicka, Miroslav Veith, Edward Wylegala, Sunil Patel, Cheolmin Yun, Michal Orski, Sergei Astakhov, Edit Toth-Molnar, Adrienne Csutak, Lajos Enyedi, Taehyung Kim, Inkyung Oh, Hyerin Jang Immunogenicity with Ranibizumab Biosimilar SB11 (Byooviz) and Reference Product Lucentis and Association with Efficacy, Safety, and Pharmacokinetics: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Phase III Randomized Clinical Trialiv Session: AMD

Abstract Number: CA23250

Authors: Se Joon Woo, Mercy Yeeun Kim, Inkyung Oh, Taehyung Kim, Neil M. Bressler

SB15 Post-hoc Analysis

A total of 449 study participants were randomized 1:1 to receive 3 monthly 0.05 mL intravitreal injections of either 2 mg SB15 or AFL initially, followed by treatment once every 8 weeks up to week 48. At week 32, a total of 438 participants were re-randomized, resulting in 219 continuing SB15, 108 continuing AFL (AFL/AFL), and 111 switched from AFL to SB15 (AFL/SB15). 425 (97.0%) re-randomized participants completed the study up to week 56. The new baseline (W32; prior to re-randomization) characteristics were comparable between the continued (AFL/AFL) group and the switched (AFL/SB15) group. The efficacy was well-maintained post-switching as the mean BCVA letter score (~Snellen equivalent) was 65.3 (20/50) at Week 32 (pre-switching) and 65.8 (20/50) at Week 56 (post-switching) for the AFL/SB15 group compared with 65.2 (20/50) at Week 32 and 65.8 (20/50) at Week 56 within AFL/AFL group. Also, there was no difference in efficacy between the two groups post-switching as the least square (LS) mean for change from W32 in BCVA at week 56 for AFL/AFL was 0.0 letters and 0.2 letters for AFL/SB15 (difference: 0.3 [95% CI: -1.2, 1.8] letters). The LS mean for change from W32 in CST at week 56 for AFL/AFL was -13 m and for AFL/SB15 was -9 m (difference: 4 [95% CI: -7, 14] m). There were no additional safety signals identified and the immunogenicity profile was also similar after switching.

About Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd.

Established in 2012, Samsung Bioepis is a biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing healthcare that is accessible to everyone. Through innovations in product development and a firm commitment to quality, Samsung Bioepis aims to become the world's leading biopharmaceutical company. Samsung Bioepis continues to advance a broad pipeline of biosimilar candidates that cover a spectrum of therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology, ophthalmology, hematology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology. For more information, please visit: www.samsungbioepis.com and follow us on social media - Twitter, LinkedIn.

References

i Eylea is a trademark of Regeneron.

ii Srinivas R Sadda, Se Joon Woo, et al. Pre-to-Post Switching Efficacy and Safety Assessments of SB15 (Proposed Aflibercept Biosimilar) in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Findings from a Post-hoc Analysis of a Phase III Clinical Trial. Presentation Presented at EURETINA 2023.

iii The same study results were first presented at the 2023 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting (Apr 23-27, 2023).

iv The same analysis results were first presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2022 Annual Meeting (Sep 30-Oct 3, 2022) under the title "Correlation Analysis between Immunogenicity and Clinical Outcomes of an Approved Ranibizumab Biosimilar, Byooviz (SB11)" (Neil M Bressler, Se Joon Woo et al).
WhiteSwell, a company pioneering a new paradigm in the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), announced today positive initial results from its ongoing DELTA-HF trial evaluating the WhiteSwell eLym System. The data were presented at the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Annual Scientific Meeting 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.

In DELTA-HF, a minimally invasive catheter-based system is introduced to facilitate the removal of excess fluid from the body's tissues and organs concurrent with diuretic removal of excess vascular fluid. The eLym System targets the body's largest lymphatic vessel and creates pressure conditions that support the tissue drainage capabilities of the overwhelmed lymphatic system.

Nine hospitalized patients received eLym therapy in conjunction with diuretic therapy, while six patients received standard of care treatment with loop diuretics alone.

Summary of key findings:

Treatment with the eLym System was performed safely and successfully. Deployed and activated in nine patients with a mean treatment time of 24 hours. No patient experienced a serious procedure-, device-, or therapy-related adverse event.



Early clinical results are promising and support further clinical investigation. Patients who underwent therapy with the eLym System plus loop diuretic lost a mean of 6.04.6 kg from baseline to hospital discharge while maintaining kidney function, as measured by a stable or improved creatinine (mean -0.100.12 mg/dL). The loop diuretic-only group lost a mean of 3.33.7 kg. One treated patient (1/9, 11%) was hospitalized within 30 days of discharge.



"It cannot be overemphasized how significant and challenging it is to fully decongest patients hospitalized with decompensated heart failure. Patients with persistent congestion at discharge are more likely to be rehospitalized, are less likely to be treated with optimal medical therapy and are at greater risk of poor outcomes. Most of the fluid accumulates in the tissues, and we have not previously had a way to actively target that fluid," said William Abraham, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Physiology, and Cell Biology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "WhiteSwell's ingenious approach of reducing thoracic duct pressure to facilitate lymphatic drainage of the tissues enables us to actively address both interstitial tissue and intravascular decongestion simultaneously. I'm particularly encouraged by the amount of decongestion achieved with stable or improved creatinine, an indicator of kidney function."

"This is a new approach, and we are excited to investigate WhiteSwell's catheter-based system," said Zviad Kereselidze, M.D., Head of the ICCU at Tbilisi Heart Center. "We have treated some of our most challenging patients who are frequently hospitalized with congestion, and we have been pleasantly surprised with how well they have decongested at the time of discharge and how the benefit was sustained at 30-day follow-up."

WhiteSwell continues to evaluate this unique approach to treating ADHF patients with continued enrollment and follow-up in The Safety and Feasibility of the eLym System for the Decongestion of Excess Lymphatic Fluid via the Thoracic Duct in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (DELTA-HF) Trial. The company looks forward to sharing additional data in the future.

About the DELTA-HF Trial

The DELTA-HF trial is a non-randomized early feasibility trial evaluating the safety and performance of the eLym System in the treatment of fluid overload or congestion in patients with ADHF.

About the eLym System

The eLym System is a minimally invasive catheter-based system designed to facilitate the removal of excess fluid from tissues and organs (interstitial fluid) in patients with ADHF by supporting the overwhelmed lymphatic system's ability to actively drain fluid. The eLym System is deployed in the left internal jugular and innominate veins near where the lymphatic system's major highway, the thoracic duct, connects. It creates a low-pressure zone to facilitate fluid drainage in conjunction with intravenous diuretics.

About Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)

ADHF is an episode of worsening heart failure symptoms that results in millions of hospitalizations worldwide each year, including three million in the U.S. alone.1 Patients with ADHF experience difficulty breathing, fatigue, and edema (swelling) due to fluid back-up in the lungs and other parts of the body (congestion). The condition requires hospital-based treatment to remove excess fluid in a process called decongestion. Complete decongestion is the goal of ADHF treatment since residual congestion at hospital discharge is the strongest predictor of rehospitalization and death.2 As many as half of ADHF patients are discharged from the hospital not fully decongested, and one out of four ADHF patients is readmitted to the hospital within one month.3,4,5

About the Lymphatic System and ADHF

In healthy individuals, the lymphatic system continuously captures fluid from tissues throughout the body and pumps it back into the vascular system to maintain homeostasis. In ADHF, excess fluid collects in the tissues of the body (the interstitial compartment), causing edema and an increase in venous blood pressure. Excess tissue fluid and high venous blood pressure interfere with the lymphatic system's ability to move fluid back to the vascular system, which can further exacerbate congestion.

About WhiteSwell

WhiteSwell is a patient-focused company dedicated to improving treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), a primary cause of repeat hospitalization and emergency room visits. A privately held company, WhiteSwell is headquartered in Galway, Ireland. For more information, visit www.whiteswell.com.

___________________________

1 Hollenberg et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2019;74:1966-2011. (1M annual hospital discharges with HF as primary diagnosis and 2M hospital discharges with HF as secondary contributing diagnosis.)

2 Martens Mullens, How to tackle congestion in acute heart failure, Korean J Intern Med 2018;33:462-473

3 Girerd et al, Integrative Assessment of Congestion in Heart Failure Throughout the Patient Journey, J Am Coll Cardiol HF 2018;6:273-85

4 Arrigo et al, Nature Reviews Disease Primers volume 6, Article number: 16 (2020)

5 Rubio-Gracia, J. et al. (2018). International Journal of Cardiology, 258, pp. 185-191.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231007188660/en/

Contacts:

Dunia Cristan

Email: dunia@healthandcommerce.com
Class Companion, a San Francisco, CA-based AI platform that empowers teachers to give instant, personalized feedback to students, publicly launched with $4m in seed funding.

The round was led by Index Ventures, with participation from the OpenAI Startup Fund, and notable angels including renowned operator and advisor Gokul Rajaram, Managing Director of Otherwise Fund Terrence Rohan, and AI luminary Andrej Karpathy, founding Research Scientist at OpenAI and former Senior Director of AI at Tesla.

The company intends to use the funds to improve the teacher experience and expand the team.

Co-founded by Avery Pan, CEO, and Jack Forbes, Class Companion empowers teachers to give instant feedback and support each student to learn at their own pace. Thousands of teachers use the AI platform to create assignments, engage students, generate feedback, and gain insights into progress.

The platform uses large language models to enable teachers to give practice by providing instant, personalized feedback on written assignments. Teachers customize assignments and invite students to submit answers. In addition to detailed feedback, Class Companion offers hints and contextual knowledge, suggestions for revision, and recognition of progress. Teachers have full visibility throughout the process and can override the AI to have the final say.

FinSMEs

07/10/2023
Akshay Kumars Misison Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue and Bhumi Pednekars Thank You For Coming have opened fairly at the box-office. While Kumars film thats based on the life of Jaswant Singh Gill who rescued 65 miners in Indias biggest rescue operation opened at around Rs 2.75 crore, Pednekars comedy minted Rs 1.06 crore

Both Mission Raniganj and Thank You For Coming are likely to grow over the weekend. Akshay Kumars film in particular, is riding on strong word of mouth.

About Mission Raniganj

Hindi cinema continues to tell untold stories of unsung heroes that always deserved to be celebrated and be inspired by. The recent example is the film Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue that stars Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra in lead roles. It also stars fine talents like Ravi Kishan, Pawan Malhotra, Kumud Mishra, Jameel Khan, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya. Its directed by Tinu Suresh Desai, who made Rustom back in 2016, another film based on a true story.

His next film seven years later is about the man we all know as Jaswant Gill aka Capsule Gill. If one sees the the trailer, or the movie thats now running in cinemas, its about the story of 65 workers trapped in a mine 350 feet below ground level. Its also the story of Jaswant Gill, who single-handedly rescued all of them in what remains the nations biggest rescue operation.

What exactly happened?

On 13 November 1989, a series of blasts broke the Mahabir Colliery in Raniganj, West Bengal, when someone accidentally touched the upper seam of the mine, which led to heavy flooding, according to reports.

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Bollywood heartthrob Sushant Singh Rajput left a big hole as he suddenly died on June 14, 2020. While his death was initially termed a suicide, some people have been saying that the Shuddh Desi Romance star was actually killed.

The actors then-girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty also faced a lot of criticism and was even called names. The actress recently graced the second day of Mumbai Conclave 2023 on 5 October. Talking to media post-event, the actress opened up about how her life was never the same after the demise of Sushant Singh Rajput.

When asked if she ever provided drugs to Sushant Singh Rajput, Rhea denied the accusations saying that she was done with this topic. The actress also said that people should focus on her mental health.

I dont want to talk about drugs, I dont want to talk about NCB. I dont want to talk about CBI, said the actress.

Rhea Chakraborty on life after Sushant Singh Rajput

Talking about her life after Sushant Singh Rajput to India Today, Rhea Chakraborty shared that moving on is what makes people human, and she is really looking forward to it. She revealed that it has been difficult for her to lead a normal life and do even simple things such as taking a walk, going to a salon, and eating out with her parents.

Rhea Chakraborty talked about what it was like when she was targeted post Sushant Singh Rajputs passing away. I was going through a persons loss in my life and there was so much media attention. I wasnt allowed time to grieve. All of that has come and those small victories are very exciting to me. I am grateful I am able to lead a normal life again now, she said.

Chakraborty also disclosed that she misses SSR. She said that it was going to be very difficult for her to live the rest of her life without that person who was her friend, partner and companion. She was quoted as saying, But, life has happened to both of us and one has to move on.

Chakraborty also stated that despite going through so much, she never thought of herself as a victim. She believed she was a survivor. According to the actress, the will to live is big enough to keep one going.

Rhea Chakraborty on work front

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Rhea Chakraborty is presently seen as one of the judges on the reality show, MTV Roadies, alongside Ashneer Grover, Prince Narula and Gautam Gulati.

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R.M. Palmer Co. ignored a gas leak reported at its chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., failed to evacuate the facility, and the resulting explosion killed seven workers. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a $44,000 fine.

"Seven workers will never return home because the R.M. Palmer Co. did not evacuate the facility after being told of a suspected gas leak," OSHA Area Director Kevin T. Chambers, of the agency's Harrisburg office, said in a written statement. "The company could have prevented this horrific tragedy by following required safety procedures." Palmer denied it violated any workplace safety standards and said it would contest the OSHA citations, which the company said are "legally and factually unsupported."

$6,285 for each death. Though the money is a pittance, the ruling tees up the survivors and families to dunk the company in civil lawsuits. Another criticism is that this is a poor substitute for the criminal prosecutions and regulatory changes that should also be happening. Palmers specializes in holiday chocolate: the waxy sort that leaves a film coming in and going out.
Uorfi Javed is known for her bold fashion choices. Her latest picture has sparked engagement rumors. The actress photo with her alleged fiance was shared by her sister Urusa, with the mans face hidden with a heart emoji. They both could be seen performing a Puja.

Uorfi Javed, an actress-turned-social media influencer, is always at the centre of attention thanks to her eye-catching clothes and curious fashion sense. A former contestant at Bigg Boss OTT, one of Indias most-sought-after drama reality shows, the TV star is no stranger to making conspicuous remarks in public for defending her bold and unconventional choices. The 25-year-old recently hit the headlines for indulging in a verbal spat with a man at the airport who slammed her for wearing revealing clothes. This heated exchange between the two was papped and uploaded on Instagram.

In the clip, Uorfi was seen leaving the airport wearing a green backless outfit when the man passing by confronted her over her clothes. The man holding a glass of water in his hands, said: India ka naam kharab karti ho aise sab pehenne se (You spoil Indias name by wearing such clothes).

Uorfi stood up against his remarks and retorted, Aapke baap ka kuch jara hai? Uncle, jao apna kam karo (What do you have to do with it? Uncle, mind your own business).

Despite her response, the man kept bulling her and said, Nahi, hum bolenge (No, I will say what I want), which further infuriated the TV actress and she lost her cool.

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Cast: Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, Sabrina Wu

Director: Adele Lim

Language: English

Filmmaker Adele Lim is known for writing Crazy Rich Asians, the first film by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of Asian descent in a modern setting since The Joy Luck Club in 1993, and Raya and the Last Dragon, an animated fantasy adventure inspired by Southeast Asian culture. This is what her Wikipedia says. Its great if she believes in the idea of inclusiveness, and in the process making films that brim with amusement if not necessarily uniqueness.

In her latest film called Joy Ride, the title almost justifies the briskness of the narrative.

What is it about?

When Audreys business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the help of Lolo, her childhood best friend, Kat, a college friend, and Deadeye, Lolos eccentric cousin. Their epic, no-holds-barred experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are.

There are multiple characters, many chaotic moments, and lots of confusion. Theres a scene that involves a heartbreaking moment when the character of the protagonist Ashley Park visits her mothers grave; and it may sound little ridiculous but it kind of reminded me of Aishwarya Rai and Govindas film Albela. But thats about it. This is a film that has many other things to offer.

There was a time when Hollywood was religiously churning out 95-minute entertainers before going all bloated with three and four-hour long opuses, not to forget the OTT boom that took over. Joy Ride is both chaotic and crisp, and the performances are breezy and badass.

Lets see what Adele Lim has to offer next, inclusiveness included.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

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Kusha Kapila took everyone by surprise when she announced her separation from her husband Zorawar Singh Ahluwalia back in June this year after almost five years of marriage. She was recently a part of the India Today conclave. During the event, the influencer made a big revelation saying that she was completely bullied into sharing the news of her separation from Zorawar Ahluwalia. However, she further claimed that now, she feels happy that she took the necessary steps.

She said, I was honestly bullied into sharing my personal news. This is the first time Im sharing that. I was 100% bullied into sharing it. But Im glad I shared it on my own terms. I did not want anyone else sharing information about my life with the world, without consulting with me first. You have to put on blinders.

Kusha Kapila further said that she was also subjected to a massive amount of trolling after she made her divorce public. She revealed that she used to cry around 30 minutes a day and had even set aside specific time to feel bad for herself. The diva further added that now she has moved on as she feels that there is a lot more to do in life.

Refreshing your memory, the social media influencer was in the news for her alleged link-up with actor Arjun Kapoor. However, she later denied any such speculations.

Kusha Kapila announces divorce from husband Zorawar

The social media personality shared the news of her divorce through a social media post that read, Zorawar and I have mutually decided to part ways. This hasnt been an easy decision by any measure but we know its the right one at this point in our lives. The love and life we have shared together continues to mean everything for us, but sadly, what we seek currently for ourselves doesnt align. We gave it our all, until we couldnt anymore.

Kusha Kapils professional commitments

Kusha Kapila has recently shifted her focus to acting. She last appeared on the big screens with the comedy, Thank You for Coming. Made under the direction of Karan Boolani, the movie enjoys an interesting cast with Bhumi Pednekar, Shehnaaz Gill, Dolly Singh and Shibani Bedi. The project reached the cinema halls today, 6 October.

Financed by Balaji Motion Pictures in collaboration with Anil Kapoor Films & Communication Network, the film talks about a Delhi girl, Kanika who is (Bhumi Pednekar) seeking some new experiences in life.

Prior to this, Kusha Kapila has starred in the Netflix anthology Ghost Stories, Plan A Plan B, Selfiee, Sukhee and Masaba Masaba.

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Sushant Singh Rajput passed away on June 14, 2020. While his death was initially termed a suicide, some people have been saying that the Shuddh Desi Romance star was actually killed.

The actors then-girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty also faced a lot of criticism and was even called names. The a

The actress recently graced the second day of Mumbai Conclave 2023 on 5 October. Talking to media post-event, the actress opened up about how her life was never the same after the demise of Sushant Singh Rajput.

And now, Rajputs sister Shweta Singh Kirti seems to have taken a dig at the Jalebi actress. The late actors sister shared his pictures on her social media account and penned a note on the kind of person he was. She wrote- Blaming the person who has passed on who cant defend himself anymore. I wonder what answer will you give to your conscience! My Bhai had a pure heart and he is beating in hearts of millions.

She added,  We dont feel the need to come out and say anything because people can feel the truth. Bhai was, Bhai is and will always be our pride! The kind of love he has stirred in every heart.. Will never die!! We will relentlessly fight for his justice.

Rhea Chakraborty on life after Sushant Singh Rajput

Talking about her life after Sushant Singh Rajput to India Today, Rhea Chakraborty shared that moving on is what makes people human, and she is really looking forward to it. She revealed that it has been difficult for her to lead a normal life and do even simple things such as taking a walk, going to a salon, and eating out with her parents.

Rhea Chakraborty talked about what it was like when she was targeted post Sushant Singh Rajputs passing away. I was going through a persons loss in my life and there was so much media attention. I wasnt allowed time to grieve. All of that has come and those small victories are very exciting to me. I am grateful I am able to lead a normal life again now, she said.

Chakraborty also disclosed that she misses SSR. She said that it was going to be very difficult for her to live the rest of her life without that person who was her friend, partner and companion. She was quoted as saying, But, life has happened to both of us and one has to move on.

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Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advanis Kabir Singh was the second biggest hit of 2019, with over Rs 278 crore at the box-office. But was it an immediate yes for Shahid? In an interview with Pinkvilla, he had some revelations to make.

He said, My first answer was no way I am doing this movie, he shared and explained his thought process. The way he (Vijay) personifies this character, I dont know if I will be able to because people have already seen me in many different characters playing many different roles.

When Mira Rajput intervened

She told Shahid, She said just shut up and do it. Its the perfect film for you. People love to see you in love stories. People love to see you in messed up characters, this has both, just do it.

Shahid added, Her thinking was so simple and I had overcomplicated it for myself. I guess it was good that I did Kabir Singh.

Back in 2020, inspired by this film, a 31-year-old man allegedly posed as an orthopaedic surgeon on dating websites and extorted money from gullible women, police said. The police arrested the accused Anand Kumar and his co-conspirator Priyam Yadav.

During interrogation, Kumar told the police that the whole idea of identifying himself as a doctor came after he watched the movie Kabir Singh.

He then created a profile in such a way that it attracts women, Kumar said during interrogation, police said.

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Talk about waste not, want not.

Scientists have found that cannibalism was a common funeral ritual in north-western Europe around 15,000 years ago.

The study was published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews.

The discovery comes after 15,000-year-old human skulls chewed on by humans and made into cups and bones were found in Englands Goughs Cave.

But what do we know about this practice?

Lets take a closer look:

As per CNN, the study focussed on the late Upper Paleolithic eras Magdalenian period.

These people, known as Magdalenias, lived between 11,000 and 17,000 years ago.

Experts from Londons National History Museum, combing literature on the Magdalenians, found 59 such sites with human remains  mainly in France but also in Germany, Spain, Russia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

The experts, examining 25 Magdalenians sites, found that 15 showed signs of cannibalism being practiced.

The signs included

Chewing marks on human remains

Skulls showing cut marks

Bones being broken in a way that allows marrow to be sucked out for nutrients.

CNN quoted the study as saying, [It is] undeniable, that the frequency of cannibalistic cases among Magdalenian sites exceeds any incidence of this behaviour among earlier or later hominin groups, and suggests that mortuary cannibalism was a method Magdalenian people used to dispose of their deceased.

Dr Silvia Bello, who participated in this study, said in a press release, Instead of burying their dead, these people were eating them.

We interpret the evidence that cannibalism was practiced on multiple occasions across north-western Europe over a short period of time, as this practice was part of a diffuse funerary behaviour among Magdalenian groups, Bello, who was involved in the study and who is working at the Natural History Museum said.

That in itself is interesting, because it is the oldest evidence of cannibalism as a funerary practice, Bello added.

The fact that we find cannibalism being practiced often on multiple occasions in over a short period of time, in a fairly localized area and solely by individuals attributed to the Magdalenian culture, means we believe this behaviour was one that was performed widely by the Magdalenian, and was therefore a funerary behavior in itself, Dr William Marsh, a researcher at the Natural History Museum who has been studying the human remains that have been found in Goughs Cave, told Phys.org.

Shift towards burying dead

The good news is that the practice likely occurred for a short period of time.

As per CNN, the study found two dominant groups in that period  the Magdalenians and the Epigravettians.

The former favoured cannibalism upon death, while the latter would bury the bodies.

As per Phys.org, the two groups were differentiated by the stone and bone tools they created.

There was a shift towards people burying their dead, a behaviour seen widely across south central Europe and attributed to a second distinct culture, known as the Epigravettian, the Natural History Museum said in the release.

At this time, during the terminal period of the Palaeolithic, you actually see a turnover in both genetic ancestry and funerary behaviour, Marsh said in the press release.

The Magdalenian associated ancestry and funerary behaviour is replaced by Epigravettian associated ancestry and funerary behaviour, indicative of population replacement as Epigravettian groups migrated into north-western Europe.

We believe that the change in funerary behaviour identified here is an example of demic diffusion where essentially one population comes in and replaces another population and that brings about a change in behaviour.

In short, the Epigravettians replaced the Magdalenians  and one culture replaced the other.

What do experts say?

They say that the evidence is rather convincing.

As Thomas Booth, a senior laboratory research scientist at the Francis Crick Institute, told CNN, Were missing the remains of most people who lived in Europe during the Palaeolithic and so it can always be tricky to be sure of what people did with their dead.

However, this study provides pretty convincing evidence that ritual funerary cannibalism was practiced by people across Europe 20,000-14,000 years ago.

They also say the people at the time  and those that continued to practice cannibalism in certain places during the 20th Century including Papua New Guinea and the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon  may have viewed cannibalism very differently than we do today.

This is not, as we may instinctively imagine, morbid and repulsive, the University of Manchesters Sarah-Louise Flowers was quoted as saying by The Smithsonian Magazine. But is instead an act of affection and respect for the dead person, as a well as being a means of helping survivors to cope with their grief.

This doesnt seem to be an isolated instance either.

As per The Smithsonian Magazine, a 1999 Science piece quoted paleontologists in France as saying that 100,000-year-old bones from six Neanderthals found in the Moula-Guercy displayed signs of being broken in a manner to remove the marrow and brains.

Markings also indicated that meat from tongues and thighs was removed to be eaten.

With inputs from agencies
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched its biggest assault on Israel in years early today (7 October), by infiltrating the country and firing thousands of rockets into its southern and central parts from the Gaza Strip. Israel has responded by initiating attacks on Hamas targets in the blockaded coastal enclave.

At least 22 Israelis have died and hundreds have been injured in the unprecedented attacks by the Palestinian militant group. Hamas military commander claimed that 5,000 rockets were launched into Israel. This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth, he declared, as per Al Jazeera.

Responding to the attacks, Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said, We are at war, and we will win. The enemy will pay a price it has never known.

What is Hamas and how has it been embroiled in conflict with Israel? Lets understand.

What is Hamas?

Hamas is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist group that rules Gaza. One of the two major political parties in the region, Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, meaning Islamic Resistance Movement.

Its origins date back to the late 1980s after the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israels occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip began, as per a BBC report.

Hamas was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian cleric, who established the Palestinian Islamist movement as the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza in December 1987, according to a report by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

Hamas opposed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his book, Hamas: A Beginners Guide, Khaled Al Hroub, professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Northwestern University Qatar, described Hamas as the internal metamorphosis of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood that emerged in Jerusalem in 1946, as per Indian Express.

The Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood remained on the margins of Palestinian politics for decades till the 1980s and the reason for this was their strategy, which was non-confrontational They believed they needed to Islamise the Palestinian society and it was a prerequisite for an engagement with the wider battle against Israel. In brief, they didnt use armed struggle, Khaled told Al Jazeera.

However, after the first Palestinian intifada, Hamas turned into an adjunct organisation with the specific mission of confronting the Israeli occupation, the professor reportedly wrote in the book.

The group had two purposes initially  an armed struggle against Israel led by Hamas military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and organising social welfare programmes for Palestinians, reported BBC.

Contrary to the PLO, Hamas does not recognise Israels right to exist.

In 1988, Hamas released its charter that called for the destruction of Israel and setting up an Islamic society in historic Palestine, as per the CFR report.

ALSO READ: Israel is at war: How conflict with Gaza escalated after Hamas attack

Suicide bombings

Hamas is known globally for its armed resistance against Israel. It gained limelight after it objected to the Oslo Peace Accords signed in the early 1990s between Israel and the PLO, a body that represented most Palestinians.

The historic deal created limited self-government for parts of the West Bank and Gaza under a new entity  the Palestinian Authority (PA).

According to Al Jazeera, Hamas believed that a two-state solution would forgo the right of Palestinian refugees to return to the historic lands seized from them in 1948 when Israel was created.

The militant group carried out terror attacks against Israel, including bus bombings, that killed scores of people. Hamas increased its violent activities after Israel murdered its chief bomb maker Yahya Ayyash in December 1995, according to the BBC report.

Hamas suicide bombings are believed to have led to Israels withdrawal from the peace process and Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposed the Oslo Accords, coming to power in 1996, the report added.

As per Al Jazeera, the peace process also failed because of right-wing Israelis reluctance to concede any territory to the PLO and as Israeli settlers feared it would lead to their eviction from the legal settlements in the occupied territories.

In 1997, Hamas was designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States. The militant group once again launched suicide attacks against Israel during the second intifada between 2000 and 2005.

Political power

Israel withdrew its troops from Gaza in August 2005, about 38 years after seizing it from Egypt in the Middle East war. Hamas has been a part of the Palestinian political process since then.

In January 2006, the Islamist group bagged a majority of seats in the Palestinian legislative election. The following year, Hamas took over Gaza by ousting its rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas in a brief civil war.

Since then, the West Bank has been controlled by Abbass Fatah party, while Hamas has controlled Gaza.

After Hamas victory in 2007, Israel tightened its blockade on the isolated coastal enclave.

Besides the US and Israel, Hamas, as a whole or just its military wing, is designated a terrorist group by the European Union, the United Kingdom and some other Western powers.

In what observers believed were efforts to soften its image, Hamas released a new document in 2017, accepting the creation of an interim Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. However, it still refused to recognise Israel, as per CFR.

Four major wars with Israel

Todays attacks are the largest escalation since May 2021 when Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war. The conflict led to the death of 250 people in Gaza and 13 in Israel. It was the fourth big war between Hamas and Israel since 2008.

In 2014, Hamas abducted and killed three Israeli teenagers, triggering a seven-week conflict that reported 2,100 Palestinian casualties in Gaza and 73 Israeli fatalities.

After Israel killed Hamass military chief of staff, Ahmad Jabari, in 2012, the flare-up lasted for eight days.

In retaliation to Palestinians rocket strikes in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, Israel launched a 22-day military offensive in Gaza that caused the death of 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis in 2008.

With inputs from agencies
Israel has announced Operation Swords of Iron against Islamist group Hamas after its militants infiltrated the country and fired a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip early today (7 October). Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its armed wing fired 5,000 rockets into Israel.

Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has declared in a message to Israelis, We are at war, and we will win. The enemy will pay a price it has never known, The Guardian quoted him as saying. The latest attack that surprised the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) comes on the last day of the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

Citizens of Israel,

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. pic.twitter.com/C7YQUviItR  Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 7, 2023

What is going on?

Dozens of gunmen from Hamas have entered southern Israel from Gaza. As per Associated Press (AP), purported videos on social media show Palestinian gunmen in uniform inside the Israeli border town of Sderot.

Another footage showed Hamas militants driving into Gaza in what is being claimed to be a captured Israeli military tank, Reuters reported. An unverified footage showed Palestinian militants dragging an Israeli soldier on a motorcycle, as per the AP report.

This comes as Islamist militant group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years.

The Hamas military wing leader, Mohammed Deif, announced the beginning of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm in a recorded video today. He claimed the Palestinian militant group had targeted the enemy positions, airports and military positions with 5,000 rockets, as per CNN.

Calling on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight, Deif said, Enough is enough Today the people are regaining their revolution, reported AP.

As per CNN, the Hamas military commander said the operation was in retaliation to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque and the siege on Gaza.

According to AP, sirens could be heard in Israels Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as numerous rockets were set off from Gaza for over two hours in the early morning. At least 22 persons have died and several others have been injured across the country in todays militant attacks, reported CNN.

The Hamas militants have infiltrated several southern towns near the Gaza border, reported The Times of Israel.

Confirming the infiltration bid, the Israeli military said earlier, In the last hour, the Hamas terrorist organisation had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, and terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations.

Israel will win

Israels defense minister Yoav Gallant vowed that Israel will win the war started by the Hamas militant group.

He said Hamas made a grave mistake by launching rocket strikes at southern and central Israel.

Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war, Gallant was quoted as saying by CNN.

Israeli president Isaac Herzog said the country is facing a very difficult moment but it can overcome all those who wish us harm.

The IDF has declared a state of war alert. The Israel Defence Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organisation will pay heavy price for its actions, The Guardian quoted the military as saying.

Swords of Iron The IDF is initiating a large-scale operation to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched against Israel by Hamas this morning. pic.twitter.com/O2fuWjFvNb  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that over 2,200 rockets have been fired into Israel, adding that Hamas militants infiltrated the country from land, sea and air using paragliders, according to The Times of Israel.

IDF spokesman Lt Col Richard Hecht said that the military would summon thousands of reservists. The defence forces also said its fighter jets are striking a number of targets in Gaza.

Years-old conflict

The conflict between Israel and Gaza, ruled by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, goes years back. Todays attacks are the largest flare-up since May 2021 when Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war. This was the fourth big war between Hamas and Israel since 2008.

Last August, Israelis attacked sites in the Gaza Strip, leading to a rise in tensions.

Gaza, an isolated coastal enclave, has been largely cut off from the world due to the Israeli blockade of its land, air and sea since 2007 when Hamas took over Gaza. Egypt is in control of Gazas southern border crossing, Rafah.

Israel has imposed severe curbs on the freedom of civilians as well as controls the importation of basic goods into the narrow coastal Gaza Strip, noted CNN.

Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank accuse Israels restrictions for their suffering. Israel has justified its actions by saying it is safeguarding itself from Palestinian violence, reported BBC.

Todays attack comes after weeks of increased rift along Israels border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the West Bank. Tensions have remained high between the conflicting sides, with the Israeli military killing nearly 200 Palestinians in the West Bank this year. Although Israel has said its raids are directed at militants, many stone-pelting protesters and civilians have also been killed.

More than 30 people have died in the Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets.

With inputs from agencies
The Delhi Police Special Cell in its First Information Report (FIR) against NewsClick alleged the existence of a larger criminal conspiracy involving Chinese telecom companies, Xiaomi and Vivo, and pointed out the news websites spirited defence of legal cases against these firms.

From attempts to tinker with the northern borders to discrediting the Indian governments fight against COVID-19, the FIR registered on 17 August against NewsClick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha underlines several allegations.

As per The Telegraph report, besides 73-year-old Purkayastha, the Delhi Police have named activist Gautam Navlakha and American tech mogul Neville Roy Singham as the accused under Sections 13 (unlawful activities), 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy) and 22C (offences by companies) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA. Sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have also been invoked in the case.

Lets take a detailed look at what the Delhi Police has alleged in its FIR.

Disaffection against India

Citing secret inputs, the Delhi Police claimed that foreign funds in crores have been infused illegally in India by Indian and Foreign entities inimical to India in pursuance of conspiracy with the intention to disrupt sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, to cause disaffection against India and to threaten the unity, integrity, and security of India.

The FIR added that PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt. Ltd  the firm that owns NewsClick.in  received crores of rupees through illegal means from Worldwide Media Holdings LLC, US, and others for five years from April 2018, reported The Telegraph.

Such foreign funds have been fraudulently infused by Neville Roy Singham, resident of Shanghai and active member of the Propaganda department of Communist Party of China (CCP), through a complex web of several entities, the police alleged. The CCP is Chinas ruling party.

It further claimed that a large amount of Chinese funds were used to publish paid news criticising the Indian governments policies and promoting Chinas policies.

Purkayastha has also been accused of being involved in a conspiracy with the Peoples Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) to sabotage the electoral process during 2019 General Elections.

In furtherance of this conspiracy large amount of funds were routed from China in circuitous and camouflaged manner and paid news were intentionally peddled criticising domestic policies, development projects of India, and promoting, projecting and defending policies and programmes of Chinese government, Indian Express quoted the police complaint as saying.

This FIR led to raids on NewsClicks New Delhi office and the houses of over 40 journalists, writers and contributors related to the news portal in the National Capital, NCR and Mumbai earlier in the week. After the searches, the Special Cell arrested Purkayastha and NewsClicks HR head Amit Chakraborty.

On Xiaomi, Vivo

The police allege that Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi and Vivo set up shell companies, allegedly in violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), to promote conspiracy against India.

It is further learnt that big Chinese telecom companies like Xiaomi and Vivo etc. incorporated thousands of shell companies in India in violation of PMLA/ FEMA for illegally infusing foreign funds in India in furtherance of this conspiracy.

Xiaomi, which along with Vivo is currently being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering probe, has denied the allegations.

We have no knowledge about this. We strongly deny the said allegation against Xiaomi in the FIR, the spokesperson for Xiaomi India told Reuters. Xiaomi conducts its business operations with utmost respect to, and in strict compliance of applicable laws. Any allegation of conspiracy is completely baseless.

Xiaomi and Vivo are among the biggest players in Indias phone market.

Moreover, the police have named lawyer Gautam Bhatia as a key person in the FIR, as per The Quint. Further Purkayastha, Singham, Geeta Hariharan, Gautam Bhatia (key person) conspired to create a Legal Community Network in India to campaign for and put up a spirited defence of legal cases against aforementioned Chinese telecom companies in return for benefits by these Chinese companies, the complaint alleged.

COVID-19, farmers protest and more

The Delhi Police claim the accused funded the yearlong farmers protest against Centres now-repealed three farm laws. The accused have also conspired to disrupt supplies and services essential to the life of community in India and abet damage and destruction of property by protraction of farmers protest through such illegal foreign funding, Indian Express quoted the FIR as saying.

It is also learnt that Purkayastha, Singham and others actively propagated false narratives to discredit the efforts of the Indian government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. They acted against national interest by promoting a misleading and false narrative about the domestic pharmaceutical industry and policies and development initiatives of the democratically elected Indian government in cohorts with the anti-national forces, it further claims.

The FIR cites secret inputs to allege that Purkayastha, Singham and employees of his Shanghai-based firm StarStream have exchanged emails which expose their intent to show Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as not part of India. Their attempts to tinker with the northern borders of India and to show Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as not parts of India in maps amount to an act intended towards undermining the unity and territorial integrity of India.

NewsClick denies charges

NewsClick has rejected the allegations, labelling them untenable and bogus.

The allegations in the FIR, apart from being ex facie untenable and bogus, have been made time and again, in investigations by three government agencies  the Enforcement Directorate, the Economic Offences Wing, Delhi Police, and the income tax department, the news portal said in a statement on Friday (6 October) night.

None of these investigations led to any chargesheets or complaints over the last three years. In fact, Prabir was granted interim protection in these investigations. The latest FIR has been registered only to circumvent this protection and carry out illegal arrests under the draconian UAPA.

#NewsClickRaids | The completely absurd nature of allegations in the FIR clearly show that the proceedings initiated against Newsclick are nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India. The Delhi High Court today, was pleased to issue notice in pic.twitter.com/HHyr1CDpk8  NewsClick (@newsclickin) October 6, 2023



The news outlet reiterated that it has not received funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. Further, Newsclick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever.

It termed the action against NewsClick a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India.

With inputs from agencies
The Delhi police on Friday conducted a raid and seized the laptop and phone of Malayali journalist and former NewsClick employee Anusha Paul from her residence near Kodumon.

After a three-member team of the Delhi Police recorded her statement and confiscated her electronic devices, Paul told the media that she was questioned about her association with NewsClick and the CPI(M).

She said the questions ranged from whether she reported on farmers protest, anti-NRC-CAA protests, or about the Covid-19 management of the Union government.

This is a witch-hunt to threaten the organisation and its employees who used to raise voice against the Narendra Modi government and the RSS, Paul said.

Paul was staying in Kerala for the treatment of a close family member.

She told the media that the Delhi Police asked her whether she knows the Delhi state secretary of the CPI(M), K M Tiwari.

Of course, I know him. I told them that. He is the state secretary of the CPI(M). I am a CPI(M) worker. I am a state committee member of Delhi unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and its state treasurer, she said.

She added that the Kerala Police was not part of the raid team.

Later local police came and said they were not aware of the raids, she claimed.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police arrested NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human resources department head Amit Chakravarty on Tuesday evening, after a total of 46 journalists and contributors to the online news portal were questioned and their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets seized through the day.
Feast your eyes on these hilarious photos that have made it to the finalist round of the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) describes some of the entries:

A smoking fox, a flying seal, and an avian family dispute are among the 41 images shortlisted for this year's Comedy Wildlife Photo awards. Narrowed down from thousands of entries submitted by professional and amateur photographers from around the world, the competition aims to celebrate the hilarity of our natural wildlife. And this year's selection does not disappoint. The overall winner, category and highly commended winners will be announced on November 23.

Click through to the article to see the photos. You can also see more photos and read about the competition at the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards website.

All of the photos are terrific, but I think my favorites are: Air guitar roo by Jason Moore. (Jason Moore: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023); Otter ballerina by Otter Kwek (Otter Kwek: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023); and Scream by Sergey Savvi (Sergey Savvi: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023)this last one features an adorable black and white ruffed lemur.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday said that the Indian government has provided all possible help to support the state during the disaster triggered by a flash flood that has now claimed the lives of 53 people.

Government of India is providing all possible help. Logistic support, Army, and financial aid for immediate relief are being provided by the government. The Centre is monitoring the situation closely. President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, and Union HM Amit Shah called me to take stock of the situation, Tamang said.

#WATCH | On Sikkim flash floods, CM Prem Singh Tamang says Government of India is providing all possible help. Logistic support, Army, and financial aid for immediate relief are being provided by the government. The Centre is monitoring the situation closely. President Droupadi pic.twitter.com/1BgHBGLMvw  ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2023

The flash flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday, has affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges, bringing the picturesque Himalayan state to its knees.

Over 142 people are still missing in the northeastern state as search operations to track them down continue.

The chief minister added, Our priority is to rescue the stranded people and restore electricity and water supply. According to yesterdays data, 19 bodies have been recovered, 103 are missing. Out of the 22 missing Army officials, 7 bodies have been found. Some more bodies were recovered late at night, we are counting the numbers. The total number of affected families is over 22,000 and we have rescued over 3900 people and have kept them at rescue camps.

#WATCH | On Sikkim flash floods, CM Prem Singh Tamang says Our priority is to rescue the stranded people and restore electricity and water supply. According to yesterdays data, 19 bodies have been recovered, 103 are missing. Out of the 22 missing Army officials, 7 bodies pic.twitter.com/HrttqTaRH4  ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2023

Meanwhile, bad weather in the northeastern state is hampering search and rescue operations, forcing the army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel to trek and even take boats to the flood-affected regions of the state.
The last date to exchange Rs 2,000 notes at the bank is today following which the currency will not be accepted for transactions.

After October 7, Rs 2,000 notes can only be exchanged at the 19 RBI Issue Offices with a cash deposit limit of Rs 20,000 note maximum per transaction.

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, a statement by RBI read.

The notes will, however, continue to remain in legal tender even after the passage of the deadline.

The RBI started printing Rs 2,000 notes in November 2016 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation and withdrew the legal tender status of all Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes that were in circulation at that time.

Heres all you need to know:

The public can deposit Rs 2,000 notes into their bank accounts or exchange them for notes of other denominations at any bank branch.

The RBI has also advised banks to stop issuing Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes with immediate effect.

Deposit into bank accounts can be made in the usual manner, ie, without any restrictions.

The 19 RBI issue offices include Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Belapur, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna and Thiruvananthapuram.

With inputs from agencies
After Bihar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot late on Friday announced that the state would conduct a caste survey.

The issue was discussed at a core committee meeting of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) held at the partys war room in Jaipur.

The meeting in Jaipur was attended by Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Randhawa, CM Gehlot, RPCC president Govind Singh Dotasra among other leaders.

Following the meeting, Gehlot said, The Rajasthan government will also conduct a caste survey like the one held in Bihar.

#WATCH | Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot says, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made the caste census system in the Raipur session of Congress, and we will do it here on the basis of the sameRajasthan government will also conduct a caste census like Bihar. We will take the concept pic.twitter.com/LZqUraBhg9  ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) October 6, 2023

He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhis concept of caste survey and participation in proportion to the population would be furthered in the state.

Therefore, we have decided that keeping in mind the mandate of the party, the Rajasthan government should declare this campaign, he said.

He added, There are various castes within the country.. People of various religions live here. The castes do different jobs. If we know how much population of which caste is there, we can know what plans we have to make for them. It will be easier for us to prepare schemes caste-wise.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress in-charge Randhawa said that discussions on a yatra over the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) issue were also held in the meeting, apart from the caste-based survey.

Earlier, the Congress had planned to take out a five-day yatra in eastern Rajasthan to demand national project status for the ERCP that would address the irrigation and drinking water needs of 13 districts.

The western state of Rajasthan is all set to go for polls in December this year. The slogan of the Congress election campaign will be  Kaam Kiya Dil Se, Congress Fir Se.

With inputs from PTI
The death toll in the Sikkim flash flood has mounted to 53, including seven army personnel, as the number of missing people went up to 142.

The flash flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday, has affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges, bringing the picturesque Himalayan state to its knees.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Friday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the family of those who died in the flash floods. He also announced immediate assistance worth Rs 2,000 to people who are taking shelter in relief camps.

So far, 2,413 people have been rescued from different areas and 6,875 people are taking shelter in 22 relief camps set up across the state, most of which have been cut off from the rest of the country.

Bodies of seven Army personnel were recovered from different areas downstream of Teesta River.

Meanwhile, bad weather in the northeastern state is hampering search and rescue operations, forcing the army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel to trek and even take boats to the flood-affected regions of the state.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to make an assessment of damages caused by the flash flood.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also approved the release of both the installments of central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim, amounting to Rs 44.80 crores in advance, for the year 2023-24, to help the state in providing relief measures to the affected people.

Apart from this, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) will visit the affected areas of Sikkim shortly. Based on the assessment of IMCT, further additional Central assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim will be approved, as per the laid down procedure.

With inputs from agencies
On Wednesday, October 4, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) submitted its second supplemental chargesheet in the June 2022 West Bengal case involving the discovery of a sizable stash of explosives and electric detonators.

Following this, there were nine accusers in total who had charge sheets filed against them.

Manoj Ghosh and Islam Chowdhury, both of West Bengal, have been named as the accused people who were charged on Wednesday under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Explosive Substance Act, and the Arms Act.

According to the NIA, the primary charge sheet mentioned five suspects, while the first supplementary charge sheet, which was filed between April and June of this year, named two suspects.

According to NIA investigations, accused Manoj Ghosh, owner of Rajlaxmi Stone Works in Birbhum district, West Bengal, illegally purchased explosives from accused Rintu Sk for his illegal stone mining and stored them close to a public area, endangering the lives and property of the general public. These explosives included electric detonators, ammonium nitrate, gelatine sticks, and other types.

He was also discovered to be in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition, according to an NIA press release.

Investigations also showed that the accused, Islam Chowdhury, was aware of the illegal explosives trade. He formed a close alliance with the other accused, Merajuddin Ali Khan and Mir Md. Nuruzzaman, and they conspired to carry out the illegal explosives supply, according to the press release.

Following the recovery of 81,000 electric detonators from a vehicle in the Md. Bazar Police Station area of Birbhum by a team of STF, West Bengal, the complaint was filed in September 2022. The vehicles driver, Ashish Keora, was also arrested, and subsequent searches led to the seizure of another 2,525 electric detonators, 27,000 kg of ammonium nitrate, and 1,625 kg of gelatin sticks from an illegal godown, according to an NIA release.

Additionally, it stated that the records collected revealed that a total of 86,700 kg of gelatin sticks, 4,99,222 electric detonators, and 204 Nonels (large electronic detonators) had been sent to various illicit miners in violation of the law up to this point.

In this case, additional inquiry is being conducted.

(With agency inputs)
Vladimir Putin cannot stop praising India. From hailing Make in India to calling the G20 summit Prime Minister Narendra Modis personal success, the Russian president has been making such statements throughout this year. The latest one came Friday.

At the Valdai Discussion Club, Vladimir Putin delivered a keynote address. Though, it is an annual affair, usually with the same template, panning the West, blaming NATO and praising Russia, but this year, Putin was singing praises for India too.

India hosted the G20 Leaders Summit last month which Putin did not attend. But now he is calling it a success. He lauded India for brokering consensus.

Watch:

So why is the Russian president wooing india? One reason is the historical ties. The second is the current political atmosphere. Tensions with the West are at an all-time high. Russia is under multiple sanctions. The world is under pressure to pick sides. But India has remained neutral. It has called for peace. And it hasnt stopped buying Russian oil. The West put a lot of pressure, but India refused to bow.

India and Russia are old partners. We have a long history of military cooperation. Russia is Indias largest supplier of defence equipment. Even though the sales have dropped. In the past decade, Russian arms sales to India dropped by 65 per cent.

In 2022 it was worth $1.3 billion. Meanwhile, defence sales from the US have jumped by 58 per cent. Last year, it was worth $219 million. Still a small figure compared to Russia, but the trend could have worried Putin. So while hes praising India, hes also issuing a warning of sorts, a warning for the West. He said: Dont try to create a rift between India and Russia.

They are trying to cast everyone who is not ready to blindly follow these Western elites as the enemy  anyone. China, in certain situations. At a certain point in time, they tried to do the same with India. Now they are flirting, of course. We all understand this very well. We feel and see the situation in Asia. Everything is clear. I want to say that the Indian leadership is self-directed. It is led by the national interests. I think that those attempts make no sense.

But praise for India aside, much of what  Putin said  was along predictable lines. He slammed the West for creating its own rules. He talked about Russias mission to create a New World, and he defended the war in Ukraine.

Many things stood out in his speech. The first was about nuclear warfare. Putin says Russia has successfully tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile. This is an experimental weapon  known as the Burevestnik. The NATO calls it skyfall. It is powered by a nuclear reactor. It is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. And it is said to have unlimited range. But very little is known about its capabilities, or the test that Putin is talking about.

Further, Putin has said that Russia can withdraw its ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty. Moscow last tested a nuclear weapon in 1990. When it was part of the Soviet Union. Now Putin is talking about pulling out of the treaty. So does that mean Russia will conduct a nuclear test?

I am not ready now to say whether we should conduct nuclear tests or not. But to behave in a mirror way in relations with the United States  I repeat once again, they signed but did not ratify (the international nuclear test ban treaty), and we signed and ratified it  in principle, one can behave in a mirror way with the United States. But this is a question for State Duma (Russias lower house of parliament) deputies. In theory, this ratification could be revoked, said the Russian president.

He also spoke about Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner chief, the man who challenged Putins leadership in June  Prigozhin led an armed rebellion against Moscow.

It was the first big threat to Putins rule in two decades. But midway, he stopped, he cracked a deal with the leadership, he was exiled to Belarus. And now he is dead- in a plane crash. All signs pointed at foul play by the Kremlin.

But Putin suggests that the crash was caused by hand grenades detonating inside the plane.

The director of the investigative committee (Alexander Bastrykin) reported recently (to me) that hand grenade fragments were found in bodies of those killed in the air accident. There was no external impact on the plane  thats the stated fact. Thats the result of expertise conducted by the investigative committee of the Russian federation, said Putin.

Of course, these are Putins claims, there is no evidence to prove them or suggest otherwise.

And then, Putin talked about the war that he started in February last year. Moscow expected Kyiv to fall in three days, but 590 days later, the capital still stands. Its now being called: The forever war. And thats not necessarily a setback for Putin. The prolonged offensive is tiring the West.

And the war fatigue has set in, the funding is drying, and the morale is dipping. So while Putin may not be winning the war against NATO. Hes not even losing it.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.

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A Delhi court has said that AAPs Raghav Chadha cannot claim that he has an absolute right to continue to occupy the government bungalow during his entire tenure as a Member of the Rajya Sabha even after the cancellation of allotment.

Additional District Judge Sudhanshu Kaushik made the observation while vacating an interim order passed on April 18 that had directed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat not to dispossess Chadha from the government bungalow.

Reacting to the order, Chadha said he would be taking appropriate action in law in due course.

The trial court had initially accepted my plea and granted me interim relief. It has now returned my case on a legal technicality, which I am legally advised to state is based on an incorrect understanding of the law. I will be taking appropriate action in law in due course, he said in a statement.

In an order passed on October 5, the judge said the argument that the accommodation once made to a Member of Parliament cannot be cancelled under any circumstances during the members entire tenure deserves to be rejected.

It may also be added that plaintiff has no vested right in the accommodation and his status is akin to that of a licensee, which can be revoked by the competent authority at any time. The plaintiff cannot claim that he has an absolute right to continue to occupy the accommodation during his entire tenure as a Member of Rajya Sabha, the judge said.

The judge said the allotment of government accommodation is only a privilege given to the plaintiff and he has no vested right to continue to occupy the same even after the cancellation of allotment.

The judge noted that the interim relief was granted to Chadha that he would not be dispossessed from the accommodation without due process of law.

This is certainly an error apparent on the face of the record and the same needs to be corrected. Accordingly, the order dated April 18, 2023 stands recalled and the interim order stands vacated, the judge said.

The judge added that Chadha failed to demonstrate that any urgent or immediate relief needed to be granted in the matter.

The court had in April directed the secretariat not to dispossess Chadha of the bungalow till the pendency of the application without due process of law.

Chadhas counsel had urged the court to grant an ex-parte ad-interim injunction against the secretariat, claiming it was hell-bent to evict Chadha from the allotted accommodation.

He contended Chadha would suffer irreparable injury, in case the injunction was not granted.

Chadha was on July 6 last year allotted a Type 6 bungalow at Pandara Park but he made a representation to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha on August 29 requesting for a Type 7 accommodation.

He was then allotted another bungalow on Pandara Road from the Rajya Sabha pool.

However, in March this year, the allotment was cancelled.

Chadha sought an injunction to the effect that the secretariat be restrained from taking any further action in consequence of the March 3 letter and be restrained from allotting the bungalow to some other person.

The AAP MP also sought Rs 5.5 lakh in damages from the secretariat for causing him mental agony and harassment.

As a first-time MP, Chadha is entitled to a Type-5 accommodation in the normal course, according to the Rajya Sabha Members Handbook released in April 2022.

The handbook says MPs who are former Union Cabinet Ministers, former Governors or former Chief Ministers and former Lok Sabha Speakers, are entitled to Type-7 bungalows, the second largest category available to Rajya Sabha MPs.
A senior adviser to Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed support for an attack Hamas launched against Israel on Saturday, calling it a proud operation.

We support the proud operation of Al-Aqsa Flood, Yahya Rahim Safavi said at a meeting held in support of Palestinian children in Tehran, quoted by ISNA news agency.

We support this operation, and we are sure that the resistance front also supports this issue, said Safavi, who is senior general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Palestinian group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, launched barrages of rockets at Israel from dawn on Saturday as its militants crossed into Israel.

At least 22 people have been killed in Israel so far during the violence, according to the latest toll issued by Israeli medics.

Israel and Hamas have once again escalated their conflict as the Palestinian militant group initiated a significant aerial and ground operation from the blockaded Gaza Strip, marking one of its largest attacks in recent years.

Sirens were activated across Israel, reaching as far north as the disputed city of Jerusalem, starting at approximately 7 a.m. on Saturday.

According to Hamas claims, this barrage consisted of 5,000 rockets launched from the blockaded enclave. Concurrently, there has been a ground infiltration by Hamas militants into Israeli towns and villages located on the peripheryan unprecedented development in the 16 years since Hamas assumed control of the strip.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that seven villages and towns are currently under Hamas control.

The Israeli military estimates the number of projectiles fired at approximately 2,000. In response to these attacks, which appear to have taken the Israeli security services by surprise, Israel has declared a state of war.

With agency inputs.
This week saw a significant increase in rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border, which suggests Pyongyang may have been supplying Moscow with weapons after their leaders discussed expanding their military collaboration, according to a U.S. think tank.

The Beyond Parallel Project of the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies published a study in which it claimed that satellite photography revealed a unprecedented 73 or so goods cars at Tumangang Rail Station in the North Korean border city of Rason.

According to the report, traffic was significantly more than it had been over the previous five years, including before the pandemic.

Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met for a week-long meeting in Russias Far East to discuss military issues, the conflict in Ukraine, and developing military and political ties.

Given that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic likely indicates North Koreas supply of arms and munitions to Russia, the think tank said, although it could not be sure due to the extensive use of tarps to cover the rail cars.

North Korea and Russias military cooperation has been advised by the United States and South Korea not to do so as it would be against U.N. sanctions imposed on Pyongyang. They voiced fear that Pyongyang would receive technological assistance for its spy satellite and missile projects, while Moscow might look to North Korea for munitions to supplement its declining supplies in its invasion of Ukraine.

Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, came under fire from North Korea for condemning Pyongyangs cooperation during the summit and asserting that it was natural and normal for neighbours to have cordial ties.

(With agency inputs)
Instead of celebrating the success of one of its citizens winning the coveted Nobel Peace Prize, Iran on Friday denounced the decision of the Nobel Committee to award the Peace Prize to jailed rights campaigner Narges Mohammadi as biased and political.

Mohammadi, 51 and currently in prison, was awarded the prize for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement, We note that the Nobel Peace Committee awarded the Peace Prize to a person who was convicted of repeated violations of laws and criminal acts.

He added, We condemn this biased and political move.

Kanani further slammed the Nobel Committee for making false claims which he said was indicative of the approach of some European governments to falsify information and produce confusing and deviant narratives about internal developments in Iran.

He said the decision to award Mohammadi the prize was a disappointing deviation from its initial objectives.

Mohammadi contributed to Irans Woman, Life, Freedom movement which was triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after she was arrested for not wearing her hijab properly.

According to the Nobel Prize Organisation, Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes.

With inputs from AFP
Demone Smith looked right at home during a recent Common Council meeting, making the rounds, greeting old friends and colleagues.

It was like he never left, and now hes back.

The former Council member, Erie County legislator and executive director of the citys employment and training center is now special assistant to city Comptroller Barbara Miller-Williams. Smith, who took a pay cut, started his new gig last August, making $95,000 annually.

Miller-Williams, the citys financial watchdog, also hired another familiar name  MacCaelin Sedita. Hes the son of state Supreme Court Justice Frank A. Sedita III and great-grandson of a former Buffalo mayor. The younger Sedita started last July as Miller-Williams executive assistant. Hes also making $95,000.

Seditas LinkedIn profile says he is a recent graduate of University at Buffalo Law School. His most recent job was a part-time supervisor at Buffalo RiverWorks until April of this year.

The comptroller said doling out patronage jobs happens in government, but said that was not what happened in this case.

I have not had any interaction with Judge Sedita in over 20 years or so, Miller-Williams said. I was honored when this young man came before us and he presented his resume and he was seeking an opportunity to work in our office. He is doing a wonderful job and we are fortunate to have him on board.

If theres someone out there that is saying (Sedita was hired) based on who his parents are or are not, thats their opinion and I have no comment to that, she added.

The job openings were not publicly posted by the city, said Miller-Williams, because they are exempt positions.

Theyre not civil service positions, but exempt positions are traditionally and historically not posted, she said.

Because Smith and Sedita are exempt employees, the Common Council also did not have to approve the appointments, said Fillmore Council Member Mitchell Nowakowski.

Smiths special assistant position and Seditas executive assistant job both were budgeted for $94,760 in the current 2023-2024 budget.

Neither position is new, Miller-Williams said. Both have been in the budget prior to her becoming comptroller in April 2019, she said, adding the two jobs are definitely two separate and distinct positions.

When asked if others had applied for either position, Miller-Williams said, I constantly get resumes on a weekly basis. Folks are interested in working in the Department of Audit and Control, in particular in the comptrollers office. So we get resumes. I encourage everybody constantly, Send me a resume because you never know when an opening is going to occur.

Members of the Council have not publicly criticized the hirings. Niagara Council Member David Rivera, the majority leader, said he supports Smith.

Ive always been impressed by him. On the surface it looks political but in terms of his ability and understanding of finances I trust him Rivera said.

Smith works closely with the finance side of the comptrollers department, focusing on the Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports and the Popular Annual Financial Reports. The special assistant also interacts with the Common Council and the Brown administration when it comes to budget-related matters, Miller-Williams said.

Sedita works closely with the administrative side of the comptrollers office, she said.

Everything from interacting with other elected officials, governmental entities, etc. Thats what the executive assistant does, she said.

There are other vacancies in the department that she has been working on filling, Miller-Williams said.

Pay cut

Smiths salary in the comptrollers office is lower than the one he earned as executive director of the Buffalo Employment and Training Center (BETC), which connects qualified and job-ready candidates to employment opportunities.

Mayor Byron Brown appointed Smith executive director there in 2015, where his salary was budgeted for $109,148 in this years budget.

As you know, money isnt everything, Smith said. Sometimes its job satisfaction and the opportunity to use your skills and the opportunity for advancement as well.

Smith has an extensive background in politics. To accept the Buffalo Employment and Training Center appointment, Smith had to resign his seat on the Common Council, to which he was unanimously appointed in 2007 by Council members. Later that year, Smith was elected to represent the Masten District. He was the Councils majority leader.

Before that, Smith represented the 7th District on the Erie County Legislature, to which he was appointed in 2003 and then elected in 2004.

Smith and Miller-Williams were part of the grassroots political group that elected Brown and others.

Smith says hes all in with his new job and pointed to his budgeting and finance background, including the red-and-green budget crisis of 2005 and 2006 that dropped Erie Countys credit rating to near junk-bond status. The countys finances were destabilized.

I became chair of the Finance and Management (committee) during the red-and-green budget, so I got a Ph.D. in municipal finance from (then-County Comptroller) Nancy Naples and  Jim Hartmann (Naples successor) because we had to sit there and redo the entire county budget which the county is still operating under, Smith said.

Smith also noted when he was majority leader on the Common Council, he negotiated city budgets on behalf of the Council.

Finance has always been a knack of his, Smith said.

Still, Smith has had some campaign finance woes in the past, and one of the judgments against him still has not be rectified.

In 2012, as Common Council majority leader, he ran afoul of state election laws due to lapses by his campaign committee.

Six judgments filed by the state Board of Elections, totaling nearly $3,000, have not been paid. The judgments were taken as penalties for late and missing financial disclosure reports that should have been filed by Smiths campaign committee and East Buffalo Associates, an unrelated committee supporting candidates for Democratic committee posts, where Smith served as treasurer.

The judgments against Smiths campaign committee total $1,842, while a single judgment against East Buffalo Associates amounts to $1,121, Investigative Post reported.

Smith said he is negotiating with the state to try to reduce the interest he owes.

Its like 10 years ago. Im ready to pay it. Im currently in conversation with them in order to give me a final figure and then that will be all taken care of and then be finally in the rearview mirror, he said.
Brazils Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it would convene an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council following the biggest attack on Israel in years.

Brazil, which assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, condemned the attacks in a public statement and expressed solidarity with the people of Israel.

It also reaffirmed a commitment to a two-state solution, with Palestine and Israel coexisting within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders.

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the largest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, killing at least 40 people and injuring hundreds. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate, declaring his country was at war.

The Brazilian government reiterates that there is no justification for resorting to violence, especially against civilians, and urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent an escalation of the situation, the Foreign Ministry said.

It added that the mere management of the conflict is not a viable alternative for addressing the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and the resumption of peace negotiations is urgent.
A bipartisan delegation of US senators led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in China on Saturday, state media reported, as Washington seeks to calm tensions with Beijing.

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, leading a bipartisan delegation of senators, arrived in Shanghai on Saturday, the first stop of their trip in China, state broadcaster CGTN said.

The delegations plane landed early afternoon in Shanghai, Chinas economic powerhouse, according to photos published by CGTN.

Schumer is set to meet with senior officials in the city before heading to the capital Beijing, where Bloomberg has reported his delegation is seeking a meeting with President Xi Jinping.

China has said it welcomes the delegation and that it hopes it enhances the lawmakers understanding of the country.

Beijings foreign ministry said the trip will promote dialogue and exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries, and inject positive elements into the development of China-US relations.

US media reported the group will seek to raise issues ranging from the climate for US businesses in China to human rights.

The delegation will also stop off in South Korea and Japan, The New York Times reported, citing the senators offices.
In addition to the arrest of a Ghanaian, Delhi police announced on Saturday that they had dismantled an international cyber fraud ring and exposed a web of deceit and financial crimes.

Ebo Quansah Elijah, a native of Ghana, has been named as the culprit who was apprehended, according to authorities.

An official statement claims that the operation got started in response to a complaint of a cyberfraud occurrence involving a total loss of Rs 101,100 that was received at the Cyber Police Station.

The official statement continued, On the basis of the complaint received, a FIR pursuant to Section 420 IPC was registered.

The defrauded amount was discovered to have been credited to an account at UCO Banks Kohima branch, registered in the name of Naomi, who lives in Lower Chandmari Kohima Sadar, Nagaland, according to a statement from the Delhi Police.

The official statement continued, On the basis of the complaint received, a FIR pursuant to Section 420 IPC was registered.

The defrauded amount was discovered to have been credited to an account at UCO Banks Kohima branch, registered in the name of Naomi, who lives in Lower Chandmari Kohima Sadar, Nagaland, according to a statement from the Delhi Police. Important evidence from the investigation, including WhatsApp conversations, credit card information, and pertinent documents, were obtained.

A portion of the money was taken out of an ATM, and the remainder was transferred to two accounts, one at the Kohima branch of UCO Bank in the name of Shillumongla Lemtur and another at the Dimapur branch of Central Bank of India in the name of Heikhu, according to the police.

The transferred amount was withdrawn from ATMs within the same locality, Khanpur, Delhi, from ATM machines of three banks located in Village Khanpur, the police said.

According to the statement, it was found that all the involved bank accounts were interconnected and their branches traced back to Nagaland.

It was discovered through a thorough investigation of Call Detail Records (CDRs) connected to the mobile phones connected to these banks that the numbers were active in Khanpur, Delhi.

Ebo Quansah Elijah, a resident of Ghana, was subsequently detained and then arrested when a raid was carried out in Khanpur and he was discovered to be in possession of many electronic gadgets and SIM cards.

The seriousness of the offence led to the formation of a team, and the team carefully researched the case, concentrating on Khanpur, South District, Delhi, where accounts were being handled and cash was being withdrawn from various ATMs.

The inquiry uncovered the scheme of the criminal, who used WhatsApp conversations to lure Indian victims with digital goods and give them account details for money transfers, the statement added.

(With agency inputs)
The Israeli military said Saturday that fighting is continuing in 22 locations in southern Israel 12 hours after Hamas militants carried out a surprise infiltration into the area.

In a statement, the armys chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said There is no community in southern Israel where we do not have forces. He said Israel has regained control in some communities but the army is still conducting scans to make sure they are safe.

Hamas managed to raid Israeli territory all along the Gaza border during Saturdays offensive that left hundreds dead on both sides. While fighting continues, many Hamas militants continue to capture territory in southern Israel.

According to Israeli media, fighting between the Israeli security forces and Hamas militants continued at at least seven places along the Gaza border, with the latter having taken full control at three of these.

Around 100 people were killed in Israel, according to Channel 12, in the Hamas offensive, which began Saturday morning. First, the Palestinian militant group which operates out of Gaza, launched a heavy aerial attack on Israel with over 5000 missiles, and then it launched an incursion into southern Israel. Visuals claiming to show Hamas militants trying to infiltrate Israel via sea also went viral.

While some reports suggest that the aerial attack in the wee hours of the morning was a cover for the infiltration, others suggested that both took place simultaneously. According to a Reuters report, Palestinian militants crossed into Israel as early as 7:40 am. Hamas militants attacked at least three Israeli military installations: the Erez border crossing, the Zikim base and the Gaza division headquarters at Reim.

Videos posted by Hamas showed militants overrunning a military facility. It also posted videos showing captured Israeli soldiers parading through the streets of Gaza.

Israel in response declared a state of war with Hamas. The Israeli Defence Forces launched operation Swords of Iron, with the Israeli Air Force bombing Hamas targets in Gaza. Around 200 people died in Gaza after Israeli strikes, reported Reuters.
Fighting between the Israeli Defence Forces and Hamas infiltrators continues in southern-Israel as border police believe around 60 militants could still be on Israeli territory.

Hamas is continuously firing rockets into southern and central Israel as security forces engage terrorists in southern Israel, where they claim to have taken control over some communities along the border with Gaza, reported Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst.

Update from southern Israel pic.twitter.com/Fiv7aa3M4K  Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) October 7, 2023

Palestinian terror group Hamas on Saturday Morning launched an aerial attack on Israel. The militia, which operates from Gaza, claimed to have fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel. Soon afterwards Hamas terrorists, boarded on pickup trucks dashed through the forcer fences into southern Israel.

#BREAKING A Palestinian bulldozer removing the separation wall on the Gaza Strip border. pic.twitter.com/PHd2AR2VKe  War Monitor (@WarMonitors) October 7, 2023

Hamas also tried to infiltrate Israel through water, in what appeared to be a multi-dimensional attack.

Footage of an Israeli warship engaging a boat from Gaza attempting an infiltration. pic.twitter.com/Gtsp2AvhpG  Global: Military-Info (@Global_Mil_Info) October 7, 2023

Israel responded by declaring a state of war and launching the mission Swords of Iron. The Israeli Air Force launched strikes on Gaza, where the Hamas operates from.

This comes on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war between Israel and Egypt-Syria. The war is also called the Yom Kippur War, as it started on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel. The conflict that drew over two weeks saw a comprehensive victory for Israel.
In a conversation with US President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that a forceful, prolonged campaign  which Israel will win  is necessary.

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip carried out what appeared to be an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel, prompting Israel to order residents across the region to remain indoors. The infiltration took place as militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel.

US supports Israels right to self-defence

Netanyahu said during his conversation with Biden that the US President emphasised that the US stands alongside Israel and fully supports Israels right to self-defence.

The Biden administration has been persistent in touting the US and Israels relationship as ironclad.

It is also noteworthy that the US has been annually providing unconditional military aid of $3.8 billion.

Apart from Biden, the Israeli PM also spoke with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Netanyahus office said both Rutte and Macron expressed full support for Israels right to defend itself.

Soon after the Hamas attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement announced that Israel is at war.

Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation, not an escalation  at war, he said.
The United Nations has warned Pakistan saying that forcibly deporting Afghans from Pakistan could result in severe human rights violations, such as the separation of families and the deportation of minors.

Recently, Pakistan announced a crackdown on individuals residing in the country illegally, which includes approximately 1.7 million Afghans. They have been instructed to return to their home countries by October 31 to avoid the risk of mass arrest and expulsion.

Despite the governments claims that it is not specifically targeting Afghans but rather individuals residing in the country unlawfully, regardless of their nationality, concerns about human rights violations persist.

The government has also announced the establishment of a hotline and rewards for those who provide information leading to the apprehension of such undocumented migrants.

The U.N. agencies said Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis with several rights challenges, particularly for women and girls, who are banned by the Taliban from education beyond sixth grade, most public spaces and many jobs.

Such plans would have serious implications for all who have been forced to leave the country and may face serious protection risks upon return, it said, referring to Pakistans crackdown.

They acknowledged Pakistans sovereign prerogative over domestic policies and said they are ready to help register and manage Afghan nationals, including those who may be in need of international protection.

The International Organization for Migration and UN Refugee Agency called on countries to suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals and ensure any possible returns to the country take place in a safe, dignified and voluntary manner.

Landlords and real estate owners in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, have received notices telling them to evict illegal Afghans and their families by the end of the month or face action.

Police have asked clerics in some of the citys mosques to tell worshippers of their duty to inform on Afghans in their neighborhoods.

Over 2,000 people were arrested across the country since the crackdown began earlier this week.

Police in southern Sindh province have detained some 1,100 Afghan nationals, according to Inspector General Riffat Mukhtar. He said the courts released about 300 after they provided their documents. The rest remain in prison awaiting deportation to Afghanistan.

In Islamabad, police are using social media and TV tickers to create public awareness about the anti-migrant policy, said force spokesperson Taqi Jawad. He said police have so far not used mosques and clerics for this purpose.

Of the 1,126 Afghans detained in Islamabad during the past few days, 503 have been charged with staying in the country illegally. They will stay behind bars until their deportation said Jawad, who denied that officers are harassing Afghans.

The information minister in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan, Jan Achakzai, said hundreds of Afghan families have voluntarily left the country and crossed the border since the announcement. Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including Afghans and Iranians, he said.

Rights groups and the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan have criticized the crackdown.

Pakistan has been a haven for Afghan refugees since millions fled Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation, creating one of the worlds largest refugee populations. More Afghans have fled since then, including an estimated 100,000 since the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021.

Although Pakistani security forces and police have routinely arrested and deported Afghans who have entered the country without valid documents in recent years, this is the first time the government has announced plans for such a major crackdown.

It comes amid a spike in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, who have hideouts and bases in Afghanistan but regularly cross into Pakistan to stage attacks on its security forces.

Pakistan has long demanded that the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan cease their support for the TTP, which is a separate group but allied with the Afghan Taliban.

The Taliban denies providing sanctuary to the TTP.
A former US Army intelligence officer has been charged with attempting to provide classified defence information to the Chinese security services during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic  including some listed in a Microsoft Word document titled Important Information to Share with Chinese Government.

Authorities on Friday arrested former Sgt Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, at San Francisco International Airport as he arrived from Hong Kong, where he had been living since March 2020, the Justice Department said. A federal grand jury in Seattle returned an indictment Wednesday charging him with retention and attempted delivery of national defense information.

A public defender assigned to represented Schmidt at a brief appearance at US District Court in San Francisco on Friday pending his transfer to Washington state did not immediately return an email seeking comment. US.

District Court records in Seattle did not list an attorney representing Schmidt on the charges, and neither the US attorneys office nor the federal public defenders office had information about whether he had a lawyer, representatives said.

An FBI declaration filed in the case quoted Schmidt as telling his sister in an email that he left the U.S. because he disagreed with unspecified aspects of American policy.

I dont talk about it often, but I learned some really terrible things about the American government while I was working in the Army, and I no longer feel safe living in America or like I want to support the American government, he was quoted as writing.

Schmidt spent five years in active duty in the Army, where he was primarily assigned to the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, according to a declaration filed in US.

District Court by FBI Special Agent Brandon Tower. He eventually became a team leader on a human intelligence squad, and he had access to secret and top secret defense information, Tower wrote.

Schmidt left active duty in January 2020 and traveled the next month to Istanbul, where he sent an email to the Chinese consulate trying to set up a meeting, Tower wrote.

I am a United States citizen looking to move to China, the email said, according to the declaration. I also am trying to share information I learned during my career as an interrogator with the Chinese government. I have a current top secret clearance, and would like to talk to someone from the Government to share this information with you if that is possible.  I would like to go over the details with you in person if possible, as I am concerned with discussing this over email.

It was the first of several attempts to share information with the Peoples Republic of China, Tower wrote. Two days later, he drafted a Word document titled Important Information to Share with Chinese Government that included classified information related to national defense; investigators recovered it from his Apple iCloud account, the declaration said.

After returning to the US from Turkey in March 2020, he left a few days later for Hong Kong, where he had been living ever since, the declaration said.

Over the next few months, Tower wrote, Schmidt emailed two state-owned enterprises in China, including a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited that has produced intelligence-gathering software tools.

He offered to provide an encryption key he had retained for accessing the Armys classified information network and related databases, known as the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, or SIPR, Tower wrote, and he suggested it could be reverse-engineered to help China access the network.

It is a very rare card to find outside of the intelligence community, and if used properly, it can improve Chinas ability to access the SIPR network, the declaration quoted him as writing.

The declaration did not describe any response from the state-owned enterprises or Chinas security services.

Meanwhile, Schmidt was trying to obtain legal immigration status in Hong Kong after overstaying a visitor visa, an effort that may have been hindered by the pandemic, Tower wrote.

Members of our military take a sworn oath to defend our country and the Constitution, Seattle U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman said in a news release Friday. The alleged actions of this former military member are shocking  not only attempting to provide national defense information, but also information that would assist a foreign adversary to gain access to Department of Defense secure computer networks.

The charges carry up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The mayor of Vienne, a city in south-eastern France, has removed the Ukrainian flag from the city hall after an unacceptable phone conversation between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

Initially, the Ukrainian flag had been hoisted at the city hall to express solidarity with Kyiv for the war in Ukraine. However, Thierry Kovacs argued that it was contradictory to claim Western values and request Western assistance while supporting Azerbaijan and what he referred to as the ethnic cleansing of ethnic-Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

This doesnt diminish Viennes support for the Ukrainian people, but we cannot oppose a totalitarian regime in the name of European values while simultaneously endorsing another dictatorial and brutal regime. Its a matter of consistency,  said the mayor in a Facebook post on Thursday.

The phone call between Presidents Zelensky and Aliyev had reportedly included expressions of gratitude from Zelenskyy for Azerbaijans significant humanitarian assistance, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Last month, Azerbaijan regained control of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh during a brief counterterrorism operation. Nagorno-Karabakh, primarily populated by ethnic-Armenians, had declared independence from Baku in the early 1990s, but this declaration was not recognised by any country, including Armenia.

Despite assurances from Baku about protecting civilians, over 100,000 Armenians, approximately 90 per cent of Nagorno-Karabakhs estimated population, fled the region after a ceasefire was reached in late September.
The US fully supports Israels right to defend itself from such terrorist acts, said Stephanie Hallett, Charge d Affairs ad interim, reacting on the of reports Israel-Palestine war.

Condemning the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, Hallett said: Sickened by the images coming out of southern Israel of dead and wounded civilians at the hands of terrorists from Gaza.

Sickened by the images coming out of southern Israel of dead and wounded civilians at the hands of terrorists from Gaza. The United States stands with Israel.  Charge dAffaires a.i. Stephanie Hallett (@USAmbIsrael) October 7, 2023

I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israels right to defend itself from such terrorist acts, she said in a post on X.

The United States stands with Israel, Hallett added.

I condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israels right to defend itself from such terrorist acts.  Charge dAffaires a.i. Stephanie Hallett (@USAmbIsrael) October 7, 2023

The Israel Defence Force has officially declared a state of war after Hamas fired 5,000 rockets against Israel as they announced the commencement of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on Saturday.

At least 22 people have died and over 200 have been left wounded after Hamas launched its all-out offensive against Israel on Saturday.

According to reports by the Times of Israel, two dozen are seriously or critically wounded. Apart from this, the head of a regional council for Israeli border areas northeast of the Gaza Strip has also been killed in a firefight between the Israeli Army and Hamas.
Police make arrest in September double-shooting in Riverside

Buffalo police made an arrest Friday stemming from a Sept. 3 double-shooting on Ontario Street in the citys Riverside neighborhood.

Se Brun Daniels, a 31-year-old from Buffalo, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of first-degree reckless endangerment, all felonies, police said.

The shootings occurred around 7 p.m. Sept. 3 on the 400 block of Ontario Street, police said. Two victims were treated for gunshot wounds that were not life threatening at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, The News reported at the time.

Buffalo police said Daniels was identified by detectives in the Gun Violence Unit.

Daniels was arraigned in Buffalo City Court on Friday and held without bail, according to court records.

- Ben Tsujimoto
A surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel risks provoking a major regional escalation, Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Saturday, adding that other actors in the Middle East could join the hostilities.

This terrorism by Hamas once again moves the region farther from peace, Baerbock said in a statement. She added that the violence showed once again that only a political solution can permit Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and dignity.

The German government is also strongly advising against travel to Israel or the Palestinian territories, she said, urging Germans in the region to register with the foreign ministry.

German flag carrier Lufthansa also said it was cutting flights to Israel following the wave of Palestinian attacks, a spokesman told AFP.

Given the current security situation in Tel Aviv, Lufthansa will maintain a single flight to Frankfurt but all other Lufthansa flights to and from Tel Aviv have been cancelled for this Saturday.

The German government also said it had bolstered security at synagogues and other Jewish sites in the country in case of a flare-up of violence in the wake of the Hamas attacks, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told the Bild newspaper.
Terror group Hezbollah on Saturday praises the massive Hamas operation against Israel, which killed several civilians and pointed out that the sudden attack is a message to Arab countries normalizing relations with Israel.

The terror group said it is in direct contact with the Hamas leadership in Gaza and abroad, and called on Arab and Muslim people around the world to declare their support to Hamas and the Palestinian people.

It further added that armed resistance is the only way to confront the Israeli aggression.

Hezbollah said that the Al-Aqsa Deluge operation launched by Hamas against Israel early on Saturday morning is a message to the international community and the Arab and Muslim world, in particular to those countries seeking normalization of relations with Israel.

The terror group also called on the Israeli government to learn the important lessons taught by the Palestinian resistance.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli air raids hit the Gaza Strip after Hamas announced the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel. The militant group running the besieged enclave says it has fired thousands of rockets towards Israel. Several casualties have so far been reported.

The Israeli military radio also reported that Palestinian fighters from Gaza have infiltrated Israel and breached borders.

Visuals emerging from the conflict zone show armed men on vehicles inside Israel; there is also unverified footage of Palestinian fighters taking Israeli citizens hostage, all pointing to the severity of the attack.
In what seems to be a colossal intelligence failure for Israel, the country was caught completely off guard on Saturday morning when the armed wing of Palestinian group Hamas launched more than 5,000 rockets and targeted civilians killing several and even taking a few hostage.

The biggest such attack on Israel in recent years has pushed the country into a state of war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country is at war and Hamas will pay an unprecedented price. Citizens of Israel, we are at war. This is not an operation, not an escalation  this is war. And we will win. Hamas will pay an unprecedented price, he told Israelis in a video message.

What is surprising is the fact that the country which has one of the most extensive and sophisticated intelligence networks in West Asia, both domestic and external, was caught unawares.

Israel, it is well known, has informants embedded inside militant groups not just in the Palestinian territories but in Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere across the region.

The country has, in the past, been able to assassinate militant leaders either with precision drone strikes or even booby-trapped mobile phones.

And yet today, at the end of a Jewish holiday, it appears to have been caught asleep at the wheel.

Hamas, known for deadly terror strikes has been able to plan and launch this carefully coordinated assault on Israel seemingly in total secrecy.

It is also a given that Israel will retaliate with massive force and cause possibly more damage to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. But Israelis will now be asking why their nations spies failed to see this coming and warn the country accordingly.

Earlier on Saturday morning, dozens of gunmen from the Islamist militant group Hamas infiltrated southern Israel killing civilians and shooting at them mercilessly. Media reports claimed that the Israeli military has already started responding to the barrages of rockets fired by Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has in a social media post said it has so far attacked 17 military compounds and four Hamas operational headquarters as part of retaliatory measures.

What also does not come as a surprise is the fact that Iran has supported the terrorist strike on Israel. Allegedly, the advisor to Irans Supreme leader Ali Khamenei has put out a statement that clearly supports the Palestinian attack on Israel.

We congratulate the Palestinian fighters, Rahim Safavi was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem, he said.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev took a potshot at the US for not resolving the decades-old Israel-Palestine conflict as Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday.

Medvedev opined that instead of working on conflict resolution in Israel, the US had inferred in Russia by supporting Ukraine, which he claims brought two closely related people against each other.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been going on for decades, with the US the key player in it. But instead of actively working at Palestinian-Israeli settlement, these morons have interfered with us, and are providing the neo-Nazis with full-scale aid, pitting the two closely related peoples against each other.

Russia has long claimed Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of being a fascist who was pursuing a neo-Nazi agenda by cracking down on those who supported good relations with Moscow.

What can stop Americas manic obsession to incite conflicts all over the planet? Looks like, nothing short of a civil war on the US territory.

Palestinian terror group Hamas on Saturday Morning launched an aerial attack on Israel. The militia, which operates from Gaza, claimed to have fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel. Soon afterwards Hamas terrorists, boarded on pickup trucks dashed through the forcer fences into southern Israel.

Israel responded by declaring a state of war and launching the mission Swords of Iron. The Israeli Air Force launched strikes on Gaza, where the Hamas operates from.

This comes on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war between Israel and Egypt-Syria. The war is also called the Yom Kippur War, as it started on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel. The conflict that drew over two weeks saw a comprehensive victory for Israel.
Israel has launched airstrikes against 17 military compounds and four headquarters belonging to the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip, among other targets, the Israel Defense Forces was quoted as saying by Times of Israel.

The IDF published a clip showing the strikes.

At least 22 people have died and over 200 have been left wounded after Hamas launched its all-out offensive against Israel on Saturday.

Hamas is using ISIS tactics to dash into Israeli communities and take captives back, said a former Israel Defence Forces spokesperson on the land attacks by the Palestinian terror group into southern Israel.

At least five different communities were attacked on the ground by terrorists. They were in pickup trucks, much like ISIS uses, said Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus.

Hamas on Saturday morning launched an aerial attack on Israel followed by infiltration into the Israeli communities near the border with Gaza. Visuals doing rounds on social media show armed men on pickup trucks dashing through the border fences. Some videos also show Israeli captured citizens on the trucks. The Hamas have claimed to have taken 35 Israelis captive in Gaza.
The Israel Defence Force has officially declared a state of war after Hamas fired 5,000 rockets against Israel as they announced the commencement of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on Saturday.

BREAKING: Israeli Air Force is striking terror targets in Gaza. Israel has every right to defend itself against terrorism. pic.twitter.com/GRwuTXiV0I  Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) October 7, 2023

A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said in a statement.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israel will win this war against Hamas.

Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war, Gallant said.

The Hamas terorist organization made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow

security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war. pic.twitter.com/WwAmBkYZCG     Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) October 7, 2023

Israelis across the countryon Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torahwoke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning. We will defend ourselves. pic.twitter.com/S9GN8fld4Y  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip carried out what appeared to be an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel, prompting Israel to order residents across the region to remain indoors. The infiltration took place as militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel.

At least four Palestinians have died and five were left wounded as a result of confrontations between the Israeli army and Palestinian groups in the border area of the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Army has launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an emergency security meeting soon after Hamas launched its offensive.
Following an attack by the pro-Iran group Hamas on Israel, US President Joe Biden stated on Saturday that the US was prepared to provide all appropriate means of support and cautioned any other party hostile to Israel not to gain advantage.

While Biden and his staff were attempting to negotiate a normalisation agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia as well as a U.S.-Saudi defence pact, the attack from the Palestinian Islamist organisation broke out.

As violence was being broadcast on American TV networks on Saturday, Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express U.S. solidarity. Despite their tense relationship, the two presidents met in New York last month to show their support for one another.

I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, Biden said in a statement issued after their call.

Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation, Biden added.

(With agency inputs)
Malta has asked the United Nations Security Council to meet behind closed doors following the attacks on Israel, diplomats said on Saturday.

The meeting could be scheduled for Sunday.

Saturdays surprise attacks were carried out by Palestinian extremist group Hamas who launched over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip.

So far, at least 200 people have died in the attacks. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has launched Operation Swords of Iron in retaliation to Hamas Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Hospitals in Israel have been overwhelmed with over 900 critically wounded people.

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip carried out what appeared to be an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel, prompting Israel to order residents across the region to remain indoors. The infiltration took place as militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel.

Soon after the Hamas attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement announced that Israel is at war.

Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation, not an escalation  at war, he said.

Chaos and fear have ensued among citizens with many claiming that assailants from Gaza have been trying to break into their homes. Many Israeli citizens have also been reportedly abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip forcefully.

Earlier today, the IDF released footage of Israeli air strikes on Hamas assets in the Gaza Strip. Dozens of Air Force fighter jets attacked targets of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip a short time ago, it said in a statement.

IDF Spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari said, At these times, the IDF is flooding the south and surrounding settlements with many operational forces  operational commanders are arriving to manage the fighting in all the centers; at the same time, we have started a wide reserve mobilization for all formations in the IDF.

The attacks have drawn strong condemnation from across the world with countries like US and India standing in solidarity with Israel.
The elusive leader of Hamas military wing says the armed group has launched a new military operation against Israel.

In a rare public statement, Mohammed Deif said that 5,000 rockets had been fired into Israel early Saturday to begin Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. Israel also reported an infiltration from Gaza.

Weve decided to say enough is enough, Deif said as he urged all Palestinians to confront Israel.

Deif, who has survived multiple Israeli assassination attempts, does not make public appearances. His message was delivered in a recording.

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Saturday carried out what appeared to be an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel, prompting Israel to order residents across the region to remain indoors. The infiltration took place as militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel.

HUGE Israel declares WAR along GAZA STRIP In a coordinated attack, At least 4 Groups (aprox 40-50) Palestinian Hamas Fighters have crossed the Border into Southern Israeli under cover of Rocket Fire over the last hour. Gliders and boats also used to enter Israel Isreal has pic.twitter.com/nWyUSZhN6n  Megh Updates  (@MeghUpdates) October 7, 2023

The Israeli military said a number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory. It gave no further details, but amateur videos posted on social media showed what appeared to be uniformed gunmen inside the Israeli border town of Sderot. The sound of gunfire could be heard in the videos, whose authenticity could not immediately be verified.

The infiltration came as militants in the Gaza Strip launched dozens of rockets toward Israel early Saturday, setting off air raid sirens across the country and raising the likelihood of a new round of heavy fighting.

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometers (40 miles) to the north, during an early morning barrage that lasted more than 30 minutes. Israels Magen David Adom rescue agency said a 70-year-old woman was critically injured when a rocket hit a building in southern Israel. Elsewhere, a 20-year-old man was moderately injured by rocket shrapnel, it said.

As the rocket attacks continued throughout southern and central Israel, millions of Israelis were instructed to stay near bomb shelters in their homes and apartment buildings. The army said residents next to Gaza should stay in their homes due to the security incident.

Palestinian media in Gaza reported a possible attempt by militants to infiltrate Israel, but no further details were immediately known.

There was no immediate response from Israel. But the Israeli military usually carries out airstrikes in response to rocket fire, raising the likelihood of wider fighting. Although there was no claim of responsibility for the rocket fire, Israel typically holds the ruling Hamas militant group responsible for any fire emanating from the territory.

The launches came after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas, an Islamic militant group that opposes Israel, seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.
Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists, Israels Ambassador to India Naor Gilon said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Israel hit back with Operation Iron Swords, deploying its fighter jets to launch airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Israel is fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi-pronged Palestinian terror attacks. These attacks which were launched early this morning by Hamas on our civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of the south and central Israel are war crimes, read an official statement from Ambassador Naor Gilon.

A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel Saturday morning. Sirens went off as far as Jerusalem, multiple times beginning at 8.15 am (local time). The sirens were heard again at 10.15 (local time).

Six hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattle inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country.

Social media was replete with videos of Hamas fighters parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets and at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting God is Great. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass mobilization of the countrys army reserves. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

The Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom reported at least 16 casualties, including a woman in her 60s who was killed when a rocket fired from Gaza made a direct hit. Two others were in serious condition.

There were reports of many more casualties on both sides, but authorities did not immediately release details. Israeli media reported that dozens of people were hospitalized in southern Israel. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported injuries among many citizens without giving numbers and loudspeakers on mosques broadcast prayers of mourning for killed militants.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders and by sea, the army said.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Hamas to launch its attack, which came after weeks of simmering tensions along the Gaza frontier. The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

In a televised address, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds of thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness and raised concerns about its deterrence over its enemies.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major accomplishment  and escalation  by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms, sheltering from rocket explosions and ongoing gunbattles with Hamas fighters. Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israels rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood.

We understand that this is something big, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.

Hecht declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. Thats a good question, he said.

Ismail Haniyeh, the exiled leader of Hamas, said that Palestinian fighters were engaged in these historic moments in a heroic operation to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defence system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. It also comes at a delicate time for Netanyahus far-right government, with hundreds of soldiers in the military reserves have either pulling out of training sessions or promising they wont report for duty over governments deeply divisive plan to weaken the Supreme Court.

The divisions within army ranks have threatened to undermine Netanyahus reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel and the cohesion of an institution crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanons Hezbollah militant group.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.
West's lies about Xizang 'completely untenable': China's top diplomat

13:23, October 07, 2023 By Fan Anqi ( Global Times

The facts will prove that lies related to China's Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region concocted by Western forces out of ideological bias are "completely untenable," China's top diplomat Wang Yi said at a forum on Thursday in Nyingchi, Southwest China's Xizang.

This year's forum, which has drawn more countries such as Afghanistan, will boost closer interconnectivity and partnership in the trans-Himalaya region, experts say, as it provides a multilateral platform for the integration of strengths, a key step for the opening-up and development of regional countries.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, made the remarks when addressing the opening ceremony of the third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation, which ran from Wednesday to Friday with representatives from more than 40 countries, regions and international organizations attending.

The trans-Himalayan region is characterized by a large population, diverse civilizations and substantial ecological diversity, and its development is crucial to the common well-being of people all over the world.

"The world is undergoing profound changes at an accelerated pace, and the Asian Century is on the horizon," Wang said, noting that countries around the Himalayas are geographically connected, have similar cultures and share a common destiny.

They share a high degree of similarity in ecological conservation and are partners in the journey toward modernization, Wang said, proposing that the region adhere to mutual respect and trust, and enhance exchanges and mutual learning.

Countries in the Himalayan region have always maintained frequent exchanges and regional countries aspire to benefit from China's rapid economic development. However, due to geographical constraints, there are natural obstacles to connectivity. This platform has opened up a new channel for trans-Himalayan countries, instilling confidence and fostering greater expectations for future openness, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Friday.

According to statistics released at the forum, the total value of Xizang's foreign trade import and export in 2022 reached 4.6 billion yuan ($640 million), a year-on-year increase of 14.6 percent. Trade partners spanned across 95 countries and regions, with imports and exports to countries along the Belt and Road reaching 2.4 billion yuan. From January to August, Xizang's total foreign trade volume increased by 72.5 percent.

"Moreover, cooperation among trans-Himalayan countries has primarily been at the bilateral level. Now with this multilateral platform, countries can leverage their respective strengths to achieve complementarity and form a collective force. Although this is just the first step, it holds great importance," Qian noted.

On deepening cooperation, Wang Yi put forward five areas of focus - upholding mutual respect and trust and jointly maintaining regional unity; deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and working together to create an ecological civilization circle in the Himalayan region; accelerating green transformation and supporting sustainable economic development in the region; strengthening connectivity and promoting regional integration; and enhancing exchanges and mutual learning to rejuvenate ancient civilizations.

One of the major achievements of the forum was the release of the Nyingchi Initiative, in which China proposed to work together with trans-Himalayan countries to improve environmental governance, jointly address ecological challenges and strengthen regional biodiversity, natural resource and environmental protection.

China will also strengthen the construction of infrastructure including railways, highways, power grids, telecommunications and aviation in the Himalayan region, and build a comprehensive network for cross-Himalayan connectivity to further expand openness.

In addition, China will promote closer economic and trade exchanges, deepen agricultural cooperation, and jointly build a Himalayan economic cooperation belt.

This year's event not only attracted greater numbers of participants and higher levels of officials, but also included new members such as Afghanistan, which signifies the growing recognition and strong interest of the international community in the mechanism, experts noted.

Cooperation for the next step will mainly focus on infrastructure and connectivity, such as the extension of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway to Nepal and the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan, they said.

Another new area of focus is the cooperation on green low-carbon development, water and soil resource conservation and climate change cooperation.

While the prospects for cooperation are vast, challenges still loom ahead. In addition to natural geographical challenges, there are political factors from certain Western countries that interfere with cooperation in the region, and even attempts at sabotage, observers said, calling on regional countries to maintain a high level of vigilance and adhere to their own strategic autonomy.

On Thursday, Wang also held separate meetings with Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan, Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly of Nepal Urmila Aryal, Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Jalil Abbas Jilani, and Afghan Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A new outdoor mural will be unveiled in the spring at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The plan is to do it on Yom HaShoah, the global Holocaust Remembrance Day, as a means of honoring three people who settled in Buffalo after risking their lives to save Hungarian Jews from Nazi murderers.

Sean Kirst: He saved 3,000 Jews in World War II, now lives quietly in Buffalo Everything youre supposed to do for your fellow man, its right there: Tibor Baranski, a retired Buffalo teacher, is one of the last witnesses to the desperate efforts to protect Jews from the Nazis in

All three principals have died. Nandor Forgach, a key figure in bringing the mural here, said it will provide a high-profile reminder of what they did  and what was at stake. At Yad Veshem, the world Holocaust remembrance center in Israel, they are named as Righteous Among the Nations  non-Jews who put themselves at lethal jeopardy while protecting innocents.

The mural will include Forgachs grandfather, Tibor Baranski, a Buffalo teacher who saved at least 3,000 Jews near the end of World War II, and Sister Margit Slachta, founder of the Sisters of Social Service, who saved thousands more.

The story takes another intimate twist at 7 p.m. Thursday, when Linda Ambrus Broenniman speaks at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo, two days before a 1 p.m. Saturday signing at Talking Leaves bookstore. Her mother was Dr. Clara Ambrus, the third person on the mural  a physician and Roswell researcher who freed and protected Jewish prisoners as a young woman, in Budapest.

In some fashion, a thread for the entire mural runs through Broennimans family. She vividly recalls Baranski, who often stopped by their house to visit her mother and father, Dr. Julian Ambrus. Their family was also close with the late Dr. Gabor Markus, who built a career at Roswell after finding refuge during the Holocaust with Slachta and her fellow sisters.

Each tale is intertwined. Broenniman remembers her mother as a dedicated mom who was there to help with homework, or to read to her children at night. Claras central lesson, Broenniman said, was always about love and tolerance:

You need to treat every single person you meet as an individual, and with respect.

Sean Kirst: Tale and video of a melody that lifted over Auschwitz The original idea, the way Robbie Hausmann always pictured the moment, was to perform outdoors at Auschwitz. He wanted his music to drift toward every barbed and jagged corner of the place. Last month, once he arrived, that was impossible. The air was bitter enough to numb his hands, and a cellist needs his fingers to perform. Hausmann, a

Her seven children did not comprehend until they were adults just how much she risked in living out that ethic.

Broenniman said her parents rarely spoke of what they endured in Hungary, where they met in medical school. Once, when Clara was beginning to struggle with Alzheimers disease, Broenniman asked how she found the courage to rescue prisoners when surrounded by danger from such ruthless cruelty.

I just did what any human being would do, Clara replied.

Broenniman, 67, lives now in Virginia. If you go to her talk, youll get a sense of the bravery of all three people who will be on that mural, and how extraordinary it is that all three settled in the same city.

Yet, that is not the principal reason for Broennimans return. She just released a book called The Politzer Saga, an account of her deep paternal family roots in Hungary  an astounding lineage she did not begin to understand until her mothers death in a house fire 12 years ago.

Broennimans father, Dr. Julian Ambrus, died at 95, in 2020. He was a legendary figure, the longtime director of cancer research at Roswell. Julian was also a devout Catholic, who served several terms as president of the Buffalo Catholic Physicians Guild.

The fire reshaped everything his children knew. Broenniman said her sister, Dr. Madeline Ambrus Lillie, dragged an old black box from the ruins. In it were documents that gave flesh and blood to what for years had only been whispered family stories:

Their dad was born a Hungarian Jew. He and his father became Catholic in 1939 as a conversion of convenience, Broenniman said. Jews were already being ordered into forced labor in Hungary as a fascist shadow fell across the continent.

To the day he died, Broenniman said, her father wouldnt speak of that Jewish birthright, of that part of who he was. Broenniman suspects a major part of the secrecy was a generational tendency to wall off a time of staggering fear and loss.

Broenniman also believes his Catholic conversion took hold, that her dad saw the way he and his wife escaped Hungary as a miracle bound up with his new faith. But she wonders if there was an even deeper reason for why he withheld his full heritage.

Her parents, she said, had witnessed the barbaric worst of humankind. They realized just how easily hatred can ignite into full-blown genocide. While Broenniman is sure her mother knew from the beginning of her dads Jewish roots, she believes his silence was reinforced by trauma.

My guess is he never wanted us to experience what he went through, she said.

As shell explain on Thursday, shes trying to reclaim all of it. The family tale she assembled piece by piece has become an exhibit at Budapests historic Rumbach Synagogue  restored now and reopened after being closed for years.

Building off documents in the black box, Broenniman spent years researching her dads family. She learned he came from a line of prosperous and influential Jewish descendants, including Dr. Adam Politzer, a great-great-great-uncle who helped establish otology, or the medical study of the ear  part of a rich family medical tradition.

The more immediate past generated immense grief  and a sense of generational responsibility. As a young woman, Broenniman said, even the knowledge of her mothers heroism didnt overcome what she believes is a common response to vast atrocities:

You talk about the Holocaust and the idea of 6 million people being murdered, and you cant get your arms around it, Broenniman said, recalling everything she learned during her childhood.

That changes when you find out a grandfather you never knew died either at the Dachau death camp  or during a brutal forced march near the wars end.

Sean Kirst: 'I won't be silent if I live,' vows 96-year-old Holocaust survivor Conscious of the swift passing of her generation, Holocaust survivor Sonia Klein fears what happens without the sharp edge of eyewitness memory.

That changes when you learn your elderly great-great-grandfather was stripped of all his property during the Holocaust and eventually sent into a Jewish ghetto, where he starved and was buried in a mass grave.

That changes when you discover that dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins were among those killed  names Broenniman mentions at the end of her book, one by one, which is how she counts to 6 million.

I feel like I know them now, she said.

Broenniman describes herself as spiritual, rather than as a member of any organized religion. To speak at the Jewish Community Center  her first-ever visit to that Buffalo institution  becomes an emotional bridge to what she calls her hidden family.

As for the mural, the idea was kindled when an organization called Artists 4 Israel included Baranski on another project, unveiled last year in Manhattan. Nandor Forgach was there with his family, and it seemed to him that a similar memorial would have a powerful impact in his grandfathers adopted city.

That vision led to a collective effort: Together with Lauren Bloomberg and Rob Goldberg of the Buffalo Jewish Federation, the mural came together with the support of the Noble Family Charitable Foundation, Roswell and State Sen. Tim Kennedy. It will be painted next spring by a Hungarian artist associated with Artists 4 Israel.

Its a story that cant not be told, Forgach said. There were people who  when it was easier to stay home  said Ill do something, even if it means certain death. Thats something, I think, thats a little bit lost today.

Broenniman processes that truth on an entirely new level. She always knew her parents as selfless survivors, but the revelations of close family loss in the Holocaust leaves her with a driving imperative, each day.

If you tell the story of just one, she said of relatives whose lives she brings to light, maybe you open up a conversation about why there is no reason to hate.
The Israeli military says that Gazas militant Hamas rulers are holding Israeli civilians and soldiers captive in the Palestinian enclave, marking a major escalation in the fighting.

The military confirmed Hamas claims that its fighters had kidnapped a number of Israelis after they infiltrated Israels highly fortified separation fence and stormed into Israeli communities in the countrys south.

The army did not offer further details, declining to comment on how many Israelis had been seized.

Social media has been filled with videos claiming to show Hamas fighters dragging lifeless Israeli soldiers and parading captured civilians through the streets.

At least 40 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded, making the unprecedented surprise early morning attack by Hamas the deadliest in Israel in years.

Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday, killing dozens and stunning the country. Israel said it was now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an unprecedented price.Several hours after the incursion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities near Gaza. Israels national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years. Also, an unknown number of Israeli soldiers and civilians had been seized and taken into Gaza.At least 198 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed in Israels retaliation and at least 1,610 wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said.The strength, sophistication and timing of the attack shocked Israelis, with images of Hamas gunmen bringing seized soldiers and civilians into Gaza on motorbikes and parading what appeared to be captured Israeli military vehicles through the streets. Videos on social media showed what appeared to be at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting God is Greatest.

The assault threatened to spiral into a greater conflict, mirroring previous Hamas-Israel conflicts that brought widespread death and destruction in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli communities.We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, in turn, said the assault was in response to the continued blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al Aqsa  the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount  increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and continued growth of settlements. He said the morning attack was only the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.At a meeting of top security officials later on Saturday, Netanyahu said the first priority was to cleanse the area of enemy infiltrators, then to exact a huge price from the enemy, and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.The serious incursion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.Israeli TV broadcast footage of explosions tearing through the Gaza-Israel border fence, followed by what appeared to be Palestinian gunmen riding into Israel on motorcycles. Gunmen also reportedly entered on pickup trucks.Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.At least 561 wounded people were being treated in Israeli hospitals, including at least 77 who were in critical condition, according to an Associated Press count based on public statements and calls to hospitals.The Hamas assault would have likely required months of planning. It comes at a time of mounting tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. Over the past year Israels far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there, and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site.In a televised address, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.Western nations condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel, while others called for restraint on both sides.The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.Watson said Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel, released a statement calling on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about  the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights.The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness and raised concerns about its deterrence over its enemies.The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major escalation by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms. Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israels rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood.We understand that this is something big, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.Hecht declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. Thats a good question, he said.Ismail Haniyeh, the exiled leader of Hamas, said that Palestinian fighters were engaged in these historic moments in a heroic operation to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.Saturdays wide-ranging assault threatened to undermine Netanyahus reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel. It also raised questions about the cohesion of a security apparatus crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanons Hezbollah militant group.Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then.

There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy.

Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year.

In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages. Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed.

Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people. The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.
Southeast Asian countries have agreed to prioritise helping each other overcome rice supply shortages and other food-related problems, Malaysia state news agency Bernama reported, citing the agricultural minister.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached the agreement at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur this week, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said on Friday, according to the agency.

ASEAN collaboration means if we face rice issues, ASEAN member countries will give priority to ASEAN nations first, he said.

Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand said they would consider any new requests for additional imports, Mohamad said.

Malaysia, which imports about 38% of its rice needs, is among several countries affected by top exporters like India restricting shipments.

The Malaysian government on Monday announced subsidies and other measures to offset rising prices of grain and ensure sufficient supply in the market.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned of legal action against anyone found hoarding rice, to prevent consumers from stockpiling local grains.
The Defence Ministry reported on Saturday that Turkish forces had neutralised at least 14 Kurdish militants in northern Syria after midnight attacks on militant targets as the fighting in the area worsened over a week after a bombing in Ankara.

Following the PKKs claim of responsibility for the bombing in Ankara on Sunday that left two police officers injured and the two attackers dead, Turkey said this week that all targets associated with the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia were legitimate targets for its forces.

The Syrian SDF soldiers refuted Turkeys claim that the attackers were Syrian nationals. Since the bombing, Ankara has intensified its airstrikes and ground operations against militant targets in northern Syria and Iraq.

Targets belonging to PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syrias Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, and Peace Spring operation areas were hit strongly all night long, the ministry said, referring to regions where Turkey has previously mounted incursions.

According to initial findings, at least 14 terrorists have been neutralised, it added, using a term it typically uses to mean killed.

The ministry claimed late on Friday that airstrikes by the Turkish military in northern Syria had destroyed 15 terrorist locations where militants were allegedly hiding.

President Tayyip Erdogan warned that Turkey may suddenly come one night in a speech at the congress of his ruling AK Party on Saturday in Ankara, using a phrase he frequently uses to refer to extremists in Syria and Iraq.

We will implement our strategy of ending terror at its root with determination, and hold the PKK, FETO, and Daesh to account over every drop of blood they have spilled, he said, referring to Islamic State and the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a failed coup attempt in July 2016.

The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 and been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, which claims the YPG is identical to it.

The PKK is considered a terrorist organisation by the US and EU, but not the YPG.

The SDF forces in the coalition led by the United States fighting Islamic State extremists are centred around the YPG. Tension with Turkey has long been a result of U.S. support for them.

An armed Turkish drone that was flying close to American forces in Syria on Thursday was shot down by the US, escalating the tense situation for the first time ever. Turkey is a NATO ally of the US.

Following the event, Ankara and Washington spoke on the phone several times, with Turkey promising to keep attacking militants in Syria and Iraq while promising to establish non-conflict mechanisms with the parties on the ground.

Turkey, which has launched numerous incursions into northern Syria to combat the YPG, has stated that one of its options could be to launch a ground assault there.

(With agency inputs)
The Muslim-majority country of Kazakhstan is contemplating a potential ban on the wearing of Islamic headscarves in public spaces as part of its efforts to combat extremism.

Culture and Information Minister Aida Balayeva, during a press briefing in Astana, Friday indicated that the authorities are reviewing and updating existing laws, which, in her view, lack the necessary tools to address religious extremism and what she referred to as non-traditional religious movements.

Balayeva highlighted a significant gap in the current legislation, stating, The existing laws dont even contain the term destructive religious cults,' as reported by news agency Kazinform.

When asked if the government plans to prohibit the wearing of Islamic headscarves and other religious attire, Balayeva responded, We will certainly examine and propose such regulations, at least for public spaces. Such rules are implemented worldwide because they pertain to national security. It becomes very challenging to identify individuals in public spaces when their faces are covered.

She further stated, The ministry will be actively involved in strengthening regulations in this area, and noted that these measures would be developed in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and experts, including religious scholars.

Kazakhstans President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasized the importance of secularism enshrined in the countrys constitution while addressing a group of teachers on Thursday. He asserted, This principle must be strictly upheld in all spheres, including education.

According to the 2021 census, approximately 65 per cent of Kazakhstans population is Muslim, with 20 per cent identifying as Orthodox Christians.

The debate surrounding the wearing of religious clothing has surfaced in several countries in recent years, including Britain, France, and Germany. Last month, Frances highest court upheld the ban on the abaya, an Islamic robe-like garment worn by women, in schools.
The right of the Palestinian people to defend themselves against the terror of settlers and occupation troops was stated by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas while presiding over a high-level meeting with some key defence officials on Saturday.

According to the official news agency WAFA, President Abbas instructed officials in the emergency meeting to provide protection for the Palestinian people and provide all that is necessary to bolster the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in facing the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and settler gangs.

Additionally, he instructed that everything be done to support the Palestinian peoples resiliency and steadfastness in the face of the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and settlement gangs.

The most recent reports state that the Hamas rocket fire has resulted in at least 5 deaths and more than 100 injuries.

According to The Times of Israel, Israels south and centre were subjected to continuous rocket fire for more than 3.5 hours on Saturday morning.

Israel is in an emergency and Lapid would back a harsh military response to Hamass coordinated attack, a statement from the Oppositions leaders office said.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, stated earlier this morning that hundreds of missiles fired by Hamas terrorists hit Israel.

Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation not an escalation- at war, Netanyahu said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.

We are at war and we will win, he asserted in a video statement according to translation provided by Reuters. Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known, he added.

The Israeli prime ministers statement came after missiles from Gaza were fired into Israel. According to the needs of the Israel Defence Force, Yoav Gallant, the minister of defence in Israel, approved the draught of reserve personnel.

The Jerusalem Post said that he also declared a special security situation on Israels Homefront, within a range of 0 to 80 km from the Gaza Strip. He added that this allowed the IDF to further provide safety instructions to people at close and relevant sites.

The newspaper had earlier reported that Hamas fighters had entered Israel following a barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

Red alert warning sirens were set off after the strike in Tel Aviv, which is around 70 km from the Gaza Strip, as well as in the southern Israeli communities of Sde Boker, Arad, and Dimona.

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Saturday that his country was at war and had ordered the mobilisation of reserves to respond to the surprise attack by Hamas with a force the enemy had not anticipated, declaring that they would win it.

In a video statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Netanyahu stated, We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out.

Reserves have been called into action by Netanyahu. He urged Israeli citizens to follow the instructions given by Home Front Command and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it, Netanyahu said.

(With agency inputs)
Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinian people, Qatars foreign ministry issued a statement on Saturday.

It said Qatar calls on both sides to exercise utmost restraint and calls on the international community to prevent Israel from using these events as an excuse to launch a disproportionate war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

At least 22 people have died and over 200 have been left wounded after Hamas launched its all-out offensive against Israel on Saturday.

According to reports by the Times of Israel, two dozen are seriously or critically wounded. Apart from this, the head of a regional council for Israeli border areas northeast of the Gaza Strip has also been killed in a firefight between the Israeli Army and Hamas.
The Indian Embassy in Israel issued an advisory on Saturday urging its nationals in Israel to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

The advisory comes after Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel, sending fighters across the border and firing thousands of rockets into the country as the ruling Hamas militant group announced the beginning of a new operation.

MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi retweeted the advisory issued by the Indian Embassy in Israel. In the advisory, the embassy said, In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant, and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters.

Earlier, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told the country that it is at war with Hamas militants..

Netanyahus comments in a televised address mark his first since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday. He ordered a call-up of reservists and promised that Hamas would pay a price that it hasnt known until now.

We are at war, Netanyahu said. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Hamas on Saturday fired thousands of rockets at Israel and sent dozens of fighters across the countrys heavily fortified border, a massive show of force that caught Israel off-guard on a major holiday.

With inputs from agencies
The Ukrainian S-200 anti-aircraft missile that was used in a failed strike on the Crimean Peninsula on Saturday has been detected and destroyed according to the Russian military ministry.

The precise location of the missiles downing was not disclosed by the Russian defence ministry. Ukraine has intensified its attacks in recent weeks on Crimea, which Russia invaded and annexed in 2014.

On Oct. 7, at about 6 p.m. Moscow time, the Kyiv regime attempted a terrorist attack on the territory of Crimea with an anti-aircraft missile of the S-200 air defence system that had been converted to an attack version, the defence ministry said in a Telegram post.

Russian air defence systems promptly detected and destroyed the Ukrainian missile in the air, it added.

(With agency inputs)
Saudi Arabia has called for an immediate halt to the escalation of conflict between Palestinians and Israel after Hamas launched an all-out offensive against Israel on Saturday, killing over 200 and injuring 900.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely following developments in the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a high level of violence taking place on a number of fronts there, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

It added, We recall our repeated warnings of the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation.

Apart from this, the country also called upon the international community to activate a credible peace process that would lead to a two-state solution.

Saturdays surprise attacks were carried out by Palestinian extremist group Hamas who launched over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip.

Soon after the Hamas attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement announced that Israel is at war.

Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation, not an escalation  at war, he said.

Meanwhile, the Hamas terror group released a video showing its members capturing a number of Israeli soldiers during an attack on a military base on the border with the Gaza Strip this morning, The Times of Israel reported.

The attacks have drawn strong condemnation from across the world with countries like US and India standing in solidarity with Israel.
The Vatican may have saved thousands of Jews during the wartime papacy of Pius XII but the late popes silence on the holocaust will be debated this week during an international conference.

The conference of scholars to be held in Rome from Monday to Wednesday comes two years after Pope Francis ordered the unsealing of Vatican archives from the papacy of Pius XII, who led the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958.

Francis move, which followed decades of pressure from scholars fiercely divided over the former popes perceived passivity during Nazi Germanys extermination of millions of European Jews, made available about 16 million new documents to historians and theologians.

But the disagreements remain.

Things are neither black nor white, said Etienne Veto, the auxiliary bishop of Reims and former director of the Cardinal Bea Center, a Rome research institute on Jewish-Christian relations.

Still unchanged, said Veto, are the two radically opposed narratives that researchers are working to reconcile about the actions of Pius, who was trained in law and served as Holy See nuncio to Prussia and then Germany before becoming pope.

One narrative sees Pius as a reclusive pontiff, hidden away in his Vatican palace who never publicly denounced the persecution, deportation and extermination of the Jews.

Another views him as a discreet and savvy pope, whose army of priests and nuns helped hide at least 4,000 Roman Jews while seeking to protect Catholics in Europe.

Defenders and critics

The newly opened archives do not change the main line of historiography, which is that of public silence, said Nina Valbousquet, a historian of anti-Semitism at the French School of Rome.

What we see more is the underlying reasoning, Valbousquet said.

The Vatican has defended Pius XII, saying he saved many Jews by having them hidden in religious institutions and that his silence was born out of a wish to avoid aggravating their situation.

His supporters see the wartime pope as seeking to combine a diplomats prudence with the desire to retain papal neutrality.

Gabriele Rigano, a professor of contemporary and Church history at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, said Piuss silence reflected a conscious choice that responds to different needs of the papacy and the Catholic Church, which can be summarised by the policy of impartiality.

Vatican thinking at the time also viewed an ultimately victorious Germany as a bulwark against Communism and the Soviet Union, noted Vaticanist Marco Politi.

Among the wealth of documents showing that the Vatican was aware of the extermination of Jews in the Nazi concentration camps was a letter from a German Jesuit priest, Lothar Koenig, to Pius private secretary, the German Robert Leiber.

Dying every day

Koenigs letter of December 14, 1942  revealed last month by a researcher  mentions the blast furnace in the Belzec death camp in Poland, where up to 6,000 men and women die every day, especially Poles and Jews.

The main contribution of the newly opened archives, however, reflects changes in Church policy towards Jews following the war.

The Curia, or government of the Holy See, was marked by strong anti-Judaism, which bordered on anti-Semitism, said Rigano, while Piuss silence contrasted with the attitude of his predecessor, Pius XI.

The latter protested against Italys Fascist-era racial laws, writing: We Christians are spiritually Semites.

The Holocaust became an awakening for the Church, which realised that its own teachings could have become a breeding ground for the poisonous plant of anti-Semitism, Veto said.

Still, the Vatican was slow to react, said Valbousquet, citing the persistence of anti-Jewish prejudices within the Church in the immediate post-war period and the lack of awareness of what the Shoah was.

It was not until 1965 that the Second Vatican Council published the Nostra Aetate declaration on the Churchs relationship to non-Christian religions. That document once and for all rejected anti-Semitism.

A formal process for Piuss beatification began in 1967. But since Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 proclaimed him venerable, a further step towards sainthood, the process has stalled.
University at Buffalo researchers joined a legion of scientists from around the world in spring 2020 trying to get a handle on how to treat Covid-19.

As the infections strength has weakened and better treatments have evolved, most people have largely been able to return to their pre-pandemic lives  but not all of those with long Covid.

The UB medical school and its associated physicians group aim to help change that with the new UBMD Long Covid Recovery Center, which takes a holistic approach to treating patients with the lingering condition as its researchers continue to gather information about what causes it and what steps can provide the most relief.

Right now, there are no diagnostic tests and zero proven treatments for long Covid, said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, co-director of the new center. These are challenging patients and our goal is to spend time with them, to find out what is going on and how we can help.

Everybody realizes that there would be a phase in which we learn about this disease, the mechanisms, and then test potential treatments in a proper way, said Sethi, professor and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine with the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Ultimately, he said, thats whats going to change this.







What is long Covid?

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines long Covid as a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after being infected with the virus that causes Covid-19.

More than 200 symptoms have been tied to the condition. Persistent fatigue, brain fog and depleted energy after even a minimal effort are the most frequent and prolonged among them, according to the World Health Organization.

The CDC estimates 18 million American adults have had long Covid. Its latest National Health Interview Survey, conducted last year, shows 6.9% of adults self-reported symptoms for at least three months after testing positive or being diagnosed by a health care provider with Covid-19. That percentage is half of previous surveys taken during the pandemic.

Acute Covid is more of a lung disease, Sethi said, but long Covid is more of a neurological thing or a general thing, in the sense that brain fog and chronic fatigue are much more important than say a cough or shortness of breath. But theres a whole variety of things we see. Literally any and every organ in the body can be involved.

Some people got infected and symptoms never completely go away, he said. There are people who have symptoms that come and go. There are people who completely recover.

Who is most vulnerable?

Mysteries about the illness abound.

Those with obesity, high blood pressure and autoimmune disease  which all spur a higher risk for a more serious case of Covid-19  are no more likely to get long Covid than others.

The initial Covid infection could be mild or moderate, or could be severe, said Sethi, who practices with UBMD Internal Medicine. Thats kind of ironic.

At this point, researchers also arent clear about whether vaccines had an impact on who got long Covid.

We know from larger epidemiological studies that we may see less of it now, Sethi said. Because people have a lot of immunity to start with, that may help explain why, but again, thats not fully proven.

The good news is that some treatment strategies appear to help.

Clearly the numbers are different just looking at the percentage of people with symptoms at three months, six months, 12 months, Sethi said. It does keep getting smaller. I wish we had good prediction models telling us whos going to recover or whose symptoms are going to persist, but we dont.

New research reported in the last month brings more hope.

in Boston reported in a study that those with rheumatic disease and a history of a specific type of cold virus infection had a higher risk of long Covid. That could help yield a cause.

reported that they are closing in on a biomarker that could help diagnose long Covid with a blood test.

A small controlled study in Serbia

as a supplement for six months may significantly improve post-Covid-19 fatigue syndrome.

In the Buffalo Niagara region, Dr. Thomas J. Guttuso Jr., professor of neurology in the Jacobs School, started a study earlier this year to see if low-dose lithium, used to control mood, may also lower inflammation in the brain that can worsen some of long Covids most pronounced symptoms.

Regional response

UB researchers began their march toward a related center with a Western New York Community-based Long Covid Registry. Almost 1,000 people have answered a questionnaire about related symptoms and their lasting power since it went online in September 2022.

The new Long Covid Recovery Center will further that work.

We developed this clinic because we were concerned about the lack of programs for people with long Covid, said Dr. Allison Brashear, vice president for health sciences at UB, dean of the Jacobs School and president of UBMD Physicians Group. Long Covid is evolving and people are beginning to learn more, so we wanted to be able to provide a multidisciplinary approach.

Sethi said it took about six months to set up the center, which includes two rooms inside the UBMD Internal Medicine Office on the fourth floor of the Conventus Center for Collaborative Medicine on High Street. Pulmonary and neurology specialists are among those on the same floor.

The recovery center staff is in place, electronic medical records will soon become accessible, and more than 100 patients have been seen for an initial appointment.

We now have all the pieces in place, Sethi said this week.

The Buffalo Urban League has made a social worker and community health worker available to help address the mental and emotional rigors long Covid often brings, Brashear said, as well as help patients keep on track with treatments and get to appointments as needed.

The first appointment involves a detailed medical history that focuses on existing symptoms. It can last for 90 minutes or more.

The goal is to figure out a management plan for that person and then to see how they respond, Sethi said. Are they getting better? What helped and what didnt help? We need to do a full evaluation.

A weekly conference of center team members  to discuss cases and how patients might best be helped  also is part of the protocol, Brashear said.

Treatment follows.

Where normally you get physical therapy after an injury, here we might give physical therapy for general fatigue, Sethi said. You cant yet standardize. Same with occupational therapy. Were trying to individualize patients. There are some interesting ideas in the medical literature out there, so were trying to implement them.

Lifting the spirit

Catholic Health helps close the holistic loop with a free monthly Covid support group, started in late 2021 for those dealing with disease aftereffects. Loved ones and caregivers are welcome to attend, too. Meetings take place in person, although people may participate by phone or online.

Nurse Practitioner Nora Balon will talk about homeopathic remedies and other strategies for long Covid symptoms at the next meeting, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Kenmore Mercy Hospital in the Town of Tonawanda. To register or learn more, call 716-447-6211.

This fits hand in glove, because we offer emotional and spiritual support for people who are surviving and dealing with long Covid, said Dennis Mahaney, a Methodist chaplain by training and support group facilitator.

Urban League workers have stopped in to share resources and counsel. Guttuso has provided information about his lithium research study. Rehabilitation, meditation and other skills that help build resilience also are common topics.

How do you help them find ways to thrive? Sometimes that isnt in the medicine bottle, Mahaney said, and theres not been a lot of research helping them find the internal resources.

Leave no one behind

The Mother Cabrini Foundation is supporting the recovery center with a $400,000 grant to help underserved populations that are uninsured and underinsured get the care they need, including those in neighborhoods surrounding the Medical Campus.

We want to be able to provide care to all the patients that need it, particularly those patients in Buffalo who may not have access to care or may not think they have long Covid, Brashear said. We want them to be able to be screened for it and get treatment quickly.

The centers holistic approach is part of a larger university effort to provide support to those whose living standards often negatively determine their health and well-being. Those efforts include a community pharmacy, health fairs and dental and veggie vans run by faculty and students and stationed in neighborhoods where care and support is needed most.

Wellness is multifactorial, Brashear said. An important piece is access to care  not just your blood pressure, not just your numbers  but how other parts of your life contribute to wellness.

Reach out to the center for information or to make an appointment at ubmd.com/practice-locations/long-covid-recovery-center or call nurse practitioner Trudy Stern at 716-323-0674.
Israel has thanked the people India for their support as the hashtag India is with Israel trended on social media platform X throughout Saturday following large attacks by Hamas.

Thank you India, Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs Digital Diplomacy team said in a message on its official account on X

Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs also posted a picture which showed the hashtag India is with Israel trending on X.

Earlier on Saturday morning, after Hamas launched an unexpected strike, a volley of missiles pounded southern and central Israel.

The innocent victims and their families are in Indias thoughts and prayers, the countrys prime minister stated earlier in the day on Saturday.

Taking to X, PM Modi stated, Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.

In response to PM Modis statement on X, Israels Ambassador to India Naor Gilon stated, Thank you @PMOIndia. Indias moral support is much appreciated. Israel will prevail.

In another post shared on X, Gilon stated, Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza during the Jewish holiday. Both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists. The situation is not simple but Israel will prevail.

According to the most recent developments, medical authorities estimate that at over 100 people have died in the Hamas terror attack on Israel, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew-language media.

In the ongoing terror attack by Hamas on Israels southern and central region, 908 injured individuals have been transported to hospitals for treatment, according to the Health Ministry, The Times of Israel reported. 800 people have been hurt as a result of the attacks, which saw scores of Hamas militants sneak into Israel and kill soldiers and civilians. Rocket attacks also injured others.

In a statement posted on X, Israels Foreign Ministry stated, At least 100 Israelis murdered and more than 900 wounded in terror attacks by Hamas terrorists.

While sharing the post on X, Israels Foreign Ministry stated, The fighting in southern Israel is still ongoing. Our security forces are securing areas which are under attack by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israeli communities and who have taken civilians captive.,

According to Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces, Israelis have been taken captive in the Gaza Strip by Hamas, according to The Times of Israel.

Hagari claimed in a press conference that Israeli soldiers had also died in the fighting. The number of hostages or soldiers slain was kept a secret by him. According to Hagari, there are still 22 active battle zones in southern Israel, including Beeri and Ofakim, where hostages are being held.

According to a story in The Times of Israel, he claimed that Israeli troops had arrived in every village along the Gaza border and added that they were working to scan everyone. Hagari claims that four divisions are being sent to the border with Gaza to join the 31 battalions currently stationed there.

(With agency inputs)
Typhoon Koinu is moving towards the southern province of Guangdong and the island of Hainan, China warned on Saturday, bringing large waves, torrential rain, and high winds.

According to the State Oceanic Administration, which issued an orange alert, the second-highest in a four-colour warning system, waves up to nine metres high were anticipated in the South China Sea under the force of the storm on Saturday and Sunday.

According to the National Meteorological Centre, Koinuwhich is Japanese for puppyis moving west along Chinas southern coast at a speed of 5 to 10 kmph.

From late on Monday, it is predicted to deteriorate into a potent tropical storm.

Koinu had caused some of the most severe devastation on isolated Orchid, killing one person and injuring over 400 others in Taiwan.

(With agency inputs)
Chinese dissidents claim the UK spies may have tracked the stricken Chinese submarine in the Yellow Sea, by exploiting a sailors Apple smartwatch. This revelation comes as part of an ongoing inquiry into the disaster involving the Chinese Type 093 nuclear submarine, which tragically claimed the lives of all 55 crew members.

The submarine incident occurred on 21 August, allegedly due to a collision with a chain and anchor device intended to harm Western submarines. Despite China officially denying the incident, British naval intelligence officers have privately expressed their conviction that it did indeed occur. The UKs Ministry of Defence has chosen to remain officially silent on the matter.

According to a Daily Mail report, dissidents based outside China claim to have obtained copies of the Chinese Communist Partys investigation report, which includes allegations of Western interference. The report appears to suggest that Chinese officials are keen to attribute blame to the West for interfering with and eavesdropping on Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) operations.

We received an update from the Central Military Commission. In the classified report, the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] believes MI6 bugged the Apple watch of a high-ranking Navy officer in Guangdong command, causing the leak of information related to the 093-417 accident, the Mail quoted a dissident as saying.

This incident marks a significant setback for Chinas naval prestige, coming at a time when the country is heavily investing in its armed forces, with plans to expand its submarine fleet to 65 to 70 submarines by the end of the decade, as part of a massive 1 trillion investment package between 2024 and 2028. Chinas naval expansion has raised concerns among Western observers, who fear that China aims to assert dominance in the South China Sea and beyond, including the militarization of islands in violation of previous agreements.

The sinking of PLAN 093-417 also stands as the third-largest loss of life aboard a submarine in maritime history, with the worst being the Russian Kursk disaster in 2000, which claimed 118 lives. According to a British naval intelligence officer, the crew of the Chinese submarine died due to a system fault that resulted in hypoxia and a catastrophic failure of the onboard oxygen system. British submarines are equipped with technology to address such situations, unlike the ill-fated Chinese submarine.

The Type 093-417 is one of Chinas six nuclear attack submarines, armed with torpedoes and cruise missiles. Measuring 351 feet in length, 30 feet in width, and capable of reaching a top speed of 30 knots, this submarine represents a significant asset in Chinas naval expansion plans.

As this investigation unfolds, the international community remains watchful of the implications of these allegations on the global geopolitical landscape. The controversy surrounding the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in the South China Sea and the delicate balance of power in the region.
The US has expelled two Russian diplomats from Moscows embassy in Washington, the State Department announced on Friday.

The move comes in response to what a State Department spokesperson described as Russias specious expulsion of two US Embassy Moscow diplomats last month. The spokesperson added that the State Department reciprocated by declaring persona non grata two Russian Embassy officials operating in the United States.

In an emailed statement, the spokesperson said, The Department will not tolerate the Russian governments pattern of harassment of our diplomats.

The Departments actions send a clear message that unacceptable actions against our Embassy personnel in Moscow will have consequences, the email read.

Last month, the US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and was told that two US diplomats  Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein  had been declared persona non grata, which meant that they had two weeks time to leave Russia.

The ministry defended its action by saying, These persons carried out illegal activities, maintaining contact with Russian citizen (Robert) Shonov, accused of confidential cooperation with a foreign state, who was given tasks for financial compensation aimed at harming the national security of the Russian Federation.

It further said that Ambassador Tracy was given a harsh demarche with the presentation of an official note regarding the incompatibility with the diplomatic status of the actions of the First Secretary of the US Embassy Jeffrey Sillin and the Second Secretary of the Embassy David Bernstein.

According to the Russian state media outlet TASS, Shonov, a Russian diplomat who worked for the US Consulate in Vladivostok, was arrested for his involvement in confidential cooperation with a foreign government.
Washingtons decision to expel two Russian diplomats in retaliation for a similar expulsion of US diplomats is banal revenge, the Russian ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said Saturday.

In a statement on Telegram, he said that at a meeting with the US side, I asked my interlocutors to explain what exactly our comrades were accused of and I received no arguments Thus, this is, in fact, banal revenge, which does not do credit to American diplomacy.

On Friday the United States said it was expelling two Russian diplomats in response to Moscow kicking out two Americans last month.

Moscow said they were expelled for liaising with a Russian citizen who had formerly worked at the US consulate in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, Robert Shonov.

After a previous reduction of diplomats, Shonov started working as a contractor and the United States says he was hired for routine monitoring of publicly available Russian media.

But Antonov said the two US diplomats expelled were essentially interfering in internal affairs and attempting to undermine Russias national security.

Relations between the United States and Russia have deteriorated sharply since Moscows invasion of Ukraine last year. The United States has said it sees no point in senior-level talks except on isolated issues such as arranging prisoner swaps.

Even before the war, the US diplomatic presence in Russia had been sharply reduced after a decree by President Vladimir Putin limiting the hiring of local staff, with Russians seeking US visas often obliged to go to embassies in third countries.
The US Commerce Department has added 42 Chinese companies to a government export control list over their support for Moscows military and defense industrial base  support that includes the supply of US-origin integrated circuits.

Another seven entities from Finland, Germany, India, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom were also added to the trade export control list.

The circuits include microelectronics that Russia uses for precision guidance systems in missiles and drones launched against civilian targets in Ukraine, the Commerce Department said in a statement.

Todays additions to the Entity List provide a clear message: if you supply the Russian defense sector with U.S.-origin technology, we will find out, and we will take action, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod said in the statement.

China called the US action economic coercion and unilateral bullying.

The United States should immediately correct its wrong practices and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies, Chinas Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

It has been 20 months since Russian invaded Ukraine. A Russian missile strike in a village in northeastern Ukraine on Thursday killed at least 52 people in one of the deadliest attacks yet.
Amid the diplomatic sparring and souring of bilateral ties in the wake of Canadian PM Justin Trudeaus allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Special Envoy and Coordinator, Global Engagement Centre, James Rubin said the standoff was a tricky subject as he sought cooperation into the investigation as far as it goes.

During a virtual press briefing on October 5, the US special envoy said, This is a tricky subject. Let me just say that we support Canadas investigation. We want everyone to help  including the Indian Government  help advance the investigation into this murder, and we would urge everyone to cooperate and to take the investigation as far as it goes.

On whether such tensions as the one between New Delhi and Ottawa could breed disinformation campaigns, Rubin said it is an area that is ripe for information manipulation.

Let me just say in our report, if you take a look at it, there are a few examples given about particular Chinese interference in Canadian domestic politics and in their universities and ways in which theyve sought to manipulate their individuals, coerce individuals, and discredit individuals. And those accounts are in the report, and I urge you to take a look at that. This is obviously an area that is ripe for information manipulation, he said.

I havent seen any specific evidence of the Canadian-Indian issue, but I do know that China has made a big effort to interfere in the domestic affairs of Canada through the ways I mentioned. And its particularly ironic, because you may remember that for decades China was the loudest demander that nobody interferes in their domestic affairs, and yet when it comes to information manipulation, when it comes to interfering in the politics in Canada, when it comes to the South China Sea, where theyre interfering in the territorial waters of countries around the region, when it comes to the famous balloon incident  suddenly sovereignty is not so important to the Chinese Government, the state department spokesperson added.

The State Department spokesperson was presenting a report that showed how China had been trying to distort global information.

This is the first comprehensive US State Department analysis of how Beijing employs these deceptive and coercive methods as it attempts to distort the global information space. It is doing so to advance its geopolitical objectives, Rubin told media persons.

When the provenance of information is not clear, when we dont know that its the Chinese Government or the Russian Government doing something, thats when its information manipulation. The Chinese have a phoney persona called Yi Fan, which we talk about in this report, who purports to be an international affairs commentator when we know full well hes a foreign affairs operative for their foreign ministry. So thats the hard part. I cant tell you for sure whether that will happen in Canada. he added.

Meanwhile, amid the diplomatic spat, New Delhi has suspended the visa operations to Canada and sought a reduction in Canadian diplomatic presence in India citing interference in internal matters.

Addressing the press briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, Given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence hereand their continued interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing on the modalities of achieving this.

Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction, he added.

Asked if the reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats could result in a decrease in the number of visas issued by the Canadian High Commission in India, Bagchi said, Its up to the Canadian side, who they choose to staff the High Commission withour concerns are related to ensuring parity in diplomatic presence.

Earlier, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau claimed his countrys national security officials had reasons to believe that agents of the Indian government carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen Nijjar.

The allegation was termed absurd by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday. The militants fired thousands of rockets at Israel and sent dozens of fighters across the countrys heavily fortified border, a massive show of force that caught Israel off-guard on a major holiday.

Hours after the deadly attack, the Al-Qasssm Brigade of Hamas released footage of its fighters using motorized hang gliders to infiltrate southern Israel.

#BREAKING Hamas publishes video footage of its fighters using motorized hang gliders to infiltrate southern Israel. pic.twitter.com/TBNsJa9DOl  Clash Report (@clashreport) October 7, 2023

Earlier, videos of Hamas militants entering Israel went viral on social media platforms.

Watch:

Footage of a hamas infiltrator using a motorized hang glider to get into Israel. This is insane. pic.twitter.com/pUbmSEseUZ  Global: Military-Info (@Global_Mil_Info) October 7, 2023

Palestinian armed gunmen reportedly in the streets of southern Israel after infiltrating from Gaza. pic.twitter.com/U6QgNIlQii  Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 7, 2023

Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip are seen in Sderot. pic.twitter.com/dsuL4uYWoY  Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

Hamas forces storming Israeli Army base. pic.twitter.com/kwQZo6cW1O  Clash Report (@clashreport) October 7, 2023

 #Hamas forces enter the territory of #Israel  Videos show how the militants cross the border and kill civilians in the border town of Sderot. This is war  pic.twitter.com/PUW1mh2AxU  TWBK  (@Thibli2) October 7, 2023

Earlier, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told the country that it is at war with Hamas militants..

Netanyahus comments in a televised address mark his first since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday. He ordered a call-up of reservists and promised that Hamas would pay a price that it hasnt known until now.

We are at war, Netanyahu said. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

With inputs from agencies
A new program rolled out by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to allow downstate residents in danger of eviction to receive vouchers for free housing anywhere else in the state has county leaders ringing alarm bells.

The program, announced late last month, gives downstate residents who are evicted, or facing eviction, a cash subsidy of more than $2,000 a month to find housing elsewhere. Thats not a lot of money for rent in the Big Apple, but it is a lot of money here.

And given the local shortage of existing, affordable housing, the idea that downstate residents could receive more rent money for apartments than many Western New Yorkers pay in mortgage costs has resulted in bipartisan county opposition across the state.

The program, called the Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement, or FHEPS, would provide a minimum monthly housing voucher of $2,335 for a single person and $3,385 for a family of five or six. The voucher amount continues to increase as the family size increases and is good for five years. Asylum-seekers are not eligible for this money, but could benefit from having other subsidized renters leave the city.

Erie County legislators noted this past week that the housing vouchers offered by New York City are higher than the ones offered to local residents by the countys Department of Social Services. The New York City vouchers also offer landlords other generous upfront incentives that Erie County cant match when it provides assistance to local residents facing homelessness.

Legislators unanimously passed a resolution calling on the state to limit the value of vouchers and incentives from the New York City program so that Erie County residents wont be left at a disadvantage. The resolution also calls on the Erie County attorney to evaluate other legal options to protect the county from downstate residents who may use their more generous housing vouchers here locally and squeeze out local residents in need.

Their concerns were echoed by the New York State Association of Counties, which issued a statement opposing the New York City voucher expansion.

This is simple supply and demand; more people competing for a small number of affordable units will make it harder for local residents to find housing they can afford, said President Dan McCoy, the Albany County executive, in a statement. I know that in Albany County, over 37% of the vouchers we have for eligible households cant be used because there isnt enough housing  with a sudden increase in competition, that percentage will only get larger.

We recognize that New York City is facing a crisis, but so is every other municipality throughout New York State when dealing with housing shortages. This shift compounds the problem across our state.

County leaders located closer to New York City have been most concerned about the spillover effect from the enhanced voucher system.

Erie County Legislature Republicans originally introduced, and tried to pass, a resolution on Thursday calling on County Executive Mark Poloncarz to issue a state of emergency blocking New York City residents from being able to use their vouchers with local landlords. They said immediate action must be taken to keep downstate residents from having an unfair housing advantage.

But Legislature Democrats questioned the legality of a state of emergency that would bar local landlords from engaging in private transactions with New York City residents.

County Attorney Jeremy Toth said an emergency order on this matter would be similar to emergency orders to try and stop New York City from contracting with private hotels to house asylum-seekers. Those that have been challenged have been struck down in court because government is restricted from interfering in private business transactions, he said.

Even if you can construct a constitutional argument, which Im struggling to do, ... I would have to go to court to articulate what the emergency was, he said.

Democrats amended the resolution, calling on the states Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to limit the value of the citys FHEPS housing voucher program. They described the Republican call for a local state of emergency an attempt to embarrass the county executive.

Peter Anderson, a spokesman for Poloncarz, said the county administration agrees that the housing voucher issue needs to be addressed, which is why information was given to the Legislatures Democratic majority about how to frame a resolution that could protect local renters.

We absolutely share the Legislatures concerns, he said.

Republicans said its wrong to say all emergency orders related to asylum-seekers have been unsuccessful. And even if a county state of emergency were to fail a legal challenge, it would still buy time to come up with a better plan for addressing the potential downstate threat.

Chautauqua County Executive Paul Wendel Jr. declared a state of emergency regarding the housing voucher system last week. That emergency order prohibits anyone from accepting a New York City housing voucher without written authorization by the county.
Asserting that his country will come up with a strong response to the attacks by Hamas, Israels envoy to India Naor Gilon thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian people for their support.

Early this morning, when Israeli citizens were still in their beds. Hamas, the terror organization from Gaza, perpetrated a dual attack, both rockets towards Israeli civilians and ground attacks by terrorists against civilian population. Children, women, elderly, they have killed many and captured others. Israel will retaliate. Israel will go after the perpetrators and make sure they cannot repeat this kind of atrocities again, Naor Gilon said in a statement on social media platform X.

Thank you to the Indian people and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for your very strong moral support to Israel. We will prevail, he added.

At least 100 people were killed and over 900 wounded in Israel as 5,000 rockets were fired by militant group Hamas in a surprise attack.

Israel and Hamas have once again escalated their conflict as the Palestinian militant group initiated a significant aerial and ground operation from the blockaded Gaza Strip, marking one of its largest attacks in recent years.

Sirens were activated across Israel, reaching as far north as the disputed city of Jerusalem, starting at approximately 7 a.m. on Saturday.

The Hamas terror group published footage showing its members capturing a number of Israeli soldiers during an attack on a military base on the border with the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

The multi-pronged attack, coming a day after Israel marked the 50th anniversary of the surprise invasion on Yom Kippur, appeared to have caught the Israeli military and security forces completely by surprise.

Other clips circulated online have purported to show Israeli civilians taken hostage by the terror group. Arabic media claimed 52 Israelis had been captured. Some of those captured appeared to have been killed.

According to Hamas claims, this barrage consisted of 5,000 rockets launched from the blockaded enclave. Concurrently, there has been a ground infiltration by Hamas militants into Israeli towns and villages located on the peripheryan unprecedented development in the 16 years since Hamas assumed control of the strip.
After the Palestinian group, Hamas launched an all-out offensive against Israel by firing over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip, Yemen organised a solidarity march to support the Palestinian cause.

When Palestine calls, Yemen responds. pic.twitter.com/ebPBxPnSTS    (@Aldanmarki) October 7, 2023

The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea, catching the country off guard on a major holiday.

A sea of people stretching as far as the eye can see. This is Yemen, in total solidarity with Palestine. https://t.co/5OPSyXEGms pic.twitter.com/PSdFWJtLwH    (@Aldanmarki) October 7, 2023

So far, at least 200 people have died in the attacks. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has launched Operation Swords of Iron in retaliation to Hamas Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Hospitals in Israel have been overwhelmed with over 900 critically wounded people.

Meanwhile, the Hamas Chief was seen praying to thank god for the successful launch of its attack against Israel.

Condemnation poured in from global leaders as news of the terrible attack by Hamas terrorists on unprepared Israeli citizens broke on Saturday with several casualties being reported. Britain was joined by the Netherlands, France, Egypt, Turkey as well as the European Union to unequivocally condemn the surprise attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel.

Apart from this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock after the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour, said PM Modi.
The White House said Saturday that it unequivocally condemns the Hamas attacks.

We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the National Security Council.

The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism.

Watson said Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi. The U.S. and Israel are remaining in close touch, Watson said.

Palestinian terror group Hamas on Saturday Morning launched an aerial attack on Israel. The militia, which operates from Gaza, claimed to have fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel. Soon afterwards Hamas terrorists, boarded on pickup trucks dashed through the forcer fences into southern Israel.

Israel responded by declaring a state of war and launching the mission Swords of Iron. The Israeli Air Force launched strikes on Gaza, where the Hamas operates from.

This comes on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war between Israel and Egypt-Syria. The war is also called the Yom Kippur War, as it started on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel. The conflict that drew over two weeks saw a comprehensive victory for Israel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed shock after the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour, said PM Modi.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 7, 2023

Thanking PM Modi for his support, Naor Gilon, Ambassador of Israel to India, said, Indias moral support is much appreciated. Israel will prevail.

Several hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country. Israels national rescue service said at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

The Soroka Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba said it was treating at least 280 casualties, with 60 in serious condition. The Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, near Gaza, said it was treating 182 wounded people, including 12 in critical condition, reported The Associated Press.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

In a televised address, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

Western nations condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel. The acting US ambassador to Israel, Stephanie Hallett, condemned the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians and said the US supports Israels right to defend itself from such terrorist acts.

With inputs from agencies
Responding to the full-blown attack on Israel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said Hamas has made a grave mistake and that Israel will win this war.

The Hamas terrorist organization made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions, Gallant wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The State of Israel will win this war.

Palestinian terror group Hamas Saturday morning launched a surprise aerial attack on Israel. The militia, which operates out of the Gaza Strip, claimed to have launched over 5,000 rockets into Israel.

Shortly afterwards the militia also launched an invasion into Israel. Social media soon became flush with videos showing Hamas fighters tearing through the border fences on SUVs.

In a gunbattle that ensued as soon as the terrorists crossed into Israel, the mayor of Shaar Negev, an Israeli border area northeast of the Gaza Strip, was killed.

The president of the regional council, Ofir Liebstein, was killed during an exchange of fire with terrorists, the regional council said in a statement.

Visuals circulating on social media also showed Hamas militants taking over an Israeli tank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a state of war with Hamas.
In the ever-evolving landscape of urban development, it is a rare sight to witness a developer willingly forgo substantial tax breaks to benefit the broader community. Douglas Jemal, however, has proven himself to be just such a champion in reimagining and revitalizing Buffalo. Nowhere is his dedication more evident than in his innovative approach to improving the citys infrastructure.

For the second time, Jemal has agreed to forgo potentially lucrative tax incentives for his project  this time, the redevelopment of the Mohawk Ramp and Simon Electric properties. He has chosen to redirect these tax payments into a public infrastructure fund that will serve the citys street improvement initiatives. It takes nothing away from his decision that it could also indirectly benefit his own projects.

The first time Jemal took this step was in his transformation of the Seneca One tower. This new act could ultimately translate into tens of millions of dollars to finance myriad public projects, including the much-needed smart street and complete street enhancements as envisioned by city officials. Everyone wins.

***

In todays ever-evolving landscape of higher education, institutions find themselves faced with the imperative to reimagine their strategies for recruiting and retaining students. Some local colleges and universities have not only risen to this challenge, but have also maintained or increased their enrollments.

Buffalo State University, for instance, has bolstered financial support for students. This includes two innovative grant programs grounded in data that underscore the value of on-campus experiences in driving enrollment and retention. The Bengal Experience Grant, offering $1,000 to first-year students who make an official campus visit, and the Bengal Promise Grant, providing an additional $3,000 per year in non-tuition aid to support on-campus living, have been game-changers. Buffalo States enrollment also received a boost from 559 transfer students, a remarkable 28% increase over the previous year, due in part from the now-closed Medaille University.

Niagara University has earned recognition as the top Best Value school in New York State, largely because of its commitment to financial aid. However, the universitys focus on career pathways, fostered by partnerships with businesses, has been instrumental in ensuring that students not only earn their degrees, but also acquire the skills needed for successful careers.

Hilbert College, renowned for its support of low-income students, has made significant contributions to the Say Yes to Education program. This initiative offers full-tuition scholarships to low-income students, alleviating a significant financial burden and making higher education more accessible.

Meanwhile, Villa Maria College has embraced unique programs, such as Western New Yorks only game design program and film crew programs, to meet the growing demand for production workers in Buffalos burgeoning film industry.

These colleges and universities have met the challenge of attracting a smaller audience. Their success stories serve as a testament to the power of innovative thinking, financial support, career-focused education and unique program offerings in securing a brighter future for higher education in our region.

***

Amid the challenges of higher education, theres always room for a bit of lightheartedness. Some students, as it turns out, may just stumble upon their 15 minutes of fame, or at least a brush with it. Consider Bill Drexler.

Drexler is an alumnus of SUNY Fredonia State College with a degree in communications and video production. His story, eloquently recounted by Buffalo News food editor Andrew Z. Galarneau, centers around a spicy wing and a moment of serendipity with supermodel Tyra Banks.

While Drexler may not be gracing the runways, he did become Camera Guy Bill on the YouTube-based celebrity interview show Hot Ones. His journey from campus life to this spicy wing-fueled fame is a tale worth savoring.

For those curious about the full story, its well worth a read.
Google has stated that it will provide spare parts for the Pixel 8 series for seven years. Google said this to FoneArena, and it aligns with Googles commitment to offer seven years of updates for these phones.

Soniya Jobanputra, who is the director of product management at Google, confirmed this during an interview with Android Authority. While Google hasnt shared all the specifics, its likely that you can obtain Pixel 8 parts from their partner, iFixit, a repair website based in the United States.

iFixit already stocks parts for earlier Pixel models and provides detailed guides for DIY repairs. Notably, iFixit also offers genuine parts for Pixel 2 to Pixel 6 series phones.

Its worth noting that these actions by Google coincide with Californias new right-to-repair law. Under this law, companies must make repair parts, information, and software available for seven years if their product costs over $100.

In any case, Google seems committed to ensuring that spare parts will be accessible for the entire lifespan of the Pixel 8 series. This is especially important for the battery, since most smartphone batteries degrade by around 20% after about two years. So, being able to purchase a replacement battery when needed is crucial for keeping the phone running smoothly over seven years.

Google has not yet revealed specific details about when and how these parts will be available. We can expect further announcements and information in the near future.

In an interview with FoneArena, Googles Director of Product Management, Soniya Jobanputra, shared the following:
By Hyunsu Yim

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's branding of critics as "communist totalitarian and anti-state forces" may rally his conservative base and distract from unease about some of his policies but risk fuelling division and alienating some voters.

In South Korea, the label of communist carries higher stakes than in many Western democracies with the ongoing threat from ostensibly communist North Korea and Cold War-era laws that effectively ban activities deemed related to communism.

Yoon's remarks and the renewed public debate over communism come with his approval ratings slipping and political tensions rising ahead of a general election in April.

They also come at a time of a noticeable shift in Seoul's foreign policy as Yoon pushes for trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan despite lingering public unease with Tokyo over historical issues, said Kevin Gray, a professor at University of Sussex.

There is a legitimacy problem for Yoon in the sense that the gap between popular opinion in South Korea and what is being pursued internationally is increasing," Gray said.

"He has decided to take an approach not of trying to convince people but to label the opposition as being somehow an anti-state, communist totalitarian force."

In a speech earlier this month, Yoon said South Korea's freedom is "under constant threat" from "communist totalitarian and anti-state forces" who are critical of South Korea's deepening ties with the U.S. and Japan.

"The forces of communist totalitarianism have disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights advocates and progressive activists," Yoon said in another speech for Liberation Day last month.

Yoon's office told Reuters that the president had never branded domestic critics as "communist totalitarian" or "anti-state forces" but rather he was expressing concern about forces attempting to undermine freedom, democracy, and the constitutional values of South Korea.

Story continues

The liberal opposition party, which controls the National Assembly but is in disarray amid corruption charges against its leader, has criticised Yoon as wasting his term on an ideological war that deepens political divides and does nothing to address real problems.

"The president keeps emphasizing the threat from communist forces which don't exist," a spokesperson for the Democratic Party said at a briefing last week.

SINKING APPROVAL RATINGS

Yoon's disapproval ratings stood at 59%, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday, up from 37% when elected last year. Foreign policy, the government's economic management and stance on Japan's Fukushima wastewater release were the leading issues.

Given his low approval ratings, analysts say labelling his opponents as communists may still be useful for Yoon to hold onto his party's conservative base.

Andrew Yeo, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the legacy of the Korean War and North Korean infiltration into the South means "red-baiting" is still effective in demonising opponents.

Earlier this year, four former officials at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the biggest umbrella union in the country, were charged over links to North Korean spies and violating the National Security Act.

"Unfortunately, such tactics only deepen political divides, contributing to nationalist polarisation," Yeo said.

Benjamin Engel, a research professor at Seoul National University, said Yoon's approach risks alienating some more moderate voters.

"During his campaign, Yoon often used the phrase 'uniting the people.' But his recent policies, rhetoric, and appointments suggest he is moving away from uniting the people. The result will be some people who may have voted for him last year now feel alienated," Engel said.

THE 'NEW RIGHT' MOVEMENT

Yoon has aligned himself with the 'New Right' movement which offers a more "charitable" view of the country's authoritarian past and its link to the Japanese colonial period, Yeo said.

Rhee Jong-hoon, a Seoul-based political commentator, sees Yoon's more right wing approach as being influenced in part by his late father who studied in Japan and once took part in a signature campaign linked to the New Right movement.

"Yoon has perhaps always warmed to and sympathised with the figures who his father had hung out with and are associated with the New Right movement," Rhee said.

The president's office said any assumptions about his father's politics are "baseless", but Rhee argued that Yoon's comments are likely more than just a political tactic.

"It would be difficult to imagine (Yoon's moves) being driven without his own deeply rooted conviction," Rhee said.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Josh Smith and Lincoln Feast)
Rockets fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza City are intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome defence missile system on October 7 (AFP via Getty Images)

The attack out of Gaza at dawn by rockets, commandos with bulldozers, hang gliders and small boats came as a total surprise. By dusk at least 300 had been killed, Palestinian and Israeli, and thousands injured and displaced.

As night fell, Israeli bombed more buildings in Gaza City, trying to strike the military headquarters of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who must have been planning the offensive for months. But no one in the Israeli Defence Forces, intelligence and domestic security arms, Shinbet, seemed to have an inkling of what was in the wind.

The failure is reminiscent of a similar one at the same time of the year, round the great Jewish festival of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in 1973, fifty years ago. The government under Golda Meir was caught unawares by a major assault into the Golan Heights by Syrian forces in the north and across the Suez Canal into Israeli  occupied Sinai in the south. It was revenge for the stunning Arab losses in the Six Days War of 1967. It took time for Israels tank and air forces to regain the initiative. It was a near-run thing.

This time is different. Israel has monitored Gaza, a scrubby patch of ground less than a third the size of Greater London, ever since Israeli forces ceded control there in 2005, after a long and difficult occupation following the 1967 war.

Copious arrays of ground and aerial sensors watched the Gaza Strip, Counter measures to Palestinian commando tunnelling operations had been successful. But inside the strip, where 2.2 million Palestinians live in dire condition  short of utilities and sanitation, with deteriorating fresh water supply  Hamas, and its allies like Islamic Jihad have ruled since 2005. Founded as Islamic Resistance in the early 1980s, Hamas got itself elected in 2005, and then largely forgot democracy.

It is, of course, implacably opposed to the State of Israel, though has to do shaky deals both with Israel itself and the rival Palestinian authority in Ramallah on the West Bank under the ageing Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah. This for money and aid, which are often withheld.

Story continues

In the past 18 years it has had four major clashes of arms with Israel  the last big a ten day flare up in 2021. Nothing the Palestinian militants have done has been on the scale of this attack. Within the first twelve hours at least 2,500 rockets had been fired out of Gaza  more launched as night drew on. Commandos crashed the barrier fence with Israel, using a bulldozer and armoured trucks. Along the coast bands of fighters launched in rigid raider dinghies driven by souped-up outboard motors.

By midday the Israeli authorities reported they had lost contact with seven of the settlements nearest to Gaza. Palestinians started street battles in towns to the north of the Strip, with Sderot being a focus of operations. This is unusual, because these were not the usual hit and run raids of previous attacks.

Ominous reports began of missing villagers, of Israeli soldiers and civilians being taken hostage. The Hamas authority later confirmed they had taken prisoners to Gaza City.

The intelligence failure was not technical, but human. The Israeli authorities seemed not to be aware of what was building throughout the summer among the Palestinian militant groups.

The Palestinians had acted, claimed the Hamas Military Commander Mohammed Deif, in revenge for the Israeli actions against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank this year, and the actions on the Holy Mount and round the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam. He named this Operation Al Aqsa Flood. This year 247 Palestinians had been killed, 32 Israelis and two foreign nationals in violent incidents.

Israel has responded with Operation Iron Swords.

The sheer firepower, training and coordination of the Palestinian action suggests extensive foreign support. They have prepared well over 5,000 rockets in Gaza, virtually undetected. Some of the design, parts even, would likely have come from Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite militia of Lebanon, which is now partner in government in Beirut.

So far, Iran has been cautious. The spokesman of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, sent his formal congratulations for the action of resistance in the defence of their rights by Hamas. The fear is that Hezbollah will now join in from the northern border with Lebanon in support of their largely Sunni allies of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Almost every city in Israel is known to be in range of Hezbollahs Iranian rockets and missiles. They will be a hard test for Israels Iron Dome anti-missile system, which is one of the most battle-proven of its kind in the world.

Vladimir Putin has offered to play peacemaker, which gives an intriguing and potent twist to the story. Putin is allies to Iran, a vital arms supplier for his attack on Ukraine. Iran backs Hamas. But Putin is also an ally of Netanyahus Israel, which is trying to balance between Russia, a strong ally, and Ukraine with its Jewish president. Ukraine, Russia, Iran and Israel are heavily invested in developing weaponry now being tested across the thousand-kilometer front in southern Ukraine and in and around Crimea.

Top concern for Israel now must be the missing and those taken hostage or prisoner. It is fundamental to the way Israel conducts its security in war and peace that it cares for its citizens. Prisoners of war raise very particular issues and sensibilities. Commanders and politicians will be remembering Gilad Shalit, a young Israeli soldier who was captured near Gaza in 2006. It took until 2011 and with huge diplomatic effort to get him released.

Robert Fox is defence editor
Legislative Republicans are moving to fire the head of the state board that investigates complaints against doctors over what he says is his support for abortion rights.

The GOP-controlled Senate health committee on Wednesday voted to recommend against confirming Dr. Sheldon Wasserman, a former Democratic state legislator, as chair of the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board.

The Senate Health Committees 4-2 vote along party lines came after a public hearing at which Wasserman, a plaintiff in the lawsuit seeking to reinstate abortion rights in Wisconsin, was questioned about his views on abortion. Additionally, he was asked why the board was penalizing physicians who prescribed medications for COVID-19 that the federal government didnt recommend.

During the public hearing, Dr. Wasserman referred to the Medical Examining Board as an activist board, targeting physicians and other medical professionals alike, committee chair Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, said. The right thing to do was to stand with the patients of Wisconsin and vote no on Dr. Wassermans appointment.

Wasserman said the biggest reasons for his rejection were his support for abortion rights and his role in the lawsuit seeking to reinstate them in Wisconsin.

I dont think they really care about anything else that goes on in the board, he said about the committee. Thats their only issue and protecting the citizens of Wisconsin really pales in comparison to the issue of abortion, and thats just wrong. Medicine is far more than just abortion.

Wasserman said the board has worked well despite the fact that some of the doctors on the board support abortion rights while others dont.

To impose politics ... were going in the wrong direction, he said, adding that the quality of the board will go down if the process remains politicized.

Wasserman has been confirmed by the Senate three times, most recently in 2019 with a 27-6 vote.

Ive been very proud of my record as the chair of the Medical Examining Board, he said. Im very proud of protecting citizens of Wisconsin and providing a safety net for citizens in Wisconsin, and really weeding out bad doctors.

The Medical Examining Board investigates medical complaints, which can be dismissed after an initial review or trigger sanctions up to revoking a practitioners license.

Last week, an anti-abortion advocate filed a complaint with the board alleging Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin physicians were illegally doing abortions.

The lawsuit deciding the future of abortion rights in Wisconsin is ongoing, though a Dane County judge in July said the law widely interpreted as a near-complete abortion ban applies to killing an unborn child by assaulting its mother, not consensual abortions.
Amazon's Great Indian Festival: Top Deals on Smartphones & Accessories Deal Of The Day oi -Kabir Jain

Amazon's Great Indian Festival 2023 is just around the corner, and it's shaping up to be a gadget enthusiast's dream come true. With early access for Prime members starting on October 7 and the sale officially commencing on October 8, the e-commerce giant is offering steep discounts on a wide range of products, including smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, and more.

Here's a sneak peek at some of the standout deals and offerings on the hottest smartphones.

Smartphone Deals

Amazon has partnered with leading smartphone brands to create the Amazon Smartphone Dream Team, featuring an impressive lineup of devices with irresistible discounts and bank offers. Whether you're an iPhone aficionado, a Samsung loyalist, or a budget-conscious shopper, there's something for everyone.

Apple iPhone 13 (128GB): Priced at just Rs. 39,999 (including bank discounts and exchange bonuses), the iPhone 13 delivers an excellent blend of performance and camera capabilities.

Samsung Galaxy M34 5G (6GB RAM, 128GB Storage): At an attractive price of Rs. 14,999 (including bank discounts), the Galaxy M34 5G offers speedy 5G connectivity and a vibrant Super AMOLED display.

iQOO Z7 Pro 5G (8GB RAM, 128GB Storage): Get your hands on the iQOO Z7 Pro for Rs. 21,499 (including bank discounts and coupon offers). This smartphone packs a punch with its gaming-focused features.

realme Narzo 60X 5G (6GB RAM, 128GB Storage): Priced at just Rs. 10,800 (including bank discounts), the Narzo 60X 5G is a budget-friendly option with 5G connectivity.

HONOR 90 5G (8GB + 256GB): Elevate your smartphone experience with the HONOR 90 5G, available for Rs. 29,999 (including bank discounts).

itel P55 5G: This affordable 5G smartphone can be yours for Rs. 8,999 (including bank discounts).

Lava Agni 2 5G (8GB RAM, 256GB Storage): Priced at Rs. 17,999 (including bank discounts) and available for pre-booking from October 4 at just Rs. 99, the Lava Agni 2 5G is a steal.

Motorola Razr 40 Ultra 5G (8GB RAM, 256GB Storage): Experience cutting-edge technology with the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, priced at Rs. 72,999 (including bank discounts).

Redmi 12 5G (4GB RAM, 128GB Storage): Grab the Redmi 12 5G for Rs. 10,800 (including bank discounts) and enjoy its feature-packed performance.

OnePlus 11R 5G (8GB RAM, 128GB Storage): For Rs. 34,999 (including bank discounts and coupon offers), the OnePlus 11R offers the OnePlus experience at an attractive price point.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G (8GB RAM, 128GB Storage): Priced at Rs. 17,999 (including bank discounts and coupon offers) and available for pre-booking from October 4 with an additional Rs. 500 off for old OnePlus device owners, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is a compelling choice.

Please note that the prices mentioned include bank discounts and other offers, making these deals even more enticing.

Mobile Accessories Galore

In addition to smartphones, Amazon's Great Indian Festival also offers substantial discounts on mobile accessories:

Headsets: Enjoy savings of up to 80% on a wide range of headsets.

Power Banks: Starting at just Rs. 549, these power banks ensure your devices stay charged on the go.

Cables & Chargers: Get up to 80% off on essential charging accessories.

Cases & Covers: Protect your smartphone with cases starting at Rs. 69.

Screen Protectors: Keep your display safe with screen protectors starting at Rs. 149.

Mobile Holders & More: Find mobile holders and other accessories starting from Rs. 49 onwards.

Bank Offers and More

Amazon's Great Indian Festival extends its generosity to bank offers:

Instant Discounts: Get up to 10% instant discounts when using SBI Credit and Debit cards.

No Cost EMI: Enjoy up to 3 months of No Cost EMI on all Android 5G smartphones priced above Rs. 15,000.

Coupon Offers: Avail coupon offers valued at up to Rs. 7,000, further enhancing your savings.

Exchange Offers: Trade in your old device and receive exchange offers worth up to Rs. 60,000, making it easier to upgrade to a new smartphone.

Don't Miss Out

Mark your calendars for the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023, with shopping set to begin on October 8. Prime members can enjoy a 24-hour early access period starting on October 7, while select smartphones are available for pre-booking from October 4 at 12 AM.

With these incredible deals and discounts on smartphones and accessories, this year's festival promises to be one of the best yet. Be sure to check out the dedicated Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 smartphones sale page for a complete list of offers.

Best Mobiles in India

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Chicago-area man charged in connection to Juneteenth party shooting where 1 died and 22 were hurt

Authorities say a suburban Chicago man has been charged in connection with a June shooting where one person died and 22 others were injured
Animals are a continuous source of infatuation and fascination for us. That curiosity has led to copious amounts of scientific research. After all, it is important to understand how these different species work and interact with our world alongside us.

But some of these studies go far beyond simply noting these species names and natural habitats. We crave a deeper understanding of these animals  how much do we understand about them, and how much do they understand about us?

The scientists, veterinarians and anthropologists who wrote these nine animal books set out to determine just how much we have in common with fellow creatures.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A UN rights commission accuses South Sudan of violations more than a year before the next election

The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has accused the countrys National Security Service of threatening media and civil society and undermining prospects for a democratic transition before next year's election
Former Soldier Indicted for Attempting to Pass National Defense Information to People's Republic of China

Friday, October 6, 2023

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

Defendant Arrested Upon Arrival in San Francisco on Flight from Hong Kong

A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last duty post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in western Washington was arrested today on an indictment charging him with two federal felonies: attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, will appear in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California later today and will be brought to the Western District of Washington for further court proceedings.

"Individuals entrusted with national defense information have a continuing duty to protect that information beyond their government service and certainly beyond our borders," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. "The National Security Division is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who violate that duty."

"Joseph Daniel Schmidt was once a trusted guardian of our nation's secrets and swore an oath to defend and protect U.S. national security," said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. "As alleged by the government, Schmidt betrayed his promise and potentially placed our nation at risk in his attempts to pass national defense information to Chinese security services. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the American people and U.S. national security."

"Members of our military take a sworn oath to defend our country and the Constitution. In that context the alleged actions of this former military member are shocking - not only attempting to provide national defense information, but also information that would assist a foreign adversary to gain access to Department of Defense secure computer networks," said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. "I commend the FBI for their diligent work to end his alleged efforts to betray our country."

According to records filed in the case, Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020. His primary assignment was at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information. After his separation from the military, Schmidt allegedly reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email offering information about national defense information.

In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong and allegedly continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information he obtained from his military service. He allegedly retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to Chinese authorities to assist them in efforts to gain access to such networks.

Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until this week when he scheduled to fly to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport.

Attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg for the Western District of Washington and Deputy Chief Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Schmidt Declaration

Schmidt Indictment

Topics: Countering Nation-State Threats

Counterintelligence

National Security

Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - Washington, Western

Press Release Number: 23-1,112

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Report: Trump Told Australian Billionaire About Nuclear Submarine Capabilities

Sputnik News

20231006

Ian DeMartino

The FBI reportedly interviewed the billionaire as part of the investigation into Donald Trump's mishandling of classified documents after leaving the White House. In August 2022, the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and seized more than 300 documents with classified markings.

Sources who spoke with US media have revealed that former US President Donald Trump gave details on the capabilities of US nuclear-powered submarines to an Australian billionaire who was a member of his Mar-a-Lago club.

That billionaire then allegedly shared the information with more than 45 people, according to the source. The individuals include a dozen current and former Australian officials, several of his own employees and a handful of journalists.

The sources are said to be people "familiar with the matter."

Anthony Pratt, who runs Pratt Industries, a US-based packing company, joined Mar-a-Lago shortly after Trump was elected president in 2016. He was reportedly interviewed by the FBI and prosecutors twice during the investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving the White House.

Pratt reportedly told investigators Trump never showed him any documents but the source says he did relay a conversation he had with the former president in April 2021.

According to the sources, Pratt says he told Trump that he believes Australia should start buying its submarines from the United States. Trump then leaned toward Pratt and told him two key details about US submarine capabilities: how many nuclear warheads they usually carry and how close they can get to Russian submarines without being detected.

It is unclear if the information Trump allegedly provided to Pratt was accurate or not, but investigators reportedly asked him not to repeat the information. The incident was reported to special counsel Jack Smith, who is heading the classified documents case, according to the source.

The indictment for the case did not mention the meeting between Pratt and Trump.

According to the source, Pratt admitted to investigators he told at least 45 people about the details Trump told him, including Australian officials who were in the process of negotiations over a potential purchase of US-made, nuclear-powered submarines. He reportedly said he relayed the information to showcase how he was advocating on Australia's behalf.

Australia did eventually purchase three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines, though the Biden administration said they were not outfitted with nuclear warheads.

It is not clear if Trump was talking about that class of submarine or another type.

Previously, the Ohio-class submarines were the only underwater vessels in the US arsenal that carried nuclear warheads, but in 2019 Virginia-class submarines were also equipped with nuclear warheads.

A Trump spokesperson told US media that the "leak" their reporting was based on lacked "proper context and relevant information."

"President Trump did nothing wrong, has always insisted on truth and transparency, and acted in a proper manner, according to the law," the spokesperson added.

Pratt industries have not commented on the report.

A Sputnik

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October 5, 2023

Transcript

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds an On-Camera Press Briefing

BRIGADIER GENERAL PAT RYDER: All right, good afternoon, everyone. Thanks very much for your patience. Just a few things here and -- and we'll get right to your questions.

So earlier today, Secretary Austin spoke by phone with Turkish Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler to discuss Turkish activity in proximity to U.S. forces in Syria. The secretary reaffirmed that the United States remains in Syria exclusively in support of the campaign to defeat ISIS.

The secretary also acknowledged Turkiye's legitimate security concerns and underscored the importance of close coordination between the United States and Turkiye to prevent any risks to U.S. forces or the global coalition's Defeat ISIS mission.

Separate but related, the Department of Defense also condemns the recent terrorist attack at the Turkish Interior Ministry and we wish those injured a speedy recovery. We will post a readout of the call later today on the DOD website.

Separately, Secretary Austin also spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today to review priorities for next week's NATO's Defense Ministerial in Brussels scheduled for Oct. 11 through 12. The two leaders discussed a range of transatlantic security issues focused on implementing Vilnius Summit deterrence and defense deliverables, as well as ongoing NATO operations in the Balkans and Iraq. A full readout of the call is available on defense.gov.

And looking ahead to next week, Secretary Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Brown will depart Washington on Tuesday for Brussels, Belgium, where they'll host an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Oct. 11.

This will be the 16th meeting of the UDCG since Secretary Austin formed the international coalition in April 2022. And following the Contact Group meetings, Secretary Austin will subsequently participate in the NATO Defense Ministerial at NATO headquarters.

And with that, I'll be happy to take your questions. We'll start with AP, Tara Copp.

Q: ... General Ryder. You said the secretary spoke to his Turkish counterpart about the shoot down of the Turkish drone. How concerned was the secretary that these troops were put at risk and that despite multiple attempts to I guess deconflict and get U.S. troops out of danger, it still had to come to this?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, so first -- first of all, just a -- a little context up front. You know, Turkey is one of our strongest and most valued NATO allies, and that -- that partnership continues and will continue. So this is certainly a regrettable incident.

At approximately 7:30 local time in Syria today, our -- our forces had observed UAVs conducting airstrikes in the vicinity of Hasakah, Syria. Some of those strikes were inside a declared U.S. restricted operating zone, our -- or ROZ, near Hasakah, and were approximately a kilometer away from U.S. forces who relocated to bunkers.

At approximately 11:30 local time, a Turkish UAV re-entered the ROZ on a heading toward where U.S. forces were located. U.S. commanders assessed that the UAV, which was now less than half a kilometer from U.S. forces, to be a potential threat, and U.S. F-16 fighters subsequently shot down the UAV in self-defense at approximately 11:40 local time.

It's important to point out that no U.S. forces were injured during the incident. We have no indication that -- that the -- that Turkey was intentionally targeting U.S. forces. And as I mentioned, the secretary did talk to his Turkish counterpart and reaffirmed our commitment to continue to closely coordinate.

Q: How striking is it that the -- I mean, Turkey's a NATO ally. And is this the first time that you can recall that a NATO ally has had to shoot down the aircraft of another NATO partner?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, I think, again, it's a regrettable incident but U.S. commanders on the ground did assess that there was a potential threat, and so they took prudent action in this scenario. But again, the secretary has talked to his counterpart. They had the opportunity to have a fruitful conversation and again commit to one another that the U.S. and Turkey will continue to closely communicate and coordinate.

And -- and as I mentioned, Turkey does remain a very important and valuable NATO ally and partner to the United States.

Let me go to Courtney.

Q: Did the -- in the -- on the phone call, did the -- did the Turks vow not to do this again, not to fly their drones over U.S. -- or -- or you said they were dropping ordnance from the UAVs within a kilometer...

GEN. RYDER: I said they were observed conducting airstrikes.

Q: Airstrikes, and -- and including one that came with -- about a kilometer away from U.S. troops?

GEN. RYDER: They were conducting airstrikes inside a declared U.S. restricted operating zone near Hasakah.

Q: ... did -- on the -- in the -- this phone call, did they agree not to do that anymore, or is that ...

GEN. RYDER: Well, I won't speak for the Turkish minister. I would say that the bottom line is it was a very productive discussion on both sides, and again, a commitment that -- that we would continue to closely coordinate to prevent putting U.S. forces at risk. A reaffirmation of the strong partnership that our two countries share and also an acknowledgement that, again, we will keep lines of communication open, particularly given that region of the world and the focus on the Defeat ISIS mission.

Q: Can you say a little bit about how the U.S. communicated with the Turks before and told them that if -- that they would shoot the drone down?

GEN. RYDER: Yes. So I don't want to get into the specifics other than to say that we have multiple channels of communication at multiple levels. As you know, U.S. forces as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, have been operating in that area for a while. And of course being on the border of Turkey and having U.S. forces stationed in Turkey, we have multiple ways to communicate with our -- with our Turkish allies.

Q: But can you say about at what level it escalated to before the shoot down? I mean did it get as high as, you know, the commander of Central Command or something like that? Like how high up did it go?

GEN. RYDER: It -- it went to a high enough level within the operational chain of command. I'll just leave it at that.

Yes, Matt.

Q: Thanks, Pat. So to be clear, the concern here was that that drone, you said, reentered, got within a half kilometer that it might have launched an air to ground missile so close to U.S. forces that it could have endangered their lives?

GEN. RYDER: Again, based on the observation of air strikes being conducted and the fact that this drone was, you know, upwards of nearly half a kilometer from U.S. forces, U.S. commanders made the determination that it was a self-defense threat and so appropriate action was taken.

Q: So how concerning is it that, as my colleague said, would -- a NATO ally puts the U.S. in a position to take self-defense actions, either through negligence or -- or otherwise.

GEN. RYDER: Well look again, this is a regrettable incident and -- and Secretary Austin has spoken with the Minister of Defense in Turkey and -- and again, we will communicate at all levels. And so we will stay focused on the Defeat ISIS mission in Syria. That's why we're there in the first place. And so that will continue to remain our focus.

Q: Thank you.

GEN. RYDER: Thank you. Sir?

Q: Thank you very much, General. First question, was the United States or the chain of command really thinking that the Turkish UAVs were going to strike American bases there? Is that why this strike was done? You know learning the Turkish drone was shut down because all rules of engagement have changed. That's why this incident took place?

GEN. RYDER: Yes. Well, again, as I -- as I laid out, based on the situation on the ground and based on the observation, the decision was made out of due diligence and the inherent right of self-defense to take appropriate action to protect U.S. forces.

As I said, you know, based on the discussions with the Turkish defense minister and post shoot down analysis, we have no initial indications that -- that Turkey -- Turkey was intentionally targeting U.S. forces.

Again, it was a regrettable incident and we will continue to keep those lines of communication open to hopefully prevent these types of incidents from happening again.

Q: Just one last question please.

GEN. RYDER: Sure.

Q: So you told CNN (inaudible) just last night that the United States stands firmly by Turkey and it's people and their legitimate fight against the PKK. And according to our NATO ally, they're doing exactly that in Northern and Eastern Syria.

So this difference of opinion in the terminology - PKK, YPG, SDF - how are you looking to resolve that all -- are these two NATO allies going to be treating each other?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, thanks Eunice. Well, let me just reiterate what I provided to you yesterday. And you're right. As I've said in my opening comments, we do stand firmly with our NATO ally, Turkey and the Turkish people in their fight against the PKK.

And the PKK has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States. So we condemn any act of terrorism against Turkiye and the people of Turkey and we recognize that the PKK poses a legitimate security threat.

When it comes to Northern Syria, we do remain concerned about the potential impacts of military escalation in that region in so much as it effects the civilian population and importantly as it effects our ability to maintain focus on rooting out ISIS.

And so the coalition and the United States remain very, very focused on rooting out the last elements of ISIS in this region. And so the potential for escalation, military escalation in that region can serve to become a distraction on this critical work, create instability in the region and it's been a hard -- you know we've talked about this before.

It's been a hard fought battle to prevent ISIS from resurging. And so that is what we are going to continue to stay focused on. We're going to continue to advocate for de-escalation in the maintenance of cease fires. But we will never question Turkey's legitimate right to protect its people from terrorist. Thank you very much. Sir?

Q: Sir, do you have the -- at first you said -- you mentioned that there's no indication that the Turkish UAVs were targeting U.S. forces. Do you have an indication of what they may have been targeting in the area? And then a follow-up.

GEN. RYDER: I would refer you to Turkey to talk about their operations.

Q: OK. Do you have a sense of whether this was a Turkish military drone or perhaps from another agency?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, I'd refer you to Turkey to talk about their operations and their equipment. Yes, ma'am?

Q: Thank you. Turkey says that terrorists who are planning suicide or (inaudible) Syria, that they warned third parties, which always (inaudible) U.S., to await PKK, YPG (inaudible). I'm just following up my colleagues question, actually. What kind of facilities have been in those U.S. restricted areas? YPG (inaudible) or U.S.?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, I'm not sure I fully understand what you're asking but in terms of U.S. presence in Northeast Syria, I mean if you've been following this since 2014 at the height of ISIS, the United States has maintained a presence in this ungoverned space working very closely with our vetted local partners in the region, the Syrian Democratic Forces.

And so that as part of a global coalition to defeat ISIS is what we continue to stay focused on. But as I mentioned to your colleague, Eunice, when it comes to the PKK we recognize and -- and have declared the PKK a foreign terrorist organization and, again, fully understand Turkey's legitimate right to defend itself.

Yes, let me move on. Chris.

Q: Thanks, Pat. To clarify something, you said there are multiple levels of communications with the Turks. Did the U.S. make repeated requests regarding this incident that the drone leave that area and warn that if it did not or if it encroached again, action would be taken against it? And did Turkey acknowledge those requests before this action was taken?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, thanks, Chris. I'm not going to go into the specifics other than to say yes, we have -- we did communicate with Turkey. You know our -- our inherit right to self-defense in the face of a potential threat. But again, in this particular case, you know, it's a regrettable incident. No U.S. forces were harmed. We took appropriate action based on the situation on the ground. Thank you.

Fahdi.

Q: Thank you, General. Just I'm still confused in trying to understand what really happened because you say it's regrettable and so I'm not sure what part is regrettable.

GEN. RYDER: Well, it's regrettable when you have two NATO allies and there's an incident like this. So -- so again, you know the secretary was able to have a phone call with his counterpart this morning and -- and talk about the situation. Again, no U.S. forces were harmed but because of the proximity of the drone to U.S. forces in Hasakah and based on the observations that this was an armed drone that had been conducting strikes, we took appropriate due diligence.

Q: And you said you -- you -- that the initial indication, there's no intention on the Turkish side to target U.S. forces. However, how did you assess that -- or the commanders on the ground assessed there was a threat to U.S. forces that -- and they deemed it necessary to take actions to protect U.S. forces?

GEN. RYDER: Right. Well, at -- at the time, you don't know what you don't know. You're making observations and you have to take quick action to again ensure the inherent right of self-defense. What I'm telling you is subsequently, as we look at this and as we've had those conversations, you know, the initial indications are that there was no ...

Q: ... and then this -- and the phone call was that -- secretary able to get any guarantees from the Turkish side that these operations would not happen again in these restricted areas or (inaudible)...

GEN. RYDER: Yes, again, without speaking for the -- the Turkish Defense Minister, the -- the tone of the conversation was, again, an understanding that we are two close NATO allies, that we will keep the lines of communication, that we don't want to put our forces -- each other's forces in harm's way, but also again emphasizing the importance of the Defeat ISIS mission. And that was a sentiment expressed on both sides. Thank you.

Sir?

Q: Thank you very much, General. I have two questions. I have a question regarding reports suggesting that cooperation between the Iraqis central government and Kurdistan forces Peshmerga has been highly effective in countering and reducing ISIS activities. Could you please provide your comment on this matter ...

GEN. RYDER: Sure. Yes, I'll -- I'll -- I'll provide a broad perspective, and -- and I would also encourage you to talk to CJTF-OIR, which is squarely focused on supporting Iraq in the Defeat ISIS mission.

But largely speaking, as you know, I think that -- that one of the -- the key aspects of success in the Defeat ISIS mission has been the -- the collaboration between the ISF and Peshmerga forces in -- in northern Iraq, by working together against a common enemy, which is ISIS.

And so certainly, you know, that is something that I think has benefitted not only Iraq but the region. Thank you.

Q: Another question, General? You announced yesterday that you had transferred Iranian weapons bound for the Houthis in Yemen to Ukraine. So three part questions.

GEN. RYDER: Oh. Can we only do two?

(LAUGHTER)

Q: If Iran continuing to send arms to the Houthis, is it your policy to seize such weapons when you can, and when appropriated, transfer them to your allies?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, so I'm -- I'm not going to speculate about the, you know, potential future operations. Certainly in the past, we have seen Iran attempting to deliver weapons and aid to -- to groups like the Houthis. And in the past, in violation of, you know, multiple international laws, those -- those assets have been seized.

Whether or not we will replicate this, you know, remains to be seen. Certainly, when -- when we did this, we did it under legal authorities. In this particular case, the U.S. filed a forfeiture complaint over ammunition received -- or seized by the U.S. Navy from a flag-less vessel that had been transiting the Arabian Sea from Iran in early of December 2022.

And so this forfeiture action is a product of the U.S. government's coordinated effort to enforce U.S. sanctions against the IRGC and the Iranian regime. And it -- on July 20th of 2023, a final order of forfeiture was issued by U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the Department of Justice put out a press release which provides additional information on this forfeiture complaint. So thank you very much.

Sir?

Q: Thank you, sir. Two questions. One, as far as the U.S.-India relations are concerned, India made a history recently at the G20, hosting leaders from around the globe. And President Biden was very clear about U.S.-India relations there. And last week here, Indian Foreign Minister was in the building, Mr. Jaishankar.

So where we do -- we stand as far as military-to-military relations now after G20? And also if there are any secretaries visiting India or Indian Defense Minister coming here?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, thanks very much for the question. I don't have any announcements to make right now regarding a -- potential visits, other than to say that, as you know, we very much appreciate our relationship with India on -- on a defense level. We continue to foster a stronger defense partnership with India, and that is something that I think you'll continue to see us do going forward.

Q: What I'm saying is that Prime Minister Modi also spoke as far as U.S.-India military-to-military relations and going beyond G20 and our relations because of China's rising in the region and threatening many nations in the region. So where do we stand as far as China's threat to the nations around that region?

GEN. RYDER: Well, I -- you know, we've been very clear on this, right? China remains the pacing challenge for the Department of Defense, and we do appreciate the partnership that we have with India and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region, when it comes to preserving individual nations' sovereignty and abiding by the international -- international rules-based order that has preserved peace and stability for -- for many years.

OK, let me go ahead and move on. Let me -- Yes, let me go -- Ryo, yes, sir.

Q: Thank you. I want to ask you about the secretary's meeting with the Japanese Defense Minister yesterday. The Japanese Defense Minister said in the meeting that Japan intends to acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles by 2025, one year earlier than originally scheduled. Does the secretary guarantee that the U.S. will provide Tomahawk missiles to Japan by 2025 in the meeting?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, thanks, Ryo. So as a matter of policy, we are unable to comment on or confirm potential arms sales or transfers before they're formally notified to Congress. So at this time, in -- in regards to their requests, I'd have to refer you to the government of Japan.

I would say that we've been very clear that we broadly support efforts by our allies to -- bolt -- bolster their self-defense. Thank you very much.

And time for one more. Yes, sir?

Q: A couple of questions on Ukraine funding. You weren't around last week when a lot of this happened, but will the ...

GEN. RYDER: I was in Africa.

Q: ... you were in Africa ...

(LAUGHTER)

GEN. RYDER: And it does rain there evidently, so.

Q: Good. That's why you're so cheery. OK. If the ATACMS decision -- if and when the president makes it, will it be affected by the lack of '24 -- FY24 Ukraine funding?

GEN. RYDER: So on ATACMS, I don't have anything to announce or -- or pass along on that front. So Yes.

Q: Well, I'm not asking you to make a decision -- announce a decision, but given the funding issues, do you think, at '24 funding -- if the president makes a decision, do you have enough -- do you have money and authority to pull the ATACMS from Army inventories ...

GEN. RYDER: Yes.

Q: ... to defend Ukraine?

GEN. RYDER: So -- so what I would say, Tony, is I'm not going to get into the potential impact on specific systems or capability, as it relates to Ukraine security assistance. I -- you know, my -- my colleague Sabrina mentioned earlier this week that we do have enough PDA authority and funding in -- in the short-term to last a bit longer and that we will continue -- you'll continue to see us announcing PDAs on the regular cadence for the foreseeable future.

Certainly, as we move forward, we will need funding from Congress. We'll continue to stay engaged with Congress on both sides of the aisle to advocate for the funding that we need. But as it pertains to specific systems or capabilities, I'm just not, you know, giving -

Q: (Inaudible) anything. He's got about $5 billion of authority to pull from U.S. inventories.

GEN. RYDER: That's correct. We have a little more than $5 billion, I think $5.4 billion in restored PDA authority that remains available for Ukraine. We have about $1.6 billion remaining for replenishment purposes.

Q: That -- that's the differences what you're sure at the moment. What's the latest thinking on a reprogramming request? You know, one of the -- that arcane budgeting tool that you have available.

GEN. RYDER: Sure. So, as you know, reprogramming is always an option for urgent needs. At this time, right now though, to my knowledge, no decision has been made on using reprogramming as a way to support Ukraine security assistance.

You know, we remain committed to working with Congress on the Ukraine supplemental and receiving a full budget. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Q: ...can I (inaudible)?

GEN. RYDER: Actually, I'll just do two more. Tom, since you -- you caught my attention. Let me go to Mike and then come to you. Yes?

Q: If you could talk about the impact, the Russia's decision to move the Black Sea fleet out of Crimea is going to have on the fight -- is going to have on the fight in Ukraine?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, thanks Mike. What I would tell you is I've seen the press reporting that. I just don't have anything to pass along on it. I can't corroborate those reports at this time. So, thank you.

Q: Yes.

GEN. RYDER: And, well that would -- all right, because you waved nicely, we'll do two more. We'll go Tom and then the final question.

Q: Thank you. A follow-up on Tony's (inaudible). I think Sabrina mentioned on Tuesday that part of the decision making on what kind of the -- how the remaining money will be spent, will be based on what the comptroller also said, we have X amount of dollars we could spend it this way. So, is that part of the mix as well? Like you have a certain amount, the 5.4, we could spend X, Y or Z and the comptroller will tell you how long it will last?

GEN. RYDER: Well, yes, so it's a great point, right? Because I know the question's come out, well, how long is that going to last? And the reason that you're not going to hear us put a date on it, is because it's all relative to what Ukraine's most urgent security assistance needs are, the situation on the battlefield. And so, you know, we will continue to tailor those PDA packages based on what they need on the ground.

So again, we have enough funding to last for a bit longer. You know, from a Department of Defense standpoint and you'll see this next week at the UDCG, Secretary Austin remains singularly focused on making sure that we're working with Ukraine and our allies and partners to get what they need to be successful on the battlefield, regardless of what's going on like, you know, outside.

Yes, ma'am?

Q: Sorry, another Black Sea question. So, I know you can't say if the ships were moved. But what effect will this have on the grain deal or the ability for Ukraine to export its grain, if those ships are moved further down in Crimea?

GEN. RYDER: Yes, so I hesitate to get into a speculative situation, certainly with Russia withdrawing from the grain deal. You know, we've talked about the fact that this significantly impacts not only people in the region but people around the world.

You know, we were just in Africa and this was a topic of discussion in terms of the impact of countries like Russia that are using food as a weapon to essentially negatively impact peoples around the world.

So, while I don't have any information on a potential Russian Navy movement, again, that's really something for them to talk about. I would say, largely speaking, you know, it's just very unfortunate that we see a country like Russia using food -- weaponizing food.

Thank you very much, everybody. Appreciate it.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3550684/

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NATO Allies and partners address Small Arms and Light Weapons control in Jordan

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

03 Oct. 2023 - 04 Oct. 2023

Last updated: 05 Oct. 2023 11:58

NATO and partner country Jordan co-hosted a conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) control in Amman on 3 and 4 October 2023. The event was the first of its kind on SALW organised with partner countries, as part of NATO's defence and related security capacity building package for Jordan.

The event provided an opportunity to reflect on initiatives, lessons learned, and best practices in SALW control in the Middle East and North Africa in particular, and to exchange views on challenges and potential solutions at regional and global levels. The participants included high-ranking officials from Allied and partner countries, along with representatives from international organisations including the United Nations, the European Union, the League of Arab States, Interpol and the World Customs Organisation.

The first three panels addressed challenges and initiatives undertaken at national, regional and global level respectively. The fourth panel focused on the impact that recent developments in manufacturing, technology and design of SALW have on the efforts to tackle the illicit trafficking of these weapons.

NATO has a long track record of contributing to SALW control. NATO supports partner countries in this area through various projects, including providing training courses, helping in the destruction of excess stockpiles of SALW and ammunition, assisting in the construction of infrastructure, and providing equipment. NATO has established an ad hoc working group on SALW and mine action that meets regularly in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) format. This forum of 50 NATO and partner countries is a key platform for information sharing, policy coordination and project implementation.

NATO supports the implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in SALW, adopted in July 2001. NATO has contributed to UN efforts to develop international standards for ammunition life-cycle management. NATO has also published guidelines on gender mainstreaming in the area of SALW based on International Small Arms Control Standards and UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Attorney General Merrick Garland, White House Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall, Mexican Secretary of Public Security and Citizen Protection Rosa Icela Rodriguez Velazquez, And Mexican Foreign Secretary Alicia Barcena At a Joint Press Availability

US Department of State

Remarks

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Palacio Nacional

Mexico City, Mexico

October 5, 2023

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the press conference of the High-Level Dialogue of Security between Mexico and the United States. Alicia Barcena Ibarra, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States; Rosa Icela Velazquez, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection; Merrick Garland and Alejandro Mayorkas from the United States. We kindly ask Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, advisor to the White House, on the presidium, please.

The floor is yours.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon. Dear representatives of the press, members of the press, thank you for joining us. We apologize for the delay. Our High-Level Dialogue on Security comes to an end this afternoon, and this is one of the mechanism existing between both countries and they describe the excellent state of our bilateral relationship. I wish to thank my colleague Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Merrick Garland, and Secretary Mayorkas, Liz Sherwood, and Rosa Icela Rodriguez.

This mechanism is part of the Bicentennial Framework. There's yet another mechanism - the High-Level Economic Dialogue that took place last week, chaired by Secretary Blinken. It's also an economic-related dialogue. Our conversation today involved the discovery of a specific situation. We need to embrace the extraordinary economic situation between the North American countries to build an actual binational and regional community that will allow us to consolidate and even improve bilateral trade that accounts for $850 billion as of today and investment of $15 billion since 2022. So we need to make the most of such a key moment, and we shouldn't just stay on that type of rhetoric that is trying to divide or place us as adversaries instead of allies. In Mexico, we are betting on a powerful space, a powerful and economic - with social and environmental inclusion.

Throughout this meeting, we have exchanged relevant information and much of the actions conducted in such a productive time. We have invested in the border not only to speed up the transit but the people and goods and services, but also to bolster security. Fifteen billion pesos is the investment in modernization projects and customs throughout the borders, especially the land border, because reducing the crossing of the border by 10 minutes translates into almost $26 billion. So for the first time in this dialogue, we included migration as a topic.

And I want to thank Liz Sherwood for this productive conversation. I want to thank you, Secretary Blinken, Mayorkas, and Merrick Garland, because as neighboring countries, we have witnessed historic migration levels. The world - the entire world - is being witness of massive human migration. Yesterday, nine point - over - almost 10,000 crossings took place in the northern border of Mexico, almost 6,000 in the southern border, and 1,700 in the Darien. And the figures have gone down, because in the past weeks those number were of around 3,000 on a daily basis. So we discussed the measures on safe and regular mobility by using the mechanisms already in place. And we are grateful to the U.S. Government for opening the regulatory passings and crossings, reaching up to 930 people who have been able to cross legally to the United States.

President Lopez Obrador has precisely instructed us to take a look at this phenomenon from the development perspective to see how the structural causes of migration can be addressed from several perspectives - inequality, poverty, violence are among them - to see how these topics can be addressed, taking into consideration that this is migration coming from the south. And he is highly interested in summoning the 11 countries from which most people migrate over to Mexico and subsequently to the United States, engaging a conversation about development and further actions.

We will continue to take strong actions and measures a few efforts already in place about assisted returns, coordinating the dismantlement of trafficking - human trafficking networks, which was one of the topics addressed here. And we have also requested to the U.S. to seriously consider the situation of the millions of Mexican migrants in the United States who have not had an opportunity to have papers and they continue to live undocumented.

When it comes to security, which was our central topic that will be addressed by our Secretary Rosa Icela, we will make significant progress. And I want to be clear that Mexico wishes to reinstate its commitment to further collaborate in drug trafficking and consumption of synthetic drugs, namely fentanyl, and to address the situation from all perspectives, from production and of course the entire chain - precursors, production, trafficking, and especially consumption - from the public health perspective, and do so with solidarity in a humanist nature.

We are acting with all sorts of measures and of course with the public health perspective. And we're also part of the global coalition against synthetic drugs established by Secretary Blinken, and we are embracing all the actions conducted by Mexico. The secretariat of the navy made a specific proposal today to include to the global coalition a group that will also focus on an international coalition to follow up and trace chemical precursors, not only fentanyl but all types of drugs that are harmful for human health.

I wish to take this opportunity to also thank the United States for their strong commitment in supporting us in the fight against arms trafficking, because there is much to do in that direction. Today we acknowledge our relationship. We're partners, we're neighbors, we're friends, and we are destined to solve our issues jointly. This is why we are facing major opportunities and challenges as well. So we hope that you, the media, will help us make strong advancements to this regard.

Antony Blinken, please - you can address the floor.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Alicia, thank you so much to you, to all of our colleagues. We are grateful to be here today. We had a very productive day, and let me reflect a little bit on that.

Actually, if you go back and look at the week that we've had, I think we've demonstrated the depth and breadth of our bilateral cooperation in virtually every area, from strengthening semiconductor supply chains to stemming the flow of illicit firearms and synthetic drugs, to addressing the migration challenges that we're both facing, as is everyone else in the hemisphere. The presence of so many of us here in Mexico today and on this platform reflects the priority that the United States attaches to our relationship.

I have to tell you: More than ever before in my 30 years of being engaged in foreign policy, the United States and Mexico are working together as partners in common purpose. But the scale and scope of the challenges that we face is also unprecedented. And I think today we reflected on both of those facts: the unprecedented partnership but also the unprecedented challenges.

Two years ago, United States and Mexico launched the Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities. And in doing this, we acknowledged a shared responsibility, a shared responsibility as neighbors to enhance the safety, the security, the well-being of our people.

We agreed to work as equal partners to tackle the challenges like illicit drugs, illegal firearms, human trafficking. And we committed to a comprehensive approach that includes bolstering the rule of law, fighting corruption, improving public health, and investing in broad-based economic opportunity.

Today, we had an opportunity to both review the progress that we've made, which is real and substantial, but also identified areas where we can and must do more.

We're advancing our efforts to address the synthetic drug crisis, as you heard Alicia discuss, which continues to devastate families on both sides of our border. You've heard me say this before, but fentanyl is the number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 49, so we have an obligation to do everything in our power to combat the scourge.

We're doing this together directly with Mexico. In March, U.S. and Mexican leaders in justice, law enforcement, public health met here in Mexico City to look for new ways to work together - for example, by better monitoring and tracing chemical precursors, by cooperating to dismantle clandestine drug labs, by sharing resources and best practices for treating addiction.

And together, we engaged more than 50 representatives of the Mexican private sector industries - from logistics, to transportation to pharmaceuticals - to help identify illicit activity in their supply chains and stop the diversion of precursor chemicals.

We're also working with partners around the world because this is a global challenge. Mexico is making key contributions to the 100-plus country global coalition that the United States launched this summer to address the synthetic drug threat.

We continue to collaborate closely to pursue transnational criminal organizations by disrupting the flow of drugs, guns, money between our countries, and working to take down these networks.

We're deepening cooperation on investigations, on arrests, and prosecutions, on interdictions. Mexican authorities are submitting 40 percent more firearms trace requests to the United States than they were six years ago, and that enables law enforcement to stop gun trafficking at its source.

Southbound firearm seizures in the United States have increased more than 65 percent since last year. And since last October, U.S. law enforcement has confiscated the equivalent of 279 million potentially fatal doses of fentanyl at our southwest border - and our Mexican partners are also seizing more drugs thanks in part to the collaboration that we have - training, equipment, even canines that we've provided.

We're taking steps to aid the most vulnerable, those most vulnerable to organized crime, training nearly 200 Mexican immigration officials to better screen, identify, and assist potential human trafficking victims.

And as two of the 21 nations that have endorsed the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, we are working to create the conditions for safe, orderly, humane migration.

As you heard, last night Secretary Barcena and I joined a migration ministerial with our counterparts from Colombia and from Panama to advance these efforts. Today's dialogue, as you heard as well, included migration for the first time. This is a recognition that the issue has profound national security implications for the entire hemisphere.

For our part, the United States is increasing refugee resettlement, and we're expanding legal pathways - including launching our Safe Mobility initiative so that people can find out whether they're eligible to come to the United States from their own countries without having to make the journey to our borders. We're providing Temporary Protected Status to vulnerable displaced persons so that they can work legally in our country, meet labor shortages, contribute to our economy.

Throughout the region, other countries are taking critical steps along these lines. Mexico is increasing its repatriations of third-country nationals and tackling the root causes that drive people to leave behind their families, their communities, and put themselves in the hands of traffickers. Panama and Colombia are offering Temporary Protected Status to displaced individuals, including Venezuelans and other vulnerable populations.

But the scale of this challenge demands that we redouble our efforts. That we do more to improve and modernize border security. That we do more to increase legal migration pathways and protections, more to address root causes, and more to deter irregular migration - humanely - including through additional steps that you'll be hearing about today.

With migration, as with all of our joint efforts, we're working to uphold our commitment to human rights. That's what our people expect. It aligns with the values that our nations share. It's essential to building our citizens' trust, which enables law enforcement and justice officials to more effectively prosecute criminal networks.

Each of us has no higher priority than keeping our people safe. By deepening our cooperation, we will continue to work toward that goal. Thank you.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez Velazquez.

SECURITY SECRETARY Rodriguez: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I salute the U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. I also salute Attorney General Garland, Secretary Mayorkas, and of course the special envoy of President Biden, Liz SherwoodRandall. Your presence here is key, and we are neighbors. We are partners. We are allies.

A significant day of work is coming to an end. We've had our High-Level Dialogue on Security. So we followed on the Bicentennial Framework with a program to protect our people, to prevent criminal activities in the border, to prevent crimes. And today we had a special session on migration where the advancements as well as the challenges were presented.

We reached two agreements and comments were uttered as well. On some affairs, we are already working on some of those, but there are new proposals as well. We are going to advance the prevention on drug trafficking, especially fentanyl, with action and awareness campaigns. And we will also address the causes of violence through universal programs so the population, especially the youth, will have growth opportunities.

So we can also come to the deepest causes of economic growth and the trafficking of chemical precursors. Remember that Mexico is not a producer of fentanyl. Mexico is a country of transit. In Mexico, we have not detected fentanyl production laboratories.

Just as our dear secretary of foreign affairs just mentioned, we will hold a meeting of countries that produce chemical precursors to regulate the market and to prevent illegal trafficking. This is how we are acting to protect our population's health. This is a proposal coming from the secretary of the navy, and we will advance with a coalition in place by the United States. We will also reach an international agreement to benefit the population so chemical precursors are only purchased and sold with all rules in place and control of the places of destination. And we will continue to chase the criminal organizations that are currently buying and selling synthetic drugs.

Another point was the request of Mexico for support of the neighboring country to halt the traffic of high-power firearms. Mexico undertakes to fight human trafficking organizations. The common purpose of both actions is to re-establish peace and to bring back tranquility to our communities, which will only be possible if we work together in unity because we're stronger when we are allies, and we can also be more efficient in solving our common issues. Thank you.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much. Merrick Garland, Attorney General of the United States.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GARLAND: I want to thank our government counterparts and our law enforcement counterparts for welcoming us to Mexico City. We are here today because the shared challenges the United States and Mexico are facing could not be more urgent. I'm here to represent the men and women of the United States Department of Justice who are working tirelessly on three core challenges that we discussed today: fentanyl, firearms trafficking, and human smuggling.

First, we are taking on the dangerous drug trafficking cartels that are responsible for the deaths of both American and Mexican citizens. The fentanyl these cartels are producing and trafficking is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced. To fight it, we are going after every link in the cartels' fentanyl trafficking networks at every stage and in every part of the world. That is why, earlier this week, I announced charges against eight companies based in China and 12 of their executives for crimes relating to the production, distribution, and importation of fentanyl, other synthetic opioids, methamphetamines, and their precursor chemicals. We know that the global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the death of Americans, often starts with chemical companies in China.

Earlier this year I announced charges against 23 Sinaloa Cartel members, associates, and leaders for their role in running the largest, most violent, and most prolific fentanyl production and trafficking operation in the world. Just three weeks ago, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel and the son of El Chapo, was extradited from Mexico to the United States. He is one of more than a dozen cartel leaders we have indicted and who have been extradited to the United States. He will not be the last. We are grateful to our Mexican counterparts for that extradition. We recognize that these cartels are terrorizing Mexican communities, and we recognize that this action would not have been possible without the sacrifice of Mexican law enforcement and military service members who gave their lives in pursuit of justice.

And just last week our countries' work together also resulted in another critical arrest. Last Thursday, we charged a defendant in connection with the horrific fentanyl poisoning of four children at a daycare center in New York. One of those children, who was just a year old, tragically died. Our counterparts in Mexican law enforcement helped us ensure that the defendant will face justice in the United States. Our agents and prosecutors at the Justice Department are working every day to get fentanyl out of our communities and bring to justice those who put it there.

Second, the Justice Department is fighting the firearms trafficking from the United States to Mexico that we know helps arm these cartels. We are putting to use new authorities granted to us by the United States Congress to prosecute gun traffickers and seize illegal guns. Under those provisions, just last month we charged and arrested seven defendants in Texas for buying over 100 guns later trafficked to Mexico. The month before, we charged five defendants in North Carolina in a conspiracy to smuggle guns illegally into Mexico, including AK-47-style rifles. In July, a defendant was sentenced to federal prison for attempting to smuggle thousands of rounds of ammunition from the United States to Mexico. And we are continuing to disrupt firearms trafficking through our Operation Southbound; that operation includes nine multiagency firearms trafficking task forces all along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Third, we are disrupting the human smuggling operations that put people's lives at risk for profit and violate our laws. In 2021, I directed the formation of Joint Task Force Alpha, a collaboration between the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling groups. Since then, we have made over 260 domestic and international arrests and secured more than 150 convictions on human smuggling charges.

All of us recognize that these challenges are of the utmost importance and urgency for the citizens of both of our countries. I look forward to intensifying our efforts to meet them. Thank you.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you. Next, Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: The United States and Mexico are close and strong partners. Secretary Blinken, Attorney General Garland, Homeland Security Advisor Sherwood-Randall, and I and our entire delegation have joined Ambassador Salazar here in Mexico to reaffirm our commitment to that partnership.

Together with the Government of Mexico, we are working to disrupt and dismantle the human smuggling networks that prey on the vulnerable. Together we are increasing our border and port security to facilitate lawful trade and travel and protect our people from dangerous contraband such as firearms and fentanyl. Together we are working to ensure people throughout the region can live without fear of crime and violence. In our dialogue today, we spoke of the commitments we have made today, earlier today, and we also have spoken of the successes that we have achieved and upon which we will build.

A few examples:

In the area of arms trafficking, we are now going to be sharing with our Mexican partners a monthly report of the movement of firearms, the intended movement of firearms to the south, not only to track the progress of our interdiction efforts but also to facilitate in advance our joint operations and investigations. With respect to firearms, Operation Without a Trace - over the past less than 12 months, our interdiction of firearms has increased more than 44 percent; we have seized 100 percent more than we did last year.

With respect to our ports of entry, our gateways for economic prosperity, lawful trade, and travel, we are harnessing technology to secure the people and goods who pass between our two countries in both directions. Just recently we procured seven mobile nonintrusive inspection technology devices that will facilitate our two countries.

With respect to fentanyl, about which my colleagues have spoken, since October 1 of last year, we have arrested 4,893 people; we have seized $15,201,981 in fentanyl-related properties; we have seized 44,915 pounds of fentanyl; and we have also seized 3,132 pill presses, the machines that are used in their manufacture. And we will not stop there.

We are proud of the progress we have made, yet our continued progress will depend on our shared commitment to even greater collaboration between our two countries as well as with our partners throughout the region. As we enter another year under the Bicentennial Framework, we are redoubling our efforts to meet the difficult challenges we together confront.

In addition, as has been said earlier, for the first time, today's High-Level Security Dialogue included migration as part of its agenda. Our two countries are being challenged by an unprecedented level of migration throughout our hemisphere. The United States is committed to continuing to work closely with Mexico as we implement the model that pairs the historic expansion of safe, orderly, and lawful pathways for migrants to come directly to the United States or elsewhere to obtain humanitarian relief outside the grip of the smugglers with strict consequences for those who do not use those lawful means to enter our country. Those consequences include swift repatriation, the swift return of migrants, and a ban on their reentry. Just today, the United States announced its agreement with the country of Venezuela to repatriate Venezuelan nationals who do not take advantage of the lawful pathways and instead arrive irregularly at our southern border and do not qualify for relief.

The work we do together would not be possible without the close collaboration we enjoy with our partners in Mexico and with our colleagues throughout the 21 countries across this hemisphere who are party to the Los Angeles Declaration. We will continue this work together.

I want to address today's reporting relating to a border wall and be absolutely clear: There is no new administration policy with respect to the border wall. Allow me to repeat that: There is no new administration policy with respect to the border wall. From day one, this administration has made clear that a border wall is not the answer. That remains our position, and our position has never wavered. The language in the Federal Register notice is being taken out of context and it does not signify any change in policy whatsoever. The construction project reported today was appropriated, funded during the prior administration, in 2019, and the law requires the government to use these funds for this purpose, which we announced earlier this year - in June, to be precise. We have repeatedly asked Congress to rescind this money, but it has not done so and we are compelled to follow the law.

This administration believes that effective border security requires a smarter and more comprehensive approach, including state-of-the-art border surveillance technology and modernized ports of entry. We need Congress to give us the funds to implement these proven tools.

Secretaries Barcena and Rodriguez and Attorney General Gertz, thank you for your partnership and for your hospitality today. I look forward to our continued work in the months and years ahead to keep our two countries and our entire region safe and secure for all. Thank you.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Next, Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, internal advisor to the White House.

ADVISOR SHERWOOD-RANDALL: Thank you very much. I had not anticipated speaking. I'll begin first by thanking our hosts, President Lopez Obrador, Secretary Alicia Barcena, and Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez. We value our partnership tremendously. I think our Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, has said this perfectly: Together we are facing unprecedented challenges in the hemisphere and indeed in the world, and we are able to tackle these challenges together based on the unprecedented partnership that we have built between our two countries. And we are grateful for this partnership because we cannot solve these problems alone. We are stronger when we stand together.

And as you have heard in the comments of my colleagues, our cabinet members here in Mexico and our cabinet members in the United States, we are doing so much important work together on behalf of our people. We are working to enhance the health of our people, we are working to enhance the safety of our people, and we are working to enhance the security of our people. Those are our three fundamental responsibilities as public servants, and it is our privilege to be here in Mexico to work to advance those three goals together.

We have made progress on multiple topics on our agenda, as you have heard already. First of all, we have discussed the importance of developing approaches that enable us to tackle the human crisis of irregular migration that is both a humanitarian challenge, a public health challenge, an environmental challenge, and a security challenge for the entire hemisphere, and especially for our two countries, which are experiencing the enormous surge at our borders.

Second, we are working together to tackle the fentanyl problem and, more generally, the synthetic opioid problem that is killing so many Americans and so many others as well, and to ensure that we do everything in our power to stop the shipping into Mexico of precursor chemicals and pill presses and the shipping into the United States of these deadly drugs that are causing the loss of so many people and especially our young people.

Third, we are working very hard together to reduce the arms trafficking that is coming principally from the north to the south and do everything in our power to reduce that flow, which is also creating great risk for our peoples.

And fourth, we are working together to tackle the challenge of transnational organized crime, which is, of course, related to the two prior topics, both arms trafficking and drug trafficking, and use every tool in our toolbox to reduce the threat that that presents to our peoples.

With that, again, I thank you for your hospitality and your partnership and look forward to continuing our important work together for many months to come.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you. Next we will start with the questions and answers. Sarahi Mendez from Televisa News.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Hello, good afternoon. A question for the Mexican delegation. Yesterday, before landing to Mexico, Secretary Mayorkas announced that President Biden said that the - a wall was lifted in Texas. It hadn't happened since President Trump. So what is the Mexicans' perspective?

And for the United States, what specific actions will the U.S. Government take to detain legal trafficking of firearms to Mexico and to sanction pharmaceutical companies and entities responsible for creating the opioid epidemic in the country? Thank you.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: (Via interpreter) Please. Thank you so much for the question and for your interest. The Mexican Government is, of course, reluctant and opposed to any types of walls. We have acknowledged President Biden's leadership of not broadening the building of the border wall. These days' dialogues have been successful to that regard because we are convinced that we are building bridges and not walls. We reject fences and we have had the cooperation of the United States, especially with the issue of the buoys in the Rio Grande, and we have the support of the U.S. Federal Government because they filed a complaint before the Department of Justice to remove the buoys.

And most definitely I believe that Secretary Mayorkas has properly, in my opinion, clarified the events. And unfortunately, that announcement coincides with their visit. But as far as I understand, what happened is that this is not a new policy, it's not a new political decision; this is not an announcement of yet a new barrier, but it's part of their allotted budget and therefore they need to process, they need to execute. And I understand it will not be done through walls but through technology, but through other types of installations in order to detect and to build roads.

And I believe that is what Secretary Mayorkas has clarified today, because we also shared our concern with him. So on my side, I'm telling you that, of course, we are not in favor of anything of the sort. We believe in bridges, not in walls.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: I am happy to repeat what I said earlier so that there is no lack of clarity. From day one, the policy of this administration has been that there will be no more wall construction. That remains our policy and we have never wavered from it. The action that we took was action that we took in June that we memorialized recently in accordance with legal process. The action that we took, we had no choice; it was mandated by law. We requested that Congress rescind the direction. It did not do so. We, of course, must follow the law.

Our policy remains as it was since day one. We are opposed to the construction of the wall.

MODERATOR: Okay.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: I think you - I'm sorry, you had the question about the sanctioning of those who are engaged in the trafficking of arms or also in the trafficking of chemical precursors for fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. And I think as I - I think the Attorney General has already said, we are going after both and doing so very vigorously. You've seen in the United States an increased number of investigations, prosecutions, and interdictions of firearms heading south toward Mexico. Last year, we seized a record number of firearms, a record number of ammunition, but - and I'll turn to the Attorney General - we're also prosecuting those who are involved and trying to get to the source of this supply of weapons so that we can stop it.

And that also goes to the work that we're doing directly with Mexico. The eTrace program, where a gun that turns up in Mexico is then traced to its point of origin, that allows us to actually get at those who are sending the guns southward.

And with regard to the pharmaceuticals, the chemicals, I think again, as the Attorney General laid out, we have vigorously worked to prosecute those who are engaged in the illicit diversion of chemical precursors that turn into fentanyl or other synthetic opioids, and I think he laid out just this week a number of additional steps we've taken to prosecute those who are involved in those kinds of activities.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GARLAND: Let me just say we in the United States well understand the dangers of the military-grade weapons that are being trafficked to Mexico. They are a serious danger to the United States and a serious danger to Mexico because they defend the cartels. So we will do everything in our power to stop the unlawful trafficking of weapons to the drug traffickers as part of our fight to break up every link of the chain of the drug traffickers.

And along those chains, it begins with the precursor chemical companies in China; it goes into the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels here in Mexico who are producing the fentanyl and trafficking it; it goes into the passage across our borders and it goes into cartel-related trafficking organizations in the United States. And we are doing everything we can together with our Mexican counterparts to dismantle every stage of that distribution link.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you for the question. Eileen Sullivan, The New York Times, please take the microphone.

QUESTION: Thank you. I wanted to go back to the deportations for Venezuelans that you announced today. Could you explain what changed in the U.S.'s outlook about Venezuela? Is the country safer now to accept and repatriate their citizens, and has that changed diplomatically as well? Do you have different relations with them?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Eileen, thank you very much. As you well know and I will share with those who do not, that we granted Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelan nationals who were in the United States as of - in other words, on or before - July 31st of this year. We have made a determination that it is safe to return Venezuelan nationals who've arrived in the United States subsequent to July 31st and do not have a legal basis to remain here.

And we have now successfully negotiated an agreement with the country of Venezuela to repatriate those Venezuelan nationals who have arrived subsequent to July 31st and do not have a basis to remain in the United States. We are a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: And Eileen, just to add a footnote to that, we have an ironclad commitment to provide protection for those who qualify. That remains paramount in everything we're doing. And by the way, we also look to all the other countries in the hemisphere to do the same thing, to make sure that they're making good on their own obligations. Safe, orderly, humane migration requires the ability to identify individuals and provide protection for those who qualify.

Under the Los Angeles Declaration, the declaration agreed to by virtually all of the countries in our hemisphere at the last Summit of the Americas, we're charged with taking coordinated actions to try to stabilize flows, to expand regular pathways, to humanely manage all of our borders. Repatriations are a key piece to this balanced approach and that's what we followed through with today. And I must say we remain grateful for the efforts of nations in the hemisphere to find ways to work together in dealing with historic mass migration that is very much what we've been doing here in Mexico; it's what we were doing last night when we got together with our colleagues from Colombia and Panama; it's what Mexico will be doing later this month when it brings together some of the key countries in terms of countries of origin and countries of transit to work through, again, very practical steps that all of us need to take to manage the challenge of migration.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Now, Arturo Paramo Rojas, Grupo Imagen journalists.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Thank you so much. Good afternoon. For the Mexican delegation, there's - I don't - I don't know if it's a contradiction of what Secretary Rosa Icela just commented and what Mr. Garland and Mayorkas are saying in terms of precursors that are transferred or brought from China to Mexico for synthetic drugs. Rosa Icela was telling us that in Mexico, fentanyl is not produced. However, the position of the U.S. delegation is that those precursors arrive in Mexico; fentanyl is - they are processed into fentanyl, and they're sent to the United States at a certain point. Is there a contradiction or there's no contradiction whatsoever? Or what is the position of both teams? What is this process about in terms of the generation of synthetic drugs - the fentanyl - because it seems that we are talking about different things?

And Secretary Rosa Icela, we saw the meeting - Audomaro was in the meeting this morning, and today exchange of intelligence between both countries. A lot has been said on how we have to guarantee the sovereignty of both countries. However, this exchange of information, are you going to have more of that? Is it going to be more detailed information and the exchange of it to prosecute cartels and money flows?

And lastly, for the U.S. delegation, did you set a goal for firearms trafficking from the U.S. to Mexico how much to seize or which groups to seize from or which groups to attack? How many people are planning, for instance - I don't know - to detain, to arrest, et cetera? Have you set a goal, a physical goal, a measurable goal for this demand of the Mexican Government to the U.S. administration?

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Secretary Rosa Icela, you have the floor, madam.

SECURITY SECRETARY RODRIGUEZ: Yes, in effect. The clarification that there is no contradiction in the U.S. position and the Mexican position. In Mexico, we do not produce - I insist - chemical precursors. Those chemical precursors come from Asia - generally from different countries. And in Mexico we have labs, kitchens where - in most of the cases, where they produce methamphetamine. There are some - there should be some type of arrival into Mexico of fentanyl. And, yes, in effect, it goes to the United States, but I insist in Mexico - Mexico does not produce fentanyl.

And I want to say this very clearly: I will not go into detail, but fentanyl production means that you have to have something which is a special type of laboratory. I mean, this is a real type of laboratory. So a kilogram or half a kilogram or some grams of fentanyl that arrive in Mexico, and those grams - those very few grams of fentanyl coming from other countries because in Mexico we not - we do not produce fentanyl - then they go through the border and in effect mix the blend with other chemical precursors is made and this produces all the damage, all the harm for a population - for the population there.

I want to insist on this because there's no lab in Mexico which is legally - we can say that it legally has fentanyl production. We do have companies in other - companies in other countries from which we import fentanyl for medical uses and fentanyl is also imported by criminal groups. So there's no contradiction.

What was your other question, sir?

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Yes, the numerical goal. Yes, the - any numerical goal? Have you set any goal? I mean, fighting arms trafficking from the U.S. to Mexico. I apologize, Secretary, but something else here. There - is there commitment with the U.S. administration to extradite a criminal related to organized crime, someone who is in prison in Mexico that's going to be transferred to the United States through the legal mechanism for that purpose? Or is there any type of demand from the U.S. administration to detain someone specifically and take that person to the United States through the extradition process?

SECURITY SECRETARY RODRIGUEZ: (Via interpreter) Well, yes, in terms of what you're saying on extraditions, the Attorney General's office - the public prosecutor's office and its counterpart, the Attorney General's office in the U.S., they're in charge of the different processes. And this, of course, includes the legal part of it all. And the foreign affairs ministry is legally included. And generally speaking, these are procedures, formalities that are normally done, and we are always more than willing to comply with legality of those procedures. But those are things - all the extraditions, I mean - that are done every day in our country. And on the other hand, we also have people arriving who are extradited from the United States and other countries.

So let's say that these are everyday procedures that are being implemented with different criminals, and we are always more than willing at - ready to do this when we are complying with absolute legality. So the extraditions will continue according to the law with a legal foundation to them. I do not know if our foreign minister would like to intervene on this issue. Please.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: (Via interpreter) Two little things very fast - let me clarify a couple of things here. Mexico does not produce fentanyl precursors. They arrive, especially through the ports, and logically some precursors arrive - dual-use precursors. Those are the precursors that come legally, and they're legally used for pharmaceutical products, et cetera. And of course there's a pathway of illegality. This is exactly what we're working strongly on definitely with the United States and with other countries as well. And that's where the navy ministry of Mexico proposed something very important: an international coalition for the follow-up and traceability of chemical precursors, not only for fentanyl but also for all types of synthetic drugs. That's one issue.

Obviously, there are no legal laboratories for the production of fentanyl in Mexico. I mean, that's all we would need. Of course there are illegal laboratories; that's what we have found. And of course we have seized clandestine laboratories, and that's exactly where we're collaborating.

Let me clarify something here. One of the issues, a central issue in the United States, is that consumption of fentanyl in youth, in young people, many times this is consumption. I mean, they themselves don't even know they're consuming fentanyl because it comes in a mixed or blended format of drugs. So they think they're just consuming one drug, and in that drug they've added fentanyl. And that's what we called mixed or blended drugs. We don't have those in Mexico, but clandestine laboratories, of course, and that's precisely what we're prosecuting through this - going after these criminal groups.

Now, in terms of extraditions, we have a procedure in Mexico, logically, and Attorney General Garland knows this. Our general attorney of Mexico also knows this. Each country requests extradition of certain criminals who are prosecuted in their own courts. I mean, of course we have some requests made by the United States from the courts in Washington, Texas, et cetera. And they - we are assessing, valuing, evaluating, and they are being assessed by the attorney general's office in Mexico, by the public prosecutor of Mexico. We are assessing those cases. I cannot - this is not the point to reveal those cases right now, but of course we have requests.

We also make requests of the extradition to the United States, Israel as well, and other countries. Argentina, for instance, yes, we have made very concrete requests of people who have committed crimes in Mexico; therefore, we are asking them to be extradited to Mexico so that they can be tried in our country. The same happens with the United States. I mean, they've been asking us to prosecute, to detain people in Mexico who've committed crimes. For instance, arming a - health crimes, and we are being asked to extradite them. This is normal. I mean, I hope it didn't have to happen, but this is a procedure all countries follow, and of course, undoubtedly, we are collaborating in that.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much, Foreign Minister. Thank you, Secretary Rodriguez. To close this press conference, first of all we want to thank you for all the representatives of the - representatives of the media here. Yes, thank you. L.A. Times, yes. Madam Wilkinson, you have the floor.

QUESTION: Hi, thanks. Returning again to fentanyl for just a second, Secretary Blinken, you have talked about how important this is, top of the agenda, and both you and Secretary Barcena have outlined a lot of very important steps. But as you know, President Lopez Obrador was very slow in recognizing the extent of Mexico's role in this crisis, and even now we're hearing a little bit of denial about whether it's produced here or not. So my question is if you come away now thinking you have a strong, firm, solid commitment from the president to really do all it takes to combat the production and transport of fentanyl.

And then my second question - you also have spoken a couple times today about the importance of human rights within the context of law enforcement. In Mexico, under this government, the military has taken on extraordinary powers - economic powers, political powers, and in law enforcement. So my - and as you know, its human rights record is quite notorious. So my question is to what extent does that role, the dominance of the military, complicate U.S. efforts to work with Mexican law enforcement? Thank you.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: Your question is asked to Mexico or to the U.S., or to both?

QUESTION: Mostly to Blinken, but feel free to join in.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Feel free, please.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: No, no, no, please. Por favor. No, I wanted to ask you who the question was directed to. Perdon, perdon.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: I'm happy to cede, Tracy, to 

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: No, no, absolutamente.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: First, let me start by saying this. We were very appreciative of President Lopez Obrador for the time that he gave us this morning, and we had an extremely positive, productive conversation. I think it reflects the fact that President Lopez Obrador and President Biden, from day one, have set a common direction for the relations between our countries, and our job has been to carry that out and try to make it real.

And when it comes to fentanyl, synthetic opioids, I have no doubt about Mexico's commitment to working collaboratively to deal with this huge challenge that we both face because it's affecting people in Mexico just as it's affecting so many Americans. And it's not simply a commitment of words, as important as that is. It's a commitment in deeds. You've heard us talk already about the work that we've been doing in collaboration, in partnership, working together to seize and investigate clandestine labs for the production of fentanyl; preventing the diversion of the precursor chemicals - in fact, Mexico came up with a very important initiative today that we're going to follow through on. I think it will be incorporated, as the foreign minister said, in the work of the global coalition against synthetic opioids that we established this summer to get at the diversion of chemical precursors.

We were working just a few weeks ago with - here in Mexico with our Canadian counterparts as part of the North America Leaders Summit, again on this question of how to effectively control chemical precursors, including by doing things collaboratively together on information sharing, on labeling, on having companies that are engaged in selling or transferring precursors know who their customers are. This is hugely important because what tends to happen is a company may be engaged, as Alicia said, in absolutely legal trade of a chemical that's used for pharmaceutical purposes, and then it gets diverted to an entity that uses it for the production of a synthetic opioid.

So the protocols that we're working to establish together and have a common standard with our three countries, and then through the global coalition with countries around the world, will help prevent the diversion. We've been already increasing information sharing among law enforcement on synthetic drugs and on precursors, and as you've heard already today, work that Mexico is doing to strengthen security at its ports, both maritime and land ports of entry, is very significant. Ninety-five percent of the fentanyl that we're seizing that's coming into the United States is coming through legal ports of entry. So the work that we're doing together to strengthen security there, to strengthen screening, all of that is being done in close collaboration.

And I think there are some steps that Mexico has announced recently, including expanding the criminal watch list to 69 new chemicals; that's very significant because we've seen how these particular chemicals are often diverted into illicit use. Revamping the import-export system - and by the way, Mexico's actually a leading country in the way that it very carefully works to regulate chemicals coming in to Mexico. And as we've mentioned, seizing hundreds of tons of precursor chemicals, all of this under the administration of President Lopez Obrador. So we have a very strong partner, and today we actually strengthened that partnership even more.

With regard to the military, I think, as we see it, the military is one of the most trusted institutions in Mexico. It's played a critical role, along with other law enforcement organizations, in dealing with organized crime, transnational criminal enterprises, drugs, arms trafficking. And as the Attorney General said, just recently, with the extradition of a notorious criminal, they lost lives in bringing him to justice before he was extradited.

We also discussed today the importance in everything we do, whether it's the military, whether it's law enforcement, in all of our organizations, the imperative and the centrality of human rights. Because first of all, it reflects the values that we share. Second, it's so important to make sure that we have and hold the trust of our citizens, and upholding and respecting human rights is critical to that. And those citizens and those communities are essential partners in actually advancing law enforcement and dealing with all of the challenges that we talked about, especially everything that goes with these criminal enterprises that are engaged in trafficking of one thing or another: guns, drugs, people.

So I think there was a very important discussion of that today, and again, I think it reflects our common values and common commitment.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: (Via interpreter) Let me respond. You made two statements that I want to defer on. First of all, President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador has given his very precise instructions, and that is that we should be supporting and collaborating in everything that has to do with the production, trafficking, consumption of fentanyl. So then, no, there's no negation, no denial on his part.

What is true is that what mainly exists in Mexico is methamphetamine, so we're facing a different problem, especially in terms of consumption. Consumption of fentanyl in Mexico hasn't arrived in the proportions it has arrived in the United States. That's a reality and that's what the president is saying. And why? Why? Because in reality, this is exactly - what he's also saying is that this is a matter of approaching this issue from a perspective of public health, of addictions, to see how we can combat causes, really, of why people are consuming drugs, generally speaking I mean.

And clearly, those drugs, as I've said, in the United States especially but also in Europe, in countries - the destination of those drugs - they come with those mixes, and that's where the young people or people in general are confused. And I mean, what happens is that one thing is the effect of fentanyl and the effect of other drugs is two different things altogether. This is what we are experiencing together. You can see this pencil; you see how this pencil - just this much of fentanyl can kill so many people. One pill can kill. This is a campaign you have in the United States. This is the first thing.

The second thing is that you have to recognize that in the case of Mexico, the national defense ministry is playing a very important role, especially in the border - at the border. They're in charge of, I would say - I mean, we have 60 border crossings between Mexico and the U.S., land and maritime. So having control of those crossings, this is fundamental. And the national defense and the national guard play an extremely important role, and that not only in the north but also in the south. So then this is something we have to say, and the same happens with the navy ministry of Mexico that has the - has taken control over ports. Because in the past, this was done through other companies, even tertiary process, and a lot of corruption was there.

So what we're seeking is to regularize, to legalize, to do things with order, with technology, with collaboration. And that right now is something under the responsibility precisely of the national defense and the navy ministries.

And let me also tell you that, of course, that (inaudible) collaboration at the foreign affairs ministry, really the collaboration from them has been extremely positive. I don't know if Rosa Icela wants to say anything.

SECURITY SECRETARY RODRIGUEZ: (Via interpreter) Please, yes, very briefly here. I just wanted to say, to tell you rather, something on numbers first. In this administration we have seized 1,435.6 tons of chemical precursors, and we have seized 470 tons of methamphetamine. And due to the work of the armed forces, we've seized 184 tons of cocaine, and fentanyl, 7.6 tons.

So then, I just wanted to give you those figures, those numbers, yes, so that, I mean - you can see the difference, and the almost 2,000 laboratories that we spoke about this morning that have been destroyed. They are part of those crimes committed by criminals who process this type of drugs, and that's an important thing to point out.

And then the other thing is that we have a total cooperation with the U.S. administration. This is - these are the instructions we have received from the president, and we are going to continue combatting the cartels and we are going to continue in our commitment of not having impunity in this disease, in this illness among youth. This is something that's contaminating our young people. Of course, we are continuing to work in this type of task.

And of course, we - I mean we do not have two different discourses. We have the discourse of continuing working the way we work every day in the security cabinet. That's what I wanted to say in my intervention. Thank you.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: (Via interpreter) Thank you so much. Ladies and gentlemen of the media, thank you so much. Communicators, we hope this has been useful to you. We want to thank the presence of our friends from the United States. I also want to thank our team of the foreign affairs ministry, such an important role. And of course, Roberto Velasco, his team; ambassador of Mexico to the United States Moctezuma, Esteban Moctezuma, rather. And then we have financial intelligence, which is very important. Yes, the - no, rather, I'm sorry - Arturo Medina. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Arturo Medina is here with us. And we haven't mentioned that, but we're working in illicit financial flows. This is something we have to stop. We have to stop where the money goes. The route of the money, we have to stop that.

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Have a wonderful afternoon. (Applause.)

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken At the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue

US Department of State

Remarks

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Palacio Nacional

Mexico City, Mexico

October 5, 2023

SECURITY SECRETARY RODRIGUEZ: (Via interpreter) I wish to salute the delegation of - the U.S. delegation, led by the Secretary of State of the United States Antony Blinken, as well as my colleagues from the Mexican cabinet and all of the participants of the High-Level Dialogue in Security between Mexico and the United States.

Mexico and the United States are united for peace. Our people deserve to live in peace and in health. Our commitment is to make this true.

The first point in our agenda will include the opening statements of the - both governments. I will say their names according to their turn to intervene. First, the intervention of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, our dear chancellor, Alicia Barcena. Second, the Secretary of State of the United States Antony Blinken. After that, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Rosa Icela Rodriguez. Fourth, Attorney General Merrick Garland, then the Attorney General of Mexico Alejandro Gertz Manero. Next, the Secretary of National Security Alejandro Mayorkas, then Presidential Advisor for National Security Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall. And finally, the Secretary of the Interior Luisa Maria Alcalde Lujan.

Let's get started.

FOREIGN SECRETARY BARCENA: (Via interpreter) Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here on the third edition of a High-Level Dialogue on Security between Mexico and the United States. Welcome, Secretary Blinken, Attorney General Garland, Liz, who will be here shortly, Ambassador Ken Salazar. Of course, our colleagues from the cabinet are here, as well as our dearest Rosa Icela leading these efforts, as well as the Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero, Luisa Maria, Luis Crescencio, Admiral Jose Rafael Ojeda are all here with us.

Two years ago, the renewed dynamic of collaboration in security between Mexico and the United States led the path to the Bicentennial Agreement, opening up the High-Level Dialogue that took place last Friday, chaired by Secretary Blinken. I wish to underscore this close and tight relationship regarding migration with the White House. This meeting confirms our sharing forces against our common evils in respect of sovereignty of both countries.

And I wish to reiterate the commitment of the Mexican Government to fight synthetic drug trafficking. Its consumption is harming the U.S. population. Our President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has invited us to cooperate with humanism so we can overcome this civilization challenge. And we see that United States is doing so from the consumption perspective as well as considering it as a public health affair.

Regarding arms trafficking, we invite you to continue turning up efforts to fight the situation in arms coming to Mexico.

These are historic times. This is a time to embrace the geopolitical context, because North America is at its best to build a binational and regional community, to foster trade, social inclusion, the economy, and employment, or we continue to allowing the hostility between our adversaries who - remember that Mexico is betting on this partnership and creating a powerful and inclusive environment that is also protective of the environment, because trade between our countries has achieved $855 billion in 2022. Mexico has become the United States' top business partner. On every minute, $3 billion are exchanged. And last year, $15 billion; $12 billion this year.

Regarding infrastructure, we need to advance the northern border. Because imagine this: by reducing 10 minutes the crossing of goods and services, $25.9 million as well as 3,000 additional jobs are created in the border states of Mexico. So we must not only speed up transit of goods and people, but strengthen security - security with projects of modernization in the ports of entry, which on the Mexican side include supply of new technology and by the - both the Secretariat of the Navy and the defense with X-ray and nonintrusive systems.

We are advancing. This is why tight cooperation is the only path to guarantee security.

Criminal networks transcend national borders, and illicit drug trafficking and arm trafficking include tragic losses for both nations. So only unity will allow us to resist with effectiveness.

And today we will rekindle the dialogue that started out two years ago in the pursuit of exchanging information, contrasting ideas, in order to fight the inherent risks to the current criminal structures. And we will do so because I'm certain that both governments share the conviction that in order to fight both violence and criminality, collaboration is the most powerful tool.

Thank you very much.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, thank you very, very much. Muchas gracias, colleagues. It's wonderful to me with all of you. Secretary Barcena, Alicia, Secretary Rodriguez, Attorney General Gertz, we are so pleased to be back in Mexico. And this is now our third Security Dialogue since 2021.

And in everything that we're doing together, we're proceeding based on a sense of shared responsibility, cooperation, collaboration, mutual respect. And I think that has permeated everything that we've been doing together.

As the foreign minister said, last Friday in Washington, our governments discussed how we can unleash the region's incredible economic potential and expand opportunity for more of our people. We're here today because so much of what we want to deliver for our people depends on providing a foundation of safety and security. In 2021, when we launched the U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities, we underscored that imperative and that commitment.

This framework reflects our nations' shared interest and shared responsibility in addressing crime, violence, trafficking. It also underscores a shared understanding that we have, that while policing and border enforcement are absolutely critical tools, they alone cannot address the complex drivers of our security challenges. We must also strengthen the rule of law, accountability, respect for human rights, including among security forces. And critically, we have to expand economic opportunity, especially in underserved communities, so that people have a real choice and are not drawn into extreme actions.

The comprehensive approach that we're bringing to this set of challenges is reflected in the delegation that you have before you from the United States, including Attorney General Garland, Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas, Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, and many other senior officials who are with us. Together we have an opportunity to review where we've made progress and identify areas for further collaboration and action.

I think one of the defining challenges that we're dealing with is it is unquestionable that we have made real progress, and yet the challenges we face are, in many ways, historic in nature, and we have to make sure that our progress not only keeps up with the challenges but actually gets ahead of them.

So we're going to be focused on that today. We'll discuss how we can redouble our efforts to stem the illicit flow of weapons from the United States into Mexico and synthetic drugs from Mexico into the United States. We'll look at how we can strengthen prevention and treatment efforts to help those who are struggling with addiction in both of our countries and reduce demand for fentanyl, for methamphetamines, and other illegal substances. We have to confront the synthetic drug epidemic as a public health crisis - that's what it is - the central focus of the 100-plus-country coalition, global coalition that we put together earlier this year.

We'll consider what more we can do to bring justice and bring to justice the criminal networks who profit from violence and suffering on both sides of our border, and we'll discuss how we can continue to enhance border and port security while facilitating legitimate travel and trade between us.

We are now our largest trading partners, and this is an extraordinary benefit to both of our countries.

But we want to make sure that our border is also safe and secure. The fact is that neither of us can deliver for our citizens on our own. We depend on common approaches; we depend on common action; we depend on a sense of shared responsibility.

And that's ultimately what this dialogue is all about, and that's why I'm so grateful to our friends, our colleagues, our hosts for welcoming us and for both the substance and the spirit with which we're proceeding. Thank you very much.

Secretary Rodriguez.

SECURITY SECRETARY RODRIGUEZ: (Via interpreter) The Mexican security cabinet welcomes you to continue with this High-Level Dialogue and a type of relationship that implies respect for both of our nations under productive coordination with outcomes.

The United States has a complicated public health issue due to the consumption of fentanyl, and in certain areas Mexico is facing violence over the dispute between criminal organizations and the (inaudible) drug sales, and they get ahold of that due to money and arms obtained on the other side of the border.

This is a vicious cycle that we'll only be able to escape from if both nations work hand in hand. Mexico is cooperating and will continue to do so through the detention and punishment of those who are trafficking with chemical precursors and drugs coming from Asia.

This is a humanitarian affair that also implies universal fraternity. From the start of the Lopez Obrador administration, we started to fight all the cartels because there are no pacts; there are no covenants. And we have detained over 78,000 criminals. Out of them, 4,000 were priority targets. We have seized over 2,000 laboratories, 900 this year. We seized 284 tons of cocaine, 7.4 tons of fentanyl, and over 4,400 firearms - high powered firearms.

Regarding the causes of violence, Mexico has reduced the incidents of homicide by 17 percent; kidnapping at an 80 percent reduction; theft 24 percent reduction; and theft of hydrocarbons 94 percent reduction. But it is imperative to stop the firearm trafficking that end up reaching the hands of the cartel members. So we do require the decisive assistance of our neighbor and ally.

Today, both nations have the opportunity of creating a historic precedent in the fight against drug and arm trafficking. Collective efforts are required as well as a binational solution. Our relationship stands on brotherhood because we're neighbors, we're partners, and allies at the same time.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GARLAND: Thank you, Secretary Roderiguez. Thank you, Secretary Barcena, Attorney General Gertz, Secretary Lujan. Thank you for welcoming us to Mexico City.

Today we will be discussing the ways in which we can enhance our work to fight the threats to the safety of our citizens on both sides of the border. But I want to start by reiterating my thanks for the extradition of Ovidio Guzman Lopez from Mexico to the United States just three weeks ago. His extradition is a powerful symbol of what we can accomplish when we work together. We recognize that Mexican law enforcement and military service members lost their lives in securing his arrest. We are grateful for their courage and for their sacrifice.

This meeting gives us an opportunity to continue the honor - to continue to honor the memories of all those we have lost in the fight against the cartels and the fentanyl epidemic by strengthening our work together to ensure justice. I look forward to discussing how we can advance those efforts today. I am now pleased to now turn over the program to Attorney General Gertz.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GERTZ: (Via interpreter) Mr. Secretary of State, Attorney General, ministers, Mr. Ambassador, members of the delegation - of both delegations, the Attorney General's Office of Mexico is an autonomous organ of the Mexican state that has worked with you on a daily basis in a way that we had not observed for many years.

We've managed to work and in the performance of our duty Mexicans defending the interests of our nation, and you have collaborated with us to assist us in the attack and to solve the issues on which both countries are victims of criminal - a type of criminality that does not recognize borders. We need to enforce the law, and they're devoted to infringing the law. So this is not an easy task.

In the execution of our duty, as we will discuss this morning, we've seen extraordinary things happen. We know that this issue is as ancient as the bilateral relation between the U.S. and Mexico. We also know that we are amidst an extremely complex situation, where the interests of both production and consumption need to be balanced out so they - so we can enforce the law. So it is key that amid our efforts we set example of respect to our mutual sovereignty and also with efficiency to address our mutual interests.

This is an ever standing task. The ambassador works hard with strong commitment on a daily basis, doing his work and also committed to the bilateral relationship. And through the Attorney General - through Attorney General Garland, we have great support.

We're also working with the Secretary of the Interior to continue to supporting the migration issue. And the Secretary of State has a legal obligation to represent the country's interest and continues to work. We will keep up with the dialogue, and you'll know that we have also preserved the dignity, the respectfulness, and sovereignty of our countries. So in that same level, we are extremely respectful of you all.

So this is a great example of what can be done, and we - what we will continue to perform. And do I expect today's meetings render the expected outcomes. The Mexican cabinet has specific concrete proposals, and we believe that they will make a fundamental change.

Let us not forget that everything we're doing is an unprecedented effort. Nonetheless, the size of the issue must also render results of the corresponding magnitude. I commend you all for being here. I celebrate your presence. And I hope we continue to work under this fraternity terms and dignity that our citizens deserve. Thank you very much.

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY MAYORKAS: It's an honor to be here in Mexico again with my colleagues in the Biden-Harris administration and with our close partners and friends in the Government of Mexico. There is no more fundamental responsibility of any government than to safeguard its homeland and its people. We all share that principle, and we all work together to fulfill that responsibility.

In an historically challenging moment for our region, the United States recognizes that open, effective partnerships based on mutual respect are critical to our individual and shared security. That is true of the 21 countries across the hemisphere who are party to the Los Angeles Declaration, and that is especially true of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico. All of us here together are making our countries and our region safer and more secure.

Together we are taking concrete steps to better address the threats we face along our shared border, enhancing the security of our ports of entry and expediting the movement of legal trade and travel. Together we are dismantling the criminal networks that prey on vulnerable migrants. We are dismantling the criminal organizations that smuggle fentanyl from south to north and traffic weapons from north to south. And together, we are disrupting the supply chains these cartels rely upon.

We must continue to build on the progress we have made. Today's High-Level Security Dialogue is the first to include migration as part of its agenda, an essential component of our national and regional security. The United States is committed to continuing to work closely with the Government of Mexico as we implement the model that has proven effective, a model that pairs the historic expansion of safe, orderly, and lawful pathways for migrants to come directly to the United States or elsewhere to obtain humanitarian relief outside the smuggler's grip, with strict consequences for those who do not use those lawful means to enter our country.

Further progress will require continued alignment between our two countries on shared priorities and on our commitment to implement them. It is our hope, and we are confident, that the discussions we engage in today as sovereign nations and as historic partners will lay the foundation for such continued progress on behalf of our people. Thank you.

SECURITY SECRETARY RODRIGUEZ: (Via interpreter) I believe that it's your turn.

INTERIOR SECRETARY ALCALDE: (Via interpreter.) Welcome back to our country. Welcome to National Palace. The president welcomed to you all, already. Welcome, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Attorney General, Secretary of Security, Elizabeth. Greetings. It's great to have you here and to keep up with the work.

We know well that Mexico and the United States are brothers with the longstanding political, diplomatic, cultural history, and we share a border of over 3,000 kilometers, through which thousands of people, millions of dollars, cross on a daily basis.

We have an intense relationship just without that, but considering the USMCA and the strategies performed throughout these two years. We are confronted with new migration and security-related challenges, specifically speaking of fentanyl, not only regarding drug trafficking at large, but consumption as well. And there's clarity, too, because both presidents, President Lopez Obrador and President Biden, clearly understand that one of the most efficacious strategies involves addressing the causes, the causes that lead to migration and the causes that lead to violence, to consumption, and drug production.

This is why it is such a pleasure for us to continue with this collaboration, with the respect between both nations. We are pretty much aware and we know that both countries are stronger when they're united. So on our side, you can count on the different instances and secretariats' collaboration because we continue to work on a daily basis.

Finally, Presidential Advisor on National Security Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall.

ADVISOR SHERWOOD-RANDALL: Thank you very much. Thank you, Secretary Barcena and thank you, Rosa Icela Rodriguez, my colleagues, our cabinet members, cabinet members, members of the military in Mexico. I'm so honored to be here today. Thank you for hosting us, as you always do, so graciously.

We've had many, many meetings together over the course of the last nine months in this year of 2023 on many shared topics, which are on the agenda today. But this is the first time I have participated in the High-Level Security Dialogue, and I'm here in part to demonstrate that, in addition to the counterparts who have participated in this for each of the years of our administration, that the White House also recognizes the critical importance of the Bicentennial Framework and the goals that it sets for our bilateral cooperation - protecting our people, preventing transnational crime, and pursuing criminal networks.

Over the last three years, our two governments have made tremendous progress under the framework and through the High-Level Security Dialogue to improve the health, safety, and security of our peoples. But there is much more that we can and must do. And today we acknowledge this by formally adding the management of the historic migration flows in our hemisphere to our shared agenda.

We have President Biden's full support as we tackle these challenges together and over the course of the coming year, and I look forward very much to working with each of you to advance our shared goals. Thank you.

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Deante Covington picked up his daughter Ivy from AngelSugar Childhood Development Center on Oct. 6 in a surprise homecoming visit for her birthday. Ivy's mom, Savannah Covington, Officer Jodi Hefti and AngelSugar staff collaborated the visit after Covington's supervisors greenlit a short birthday visit.

"It's great. I didn't know if it was actually going to happen or not, so it's been great that my leadership was able to let me come back and see family and everything for a short period of time. I'll get back to finishing my training then but I really appreciate it," Covington said.

Covington has been at the United States Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada since he was sworn into the Space Force in July. Colorado Springs is the next stop on his journey in the branch, he said.

Hefti provided an honorary salute with a flashing cruiser to commemorate Covington's visit. AngelSugar Director Stacy Swierczek reminded the kids at the facility what military service means and why Covington's visit was so exciting for Ivy.
GRFCSG Strengthens Interoperability with Italy

US Navy

05 October 2023

From Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian T. Glunt, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Public Affairs

IONIAN SEA -- The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) concluded a series of high-end training events with Italian naval forces in the Ionian Sea, Oct. 4, 2023, to increase interoperability as NATO allies and strengthen regional stability in the Mediterranean region.

"This opportunity to train with the Italian Navy again builds on our previous interactions during our current deployment and strengthens our interoperability skills as members of NATO," said Rear Adm. Erik Eslich, Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12. "The exercise demonstrates our continued commitment to promote our shared interests of security, stability, and prosperity in the region and I am proud of our collective work to sustain this effort."

The world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61), and squadrons assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 participated with Italian Navy flagship ITS Cavour (CVH 550), Italian Orizzonte-class guided-missile destroyer ITS Caio Duilio (D 554), and Italian Bergamini-class guided-missile frigate ITS Virginio Fasan (F 591).

The bilateral training events included multi-ship formation sails, cross-deck personnel training, helicopter cross-deck evolutions, various simulated defense exercises and airborne interoperability exercises between CVW-8 assets and ITS Cavour airwing.

"I am beyond proud of the work and training the Italian Carrier Strike Group has executed together with the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group throughout their deployment. It has reinforced the interoperability and interchangeability within our naval forces and air assets, vital to the alliance. Our current multi-carrier operations continue to promote our shared dedication to the security and freedom of the seas in the Wider Mediterranean region" said RADM Giacinto Sciandra, Commander, Second Naval Division/Italian Maritime Forces.

Sailors assigned to Gerald R. Ford and Normandy participated in cross-deck evolutions with their foreign counterparts aboard Cavour and Duilio, further enhancing mutual understanding of operations and capabilities.

The GRFCSG is conducting a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) area of operations in support of interoperability and maritime security. The GRFCSG provides an inherently flexible naval force capable of deploying across combatant commands to meet emerging missions, deter potential adversaries, reassure allies and partners, enhance security and guarantee the free flow of global commerce. In total, the GRFCSG is deployed with more than 5,000 Sailors across all platforms ready to respond globally to combatant commander tasking.

Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. Navy's capacity to project power on a global scale.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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African Lion 2024: Morocco hosts multinational planning meeting

By Maj. Chris Bradley October 6, 2023

AGADIR, Morocco -- This past month marks the start of a new edition of the annual African Lion military exercises, a partner-led, U.S. enabled exercise executed across North and West Africa slated for next summer. This planning meeting, organized by the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) and the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), hosted military planners from Ghana, Italy, the Netherlands, Senegal and the United Kingdom to begin detailed planning for Exercise African Lion 24, Sept. 18-22.

This year also marks the twentieth anniversary of the African Lion exercise series. What started as a bilateral exercise between the U.S. Marines and the Moroccan Army has grown every year to include three additional African host nations, multiple African and European partners and allies, and the entire U.S. joint and total force.

African Lion is U.S. Africa Command's premier, joint, annual exercise hosted by Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia from May to June 2024. Annually, more than 10,000 participants from 20 nations and NATO train together with a focus on enhancing interoperability with African partner nation forces.

"We are incredibly excited to convene this exercise alongside our partners across Africa and Europe for this 20th anniversary of African Lion," said Lt. Col. Drew Schaub, U.S. AFRICOM Joint and Combined Exercise branch chief. "While this partner-led, U.S. enabled exercise has changed and grown over the years, the commitment to improving security cooperation between African nations and communication among all our partners is unwavering."

The week-long planning meeting aims to identify training scenarios, logistical requirements and training objectives for all participants for next summer's multinational exercise. Based on the complexity and scale of this exercise, planning begins months before execution.

The exercise is a joint, all-domain, multi-component and multinational training event, employing a full array of mission capabilities to strengthen interoperability among participants and set the theater for strategic access. The annual exercise provides unmatched opportunities for participation and cooperation on the African continent.

A key element of the growth of African Lion over the past several years has been the inclusion of other North and West African nations as hosts of the exercise. This year, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia each host significant training events in their country, integrating U.S. units as well as other European and African partners into their training plans.

"As we have for the past three years, we are again ready to host African Lion in Ghana," said Ghana Army Brig. Gen. Frank Tei, Deputy Chief Staff Officer (DCSO) for Operations and Training, Army. "This exercise provides us the opportunity to work on a broad range of skills directly with the U.S. and our neighbors. We believe this coordination not only contributes to our security, but the broader security of our region."

As a large-scale global exercise, African Lion demonstrates U.S. AFRICOM building and maintaining interoperability with our African and European partners to improve our ability to meet security-related challenges together. Over the next eight months, military and civilian planners will meet multiple times in each host nation to deliberately plan and refine the exercise.

About SETAF-AF

SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.

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The Granada declaration

European Council / Council of the European Union

European Council

Press release

6 October 2023

We, the Leaders of the European Union, have gathered in Granada to mark the start of the process to define the Union's general political directions and priorities for the years to come, setting a strategic course of action to shape our common future for the benefit of all.

We reiterate the original promise of the European project to ensure peace, stability and prosperity for our citizens, guided by our values and principles, fundamental rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

The Strategic Agenda agreed in June 2019 has been our guide for action. The pandemic and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine have tested our resilience, highlighting the need for the Union to enhance its sovereignty and leading us to take major decisions to protect our people and our economies.

Following our meeting in Versailles, we have acted decisively. Threatened with energy blackmail, we have greatly reduced our dependencies and diversified our sources. Faced with tightening supply chains and international competition, we have strengthened our economic base. Resolved to take more responsibility for our own security and defence and to assist Ukraine, we have bolstered Europe's capabilities. We will continue to support Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes. We have also confirmed that the future of our aspiring members and their citizens lies within the European Union.

More needs to be done. Today in Granada, we have discussed key priorities and actions needed for a strong, dynamic, competitive and cohesive Europe in a changing world.

Building on the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, we will strengthen our defence readiness and invest in capabilities by developing our technological and industrial base. We will also focus on military mobility, on resilience in space and on countering cyber and hybrid threats and foreign information manipulation throughout the Union. The Russian war of aggression has also further highlighted the strength of the transatlantic relationship.

We will work on our resilience and our global long-term competitiveness, making sure that the EU has all the necessary tools to secure sustainable and inclusive growth and global leadership in this crucial decade. We will address vulnerabilities and strengthen our crisis preparedness, not least in the context of growing climate and environmental risks and geopolitical tensions. We will anticipate potential challenges and seize the opportunities for our Union in the green and digital transitions, in order to ensure the sustainability of our economic model, leaving no one behind. We will concentrate particularly on energy and resource efficiency, circularity, decarbonisation, resilience to natural disasters and adaptation to climate change.

We will continue our efforts to build a more cohesive, innovation-driven, and interconnected Single Market, preserving its integrity, its four freedoms, its social dimension and its openness, ensuring a level playing field, and reducing administrative burden notably for SMEs. We will ensure access to affordable energy, increase our energy sovereignty and reduce external dependencies in other key areas where the EU needs to build a sufficient level of capacity to guarantee its economic and social welfare, such as digital and net-zero technologies, critical medicines and raw materials, as well as sustainable agriculture. We will invest in research and education and the skills of the future and address demographic challenges. We will strengthen our position as an industrial, technological and commercial powerhouse, putting a special focus on areas of high added value where we already have a competitive edge or can become a frontrunner.

We will step up engagement with partners from all regions of the world to protect and enhance the rules-based international order with the United Nations at its core, bring more fairness into the multilateral system, and prevent its further fragmentation. We will mobilise and develop our external action instruments. It is now more important than ever to cooperate on strengthening and diversifying our supply chains, fostering partnership, trade and investment agreements, promoting sustainable development to meet our agreed goals towards net-zero emissions, and enhancing health emergency preparedness. This work also requires reinvigorating global trade, in which the WTO plays a fundamental role.

Enlargement is a geo-strategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity. It is a driver for improving the economic and social conditions of European citizens, reducing disparities between countries, and must foster the values on which the Union is founded. Looking ahead to the prospect of a further enlarged Union, both the EU and future Member States need to be ready. Aspiring members need to step up their reform efforts, notably in the area of rule of law, in line with the merit-based nature of the accession process and with the assistance of the EU. In parallel, the Union needs to lay the necessary internal groundwork and reforms. We will set our long-term ambitions and the ways to achieve them. We will address key questions related to our priorities and policies as well as our capacity to act. This will make the EU stronger and will enhance European sovereignty.

The European Council will continue discussions on the future priorities of our Union in the coming months ahead of the adoption of the Strategic Agenda next year.

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Georgia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the intention of Russia to establish a naval base on Georgia's internationally recognised territory

European External Action Service (EEAS)

06.10.2023

EEAS Press Team

The European Union expresses strong concern about Russia's reported plans to establish a permanent naval base of its Black Sea Fleet in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia.

The military presence of Russia in Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is illegal, it violates Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the principles of international law and international commitments taken by Russia, including the 12 August 2008 agreement and its implementing measures of 8 September 2008.

Should Russia proceed with the reported plans, it would further increase tensions and threats to stability in the region.

The European Union reiterates its firm support to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.



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European Council: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell before the informal meeting in Granada

European External Action Service (EEAS)

06.10.2023

Granada

EEAS Press Team

Check against delivery!

Well, today [is] the [Informal] European Council. Leaders will discuss strategic issues, the strategic agenda, and I think that the focus will be put on two big issues: enlargement and migration.

On enlargement, we have to work in a tailored approach. There are ten candidates and each one needs a specific approach. So, we have to work in a tailored approach, with a clear mind for pushing for accession much quicker than in the past.

Ukraine has become a candidate. It is coming the last, it is pushing all the ones who were waiting before. So, the queue will start moving, and moving quickly. But each one will need a tailored approach. That is very important.

Secondly, migration. On migration, there is this 10-point action plan that President [of the European Commission, Ursula] von der Leyen presented at the last meeting in Malta. For me, there is one specific tasking which is to use our CSDP capacities, missions - navy missions and in-land missions - in order to fight against [people] smuggling, to fight against human trafficking and to avoid human beings being weaponised. Because we have seen that. We have seen people being pushed against the borders in order to create problems.

I will have to think about an offer in order to use - maybe - [EU NAVFOR MED] IRINI Operation capacities because IRINI has also the tasking of fighting against smugglers, in order to provide information and in order to try to control the traffic of human beings. But for that, I need certainly the agreement of Tunisia, because it has to be done in the territorial waters of Tunisia. The mission was conceived for Libya and now, if we have to shift to another territorial scenario, we need certainly the agreement of this country.

Secondly, we can think about the deployment of advisory border controls. We have it in several parts of the world. We could imagine to organise it also in order to support the control of the borders, not only in the Mediterranean, but also in the South - "in the South", it means in the Sahel.

This is going to be a difficult task but certainly, as responsible for the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), I am ready to consider this possibility.

On migration, we have to attack the root causes of migration. People move because they have to move. They have to move because they are in danger. In this case, they are asylum seekers, and they move because they look for better opportunities. The European Union has to offer a common position. It seems that now, finally, there is an agreement on that. So, let's see if today, certainly, we can agree on a Common Foreign and Security Policy and do our best to implement it.





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EU delivers further emergency assistance in Armenia as Commissioner Lenarcic visits the country

European Commission

Press release

6 October 2023

Brussels

Today, Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic is in Armenia to coordinate the EU's assistance to the country in light of the mass exodus of people from Nagorno-Karabakh. This follows President von der Leyen's meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan yesterday in Granada where a series of EU support measures were outlined. The visit comes as a plane carrying EU emergency supplies is due to arrive in Yerevan. The aid flight is part of the European Humanitarian Response Capacity which has been activated to provide support to humanitarian organisations on the ground.

Mobilising its humanitarian stockpiles, the EU is delivering hygiene kits, kitchen sets, blankets, solar LED-s, and solar flashlights to EU humanitarian partners who will then rapidly distribute them to the people in need. This aid flight will therefore help support people in need with shelter and accommodation essentials.

Furthermore, the Commissioner will discuss the latest support mobilised via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism which was activated on 29 September upon a request from Armenia. So far, Austria, Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, and Sweden have offered urgently needed shelter equipment and food and medical supplies. Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Sweden have offered medical support to assist the mass burn victims of the fuel depot explosion in Stepanakert. The first medical evacuation flight transporting patients for treatment in France landed yesterday in Paris.

A team of EU humanitarian experts have been deployed to Armenia where they are now coordinating with humanitarian partners to assess the developing needs and to ensure a rapid response to the crisis. The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre is operating 24/7 to coordinate donations via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to Armenia.

During his mission, the Commissioner will meet the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan; the Deputy Prime Minister, Tigran Khachatryan; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ararat Mirzoyan, as well as EU humanitarian partners in Armenia. Commissioner Lenarcic will also visit shelters for the displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Background

In the past weeks, the EU has already allocated over 10 million in humanitarian aid in response to the crisis. The priority is to provide cash assistance, shelter, food security, and livelihoods, as well as mental health and psychological support to the refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Since the outbreak of the Nagorno Karabakh war in 2020, the European Commission has allocated 31.2 million overall in humanitarian aid to provide emergency support to the affected people. EU humanitarian assistance includes food, hygiene, and household items, multi-purpose cash assistance, shelter, education in emergencies, health and psychosocial support, medical equipment, and other urgent assistance.

EU humanitarian funding is provided in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

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Lithuania's major acquisitions discussed with NSPA top management

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2023-10-06

Development and Strengthening of the Armed Forces | International cooperation

On October 5-7 General Manager of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) Stacy A. Cummings and NSPA Director for Support to Operations Orhan Muratli are conducting a visit to Lithuania. NATO officials visited the ammunition depot constructions in Rukla, held meetings with Vice Ministers of National Defence Greta Monika Tuckute and Renius Pleskys and other officials.

NSPA serves as the main platform for public acquisitions of products and services conducted by Lithuanian and other NATO Allies' defence institutions. The NSPA delegation discuss running issues concerning the Boxer IFV and Panzerhaubitze 2000 program, progress of the artillery C2 system acquisition, and options for other critical procurements in the course of this visit.

Vice Ministers of National Defence, NSPA delegation and representatives of the Defence Staff and the Defence Materiel Agency are also consulting about other procurements directed at force modernization and providing conditions for the personnel.

NSPA leadership also met with a number of Lithuanian industry representatives to address the possibilities to involve the Lithuanian industry in the projects and acquisitions conducted by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.

NSPA conducts the most critical infrastructure projects of the Lithuanian Armed Forces: development of conditions for training national capabilities and hosting Allied forces whose permanent presence is on Lithuania's agenda.

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Largest infantry fighting vehicle maintenance facility Vilkas opened at Rukla

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2023-10-06

Acquisitions and infrastructure development | Development and Strengthening of the Armed Forces

On October 5 the main IFV service facility Vilkas was officially opened at Rukla with Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anusauskas , Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Logistic Support Command Col A. Dzidzevicius, and other representatnives of the Government, MoD and the Armed Forces in attendance.

The maintenance facility we are opening today is a vital element of supply for the military. Our effort to strengthen the Armed Forces on our own behalf, acquisitions of new weaponry and equipment, building confidence with our partners who have sights of expanding and enhancing their involvement here, and Rukla as a critical and universally known spot on our defence map, it all is not the only thing that matters. What is also important is that there would be clockwork-like reliability of all things that ensure our Armed Forces work like a clock, everything that makes sure all our acquired and possessed equipment functions properly or would when needed," Prime Minister underscored the importance and welcomed the finished project.

Largest (~4.5 thousand m2) of the kind across the Baltic states, the new facility opens new potential of military equipment maintenance and repair with its 22 repair bays, 8 for wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicles Vilkas, 6 for trucks, 4 for tracked equipment and 4 for all-terrain vehicles. The main service facility is ready to maintain and fix all types of military equipment operated by the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

"As we accelerate new equipment procurement, we need to take care to have a modern maintenance and repair system for it. This facility is a great example of integrated approach to equipment maintenance and repair. Availability of maintenance for all Lithuanian Armed Forces equipment in one stop is as valuable a contribution to the strength of the Lithuanian Armed Forces as acquisitions of IFVs or other defensive military equipment additions. Our aim is to ensure the Lithuanian Armed Forces has several such facilities," said Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anusauskas at the opening event.

Modern systems the facility is equipped with ensure a swift and quality oil and technical fluid: the direct injection from and pumping out to steel pipes is done in a unique system with containers set up in the warehouse which makes the process more efficient. The technique not only saves time but also ensures proper accounting.

The new "one stop" facility incorporates all maintenance systems in one network to ensure appropriate use of all vehicles thus delivering on an integrated approach to military equipment maintenance requirements. It has carwash, examinations, painting, most complex metal cutting and bending, etc., capacity.

The facility has been built as part of the ongoing efforts to enhance the technical capacity of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. A goal has been set forth to have more than one such facility.

"Delivery of the purchased weaponry and equipment has been accelerated as a result of the changed security situation in the region. However, not only powerful combat vehicles are needed to respond to potential threats with speed and punch but also timely repair services, likewise, not only cutting-edge weaponry is required but also ammunition, planned out ammunition storage, and not only training areas but also proper roads for military equipment to move by. Therefore, military infrastructure development is one of the keystone components in our defence architecture," underscored A. Anusauskas at the opening ceremony.

With the appropriations added under the Law on Temporary Bank Solidarity Contribution, the Lithuanian Defence Budget reaches EUR 2 billion, or 2.76 percent of GDP, this year. Defence financing has doubled over three years accelerating Lithuanian armed forces modernization, capability enhancement, infrastructure development. Approx. 10 percent of defence budget is spent on Lithuanian Armed Forces infrastructure development, though the proportion has been significantly increasing in the recent years.

The growing defence spending is good for the national economy: over a half of it, i.e., more than 60% of the Defence Budget, remains in Lithuania. It is especially true in the area of infrastructure development, such as building barracks and depots, roads in military training areas and units, as the work is done by Lithuania contractors.

The maintenance facility project finished in July earlier this year was completed by a Lithuanian company Jungtiniai Projektai UAB, the construction work is worth of EUR 12 million.

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NATO reinforcements arrive in Kosovo

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

06 Oct. 2023

The first contingent of two hundred British soldiers arrived in Kosovo on Friday (6 October 2023) to reinforce NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) peacekeeping mission. The deployment comes after the violent attack on Kosovo Police on 24 September and increased tensions in the region.

The soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment are joining a 400-strong UK contingent already in Kosovo. The Romanian government on Tuesday (3 October) announced it was also sending some 100 extra troops to bolster KFOR.

These deployments are a prudent step to ensure KFOR has the forces it needs to fulfil its UN mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo. The deployment is based on a request by NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe and was approved by Allies in the North Atlantic Council.

NATO has been leading a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo since 1999 in accordance with its mandate under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. KFOR currently consists of well over 4,500 troops contributed by 27 NATO Allies and partners.

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OSCE Chairman-in-Office calls for immediate humanitarian support to Karabakh Armenians and international involvement amid humanitarian crisis

SKOPJE 6 October 2023

SKOPJE, 6 October -- OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, expressing serious concerns, calls for increased international support and humanitarian relief for the over 100,000 Karabakh Armenians that have found refuge in the Republic of Armenia. Humanitarian needs must remain the top priority and the international donor community should continue to actively demonstrate solidarity and responsibility sharing to assist Armenia as its government responds to this unfolding humanitarian crisis.

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Osmani took note of the visit by UN representatives to Khankendi/Stepanakert on 1 October and believes that continued engagement by the international community would contribute to stabilizing the situation on the ground and efforts toward sustainable peace.

Discussions regarding international involvement on the ground should continue, as an independent international observation mission would bring confidence and reassurance to those who want to return.

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Osmani notes the public statements by Azerbaijan on the integration of the Armenian population and prospects for the return of the displaced population. Safeguarding the rights and security of Karabakh Armenians, in line with its OSCE commitments, is Azerbaijan's responsibility.

The use of force over diplomatic negotiation to settle disputes is always unacceptable and hinders prospects for dignified and inclusive peace.

Chairman-in-Office Osmani supports the continuation of political processes towards a peace treaty between the countries.

The OSCE and its relevant structures, within their mandate, stand ready to contribute to this process in line with the Organization's values and commitments to achieve just, durable, dignified and inclusive peace in the region.



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Giant panda Ya Ya enjoys her snacking

(People's Daily App) 14:56, October 07, 2023

A video released by the Beijing Zoo on Friday showed the giant panda Ya Ya munching on bamboo shoots. The female giant panda returned to her birthplace, the capital city zoo, on May 29 from quarantine in Shanghai. She left the United States on April 27.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Big Idea Columbus is set for early November, but before then, big ideas are being accepted.

Big Idea Columbus is a spin on the popular television show, Shark Tank. Like the TV program, entrepreneurial hopefuls make a two-minute pitch before a panel of judges for a product, service or invention. The top five finalists are determined, and the audience picks top three winners. The $5,000 grand prize consists of cash and services to assist the winner in making their big idea a reality. The second-place prize is worth $1,000 and third-place prize is worth $500.

From now until midnight on Thursday, Oct. 12, business or product ideas for Columbus are being accepted. Ideas can be retail based, technology driven, product inventions, food service or service-based, and can be submitted at cccneb.edu/bigideacolumbus.

I am excited to be part of an event that supports local business development and entrepreneurship in the Columbus area, said Kelli Faltys, CCC-Columbus Entrepreneurship Center coordinator. This is a great opportunity for would-be entrepreneurs to turn their dream of owning their own business into reality. Whether an idea is in the infant stages or ready to be launched, Big Idea Columbus gives dreamers a unique platform to share it.

The final competition will be held on Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Columbus Innovation Center in downtown Columbus.
Venezuela issues arrest warrant for ex-opposition leader Guaido

Iran Press TV

Friday, 06 October 2023 8:55 AM

Venezuelan judicial officials have issued an arrest warrant against the former opposition leader Juan Guaido, charging the politician with multiple illegal activities.

Prosecutors were appointed "to issue an arrest warrant against him and to request a Red Notice from Interpol so that he pays for his crimes," Attorney General Tarek William Saab said on Thursday night.

Living in exile in the United States, Guaido was accused of treason, money laundering, impersonating public officials, and above all, misappropriation of $19 billion of the resources of PDVSA oil company and using money from the country's state-owned oil company for his own financial benefit, the official said.

"Guaido used the resources of PDVSA (the public oil giant) to cause losses close to or greater than $19 billion," the prosecutor said, adding that he relied on "revelations" provided to the press "by a federal court in the United States."

Guaido described the charges lodged against him as "politically motivated" after the announcement by the Venezuelan prosecutor.

The Venezuelan government has said that it still has 27 different probes of Guaido underway but this is the first time it has sought his arrest.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro won the presidential elections in 2018; however, challenging Maduro's re-election, Guaido declared himself the "interim president" of Venezuela in January 2019.

He had been elected back then as the president of Venezuela's National Assembly, the highest-ranking public legislative official.

The new Venezuelan parliament was sworn in 2021, with Maduro's Socialist Party consolidating control and US-backed Guaido left out.

However, the Venezuelan government never arrested Guaido as he launched a failed uprising and sought to use mass protests to unseat Maduro.

In April this year, months after Guaido's fellow opposition leaders voted to dissolve his self-declared government, Guaido left Venezuela for Colombia and then flew to the United States, saying the Colombian government had expelled him.

Guaido's self-declared government had long been accused by Caracas, and even independent observers, of embezzlement of public funds under its control, namely through the Venezuelan fertilizer company Monomeros and the Houston-based Citgo Petroleum, an oil refiner formerly controlled by the Caracas government.

The announcement of Guaido's arrest warrant, though anticipated for months, comes as the Caracas government contemplates talks with the Biden administration over the possibility of lifting some US sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector.

It also comes days before Venezuela's opposition is set to hold a primary vote to choose a candidate to run against Maduro in potential elections in 2024. Guaido is not among the nominees.

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The Azadi Briefing: Afghans Fear Another Brutal Winter As Hunger Crisis Worsens

By Frud Bezhan October 06, 2023

The Key Issue

Millions of Afghans are bracing for another brutal winter that is likely to further aggravate the devastating humanitarian crisis in the country.

An estimated 15 million people -- out of a population of around 40 million -- are already going hungry. With cuts in international aid and rising food and energy prices, more Afghans are likely to struggle to feed their families and keep themselves warm.

Snowfall has already been reported in parts of eastern and northeastern Afghanistan, a mountainous country where temperatures can drop as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius during the winter.

Afghans who spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Azadi said they were not prepared for what they described as the brutal months ahead.

"I used to set aside money for our winter expenses," said Parisa, an unemployed former public servant in Kabul. "But we have nothing. We eat only bread. We don't have enough money to buy fuel for the winter."

Why It's Important: The UN World Food Program (WFP) last month said it has been forced to cut food supplies to 10 million Afghans so far this year due to dwindling international funding.

More Afghans are likely to join the estimated 6 million already on the verge of starvation as emergency food aid reaches fewer people.

Afghans have been also grappling with rising costs in the prices of fuel, electricity, and coal.

"I haven't bought any fuel for the winter because we simply can't afford it," Hazrat Ali, a resident of the eastern province of Logar, told Radio Azadi. "There's no work and a lot of unemployment. Firewood and coal have also become more expensive."

What's Next: International humanitarian operations in Afghanistan were boosted after the European Union and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced late last month that they would provide nearly $550 million in funding.

The new funding will likely help aid agencies prevent a humanitarian catastrophe during the winter. But international funding for humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan is not guaranteed in the long run.

What To Keep An Eye On

Iran has deported over 100,000 Afghan refugees and migrants in the past three months, according to local Taliban officials in the southwestern province of Nimroz.

Afghans who were recently deported told Radio Azadi that they were mistreated and harassed by Iranian border guards.

"They did not give us bread or water during the two days that they imprisoned us," said Abdul Salam, who illegally entered Iran two months ago and found a job as a laborer in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan.

"They held us in a room and then took us outside," he added. "They left us in the scorching sun from morning to evening. We couldn't get up. When we stood up, they kicked us in the back."

Why It's Important: The deportations coincide with Iran's recent announcement that it will deport the 5 million Afghans it claims are living "illegally" in the Islamic republic.

Iran's decision came as Pakistan gave a November 1 deadline to an estimated 1.7 million undocumented Afghans to leave the country or risk being deported.

The forced deportations of millions of impoverished Afghans are likely to worsen the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

The cash-strapped Taliban government, which is under international sanctions, is unlikely to be able to absorb millions of returning refugees and migrants.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-azadi-briefing- winter-hunger-crisis-iran-deportations/32626123.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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What's Next For Kyrgyzstan After The Killing Of A U.S.-Sanctioned Crime Boss?

By Chris Rickleton October 06, 2023

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Kamchybek Kolbaev was more than Kyrgyzstan's most powerful crime boss.

In a system drenched in corruption and powered by illegal activity, he was perhaps at one point the most powerful player of them all, with influence reaching far beyond the country and deep into the bowels of Eurasian crime.

Yet whatever status he enjoyed at home was apparently diminished by the time security forces moved on him in central Bishkek on October 4, shooting him dead either on or near the territory of a popular brew pub that he owned.

A few years ago, the idea would have seemed laughable.

After all, Kolbaev's influence in Kyrgyzstan was rumored to stretch from the prisons to the parliament and -- according to cruel tongues -- the presidency.

But Kyrgyzstan is nothing if not a box of surprises.

And now the focus is on whether there will be more to come, with Kolbaev's killing bound to have implications both for politics in the country and all manner of illicit trade traveling through it.

'Drinking From The Same Trough?'

Officially Kolbaev was "liquidated" after opening fire during an operation to detain him carried out by the State Committee for National Security (UKMK) headed by another Kamchybek -- Kamchybek Tashiev.

The UKMK said in a statement that it had been attempting to detain him in connection with illegally owned property and the murder of another reputed crime boss, Chyngyz Jumagulov, more than a year ago.

Kolbaev, the longest reigning of all of Kyrgyzstan's crime kingpins, had since 2011 been designated under the United States' Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.

The sanctions pertained to his reputed links to the Eurasian heroin trade, with U.S. authorities deeming him a member of a multicountry crime ring known as The Brothers' Circle.

But of all the crimes and charges that he spent time behind bars for in Kyrgyzstan -- about a decade in total across three stints -- drug trafficking was not among them.

His final term in jail was the shortest; he was released just six months after his arrest on criminal conspiracy charges with little expectation he would ever face justice.

That last arrest came in 2020 as then-acting President Sadyr Japarov and Tashiev had promised a crackdown on crime after arriving in power in a political crisis that saw Japarov sprung from jail.

"Respected bandits! We are giving you very little time: Either you live according to the law, go to jail, or leave our state. This country will no longer be criminal and corrupt," Tashiev promised on his first day as UKMK chief.

Japarov made similar pledges in his first address as acting president.

And although he did not mention fellow Issyk-Kul Province native Kolbaev by name, he did pledge that authorities would arrest another powerbroker often cited as Kolbaev's business partner -- the former customs official Raimbek Matraimov.

Matraimov, now also under U.S. sanctions, was duly arrested and convicted in the months that followed.

But he was promptly released after the government claimed he had repaid some $24 million to the state, having spent even less time behind bars than the jail-hardened Kolbaev.

For seasoned observers of Kyrgyz politics, the lenient treatment given to two notoriously powerful men was unsurprising.

After all, Japarov's overnight leadership bid had been massively tainted by suggestions that he had risen to power thanks to backing from Kolbaev.

Aida Kasymalieva, an ally of outgoing President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, complained she had been threatened by gangsters for shedding doubt on the legality of a vote that established Japarov as president.

One of her colleagues, parliamentarian Dastan Bekeshev, said Japarov was "100 percent" controlled by Kolbaev.

And the allegations of ties between Japarov and Kolbaev were not limited to that period.

In 2011, when Japarov was an opposition lawmaker, then-Interior Minister Zarylbek Rysaliev had accused the future head of state of "drinking from the same trough" as the notorious gangster.

So how did it go wrong for the kingpin?

Decline Of A 'Ruthless Subculture'

Mark Galeotti, a renowned expert on organized crime, made a few suggestions on that score in a piece published for the British magazine The Spectator, placing Kolbaev's death in the context of what he called the decline of a "ruthless subculture" of the Eurasian "thief-in-law."

This Eurasia-specific phenomenon, with roots in the gulag prison camps of the Soviet Union, saw "crowned" figures like Kolbaev openly embrace their gangster status along with a fairly conservative set of behavioral codes.

But after the assassinations of key "thieves" in the past 20 years, business models have undergone a change, Galeotti explained.

"If the [thieves] were the traditionalist Don Corleones of the post-Soviet underworld, their successors, known as 'avtoritety' (authorities), are criminal entrepreneurs. They are typically flexible businessmen happy to do whatever makes the most money safely," he wrote.

Galeotti also argued that Kolbaev may have been opposed to international sanctions-evasion schemes demanded by Kyrgyzstan's top ally, Russia, fearing they might bring more attention to narcotics traveling from Afghanistan to Europe via the same country.

This meant that Kolbaev's slaying could lead to "more organized sanctions busting," Galeotti predicted, "given that there have been plausible suggestions that Kyrgyzstan's notorious [UKMK] or political police are involved in this illegal business."

A Turf War Or A War On Organized Crime?

The idea of a rivalry between the two Kamchybeks seems logical, in no small part due to their shared absence of capacity for compromise.

Japarov's appointment of his longtime friend as top security chief three years ago put the headstrong Tashiev in charge of an agency with traditionally close ties to Russia and an abundance of boots on the ground.

Almost immediately after that appointment, the state border service was folded into the UKMK, giving it yet more power, and Tashiev a good view of the illicit trade flows that have allegedly enriched both criminals and their political protection over the years.

He also never hid his anger at Kolbaev's influence in political circles.

In November 2022, when then-lawmaker Omurbek Bakirov challenged Tashiev in parliament over a controversial border agreement with Uzbekistan, Tashiev responded with an angry tirade.

"We know who you are and we know how you were elected. Soon we'll look into it," he fumed.

Bakirov's office in the parliament was subsequently cleared out.

The following month, the UKMK released a statement accusing the lawmaker of paying a visit to Kolbaev in his home base of Cholpon-Ata -- an obvious move for a politician under pressure.

Bakirov denied the allegations. But he was stripped of his lawmaker's seat by a court earlier this year.

In an interview with RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, former Interior Minister Omurbek Suvanaliev noted that Tashiev was just recently at a "large-scale celebration attended by ex-presidents, former speakers, former prime ministers, heroes of the Kyrgyz republic, [and] major businessmen" -- with Kolbaev walking freely among the guests.

"[This] caused a stir in society. After this incident the authorities seem to have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to fight with criminal gangs," said Suvanaliev.

Thousands gathered in Cholpon-Ata to witness the kingpin known to the underworld as Kolya Kyrgyz make his final journey on October 5, as questions about a possible succession swirled.

On October 4, according to RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service sources, Matraimov was questioned by the GKNB before being released.

Media investigations co-authored by RFE/RL have tied the former Customs Service honcho to a massive smuggling empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and few doubt that he is still involved in the trade.

A key source for those investigations, a self-confessed money-launderer who was later gunned down in an outdoor cafe in Istanbul, referred to Kolbaev as someone who "protected" Matraimov -- a protector who is now gone.

Also on October 4 -- and again, without official confirmation -- Altynbek "Altukha" Ibraimov, an allegedly senior member of Kolbaev's entourage, was reportedly released from prison despite his awaiting trial on charges of large-scale extortion.

What to read into these moves?

Tashiev, for one, is adamant that history is not about to repeat itself.

"I warn those who were near the crime boss who was eliminated yesterday. If anyone tries to raise his head against society or starts organizing illegal activities, he will be severely punished!" he said as he presided over the opening of yet another new building for the UKMK, this time in Tokmak -- a city with a long reputation for organized crime.

"Yes, there were years when some criminal authorities were replaced by others, who created even larger groups and controlled society even more. Now this won't happen," he insisted.

Japarov, meanwhile, has issued no comment on Kolbaev's killing.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-killing-us- sanctioned-crime-boss-what-s-next/32626549.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Moldovan President Accuses Wagner Mercenary Group Of Plotting Coup In Chisinau Earlier This Year

By RFE/RL's Moldovan Service October 06, 2023

Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in an interview published on October 6 that the Wagner mercenary group founded by the now-deceased Yevgeny Prigozhin had planned a coup in Moldova.

Sandu told the Financial Times that according to government information, the coup was planned this year by Prigozhin's team.

She also said money had been smuggled from Russia into Moldova, partly by couriers and partly through bank accounts in Dubai, and said that pro-Russian forces in Moldova will continue to be financed by Moscow to destabilize the country.

"The situation is really dramatic, and we have to protect ourselves," Sandu said in the interview.

Sandu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy first commented publicly in February about an alleged coup plot to topple the pro-Western government in Chisinau. Zelenskiy said then that the plan had been intercepted by his country's intelligence services.

The Kremlin subsequently urged Moldova to exercise caution in its statements about Russian forces stationed in the breakaway Transdniester region, where an estimated 1,100 Russian troops remain deployed.

Sandu's interview appeared as EU leaders met in Granada, Spain, to discuss the prospects for the accession of Moldova and other Eastern European countries. Sandu said that welcoming Moldova into the EU would be the best way to ensure Moldova's security.

Prigozhin, 62, and several of his associates died in an unexplained plane crash in late August. He was buried on August 29 in a discreet ceremony.

Two months before his death, on June 23-24, Prigozhin sent thousands of his fighters in a short-lived rebellion against the military command fighting in Ukraine, imposing one of the biggest challenges to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power.

The insurrection came on the heels of months of intense public infighting between Prigozhin and Russia's military leadership over the war strategy in Ukraine and ammunition supplies.

Wagner troops moved to Belarus after the unsuccessful mutiny. Reports on Telegram channels linked to the mercenary group have indicated that some of the group's fighters left Belarus for Russia or for vacations, while some were transferred to operations in Africa.

With reporting by Financial Times and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-wagner-coup-chisinau- russia/32626619.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Bulgarian Parliament Debates Limiting Role Of President, Other Judicial Reforms

By RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service October 06, 2023

The Bulgarian Parliament has started a debate on constitutional amendments aiming to cut the power of the prosecutor-general and limit the role of the president in forming caretaker governments.

The draft amendments proposed by lawmakers from three parties on October 6 gathered 161 votes in favor -- not enough to be adopted by a fast procedure but enough to start a slower process. It envisions a new vote in two to five months in which 160 votes would be enough for adoption of the changes.

The amendments, proposed by We Continue The Change - Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), GERB, and Movement For Rights And Freedoms (DPS) -- which together support the government -- aim to curtail the power of the prosecutor-general to ensure the independence of judges.

"Key features of the rule of law are fair justice and an independent and fair court. These are the main objectives of the proposal for changes to the constitution," Justice Minister Atanas Slavov, who defends the changes, told lawmakers.

But the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, There Is Such People, and the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party criticized the amendments.

The draft amendments envisage the division of the Supreme Judicial Council, which appoints and dismisses judges and prosecutors, into two separate councils -- one for the judges, where members appointed by the judges themselves would have majority, and one for the prosecutors, where members nominated by the parliament would have a majority.

The aim is to ensure the independence of the judges while limiting the influence of the prosecutor-general, who is member of the prosecutors' council.

The draft amendments also envisage changes to limit the prosecutor-general's influence over prosecutors.

But the amendments have been met with criticism by the leadership of the prosecution, which expressed concern that they would allow political influence in the appointment of prosecutors.

Representatives of the judges have welcomed the idea for a majority of the judges on the Judicial Council but have criticized other provisions, including the idea to allow the heads of the two supreme courts and the prosecutor-general to be re-elected for a second five-year term instead of being in the post for only one seven-year term.

"Is this some kind of test? If they had fulfilled the necessary orders, they are elected again? And if they had not, they are not elected," said Tatiana Zhilova, head of the biggest judges' association, the Union Of The Judges In Bulgaria.

A majority of the members of the Supreme Judicial Council has also criticized the amendments, saying they show different treatment of judges on the one hand and prosecutors on the other.

The amendments also aim to limit the powers of the president in forming caretaker governments in the country that was governed by caretaker governments appointed by President Rumen Radev for most of the past two years.

Among the proposals is to limit the president's choice for caretaker prime minister to the speaker of the parliament, the head of the Constitutional Court, and the head of the Bulgarian National Bank. The president currently can choose whomever he wants.

The proposition drew criticism from Radev and his advisers.

Bulgaria has long been considered one of the most corrupt European Union members, a dubious honor connected to the judiciary's lack of independence.

The prosecutor-general has long been viewed by both domestic and international critics as a blunt tool of the ruling elite to block investigations into their own members and target their opponents.

Washington and Brussels have for years been leaning on Bulgaria, which is also a NATO member, to reform the judiciary, including trimming the prosecutor-general's sweeping powers, and strengthening the judiciary's independence.

Bulgaria's parliament in June adopted a mechanism for the independent investigation of the prosecutor-general, a move welcomed by international watchdogs. But it has not been put in practice, sparking debate over its effectiveness.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgarian-parliament- debate-constitution-judicary-reform/32626519.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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UK reinforcements arrive in Kosovo for NATO peacekeeping mission

The first British soldiers of a two hundred-strong deployment arrived in Kosovo today to reinforce NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR).

6 October 2023

The first British soldiers of a two hundred-strong deployment arrived in Pristina today to reinforce NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) peacekeeping mission.

The deployment is based on a request by NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe and comes after the violent attack on Kosovo Police on 24 September and increased tensions in the region.

The soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment are joining a more than 400-strong British contingent already in Kosovo as part of an annual exercise. That contingent has remained in Kosovo to support stability. The peacekeeping force will include not only troops, but also hundreds of vehicles arriving by sea freight.

Under NATO command, the forces will be available to conduct operations in accordance with KFOR's mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment and ensure freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

The UK is a leading NATO Ally. Within a few days, the UK has responded to NATO's call for reinforcements and deployed 200 additional soldiers from the First Battalion Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment for the Kosovo Force (KFOR). This shows the agility of the UK's Armed Forces. As the best of the best, I know our soldiers will do the UK proud.

NATO has been leading a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo since 1999 in accordance with its mandate under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. KFOR currently consists of more than 4,500 troops contributed by 27 NATO Allies and partners.

The UK contributes to the full spectrum of KFOR's work, with two intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) units deployed, UK staff officers assigned to the mission headquarters as well as a Strategic Reserve Force commitment, which currently rests with the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. The UK commitment to KFOR was extended in May 2023 when the Minister for Armed Forces James Heappey announced the UK would continue to contribute to the NATO mission until at least 2026.

The UK is also working closely with international partners to urge Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate tensions and return to dialogue. The Prime Minister spoke to both President Vucic of Serbia and President Osmani of Kosovo, at the European Political Community meeting in Granada yesterday, encouraging de-escalation. Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, is also due to meet Serbian and Kosovan Foreign Ministers in the Albanian capital today during a meeting of the Berlin Process, a forum focused on fostering increased regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. This builds on the work of Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Lord Peach, who regularly engages with both Serbian and Kosovan stakeholders to promote regional stability.

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Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York

6 October 2023

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

** Nobel Peace Prize

Good afternoon and happy Friday, everyone. The Secretary-General said that today's Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to Narges Mohammadi, is an important reminder that the rights of women and girls are facing a strong pushback, including through the persecution of women human rights defenders, in Iran and elsewhere.

This Nobel Peace Prize is a tribute to all those women who are fighting for their rights at the risk of their freedom, their health and even their lives.

And I'd like to add that Narges Mohammadi was also awarded the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize last May.

** Syria

In a statement issued earlier today, the Secretary-General expressed his deep concern about the attack on a military academy graduation ceremony in Homs yesterday, which reportedly resulted in over 100 casualties, including civilians.

The Secretary-General is also alarmed over reports of retaliatory shelling on multiple locations in north-west Syria and emerging reports of heavy casualties.

The Secretary-General deplores the loss of lives. He underscored that a nationwide ceasefire is essential for a meaningful political process to implement resolution 2254 (2015).

The Secretary-General also strongly condemns all violence in Syria and urges all parties to respect their obligations under international law. He also recalls that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law at all times.

Also on Syria, UN humanitarian officials have expressed grave concern over the renewed wave of hostilities in the north of the country.

In a joint statement, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, Muhannad Hadi, said that the deadly attacks reported yesterday on several sites are a stark reminder that the country's crisis continues to devastate civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Both officials implored all parties to take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects, in accordance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

** Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine, the Humanitarian Coordinator there, Denise Brown, visited Hroza today, less than 24 hours after an attack that killed dozens of civilians.

Ms. Brown said it is a barbaric consequence of the war in Ukraine that 20 per cent of a community can be wiped out in mere seconds.

The humanitarian community is working to support civilians in the area. We and our partners are mobilizing assistance, including medical supplies and health support, shelter maintenance kits, non-food items, cash, hygiene assistance, as well as mental health and psychosocial support.

** Local and Regional Governments

The Secretary-General this morning launched his Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments.

He spoke to the members of the group and delegated two co-chairs: Pilar Cancela Rodriguez, Secretary of State for International Cooperation in Spain, and Fatimetou Mint Abdel Malick, President of Nouakchott Region in Mauritania. He added that Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder would be his representative throughout the process.

The Secretary-General told the local and regional government representatives at today's meeting that local leaders are vital for global solutions. He added that as we consider ways to make multilateral institutions more effective, and to meet the current and future challenges facing people and planet, we need the perspectives and engagement of local and regional authorities.

** Deputy Secretary-General's Travels

Over the weekend, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, will travel to Iceland to meet with senior Government officials and provide a keynote address at the "Imagine Forum: Nordic Solidarity for Peace", at the invitation of the Government of Iceland. During her visit, the Deputy Secretary-General will also visit areas affected by the climate crisis, including Langjokull, the country's second-largest glacier.

The Deputy Secretary-General will then continue to Marrakesh, Morocco, to attend  on the Secretary-General's behalf  the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. She will engage with senior government officials and key stakeholders on the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Stimulus and the actions needed for the reform of the International Financial Architecture.

The Deputy Secretary-General will return to New York on Sunday, 15 October.

** Libya

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said today that it received yesterday evening an official memorandum from the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Agila Saleh, that included the approved electoral laws.

The UN Mission respects the Libyan sovereign institutions and the national ownership of political solutions. However, the Mission added, to ensure a smooth electoral process and sustainable peace and stability in Libya, it emphasizes that these solutions must be consensual and implementable.

** Food Prices

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today that international food commodity prices were broadly stable in September.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of globally traded food commodities, averaged 121.5 points in September, compared to 121.4 points in August. At this level, the index is 10.7 per cent below its value a year ago and 24.0 per cent below its all-time high reached in March 2022.

** Senior Personnel Appointment

We have a senior personnel announcement. Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Claver Gatete of Rwanda as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

He will succeed Vera Songwe of Cameroon, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her important contribution and service. The Secretary-General also extends his appreciation and gratitude to the Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme Support, Antonio M.A. Pedro of Mozambique, who will continue to serve as the Acting Executive Secretary until Mr. Gatete assumes his functions.

Mr. Gatete is currently Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations in New York. A seasoned economist, he brings to the position extensive strategic leadership expertise, coupled with international experience in the political and financial landscape of the African continent.

There's lots more online.

** World Cotton Day

Tomorrow is World Cotton Day. This natural fabric is a life-changing product worldwide that sustains 32 million growers (almost half of them women) and benefits over 100 million families across 80 countries in 5 continents.

** Questions and Answers

Deputy Spokesman : And that's all I have for you. Any questions? Yes, Edie?

Question : Farhan, does the Secretary-General have any comment on Russia's apparent decision to rescind its ratification of the Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty?

Deputy Spokesman : Yes, we're aware of these comments. All I can say about that is the Secretary-General has consistently stressed the need for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). He strongly urges all States that have not ratified the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty to do so without reservations or conditions, especially those whose ratification is required for the Treaty's entry into force. In the interim, the Secretary-General calls on all nuclear weapon States to publicly reaffirm their moratoriums against nuclear testing and their commitment to the CTBT. Yes, Serhii?

Question : I have one question about Hroza village. You said that people were killed in Hroza. Who did it? Why is the UN afraid, on the second day, to say just one word? This word is Russia. So, I have just one question.

Deputy Spokesman : I'd just refer you to the statements issued by the Secretary-General and by Denise Brown. It's clear what the preponderance of views on this are. Of course, we are not an investigative body, and so we don't have the first-hand ability to determine the aggressor in this case.

Question : You didn't know who invited in Ukraine?

Deputy Spokesman : I just refer you to what Stephane Dujarric said just yesterday on this. He did mention this. Yes, please?

Question : Hello, Farhan. Has the Secretary-General any comment on the announcement of the Biden Administration to build a new section of the wall with Mexico?

Deputy Spokesman : I'm aware of the news reports. Our only reaction is that we hope that any issues involving migration be handled bilaterally by the US and Mexican authorities with full respect for the rights of migrants and refugees. Yes, Dezhi?

Question : A follow-up on the village attack. I know this might sound stupid, but has any of the UN officials tried to contact the Russian officials, the militaries or political officials, to at least  how to say that  to get the logic behind that attack? Because, so far, we didn't really hear anything, I think, from the Russian side on why they attacked that village.

Deputy Spokesman : Well, I don't speak for the Russian authorities, but it would be up to them to...

Question : Yeah. But do you have any communication with them on this?

Deputy Spokesman : We're in contact with all of the relevant officials.

Question : Yeah, I mean, particularly on this?

Deputy Spokesman : We're in contact with all of the relevant officials. But regarding the military activities by either side, it's up to the parties themselves to explain their actions.

Question : So, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has already deployed a team to investigate this attack. What's the expectation from the Secretary-General on this investigation? And how to hold anybody who did this accountable?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, it's essential that there'd be accountability. Part of that does involve having efforts to determine what the truth of the matter is, and we hope that the team will have the necessary access and obtain the necessary information to make their own determinations. Edie, and then you can go. Yes?

Question : Thank you, Farhan. Has the Secretary-General gotten any reaction to the statement that he put out yesterday today with the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on regulating autonomous weapons?

Deputy Spokesman : We are a very patient organization. We'll wait to get replies. I have nothing to share with you on that so far. Yeah, Dezhi?

Question : Sorry. This week, the Security Council chamber is very quiet because we know that the Security Council members, they went to Addis Ababa to have this joint meeting with the AU (African Union) Peace and Security Council. From the Secretary-General's point of view, they've obviously discussed the development of the Sudan and also the peacekeeping funding issue. What is the expectation from the Secretary-General on this joint meeting for the past two days?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, our only expectation is that the Security Council and then the Peace and Security Council from the African Union continue to coordinate efforts in the productive manner that they've been doing in recent years. We feel that that's an important part of making sure that our work, particularly in Africa, goes by smoothly. Yes, please?

Question : Thank you. My name is Alex Baluku. I'm a Dag fellow. Mine is outside the briefing. Yesterday, upon his arrival at Entebbe International Airport, honorary Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the Uganda's leader of opposition and president of the National Unity Platform, commonly known as Bobi Wine, was arrested and taken to his residence in Magere by security operatives who had disguised themselves as airport staff. And additionally, there were reports of journalists being subjected to physical violence during this incident. Now, my question is, is the UN planning to engage with the Ugandan Government to address these human rights concerns and ensure the protection of political opposition figures and journalists? Secondly, how does the UN plan to monitor and assess the overall human rights situation in Uganda, particularly in relation to political dissent and freedom of the press? Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman : Well, certainly, we express our concerns about any nations that have issues with the treatment of the press and the treatment of political parties. And Uganda is the same case, as with our treatment of other nations in this regard. So, yes, we will make our concerns known. We want to make sure that Bobi Wine's conditions and his rights to due process are upheld. And we want to make sure that reporters in Uganda can go about their work without any threat of harassment. And with that, I wish you all a happy weekend.

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CAR, Chad Conduct Separate Military Operations Amid Border Security Concerns

By Mohammed Yusuf October 06, 2023

The Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad have the military presence along their shared border due to allegations both nations are attempting to disrupt the other by using rebel factions. Tensions between CAR and Chad have been strained since April, when each accused the other of being involved in violence on the border.

This week, the Central African Republic (CAR) army and Wagner Group mercenaries carried out a military exercise in Ouham-Fafa Prefecture near the border with Chad.

In response to growing security concerns along its shared border, Chad has increased its troop presence and patrols, collaborating with French forces in the region, amid allegations that CAR is planning to use anti-government armed groups and mercenaries.

Chadian rebel leader Baba Ladde is reported to have been recruiting fighters from Lim-Pende in northern CAR to launch an attack against Chad.

Relations between CAR and Chad have often been tense. The two countries have accused each other of harboring armed rebels.

Charles Bouessel, a senior consultant for the International Crisis Group, said CAR is not cooperating with its neighbor in dealing with rebels trying to destabilize Chad.

"We heard about two more Chadian groups, which tried to settle bases in the Vakaga prefecture in CAR not far from the Chadian border," said Bouessel. "And we have seen at the beginning no response or no reaction from the Central African authority concerning these armed groups and so it raises some questions about at least the passivity of the central African authorities to arm these armed groups or even some kind of complicity."

Some Western countries have expressed concern about the stability of Chad.

According to the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, which tracks political violence and protest around the world, there have been 437 attacks recorded in the past 12 months in CAR and Chad, killing at least 1,000 people.

Bouessel says increased security activities along the border by CAR authorities are to pressure Chad not to work with armed groups.

"Testimony has flagged that Wagner have been providing some weapons and some equipment to arm these armed groups but from what we can assess now I doubt that the equipment delivered will be a game changer but it must be seen as a way for the Central African authority to put more pressure on Chad so that Chad accept[s] to cooperate a little bit more about all Central African rebels who are hosted in N'djamena and elsewhere," said Bouessel.

Professor Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha, an expert in diplomacy and international relations, says there is a pressing need for the African Union to confront the border instability between Chad and CAR.

"Central African Republic and Chad, the natives who live around the border, they are the same people, and they are made now to fight and there is conflict between two African countries, which should by now have united and made a more powerful entity that supports the livelihood of the Africans," said Chacha. "So that's our tragedy as African people. And our tragedy is going to continue until our leaders wake up and say enough is enough."

The Wagner Group has been in the Central African Republic since 2018. The Russian group protects the national government and fights rebel groups, in return the group has access to the country's mineral resources.

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China-India Competition Forces New Maldives Leader into Balancing Act

By William Yang October 06, 2023

Maldives President-elect Mohamed Muizzu's election victory has put South Asian countries' attempted balancing act between China and India into the global spotlight.

Muizzu is known as a pro-China politician, and analysts predict he will try to institute some pro-China policies. At the same time, they think India's active presence in the Indian Ocean archipelago will force Muizzu to strike a delicate balance between Beijing and New Delhi.

"Muizzu tapped into the anti-India sentiment [during the campaign] and he certainly will try to distance his government from India to some extent, but I don't think this means he is going to jump onto the China bandwagon," David Brewster, a senior Australian National University research fellow, told VOA by phone.

"India's interests are much broader and deeper across the Maldives. In the security sphere, India is building a new coast guard base near Maldives' capital, Male, and they also have various projects around the Maldives," he added.

While it remains to be seen what actions Muizzu will take to fulfill his campaign promises under the "India Out" slogan, Brewster said he thinks India's deep involvement in Maldives will make Muizzu feel "restrained and act cautiously."

Muizzu, backed by a coalition that calls for closer ties with China, won Maldives' presidential runoff September 30, beating incumbent president Ibrahim Solih by winning 54% of the vote.

The election was viewed as a virtual referendum on China's and India's influence on Maldives. Muizzu vowed to reduce India's presence in Maldives by removing the 75 Indian military personnel stationed in the archipelago.

At an event celebrating his electoral victory on Monday, Muizzu said he would stick to his campaign promise. "We will send back foreign soldiers in the Maldives," he told a group of supporters.

Traditionally, India views Maldives as part of its sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean, and under outgoing President Solih, who adopted an "India First" foreign policy since coming to power in 2018, New Delhi has kept a small group of soldiers in the country for "humanitarian purposes."

In addition to the regular military presence, India has provided Maldives with defense-related facilities and equipment in recent decades, including a military hospital, a coastal surveillance radar system, and the Greater Male Connectivity Project, a $500 million infrastructure project connecting Male with several nearby islands.

However, Muizzu's party has voiced concerns about the two countries' elevated security ties.

"The argument that Muizzu's party put forward was that India was infringing on Maldives' territorial integrity by stationing 75 Indian military personnel on one of the islands," said Yogesh Joshi, an expert on South Asian affairs at the National University of Singapore, by phone.

Despite growing skepticism toward India in Maldives, some experts say they think Muizzu will have to consider other factors, such as infrastructure projects supported by India, when he decides how to manage Maldives' relationship with New Delhi.

"There are more things that Muizzu has to consider, and this process will have a sobering effect on him when he takes over the office soon," Srikanth Kondapalli, professor of China studies at India's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told VOA by phone.

As for India's government, Brewster said he thinks it will continue projects it initiated under the previous government, including the connectivity project and the new coast guard base, while working out a new approach to engage with Muizzu's administration.

In a brief statement on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Muizzu on his election victory and vowed to keep strengthening bilateral ties with the Maldives.

While India has enhanced cooperation with Maldives over the last five years, China has been expanding its presence in the Indian Ocean archipelago since 2010.

Beijing funded a number of infrastructure projects under its Belt and Road Initiative, causing Maldives to owe $935 million in sovereign guarantees to Chinese companies and another $600 million to the Chinese government, according to figures shared by Maldives Foreign Ministry in 2019.

Since Muizzu will likely focus on reviving economic ties with China, Brewster said he thinks his government should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of such an attempt.

"I'm not sure to what extent Muizzu will reopen the floodgate to major Chinese infrastructure projects, but [since] Maldives is still highly indebted, any additional amount of debt that the country takes on will be a real problem for them," he told VOA.

As for Beijing, Joshi said he thinks it will try to reduce India's involvement and present Maldives as a shining example of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"China would like to capitalize on the domestic political change in Maldives," he told VOA. "They will try to not only recover its lost space but also consolidate its security and economic presence in the country."

Following Muizzu's victory, Chinese leader Xi Jinping congratulated him Tuesday, saying that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations between Maldives and China and stands ready to work with Muizzu to carry forward the friendship.

Despite his seemingly pro-China and India-skeptical stance, Brewster said he thinks Muizzu will try to play a balancing act between India and China rather than tilting too much toward Beijing.

"He will maintain the primacy of India in foreign policy and security while also reopening economic links with China," he told VOA, adding that such a balancing act has been a common approach adopted by other South Asian countries, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

While Muizzu's victory may suggest a recalibration of Maldives' foreign policy approach to some extent, Brewster said he thinks it will not significantly affect the competition between China and India in South Asia.

"I don't think this election adds anything different," he told VOA. "In each South Asian country, there is a pendulum that seems to swing back and forth between tilting towards India or tilting towards China, and that exact dynamic has been playing out throughout the region. This is just another swing of the pendulum in Maldives," he said.

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FAB-1500-M54 high-explosive bomb

Glide bombs, which Moscow has increasingly used along the contact line by May 2023, are modified projectiles equipped with wings and navigation systems that allow them to set a flight path to a target. the Russians were mainly modifying old Soviet FAB-500 aerial bombs for gliding projectiles. However, Russia also has bombs such as the UPAB-1500B-E, which were originally developed as smart bombs.

Ukraine is also using smart bombs based on GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) technology. The Jdam-ER complex can be installed on unguided projectiles. After being dropped, the bomb opens its wings, which increases its flight range three times. In this case, the projectile flies independently towards the target object. The JDAM systems used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are experiencing malfunctions, presumably due to the fact that the Russian side is using GPS signal jamming systems.

The UPAB-1500B-E guided glide bomb is designed to destroy ground and surface small-sized strong and extra-strong targets such as reinforced reinforced concrete structures and command posts. Not so long ago it appeared only at exhibitions, but now it is used in real operations. An inertial-satellite guidance system is used. The warhead is a high-explosive concrete-piercing fuse, the fuse is a contact fuse with three types of deceleration. Increased power of the KAB-1500Kr-Pr warhead and high precision of aerial bomb guidance using a television-correlation system. An adjustable aerial bomb with a television-correlation homing head and a penetrating warhead KAB-1500Kr-Pr is designed to destroy stationary small-sized, especially strong and buried targets such as reinforced reinforced concrete structures and command posts. A television-correlation guidance system is used.

The FAB M54 is a series of general purpose bombs of Soviet origin. As indicated by its designation the M54 series was introduced in the mid 1950's. These bombs feature an iconic ballistic stabilization ring on the nose section. The M54 series has been produced in very large numbers and exported to various nations that acquired Soviet aircraft. The M54 series of general purpose bombs is produced in three sizes for regular combat use. These range from 250 kg to 1.500 kg. Furthermore, some excessively large bombs of up to 9.000 kg were created in this pattern, The FAB M54 series of general purpose bombs was supplemented by the FAB M62. These are streamlined low-drag bombs, generally similar to teh American Mk80 family, designed for external carriage by supersonic aircraft.

A high-explosive aerial bomb of 1500 kg caliber, model 1954, FAB-1500 M-54, is intended to destroy industrial, urban, port structures and other standard targets when bombing from altitudes up to 16,000 m at a flight speed of up to 1200 km/h (the aerial bomb was tested to an altitude of 12 500 m at an aircraft flight speed of 930 km/h). The aircraft bomb is loaded with TNT.

The Telegram channel Military Correspondents of Russian Spring reported in March 2023 that the Russian Aerospace Forces have begun to use new UPAB-1500B bombs in special operations. There is information that they are now using them to demolish fortified areas of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Avdeevka area.

After many months of trial and error, in September 2023 the first UMPC FAB-1500 M54 accurately found its combat target with a direct hit. For certain reasons, the designers were unable to simply increase the UMPCs that were used on the 500 and 250 kg calibers and attach them to the lorry. Therefore, everything had to start almost from scratch. New airframe, new mechanisms. Everything is solid, but everything is new. And finally everything worked out.

The first thing that had to be done in order to turn the FAB-1500-M54 into a glider is to redesign the aerodynamic shape of the bomb itself, aloog the lines of the more streamlined M62 bomb series. And this is actually quite a non-trivial task. The aerodynamic shape is designed to achieve a vertical entry into the ground. Assembling the wings for the suspension of bombs requires considerable physical effort and sometimes leads to the hospitalization of technical personnel, when the wings open on the ground. Considering the dimensions of the FAB-1500 wing, the mechanism, as well as the force of its opening, should be much larger.

The length of the FAB-1500-M54 bomb is 2765 meters, with a diameter of 630 mm and with a total weight of 1550 kg. The mass of the warhead (BB) of the aviation ammunition is 675,6 kg. When applied, the air bomb leaves behind a funnel up to 15 meters in diameter, and its radius of destruction by fragments and a shock wave is about 500 meters.The FAB-1500-M54 aerial bomb with the UMPC kit is launched from such carriers as the Su-34M fighter-bomber and the Su-35C multifunctional fighter. The maximum launch altitude of an air bomb is 12 km, and its initial gliding speed depends on the carrier and, as a rule, reaches 1900 km/h (supersonic).

At the same time, they were able to increase the release range by several times compared to UMPCs of smaller calibers. The drop range of the FAB-1500 was able to increase several times with respect to smaller calibers. That is, today it is our long-range bomb with UMPC from the existing ones, while "smart" FAB-500 is dropped from a distance of 40 to 70 km from the target. If the FAB-1500 release range is 2 times greater than the FAB-500 release range, which is dropped from a distance of 40 to 70 km from the target, then it turns out that the FAB-1500 is dropped from a distance of 80 to 140 km from the target. That is, this is the longest-range UMPKashka that exists.

UMPK kits with significantly smaller caliber air bombs are already a significant threat by themselves . Enemy aircraft can drop them outside the range of Ukrainian air defense means - that is, with impunity from high-altitude flight mode. There is a possibility of dropping them outside the range of air defense systems available in Ukraine, except for the extremely scarce Patriot and SAMP-T.

One of the ways to increase the effectiveness of guided aircraft weapons since the advent of air defense is to increase the range of their use. For guided aircraft bombs, this problem was solved by increasing the aerodynamic quality by choosing an aerodynamic configuration with developed load-bearing surfaces (wings). Such bombs are called guided glide bombs (GUAB). The UPAB-1500B-E aerial bomb is known from the existing level of technology, which is made according to a normal aerodynamic design using four flat triangular consoles of small aspect ratio with a symmetrical profile, installed according to the X pattern.

The main disadvantage of the noted aerodynamic configuration is the low aspect ratio of the wings, at which the maximum values of the aerodynamic quality Kmax are realized, no more than 4.5. The maximum flight range of UPAB-1500B-E is up to 50 km.

The closest technical solution to the proposed invention is the GBU-39/B aerial bomb (Poltavsky A.V., Semenov S.S., Burba A.A., NGUYEN ZUI PHONG Information processes in technology: modeling of systems and objects of multifunctional robotic complexes unmanned aviation" publishing house JSC "PSTM", Moscow, 2019 p. 155), the aerodynamic layout of which is made according to the normal aerodynamic configuration with the orientation of the wing consoles according to the "tandem" - "high-wing" scheme. The wing consists of four profiled front and rear consoles of high aspect ratio, respectively AK15 and AK14, and allows flight at a distance of up to 110 km, with maximum values of aerodynamic quality Kmax=8.

The disadvantage of using the tandem - high-wing aerodynamic configuration of the GBU-39/B aerial bomb is the need to roll over by 180 after separation from the carrier, which requires additional consumption of total mechanical energy for rollover and reduces the flight range of the aerial bomb.

The epic nature of the bomb can be appreciated in the photo in comparison with the average FB, which is by no means small. For FAB-1500, the radius of the zone of severe damage can reach approximately 70 meters, medium damage - 140-150 meters, light - 300-350 meters.

With a stated accuracy of 5 meters, only the crater from the bomb explosion reaches fifteen meters in diameter, and the affected area is more than two square kilometers. Only the explosives in this bomb are under 700 kg, while the Su-34 carries and can already operate with two such UMPCs, and in the future it will be able to operate with three ammunition, at one or different targets in one pass.

There is still a lot to be completed, a lot to improve, to go through the inevitable process of shrinking and shaking, but successful combat work has begun in one and a half hours.

So far the cases of using UMPCs of this type are isolated, there are still few of them, but within a month the industry will organize their production at the calculated volumes and they will fly, just as UMPCs of more modest calibers fly today, up to a hundred a day in all directions. UMPC have learned to throw not only Su-34 and Su-35 of the latest series, but also Su-34 of the first series.

Total weight (without fuses), kg 1550 Weight of explosive (bursting charge), kg 675 Filling coefficient, percentage 43.5 Body diameter, mm 630 Total length (without fuse), mm 2765 Spread stabilizer, mm 792 Number of fuses 2

FAB-1500 M54 General Origin Soviet Union Type Dumb bomb Dimensions Weight 1.392 kg Length 2.31 m Diameter 0.57 m Wingspan 0.57 m Lug spacing 250 mm Guidance Guidance mode None, free fall bomb Warhead Warhead type High explosive Warhead weight 667 kg Fuse Nose fuse, VDU and UPAV series Launch envelope Release altitude 0.5 to 16.5 km Release speed 500 to 1.200 km/h

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During the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts Annual Conference in Kearney, Sept. 25-26, Columbus resident Darwin Anderson was inducted into the Nebraska NRD Hall of Fame in the NRD Director category.

In part, the nomination read, Columbus resident Darwin Anderson was first elected to the Lower Loup NRD Board of Directors nearly half a century ago on Nov. 5, 1974. He was 33 at the time. Darwin took his oath of office on Jan. 14, 1975, and has been a dedicated public servant ever since. Darwin is now an energetic 82 years old and is as active as ever with the Lower Loup NRD and several other organizations.

The nomination pointed out Anderson having attended nearly 600 board meetings so far in his time with the Lower Loup NRD and travelling an estimated 115,000 miles to the organizations headquarters in Ord, and home again for meetings and other LLNRD functions. Anderson served as secretary of the Lower Loup NRD Board of Directors for 25 years. Professionally, the nomination pointed out Andersons former role as Platte County Highway Superintendent, and how his expertise in that role also benefited Lower Loup NRD projects  specifically in the areas of bridge construction, road maintenance, culvert placement, right of way policies, and public safety.

Anderson was inducted into the Nebraska NRD Hall of Fame in front of hundreds of personnel from NRDs and other agencies. After a standing ovation in his honor, Anderson was congratulated by friends, family, and other LLNRD directors and staff. Nebraska Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly personally congratulated Anderson and posed with him and the Anderson family for photos.

Darwins time on the Lower Loup NRD Board of Directors dates almost to the very beginning of Nebraskas NRD system, said LLNRD General Manager Russell Callan. His lifetime of public service serves as an example to others when it comes to selfless dedication to the greater good, and his nearly 50 years on the LLNRD Board of Directors has made a positive impact on how Nebraskas NRDs protect our states precious natural resources.
Operation Iron Swords

Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

October 2023

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November 2023

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The HAMAS launched a large scale surprise attack - Operation Al-Aqsa Flood - on Saturday 07 October 2023 involving aerial, sea and ground operations from the Gaza Strip. Hamas invaded and overran military bases and border settlements. Israel responded with a massive bombardment - Operation Iron Swords - of the blockaded coastal enclave, often described as the worlds largest open-air prison. Israeli sources estimate at least 1,000 Palestinians managed to infiltrate into Israel through four different areas. It was the first time since 1948 that these developments are on the Israeli side because they are usually in Arab areas. This was the biggest escalation of the Arab-Israeli conflict in the last 50 years.

In 2005, Tel Aviv implemented a unilateral disengagement plan: Gaza was completely separated from Israel , Jewish settlers and military personnel left the enclave. Since then, the IDF has conducted operations there three times - in 2008, 2012 and 2014.

In March 2023, Hamas reportedly sent a high-level delegation to Russia and held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, warning the Kremlin that the groups patience with Israel was running out. Senior Hamas figures also visited Russia in May and September 2022. The group has said its attack was supported by Iran and other countries but did not name them.

Four in 10 Palestinian men spend time in Israel jails. Hamas says it wants to exchange captured Israelis for them. Some argue that all of Gaza is effectively an open-air prison  2.2 million people blockaded by Israel in a tiny coastal enclave. The number of Palestinians who have actually spent time in Israeli jails too is of a similar order. Since 1967, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, it has arrested an estimated one million Palestinians, the United Nations reported in 2022.

By comparison, in the United States, the country notorious for the worlds largest prison population, one in 200 people is imprisoned. The imprisonment rate among Black Americans is more than three times the overall rate  but even then is a tiny fraction of an average Palestinians likelihood of spending time in jail.

The number of Palestinians currently behind Israeli bars is 5,200, including 33 women and 170 children. There are 1,264 Palestinian administrative detainees, which means that they are held indefinitely behind bars without facing trial or any charges.

Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that the captives would be used for prisoner exchanges. Arouri said Hamas had enough Israeli captives to make Israel free all Palestinian prisoners in its jails. The Hamas deputy chief told Al Jazeera, We managed to kill and capture many Israeli soldiers. The fighting is still on. As to our prisoners I say, your freedom is looming large. What we have in hand will see you set free. The longer fighting continues, the higher the number of prisoners will become.

The Hamas deputy chief said the group is engaged in a battle for freedom. This is not a [hit-and-run] operation; we started an all-out battle. We expect fighting to continue and the fighting front to expand. We have one prime target: our freedom and the freedom of our holy sites, he told Al Jazeera.

Palestinians have historically used North Korean weapons, which may have been first purchased by Iran or Syria, and then smuggled to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, circumventing an Israeli-Egyptian embargo that has been in place since 2005. The Syrians deal with Hezbollah a lot and Hezbollah deals with Hamas a lot, said Bruce E. Bechtol Jr., a former intelligence officer for the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. A lot of the trade that North Korea does with both Hamas and Hezbollah is deals that they make through the IRGC, the Iranian Republican Guard Corps, he said.

In its recent attacks on Israelis, Hamas used weapons originating in a wide range of current and former states, including the United States, the Soviet Union, and North Korea, said N.R. Jenzen-Jones, director of the Armament Research Services intelligence consultancy, or ARES. A preliminary analysis of images reviewed by this consultancy shows a militant armed with an RPG-7 type shoulder-fired recoilless gun, loaded with an F-7 series high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) munition, produced in North Korea, Jenzen-Jones said. These have previously been documented in the region, including in Syria, Iraq, and in the Gaza Strip."

Other images showed militants using what appeared to be a North Korean Type 58 self-loading rifle, a derivative of the well-known AK series, he said. "North Korean arms have previously been documented amongst interdicted supplies provided by Iran to militant groups, and this is believed to be the primary way in which DPRK weapons have come into the possession of Palestinian militants, he said. North Korean arms have previously been identified in the hands of the militant factions of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, amongst other groups, he added.

The North Koreans have also sold the 'BULSAE' antitank system to Hamas. It's a very good antitank system and they could be firing that at Israeli tanks when they're entering the Gaza Strip here within the next day or two, said Bechtol. So North Korea has given them some capabilities that are interesting.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant laid out Israels war plans and objectives in the Gaza Strip, speaking at a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting in Tel Aviv on 20 October 2023. He said the war will have three main phases.

Gallant said We are in the first phase, in which a military campaign is taking place with [airstrikes] and later with a [ground] maneuver with the purpose of destroying operatives and damaging infrastructure in order to defeat and destroy Hamas. The air part turned out to be unusually long. The bombing had been going on for two weeks. In the first five days alone, more than six thousand tons of air bombs were dropped on the enclave. He said the second phase will be continued fighting but at a lower intensity as troops work to eliminate pockets of resistance. Gallant said The third step will be the creation of a new security regime in the Gaza Strip, the removal of Israels responsibility for day-to-day life in the Gaza Strip, and the creation of a new security reality for the citizens of Israel and the residents of the [area surrounding Gaza], he said.

While time was on their side, the IDF tried to achieve maximum results through airstrikes, because the ground phase is contact battles in which losses will have to be suffered. Israel needs a peremptory victory on the ground: its neighbors will watch the battles very closely. In case of failure, there may be a temptation to enter into conflict. Two American aircraft carrier groups are sent to the region precisely as an argument not to succumb to such temptations.

"If they (Hamas - editor's note) show the same ingenuity in defense as they did during this terrible barbaric attack, then you will see suicide bombers, improvised explosive devices, ambushes, booby traps. And the urban environment, again But it couldnt be more complicatedeven after most civilians leave, there are still a lot of civilians. This could very quickly turn into Mogadishu on steroids, warned former CIA director and head of US Central Command David Petraeus .

"Biden said that occupying Gaza would be a big mistake. But is there an alternative? If you inflict colossal damage on the region, and then return it to the same people who raised terrorists there, what will you achieve? Yes, militant activity will decrease. But only for a while, the American general was sure.

One unnamed NATO defense minister told CNN that Israels allies completely respect their right to go after Hamas, but had merely urged caution. So its not Dont do it, but it is Think about what happens and have a strategy, not just a tactical maneuver. We expect Israel to act within international humanitarian law, but we understand that theyre dealing with an enemy here, the official said, echoing public comments from other Western governments.

Hamas said it had 200 hostages and that 50 more were held by other armed groups in the enclave. It said more than 20 hostages had been killed by Israeli airstrikes. The number of people held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip has risen to 212, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Brigadier General Daniel Hagari said. The IDF military spokesman said earlier that the army had confirmed information about 100 missing persons.

Hamas said it wont discuss the fate of Israeli army captives until Israel ends its aggression on the Gaza strip. Our stance with regards to Israeli army captives is clear: its related to a (possible) exchange of prisoners, and we will not discuss it until Israel ends its aggression on Gaza and Palestinians, Hamas official Osama Hamdan, speaking from Lebanon, told a televised presser. Hamas had suggested the hostages could be swapped for 6,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

There were about 5,200 Palestinians in Israeli prisons prior to Hamass attack on October 7. Since then, officials and rights groups said Israel had arrested some 4,000 labourers from Gaza who were working in Israel and is holding them in military bases. Separately, it had also arrested 1,070 other Palestinians in overnight army raids in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. since the beginning of the war, 727 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Emekim Division, over 480 are associated with Hamas.

Amos Harel reported "David Meidan, who served as coordinator on abductees and missing persons in the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal, estimated over the weekend in an interview with Haaretz that Hamas has an interest in releasing the women, children and elderly people abducted. He added that the window of opportunity left for such a deal is extremely limited. We need to end it within a week.

Shortly after Israel started pounding the Gaza Strip, the US State Department sent a directive warning US diplomats against using three specific phrases: de-escalation/ceasefire, end to violence/bloodshed and restoring calm, according to a Huffington Post report, which was confirmed by the Washington Post. Washington meanwhile tweaked its commitment to Israels right to respond, upgrading it over the past few days to a duty to respond.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 06 October 2023 - Day 590

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A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 03 October 2023, Ukrainian Melitopol Mayor, Ivan Federov, said that Russian forces were building additional fortifications on the contested Orikhiv axis. In Novopokrovka, complex underground two-storey bunkers are being built with tunnels and trenches.

In Tokmak, additional defensive fortifications were being built and trenches filled with concrete. Russian officers have also started to evacuate their families from Tokmak. Fortifications were observed on the southern approach from Robotyne, the axis of Ukrainian forces.

The bunkers will add additional protection for Russian soldiers and command and control elements from heavy Ukrainian artillery and Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle attacks. The concrete likely reinforces the trench systems in advance of the potentially wet and muddy conditions in the coming weeks. These fortifications and evacuations likely reflect Russia's concern of a further Ukrainian breakthrough.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of October 6, there were 28x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 2x missile and 57x air strikes, 43x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Also, the Russian Federation launched yet another strike at Ukraine using 33x Iranian Shahed-136/131 strike UAVs. Air defense forces and means shot down 25x Russian Shaheds. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the Russian adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues to shell Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 15x settlements, including Vovkivka, Stepne, Novodmytrivka, Popivka (Sumy oblast), Vovchans'k, Hatyshche, Zemlyanky (Kharkiv oblast).

Kup'yans'k axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled Russian attacks in the vicinities of Syn'kivka and Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast). The Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinities of Podoly, Syn'kivka, Ivanivka, Petropavlivka (Kharkiv oblast). More than 15x settlements, including Kam'yanka, Dvorichna, Ivanivka, Kyslivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast) came under artillery and mortar fire.

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 5x Russian attacks in the area east of Makiivka (Luhansk oblast). The settlements of Pisky-Rad'kivs'ki (Kharkiv oblast), Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Spirne and Vesele (Donetsk oblast) suffered Russian air strikes. The invaders fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast) and Spirne, Rozdolivka, (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the adversary made unsuccessful attempts to regain the lost ground in the vicinity of Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). The Russian invaders launched air strikes near Klishchiivka, Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). More than 15x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Khromove, Chasiv Yar, Klishchiivka, Andriivka (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Russian adversary launched an air strike near Avdiivka. The invaders fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Avdiivka, Sjeverne, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast).

Mar'inka axis: during the day of October 6, Ukrainian defense forces successfully repelled about 10x Russian attacks in the vicinities of Mar'inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes near Novomykhailivka and Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast). About 10x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Mar'inka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast) were under artillery and mortar fire of the Russian occupiers.

Shakhtars'ke axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled Russian attacks near Vuhledar, Zolota Nyva, Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and to the north of Pryyutne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Vodyane. More than 10x settlements, including Vodyane, Vuhledar, Urozhaine, Storozheve (Donetsk oblast), came under artillery and mortar fire.

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled Russian attacks in the area northeast of Novoprokopivka. Russian forces launched an air strike Mala Tokmachka. More than 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Hulyaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne, P'yatykhatky, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Kherson axis: Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at Antonivka (Kherson oblast) and the city of Kherson.

At the same time, the Ukrainian defense forces continue their offensive operation on Melitopol' axis and offensive (assault) operations on Bakhmut axis, inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces, exhausting the Russian forces all along the front line.

During the day of October 6, Ukrainian Air Force launched 11x air strikes on the concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, 3x air strikes on the anti-aircraft missile systems.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 1x command post, 1x anti-aircraft missile system and 6x artillery systems, 1x concentration of troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x electronic warfare station of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in the period from 29 September to 6 October 2023, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 14 group strikes by long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles at the AFU military facilities.

The strikes hit ammunition depots, missile and artillery weapons, military-technical hardware of the AFU, production workshops of enterprises manufacturing weapons and military equipment, as well as accommodation points for Ukrainian servicemen, nationalists, and foreign mercenaries.

As a result of the strikes, one SKD workshop for Punisher and Furia attack and reconnaissance UAVs, storage facilities for HIMARS projectiles, Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles, and explosives manufacturing components for ammunition production have been wiped out.

In addition, temporary deployment areas of AFU nationalists, foreign mercenaries, and instructors have been hit.

In Kupyansk direction, the Zapad Group of Forces' units repelled four counter-attacks by AFU units.

Aviation and artillery launched strikes at AFU 25th air assault, 14th, 43rd, 92nd mechanised brigades manpower and hardware near Sinkovka, Timkovka (Kharkov region), Novoselovskoye, Novolyubovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were more than 405 servicemen, five tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 15 motor vehicles, as well as 15 field artillery cannons.

Four AFU ammunition depots were destroyed near Volchansk, Kupyansk, and Liptsy (Kharkov region).

In Krasny Liman direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces using the 12th Special Forces Brigade, 63rd and 67th mechanised brigades made unsuccessful attempts to regain lost positions near Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Chervonaya Dibrova, Kuzmino (Lugansk People's Republic).

As a result of competent actions by units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, air strikes, artillery fire, and heavy flamethrowers, 17 enemy attacks were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to more than 430 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, 14 motor vehicles, as well as 12 guns.

In Donetsk direction, the enemy units continue to strengthen the defence close to Avdeevka, Maryinka, and Toretsk (Donetsk People's Republic).

At the same time, the enemy units made an attempt to carry out offensive actions towards Pervomayskoye, Nevelskoye, and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Over the week, the Yug Group of Forces units have repelled 34 AFU attacks.

As a result of the fighting, the enemy lost more than 1,745 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, 18 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 27 motor vehicles, 13 field artillery guns, as well as one Grad MLRS launcher.

Aviation and Missile Troops destroyed three ammunition depots.

In South Donetsk direction, the Russian units have repelled 11 AFU attacks over the week. In addition, air strikes and artillery fire struck clusters of AFU manpower and hardware.

The enemy losses were more than 755 servicemen killed and wounded, eight tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, as well as 11 field artillery guns.

In Zaporozhye direction, the Russian troops took intensive actions to capture favourable lines and new positions, repelled two counter-attacks of AFU 65th mechanised, 71st jaeger brigades close to Verbovoye and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

During the week, the enemy's losses totalled over 320 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, 14 armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, and 25 field artillery guns.

In Kherson direction, the enemy units made unsuccessful attempts to capture bridgeheads on islands and the left bank of the Dnepr.

As a result of the fire damage, the enemy losses were up to 235 servicemen, six field artillery guns, 17 motor vehicles.

In addition, five ammunition depots were destroyed. Two sabotage and reconnaissance groups' actions were thwarted.

Fighter aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down Su-27, Su-25, and MiG-29 of Ukrainian Air Force close to Soldatskoye (Dnepropetrovsk region), Sergeevka, Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk People's Republic). One Su-25 ground-attack aircraft was eliminated near Dolgintsevo airfield in Dnepropetrovsk region.

Russian Missile Troops and Artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles destroyed one Buk SAM system close to Burlatskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), as well as three P-18 radars for detecting and tracking air targets near Nikanorovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Krinichki, Novobogdanovka (Nikolayevsk region).

On 4 October, the Black Sea Fleet's naval aircraft destroyed two watercraft and 13 AFU saboteurs during the group's attempt to land at the seaside of the Crimean peninsula.

Air defence facilities have intercepted 39 HIMARS, Olkha, and Uragan projectiles, four JDAM aerial guided bombs, three HARM anti-radiation missiles, as well as two Neptune anti-ship missiles over the week.

In addition, 320 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down and overwhelmed by electronic warfare systems.

In total, 486 airplanes and 250 helicopters, 7,572 unmanned aerial vehicles, 440 air defence missile systems, 12,361 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,161 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 6,666 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 13,850 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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AUKUS personnel collaborate on UK submarines for future security

Representatives from Australia and the US have joined Royal Navy personnel in Faslane to watch and understand how to maintain nuclear-powered submarines.

6 October 2023

First joint US and Australian AUKUS visit to the UK to support development of Australian submarine maintenance workforce.

AUKUS personnel hosted in Faslane, Scotland.

Maintenance of rotational submarine force under AUKUS partnership to boost global security.

Representatives from the Australian and US Submarine Support organisations have joined Royal Navy personnel in Faslane for the first time, to watch and understand how to maintain nuclear-powered submarines, which will support future global stability.

Forming an Advance Verification Team (AVT), subject matter experts from all three AUKUS nations have joined British shipyard personnel to develop their understanding of the maintenance and industrial skills required to maintain a nuclear-powered submarine.

Following a similar visit to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in August this year, the AVT learnt about the requirements needed to provide an Australian-based facility that can support both UK and US maintenance activity during a future forward-deployed submarine presence in the region.

Under the AUKUS partnership, the Royal Navy, with its Australian and US counterparts will work together to meet shared threats and uphold stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

This visit marks a tangible step forward for AUKUS delivery, driving knowledge-sharing and development in Australia that will be critical to the success of the programme.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge MP said:

The AUKUS partnership is a truly tangible demonstration of our ongoing commitment to global security. These visits are crucial for teams from all three nations to understand how best to work together as we strike ahead on the AUKUS programme, delivering cutting-edge capability to protect ourselves, and our allies and partners, for decades to come.

Further to understanding how to maintain and support nuclear-powered submarines, the visit sought to build trilateral relationships and communications between the teams who will deliver the submarine rotational force.

Based in Faslane for two weeks, the AVT have spent time understanding and developing the skills needed to take the AUKUS partnership forward. The visit has successfully shown the extent of the similarities and differences between our ways of working, as well as highlighting areas that will best support the development of maintenance capability in Australia.

Rear Admiral Simon Asquith, Director Submarines, said:

This is an exciting moment for AUKUS delivery, marking initial trilateral efforts to ensure Australia can support US and UK submarine presence in Western Australia. The AVT successfully paved the way for future collaboration from all partner nations and we look forward to this continued close working with both Navies and industry going forward.

The AUKUS partnership is a strategic endeavour that strengthens the three nations' national security, promoting peace and stability.

Last month, the AUKUS partnership celebrated its two-year anniversary, and earlier this year the three AUKUS nations announced a way forward for the programme, with the first generation of AUKUS nuclear submarines to be built in the UK and Australia, based on the UK's world-leading submarine design.

Last week, a further A4 billion of investment was announced for the AUKUS partnership. The contracts will progress the programme through the design, prototyping and purchase of main long lead components for the first UK submarines, allowing construction to commence in the coming years and ensure the stability and resilience of our domestic supply chain.

Building on more than 60 years of British expertise in designing, building and operating nuclear-powered submarines, the contracts will support thousands of highly skilled jobs in the UK - a clear demonstration of how the AUKUS programme supports the Prime Minister's priority to grow the economy.

The SSN-AUKUS submarines will be the largest, most advanced, and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world-leading sensors, design, and weaponry in one vessel.

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China's J-20 stealth fighter can launch missiles under extreme conditions: test pilot

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Oct 06, 2023 09:59 PM

Despite having to hide its munitions in an internal weapons bay to achieve a high level of stealth, China's J-20 stealth fighter jet can still launch missiles under extreme battlefield environments, bringing tactical advantages in combat, the chief test pilot of the aircraft revealed recently.

It took nearly seven years for the J-20 to be commissioned into the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force since its maiden flight in 2011, and during this period, the aircraft underwent a series of combat-oriented test flights that challenged its limits and validated the warplane's safety under all kinds of extreme conditions, Li Gang, the chief test pilot of the J-20, said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) that was aired during the National Day holidays this week.

One of the biggest challenges Li faced during the test flights was simulating the emergency launch of missiles within the weapons bay under extreme battlefield conditions, CCTV reported.

The test involved opening the bay hatch at the belly of the aircraft and launching a missile while performing high-G rolling maneuvers, Li said.

"It takes some time for the missile to launch after I press the launch button. If an enemy missile were to come for me during this period, I would have to make emergency maneuvers at high speed and high G forces. In this scenario, my missile needs to be ejected from the weapons bay without hitting my own aircraft and without leading to any danger," Li said.

The test was very risky, but it had to be done under real conditions, so the aircraft could be handed over to combat forces knowing full well that it is a functional and effective weapon, said the veteran test pilot.

The test flight confirmed that the J-20 can not only launch missiles under optimal conditions, but also under emergency and extreme conditions, which can bring important tactical advantages, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Friday.

A good fighter plane can attack while being attacked, the expert said.

The test flights showed that the J-20's weapons bay and weapons separation system are well designed and have been validated through practical application, the expert said.

The J-20 opened its weapons bays and displayed its missiles for the first time in front of the public at the Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province.

The flight performance showed that the J-20 has a main weapons bay under its belly capable of holding at least four PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles, and a side bay on each of the two sides of the aircraft capable of holding at least one PL-10 short-range combat missile each.

Stealth aircraft uses weapons bay to hide weapons within their fuselages to reduce radar cross-section and avoid detection, while also providing better aerodynamics, analysts said.

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PLA Air Force's GJ-2 armed recon drone 'spotted' near Taiwan island for first time

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Oct 06, 2023 07:31 PM

The frequent participation of drones in the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) routine exercises around the island of Taiwan highlighted the PLA's high level of unmanned capabilities and combat preparedness, experts said on Friday, after the defense authority of Taiwan recently "spotted," for the first time, yet another type of PLA drone, the GJ-2.

The defense authority on the island said in a press release seen on Wednesday that it detected 29 PLA aircraft and five PLA vessels around the island over the past day, and 16 of the detected aircraft, including fighters, special mission aircraft and drones, crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Straits or entered the island's self-proclaimed north and southwest air defense identification zones.

A GJ-2 armed reconnaissance drone was among them, as it flew above waters close to the Taiwan-administered Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea to the southwest of Taiwan island, according to a map showing flight paths of the PLA aircraft released with the press release.

It marked the first time a GJ-2 drone was spotted operating near the island of Taiwan, media on the island said.

Comparable with the US' MQ-9 Reaper armed reconnaissance drone, the GJ-2 is a customized version of the Wing Loong-2 armed reconnaissance drone of the PLA, and is capable of carrying missiles and flying for extended periods, the media reports said.

Media on the island voiced fear that this type of aircraft could take advantage of its long endurance to conduct round-the-clock, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance over the island of Taiwan, a move that will create heavy burdens for the armed forces on the island, which would need to intercept the drone with costlier aircraft.

Characterized by its long range and endurance that allows it to grasp a battlefield situation in real time for extended periods as well as its capability to destroy targets on the spot, the GJ-2 is a main type of armed reconnaissance drone of the PLA Air Force that can either operate independently or operate together with manned aircraft like the J-16 fighter jet, long-range rocket units of the PLA Army and special forces, according to previous reports by China Central Television.

The PLA is exploring and practicing a wide range of tactics that take advantage of unmanned aircraft, and such tactics will be used in missions to safeguard national unity, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese mainland military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Friday.

Fu said that the GJ-2 has the capability to carry out maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine missions, as it can play the role as a maritime patrol aircraft and summon reinforcements if it finds a valuable target.

The GJ-2 is not the only type of drone that has participated in the PLA's routine exercises and patrols around the island of Taiwan, as the island said it had spotted other PLA drones including the CH-4, the TB-001, the WZ-7, the BZK-005, the BZK-007 and the KVD001, each with own unique capabilities, observers said.

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Frequent US-China high-level interactions inject positivity; uncertainties remain

Global Times

US needs to make more efforts to show sincerity in stabilizing bilateral relations: experts

By Chen Qingqing Published: Oct 06, 2023 08:58 PM

With more frequent high-level interactions between the US and China taking place, and a bipartisan US Senate delegation planning to vist China in the coming days, some Chinese experts said on Friday that whether US-China relations will truly warm up due to the recent communications and exchanges between officials of different levels and across various fields requires continued observation. This also shows that current US-China ties are still in an uncertain status, but positive factors are increasing, they noted.

In a press briefing on Thursday local time, the White House expressed its support for a planned visit by a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to China, Japan and South Korea next week.

Asked about the upcoming trip, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said that "we support, certainly, their engagement in the region."

Schumer has repeatedly urged the US to take a harder line on China, and urged lawmakers earlier this year to begin new legislation aimed at addressing concerns about the world's second biggest economy, Reuters reported on Tuesday. The trip will follow visits by a series of Biden administration officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in August.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that China welcomes Schumer's visit to China, hoping that it will contribute to a more objective understanding of China in the US Congress, increase dialogue and communication between the legislatures of the two countries, and add positive factors to the growth of China-US relations.

"I believe that both sides will make some progress in the legislative exchanges that have been troubling their relationship, as many of the restrictive measures in the US policy toward China originate from US legislation," Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Friday.

Therefore, close communication and exchanges between the top legislative bodies of the two countries can help avoid a situation where the foundational stability of the bilateral relationship is substantially undermined, Li said.

Schumer's trip to China will be the first congressional vist to the country in four years, which also reflects some "new characteristics" in the latest high-level interactions between the two countries, said some experts, who believe that the US Congress has been following in the steps of the Biden administration in enhancing interactions with China.

"Not only will more US officials visit China for dialogue and exchanges, more Chinese officials will also make visits to the US to enhance communication," Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Friday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit Washington later this month to pave the way for a potential leaders' meeting during the upcoming APEC summit, US news outlet Foreign Policy reported on Tuesday, citing three US and East Asian diplomats familiar with the matter.

The Washington Post also reported on Thursday that the White House is making plans for a face-to-face meeting between US and Chinese top leaders in San Francisco next month as the two countries seek to stabilize troubled relations.

"The Biden administration is releasing these messages to 'boost scores' on its diplomatic performance and to show its willingness to improve relations with China as a responsible major country," Li said. He noted that if such a meeting does not take place, Washington could exploit the narrative and shift the blame to Beijing.

Some Chinese experts said the recent adjustments of the Biden administration's China policy have been largely tactical.

"They have strengthened communication and dialogue, aiming to address specific issues within the bilateral relationship," Wu said. "However, the fundamental direction and design of his China policy remains unchanged."

That is, viewing China as the US' primary strategic competitor continues to be its main tone, and the US' policy framework of containing and pressuring China under the guise of competition remains intact, he noted.

On whether conditions are right for the meeting between the two heads of state, some experts said it depends on how much more effort the US makes, especially after China has clearly presented its concerns and requests to the US.

"The first is the Taiwan question, whether it's adhering to the one-China principle and opposing Taiwan's 'independence' or it's just paying lip service: saying one thing and doing another, the US has to fulfill its promises," Wu said.

In the areas of trade and technology, the US needs to make some adjustments in its additional tariffs imposed on Chinese products and export controls on the Chinese companies, as well as lift some sanctions on over 1,000 Chinese entities, he said. "Now it's up to how much the US is willing to do in order to gauge their sincerity."

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Chinese Investors, Pinched at Home, Buy Less Property in Thailand

By Christy Lee October 06, 2023

Chinese real estate investors who once snapped up high-end condos and apartments in Thailand are cutting back due to an economic downturn and real estate crisis at home.

Many Chinese invest as much as 70% of their savings in real estate, a sensibility that has benefited Thailand's luxury condo and apartment sector for several years.

Kashif Ansari, co-founder and CEO of Juwai IQI Group, a real estate marketing firm that helps connect Chinese buyers to properties in Southeast Asia from Kuala Lumpur and other offices, told VOA's Korean Service that the trend is now leveling off.

"This year, Thailand is no longer the number one destination for Chinese buyers like it was in earlier years," Ansari said via email. "Instead, it is fifth, and the top four destinations are all the traditional English-speaking countries with prestigious educational sectors."

Thailand was the top location for Chinese to invest in residential properties from 2018 to 2021, according to the firm's list of the 10 countries most desired by Chinese buyers. By 2022, Thailand was fourth, and now, in the first half of 2023, it's fifth.

Thailand's Real Estate Information Center also found Chinese buyers have been the largest cohort of foreigners buying condominium units in Thailand since 2018, purchasing 3,562 units worth more than $511 million in the first nine months of 2022.

The four most popular countries among Chinese buyers in the first half of 2023 were Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., according to Juwai IQI.

Ansari said Chinese are buying homes in Australia to move and live there permanently. Chinese purchasing residential properties in Thailand are mostly investors.

"Most Chinese buyers [in Australia] this year have been purchasing for their own use and are on the path to becoming new Australian citizens," Ansari said. "Many of the buyers that we work with are either students studying in the destination country or are planning on moving to the country and purchasing a home to live in."

Neighboring Vietnam ranked ninth in Ansari's survey and, according to real estate agents, is less reliant on Chinese investors than Thailand.

Nguyen Thanh Nga, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City-based Global Green Real Estate property developer, told VOA's Vietnamese Service that "Chinese investors are mainly interested in apartments in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh."

He said the crash in the Chinese property market has not affected Vietnam and that investment from Chinese investors there remains steady.

Su Ngoc Khuong, senior director of investment at Ho Chi Minh City-based real estate firm Savills Vietnam, told VOA's Vietnamese Service that Vietnam does not heavily rely on Chinese buyers, adding the foreign buyers using his firm are from the U.S., Europe, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

China's economic uncertainties

According to a study by Shanghai Jiaotong University's Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance and financial firm Charles Schwab, overall financial confidence among China's growing numbers of affluent citizens fell slightly this year, leading them to hold back on high-end purchases.

China's interwoven economic problems such as a youth unemployment rate so high Beijing stopped releasing the rate as of August, exports dropping 8.8% in August, shrinking household consumption fueling deflation, and a massive real estate crisis have led to speculation that the next step in its decades-long red-hot economic growth may be stagnation.

These financial difficulties at home mean Chinese buyers are hesitating with Thai investments.

Deals now take months

Xin Qui is a founder of Taiheju, a property agency in Thailand that mostly deals with Chinese customers intent on renting or investing in properties in the country.

"During the peak in 2018, it only took us a few weeks to close a deal, or within one week if a client came and saw the property," he told VOA's Thai Service in a telephone interview. "Now it takes a few months."

Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow at the Wilson Center and founder of the weekly ASEAN Wonk newsletter, told VOA's Korean Service, "We are seeing a recalibration of post-pandemic economic realities, and that includes the current slowdown of China's economy."

"Whether or not this continues in the long run will depend on the actions of other Chinese investors moving forward and what Southeast Asian states can do to manage this fallout both with Beijing as well as with other potential investment sources," he said.

Yiamyut Sutthichaya and Le Nguyen contributed to this report.

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North Korea condemns France's 'gunboat diplomacy'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 06 October 2023 6:05 AM

North Korea has strongly criticized France for its plans to deploy its military forces to the waters of the Korean Peninsula, terming the decision as outdated "gunboat diplomacy".

The strong criticism was raised by Ryu Kyong-chol, a researcher at the North Korea-Europe Association, in a statement titled "France must stop activities threatening the peace and security of the Northeast Asian region" and published this Friday by the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"France's attempts to escalate tensions by deploying its military forces to the waters of the Korean Peninsula every year since 2019 under the fancy name of enforcing UNSC sanctions against North Korea pose a great risk," Ryu noted, urging France to stop "dangerous actions" that threaten peace in the region.

France began escalating tensions in the region in October 2021 after a French patrol boat tasked with monitoring North Korea entered the East China Sea, he said.

"As the military and political situation on the Korean Peninsula draws ever closer in addition to the outbreak of a nuclear war due to the hostile military activities of the United States and its supporters, and the participation of France added complexity and danger to the situation."

The remarks came in response to Japan's announcement that France will engage in monitoring and surveillance of illicit maritime activities this month.

North Korea's use of the term "gunboat diplomacy" is a reference to France's participation in the Korean War, both diplomatically and militarily.

Elysee claims its forces began participation in aerial prevention and surveillance missions of illicit activities at sea, such as maritime transshipments involving North Korean-flagged vessels, prohibited by the United Nations Security Council.

In addition to France, the US-led countries that regularly conduct surveillance activities in the Korean Peninsula include South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The US military has gone as far as directly telling its allies to confront its regional adversaries.

In the meantime, the US-led foreign military presence in the region has prompted neighboring heavyweight, China, to strengthen Chinese forces and bases while conducting exercises to maintain its military's readiness.

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Readout of President Biden's Meeting with President Steinmeier of Germany

October 06, 2023

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the White House. The two presidents marked the occasion of German-American Day, celebrating the significant contributions of German-Americans as well as the strength of our bilateral relationship as NATO Allies and close partners. President Biden also offered congratulations on Germany's Unity Day, which was celebrated earlier this week. The presidents discussed their countries' ongoing efforts to provide Ukraine with security, economic, and humanitarian assistance. They also exchanged views on strengthening democratic resilience, respect for human rights, and the importance of transparent and accountable government at home and abroad.

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Joint Statement from the President of the United States Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and the President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier on German-American Day

October 06, 2023

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. welcomed President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany to the White House on October 6, 2023, to mark the occasion of German-American Day. The presidents underscored the strong ties between our countries and our people, including the over 40 million Americans who claim German heritage and strengthen the diverse fabric of the United States.

The American dream lived in the hearts of German immigrants long before the United States was founded. Since 1683, the story of German-Americans has been inextricable from the story of America: German-Americans fought in the Revolutionary War; members of the Continental Congress were known to have gathered and debated in German coffeehouses; a local German newspaper was the first to print the Declaration of Independence; and so much more. Generations after these trailblazers, Americans came to help Europe. They joined the Allies to free Europe from Nazi terror, gave Germany a new chance for freedom and prosperity with the Marshall Plan, and helped tear down the Berlin Wall. German-Americans continue to strengthen the United States' values and culture as leaders in every sector and community. Today's united and democratic Germany is unthinkable without the courage of Americans.

Building on our shared history, common values, and work together as NATO Allies, our partnership is essential to our efforts to address global challenges, from climate change and food insecurity to the defense of human rights and democracy. And our alliance is critical for our continuing efforts to support the people of Ukraine and their courageous defense of their country, their freedom, and their future.

On German-American Day, 340 years after German immigrants founded Germantown in Pennsylvania, President Biden and President Steinmeier celebrated the incredible legacy of millions of German-Americans and the unbreakable bonds of friendship between our two countries.

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October is in the air, and it is not too soon. Leaves are changing colors, cooler nights, warm, not sultry days and the sounds of migrating songbirds and waterfowl. Whispers and scents of cooler days ahead invite changes in thought patterns of many outdoorsmen who enjoy our fall hunting seasons in Nebraska, as green turns to gold on our outdoor landscape.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

By Robert Frost

Natures first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leafs a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

From A Poem for Every Night of the Year

Nebraska has fragmented grasslands surrounded by row crop agriculture that still supports residual populations of the ringneck pheasant, bobwhite quail trying to make a comeback and Merriam turkeys who seem to be stabilizing their populations commensurate with the available habitat.

Nebraska is located between the pheasant factories of the Dakotas and the quail generator of Kansas, Nebraskas hunting opportunities are kind of a hybrid with sometimes locally abundant native quail, and now established pheasants in former places grouse were king.

One of the best areas to chase roosters is in the states southwest and panhandle regions.

Quail are also plentiful especially in the southern reaches of the state. Nebraskas Outreach and Communications Coordinator for Pheasants and Quail Forever, and OnX proclaim the Husker state as the prairie grouse state.

The beauty of the Sandhills is the vast grasslands with intermittent agriculture that create a bonanza for both the sharptail grouse and the greater prairie chicken. This also creates opportunities for pheasants, Hungarian partridge and plenty of whitetail and mule deer.

Nebraska does have public land (not a lot though) opportunities, which include over 372,000 acres enrolled in Open Fields and Waters, Nebraskas walk-in access program. Some of the best public areas to hunt grouse and chickens are up by Burwell, around Calamus reservoir, state lakes near Valentine, Samuel R. McKelvie, Nebraska National Forests and many large ranches by Whitman, Mullen, Broken Bow and Hyannis.

In 1967 Nebraska was the nations premier hunting destination and pheasant capital of the U.S., since that time we have relinquished a few titles. The pheasant title now belongs to South Dakota. Silver Creek would host a mixed bag hunt that celebrities from many places would participate in with great success. As I reflect now, it is hard to compare the availability of game enjoyed at that time to what we see today.

We travel hundreds, if not thousands of miles for our surveys and have come to realize beyond a shadow of a doubt, native prairies augmented with grain fields allowed to maintain vegetated fringes and fence lines, and cattail wetlands where possible, offer some of the last remaining viable upland bird habitat in many parts of the Great Plains.

There is nothing like the color changes and anticipation of spending time in nature enjoying animals in their environment. Get out and see the colors and feel the fever of October. It may be the best time of the year!
US wary of potential 'to reduce contact' with India over Delhi-Ottawa row: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 06 October 2023 5:43 PM

The US ambassador to India has reportedly told his team that Washington may "need to reduce contact" with New Delhi's officials, US media reported.

Politico cited the ambassador telling his staff that Washington may "need to reduce contact" with Delhi's officials, RT reported on Thursday.

Eric Garcetti reportedly told his staff that relations between Delhi and Washington could deteriorate "in the near term."

The potential deterioration of diplomatic ties between Washington and Delhi is related to the continuous row between Delhi and Ottawa over the Indian government's alleged assassination of 45-year-old Indian-Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, a suburban Vancouver neighborhood of British Columbia, in June this year.

In the latest reciprocal move related to the Delhi-Ottawa row, India ordered Canada earlier this week to remove 41 members of its 62-strong mission.

In the meantime, whether Ambassador Garcetti had warned his staff about a potential "reduced contact" with Delhi for an undefined period of time, the US embassy on Thursday dismissed the reports.

"The US embassy dismisses these reports. Ambassador Garcetti is working hard every day to deepen the partnership between the people and governments of the United States and India," a US embassy spokesperson said when asked about the report.

"As his personal engagement and public schedule demonstrates, Ambassador Garcetti and the US Mission to India are working every day to advance the important, strategic, and consequential partnership we have with India," the spokesperson added.

The White House asserted on Tuesday that Canada's allegations regarding India's involvement in the assassination of Nijjar were "serous" and needed to address.

However, India's Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, has repeatedly given his assurances that Delhi-Washington ties remain strong. "Our relationship is at an all-time high."

"We are going to take this relationship to a different level," Jaishankar recently declared.

In the meantime, Washington, which has traditionally been close to Ottawa, is openly making advances for broader diplomatic and military cooperation with Delhi to somewhat balance Beijing's growing clout in the Indo-Pacific region.

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Iran: Awarding Nobel Peace Prize to a criminal 'spiteful, politically motivated'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 06 October 2023 6:33 PM

Iran has condemned a "spiteful and politically motivated" move to award the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to an Iranian woman who has been convicted of committing criminal acts.

In a statement on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani said the Nobel Committee's political move was in line with "interventionist and anti-Iranian policies of some European countries."

He added that the committee's decision was "another link in the chain of West's pressure against Iran" which would have no outcome but reinforcing the Iranian nation's determination to pursue its independent policy.

Kan'ani emphasized that the decision to award Mohammadi the prize was a "disappointing deviation from its initial objectives."

He also criticized the Nobel Committee for making "incorrect and false claims" about events in Iran, which indicated "some European governments' approach to fabricate information and produce confusing and deviant narratives about internal developments in Iran."

In a political move, the Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday awarded Narges Mohammadi, 51, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, claiming that she has been fighting "against the oppression of women" in Iran and fighting to "promote human rights and freedom for all."

Mohammadi has been in and out of jail for much of her adult life and is currently serving a prison term in Tehran's Evin prison.

In 2016, an Iranian appeals court confirmed the 16-year sentence for Mohammadi on charges of colluding to act against national security, engaging in propaganda campaigns against the government as well as forming and directing an illegal group.

She was released in 2020 but sent back to prison in 2021 on charges that include spreading propaganda against the Islamic establishment.

Kan'ani said as one of the founders of the United Nations, Iran has always emphasized the "objective" realization of peace at the regional and global levels and has always made efforts to promote the culture of peace.

However, he added, Iran "never wants peace and its realization to be abused."

He reiterated that Iran's ideal is to establish peace and justice across the world through effective and friendly cooperation among nations and peaceful coexistence.

The Iranian spokesperson advised the committee to stop playing an instrumental role in implementing the fraudulent policies of certain Western countries and award the Nobel Peace Prize to individuals or bodies that "sincerely seek to promote the culture of peace and justice in the world."

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Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Iran's Jailed Rights Activist Narges Mohammadi

By VOA Persian October 06, 2023

This year's Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian women's and human rights activist who is imprisoned in the Islamic republic.

Mohammadi has been arrested by Iranian authorities 13 times, convicted five times and sentenced to 31 years' imprisonment and 154 lashes.

The Nobel Committee said that Mohammadi's life embodies the "Woman, Life, Freedom" motto of the protests that erupted in Iran last year in response to the death in custody of 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini, whom police arrested for not wearing her headscarf in accordance with Islamist rules.

Hours after the announcement of Mohammadi as the winner of the 2023 peace prize, her Instagram account published a statement from her family in which they congratulated all Iranians, "especially the courageous women and girls of Iran who have captivated the world with their bravery in fighting for freedom and equality."

"This prestigious recognition serves as an enduring testament to Narges Mohammadi's tireless civic and peaceful work in bringing change and freedom to Iran," her family wrote. But the statement added: "Regrettably, Narges is not with us to share this extraordinary moment. We cannot witness her joyous reaction to this remarkable and splendid news due to her unjust imprisonment."

In a subsequent Instagram post, Mohammadi's family said it could not share the news with her because Tehran's Evin prison, where she is detained, does not allow phone calls on Fridays to inmates in the women's ward for political prisoners. It said family members would try to contact her on Saturday.

Mohammadi began her activism in the 1990s as a young physics student and was first arrested in 2011 for her work with incarcerated activists and their families.

Her subsequent activism, bringing attention to Iran's death penalty, torture and sexual violence against political prisoners, especially women, resulted in more arrests.

Last year, as a leader among prisoners, she voiced support for the demonstrators who took to the streets of Iran to protest Amini's death while incarcerated. Prison officials stopped Mohammadi from receiving calls and visitors, but she managed to smuggle out an article for the New York Times that was published on September 16, exactly one year after Amini died.

Mohammadi wrote in the article, "The more of us they lock up, the stronger we become."

U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement congratulating Mohammadi on the award and urging Iran to immediately release her and other jailed gender equality advocates.

"Sadly, Mohammadi's award comes the same week that horrifying reports have emerged about Iran's so-called morality police assaulting 16-year-old Armita Geravand for not wearing a headscarf," Biden said.

He added that the U.S. will continue supporting Iranians' advocacy for their freedoms by leading an ongoing diplomatic initiative at the United Nations to "highlight, condemn, and promote accountability for Iran's abuses;" by deploying anti-censorship tools to improve internet access for Iranians; and by sanctioning Iranian individuals and entities responsible for "supporting the regime's oppression of its people."

Exiled Iranian rights activist Shirin Ebadi, the last Iranian to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, told VOA Persian in a Friday interview that Mohammadi's award will draw the world's attention to what she called "the bad situation of human rights in Iran, particularly discrimination against women."

Ebadi, who has been based in London since 2009, is director of the Defenders of Human Rights Center that she and fellow activists founded in Iran in 2001. Mohammadi has worked with Ebadi as the group's spokesperson.

"Awarding a human rights prize to anyone will give them access to more platforms so they can speak out in a louder voice and more clearly with the world," Ebadi said. "As for the personal impact, I hope that this prize leads to the release of Mohammadi and all political prisoners."

In another interview with VOA Persian, Amnesty International's Iran researcher Raha Bahreini said Mohammadi has spoken out against Iran's use of the death penalty and solitary confinement and the prevalence of sexual violence against detained women in prisons.

"Awarding this prize to Mohammadi is a recognition of her courageous, ongoing struggles in all these fields over the years, which have attracted international attention more than ever since the start of Iran's 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement last year," Bahreini said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that Mohammadi's Nobel Peace Prize win is "a tribute to all those women who are fighting for their rights at the risk of their freedom, their health and even their lives."

The award, he said, is "an important reminder that the rights of women and girls are facing a strong pushback, including through the persecution of women human rights defenders, in Iran and elsewhere."

Alfred Nobel, a 19th-century Swedish chemist best known for inventing dynamite, provided money for the Nobel prizes in his will. He said there should be five prizes a physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. These prizes were to be given to "those who during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind."

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G7 Nations Seek Ban on Russian Diamonds

By Henry Ridgwell October 05, 2023

The G7 group of industrialized nations is expected to ban diamonds mined in Russia, the world's biggest producer, following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.

However, the complexities of the trade mean it will be difficult to stop Russian diamonds from entering the global market, which is worth $87 billion a year.

World's biggest producer

Around a third of the world's diamonds are extracted in Russia by the state-owned company Alrosa, which operates mines in Yakutia, Siberia and Arkhangelsk, in the far north of the country. The trade profits the Kremlin by over $1 billion a year.

Western nations are determined to deprive Russia of that revenue. At the May G7 summit, members discussed imposing a ban on Russian diamonds. But enforcing it won't be easy.

Indian hub

Almost all the world's diamonds are cut and polished in the Indian city of Surat. A loophole in U.S. regulations means that Russian diamonds are freely entering the American market a which makes up 55% of global sales, explains Edahn Golan, a diamond industry analyst.

"India accounts for about 95% of global diamond manufacturing and polishing," he told VOA. "According to U.S. regulations, a product that went through a major transformation at a particular country is considered a product of that country.

"In the case of Russian rough diamonds [that are] polished in India: From the standpoint of American regulations, those are Indian diamonds," Golan added. "And because of that, they're no longer Russian."

Traceability

The Kimberley Process, enacted in 2000, introduced traceability for uncut diamonds to prevent the profits from fueling conflict a so-called "blood diamonds." However, the process does not apply to cut, polished diamonds a and the system is otherwise flawed, says Golan.

"The question was, how does the Kimberly Process address a parcel that will have rough diamonds from multiple origins? And the solution was, let's just put down 'mixed,'" he said. "So now, if you have a parcel that is entirely Russian diamonds a but one diamond in it comes from another country a now it's a 'mixed' parcel."

Objections

Not everyone supports the proposed ban. A G7 delegation travelled to India last week to seek its cooperation on excluding Russia from the diamond trade. But New Delhi is skeptical, says Golan.

"First of all, without [Russian firm] Alrosa's production, they're going to be losing one third of the global production coming in," said Golan. "Secondly, India in general does not want to join sanctions on Russia, because their global politics are different than those of the United States and Europe."

"This is especially sensitive to the Indian leadership, to [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi, because the majority of Indian diamond traders and manufacturers are Gujarati and Modi is Gujarati, so that's an important economy for his constituency," Golan said.

'Russian diamonds are not forever'

The European Union outlined plans in May to ban Russian diamond imports. It hopes to cut Alrosa from the market starting in 2024, with a tracing and enforcement process rolled out in following months.

"We will restrict trade in Russian diamonds. Russian diamonds are not forever," Charles Michel, president of the European Council, said at a press conference in May, following the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

Under the EU's plans, diamonds could be issued with a blockchain-protected certificate of origin that would be inspected at trading hubs like Antwerp in Belgium. But the system could backfire, according to Professor Koen Vandenbempt, an economist at the University of Antwerp.

"Probably, they will not pass through Antwerp anymore. This large trade will just move to Dubai and from Dubai to India or directly to India a typically countries that will not and probably never will impose sanctions on Russia," he told Agence France Presse.

African miners

Other industry players are pushing for a less technological, trust-based certification system a a proposal backed by the British-South Africa diamond consortium De Beers.

"It's very easy to include in that system artisanal miners, in places such as northeast [Democratic Republic of Congo]," said Golan. "Those guys do not have the ability to use sophisticated technological means, but they do have, say, iPads and cell phones."

Details of the G7 proposals are expected to be outlined in the coming weeks. It's an opportunity to improve the diamond industry's image, said Golan.

"I think that it's possible to come up with a good solution that works both for the U.S. and European political ends," Golan added. "I think there's a way that it could serve very positively the diamond industry. It will require consultation on both sides.

"The diamond industry has a very negative perception in the eye of the consumer. And it's a great way to prove that the diamond industry works," he told VOA.

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Russia-Uzbekistan talks

Vladimir Putin held talks at the Kremlin with President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who is in Russia on an official visit.

October 6, 2023

18:20

The Kremlin, Moscow

Following the narrow format talks, consultations continued with the delegation members at a working breakfast.

Following the talks, a package of documents was signed.

Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Mirziyoyev also adopted a Joint Statement on deepening comprehensive strategic partnership and allied relations.

The presidents of Russia and Uzbekistan made statements for the press.

* * *

Beginning of Russia-Uzbekistan narrow-format talks

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Mirziyoyev,

I am delighted to welcome you to Moscow.

Our relations are developing quite successfully, and we confirm the high level and nature of our allied relations. We continue to work in this spirit.

I would like to thank you for your personal contribution to the development of relations between Russia and Uzbekistan. They are developing dynamically in all areas.

I would like to begin with the economy. Our trade increased by 26 percent last year and by 14.4 percent in the first seven months of 2023.

Russia confidently holds first place in Uzbekistan's foreign trade. There are 3,000 companies with Russian capital in Uzbekistan and 700 Uzbek companies work in Russia.

We have taken a number of serious long-term decisions regarding the further development of our trade and economic ties. The intergovernmental commission has been working actively and effectively.

I know that you have visited Kazan. We are proud of that wonderful city and its progress. I hope you will share your impressions with us. I know that it was not just a familiarisation visit but also a business trip, the business part of your visit [to Russia]. There are many things Tatarstan has to offer.

Relations between our regions are progressing at a fast pace. Many regions in the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan maintain direct ties and contacts. Our colleagues in the regions are making a substantial contribution to the development of relations between our states.

Humanitarian and cultural ties are important too. Only recently, your national ballet performed at the Bolshoi Theatre, and it was quite a success. Ms Matviyenko attended the event and shared her impressions with me.

We are proactive in working together on the international stage, primarily within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and of course the CIS. We will soon see each other at the CIS Summit in Kyrgyzstan.

We also interact on other matters that are rather sensitive, and we will discuss them during our narrow-format meeting.

Mr Mirziyoyev, I am very glad to see you. Welcome.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev: Mr Putin,

First, thank you so much for inviting me to pay an official visit to Russia. We have been preparing it for quite a while now and invested serious efforts in the process with all these telephone conversations we have had. What I mean is that we created a very solid foundation for this visit.

I wanted to say that the relations between our countries have reached a new high. In Samarkand, we signed a Declaration on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Allied Relations. We are allies, and this comprehensive strategic partnership carries on. We are witnessing progress and tangible results across the board.

I believe that the relations between our two countries have reached quite a good level. We are colleagues and partners. Everything you and I agree upon becomes reality in all its aspects.

You mentioned mutual trade. In fact, we have never seen that much growth before. We expect trade to reach $12 billion by the end of the year. On average, this indicator has increased by 20 percent every year. If this growth carries on at this pace for another two or three years, we will reach $20 billion, as we have agreed.

I believe that this is quite feasible considering what you have said on the extensive preparations we have undertaken. On September 18, the Prime Ministers [Mikhail Mishustin and Abdulla Aripov] had a meeting, and the intergovernmental commission is up and running. In fact, they have been quite effective considering the meaningful results they achieved.

Of course, I cannot fail to mention the serious efforts underway to promote region-to-region ties. We were behind this push, and now the Third Russia-Uzbekistan Region-to-Region Cooperation Forum has taken place. We sought your advice and guidance on this matter. There were about 3,000 participants from Russia and Uzbekistan at yesterday's regional forum in Kazan. This was the first time that all of our 14 regions were represented at the level of their top regional officials. The co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Commission [Denis Manturov and Zhamshid Khodzhayev] presented their solid performance reports yesterday.

I am very happy that our colleagues in the regions are so serious about promoting their ties, and this cooperation is very promising. As you and I always say, all we have to do is accompany their efforts, and we will see tangible results.

A rectors' forum has taken place in St Petersburg, this is a very good result. There are branches of 14 Russian of universities [in Uzbekistan], and yesterday we decided to open the 15th, a branch of the Russian Pirogov Medical University. We have already discussed it and starting next year, 15 universities will operate in Uzbekistan, including the Pirogov branch. I believe this is a major achievement as well.

A forum of medical personnel of Uzbekistan and Russia took place in Samarkand. Our colleagues put forth great efforts. People in Uzbekistan saw that many Russian skilled doctors performed surgeries and offered consultations. We agreed to conduct system-wide work in many areas during the year, and meet not once, but two or three times.

I want to use this opportunity to speak about the cultural sphere: for the first time, our National Ballet performed at the Bolshoi Theatre. I am very thankful to you for the organisation and the participation of such high-ranking Russian officials. You know, it was a week-long sensation here; people were happy to see the Lazgi ballet, our national pride, being performed there for the first time. We are also proud that the spectators in Russia received it very well. I am very thankful for that.

Overall, as you already noted, we do not have unresolved issues; all of our agreements are being implemented. As we agreed, our ministers and members of the commission treat this very seriously and responsibly. Before lunch today, I met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. We once again had a detailed discussion on all matters.

I saw the centre [the Government Coordination Centre], and I was very impressed. I compliment you on having such a centre in Russia, and our Russian colleagues want to exchange their experience with us. We very much appreciate that.

Vladimir Putin: Mr Mishustin reported in detail on this at the meeting.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev: We spoke in detail about all positives and negatives, and there are no negatives, only positives. So, I appreciate this.

Thank you very much.

<...>

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Sanctions made Russia's economy stronger: Putin

Iran Press TV

Friday, 06 October 2023 5:41 PM

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has said that the resourceful Russian economy not only withstood the Western sanctions, but also became stronger in the process.

"In general, the situation is stable. We have overcome all the sanctions-related issues, and have started the next stage of [economic] development on a new basis, which is fundamentally important," Putin stated on Thursday in Sochi at the 20th annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, which was attended by experts, politicians, diplomats, and economists from 42 countries.

He said, essentially Western sanction have been restructuring the Russian economy in a positive way.

The Russian government recorded over 660bn roubles ($6.6bn) in budget surplus in the third quarter of 2023 and there will be a deficit of around 1 percent of GDP for the year, media reported, adding that the country's budget deficit was expected to remain at the same level in the near future. "We are coping. And I have reason to believe that we will cope in the future."

Putin said the rate of unemployment in the country had dropped to 3 percent, the lowest rate ever recorded in Russia.

He said in Russia, contrary to the situation in the EU, disposable incomes continued to grow.

He said the government was spending more on defense and security, but it did not trade the nation's bread and "butter for guns" and the government remained committed to all its public duties.

The Russia leader assured that the country was totally self-sufficient in providing its basic food requirements.

The United States and certain Western allies slapped a slew of sanction on Russia after Moscow launched the war in February 2022.

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'Escalatory And Deeply Damaging': What Putin's Claim Of A Missile Test Means For Nonproliferation

By Mike Eckel, Sergei Dobrynin October 06, 2023

On the barren Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, the surge of activity had been watched closely for months: satellite imagery showing an uptick of construction at one, possibly two, settlements that researchers had identified as sites for a possible test of a nuclear device or a new, trouble-plagued missile called the Burevestnik that is under development.

Late last month, a NOTAM - an official warning to airplane pilots about "hazardous operations" - was issued by Russia for the Barents and Kara seas, east and west of Novaya Zemlya. As many as five U.S. military surveillance planes have been tracked south of the archipelago in recent weeks.

Days later, the head of Russia's leading nuclear research center called for the Kremlin to resume nuclear tests, including at Novaya Zemlya, a move that would end a 33-year moratorium and deal a big blow to global nonproliferation efforts.

President Vladimir Putin weighed in on October 5: "I am already hearing calls, for example, to start testing nuclear weapons, to return to testing," he told an audience of Russian and foreign analysts.

"We conducted the final successful test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered global-range cruise missile," he also said, adding: "We have actually finished work on the Sarmat, a super-heavy rocket."

"I'm not ready to say now whether we really need or don't need to conduct [nuclear] tests," Putin said, but he signaled Russia would consider withdrawing from a major international treaty that bans all nuclear testing. The 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was signed and ratified by Russia, but only signed, and not ratified, by the United States.

"This is a question for the deputies of the State Duma," he said, referring to the lower chamber of parliament. "In theory, this ratification could be revoked. If we do this, it will be quite enough."

Nuclear arms treaties, and other major Cold War-era agreements, have been fraying for years now. The United States pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 after years of accusing Russia of cheating on it. Years before that, Washington withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. And the last remaining restraint on Russian and American arsenals, New START, is set to expire in 2026.

As of October 6, there was no independent confirmation of Putin's statement that Russia had successfully conducted a test of the Burevestnik. Another NOTAM warning off Novaya Zemlya was issued the day after Putin's remarks. And there is no indication that a test of an actual nuclear device is imminent.

"The overall level of activities appears to support the idea that they are either preparing for testing directly due to a decision by Putin, or are preparing for eventual testing depending on what China and the U.S. do, or as an escalatory measure in the context of Ukraine," said William Alberque, director of strategy, technology, and arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

"Testing a nuclear explosive device for the first time since the [Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty] was negotiated would be escalatory and deeply damaging to the nuclear nonproliferation regime," said Lynn Rusten, a former White House and State Department arms control expert who participated in negotiations on the original New START treaty.

Asked about concerns that Russia was seeking to conduct a nuclear test or a test of the nuclear-powered cruise missile, the U.S. State Department said: "Russia is pursuing novel nuclear weapons that are not currently covered by the New START treaty, such as a nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered ground-launched intercontinental- range cruise missile.

"We are monitoring developments of these systems closely," a spokesman told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity.

'A Ridiculously Stupid Weapons System'

Arms control experts said a test of either of the two -- the nuclear-powered cruise missile or an actual detonated nuclear device -- would be hugely problematic, though for different reasons.

Dubbed Skyfall by NATO officials, the Burevestnik has been reportedly under development since the early 2010s, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington research organization. However, it was first publicly discussed by Putin during a March 2018 speech in which he bragged about a host of new weapons Russia was developing.

A ground-launched, low-flying, potentially nuclear-tipped cruise missile powered by a nuclear reactor, the Burevestnik would theoretically have a range of up to 23,000 kilometers, meaning it could hit the United States if launched from anywhere inside Russia. The United States experimented with such a weapon in the 1950s and '60s before discarding it as unpractical.

Among the places Russia is known to have tested the Burevestnik is the White Sea, west of the city of Arkhangelsk and the port of Severodvinsk. In August 2019, while officials were trying to raise a Burevestnik missile from the seabed near the town of Nyonoksa, an explosion occurred, spewing radiation over a wide area, including Severodvinsk, and killing at least five Russian nuclear specialists. U.S. officials later concluded that the explosion "was the result of a nuclear reaction that occurred during the recovery of a Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile."

Researchers at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, said Burevestnik testing had resumed in 2021, at a location on Novaya Zemlya called Pankovo, though that was never independently confirmed.

"Burevestnik is just stupid," Rusten said.

It is "a ridiculously stupid weapons system," Alberque said.

"Not sure where it sits with the nuclear-powered bomber in the stupid sweepstakes, though," he added, referring to another weapon Russia has suggested it could build.

Stupid or not, the missile system is not covered by New START. That, plus the fact that its design would make it hard for air-defense systems to detect or intercept, worries U.S. officials.

"We have long said that future arms control agreements must expand to include these types of novel nuclear weapons," the State Department spokesman said.

'Everything Will Fall Into Place'

Putin's suggestion that a nuclear test was under consideration was echoed on October 6 by Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of the Kremlin-controlled Duma. Volodin pointed to the U.S. unwillingness to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, known as the CTBT, and claimed that Russia, which launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, is at war with the United States and NATO.

"The situation in the world has changed. Washington and Brussels have unleashed a war against our country. Today's challenges require new solutions," Volodin said in a post to Telegram. He said lawmakers would "absolutely discuss the question" of withdrawing ratification at their next session.

A test of an actual nuclear device -- even a small-scale detonation of fissile material -- would be more worrisome since it would be the first conducted by Russia since 1990. It would be a definite signal of Moscow's intention to move to withdraw from the CTBT.

"If there's a test with a genuine release of energy, we'll find out about it pretty quickly," Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based UN arms control researcher, told RFE/RL. "For example, when North Korea conducted its tests, it was visible almost immediately. And I don't think anyone will try to hide such experiments."

It would also undermine the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, a Cold War agreement whose signatories include the five major nuclear-armed states -- the United States, China, France, Britain, and Russia, which are also the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

"Were any of the [five states] to test a nuclear weapon and therefore abandon their parallel unilateral testing moratoria as CTBT signatories, that would be a huge blow to the [nonproliferation] regime and would undoubtedly lead to a cascade of nuke testing by other states," Rusten said.

On September 28, Mikhail Kovalchuk, who heads the Kurchatov Institute, one of Russia's leading nuclear research facilities, called for revisiting the country's deterrence doctrine -- redefining exactly when a nuclear weapon would be used.

He also called for resuming nuclear testing, asserting that the Soviet Union's 1961 test of the world's most powerful atomic weapon -- the Tsar Bomba -- spurred the United States to open negotiations with Moscow.

"It's enough to carry out tests on Novaya Zemlya...at least once," he was quoted by state news agency RIA Novosti as saying. "And everything will fall into place."

Arms control researchers have also pointed to the increased pace of construction at known nuclear test sites in China and the United States as cause for concern.

In 2019, under then-President Donald Trump, some U.S. officials reportedly pushed to resume full testing. The official U.S. policy statement on the subject -- the Nuclear Posture Review -- ultimately stated that the United States would not seek to ratify the test-ban treaty, and it would "remain ready to resume nuclear testing if necessary to meet severe technological or geopolitical challenges."

There's no public indication that Trump's successor, President Joe Biden, wants to resume full testing. However, the United States is believed to have conducted subcritical tests, in which a detonation does not lead to a fission explosion. Late last month, at a meeting in Vienna, U.S. officials floated a proposal to allow international inspectors to observe U.S. subcritical experiments, a move seen as a possible goodwill gesture.

Resumption of full-blown nuclear testing by either Russia or the United States would likely signal the demise of New START as well, since the treaty cannot be renewed after 2026.

Tensions over Russia's war against Ukraine have made it impossible for negotiators to hold talks; the two sides have also been unable to agree on letting inspectors into one another's countries to conduct site visits authorized under the treaty.

In February, Putin announced Russia was suspending compliance with New START.

Dumping Grounds

One alternative explanation for the activity at Novaya Zemlya, in particular at a settlement known as Severny: Russia is looking to ship and store more of the radioactive waste generated from its nuclear-powered ships there.

According to the Barents Observer, the Rosita, a Russian ship specially designed to carry nuclear waste, was spotted moored at Severny.

"The big unanswered question is if what we now are witnessing is a Russia that brings dangerous nuclear waste to Novaya Zemlya for long-term storage in the permafrost," Frederic Hauge, president of the Norwegian environmental group Bellona, was quoted as saying.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-missile-test-putin-burevestnik- nonproliferation-treaties/32626376.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Defence Minister General of Army Sergei Shoigu inspects fulfilment of state order in Novosibirsk region

06.10.2023

Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu inspected fulfilment of state defence order at the enterprise of the military-industrial complex Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P.Chkalov.

Head of the Russian Defence Ministry inspected flight test station and finishing department at the enterprise which is part of PJSC United Aircraft Corporation performing serial production, repair, and modernization of Su-34 fighter-bombers.

Head of the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P.Chkalov Aleksander Panasenko briefed Sergei Shoigu that at the moment the enterprise is able not only to establish mass production, but also to carry out major repairs of aircraft equipment that has exhausted its service life during operation.

At the moment, under instructions of Russian Defence Minister given before in order to lower expenses on production the enterprise combines repair work along with the modernization of combat vehicles, which are now carried out simultaneously.

Head of the Russian defence department ordered the management of the enterprise to increase the pace of production and repair of equipment taking into account the demand for manufactured products: 'This aircraft is the main workhorse, the aircraft perform four to five sorties every day, so we need to hurry up. Some enterprises are already fulfilling the production plan on 2024. The production here must be organised in a similar way' Sergei Shoigu stated.

Head of the enterprise briefed the Russian Defence Minister that the enterprise is capable of carrying out repair work of any complexity: 'We learned to do everything. We have experience in replacing the head part, we have practical experience in repairing the tail part, we have experience in repairing the bulge, this is the most difficult repair in terms of assembly here' said Aleksander Panasenko.

After the inspection, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu held a working meeting with the enterprise's management and relevant military authorities.

'We pay particular attention to introducing promising examples of aviation technology to the Armed Forces', said Sergei Shoigu during the working meeting.

Head of the Russian defence department noted that this year due to the joint efforts of industry and the Russian Defence Ministry, the supply of new Su-34 aircraft and the revision of those already in service with the troops are carried out according to the plan.

'In addition, we have completed contracting for the 2024 production plan at the enterprise. There are no issues demanding our immediate attention related to the 2024 production plan' said Sergei Shoigu.

Participants at the meeting discussed the fulfilment of contracts in 2023 and set tasks for the next year in terms of increasing combat capabilities of tactical aviation.

In addition, the issue of carrying out experimental design work on the development of a complex with long-range unmanned aerial vehicles was taken into consideration.

Information Activities Office of the Northern region (Severomorsk)

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How Russian Stormbringer Nuclear Cruise Missile Can Help Bankrupt US War Machine

Sputnik News

20231006

Ilya Tsukanov

President Putin has confirmed the successful testing of the "Burevestnik" ("Stormbringer"), a Russian nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable cruise missile unlike anything that exists in any other nation's arsenal. What do we know about the weapon? What impact will it have on the global strategic balance? Sputnik reached out to a top expert to find out.

"The latest successful test of the Burevestnik, a global-range cruise missile with a nuclear propulsion system, has been carried out," Russian President Vladimir Putin told attendees of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday.

"Today, we have almost wrapped up work on the modern types of strategic weapons which I announced and spoke about several years ago," Putin said, referring his March 2018 speech to lawmakers, during which the president unveiled the Burevestnik and other new strategic weapons designed to ensure global strategic stability amid US moves to surround Russia with missile defenses with offensive capabilities, and Pentagon planning aimed at neutralizing the Russian nuclear deterrent.

Putin reiterated that under Russia's existing nuclear doctrine, Moscow would only resort to using its strategic weaponry in response to enemy aggression, but stressed that Russia's guaranteed response capabilities would mean "absolutely unacceptable" losses for any potential aggressor.

What Prompted the Burevestnik's Development?

Developed alongside other advanced strategic weapons, including the Poseidon nuclear-powered torpedo, the Avangard hypersonic boost-glide vehicle, the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, the Kinzhal air-launched hypersonic quasi-ballistic missile, and the Peresvet laser complex, the Burevestnik is one component of Russia's multilayered response to the George W. Bush administration's decision in 2002 to walk out on the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Washington's short-sighted decision prompted Russia to dust off blueprints and prototypes of advanced rocketry and aerospace systems and designs developed in strict secrecy throughout the second half of the 20th century until the end of the Cold War. In the case of the Burevestnik, this involved following in the footsteps of a path forged by the Voronezh-based Chemical Automatics Design Bureau to build a nuclear thermal rocket engine using a liquid hydrogen propellant.

The concept of a nuclear-powered engine was born in the late 1940s, at the very dawning of the Soviet rocketry and nuclear programs, with legendary rocket scientist Vitaly Ievlev receiving support from Igor Kurchatov, father of the Soviet atomic bomb, and rocket scientists Sergey Korolev and Mstislav Keldysh, to carry out theoretical work to create such an engine. While work on the program initially focused exclusively on potential military applications, the state soon also realized the tremendous potential of the concept of a nuclear-powered engine being used by spacecraft to make long-distance journeys across the solar system, including to Mars.

From left to right: Mstislav Keldysh, Alexander Leipunskiy, Vitaly Ievlev, Igor Kurchatov, Anatoly Alexandrov, and Yuri Treskin, 1959. - Sputnik International, 1920, 06.10.2023

Ievlev and co's work eventually led to the creation of the RD-0410 - the USSR's first and only nuclear-powered rocket engine. Work on the project began in 1966 at the Keldysh Research Center, with multiple successful tests carried out in Voronezh between the mid-to-late 1970s, with a power generation capacity of up to 63 Megawatts achieved by the mid-1980s before work on the project was halted in 1988 by the Gorbachev administration. Ievlev died two years later in 1990.

American rocket scientists made their own impressive advances in the field during the same period, with NASA and the Atomic Energy Commission jointly creating a design known as the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA), with the experimental, liquid hydrogen-propelled engine built and certified, only to be cancelled by the Richard Nixon administration in 1973 as Washington wound down the US space program after the Moon landings.

The Soviet nuclear-powered rocket engine, also powered by liquid hydrogen, with heptane serving as a backup power source, was designed to be able to generate up to 196 megawatts of energy using 37 separate fuel assemblies. However, neither the American nor Soviet designs would provide rockets or spacecraft with the ability to operate continuously over extended periods, with burn time measuring about 45 minutes and 24 restarts in the case of the NERVA, and 60 minutes and 10 restarts in the case of the RD-0410.

What is the Burevestnik?

The 9M730 Burevestnik cruise missile, NATO reporting name SSC-X-9 Skyfall, is different, with its onboard nuclear power plant designed to provide it with continuous power, operating within the Earth's atmosphere, for days, weeks or even months at a time, giving the weapon what is for all intents and purposes an unlimited range.

Development work on the Burevestnik began in December 2001, shortly after the US announced its intention to withdraw from the ABM Treaty. "Burevestnik," which means "stormbringer," "prophet of a storm," or "petrel" in Russian, was the name given to the prospective cruise missile in 2018, several weeks after its existence was revealed, in an online vote open to the public by the Russian Defense Ministry.

While most of the Burevestnik's characteristics, including its payload, remain under wraps, footage of the weapon released by the military have given experts a rough idea of some of its parameters, with its contours appearing roughly comparable to those of Kh-101 series of ultra-long range cruise missiles, although the Burevestnik appears to be up to two times larger. Additionally, the cruise missile's wings are visibly situated hanging over the top of the fuselage, rather than below it, as in the case of the Kh-101.

The Burevestnik reportedly features a solid propellant-fueled starting engine, with propulsion in flight provided by a nuclear air-breathing (ramjet) or a turbojet engine. The missile has a starting length at launch of about 12 meters, which shrinks to 9 meters in flight as the starting engine drops off.

Details on the development and characteristics of the Burevestnik's small nuclear power plants also remain shrouded in mystery. However, shortly after Putin's March 2018 speech introducing the weapon, a source told Russian media that scientists had completed testing of a power plant that could be used in cruise missiles and autonomous oceangoing underwater vehicles, hinting that the Burevestnik and the Poseidon use modifications of the same power plant.

The Burevestnik has undergone testing on the Russian northern archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, with field testing of its engine completed in January 2019. Additional testing has been reported by various sources as early as June 2016, with a dozen or more launches estimated to have been carried out to date, with the latest in August 2023.

NATO Sounds the Alarm

"What this will give Russia a capacity for is to take a low-wielding potentially nuclear weapon and then use it to have it travel a greater distance, tens of thousands of miles," retired US Army Major Mike Lyons told US media Thursday, several hours after Putin's Valdai speech.

"This Burevestnik missile is normally a conventional cruise missile that's used let's say inter-theater. This provides a strategic view, though. Let's say they have this in the Arctic, where they're testing it right now. They could easily launch this missile from that platform and hit targets in the United States, not using ICBMs," Lyons explained.

In 2020, then-UK Chief of Defense Intelligence Lt. Gen. Jim Hockenhull warned that the Burevestnik has what is effectively a "global reach and would allow attack from unexpected directions," giving Moscow a weapon with a "near infinite loiter time." Combined with the capabilities of the Poseidon, this would "allow the Russians to hold the UK and its allies' civilian and military infrastructure at risk of both direct attack both with conventional explosives and nuclear weapons, limiting options or raising the stakes during times of crisis," Hockenhull said.

Because the Burevestnik is a cruise missile, it should be able to mimic the capabilities of other cruise missiles to perform flights at altitudes as low as 50-100 meters, making it essentially invisible to enemy radar, and detectable only using satellites, and only during launch.

Dmitry Kornev, founder of the MilitaryRussia.ru portal, has been following the development of the Burevestnik since its first appearance in 2018.

The cruise missile's main selling point as a universal retaliatory weapon stems from its virtually unlimited range, measuring in "days, weeks or months," Kornev told Sputnik.

"This means that such missiles can be launched and remain in flight over a holding area for up to several months, and can alter these holding areas at will. In this state, it would be extremely difficult to catch and destroy them. At the moment, there are no systems that could reliably detect these missiles in their holding areas and destroy them. And in the event of 'X hour,' if an order was received providing information about targets...these missiles could proceed to their targets and strike them," the observer explained.

The Burevestnik's unparalleled range characteristics means the missile will be capable of simply maneuvering around air defense systems, traveling toward targets "from a completely unexpected direction," and thus becoming an effective new component of Moscow's strategic deterrent capability in light of recent US attempts to neutralize other elements of the Russian nuclear triad.

Ultra-long range, combined with maneuverability, differentiates the Burevestnik from a traditional ballistic missile, which flies along a set trajectory, making it easier to intercept, Kornev said. Cruise missiles generally "can perform maneuvers, bend around terrain, go around buildings, structures, islands, continents. And in the case of the Burevestnik, there are no limitations on flight range," meaning it can go around entire continents, oceans, and even circle the planet multiple times over on route to its destination.

"This is a completely new component of our nuclear deterrent force," the observer stressed, saying it will effectively help turn Russia's nuclear triad of ground-based, air, and submarine launched missiles into a quartet.

Powerful Trump Card for Arms Control

Once development and testing of the Burevestnik is wrapped up, Moscow will have a choice, according to Kornev - either to introduce the system into service, or use it as a trump card in arms control negotiations with Washington. "This question is still open. That is, no one is saying that Burevestnik cruise missiles will be launched and used tomorrow. But on the basis of this development, a weapons system can be created in short order which no one in the world possesses."

"Systems providing guaranteed retaliation essentially put an end to the traditional strategic nuclear weapons systems arms race," Kornev says. According to the observer, Russia's possession of weapons like the Burevestink and the Poseidon could force the United States and other major nuclear powers to the negotiating table, and finally put an end to a situation - initiated by Washington over 20 years ago, in which there are now almost no agreements left to ensure effective arms control between the nuclear superpowers.

"Of course, the United States will work to figure out how to counter the Burevestnik," Kornev said. "We must understand that the financial and technological capabilities of the United States are such that if they want to, they will be able to catch up," if they determine that the Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile program has succeeded.

Could Burevestnik Help Bankrupt the Pentagon?

As things stand, the observer emphasized that today, the Pentagon has nothing in its arsenal to counter the Burevestnik. "Obviously they will strengthen their air defenses. But that will not be a guarantee that these missiles will not reach their targets."

"It's likely the United States will choose to create space-based means to detect such missiles. If one knows where such missiles are flying, it will be possible for any fighter jet to shoot them down...But then it would be necessary to create a detection system, to build a system for the transmission of information - to radically modernize the entire air defense system of North America, probably Europe and other countries threatened by such a weapons system. These are colossal costs in any case. And it may very well be the case that these costs significantly exceed the cost of creating Burevestnik-type missiles," Kornev stressed.

Issues to Be Ironed Out

"Many questions remain" regarding nuclear-powered cruise missiles' utility, according to the military expert. "Will Russia create a weapons system on the Burevestnik's basis? Because the ability to launch a missile is one thing, but actually creating a weapons system, training personnel, producing these missiles, accepting them into service and operating them is another," Kornev noted.

There are a number of issues that will have to be ironed out, in Kornev's view, starting with the fact that cruise missiles are not designed to land safely without being destroyed. "Even during testing, it's possible that this rocket could fall and be destroyed. In any case, the materials onboard can lead to radioactive contamination," he warned.

Another issue lies in the fact that the Burevestnik is the first system of its kind anywhere in the world.

"We have no experience, there is no experience anywhere in the world; we will be 'on the front line' here, so to speak, and it's on the front line that problems often 'arrive.' So of course there are certain risks. But if we approach this question thoughtfully, carefully, and using all of our scientific potential, we will surely be able to create something unique," the observer summed up.

A Sputnik

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Russia's Withdrawal From CTBT Does Not Mean It Plans to Conduct Nuclear Tests - Kremlin

Sputnik News

20231006

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The possibility that Russia may refuse to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) does not mean an intention to conduct these nuclear tests, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

During the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow could mirror Washington's stance, withdrawing the ratification of the treaty from the lower house of the parliament. Russian parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Friday that the lower house will consider withdrawing the ratification of the document at its earliest session as a mirror response to the United States.

"First of all, he [the president] meant the need to bring the de facto situation to a common denominator. Because a long time ago we signed and ratified [the treaty], but the Americans did not ratify. And in order to bring it to a common denominator, the president allowed the possibility of withdrawal this ratification, Volodin stated his readiness to do this. This does not mean a statement of intention to conduct nuclear tests," Peskov told reporters.

The remark of Russian President Vladimir Putin on tests of the country's nuclear-capable Burevestnik cruise missile meant that Russia continues to develop them, Kremlin spokesman said.

"The president said, he made a statement, that we continue to develop these weapons systems. This topic has repeatedly appeared in recent weeks on the international information agenda, it was of interest to the Valdai participants," Peskov told reporters when asked to comment on the remark.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday that the country had successfully carried out the final test of its Burevestnik cruise missile.

Russia does not strike civilian targets, but only military infrastructure facilities, places where military personnel and representatives of the military leadership gather, Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, commenting on allegations that civilians were killed in the village of Groza as a result of Russia's attack.

"We continue to repeat that the Russian military does not strike civilian targets, strikes are carried out against military infrastructure facilities, places where military personnel and representatives of the military leadership gather," Peskov told reporters.

There have been no final conclusions on why the plane of Wagner group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin crashed, it is necessary to wait for a report on the results of the investigation, Peskov said.

At the Valdai forum in Sochi on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, citing Russian Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin, that the plane with Prigozhin aboard suffered no external impact when it crashed, adding that fragments of hand grenades were found in the bodies of those killed.

"There have not yet been any final conclusions or a final report from investigators," Peskov told reporters, adding that any official statements can be expected only after the investigation is completed.

One of the established facts is that fragments of hand grenades were found in the bodies of those killed, the official said, adding that the investigation continues.

Kremlin spokesman said Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani in Moscow from October 10-11.

"[The Putin-Al Sudani] negotiations will take place on October 10. This will be the official visit of the prime minister of Iraq. There will be Russian-Iraqi negotiations, there will also be communication with Al Sudani in the format of a working breakfast," Peskov told reporters.

The leaders will also participate at the plenary session of the Russian Energy Week on October 11, the official added.

A Sputnik

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For Grand Island Jockey Zachary Ziegler, horse racing is more than just a sport, it's a livelihood and a way of life. After an accident during a race at Ag Park on Sept. 30, it will take some time for him to get back in the figurative and literal saddle.

The accident occurred just after a turn on the track, according to Ziegler's spouse, Carrie Robb. Ziegler had fallen at this spot before and she and her sister immediately knew it would happen again.

"He's gone down on that first turn two times before. All the jockeys are very aware of that first turn," Robb said.

Ziegler's horse, After Burn, clipped heels with the horse immediately in front of them, prompting the fall, rolling over Ziegler. When he attempted to right himself and the horse, it stepped on his neck and left side. As officials were unable to remove Ziegler and After Burn from the track before the rest of the racers caught up to them, the race was declared a no-contest. He was airlifted to Lincoln for medical treatment.

Robb said via a GoFundMe page for Ziegler that he is currently able to hear and understand requests. When asked to open his eyes or wiggle his toes, he is able to do so, as of Oct. 6. He did incur a traumatic brain injury, the update said, so recovery will move at his pace. However long it takes, Robb said, if Ziegler is cleared to ride again in the future, he'll be back in the saddle as soon as possible.

"I can't keep him off a horse. It's his life, his passion, how he provides for his kids and himself. When he's not competing, he's not making money," Robb said. "I'm sure he's going to want to get back to it as quickly as possible. He's stubborn like that and there's nothing he would rather do."

Robb said Ziegler has been racing for nearly 13 years, getting his start at the Indian relay on the reservations. He is originally from Lower Brule, South Dakota and, following an injury years ago, came to Nebraska to work with Gilbert Ecoffey, who owns horses in Columbus. Racing has taken him all over the Midwest, Robb said.

"(He's ridden in) Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha, ventured out into Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma. He skipped a few races in Nebraska but ultimately came back this year because he wanted to be closer to his kids," Robb said. "He came back from Oklahoma five days prior to the accident."

Ziegler's doctors are trying to wean him off of a ventilator and as of Oct. 4, were up to 30 minutes of unassisted breathing. There is possibility of face fractures but it's unclear whether those are new or old. There is also currently an Intercranial Pressure monitoring system (ICP) in his brain that they hope to be able to remove soon, Robb said, but everything will take some time.

"His neurologist is watching him very closely, they're not concerned yet. There are plans to take out the ICP," Robb said. "He will 100% not be allowed back on a horse until at least January or February 2024. It's all a waiting game, we've got to know when he wakes up, there could be a deficit, a delay, there's a lot of bruising on the left side of his brain. Luckily for him, he's left-hand dominant."

Support from all of the communities where Ziegler has lived and from his companions in racing has been incredible, Robb said, for which they are very thankful.

Those who want updates from Robb on Ziegler's condition can find them on the GoFundMe she organized for him at https://bit.ly/46Dum0X and those who wish to help support the family with a T-shirt may do so at z3strong.itemorder.com.

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Shoigu: Some Enterprises of Defense Industry Ahead of Schedule For 2024 Program

Sputnik News

20231006

On Friday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the progress of the implementation of the state defense order at the Chkalov Novosibirsk Aviation Plant.

Some enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex are already ahead of schedule for the 2024 program, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a visit to the Novosibirsk aircraft plant.

"We have enterprises that this year for the 2024 program, they are ahead of schedule. So here we need to organize work," Shoigu said.

Sergei Shoigu noted the demand for Su-34 aircraft.

"This machine is the main workhorse, they have four to five sorties every day, so we need to step up, hurry up," the head of the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Alexander Panasenko, director of the plant, told the minister that the enterprise has learned to carry out repair work of any complexity.

"We have learned to do everything. We have experience in replacing the head part, we have practical experience in repairing the tail part," Panasenko said.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the opening of a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission that the Russian defense complex is actively increasing production to support the special military operation.

A Sputnik

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Fears Grow That Russia May Leave Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

By VOA News October 06, 2023

Russian lawmakers will evaluate whether to revoke ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the speaker of the lower house of parliament said Friday.

Vyacheslav Volodin's statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could consider rescinding the ratification of the international pact, since the United States never ratified it.

"It conforms with our national interests," Volodin said. "And it will come as a quid pro quo response to the United States, which has still failed to ratify the treaty."

The 1996 treaty prohibiting "any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion" anywhere in the world has been signed by 187 nations, but the U.S. and seven others haven't ratified it.

The United States, however, has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapons test explosions since 1992 that it says it will continue to abide by.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson, speaking of Russia's possible revocation, told Reuters that "a move like this by any state party needlessly endangers the global norm against nuclear explosive testing."

"It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any state signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT," Robert Floyd, chairman of the commission that promotes support for the treaty, said in a statement.

There are widespread concerns that Russia could move to resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West from continuing to offer military support to Ukraine.

Volodin said senior lawmakers would discuss recalling the 2000 ratification of the treaty at the next meeting of the agenda-setting house council.

"Washington and Brussels have unleashed a war against our country," Volodin said. "Today's challenges require new decisions."

Asked Friday if rescinding the ban could lead to the resumption of tests, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "it doesn't mean a statement about the intention to resume nuclear tests."

Peskov noted that a possible move to revoke Russia's ratification of the pact would "bring the situation to a common denominator" with the U.S.

Speaking Thursday at a forum with foreign affairs experts, Putin said that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasn't yet formed an opinion on the issue.

"I'm not ready to say yet whether it's necessary for us to conduct tests or not," he said.

Expulsions from embassy

The U.S. State Department said Friday that it had expelled two Russian Embassy officials after Russia expelled two U.S. diplomats from the American Embassy in Moscow.

"In response to the Russian Federation's specious expulsion of two U.S. Embassy Moscow diplomats, the State Department reciprocated by declaring persona non grata two Russian Embassy officials operating in the United States," a State Department spokesman said.

"The department will not tolerate the Russian government's pattern of harassment of our diplomats," the spokesman said, adding that "unacceptable actions against our embassy personnel in Moscow will have consequences."

An unnamed source in the Russian foreign ministry, cited by the Russian RIA news agency, characterized the expulsion of the Russian Embassy officials as groundless. The source said Washington expelled the officials using the pretext of Moscow's September 14 expulsion of two U.S. diplomats "caught red-handed engaging in spying activities."

"We are not interested in escalation, but if such hostile actions continue, as always, we will respond firmly and decisively," RIA quoted the source as saying.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have deteriorated to their worst point in more than 60 years because of the war in Ukraine.

Kharkiv attacks

The U.N. and partners mobilized humanitarian assistance a including medical supplies and health support, shelter maintenance kits, nonfood items, cash and hygiene assistance a as well as mental health and psychosocial support after Russian strikes Thursday and Friday killed at least 54 civilians in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, said Denise Brown, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

"These are barbaric consequences of this war, that 20% of the community can be wiped out in seconds," Brown said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A Russian missile strike killed a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother Friday in the same region where at least 52 people, including a child, were killed Thursday, from another Russian attack in the eastern village of Hroza. According to The Associated Press, "body parts were strewn across a nearby children's playground that was severely damaged by the strike."

Ukrainian officials bitterly condemned the attack, which blew apart a cafe where a wake was being held for a soldier from Hroza who had died last year. He was being reburied in his hometown.

During his nightly video address Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks and stressed the importance of Ukraine's bolstering its air defense and strengthening its infrastructure in view of the approaching winter.

Meanwhile, Russia said its anti-aircraft units repelled Friday what appeared to have been an attempt to attack the Crimean port of Sevastopol from the sea.

"Anti-aircraft systems have been in action," wrote Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, on the Telegram messaging app. "Preliminary indications are that an air attack from the sea has been thwarted."

Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.

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Russia won't resume nuclear tests despite possible retreat from CTBT: Kremlin

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:16, October 07, 2023

MOSCOW, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Russia's potential withdrawal from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) will not imply that the country will restore nuclear tests, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.

The statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday that Moscow could potentially revoke its ratification of the CTBT, as a mirror response to the United States, which hasn't signed or ratified the treaty.

Peskov said Russia has long signed and ratified the treaty, while America hasn't done so. However, Putin's remarks should not be viewed as a statement of intention to resume nuclear tests.

Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Russian State Duma, said Friday that the withdrawal was an "important issue related to the security of Russia and its citizens."

"This goes in line with the national interests of our state. And it will be a mirror response to the United States," Volodin wrote in a Telegram post.

The CTBT is a multilateral agreement that bans all nuclear explosion tests, conducted for peaceful or military purpose. The treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, and has been signed by 187 nations, ratified by 178 as of September 2023.

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Death toll after drone attack on Syria military academy rises to 112

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Oct 6, 2023

Tehran, IRNA -- At least 112 people were killed on Thursday after a drone attack on a military academy in Syria's Homs, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The Syrian defense ministry, in a statement, said a drone attack on a military college during a graduation ceremony has left civilians and military personnel dead and wounded dozens more people.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) in an update said that more than 100 people, including at least 14 civilians, have been killed and "around half of them (were) military graduates," adding that over 125 others have been wounded.

The casualties have not yet been confirmed by the official Syrian sources.

The Syrian military statement, as per the official news agency SANA attributed the attack to "armed terrorist organizations" who targeted "the graduation ceremony for officers of the military academy in Homs," a government-held city in central Syria.

According to the Syrian military, the attack with "explosive-laden drones" took place "immediately after the ceremony ended". The general command of the army and the armed forces decried the "cowardly" and "unprecedented" attack vowing to "respond with full force".

3266**2050

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Iran FM condemns deadly terrorist attack on Military Academy in Syria's Homs

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Oct 6, 2023

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad condemned the terrorist attack that targeted a graduation ceremony for the Military Academy cadets in Homs.

The Iranian foreign minister also condemned the powers and states that support terrorism.

Amirabdollahian also offered his heartfelt condolences to President Bashar al-Assad, the government and Syrian people, over the loss of the civilians and soldiers.

Mekdad, for his part, said Syria and President al-Assad thank President Raisi, affirming that Syria and Iran are determined to fight terrorism.

2050

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Iran condemns deadly terror attack in Syria

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Oct 6, 2023

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani strongly condemned the terrorist attack during the graduation ceremony of the Syrian army officers in Homs province.

The attack resulted in the martyrdom of dozens of military and civilian individuals

Kanaani expressed heartfelt condolences to the government, army, and people of the friendly and brotherly country of the Syrian Arab Republic

Kanaani also extended condolences to all the families and survivors of the martyrs, praying for a swift recovery for the injured

He blamed the foreign supporters of terrorist groups for this tragic incident and called on responsible international institutions, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to fulfill their responsibilities in addressing this matter.

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Joint Statement by the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Mr Adam Abdelmoula, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Mr Muhannad Hadi, on the renewed hostilities in northern Syria

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Damascus and Amman, 6 October 2023 -- We are gravely concerned about the renewed wave of hostilities in northern Syria.

On 5 October, reports of multiple attacks were received on several sites in northern Syria. Multiple reports of civilian deaths and injuries, including women and children, have also been received. Significant damage to critical civilian infrastructure occurred in Aleppo, Idleb, Homs, Tal Tamer, Qamishli and Al Hasakeh.

These deeply troubling developments are a stark reminder that the crisis in Syria continues to devastate the civilian population and wreak havoc on civilian infrastructure facilities. Such incidents also disrupt humanitarian activities, with potentially drastic humanitarian consequences for the people in need.

We implore all parties to take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects - including homes and essential infrastructure - throughout their military operations in Syria in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law.

We remind all parties that the people in Syria, regardless of where they live, have the right to life in a peaceful and safe country.

For further information: Olga Cherevko, Spokesperson, OCHA Syria, Damascus: cherevko@un.org

6 October 2023



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Turkey Blames Technical Woes for Wayward Drone Shot Down by US

By Jeff Seldin October 06, 2023

U.S. and Turkish officials spent a second day sorting through a series of events that culminated with the shootdown of an armed Turkish drone by American F-16 fighter jets after the unmanned aerial vehicle got too close to U.S. forces in northeastern Syria.

Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement Friday formally admitting the drone in question belonged to Ankara and was being used in operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, as well as its offshoots in and around Hasakah.

"One UCAV [unmanned combat aerial vehicle] was lost due to different technical assessments in the deconfliction mechanism with third parties," according to the statement.

"Necessary measures are being taken to ensure a more effective operation of the deconfliction mechanism with the relevant parties," it said.

Pentagon officials first confirmed the shootdown of the Turkish drone Thursday, saying the decision to fire on the drone was made after repeated attempts by U.S. forces on the ground to communicate with their Turkish counterparts.

Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, called the incident "regrettable" but defended the decision.

"Based on the observation of airstrikes being conducted and the fact that this drone was upwards of nearly half a kilometer from U.S. forces, U.S. commanders made the determination that it was a self-defense threat," he said. "Appropriate action was taken."

Following the shootdown of the Turkish drone, both U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General CQ Brown spoke by phone with their Turkish counterparts to ease tensions.

High-level talks continued Friday, with the U.S. State Department announcing that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and had "highlighted the need to coordinate and deconflict our activities."

A separate statement Friday from the U.S.-led coalition in Syria appeared to take a harsher tone, suggesting U.S. troops had been put at risk more than once. The coalition is tasked with clearing out the remnants of the Islamic State terror group, also known as IS, ISIS or Daesh.

"Over the past 24 hours, multiple uncoordinated airstrikes were conducted in close proximity of U.S. forces in Syria," it said. "We oppose actions which threaten regional stability and security; jeopardize the safety of our forces, partner forces and the civilian population; and distract from our shared commitment to the enduring defeat of Daesh."

Both Ankara and Washington view the PKK as a terror organization. But Turkey views the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, as an extension of the PKK, while the U.S. has supported the SDF as a key partner in the fight against Islamic State.

"There is an obvious undeniable clash on national interests in Syria between Turkey and the United States," retired Turkish Brigadier General Haldun Solmazturk told VOA.

"This clash has to be resolved somehow. Otherwise, it will lead to an inevitable further clash between the two countries," he added.

Retired Ambassador James Jeffrey, who previously served as the special representative for Syria engagement and special envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, said the situation has been tenuous for some time, pointing to Turkey's ground incursion into northern Syria in 2019.

"It's obviously an option, it's obviously a concern," Jeffrey told VOA. "But I don't think a ground incursion at the moment appears to be too likely.

"Turkey's escalation is meant to send a signal back to the PKK ... that it can hold its assets in Syria, where it is running whole communities and areas, at risk," he said.

In its statement Friday, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ankara's operations against PKK targets and infrastructure would continue.

The U.S. downing of the Turkish drone "has in no way affected the execution of the ongoing operations and the striking of identified targets," the ministry said. "All capabilities and sources of income developed by the terrorist organization in Syria will continue to be systematically eliminated."

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Turkish airstrikes target Kurdish militia in Syria after Ankara suicide bomb attack

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:59, October 07, 2023

DAMASCUS, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkish drones and fighter jets carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Kurdish militia positions in northern and eastern Syria on Thursday, hitting 24 targets and causing 15 casualties among the Kurdish fighters, a war monitor reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the Turkish air force carried out 24 airstrikes on Kurdish sites -- three by fighter jets and 21 by drones.

It added that the attacks targeted critical infrastructure, including oil, electricity, and water stations, causing significant damage to the affected facilities.

The Syrian Arab News Agency said that two electricity plants and one water station went out of service in the northeastern province of Al-Hasakah as a result of the Turkish shelling.

The latest escalation follows threats issued by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who warned of an expanded cross-border operation in Syria and Iraq against Kurdish fighters after a suicide bomb rattled the Turkish capital Ankara, injuring two police officers.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for the bomb attack, marking the first time the group had claimed an attack in Ankara since 2016. Turkish intelligence officials suggested that the two assailants had received training in Syria.

The PKK has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. TArkiye sees the Syrian Kurdish Protection Units (YPG) as the Syrian branch of the PKK.

"From now on, all PKK/YPG infrastructure, superstructure facilities, and energy facilities in Iraq and Syria are legitimate targets of our security forces," Fidan announced in a news conference on Wednesday.

As Thursday saw Turkish drones conducting airstrikes on YPG installations in northeast Syria, a Turkish unmanned drone was shot down by a U.S. F-16 fighter jet in proximity to U.S. troops, reflecting the volatile situation in that region.

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U.S. shoots down Turkish drone approaching U.S. troops in Syria

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:43, October 07, 2023

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Defense said Thursday that the U.S. military shot down an armed Turkish drone as it came in proximity to U.S. forces in Syria earlier in the day.

Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said during a press briefing that U.S. commanders assessed that a Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flew "less than a half kilometer from U.S. forces" based in Syria.

U.S. F-16 fighters subsequently shot down the UAV "in self-defense" as the drone was deemed "a potential threat," Ryder said, adding that the Pentagon had "no indication that TArkiye was intentionally targeting U.S. forces."

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler to discuss the incident.

According to a readout of the phone call provided by Ryder, Austin urged his Turkish counterpart to commit to "de-escalation in northern Syria," stressing "the importance of maintaining strict adherence to de-confliction protocols and communication through established military-to-military channels."

"The Secretary acknowledged TArkiye's legitimate security concerns and affirmed his commitment to close coordination between the United States and TArkiye to prevent any risk to U.S. forces," the readout said.

The incident marked a rare use of force by the United States against one of its allies within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Adding to the controversy of the shootdown is the fact that Washington not only counts on Ankara to help defeat the Islamic State extremist group in the Middle East but also relies on TArkiye's approval to bring Sweden into NATO in the wake of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Turkish air force carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Kurdish militia positions in northern and eastern Syria on Thursday, hitting 24 targets and causing 15 casualties among the Kurdish fighters.

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An Omaha man was found guilty Wednesday of four felonies for firing multiple shots into an active-shooting situation from a nearby parking lot.

Kiwan Dampeer, 26, was found guilty of firing two shots into the carnage of an active shooting that killed a 20-year-old woman and injured eight others during a birthday party near 33rd Street and Ames Avenue last November. His motive for doing so remains unclear.

The shots that Dampeer fired are not believed to have hit anyone. Dampeer is a convicted felon on federal marijuana and firearm offenses. He had been released from prison just two months before the shooting and was on federal supervised release at the time.

The bench trial, meaning there was no jury and the judge was solely responsible for determining guilt or innocence, took days and was held in front of Douglas County District Judge Russell Bowie last month. On Wednesday, Bowie found Dampeer guilty on all charges: discharging a firearm at an occupied building; possessing a firearm on school grounds; possessing a firearm as a felon; and using a firearm to commit a felony.

According to court records and in-court testimony:

Shortly after 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, shots rang out inside a multipurpose building where dozens of people were gathered for a birthday party. Nine people were shot, including 20-year-old Karly Wood, who was shot eight times and died of her injuries shortly after being transported to the hospital.

As the investigation into the shooting unfolded, detectives came to believe that shots were fired both inside the building, which led to the injuries, and from outside. Bullet holes were noted in a garage door at the back of the building, and two shell casings were found in the parking lot of nearby Skinner Elementary School.

Video footage from the school showed a man standing in the parking lot and pointing a handgun toward the back of the Ames Avenue building. Video from inside the buildings garage showed the garage door vibrating at the same time that the man was seen pointing the gun in the parking lot.

Though the footage was dark and grainy, OPD homicide detective Jaime Desautels sent photos of the man seen firing into the building to colleagues in the Omaha Police Departments gang unit. Multiple officers identified the man as Dampeer.
DPP's Lai eyes security cooperation with Japan amid Chinese threats

ROC Central News Agency

10/06/2023 01:48 PM

Tokyo, Oct. 6 (CNA) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te () has called for more "security cooperation" with Japan to better ensure the stability of the region as it faces an increasingly assertive China.

Lai, who is also Taiwan's vice president, said in an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK on Thursday that Taiwan and Japan should "work together in every possible way" as they are both on the frontline of "Chinese threats."

China's efforts to expand its influence have led to tensions in the Indo-Pacific, Lai said, adding that he looked forward to seeing Taiwan and Japan engage in necessary and plausible security cooperation to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The vice president, however, did not elaborate on what he thinks such cooperation should entail.

But he went so far as to say that a Chinese annexation of Taiwan would have a heavy toll on Japan, given the country's proximity to the Taiwan Strait.

In the face of China's military threats, Taiwan should be prepared for the worst scenario, Lai said.

He emphasized the need for Taiwan to continue boosting its defense capability while also calling for unity among democratic countries, saying this approach would reduce the risk of China launching an invasion of Taiwan.

At the same time, Lai pledged to direct his attention to preventing war and promoting cross-strait stability, noting that he was open to engaging in dialogue with China's leader Xi Jinping () provided that both parties show respect for one another and speak as equals.

Such talks should not include Taipei ceding the country's sovereignty to Beijing, Lai said, adding Taiwan's sovereignty and the democratic system were not up for discussion.

Lai's talks with NHK -- his first interview with Japanese media after being nominated by the ruling DDP to run for president in January next year -- reflected his pledge to continue President Tsai Ing-wen's () policy regarding China.

Over the past seven years, the Tsai administration has tried to strengthen Taiwan's defense and has sought alliances with other democracies to deter China.

The president has also expressed, on multiple occasions, her willingness to engage in dialogue with Xi, but so far that has failed to come to fruition.

Security matters aside, Lai also expressed hope for the development of a "comprehensive" relationship with Japan during the interview.

In particular, the DPP candidate pointed out tourism, trade and investment, and hydrogen energy as potential areas for collaboration.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, on Thursday, Lai said the presidential election for Taiwan can be characterized as a choice between democracy and authoritarianism rather than one between war and peace.

Taiwan must decide whether to continue on the path of democracy, further strengthening Taiwan, or to accept a "one China" principle and revert to the old path of authoritarianism, Lai said, according to the transcript of the interview provided by the DPP.

Lai said the three main opposition candidates -- the Kuomintang's Hou Yu-ih (), the Taiwan People's Party's Ko Wen-je () and independent Terry Gou () -- were agreeable to China's "one China" principle, either directly or indirectly.

The "one China" principle asserted by China, the main element of which being Taiwan is a part of China, is not aligned with Taiwan's mainstream public opinion, Lai noted.

Lai expressed his willingness to engage with China as long as it is based on equality and dignity, adding that the two sides should cooperate with each other in coping with common challenges, such as natural disasters and infectious diseases.

Additionally, Lai hoped Japan and Taiwan could strengthen their regional security cooperation because doing so would not only benefit Japan's security but also contribute to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region.

If Taiwan were to be invaded and annexed by China, with the Taiwan Strait becoming China's internal waters, it would inevitably pose a threat to Japan, Lai said.

(By Yang Ming-chu, Teng Pei-ju and Shih Hsiu-chuan)

Enditem/kb







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Secretary Blinken's Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

October 6, 2023

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister underscored that the United States and TArkiye share a common objective of defeating terrorist threats. Regardless of where the threats are basedain Syria, Iraq, or elsewhereathey undermine the security of the United States, TArkiye, and our Allies. The Secretary highlighted the need to coordinate and deconflict our activities.



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PM call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada: 6 October 2023

The Prime Minister spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this evening.

6 October 2023

The Prime Minister spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this evening.

Prime Minister Trudeau updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK's position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

He hoped to see a de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps.

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New A88 million sensing equipment to protect UK Armed Forces

New technology with capability to detect, identify and monitor the presence of toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents to be operational by 2028.

6 October 2023

UK Armed Forces personnel will be better protected on the battlefield through world-leading chemical detection sensors, under an A88 million contract announced today.

Led by Strategic Command alongside a pan-defence team, thousands of personnel across the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will benefit from wearable personal chemical agent sensors, ensuring they can detect dozens of toxic chemical threats and take immediate action to protect themselves and others.

It will be a first of its kind for UK Armed Forces, as the wearable sensor will be able to detect multiple chemical threats from both vapours and aerosol - different ways in which chemical threats can be dispersed and affect an individual.

Under the contract, UK company Smiths Detection will develop three next-generation chemical sensor products for the MOD, to be operational by 2028. They are:

Wearable personal chemical agent sensor - a device that continually monitors the environment around the user.

Survey chemical agent sensor - a portable device to check potentially hazardous areas or surfaces.

Remote capable, standoff chemical sensor - an enhanced sensor for use in fixed locations.

As new hazards emerge in the future, the equipment can be continually updated and improved, identifying a greater range of chemical threat coverage.

Supporting hundreds of skilled people at Smiths Detection and creating around a dozen new jobs at their Hemel Hempstead site, the contract boosts the Prime Minister's priority of growing the UK economy. The company sources components and services from numerous UK suppliers, bolstering the UK manufacturing industry, and investing in British production capability.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge said:

It's vital we protect our Service Personnel, and this cutting-edge technology is so important to reduce the threat posed by toxic chemicals across a range of environments globally.

Not only is it an impressive piece of equipment that will be designed and manufactured here in the UK, but the ability for it to be continually developed and improved is exactly how we want Defence procurement to be - deliverable, effective and ambitious.

Smiths Detection President, Roland Carter said:

We're honoured to have been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence to supply this next-generation technology. Since our business inception, nearly 70 years ago, we have been designing, developing, manufacturing, and servicing chemical sensing technology. This technology protects defence forces, including the UK MoD, and communities from known and emerging threats.

This award is testament to our leading technology and the knowledge, commitment and ingenuity of the people in our organisation who everyday help to make the world a safer place.

Sensing chemical threats is a fundamental part of the UK's Counter-Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear capability. The contract, placed by the UK MOD's procurement arm Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and supported by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), will encompass the development, manufacture, and initial in-service support for the programme.

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Statement from Foreign Minister Huitfeldt on Russia's attack in Hroza

Government of Norway

News story | Date: 05/10/2023

'Russia's horrendous attack in Hroza is yet another demonstration of their complete lack of respect for civilian lives, international law and the UN charter. Each of these attacks must be condemned and Russia must be held responsible', said Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt.



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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

05.10.2023

On 5 October at around 10.30 p.m., the Russian Armed Forces have foiled another attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by fixed-wing UAVs at facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation.

One Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by alerted air defence systems over Belgorod region.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

05.10.2023

On 5 October at around 8.30 p.m., the Russian Armed Forces have foiled another attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by fixed-wing UAVs at facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation.

One Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by alerted air defence systems over Kursk region.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

05.10.2023

On 5 October at around 3.00 p.m., the Russian Armed Forces have foiled another attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by fixed-wing UAVs at facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation. One Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by alerted air defence systems over Bryansk region.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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New military support package to Ukraine

Government Offices of Sweden - Ministry of Defence

06 October 2023

The Government today adopted a proposal for an additional amending budget containing a new support package to Ukraine. The package, which is the fourteenth of its kind, includes artillery shells, spare parts, infantry equipment, communication equipment and Combat Vehicle 90 ammunition, worth around SEK 1.7 billion. The main part of the package regards ammunition and spare parts. In addition, the Government plans to adopt additional measures to supplement the direct materiel support, meaning that this support package will be worth a total of around SEK 2.2 billion. The Government also presented an assignment to the Swedish Armed Forces to analyse and report on the conditions for strengthening Ukraine through JAS 39 Gripen.

Russia's war in Ukraine continues mercilessly and Ukraine has requested support in the form of ammunition, spare parts, infantry equipment, etc., and also a modern combat aircraft system.

The Government has continuously assessed the conditions for Sweden's support to Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden has donated equipment worth over SEK 20 billion via thirteen military support packages.

With this fourteenth package, Sweden will have donated materiel worth around SEK 22.2 billion.

Ammunition

The Ukrainian armed forces have a huge need for artillery ammunition. In this package, 155 mm artillery shells, are proposed to be donated to Ukraine. These are shells of the calibre used in many of the donated western artillery systems.

Spare parts and ammunition

Spare parts and ammunition for example for Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90) were donated to Ukraine in the thirteenth government support package. Now the government proposes additional spare parts and ammunition to be donated.

Infantry equipment

Sweden will donate infantry equipment in the form of body shields and assault rifles. Unit equipment such as four-wheel all-terrain vehicles, stretchers, night-vision scopes and goggles and winter equipment will also be donated.

Communication equipment

Ukraine has also requested equipment to help maintain connections over long distances. The support package therefore includes audio, video and data satellite communication equipment.

Other parts of the support package

In addition to the equipment mentioned in the bill, the Government also plans to decide on an extension of Sweden's contribution to the British led Interflex and the Nordic explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) training operation to 2024. Basic training operation Interflex aims to train 30 000 Ukrainian recruits per quarter, and Sweden intends to continue to provide a maximum of 120 instructors in 2024. The EOD training is taking place in Lithuania, training Ukrainian officers in mine clearance with a view to them qualifying as instructors in their own units. Sweden's contribution will remain a maximum of five instructors as part of the multilateral training staff. In addition to these training operations, the plans are for the Swedish Armed Forces to be given expanded possibilities to provide training to Ukrainian personnel in Sweden at short notice. The Government is also planning to donate the subscription fees for the donated satellite systems.

Swedish Armed Forces assignment regarding JAS 39 Gripen

The Government is tasking the Swedish Armed Forces, supported by the Defence Materiel Administration, with thoroughly analysing and reporting on the conditions for possible support to Ukraine in the form of combat aircraft. The report will include the impact on defence capabilities, defence economy and other defence activities and planning.

An important factor in this analysis is the JAS 39 Gripen orientation training that Ukrainian pilots and ground staff completed under the direction of the Swedish Armed Forces.

The Swedish Armed Forces must also report on the conditions for possible support within the international F-16s coalition, which includes Sweden.

Support in the form of JAS 39 Gripen would be conditional on Sweden first becoming a member of NATO.

The report must be submitted by 6 November when the Supreme Commander delivers his military recommendations.

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As Crimea Increasingly Becomes A War Zone, Russian-Installed Authorities Clamp Down On Social Media Posts

By RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities October 06, 2023

On September 22, Ukraine carried out a deadly drone strike targeting the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in the center of the Crimean port city of Sevastopol. Local retiree Olena Nikolaychuk by chance caught the explosions and the immediate aftermath on video as she walked through the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city.

She shared the video with some friends, and eventually it made its way to social media. The video was then used by numerous Ukrainian and international media outlets covering the audacious attack, which reportedly killed or wounded dozens of officers.

Two weeks later, Nikolaychuk appeared in a video on a pro-Russian Telegram channel in which she apologized for her "actions."

"I regret what I did and think it was wrong," she says, sitting alone against a wall and speaking monotonously. "Believe me when I say I will never do this again. I don't need such problems at my age, such unpleasantness. Forgive me."

"The extent of her guilt will be determined by the comrade major," the text accompanying the video reads, using the channel's nickname for its own activists.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Russia invaded and occupied in 2014, has increasingly seen attacks targeting Russian military supply lines and the Black Sea Fleet. The Russian-installed occupation authorities have repeatedly warned people against posting on social media about attacks, the effects of which official media routinely minimize.

"Remember that posting videos of military facilities or critical infrastructure helps the enemy," Oleh Kryuchkov, an aide to the head of the occupation administration in Crimea, posted on Telegram in July, adding that citizens should identify people who do such things to the security agencies.

"Repentance" videos like Nikolaychuk's -- which may be the result of threats or other coercion -- are increasingly being used to drive home these warnings. It echoes the Stalin-era practice of forcing political prisoners, often through torture, to publicly confess their misdeeds at stage-managed show trials.

The Telegram channel that published Nikolaychuk's video is called Crimean SMERSH, using a Stalin-era portmanteau for the Russian phrase "Death to spies," and bills its posts as "official statements from the law-enforcement organs." It regularly posts real-time videos of law-enforcement raids.

"A register of Russophobes, Ukrainian nationalists, and traitors to the motherland," the channel's description reads.

RFE/RL was not able to contact Nikolaychuk. An inactive social media account under her name contains only one photograph from 2015. Neither the police nor the Federal Security Service (FSB) have issued any statements about her or the Crimean SMERSH video.

On October 6, Crimean SMERSH published a video of a man identified as Ivan Ivanov apologizing to a truckload of Russian soldiers for allegedly shouting the slogan "Glory to Ukraine!" in Ukrainian. At one point, a person off camera kicks him when he is too slow to state exactly what he is apologizing for. The accompanying text claims the man requested that "comrade major undertake his reeducation."

On August 11, the Telegram channel posted a video purporting to show a woman from the Crimean city of Yalta who allegedly posted photos of pro-Ukrainian yellow ribbons placed around Sevastopol. In the video, she apologizes, says she was "led astray," and promises it would never happen again. The text below the video says she had been "found and de-Nazified" -- a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin's false claim that Ukraine is permeated by Nazism.

On July 22, a Ukrainian drone attack struck a Russian military airfield near the Crimean settlement of Oktyabrske. The same day, amateur video of the aftermath of the attack appeared on YouTube.

The following day, Crimean SMERSH published a video of two local men, identified as Vitaliy Lopatko and Serhiy Tarasenko, apologizing for making the videos. Lopatko apologized for "offending those who are defending us" and advised others not to follow his example.

It is impossible to ascertain the circumstances under which these videos were made, but others who have been similarly filmed by the Russian-imposed authorities in Crimea have said they were coerced.

In March, Bohdan Ziza, a resident of the Crimean city of Yevpatoriya, told RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities that FSB agents had forced him to record a repentance video, which was shown on state-controlled local television. He was accused of throwing yellow and blue paint on the faAade of the local administration building in an apparent pro-Ukrainian gesture and charged with terrorism.

"There are at least five versions of my 'apology' video," he said. "The first was used by the media, a second was made for my case file, and there were several other rejected takes. They were filmed directly by the FSB officers. First they calmly tell everything you have to say on camera. But when you refuse, they begin threatening you."

After the first video was recorded, Ziza said, the officers sent it to their superior officers for review. He was then forced to make a second video because, he said, the officers felt he "wasn't sufficiently sincere" in the first one.

"I deliberately didn't show any emotion, so they beat me again," Ziza recalled. "The text was constantly changing. First, I needed to apologize to the Russian Army and then, to Putin personally. In the end, they realized the latter part wasn't necessary."

Ziza said that, in his experience, "almost every political prisoner in Crimea is subjected to beatings and torture."

RFE/RL's Robert Coalson contributed to this report.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-crimea-russia-social- media-/32626427.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Seventeen months after suing to block the board of directors at University Village, an upscale retirement home west of Charlottesville, from beginning construction on a third phase, Phase II homeowner Daniel Lavering found himself hiring an appeals lawyer after a judge tossed his suit Monday.

I have retained Jim Knicely of Williamsburg, an experienced appellate attorney who has appeared before the Virginia Supreme Court in several cases, to handle my appeal to the Virginia Court of Appeals, Lavering told The Daily Progress in a morning-after email.

The hiring came after Albemarle County Circuit Judge Cheryl Higgins granted the partial summary judgment sought by the board. The judges ruling appears to let the board move forward with the permission of just 75% of the owners  and not 100% as Lavering had alleged they would need  to grow the green-roofed structure at the crest of a hill off Old Ivy Road.

It would make no sense to the court, said Higgins, that a board of a unit ownership association would be so limited.

Laverings lawyer had argued that the board lost its right to expand the facility just seven years after the developer filed the inception papers in 1991. However, Higgins ruled that only the original developer was bound by that seven-year deadline.

There is no time limit, said Higgins. It can be extended by whatever entity is now the controlling entity of the property.

Delivering her ruling after a 75-minute hearing and a 45-minute recess to ponder the situation, Higgins found that Laverings lawyer, John Simpson, was too narrowly interpreting the controlling state law when he focused on the rights of the declarant.

Who is defined as a declarant? rhetorically asked Higgins, who went on to assert that the declarant was University Village Inc., the business that initially developed the 28-acre property. By contrast, said Higgins, the suits defendant was a nonstock, nonprofit corporation called University Village Owners Association.

The judge gave a very careful ruling that was consistent with the law, the associations lawyer, Falls Church-based Marla J. Diaz, told the The Daily Progress as she emerged from the Albemarle County Courthouse.

Lavering had alleged that expanding University Village from its current size of 94 two-bedroom condominiums would harm the marketability of his condo unit and dilute his stake in the common elements.

Left unsaid in his complaint was that many of the condos in these two six-story, brick-skinned wings would lose a portion of their panorama if the planned third wing were built. Also left unsaid in the primarily legal theory-laden hearing was that a residents golden years might be diminished by a construction project happening beside their half-million-dollar condo.

Charlottesville real estate attorney Cheri Lewis, who has a speciality in condominium law, says shes looking forward to seeing what happens in the appeal.

The ruling in this case is of particular interest because the Virginia Condominium Act only authorizes a condominium to expand in accordance with its Declaration or official governing document, she wrote to The Daily Progress in an email.

Like Lavering, Lewis takes issue with the judges ruling.

University Villages Declaration clearly gives that right only to the declarant/developer and not to the owners or the Association, Lewis wrote. And the Declaration is clear that the time period to expand was limited to seven years.
Russia Will Target Ukraine's Power Grid Again, Zelenskiy Says As Deadly Strikes Hit Kharkiv Region

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service October 06, 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned Russia will try in the coming winter to destroy Ukraine's power grid as it did during the last cold season, leaving thousands of Ukrainian civilians to face freezing temperatures.

Zelenskiy said on October 6 that he discussed preparations to protect heating facilities and the provision of electricity to the population during a meeting with the staff of the supreme commander in chief.

During the previous cold season Russia targeted Ukraine's power grid and energy facilities, knocking out electrical power to tens of thousands of people at a time.

"Such crazy logic, but we have to take this into account. This winter, Russian terrorists will again try to destroy our power system. We are fully aware of the danger," he said.

Representatives of the military and all officials responsible for the protection of Ukraine's energy industry and winter tactics reported during the meeting, Zelenskiy said.

"Winning this winter, going through all the difficulties, and giving protection to our people is very important," he said.

Earlier on October 6, Russia launched a fresh attack on Kharkiv, killing at least two people, including one child, regional officials said as the northeastern Ukrainian region mourned dozens of people killed in a Russian strike on the village of Hroza the previous day.

One 10-year-old boy and his 68-year-old grandmother were killed while 28 people were wounded in the city of Kharkiv overnight, Mayor Ihor Terekhov and regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on October 6.

The boy's 11-month-old brother is among those wounded, Synyehubov added.

"The child was found under the rubble of a residential building. Unfortunately dead. Condolences to the parents and relatives," Terekhov wrote on Telegram.

Synyehubov said on Telegram that according to preliminary findings, two Iskander missiles hit the Kyiv and Osnovyan districts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million people. His claim could not be independently verified.

The latest attack came as the Kharkiv region observed a three-day mourning period after the Russian missile strike the previous day that ripped through a cafe in Hroza, a village some 85 kilometers southeast of Kharkiv, killing at least 51 people, including a child, in what was this year's deadliest attack by Moscow forces on Ukrainian civilians.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on October 6 said it had sent a field team to probe the attack on Hroza.

"The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, who saw for himself the horrific impact of such strikes, is profoundly shocked and condemns these killings," OHCHR spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell told reporters in Geneva.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the strike was a "deliberate terrorist attack," while the White House called the assault "incredibly horrifying for the people of Ukraine" and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanded that such attacks be halted immediately.

Separately, Russian shelling killed two civilians over the 24-hour period ending early on October 6 in the southern region of Kherson, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Ukraine's air defense said early on October 6 that it shot down 25 out of the 33 Iranian-made drones launched by Russia overnight on the Odesa, Mykolayiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions.

Oleh Kiper, the governor of the Odesa region, said on Telegram that Izmayil, one of the two Danube ports that Ukraine uses to export grain, was targeted by Russian drones that caused damage to port installations.

"The enemy once again targeted the port infrastructure of the Izmayil district," Kiper wrote on Telegram, adding, "a granary and nine trucks were damaged." Kiper said three Iranian-made drones were shot down by the Ukrainian air defenses. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The attack prompted authorities in NATO-member Romania to shut down the Isaccea border crossing with Ukraine. Isaccea is located some 50 kilometers away from Izmayil.

On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces fought 37 close-quarter battles with Russian troops over the past day as they continue to conduct both offensive and defensive operations in eastern and southern Ukraine, the General Staff said in its daily report on October 6.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine- kharkiv-fresh-shelling/32625602.html

Copyright (c) 2023. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukraine Lost Over 1,745 Military in Donetsk Direction in Past Week - MoD

Sputnik News

20231006

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine has lost more than 1,745 military both killed and injured over the past week in the Donetsk direction, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

From September 29 to October 6, the Russian armed forces have repelled 34 attacks by Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk direction, 11 attacks in the South Donetsk direction, four attacks in the Kupyansk direction, and two in the Zaporozhye direction, the ministry said.

"Over the past week, in this [Donetsk] direction, units of the Southern group repelled 34 attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces. As a result of the fighting, the enemy lost more than 1,745 Ukrainian military personnel killed and wounded, 18 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 27 vehicles, 13 field artillery guns, and the Grad MLRS combat vehicle," the ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine has also lost more than 755 military in the South Donetsk direction, over 430 military in the Krasny Liman direction, more than 405 military in the Kupyansk direction, over 320 military in the Zaporozhye direction, and up to 235 military in the Kherson direction over the past week, the statement read.

A Sputnik

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Russian Air Defenses Strike Down Multiple Ukrainian Drones Over Belgorod Region

Sputnik News

20231006

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian air defenses destroyed five Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"On October 5, at about 11:30 p.m. Moscow time, an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles on facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped. Air defense systems on duty destroyed five Ukrainian UAVs over the Belgorod region," the ministry said.

On Thursday evening, the Defense Ministry already reported two downed Ukrainian drones.

Earlier efforts by the Kiev regime were also thwarted by Russian forces in the Belgorod region, with officials having downed some six drones.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that its air defense systems had destroyed a Ukrainian drone over Belgorod Region at about 10:30 p.m. local time.

"Our air defense system had downed six drones over Belgorod and Belgorod Region. Preliminary, there are no casualties. Response teams are clarifying information about the consequences on the ground," Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram at the time.

Overnight Friday, reports citing preliminary findings detailed that Russian forces were also working to repel an attack by Ukrainian drone boats in Sevastopol, according to city governor Mikhail Razvozhayev.

Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russia's Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk regions with drones over the past few months. On Wednesday alone, Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 31 Ukrainian drones over the country's territory overnight.

A Sputnik

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Appalling attacks on Hroza and Kharkiv: UK statement to the OSCE

Ambassador Neil Holland says Russia's latest attacks against Ukraine demonstrate the depths of depravity Russian forces are willing to sink to.

6 October 2023

Thank you, Mr Chair. When we met yesterday many of us spoke of Russia's appalling attacks on civilians in Ukraine. We spoke of our concerns for the approaching winter and our determination to support Ukraine to succeed and prevail in the face of Russia's aggression. It turned out that, even as we gathered in this room, Russia was instigating further unspeakable attacks in which civilians would bear the brunt of this horror.

The village of Hroza has been added to the growing list of places which many of us have come to know for all the wrong reasons. Yesterday afternoon, in this small community, a cafA and grocery store were destroyed, killing at least 51 people including a child.

We understand that there is no family from Hroza left untouched by this horrific attack. As my Prime Minister said this attack has "demonstrated the depths of depravity Russian forces are willing to sink to." Those responsible for such an abhorrent attack will face justice. To this end, we welcome the deployment of a field team by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate the attack.

In the early hours of this morning, the city of Kharkiv was dealt another brutal attack, this time on the city itself. It is reported that a 10-year-old boy was killed when a residential building was hit and more than 20 people were injured.

The UK is appalled by the barbaric killing of civilians including children. Our thoughts are with the victims' families and loved ones at this harrowing time.

The UK and our international partners have met too many times in this room, to condemn Russia's latest atrocities. We cannot allow such actions to become acceptable or normal. Each time we meet reinforces our strong commitment that those responsible will be held accountable. The UK remains unwavering in its support for the people of Ukraine, as they resist Russia's brutal and unprovoked invasion. We are fully committed to working with our partners to support Ukraine to achieve a long lasting and sustainable peace in line with the UN Charter.

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Andriy Yermak had a phone call with National Security Advisor to Prime Minister of India

President of Ukraine

6 October 2023 - 21:01

On the instructions of the Head of State, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a phone call with National Security Advisor on to the Prime Minister of the Republic of India Ajit Kumar Doval.

Andriy Yermak informed his interlocutor about the current security situation, including the recent terrorist acts by Russia that resulted in the loss of a significant number of Ukrainian civilians.

The head of the Office of the President also reported on the preparation for the upcoming third meeting of national security advisors, which will focus on the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula and the organization of the Global Peace Summit. He said that the Ukrainian side has already held nine thematic meetings at the ambassadorial level dedicated to specific points of the Peace Formula, and with each meeting, the circle of participants is expanding, including countries from the Global South.

The conversation also touched upon the importance of intensifying contacts at the level of defense ministers of the two countries.

The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and the advisor to the Prime Minister of India agreed to continue the dialogue and coordinate positions on important international agenda items.

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To win this winter, overcome all difficulties, and provide protection to our people is crucial - address of the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

6 October 2023 - 19:57

I wish you good health, dear Ukrainians!

I have just chaired a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff. Lengthy, with several key issues.

First, of course, the front. The situation on the main fronts, reports from commanders, ammunition supply, and air defense.

The second issue of the Staff meeting directly related to our defense, the resilience of our state.

Energy. Preparing for winter, protecting our generation facilities, ensuring electricity and heat, and restoring everything damaged by Russian strikes and military actions.

The current leadership of Russia always does what it has done before. They repeat all their mistakes. They repeat all the evil they have done. And when things don't go their way, they think they haven't done enough evil to succeed. Such insane logic. But we must take this into account. This winter, Russian terrorists will once again try to destroy our energy system. They cannot comprehend that Ukraine will not be subjugated anyway. But they will try to launch more attacks and more attempts to bypass our defenses.

We fully understand the danger.

Today, at the Staff meeting, there were reports from the military and all officials responsible for the defense of our energy and our winter passing strategy. This included the reports of the head of government, ministers, leaders of energy companies, representatives of the communications sector, and regional administration heads. Everything related to the physical protection of facilities, rebuilding, following orders, and the course of action in case of various emergencies. Winning this winter, overcoming all difficulties, and providing protection to our people is crucial. And, by the way, local authorities must fully perform their preparatory work. Next week, we will assess the current state of winter preparedness in the regions.

We are taking further steps to strengthen our air defense and cooperate with partners to ensure the resilience of Ukrainian energy. This week has already seen significant reinforcement.

Germany - we are working with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on transferring another Patriot battery to Ukraine. This will be a significant enhancement.

Italy - I discussed with Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister, the content of a new security package for our country. Thank you!

Spain - in negotiations with Mr. SAnchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, we not only agreed on additional Hawk air defense systems but also on support for energy equipment. Thank you!

The United Kingdom - we have a very good agreement with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak regarding security in the Black Sea and Odesa region. It's important that we don't waste time and opportunities for export work. Ukraine must maintain its role as a guarantor of global food security and retain maritime access to the world market. I thank the UK for this support.

And, of course, President Emmanuel Macron of France is doing exactly what we agreed on for greater security in Ukraine and all of Europe. There are significant results and new opportunities for our warriors. But as for the details, a bit later.

Today, we also have a decision on a new package from the Netherlands, totaling over EUR 100 million, and this package focuses specifically on supporting our energy system. Shortly, we will discuss our next steps with Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Thank you!

We are also working fruitfully with the European Union. It is important for us from all perspectives to start negotiations on EU membership this year. Ukraine has almost fulfilled the seven recommendations of the European Commission, and everything will be ready from our side. The Verkhovna Rada has one step left, and it is crucial for the deputies to take that step.

The EU for Ukraine is not just economic security and a significant contribution to resolving the geopolitical stability issue. It's also motivation. Motivation for us, for our warriors, for our entire nation. Motivation to fight, to be resilient, to overcome this winter, and to achieve our national goals despite any Russian terror.

And one more thing.

Kharkiv region... Yesterday, a brutal strike hit a village in Kupiansk district. 51 casualties. The fate of three more people is still unknown. This morning, a Russian strike hit Kharkiv, right in the city, hitting ordinary buildings with a missile. Two casualties, and they were from the same family. A 10-year-old boy and his grandmother. The younger brother of the boy, who is only 11 months old, and their parents are in the hospital. My condolences to everyone whose loved ones and relatives have been killed by Russia...

Yesterday and today, leaders of states and many foreign affairs ministers expressed their condolences and condemned Russian terror. I am grateful to everyone who doesn't remain indifferent. Only together, in unity, can we overcome terror. And we will do it. States, leaders, and nations.

Many journalists, public figures, and ordinary people have supported us now and continue to support us throughout this war. Ukraine highly values every display of support, every manifestation of solidarity with us. Our victory over Russian terror will be a shared victory of all people in the world who, like Ukrainians, believe that evil and hatred must always be defeated. Always! This must be an unshakable global rule. And it will be.

Glory to our warriors! Glory to all who defend humanity and people!

Glory to Ukraine!

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Russian Attack Kills 10-Year-Old and His Grandmother in Ukraine

By VOA News October 06, 2023

A Russian missile strike killed a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother Friday in Kharkiv, in the same region that was hit with an attack Thursday. Officials say an 11-month-old child was injured in the strike.

On Thursday, Ukrainian officials bitterly condemned a Russian attack that blew apart a cafA where a wake was being held, killing at least 51 people, including a child.

The Associated Press reported that after the attack in the eastern village of Hroza, "body parts were strewn across a nearby children's playground that was severely damaged by the strike."

Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Syniehubov told the BBC, "One-fifth of this village has died in a single terrorist attack."

"Today, Russian terrorists launched an attack that one can't even call 'beastly,'" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday night in his daily address, "because it would be an insult to beasts."

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the BBC that the attack on Hroza "demonstrated the depths of depravity Russian forces are willing to sink to."

The wake was being held for a soldier from Hroza who died last year. He was being reburied in his hometown.

Officials posted footage on the Telegram messaging app of rescue workers clambering through smoldering rubble. Bodies lay alongside slabs of concrete and twisted metal.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's military said Thursday it destroyed 24 of 29 drones launched by Russian forces directed at the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirohovrad regions.

The Hroza attack occurred as Zelenskyy was in Spain lobbying Western allies at a summit of about 50 European leaders for more military assistance to thwart Russia's invasion.

Zelenskyy said in his daily address that there are now "clear agreements" with his European allies for more air defense systems which are "crucial as we approach winter." He also said there are deals for more artillery and more long-range weapons.

Russia targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure last winter, leading to widespread power outages, effectively an attempt to demoralize Ukrainians during the coldest and darkest months of the year. Over time, the infrastructure was restored, but now Ukraine fears more infrastructure attacks are in the offing as winter approaches.

"The main challenge that we have is to save unity in Europe," Zelenskyy told reporters as he arrived for talks in Granada.

Zelenskyy said it is important for Ukraine to have a "defending shield for the winter" with Russia expected to carry out many attacks with missiles and Iranian drones.

He also cited what he said was 100% support from U.S. President Joe Biden as well as bipartisan support from the U.S. Congress, days after a short-term funding deal that excluded additional aid for Ukraine.

Biden called key Western allies on Tuesday to reassure them of continued American military support for Ukraine after a group of congressional Republicans forced the exclusion of immediate new funding for Kyiv.

The White House said Biden spoke with the leaders of Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Britain, and of the European Union and NATO, along with the foreign minister of France.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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UN To Investigate Attack on Ukrainian Village of Hroza

By VOA News October 06, 2023

A team of eight human rights monitors, including the head of the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, has left for the small village of Hroza in northeastern Ukraine, the site of an apparent Russian missile attack Thursday that killed at least 52 people and injured several others.

The team will arrive Saturday to gather information and collect possible evidence of gross violations of international humanitarian and human rights law that might amount to war crimes.

"According to local authorities, 52 people were killed when what appeared to be a Russian missile struck a cafe in the village, where people had gathered for a wake," said Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"The appalling scenes from the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine underscore once again the terrible price civilians are paying 20 months after Russia's invasion," she said.

Throssell noted that so far colleagues in the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine have established the names of 35 people who were killed.

They include 19 women, 15 men, an eight-year-old boy and the names of five women and one man who were injured. According to authorities, Throssell said, "One Ukrainian soldier who was attending his father's funeral was among those killed."

"What is clear is that the strike is one of the deadliest since 24 February 2022, but of course it is far from being the only one," she said. "The appalling scenes from the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine underscore once again the terrible price civilians are paying 20 months after Russia's invasion."

This is borne out in a U.N. report published Wednesday on the human rights situation in Ukraine.

The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country observed that "civilians continue to pay a horrendous price in the war in Ukraine, with nearly 10,000 dead and tens of thousands injured since conflict began in February 2022."

Danielle Bell, the mission's head, noted that "in just six months covered by this report, more than 1,000 civilians died and nearly four thousand were injured."

Spokesperson Throssell said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker TArk is profoundly shocked by the horrific impact of such strikes and condemns the killings.

"He has deployed a field team to the site to speak to survivors and gather more information," she said, noting the importance of having people on the ground "piecing together information that will allow them to establish more about what actually occurred in this village."

She said she did not know whether there were any military targets in the area.

"That is something that we cannot really establish right now. But I think what is clear is that this was a village, with a small community," said Throssell.

"Before the Russian invasion, the village's population was about 300. It is not clear how many residents were still living there, but with the high number of people killed, everybody in this small community has been affected," she said.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs or OCHA said Denise Brown, the humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, was also traveling to Hroza.

"She also condemned this horrific attack that caused significant death and damage to the village of Hroza," said Jens Laerke, OCHA deputy spokesperson. "She is on her way to the location...to see for herself what has happened and what kind of support the U.N. humanitarian system and our partners can provide.

"We know already that yesterday; some NGOs were able to get there. Other agencies, NGOs, and U.N. agencies are mobilizing relief to get it there. I am told that that includes things such as non-food items, shelter maintenance kits, cash, hygiene materials as well as mental health and psycho-social support," said Laerke.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres strongly condemned the attack on the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.

"Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law and they must stop immediately," he said in a statement Thursday.

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Switching study conducted to evaluate whether switching from reference aflibercept to SB15 maintains comparable clinical efficacy and safety



Post-hoc analysis demonstrates biosimilarity between SB15 and reference aflibercept before and after switching

INCHEON, Korea, Oct. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. today announced that it presented a post-hoc analysis of the Phase 3 clinical study results for SB15, a proposed biosimilar to Eylea (aflibercept), at EURETINA 2023 being held from October 5 to 8 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

In this Phase 3, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group multicenter studyii, a total of 449 study participants were randomized 1:1 to receive 3 monthly intravitreal injections of either 2 mg SB15 or reference aflibercept (AFL) initially, followed by treatment once every 8 weeks up to week 48. The aim of the post-hoc analysis was to find out biosimilarity between SB15 and reference aflibercept.

This post-hoc analysis demonstrated that switching to SB15 from AFL maintained comparable clinical efficacy and safety in treating patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), confirming biosimilarity between these agents before and after switching.

The primary endpoint was change from baseline in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at week 8; all endpoints were followed through week 56. The efficacy and safety after switching were compared with that of prior to switching. A post-hoc analysis was conducted on efficacy endpoints including change in BCVA and central subfield thickness (CST), using data measured at time of re-randomization at week 32 prior to injection as the new baseline to compare clinical biosimilarity between SB15 and AFL post-switching (AFL/SB15 group vs AFL/AFL group).

We are pleased to present the switching data of SB15 from reference aflibercept that continues to demonstrate its comparable clinical efficacy and safety in treating patients with nAMD. We hope the study results also help allay concerns over safety and efficacy of biosimilars for their use in patients who were previously treated with reference product, said Hyejin Kim, Vice President and Medical and Lifecycle Safety Team Leader at Samsung Bioepis. We will continue to advance with our scientific research, publication and educational activities to bring more awareness of biosimilars among ophthalmologists, she added.

Samsung Bioepis and Biogen announced in November 2019 that they had entered into an exclusive commercialization agreement for two ophthalmology biosimilar candidates, SB11/BYOOVIZ (ranibizumab) and SB15 (aflibercept) in major markets around the world.

This post-hoc analysis provides valuable insights on the outcomes of switches from the reference biologic to SB15 and may help clinicians to make well informed decisions on potential use of SB15 if approved, said Mourad Farouk Rezk, Vice President and Head of Global Medical and Development, Biogen Biosimilars Unit.

SB15 switching data aside, Samsung Bioepis also showcased two other presentations at EURETINA and the details are as below:

Presentation Title Presentation Details Pre-to-Post Switching Efficacy and Safety Assessments of SB15 (Proposed Aflibercept Biosimilar) in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Findings from a Post-hoc Analysis of a Phase III Clinical Trial Session: Free Paper Session 13: AMD III

Date/Time: Oct 7 (Sat), 16:19-16:25 PM CEST

Abstract Number: CA23211

Authors: Srinivas Sadda, Se Joon Woo, Mario Bradvica, Attila Vajas, Min Sagong, Jan Ernest, Jan Studnicka, Miroslav Veith, Edward Wylegala, Sunil Patel, Cheolmin Yun, Inkyung Oh, Mercy Yeeun Kim, Hyerin Jang, Taehyung Kim, Seungkee Kim, Wooree Choi, Neil M. Bressler Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing SB15 with Reference Aflibercept in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: 56-Week Resultsiii



Session: AMD

Abstract Number: CA23305

Authors: Se Joon Woo, Srinivas Sadda, Mario Bradvica, Attila Vajas, Min Sagong, Jan Ernest, Jan Studnicka, Miroslav Veith, Edward Wylegala, Sunil Patel, Cheolmin Yun, Michal Orski, Sergei Astakhov, Edit Toth-Molnar, Adrienne Csutak, Lajos Enyedi, Taehyung Kim, Inkyung Oh, Hyerin Jang Immunogenicity with Ranibizumab Biosimilar SB11 (Byooviz) and Reference Product Lucentis and Association with Efficacy, Safety, and Pharmacokinetics: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Phase III Randomized Clinical Trialiv Session: AMD

Abstract Number: CA23250

Authors: Se Joon Woo, Mercy Yeeun Kim, Inkyung Oh, Taehyung Kim, Neil M. Bressler

SB15 Post-hoc Analysis

A total of 449 study participants were randomized 1:1 to receive 3 monthly 0.05 mL intravitreal injections of either 2 mg SB15 or AFL initially, followed by treatment once every 8 weeks up to week 48. At week 32, a total of 438 participants were re-randomized, resulting in 219 continuing SB15, 108 continuing AFL (AFL/AFL), and 111 switched from AFL to SB15 (AFL/SB15). 425 (97.0%) re-randomized participants completed the study up to week 56. The new baseline (W32; prior to re-randomization) characteristics were comparable between the continued (AFL/AFL) group and the switched (AFL/SB15) group. The efficacy was well-maintained post-switching as the mean BCVA letter score (~Snellen equivalent) was 65.3 (20/50) at Week 32 (pre-switching) and 65.8 (20/50) at Week 56 (post-switching) for the AFL/SB15 group compared with 65.2 (20/50) at Week 32 and 65.8 (20/50) at Week 56 within AFL/AFL group. Also, there was no difference in efficacy between the two groups post-switching as the least square (LS) mean for change from W32 in BCVA at week 56 for AFL/AFL was 0.0 letters and 0.2 letters for AFL/SB15 (difference: 0.3 [95% CI: -1.2, 1.8] letters). The LS mean for change from W32 in CST at week 56 for AFL/AFL was -13 m and for AFL/SB15 was -9 m (difference: 4 [95% CI: -7, 14] m). There were no additional safety signals identified and the immunogenicity profile was also similar after switching.

About Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd.

Established in 2012, Samsung Bioepis is a biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing healthcare that is accessible to everyone. Through innovations in product development and a firm commitment to quality, Samsung Bioepis aims to become the world's leading biopharmaceutical company. Samsung Bioepis continues to advance a broad pipeline of biosimilar candidates that cover a spectrum of therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology, ophthalmology, hematology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology. For more information, please visit: www.samsungbioepis.com and follow us on social media  Twitter, LinkedIn.

References

i Eylea is a trademark of Regeneron.

ii Srinivas R Sadda, Se Joon Woo, et al. Pre-to-Post Switching Efficacy and Safety Assessments of SB15 (Proposed Aflibercept Biosimilar) in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Findings from a Post-hoc Analysis of a Phase III Clinical Trial. Presentation Presented at EURETINA 2023.

iii The same study results were first presented at the 2023 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting (Apr 23-27, 2023).

iv The same analysis results were first presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2022 Annual Meeting (Sep 30-Oct 3, 2022) under the title Correlation Analysis between Immunogenicity and Clinical Outcomes of an Approved Ranibizumab Biosimilar, Byooviz (SB11) (Neil M Bressler, Se Joon Woo et al).
Charlottesville is on the verge of making a disastrous decision.

At least thats the prognosis of some local homeowners convinced that a divisive zoning proposal will irreparably harm the city they love.

What were going to get is increased density, increased traffic, increased infrastructure problems, increased taxes, increased gentrification, Philip Harway told The Daily Progress, predicting the citys future. Charlottesville will lose a lot of its charm.

Whats more, people like Harway believe the public is being duped.

When this whole thing started, this was sold to everybody as an affordable housing issue, Harway said. This isnt going to create a lot of affordable housing.

For several months now, a vocal group has been asking city leadership to reconsider the zoning proposal, arguing that it would produce deleterious effects without doing much to alleviate the citys housing crisis.

Academics, however, argue that zoning plans such as Charlottesvilles can be a meaningful step toward making housing more affordable.

Yet opponents have remained steadfast, tagged with unflattering labels such as NIMBY (Not in my backyard), old, privileged and racist.

Three of those opponents recently met with The Daily Progress, each armed with folders containing a trove of documents about the proposals perceived flaws, to clarify their stance.

There should be no reason that theres anybody in the city whos unhoused or unable to afford housing, Mary Summers Whittle said. Thats not going to be solved by building more condominiums or inflating the price of property within the city.

Theyre not against affordable housing, Mark Kavit said at the start of the meeting.

What we want to see is appropriate development, Kavit said.

Upzoning comes to Charlottesville

A citys zoning code helps determine what can be developed where. For decades in Charlottesville, as in so many other parts of the country, zoning has favored single-family residences, which tend to be more expensive than multifamily ones.

This limits opportunities for households and renters with lower incomes, many of whom are people of color, reads a 2023 report by Harvard Universitys Joint Center for Housing Studies.

As much of the U.S. faces a housing affordability crisis, some jurisdictions have started easing zoning laws to allow more multifamily properties and grow density.

Charlottesville is on track to do the same.

The increasingly popular practice is known as upzoning, and at the heart of it is a simple theory: Adding to the housing supply will reduce housing costs.

Charlottesvilles rezoning opponents dont buy it.

People are taking an overly simplistic view and just saying, If you build more, prices go down, Summers Whittle said.

This neighborhood, I give it a couple years, she continued, pointing to nearby 10th & Page. This kind of affordable housing and historically African American neighborhoods will be the first to go. Theyre on the chopping block.

Their position defies many local organizations committed to housing affordability. The Haven day shelter, Charlottesville Low-Income Housing Coalition, Piedmont Housing Alliance and the Legal Aid Justice Center are just some of the groups in support of the rezoning.

Yet opponents remain defiant. They say upzoning wont work. They are certain of it.

The academic literature is not.

Upzoning across America and beyond

Research on upzoning is nuanced, but evidence indicates that more housing does in fact lead to lower house prices.

One recent study published last year examined what happens when new apartment buildings are built in low-income neighborhoods. Across 11 different cities, it found that the addition of new buildings lowered rents in nearby units by about 6%.

Our findings would suggest that it certainly wont increase rent, the studys co-author Brian Asquith, an applied microeconomist with the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, told The Daily Progress.

Another study made a similar finding in New York City. New high-rise apartment buildings caused nearby rents and condominium sales prices to decrease because they alleviated demand pressure.

Opposing such development may exacerbate the housing affordability crisis and increase housing cost burdens for local renters, the 2019 New York University study concludes.

And earlier this year, Pew Trust looked at four different jurisdictions across the U.S. that have recently relaxed their zoning regulations. It found that more flexible zoning helped those areas build housing faster, keeping up with their rising populations and thus slowing rent growth.

Although rents remain fairly high in the four places examined, they are certainly lower than they would be if the cities had not allowed more housing, reads the report.

Researchers say that to reduce housing costs, more houses need to be built. And upzoning can lead to more construction.

I live in a currently single-family neighborhood and suddenly someone could buy a lot and build three townhouses on it, Betsy Roettger of the University of Virginia School of Architecture told The Daily Progress. Thats naturally going to be more affordable because you can build more units.

While evidence indicates that upzoning can increase land values in the short term, the price per unit should decrease.

The land becomes more expensive because it increases a developers option value, Jenna Davis, a doctoral candidate at Columbia University, told The Daily Progress. But because you can build more units on that specific parcel of land, theoretically the per-unit housing cost should be lower.

Davis use of theoretical may bring little comfort to upzoning opponents, whose skepticism is not baseless.

An oft-cited paper found evidence for higher housing prices in the short term after upzoning policies were implemented in Chicago.

But the papers author, Yonah Freemark, senior research associate at the Urban Institute, said his study was strictly focused on mixed-use business corridors  not residential neighborhoods.

A lot of folks like to use my Chicago paper, Im well aware, in contexts that are not relevant to it, Freemark told The Daily Progress. My paper is really about a specific zoning reform thats different than what places like Charlottesville are pursuing.

Upzoning in the U.S. and the research on it is very much in its infancy.

Minneapolis made headlines when it announced its upzoning plans in 2018, yet the reform did not go into effect until 2020. And while housing and rental prices have declined since, they were already declining prior to upzoning.

Obviously, its going to take a number of years for it to have some kind of impact, Edward Goetz, a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Minnesota, told The Daily Progress. [Upzoning] is a more complicated picture than most people are trying to paint.

To find the long-term effects of the policy, Americans must look beyond their borders, academics say.

Canada and Australia have been doing this for 50 years, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Andrew Whittemore told The Daily Progress. Its diversified housing a lot, its contributed a lot to supply, youve had price ranges increase in formerly more exclusive areas.

But he cautions that Vancouver and Sydney are still infamously unaffordable.

Presumably if they hadnt upzoned, the situation would be even worse. But they havent solved their housing crisis, he said.

A step toward affordability

So how much will upzoning help Charlottesvilles housing crisis?

We dont know. We know it will help some just by allowing more of the land to have more housing on it, Roettger said. Its not ensuring it, but it is a step to allow more affordable housing.

On this, there appears to be consensus. With the U.S. facing a housing shortage, in part due to local restrictive zoning policies, many academics agree that loosening those restrictions can help increase housing stock.

Although these reforms do not guarantee increased construction, they remove substantial barriers to developing more housing types that may also be more affordable to produce, reads the Harvard report.

Davis reached a similar conclusion in a piece she wrote for the Brookings Institution.

Zoning regulations that allow for added residential density hold substantial promise to increase the much-need housing supply and push back on the racist legacy of low-density exclusionary zoning, she wrote.

Its just dismal out there, Whittemore said of the current housing market. And the biggest part of that is we havent been building supply.

In the short term, new building or upzoning may not reduce housing prices and in fact may actually increase them, Goetz said. But in the long run, we of course need more housing.

To be sure, upzoning critics are not solely concerned about affordable housing. They say the Charlottesville rezoning plan will have myriad ill effects across the city: higher property taxes, overcrowding, the loss of tree canopy, rampant speculation and an overwhelmed infrastructure system.

No infrastructure and no traffic planning. None, Summers Whittle said of the citys work. So if they achieve their density, whether it creates affordability or not, its going to be a nightmare.

In a July memo, the city concluded that its infrastructure systems have sufficient existing capacity to handle the likely development that could occur under the new zoning ordinance.

As for speculation, land values will almost certainly increase when the upzoning policy is implemented. That could entice developers to buy up land across the city, tear down homes and build multifamily units for a profit. That would mean more housing, but it could also mean developers would take over historically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

A previous version of the zoning proposal would have combated that possibility with a sensitive communities overlay, which would have required that developers include affordable housing units in certain neighborhoods. Affordability advocates and Council Member Michael Payne would like to see that overlay restored to protect certain communities, but Payne also said the current draft should be compared with the status quo.

There is already a huge economic incentive for developers to purchase older homes, tear them down and convert them into large, new single-family homes, which is already rampant and targeted disproportionately at neighborhoods like 10th & Page near UVa, Payne told The Daily Progress.

With so many worries about possible consequences, opponents would like to see upzoning occur in certain neighborhoods instead of across the whole city. Try it out and see what happens, they say.

But a research paper out of the University of California, Los Angeles, advises that if a city wants to upzone, it should upzone the entire city. Otherwise, there will be bidding wars over land in the few neighborhoods that are upzoned, driving up prices.

Broad upzoning favors small-scale developers  the builders of missing middle housing who are more popular with the public than their larger, wealthier, more politically connected peers, the study reads.

There has been the argument that if upzoning is applied broadly across the city, youre not going to have that dynamic where developers are swooping in and buying up single-family homes and converting them if they have the option to do that anywhere, Davis said.

I dont want to be right

With all that said, upzoning is not going to automatically fix Charlottesvilles housing crisis. Experts say it is one step of many that a city must take to make housing more affordable.

I think we should be clear and honest: Upzoning is not a miracle solution. It cannot solve all problems, Freemark said. Whether it comes to housing construction or housing affordability, upzoning is just one among many policy actions that need to be taken.

As for fears that upzoning may forever damage the citys neighborhoods?

Thats ridiculous. Theres no evidence that allowing apartments into a single-family neighborhood is going to destroy that community or that it will no longer be a good place to live, Freemark said.

Goetz added that when someone buys a house or property, they are not given a guarantee that future policies wont affect their purchases value one way or another.

City governments have to pursue policies that they identify as being in the best interests of the growth of the city and the use of land and resources, Goetz said. Property owners are exposed to those risks whether thats going to be beneficial to them or not. Theres just no way around that.

Charlottesvilles different factions will continue debating the proposed zoning changes up until City Council takes its final vote, which may occur as soon as December. The debate may last well beyond the implementation of the new zoning, as concerned citizens argue over what the city will look like in 20 years and beyond.

Somebody will be more right than the other person, Harway said of predictions of an upzoned Charlottesville. And I dont want to be right. I would love to come back and say, Gee, that was really dumb of us to object to that. Look at everything its accomplished.
Vancouver, October 6, 2023 - Renegade Gold Inc. (TSXV: RAGE) (OTCQX: TGLDF) (FSE: 070) ("Renegade" or the "Company") announces that, subject to regulatory approval, it has retained Venture Liquidity Providers Inc. ("VLP") to provide assistance in maintaining an orderly trading market for the common shares of the Company via market-making services to be undertaken through a registered broker, W.D. Latimer Co. Ltd. ("WDL"), in compliance with the applicable policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and other applicable laws.

In consideration for its services, the Company has agreed to pay VLP a monthly fee of $5,000 for a period of 3 months, with automatic renewal for successive one-month terms. The agreement may be terminated at any time by either the Company or VLP. VLP has no present interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company or its securities. The financing and the shares required for the market-making service will be provided by WDL. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement and VLP will not receive any securities of the Company as compensation.

VLP is a specialized consulting firm based in Toronto providing a variety of services focused on TSX Venture Exchange listed issuers.

About Renegade Gold Inc.

Renegade Gold Inc. is a growth focused company engaged in the business of acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northern Ontario. As part of its regional-scale consolidation strategy, the Company has assembled one of the largest prospective land packages in and around the Red Lake mining district in proximity to major mines and deposits, as well as along the Confederation Lake and Birch-Uchi greenstone belts. The recent completion of the acquisition of Pacton Gold Inc. extends Trillium's ownership in Red Lake to over 89,600 hectares of prospective and diversified exploration properties with significant potential for gold and critical minerals on trend with the major structures hosting known gold occurrences in the Red Lake mining district today. A portfolio of prospective projects in Western Australia has also been acquired.

For further information, please contact:

Renegade Gold Inc.

Nav Dhaliwal

President, CEO and Director

info@renegadegold.com

Tel: 604-678-5308

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, the services to be provided by VLP. The words "expect," "may," "will", "subject to" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; that all requisite approvals will be received and all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, inaccurate assumptions concerning the exploration for and development of mineral deposits, currency fluctuations, unanticipated operational or technical difficulties, risks related to unforeseen delays; general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes; timeliness of regulatory approvals, the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits, changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets and the inability to raise additional financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this Forward-Looking Information. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update this Forward-Looking Information after the date of this release or to revise such information to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/183253
Vancouver, October 6, 2023 - Lithium One Metals Inc. (TSXV: LONE) (FSE: H490) (OTCQB: LOMEF) (the "Company" or "LONE") announces that, subject to regulatory approval, it has retained Venture Liquidity Providers Inc. ("VLP") to provide assistance in maintaining an orderly trading market for the common shares of the Company via market-making services to be undertaken through a registered broker, W.D. Latimer Co. Ltd. ("WDL"), in compliance with the applicable policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and other applicable laws.

In consideration for its services, the Company has agreed to pay VLP a monthly fee of $5,000 for a period of 3 months, with automatic renewal for successive one-month terms. The agreement may be terminated at any time by either the Company or VLP. VLP has no present interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company or its securities. The financing and the shares required for the market-making service will be provided by WDL. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement and VLP will not receive any securities of the Company as compensation.

VLP is a specialized consulting firm based in Toronto providing a variety of services focused on TSX Venture Exchange listed issuers.

About Lithium One

Lithium One Metals Inc. is a Canadian exploration company specializing in the acquisition and development of high-potential lithium properties in Ontario and Quebec. Our team of experienced geologists and prospectors are at the forefront of the search for the next generation of lithium deposits.

On behalf of Lithium One Metals Inc.

R. Dale Ginn, President and Chief Executive Officer

For more information, please visit the Company's website at https://lithiumonemetals.com or contact:

R. Dale Ginn

Tel: +1-604-678-5308

Email: info@lithiumonemetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, the anticipated use of proceeds from the Placement. The words "anticipate," "significant," "expect," "may," "will" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; that all requisite approvals will be received and all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, inaccurate assumptions concerning the exploration for and development of mineral deposits, currency fluctuations, unanticipated operational or technical difficulties, risks related to unforeseen delays; general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes; timeliness of regulatory approvals, the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits, changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets and the inability to raise additional financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this Forward-Looking Information. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update this Forward-Looking Information after the date of this release or to revise such information to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/183255
Almonty Industries Inc. ("Almonty" or the "Company") (TSX: AII / ASX: AII / OTCQX: ALMTF / Frankfurt: ALI) is pleased to announce that the Company has received firm commitments to raise gross proceeds of C$500,000, US$733,333 and A$550,000 via the issuance of 3,333,333 Placement Units and 1,078,433 million Placement Chess Depository Interests Units ("CDIs") at C$0.45 per Placement Unit, US$0.33 per Placement Unit and A0.51 per CDI Unit ("Placement").

Each Placement Unit participant will be issued one warrant for every common share issued ("Warrants") and one free unlisted option for every one CDI issued ("Options), exercisable at C$0.60, US$0.45 and A$0.69, respectively, with an expiry date of 36 months from the date of closing.

Lewis Black, the Company's CEO will be investing C$500,000 and Dan D'Amato, a director of the Company, will be investing US$366,666.63 towards the Placement Units to be issued.

Proceeds from the Placement will be applied towards general working capital and offer costs.

The Placement Units and Placement CDI's issued will rank equally with existing CDI's and Common Shares on issue.

Lewis Black, CEO of the Company, and Daniel D'Amato, a Director of the Company, will be subscribing for Units in the Private Placement. As such, the issuance of Units to insiders pursuant to the Private Placement is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As such, the Company will rely on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that participation in the Private Placement by insiders will not exceed 25% of the fair market value of the Company's market capitalization.

The closing of the Placement is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the acceptance by the TSX and ASX.

RM Corporate Finance Pty Ltd acted as Lead Manager to the Placement and will be paid a total fee of 6% of the gross proceeds raised from the Placement CDIs.

About Almonty

The principal business of Toronto, Canada-based Almonty Industries Inc. is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well as the development of its Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, South Korea and the development of the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in northwestern Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016 and produces tungsten concentrate. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty owns 100% of the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in north-western Spain. Further information about Almonty's activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almonty's profile at www.sedar.com.

Legal Notice

The release, publication, or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published, or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.

Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. These statements and information are based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almonty's current expectations.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate ("APT") from which the sale price of Almonty's tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almonty's operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almonty's business, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almonty's shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almonty's tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almonty's mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almonty's mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, the ability of Almonty to obtain adequate financing, the ability of Almonty to complete permitting, construction, development and expansion, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules and acceptance of the TSX of the listing of Almonty shares on the TSX.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, no material adverse change in the market price of ammonium para tungstate (APT), the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to applicable laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, and such other assumptions and factors as are set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Almonty. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary.

Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Almonty cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Almonty's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events.

Almonty has also assumed that material factors will not cause any forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMONTY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE ALMONTY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231006348452/en/

Contact

Lewis Black

Chairman, President and CEO

+1 647 438-9766

info@almonty.com
Vancouver, October 6, 2023 - Newlox Gold Ventures Corp. ("Newlox" or the "Company") (CSE:LUX) (Frankfurt/Stuttgart:NGO) (PINK:NWLXF) is pleased to announce that it has filed its First Quarter Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements and Management Discussion & Analysis, which are available to the public on www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-Looking Information

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the completion of the work programs currently underway and the results of these programs. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, achievements, or performance may vary materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. The material risk factors that could cause actual results to differ include the risk that work undertaken by the Company may have unintended effects, the risk of delays in completing work, and the risk that the Company may not be able to raise sufficient funds and Force Majeure. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release).

Technical Disclaimer

The Company advises it is not basing any decision to produce on a feasibility study of reserves demonstrating the economic and technical viability of the project and also advises there is increased uncertainty and specific economic and technical risks of failure associated with any production decision. Grab sample results included in any press release are not necessarily indicative of the mineralization in general for the deposit. James Turner, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, has prepared, supervised the preparation of, and approved the contents of this News Release.

On Behalf of the Board, Newlox Gold Ventures Corp.

Contact Newlox Gold

Newlox Gold Ventures Corp.

Website: www.newloxgold.com

Email: info@newloxgold.com

Phone: + 1 604 256 0493

Join our Mailing List

Copyright (c) 2023 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, Oct. 6, 2023 -

TSX VENTURE COMPANIES

BULLETIN TYPE: Cease Trade Order

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Company

A Cease Trade Order has been issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission on October 5, 2023 against the following company for failing to file the documents indicated within the required time period:

Symbol Tier Company Failure to File Period Ending (Y/M/D) AALI 2 Advance Lithium Corp. Annual audited financial statements for the year. 2023-05-31





Annual management's discussion and analysis for the year. 2023-05-31





Certification of annual filings for the year. 2023-05-31



Upon revocation of the Cease Trade Order, the Company's shares will remain suspended until the Company meets TSX Venture Exchange requirements. Members are prohibited from trading in the securities of the companies during the period of the suspension or until further notice.

________________________________________

BULLETIN TYPE: Cease Trade Order

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Company

A Cease Trade Order has been issued by the British Columbia and Ontario Securities Commissions on October 5, 2023, against the following company for failing to file the documents indicated within the required time period:

Symbol Tier Company Failure to File Period Ending (Y/M/D) DGTL 2 DGTL HOLDINGS INC. Annual audited financial statements for the year. 2023/05/31





Annual management's discussion and analysis for the year. 2023/05/31





Certification of annual filings for the year. 2023/05/31



Upon revocation of the Cease Trade Order, the Company's shares will remain suspended until the Company meets TSX Venture Exchange requirements. Members are prohibited from trading in the securities of the companies during the period of the suspension or until further notice.

________________________________________

MEDICUS PHARMA LTD. ("MDCX")

BULLETIN TYPE: New Listing-Shares

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 1 Company

Effective at the opening Wednesday, October 11, 2023, the shares of the Company will commence trading on TSX Venture Exchange. The initial trading price is CAD$2.75. The Company is classified as a 'research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences' company.

Corporate Jurisdiction: Ontario

Capitalization: Unlimited common shares with no par value of which

16,153,465 common shares are issued and outstanding

Escrowed Shares: 10,752,088 common shares

Transfer Agent: Odyssey Trust Company

Trading Symbol: MDCX

CUSIP Number: 58471K 10 3

For further information, please refer to the Company's Prospectus dated September 18, 2023.

Company Contact: Carolyn Bonner, President

Company Address: One First Canadian Place, Suite 3400, Toronto, Ontario, M5X 1A4

Company Phone Number: (610) 636-0184

Company Email Address: cbonner@medicuspharma.com

________________________________________

23/10/06 - TSX Venture Exchange Bulletins

TSX VENTURE COMPANIES

Aztec Minerals Corp. ("AZT")

BULLETIN TYPE: Private Placement-Non-Brokered

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to a Non-Brokered Private Placement announced on August 8, 2023 and August 29, 2023:

Number of Shares: 6,891,839 shares

Purchase Price: $0.225 per share

Warrants: 3,445,919 share purchase warrants to purchase 3,445,919 shares

Warrant Exercise Price: $0.30 for a three-year period

Number of Placees: 38 placees

Insider / Pro Group Participation:









Placees # of Placee (s) Aggregate # of Shares





Aggregate Existing Insider Involvement: 1 400,000 Aggregate Pro Group Involvement: 2 533,339



Aggregate Cash Amount Aggregate # of Shares Aggregate # of Warrants Finder's Fee: $18,324 N/A 75,700 Warrants



Finder's Warrants Terms: 19,180 of the finder's warrants issued entitle the holder to purchase one common share at the price of $0.225 for period of two years from the date of issuance. 56,520 of the finder's warrants issued entitle the holder to purchase one common share at the price of $0.30 for period of three years from the date of issuance.

The Company issued news releases on August 29, 2023, September 25, 2023 and October 4, 2023 confirming the closing of the private placement. Note that in certain circumstances the Exchange may later extend the expiry date of the warrants, if they are less than the maximum permitted term.

________________________________________

PLAYGON GAMES INC. (" DEAL")

BULLETIN TYPE: Shares for Debt

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing the Company's proposal to issue 21,697,636 shares to five arm's length party and to settle outstanding debt for $1,518,834.48 at a deemed price of $0.07 per share. In addition, a further 10,347,494 shares will be issued to five non-arm's length parties at a deemed price of $0.07 to settle $ 724,324.57 of debt.

Number of Creditors: 10 Creditor

Non-Arm's Length Party / Pro Group Participation:









Creditors # of Creditors Amount Owing Deemed Price per Share Aggregate # of Shares









Aggregate Non-Arm's Length Party Involvement: 5 $ 724,324.57 $0.07 10,347,494 Aggregate Pro Group Involvement: N/A N/A N/A N/A



For more information, please refer to the Company's news release on July 12, 2023.

The Company shall issue a news release when the shares are issued and the debt extinguished.

________________________________________

SURGE COPPER CORP. ("SURG")

BULLETIN TYPE: Shares for Bonuses

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing the Company's proposal to issue 1,544,540 bonus shares (the "Bonus Shares") to settle the amount of $204,431 in 2022 annual discretionary compensation to three members of the executive management of the Company.

The issuance of the Bonus Shares was approved by the disinterested shareholders at the shareholder meeting that was held on September 21, 2023.

For more information, please refer to the Company's news release dated February 27, 2023.

________________________________________

SYLLA GOLD CORP. ("SYG")

BULLETIN TYPE: Private Placement-Non-Brokered

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to a Non-Brokered Private Placement announced on September 5, 2023:

Number of Shares: 9,050,000 shares

Purchase Price: $0.05 per share

Warrants: 4,525,000 share purchase warrants to purchase shares

Warrant Exercise Price: $0.10 for an eighteen (18) month period

Number of Placees: 12 placees

Insider / Pro Group Participation:









Placees # of Placee (s) Aggregate # of Shares





Aggregate Existing Insider Involvement: 3 3,350,000 Aggregate Pro Group Involvement: 1 500,000



Aggregate Cash Amount Aggregate # of Shares Aggregate # of Warrants Finder's Fee: N/A N/A N/A



The Company issued news releases on September 5, 2023, and October 5, 2023, confirming closing of the private placement. Note that in certain circumstances the Exchange may later extend the expiry date of the warrants if they are less than the maximum permitted term.

________________________________________

Tectonic Metals Inc. ("TECT")

BULLETIN TYPE: Private Placement-Brokered; Private Placement-Non-Brokered

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Private Placement-Brokered

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to a Brokered Private Placement announced on May 9, 2023:

Number of Shares: 29,454,570 shares

Purchase Price: $0.11 per share

Warrants: 14,727,286 share purchase warrants to purchase 14,727,286 shares

Warrant Exercise Price: $0.15 for a two-year period

Private Placement-Non-Brokered

TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to a Non-Brokered Private Placement announced on May 9, 2023, and August 10, 2023:

Number of Shares: 45,362,528 shares

Purchase Price: $0.11 per share

Warrants: 22,681,264 share purchase warrants to purchase 22,681,264 shares

Warrant Exercise Price: $0.15 for a two-year period

Number of Placees: 66 placees

Insider / Pro Group Participation:









Placees # of Placee (s) Aggregate # of Shares





Aggregate Existing Insider Involvement: 2 20,078,789 Aggregate Pro Group Involvement: N/A N/A



Agent's Fee:

Canaccord Genuity Corp. - $102,848.41 cash and 1,054,246 agent warrants

Research Capital Corporation - $7,475.67 cash and 70,860 agent warrants

Haywood Securities Inc. - 50,700 agent warrants

3L Capital Inc. - $17,867.68 cash and 277,673 agent warrants

Agent's Warrants Terms: Each non-transferable agent warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at $0.11 for two years from the date of issuance.



Aggregate Cash Amount Aggregate # of Shares Aggregate # of Warrants Finder's Fee: $104,659.00 N/A 951,447 Warrants



Finder's Warrants Terms: Each non-transferable finder warrant entitles the holder to purchase a common share at $0.11 for two years from the date of issuance.

The Company issued news releases on June 26, 2023, August 10, 2023, and September 29, 2023, confirming the closing of the private placement. Note that in certain circumstances, the Exchange may later extend the expiry date of the warrants if they are less than the maximum permitted term.

_____________________________________

WAROONA Energy Inc. ("WHE")

BULLETIN TYPE: Halt

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Effective at 6:15 a.m. PST, Oct. 6, 2023, trading in the shares of the Company was halted, pending news; this regulatory halt is imposed by Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, the Market Regulator of the Exchange pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.9(1) of the Universal Market Integrity Rules.

________________________________________

WAROONA Energy Inc. ("WHE")

BULLETIN TYPE: Resume Trading

BULLETIN DATE: October 6, 2023

TSX Venture Tier 2 Company

Effective at 8:00 a.m. PST, Oct. 6, 2023, shares of the Company resumed trading, an announcement having been made.

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SOURCE TSX Venture Exchange
I have long backed government spending on public works as a useful way to employ people and get stuff done in tough fiscal times. But once upon a timeand with dreadful consequencesthe British drove this idea into the ditch. It was during the Irish potato famine a century and a half ago.As John Kelly tells in, it was an anathema to the British to give any sort of direct aid to the poor. This was thought to cause dependence on government, to weaken self-responsibility and to hurt the workings of the free market.If the Irish people were taught to rely on government for a supply of food, it would become not only a great but a growing evil, said then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Wood.So even when thousands began to starve in Ireland in 1846 as a fungus attacked their potato crop, the English rulers in London were reluctant to do what might seem obvious: feed starving Ireland. Politically, it was as if the people in Mississippi or Minnesota had suffered a natural disaster and the federal government just stood by wasting time deciding whether and how to respond.Instead of giving food to the starving, the British gave them shovels to begin building roads. Lots of them. Often, the roads went nowhere in particular. Worse, they damaged good agricultural land. Kelly speaks of decapitated hills and an ugly tangle of unfinished roads that made the once-lovely Irish landscape look like it had been strip-mined. But it didnt matter. If people were to be fed, the British reasoned, they would need to work, and building roads was the easiest way to put them to work.To make matters worse, laborers were paid meager wages. Often a half-starved peasant would walk five to 10 miles, sometimes in the snow and icy wind, to do hard labor on an unnecessary road, only to find that in the end, the wages were often not enough to buy sufficient food.Dont forget that in the 1840s only horse-drawn carriages and wagons would use those roads. Ireland, with its rural-based economy, had few carriages or goods to move by wagon in the first place, so the roads had little impact on development or economic growth. Trains were replacing carriages elsewhere, yet the British apparently never considered developing a network of rail lines in Ireland. Better harbors and canals were options as well, but somehow the money ended up going into roads.Even worse than their lack of utility, the road building effort was ineffectual as a way to stave off starvation. Public works could not deliver cash quickly enough. Tragically, hundreds of thousands began to die. Eventually in a country of 8 million people, more than a million Irish would die of starvation and disease within a few years, and another 2 million, according to Kelly, would emigrate in coffin ships that had a mortality rate approaching that of slave ships. Many died in transit or upon arrival to Canada or the United States.After a year or two of this, the British opted to do the once unthinkable: set up a network of soup kitchens around the country and feed people. They worked well for a few months. But so great was the English fear of government dependence that the kitchens were closed at the first sign of a decent potato crop. The starvation resumed.All this happened 165 years ago, but politics and public policies have familiar rhythms. While the Irish starved, the Whigs and Tories, like the Republicans and Democrats today, debated far less important concerns. The leading newspaper of the day,, acted as a mouthpiece for the government, publishing let-them-starve propaganda. The public was concerned about the starving, but ultimately they were more concerned about paying taxes.Irelands misplaced road effort in the 1840s got me thinking. What other public works efforts have been so badly misconstrued as to do more harm than good, including wasting taxpayer money?I can think of one clear-cut example: the highways built through the middle of Americas downtowns after World War II as a component of the Interstate Highway System. These concrete monsters tore apart vital street systems and neighborhoods in nearly every major American city. The highways became unwieldy objects that made downtown planning more difficult, including mass transit. Undoing the damage these highways have caused has taken decades, theres still a long way to go. I bet more cities will follow San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and Milwaukee in tearing them down, while other cities, like Seattle and Boston, will spend billions more to hide them underground.Its important to remember that spending on public works is not valuable per se. Infrastructure projects have to be designed and carried out well, and have a mission that is appropriate. If a yes cant be given to all three of these conditions, they shouldnt be built.
F1 stars break ranks to back Andretti entry

Two of Formula 1's top drivers have broken ranks to declare that they would like to see Andretti-Cadillac welcomed onto the grid.

Qatar GP 2023

 Alfa Romeo

This week, the FIA gave Andretti's bid for a place in pitlane the green light - but it now all depends on commercial negotiations with Liberty Media.

The majority of the existing ten teams are clearly siding with the F1 owner in balking at the idea of having another competitor on the grid as early as 2025.

As a team, we have no legal opportunity to have a say, admitted Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko.

But our opinion is clear - if the cake is divided by eleven instead of ten, there must be a re-balancing.

Some believe, however, that even a tripling of the 'new team' fee from $200m to $600 million might not be enough to convince F1 to change its position.

Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll said on Thursday: Our sport has never been in a better place so I think that if it's ain't broke, there's no need to fix it.

Team driver Fernando Alonso actually raced an Andretti Indycar at the 2017 Indy 500, and in Qatar he admitted it is a great team .

I know Michael and he will be obviously a great name to add to Formula 1, said the Spaniard. "But there are other people in charge of these kind of decisions, first the FIA and FOM and the teams as well.

So, you know, I don't know exactly what to say. I like Michael, I like the organisation, but I also understand other things, and I will support whatever the Aston Martin position is.

Most other F1 drivers asked the same question in Qatar had basically the same response - praise for Andretti, but deference to F1 and their teams' opinions and decisions.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, however, broke ranks from Mercedes' opposition.

There will be those who will not be happy with my support, but I think it's great, the seven time world champion said when asked about Andretti.

I've always felt there aren't enough cars on the grid. This is an opportunity to create more jobs and the possibility that a female driver will get a seat.

Red Bull's dominant driver Max Verstappen also broke ranks with his team's official position when asked about Andretti on Thursday.

From everything I have seen so far, in addition to the partners they have and their name, they have shown that they are a professional team, said the Dutchman.

I think it would be good because it offers more opportunities from the drivers' side. But I can understand that teams don't want them, Verstappen added.

It's complicated.

(GMM)
Ricciardo definitely planning US GP return

Daniel Ricciardo's return from injury looks all set for the upcoming US GP in Austin.

Daniel Ricciardo, Singapore GP 2023

 Red Bull

After a mid-season return to Formula 1 following his McLaren sacking, the Australian has sat out several more grands prix recently with a broken hand.

But Alpha Tauri substitute Liam Lawson's 5-race run now appears to be coming to an end.

I would say it's likely that he'll be back in Austin, Lawson said in Qatar, but obviously I can't say for certain.

Alpha Tauri CEO Peter Bayer revealed that Ricciardo, 33, had a successful run in the Red Bull simulator at Milton-Keynes on Monday.

Bayer said a return in Austin is definitely the plan .

He was in the simulator on Monday, Bayer said. "He said that he could go almost until the end. But it was not 100 percent. And we didn't want to rush things.
Verstappen is the best ever F1 driver says Ecclestone

On the eve of Max Verstappen sealing up his third consecutive drivers' title, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has named him the best driver - ever.

Max Verstappen, Qatar GP 2023

 Red Bull

Previously, the 92-year-old has always said that while Ayrton Senna was another obvious great, his overall pick for the best ever was Alain Prost.

That's because he said the Frenchman was the best at dominating long before the era in which drivers got a lot of team support both on and off the tracks.

But if you forget that, Max is without a doubt the best I've seen - and that everyone else has seen too, Ecclestone told DPA.

He's the complete racing driver.

What sets Dutchman Verstappen apart, he says, is his focus.

Te starts the race and wants to win it. He doesn't do anything else, said Ecclestone.

He doesn't make any mistakes, he doesn't do anything, he doesn't take any liberties.

Ecclestone also said Verstappen's reputation for being impetuous is undeserved.

He drives honestly and fairly, he insisted.

And even when the current 'ground effect' regulations era ends after the 2025 season, Ecclestone thinks Verstappen can still continue to dominate.

Even in a car that isn't the best, Max would beat a lot of people, he said. "He's a superstar.
Israel's health ministry says at least 545 people have been injured in the Palestinian attacks, according to the Reuters news agency.

At least 22 Israelis have died in the unprecedented attacks, according to emergency services

Israeli ambulance service, @Mdais, report 1 killed in rocket fire and 15 injured.



Footage of rocket impacts: pic.twitter.com/DjumRB6lWc  Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) October 7, 2023

Thousands of rockets have been fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip in a surprise attack by the Hamas militant group on Saturday morning.

Large plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from a number of Israeli towns.

Israel's defence minister said Hamas had "launched a war" and its troops were "fighting against the enemy at every location".

And footage of Hamas fighters crossing border using paragliders pic.twitter.com/p99GWx7dth  Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) October 7, 2023

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: "We are at war and we will win."

Mr Netanyahu added: "Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known."

Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation of troops".

Israel-Gaza latest: Jerusalem attacks Gaza Strip targets and calls up reserves

At least 22 people have been killed following the strike according to a local news report that cited the Israeli ambulance service.

About 545 Israelis have been wounded, its health ministry said.

Social media images showed cars on fire and damaged buildings

Phone footage also showed Hamas fighters attempting to reach Israel on small boats, and in a highly unusual development, a number of fighters appeared to have crossed the border using paragliders, reaching the town of Sderot where gun battles were heard.

Footage from security cameras showed them entering the city in pick-up trucks and motorbikes.

Air raid sirens sounded across southern and central Israel, and there were explosions in the cities of Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Yavne and Kfar Aviv.

A rescue agency said a 70-year-old woman had been critically injured when a rocket hit a building in southern Israel.

Israel said it was attacking targets in the Gaza Strip and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned "the Hamas terror group will pay a very heavy price".

The Israeli military said "a number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory" and residents along the border were told to stay indoors.

"The military declares a state of war alert," it said in a statement.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas had "made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel".

He added: "IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war."

Several reports have suggested that Hamas kidnapped IDF soldiers with videos circulating on social media appearing to show the captive military troops being paraded on trucks. An IDF spokesman refused to comment on the claims when asked about them.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is understood to have convened an emergency meeting of his security cabinet.

A military spokesperson for Israel said Hamas fired 2,500 rockets in Saturday's attack, while the group's military commander Mohammad Deif said 5,000 rockets had been launched.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," Mr Deif said on Hamas radio.

He said the attack was the beginning of "Operation Al Aqsa Storm" and was in response to Israeli violence in the West Bank, Gaza, and around Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem.

"Today the people are regaining their revolution," he said in the recorded message.

"We must set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers," the militant added.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group said it had joined the attack, while Hamas also called on armed groups in Lebanon to get involved.

Governments around the world have condemned the attacks on Israel.

British PM Rishi Sunak said: "I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice."

The UK's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: "The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer "utterly condemn[ed]" the attacks as "an act of terror".

Sir Keir said: "There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region."

The attacks come after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Latest News Headlines from Ghana

Embrace digital marketing tools - event organizers urged at Institute of Digital Marketing graduation ceremony

Oct - 07 - 2023 , 11:55

Event organizers have been urged to embrace the vast potential of digital tools for the advancement of their businesses in a dynamic landscape where technology continues to reshape industries.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony and event Management Forum that brought together industry luminaries to discuss the future of event management and promotion organized by the Institute of Digital Marketing and Communication, Director of Training and Innovation at the Institute, Martin Thompson Ntem emphasized the critical need for event management professionals to adapt to the transformative effects of digital evolution.

He highlighted how digitalisation has ushered in a new era, where event organizers possess the capability to craft unparalleled experiences through cutting-edge technology.

"Digitalisation has left an indelible mark, challenging industry norms and positively impacting event management," said Ntem. He noted the shift towards virtual events and the rapid adoption of online ticketing as clear signs of the industry's digital transformation. These changes underscore the importance for event organizers to embrace these shifts to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape.

The event, themed "Navigating the Future of Events Management and Promotion," brought together professionals from various sectors of the industry, creating a fertile ground for the exchange of ideas and insights.

It aimed to equip local event planners and marketers with essential digital knowledge, enabling them to elevate their businesses to global standards.

Graduates of the session expressed their gratitude, recognising the value they received for their investment. They noted that the courses offered would help them stay abreast of the ever-evolving digital world and its trending tools, ensuring they are well-prepared to excel in the digital age.

Training Programme

The Institute for Digital Marketing and Communication Ghana, (IDMC Ghana), a renowned digital marketing and communication training institute, rolled out its 2-week professional development training program, " Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Marketing, and Strategic Communications (AIDMSC) to empower marketers and communicators with crucial AI skills

Participants were offered invaluable insights from world-class facilitators, comprising renowned industry experts and esteemed academics, each contributing their vast knowledge and expertise to enrich the learning experience.

The esteemed facilitators included Prof. Modestus Fosu, Dean of the Faculty of Integrated Communication Science at UniMAC-GIJ; Prof. Kobby Mensah of University of Ghana Business School; Dr. Mrs. Andoh Akushika, Lecturer at UPSA; Dr. Ike Tandoh, accomplished Lecturer & Brand Communication Specialist; Dr. Albert Bossman, experienced Lecturer & Communication Consultant; Emmanuel Gamor, Senior Manager at MTN Ghana; Shirley Tony Kum, APR, ACIMG, Corporate Communications Manager at Vivo Energy Ghana (Shell Licensee); Abraham Dzagbletey, a highly regarded Digital Communication Consultant, and Martin Thompson Ntem, a proficient Lecturer and Digital Communication Consultant.

IDMC Ghana is recognised for its unwavering commitment to empowering professionals and businesses with innovative digital solutions that drive success in today's ever-evolving digital landscape.
493 Recruits pass out of Prison Officers Training School

Jemima Okang Addae Oct - 06 - 2023 , 16:51

A total of 493 recruits have passed out of the Prison Officers Training School (POTS) in Accra.

The Recruits of Course 123 who went through nine months of training comprised 208 females and 285 males.

The training prepared them physically, mentally and socially for a successful career in prisons management.

The recruits, from various professional and vocational backgrounds, included carpenters, masons, plumbers and mechanics.

Others had Diploma and Higher National Diploma in various disciplines such as education, nursing, agriculture and secretarial duties.

At the passing out ceremony at POTS in Accra Friday, they mounted a colourful parade which was reviewed by a Deputy Minister for the Interior, Naana Eyiah Quansah.

The officers displayed well-rehearsed marching skills at the brief but fascinating ceremony.

Advice

Mrs Quansah charged the recruits to let discipline and professionalism guide them in their duties at all times.

Adopt the principles of vigilance, humility and respect in the discharge of your duties, she added.

The deputy minister also urged them to treat prisoners with care, respect and decency without compromising on their professional ethics.

Bear in mind that imprisonment is punishment in itself and not for you to further punish them. Direct your energies towards self-improvement and avoid all acts of indiscipline to safeguard your career, Mrs Quansah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, added.

She said the service played a crucial role in ensuring the rehabilitation and re-integration of citizens who found themselves on the wrong side of the law.

To truly serve its purpose, the service requires considerable investment in capacity building, the deputy minister added.

Commitment

Mrs Quansah further said that the government was committed to the upgrading of the prison system through technology to improve efficiency and transparency.

It is indeed high time we implemented digital record- keeping systems, biometric identification and security surveillance that will go a long way to enhance the overall management and security of our prisons, she said.

The deputy minister, however, entreated civil society organisations to support the service with resources and expertise to complement the governments efforts.

Awards

Five officers who distinguished themselves were awarded, with recruit officer Isaac Ahor-Larbie emerging as the Overall Best recruit officer.

Other awardees were Best in Academics, Esther Larbi; the Commandants Award, Frank Kyeremateng; Best in Physical Training, Bernard Botchway N. Yeboah, and Best in Drill, Joel Kwame Ampadu-Bosompem.
3rd Eastern Region market fair ends in Koforidua

Haruna Yussif Wunpini Oct - 07 - 2023 , 08:35

The third edition of the Eastern Region Commodity Satellite Market Fair has been held in Koforidua, the regional capital.

The event was to showcase the agricultural potential of the region to attract agribusiness entrepreneurs.

It was also aimed at showcasing to the public assorted food items of well branded and packaged agro-based/agro-processed products developed in the region.

The exhibition was organised by the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council in collaboration with the regional, municipal and district agriculture departments, to add value to the raw agricultural products in the region.

It was sponsored by MTN, the World Food Programme (WFP), YARA Ghana Limited, Pan African Savings and Loans and TIAST Group, as well as other regulatory bodies such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) among others.

The fair was on the theme: "Enhancing Value Addition and Export Potential Through the Eastern Commodity Satellite Market; The Role of Regulatory Bodies".



Seth Kwame Acheampong (left), Eastern Regional Minister, being assisted by Nana Ohuneabobirim Osuodumugya Otutu Ababio (2nd from left), Adukromhene and Nifahene of Akuapem Traditional Area, to officially open the third edition of the Eastern Region Commodity Satellite Market Fair in Koforidua. Looking on are other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain

Varieties

The fair, which lasted three days, had on display varieties of packaged food items and vegetables such as onions, cabbage, tomatoes, mushrooms, cooked foods such as banku, waakye, ampesi, tuozaafi (TZ) and kenkey.

Other items included packaged plantain chips, mushrooms, smoked tilapia fish, fried catfish, cassava dough in powdered form mixed with soya beans, local rice, gari, honey, palm oil, shito and corn flour among others.

All the products were from the region noted for the production of food crops and aquaculture.

At the fair, a number of people could be seen admiring and purchasing some of the items and at the same time making business contacts and networking for subsequent purchases.



Packaged coconut gari mix product on display

International standard

Addressing stakeholders and exhibitors to officially open the fair in Koforidua last Wednesday, the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, said the exhibition was to ensure that the products with their labels from the region would meet international standard.

That, he explained, would instil confidence on the global market.

Mr Acheampong stated that the whole concept was in line with the region's industrialisation agenda which started in 2019 which had culminated in two similar exhibitions held earlier.

He told the gathering that the third exhibition was building on the successes of the previous ones and that the fairs had become a household name in the agricultural space.

Delving more into the event, the regional minister said it was a strategy to link small-holder farmers and processors to ready markets.

Lead roles

To ensure the success of the initiative, Mr Acheampong said all the agricultural departments within the municipal and district assemblies in the region were tasked to play lead roles in branding of at least one agricultural commodity for which they had comparative advantage in cultivation.

"The concept is worthy of emulation because it deals with product labelling, product branding, value addition and product certification," the minister stated.

The Eastern Regional Director of Agriculture, Hajia Habiba Yusufu, said food processing and value addition had become strategically important for the countrys economy.

Packaging

In that respect, she said improving and packaging of food products from the farm to comply with international standards had therefore become necessary.

In that direction, Mrs Yusufu said that had been in line with governments policies and programmes for sustainable agricultural development.

She indicated that the fair would also address challenges such as high post-harvest losses and poor access to markets in the region.

Mrs Yusufu pointed out that several branded food products such as high-quality locally produced rice, assorted cassava products, gari, konkonte, oil palm, spices and honey among others had been developed under the Eastern Region Commodity Satellite Market agenda.



Packaged mushroom on display at the fair



Agriculture improvement

The Chief of Adukrom who is also the Nifahene of Akuapem, Nana Ohunabobirim Osuodumugya Otutu Ababio V, who chaired the function, said the fair would lead to improvement of agriculture in the region.

He called on the exhibitors to explore the opportunities of adding value to the agricultural produce to earn more income.

He said the agricultural sector had been a vital contributor to the country's economy and provided employment to the youth.

The Eastern Region, he stated, had been noted for its rich agricultural potentials, for which there was the need for a reliable market for the produce.

He stated that the fair would therefore unlock the food potential of the region.

Some of the farmers who exhibited their produce told the Daily Graphic that bad roads to their farms and marketing centres and poor pricing of food crops by middlemen had been their main challenges.

For instance, one of the agric agents who is also a farmer at Odumase Operational Area in the Afram Plains South District, Osei Danso, said transporting farm produce from Ekye Amanfrom to Donkorkrom was not easy because of the bad nature of the road.

A female fish seller who is also a promoter of all kinds of fish, both dried and fresh at Donkorkrom, Grace Akofa, said the transportation situation worsened whenever it rained, rendering some portions of the road unmotorable.
Fire Station 2 on Southwest 35th Street in Corvallis is closed for a major renovation.

The station, on the west side of Oregon State University, is expected to be closed for around a year, a Benton County Sheriffs Office news release states.

During that time, staff and equipment will be reassigned to other city fire stations, the release states, but will continue responding to calls in the Fire Station 2 service area.

This means response times will increase in some areas due to the closure, the release states, but other areas will see improved times with additional resources on-hand.

The $5.1 million project was funded by the City Council through federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. In April, the council voted to plug a $1 million budget gap with pandemic recovery money earmarked for city facilities. The budgeting shortfall was due to construction costs exceeding budget expectations.

City staff had strongly recommended using $1 million from ARPA set aside for social services, saying it would ultimately benefit the vulnerable homeless population, but the council disagreed. Instead, the council elected to draw funds from another project the city was eyeing for ARPA money  an annex relocation and additional office space.

The renovation is part of a city facilities improvement plan aimed at longstanding building deficiencies. The work at Fire Station is focused on efficiency, equity, and safety, the news release states, along with adding a new vehicle bay. Similar work was done earlier this year at Fire Station 3 on Northwest Circle Boulevard.

Fire Station 2s engine, back ambulance and other apparatus and assigned staff are temporarily assigned to Fire Station on Northwest Oaks Drive, which was closed in 2012, according to the release, and the Station 2 medic will be assigned to Station 1 on Northwest Harrison Boulevard in the downtown area.

Stay up to date on mid-Willamette Valley news, wherever you go Easily access the latest Corvallis, Philomath and Benton County news in an app that lets you select the topics that matter most to you.

Built in 1977, Fire Station No. 2 was tagged as a top priority among the citys needs for improved facilities. Fire officials cite around-the-clock building use and minimal updates as well as gender equity issues in the need for a remodel.

Corvallis Fire Chief Ben Janes previously said the outdated building is hurting recruiting and retention. In April, Janes told city officials that the department had suffered a historic loss of staff when 11 firefighters left in 2022, Janes said.

The new bay will store a brush truck that currently sits outdoors in an unprotected parking lot, the release states, and allow it to stay at the station through the winter, when its typically stored off-site.
Informal sector workers urged to join SSNIT pension scheme

Emmanuel Modey Oct - 07 - 2023 , 08:16

Workers in the informal sector have been urged to join the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme for the support of the scheme in their retirement.

The Director-General of SSNIT, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, said the scheme is not limited to only government workers in the country but to all citizens who are desirous of contributing to the trust.

The D-G who was addressing a stakeholders meeting in the Upper West Regional capital, Wa, debunked the erroneous perception that only salaried workers paid by the government were beneficiaries of the scheme.

He, however, emphasised that anyone who worked either in the formal or informal sector to cater for his or her daily needs could enjoy paid pension during old age provided they contributed to the scheme.

Dubbed; Self-employed Enrolment Drive (SEED), the initiative is aimed at encouraging self-employed persons to sign up onto the SSNIT scheme in order to access the benefits once they were qualified.

It was attended by participants drawn from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, traders, fashion designers, dressmakers, caterers, farmers, artisans and tailors.

Dr Ofori-Tekorang said the initiative was in collaboration with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) which had urged the trust to go round the country to sensitise people to why they must join the scheme since all workers were pensionable.

He explained that government workers had been benefitting from the scheme because they were organised and received regular salaries.

Time is now

The D-G said it was time to bring self-employed people, who he said were more than workers in the formal sector, onboard to also benefit from the scheme.

Mr Ofori-Tenkorang said out of a population of about 34 million people, it was estimated that two million workers, out of which only 708,731 people, representing 36 per cent in the formal sector, contributed to SSNIT.

At the moment, he said more than 1.2 million self-employed workers had been enrolled onto SSNIT.

Dr Ofori-Tenkorang said any self-employed person between 15 and 45 years could also enrol onto the scheme and decide the amount to contribute and how often to do so.

He said after 15 years of regular contribution such a person was entitled to a monthly pension until death, adding that it could help eradicate old age poverty in the country.

The D-G further said that apart from the monthly old age pension, a member was also entitled to invalidity pension, survival lump sum, emigration lump sum and a free NHIS membership.

Commendation

The Wa Municipal Chairman of the TUC, Naayere Gervase, commended SSNIT for bringing the forum to the region.

He said over the years, self-employed workers were left at the mercy of private financial schemes, some of which were robbing them, and therefore, urged such workers to take advantage of SSNIT and register with the scheme.
Kingdom Exim Group hosts Speaker Of Tamil Nadu State Ahead Of Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Ghana

Kweku Zurek Oct - 07 - 2023 , 17:43

Leading agro-commodities trading and travel and tour company, Kingdom Exim Group Ghana, has hosted the Speaker Of Tamil Nadu State Legislative Assembly of India, Honourable Muthuvelayudha Perumal Appavu.

Hon. Appavu was hosted at the Accra Office of Kingdom Exim Group as part of his visit to Ghana for the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference 2023.

During his visit to Kingdom Exim Group, he was received by senior officials of the company including Dr. James Rajamani, the President of Kingdom Exim Group, and Dr. Immanuel Rajamani, Managing Director of Kingdom Exim Group. The officials of Kingdom Exim Group while welcoming the Honourable Speaker, wished him a successful mission during his stay in Ghana.

Meanwhile, Hon. Appavu has as part of his visit, met members of the Tamil community in Ghana.

His historic meeting with the Tamil Nadu Community in Accra began with the State Anthem of Tamil Nadu (Tamil Thai Valthu).

The President of the Kingdom Group of Businessmen in Ghana, Dr. James Rajamani, the Managing Director of Kingdom Exim, Dr. Immanuel Rajamani and the President of the Ghana Tamil Association, Mr. Mohan, Indian Association Secretary, Ex-President Mr. Chandrasekhar, Mr. Jayachandran, Assembly Secretary Tamil Nadu State, India Mr. Srinivasan and Mr. Paramanayagam Muthukumar, all attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Hon. Appavu listened to some challenges being faced by Tamils living in Ghana.

Later during a meeting with the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the Hon. Speaker promised to address the challenges faced by Tamils in Ghana.

About the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference served as an opportunity for parliamentary delegations from across the Commonwealth to meet and to participate in plenary sessions and workshops on topics of pan-Commonwealth interest. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Assembly United Kingdom delegation held in-country meetings relating to the UK-Ghana bilateral relationship.
If Bawumia "beats me" in Central Region you will see what will happen in 2024 - Ken Agyapong

Getrude Ankah Nyavi Politics Oct - 07 - 2023 , 15:55

If Bawumia wins in the Central Region, you will see what will happen in 2024. I will give them a show down," New Patriotic Party flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong has said.

To Mr Agyapong, per the financial support he has been providing to all NPP members in the Central Region in all sectors, he does not expect Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to "beat him" in the the Central Region in November 4 presidential primary.

If Bawumia "beats me" in Central Region you will see what will happen in 2024 - Ken Agyapong https://t.co/Y3lz6CTdN3 pic.twitter.com/NpS7MrpDDS  DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) October 7, 2023

But if party delegates overlook that and give Bawumia the nod, then in 2024, he will give the Central Region a "showdown",

He warned the Central Regional Chairman of the NPP and the entire regional executives not to play any "mischief" to ensure victory for Dr Bawumia and accused them of throwing their support for Dr Bawumia despite all the assistance he [Agyapong] has been providing for the region including supporting the executives financially and morally for them to be elected as executives.

Mr Agyapong said this in a radio interview with Accra based Neat FM.
Akandoh urges Finance Ministry to issue tax waivers for anti-retroviral drugs

Getrude Ankah Nyavi Politics Oct - 07 - 2023 , 08:21

The Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has urged the Ministry of Finance to consider tax exemption for anti-retroviral drugs, consumables and other medical equipment currently stuck at the ports.

In addition, Akandoh has called for implementation of an automated tax exempted waiver system for medical consumables and equipment to help curtail what it described as needless delays in clearing such items at the port.

His call follows the alleged neglect of donated containers of HIV anti-retroviral drugs since July 2023 at the ports, which has created shortages for Persons Living with HIV.

In a statement Akandoh signed and issued on Friday [Oct 6, 2023] as the ranking member on the Health Committee of Parliament, he called for the institution of reforms at Ministry of Finance to help ensure that systemic failures that lead to needless delays in the performance of its functions are eradicated.

Attached below is a copy of the statement
vivo released the Android 14 beta for the vivo X90 Pro in May and announced the Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14 Preview Program for the smartphone in September. Today, vivo officially launched Funtouch OS 14 and shared a list of vivo smartphones eligible for the upgrade in India along with the timeline for the rollout of the beta version.

The list includes 30+ smartphones, with the vivo X90 and X90 Pro getting beta updates in mid-October. These will be followed by the X80 Pro in mid-November, with the X80, V29 Pro, V29, V27 Pro, and V27 receiving the updates in December. You can check the image below for the complete list with the rollout timeline.

iQOO also shared its roadmap for the Funtouch OS 14 beta's release in India. Over a dozen iQOO smartphones are eligible for the upgrade, with the iQOO 11 being the first in line to get a taste of Funtouch OS 14. The update will be released today, so those interested can enroll in the beta program later today. You can check the picture below for the complete roadmap. Also, note that iQOO won't release Funtouch OS 14 for the Z5 and older models.

Funtouch OS 14 primarily focuses on five areas - Personalisation, Productivity, Multi-tasking, Smoothness, and Privacy.

For personalization, you now get three clock layouts on the lock screen with eight font styles and a smart color selection. You can also apply a monochromatic color palette to the system to match your wallpapers. It's based on the Material You design and is called MY Color Palette.

Moreover, 90+ Always-On Display styles are available in the Theme Store now, and you can also select different ringtones for different SIM cards.

In the productivity department, you now have new video editing tools, allowing original quality, lossless video export. You can also export videos in up to 4K resolution at 60 FPS. Moreover, there are 25 new filters for video editing, which are all presented in improved thumbnails.

The video playback experience has also been improved since you can now adjust video playback speed, loop playback, and capture screenshots.

For multi-tasking, you have a Mini Window that makes multi-tasking easier by reducing the app to a small window that remains active in the background and can be moved around on the screen while you are using another app. It supports side-swipe suspension, and you can have up to 12 small windows active in the background.

Funtouch OS 14 will offer a smoother experience with its RAM Saver, Extended RAM 3.0, Motion Blur, and App Retainer features. RAM Saver will release up to 600MB of space for fast start-up of multiple apps, while Extended RAM 3.0 will let you have up to 36 apps active in the background on a 12GB RAM smartphone (up to 27 apps with 8GB RAM).

App Retainer, on the other hand, will ensure the 100+ whitelisted apps that are in the background and not closed manually are restored to their last interface so users can continue where they left off, providing an interruption-free experience. This feature isn't entirely new, though, since iQOO already introduced it with the iQOO Neo7 Pro. However, App Retainer on the Neo7 Pro doesn't support Facebook, which is one of the most popular apps, and when we asked iQOO about it, we were told it could be added to the list of whitelisted apps in the future.

Talking about Motion Blur, this feature will offer a smooth animation during app switching by 18.7% at a 60Hz refresh rate.

Lastly, we have Privacy, which is now ensured with improved App Hiding and password protection for hidden photos and Screen Mirroring. The Screen Mirroring feature will prevent notification pop-ups, so your information isn't revealed when the phone content is mirrored on another device.

Like App Retainer, App Hiding is not an entirely new feature but now supports Google apps.
All residents of the Marianas can brace for at least tropical storm conditions to arrive as early as Tuesday morning, including damaging winds of 39 mph and/or destructive winds of 58 mph, heavy rain and waves possibly exceeding 15 feet, according to a Joint Information Center news release.

This is going to be a close one. All of the Mariana Islands are in the crosshairs of potentially a direct hit, said Marcus Landon Aydlett, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service. All of us may be seeing tropical storm winds on Tuesday, going into Wednesday. There is increasing likelihood someone will be feeling typhoon-force winds.

Tropical Depression 15W was about 650 miles east-southeast of Guam as of 1 p.m. Saturday and is moving west-northwest at 13 mph at steady intensification, according to Aydlett. The cyclone is forecasted to develop into a Category One typhoon as it passes through the Marianas.

Aydlett noted that there are still a lot of uncertainties about where exactly the storm will directly pass through.

Some forecast models are favoring a passage closer to Tinian and Saipan, but other models favor a passage closer to Guam. This forecast will shift every six hours, noted Aydlett. This whole track could shift northward or southward.

Aydlett added that while there are no indications yet of rapid intensification, it is still something to fear.

Rapid intensification is our biggest fear: thats what Mawar did. We dont expect this to be another Mawar, but rapid intensification is still a possibility, said Aydlett.

As of 4:30 p.m. Saturday, no typhoon watches or warnings have been activated yet in Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Response efforts underway

Government officials, mayors, and Emergency Operations Center personnel are receiving updated weather briefs for their response planning efforts. The Guam Department of Public Works has pre-staged heavy equipment in flood-prone areas islandwide, according to the JIC news release.

More than 200 FEMA personnel are currently deployed in Guam, with more resources in transit, preparing for the possible incoming severe weather. The FEMA distribution center in Guam is ready to support and provide commodities if needed to both Guam and the CNMI, stated JIC. FEMA staff are coordinating with the territory and commonwealth leadership to integrate respective leads and identify resources that may be needed for the upcoming storm.

Use the weekend to prepare

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautionary actions:
To address urgent matters at the Guam Memorial Hospital, Speaker Therese Terlaje announced on Saturday morning she will call the legislature into emergency session on Monday afternoon.

The 37th Guam Legislature will meet at 1 p.m. on Oct. 9 in the Guam Congress building as the speaker sees possible issues in GMH that are threatening the health and safety of the people of Guam, according to her letter to the other senators.

No specific bills have been established for the emergency sessions agenda, so Terlaje noted that all introduced bills on their website are potential items.

This session notice comes one day after Sen. Frank Blas Jr. requested for an emergency session to act on Bill 164-37 and Resolution 215-37 to address the issues of GMH, despite no public hearings yet on the two pieces of legislation.

Bill 164-37

Bill 164-37, introduced by all legislative members of the Republican Caucus, intended to provide all unappropriated audited excess funds from Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 to GMH. The bill seeks to cover the current debts within GMHA as they owe over $26 million to over 60 accounts payable as of Sept. 26, according to Yukari Hechanova, chief financial officer of GMHA, during a GMHA oversight hearing on Sept. 28.

Even if the bill passes, the Bureau of Budget and Management Research commented that the FY 2024 budget act already consists of twelve other appropriations from audited excess general fund revenues, which totaled over $19 million. These appropriations include retirees additional allowances, salary adjustments for University of Guam faculty and additional funding for operations of the Guam Department of Education.

It remains to be seen if any of those agencies would receive the funding as BBMR also noted that FY 24s budget act appropriations may exceed what is potentially available from the FY 22 fund balance. In addition, BBMR claimed excess FY 22 revenues were already over-appropriated from the combination of appropriations in the FY 23 budget act and subsequent appropriations within FY 23.

Resolution 215-37

Resolution 215-37, introduced by the Republican senators as well, requests Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero to declare a state of extreme emergency to address the unsafe, unhealthy, unsanitary, and financially challenging conditions that exist within GMH.

Without a declaration of a state of emergency with immediate action and diligence from the GMH leadership and the governor of Guam, it will necessitate the call for federal receivership to ensure that proper management, guidance and support for GMH, said the Republican senators. At no point should GMH lack critical medication and supplies because funding or support is not provided by the administration.

In response to the resolution, the Office of the Governor of Guam shared that its nothing more than political grandstanding to have GovGuam give up some of its ability to self-govern.

At a time when GovGuam is pushing for more self-governance and self-determination, the Republican party has decided to take a step backwards and instead ask for more federal intervention, stated the governors office in a news release on Oct. 5. An emergency declaration from the governor would not result in more cash for the hospital nor is it required for faster procurement.

The governors office concluded that the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio Administration is also calling for action.

Its time to put away our petty political bickering and work together in a bipartisan effort to build a new hospital for the people of Guam, concluded Adelup.
With tensions rising in Micronesia, Guam will need more say in its own affairs if it is to remain secure, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero stated in testimony submitted to the United Nations recently.

Leon Guerrero asked for support for the islands self-governance, and ability to make its own political decisions. Commission on Decolonization Executive Director Melvin Won Pat-Borja read Leon Guerreros testimony to the U.N. committee on decolonization in New York on Tuesday.

The governor pointed to recent plans by the U.S. military to establish a 360-degree missile defense system on the island, and noted that the region is increasingly becoming a focal point for geopolitics and tensions between world powers.

Chinese military vessels made a close approach to the island in December of last year, the Pacific Daily News reported.

But beyond missile defense and military plans, our genuine security extends far beyond considerations of military and defense and encompasses the resilience of critical infrastructure, the mitigation of the ongoing impacts of climate change and the pursuit of regional peace and prosperity, the governor stated.

Full self-governance for the island is needed, so that Guam can engage with other Pacific nations directly and take active steps to maintain peace within our region.

The military buildup and increasing military activity will impact the environment, culture, society and economy on Guam, she stated. But the freely associated states of Micronesia and representatives from the U.S. all have more say in how military activity in the region proceeds than Guam does, she said.

We implore this body to recognize the necessity of Guam in conversations within the Pacific, as we seek to wield for ourselves our distinct place in the Pacific and reposition our island as a center of regional and global peace and security, the governor wrote.

But there has been some progress towards self-determination for Guam in the past year, Leon Guerrero noted.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently doubled down on the Biden administrations support for self determination for U.S. territories, hopefully moving progress forward, the governor said.

The U.S. government has also agreed in an email to Won Pat-Borja to allowing a visiting mission to Guam by the U.N.

Leon Guerrero previously requested that the U.N. visit the island to investigate allegations from 2021 that CHamoru residents had their human rights violated during the decision making process for the military buildup.
A graduate student from the University of Guam is one of 85 early career professionals from all over the United States selected for the prestigious John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, according to a press release from UOG.

The Knauss Fellowship is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations National Sea Grant College Program.

DAmy Steward, a Master of Science in Biology student, is the sole awardee from Guam this year. She is also the second from UOG to receive the award.

The Knauss fellowship is a one-year paid opportunity open to current and recent graduates from advanced degree programs in areas such as marine and coastal science, engineering, environmental management, and public policy, among others, according to a release from NOAA.

As an executive fellow, Steward will serve in a federal government office in Washington, D.C.

UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez said the fellowship and others like it help to broaden UOGs sense of pride.

Her dedication and success reflect the excellence of our academic programs, the transformative power of higher education, and the potential our students possess, Enriquez said. We are confident that she will continue to excel and make meaningful contributions to marine policy and environmental science, both locally and nationally.

Steward graduated from Duke University in 2020 with a double major in Biology and Environmental Science, specializing in Ecology and Marine Science and Conservation. During her tenure at Duke, she held the title of Rachel Carson Scholar, and her honors thesis focused on quantifying the benthic footprint of artificial reefs in southeastern U.S.

The Knauss Fellowship has been a dream of mine since I first learned about it during my freshman year of college, Steward said, adding, My time as a NOAA Hollings Scholar solidified my interest in pursuing this fellowship. I couldnt be more ecstatic about this incredible opportunity, and I am truly honored to have been selected.

She spent the summer of 2019 in Saipan as a NOAA Hollings intern, where she worked on research related to the striped eel catfish. This experience brought her back to the region to pursue her masters degree at UOG.

During her first year, she received the Ecological Society of America Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award, which provided her with hands-on training and science policy experience.

As a UOG graduate student, Steward is collaborating with UOG professors of marine biology, Laurie Raymundo and Peter Houk, on her thesis, which involves modeling the outcomes of coral restoration efforts.

The Knauss Fellowship is a highly selective program serving as a gateway for emerging scientists and policymakers to engage in federal initiatives and connect academic knowledge with practical policy implementation. Upon completion of their fellowship, they are equipped with advanced skills to drive positive change within their communities, said Austin Shelton, director of the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant.

National Sea Grant College Program Director Jonathan Pennock highlighted that Knauss fellows have consistently and thoughtfully applied their unique knowledge and skillsets to develop solutions to national issues.

We eagerly anticipate welcoming the incoming class of fellows and have no doubt that they will continue the tradition of serving through science, Pennock said in a recent visit to Guam.

Since starting in 1979, over 1,600 individuals have participated in the program, according to NOAA. Lauren Swaddell, a graduate of the UOG Master of Science in Environmental Science, was the first Knauss Fellowship Program awardee from Guam.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





Towards a relaxation of measures at the Dominican border

Friday October 6, 2023, Dominican President Luis Abinader, following a visit this Friday to the border town of Dajabon, declared that work on the Vigia canal is sufficiently advanced and that he planned to relax certain measures relating to the closure of land, sea and air borders with Haiti. These measures will only concern trade because the border will remain completely closed to migration, he specified



Port-de-Paix : Opening of a toll booth

Thursday October 5, 2023, Josue Alusma the Mayor of Port-de-Paix with the Police, officially launched work to open a toll booth in the Carelage area. According to the mayor, "This position will allow the town hall and the police to manage the problem of insecurity and to have control over people entering and leaving the city."



Barbancourt, 6th best Rum in the world

In the latest ranking published (2023) by "Insider Monkey", Haiti with its Barbancourt Rum, comes 6th out of the 12 countries which produce the best rums in the world. Top 5: #1 Jamaica, #2 Cuba, #3 Barbados, #4 Martinique, #5 Guyana.



Italy : Evaluation of the 60 selected scholarship holders

Jean Victor Geneus received on Thursday, October 5, 2023, a delegation of professors from Italy to evaluate, over 2 days, around sixty candidates selected for study scholarships (2023-2024) in Italy (3-year bachelor's programs, from master's degree in 2 years and doctorate).



Diapsora : 18th ed. of Haitian Ladies Weekend

The 18th edition of the Haitian Ladies Network takes place from October 6 to 8, 2023 in Washington D.C. This annual event brings together hundreds of women from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the unity, strength and diversity of Haitian women. Learn more about the event visit : https://www.haitianladies.org



Canadian Embassy in Haiti closed

The Canadian Embassy in Haiti will be closed on Monday, October 9, 2023 due to the celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday in Canada. Activities will resume Tuesday October 10.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Rural residents in S China's Hainan gain wealth after village renovation

People's Daily Online) 15:54, October 07, 2023

Bohou village in Sanya city, south China's Hainan Province is inhabited by the Li ethnic group. During the peak tourist season, parking in the village becomes extremely difficult to find. To accommodate the visitors, the villagers' committee always opens its doors to welcome tourists.

Located near the famous Yalong Bay National Tourism Resort, Bohou village has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, before 2016, very few tourists would venture into the village when visiting the Yalong Bay National Tourism Resort.

Bohou village takes on a new look after a renovation project. (Photo courtesy of the villagers' committee of Bohou village)

Shao Jing, a member of the rural revitalization work team in Bohou village, explained that in the past, local villagers relied on flower cultivation, extensive agriculture, and working as migrant workers to get rid of poverty.

However, despite these efforts, the village struggled to attract tourists due to its poor environment.

"If just one-tenth of the tourists visiting the Yalong Bay National Tourism Resort stay in our village, we can fully activate our resources," said Su Shaohong, head of Bohou village.

In 2017, Bohou village launched a special campaign to improve the living environment, implementing various measures including the installation of sewage pipelines, the construction of cement roads, and the removal of walls and pigsties owned by villagers.

Party members and officials took the lead in signing an agreement for the construction of a beautiful countryside, and they were the first to demolish their own walls and pigsties. They then went door-to-door to persuade the villagers.

A villager named Tan Zhongxian became the first person in the village to take a risk. He used all his savings accumulated from working in south China's Guangdong Province for 10 years to rent his uncles' old houses.

Tourists play in the swimming pool of a B&B hotel in Bohou village. (Xinhua/Liu Yongzhen)

In May 2017, Tan opened his B&B hotel.

"At first, my family didn't understand why I was risking all our savings. But in the first year of business, we had almost full occupancy every day, and during holidays, it was even harder to find a room. We recouped our initial investment in the second year," Tan said.

After that, B&B hotels sprouted up in Bohou village. There are currently 61 B&B hotels with a total of nearly 2,000 rooms in the village. In 2022, the village's B&B hotels recorded over 290,000 tourist arrivals, generating a revenue of over 55 million yuan ($7.53 million).

In 2020, Bohou village was rated a top-level rural tourism destination in Hainan Province.

Today, the average annual per capita disposable income in Bohou village has reached nearly 30,000 yuan, and all 667 households are employed in the village.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
In a joint operation , Helsinki Police and Customs have exposed a large-scale drug import and distribution network. The investigation revealed that a criminal network smuggled significant quantities of amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, and Subutex into Finland. The individuals involved also transferred hundreds of thousands of euros earned from drug trafficking out of the country.

The Helsinki Police investigation commenced in early 2023. In May, the police monitored a suspected smuggler who had just arrived in the country. During surveillance, the police observed the transfer of suspected narcotics to two recipients.

"We apprehended the suspects, including the drug recipients and the smuggler. During the arrest, the police seized over 90 kilograms of amphetamines. The smuggling truck used had a professionally constructed hidden compartment specifically designed for narcotics," stated Markku Juurikkamaki, the lead investigator and Detective Chief Inspector at Helsinki Police.

The seized amphetamines have an estimated street value of nearly two million euros.

"Through the police preliminary investigation, we uncovered a network comprised of several individuals distributing drugs in the Helsinki metropolitan area. These individuals had various roles in the drug distribution, and the operation was partially controlled from abroad," added Juurikkamaki.

Additionally, the investigation revealed that the funds generated from drug sales were channeled to Russia through various intermediaries. Cash ranging from a few hundred euros to tens of thousands of euros was transported at a time. A distinct modus operandi was established for the financial transactions, managed mainly by different individuals than those involved in drug distribution.

Customs authorities also investigated the Subutex segment of the operation. It is suspected that a minimum of 45,000 Subutex tablets, with an approximate street value of 1.5 million euros, entered Finland between summer and fall 2022.

"In this investigated criminal case, individuals imported substantial quantities of Subutex tablets, classified as narcotics, from France and transported them to Finland via Sweden. Subutex was further distributed primarily in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The criminal network is believed to have taken at least 333,000 euros in cash out of Finland from drug sales during the fall of 2022," explained Tero Virtanen, the lead investigator at Customs.

In connection with this case, Swedish customs also seized over 32,000 Subutex tablets on two occasions, which were being transported from France to Finland in the fall of 2022. The estimated street value of this seizure is approximately 1.1 million euros.

Approximately 20 individuals are suspected of drug importation and distribution, with eight individuals currently detained or under investigation. The case will move to prosecution consideration in the coming weeks.

HT
A recent workplace survey conducted by Suomen Yrittajat (Finnish Entrepreneurs) has revealed that 58 percent of the workforce in Finland is in favor of increasing the presence of foreign labor in the country. The survey, commissioned by Suomen Yrittajat and carried out by Kantar Public, gathered responses from over a thousand individuals representing various occupational roles, including employees, executives, entrepreneurs, unemployed individuals, and those on temporary leave.

According to Mikael Pentikainen, the CEO of Suomen Yrittajat, this growing support for foreign labor underscores the country's recognition of the vital role immigrants play in the nation's workforce. "It is crucial for the government to proactively implement the aspects of the government program that promote labor-based immigration," Pentikainen emphasized during the National Entrepreneur Days in Pori.

He highlighted that the government's program includes several provisions aimed at facilitating labor-based immigration, such as investing in international recruitment, streamlining the recognition of foreign qualifications, enhancing training in native languages, and improving language proficiency testing availability and quality. The program also promises to strengthen the embassies' capabilities in international recruitment and promote tax incentives for foreign labor.

Support for labor-based immigration has increased this year, with 58 percent of respondents expressing the need for more foreign workforce compared to January, when the figure stood at 50 percent. Interestingly, there were variations in support across political lines, with the least support found among supporters of the Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party), where only a quarter of the respondents advocated for an increase in labor-based immigration. In contrast, 77 percent of respondents affiliated with the Kokoomus (National Coalition Party) supported the idea.

Approximately one-fourth of respondents believed that their workplaces required foreign labor, with a higher demand observed in welfare regions.

To promote the integration of foreign workers into their workplaces, respondents suggested simplifying residence permit processes, improving diverse workforce management, and providing tools for learning Finnish and Swedish languages at the workplace.

The rise in the working-age population in Finland is attributed to the increase in labor-based immigration and a decrease in emigration. "This is positive and necessary development as birth rates have unfortunately dramatically declined," Pentikainen remarked.

Currently, Finland is home to around 28,000 immigrant entrepreneurs, a number that has steadily increased in recent years. "Immigrant entrepreneurs have become an increasingly vital group. Suomen Yrittajat is also dedicated to supporting them, as they play a significant role in building the well-being of Finns," Pentikainen emphasized, underlining the importance of supporting this dynamic segment of the country's entrepreneurial landscape.

HT
The research sheds light on the phenomenon of prolonged symptoms lasting over four weeks, including coughing, stomach pain, and diarrhea, following respiratory infections that were not caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

A groundbreaking study conducted by Queen Mary University of London and published in The Lancet's EClinicalMedicine has revealed the existence of persistent symptoms, dubbed 'long colds,' in individuals who tested negative for COVID-19 after acute respiratory infections.

Although the severity of the initial illness seems to influence the risk of enduring extended symptoms, ongoing research is underway to understand the underlying reasons behind this variation in individual responses.

The findings indicate that there might be unrecognized long-term health consequences following non-COVID acute respiratory infections, such as common colds, influenza, or pneumonia. However, the study does not yet provide evidence suggesting that these symptoms are as severe or persistent as those observed in cases of long Covid.

Funded by Barts Charity, the research compared the prevalence and intensity of long-term symptoms after COVID-19 with those following non-COVID acute respiratory infections. Individuals recovering from COVID-19 were more prone to experiencing light-headedness or dizziness and issues related to taste and smell compared to those who had a different respiratory infection.

Despite long Covid being a recognized condition, there have been limited studies comparing the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection with other respiratory infections.

The study is part of COVIDENCE UK, Queen Mary University of London's national research project on COVID-19, which commenced in 2020 and still involves over 19,000 participants. This particular study analyzed data from 10,171 UK adults, utilizing questionnaires and statistical analysis to identify patterns of symptoms.

Giulia Vivaldi, a researcher on COVIDENCE UK from Queen Mary University of London and the lead author of the study, commented, "Our findings not only highlight the impact of long Covid but also shed light on other respiratory infections. The lack of awareness and a common terminology hinder both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions."

"As research into long Covid progresses, we must seize the opportunity to explore the lasting effects of other acute respiratory infections. The complexity of these 'long' infections lies in their elusive diagnosis and treatment due to the multitude of possible symptoms, with over 200 investigated for long Covid alone," Vivaldi added.

Professor Adrian Martineau, Chief Investigator of COVIDENCE UK and Clinical Professor of Respiratory Infection and Immunity at Queen Mary University of London, emphasized the significance of ongoing research. "Our findings align with the experiences of individuals who have struggled with prolonged symptoms after respiratory infections, despite testing negative for COVID-19. Continued exploration of the long-term effects of COVID-19 and other acute respiratory infections is crucial. Understanding why some people experience prolonged symptoms is vital, as it can guide us toward appropriate forms of treatment and care."

Victoria King, Director of Funding and Impact at Barts Charity, highlighted the study's contribution to raising awareness about prolonged respiratory infections. "Studies like this are invaluable. As we learn more about long Covid symptoms and potential treatments, this research helps build greater awareness around other extended respiratory infections that may be overlooked," she said, underlining the importance of these findings for broader public health awareness and understanding.

HT
Finland's recent decision to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) represents a significant transformation in the country's foreign and security policy, according to Finland's Ambassador to India, Kimmo Lahdevirta . He underscored that this move emphasizes Finland's commitment to the fundamental principle of collective defense, wherein an attack against any NATO member state is regarded as an attack against all.

In an interview with ANI, Ambassador Lahdevirta explained, "This marks a major shift in our foreign and foreign security policy, committing Finland to the principle of collective defense. Our NATO membership involves several military and political dimensions. Militarily, we are now actively participating in defense planning, exercises, procurement, and other NATO systems. Politically, it has deepened our relationship with NATO members significantly."

Lahdevirta emphasized Finland's substantial national defense capabilities, civil preparedness, and the country's commitment to allocate over 2 percent of its GDP to defense, indicating a robust commitment to security. He added, "Finland brings essential assets to NATO. We have a strong national defense, civil preparedness, and crisis resilience. The fact that we allocate well over 2 percent of our GDP for national defense is significant and demonstrates our dedication to security."

The Ambassador also expressed Finland's aspiration for Sweden to become a part of NATO. He stressed that the alliance remains incomplete without Sweden's membership and highlighted the potential collaboration between both nations in enhancing the security landscape of Northern Europe and NATO as a whole.

Both Finland and Sweden had jointly applied for NATO membership in May of the preceding year. However, while Finland's membership was ratified in April 2023, Sweden faced opposition from Turkey, which wielded its veto power over concerns related to alleged support for Kurdish fighter groups. Remarkably, Turkey altered its position in July, removing its blockade and potentially paving the way for Sweden's future membership in the alliance.

Finland's integration into NATO stands as a testament to its commitment to collective security and cooperation within the international community, further strengthening the alliance's reach and influence in Northern Europe.

HT
Exploring how the qualities of each zodiac sign match the values of Hogwarts houses is an exciting journey. By looking at the traits of each sign and how they fit with the principles of each house, we can better understand how students are sorted into their houses, making sure they end up where they truly belong. Hogwarts Legacy(HT File)

Zodiac Signs and their Ideal Hogwarts Houses

Aries (March 21-April 19) - Gryffindor

Aries individuals are characterized by their boundless energy and unwavering determination. They possess an innate sense of ambition and are always eager to take the lead, facing challenges head-on with a fearless spirit. Much like the brave and adventurous Gryffindors, Aries individuals showcase remarkable courage and a readiness to dive into the unknown. Their independence and indomitable spirit further align with Gryffindor's values, as they stand tall and unyielding in the face of adversity. In essence, Gryffindor is the house where Aries truly belongs, celebrating their courage and adventurous nature.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) - Hufflepuff

Taurus individuals are known for their reliability and practicality. They exude a calm and composed demeanour while demonstrating an unwavering commitment to their goals, often characterized by their strong work ethic. This foundation of steadfastness and determination aligns beautifully with the core values of Hufflepuff, a house renowned for its loyalty and unwavering dedication. Tauruses also share an intrinsic value of patience, mirroring Hufflepuff's emphasis on perseverance and fair play. Much like Hufflepuffs, Tauruses appreciate the beauty in life and cherish friendship, loyalty, and love above all else. Their gentle yet strong nature complements the warm and welcoming ethos of Hufflepuff, making it the ideal house for individuals born under this sign.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) - Ravenclaw

Geminis are celebrated for their adaptability and outgoing nature. They possess keen intelligence and thrive in environments that challenge their mental capabilities, allowing their creativity to flourish. These qualities make them a natural fit for Ravenclaw, a house that values wit and wisdom. Geminis' quick-wittedness resonates with the intellectual atmosphere of Ravenclaw, where they can engage in stimulating intellectual pursuits. Additionally, Geminis' curiosity about the world around them aligns with Ravenclaw's thirst for knowledge and understanding. Their agile minds, always buzzing with ideas and questions, make them an ideal fit for the intellectual and innovative environment of Ravenclaw, establishing it as their ideal Hogwarts home.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) - Hufflepuff

Cancer individuals exude loyalty and a sympathetic, caring nature, aligning seamlessly with Hufflepuffs emphasis on friendship and support. Their protective demeanor and dedication to their loved ones mirror the core Hufflepuff traits of loyalty and unwavering commitment to community and friendship. In addition to their loyal traits, Cancers' imaginative and intuitive minds further complement the Hufflepuff ethos. Just like Hufflepuffs, Cancers place immense value on emotional bonds and harmony, showcasing their suitability for this warm and welcoming house. The genuine and nurturing nature of Hufflepuff is the perfect match for those born under the Cancer sign.

Leo (July 23-August 22) - Gryffindor

Leos, with their confident and ambitious nature, find their place in Gryffindor. Known for their natural leadership skills and generous spirit, Leos exudes the bold and brave traits celebrated by Gryffindor House. Their inclination towards leadership and their unwavering courage align perfectly with the values upheld by Gryffindor. Moreover, Leoss unwavering self-belief and passion for life mirror the enthusiastic and fearless characteristics of Gryffindor. Their resolute determination and zest for life parallel the audacious and vibrant spirit of Gryffindor, solidifying their alignment with this house, where bravery and valour are esteemed.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) - Ravenclaw

Virgos are characterized by their analytical, hardworking, and practical nature. These earth signs share a special connection with Ravenclaw, a house known for its wisdom and appreciation for diligence and intelligence. Virgo's methodical approach to life and challenges aligns with Ravenclaws value of knowledge and learning. Furthermore, Virgos attention to detail and relentless pursuit of perfection resonate with the Ravenclaw ethos of intellectual excellence and innovation. Their careful and thoughtful nature mirrors Ravenclaws commitment to understanding and discovery, marking Ravenclaw as the fitting house for Virgo, where their intellectual pursuits and thirst for knowledge can thrive.

Libra (September 23-October 22) - Hufflepuff

Libras are known for their love of balance, harmony, and beauty, traits that align beautifully with Hufflepuff's values. Their diplomatic and fair-minded nature resonates with the Hufflepuff's emphasis on equality and justice. Libras strive for peace and equilibrium in all aspects of life, mirroring Hufflepuff's pursuit of fairness and consistent loyalty. Furthermore, Libras gentle and affable nature complements Hufflepuffs emphasis on friendship and togetherness. Their sociable demeanour and commitment to building and maintaining relationships align with Hufflepuffs community-centric ethos, making it the ideal house for Libra individuals, where they can foster friendships and promote harmony.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) - Slytherin

Scorpios, known for their determination, passion, and resourcefulness, find their match in Slytherin. Their strategic minds and a strong sense of focus mirror the cunning and ambitious nature of the Slytherin House. Scorpios resilience and unyielding nature resonate with Slytherins determination and drive for success. Additionally, Scorpios passion and depth further solidify their alignment with Slytherin. Their intuitive and perceptive nature, combined with a powerful desire to achieve their goals, align seamlessly with the qualities valued by Slytherin, making it the perfect house for Scorpios, where they can channel their ambition and cunning to reach great heights.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) - Gryffindor

Sagittarians, known for their adventurous and optimistic nature, align naturally with Gryffindor. Their love for exploration, freedom, and desire to experience life to the fullest resonate with the courageous and adventurous spirit of Gryffindor. Sagittarians' boundless enthusiasm and zest for life reflect the vibrant energy of Gryffindor's house. Moreover, the Sagittarian desire for knowledge and truth aligns with Gryffindors pursuit of justice and righteousness. Their fearless pursuit of their ideals and passions mirrors the bold and valiant nature of Gryffindor, making it the most fitting house for this fiery sign, where they can chase their dreams and stand up for what they believe in.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) - Hufflepuff

Capricorns are characterized by their discipline, practicality, and sense of responsibility, traits that align closely with the values of Hufflepuff. Their steadfast nature and commitment to hard work resonate with Hufflepuffs emphasis on diligence, loyalty, and fairness. Furthermore, Capricorns methodical and organized approach to life mirrors the Hufflepuff ethos of patience and dedication. Their practicality and dependability complement the Hufflepuff values of loyalty and consistency, solidifying their place in this house, where they can showcase their strong work ethic and unwavering dedication to their goals.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18) - Ravenclaw

Aquarians are celebrated for their innovative, original, and intellectual nature, traits that naturally sort them into Ravenclaw. Their forward-thinking and inventive minds align with the creativity and wisdom revered by Ravenclaw. Aquarians' passion for knowledge, progress, and making the world a better place resonates with the intellectual curiosity and innovative spirit of Ravenclaw. Moreover, their humanitarian instincts and desire for freedom and equality echo the Ravenclaw values of individuality and acceptance. The Aquarian uniqueness and pursuit of personal and societal progress reflect the Ravenclaw ethos of creativity, intelligence, and wit, reinforcing their alignment with this house, where they can embrace their intellectual pursuits and contribute to a better world.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) - Hufflepuff

Pisces individuals, known for their compassionate, intuitive, and artistic nature, find their home in Hufflepuff. Their empathetic and sensitive traits align with Hufflepuffs emphasis on friendship, loyalty, and emotional connections. Pisces' selfless and caring nature mirrors Hufflepuff's commitment to community and mutual support, making it the ideal house for them. In addition, Pisces imaginative and creative spirit complements the Hufflepuff ethos of embracing uniqueness and individuality. Like Hufflepuffs, Pisces individuals value emotional bonds and personal growth, further solidifying their place in this nurturing and supportive house, where they can foster meaningful relationships and express their artistic talents.

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Earlier this summer, while visiting my mother in Kolkata, my wife and I debated on what I should gift her parents. I suggested Darjeeling tea, but my wife demurred: her parents, being north Indian, preferred their tea cooked with milk and spices, a beverage very different from the one derived by soaking leaves in hot water that is more common in my house. The finished opium balls are stored before shipping in the Stacking Room, where 'a number of boys are constantly engaged in stacking, turning, airing, and examining the balls. To clear them of mildew, moths or insects, they are rubbed with dried and crushed poppy petal dust. Finally, the balls are transferred into cardboard boxes and loaded into ships bound for Calcutta and, ultimately, China  original caption to the lithograph by Captain Walter Stanhope Sherwill. (Universal Images Group via Getty)

Tea is so essentially a part of Indian and South Asian identity that it inspires the most passionate debates about how one should make it. It also provokes a million memes on social media ridiculing Starbucks chai tea. But we hardly imagine that very few people in the Indian subcontinent consumed the beverage before the early-20th century. Most of us would also find it difficult to believe that this quintessentially Indian drink originated in China.

408pp, 699; HarperCollins

Novelist Amitav Ghosh, too, arrives at this epiphany while drinking a cup of tea at his Calcutta home soon after a trip to Guangzhou. When I looked into my cup of tea  or cha as it is called in Bengali  I suddenly remembered a word that I had recently used in Guangzhou: chah, he writes early in his new non-fiction book, Smoke and Ashes: A Writers Journey Through Opiums Hidden Histories (Fourth Estate India). Suddenly the world of Chinese influence in his life opens up  the porcelain cup in which he drinks the tea, the sugar in the tea, the peanuts to go along with it, and even the lacquerware tray, everything has some relation to China. In my mental universe China almost didnt exist; in my material world China was everywhere.

In recent years, China has loomed large and belligerent on Indias geopolitical horizon. After the border conflict in the summer of 2020, the Indian government banned several Chinese imports, including the social media site TikTok and the online game PUBG. The two countries have also competed for influence in their neighbourhood, and in the South China Sea, where Chinas territorial claims in Taiwan are predicted by security experts to be potentially the next global flashpoint after Ukraine.

But trade between the two countries has also continued to balloon during the Covid-19 years. In the first half of this year, China exported goods and services worth $56.53 billion to India, while Indias exports to the country stood at $9.49 billion. This is second only to Indias largest trading partner, the US. Yet, China features very low on the global imagination of most Indians.

This is a result, as Ghosh shows, of a few centuries of colonial propaganda and histography. In this book, Ghosh challenges the narratives made popular by the texts of colonial administrators and historians, most of whom were deeply influenced by Enlightenment ideas. Instead, he focuses on objects and creatures who have influenced human history in mysterious ways, very often unacknowledged. One of these is tea, which till about the middle of the 19th century, made China the biggest importer into Britain.

The other is opium.

Through much of human history, opium circulated only in small quantities and was usually consumed by the upper classes because of the expense and difficulty of processing it. But in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, European colonizers opened up the Asian market  with lip service to free-market principles and generous quantities of gunpowder  for the cultivation, processing, and trade in opium in newly found colonies. (I)t was the Dutch who led the way in enmeshing opium with colonialism, and in creating the first imperial narco-state, heavily dependent on drug revenues, writes Ghosh. But it was in India that the model of the colonial narco-state was perfected by the British.

Those familiar with Ghoshs epic Ibis trilogy would have some idea about the effect opium cultivation had on the lives of farmers living in the Gangetic basin, many of whom left their homes and were taken as indentured labourers to the Caribbean. They would also know about Britains wars with China to force the rulers of that country to allow the import of opium. In 2005, when I started writing Sea of Poppies, it was difficult to get a granular sense of how opium was produced in Bihar in the early nineteenth century, writes Ghosh.

Since he published his novels from 2008 to 2015, there has been a rapid growth in scholarship on the subject, perhaps somewhat inspired by his books. Ghosh uses some of these in his new book, while constantly challenging the colonial rhetoric about opium. Not only does he reveal the Orwellian nature of the narco-state  George Orwells father was one of the employees of its vast network  that forced reluctant farmers to cultivate poppy seeds, but also challenges textual and visual representations of order and development that colonial officials produced to justify their work.

Take for instance, his critique of the coloured lithographs of the opium factory in Patna produced by Captain Walter Stanhope Sherwill, an officer of the British colonial army, in the mid-19th century. (T)he prints gave the Patna factory the monumental dimensions of a cathedral, or an Egyptian temple, with towering ceilings, majestic columns, and long shelves that converged upon the perspectival vanishing point, writes Ghosh, adding that they intended to give the impression of progress and growth. But they do not reveal anything about the working conditions of the Indians employed at the factory, who laboured under intolerable conditions and were subjected to constant surveillance. This is something Ghosh does with great empathy.

Author Amitav Ghosh (Mathieu Genon)

The vast canvas of this book brings the narrative up to the present day. Ghosh claims that as conflict undermines nation-states around the world, poppy, having been a major force in the making of modernity, will also be instrumental in its unmaking. In this, fossil fuel and climate change will be opiums most able comrades.

The book, however, ends on a positive note. These sinister portents notwithstanding, the history of opium also offers an important augury of hope for global environmental movements, writes Ghosh towards the end of the book. (T)hey could look to the example of the transnational, multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of civil society groups that was eventually able to drastically curtail the opium trade despite the determined and skill resistance of the British Empire.

Since the publication of The Great Derangement (2016), Ghosh has devoted his literary energies to the fight against global warming. It might seem like a David-and-Goliath encounter to most of us  but that is the very reason why one must jump in.

Uttaran Das Gupta is a New Delhi-based writer and journalist. He teaches journalism at O P Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

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Mumbai, September 22, 2023  Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), a multi-business corporation and a leading FMCG conglomerate has unveiled a distinctive Ganesh Idol using a blend of the five flavours of its leading hard-boiled candy, Pulse. This idol is installed in the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Pandal in Mumbai. DS Group will also sample its specially curated 'Pulse Laddu Candy', a spherical candy with a refreshing look resembling a modak, at pandals in seven key locations of Maharashtra: Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Aurangabad, Jalgaon, Latur, and Nagpur besides undertaking other consumer-engaging activities.

DS Group roped in distinguished AI artist, Arun Nura, to create a visually stunning video for its social media platforms, aiming to spark further excitement during the ongoing festive season. The AI-powered video encapsulates the spirit of the Ganesh festival. Through meticulously designed AI-generated art and captivating storytelling, the video embarks on a journey through time, explaining the origins and evolution of Ganesh Chaturthi. The voiceover for the video is by the well-known Indian actor and film director, Shreyas Talpade.

Announcing this unique initiative, Mr. Arvind Kumar, GM, DS Foods Limited (Confectionery) expressed, We are delighted to be a part of the vibrant and joyous celebrations of Ganesh Mahotsav. This festival embodies the spirit of togetherness, tradition, and devotion, which aligns perfectly with DS Group's values. Through our association with Lalbaugcha Raja and other pandals in Maharashtra, we wish to strengthen our relationship with our consumers by celebrating it together. We invite everyone to join us in this Pulse-ful celebration.

Maharashtra is an important market for DS Group as one of the leading contributors to the hard-boiled candy business. To deepen its connection with the state and its people, DS Group plans to actively engage with its audience during this festival. What makes the celebration even unique is post the festivities, the sculpture will be dismantled in accordance with established norms, and fresh stock of Pulse Candy equivalent to the number of candies used in the construction of the Ganesh idol, will be distributed to underprivileged children through NGOs in and around Mumbai. The objective is to spread joy and happiness making it irresistible which is the core brand essence.

YouTube - https://youtu.be/fQi8mkBMTCo

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PulseCandyOfficial/videos/221233627612696

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/CxcoUE2ij4T/

About DS Group:

The DS Group (Dharampal Satyapal Group) is a Multi-Business Corporation and one of the leading FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) conglomerates with a strong Indian and International presence. Founded in the year 1929, it is an inspiring and successful business story that blends a remarkable history and legacy with visionary growth. It has an extensive and diverse portfolio with a presence in Mouth Freshener, Food and Beverage, Confectionery, Hospitality, Agri, Luxury Retail businesses, and other investments. Rajnigandha, Catch, Pulse, FRU, Maze, Ksheer, Pass Pass, BABA, Tulsi, LOpera, Le Marche, UnCafe, Birthright, Laderach, LuvIt, Chingles, The Manu Maharani, and Namah are some of the leading brands, the Group proudly shelters today. For more details, log onto www.dsgroup.com.

For further queries, please contact:

PR Pundit

Neha Ratta | Sumana Kaur

neha.r@prpundit.com | sumana.k@prpundit.com

+91 9873497707 | +91 88009 85307

Disclaimer: This article is a promotional feature and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times.

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India, October 06, 2023 - The grand stage is set for Expand NorthStar & GITEX 2023, among the world's premier tech showcases, slated for October 15th to 20th at Dubai Harbour & Dubai World Trade Centre. In the 2022 edition, Expand NorthStar featured around 2000 exhibitors with 50,000 visitors, while GITEX hosted over 5,000 exhibitors, attracted 300k visitors from 170+ countries, and boasted 800+ speakers.

Picky Assist is set to exhibit at NorthStar 2023, Dubai Harbour, from October 15th to 18th, showcasing how businesses can be transformed in under an hour with its All-in-One Ready to Use Software, powered by Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Generative AI, Big Data, and Robotic Process Automation.

Automating Businesses in Just 1 Hour with AI

Unlike traditional software-as-a-service companies offering a standard set of features with limited customization and automation capabilities, Picky Assist prides itself on a 100% modular platform. This platform enables businesses to customize solutions to their needs without engaging costly developers or consultants. Picky Assist's intuitive no-code platform facilitates the creation of business processes and a 2-way communication stack tailored to each business's needs. Your imagination is the limit with Picky Assist's array of products.

By merging data and communication on a single, scalable, and secure platform, Picky Assist amplifies business efficiency, projecting a 30% increase in revenue and a 45% reduction in operational costs through its conversational automation capabilities.

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Booking Automation, WhatsApp Commerce Automation, Business Intelligence Dashboards, Powerful Workflow and Macro Automation, alongside Team Collaboration across WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram.

About Picky Assist

Picky Assist has transformed the businesses of over 2,000 customers across more than 80 countries. Boasting an impressive yearly growth rate of 45%, they have direct offices in India and the USA. They cater to a diverse range of industries worldwide, with notable clients such as PWC, Qatar Airport, Religare, Art of Living, Sayaji Hotels, Cars24, GoldMedal Switches, Suzuki, Acumen, and Somalika. The Picky Assist platform is GDPR compliant and is certified under ISO 27001 and ISO 9001:2008. It ensures high levels of data protection and security with flexible data hosting options, which include a scalable managed cloud and on-premise solutions for enterprise-grade security. For more details on how Picky Assist can revolutionize your business, please visit https://pickyassist.com/en/

Contact

Picky Assists Global CEO, Mr. Reji Sivankutty, and India CSO, Mr. Anil Jain, will be available in Dubai from October 14th to 20th, welcoming meetings at NorthStar Dubai Expo, Dubai Harbour - Hall Number 2, Stall Number H2-C74.

Mr. Reji Sivankutty

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Mr. Anil Jain

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For a complimentary 5-Day Visitor Pass to NorthStar & GITEX, reach out to media@pickyassist.com.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.

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Years ago, it might have seemed like science fiction to pull out a phone, take a picture of a broken bike part, and ask, How do I fix this? Today, you can use Google Lens, find out whats broken, where to pick up a replacement part, and how to repair it yourself, all in a matter of seconds, Prabhakar Raghavan, the senior vice president at Google, believes we are at another watershed moment in the journey of web search. Google senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan (Google photo)

It is a space Google knows all too well, having dominated it for what is now a 25-year journey. So much so that Googles search became search what WhatsApp is to text messaging. An evolution of Xerox defining photocopiers for years. A common theme  many tried to compete, but none came close. Numbers illustrate Googles dominance. Microsofts Bing has around 3% market share compared with Googles 91% share, according to research firm Statcounter. Yet, artificial intelligence (AI) gives rivals a chance.

Part of our responsibility and our opportunity is to keep pace with users expectations and technological advancements, which are both constantly changing, Raghavan is clear about Googles way forward. Yet there is little doubt it faces the kind of challenges they havent encountered in the past.

Bings roll-out as an AI-based search engine gives it a first-mover advantage. The partnership with OpenAI for ChatGPT integration, and more recently with Meta for their Meta AI assistant, adds to that. The mention of chatbots and assistants is as good an illustration as it gets that the very definition of search is widening in scope, and this isnt just restricted to the web. Yet, whether market share sees a significant change in the coming months remains anyones guess.

Potential for appealing to millions of users too. Case in point, Microsofts Copilot. The AI chatbot that has deep integration in Windows 11 that runs on millions of PCs globally can not only search the internet with Bing but also within the local files and folders. Googles response with Bard is to let users find answers to questions you pose, within what it finds on your Gmail, Docs or Drive files.

Google isnt leaving anything to chance or give away years of definitive advantage to new-age tech such as chatbots, which the likes of Microsoft Bing and OpenAIs ChatGPT are relying heavily on to get on the radar of a broader demographic of users. With the increasing sophistication of generative AI, were at another watershed moment, Raghavan opines.

Things have changed quickly in the past year with the emergence of generative AI and the tools it has spawned, including text-to-image creators. Googles evolving too.

None of this fazes Raghavan. The reality is that this AI evolution didnt happen overnight. AI has been around for more than 70 years, and weve been meaningfully applying it to our products for decades, he says.

Googles Search Generative Experience (SGE) for users in India refers to a generative AI layer in Search which enables contextual visual results for conversational follow-ups. Puneesh Kumar, general manager at Google Search for India, confirms multiple large language models (LLMs) are in play, including an advanced version of Googles MUM and PaLM 2.

Consider our generative AI-powered Search experience (SGE) experiment, which provides snapshots of information and allows for conversational follow-ups. By creating entirely new ways to search, were helping people find the answers to previously unaskable questions and understand the world around them in new ways, he says.

With time, not only did search engines have to tap into and index newer sources of information, particularly with a focus on mobile devices, but also an increasing need to tackle misinformation. Weve moved from understanding text to understanding different types of information, like images, videos, audio, and even a combination of modalities, he says.

LLMs such as BERT understand words in a context rather than just words on a page, which led us to conversational search. Enter, voice assistants such as Google Assistant, and chatbots like Bard with which Google joined a frenetic space alongside ChatGPT and Bing.

The ecosystem is seeing rapid evolution, and so are LLMs. Take for instance, how web searches work in the Bard AI chatbot. There is a Google it button to check for and collect further sources on the web, for a query you may have asked.

A tap of the G icon below a response gets Bard to call upon a search to find more relevant content. When a statement can be evaluated, a user can click the highlighted phrases and learn more about supporting or contradicting information found by Google Search, Raghavan describes.

We see a virtuous cycle where user expectations rise and propel technological advancements forward, and vice versa. Something that always amazes me is that 15% of searches we see every day are ones weve never seen before. Think about that- it means just to keep up with peoples curiosity, we must be constantly innovating, Raghavan believes.

Kumar cited the Gboard keyboard app as one of the areas where it is innovating. Language needs in India remain dynamic with mixed language usage, and we see that the majority of Google users in India prefer to use more than one language online, he said. On that note, the SGE experiment begins with an understanding of English and Hindi. No doubt, itll take inspiration from traditional Google Search which supports more than 9 Indian languages including Kannada, Marathi and Bengali.

More ways to search, on phones and beyond

OpenAIs ChatGPT will now search for current information to provide answers to queries posed by users. Its search engine is Bing. ChatGPT can now browse the internet to provide you with current and authoritative information, complete with direct links to sources. It is no longer limited to data before September 2021, OpenAI says, in a statement.

The caveat, this feature is available only to Plus and Enterprise subscribers. Google Bard relies on its mammoth search engine and is free to use. Similar contours too for Microsofts Bing chatbot. The tech giant has the unique advantage of having Bing as the underlier for search in two popular chatbots, which users are increasingly turning to.

Then there is the small matter of the Copilot assistant thats rolling out for millions of PCs running the Windows 11 operating system. Theres a reasonable advantage to that method since it isnt often that users go specifically to a search web page.

Then there is Metas tryst with chatbots and conversational AI. The Meta AI assistant, which will roll out in the coming months, will use Microsofts Bing to enable real-time web searches within very popular apps globally  WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, in the coming months.

There is no ambiguity about the challenges that await Googles evolution with search. Weve always thought about our mission more expansively than just traditional text search. Thats why we invest in experiences like Discover, Assistant, Bard, Lens, Google Maps and more. We want to make it easy for people to find and engage with information  in ways beyond typing a query into a search box, says Raghavan.

The tenets, he believes, will be to make search more natural and intuitive, thereby enabling the ability to answer increasingly complex questions.

There is a sense Google knows user preferences are different for age demographics. Raghavan believes the younger generations are more likely to collaborate with AI as a thought and creation partner.

Much of the Indian population leapfrogged desktop computing and went straight to mobile, which also leads to different user behaviours than we might see in Western Europe or America. For instance, we see a stronger preference for visual and video content and a much higher usage of voice for search, he points out.

Turns out, Googles data indicates the percentage of Indians doing daily voice queries is nearly twice the global average.

While there is pressure for speed, Googles not willing to compromise on what it calls responsible AI. Being last to join the chatbot space, was an example of that. The biggest difference in recent months is that AI has gone from working primarily behind the scenes to moving up the technological stack, directly into the user interface, says Raghavan.

Limiting certain sensitive and knowledge critical elements such as medical advice in the SGE experiment, another. AI is still an emerging technology, and like any emerging technology, its critical that we bring user experiences rooted in these models to the world in the most responsible way possible, he adds.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vishal Mathur Vishal Mathur is Technology Editor for Hindustan Times. When not making sense of technology, he often searches for an elusive analog space in a digital world. ...view detail
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has chosen to delegate the taxation of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA), which is used for the manufacture of portable alcohol, to the states. Furthermore, it has reduced the levy rates on millet flour and molasses. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives to chair the 52nd meeting of the GST Council, at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday. (Jitender Gupta)

GST rates slashed

Announcing the decision, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that despite the GST Council having full authority to levy charges on ENA, it is ceding the right to tax the distilled alcohol used for human consumption to states. ENA for industrial use will continue to attract GST.

Along with this, informing about the millet flour rate cut, she said that if the flour is unpackaged and contains at least 70 per cent millet, it will be subject to a zero per cent tax rate. However, if it is packaged and labelled, it will incur a five per cent tax rate.

In addition to this, GST Council in its 52nd meeting also lowered the GST tax on molasses from 28 to 5 per cent. It will benefit sugarcane farmers, lower cattle feed cost, Sitharaman said.

Amendments to GST Appellate Tribunal

Sitharaman said, The president and the members shall have a tenure up to a maximum age of 70 years. Earlier, this was 67. For the president and the members, it was 67 and 65 respectively. Whereas what we've now done is the tenure can be up to 70 and 67, respectively...

The 52nd meeting of the GST Council, under the chair of Nirmala Sitharaman was held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday. Along with the union finance minister, union minister of state for finance, chief ministers of Goa and Meghalaya, besides finance ministers of states & UTs (with legislature) also attended the meeting.

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The 52nd meeting of the Goods and Services Tax or GST Council will be conducted in New Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan on Saturday, October 7 where matters such as extending the concessional tax rate on vehicles for visually impaired persons, exemption on millets sold in powdered form and clarifying tax on bank and corporate guarantees, among others are likely to be discussed. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the 51st meeting of the GST Council, via video conferencing, in New Delhi. (Nirmala Sitharaman Office Twitter)

Top points on 52nd GST Council meeting:

1. The GST Council is likely to review the progress made by the states in incorporating changes with regard to taxation of online gaming in SGST laws as approved by the council in its August meeting, news agency PTI reported. The central government has notified the amendments in GST legislation passed by the Lok Sabha in August so as to impose a 28% tax on online gaming, casinos, and horse racing. The amendments came into effect from October 1.

2. The GST Council, chaired by the Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state counterparts, had last month cleared amendments to Central GST and Integrated GST laws to give clarity on the levy of 28 per cent tax on the full face value of bets in online gaming, casinos and horse race clubs.

3. The Economic Times reported the GST Council is expected to provide clarification on the taxation of bank and corporate guarantees furnished by directors and promoters to a company.

4. The council is also expected to discuss exempting distilled alcohol used to manufacture liquor from the indirect tax at the meeting, news agency Reuters reported citing a source. High distilled or extra-neutral alcohol contains 95% alcohol by volume and is used for producing liquor and for industrial purposes.

5. The council will also consider a proposal to lower GST on molasses to 5% from 28%, the source said. Molasses, a byproduct of sugar production, is used to make extra-neutral alcohol and ethanol.

6. The panel will also consider a plan to exempt GST on some millet flour products from 18% at present, and plans to stick to 18% tax applicable on electric vehicle batteries.

7. The government is likely to study how to tax some services provided by cryptocurrency platforms.

8. During its 51st meeting, the GST Council suggested for revisions in the CGST Act 2017 and IGST Act 2017. These recommendations encompassed changes to Schedule III of the CGST Act, 2017, aimed at offering a better understanding regarding the taxation of transactions related to casinos, horse racing, and online gaming.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Delhi Finance Minister Atishi on Saturday said the issuance of tax evasion notices totaling 1.5 lakh crore to online gaming companies could potentially cripple them. She expressed her intention to appeal for the withdrawal of these notices during the 52nd meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council today. Atishi (HT Photo)

"Valuation of online gaming companies is 23,000 crore while 1.5 lakh crore tax evasion notices were sent to companies of the online gaming industry. I will seek a withdrawal of tax notices in today's GST council meeting," said Atishi, PTI reported.

She argued that retracting these notices is essential to safeguard the industry which is already facing adverse effects of imposition of a 28 per cent tax.

She added an "unstable and erratic tax environment" could discourage foreign investors from entering the online gaming industry, thereby affecting the overall startup ecosystem in the country.

In its 51st meeting held on August 2, the GST Council, chaired by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state ministers, had proposed amendments to the GST laws. These amendments clarified the 28 per cent taxation on casinos, horse racing and online gaming, specifying that the tax applies to the full value of bets placed rather than the gross gaming revenue. These amendments post-approval by Parliament in the monsoon session became operational on October 1.

ALSO READ: 28% GST on online gaming, horse racing, casinos on full face value. Explained

However, in recent weeks, several online real-money gaming companies have received show-cause notices for allegedly evading taxes, believed to stem from these GST law amendments.

For instance, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) reportedly sent notices for 21,000 crore to Play Games 24X7, which operates RummyCircle My11Circle, while fantasy e-sports firm Dream11 also received a notice for 28,000 crore.

According to a Live Mint report, authorities are going to issue tax demands of as much as 1.5 trillion cumulatively from online gaming companies for alleged underpayments for several years.

While these amendments have become operational this month, the notices appear to pertain to the period preceding the amendments. Tax officials are reported to have calculated the dues by applying a 28 per cent tax to the full value of bets placed, as per a Money Control report.

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In order to cater to the rising traffic at Karnataka's Belagavi Airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has commissioned, a category-I instrument landing system (ILS) for its runway on Thursday. As per the AAI, the total cost for installation of the facility is  12.38 Cr. (Representational image)(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

As per the AAI, the total cost for installation of the facility is 12.38 Cr.

The installation of ILS on runway 26 approach of Belagavi Airport will enable the landing of aircraft in low visibility as well as for night landings, the authority added.

ALSO READ | PM Modi responds to actor R Madhavan's praise on Bengaluru airport's terminal 2

An Instrument Landing System (ILS) is a precision radio navigation system that provides short-range guidance to aircraft to allow them to approach a runway at night or in bad weather.

The new facility has a 16-element Localizer antenna system that will help in the precision approach of all aircraft landing at the Belagavi airport in all weather conditions.

ALSO READ | Etihad Airways flight returns to Bengaluru airport after technical snag

The Instrument Landing System employs two radio beams to provide pilots with vertical and horizontal guidance during the landing approach. The localiser (LOC) provides azimuth guidance, while the glidepath (GP) defines the correct vertical descent profile. The system expediently allows aircraft to approach until it is 200 feet (61 m) over the ground and is very helpful for pilots at airports like Belagavi.

The trial run of the installed ILS was successfully completed by Hyderabad bound A320 flight operated by Indigo Airlines on July 31 this year.

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said he has appealed for a compensation of 4860 crore from the central leadership amid a drought-like situation in several districts, however estimating the actual loss incurred by the state to be over 30,000 crore. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. (PTI)(HT_PRINT)

This comes in the backdrop of the raging Cauvery river water sharing dispute with neighbouring state Tamil Nadu. The CM spoke to reporters after the inauguration of the 100th year anniversary celebrations of Babbur Farms, Millets Mela and Symposium on Horticultural crops at the Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agriculture and Horticulture Sciences in Chitradurga.

ALSO READ | CM Siddaramaiah briefs central team, says Karnataka facing green drought

"Crops were sown in an area of 80 lakh hectares and 42 lakh hectares of crops have been damaged. Hence the state and the farmers are in trouble. Although we have appealed to the centre for compensation of 4860 crores, the amount of loss we have incurred is more than 30,000 crores. All this is being reviewed by the Central Drought Study Team. Chitradurga is a drought-prone district and is affected even more. Whatever the compensation provided by the Central Government, our Government is committed to ensuring that our people, farmers and livestock are not troubled," Siddaramaiah told news agency ANI.

"There is no price for the crop. Heavy rains, scanty rains and droughts are affecting the farmers. Therefore, pro-farmer research should be carried out in accordance with the changed environment. All the taluks of Chitradurga district are affected by drought," he added.

ALSO READ | Three teams from Centre to visit Karnataka today to assess drought situation

"Research should be increased in agriculture and horticulture universities. In the backdrop of climate change, a study must be conducted regarding crops that are feasible and which will benefit the farmers. It does not matter how many graduates come out of agricultural universities. It is important as to how many varieties have been developed," He further stated.

ALSO READ | Heartening: Karnataka DCM DK Shivakumar on CWRC's decision over Cauvery water release to TN

The Congress stalwart also assured that the Government is committed to providing all assistance in the matter, especially for research in the agriculture sector.

(With inputs from ANI)

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LAM Research, a global provider of semiconductor equipment and services, has shown interest in setting up a new lab in Karnataka. Karnataka Cabinet Minister MB Patil. (PTI)(HT_PRINT)

Minister for Large and Medium Industries, Karnataka Government, MB Patil held a discussion with the company's management representatives in this regard, here on Thursday.

MB Patil is currently leading a high-powered delegation to the United States of America to attract investment into the state. Patil is meeting a slew of companies drawn from semiconductor, aerospace and defence auto/EV, space, and Med-tech among others.

READ | Applied Materials seeks approvals from Karnataka government to set up R&D lab in Bengaluru

LAM Research has already established a presence in Karnataka since 2000 and its campus in Bengaluru is focusing on hardware engineering, global operations management, and software development support. During the State Level Single Window Committee meeting held in September, the company secured approval to set up Engineering, R&D, Testing and Tool Prototyping for capital goods for the manufacturing of semiconductors and displays. It plans to invest 236 crore in this project.

LAM Research is also planning to contribute to the development of Indian suppliers and establish connections with the existing supplier ecosystem in Karnataka, the company said.

Rangesh Raghavan, Corporate Vice President, Karthik Rammohan, Group Vice President, Pat Lord, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, and Vartan Djihanian, Director of Government Affairs were present during the discussion with the minister.

LeoLabs, a pioneering force in transforming the landscape of satellite operations, intends to set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for research in space technology in Karnataka. The company's management representatives held discussions with Patil on Thursday in this regard.

The company is also exploring opportunities to integrate into the Karnataka's space ecosystem. With a suite of 10 radar satellite tracking services, LeoLabs empowers automated and independent monitoring for fleets of any size. Their innovative approach is reshaping the way missions are launched, tracked, and managed, offering crucial insights and support for the rapidly evolving space industry.

Dan Ceperley, Founder and CEO of LeoLabs and Rachit Bhatia, Lead, Space Safety Analytics & Research were present during the discussions with the minister.

READ | KHB to build Integrated Township near Kempegowda International Airport

Tsecond, a growth-stage portfolio company backed by Boeing and Solar Industries India Limited, has shown interest in setting up an R&D Centre in Bengaluru. Once sufficient scale is reached, the company plans to explore assembling and hardware manufacturing in Karnataka, the company's officials told Patil.

The company also plans to work with customers in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities in Karnataka.

Minister for IT/BT and Science and Technology, Priyank Kharge, S Selvakumar, Principal Secretary to the Government, Department of Commerce and Industries, Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner of Industries were present during the occasion.

Sahil Chawla, CEO and Co-founder and Ramesh Singh, Co-founder and Chief Strategist of Tsecond represented the company during the discussions with the minister.

Founded in 2020, Tsecond is developing technologies that reimagine how enterprises and organizations activate big data to drive insights and innovation. Tsecond is working to accelerate the value of the global datasphere by addressing the complexities of mass data generation.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary and party candidate from Indore 1 assembly constituency Kailash Vijayvargiya on Friday said that he will not just be a legislator if elected. He said the BJP has planned bigger responsibilities for him in Bhopal, hinting that he is in the race for the chief ministers post. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary and party candidate from Indore 1 assembly constituency Kailash Vijayvargiya (Twitter/@KailashOnline)

I have not come to Indore-1 just to become an MLA. I will get bigger responsibility from the party and do bigger work, he said.

The BJP has not declared a CM candidate for upcoming assembly polls due at the year-end and instead has decided to contest unitedly under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Currently, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the MP chief minister.

Vijayvargiya was among the top eight party leaders, including three Union ministers, who were given tickets to contest from MP.

A senior BJP functionary said that Vijayvargiya, who returned to MP politics in 2022 after being in charge of Haryana and West Bengal since 2014, has hinted that he could be the next chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.

This is the first time in the past four elections that the BJP has not announced any name for the CM candidate. BJP gave tickets to all the senior leaders, including Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Prahlad Patel, he said, asking not to be named.

Vijayvargiya is contesting against sitting Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla.

Earlier at a gathering, Vijayvargiya while taking a dig at the Congress had announced a prize money of Rs.51,000 to the polling booth in-charges where Congress does not get even a single vote.

Congress has not done any work here and all of you should make efforts so that they do not get votes from your ward. I will give Rs.51,000 to the in-charges of polling booth where all the votes will be cast in favour of BJP, he said.

The assemblies where I have been a legislator have flourished and are at the top in terms of development, he said.

I went to Indore-4, and Indore-2 and contested elections from Mahu, you can see the development there, he said, asserting that he was contesting so that the BJP would again form its government in the state.

Responding, the Congress said that every senior leader in the BJP is eyeing the CM post. BJP is trying to create a fake bubble in the election to beat anti-incumbency. BJP wont win and these leaders will be held responsible for this, said KK Mishra, media in-charge, Congress.

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Rebellion by some of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers and leaders, who have been denied ticket for the upcoming assembly election, may disturb the partys carefully carved caste balance in election bound Madhya Pradesh, especially in Vindhya region, where the partys winning strike rate was best in 2018 elections, party leaders familiar with the matter said. The major problem for the BJP is emerging from the Vindhya region, where the party won on 80% of the seats in 2018 elections. (File Photo)

A senior party functionary said the major problem for the party is emerging from the Vindhya region, where the party won on 80% of the seats denying Congress majority in 2018 elections, particularly after the second list of 39 party candidates was made public.

The Congress missed the majority mark by 2 seats and had to seek support from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Independent MLAs to form its government in 2018.

Close to Uttar Pradesh, Vindhya region, which has 30 assembly seats, is known for bitter caste politics with Brahmin dominance. The BJP won 24 of them last time and six went to the Congress.

Apparently to negate anti-incumbency this time, the BJP-led state government has created two new districts in the region in September Mauganj and Maihar. Besides, former minister and influential leader in the region Rajendra Shukla was inducted in the state cabinet about a month ago.

However, Kedarnath Shukla, sitting BJP MLA from Sidhi seat in the region was denied ticket and he has announced his contest from the seat against the official candidate.

A second BJP functionary said, The party leadership had a solid ground to deny ticket to Kedarnath Shukla on Sidhi seat after his local representative Pravesh Shukla was accused in infamous urination on a tribal that drew massive criticism from across the country. However, Shukla, who won the seat three times in a row, knows well that its difficult for the party to overlook him given his importance in the framework of caste politics. After denial of ticket to him, a few BJP workers have already resigned from the party.

Kedarnath Shukla on October 2 announced he has no option left but to contest the upcoming elections as an independent candidate and that he would take out a nyay yatra (a march for justice) while claiming injustice was meted out to him by his party.

The second functionary said, Shuklas confidence that he can win the election stems from the fact that Brahmins in Sidhi are already upset with the government, given the manner in which house of Pravesh Shuklas house was demolished after the urination case, as a result of which his family members were almost on the streets.

A third BJP functionary said another Brahmin leader and sitting MLA from Maihar, Narayan Tripathi, has floated his own party to demand creation of a Vindhya state. To negate the same, the state government had to announce creation of the new district, Maihar, which is his home turf, he said.

Party leaders said there is a growing dissent over candidature of local MP, Ganesh Singh, from Satna seat. Singh is one of the eight MPs whose names figured as candidates in the second list. BJPs Brahmin leader Ratnakar Chaturvedi has announced that he will contest against Singh as an independent candidate.

The BJP is also facing protests outside Vindhya.

The party faced a major protest by a section of party workers over the candidature of ex-minister Lalita Yadav from Chhattarpur in Bundelkhand region, having 26 assembly seats, in the first list announced in August. The party has not been able to quell dissidence so far over there, the third-party functionary said. In 2018, the BJP won 10 seats, the Congress 14 and one each went to the BSP and SP.

Former BJP Chhatarpur district president Ghasiram Patel has resigned from the party has announced candidature of Arvind Pateriya on Rajnagar seat, which Patel was eyeing. Patel recently met SP president Akhilesh Yadav at Khajuraho and told local media persons that he would contest as an independent candidate if the party didnt consider his candidature.

Former BJP MLA Mahendra Bagri from Panna district in Bundelkhand resigned from the party and joined Congress on denial of ticket last week.

The second party functionary said that upper castes and OBCs including Lodhi and Yadav dominate the politics in Bundelkhand and the region has sizeable Scheduled Caste voters. Rebellion by some senior leaders there is not good news. We are trying to minimise the impact, he said.

In Gwalior-Chambal region, another region known for domination of caste politics, the ruling party is facing challenges due to resentment in the partys rank and file over ticket distribution.

Candidature of ex-minister Lal Singh Arya on Gohad seat in Bhind region has not gone down well with a section of the party. Former MLA Ranvir Rawat has already expressed his displeasure over the same and met the party election campaign committee convener Narendra Singh Tomar recently. A video went viral on social media in which members of Kushwah samaj were seen taking an oath that they would not vote for Arya.

Ex-MLA from Chachoda seat in Guna, Mamata Meena, resigned from the party to join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in September third week after the BJP announced candidature of Priyanka Meena on the seat. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singhs younger brother Laxman Singh is sitting Congress MLA on the seat.

BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja said, The BJP is a big party and a Parivar unlike the Congress. We have a good number of capable leaders who can win elections and defeat the Congress. Every worker in the party is a disciplined worker and he will work for the party candidates wholeheartedly.

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Air Quality Index (AQI) in various parts of Punjab deteriorated to moderate levels on Friday amid farm fires. The AQI levels are measured at six places by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), with Bathinda being the worst at 191. On October 6, a total of 91 fresh cases of farm fires were detected by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC), taking the total number of stubble-burning cases to 845 in this harvesting season. A farmer burns paddy stubble in a village near Patiala, Friday. (PTI)

As per the AQI guide, zero and 50 level is considered good, while 51 and 100 are satisfactory. AQI levels between 101 and 200 are considered moderate, while 201 and 300 are poor. Levels from 301 to 400 are considered very poor with 401 to 500 levels categorised as severe. Punjab has CAAQMS at eight places in six districts  Ludhiana (Khanna, Mandi Gobindgarh and Ludhiana city) and one each in Bathinda, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala and Rupnagar.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed that on October 6, Bathinda was followed by Mandi Gobindgarh (165), Rupnagar (130), Patiala (120), Ludhiana (111) and Khanna (110).

AQI was reported as satisfactory at two  Amritsar and Jalandhar out of eight continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) across the state. Amritsar, which has recorded 519 farm fires, the highest of this season so far, has recorded moderate AQI only once in the last six days.

In the last six days alone, Amritsar district has recorded 345 active fires. On October 6, Amritsar reported 41 fires, followed by Tarn Taran (15), Patiala (10) and Sangrur (6).

In the last six days alone, Amritsar district has recorded 345 active fires. On October 6, Amritsar reported 41 fires, followed by Tarn Taran (15), Patiala (10) and Sangrur (6).

On September 27, when 21 fires were reported in the state, AQI of Bathinda, Jalandhar, Khanna, Ludhiana, Mandi Gobindgarh and Patiala were satisfactory. Amritsar and Ropar had reported moderate AQI.

As per the environment pollution protocol, moderate AQI causes breathing discomfort to the people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases while at the satisfactory scale leads to minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Farmers in most parts of southwest Punjab are yet to start harvesting the non-basmati varieties at the full scale. According to CPCB data, the AQI of Patiala and Mandi Gobindgah was recorded as moderate on five days since the beginning of this month while Ludhiana and Rupnagar witnessed moderate AQI on four days.

Khannas AQI touched moderate thrice this month while Jalandhars air remained at a similar level for only two days.

Farmer fined for stubble burning

Hoshiarpur: A farmer of Emma Mughlan village in Garhshankar sub-division, was fined 5,000 for burning stubble. SDM Preetinder Singh Bains said that the incident was detected by the Punjab Remote Sensing officials. After a physical survey a challan was issued to the farmer, he said.

Paddy arrival

On Friday, 1.44 lakh tonnes of paddy arrived in different parts of the state. Punjab Mandi Board data said 4.59 lakh tonnes of non-basmati rice reached the mandis and 89% of the stock was purchased till 8 pm. The government agencies procured 3.90 lakh tonnes and the private buyers managed to purchase 19,000 tonnes by October 6.

Farm fire tracker

Total farm fires to date 845

On Oct 6: 91

Air quality dips

Bathinda- 191

Mandi Gobindgarh- 165

Rupnagar- 130

Patiala- 120

Ludhiana 111

Khanna 110

Amritsar 89

Jalandhar 83

* AQI guide: zero and 50 level: good, 51 and 100: satisfactory, 101 and 200: moderate, 201 and 300: poor, 301 to 400: very poor, and 401 to 500: severe

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Two friends of a woman police constable allegedly stole cash and gold from her house after she invited them over for lunch. The constable said tried to contact the accused on her own, but to no avail following which she filed a police complaint. (HT File)

The complainant, Meenaskshi Devi, a constable working at Ludhiana police lines in PCR branch, said that she had invited two of her friends, Rimpy and Preet, for lunch on October 1.

She said that as she was cooking, the two women sat in her bedroom, watching television. The women stayed at her place till night and left around 10pm.

The next morning when the complainant checked her almirah, she found four gold rings, a gold bracelet, a gold nose pin, a pair of gold earrings, a pair of silver anklets, a silver bracelet and cash to the tune of 30,000 missing.

The victim said that she suspected the duo to be behind the theft as no one else had come to her house that day. Moreover, the two womens phones had remained switched off.

The constable said tried to contact them on her own, but to no avail following which she filed a police complaint.

Assistant sub-inspector Dharminder Singh, who is investigating the case, said a case under Section 380 (theft) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the women. Police have launched a hunt for the women.

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The district police on Friday arrested three aides of Canada-based gangster Arsh Dala, who had threatened a Moga-based cloth trader at his shop in an attempt to seek extortion for the gangster. Police have also recovered a .32-bore country-made pistol and the motorbike used in the crime. (HT photo)

The accused were identified as Lovepreet Singh of Ajit Gill village in Faridkot, Akashdeep Singh of Kotliablu in Muktsar district and Gurpyar Singh of village Chaina in Faridkot. Police have also recovered a .32-bore country-made pistol and the motorbike used in the crime.

A cloth house owner Surjit Singh, in a statement, said that three accused, including one carrying a weapon, entered his shop and attempted to extort money from him.

Moga senior superintendent of police J Elanchezhian said the accused made Surjit talk to someone whom the accused identified as gangster Dalla.

The call got cut off due to a network issue before Surjit could speak to that person on the phone. In the meanwhile, assistant sub-inspector Satnam Singh, who was on PCR duty, went inside the shop after getting suspicious. Lovepreet and Akashdeep were arrested from the spot while Gurpyar managed to flee with the pistol on a bike snatched at gunpoint from Moga-Bohna road. However, Gurpyar was nabbed by a police party along with a weapon late at night, SSP said.

The accused have confessed that they are associates of Arsh Dalla. Further investigations are on, he added.

A case was registered under sections 384 (extortion) and 511 (attempting to commit offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Arms Act at Moga city police station.

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The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to pay compensation of 1.5 lakh, under Employment Disablement Benefit, to the worker who lost his index finger, 17 years ago, in an employment injury. THe (HT File)

Jasbir Singh, the counsel for the complainant Anand Verma, a resident of Mohali, stated that Verma was working with M/s Eicher Tractor Limited (now TMTL Private Limited) in tehsil Kasauli, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, and sustained an employment injury on April 12, 2004. The index finger of his left hand was completely crushed.

The worker was covered under the Employees State Insurance (ESI) scheme and was entitled to cashless medical treatment and disablement benefits as per the ESI Act 1948. However, ESIC did not grant him the entitled benefits.

As a result, the worker filed a claim under the Employees Compensation Act before the Commissioner-Employees Compensation in Solan, naming the principal employer and the regional office ESIC Parwanoo as parties. The claim was dismissed on technical grounds on March 11, 2022, with the court stating that it lacked jurisdiction to award compensation to the petitioner/insured person.

The worker subsequently filed a consumer complaint in consumer disputes redressal commission in Mohali on May 12, 2022. The opposing party, ESIC, through their branch manager, appealed to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Punjab. The commission partially allowed the appeal and directed the appellants/OPs to adjust an amount of 7,826 against the amount awarded by the panel and to pay the remaining amount to the complainant as per the order.

It awarded 47,950 along with interest at a rate of 9% and compensation amounting to 25,000 to the complainant for the mental harassment, agony, and litigation expenses, totalling around 1.5 lakh.

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The members of the district road safety committee discussed proposals for safer and smoother commuting on Mohalis roads on Friday. The members of the district road safety committee were discussing proposals for safer and smoother commuting on Mohali. (HT File)

Additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Viraj Shyamkarn Tidke, while chairing the meeting, asked the police to take stern action against violators. ADC directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), municipal corporation Mohali, and other stakeholders, to promptly rectify the 19 pending black spots in the district to ensure the safety of commuters. It was proposed to the Punjab state road safety council to install an integrated safety and traffic management system (CCTV cameras) on the Airport Road on a trial basis.

Tidke while reviewing traffic challans issued to violators, stressed the need for increased checks to ensure no compromises on public safety. He emphasised focusing on issues such as overspeeding, running red lights, using mobile phones while driving, seat belt and helmet compliance, and drunken driving.

ADC ordered the district child protection officer to ensure the implementation of Safe School Vaahan, emphasising that school buses must comply with the policy, and no negligence would be tolerated. He mentioned that after the approval of tenders for five proposed roundabouts in the city, six more proposals were in progress. Additionally, there is consideration for a cycle track from IISER to Quark City and the installation of five traffic lights in Kharar is set to be completed within the next 15 days, as committed by the NHAI.

He appealed to people to help road accident victims without hesitation, and those who assist may be nominated for recognition as good samaritans by the state. He assured that, in line with the guidance of deputy commissioner Aashika Jain, the district administration is working tirelessly in collaboration with GMADA and the municipal corporation Mohali to address the citys traffic problems.

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Chandigarh Police on Saturday detained Punjab BJP leaders protesting outside Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Manns residence over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute. Punjab BJP activists, led by state unit chief Sunil Jakhar (centre), protesting against the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Chandigarh on Friday. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

The BJP staged a protest against the Punjab government for not taking steps for the construction of the canal.

During a press briefing earlier in the day, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said they will gherao the chief minister at his residence. I request the people of India to stay aware. They (AAP) will try to mislead people with deception, they will try to divert the issue, but we will not let water from Punjab go anywhere. We will gherao CM Bhagwant Manns residence. Punjab BJP will not let them manipulate the objectives of the state for their political gains, he said.

Also read: SYL row: Dismiss Punjab govt for compromising states interests: SAD delegation to guv

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said that Punjab would have to change its attitude according to the directions of the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, a bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul CT Ravikumar and Sudhanshu Dhulia, while hearing a matter relating to the SYL Canal dispute, came down heavily on the Punjab government for not taking steps for the construction of the canal. The court remarked that Punjab has to cooperate in the process.

The court directed the Centre to survey the portion of the land allocated to Punjab. The court also directed the Centre to look into the mediation process. The court listed the matter for hearing in January 2024.

The apex court was hearing the SYL canal dispute between Haryana and Punjab.

On July 28, 2020, the top court asked the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana to resolve the issue amicably.

The problem stems from the controversial 1981 water-sharing agreement after Haryana was formed out of Punjab in 1966. For effective allocation of water, the SYL Canal was to be constructed and the two states were required to construct their portions within their territories.

While Haryana constructed its portion of the canal, after the initial phase, Punjab stopped the work, leading to multiple cases.

In 2004, the Punjab government had passed a law unilaterally cancelling the SYL agreement and other such pacts, however, in 2016, the apex court had struck down this law. Later, Punjab went ahead and returned the acquired land, on which the canal was to be constructed, to the landowners.

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Two minor sisters in Rajasthans Pratapgarh died by suicide on Saturday early morning after allegedly being raped by their four classmates on Friday, said police. The victims- students of Class 12 in a local school- used to stay in a rented house owned by the brother of the prime accused in the case. (Representative Image)

Read here: Minor allegedly raped, murdered by relative in Ghaziabad; suspect arrested: Cops

Earlier on Wednesday, the victims father had filed a case in the local police station alleging that the accused had been intimidating his daughters for the last few days, said police.

Pratapgarh superintendent of police (SP) Amit Budaniya said, We have detained the three accused including a minor in the incident. The allegations of intimidation and molestation were found to be true during our primary investigation. However, the rape allegation is yet to be ascertained.

According to police, the victims- students of Class 12 in a local school of Pipalkhunt village- used to stay in a rented house, which is owned by the brother of the prime accused in the case.

The girls met the accused at that house who turned out to be their classmates in the same school. However, their father somehow found the place unsafe for his daughters and vacated the house earlier this month, said the SP.

Following the incident, the accused called the girls on Wednesday asking to meet them in the school to sort out the matter, said Budaniya.

The SP added: However, upon their meeting, the accused misbehaved with them, assaulted the victims and later snatched their phones when the victims called their families to report the incident.

The victims father on Wednesday filed a case against the three, based on which police started searching for the accused. However, all of them were absconding, he said.

On Saturday morning, the two sisters died by suicide, following which their father further made the rape allegation against the accused, the SP said.

The case was filed against four accused under sections 341 (wrongfully restraining any person), 354 (assaulting women), 354- B (outraging womans modesty, using criminal force on her), 334 (Voluntarily causing hurt on grave and sudden provocation), and 376 (rape) of the Indian penal code (IPC).

Police also detained the three accused within a few hours after the case was lodged. The victims bodies were sent to the local district hospital for postmortem.

We are interrogating the accused. But no sound evidence for the rape allegation was found so far. The fact would be ascertained once the autopsy report arrived, said Budaniya.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Rajendra Rathore said, Atrocities against women and daughters are at their peak under the jungle raj of Congress. The incident of suicide by two schoolgirls in Pipalkhunt of Pratapgarh district is shameful to humanity

Read here: 23-year-old Chandigarh youth who raped teen jailed for 20 years

This incident has also put a question mark on the poor law and order system of the state. (Chief minister) Ashok Gehlot have failed as the head of the home department as it is not the first incident in the state, he said on X (formerly known as Twitter).

If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.

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A recent drought has caused the Dothan Fire Department to issue a No Burn Order within city limits.

According to Dothan Fire, this order went into affect on Thursday, Oct. 5, and includes burning yard debris in containers. No burn permits will be issued until the area receives a significant amount of rainfall.

In conjunction with the Alabama Forestry Commission, the order was issued to ensure the safety of citizens and property.

The safety of our citizens and the protection of their property will always be paramount in our decision-making process, Dothan Fire Chief Larry Williams said. Due to the lack of rainfall, coupled with the low humidity conditions over the past weeks, conditions are too dangerous to allow any outdoor burning at this time.

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee issued a Red Flag Warning on Thursday for all of southeast Alabama and parts of the Florida Panhandle. With a weak cold front moving through the region on Saturday, the dry and breezy conditions coupled with dry soils will result in a heightened concern for red flag conditions.

Elevated fire weather concerns could extend until Sunday, however, the winds are not forecast to be as strong.
The Centre has set December-end as the fresh deadline for the commencement of the first 660 MW unit of the belated under-construction 1,980 MW supercritical thermal plant at Ghatampur in Kanpur. For representation only (HT File Photo)

People aware of the development said that coal secretary Amrit Lal Meena on Friday held a high-level meeting in Delhi to review the progress of the upcoming plant and directed the officials concerned to expedite the plant that was already running much behind the schedule.

The company setting up the plant in Ghatampur was asked to expedite things to ensure operation of the first unit at the earliest. The agencies involved in the construction of the plant were also given fresh targets, UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) chairman Ashish Kumar Goel, who was in the meeting, said over the phone from Delhi.

The Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd (NUPPL), a joint venture of Neyveli Lignite Corporation of India Ltd, a government of India enterprise, and the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd, a government of UP enterprise, is setting up the coal-fired power plant with a capacity of 1,980 MW, consisting of three units of 660 MW each at Ghatampur in Kanpur with 51:49 equity participation.

Upon the review of the progress of the plant in the meeting by the coal secretary on Friday, we have been asked to start the plant with the first unit by December-end, NUPPL chief executive officer CS Santosh said. But our internal target is to start the first unit by November end, he added.

According to him 75% of the power to be produced by this supercritical plant will go to UP while the remaining 25% will be sold to the state of Assam as per an agreement.

The Central government sanctioned this project in July 2016 after the land for the same identified in 2015. The first unit of the plant was scheduled to be ready for commercial operation in 52 months from the date of sanction, the second in 58 months and third in 64 months.

However, the project has been delayed for a number of reasons raising concern among the stakeholders. The Centre is constantly reviewing the progress of the project and issuing directions for an early start of the project. Coal minister Prahalad Joshi himself visited the plant and reviewed its progress in February this year.

People in the know of things said that the firm that was awarded the contract to do civil and mechanical work in the plant had gone bankrupt and this, they added, significantly hampered the progress of the plant, washing out one full year.

This is true the executing work faced some financial issues, but those issues have been sorted out and the work is on in full swing, Santosh said. In fact, the Covid-19 and protests by farmers also caused a delay in the project, he added.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brajendra K Parashar Brajendra K Parashar is a Special Correspondent presently looking after agriculture, energy, transport, panchayati raj, commercial tax, Rashtriya Lok Dal, state election commission, IAS/PCS Associations, Vidhan Parishad among other beats. ...view detail
LUCKNOW Within just three months, six child predators have been brought to justice in Uttar Pradesh under Operation Conviction, which was launched by U.P. DGP Vijaya Kumar in June this year, shortly after assuming command of the U.P. Police on May 31, 2023. Meanwhile, the death penalty was given in three cases of brutal killings in the same period. Representative pic (HT File)

To recall, a child predator was sentenced to death in just 88 days in Auraiya on June 28, 2023, after the discovery of the body of an eight-year-old girl under the jurisdiction of Ayana police station on March 25, 2023, earlier this year.

The investigation officer in the case, sub-inspector Suresh Chandra, identified the culprit based on circumstantial and forensic evidence and filed charges against him just six days after the postmortem confirmed the sexual assault on the girl. Subsequently, the prosecution officer, head constable Anurag Singh, vigorously pursued the case in the special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, securing a conviction and a death penalty for the perpetrator, along with a fine of 5 lakh.

In the second such case, a four-year-old girl fell victim to a sex predator, suffering rape and murder. Her body was discovered in a remote location under the jurisdiction of Jahagirabad police station in Bulandshahr on April 23, 2023. The police zeroed in on the accused, Naeem, and within 10 days, the investigation officer, inspector Neeraj Kumar, filed charges against him in the local court. Thereafter, the prosecution officer, head constable Shantanu Tyagi, pursued the case relentlessly, resulting in a conviction and the imposition of the death penalty within 84 days, on July 26, along with a fine of 1.2 lakh on the convict.

Under this initiative, the accused in four other similar cases involving the rape and murder of minor girls were given a death penalty in the past three months. These cases were reported under the jurisdiction of Jamunapar police station in Mathura, Amritpur police station in Mathura, Civil Lines police station in Badaun, and Reusa police station in Sitapur.

Simultaneously, accused in three other cases -- involving the brutal killings of a school principal, Ramesh Babu Shukla, by three self-radicalised ISIS operatives in Kanpurs Chakeri police station in 2016, the brutal murder of two individuals by multiple stabbings in Kanpurs Hasanganj police station in 2012, and the double murders of a mother and daughter duo in Bijnors Najibabad police station in 2015 -- were given capital punishment during this period.

During an event held at the police headquarters on Saturday, the DGP commended the investigation officers and prosecution officers in these nine cases where the accused were convicted and sentenced to death in the past three months. He also sent letters of appreciation to the investigation officers and prosecution officers in eight other cases in which the court imposed life imprisonment on the convicts during the same period.

Operation Conviction In Numbers

In 7,665 criminal cases, 10,487 accused were convicted and awarded punishment.

10 accused, including two terrorists, awarded death penalty.

1,142 accused awarded life imprisonment.

189 accused were given 20 years of imprisonment.

722 accused got 10 years or more years of imprisonment

Conviction rate increases to 90% as compared to 35%

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The legendary MiG-21 fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will fly for the last time in any air display over the Sangam in Prayagraj on October 8. The process of gradually retiring these Russian-made jets from the air force has already commenced. MiG-21 of IAF (HT FILE PHOTO)

In 2019, Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman (then a Wing Commander) of the No 51 squadron based in Srinagar, while flying a MiG-21 Bison, had downed a Pakistan Air Force F-16 aircraft.

The MiG-21 was introduced into the IAF in 1963. Currently, only three operational MiG-21 squadrons exist within the IAF. All of them are scheduled to be phased out by early 2025.

The air display will witness a formal send-off to these fighter aircraft over Sangam with their last-ever flight in an air display, said defence PRO Group Captain Samir Gangakhedkar.

It will be a memorable and emotional moment for IAF as this battle proven old horse is bid adieu by IAF, but will be remembered for years to come, he added.

The MiG-21s have demonstrated their effectiveness in several of Indias past wars. During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, the MiG-21s (Type 77 variant) played a significant role in tilting the war in Indias favour. The MiG-21 was also a key asset for the IAF in the 1965 war and the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan.

The MiG-21s are single-engine, single-seater multi-role fighter and ground attack planes. Initially designed as interceptor aircraft, they underwent numerous upgrades over the decades to perform various fighter aircraft roles, including ground attack. Since 1963, India acquired over 700 MiG-21 aircraft of different versions, such as the Type-77, Type-96, and the BIS. The most recent variant is the MiG-21 Bison, featuring advanced missiles, radars, and improved avionics. Over 100 MiG-21s in the IAF have been upgraded to Bison since 2006. Indigenously developed Tejas Mark-1A aircraft are set to replace the MiG-21s from 2025 onwards.

C-295 set for grand Air Force Day debut

PRAYAGRAJ The recently inducted C-295 transport aircraft will make its debut at the Air Force Day on October 8 over the Sangam. This new military transport aircraft joined the 11 Squadron in September 2023, and will replace the old Avros-748 planes used by the IAF. The first tranche of 16 C-295 will be made in Seville, Spain, with the second one expected to arrive in May 2024. The remaining 14 aircraft will come one per month until August 2025. To boost Indias defence manufacturing, the other 40 C-295 from the IAF order will be made and assembled in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in India for which a Final Assembly Line (FAL) is being set up in Vadodara.

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A minor fire broke out at a plastic waste godown at Kamruddin Nagar in West Delhis Ranhaula area on Friday midnight, officials said. The fire was brought under control by 3am on Saturday (HT Photo)

Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received a call about the fire around 12.44am on Saturday, following which fire tenders were pressed into service.

21 fire tenders were pressed into service. The dousing operation continued till 3am, said a DFS officer.

The fire was brought under control, and there were no casualties or injuries to any person, he said.

The cause of the fire has yet not been ascertained, added the officer.

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A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped, murdered, and her body thrown off the house terrace in Ghaziabad city on Friday, police said, adding they have arrested the suspect. The 27-year-old arrested accused is the minors relative, said police. (Representative Photo)

Police said the incident took place on Friday night, and the body of the minor was recovered around 2am on Saturday.

The girl had come to visit her maternal grandparents house, around 10 km from her parents residence, and was staying there for the past 15 days, police said, adding the suspects house is adjacent to the girls maternal grandparents house in Ghaziabad city.

She went missing on Friday night. It was about 10.30pm when we started looking for her. We searched our terrace but could not find her anywhere, said the girls maternal uncle.

Some children in the locality said that she was called by the relative who lives in the adjacent house. When we questioned him, he tried to evade questions. We then called the police, he said.

Police said that the suspect is a married man with children but his wife does not stay with him due to some marital discord.

We picked up five suspects, including the prime accused in connection with the incident. After detailed questioning, one of them admitted that he subjected the girl to sexual abuse and killed her when she threatened to reveal the acts to her family. He also said that he threw her body on the adjacent terrace of the girls maternal grandparents house and went back to sleep, said Nipun Agarwal, deputy commission of police (DCP) (city).

The police said that they recovered slippers worn by the girl from the suspects room and also a towel which probably has biological evidence.

We roped in forensics and gathered evidence to build a strong case. The girls throat also had a deep injury mark, which seems to be inflicted by nails. After the girl was found dumped on the terrace, she was rushed to the hospital, but doctors declared her brought dead. We have sent the body for autopsy, and the report will reveal whether she was strangulated or smothered, added DCP Agarwal.

Police said that they have received a complaint from the girls parents and will be filing a first information report soon in which the accused will be charged under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Peeyush Khandelwal Peeyush Khandelwal writes on a range of issues in western Uttar Pradesh  from crime, to development authorities and from infrastructure to transport. Based in Ghaziabad, he has been a journalist for almost a decade. ...view detail
LUCKNOW In an extraordinary display of cultural pride and unity, the two-day National Sindhi Convention kicked off with great enthusiasm in Lucknow on Saturday. Deputy chief minister Brijesh Pathak and special guest Prince Sai Mohan Lal graced the event, which saw the participation of Sindhi representatives hailing from 17 Indian states, 75 districts, as well as international attendees from South Africa, Dubai, and Singapore. National Sindhi Convention (HT Photo)

The inaugural session commenced with a heartwarming tribute as Saint Sai Mohanlal of Shiv Shanti Ashram garlanded the statue of Jhulelal. Virendra Khatri, Vivek Ladani, Rajendra Manwani, and Sanjay Ahuja, key figures of the organising committee, extended a warm welcome to the revered saint.

The gathering then engaged in a stimulating dialogue featuring Bhimesh Athwani, Atul Rajpal, Ravi Bhavnani, Jagdish Khatwani, Baldev Khatri, and Ajay Dhemala, representing diverse regions. Their discussions touched upon topics of religion and family, addressing questions from the captivated audience.

Saint Sai Mohan emphasised the significance of Sai and Guru in ones life, advocating for the preservation of cultural values through marriage within the community and continued devotion to ones Guru.

Deputy CM Brijesh Pathak graced the event during the second session, lauding the Sindhi communitys unwavering commitment to the nations progress. He acknowledged their contributions in various spheres, from governance to economic development, and commended their unity.

A poignant moment unfolded as respected elders of the Sindhi community, Suresh Keshwani, Murali Adnani, Gurmukh Jadwani, and Ravi Prakash Chanda, shared their roles and recounted their struggles during the partition era. Their stories served as a testament to the communitys resilience and fortitude.

In recognition of their esteemed guests, Raju Punjabi, Sanjay Ahuja, Sanjay Gurnani, Nitin Sachdeva, Satendra Bhavnani, and Kapil Savlani extended their heartfelt honours.

The convention featured the presence of prominent Sindhi figures, including Mohan Das Ladhani, Muralidhar Ahuja, Vasudev Chawla, Satish Athwani, Santram Chandwani, Bhimesh Athwani, Manish Savlani, Anil Bhateja, Naresh Batra, Prakash Bajaj, and many others who joined in the celebration of Sindhi culture and heritage.

The National Sindhi Convention promises to be a memorable gathering, fostering a sense of unity and pride among the Sindhi community while honouring their rich history and contributions to the nation.

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With Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar set to lay the foundation stone of the domestic airport in Ambala Cantonment on October 15, the Haryana State Roads and Bridges Development Corporation (HSRDC) has allotted the tender for the construction work, officials said on Friday. Haryana home minister Anil Vij inspecting the Ambala airport inauguration site. (HT File)

After the foundation-stone ceremony on October 15, construction at the terminal will commence and is likely to be completed within six months, as per Anil Dahiya, managing director, HSRDC.

An administrative approval of 16 crore has been received for various works. Initially, an amount of 3.76 crore will be spent on the construction of reception areas at the terminal by Zirakpur-based M/s Aggarwal Engineers and Contractors. Later, other works like parking, and arrival and departure areas will be carried out. Tenders will be floated accordingly, Dahiya told HT.

The airport or Civil Enclave, as it is called, coming up under Union ministry of civil aviations Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)  Udaan 3.0, will take up flight operations from the airport using an Indian Air Force (IAF) strip. Buses will ferry passengers to the aircraft from the terminal. Initially, the airport is expected to have flights to Varanasi and Srinagar.

On Friday, home minister Anil Vij assisted by deputy commissioner Shaleen, Dahiya, IGP Sibash Kabiraj, SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa and officials from various departments inspected the event site and issued instructions.

Vij said other than the CM, deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, and various MPs and MLAs will also attend the ceremony, while an invitation had also been sent to Union minister of civil aviation Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia and minister of state for civil aviation VK Singh.

Airport will enhance development, employment opportunities: Vij

Speaking to reporters, Vij said due to its strategic location, the airport will cater to passengers from Haryana, Western UP, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and being at the centre of Ambala City, it will provide direct connectivity to NH-44, railway junction and bus stand.

There is no doubt that an airport uplifts the status of a city and attracts investors. With the construction of this airport, businessmen will be able to travel to Ambala daily from various major cities of the country. This will give a boost to the already established industries and provide employment, he added.

In the works since 2018

Situated nearly 50 km from Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Mohali, the project here was approved in December 2018, but was in limbo for several years primarily due to land-related issues near the strategically important IAF base with Rafale aircraft.

Officials said after a series of deliberations, defence minister Rajnath Singh sanctioned 20 acres of defence land on NH-444A (Ambala-Saha highway or Jagadhari Road) in the dairy farms area of the army for the terminal in exchange for 133 crore. The amount was deposited by the state government last month.

Vij said he had also written to the defence minister to widen the stretch of road from Capitol Chowk to GT Road near Jaggi City Centre outside the airport from current two lanes to four lanes to ease traffic movement.

DC Shaleen said the project layout had been prepared and a team of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security had also already visited the site from the security point of view.

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An independent online journalist from Tripura was on Friday arrested by the Tripura police from West Bengals North 24 Parganas district on the charges of criminal intimidation, attempt to murder and wrongful restraint, officials familiar with the matter said. The journalist was arrested by the Tripura police from West Bengals North 24 Parganas district (Representative Photo)

Saikat Talapatra, the independent journalist of a Tripura-based news portal, was arrested from Sodepur in Bengal, said police.

He was produced before a local court in Agartala, where he was charged with criminal intimidation, attempt to murder and wrong restraint.

Police arrested him under a non-bailable warrant. A case was lodged against him under Sections 341( wrongful restraint), 307 (attempt to murder), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act by the West Agartala police in 2020, said assistant inspector general (law and order) Jyotisman Daschoudhury.

He was arrested against a warrant issued on April 25 last year. He was forwarded to court. The verdict of the court is yet to be announced, assistant public prosecutor Indrajit Biswas said.

Saikat was given a lawyer from the state legal aid service as he didnt get any legal counsel to represent him.

A senior counsel said that Saikat got a pre-arrest bail on 8 November 2021 from the district and sessions court but didnt cooperate with the investigation process and flew to another state.

The investigating officer appeared before the court to cancel his pre-arrest bail. After hearing, the court cancelled his bail, said the counsel.

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LUCKNOW The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has extended an invitation to entrepreneurs for establishing a toy and furniture park in Greater Noida, while also providing plots for ODOP (One District One Product) and MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) units. YEIDA (Sourced)

To foster the growth of MSME units, YEIDA is encouraging entrepreneurs to set up industrial facilities encompassing 240 different categories, which include 24 varieties of handicrafts, toy manufacturing, and nine ODOP manufacturing units.

Under this initiative, YEIDA is now accepting applications for plots with dimensions of up to 4000 square meters, exclusively designated for the establishment of non-polluting industrial facilities in Sectors 28, 29, 32, and 33, as per YEIDAs statement released on Saturday.

Interested parties can submit their land acquisition applications until October 27, and the selection of applicants will be determined through a lucky draw scheduled for November 17.

Due to its proximity to Jewar Airport, International Film City, Yamuna Expressway, and Buddha Circuit, those who establish industrial units on these plots will enjoy enhanced connectivity benefits.

Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to set up industrial units across 240 different categories, encompassing items such as incense sticks, X-ray machines, and textiles.

Furthermore, successful applicants will be able to create 24 varieties of handicraft production units, including Chikankari and bamboo products.

Similarly, those allocated land in the ODOP category will have the option to establish units within nine categories, which include Zaridoji of Bareilly, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, and Kasganj, Chikankari of Lucknow, silk sarees of Varanasi, and carpets of Mirzapur.

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Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has released the post-seat allotment schedule for round 2 of Karnataka NEET PG counselling 2023. According to the schedule, the candidates can download the challan from October 9 to October 10. Karnataka NEET PG counselling 2023 round 2 post allotment schedule released at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in

"Not reporting to the allotted college should not be presumed by the candidates that they have surrendered the seat to KEA. This is tantamount to blocking of seat and it attracts penalty, further government shall initiate legal action in accordance with law against those candidates who fail to take admission in the college allotted in round 1 or round 2, reads the official notification.

Downloading of challan From 9 am on October 9 to October 10 till 8 pm Payment of fees October 9 to October 11 Deposite of original documents by clause Y candidates at KEA Bangalore after payment of fees October 10 to October 11 Last date to report at the alloted Medical/Dental college against seat alloted in round 2 October 12 till 5: 30 pm

Candidates are advised to regularly visit the official website of KEA for updates.

Candidates can check the notification here.

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SKIPPERVILLE  The G.W. Long Future Farmers of American Forestry Team is representing the state in the forestry competition at the 96th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

The team has been raising funds for their trip to Indiana since they earned the state honor and Wednesday they received a financial boost from two organizations dedicated to the same ideals as the FFA team.

Darren Cannon and Denise Strickland from the Dale County Treasure Forest Association and Billy Blackwell, representing the state Treasure Forest Association presented the team with checks to put towards the trip fund.

FFA is an extracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. There are more than 850,823 FFA members, aged 12 to 21, in 8,995 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Growing the next generation of leaders who will change the world, is the focus of the FAA, said G.W. Long Agriculture Instructor Bill Enfinger, and in his 23rd year of teaching the program that has been at GW Long School since 1971.

A primary goal of the Alabama TREASURE Forest Association is to teach others about responsible forestry, said Blackwell about the 5013 non-profit, educational corporation in partnership with the Alabama Farmers Federation.

Alabama TREASURE Forest Association members are stewardship-minded men and women dedicated to improving the forest lands of our state and nation, said Blackwell. Alabama has over 23 million acres of forest lands that provide valuable resources that directly affect every Alabamians quality of life.

Forests clean the air, purify the water and protect valuable topsoil. They provide recreation  a place to walk, picnic, hunt, fish, hike and camp, he added. Forests provide timber, the raw materials that support Alabamas number one manufacturing industry. This list could go on and on but these will suffice to underscore the importance of forest lands in Alabama.

Blackwell and Cannon congratulated the team on their first trip to national competition Nov. 1 through 4 and thanked them for their assistance each year during the forestry day held for Dale County fifth graders. You do every day what the Treasure Forest Association is all about which is managing your wildlife, your timber and your sustainable resources.

Dale County Schools Superintendent Ben Baker agreed.

This is a great opportunity for our students to experience a high level of competition and further their knowledge of this career, he said Friday. Bill Enfinger does an outstanding job in preparing our students through FFA programs for college and career.

The FFA programs across Dale County Schools has a long history of having outstanding career, leadership and community service programs, Baker added. I am especially proud of the GW Long FFA program for qualifying to compete in the National Forestry Judging competition.
West Bengal Medical Counselling Committee, WBMCC will release WB NEET PG 2023 seat allotment result on October 7, 2023. The seat allotment result will be released for stray vacancy round. Candidates who have registered themselves for the stray round can check the result through the official site of WBMCC at wbmcc.nic.in. WB NEET PG 2023 seat allotment result for stray round releasing today

The result will be announced after 4 pm. The reporting and admission of allotted candidates to the allotted institute with requisite original documents, college requisite fee and bond can be done from October 9 to October 10, 2023.

WB NEET PG 2023 seat allotment result: How to check

To check the seat allotment result, candidates can follow the steps given below.

Visit the official site of WBMCC at wbmcc.nic.in.

Click on WB NEET PG 2023 seat allotment result link available on the home page.

A new page will open where candidates will have to enter the required details.

Click on submit and the seat allotment result will be displayed on the screen.

Check the seat allotment result and download the page.

Keep a hard copy of the same for further need.

The registration process for stray round can started on September 30 and ended on October 1, 2023. For more related details candidates can check the official website of WBMCC.

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Get ready for a heartwarming blend of romance and comedy as "The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You" prepares to make its debut. Based on the manga series by Nozawa Yukiko and Rikito Nakamura, this anime is set to captivate audiences with its unique premise and endearing characters. Episode 1 of 'The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You' premieres on October 8, 2023.

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You release date and time

Fans won't have to wait long to embark on this extraordinary journey. "The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You" Episode 1 is all set to premiere on October 8, 2023, at 10:30 PM JST on Tokyo MX, with subsequent broadcasts on Sun TV, KBS Tokyo, BS11, and other channels.

Muse Communications has secured the digital distribution rights, making the episode available for streaming on Bilibili Global in select countries.

Here's a breakdown of the release dates and times for Episode 1, adjusted to various time zones:

Pacific Standard Time: Sunday, October 8, 6:30 AM

Central Standard Time: Sunday, October 8, 8:30 AM

Eastern Standard Time: Sunday, October 8, 9:30 AM

What The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You anime about?

In this delightful series, viewers will follow the journey of Rentaro Ajio, a lovable protagonist whose life takes an unexpected turn. Rejected by a hundred girls before his high school days, Rentaro's luck changes when he receives a divine revelation from the God of Love. According to this revelation, Rentaro is destined to meet 100 soulmates during his high school years, setting the stage for a captivating romantic adventure.

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You cast:

"The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You" boasts a talented cast and crew, including Wataru Kato as Rentaro Ajio, Miyu Tomita as Karane Inda, Asami Seto as Nano Eiai, Maria Naganawa as Shizuka Yoshimoto, Kaede Hondo as Hakari Hanazono, Ayaka Asai as Kusuri Yakuzen, and the legendary Shigeru Chiba as Kamisama.

With its captivating storyline and exceptional production team, this anime promises to be a delightful addition to the fall lineup. So, mark your calendars, set your alarms, and get ready to fall in love with Rentaro Ajio and his 100 soulmates on October 8th!

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Avinash Tiwary was so scared after accidentally hitting Amitabh Bachchan during an action sequence that he feared his career was over. In an interview with ETimes, the Laila Majnu actor revealed that he hit Amitabh Bachchan on the head during an action sequence for Yudh after which he went to apologize to him. The incident took place in 2013. (Also read: Amitabh Bachchan joins Rajinikanth's Thalaivar 170, will work with him after 32 years) Avinash Tiwary worked with Amitabh Bachchan in Yudh.

What happened on set?

In a new interview with ETimes, Avinash shared how he shot his first ever action sequence with none other than Amitabh Bachchan for the series Yudh back in 2013. He shared, "My first action sequence in life was with Amitabh Bachchan. I used to practice with the stunt guys. But Bachchan sir didn't have to rehearse because he has done it all his life. He would join us when the shot was ready. He was 72 when he did this. His legs went over my head. I am 6 foot tall. It was unbelievable."

Amitabh's reaction

Talking about what happened next, Avinash shared, "In that action sequence, I hit him on his head with my elbow by mistake. I have a video of it. Everyone on the set was teasing me that I wont get any films anymore. When I hit him by mistake I felt like my career was over. There was a pin-drop silence on set. But the director didn't say cut so I swung another blow but it did not hit him... After the shot, I went to him to say sorry. He said, 'Yes, you hit me on my head.' And in that fear, I asked him, 'Sir, ek aur rehearsal kar le (Can we do one more rehearsal)?' He looked at everyone and said, 'Kahan se laaye ho inhe (From where have you got him)?' And then said to me, 'Lets do one more rehearsal.'"

Yudh is an Indian television psychological thriller miniseries directed by Ribhu Dasgupta and Deepti Kalwani. The show was created by Anurag Kashyap. It also starred Pavail Gulati, Sarika Gauri and Ayesha Raza Mishra. Avinash was seen in two web series this year, Bambai Meri Jaan and Kaala.

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Actor-reality TV star Shehnaaz Gill, who currently stars in comedy film Thank You For Coming, says she aspires to have a versatile filmography. The actor, a known name in Punjabi movies, shot to fame with her stint on the 13th season of reality show Bigg Boss in 2019 and made her Bollywood debut with Salman Khans Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan earlier this year. Also read: Shehnaaz Gill on being treated equally in Bollywood: 'Bade logo ko alag dikhaya jata ha aur chote logon ko side pe' Shehnaaz Gill attends a promotional event for Thank You for Coming.(AFP)

Shehnaaz Gill shares her wish

The 29-year-old actor said she is often approached with roles which are closer to her real self and she now wants to break the cycle. "Dont judge a book by its cover, read me carefully. They (makers) are thinking of me in a certain way. I feel they want to show my real-self on screen but I cant be doing only this kind of role. Like, recently I heard a script, in which Im playing a beautiful girl who is an internet sensation.

"This is my reality and I want to break this notion in films. I want to do something different on screen. I would like filmmakers to take risks and present me in a different way. Im willing to do a workshop and all. I believe my talent just gives me a chance to do different things, Gill told PTI in an interview.

As an actor, she wants to develop her own process for playing a character, which includes preparation and improvisation. "I believe actors should improvise. When you have the script, you should not learn it by heart, just understand the character, do a workshop and play the part accordingly. I want to work on my craft and analyse the script, Gill said.

Her latest release Thank You For Coming follows the story of Kanika Kapoor (Bhumi Pednekar), a single woman in her 30s, and her quest for true love and pleasure. The coming-of-age comedy is directed by Karan Boolani from a script penned by Radhika Anand and Prashasti Singh.

The film has a crucial message regarding sex education, according to Gill. "I believe in narrations. When I heard this script, I liked it and felt, This is something different, lets do it.' Sex education is very important. This is really very important, she added.

Thank You For Coming actors

Actors Dolly Singh, Kusha Kapila and Shibani Bedi star in pivotal roles in the film, which hit the screens Friday. Kapila, who previously acted in movies such as Sukhee, Selfiee, and Ghost Stories, said it was the first time she received a bound script. Many times, when we get the film, we dont get the script. We are just called for an audition and are not told anything. There are times when you dont get to see the film before the release.

"This is the first time we were invited for a table reading and we got a bound script, so I knew what I was going to do. We would earlier get synopsis, character sketch only and nothing beyond that. So this is a milestone for me, Kusha Kapila, 34, said.

Shibani Bedi said she realised her character has an important part in the story after reading the script. When we heard the script, we felt it was more than just a side character. Every character is important, adding something to the story and has a beautiful arc. Besides, it is really funny, the 37-year-old actor said.

Dolly Singh, 30, said she could relate to the story of Thank You For Coming. After giving two to four rounds of auditions, then you get an idea about the story and the character. I was like, This is so funny. When I was finalised and I got the script, which was written by two girls, it felt as if it was my story, she added.

Thank You For Coming is produced by Rhea Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor.

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Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez have officially settled their divorce. According to a report by Page Six, both the parties have reached an amicable settlement. Ariana had filed for divorce last month on September 18, and Dalton had immediately filed a response. (Also read: Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater spotted for the first time together as a couple at Disneyland) Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez got married in May 2021 at her home in Montecito, in a private ceremony (arianagrande/Instagram)

Ariana and Dalton settle divorce

As per a report by Page Six, a source has been quoted as saying that both Ariana and Dalton have settled for divorce. The source has said, Ariana and Dalton really wanted to take care of each through all of this and make it as easy on one another as possible  which is why they really took their time with everything. The report also added that the agreement, which was amicable for both the parties, was filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court. Ariana and Dalton got married in May 2021 at her home in Montecito, in a private ceremony.

More reports

A few weeks ago, Ariana was linked with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater. A few days after these reports, both Ariana and Ethan filed for divorce from their respective partners. Ethan had filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay. Meanwhile, Ariana had also separated from her husband Dalton Gomez, and deleted her wedding pictures from Instagram, which she posted in 2021.

Back in July, Ariana was spotted without her wedding ring, fueling rumours about troubles with her husband. The speculation was fueled after Ariana was photographed at the Wimbledon mens singles final in July, where she was seen without her diamond ring on her left finger. She was seen sitting between actors Andrew Garfield and Jonathan Bailey.

Ariana and Ethan's relationship

Meanwhile, Ariana started dating Ethan while shooting for their upcoming film Wicked. Production insiders from the set even revealed that Lilly Jay and their baby visited the Wicked set, where Ariana seemingly spent time with the couple. Sources close to Lilly revealed that she was heartbroken to hear about Ethan's new relationship and felt as if he had abandoned their family.

The first look of Wicked, the highly anticipated two-part adaptation of the Broadway musical was dropped earlier this year in April. Ariana plays as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba in the film directed by Jon M Chu. It is set to release on November 27, 2024.

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The governments Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has recommended the environmental release of transgenic Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11) for testing in farmers fields and seed production. If testing in the fields gives greater yield and other intended benefits and without negative implications, the mustard hybrid could be permitted for wider commercial cultivation across India. The DMH-11 showed 30-35% higher yield than local varieties in laboratory tests. Another add-on is herbicide tolerance, which facilitates herbicide use to remove weeds from the fields instead of manual weeding, it reduces labour and costs and directly contributes to farmers incomes in the light of widespread labour scarcity. The DMH-11 has already passed multi-location tests. However, it still needs to cross hurdles such as the opposition from anti-GMO activists, field tests under farm conditions and clearing of apprehensions about its effect on honeybees and other pollinators. Even as the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) of the Union environment ministry has cleared the proposal for the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) mustard, a section of experts and farmers say that the GM mustard is not a solution to deal with the issue of poor yield. (REUTERS File Photo)

Scientific community is arguing for the commercial release of GM-mustard by citing evidence that there are no adverse environmental impacts reported so far in any country where they are cultivating GMOs since the last 20 years. Still, if some gaps in evidence exist, they can be identified and data can be generated through controlled labs or experiments. However, stopping the opportunity to use a new technology for the farmers to increase their incomes based on unsubstantiated opinions is not good for a progressive society.

The argument that GMO crops increase herbicide use which affects the environment is not tenable. In India, herbicide use is one of the least among all countries. The argument that with the adoption of herbicide tolerance GMO crop, use of women labour in weeding will reduce is a regressive one, as history suggests that any technology starting from the steam engine, typewriter, computers to the latest Artificial Intelligence displaces people in old employment and re-employ them in new and more remunerative employment. For example, the introduction of washing machines during the 1940s replaced domestic women workers, then after women started working in offices with more wages rather than stuck up as domestic workers. So, the argument of introduction of herbicide-tolerant varieties reduces women's labour use is invalid.

Scientific policy-making should be solely based on valid evidence, scientific merit and adherence to rules and regulations established under the law. It should not be driven by a stand either for or against GM crops. If the procedures and regulations related to GMOs are not mature enough, then they have to be rectified so that there should not be any ambiguity. Empowering and strengthening of regulatory frameworks and agencies like GEAC can reduce the scope of hijacking of public opinion by unfounded beliefs by anyone. The regulatory framework should not be influenced by opinions of activists who many times dont have correct scientific understanding as these are highly technical subjects and many times beyond the understanding of the general public. During the past 20 years, anti-GMO activists have been campaigning to halt the commercial release of GM crops on the grounds of environmental and food safety, if it continues there is a danger of halting GMO research efforts in all crops, which ultimately limit farmers opportunities to increase crop productivity and incomes by using scientific advancement. The policy paralysis on GMO crops, also halted introduction of GMO crops in several other crops, although the technology is already available in labs in crops like chickpea and pigeon pea, where there is huge potential to increase farmers in dryland and resource-poor conditions.

India has been importing nearly eight million tonnes of GM oils and consuming them for the past 15 years, but not giving opportunities for our farmers to cultivate the same. Recently, Australia has given its approval for commercial cultivation of Indian GM mustard with the sole purpose of importing it into India.

Another unfounded fear propagated by anti-GMO activists is that with GM technology, entire seed production will go into the hands of multinationals. It is not the question of who produces the seed, if private companies supply quality seed at a reasonable price when compared to public agencies, they should be welcomed and farmers will benefit. The government has to focus on seed industry regulation and development to ensure the availability of quality seed at affordable prices rather than try to be in the business of seed production.

India has to move out of this confusing state as soon as possible and create an enabling environment for all stakeholders to move forward for testing in fields, generating and validating data to release and make available the best technology in the world to reach farmers. This is a huge task and cannot be handled without an empowered regulatory body. It requires coordination between private and public agencies and also the community. The starting point should be the creation of a consortium of all stakeholders such as the department of agriculture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, farmers organisations and private seed companies to coordinate and oversee various activities starting from increasing awareness and scientific temper, pool proof procedures and guidelines at each stage, large-scale commercialisation in mission mode. Foremost is the task of allaying the fears surrounding GM crops so that everyone can be part of this scientific advancement without any ambiguity. Once varieties are approved for commercial release, institutional arrangements for large-scale seed production and distribution with the coexistence of private and public agencies should be the priority for wider adoption by the farmers. Over the years, India has developed a vast network of scientific institutions, seed production and distribution systems to meet any challenge of large-scale adoption of technology.

Busting myths relating to food and environmental safety of GM crops is vital for avoiding a repeat of the experience of Bt brinjal in 2009-10 and GM mustard in 2016-17 and now. In 2009, Bt brinjal was recommended by the GEAC for commercialisation, but kept under a moratorium until now due to various pressures, while in 2013, the same technology was commercialised successfully in Bangladesh. Similarly, GM mustard was also approved by the GEAC in 2016 but got stalled for similar reasons and the tussle is not yet resolved.

Indian agriculture and farmers deserve to adopt more advanced scientific products and modern technologies in agriculture to make India more export-competitive and enhance farmers income.

Author - A Amarender Reddy, joint director, School of Crop Health Policy Support Research (SCHPSR), ICAR-National Institute of Biotic Stress Management (NIBSM).

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Air India has cancelled a Delhi to Tel Aviv flight scheduled on October 7 and the return flight as well after the Hamas terrorist group attacked Israel on Saturday morning. The flights have been cancelled in the interests and the safety of the guests and the crew, Air India said in a statement. "Passengers are being extended all support, as per their requirements," the statement said. A building is ablaze following rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel (REUTERS)

AI 139 was scheduled to depart from New Delhi at 3.35pm and reach Tel Aviv at 7.05pm. The return flight AI140 was scheduled to depart from Tel Aviv at 10.10pm and reach New Delhi at 7am on Sunday. Air India has five weekly fights to Tel Aviv.

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Saturday launched a surprise attack on Israel killing at least 40 people and wounding hundreds as terrorists infiltrated from Gaza Strip through air, land and sea. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in retaliation announced war against Hamas and said Hamas will have to pay a price.

India's reaction to war in Israel

PM Modi in his message to Israel said India stands with Israel. Israel embassy in India thanked India and PM Modi for unequivocal support. The US condemned the attack while UK PM Rishi Sunak said Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. "We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted. "Horrifying news reaches us today from Israel. The rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence shock us deeply. Germany condemns these Hamas attacks and stands by Israel," Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.

India's external affairs ministry has issued an alert to Indians in Israel asking them to remain vigilant. In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay close to safety shelters," the advisory read.

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BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday called for the derecognition of the Congress party after its Kerala unit compared Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Muhammad bin Tughluq, the second sultan of the Tughluq dynasty, amid the ongoing poster war. Naqvi said that the alleged poster in question makes for a "fit case" for the poll panel to derecognise the Congress and impose a ban on it. A combination of posters shows PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah as 'Jumla Boy' (L) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as 'Ravana'.(PTI)

Taking to his official handle on X, formerly Twitter, the BJP leader posted, Fit case for derecognition & Ban on Congress @ECISVEEP.

The Congress's Kerala unit had earlier come out with a poster putting Modi's face on an image of Muhammed bin Tughlaq from textbooks, making the ruler look like the prime minister.

"Dear Pradhan Mantriji, if you are eager to update textbooks, replace the Tughlaq era with your own," read the post on the official handle of the Congress Kerala on social media platform X.

The poster war intensified after the BJP in a social media post portrayed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as 'Ravan', the hydra-headed demon king from the epic 'Ramayana'.

"The new age Ravan is here. He is Evil. Anti Dharma. Anti Ram. His aim is to destroy Bharat," read the post on the BJP's official handle.

Congress leaders were quick to condemn the comparison, with party MP Manickam Tagore labelling it as 'unfortunate'.

"They are provoking people to resort to violence directed at Rahul Gandhi. We all know how he lost his father and grandmother to violence. Such promotional materials from a national party are unfortunate and condemnable," Tagore told ANI.

He also demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president JP Nadda.

But the controversy didn't stop there as the Congress's official X handle shot back with a poster depicting Prime Minister Modi as a puppet of billionaire Gautam Adani.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were afraid of the rising popularity of Rahul Gandhi.

"The BJP, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are starting to fear Rahul Gandhi. This only goes to show that the BJP is heading for a defeat in the 2024 (Lok Sabha) elections. The (mythological) battle between Ram and Ravan was fought in this country. The BJP embodies the vices associated with Ravan the most," Raut said.

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The NewsClick portal has rejected the Delhi Police's allegation against it that it accepted funds from China to disrupt India's sovereignty, saying that proceedings initiated against it were a "blatant attempt to muzzle" the free press in India. It called the police's FIR that said the portal was attempting to trigger disaffection against the country, "untenable and bogus." NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha was arrested on Tuesday.(HT photo)

In the FIR, filed under the stringent UAPA, the police claimed the foreign fund was brought into the company's coffers by an active member of the Communist Party of China, identified as Neville Roy Singham.

In a statement on Friday night, Newsclick said it had never committed or attempted to encourage violence, secession or any other illegal activity.

"The allegations in the FIR, apart from being ex facie untenable and bogus, have been made time and again, in investigations by three government agencies  the Enforcement Directorate, the Economic Offences Wing, Delhi Police, and the income tax department," it said.

Also read: NewsClick founder conspired to sabotage 2019 polls, siphoned off funds: FIR

The statement comes days after the police arrested the portal's founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and its HR head Amit Chakravarty, hours after raiding its journalists and 88 locations allegedly linked to it.

It said the latest FIR against the company was aimed at carrying out "illegal arrests" under the Act, which it described as draconian.

Also read: NewsClick received 28.29 crore from US businessman: Delhi Police

The copy of the FIR was provided to NewsClick after a Delhi court's intervention.

The Delhi Police registered an FIR under sections 13, 16,17, 18 and 22C of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and 153A, and 120B of the IPC.

Also read: Delhi Polices probe into NewsClick began before NYT report: Case timeline

The police are expected to question ten people, including senior journalists, on Monday.

With inputs from PTI

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The Chhattisgarh cabinet chaired by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday approved restoration of old pension scheme for officers and employees of Chhattisgarh State Power Companies appointed after January 1, 2004. Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. (File Photo)

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held at the chief ministers residence.

The cabinet also decided to establish a State Mahua Board, focusing on the collection, value addition, processing, and utilisation of Mahua, a major forest produce collected by tribals which acts as a significant resource for forest-dwelling communities.The board will also venture into production of biodiesel or ethanol production units through Mahua.

The proposed amendments in the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 were also approved.

The cabinet also approved administrative changes including the creation of two additional director posts in the Directorate of Public Instruction, Chhattisgarh Raipur.
An anonymous bomb threat that prompted the Philippines to put all its commercial airports on heightened security alert is "most likely a hoax", the aviation police chief said on Friday.

Passengers queue at airline counters in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, January 2, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Authorities ordered 42 airports across the country to step up security after receiving an anonymous email threat that planes flying out of Manila to several tourist destinations could explode.

Despite the alert, the country's main international airport, in Manila, and its two biggest airlines were operating as normal, and Transport Minister Jaime Bautista said no flight delays were expected.

Extra police and canine patrols were deployed at Manila terminals as part of "immediate enhanced security measures" at airports, authorities said, adding the threat was being verified.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) said airports had been ordered on Wednesday to step up security "following bomb threats".

It added air traffic services received an anonymous email about a threat to flights from Manila to Davao, Bicol and the tourist regions of Palawan and Cebu.

In a memo dated Oct. 4 but released to media on Friday, the CAAP referred to a screenshot of the emailed threat, which did not contain the word "bomb" but said "an airplane will explode" at Manila's international airport and "please beware".

"Cebu, Palawan, Bicol and Davao will also be hit", the anonymous email said.

One of the region's most popular beach destinations, Cebu saw more than 1 million domestic and foreign travelers last year, while Bicol in the central Philippines saw nearly 5 million, according to the tourism department.

Aviation police chief Jack Wanky confirmed that the threat was sent at around 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) on Wednesday but he said he was skeptical about it.

"It's most likely a hoax. Nothing is happening," he said.

"Airport operations is continuous, it's normal."

A regional airport in Bicol first received the email. Police in the National Capital Region received similar information and alerted aviation police.

An Australian business traveler flying out of Manila on Friday, Kevin Beachley, said he was not concerned.

"It's just a simple way of causing a lot of trouble without actually having to do anything other than a phone call," he said.

Philippine citizen Joy Nequinto was more wary, however.

"Our security is not that safe, especially in Manila. I do love the Philippines, but sometimes I feel scared at the airport."

A source at Philippines Airlines, who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to media, said the flag carrier was operating "business as usual".

A spokesperson at Cebu Pacific Air said the airline was "following usual protocols".

"No expected impact to any scheduled flights and we would like to ensure the traveling public that protocols are in place to ensure everyone's safety and security," the transport minister said in a statement.
The Congress' central election committee on Saturday held deliberations on probable candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls and also decided that the party's main agenda will be the conduct of a caste survey in the state. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary organisation K C Venugopal and others attend the central election committee meeting in Delhi. (PTI)

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary organisation K C Venugopal and general secretary in charge of the state Randeep Surjewala, state party chief Kamal Nath and members of the central election committee attended the meeting.

"The Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting was held (in Delhi) today. We discussed candidates' names for about 140 seats. The names will be finalised in the next 6-7 days," Nath told reporters after the meeting.

READ | Rahul Gandhi reiterates caste census pitch at rally in poll-bound MP

However, Surjewala and Jitendra Singh said there was a discussion on all seats and a decision would be taken later.

Surjewala said the issue of a caste survey was discussed at the meeting.

"We have decided that (conducting) a caste census in Madhya Pradesh will be our main agenda," Surjewala told reporters.

Asked about the party's chief ministerial face in Madhya Pradesh, Surjewala said, "Kamal Nath ji is president of Madhya Pradesh Congress and whoever is the president of the Pradesh Congress that person is naturally the face of the Congress."

READ | Opposition parties demand caste census in Madhya Pradesh

Surjewala also said the alleged "corruption" of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, law and order situation and crimes against women were discussed in the CEC meeting.

"The wind of change is blowing in Madhya Pradesh. Therefore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi no longer mentions the name and work of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan," he said.

In response to a question, Surjewala said, Caste census is an important agenda of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. Our main agenda is to provide justice to our OBC, SC and ST brothers and sisters. Kamal Nath ji and other colleagues of Madhya Pradesh Congress told in the meeting that caste census will be the primary agenda of the Congress."

He also said, There are 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh. The political situation of each seat was discussed.... Almost all the seats were discussed...we will hold a meeting soon and then start finalising the names.

The election to the 230-member assembly in Madhya Pradesh is likely to be held in November-December. The election schedule is yet to be announced.

In the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress had won 114 seats, while the BJP got 109.

However, the Congress government fell after many MLAs under the leadership of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who later became a Union minister, joined the BJP.

The BJP returned to power in March 2020 with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister for a fresh term. The BJP's current strength in the assembly is 127.
Delhi's air quality index slipped further into the poor category as the national capital's minimum temperature settled at 20.9 degree Celsius. At 9 am on Saturday, the AQI stood at 231. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. Delhi pollution

On Friday, amid poor air quality, the Centre's air quality panel swung into action and ordered the local authorities in the National Capital Region to ban coal usage in hotels and restaurants and crack down on polluting industries. These measures are part of the pollution control plan called the 'Graded Response Action Plan'.

Invoking Stage 1 of GRAP, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said the measures were ordered to arrest deterioration of air quality in the region.

"It is essential to invoke Stage-I of GRAP immediately throughout the entire NCR to take steps to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region," the commission said in a statement on Friday.

Also read: Delhi maps local pollution at hot spots

GRAP categorizes actions into four stages: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300), Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400), Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450), and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI > 450).

The India Meteorological Department predicted the capital's maximum temperature is likely to settle at around 37 degree Celsius.

The sudden dip in air quality comes after Punjab started to witness a surge in the number of farm fires.

The Air Quality Index in many parts of Punjab deteriorated to moderate levels on Friday.

Also read: Delhi air quality drops to poor category; GRAP measures likely to be enforced

The AQI levels are measured at six places by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), with Bathinda being the worst at 191. On October 6, a total of 91 fresh cases of farm fires were detected by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC), taking the total number of stubble-burning cases to 845 in this harvesting season.

Also read: Delhi air quality drops; 12 ways to prevent falling sick due to pollution

In the last six days alone, Amritsar district has recorded 345 active fires. On October 6, Amritsar reported 41 fires, followed by Tarn Taran (15), Patiala (10) and Sangrur (6).

With inputs from PTI

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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to dismissed Punjab Police officer Raj Jit Singh Hundal who is facing drug trafficking charges and sought the Punjab governments response in four weeks on his petition that alleged he was made a scapegoat in a power tussle between two groups of Punjab Police officers at the highest level. The Supreme Court court directed Raj Jit Singh Hundal to execute personal bonds for a sum of  50,000 with one or more sureties of a like amount (File Photo)

A bench of justices BR Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra protected the former assistant inspector general (AIG) from arrest subject to the condition that he cooperates with the investigation and reports daily to the investigating officer (IO).

By way of ad interim order, in the event of arrest, the petitioner is directed to be released on bail in connection with FIR No.1 dated June 12, 2017 registered with police station, SAS Nagar... on the condition that petitioner shall report daily to the IO between 10 am to 1 pm and cooperate with the investigation, the order said.

The Supreme Court court directed him to execute personal bonds for a sum of 50,000 with one or more sureties of a like amount.

Raj Jit Singh Hundal approached the top court after he was refused anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana high court on August 3.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who along with advocate Shradha Deshmukh appeared for the dismissed Punjab Police Service officer, pointed out that he was made an accused based on fabricated status reports prepared by a special investigation team headed by a former Director General of Police (DGP) whose actions were motivated against the petitioner. The SIT was formed by the high court in a PIL proceeding to ascertain the role of the petitioner after one of his subordinates was arrested and prosecuted in an alleged drug smuggling case.

Sibal told the court that the state government issued an order to the police on April 17, the same day that he was dismissed from service, to be made an accused in the case where his subordinate, former Inspector Inderjeet Singh was being prosecuted.

The bench asked Sibal, How can the State direct an investigating agency to make someone an accused? How does it interfere with the investigation.

Sibal read out the letter written by special secretary (home) to the Punjab DGP on April 17, 2023, asking the police to nominate the petitioner as an accused in the same FIR pending since 2017 and said, See what happens with the change of government.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in the state in March last year.

Appearing for the Punjab government, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi pointed out that the state was merely acting on the high court order of March 28 which allowed it to take appropriate action based on the SIT reports. The bench asked the state to put its stand on affidavit.

Raj Jit Hundal claimed he has been cooperating in the probe and objected to the states decision to add him as an accused without carrying out any further investigation. He also objected to the high court order of March 28 relied upon by the state and said, By asking the state to act on the status reports, the high court has influenced the investigation process.

He further stated, The order of April 17 whereby the special secretary (home) directed the DGP Punjab to nominate the petitioner as an accused in a six-year-old FIR, is wholly untenable in law and tantamount to dictating the course of investigations.

The SIT which formed the basis of the case against the petitioner was headed by former IPS officer Siddharth Chattopadhyay along with two other members, Prabhod Kumar and Vijay Pratap Singh, both former IPS who retired as senior police officers in the state.

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The fight for control of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) began before the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday with the first hearing on a claim by the Ajit Pawar-led faction over the 24-year-old partys name and election symbol. The Ajit Pawar faction argued its case on Friday before the Election Commission of India. (PTI)

NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar personally attended the first hearing at the ECI office in New Delhi. Whereas, senior advocates represented the Ajit Pawars faction.

In an affidavit, the Ajit Pawar faction said that it enjoyed the support of 42 of the partys 53 MLAs, six of the nine MLCs in Maharashtra, and all seven MLAs in Nagaland, apart from one of four in the Lok Sabha and one of three in the Rajya Sabha.

Affidavits from party workers, leaders, elected representatives were submitted before the commission.

The Ajit Pawar faction argued its case on Friday. The next hearing is scheduled on Monday.

It alleged that Sharad Pawar never followed democratic principles in the functioning of the NCP and ran the party arbitrarily, advocates from the Ajit led faction said.

Under the circumstances, the petitioner submits that he enjoys overwhelming support in the organisational wing as well as legislative wing of the NCP and therefore the present petition may be allowed by the honble commission by recognising the faction led by the petitioner to be the real political party, Ajit Pawar faction said in the affidavit.

HT couldnt independently verify the authenticity of the affidavit.

Sharad Pawar was represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Ajit Pawar was represented by senior advocates NK Kaul and Maninder Singh.

Singhvi objected to ECIs decision to call for a hearing, saying that the poll body cannot decide this without hearing their side. Your jurisdiction depends whether there is a dispute or not, he said but was rejected by the poll panel.

The commission heard us but said it will not decide at this stage, but assured us that when petitioners complete their argument, they will hear us, Singhvi said stressing that the decision on rejecting their application can be challenged in a court and that decision will be taken collectively later.

He alleged that the documents submitted by the Ajit Pawar faction were either forged or falsified. They dont want the organisational test because they know 99% of the majority of the NCP cadre is with the man standing next to me (Sharad Pawar), he said.

On July 2, Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government as deputy chief minister along with eight other ministers. The same day, he moved ECI under the symbols order for use of the name and the clock symbol of the NCP.

The faction said it elected Ajit Pawar as the new NCP national president in a meeting held on June 30. Ajit Pawar then appointed Praful Patel as the new working president. Taking cognisance of the petition filed by the Ajit led faction, ECI decided to start hearings over the split in the NCP on October 6.

On July 3, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP moved a disqualification motion against nine MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, who were inducted as ministers into the coalition government. A copy of this was sent to the EC. On July 6, the Pawar faction decided to expel all the nine MLAs, along with working president Praful Patel and general secretary Sunil Tatkare. The decision was taken in the working committee of the party held in Delhi. Later, the Pawar led party filed disqualification petition against 31 MLAs and five MLCs for anti-party activities.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Faisal Malik Faisal is with the political team and covers state administration and state politics. He also covers NCP. ...view detail
Bharat Mohanty, a 34-year-old resident of Rangpo in Pakyong district of Sikkim, warns anyone heading towards a large vacant land along the banks of the river Teesta: Dont go there. There may be explosives underneath the silt. Indian Army officers inspect the damage caused by flash floods in Naga village of north Sikkim (PTI)

Read here: Darkness and chaos: Sikkim flood victims share ordeal; rescue op halted

Local residents in the flash flood-ravaged Rangpo in East Sikkim pointed to what appeared to be a playground, but it was in fact a slum comprising dozens of houses until a few days back. The slum was surrounded by multiple four-to-five storey buildings on three sides, with the Teesta flowing on the fourth.

The slum is now buried under 10-12 feet of silt and debris brought in by the flood waters. The muddy water and debris also gushed into the ground floors the adjoining buildings, Mohanty, who lived in the ground floor of one of those buildings, said.

Now, the entire colony plunges into darkness at night as there is no power supply since the flood hit the area in the early hours on Wednesday. Mobile connectivity has also been affected.

A few cars and an earth-moving machine, buried under the silt with just their roofs visible, gave an inkling of what was underneath the debris.

It was around 2am on Wednesday that Sidhant Chetri (23), another resident of IBM colony, as the area is popularly called, heard some frantic whistles and screams.

I just woke up and sat on my bed. Somebody banged on my door. As soon as I got down from the bed, there was ankle-deep water in my room. More water was seeping inside. A neighbour informed that a flood has hit the area. I woke up my roommate and rushed out to a road on the higher elevation. Within minutes the floodwaters covered everything, Chetri recalled.

Around 1.30 am on Wednesday, a glacial lake outburst flood triggered by torrential rain slammed into the Chungthang dam, cleaving the structure and barrelling downhill where it left villages and towns buried under silt and debris. So far, the known number of casualties stood at 55 while at least 143 remain missing, according to officials. More than 40,000 people have been affected.

Mangan in north Sikkim and Pakyong in the east were the two worst-hit districts in the northeastern state. Of the total casualties in the devastation, 19 people, including nine army personnel, died in Pakyong alone while 38 remain missing.

The Sikkim government has warned people that explosives might be found along the banks of Teesta as an ammunition depot of the army in north Sikkim was also affected in the flash floods. At least three people were killed in neighbouring West Bengal when they tried to handle the explosives deposited on the rivers bank.

Earlier this morning some army personnel came and defused a mortar that was found around 2 km upstream, Mohanty said.

In Mangan district, a team of the disaster response force in Sikkim finally managed to reach Chungthang, which had remained cut off from the rest of the northeastern state since Wednesday.

While the first team of SDRF personnel managed to reach Chungthang on Friday night, a second team reached this [Saturday] morning. Nearly 80% of the town has been damaged and most of the houses, shops and offices are buried under several feet of debris, a top government official said.

The SDRF team had to trek for several kilometres through treacherous hilly trails and then cross the Teesta using a precarious suspension bridge to reach the town.

There are no reports of any casualties from the town till now. Relief has finally reached Chunthang. We hope to restore communication lines within two to three days, a senior IAS officer posted in Mangan said.

Air-borne rescue operations could not be started even on Saturday due to bad weather conditions in the hills. At least three Mi-17 choppers are kept on standby in Bagdogra and Lachen.

Read here: Inter-ministerial team to visit flood-hit Sikkim from Sunday to assess damages

The Sikkim government has opened alternate routes for stranded people, including tourists, to reach West Bengal, to take trains and flights. The National Highway-10, which formed the lifeline of the Himalayan state, has been washed away in the floods at multiple places.

My wife, daughter and I were stuck at Rangpo for three days. We had to put up in a hotel at a higher elevation after our house got inundated by the floodwaters. That night was traumatic, Dinesh Chakraborty, an employee of a private firm who was working on a railway project in east Sikkim, said. Finally, we made it.

Normally it takes two to three hours to reach Siliguri in north Bengal from Ranpo via NH-10, the alternative route through Lava and Gorubathan is taking double the time.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joydeep Thakur Joydeep Thakur is a Special Correspondent based in Kolkata. He focuses on science, environment, wildlife, agriculture and other related issues. ...view detail
The Kerala police on Friday arrested a former activist of Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU), the trade union wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist), in connection with several financial malfeasance cases, including a job fraud case connected to the state health ministers office, officers familiar with the matter said. (HT Archives)

A team led by deputy superintendent of police (DSP) S Nandakumar from Pathanamthitta district nabbed Akhil Sajeev from an area in Theni district of Tamil Nadu and brought him to Kerala on Friday, the officers said, adding that his arrest has been recorded in an earlier case, booked against him in July 2021 for misappropriating money to the tune of 3.6 lakh from the books of CITU.

He was not using cell-phones or other digital devices to avoid being caught. With the help of scientific and cyber clues, we got a location but he escaped from there also. Finally around 4 am on Friday, we were able to catch him near Theni, DSP Nandakumar told reporters.

Sajeev, who worked as a secretary at a CITU office in Pathanamthitta, was dismissed from the organisation after his name cropped up in the financial malfeasance case.

At the same time, police suspect Sajeev to be involved in a job fraud case that came to the limelight last month. Haridasan Kummoli, a resident of Malappuram, had alleged that he had paid bribes of 1.75 lakh to Akhil Mathew, a personal staff member of health minister Veena George, and Akhil Sajeev in return for a job as a temporarily medical officer for his daughter-in-law, under the AYUSH department.

However, George defended her staff member claiming that Mathew was innocent and asked him to file a police complaint seeking the truth in the case. When I got the written complaint [from Haridasan], I asked my personal staff member who was named in the complaint. He explained that he is innocent and that he has nothing to do with the case. He responded along with relevant facts. So I asked him to file a police complaint so that the truth comes out, said George.

The Cantonment police filed an FIR last week based on Mathews complaint on charges of cheating and impersonation and began a probe.

According to police, Sajeev received 75,000 in two installments from Haridasan through mobile app payments, and is suspected to have impersonated Mathew in the job fraud case. While the offer letter, that Haridasans daughter-in-law got after paying the bribe, was proved to be fake later.

The Cantonment police has reached Pathanamthitta to question Sajeev in the job fraud case. One accused in the case is in remand while another is absconding.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vishnu Varma Vishnu Varma is Assistant Editor and reports from Kerala for the Hindustan Times. He has 10 years of experience writing for print and digital platforms and has worked at The New York Times, NDTV and The Indian Express in the past. He specialises in longform reportage at the intersections of politics, crime, social commentary and environment. ...view detail
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Saturday put unbranded flour containing 70% millets in the tax-free category and reduced GST on molasses from 28% to 5% in a major relief to farmers, particularly sugarcane cultivators and coarse grain producers of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the GST Council Meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. (PTI)

Read here: GST Council exempts extra neutral alcohol levy, reduces rates on millet flour | Top Updates

Announcing the decision of the 52nd GST Council, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the tax on food preparation of millet flour in powder form, containing at least 70% millets by weight, will be zero if it is sold loose. It will attract 5% GST if sold in a pre-packaged and labelled form.

The decision is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis special emphasis on Shree Anna (Indias branding of millets), which led to the declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets by the Food and Agriculture Organization and United Nations.

At the global millets conference on March 18, PM said Shree Anna is a door to prosperity for the small farmers a cornerstone of nutrition for crores of countrymen a big foundation for chemical-free farming and a huge help in fighting climate change. India is the largest producer of millets in the world with 98% production from 10 states, including poll-bound Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

The Council also proposed to keep extra neutral alcohol (ENA) used for manufacture of alcoholic liquor for human consumption outside the GST and decided to reduce tax on molasses from 28% to 5%. Sitharaman said the Council ceded the right to tax ENA to the states despite having legislative competence.

This step will increase liquidity with mills and enable faster clearance of cane dues to sugarcane farmers. This will also lead to reduction in cost for manufacture of cattle feed as molasses is also an ingredient in its manufacture, the finance ministry said in a statement. Effectively, a separate tariff classification (HS code) has been created by the customs to cover rectified spirit for industrial use, attracting 18% GST, it added.

The Council on Saturday also clarified on the taxability of personal or corporate guarantee for bank loans. No GST will be applicable if company does not pay any consideration for a directors personal guarantee because the value of the transaction or supply is zero, it said.

Guarantees provided by corporates to their subsidiaries will, however, attract an 18% GST. According to revenue secretary Sanjay Malhotra when a corporate guarantee is given by a company to its subsidiary firm, then it will be deemed that the value is 1% of the corporate guarantee. Hence, it will attract GST at 18% on the 1% of the total amount guaranteed by the parent company.

Taxability of corporate and personal guarantees has been a vexed issue since inception of GST. Clarity on taxation and valuation issues comes as a welcome move and would help contain unwarranted litigations on the issue. However, taxability for the past period, especially in scenarios where full credit is not available, and valuation, may still be challenged by the industry, said Abhishek Jain, indirect tax head & partner at KPMG.

Even as Delhi raised the issue of huge tax demand on online gaming firms retrospectively, the revenue secretary said that like betting, they always attracted 28% GST. Certain members raised the issue of retrospective taxation. It was informed to them that this is not retrospective, and this was the law earlier, Malhotra said.

Read here: 28 per cent GST rate on online gaming from October 1

The council also prescribed the minimum age for president and members of the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) and extended the upper age limit. While minimum eligible age is 50 years, the upper limit for the president is raised from 67 years to 70, and for members, revised from 65 to 70.

According to experts, many critical decisions were taken by the Council on Saturday. Pratik Jain, partner at consultancy firm Price Waterhouse & Co LLP said: Liquor industry had a lot to cheer as Council decided to not levy GST on ENA supplied to alcohol manufactures. Also, it was clarified that job work for conversion of barley to malt would be liable to GST at 5% and not 18%. Decision to reduce GST to 5% on molasses would help the sugar industry and sugarcane farmers, he said.

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It was gobsmacking moment for people and guests gathered on the premises of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Kochi on Friday morning, as they saw a man defying gravity and taking to the skies. Kochi: The Jet Suit demonstration as part of the cyber conference, in Kochi, Friday.(PTI)

The Jet Suit demonstration as part of the cyber conference surprised the audience as well as Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, who was the guest of honour at the event.

The governor was seen breaking into an applause after experiencing something that is seldom seen in real life.

Paul Robert Jones, a gravity jet suit pilot, did the demonstration flight as part of the 16th edition of COCON-16, an international cyber conference organised by the Kerala Police in association with Information Security Research Association and Society for Policing of Cyberspace.

Paul took flight, the first of its kind in Kerala, on the helipad of the Grand Hyatt.

Paul, who arrived at the ground wearing a gravity suit, greeted the spectators before taking to the skies. As he flew back and landed on the embankment on the ground, he was greeted with a standing ovation.

The Gravity Industrial Jet Suit was launched in 2017 to help rescue and assist people during natural disasters, floods, and war zones. It could enable a person to fly at a speed of up to 80 miles per hour. One can make a 4.30-minute flight at a stretch.

The Jet Suit team was sponsored by c0c0n as part of an initiative by Synthetic Group, a leader in the global spice processing export sector, for the development of technological innovation.

Inaugurating the c0c0n 2023, the governor also flagged concerns over rising cybercrime incidents.

The event, hosted in Kochi, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, cybersecurity enthusiasts and prominent speakers.

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Hyderabad-based casino and gambling club organiser Chikoti Praveen on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Telangana. Chikoti Praveen, who has been facing criminal cases for organising gambling clubs and casinos in India and abroad, had planned to join the BJP on September 12 (Twitter/@N_RamchanderRao)

At a low-profile event held at the BJP Hyderabad unit office at Barkatpura, party national vice-president D K Aruna formally inducted Praveen by offering the saffron stole. Former MLC N Ramchander Rao and BJP Hyderabad (central) unit president Gautam Rao welcomed him into the party.

Speaking to reporters, Praveen said his entry into the BJP was like a homecoming. Though I was not a BJP member in the past, I had been associated with the activities of the party for quite a long time. It is like a missing child returning to his home, he said.

Stating that he would strive to strengthen the BJP in Hyderabad, Praveen said he was confident that the people would vote the party to power in the coming assembly elections. They have witnessed the rule of all the other parties  the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party and the Bharat Rasthra Samithi. Now, we shall ask them to give a chance to the BJP this time, he said.

Praveen said he should have joined the BJP in September itself, but could not do so due to some miscommunication between him and the state BJP leaders. Now that I have joined the party, I am happy. The BJP is a party with commitment and discipline and I shall work for the party like a disciplined soldier, he said.

Praveen, who has been facing criminal cases for organising gambling clubs and casinos in India and abroad, had planned to join the BJP on September 12. He went with a huge procession of his followers and supporters to the BJP state headquarters, but when he reached there, there was nobody in the office, including party president G Kishan Reddy, who was supposed to welcome him into the party.

A red-faced Praveen alleged then that some vested interests in the BJP were trying to block his entry into the party. A Telangana BJP leader familiar with the development said several BJP leaders had complained to Prakash Javadekar, the partys election in-charge for Telangana, that Praveens entry would bring a bad name to the party, as he was notorious for organising gambling and casino clubs.

Praveen is also known for his craze for exotic and rare birds and animals. During a raid by the forest officials at his farmhouse in Saireddygudem village in Ranga Reddy district, about 50 km from Hyderabad, in July last year, they found a mini zoo with several species of pythons, mongoose, iguanas, monitor lizards, ostrich, horses, swans, ducks, parrots, pigeons and rare varieties of big spiders, besides dogs, cows and buffaloes.

His residence in Saidabad was also raided on July 29, 2022, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on suspicion of his involvement in hawala money transactions. They also found several videos of Praveen organising casinos at Jhapa in Nepal, Goa and Thailand.

In May this year, he was caught in Thailand during a casino raid, along with several others. Upon his return to India, he claimed to have been an unwitting guest at the hotel where gambling activities were taking place.

Praveen was booked by the Gajwel police in July this year, for taking out a rally in violation of prohibitory orders amid communal tension in the area. He took out a rally to pay tribute to Maratha ruler Shivaji after a man had allegedly defiled his statue.

In the same month, Chatrinaka police in Hyderabad booked him for employing private security guards with illegal weapons. Shortly after the case was filed, he obtained bail from the court in the case.
The Gephang Gath lake in Himachal Pradesh is a disaster waiting to happen, glaciologists warned earlier this year. The lake is at high risk of breaking its banks and causing a flashflood because of its increasing size, local topography and melting permafrost, they warned in a scientific journal, a situation similar to the glacial lake outburst flood downstream of the Lhonak lake in Sikkim. Indian Army officers inspect the damage caused by flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall in Naga village of north Sikkim (PTI)

Read here: Glacial lake outburst, excess rainfall led to Sikkim flash floods, says NDMA

Gepang Gath has grown over the years to become the largest lake in the state, according to a paper published in American Geophysical Union journal in February that was led by the Divecha Centre for Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

Gephang is in a very similar situation as Lhonak. It is at high risk. In fact, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the western Himalayas and Sikkim in the eastern Himalayas have glacial lakes that are at high risk of GLOFs in view of climate change, so careful monitoring and timely mitigation efforts are needed, said glaciologist Anil Kulkarni, a scientist at the Divecha Centre and co-author of the paper.

The lake may grow more than double its size in the future and warming permafrost in the surrounding steep slopes makes it susceptible to failure, the paper warned. If the water level in Gepang Gath can be brought down artificially, it would significantly reduce the risk of a outburst flood, the researchers found.

There are many ways to reduce volumes in glacial lakes, which include controlled breaching, construction of an outlet control structure, pumping or siphoning out the water, and making a tunnel through the moraine barrier or under an ice dam, according to an assessment by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.

We further evaluated mitigation options, including lake level lowering by 10 and 30 m, to evaluate the changes in the GLOF intensities downstream of the lake. It is seen that there is a significant reduction in the GLOF impact downstream when the lake levels are lowered, but the risk from very large events is not eliminated, said authors of the paper, which included scientists from the University of Zurich, University of Dayton and University of Graz.

The highest risk is to infrastructure downstream, which includes the Sissu helipad, with severe implications for evacuations and other emergency response action, according to the paper.

Kulkarni and his team had informed the Centre and Sikkim state government in 2015 about the precarious state of Lhonak glacial lake and how hydropower projects downstream stood at risk. A working group constituted by the department of science and technology had recommended installation of an early warning system and lowering of water levels at Lhonak. HT has seen a copy of the report.

The recommendations were not implemented.

The Lhonak lake in Sikkim burst its banks on October 4 after heavy rainfall, leading to the deaths of at least 55 people, with 143still missing. It also washed away a dam on the Teesta river, damaged highways and stranded thousands of tourists.

We had warned about the Teesta flood and GLOF in the Sikkim Human Development Report earlier in 2001 released by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then in 2012, Mahendra P Lama, founding vice-chancellor of Sikkim University, said in a statement.

Read here: Darkness and chaos: Sikkim flood victims share ordeal; rescue op halted

Although people are not entirely against the building of hydropower projects, they are aggrieved at the way these projects are implemented, the casualness with which the environmental impact assessment is conducted and clearances are given, and the way project developers are selected, Lama said.

The location, size and scale of these projects, the knowledge and experience of these project developers, the capability of project regulating agencies and the way projects have been designed and the technology used have been questioned all across the fragile Himalayan ecology, he said. Unfortunately, in many cases, these issues come up for public discussion only in the aftermath of disasters.

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At least 42 people were killed after a glacial lake burst its banks and triggered flash floods in the Indian Himalayas this week, government officials said on Friday as rescuers kept searching for almost 150 missing.

People walk along the area affected by the flood at Golitar, in Singtam, Sikkim, India October 5, 2023. Photo by Reuters

The Lhonak Lake in the mountainous northeastern state of Sikkim overflowed on Wednesday after a cloudburst triggered torrential rains and an apparent avalanche, causing major flooding in the Teesta river.

It was one of the worst disasters in the region in more than 50 years and the latest in a series of extreme weather eventsthat have caused widespread damage in South Asia's Himalayas, blamed by scientists on climate change.

Authorities in Sikkim said the disaster, which came ahead of a popular festive and tourism season in the scenic state, had impacted the lives of 22,000 people.

"We got calls from people that river levels could rise at 3 a.m. and we ran for our lives," said Javed Ahmed Ansari, 44, a resident of Teesta valley, who owns a river rafting business.

"We ran towards the hill in the jungle ... We saw houses getting swept away. I can now only see the first floor of our house which is filled with sand, everything is submerged."

Scientists and government authorities were working on an early warning system for glacial floods at Lhonak Lake which could have given people more time to evacuate if fully operational, officials involved in the project told Reuters.

Sikkim's chief secretary Vijay Bhushan Pathak, the most senior bureaucrat, said rescuers had found 20 bodies in the state and 22 in the neighboring downstream state of West Bengal.

The 22 included six Indian military personnel who had been washed away from Sikkim. Pictures of the remaining 16 would be circulated in Sikkim to establish if they belonged to the state or to West Bengal, Pathak told Reuters by phone.

The number of missing had risen to 142, including 15 army personnel, as people stepped up searches as the weather improved on Friday, he said.

Military helicopters made four attempts to evacuate tourists stranded in the higher reaches of the state but did not succeed due to bad weather, Pathak said, adding that they would try again on Saturday.

Bandana Chettri, a top official in the state tourism department, said all tourists, including more than 50 foreigners, were safe.

Firearms, explosives washed away

Earlier on Friday, Tseten Bhutia, a state official, said rescue and relief teams were struggling as areas in north Sikkim had been totally cut off.

About 2,400 people have been evacuated so far and 7,600 people were in relief camps, Bhutia said. Private and government institutions have been closed in the area until Oct. 15.

Fifteen bridges had been washed away in the state, hampering rescue operations. All bridges downstream of an NHPC hydropower station Teesta-V have either been submerged or washed away, the Indian government said.

Photos and videos on social media showed roads and pathways covered with silt and stones, vehicles stuck and small, muddy streams flowing by hillsides.

Military equipment, including firearms and explosives, was washed away in the Teesta river, a defense ministry spokesperson said in a social media post.

In a neighboring district in West Bengal state, people picked up a mortar shell which later exploded, killing one child and injuring six people, local lawmaker Pradeep Kumar Barma told ANI news agency.

The weather department said Sikkim received 101 mm (four inches) of rain in the first five days of October, more than double normal levels, unleashing floods worse than one in October 1968 in which an estimated 1,000 people died.

Heavy rain is forecast in parts of the region on Friday but the intensity of showers is likely to ease, the India Meteorological Department said.

Sikkim, a small Buddhist state of about 650,000 people which is wedged in the mountains between Nepal, Bhutan and China, has been cut off from Siliguri in West Bengal as the main highway, which links it to the rest of the country, had collapsed.
The Indian Air Force's MiG-29 fighter jets from 28 squadrons returned to India from Egypt after over a month on Saturday after the 'Exercise Bright Star' ended. A contingent of 137 personnel of the Indian military departed for the tri-services joint military exercise on August 29. Indian Army personnel display the professional prowess in Exercise Bright Star - 2023. (PTI)

Upon return, 28 Squadron Commanding Officer Group Captain Parijat Jha, speaking to news agency ANI, said that the experience was brilliant as the Indian forces got an opportunity to fight and train with nine other participating countries.

Jha said, 'Exercise Bright Star' is a multilateral multinational exercise which was conducted in Egypt, it hosted almost 34 countries and they participated in Army, Navy, Air Force, and all three elements. The entire experience of the exercise was really brilliant. We got to fight and train with almost nine countries who had participated in Egypt for the Exercise Bright Star.

The exercise, which began on August 31, is led by the United States Central Command (US CENTCOM) and the Egyptian Army.

Further speaking about the experience in training with other countries, Jha said that the Indian forces got to witness several fighter jets from across the world. He said, I got to see not only the MiG 29 of the Indian Air Force there were MiG 29 of Indian-Egypt, F-16s of USAF, the Mirage 2000s of French Air Force, there were F-16s from Greece, A-10s from the US Air Force and finally, there were F15s from Saudi Arabia.

This was the first time the Indian Air Force took part in the tri-service exercise.

Jha said that the exercise was an opportunity for India to showcase its abilities and strategic reach. He added, The global outreach and the strategic reach of the Indian Air Force were seen in this. We also got to showcase our capabilities. The Egyptians were thrilled to see us and to see our capabilities that we were able to shoot down in training exercises, so many aircraft. I feel really proud to represent India and Indian Air Force.

Exercise Bright Star - 23 was created as a training exercise between the United States and Egypt during the 1977 Camp David Accord. Its first edition was conducted in 1980 and it expanded to include other countries in 1995.

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The Indian embassy at Jerusalem and the Representative Office of India in Palestine on Saturday issued advisories asking Indian nationals in respective countries to remain vigilant and directly contact the Office in case of emergency as a full-fledged war broke out between the ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip and Israel killing at least 498 people from both sides. Fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestine apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, (AP)

As they entered southern Israel by land, sea and air, using paragliders, Hamas militants fired more than 2,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, according to the Israeli military. Hamas says it captured several Israeli soldiers near the border.

The surprise attack has killed 200 people and injured more than 1,100 in Israel. In the Gaza Strip side, there were 198 dead and about 1,500 wounded in Israel's counterattack, media reports said.

In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay close to safety shelters, the Embassy said in its advisory.

The advisory gave relevant phone numbers in case of emergency and also provided URLs for Israeli Home Front Command and Preparedness brochures.

The advisory was issued in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages. According to the details on the website of the Indian Embassy here, there are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, primarily caregivers employed by Israeli elders, diamond traders, IT professionals and students. There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian origin in Israel too that were part of the main waves of immigration into Israel from India in the fifties and sixties.

Today was a very difficult day, we have never seen a situation (like this). Within 20 minutes, 5,000 rockets were fired, and they (Hamas militants) killed 22 people while 500 were injured. This is a very difficult situation for the country, Soma Ravi, an Indian national working in Israel for 18 years, told PTI.

Vikas Sharma, an Indian student at the Hebrew University here, said, Theres a tense situation in Israel because of the attack, but all the Indian students are safe. Most of the students are staying in dorms and accommodations provided by the college. We are in contact with each other as well as the Indian embassy through WhatsApp.

In Ramallah, the Representative Office of India in Palestine posted a public notice on X late on Saturday night: In light of the prevailing security situation, Indian nationals in Palestine can directly contact the Representative Office of India to address any case of emergency or needed assistance on the 24-hours Emergency Helpline.

It also gave two contact numbers.

Meanwhile, in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.
Amid social media debate over the support of Indian Muslims to Palestine in the fresh escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict on Saturday, Muslim IAS officer Shah Faesal said humanity is above religion and as terrorism did not help anyone ever, it won't help Palestine either. "Indian Muslims have never supported the escalation of violence in Middle East. The horrifying visuals of innocent Israelis killed by Hamas today break everyone's heart. terrorism has not helped anyone and it won't help Palestinians also," the celebrated bureaucrat posted on X. His opinion was in connection with a post which said Indian Muslims stand unequivocally with Palestine as they are protecting their homeland from 'Israeli monsters'. Read | We stand ready: Joe Biden's support for Israel amid attack and a warning IAS officer Shah Faesal commented on the social media debate over Indian Muslims supporting Palestine. (Reuters file photo)

India condemned the terrorist attack in Israel which caught the country by surprise as Hamas terrorists fired thousands of rockets killing at least 70 people and injuring hundreds. The unprecedented attack triggered retaliation from the Israeli side and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war in which Israel's enemies will have to pay a very heavy price. India being Israel's strategic partner condemned the attack as PM Modi said India stands in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour. The United States, the UK too condemned the terrorist attack. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran appeared to back Hamas in the conflict. Pakistan and Afghanistan too showed support to Palestine and called for cessation of hostilities.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a threat told the fellow Arab countries that Israel cannot provide them with any protection as Hamas now intends to expand the battle in Gaza to West Bank and Jerusalem.

After the attack, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted: "Praying that peace prevails in the occupied territories of Palestine."

Palestine foreign affairs ministry in its statement defended the Hamas attack and said it repeatedly warned against the "consequences of blocking the political horizon". "Israel's disavowal of the signed agreements and failure to adhere to international legitimacy resolutions led to the destruction of the peace process," it said.

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An inter-ministerial central team will visit flood-hit Sikkim from Sunday to assess the damage due to the natural calamity, Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said. A visual from the flood-hit Golitar area in Sikkim.(HT File)

Mishra, the union minister of state for home affairs, arrived here on Saturday for a three-day visit to the Himalayan state.

He said the Centre has been monitoring the flood situation in Sikkim and assured the state administration of all necessary support and assistance.

Mishra held a meeting with Chief Secretary V B Pathak and senior officials of the state government, army and other organisations.

READ | Sikkim flood: Death toll rises to 25; 'explosive, firearms' warning issued

"The Centre is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim and all the necessary support and assistance for the state is underway," Mishra said.

Officials of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDC) and NHPC Ltd were also present at the meeting.

Mishra also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are in constant touch with Chief Minster Prem Singh Tamang for rescue and relief work being carried out by the army and the state administrations.

An inter-ministerial team, comprising senior officers of five central ministries, namely agriculture, road transport & highways, water resources, energy and finance, will visit from Sunday to assess the damage caused by the flash flood, he said.

READ | Darkness and chaos: Sikkim flood victims share ordeal; rescue op halted

"The team will visit Sikkim from tomorrow to take stock of the ground situation, assess the extent of damage and provide assistance wherever necessary," he said.

The Centre has approved the release of 44.8 crore as an advance amount from the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim to provide relief to flash floods-affected people.

Mishra said PM Modi stands in solidarity with the people of Sikkim and will leave no stone unturned to restore normalcy in the state.

He urged the state government officials to prepare short-term and long-term plans to effectively accomplish the task of rebuilding the damaged infrastructure in the shortest possible time.

The MoS also appealed to the people of the Himalayan state to take the situation as a challenge and overcome it with steadfast positivity so that life gets back to normal as soon as possible.

He lauded the tireless efforts of the chief minister to tide over the crisis.

The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim rose to 27 on Saturday even as search operations continued for 141 people who are still missing, an official report said.

The flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday, affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges in the state.

Mishra also appreciated the efforts of the Sikkim administration, army, BRO, ITBP and all agencies for working in tandem with the state government to carry out rescue, relief and restoration work.

The chief secretary apprised the union minister of the sequence of events that led to the disaster.

He also informed the union minister about the extensive damage to roads and other vital infrastructure like telecommunication, water and electricity.

Pathak also presented a comprehensive summary of the steps being taken by the state government in active coordination with the army, NDRF, BRO, ITBP and all other agencies.

Mishra called on Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at Raj Bhavan and assured him of all possible support to the state from the central government to overcome the crisis.

Mishra is slated to meet the chief minister on Sunday.
Harman Singh Kapoor, a Sikh restaurant owner in London, UK, who was seen in a viral video where his cars were allegedly vandalised by Khalistani elements recently, claimed on Saturday that he has been getting threats for the last nine months. Harman Singh Kapoor, a Sikh restaurant owner in London, UK. (ANI)

Last month, a video posted on X by Insightuk2 which describes itself as a social movement of British Hindus and Indians, claimed that some unidentified assailants allegedly opened fire at the car of Kapoor, adding that his family has been subjected to constant threats of violence and rape by alleged Khalistan supporters.

Speaking over the issue, Kapoor, who is currently in New Delhi, told news agency ANI that the pro-Khalistan elements are defaming Sikhs, Hindus and India.

Explaining why the pro-Khalistan elements started targeting him, Kapoor said, I have been staying in the UK for 26 years. In the last 1.5 years, the Khalistani movement has been active in the UK. I posted a video on this and it went viral. For over nine months, I have been getting threats and there have been attacks on me as well. They wanted me to remove this video and apologise to them, but I refused. Since I was staying in London, I thought I was safe, but I was wrong. They tortured me mentally, sent online threats and on February 25, 2023, they attacked me.

Kapoor added that the people who had come to attack him were Sikhs. They are defaming Sikhs, Hindus and India. I want this fight to end. No actions were taken by the officials, they only recorded my complaint. Police are not arresting them, the Khalistanis are roaming free. Khalistanis have support from the police. Khalistanis are their political assets there. If a countryman is attacked, the accused should be arrested but in my case, these Khalistanis were not arrested by Police, Kapoor claimed.

Kapoor's vehicles were vandalised on the day elements from outside Scotland deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised for the Indian high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami.

A UK-based journalist and researcher, Charlotte Littlewood, in a post shared on X, claimed that the attack on Kapoors family was ongoing.

Attack on Harman Singh Kapoor family is ongoing. They are awaiting police as Khalistani extremists are thought to have shot at their vehicle in London. As feared the Canada row has emboldened extremists - we will see more of this, her post read.

She also questioned the decision to remove the panic alarm from the car of the family amid the diplomatic fallout of Canada's claim of an Indian hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

"At this heightened time of threat following the India-Canada row. Where the Khalistani extremists are threatening India High commissions in the West and assassinating Indian officials in India. How was the decision made to remove their panic alarm? (sic), her post added.

When Harman Singh Kapoor was first targeted

On May 4, Kapoor and his family had alleged that they have been receiving constant online threats after they posted a video about the Khalistan movement on social media, Khalsa Vox reported.

The alleged threats were made despite repeated assurances by the police of safety and special safeguarding measures. The family had experienced three attacks, and do not feel safe, according to Khalsa Vox, a portal on news related to Punjab politics, history, culture, and heritage.

Kapoor's restaurant was attacked by pro-Khalistan supporters, an incident that occurred just days after the Indian high commission in London was vandalised in April 2023.

He then posted a video which garnered two million views in two days, leading to abusive calls, social media trolling, and threats against him and his family.

Kapoor said following the video, he received death threats and his restaurant was attacked. The attackers demanded that he remove the video, raise pro-Khalistan slogans and burn the Indian flag, or face death.

Kapoor said his wife and his daughter allegedly received several rape threats.

An independent report commissioned by former UK PM Boris Johnson had expressed concerns over the rising influence of pro-Khalistan extremists within the British Sikh community, Khalsa Vox reported.

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The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala drew up extensive programmes to highlight what it called the failures of the LDF government and take political advantage ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year. MM Hassan (Wikimedia Commons)

UDF convenor MM Hassan told reporters on Friday that the front will hold a cooperative conclave in Thiruvananthapuram on October 16 to corner the government over the alleged fraud and corruption in cooperative banks and societies controlled by the CPI(M) in the state. The Enforcement Directorate is currently probing the alleged 300 crore fraud and money laundering at the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank, controlled by the CPI(M) in Thrissur.

On October 18, the UDF will hold a mega protest outside the secretariat with 50,000 workers in attendance from across the state. The protest is against a slew of issues including delay in payment of dues to ration shop owners, apathy towards farmers, price hike and allegations of corruption in installation of AI cameras and the suspicious payments case against the chief ministers daughter. In the run-up to the event, there will be panchayat-level padayatras taken out by UDF workers, he said.

Hassan said the Congress-led front will also organise public meetings in each of the 140 assembly constituencies where the charge sheet against the LDF government in terms of its alleged corruption and maladministration will be pointed out to the people. These meetings will follow the assembly constituency-wise hearings organised by the LDF government in which the chief minister and his cabinet are directly taking part to hear public concerns and grievances.

While the CM and his ministers are expected to talk about their achievements at their meetings, we will highlight the real picture of a crumbling Kerala. The deterioration in law and order, financial distress, crises in farming and educational sectors are some of the issues we will talk about, Hassan said.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president J P Nadda on Friday called upon the party workers in Telangana to go all out to expose the corrupt and dynastic regime of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and bring the BJP to power in the upcoming assembly elections in the state. BJP National President J.P. Nadda being felicitated by Union Minister of Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy during the inaugural session of BJP State Council Meeting in Medchal-Malkajgiri on Friday. (JP Nadda Twitter)

Addressing the state council meeting of the BJP at Ghatkesar in Medchal-Malkajgiri district, Nadda asked the party workers to reach out to every section of the people in the state and explain to them the achievements of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the developmental and welfare programmes it had taken up in Telangana in the last nine and a half years.

Describing the BRS as Bhrastachaar Rishwat Samithi, the BJP national president said corruption had reached a new high in the state in the last nine years and there was an urgent need to pull down the BRS from power.

There have been scams everywhere and administration has gone haywire. The government could not prevent leakage of question papers of Class 10 and of the recruitment tests conducted by the Telangana State Public Service Commission [TSPSC], [hence] playing with the lives of the unemployed youth, he said.

Calling upon the party workers to counter the campaign of the BRS that the Centre has done nothing for the state, Nadda pointed out that the Centre has granted more than 9 lakh crore to Telangana under various programmes, in the last nine years.

For instance, under the Garib Kalyan Yojana, the Centre had supplied food grains to 80 crore [800 million] people free of cost and in Telangana, and two crore [20 million] people benefitted from the scheme, he said.

Similarly, the Centre has constructed 40 million houses under PM Awas Yojana all across the country. How many double bedroom houses did the KCR [K Chandrashekar Rao] government construct? he asked. Out of 120 million farmers who are getting money under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi programme, 3.85 million farmers are from Telangana, he said.

Nadda said the BJP is the only national party fighting for the interest of the entire country, whereas the Congress and all the other regional parties were family-based parties, interested in their own families.

Take my words seriously. If not today or tomorrow, there will be BJP and its ideology in every state in the country in the coming days. Ours is the only party that works for a strong nation, he said.

Union minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy, BJP national organising secretary B L Santosh, party in-charge of Telangana elections Prakash Javadekar and in-charge of Telangana affairs Tarun Chugh and other senior leaders were also present at the event.

The BJP state council meeting discussed the strategy to be adopted by the party in the upcoming elections in Telangana, besides the programmes of senior party leaders for the election campaign in the state.

Meanwhile, senior BRS leader and state finance minister T Harish Rao ridiculed the claims of the BJP national president and said, In the last assembly elections, the BJP had won only one MLA seat.

This time, it is not in a position to retain even that seat. It is going to be out for a duck in the elections, whereas KCR will hit a sixer and emerge as a champion, Rao claimed, speaking at a meeting in Korutla in Jagitial district.

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New Delhi: The Union health ministry is likely to launch the second edition of National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance  or NAP 2.0  to address the increasing instances to disease-causing microbes developing resistance to medicines, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes such as bacteria, viruses and fungi change over time and stop responding to antimicrobial medicines. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Learning[s] from the first NAP will be used to modify the plan further to meet the current requirements. Antimicrobial resistance is a burning issue and lots of resources are being devoted to combat this growing public health concern. It was also an integral part of the recently concluded G20 Summit, a senior government official said, requesting anonymity.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes such as bacteria, viruses and fungi change over time and stop responding to antimicrobial medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

During the G20 Submit under Indias presidency last month, member countries prioritised tackling antimicrobial resistance following the One Health approach through research and development, infection prevention and control, as well as antimicrobial stewardship efforts within respective national action plans through AMR and antimicrobial consumption surveillance.

The human and economic toll of rising AMR could easily spiral out of control. Fortunately, G20 world leaders recognise AMR as a real threat to global economic development and prosperity. This commitment should now translate into action in terms of better implementation of National Action plans which can in turn translate into lives saved, Kamini Walia, senior scientist and programme officer AMR, Indian Council of Medical Research said.

The focus on facilitating equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured, and affordable vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), will also strengthen the AMR containment efforts, Walia added.

According to the World Health Organisation, AMR led to deaths of close to 5 million people across the globe in 2019. If not taken action, AMR could cost $100 trillion to the worlds economy by 2050, the UN body said.

In June, then health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, chaired an inter-sectoral coordination committee meeting on antimicrobial resistance.

AMR cannot be tackled in a linear and singular manner. As the issues and action points are multi-agency across the government and non-government sectors, the action plan to address it requires the joint efforts of all stakeholders through a unified mission mode approach, he had said after the meeting. The partner ministries and departments need to work in a convergent mode with whole of government approach to bring together the expertise and domain knowledge for a comprehensive action plan with key performance indicators that can be periodically monitored.

The initiatives being discussed include an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) unit to be established at the National Centre for Disease Control to draft the National IPC programme and linkages with IPC under other vertical health programmes. The health ministry also plans to develop a digital platform to collect and collate national and state level data on antimicrobial consumption and duly converging human, animal, environment and food sector, focus on creation of state-specific action plans on AMR, and involve research agencies to develop an integrated research agenda on AMR.

The strategic objectives of Indias action plan include enhancing awareness and understanding among people through communication; increasing knowledge and evidence through enhanced surveillance of AMR in human, animal and the environment through the National AMR Surveillance Network and state surveillance networks; infection prevention and control; anti-microbial stewardship; bringing innovative research and development in new medicines and technologies; and forging national, sub-national, and international research and technology collaborations.

The original NAP-AMR focusing on One Health approach was launched in 2017, with the aim of involving various stakeholder ministries and departments to make concerted efforts to deal with the emerging threat.

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New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Friday refused to grant interim bail to NewsClicks editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human resource head Amit Chakraborty, saying that allegations werent of such a nature where immediate relief could be given. NewsClicks editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human resource head Amit Chakraborty were arrested earlier this week on charges of receiving money to spread pro-China propaganda. (Twitter)

The two men were arrested earlier this week on charges of receiving money to spread pro-China propaganda.

The allegations dont seem to be of such a nature that can give you immediate relief. You may be right or wrong, but well have to give them (Delhi Police) a hearing, justice Tushar Rao Gedela told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented the two arrested men.

The court sought Delhi Polices response in the plea that also sought to quash the first information report registered against them under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and sections 153A (promoting enmity) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)while saying that their remand application did not disclose the grounds of arrest.

The judge also referred to the Supreme Courts recent ruling in Pankaj Bansal v Union of India, wherein the top court held that the Enforcement Directorate must furnish the reasons of arrest to the accused in writing.

Mr Mehta, please tell us one thing, so far as the order that has been passed on remand, there appears to be something missing there because its of 6:00am. The only thing is on the application of remand you dont disclose the grounds of arrest. Today there is a Supreme Court judgment (Pankaj Bansal v UOI) staring in the eye. You already have the benefit of three days of remand, the bench told solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who represented the city police.

The high court also directed that the case diary till Monday be produced and directed the investigating officer to ensure that the medical condition of Chakravarty is not compromised.

Calling the remand order as ex facie violative of law and unsustainable, Sibal urged the bench to release them as no grounds of arrest were given to them. Whether the horizons are short or elaborate it makes no difference and thats a constitutional protection. If you look at the remand application, there is no mention of grounds of arrest being communicated, Sibal contended.

Mehta urged the court to grant him time to seek instructions.

Kindly have it on Monday. It will be a bit unreasonable on me to not even have one working day. Ill put in my reply. Several facts are pleaded and I dont have the document. Ill have to take instructions. It meets more than the eye, he said.
New Delhi: India stands in solidarity with Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday as he denounced the terrorist attacks in the West Asian country that killed at least 22 people and left more than 200 others injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Community Reception Programme in Tel Aviv (PTI Photo)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his country is at war after early morning surprise attack from the Gaza Strip by Hamas. Israeli combat jets carried out air strikes on Hamas locations in Gaza amid growing concerns in the international community that the attacks could lead to fresh conflict.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour, Modi posted on X. The message was reposted by external affairs minister S Jaishankar.

The Indian embassy in Israel issued an advisory that called on Indian citizens to exercise caution and avoid movement in the wake of the attacks. There were no immediate reports of any Indian casualties in the fighting.

In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities, the advisory said.

Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website (https://www.oref.org.il/en) or their preparedness brochure, it said, referring to the Israeli military unit responsible for civil defence and preparing the civilian population for conflict or disaster.

In case of any emergency, the advisory said, Indian nationals should contact the email ID cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in or the phone number +97235226748.

According to the Indian embassys website, there are some 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, who primarily work as caregivers for elders, diamond traders and IT professionals. This figure includes about 900 Indian students.

There are also 85,000 Israeli nationals of Indian origin.

In New Delhi, Israeli ambassador Naor Gilon referred to his governments Swords of Iron operation and said his country is fighting to repel coordinated terrorist attacks that are war crimes. He appreciated the support of the people of India as we stand firm in the face of terrorism.

Gilon said in a statement: Israel is currently fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi-pronged Palestinian terror attacks. These attacks, which were launched early this morning by Hamas on our civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of south and central Israel, are war crimes.

He added, The cowardly actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children and elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians and firing indiscriminately over 2,000 missiles and rockets at our cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists and will take any and all actions to protect our citizens.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rezaul H Laskar Rezaul H Laskar is the Foreign Affairs Editor at Hindustan Times. His interests include movies and music. ...view detail
Kenya's President William Ruto will ask China for a $1 billion loan to complete stalled road construction projects when he travels to Beijing later this month, his deputy said on Friday.

A view shows the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport toll station on the Nairobi Expressway undertaken by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis, along Mombasa road in Embakasi district of Nairobi, Kenya May 7, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Ruto's plan, which also includes a request to lengthen the maturity periods of existing loans, marks a shift in his stance on Chinese debt after his coalition criticized his predecessor's borrowing spree from China during last year's election campaign.

The Chinese loans, which stand at more than $8 billion, were used by former President Uhuru Kenyatta's government to construct infrastructure like roads, but many of these projects have since stalled after contractors left over unpaid bills.

Ruto will tell Chinese officials that "Can we talk to see if you can add us time, so we can pay slowly, and add us a little money so we can finish road construction?" Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said on the local Inooro FM radio station.

"If we get $1 billion we can be able to give these people (contractors) the money they are owed so they can return so even as we pay the debt, the roads are completed," he said.

Africa was a focus of President Xi Jinping's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, launched in 2013 to recreate the ancient Silk Road and extend China's geopolitical and economic influence through a global infrastructure development push.

But the surge in Chinese loans to countries like Kenya, before a slowdown in Chinese lending from 2019, has angered critics, pushed up debt loads and the subsequent repayment burden.

The Kenyan government is spending roughly half of its revenue to repay debts that are falling due, official data shows, straining its finances. The situation has been compounded by foreign debt repayments, amid a steep weakening of the Kenyan currency.

The cabinet ordered all ministries to cut 10% of their budget on Tuesday, while the president's office imposed some restrictions on foreign travel by government officials to rein in expenditure.

"It is true that many people have been traveling abroad, spending a lot of money, and that is why the president ordered that even ministers and governors can only travel with two people," Gachagua said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to embark on a two-day visit to Uttarakhand on October 12, during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects amounting to a total of 4,194 crore, a government release said. Modi will also make a visit to Jageshwar Dham in Almora. Prime Minister Narendra Modi

His itinerary begins with a visit to the Pithoragarh district, where he will stay at the Mayawati Ashram. During his stay, he will also have the opportunity to receive blessings at the holy site of Adi Kailash, situated near the China border. Adi Kailash is renowned for its remarkable natural beauty and spiritual significance, attracting numerous devotees annually.

The government release highlights the palpable excitement surrounding this significant event, with both locals and tourists eagerly anticipating updates from this historic journey. This visit not only holds great potential for boosting Uttarakhand's tourism industry but also underscores the prime minister's commitment to exploring the remote corners of this diverse nation.

Additionally, PM Modi has expressed his desire to witness the breathtaking splendor of Jolikang, nestled within the Beas Valley, during his two-day visit.

Local officials are tirelessly working to ensure a seamless itinerary for PM Modi, aiming to provide an unforgettable experience throughout his visit.

PM's visit to Jageshwar Dham

PM Modi is set to visit Jageshwar Dham in Almora, renowned for its mythological and historical significance. It is believed that Lord Shiva and the Saptarishis conducted penance in this location.

Jageshwar Dham is positioned along the banks of Patit Pavan Jataganga at an elevation of approximately 6200 feet above sea level. These temples were established during the Katyuri rule, and for centuries, they have provided spiritual solace amidst the area's natural splendor.

The site encompasses around 224 small and large temples, characterised by their construction using substantial stone blocks instead of wood and cement. The door frames are adorned with depictions of gods and goddesses, while the temples' construction incorporates copper sheets and cedar wood.

Here's how to reach Jageshwar Dham

The final railway station connecting to Jageshwar Dham is Kathgodam. Additionally, there are bus services running from Delhi's Anand Vihar ISBT and Dehradun to Haldwani and Almora, with the journey spanning approximately 400 km from both cities. For travelers heading from Almora to Jageshwar Dham, taxi services are readily available, covering a distance of 35 km. Moreover, Pantnagar Airport offers nearby air service, and from there, Jageshwar Dham can be reached by taxi, involving a 150-km journey.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao Trainee Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream. India's regional languages attract me. ...view detail
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock at the Hamas attack on Israel killing at least 22 people. Extending condolence and prayers, PM Modi said India stands in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour. Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour, PM Modi tweeted hours after rockets fired by the Hamas group triggered a war in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his televised address declared a mass army mobilisation and the beginning of the war, 'not an operation, not a round' but war. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, Netanyahu added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. PM Modi's message of solidarity to Israel after Hamas terrorist attack on Saturday.

Al-Aqsa flood horrific plan: Israel soldiers, civilians taken captive by Hamas

In the wake of the war in Israel, the external affairs ministry alerted the Indians in Israel to avoid unnecessary movement and to stay close to safety shelters. "In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant, observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website or their preparedness brochure," the ministry said in a statement.

Timeline: Israel and Palestine conflict in Gaza

Hamas terrorists enter from Gaza: Operation Al-Aqsa Flood versus Swords of Iron | Latest updates

Hamas terrorists began an all-out attack on Israel infiltrating by air, sea and land from the blockaded Gaza strip on Saturday in what is being seen as an unprecedented escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

22 people were killed in the attack.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "we are at war" and announced an extensive mobilisation of army reserves.

Hamas released a video showing its fighters captured three men dressed in civilian clothes and described as "enemy soldiers" in the video caption.

"We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel). Their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over," said the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas armed wing.

Hamas announced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in the first 20 minutes of which it fired more than 5,000 rockets.

Israel in retaliation announced Operation Sword of Iron.

Israel embassy in India, in its statement, appreciated the support of the people of India against terrorism. Thank you to the Indian people and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for your very strong moral support to Israel. We will prevail, Ambassador of Israel to India Naor Gilon said.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the BJP-led Centre on Saturday in response to a Delhi court's order directing suspended AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha to vacate his bungalow. She accused the ruling party of displaying a vindictive attitude and questioned the allocation of government properties to parliamentarians, suggesting that a review of records would reveal that bungalows are frequently assigned beyond their designated term. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi

If government records are properly examined, it will be found these government bungalows are often allotted out of term. Many people get to move into such properties despite not being entitled to them. The targeting of one person shows the vindictive attitude of the ruling party, Chaturvedi was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

In a setback for Chadha, a Delhi court on Friday ruled that he has no right to continue to occupy the government bungalow given to him after the allotment was cancelled. The court has lifted the interim stay granted to the AAP MP.

Delhi court's order

A Delhi court said AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has no vested right to maintain occupancy of the government bungalow, a type-7 residence located on Delhi's Pandara Road. The court clarified that with the cancellation of the allotment and the withdrawal of ministerial privileges, Raghav Chadha no longer has a legitimate claim to the bungalow. Initially, on April 18, an interim order had allowed Raghav Chadha to reside in the bungalow, but this order has now been revoked by additional district judge Sudhanshu Kaushik of Patiala House Courts, as reported by LiveLaw. The Rajya Sabha secretariat has also filed a review application seeking the reconsideration of the interim order.

"Raghav Chadha cannot claim that he had an absolute right to continue occupying the accommodation during his entire tenure as a Member of Rajya Sabha. The allotment of Government accommodation is only a privilege given to the plaintiff and he has no vested right to continue to occupy the same even after the cancellation of allotment," the court said.

What is the issue over Raghav Chadha's bungalow?

In 2022, Raghav Chadha was granted a type 7 accommodation at the Pandara Road bungalow. However, in March 2023, this allotment was revoked on the grounds that a type 7 accommodation exceeded his entitlement. Instead, he was provided a type 6 flat. Disputing the cancellation, Raghav Chadha took the matter to court, and a stay was issued, preventing his eviction from the bungalow without due legal process. Subsequently, Raghav Chadha, along with his parents, undertook renovations and began residing in the bungalow.

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A few days ago, we lost Professor MS Swaminathan. Our nation lost a visionary who revolutionised agricultural science, a stalwart whose contribution to India will always be etched in golden letters. Prof Swaminathan loved India and wanted our nation, and our farmers in particular, to lead a life of prosperity. Academically brilliant, he could have chosen any career but he was so impacted by the 1943 Bengal famine that he was clear that if there is one thing he would do, it would be to study agriculture. MS Swaminathan, father of Indias Green Revolution, passed away at the age of 98.(File)

Read here: At the heart of Swaminathans work, dignity of labour, and life, to Indias farmers

At a relatively young age, he came in contact with Dr Norman Borlaug and followed his work in great detail. In the 1950s, he was offered a faculty position in the US but he rejected it because he wanted to work in India and for India.

I want you all to think about the challenging circumstances in which he stood as a colossus, guiding our nation towards the path of self-sufficiency and self-confidence. In the first two decades since Independence, we were dealing with immense challenges and one of them was food shortages. In the early 1960s, India was grappling with the ominous shadows of famine and it is then that Prof Swaminathans unyielding commitment and foresight ushered a new era of agricultural prosperity. His pioneering work in agriculture and specific sectors like wheat breeding led to a significant increase in wheat production, thus turning India from a food-deficient country into a self-sufficient nation. This tremendous achievement earned him the well deserved title of  Father of the Indian Green Revolution.

The Green Revolution offered a glimpse of Indias Can Do Spirit  that if we have a billion challenges, we also have a billion minds with the flame of innovation to overcome those challenges. Five decades after the Revolution began, Indian agriculture has become far more modern and progressive. But, the very foundations laid by Prof Swaminathan can never be forgotten. Over the years, he undertook pioneering research in combating parasites affecting potato crops. His research also enabled potato crops to withstand cold weather. Today, the world is talking about Millets or Shree Anna as super foods, but Prof Swaminathan encouraged discourse around millets since the 1990s.

My interactions with Prof Swaminathan were extensive. They began after I took over as chief minister of Gujarat in 2001. During those days, Gujarat was not known for its agricultural prowess. Successive droughts and a super cyclone and an earthquake impacted the growth trajectory of the state. Among the many initiatives we launched was the Soil Health Card, which enabled us to understand the soil better and address problems if they arose. It was in the context of this scheme that I met Prof Swaminathan. He appreciated the scheme and shared his valuable inputs. His endorsement was enough to convince those who were sceptical about the scheme, which would eventually set the stage for Gujarats agricultural success.

Our interactions continued during my chief ministerial tenure and also when I took over as the Prime Minister. I met him at the International Agro-Biodiversity Congress in 2016, and the next year in 2017, I launched a two-part book series written by him.

The Kural describes farmers as the pin that holds the world together because it is the farmers who sustain everyone. Prof Swaminathan understood this principle very well. A lot of people call him a Krishi Vaigyanik  an agricultural scientist. But, I have always believed that he was even more. He was a true Kisan Vaigyanik  a farmers scientist. In his heart, there was a farmer. The success of his works is not restricted to their academic excellence; it lies in the impact they have had outside the laboratories, in the farms and the fields. His work narrowed the gap between scientific knowledge and its practical application. He consistently advocated for sustainable agriculture, emphasising the delicate balance between human advancement and ecological sustainability. Here, I must also note Prof Swaminathans emphasis on improving the lives of small farmers and ensuring they enjoy the fruits of innovation. He was particularly passionate about improving the lives of women farmers.

There is another remarkable aspect about Prof Swaminathan  he stands tall as a paragon of innovation and mentorship. When he won the World Food Prize in 1987, the first recipient of this prestigious honour, he used the prize money to establish a not-for-profit research foundation. Till date, it undertakes extensive work across various sectors. He has nurtured countless minds, instilling in them a passion for learning and innovation.

In a rapidly changing world, his life reminds us of the enduring power of knowledge, mentorship, and innovation. He was an institution builder as well, having to his credit many centres where vibrant research takes place. One of his stints was as director of International Rice Research Institute, Manila. The South Asia Regional Centre of International Rice Research Institute was opened in Varanasi in 2018.

Read here: MS Swaminathan, father of Indias Green Revolution, passes away at 98

I will again cite The Kural to pay tributes to Dr Swaminathan. It is written there, If those who have planned have firmness, they will attain what they have desired the way they have desired. Here was a stalwart who decided early on in his life that he wants to strengthen agriculture and serve farmers. And, he did it exceptionally innovatively and passionately. Dr Swaminathans contributions continue to inspire and guide us as we navigate the path of agricultural innovation and sustainability. We must also keep reaffirming our commitment to the principles he held dear, championing the cause of farmers and ensuring the fruits of scientific innovation reach the roots of our agricultural expanse, fostering growth, sustainability, and prosperity for generations to come.

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The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) on Friday issued a notice to social media platforms, including Telegram, X (formerly Twitter)), and YouTube, to remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from their platforms in India. The notice also calls for the implementation of proactive measures to take down child sexual abuse material (Representative Photo)

The notice also calls for the implementation of proactive measures to take down CSAM and emphasises the importance of prompt and permanent removal of CSAM.

Minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been a vocal advocate for removing such harmful content from the Indian internet, ensuring this approach becomes the ministrys policy vision.

MeitY also said that delay in complying with the notices will result in the withdrawal of their safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the IT Act.

There will be ZERO tolerance for criminal & harmful content on Indian Internet. ITRules under the ITAct clearly lays down the expectation from Intermediaries: They cannot host criminal & harmful content like CSAM, Chandrasekhar wrote on Twitter.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the government to issue a warning to the three platforms.

The notices also state that non-compliance with these requirements will be deemed a breach of Rule 3(1)(b) and Rule 4(4) of the IT Rules, 2021, said the ministry.

The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, provides the legal framework for addressing pornographic content, including CSAM.

Sections 66E, 67, 67A, and 67B of the IT Act impose stringent penalties and fines for the online transmission of obscene or pornographic content.

However, safe harbour protection does not automatically disappear. The loss of safe harbour is determined by courts and not the executive such as the IT Ministry. For the courts to assess whether safe harbour has been lost or not, someone first has to file a case.

Rule 3(1)(b) requires all intermediaries, irrespective of their size, to make reasonable efforts to ensure that their platform does not contain content that is obscene, pornographic, paedophilic or harmful to child amongst other things.

Rule 4(4) requires significant social media intermediaries, that is, social media platforms with more than 50 lakh users in India, to endeavour to deploy technology-based solutions to proactively identify and take down CSAM.

When these rules were notified in 2021, multiple legal experts pointed out that language that includes reasonable efforts or shall endeavour to leads to ambiguity as to who would determine if reasonable efforts had been made and if the platform had endeavoured to take down CSAM.

Twitter uses PhotoDNA to detect and take down CSAM. PhotoDNA was developed by Microsoft to scan hashes (cryptographic fingerprints) of images against a database of known CSAM.

However, a New York Times report published in February said that after Elon Musk took over Twitter (now X), CSAM increased on the platform as he had fired teams that were experienced in dealing with the problem. In July, Musk reinstated a far-right Twitter account Dom Lucre that had earlier been suspended for posting CSAM.

YouTube uses its in-house technology called CSAI Match which works similarly. HT reached out to Google and Telegram for comment.

We have a zero-tolerance policy on child sexual abuse material. No form of content that endangers minors is acceptable to us. We have heavily invested in the technology and teams to fight child sexual abuse and exploitation online and take swift to remove it as quickly as possible. In Q2 2023, we removed over 94,000 channels and over 2.5 million videos for violations of our child safety policies. We will continue to work with experts inside and outside of YouTube to provide minors and families with the best protections possible, a YouTube spokesperson said responding to the ministry notice.

Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughn responded saying, Child abuse materials are explicitly forbidden by Telegrams terms of service. Telegrams moderators actively patrol public parts of the platform and accept user reports in order to remove content that breaches our terms. In the case of child abuse content, we publish daily reports about our efforts here: t.me/stopca. More than 48,000 groups and channels were removed over the month of September.

According to the Telegram channel Vaughn, 10,312 groups and channels have been banned in the first six days of October. Despite the requirement under IT Rules 2021, Telegram does not officially publish a monthly transparency report, making the channel one of the very few ways in which such information can be determined.
Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi leader Kavitha Kalvakuntla hailed the passage of the women's reservation bill at the Bridge India event at Central Hall in Westminster on Saturday. Calling the bill revolutionary, Kavitha said that it "will bring many more women into the Parliament. Kavitha said, "India has passed a revolutionary bill, which we are hoping will bring many more women into the Parliament. Today, of course, the number is at 78. With the passage of the bill, we are hoping that 181 more women will join the parliament." Kalvakuntla Kavitha (HT File)

READ | Women-led development and the Womens Reservation Bill

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the BRS leader shared a video of her speaking at the event. She wrote, Celebrating a historic moment at the @BridgeIndiaOrg Event in Central Hall, Westminister, as India passes the Nari Shakti Vandhan Abhyan, a monumental step towards gender equality. Reflecting on the journey, acknowledging biases, and emphasizing the importance of women in shaping the future, this milestone is a call for global unity in empowering women.

"Whoever worked for this bill, starting from Devegowda Ji in 1996 to Sonia Gandhi Ji in 2010, and to Narendra Modi Ji. I sincerely thank all of them from the bottom of my heart for making this bill a reality," the BRS leader said at the event.

Women are often told a lot of things be a good mother, be a good wife but unless and until we are in the leadership positions I don't believe women of the next generation will be inspired enough she added.

Kavitha's two-day visit to the United Kingdom is packed with various activities. She will be meeting with the Indian diaspora to engage in discussions about collaborative initiatives. Additionally, she will participate in events aimed at fostering cultural exchange between India and the UK.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and states on a petition filed by patients with advanced levels of muscular dystrophy seeking financial assistance for their lifelong treatment that runs into several crores of rupees. Supreme Court of India (Representative Photo)

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, while hearing a petition in this regard filed by nearly 251 children suffering from muscular dystrophy, directed the Centre to respond to their plea within four weeks and asked additional solicitor general (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati to assist in this regard.

Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles. These disorders vary in age of onset, severity, and the pattern of the affected muscles.

Advocate Utsav Bains, who appeared for the petitioners explained that muscular dystrophy is classified into three categories. While the first level can be cured with medication and physical therapy, the second and third levels are complicated and require genetic therapy. According to him, this is a costly treatment and is out of bounds for common people like the petitioners and gene therapy centres are not located in every state.

The petition said that while the first level of this disease is covered with financial assistance of Rs.50 lakh under a national policy of rare diseases, there is no financial incentive to aid patients of the second and third levels.

The national policy has not reached many patients as the cost of the treatment remains very high and runs into several crores of rupees for one patient, Bains said.

The petitioners urged the Court to classify muscular dystrophy under a special rare disease category under which treatment could be made free of cost, besides spreading awareness about the disease and educating the public at large.

The plea also sought the formulation of a policy to allow free prenatal tests for pregnant women for the prevention of birth of children with muscular dystrophy and the setting up of gene therapy centres in every state capital and in union territories.

Medicines to treat muscular dystrophy should be made available free of cost, it said, adding trials for gene therapy be also started.

(with agency inputs)
NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, taking exception to the Ajit Pawar-led faction's lawyer's alleged remark that Sharad Pawar led the party like his personal fiefdom, said on Saturday the leader's description was contradictory to his real character. In an emotive remark ostensibly aimed at Sharad Pawar's estranged nephew Ajit Pawar, Awhad said the senior politician is the man "who raised you and stood behind you like a rock". Sharad Pawar.(ANI)

"It is not a question of technicalities and legalities, the question is about sensitivity. Sharad Pawar is the man who raised you and stood behind you like a rock. You used words that he was running the party like a personal fiefdom; these words are contradictory to Sharad Pawar's character," Awhad said while speaking to reporters in Nagpur.

He was referring to a hearing in Delhi before the Election Commission to decide which faction could use the NCP's name and party symbol. Sharad Pawar attended the hearing and was represented by senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Advocates NK Kaul and Maninder Singh represented Sharad Pawar.

"Sharad Pawar has never done anything beyond democratic principles," he added.

In July, a large chunk of NCP MLAs, led by Ajit Pawar, rebelled against Sharad Pawar and moved the poll panel claiming the party's name and symbol.

The Ajit Pawar-led faction later filed a petition demanding he be declared the president of NCP and allotted the party's election symbol.

"The opposite group's lawyer said that Sharad Pawar runs his party in an undemocratic manner, considering it as his fiefdom. Such comments being made to win a political battle are unfortunate. It amounts to questioning Sharad Pawar's character," said the MLA.

Hinting at Ajit Pawar's involvement in having his lawyer make the statement in the court, he said the counsel usually speaks on the basis of the briefing he receives.

On July 2, Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government. He later declared that he had the support of 40 lawmakers.

With inputs from PTI, ANI

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Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang has warned that stockpiling and overcharging of any goods will not be accepted while reiterating the state government's efforts to provide aid in the wake of flash floods, resulting in the loss of at least 27 lives and causing widespread destruction. Flood-hit Golitar area in Sikkim. (Reuters)

As per the official data, more than 140 people remain missing in the aftermath of the disaster, triggered by a cloudburst in the Teesta river on Wednesday.

While the National Disaster Response Force, and the state authorities race against time to speed up rescue efforts, to support their work, Tamang announced three key measures including relief packages, subsidies as well as checking corruption.

Special package for four districts

The state government has announced a special relief package for the four most affected districts, in addition to the existing aid announced for them. The state government, in collaboration with Sikkim Urja Limited, has formulated a special financial relief packageWe have allocated a relief package of Rs. 25 crore for Mangan District and Rs. 15 crore each for the Districts of Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi. This allocation is in addition to the relief aid provided by both the state and the central government," Tamang said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

He added that the government will offer subsidies to those who transport essential commodities, vegetables, and other food items. The move aims to mitigate the impact of longer travel routes on the selling prices. He further warned that stockpiling and overcharging of any goods will not be accepted. Those found in violation of these regulations will face the permanent revocation of their licenses, he noted.

Tamang had earlier said that the loss of infrastructure may run up to thousands of crores of rupees but exact details will be assessed only after a committee is formed for a survey. A day before, home minister Amit Shah also approved an advance relief fund of 44.8 crore from the Central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim.

As many as 7,644 people displaced by the floods have been sheltered at 26 relief camps in four affected districts, the state disaster management authority said. Overall, 25,000 people are said to be affected while about 1,200 houses, 13 bridges have been washed away in the floods. The NH-10, considered the lifeline of the state, connecting it with the rest of India, has also sustained extensive damage.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nisha Anand Trainee Content Producer at HT Digital. I read about feminism, late modern history, and globalisation of Korean music. ...view detail
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday lauded the significant economic contributions of Gujarat and its people as he highlighted the state's reputation for entrepreneurship, risk-taking potential, and willingness to explore opportunities on a global scale. External affairs minister S Jaishankar at Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.

"Gujarat has been an economic leader of this country for a long time," Jaishankar said at a curtain-raiser event for the 10th Edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.

"People are legendary for entrepreneurship, risk-taking potential, or willingness to explore opportunities all over the world."

On the global presence of the Gujarati community, Jaishankar said, "There are no countries in the world that have no Gujarati, and sometimes I suspect that's the reason why they chose to send the foreign affairs minister to parliament from that state."

He underscored the importance of Gujarat in the economic landscape of India, saying, Because Gujarat has been the pioneer, performer, and leader, the economic event in Gujarat has a very special significance. So anybody coming there is looking not just at the performance of India but the future prospects of India.

Mentioning key economic initiatives linked to Gujarat, he said the state played a pivotal role as the Indian endpoint of the India  Middle East  Europe economic corridor, which had been a crucial focus during the recent G20 summit.

He added, "There's an older one. The International NorthSouth transport corridor, and that too is now getting greater impetus. Here too, the take-off point for India is the western shore of India, particularly the coast of Gujarat."

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor agreement  signed by India, US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union at the G20 summit this year in New Delhi  will consist of two separate corridors, the East corridor connecting India to West Asia/Middle East and the Northern corridor connecting West Asia/Middle East to Europe.

Jaishankar also highlighted the I2U2 initiative, focusing on hybrid energy parks and food parks, which are planned for Gujarat. "We are looking for these developments in Gujarat," he said, emphasizing the state's vital role in India's energy and food production goals.

The tenth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) mark a significant milestone in Gujarat's journey from being a 'preferred investment destination' to a 'Gateway to the Future' in shaping the vision of New India.

The event will take place in two segments, including the curtain raiser, an interactive session and an interaction with Heads of Missions.

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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
School principal in Xinjiang fosters students' confidence in Chinese culture

People's Daily Online) 14:52, October 07, 2023

Kurban Niyaz is the principal of the first private Mandarin school in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Photo shows Kurban Niyaz, the principal of the first private Mandarin elementary school in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Na Yi)

After graduating from Xinjiang University with a degree in Chinese language and literature in 1986, Kurban became a teacher at Aksu Vocational and Technical College in Aksu prefecture of Xinjiang.

He later ventured into business and traveled across China, believing that without language barriers, one can go further.

Despite his success in the outside world, Kurban chose to return to his hometown in Yimamu town, Wushi county, Aksu prefecture.

In May 2003, Kurban invested all his savings of 600,000 yuan ($82,000) to establish a Mandarin elementary school, providing a bridge to modern civilization for the local children.

At first, his approach was not universally understood by the villagers, resulting in an initial enrollment of only more than 80 students.

"We must have a correct understanding of the relationship between China's excellent traditional culture and local ethnic culture. Chinese culture is the mainstream culture, and ethnic minority cultures are part of Chinese culture; they cannot be separated," Kurban said.

He strongly believed in the power of language to forge connections between people's hearts. His conviction was that by providing children with the opportunity to learn and embrace the rich traditions of Chinese culture, they would be able to achieve greater heights and go further in life.

With his unwavering belief, the school gradually gained recognition. In 2016, Musa Turhun, one of the school's first graduates, made history as the first Tsinghua University student from Wushi county. Today, the school receives 3,000 to 4,000 student applications annually, as parents aspire to enroll their children in this school.

Over the past two decades, the school has remained steadfast in using Mandarin as the medium of instruction and fostering students with the profound traditions of Chinese culture, instilling in them a deep sense of confidence in Chinese culture.

Today, activities like singing Peking Opera, playing the guzheng and erhu, and practicing traditional Chinese painting have gained popularity at the school. Students from diverse ethnic backgrounds are embracing the richness of traditional Chinese culture.

As a re-elected deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), Kurban has put forward many suggestions for promoting the education of the national common language and China's traditional culture in schools, some of which have been adopted and implemented. He will continue to fulfill his duties in this field.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
ELKO  An arrest was made in the Blohm Jewelers robbery after a photo from the video surveillance recorded a man breaking into the store late Monday night.

Tyrell Holley, 39, was taken into custody on Thursday by Elko Police detectives with assistance from the Nevada Division of Parole and Probation.

According to a statement from police on Friday, Holley is suspected of breaking into the business and stealing approximately $30,000 in merchandise.

Jail records state Holley was arrested at an apartment on 687 Sixth St. and booked into Elko County Jail.

Police added they are continuing the investigation and retrieving all the stolen property.

Police seeking suspect in Blohm robbery ELKO  Elko Police are searching for a suspect who broke into Blohm Jewelers late Monday night.

Holley was charged with four counts of burglary of a structure, grand larceny, destruction of property and violation of probation or condition of suspended sentence.

His bail was set at $450,000.

At approximately 11:30 p.m. Oct. 2, surveillance cameras recorded a man breaking a window on the 5th St. side of Blohm Jewelers, crawling through broken glass to enter the store and taking jewelry and other merchandise.

Police circulated two screenshots of the man at different times during the robbery, who they said appeared to be acting alone.

The Elko Police Department also thanked citizens who sent tips that led to the quick identification of Mr. Holley.

Without the communitys help, his quick apprehension would not have been possible.

According to previous police and Elko County Sheriffs office reports, Holley was arrested seven times in 2019 and 2020, and was once booked in jail on Dec. 24, 2019, on suspicion of stealing a vehicle from a car rental company.

He pleaded no contest in Elko District Court to the gross misdemeanor charge of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and was sentenced to one year in jail by Judge Kriston Hill on June 28, 2021.

Stolen car leads to arrest ELKO  A car would make a nice Christmas gift but thats not how things turned out for one local man on Christmas Eve.

In Elko Justice Court, Holley was also sentenced to six months in jail on petit larceny convictions in 2020.

Holley was also named as one of the two people believed by police to be accompanying Alan Honeyestewa on the night Honeyestewa committed a home invasion that led to the shooting death of Brad Smith in 2018. Holley was not charged in connection with the crime.

Honeyestewa sentenced to life for deadly home invasion Honeyestewa was shot four times during the incident that took the life of Brad Smith.

Honeyestewa was found guilty of open murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 22 years by then District Court Judge Nancy Porter.
The driving license of a popular YouTuber in Tamil Nadu has been suspended for the next ten years for riding his motorcycle in a reckless manner. TTF Vasan.(File)

The Tamil Nadu government disqualified the driving license of TTF Vasan till October 5, 2033. The YouTuber is in Puzhal Jail after being booked by the Baluchetty Chatram police for driving a two-wheeler in a fast, careless and dangerous manner on the Chennai-Vellore highway in the Thamal area near Kanchipuram.

On Thursday, the court rejected the bail pleas filed by TTF Vasan.

In this case, a petition was filed in the Madras High Court on behalf of TTF Vasan seeking bail.

The vlogger fell off his motorcycle while performing a wheelie on the service road of the national highway on September 17.

The police arrested him on September 19.

The Kancheepuram police sent a letter to the RTO listing pending traffic cases against the vlogger.

The RTO found no mitigating factor and suspended the license of the vlogger under the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act.

In that petition, it has been stated that while the cattle were crossing the road at a moderate speed, the wheel of the vehicle lifted as the cattle suddenly stopped. It said had the brakes not been applied, there could have been a danger to the cattle and his life.

Vasan has a significant following on social media platforms, particularly YouTube, where he posts videos of bike stunts, racing, wheelies, etc., on public roads.

With inputs from ANI

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Close on the heels of the Tamil Nadu government, the Telangana government on Friday launched the Chief Ministers Breakfast Scheme for all school children studying in the government schools, besides those being run by the panchayat raj institutions. The breakfast would be served every morning, 45 minutes before the commencement of the classes. (Twitter@ministerKTR)

State minister for information technology and industries K T Rama Rao (KTR) launched the scheme at the government high school, West Marredpally in Hyderabad and shared the breakfast with the students.

Addressing a gathering after launching the scheme, KTR said the innovative scheme, first of its kind in the state, would benefit 2.3 million students in 27,147 government and panchayat raj schools across the state at a cost of around 400 crore.

The nutritious breakfast would be served every morning, 45 minutes before the commencement of the classes. The menu comprises idli and sambar or wheat rava upma and chutney on Mondays, puri and aloo kurma or tomato bath on Tuesdays, upma and sambar or rice rava khichdi on Wednesdays, millet idli and sambar or pongal and sambar on Thursdays, poha/millet idli and chutney or wheat rava khichdi on Fridays, and Pongal and sambar or vegetable pulao on Saturdays, he said.

The breakfast is very nutritious and it tastes very good, KTR said, adding that he had asked the officials to ensure that the food quality is maintained and that random samples will be collected to test the quality of food, frequently and regularly.

Stating that a similar scheme in Tamil Nadu has been implemented for school students from Class 1 to 5, KTR said a team of officials, who had gone to Tamil Nadu to study the model, have come up with a better model. Chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao wanted the scheme be implemented for students up to Class 10 in Telangana, he said.

He said the objective of the scheme is to ensure that students whose parents go for work early in the morning should not come to schools and attend classes on empty stomach. The scheme would also address the issues of malnutrition among the children, besides improving the enrolment of students in the schools.

State finance and health minister T Harish Rao who launched the scheme at the zilla parishad high school in Raviryala village of Rangareddy district, said the Chief Minister Breakfast Scheme is a revolutionary step in improving the nutritional standards of the students.

In most of the government schools, the students are from low-income groups and they cannot afford nutritional breakfast. The scheme will help parents send their children to school on time without worrying about their food, he said.

State education minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, who took part in the programme, said the scheme would bring down the dropout rates in the government schools. During a meeting with the officials recently, I was told that only two students out of every 10 students have breakfast, while the rest come to school on empty stomach. The scheme will go a long way in helping the poor students have healthy and nutritious breakfast, she said.

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Saket Gokhale of the Trinamool Congress took a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that the latter's public interactions are staged, even as a video of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau being confronted by a man over the rising cost of living in the country has surfaced online. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gets a high-five from a child during a stop in downtown Kitchener, Ontario, for the start of Oktoberfest on Friday,(AP)

In the video, Trudeau is seen interacting with his supporters. He also interacts with a child sitting in a stroller. Meanwhile, one man confronts Trudeau and says, "I am not shaking your hand bro, you are a piece of sh*t man."

To this Trudeau enquires about the man's intense reaction. The man said, "You have seriously mishandled this entire nation," the man replies, conveying his dissatisfaction with the PM's perceived influence on the country.

How did I mess up this country? Trudeau asks. The man then retorts, "Can anybody afford a home?". He apparently emphasised the widespread housing crisis that Canadians are currently facing.

You are charging people a carbon tax, you got 9 V8s here idling You know what we're doing with that carbon tax? the man went on to ask.

Reposting the video clip on social media X, Gokhale said, This is what free speech & democracy means.

Claiming that Trudeau's critic was neither beaten up nor thrown into prison, the Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member said, PM of Canada freely met ordinary people (not staged). He was insulted by a critic. He tried engaging & then walked away.

Embarrassing is what passes for democracy in India under Modi where even minor public interactions are staged, all thats said is glowing praise, PM has no guts to address the press let alone take questions from people, & where critics are charged under terror laws, Gokhale added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is yet to respond to Gokhale's allegation. However, his post comes amid the escalating diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa that erupted following Trudeau's allegation linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.

India has rejected the allegations as "absurd" and "motivated" and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa's expulsion of an Indian official over the case.

The Indian government has reportedly given Ottawa until October 10 to reduce Canadian diplomatic staff in that country to a level on par with the number of Indian diplomats in Canada.

Global Affairs Canada, the department that manages the country's diplomatic and consular relations, had previously stated that "with some diplomats having received threats on various social media platforms," it was "assessing its staff complement in India."

"As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India," the department said, just days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the murder.

India on Thursday asserted that Canada must reduce its diplomatic presence in the country to achieve parity in strength and alleged that some of the Canadian diplomats are involved in interfering in New Delhi's internal matters, signalling a continuing slide in the ties between the two nations.

(With inputs from agencies)

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USISPF president and CEO Mukesh Aghi on Friday said it was unfortunate that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus allegations against India in his parliament last month were brought without concrete evidence. PM Narendra Modi with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau at the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September. (HT photo)(HT_PRINT)

Tensions flared between the two nations after Trudeau's allegation linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.

India strongly rejected the charges and also voiced its concern over the safety of Indian diplomats and India's diplomatic premises in Canada.

Its unfortunate that an important issue was brought without any concrete evidence into the parliament and from there the relationship between the two nations has gone down, Aghi told PTI in an interview.

The relationship goes way back between the two countries. You have a large trade, over 230,000 Indian students studying there. Canada has invested almost $55 billion in India and it's unfortunate that a countrys prime minister goes into a parliament and says credible allegation and not being able to come out with evidence to show that those allegations are credible, he said.

I think mature minds have to take over and calm the situation as this has an impact, because Canada is going to leverage the United States to put pressure on India, Aghi said.

Responding to a question, Aghi felt that the diplomatic row between Canada and India would have an impact on India-US relationship, but in the long term the bilateral relationship between the two countries would continue to grow deeper and broader.

The US-India relationship is geopolitical. It is tied to economic issues and the Indian-American diaspora. Yes, it will have an impact, but in the long term the relationship will continue to grow deeper and broader itself, he said.

According to Aghi, the allegations by the Canadian prime minister were driven by domestic politics and his dependence on a Sikh dominated party for his own political survival.

There are two factors. One is domestic politics. The NDP, which supports Prime Minister Trudeau, is a Sikh dominated party. So, you have to have that vote coming in. So domestic politics took over, national interest, he said.

And that's a pity because you always drive national interest first before you drive domestic politics. The second factor is that the conversation between PM Trudeau and PM Narendra Modi for the second time was not very warm and healthy. I think Trudeau felt upset about that and that also rolled into his statement in the parliament, Aghi said.

He said India is a rising power, if it wants to be a great power, it has to be a responsible power. As far as the market goes, geopolitics goes, India's importance will get more and more stronger.

We have to understand, nations have to protect their interest, Aghi said.

In this case, you have Khalistanis for the last 20 years basically creating challenges for India. The bombing of Air India where 329 people died, only one person was prosecuted. Completely shameful the process the way they handled it. I think as far as where it goes for India, I think yes, India will face some challenges in the short term, but in the long term I think India will keep on continuing rising as an economic power and as a global power, Aghi said.

In response to a question, the USISPF chief said what is happening in Canada is not free speech.

When you look at the statements coming out, you are taking ballots in British Columbia to create a separate Khalistan. You're having floats which are celebrating assassination of former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi. This is not free speech. This is all about trying to create that sense of or target towards India itself, he said.

I don't think that's healthy and Canada should have talked about this, worked with India from that perspective. We (Canada) talk (about) Nijjar a simple plumber, but if you look at his background, he's a convict. And they talk about him using a machine gun in a shooting gallery itself. I think the story and the narrative from Canada is so different from the story and narrative from India's perspective. I think both countries have to sit down and find out and . deal with this, he said.

When asked if he senses, an anti-India undercurrent in the US as well, he said, What we have seen is the progressive left, especially the media seems to project him (Modi) as a demagogue, basically not understanding that here is a government in the last almost nine and a half years has brought 300 million people out of poverty, he said.

On social media, he noted, one can see China is inflaming the whole situation.

Yes, it does benefit. Because if it can derail the relationship between India and the US it is in the interest of China. We also have to be very cautious and mature about it to make sure that we don't derail the whole process we have created in the last 20 years itself. So the onus is on India, onus is on the United States to make sure the relationship does not get derailed because it's a win-win relationship between the two countries, Aghi said.
The Delhi Police, which has launched a massive crackdown on NewsClick, carried out a raid at the residence of the news portal's former employee Anusha Paul near Kodumon in Kerala's Pathanamthitta and reportedly seized her laptop and phone for examination as part of a probe into alleged funding from China. NewsClick's former employee Anusha Paul.

Paul told reporters on Friday that a three-member team of the Delhi Police recorded her statement and confiscated electronic devices, news agency PTI reported. According to Paul, she was questioned about her association with NewsClick and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The journalist claimed that the questions ranged from whether she reported on farmers' protests, anti-National Register of Citizens-Citizenship Amendment Act protests (NRC-CAA) protests, or about the Covid-19 management of the Centre.

"This is a witch-hunt to threaten the organisation and its employees who used to raise voice against the Narendra Modi government and the RSS," PTI quoted Paul as saying.

Paul was staying in Kerala for the treatment of a close family member. She added that the Delhi Police asked her whether she knew the Delhi state secretary of the CPI(M) KM Tiwari.

"Of course, I know him. I told them that. He is the state secretary of the CPI(M). I am a CPI(M) worker. I am a state committee member of the Delhi unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and its state treasurer," she said.

Paul, however, said the Kerala Police was not part of the raid team. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police arrested NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human resources department head Amit Chakravarty on Tuesday evening after a total of 46 journalists and contributors to the online news portal were questioned and their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets seized.

Eight more questioned

On Friday, the special cell questioned at least eight journalists and contributors to the NewsClick for a second time in a week in connection with its case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, PTI reported.

They were called to the special cell office in the afternoon and questioned till late evening.

On Tuesday, a total of 46 journalists and contributors to the online news portal were questioned and their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets seized throughout the day.

After the first round of questioning on Tuesday, the investigators had asked them to appear for a second time. "The investigators are questioning eight to 10 persons who are connected with the case daily," a police source told PTI.

On Thursday, it questioned journalists Urmilesh and Abhisar Sharma and some others for a second time. On Friday, senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, who was among those questioned on Tuesday, was also called for questioning for a second time.

Guha Thakurta told PTI over the phone that he could not appear before the special cell as he was out of the city. "Now the special cell has told me to come on October 10 or 11," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Six artworks stolen by the Nazis and returned recently to the heirs of the Austrian Jew who owned them will be auctioned in New York next month, Christie's said Thursday. New York authorities announced on September 20 that leading institutions that include New York's Museum of Modern Art had agreed to return seven works by the Austrian Expressionist artist Egon Schiele to the family of Fritz Grunbaum, a cabaret performer and art collector who died in the Dachau concentration camp in 1941. Artworks returned to holocaust victim's heirs set to be auctioned in the United States(Unsplash)

Three of the works -- watercolors on paper, thought to be worth up to $2.5 million each -- will be auctioned on November 9 and three others will go up two days later as part of Christie's fall auctions. The seventh work, which was returned by the Museum of Modern Art, has been acquired privately by "a prominent collector who has a demonstrated record of supporting Holocaust survivors," said Raymond Dowd, the Grunbaum heirs' New York attorney.

Grunbaum's heirs had been fighting for the artworks' return for years. He owned hundreds of works of art, including more than 80 by Schiele. Schiele's works, considered "degenerate" by the Nazis, were largely auctioned or sold abroad to finance the Nazi Party, according to the Manhattan district attorney's office.

Arrested by the Nazis in 1938, Grunbaum was forced while at Dachau to sign over his power of attorney to his spouse, who was then made to hand over the family's entire collection before herself being deported to a different concentration camp, in current-day Belarus.

The seven works whose restitution was announced last month had reappeared on the art market after World War II, first in Switzerland and then making their way to New York. The Grunbaum heirs are pursuing other works as well. Last week, three Schiele drawings were seized by the Manhattan district attorney's office from the Art Institute of Chicago, the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College in Ohio.

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In the middle of the final decade of the 19th century, Britain was the most powerful and richest nation on earth, with the largest empire ever known. The nation might be thought to have had nothing of which to be frightened, yet frightened it was. Many Britons of the time were steeped in an education in Latin and Greek in the classical tradition, so they knew what happened to great empires: they decline and fall. This was the atmosphere addressed by the Yellow Book, the most innovative journal of art and literature of the period, published between 1894 and 1897. Its a topic I explore in my new book, Decadent Women: Yellow Book Lives. The Yellow Book: A 19th century journal honouring women writers (Representative image)(Unsplash)

With its iconic fin de siecle designs (characteristic of the end of the 19th-century lethargy) and its showcasing of women writers, the Yellow Book gave its name to the decade. The period is now sometimes referred to as the yellow nineties in tribute. The Yellow Book was created by the brilliant young artist Aubrey Beardsley and energetic American writer Henry Harland. It considered the Victorian artistic ideal of morality as the highest quality in art to be prudish and lacking in a future.

The Beardsley women  perfectly stylised black illustrations featured both on the cover and throughout  received the most attention. One of Beardsleys detractors claimed that: They resemble nothing on the earth, nor in the firmament that is above the earth, nor in the waters under the earth; with their lips of a more than Hottentot thickness, their bodies of a lath-like flatness, their impossibly pointed toes and fingers, and their small eyes that have the form and comeliness of an unshelled snail.

The Yellow Book featured a significant number of women writers. One-third of its writers were women (47 out of 137 writers). An analysis of the poetry in the Yellow Book shows even more womens work. Of the 116 poems across its 13 volumes, 44 were by women.

They were early modernists like Chavelita Bright (who wrote sexually explicit stories under the pen name of George Egerton) and realist writer Ella DArcy. DArcy presented a sour view of women which was rather more complex than that proposed by feminists such as Sarah Grand and Mona Caird, who were battling against male domination in marriage.

In DArcys world, the greater discourse between men and women which was permitted in the 1890s led only to deeper bewilderment and more disappointment on both sides, when compared to earlier decades.

The Yellow Books at homes

Central to womens involvement in the Yellow Book were the at homes given by Harland and his wife Aline at their apartment in London. Women could attend these, unlike meetings held in pubs or mens clubs.

As DArcy described it: I see him [Harland] standing on the hearthrug or sitting on the floor, waving his eye glasses on the end of their cord, or refixing them on his short-sighted eyes, while assuring some dear beautiful Lady! or other, how much he admired her writing, or her paintings, or her frock, or the colour of her hair. He would rechristen a golden red-haired woman Helen of Troy; he would tell another that her eyes reminded him of the moon rising over the jungle; and thus put each on delightfully cordial terms with herself.

The Yellow Book suffered a blow in 1895 when the writer Oscar Wilde was arrested and imprisoned for homosexual offences. A tide moved against everything which was associated with decadence, which included the Yellow Book  even though Wilde had never written for it. Some of the more puritanical writers for the Yellow Books publisher John Lane, insisted on the removal of Aubrey Beardsley as art editor and he was sacked.

Beardleys departure certainly denied the journal his genius, but it was a gift for women illustrators who were now able to fill the space left by him and his almost all-male commissioning process of art. This included Mabel Dearmer who designed the first post-Beardsley cover and Nell and Mabel Syrett, sisters who both drew covers.

Nevertheless, the Yellow Book went into a decline. There was now less to distinguish it, and though it had been innovative, now there were imitators. Soon it was no longer ahead of the field  it was just one publication among others. It was also costing too much to run as sales declined. The last issue was published in April 1897.

There was, however, a lingering sense that something important had happened with the publication of the Yellow Book and it was frequently reprinted in subsequent decades. It had united young and old, women and men in defiance of an ossified literary and artistic establishment and in doing so, lit a beacon for future generations.

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Indian Air Force Day is a historic event celebrated annually to commemorate the establishment of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1932. The IAF personnel who protect India's skies are honoured on this day for their dedication, bravery and professionalism. Impressive aerial displays, parades and ceremonies are held across the country to celebrate the IAF's skill and dedication to safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. It is a fitting tribute to the brave men and women who serve in the Indian Air Force and their unwavering commitment to the defence and security of the country. At several air bases around the nation, the 91st anniversary of Indian Air Force Day will be commemorated this year with great fervour and excitement. (Also read: World Smile Day 2023: 10 inspiring quotes from renowned personalities that will bring a smile to your face ) The Surya Kiran aerobatic team of the Indian Air Force displaying flares during the air exhibition at Bathinda Air Force Station,(Photo by Sanjeev Kumar/Hindustan Times)

When is Indian Air Force Day 2023

The Indian Air Force Day will mark its 91st anniversary on Monday, October 8.

Indian Air Force Day 2023 theme

The theme of this year's Indian Air Force Day, 'IAF - Airpower Beyond Boundaries', exemplifies the Indian Air Force's commitment to excellence, innovation and its role as the guardian of the nation's skies.

History of Indian Air Force Day

The IAF evolved from the Royal Indian Air Force, which was established on 8 October 1932. The IAF was established in 1950 and is still active today. The IAF fought four conflicts with Pakistan in 1947-1948, 1965, 1971 (Bangladesh War) and 1999 (Kargil War). In 1961, it supported the accession of Goa to the Indian Union. In 1962, the IAF provided critical air support to the Indian Armed Forces in their battle against the Chinese Army. In 1984, the IAF helped capture the Siachen Glacier.

In 1988, the IAF prevented the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) from overthrowing the government in the Maldives. In times of crisis, the IAF rescues Indian citizens from abroad and provides assistance during natural disasters. It works with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Space. Rakesh Sharma, who went into space in 1984, was an IAF pilot. This historic occasion pays tribute to the remarkable journey of the IAF from its inception to becoming a formidable Air Force.

Indian Air Force Day significance

Indian Air Force Day is of immense significance as it commemorates the establishment of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1932 and pays tribute to the courage, dedication and professionalism of the IAF personnel. It serves as a platform to showcase the prowess of the IAF through aerial displays and parades, thereby instilling a sense of pride in the nation. It also underscores the IAF's pivotal role in safeguarding India's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while emphasising its commitment to ensuring peace and security both within the country and beyond its borders.

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Whilst I applaud the alacrity with which the central government sent a special CBI team to Manipur to investigate the killing of two Meitei students and the speed with which they allegedly cracked the case, its worth considering a few questions that could complicate matters. No doubt, some are raised by the Kuki community but that shouldnt be surprising. I certainly dont think that invalidates them. PREMIUM The ethnic violence between dominant Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur has since May left at least 175 dead. (PTI)

First, the CBI is investigating 11 cases. So, you could ask why has a special team flown to Imphal to investigate two Meitei deaths when nothing similar has happened to investigate the rape and killing of two Kuki women at a car wash, the beheading of David Theik or the killing of a young boy and his mother when their ambulance was burnt to cinders. If youre a Kuki, wouldnt this seem like special treatment?

The second question is equally important. The special CBI team led by Ajay Bhatnagar reached Imphal on the evening of September 27. Yet four days later they made the arrests. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum asks: If the CBI can act with such swiftness why has it not arrested anyone in (other) heinous cases?

The Kuki Inpi, which calls itself the apex body of the Kuki tribes, asks a more pointed question: When arrests are made on grounds of suspicion against the Kuki-Zo community, why are the culprits of the barbaric beheading, mutilation, rape and immolation against the Kuki-Zo people not apprehended in the same manner?

However, its not just questions raised by the Kuki that are worth pondering over. There are also issues that arise out of chief minister (CM) Biren Singhs comments. After the CBI arrests, he tweeted: Im pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of the students have been arrested from Churachandpur today. But on what basis has he called them culprits when theyre only accused? And could this adversely influence their chances in court?

Not surprisingly, this hasnt gone down a bundle with the Kuki. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum has articulated a concern that no doubt, has occurred to many others. It seems that the central government is trying to save the chief minister from the Meitei communitys wrath by coming down hard on hapless tribals, including women.

So, now, can you see why Ive drawn your attention to these questions? In this instance, how things appear in Imphal is very different to how they look when seen from Churachandpur. Surely, after five months, both ministers and mandarins in Delhi should have known this. Yet that hasnt restrained them. That leads to another question: I wonder why?

Let me end by raising a different but connected matter. This is how the CM now views his state: The current crisis in Manipur is not a clash between ethnic groups and not a law and order issue of the state but purely a war against the Indian Union by Myanmar and Bangladesh-based Kuki militants in collaboration with militant groups operating in Manipur. This raises more questions. Is this view shared by New Delhi? If it is, has this matter been raised with Naypyidaw and Dhaka?

No doubt, if questioned, the CM would point to the arrest of Seiminlun Gangte, a Kuki, alleged by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to be a member of a militant group from across the border. But days earlier, Moirangthem Anand Singh, a Meitei and a member of the banned Peoples Liberation Army, was also arrested by the NIA. This suggests militant groups connected with both communities and based in Myanmar and Bangladesh have crept back and are fuelling the Kuki-Meitei discord. Why is the CM only talking about one side? Again, this is a disturbing question.

My conclusion: Manipur throws up disturbing questions from both sides, which is why an answer from just one perspective can only make the situation worse. I hope this piece has helped you understand why.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story. The views expressed are personal
And I see myself standing and looking at the picture with the two lines, a purple line and a brown line, that cross in the middle and I think its cold in the main room. PREMIUM Norwegian author Jon Fosse.(AFP)

Thus starts each part of Jon Fosses three-part novel, Septology. In Septology, written in a melodious and hypnotic slow prose, Fosse, the Norwegian writer who has been awarded this years Nobel prize for literature, probes into what makes us who we are and why we lead the life that we do. Our lives, his fiction would suggest, are like the unfinished painting before which we stand and stare and ask, just as Ramana Maharishi asked the question, Who am I? What is the purpose of my life?

At one point in the novel, Fosse writes: Asle says and I think that thats how it is, a person comes from God, and goes back to God. I think, for body is conceived and born, it grows and declines, it dies and vanishes, but the spirit is a unity of body and soul, the way form and content are an invisible unity in a good picture. When experiencing these lines, one is transported to the verses of the Gita where Krishna says, As a person sheds worn-out garments and wears new ones, likewise, at the time of death, the soul casts off its worn-out body and enters a new one.

Septology describes the life and activities of an ageing painter and widower, Asle, who lives alone on the western coast of Norway with a few friends, among them Bjorgvin, also a painter but lonely and consumed by alcohol.

The novel explores the human condition from different perspectives. In fact, the protagonist(s) Asle and Asle are doppelgangers  two versions of the same person, two versions of the same life  both grappling with existential questions.

As Sam Sacks wrote in his review in The Wall Street Journal, These unique books ask you to engage with the senses rather than the mind, and their aim is to bring about the momentary dissolution of the self.

Fosses Septology communicates as much through form as content, perhaps a metonymic reference to the search for the forms it narrates. The wintry landscape, Scandinavian loneliness, and unhurried quest of the protagonists give it the character of an oil painting being finished before our eyes, stroke by stroke, by none less than a genius. One needs a lot of patience and calmness of mind to read Septology. In fact, he is the guru of Karl Ove Knausgard, another celebrated Norwegian writer of slow prose, both in the art of writing and in real life.

At 64, Fosse is the most-performed Norwegian playwright after Henrik Ibsen. Often referred to as the new Ibsen, Fosses works have been noted to represent a modern continuation of the dramatic tradition established by Ibsen in the 19th century. He has also written short stories, poetry, childrens books, and essays besides novels and plays and his works have been translated into more than 40 languages. He also plays the fiddle, and much of his teenage writing practice involved creating his own lyrics for musical pieces.

CS Balakrishnan is a Mumbai-based writer. The views expressed are personal
As chairman of the Te-Moak Tribal Council overseeing the Four Bands  Battle Mountain Band, Elko Band, South Fork Band and Wells Band  I am always looking for ways to recognize the history of our people by preserving our cultural heritage sites and the conservation of our wildlife and fish habitats.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing a number of reforms that would allow us to further these goals, namely by beginning to factor traditional knowledge, historical properties, sacred sites, and fish and wildlife habitat into the criteria and requirements of what lands are suitable for energy development, in addition to removing sensitive sites from future lease sales. We believe such improvements will not only reduce conflict and allow the BLM to better manage land for multiple uses but also will strengthen protections for culture and habitat rich areas that are used in the traditional ways.

We all know the land and waters we cherish are facing increased pressure from a range of uses, and we need to remember that special places must be protected just as much as our energy economy. For instance, oil and gas development should not be considered in places such as the Ruby Mountains. Congress must pass legislation to protect these sacred lands.

Weve been fighting to protect the Rubies for many years, because the Shoshone people have used these mountains to live, pray and travel. For generations, we have also relied upon these mountains to provide various foods and medicinal plants we gather as we trek across the landscape, including, but not limited to, red and green willow, sage, cedar, pine nuts and doza root.

People also tend to forget about the Treaty of Ruby Valley and the Shoshone boundaries, which is why we believe so strongly in Tribal consultation and collaboration in these areas. The Rubies are also home to the best remaining habitat in Nevada for threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout as well as the largest mule deer migration corridor in the state.

By implementing the BLMs proposed reforms, we believe such improvements will not only reduce conflict and allow the bureau to manage for multiple uses but will also strengthen protections for cultural and habitat rich areas.

In accordance with recent orders from the Department of the Interior, specifically Secretarys Order No. 3403, we urge the BLM to follow through on this directive and begin, as stated in the order, Tribal consultation and collaboration to be implemented as components of, or additions to the Federal Land Management priorities and direction for recreation range, timber, energy production, and other uses such as conservation of wilderness, refuges, watersheds, wildlife habitat and other values.

Te-Moak Tribal Members and the people who live alongside them have a long history across the West and can offer guidance on how to be more protective of cultural heritage sites and conservation of wildlife and fish habitats. With this aim, we support the proposed BLM reforms and encourage others to do so as well.
The publication of the Bihar caste survey results and its finding that the other backward classes (OBC) have a share of 63% of the states population has given a big boost to the demand for a nationwide caste census and increasing the OBC quota from the current 27% to their proportionate share in the population. Will this be a game changer in the next general election, which is just about six months away? Chanakya is well aware of the hazards of predicting political outcomes in the diverse and multi-layered arena that Indian democracy is. But here are three questions that will determine what happens. PREMIUM The implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations was among the most polarising moments in post-independent India. (HT)

One, can the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remain non-committal on the caste census demand without hurting its appeal to the OBCs?

One development that has facilitated the BJPs rise as the hegemon in Indian politics after 2014 is its transformation from a Brahmin-Baniya party to a fortified block of upper castes, non-dominant OBCs, even Dalit Hindus. This block constitutes almost 60% of Indias electorate. The BJP never lets go of an opportunity to brandish its newfound social coalition. Comments by senior party leaders in the recently concluded special Parliament session that the BJP has more OBC Members of Parliament (MPs) than all of the Congress MPs put together are just one example of this.

Two, can the BJP retain its strong OBC credentials without coming clear on the demand for a caste census and proportionate reservations when the entire Opposition is demanding it? Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modis recent speeches suggest that the BJP could try and do this, but the signs are that it may not be easy to pull off.

Of course, the BJP has a plan B in the form of tying proportionate reservations with the yet-to-be-published Rohini Commission recommendations. The Commissions recommendations could pit dominant OBCs against lower OBCs. But this strategy risks significant social and political disruption, which is not a desirable proposition for a ruling party.

The BJPs first litmus test on this front will be to make sure that its caste-based regional party allies do not break ranks ahead of the 2024 polls. Having said this, it needs to be underlined that such small parties are more likely to behave as satellites to the existing political hegemon than commit themselves to a protracted struggle for social transformation.

Three, can a caste census and proportionate reservations be the elusive silver bullet for the Opposition? While a rainbow Hindu coalition is extremely crucial for the BJPs political fortunes, the way it has been achieved is not the same as the Mandal playbook. While representation and strategic othering of dominant castes in leadership positions (especially chief ministers in key states) has been a characteristic feature of the BJPs political strategy post-2014, it has also used the tropes of cultural nationalism, communal polarisation, welfare and the larger-than-life image of PM Modi as a nation-builder par excellence to drive home its political message.

While there is a bipartisan consensus on the welfare (or freebies) route to political power, it remains to be seen whether the promise of increased reservations alone will be sufficient for a significant section of the BJPs voter base to shift to the Opposition. There is good reason to argue that the Opposition is divided on this matter. The recent controversy about Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Udhayanidhi Stalins comments on the Sanatana Dharma and the visible discomfort of opposition parties outside the Dravidian fold is a good example of this.

Of course, it also remains to be seen whether outfits such as the Aam Aadmi Party or Trinamool Congress are willing to ratchet up the rhetoric on a caste census and proportionate reservations. None of these contradictions will matter if the Opposition manages to portray the BJP as a political force opposed to increasing OBC reservations. The Bihar elections of 2015 are a good example of what an OBC backlash can do to the BJP.

The implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations was among the most polarising moments in post-independent India. However, with the courts upholding both Mandal 1.0 and Mandal 2.0, there is now widespread recognition of the fact that OBC reservations are here to stay. This political reality along with the fact that the best economic opportunities are now in the private sector has lowered the stakes for the upper caste elite to invest in anti-reservation politics.

Besides, if at all proportionate reservations are implemented, it is likely to be accompanied by a concomitant increase in seats in educational institutions as it happened after Mandal 1, leaving the number of unreserved seats intact and thus offering an olive branch to the communities that are not eligible for reservations. There is also the possibility that a large number of young voters even in the ranks of the OBCs in northern states have realised that it makes more sense to use migration as an engine of upward economic mobility rather than join the ranks of foot soldiers for the cause of increasing reservations.

An analysis published in this newspaper has shown that the average incomes of Scheduled Caste households in Tamil Nadu are higher than the earnings of an average upper caste household in Uttar Pradesh (UP) or Bihar. On this front, the Mandal parties might be guilty of making the same mistake twice. While social justice politics did break oppressive structures of feudal dominance in states such as UP and Bihar, it failed to exploit the crucial window when economic reforms started. This failure has contributed greatly to the continuing economic backwardness of these states. To be sure, it needs to be underlined that the economic success of southern states must not be seen as the triumph of the market. It is social reform and equality delivered by social justice movements that have provided the broader base for capitalist growth in these regions.

That said, democratic regimes need to ensure that their policy paradigm does not end up destroying their political capital. It is the ability to strike this balance which makes the difference between hegemonic and transient political forces.

What gives the BJP an edge is that its policy paradigm of big capital-led growth and welfare-driven popular support has the insurance of political Hindutva. Is the Opposition trying to replicate the same policy paradigm with an insurance from an OBC rather than a Hindu majority? Irrespective of whether this succeeds or not, the fact remains that the central fault line, as far as Indias future is concerned, is its failure to make growth more broad-based rather than address it with Mandal or Kamandal.
On September 23, former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said he had handed over a list of A category terrorists staying in Canada to Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau when he visited Punjab in February 2018. But the Canadian government chose to ignore the list completely, Singh said. He felt this was because Trudeau was running his minority government with the support of Khalistan promoter Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party. PREMIUM One hopes that the present stand-off between India and Canada will not affect our long-term relationship (HT photo)

It is not that Canada has not experienced the ravages of terrorism. It has suffered different types of terrorism from Cuban rebels, Quebec separatists, Armenian-Turkish rival bombers, anarchist-environmental terrorists, jihadis, far-right rebels and anti-abortion activists. Yet the Air India Kanishka bombing of June 23, 1985, with 329 deaths was not initially acknowledged as a terrorist act, although most of the dead were Canadian nationals.

It took the Canadian government 20 years to appoint a high-powered commission under then Canadian Supreme Court Chief Justice John C Major in 2006 when several others  Justice BN Kirpal of the Delhi high court in 1986 and former Canadian diplomat Robert (Bob) Keith Ray in 2005 among them  had flagged serious lapses earlier. Justice John C Major said in 2010 that the then PM Brian Mulroneys office was more interested in defending the reputation of the government and its agencies than probing the mistakes of his services during the largest mass murder in Canadian history. He made harsh comments on the CSIS (intelligence) and RCMP (police) for not cooperating during the investigation, battling over sources, neglecting witnesses, and indulging in turf wars.

While this was going on, a severe churn was happening with Canadian security agencies due to the Maher Arar case. Maher Arar, a Canadian telecommunications expert of Syrian origin was flagged as a possible al-Qaeda suspect by Project A-O of the RCMP. A-O sent lookout notices for him to the Canadian and United States (US) air security departments. On September 26, 2002, Arar was stopped at New York airport en route from Zurich to Montreal. He was deported to Syria where he was subjected to severe torture. He was released only in October 2003 with the Canadian PMs intervention with the Syrian president.

The Maher Arar case resulted in an uproar. The Canadian government appointed a commission under Justice Dennis OConnor to probe into the lapses. The OConnor report raised the bar of scrutiny of extradition cases to such an extent that human rights, enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, assumed the pivotal place adjudicated by the judiciary, relegating individual extradition agreements with other countries to a secondary place. This applies to the Indo-Canadian extradition treaty signed on February 6, 1987, too.

A 2022 study by Freedom House (FH) said that almost 22% of Canadas population is foreign born and the country has welcomed over a million refugees since 1980. One in five people living in Canada today are born elsewhere. On average nearly 1,50,000 people enter Canada annually to become permanent residents. Refugees fleeing violence and conflict from China, Rwanda, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Cambodia, Vietnam, Kosovo, Iraq, and Syria are resettled in Canada.

In these circumstances, it will be worthwhile for the National Investigation Agency to move the Canadian courts directly for the extradition of the wanted Khalistan terrorists if the government response is disappointing. One hopes that the present stand-off between India and Canada will not affect our long-term relationship especially since Canada is home to nearly 1.7 million persons of Indian origin and at least two lakh students. Mature diplomacy can help end the present imbroglio like how a serious situation in 1986 was resolved between the then superpowers, the US and the erstwhile USSR. Despite the Evil Empire policy of President Ronald Reagan, a successful summit at Reykjavik, Iceland was held on October 11-12, 1986 between Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, where arms control measures were satisfactorily discussed.

However, this progress was threatened on October 22, 1986, when Reagan expelled 55 Soviet diplomats in retaliation to Moscows expulsion of 5 US diplomats. Yet, even while expelling them, Reagan said: This problem of espionage is an important one, but it is a separate problem, and our plan is to go ahead with the dialogue. Sure enough, both countries signed the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on December 8, 1987, in a summit meeting in Washington.

Vappala Balachandran is a former special secretary, Cabinet Secretariat. The views expressed are personal
NASA has unveiled plans for a sounding rocket mission set to launch three rockets during this year's solar eclipse on October 14. During the eclipse, viewers will witness the Sun dimming to just 10 percent of its usual brightness, leaving a brilliant ring of fire or sunlight as the Moon passes in front of the Sun. The project is spearheaded by Aroh Barjatya, an engineering physics professor of Indian origin at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Known as Atmospheric Perturbations around the Eclipse Path (APEP), the mission is focused on examining how the sudden reduction in sunlight impacts the Earth's atmosphere. The APEP team will execute a sequence of three rocket launches, with one occurring 35 minutes prior to the local peak of the eclipse, one during the eclipse, and another 35 minutes after. (NASA)

The APEP team will execute a sequence of three rocket launches, with one occurring 35 minutes prior to the local peak of the eclipse, one during the eclipse, and another 35 minutes after. These launches will take place at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, with a specific focus on the ionosphere.

Viewers will witness the Sun dimming to just 10 percent of its usual brightness, leaving a brilliant ring of fire.(NASA)

Aim: To study the ionosphere

According to NASA, the ionosphere's temperature and density are projected to decrease during the eclipse, resulting in a wave-like disturbance that has the potential to disrupt GPS and other satellite communications. As emphasised by Barjatya, All satellite communications go through the ionosphere before they reach Earth.

He further underscores the growing reliance on space-based assets, stressing on the need to understand and model perturbations within the ionosphere. To illustrate the phenomenon, he adds, It creates a wake immediately underneath and behind it, and then the water level momentarily goes up as it rushes back in.

The APEP project extends beyond this mission, with plans to retrieve and relaunch of the rockets from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on April 8, 2024, during a total solar eclipse sweeping across the United States from Texas to Maine. This subsequent launch offers an opportunity to assess the broader effects of an eclipse, even though it will be positioned farther from the eclipse's path compared to the October annular eclipse.

The process

-The rockets will be positioned just outside the path of annularity, where the Moon moves directly in front of the Sun. Each rocket will deploy four small scientific instruments designed to record changes in electric and magnetic fields, density, and temperature.

-NASA's goal is to achieve the first-ever simultaneous measurements from multiple locations in the ionosphere during a solar eclipse. According to Barjatya, rockets offer the best means of examining the vertical dimension at very fine spatial scales.

-Rockets can be launched precisely at the right moment and can investigate lower altitudes inaccessible to satellites. Sounding rockets were chosen by Barjatya and the team due to their ability to pinpoint and measure specific regions of space with great accuracy.

-These rockets can also record changes occurring at various altitudes as they ascend and descend from suborbital flights.

-The APEP rockets will gather data at altitudes ranging from 45 to 200 miles (70 to 325 kilometres) above the Earth's surface along their flight path.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao Trainee Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream. India's regional languages attract me. ...view detail
Many people admire monks for their ability to meditate in silence for a long time. Monks are mostly found in countries like India, Thailand, Tibet, and Laos Myanmar, where they practice their spiritual discipline. How 'monk mode' transforming the world of productivity(File)

Some TikTokers have been inspired by monks and have tried to achieve a higher level of being and productivity by entering monk mode.

The monk mode trend involves setting some non-negotiables that you have to follow for a certain period of time, such as 21 days or three months. The non-negotiables can vary depending on your goals, but they can include things like quitting social media, working out every day, meditating daily, eating healthy, and drinking water.

What does monk mode mean?

The purpose of monk mode is to help you eliminate distractions and focus on your priorities. It is supposed to help you become more productive and centered.

One TikToker who has embraced monk mode explained what it means, saying, Monk mode is a state of extreme focus and discipline. It involves creating a structured routine and environment that promotes deep focus and productivity.

They added, This means eliminating all your distractions so that you focus on your goals and achieve your dreams. They also said that sleep is important for monk mode, because it helps your mental and physical health.

ALSO READ| Can you spot the hidden number in the puzzle? Only a few people with high IQs can!

Some people who have attempted monk mode have shared their results on TikTok. While one person said that it was a lot to do, others said that they felt positive effects, such as I felt my whole entire body open up while they meditated and stretched.

Anyone can try monk mode, as it is up to you to decide what your non-negotiables are.

However, it requires commitment and discipline to stick to your rules and achieve monk mode. It could be a rewarding experience if you take it seriously and want to improve yourself.

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In response to the rocket barrage originating from the Gaza Strip, Israel's Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, on Saturday stated that his country is determined to counter the dual threat of rocket attacks and ground infiltration by Hamas terrorists. Israel is currently fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi pronged palestinian terror attacks. These attacks which were launched early this morning by Hamas on our civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of the south and central Israel are war crimes, Gilon said. Israel's Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon(ANI)

READ | Israeli mayor killed by Hamas militants as conflict escalates

The cowardly actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children and elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians and firing indiscriminately over 2000 missiles and rockets at our cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists and will take any and all actions to protect our citizens, he added.

Gilon also said further, We appreciate the support of the people of India as we stand firm in the face of terrorism.

Israel has declared a "state of war" and initiated air strikes on the Gaza Strip in response to a surprise rocket attack carried out by Hamas militants. Hamas claimed that this rocket attack was their first strike.

READ | Restraint, solidarity: What world powers said on Hamas' surprise Israel attack

Speaking about the air strike Israeli PM Netanyahu said, We are at war and we will win Troops are fighting against the enemy at every location.

The prime minister issued orders for the country's military to engage in operations to remove Hamas militants who infiltrated and engaged in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

On Saturday morning, a barrage of rockets struck southern and central Israel. Sirens were sounded as far as Jerusalem, with multiple alarms beginning at 8:15 a.m. local time. Another round of sirens was heard at 10:15 a.m. local time.

A building in the Gederot Regional Council was directly hit by at least one rocket, resulting in the tragic death of a woman in her 60s, as reported by the Israeli national emergency service, Magen David Adom.



(With inputs from ANI)

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Brazil's Foreign Ministry on Saturday announced its decision to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in response to the largest attack on Israel in years. Brazil, currently holding the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, strongly condemned the recent attacks and expressed solidarity with Israel through an official statement. The country reiterated its support for a "two-state solution," emphasizing the need for both Palestine and Israel to peacefully coexist within borders that are mutually agreed upon and internationally recognized. Smoke plumes rise over Gaza City during Israeli air strikes.(AFP)

"The Brazilian government reiterates that there is no justification for resorting to violence, especially against civilians, and urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent an escalation of the situation," the country's Foreign Ministry said.

READ | 'Greatest battle to end last occupation on earth': Hamas commander on Israel attack

"The mere management of the conflict is not a viable alternative for addressing the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and the resumption of peace negotiations is urgent," it added.

The council is set to hold the meeting on Sunday. "The council will convene Sunday at 3:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) to discuss "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question," a statement released on Saturday said.

Earlier countries including the United States issued a firm condemnation of the attack carried out by "Hamas terrorists" against Israel. Speaking about Hamas' attacks on Israel, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, "The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civiliansWe stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

UK foreign secretary James Cleverly who also criticized the attack wrote on X, "The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself."

READ | How world reacted to Hamas' surprise 'indiscriminate' Israel attack

"Violence and rockets against innocent civilians must stop now. We stand in full solidarity with Israel and its right under international law to defend itself against terror," said German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock calling for a ceasefire in Israel.

In response to a surprise rocket attack by Palestinian Hamas militants, Israel declared a "state of war" and initiated airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Saturday. Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, instructed the nation's military to take action to clear towns where Hamas militants had infiltrated. These areas were the scenes of intense gunfights between the militants and Israeli soldiers. At least 100 people were killed and dozens have been held as hostages in the attack.

(With inputs from Reuters)





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The ex-girlfriend of Craig Ross Jr., 46, who allegedly kidnapped 9-year-old Charlotte Sena from a park in upstate New York and demanded $50,000 for her release, said he was after the money that the girls late grandfather had won in a lawsuit. Charlotte Sena, 9, who vanished during a camping trip in upstate New York. Authorities say that Sena has been found safe Monday, following a two day search. (Family photo via AP/NYPD)(AP/NYPD)

Charlottes grandfather, Patrick Sena, had sued the town of Greenfield, New York in 1998 for a sledding accident and received $2.2 million, according to the Daily Mail. He passed away in 2015.

Amanda Preece, 33, who dated Ross for two years and obtained a restraining order against him in 2017, told the outlet that Ross knew about the settlement money and was hoping to get some of it because he was in financial trouble.

I think thats why he held her ransom, he was hoping to get some of the money because hes struggling financially, she said. That kind of money would set him up for around four or five years. Hes never wanted to work. Hes always wanted to find people to mooch off of whether it be girlfriends or making his mother feel bad because his MS is so bad, she added, referring to his multiple sclerosis.

ALSO READ| 'Abductor' Craig Ross hid Charlotte Sena in a cabinet cupboard, being investigated for pedophilia

Ross had reportedly failed to pay taxes for a property near Charlottes home and had to move back to his mothers property where he lived in a trailer.

Preece said that Ross was evil and believed he stalked Charlotte and her family for a long time before kidnapping her.

He had been following her family, he knew where they lived, she said.

He put up tarp over the windows a few months prior, so I feel like he had been planning it for a while, she continued. He has the patience for messed up things like that.

To go to the campsite where they were at, to know where they lived, and to go to the park when they are there. He definitely had this planned, she told the paper. Hes the type of person where he pre plans and it can be months ahead to do something.

Preece said that Ross terrorized her when they were together and that he once grabbed her by the throat with both hands and threw her across a room, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail.

Ross was also investigated for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, but no charges were filed, police sources told the Times Union.

ALSO READ| Hes disgusting!' Charlotte Sena's alleged abductor's son wants him to die

Police are now looking into any links between Ross and other unsolved cases in the area, including the abduction and murder of 18-year-old Jennifer Hammond and 19-year-old Christina White, the Saratoga County Sheriffs Office said.

On Monday, Ross was apprehended following a DNA match to fingerprints discovered on a ransom note deposited in the Sena family's mailbox. He now faces first-degree kidnapping charges, with allegations of intent to collect ransom, and is currently incarcerated at Saratoga County Jail without the possibility of bail.

His next court date is set for Oct. 17. More charges are expected, authorities said.
A surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which combined gunmen breaching security barriers with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza, was launched at dawn on Saturday during the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah. At about 6.30 a.m. (0430 GMT) Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fired a huge barrage of rockets across southern Israel on Saturday.(Reuters)

The attack came 50 years and a day after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched an assault during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in an effort to retrieve territory Israel had taken during a brief conflict in 1967.

This is how it took place:

Covering rocket barrage

At about 6.30 a.m. (0430 GMT) Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fired a huge barrage of rockets across southern Israel, with sirens heard as far away as Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

Hamas said it had fired 5,000 rockets in a first barrage. Israel's military said 2,500 rockets were fired.

Smoke billowed over residential Israeli areas and people sheltered behind buildings as sirens sounded overhead. At least one woman was reported killed by the rockets.

Dawn infiltration

The barrage served as cover for an unprecedented multi-pronged infiltration of fighters, with the Israeli military saying at 7.40 a.m. (0540 GMT) that Palestinian gunmen had crossed into Israel.

Most fighters crossed through breaches in land security barriers separating Gaza and Israel. But at least one was filmed crossing on a powered parachute while a motorboat was filmed heading to Zikim, an Israeli coastal town and military base.

Videos issued by Hamas showed fighters breaching the security fences, with the dim light and low sun suggesting it was at around the time of the rocket barrage.

One video showed at least six motorbikes with fighters crossing through a hole in a metal security barrier.

A photograph released by Hamas showed a bulldozer tearing down a section of security fence.

Fighting at Israeli military bases

Israel's military said at 10 a.m. that Palestinian fighters had penetrated at least three military installations around the frontier - the Erez border crossing, the Zikim base and the Gaza division headquarters at Reim. It said fighting at Erez and Zikim continued.

Hamas videos showed fighters running towards a burning building near a high concrete wall with a watchtower and fighters apparently overrunning part of an Israeli military facility and shooting from behind a wall.

Several captured Israeli military vehicles were later pictured being driven into Gaza and paraded there.

Border town raids

Fighters raided the Israeli border town of Sderot and were reported to be in another border community, Be'eri, and the town of Ofakim 30km (20 miles) east of Gaza, according to Israeli media citing phone calls from residents.

A video verified by Reuters showed several gunmen riding the back of a white pickup truck moving through Sderot.

Many residents of southern Israeli towns have fortified areas in their homes that function as bomb shelters and on Saturday they were using them as panic rooms.

Israel's military ordered residents to shelter inside, saying on the radio "we will reach you".

By mid morning Israel's police chief Yaacov Shabtai said forces were engaging gunmen in 21 locations and at 1.30 p.m. the military said troops were still working to clear communities that had been overrun by gunmen.

Casualities

A Reuters photographer saw bodies on the streets of Sderot. Israeli news media have reported at least 100 Israelis killed and 800 wounded.

Hamas videos and unverified images circulating on social media showed dead civilians, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said Hamas gunmen had gone house-to-house killing civilians.

Taking captives

Israeli media has reported that gunmen have seized hostages in Ofakim. Islamic Jihad said it was holding several Israeli soldiers captive and Hamas social media accounts showed footage of appearing to show captives being taken alive into Gaza.

One video showed three young men in vests, shorts and slippers being marched through a security installation with Hebrew writing on the wall. Other videos showed female captives.

Another showed fighters dragging at least two Israeli soldiers from a military vehicle.

Israeli strikes

At 9.45 a.m. blasts were heard in central Gaza and Gaza city and at 10.00 a.m. Israel's military spokesperson said the airforce was carrying out strikes in Gaza. Medics in Gaza said dozens of people were killed in the strikes.

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A Colorado funeral home that offered green burials without using embalming chemicals or metal caskets is under investigation after police found at least 115 bodies stored improperly on its premises. Fremont County, Colo., Sheriff Allen Cooper, back, looks on as coroner Randy Keller speaks during a news conference Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, in Canon City, Colo. Authorities are investigating the improper storage of human remains at a southern Colorado funeral home that performs "green" burials without embalming chemicals or metal caskets. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)(AP)

The Fremont County sheriff, Allen Cooper, said on Friday that they are working with other agencies to determine if there is any criminal activity involved.

The Return to Nature funeral home in Penrose, Colorado, claimed to provide natural burials of non-embalmed bodies in biodegradable caskets, shrouds or nothing at all, according to its website.

The company also performed cremation services.

The investigation began on Tuesday night when deputies responded to a complaint of a foul odor coming from a building owned by the funeral home. The next day, sheriffs investigators obtained a search warrant and discovered the poorly stored remains.

Authorities said on Friday at a press conference that they do not believe there is any health risk to the public.

Penrose is a small town of about 3,000 people in the mountains west of Colorado Springs.

On Thursday, trash bags were seen outside the entrance of the companys building, which was cordoned off, while a hearse was parked at the back of the building, in a parking lot full of weeds. A rotten smell lingered in the air.

Joyce Pavetti, 73, who lives near the funeral home, said she had smelled something bad in the last few weeks.

We just assumed it was a dead animal, she said.

On Wednesday night, Pavetti said she saw lights from law enforcement surrounding the building and realized something was wrong. Neighbor Ron Alexander thought the smell was from a septic tank.

ALSO READ| Charlotte Senas accused abductor wanted to get rich off girls grandfathers lawsuit money, ex-girlfriend says

Under Colorado law, green burials are legal but state code requires that any body not buried within 24 hours must be properly refrigerated.

Return to Nature was established six years ago in Colorado Springs and owned by Hallfordhomes LLC, according to public records. The company charged from $1,895 for a natural burial.

A green burial refers to burying bodies that have not been embalmed, as different from human composting, in which the body is placed in a vessel and transformed into soil.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday condemned the attacks against Israel, and said he had discussed the situation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other regional leaders. France"s President Emmanuel Macron(AFP)

The French presidency said Macron had held talks with Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

"The President expressed his concerns over the situation and reminded each of them of the importance of condemning unequivocally the terrorist attacks against Israel, its soldiers and its people," said a statement from Macron's Elysee office.

Macron had written earlier on Saturday that he had spoken with Netanyahu and Israel President Isaac Herzog.

"France stands in solidarity with Israel and the Israelis, committed to their security and their right to defend themselves," he said on social media platform X.

Abbas urged Macron to intervene to stop the "Israeli aggression", either conducted by "the occupation forces or the settler groups against the Palestinians," the official news agency WAFA reported.
Editor,

I am a native from the sovereign nation of the Wiyots of northern California; however, Elko, Nevada has been my hometown for almost some 48 years, I am now 75 years of age.

My opinion is of my own nature, I represent no-one, outside of my dear and loving acquaintance in New York, my good friends Dave and Sandy. I am not joined with anyone else for in some sense I stand alone, and I walk alone, and so at this time Id like to express my own thoughts on your holiday that you always celebrate called Columbus Day.

Back in the 1960s I learned of the Treaty War going on in the Pacific Northwest by the tribes fighting for their hunting and fishing treaty rights. Moving into California in the late 60s I learned about the Red Power Movement and in the 1970s I would join the new American Indian Movement, and during all those years I would learn of the years of injustice and the years of resistance, mainly from elders, old folks whose hearts truly cared about their culture, traditions, customs, and beliefs.

Christopher Columbus, in my own heart, soul and mind, aided, assisted and helped start the worlds worse Holocaust and Genocide of a race of people, a hate that still lingers this day by so many. You know, millions upon millions of Native American women and men wore the military uniforms of this country, only to return home to their lands infested by hate because of who and what they were, Native Americans.

Today, in this day and age some of us Native Americans still are involved in the fight, for folks like Leonard Peltier, land rights, and to preserve the true ancient culture, traditions, customs and beliefs of our ancestors. Whoever Columbus was, indeed he was no hero and definitely he should not be identified as a holiday.

Larry Kibby

Elko
Several groups of gunmen crossed into Israel on Saturday, in one of the most intense attacks of the Islamist group Hamas against the country in years. The group claimed to have fired several thousand rounds of rockets into the country as its head described the offensive as the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth. Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif, announcing the start of the operation on Hamas broadcast media, exhorted Palestians everywhere to join the fight. Smoke rises after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP)

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," he said, per Reuters.

He also claimed his outfit launched 5000 rockets into the country.

Also read: Hamas pummels Israel with 5000 rockets, Palestine fighters storm cities: Updates

The attack activated an emergency response in Israel with sirens sounding across the country, including Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting of security officials.

The fresh offensive came 2 years after Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war that triggered a humanitarian crisis amid when the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak.

Israeli media on Saturday reported gun battles between groups of Hamas and Israeli forces. An Israeli woman was killed in the attack.

The residents of areas near the Gaza Strip have been asked to stay put at their homes.

The Israeli military said in a statement that a number of terrorists had infiltrated into the country.

The Hamas gunmen reportedly opened fire on passers-by in Sherot.

A number of Israelis have reportedly been taken captive by Hamas fighters.

Reuters reported that in Gaza, residents reported clashes along the separation fence with Israel. The roar of rockets was also heard.

With inputs from agencies

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Israel told the United Nations Security Council on Saturday that Palestinian Islamist group Hamas "holds the sole responsibility and will bear the results" of its attack on the country. People walk atop the rubble of a tower destroyed in an Israeli air stike in Gaza City(AFP)

"The state of Israel will act in any way necessary to protect its citizens and sovereignty from the ongoing terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip and carried out by Hamas and other terrorist organizations," Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan wrote to the 15-member council in a letter seen by Reuters.

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British prime minister Rishi Sunak said that he hopes to see a de-escalation of the India-Canada diplomatic row in a call with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau. The UK PM spoke to Canada's premier on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India, according to a Downing Street statement. Both leaders agreed to stay in contact as Rishi Sunak reaffirmed the UK position of respect for the rule of law after Canadas allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistan wanted terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India-Canada Diplomatic Row: Britain's prime minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street in London.(AP)

Prime Minister Trudeau updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India, the Downing Street statement read, adding, The Prime Minister [Sunak] reaffirmed the UKs position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He hoped to see a de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps."

This comes after Justin Trudeau told Canadian parliament last month that the country's security forces were "actively pursuing credible allegations" linking Indian government agents to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June. The allegation has been strongly rejected by the India as absurd and motivated.

The row resonated in the UK when Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami was blocked from a planned visit to Glasgow Gurdwara in Scotland.

Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami, 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, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK foreign office minister for Indo-Pacific wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

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Hillary Clinton, the former US secretary of state and the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, said that Donald Trumps supporters may require deprogramming as if they were members of a cult. She blamed Trump for having no credibility left by any measure and for inciting the violent attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2023. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks during the unveiling of her portrait, at the State Department in Washington, U.S., September 26, 2023. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno(REUTERS)

Hes only in it for himself. Hes now defending himself in civil actions and criminal actions. And when do they break with him? Because at some point maybe there needs to be a formal deprogramming of the cult members. But something needs to happen, she told CNN.

Trump, who lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden but refused to concede, is facing 91 criminal charges (17 related to election subversion) and several civil lawsuits. He is also the clear favorite to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 election.

Hillary said that Trump is an authoritarian populist who really has a grip on the emotional [and] psychological needs and desires of a portion of the population and the base of the Republican party, for whatever combination of reasons.

She added that Trumps followers see in him someone who speaks for them and they are determined they will continue to vote for him, attend his rallies and wear his merchandise, because for whatever reason he and his very negative, nasty form of politics resonates with them.

The 75-year-old cited some possible reasons for their attraction to Trump, such as Maybe they dont like migrants. Maybe they dont like gay people or Black people or the woman who got the promotion at work they didnt get.

She also said that Trumps slogan of Make America great again was a bid for nostalgia, to return to a place where people could be in charge of their lives, feel empowered, say what they want and insult whoever came in their way.

ALSO READ| Who is Jim Jordan? Trump endorses Ohio Rep. for US House Speaker

The former U.S. Secretary of States compared Trumps movement to a cult and somebody has to break it, break that momentum. And thats why I believe Joe Biden will defeat them and hopefully then that will be the end and the fever will break.

Clinton made these remarks after Kevin McCarthy became the first US House speaker ever to be ousted by his own party due to his opposition to Trumps election lies.

Clinton urged Democrats to be smarter about how we are trying to empower the right people inside the Republican party and to defeat those who are the election deniers, as we did in 2020 and [in the midterms of] 2022.
Israel-Gaza conflict Updates: The Israeli military waged airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, after the Hamas militant group announced a new operation against Israel  what appeared to be an unprecedented infiltration into southern towns. The incident set off air raid sirens across the country, with Israel ordering residents to remain indoors as reports of various injuries and atleast four deaths emerged. A Palestinian celebrates by a burning Israeli civilian car taken from Kfra Azza kibbutz in Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.(AP)

The infiltration took place as Hamas militants said it fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel, declaring it had started Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israeli occupation. At least one person's death has been confirmed while several are said to be injured. Reports of gunbattles in southern Israeli towns, affected by infiltration were also reported by the local media.

The launches came after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas, an Islamic militant group that opposes Israel, seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then.
The head of a regional council in Israel was killed by Hamas militants in a surprise assault that combined a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration by the Palestinian group in large numbers. According to local media reports, Ofir Liebstein, the head of the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council, was killed during fighting with Hamas militants. A member of Israeli security forces tries to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on October 7, 2023.(AFP)

Ofir was killed when he went to defend a town during the terrorist attack, a local news website quoted the council as saying.

A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel Saturday in one of the most serious escalations in years between Israel and the militant group that rules Gaza. Hamas gunmen crossed the border fence at several places and infiltrated Israeli communities. The group claimed it had launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning barrage called, Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Social media platforms were flooded with unverified footage that showed Palestinian militants infiltrating Israel and roaming in jeeps. An infiltrator was also seen hand-gliding into Israeli territory.

Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, following an operational situation assessment Saturday morning, warned that Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel".

"IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions", he added.

"The State of Israel will win this war, he asserted.

The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) said that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi is holding an assessment and approving plans of action.

The IDF declares a state of readiness for war. Hamas which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events, the statement from the Israeli army said.

Israel's army, meanwhile, carried out at least two retaliatory air strikes on the Gaza Strip Saturday, reported AFP.

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The Israeli military on Saturday said that Palestinian militants, Hamas, have infiltrated into Israel through the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces said barrages of rockets were also fired from the blockaded Gaza Strip, killing at least one person in Israel. Rockets streamed the sky repeatedly after the first launches from multiple locations in Gaza. Smoke rises in the aftermath of rocket barrages that were launched from Gaza, in Ashkelon, Israel. (Reuters)

The Israeli Army warned of sirens across the country's south and central areas, urging the public to stay near bomb shelters. The army also said it has declared a state of readiness for war.

In the last hour, a massive firing of rockets into Israeli territory from Gaza began, and terrorists penetrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations, a statement by the Israeli army social media platform X.

Hamas  which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events, it said.

The attack comes as a military wing of Hamas, Al Qassam Bridages, announced an operation  Al Aqsa Storm and fired thousands of rockets in reponse to the ongoing provocations in Al-Aqsa and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Several videos went viral on social media in which Palestinian gunmen are seen firing on a police van in Israel's Sderot.

Top updates on Israel-Palestine escalation news:

As reported by Times of Israel, gun battles among Israeli military and Hamas fighters are ongoing in seven locations in southern Israel near the Gaza border. They are taking place in Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen and Beeri towns, and the Reim military base.

Mayor of Israel's Sha'ar Hanegev region Ofir Libstein killed by Hamas.

Israel's army carried out at least two air strikes on the Gaza Strip, an AFP journalist reported.

Israeli news organisation Ynet news reported that Hamas' military arm announced they captured 35 Israeli soldiers. Our forces managed to capture more than 35 Israeli soldiers and civilians from the [Israeli] settlement of Sderot, and they were transferred to the Gaza Strip.

Israel launches operation Iron Swords amid the escalating attack by Palestine fighters. This will involve major operations against Hamas in Southern Israel and along the Gaza Strip. Israel also called up over 10,000 Reservists to join the country's defense forces.

Local reports say that airports in central and southern Israel have been shut for commercial use. Ben Gurion Airport will remain operational and is supposed to only act according to the security instructions and guidelines.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will reportedly order an Official Declaration of War against Hamas and other Palestinian Groups who are assisting fighters in today's attack in the cabinet meeting.

Israel Defense Minister Gallant said, The Hamas [terrorist organization] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war.

Israel hospital say that over 100 have been wounded in rocket strikes across south and central Israel with many in severe conditions. Soraka Hospital in Beersheba town said it received 80 patients. Whereas, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center near Tel Aviv said 17 patients were admitted. Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot is treating 21 casualties, The Times of Israel reported.

reported. Rockets from Gaza Strip land in Mevaseret Zion, a town near Jerusalem.

Israel's police commissioner said that at least 21 active operations are ongoing against the terrorist groups in Southern regions.

Palestinian fighters have reportedly captured a Israeli Military Base near the Gaza border.

Israeli leader Isaac Herzog said on X, I wish to offer strength to the army and rescue services. I send my encouragement and strength to all the residents of Israel who are under attack. We can overcome all those who wish us harm.

Hamaz fighters have reportedly taken five Israeli soldiers hostage.

United States Embassy Charge dAffaires in Israel Stephanie Hallett condemned the attack saying, I condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israel's right to defend itself from such terrorist acts.

Local media reports state that two Palestinian youth have died and five others were wounded by Israeli forces near Bureij camp.

Mayor of Israel's southern Bedouin town of Kuseife Abd al-Aziz Nassara said that at least four people had died and several were wounded in the rocket strikes by Hamas fighters.

All roads, bridges and border crossings near the Gaza Strip have beel shut down by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The Israeli Police's Southern District Commander Superintenden Amir Cohen has been Injured by Shrapnel after a gunfire exchange with the Palestinian fighters in Southern Israel.

Rocket firing continues from Gaza strip towards Southern and Central Israel.

Israel's Ambassador to India Naor Gilon said on X, Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza during the Jewish holiday. Both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists. The situation is not simple but Israel will prevail.

Israel's Prime Ministers Office said that a top-level security cabinet will hold a meeting amid the attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also set to hold an assessment meet with security chiefs.

Hamaz fighters have been firing at all passing civillians and vehicles.

Israeli Defense Forces reportedly eliminated a terrorist group near Mordechai town.

Israel's Defence Minister Joav Gallant has approved mobilisation of reservists, who are called upon duty as per military's needs.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group has extended its support to the Large-Scale Assault by Hamas against Israel. The group said that is it part of this battle. A spokesperson said, Our cadres stand alongside their brothers in Hamas, shoulder to shoulder, until victory.

Protests in Israel against governments judicial overhaul plan have been cancelled as organisers extended their support to the country's citizens amid Palestinian attack. They also called upon those who were participating in the protests to play their part to safeguard the security and health of the residents of Israel.

Israeli Broadcasting Authority reports that Hamaz fighters have taken control of a police station in Israels Sderot and several people have been ijured in fighting.

Palestinian soldiers are roaming around Israel's Sderot and shooting citizens on streets.

Several reports are saying that Israel's military has lost its control over the border crossing with Gaza strip.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared an emergency situation within 80 kms from the Gaza Strip. This would allow the Home Front Command to restrict all gatherings.

In its attempt to fight back, Israeli military said that it was striking targets in the Gaza Strip.

It has been reported that Palestinian fighters have captured equipment and vehicles of Israeli Defense Forces.

A video also showed that the Palestinian infiltrators used motorised hand gliders to enter Israel.

Videos uploaded by Israeli citizens showed infiltrators on the streets and terraces trying to enter people's homes.

Local journalists reported that Palestinian militants took Israelis hostage in Sderot's Kibbutz region. It also has been reported that several civilians were killed by Hamas fighters.

Furthermore, upon attacking, Palestinian fighters urged Lebanon's armed groups to join forces with them to fight against Israel, the Spectator Index reported.

Hamas has claimed that it launched over 5,000 rockets towards Southern and Central Israel in the past three hours as a part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

Rocket sirens were heard across Israel, especially near disputed Jerusalem.

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Hamass al-Qassam Brigades announced that it had captured a number of Israeli soldiers during their operation Al-Aqsa Flood while it was reported that civilians were also taken hostage. On its social media accounts, Hamas shared videos of what it says are Israeli captives taken alive into Gaza. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the taking of civilian hostages as a violation of international law. Israel-Palestine Latest: Smoke billows over the Israeli side of the border with Gaza as seen from Gaza City.(AFP)

"News of civilians taken as hostages in their homes or to Gaza are appalling. This is against international law. Hostages must be released immediately," he said on X, formerly Twitter as Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country is at war.

The United Nation's High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an immediate halt to violence in Gaza. Volker Tuerk said he was shocked by reports that hundreds of rockets had been fired towards Israel and reports that Israeli civilians have been taken hostage.

"This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians," Volker Tuerk said in a statement, adding, "Civilians must never be the target of attack."

Hamas militants fired over 2,000 missiles and infiltrated southern parts of the country in a surprise attack. Gunfights broke out between Israeli troops and Gaza infiltrators, in which 22 people were killed, local media reported quoting Israels national rescue service. Hundreds wounded have been wounded, it said, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

The Soroka Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba said it was treating at least 280 casualties, with 60 in serious condition. The Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon said it was treating 182 wounded people, including 12 in critical condition.

The enemy will pay a price that he has not seen before. We are at war and we will win it, Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address as Israel declared a rare state of alert for war after the incursions. Reinforcing its south, Israel announced an extensive mobilization of reserves for whats been dubbed Operation Swords of Iron."

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At least seven Nepali students studying at an Israel University have sustained injuries and are held captive by Hamas forces, Nepal's Ambassador to Israel confirmed. Kanta Rijal said seven Nepali students in Harzliya under the "Learn and Earn" program of the Israeli government have been injured. Israel-Palestine Latest: Israeli soldiers stand by a pickup truck used by Palestinian militants in Sderot, Israel.(AP)

"They have been held in captivity by Hamas forces along with an additional 10 Nepali students at the agricultural farm in Southern Israel's Alumim," Kanta Rijal told news agency ANI.

Israel's foreign ministry and rescue teams have been informed about the situation and the students have been alerted over the issue, he said, adding, "They (Nepali) are in the hostel and shielding themselves. The area is inaccessible because of intense fighting."

This comes as at least 40 people have been killed since Hamas began its attacks, according to Israel's emergency service. Over 500 people have been injured in the offensive. Meanwhile, Hamas released a video showing its members capturing a number of Israeli soldiers during an attack on a military base.

Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country "was at war" and he has ordered the mobilization of reserves asserting that they will "win."

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out, Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it," he continued.

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Turkey on Saturday strongly condemned the loss of civilian lives in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, saying it was ready to help de-escalate the situation before it spreads across wider regions. Israel-Palestine Latest: A member of Israeli security forces tries to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel.(AFP)

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Ankara was in close contact with all relevant parties, repeating President Tayyip Erdogan's earlier call for restraint. The ministry also urged Turkish citizens in the region to remain in secure, indoor locations.

"We emphasize that acts of violence and escalation linked to this benefit nobody," it said. Turkey is ready to provide any help it can to ensure that the developments in question do not escalate further and get taken under control without spreading to a wider region. In that regard, we are continuing our close contacts with the relevant parties.

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Members of the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent pipa virtuoso Wu Man perform during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)

by Yueer Lin, Shilong Yang

NEW YORK, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music."

This extraordinary concert, held at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center Wednesday evening, brought together and cleverly combined various instruments and musical traditions from both the East and the West, showcasing the harmonious fusion of Chinese and Western cultures and backgrounds.

Jindong Cai, artistic director of the festival and conductor of the Bard East/West Ensemble, told Xinhua prior to the concert that this musical event aims to promote understanding and appreciation of the Chinese culture through contemporary Chinese music.

"By bringing instruments with different styles consisting of a Western string quintet and seven Chinese instruments including dizi, erhu, ruan, suona, and guzheng, as well as Chinese and Western percussion, audiences can experience this unprecedented clash of ideas and inspirations," said Cai, who is also director of the U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.

Pipa virtuoso Wu, acclaimed for her mastery of the instrument, delivered a stunning performance of "King Chu Doffs His Armour" by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Zhou Long.

Inspired by the poignant love story depicted in the film "Farewell My Concubine," and jointly performed with the Bard East/West Ensemble, the piece undoubtedly built a profound emotional connection with the audience.

"I would never miss any concert performances of conductor Jindong Cai, for only he can seamlessly blend traditional Chinese elements with contemporary concepts and he always brings magnificent music to New York audiences," Christine Walevska, a renowned U.S. classical cellist spotted in the audience section, excitedly told Xinhua.

Walevska revealed that she even pushed back the date of her planned trip to Argentina so that she could witness this incredible performance and the upcoming festival events over the weekend.

"Although I am not a music expert, it was easy to enjoy this performance, and the whole idea of performances playing together with Chinese and Western instruments is really touching and wonderful. Music is just the way cuisine is. It accurately represents the unifying concept of cultural exchange," said Shavon, another spectator from New York City.

Set up in 2022, the Bard East/West Ensemble comprises a Western string quintet, accompanied by an assembly of seven traditional Chinese instruments, namely the dizi, suona, sheng, pipa, ruan, guzheng, and erhu, along with percussionists from both the East and West, totaling 15 young musicians in all.

The China Now Music Festival is a joint endeavor by Bard College's U.S.-China Music Institute and the Central Conservatory of Music in China.

Since its inception in 2018, it has been dedicated to building a cultural bridge between the United States and China through music. Each year, it hosts a series of thematic concerts and lectures, presenting exhilarating contemporary Chinese musical works.

Previous editions of the festival have attracted over 10,000 live attendees, with nearly 80,000 participating in online events.

As the festival continues, it promises more unique performances and opportunities for cultural exchange, reinforcing the idea that music truly serves as a bridge to understanding and unity.

"I was very proud and delighted to see that more and more students (at Bard College) are passionate about learning and practicing Chinese traditional instruments," said Wu Han, who has taught workshops at the college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.

Members of the Bard East/West Ensemble perform during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Prominent pipa virtuoso Wu Man (R, Front) performs with members of the Bard East/West Ensemble during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Members of the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent pipa virtuoso Wu Man perform during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Editor: WXL
The United States "unequivocally" condemned the attack by "Hamas terrorists" against Israel, the White House said in a statement. National security advisor Jake Sullivan was in close contact with Israeli partners over the operation, it informed. Israel-Palestine Latest: An aerial view shows vehicles on fire as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel.(Reuters)

"The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians," the statement said, adding, We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

The Pentagon reaffirmed the United States' "unwavering" commitment to Israel's right to defend itself, vowing to make sure that the key US ally had the means to do so.

"Our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself remains unwavering," US defense secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement, adding that the Pentagon would work "to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

The Palestinian group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years in a surprise assault that included gunmen crossing into several Israeli towns and a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. Israel said that it was on a war footing and began its own strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza.

What Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said?

Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement following the attacks that the country is at war. We are at war and we will win, he asserted, adding, Not an operation, not a round, but at war. Ordering a call-up of reservists, the Israel PM promised that Hamas would pay a price that it hasn't known until now. He also ordered the country's military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

How many people have been killed in the attacks?

Israels national rescue service said that at least 100 people have been killed in a wide-ranging Hamas assault into Israel. The latest toll came from the Magen David Adom rescue service as fighting was still underway, Associated Press reported.

Hospitals in Israel are treating hundreds of wounded people, including dozens in critical condition, it said while at least nine people were killed in Gaza, AFP reported.

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US president Joe Biden said that he told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States was ready to offer "all appropriate means of support " after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched an attack on Israel. Israel-Palestine Latest: US president Joe Biden speaks.(AP)

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel," Joe Biden said in a statement after he spoke with Netanyahu.

"Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation," he added.

Benjamin Netanyahu also thanked Biden for the "unreserved support" and stressed that a "prolonged campaign" is necessary.

"US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasized that the US stands alongside Israel and fully supports Israel's right to self-defence," the Israel PM posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked US President Biden for the unreserved support and made it clear that a forceful, prolonged campaign - which Israel will win - is necessary, it added.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken also expressed "unequivocal condemnation" of the Hamas attacks.

"We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," Antony Blinken said.

This comes hours after the incursion began as Israeli troops were still fighting Hamas in 22 locations near the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said. Israels national rescue service said at least 70 people were killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years. Some Israeli soldiers and civilians were also seized and taken into Gaza.

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Britain unequivocally condemns the surprise attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel, UK foreign secretary James Cleverly said. Israel-Palestine latest: Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza.(Reuters)

"The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself," James Cleverly said in a post on social media.

The French foreign ministry also condemned "in the strongest possible terms the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel and its population" after the firing of hundreds of rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

France "expresses its full solidarity with Israel and the victims of these attacks. It reaffirms its absolute rejection of terrorism and its commitment to Israel's security", the ministry added.

This comes as Israeli forces were fighting Palestinian militants on the ground in several locations around the Gaza Strip, the country's army said after barrages of rockets were fired from the enclave into Israeli territory.

"It was a combined ground raid which happened through paragliders, through the sea and through the ground," army spokesman Richard Hecht said, adding, "Right now we're fighting. We're fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Strip... our forces are now fighting on the ground."

German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock condemned the attack saying that violence against innocent people must stop straight away.

"I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks against Israel from Gaza. Violence and rockets against innocent civilians must stop now. We stand in full solidarity with Israel and its right under international law to defend itself against terror," Annalena Baerbock said.

Ukraine also expressed solidarity with Israel saying that it strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. We express our support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its people.

Meanwhile Russia urged restraint from all sides saying, "We are now in contact with everyone. With the Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs. Of course, we always call for restraint."

Spain expressed shock over the indiscriminate violence saying, We strongly condemn the extremely serious terrorist attacks from Gaza against Israel. We are shocked by this indiscriminate violence.

An adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei congratulated Palestinian fighters for launching the biggest attack on Israel in years.

"We congratulate the Palestinian fighters," it quoted Rahim Safavi as saying. We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem, he said.

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry called for an immediate cessation of violence between Israeli and the Palestinians. A ministry statement read, "We are following the unprecedented developments between a number of Palestinian factions and Israel occupation forces which has led to a high level of violence on a number of fronts".

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The Ministry of External Affairs has cautioned Indians in Israel amid the latter's "war" with Hamas that intruded into the Israeli territory and mounted an attack, saying "avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters". A residential building in Tel Aviv is damaged following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip into Israel. (AFP)

In an advisory, MEA said all Indian nationals in Israel must remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by the local authorities.

"In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant, observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website or their preparedness brochure," it said in a statement.

"In case of emergency, please contact us at +97235226748, or leave a message at cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in. The Embassy personnel remain at your disposal for any further guidance," it added.

Also read: Shocking video shows Hamas rockets targeting Israeli cities

Israeli forces have been fighting Palestinian intruders around the Gaza Strip.

Army spokesman Richard Hecht said the Palestinian operatives barged into Israel through paragliders, sea and the ground. Before that, hundreds of rockets were fired into Israel by Hamas operatives.

In his first public address, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was at war and they will win it.

Also read: We are at war will win: PM Netanyahu tells Israel after enemy Hamas attack

The Israeli defence minister, meanwhile, warned Hamas that orchestrated the attack that it made a "grave mistake" by declaring war on Israel.

Several Israeli's were reported dead or were taken captive by Hamas.

Israel police chief there were 21 active scenes in southern Israel.

Also read: Restraint, solidarity: What world powers said on Hamas' surprise Israel attack

Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif called on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," he said.

With inputs from AFP

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Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, had a friendly encounter with a journalist and two other friends in Los Angeles on Thursday night. FILE - Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrives at the Invictus Games venue in The Hague, Netherlands, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)(AP)

The 42-year-old royal posed for a selfie with Jen Su, a TV host, who shared the photo on her Instagram account.

Arrived in L.A. and ran right into the fabulous Meghan Markle. Amazing way to start the trip! Su wrote in the caption, that they had a nice conversation in a parking lot.

The photo was posted on the same day that PEOPLE exclusively reported that Meghan and her husband Prince Harry would attend an event in New York City next week for World Mental Health Day.

The couple, who are also the founders of the Archewell Foundation, will host The Archewell Foundation Parents Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age on Tuesday, Oct. 10. The event will provide a platform for parents who are facing mental health challenges in todays digital world.

ALSO READ| Prince Harry reveals Prince William treated Meghan Markle like a convicted felon in his memoir

The summit will feature parents who have lost their children due to their social media use. The parents have been working with the Archewell Foundation for the past year, according to a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Together, they are united in their mission to share personal experiences, data, and research to ensure the same does not happen to other families, the spokesperson quoted to PEOPLE.

Meghan and Harry will join Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to discuss the importance of this work and explore potential solutions, in a conversation moderated by Carson Daly, Board Member of Project Healthy Minds.

This will be Meghan and Harrys first trip to N.Y.C. since they attended the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in May, where Meghan was honored. The next day, they were involved in a "near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi, according to their spokesperson.

Meghan and Harry, who are parents to two children, Archie and Lilibet, have been vocal advocates for mental health. They have supported World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness Month with a focus on youth in recent years. In 2020, they joined the Teenager Therapy podcast and talked to high school students from California about mental health. In May, they met with teens from AHA! Santa Barbara and discussed how social media affects mental well-being.

ALSO READ| Hillary Clinton torches Donald Trump, says the former President's supporters need deprogramming like cult members

Before they stepped back from their royal duties in 2020, Meghan and Harry also participated in several mental health-related engagements, such as meeting with OneWave, an Australian surf group that raises awareness for mental health, and visiting Waves for Change, an organization that supports mentors who provide mental health services to vulnerable young people in South Africa.
Adventurer Namira Salim became the first Pakistani to travel into space on Friday, riding aboard Virgin Galactic's fifth successful flight in five months, the US company announced. Pakistani Adventurer Namira Salim.

Salim, who previously traveled to both poles and has also parachuted over Mount Everest, was among the first customers to buy a ticket with billionaire Richard Branson's space company after it was founded almost two decades ago.

"I love my title 'first Pakistani astronaut,' it's like being a very special princess of the country. Maybe nicer than being a princess," Salim told AFP back in 2012.

Virgin Galactic said Salim is also a resident of Monaco and the United Arab Emirates.

That makes her the first person from Monaco and the first Emirati woman to travel to space, the company said.

American Ron Rosano and Briton Trevor Beattie were also passengers on Friday's trip, dubbed "Galactic 04."

Beth Moses, a Virgin Galactic employee, and two pilots were also aboard.

Unlike traditional vertical launches into space, Virgin Galactic utilizes a specialized, twin-fuselage aircraft to carry the passenger vessel high in the sky.

The mothership then releases the spaceplane, which in turn engages its thrusters to soar into space at speeds approaching Mach-3.

Passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness, where they are free to perform somersaults and gaze out the window at the curvature of the Earth.

The craft then glided back down, landing just over an hour after takeoff from Spaceport in New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic competes in the "suborbital" space tourism sector with billionaire Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin, which has already sent 31 people into space using a vertical liftoff rocket.

But since an accident in September 2022 during an unmanned flight, Blue Origin's rocket has been grounded. The investigation into the accident was closed at the end of September by the US aviation regulator, which requested the company make changes before its flights can resume.

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Narges Mohammadi, a prominent rights campaigner, marked her Nobel Peace Prize recognition alongside fellow detainees within their prison cell in Iran's Tehran on Saturday. Prominent Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi(AP File)

Narges learned that she had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday afternoon from messages sent from the men's unit, where they have easier access to telephones on FridaysNarges and her cellmates erupted in joy and celebrated this victory in their cell, her family told AFP.

Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and the promotion of human rights for all.

Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes the Swedish Academy said in its statement on Friday.

READ | Nobel Peace Prize to Mohammadi is politicising human rights issue: Iran media

The award to Narges Mohammadi follows a long tradition in which the Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Peace Prize to those working to advance social justice, human rights, and democracy, it added.

Mohammadi, originally from the Zanjan city of Iran, pursued her education at Imam Khomeini International University, where she earned a degree in Physics. Throughout her college years, she gained recognition for her active advocacy for equality and women's rights. Following her academic journey, she worked as an engineer and additionally contributed articles to various reform-oriented newspapers.

In 2003, Narges Mohammadi joined the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran, which was founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. In 2011, she faced her first arrest and was subsequently sentenced to a lengthy prison term. Her arrest and sentencing were a result of her dedicated efforts to support activists who were incarcerated and their families.

Following her release on bail in 2013, Narges Mohammadi became deeply involved in a campaign against the use of the death penalty in prisons. However, her activism led to her arrest once more in 2015, resulting in her receiving additional prison sentences.
The Israel death toll from the Hamas surprise attack Saturday has surged to more than 200, the army said, accusing the Palestinian militants of breaking into homes and "massacring civilians". A young woman reacts as she speaks to Israeli rescuers in Tel Aviv, after a was hit by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip(AFP)

"Terrorists rampaged and broke into homes, massacring civilians," the army said, adding that more than 200 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the assault that began at dawn.
Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip launched dozens of rockets toward Israel early Saturday, setting off air raid sirens across the country. Rockets are fired by Palestinian militants into Israel, in Gaza City October 7, 2023. (Reuters)

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens could be heard as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometers (40 miles) to the north, during the early morning barrage.

There was no immediate response from Israel. But the Israeli military usually carries out airstrikes in response to rocket fire, raising the likelihood of wider fighting. Although there was no claim of responsibility for the rocket fire, Israel typiclly holds the ruling Hamas militant group responsible for any fire emanating from the territory.

The launches came after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

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Rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border spiked this week to the highest in years, suggesting arms supply by Pyongyang to Moscow after their leaders discussed deeper military cooperation, a U.S. think tank said on Friday. Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un attend a meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, September 13, 2023.(Reuters)

Satellite imagery showed an "unprecedented" 73 or so freight cars at Tumangang Rail Station in the North Korean border city of Rason, the Beyond Parallel Project of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a report.

The traffic was far greater than that observed in the past five years, including pre-pandemic levels, it said.

READ | North Korea says Kim Jong Un is back home from Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a week-long summit in Russia's Far East last month, discussing military matters, the war in Ukraine and deepening military and economic cooperation.

"Given that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic likely indicates North Koreas supply of arms and munitions to Russia," the think tank said, although it could not be sure due to the extensive use of tarps to cover the rail cars.

The U.S. and South Korea have warned military cooperation between North Korea and Russia was a violation of U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang. They expressed concern Moscow could seek ammunition from North Korea to prop up its dwindling stocks in its invasion of Ukraine, while Pyongyang could get technological aid for its spy satellite and missile programmes.

North Korea has slammed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for criticising Pyongyang's cooperation after the summit, saying it was "natural" and "normal" for neighbours to keep close relations.
People visit the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition in Nicosia, Cyprus, Oct. 5, 2023. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)

NICOSIA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Annita Demetriou, speaker of the Cypriot House of Parliament, lauded the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition on Thursday as a testament to China's rich heritage.

The exhibition was opened on the sideline of the Nicosia Book Fest, one of Cyprus' largest cultural events organized by the Prometheus Research Institute. The book festival will open officially on Friday, with China as the Country of Honor.

Demetriou said that this exhibition showcases China's rich heritage, emphasizing humanity and drawing inspiration from nature.

The exhibition displays a collection of over 12,000 Chinese paintings spanning various historical periods.

"The connection between Cyprus and China goes beyond politics and economics; it is rooted in mutual appreciation for each other's rich history and cultural heritage," the speaker said.

The Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings, a collaborative project by Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, features works on various materials, including paper, silk, brocade, damask and linen, sourced from 263 museums and cultural institutions worldwide. 

People visit the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition in Nicosia, Cyprus, Oct. 5, 2023. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)

Annita Demetriou (2nd, R, front), speaker of the Cypriot House of Parliament, and Zhang Jianchun (1st, R), vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, visit the Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings exhibition in Nicosia, Cyprus, Oct. 5, 2023. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)

Editor: JYZ
Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he did not "recognise LGBT" and vowed to combat "perverse" trends in society that aim to destroy the institution of family in the country. Turkey's government, led by Tayyip Erdogan and his AK Party, has toughened its stance on LGBTQ freedoms in recent months. While homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, hostility to it is widespread in the country as police crackdowns on Pride parades have become tougher over the years. Recep Tayyip Erdogan on LGBTQ community: Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan(AFP)

Speaking at an AK Party congress in Ankara, Tayyip Erdogan said neither his party, nor their allies, recognised the LGBTQ community.

"We do not recognise LGBT. Whoever recognises LGBT can go and march with them. We are members of a structure that holds the institution of family solid, that strongly embraces the family institution," he said.

"We will dry the roots of sneaky acts aiming to destroy our family institution by supporting perverse political, social and individual trends," he added.

After the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Tayyip Erdogan complained that he was uncomfortable with the use of "LGBT colours" at the UN, which was decorated with bright colours promoting the Sustainable Development Goals.

Earlier as well, Turkey's president has frequently labeled members of the LGBTQ community as deviants.

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King Charles is "very jealous" of Prince William and Princess Kate "stealing his limelight" but has reached a compromise with his son and daughter-in-law, a royal author claimed. Clive Irving, author of The Last Queen and royal columnist at The Daily Beast said that Prince William- the king-in-waiting- is stealing some of his father's thunder. Royal family: Britain's King Charles III looks on during his visit to the Global Underwater Hub.(Reuters)

There's a great deal of feeling that William understands the mood and the reality on the ground far more than Charles ever will, he said. But King Charles has found a solution so that he is able to get attention as well, the royal author claimed.

They worked out a kind of accommodation of how much limelight each is going to be allowed, because Charles is always very jealous of of other people stealing his limelight. He's worked out a deal now, whereby William and Kate can have an allotted percentage of the limelight, Clive Irving said.

It's unclear the exact percentage but maybe 40 percent [for the Waleses'] and he keeps 60 percent. That seems to be the working arrangement. the royal author said.

Recent polling showed that 74 percent of Britons view the Prince of Wales favourably - the highest of any royals. The poll found that 63 percent of Britons have a positive view of late monarch Queen Elizabeth, and she is followed by Kate Middleton- who was previously behind her husband- at 62 percent. The previous YouGov survey had Kate Middleton's popularity at 65 percent.

This comes as King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to welcome the president of South Korea for a state visit to the UK in November, the second such visit of the monarchs reign. The king and queen will host Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, at Buckingham Palace in November, the palace said.

King Charles recently concluded his state visit to France. In an address to the French senate, the royal praised France and the United Kingdoms indispensable relationship and its capacity to meet the worlds challenges, including Russias war in Ukraine and climate change.

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Singapore's air quality fell into the unhealthy range, official readings showed amid increased forest fires from neighbouring Indonesia brought haze to the city-state. The city skyline is seen shrouded with haze in Singapore.(AFP)

At 2 p.m. (0600 GMT), the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index readings in the eastern and central part of Singapore was above 100, levels at which people are advised to reduce prolonged strenuous outdoor activities.

Transborder haze is a perennial problem in Southeast Asia as regulatory loopholes make it hard for authorities to eliminate Indonesia's slash-and-burn land clearing practices.

Singapore's National Environment Agency said 212 hot spots were detected on Indonesia's nearby Sumatra island on Friday, up from 65 on Thursday and 15 the day before.

A brief shift in the wind direction on Friday afternoon blew some of the lighter haze toward Singapore, worsening the island nation's in air quality, it said.

The traditional land clearing methods are used almost every year to clear land in Indonesia for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations that public records show are owned both by domestic and foreign or overseas-listed companies.

Indonesia was dousing forest fires with water sprayed from helicopters and inducing rain through cloud-seeding, the environment minister said on Friday, denying that hazardous haze was crossing borders.

Earlier in the week Malaysia urged Indonesia to take action on the fires within Indonesia's borders as the air quality in Malaysia hit unhealthy levels.

Indonesia's president Joko Widodo told reporters on Saturday extreme dry weather was causing wildfires in many areas, but the situation was much better than in 2015 when 2.6 million hectares (6424739 acres) of land got burned, according to an estimate from the World Bank.

He urged the authorities and the local government to immediately put out any fires before they spread.

In 2015 and 2019, such fires burned millions of hectares of land in Indonesia and sent haze billowing across several Southeast Asian countries, generating record emissions, scientists have said.

The most severe haze conditions recorded in Singapore were in September 2015, when the 24-hour index exceeded 300 to the hazardous level, prompting school closures.
Israeli troops were still battling "hundreds" of Palestinian militants at 22 locations inside Israel Saturday after they infiltrated from Gaza during a massive dawn rocket barrage, the army said. Israeli soldiers during combat operations against Palestinian militants on a road near Sderot, Israel, (Bloomberg)

"There are still 22 locations where we are engaging with terrorists that came into Israel from the sea, from the land and from the air," army spokesman Richard Hecht told journalists, adding the Hamas attack included a "robust ground invasion".

Asked by journalists how many militants had entered Israel, Hecht said "hundreds" had "invaded" the country, adding that "hundreds" were still fighting troops inside Israel.

He said there was a "severe hostage situation in Beeri and also in Ofakim", two Israeli communities in the Negev Desert, the latter 20 kilometres (more than 12 miles) from the Gaza border.

Hecht said more than 3,000 rockets had been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel.

"There will be a severe response to this inhumane attack, it's unprecedented," he said.

Gun battles raged into the night as at least 70 people were reported killed in Israel, while Gaza authorities reported a death toll of 232 in the conflict's bloodiest escalation in years.

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The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas launched its biggest assault on Israel in years early on Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza and sending fighters across the border. People try to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on October 7, 2023. (AFP)

Israel said it was on a war footing and began its own strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza, with Israeli media reporting gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in southern Israel.

The following timeline, which begins with Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, details the major flare-ups in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups in the crowded coastal enclave, which is home to 2.3 million people.

August 2005 - Israeli forces unilaterally withdraw from Gaza 38 years after capturing it from Egypt in the Middle East war, abandoning settlements and leaving the enclave under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

Jan. 25, 2006 - The Islamist group Hamas wins a majority of seats in a Palestinian legislative election. Israel and the U.S. cut off aid to Palestinians because Hamas refuses to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

June 25, 2006 - Hamas militants capture Israeli army conscript Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid from Gaza, prompting Israeli air strikes and incursions. Shalit is finally freed more than five years later in a prisoner exchange.

June 14, 2007 - Hamas takes over Gaza in a brief civil war, ousting Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is based in the West Bank.

Dec. 27, 2008 - Israel launches a 22-day military offensive in Gaza after Palestinians fire rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis are reported killed before a ceasefire is agreed.

Nov. 14, 2012 - Israel kills Hamas's military chief of staff, Ahmad Jabari. Eight days of Palestinian militant rocket fire and Israeli air strikes follow.

July-August 2014 - The kidnap and killing of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas leads to a seven-week war in which more than 2,100 Palestinians are reported killed in Gaza and 73 Israelis are reported dead, 67 of them military.

March 2018 - Palestinian protests begin at Gazas fenced border with Israel. Israeli troops open fire to keep protestors back. More than 170 Palestinians are reported killed in several months of protests, which also prompt fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces.

May 2021 - After weeks of tension during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, hundreds of Palestinians are wounded in clashes with Israeli security forces at the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, Islams third holiest site.

After demanding Israel withdraw security forces from the compound, Hamas unleashes a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Israel hits back with air strikes on Gaza. Fighting goes on for 11 days, killing at least 250 people in Gaza and 13 in Israel.

Aug 2022 - At least 44 people, including 15 children, are killed in three days of violence that begin when Israeli air strikes hit a senior Islamic Jihad commander.

Israel says the strikes were a pre-emptive operation against an imminent attack by the Iranian-backed militant movement, targeting commanders and arms depots. In response, Islamic Jihad fires more than 1,000 rockets towards Israel. Israel's Iron Dome air defence system prevents any serious damage or casualties.

Jan 2023 - Islamic Jihad in Gaza fires two rockets towards Israel after Israeli troops raid a refugee camp and kill seven Palestinian gunmen and two civilians. The rockets set off alarms in Israeli communities near the border but cause no casualties. Israel responds with air strikes on Gaza.

Oct 2023 - Hamas launches the biggest attack on Israel in years from the Gaza Strip, with a surprise assault combining gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets. Islamic Jihad says its fighters have joined the attack.

Israel's military said it was on a war footing, adding it had carried out strikes targeting Hamas in Gaza and had called up reservists.

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UK home secretary Suella Braverman's Delhi-based uncle cautioned his niece about some of her language around immigration, urging her to not forget that she herself is a child of migrants, as per a report. Father Ayres Fernandes- Catholic priest- said that he sees the need to clamp down on illegal immigration but there was a need for more compassion towards refugees and asylum seekers. Britain's home secretary Suella Braverman listens to the prime minister's speech at the annual Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.(AFP)

I only pray that she remembers that she herself was born to migrant parents, and therefore, she needs to be a little cautious when making such comments, he said.

Father Ayres Fernandes grew up in Kenya with his four siblings, including Suella Bravermans father, Christie Fernandes. The 73-year-old said that he and another family member had discussed Suella Bravermans political posturing with a relative.

Shes quite strong by herself, that much I know, she has her own thinking. But I believe that there is somebody backing her up to make such comments. But being a minister, holding such a position, maybe she should be a little cautious, he said.

But with my experiences, I learned you need to change, you need to adjust, you need to give space to people and their way of life and opinions. And in politics that is very important  to be able to be open to others and others views and opinions. I pray for her every day that she may be able to calm down and relate with people in a better manner, he added.

In her Tory conference speech, Suella Braverman said, The wind of change that carried my own parents across the globe in the 20th century was a mere gust compared to the hurricane that is coming. Because today, the option of moving from a poorer country to a richer one is not just a dream for billions of people, it is an entirely realistic prospect. Uncontrolled immigration, inadequate integration, and a misguided dogma of multiculturalism have proven a toxic combination for Europe over the last few decades Multiculturalism has failed."

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Forcibly deporting Afghans from Pakistan could lead to severe human rights violations including the separation of families and deportation of minors, the United Nations warned Saturday. A dark street in a commercial area in Lahore, Pakistan.(Bloomberg)

Pakistan recently announced a crackdown on migrants living in the country illegally, including 1.7 million Afghans, telling them to return to their home countries by October 31 to avoid mass arrest and expulsion.

The government denies targeting Afghans and says the focus is on people who are in the country illegally, regardless of their nationality. It said it is setting up a hotline and offering rewards to people who tip off authorities about such migrants.

The UN agencies said Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis with several rights challenges, particularly for women and girls, who are banned by the Taliban from education beyond sixth grade, most public spaces and many jobs.

Such plans would have serious implications for all who have been forced to leave the country and may face serious protection risks upon return, it said, referring to Pakistan's crackdown.

They acknowledged Pakistan's sovereign prerogative over domestic policies and said they are ready to help register and manage Afghan nationals, including those who may be in need of international protection.

The International Organisation for Migration and UN Refugee Agency called on countries to suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals and ensure any possible returns to the country take place in a safe, dignified and voluntary manner.

Landlords and real estate owners in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, have received notices telling them to evict illegal Afghans and their families by the end of the month or face action.

Police have asked clerics in some of the city's mosques to tell worshippers of their duty to inform on Afghans in their neighbourhoods.

The information minister in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan, Jan Achakzai, said hundreds of Afghan families have voluntarily left the country and crossed the border since the announcement. Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including Afghans and Iranians, he said.

Rights groups and the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan have criticised the crackdown.

Pakistan has been a haven for Afghan refugees since millions fled Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation, creating one of the world's largest refugee populations. More Afghans have fled since then, including an estimated 100,000 since the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021.

Although Pakistani security forces and police have routinely arrested and deported Afghans who have entered the country without valid documents in recent years, this is the first time the government has announced plans for such a major crackdown.

It comes amid a spike in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, who have hideouts and bases in Afghanistan but regularly cross into Pakistan to stage attacks on its security forces.

Pakistan has long demanded that the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan cease their support for the TTP, which is a separate group but allied with the Afghan Taliban.

The Taliban deny providing sanctuary to the TTP.

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The US expelled two Russian diplomats, weeks after Moscow ordered two Americans to leave, the latest tit-for-tat expulsions as relations continue to worsen between the two countries. The unidentified Russian diplomats were given seven days to depart the US. (File)

The move came after Russia ousted the two US diplomats for contacts with a former consular employee who had been accused of collecting sensitive information. The US has called those allegations baseless.

The Department will not tolerate the Russian governments pattern of harassment of our diplomats, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

The unidentified Russian diplomats were given seven days to depart the US. That was the same amount of time given to US diplomats Jeffrey Sillin and David Bernstein, who were ordered to leave Russia last month.

Russia Expels Two US Diplomats in Feud Over Ex-Employee

Sillin and Bernstein were accused of contacts with a former employee of the US consulate in Vladivostok who later pleaded guilty to gathering confidential information.

Russia and the US have engaged in a series of reciprocal expulsions dating to well before Russias February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Israel declared a 'state of war' and launched air strikes on Gaza strip following a surprise rocket attack by Palestine's Hamas militants which claimed that it was only their "first strike". Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement following the attacks that the country is at war. Israel-Palestine latest: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.(Reuters)

We are at war and we will win, he asserted, adding, Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The comments in a televised address mark Benjamin Netanyahu's first remarks since Hamas launched the multi-front attack on Israel. Ordering a call-up of reservists, the Israel PM promised that Hamas would pay a price that it hasn't known until now.

The prime minister also ordered the country's military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Twenty-two people have been shot dead in Israel so far in fighting with Palestinian militants , the Magen David Adom emergency medical services said in a statement.

"As of 13:00 (1000 GMT), Magen David Adom teams have pronounced 22 victims deceased. They have also treaded hundreds of further victims," the statement said.

Follow Israel-Gaza conflict LIVE updates here

This came after Palestinian militants begun a "war" against Israel, the country's defence minister said after a barrage of rockets were fired and fighters from the Palestinian enclave infiltrated Israel. At least two people were killed in Israel, officials said while Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant said Palestinian militant group Hamas has "launched a war against the State of Israel."

"Troops are fighting against the enemy at every location," he said. Israel's military began air strikes on Gaza, following the rocket barrage from inside the territory.

"Dozens of IDF fighter jets are currently striking a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip," the military said.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military struck targets in Gaza that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations, it said. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air, the army informed.

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In a recent development, the Palestinian group Hamas launched an unexpected attack from the Gaza Strip into Israel. This marks one of the most significant escalations in the long-standing Israel-Palestinian conflict in recent memory. Following the attack, Israel announced a "state of war" and initiated air strikes on the Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers walk past the body of a man who was killed following a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip.(REUTERS)

We are at war and we will win, asserted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Troops are fighting against the enemy at every location, he added.

Know more about Hamas - the Palestinian group that launched the attack on Israel

Hamas, also known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, was established in 1987 in the midst of the initial Palestinian Intifada, or uprising. It receives support from Shiite Iran and aligns with the Islamist principles of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization formed in Egypt during the 1920s.

Since 2007, it has governed the Gaza Strip, a period that began after a short-lived civil conflict with the Fatah faction, led by President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas is situated in the West Bank and serves as the leader of both the Fatah movement and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Hamas assumed control of Gaza after winning the Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, which were the most recent elections held at that time. Hamas alleged that Abbas was involved in a plot against them, while Abbas characterized the events as a coup.

Hamas rejects acknowledging the existence of the state of Israel and has been strongly against the Oslo peace agreements, which were brokered by Israel and the PLO in the mid-1990s.

Hamas operates an armed faction known as the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, which has dispatched both gunmen and suicide bombers into Israel. Hamas frames these armed actions as acts of resistance against Israeli occupation. It is officially classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Egypt, and Japan.

Although Gaza serves as its primary stronghold, Hamas enjoys support throughout the Palestinian territories and maintains leadership figures dispersed across various Middle Eastern nations, including Qatar.

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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
NICOSIA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- On the sidelines of the Nicosia Book Fest, the capital of Cyprus hosted the China-Cyprus Civilization Exchange Forum on Friday.

While the book festival honored China, the forum brought together leading personalities from politics, academia and literature under the slogan "Exploring Harmonious Coexistence Between Civilizations and Between Humanity and Nature."

In his keynote address, Zhang Jianchun, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, emphasized the need to foster dialogue, mutual understanding and publishing cooperation between the two sides.

He also highlighted the profound significance of ecological civilization, in which literature is used as a medium to facilitate the sharing of experiences to make the world cleaner and more beautiful.

Irene Piki, deputy minister to the president of Cyprus, underlined the resilience and innovation inherent in both Cyprus and China, and stressed the pivotal role people-to-people exchanges play in strengthening partnerships.

Tasos Christofides, rector of the University of Cyprus, said that initiatives like the forum promote understanding, respect and collaboration across cultural boundaries.

Kostas Gouliamos, deputy president of the Promitheas Research Institute, said that China's "Global Civilization Initiative" underscores the importance of tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among diverse civilizations.

The China-Cyprus Civilization Exchange Forum showcases the deep-rooted historical and cultural bonds between the two nations and also serves as a platform for global cultural dialogue and ecological cooperation.

Also on Friday, the Rejuvenation Book Series, which underscored the trajectory of modern China, was donated to the European University of Cyprus by the Chinese vice minister. 

Editor: JYZ
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will pay an official visit to Romania next week, the Digi24 TV channel reported on Friday, citing its own sources.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will hold meetings with President of Romania Klaus Iohannis and other officials of the country.

It is reported that this will be the first visit of a Ukrainian president to Romania since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. The possibility of such a visit was previously announced by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal on the air of the same TV channel.

Iohannis and Zelenskyy already met on Thursday in Granada, Spain, at the European Political Community summit.

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also announced his visit to Ukraine earlier. The Prime Minister and some government ministers will go to talks with representatives of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv to establish as many points of cooperation as possible. We are talking about security, energy, agriculture and many other problems that the two countries need to solve.
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Planners Present Possible Solutions for Pittsfield Public Schools Restructuring

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  A decline in Pittsfield's population has planners reviewing the size and number of the city's elementary schools, their grade configurations and the curricular offerings of the middle and high schools.



Tuesday's update to the School Building Needs Commission from DRA architects on the restructuring study included information about demographics and enrollment; zoning and environmental mapping; Massachusetts School Building Authority guidelines; and grade span and alignment options.

"It's a lot to think about," committee member Kathy Amuso said.



An online survey on the school's physical and educational needs garnered more than 650 responses from students, staff, parents and guardians, and the wider community.



The planners would like to have 1,000 survey responses and are planning another in-person meeting so that community members can voice their thoughts on the restructuring project.



Demographics show that Pittsfield's population will continue to decline unless more young families begin moving to the city. The school system is expected to see an enrollment decline over the next five years but then a gradual increase to levels slightly below the present day in the following five years.



The elementary schools are expected to see an increase of 215 students in the next 10 years while middle schools are expected to see a 23-student decrease and high schools a 199-student decrease.



Districtwide prekindergarten is included in the elementary projections.



"The entry point of preK seems to be a really important decision because that could drive even the grade configuration or the facilities itself," Superintendent Joseph Curtis said.



"And although we have wait lists on each one of our preK sites, we also have to discuss staffing them too, which is always a concern that if we do make the investment in the physical structure, can we staff additional preKs?"



School Building Needs Commi... by Brittany Polito
MCLA Volleyball Earns MASCAC Win

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Off to its best start since 2015, the MCLA volleyball team Saturday made short work of MASCAC rival Mass Maritime in the Trailblazers annual Dig Pink Game, sweeping the Bucs 25-19, 25-18, 25-12 to earn its first conference win of the season.

Lee High's Elizabeth Brown led all players with 10 digs and recorded eight kills with a .438 hitting percentage.

MCLA (12-3, 1-1 MASCAC) goes to Fitchburg State on Wednesday.

Golf

After their impressive runner-up performance in last weekend's 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts golf team has placed two first-year players on the All-Conference Team.

Mat Gover, who won the individual championship earned First Team honors and was named as both Player and Rookie of the Year. Alex Ferris, who finished tied for ninth was named to the All-MASCAC second Team.
Russia has put four ships on combat duty in the Black Sea, one of which is a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles, one ship in the Sea of Azov, and three ships in the Mediterranean, one of them a missile carrier, according to the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian Navy on Saturday morning.

During the day, in the interests of the Russian Federation, the following vessels passed through the Kerch-Yenikal Strait to the Sea of Azov - 22 vessels, of which nine were moving from the Bosporus Strait; to the Black Sea - 16 ships, of which four continued to move towards the Bosphorus Strait.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned the attack on Israel on the morning of Saturday, October 7.

"Ukraine strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. We express our support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its people," according to the report on Twitter.

The EU also declared solidarity with Israel in connection with the Hamas attack. "The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments," EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell wrote.

"We unequivocally condemn the attacks by Hamas. This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing," he added.

As the Times of Israel reported, "Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip launched a rocket attack on southern and central Israel on Saturday morning." It also became known that dozens of Palestinian militants in trucks and paragliders entered from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. Hamas subsequently claimed to have captured 35 Israeli citizens.

At the same time, the head of the military wing of Hamas, Mohammed Deif, said that the movement fired 5,000 rockets at Israel, marking the beginning of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

In turn, the Israel Defense Forces announced the launch of Operation Iron Swords in connection with large-scale attacks by Hamas.

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said that more than 2,200 rockets were fired at Israel, and Hamas militants infiltrated the country by land, air and sea.
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Amid the rumours that Kayne West and Bianca Censori were married in a non-legally binding ceremony, it has recently been reported that the couple is legally married.

The couple was married on 20 December 2022 which is just one month after Wests divorce from his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, according to The Daily Mail. The confidential marriage licence mentioned that the two were wed in Palo Alto, California.

The marriage licence is registered under Censoris full name, while West only wrote Ye as he legally changed his name back in October 2021.

A source told the outlet how private the couple is when explaining their decision to use a confidential marriage licence. Ye has been a megastar for two decades and counting, and his first marriage was to someone who lives almost full-time in front of a camera, they said.

Bianca and Ye have a totally different vibe. They are very private, very affectionate and totally devoted to each other. I think they both enjoy carving out time thats just for them

They continued: For that reason theyve been extremely hush-hush about the specifics of their wedding day. I dont think anyone besides the pair of them knows exactly how it went down.

Its unclear when exactly Censori, 28, and West, 46, began dating, but she joined the Yeezy organisation in November 2020 as the head designer for Yeezy, Wests fashion brand, and nearly two years later the Flashing Lights rapper released a song titled Censori Overload in a nod to his new partner.

Censori first confirmed the marriage rumours back in May when a TikTok influencer gratefulboynuee posted an interaction with Censori in which she confirmed that she was married.

The 26-second-long clip features Censori only, as gratefulboynuee asks her questions about her day.

After complimenting the video-maker compliments her level of eye contact, Censori laughs and says: Thanks! Are you just shopping around?

Later in their short conversation, the TikToker asks: Can I get your number? to which Censori replies: Im married!

Yea Married To Kanye, reads the videos caption with a raised eyebrow emoji.

Prior to his marriage to Censori, West was married to Kardashian for six years and they share four children together.

In season three of Hulus The Kardashians, which premiered on 25 May, she opened up about the emotional turmoil she experienced while going through her very public divorce from the rapper.

Theres been a lot going on with Kanye right now, the SKIMS founder told cameras in her confessional. I think at this point, I just assume everything I text Kanye is gonna be put on the internet.

Ye had previously shared screenshots of his text messages with Kardashian, in which they appeared to disagree over their childrens schooling. He has also publicly lashed out at Kardashians mother, Kris Jenner, over her parenting skills. Dont let Kris make you do Playboy like she made [Kylie] and Kim do, he posted back in September.

During the Hulu episode, Kardashian expressed her sadness that her mother had been dragged into her drama with her ex-husband. I think I can handle anything, I just get really heartbroken for my mom, that she has to deal with so much from so many different sides, Kardashian said.

The Independent has reached out to representatives for West for comment.
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Sirens were heard around Tel Aviv this morning (7 October), as the deals with the aftermath of dozens of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

One woman has so far been confirmed dead, and anyone living around the Gaza Strip has been urged to stay indoors.

The Times of Israel reported that hospitals in Beersheba, Rehovot, have received over 100 wounded.

Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif said 5,000 rockets had been fired into Israel to begin Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Weve decided to say enough is enough, he said, encouraging the involvement of Palestinians in the operation.

In footage from the aftermath, bus shelters can be seen destroyed, windows blown out, and emergency services on standby ready to deal with any further attacks.

Israels defence minister, Yoav Gallant, has declared a state of war, and insists that Hamas will face the consequences.

This is the largest attack on Israel in a number of years.
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Rishi Sunak has said the UK Government stands in full solidarity with Israel against a cowardly and depraved attack after more than 200 people were killed during an incursion by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip.

Britain will co-ordinate support for the Middle Eastern country with international partners over the next 24 hours as it reels from a surprise onslaught by Hamas on Saturday, the Prime Minister said.

Israels premier Benjamin Netanyahu said we are at war following the attack, and that the group would pay a price that it hasnt known until now as he called up reservists.

Mr Sunak wrote on social media: As the barbarity of todays atrocities becomes clearer, we stand unequivocally with Israel. This attack by Hamas is cowardly and depraved.

We have expressed our full solidarity to @netanyahu and will work with international partners in the next 24 hours to co-ordinate support.

At least 200 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in the violence, according to the countrys national rescue service  making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

And at least 198 people have been killed and 1,610 wounded in Gaza in Israeli retaliation, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Hamas caught Israel off-guard on Simchat Torah, a major holiday, with a show of force including the deployment of dozens of soldiers to the countrys heavily fortified border on Saturday.

The attack revived memories of the 1973 war almost 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

Videos released by Hamas suggested at least three Israelis had been captured alive.

And footage has been posted on social media of fighters from the group parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets.

US President Joe Biden said he spoke to Mr Netanyahu about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel.

He said: The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

Jill and I are keeping in our prayers all of the families who have been hurt by this violence. We are heartbroken by the lives that have been tragically cut short and hope for a swift recovery for all those who have been wounded.

My team and I are tracking this situation closely, and I will remain in close touch with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote on social media: Hamas are not fighters.

Hamas are not militants.

Hamas are terrorists.

There is no other word to describe the brutality of firing rockets or terrorist attacks targeting civilians.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

Israel has a right to defend herself.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamic militant group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007, and the two have fought wars ever since.

In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu made his first remarks since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak on Saturday.

We are at war, Mr Netanyahu said.

Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas, describing the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing.

The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.
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Rishi Sunak has said Israel has an absolute right to defend itself and the countrys prime minister said it was at war after at least 200 people were killed during attacks by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip.

The UK Prime Minister said the Government is in contact with Israeli authorities after Hamas sent fighters across the border and fired thousands of rockets in what it said was a new operation.

Israels premier Benjamin Netanyahu said the group would pay a price that it hasnt known until now as he called up reservists.

At least 200 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in the incursion in Israel, according to the countrys national rescue service, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

And at least 198 people have been killed and 1,610 wounded in Gaza in Israeli retaliation, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Videos released by Hamas suggested at least three Israelis had been captured alive.

And footage has been posted on social media of Hamas fighters parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets.

Mr Sunak, writing on X, said: I am shocked by this mornings attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.

Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.

Were in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.

US President Joe Biden said he spoke to Mr Netanyahu about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel.

He said: The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

Jill and I are keeping in our prayers all of the families who have been hurt by this violence. We are heartbroken by the lives that have been tragically cut short and hope for a swift recovery for all those who have been wounded.

My team and I are tracking this situation closely, and I will remain in close touch with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote on social media: Hamas are not fighters.

Hamas are not militants.

Hamas are terrorists.

There is no other word to describe the brutality of firing rockets or terrorist attacks targeting civilians.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

Israel has a right to defend herself.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamic militant group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007 and the two have fought wars ever since.

In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu made his first remarks since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak on Saturday.

We are at war, Mr Netanyahu said.

Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Hamas caught Israel off-guard on Simchat Torah, a major holiday, with a show of force including the deployment of dozens of soldiers to the countrys heavily fortified border on Saturday.

The attack revived memories of the 1973 war almost 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas, describing the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing.

The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.
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Hunt saboteurs claim supporters of a hunt went on a rampage, targeting opponents homes, trying doors, smashing car windows and slashing tyres to intimidate them.

The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, based in Dorset and Somerset, denies any involvement and says it will help police with any inquiries. It said it hoped the attackers were brought swiftly to justice.

In the first attack, in Somerset around 6.30pm on Thursday evening, the tyres were slashed on cars belonging to an activist and his wife, and the windscreen and side windows were broken on his car, according to North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs.

The wife reportedly saw two masked men smashing the cars but they fled when the owner went to confront them.

The activists wife is traumatised and his adult children are now extremely concerned for his safety, a spokesperson for the saboteurs group told The Independent.

The damage to the car has been put at 3,000.

In the second case, in Dorset at about 8pm, attackers allegedly tried to break into an activists home, trying the door handle and banging on the door.

Tyres were slashed and a windscreen and side window were smashed on the activists work van on the drive, the spokesperson said.

He was on the phone to his girlfriend at the time and she was very scared. His elderly parents live with him so hes concerned for their safety too.

North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs say in the past six weeks they have stepped up their efforts to stop hunters targeting wildlife, and clashes have increased.

Masked hunt supporters confront a female hunt opponent in Dorset (North Dorset Saboteurs)

It seems that after six weeks of being constantly sabbed, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale are feeling the pressure, the spokesperson said, highlighting a video clip said to show terriermen illegally digging out a fox before a chase.

They said such scenarios are common in rural areas.

The violence underlines the continuing skirmishes over countryside activities across Britain. Saboteurs often report having cameras stolen to destroy evidence of hunting and of alleged assaults.

Earlier in the week, two female sabs from Dorset were reportedly attacked by three masked men.

Their cameras were stolen and they were pushed and shoved. Several 999 calls were made but Dorset Police Rural Crime Team did not attend. Apparently they said it was low priority and would be classed as disturbance of the peace rather than robbery, they said.

Sabs will remain undeterred by these mindless acts of violence, and as history as shown, violence never makes sabs go away. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.

The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt (North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs)

Somerset and Dorset have the highest numbers of police reports of hunt havoc collected by the League Against Cruel Sports.

A spokesperson for the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt said: The hunt does not condone violence or criminal behaviour under any circumstances and strongly denies any involvement in this incident.

We appreciate this must be a distressing time for the individual concerned and hope those responsible are brought swiftly to justice.

The hunt will assist the police with any enquiries and urges anybody with any information about this crime to contact the police on 101.

Dorset Police were unavailable for comment.
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Knife-crime ASBOs being trialled in the capital are disproportionately affecting young Black men and boys, new figures reveal, as experts call for the highly discriminatory scheme to be scrapped.

Court orders preventing individuals as young as 12 from carrying knives, known as Knife Crime Prevention Orders (KCPOs), were first introduced in London in a Metropolitan Police pilot scheme in 2021, with plans for a nationwide rollout in the future.

The orders can be handed to anyone police believe may be carrying knives and can include conditions such as curfews, restrictions on travel to certain areas and curbs on social media use  as well as requirements to attend educational courses or counselling.

Experts have now called for the Home Office to halt any further rollout after early data from the pilot revealed 64 per cent of those impacted by the orders were Black.

Official results from the trial, which concluded in March, have not yet been published. But data obtained by StopWatch, a research and campaign group focussed on stop and search tactics and policing of marginalised communities, revealed that 138 KCPOs had been imposed as of February 2023  with the youngest recipient just 13.

Holly Bird, StopWatchs policy and research officer, said: The data tells us exactly what we had expected: that these orders disproportionately target young Black men and boys.

The majority of recipients were Black (64 per cent), while 25 per cent were white, almost 6 per cent were Asian and a similar number were Arabic.

Launching the pilot in 2021, then-home secretary Priti Patel claimed KCPOs would crack down on knife crime and help steer people away from violence.

Prosecutors can apply for a KCPO to be imposed if a person is convicted of a knife-related offence. Police can also apply for one without a conviction, if they can show a magistrate that on the balance of probabilities the person has carried a bladed article on at least two occasions.

However, a recent report from human rights charity Justice found there had been an explosion in behavioural reform orders in recent years, including KCPOs, but warned they should not be seen as a magic bullet in addressing matters of public safety and security.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel claimed KCPOs would crack down on knife crime (PA) (PA Wire)

Researchers said that successive governments have failed to provide robust evidence of their effectiveness, adding that there are data gaps and no clear mechanism for measuring results, including if they have prevented further offending.

Researchers also found orders can be highly discriminatory and unduly punitive, with children particularly likely to breach stringent conditions and be drawn deeper into the justice system.

A working party which put together the report said they heard criticisms that behaviour orders were a knee-jerk reaction to complex issues, and fail to tackle the root causes of knife crime such as poverty, inequality and education.

Justice lawyer Andrea Fraser called for the schemes expansion to be halted and said there needed to be greater focus on community-led interventions.

She told The Independent: We all want safe and fair communities for young people to grow up in, which is why the government must tackle the causes of crime by addressing poverty, closing the educational attainment gap, and investing in youth services.

In contrast, KCPOs, like other modern-day ASBOs, over-promise and under-deliver. They push children and young people further into the criminal justice system, isolating them from positive support networks.

The number of people killed with a sharp instrument, including knives, in England and Wales in the year to March 2022 was 261, the highest since records began (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)

These orders are mainly imposed on Black children and young people, and emerging evidence highlights the risk of them being used discriminatorily. We urge the Home Office to halt the national rollout and instead focus on community-led solutions.

Ms Bird, of StopWatch, which obtained data from the pilot via a Freedom of Information request, said expanding KCPOs across England and Wales would be a huge mistake.

These excessively punitive orders are extremely unlikely to be an effective tool when it comes to addressing knife crime, she told The Independent.

Instead, they will simply draw more young people (and especially young people of colour) into an already racist criminal justice system, and will do little to break cycles of violence and harm.

She added: Rolling out KCPOs nationwide would be a huge mistake  they should be scrapped entirely.

As with so many other civil orders, its clear that the government want to roll out KCPOs not because these orders will be an effective, evidence-based, holistic way of dealing with youth violence or protecting victims, but rather so that the Conservatives can demonstrate their tough on crime credentials and show voters that theyre doing something about the issue.

Knife-crime campaigner Patrick Green, CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust, called for a move away from quick fix solutions to tackling knife crime, adding that for KCPOs to be an effective tool there needs to be a programme of support to help prevent breaches.

Instead, efforts should focus on evidence-based intervention programmes to address the root causes of knife crime, he said.

He added: I have always harboured reservations about the use of Knife Crime Prevention Orders as a way to tackle knife crime. There is a risk that KCPOs can draw young people into the criminal justice system, rather than away from it. By further marginalising them, we make it more difficult for them to find support and turn their lives around. Achieving the exact opposite of what we set out to do.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), used to stop anyone aged 10 or over from harassing, causing alarm or distress to others, were scrapped in 2014 and replaced with civil injunctions and Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs).

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who opened Londons Violence Reduction Unit to help with early intervention projects to tackle knife crime in the capital, is said to be awaiting the final evaluation from the KCPO pilot.

However, responding to the figures, a spokesman said that all policing powers must be used proportionately.

The spokesman added: The piloting of Knife Crime Prevention Orders is one tool in a much larger package of measures being used by the Metropolitan Police to tackle violence and help make London safer for everyone.

The Mayor has always been clear that all policing powers, including those used in this scheme, must be used proportionately in our communities. We will be reviewing the final evaluation of the pilot to ensure that any disproportionate impact is properly scrutinised along with the pilots overall effectiveness in preventing violence.

A Home Office spokesperson said: Knife crime tears families apart and we are committed to addressing the root causes of this violence.

Behavioural orders, such as Knife Crime Prevention Orders, can provide additional tools for the police to help manage risk. We are also investing heavily in a twin-track approach to reducing violence, which combines early intervention and prevention with tough enforcement measures.

The Independent approached the Metropolitan Police for comment.
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A man has been jailed after attempting to kill two soldiers outside a pub in Maidstone in Kent.

Anthony Deeprose, 30, drove his Vauxhall Corsa over the head of one soldier and hit the other following an argument with the pair outside a Wetherspoon pub.

Deeprose was jailed for 27 years at Maidstone Crown Court after being found guilty of two counts of attempted murder.

A Kent Police spokesperson told the court that the incident occurred when Mr Deeprose was out with friends at a pub on 12 November 2022. A group of soldiers were also at an event nearby, raising money for the Help for Heroes charity.

Following an altercation at the pub, Deeprose punched one of the soldiers, Alex White, in the head.

Despite being disqualified from driving, he then got into his car and drove it directly at the other soldiers, knocking over Ben Walsh and colliding with George Wilkie.

He then drove off before turning back, deliberately driving over Mr Walshs head as he lay in the road.

The two soldiers, Ben Walsh, and George Wilkie, were taken to a London hospital to be treated for their injuries. Mr Walsh suffered life-changing injuries.

Detective Constable Mark Butler, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: Deeprose knew he was likely to cause serious harm to those he drove towards and it is only by chance that we were not dealing with fatalities. Nonetheless, one of the victims suffered life-changing injuries and many of those involved would have been traumatised by this appalling incident.

I would like to commend the victims and witnesses who have supported our investigation throughout and ensured this dangerous individual is now serving a lengthy prison sentence. The staff at the public house and the victims friends should also be congratulated for the first aid they gave to the two injured men immediately after the incident, and the subsequent assistance they provided to the emergency services.
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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.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has created an operational headquarters to assist Ukrainian citizens in Israel. At the moment, there are no Ukrainians among those injured as a result of the fighting, Oleh Nikolenko, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has said.

"The Ukrainian embassy is in constant contact with the Israeli authorities and the main hospitals. Diplomats are keeping the situation under control," Nikolenko wrote on Facebook.

Ukrainians in Israel are advised to refrain from visiting the central and southern regions of the country and to closely monitor reports from local Israeli authorities to increase awareness of developments. In the event of shelling, it is recommended to pay attention to all warnings and follow the instructions of local authorities. If you are in populated areas of Israel that are in close proximity to the Gaza Strip, it is recommended to immediately use bomb shelters when the air raid signal is activated.

In case of emergency situations, Ukrainian citizens must contact the hotlines of the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel: + 972 546 676 782 or the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Ramallah + 972 59 823 93 99.

For more information, it is recommended to follow the IDF Internal Front Command website https://www.oref.org.il/en (link accessible from within Israel).
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Labour has unveiled pledges to double the number of diagnostic scanners in hospitals and get tough on property developers as the party sets out its stall on health and housing ahead of its conference in Liverpool.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner promised the party would deliver the biggest boost to affordable housing for a generation in an interview with the Guardian outlining proposals for planning reform.

Meanwhile, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Labour would funnel 171 million a year into a fit for the future fund for purchasing new equipment to cut NHS waiting times.

Renewing his warning that the service must modernise or die, he told the Times the money would be enough to double the number of CT and MRI scanners in the NHS over a parliament, so patients get diagnosed with conditions earlier.

New equipment would have inbuilt artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic tools and would be funded by scrapping the non-dom tax status.

It comes as MPs, delegates and lobbyists gather in Liverpool this weekend for five days of policy debate, rallies and networking at what could be Labours last conference before a general election expected next year.

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer will head to the annual gathering buoyed by a comfortable lead in the polls and a resounding by-election victory over the SNP in Scotlands Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat.

His deputy Ms Rayner, who is also shadow levelling up secretary, will use her main speech to pledge a decent job, a secure home and a strong community for all under a Labour government.

The Oppositions plan for secure homes to end the Tories housing emergency will also feature, following an interview in the Guardian in which she promised to prevent developers wriggling out of their affordable housing obligations, known as section 106 rules.

Under its proposals, Labour said it would set up a new expert unit to give councils and housing associations advice to get the best deal during negotiations with property firms.

It would publish guidance that would effectively restrict developers to challenging 106 rules only if there were genuine barriers to building homes.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will take to the main stage on Monday to detail how Labour would revive the sluggish economy, before Sir Keirs keynote address on Tuesday.

The Labour Party womens conference will take place in Liverpool on Saturday, the day before the main events get under way.

The gathering follows the Conservatives conference in Manchester, which was overshadowed by the fate of HS2.

Mr Sunak defied senior Tories and business leaders to scrap the rail line from Birmingham to Manchester, saying the facts have changed and the cost of the high-speed rail scheme had more than doubled.

Sir Keir has said Labour cannot commit to reversing the decision if it wins the next general election due to the damage done by the Government.

The Tories urged him to clarify his position on HS2, as well as his support for a raft of transport schemes announced by Mr Sunak in place of the cancelled leg.

Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands said: We all know Keir Starmer wont tell us his plans if he becomes prime minister because hes afraid of losing votes, and he changes his position to whatever he thinks people want to hear.

Our country faces an important choice: Rishi Sunak, who will make the hard but necessary long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for the future, or Sir Keir Starmer, who is just like the same old politicians that have come before  always focused on the short-term and lacking the backbone to make the big changes Britain needs.

Mr Streeting in turn attacked what he claimed was a governing party appearing in hock to cranks, crackpots and conspiracy theorists on the right after the Tory conference saw a minister claim Labour was relaxed about taxing meat and another rail against sinister 15-minute cities.

I think there will be many decent, mainstream longstanding Conservative supporters who looked in on the Conservative Party conference this week and wondered what on earth happened to the party of Churchill, he told the Times.

Ahead of the conference, which carries the slogan Lets get Britains future back, Ms Rayner said: With five prime ministers in seven years and constant chaos and instability, Britains future has been left to take a back seat. The Tories legacy is national decline  a nation levelled down and starved of hope.

While the Tories have stolen Britains future, its Labour that will give it back with our plan to make working people better off by securing growth for all people and in all places.
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A ceremony is being held in an Irish village to mark a year since 10 people died in an explosion at a service station.

Voice of an Angel was played as the memorial service began just before 3pm.

Locals were silent as they gathered at the street leading to the site of the blast.

Four men, three women and three young people, ranging in age from five to 59, died in the blast that took place in the Co Donegal village of Creeslough on the afternoon of Friday October 7 last year.

Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine ODonnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, fashion student Jessica Gallagher, Celtic fan Martin McGill, Sydney native James OFlaherty, shop worker Martina Martin, carpenter Hugh Hughie Kelly and 14-year-old Leona Harper were killed in the explosion.

A vigil mass is to take place at 7.30pm at St Michaels Church to remember those who died and those who were injured, and to thank the first responders to the scene.

The rescue and recovery effort, involving members of the community and emergency services on both sides of the border, was praised and sympathies were shared from across the world in the aftermath of the explosion.

A year on, no update has been given publicly on what caused the explosion.

Irish police previously said the incident was being treated as a tragic accident, with a gas leak considered as one possibility.

An Garda Siochana said ahead of the anniversary that its investigation was continuing as expeditiously as possible.

It said that over 1,350 lines of inquiry had been actioned and more than 900 statements had been taken.

Various Garda agencies are involved in the investigation and are being assisted by the Norwegian company Det Norske Veritas, which specialises in investigating and testing energy systems.

Ahead of the anniversary date, the families of those who died requested that the media respect their privacy.

Irelands premier Leo Varadkar said: Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones and the community in Creeslough today and every day. Seasimid libh.

Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said he was thinking of the people of Creeslough today, one year on since the terrible tragedy.

We remember the 10 lives lost, those injured, their families, and an entire community united in grief, Mr Martin said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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A blind woman was refused access to a London hospital with her sick daughter by a security guard, prompting an apology from the hospital trust.

Historian Dr Amy Kavanagh has described how the worker at the West Middlesex University Hospital attempted to bar her because she was accompanied by her guide dog Ava.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has said an internal review would take pace immediately.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Dr Kavanagh, who campaigns on disability issues, wrote: Tonight a hospital security guard tried to stop me entering urgent care with @GuideDogAva & my poorly baby.

We kept walking after firmly saying this is a guide dog.

Very grateful to the members of the public who also shouted him down & the nurse on the reception who had words.

She added: As a mother with an ill child I should not have to also deal with the additional fear & stress of an access refusal because of my guide dog.

The law has existed for over 25 years. There is no excuse for staff, including third-party contractors, in public service to be unaware.

Ava wears a huge sign and multiple labels stating she is a guide dog.

Little One is OK, nothing serious but worth checking so we could get some advice.

Its exhausting constantly dealing with this in the NHS.

If you work in healthcare, have conversations with your security teams & educate them about assistance dogs.

A spokeswoman for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said that they had reached out to Dr Kavanagh and the issue had been raised at the highest levels of the trust.

She said: We are taking this incident seriously, our organisation is fully committed to providing accessible services for everyone in our community, in a safe and welcoming environment

We have contacted the patient to offer our sincere apologies and importantly, to ensure that appropriate action will take place following an immediate internal review.
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Nigel Farage accused the Tories of copying the rhetoric of Reform UK, but not the actions, as he opened a party conference centred on Brexit and immigration.

The former Ukip leader said the Conservatives have become a social democrat party in all but name with big-state, high-tax policies.

Both Mr Farage and Reform UK leader Richard Tice have sought to paint the party as an alternative for those on the Tory right who voted Leave in the 2016 referendum.

Their attack on Government centres on what they claim amounts to a failure to properly deliver Brexit by repealing more EU-era laws and controlling immigration more tightly.

Speaking at the Reform UK conference, which carries the slogan Lets Save Britain, Mr Farage told the PA news agency: A lot of the arguments that were making, arguments on the cost of net zero, arguments on what is happening in the English Channel, for example, have been noticed, and the rhetoric was very much copied by the Conservatives over the course of the last couple of weeks, but not the actions.

Reform UK, previously named the Brexit Party and headed by Mr Farage, has never had any MPs.

It also had a poor showing in the May local elections, failing to gain any seats despite fielding nearly 500 candidates and losing half its councillors, retaining eight.

But the party has consistently been in fourth place in opinion polls at around 6%, just ahead of the Green Party.

It has returned the word Brexit to its party logo for its 2023 conference, saying it intends to reclaim the word from the Conservatives in the run-up to a general election expected next year.

In his speech to party conference, Mr Tice sought to appeal to opponents of climate policy and open borders by saying Reform UK wanted to go net zero on immigration rather than carbon emissions.

Appearing to refer to people who arrive in the UK having crossed the Channel, he said: Lets pick up, lets take back to France, and then show the EU leaders this is what they need to do in the Mediterranean.

Only then will this crisis, this hurricane of migration that Suella Braverman talked about, only then will it be stopped.

Mr Tice was alluding to the Home Secretarys controversial speech at Tory Party conference in which she said a hurricane of mass migration is coming, causing unease among some senior Conservatives.

The four-day event in Manchester included a surprise appearance from Mr Farage, during which he snubbed Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks open door policy on a return to the party but gleefully posed with a steady stream of Tory members.

Maybe he thought that I could be tempted to re-join a party that has betrayed many of those Brexit promises, he said to loud applause in a speech at the Reform UK conference.

Its very, very sweet of you Prime Minister but Im really sorry, the answer is no, I will not.

He said he would focus his efforts on backing Reform UK, saying there was a gap in the political market for the party to fill.

Likening its position to that of Ukip in 2012, Mr Farage said: This party has been bubbling away quietly just under the radar.

Reform UK plans to field 630 candidates across England, Scotland and Wales in the next general election.

It has ruled out standing aside to allow the Conservatives to gain more seats, as it did in more than 300 seats under its Brexit Party name in 2019 to avoid splitting the Leave vote.
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There are 335 Metropolitan Police officers who are waiting to face gross misconduct hearings, the force has said.

These are disciplinary cases where an officer has been accused of a serious breach in their standard of professional behaviour and could be sacked if gross misconduct is proven.

This backlog is a significant increase compared to this time last year and the Met wants 30 misconduct hearings and 30 gross incompetence hearings to take place per month, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said.

The force is aiming to rebuild public trust and confidence in policing after it was shattered by a slew of scandals, including the murder of Sarah Everard by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens and the unmasking of former police constable David Carrick as a serial abuser and rapist.

Lawyers known as legally qualified chairs (LQCs) were brought in to oversee police disciplinary panels in 2016 as part of efforts to make the system more transparent, but critics say it is too slow and senior officers are more likely to sack those found guilty of wrongdoing.

Mr Cundy said: The Met currently have 335 officers awaiting a gross misconduct hearing.

A significant increase compared to this time last year.

We are planning for 30 misconduct hearings and 30 gross incompetence hearings to take place per month.

Managing this many hearings requires an ambitious plan, which is vitally important if we are to rebuild the publics trust and confidence.

He added: This will require additional funding, case managers, lawyers and hearing suites to manage the significant increases in cases.

We also need the support of the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime, to maximise the availability of legally qualified chairs (LQCs) so they can schedule and chair more hearings.

This work is part of the strongest reform of culture and standards in decades and is a crucial element of our mission for more trust, less crime, high standards.

Since he took on the role of Metropolitan Police Commissioner last year, Sir Mark Rowley has been pushing for change after estimating there were hundreds of rogue officers in his force, but the rules in place meant he was powerless to dismiss them.

The Home Office carried out a review of the police disciplinary system after the high-profile cases.

Plans to overhaul the disciplinary process, announced in August, included the possibility of police officers in England and Wales facing automatic dismissal if found guilty of gross misconduct.

It was suggested that chief constables or other senior officers could have greater powers to root out and sack rogue staff from their forces as part of reforms which would see them again preside over misconduct hearings.

Force bosses could also have the right to challenge decisions, the Home Office said, while law changes would ensure officers who fail vetting checks can be sacked.

The head of watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) previously warned against making chief constables judge and jury in disciplinary hearings.

Under the plans, a finding of gross misconduct would automatically result in a police officers dismissal unless exceptional circumstances apply.

The Home Office was unable to explain what would be classed as an exceptional circumstance but said it would be down to the disciplinary panel in the case to decide whether this would exempt an officer from being immediately fired.
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London mayor Sadiq Khan has accused Rishi Sunak of wishful thinking for saying that the private sector will stump up an estimated 6.5bn to pay for part of HS2.

The prime minister announced this week that the northern leg of the high-speed rail network between Birmingham and Manchester would be scrapped.

However, he promised to deliver the London link between Old Oak Common and Euston Station following weeks of speculation about the future of the project, first revealed by The Independent.

A new development company, separate from HS2, has reportedly been set up by the Department for Transport to fund the link after Mr Sunak diverted funds to other infrastructure projects in the North.

Earlier this week a government spokesperson said there had already been support and interest from the private sector. Mr Khan welcomed the move but expressed his serious concerns about the financing of the link.

He said it would require 6.5bn to complete the terminus at Euston and potentially more for the 7.2km (4.5 miles) tunnel link to Old Oak Common.

In a letter to the PM, seen by The Independent, Mr Khan said that given the challenges in the British economy, asserting that the private sector would invest seems wishful thinking.

Khan is worried the Euston terminus of HS2 will become a distant hope (PA)

Similarly, it is not clear how the decision was taken to do away with the link between Euston Square and Euston LU station, which is a vital part of the HS2 scheme, he added.

Mr Khan said HS2s own figures showed 85 per cent of passengers arriving at Euston used the underground station for their onward journey.

I am deeply concerned that your recent announcement will leave the Euston terminus of HS2 a distant hope, resulting in a line which ends at Old Oak Common for decades, if not permanently, in what would be a devastating blow for passengers using the line and for the economy of London and the whole country, he added.

A government spokesperson said: As has always been planned the line will finish at Euston  this is a world class regeneration opportunity and there is already extensive support and interest from the private sector to invest.

Mr Sunak, speaking at his party conference on Wednesday, finally set out his plan for HS2. He scrapped the northern leg between Birmingham and Manchester and diverted cash to other infrastructure projects across the North.

Sunak scrapped HS2 northern leg on Wednesday (EPA)

The PM pledged to reinvest every single penny, 36bn, in hundreds of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands, across the country.

This includes the creation of what he named Network North, which involves improvements to road, rail and bus schemes.

A further 12bn will be set aside to improve rail journeys between Manchester and Liverpool, which was a project previously announced as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Labour claimed that almost all of the schemes announced by the PM had already been part of government plans so cannot be described as new investments nor reinvestments.

Mr Sunak said he decided to scrap HS2 because of its spiralling costs. It was Europes biggest infrastructure project and estimated to cost 37.5bn in 2009. One recent estimate said the cost could have run to up to 100bn.
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Sir Keir Starmer has been warned his commanding poll lead is more fragile than it seems, as Labour grandees urge the party to put forward a bolder vision for Britain.

The Labour leader has been told by polling guru Sir John Curtice his successes are the result of Tory incompetence rather than his own political savvy.

And former home secretary David Blunkett has urged Sir Keir to learn the lesson from Labours past election losses, saying that Tory unpopularity is not enough to secure an election win.

It follows the Labour leader hailing a seismic victory in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, and comes on the eve of Labours annual conference in Liverpool, at which the party is unveiling its new slogan: Lets get Britains future back.

Sir Keir is hoping to use the conference to set out why voters should back his party, as opposed to simply voting against the deeply unpopular Conservatives.

One shadow minister said the biggest thing they are looking for at the conference is Sir Keir setting out "an inspirational vision for the country".

They said Labour needs to "give people hope" after years of deteriorating living standards under the Conservatives.

"I want people to want to vote for Labour not just vote against the Tories," they told The Independent.

A poll by 38 Degrees, seen by The Observer, shows Labour is on course to win a landslide 190-seat majority, bigger than Tony Blairs 1997 victory. The party would win 420 seats, with the Tories taking just 149 seats and the Liberal Democrats on 23.

The poll also shows Rishi Sunaks party is set to lose every so-called red wall seat won by Boris Johnson in 2019, while it is on course to lose a further 22 so-called blue wall southern seats.

But, writing for The Independent, Sir John said Labour may simply be the lucky beneficiary of its opponents mistakes.

He said: Voters have been pushed towards Labour by the Conservatives failures rather than pulled towards it by positive enthusiasm for the partys own offering.

And Sir John said the Labour leader has been remarkably unsuccessful at impressing himself on voters. The elections expert said Labour is plagued by a lack of clarity, question marks about competence and a relatively unpopular leader.

Should Mr Sunak prove able to turn his government around, Labour might suddenly find that their seemingly impregnable large lead is in fact rather fragile, Sir John added.

Also writing for The Independent, Lord Blunkett said his party cannot make the mistake of believing the Tories are out for the count, despite holding a sizeable lead in the polls.

He said it would be inane for Sir Keir and Rachel Reeves to ignore the lessons of past election defeats, such as Neil Kinnocks in 1992.

Lord Blunkett said: When people ask me whether this is a 1992 moment (when Labour lost) or a 1997 moment (when Labour won a landslide under Tony Blair), my answer is: neither.

What Labour is faced with is more like 1964. The Conservatives had experienced a torrid time, including the Profumo Affair.

This was accompanied by the Night of the Long Knives when a third of the cabinet was sacked. Conservative leader Harold Macmillan then became ill, and Alec Douglas Home took over  a true, old-fashioned Tory toff who, by his own admissions, did his economic calculations with matchsticks.

Harold Wilson, the Labour leader managed to win, but only by four parliamentary seats.

Lord Blunkett said the prudence of Sir Keir and Ms Reeves is understandable, but called for Labour to spend the next year setting out a positive vision for the party.

His comments come after Labour grandees including Alastair Campbell, Peter Mandelson and David Miliband called for Sir Keir to set out a clearer policy platform to win voters trust.

Mr Campbell, Tony Blairs former director of communications, told The Guardian: I sometimes worry that the Labour party today doesnt. I dont often get that sense of that sort of relentless, restless, obsessive attention to detail focusing on everything that you need to focus on.
 Close Starmer speech

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Keir Starmer vowed to oversee a decade of renewal if Labour wins the next election after his conference speech got off to a shaky start when a protester stormed on stage and covered him in glitter.

The Labour leader set out his mission for government, promising to build 1.5 million homes in what he described as a new generation of towns.

Shocking footage captured the moment the heckler evades security and dumps glitter over the Labour leader while wrapping his arms around him and shouting we are in crisis before finally being bundled to the ground.

The heckler was heard shouting: We demand a peoples house, we are in crisis  politics needs an update. We are in crisis. Footage emerged online afterwards of the protester being dragged from the building by police.

Removing his jacket and rolling up his sleeves, Starmer was applauded for keeping his cool and regaining control of the podium. He told the audience: If he thinks that bothers me he doesnt know me. Protest not power, that is why we changed our party conference.
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Nigel Farage has ruled out a return to the Tory party, claiming it is "virtually indistinguishable" from Labour.

The former Brexit Party leader, who quit the Conservative Party in 1992 after John Major signed the Maastricht Treaty, said it has become "a social democrat party in all but name" with "big-state, high-tax" policies.

And, addressing Rishi Sunak, who indicated he would welcome Mr Farage back into the Conservatives, he said: Its very, very sweet of you Prime Minister but Im really sorry, the answer is no, I will not.

It comes after Mr Sunak described the Tories as a very broad church when asked about Mr Farages membership prospects.

Mr Sunak added to GB News: I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our ideals, to our values.

At the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Farage was given a warm welcome by activists and some MPs, including being seen dancing with former home secretary Priti Patel.

Former Tory chancellor George Osborne said Mr Farage could be a future Conservative leader because of the partys shift to the right.

Although Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands said he would not welcome Mr Farage back into the party, because hes repeatedly for the last 30 years or more advocated voting for other political parties.

The Brexit Party, since renamed as Reform UK, is holding its own party conference today. Addressing activists, Mr Farage said there is a "gap in the political market" for Reform UK to fill, insisting it was "taking back the word Brexit" from the Conservative Party.

"This party has been bubbling away quietly just under the radar," he said, likening it to Ukips position in 2012.

Mr Osborne warned that Mr Farage  having pushed the Conservatives to the right during the Brexit wars  could create Farage-ism inside the Tories as the party shifts further to the right.

Hes a sort of Pied Piper character and he is leading the Tory party to his merry tune  again. You would have thought they would have learned their lesson, he said on his Political Currency podcast.

If Nigel Farage was given membership of the Conservative party  then you have opened the door to Farage-ism inside the Tory party, not led by his proxies but by Farage himself, said Mr Osborne.

The former chancellor added: Its not inconceivable that if the Conservative party lost the general election, and if Nigel Farage had rejoined as a Tory party member  then he could be a potential future leader of the Conservative party.
The administration of US President Joseph Biden is preparing to announce a new arms package for Ukraine next week, Reuters reports.

"The composition of the next round of weapons aid is still being formulated and is set to be unveiled on Wednesday at the 16th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels where security assistance will be a key topic, the officials said. It was expected to have a value of around $200 million and could include similar ammunition and ground vehicles that have been in recent aid packages," the report notes.

It is noted that the US Department of Defense continues to spend funds discovered as a result of a multi-billion dollar accounting error. The funds allowed the Biden administration to send weapons, supplies and ammunition to Kyiv, even though new aid to Ukraine was excluded from a stopgap spending bill passed by the House of Representatives over the weekend to prevent a government shutdown. But the Pentagon still has about $5.4 billion in Congressional Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) after the Pentagon discovered in June that an accounting error had overstated the cost of arms delivered to Ukraine by $6.2 billion.

Biden is also asking Congress to approve another $24 billion for Ukraine, which Ukraine aid advocates - both Republicans and Democrats - had hoped could become law as part of a spending bill. This request has not yet been reviewed.
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Rishi Sunak has been mocked for posting a picture of himself in a private jet to highlight his decision to scrap HS2s northern leg.

The prime minister was accused of having a breathtaking lack of self-awareness for the picture, posted alongside a promise to boost our transport.

In the picture, Mr Sunak is reading documents on the way to the European Political Community Summit in Granada, Spain.

This week I took long-term decisions to build a brighter future and change our country, Mr Sunak said.

The PM said his decisions will transform our towns and boost our transport.

It came after Mr Sunak used his Tory party conference speech to finally announce he was cancelling the Birmingham to Manchester link of the high speed rail project  as first revealed by The Independent.

Labours shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said Mr Sunaks picture was the perfect image to accompany the announcement youre scrapping High Speed rail.

She said: A breathtaking lack of self-awareness and utter contempt for the millions who never voted for you or this.

While shadow digital minister Sir Chris Bryant said the photo made Mr Sunak appear out of touch.

When you say our transport do you mean were all to follow your example travelling alone in what looks like an empty plane or a private jet? Can you see how some might think this looks rather - how can I put it ? - out of touch? he said.

West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said if Westminster politicians experienced what we have to deal with on Victorian rail infrastructure they would make different decisions.

Mr Sunak sparked fury when he announced the northern leg of HS2 was being cancelled, including from former prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson.

In a rare intervention, former Mr Cameron attacked Mr Sunaks decision  saying he had thrown away fifteen years of cross-party consensus and made future infrastructure projects much harder. Mr Johnson and former chancellor George Osborne shared Mr Camerons criticism, saying simply: I agree.

The PM was also criticised by northern leaders, business chiefs and senior Tories.

Mr Sunak said the government would re-invest 36bn from the high-speed rail project in a series of road and rail schemes across the country, hoping it is enough to fend off a rebellion by red wall Tory MPs.
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Women who are bullied and sexually harassed in the workplace will be given new protections as whistleblowers under a Labour government.

In another landmark change, common-law wives who live with their partners will also get the same rights, including over property, as married women should their relationship end.

In a major coup for Labour, eminent barrister Marina Wheeler KC, Boris Johnsons former wife, is to be appointed Labours whistleblowing tsar to advise on their reforms.

Ms Wheeler is the second high-profile woman to take a key job with Keir Starmers team.

Last month, Sue Gray, the Whitehall mandarin who wrote the Partygate report on drinks parties in No 10 which contributed to Mr Johnsons downfall, started work as Starmers chief of staff.

In a speech to the Labour conference on Tuesday, shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry will say the whistleblowing and common-law wife reforms will mean women do not have to live in fear suffer in silence and  hope for the best when it comes to keeping a roof over her head.

In a major coup for Labour, eminent barrister Marina Wheeler KC, Boris Johnsons former wife, is now advising the party (Shutterstock)

She will declare: That is the difference between a Tory government that pretends to care about womens rights, and a Labour Party that delivers them.

Ms Wheeler said it was a privilege to help Labour protect women from abusive colleagues.

Women in the workplace too often suffer sexual harassment and assault and they pay a heavy price for speaking out. Knowing this, and to keep their jobs, they suffer in silence, Ms Wheeler told The Independent.

She highlighted the revelation earlier this year that one in three female surgeons had reported sexual harassment or assault at the hands of colleagues over the last five years.

Ms Wheeler, an expert in employment law, said she was delighted to be working with Emily Thornberry to help formulate solutions  including law reform where necessary  to encourage women to come forward, trusting that they will not be penalised for having done so. It will be a privilege to help deliver this.

In recent years, several MPs have been accused of using their power to sexually harass and bully members of staff and others.

The Labour move also follows allegations of rape and sexual scandal against comedian Russell Brand. The claims came to light after a number of women broke years of silence over the matter. Mr Brand denies the allegations.

Last month, Sue Gray, the Whitehall mandarin who wrote the Partygate report on drinks parties in No 10, started work as Starmers chief of staff. (PA Archive)

In her speech, Ms Thornberry will say victims of sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination in the workplace are entitled to the same protection as whisteleblowers.

No woman should be forced to stay quiet for fear of being sacked, she will add.

Whistleblowers are entitled to protection against losing their job or otherwise suffering as a result of speaking out.

But the law currently applies to only a small number of areas, such as health and safety and potential miscarriages of justice.

The governments current guidelines on whistleblowers warn that personal grievances, including bullying and harassment, are not covered by whistleblowing laws unless the case is in the public interest.

Female surgeons recently lifted the lid on harassment, which they said was rife in their profession, but many said they feared speaking out because of the damage it could do to their careers.

Ms Thornberry will also pledge to reform the law for couples who live together. She will say that, for too long, women have been left with no rights when those relationships come to an end.

No woman should be forced to get married or stay in an unhappy relationship just to avoid being put out on the street.

Countries including New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland have changed laws to offer extra protections to cohabiting couples.

Surveys show many people still believe the common law myth that if a couple have lived together for long enough they are effectively treated as married under the law.

Tory MP Caroline Nokes, chair of the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, recently called on the government to give greater protections to the growing number of cohabitating partners.

Details of Labours latest announcement came a day after deputy leader Angela Rayner unveiled plans to clamp down on sexual harassment in the workplace.

Her proposals include a statutory code of practice for employers, clear processes on how to deal with sexual harassment at work and training to help assess foreseeable risks.

Ms Rayner told The Independent sexual harassment was rife as she warned such behaviour is destroying careers and ruining womens lives.

She said recent high-profile cases which have hit the 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.
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Rishi Sunak has said Israel has an absolute right to defend itself as the countrys prime minister said it was at war following attacks by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip.

The UK Prime Minister said the Government is in contact with Israeli authorities after Hamas sent fighters across the border and fired thousands of rockets in what it said was a new operation.

Israels premier Benjamin Netanyahu said the group would pay a price that it hasnt known until now as he ordered up a call of reservists.

Mr Sunak, writing on X, said: I am shocked by this mornings attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.

Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.

Were in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly wrote on social media: The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians.

The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: I utterly condemn the ongoing attacks on Israel and her citizens.

There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

Israel has a right to defend herself.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since Islamic militant group Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007 and the two have fought wars ever since.

In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu made his first remarks since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak on Saturday.

We are at war, Mr Netanyahu said. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Hamas caught Israel off-guard on Simchat Torah, a major holiday, with a show of force including the deployment of dozens of soldiers to the countrys heavily fortified border on Saturday.

The attack revived memories of the 1973 war almost 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas, describing the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing.

The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.
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Sir Keir Starmer has said he would be a prime minister for the whole of Scotland, including those who voted Yes to independence, as he pitched to SNP supporters following his partys by-election win.

Labours huge majority in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West result has also led to an SNP MP warning his party should not turn into a fundamentalist tribute act.

Taking 58% of the vote, Labours Michael Shanks won more than twice as many votes as SNP candidate Katy Loudon, exceeding expectations and providing Sir Keirs party with a boost ahead of its annual conference.

While turnout at the by-election was low at 37.2%, analysts said that if the 20.4% swing to Labour were replicated at a general election the party could win around 40 seats north of the border.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said on Friday that his party must take the result on the chin and promised to regroup.

Speaking to the Daily Record, Sir Keir said the SNP was now on the ropes.

He added: What happened here in this constituency, in this by-election, is historic because we ran a positive case for change by a changed Scottish Labour party, working with a changed Labour Party, and people came out in their thousands.

Pitching to SNP supporters, he said: Whether you voted Yes or No in the referendum here in Scotland, I will be a prime minister for the whole of Scotland.

Labours conference begins in Liverpool on Sunday, while the SNP will hold its conference in Aberdeen starting on October 15.

Writing in The Scotsman, former SNP frontbencher Stewart McDonald warned his party should not respond to the defeat with an emotional spasm.

The Glasgow South MP said the scale of the Labour victory could not be dismissed or diminished by the low turnout, saying weve been skelped and theres no point in pretending otherwise.

He said the SNP should take a long-term view when members debate the strategy for independence at the upcoming conference.

Any strategy should not be an emotional spasm, he said, arguing: There are no victories in becoming a fundamentalist tribute act.

Just look at the Tories.

SNP members will discuss a leadership motion which could see talks on leaving the UK start if the party wins a majority of Scottish seats at the next general election.

On Friday, Mr Yousaf said his party would reflect, regroup and well reorganise, and come back stronger.

Discussing the conference motion, he said: I always said I will listen to the party and reflect on the amendments that come in, and then see if we can find a position that carries all of the party in the same direction.

Thats what Im hoping to do.
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Ornithology enthusiasts in Chicago were left stunned by a major bird collision in the city, which has left hundreds of the animals dead.

The incident which occurred earlier this week comes amid a major migration in the area, with adverse weather, glass and high-intensity migration thought to be among the causes.

The Chicago Bird Collision Monitors reported that its volunteers had collected close to 300 injured birds, with many more dead, on Thursday alone.

The groups volunteers work to protect and recover migratory birds killed and injured in the downtown Chicago area each year during spring and autumn migrations.

PhD candidate Taylor Hains, who works at the Chicago Field Museum and assists with bird collection told WTTV News that birds were still colliding with windows at the McCormick Place building as rescue operations continued.

The Independent understands that the total number of birds collected on Thursday eventually totalled nearly 900.

David Willard is a retired bird division collections manager at the Chicago Field Museum, where his duties included administering, preserving and cataloguing the museums collection of 500,000 bird specimens as well as searching for bird strikes as part of migration research.

He told the Associated Press that the scenes outside McCormick Place was like a carpet of dead birds at the windows.

A normal night would be zero to 15 (dead) birds. It was just kind of a shocking outlier to what weve experienced, Mr Willard said.

Dead birds in Chicago following a major bird collision event (Taylor Hains)

In 40 years of keeping track of whats happening at McCormick, weve never seen anything remotely on that scale.

A post from BirdCast, an organisation which provides real-time predictions of bird migrations, read: Our colleagues and friends in the Chicago, Illinois area have sad news about a major bird collision event that occurred last night and this morning, 4-5 October 2023.

Reports from the area indicate that large numbers of birds died in collisions while major migration was occurring in the area.

Although details are still emerging, this event appears to be a combination of high-intensity migration, adverse weather conditions for flying, and light and glass  a mix we know too well can be deadly.

(Taylor Hains)

The organisation also urged all businesses, building owners and private residences, as well as operators of any illuminated structures, to heed lights-out warnings for non-essential lights to be turned off during the migration season.

The American Bird Conservancy estimates 1 billion birds a year die from colliding with glass, with window strikes known to be an issue in almost every major US city.

Birds do not see clear or reflective glass and do not understand it is a lethal barrier. When they see plants or bushes through windows or reflected in them, they head for them, killing themselves in the process.

Birds that migrate at night, like sparrows and warblers, rely on the stars to navigate. Bright lights from buildings both attract and confuse them, leading to window strikes or birds flying around the lights until they die from exhaustion  a phenomenon known as fatal light attraction
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Six Colombians suspected of assassinating Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio have been found dead in prison, officials said.

The six men were slain after an event inside the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil on Friday, the attorney generals office said.

No further details have been released about the circumstances of their deaths.

Villavicencio, a prominent journalist, was gunned down on 9 August while leaving a political rally in Quito, 11 days before the Ecuadorean general election.

The long shot candidate had reported receiving death threats from Mexicos Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the several organised crime groups which have caused surging crime rates in the country.

The alleged assassins were arrested hours after the shooting and had been kept in preventive detention.

Prison officials identified the men as Jhon Gregore R., Andres Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andres R., Sules Osmini C. and Jose Neyder L.

#ATENCION | #Guayas: personal de #FiscaliaEc, @PoliciaNacional y @FFAAECUADOR ejecutan los protocolos de seguridad en la Penitenciaria del Litoral de #Guayaquil, ante los disturbios suscitados la tarde de este viernes. pic.twitter.com/laLXFVCSDt  Fiscalia Ecuador (@FiscaliaEcuador) October 7, 2023

The deaths came as Ecuadors national prosecutors office had reportedly been close to finishing an investigation into Villavicencios murder.

In a statement to X/Twitter, the attorney generals office said specialised security personnel had carried out an operation at the prison in response to disturbances on Friday.

In an update, officials said the bodies of six prisoners had been removed and were being taken for autopsies to determine their cause of death.

Soldiers secure an area before the arrival of Ecuadorean presidential candidate Daniel Noboa, who was taking part in a rally on Friday ahead of the October 15 run-off (REUTERS)

President Guillermo Lasso condemned the killings and said there would be neither complicity nor cover-up in getting to the bottom of the crime.

Here the truth will be known, he said in a post on X.

Mr Lasso said he was cutting short a trip to South Korea due to the crisis in the prison system.

Litoral is the largest prison in Ecuador and has seen several deadly riots in recent years.

Ecuador is holding a runoff presidential election on 15 October with the two top candidates from the August elections Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker Daniel Noboa.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited Ecuador on Friday to hold meetings with local leaders about the migrant crisis.
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A Fox News host has claimed that a Florida school district was teaching the ABCs of Masturbation to three-year-olds.

Trace Gallagher ran a segment on his show about a parent calling out Pasco County Schools over a guide called Be an Askable Parent that had been posted to its website.

Well, the school district in Florida apparently thought three-year-olds needed to know their ABCs about masturbation, so they came up with a guide for parents, Gallagher claimed on the right-wing channel.

The guide raises issues that parents may face, including if a three-year-old touches themselves. It states that a possible answer a parent could give their child is, I know that feels good and you dont have to stop. I just want you to do it in private because its personal.

Gallagher played his audience a video clip of a parent, Ronald Holstein, complaining about the guide to the school board.

Im sorry, but I dont remember ever having a conversation with any of my three-year-olds where that was appropriate, Mr Holstein said in the video. This even goes on to teaching from four- to eight-years old. The same type of situations. I dont feel this is safe.

The school district, which lies north of Tampa, was contacted by Crisis in the Classroom, a nationwide educational news brand of the conservative Sinclair Broadcast Group, reported ABC15.

A spokesperson for the district said in a statement that they had discovered that this document mentioned is in a part of our website that was archived some time ago.

A spokesperson for the school district says that the guide was posted on their website in 2019 and was in compliance with a directive from the State of Florida. They added that it was not produced by the district and was provided to it.

In a statement, the Pasco County School district said: We, as a district, have complied with Florida Department of Education state standards, and this includes maintaining the parent resource Be an Askable Parent. It was most recently resubmitted to the state on September 30th as it is submitted every year.
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An Australian rower attempting to become the youngest person to scull through the Pacific Ocean was rescued after his boat upturned on the final leg of the journey.

Tom Robinson, 24, was rescued by a cruise ship on Friday after his distress beacon was activated when his boat capsized. He was approximately 185km from Vanuatu, en route from Peru to Australia.

The activation alerted the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, who contacted local authorities closest to him. He was spotted by a French plane in the dark that took off from Noumea to find him, a post on his website said.

Subsequently a cruise ship, Pacific Explorer, made a detour from its planned course to pick up a naked Mahuta who climbed a rope ladder to reach the deck. The cruise which is currently on a nine-day roundtrip from Auckland with 2,000 passengers on board, made a detour of 200km to bring him on board, just before 7am.

He was provided with fresh clothes, food and treated for sunburn and dehydration.

Id just like to say a huge thank you to all the crew on P&O Pacific Explorer whose seamanship and professionalism ensured a safe rescue, Mr Robinson said in a statement, according to ABC News.

Once aboard I was treated with the utmost courtesy and kindness by the medical staff.

The 24-year-old rower, who began his journey across the Pacific in Peru last year, had recently departed from Vanuatu for the final leg. He was hoping to reach Cairns in Australia by December.

Mr Robinsons boat capsized after an unexpectedly large wave that came through the main hatch and flooded the cabin, read the post on his website.

Our sincere thanks go to the Australian, New Caledonian and Vanuatuan authorities who all had important roles to play in his rescue; and to the captain and crew of Pacific Explorer who literally went out of their way to pick up Tom.
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Russia plans to withdraw its ratification of the 1996 treaty that prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons, the countrys envoy to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation [CTBTO] said on Friday.

Disturbed by the move, the US denounced it as endangering "the global norm" against nuclear test blasts.

The announcement by Mikhail Ulyanov on Friday added new fuel to tensions between Russia and the United States over Moscows invasion of Ukraine and arms control disputes between the worlds largest nuclear weapons powers.

Mr Ulyanov, Moscows envoy to the CTBTO, said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that "#Russia plans to revoke ratification (which took place in the year 2000) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty."

"The aim is to be on equal footing with the #US who signed the Treaty, but didnt ratify it. Revocation doesnt mean the intention to resume nuclear tests," he said.

The CTBT has been signed by 187 countries and ratified by 178 but cannot go into force until eight specific holdouts have signed and ratified it. China, Egypt, Iran, and Israel have signed but not ratified it. North Korea, India and Pakistan have not signed.

While the United States signed but did not ratify the treaty, it has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions since 1992 that it says it has no plans to abandon.

"We are disturbed by the comments of Ambassador Ulyanov in Vienna today," a US State Department spokesperson said in a statement. "A move like this by any State Party needlessly endangers the global norm against nuclear explosive testing."

It said that Russia should not be wielding arms control and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric in a failing attempt to coerce other states, in an apparent reference to Moscows efforts to pressurise countries into withdrawing their arms support and aid to Ukraine.

Mr Ulyanovs statement came a day after Russian president Vladimir Putin said that Moscow could look at revoking its ratification of the CTBT.

He argued that Russia could mirror the stand taken by Washington.

Theoretically, we may revoke the ratification, he said, after Moscow successfully tested an experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Moscow last tested a nuclear weapon in 1990, before the collapse of the Soviet Union a year later. It ratified the global test ban in 2000.

Many Russian hawks have spoken in favour of resuming the tests, since its invasion of Ukraine, in February last year.

Mr Putin said that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasnt yet formed an opinion on the issue.

Im not ready to say yet whether its necessary for us to conduct tests or not, he said.

"It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any State Signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT," Robert Floyd, the executive director of the CTBTO, which monitors compliance with the pact, said in a statement.

"The Russian Federation has consistently reaffirmed its strong support of the CTBT since its very inception, helping to negotiate the Treaty in the Conference on Disarmament, signing the day it opened for signature on 24 September 1996, and ratifying it in June 2000," he added.

Russian withdrawal could be a blow to the treaty since, like the eight key holdout countries, it is one of the "Annex 2" countries that must all ratify the treaty it for it to enter into force.

"I look forward to continued close cooperation with the Russian Federation and all States that have committed to creating a world free of nuclear testing," Mr Floyd said.
 Close Aftermath of Russian missile strike on Ukraine mail depot that killed six

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Russian forces are trying to regroup and recover their losses near the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, where heavy fighting has been ongoing since mid-October.

This comes after Putins troops bombarded 118 Ukrainian towns and villages over the course of 24 hours, the most intense day of shelling this year, Kyiv said.

Communities near the front lines in the east and south were targeted, with 10 out of 27 of Ukraines regions coming under attack.

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.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the world to unite in order to bring to justice the organizers of the terrorist attack on Israel.

"The world must be united and in solidarity so that terror never tries to subjugate or break life anywhere. Israel's right to defense is beyond doubt. All the circumstances of this terrorist attack must be clarified so that the world knows and brings to justice everyone who instigated the attack and helped its organization," Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel.

He expressed confidence that order would be restored and the terrorists eliminated.

"Nowhere in the world should terror be given any chance, because terror is always a crime not just against one country or its specific victims, but against humanity as such and our entire world. Whoever uses terror is a crime against peace. Whoever sponsors is a crime against peace," the president emphasized.

Zelenskyy also called on Ukrainian citizens who are in the danger zone to carefully follow the instructions of the security forces on the ground and closely monitor information.

"Please take care of yourself! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and our embassy in Israel are ready to help in any situation. An operational headquarters has been created to help Ukrainians in Israel. If you need help, please contact us immediately in any way available to you, any of our diplomatic or consular mission," the president said.
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Every family in Ukraines northeastern village of Hroza was affected after a missile strike killed 52 people on Thursday, obliterating a sixth of the local population, say locals.

However, it may take several months before DNA analysis can identify the majority of the remains. For now, the names are scrawled on cardboard or white plastic squares, and strings mark the boundaries of the fresh graves.

Dozens of people gathered in the local cafe for a meal to honour Andrii Kozyr, a soldier who died in the war against Russia, with almost every household in the village sending someone to mourn the native son.

When the gathering was struck by a precision missile that Ukrainian officials said was fired by Russia, entire families perished in an instant. In all, 52 people died out of a population of 300, while only six people in the cafe survived, with villagers suspecting that a local may have tipped off Russian forces.

From every household, there were people present, said interior minister Ihor Klymenko.

My neighbours, my neighbours, Valentina Kozeinko, a 73-year-old retiree, wailed in agony. A lot of our people died there, she told CNN. It was a powerful strike, very powerful, I came out and everything was burning, she recalled. It was so scary  The corpses were burned and there was blood everywhere.

Among the dead was Valeriy Kozyrs daughter, Olya, who was survived by her three children. Mr Kozyrs son-in-law died in the attack as well.

"It would have been better if I had died," he said quietly as he wept. "Oh God, you cannot punish me like this. To leave the father and take the children!"

Wiping tears from his face, the 61-year-old explained that he must now work out how to care for his three grand-children aged 10, 15 and 17. Mr Kozyr wants to bury Olya and her husband side-by-side in a single grave.

People lay flowers and light candles as Ukrainian rescuers work to remove debris following a Russian strike (AFP via Getty Images)

Like much of the region east of the regional capital of Kharkiv, Hroza was under Russian occupation for six months, until September 2022, when Ukrainian troops liberated the area.

Locals say it is strictly a civilian area. There has never been any military base, whether Russian or Ukrainian. They said only civilians or family came to the funeral and wake, and residents were the only people who would have known where and when it was taking place.

Moscow denies targeting civilians in its full-scale invasion, a position it repeated on Friday in response to the Hroza strike. Thousands have been killed in a bombing campaign that has hit apartment blocks and restaurants as well as power stations, bridges and grain silos.

Ukrainian officials said the weapon was a precision Iskander-style missile, which is said to have an accuracy of five to seven meters.

Dmytro Chubenko, spokesperson for the regional prosecutor, said investigators are looking into whether someone from the area transmitted the cafes coordinates to the Russians  a betrayal to everyone now grieving in Hroza.

Ukrainian emergency personnel clear debris on the site of a Russian strike which hit a shop and cafe in the village (AFP via Getty Images)

Many share that suspicion, describing a strike timed to kill the maximum number of people. The date of the funeral was set a few weeks ago, and the time was shared throughout the village late last week.

Not all of the victims have been identified. Regional police investigator Serhiy Bolvinov told reporters late on Thursday that authorities would have to use DNA to identify some of the victims because their remains were beyond recognition.

"Corpses lay there in that yard, and nobody could identify them," said Valentyna Kozienko, 73, speaking near her home close to the site.

"Half the village is gone, families are gone," said Kozyr, standing beside his wife as she wept. "All the time they miss. Well, this time, they hit.

Recommended

"Now Ill have to cross out half my phone book."

Additional reporting from the wires
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Joe Biden offered strong US support for Israel on Saturday from the White House, after the American ally was hit with a suprise assault on the country from Palestinian militants from Gaza.

The United States stands with Israel, Mr Biden said. We will never fail to have their back. Well make sure they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves.

The president added the attacks were unconscionable and a terrible tragedy on a human level.

He also warned regional powers not to exploit the fighting and touch off a broader conflict.

This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks seeking advantage, Mr Biden said. The world is watching.

The White House said Mr Biden spoke with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday and condemned the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks.

I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, President Biden said in a White House statement on Saturday morning. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people.

In a surprise attack early on Saturday, Hamas militants entered several Israeli towns and military bases, kidnapping civilians and soldiers as hostages.

Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif said in a rare public statement that 5,000 rockets had been fired into Israel to begin what it called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Fellow US officials joined in their condemnation of the Hamas offensive.

We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Saturday. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israels right to defend itself.

World leaders also spoke out against the attack and called for fighting to end.

My condolences go out to everyone who lost relatives or close ones in the terrorist attack. We have faith that order will be restored and terrorists will be defeated, Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X. Terror should have no place in the world, because it is always a crime, not just against a specific country or this terrors victims, but against humanity in general and our entire world.

The Russian foreign ministry said it was in contact with Israel, Palestine, and Arab nations, and called for a ceasefire.

The fighting in Israel and Gaza has killed at least 100 Israelis, according to emergency medical groups, and at least 198 Palestinians, according to the Gazan Health Ministry.

US Republican presidential candidates, who could be in a position to deal with the fallout from todays fighting come 2025, also weighed in.

Donald Trump condemned the Hamas operation and claimed without evidence the US had helped fund them.

These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force, Mr Trump said in a statement. Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration. We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible.

During a campaign stop in Iowa, Florida governor Ron DeSantis said Israel has a duty to respond with overwhelming force.

Today, America stands with Israel against the terrorist attacks that are being perpetrated by Hamas, who is backed by Iran and unfortunately funded by this American president with what hes done to Iran, Mr DeSantis said. Its a disgrace and we all need to be united to say to Israel that not only do they have a right to defend themselves, they have a duty to respond to these terrorists with overwhelming force.

The comments from Mr Trump and the Florida governor are a seeming reference to a decision in August from the Biden administration to issue a waiver allowing $6bn in frozen Iranian oil profits to be released for use in humanitarian purchases, in exchange for the release of five detained Americans in the country.

Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed on Saturday to exact a huge price from Hamas in response to the attacks and called up reservists as well as regular armed forces as Israel launched retaliatory strikes in Gaza.

The surprise attack marks a major intelligence failure for Israel, which maintains round-the-clock surveillance on the 42km-long Gaza Strip, from which it withdrew forces in 2005.

The assault comes almost exactly 50 years to the day since the start of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, and could have widespread impacts on civilian lives in Israel and Palestine, internal politics in Israel, and attempts to negotiate a long-term solution to the violence of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The fighting comes as the US was trying to negotiate a landmark normalisation deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Saudi Arabia issued a statement on Saturday calling for the immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides.

The statement added that the kingdom is reminded of its repeated warnings of the danger of an explosive situation as a result of the continued occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their rights.
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The modern state of Israel was founded in May 1948 in the aftermath of the Holocaust and Second World War but the conflict that has raged between Israelis and Palestinians since can be traced back much further.

Historians and commentators offer differing opinions as to when this chapter of history begins. In her series Al Nakba (2008) on Al Jazeera, documentary maker Rawan Damen begins her story with Napoleon Bonaparte, who proposed a Jewish homeland in Palestine as long ago as 1799 in the wake of the siege of Acre during his war against the Ottoman Empire.

Pre-1900

The French commander was ultimately defeated in that conquest but his attempt to establish a European stronghold in the Middle East was revived by the British 41 years on, when foreign secretary Lord Palmerston wrote to his ambassador in Istanbul, urging him to press the Sultan to open up Palestine to Jewish immigrants as a means of countering the considerable influence of Egyptian governor Mohammed Ali.

While there were only around 3,000 Jews living in Palestine at that time, wealthy benefactors such as French aristocrat Baron Edmond de Rothschild began to sponsor others from Europe to join them and establish settlements, the most notable being Rishon Le Zion, founded in 1882.

Austrian writer Nathan Birnbaum coined the term Zionism in 1885 as Jews, particularly from eastern Europe, continued to arrive in Palestine.

Austro-Hungarian journalist Dr Theodor Herzls book The Jewish State appeared a decade later, envisioning the establishment of such an entity with the coming of the 20th century. According to Al Nakba, two rabbis were sent by Herzls friend Max Nordau to Palestine to investigate the feasibility of the prospect and reported back: The bride is beautiful but she is married to another man, although the authenticity of this exchange is contested.

Birnbaum, Herzl and Nordau organised the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897 to discuss their dream of an independent Jewish nation and plans to lobby European powers for its realisation.

By 1907, Britain was considering the need for a buffer state in the Middle East to bolster its dominance. British Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann, a biochemist, would arrive in Jerusalem at this time to establish a company engaged in buying up land near Jaffa. Within three years, about 10,000 dunums, an old land measurement equivalent to acres, had been acquired in the Marj Bin Amer region of northern Palestine, forcing out 60,000 local farmers to accommodate Jewish arrivals from Europe and Yemen.

As a Jewish militia, Hashomer, was established to protect the growing number of settlements, Palestinian pharmacist Najib Nassar set up a newspaper, Al-Karmel, to warn against what he considered to be a colonising force.

The First World War  1914 - 1918

The outbreak of the First World War prompted a Britain distrustful of Mohammedans to intensify its interest in developing an allied presence in Palestine, not least to strengthen its grasp on the Suez Canal.

In January 1915, Liberal Party politician Herbert Samuel drafted his secret memo The Future of Palestine, which was circulated among the Cabinet and in which he backed annexation and the country gradually becoming an autonomous Jewish state under the protectorship of the British Empire.

Samuels recommendations were discussed privately by diplomats Sir Mark Sykes and Francois Georges-Picot the following year, architects of the Sykes-Picot Agreement that demarcated British and French spheres of influence in the event of the collapse of Ottoman rule.

Austro-Hungarian journalist Dr Theodor Herzl who wrote The Jewish State advocating a nation in Palestine (Getty)

The Balfour Declaration  1917

The British governments Balfour Declaration followed on 9 November 1917, formally declaring support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine in a letter between David Lloyd Georges foreign secretary Arthur Balfour and Jewish community leader Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, effectively assuming ownership over a land that many would argue it had no legal right to give away.

Rothschild, Samuel, Sykes and Weizmann addressed a celebratory meeting in London a month later before, on 11 December 1917, General Edmund Allenby captured the holy city of Jerusalem.

Following the Kaisers defeat and the Great Wars end, US president Woodrow Wilson commissioned a report into the non-Turkish regions of the fallen Ottoman Empire conducted by academic Dr Henry King and orientalist Charles Crane, who found that the almost 90 per cent non-Jewish population of Palestine were emphatically against the Zionist project. The authors warned of the intensity of feeling and argued that Jewish immigration should be limited in the greater interests of peace but were roundly ignored by the international community, their conclusions suppressed until 1922.

At the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, lieutenant-colonel TE Lawrence (much-mythologised as Lawrence of Arabia) mediated the signing of an agreement between Weizmann, now leader of the Zionist delegation, and his Arab counterpart Prince Faisal bin Hussein, agreeing in principle the founding of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and an independent Arab nation in the Middle East.

In 1922, the League of Nations recognised the British Mandate to rule Palestine under the jurisdiction of Samuel, now high commissioner, who was instrumental in enacting at least 100 legal initiatives to establish a Jewish presence, including recognising Hebrew as an official language and permitting a separate Jewish educational system and Jewish army. The Hebrew University and Histadrut, a labour union, were in place by 1925.

As the decade progressed, mass protests began to erupt opposing Jewish immigration as the Palestinian movement tried in vain to counter and resist what its members considered a usurpation backed by the military and diplomatic muscle of imperial Britain.

Black flags were raised by Palestinians when Balfour visited Jerusalem and almost 250 Jews and Arabs were killed and many more wounded in August 1929 at the Wailing Wall in a tragedy that became known as the Buraq Revolt. Three Muslim men were put to death by Samuels successor, Sir John Chancellor, for their part in the unrest, an act of brutality intended as a deterrent.

Foreign secretary Arthur Balfour, right, formally declared British support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people (Getty)

But the protests continued, reaching fever pitch in 1933, as more Jewish immigrants arrived to make a home for themselves, the influx accelerating from 4,000 in 1931 to 62,000 in 1935. That same year, Muslim revolutionary leader Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam was shot dead by British soldiers in the hills above Jenin.

In 1936, the intensity of opposition to British colonial rule imposing the Balfour Declaration on a people who deplored it resulted in a six-month-long general strike, an impressive feat of organisation that nevertheless resulted in a backlash in which Palestinian homes were destroyed.

The Second World War  1939 - 1945

The wider world would once more be plunged into war in 1939 in the fightback against Adolf Hitlers Nazi Germany, whose Third Reich would ultimately be found responsible for executing six million Jews in extermination camps, and concentration camps.

Not long after the US entrance into the conflict, American-Zionist relations would be cemented with a 1942 conference at the Biltmore Hotel in New York. This occurred against a backdrop of several years activity by an armed Zionist paramilitary force known as Irgun, that had been attacking local Arab groups in Palestine.

Irgun would become notorious for the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on 22 July 1946, in which 91 people died, and the Deir Yassin Massacre on 9 April 1948, carried out in collaboration with another organisation, Lehi (or the Stern Gang), in which 107 were killed.

That summer, Lehi would assassinate Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish diplomat dispatched by the United Nations to mediate the dispute.

Following the Allied victories in Europe and the Pacific in 1945, world powers turned their attention towards ending the violence in Palestine.

UN Partition Plan (or two-state solution)  1947

A two-state solution to the disputed territory almost came into being in 1947, when the UN General Assembly volunteered Resolution 181, which proposed carving a new state from Palestine west of the River Jordan: one housing Jews, the other Arabs.

The resolution was adopted after a vote, allegedly as a result of diplomatic pressure from the US, but rejected by the Palestinians, who argued that Jewish residents owned no more than 5.5 per cent of the land at the time and so had no right to receive 56 per cent, in addition to the accompanying international legitimacy. Jewish jubilation met with Arab hostility and a civil war duly erupted.

The first Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion officially proclaims the state of Israel in Tel Aviv in 1948 (AFP/Getty)

The Arab-Israeli War and Nakba  1948

The state of Israel was nevertheless founded under prime minister David Ben-Gurion on 14 May 1948 with the end of the British Mandate, winning immediate recognition from the US and Soviet Union but prompting the outbreak of the bloody Arab-Israeli War, which saw 3,000 resistance fighters rise up against the new nation and forced 700,000 Palestinian people to flee the fighting, seeking refuge in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza, often without citizenship being granted.

The displacement of the Palestinian people on that date is still marked every year on Nakba Day, named for an Arabic word for catastrophe and on which Palestinians give speeches, hold rallies and brandish the keys to the homes they were forced to leave behind and still hope to return to.

In December of 1948, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 194, recognising that Palestinian people who want to return to their homes and live in peace with their neighbours should be given the right to do so as soon as possible. Israel though rejected the notion as a threat to the exclusively Jewish nature of the new state. A year later, the chamber would establish the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to further support those displaced.

In the interim between those two events, Israel had signed armistice agreements with its neighbours in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

Six-Day War  1967

Jordan assumed administrative control of the West Bank in 1950 and Egypt would hold Gaza, an arrangement that would last until the Six-Day War of 1967, when Israeli forces conquered those territories.

Prior to that, the violence continued sporadically. Notable massacres took place in the villages of Qalqilya, Kufr Qasim and Khan Yunis in 1956 and in as-Samu in 1966.

The Palestinian Liberation Organisation was founded in Cairo in 1964, dedicated to fighting for the liberation of Palestine through armed revolution rather than dwelling on rights issues, a stance the PLO would not abandon until 1993 and which would see it labelled a terrorist organisation by both Israel and the US. It would be recognised as the sole representative of the Palestinian people by the Arab League in 1974.

Israels military advance on the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights and Egyptian Sinai in 1967 sparked fresh bloodshed and saw the UN Security Council pass Resolution 242 ordering it to withdraw from territories it considered occupied. The council was ignored.

Following the Yom Kippur War, the Security Council would pass another resolution, 338, calling for a ceasefire and again demanding Israel retreat from its 1967 incursions. Again, Israel refused.

On 30 March 1976, Israeli land confiscations were met with uprisings, strikes and further violent reprisals in towns from the Sea of Galilee to the Negev, a date commemorated by Palestinians ever after as Land Day.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was befriended by Donald Trump (AP)

An apparent breakthrough for peace in the Middle East occurred on 17 September 1978 when Israeli PM Menachem Begin met Egyptian president Anwar Sadat to sign the Camp David Accords at the Maryland retreat of president Jimmy Carter. One of the framework agreements clinched harmonious relations between their two nations and won the signatories the Nobel Peace Prize but the other, concerning the future of the disputed territories Palestine, would be condemned by the UN for being agreed without a Palestinian delegations involvement.

The First Intifada and Oslo Accords  1987 - 1993

Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 while the first Intifada in Palestinian territories would erupt protesting occupation at the decades end. However, further incremental steps towards peace did occur when the PLO accepted UN Resolutions 242 and 338, formally recognising the state of Israel. Talks stalled again in 1991 and 1992, with no resolution in sight.

Then, in summer 1993, the Oslo I Accord was signed by Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, providing for the creation of a Palestinian interim self-government, the Palestinian National Authority, and the withdrawal of Israeli Defence Forces from zones still widely considered occupied. A second agreement, Oslo II, followed in 1995 and granted Palestinian autonomy in certain parts of the West Bank and Gaza but, again, did not offer statehood.

The Second Intifada and Gaza wars  2002 - 2021

An uneasy truce held until a second Intifada saw Israel reoccupy West Bank cities in 2002, a destabilising event that would be worsened by the death of Arafat in 2004, a great blow to the Palestinian cause.

Since that time, violence has returned, with Israel declaring war on Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006 and launching repeated assaults on Hamas in Gaza, including Operation Cast Lead (2008), Operation Pillar of Defence (2012) and Operation Protective Edge (2014). Further violence blew up on Nakba Day in both 2017 and 2018, the latter severe enough to merit a UN war crimes investigation.

The election of Donald Trump as US president further shook up the situation, with the former reality television star befriending Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a gesture of recognition that the city is its capital before designating the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, in defiance of the broad international consensus that the region was illegally annexed.

Mr Trump also cut US funding to the UNRWA and absurdly tasked his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner, with developing a plan to bring peace to the Middle East, something the junior property developer was confident he could achieve without bias having read no fewer than 25 books on the subject.

The tensions have subsequently erupted again, after Hamas sent fighters across the border and fired thousands of rockets at Israel in what it said was a new operation on Saturday. Israel has responded by saying the country is "at war" and fired at targets in Gaza in response.

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The timing is surely not a coincidence. Militant group Hamas  which rules Gaza and which is designated a terrorist organisation by the UK  launched an unprecedented surprise attack on Israel, with fighters breaching border fences and killing Israelis, reportedly holding civilians captive and firing thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip.

It is not too dramatic to say Saturday is the most significant military challenge to Israel in the half century since the 1973 Yom Kippur War (also known as the October War), when a coalition of Arab states jointly launched a surprise attack.

Hamas launched its full-scale attack almost 50 years to the day of the start of that conflict. And no one saw it coming.

Israel says it is now very firmly at war.

Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip (AP)

This is not a so-called military operation, not another round of fighting, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, as he ordered an extensive reserve recruitment and mobilisation of forces to fight back. Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known. We are at war, we will win.

The careful rhetoric which sometimes appears in speeches by Israeli officials around times of military escalation, including phrases like proportionate response and defence, was loudly absent from this statement.

Today  like the attack  is different. And the consequences will be huge.

Mr Netanyahus speech likely lays all options on the table, from an imminent ground invasion of Gaza like we have never seen before to the possible long-term redeployment of Israeli soldiers inside Gaza. That would be a first since Israels unilateral withdrawal from the tiny Gaza Strip in 2005.

It will have consequences for the volatile, occupied West Bank, where in recent months violence has surged and where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year alone. Israel will likely shift its ferocity, after securing the south, to the west.

A strike near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel (Getty)

Peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians have long been dead in the water, but any glimmer of hope of reigniting the idea of a two-state solution could now be extinguished. Some have argued over the years that Israel has played up the existential threat of Hamas and its affiliated militant factions. From now on Israel will cite 7 October as an example of such a threat.

For Israelis, there will be ringing questions about how this was not on the radar of its intelligence. Israel is famed for being the birthplace of the worlds most powerful surveillance software. It has serious eyes on Gaza, which is only 42km long and 12km wide.

When you are in the Strip, the one constant is the incessant buzz of Israeli observation drones in the sky. They have intelligence on the ground. They have (or had) near full control of what goes into and out of Gaza along its borders, after imposing a 16-year blockade following Hamass violent takeover of the Strip in 2007.

But clearly, they could not have seen this coming.

Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence (AP)

Israelis in the Gaza envelope, the areas in Israel around Gaza, told me they are sheltering in their homes and in hiding as Hamas gunmen roam the streets.

Other Israelis told local networks that militants were actually inside homes trying to break down the doors of their bomb shelters while they were hiding.

Video footage showed Israeli civilians running for their lives through fields. Other clips shared by Hamas media, which could not be independently verified, showed Palestinian militants apparently holding Israeli civilians hostage, taking soldiers captive, and bringing the bodies of Israeli soldiers in to Gaza. There was footage of the border fence ripped to shreds and also a destroyed Israeli tank.

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which supports Hamas, said the attack was a response to the crimes of the Israeli occupation and aggression on the Holy sites and designed to send a clear message to the Arab and Islamic world especially those who strive for normalisation.

This is clearly meant for Saudi Arabia and the US. Washington was working on striking a deal that would normalise ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia for the first time ever, following in the footsteps of the UAE.

A view of an ambulance hit by an Israeli strike, after Hamas gunmen launched a surprise attack against Israel (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia released an uncharacteristically speedy statement on Saturday calling for the immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides.

The statement carefully added that the kingdom is reminded of its repeated warnings of the danger of an explosive situation as a result of the continued occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their rights. Does Riyadh fear violence within its own borders?

Right now the situation is disturbingly unclear and increasingly violent.

Israels police, which is also calling up all its reservists and volunteers, said there were 21 active scenes in southern Israel, indicating the extent of the attack.

Rockets are still pounding southern Israel, the sirens are still wailing. The Israeli army, at the time of writing, has not got control of the south yet.

The only certainty is that this is a defining and bloody moment in history.
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Hamas says it has captured dozens of hostages as part of the Palestinian militant organisations suprise attack on Israel on Saturday.

"We bring good news to our (Palestinian) prisoners and our people that the al Qassam Brigades have dozens of captured (Israeli) officers and soldiers in their hands," Abu Obaida, a spokesperson for Hamass armed wing, said in a post on Telegram, CNN reports.

"They have been secured in safe places and resistance tunnels," the spokesperson added.

Militant groups claimed on social media fighters in Israeli were holding some hostages and other captives were being driven into Gaza, Reuters reports.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, has said hostages and prisoners of war, including both soldiers and civilians, have been taken captive.

Videos verified by The New York Times appear to show five Israelis with their hands behind their backs being led by armed men on a road in Beeri kibbutz, near the southeastern border with Gaza.

A substantial number of Israeli citizens and soldiers are being held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli military, Haaretz reports.

Israeli broadcaster N12 News reported that up to 50 hostages were being held in a dining hall in Beeri.

The reports of hostages underscore the already devastating civilian toll of the one-day conflict.

At least 150 Israelis and 230 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, Haaretz reports.

The assault began early on Saturday, when Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip stormed into southern Israel by land, air, and sea, appearing to catch the famed Israeli security apparatus by suprise.

Hamas militants next to a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis (AP)

Thousands of rockets from Gaza have been fired into civilian areas in Israel.

In response, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is at war.

Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known, he said. We are in a war and we will win it.

Joe Biden spoke with Mr Netanyahu on Saturday and condemned the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks against the US ally.

The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, President Biden said in a White House statement on Saturday morning. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people.
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Benjamin Netanyahu has declared Israel is at war after Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip in the largest attack in years.

The surprise offensive has seen Hamas gunmen cross the border in attacks by land, sea and air, as warning sirens sounded across southern and central parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and Israels prime minister called an emergency meeting.

In a rare public statement, Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif said 5,000 rockets had been fired into Israel to begin Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Weve decided to say enough is enough, he said, urging all Palestinians to confront Israel, and adding: This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth.

A least 22 people have died and 545 people have been hospitalised, Israeli officials have said, with a local authority leader said to be among those killed in fighting.

The Israeli military said its forces were operating inside Gaza but gave no details, and defence minister Yoav Gallant approved the call-up of reservists.

The military declares a state of war alert, the military said in a statement. In the last hour, the Hamas terrorist organisation had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, and terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations.

Mr Netanyahu vowed to retaliate, saying: Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known, he said. We are in a war and we will win it.

Residents in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip had been told to stay in their homes, the military said, adding that Hamas will face the consequences and responsibility.

Smoke rose in Ashkelon in the aftermath of rocket barrages that were launched from Gaza (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)

The attack  which is the most serious since Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war in 2021  comes nearly 50 years to the day after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a surprise assault on Israel at the outset of the 1973 war.

Israels Magen David Adom rescue agency said a 70-year-old woman was critically injured when a rocket hit a building in southern Israel. Elsewhere, a 20-year-old man was moderately injured by rocket shrapnel, it said.

Israeli media reported that gunmen had opened fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot, in southern Israel, and unverified footage circulating on social media appeared to show clashes in city streets as well as gunmen in jeeps roaming the countryside.

Palestinian media also reported that a number of Israelis had been taken captive by fighters and Hamas media circulated video footage apparently showing a destroyed Israeli tank.

Palestinians celebrate as an Israeli military vehicle burns after it was hit by Palestinian gunmen (REUTERS/Yasser Qudih)

Palestinians broke into the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border fence after Palestinian gunmen infiltrated areas of southern Israel (REUTERS/Yasser Qudih)

Following the initial attack, which began at around 6:30am, a group representing military reservists who had planned to refuse to attend training over their objections to the Israeli governments heavily contentious plans to overhaul the judiciary instead called on reservists to report for duty.

In a statement reported by Israeli media, Mr Gallant, Israels defence minister, said: Hamas made a grave mistake this morning and started a war against the State of Israel. IDF soldiers are fighting the enemy at all the infiltration sites.

Israeli opposition Leader Yair Lapid described the rocket attacks as relentless, adding in a statement that Israel is in an emergency and backing a harsh military response to Hamass attack.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people not involved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed more than 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that his country is at war after Hamas fired thousands of rockets across the border from Gaza on Saturday.

At least 40 Israelis have been killed and hundreds have been hospitalised, local media reported, as emerging reports from Gaza state multiple are dead and wounded in Israeli strikes on the besieged strip.

The surprise offensive has seen Hamas gunmen cross the border in attacks by land, sea and air, as warning sirens sounded across southern and central parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and reports emerged of civilians and soldiers being taken hostage.

In a rare public statement, Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif urged all Palestinians to confront Israel, adding: Weve decided to say enough is enough. This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth.

At least 40 Israelis have been killed in Hamas strikes on Israel (AFP via Getty Images)

As the international community watches on in horror, here we take a look at the UKs current travel advice for Israel:

Travel advice to Israel

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to:

Gaza

The Shebaa Farms and Ghajjar

Within 500m of the border with Lebanon (the Blue Line) east of Metula, including the northern edge of the town and within 500m of the border with Syria (the Alpha Line).

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

Areas north of and including Jenin city, Burqin and Arranah in the north of the West Bank. This includes Jenin refugee camp and all areas north of this until the Jalamah checkpoint for access to Israel

The city of Nablus, Josephs Tomb, and the Balata and New Askar refugee camps near Nablus and the village of Huwara, south of Nablus.

Map showing the FCDOs current travel advisory (Foreign, Commonweath and Development Office)

View more

Where is the conflict happening right now?

View more

Have flights been cancelled?

Flights have continued to operate at Tel Aviv airport, the main gateway to the nation. But many airlines are diverting or cancelling flights.

Wizz Air has so far diverted four flights that were en route to Israel when the attacks began. Airbus jets from Catania, Cluj, Debrecen and Warsaw all diverted to Larnaca, the main airport on the island of Cyprus.

A Wizz Air flight from Rome to Tel Aviv turned around and flew back to its starting point  as did an Anadulojet service from Istanbul.

Palestinian militants celebrate by an Israeli tank at the border fence of the Gaza Strip on Saturday (AP)

Two Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt and one from Munich have been grounded, as have departures on Brussels Airlines from the Belgian capital and SunExpress from Antalya.

From the UK, Virgin Atlantics overnight flight from London Heathrow arrived at Tel Aviv at 5am as normal. British Airways has a flight from Heathrow this afternoon, which is still shown as departing normally.

The Independent has asked BA if it will be going ahead  and whether passengers booked to or from Tel Aviv will be given the option to change without penalty.

Saturday is a very quiet day at Ben Gurion international airport, serving Tel Aviv, due to observation of the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat). It runs from shortly before sunset on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. No aircraft from El Al, the Israeli national airline, are in the air.
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A woman who has refused to leave a Los Angeles-area Airbnb is now demanding to be paid $100,000 to get out, according to a settlement offer reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.

The host, Sascha Jovanovic, said the womans stay was scheduled to end in April 2022, but she then refused to move out. Elizabeth Hirschhorn, dubbed as the tenant from hell, has been living rent-free ever since.

Mr Jovanovic, who owns the estate where the homestay is located in the hills of Brentwood, told the Times he cannot go into his home and know that Im safe when a potentially hostile person is living there.

Im thinking about it at all times, he added.

Hirschhorn declined to speak to the outlet to share her side of the story; however, her attorney, Colin Walshok, argued that she was not required to pay rent.

The landlord broke the law and tried to make money by renting out an illegal bootleg unit, he told the Times. After he was caught, instead of doing the right thing, he has resorted to bullying, harassment and the filing of frivolous lawsuits containing elaborate false stories, all in attempt to cover his tracks.

After deciding to put out his small guesthouse for rent, Mr Jovanovic approved a long-term stay for Ms Hirschhorn in September of 2021.

The space was rented for six months at a rate of $105 per night, which with fees brought the total to $20,793 for 187 nights.

The pair got on well in the beginning, sharing tea and small talk, but there were some warning signs that Mr Jovanovic said he should have listened to.

Another Airbnb host had put out a review on Ms Hirschhorns profile that said she had a lot of particular needs that I eventually could not accommodate.

And then, Mr Jovanovic claims, he went into the guesthouse to check on electric blinds that had stopped working and noticed there was water damage and signs of mould around the sink, problems he says were not there before Hirschhorn arrived.

Wanting to repair the sink and stop the spread of mould, the landlord said he offered to pay his guest to stay at a hotel for a few days and also offered $1,000 toward a hotel of her choice, according to Airbnb messages and emails exchanged between the two.

However, Ms Hirschhorn declined, saying: I dont feel safe being forced to vacate with a housing disability and the high risks of Covid-19 complications. She then quoted L.A. Countys Covid-19 Tenant Protections Resolution and showed a 2011 doctors note pointing out chemical sensitivities.

In addition, the emails showed he had also offered her to stay in his home, which she declined.

Ms Hirschhorn is now counter-suing Mr Jovanovic and claims that he inappropriately invited her to move into his house with him.

Ms Hirschhorns Airbnb stay was scheduled to end on 19 March; however, Mr Jovanovic offered her a months extension in order to find somewhere else to live, something that backfired on him because Airbnb was then free from getting involved in the dispute.

Once everything went to hell, Airbnb was out, said Sebastian Rucci, an attorney representing Mr Jovanovic, according to the Times.

Then came the new deadline and Ms Hirschhorn stayed put. In an email, she said: I cant leave on Apr. 12 as relocation and funding plan is not in place, it would be unsafe. If you want to work something out I am willing to do that.

Since then, she has not paid any rent and she still remains  over 540 days later  having claimed in a May 2022 email that Your actions and alleged repairs are made knowing that of my disability requiring accommodation, I believe it was made to harass and scare me.

Mr Jovanovic tried serving multiple eviction notices, but a housing department investigator, Pedro Gonzalez, said Mr Jovanovic had to withdraw his eviction notices as the building did not comply with the citys building-safety rules.

But Ms Hirschhorn refused to let the host inside the property so it could be updated to comply with the citys building codes.

Mr Jovanovic is incredulous, telling the Times: How can you stay in someones home for a year and a half and not have any feeling of embarrassment or responsibility?

The Independent has contacted Airbnb for a comment.
Law enforcement officers have identified 48 of the 51 killed as a result of the attack on the village of Hroza, Kupiansk district, Kharkiv region, carried out by the invaders on October 5, deputy head of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the region - head of the investigation department Serhiy Bolvinov says.

"Forty-eight dead from the village of Hroza have already been identified. Our specialists continue their work; they have already selected and processed DNA samples from sixteen relatives. Another 79 samples from unidentified bodies and fragments of remains are run through the ANDE DNA complex. The Russian missile tore people apart in such a way that criminologists and investigators have dozens of such fragments - they are carefully working with each one, collecting the dead literally piece by piece," Bolvinov wrote on his Facebook page.

As reported, on October 5, at about 13:25, the occupiers launched a missile strike, presumably with Iskander-M, on a cafe-shop in the village of Hroza, Kupiansk district, Kharkiv region, where a funeral was being held on the occasion of the reburial of a Ukrainian military man, a native of this village. As a result of the strike, 51 people were killed and six were injured.
Footage shows the devastating aftermath of rockets being fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip, as the country declares a state of war.

Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif said 5,000 rockets had been fired as enough is enough, and urged all Palestinians to join forces.

Smoke could be seen billowing in the skies above Israel, while on the ground, bus shelters destroyed and structural damage could be seen all around.

Residents surrounding the Gaza Strip have been advised to stay indoors.

One woman has been confirmed dead.
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Labour begin their conference this weekend in Liverpool with plenty to celebrate. On average, the polls put the party 17 points ahead of the Conservatives, a figure that has changed little since Mr Sunak became prime minister a year ago and more than enough to win an overall Commons majority. Meanwhile, on Thursday a spectacular gain in Rutherglen holds out the promise of ending the SNPs dominance of Scotlands representation at Westminster, thereby increasing the partys chances of securing that Commons majority.

Unsurprisingly, Labour wish to claim the credit for the position in which it finds itself. It argues that lost voters have returned to the fold because Sir Keir Starmer has moved his party towards the centre, distancing it from the tenure of his left-wing predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn. At the same time, the partys relative silence on Brexit has helped it connect with the red wall of working-class Leave voters.

However, there is an alternative interpretation. This argues the party is primarily the lucky beneficiary of its opponents mistakes. Voters have been pushed towards Labour by the Conservatives failures rather than pulled towards it by positive enthusiasm for the partys own offering. After all, Labour only pulled ahead of the Conservatives for the first time in this parliament following the exposure of Partygate, and has only looked on course for a Commons majority since Liz Trusss fiscal event.

Sir Keir has changed Labours image. Shortly before he became leader, as many as 41 per cent told YouGov they thought Labour was extreme, while only 25 per cent said it was moderate. Now only 17 per cent feel it is extreme, while as many as 43 per cent reckon it is now moderate. The trend has been a gradual one over the course of this parliament, and not obviously a consequence of the Conservatives difficulties. It may well have helped Labour look like an acceptable alternative to a seemingly failing incumbent government.

Yet evidence that the party is positively attracting voters is otherwise surprisingly thin. To begin with, many voters are unclear what Labour and Sir Keir stand for. According to Ipsos, 50 per cent do not know what the Labour leader stands for  much higher than the 33 per cent who held that view of Ed Miliband shortly before the 2015 general election. Even among those who are currently backing Labour, as many as one in three share that view.

Meanwhile, a YouGov poll this week found that less than one in four (22 per cent) of all voters feel that the Labour leader has a clear plan for the country, while even among Labour supporters less than half (47 per cent) feel he does. Equally earlier this year, Omnisis reported that for the most part only a half of those who would now vote Labour feel they know what Labour stands for on any particular issue.

There are also question marks over Labours competence. According to YouGov, only 26 per cent feel that Labour are competent, little changed from the position in the initial months of Sir Keirs leadership. In its most recent poll, 34 per cent told Ipsos that Labour were fit to govern  less than the 40 per cent who did so before Labour lost the 2015 election. The same poll also reported that 38 per cent reckon that Labour are ready to form the next government  well short of the 55 per cent who held that view in 1997.

True, YouGovs data shows that the proportion who think Labour is ready for government has increased from 18 per cent two years ago to 33 per cent now. However, much of that improvement occurred in the immediate wake of Trusss mini-Budget  suggesting that voters had simply concluded that Labour could not possibly do a worse job than the Tories.

However, despite Labours large poll lead, Sir Keir has been remarkably unsuccessful at impressing himself on voters. According to the latest Ipsos poll, he currently has a net satisfaction rating of -14. After enjoying a boost in the wake of Trusss premiership, that rating has fallen quite noticeably during this year. Even among current Labour supporters, as many as 30 per cent are dissatisfied with Sir Keirs performance. In contrast, a year out from the 1997 general election, Tony Blairs rating was +19, while a year before the 2010 election, David Cameron stood at +16.

At the same time, it is far from clear that Labour have been particularly successful at reconnecting with working-class voters. At 48 per cent, support for the party among those in semi-skilled and unskilled jobs in Ipsos polls, is little different from the 46 per cent backing among those in professional and managerial jobs. The partys boat has simply been lifted across the social spectrum.

A lack of clarity, question marks about competence, a relatively unpopular leader. Maybe none of this will matter, given the low regard in which the Conservatives are held. But should Mr Sunak prove able to turn his government around, Labour might suddenly find that their seemingly impregnable large lead is in fact rather fragile.

John Curtice is professor of politics, Strathclyde University, and senior research fellow, National Centre for Social Research and The UK in a Changing Europe. He is also co-host of the Trendy podcast
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By now, everyone is aware that Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse  allegations that he strongly denies.

While these are serious matters for the police and other professionals to investigate, something I find curious is what Brand has said about them publicly, in his own defence.

In his very first video  released a day before the news broke of a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches  Brand said the allegations make me question is there another agenda at play? He goes on to say, Im aware that you guys have been saying in the comments for a while watch out Russell they're coming for you, you're getting too close to the truth.

Which begs the question  what truth?

Just before the investigation was published on 16 September, Brands most recent videos were on the Covid vaccine, Big Pharma, the war in Ukraine, the JFK assassination, an interview with Hitler was OK until he tried to globalise Candace Owens, and one about Bill Gates doing something with fruit.

To me, that sounds less like someone who is getting too close to the truth and more like someone who is mining topics they know are catnip for fans of conspiracies.

Fortunately for multimillionaire Brand, numerous other multimillionaires  and at least one billionaire  have leapt to his defence. Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, Alex Jones, Ben Shapiro, Donald Trump Jr, Steven Crowder  the list seems to grow by the day. In fact, if Brand has many more ultra-wealthy people and oligarchs defending him there wont be much of an establishment left to threaten. And one might think, with friends like those, who needs the deep state as an enemy?

To me  and I might be wrong  all this talk of being too close to the truth sounds like bulls***.

Brand is not a threat to any elites  not now and not when he was at the height of his fame. Hes not that important.

The allegations (so far) range from 2006 to 2013, during which time Brand had his first major film role in the British comedy St Trinians (2007), then went to Hollywood to make Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Get Him to the Greek (2010), Arthur (2011), and Rock of Ages (2012). He also voiced characters in the first two Despicable Me films, as well as an animated feature called Hop, about the son of the Easter bunny who runs away to become a drummer.

Then, in 2013, Brand did an interview with Jeremy Paxman where he said he never votes, and that same year released his stand-up special, Messiah Complex, in which he describes getting arrested for masturbating on top of a police van.

Yes, I imagine the deep state were terrified.

If the allegations are proven to be true and there is shown to be contemporaneous evidence (such as texts, rape treatment centre admission, months of therapy notes, etc), will we then be expected to stretch our imaginations even further and entertain the possibility that a nefarious shadowy elite planted those things on the off-chance they would need them in the future? Sowing useful seeds  over a decade before  just in case the guy who was doing the voice of a cartoon rabbit started questioning a vaccine that hadnt yet been invented?

If so, God only knows what secret files of kompromat are still being held on the surviving cast of Watership Down.

Brand can rail against the corporate media as much as he likes, but a very simple and provable truth is: hes part of it. His show is on Rumble, a media platform backed by (you probably guessed) a huge Wall Street corporation  Cantor Fitzgerald  and has in the past few years been receiving investment from a group of prominent conservative venture capitalists, including JD Vance and the tech billionaire Peter Thiel. You know, the little guys. The underdogs who fight against the elites.

But why are we just hearing about all of this now? ask people who seem to have never heard of NDAs, super injunctions, libel laws or a suite of other legal tools that might keep someone from being able to speak out publicly  for years.

Another grim truth is, if you were an all-powerful deep state and wanted to cancel someone because they posed a serious threat, you wouldnt accuse them of rape, because not enough people care about it.

Last year alone almost 70,000 rapes were recorded in England and Wales. (Figures from Scotland and Northern Ireland are in addition to that.) Of those recorded rapes, only 1.9 per cent resulted in a charge that year  thats a charge, not a conviction.

Five in six women who are raped do not report it. The same is true for four in five men. So now we are looking at multiples of 70,000  just in the UK and just in 12 months.

As one rape survivor recently said: It is hard to think of these statistics getting any worse. If they did, then that would be tantamount to admitting rape was effectively legal in the UK.

So why didnt these women go to the police? The statistics suggest that in all likelihood you wouldnt either.

In addition to this, within 48 hours of the Brand Sunday Times article being published, another headline made the news  Met Police investigating 1,600 officers and staff over alleged abuse against women  which might indicate the police are perhaps not the most approachable organisation.

Sometimes it is worth taking people at their word  if only for a short time  just to see what picture of reality emerges.

Brands picture doesnt match up with anything I recognise. Whereas  to me  the four women who bravely came forward in spite of the odds are describing something that is all too real and unaddressed in this country. Theyre receiving plenty of hate about it online  maybe theyre the ones getting too close to the truth.

Clint Edwards is a stand-up comedian and writer
Proposals would require unanimous approval of all 27 EU governments

An EU bid to hive off a share of Irelands corporation tax revenue to fund its future budget would be unfair, the blocs lead auditor has said.

Irish man Tony Murphy, president of the Luxembourg-based European Court of Auditors, said Ireland would be proportionally harder hit and that he cannot see the proposal going through.

Irelands contribution under the plan, which requires the unanimous approval of all 27 EU governments, would be around 1.5bn. That would be around 50pc on top of what Ireland already pays in.

That is quite substantial, Mr Murphy told the Irish Independent. Its only a proposal from the Commission. I dont think Ireland will be standing up any time soon to say yes.

Last year Ireland paid 3.5bn in to the EU budget and received 2.4bn, mainly in farm aid.

Irelands contribution included 2.4bn based on economic performance, or gross national income (GNI), along with a portion of customs duties, Vat and a plastics tax.

Mr Murphy said that because Irelands GNI relies so heavily on multinational profits, Ireland would be paying the bulk of the new corporation tax.

Were really an outlier in terms of this. If you look at our GNI, which people already think is causing problems in terms of our contribution to the EU budget, roughly 80pc of that GNI is based on operating surpluses of multinationals. The average in the EU is 24pc.

GNI is another measure of national wealth, along with gross domestic product (GDP).

Economists argue that Irelands GNI (as well as GDP) are overstated because of the number of foreign-owned multinationals here and an inflow of intellectual property assets since 2015.

The Department of Finance now uses a modified measure of GNI to strip out some of those effects.

Mr Murphy said Luxembourg and Malta are also outliers when it comes to their reliance on corporate profits, and would be disadvantaged by the new tax.

The Commission wants more independently-raised revenues  or own resources  for its post-2027 budget, and has suggested a number of new revenue streams: two based on carbon emissions and one on business profits.

In June, it tabled a draft law suggesting the new corporation tax revenue stream be calculated as 0.5pc of the notional EU company profit base, a yearly figure published by Eurostat.

The tax would be paid from Irish budget funds and not directly by firms.

Gary Tobin, the Department of Finances assistant secretary general, told an Oireachtas committee yesterday that Ireland does not support the corporation tax measure.

Our view is that [it] would disproportionately hit Ireland and a number of other EU member states and so clearly were not very enthusiastic, Mr Tobin said. It does require unanimity. It doesnt look like its going anywhere.

The EU is also seeking an extra 100bn to plug a hole in its current budget and boost aid to Ukraine, which Ireland supports.

The European Court of Auditors has approved the EUs 2022 accounts, citing a material error rate of 4.2pc, up from 3pc last year.

Errors are not the same as fraud, and the EU can go back and reclaim money from countries or companies if the errors are severe.

There were two minor errors discovered by auditors in Ireland, relating to agricultural aid, Mr Murphy said.
Aughinish Alumina employs around 450 people at its plant on the Shannon estuary

Aughinish Alumina, the Russian-owned Limerick smelter firm, has sounded the alarm over the state of aluminium production in Europe.

In a letter to the European Commission earlier this year, the company, which extracts alumina from bauxite at its site in Limerick, stated that the European aluminium industry is in crisis.
Your personal finance questions: Is it right that my colleague got a bigger bonus than me for the exact same job?

Plus, will we have to pay Vacant Homes Tax following the death of my mum last year, and what are the advantages of joining a credit union

A property may be exempt from the Vacant Homes Tax if the owner died during the chargeable period or in the 12-month period prior to the chargeable period. Photo: Getty Images

Charlie Weston Sat 7 Oct 2023 at 16:50

Q My employer, a bank, recently reintroduced bonuses after the Government lifted its ban on bank bonuses. A colleague of mine, who is in the exact same job as me, received a bonus of 20,000. However, I only received a bonus of 10,000. The bonuses were awarded for a project which we both worked equally on. When I queried why I got much lower bonus, I was told that it was because my colleague is much older than me. This doesnt seem fair. Am I not entitled to the same bonus?
The Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking a court order that would compel Elon Musk to give evidence as part of an investigation into his purchase of Twitter, now called X.

The SEC said in a filing in a San Francisco federal court that Mr Musk had failed to appear to give evidence on September 15 despite an investigative subpoena served by the commission and him raising no objections at the time it was served.

But two days before his scheduled testimony, Musk abruptly notified the SEC staff that he would not appear, said the agencys filing.

Musk attempted to justify his refusal to comply with the subpoena by raising, for the first time, several spurious objections, including an objection to San Francisco as an appropriate testimony location.

His lawyer, Alex Spiro, said the SEC has already taken Mr Musks testimony multiple times in this misguided investigation  enough is enough.

The SEC said it has been conducting a fact-finding investigation involving the period before Mr Musks takeover last year when Twitter was still a publicly traded company.

The agency said it has not concluded that anyone violated federal securities laws.

The Tesla chief executive closed his 44 billion dollar agreement to buy Twitter and take it private in October 2022, after a months-long legal battle with the social media companys previous leadership.

After he signed a deal to acquire Twitter in April 2022, he tried to back out of it, leading the company to sue him to force him to go through with the acquisition.

The SEC said that starting in April 2022, it authorised an investigation into whether any securities laws were broken in connection with his purchases of Twitter stock and his statements and SEC filings related to the company.

A lawsuit filed that month by Twitter shareholders in New York alleged that the billionaire illegally delayed disclosing his stake in the social media company so he could buy more shares at lower prices.

That complaint centred around whether Mr Musk violated a regulatory deadline to reveal he had accumulated a stake of at least 5%. The lawsuit alleged that his actions damaged less wealthy investors who sold shares in the company in the nearly two weeks before he acknowledged holding a major stake.

The SECs court filings do not detail the specifics of what its investigation is about, but say the agency is responsible for protecting investors and has broad authority to conduct investigations, and that Mr Musk has no basis to refuse to comply.

The SEC said Mr Musk objected to giving evidence in San Francisco because he does not live there, so the commission said it offered to do it at any of its 11 offices, including one in Fort Worth, Texas, closer to his home.

The SEC said Mr Musks lawyers responded by saying he would not appear for testimony in any location.
Quietly, the people of Creeslough came together this afternoon to remember the villages darkest day.

Shortly after 3pm on October 7 last year, a massive explosion ripped through an apartment and retail complex in the small County Donegal village, killing ten people.

Several hundred people gathered at the scene yesterday afternoon to mark the first anniversary of the tragedy.

In the hours and days which followed the explosion, many people spoke about the silence which descended on Creeslough.

One year on, that silence remains.

There was little chat as people made their way to the memorial service.

People are still struggling to come to terms with the devastation visited last year upon their village which sits in a stunning landscape in the foothills of Muckish Mountain.

Father John Joe Duffy, the parish priest of Creeslough, told those gathered at the memorial service the journey of recovery for those affected by the tragedy would continue for a long time to come.

The last year has been a difficult journey, said Fr Duffy, who was widely praised for his leadership within the local community in the wake of the explosion.

A journey of mourning, a journey of healing, a journey of learning to cope, particularly for those that this tragedy took ten beautiful souls from.

And for those also who were injured in body and all of us who were injured in mind on that day.

The journey of recovery will continue for all of us for a long time to come.

Unlike most journeys that we set out on life, in this journey of Creeslough, we know neither the length nor the duration of the road ahead.

But we know we will travel it together, each of us together linked together.

Mourners gather at the site of the Creeslough tragedy one year on. Photo: Joe Boland.

The youngest victim of the Creeslough explosion was five-year-old Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, who had gone to the shop with her dad Robert (50) to buy a birthday cake for her mum.

They had been taken there by 59-year-old Hugh Kelly, the oldest person to die in the tragedy.

Among the others who died were; Jessica Gallagher (24), a young fashion designer who was due to start a new job in Belfast the week after the explosion; Martin McGill (49), an avid Celtic fan who was dedicated to caring for his mother; and James OFlaherty (48), who was originally from Australia and was described at his funeral as a great man by his 12-year-old son Hamish.

The others who died were: Martina Martin (49), who worked in the shop and was a popular figure in the village; Catherine ODonnell (39) and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, who had been in local post office when they died; and 14-year-old Leona Harper, a talented young sportswoman who had shone brightly throughout her short life.

All of those who died lived in Creeslough or the surrounding area.

Their families were joined at todays memorial service by members of the emergency services and rescue teams who worked frantically in the aftermath of the explosion to recover the dead and injured.

Special thanks was given at the service for those involved in the rescue efforts last year.

During the service, a bell was rung ten times to mark the exact time of the explosion.

As the chimes rang out, the sun fought its way through a largely grey sky to shine down on those gathered in Creeslough.

A minutes silence was also held in memory of those who died.

We all remember where we were this time last year, said Fr Duffy.

Everyone knew where they were when they heard this news.

News of uncertainty at first and disbelief. Then all of a sudden we were in the eyes of whole world.

He continued: As a community we have been carrying each other.

The families who have been bereaved, holding on to each other, holding on to those around them.

We have been helped by this community and I can honestly say I have been helped by very much also by the families of those who have been bereaved and by those who were injured by reaching out to me for comfort, as you have been to one another.

For we are all a family - the family of the Creeslough tragedy.

Fr Duffy highlighted the support Creeslough had received in the past year from throughout the country  and urged people to keep the village in their thoughts.

I ask you the people of Ireland who have responded to us from your homes by sending us thousands of cards and messages to continue to keep us in your prayers for the journey that lies ahead.

The first anniversary is a day of great sadness but also personal reflection, a day of fond memories of loved ones who were lost in the tragedy.

This day is another step on the long journey ahead.

A special Mass in memory of those who died is due to be held tonight at St Michaels Church in Creeslough.

Ten candles in honour of the victims were lit on the altar during the Mass.

Part of the complex where the explosion happened remains standing  to the frustration of many local people who would like to see it completely demolished.

New hoarding was this week erected around the site in advance of yesterdays memorial service.

While the explosion is believed to have been caused by a gas leak, the garda investigation into what happened has still to be concluded.

The investigation is based in a special incident room at Milford garda station a few miles from Creeslough.

As well as local officers, members of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Garda Siochana Analysis Service and Garda Technical Bureau are also involved.

Gardai say they have so far examined 1,350 lines of enquiry and taken more than 900 statements during the investigation.

An Garda Siochana continues to work diligently and as expeditiously as possible, in the circumstances, to ensure that all the circumstances of this fatal explosion are professionally investigated, a spokesperson said.

President Michael D Higgins attended some of the funerals of the Creeslough victims and today said the remembrance event is a great tribute to the lives lost.

Having had the privilege of sharing the incredible grief that was visited on the people of Creeslough a year ago, I want to wish them success with all the resilience they have shown and need. It is so appropriate that this occasion is being remembered as a great tribute not only to those who were lost, but to the community that had held them at its heart.
Queen Elizabeth II and President Mary McAleese at the Irish National War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge, Dublin, in May 2011. Photo: Damien Eagers

Defence Forces Explosive and Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams prevented a blitz viable and hoax bombs planted by dissident Republicans from disrupting the state visit by Queen Elizabeth II in May 2011.

The revelation came in a new book which revealed Defence Forces chiefs, gardai and British security officials faced a dilemma over whether to evacuate a state dinner in Dublin Castle to welcome the queen after a double bomb threat was received.

EOD teams worked exhaustively over 10 days in a bid to ensure such devices did not throw into chaos the first state visit by a British monarch to Ireland in over a century.

The late queens visit to Dublin, Kildare, Tipperary and Cork was hailed as a tremendous success.

But a new book by historian and retired Defence Forces officer Lt Col Dan Harvey, Car Bombs and Barrack Busters, has revealed that the outcome of the visit could have been different.

The queens visit to Ireland was regarded as an enormous success, politically, diplomatically, symbolically and in every way, he said.

But those involved in the background in the planning, preparing and facilitating the delivery of a safe and secure environment within which it could occur had to enjoy their own private satisfaction. There was little or no public knowledge, comprehension or understanding of what it took to ensure any disrupters were themselves successfully disrupted.

Just 24 hours before the late monarch arrived on Irish soil on May 16, 2011, a viable bomb was placed on a bus travelling from Mayo to Dublin.

Longford Gardai received a tip-off about the device and an EOD team assessed the bus which had been stopped and evacuated in Maynooth.

One EOD officer said: I examined the device  it was a viable blast incendiary with a timer that had timed down. The EOD team destroyed the device.

Just hours later, the team were informed another suspect device had been planted along a Luas line.

In that case, the device was planted at a spot not far from the convoy route to be used by the queen and her entourage.

On the queens arrival to an official banquet in Dublin Castle on May 18, 20122, a call was received by Longford gardai.

The person started the call by saying: Please record this conversation. I am a member of the Republican Movement. There are two devices planted in Dublin Castle, the book claims.

Irish and British officials considered the evidence and decided to trust in their security process and that the Dublin Castle event was safe.

The man was later prosecuted before the Special Criminal Court.
Ian Bailey is back in hospital after suffering his third heart attack in a month.

It is understood that the self-confessed main suspect in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder took ill at his home and was rushed to nearby Bantry Hospital in west Cork.

The 66-year-old Englishman was stable yesterday, and said: " I feel seriously unwell and am very weak. I have no idea if I will make it , who knows?"

He needs life saving surgery but is too weak to have it at the moment.

The former journalist and poet had two heart attacks in the space of a few days early in September.

He was kept in for almost two weeks after also spending time in Cork University Hospital before being sent home to recover. He was told to stop smoking and drinking and doctors were hoping to undertake major heart surgery in three months.

Bailey said he had not been able to walk more than ten yards in recent days as his condition deteriorated.

He was arrested twice over the murder of Ms du Plantier but never charged. The DPP ruled there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

Bailey has always vigorously denied any involvement in the murder and that he never knew the film producer.

Only last week it was disclosed a new witness had come forward who drew a picture for Gardai of scratches that Bailey had on his hands when he met him the day after the murder.

Bailey responded by saying he never denied he had scratches on his arms from cutting a Christmas tree and killing a Christmas turkey at that time.

Sophie's family are convinced Bailey is the killer and have even offered to pay for his hospital treatment in Ireland to keep him alive so that they can get justice.

He had been found guilty of the crime in absentia by a French court in 2019 and sentenced to 25 years in jail.

The Irish courts refused to extradite him because most of the so-called evidence in the Paris courtroom was based on hearsay and would never be permitted in an Irish court of law.

Despite his illness, Bailey yesterday said he would take the family up on the offer and he will be getting Bantry Hospital to send his 13,000 euros bill to them.

He added; " My life is now on the line and I can tell you I did not kill Sophie. "
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 6. The leaders of the armed separatist regime forced the Armenian population of Azerbaijans Karabakh to leave, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Germany Nasimi Aghayev said in an interview with German television, Trend reports.

Politicians in Armenia have created an atmosphere of fear that plays a major role. The Azerbaijani side called on the Armenian residents of Karabakh to stay where they live and not leave the territory, offering them full Azerbaijani citizenship. They are invited to enjoy the rights and freedoms provided for by the Constitution of Azerbaijan, as well as security guarantees," the ambassador said.

He also spoke about the military aggression undertaken by Armenia against Azerbaijan 30 years ago, the complete destruction of seven Azerbaijani cities and 900 villages, the fact that more than one million Azerbaijanis have become refugees and internally displaced persons, and the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide carried out against them.

Aghayev stressed that at present, the most correct step to restoring peace and tranquility in the South Caucasus is to think about the future and achieve the signing of a peace agreement between the two countries as soon as possible.

Employees of the Azerbaijan Republic State Migration Service carry out activities to receive local applications for the initial registration of Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region and organize educational events in this regard, and employees of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population identify the socio-humanitarian needs of residents.
Kirsty Blake Knox on five news stories you might have missed this week

Seville plans a cull of stags and hens... can Temple Bar join the pursuit?

Seville is cracking down on rowdy stag and hen parties. In fact, the city council is bringing a law banning people from sauntering around the streets in their underpants. The city is just one of many Spanish locations saying thanks but no thanks to hen and stag dos. In 2014, the Andalucian town of Mojacar banned phallic tiaras or unbecoming behaviour with inflatable sex dolls, and Malaga fines people 750 if they walk around with an inflatable penis on their heads. Could we do something similar in Temple Bar?

Its a dirty job but someone has to do it

The 82-year-old actress Rose Knox Peebles made headlines last month after responding to a theatre critic who said she had been made up to look a fright in a production of Das Rheingold. Knox Peebles, who was on stage naked for most of the production, responded saying she was wearing no make-up and the look was entirely mine. This week she gave an interview to the Times of London chronicling other roles she has played in recent years  including one in the Cate Blanchett movie Tar. That was an unusual audition, she said. It also demanded I was totally naked and covered in faeces. I was the only person to volunteer for the job. I cant say Im surprised.

Jilly Cooper rides high in the fashion stakes

Fashion Week has been and gone, and in its wake, a slew of unusual sartorial trends. This week the Times reported that Jilly Cooper core is how to dress this autumn and winter. Coopers novel Tackle will be released next month, and the dramatisation of Rivals is out next year. Fashion editors are predicting there will be a surge in the sales of snug white jeans, and say suggestive accessories such a polo mallet are an essential part of the look. Elsewhere, the UK Independent informed us that women wearing mens boxers for all to see is the height of sophistication. They detail how to wear them: shimmy them up several inches above your jeans so everyone can see them. I would definitely take the Jilly Cooper trend over that any day.

A new trick for office brownie points

Forbes magazine reported on a new workplace movement: coffee badging. This is when a worker arrives into the office for coffee, some light chit-chat, collects an imaginary brownie point and then skedaddles back to the sanctuary of WFH. This way they get to catch up on office gossip and return home to send emails from a slanket. Sounds ideal.

Brian Cox is no diva

Succession star Brian Cox is to front a new James Bond quiz show. Asked why he had taken the gig, he was typically honest: I just thought it was witty, and I liked the idea of it. And also my involvement was not huge. It was a no-brainer, really. [Actors] get precious about: Oh, I cant do that. I dont buy into any kind of Im special thing.
Mortician Elizabeth Oakes with one of the ceramic urns

Mortician Elizabeth Oakes says she is overwhelmed at the huge number of inquiries she has received about water cremations, known as resomation since she opened her Pure Reflections Resomarium in Navan, Co Meath in recent weeks.

The first eco-friendly water cremations in Europe took place there last week.

Water cremation is an eco-friendly alternative to flame cremation or burial and uses water to return the body to hydrolysed remains  otherwise known as ash.

We have already held three funerals here so far  an English national and two Irish people, she said.

We are affiliated with funeral directors all over the country and we have a chapel on site so people can hold their final committal service here.

Pure Reflections will host an open day on site in Navan on November 18 so people can see themselves what happens and demystify the process.

The coffin doesnt go into the machine, only the body. And we can, according to the wishes of the family, recycle the coffin into presentation boxes for our bespoke ceramic urns, she said.

Ms Oakes describes water cremation as a very gentle process which takes about four hours to complete.

Any prosthetics or pacemakers recovered after the process are like new and completely intact and we hope in time, and with the wishes of the families, to look into donation of these artificial pieces.

Aquamation is eco-friendly and uses 95pc water mixed with 5pc alkaline solution.

The alkaline, when mixed with water and heat naturally speeds up the decomposition of the body leaving only the bones behind, she explained.

The bones are then processed in a cremulator. The families will receive 30pc more of their loved ones back after resomation. 

There are no carbon emissions and the process uses 10 times less energy than flame cremation. After the resomation process, the liquid by-product undergoes a rigorous treatment to ensure environmental safety, she said.

The company, Ms Oakes explained, has implemented advanced filtration and purification systems, ensuring that the water released post-resomation undergoes multiple levels of treatment to meet and exceed all regulatory requirements.

Im delighted to finally be able to offer this service.

"Covid-19 delayed the opening because of trying to get parts imported, she said.

It also wouldnt be possible without grants from Meath Co Council and Meath Leader who shared my vision after I saw this in the US almost 20 years ago.

She said she first became aware of the process when she was studying in the US and was given a tour of the body donation programme at UCLAwhere they were using the process because of its environmental benefits.

This is the first resomarium in Europe and it is highly regulated. I wanted to get it right so there was a lot of thought and planning in this. Irish Water carried out testing for three years before giving me a licence.

Already, Im receiving at least 10 enquiries per day, especially from those in end-of-life care, she said.

I was chatting to a funeral director in the US last week who has both a flame and water crematorium and he said that, when given the choice, 95pc of families choose water cremation.
Its cruel and inhumane  family facing financial and physical burnout caring for profoundly ill child seek help in Budget

Couple whose daughter needs 24/7 monitoring want better supports and respite for carers as system described as draconian

We're not seen, we're invisible - Mother of five-year-old daughter who has a profound life-limiting condition

Adrianna Wrona Sat 7 Oct 2023 at 03:30

Amanda Fitzgerald is a full-time carer for her five-year-old daughter Olivia who has a profound life-limiting condition called leukodystrophy type 6.
A man will appear before Kenmare District Court today charged in connection with the killing of Joe Brosnan (52) in Tralee last year.

The man was arrested by Gardai from the Kerry division on Friday at Dublin Airport after he was extradited from the UK on foot of an arrest warrant.

The man has since been charged in relation to the killing and will appear before Kenmare court this aternoon.

Gardai from the Kerry Division arrested a man (aged in his 50s) yesterday, Friday 6th October 2023, at Dublin Airport in relation to the ongoing investigation into the fatal assault of a man at Abbey Court, Tralee, County Kerry on 22nd May 2022.

The arrest follows the extradition of the man from England where he had been arrested on foot of a Trade and Co-Operation Agreement arrest warrant.

He has since been charged in relation to this investigation and is due to appear before a special sitting of Kenmare District Court this afternoon, Saturday 7th October 2023 at 3.00pm. Investigations are ongoing, a garda spokesperson said.
Retailers are reporting a record level of shoplifting in stores, the head of a retail group representing more than 4,000 family-owned shops has said.

Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association (RGDATA) director general Tara Buckley told RTE Radio 1s Saturday with Colm O Mongain anti-social behaviour is a daily occurrence in stores across the country.

Theyre dealing with shoplifting, theft, fraud on a daily basis. One of their biggest concerns I suppose, is that the incidents are getting more aggressive, more violent.

She said supermarkets are dealing with young offenders, older offenders and repeat offenders.

Staff are dealing with racist, sexist behaviour, spitting, attacking with weapons and if they confronted someone to ask if they paid for a coffee, they may have that coffee thrown in their face.

Ms Buckley said a survey of RGDATA members showed anti-social incidents are at the highest level theyve ever been and 98pc of 400 members surveyed said theyve had incidents in their stores.

The garda themselves, their own statistics have shown an increase and the highest levels and the highest cost of the goods involved since pre-Covid times. These are the highest levels theyve ever encountered.

For an awful lot of our members this is a daily issue in their stores. Its creates huge stress for the owners, their staff and their customers, Ms Buckley said.

RGDATA members have reported staff saying they cant do this job anymore because of anti-social behaviour and shops have had to invest in security systems and panic buttons to ensure staff are safe.

Store managers are wearing panic buttons at work and have direct links to the local gardsa station, while some shops are paying 70,000 to 80,000 per year to deal with retail theft, Ms Buckley said.

It hasnt been gradual or incremental, it actually has exploded. Its a pandemic of retail crime.

Were dealing with a group of young offenders who are getting increasingly violent and aggressive.

Also speaking on the programme, Minister of State for Retail Business Neale Richmond said he met with Justice Minister Helen McEntee to discuss the issue of retail theft.

Mr Richmond said 600 new prison places are being created and that the appointment of new judges is reducing the amount of time cases spend in the courts.

However, thats only part of it. What we need to see is that continuing investment early on, particularly in communities who are disadvantaged, he added.
Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi in an undated handout picture from the family archive. Photo: via Reuters

Imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi (51) has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the fifth person to receive the prize while incarcerated.

Norwegian Nobel Committee Chair Berit Reiss-Andersen said the prize was awarded for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.

The prize will cast an international spotlight on the fight for womens rights in the Middle Eastern nation, where women have taken to the streets in protest under the banner Woman, Life, Freedom, following the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022.

Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs, Ms Reiss-Andersen said. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. Ms Mohammadi is still in prison.

Ms Reiss-Andersen described Ms Mohammadi as a freedom fighter.

Iran has not yet officially responded to the award, but after earlier criticism by European and American officials over the treatment of women in the country, foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani lashed out Thursday on social media against interventionist & biased remarks & expressing insincere concern over Iranian women & girls.

In the 1990s, Ms Mohammadi studied physics before working as an engineer and becoming an advocate for equality and womens rights, and campaigning to abolish the death penalty. In 2011, she was arrested for the first time for her efforts to assist incarcerated activists and their families.

Accused of spreading propaganda, she is now serving 10 years in Tehrans notorious Evin prison. There, she works to oppose the conditions inflicted on her and fellow female inmates, specifically the use of torture and solitary confinement.

Last year, Ms Mohammadi published the book White Torture which detailed Irans use of solitary confinement and sensory deprivation against her and her fellow prisoners.

The aim of white torture is to permanently break the connection between a persons body and mind to force the individual to recant their ethics and actions, she wrote.

Ms Mohammadi wrote the books preface during a brief break from prison for medical reasons last year. She closed the section with a pledge, They will put me behind bars again, but I will not stop campaigning until human rights and justice prevail in my country.

And this year, on the anniversary of the death of Ms Amini, the young woman arrested for a dress code violation who died in the custody of Irans morality police last year, Ms Mohammadi staged a protest inside Evin prison. She and three other women burned their headscarves, according to a post on her social media page.

Ms Mohammadis determination to continue working despite her imprisonment carries a powerful message, said a fellow Iranian activist and former colleague, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

Narges Mohammadi is one of the very few who not only has stayed in Iran, but remains active, whether she is out or imprisoned, she said.

Iran is carrying out waves of arrests, targeting activists, journalists and intellectuals in an attempt to stamp out dissent and tighten social restrictions. After protests erupted following Ms Aminis death last year, Iranian authorities arrested some 20,000 people.

Ms Mohammadi has been previously honoured by Reporters Without Borders, the PEN America Literary Gala and the UNs World Press Freedom Prize for her work defending human rights and her commitment to journalism under threat.

She and two other Iranian journalists recognised by the United Nations paid a hefty price for their commitment to report and convey the truth, said Zainab Salbi, chair of the International Jury of media professionals who chose the press freedom prize winners.

We are committed to honouring them and ensuring their voices will continue to echo worldwide until they are safe and free, Ms Salbi said.

Past detained people to receive the prize include German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky in 1935, Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi in 1991, Chinese rights activist Liu Xiaobo in 2010 and Belarusian democracy activist Ales Bialiatski in 2022.

Arguably the most famous of the prizes set out by Alfred Nobel in his 1895 will, the Peace Prize includes a gold medal and an award of over $1m (940,000) for an individual or organisation most contributing to fraternity between nations, reducing standing armies or holding peace conferences.

The requirements have since been expanded to include humanitarian work and the fight for human rights.

While it was once politicians and leaders winning the prestigious prize, in recent years it has increasingly gone to organisations and individuals promoting human rights and humanitarian work.

Amid war in Europe, last years prize went to human rights activists and organisations in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, while in 2021, it was awarded to Russian and Philippine journalists for promoting freedom of expression.

Alone among the prizes, which are handed out by Scandinavian institutions, the Peace Prize is awarded by a five-member Norwegian committee chosen by the Norwegian parliament, in accordance with Nobels wishes.

The possible political motives of the award are always closely scrutinised. There were 351 candidates for the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize  the second-highest number of candidates ever, according to the organisation.
Councillors from Ivana Baciks Labour Party wanted to keep the base rate of property tax, which would have raised vital funds. Photo: Steve Humphreys

It can a be a bit awkward when I bump into politicians Ive criticised in this column, so it was a big relief to meet Ivana Bacik with Labour Party councillor Deborah Byrne at the packed launch of Mairia Cahills book, Rough Beast, on Wednesday evening. Im going to say a good word about you on Saturday, I cheerfully declared. And I will.

The issue is the popular refrain that local government in Ireland is too weak. A further iteration of this mantra is that a directly-elected mayor, particularly for Dublin, would be a vast improvement on the current system in which executive powers are held by an unelected official, the county or city manager.
Programme being launched in Drogheda on World Mental Health Day, Tuesday October 10th

The theme for World Mental Health Day this year - 'Mental Health Is a Universal Human Right' - is focused on raising awareness and driving positive change.

Louth County Council is delighted to be jointly launching the Mindful Connect and the Wellbeing Ambassador programme in tandem with Meath County Council.

In October 2022, the local authoritys Healthy Louth programme ran a three-month public consultation to inform the actions set out within the Healthy Ireland Fund 2023-2025 Local Strategy for Louth. During this public consultation it became apparent that the overriding issues among participants were concerns about mental health and a lack of awareness of local supports.

It was recognised that struggles with mental health can lead to anxiety, low mood, and depression, and although people are encouraged to reach out and ask for help, the findings from the public consultation highlighted that many dont know where to find the support they need.

Following on from the public consultation Louth County Councils Healthy Louth programme are leading the formation of the first Louth Wellbeing Network, Mindful Connect. Work is well underway in relation to gathering information on all the groups, organisations, and charities across the county, alongside the statutory organisations and relevant national organisations. These will be fed into a digital resource that will support the Wellbeing Ambassadors in their role. It will also be reviewed and updated on a regular basis and made available via the Louth County Council website.

Carol Murphy from SOSAD Ireland, said: Sometimes it can simply be a case of loneliness and/or isolation, and having information on befriending or community groups is all the person needs. It can also be the case that people simply need an activity or a club to join, but they just dont know what is available.

I think we have all come to realise that investing in our mental health in a positive way is what will give us the resources for the low times. We can invest or add to our mental health piggy bank by doing something for ourselves every day, whether it is, taking a walk, reading, meditation, joining in group activities or just sitting having a chat. Imagine the wellbeing network is like a safety net across the county, I would hope this will help more people to be able to get the help, support and information they need to enable them to experience more positive mental health.

The second phase of the project will be the recruitment of Wellbeing Ambassadors. The Wellbeing Ambassador Programme will train and supports individuals who would like to take action to help support the mental health and wellbeing of others. A Wellbeing Ambassador will be a member of the public, perhaps a person who is already a volunteer in their community, or indeed anyone who would like to be involved. The training provided by SOSAD Ireland will provide the Wellbeing Ambassadors with the skills to use their voice and networks to promote positive conversations about mental health in their community. They will be a source of information, provide mental health and wellbeing signposting support and be passionate about advocating mental health and wellbeing in the community. Recruitment of the wellbeing Ambassadors will commence in October 2023.

Paula Keenan, Healthy Ireland Coordinator at Louth County Council, said: We aim to have a network of trained volunteers across the county who will be able to recognise if someone needs help. They will be available to chat to them, and if needed signpost the best supports and services that may be able to help. They will not be counsellors but will have had the training to understand mental health issues and can point the person in the right direction for support and help.

When the programme is up and running it is envisaged that we will have large numbers of trained volunteers who, within their work or community life, will have that ability to recognise if someone is feeling low, or out of sorts and be able to ask if they are ok and be there to listen and support by signposting to the relevant service. There will also be a support network in place for the Wellbeing Ambassadors.

Cllr Paula Butterly, Cathaoirleach, Louth County Council, said: Health and wellbeing, including mental health is so important for us all. During COVID, the way local people stepped up really showed how we can come together to provide help and support to those that need it in our communities. It also showed that a lot of you know your communities much better than the council or health partners and know how to work with them to get the best results. So do please consider joining the network and becoming a Wellbeing Ambassador and work with us to help those who really need our help.

Joan Martin, Chief Executive, Louth County Council, said: I am delighted to attend the joint launch with Meath County Council. We all know that resources are extremely limited; therefore, every action needs to have maximum impact. I very much welcome this collaborate approach, leveraging our resources and indeed learning from each other to achieve our joint mission of empowering our citizens to make their own informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

The Wellbeing Network and Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme will also help us to understand what the health and wellbeing priorities are in our local communities, by feeding back what is working well, and what improvements are needed.

The project is being funded by Healthy Ireland, a Government-led initiative which aims to create an Irish society where everyone can enjoy physical and mental health, and where wellbeing is valued and supported at every level of society.

The launch will take place at St. Peters Church of Ireland, Peters Street, Drogheda, County Louth.

For more information on the Louth Wellbeing Network and Wellbeing Ambassador Programme please visit: https://louthcoco.ie/en/services/communities/programmes/healthy-louth/healthy-louth-funded-projects/ To contact the Healthy Louth Coordinator, email: healthylouth@louthcoco.ie
Droghedas Carole OConnor lands role in Letters from the Front

A Louth actor will be joining an all-star cast as she has bagged a role in a musical production alongside award winning West End leading lady, Rebecca Storm.

Carole OConnor from Drogheda will take to the stage with Rebecca Storm in a brand new Irish musical drama Letters From The Front, written by Don OConnor and Ollie Hennessy. Fresh from its premier at Kilkennys Watergate Theatre, Carole and a cast of 35 members will play the OReilly Theatre, Belvedere College, Dublin 1, from November 21st  24th.

Set during World War 1, Letters From The Front is the new Irish musical that has everyone talking since it debuted earlier this year. The new musical tells the emotional tales of three families, caught up in the turmoil of WW1. This is a story of young love and sacrifice when Irish couple, Willie and Eileens circumstances force them to separate when Willie is sent to fight for the British military stationed at the Western Front. The only communication keeping the couple's connection alive is through the heart-felt letters they exchange.

I'm absolutely thrilled to be a part of 'Letters from the Front' and to bring this incredible story to Dublin for the very first time, said Rebecca. It's a powerful and moving piece of musical theatre. I actually have the letters written by my great grandfather who fought at the Battle of the Somme, so these four performances in such an intimate Dublin venue will be very special not only for me but also the other cast members many who like me have ancestors who fought in WWI.

Dont miss your chance to be one of the first to witness this turbulent journey through a rocky chapter in history. Letters from the Front is a must-see for theatregoers and history buffs alike.

Tickets are ON SALE NOW from www.gr8events.ie/letters

Tickets are priced at 34 and 30 for OAP/students
A United Nations inquiry into the killing of 22 year-old Private Sean Rooney in Lebanon last December has been concluded by its findings will not be made public, Louth TD O Murchu has been told.

The Sinn Fein TD had tabled a parliamentary question in the Dail asking for an update on the progress being made in the investigation into the death of update on the progress being made in the investigation into the death of the Dundalk soldier who was serving with UNIFIL.

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin told him that since the incident in which the Dundalk-born soldier was killed and his colleagues from the 121st Battalion injured, He had consistently expressed his determination that all of the facts and circumstances of the incident are fully established and that no stone is left unturned to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

He recalled how he visited Lebanon and met with his Lebanese counterparts in January, and had impressed upon them the need to ensure that the Lebanese investigation was as thorough and complete as possible.

More recently he had met the Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs in New York at the UN General Assembly last month and again raised the matter of the Lebanese criminal investigation.

He said that through the Embassy in Cairo and the Consulate in Beirut, Irish Government was maintaining close diplomatic contact with the Lebanese authorities in relation to the progress of the Lebanese criminal investigation.

He said that those charged in connection with the incident in which Pte Rooney died first appeared in court on July 14, with a further hearing on August 30,

The next court hearing is scheduled for 15 December 2023, he said. Representatives from the Embassy in Cairo and the Consulate in Beirut have attended all hearings to date. In addition, my Department has engaged a Lebanese legal firm to represent the interests and concerns of the Irish Government at the court hearings.

Given that the matter was now before the Lebanese judicial system, he said it would not be appropriate for him to make any further comment.

"However, I can assure the House that my Department, the Embassy in Cairo, the Consulate in Beirut and I will continue to monitor developments very closely.

He added that in addition to the criminal investigation, a number of other investigations are being carried out in relation to Private Rooneys death, including one by An Garda Siochana for the purposes of preparing a report for the Coroner.

He also revealed that the United Nations undertook a Board of Inquiry, which has now been concluded but will not be made public.

"As this is an internal report of the United Nations, it may not be shared with third parties or made public in any form, either in whole or in part. Consequently, the final report of the Board of Inquiry will not be published. It has, however, been shared with Ireland for official use only, he said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist", on September 27, 2020, in response to the large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline, Trend reports.

The erupted 44-day Second Karabakh War ended with the liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation.

Trend presents the chronicle of the 12th day of the Second Karabakh war:

- President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Euronews and CNN-Turk TV channels.

- Under the leadership of the President of Azerbaijan, the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, an operational meeting was held at the Central Command Post of the Ministry of Defense.

- President Ilham Aliyev addressed the participants of the XXIII Eurasian Economic Summit.

- Armenia bombarded the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline with cluster-type missiles.

- Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that as a result of artillery strikes on the Armenian Armed Forces, the command and observation post of the defense of the 5th regiment of the Armenian army was disabled, many were killed and wounded. An artillery strike knocked out 1 tank and 3 artillery installations of the Armenian Armed Forces. The ministry also shared a video of the Shukurbayli village of Azerbaijans Jabrayil district, liberated from the Armenian occupation.

- Armenian Armed Forces fired at the villages of Tartar, Barda, Aghdam, Aghjabadi, Fuzuli, and Jabrayil districts.

- Azerbaijani Defense Ministry published a list of the destroyedmilitary equipment of the Armenian Armed Forces, and also shared footage of its destruction.

- Azerbaijani Defense Ministry shared a video of the Shaybay village of Azerbaijans Jabrayil district, liberated from the Armenian occupation.

- Azerbaijani Defense Ministry shared footage of the military equipment abandoned by the Armenian servicemen.

- Another UAV of Armenia was destroyed.

- As a result of fire from Azerbaijani troops, about 10 tanks, six D-20 cannons, one "Akatsiya" self-propelled artillery unit, about 30 vehicles, and a large number of Armenian manpower were destroyed. A group of soldiers from units located in the defensive areas of the 1st and 7th regiments of the Armenian Armed Forces, leaving their combat positions without permission, deserted.
That is the message being delivered by MEP Maria Walsh, ahead of Tuesdays Budget. The Midlands-North-West MEP is calling on the Finance Minister and her Government colleagues to address the infrastructure deficits and to provide funding for rural Ireland to reduce the obvious and disappointing regional inequality.

The West and Northwest region, for example, is considered to be in transition and continues to be neglected in terms of funding. I have, on many occasions, highlighted the Regional Competitiveness Index from the European Commission which found that the Northern and Western Region of Ireland underperformed in areas relating to infrastructure, innovation capabilities, market size and business sophistication. Of the 234 EU regions examined in the index, the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland was ranked 24th, with the Southern Region ranked 90th, and the Northern and Western Region ranked 113th. These inequalities need to be addressed, she argued.

MEP Walsh highlighted a number of key projects that desperately need to be progressed in the short term. We need to see progress on the N17, on the long-awaited Western Rail Corridor, on rail connectivity to Donegal, and thats just for starters. What we need, and what the region deserves right now, is a policy of positive discrimination to rejuvenate the West and North West. There are many projects that have been identified and committed to in the National Development Plan, and its time we moved forward on these. Its high time we delivered on these and other projects of scale for the region, ensuring greater regional autonomy, she reasoned.

At present, the facts speak for themselves according to MEP Walsh, and she is appealing to Minister Michael McGrath, and the Government, to provide the necessary resources to reinvigorate and revitalise the regions, enabling the development of thriving and resilient rural communities.

Rural Ireland has long been neglected and its time we shouted stop. Our communities, our farmers, our businesses and our people deserve better. Last years Budget did not deliver the necessary resources for the many infrastructural projects that are so badly needed, and nor did it deliver in terms of regional development, the backing for SMEs and agriculture, and the overall provisions for better connected and supported rural communities, she said.

We talk about wanting to ensure the future of communities all across our country, but our young people are continuing to leave in their droves. In rural Ireland, the desire is there, the community spirit is there in bucketloads, but we need to see investment, and we need to make rural Ireland a realistic and attractive option for workers and for businesses. Rural Ireland cannot be overlooked in Tuesdays Budget. We need to start levelling the playing field, and we need to promote and support rural living for the good of our communities and our country, added MEP Walsh.
Latest | More than 300 reported dead in Israel and Palestine as Benjamin Netanyahu says Hamas will pay price it hasnt known after rocket attacks

Israel has begun to bomb Gaza in retaliatory action  Netanyahu says Israel at warCivilians and Israeli soldiers have been taken hostage by Hamas militantsAround 300 reported dead in Israel and Gaza with more than 1,000 injured Hamas militants have stormed Israeli settlements, border crossings and army posts

Massive shooting of rockets amid unprecedented Hamas operation against Israel

Isabel DeBre, Eoghan Moloney Josef Federman and Issam Adwan Sat 7 Oct 2023 at 09:27







Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel on Saturday, sending fighters across the border and firing thousands of rockets into the country as the ruling Hamas militant group announced the beginning of a new operation.
Two second-century Roman statues lie damaged on the floor after being toppled by an American tourist at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Photo: Israel Police via AP
Image Courtesy: openai.com/blog

San Francisco: ChatGPTs developer OpenAI is considering the development of its own artificial intelligence chips and has even explored a potential acquisition target, Reuters reported, citing sources.

While no definitive decision has been reached, recent internal discussions have centered around finding a solution to the scarcity of expensive AI chips that OpenAI depends on, the report said

CEO Sam Altman has prioritized acquiring more AI chips, expressing concerns over the shortage of graphics processing units, a market largely controlled by Nvidia.

Since 2020, OpenAI has developed its generative artificial intelligence technologies on a massive supercomputer constructed by Microsoft, one of its largest backers, that uses 10,000 of Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs), stated the Reuters report.

Obtaining additional chips is crucial due to the shortage of advanced processors powering OpenAI's software and the substantial costs associated with running the necessary hardware.

OpenAI has been using a massive supercomputer with 10,000 of Nvidia's graphics processing units, a setup backed by Microsoft, one of its major backers.

According to the Reuters report, operating ChatGPT is costly, with each query amounting to about 4 cents. If ChatGPT's queries were to reach a tenth of Google's search scale, it would initially require approximately $48.1 billion worth of GPUs and about $16 billion worth of chips annually to sustain operations.

Even if OpenAI proceeds with custom chip plans, including a potential acquisition, the process is expected to take several years, making the company reliant on commercial providers like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices in the interim, the report said.

Some major tech companies have attempted to develop their own processors with limited success.

Meta, for example, encountered difficulties with its custom chip initiative, leading to the abandonment of some AI chips. Meta is now working on a newer chip designed to cover various types of AI work.

Microsoft, OpenAI's primary supporter, is also working on a custom AI chip that OpenAI is testing, suggesting a potential divergence between the two companies, according to the report.

The demand for specialized AI chips has multiplied since the introduction of ChatGPT, as specific chips or AI accelerators are essential for training and operating the latest generative AI technology.

Nvidia remains one of the few chipmakers that produces valuable AI chips and dominates the market, the report said.
Image Source: Video grab

#IsraelAtWar: Live Blog On Israel-Palestine Conflict India Blooms New Service | @indiablooms #Israel, #Hamas, #HamasRocketAttack, #Gaza, #Palestine, #Netanyahu

More than 1,000 people have died in Israel and Palestine since the Hamas group members launched an attack against Israel on Saturday.

Number of Israeli residents injured as result of escalation up to 2,382 The number of Israeli residents hospitalized as a result of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has increased to 2,382, The Times of Israel newspaper reported on Monday, citing the latest data by the Health Ministry. Earlier reports indicated that 2,315 people were injured as a result of the conflict's escalation, while over 700 were killed.

1,23,000 Palestinians flee their homes in Gaza due to armed conflict More than 1,23,000 Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict escalates, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Sunday. "As of 21:00, 123,538 Palestinians had been displaced in Gaza," the OCHA said in a statement.

Death toll due to ongoing conflict crosses 1,000 More than 1,000 people have died in Israel and Palestine after the surprise rocket attack on Saturday by Hamas triggered a war in the region. "More than 700 people have been killed in Israel, while more than 400 Palestinians have been killed, according to authorities. Some 2,300 others have been wounded in Gaza, with power cuts threatening lives of hundreds of injured and patients," the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza was quoted as saying by CNN.

US moves carrier strike group to eastern Mediterranean The United States has begun moving USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean. This includes the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), as well as the Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Carney (DDG 64), and USS Roosevelt (DDG 80). "USCENTCOM stands firmly with our Israeli and regional partners to address the risks of any party seeking to expand the conflict," said General Michael

"Erik" Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command.https://t.co/URHNRuPLkV pic.twitter.com/Dgclz8PuwC  U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 8, 2023

IDF shares images of 'war crimes' committed by Hamas on its X page This is incriminating evidence of the war crimes committed by the Hamas terrorist organization. pic.twitter.com/gM9mWZVkeG  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 9, 2023

Death toll crosses 1,000 as Israel-Hamas conflict continues More than 1,000 people have died in Israel and Palestine since the Hamas group members launched an attack against Israel on Saturday. "More than 700 people have been killed in Israel, while more than 400 Palestinians have been killed, according to authorities. Some 2,300 others have been wounded in Gaza, with power cuts threatening "lives of hundreds of injuries and patients," the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza was quoted as saying by CNN. Israel has declared war on Hamas and initiated airstrikes in response to this fierce attack. Swords of Iron42 hours in.



These are the NUMBERS.



This is the reality of Israel right now. pic.twitter.com/eUSNBFRgB2  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 8, 2023 The Israel Defense Forces told CNN that Israel has "severely degraded the capabilities" of the Palestinian militant group Hamas as airstrikes on Gaza continued into early Monday. Israel Defense Forces said 2150 people have been injured in the attack so far.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with several world leaders including Ukraine President A tweet posted on the official X handle of the Israel PM said: "Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, all of whom expressed unreserved support for Israel's right to defend itself as necessary." Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, all of whom expressed unreserved support for Israel's right to defend itself as necessary.  Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 8, 2023

At least 100 Israelis are currently held captive in Gaza: Government

More than 600 Israelis killed and 100 abducted by Hamas militants since Saturday, the Israeli government says

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has spoken with the leader of Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad (PIJ) , says Iran's state media

Over 500 Israelis killed in last 24 hrs, 313 people dead in Gaza Hamas's attack on Israel has killed 500 Israelis in the past 24 hours, local media reports. In the Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health said 313 people had been killed by Israeli air strikes, with almost 2,000 wounded, reports BBC.

Internet connection snapped in large parts of Gaza after Israel strikes

People in Gaza worried war will last for a very long time, reports BBC

UN officials strongly condemn deadly attacks in Israel Top UN officials were in close contact with all concerned to urge maximum restraint following horrific scenes of violence that left dozens dead and hundreds wounded in Israeli cities near the Gaza Strip amid rocket attacks by armed Palestinian militants early Saturday morning, with the UN Security Council announcing it would hold a Sunday afternoon private meeting to discuss the matter. The UN Secretary-General condemned in the strongest terms the attack by Hamas against Israeli towns, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

The girl whose naked body surfaced in a social media video on Saturday after Hamas attack on Israel has now been identified as German citizen Shani Louk The video has been verified by CNN. Louk was seen in a vehicle by militants in Gaza who are chanting "Allahu Akbar." CNN reported that Louk was a German-Israeli dual national. Louk reportedly attended the music festival attacked by Hamas. The girl whose body Hamas posted on social media and paraded during the attack on Israel is reportedly a German national, Shani Lauk, who was attending a music festival in Israel. pic.twitter.com/qdqzp5yg9W  Dave Lucas (@davelucas) October 8, 2023

An operational update from IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari: An operational update from IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari: pic.twitter.com/2QNm29UYZ7  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 8, 2023

Hezbollah congratulates Hamas BBC reports that Hezbollah, which like Iran, is committed to Israels destruction, yesterday congratulated Hamas on its attacks on Israeli territory and said it would keep a close eye on developments. Today's attacks were in solidarity with the Palestinian people, a fresh statement said.

More than 400 Palestinian militants have been killed in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip, and dozens more have been captured, an IDF spokesman was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel War in Israellast 30 hours. pic.twitter.com/EdCarXTqg0  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 8, 2023

A long, difficult war ahead for Israel, say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The Israeli prime minister said in an overnight message that the war had been "forced on us by a murderous attack by Hamas", and the first stage would end in the coming hours when most of the militants on Israeli territory had been wiped out. Israel would restore security to its citizens and win, he added. This morning, on Shabbat and a holiday, Hamas invaded Israeli territory and murdered innocent citizens including children and the elderly. Hamas has started a brutal and evil war.



We will be victorious in this war despite an unbearable price. This is a very difficult day for all  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) October 8, 2023

The possibility of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intensifying looms large over southern Lebanon and across the nation

Fighting between the Israeli military and Palestinian militants continues in Israeli territory near Gaza, reports BBC

Amid heavy firing by Gaza militants, Israel music festival attendees seen running for lives in new viral video As Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, hundreds of people attending an Israeli music festival were caught in a video running for their lives amid heavy firing by militants at them. The Music Festival that was taking place in the Kibbutz of Urim, in Israel, before Hamas terrorists invaded the Gaza Strip. Terrorist arrived shooting at the party participants, killing and injuring many of them. Some of them were taken into Gaza #Israel #IsraelUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/BBQNT7dNhc  Deborah Turnley (@WolfsMuse) October 8, 2023

Israeli army strikes in 'area in Lebanon' in response to fire The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday that it was striking "the area in Lebanon" in response to fire from the area. "IDF Artillery is currently striking the area in Lebanon from where a shooting was carried out," the IDF said on Telegram, adding that it "has been taking preparational measures for this type of possibility and will continue to operate in all regions and at any time necessary to ensure the safety of the Israeli civilians."

Hezbollah claims responsibility for targeting Israeli sites: CNN According to CNN, the Lebanese group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for targeting three Israeli sites in an area known as Shebaa Farms using missiles and artillery. It issued a statement on Sunday. Over 300 killed as Israel-Palestine war escalates following over 5000 rocket attacks by Hamas. Photo courtesy: UNI

Israeli security forces secure control of Sderot police station : CNN Israels southern district police forces and soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday secured control of Sderot police station, according to a southern district police spokesperson, quoted CNN. Starting in the morning, the southern district police forces and IDF soldiers are working to neutralize terrorists who infiltrated the Sderot station, the police spokesperson said. A short time ago, full control was achieved. CNN reports: About 10 armed terrorists were neutralized, after the forces were ordered to carry out live fire by all means on the station where the terrorists were entrenched, the spokesperson said. Live briefing from Tel Avivwith an IDF Spokesperson LTC (Res.) Jonathan Conricus Live briefing from Tel Avivwith an IDF Spokesperson LTC (Res.) Jonathan Conricus https://t.co/nOU4IDlsQx  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

Israeli woman being kidnapped by Hamas video goes viral Hamas = ISIS



Same ideology, different names.



The footage coming out of southern Israel makes this absolutely clear.



In the video: Hamas terrorists kidnapped an Israeli young woman earlier today. #Israel_under_attack #IsraelUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/QVtQBWgInA  David Saranga (@DavidSaranga) October 7, 2023

Attack on residential buildings in Gaza by Hamas BREAKING: Residential building in Gaza has been destroyed by aerial bombs as Hamas continues to target innocent people in Israel.



Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu has declared war in response to the attacks, saying the enemy will pay a price it has never known before.



Biden has pic.twitter.com/geolNC5ypg  Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 7, 2023

X video by British politician shows Hamas on rampage in Gaza Strip neighbourhood Hamas terrorists on the rampage in a neighbourhood near the Gaza Strip. #Israel #Hamas #Palestine #Palestinian #IronDome #Gaza #TelAviv pic.twitter.com/z0x1vBZUQV  Paul Golding (@GoldingBF) October 7, 2023

US condemns attack by Hamas, stands by Israel We will never fail to have Israels back. pic.twitter.com/3JM8d665iJ  President Biden (@POTUS) October 8, 2023

Over 300 killed in Israel in large-scale attack by Palestinian group Hamas More than 300 were killed in Israel in a surprise large-scale attack by the Palestinian group Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to reduce its Gaza hideouts to "rubble". In Gaza, more than 230 have been killed in Israel's response. RIGHT NOW: Barzilai Medical Centerin southern Israelwas targeted by Hamas rocket fire.



Hours before the strike, Dr. Chezy Levy, the Director of the medical center, and his staff moved patients to safety.



This is indiscriminate fire against civilians. The IDF will not stand pic.twitter.com/OS0HLo3CQU  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 8, 2023

Israel to cut off electricity supply to Gaza Reuters news agency reported Israel's energy minister, Israel Katz, as saying that Israel would cut off Gaza's electricity supply.

Israel ready to launch ground operation on Gaza The Israeli military has mobilised tens of thousands of reservists and is now expected to launch a ground operation in Gaza, reports BBC.

232 killed, 1600 wounded in Gaza as Israel launches air strikes on Gaza

Air India cancels flights to and from Israel as country declares retaliatory 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas

At least 150 people are reported killed and 1,100 wounded in Israel after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched attacks

Israel declares 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas militants Israel has declared 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas militants, involving a coordinated attack by the Israel Air Force. Dozens of fighter jets have been deployed to target the Hamas militant group in various locations across the Gaza Strip.

Death toll rises to 100 in Israel in Palestinian militant group Hamas's biggest attack in years https://www.justearthnews.com/news-details/6690/israel-palestine-war-150-dead-over-1-000-injured-in-hamas-attack.html

'We will win this war': Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant "Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel," Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement. "IDF troops (Israeli army) are fighting against the enemy at every location," he said. "I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war," he said in a video statement on X. Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant following an operational situation assessment held this morning: The Hamas [terrorist organization] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every pic.twitter.com/8fkoEU3IcZ  Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 7, 2023

After surprise rocket attack, Hamas militants enter Israel's cities, kidnap, shoot people Disturbing videos circulating on social media on Saturday showed civilians being targeted by Hamas militants in Israel's southern cities near Gaza, using motorcycles, SUVs, and even paragliders to infiltrate the towns. Just surreal! Footage of Palestinian Hamas terrorists who infiltrated into Israel from Gaza, firing at residents in Sderot from an SUV. pic.twitter.com/ffUO5XwG1I  Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) October 7, 2023
Kolkata/IBNS: The West Bengal government Friday decided to move the Supreme Court after the Calcutta High Court acquitted a capital punishment awardee and commuted the death sentence of two others to life imprisonment over the gang rape and murder of a 21-year-old college student at Kamduni in North 24 Parganas, an incident that shook West Bengal 10 years ago.

A Barasat court had sentenced three convicts to death, while three others got life imprisonment for raping the victim on June 7, 2013, when she was returning home on a rainy day after appearing for an examination.

Following the decision of the Calcutta HC, the state government decided to move the apex court challenging the verdict.

On hearing the order, the brother of the victim fell unconscious on the premises of the court.

In 2016, the lower court awarded capital punishment to Amin Ali, Saiful Ali, and Ansar Ali while Imanul Islam, Aminul Islam, and Bhola Naskar were sentenced to life imprisonment.

A division bench comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Ajay Kumar Gupta acquitted Amin Ali and commuted the death sentence of Saiful and Ansar to imprisonment till the end of their natural life.

The bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the changes of gang rape and convicted them of criminal conspiracy and causing the disappearance of evidence.

Stating that the three have already suffered incarceration for more than 10 years since their arrest and their conviction prescribes a maximum of seven years imprisonment, the court directed that they will be set free upon payment of Rs 10,000 fine each, in default, of which they will undergo simple imprisonment for three more months.

Family members of the victim expressed their unhappiness following the high courts order.

The gangrape had triggered a political firestorm with the ruling government in West Bengal coming under attack after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to the family called some protesters in the village as Opposition and Maoist-backed forces.

Mamata Banerjee met the brothers of the victim in 2013 and offered a government job to the elder brother while promising to bear the cost of treatment of the victim's parents and the cost of education of the younger brother. Refusing the CM's help, the victim's brothers demanded capital punishment for the accused.
Mumbai/UNI: Shiv Sena president and ex-chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday demanded a CBI probe into recent hospital deaths, while alleging corruption in the current Maharashtra government.

In the wake of an alarming increase in the number of fatalities occurring in government-run hospitals across Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and National People's Party (NCP)-led government has been accused of neglecting the health of its citizens.

"This is the same healthcare setup that I had when I headed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government during the Covid-19 pandemic We had the same doctors, the staff, infrastructure and other things," Thackeray said.

"It had performed extremely well in the Corona emergency but see the status now. What has gone wrong," he added.

He slammed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sitting in New Delhi to discuss how to tackle the Maoist menace when people are dying here in government hospitals and appealed for medical help to the poor.

"The CM and both Deputy CMs (Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar) should have gone to Nanded, studied the situation and taken remedial measures," Thackeray said.
Image Credit: Pixabay

New Delhi: Air India has decided to halt its flights to and from Tel Aviv following the assault by Hamas on Israel over the weekend, media reported.

In reaction to the unprecedented aggression by the militant organization, Israel announced a "state of war".

According to an India Today report, an Air India spokesperson said, "AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 07 October 2023 and the return flight AI140 from Tel Aviv to Delhi have been cancelled in the interests and safety of our guests and crew. Passengers are being extended all support, as per their requirements."

The militant group unleashed a barrage of rockets from Gaza and dispatched fighters across the border.

In the ensuing clashes between Palestinian fighters and security forces in southern Israel, more than 100 Israelis lost their lives and 740 sustained injuries in the early morning onslaught.

As the situation in Israel worsened, the Indian Embassy in Israel issued an advisory for Indian citizens on Saturday, in light of the declared "state of war" in Israel. Officials urged Indians in Israel to exercise vigilance and adhere to safety protocols.

Marked as the most the biggest attack on Israel in years, Hamas launched approximately 5,000 rockets from Gaza on Saturday morning.

In the wake of military offensives in south Israel and retaliation by Israeli Defence Forces, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, We are at war, and we will win" in a video statement on Saturday.

The Israeli army declared 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

Gaza health authorities said that 198 Palestinians lost their lives and 1,610 sustained injuries in response to the Israeli Defence Force's retaliatory action in Gaza, reported media.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with the Chairman of the National Assembly of Serbia, Vladimir Orlic, on October 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan told Trend.

The meeting discussed topical issues on the agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia, as well as the current situation in the region.

In developing the agenda of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia in numerous spheres, Bayramov noted with satisfaction the significance of the two countries' interactions and exchanges, particularly the ongoing political discussion between their leaders.

Moreover, the minister also said that Serbia has always fully supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict that ended, as well as in the post-conflict period, and stressed the inadmissibility of applying double standards in relation to these important principles of international law.

Bayramov informed the chairman of the National Assembly of Serbia in detail about the current situation in the region in the post-conflict period, the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the peace process, as well as the efforts being made to reintegrate the Armenian residents living in Azerbaijans Karabakh region.

In addition, speaking about the anti-terrorist measures in response to the latest provocations of the remnants of the Armenian armed forces, which, in violation of international law, continued to maintain a presence in the territories of Azerbaijan after the end of the occupation, the minister noted that as a result of these measures, the scale of illegal militarization in the Karabakh region became clear to everyone again.

He noted that despite the elimination of this real threat to peace and security in the region, today a number of countries are taking extremely dangerous steps to project their domestic political agendas on the region in various ways.

Despite the current challenges, Azerbaijan is determined to prevent such attempts as well as to promote the process of peacebuilding and reintegration, Bayramov said.

Orlic expressed satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan as well as the reception by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Orlic expressed faith that such visits will contribute to the development of the current friendly relations between the two countries at various levels, including inter-parliamentary.

Despite the fact that the situation in the region is completely clear, the contradictory positions put forward by a number of countries in opposition to international law and current realities are regrettable, Orlic said.

The sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest during the meeting.
Gangtok: ITBP personnel on Friday successfully conducted a rescue operation, saving 68 people who were stranded in northern Sikkim due to the recent flash floods in Lhonak Lake.

A video captured the 'Himveers' of the ITBP rescue team in action, evacuating those who had been marooned in the area for more than three days.

The calamity occurred in the early hours of Wednesday.

The rushing waters also damaged a dam at Chungthang, the state's largest hydropower project, exacerbating the flooding downstream.

"The Himveers of the ITBP rescue team launched a massive rescue operation and evacuated all the 68 persons safely," ITBP said in a tweet.

In the recent flash flood, 68 persons were stranded at the height of 16000 feet, totally cut off for the last 3 days in North Sikkim. #Himveers of ITBP rescue team, launched a massive rescue operation and evacuated all the 68 persons safely. #Himveers#ITBP pic.twitter.com/sKxvRpIsWa  ITBP (@ITBP_official) October 6, 2023

Those rescued were stranded at the height of 16000 feet in the region.

In the aftermath of the devastating flash flood in Sikkim, the death toll has risen to 56 as of Saturday.

Of these, 26 bodies were discovered within Sikkim, while the remaining 30 were found in the basin of the Teesta River in West Bengal.

At least 10 civilians were killed in a cloudburst over in north Sikkim, while 82 people, including 22 Army personnel, are currently missing, according to media reports.
Photo courtesy: Instagram/Kriti Sanon

Mumbai/IBNS: Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon , who was earlier rumoured to be dating actor Prabhas, has provided an update about her relationship status.

Kriti, who is one of the busiest actors in tinseltown at present, said she was single.

Responding to a question at the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2023, Kriti said, "Let me just first say that I am single. Let's make that clear. I have been single for a while in fact."

When asked about the qualities she would look out for in her partner, the actress, who has recently won the National Award, said, "As far as what kind of a partner I want, I think I am a die-hard romantic. I want to be in love. I want someone who has a lot of love, and honesty. I do get attracted to people. are ambitious, driven and inspire me someway.

"I always need that inspiration in a partner. And yes, hopefully taller than me that kind of disqualifies a lot of people. But, hopefully, that. But in the end, you want a good human being who has a good heart, just a lot of love, just real and honest."

How was Kriti Sanon linked to Prabhas?

The rumour kickstarted after Kriti's 'Bhediya' co-star Varun Dhawan said at a reality show, "Kriti's name is not here because her name is in someone's heart. That man is not in Mumbai because right now he is shooting with Deepika Padukone."

Fans had started guessing Kriti having a romantic relationship with her 'Adipurush' co-actor Prabhas.

Rubbishing the rumours, Kriti has put up a statement on Instagram which says, "It's neither Pyaar, nor PR. Our Bhediya just went a little too wild on a reality show. And his fun banter lead to some Howl-arious rumours.

"Before some portal announces my wedding date-let me burst your bubble. The rumours are absolutely baseless."

Kriti Sanon's busy work front

Kriti has won the National Award in the Best Actress category this year for her role in 'Mimi', a 2021 film where she played a surrogate mother.

After 'Mimi', she featured in 'Hum Do Hamare Do', 'Bachchhan Pandey', 'Heropanti 2', 'Bhediya', 'Shehzada' and 'Adipurush'.

Kriti will next feature alongside her debut co-actor Tiger Shroff in 'Ganapath', which will be followed by 'The Crew', 'Do Patti' and an untitled film.
Photo Courtesy Unsplash

At least three people died as fire broke out at a prison in eastern Lebanon, media reports said.

The fire left 16 others injured in the incident that occurred in Zahle prison.

According to reports, the inmates set fire to their cells in anger after an apparent escape attempt was uncovered.

Police said the blaze started in several cells on the second floor in the main prison after prison guards discovered a hole dug in a wall as part of a planned tunnel, reports Arab News.

Following the discovery prisoners attempted to take several security staff hostage before setting fire to mattresses and blankets in their cells.

A security source told Arab News the prisoners only released the staff when the fire got out of control, quickly spreading to the upper floors of the prison building.

Civil Defence team reportedly rushed to the spot to bring the blaze under control.

With 620 inmates, Zahle prison is considered as one of the largest in the country.

Lawyer and prison activist Rabih Qais told Arab News that Zahle, like all Lebanese prisons, suffers from overcrowding.

More than 60 percent of prison inmates are of Syrian or other non-Lebanese nationality, he said.
Image Credit: Video grab

Gaza City: Disturbing videos circulating on social media on Saturday showed civilians being targeted by Hamas militants in Israel's southern cities near Gaza, using motorcycles, SUVs, and even paragliders to infiltrate the towns.

One such video, captured by a resident in Sderot, shows Hamas militants firing at civilian vehicles passing along the street. The resident filmed the incident from his balcony and can be seen quickly seeking cover as a gunman glances in his direction.

The video was shared on X by international human rights attorney Arsen Ostrovsky.

Just surreal! Footage of Palestinian Hamas terrorists who infiltrated into Israel from Gaza, firing at residents in Sderot from an SUV. pic.twitter.com/ffUO5XwG1I  Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) October 7, 2023

Israel on Saturday officially declared war as it faced a barrage of thousands of rockets launched by the militant organisation Hamas.

This escalation of conflict comes after months of escalating violence in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, with casualties in the occupied West Bank reaching levels not seen in years.

Videos on social media, reportedly from Gaza, also showed militants celebrating the death and destruction inflicted on Israel, dragging the bodies of Israeli soldiers into the streets.

The violence escalated a day after Hamas, which controls Gaza, said that the "people had to draw a line to end the occupation" and added that Israel continued to commit crimes across Palestinian land, and especially on the holy site of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, said media reports.

In a pre-recorded speech, Hamas militant leader Mohamed Deif, said, "We have decided to put an end to all of this, with the help of God, so that the enemy understands that the time of recklessness without accountability is over. We declare Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, and the first strike has surpassed 5,000 missiles and shells in the first 20 minutes."
Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said his country would win the war against Hamas. (Image source: Video grab)

Tel Aviv: Israel has said it will win the war started by the Palestinian militant group Hamas against the country, following a series of rocket barrages launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on Saturday.

"Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel," Israel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement.

"IDF troops (Israeli army) are fighting against the enemy at every location," he said. "I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war," he said in a video statement on X.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant following an operational situation assessment held this morning: The Hamas [terrorist organization] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every pic.twitter.com/8fkoEU3IcZ  Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 7, 2023

Israel's police chief, Yaakov Shabtai, reported that special police forces are currently operating in 21 locations, and the entire southern region of Israel has been sealed off.

Rockets continued to streak across the sky after the initial launches from various locations in the Palestinian territory, starting at 6:30 am on Saturday.

This escalation comes after months of heightened violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, resulting in a level of casualties in the occupied West Bank not seen in years.

Air raid sirens sounded throughout southern and central Israel, prompting the Israeli army to advise the public to remain close to bomb shelters.

The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas claimed responsibility for the aerial assault, asserting that its militants had launched over 5,000 rockets.

Disturbing videos circulating on social media on Saturday showed civilians being targeted by Hamas militants in Israel's southern cities near Gaza, using motorcycles, SUVs, and even paragliders to infiltrate the towns.

Videos on social media, reportedly from Gaza, also showed militants celebrating the death and destruction inflicted on Israel, dragging the bodies of Israeli soldiers into the streets.

The violence escalated a day after Hamas, which controls Gaza, said that the "people had to draw a line to end the occupation" and added that Israel continued to commit crimes across Palestinian land, and especially on the holy site of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, said media reports.

In a pre-recorded speech, Hamas militant leader Mohamed Deif, said, "We have decided to put an end to all of this, with the help of God, so that the enemy understands that the time of recklessness without accountability is over. We declare Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, and the first strike has surpassed 5,000 missiles and shells in the first 20 minutes."
Image Source: Video grab

Gaza: Hamas militants, who infiltrated the southern towns of Israel from the Gaza Strip after launching a massive rocket attack on the country, have taken 17 Nepali nationals as hostage, according to Nepals Ambassador to Israel, news agency ANI reported.

Seven Nepali citizens sustained injuries in Israel were also injured in the attacks, the ambassador said, ANI reported.

Hamas insurgents have also abducted Israeli soldiers and civilians after entering the country following an unprecedented barrage of rocket attacks.

#WATCH | Ashkelon, Israel: Visuals from the street of Ashkelon as Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years, in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/axxvGCsGTD  ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2023

After the unprecedented assault that has left at least 100 dead in Israel, the country declared 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas militants, involving a coordinated operation by the Israel Air Force.

Dozens of fighter jets have been deployed to target the Hamas militant group in various locations across the Gaza Strip, media reports said.

On Saturday morning, Hamas launched approximately 5,000 rockets into Israel, an action that has garnered widespread condemnation from global leaders.

Just surreal! Footage of Palestinian Hamas terrorists who infiltrated into Israel from Gaza, firing at residents in Sderot from an SUV. pic.twitter.com/ffUO5XwG1I  Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) October 7, 2023

As per an Al Jazeera report, the Hamas militant group released footage of them capturing Israeli soldiers.

Hamas also released a video showing its fighters had captured three men, who are seen dressed in civilian clothes, as per a report by AFP.

In the video signs in Hebrew can be seen in the background, suggesting the footage was filmed on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi defended the group's actions in an interview with Al Jazeera, stating that the operation was a response to the atrocities Palestinians have faced over the years. He said the militant group wants the international community to intervene and halt the alleged atrocities in Gaza and against Palestinian holy sites like Al-Aqsa.

Qadomi claimed, "They are not hostages. They are prisoners of war." He further justified the group's actions by labeling the Israeli settlers as "occupiers and invaders" under international law.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has called for the immediate release of the Israeli hostages.

In a message on X, Borrell conveyed his deep concern regarding the abduction of civilians. He underscored that such conduct is in violation of international law and called for the prompt release of the hostages
Tel Aviv: The Israeli armed forces have stated that numerous fighter jets are conducting airstrikes on Hamas facilities in Gaza, targeting 17 Hamas military installations.

They have also announced the mobilization of tens of thousands of reservists. In downtown Gaza City, an 11-story building housing Hamas radio stations on the top floor was obliterated by Israeli bombs.

Medecins Sans Frontieres, a medical aid organization, reported that an Israeli strike on two hospitals in Gaza resulted in the tragic deaths of a nurse and an ambulance driver.

According to Reuters news agency, Israel's energy minister, Israel Katz, has indicated that Israel intends to disconnect Gaza's electricity supply.

India

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and said, "Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families."

He added, "We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour."

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 7, 2023

United States

The United States condemns attacks by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel, and supports Israel's right to defend itself, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday.

"There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," Blinken said in a statement released by the State Department.

"We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israel's right to defend itself," Blinken said.

Today, I spoke with @IsraeliPM about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israels security. @FLOTUS and I express our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones.  President Biden (@POTUS) October 7, 2023

Tune in as I deliver remarks on the terrorist attacks in Israel. https://t.co/eKm9KtF68U  President Biden (@POTUS) October 7, 2023

European Union

The European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said that the 27-nation bloc unequivocally condemns terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel and called for an immediate stop to the violence, adding that terrorism in its most contemptible form. She added, Israel has the right to defend itself against such odious attack.

Similarly, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, said This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing. The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments.

European Council president Charles Michel also condemned the indiscriminate attacks launched against Israel and its people He added, My thoughts are with all the victims. EU stands in solidarity with Israeli people in this horrific moment.

I spoke to my friend President @Isaac_Herzog and conveyed to him my full support to Israel in the face of todays terrorist attack by Hamas.



I reiterate that Israel has the right to self-defence.



The EU mourns the victims of these senseless attacks and stands by Israel today  Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 7, 2023

United Kingdom

Britain unequivocally condemns the surprise attack by Hamas, said Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, adding, The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took to X and said he was shocked by the attacks.

Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. Were in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice, Sunak added.

I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.



Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.



We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.  Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 7, 2023

France

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he strongly condemn the terrorist attacks against Israel. He added, I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and loved ones.

I have spoken to President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu.



I condemn the attacks carried out from Gaza on Israel, its soldiers and its people.



France stands in solidarity with Israel and the Israelis, committed to their security and their right to defend themselves.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 7, 2023

Germany

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin firmly condemns the terrorist attacks from Gaza against Israel.

Palestinian militant group Hamas contributes to the intensification of violence, adding that violence and rockets aimed at innocent people must stop immediately, the German FM added, on social media.

She also said that Israel has our full solidarity and the right, guaranteed by international law, to defend itself against terrorism.

Italy

The Italian government backs Israels right to defend itself against the brutal attack underway and condemns in the strongest terms the terror and the violence underway against innocent civilians.

Ukraine

Ukraine strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. We express our support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its people, said the Ukrainian foreign ministry on social media.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

A large number of workers have lost their jobs due to the closure of hundreds of coal mines across Pakistan's Balochistan province, media reports said on Saturday.

The Margat coalfield in Bolan district has also been shut down.

Simultaneously, mine owners are grappling with financial difficulties, burdened by billions of rupees in loans acquired from commercial banks, reports Dawn News.

Hundreds of coal mines have been closed in the Margat coalfield over the past two years due to poor law and order situation and other reasons, Mir Nusrat Hussain Unqa, chairman of the Mines Owners Emergency Committee Balochistan, told reporters as quoted by the newspaper.

Unqa, who was accompanied by Malik Ghulam Haider, Muhammad Iqbal Yousafzai, Ahmed Jan and other committee members at the press conference, said mine owners were unable to confront the terrorists who were not letting them work in the Margat area.

He said it was solely the government and security forces job to combat terrorism and ensure the security necessary for mine owners to reopen their operations.

Thousands of coal miners have lost their jobs and are struggling to provide for their families in Margat and other areas of the province, he claimed and added that mine owners were experiencing a substantial financial burden because commercial banks were asking for the repayment of loans that mine owners had taken to sustain their businesses.

He said the closure of mines was also damaging the machinery.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Several Afghanistani artists, musicians, demonstrated in front of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees office in Pakistan's Quetta city recently as they expressed serious concern over Islamabad's decision to expel illegal foreign nationals.

The protesters were seen carrying musical instruments, banners and placards as they chanted slogans.

Humera Karim, an official of the UNHCR Quetta office, confirmed to Dawn News a group of Afghan artists had gathered to express their reservations on the issue.

The UNHCR officials did their counselling regarding their concerns, after which they returned," Karim said.

Ahmed Shah Shadi, a Pashto singer, told Dawn News the artists may not face any threat to life once repatriated back to their home country, but they will be jobless as music is banned in the country.
Photo Courtesy: Wallpaper Cave

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has said a 29-year-old woman is facing a terrorism-related offence for her alleged participation in terror group Islamic State's activities.

"On April 4, 2023, Ammara Amjad returned to Canada from Syria, and was arrested by way of a Terrorism Peace Bond. She was later released on bail conditions pending a future court appearance," read a statement issued by RCMP.

"On October 5, the GTA/Southwest INSET arrested Ms. Amjad in Milton, ON, for her alleged participation in the activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," the statement said.

Police said she was charged with participating in the activity of Terrorist Group contrary to Section 83.18 of the Criminal Code.

Amjad appeared at William Davis Courthouse in Brampton before the Ontario Provincial Court for a bail hearing in relation to the charge.

She was released from custody by the Courts and is subject to a number of bail conditions.

Her next court date is scheduled for November 17.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. There has been no information about the presence of Azerbaijanis among the victims of the events in Israel so far, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan told Trend.

"The Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel will publish an appeal to our citizens in the near future; a hotline will be created," the ministry said.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Israel on Saturday morning declared a state of readiness for war, after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

AP

At least four people have been killed and over a dozen others have been injured in the rocket attacks.

BREAKING: Israeli settlers flee southern Israel as Gaza resistance fighters invade the settlements. pic.twitter.com/ezUFKdTYpC  PALESTINE ONLINE  (@OnlinePalEng) October 7, 2023

There are also reports that some Hamas gunmen have infiltrated inside Israel.

Hamas airforce published their infiltration by air into the Israeli kibbutz in the Gaza envelope.

pic.twitter.com/9sBttoFVLZ  Younis Tirawi |  (@ytirawi) October 7, 2023

Reacting to the attacks, Israel Defence Forces announced it has launched Operation Swords of Steel.

NOW: Sirens sounding in Jerusalem and surrounding areas pic.twitter.com/78ZWgMi4D6  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

The IDF declares a state of readiness for war. Hamas which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events, Israel Defence Forces said in a statement.

Hamas carried out a combined operation that included firing rockets and a terrorist infiltration into the territory of the State of Israel, the Israeli army said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Citizens of Israel,

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. pic.twitter.com/C7YQUviItR  Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 7, 2023

The IDF will protect the residents of the State of Israel, the Hamas terror organisation will pay a very heavy price, it added.

The Israeli military has issued instructions to the residents of towns near the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes, and the rest of the public to remain near bomb shelters.

Israelis are evacuating the areas around Gaza on foot.

Hafiz Shb, Israel needs you a lot at this time pic.twitter.com/IqjEonVuAS  Baba Kodda (@babakoda18plus) October 7, 2023

Hamas said that it launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning surprise attack, calling it "Operation al-Aqsa Flood."

AP

Earlier, the Head of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, in a statement, said "We warned the enemy not to continue its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," he said, as per Reuters.

This is only the first stage" of Hamas' renewed efforts against Israel, he said.

For more on the news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
While investigating reports of rotten odours originating from the property, Colorado officials discovered 115 bodies at a self-proclaimed 'green' funeral home.

The tragedy has aroused concerns about the practices of such unusual funeral homes as well as the necessity for more stringent regulation in the funeral business.

What Is This Incident All About?

Credit: AP

The foul odour permeated a dilapidated structure in a small Colorado town for days, prompting police to investigate the "green" funeral operator's storage facility.

They made a terrible find inside: at least 115 decomposing bodies. On Friday, investigators were tight-lipped about what they discovered inside the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado.

Still, their plans to bring in experts that typically deal with airplane catastrophes, coroners from adjacent jurisdictions, and the FBI suggested a bleak situation.

What Does The Investigation Find Out?

Credit: AP

Meanwhile, according to a state document, funeral parlour owner Jon Hallford attempted to conceal improper corpse storage.

According to Thursday's state suspension letter, he claimed to be performing taxidermy at the facility. According to the letter from the Colorado Office of Funeral Home and Crematory Registration, Hallford admitted to having a "problem" at the site.

The letter did not detail the taxidermy and alleged illegal storage of remains, although the facility's registration had expired in November.

Did Anyone Get Arrested In This Case?

There had been no arrests or charges. Text inquiries seeking feedback from the funeral home remained unanswered. No one at the company answered the phone, and there was no operational voicemail.

Funeral home personnel were cooperating with police as they worked to determine any criminal wrongdoing, according to Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper, who described the situation inside the building as "horrific."

A terrible, rotting odour still emanated from the back of the building, where windows had been destroyed on Friday. Coroner's officials from Fremont and surrounding El Paso counties parked their trucks outside and talked as they walked around the facility.

What Is All Needed In The Investigation?

According to Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller, some identifications would include obtaining fingerprints, locating medical or dental records, and DNA testing, which might take many months.

He stated that families will be alerted when the body is identified. Investigators have contacted family members who have utilised the funeral facility.

How Did People React Once The News Was Broke On News?

Credit: AP

Mary Simons, 47, couldn't help but wonder if her husband was inside the building as the news broke. Darrell Simons died of pneumonia in August, only a few months before their 13th wedding anniversary. Return to Nature Funeral Home was contracted to cremate him, but the ashes never arrived.

She remembered him proposing to her by running, sliding on his knees, and popping open a box with a rock inside, and the small pond he built with a trickle of water to calm her anxiety while sitting in the rocking chairs that Simons and her husband spent long hours in at their home in nearby Florence, Colorado.

She'd finally started to come out of her grief, she remarked. "Suddenly it's like, 'Oh my God,' I've lost him all over again," Simons cried. "It's like the grieving process is starting all over again."

What do you think about it? Do let us know in the comments.



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As part of efforts to maintain orderliness in Ondo State All Progressive Congress, the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, has set up a committee to reconcile Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the relationship between Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa has been strained since the governor returned to the country after a three-month medical leave in Germany.

However, the States House of Assembly has also commenced an impeachment move against the deputy governor over an allegation of abuse of office and financial recklessness.

The lawmakers have asked the Chief Judge of the state, Olusegun Odusola, to set up a seven-member committee to probe Aiyedatiwa over his failure to respond to the allegations against him.

READ MORE: Ondo Assembly Moves To Impeach Akeredolus Deputy, Aiyedatiwa

Inaugurating the committee on Friday in Abuja, Ganduje said the committee, headed by the former Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, would advise the party on the best possible way to handle the issues.

He added that the term of reference of the committee is to interface and engage with all contending partner(s) with a view to gathering facts and circumstances surrounding the lingering impeachment process of the deputy governor.

Members of the committee are; Gboyega Oyetola, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, Martins Elechi, Obafemi Hamzat, Tilley Gyado, Ita Giwa, Tokunbo Abiru, and Liman Abbas, who will serve as Secretary.

Ganduje also stated that the committee will advise the party on the most amicable ways of handling the lingering issues leading to the impeachment process of the deputy governor.

He said that the committee will make necessary recommendations to the party on the resolution of issues and any other matter that may come up in the course of the assignment..
Global human rights organisation, Amnesty International has called out the President Bola Tinubus led administration for warning Arise Television for allegedly using derogatory and incendiary remarks on its station.

Recall that on Friday, the Federal Government, through the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), issued a final warning to media house over the use of derogatory and incendiary remarks on its station.

The warning was contained in a letter titled Preponderance of derogatory and incendiary remarks: final warning by NBCs Director General, Dr Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, on October 6, 2023.

NBC urged the TV station to have a delay mechanism to guard against undesirable contents.

The letter, which was addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Arise Global Media Limited, also urged the TV station to keep to its responsibility of keeping its guests in check.

Reacting to the action, Amnesty International took to its X, formerly Twitter, to criticize the government for using regulations to silence press independence.

READ MORE: NBC Gives Arise TV Final Warning Over Guests Use Of Derogatory Remarks

The International Rights group said the government was not ready to be held accountable, so they used regulations to get at the media.

The group noted that: Amnesty International condemns the final warning issued to @ARISEtv by the FG through National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Targeting Arise TV simply for doing their work sends the wrong message that Nigerian authorities are not prepared to be held accountable.

Nigerian authorities must stop the unrelenting quest to silence media organizations like @ARISEtv, which are crucial to ensuring independent and diverse media space in the country and fulfilling peoples right to information.

Using regulations as a way to silence independent journalism is completely unacceptable. The media in Nigeria should be free to exercise their right to freedom of expression as protected by international law.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), on Friday, maintained it will not support Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in his bid to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the party, it is not in court and does not wish to be an intruder in the case of the PDPs presidential candidate.

Recall that during a global press conference, Atiku called for a coalition of opposition parties to depose Tinubu.

However, NNPPs acting Deputy National Chairman, Prince Nwaeze Onu, at a press conference, stated that despite the invitation, the NNPP will not support Atiku.

Were not in court today. We adore our country. We will not get involved in anything that does not directly affect us. We are only concerned with what is happening at the level of our party, Onu stated.

READ ALSO: Join Me In Fighting For Justice  Atiku Tells Obi, Kwankwaso

Speaking on the Partys concerns, Onu stated that they discovered that some party leaders were unaware that things had changed.

They wanted to continue negotiating with governments in power at national and state levels rather than contesting elections. Even when prominent politicians joined, they disappointed them by aligning with the ruling government.

That was our experience in the last elections, and it prompted the party leadership to sanction approximately nine states in which the executives were dissolved and some chairmen were suspended or expelled.

However, those erring chairmen became disgruntled and embarked on war against the party, even conspiring with party enemies.

Our advice to outsiders fighting the party is to stay away from the partys internal affairs, Onu added.
Massive crisis has continued to rock the Kogi State Labour Party, as members decamped into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, October 6, 2023.

It was gathered that no fewer than 21 local government area chairmen and their supporters who were members of the LP defected to APC ahead of the November 11 governorship election in the state.

The defectors were reportedly received by the state APC chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, at the Lugard House, Lokoja.

Confirming the development at the reception, their group leader, Awe Kayode, said they resolved to collapse their structure into APC in order to support the partys governorship candidate, Usman Ododo, in the forthcoming governorship poll.

According to him, they defected because they realized that LP was no longer viable in the state.

READ MORE: Kogi Poll: I Am Not Afraid Of Yahaya Bello, APC  Melaye

Another reason for our defection is our conviction that the APC candidate, Usman Ododo, has shown that he is a unifier whose nationalist qualities are needed to consolidate on the achievements of Gov Yahaya Bello.

I was in APC before I left to join the Labour Party. I am back today with more people, and we are ready to add value. LP got more than 76,000 votes in the last presidential election; we still have the same people who worked to achieve that feat.

The state belongs to all of us, and we have decided to jettison ethnic or religious agenda to support the candidate of APC who promotes the Kogi Agenda.

Indeed, the Labour Party structure in the state was a formidable one that delivered massive votes to the partys presidential candidate, Peter Obi, without inducement or support, but we want to do the same to APC and Ododo this time around

Awe added that their loyalty goes to the APC and its candidate to actualise the Kogi Agenda, which sought to further unite the people and ensure even development across the board.

Similarly, the LP chairman for Bassa LGA, who doubles as the chairman of the LP Chairmen Forum, Jimba Emmanuel, disclosed that a political party was just a platform for power.

He added that good governance was about individuals passionate about development and attracting dividends of democracy to the people.

Jimba said: I and my colleagues here have agreed to mobilise all our structures across the 21 local government areas to deliver massive votes for the APC candidate come Nov. 11.
The United Action Front of Civil Society has given a seven day ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians and resign over the alleged forgery and perjury of his academic records from the Chicago State University (CSU).

The group which described the situation as outrageous and embarrassing to all Nigerians via a statement on Friday, argued that the revelation from the CSU has confirmed the longstanding speculation surrounding the identity of the president.

Spokesperson of the Civil Society (CSO), Hamisu Santuraki, said, As governor of Lagos State, the personality of Bola Tinubu was shrouded in identity opaqueness. It will be recalled that in his sworn affidavit submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission in 1999, Tinubu falsely claimed to have attended a non-existent Aroloya Primary School in Lagos, Government College in Ibadan and the University of Chicago for a Masters degree in Economics. But for the immunity attached to the office of state governors under the Nigerian constitution coupled with intense divisive media manipulations, he ought to have resigned following the examples of Senate President, Evans Enwerem, and Speaker of House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari, both of whom at that time were forced to quit their offices over allegations of identity theft and false claims of graduating from the University of Toronto, Canada, respectively.

It is rather unfortunate that the Tinubu Chicago Gate expose has now confirmed the longstanding speculations regarding the identity of Bola Tinubu. As revealed and deposed by Chicago State University that Tinubu falsely claimed to have attended Government College in Ibadan and also forged the CSU diploma certificate he presented to INEC for the 2023 presidential elections.

READ ALSO: Why Tinubus CSU Certificate Shows Female  Presidents Lawyer, Afolabi

The leadership of United Action Front of Civil Society considers it a brazen criminality for President Tinubu to have forged the certificate supposedly awarded by a foreign academic institution and, by so doing, knowingly committed perjury under the law. By submitting forged documents to INEC, which included a declaration of false age, President Tinubu flagrantly violated Chapter 6. Part 1. Section 137 (J) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Speaking further, the group ordered that if Tinubu refused to heed their warning the National Assembly must immediately begin the impeachment process against him.

If within the next seven days, Tinubu does not apologise to all Nigerians and refuse to resign as President of Nigeria for the shame and disgrace he brought upon the country, the United Action Front of Civil Society demands that the National Assembly should demonstrate courage in protecting the image of the country.

To this end, the National Assembly must not only commence an impeachment process against Tinubu on this sad discovery, it must demand explanation and restitution from him in ensuring that the dignity of the office of the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria is preserved for only the morally fit and unblemished in affirmation of the spirit and letter of Chapter 6 of 1999 Constitution as amended, the CSO added
Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant on Media to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has posited that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar spent a fortune on an exploratory journey with no outcome.

This is as he said the defeated Peoples Democratic Party 2023 presidential candidate had a pitiful sight to behold on Thursday at the Shehu Yar Adua Centre, Abuja as he sat like a wreck after addressing what he called a world press conference.

In a lengthy post via X, Rahman submitted that Atiku had gone on a wild goose chase to the United States in search of Tinubus Chicago State University (CSU) certificate.

His words: The former vice president however returned empty-handed after spending a fortune. Atiku himself admitted his exploratory journey was at a hefty cost.

At the press conference, the Waziri Adamawa discovered no new thing; he found nothing incriminating or untoward against the President. He is only currently engaging in political sophistry. Apparently deluding himself that he came back from the US with a smoking gun, at his press briefing, he sermonised on the important issue of leadership and responsibility. Alhaji Atiku assaulted the memory of the late irrepressible lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, claiming Fawehinmi inspired his shameful, worthless and self-seeking expedition.

Commending David Hundeyin, the rabble rouser who styles himself as an independent journalist, whose work he also said inspired him, it became apparent that both Atiku and Hundeyin were actually working together to embarrass President Tinubu.

And you wonder, what morality Alhaji Atiku was preaching. This is the same man who was indicted in the 2009 conviction of his accomplice, former United States Congressman William Jefferson, over bribery charges. Same man whose principal, former President Obasanjo, wrote a damaging testimonial on and whose years in Customs were signposted by corruption allegations.

It is pertinent at this juncture to clarify some of the issues that emerged from the deposition by President Tinubus former school, Chicago State University, in order to understand Atikus deliberate and malicious distortion.

He furthered that, as contained in a deposition made in the Office of Angela Liu, Atikus legal counsel, in Chicago, CSU Registrar, Caleb Westberg declared Tinubu attended and graduated with honours from the institution in 1979. He in fact asserted that President Tinubu is the same person who attended the school from 1977 to 1979.

READ ALSO: CSU: Old Age May Be Playing Tricks On You  Tinubus Aide Slams Atiku

We believe Bola Tinubu who attended CSU is the same person who is the President of Nigeria today. Tinubu is an unusual name in the US. He matched the records in the file against the information provided by the student or on behalf of the student, Rahman quoted Westberg as saying.

Rahman continued that, On the insinuation by Atikus lawyers that the Bola Tinubu who attended the school was a female on account of a clerical error spotted against Tinubus name, Westberg disclosed that the admission letter issued to the Nigerian President evidently proved he was a male and attended the school between 1977 and 1979.

Probed further to confirm if the Tinubu that enrolled at the school was a male or female, Rahman said the registrar insisted, Tinubu applied to the university as a male and a letter of admission was issued to a male. There were materials in Mr. Tinubus records that show he was a male in the application to CSU. Mr. Tinubu identified himself as a male. His letter of admission identified him as a male. It says: Dear Mr. Tinubu.

The SSA submitted that in the US, premium is not placed on certificates, otherwise called diplomas, as we do here. Certificates are merely ceremonial. The emphasis is on transcripts. Employers and schools offering admissions for higher education will only ask for previous transcripts.

In most cases, the certificates are also printed by third party vendors. Many certificates are left uncollected because what is important is the transcript. The CSU has diplomas that students didnt pick up in its possession.

I have the diploma that was made available to Mr. Enahoro-Ebah in our possession because Mr. Tinubu did not pick it up. I do not have the diploma that was submitted to INEC in our possession because he had picked it,  according to Rahman, Westberg clarified while responding to another question.

President Tinubu honourably earned his degree and he had no reason to forge the certificate of a degree he had in his kitty. He graduated Summa Cum Laude, with distinction. He was on the Vice Chancellors Honour List for all his years in the school. Insinuation by anyone that he forged a certificate he worked for is sad and misleading.

In the final analysis, it is yet unclear how Atiku plans to benefit from whatever he claims to have brought back from the US. Certificate forgery was not pleaded in his election petition now at the Supreme Court. Without being a lawyer, this is a civil case and I understand you cant make new pleas or present new evidence in a case that has passed the court of first instance and is at present on appeal at the Supreme Court.

What the Waziri Adamawa has demonstrated in all of his Shenanigans is that he is a sore loser. Will he gain what he failed to get at the ballot through his present indecent and unpatriotic overseas search and unfounded and hollow discovery, making a mountain where there is even no molehill, uneccesarily heating up the polity and denigrating the Justices of the Supreme Court? I dont think so! Rahman detailed in his statement titled Tinubus certificate: Setting the records straight.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The authorities of the city of Vienne (Isere department), located in the south-east of France, decided to remove the Ukrainian flag from the facade of the city hall, Trend reports.

The reason for this was the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a telephone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about commitment to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries.

Zelenskyy said in his Telegram channel that, on October 4, he discussed regional security issues, current challenges and formats of interaction with President Ilham Aliyev.

"We have reaffirmed our commitment to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries," he said.

France hung the Ukrainian flag on the facade of the Vienna City Hall in February 2022.
Anderson Ezeibe, National Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has accused Federal Government (FG) of de-marketing polytechnic education in Nigeria.

The union also accused the FG of robbing the nation of embedded development value.

Among unfavourable FG policies killing technological education in Nigeria, the ASUP boss listed HND/BSc dichotomy, inability to enhance academic continuity for HND graduates, disparity between HND/BSc holders in government circles among others.

During an International Conference organized by ASUP, at Ikot Osurua, Akwa Ibom state, Ezeibe lamented a situation where welders were hired from India for Dangote Refinery at the expense of Nigerian polytechnic graduates, asserting such attitude encourages capital flight while home grown manpower suffer joblessness.

Speaking on the theme, Redefining The Mandate Of Polytechnic Education For Economic Diversification And Sustainability he explained that Polytechnics education is not encouraged. In some Polytechnics, students population is less than 1000 while some state governors change their Polytechnics to universities instead of developing them.

READ ALSO: Stop Dragging Nigeria In the Mud, Allow Tinubu Breath So He Can Focus On Governance  Lagos APC Ndigbo To Atiku

Government is demarketing Polytechnic education through their policies. The law that established Polytechnic education must be reviewed to meet emerging realities in our nations technological development.

Government should migrate from monolithic economic model through diversification and promote skills education to meet skill needs of the nation. This will ensure government pays the right attention to funding Polytechnics, migrate the certification to Bachelor of Technology with National Diploma retained as a feed for Bachelor of Technology.

Reverse the infrastructure deficits, review curriculum and address issue of staff remuneration to retain qualified personnel as well as restore technical colleges as feed for OND programmes across the nation, he said.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has been described as a loser.

Hashimu Dungurawa, the NNPP chairman, while addressing newsmen in Kano on Saturday morning, said his former boss is a renowned serial loser whose emergence as National Chairman was a misapplication of choice.

READ MORE: APC Already Dead With Ganduje As Leader, Tinubull Regret Working With A Treacherous Character  Kwankwaso

According to him, the ruling party made a grave mistake by picking Ganduje as its national chairman.

Dungurawa, a former aide to Ganduje, said: Antecedents played a key role in political calculus, and we are talking of a man whose poor outing in participatory election home and away is abysmal and in effect diminished his streak of winning a competitive exercise.

He failed to deliver Edo State in the last election and went to put up a dismal outing in the 2023 general elections in Kano State where he presided as outgoing chief executive.

The biggest mistake made by President Tinubu and the APC leaders was the choice of Ganduje as national party Chairman, because the former Kano Governor, has no track records of political acumen to change tide when it mattered most.

The Kogi, Bayelsa and one other elections that are coming up in November will certainly expose President Tinubus huge mistakes over mis-application of choice.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, has hired renowned legal luminary, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), to lead his battle to reclaim his mandate at the Court of Appeal.

Recall that the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sacked Governor Yusuf last month and declared his challenger, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the rightful winner of the States March 18 gubernatorial election.

Dissatisfied with the Tribunals decision as the court of first instance, Governor Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) filed a 42-ground appeal before the appellate court, requesting that the higher Court set aside the Tribunals decision and dismiss the APCs petition against his electoral victory declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

READ ALSO: I Persuaded Obasanjo To Leave Lagos For Tinubu In 2003 But He Stabbed Me In The Back  Atiku

According to a copy of the notice of appeal, Olanipekun, who led President Bola Ahmed Tinubus legal team at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, is now the Kano State governors legal counsel.

Information Nigeria reports that Bode Olanipekun, Ibrahim G. Waru, and Akintola Makinde are also on Yusufs legal team, all with Wole Olanipekun & Co, the legal firm handling the appeal, while E.O.B. Offiong remains the APCs counsel.
The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri has accused the All Progressive Congress of planning to cause mayhem in Ogbia Local Government Area during the November 11 governorship election.

Diri alleged that the opposition party is making some plans to bring in thugs camouflaged as military personnel to cause mayhem in Anyama-Ogbia.

Speaking via a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah on Saturday, the governor called out the governorship candidate of APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, of being anti-development and anti-progress.

READ MORE: Gov. Diris Manipulative Plot To Gift APC Leaders Tax Payers Money Ahead Bayelsa Guberll Fail  Party Elders

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Diri made this known at the Ogbia Constituency 2 rally at Otuokpoti after campaign stops at the riverine Anyama-Ogbia and Emadike communities.

He said: This battle is between those who are for and against development. It is between light and darkness. We are talking about your development as individuals and communities.

Let the world know what they are planning is that in Anyama where we are strong, they are going to bring youths who are not from here, sew them military uniforms and cause mayhem in connivance with one or two people from here. Let the world and the military take note.
Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, on Friday, issued a 30-day ultimatum to those challenging his academic records to provide evidence of their allegations to the relevant investigative bodies in Nigeria.

Soyinka attended Leeds University from 1954 to 1957 and received an honours degree in English Literature.

Ater his studies and wrote two of his first major plays  The Swamp Dwellers and The Lion and the Jewel, before moving to London, where he worked as a play reader for the Royal Court Theatre, and then returned to Nigeria in 1960.

Information Nigeria understands that a previous report had resurfaced online, wherein a certain James Gibbs, a professor, was said to have disputed that Soyinka graduated with a first-class degree from Leeds University.

In a statement titled A moral call to amoral conscripts, the playwright said if the allegations are proven to be true, he would strip himself of the honours and achievements he has garnered in his writing career.

He said peddlers of the allegations should submit any document that can prove their claims to the directorates of prosecutions, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Duly modified to suit a debased internet culture, it is making its grimy rounds ironically under the auspices of a democratic political party, supposedly dedicated to an ethos of freedom of opinion and expression.

READ ALSO: Peter Obi Wouldve Had A Chance If He Had An MC Oluomo  OdumoduBlvck (Video)

The contents of that script are attributed, as before, to the scholastic industry of a Bristol schoolteacher, he said.

The renowned writer said he is awaiting his lawyer on whether or not to take legal action against those behind the allegations.

I wish to state in advance that I voluntarily waive all protection under the statute of limitations, and insist that the laws that govern fraudulent academic claims be invoked and applied to these allegations to the uttermost limitm

I also declare, in advance that, if found culpable, I shall strip myself of any titles and honours I may have garnered in my entire career, from the most obscure to the most coveted.

In return, I expect the purveyors of this sordid material to submit all evidence, however minuscule, to the nations investigative agencies  Directorates of Prosecutions, EFCC, ICPC, plus affected institutions and others  within the next thirty days.

Failing this elementary service in public interest within the stated time, and/or If such allegations are yet again proven baseless, thus indicating that their sponsors can boast of neither honours to their careers nor honour to their births and origins, then, as a token of moral recompense, they should undertake to jump off the bridge of the symbolic River Niger, provided with life jackets, to ensure a life of remorse after this ritual purgation, but chained to one another in a commendable unity of purpose.

This is being copied to the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria, Pan-African Writers Association, Accra, Nigeran Association of Authors, the Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, the University of Leeds, the alleged Bristol Primary Source and his school, and the infested media, Soyinka voiced.
New Liberty Distillery's Layover drink mixes two types whiskey with banana-infused whipped cream and nutmeg. Read more

For chef Dionicio Jimenez, autumn tastes like chocolate atole  a sweet Aztec drink made of cacao, masa harina (or corn flour), guava, and spices.

My mom used to make us atole every morning before school, said Jimenez, a 2023 James Beard Award nominee for best chef, Mid-Atlantic region. The smell of cloves, cacao flower, vanilla, and star anise bring back a sense of comfort.

He hopes to recreate that feeling this season at Cantina la Martina in Kensington, as other restaurants, bars, and cafes around the city begin offering their own fall drinks, too.

Whether you are looking for a fall flavor that brings warm memories, or are simply looking for something new beyond pumpkin spice, here are seven places in Philly serving drinks to cozy you up:

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Known by regulars as B&B, Banh Mi and Bottles brings the flavors of Vietnam to South Philadelphia. Order a District One ($15), a whiskey infused with concentrated artichoke tea and tamarind, honey simple syrup, lime, and tamarind sugar, garnished with an orange twist and tamarind candy.

712-14 South St.,  215-800-1533, banhmiandbottles.com, Monday to Thursday 5-10 p.m., Friday 5-11 p.m., Saturday noon-11 p.m., Sunday noon-10 p.m.

Temperatures are starting to dip but this Rittenhouse restaurant is already planning its annual Yule Lodge pop-up. Details are yet to be released, but one thing is certain: there will be plenty of hot mulled wine. Warm yourself up to the flavors of red wine, brandy, orange, lemon, cinnamon, allspice, and clove for $12, or check out their year-round whiskey-based cocktails for an alternative.

2034 Chestnut St.,  215-563-6328, butcherbarphilly.com,  Monday to Wednesday 4-9 p.m., Friday 4-10 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a..m.-8:30 p.m.

Chef-owner Dionicio Jimenez is introducing an atole tasting experience on weekends. Prices will be announced in late October, but you can look forward to warming up to a thick chocolate infusion with four different bases: milk, water, corn, or 100% cacao. For reference, one cup of their seasonal cafe de olla  a fusion of coffee, sugar cane, anise, cloves, and orange slices boiled in a pot  is $2. The traditional Oaxacan chocolate  ground by Mexican indigenous communities, toasted with sugar, and cooked with cinnamon, clove, and vanilla  costs $3.

2800 D St.,  267-519-2142, cantinalamartinapa.com,  Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.- 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.

A cafe by day and cocktail bar by night, Char & Stave offers an array of seasonal hot lattes and warm cocktails. For alcohol-free options, the Smoky Maple latte mixes espresso with maple syrup, chicory-pecan bitters, and milk. The Dirty Little 5-Spice incorporates homemade five-spice syrup, Thai chili bitters, and milk ($7.25). Over 21? Check out the warm cocktail menu for a classic hot toddy, Irish coffee, or hot buttered rum, priced from $11 to $13.

8441 Germantown Ave., charandstave.com,  Monday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. to midnight., Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Located by the entrance of the Divine Lorraine building, Cicala brings Italian cuisine and warm drinks to Broad Street. Choose between dining indoors or outdoors, but dont miss out on warming up with a Sicilian caffe al pistachio  a $7 espresso beverage layered with sweetened pistachio cream thats sure to make you feel toasty. Reservations are highly recommended.

699 North Broad St.,  267-886-9334, cicalarestaurant.com,  Tuesday to Thursday 5-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5-11 p.m., and Sunday 5-9 p.m.

This South Kensington distillery has a warm whiskey concoction to help you cozy up called the Layover. An aesthetic $14 beverage with Kinsey American whiskey, Brothership Irish whiskey, a double shot of espresso, topped with banana-infused whipped cream and nutmeg to warm you from inside out.

1431 North Cadwallader St.,  267-928-4650, newlibertydistillery.com,  Thursday 5-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5-11 p.m., Sunday 2-6 p.m.

As temperatures drop and daylight becomes a luxury, you might start feeling ish. One way to lift your mood: The Morris offers a spin on the classic hot toddy. For $11, their Hot Toddy-ish leaves behind the bourbon and cinnamon flavors, swapping in applejack whiskey, housemade clarified caramel, and chai tea garnished with an orange peel.

225 South 8th St.,  215-238-2160, themorrisphilly.com,  Sunday to Thursday 5-9 p.m., Friday to Saturday 5-10 p.m.
Katalin Kariko (red jacket) is swarmed by selfie-seeking flash mob at the University of Pennsylvania Monday when she and colleague Drew Weissman won the Nobel Prize in medicine. Read more

Every year, Katalin Kariko met with her University of Pennsylvania department chair to update him on her quest to treat disease with messenger RNA  fragile, inflammatory genetic molecules that were so difficult to work with that most scientists thought it was a waste of time.

Every year, he listened to her passionate description of the science for a few minutes, then chastised her for not contributing to the departments all-important metric: dollars per net square footage of lab space.

The bottom line: Penn had rejected Kariko for a tenure-track position years earlier because she failed to secure funds for her research, and she still hadnt managed to come up with any.

As the world now knows, Kariko proved her naysayers wrong. She and Penn colleague Drew Weissman won the Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for their research, which paved the way for COVID-19 vaccines that are credited with saving millions of lives. The school has reaped more than $1 billion in royalties from licensing patents it took out on their discoveries.

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We are bursting with pride, university president Liz Magill said at a news conference with the two scientists.

But in an autobiography that comes out Tuesday, Kariko describes years of struggle to get her ideas accepted by Penn colleagues and the broader scientific community. Even after 2005, when she and Weissman published the first of several studies showing how mRNA could be used in a vaccine, she was rebuffed in her attempts to seek a tenured position, she says in Breaking Through: My Life in Science, published by Crown.

I was told that I was not of faculty quality, she wrote, describing a conversation with an unidentified administrator at Penns Perelman School of Medicine.

Her account illustrates the competitive, constantly churning treadmill of academic science, where success is defined by money and the publication of studies in scientific journals  neither of which occurs without the other. Scientists cant conduct their experiments without money for chemicals, lab animals, and other supplies, yet in order to secure that funding, they have to provide the results of experiments. Which requires money.

The result is that many successful scientists learn to practice what is called grantsmanship, namely publishing safe, incremental advances to keep the funds coming.

Kariko chafed under that system, instead aiming for a high-risk target  using mRNA to fight disease  that most of her peers thought was unattainable. She did it working in lowly, non-tenured positions for more than two decades, finding a home in the labs of a few sympathetic colleagues who could spare the funds. Frustrated, she finally left Penn in 2013 for a German start-up called BioNTech, which would one day collaborate with Pfizer to make the first COVID vaccine.

Asked whether Kariko should have been granted tenure, the university responded with this statement:

Dr. Katalin Kariko and Dr. Drew Weissman are outstanding scientists, whose discoveries helped pave the way for developing the life-saving vaccines deployed in the global fight against COVID-19. The recognition of their important work with the Nobel Prize is deeply deserved. We acknowledge and are grateful for the valuable contributions Dr. Kariko has made to science and to Penn throughout her time with the university.

In interviews, two former Penn physicians said her account of repeated rejection was spot-on.

David Langer, now the chair of neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, said it took a pandemic for others  both at Penn and beyond  to realize Karikos ideas held merit.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, he said. They shouldve promoted her.

A blunt manner in a world dominated by men

Former Penn cardiologist Elliot Barnathan, who hired Kariko to work in his lab in 1989, said the buzz at the time was all about gene therapy, which sought to harness the power of RNAs more stable cousin, DNA.

RNA, on the other hand, is a temporary copy of DNA that degrades easily, and most academics dismissed Karikos idea of using it to treat disease.

It was completely heretical at the time, he said.

Barnathan rejected Kariko at first, too. When she sent in her application for a vacancy in his lab and did not hear back, she called his secretary to ask why. Barnathan believed that he had not found the right person, and planned to readvertise the position, the secretary said.

Kariko, who had previously worked at a lab at Temple University and was then working at a hospital in Maryland, was unsatisfied.

She asked my secretary if I could please look at it again, he recalled.

Barnathan hired Kariko after all, collaborating with her to study RNA in cardiovascular cells. When he left for a job in industry, she found another supporter in Langer, who was then a resident in Penns neurosurgery department. The pair studied mRNA in the brain.

In interviews, Barnathan and Langer said Kariko was not naive. She knew full well that her ideas meant nothing without money, whether at Penn or anywhere else. They said that at times, she may have hurt her cause with her blunt-spoken manner.

In the book, Kariko acknowledges that she was a tough taskmaster. She described one such instance from when she first met Langer, back when he was a medical student at Penn. He and a classmate bungled one of the steps in preparing a batch of RNA, and Kariko scolded them and threw out their samples.

What were you thinking? she said. Its useless, garbage!

A modest background

Kariko also stood out because of her background. The daughter of a butcher whod completed the equivalent of sixth grade, she grew up in communist Hungary in a modest home with no running water, heated by burning sawdust left over from a nearby toy factory. As a scientist, she often sensed she was an outlier in the clubby world of medicine, whose leaders often were men whose fathers had been physicians before them.

In the book, Kariko describes one such episode when she traveled to a stroke center in Buffalo to perform an mRNA experiment in the brains of rabbits. She told her Buffalo counterpart that the experience reminded her of her fathers profession.

No kidding! he said. My father is also a neurosurgeon. And my grandfather, too!

She laughed, explaining that her upbringing was very different.

Publish or perish

For decades, Kariko continued to publish what she considered to be high-quality research, but discovered it was not enough to gain acceptance by academias elite.

I was learning that succeeding at a research institution like Penn required skills that had little to do with science, she wrote. You needed to know how to do things in which I have never had any interest (flattering people, schmoozing, being agreeable when you disagree, even when you are 100% certain that you are correct).

She also found that for her career to advance, the studies also needed to be cited by others. Even when she started to collaborate with Weissman, the immunologist with whom she would share the Nobel, the work attracted little notice at first. For a long time, their initial 2005 study was cited by others just a few times a year.

But the pair were confident that the transient nature of mRNA, long seen by others as a flaw, would be a plus when used in a vaccine. They and others figured out how to deliver the delicate genetic molecules inside human cells by encapsulating them in millions of oily droplets, called lipid nanoparticles.

Once there, the mRNA served as a temporary blueprint, enabling the recipients cells to make a useful protein without any permanent changes to the persons genetic makeup.

Thats how the COVID vaccines work. The mRNA carries the recipe for a spike-like protein on the surface of the coronavirus, giving the recipient a safe sneak preview of the virus so the immune system can prepare to fight the real thing.

On Dec 10, she and Weissman are due in Stockholm to receive the Nobel, the ultimate recognition that they were right.

Staff writer Susan Snyder contributed to this article.
Pennsylvania State Police Saturday were seeking the publics help in the investigation of a shooting incident on I-95 in Delaware County in which one man was killed and a second wounded.

The shootings occurred around 1:20 a.m. Saturday on the northbound side of the highway in Upper Chichester Township, about 1.5 miles from the Delaware border, officials said.

State police said that when they responded to the scene, they found a 41-year-old Brookhaven man shot to death.

In addition, a 42-year-old Chester man suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center. His condition was not disclosed, nor were the names of the victims released.

The shootings resulted in temporary closure of northbound lanes.

State police requested that anyone with information about the incident call its Criminal Investigation Unit at 484 840 1000.
Mr. Roberts and his band played often at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Read more

Bob Roberts, 80, of Philadelphia, photographer, longtime owner of H. Armstrong Roberts stock photography company, bluegrass musician, sharpshooter, historical reenactor, and veteran, died Saturday, Sept. 23, of heart disease at his home in West Philadelphia.

The eclectic Mr. Roberts became the owner of H. Armstrong Roberts on Locust Street in West Philadelphia after the death of his father in 1979, and he oversaw the photo librarys evolution from paper catalogs and black-and-white images to color pictures, and analog and digital storage and distribution technology.

He grew the collection to more than 500,000 of what he called illustrative storytelling photographs, and his website offers online clients access to that special vintage photograph which will surely serve your special purpose or project. His constant refrain was that there are no new stories to be told, only new photos to enhance old tales.

He focused the companys promotional campaigns on its historical and archival photos, and sold them to publications of all kinds, and firms that made greeting cards, calendars, and other items that require photographs. He was past president and executive board member of the Picture Agency Council of America, now the Digital Media Licensing Association, and received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

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He was a very smart guy, said his wife, Roberta Groves. His brain was always moving.

A college friend introduced Mr. Roberts to the banjo in the mid-1960s, and he was quickly captivated. He added the fiddle to his musical repertoire a bit later, organized Capt. Bobs Tuesday Night Band, and played at folk festivals and local events, and in clubs along the East Coast during the 1970s.

The band featured a diverse group of musicians who liked bluegrass and old-time country music, and the gregarious Mr. Roberts was always open to pickin and strummin with younger players on the way up. His wife said he kept more than 7,000 bluegrass songs on his iPhone.

He became interested in guns as a young man and collected antique firearms, and took part in Revolutionary War and Civil War reenactments in Germantown, Gettysburg, and elsewhere. He shot competitively with the North-South Skirmish Association, and the Delaware County Field and Stream Association. He even constructed his own long rifles.

He joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps at Johns Hopkins University, went into the Army after college in the late 1960s, and earned a bronze star as a first lieutenant for his service in Korea and Vietnam. He was also a captain in the Pennsylvania National Guard.

He was so intelligent that he would read a book about doing something and then he would go and do it, his wife said. Longtime friend Bill Morton said: Bob was a unique and interesting man.

Howard Armstrong Roberts III was born Oct. 19, 1942, in Philadelphia. His father, H. Armstrong Roberts Jr., owned H. Armstrong Roberts Inc., the stock photo library Mr. Roberts grandfather started in Philadelphia in 1920.

Mr. Roberts and his family moved to Springfield, Delaware County, when he was 10. He joined the Boy Scouts and became interested in guns at a local shooting club.

He graduated from Springfield High School and earned a bachelors degree in psychology at Johns Hopkins. After he left the Army, he took photos and worked at his fathers stock library on Locust Street.

He met his wife in the early 1970s when she joined the family business. They became a couple 20 years ago and married in 2021.

Mr. Roberts was introspective, thoughtful, and a good listener. He often tailored his personal advice to each individual friend. He enjoyed woodworking and was interested in anything in which you take a tool and make something, his wife said.

He preferred to be called Bob instead of Howard and was an avid reader of history, nonfiction, biographies, and novels. There was no pinning him down to type, Morton said.

He and Morton often talked late into the night about the Civil War, Vietnam War, current events, and other topics they had in common. I consider time spent in his company as some of the most valuable in my life, Morton said.

Mr. Roberts wife said: He was the kindest man I ever met.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Roberts is survived by two sisters, a brother, and other relatives.

A graveside service is to be at 10:45 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 26, at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, 830 Highland Rd., Newtown, Pa. 18940.

Donations in his name may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, Box 758516, Topeka, Kan. 66675.
Recently, my daughter came into the kitchen while I was cooking, gave me a hug, and said, Mom, you smell like memories.

Her words were more profound than she knew.

When Im in the kitchen, I am surrounded by visceral memories. Its a sacred space  an intimate place I shared with my mother. She cooked every day except Saturday, so the kitchen is where I got to know her. I saw her through how she talked about her own mother, her mothers mother, her grandfather, and her father. I absorbed the legacy of family life lessons while making her hoe cakes, the deep ancestral stories she would pour into me as I used the hand mixer and listened.

She had a lot of stories to tell.

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I grew up in Norristown, the middle of five children, in a rowhouse that was also home to dozens of foster children. Yet, even with one bathroom, it never felt crowded. My parents filled the house with love, which my mother expressed through cooking. If anyone missed dinner, she left a plate for them on the stove. Everyone loved her famous 7UP pound cakes, and she would make up to 20 every day, all from one oven.

My mother died in 2012. Now, when I want to feel close to her, I bake.

My mother wrote her recipes down on cards and kept them in a tin. I can visualize her cursive writing, her misspellings abundant. The tin contains centuries of oral legacy poured on the page because, in Black culture, there is often little written proof of our ancestors existence. We were an X on the U.S. Census; some of my ancestors were property. We passed down our legacy  our stories, our lessons, our history, and our recipes  while stirring a steaming pot of chicken and dumplings over the stove.

I have been thinking a lot about my mothers recipe tin and about our time together in the kitchen as Ive been working with other Philadelphia female restaurateurs, food entrepreneurs, and chefs.

When I see the women, and their books, stories, and beautiful photography, when I read their recipes and cook their baked goods, I see my mothers tin. We share our stories and our wisdom at a table crammed so full of dishes you can barely make room for the next one. Its about women putting themselves out there, and supporting one another. Its about the sacredness of what happens when we get together, talk about our love language, and share our love language with others.

I am an attorney who developed a passion baking project during the pandemic, a cake company called Lizzies Love Cakes. Its inspired by my mother and the stories we told together through baking. My experience starting a food business inspired me to attend an in-person town hall in 2021 hosted by the Sisterly Love Collective, a group of Philadelphia female restaurateurs, food entrepreneurs, and chefs. There, I saw so many shades of women.

As an attorney, Ive often been in rooms where there is just one type of person, and I stick out. Im used to that feeling. I know how to navigate it. I know how to camouflage myself if I dont want to be seen. But in this room, I didnt even have to start that thought process. I didnt have to burn any of that energy. My only feeling was: Im Cassandra, and Im here representing Lizzies Love Cakes. I felt like I belonged. I felt seen  in all of my perfections and imperfections. And I wanted to be even more involved in this community.

Since then, this group of women has mentored and supported me as Ive grown my business.

My kitchen is where my past and present collide. My ancestral history is seen in how I tap the air bubbles from each cake batter, or how I slowly integrate each ingredient with the utmost care.

You see, my cakes are cakes of emotions. They are handled with care because they hold the successes, failures, hurt, victories, wisdom  and, most importantly, the love  of my ancestors.

The writer L.M. Montgomery said it best: Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.

For me, cooking is deeply personal. It has allowed me to keep remembering and sharing my mothers and grandmothers stories through my food, passing their love along. Its about sharing the love we received from all the mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and friends who, for generations, have poured their love into us.

Cassandra Burnett is an attorney and the owner of Lizzies Love Cakes. She lives in Williamstown. She is a member of the Sisterly Love Collective, which is organizing a monthlong festival called Cookbooks & Convos that runs through Oct. 25.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. A major general was injured as a result of a rocket attack on Israel, Trend reports.

According to the Israeli media, during the fighting in Sderot, the commander of the Southern Police District, Major General Amir Cohen, was injured.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family, and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books, including "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, that have been the subject of complaints from parents across the country. Read more

Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel about a firefighter who burns down houses that own books. The 1953 novel, which some have tried to ban over the years, is set in an unnamed city in the distant future.

In many ways, that disturbing future doesnt feel too far removed from whats happening right now.

By one count, there were more than 3,300 instances of banned books in public schools across the country during the last academic year  a 33% increase compared with 2021-22. Efforts to challenge and take books off the shelves have overtaken school boards and local libraries nationwide, dividing towns and pitting neighbor against neighbor.

The Philadelphia suburbs are ground zero for many of the book bans in Pennsylvania, which ranks among the top states for book bans in schools. It is a shameful distinction for a state founded by William Penn as a haven for religious freedom for fellow Quakers.

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The Central Bucks school officials made national news after a conservative majority gained control of the board and began pushing book bans and prohibiting Pride flags in classrooms. Similar book ban efforts have popped up at the North Penn and Wissahickon School Districts in Montgomery County, the Pennridge School District in Bucks County, and the Downingtown Area and Oxford Area School Districts in Chester County.

The book bans are fueled by a network of conservative groups such as Moms for Liberty, which the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled extremist. Moms for Liberty, founded in 2021 in the wake of pandemic shutdowns and mask mandates, says its mission is to defend parental rights at all levels of government.

But it only defends the rights of parents who agree with its extreme views.

The book ban efforts mainly target books about race, racism, and those with LGBTQ themes and characters. Book ban backers  including Republican presidential candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  talk about woke indoctrination, whatever that means.

The book bans essentially boil down to censorship. Who are these self-appointed zealots who want to decide what books are available in schools and libraries?

There are professional educators and librarians who review age-appropriate books in schools. If parents dont want their child to read a certain book, they can let the school know. But a vocal, politically driven minority should not tell others what they can or cannot read.

In fact, no one is making anyone read the disputed books. If anything, all the breathless attention on the books only increases interest in reading them. Not to mention that teens can access any book, and much more, via their mobile devices. All the energy to remove books from school libraries  efforts that last year were at their highest levels in more than two decades  is yet another distraction from the mission of education.

Book bans have been going on in America since at least 1637, which only underscores how ridiculous it is to still be having this debate. These campaigns are little more than attempts to limit free thought, which only leads to a society that is vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation.

Fortunately, many are pushing back on the book bans.

The Glenside Library has been encouraging visitors to read the books that the Central Bucks activists want to ban. Students, parents, and teachers mounted protests that reversed a book ban at the Central York School District.

An eighth grader in Kutztown launched a club that reads banned books and meets at a local bookstore. Similar banned book clubs have popped up across the country.

Even better, two bills that are pending in Harrisburg aim to curtail censorship efforts. State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (D., Montgomery) introduced a measure that would essentially ban any book bans.

State Rep. Paul Friel (D., Chester), a former president of the Owen J. Roberts school board, proposed a bill that would prohibit book bans but allow parents to opt their children out of lessons or library materials that conflict with their beliefs.

In June, Illinois became the first state to ban book bans. Gov. Josh Shapiro and lawmakers in Pennsylvania should do the same.
Cash may still be king, but for many years now it has been fending off usurpers to the throne as contactless payment takes more and more of its domain and tech companies get in on the action, slicing up a sizable portion for themselves.

The move towards contactless payment options accelerated over the pandemic rising to 84% of all point-of-sale transactions according to the Central Bank of Ireland. At the same time, cash withdrawals from ATMs fell from 1.5bn to around 1bn a month.

There have always been certain businesses that have only accepted cash and many of them wont be swapping to cards soon. However, in recent years there has been a growing number of companies that only accept card payments.

According to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), businesses must accept cash unless it is clear they only accept other ways to pay. This can be as simple as a sign in the shop saying card transactions only as long as you decide to continue in the presence of such a sign, this is considered an agreement.

Ruth Deasy, who co-owns the Bear Market Coffee chain with her husband Stephen, said they went cashless in their stores back in 2019 and while it might work out a bit more expensive than operating both she said it is worth it when it comes to the business efficiency.

Husband and wife team Stephen and Ruth Deasy of Bear Market Coffee shop which was one of the first in Ireland where customers cannot pay with cash.

I dont think we save any money by going only card, it wasnt really a financial decision in that way. Most of our businesses are placed around the city centre or the financial district and they are really, really fast-paced. People want to come in, they want to get their latte, they are running to work and were really conscious of their time, she said.

We kind of felt when we were taking cash, your head was down in the till, you are counting out all the coins and you are just really distracted.

Ms Deasy said there are times when people come in with cash and they are taken aback when you say you dont accept it but this is outweighed by the pros in terms of speed, being able to interact with customers, the cleanliness of not having to handle notes and coins all day.

She added there is also the safety aspect as theyve had three break-ins over the last year and one armed robbery attempt. At least there, they could say we honestly dont have any cash and there is nothing on the site.

Ms Deasy said that keeping track of operations is also so much easier as there is no counting the cash up at the end of the day and once the cleaning is done, staff just lock up and head home.

We have live figures on how every store did. Everything is seamless, its all online, it comes in the next day from the banks, she said.

So for the few customers for whom it might not be for them, I 100% understand that, she said.

I cant imagine the whole of the city being cashless, choice for people is really, really important. Wed never go back on it.

There are still costs associated with offering only card services but they are not seen by the customer at point-of-sale but rather the business is charged a fee by the card issuer  is usually either Mastercard or Visa.

Customers are charged as well for this service but it is capped at 0.1% of debit transactions for both Mastercard and Visa and 0.3% for credit transactions.

In addition to the duopoly of MasterCard and Visa in the issuing of cards, tech companies like Apple and Google are taking a sizable portion of the contactless payment market. Mobile payment wallets  such as Apple Pay and Google Pay  now account for 32% of all card transactions undertaken at a point-of-sale terminal.

However, while there may be an increase in new forms of payments, it is clear that cash is not going anywhere.

Pushback

The debate over the issue reemerged in August, when the NCT operator Applus+ announced that the service would be going cashless saying that payments must be made in advance of attending the inspection. Following the announcement, there was a backlash with the company ultimately reversing its decision.

Dr Olive McCarthy, director at the Centre for Co-operative Studies at the Cork University Business School, said the conversation about cash in society is often centred around particular demographics  and the outsized impact it might have on them  but it is also about preserving choice and privacy for everyone.

There is a lot of discussion around the access to cash for the elderly or lower-income groups or more socially vulnerable citizens. It is not just about them, she said.

It is about everybody and maintaining choice for those who wishing to use cash.

Dr McCarthy added businesses that do use cash, have the hassle and cost of lodging it into the bank but those who accept cards have to pay per transaction which can significantly eat into the profits.

There have been a number of instances in recent months and years where companies have seen a pushback when attempting to withdraw cash services with the NCT debacle being the most recent example.

Earlier this year, the GAA was caught in the crosshairs of a similar issue over its policy of selling tickets online and not through turnstiles or nearby kiosks.

Although tickets were available for sale from Centra and SuperValu, organisations that represent older persons such as Age Action said the online purchases excluded a large proportion of pensioners.

In July last year, AIB received significant pushback after it announced that 70 of its 170 branches would go cashless with cash withdrawals, ATMs, and cheque services no longer being offered. The move drew widespread criticism, particularly from rural communities.

The backlash was so significant that less than a week later the company folded and reversed its decision. According to the Central Bank, 73% of Irish adults use ATMs regularly but the cash total of withdrawals has fallen by 33% since the beginning of the pandemic.

While there was a big dip in withdrawals owing to covid, Dr Olive McCarthy said since then, the value of withdrawals from ATMs has remained steady so any talk of a decline is probably exaggerated.

In value terms, cash withdrawals amounted to roughly 1.5bn per month prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. Since May 2020, withdrawals have fallen under 1bn per month.

While there was a big dip in withdrawals owing to covid, Dr McCarthy pointed out that since then the value of withdrawals from ATMs has remained steady so any talk of a decline is probably exaggerated.

Convenience

John Lowe, of Money Doctors, said he expects society to be completely cashless by 2031 as there are a number of advantages for people to move from cash.

He said contactless cards and payments via mobile phone wallets are convenient, safer as you are not carrying around money, and allow you to keep an eye on your finances more easily.

I embrace it, I think it is a good move. It is convenient, everything is about convenience. Its much safer, its a lot more accountable. You can check your account on the same day, he said.

Mr Lowe said that he understands moving away from cash would pose difficulties to certain people, such as those who rely on tips, people on the streets and organisations such as charities, but this is the way society is heading.

He said people should embrace the change as it is going to be better for peoples pockets in the long run.

Data from the Central Bank of Ireland shows that, in total, 6.8bn has been spent or withdrawn on cards each month since the start of the year.

During the first six months of the year, Irish households recorded 971 million credit and debit card transactions worth 40.1bn. There were, on average, 103 million contactless card transactions recorded per month over the first half of the year, with an equivalent value of 1.7bn.

Cash in the EU

As the adoption of contactless payments continues to grow, the EU has sought to reassure people that cash will continue to have a place.

As part of its proposals on the possible implementation of a digital euro, the EU Commission is also looking to pass legislation that will safeguard the use of cash and ensure that it is widely accepted across the bloc.

Dr McCarthy added that the European Central Banks cash strategy is aiming to protect cash for those who have a preference for it and other countries in the eurozone have gone as far as to mandate accepting cash through legislation.

She said that 11 of 19 eurozone countries use cash more than Ireland.

Some of the ones that would stand out would be Malta, 80% of payments in cash. Germany, Austria, Slovenia, very high levels of cash payments, she said.

In France it is a criminal offence not to accept cash. Spain legislated last year that you had to accept cash. Slovakia has it embedded in their constitution that you have to pay in cash.
Auto-enrolment (AE) is coming to Ireland next year. When it does, the new occupational pensions regime will introduce mandatory retirement savings for the first time, creating an estimated 750,000 new pension savers in the process.

Thats good news for sure, but AE is expected to do more. Its expected to create a pension system in Ireland that is better and fairer for all.

Thats a big ask, given how slow the message has been in infiltrating the masses. The extent of unawareness about the scheme was confirmed in a recent Standard Life study which found that 70% of those polled didn't know of the Government plans for AE.

Perhaps ominously, of those with zero pension cover currently, a substantial 46% were unaware as to whats ahead.

Irish optimism about the benefits of AE were nevertheless apparent, with 79% already planning on staying in the AE scheme, after the six-month compulsory period.

Optimism is a great thing. Without hope, we are lost. Still, the nitty gritty of AE and what it might bring is something about which most people clearly want to know more.

ESRI statistics show that the pension gender gap in Ireland stands at 35%. While more than half of men receive a private pension, less than one in three women receive the same benefit.

Central Statistics Office figures are equally harrowing. They show that only 33% of retired women have worked more than 30 years, compared with 93% of retired men.

How then, will AE likely impact the gender pay gap in Ireland when it is implemented? In considering, its helpful to consider what happened in the UK, after AE was first introduced in 2012.

There  according to a recent report by the Department for Work and Pensions  women reach the age of 55 with a third less saved into private pensions than men. Tellingly perhaps, while the UKs gender pension gap is 35%, its only slightly smaller  at 32%  among those who were auto-enrolled into work schemes.

On the topic of how women in Ireland can expect to fare when AE comes in, Claire Keane senior research officer at the ESRI believes pension auto-enrolment is unlikely to reduce the gender pay gap: The forthcoming pension auto-enrolment will affect male workers more, she says.

This is because women are, on average, less likely to be in employment and less likely to earn above the 20,000 pension auto-enrolment threshold when they do work. They are also more likely to be employed in the public sector, which already has high supplementary pension coverage rates.

Mairead OMahony, head of wealth solutions, with Aon Ireland, says the 35% gender pay in Ireland will reduce, but it wont disappear.

Mairead OMahony, head of wealth solutions at AON Ireland says the gender pay gap today stands at 35% in Ireland. That gap will reduce when AE is introduced, she says, but it wont disappear."

Acknowledging that the gap is driven by many factors, she lists some of those. That today, less than one in three Irish women has a private pension, while the same figure for men is one in two. That men, on average, earn more than women. Also, that theres a greater propensity for women to work part-time and take career breaks, often to care for family.

Once AE is introduced, all earners will be automatically enrolled to save for retirement, with contributions coming from both employee and employer, she says. We know from more mature countries where AE has been in place for some time, that opt-out rates tend to be low. So, over time we should expect the percentage of Irish men and women with a private pension to rise.

As for how women can be better supported financially she says: A further way in which the Government could help to level the playing field would be to include enhanced pension contributions, under the auto-enrolment system, for savers who take unpaid leave for specified reasons such as caregiving, given they are much more likely to be female than male.

While ISME is disappointed that the start-up date for auto-enrolment has been postponed, chief executive, Neil McDonnell, says its delighted the Government is committed to commencement in 2024.

It is important that the administration of the scheme is water-tight on commencement, so that employees can be assured their pension savings are in safe hands, he says.

Asserting that ISME has long campaigned for auto-enrolment as the only way to bridge the pensions shortfall among private sector workers, McDonnell continues: We note that the Government plans employer contributions of 6% when the scheme matures. This is twice the employer contribution rate in the UK, and will create competitiveness issues for services businesses, especially those close to the border.

Businesses must budget the initial 1.5% employer contribution into their 2024 financial plans, he says. Also, Government must understand that goods and services prices will be impacted by this and the planned 12.4% increase in the National Minimum Wage next year.

ICTU social policy officer, Dr Laura Bambrick, says the fact that the self-employed will not be covered by the AE scheme is a cause for concern for trade unions.

Of the sole traders with no employees she says: They are least likely to have pension provision, via private pension savings. Or, the type of business that they can sell on when they retire, so as to buttress their retirement income and post-retirement living standards. She has no gripe with the Department of Social Protection about this.

Laura Bambrick, ICTU, says the importance of auto-enrolment will grow in the decades ahead.

To be fair to the Department, she says, it is extremely difficult to incorporate these workers into an auto-enrolment scheme. No country to date has successfully done so. Because their income fluctuates and because of the time lag between when they earn and when they are paid, how, she asks, do you calculate their auto-enrolment contribution in real-time?"

This question of hers is followed quickly by two others: Should sole traders be liable to pay both the worker and employer contribution? Would this make it unaffordable for them?

Without the (6%) matching employer AE contribution, she concludes, "the sole traders/ self-employed workers AE pension pot is likely to be inadequate for a secure retirement.

Theres much to consider. She points to the fact that the Department has committed to looking again at how to open up auto-enrolment to the self-employed when the scheme is up and running.

Doubtless, this commitment is greatly welcomed by all concerned.

Dr Bambrick makes good points on the topic of bad bosses: Apart from the low pension coverage among self-employed workers, introducing a compulsory 6% employer pension contribution, will further increase the financial incentive for bad bosses to misclassify their employees as self-employed, she says. This will push up incidents of bogus self-employment, at huge cost to the Social Insurance Fund (i.e. loss of employee PRSI contributions) and the individual workers rights and protections.

As for the AE age parameters, she says: ICTU strongly opposes restricting auto-enrolment coverage to workers aged over 23. The lower age threshold is outright classism. It is an inbuilt bias in the new scheme, one that assumes young people will go through three or four years of college, spend some time travelling abroad before settling into full-time employment.

While this is the route into work taken by most young people, many still go directly into work from school. And, it is Government policy to increase their number, with plans to raise apprentice enrolments to 10,000 a year by 2025.

Such young workers will have up to seven wasted years, between ages 16 and 23, not saving and getting employer and State contributions towards a more financially secure retirement.

ICTU wants to see the auto-enrolment age trigger aligned with the PRSI minimum age threshold of 16 years for full-time workers (i.e. those earning over 20,000 a year).

As for what pleases ICTU about the auto-enrolment scheme, Dr Bambrick says: Ireland is the only OECD country not to operate auto-enrolment or a similar pension savings scheme for its workforce.

Once auto-enrolment is introduced, all earners will be automatically enrolled to save for retirement, with contributions coming from both employee and employer.

Read More What does your financial future look like?

ICTU has long argued that our voluntary approach to occupational pensions has failed, as can be seen by the fact that little over half (56%) of all workers have a workplace or private pension to supplement their state pension.

Because the contributory state pension is not earnings-related and is instead paid at a low flat rate of 265 a week, workers without a supplementary pension are exposed to a significant drop in their normal living standards in retirement.

Auto-enrolment will increase income adequacy for workers in retirement and put a legal requirement on employers to contribute to securing their employees living standards in old age. Pension savings also reduce the risk of a fall in consumer demand. Over the coming decades, the importance of pension income to the wider economy will grow as the population ages.
Martin Scorsese said he was disappointed that the stars of his latest film, Killers Of The Flower Moon, could not attend its London premiere amid the Sag-Aftra actors strike.

The epic Western crime saga  starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons  is based on the non-fiction book of the same name about the murders of the Osage Native American tribe after oil is found on their land.

The film is screening at the BFI London Film Festival on Saturday after its world premiere in Cannes earlier this year.

Im disappointed that we dont have the actors, 80-year-old Scorsese told the PA news agency on the red carpet.

It comes amid the US actors strike which rumbles on and has already affected international film festivals such as Venice, Telluride and Toronto.

Scorsese continued: Its a good time for them to be here and to enjoy, even if its just a moment of getting a picture taken together, everything they went through, the film took a number of years to make.

The pandemic took its toll, theres no doubt. It took its toll on time and interruptions. But we finally got it done and its been a very special film for me.

Especially over the years trying to get it in a shape that is a story I wanted to tell along with Leo, and Lily Gladstone and De Niro and Jesse Plemons and all the Osage with us on this picture.

Its a special film for me and I hope I learned something from it.

Killers Of The Flower Moon will be released on October 18.
We are living in a time of secrets being brought to light. Mostly they are about abuses, often they concern violence against women in one form or another.

Sometimes the telling of them is powerful enough to shift the ground beneath us. The New York Times reported allegations of sexual abuse against a Hollywood producer by one woman after another, stories that led to #MeToo and a call for consequences for powerful men who hurt women sexually and the institutions that protect them.

Recent allegations by survivors who say they were violated by Russell Brand at the height of his fame, show this reckoning is far from over.

Here in Ireland, the discovery of tiny skeletons in a septic tank in Tuam led to the disinterment of a national shame on the grounds of former mother and baby homes around the country.

Revelations like these, about the crimes of Harvey Weinstein, the mother and baby homes with their lethal cruelty, are matches that lit fuses, catalysts for a mighty outcry thats gone beyond national borders.

After the sharing of grief, and rage, often comes a search for redress in one form or another. Weinstein went through the court system and was convicted  although successful prosecutions on sexual assault charges remain internationally, statistically difficult.

In Ireland, we set up a National Commission of Inquiry into mother and baby homes. It was far from perfect, and many of its processes and conclusions were challenged but it was an attempt at least to face the past and understand how such a horror was allowed to happen.

The survivors testimonies that came out of the inquiry were viscerally moving and a reminder of the personal cost involved in this era of uncovering secrets.

Digging up memories from the place theyve been buried so you can survive them forces a reckoning.

And its very hard to know in advance how that will play out before you do it, what the effects will be, for yourself and for the people who love you.

Thats what I was thinking last year, after I got a phone call from a woman called Jane.

I was in my kitchen, baking. It was winter in New Zealand, one of those miserable dark nights when you want a bit of cake to cheer yourself up.

Jane is a mother of three young kids, the same age as me, funny, charismatic. I knew her to say hello to.

I was not prepared for the story she told me.

Award-winning Cork writer and producer Noelle McCarthy has a new podcast out called Dear Jane

'NOBODY KNEW THE EXTENT OF IT'

When she was 13, she formed a connection with her youth group leader at their local church in Auckland. He was 10 years older.

It was a sexual relationship from the time she was 14, nobody knew the extent of it, not her family, her friends, or her teachers.

At a certain point, people saw them together, but he said it was chaste. Everyone took his word for it.

The age difference was noticeable, but the man was from a respected family. He was widely trusted in the community.

Jane wanted to tell her story as a podcast, and she wanted me to help her do it. I had reservations. Trauma is complicated, its hard to know how it will play out, especially when youre doing it publicly.

Also, working with secrets is heavy. I knew that from experience.

A book I wrote about my life and my mothers life came out in Ireland last summer, Grand: Becoming My Mothers Daughter.

Theres some weighty stuff in it  alcoholism, suicide and intergenerational trauma. For all that, writing it was a joy, I flew through it mostly.

Except for the secrets  the hidden pregnancies that became open wounds in my mothers life, my own doomed attempts to camouflage my drinking.

Theres a bed in the room where I work, and after writing those bits, Id throw myself down on it, dog-tired, and sleep without dreaming.

When Jane rang me, I was worried about what it would be like for her, digging around in secrets shed buried for decades.

I was also worried about what it would be like for her family. When we started the podcast, I was already navigating the aftermath of telling private stories, the delicate dance involved in responding to the reactions of people you love, who have also lived through the painful things youre discussing.

But Jane was clear from the start that she was ready. She was clear as well about what she wanted  a meeting from the man involved, and some accountability from the church.

She also knew she wanted to help people, and in lots of ways, that made things easier. When it got hard she was able to go back to her purpose  that young people listening who may have had a similar traumatic experience, a betrayal of trust, a loss of innocence, would hear her and know that it wasnt their fault either.

Making the podcast was challenging for all of us  facing trauma is extremely demanding, and it was difficult going back over this painful stuff, especially with her family.

But we got through, mostly because we trusted each other, and because of Janes clarity.

Noelle McCarthy. Picture: Rebecca Zephyr

THE SHAME OF SECRETS

Dear Jane is a story that happened in New Zealand, in a different kind of church than the one I grew up part of in Cork City, but so many of the themes were resonant; the shame of secrets, the need to speak them, the vulnerability that comes after doing it.

I found echoes in Janes experience of the story I told in Grand about the women who came before me, whose lives were similarly shadowed by being part of a church community that had too much control over their lives, their choices, their sexuality.

For Janes mother and her sister, the decision to talk to us wasnt easy.

In a kitchen in Auckland with a view of a perfectly symmetrical, perfectly serene dormant volcano called Rangitoto, Janes mum, Ann, gave us tea and scones and told us about her regret for what she didnt see back then, or didnt notice.

Ann is a private woman, but she let me sit at her table and point a microphone towards her. I should have been there, she said, so now, if I can help her, support her, Ill do it.

Her voice was breaking, all I heard was the strength of a mothers love for her daughter. Janes sister, Lisa, is still part of the church community but decided to help us too.

Im doing this, she said, in case someones listening that this is happening to. So they will find strength to talk to someone they trust, and get help and know that its not their fault, that theres no shame attached, not for them.

With those words, and with that impulse of generosity, Lisa is connecting her and me and Jane to a wider story.

The shared experience of all the women in recent decades, in Ireland, in New Zealand, the world over, whove contributed to this extraordinary wave of reckoning with abuses by powerful people and institutions.

All the people who are speaking out and bringing to light whats hidden. They speak despite the shame that clings to secrets, so future generations can see they dont have to take it. Secrets, however painful, dont have the same weight when youre able to share them.

Dear Jane , a podcast by Noelle McCarthy, is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and anywhere else you listen to podcasts
The Taoiseach and Tanaiste have condemned attacks from Hamas militants on Israel and called for moderate voices to come to the fore.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the rockets launched by Hamas and loss of life was appalling, while Tanaiste Micheal Martin said he feared for citizens in Gaza.

We condemn attacks on civilians unequivocally. The fighting should stop immediately, Taoiseach Mr Varadkar said.

Mr Martin, who is Irelands Minister for Foreign Affairs, said it was vital that the voice of moderation comes to the fore.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin

Mr Martin said that he could see tensions rising during a trip to the region last month, and the scale of Saturdays attack was quite shocking.

He said Irelands stance to support a two-state solution had not changed, after an attack that he said was launched without justification.

We believe a two-state solution remains the only sensible and rational solution to this issue and it needs political momentum behind it, he said.

My sense is that the hardliners are growing in influence, and thats why I believe the need to have moderate voices in the centre is key.

So what we need really is a political peace process to get on track in a serious way. That will mean, I think, international intervention as well to facilitate that, but its a very, very complex and difficult situation and there will be many consequences to todays attack.

Asked whether Israels response to the Hamas attack was proportionate, Mr Martin said that more information was needed.

Ive been in touch with my officials, and again, we need hard information to make an assessment of the situation at this stage, he told reporters on

Saturday evening.

Im always of the view that bombing urban conurbations will result in unjustified loss of civilian life, that has always been my consistent position and thats why Ireland has been a signatory to the international convention in respect of bombings in densely populated areas and that remains our position.

But this was an appalling attack by Hamas and one which they know the consequences as well, and I fear for people in Gaza because weve seen what has happened and there needs to be a political will towards a political solution.

The Tanaiste had travelled to the region last month on a three-day diplomatic trip where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.

He also travelled to the occupied Palestinian territory where he met with President Mahmoud Abbas.

Other European leaders have also voiced solidarity with Israel as they condemned the Hamas attack on the country.

The head of the European Unions executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the attack is terrorism in its most despicable form.

She said that Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.

Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the militants rocket fire and the escalating violence shock us deeply.

He added that Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel.

French president Emmanuel Macron wrote that he firmly condemns the terrorist attacks against Israel and expressed my full solidarity with the victims, their families and their loved ones.

Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Italys government condemns the attacks on Israel with utmost firmness.

At risk are the life of people, the security of the region and the resumption of any kind of political process, Mr Tajani said in a social media post.

Ukraines foreign ministry voiced its support for Israels right to defend itself and its people in a post on social media.

The ministry said it strongly condemns the ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel, including rocket attacks against the civilian population in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Ukraine has been fighting a war against Russia since its neighbour invaded in February 2022.

Ursula von der Leyen said that Israel has the right to defend itself (Fermin Rodriguez/AP)

Meanwhile, Lebanons Hezbollah congratulated Hamas for the operation, saying it had divine backing.

The group said the attack is a response to Israels crimes and attacks on holy places and that the will of the Palestinian people and the rifle of the resistance is the only alternative to face occupation.

Hezbollah said that its military command in Lebanon is following the developments on the ground and is in direct contact with the Palestinian command and they are both evaluating the situation and the ongoing operation.
Tipperary. A word on a water bottle and in a song. The one word linking memories from the past and the present for a 28-year-old Afghan woman as she travelled down to Dublin on a train from Belfast.

Sara Wahedi was five years old when she, her mother, and her brother arrived in Canada as refugees from Afghanistan.

Ms Wahedi said she spoke no English, her mother worked three jobs, and that she and her brother were entrusted into the care of a couple. A Norwegian-Canadian woman named Marit and an Irishman named Merrill.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Ms Wahedi said as a child barely saw her mother except for the routine 5am hug they had every morning.

They were two Canadian immigrants who took care of my brother and I while my mother worked three jobs, the Columbia University student said.

Ms Wahedi described Marit as a person who was uncommonly kind to everyone she met and that she had welcomed the siblings into their church and always said that Christians are brethren to the Muslim faith.

Merrill was a staunch and very proud Irishman. He always had a pipe in his mouth and he was always cleaning it, Ms Wahedi told the Irish Examiner.

He would always tell us to pause our stories or questions until the end of the pipe was filled and ready to go, Ms Wahedi said.

The 28-year-old had just been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by One Young World in Belfast over the week for her work with creating Ehetsab App which helps deliver real-time alerts on security, electricity, and traffic for people in Afghanistan.

I just experienced one of my first full circle moments.



I bought this bottle of water on my train to Dublin and noticed the name - Tipperary.

Almost immediately, I began humming a tune. I searched Tipperary song on Google and learned that it was an old wartime song during pic.twitter.com/PaYnKcqUGN  Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) October 5, 2023

Ms Wahedi said it was her first time in Ireland, as she took the train down to Dublin. She went up to the cart to get a bottle of water and as she looked at it, the word Tipperary in bold white colour in front of a blue background sprung out to her which led to a rush of emotions" as she was trying to figure out how she knew the word.

She said she had been subconsciously humming a song that she had learned from Merrill some 20 years ago which stayed with her for most of her life. It was an old marching song used in World War I called Its a Long Way to Tipperary.

But she said she couldnt remember the title of the song, and if the song had existed, so by putting the word "Tipperary" and "song" into Google she was able to find it and she reconnected with memories from her childhood.

Merrill would sing the song every single day, Ms Wahedi said.

My brother and I didnt speak much English but I would say that from Merrill just being very insistent about us pushing ourselves and learning.

He used that through music and through his stories and I guess Ireland became a huge subconscious part of our childhoods because Merrill was the one who would really talk to us and really spent time speaking to us, even as children, she added.

The water bottle with the sign Tipperary. Picture: Sara Wahedi via Twitter

On her trip to Ireland, Ms Wahedi said she and her brother saw the memory of Merrill come in many different ways.

We saw a man in Dublin with a pipe and my brother was just like You see, hes everywhere and its just to see that Irishness everywhere and the personality of this man that meant so much to us come out.

Weve seen Merrill in every facet of Ireland so far, in just the kindness of people, their patience and their desire to question and ask about us and our journeys with such kindness and respect and also just the comedy and the peoples humour here is amazing and it definitely felt like coming home in a weird way.

Ive never been to Ireland before, so the fact that I feel so comfortable here has been just kind of like a goosebump, out-of-body feeling that really there is just no such thing as borders and we are really intrinsically connected.

Sadly, Ms Wahedi was told by her mother a few years ago that Merrill had passed, but the memories of her childhood spent with the couple definitely influenced her life now.

Even though Ms Wahedi recalled that Merrill had a very strong accent, she has yet to find out which county he was from  a mystery she wishes to figure out soon.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Azerbaijan Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Kazakhstans Defense Minister, Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov and other officials watched the next stage of the "Khazri-2023" Joint Tactical Exercises, Trend reports.

First, the Defense Ministers were reported about the progress of the exercises.

In accordance with the next episodes of the two-stage joint exercises, the marines of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan successfully accomplished all the tasks assigned in the training base in interoperability with other types of troops.

In the next episodes of the two-stage joint exercises, the marines and special forces of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan successfully accomplished all tasks in interoperability with other types of troops.

In general, Defense Ministers highly evaluated the progress of the exercises and the professionalism of the servicemen.In the end, valuable gifts were presented to a group of distinguished servicemen.

It should be noted that the Iranian Naval Forces delegation is participating in the "Khazri-2023" Joint Tactical Exercises as an observer.
Every now and again, something pops up to indicate how unserious many in politics are about governing. This week it was back to basics with the most rudimentary aspect of governance: Taxation.

Last Monday, Dublin City Council rejected a motion to charge a higher rate on the local property tax (LPT).

The LPT has a base rate, from which councillors are permitted to depart by as much as 15%, depending on how they perceive the needs of the people living in their local authority area.

Dublin City Council, the largest authority in the State, habitually reduces the tax by the full 15%.

This year a novel idea was explored at the council. The Labour Party, Green Party, and Social Democrats proposed that the base rate would be applied rather than the usual reduction. This would bring in an extra 14.5m, of which it was proposed that 12m be ringfenced for improvement to public streets and the remainder for a discretionary fund.

The proposal was rooted in common sense. Anybody who is familiar with Dublin in recent years will know that the city has emerged from the pandemic in a shabby state.

Visiting it does not hold the attractions that it once did. The traditional buzz has been displaced by a mixture of decay and vague threat in the air.

Cleaning up the place could make a huge difference.

There is evidence-based research that doing so would have all sorts of benefits for residents, visitors, business, and tourism. Adding a few euro to the property tax would be the most obvious  and arguably fairest  way to do this.

A small contribution of private wealth towards the common good in this respect is a basic instrument in democracies the world over.

As things stand, the level of property tax in this country is very small relative to practically all other developed economies. For the average home in the capital, the proposed adjustment would mean about an extra 6 a month in tax.

Such a hike should be put in context. There is a growing divide in Irish society, one that is rooted for the greater part in the ownership of property.

For instance, a report by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in July found that a third of the population are just getting by financially. The study highlighted deep concern about the growing wealth gap.

A member of the CCPC, Kevin OBrien said at the time there was deep concern about the growing wealth gap.

There are significant differences between age groups, he said.

Those over 60 (are) showing greater financial resilience than those under 30, while lone parents and people with a lower level of formal education have the lowest levels of financial wellbeing in Ireland.

By coincidence, the level of homeownership in Ireland is around two-thirds of households. It would be reasonable to conclude that for the greater part, the one-third of the population who are struggling are in rented accommodation or social housing. In that context, asking homeowners to cough up a few euro extra to improve public services in Dublin appears entirely fair and reasonable.

Pushback

No dice, said the other parties in the city councils firmament. The motion was defeated by councillors from Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, and People Before Profit.

Right across the alleged political spectrum, there was agreement that this assault on private wealth for the public good was just too much to bear.

Fine Gaels position is easy to understand. The partys base is unashamedly rooted among those who are occupying the upper reaches of the socio-economic ladder. Raising taxes for anything would go against their political instincts. In any dispute between private wealth and public good, the Fine Gaelers know where they stand. But the others?

The stance of People Before Profit suggests that, on this issue, it is determined to put profit before people.

On Wednesday in the Dail, Richard Boyd Barrett was calling for the introduction of a wealth tax, yet his partys councillors rejected a few euro hike on a wealth tax by any other name two days earlier.

Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit was calling for a wealth tax earlier this week.

And the prospective partners in the next government, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail? Where stand they on the concept of taxation of what is effectively a major asset?

This week, in its alternative budget, Sinn Fein included the measure of a 400 tax on second homes. Nothing wrong with that except the party expects to bring in 308m from it, which infers there are 770,000 second homes in the State.

That level of fantasy about home ownership can be thrown around for soundbites, yet their councillors in Dublin run from enacting real and fair taxation.

Then there is Fianna Fail. Councillor Tom Brabazon was on RTEs Drivetime on Tuesday explaining why he and his colleagues couldnt countenance putting a few euro on the property tax in Dublin.

Fianna Fail councillor Tom Brabazon was on RTE's Drivetime show on Tuesday. Three times in a short interview he cited food banks as a reason why homeowners couldnt be asked to stump up an extra 5 or 6 a month.

People are finding it difficult to make ends meet, he said.

To heat their homes, to pay electricity bills, they dont want another bill that has gone up as well.

The reality is that people are now looking to food banks for assistance, people who are out working hard, reaching out to food banks to work from one week to the next. Three times in a short interview he cited food banks as a reason why homeowners couldnt be asked to stump up an extra 5 or 6 a month.

Who are these people, sitting on major assets, who own their own homes, yet are resorting to food banks?

Certainly, there is a cohort out there who require assistance with food in the current environment.

There are people in emergency accommodation, transient accommodation, renting, in social housing, but now we are being told that homeowners, and by implication not just the odd exceptions, are also among those living on the edge of want?

The image purveyed by Mr Brabazon and quite obviously endorsed by those who voted with him on the council is that this is a country in a state of collapse where everybody, bar some cossetted elite, is scrambling to survive.

The reality is that with an upsurge in the kind of populism which deigns there is no division in society other than that which separates the virtuous masses from the elite there is simply no room for sensible or fair taxation.

In such an environment, the plight of those who are really struggling  and they are a considerable cohort  is smothered in the rush by politicians to assure every voter that they feel everybodys pain, real or imagined.

All of that would be bad enough in normal circumstances, but it particularly bodes ill with crises looming in demographics and the climate.

Just this week, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council calculated that there will be a shortfall in tax revenue of around 2.5bn per annum in the near future due to climate change measures. Where is that going to come from?

In grown-up countries politicians explain the sums and societal obligations and why certain sections will be expected to carry a greater burden.

This weeks circus in Dublin City Council shows how we do things differently here.
If you ever have the good fortune to find yourself in the San Domenico Palace in Sicily, you might be surprised to find that the five-star hotel has a fresco of Sr Honoria Magaen, an Irish nun who was hunted down by Cromwellian forces in the west of Ireland.

The luxury hotel in Taormina was once a Dominican monastery, which explains why it has a collection of religious-themed art. What is less clear, however, is how an Irish woman made her way into the pantheon of notable Dominican martyrs.

She is commemorated in this far-flung place, yet there is no marker at Burrishoole in Co. Mayo, where she and a fellow lay Dominican sister, also called Sr Honoria (Burke), fled for their lives when parliamentarian soldiers plundered the priory in the 17th century.

Historian and author Dr Bronagh McShane takes up the story: Sr Honoria Burke was the daughter of Sir Richard the Iron Burke, the second husband of the legendary pirate queen of Connacht, Grace OMalley. She [Honoria] would have been over 100 years old by the time of the Cromwellian campaigns. At some point, she was joined by Honoria Magaen, a woman of local origins, and the pair lived together.

In February 1653, parliamentarian soldiers attacked the priory in Burrishoole. Both Honorias escaped, along with a young servant, and found refuge on Saints Island (Oilean na Naomh) on Lough Furnace. The soldiers followed them, however, and discovered their hiding place.

The Irish nun and martyr Sr Honoria Magaen froze to death in the bitter cold of midwinter while hiding in the hollow of a tree trunk from Cromwellian troops. Picture courtesy of the San Domenico Palace Hotel, Taormina, Italy

Dr McShane recounts the horror of what followed in Irish Women in Religious Orders, 1530-1700: Suppression, Migration and Reintegration, her fascinating book on religious women in early modern Ireland: Brutally beaten and thrown naked into a boat, the elderly Burke survived for only a few hours. Magaen made her escape into nearby woods, with the young servant, where she found a hiding place in the hollow of a tree trunk.

There she froze to death in the bitter cold of midwinter. Her body was found and returned to the priory, where the two Honorias were buried. Burkes extreme old age makes her treatment at the hands of the soldiers even more shocking.

Two Dominican friars witnessed the atrocities and sent a report to Rome. It is easy to see how news of the brutality made its way to Sicily, although its strange that only one sister was honoured.

Closer to home, the lives of these two women  among the very few names of Irish female Catholic martyrs to survive  are remembered locally, but fall very far below the radar nationally. Then again, there is an understandable reluctance to talk about religious women given the lasting damage inflicted by the casual cruelty meted out at Magdalene laundries, industrial schools and mother and baby homes in the recent past.

It might not seem like the time to talk about Irish nuns, but it has never been more important to tell the whole story of the women religious in Ireland  the good, the bad and the banal, as Dr McShane puts it.

She is the first to acknowledge that the scandals related to the Catholic Church must be laid out, examined and those responsible held to account. Its a very, very difficult history and its one that needs to be opened up and investigated. I admire those who work tirelessly to expose those scandals.

On the flip side of that, its important that we tell all of the stories. We need to give a space to those who were not part of that story. These women also deserve a voice.

The women in question are those in medieval monastic orders: the Poor Clares, the Dominicans, the Augustinians and others. They faced ongoing persecution, from the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 1530s and 40s, to the Protestant reformation in Ireland and the onset of the Cromwellian campaign in the 1650s. Yet they not only survived, but thrived.

We have St Brigid in the fifth century who is very well known and has her own holiday and then you have someone like Nano Nagle in the 18th century who is associated with the provision of education for girls, but in the in-between period, we dont have many figures and they are not instantly recognisable, Dr McShane says.

It is eye-opening, then, to meet some of these powerful women brought to light by her singular research. The early female superiors of our religious orders emerge from this long-overdue study as assertive, ambitious and incredibly tenacious. They surmounted extraordinary obstacles and made dangerous, sometimes fatal, journeys over land and sea to pursue their vocations.

We also have their names. Cecily Dillon, abbess of the first Poor Clare convent in Ireland since the Reformation, was an astute and dedicated leader of her community for more than two decades, writes Dr McShane.

Bronagh McShane, whose book "Irish Women in Religious Orders, 1530-1700: Suppression, Migration and Reintegration", recounts the lives of religious women in early modern Ireland.

Under her guidance, by the 1640s, the Poor Clare order had become the most popular religious order for women in Ireland, a remarkable feat considering that the order had no pre-Reformation precedent.

She died on board a ship held in quarantine off the coast of Spain in 1653. She and hundreds more fled after all religious were expelled under the banishment act of that year. Two other sisters died on that journey too, Sister Cecily Joseph Burke and Sister Margaret Evangelist Moore.

It feels important to name them as so many of their stories are untold. Like Sr Honoria, remembered in Italy, many Irish women went on to make an impression in their adopted countries. Agnes Shanley in Lisbon was commended by the Papal Nuncio to Portugal.

At Ypres in the Spanish Netherlands, Abbess Mary Butler of the Irish Benedictine convent overcame insurmountable financial challenges to ensure the long-term success of the order, known as the Irish Dames of Ypres.

Galway Poor Clare abbess Mary Bonaventure Browne never returned from Madrid, but she made it her mission to write the history of her order.

She wrote a particularly moving account of the seizure of the Poor Clare convent in Dublin in 1630, describing how the nuns were paraded through the streets, barefoot, which gave rise to a public outcry.

As he [the mayor] passed the streets with these mild lambes there assembled [a] great concourse of people, who tooke compassion to see them goeing abroad barefoot, and feared much they should suffer greater harme, they [the crowd] raised such tumult as ye mayor feared to be stoned.

There was support for these holy women whose prayers in enclosed convents were seen as some sort of spiritual protection in a world where divine anger brought forth famine, plague and wars. They were a salve, and one that endures to this day.

Dr Bronagh McShane says one of the sisters of the Poor Clares in Galway told her that she received a call for special prayers when a new bridge was being lowered over the River Corrib in Galway city. That call was made in December 2022, five centuries after Cecily Dillon established the first Poor Clare convent in Ireland.

That, in itself, is a legacy worth marking.
From the boardroom to the kitchen, the table is the one non-negotiable piece of furniture for Ruth Kennelly.

TV and movie sets inspire this interior designer so its no surprise the Succession series is at the heart of the living space she has created for the upcoming Ideal Home Show.

Ruth herself, after graduating with a degree in English and Sociology from UCD, took her seat at British Steels boardrooms, in Cardiff as well as London.

She started her working life in logistics and it proved to be a good foundation for interior design.

The Dublin woman made her career move over two decades ago. I was always just so interested in design and buildings. And at British Steel I also learned so much about project management, she says.

Dulux Heritage Oxford Blue Ultramarine.

Step into Ruths rooms at the Ideal Home Show and you can expect the royal treatment  but without the attitude demonstrated by Successions king of the castle Logan Roy.

Because the TV character is famous for his notion that we civilians are NRP  not real people.

A living room painted in Dulux Heritage Pebble Grey and Indigo.

Not so Ruth. Interiors can have such a positive effect on peoples happiness, she says. I am interested in design when used to the benefit of the way people live.

This is where our conversation leads to tables. I want to know if, in 20-plus years of styling spaces with her clients, any magic wand moment has stood out for Ruth. I love to see how a persons day-to-day life can be altered by their living space and the one thing that Ive noticed above all is that a kitchen table that functions well can change how a person lives their life completely, she says.

Without a kitchen table, people may feel they cant have friends over for a meal, cant have people for Christmas dinner. People might have a table covered with books and magazines so they might have their dinner at a bench. Then, when they clear the table, people start coming over.

Ruth Kennelly.

As soon as the kitchen table goes in, or is cleared, theres a candle lit, they start having dinner together, or having others over for Christmas dinner, start baking. Ive always been amazed at what a difference it makes.

Was this a one-off? Ive seen it happen many times over the years, she says.

Ruth hangs her hat in a busy spot, she says. She shares her Dublin home with her three children, her husband and her golden retriever Lola.

ANTIQUES

An antique enthusiast, Ruths design studio, RK Designs, is aptly based in the 18th-century courtyard of Marley Park House, along with other workspaces of artists and creatives.

Ruths passion for fine art and antiques is reflected in her work with clients who are looking to create uniquely bespoke homes.

Her art collection features uplifting pieces by Irish botanical artist Yanny Petters, as well as Mike Fitzharris and Brian Ballard, showcased in her kitchen gallery wall in her own home.

Ruths client portfolio is diverse from small to large residential projects, as well as commercial work all over Ireland. Her work extends to the homes of many international and Irish celebrities She and fellow interior designer Ciara Drennan, Drennan Interiors, have created hipstoric living rooms for the Dulux Heritage Interior Design Hub at the autumn permanent tsb Ideal Home Show.

The Ideal Home Show takes place from October 20-22.

An overriding trend celebrated at Maison et Object 2023 in Paris, this blends the historical and the contemporary.

Ruths showroom zone also has nods to F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby but it is the TV series Succession that absolutely nailed the revivalist art deco look, adds the Dublin designer.

The bold geometric shapes, luxurious materials and intricate details together create an opulent interior with a classic yet austere edge  no lazing around on these sofas!

In the space she has dreamed up for Dulux at the Ideal Home Show, Ruth works the trend of the moment hipstoric  which, she says, goes beyond simply adding an antique or vintage piece to a room.

A living room in Dulux Heritage Romney Wool and China White.

Hipstoric is an accessible version of this style that can be worked into any interior, says Ruth. Antique writing desks have become practical again and ideal for smaller laptops. Auction rooms in Ireland contain some of the most beautifully made furniture that can add glamour and elegance to the corner of any room.

The reason I picked Succession as a theme is to give the idea that you can reference your favourite show or movie to get inspiration for interior design. Its a very accessible starting point for anyone embarking on a new interior scheme for their living room or bedroom, says Ruth.

Ruth has also just returned from Maison et Objet in Paris where hipstoric was a key look. Hipstoric is an interior aesthetic described as a blend of old and new styles, the clash of the contemporary with antique or vintage pieces that always tell a story. Its personal, individual and well-considered. Crucially, the look is sustainable, she adds.

Ciara Drennan.

Interior designer Ciara Drennan rocks this look in her own home in Dunboyne, Co Meath. She says: I love this look because its all about being experimental and breaking the rules, there is no right and wrong. Hipstoric exudes its own personal style. Think art deco dining table with modern chairs or a Louis XVI console table with an industrial floor lamp.

A hallway painted in Dulux Heritage Waxed Khaki and Midnight Teal.

The contrast between styles can add depth and interest to a space, adds the mum-of-two, originally from Dublin. A hipstoric home should tell a story, so try to include family objects or mementoes that have special meaning for you. These could be photographs, paintings, art objects or heirlooms that reflect your personal and family history. Its a way to honour your old furniture within a modern home, she says.

Ciara bought her first home when she was just 21. I developed a huge interest in everything to do with design and renovation when I had to renovate my first place myself, she says.

I lived with my best friend; she was studying interior design and I was studying business. I started helping her with her projects. I started knocking down walls, and building kitchens in my own place.

Ciaras passion for colour, interior architecture and fabric led her to switch from a business to a creative career in interior design 20 years ago. Ciara also works with clients who are building new houses or renovating existing homes.
Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have carried out an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel, sending fighters across the border and firing thousands of rockets into the country as the ruling Hamas militant group announced the beginning of a new operation.

The Israeli military put the country on war alert and began striking targets in Gaza in response, setting the stage for what was likely to be a new heavy round of fighting between the bitter enemies.

In a serious escalation, salvos of rockets fired from Gaza set off constant air raid sirens as far north as Jerusalem.

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday (Picture: AP /Tsafrir Abayov)

Videos posted on social media showed what appeared to be uniformed Palestinian gunmen inside the Israeli border town of Sderot.

Another video from Gaza showed a crowd of Palestinian men dancing around and on top of an Israeli tank that was on fire. The authenticity of the videos could not immediately be verified.

The elusive leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the beginning of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Today the people are regaining their revolution, he said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight and expel the occupiers and demolish the walls.

We must set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers, he said, claiming that Hamas had fired more than 5,000 rockets into Israel.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since told Israel we are at war, in his first remarks since Hamas launched the unprecedented attack on the country.

Mr Netanyahus office said he had convened his security cabinet for urgent discussions.

Following the meeting, Israels defence minister announced that Hamas had started a war against the country and pledged that Israel will win.

Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas made a grave mistake in launching barrages of rockets into southern and central Israel.

The state of Israel will win this war, Mr Gallant said.

The escalation comes at a delicate time for his far-right government, as protests against the governments deeply divisive plan to overhaul the judiciary have spread even within the ranks of the military.

Hundreds of soldiers in the military reserves have either pulled out of training sessions or said they will not report for duty over the judicial changes, threatening to undermine Mr Netanyahus reputation as a security expert and raising fears about the effects on the operational readiness of Israels armed forces.

Salah Arouri, an exiled Hamas leader, said the operation was a response to the crimes of the occupation.

He said fighters were defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The operation, coming on the major Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, caught Israel off-guard, raising memories of the 1973 war in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

Israeli firefighters extinguish fire after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a parking lot in Ashkelon, southern Israel (Picture: AP /Tsafrir Abayov)

The Israeli military confirmed an infiltration had occurred in several locations near the Gaza border in southern Israel. It ordered residents to remain indoors.

The military declares a state of war alert, it said in a statement. In the last hour, the Hamas terrorist organisation had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, and terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations. Cities and towns in southern Israel emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza and millions of Israelis scrambled to bomb shelters while air raid sirens wailed overhead.

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just two miles from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings.

The army said residents next to Gaza should stay in their homes due to the infiltration.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The infiltration marked a major accomplishment  and escalation  by Hamas.

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem during an early morning barrage that lasted for over two hours.

Israels Magen David Adom rescue agency said a 70-year-old woman was critically injured when a rocket hit a building in southern Israel. Elsewhere, a 20-year-old man was moderately injured by rocket shrapnel, it said.

As the rocket attacks continued throughout southern and central Israel, millions of Israelis were instructed to stay near bomb shelters in their homes and apartment buildings. The army said residents next to Gaza should stay in their homes due to the security incident.

The launches came after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Picture: AP

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas, an Islamic militant group that opposes Israel, seized control of the territory in 2007.

The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy.

Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people not involved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed more than 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.
Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Israel that it is at war with Hamas militants that rule the Gaza Strip after they launched a major, multi-front attack on the country.

Mr Netanyahus comments in a televised address were his first since the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers launched the attack at daybreak on Saturday.

He ordered a call-up of reservists and promised that Hamas would pay an unprecedented price, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

We are at war, Mr Netanyahu said. Not an operation, not a round, but at war. The prime minister also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel on Saturday and sent dozens of fighters across the countrys heavily fortified border, a massive show of force that caught Israel off-guard on a major holiday.

Israels national rescue service said at least 100 people have been killed and hundreds wounded during the military incursion.

The numbers make the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have entered into an agreement to form a war Cabinet (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP)

At least 561 wounded people were being treated in Israeli hospitals, including at least 77 who were in a critical condition, according to an Associated Press count based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

Meanwhile, at least 200 people have been killed and 1,610 wounded in Gaza in the Israeli retaliation to the Hamas attack, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The toll came as Israel carried out a number of air strikes in Gaza and clashed with gunmen at the border fence around the coastal territory.

At a meeting of top security officials later on Saturday, Mr Netanyahu said the first priority was to cleanse the area of enemy infiltrators, then to exact a huge price from the enemy, and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah revived memories of the 1973 war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Mr Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza.

Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and co-ordination.

The Israeli rescue service said that its medics were tending to 16 casualties in southern Israel, including a woman in her 60s who was killed when a rocket fired from Gaza made a direct hit, and two people in a serious condition.

There were reports of many more casualties on both sides, but authorities did not immediately release details.

Israeli media reported that dozens of people were taken to hospital in southern Israel. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported injuries among many citizens without giving numbers and loudspeakers on mosques broadcast prayers of mourning for killed militants.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response to more than 2,000 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The Israeli military confirmed an infiltration had occurred in several locations near the Gaza border (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)

It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations.

The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Hamas to launch its attack, which came after weeks of simmering tensions along the Gaza frontier. The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Enough is enough, he said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

In a televised address, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

Israeli firefighters extinguish a blaze after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a car park in Ashkelon, southern Israel (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Mr Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary.

Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds of thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness.

We are in a state of war, said Kobi Shabtai, the Israeli police chief. There is no other explanation.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major accomplishment  and escalation  by Hamas.

Millions of people were hunkering down in safe rooms, sheltering from rocket explosions and ongoing gun-battles with Hamas fighters.

Smoke rises after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house in Ashkelon, southern Israel (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza.

The army ordered residents near the Palestinian enclave to stay inside while Israels rescue service appealed to the public to donate blood.

We understand that this is something big, said Lt Col Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesperson. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.

He declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. Thats a good question, he said.

Salah Arouri, an exiled Hamas leader, said the operation was a response to the crimes of the occupation.

He said fighters were defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Israeli soldiers head south near Ashkelon (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just two miles from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defence system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

It also comes at a delicate time for Mr Netanyahus far-right government.

The divisions within army ranks have threatened to undermine Mr Netanyahus reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel and the cohesion of an institution crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanons Hezbollah militant group.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then.

There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy.

Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year.

Thousands of rockets were fired (Fatima Shbair/AP)

In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people not involved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed more than 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks.

Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.
Myanmars junta has raided Indaw in Sagaing Region after its forces suffered casualties in the clashes with the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF).

Clashes broke out near Thaung Kyi village on October 4 and at least five junta troops, including two officers, were killed and 10 injured, according to the anti-regime Indaw Revolution news service.

Around 100 Light Infantry Division 77 troops from Myathida village were ambushed on Wednesday. Four ABSDF fighters were injured, said a group representative.

Junta troops raided Man Htone, Thaung Gyi and Min Kone villages on Thursday and displaced hundreds of residents.

Indaw Township has over 7,000 displaced people with Nant Thar and Maw Tate villages used as junta bases since March.

An Indaw resident, who volunteers with displaced civilians, said people need food, medicine and shelter.

Indaw on the Kachin State border is under martial law while the ABSDF and other resistance groups are active in the township.

Troops raided a house, firing off rounds and detaining three family members in Indaw town on Wednesday, according to residents.

We heard they were looking for resistance supporters but they arrested an innocent family without any evidence instead, said a resident.

An Indaw Peoples Defense Force member said: Since February, troops have arrested residents continuously but most have no links to resistance groups. Some have been given death sentences.

On October 1, Daw May Thu, 30, a teacher who joined the civil disobedience movement, was seized by troops on the Indaw-Banmauk road while she was with her family. Her whereabouts are still unknown, said residents.
NCA event shooting blanks

Last year, the regime vowed to provide free air transport for ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) joining peace talks in Naypyitaw regardless of their location in the country. But it seems the multi-front war with the resistance has cleaned it out over the past year, as the regime has signaled budget constraints for the upcoming anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

The junta is planning to celebrate the 8th anniversary of the NCAs signing next week. Regime boss Min Aung Hlaing recently boasted of inviting heads of state to the ceremony, writing to some and phoning others depending on his personal ties with them. He gushed that some had promised to attend while others would send high-level representatives.

But on Sept 2. the chairman of the committee tasked with organizing the event, Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae, warned committee members to be frugal with the budget.

It is common knowledge that EAOs attending the anniversary event are not involved in active fighting with the regime. Also well known is that the event is being held just for show and the regime is chronically short of cash.

However, Yar Pyaes order to tighten the purse strings was a humiliating and very public admission of the truth.

The NCA was signed by 10 EAOs under Thein Seins quasi-civilian government and the now ousted National League for Democracy government. Seven of the groups continued to hold talks with the regime after the putsch. The three others have launched armed resistance against the junta, saying the pact had been rendered void by the military takeover.

Pawns in their game

Myanmars top brass have a long history of ruthlessly pursuing their own interests while simultaneously treating rank-and-file troops as cannon fodder.

While generals are busy amassing wealth for their families, ordinary soldiers receive little in the way of support or welfare benefits from the upper echelon. Instead, they have been subject to widespread violations of their basic rights.

This has resulted in a high desertion rate in the Myanmar military since the 2021 coup  but also for decades before that.

On Oct. 3, deputy junta chief Soe Win told cadets at the Defense Services Academy in Pyin Oo Lwin that they were now owned by the military, not their parents. He called on them to strictly obey all duties assigned to them  in other words, follow any and all orders to protect the military dictatorship.

His call comes at a time when the military is heavily depleted by desertion, casualties and a recruitment crisis, and with resistance forces threatening Nay Pyi Taw. The regime has used rank-and-file troops as expendable pawns over the past two years in its desperate battle to hold on to power.

Tax news is bad news

Pro-junta media outlets have become the latest prey for a cash-starved regime that is milking Myanmar citizens both at home and abroad.

On October 4, the regime announced a new tax on local news agencies. As the junta crackdown has forced all independent media to exit Myanmar, only the mostly pro-junta local outlets are affected by the new tax.

Over the past few months, the regime has been busy thinking up ways to bleed Myanmar citizens. So far, it has imposed income tax on those working abroad and also healthcare professionals, forced eateries to collect commercial tax from customers, raised business license and vehicle registration fees, and forced supermarkets to sell the widely boycotted Myanmar Beer produced by a military-owned conglomerate.

Revenue from all these taxes will boost the military budget that funds the juntas terror campaign against its own civilians. Some will also go into the pockets of junta generals.

Two regime generals were recently purged and are being interrogated for corruption.

Junta taps allies for energy amid blackouts

The energy minister joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization energy forum in Kazakhstan this week, touting for foreign investment from the Russia, China and India-led trade bloc. Read more:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel has issued an appeal on its page on X, following major attack launched on Israel this morning and the state of alert in the country, Trend reports.

The appeal says that the Israel Defense Forces have declared a state of alert.

"In this regard, we strongly recommend that Azerbaijani citizens do not travel to Israel, observe security rules, be cautious, and act in accordance with the recommendations of local government agencies," the embassy said.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel's Defense Minister Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Uber already has a lot of services to offer beyond its ride-hailing business such as Uber Eats for food delivery. Now, the company aims to expand its Uber Connect service by letting couriers pick up packages at their locations and drop them off at local posts.

New Uber Connect Service

Technically, Uber Connect has been around for three years. Initially, it was a way to send items to friends, family, and colleagues across town. With the new addition, the company will now take care of the packages you've been dreading to return because of the hassle.

Uber states that 79% of shoppers under 30 think mail returns are "somewhat annoying," according to research from the National Retail Federation. This comes at the perfect time when people usually shop too much during the holidays.

To do so, users must go to the app and select the "package" section under suggestions. The option to return a package will then appear which will lead the user to a couple of options such as choosing a postal carrier, as well as confirming pickup and delivery.

There are a couple of rules for the package to be accepted. The parcel has to be sealed and prepaid to qualify for the service and the customer can only send up to five returns. The available carriers for the return are USPS, FedEx, and UPS.

As for the service fee, Uber Connect will charge a flat rate of $5, but for Uber One members, it goes as low as $3. Customers can even track the package in real-time through the Uber app and will get a visual confirmation that the package has been received by the carrier.

The feature is already available now in more than 4,950 cities in the US, including Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York City Suburbs, San Francisco, Seattle, upstate New York, and Washington DC.

Read Also: Uber Lets Users Track Their Rides From Their iPhone Lock Screen

Uber Connect

Uber Connect was initially a same-day delivery service that lets you send items for businesses such as food or groceries, send last-minute birthday gifts to friends and family, and transfer documents, supplies, and equipment across locations.

It has the same process as the "return package" feature, wherein the customer can arrange a pickup through the app, meet the driver, and hand over the package. It also comes with in-app tracking to make sure that things go swimmingly.

Uber boasts that users can book a delivery the same way they can hail a cab through the app. The ride-hailing app also says that it can offer "on-demand delivery, usually within the hour." If needed, customers can choose the delivery method and the kind of vehicle that would fit the parcel.

This service, along with the additional feature is a convenient offer especially to those who are enthusiastic about giving gifts for the holidays. With the same-day delivery, they can send gifts to their loved ones. If they happen to have bought too many presents, they can easily ask Uber again to return them.

Related: Uber Eats Might Be Launching Its Own AI Chatbot Soon
PayPal is sued by consumers represented by Hagen Berman firm after the company allegedly stifles competition from low-cost payment platforms like Stripe and Shopify.

Read Also: PayPal, Venmo Cards Now Allowed on Apple Wallet

Attorneys Find PayPal Merchant Agreement Unfair

Based on the firm's initial investigation, PayPal requires consumers to pay excess charges upon purchasing from online merchants that accept either PayPal or Venmo. Moreover, the firm pointed out that under PayPal's merchant agreement, merchants are required to sign an acceptance of payment via its platform.

Once a retailer accepts PayPal or Venmo payments, it means that they also agree not to offer any discounts. The discounts are considered as a "surcharge" on PayPal transactions and are prohibited under the company's anti-steering regulation.

"If PayPal's agreements were transparent, consumers would quickly see a price difference between PayPal and Venmo and its competitors," the attorneys argued.

PayPal's Anti-Steering Rules Bear Similarity With Visa, Mastercard Rules

In 2010, Visa and Mastercard were sued by the Department of Justice due to its rules that were considered "illegally anti-competitive." The attorneys that sued PayPal argued that the current anti-steering rules of the company are just the same.

"If consumers were allowed to see behind PayPal's pricing veil, they would see a clear and distinct difference between using PayPal and Venmo to complete their transactions and using its competitors," Steve Berman, managing partner and co-founder of Hagens Berman countered.

Meanwhile, PayPal released a statement stating the company continues to put customers first and that the company is already reviewing the filing and has no further information to share at the time.

Related Article: PayPal Pauses Its Stablecoin Development Amidst Issues with Regulators
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney announced that the company will be implementing changes to the pricing of Unreal Engine non-gaming developers such as film, TV, and automotive.

Read Also: Fortnite Announces Changes to User-Created Content Policy

Unreal Engine Price Changes

During a presentation at Unreal Fest 2023, Sweeney explained that other industries outside gaming should prepare to start paying a per-seat licensing fee to use Unreal Engine. Moreover, while new changes will be implemented the CEO clarified that it will not be "unusually expensive or unusually inexpensive." He also compared the upcoming pricing structure would be similar to the subscription fees on Maya or Photoshop.

Aside from that, Sweeney is also distinguished that Epic's price hike different from other engine's royalties, probably referring to Unity. Previously, Unity implemented a revenue-sharing fee that received massive backlash from the development community.

It would be genius for Epic to adopt a per-set licensing plan as it would not cause that many changes to the developers who rely solely on the services of Unreal Engine. Most importantly, it will not disrupt the company's entire business model.

Epic CEO Addressed Recent Layoffs

Just a week prior to the recent layoff, Sweeney explained that Epic had been under financial problems which led to the withdrawal of employees. The company let go 16 percent of its workforce or around 870 employees in total. The company attributed the changes as a cost-cutting solution to prevent further financial damage.

On the other hand, Sweeney teased the upcoming development on the metaverse. He also assured that the company is stable enough to fund its work on the metaverse. Epic has been hoping to tap into the virtual opportunity with Meta, Microsoft, and other companies.

Related Article: Epic Games is Laying Off 870 Employees to Cut Costs
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A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
A federal judge has denied a request to stop the execution of a Texas inmate who had alleged in a lawsuit the drugs he's to be injected with next week were exposed to extreme heat and smoke during a recent fire, making them unsafe
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has made a phone call to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on October 7, Trend reports.

The head of state congratulated Vladimir Putin on his birthday and wished him new successes in his statehood activities and robust health.

Vladimir Putin thanked the President of Azerbaijan for his attention and congratulation.

The heads of state underlined successful development of friendly relations between the countries in various fields, and discussed the issues related to the prospects for cooperation and new contacts.
Prominent Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi is seen in a meeting on women's rights in Tehran, Iran, on July 3, 2008. The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Narges Mohammadi for fighting oppression of women in Iran. The chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the prize Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 in Oslo.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Another round of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Azerbaijan and the State of Qatar has taken place in Baku, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend.

The Azerbaijani delegation at the political consultations was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev, while the State of Qatar was represented by Foreign Minister Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi.

During the consultations, discussions covered the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in political, economic, energy, and humanitarian spheres, as well as inter-parliamentary relations and cooperation within international organizations, including the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement.

The parties also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The Qatari side was briefed on the situation in the region following the conflict, including the restoration, construction, and reintegration efforts in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.

Previously, a meeting between Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister and Al-Muraikhi was held.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Eternity-2023 computer-assisted Command and Staff Exercises held in Baku with the participation of Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian servicemen ended, Trend reports.

During the exercises conducted with the involvement of the three countries servicemen and representatives of relevant government agencies, tasks on organizing the protection of strategically important and regional economic projects were fulfilled.Center for War Games of the Military Administration Institute of the National

Defense University hosted an event on the occasion of the completion of the exercises.

At the event, it was noted that the main objective of the exercise was to strengthen mutual cooperation and ensure interoperability between the armed forces of Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Georgia. It was also emphasized that all tasks assigned during the Eternity-2023 computer-assisted Command and Staff Exercises were successfully accomplished.

In the end, the sides exchanged gifts and a photo was taken.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Working Group for Azerbaijan-Israel Interparliamentary Relations has issued a statement on wide-scale attacks against Israel, Trend reports.

The statement says: We condemn unequivocally and in the strongest of terms todays wide-scale attacks against Israel from Gaza Strip, accompanied by indiscriminate rocket strikes targeting civilian infrastructure objects, population centers and civilians.

The Working Group expresses its sincere condolences to friends and families of those who tragically lost their lives during these attacks, and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.

We stand firmly with Israel in these hard times.
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Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize this year to Iranian feminist and human rights worker Narges Mohammadi, 51. It was the second time that an Iranian woman had won, the first having been attorney Shirin Ebadi in 2003. Mohammadi, although trained as a physicist, worked as a journalist and activist in Ebadis center in the early zeroes of this century. She was first arrested in 1998 and spent a year in jail at that time, but subsequently has been in and out of prison.

She is currently in Evin Prison on multiple charges, including spreading propaganda against the government, with 10 years, nine months left on her sentence. She issued a statement on hearing the news: I will continue to fight against the relentless discrimination, tyranny and gender-based oppression by the oppressive religious government until the liberation of all women.

She supported last years movement for Woman, Life, Liberty from behind bars, have long criticized compulsory veiling.

Mohammadis causes included womens rights, of course. But she has also campaigned for human rights more generally, including the right of women to be safe from sexual harassment even in prison and of prisoners to be safe from torture and from the death penalty.

Although many observers in the United States will applaud this award as a black eye for the self-styled Islamic Republic of Iran, the fact is that Mohammadi would be critical of American policies as well. That is, if we are to listen to her prophetic voice with approval, we must do more than use her politically to denigrate our enemies; we must take to heart the implications of her ethical witness for our own society, too.

For instance, there were 18 executions of prisoners in the United States in 2022, up 64% from the total of 11 killed by the state in 2021. Although the US executes many fewer prisoners each year than Iran or Saudi Arabia, and although the number in the US has fallen significantly since the 1990s, it still does execute prisoners, and Ms. Mohammadi deeply believes that is wrong. She might well be in jail here if she lived in the United States, from protesting in front of city halls and jails. Only 13 states still permit executions in the US, and half of those killed in 2022 were executed in Texas and Oklahoma.

Moreover, 7 of these executions were seriously botched. In one instance, it took 3 hours of trying to get a fatal intravenous line into the arm of an Alabama convict. Some initial attempts to kill the convict were called off because of difficulties with the intravenous injection or because proper protocols has not been followed.

Between 46% and 54% of Americans believe in capital punishment, depending on which poll you believe. So Mohammadi might well be in a minority on this issue in the US, as well.

As for torture, Karen J. Greenburg wrote this week about the scandal that the Guantanamo Prison Camp still has not been closed. One of the difficulties has been that some prisoners were so badly tortured that no court, including a military tribunal, can now conduct a legitimate trial.

There has never been a reckoning by the US establishment with the Bush administrations extensive use of torture.

If Mohammadi had been an American she might have been put on trial, as Josie Setzler was, for protesting torture at Guantanamo.

As for sexual abuse of female prisoners by male guards in federal prisons, a Senate report from last year makes it clear that this is a real issue and that it hasnt been adequately addressed by the Bureau of Prisons.

Regarding womens rights, I doubt Ms. Mohammadi would approve of Nebraska jailing a woman for two years for giving abortion pills to her daughter. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that she would not like our current Supreme Court much at all. She rails against religious theocrats repression of women.

So a warm congratulations to her, and to her cause, of womens rights and human rights in Iran. But we owe it to ourselves also actually to listen to what she is saying and to take to heart the principles for which she has spent so much of her life in jail, torn from her husband and children.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 6, 2023 / Blackwolf Copper and Gold Ltd. ("Blackwolf", or the "Company") (TSXV:BWCG),(OTC PINK:BWCGF) is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 10,420,000 units of the Company at a price of $0.24 per Unit for up to total gross proceeds of up to $2,500,800 (the "Offering") (all figures in the current release are in Canadian dollars).

Each unit will be comprised of one common share and one share purchase warrant (the "Units"). Each share purchase warrant shall be exercisable to acquire one common share at a price of $0.35 per common share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance (the "Warrants")

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund exploration activities at the Company's three projects including Niblack, Cantoo and the Harry Project as well general working capital purposes.

The Company will pay to certain finders a cash fee equal to 6% of the gross proceeds from the sale of Units to subscribers introduced by a particular finder (the "Found Units") and will issue finder warrants equal to 6% of the Found Units sold pursuant to the Offering (the "Finder Warrants"). Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company (a "Finder's Warrant Share") at a price of $0.35 per Finder's Warrant Share for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance.

The closing of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities issued under the Offering will be subject to the standard four-month hold.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and accordingly may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About Blackwolf Copper & Gold Ltd.

Blackwolf's founding vision is to be an industry leader in transparency, inclusion and innovation. Guided by our Vision and through collaboration with local and Indigenous communities and stakeholders, Blackwolf builds shareholder value through our technical expertise in mineral exploration, engineering and permitting. The Company holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver VMS project, located adjacent to tidewater in southeast Alaska as well as six Hyder Area gold-silver and base metal properties in southeast Alaska and northwest British Columbia in the Golden Triangle, including the Cantoo and Harry properties. For more information on Blackwolf, please visit the Company's website at www.blackwolfcopperandgold.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Blackwolf Copper & Gold Ltd.

"Morgan Lekstrom"

CEO and Director

For more information, contact:

Morgan Lekstrom

250-574-7350 (Mobile)

604-343-2997 (Office)

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Liam Morrison

604-897-9952 (Mobile)

604-343-2997 (Office

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include statements relating to the receipt of regulatory approvals and the Company's future objectives and plans. Forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; fluctuations in commodity prices and changes in the Company's business plans. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to proceed. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company seeks safe harbor.

For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Armenian illegal armed groups in Azerbaijan's Karabakh handed over more than 66 million ammunition,the Russian Defense Ministry said, Trend reports.

"92 units of armored vehicles, 142 units of automotive vehicles, 124 units of air defense equipment, 112 units of field artillery guns, MLRS and mortars, 1 unit of UAV, more than 7 thousand units of small arms and anti-tank weapons, about 66.1 million ammunition were handed over," the reports says.

In order to ensure the provisions of the Trilateral Statement [signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war], suppression of large-scale provocations in Azerbaijan's Karabakh economic region, disarmament, and withdrawal of Armenian armed forces formations from the territories of Azerbaijan, localized anti-terrorist activities were carried out in the region.

Taking into account the appeal of the representatives of the Armenian population of Karabakh through the Russian peacekeeping contingent [temporarily stationed in Azerbaijan under the trilateral statement], an agreement was reached on September 20, 2023, at 13:00 (GMT+4) to cease anti-terrorist activities of a local nature under the following conditions: the formations of the armed forces of Armenia, Armenian illegal armed formations located in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region, lay down their weapons, leave their combat positions and military posts, and completely disarm; the formations of the armed forces of Armenia leave the territory of Azerbaijan; Armenian illegal armed groups are dissolved.

At the invitation of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ramin Mammadov, responsible for contacts with the Armenian residents of Karabakh, met with Sergey Martirosyan and David Melkumyan as representatives of the Armenian residents of Karabakh on September 21, 2023, in Yevlakh.
"The Escape of the Seven" episode 6 depicts the start of revenge following Bang Da Mi's disappearance.

From the creators of the hit K-dramas "The Penthouse: War in Life," director Joo Dong Min and writer Kim Soon Ok, the 17-episode thriller mystery K-drama focuses on seven people who are behind the suffering of a high school student named Bang Da Mi.

'The Escape of the Seven' Episode 6 Viewership

After a slight dip in viewership, "The Escape of the Seven" episode 6 bounces back with an all-time high.

According to a report, Nielsen Korea garnered an average nationwide rating of 7.3 percent for the episode, making it first in its time slot across all channels.

READ MORE: 'The Escape of the Seven' Faces 8 Formal Complaints For Depicting Overly Provocative Story

Meanwhile, "The Escape of the Seven" episode 7 is scheduled to air on October 6, giving viewers the story of how Matthew Lee will continue his revenge.

Viewers will get to see the upcoming episodes via SBS, while the global audience could watch them through Prime Video, Kocowa, Viki, and Wavve.

'The Escape of the Seven' Episode 6 Recap

After the background story of the new character Matthew Lee, the start of his revenge has unfolded.

He planned to get close to everyone related to Bang Da Mi, from her previous homeroon teacher, the popstar wannabe Han Mo Ne, her biological mother Geum Ra Hee, her grandfather's misstress Dr. Cha, and the people who wronged her father, Lee Hwi Soo. Little did they know that Matthew Lee is Lee Hwi Soo.

On the day of Bang Da Mi's death, the people were invited to a secluded island, where unexpected things happened. It turned into a survival island where the selected invited guests faced monsters, poisonous plants, and wild animals who were attacking them.

In the middle of their journey, they met a man who introduced himself as the rescuer, saying that there's a boat waiting for them, but they must traverse an unfamiliar trail in order to survive.

After facing struggles, they learned that they are only hallucinating and might be drugged by someone; that's why they are seeing things.

After managing to escape the island, leaving dead people behind, they planned to keep things a secret.

Geum Ra Hee said they must get their stories straight once the police notice that some of the guests are missing.

Lo and behold, police came in and were investigated regarding this. The police handling the case seemed to doubt everyone and think that they were hiding something. However, Michael Lee, who is the chairman of the biggest mobile platform in South Korea, vouched that the seven people were victims and not suspects.

This is only to gain the trust of the key people who are the subject of his revenge.

In the last scene, Han Mo Ne is being hunted by her past and has been seeing Bang Da Mi in her dreams.

This is where she revealed to Geum Ra He that it was her who killed Da Mi.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'The Escape of the Seven' Hit With Accusation Over 'Excessive Violence'

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Ahead of her television return, Hallyu superstar Park Gyu Young unlocked a new milestone in her career as she is named the newest Gucci global ambassador. Read on to know more.

Park Gyu Young Named As Newest Gucci Ambassador

Park Gyu Young was selected as a global ambassador for the Italian luxury brand Gucci.

In September, Park Gyu Young attended Gucci's Spring/Summer 2024 (Gucci Ancora Fashion) in Milan. She was also garbed with the collection in her Dazed magazine pictorial.

Not only did it receive traction but Park Gyu Young truly embodied Gucci's values as a brand, thanks to the actress' unrivaled beauty and sophistication.

READ MORE: Kim Yoo Jung Achieves New Career Milestone- Where To See More of Her This 2023?

On October 6, Gucci announced that Park Gyu Young is the brand's newest global ambassador, joining Shin Min Ah, Lee Jung Jae, IU, EXO Kai and NewJeans Hanni.

"I'm very honored to represent Gucci in the global scene," Park Gyu Young expressed her excitement. "I hope to showcase my unique color through my future collaborative activities with Gucci."

A representative from Gucci also expressed their delight, saying that they look forward to creating new aesthetics for the brand together with the Hallyu actress.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Park Gyu Young & Cha Eun Woo Boast Puppy-Like Visuals In New Drama 'A Good Day To Be A Dog'

Congratulations to Park Gyu Young on your new milestone!

Park Gyu Young To Make 'A Good Day To Be A Dog' Debut This Fall

Park Gyu Young is finally coming back to the small screen with the webtoon-based fantasy romance drama "A Good Day To Be A Dog."

Also starring Cha Eun Woo, the drama follows the life of a young woman who transforms into a dog when she kisses a man. To undo the curse, she must kiss a man who isn't afraid of dogs.

Park Gyu Young plays Han Hae Na, an intelligent teacher who is fond of fluffy dogs until she becomes one while Cha Eun Woo becomes her modern day hero who will break the hilariously painful curse.

YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS: Park Gyu Young Dishes Thoughts On 'Squid Game 2' - Here's Why She Joined the Cast

"A Good Day To Be A Dog" premieres on October 11 at 9:00 p.m. KST on MBC TV so don't miss it. In particular, Park Gyu Young is also working on the second season of "Squid Game" with Lee Jung Jae, Im Siwan, Kang Ha Neul and more.

ALSO READ: Doh Kyungsoo & Kim Seon Ho Steal Spotlight At 2023 Buil Film Awards- Here's What Happened

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. We condemn violence against civilians in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan wrote on its page on X, Trend reports.

"We condemn violence against civilians in the Israel-Palestine conflict zone. We express condolences for tragic loss of lives among many civilians both in Israel and Gaza Strip. We call for an urgent de-escalation of the situation", the ministry said.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that more than 20 civilians were killed and more than 540 wounded.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Ombudsperson) Sabina Aliyeva has made a statement in connection with the mine explosions that occurred yesterday in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

"Armenia's mine terror continues to endanger and take the lives of Azerbaijani civilians and military personnel.

As a result of three mine incidents that occurred on October 6, one civilian was killed, an officer of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and another civilian were wounded.

The mines laid by Armenia in Azerbaijani territories liberated from occupation create a serious obstacle to the safety of civilians and our military personnel, the peacebuilding process in the region, the implementation of infrastructure projects, as well as the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands.

Despite repeated appeals, the refusal of the Armenian side to hand over accurate mine maps to our country leads to the death of civilians and military personnel. This step by Armenia once again shows that they are not interested in restoring peace in the region.

As the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I strongly demand that Armenia provide Azerbaijan with accurate mine maps, demonstrate unity in establishing peace in the region and call on the international community to impose appropriate sanctions against Armenia's mine terror," she noted.
Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a large-scale surprise attack against Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets from Gaza and sending ground units to kill or abduct people as Israel retaliated with air strikes.

At least 70 people were reported killed in Israel, while Gaza authorities released a death toll of 198 in the bloodiest escalation in the wider conflict since May 2021, with hundreds more wounded on both sides.

We are at war, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the military launched a series of air strikes against targets of Iran-backed Hamas in the blockaded coastal enclave where black smoke billowed into the sky.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, the right-wing veteran Israeli premier vowed after Hamas launched its first such combined air, sea and ground offensive, half a century after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

The Islamist group started the surprise attack around 6:30 am (0330 GMT) with thousands of rockets aimed as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some bypassing the Iron Dome defence system and hitting buildings.

Hamas fighters  travelling in vehicles, boats and even using motorised paragliders  breached Gazas security barrier and attacked nearby Israeli towns and military posts, sparking gun battles as panicked residents hid out in bunkers.

Bodies were seen lying on the streets of the town of Sderot near Gaza.

Send help, please! one Israeli woman sheltering with her two-year-old child pleaded as militants outside opened fire at her house and tried to break into their safe room, Israeli media reported.

AFP journalists witnessed armed Palestinians gathered around an Israeli tank that was on fire, and others driving a seized Israeli Humvee into Gaza.

 Gates of hell 

Israeli army Major General Ghasan Alyan warned Hamas had opened the gates of hell and would pay for its deeds.

The army said its forces were battling Palestinian militants on the ground in several locations near the Gaza Strip, in an operation labelled Swords of Iron.

Hamas claimed to have captured several Israelis  raising the spectre of a far wider escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as international concern mounted.

The group released a video showing its fighters holding three men dressed in civilian clothes who were labelled enemy soldiers in the video caption.

The escalation follows months of rising bloodshed, mostly in the occupied West Bank, and tensions around Gazas border and at contested holy sites in Jerusalem.

Hamas labelled its attack Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and called on resistance fighters in the West Bank as well as in Arab and Islamic nations to join the battle.

We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel), said its armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, claiming to have fired more than 5,000 rockets.

Army spokesman Richard Hecht said Israel had counted at least 2,200 rockets aimed at its territory.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 6. On October 6, at about 17:00 (GMT+4), a resident of the Gasangaya village of the Terter district, Yaguar Khadiyev, died, following an explosion of an antipersonnel mine on the territory of the Chayli village of the same district.

A few days before, Khadiyev, who has already suffered from the Armenian mine terror, in an interview with Trend said that on March 9, 2023, he was injured up by an antipersonnel mine near the Chayli village of the Terter district, as a result of which his left leg was amputated.

"One of the facts demonstrating the true nature of the Armenians is that they continue to mine our territories. The mine terror is the main obstacle to the speedy return of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to their homes. In the period after the liberation of the lands, many mine incidents occurred," he said in an interview.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan's Terter district is investigating the death of Yaguar Khadiyev, born in 1989, who was collecting scrap metal as a result of a mine explosion on October 6 at about 17:00 (GMT+4) in the territory liberated from the Armenian occupation near the Chayli village in the Tartar district, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan told Trend.

Yaguar Khadiyev was wounded by an antipersonnel mine on March 9, 2023, in the territory not cleared of mines, near the village of Chayli village in the Terter district. Afterwards, he was hospitalized, and his left leg was amputated.
Netanyahu says Israel is at war after Hamas launches surprise air and ground attack from Gaza
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Due to recent events in Israel, Azerbaijan Airlines is canceling all flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv scheduled for Sunday, October 8, Trend reports.

Additional information regarding the operation of flights on the Baku-Tel Aviv-Baku route will be provided later.

Passengers with tickets to Tel Aviv are entitled to a full refund or free ticket replacement.

To obtain information about changes, passengers are advised to contact the airlines call center at [email protected].

The airline has currently suspended the sale of air tickets to Tel Aviv until further notice.

The airline's priority is the safety of flights and passengers.
Eads & Heald Wealth Management trimmed its position in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP  Free Report) by 5.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 14,873 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 795 shares during the period. American Express accounts for 1.3% of Eads & Heald Wealth Managements investment portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. Eads & Heald Wealth Managements holdings in American Express were worth $2,591,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Zullo Investment Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 2,589 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $451,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 5.4% during the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 1,220 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $180,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the period. Accurate Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Accurate Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,588 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $275,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the period. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,885 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $806,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the period. Finally, Magnus Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 1.9% during 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 during the period. 83.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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American Express Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AXP traded up $2.79 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $149.88. 1,993,704 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,168,376. The company has a market cap of $110.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.96, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.19. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $158.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $162.09. 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 twelve month low of $130.65 and a twelve month high of $182.15.

American Express Dividend Announcement

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The payment services company reported $2.89 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.81 by $0.08. American Express had a net margin of 12.99% and a return on equity of 29.26%. The business had revenue of $15.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.41 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. American Expresss revenue was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that American Express will post 11.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 5th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.60%. American Expresss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 24.42%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on AXP shares. Citigroup reduced their price objective on shares of American Express from $148.00 to $143.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a research note on Friday. StockNews.com raised shares of American Express from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of American Express from $149.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, September 29th. Stephens reaffirmed an underweight rating and issued a $146.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research note on Tuesday, July 18th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of American Express from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $197.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and seven 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 $173.44.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on AXP

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.

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High Note Wealth LLC lowered its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 7.2% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 3,840 shares of the companys stock after selling 297 shares during the period. High Note Wealth LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $1,801,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Silicon Valley Capital Partners bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Bogart Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 193.3% during the first quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 88 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. Laffer Tengler Investments bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 156.4% in the first quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 100 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Freedom Wealth Alliance LLC bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have commented on LLY shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $630.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday. Berenberg Bank lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $375.00 to $500.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 20th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $490.00 to $580.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, August 8th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $600.00 to $700.00 in a research note on Friday. Finally, Argus boosted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $470.00 to $620.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and twenty have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $537.13.

Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company

In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 591 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $466.62, for a total value of $275,772.42. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 101,028,219 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $47,141,787,549.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 591 shares of the 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 completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 101,028,219 shares in the company, valued at $47,141,787,549.78. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Alonzo Weems sold 1,148 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $590.98, for a total value of $678,445.04. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 7,760 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,586,004.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 693,246 shares of company stock valued at $20,948,820,977 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 3.1 %

Shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock traded up $16.93 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $558.41. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,877,721 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,994,014. The company has a market capitalization of $530.09 billion, a PE ratio of 75.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $539.86 and a 200 day moving average of $459.84. 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 posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The company reported $2.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.98 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $8.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.58 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 65.00% and a net margin of 22.01%. Eli Lilly and Companys revenue for the quarter was up 28.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.25 EPS. Analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 9.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company 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.

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Hutchinson Capital Management CA bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 573 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $269,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of LLY. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 533,336.4% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 19,059,681 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,938,609,000 after acquiring an additional 19,056,108 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter valued at $3,416,206,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 102,752.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,446,026 shares of the companys stock worth $1,992,374,000 after purchasing an additional 5,440,731 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 44.1% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,059,204 shares of the companys stock worth $4,411,740,000 after purchasing an additional 3,691,436 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 316.9% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,434,073 shares of the companys stock worth $217,569,000 after purchasing an additional 1,850,187 shares during the period. 81.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 2.9 %

Eli Lilly and Company stock traded up $15.44 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $556.92. The stock had a trading volume of 2,029,521 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,994,903. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $539.86 and its 200-day moving average price is $459.84. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $309.20 and a 12-month high of $601.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $528.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 75.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.33.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 8th. The company reported $2.11 earnings per share 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 analysts expectations of $7.58 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.25 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 9.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. HSBC assumed coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Friday, July 14th. They issued a buy rating and a $560.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $360.00 to $525.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. Credit Suisse Group lifted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $490.00 to $580.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $510.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $630.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Monday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $537.13.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company

Insider Activity

In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 204,409 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $523.74, for a total transaction of $107,057,169.66. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 100,823,810 shares in the company, valued at $52,805,462,249.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 204,409 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $523.74, for a total transaction of $107,057,169.66. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 100,823,810 shares in the company, valued at $52,805,462,249.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 600 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,378 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,939,130.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 693,246 shares of company stock valued at $20,948,820,977 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

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.

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Israel Discount Bank of New York lowered its holdings in shares of Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report) by 14.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,035 shares of the credit services providers stock after selling 522 shares during the quarter. Mastercard makes up approximately 1.0% of Israel Discount Bank of New Yorks holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Israel Discount Bank of New Yorks holdings in Mastercard were worth $1,194,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MA. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its position in shares of Mastercard by 98,203.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 825,436,694 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $324,644,252,000 after purchasing an additional 824,597,013 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Mastercard in the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,308,223,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Mastercard by 111,819.8% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,983,231 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $2,080,549,000 after acquiring an additional 5,977,885 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Mastercard by 241.1% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,791,626 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $507,830,000 after acquiring an additional 3,386,762 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in Mastercard by 17.7% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 15,843,692 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $5,509,328,000 after acquiring an additional 2,385,640 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.94% of the companys stock.

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Mastercard Trading Up 1.5 %

NYSE MA traded up $5.80 on Friday, hitting $400.00. 1,090,861 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,644,153. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.57, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.13. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $402.33 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $386.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $376.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 1.09. Mastercard Incorporated has a 52-week low of $276.87 and a 52-week high of $418.60.

Mastercard Announces Dividend

Mastercard ( NYSE:MA Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The credit services provider reported $2.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $6.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.18 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 43.37% and a return on equity of 178.10%. The businesss revenue was up 14.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.56 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 9th. Stockholders of record on Monday, October 9th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 5th. Mastercards dividend payout ratio is currently 21.37%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MA has been the subject of several analyst reports. 888 reissued a reiterates rating on shares of Mastercard in a report on Friday, June 30th. Susquehanna increased their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $433.00 to $486.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $437.00 to $470.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, July 24th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $425.00 to $440.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $442.00 to $452.00 in a report on Thursday, July 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Mastercard currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $443.88.

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Insider Activity

In other news, insider Craig Vosburg sold 6,333 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $400.00, for a total transaction of $2,533,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 46,491 shares of the companys stock, valued at $18,596,400. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, insider Timothy H. Murphy sold 7,419 shares of Mastercard stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $397.28, for a total value of $2,947,420.32. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 39,007 shares in the company, valued at $15,496,700.96. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Craig Vosburg sold 6,333 shares of Mastercard stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $400.00, for a total value of $2,533,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 46,491 shares of the companys stock, valued at $18,596,400. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 424,779 shares of company stock valued at $168,609,298. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Mastercard

(Free Report)

Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. It facilitates the processing of payment transactions, including authorization, clearing, and settlement, as well as delivers other payment-related products and services.

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Bank Hapoalim BM trimmed its position in Teradata Co. (NYSE:TDC  Free Report) by 0.8% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 31,771 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 250 shares during the quarter. Bank Hapoalim BMs holdings in Teradata were worth $1,697,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of TDC. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in Teradata by 214.9% during the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 551 shares of the technology companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC raised its stake in Teradata by 81.1% during the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 880 shares of the technology companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Teradata in the first quarter worth about $37,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Teradata by 40.5% during the first quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,031 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 297 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new stake in shares of Teradata during the 1st quarter worth approximately $44,000. Institutional investors own 91.02% of the companys stock.

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Teradata Price Performance

NYSE TDC traded up $1.11 on Friday, reaching $46.21. 764,145 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 857,011. Teradata Co. has a 12 month low of $28.65 and a 12 month high of $57.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.58. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $46.18 and its 200 day simple moving average is $46.49. The company has a market cap of $4.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 81.07, a P/E/G ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.97.

Insider Activity at Teradata

Teradata ( NYSE:TDC Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 7th. The technology company reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.03. Teradata had a return on equity of 32.47% and a net margin of 3.21%. The firm had revenue of $462.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $445.09 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.03 earnings per share. Teradatas revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Teradata Co. will post 1.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other news, CEO Stephen Mcmillan sold 7,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, September 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.39, for a total transaction of $332,925.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 517,997 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $22,993,886.83. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Teradata news, CEO Stephen Mcmillan sold 7,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.39, for a total transaction of $332,925.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 517,997 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,993,886.83. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Margaret A. Treese sold 14,592 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.74, for a total transaction of $652,846.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 86,169 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,855,201.06. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 83,324 shares of company stock valued at $3,746,914 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.92% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

TDC has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Barclays reduced their price objective on Teradata from $47.00 to $46.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 8th. Evercore ISI started coverage on shares of Teradata in a report on Thursday, September 28th. They issued an outperform rating and a $65.00 price objective on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Teradata from $51.00 to $74.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 8th. Craig Hallum raised their price target on shares of Teradata from $50.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 8th. Finally, Northland Securities reduced their price objective on Teradata from $67.00 to $61.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $54.90.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Teradata

About Teradata

(Free Report)

Teradata Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides a connected multi-cloud data platform for enterprise analytics. The company offers Teradata Vantage, a data platform that allows companies to leverage their data across an enterprise, as well as connects various sources of data to drive ecosystem simplification and support customers on their journey to the cloud through an integrated migration.

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Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG  Get Free Report) updated its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of $2.70-$2.75 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of $2.72. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Conagra Brands also updated its FY24 guidance to $2.70-2.75 EPS.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on CAG. Bank of America dropped their price target on shares of Conagra Brands from $40.00 to $38.00 in a research report on Friday, July 14th. TheStreet downgraded shares of Conagra Brands from a b rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, July 13th. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Conagra Brands from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $46.00 to $37.00 in a report on Monday, July 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $38.00 to $37.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 21st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $37.00 to $33.00 in a report on Thursday. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $35.29.

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Conagra Brands Stock Performance

NYSE:CAG opened at $26.41 on Friday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $29.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $33.45. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. The company has a market cap of $12.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.74, a P/E/G ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 0.56. Conagra Brands has a twelve month low of $25.16 and a twelve month high of $41.30.

Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 5th. The company reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $2.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.95 billion. Conagra Brands had a net margin of 8.80% and a return on equity of 15.49%. Conagra Brandss revenue was up .0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.57 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Conagra Brands will post 2.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Conagra Brands Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 2nd will be issued a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, November 1st. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.30%. Conagra Brandss payout ratio is 62.22%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Conagra Brands

In other Conagra Brands news, COO Thomas M. Mcgough sold 75,522 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.07, for a total value of $2,497,512.54. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 157,125 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,196,123.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Conagra Brands

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Clear Street Markets LLC increased its stake in Conagra Brands by 93.2% during the 1st quarter. Clear Street Markets LLC now owns 935 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 451 shares during the period. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $62,000. Finally, Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Conagra Brands by 136.4% in the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 2,603 shares of the companys stock valued at $98,000 after purchasing an additional 1,502 shares during the last quarter. 84.27% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Conagra Brands

(Get Free Report)

Conagra Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company primarily in the United States. The company operates through Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice segments. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels.

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Israel Discount Bank of New York decreased its holdings in shares of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 14.7% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 459 shares of the asset managers stock after selling 79 shares during the quarter. Israel Discount Bank of New Yorks holdings in BlackRock were worth $317,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of BLK. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Tyler Stone Wealth Management boosted its holdings in BlackRock by 71.4% in the 4th quarter. Tyler Stone Wealth Management now owns 48 shares of the asset managers stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the period. Centerpoint Advisors LLC bought a new position in BlackRock in the 1st quarter worth $34,000. Sittner & Nelson LLC boosted its holdings in BlackRock by 48.6% in the 1st quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC now owns 52 shares of the asset managers stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 17 shares during the period. Finally, Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new position in BlackRock in the 1st quarter worth $38,000. Institutional investors own 77.01% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently weighed in on BLK. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of BlackRock from $741.00 to $781.00 in a report on Monday, July 10th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $750.00 to $815.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, July 14th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised shares of BlackRock from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price objective for the company from $770.00 to $835.00 in a report on Monday, July 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $780.00 to $770.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 3rd. Finally, Bank of America dropped their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $921.00 to $868.00 in a report on Wednesday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, BlackRock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $751.92.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Laurence Fink sold 20,200 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $742.04, for a total transaction of $14,989,208.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 464,125 shares in the company, valued at $344,399,315. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, CEO Laurence Fink sold 20,200 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $742.04, for a total transaction of $14,989,208.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 464,125 shares in the company, valued at $344,399,315. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Mark Wiedman sold 2,079 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $733.82, for a total transaction of $1,525,611.78. Following the transaction, the director now owns 6,160 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,520,331.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock.

BlackRock Stock Up 1.2 %

BLK stock traded up $7.73 during trading on Friday, hitting $648.03. 267,435 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 631,158. The firm has a market capitalization of $96.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.70, a PEG ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.29. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $684.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $680.87. The company has a quick ratio of 4.21, a current ratio of 4.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. BlackRock, Inc. has a 1 year low of $503.12 and a 1 year high of $785.65.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 14th. The asset manager reported $9.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.52 by $0.76. BlackRock had a net margin of 29.90% and a return on equity of 14.29%. The business had revenue of $4.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.47 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $7.36 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that BlackRock, Inc. will post 35.3 EPS for the current year.

BlackRock Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 8th were issued a $5.00 dividend. This represents a $20.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.09%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 7th. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio is currently 58.41%.

BlackRock Company Profile

(Free Report)

BlackRock, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks.

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The North American Income Trust plc (LON:NAIT  Get Free Report) declared a dividend on Thursday, October 5th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 12th will be given a dividend of GBX 2.60 ($0.03) per share on Friday, October 27th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.96%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 12th. The official announcement can be viewed at this link.

The North American Income Trust Price Performance

LON:NAIT opened at GBX 271 ($3.28) on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 277.64 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 276.36. The North American Income Trust has a 1-year low of GBX 262 ($3.17) and a 1-year high of GBX 324 ($3.92). The firm has a market cap of 378.10 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 903.33 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.57, a current ratio of 10.20 and a quick ratio of 7.40.

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The North American Income Trust Company Profile

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The North American Income Trust plc is an exchange traded fund launched and managed by Aberdeen Fund Managers Limited. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in the stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. The fund invests in the stocks of large-cap companies, within the market capitalization range of S&P 500 Index.

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This week, satellite imagery showed a "dramatic" surge in rail traffic along the border between North Korea and Russia, a U.S. monitor said Friday, amid concerns about possible arms transfers following last month's summit between the two countries' leaders.

Citing imagery captured Thursday, Beyond Parallel, a project of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, reported an "unprecedented" number of freight railcars totaling roughly 73 at Tumangang Rail Station in Rason, a North Korean border city with Russia.

The level of traffic is far greater than what the project has observed at the facility during the past five years, even compared to pre-pandemic levels, it said.

The development comes in the wake of a rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. The summit raised speculation that it might have led to a deal feared to help advance North Korea's weapons development and in return prop up Russia's war in Ukraine.

"Given that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic likely indicates North Korea's supply of arms and munitions to Russia," the project said in a report.

"However, the extensive use of tarps to cover the shipping crates/containers and equipment makes it impossible to conclusively identify what is seen at the Tumangang Rail Facility," it added.

On Thursday, broadcaster CBS reported that the North had begun transferring artillery to Russia as Moscow continues its war in Ukraine.

Seoul and Washington have criticized any possible transfer of arms between Pyongyang and Moscow, warning that this would flout multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, which Russia itself voted for. (Yonhap)
South Korea's new defense minister, Shin Won-sik, said Saturday he will sternly respond to North Korea's provocations and strengthen security cooperation with the United States.

Shin made the pledge in his inaugural speech after he took office upon President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval of his appointment earlier in the day.

"In case of North Korean provocation, I will take action immediately, strongly and until the end to shred the enemy's will and capacity to make further threats," Shin said.

"I will create a defense posture that overwhelms the enemy. Punishment is containment, and containment is peace."

Shin also stressed the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance and the joint defense system.

"The Yoon Suk Yeol government opened a new page of the 70-year long ROK-U.S. alliance through the Washington Declaration and the launch of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) this year," Shin said. ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea.

South Korea and the U.S established the NCG under the Washington Declaration issued by Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit in Washington in April to strengthen the credibility of the U.S. extended deterrence.

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. commitment to defending an ally using all of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons.

Shin said his ministry will work to combine the nuclear capacity of the U.S. and the advanced conventional armed forces of South Korea to beef up deterrence against North Korea.

"I will beef up ROK-U.S. joint drills and exercises and improve the two countries' cooperation in military science technology," he added.

Following the inauguration ceremony, Shin held a meeting of generals from all branches of the armed services, and ordered a strong readiness posture.

North Korea has conducted "large-scale provocative acts" some two to three years after a new South Korean administration comes to power, Shin said, ordering the military to punish the North "immediately, strongly and to the end."

Shin, a ruling People Power Party lawmaker who retired as a three-star Army general, is known for his expertise in defense policy and military operations.

He served as the head of the defense ministry's Policy Planning Bureau from 2011 to 2012 before leading the Joint Chiefs of Staff's (JCS) Chief Directorate of Operations from October 2013 to April 2015.

Shin capped off his military career as the JCS vice chairman before his discharge in January 2016. (Yonhap)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Issues of accelerating the integration of information systems in order to improve import-export control in the phytosanitary sphere were discussed during the visit of the Azerbaijani delegation to Russia, Trend reports.

According to the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the agency, Goshgar Tahmazli, met with the Head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) Sergey Dankvert in Moscow.

The meeting discussed issues related to the registration and approval of enterprises importing high-risk food products from Russia to Azerbaijan.

In addition, the parties made proposals to simplify the quality and safety of livestock products exported from Azerbaijan to Russia and strengthen veterinary control at checkpoints along the state border between the two countries.

The sides also discussed issues of simultaneous vaccination of wild animals against rabies on both sides of the border, cooperation on animal identification, and improvement of mechanisms for controlling the export of livestock products.

Moreover, the parties decided to coordinate the necessary procedures to reduce the frequency of attracting batches of products to laboratory tests on the basis of the agency's guarantee.

The purpose of the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan is to provide the population with safe food products, increase the competitiveness of agricultural and food products, and increase exports to the markets of developed countries.
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Jenna Anderson is the Early Childhood Coalition coordinator for Thrive by 5 in Noble and LaGrange counties and the author of Building Blocks of Early Learning. Contact her at jenna@noble5bythrive.org or call 445-3369.
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Congressman Kevin Hern says he hasn't decided whether or not to throw his hat in for speakership
McCarthy denies reports that he will resign, says he plans to run for reelection
NewsVoir

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 7: G Square, South India's largest plot promoter and Tamil Nadu's No. 1 Real estate developer announced the launch of its newest project G Square Orion, a wellness themed plotted community in Sulur, Coimbatore.

Also Read | Child Sexual Abuse Material: YouTube, Telegram Respond to IT Ministry's Notice on CSAM.

The DTCP-approved and RERA-registered project will consist of 213 residential plots in a secured community of 10.7 acres of land with more than 40 world-class amenities. The project will mainly be recognized for maintaining close proximity to the Trichy Road, which connects the city to prominent points like Singanallur Bus Terminus and Sulur Air Force Station and the east and south-east suburbs in the Coimbatore metropolitan area such as Singanallur, Ramanathapuram, Ondipudur, Chinthamanipudur, Sulur, and Karanampettai.

G Square Orion will also witness other city developments like the upcoming Defence park, where initial stages of land acquirement of 420 acres have already begun and a target of 1.25 lakh crore-worth of domestic manufacturing has already been set over the next three years while a private company has initiated a bio-diversity park which houses more than 300 varieties of plants, rare trees, herbal and aquatic plants, walkers' path, children's play equipment, outdoor gym, mini library, metal art installation and a volleyball court to promote an idea of community living. Further, TIDCO has also proposed for a 200-acre Aerospace Industrial Park to be established at Sulur, which will in the coming years attract major Aviation and Defence (A&D) Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and their sub-tier partners to set up manufacturing facilities in this zone.

Also Read | Sudden Heart Attack Death in Gujarat: Woman Collapses While Serving Midday Meal at Government School, Dies of Cardiac Arrest in Ahmedabad.

Speaking on the launch, Bala Ramajeyam, Managing Director of G Square Realtors Private Limited said, "Sulur was always known to be a quaint residential location in Coimbatore which people preferred to settle in. The location currently however is witnessing post-modern developments, such as the proposal of the Defence corridor and the upcoming Aerospace Industrial Park. These developments project major infrastructural development in Sulur in the coming years. Additionally, the location is also known to have domestic benefits like proximity to the Coimbatore airport and the presence of some of the best schools within the city around it. G Square Orion is providing a golden opportunity for people to buy a plot of land and further build their dream home in a hot property prime location like Sulur, which will be very difficult in the coming years post the materializing of the future developments. And we have further ensured that our plotted community will be a wellness themed project to give our customers a relaxing and refreshing feel and atmosphere amidst all these fast-paced development happening around the locality, so they can have both the benefit of experiencing both development and comfort at once."

G Square Orion will consist of ready-to-build villa residential plots with prices starting from Rs. 28 lakhs (3 cents) onwards with plots open for sale at an early bird price offer of Rs. 9.25 lakh percent for the first 10 bookings after which the launch price will be Rs. 9.75 lakh per cent.

G Square is South India's No. 1 Real Estate Developer that brings to you a lifestyle-defining curation of upscale selections to choose from. Our proactive and keen sense of identifying opportunities has helped build many dream houses and iconic businesses within G Square's secured communities. Over 10000+ happy customers have trusted the transparent and hassle-free ownership of land in South India's most potential addresses with G Square's easy housing transactions.

Spread across Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Trichy, Ambur, Theni, Dindigul, Theni, Udumalpet, Tirupathur, Hosur, Mysuru & Ballari over the past 10 years, we have delivered the most lucrative investment lands with world-class amenities in G Square's secured communities. With "2 Years of Free Maintenance" and all essentials covered, we aim to empower families and businesses to build the next chapter of their life on land they own.

For more details log onto: www.gsquarehousing.com.

Rera No - TN/11/Layout/3657/2023

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

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Shillong, October 7: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday sought the help of the ministry of external affairs to rescue 27 people from the state stranded in the war-like situation between Israel and Palestine. Sangma said he is in touch with the ministry to bring the people back to the state. Israel-Palestine War: Over 6,000 Keralites Working in Israel; Many Malayalee Nurses Seek Shelter in Bunkers After Hamas Attack.

Taking to 'X', he said, "27 citizens of Meghalaya who traveled to Jerusalem for the Holy Pilgrimage are stuck in Bethlehem due to the present tension between Israel and Palestine." "I am in touch with the MEA to ensure their safe passage back home," the chief minister added. Israel-Palestine War: Seven Nepali Students Injured, 17 Held Captive by Hamas Forces in Israel, Says Nepal's Envoy.

27 citizens of Meghalaya who traveled for the Holy Pilgrimage to Jerusalem are stuck in Bethlehem due to the tension between Israel and Palestine. I am in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure their safe passage back home. @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia  Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) October 7, 2023

Jesuralem is one of the international destinations for Christians in Meghalaya for its religious importance.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The potential for cooperation on international transport corridors, joint investment funds, and public-private partnership projects between Azerbaijan and the ECO (Economic Cooperation Organization) Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) has been discussed, Trend reports.

According to the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, the First Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev met with a delegation led by ETDB President Yalcin Yuksel.

During the meeting, it was noted that Azerbaijan actively collaborates with the ETDB.

The parties exchanged views on new areas of cooperation with the bank.

The ETDB supports the development of agriculture, energy, transportation, information technology, small and medium-sized enterprises, industry, and the services sector and provides financial support by offering loans to governments and the private sector for the development of these sectors.

Additionally, the bank organizes joint programs for state and private sector investments, cooperation, and development.
New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): An Air India Flight from New Delhi to Tel Aviv on Saturday and a return flight from Tel Aviv to New Delhi have been cancelled in the wake of a Hamas rocket attack on Israel.

According to the airline, the decision was taken considering the interests and safety of the passengers and crew.

Also Read | Tamil Nadu Marriage Assistance Scheme: Stalin Government Allocates Rs 117.18 Crore for Purchasing Gold Coins.

"An Air India Flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 07 October 2023 and the return flight AI140 from Tel Aviv to Delhi has been cancelled in the interests and safety of our guests and crew," a spokesperson of Air India said.

"Passengers are being extended all support, as per their requirements," the airline added.

Also Read | Hippo Attack in Tamil Nadu: Vandalur Zoo Worker Falls in Enclosure During Maintainance, Gets Attacked by Hippopotamus.

According to the latest updates, at least 40 people have been killed and over 700 people are injured, The Times of Israel reported. According to the Health Ministry, 779 people have been hospitalized

Israel has already declared a state of war in the country after infiltration by Hamas fighters and missile attacks from Gaza.

The Israel Defence Forces launched Operation 'Iron Swords' in response to Hamas's surprise attack on Israel, the Times of Israel reported. IDF is striking Hamas targets in Gaza.

The Israeli military is fighting Hamas terrorists in different locations in Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri and the Re'im military base, according to The Times of Israel.

In the first reaction to the 'surprise attack', PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel "is at war", further asserting that they will "win it".

"We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out," Netanyahu said in a video statement. (ANI)

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Dehradun, Oct 7 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the problem of malnutrition among children has to be eliminated collectively with sensitivity.

Chairing the 24th meeting of the Central Zonal Council near Rishikesh, Shah praised the Central Zonal Council's member states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh for hugely contributing to the country's GDP and development.

Also Read | Israel-Palestine War: Over 6,000 Keralites Working in Israel; Many Malayalee Nurses Seek Shelter in Bunkers After Hamas Attack.

He emphasised the need to eliminate malnutrition among children saying, "It is our collective responsibility to address this problem with sensitivity."

Shah asked the member states of the council to prioritise issues like cooperation, reducing the dropout ratio of school-going children and malnutrition.

Also Read | Israel-Palestine War: PM Narendra Modi Expresses Shock Over Terror Attack, Says India Stands in Solidarity With Israel at this Difficult Hour.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, zonal councils have transformed from being advisory bodies to action platforms, he said.

Central Zonal Council's states have implemented Prime Minister Modi's concept of Team India at the grassroots level, Shah said.

The prime minister has always emphasised strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism. Under this policy, zonal councils have played the role of catalysts in solving problems, increasing financial inclusion and bringing policy changes.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami were present at the meeting, while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel attended it virtually. The member states of the Central Zonal Council are the major centres for agriculture, animal husbandry and food grain production, mining, water supply and tourism in the country.

"Without these states, adequate water supply cannot be imagined", he said.

Taking an important step towards realising the prime minister's resolve to make the country's farmers prosperous, now pulses, oilseeds and maize across the country will be procured 100 per cent at the minimum support price (MSP) by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), the Union home minister said. In the meeting, it was decided to fix the price of Kodo and Kutki produce at par with the MSP of Ragi. The decision will benefit crores of farmers across the country, especially in member states of the Central Zonal Council, Shah said.

Issues like providing banking facilities to every village within a radius of 5 km, royalty and mining-related issues and building basic infrastructure in the districts affected by left-wing extremism were also discussed in the meeting.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Pune, Oct 7 (PTI) Police have registered a case against unidentified miscreants for allegedly placing boulders on rail tracks between Akurdi and Chinchwad stations near Pune city in Maharashtra, officials said on Saturday.

A day earlier a major tragedy was averted when vigilant railway personnel spotted boulders on time and alerted the driver of a Mumbai-bound express train coming on the line, officials said.

Also Read | Tamil Nadu Marriage Assistance Scheme: Stalin Government Allocates Rs 117.18 Crore for Purchasing Gold Coins.

A police official on Saturday said a case has been registered at Chinchwad police station against unidentified persons under section 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 150 (1) (A) of Railways Act.

No arrest has been made so far and further investigation is underway, he said.

Also Read | Hippo Attack in Tamil Nadu: Vandalur Zoo Worker Falls in Enclosure During Maintainance, Gets Attacked by Hippopotamus.

On Friday, an alert guard of a Pune-bound suburban train running on the parallel tracks spotted the boulders and informed the Chinchwad station master.

The station master of Chinchwad in turn alerted the loco pilot (driver) of 16352 UP Nagarcoil-Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Express coming on the tracks. The train was halted until the boulders were removed from the tracks, Railway officials had 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 [India], October 7 (ANI): The counsel for BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan submitted that one of the complainants was a member of the sexual harassment committee, but she never disclosed the incident that occurred in Kazakhstan in 2012 until April 2023.

The counsel also submitted that she made the allegations because she was not qualified for the Olympics in 2015. Every complaint has a reason behind it.

Also Read | Israel-Palestine War: Over 6,000 Keralites Working in Israel; Many Malayalee Nurses Seek Shelter in Bunkers After Hamas Attack.

After hearing part arguments of the defence on charges against Singh, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal adjourned the matter till October 16.

Advocate Rajiv Mohan counsel for Singh argued after Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Atul Srivastava concluded his arguments for Delhi police.

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Counsel for the accused submitted that almost every complainant changed her statement. Cosmetic and improved statements were given to implicate the accused, counsel argued.

Advocate Rajiv Mohan started his arguments by referring to the incidents that took place outside India.

He also referred to the complaint of one of the complainants and submitted her statement was dropped very conveniently by saying that it pertains to the incident that took place 11 years ago in Kazakhstan in 2012.

He argued that in fact, she was a member of the Sexual Harassment committee constituted in December 2022. She never said anything about the incident in Kazakhstan. However, she stated that she was not aware that her name was included in the committee.

Counsel for Singh also submitted that this complaint, her mother, her roommate and Anita were informed of this incident but they never disclosed it before 2023.

As per the statement of the complainant, the accused was in conversation with their mother. There is not a single word of sexual harassment.

Advocate Rajiv Mohan also submitted that the FIR was lodged on April 28, 2023. Six complaints were clubbed into it.

He submitted that Incidents are not instant. This alleged incident took place a long time ago. No incident of April 28. The FIR is delayed.

He further referred to the statement of the other Complainants who stated that they did not disclose the incidents of sexual harassment as they were conscious about their careers.

Counsel also referred to the incident of sexual harassment during the photo session. He argued that another woman was standing near the accused, but she never had any such incident.

The allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against the accused in 2023. The first protest was started in January. The complaint is of April 2023.

In her section 164 Crpc, statement, She did not disclose the fact of being a member of the committee, the counsel argued.

Counsel for the accused further argued that her Mother's statement on June 1. She was aware but remained silent about the incident of 2012 till 2023.

She did not stop her daughter from participating in the event of WFI.

Prosecution witness Anita's statement was recorded on May 20, 2023. This witness was also told in 2012 about the incident in Kazakhstan.

Prosecution witness Pooja Dhanda denied the allegations before the oversight committee. She denied the allegations of Harassment by any women wrestlers.

Earlier, SPP Atul Srivastava concluded his arguments and submitted that one of the complainants said that one incident took place at the WFI office in New Delhi. And there are similar statements.

Sanction under section 188 Crpc is not required in this case as all the offences are not committed outside India, SPP submitted. The offence of 354 IPC is not time-barred. On the last date, he said that whenever and wherever he got the opportunity he committed the offence. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 7 (ANI): The Chhattisgarh High Court on Friday rejected the bail application of three accused Anwar Dhebar, Trilok Singh Dhillon and Nitesh Purohit in the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam.

Speaking to ANI, Enforcement Directorate lawyer, Saurabh Pandey said, "An investigation was done by ED in relation to the Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam. We arrested four people during the investigation, in which the prime accused were Anwar Dhebar, Trilok Singh Dhillon, Nitesh Purohit and Arun Tripathi. Their bail application was rejected by the Special Court, Raipur."

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"Although, the Chhattisgarh HC granted Anwar Dhebar, Trilok Singh Dhillon and Nitesh Purohit interim bail. But when the case was scheduled for its final hearing, HC reserved its order. In the hearing on October 6, their bail application was rejected," the ED lawyer said.

ED is conducting an investigation into the liquor scam between 2019 to 2022 in which money was illegally generated and siphoned off in various corrupt ways. "Part A Commission - Bribe was collected from the distillers per case basis of liquor procured from the distillers by the CSMCL (State body for purchase and sale of liquor), by Part B sale of unaccounted kacha off-the-books Country Liquor. In this case, not even a single rupee reached the State Exchequer, and all the sale proceeds were pocketed by the Syndicate. The illegal liquor was sold from State-run shops only", an official statement said.

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The Enforcement Directorate on May 6 arrested Anwar Dhebar, elder brother of Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar, and claimed to unearth a liquor scam to the tune of around Rs 2000 crore.

Earlier, ED had frozen Fixed Deposits worth Rs 27.5 Crore from Trilok Singh Dhillon. ED had seized jewellery worth Rs 28 Crore from the house of a Country Liquor Distiller. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Saturday granted bail to Shahrukh Pathan in one of the cases registered against him. He is accused of injuring police personnel and one Rohit Shukla during the North East Delhi riots of February 2020. The court granted him bail considering the period of his custody.

He has been in custody since April 2020. He is to remain in custody as another case is also registered against him.

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Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amitabh Rawat granted him bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and two surety bonds by local sureties in the like amount.

The court has imposed a condition including that Shahrukh Pathan shall not leave the jurisdiction of Delhi NCR without the prior permission of the court.

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While granting bail to Shahrukh Pathan, the court observed, "The court is conscious of the fact that the conduct of the accused in this case before he was arrested and even during trial, during judicial custody has been atrocious."

"However, it remains a fact that he has been in judicial custody since April 3, 2020," the court added.

The court further said it is also conscious of the fact that accused Shahrukh Pathan is also involved in another riot case of PS-Jafrabad where he is stated to have made an attack on the life of the police official, however, said the case will be dealt with on its own facts.

"In the overall facts and circumstances of the case where accused Shahrukh Pathan has been in custody since April 3, 2020, the stage of the prosecution evidence, where public witness/injured Rohit Shukla has been examined and relevant remaining witnesses are all police officials and all other co-accused persons are on bail, the present bail application of accused Shahrukh Pathan alias Khan is allowed and he is admitted to regular bail on furnishing his personal bond in the sum of Rs.50,000/- with two local sureties of the like amount ... the court ordered on October 7.

Advocate Khalid Akhtar, counsel for the accused argued that the charge sheet has already been filed and the accused has been in custody since April 3, 2020.

It was also argued that the statement/allegations of Rohit Shukla do not inspire confidence as his statement under Section 161 Cr PC on different dates have marked discrepancies and his deposition in court has improvements.

The bail application was opposed by the Special public prosecutor (SPP) Anuj Handa stating that on February 24, 2020, at about 11.30 PM riots broke out at Maujpur Chowk, Jafrabad leading to stone pelting and firing incidents among anti & pro-CAA protestors, resulting in causing injuries to several police officials as well as public persons.

SPP also submitted that during the investigation CCTV Camera footage of the nearby spot was also collected and examined in the wake of the statement of injured Rohit Shukla.

The CCTV footage of a camera installed at Metro Pillar NO.208 showed accused Shahrukh Pathan carrying a pistol and firing from the same and running towards Maujpur Chowk along with another rioting mob, SPP submitted.

The CCTV Footage wherein accused Shahrukh was visible showed him wearing a Red T-shirt and blue pants similar to the description provided by injured Rohit Shukla, SPP added.

It was also stated that charges have been framed against the accused in December 2021.

This case pertains to an FIR registered at police station Jafrabad in February 2020. Another case was also registered against him. (ANI)

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North Sikkim (Sikkim) [India], October 7 (ANI): Director General of Border Roads Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhry on Saturday visited the disaster-affected areas in North Sikkim affected by the recent flash floods in the state earlier this month.

DG Rajeev Chaudhry interacted with the Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and also discussed an action plan to be implemented by the Border Roads Organisation for the restoration of communication lines.

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"The newly appointed Director General of Border Roads (DGBR) visited disaster-affected areas of North Sikkim. He interacted with CM and Chief Secy Sikkim and discussed a plan of action of BRO in ensuring early restoration of lines of communication to Chungthang and Lachen," PRO Defence, Guwahati said.

Earlier Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday said that maximum damage in the flash floods in Teesta River took place after the 1200 MW dam in Chungthang in the State's Mangan district broke alleging substandard construction work by the previous government in the State.

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"The maximum damage took place after the Chungthang Dam broke. If the previous government had constructed the dam properly and if standard work had been done, the force of the water could have been controlled," Chief Minister Tamang said.

The Chief Minister visited flood-affected areas and relief camps at Naga Village in Mangan to assess the situation and interacted with people there this morning.

Earlier State Disaster Management Authority said that the death toll from flash floods in Sikkim has reached 26 with 142 people still reported missing.

As per the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) report of October 6 at midnight, the death toll was registered at 26. It said 2413 people have been rescued, and 1203 houses have been damaged in the flash flood. The glacial-fed Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta River basin on October 4. (ANI)

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Mumbai, Oct 7 (PTI) Artist Chintan Upadhyay, who was convicted for conspiring and abetting the murder of his estranged wife Hema and her lawyer Haresh Bhambhani, told a court here on Saturday that his "conscience" was clear and he has not committed any crime.

Upadhyay, however, said that he was not "seeking mercy", and is ready to accept whatever punishment the court decides, as it has found him guilty.

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The court is expected to decide on the quantum of punishment in the case on October 10.

Installation artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Bhambhani were killed on December 11, 2015, and their bodies were stuffed into cardboard boxes and thrown in a ditch in suburban Kandivali.

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Additional sessions judge S Y Bhosale of the Dindoshi court had on October 5 held Upadhay guilty of abetting and conspiring to kill his wife.

Upadhyay was found guilty under IPC sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) and 109 (abetment). Following the conviction, the artist, who was out on bail, was sent to judicial custody till Saturday.

The three co-accused found guilty in the double murder case were tempo driver Vijay Rajbhar and helpers Pradeep Rajbhar and Shivkumar Rajbhar, who worked with absconding accused, art fabricator Vidyadhar Rajbhar.

The court on Saturday heard the arguments of the prosecution and defence on sentencing.

Before the proceedings, the court directed all the convicts to stand in the witness box and explained to them the sections under which they were convicted.

The judge later asked the convicts if they had anything to say on the judgment.

Upadhyay told the court, "My conscience is clear, I have not committed any offence. I'm innocent."

"However, the court has found me guilty, no mercy should be shown. I'm ready to accept whatever punishment the court decides," he added.

Vijay Rajbhar informed the court that he has three children and since his father-in-law's death, there was no one to look after them and they were facing issues with school admissions.

Co-accused Pradeep Rajbhar said his parents are old and unable to earn a livelihood and his family was dependent on him.

"I was 18 at the time of the arrest, young offender and some consideration should be given while deciding the punishment," another convict Shivkumar Rajbhar said.

The trio prayed for leniency and sought that the period undergone in prison be set off against the sentence.

While making his submission on the point of sentencing, special public prosecutor Vaibhav Bagade sought a death sentence for the accused.

On Upadhyay's statement, the lawyer said the stand taken by the accused shows his "determination in committing" the crime concerned.

All the accused were voluntarily involved in the crime, he said, adding that the crime had shaken the conscience of the society and it was the talk of the town.

"Considering the attack on a lawyer, who is a vital pillar of the society. A message has to be given that if pillars are shaken, it will be taken seriously," he said. This was a "cold-blooded and calculated murder" and the death penalty should be given, Bagade said.

If the accused accept their mistake and show remorse there is scope for reformation. These are hardcore criminals there is no scope for reformation, he said.

Appearing for Upadhyay, Raja Thakkare said the philosophy of the death penalty has undergone changes, which is reflected in the recent judgment of the Supreme Court.

Upadhyay has been found guilty on the charge of IPC section 120B (criminal conspiracy), which in other words means that he didn't participate in the murder, and in whatever manner it was committed will not be relevant to him, the senior advocate said.

"In any manner, it is not a rarest of rare case, and a death penalty will not be attracted, other alternatives are available," Thakare said.

Advocates Rajendra Mishra, Anil Jadhav and Vijay Yadav, who appeared for the other accused, said there was no criminal antecedent and hence, a death sentence can't be given.

Upadhyay spent nearly six years in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in September 2021. He was sent to judicial custody again after his conviction in the case.

The police were unable to crack the double murder and hence implicated him in a false case taking advantage of his and Hema's matrimonial dispute, Upadhyay had claimed in this final statement submitted to the court.

(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 7 (ANI): Ahead of his return to the Congress, expelled Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and former Uttar Pradesh MLA, Imran Masood, met AICC general secretary in charge of organisation, KC Venugopal at the party headquarters in the national capital on Saturday.

Masood will formally join the Congress later on Saturday at the AICC office in the presence of Congress leader Pawan Khera, the party's UP chief Ajay Rai and secretary Pradeep Narwal.

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Ahead of the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022, Masood was with the Congress but after a brief stint with the Samajwadi Party, he later joined the Mayawati-led BSP.

Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of his homecoming of sorts, Masood said an era of transformation has begun with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

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"Amid the prevailing ambience of hate and violence, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took out the Bharat Jodo Yatra to send a message of peace and love. An era of transformation has begun with his march. I had a great working experience with him during my previous stint in the Congress. It's unfortunate that I couldn't be with the party for 1 to 1.5 years. I consider this to be my 'ghar wapsi'," Masood said on Friday.

Earlier, on Wednesday, Masood said, "It is a matter of happiness for me that I am returning to the party. Rahul and Priyanka-ji are with us. I have worked with them before and the need of the hour now is to work in unison. I will rejoin the party at the AICC headquarters in Delhi."

On his expulsion from the BSP, Masood said, "I was firm in my belief even during my time with the BSP that all Opposition forces should come together. I told Behenji (Mayawati) that she should consider joining the Opposition alliance as it is the need of the hour. However, I was expelled in the bargain. Now I am not in any party." (ANI)

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Sirmaur (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 7 (ANI): Two students of Class-VII of a school in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district donated their pocket money towards the disaster relief fund on Saturday by presenting their piggy banks.

According to an official statement, the students, Srishti Chauhan and Aniket Chauhan, from Government Senior Secondary School, Saino in Sirmaur district, contributed Rs 3817 and Rs 1004 respectively, towards 'Aapda Rahat Kosh'.

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They presented their piggy banks to Education Minister Rohit Thakur who later, passed on the contributions to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday.

Appreciating the gesture of these small children, the Chief Minister said that it was a matter of delight that these children have come forward to donate generously to extend a helping hand to the disaster-affected people and that they could feel their sufferings.

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Every contribution is valuable irrespective of the size of the donation, CM Sukhu added.

Himachal Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh and MLA Ashish Sharma were also present on the occasion.

Earlier in the day, Vikramaditya Singh presented a cheque worth Rs 45.43 lakh to CM Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Shimla towards 'Aapda Rahat Kosh' on behalf of officers and officials of the Public Works Department.

According to the CMO, Lahaul-Spiti Deputy Commissioner, Rahul Kumar, adding to the wave of support, also delivered a cheque of Rs 5 lakh towards the 'Aapda Rahat Kosh' on the same occasion.

Notably, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a catastrophe this year with the monsoon causing massive infrastructural damage and claiming several lives. (ANI)

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Kochi, Oct 7 (PTI) The establishment of a dedicated police unit to combat online child sexual exploitation in Kerala serves as a model that should be replicated at international level, Robert Leventhal, chief, Global Policy and Programs Division, US Department of State's Bureau of INL said on Saturday.

Addressing a session on tackling online facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation at cOcOn, an international hacking and cybersecurity conference organised by the Kerala Police in Kochi, Leventhal said complementing awareness raising and robust enforcement is a powerful tool to deter online abuse and promote justice for victims.

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He urged the stakeholders to modernise and strengthen international standards to counter and prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse.

"Online child sexual exploitation and abuse is such an important issue, and the most vulnerable among us deserve our best efforts to protect them," he said, adding that cybercrime and cyber-enabled crimes are significant and growing threats to the national and economic security of our individual countries.

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He said estimates predict that the cost of global cybercrime will grow by 15 per cent per year over the next five years, reaching $10.5 trillion annually by 2025.

"The Kerala Police department's work to develop a dedicated police unit countering online child sexual exploitation in the state is a wonderful example of what we need to see more of on a global scale," he added during his address.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Friday inaugurated the 16th edition of International Cyber Security and Policing Conference, cOcOn, here.

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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 7 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday directed for the immediate distribution of Rs 50,000 each to the affected families of the Jai Bhawani Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) building in Unnat Nagar, Goregaon, which suffered a fire accident.

The Chief Minister gave instructions to the municipal commissioner to fix the water supply of this building immediately, and to prepare a policy to install iron staircases on the outside of the SRA buildings as an emergency route.

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Earlier on Friday, CM Eknath Shinde informed that instructions have been issued to the officials for the investigation into the Goregaon fire incident resulting in the deaths of eight people.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Eknath Shinde said," The incident is saddening. I have been in contact with the Police Commissioner and Mahapalika Commissioner since morning. I have interacted with the patients in the hospital. All patients are out of danger and proper treatment is being given to those in ICU. I have given instructions to investigate the mishappening."

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Maharashtra CM Shinde met those injured in the Goregaon fire incident, at Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Center in Mumbai. In the aftermath of the incident, Ekanth Shinde also announced the fire audit of all such SRA buildings.

"An officer will be appointed for these survey cum fire audits," Maharashtra CMO said.

Eight deaths have been reported in the blaze that broke out in Jay Bhavani building in Mumbai's Goregaon building around 3 a.m. in the early hours of Friday.

CM Shinde said that the government will provide monetary help of Rs 5 lakh to their families.

"I am continuously speaking with the Municipal Commissioner and Police. What happened is unfortunate. I express my condolences to those who died. The government will provide monetary help of Rs 5 lakhs to their families. Those who are injured will be given treatment by the government," Maharashtra CM said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. (ANI)

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Nagpur, Oct 7 (PTI) A teenage boy, preparing for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the seventh floor of a building in Nagpur city of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

The deceased, Moin Shaikh Naushad Shaikh (19), was a resident of Mankapur area.

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The motive behind the extreme step is under investigation, a police official said.

Shaikh was preparing for NEET. He ended his life by jumping from the seventh floor of a building at around 8.20 pm on Friday, the official added.

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He said the police were informed by a security guard of the building.

Shaikh was taken to the state-run Mayo Hospital where he was declared "brought dead", the official added.

A case of accidental death was registered at Mankapur police station.

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New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a second supplementary charge sheet against two accused in a case related to the seizure of a huge cache of electric detonators and explosives from West Bengal in 2022, an official said on Saturday.

With this, the total number of accused charge-sheeted in the case has gone up to nine. Five accused persons were named in the main charge sheet and two accused persons were named in the first supplementary charge sheet in April and June this year, respectively.

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The latest supplementary charge sheet was filed on Wednesday against Manoj Ghosh and Islam Chowdhury of West Bengal. They have been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

The case was registered in September 2022 following the seizure of 81,000 electric detonators from a vehicle in the Md Bazar Police Station area in Birbhum by a team of Special Task Force (STF), West Bengal.

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The vehicle's driver, Ashish Keora, was also arrested, and subsequent searches had led to the seizure of another 2,525 electric detonators, 27,000 kg of ammonium nitrate and 1,625 kg of gelatin sticks from an illegal godown.

Also, the seized documents showed that a total number of 86,700 kg of gelatin sticks, 4,99,222 electric detonators and 204 nonels (big electronic detonators) were illegally supplied to various illegal miners so far, the spokesperson said.

The official said the investigations revealed that Ghosh, the owner of Rajlaxmi Stone Works, located at Kalipur, Bahadurpur, procured explosives like electric detonators, ammonium nitrate and gelatine sticks illegally from accused Rintu Sk for his illegal stone mining and stored them in the vicinity of a public place, thereby endangering the lives and properties of the civil population.

He was also found in possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition, the spokesperson said.

The official said investigations also revealed that Chowdhury had knowledge of the illegal business of explosives and he had established close contact and conspired with accused Merajuddin Ali Khan, Mir Md Nuruzzaman and facilitated them in carrying out the illegal supply of explosives.

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New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): The mortal remains of eight Army personnel, who were part of a group of soldiers that went missing following flash floods in Sikkim, were recovered on Saturday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

Singh also expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Sikkim.

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"Deeply pained by the tragic loss of precious lives including eight Army personnel in the recent flash floods arising out of a glacial lake burst in Sikkim," the Defence Minister said in a post on X.

"Out of the 23 missing soldiers, one was rescued while the mortal remains of eight brave soldiers were recovered. Their sacrifice, while being deployed in forward areas in the service of the nation, will not be forgotten," Singh said.

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"Search operations to rescue the remaining 14 soldiers and missing civilians are underway," he added.

As per the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) report, the death toll was registered at 26 with 142 people still reported missing. It said 2413 people have been rescued, and 1203 houses have been damaged in the flash flood.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday said that maximum damage in the flash floods in Teesta River took place after the 1200 MW dam in Chungthang in the State's Mangan district broke alleging substandard construction work by the previous government in the State.

CM visited flood-affected areas and relief camps at Naga Village in Mangan to assess the situation and interacted with people there this morning.

The Lhonak glacier in the Sikkim Himalayas burst on October 3, breaching one side of the lake leading to the rise in the water levels in Teesta and inundating several areas of the state.

The Sikkim government has set up 18 relief camps in Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu and Adarsh Gaon which have faced most of the damages. However, due to a lack of connectivity with Chungthang, the relief camps there are being set up by the Indian Army and other paramilitaries. (ANI)

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Chandigarh, Oct 7 (PTI) Punjab on Saturday recorded 32 farm fires, the lowest this month, even as the total paddy straw burning cases crossed 870, according to latest data.

Punjab had recorded 71 and 62 farm fires on the same day in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

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Of the 32 stubble burning incidents, Amritsar reported 18 followed by four each in Tarn Taran and Kapurthala.

Punjab recorded 123 cases of stubble burning on October 1, followed by 119 on October 2, 105 on October 3, 95 on October 4, 98 on October 5 and 91 on October 6, according to data from the Ludhiana-based Punjab Remote Sensing Centre.

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The total cases of farm fires in the state from September 15 to October 7 have risen to 877. Punjab recorded 692 farm fires during the corresponding year-ago period, the data showed.

Of the 877 farm fires, Amritsar contrubuted the majority with 537 cases, followed by 120 in Tarn Taran, 51 in Patiala, 50 in Kapurthala, 22 in Mohali and 18 in Sangrur, it showed.

Paddy harvesting is underway in many areas of Punjab. Procurement began on October 1.

With about 31 lakh hectares of paddy area, Punjab produces around 180-200 lakh tons of paddy straw every year. Of this, 120 lakh tons are managed through in-situ (mixing crop residue in the fields) and ex-situ (using stubble as fuel) management methods.

Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is attributed as one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR in October and November.

As the window for rabi wheat sowing after paddy harvest is very short, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the residue.

The state recorded 49,922 farm fire events in 2022, 71,304 in 2021, 76,590 in 2020, 55,210 in 2019 and 50,590 in 2018 with many districts, including Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda and Amritsar, witnessing large-scale stubble burning incidents.

Last year, Punjab witnessed a 30 per cent drop in stubble burning incidents compared to 2021.

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Agartala (Tripura) [India], October 7 (ANI): Tripura Police has arrested Saikat Talapatra, an independent journalist, from West Bengal's Sodepur area for allegedly spreading canards against several political personalities.

A special team from Tripura Police's crime branch detained him in the early hours today from his hideout in a rented house in the Muragachha area, near Barasat Road, New Town Kolkata, in the North 24 Parganas district.

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He was flown from Kolkata to Agartala by the crime branch team this morning.

The accused was later produced before a local court, where the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court sent him to Judicial Custody till October 12.

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The arrest comes amid allegations against him of drug smuggling, womanizing, impersonation and spreading misleading information. Talapatra had been conducting a defamatory campaign against several political personalities, with the apparent intent of tarnishing the state's reputation, police said.

Authorities have been closely monitoring Talapatra's activities following numerous complaints about the content shared on his Facebook page, they added.

Tripura Police's Women's Police Station in Agartala has also received a complaint from one Antara Choudhary who alleged she was blackmailed and compelled to give Rs 1 lakh as extortion money.

Meanwhile, he was constantly blackmailing police officials through his page in lieu of smoothly running his drug business in the state.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the page disseminated unverified news and potentially manipulated information, raising concerns about its credibility. Also, the police are investigating his drug network in the state.Saikat is also accused of blackmailing women and other individuals in Tripura, as well as being involved in alleged antisocial activities to earn money. He blackmailed women in the state for his personal benefits, they said. (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 7 (ANI): Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi on Saturday expressed her condolences over the deaths of people in the rocket strikes launched by Hamas on Israel.

A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel on Saturday morning after Hamas launched a surprise attack.

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Union Minister Lekhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed his condolences and stands with Israel at this difficult juncture.

"PM Modi has already given his condolences and stands with Israel at this difficult juncture. We express our condolences to all those who have been killed in this attack and the families of the injured at this difficult time," the Union Minister told ANI.

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Expressing solidarity with Israel over the rocket strikes launched by Hamas, PM Modi earlier in the day said that India's thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India, said that the "situation is not normal" but "Israel will prevail".

"Thank you@PMOIndia. India's moral support is much appreciated. Israel will prevail," Israel's envoy posted on X.

According to the latest developments, more than 100 people have been killed in the Hamas "terror attack" on Israel, according to medical officials, The Times of Israel reported, citing Hebrew-language media.

According to the Health Ministry, 908 injured people have been taken to hospitals for treatment in the ongoing terror attack by Hamas on Israel's southern and central regions, The Times of Israel reported.

Some 800 people have been injured in the attacks, which have included dozens of Hamas terrorists infiltrating Israel and gunning down soldiers and people. Others were injured in rocket attacks.

In a statement posted on X, Israel Foreign Ministry stated, "At least 100 Israelis murdered and more than 900 wounded in terror attacks by Hamas terrorists."

While sharing the post on X, Israel Foreign Ministry stated, "The fighting in southern Israel is still ongoing. Our security forces are securing areas which are under attack by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israeli communities and who have taken civilians captive." (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, October 7: Mobile messaging platform Telegram has banned 2,114 groups and channels related to child abuse content, according to a Telegram channel 'Stop Child Abuse'. The instant messaging platform is one of three entities to which the government on Friday issued notices to remove child sexual abuse material in India.

"2,114 groups and channels related to child abuse banned on October 6. Total this month: 10,312," the update on the channel said. The company did not share the break up of banned groups linked or having an impact on Indian jurisdiction. Child Sexual Abuse Material: YouTube, Telegram Respond to IT Ministrys Notice on CSAM.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajiv Chandrasekhar had warned that if social media intermediaries do not act swiftly, their 'safe harbour' under section 79 of the IT Act would be withdrawn, implying that the platforms can be directly prosecuted under the applicable laws and rules even though the content may have not been uploaded by them.

Telegram in response to the notice said it is always committed to upholding legal and ethical standards on the platform, particularly in this case of addressing issues related to Child Pornography (CP), Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and Rape and Gang Rape (RGR) content, in accordance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

"When CP/CSAM/RGR content is reported, we initiate prompt actions to remove the offending material. Our average response time for removal is 10-12 hours, well within the permissible time limit of 24 hours as stipulated by the aforementioned regulations. We have a specialised team working towards removing all the illegal content that falls under the child abuse category," Telegram said. The company said it has employed an automated BOT system in order to maintain proactive content removal and the circulation of explicit material on its platform. Narendra Modi Government Issues Notices to X, YouTube and Telegram to Remove Child Sexual Abuse Material.

"This BOT continually scans the platform for explicit material by identifying keywords, text, pictures, and videos that violate our guidelines. Additionally, we take proactive steps to remove or block content based on user reports, ensuring that explicit material is swiftly addressed," the company 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 7 (PTI) Biotechnology major Biocon on Saturday said the US health regulator has issued a complete response letter for Biocon Biologics' application for Insulin Aspart, a proposed biosimilar for diabetes treatment.

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) to convey to the company that its initial review of an application is complete, and it cannot approve the application in its present form.

Also Read | Indian Air Force Day 2023 Date, History and Significance: Everything To Know About the Day That Celebrates the Formation of the IAF.

"The CRL did not identify any outstanding scientific issues with the product. The CRL references the requirement for a satisfactory resolution of deficiencies from the pre-approval inspection (PAI) of our Malaysia facility for Insulin Aspart, held in August 2022," Biocon spokesperson said in a regulatory filing.

The company had submitted a comprehensive Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) plan in September 2022 that the agency found to be adequate and indicated that it would require a re-inspection of the Malaysia facility prior to the approval of the application, it added.

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"The company will continue to engage with the USFDA for an expeditious resolution and approval of its biosimilar Insulin Aspart application. This decision has no impact on the manufacturing or distribution of the company's existing commercial portfolio," the spokesperson said.

Biocon Biologics is a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Azerbaijan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) discussed the possibilities of cooperation on digitalization in the field of "government cloud", metro and rail transport, the Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, Rashad Nabiyev said, Trend reports.

"During the meeting with Matteo Patrone, Executive Director for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus of the EBRD, we discussed the progress of the broadband Internet expansion project implemented by Aztelecom LLC using a loan from the EBRD," said Nabiyev on X (Twitter).

The EBRD and Aztelecom reached an agreement on financing the development of digital infrastructure in the regions of Azerbaijan in December 2022.

"This was done jointly with our partners from the EU, who supported the allocation of a loan of up to $50 million with a guarantee through the European Fund for Sustainable Development. At the EBRD, we believe that investing in digitalization means investing in the future. Reliable access to broadband services will bring tangible benefits to more than 280,000 households in the regions of Azerbaijan. By bridging the digital divide between the capital and rural areas, the project will also benefit local businesses by making them and their existing or potential workforce more competitive, contributing to the broader development of Azerbaijan's economy in a more inclusive manner, said Patrone.

I am also pleased that the EU intends to provide a grant of one million euros to the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport to improve competition and regulation in the telecommunications sector of Azerbaijan, as well as to strengthen the corporate governance of borrowers. This partnership between the EBRD, the EU, Aztelecom and the government of Azerbaijan, supporting the transformation of a state-owned company, is indeed a success story, on the basis of which we would like to continue cooperation," Patrone said.
Washington, Oct 7 (PTI) The Connecticut State Board of Education in the US has initiated a move to include Sikhism in its new social studies standards.

These new standards, the first ever in the state, will give approximately 5,14,000 students in Connecticut, the opportunity to learn about the Sikh community.

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Over the past year, Sikhs have been pushing for this.

"These new standards will provide students the opportunity to learn about the Sikh community at all three levels of their education," said Norwich City Councilman Swaranjit Singh.

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"Classroom instruction about Sikh history and contributions from an early age are critical in creating a safe environment for our students," Singh said in a statement issued by the Sikh Coalition.

Local adoption and implementation of the new standards will begin in the coming years. The Sikh Coalition will continue to work closely with the Connecticut Department of Education during this process to ensure that Sikhi' successfully makes it into classrooms across the state, a media release said.

With this, Connecticut has become the eighteenth state in a growing list of states that have worked with the Sikh Coalition to include accurate information about Sikhs in their public school social studies standards.

In June, Washington DC became the most recent region to ensure the inclusion of Sikhism. These efforts mean that more than 25 million students from coast to coast have the possibility of a more inclusive and holistic education.

Sikhism is one of the largest religions in the world and the members of the community have contributed to American society for over 125 years in the fields of civil rights, politics, agriculture, engineering, and medicine.

(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, October 7: More than 100 people have been killed in the Hamas "terror attack" on Israel, according to medical officials, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew-language media. According to the Health Ministry, 908 injured people have been taken to hospital for treatment in the ongoing terror attack by Hamas on Israel's southern and central region, The Times of Israel reported.

Some 800 people have been injured in the attacks, which have included dozens of Hamas terrorists infiltrating Israel and gunning down soldiers and people. Others were injured in rocket attacks. In a statement posted on X, Israel Foreign Ministry stated, "At least 100 Israelis murdered and more than 900 wounded in terror attacks by Hamas terrorists."

While sharing the post on X, Israel Foreign Ministry stated, "The fighting in southern Israel is still ongoing. Our security forces are securing areas which are under attack by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israeli communities and who have taken civilians captive." Israel-Palestine War: 198 Killed, More than 1,610 Injured in Gaza in Israeli Retaliation for Hamas Assault Into Israel, Says Palestinian Health Ministry.

This comes after a barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel after Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Saturday morning.

Terror cells from the Gaza group have infiltrated a number of communities in the south of the country, according to The Times of Israel report. Hamas has also claimed to have kidnapped five IDF soldiers. However, IDF has not yet spoken on the report.

The Israel Defense Forces' top spokesman Rear (Adm.) Daniel Hagari has said that Hamas has taken Israelis as hostages to the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel reported. Speaking to reporters, Hagari said Israeli soldiers have also been killed in the fighting. He did not reveal the number of hostages or soldiers killed. Hagari said there are still 22 locations of ongoing fighting in southern Israel, including hostage situations in Be'eri and Ofakim.

He said Israeli troops have reached all towns on the Gaza border and added that the forces are working to scan everyone, according to The Times of Israel report. According to Hagari, four divisions are being deployed to the Gaza border, joining 31 battalions that are already there. In the first reaction to the 'surprise attack', Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel "is at war", further asserting that they will "win it".

"We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Israel-Palestine War: 27 Christians From Meghalaya Stuck in Jerusalem, Says CM Conrad Sangma.

Netanyahu has ordered the mobilization of reserves. He called on citizens of Israel to adhere to the directives of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Home Front Command. Netanyahu said, "At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it."

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kathmandu, Oct 7 (PTI) At least nine Nepalese nationals were injured in the terrorist attack by the Hamas militant group in Israel on Saturday, the Nepal government said as it condemned the unprecedented assault and vowed solidarity with Tel Aviv.

The Nepali government has strongly condemned the "loss of precious human life" in the attack that also "injured many more, said a statement issued Nepali Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Also Read | Israel-Palestine War: Death Toll From Hamas Attack Rises to Over 100 in Israel, More Than 900 Injured.

At this critical hour, we convey our solidarity with the government of Israel, the statement said.

When the Islamist group Hamas launched an attack in Israel, nine Nepalese were injured, two of them seriously, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official. We have been informed that a farm where 14 Nepalese were working was also under attack, nine of the Nepalese have been reported injured while two of them are in serious condition, the ministry said.

Also Read | Israel-Palestine War: 198 Killed, More than 1,610 Injured in Gaza in Israeli Retaliation for Hamas Assault Into Israel, Says Palestinian Health Ministry.

The Government of Nepal extends heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the people and the government of Israel as well as the victims of this cruel attack and their families, reads the statement, adding that Nepal "wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured.

The Embassy of Nepal in Israel is in close communication with the Nepalese living in the areas under attack.

The Embassy of Nepal in Israel is also in contact and coordination with the Israeli authorities for the safety, security and rescue of the Nepalese as well as the medical treatment of the injured, the statement issued by the ministry here said.

Hamas militants fired more than 2,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, according to the Israeli military, while Hamas fighters entered southern Israel by land, sea and air, using paragliders. Hamas says it captured several Israeli soldiers near the border.

The surprise attack has killed 70 people and injured more than 600 in Israel. In the Gaza Strip side, more than 195 deaths and about 1,500 wounded have been reported in Israel's counterattack, media reports said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared "war" and asserted that his country would extract an "unprecedented price" from its enemy.

(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, October 7: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chaired a high-level meeting with some top defence officials on Saturday and said that the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops", the official news agency WAFA quoted him as saying.

In the emergency meeting, President Abbas directed officials "to provide protection for the Palestinian people and provide all that is necessary to bolster the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in facing the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and settler gangs", WAFA reported. Israel Declares 'War' After 22 Killed in Massive Rocket Attack by Hamas Militants.

As per the WAFA news agency, he also gave directions to provide all that is necessary to bolster the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in facing the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and settler gangs. According to the latest reports, at least 5 people have been killed and over 100 injured in the Hamas rocket fire.

The centre and south of Israel came under heavy rocket fire for over 3.5 hours on Saturday morning, The Times of Israel reported. "Israel is in an emergency" and Lapid would back a "harsh military response" to Hamas's coordinated attack, a statement from the Opposition's leader's office said.

Earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that hundreds of rockets fired by Hamas terrorists hit Israel today. "Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation not an escalation- at war," Netanyahu said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.

"We are at war and we will win," he asserted in a video statement according to translation provided by Reuters. "Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known," he added. The Israeli PM's statement followed after rockets were launched from Gaza into IsraelIsrael Defence Minister Yoav Gallant approved the draft of reserve soldiers in accordance with the Israel Defence Force's requirements.

He further announced a "special security situation" in Israel's Homefront, within a 0-80 km radius of the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post reported, adding that this further enabled the IDF to provide civilians with safety instructions at "close and relevant sites". The daily reported earlier that after a barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel.

Following the attack, red alert warning sirens were activated in Tel Aviv, located around 70 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, as well as, Sde Boker, Arad, and Dimona in the south. In his first reaction after Hamas launched a "surprise attack", Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said Israel "was at war" and has ordered mobilization of reserves to give it back with the magnitude the enemy has not expected, asserting that they will "win it."

In a video statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Netanyahu stated, "We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out." Israel-Palestine Conflict: Israel Defence Forces Launch Operation 'Iron Swords' After Hamas' Surprise Attack.

Netanyahu has ordered the mobilization of reserves. He called on people of Israel to adhere to the directives of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Home Front Command. "At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it," Netanyahu said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Quito, Oct 7 (AP) Six Colombians arrested as the alleged assassins of a candidate in Ecuador's August presidential election were slain on Friday inside a prison in Guayaquil, officials announced, without providing details on what happened.

The prison authority said only that six prisoners killed inside Litoral Penitentiary were the men charged with the murder of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. It identified them as Jhon Gregore R., Andres Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andres R., Sules Osmini C. and Jose Neyder L.

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Earlier, the agency had reported that an event occurred inside the prison and six people were dead. Litoral is Ecuador's biggest prison and is considered one of its most dangerous, being the scene of several riots with deaths the past three years.

The killings came as the Prosecutor's Office was near the conclusion of the investigation stage into the killing of Villavicencio, who was gunned down August 9 while leaving a political rally.

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The 59-year-old politician had not been considered among the front-runners, but the assassination in broad daylight less than two weeks before the vote was a shocking reminder of the surge in crime besetting Ecuador. He had reported being threatened by affiliates of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the many international organized crime groups operating in Ecuador.

Villavicencio's alleged hitmen were captured hours after the crime and ordered held in preventive detention. Six other people also have been arrested for suspected involvement.

Although authorities released no information on the killings Friday, local media said the deaths occurred in pavilion 7, which officials have said is dominated by the local gang Los Choneros, led by Adolfo Macias. In his election campaign, Villaviciencio directly denounced Macias as the author of threats against his life.

President Guillermo Lasso, who is out of the country, wrote on the social network X, formerly called Twitter, that he would return to Ecuador to attend to the emergency.

Neither complicity nor cover-up, the truth will be known here, he said.

Ecuador is holding a runoff presidential election Oct. 15 pitting the two top finishers in the August vote  leftist Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker Daniel Noboa, who is the son of a banana tycoon. (AP)

(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 7 (ANI): The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan will be arriving in New Delhi tomorrow for a four-day state visit, during which she will participate in bilateral meetings and exchange MoUs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday

President Samia will arrive on Sunday at 5:15 pm and later will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at 6:30 pm.

Also Read | Israel-Palestine War: 198 Killed, More than 1,610 Injured in Gaza in Israeli Retaliation for Hamas Assault Into Israel, Says Palestinian Health Ministry.

Additionally, on October 9, the Tanzanian President will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhawan in the morning and then she will participate in the wreath-laying ceremony to be held at the Rajghat at 9:30 am.

Later on at 11:00 am, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the Tanzanian President and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged between the two countries.

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The second day will also witness press statements from both countries.

President Droupadi Murmu will also hold a formal meeting with the Tanzanian counterpart at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the evening at 6:30 pm.

On her third day of the state visit to India, President Samia will attend an event in New Delhi and will leave for his hometown on October 11.

A Presidential visit from Tanzania is taking place after a span of over 8 years. The upcoming visit will further invigorate and strengthen the historic and friendly relations between India and Tanzania, said the MEA release. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington DC, October 7: The White House is planning for a November meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco, The Washington Post reported. The meeting comes as an attempt to stabilize relations between the two countries, according to senior administration officials.

"It's pretty firm" that there will be a meeting, said one administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the engagement has not yet been announced formally. "We're beginning the process" of planning, the official said. Xi Jinping at SCO Summit 2023: China President Warns Against 'Colour Revolutions' and 'New Cold War'.

A second senior administration official said that Biden looks forward to meeting Xi, but that "nothing has been confirmed yet", The Washington Post reported. The officials said that plans will become clearer after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi comes to Washington in the coming weeks.

"China and the US are in communication on bilateral engagement and exchange," said Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, in an e-mail. "Both sides," he said, "need to work in the same direction, clear obstacles and manage differences with concrete actions, and enhance dialogue and expand cooperation in good faith." Joe Biden's Dog 'Commander' Involved in More Biting Incidents Than Reported, Says Report After US President's Pet Removed From White House.

As per The Washington Post, the in-person meeting would be the first between the leaders of the two largest economies since they met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last November. There, both presidents emphasized the importance of face-to-face diplomacy and expressed hope they could get US-China relations back on track.

(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 7 (PTI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Kalvakuntla Kavitha said the Women's Reservation Bill will inspire many women around the world to come forward in public life and called on women across continents to mobilise around the issue.

During an interaction organised by the think tank Bridge India in London on Friday night, the BRS Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) addressed a diaspora audience at Central Hall Westminster near the Houses of Parliament on the topic of Gender Equality in India's Political Representation'.

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The daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, who was virtually mobbed by the cheering diaspora crowds, highlighted the progress made in her own state that is leading the way in the representation of women in politics.

We are the world's most populous nation, and we are about 70 crore women; if a very positive change were to happen to the women of our nation, I believe the world should know because that will inspire many, many, many more women to come forward in public life, to become active participants in policy making, Kavitha told PTI with reference to her London tour.

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The Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, received the Parliamentary nod on September 21. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bill on September 28.

This bill, I'm very confident, will enable that to happen to the women of our nation, India, and India's progress will see more and more participation of women, that is the hope, the 45-year-old politician said.

Asked about stronger representation of women within political parties in the country, she admitted that parties have traditionally been slow in addressing the matter satisfactorily.

I would say India is a much younger democracy, which is 75 years old. There are many democracies across the globe which are 200 years old or more who have still not been able to reach the extent and level of women participation that we have reached today," she said.

"But that being said, the parties have to take the onus on themselves to make sure more and more women come in. And obviously, it's not happening, so it is for the Election Commission to step in. It is for more laws to be put in place to protect the places for women, she noted.

During her charged address that drew applause and cheers from the crowd, Kavitha said it pained her to state that inequality in public life is a reality around the world. She traced the journey of the Women's Reservation Bill that she had been campaigning for and was passed in the Lok Sabha last month  from former prime minister Deve Gowda in 1996 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023.

I sincerely thank all of them from the bottom of my heart for making this bill a reality. This is not just politics, but this is the respect these people have shown to the women of this great nation, she said.

She added, When I say Women's Reservation Bill, it is not only to make 181 women members of Parliament, but it is about billions and billions of women. When we talk about women, countries don't matter, there are no borders."

Across the globe, I don't know how men managed to subjugate us for centuries. Now, the time has come that women across continents should connect, and should take up these issues. Today, if India has this bill and some other country does not, I think it is the duty of Indian women to go help our sisters there, she said.

During some light-hearted moments in her hard-hitting speech, she acknowledged her very strong opinions and cautioned men to get used to hearing many more strong opinions from our sisters.

She also referenced the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which has a connection to Telangana, given its roots in the Golconda mines. The MLC said while the discussion over the return of the infamous diamond to India will go on forever, at least give us back Vijay Mallya  referencing the former Kingfisher Airlines chief based in the UK and wanted in India on fraud and money laundering charges.

Earlier on Friday, Kavitha commenced her tour to the UK with a visit to the Ambedkar Museum in north London and spoke of how she drew great inspiration from the principles of the architect of the Indian Constitution in her fight for gender equality.

MLC Kavitha's itinerary in the UK includes engagements with Indian diaspora groups, discussions on collaborative initiatives and participation in events to foster cultural exchange between the two countries.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Indian Air Force (IAF) Day is an annual celebration that is held on October 8. It was on this day in 1932 when the Air Force in India was officially established. The IAF is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces with the primary mission of securing Indian airspace and conducting aerial warfare during armed conflicts. Indian Airforce Day 2023 will be the 91st anniversary of the Indian Air Force on October 8. Here's all you need to know about the history and significance of the Indian Air Force Day.

Indian Air Force Day 2023 Date

Indian Air Force Day 2023 will be celebrated on Sunday, October 8.

Indian Air Force Day Significance

Indian Air Force Day is an important celebration that marks the establishment of the force in 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire. After Indias independence in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name of the Dominion of India. With the transition to a republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed. Air Force Day 2023: Over 100 Aircrafts Including Rafale Fighter Jets To Be Part of Air Show in Prayagraj on October 8, Says Air Marshal RGK Kapoor.

Indian Air Force Day History

The first operational squadron came into being in April 1933. Its first AC flight came into being on April 1, 1933, with six RAF-trained officers and 19 Havai Sepoys (air soldiers). The aircraft inventory consisted of four Westland Wapiti IIA army co-operation biplanes at Drigh Road as the A Flight nucleus of the planned No.1 (Army Co-operation) Squadron. After participation in World War II, the Air Force in India came to be called the Royal Indian Air Force in the mid-1940s.

The Indian Air Force plays a vital role in safeguarding the country's airspace and is responsible for aerial defense, strategic strikes, reconnaissance, and humanitarian missions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 07, 2023 09:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Zelenskyy asked Ukrainian citizens who are currently residing in the risk zone of Israel to obey all orders issued by local security services. He stated that Ukraine has established an operational headquarters to assist Ukrainians in Israel.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 7. The volume of cargo transported by rail between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan amounted to over 20 million tons from January to August 2023, which is 26.5 percent more than in 2022, Trend reports.

This was stated during a meeting between the leadership of Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ, national company) and the heads of the railway administrations of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in Astana.

At the same time, cargo transportation between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan increased by 12 percent from January to August 2023 compared to last year.

During the meeting, positive dynamics of cargo transportation between the countries were noted.

In addition, railway workers discussed current issues in the field of transport.

The parties discussed issues of further development of cooperation.

The discussion was about ensuring uninterrupted transportation of goods (coal, fuels and lubricants, food products) and improving the quality of services provided.

Freight turnover on the Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) network has increased to 179.1 billion net tons from January through August 2023, which is 7.7 percent higher than the same period last year.

More than 69 million tons of coal were transported by rail. Of these, 48 million tons were shipped throughout the republic, and 20.8 million tons were exported.

Over the past period, over 43.1 million tons were delivered to the thermal power plants, which is 950,000 tons more than the same period last year. Over 4.8 million tons of household coal were transported, which corresponds to the 2022 level.

Grain loading from January through August 2023 amounted to more than 7.7 million tons, which is 45 percent more than the same figure in 2022.
India, on Saturday, October 7, 2023, issued an advisory for its nationals in Israel after Hamas terrorists' attack on the Middle-Eastern country. "In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant. and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website (https://www.oref.org.il/en) or their preparedness brochure," India said in its advisory. India has also asked its nationals to call +97235226748 or message at consl.telaviv@mea.gov.in in case of emergency. Israel on Saturday morning declared a state of readiness for war, amid a massive barrage of 5000 rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration into its southern area, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others. Israel Declares State of Readiness for War After Massive Barrage of Rockets From Gaza Strip, Infiltration in Its Southern Area.

India Issues Advisory

India issues advisory for its nationals in Israel amid Hamas terrorists' attack on Israel pic.twitter.com/OqBYlCa6cH  ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2023

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep shock and solidarity with Israel following the terrorist attacks. He tweeted, "Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour." Modi joins a growing list of world leaders condemning the attack by Hamas militants, which resulted in at least 22 casualties. Israel Declares State of National Emergency Amid Hamas Attack.

Indian PM Modi Expresses Solidarity with Israel

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 7, 2023

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Venezuela opposition leader and former interim president Juan Guaido, who ran against President Nicolas Maduro, is now a wanted man in Venezuela as authorities order his arrest.

Venezuela Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced at a press conference that an arrest warrant has been issued for President Nicolas Maduro's main political rival. He alleged that Guaido used the state-owned oil company PDVSA's resources for personal expenses.

"Juan Guaido used PDVSA resources to finance himself, pay his legal expenses, and force PDVSA to accept his financing terms. These decisions caused losses to the nation of $19 billion, resulting in the almost definitive loss of Citgo," said the Venezuelan AG. He added that the country will request a red notice from Interpol.

According to CNN, he is also accused of alleged crimes of treason, usurpation of functions, profit or extraction of money, securities and public goods, and money laundering. At least 28 investigations have been conducted against the Venezuelan opposition leader, including for terrorism, arms trafficking, and treason.

The arrest warrant came as an upcoming presidential election is set to take place in Venezuela in 2024. Critics say that this will cast doubt on whether elections can be free and fair in a country infamous for its political repression.

US Expressing Concern Over Juan Guaido Arrest Warrant by Venezuela

As for the US reaction to the arrest warrant, Washington voiced concern as Guaido has been supported by the country in his bid in 2019 and is now living in exile there.

A US State Department spokesperson called the arrest warrant "political persecution against members of the democratic opposition." In addition, Barron's noted that the US also referred to an August 2021 agreement signed in Mexico between President Nicolas Maduro's government and the opposition where it would consider Guaido as the interim president.

READ MORE: Venezuelan Migrants Score Big Win as Joe Biden Grants Legal Status To 450,000 Asylum Seekers

The State Department spokesperson then pointed out that both parties agree to work toward a peaceful social and political coexistence that "rejects violence, guarantees political rights for all, and protects human rights."

The US and other democratic countries, especially those in the West, consider Guaido as the legitimate interim president of Venezuela.

Venezuela Opposition Leader Juan Guaido Stands Defiant Amid Arrest Warrant

Shortly after the arrest warrant against him was made, Juan Guaido took to social media to vow that President Maduro cannot stop him from pointing out his government's irregularities, according to WION.

"You (Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro) are accusing me now to also try to explain your supporting groups where is the money you stole. In addition, you used fake news to talk about the alleged 19 billion (US dollars) the country owes for the illegal issue of bonds in your case, expropriation since the (ex-President Hugo) Chavez era, among other things," he posted on Instagram.

He added, "Then, no Maduro, I did not allow you to kidnap me, I will not allow you to take my voice and I will keep reporting you wherever it is possible to do so."

Under Maduro, Venezuela has plunged into a massive economic crisis, forcing many to flee the country. Many Venezuelans now risk life and limb just to escape and brave the dangerous trek to find a better life in the US.

READ MORE: Mexico Files Diplomatic Complaint After Texas Breaks Boundaries Treaty With Floating Barriers

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Juan Guaido fears for family's safety back in Venezuela - WPLG Local 10
After Thursdays Route 22 crash that left a 22-year-old Bethlehem man dead, the alleged wrong-way driver who was involved remains hospitalized and has retained a criminal defense lawyer.

John Waldron, the attorney for the driver whose name has not been released, said Saturday his client has been transferred from one Lehigh Valley hospital facility to another.

He has various injuries, Waldron told lehighvalleylive.com. Hes going to have to have numerous surgeries and probably be in the hospital for quite a while.

The wreck involved three vehicles and claimed the life of John Michael Woodburn, who died of multiple blunt force trauma, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said Friday. The manner of death was ruled accidental.

The crash occurred about 10:40 a.m. Thursday when a red 2018 Chevrolet Silverado drove the wrong way on Route 22 near the Route 33 interchange in Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania State Police said. The pickup had been traveling the wrong way south on Route 33 North, then exited headed west onto Route 22 East from the Route 22 East ramp to Route 33 North, police said.

The pickup collided with a black 2002 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 76-year-old man from Wind Gap and a 1997 Honda Civic driven by Woodburn, whom Lysek pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the black Silverado also was taken to the hospital with injuries, police said.

Police continue to investigate the crash and have not publicly identified either the wrong-way driver or the other pickup truck driver.

Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck on Saturday said the investigation was ongoing and that the identifications likely would come from police.

Waldron said he was retained by the wife of the alleged wrong-way driver, identified by police as a 58-year-old man from Summit Hill, Pennsylvania, in Carbon County. A member of their family was familiar with Waldron, he said.

Waldron has been unable to speak to the driver directly, but has been communicating with his wife.

Ive been talking to her because shes very upset and worried, Waldron said. And Ive been trying to walk her through the potential scenario of what the DAs office may eventually do  and it takes time to do these investigations  if there are potential charges.

It remains unclear why the driver would have been headed against traffic on Routes 33 and 22, as police allege.

I think itll be a combination of eyewitnesses that are going to be interviewed by the state police and thatll take some time, Waldron said of the investigation he believes will also involve interviewing his client and reviewing any video police can obtain.

Its just a tragedy, but as to how it specifically happened, well have to piece that together, Waldron said.

Anyone who may have observed the red pickup traveling prior to the crash or may have video of the vehicle headed in the wrong direction is asked to call Pennsylvania State Police at Bethlehem at 610-8612026. The incident number to reference is PA2023-1306267.

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A man wanted in relation to a 2021 shooting in North Plainfield was recently arrested in Pennsylvania, authorities announced Friday.

Cristobal Avila, 32, of North Plainfield, was arrested on Sept. 30 in Easton, Pennsylvania by local police during a motor vehicle stop, according to a release from the Somerset County Prosecutors Office. Avila also produced a false government identification to police officers when they confronted him, authorities alleged.

The Easton Police Department contacted the office regarding the active fugitive warrants that were out for Avila, which included five counts of attempted murder and weapons-related offenses, investigators said.

Officials did not give many details about the alleged shooting, but said it occurred on April 12, 2021.

Avila will be extradited to New Jersey once the legal process in Pennsylvania concerning his charges there is completed, the office said. He will remain jailed there pending a sentencing hearing.

Attorney information for Avila was not immediately available.

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Wandy Bush was looking to specialize in a crop she felt passionate about after working at a farm in New Jersey that raised a little of everything, plus livestock.

So she planted garlic at her Dragonfly Hill Farm & Kitchen in Coopersburg. Its good for you, she reasoned, and the growing cycle agreed with her  plant it in October, harvest the scapes in June and the bulbs in July.

This year she raised 30,000 bulbs, and on Saturday she was at Easton Garlic Fest under a tent with a sign on the side advertising black garlic ice cream.

It starts with fermented garlic and was a must-try, according to David Figalgo, of Telford, Pennsylvania. The fermentation process makes the beneficial garlic compound called allicin more bioavailable, he said as he explained his journey into garlic to help cut his cholesterol.

When you eat the garlic-infused ice cream its almost like a caramel flavor with a little hint of coffee or a maple, Fidalgo said. Its something else. Its something you have to try.

Started in 2004 and celebrating its 20th year, Garlic Fest is being held Saturday and Sunday this weekend in and around Centre Square Easton, with numerous road closures to accommodate the crowds. Both the Fourth Street and South Third Street parking garages are open for parking at a flat rate of $20. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Saturdays festival weather started out warm and humid then turned breezy with a little rain ahead of clearing, more fall-like weather for the evening and Sunday.

There is much to sample, like the chicken and garlic wrap fresh off the grill from the Kfarsghab Club in Easton, garlic beer from Two Rivers Brewing Co. and a garlic pickleback shot from Pearly Bakers Alehouse. Items for sale to go include fresh garlic bulbs and, from JD Gourmet, basil garlic parmesan olive oil and garlic oil.

Other draws include cooking competitions and tastings, live music and childrens activities. The full vendor list, plus schedule of events, can be found at eastongarlicfest.com.

Victor Nivar, 15, from Bethlehem, munched on garlic fries and chicken tenders. Shelby Schraden, of Catasauqua, sipped a smoked bloody mary from Porters Pub that she highly recommended.

Its very garlicky, very dilly, very herbaceous, she said. We also had one from the 3rd & Ferry Fish Market earlier, and I would say this one is more pungent and garlic-tasting.

So far Ive only spotted two bloody marys, so thats the competition, but were on the hunt for more.

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JERUSALEM (AP)  Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday, killing dozens and stunning the country. Israel said it was now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an unprecedented price.

Several hours after the incursion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities near Gaza. Israels national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years. Also, an unknown number of Israeli soldiers and civilians had been seized and taken into Gaza.

At least 198 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed in Israels retaliation and at least 1,610 wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a former U.S. diplomat, said in a statement Saturday morning he was sickened by the videos and images of Hamas terrorists attacking, killing, and kidnapping innocent Israeli civilians in an unprecedented coordinated series of terrorist attacks.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who has been sidelined as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by federal corruption charges, condemned the murderous invasion by Hamas into Israel during its religious holidays.

Tammy and I are sickened by the videos and images of Hamas terrorists attacking, killing, and kidnapping innocent Israeli civilians in an unprecedented coordinated series of terrorist attacks.



We share the pain that so many are feeling today in Israel, NJ, and across the world. pic.twitter.com/nxn73zRfsh  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) October 7, 2023

The strength, sophistication and timing of the attack shocked Israelis, with images of Hamas gunmen bringing seized soldiers and civilians into Gaza on motorbikes and parading what appeared to be captured Israeli military vehicles through the streets. Videos on social media showed what appeared to be at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting God is Greatest.

The assault threatened to spiral into a greater conflict, mirroring previous Hamas-Israel conflicts that brought widespread death and destruction in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli communities.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, in turn, said the assault was in response to the continued blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al Aqsa  the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount  increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and continued growth of settlements. He said the morning attack was only the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

At a meeting of top security officials later on Saturday, Netanyahu said the first priority was to cleanse the area of enemy infiltrators, then to exact a huge price from the enemy, and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)AP

The serious incursion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.

Israeli TV broadcast footage of explosions tearing through the Gaza-Israel border fence, followed by what appeared to be Palestinian gunmen riding into Israel on motorcycles. Gunmen also reportedly entered on pickup trucks.

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

At least 561 wounded people were being treated in Israeli hospitals, including at least 77 who were in critical condition, according to an Associated Press count based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

The Hamas assault would have likely required months of planning. It comes at a time of mounting tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. Over the past year Israels far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there, and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site.

In a televised address, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

Western nations condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel, while others called for restraint on both sides.

The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

Watson said Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel, released a statement calling on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about " the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights.

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness and raised concerns about its deterrence over its enemies.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major escalation by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms. Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israels rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood.

We understand that this is something big, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.

Hecht declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. Thats a good question, he said.

Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against Israel. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)AP

Ismail Haniyeh, the exiled leader of Hamas, said that Palestinian fighters were engaged in these historic moments in a heroic operation to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Saturdays wide-ranging assault threatened to undermine Netanyahus reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel. It also raised questions about the cohesion of a security apparatus crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanons Hezbollah militant group.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.
Garlic Fest vendors were setting up Saturday morning in Easton amid continuing humid, warm air  with a change to fall weather imminent.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely before 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by a chance of showers, according to the National Weather Service forecast for Easton. Temperatures are forecast to plunge from a daytime high near 69 Saturday to around 44 overnight into Sunday, rising to near 59 on Sunday.

I would say its 100%, weather service meteorologist Ray Martin said of the chance for rain Saturday in Easton. As of about 9 a.m. it was starting to rain in Allentown, he said: And itll be in Easton not too long after that. So yeah, its definitely going to rain.

There is a chance for some quick bursts of heavy rain as the precipitation starts, before tapering off to lighter rain with some showers into the early and mid-afternoon Saturday, Martin said.

So there's rain in the Saturday forecast. Truth be told, we're not even sure just how much it might rain in. After all, rain was originally predicted for all day today, and we got little to none. We won't let the weather forecast put a damper on our event. https://t.co/Qpg5ouuhLo pic.twitter.com/19Nit71vhV  Easton Garlic Fest (@EastonGarlic) October 7, 2023

A cold front was set to move through the Lehigh Valley during the morning hours Saturday, meeting up with the warm, humid airmass that has been lingering for about a week, the weather service said in a forecast discussion for its region covering New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and the Delmarva peninsula.

Tonight will look and feel very different from the two previous overnight periods, the discussion stated about Saturday night. Lows in the 40s can be expected across the region with westerly winds around 10 mph. Skies will be mainly clear and dry advection will be in place.

Day 2 of Garlic Fest on Sunday in Easton is forecast as partly sunny. The weekend also is looking to be breezy in the Lehigh Valley, with a northwest wind at 10 to 15 mph on Saturday turning westerly Sunday but still at 10 to 15 mph.

Its going to feel like fall, Martin told lehighvalleylive.com.

Stay up-to-date with National Weather Service advisories for our region at weather.gov/phi, and visit lehighvalleylive.com/weather for your local forecast from AccuWeather, plus radar. Check airnow.gov for current air quality conditions in your area.

Current weather radar

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Victims of an octogenarian former Christian Brother who taught in a Kilkenny school and sexually abused 19 schoolboys almost 50 years ago have told a court they hope he spends the rest of his life in jail.

Several of the now 87-year-old teacher's victims were in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his sentence hearing today after he pleaded guilty to 19 sample counts of indecently assaulting 19 boys when he was a teacher in a County Kilkenny school in the 1970s.

The Waterford man, who can't be named to protect the anonymity of his victims, abused his students on dates between 1974 and 1978.

The man is currently serving a sentence of three years and two months after he was found guilty by a jury of 30 counts of indecently assaulting a further five boys at the same school on dates between 1975 and 1976 following a trial in May this year.

He had been due to face two further trials in relation to the remaining 19 complainants, but instead entered guilty pleas in July.

In a series of victim impact statements read out in court today, 10 of the man's 19 victims outlined the impact of the abuse, which continues to affect them to this day. Many described how they have struggled with anxiety and have difficulty trusting others and maintaining relationships. Some struggled with alcohol. Many of them kept the abuse a secret for years.

Patrick McGrath SC, prosecuting, told the court that an initial garda investigation into the abuse started in 1998 after a number of complainants came forward, but no prosecution occurred. A second 'extensive' investigation in recent years involving multiple complainants resulted in the former teacher being charged with the offences.

As well as the Kilkenny school, he worked in a number of schools around the country. He left the Christian Brothers in the 1990s.

The court heard the man regularly called his victims up to the top of the class, where he indecently assaulted them by touching them inappropriately. He kept boys back in class at lunch time or after school under the guise of helping them with their schoolwork before abusing them.

His victims, now men in their late 50s and early 60s, described how they were powerless as children and terrified of the man, who was also physically violent.

One complainant, who read out his victim impact statement in court, said the fact the man was in a religious order 'added salt to the wound'.

You feared you would not be believed - and worse  be in trouble for making up stories about a holy man, he told the court. He was protected not just by his profession, but by the habit he wore. We were powerless.

The complainant said 'everyone knew what had gone on' and in later years the man was remembered as 'dirty', but no-one wanted to admit they had been a victim.

He said the fact the man was finally being brought to justice was a relief and a weight off his shoulders. Forty-seven years was too long to wait, he said.

A second complainant who read out his statement in court said the man had 'cast a dark shadow' over his life. He ruined my life and my self-esteem and I hope he spends the rest of his life in jail, he said.

A further eight victim impact statements were read out in court by prosecuting counsel. Some described how they never told anyone except their partner. Others never told anyone at all until they received a phone call from investigating gardai.

The man was described by the complainants as 'huge' and 'scary'. The court heard he threatened to kill one boy if he told anyone about the abuse, threw another boy against a door when he tried to escape and told a third he would have his relatives who also worked in the school sacked if he came forward about the abuse.

A number of the man's victims described how he ruined their education, with a number dropping out of school early and others describing how they never reached their full potential. They reported feelings of anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares. One complainant said he suffered severe mental health issues in the wake of the abuse, including PTSD.

One man described how he could never tell his parents because they were 'good Catholics'. Another said he told his mother what had happened to him years later and believed she died 'broken-hearted' as a result.

Another complainant said the teacher 'sexually, physically and mentally assaulted me'. You're a monster and I hope you rot in prison, he said in his statement.

In her plea of mitigation, Kathleen Leader SC, defending, said the man has a number of serious health issues, including prostate cancer and secondary bone cancer. He is undergoing chemotherapy for these cancers, which are not curable, the court heard. He has heart disease and arthritis.

The court heard the man entered the Christian Brothers when he was 16 years old. He was described by his neighbours as kind and considerate in testimonials handed into court. Ms Leader said the man had no previous convictions until he was found guilty of the other indecent assaults earlier this year.

I would ask the court not to impose a lengthy sentence that my client will have no hope of ever being released from, due to his advanced years, defence counsel said.

Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the matter for sentencing on October 16.
A ceremony is being held in an Irish village to mark a year since 10 people died in an explosion at a service station.

Voice of an Angel was played as the memorial service began just before 3pm.

Locals were silent as they gathered at the street leading to the site of the blast.

Four men, three women and three young people, ranging in age from five to 59, died in the blast that took place in the Co Donegal village of Creeslough on the afternoon of Friday October 7 last year.

Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine ODonnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, fashion student Jessica Gallagher, Celtic fan Martin McGill, Sydney native James OFlaherty, shop worker Martina Martin, carpenter Hugh Hughie Kelly and 14-year-old Leona Harper were killed in the explosion.

A vigil mass is to take place at 7.30pm at St Michaels Church to remember those who died and those who were injured, and to thank the first responders to the scene.

The rescue and recovery effort, involving members of the community and emergency services on both sides of the border, was praised and sympathies were shared from across the world in the aftermath of the explosion.

A year on, no update has been given publicly on what caused the explosion.

Irish police previously said the incident was being treated as a tragic accident, with a gas leak considered as one possibility.

An Garda Siochana said ahead of the anniversary that its investigation was continuing as expeditiously as possible.

It said that over 1,350 lines of inquiry had been actioned and more than 900 statements had been taken.

Various Garda agencies are involved in the investigation and are being assisted by the Norwegian company Det Norske Veritas, which specialises in investigating and testing energy systems.

Ahead of the anniversary date, the families of those who died requested that the media respect their privacy.

Irelands premier Leo Varadkar said: Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones and the community in Creeslough today and every day. Seasimid libh.

Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said he was thinking of the people of Creeslough today, one year on since the terrible tragedy.

We remember the 10 lives lost, those injured, their families, and an entire community united in grief, Mr Martin said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Liam Kenny looks back to the opening of the Naas By-Pass forty years ago this month..

Motorway opens up a new era sang the front-page headline of this newspaper in the first week of October 1983 as it heralded the official opening of the Naas By-Pass, the first stretch of motorway standard road in the Republic of Ireland.

For decades previously the town of Naas had gained notoriety as a wretched bottle-neck for the increasing numbers of drivers heading to the capital from the south of Ireland. Queues and jams that might have been tolerable in the 1950s became monstrous by the late 1960s and it was clear that action would have to be taken.

However, in a country where the dynamics of local politics prioritised tarring rural roads over putting in place efficient inter-city routes, progress was slow.

And, indeed, it might have been just as well that the engineers did not rush to by-pass Kildares county town. One of the early proposals for a by-pass by filling in the disused canal branch. The waterway managed to escape being filled-in for a link road and survived to become a valued amenity for modern Naas.

And there were local commercial reservations which delayed progress towards relieving Naas of its burden of national traffic. In the 1960s Naas shopkeepers sent objections to the County Council on the basis that a by-pass would deprive them of lucrative passing trade. Ironically, a decade later, some of the same traders were pleading with the Council to deliver relief from the towns congestion as the through traffic was overwhelming their local customers for road space.

When planning did begin in earnest for the motorway there was one further hurdle. Government floated the idea that the planned Naas By-Pass would become the Republics first tolled new build. Minister of State Ruairi Quinn, T. D. was despatched from the Customs House to sell the idea to a meeting of Kildare County Councillors in Naas. In an era before mobile phones there were intriguing scenes as the Minister shuttled to and back to a landline in the Councill offices attempting to win concessions from his Dublin mandarins in an ultimately futile effort to convince Kildare councillors to set a toll.

Construction of the motorway began in late 1980 along an eight-kilometre route from Johnstown to Newhall running between Naas and Sallins. There was little or no opposition to the project and care was paid to the concerns of landowners with accommodation bridges provided to facilitate those whose holdings were intersected by the bulldozed corridor.

And so, after three years of shifting Kildare soil, and having laid a surface as smooth as an airport runway, the day of the opening loomed. Most Naas people were too caught up in the happenings of daily life to register the momentous change that was taking place in the national status of their town. For more than eight centuries the old highways to Dublin from the Norman baronies of the south-east such as Kilkenny and Waterford, and, separately, from the old counties of the south such as in Limerick and Tipperary, converged at what was known in the day as Murtaghs Corner. Such an ancient coming together was sometimes colourful on the day of an all-Ireland final when supporters from say Kilkenny in their black-and-amber draped cars met at Murtaghs Corner with the stream of green-and-white decked vehicles from the Limerick direction  all heading for Croke Park.

Such scenes would be no more from the 4 th of October 1983 when a gathering of VIPs was present for the official opening of the road with the tape-cutting taking place at the Johnstown end.

The ribbon opening the eighteen-million-pounds road was cut by Mr Dick Spring, T.D., then Minister for the Environment flanked by Cllr Patsy Lawlor of Kill, Chair of Kildare County Council and by Cllr Pat OReilly, Chair of Naas Urban District Council.

The Leinster Leader reflecting the momentous nature of the occasion covered the opening in detail with reporter John Lynch ensuring that all the key people involved were recorded for posterity. These included J G Ward, Co-Manager and J A Carrick, Co Engineer.

Particular mention was given to Kildare County Councils road design team which had devised the motorway project in-house at a time when there was no national quango to take on such projects. The team was headed by Naas man, Dick Burke, Senior Design Engineer, backed by Oliver McCarthy, Chief Structural Engineer, and Peter Thorne, Chief Civil Engineer and heading an engineering staff which included Senior Resident

Engineers - Charlie Byrne, John Lahart, Gerry OBrien, and Tom Tinsley. Their drawing office included Liam Carroll, Michael Dooley and Pat Cleary whose collective expertise was employed in later years by other counties progressing road developments.

Delivering on the ground to carve the corridor through the east Kildare countryside were Staff Overseers Michael Duignan, Paddy Egan, Christy Cullen, Vincent Keogh, Oliver Callaghan, Mattie Leonard, Tom Farrell and Bob Connor.

There were scores of others working for the contractors on excavating and building embankments. Their labours yielded the first stretch of motorway in the Republic of Ireland  a modest 8km which has now extended to some 900km of motorway corridor throughout Ireland.

The significance of the new road was not alone through relieving the long-suffering residents of Naas of the river of steel flowing through their town.

A foreign journalist who had been present at the official opening on that October day four decades ago filed his report which observed that the last nail in the coffin of Eamon de Valeras vision of a simple and frugal Ireland has been hammered in with the opening of the Republic of Irelands first motorway.

So, the Naas by-pass became a cultural marker in the trajectory of late 20th century as well as being a much sought improvement to the national roads network.
The Dock hosts three individual exhibitions showing the work of Banbha McCann, Fionna Murray, and Andy Parsons. Each artist presents paintings reflecting intimacy, memory, and joy in remembered, imagined, and constructed spaces.

Through her work, Dublin-based Banbha McCann explores questions of material reality, the emotional charge of spaces and things, and how these concerns overlap and combine in our environment.

The Picture Show series explores how intimacy is often depicted in cinema. Taking imagery from the film 'To Catch a Thief', where, to avoid censorship, Hitchcock cuts away from a romantic embrace between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly to a firework display. While signifying a chemical reaction/attraction, the fireworks also hint at a more intimate private act. Banbha McCann's paintings repeat motifs from the film as she explores our emotive response to imagery and symbolism and unravels the real from the stage.

Banbha is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Creative Ireland, and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Her works are in many collections, including the OPW and the Arts Council of Ireland.

London-born Fionna Murray studied at Chelsea College of Art before moving to Ireland and graduating with an MFA at the University of Ulster in 1997. Living and working in Galway, she has exhibited widely throughout Ireland, the UK, and Europe.



London-born Fionna Murra work

Fionna's work refers to urban parks as in-between places of respite within the wider complexity of the city. Using imagery drawn from observation and memory, from film, books and music, she creates a fragmentary world where the idea of the park as an open space of play and spontaneity is laid parallel to the idea of painting as a place of artifice and possibility.

Addressing past and present, intimacy and distance, she questions the differences between what is real and what is painted through these humorous yet melancholic images.

As a widely collected artist, Fionna is a member of Artspace Studios, Galway and lectures in painting at the School of Design and Creative Arts, Atlantic Technological University, Galway.

Through 'The Dancers', Sligo-based artist Andy Parsons explores the universality of music and dance and the idea of joy, using imagery based on nightclubbing and the Northern Soul scene.



Sligo-based artist Andy Parsons Nightclub 4 work

Originally released in the 1960s, the music known as Northern Soul did not enjoy commercial success immediately but subsequently became popular in clubs in Northern England as part of an underground scene in the 1970s and '80s and has become a worldwide phenomenon.

A working-class movement, Northern Soul has much in common with the rave scene of the late '80s and early '90s. Music and dance are often central to people's stories about their lives and are recounted as moments of pure joy.

The sense that as music and dance evolve, they still retain their universal importance as part of our emotional lives and identity is something that Parsons explores in his work.

In addition to the exhibitions and in association with The Dancers, two other events are also taking place at The Dock: on October 13 at 8pm, the event will include a tour of the Andy exhibition given by the artist, followed by the showing of Northern Soul, a documentary about the music and the era.

On Friday, October 27, The Dock invites the audience to a Northern Soul dance night. DJ Carl Brennan will play unstoppable '60s soul music in the Gallery. The events are supported through the Night-Time Economy After Hours at the Museum scheme. While admission is free, advance booking is advisable for these events.

Exhibitions are open until December 02 from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm. Admission is free of charge.

For further information about these three exhibitions and the associated events, please check out www.thedock.ie.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 7. Transit of Russian gas to Uzbekistan will help modernize the gas transportation infrastructure of Kazakhstan, said President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the ceremony of launching the export of Russian gas to Uzbekistan via the Central Asia - Center gas pipeline passing through the Kazakh territory, Trend reports.

"The gas industry plays a large, one might say special, role in the sustainable socio-economic progress of our states. Therefore, this project is in the interests of all parties involved," he said.

Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan completed the preparation of the main gas pipeline on its territory in a timely manner and in full.

"The project will ensure the diversification of Russian gas export supplies, will contribute to the expansion and modernization of Kazakhstan's gas transportation infrastructure and will help meet Uzbekistan's growing needs for natural gas in the amount of up to 3 billion cubic meters per year. It will also give a powerful impetus to the industrial development of our countries, improve the business climate, and improve the living standards of citizens," he added.

Russia today has launched gas exports to Uzbekistan via the Central Asia  Center gas pipeline, passing through the territory of Kazakhstan.

The export launch ceremony was attended by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

In June 2023, Chairman of the Board of Gazprom Alexey Miller and Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov signed a contract for the supply of Russian gas to Uzbekistan and a roadmap for preparing the republics gas transportation system for its acceptance and transportation.

Gazprom also signed an agreement with Kazakhstans QazaqGaz to provide services for the transportation of Russian natural gas through Kazakhstan for consumers in Uzbekistan.

The two-year agreement assumes a supply volume of 9 million cubic meters per day, almost 2.8 billion cubic meters per year.
An exciting new initiative, Leitrims Were Breastfeeding Friendly was launched this week in the Landmark Hotel to coincide with National Breastfeeding Week. The 2023 theme of National Breastfeeding week is Making our communities and workplaces more breastfeeding friendly.

Were Breastfeeding Friendly Leitrim aims to improve the health and wellbeing of breastfeeding mothers, children, and their families by encouraging businesses, organisations, and communities and society as a whole to go the extra mile and become even more Breastfeeding Friendly. The project is being funded by Healthy Ireland, a Government-led initiative which aims to create an Irish society where everyone can enjoy physical and mental health, and where wellbeing is valued and supported at every level of society.

Cllr Justin Warnock, Cathaoirleach, Leitrim County Council said Local campaigns like Were Breastfeeding Friendly Leitrim are examples of how businesses, organisations and statutory bodies can come together in the name of health and wellbeing, in this case supporting families who choose to breastfeed their children. We are determined to continue our collaborative work with Healthy Ireland and create opportunities to further enhance the health and wellbeing of all who live in County Leitrim.

Cara ONeill, HSE Head of Health and Wellbeing in Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, and Sligo acknowledged the importance of Breastfeeding Friendly Leitrim and said the HSE is delighted to support this initiative.

Speaking at the launch, Ciara Turbett and Aisling Logan Heaney, breast-feeding mothers from Leitrim welcomed the initiative. It is wonderful to see Leitrim County Council and Healthy Ireland working towards making our community more breastfeeding friendly. Its through initiatives like this that we can truly begin to normalise breastfeeding. Seeing other mothers feeding out and about can really encourage new mothers and give them the confidence to do the same. The businesses and other organisations that are participating are sending a message that says they value and understand the importance of supporting breastfeeding and that is to be commended.

As organisers of a local breastfeeding support group we would encourage anyone pregnant to call to a group or make contact. Come along and see what breastfeeding is like and chat to mothers to learn what to expect. It takes a village to raise a baby but also takes support to encourage, empower and instil confidence in a new parent.

Lorraine Mulvey, Healthy Leitrim Coordinator, said: Were Breastfeeding Friendly Leitrim forms part of a wider vision for family friendly spaces in Leitrim. I encourage any business, community group or organisation that has premises open to the general public to sign up to the campaign to receive recognition as a breastfeeding friendly space in County Leitrim. We are grateful to the Leitrim hotels, community centres, recreation facilities, restaurants, libraries, and health centres who are already signed up to and are actively participating in the Were Breastfeeding Friendly Leitrim campaign.

Interested participants can sign up for the by visiting http://breastfeedingfriendly.leitrimcoco.ie or by emailing healthyleitrim@leitrimcoco.ie

More coverage and photos of the event in next week's Leitrim Observer.
There is currently no active Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Intellectual Disability [CAMHS ID] Service in Sligo Leitrim and Donegal CHO1 area, it was highlighted at a recent meeting of the HSE North West Forum.

In response to a query by Cllr Declan Bree, Dermot Monaghan, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation, (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo) said currently there is no CAMHS ID waiting list for children.

He said that "approval is in place to progress with recruitment of consultants required for this service and the recruitment process has commenced."

Maria Bridgeman, Chief Officer, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare said that HSE Mid West Community Healthcare has engaged a locum Mental Health Intellectual Disability (MHID) Consultant Psychiatrist to provide two clinics per month.

"Given this limited availability of a MHID Consultant, there are currently 65 children on the waiting list for this clinic, with a waiting list that dates back to three years.

"However, we have successfully recruited a MHID Consultant for Mid West Community Healthcare who is taking up a position in November 2023. This will significantly enhance the service for children with MHID and will reduce the waiting times."

Cllr Bree had asked what the average time that a child in the Regional Health Forum West area must wait before being called for assessment with John Fitzmaurice, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare West responding that Community Healthcare West CAMHS do not have IT-enabled patient administration systems (PAS).

"As a result, all case tracking is manual. While we do have clinically managed referral and appointment lists, and waiting lists if necessary, we cannot and do not measure average wait times as it would entail placing an excessive additional burden on our limited CAMHS Community Mental Health Team resources," he said.
Nabors Industries Ltd. Third Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call Invitation





HAMILTON, Bermuda, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nabors Industries Ltd. (NYSE: NBR) invites you to join Anthony G. Petrello, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and William Restrepo, Chief Financial Officer, Thursday October 26, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. Central Time for a discussion of operating results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2023. Nabors will release earnings after the market closes on October 25, 2023.

Date: October 26, 2023 Time: 1:00 p.m. CT (2:00 p.m. ET) Dial-in-number(s):



US Toll Free: (888) 317-6003

Canada Toll Free: (866) 284-3684

International: (412) 317-6061

Participant Elite Entry Number: 3316671

Please call ten to fifteen minutes ahead of time to ensure proper connection.

The conference call will be recorded and available for replay for one week, until 4:00 p.m. CST on November 02, 2023. To hear the recording, please call (877) 344-7529 in North America or (412) 317-0088 internationally and enter Participant Elite Entry Number: 4807013.

Nabors will have a live audio webcast of the conference call available on its website at www.nabors.com. To join the webcast, navigate to the Investor Relations page and then select Events Calendar. An electronic version of the earnings release and, if applicable, any supplemental presentation also will be available to download from the website.

About Nabors

Nabors Industries Ltd. (NYSE: NBR) is a leading provider of advanced technology for the energy industry. With operations in more than 15 countries, Nabors has established a global network of people, technology and equipment to deploy solutions that deliver safe, efficient and responsible energy production. By leveraging its core competencies, particularly in drilling, engineering, automation, data science and manufacturing, Nabors aims to innovate the future of energy and enable the transition to a lower-carbon world. Learn more about Nabors and its energy technology leadership: www.nabors.com.

Investor Contacts

For further information regarding Nabors, please contact William C. Conroy, CFA, Vice President of Corporate Development & Investor Relations at +1 281-775-2423, via email at [email protected] or Kara Peak, Director of Corporate Development & Investor Relations at +1 281-775-4954, via email at [email protected]. To request investor materials, contact Nabors' corporate headquarters in Hamilton, Bermuda at +1 441-292-1510 or via email at [email protected].

SOURCE Nabors Industries Ltd.

Related Links

www.nabors.com

SOURCE Nabors Industries Ltd.

6 october 2023 at 17:23

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El Paso Electric Releases Request for Proposals for Renewable Energy for New Mexico





El Paso Electric Company (EPE) issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) to obtain short-term and/or long-term renewable energy resources for its New Mexico customers by 2027 (2023 NM RPS RFP). The objective of this RFP is to obtain cost effective and reliable renewable electric resources to comply with the New Mexico Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements. The New Mexico Renewable Energy Act (REA) requires EPE to meet 40% of its New Mexico retail energy sales with renewable energy resources beginning in 2025, increasing to 50% in 2030. Only renewable energy that is delivered to EPE and assigned to New Mexico customers is eligible for RPS requirements under the REA.

The RFP welcomes all forms of renewable energy resources, particularly those that come bundled with their associate Renewable Energy Certificates and attributes as defined by the REA. As part of New Mexico's RPS, EPE has identified the need for short-term and/or long-term resources that will generate approximately 150,000 megawatt hours per year of additional renewable energy by May 1, 2025, if achievable, but no later than May 1, 2027.

"At EPE, we continue to experience a two percent customer base growth rate year-over-year, which inevitably leads to an increase in energy usage and customer demand," shares President and CEO Kelly A. Tomblin. "Leading environmental sustainability is one of our strategic anchors as we continue to develop and innovate how we reliably provide energy to our customers in compliance with the New Mexico Renewable Energy Act. That is why we are looking forward to integrating greater amounts of renewable energy."

Prospective bidders have until Friday, November 3, 2023, to submit a Notice of Intent to bid. The full 2023 NM RPS RFP can be found at epelectric.com, here.

About El Paso Electric

El Paso Electric is a regional electric utility providing generation, transmission and distribution service to approximately 460,000 retail and wholesale customers in a 10,000-square mile area of the Rio Grande valley in west Texas and southern New Mexico.

Facebook @ElPasoElectric | www.epelectric.com | Twitter @ElPasoElectric

6 october 2023 at 18:05

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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Fox News, on September 21, 2023. SAUDI PRESS AGENCY / VIA REUTERS

As the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu was wrapping up in New York on Wednesday, September 20, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman voiced his support for the Biden administration's negotiations on a normalization agreement with Israel on the conservative Fox News channel. "Every day, we get closer [to an agreement]. it seems its for the first time this one is serious. We're going to see how it goes (...)," said the 38-year-old crown prince, known as "MBS." He went on to say that "if the Biden administration succeeds, it would be the biggest historical deal since the Cold War."

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Normalization with Israel: Saudi Arabia shows signs of openness

"We hope [the negotiations] will reach a place that will ease the life of the Palestinians and get Israel as a player in the Middle East," continued MBS. While presenting the Palestinian issue as "very important" and that it needs to be "solved," the young monarch refused to get into the details of Saudi demands on the matter. Speaking of "needs" rather than rights, he seemed far from making recognition of Israel conditional upon the creation of a Palestinian state, as provided for in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, the brainchild of the late Crown Prince Abdullah, which is still officially endorsed by the kingdom. Nor did he express any reservations as to the advisability of Riyadh sealing an agreement with Netanyahu, leader of the most right-wing coalition in Israel's history, who makes no secret of his desire to annex entire swathes of the West Bank.

Bin Salman went to great lengths to justify the concessions he is demanding from the United States  a defense pact, sophisticated weapons, and support for a civilian nuclear program  concessions that face resistance in the US Congress. He called for closer security and economic cooperation, deeming it "crucial" for the United States as much as for Saudi Arabia, for security in the Middle East and the world. The Saudi strongman sought to strike a chord with American officials, who are concerned about Riyadh's rapprochement with China, saying he wanted to "save effort and headache on the Saudi side for not switching to other places."

Portrait of the new Saudi Arabia

In response to concerns in the United States and Israel about the development of a civilian nuclear program on Saudi soil, including uranium enrichment, bin Salman tried to convince everyone that his objective was not to acquire nuclear weapons, which he considers "a bad move." However, he reiterated his position that if Iran were to acquire such a weapon, "[Saudi Arabia] have to get one, for security reasons, for balancing power in the Middle East," but that this is not his goal.

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Migrants in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on October 4, 2023. DAVID PEINADO FOR LE MONDE

On Thursday, October 5, American President Joe Biden reiterated that he still doesn't believe in the effectiveness of a border wall with Mexico, vaunted by his predecessor Donald Trump. At the start of his term, the Democratic leader put a stop to the use of funds earmarked for the Corps of Engineers to build it. While he is denying any turnaround on the issue, his actions give a different impression, after he decided to use a budget line specifically allocated in 2019 by Congress to continue this undertaking. There is nearly $200 million (188 million) left to be used before the end of 2023. This leaves the White House claiming to be avoiding waste, as Congress has refused to repurpose this money for other projects.

The announcement had gone unnoticed in June, but the details published on Thursday come at a time of deep migration and political crisis, putting the administration on the defensive. The controversy also coincides unhappily with Thursday's visit to Mexico by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, accompanied by a very large delegation of US officials. Among them was Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who stressed: "From day one, this administration has made clear that a border wall is not the answer. That remains our position and our position has never wavered."

Release of the funds would enable the construction of barriers and roads in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, over a distance of around 32 kilometers, to limit the massive influx of undocumented migrants. "There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers (...) to prevent unlawful entries," Mayorkas explained in an announcement in the US Federal Register. To this end, 26 federal and environmental laws could be suspended, to speed up implementation.

It's a way of alienating both organizations concerned with the preservation of endangered species and the left wing of the Democratic Party, concerned with the rights of migrants. Maxwell Frost, a young member of the House of Representatives from Florida, said he was "deeply disappointed," believing that "building a border wall is equivalent to sticking our heads in the sand." Meanwhile, Trump was triumphant. "As I have stated often, over thousands of years, there are only two things that have consistently worked, wheels, and walls!" he wrote on his Truth Social network. Under his presidency, 737 kilometers of barriers and various forms of separation were built, at a cost of $16 billion. But this was mainly to replace existing structures. Only 75 kilometers of new walls were built. Contrary to Trump's repeated assertions, the Mexican authorities did not spend a single dollar on this work. What's more, long stretches of the nearly 3,200-kilometer border remain uncovered.

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A 7.5m investment will transform a former Limerick convent into a home for those suffering from isolation and loneliness.

The Sisters of Mercy donated the convent and the former St Joseph's Secondary School on the same campus in Doon to Ballyhoura Rural Services in April 2019.

The conversion of the convent building is planned to commence in the next few months, said a spokesperson for Ballyhoura Rural Services.

Securing of funding has taken considerable time given the scale of funding required, but contracts for a State grant of 7.5m have recently been signed which now allows the project to proceed.

It will provide a mix of single and double-bedroom apartments totalling 23 altogether. Apartment occupants will be aged 50 plus and will have lifetime tenancies.

These are independent living apartments but as the occupants age, assisted living options will be considered in future years subject to HSE funding, said the spokesperson.

Community space will be available in the former chapel and there will also be a full restaurant on site which will be open to the wider east Limerick community.

This is great news for the community of Doon given the prominence of the building in the village and will be a huge help in the rejuvenation of the village and surrounding area, said the spokesperson.

There are also plans for the former girls school on the site.

This building is around 33,000 square feet and is becoming more and more dilapidated and unsafe. Action is desperately needed to avoid long term decay and a line of funding is currently being worked upon for the refurbishment of this building, said the spokesperson.

An additional 9m is required to turn the school into a planned mother and child reconciliation programme directed at young mothers from the Mid-West who have experienced substance abuse in the past, have successfully completed a rehabilitation programme, and are ready to reunite with their children. There will be a publicly available onsite creche and preschool facility.

Ballyhoura Rural Services (BRS) chairman John Walsh said they are delighted to be able to bring forward these projects that are so badly needed.

From a Doon village perspective, it is also great to see the redevelopment of these buildings which are currently very unsightly in Doon village, and which will make a really positive impact on the village when complete.

"We are currently working hard on finalising funding for the school building which will be in the order of an additional 9m which will further boost the local economy, said Mr Walsh.

More than 80 will be employed during construction and when the work is completed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Slovenia is interested in expanding cooperation to new areas of mutual interest, including investment and innovation, a source at Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend.

"Given the characteristics of both economies, there are opportunities for strengthening economic cooperation in practically all areas, particularly in the field of energy, water management, information and communication technologies, automotive industry, infrastructure projects in the field of railways, agriculture," the MFA representative said.

The intergovernmental agreement on economic cooperation between Slovenia and Uzbekistan signed on February 8 of 2023 has laid the legal groundwork for a collaborative effort aimed at bolstering economic ties.

"The primary objective of the agreement is to identify potential business prospects and bridge the gap between businesses and government authorities," the source said.

Slovenia, renowned for its expertise in beekeeping, also expressed its willingness to share its knowledge and experience in this field with Uzbekistan, potentially leading to advancements in apiculture.

Meanwhile, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has adopted a resolution dated July 5, 2023, that approves the previously signed international agreement between the two countries.

Moreover, the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan has been designated as the responsible authority for implementing this international agreement and ensuring its successful execution.
A LIMERICK man accused of stealing 70,000 from a woman now aged in her 80s has been sent forward to the circuit court.

An accountant by profession - Sean Higgins, aged 72, of Ballinvana, Kilmallock - was charged with a total of 13 offences under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, before the local court.

Twelve of the alleged offences relate to false accounting with one count of theft of 73,722.66 from a client. It is alleged the offences took place between 2007 and 2016.

Detective Sergeant Ted Riordan, of Bruff garda station, gave evidence of arresting, charging and cautioning the defendant on the morning of the court.

He had nothing to say to each of the charges, said Det Sgt Riordan, who gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on Mr Higgins.

State solicitor Aidan Judge applied for the case to be returned for trial to the next sitting of Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

Mr Higgins was represented by Ted McCarthy, solicitor, during the brief procedural matter.

There was no State objection to bail subject to a number of conditions including Mr Higgins is not to commit any offences or have any contact with the alleged injured party which includes social media.

Judge Patricia Harney gave Mr Higgins the alibi warning before sending the case forward to the next sitting of Limerick Circuit Court.
A STUDENT was convicted of drug driving after being stopped at a garda checkpoint in Limerick in the morning time, Newcastle West Court heard.

Luke McCormack, aged 30, with an address at Sluggary, Raheen, Limerick city pleaded guilty to the offence which took place on December 20, 2022.

Garda Leanne McCarthy said she was conducting a checkpoint on the N21 at Monearla, Adare at 11.50am.

He failed an oral fluid preliminary drug test for cannabis. He was arrested and conveyed to Henry Street garda station. A doctor was called and a blood specimen was taken, said Garda McCarthy.

The court heard it showed the defendant was over the limit for cannabis. Garda McCarthy said Mr McCormack has no previous convictions.

John Lynch, solicitor for the accused, asked if his client co-operated fully on the day.

Yes. He also rang me to tell me he had moved address, said Garda McCarthy.

My Lynch said Mr McCormack is a young man studying at the art and design college.

He is living with his grandmother. He knows he is facing some time off the road. He apologises to the court and to gardai, said Mr Lynch.

Judge Carol Anne Coolican disqualified Mr McCormack from driving for one year and fined him 500.
ONE of the prime restaurant and bar locations in Limerick city didnt receive one bid when it went up for auction.

Most recently home to The Establishment - and a number of other eateries over the years - the property at Bishop's Quay, Limerick city, went under the hammer on Friday, September 22 at noon.

It was brought to the market by ODonnellan and Joyce Auctioneers. It had been due to be sold at auction on July 21 but it was postponed until the next available auction date in September.

There was an advised minimum value of 590,000.

Speaking earlier in the summer, tThe Galway-based auctioneers said they were delighted to offer for sale a high profile commercial unit located in the heart of Limerick city.

Mary Fahy, senior auction sales negotiator, told the Limerick Leader in July that it was only advertised for sale for a short period of time but they had already received a number of enquiries from interested parties.

There seems to be strong interest from the parties that have called thus far, said Ms Fahy, who confirmed they were from Limerick and one was a restaurateur.

It is a wonderful opportunity, it is in a great location and it could be used for a restaurant / bar again, said Ms Fahy, who spoke of the stunning views of the River Shannon.

It could also be redeveloped for retail, she added.

Interest from the parties appears to have waned over the summer as when its lot number was called on September 22 there were no bids for The Establishment.

It remains on the market and is for sale by private treaty with ODonnellan and Joyce Auctioneers. They say Riverpoint is a landmark Limerick city centre building which includes various commercial businesses along with overhead apartments.

Neighbouring occupiers include the Limerick City Hotel, McGettigan's bar and restaurant and Henry Street garda station.

Bishop's Quay is also home to 1BQ - the ongoing 80m development on the site of the former ESB building.

Once completed, the nine-storey building will comprise 110,000 square feet of high-spec office space, 34 luxury apartments, retail space for hospitality businesses and more than 100 underground car parking spaces.

The Establishment is located a stones throw away - the ground floor is entirely open plan with a glass facade fronting onto Bishop's Quay with ample seating capacity along with relevant staff facilities.

The first floor extends to an open plan bar and lounge area with an external balcony terrace area overlooking The River Shannon.
FORMER European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley said 750,000 people applied for 250,000 tickets at this years Ryder Cup in Rome so Limerick can expect a huge influx of fans in 2027 but where will they all stay?

As well as traditional accommodation like hotels and B&Bs many homeowners are more than happy to fore-go their home for a week or 10 days. Dozens of homes in Limerick and surrounding counties have been advertised for rent for tens of thousands of euros.

Another option that Limerick Live understands is being looked at is huge cruise ships docking in Foynes. Five cruise ships can be accommodated at anchorage which is located 1 nautical mile from Foynes Port tender quay.

Passengers are tendered ashore to Foynes Yacht Club Pontoon and from there commute the 16 miles onto Adare Manor or fly by helicopter. If the new road is completed it would be an ideal way of transporting thousands of fans to the Ryder Cup before returning to their cabin at night to reflect on the days play.

With depths in some parts of the estuary up to 32m, the estuary is considered one of the deepest, most sheltered ports in the world.

Cruise ships could be the perfect solution for large American companies or corporations wishing to bring groups of clients to the Ryder Cup as a thank you for their business and further cement relationships.

Limerick Live contacted a number of companies including Cruise Lowdown, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line asking if they are considering availing of the deep water port in Foynes for Ryder Cup 2027 but there have been no responses at this time.
AN INNOVATIVE new collaboration between University of Limerick (UL) and the Department of Health will involve refugees and migrants directly in the development of public health policy.

UL has launched a new public health partnership between the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Refugee and Migrant Health, based in ULs School of Medicine, and the Department of Health.

The Refugee and Migrant Health Partnership is funded by the Department of Health and is designed to involve refugees and migrants directly in the development of public health policy and will also fund bursaries for related teaching programmes and scholarships.

The WHO Collaborating Centre in UL is a designated centre of expertise that seeks to improve refugee and migrants meaningful involvement in health research.

The Centre is committed to Participatory Health Research (PHR) which positions migrants and refugees as expert partners in the co-production of evidence about their health.

The collaboration was launched by UL President Professor Kerstin Mey, who said; We are so proud to have the WHO Collaborating Centre, led by Professor Anne MacFarlane, here at UL. It is a unique centre that positions migrants and refugees as expert partners in the co-production of evidence about their health.UL is highly committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and this partnership meets a number of those goals and more.This partnership will mean that the Department of Health is directly informed by the perspectives and lived experiences of refugees, migrants and their advocacy organisations.

Professor Mey continued; The partnership will also contribute to further building the capacity of refugees and migrants to become involved as active agents in national and international public health responses, with the Department of Health, the HSE and specialist researchers in the Higher Education sector.We thank the Department of Health for funding the partnership and it will and has already made a genuine difference to the scholars and the quality of research conducted in this area  and ultimately to the health service itself.

The launch heard from refugees, migrants and NGO partners linked to the WHO Collaborating Centre, the Department of Health, UL academics, students as well as colleagues from the WHO Health and Migration Office in Europe and from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL.

The launch was also a celebration of Public Patient Involvement (PPI) in research, taking place as one of the first events of the month-long PPI Ignite festival, a network of universities, statutory and community partners committed to embedding PPI in research.

See here for more information about the range of events taking place throughout October.
Elon Musk is exhibiting tabloid-publisher vibes these days as he courts controversyand contenton Twitter-turned-X in the name of citizen journalism."

In that context, the worlds richest man trekked to the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, late last week to dip into the latest flashpoint in the culture wars: the wave of migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico illegally and the contentious debate between Democrats and Republicans over how to handle it.

Youre just talking to America here and people just want to understand exactly whats going on," Musk said during a streaming video on X as he turned his smartphone toward the local sheriff to broadcast his thoughts on the border drama.

The image of the South Africa-born entrepreneur, wearing mirrored aviator sunglasses and black cowboy hat, juxtaposed against the huddled masses quickly drew criticism as uncaring, even as Musk expressed a desire for making legal immigration easier.

Later, Musk appended his intentions in a tweet: I hope people around the world engage in citizen journalism, so we know whats truly happening and we get real-time, on-the-ground coverage!"

His trip came after weeks of complaining on X that the migrant situation wasnt attracting proper media attention. He has framed Xs strengths as a rival toand replacement fortraditional news outlets for real-time information fueled by what he calls citizen journalism." Or, less elegantly put: user-created content.

And last week, he was demonstrating how.

Almost a year into owning the social-media platform, Musks vision for making X a competitor against the likes of YouTube is coming into greater focus after improving its video capabilitieslike those on display in Texasand developing revenue sharing with users creating content for the site to make it a more appealing home.

Now, he is stepping up efforts to recruit creators, publicly urging Taylor Swift and Jimmy Donaldson, the YouTube star known as MrBeast, to follow in the footsteps of former Fox News star Tucker Carlson and create videos for X.

For those considering putting their work on the X platform, consider that Tucker Carlsons show when he was on TV, had single digit million viewers," Musk recently tweeted, using stats that arent comparable between mediums. Strong by legacy news standards. Views for his episodes on X now exceed the population of the United States." Still, Swift and MrBeast havent begun cranking out original videos for the platform.

And, in recent weeks, Musk was left complaining after Russell Brand turned to rival video site Rumble after being blocked by YouTube from sharing in money from ads on its site following sexual-assault accusations against the actor-turned-conservative-online commentator. Brand has denied wrongdoing, and Musk aggressively defended him in multiple tweets.

It is rather disappointing that he is exclusively pushing Rumble when X has supported free speech just as much," Musk tweeted.

TikTok, YouTube and others have fiercely competed to be the home for social-media stars who draw huge audiences and advertising dollars. But X has largely been an afterthought in the so-called creator economy after failing to find its footing in user-generated videos under previous management.

Soon after taking control of X, Musk signaled he wanted to change that. Lets see what happens when Twitter offers good video with higher compensation for creators," Musk said in late November, a month into his ownership and before he changed the companys name.

In July, the company said it had begun paying qualified creators a portion of revenue from ads placed in replies of their tweets. Last week, Linda Yaccarino, Xs chief executive, said the company has paid out almost $20 million as part of that effort.

If youre a journalist who wants more freedom to write and a higher income, then publish directly on this platform!" Musk touted.

Kara Swisher, a well-known entrepreneur and tech journalist who has worked for The Wall Street Journal, was critical of such statements by Musk.

We had a lucrative monthly deal in place with former Twitter management and two major advertisers to try to monetize my weekly Spaces, which we had been experimenting with," she tweeted, referring to the platforms live audio feature. Then new owner Elon spooked advertisers with his shy tweets & empty threats and they fled. So hard pass."

For his part, Musk is no fan of Swisher, whose heart, he claimed this week, was filled with seething hate." Nor does he speak highly of journalists, for that matter, tweeting recently: The media is click-maximizing, not truth-maximizing."

At the same time, Musk has been tweaking the platform to discourage users from clicking away from X, including the removal this past week of headlines from link previews. He said the change was to improve aesthetics.

The move roiled some users who claimed it further eroded the symbiotic relationship that the platform has long had with traditional media outlets who posted links to their content in hopes of attracting readers.

Our algorithm tries to optimize time spent on X, so links dont get as much attention, because there is less time spent if people click away," he tweeted. Best thing is to post content in long form on this platform."

Yann LeCun, chief AI scientist at rival Meta Platforms, disagreed with Musks contention that X is a substitute for traditional news sources.

X merely tells you that someone, somewhere, noticed something," he tweeted on Sept. 30. But then, one needs to know if this something is true or false, where it came from, what the context is, and whether it is, indeed, propaganda. Figuring this out is what good journalists do."

Landing Carlson, who had been ousted at Fox News, was declared a victory by Musks supporters earlier this year. The relationship put the platform at center stage when former President Donald Trump skipped the Republican presidential debates in August and appeared instead on Carlsons new show.

The significance of Tucker bringing his show to Twitter is that its not a media deal," venture capitalist David Sacks, an adviser to Musk on X, tweeted. The same tools available to citizen journalists are now so good that even the top-rated professional can use them." In response, Mr. Musk agreed, tweeting: Yup."

Musk has said he wants to attract a multitude of political views, not just conservatives such as Carlson. But, so far, he hasnt landed an equally big name with liberal views.

His trip to the border last week only adds to the perception that he is courting Republican causes ahead of the 2024 election.

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R., Texas) showed Musk around the border and said he was surprised when the billionaire began livestreaming. He was just a curious, concerned citizen that wanted to share what he saw that day," the congressman said in an interview.

The results of Musks trip, about a week later, were X posts seen more than 100 million times.

Following the trip, Musk continued to complain about his rival news outlets. I almost never read legacy news anymore," he tweeted Tuesday. Whats the point of reading 1000 words about something that was already posted on X several days ago?"

Write to Tim Higgins at tim.higgins@wsj.com
The U.S. oil industry could be on the cusp of consolidation that would deliver a band of unruly shale frackers into the hands of a few old-guard producers.

Exxon Mobil is trying to seal a deal to buy Pioneer Natural Resources in a blockbuster takeover that could be worth roughly $60 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. It isnt the only company looking for a deal.

Rivals Chevron and ConocoPhillips are also scouring the shale patch for targets, while smaller drillers have started to make it clear they are available for the right price, according to people familiar with the matter.

The most desirable drilling bounties are in the oil-soaked Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico, where investors and energy executives say a deal-making scramble is in the works.

A wave of deals could reshape the U.S. oil-and-gas industry, ushering it from an era defined by relatively small drillers chasing growth to one dominated by the largest Western oil companies. The emerging order could resemble what came out of the industrys megamergers that began in the late 1990s and included linkups between Exxon and Mobil, Chevron and Texaco, and BP and Amoco, among others.

Oil producers have escaped rigorous antitrust scrutiny historically, as regulators often take the view that their products compete in a global market. Current and former oil executives said they felt regulators wouldnt likely block a new round of deals.

Investors signaled their expectation that more deals could be in the offing by piling into the stocks of frackers on Friday. All told, they added about $16 billion in market capitalization to the 10 largest independent drillers following the news.

Exxon, Chevron and their peers are sitting on historically large war chests, filled by a prolonged period of high commodity prices because of postpandemic economic growth and Russias invasion of Ukraine.

But the companies have been hamstrung in deploying the cash by investors who have insisted producers keep spending disciplined and give them huge payouts instead of chasing growth unprofitably, as the companies did over the previous decade. Some investors have pushed oil companies to invest in greener energy sources and reduce emissions, which many drillers have done, to varying degrees.

Drillers have accommodated investors for the past two years, but appear ready to test the waters on putting their cash to use, with Exxon CEO Darren Woods leading the way.

The deliberations between Exxon and Pioneer were fluid Friday, with people close to the matter cautioning there still might be no deal. One issue: Some shareholders have expressed reservations about the potential tie-up. But in a sign some are betting on a deal, Pioneer stock shot up more than 10% Friday. Exxon shares edged down less than 2%.

If consummated, the deal would immediately put pressure on Exxons rivals, Chevron chief among them. Exxon is by far the largest Western oil company, with a market capitalization of about $430 billion, and adding Pioneer would strengthen its market share and pricing power with suppliers and service companies while positioning it to boost oil production for years to come.

Chevron CEO Mike Wirth has been looking for a big deal of his own. After gobbling up a pair of smaller drillers over the past three years, Wirth has begun thinking about leaving the company with as much running room as possible before he retires, said people familiar with the matter.

As recently as the beginning of the year, Chevron was interested in Occidental Petroleum, one of the largest producers in the Permian, according to people familiar with the matter. Acquiring Occidental, which has a market capitalization of about $55 billion, would rival Exxons deal for Pioneer, but Chevrons interest has fizzled in recent months.

Chevron has since moved on to other, smaller targets, people familiar with the matter said. There are several options in the Permian, including CrownRock, one of the regions largest private producers, which has hired bankers to advise it on a potential deal and is seeking a sale price of around $10 billion to $15 billion.

Small producers spearheaded the shale boom, deploying new production techniques to unlock troves of oil in regions shunned by othersand turning the U.S. into the worlds largest oil producer. Large public companies followed, turning their attention away from far-flung locales and back to places such as the Permian Basin, a dormant region until the advent of fracking.

Myriad rowdy wildcatters grew shale by taking on billions of dollars of debt and, with investors blessing, deploying thousands of oil rigs. But many of these producers drilled themselves out of cash on wells that proved less profitable than promised and filed for bankruptcy when oil prices crashed between 2014 and 2015. The period reached its nadir during the pandemic when oil prices collapsed again.

Now, the large cohort of middling shale companies that ran up huge debt piles to grow as fast as possible are too small to attract capital from Wall Street and are running out of their best drilling sweet spots, making them cheaper acquisition targets.

There are too many companies," said Mark Viviano, a managing partner at investment firm Kimmeridge Energy Management. Consolidation is the last piece of the puzzle in rationalizing the shale industry."

Market conditions are ripe for deals as oil prices have recovered from a trough earlier this year and are high enough that sellers think they can get a good deal, but not so high as to deter potential buyers, said Dan Pickering, chief investment officer at financial services firm Pickering Energy Partners.

Historically, big deals in the oil patch have come in waves. BPs $48.2 billion acquisition of Amoco in 1998 set off the deal bonanza that created the worlds supermajors. More recently, after the onset of the pandemic in 2020, ConocoPhillips scooped up Concho Resources and Shells Permian assets for almost $20 billion combined; Pioneer bought Parsley Energy and DoublePoint Energy for a combined $11 billion; Chevron snapped up Noble Energy for about $5 billion.

Pickering said a deal between Exxon and Pioneer would create new momentum for transactions in the Permian as it would demonstrate that even one of the largest U.S. producers has to build up its inventory, and that remaining resources in the most prolific basin in the nation are becoming scarce.

When one company makes a big move, it forces everyone to think harder about where their chess pieces go," Pickering said. Will they miss something if they dont act relatively quickly?"

Lately in the oil patch, bigger companies have attracted an outsize portion of investors capital. Last year, some of the largest institutional investors, including Capital Group, Fidelity and T. Rowe Price, increased their U.S. energy holdings to a combined $170 billion, up 27% from 2017.

But most of that investing benefited the five largest U.S. oil companiesExxon, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and EOG Resources, as well as oil-field services giant Schlumbergerwhich together accounted for about $88 billion of the investment firms holdings last year, up from $49 billion in 2017, according to an analysis by Kimmeridge.

The lack of available money is squeezing smaller players and prompting them to sell, investors said.

At these [oil] prices, a lot of boardrooms are going to have to evaluate" selling their companies over the next year, said Wil VanLoh, chief executive of private investment firm Quantum Energy Partners.

Such deals reduce the acquirers borrowing costs, extend the lifespan of their remaining inventory of economic drilling locations and cut operating costs. Theres a lot of industrial logic to it," he said.

A Pioneer tie-up would make Exxon by far the largest oil-and-gas producer in the contiguous U.S., almost 50% bigger than Chevron, which is currently the largest producer in the region, according to energy research firm Wood Mackenzie.

Seeing Pioneer sell itself after a long history of scooping up smaller rivals in the Permian might trigger a panic among other industry players, said Alex Beeker, a Wood Mackenzie analyst.

If theres any deal to trigger a bigger M&A wave, this might be itwatching Pioneer switch from a consolidator to a seller," Beeker said.

Write to Collin Eaton at collin.eaton@wsj.com and Benoit Morenne at benoit.morenne@wsj.com
SINGAPOREIn the contest to knock China off its perch as the worlds factory floor, countries such as Mexico, India and Vietnam face a formidable rival: Chinas vast interior.

Low-cost manufacturing is expanding away from Chinas bustling coast as companies hunt for cheaper land and labor in central and western provinces. The migration has accelerated in recent years as U.S. tariffs push up costs for factories, and Chinas coastal megacities focus on high-tech electronics, electric vehicles and other advanced industries.

The result has been an export boom for Chinas inland provinces that dwarfs the acceleration in overseas sales enjoyed by would-be rivals to Chinas manufacturing crown.

As inland China develops further, it is helping China deepen its dominance in swaths of global manufacturing, even as Western nations grow wary of China as a supplier for critical industries such as semiconductors and renewable energy.

China still faces major challenges in holding on to its top-dog status. Worsening demographics mean its manufacturing workforce is shrinking, and foreign investment in China is drying up.

The U.S. and its allies are dangling subsidies and other incentives to persuade businesses to embrace alternatives to China, though a sizable shift in companies sourcing is likely years away, economists say.

China is going to be a major player in global manufacturing for the foreseeable future," said Gordon Hanson, an economist and professor of urban policy at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School, who explored the possibility of more manufacturing moving to inland China in a 2020 paper.

China just has too much capacity for the world not to need to rely on it for a good while."

Since the start of 2018, exports from 15 of Chinas central and western provinces have rocketed 94% as factory production expanded beyond the Pearl and Yangtze River deltas that are the engine rooms of Chinas industrial economy.

In the 12 months through August, those provinces exported a combined $630 billionmore than Indias $425 billion, Mexicos $590 billion, and Vietnams $346 billion over the same period, according to official figures compiled by data provider CEIC.

Exports from Chinas interior have been growing faster than those countries exports, too, despite the surge in interest in alternative locations for manufacturing other than China.

Since the beginning of 2018, exports from India have risen 41%, exports from Mexico have risen 43%, and exports from Vietnam have increased 56%. All three countries have benefited from the reshuffling of global supply chains in the wake of the U.S.-China trade war and the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2018, Mexico was exporting more than Chinas interior but was overtaken in 2020.

Chinas coastal provinces, which encompass manufacturing hubs such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen in the south, Ningbo and Shanghai in the east and Qingdao and Tianjin in the northeast, remain the powerhouse of global manufacturing. Together, those regions exported $2.7 trillion of goods in the 12 months through August, around half the total exports of the U.S., European Union and Japan combined.

A hunt for lower costs

Behind the shift inland is a search for labor. In the 1990s and 2000s, millions of Chinese left the countryside to work in the factories sprouting in the coastal cities.

Today, that trend is all but played out, and wages in coastal areas have risen sharply as companies jostle for staff.

Average annual private-sector wages in Guangdong more than doubled in the 10 years through 2021, according to Chinas National Bureau of Statistics. Better-educated younger workers in coastal cities are skipping tough factory work for jobs in services.

View Full Image (WSJ)

Ray Zhou, head of supply chains at Commerse, a fashion brand based in New York and China, said his company began shifting production to inland China from the coast in the second half of 2022.

Now, about half of the machine sewing work is done by factories based in Chinas interior, including Guangxi and Hunan provinces. While producing garments inland means longer shipping times to the U.S., overall labor costs are about 30% cheaper than in Guangzhou, he said.

Most workers hired by the factories that supply Commerse are in their 30s and 40s. Young people would rather deliver takeout than be sewing clothes at factories," Zhou said.

Other forces pushing companies into the interior include a search for cheaper factory space and tighter rules in coastal cities to reduce pollution or rezone industrial areas for residential development.

Niche industries sometimes cluster in one place. A town in Anhui specializes in brushes, while one in Henan makes measuring tapes. In Guizhou, a mountainous province that also exports Kweichow Moutai, a fiery spirit, dozens of firms make high-quality guitars.

Inland Chinas upsides

In many ways, the shift in China mirrors the migration of industrial activity in the U.S. after World War II, when new highways and the advent of the shipping container enabled factories to move out of big cities in search of lower taxes and cheaper workers.

Development of Chinas interior has been on Chinese leaders minds since the 1960s, when Mao Zedong grew fearful of invasion by the Soviet Union from the north and the U.S. from south, where it was fighting in Vietnam. Authorities pushed to move basic industries such as power generation and steel and arms manufacturing into Chinas interior to protect them in the event of war.

Beijing concluded in the 1980s that the effort was mostly a waste of resources. But Covell Meyskens, a historian of China and associate professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in California, said it laid foundations that nurtured industry later, such as the building of roads, schools and electricity grids.

Chinas central planners have for decades emphasized the importance of creating an integrated national economy, said Meyskens. The interior isnt just treated as a rust belt you can completely abandon."

Even today, the industries flourishing inland tend to be labor or resource-intensive or relatively low-value-added manufacturing, leaving Chinas coastal regions to concentrate on more advanced manufacturing.

In Hubei, a central province with around 58 million residents, exports of heavy industry products such as chemicals, metals and vehicles more than doubled between 2018 and 2022, while exports from labor-intensive sectors such as clothes, furniture and toys rose 90%, according to Chinese customs data.

View Full Image (WSJ)

The landlocked province, which includes the city of Wuhan and the Three Gorges Dam, has many attractions for companies seeking a new base: Access to the coast and world beyond via roads, rail and rivers; universities focused on technology, science and business; and average private-sector wages that are 77% of the level in Guangdong.

Garrett Motion, a maker of turbochargers, said in June it expanded production capacity at a plant in Wuhan by 50%. German auto parts maker Webasto has said it plans to establish a global research center in the city.

Why Chinas grip is firm

The U.S. and other Western countries have grown uneasy about their dependency on China for manufactured goods, especially now that China isnt just providing cheap furniture and toys but is competing with Western manufacturers in sales of smartphones, machinery and, increasingly, autos.

Washington and other capitals are offering subsidies to lure more manufacturing back home. They are also restricting Chinas access to Western technologies, such as semiconductors, that could have military applications.

Many companies scarred by the pandemic and spooked by tensions between Beijing and the U.S.-led West arere fashioning supply chains to make them less reliant on China.

But economists say loosening Chinas grip on global manufacturing will be tough.

Chinas share of global goods exports was 14% in 2022, down slightly from 2021, and compared with 8.3% for the U.S. in second place and 6.6% for Germany, in third. A recent report by Rhodium Group, a New York-based research outfit, said moving factories out of China to other countries may have little impact on Chinas manufacturing clout, since those factories will remain dependent on Chinese suppliers for materials and components.

It would not be surprising to see Chinas overall share of global exports, manufacturing and supply chains continue to rise, even as diversification away from China accelerates," the authors said.

View Full Image (WSJ)

One advantage for China is its scale. As Japan, South Korea and other countries in East Asia industrialized during the 20th century, they quit manufacturing products such as textiles or furniture to concentrate limited factory capacity on higher-end products, such as cars and consumer electronics.

China, by contrast, has maintained a stranglehold in manufacturing all sorts of goods, a testament to its factories ability to keep down overall costs even as average wages of Chinese workers have risen.

Its not really going anywhere. It is producing everything from semiconductors to your shoes and your garments," said Louise Loo, lead economist for China at Oxford Economics.

Chinese factories also benefit from cheap loans from domestic banks and a deep bench of suppliers of almost every conceivable component and raw material. Logistics costs in China are a fraction of the cost in India, for example, which cant match Chinese port and road infrastructure.

All that means up-and-coming manufacturing nations such as Vietnam, India and Bangladesh face sizable challenges in competing with China, economists say.

My concern is very much about the newcomers," said Stefan Angrick, senior economist at Moodys Analytics in Tokyo. How do you compete with that?"

Stella Yifan Xie in Hong Kong contributed to this article.

Write to Jason Douglas at jason.douglas@wsj.com
India on 7 October issued advisory for its nationals in Israel and asked them to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols. Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. At least 22 Israelis have been killed in the surprise attack launched by Hamas, Israel's N12 News reported, citing the Israeli ambulance service. In response to Gaza's attack, Israel hit back with 'Operation Iron Swords', deploying its fighter jets to launch airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Israel-Gaza Strip News Live Updates: Coming back to the advisory, Indian embassy in Israel in a post on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant, and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website (https://www.oref.org.il/en) or their preparedness brochure. In case of emergency, please contact us at +97235226748, or leave a message at cons1.telaviva@mea.gov.in. The Embassy personnel remain at your disposal for any further guidance."

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's his first remarks Hamas launched unprecedented attack on Israel said We are at war." Netanyahu's comments in a televised address mark his first since the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers launched a major, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday. He ordered a call-up of reservists and promised that Hamas would pay a price that it hasn't known until now." We are at war," Netanyahu said. Not an 'operation,' not a 'round,' but at war."

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The prime minister has also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

Earlier, Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, said "Hamas terrorists made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against Israel". "IDF troops are fighting the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war," he said. President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also unequivocally condemned the attack on Israel. "It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks," she posted on X.

Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, James Cleverly, also condemned the "horrific attacks" by Hamas on Israeli civilians, saying that the UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself.

"The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself," he posted on X.

(With inputs from Reuters, AP, AFP,)

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 7. Presidents of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirzoyoyev and President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed an agreement for the establishment of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Uzbekistans city of Samarkand, Trend reports.

The news followed a meeting between the heads of the two states in Moscows Kremlin. As a result of the meeting, the parties have adopted a joint statement on deepening the relations of comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance.

A total of 10 documents were adopted between the governments and ministries of the two countries, including a number of documents on cooperation in the fields of industry, transport, science, education, and culture.

During the talks, presidents expressed their satisfaction with the positive dynamic of the multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia. The two nations' industrial collaboration is experiencing dynamic growth, with Russian investments in Uzbekistan on the rise. The presidents emphasized the importance of further enhancing regional cooperation and also delved into discussions about ensuring social guarantees for Uzbek citizens working in Russia.

On October 5, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev set off on a working visit to Russia, which is scheduled to last until October 7, 2023.

In accordance with the program of the visit, the president of Uzbekistan visited Kazan and got acquainted with its industrial potential, as well as held a meeting with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Leading airlines have restricted travel to and from Israel after violent clashes broke out on Saturday morning. Air India scrapped a flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv on October 7 as well as a return trip from Israel amid a surprise attack by the Hamas terror group. Others including German airline Lufthansa has announced plans to cut most flights for today.

"An Air India Flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 07 October 2023 and the return flight AI140 from Tel Aviv to Delhi has been cancelled in the interests and safety of our guests and crew. Passengers are being extended all support, as per their requirements," an Air India spokesperson said.

Meanwhile the Indian Embassy in Israel has issued an advisory asking citizens to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

Flight cancellations have also been announced by other international carriers including Lufthansa, Swiss Air, and Turkish Airlines.

Given the current security situation in Tel Aviv, Lufthansa will maintain a single flight to Frankfurt but all other Lufthansa flights to and from Tel Aviv have been cancelled for this Saturday," an airline spokesperson told AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Israeli military is fighting Hamas terrorists in different locations in Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri and the Re'im military base

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The GST Council is scheduled to convene on Saturday to deliberate on the unresolved reform issues.

The 52nd meeting of the council will take place in the capital city, as announced in a social media post by the council. However, the post did not disclose the precise topics or agenda for the meeting.

"The 52nd meeting of the GST Council will be conducted on 7th October, 2023, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi," stated the GST Council's message on X.

Also Read: GST Council meeting on October 7: Agenda, other details here

According to media reports, it is anticipated that the GST Council will assess the states' efforts in implementing the alterations related to the taxation of online gaming in their respective SGST laws, which had received approval during the 51st council meeting.

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As reported by The Economic Times, the council is expected to provide clarification on the taxation of bank and corporate guarantees furnished by directors and promoters to a company. Additionally, the meeting will also contemplate potential exemptions for powdered millets sold.

During its 51st meeting, the GST Council put forth suggestions for revisions in the CGST Act 2017 and IGST Act 2017. These recommendations encompassed changes to Schedule III of the CGST Act, 2017, aimed at offering better understanding regarding the taxation of transactions related to casinos, horse racing, and online gaming.

Also Read: GST Council to meet on 7 October to iron out setting up of tribunals

The Council also proposed that the assessment of the value of transactions involving online gaming and actionable claims in casinos should be determined based on the sum paid or owed to the supplier, either directly or on behalf of the player, while excluding the amounts used for participating in games or bets from previous winnings.

This approach suggests that the valuation should not be based on the total value of each individual bet placed.

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Sikkim floods: The bodies of 27 people, including seven Armymen, have been recovered so far from the slush and debris of the flash flood in the Teesta river that devastated Sikkim, while the search continued for the 142 people who are still missing, officials said on Friday night.

Of the 23 Army personnel who had gone missing from Bardang, the bodies of seven have been recovered from different areas downstream of Teesta, while one of them was rescued earlier. Today, the third Indian Reserve Batallion troops are en route for the rescue mission, as per ANI reports.

The flash flood in the Teesta river, triggered by a cloudburst in Lhonak Lake, caused the accumulation of a huge quantity of water, which turned towards Chungthang dam, destroying the power infrastructure before moving downstream in spate, flooding towns and villages.

Here's a 10-point update on Sikkim floods

1) The flash flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday, has affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses, and washed away 13 bridges, bringing the picturesque Himalayan state to its knees.

2) So far, 2,413 people have been rescued from different areas and 6,875 people are taking shelter in 22 relief camps set up across the state, most of which have been cut off from the rest of the country, as per PTI reports.

3) Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia of 4 lakh for the families of the deceased and an immediate relief of 2,000 each for all those taking shelter in the camps.

4) Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved the release of 44.8 crore as an advance amount from the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide relief to the affected people.

5) The flood destroyed 13 bridges in the state, with eight bridges getting washed away in Mangan district alone. Three bridges were destroyed in Gangtok and two in Namchi.

6) Around 3,000 tourists stuck in North Sikkim could not be rescued as multiple attempts by the Air Force to send Mi-17 helicopters failed due to inclement weather, senior officials said as quoted by PTI.

7) The Indian government was planning to begin the first early warning systems for glacial floods at Lhonak Lake and another at nearby Shako Cho in Sikkim, before expanding to other dangerous lakes.

8) Roads and Bridges Minister Samdup Lepcha and DIG (North & East districts) Tashi Wangyal Bhutia reached Chungthang via Dzongu along with other officials on foot to take stock of the situation.

9) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that there are chances of light to moderate rain at most places in Mangan district over the next five days.

10) Lachen and Lachung are likely to remain cloudy during this period, it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that he was deeply shocked by news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Thousands of rockets were fired at daybreak as the militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack against Jerusalem. Dozens of militants also infiltrated the heavily fortified border at several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," PM Modi tweeted.

Meanwhile the Consul General of Israel lauded the Indian leader for backing his country at this time.

Prime Minister Modi is a global leader and is very important to us as a state, as a friend, and as a brother...The situation of attacking the sovereignty of the state of Israel is not acceptable..." said Kobbi Shoshani.

He also thanked the people of India for the thousands of messages he had received since the attack began.

supporting the state of Israel in such a way that warms my heart and the heart of the people of Israel on a very sad day today. The stand of the Indian Government which today is of significant importance in the global war against terrorism," he opined.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Biden administration is nervously watching a dispute between Canada and India, with some officials concerned it could upend the US strategy toward the Indo-Pacific that is directed at blunting Chinas influence there and elsewhere.

Publicly, the administration has maintained that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations that the Indian government may have been involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist near Vancouver are a matter between the two countries.

But US officials have also repeatedly urged India to cooperate in the investigation. Those calls have been ignored thus far by India, which denies the allegations.

Behind the scenes, US officials say they believe Trudeaus claims are true. And they are worried that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be adopting tactics to silence opposition figures on foreign soil akin to those used by Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and North Korea, all of which have faced similar accusations.

Perhaps of more concern, though, is that the Canada-India dispute could have major implications for one of the administrations main foreign policy priorities: the Indo-Pacific strategy, which seeks to counter China's increasing assertiveness in the region, according to numerous US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the extreme sensitivity of the matter.

Both Canada, a Pacific country and key NATO ally that shares with the United States the longest undefended border in the world, and India are critical to US-led efforts to present a united and democratic front against growing Chinese assertiveness.

Aside from countering Russias war in Ukraine, the administration has been most focused on dealing with China as a competitor and the potential international threat it poses. To that end it has boosted its diplomatic efforts in the Indo-Pacific, including by creating a leaders group that brings together Australia, Japan, India and the United States. President Joe Biden has hailed the formation of the so-called Quad as a key part of that effort.

The fear  albeit a worst-case scenario envisioned by US policymakers  is that the dispute will escalate in the same way that Britain's row with Russia did over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018.

In that case, Britain accused Russia of an assassination attempt on its soil and expelled 23 Russian diplomats from the country. It also sought similar action from its NATO allies and European partners, which almost all agreed to take. For its part, the US expelled 60 Russian diplomats and ordered the closure of Russia's consulate in Seattle in solidarity with its British ally. Russia responded with reciprocal actions, including closing down the US consulate in St. Petersburg.

Shortly after Trudeau made public his allegations last month and expelled a senior Indian diplomat, US officials began to fret over the possibility that Canada might decide to go full Skripal" with mass diplomatic expulsions and make requests, as the British did in 2018, of its allies to do the same.

If asked by Canada to expel a large number of Indian diplomats, these officials said, the US would have little choice but to comply. That, in turn, could lead to a rupture in US-Indian relations and the possibility that India might either narrow its cooperation with the Quad or drop out entirely.

At the moment, theres relief it hasnt escalated to that point yet  but that could still change.

Im not saying we're at the danger zone yet," said Danny Russel, a former senior diplomat in President Barack Obamas administration, who is now vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York. But it is a situation I would certainly be watching."

The allegation of Indian involvement in the murder was supported by intelligence from the Five Eyes" grouping of Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the US.

Even before Canada made the accusations public, Trudeau had frosty encounters with Modi during last months Group of 20 meeting in New Delhi, and a few days later, Canada canceled a trade mission to India planned for the fall.

This week, India told Canada to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country, ramping up the confrontation. Trudeau and other Canadian officials, including Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, have hinted that Canada won't take reciprocal measures.

Trudeau has appeared to try to calm the diplomatic clash, saying that Canada is not looking to provoke or escalate," but officials said the concern in Washington persists.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday has announced that the state will conduct a caste-based census like done in Bihar. His statement came while talking to the media after a state party meeting in Jaipur.

Talking to the media, the Rajasthan CM said, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made the caste census system in the Raipur session of Congress, and we will do it here on the basis of the same. Rajasthan government will also conduct a caste census like Bihar. We will take the concept that there should be participation of the people as per their population. Instructions will be given to conducting caste-based census on the lines of Bihar."

Asserting the importance of a Caste-based census, Gehlot said, "When we talk about social security, it can be implemented only when we know what the situation is caste-wise. There are different castes living in the country who do different jobs, when we know how much population each caste has, then we can make special schemes for them."

Earlier on 2 October, the report of the caste-based survey conducted in Bihar was released by the Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government. After the census was released, PM Modi said that the opposition party has played with the emotions of the poor and divided the country on caste lines for six decades -- a "sin" which it is committing now as well.

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Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing a rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh's Shajapur district also said that if his party came to power at the Centre, it would conduct a caste-based census to benefit all sections of society, particularly Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the country.

Earlier in Chhattisgarh, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday asserted if Congress is re-elected to power in the state, a caste census will be conducted in the state, similar to the one carried out in Bihar.

"I announce that if Congress repeats government in Chhattisgarh, then like Bihar, we will also hold caste census in the state," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said at a public event in poll-bound Chhattisgarh's Kanker.

The Bihar government released caste survey data showing that the Other Backward Class (OBC) and Extremely Backward Class (EBC) together account for 63 per cent of the state's population.

(With inputs from ANI)

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Hamas militants launched a surprise attack against Israel on Saturday morning prompting a furious outcry from world leaders. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that his country was at war as the clash claimed nearly 200 lives and wounded around 1,610 people. Several countries have stepped forward to unequivocally condemn the attack and offer support, while others lauded the militant group for its proud operation.

The US condemned the unprovoked attack and extended its condolences in an official statement on Saturday.

Our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself remains unwaveringOur agency will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism," assured US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.

Meanwhile Brazil  which assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month  has indicated plans to convene an emergency UNSC meeting in light of the attack.

The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself," added British foreign minister James Cleverly.

I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form," said EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

Iran officials however hailed the Palestinian assault as a proud operation of Al-Aqsa Flood.

Today's operation marked a new page in the field of resistance and armed operations against the occupiers. The resistance has so far achieved brilliant victories during this operation, and this is a bright spot in the history of the Palestinian people's struggle against the Zionists," said foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani.

Others including Kuwait blamed Israel for what it called its blatant attacks".

(With inputs from agencies)

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US President Joe Biden indicated the possibility of holding a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco next month, AP reported.

There has been no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," Biden told reporters when asked about the prospects of a face-to-face meeting with the Chinese leader.

Biden and Xi have not engaged in any discussions since their last meeting in November, which took place on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

Also Read: Biden administration warned China to expect updated export curbs in October

White House representatives have consistently expressed their desire for the two leaders to engage in talks, and members of the administration have been actively pursuing efforts to secure a meeting with the Chinese side.

Tensions between the world's leading economies have remained consistently elevated throughout the past year.

In this period, the Biden administration successfully intercepted a Chinese surveillance balloon that traversed the entire United States. Chinese authorities were also implicated in a cyberattack targeting the emails of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Furthermore, the U.S. government has imposed restrictions on the export of advanced computer chips to China.

Also Read: US President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden to plead not guilty of illegal gun possession charges: Report

The two countries' differences have also been exacerbated by Russias war in Ukraine and China's increased assertiveness in the Taiwan Strait.

AP reported that Beijing has stayed on the sidelines since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. But the White House has publicized a US intelligence assessment indicating that Beijing has weighed assisting Moscow with weaponry.

Despite the differences, there have been stepped-up efforts in recent months by the two sides to manage the relationship.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, declined to comment on the status of a possible Biden-Xi meeting in San Francisco, but noted in a statement that the two countries are in communication on bilateral engagement and exchange."

China and the US need to work in the same direction, clear obstacles and manage differences with concrete actions, and enhance dialogue and expand cooperation in good faith," he added.

Also Read: What next after the US govt shutdown deal? Joe Biden says THIS

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held talks last month on the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. That meeting came after Secretary of State Antony Blinken,Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Raimondo, and climate envoy John Kerry have all traveled to Beijing in recent months to meet with top Chinese officials.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is set to lead a bipartisan congressional delegation to China next week, AP noted.

(With inputs from AP)

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Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Saturday fired more than 5,000 rockets toward Israel, setting off air raid sirens across the country and raising the likelihood of a new round of heavy fighting. The death toll in the Hamas rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel has climbed to 4, as reported by The Times of Israel. The mayor of Kuseife, Abd al-Aziz Nassara, confirmed the toll, adding that several more have been wounded as the rockets from Gaza rained on the town. The early morning barrage lasted more than 30 minutes. Its sound could be heard in Haza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, according to a report published by The Associated Press.

Top updates you need to know

-In response to Gaza's attack, Israel's army carried out at least two air strikes on the Gaza Strip, an AFP journalist reported, after barrages of rockets were fired from the Palestinian territory into Israel.

-Following a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip fired towards Israel, Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India stressed that the situation is not simple but Israel will prevail. Taking to his social media 'X', he stated, "#Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza during the Jewish holiday. Both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists. The situation is not simple but Israel will prevail."

-Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel."

-The Israel Defense Minister approved a call-up of military reservists and declared a "state of war alert", Reuters reported.

-The Hamas' armed wing declared it had started "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood". "We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel), their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over," the group said.

-The launches came after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, AP reported.

-India has issued advisory for its nationals in Israel amid Hamas terrorists' attack on Israel.
Several countries have raised their concern on the rising diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani extremist, Hardip Singh Nijjar. Recently, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau underlined the importance of de-escalation of the India-Canada diplomatic row. In separate statements, the two leaders asked for respect for the rule of law.

UK PM Rishi Sunak spoke to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and expressed hope to see a de-escalation in the situation. He also agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps. After UK PM's statement, Trudeau issued a similar statement in the matter.

Prime Minister Trudeau updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India," reads the Downing Street statement.

The Prime Minister [Sunak] reaffirmed the UKs position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He hoped to see a de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps," it said.

During their conversation, Justin Trudeau provided an update on the current situation between India and Canada, said Canadian Prime Minister's office from Ottawa.

The leaders emphasised respect for the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the need to ensure the safety and security of their citizens. They underscored the importance of de-escalation in this context. Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Sunak agreed to remain in close contact and to continue working together to tackle global issues," the Canadian government statement reads.

For months, India and Canada have been witnessing a disruption in their diplomatic ties after the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada in June.

Last month, Justin Trudeau gave a statement in the Canadian Parliament alleging India's involvement in Nijjar's killing. In his statement, Trudeau said that its security forces were "actively pursuing credible allegations" linking Indian government agents to the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June. However, the allegation was strongly rejected by India as absurd and motivated".

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 7. The launch of gas transport corridor importing Russian gas to Uzbekistan is of strategic importance, said President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the ceremony of launching the export of Russian gas to Uzbekistan via the Central Asia - Center gas pipeline passing through the Kazakh territory, Trend reports.

Firstly, this is an important factor in the energy security of our country and the entire region. Secondly, the supply will provide for additional volumes of gas for the uninterrupted supply of carbon to economic sectors and the population, said president of Uzbekistan.

According to Mirziyoyev, the implementation of this project is a vivid example of successful mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the energy sector.

"This is a demonstration of cohesion and the ability to effectively respond to the challenges of the global economy, especially in ensuring energy security," Mirziyoyev emphasized.

Today Russia launched gas exports to Uzbekistan via the Central Asia  Center gas pipeline, passing through the territory of Kazakhstan.

The export launch ceremony was attended by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

In June 2023, Chairman of the Board of Gazprom Alexey Miller and Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov signed a contract for the supply of Russian gas to Uzbekistan and a roadmap for preparing the republics gas transportation system for its acceptance and transportation.

Gazprom also signed an agreement with Kazakhstans QazaqGaz to provide services for the transportation of Russian natural gas through Kazakhstan for consumers in Uzbekistan.

The two-year agreement assumes a supply volume of 9 million cubic meters per day, almost 2.8 billion cubic meters per year.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas launched its biggest assault on Israel in years early on Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza and sending fighters across the border.

Israel said it was on a war footing and began its own strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza, with Israeli media reporting gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in southern Israel.

The following timeline, which begins with Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, details the major flare-ups in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups in the crowded coastal enclave, which is home to 2.3 million people.

August 2005:- Israeli forces unilaterally withdraw from Gaza 38 years after capturing it from Egypt in the Middle East war, abandoning settlements and leaving the enclave under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

January 25, 2006:- The Islamist group Hamas wins a majority of seats in a Palestinian legislative election. Israel and the U.S. cut off aid to Palestinians because Hamas refuses to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

June 25, 2006:- Hamas militants capture Israeli army conscript Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid from Gaza, prompting Israeli air strikes and incursions. Shalit is finally freed more than five years later in a prisoner exchange.

June 14, 2007:- Hamas takes over Gaza in a brief civil war, ousting Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is based in the West Bank.

December 27, 2008:- Israel launches a 22-day military offensive in Gaza after Palestinians fire rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis are reported killed before a ceasefire is agreed.

November 14, 2012:- Israel kills Hamas's military chief of staff, Ahmad Jabari. Eight days of Palestinian militant rocket fire and Israeli air strikes follow.

July-August 2014:- The kidnap and killing of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas leads to a seven-week war in which more than 2,100 Palestinians are reported killed in Gaza and 73 Israelis are reported dead, 67 of them military.

March 2018: - Palestinian protests begin at Gazas fenced border with Israel. Israeli troops open fire to keep protestors back. More than 170 Palestinians are reported killed in several months of protests, which also prompt fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces.

May 2021: - After weeks of tension during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, hundreds of Palestinians are wounded in clashes with Israeli security forces at the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, Islams third holiest site.

After demanding Israel withdraw security forces from the compound, Hamas unleashes a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Israel hits back with air strikes on Gaza. Fighting goes on for 11 days, killing at least 250 people in Gaza and 13 in Israel.

August 2022: - At least 44 people, including 15 children, are killed in three days of violence that begin when Israeli air strikes hit a senior Islamic Jihad commander.

Israel says the strikes were a pre-emptive operation against an imminent attack by the Iranian-backed militant movement, targeting commanders and arms depots. In response, Islamic Jihad fires more than 1,000 rockets towards Israel. Israel's Iron Dome air defence system prevents any serious damage or casualties.

January 2023: - Islamic Jihad in Gaza fires two rockets towards Israel after Israeli troops raid a refugee camp and kill seven Palestinian gunmen and two civilians. The rockets set off alarms in Israeli communities near the border but cause no casualties. Israel responds with air strikes on Gaza.

October 2023: - Hamas launches the biggest attack on Israel in years from the Gaza Strip, with a surprise assault combining gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets. Islamic Jihad says its fighters have joined the attack.

Israel's military said it was on a war footing, adding it had carried out strikes targeting Hamas in Gaza and had called up reservists.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
During his speech at New England College, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy confronted a protester who was shouting outside the venue.

Ramaswamy temporarily halted the town hall meeting and extended an invitation to the protester to come inside and express his views. He asked, Would you like to join us I noticed you were very vocal." Ramaswamy added, You're welcome. You don't have to be outside, you are allowed in."

Ramaswamy further said the protestor that he could bring protest signs if he wants, adding, Who needs the signs when you have the voice? Come on and we will give you a chance to ask questions like everybody else."

Also Read: Putin is an evil dictator does not mean that Ukraine: Vivek Ramaswamy slams Zelenskyy for seeking more US funds

Earlier on Thursday, Ramaswamy has strongly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request for additional financial support from the United States to conduct elections in their conflict-affected nation. The 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur confidently stated that he is in the process of securing the party's nomination for the 2024 presidential elections.

During an interview with Fox News, Ramaswamy defended his previous statement in which he expressed his intention to reduce aid to Ukraine if he were to be elected as the President of the United States.

Also Read: GOP Debate: Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says 'Transgenderism' a mental health issue. 5 Top Updates

I have a problem with appeasement too, but I want to be very clear. We have to level with the American people here. Just because Putin is an evil dictator -- and he is -- does not mean that Ukraine is good," he said.

This (Ukraine) is a country that has banned 11 opposition parties. This is a country that has consolidated all media into one state media arm, whose president just last week was praising a Nazi in his own ranks, has threatened the United States not to hold its own normal elections this year unless it gets more funding," Ramaswamy said.

Also Read: Vivek Ramaswamy vows to end birthright citizenship for immigrants

Earlier in September, as per a report by The Washington Post, Vivek Ramaswamy has reaffirmed a proposition from 2015, originally suggested by former President Donald Trump, regarding the termination of birthright citizenship in the United States.

Ramaswamy was asked by Univision host Ilia Calderon what legal premise" he would use to expel undocumented immigrants and their American-born children from the country. He began by noting that his opponents onstage are on the right side of this issue" by supporting the militarization of the southern border, defunding sanctuary cities," and an end to foreign aid to Mexico and Central America, but the candidate said he would go a step further" by ending birthright citizenship for the kids of illegal immigrants in this country."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country was at war with Hamas militants following a surprise attack on Saturday. Local media reports indicate that around 200 people have been injured at least 22 killed since the clashes began. Officials estimate that some 60 infiltrators have been located across 14 different locations.

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours," Netanyahu told his countrymen in a televised address.

The Israeli military is currently fighting Hamas terrorists in different locations in Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri and the Re'im military base.

More to come

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Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has dubbed the 26-party INDIA bloc a real challenge in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Voicing a desire to contest the upcoming polls, he also asserted on Friday that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance did not take any election casually. The Rajya Sabha MP said that his party's primary agenda was to ensure Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term at the helm.

I consider it (INDIA bloc) as a real challenge because the BJP and the NDA do not take any election casually. From ground workers to top leaders, everybody takes each election very seriously and the prime minister leads us from the front, provides a report card of his work, appeals to the people, and exposes the misleading statements and double standards of the opposition," he told news agency PTI.

Pradhan also said that some people make alliances without principles  out of fear, arrogance or selfishness  without singling out any party or individual.

Our relentless efforts are aimed at gaining the blessings of the people through hard work."

The Union Minister also addressed the recent debates around the Women's Reservation Bill, lauding the PM for setting an example.

The Congress let the women's reservation bill lapse and did not show any dedication to it during its rule. Nobody had held its hands. It had the opportunity (to get the bill passed) but it did not do it. Why didn't they do it? You came in 2008 and let it lapse until 2014, especially the Congress party. Who stopped you? You never had the commitment to do it," he said.

He also lashed out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for demanding a pan-India caste based census in recent days. Pradhan opined that the Wayanad lawmaker and his "family party" should give a detailed account of the work they did for the OBCs and weaker sections in the last 75 years.

"Those who did not fulfil their responsibilities and criticise... this is called opportunistic politics. You did not do anything," he said.

(with inputs from agencies)

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A political slugfest began between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress on social media on Thursday. The poster war started when the Congress called Prime Minister Narendra Modi the biggest liar and BJP called Rahul Gandhi the new age Ravan. The fight continued on Friday as the grand old party again shared a poster calling PM Modi Adanis puppet'. All you need to know about poster war between BJP and Congress 1) Congress activists staged protests across Kerala. They burnt the effigy of PM Modi over the alleged depiction of Rahul Gandhi as a 'new age Ravan' in a recent social media poster by the BJP. 2) Congress leaders in Maharashtra also held protests at different locations in Mumbai against the BJP for portraying Rahul Gandhi as a new age Ravan". Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and the party's state working president Naseem Khan took part in a protest at Chembur in the city 3) Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Arvinder Singh Lovely along with other party workers also held a protest outside BJP's Delhi unit office in the national capital and burned the effigy of PM Modi.

4) We want to know from the BJP, what is their issue with Rahul Gandhi. If Rahul ji is meeting poor farmers, coolies, and kids, and paying homage at the Swarn Mandir, does that bother BJP? We want to tell the BJP that the politics they play in the name of Lord Ram, they will reap the results in the next elections," Lovely told PTI.

5) Earlier, the Congress also called PM Modi a "Jumla Boy" who was "going to hit the election rally soon".

6) This came after the BJP on its official handle on X shared a poster of Gandhi with several heads with the title "Bharat Khatre Mein Hai - A Congress party production. Directed by George Soros".

7) "The new age Ravan is here. He is Evil. Anti Dharma. Anti Ram. His aim is to destroy Bharat," the BJP said on X.

8) Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said it is intended to incite and provoke violence against the former Congress chief whose father and grandmother were assassinated by forces that want to divide India.

9) "No words are enough to condemn the shameful graphic on the BJP handle comparing Sh. Rahul Gandhi ji to Ravana," said KC Venugopal.

10) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a post in Hindi on X, "Most respected @narendramodi ji and shri @JPNadda ji, what level do you want to take politics and debate to? Do you agree with the violent and provocative tweets being posted from the official Twitter handle of your party?"

(With inputs from agencies)

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The KCP Ltd is all set to hand over the Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT)  Crew Module Structure to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is currently working on the Gaganyaan mission, said M Narayana Rao, President of Heavy Engineering, KCP on Friday.

Speaking to ANI, Rao said, It's a basic test module for the Gaganyaan mission. We will see how it is going to perform and what other things are going to happen. Once it is successful, we will take it to the next level of manufacturing." We are proud that we are in this area of module making. It's a great opportunity given by the Indian space agency to us. I am sure the future will be good. And I wish them good luck for the launch," he said.

ISRO will commence unmanned flight tests for the Gaganyaan mission for which the preparations for the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) are underway, the Indian space agency said.

The Gaganyaan mission is aimed at developing a human-habitable space capsule that will carry a three-member crew into an orbit of 400 km (250 miles) for three days, before returning to safety in a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

The Ahmedabad facility will be responsible for building two critical systems for the Gaganyaan mission- the cabin systems and communication systems.

The cabin will house three seats for astronauts, along with a lighting system and two display screens to monitor various parameters inside the cabin. One of the significant features of the Gaganyaan cabin will be its camera sensors, which will track oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, ensuring the safety and well-being of the astronauts during their mission.

The mission is expected to have internet facilities, cameras throughout the cabin and two TV monitors to keep astronauts connected and informed.

Nilesh Desai, Director of the Space Applications Center (SAC) at ISRO Ahmedabad earlier said that a test vehicle, known as Test Vehicle D1 (TV D1) is scheduled for launch by October end.

PM Modi had announced the Gaganyaan Mission during his Independence Day speech in 2018, with the target of achieving the mission by 2022. However, due to the Covid pandemic the speed of the project was hampered and now the space agency aims to launch the project by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025.

The mission entails sending a crew of three individuals into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission, followed by their secure return to Earth, as stated on the ISRO's official website. The crew will conclude their journey by landing in the waters of the Indian Ocean.

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Amazon sale 2023: In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, staying ahead of the curve often means upgrading your computer accessories and enhancing your storage solutions. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a casual user, or anything in between, Amazon Sale 2023 is here to empower your tech journey like never before. This highly anticipated event promises an array of exclusive discounts on a wide range of computer peripherals and storage devices, making it the perfect opportunity to supercharge your computing experience.

In today's digital age, computer accessories are the unsung heroes that enable us to unleash the full potential of our devices. From ergonomic keyboards that make typing a breeze to high-precision mice that elevate your gaming performance, these peripherals are the bridges between human and machine. Amazon Sale 2023 recognizes the importance of these accessories and brings you the latest and greatest at unbeatable prices. Whether you're looking to revamp your home office setup or seeking that perfect gaming accessory, this sale has something for everyone.

But that's not all  the sale also caters to the ever-growing need for storage solutions. As we accumulate more data than ever before, having reliable and ample storage is essential. Whether it's for storing your important documents, cherished memories in the form of photos and videos, or your extensive digital library of games and software, having the right storage solution is paramount. Amazon Sale 2023 ensures that you can access top-tier hard drives, SSDs, and memory cards at discounted rates, allowing you to expand your digital horizons without constraints.

Furthermore, this sale isn't just about scoring incredible deals; it's about upgrading your digital lifestyle. With discounts on cutting-edge gadgets, lightning-fast SSDs, and high-capacity storage devices, you can push the boundaries of what your computer can achieve. From content creators looking to streamline their workflow to gamers seeking faster load times, Amazon Sale 2023 is the go-to destination for those who demand more from their technology.

Stay tuned as we delve into the fantastic deals, standout products, and expert recommendations that Amazon Sale 2023 has to offer in the world of computer accessories and storage solutions. Don't miss your chance to enhance your tech arsenal  mark your calendar and get ready to elevate your computing experience to new heights with this exclusive sale event.

1. ZEBRONICS Zeb-Pluto 2.0 Multimedia Speaker

The ZEBRONICS Zeb-Pluto 2.0 multimedia speaker offers a compact and versatile audio solution. With USB-powered functionality and volume control, it's a convenient choice for those seeking an affordable speaker setup. It also features auxiliary connectivity for added versatility. The speaker delivers 5W RMS of output power, with a frequency response range of 120Hz-15kHz, ensuring clear sound quality for your music and multimedia needs. The sleek black design adds a touch of style to your setup. It comes with a 1-year warranty, providing peace of mind.

Specifications of ZEBRONICS Zeb-Pluto:

Brand: ZEBRONICS

Speaker Type: Multimedia

Connectivity Technology: Auxiliary

Special Feature: 2.0

Output Power: 5W RMS (2.5W x 2)

Impedance: 3

Frequency Response: 120Hz-15kHz

Line Input: 3.5mm jack

Warranty: 1 Year

Colour: Black

Pros Cons Compact and USB-powered Limited output power for large rooms Easy volume control Auxiliary connectivity 1-year warranty for peace of mind Sleek black design

2. Logitech B170 Wireless Mouse

The Logitech B170 wireless mouse is a reliable and convenient accessory for your computer. With a wireless range of up to 10 meters, thanks to the included USB mini-receiver, you can enjoy freedom of movement. It features advanced optical tracking for precise cursor control on various surfaces. What sets this mouse apart is its impressive 12-month battery life, ensuring you won't have to worry about frequent battery changes. It's compatible with both PC and Mac, making it versatile. Logitech, a trusted brand with over 30 years of experience, delivers quality assurance you can rely on. This ambidextrous mouse is a practical choice for anyone seeking a durable and hassle-free wireless mouse.

Specifications of Logitech B170:

Brand: Logitech

Connectivity: Wireless (2.4 GHz with USB Nano Receiver)

Tracking: Optical

Battery Life: 12 Months

Compatibility: Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS 10.5 or later, Chrome OS, Linux Kernel 2.6+

Colour: Black

Pros Cons Reliable wireless connection up to 10m Not suitable for gaming Precise optical tracking Impressive 12-month battery life Trusted brand with a history of quality Ambidextrous design for all users

3. Mi Step Out 12 L Mini Backpack

The Mi Step Out Mini Backpack is a versatile and stylish choice for those on the go. Crafted from multi-coated 600D polyester material, this backpack is water-repellent, ensuring your belongings stay dry in light rain. With a capacity of 12 litres, it's a small-sized backpack suitable for carrying essentials, gym gear, travel items, or books. The backpack features two zip pockets for organized storage and adjustable straps for a comfortable fit. Whether you're at the airport, hitting the gym, or exploring a new city, this lightweight backpack is an ideal companion. It comes with a 6-month limited warranty, offering peace of mind.

Specifications of Mi Step Out Mini Backpack:

Brand: Mi

Material: Multi-coated 600D Polyester

Water-Repellent: Yes

Weight: 200 grams

Capacity: 12 litres

Laptop Compatibility: No

Warranty: 6 Months Limited Warranty

Pros Cons Water-repellent material Small size, not suitable for large items Two zipper pockets for organization Limited laptop compatibility Adjustable and comfortable straps Ideal for travel, gym, or daily use 6-month limited warranty

4. Redgear MP35 Speed-Type Gaming Mousepad (Black/Red)

The Redgear MP35 Speed-Type Gaming Mousepad is designed to elevate your gaming experience. Crafted with precision and technology for professional gamers, this mousepad features a non-slip rubber base that keeps it securely in place even during intense gaming sessions. With a size of 350mm x 250mm x 4mm, it provides ample space for smooth mouse movements and precise targeting. The quick response surface ensures consistent in-game control, making it ideal for gamers who need to hit their targets swiftly and efficiently. Backed by a 1-year warranty, this mousepad offers both performance and durability, making it a great addition to any gamer's setup.

Specifications of Redgear MP35 Mousepad:

Brand: Redgear

Surface Type: Speed-Type

Non-Slip Base: Yes

Warranty: 1 Year

Pros Cons Speed-type surface for precise control Relatively compact size Non-slip rubber base for stability Not suitable for larger desks Quick response for gaming accuracy Limited colour options (Black/Red) 1-year warranty for peace of mind Suitable for all gaming mouse types

5. ZEBRONICS-Transformer-M High-Performance Gold-Plated USB Mouse

The ZEBRONICS-Transformer-M is a premium gaming mouse that promises a top-tier gaming experience. Designed for gamers who demand high DPI precision and aesthetics, this mouse features a captivating 7-color breathing LED lighting system that adds a stylish touch to your gaming rig. Its ergonomic design ensures comfort even during prolonged gaming sessions. The mouse is engineered to work flawlessly on various surfaces, and its plug-and-play installation eliminates the need for additional software. With six buttons and a high-precision DPI gaming sensor offering up to 3200 DPI, you can enjoy swift and accurate movements. The dedicated DPI switch lets you toggle between 1000, 1600, 2400, and 3200 DPI settings for precise control. Additionally, the gold-plated USB ensures longevity, and the braided cable is built for durability.

Specifications of ZEBRONICS-Transformer-M Mouse:

Brand: ZEBRONICS

Gaming Mouse: Yes

DPI Range: 1000/1600/2400/3200 DPI

Ergonomic Design: Yes

LED Lighting: 7 Colours Breathing LED

Gold-Plated USB: Yes

Braided Cable: Yes

Pros Cons Stylish 7-color breathing LED lighting Specific warranty information missing Ergonomic design for comfort Limited information on durability High-precision DPI gaming sensor Dedicated DPI switch for precise control Gold-plated USB for longevity Braided cable for durability Suitable for all surfaces

6. Samsung EVO Plus 128GB microSDXC Memory Card

The Samsung EVO Plus microSDXC Memory Card is a reliable choice for expanding your device's storage. With an impressive read speed of up to 130MB/s and compatibility with various devices like smartphones, tablets, and cameras, this memory card ensures smooth data transfer and playback. It's built to withstand the toughest conditions, including water, temperature variations, X-rays, magnets, drops, and wear. The inclusion of a full-size adapter makes it suitable for cameras, laptops, and desktop computers. Backed by a 10-year limited warranty, this memory card offers both performance and peace of mind.

Specifications of Samsung EVO Plus 128GB microSDXC Memory Card:

Brand: Samsung

Model Name: EVO Plus

Flash Memory Type: Micro SDXC

Memory Storage Capacity: 128 GB

Compatible Devices: Laptop, Personal Computer, Tablet, Camera, Smartphone

Colour: Blue

Special Feature: Drop Proof

Read Speed: 130 Megabytes Per Second

Warranty Type: 10-year limited warranty

Pros Cons High read speed for quick data transfer No specific write speed mentioned 6-proof protection for durability Full-size adapter included for versatility 10-year limited warranty for peace of mind

7. SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Card, 128GB

The SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Card with 128GB capacity is an excellent choice for expanding your device's storage. With a read speed of 140MB/s, it ensures rapid data transfer and smooth performance. This card is compatible with a range of devices, including Chromebooks, tablets, and smartphones. It's backed by a 10-year warranty, offering reliability and peace of mind for your data storage needs.

Specifications of SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Card, 128GB:

Brand: SanDisk

Model Name: SanDisk Ultra microSD card

Flash Memory Type: Micro SD

Memory Storage Capacity: 128 GB

Compatible Devices: Chromebooks, Tablet, Smartphone

Colour: Red

Read Speed: 140 Megabytes Per Second

Warranty Type: Limited 10-year warranty

Pros Cons High read speed for quick data transfer Write speed not specified 10-year warranty for reliability Compatible with various devices

8. SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go USB Type C Pendrive, 128GB

The SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go is a versatile 2-in-1 flash drive designed for modern devices. It features a reversible USB Type-C connector and a traditional Type-A connector, allowing you to seamlessly transfer content between USB Type-C smartphones, tablets, Macs, and USB Type-A computers. With a high-performance USB 3.1 Gen 1 drive offering 150MB/s read speeds, it ensures quick file transfers. The drive also includes the SanDisk Memory Zone app for automatic photo backup. Its dual-purpose swivel design protects connectors and includes a keyring hole for on-the-go convenience.

Specifications of SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go USB Type C Pendrive, 128GB:

Brand: SanDisk

Memory Storage Capacity: 128 GB

Hardware Interface: USB

Special Feature: Lightweight

Read Speed: 150 Megabytes Per Second

Pros Cons Reversible USB Type-C and Type-A connectors Write speed not specified High read speed for fast file transfers SanDisk Memory Zone app for automatic backup Dual-purpose swivel design for convenience

9. Amazon Basics 32GB MicroSDHC Memory Card with Adapter

The Amazon Basics 32GB MicroSDHC Memory Card with Adapter offers wide compatibility with various devices, including smartphones, tablets, cameras, and more. It provides high-quality storage, making it suitable for high-resolution photos and Full HD video recording. With read speeds of up to 98MB/s and support for Class 10 and A1 speed classes, it offers optimal performance for your smartphone experience. This memory card is shock-resistant, IPX6 water-resistant, temperature-resistant, X-ray-resistant, and magnet-resistant, ensuring lasting reliability for your data.

Specifications of Amazon Basics 32GB MicroSDHC Memory Card with Adapter:

Brand: Amazon Basics

Flash Memory Type: Micro SD

Memory Storage Capacity: 32 GB

Compatible Devices: Personal Computer, Camera, Smartphone

Colour: Black

Special Feature: Ultra High Speed

Hardware Interface: microSDHC

Secure Digital Association Speed Class: Class 10

Pros Cons Wide compatibility with various devices Limited storage capacity (32GB) High read speed for quick data transfer Write speed not specified Rugged and durable design for reliability IPX6 water-resistant and shock-resistant Temperature and X-ray resistant Magnet-resistant for data security

Best overall product

The Samsung EVO Plus 128GB microSDXC memory card stands out as the best overall product. It offers ample storage capacity and high-speed performance for capturing and storing high-resolution photos and 4K videos. Additionally, it comes with 6-proof protection, ensuring durability and reliability in various conditions.

Best deal

The Mi Step Out Mini Backpack offers the best deal with an incredible discount. Not only is it stylish and compact, but it also provides excellent value for money. This backpack is designed for everyday use, making it a practical and affordable choice for individuals looking for a reliable and budget-friendly accessory. Also check out deal on iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Disclaimer: At Livemint, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Mint has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.

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Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, stated on Saturday that if any scandal involving him were to arise, it should be called "Elongate."

The owner of Twitter also shared a funny meme on the same topic, which has sparked the interest of his followers. In just a few hours, his posts garnered more than 20,000 retweets and received approximately 200,000 likes from X users. "If there's a big scandal about me, my only request is that it be called Elongate," tweeted Musk.

Musk is also testing new subscription plans, CEO Linda Yaccarino has confirmed in a meeting with debt holders. The current X Premium or Twitter Blue subscription that costs $8 per month will be split into three categories - sic, Standard and Plus.

More recently, Elon Musk had hinted in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that X will start charging a small monthly payment from all users in order to eliminate the problem of bots.

Earlier, a researcher had examined the code for the latest app version on X had revealed that the three subscription versions could be segregated on the basis of number of ads shown to users. The researcher who goes by the handle @Aaronp613 noted that the X Premium Basic plan will show full ads while the X Premium Standard version will show half the number of ads and the X Premium version will show no ads.

In India, Twitter Blue subscription costs 900 per month for both Android and iOS devices. For web, the pricing is 650 per month. Buyers can also opt for an annual subscription priced at 6,800 on the web. The annual subscription cost for X on iOS and Android is 9,400 per year.

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Amazon is set to launch two satellites on Friday, in its first test mission as part of its plan to deliver the internet from space and compete with Elon Musks Starlink service.

The launch window for the Atlas V rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) hub at Kennedy Space Center in Florida is scheduled to open for two hours at 2:00 pm local time (1800 GMT).

Once up and running, the company founded by Jeff Bezos says its Project Kuiper will provide fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world, with a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

This is Amazons first time putting satellites into space, and were going to learn an incredible amount regardless of how the mission unfolds, said Rajeev Badyal, Project Kuipers vice president of technology.

The first operational satellites of the Kuiper project are due to be launched in early 2024, according to Amazon, which hopes for initial tests with customers at the end of next year.

The test on Friday will attempt to make contact with probes from Earth, deploy their solar panels, and confirm that all instruments are operating correctly and at the desired temperatures.

The two prototypes will be removed from orbit and disintegrated in the Earths atmosphere at the end of the test mission.

Musks SpaceX launched the first batch of its more than 3,700 operational Starlink satellites in 2019 and is by far the biggest player. London-headquartered OneWeb is another early entrant in the emerging sector.

These services are designed to provide internet access to even the most remote and underserved areas around the world, including war zones or disaster-struck areas.

Musks ownership of Starlink caused uproar in Ukraine last month when it was revealed that he refused to turn on the service for a planned attack by Kyiv forces on Russias Black Sea navy fleet last year.

Given the technologys strategic importance, governments are also keen to join the rush into the sector.

China plans to launch 13,000 satellites as part of its GuoWang constellation, while Canadas Telesat will add 300 and German start-up Rivada is eyeing 600.

That will be in addition to the European Unions Iris project  170 satellites  and the 300-500 satellites planned to be launched by the US militarys Space Development Agency.

Star Wars

The global satellite market is valued at USD 77.08 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7% from 2023 to 2030 to reach USD 159.60 billion by 2030.

The growth of the satellite market is being driven by a number of factors, including:

Increasing demand for satellite communication services for government and enterprise applications.

Growing demand for satellite-based broadband services.

Rising demand for satellite-based Earth observation services.

Increasing investments in new satellite technologies, such as high-throughput satellites and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations.

The satellite market is segmented by application, type, and region. The application segment includes government, enterprise, and consumer. The type segment includes communication satellites, Earth observation satellites, and navigation satellites. The region segment includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.

North America is the largest market for satellites, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The North American market is expected to remain the largest market throughout the forecast period. The Asia Pacific market is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period, due to increasing investments in satellite technologies and growing demand for satellite-based services.

The key players in the satellite market include Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Thales Alenia Space, and Northrop Grumman. These companies are involved in the development, manufacturing, and launch of satellites.

Overall, the global satellite market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, driven by increasing demand for satellite-based services and investments in new satellite technologies.

Shayne Heffernan
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Israel will try to protect its citizens by any means necessary and is not afraid of a large-scale campaign in Gaza, Yoav Bistritsky, who is Deputy Ambassador of Israel to Azerbaijan George Dick, wrote on his page on X (Twitter), Trend reports.

He noted that Israel will make terrorists pay in full for what they have done and is ready to act appropriately until it achieves its goals.

Hamas will bear responsibility for these events and consequences, the official added.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Netanyahu says Israel is at war as Palestinian militants launch surprise air and ground attack from Gaza
Employees at two of the largest drugstore chains in the United States say harsh working conditions make it difficult to safely fill prescriptions, which could put the health of their customers at risk. Now, theyre demanding change by staging a series of walkouts across the country.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The UN Security Council plans to discuss the worsening situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip, Trend reports.

The UN Security Council will hold a closed meeting in this regard. The meeting will take place on October 8, at 15:00 local time in New York.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that more than 20 civilians were killed and more than 540 wounded.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Gardai in Longford are urging the public to remain vigilant as they continue to receive fraud related reports for investigation.

On September 21, Gardai in Granard received a report from a 70 year old lady that she received a phone call from a person claiming to be from Vodafone offering her a 400 refund due to poor broadband quality.

The woman provided the caller with her bank card details and as a result of this 400 was taken from her current account without her permission or consent.

On September 19, Gardai in Longford received a report from a female in her early 20s who received a text message stating that she had pre approved tax credits with a link.

The unsuspecting female clicked on the link, which took her to a page which looked like My Revenue and she entered her PPS number, date of birth, address and passwords for My Revenue. The injured party then received a text from BOI with a code to activate a new device.

The female then entered this code into her Revenue account along with her BOI user name and six digit pin number. Shortly afterwards the female realised that 1,800 was taken from her account.

Sergeant Damien Bartley, Crime Prevention Officer for Longford Roscommon, is reminding people to be vigilant and to be wary of these kinds of messages, especially from a number you are not familiar with, even if it seems like an Irish number.

Sgt Bartley has issued the following advice;

Be cautious of unsolicited text messages from unknown senders Do not click on a link or reply to a message Dont share personal information. Legitimate texts never ask you for personal or financial information DO NOT RESPOND Be familiar with how businesses and services you engage with will contact you  visit their website to find out or ask them how they are likely to contact you Verify sender details by visiting the companys official website or in the case of your bank, ring the number on the back of your bank card. NEVER use contact details in the text.

If you suspect you are the victim of a fraud, report the matter immediately to your bank or financial institution who can assess your transactions and monitor these for any unusual activity.

If you ascertain that you have been a victim of fraud you should report the matter to your local Garda station.
Plush toy and fleece items are available now to support UNESCO initiatives

for clean oceans





Global apparel retailer UNIQLO announces the launch of the 2023 Fall/Winter collection for JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING, a campaign supporting UNESCO activities to reduce marine debris. The new items, the final in the series featuring popular cartoon character Doraemon, are now available at UNIQLO stores throughout Japan and the uniqlo.com online store.

CHECK ALSO: UNIQLO SHOWCASES THE ART OF MODERN LAYERING

JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING is a customer-participation project that connects the power of clothing with actions for a more sustainable world. Items for the 2023 Fall/Winter collection are the Doraemon Sustainability Mode Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket, and the Doraemon Sustainability Mode Toy, both made of 100% recycled polyester fabric. The Full-Zip Jacket features a small Doraemon Sustainability Mode motif on the chest, and the Toy is UNIQLOs first plush toy made from fluffy yarn fleece material. This will be the final Doraemon Sustainability Mode collection.

For every purchase of products eligible for the campaign, which include Doraemon Sustainability Mode items and other fleece items made from recycled polyester, Fast Retailing will donate US$1 to UNESCO to support its international initiative to reduce ocean garbage, which includes educational programs to raise awareness of marine debris issues.*

* The maximum donation amount is US$1.5 million (approx. 200 million). Donations will be made by UNIQLO parent company Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.





CHECK ALSO: UNIQLO x WHITE MOUNTAINEERING COLLAB COLLECTION





Doraemon Sustainability Mode Products Launch Date: October 6, 2023 (Friday)

Doraemon Sustainability Mode Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket 1 Design P 1,490

Doraemon Sustainability Mode KIDS Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket1

Design P 990





Doraemon Sustainability Mode Toy 1 Design P 990

Website: .uniqlo.com/jp/en/contents/sustainability/jointpoc

See the special website for other JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING products eligible for donations.





Special website to learn about ocean garbage:

The JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING special website contains content to learn about ocean garbage. Continuing from the previous season, the site features interviews with experts, videos about marine debris issues, and advice for reducing plastic waste in our everyday lives. The site also includes reports on how donations made through the JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING project since 2022 (approximately US$ 3 million) have so far been utilized.

About Doraemon Sustainability Mode

Beloved for more than 50 years, the cat-type robot Doraemon is a worldwide popular manga and anime character from the 22nd century. Always kind and ready to help, Doraemon pulls all sorts of secret gadgets out of his fourth-dimensional pocket to solve problems throughout his many adventures. In Sustainability Mode, Doraemon joined UNIQLO as a global sustainability ambassador, to show us how sustainable steps can be our secret gadgets to help transform the world into a better place for all.

UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding and a more perfect knowledge of each other's lives. UNESCO's programs contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. www.unesco.org/en





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facebook.com/ManilaShopper

instagram.com/ManilaShopper threads.net/@ManilaShopper Walk with Manila Shopper on youtube: MS Walks






Formerly incarcerated people returning to one Boston neighborhood may now find the path back home a little smoother.

On Friday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, joined by cabinet officials and community advocates, celebrated the opening of a new outpost of the citys Office of Returning Citizens and PowerCorps, a green jobs program, at 30 Dimock Street in Roxbury.

The new office will support better connections to health care, mental health, and substance use disorder services, as well as a food pantry, Wus office said in a statement. Both are invaluable departments that provide opportunity for residents, Wu said.

Establishing welcoming, public facing resources in community is so important to making critical constituent services more accessible to our residents, Wu continued.

The citys Office of Returning Citizens provides services to the more than 3,000 people who return to the city after serving sentences in county, state, and federal custody, according to its website. PowerCorps is a workforce development program that prepares people aged for green jobs.

Both agencies prioritize people who have been disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system, Wus office said.

On Friday, Wus office also announced that it had opened applications for the citys Health and Wellness Services for Returning Citizens (HW-RC) grant program, making a total of $200,000 available to fund such programming as peer support, restorative justice efforts, as well as yoga and mindfulness services.

This grant opportunity will enable the city to partner with organizations that provide tailored support to returning citizens as they come back to our community, city Human Services Chief Jose F. Masso said This grant is indicative of the [offices holistic approach to the needs of returning citizens.

Wus office pointed to research showing that more than half of returning citizens contend with some kind of mental health or substance use disorder issue, which underlines the need for such services.

Opening the new office in Roxbury tells people that we care about all aspects of their health and wellbeing, and Im proud that were collectively sending that message as a city, City Councilmember Ruthzee Louijeune said.

Applications for the Health and Wellness Services for Returning Citizens Grant program opened on Oct. 6. They close on Nov. 6, Wus office said. You can apply here.
As the conflict between the Israeli military and the militant Palestinian group Hamas escalated Saturday, Jewish community groups and members of Congress in Massachusetts moved to condemn the terrorist attacks on Israel.

From Springfield to Boston, Jewish community groups across Massachusetts took time amid Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, to denounce Saturdays hostilities. The attacks also fall on a sacred holiday period for the religion.

The conflict has already claimed the lives of at least 100 Israelis and 198 Palestinians, according to reports from The New York Times.

Combined Jewish Philanthropies and the Jewish Community Relations Council said they were horrified by these brutal acts of terrorism, aggression, and destruction.

Here in Boston, we awoke to terrifying scenes in Israel, the organizations, both of which serve Greater Boston, said in a statement. The IDF has confirmed that hostages have been taken to Gaza and that, as of now, over 100 people were killed in a Hamas assault, with another 900 injured. The scale of the destruction is unfathomable.

The Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, which is based in Springfield, told MassLive it stands with the Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish people worldwide in solidarity with the people of Israel.

Read more: Hamas militant group launches unprecedented operation against Israel with rockets and infiltration

The prayer for the State of Israel we recite in synagogue every week - including this morning - says       - Grant peace in the land and happiness to all its residents, the Jewish Federations of North America said in a statement.

The conflict was initiated early Saturday when Palestinian militants from the territory of Gaza invaded multiple Israeli communities and military bases and fired thousands of rockets at the country. Israel retaliated with massive strikes on Gazan cities, The New York Times reported.

Steven Schimmel, the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts, pointed out the scale of the attacks, noting thousands of rockets have been fired from Gaza into cities as far away as Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a public address, called the conflict war, Schimmel added.

There are reports of numerous casualties, fatalities, and kidnappings involving both civilians and IDF soldiers. Multiple buildings were struck by rockets in Israeli cities possibly including Tel Aviv, Schimmel said in an email to community members. This is a serious, multi-pronged attack on a large scale, unprecedented in recent decades and is still on-going as of the time of this email with details still emerging.

Schimmel and others also noted the timing of Saturdays attacks. Only a day before was the 50th anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, as the hostilities took place during the Jewish sacred day of Yom Kippur and the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The three-week-long conflict in 1973 began after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched an attack on Israel following decades of ArabIsraeli hostilities.

We pray for the peace, safety, and security of Israel, Schimmel said.

The attacks on Israel received condemnation from the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation as well. U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-4th District, who himself is Jewish, stated he fully supports Israels right to respond and its obligation to its own citizens to defend the Jewish state through military force.

I encourage the Biden administration to maintain close & constant engagement with Israeli leaders to ensure the United States is supporting all efforts to achieve a ceasefire, Auchincloss said.

Israel & its Defense Forces have my full support as they fight to protect the Jewish state. pic.twitter.com/QkuTy3VXCK  Rep. Jake Auchincloss  (@RepAuchincloss) October 7, 2023

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, described the attacks as devastating and deeply alarming. She called for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation.

It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence & trauma, and work toward a just & lasting peace in the region, she said in a post on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.

These devastating attacks on Israelis are deeply alarming and my heart breaks for the victims & their loved ones.



We need an immediate ceasefire & de-escalation.



It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence & trauma, and work toward a just & lasting peace in the region. https://t.co/mPUukLKYg6  Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) October 7, 2023

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., took to X to condemn the attacks as well, noting he is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of civilian life. The senator also expressed concern over the possibility of war.

We must do everything in our power to deescalate violence, engage diplomacy, and avert bloodshed. A war between Israel and Palestine would be catastrophic, Markey said.
Massachusetts developing police watchdog has banned five former officers from future law enforcement work in the state, stripping their policing credentials under an authority it had exercised only once before.

Four of the five officers were convicted on felony charges, making their decertification by the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission a formality. State law requires the board to decertify any officer who commits a felony.

One Boston officer had pleaded guilty to sending a fellow driver a fake traffic ticket amounting to nearly $800 after a road rage confrontation. A Lawrence officer was convicted of child exploitation.

In the fifth case, that of a former college police officer found to have knowingly filed a report and dozens of police logs that contained false information, the commission for the first time flexed its authority to expel a cop if an investigation revealed evidence of significant wrongdoing.

The Post Commission was established by a 2020 police reform law that gave it broad oversight over Massachusetts more than 400 police departments, including the authority to certify each of the states roughly 20,000 cops  and to decertify officers for certain egregious misconduct.

Prior to this slate of rulings, the commission had only used its decertification powers once. Former Woburn Police Officer John Donnelly voluntarily agreed to his own decertification in May after a news report alleged he had participated in the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. He did not admit to the allegations.

Sophia Hall, the deputy litigation director for the Boston-based nonprofit Lawyers for Civil Rights, said the removal of these five officers was precisely what we envisioned in creating a decertification program.

But she also called on the commission to cast a wider net in the conduct it decides warrants an officers decertification.

There are a plethora of behaviors shy of what would rise to criminal conduct that the public has a right to expect officers will not engage in, Hall said. She added: Every day, communities of color encounter police officers who fail to uphold their dignity and protect their rights. Those are the officers who we need to catch to create real culture change in the police departments across the commonwealth.

Falsified police logs, phony traffic ticket led to decertification

The college police officer decertified by the commission is Darren Senecal, formerly of the Mount Wachusett Community College Police Department.

College police officials reported to the commission a year ago that Senecal had knowingly included false information in a police report and had recorded fraudulent entries in the nightly campus police logs on more than 50 occasions in 2021, according to the commissions decertification ruling.

Enrique Zuniga listens during a meeting of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in Boston, Massachusetts on April 3, 2019. Formerly a gaming commissioner, Zuniga is now the executive director of the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission. (Photo by Christopher Evans/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)MediaNews Group via Getty Images

During an internal department investigation, Senecal maintained that he patrolled the Central Massachusetts campus on foot as his police logs described, despite video evidence showing him in a student lounge at the time, the commission said.

Senecal did not appear before the commission to defend himself, and the board issued a default decision stripping his police license on Sept. 14, finding the officer had engaged in a pattern of unprofessional conduct that may escalate.

The four other former officers decertified by the commission were Christopher Curtis, of the Boston Police; Carlos Vieira, of the Lawrence Police; James Quilty, of the Natick Police; and Daniel Whitman, of the Tyngsborough Police.

Curtis was involved in a road rage incident with a fellow driver on Interstate 93 near Stoneham in 2019. Afterward, he ran the drivers license plate and sent the person a phony $790 traffic ticket along with a written note challenging the person to dispute the ticket, authorities said.

In Suffolk Superior Court last year, Curtis pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from the incident and was sentenced to a year of probation.

An Essex Superior Court jury last year found Vieira guilty of sexually exploiting a 13-year-old. He was sentenced to 10 to 12 years in prison.

Quilty was accused of inappropriately touching a female dispatcher for the Natick Police in 2020. A WBUR investigation indicated that he had groped the woman, kissed and fondled her without consent at a post-work social gathering of some members of the department.

Quilty pleaded guilty last December to three counts of indecent assault and battery in Middlesex Superior Court and resigned days later.

Whitman pleaded guilty last October to a slew of federal financial charges connected to his plan to open an indoor shooting range as a business venture.

Federal officials said he hid a foreign source of funding for the project on bank loan applications. Whitman also pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges after investigators found he had illegally possessed and transferred modified rifles in violation of the National Firearms Act.

What does decertification mean?

The decertified officers are barred from future law enforcement work in Massachusetts. The POST Commission will report their names to a national registry of decertified cops, which could prevent the officers from finding future police work in other states as well.

Decertification is essential to holding officers accountable, restoring public trust, and prioritizing public safety for all, Dan McFadden, managing attorney at the ACLU of Massachusetts, said in an emailed statement to MassLive.

He added that details of the commissions operations still mattered, from how the board handled complaints of police misconduct to how it decertified officers, to ensure that the intent of the police reform law would be fully realized.

The POST commissioners have suspended more than 40 other officers since they began exercising the power around the beginning of the year. Nearly all of the suspended officers face felony charges, and if found guilty they would also see their policing certification revoked.

In one unique recent case, the commission also suspended the license of a former Lenox police officer accused of using the psychedelic drug LSD. It marked the commissions first suspension not tied to criminal charges.
UPDATE: Operations resume after power outage at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton

Emergency services officials in Brockton have responded to Good Samaritan Hospital for a power outage, according to published reports.

Crews from the Brockton Emergency Management Agency were working on emergency issues that have affected the hospitals operations, News-25 in Boston reported on Saturday afternoon.

We are on location at the Good Samaritan med center working with their team in regard to emergency issues affecting hospital operations at this time.



Good Samaritan Med Center is condition black, not accepting any incoming patients. We will update the public as soon as we can  BEMA (@Brockton_EMA) October 7, 2023

The hospital is on condition black, which means it is not accepting incoming patients, the station reported, citing emergency management officials. Patients who require it are being taken to sister hospitals, the station reported.

A spokesperson for Steward Health Care, which owns and operates Good Samaritan, confirmed the power outage to WCVB-TV in Boston.

Our team is working diligently to find the cause. As patient safety is always our number one priority, our patients are receiving uninterrupted care, the spokesperson told the station. Where needed our patients are being transferred to our sister hospitals for care.

Shortly after 11:45 a.m., BEMA Director Steve Hooke said in a Facebook post that flooding had prompted the power issues at the hospital, the station reported.

The emergency room will remain closed until an assessment can be done on the electrical system, Hooke wrote. Also, the hospital has no phone, internet or computer services.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 6. A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning, Trend reports.

First, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water and air. There are already casualties among the civilians.

The press service of the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that rocket fire is being conducted on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Alarms sound continuously on Saturday morning in many localities of the country, including the Tel Aviv area and its environs. Residents of the southern and central regions of Israel are advised to stay near shelters.
With October officially upon us, there still are no shortage of opportunities to take in the explosion of color that marks fall in New England.

MassLive already has run down the best spots to see peak fall foliage in New England during the weekend of Oct. 6 through Oct. 9. And if you want to leave the driving to someone else, Amtrak has some opportunities for leaf-peeping across the region.

But if youre feeling the call of the highway, you might want to add these road trips to your itinerary this autumn, courtesy of the lifestyle website InsideHook.

Granted, some of them might take a little work.

The website ran down 11 scenic autumn road trips, from West Texas to Wisconsin  and all points in between.

Two of them, fortunately, are closer to home in New England. Heres a look.

The Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire

This 34.5 mile drive along state Route 112 in the Granite State is well known for being one of the best fall foliage viewing areas in the country, according to Kancamagushighway.com. The road has been designated an American Scenic Byway, based on its rich history, aesthetic beauty and culture, the website noted.

According to InsideHooks Matt Kirouac, a New Hampshire native, the trip is worth it because the highway zigs and zags ... through the mighty White Mountain National Forest and its myriad gorges, waterfalls and rivers, steadily ascending to an elevation of about 3,000 feet.

Folks come from all over the world to drive roads like these, aglow in tunnels of fragrant trees and free from modern development (i.e., fuel up before heading out, because there are no gas stations along the way), he wrote.

Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park, Maine

Including Acadia National Park might seem like a gimme for any New Englander in the know. It is, after all, one of the most popular national parks in the nation.

But according to InsideHooks Kirouac, youre missing out if you dont book a stop at Jordan Pond. Its the ultimate setting for autumnal serenity, he wrote.

Among the purest and deepest glacier-carved lakes in the Northeast, the pristine pond is surrounded by a (mostly) flat trail that hugs the shoreline. Along the way, listen and look for loons as the surrounding mountains cast luminous reflections off the stillness of the ponds surface, Kirouac wrote.
As a family reels and the community rallies to support it after the death of a Springfield mother, the citys mayor, on behalf of the Croteau family, asks for privacy.

There are no words to express what the Croteau family must be going through, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said in a press release Friday. Our heartfelt thoughts, prayers, sympathy and words of encouragement go out to the family, especially to the children.

Sarno asked that people respect the familys privacy. Although they appreciate the outreach and support, they need time to heal, he said.

Stephanie Croteau was killed in a car crash early Friday morning, according to police. Croteaus mom and 10-year-old daughter were shot dead and killed in a murder-suicide over the summer.

The fatal, single-car crash happened around 12:10 a.m. on Oct. 6, Springfield Police said. Croteau was the only occupant of the car and was pronounced dead at the scene in the area of Parker and Cooley streets, police reported.

Sarno said the city, including Francena Brown, executive director of Families Against Violence, is working with Croteaus family.

This is a difficult time for them, Brown said in the press release. Although they appreciate everyones overwhelming outreach and support, right now the family needs time to heal.

Croteau had recently lost her daughter, Aubrianna, 10, and her mother, Kim Fairbanks, 52, to a murder-suicide shooting at 174 Berkshire Ave. on Aug. 14. The womans 12-year-old daughter was also shot but survived, and her 5-year-old son was not injured. The familys dog was also killed.

Crouteau had been devastated over her child and mothers deaths, often posting about her grief to her personal Facebook page.

On Oct. 4, she wrote, I have just started to go through the thousands of messages of the outpouring of love and support from everyone in the community and elsewhere. I appreciate every single one of you for reaching out.

Everyday is hard. It doesnt seem to be better, but Im surviving. So thank you, Croteau said.

Her final Facebook post was an image of her visiting Aubriannas grave, sitting on a blanket on the ground with her other two children, captioned, Cuddles with Aubrie.

Stephanie Croteau and her family

A comedy club in Chicopee that was already planning a fundraising comedy night at the Chicopee Portuguese American Club to help Croteau and her children says the event will go on.

The club, located at 147 Exchange St. in Chicopee, announced its fundraiser planned for 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22, will still go on as planned, with the money raised to help Chris, the surviving childrens father.

Tickets to the event are $25, and the evening will include raffles, a 50/50 drawing and cash bar. Comedians Darren Rivera and Linda Belt will be featured, and it will be hosted by Jess Miller. The event is for those 21 and older.

More information on the event can be found at the link here.
Veteran broadcast journalist Sy Becker, a presence on the Western Massachusetts airwaves in a career spanning 60 years, has died, WWLP-TV in Springfield reported on Saturday.

Becker was was well known for his boundless energy, his unmistakable voice, and of course, his movie reviews, the station noted in a story posted to its website.

Locals who grew up watching Beckers movie reviews may recall his signature catch phrase and sign-off: This is Sy Becker, with another look at the movies! which he would say while swinging his arm and dramatically extending the word look.

Sy Becker was always in his element when walking in the Holyoke St. Patricks Parade, soaking up the cheers from thousands of his adoring fans. Whether it was marching in the parade, hosting the East Longmeadow Concert Series, or the Red Cross Hometown Heroes Celebration, he lived for moments like this, the station reported.

The station reported he died after a short illness.

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-1st District, said Becker was a superb newsman in every sense of the word.

I had the pleasure of knowing Sy going back to his days at WSPR radio, where he was a one-man dynamo when it came to collecting the news. He had a great affinity for political life and earned the respect of countless public figures throughout his career, Neal said. I fondly remember him for his movie reviews with 22 News and for the pillar that he was in the western Massachusetts community. On this solemn occasion, my thoughts and prayers are with Sys family at 22 News and the entire Becker family.

According to WWLP-TV, Becker was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1936, attending New Yorks City College and the School of Radio and Television.

He launched his broadcast career in radio, making stops in Chicopee, Mass., Asheville, N.C, and Dover, Del., before a 14-year tenure at WSPR-AM in Springfield.

There, Becker worked as news director and an award-winning reporter, according to WWLP-TV. He joined WWLP-TV in 1979 as a general assignment reporter, pulling additional duty as a local theater and movie critic, the station reported.

In 2009, Becker made headlines with hisBecker Bike Challenge during the stations Toys for Tots campaign that year. It ended with the news outlets studio overflowing with bikes donated by our viewers, to give to kids for the holidays, WWLP-TV reported.

Becker retired in spring 2023, capping a career that wont soon be forgotten by his friends here at 22News and his many fans in western Massachusetts.

He was Sy Becker, with the booming voice, who was small in stature but larger than life, the station reported.
CHICOPEE  About a dozen residents expressed their displeasure with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts headquarters at a recent Planning Board meeting, accusing the charity of causing nuisances in the neighborhood.

At the beginning of September, the food bank completed a move from Hatfield to its new location at 25 Carew St. in Chicopee, a location that gives it the ability to accept more food.

Leading the charge was Julie LHeureux of Carew Street, who passed around copies of a printed presentation titled The Failure of Western Mass Food Bank to be a Good Neighbor.

The presentation included photographs of instances where operations at the food bank caused inconvenience to residents, photos such as tractor-trailer drivers failing to use the East Main Street entrance and clogged stormwater drainage systems that caused some of the residents backyards to flood in recent downpours.

I am in complete support of the mission statement of the food bank, LHeureux said before the meeting. What I am asking is that the food bank be a good neighbor, and they have failed repeatedly.

David Terault, who has lived on his property along Carew Street for the past 18 years, said the bollard lights are bright enough to shine into his home, even when he closes the shades.

The complaints of the residents were directed towards Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the food bank, who originally attended the meeting in hopes of getting 10 proposals for the location approved.

However, the citys planning board only approved one proposal, which was the food banks plan to enhance the propertys landscape by planting trees, and taking other cautionary steps to prevent further stormwater from running off its property.

Due to the effects of the stormwater runoff from the property into nearby properties, the food bank was placed under an enforcement order by the Conservation Commission on Oct. 4, an order which will be reviewed on Oct. 18 to ensure their drainage systems are working properly.

The other nine site proposals, which include installing solar panels on the roof of the building, a bicycle rack and a storage space for equipment, were tabled and will be revisited at the next planning board meeting on Nov. 28.

Morehouse said he would look into having bollard lights turned off by 6:30 p.m. and shield the ones facing the neighbors. Morehouse also said he will have bigger signage at the food banks East Main Street entrance to better direct delivery drivers and make them aware of when they stop taking deliveries, which is 2:30 p.m.

In addition, signage will be placed at its Carew Street entrance to prevent delivery drivers from causing any traffic concerns for the residents.

What happens is that a lot of trucks come to the food bank unannounced or are directed to us without our knowledge whatsoever, Morehouse said. They just come in the middle of the night or the end of the day and we know nothing about them until they show up on our door.

After the meeting, Morehouse said the food bank will be working with Mountain View Landscaping to enhance the property.
Dear Amy: I mow lawns as a side gig.

Several months ago, my lawn mower quit working and one of the people I mow for (the Smiths) offered to let me use theirs.

I accepted their offer, and told them that as long as I used their lawn mower to mow other lawns, I wouldnt charge them for mowing theirs.

A few weeks ago, another client gave me their old lawn mower (theyd gotten a new one).

It was a kind gesture that truly filled my heart with hope.

Since then, I have not borrowed the Smiths mower.

Ive told them that I have a good mower, now.

They asked me to continue using theirs on their lawn, and I agreed.

Since then, Ive mowed, weed-whacked and cleaned the grass from their property two times.

They thank me and tell me how great it looks ... but they havent paid me.

Im trying to figure out a tactful way to ask them for payment.

I value them as friends; theyre almost like family.

Can you help me to find the words?

 Unpaid

Dear Unpaid: Judging by my mailbag, the act of asking for money you are owed for services rendered is one of the most uncomfortable situations people face. It is vital for free-lancers (such as yourself) to establish a clear and confident payment policy.

The Smiths generously let you use their mower to mow their and other clients lawns. During that period, you didnt charge them to mow their lawn.

Now that this period has ended, you need to get them back on a payment schedule.

Contact them by email to say: Thank you again for lending your mower when I needed it! This generous gesture helped to keep my business going, and Im very grateful. However, now that I have replaced my mower, Id like to get you back on a payment schedule. If youd like me to continue to use your mower for your property, Id be happy to extend a 20 percent discount [or whatever discount you decide]. With the discount, the fee for your property would be XX for each mowing and weed cleanup. If you dont want me to use your mower, Ill use my own. If so, the fee reverts to XX. Please let me know which you would prefer, and well schedule your next mowing. With regards and much gratitude

The more transparent and professionally you behave in this area of your business, the better it will be for you and your clients.

If so, I predict that your business, like the crab grass in my own lawn, will continue to grow.

Dear Amy: I was on an Alaskan cruise in September. On Sept. 11 the ship made an announcement at about noon that we would have a minute of silence to commemorate 9/11.

I was in the dining area.

Within a few seconds there was dead silence among the hundreds of people there, many of which were probably not Americans.

At the table adjacent to me was a family (who were not speaking English) who continued to talk among themselves.

I was tempted to walk over with an image of the World Trade Center on my phone to explain what was going on without speaking.

However, I did not do anything but reverently bow my head as the minute passed. They continued to talk during the whole observance.

Should I have taken some action?

If I was visiting a country where I did not know the language and everyone was suddenly silent I would have followed the crowd and been silent myself.

 Alaskan Traveler

Dear Traveler: If you are traveling in a country where you dont speak or understand the language, announcements can sound like white noise.

And if you are with other excited people and deeply engaged in conversation, you might not notice that others have fallen silent.

I dont think it was necessary for you to flash a photo of this tragedy in order to drive your point home, but approaching the table, making eye contact, and making the universal symbols for quiet and praying might have alerted the group for the need to pay respect.

Dear Amy: Lost in-law asked how to refer to his former brother-in-law, who is the father of his niece and nephew.

Ive had that situation for years. My former BIL and I both have kids (who are cousins), so I call him Uncle Norm and he calls me Uncle Dan.

 Uncle Dan

Dear Uncle Dan: You nailed it. Great solution!

(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)

2023 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The family of a pregnant woman who was left in critical condition  and whose baby was killed  in a shooting in Holyoke earlier this week is raising funds on her behalf.

Family members set up a verified GoFundMe page on Friday after the woman, who was eight months pregnant, was shot while riding the bus in Holyoke on Wednesday. The fundraising goal of the page is $5,000.

[O]ur sister-in-law was a victim in the shooting and was injured causing the death of our unborn nephew, the GoFundMe page reads. Any help will be appreciated.

We are all heartbroken, the fundraising page adds.

Police responded to a report of shots fired in the 100 block of Sargeant Street in Holyoke shortly before 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. Three men were allegedly fighting when the shooting broke out, according to Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gullunis office.

One of the rounds from the alleged gunfight struck a PVTA bus that had been driving through the intersection.

The pregnant woman, who was seated in the bus, was shot, seriously injured, and brought to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield in critical condition.

She was still hospitalized as of Wednesday night, the district attorneys office said.

Read more: 2nd suspect in Holyoke shooting that killed infant pleads not guilty

The infant, who was delivered, and needed life-saving medical services, tragically passed away, Gullunis office noted in a statement.

Second Suspect in Holyoke shooting held without the right to bail Johnluis Sanchez, 30, of Holyoke, was arraigned... Posted by Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni on Friday, October 6, 2023

Two men have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting. And law enforcement is actively seeking one other man, according to the statement.

Alejandro Ramos, 22, of Holyoke, was arraigned Thursday on a charge of murder in Holyoke District Court for his suspected involvement in the shooting, the statement said. He is being held without bail.

Read more: Alejandro Ramos arraigned in Holyoke on murder charge after newborn killed

Johnluis Sanchez, 30, of Holyoke, was arraigned Friday over Zoom in Holyoke District Court. He has been charged with murder and ordered held without bail.

Additional charges are expected, according to the district attorneys office.. His bail was revoked on an open firearms case out of Holyoke District Court.

The fatal shooting remains under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the district attorneys office and by the Holyoke Police Department.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Matthew McRae, who has been in recovery since August after a serious car crash in Utah left him in critical condition, was discharged from the hospital this weekend, Boston 25 News reported.

McRae left Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston early Saturday, and he was expected to receive a State Police escort back to his home, according to Boston 25 News. The troopers discharge comes following news he regained the ability to walk, a remarkable milestone on his path to recovery, the State Police Association of Massachusetts said in a Facebook post.

Trooper McRaes journey to this point has been marked by incredible determination, bolstered by the unwavering support of his fellow Troopers and the wider community, the post read.

Around 1 a.m. on Aug. 25, McRae was riding passenger in a ride-share while on vacation in Salt Lake City, Utah when the car was struck by another vehicle, according to a GoFundMe page set up to support the injured trooper. McRae, another passenger and the driver of the ride-share were all taken to the hospital with severe injuries. The crash left the trooper in critical condition with a broken neck and spinal injury.

The operator of the car that crashed into the ride-share vehicle was arrested on the suspicion they were driving under the influence, according to the GoFundMe page.

In late August, McRae was in critical condition in the intensive care unit at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, and his health was slowly improving. By late September, he was settled in at a Boston area rehabilitation hospital, making gains in his recovery, the State Police Association of Massachusetts said. At that point, he was able to move his extremities, speak with family and friends and begin physical therapy.

The GoFundMe page was set up to pay for a potential medical transport flight and any health care McRae would need as his recovery progressed. As of Saturday, $134,060 had been raised toward the pages $60,000 goal.

McRae had been a state trooper in Massachusetts for four years and previously was a local police officer for three years. In his current role, he has dedicated his life to serving and protecting the people of the Commonwealth, the GoFundMe page says.

For those who know Matthew, we can agree that he is a generous and fun-loving person. He has helped so many people within his personal and professional life, now it is time to help him, the GoFundMe page adds.
A woman who was found shot and killed on a trail near the Vermont State University Castleton Campus earlier this week was a former dean, authorities said.

Honoree Fleming, 77, was identified as the victim of what authorities have determined to be a homicide. She was a retired dean of education at the school, which was formerly Castleton University.

She was found dead Thursday on the D&H Rail Trail, a mile from the campus she called home, the university wrote in a Facebook post.

Honoree was a part of the Castleton family and was beloved by faculty, staff, and students, the university said. Scores of students benefited from Dr. Flemings teachings and research.

Read more: GoFundMe set up for pregnant woman whose baby was killed in Holyoke

This is an unbelievable tragedy for the Castleton campus and for all of Vermont State University. Honoree will be deeply missed, the university added.

Police responded to the Rail Trail near 1660 South St. around 4:30 p.m. Thursday after receiving a call regarding a woman who had died. Fleming was found dead at the scene, according to a statement from Vermont State Police.

A witness in the area reported there was a possible suspect walking northbound on the Rail Trail toward the universitys campus after gunshots were heard. The witness described the suspect as a man roughly 5 feet 10 inches tall with short, dark-colored hair. He was last seen wearing a dark-gray t-shirt and carrying a black backpack, state police said.

The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, the statement noted. The public is urged to remain vigilant and alert for suspicious person(s) and activities and to report anything suspicious to the Vermont State Police at 802-773-9101.

Anyone who was on the Rail Trail around the time of the shooting and may have observed the man is urged to call Vermont State Police. Tips may be submitted anonymously online as well.

Vermont State Police are also requesting the public and businesses in the Castleton area to review their surveillance systems and game cameras for the possible suspect from the early afternoon to evening hours of Thursday.

An autopsy completed Friday at the Chief Medical Examiners Office in Burlington determined the cause of Flemings death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of her death was homicide, according to Vermont State Police.

This investigation is ongoing and involves members of the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Field Force Division, Crime Scene Search Team, Victim Services Unit and Castleton Police Department.

The university was closed Friday, and a shelter-in-place order was issued for everyone on the campus in Castleton. All events at the school were cancelled amid the ongoing investigation as well.

Before Fleming joined Castleton, she was a faculty member at Trinity College, Middlebury College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She lived in Castleton with her husband, Ron Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author, the university said.

Our hearts go out to the members of our community who taught with Honoree and had her as a beloved teacher during their time at Castleton. Our deepest sympathies go to her husband, Ron, family, and friends, the university said.
WESTFIELD  On Thursday, teachers and staff at Westfield High School were treated to the surprise grand opening of their very own Recharge Room.

Several local businesses pooled their resources, time and talent to put together a comfortable, calming space for the school employees to relax and recharge during their day.
Cim Finance hosted the Semi-Finals of the Women Entrepreneur Awards in Port Louis on 30 September, with Chesma Bhundoo, SME Manager, congratulating the women on their achievements. Nine finalists were announced at the event, who will go on to compete in the final round of the competition on 28 October 2023.

The Women Entrepreneur Awards (WEA) is a concept created to encourage, support and empower and celebrate Mauritian female entrepreneurs from different sectors, and to showcase their contribution in the Mauritian economy. The awards, which are in their inaugural edition, will recognise the outstanding achievements of women entrepreneurs who have made a significant impact on their industries and communities. The theme for the Semi-Finals was Celebrating our Differences.

Commenting on Cim Finances support for the awards, Chesma Bhundoo, SME Manager, said:

 It is with immense pride that Cim Finance is partnering with this very first edition of the Women Entrepreneur Awards. We firmly believe that womens entrepreneurship is a powerful growth engine for our economy. The exceptional careers of these women entrepreneurs that we are showcasing are a source of inspiration for those who hesitate to start, thus accelerating the emergence of new SMEs. In addition, this event offers networking opportunities. We believe in the importance of an ecosystem favourable to the success of SMEs. That is why, thanks to our Noubiznes platform, our support now extends beyond simple financing.

Commenting on the event and the collaboration with Cim Finance, Kirti Sheonarain, as one of the Co-Founders of the awards, said:

Cim Finance was one of the first organisations to come on board as they believed in the project since the very beginning. It is very important for Women Entrepreneur Awards to join hands with organisations that understand the important of female empowerment and entrepreneurship is one of the core values of Cim Finance. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Cim Finance for our Semi-Finals and for supporting us through this event where we have announced our finalists. Best of luck to our finalists!

One step away from the finals

In order to prepare the women entrepreneurs for the final stage, WEA Ambassador Bhoomika Annah gave a presentation setting out some tips and advice on how to make an effective pitch, including presenting product samples, using facts and statistics and involving the audience, among others.

Jury member Marc-Antoine Tschopp spoke on behalf of the jury panel, before the finalists were announced, to encourage all of the semi-finalists to continue on their entrepreneurial paths:

As several participants have said, WEA is a journey where like-minded women entrepreneurs can share their adventures and support each other on this sometimes complex and difficult voyage.

As judges, we have a tough and thankless task. Each participant deserves to be on the podium, such is the quality of the entries. We are now entering a phase where some will not be selected for the final. This is in no way a punishment or a disavowal of their effort and commitment. The journey will continue for all of them, and we hope that the links they have forged will endure, whatever the result.

Finalists revealed

The following candidates were announced as finalists (in alphabetical order by first name):

 Anne Rajoo

 Divia Deesha Gungah-Gokool

 Elizabeth de Marcy Chelin-Chabert

 Farrah Jahangeer

 Marie Paule Pierre Louis

 Sharanaz Subratty

 Sonya Mohadeb

 Stephanie Bouloc

 Stephany Noellis

The finalists will compete in the final round of the competition to be held on 28 October 2023, where they will pitch their businesses directly to the judges, who will then be awarding the winners in the categories of most environmentally sustainable, most impactful, most innovative and most promising start-up business.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Dozens of armed Palestinians are infiltrating Israel from the Gaza Strip, Trend reports.

First, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water and air. There are already casualties among the civilians.

The press service of the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that rocket fire is being conducted on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Alarms sound continuously on Saturday morning in many localities of the country, including the Tel Aviv area and its environs. Residents of the southern and central regions of Israel are advised to stay near shelters.
After 5 amazing years at MBN, Denise informed that M2A Business Consulting, a reputed company in Mauritius, having offices in Africa has acquired 100% shareholding of MBN.

M2A Business Consulting is looking forward to expanding MBN beyond Mauritius exponentially benefitting our members, by connecting them with international organisations.

She also announced that Jackie Demetriou will lead MBN as the new CEO with her being an Executive Board Member to continuously grow and innovate MBN.
THE body of an Inishbiggle man was recovered from a car after it became submerged in water at a lake on the island last night.

The tragedy occurred late on Friday evening when reports emerged that a car had entered a lake in Inishbiggle and the occupant was trapped. The alarm was raised at approximately 8.30pm and members of the Achill Island Coast Guard unit were tasked to attend the scene.

The coast guard reported that while the D-Class lifeboat was being launched, the casualty was recovered from the water and every effort was made to aid in their recovery.

The Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter R118 was also tasked and two crews from the ambulance service along with the local doctor and locals from the vicinity did what they could to aid in the rescue.

However, the casualty who is understood to be a local man of the island was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was brought to Mayo University Hospital where a post mortem is due to take place.

Inishbiggle is located between Achill and Ballycroy and is home to only around 20 residents, the majority of which are elderly. The current around Inishbiggle is regarded as one of the strongest in Europe and is only accessible by boat from Bullsmouth on Achill Island and from Ballycroy.
AN appeal has been launched by the friends of Castlebar woman Eileen Gibbons - a social care worker, who is currently receiving hospital treatment for gunshot wounds - to help her family to be with her.

Ms Gibbons is said to be in a critical but stable condition in hospital in Darwin after she was shot by a man who is understood to have been known to her on Wednesday evening. Her assailant died at the scene of self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Her family are currently on their way to Australia to be with her, and it is hoped that the proceeds of the GoFundMe will support them with their travel and accommodation costs.

Over 33,000 had been raised by the GoFundMe appeal within 24 hours of its launch.

A statement on the GoFundMe page read: "Eileen, a compassionate caregiver known for her dedication to her patients, now needs our help to overcome the challenges she faces. In addition to the physical and emotional toll on Eileen, her mother Ann, and other family members, are desperate to be by her side as she embarks on her path to recovery. The costs of travel, accommodation, and unforeseen expenses have placed an immense financial strain on them, leaving them unable to provide the support that Eileen desperately needs.

"This go fund me page aims to raise funds to reunite Eileen with her family members so they can offer her love, care and support through this difficult time. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a significant impact on Eileen's recovery and enable her family to be by her side during this challenging period and eventually bring her back home to Ireland. Together, we can make a difference."

You can donate to the GoFundMe appeal via this link: https://gofund.me/b4fd462c
GARDAI are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body at a multi-storey car park in Limerick city.

The alarm was raised at approximately 5am this Friday after gardai and emergency services were alerted to the discovery of the body of a male, aged in his 40s, in Steamboat Quay Car Park.

The body remains at the scene which has been preserved to allow for a forensic and technical examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.

A post-mortem examination will be conducted which will determine the course of the investigation and gardai at Henry Street are appealing to any persons who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them.

"Anyone who was in the vicinity of Steamboat Quay, Dock Road this morning between 4am and 6am is asked to contact investigating gardai," said a spokesperson.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Henry Street garda station on (061) 212 400, the Garda Confidential Line 1 800 666 111 or any garda station.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip, Trend reports.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant announced a mass gathering of reservists.

On Saturday morning, rocket fire began on Israeli territory. Alarms are continuously sounding in many localities of the country, including Tel Aviv. The residents are advised to stay near bomb shelters.
In 2013, our playlists had two highlights  Yo Yo Honey Singh's songs and the internet sensation, Why This Kolaveri Di, sung by Dhanush and composed by Anirudh Ravichander. This north-south combination was a part of most millennials playlists growing up and showed that language was no barrier when it came to music.

Hence, it was exciting when these two musical powerhouses  Anirudh Ravichander and Yo Yo Honey Singh, joined forces for an electrifying collaboration. It was a time when YouTube and radio channels were filled with infectious beats, and the youngsters of India were grooving to the tunes of the one and only Yo Yo Honey Singh.

 Youtube/T-Series

Honey Singh's songs were more than just tracks  they were anthems that defined a generation. They brought people together on dance floors, at college festivals, and in impromptu jam sessions.



Anirudh Ravichander, the prodigious composer who had taken the music scene by storm with his sensational track Why This Kolaveri Di in the film 3, was riding high on his newfound fame. His unique compositions and fresh melodies had made him a sensation overnight.

His second album, Ethir Neechal, promised another musical extravaganza, and fans couldn't wait to see what he had in store  an exciting collab with Honey Singh.

The title track of Ethir Neechal was a fusion of Anirudh's signature musical style and Honey Singh's inimitable rap.

Nostalgia rushes in when I think about those times. The infectious energy of Honey Singh's songs, the carefree spirit of the youth, and Anirudh's rising star status  it was a musical era like no other.

Anirudh Ravichander has continued to create musical magic, becoming one of the most sought-after composers in the industry. His latest hit album was Shah Rukh Khans blockbuster pan-India hit, Jawan.

What a session ! Electrifying indeed.. Yo Yo Honey Singh ahhhh :) Ethir Neechal audio coming soon.. pic.twitter.com/7d6aNklt  Anirudh Ravichander (@anirudhofficial) November 11, 2012

On the other hand, Yo Yo Honey Singh, after a brief hiatus, has made a remarkable comeback, proving that his musical prowess is timeless.

Like me, many people had missed this unique collab and were surprised when a video of the song resurfaced on social media.

 Instagram/Comedy Culture

 Instagram/Comedy Culture

 Instagram/Comedy Culture

 Instagram/Comedy Culture

 Instagram/Comedy Culture

Heres hoping the two legendary artists do another collaboration soon. Considering their increased fandom and experience today, it will definitely be a hit number!


Its a boring Saturday, work is piling on, life is going on in full swing in the background, but you just dont feel like doing anything except being a couch potato and surfing the channels? Fret not, we probably got you covered! If like us, youve also not been able to catch a good movie or show in the longest time, then here are 4 brand new OTT releases that you can easily binge-watch today:



1. OMG 2

The super entertaining sequel to Akshay Kumars first movie where he portrays God, this one has Pankaj Tripathi along with Yami Gautam and the theme is sex education in India. You can stream it on Netflix starting tomorrow.

2. Gadar 2

Dont worry in case you missed the blockbuster sequel of this heavy duty Sunny Deol film on the big screen. You can easily follow Tara Singh and Sakinas journey on your screen and stream it on Zee 5 today.

3. Mumbai Diaries Season 2

Set amidst the Mumbai floods backdrop, Mohit Raina and Konkona Sen Sharma reprise their characters as the journey continues in this season. The show is ready to stream on Prime Video now.

4. Khufiya

For all espionage thriller lovers, this one is helmed by none other than the brilliant Vishal Bharadwaj, so expect magic. The movie stars Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Ali Fazal in lead roles. The plot follows an investigative agencys search for a mole in their system after an undercover spy is murdered.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. A military base belonging to the Israeli army has been captured, Trend reports.

It is reported that the military base was captured by Palestinian militants.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. An armed group that infiltrated Israeli territories from the Gaza Strip seized a police station in Sderot city, the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC) said, Trend reports.

According to the IPBC, the Israeli army engaged in combat with the armed groups. Injuries have been reported. The Israeli army blocked the roads at the entrance to Sderot.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared the area around the Gaza Strip, within a radius of 80 kilometers, a military zone. Four separate armed groups from Gaza entered surrounding Israeli communities.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
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Moloco Inc, a Silicon Valley-based ad-tech solutions startup, is eyeing huge growth opportunities in the rapidly developing China market, as a rising number of Chinese companies in fields like gaming and e-commerce are seeking global expansion. "China is one of our fastest growing markets. China is definitely important and growing for us," said Ikkjin Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Moloco. On the revenue front, Ahn said it is currently evenly divided among three regions  Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Asia-Pacific; and the United States, among which the China market is the fastest-growing one. "I'm always very impressed by Chinese tech companies and app developers," he told China Daily during a recent interview. "Among all the important trends, we are seeing Chinese advertisers most advanced in performance marketing. And they are also expanding globally very well." Ahn said Moloco has served a wide range of Chinese clients in their going global process, including gaming companies, social media firms and e-commerce companies. Compared to Moloco's clients in the rest of the world, he said Chinese companies, especially big tech firms, are "very far in advance in all of these new trends. And also they're not hesitant to try new media". Looking ahead, Ahn said he believes the future global economy will center around East Asian areas with high populations, especially China. "So we are very much looking forward to working more with the Chinese clients." Ahn's views were echoed by Zhu Xiaoxiao, head for Moloco Greater China region, who voiced optimism over China's economic prospects and added that the company will continue to invest in the Chinese market over the long run. "China's economy is still very resilient," she said. "China's economy has been gradually picking up. For Moloco, we are precisely the kind of company that helps Chinese companies going overseas to realize better profits. In the next five to 10 years, we will keep providing more opportunities for Chinese developers to seize new activity (in overseas markets)." Citing an ambitious business development plan this year, Zhu said Moloco has seen that overseas markets for Chinese companies going global may be worth $50 billion in 2025. "That offers a great opportunity for Moloco. We hope to improve our own strength to continue to support Chinese developers (seeking global expansion)," she added. Looking ahead, Zhu said Moloco will continue to invest in China to bring more new solutions for Chinese developers to expand globally. Founded in 2013, Moloco now has 12 offices in countries including the United Kingdom, South Korea, China, Japan and Singapore, with more than 600 employees globally. The company enables its clients to analyze their big data to customize ads for various customers and monetize those ads with Moloco's machine-learning technology. "I think the reason why we are able to have our advertisers go to the global market is actually we are helping them to target the right user segment, and select the right creatives in each market," Ahn said. When it comes to localization in overseas markets, Zhu added that machine learning can provide clients with supplementary suggestions based on big data. "It may provide more support in some places that (our clients) haven't covered, which is one of the biggest boosts for machine learning in localization." A recent report by Israeli mobile marketing analytics company AppsFlyer said gaming is a highly representative industry for Chinese companies' overseas businesses, as mobile games steadily took up 64.9 percent of all the Chinese apps going overseas over the past four years. That is followed by financial apps and tool apps. AppsFlyer said the fast-growing global gaming market is expected to reach $268 billion by 2025 and China is certain to take a huge share. Wang Wei, general manager of AppsFlyer Greater China, said given the uncertainties in the approval of licenses for new game titles at home and the huge growth potential in overseas markets, global expansion will be increasingly important for Chinese gaming companies.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Hamas has declared war against Israel, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, Trend reports.

The minister noted that in response to today's widespread rocket attacks on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, the armed forces of his country have initiated military actions.

Israel has declared the start of an anti-terrorist operation called "Swords of Iron" in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, commenting on the situation on his page on X (Twitter) acknowledged that his country is going through difficult times.

The Israeli leader expressed full support for his people and the army.

"I support the Israeli army, its commanders, soldiers, and all security services," he added.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Outfielder Travis Blankenhorn has chosen to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment to the Nationals Triple-A affiliate, the club announced. The free agent route was available to the 27-year-old Blankenhorn because has previously been outrighted earlier in his career.

After signing a minor league deal with the Nats last winter, Blankenhorn spent much of his season at Triple-A Rochester before his contract was selected to the big league roster at the start of September. Blankenhorn appeared in 10 games, but a case of plantar fasciitis sent him to the 10-day injured list and prematurely ended his season.

Blankenhorn has appeared in each of the last four MLB seasons, though he played in just a single big league game in both 2020 and 2022. In total, the outfielder has a .581 OPS over the small sample size of 68 career plate appearances, though his Triple-A numbers are much stronger. Blankenhorn has a .261/.353/.485 slash line and 48 home runs over 1053 PA at the top minor league level, playing with five different organizations Triple-A affiliates over the last three seasons.

With that kind of offensive production and experience at first base, second base, and both corner outfield positions, it isnt surprising that so many teams have taken an interest in Blankenhorn, even if he has been through the grind of moving from organization to organization with only a few cups of coffee at the MLB level. Hell now test free agency yet again, and the complication of lingering foot pain due to his plantar fasciitis could certainly be a concern for Blankenhorns chances of quickly landing another minor league contract.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned this week a cyberattack against McLaren Health Care could affect a large number of patients.

McLaren Health, a healthcare system with 15 Michigan hospitals, was hit by a ransomware attack in August, according to the attorney generals office. Ransomware, a type of malware that can shut down an entire network, is used to steal data before encrypting the system. The stolen information is then held hostage until a ransom is paid.

This attack shows, once again, how susceptible our information infrastructure may be, Nessel said in a statement. Organizations that handle our most personal data have a responsibility to implement safety measures that can withstand cyber-attacks and ensure that a patients private health information remains private.

A cybercriminal group called ALPHV, or BlackCat, claimed responsibility for stealing the sensitive personal health information of 2.5 million McLaren patients, a news release said. But the actual number of affected patients and the type of health information remains unknown.

ALPHV claimed in a message posted to the dark web last week the McLaren data was on the dark web and would be released in a few days unless a ransom payment was received. The group is also linked to the data breach at MGM Resorts that is reportedly costing $100 million.

McLaren shared a statement saying, we are investigating reports that some of our data may be available on the dark web and will notify individuals whose information was impacted, if any, as soon as possible.

The healthcare group also said it found no evidence the cybercriminals still have access to the IT system. McLaren has brought in security experts and is working with law enforcement, a news release said.

Protecting the security and privacy of data in our systems is a top organizational priority, so we immediately launched a comprehensive investigation to understand the source of the disruption and identify what, if any, data exposure occurred, McLaren said.

Nessel encouraged McLaren patients to protect their data and know the warning signs when someone is using private medical information:

A doctors bill for services you did not receive

Errors in an explanation of benefits statement like prescription medications you dont take

A call about medical debt you dont owe

An unrecognizable medical debt collection notice on your credit report

A notice from your health insurance company that you reached your benefit limit

Being denied insurance coverage because medical records show a pre-existing condition you dont have

Anyone affected by a data breach should secure their medical and financial accounts by changing passwords, reviewing explanation of benefits and contacting banks to put an alert on accounts.

Time is of the essence when a breach occurs to ensure affected individuals can take the necessary steps to protect their identities, Nessel continued. The Departments website contains important measures for residents who believe their information may have been compromised.

Cyberattacks against healthcare providers have become more common in recent years. Eight of the 11 largest data breaches last year targeted hospitals or health systems, the attorney generals office said. The Federal Bureau of Investigatios received 870 ransomware complaints in the critical infrastructure sector last year with 210 coming from healthcare groups.

More than 288,000 Michigan patients have been affected by data breaches this year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That doesnt include the recent McLaren attack.

More on MLive:

Historic hydro plant powering eastern U.P. critical for energy transition

Michigan county plans to erase $89M in medical debt for 38K residents

Never had to happen: Woman convicted in Make-A-Wish bicyclists crash deaths
DETROIT - Originally built in 1929, this building is rich in history with quite a bit of the historical architecture incorporated into the restoration. The chic hotel which now sits there has just been named the third best hotel in the entire Midwest by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

The national travel publication received more than a half million votes from readers for their favorites in numerous categories. In the list of the Top 15 Hotels in The Midwest: Readers Choice Awards, the Detroit Foundation Hotel ranks just behind the JW Marriott Indianapolis and the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.

The 100-room hotel opened in May 2017 inside Detroits former fire department headquarters at 250 West Larned Street across from Cobo Center, now known as Huntington Place.

Original details youll see at the hotel include the fire departments arched entryways and large red doors.

Stylish and busy, with a great mix of historic architecture and well-designed modern touches, Conde Nast Traveler wrote about its ranking of the hotel. This former firehouse has preserved a lot of its best elements, like the original, untouched terrazzo floors and wood-paneled walls. Most of these details are in the public spaces, but a few, including the terrazzo floors, extend to the guest rooms. Local art appears on every floor.

It is an honor to be named one of the top hotels in the Midwest, James Dannecker, the Foundation Hotels GM told MLive. This accolade shows our teams dedication to creating an unforgettable experience for visitors to Detroit.

The hotel is also home to the award-winning The Apparatus Room restaurant and bar with new Executive Chef, Rece Hogerheide. This space was once the garage for the fire departments headquarters.

The menu from The Apparatus Room is always changing but is known for its shareable feasts, Conde Nast Traveler added. Vegetables are divine, and sourced from Recovery Park Farms, a leader in the urban farm movement using vacant lots to truly farm in the city. For next level, try to book a spot at the Chefs Table, a communal dining experience that overlooks The Apparatus Room.

Four other hotels were on the Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards 2023 top 15 list with downtown Detroits Shinola Hotel at No. 6, The Vault Hotel in Houghton at No. 9, Mackinac Islands Island House Hotel at No. 10, and Mackinac Islands Iroquois Hotel at No. 12.

MORE FROM MLIVE:

3 Michigan cities land in top 100 places to live in U.S. list with 1 in top 10

These 4 legendary bands are about to perform one last concert in Michigan

Dax Shepard dines at Michigan restaurant for the best salad and breadsticks on the planet
ALLEN PARK -- The San Francisco 49ers made a splash when they traded for pass rusher Randy Gregory on Friday. But that move came at the expense of a familiar name from around these parts, with the 49ers releasing defensive lineman Kerry Hyder Jr. in the corresponding move.

Gregory signed an $70 million contract with the Denver Broncos just last year. But the Broncos shipped him and a seventh-round selection to the 49ers for a sixth-rounder in this years draft, with Hyder cut to make room for the new pass rusher.

Hyder has appeared in all four games for the 49ers this season. Hes posted one sack across only 59 defensive snaps.

Initially, he broke into the league with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech. He didnt see his first game action until landing with the Detroit Lions, eventually breaking out with eight sacks in 2016. The defensive lineman suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the preseason the following year, and was gone after a limited 2018, though.

Related: Amon-Ra St. Brown doubtful for Lions; Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams questionable

Related: Lions considering all options when working CB Emmanuel Moseley into rotation

Hyder found success after leaving Detroit in free agency. He popped again in 2020 during his first go-round in San Francisco when he posted a career-best 8.5 sacks. The 32-year-old then bolted for the Seattle Seahawks in free agency for a multi-year deal. But he was back with the 49ers in 2022, playing 16 games as a rotational player. Hyder has remained dependable when called upon.

Back around these parts, the Lions have found their groove on the defensive line to open this season.

They rank among the best teams across the board against the run after stifling the run-happy Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers. And they also posted 12 sacks in those two games. Aidan Hutchinson, Charles Harris, John Cominsky and Alim McNeill have formed a desirable nucleus with inside-outside versatility. Hutchinson has established himself as a workhorse and one of the most disruptive edge defenders in the league. And McNeill has been a key force in the defensive turnaround under coordinator Aaron Glenn.
MIDLAND, MI  Before you book a ticket to Egypt, consider stopping by Egyptian Koshery to learn more about the country from the owners and taste authentic, vegan and vegetarian Egyptian cuisine.

Egyptian Koshery is located at 981 S. Saginaw Road and owned by wife and husband team Riham and Dale Erdman.

Riham Erdman is from Egypt and came to the United States in 2012 to teach Arabic at Saginaw Valley State University. She has a doctorate in education and taught Arabic language and culture.

Egyptian Koshery began in 2016 at the Midland Area Farmers Market and then expanded to the Saginaw and Davison farmers markets. The business has been at its current location since 2020.

Riham Erdman said their goal is to offer the community everything people could find if they visited an Egyptian market.

Im very proud of my country and its products, and I want to make it shareable with everybody, Riham Erdman said. I want to save them a ticket to Egypt if they cant afford it or if they cant go for any reason; I want it to be here available for them.

The signature dish at Egyptian Koshery is koshery, also known as koshary or koshari.

In Egypt, Riham Erdman said she always had to stop at every koshery stand once she tried the dish. It includes noodles, rice, lentils, chickpeas and homemade tomato sauce topped with fried onions and a side of garlic sauce, according to their menu.

The Erdmans even named their restaurant based off her love for the dish.

I was addicted to it, honestly, literally, Riham Erdman said. My mama would say, I have been cooking for you like all day and you have bought koshery for your dinner? And I say, Mama, I love it, I just cant resist it.

On Tuesdays, Egyptian Koshery is running a special where customers can get two koshery dishes for $15.

The Egyptian Koshery menu offers vegan and vegetarian dishes, and everything is under $10 per item. Each dish is served in disposable containers. It is designed this way to make the restaurant as similar as possible to the street food experience in Riham Erdmans home country.

When you come to an Egyptian place, you expect it to be different than an American place, Riham Erdman said. I feel its like part of my mission to educate people about my culture.

Aside from the Koshery, Riham Erdman said the samosas, grapes leaves, baklava, puddings and Turkish coffee are especially popular.

She described Turkish coffee as unfiltered coffee that is strong in the flavor but not overly strong in caffeine. She added that the flavor is very rich and is popular in Egypt.

Inside the restaurant, the decor is all Egyptian inspired to round out the customers experience.

I want it to be a simulation for the Egyptian culture. I want people, if they have Arabic origin, to feel at home, Riham Erdman said. I wanted a part of Egypt on American land.

Egyptian Koshery is open from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays. The restaurant also offers catering and delivery through DoorDash and Grubhub.

For up-to-date information, check out Egyptian Kosherys Facebook page and website.

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.

Would you like MLive to feature your favorite restaurant in Michigans Best Local Eats? Send the details, including business name, address and best menu item, to Kaytie Boomer at kboomer@mlive.com.
YPSILANTI, MI - A student was taken into custody after it was discovered they had a gun during a pep rally at Ypsilanti Community High School.

Officials did not specify what kind of gun it was.

District Spokesperson Sierra Steele said an incident took place during a pep rally on Friday afternoon, Oct. 6, at the high school.

While no scholars were harmed and we do not believe there was any intent to use the weapon, school leaders immediately enacted our standard safety procedures, including calling the police and sheltering students in place, Steele said.

The student was taken into custody without incident, Steele said.

The Ypsilanti Police Department, HVA and the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office were on scene at Ypsi Community High School.

Principals and other administration declined to comment and students were not available for comment outside the high school.

The Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond for comment.

There was no other information immediately available.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.

Read more from The Ann Arbor News:

Tour sheriffs office Hall of History at open house celebrating 200th anniversary

Paving in downtown Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor bridge repairs: Washtenaw County road work for Oct. 6

A unique Ann Arbor school is celebrating its 100-year history with a special event
FLINT, MI -- More than six decades after Flint City Hall was built, theres a fresh push to start planning for its eventual replacement.

A new strategic budgeting plan developed by Mayor Sheldon Neeleys administration includes nine objectives for the fiscal year that ends June 30, 2024, and the final objective of the plan calls for conducting a feasibility study on constructing a new government center or metroplex.

The long-range plan says Flint officials want to identify the return on investment and long-term savings of replacing the existing City Hall on North Saginaw Street and exploring possible funding sources for a successor building.

The plan, sent to the City Council this week for its approval, isnt binding but addresses big-picture goals such as attacking crime and blight, reversing population loss, and encouraging land ownership by current land owners and residents.

A resolution sent to the council has yet to be discussed but says the plan reflects the citys goals, prioritized objectives, and measures for success in reaching those goals.

While the new city hall objective is the last of nine in the plan, it has made the cut.

Flint City Hall is aging, costly to maintain, poses accessibility challenges for residents, and requires our constant vigilance to protect the health and safety of city employees, Neeley said in a statement to MLive-The Flint Journal. I know Flint residents understand that while a historic house can have its charms, it can also present a variety of challenges and expenses.

Thats why we are interested in conducting a feasibility study to explore how the city of Flint could potentially cut costs and better serve residents through a relocation and/or construction of a new building, the statement says. Genesee County recently planned to address similar issues with (its) aging building, and the city of Flint needs to do the same.

In May, Neeley also told The Journal that it was time to have serious conversations about construction of a new city hall.

The mayor said then that he was also interested in exploring the potential for a city of Flint-Flint Community Schools administration building under one roof, merging into one complex that we can all be proud of.

The mayors comments earlier this year came in the same month that officials in the City Clerks Office said they were concerned by potential mold issues in their office and after Neeley committed to mitigate potential health and safety issues inside city offices.

Although Flints municipal center was hailed as futuristic when it was dedicated roughly 65 years ago, many of the buildings that make up the campus -- including the primary City Hall building and police and fire headquarters -- show signs of old age and limited reinvestment.

A city master plan that was completed a decade ago identified the need for major renovations at the municipal center, including the City Hall facade. A 2015 capital improvement plan for the city also called for a comprehensive study of the government complex to determine Flints best future office space options, including consolidation into existing buildings that are in the best condition and the demolition of others, demolition of all buildings and construction of new facilities, or moving city operations and staff to a new location.

Across the street from Flint City Hall, the county Board of Commissioners has already decided to move its offices out of its administration building that was built almost a decade after Flints municipal center.

Commissioners purchased a former Citizens Bank office tower in downtown Flint and are planning to consolidate workers from four buildings under a single roof after investing $37.5 million in the project.

The new county government center will house government workers currently stationed in the county administration building, the Burton Health Center, the Donald R. Haley Building, and the offices of the county Community Action Resource Department.

Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter.

Read more at The Flint Journal:

Does Flint need a new city hall? Mayor says its time talk about it

Genesee County agrees to purchase downtown Flint tower from UM for $8.5M

Flint mayors proposal calls for bundled $31.6M ARPA spending plan
LAPEER, MI  A Lapeer County jury on Friday did not buy Jeffrey Smiths self defense claims when it found him guilty of first-degree murder and felony firearm in the December 2019 death of Arthur Kohn III outside the Clark gas station off M-24.

It took the jury about 90 minutes to reach its verdict, which was announced before Circuit Court Judge Michael Hodges on the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 6.

Im ecstatic that the jury got it right, Lapeer County Prosecutor John Miller told MLive-The Flint Journal after the verdict was announced. This was a very, very tough case to go through a jury trial with, just because of the components of gun violence, self-defense, the facts as they were.

Miller described the case as a long-fought battle involving arguments before the Michigan Court of Appeals and dealing with issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. He thanked Kohns family for being patient during the process.

I think the family members are elated, Miller added. I mean, this was justice delayed for a long time. This was almost four years ago this crime was committed, and Im glad to finally get justice for the family today.

Frederick J. Miller, Smiths attorney, declined to comment following Fridays hearing.

Related: Arthur never knew that he had just met his killer: Testimony begins in 2019 Lapeer homicide trial

Smith, 38, shot and killed the 33-year-old Kohn around 7:15 a.m. on Dec. 30, 2019. The shooting was prefaced by an argument between Smith and Kohn in the parking lot, stemming from road rage, according to trial testimony and past statement by police.

Prosecutors charged Smith with open murder, which in this case included first- and second-degree murder as well as voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.

The lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter was added at the behest of Frederick Miller.

Testimony began Wednesday, with prosecutors calling people who were at the Clark gas station at the time of the shooting as well as police officers who responded to the scene.

The first witness, a uniform and product provider as a delivery driver, said he was at the gas station when he heard an argument between two people at the M-24 entrance to the parking lot.

He said he left the gas station in a hurry when he heard two gunshots seconds apart from each other.

Prosecutors then called several Lapeer police officers who described arriving at the gas station minutes after the shooting. They described seeing a man, later identified as Kohn, lying on the ground, bleeding. Inside the gas station, they found Smith. They said he cooperated when ordered to get on the ground.

The gun used in the shooting, a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson, was found on the front passenger seat of Smiths 2001 Buick Regal.

On Thursday, prosecutors showed videos of the incident, beginning with when Smith arrived at the gas station.

The videos and video stills show Smith trying to leave the gas station when Kohn attempted to pull into the parking area. Smiths car door opened and then closed. Kohn then exited his vehicle. Smith drove away.

Smith then circled around and parked back in the gas station parking area. Video showed Kohns vehicle pull alongside Smiths vehicle.

As Kohn pulled alongside Smith, video appeared to show Smith raise his arm. Prosecutors believe he had pulled his handgun at that time.

Video showed Kohn exit his vehicle wielding a crowbar. He tried opening Smiths front passenger door but could not because his own door was still open. He closed the door to Smiths vehicle, then closed his own vehicles door, and then opened Smiths vehicle door again.

As Kohn reached into Smiths vehicle with his left arm, he was shot once in the forearm. He then swung the crowbar inside the vehicle with his right arm and was shot once more in the chest.

As blood drained from Kohn, he walked around the vehicle, hitting it with a crowbar.

Smith was seen driving away in the video, eventually parking in a space near the building. Kohn walked toward the building and collapsed behind a red pickup truck.

Video showed the truck back over the victim, hitting his left arm.

A 48-minute interview between Smith and Lapeer Detective Sgt. Craig Gormley was shown to the jury in its entirety, during which Smith told the detective he was fearing for his life.

When he learned Kohn died from being shot, he cupped his head in his hands.

Read more: I thought he was going to kill me, 2019 Lapeer homicide defendant told police

In closing arguments for the people, Lapeer County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Paul Walton thanked the jury for their attentiveness. He asked them not to forget about the victim in the case.

This involves the death of Arthur Kohn. Arthur Kohn, who was not perfect, encountered the wrong person. He ran into that man, Walton said, pointing at Smith. He lost his life, needlessly. Absolutely needlessly.

Walton asked the jury to return a guilty verdict on first-degree murder, stressing that Smith could have turned into several open businesses on M-24.

Instead, he told the jury, Smith made the decision to turn onto M-24, then turn into the shared driveway between the gas station and another business and then back into the parking lot. Smith made the decision, Walton said, to return to the gas station.

Each one of those actions is based on a choice and during the course of driving and turning he is reaching for a gun, Walton said.

Frederick Miller was critical of the victims choices leading up to the shooting.

He made a choice to drive up on the other side of Mr. Smiths car, Miller rebutted. He did that on his own.

Smith did not take the stand to testify Friday.

He was remanded to the custody of the Lapeer County Sheriffs Office following the verdict. He will be sentenced by Hodges on Dec. 5.

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Read more at The Flint Journal:

Police ID man killed in shooting outside Lapeer gas station

Road rage incident led to fatal shooting outside Lapeer gas station, police say

Man shot to death outside Lapeer gas station
FLUSHING, MI - If theres one thing Madison Bree Thomas knows like the back of her hand - its brewing.

Thomas used to frequent Kathys 126 Restaurant and Lounge, located at 126 E Main St. in Flushing, throughout her upbringing and cherished all the times she spent there.

My family would come here three times a week when I was four years old and up, Thomas told MLive-The Flint Journal.

When Kathys went up for sale last year, the previous owners -- Ron and Kathy Birchmeier -- knew Thomas was the logical choice to pass on the business to.

It took a long time for me to settle in, Thomas said, who took ownership on July 7, 2022. It was already kind of my home. It was around Christmas time last year that I was like holy crap.

Thomas already knew everything on the menu, but still made changes along with remodeling.

Her first big step was adding a main floor bathroom, placing new carpet in the dining room, and completely remodeling the kitchen.

She renamed the back of the bar to Madisons on Main and on the top floor, the restaurant hosts various banquet parties from birthdays to bridal showers that can seat 35 people.

Thomas added a rosemary duck comfy on the menu, which is a slow roasted traditional French style of serving duck.

The restaurant offers a fried Brie cheese, consisting of fried cheese and a crumble of brown sugar, and walnuts on top of the homemade raspberry sauce.

People can enjoy a smothered meatloaf sandwich, chicken parmesan, chicken piccata, burgers and crab cakes. For dessert, try the fresh bread with whipped honey butter or peanut butter chocolate swirl cheesecake.

The most popular drink is the Aviation Martini with gin, Creme de Violette, lemon juice and simple syrup along with the Smoked Old Fashioned that incudes Rye, brown sugar simple syrup and angostura bitters infused with cherry wood smoke.

At 16 years old, Thomas started working as a waitress at A&W behind Kathys. Prior to ownership, she managed Lulas in Owosso and took some of the drink options from their menu.

I love all sides of this industry, Thomas said. I spend more time here cooking than anything. Being creative with the food and making things that people really enjoy is my favorite.

Business hours are Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

When visiting, customers can expect to see bartender Marianna Koutrouvidas, who has worked there since 2014 and has won a Best Bartender award in the county.

While Thomas has visited Kathys 126 Restaurant and Lounge since she was four years old, taking over the reigns as the owner has a whole new meaning.

Im here 80 hours a week and I work, she said. I had a couple point out to me that I was putting my mark on the community and its extremely rewarding to me. Im very honored to be part of this community.

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Dozer, a Grand Rapids police dog seriously injured in a hit-and-run crash, is making great progress in his journey to recovery.

The injured K9 started physical therapy in August  about two weeks after a crash left Dozer with paralysis in his hind legs. Veterinarians said his spinal cord is intact.

The Grand Rapids Police Department delivered another update on Friday, Oct. 6, regarding Dozers progress.

We still dont know if he will regain enough agility and stamina to return to duty yet, the department said in a Facebook post. For now, we are happy to see him back on his own four feet.

We very much appreciate all the good thoughts sent his way.

The department also shared photos Dozers visits at physical therapy. In one photo, Dozer is pictured enjoying a relaxing massage while donning a spiffy pair of sunglasses.

The crash happened around 3 a.m. on Aug. 4 as a Grand Rapids officer was heading to a burglary in progress.

The officer was headed south on Madison Avenue SE, with lights and sirens activated, and slowed to almost a crawl for a red light at Hall Street.

At that point, the cruiser was struck broadside by the westbound SUV, which police estimated was traveling at 75-80 mph.

The officer was pinned in the cruiser and Dozer was pushed out of the cruiser when a rear door partially popped open.

The department said it will continue to keep the public updated on Dozers recovery.

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Never had to happen: Women convicted in Make-A-Wish bicyclists crash deaths

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Head of the Shaar ha-Negev regional council in the southern district of Israel Ofir Liebstein, was killed in a shootout with terrorists, Trend reports.

Ofir Liebstein was killed protecting residents from terrorist attacks. His duties are currently performed by Deputy head of the council Yossi Keren. The leadership of the regional council continues its activities in emergency conditions.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
IONIA COUNTY, MI  Prosecutor Kyle Butler said witnesses who stepped forward to report Mandy Benns apparent intoxication after she crashed into Make-A-Wish bicyclists, killing two, provided crucial information at trial.

Benn, 43, on Ionia, was convicted Friday, Oct. 6, of two counts of second-degree murder and 13 lesser charges in a crash that killed Edward Erickson, 48, of Ann Arbor, and Michael Salhaney, 57, of Bloomfield Hills, and injured three others.

Everyday citizens were able to connect the dots, Butler told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press after an Ionia County Circuit Court jury found Benn guilty of all charges.

Butler convinced jurors that Benn was intoxicated by prescription medications around 11:15 a.m. on July 30, 2022, when she passed a UPS truck on Stage Road and collided head-on with a row of bicyclists taking part in a three-day, 300-mile Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour.

Related: Prosecution, defense rest in murder trial for driver who struck, killed two Make-A-Wish bicyclists

The event was halted after the tragedy.

Benn faces up to life in prison when sentenced in four to six weeks by Judge Ronald Schafer, who presided over the five-day trial.

Benn had therapeutic levels of two pain killers and an anti-anxiety drug in her system but witnesses said she exhibited bizarre behavior before and after the crash. Benns 2019 Toyota RAV4 struck the bicyclists then continued on before it left the road and came a stop, still in gear.

She told sheriffs deputies that she had not been involved in the crash. As she walked past the victims, who were wearing bright-colored clothing with lights still flashing on some of the bikes, Benn told police that the scene almost looks real.

Related: Make-A-Wish bike rider shared his motivation 2 hours before he was killed

She showed no emotion and nodded off in the back of a patrol car soon after the crash, according to witnesses and police video.

Video from Salhaneys GoPro showed Benns vehicle go around the UPS truck, giving riders only a second or two to react. Benn was going about 45 mph and took no evasive action, police determined.

Related: Woman in crash that killed 2 bicyclists did not grasp gravity of tragedy, prosecutor says

Defense attorneys John English and Joshua Franklin suggested during witness questioning that Benn had previously suffered a concussion, or was injured in the crash, as an explanation for her behavior.

Butler said several witnesses stepped forward to help with the investigation, including Stacy Wright, who worked at an M-21 gas station. She said Benn pulled to the wrong side of the pump and pulled the hose around her vehicle to reach the gas tank.

Related: College fund in the works for children of Ann Arbor bicyclist killed in charity event

She said Benn appeared to be drugged. Sheriffs deputies obtained video from the gas station. They also obtained video from a McDonalds drive-through near Grand Rapids. Video showed her drive past the window, back up, then forget to put her vehicle in drive when she started to leave.

Shoni Mayle, who called 911 after the crash outside of her house, said she was hysterical but Benn showed no reaction at the chaotic scene.

Geoffrey French, a supervisor of the toxicology unit of the state police Forensic Laboratory, testified that Benn had three prescription drugs in her system. She had therapeutic levels of the individual drugs but the combination could have a synergistic effect, he said.

Butler, the prosecutor, said he hoped the tragedy would shed light on the dangers of driving while intoxicated.

This never had to happen.

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MUNITH, MI  People drive from all over the place to get a bite of the food offered at Big Chucks Pizza in Munith.

Big Chucks Pizza, located north of Jackson, has been owned by Jesse Fowler, Patrick Crabtree and Ayleana Montgomery since roughly 2018. However, the restaurant has been around since 2004, and was previously owned by Fowlers mom Lezlie Fowler.

While the restaurant has gone through changes during the years, one thing thats stayed consistent is that the pizza and burgers have kept bellies full for generations. Not skimping on toppings and freshly made ingredients has helped with this, Fowler said.

We tell the employees, whenever they ask how much they put on the pizza, to put a little of everything on it, Crabtree said.

Theyre just hearty pizzas, Fowler added.

Youll find basically anything you would expect to find at a pizza place at Big Chucks Pizza, Fowler said. Pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, cheese sticks and salads are featured on the menu.

Specialty pizzas are the most popular, including the BBQ Chicken pizza, which is topped with chicken, red onion, bacon, Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue Sauce and a smokey mozzarella and provolone cheese blend.

People gravitate toward this pizza because of the barbecue sauce, Crabtree said, and because the chicken is made fresh in house,.

Cooking the chicken ourselves is a huge difference from buying a frozen chicken product, Fowler said.

The Bacon Ranch Cheese Sticks are also a hit with customers, Fowler said.

We sell a ton of those things, Fowler said.

Burgers are also a big seller at the Big Chucks Pizza, especially the mushroom Swiss burgers, Crabtree said.

However, the Big Chucks Classic, a 10-ounce fresh patty, cheese and a choice of toppings, is also a popular pick, Fowler said.

Its just a really big juicy burger, Fowler said.

Besides the food, people enjoy the small-town atmosphere of the restaurant, Fowler said, adding they serve customers from all over the state, due to the campgrounds that surround Munith.

Big Chucks offers a pickup window, a decent-sized dining room, delivery and is making its way to getting a liquor license, Crabtree said. The hope is to add beer, wine and liquor to the menu in the future, he said.

Big Chucks Pizza, 9004 Plum Orchard Road, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

More information can be found on Big Chucks Pizzas Facebook page and website.

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CALHOUN COUNTY, MI  A former Battle Creek landlord has been found guilty of killing two former tenants nearly two years to the day after the homicides.

Chad Allan Reed, 56, was found guilty on Friday, Oct. 6, of killing Joseph Soule, 34, and Soules girlfriend, Jaclyn Lepird, 31, in October 2020, according to court records. He was found guilty of one count of open murder, one count of second-degree murder and four felony weapons charges.

Reed will be sentenced by Calhoun County Circuit Judge Sarah S. Lincoln at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30.

Related: Battle Creek landlord confesses to killing 2 tenants, wrapping bodies in plastic, police say

Soule and Lepird, killed on Oct. 7, 2020, became the subjects of a missing persons case on Oct. 12, 2020.

Reed turned himself in three days later, confessing to police that he had killed the couple the previous week at their rented home at 203 Post Ave. in Battle Creek. He was arraigned in Calhoun County District Court on Oct. 19, 2020, and has been held in jail since.

Police told members of the media the landlord had also confessed to wrapping the couples bodies in plastic and putting them into the back of his pickup.

After a few days passed and family and friends of the couple began showing up to look for them, Reed drove the truck to a nearby, abandoned garage and parked it there, Battle Creek Police Sgt. Joel Case told MLive.

Case said the homicides appeared to stem from a long-running disagreement between Reed and the couple, and that the landlord told police there had been a verbal altercation between himself and Soule on Oct. 7, 2020.

Reed told detectives Soule pulled a knife on him and that he drew a gun and shot and killed the man in self-defense, Case said. He also told police that after witnessing the shooting, Lepird tried running from the residence and he shot her as well, Case said.

He (then) followed her into the backyard and proceeded to beat and strangle her until she ended up passing away in the backyard, Case said.

Related: 2 more fires burn home where couple was killed in Battle Creek

After multiple fires were set at the house over the course of the next six months, the Calhoun County County treasurers office had the house demolished in April 2021.

The treasurers office had assumed ownership of the property from Reed after the landlord, who was in jail, had failed to pay property taxes for three consecutive years.

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KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI  A Kalamazoo County township has reached a new agreement with the countys main library district.

Under the new agreement, certain Texas Township residents will now have to pay $115 per year in membership fees for complete online access to the Kalamazoo Public Librarys resources.

The new agreement applies to those living within the borders of the the Mattawan Consolidated Schools and Schoolcraft Community Schools districts. The township is not paying the library anything in the deal, officials said.

For the past three-plus years, township residents living within those district borders had been receiving full access to Kalamazoo Public Libraries, benefiting from a previous reporting error.

Related: Funding error leads to expanded library services in Kalamazoo Countys Texas Township

A prior contract between the library district and township had initially been terminated in 1998.

Despite the fact no services were being rendered, the library district erroneously continued to receive state penal funds to help pay for service in the township through 2015. Over the course of the 17 years, the library district received nearly $300,000 in penal funds for Texas Township.

This occurred because the termination of the contract was never formally reported to the Library of Michigan, township officials previously stated.

In 2019, the state elected to waive the repayment of the money to the township in exchange for library services being provided to township residents.

When this was discovered, we made an agreement with (the township) that we would provide full access cards to residents in that area for a period of time, to make up for the collected money, KPL circulation librarian Amy Alcenius said in an email to the Kalamazoo Gazette/MLive.

The agreed-upon period has ended (with a few extensions) and we now have this new agreement.

The initial agreement stipulated that residents would have the full access cards for a period of two years from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022. Due to COVID, the agreement was extended one year. It was later extended three more months as the two sides worked out an agreement.

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Five days before the final extension came to an end on Sept. 30, the Texas Township Board of Trustees voted to approve a new agreement, which runs through June 30, 2025.

The new agreement allows for residents to obtain a full-access card for half the price of an annual non-resident card, which costs $230. The card can be used by all the members of a household for one year.

Residents in these districts can continue to use basic library services, however, such as checking out physical print and AV materials and using the Michigan Electronic Catalog, at no cost. Full digital service cards cost the additional $115 per household and can be obtained at any KPL location.

It is important to note that residents in the Mattawan/Schoolcraft districts are not charged a millage rate for library services like the other districts, Township Superintendent Erik Wilson said. The Township came to this agreement to ensure service was available at a greatly reduced rate (versus a millage).

Township residents who live within Kalamazoo Public Schools district borders are unaffected by the agreement, as they already pay for full KPL access in their winter tax bill. The current tax rate being paid for KPL access is set at 3.89 mills.

The average taxable value for residential properties in Texas Township in 2023 is $154,969. At 3.89 mills, that means the average Texas Township resident would have had to pay about $603 per year if the township had a library millage  which it does not.

Township residents who live within the Portage Public Schools district borders are unaffected, as their taxes go toward Portage Public Library access instead. Township homeowners pay 1.99 mills for use of the Portage library.

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KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI -- A Richland woman has been charged for allegedly sending hundreds of messages to officials at the Barry County Prosecutors Office.

Rita Williams, 37, of Richland, was arraigned in Barry Countys 56-B District Court on two counts of stalking and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in an Oct. 6 news release.
SAGINAW, MI  Police are looking for a man who they believe robbed a Chase Bank in Saginaw.

The robbery happened around 2:11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, at the Chase Bank at 821 Court St., Saginaw police said.
KALAMAZOO, MI  A federal judge has decided in favor of the state of Michigan in a lawsuit filed against the former Edenville Dam owner, ruling that important safety information was hid from regulators long before its catastrophic failure.

On Friday, Oct. 6, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney in Kalamazoo granted summary judgement to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) in a case filed in 2020 against former dam owner Lee Mueller and his company, Boyce Hydro.

Maloney declared that Mueller violated four parts of the state Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act by, among other things, destroying natural resources and failing to notify the state about the Edenville Dams vulnerability to failure, which was known internally at Boyce.

Plaintiffs brought sufficient evidence to show that defendants knew of its dams vulnerability and that defendants did not make EGLE aware of that vulnerability, Maloney wrote.

Defendants do not dispute either assertion.

In his order, Maloney cited a 2010 email in which Mueller expressed concern that the east dam embankment was too narrow and too steep to withstand the pressure of an elevated impoundment in extreme flood conditions.

In 2012, Mueller and Boyce safety engineers developed plans to install sheet piling on the east end of the dam all the way to the concrete spillway on the upstream side, according to case filings. Mueller never followed-through and instead invested in unrelated side projects that never came to fruition.

According to an independent expert who reviewed the forensic investigation report, that sheet piling more likely than not would have prevented the dam failure, the judge wrote.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel sought the declaratory judgment in May and says she will seek a personal monetary judgement against Mueller.

It was vital the court was alerted to these new revelations, and were appreciative of the summary judgement granted, said Nessel, in a statement. The state demonstrated dam ownership disregarded threats to the safety and integrity of the dam, and absolutely was responsible for its failure, so much so they had no defense whatsoever.

The declaratory judgement does not order any specific action or award damages. Nonetheless, the state estimates the disaster resulted in an economic loss of more than $21 million in recreational value and fish replacement cost.

The judgement follows a turbulent summer for the case. In July, Muellers attorney and spokesperson since the 2020 disaster, Larry Kogan, withdrew from the case over irreconcilable differences in litigation strategy with Mueller which were causing him unreasonable financial burden.

Mueller filed to represent himself on Aug. 30 and then filed for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy on Sept. 15 in federal court in Nevada in a bid to stay the case. Mueller previously sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2020 and all defunct Boyce entity assets were put into a liquidation trust to pay creditors in 2021.

In a Sept. 28 order, Maloney denied a stay of the case against Boyce entities and stated that the new bankruptcy proceedings would only preclude the state from enforcing a monetary judgement against Mueller personally if it receive one.

Liquidating trustee Anthony Kochis, in an answer to the states May motion for summary judgment, suggested the state had an ulterior motive in seeking a judgement that would not result in obtaining money from Mueller or Boyce.

A summary judgment cannot prejudice claims of flood survivors who are suing the state, Kochis argued.

Maloneys order follows a victory in court last month for property owners who are suing the state in the Court of Claims. On Sept. 7, the Michigan Court of Appeals refused to dismiss a series of lawsuits which allege the dam failure is linked to state regulatory decisions.

In a 3-0 opinion, the court said claims of inverse condemnation can proceed. The state disputes the claims.

Flooded property owners say EGLE shares blame for the disaster after allegedly directing Boyce Hydro to raise water levels in Wixom Lake, a reservoir behind the dam which rushed into the Tittabawassee River in May 2020 when the dam collapsed after three days of rain.

The torrent overtopped the downstream Sanford Dam and flooded the city of Midland, causing the evacuation of thousands and destroying homes.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asked experts to study what happened at the Edenville and Sanford dams. The 2022 report said failure was foreseeable and preventable but could not be attributed to any one individual, group or organization. The dam failed by static liquefaction, a rare sudden loss of soil strength more commonly associated with mining wastewater dams.

The state disputes the property owner allegations and last October obtained an order from Maloney that stated Mueller and his attorneys deliberately crafted a false public narrative about culpability for the failure in an effort to deflect blame.

The order shoots down claims that the state, which sued Boyce Hydro before the flood over natural resources damage claims, pressured the company to maintain elevated water levels on Wixom Lake to protect habitat for freshwater mussels.

That is not correct, Maloneys order states  because Boyce Hydro refilled Wixom Lake to its normal spring pool level voluntarily in April 2020 in accordance with its permit application and did not express a concern to the state of Michigan that doing so would be unsafe.

In 2021, federal regulators fined Mueller $15 million for failing to perform important safety work after the disaster.

The Four Lakes Task Force, which acquired the Boyce dams after the flood, is in the middle of a project to rebuild the structures and restore Wixom and Sanford lakes.

- The Associated Press contributed to this report
06.10.2023 LISTEN

Ghanaian artist Gladstorm Kwabena Akwaboah Jnr popularly known as Akwaboah has urged the rules governing the show of explicit material on public television ought to be amended.

The contemporary highlife musician and songwriter believes that materials with sexually explicit themes should no longer be allowed in today's society.

Akwaboah called on important industry players to enforce the laws.

What is going on in Ghana? What is the matter? I was here making plans for my Lighthouse album and I decided to take a break and watch television. And all that I kept seeing was various penis enlargement product advertisements. Are men in Ghana crawling? So for Ghanaians all that we think about is sex right? When will you teach us how to make money or teach us the word of God? I think its time to change our mindset, Akwaboah stated.
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday to imprisoned activist Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran, many of whom are removing their hijabs despite a harsh crackdown.

Mohammadi's award comes after a wave of protests swept Iran following the death in custody a year ago of a young Iranian Kurd, Mahsa Amini, arrested for violating Iran's strict dress rules for women.

A 51-year-old journalist and activist, Mohammadi has spent much of the past two decades in and out of jail for her campaign against the mandatory hijab for women and the death penalty.

Speaking to AFP, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee urged Iran to release Mohammadi, a call echoed by the United Nations.

"I appeal to Iran: Do something dignified and release the Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi," committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said.

The recent protests in Iran "accelerated the process of realising democracy, freedom and equality in Iran", a process that is now "irreversible", Mohammadi told AFP last month in a letter written from her prison cell.

She and three other women held with her at Tehran's Evin prison burned their hijabs to mark the anniversary of Amini's death on September 16.

Crackdown

Mohammadi, who flaunts long black curls and had been mentioned as a possible winner ahead of the announcement, was honoured "for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all", Reiss-Andersen said.

"Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes," she added.

Mohammadi is the vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre founded by Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi, who herself won the Peace Prize in 2003.

Iran is ranked 143rd out of 146 countries on the World Economic Forum's gender equality ranking.

Authorities cracked down harshly on last year's "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising -- the words Reiss-Andersen used to begin Friday's announcement, in English and Farsi: "Zan, Zendegi, Azadi".

Nobel Peace prize winners since 2018. By Laurence SAUBADU, Sylvie HUSSON (AFP)

A total of 551 protesters, including 68 children and 49 women, were killed by security forces, according to Iran Human Rights, and thousands of others were arrested.

The uprising has continued, albeit under other forms.

In what would have been unthinkable a year ago, women now go out in public without the headscarf, in particular in Tehran and other big cities, despite the risks.

A 16-year-old girl is currently in a coma after being attacked on Sunday by female police officers tasked with enforcing the mandatory hijab among other things, according to the Kurdish-focused rights group Hengaw.

Wearing the hijab is one of the pillars of the Islamic republic.

Authorities have stepped up controls, using surveillance cameras among other things, and have arrested actresses who post pictures of themselves on social media without the hijab.

In September, Iran's conservative-dominated parliament announced heavier penalties for women who refuse to wear it.

'No prospect of freedom'

"This year's Peace Prize also recognises the hundreds of thousands of people who in the preceding year have demonstrated against the theocratic regimes policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women," Reiss-Andersen said.

She called Mohammadi the "undisputed leader" of the uprising.

Mohammadi's family said the prize was a "historic and profound moment for Iran's fight for freedom", while the United Nations called for "her release and the release of all human rights defenders jailed in Iran".

Incarcerated this time since November 2021, Mohammadi has not seen her children, who live in France with her husband, for eight years.

Considered a "prisoner of conscience" by Amnesty International, she told AFP in her letter that she had "almost no prospect of freedom".

She is the second Iranian to win the Nobel Peace Prize after Ebadi.

In 2003, Ebadi defied conservative Iranians by refusing to wear the hijab when she received her prize in Oslo.

If she remains behind bars, Mohammadi will not be able to make the trip to Oslo to receive her award at the annual prize ceremony on December 10.

The Peace Prize has on five occasions honoured jailed activists, including last year when it went to Ales Bialiatski of Belarus, whose prize was accepted by his wife, and Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in 2010, whose chair remained empty.
A Paris court on Friday placed former French president Nicolas Sarkozy under formal investigation for alleged witness tampering and fraud as part of a probe into the funding of his successful 2007 election campaign.

"Nicolas Sarkozy is firmly determined to assert his rights, establish the truth, and defend his honor," wrote lawyers Jean-Michel Darrois and Christophe Ingrain in a statement sent to French press agency AFP.

Sarkozy is accused of "interfering with a witness" and "criminal association with a view to committing fraud", according to AFP.

A key witness in that case, Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, had claimed he delivered three suitcases stuffed with a total of 5 million euros in cash in 2006 and 2007.

The former French president had been questioned by a judge since Tuesday as part of a probe launched in May 2021, after Takieddine retracted earlier statements about having delivered Libyan funds in France.

But in 2020 Takieddine suddenly retracted his incriminating statement, raising suspicions that Sarkozy may have put pressure on the witness to change his mind.

The 68-year-old has already been convicted twice for corruption and influence peddling in separate cases involving attempts to influence a judge and campaign financing.

Sarkozy, who ran France from 2007 to 2012, has appealed against both judgements.

At least nine other people are under suspicion of participating in the alleged conspiracy, which investigators said may have involved payment to Takieddine.

Some of the suspects are also believed to have attempted to bribe a Lebanese judge to obtain the release of Kadhafi's son held in Lebanon  in the hope of getting the Libyan leader to help Sarkozy persuade the French judiciary of his innocence.

Sarkozy denies any wrongdoing.

(with newswires)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Hamas attack on Israel resulted in death of five and injury of more than 100 people in Sderot city, Trend reports.

According to Israeli media, Hamas is launching massive rocket attacks on Israeli territory near the border with the Gaza Strip.

Members of the organization have already entered Sderot and other border areas. There are clashes on the ground.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel's Defense Minister Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
The French government says it will pick up the water bills of the 310,000 residents of France's poorest department, Mayotte, which is suffering its worst drought since 1997. But poor management of resources is also to blame for the Indian Ocean archipelago's water crisis.

Mayotte residents have had their water cut off two days out of every three for the last month.

And the water that does come out the tap is "brownish and unfit for human consumption", Estelle Youssouffa, one of the department's two MPs, told RFI.

Children have been sent home from dry schools and hospitals have seen growing numbers of people falling sick.

Given the major worsening in services to the public, subscribers will not have to pay their water bills from September to December, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced on Thursday in response to appeals for help.

The government said it also planned to increase the distribution of free bottles of water  currently limited to 50,000 "vulnerable" people. Additional supplies are to be brought in from neighbouring Reunion island and mainland France.

Some 300 soldiers and civilians will be deployed in Mayotte to ensure logistics, including 50 extra staff in schools.

Thirty health professionals are to reinforce staff in the hospital complex in Mamoudzou in the coming days, and companies affected by water shortages are to be offered aid measures some time in November.

Drought and poor infrastructure

Mayotte depends largely on rainfall for its water supply, but the archipelago is facing its worst drought since 1997.

The two hillside reservoirs that provide some 80 percent of Mayotte's drinking water supply are virtually dry.

People are anxiously awaiting the rainy season but even if it comes, as usual, in November, it will take time to fill up the hillside reservoirs again warned Gilles Cantal, Mayotte's prefect in charge of water.

The rainfall deficit is aggravated by a lack of infrastructure and investment, while the archipelago's population is increasing by around 4 percent per year, largely due to immigration from the neighbouring Comoros islands.

Racha Mousikoudine, coordinator of the Mayotte a Soif (Mayotte is Thirsty) collective, is sceptical over the government's announcement and blames SMAE  a branch of the Vinci group that manages the department's water services.

The situation was created because the water network and water overall is badly managed, she told RFI. So SMAE must now respond to that. It's their fault.

Paying water bills is all well and good but "it's not helping us to have drinking water, she said, insisting that government hand-outs would be better used "to help people buy packs of water and avoid disease spreading in households".

We urgently need water vouchers to be able to face the astronomical price hikes we're seeing in shops, she said.

Paris has committed 35 million euros to plugging leaks in the water system, and says the two long-promised desalination plants will be completed by the end of 2024.

A third hillside reservoir is also planned.
A furious row over planned changes to Europe's migration rules overshadowed an EU summit Friday, although supporters of the reform vowed opposition from Poland and Hungary would not derail it.

The Polish and Hungarian leaders did prevent the leaders from including migration in a joint statement of the summit's conclusions, forcing the meeting to end on a sour note of division.

But European Council president Charles Michel issued a separate statement about asylum policy and border protection in his own name, and the French and German leaders said the legislative process would continue as planned.

"The most important thing is what our interior ministers achieved a few weeks ago with the agreement on crisis regulation, because that is what is really relevant in political terms," said Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who hosted the summit, dismissing concerns about the clash.

But the gathering in the southern city of Granada did hand Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki -- who is facing a general election this weekend -- and Hungary's Viktor Orban a stage on which to brandish their populist credentials for their domestic audiences.

"I officially REJECT the entire paragraph of the summit conclusions regarding migration," Morawiecki posted on social media as the summit came to an end.

Earlier, Orban courted outrage by comparing the EU's "forcing through" of migration legislation -- which was approved by a majority of member states -- to Hungary being "legally raped".

Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Britain's Rishi Sunak want to prevent migrant boats setting out for Europe. By Thomas COEX (AFP)

France's President Emmanuel Macron said that although their opposition had blocked any mention of migration in the final declaration, it would have no effect on the proposed bill, which was approved in outline by member states on Wednesday.

"The text has caused disagreements between several member states," Macron said, dismissing it as "a secondary issue because the matter is moving forward as it should after being passed by majority".

Member states, he added, had agreed to strengthen "joint action regarding transit countries and countries of origin".

'Current approach not working'

Migration surged to the top of Brussels' agenda after thousands of asylum seekers landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa, highlighting the urgency of consolidating a unified European response.

On Thursday, leaders from across the continent had met under the auspices of the European Political Community (EPC), a forum to develop a joint geopolitical strategy.

France's Emmanuel Macron attended the side meeting on migration arranged by Italy and Britain. By Thomas COEX (AFP)

But Spain, which hosted both meetings, failed to put the crisis on the agenda of that summit, frustrating several members, notably Italy and Britain who convened a side meeting on the issue.

During those sideline talks, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and Britain's Rishi Sunak, backed by France and the Netherlands, pushed for more work with third countries to prevent boats carrying asylum seekers from even setting off for Europe.

In an op-ed published on Friday in Britain's Times newspaper and Italy's Corrierre della Sera, the pair said European nations were "recognising that the current approach is not working".

Insisting their aggressive approach was "already delivering results," they urged other leaders to "act with the same sense of urgency" against people-smuggling gangs to break the back of irregular immigration across Europe.

Wednesday's vote saw member states approving the final part of an overhaul of the rules on handling asylum seekers and irregular migrants, setting up a push for the European Parliament to make it law before elections next year.

In the second quarter, 26,600 would-be migrants were sent back, EU figures show. By Matias CHIOFALO (AFP)

The new Pact on Migration and Asylum will seek to relieve pressure on so-called frontline countries like Italy and Greece by relocating some arrivals to other EU states.

Those opposed to hosting asylum seekers would be required to pay those that do.

Meloni, who had clashed with Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the run up to the summit, said she was now "satisfied" with the direction Europe was heading, seeing it as "more pragmatic" in its approach to halting human trafficking and illegal immigration.

EU figures published on Friday showed there was a 29-percent rise in irregular migrant returns in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same period a year earlier.

A total of 26,600 people were sent back, while the number ordered to leave rose by 9.0 percent to 105,865.

By August 31, EU nations were hosting almost 4.2 million Ukrainian refugees from Russia's war, half of whom were in Germany and Poland.

alm/hmw/dc/db
After 66 years of our nation, no well-meaning Ghanaian can deny the fact that this nation is at the crossroads. Ghana is at the crossroads politically, economically, and culturally and we are still in search of democracy, as Professor Busia would put it.

A few empirical indicators of this malaise in governance is the rate at which the youth, who are supposed to receive the torch from our crumbling gerontocracy, are fleeing the country for greener pastures almost everywhere but Ghana, intra-party crises, the looting of state resources, and deepening economic hardships.

Two years ago (September, 1921), in an article titled The Coming Storm and the Inevitable Split in the NPP, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Acheampong Amoateng, made what has turned out to be a prophetic observation about the fate of the New Patriotic Party when he said the following:

A spectre is haunting the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, and it is the spectre of the inevitable split in the New Patriotic Party before the 2024 election cycle. Given the developments in the party since it regained power in 2016, one does not have to be a political scientist to see the coming crisis that will come to a head in the next few years as the NPP prepares to do battle in 2024 against the increasingly united and formidable NDC.

The formidability of the NDC was proven during the Assin North by-election in terms of the increasing popularity of the Party, while its respect for the role of intellectuals showed in the accuracy and reliability of the projection of the election results.

Cracks in the NPP

In that article, in which he admonished his fellow Bono ethnics to rethink their relationship with the NPP, Professor Amoateng predicted the inevitable split in the NPP because of the possible breach of of the gentlemans agreement made at the 2007 party primaries at the University of Ghana, Legon, by the so-called Akyem and Ashanti factions in the NPP.

Specifically, the essence of this gentlemans agreement was that Alan Kyeremanten would concede to Akuffo Addo for him to inherit the mantle after Akuffos tenure at the helm. However, the breach of the agreement has since moved from possibility to reality with Akuffo Addo failing to honour his part of the agreement and Alan Kyeremanten leaving the NPP.

While the current happenings in the NPP may not inure to the benefit of the NPP in terms of the unity the Party needs to break the so-called 8, Ghana should be grateful to God for this development because the departure of Alan Kyeremanten from the NPP may turn out to be a big win for the country.

Why are we saying this?

As indicated earlier, Ghana finds herself in a governance quandary after 66 years of nationhood. Even though the headwinds that constitute this quandary are multifaceted, essentially they had pushed the country to a point where, at best, it can only be described as a choice-less democracy.

The 1992 Constitution and Multi-Partyism

Even though Ghanaians accepted the 1992 Constitution with a fair dose of scepticism by Ghanaians because of the ghost of the military that haunted it, they embraced the multi-party element of it with alacrity.

In fact, the relative peace and stability that have prevailed in the country since the inception of the constitution is attributable to the multi-party feature of it because by definition, multi-partyism equates to cultural, economic, and political diversity.

The Failure of NPP and NDC to Govern to Justify Democracy

It is grossly an understatement to say that the two dominant political parties that emerged from the struggle to return to civilian rule in 1992 (i.e. NPP and NDC) have failed to govern the country to the satisfaction of the populace.

Despite salacious promises of deliverance by these two political parties over the years, poverty, unemployment, especially, among the youth, general economic decline, rampant official corruption, environmental degradation through illegal mining (galamsey) persist.

The publics disillusionment with the quality of governance via the two main parties largely has led to a situation where a large section of the population, mainly the youth, are yearning for the military rule of yesteryears, while those who have negative memories of military rule, mainly the aged, are calling for a Third Force in our politics.

This appetite for military rule is hardly a mere thought on the part of those who favour the military, because according to the latest Afrobarometer survey, the proportion of eligible voters who approve of a military rule has increased from 23% in 2015 to nearly one-third (29%) in 2023.

Democracy is not merely the freedom to express ones self without fear or favour, but it also means uplifting the citizens socioeconomically. The failure of the two dominant parties to govern to deliver the socioeconomic welfare of the populace has led to an unfortunate situation in which the majority of the citizens are very dissatisfied with democracy.

This lack of satisfaction with democracy is borne out by empirical facts because according to the 2023 Afrobarometer survey, nearly one-half (49%) of the eligible voters say that they are not satisfied with democracy, a finding that is consistent with voters appetite and support for a military rule.

In fact, the dissatisfaction of Ghanaians with democracy is because they feel that their choices in terms political parties they can choose from are severely limited as far as the NPP and NDC are concerned, hence the feeling that our brand of democracy has become choice-less.

A Third Force in Our Politics: Can Alan Kyeremantens Movement for Change fill the Void?

While the empirical evidence for the publics yearning for a Third Force in our politics that would amount to jettisoning both the NPP and the NDC is thin, anecdotal accounts are replete with suggestions to this effect.

In fact statements such as both NPP and NDC are the same., they all come and steal for themselves and their families they dont have the interest of the country at heart they make noise about jailing their predecessors but they do nothing to them when they win poweretc. have become common refrain in our political discourse. These are all evidence of the disillusionment of the populace with these two political parties and their desire for a party other than these two parties.

Conclusion

It against this backdrop of the failure by both the NPP and NDC to govern in terms of reducing poverty, eliminating corruption, creating jobs, and arresting the general economic decline, that make us believe that the resignation of Alan Kyeremanten from the NPP will inure to the benefit of the country.

Following his resignation, Honourable Kyeremanten has been interacting with the media and lay out his vision of change for the country. Alans Movement for Change which purports to use competence as a sole criterion to appoint personnel from all parties should be the embryo of the Third Force Ghanaians have been yearning for in the midst of the failures of NPP and NDC.

Alan Kyeremantens background in Economics and Law puts him in a pole position as a technocrat par excellence, while his vision of industrialization is the antidote the country needs to ward off unemployment, poverty, and dehumanization that have been the bane of Ghanaians.

Acheampong Yaw Amoateng, Ph.D (Is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Deputy

National Coordinator of the School Feeding Programme during J.A. Kufuors Administration).

Obeng Busia, Ph.D (Is a leading Member of the NPP).

***In our country now, practical examples of how money influences our politics include the amount of money required as filing fee to contest to become a member of parliament, president, and to finance the campaigns for these positions, to say nothing at all about the money citizens use to lobby for executive positions once a party wins an election.
The Jewish ancestor Solomon, for reasons best known to Jews and Christians, is credited as being the wisest man ever to have lived. Solomons stature among the sagacious probably stems from the allegation that he had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Considering the world class education one woman can give to the average man, the knowledge transfer potential of one thousand women in Solomons harem is off the charts.

When not engaged in his taxing domestic bedroom regime, Solomon is reported to have written many proverbs. One of the sage bits of advice passed on to Jews and Christians from the trembling hand of Solomon was the prohibition against removing old land marks. Solomons landmark proverb was merely a rebranding of an earlier prohibition issues by Moses, one of the premier ancestors of the Jews.

Moses was crystal clear in the Torah that Jews should not remove the ancient landmarks carved out by the ancestors. Moses was equally unambivalent about experimentation with the deities of other nations and about forgetting the history and ancestral heritage handed down to the Jewish people. The continuity of Jewish spiritual and cultural heritage was so important that observant Jews use to wear verses of their scriptures encased in small black leather boxes on their bodies.

The Babylonian captivity, the Persian, Greek, and Roman conquests, the dispersal from Jerusalem, the pogroms in Europe and elsewhere, and the Jewish Holocaust all contributed to the hardships of Jews down through the centuries. It is widely believed that it was the tenacity with which Jews held onto their spiritual and cultural traditions that facilitated their survival as a national group. Even though many Jews today identify as atheists, some Jewish practices are still observed even by the more secularly minded Jews.

People of African ancestry unlike the Jews, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Indians, and the First Citizens of the Americas seem willfully ignorant about the value of maintaining the old landmarks carved out by their revered ancestors. Jews, Chinese, Indians and First Citizens have all suffered periods of foreign domination. Western cultural penetration impacted each of these civilizations but a majority of the people in each of these civilizational groups clung to the old ways of their ancestors. They refused to remove the old landmarks.

African people, as though to give credence to the calumny that Sub-Saharan Africa had not been troubled by civilization, gravitated towards the religious, philosophical, cultural and linguistic practices of the Asiatic, Arab, and European invaders. The majority of people of African ancestry are unique in their almost fanatical adherence to a way of life imposed on them by the same people who invaded, enslaved, colonized and exploited African people.

Thanks to the stellar work of great Afrocentric scholars like Cheikh Anta Diop, Ivan Van Sertima, Maulana Karenga, John Henrik Clarke, Dr Ben-Jochannan, Chancellor Williams, Molefi Kate Asante and others, people of African ancestry are now being confronted with the undeniable fact that Africa is the cradle of human civilization. All of the ancient river valley civilization including the Nile Valley civilization were the products of people of color, whose origins could be traced to the African continent.

The African continent is therefore no Johnny-Come-Lately to the civilization party. Any concept in ethics, morality and religion that can uplift the human spirit is represented among the many people on the African continent. Jews, Arabs, and Christians did not introduced Africans to God. Africans were already well versed in the best concepts found within the Abrahamic faith traditions.

Jews, Chinese, and Indians, who as groups, have largely maintained their old ancestral landmark are making their mark in the modern world. People of African ancestry regrettably have removed their old ancestral landmarks and have replaced them with new landmarks imposed upon them by their oppressors. Ironically, people of African ancestry, need not succumb to the prevarications of the Western imperialists who seek to equate success with emulating Western ways. Like the Chinese and the Indians, people of African ancestry can also chart a course to success rooted deeply in the old landmarks carved out by the revered ancestors of the African people.

Lenrod Nzulu Baraka is the founder of Afro-Caribbean Spiritual Teaching Center and the author of Oreos, Coconuts, and Negropeans: Rediscovering Our African Identity.
The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday called on Ethiopian authorities to immediately release three journalists detained in late August and early September, and expressed grave concern about a pattern of detaining journalists amid an ongoing state of emergency.

On August 26, 2023, police arrested Tewodros Zerfu, a presenter and program host with the online media outlets Yegna TV and Menelik Television, while he was chatting with a friend at a cafe in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, according to reports from the outlets and accounts from his sister Seblework Zerfu and Yegna TV founder Engidawork Gebeyehu, who spoke to CPJ by messaging app.

Four days later, on August 30, two security officers in civilian clothing arrested Nigussie Berhanu, a political analyst and co-host of, Yegna Forum, a biweekly political show on Yegna TV, according to Yegna TV reports, Engidawork, and a family member who spoke to CPJ on condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns.

On September 11, seven federal police officers arrested Yehualashet Zerihun, the program director of the privately owned station Tirita 97.6 FM, at his residence in Addis Ababa, according to a report by Tirita and Yehualashets wife Meron Jembere, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. Meron said she had not been given any specific reason for his arrest to date.

The three journalists were initially detained at the Federal Police Crime Investigation Center in the capital city of Addis Ababa, but have since been transferred to a temporary detention center at a military camp in Awash Arba, a town in Afar State that is about 240 miles (145 kilometers) east of Addis Ababa, according to the people who spoke to CPJ. Those sources said they were not aware of the journalists being presented in court or formally charged with a crime.

The detention of journalists at a military camp, under unclear judicial oversight, is a deeply worrying sign of the depths to which Ethiopias regard for the media has sunk, said CPJ sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo. Authorities should release journalists Tewodros Zerfu, Yehualashet Zerihun, and Nigussie Berhanu, as well as other members of the press detained for their work.

Ethiopia declared a six-month state of emergency on August 4, 2023, in response to the conflict in northern Amhara state involving federal government forces and the Fano, an armed militia, according to media reports. Since then, CPJ has documented the detention of at least four other journalists in Addis Ababa, two of whom remain detained, also in Awash Arba.

The state of emergency legislation gives security personnel sweeping powers of arrest and permits the suspension of due process of law, including the right to appear before a court and receive legal counsel.

In addition to his role as a program director, Yehualashet was a host and co-host of three weekly radio shows, Negere Kin, Semonegna, and Feta Bekidame, focusing on art and social issues.

According to CPJs review of their work, Tewodros and Nigussie usually appeared together on Yegna TVs regular program, Yegnas Forum, and their commentary and reporting is published on Yegna TVs YouTube channel, which has over 600,000 subscribers. Yegna Forum is a mostly political program, which has been critical of the Ethiopian government. Prior to their detention, they had discussed the ongoing Amhara conflict, criticizing the passing of the state of emergency decree, and questioning the neutrality of the Ethiopian National Defense Force.

A few days before his detention, Nigussie made a Facebook post in which he alleged that he was perceived as a threat to the government, and had been identified as a target.

CPJs queries sent via email to federal police spokesperson Jeylan Abdi and the office of the federal minister of justice were unanswered. Government spokesperson Legesse Tulu did not respond to queries sent via messaging app and text message.
06.10.2023 LISTEN

Nairobi, October 6, 2023The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday welcomed the South Sudan governments creation of a committee to investigate the 2017 killing of British-American freelancer Christopher Allen, but called on authorities to ensure the inquiry is carried out credibly and transparently.

South Sudans Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro formed a seven-member committee to investigate the circumstances of Allens killing, including interviewing witnesses, and issue a final report and findings within 15 days, according to a statement made public on Monday, October 2.

It is a relief that after six long years, South Sudanese authorities have reconsidered their refusal to investigate Christopher Allens killing, although the investigation committees tight deadline raises serious concerns that it may become a mere public relations exercise instead of a genuine desire to establish the truth, said Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative. President Salva Kiirs government must ensure the committee is given sufficient resources and time to carry out a credible, independent, and transparent investigation to finally deliver justice for Christopher Allens family and pave the way for similar inquiries into the killings of other journalists in South Sudan.

Allen was shot and killed on August 26, 2017, while covering fighting between government and rebel forces amid a civil war. Following his death, South Sudanese officials claimed that military officers had shot a white rebel and rejected appeals to investigate the killing.

In 2019, lawyers acting on behalf of Allens family requested the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate whether the journalists killing and the treatment of his body after death were war crimes.

At least six journalists have been killed in South Sudan in connection to their work since the country gained independence in 2011. The country is also the worlds third-worst offender on CPJs 2022 Impunity Index, an annual report that spotlights countries with the worst records of securing justice for murdered journalists.
07.10.2023 LISTEN

The Presidential Elections Committee of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced that the deadline for the submission of proxy applications in respect of the flagbearer race slated for November 4, 2023, is Friday, October 13, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

A press release signed by the Secretary to the Presidential Election Committee, Mr William Yamoah, said, The particulars of a proxy voter should include, but are not limited to, the full name, telephone contact, and photocopies of the nominated individuals voter identification card and party membership card.

A delegate nominating a proxy should indicate clearly their category, provide details of their full name and telephone contact, and attach copies of their voter identification card and party membership card.

The statement dated October 6, 2023, emphasized that:

To successfully file for a proxy, one should show proof of absence or the cause of ones inability to be physically present at the voting center. An affidavit or a declaration from a Commissioner of Oath must accompany every application. All proxy applications should be filed in person at the NPP Headquarters located at Asylum Down, Accra, or submitted directly to the Secretary to the Presidential Elections Committee via email at [email protected] .

The release noted that the proxy list will be published for public consumption and verification.

Any suspected false declaration may be challenged and referred to the appropriate national institution for further investigation. Members are further informed that only delegates to the main Congress who are themselves eligible to vote in the Saturday, November 4, 2023, election shall have the right to vote by proxy, it concluded.

Over 900 super delegates of the NPP will go to the polls to elect a flagbearer on November 4, 2023. After the first contest held on August 26, 2023, 4 out of the 10 aspirants, who qualified for the next stage, are set to compete for the slot. They are; Dr. Addai-Nimoh, Kennedy Agyapong, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

3news.com
07.10.2023 LISTEN

The main opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) held a demonstration at the Bank of Ghana against the Governor on Tuesday October 3, 2023. The demonstration, dubbed # OccupyBoGProstest called on the Governor and his two deputies to resign for superintending over unprecedented losses at the bank and financing the extravagant lifestyle of the government. In response to the demand for his resignation, the governor in an interview with an international business website, Central Banking, said he is not stepping down, adding that the protest by the NDC was completely unnecessary. The minority in parliament have many channels to channel their grievances in civilised societies, not through demonstrations in the streets as hooligans. This short article is the analysis of the language used by the governor.

Dr Ernest Kwamina Yedu Addison, the Governor of Bank of Ghana is by all standards a consummate Economist and a Banker and not a politician (from his educational background and career history). It was therefore shocking that in responding to the demand of the opposition party for his resignation, he descended into the political abyss and described the minority in parliament as hooligans.

Why did Dr Addison choose such flamboyant or colourful language at such an international forum and what did he think his fellow central bankers will make of his choice of words?

The response of the Dr Addisson clearly indicates that he has no respect for not only the opposition party but also parliament because he used the words, the minority in parliament. First, he refused to receive the petition of the demonstrators before going on air to insult the minority in parliament as hooligans. Of course, I accept that some of the leaders used unprintable language and some demonstrators did misbehave. Though unacceptable, such behaviour is not unusual at demonstrations and the fact that it was political event with the potential for gbeshie to possess speakers (according to Ayikoi Otoos theory) was not strange.

The second reason is that this is what happens when parliament is weak. There is no doubt that Ghanas parliament is very weak and unable to hold the Executive arm accountable. In fact, there are reports that the governor has refused or failed to appear before parliament to answer questions on his stewardship. Yet, he has not been sanctioned. To use his own words, in any civilised society, where there is a functional democracy with accountability, Dr Addison would have resigned or forced to resign for his failure to appear before parliament but not in Ghana because parliament is weak, ineffective and therefore the governor can call their bluff and go scot free. In fact, his behaviour is nothing but utter contempt for parliament. I do not envisage the Governor of Bank of England failing or refusing to appear before the House of Commons to answer questions on his stewardship and not being sanctioned. He would be charged for contempt of parliament and resign or be sacked.

The third reason for Addisons behaviour and insulting response is the epitome of the arrogance of the government and its appointees. They have no regards for the public as reflected in their actions and omissions. For example, the governor has violated the Bank of Ghana Act in terms of how much the bank can use to support a government in one financial year, yet he refuses to appear before parliament to explain and answer why the bank under his leadership has not only spent that much in support of the government but also run extraordinary loss.

Personally, I disagree with the demands of the opposition party, NDC for the governor and his two deputies to resign. In fact, I have sympathy for the governor and his two deputies because they do not have full independence to take decisions. The governor is under the control of a powerful finance minister and had no choice but to do as ordered by the finance minister or the president. Therefore, it is wrong for the opposition to demand his head instead of that of the finance minister who has run the economy into a ditch. The governor cannot be made a scapegoat for the economic mismanagement of the government.

What is the way forward in the short-term and long term?

In the short-term, parliament must assert its authority and hold the Executive arm of government accountable. This has not been possible because parliament is too divided not only along political lines but also personal interests first, party second and nation last. Unless all parliamentarians put the national interest first before personal and party interests, parliament will continue to be divided, weak and will be taken for contempt by the Executive. For example, when some NPP MPs demanded the resignation of the finance minister, for personal and party interests, they discontinued their demand. Parliament must eschew personal and party interests and work together in the national interests in order to be effective in holding the executive accountable.

Immediately, the Speaker must order the Governor of Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison to appear before parliament to account for his stewardship and be ordered to withdraw his disrespectful language and apologise to parliament for insulting the parliament. Both majority and minority should regard the governors insult as attack on parliament and not only on the minority.

In the long-term, parliament must work together in a bye-partisan approach through a private members bill and pass legislation to strengthen the independence of the central bank and the governor so that future governors can say no to finance ministers and presidents when they ask for bail out that is far above what is legislated.

Its not too late and I will suggest that Dr Ernest Addison should reflect on his language, withdraw them and apologise before the Speaker hauls him before parliament. The choice of words was not only unfortunate but also his fellow central bankers will take note of his indiscretion. Yes, the demand by the opposition was political but he does not have to descend into the abyss of insulting language. Those who represent Ghana at international levels should learn to use respectful and acceptable language because what they say and how they say them, do say a lot about Ghana and how foreigner see us.

Kofi Ata.
Angolan editor Carlos Alberto was recently taken into custody to serve a three-year prison sentence over his coverage of a local land deal. (Photo Credit: Julia Vicente)

07.10.2023 LISTEN

New York, October 6, 2023The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Angolan authorities to immediately release journalist Carlos Alberto, who was taken into custody on September 29 to serve a three-year prison sentence for criminal defamation, injurious denunciation, and violating press freedom.

A team of 15 Criminal Investigation Service officers arrested Alberto, editor of the online news outlet A Denuncia, at his home in the capital, Luanda, according to his lawyer, Almeida Lucas.

Alberto appeared in the Luanda District Court on Monday, October 2, where he was told the court issued an arrest warrant because he failed to comply with a June 23, 2022, sentence handed down by the Supreme Court in connection to his May 15, 2021, report about the allegedly illegal appropriation of land for a shopping mall by then-deputy attorney general Luis Liz.

The Supreme Court dismissed Albertos appeal against a lower court ruling and sentenced him to a suspended three-year prison term, a fine of 350 million kwanzas (US$4,240), and an apology every 10 days for 60 days, according to Lucas and CPJs review of the ruling.

Lucas said he applied for the journalists release and clarification on the decision to arrest Alberto since the journalist met his obligations by apologizing and had inquired about instructions to pay the fine, but a court date has yet to be set. Alberto remains in detention at the Viana District prison center.

Angolan authorities should immediately release journalist Carlos Alberto, who should never have been convicted and sentenced in the first place, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator, in New York. Angolas colonial-era criminal defamation and insult laws should be repealed as a matter of urgency, especially as aggrieved parties can pursue other remedies for redress that do not criminalize journalism and jail reporters for their work.

Two days before he was arrested on September 29, Alberto told CPJ that his arrest warrant was circulated on social media before authorities officially notified him or his lawyer, adding that he had written to the court in September asking about paying his fine in installments, but received no response.

They didnt reply, didnt warn me about not following the sentence, and went straight for an arrest warrant, Alberto told CPJ.

During his October 2 court appearance, Alberto told A Denuncia that his arrest at 8 p.m. on a Friday was aimed at derailing any attempt to free him before the weekend.

We should be notified in case the court doubts Alberto has been fulfilling his sentence well ahead of a decision of deprivation of liberty, Lucas told CPJ, adding that according to Article 53 of the penal code, an arrest should be the last resort.

Liz told CPJ via a messaging app that crimes against honor are protected by Angolas penal code, so that was the avenue to have restoration of the truth.

Alberto did irreparable damage to my reputation and had many opportunities to retract himself by apologizing, Liz told CPJ. He chose not to do so and complained about the judges instead. His arrest was a decision of the court. I did not want to see Alberto in prison. His fine will go straight for charity, but the truth needs to be out.

Manuel Alaiwa, a spokesperson for the Criminal Investigation Service, confirmed the arrest and told CPJ that the officers were enforcing an arrest warrant issued by the court.
Nairobi, October 6, 2023The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an investigation into reports that Ugandan security personnel assaulted and detained multiple journalists covering the return home of opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine.

At least 14 journalists, who were reporting on Wines return to Uganda from an overseas trip on Thursday, were briefly detained and several were also assaulted and had their equipment damaged or confiscated by the officers, according to media reports.

It is a great shame that Ugandas security sector repeatedly treat reporting on the political opposition as a criminal offense, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo, said on Friday. Police should drop any pending investigations into journalists arrested while covering Bobi Wines return home, investigate reports that security personnel assaulted journalists, and ensure that those responsible are held to account.

Wine competed against Ugandas long-serving President Yoweri Museveni in elections in 2021, and at least 50 people died in protests over the pop star-turned-politicians arrest ahead of that vote.

After citing security concerns over plans by Wines party to hold a one-million strong welcome march, security personnel arrested Wine upon arrival at Ugandas Entebbe International Airport and drove him home, where he said he was being held under house arrest.

Journalists said they were targeted by both police officers and people they believed were military personnel, according to a statement by the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda. The Ugandan press freedom group said some journalists recorded statements with the police though the charges [against them] remained unclear.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The commander of the "Izz ad-Din al-Qassam" brigade (the armed wing of Hamas) Mohammed al-Dayf has "announced" the start of the "Al-Aqsa Storm operation" against Israel, within which 5,000 rockets will be launched towards the territory of Israel, Trend reports

According to Turkish media, al-Dayf stated that the Palestinian people have initiated a project to create a state.

He mentioned that rocket attacks have been carried out on Israeli military facilities and airports.

Additionally, Palestinian groups that infiltrated into territories under Israeli control have taken over a police station in the city of Sderot.

Israeli emergency services reported that one person has died, and 15 others were injured as a result of the Palestinian attacks. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in response, declared a state of emergency in a 80-kilometer radius around the Gaza Strip and stated that strikes are being carried out on the region.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel's Defense Minister Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges the Nigerian government to arrest and prosecute officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who assaulted a man for allegedly stealing the manhood of two other persons in Abuja. In a tweet, the Leadership newspapers drew attention to this ugly incident. It said: "Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) officers assault man for allegedly stealing manhood of two other men at the national headquarters of the security organization in Sauka in Abuja". In a video that was circulated on social media, officers of the NSCDC could be seen beating and brutalizing this man commanding him to 'return it'(manhood). They slapped him several times and hit him with sticks and hard objects. The man's face was swollen, and blood was gushing out. The AfAW contacted the NSCDC office via whatsapp, and someone responded: "I hope you do not intend to drag the Corps to court over this video o?"

The AfAW contact wondered why the NSCDC officers behaved this way, and mistreated the man. The NSCDC officer responded: "HMM you know this is Africa where it is difficult to get people, even so-called educated and well-trained people to think and approach issues scientifically. Most Africans cannot separate themselves from their superstitious beliefs, traditions, and all such stuff".

But this should not be a justification for this horrific abuse. This should rather be a reason to ensure that these erring officers are penalized to teach others a lesson. All Africans are not superstitious in their beliefs and behaviors. There are 'Africans' who think critically and scientifically. And those Africans should rally against allegations of penis disappearance and other superstition-based abuses.

To this end, the Advocacy for Alleged Witches calls on the government to arrest and prosecute all NSCDC officers who assaulted this innocent man in the video. The government should ensure that these officers answer for their crimes. It was painful and heartbreaking to watch as officers hit, kicked, and maltreated a man they were trained and paid to protect and defend. The NSCDC officers acted unprofessionally, and against the law. They did not make efforts to confirm the allegations. The officers did not verify or try to ascertain if the manhood was stolen as claimed. Nigerian authorities should ensure that this incident never repeats itself anywhere. There is no evidence that people's private organs or breasts are stolen, or can magically disappeared or be disappeared as popularly believed. These claims are baseless and superstitious. The police have warned the public against making these false allegations and engaging in mob actions. The NSCDC and other state agencies should address this institutional failure. They should organize programs to reorient their officers and ensure that they carry out their duties as required by the law, not as dictated by their religions, beliefs and superstitions. These programs would enable their officers conduct themselves more professionally when confronted with similar cases.

Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches
In the crucible of history, where the chains of slavery once bound a nation, a powerful trinity of collaboration emerges, uniting the ancestral lands of Africa, the revolutionary spirit of Haiti's warriors, and the enlightenment of France and America. Rooted deeply in a shared history marred by the horrors of slavery, this alliance between Africa, France, and America forms the bedrock upon which Haiti's resurgence stands.

Haiti's story is woven with the bravery of its warriors, notably Toussaint Louverture, whose spirit echoes through time. From the heart of Africa, where warriors defended their lands against oppression, to the sugar plantations of Haiti, where the echoes of battle mingled with cries for freedom, this alliance honors the warrior legacy. Together, they pledge to uphold the indomitable spirit that turned chains into weapons of defiance and oppression into a catalyst for revolution. In the year 1804, Haiti declared its independence from domination, marking a historic triumph that further fuels the flame of resilience in the hearts of its people. Despite opposition from powers like America and France, Haiti proudly stands as the world's first black nation, a beacon of freedom and unwavering determination.

For this, they paid a heavy toll of historical hate, rejection, and neglect. The world, often blinded by prejudice, failed to recognize the brilliance of their spirit and the depth of their resilience. Yet, even in the face of adversity, Haiti persevered, emerging as a testament to the unyielding strength of the human spirit. Through the Tri-Continental Alliance, this legacy of liberation finds new wings, propelling Haiti toward a future defined by freedom, unity, and enduring strength.

Africa, the cradle of humanity, shares an unbreakable bond with Haiti, its children scattered across continents by the transatlantic slave trade. In this alliance, Africa's nations offer more than just assistance; they extend the hands of solidarity, recognizing the shared pain and strength that unites them. The ancestral wisdom of Africa becomes a guiding light, illuminating a path towards healing and empowerment. Through this connection, Haiti not only reclaims its historical figures who were taken away by European slave masters but also continues to maintain the rich tapestry of African ways embedded in its religion, traditions, dressing patterns, and music. The ties between them, resilient and enduring, remain unbroken, reminding the world of the profound and lasting connections that bind humanity across time and space.

While Haiti, as a nation, was founded by African slaves who fought for and achieved independence from French colonial rule, today, African nations are contributing to Haiti's development and progress through various means, including humanitarian aid, diplomacy, and capacity building. This shift in roles underscores the resilience and interconnectedness of nations, as well as the potential for solidarity and collaboration among countries that have faced historical challenges. In the vast tapestry of human history, few stories echo with such profound irony and hope as the tale of Haiti. Born from the agony of the transatlantic slave trade, this resilient nation emerged as the world's first black republic, defying the very forces that sought to shackle it. Today, as Haiti grapples with unprecedented challenges, the world witnesses a remarkable reversal of roles, where African nations, once torn apart by slavery, extend their hands in solidarity to aid a nation forged in the crucible of adversity.

This ongoing cooperation reflects a shared understanding of the importance of supporting one another, promoting peace, stability, and development, and addressing the legacies of colonialism and slavery. It also highlights the potential for positive change and mutual support among nations, even in the face of complex historical narratives.

The collective psyche of a people bears the weight of their historical and current pains, woven into the very fabric of their identity. Historical traumas, marked by experiences of colonization, slavery, or war, leave indelible marks on the collective memory, creating deep emotional wounds that persist across generations. The echoes of oppression and injustice reverberate through time, shaping cultural narratives and societal norms. These historical pains, often unaddressed and unresolved, seep into the present, manifesting as a sense of loss, anger, or profound sadness.

The weight of the past intertwines with contemporary struggles  poverty, discrimination, political instability, or displacement  amplifying the psychological burden. Individuals and communities, in their daily lives, grapple with intergenerational trauma, experiencing feelings of helplessness, disillusionment, and a pervasive sense of injustice. Yet, amidst the pain, resilience emerges as a testament to the human spirit. The ability to endure, to find strength in unity, and to preserve cultural identity amid adversity becomes a source of empowerment. Acknowledging and addressing these historical and current pains, both individually and collectively, is essential for healing. It requires fostering empathy, promoting social justice, and providing spaces for dialogue, allowing the people to confront their traumas, reclaim their narratives, and pave a path towards psychological recovery and renewed hope.

In the annals of history, the late 19th and early 20th centuries stand as a time of imperialistic expansion, where powerful nations extended their reach far beyond their borders. For Haiti, a nation forged in the crucible of revolution, these years marked a turbulent period of foreign intrusion and intervention, shattering the dreams of self-determination and sovereignty.

As the United States flexed its imperialistic muscles in Latin America, countries like Nicaragua, Honduras, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic found themselves ensnared in the grip of military intervention. Haiti, too, bore witness to this intrusion, with the U.S. asserting its influence and often infringing upon the nation's sovereignty. The very ideals of freedom and independence upon which Haiti was founded seemed threatened by external forces.

But the imperialistic saga did not begin or end with the United States. Haiti's history is scarred by the brutal legacy of French colonialism, a chapter etched in blood and oppression. The wounds inflicted during the colonial era still echo through the nation's collective memory, serving as a stark reminder of the depths of human cruelty and the enduring struggle for emancipation.

Amidst these trials, Haiti's people exhibited unparalleled resilience. They stood defiant; their spirits unbroken by the weight of imperialism. The same fervor that had driven them to rise against slavery and colonial rule now fueled their determination to safeguard their hard-won independence.

The echoes of imperialism linger, shaping Haiti's narrative in the modern era. The scars left by foreign intervention serve as a rallying cry for sovereignty. Haitians, cognizant of their history, yearn for the right to determine their own destiny, free from external interference. The struggle for genuine self-governance continues, fueled by the memories of past infringements.

In the face of these challenges, the world watches as Haiti perseveres. Yet, amidst the echoes of imperialism, there emerges a glimmer of hope - the solidarity of nations, the support of communities, and the shared determination to see Haiti stand tall. It is in this unity that Haiti finds strength, a testament to the indomitable spirit of a nation, refusing to be silenced by the shadows of the past.

Haiti's journey, marred by the scars of imperialism, is a testament to the enduring struggle for freedom and sovereignty. As the world reflects on this history, it must recognize the importance of honoring nations' rights to determine their own destinies. The echoes of imperialism serve as a reminder of the collective responsibility to uphold the principles of self-determination and respect the sovereignty of every nation, ensuring that the ghosts of the past do not haunt the aspirations of the future.

Haiti grapples with widespread poverty, with a significant portion of its population living below the national poverty line. High levels of unemployment exacerbate this issue, leading to economic instability and social unrest.

Limited access to quality education is a critical issue in Haiti. Many children lack proper schooling, leading to high illiteracy rates and limiting opportunities for social mobility. The education system also suffers from inadequate infrastructure, insufficient resources, and a shortage of trained teachers.

In this transformative vision, Africa, France, and America stand united, each bringing a unique essence to the table. The warrior spirit, the shared heritage, the enlightenment, and the promise of unity converge, creating a powerful force. Together, they nurture Haiti's institutions, ensuring governance is transparent, education is enlightening, healthcare is accessible, and economic opportunities are abundant. This alliance becomes a testament to the resilience of nations, proving that from the shackles of history, a triumphant, united Haiti can emerge, resilient and determined, ready to shape its destiny on its own terms.

The historical link between Africa and Haiti is a powerful thread that connects these regions despite the vast geographical distance. It serves as a reminder of shared struggles against oppression and colonization, fostering a sense of solidarity that transcends borders. While Africa grapples with its own significant challenges, including poverty, political instability, healthcare disparities, and environmental concerns, the empathetic response to Haiti's plight showcases the resilience of the human spirit and the willingness to extend a helping hand, even in the face of adversity.

Africa's support for Haiti, despite its own difficulties, underscores the importance of global unity and cooperation. It highlights the profound understanding that collective efforts can pave the way for mutual progress, emphasizing the need for nations and communities to stand together in times of crisis. This historical connection acts as a bridge, enabling African nations to empathize with Haiti's struggle and offer assistance, despite the challenges they face domestically.

In this act of solidarity, there lies a powerful message for the worlda message that transcends economic disparities and political complexities. It communicates the essence of shared humanity, reminding us that regardless of our individual struggles, we are bound by a common history, a shared sense of resilience, and an innate desire to help one another in times of need.

In the endeavor of institutional building in Haiti, a harmonious collaboration between Africa, France, and America presents a transformative vision. Rooted in cultural understanding and respect for diverse religious norms, this alliance envisions a comprehensive approach encompassing governance, education, healthcare, and economic development. African nations, drawing from their own rich experiences, stand ready to fortify Haiti's institutions: refining legal frameworks, nurturing educational excellence, progressive law enforcement and military bodies, enhancing healthcare infrastructure, and fostering entrepreneurial spirit. Through shared expertise, Africa, France, and America pledge to elevate Haiti's governance structures, equipping them to combat corruption and uphold the rule of law. By investing in education, offering scholarships, and improving teaching standards, the youth of Haiti shall be empowered, ensuring a brighter tomorrow.

Together, these nations commit to strengthening healthcare facilities, curbing diseases, and bolstering disaster resilience, ensuring the well-being of Haitian citizens. Economic collaboration, marked by entrepreneurship initiatives and strategic investments, promises sustainable growth and job opportunities. Infrastructure development, driven by engineering expertise, shall lay the foundations of a resilient nation, safeguarding against future challenges. Through cultural exchanges and heritage preservation, mutual understanding and respect shall flourish, fostering a global community grounded in appreciation for diversity. Environmental conservation, epitomized by climate change initiatives and reforestation programs, underscores a shared commitment to a sustainable future. In this alliance, bound by a spirit of cooperation and cultural reverence, Africa, France, and America join hands to nurture Haiti's institutions, cultivating a legacy of shared prosperity, resilience, and mutual respect that shall echo through generations.

In tracing the arc from the shackles of slavery to the challenges of the present, a profound psychological narrative emergesone of enduring resilience, shared pain, and unyielding hope.

This journey, from the dark chapters of slavery to the modern struggles against diseases like AIDS, embodies the global human experience. It reminds us of the strength found in unity, the empathy that binds us, and the transformative power of compassion. The psychological scars left by centuries of oppression find their echo in the silent battles fought against diseases, poverty, and discrimination today.

Yet, amidst this shared pain, a global emotional resonance emergesone that transcends borders and connects us all. It is in acknowledging these deep wounds and standing together in solidarity that the healing process begins. Empathy becomes the bridge that spans continents, allowing us to understand each other's struggles and share in each other's triumphs.

In this shared psychological landscape, there lies a profound truth: the resilience of the human spirit knows no bounds. The same spirit that allowed communities to rise from the ashes of slavery, that fueled the fight against oppressive regimes, and that propels the ongoing battle against diseases, now unites us in a common purpose. It is a purpose rooted in compassion, understanding, and the unwavering belief in a better, more equitable world.

As we confront the psychological burdens of the past and the present, let us do so with open hearts and a commitment to change. Let us recognize that the emotional ties that bind us are stronger than the forces that seek to divide. Together, we can transform this shared pain into a catalyst for global empathy, forging a future where no one is bound by the chains of history or the burdens of the present. In this collective endeavor, we find the truest expression of our shared humanity, illuminating a path toward healing, unity, and hope for all.

From these healthy institutions emerges a beacon of enlightenment and progress. Individuals, once burdened by the weight of history, now find themselves equipped with the tools of education and healthcare. They learn not only facts and figures but also empathy and acceptance. In these halls of learning, the scars of the past are acknowledged, studied, and transformed into lessons that guide future generations toward a more compassionate world. Shared knowledge becomes a powerful force, eradicating ignorance and prejudice, and in its place, fostering understanding and harmony.

Through these institutions, communities learn that diversity is not a source of division but a wellspring of strength. The collective wisdom gained becomes a driving force, propelling societies toward innovation, cooperation, and coexistence. Individuals grow not only academically but also emotionally, understanding the value of unity in the face of adversity.

In the embrace of healthy institutions, the shared pains of history are not forgotten but utilized as catalysts for change. The scars, once symbols of suffering, transform into badges of resilience and sources of inspiration. Every healed wound becomes a testament to the power of collaboration and the triumph of the human spirit.

As these communities learn and grow, they become beacons of hope for the world. Their journey from pain to enlightenment serves as a testament to the transformative power of unity, empathy, and education. In their progress, we find the promise of a future where historical wounds are healed, where ignorance is replaced by understanding, and were compassion reigns supreme. Through these shared efforts and collective learnings, the world witnesses the emergence of a more enlightened, empathetic, and harmonious global society, where the shared experiences of pain pave the way for a future overflowing with love, acceptance, and boundless possibilities.

Respect for their culture and religious norms becomes the guiding principle in this transformative journey, ensuring that great things emerge not at the cost of heritage, but in harmony with it. As communities learn, heal, and prosper, their rich cultural tapestry and diverse religious practices are celebrated and preserved, becoming the foundation upon which, their collective strength and resilience stand tall. This profound respect forms the cornerstone of a future where progress is deeply rooted in tradition, and unity is woven intricately with the threads of cultural diversity, forging a society that thrives on understanding, acceptance, and mutual respect. In embracing and preserving their cultural and religious identity, these communities not only preserve their heritage but also enrich the world with the tapestry of human diversity, teaching us all the value of unity amid differences.

Professor John Egbeazien Oshodi, who was born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, to a father who served in the Nigeria police for 37 years, is an American-based police and prison scientist and forensic, clinical, and legal psychologist. A government consultant on matters of forensic-clinical psychological services in the USA; and a former interim associate dean and assistant professor at Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African Settings. In 2011, he introduced state-of-the-art forensic psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C. and Nasarawa State University, where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. He has taught at various universities and colleges including Florida memorial University, Florida International University, Broward college, Lynn University, and a contributing faculty member at the Weldios university in Benin Republic, Nexus International University, Uganda, Nova Southeastern University and Walden University in USA.
The recent surge in the cost of renal dialysis treatment in Ghana has been attributed to fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate, according to Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the presidential advisor on health.

While import charges have played a role in the price hike, Dr. Nsiah-Asare emphasized that the primary factor contributing to the surge is the recent volatility in foreign exchange rates.

Ghanaians, especially patients dependent on dialysis treatment, expressed their concerns when the Renal Dialysis Unit at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital announced a huge increase in fees, from GH380 to GHS765.42 per dialysis session on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.

The move prompted swift reactions, with the Minority Caucus in Parliament describing the increment as illegal and outrageous.

They called on the hospital to promptly reverse the price hike.

However, during an interview on Eyewitness News, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare shed light on the underlying reasons for the cost escalation.

He pointed out that dialysis treatment is inherently expensive, regardless of the location.

He explained that a substantial portion of the costs is incurred due to the disposable materials used in the dialysis process, most of which are imported.

Dr. Nsiah-Asare stated, "Almost all the things we use in dialysis are imported into the country, and the problem is because of the foreign exchange regime and what has happened over the period of time is the foreign exchange."

Dr. Nsiah-Asare added, What we need to do holistically is to look at the causes of renal cases that we have, the burden, the treatment methods available, the preventive measures to put in place and we need to look at these things holistically.
President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has hit back at the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Ernest Addison for his response to the #OccupyBoGProtestors, indicating that he should be thankful the protesters were not violent.

Dr Addison dismissed calls by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Minority caucus in Parliament for him to resign.

He said in an interview with an international business website, Central Banking, that he is not stepping down, describing the protest by the NDC as completely unnecessary.

The Minority in parliament have many channels to channel their grievances in civilised societies, not through demonstrations in the streets as hooligans, Dr Addison added in reference to the #OccupyBoGProtest.

The protest was held on Tuesday to denounce the economic crisis as a result of what the protesters termed poor monetary policy by the BoG.

Mr Cudjoe told Selorm Adonoo in an interview on The Big Issue on Citi TV on Saturday that I was a bit surprised when those comments were attributed to the Central Bank Governor. I thought it was one of those fake postings but it turns out that it is actually true because he has not even recounted them and he has not even apologised for them.

Indeed he wasnt just insulting the demonstrators at the venue that day but he was virtually insulting almost everybody who has actually demonstrated before or will be demonstrating in the future.

In fact, I think what he should be thankful for is that the demonstrators were not violentI kept saying that those people who are preventing people from demonstrating should rather be grateful that those demonstrating did not do so with sticks and guns.

Mr Cudjoes explained that was because Ghanaians were legitimately angry about the actions of the government.

I keep saying that about 70% of the current happenings right now are solely attributed to the governments mismanagement of the economy. That is a settled argument, he stated.

citinewsroom
Former President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to uphold the 1992 constitution and refrain from entertaining any intentions of endorsing a potential coup detat in Ghana.

The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) emphasized that despite the current economic challenges in the country, considering a coup should not even be the last resort.

This call comes in light of recent coups in West African countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger.

Addressing the Conference of Regional Imams of Ghana at the 3rd National Conference of Imams in Kumasi, Mr. Mahama also criticized the Akufo-Addo-led government for its handling of national affairs.

We told NPP the path they were taking was dangerous but our advice fell on deaf ears. And that is the reason we are where we are today and we are all facing the challenges. So we all have to help out and get out of this mess. But we would have to adhere to constitutional governance so that we are not swayed by the alternative of coups.

We should know that no matter the hardship there will be the opportunity for an election for different people to be elected. It is only left with a year for us to say goodbye to some people and welcome others who can fix the economy. So lets continue respecting the Constitution. We should never think of coups and everything will be fine, he stated.

Reading a communique jointly drafted by the regional imams from across the country, Suallah Abdallah Quandah, Executive Secretary, the Conference of Regional Imams of Ghana condemned any advocacy for a coup detat while urging the government to implement effective measures to address pressing concerns of Ghanaians and thereby prevent any potential calls for a coup detat.
The Malian army on Saturday said it had taken control of a stopover town on the way to the northern rebel stronghold Kidal amid a resumption of hostilities in the region.

"The (Malian armed forces) took full control of the locality of Anefis early this morning", the military said in a statement.

"Evaluations are underway."

Almou Ag Mohamed, a spokesperson for the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP), a coalition of armed rebel factions, confirmed to AFP that the army was in Anefis, 110 kilometres (70 miles) south of the city of Kidal.

He said that the Russian paramilitary company Wagner was accompanying the army.

"But Anefis is not a major issue for us. We are at war, a war that will be long and will not be fought down to one position", the spokesman said.

"Anefis is only one position and the front is mobile."

An army convoy made up of dozens of vehicles, some armoured, on Monday left the city of Gao, which lies 300 kilometres (185 miles) southwest of Kidal.

The convoy has since come under attack.

The column was "initially heading towards Anefis to reinforce our positions. We are not going directly to Kidal", an officer based in Gao told AFP at the time.

"This morning in the town of Anefis we saw the white mercenaries of Wagner" as well as the Malian army, an eyewitness on the ground told AFP on Saturday.

Road travel in Mali can be long and dangerous.

On Thursday evening, the army said a large convoy of its forces had reached the outskirts of Anefis.

The rebels claimed earlier Thursday to have stopped the convoy's advance and shot down an army plane south of Anefis.

Claims from all sides are difficult to verify in the remote area.

The column of vehicles has made slow progress and fuelled speculation about its destination and objectives.

An offensive on the rebel bases in the Kidal region could be a turning point after a decade of conflict, as attacks against Malian army camps by both the separatist groups and jihadists have increased.

After initially launching a rebellion in 2012, the predominantly Tuareg armed groups signed a peace agreement with the state in 2015.

But in August they resumed hostilities.

(AFP)
WealthPlan Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 3,356,368.6% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,174,764 shares of the payment services companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,174,729 shares during the period. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC owned approximately 0.16% of American Express worth $2,056,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of AXP. RB Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of American Express by 5.3% during the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 3,783 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $707,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares during the period. Roundview Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of American Express by 0.4% in the first quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 27,029 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $5,054,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its holdings in shares of American Express by 5.6% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,421 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $266,000 after buying an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd raised its position in American Express by 207.1% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 946 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $177,000 after buying an additional 638 shares during the period. Finally, Donaldson Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in American Express during the 1st quarter worth about $397,000. 83.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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American Express Price Performance

AXP stock traded up $2.23 during trading on Friday, hitting $149.32. 3,198,186 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,175,046. The stock has a market cap of $109.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.19. American Express has a one year low of $130.65 and a one year high of $182.15. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $158.98 and a 200 day simple moving average of $162.09.

American Express Announces Dividend

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The payment services company reported $2.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.08. American Express had a return on equity of 29.26% and a net margin of 12.99%. The business had revenue of $15.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.57 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that American Express will post 11.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 5th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.61%. American Expresss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 24.42%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently issued reports on AXP. 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. 58.com restated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Friday, June 30th. 3M reiterated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a report on Friday, June 30th. Bank of America cut their target price on American Express from $203.00 to $202.00 in a report on Thursday. Finally, 51job reiterated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Friday, June 30th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $173.44.

Check Out Our Latest Stock 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.

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Ameritas Advisory Services LLC reduced its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 32.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 5,369 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,593 shares during the quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $2,427,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Dupont Capital Management Corp raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 24.9% in the 2nd quarter. Dupont Capital Management Corp now owns 25,096 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,770,000 after buying an additional 5,008 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 229.9% in the 2nd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 456,861 shares of the companys stock valued at $214,259,000 after buying an additional 318,391 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 232.6% in the 2nd quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,360,000 after buying an additional 2,028 shares in the last quarter. IQ EQ FUND MANAGEMENT IRELAND Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at $218,000. Finally, Silvant Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC now owns 127,244 shares of the companys stock valued at $59,675,000 after buying an additional 3,465 shares in the last quarter. 81.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on LLY. Berenberg Bank increased their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $375.00 to $500.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $630.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $510.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Barclays upped their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $500.00 to $590.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. 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 stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $537.13.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 591 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 directly owns 101,028,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $47,141,787,549.78. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 591 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 directly owns 101,028,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $47,141,787,549.78. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 600 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $546.51, for a total transaction of $327,906.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,378 shares in the company, valued at $2,939,130.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 693,246 shares of company stock worth $20,948,820,977. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 3.0 %

Eli Lilly and Company stock traded up $16.06 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $557.54. 1,982,006 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,994,467. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.13. Eli Lilly and Company has a fifty-two week low of $309.20 and a fifty-two week high of $601.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $529.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 75.38, a PEG ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.33. The firms 50 day moving average is $539.86 and its 200-day moving average is $459.84.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly 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 business had revenue of $8.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.58 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 22.01% and a return on equity of 65.00%. Eli Lilly and Companys revenue for the quarter was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.25 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 9.84 earnings per share for the current 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.

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Carret Asset Management LLC lowered its stake in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 58,118 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 610 shares during the quarter. American Express makes up 1.3% of Carret Asset Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest position. Carret Asset Management LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $10,124,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Mathes Company Inc. purchased a new position in shares of American Express during the second quarter worth approximately $3,055,000. Ziegler Capital Management LLC raised its position in American Express by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Ziegler Capital Management LLC now owns 10,112 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $1,762,000 after purchasing an additional 173 shares during the period. IQ EQ FUND MANAGEMENT IRELAND Ltd lifted its stake in American Express by 2.7% in the second quarter. IQ EQ FUND MANAGEMENT IRELAND Ltd now owns 16,488 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $2,872,000 after purchasing an additional 432 shares during the last quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC boosted its position in American Express by 17.9% during the second quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC now owns 27,254 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $4,748,000 after buying an additional 4,147 shares during the period. Finally, Bradley & Co. Private Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of American Express by 4.1% during the second quarter. Bradley & Co. Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 34,643 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $6,035,000 after buying an additional 1,360 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.08% of the companys stock.

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American Express Trading Up 1.8 %

Shares of AXP stock traded up $2.70 on Friday, reaching $149.79. 2,167,660 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,168,901. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $158.98 and its 200 day simple moving average is $162.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $110.31 billion, a PE ratio of 14.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75. American Express has a 52 week low of $130.65 and a 52 week high of $182.15.

American Express Announces Dividend

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The payment services company reported $2.89 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 the consensus estimate of $15.41 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. The firms revenue was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that American Express will post 11.13 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be given a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.60%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 5th. American Expresss payout ratio is 24.42%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have commented on AXP. StockNews.com raised American Express from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday. 22nd Century Group reiterated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a report on Friday, June 30th. Bank of America dropped their price target on shares of American Express from $203.00 to $202.00 in a research report on Thursday. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of American Express from $148.00 to $143.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their target price on shares of American Express from $149.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, September 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, American Express has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $173.44.

View Our Latest Report on AXP

American Express 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.

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Carret Asset Management LLC reduced its position in FedEx Co. (NYSE:FDX  Free Report) by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 27,956 shares of the shipping service providers stock after selling 646 shares during the quarter. FedEx comprises about 0.9% of Carret Asset Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Carret Asset Management LLCs holdings in FedEx were worth $6,930,000 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 company. RB Capital Management LLC grew its position in FedEx by 3.3% in the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 1,951 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $451,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. AMI Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in FedEx by 43.9% in the 1st quarter. AMI Investment Management Inc. now owns 15,385 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $3,560,000 after purchasing an additional 4,693 shares during the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. boosted its position in FedEx by 101.5% in the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 4,274 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $989,000 after buying an additional 2,153 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of FedEx by 7.8% during the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 148,735 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $34,408,000 after buying an additional 10,731 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P increased its holdings in shares of FedEx by 553.3% during the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 392 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $91,000 after buying an additional 332 shares in the last quarter. 73.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on FDX. Bank of America upped their target price on FedEx from $309.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, September 21st. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of FedEx in a report on Thursday. They set a buy rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of FedEx from $280.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, September 22nd. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of FedEx from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, September 15th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on FedEx from $312.00 to $323.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, September 21st. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $277.84.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Michael C. Lenz sold 5,745 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.88, for a total transaction of $1,504,500.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,478 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,886,538.64. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 8.73% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

FedEx Stock Down 0.2 %

FDX stock traded down $0.52 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $258.64. 1,000,584 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,994,143. The company has a quick ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The firms fifty day moving average price is $260.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $243.15. FedEx Co. has a 52 week low of $148.93 and a 52 week high of $270.95. The company has a market cap of $65.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.71, a P/E/G ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.33.

FedEx (NYSE:FDX  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, September 20th. The shipping service provider reported $4.55 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.71 by $0.84. FedEx had a net margin of 4.71% and a return on equity of 16.14%. The company had revenue of $21.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.74 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.44 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that FedEx Co. will post 18.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

FedEx Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, October 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, September 11th were given a dividend of $1.26 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 8th. This represents a $5.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.95%. FedExs payout ratio is 30.73%.

FedEx Company Profile

(Free Report)

FedEx Corporation provides transportation, e-commerce, and business services in the United States and internationally. It operates through FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services segments. The FedEx Express segment offers express transportation, small-package ground delivery, and freight transportation services; and time-critical transportation services.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Israel is in the state of war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his address to the nation, Trend reports.

"This is neither operation, nor a battle," he stressed.

He assured Israeli citizens that Hamas will be held accountable for the attack.

The head of government called on citizens to carry out the instructions of the army and relevant structures.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Lodestone Wealth Management LLC lowered its holdings in shares of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO  Free Report) by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,605 shares of the companys stock after selling 194 shares during the quarter. Lodestone Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Coca-Cola were worth $518,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Venturi Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Coca-Cola during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Freedom Wealth Alliance LLC bought a new position in shares of Coca-Cola during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Coca-Cola during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. NewSquare Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Coca-Cola by 62.5% during the 1st quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 507 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 195 shares during the period. Finally, KB Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Coca-Cola in the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.96% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Coca-Cola

In related news, CEO James Quincey sold 92,029 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.09, for a total value of $5,345,964.61. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 442,546 shares in the company, valued at $25,707,497.14. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO James Quincey sold 92,029 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.09, for a total value of $5,345,964.61. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 442,546 shares in the company, valued at $25,707,497.14. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Monica Howard Douglas sold 21,074 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.90, for a total value of $1,283,406.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 18,360 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,118,124. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 319,393 shares of company stock worth $19,467,980. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Coca-Cola Trading Up 1.5 %

Shares of NYSE:KO traded up $0.76 on Friday, hitting $53.14. 30,231,069 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,298,115. The Coca-Cola Company has a 12 month low of $51.55 and a 12 month high of $64.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $229.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.56. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $59.11 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $60.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 0.95.

Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The company reported $0.78 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.06. Coca-Cola had a return on equity of 43.06% and a net margin of 23.81%. The business had revenue of $12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.74 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.70 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that The Coca-Cola Company will post 2.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Coca-Cola Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, October 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 15th were given a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.46%. Coca-Colas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 75.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KO has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Wedbush upped their price target on Coca-Cola from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 27th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Coca-Cola from $69.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 27th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Coca-Cola in a research report on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Coca-Cola from $67.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on Coca-Cola from $69.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $68.33.

Read Our Latest Report on KO

Coca-Cola Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Coca-Cola Company, a beverage company, manufactures, markets, and sells various nonalcoholic beverages worldwide. The company provides sparkling soft drinks, sparkling flavors; water, sports, coffee, and tea; juice, value-added dairy, and plant-based beverages; and other beverages. It also offers beverage concentrates and syrups, as well as fountain syrups to fountain retailers, such as restaurants and convenience stores.

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Mainstay Capital Management LLC ADV lessened its stake in EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 4.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,408 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after selling 622 shares during the period. Mainstay Capital Management LLC ADVs holdings in EOG Resources were worth $1,420,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Monte Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in EOG Resources by 14.5% in the second quarter. Monte Financial Group LLC now owns 8,109 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $928,000 after acquiring an additional 1,029 shares during the period. Mathes Company Inc. bought a new position in shares of EOG Resources during the second quarter valued at approximately $2,934,000. United Asset Strategies Inc. increased its holdings in EOG Resources by 20.7% during the second quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc. now owns 5,160 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $590,000 after buying an additional 885 shares during the period. First Merchants Corp raised its stake in EOG Resources by 4.0% in the second quarter. First Merchants Corp now owns 63,072 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $7,218,000 after buying an additional 2,438 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its holdings in EOG Resources by 1,469.9% during the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 254,931 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $29,174,000 after buying an additional 238,692 shares during the period. 89.21% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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EOG Resources Price Performance

Shares of EOG stock traded up $2.22 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $120.68. 3,477,445 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,345,629. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 52-week low of $98.52 and a 52-week high of $150.88. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 2.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. The company has a market cap of $70.27 billion, a PE ratio of 7.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 1.55. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $129.04 and a 200 day moving average of $119.86.

EOG Resources Announces Dividend

EOG Resources ( NYSE:EOG Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 3rd. The energy exploration company reported $2.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.28 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $5.57 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.74 billion. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 28.52% and a net margin of 33.58%. EOG Resourcess quarterly revenue was down 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.74 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.34 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 17th will be paid a $0.825 dividend. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.73%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, October 16th. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio is presently 22.24%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EOG has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Mizuho upped their price objective on EOG Resources from $155.00 to $157.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, September 18th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of EOG Resources in a research report on Thursday. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $150.00 to $145.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 12th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on EOG Resources from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, August 28th. Finally, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. downgraded EOG Resources from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 24th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $150.04.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on EOG

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, COO Lloyd W. Helms, Jr. sold 4,551 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.76, for a total value of $595,088.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 145,259 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,994,066.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

EOG Resources Profile

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, and natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its principal producing areas are in New Mexico and Texas in the United States; and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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Mathes Company Inc. acquired a new position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 11,170 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $2,092,000.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. FARMERS & MERCHANTS TRUST Co OF LONG BEACH increased its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. FARMERS & MERCHANTS TRUST Co OF LONG BEACH now owns 19,414 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $3,636,000 after buying an additional 52 shares during the period. Round Rock Advisors LLC raised its stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Round Rock Advisors LLC now owns 3,946 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $739,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Bond & Devick Financial Network Inc. grew its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Bond & Devick Financial Network Inc. now owns 5,038 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $943,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Hills Bank & Trust Co grew its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 7.4% in the 1st quarter. Hills Bank & Trust Co now owns 873 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $156,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moody Lynn & Lieberson LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Moody Lynn & Lieberson LLC now owns 4,956 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $884,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the period.

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iShares Russell 2000 ETF Stock Up 1.2 %

Shares of IWM traded up $2.01 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $173.36. 34,507,628 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 28,785,473. The stocks fifty day moving average is $185.09 and its 200 day moving average is $182.11. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a 1-year low of $162.50 and a 1-year high of $199.26.

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.

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Monte Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 1.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 48,255 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 653 shares during the quarter. Abbott Laboratories makes up approximately 2.6% of Monte Financial Group LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest position. Monte Financial Group LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $5,261,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in ABT. Fort Sheridan Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 315.5% during the first quarter. Fort Sheridan Advisors LLC now owns 12,182 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,234,000 after purchasing an additional 9,250 shares during the last quarter. Freestone Capital Holdings LLC grew its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 12.8% during the 1st quarter. Freestone Capital Holdings LLC now owns 99,836 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $10,109,000 after acquiring an additional 11,303 shares during the period. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 14,110 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,429,000 after acquiring an additional 545 shares during the period. Harbour Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Harbour Investment Management LLC now owns 26,750 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,709,000 after purchasing an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd boosted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 20.2% during the 1st quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 367,563 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $37,219,000 after purchasing an additional 61,788 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.70% of the companys stock.

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Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

ABT stock traded up $0.68 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $96.88. 4,747,772 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,879,223. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $93.25 and a 52-week high of $115.83. The stock has a market cap of $168.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.83, a PEG ratio of 4.27 and a beta of 0.69. 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 stocks 50-day moving average is $102.72 and its 200 day moving average is $104.97.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 20th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $9.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.71 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 12.83% and a return on equity of 20.50%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.43 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.4 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Investors of record on Friday, October 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 12th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.11%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is presently 69.62%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 10,400 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total transaction of $1,092,312.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,829,785.81. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 10,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total value of $1,092,312.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,829,785.81. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.76, for a total transaction of $5,688,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 6,775,316 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $770,759,948.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $127.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 24th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Abbott Laboratories from an underperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Friday, July 21st. Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, July 21st. Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $122.00 in a research note on Monday. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an equal weight rating and issued a $112.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Friday, July 21st. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Abbott Laboratories currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $120.47.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

(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.

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QCM Cayman Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 515 shares of the credit services providers stock, valued at approximately $203,000.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Financial Connections Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in shares of Mastercard during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Mastercard during the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of Mastercard during the 1st quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Mastercard during the 4th quarter worth approximately $41,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.94% of the companys stock.

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Mastercard Trading Up 1.7 %

Shares of MA stock traded up $6.70 on Friday, reaching $400.90. 1,402,326 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,645,671. The stock has a market cap of $377.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.57. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $402.33 and a two-hundred day moving average of $386.12. Mastercard Incorporated has a 1-year low of $276.87 and a 1-year high of $418.60.

Mastercard Announces Dividend

Mastercard ( NYSE:MA Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The credit services provider reported $2.89 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.05. Mastercard had a net margin of 43.37% and a return on equity of 178.10%. The firm had revenue of $6.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.18 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.56 EPS. The firms revenue was up 14.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.14 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 9th. Investors of record on Monday, October 9th will be given a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 5th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.57%. Mastercards dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.37%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Mastercard news, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $413.13, for a total value of $1,652,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 6,235 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,575,865.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Mastercard news, major shareholder Foundation Mastercard sold 125,816 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $391.39, for a total value of $49,243,124.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 99,430,749 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $38,916,200,851.11. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $413.13, for a total transaction of $1,652,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 6,235 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,575,865.55. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 424,779 shares of company stock valued at $168,609,298. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently issued reports on MA. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Mastercard from $425.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, July 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Mastercard from $442.00 to $510.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 22nd. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on Mastercard from $435.00 to $450.00 in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Susquehanna boosted their price target on Mastercard from $433.00 to $486.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Finally, 888 reiterated a reiterates rating on shares of Mastercard in a report on Friday, June 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Mastercard presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $443.88.

Read Our Latest Report on MA

Mastercard Company Profile

(Free Report)

Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. It facilitates the processing of payment transactions, including authorization, clearing, and settlement, as well as delivers other payment-related products and services.

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Privium Fund Management UK Ltd purchased a new position in shares of CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE:CEIX  Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 24,936 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,606,000. CONSOL Energy makes up approximately 1.3% of Privium Fund Management UK Ltds holdings, making the stock its 24th largest position. Privium Fund Management UK Ltd owned 0.07% of CONSOL Energy at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Gladius Capital Management LP bought a new stake in CONSOL Energy during the 1st quarter worth about $38,000. Quarry LP raised its holdings in CONSOL Energy by 109.0% during the 1st quarter. Quarry LP now owns 903 shares of the companys stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 471 shares during the last quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. raised its holdings in CONSOL Energy by 10.8% during the 1st quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 2,677 shares of the companys stock worth $101,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its holdings in CONSOL Energy by 60.6% during the 1st quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 2,891 shares of the companys stock worth $109,000 after purchasing an additional 1,091 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fortis Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in CONSOL Energy during the 4th quarter worth about $113,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.63% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, B. Riley decreased their price objective on CONSOL Energy from $84.00 to $81.00 in a research report on Monday, June 26th.

CONSOL Energy Stock Up 3.0 %

Shares of CEIX traded up $2.98 on Friday, hitting $102.13. The companys stock had a trading volume of 358,394 shares, compared to its average volume of 722,319. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The firms fifty day moving average price is $88.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $71.31. CONSOL Energy Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $49.35 and a fifty-two week high of $106.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.83 and a beta of 1.75.

CONSOL Energy (NYSE:CEIX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 8th. The company reported $4.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.43 by $0.51. CONSOL Energy had a return on equity of 53.65% and a net margin of 29.17%. The business had revenue of $660.97 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $588.20 million. On average, equities research analysts expect that CONSOL Energy Inc. will post 20.63 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other CONSOL Energy news, Director Joseph P. Platt, Jr. sold 10,227 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.33, for a total transaction of $1,005,620.91. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 33,957 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,338,991.81. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other CONSOL Energy news, Director Joseph P. Platt, Jr. sold 10,227 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.33, for a total transaction of $1,005,620.91. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 33,957 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,338,991.81. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Kurt R. Salvatori sold 6,097 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.24, for a total value of $489,223.28. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 10,498 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $842,359.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 35,113 shares of company stock valued at $3,005,602 in the last quarter. 2.49% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

CONSOL Energy Profile

(Free Report)

CONSOL Energy Inc produces and exports bituminous coal in the United States. It operates through Pennsylvania Mining Complex and CONSOL Marine Terminal segment. The company's Pennsylvania Mining Complex segment engages in mining, preparation, and marketing of bituminous coal to power generators, industrial end-users, and metallurgical end-users.

Further Reading

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HSBC began coverage on shares of Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE:BAM  Free Report) (TSE:BAM.A) in a report issued on Friday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $39.00 price objective on the financial services providers stock.

Several other analysts have also recently commented on BAM. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on shares of Brookfield Asset Management from $34.00 to $35.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 10th. Scotiabank began coverage on shares of Brookfield Asset Management in a research note on Thursday, July 13th. They issued an outperform rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Brookfield Asset Management from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, August 10th. TD Securities raised their price target on Brookfield Asset Management from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an action list buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 10th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on Brookfield Asset Management in a report on Thursday. They set a hold rating for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $39.33.

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View Our Latest Research Report on BAM

Brookfield Asset Management Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BAM traded up $0.78 during trading on Friday, hitting $31.98. 1,497,397 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,337,985. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $33.88 and its 200 day simple moving average is $32.82. Brookfield Asset Management has a 52-week low of $26.76 and a 52-week high of $36.50.

Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE:BAM  Get Free Report) (TSE:BAM.A) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 9th. The financial services provider reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.32. The business had revenue of $985.00 million during the quarter. Equities research analysts forecast that Brookfield Asset Management will post 1.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Brookfield Asset Management Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 31st were paid a $0.32 dividend. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.00%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 30th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its position in shares of Brookfield Asset Management by 0.7% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 38,228 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,161,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Brookfield Asset Management by 3.9% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 537,451 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $30,404,000 after acquiring an additional 20,309 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Asset Management during the first quarter valued at approximately $22,369,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Asset Management during the first quarter valued at approximately $340,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Brookfield Asset Management by 2.8% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 44,050,716 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,491,950,000 after acquiring an additional 1,220,298 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 61.92% of the companys stock.

About Brookfield Asset Management

(Get Free Report)

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. provides alternative asset management services. Its renewable power and transition business includes the ownership, operation, and development of hydroelectric, wind, solar, and energy transition power generating assets. The company's infrastructure business engages in the ownership, operation, and development of utilities, transport, midstream, data and sustainable resource assets.

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Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL  Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY24 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of $6.10-6.50 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of $6.34.

Dell Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of DELL opened at $66.41 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.95. Dell Technologies has a one year low of $32.90 and a one year high of $72.82. The stocks fifty day moving average is $62.52 and its 200-day moving average is $52.43.

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Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 31st. The technology company reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.88 by $0.56. Dell Technologies had a negative return on equity of 149.91% and a net margin of 2.03%. The business had revenue of $22.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.78 billion. Analysts forecast that Dell Technologies will post 5.35 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Dell Technologies Announces Dividend

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 3rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 24th will be paid a dividend of $0.37 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, October 23rd. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.23%. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio is currently 57.14%.

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America raised their target price on Dell Technologies from $70.00 to $76.00 in a research note on Friday. Citigroup increased their price target on Dell Technologies from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, September 22nd. Barclays lowered Dell Technologies from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and set a $53.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Thursday, September 7th. TD Cowen increased their price target on Dell Technologies from $45.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, September 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Dell Technologies from $75.00 to $80.00 in a research report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Dell Technologies currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $69.00.

View Our Latest Research Report on DELL

Insider Transactions at Dell Technologies

In other news, General Counsel Richard J. Rothberg sold 30,009 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.00, for a total transaction of $2,040,612.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 99,899 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,793,132. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, General Counsel Richard J. Rothberg sold 30,009 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.00, for a total transaction of $2,040,612.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 99,899 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,793,132. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Iv (Gp) L.L.C. Slta sold 3,529,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.36, for a total value of $195,365,440.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 135,124 shares in the company, valued at $7,480,464.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 3,995,850 shares of company stock valued at $221,526,369 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 48.60% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. bought a new position in Dell Technologies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. KB Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Dell Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Dell Technologies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in Dell Technologies by 263.8% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 713 shares of the technology companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 517 shares during the period. Finally, Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC bought a new position in Dell Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $43,000. 38.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Dell Technologies Company Profile

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Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG).

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Privium Fund Management UK Ltd grew its position in Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL  Free Report) by 62.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 72,887 shares of the transportation companys stock after purchasing an additional 28,152 shares during the quarter. Delta Air Lines comprises approximately 2.7% of Privium Fund Management UK Ltds investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest holding. Privium Fund Management UK Ltds holdings in Delta Air Lines were worth $3,375,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in DAL. Pacifica Partners Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines by 117.6% in the first quarter. Pacifica Partners Inc. now owns 740 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 1,136.7% in the 1st quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 742 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 682 shares during the period. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new position in Delta Air Lines during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC acquired a new stake in Delta Air Lines during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Carmel Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines in the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.29% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Delta Air Lines

In other Delta Air Lines news, Director Michael P. Huerta sold 3,350 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.43, for a total value of $162,240.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 27,465 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,330,129.95. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Delta Air Lines news, EVP Peter W. Carter sold 17,944 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.00, for a total transaction of $807,480.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 166,192 shares in the company, valued at $7,478,640. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Michael P. Huerta sold 3,350 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.43, for a total transaction of $162,240.50. Following the sale, the director now owns 27,465 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,330,129.95. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 40,479 shares of company stock worth $1,839,353 in the last ninety days. 0.89% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently issued reports on DAL shares. Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, July 14th. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $58.00 to $50.00 in a report on Thursday. TheStreet raised Delta Air Lines from a c rating to a b rating in a report on Thursday, July 13th. 22nd Century Group reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a report on Wednesday, June 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Delta Air Lines from $70.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, July 14th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $55.00.

Get Our Latest Research Report on Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines Price Performance

DAL stock traded up $0.56 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $37.00. The stock had a trading volume of 9,785,230 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,427,776. The company has a market cap of $23.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.19 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a current ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a 52-week low of $28.21 and a 52-week high of $49.81. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $41.11 and its 200 day simple moving average is $39.61.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 13th. The transportation company reported $2.68 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.40 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $15.58 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.44 billion. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 5.36% and a return on equity of 59.56%. Delta Air Liness quarterly revenue was up 12.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.44 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Delta Air Lines, Inc. will post 6.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Delta Air Lines Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 12th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.08%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 11th. Delta Air Liness payout ratio is currently 8.62%.

About Delta Air Lines

(Free Report)

Delta Air Lines, Inc provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Airline and Refinery. Its domestic network centered on core hubs in Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, and Salt Lake City, as well as coastal hub positions in Boston, Los Angeles, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, and Seattle; and international network centered on hubs and market presence in Amsterdam, Mexico City, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and Seoul-Incheon.

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McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM  Free Report) by 3.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,168 shares of the CRM providers stock after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the quarter. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc.s holdings in Salesforce were worth $669,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of CRM. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its holdings in Salesforce by 92,823.1% during the second quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 238,763,957 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $50,441,274,000 after buying an additional 238,507,009 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Salesforce in the 4th quarter valued at $1,420,381,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Salesforce by 125,717.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 10,260,412 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $1,360,428,000 after purchasing an additional 10,252,257 shares during the period. Starboard Value LP bought a new position in Salesforce in the 4th quarter valued at $401,215,000. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in Salesforce by 21.3% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 14,134,170 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $2,823,724,000 after purchasing an additional 2,481,759 shares during the period. 77.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Salesforce Stock Up 2.6 %

Shares of Salesforce stock traded up $5.35 on Friday, reaching $207.36. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,989,189 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,472,604. The company has a market capitalization of $201.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 130.42, a P/E/G ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.20. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $212.17 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $208.79. Salesforce, Inc. has a 52 week low of $126.34 and a 52 week high of $238.22. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Salesforce ( NYSE:CRM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 30th. The CRM provider reported $2.12 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.22. Salesforce had a return on equity of 7.67% and a net margin of 4.77%. The company had revenue of $8.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.53 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.52 earnings per share. Salesforces revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Salesforce, Inc. will post 5.86 earnings per share for the current year.

CRM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Loop Capital upped their price target on Salesforce from $215.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on Salesforce from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, August 31st. Barclays increased their price objective on Salesforce from $245.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Salesforce from $255.00 to $262.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price objective on Salesforce from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, twenty-six have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $242.28.

Read Our Latest Report on CRM

Insider Buying and Selling at Salesforce

In other Salesforce news, CAO Sundeep G. Reddy sold 164 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 24th. The stock was 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 $501,861.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $211.24, for a total value of $3,168,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 16,473,609 shares in the company, valued at $3,479,885,165.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Sundeep G. Reddy sold 164 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.05, for a total value of $36,908.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 2,230 shares in the company, valued at $501,861.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 719,316 shares of company stock valued at $156,051,377. Company insiders own 3.70% of the companys stock.

Salesforce Company 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.

Further Reading

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Hamas headquarters in the Tel Elhua area of the Gaza Strip was destroyed by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) airstrikes, Trend reports.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Stock analysts at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPW  Get Free Report) in a research report issued on Thursday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the real estate investment trusts stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Raymond James cut Medical Properties Trust from a strong-buy rating to an underperform rating in a report on Friday, August 11th. Bank of America cut Medical Properties Trust from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $9.00 to $8.00 in a research note on Friday, August 11th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $10.00 price objective on shares of Medical Properties Trust in a research note on Monday, September 25th. Mizuho cut Medical Properties Trust from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $18.00 to $9.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 31st. Finally, Barclays decreased their price objective on Medical Properties Trust from $12.00 to $10.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 22nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $10.27.

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Medical Properties Trust Stock Down 3.8 %

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Shares of MPW stock traded down $0.20 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $5.10. The stock had a trading volume of 10,189,384 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,640,110. Medical Properties Trust has a 12-month low of $4.92 and a 12-month high of $14.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.08. The firms 50-day moving average is $6.99 and its two-hundred day moving average is $8.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 2.88 and a quick ratio of 2.88.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV increased its holdings in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 87.7% in the second quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 2,881 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 1,346 shares during the period. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 158.9% in the second quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. now owns 2,933 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 1,800 shares during the period. Register Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Medical Properties Trust in the first quarter valued at about $25,000. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Medical Properties Trust by 100.0% during the second quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,000 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,500 shares during the period. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA grew its holdings in Medical Properties Trust by 64.0% during the first quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 3,289 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 1,284 shares during the period. 76.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.

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StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Medtronic (NYSE:MDT  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Thursday. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the medical technology companys stock.

Other analysts have also issued reports about the stock. CL King started coverage on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Friday, June 30th. They set a buy rating and a $106.00 price target for the company. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Medtronic from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a $89.00 price target on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Wednesday, August 23rd. Robert W. Baird started coverage on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. They set a neutral rating and a $90.00 price target for the company. Finally, 22nd Century Group reiterated an initiates rating on shares of Medtronic in a report on Friday, June 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $91.67.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Medtronic

Medtronic Price Performance

MDT traded down $0.03 during trading on Thursday, reaching $76.12. The stock had a trading volume of 6,762,177 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,524,796. The stock has a market cap of $101.28 billion, a PE ratio of 28.10, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 1.79 and a current ratio of 2.42. Medtronic has a one year low of $74.95 and a one year high of $92.02. The business has a 50-day moving average of $81.46 and a 200-day moving average of $84.24.

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT  Get Free Report) last released its 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 return on equity of 13.81% and a net margin of 11.47%. The business had revenue of $7.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.57 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.13 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 4.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Medtronic will post 5.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Medtronic Dividend Announcement

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. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.63%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 21st. Medtronics payout ratio is currently 101.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Gregory L. Smith sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.84, for a total value of $838,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 46,723 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,917,256.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In related news, EVP Gregory L. Smith sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.84, for a total value of $838,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 46,723 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,917,256.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Brett A. Wall sold 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.38, for a total transaction of $83,380.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 33,573 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,799,316.74. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 19,866 shares of company stock valued at $1,688,839 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Medtronic

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Sageworth Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Medtronic during the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Missouri Trust & Investment Co increased its position in shares of Medtronic by 209.0% during the second quarter. Missouri Trust & Investment Co now owns 309 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 209 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Medtronic by 250.0% during the first quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 350 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 250 shares in the last quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Medtronic by 48.9% during the second quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 344 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Medtronic during the first quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 80.75% of the companys stock.

About Medtronic

(Get 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.

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StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE:MUFG  Free Report) in a research report report published on Thursday morning. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MUFG traded down $0.01 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $8.36. 2,732,547 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,568,905. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group has a 1 year low of $4.31 and a 1 year high of $9.04. The company has a market cap of $100.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.80, a PEG ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.71, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $8.16 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $7.29.

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Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE:MUFG  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group had a net margin of 16.02% and a return on equity of 5.59%. The firm had revenue of $20.21 billion during the quarter. Equities analysts predict that Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group will post 0.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Company Profile

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Federated Hermes Inc. increased its position in shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group by 100.4% during the first quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 5,405 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 2,708 shares in the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. acquired a new position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group during the second quarter worth about $47,000. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group during the second quarter worth about $36,000. Allworth Financial LP boosted its position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group by 146.6% during the first quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 6,901 shares of the companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 4,102 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC acquired a new position in Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group during the second quarter worth about $58,000. 1.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

(Get Free Report)

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc operates as the bank holding company for MUFG Bank, Ltd. that provides various financial services in Japan, the United States, Europe, Asia/Oceania, and internationally. It operates through Digital Service Business Group; Retail & Commercial Banking Business Group; Japanese Corporate & Investment Banking Business Group; Asset Management & Investor Services Business Group; Global Corporate & Investment Banking Business Group; Global Commercial Banking Business Group; and Global Markets Business Group segments.

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Investment analysts at StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK  Get Free Report) in a research note issued on Thursday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Mohawk Industries from $115.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, July 13th. Loop Capital boosted their price target on Mohawk Industries from $115.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 31st. Finally, Barclays lowered their price target on Mohawk Industries from $105.00 to $98.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Mohawk Industries presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $114.71.

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Mohawk Industries Stock Performance

Shares of Mohawk Industries stock traded down $0.07 during trading on Thursday, reaching $81.50. The companys stock had a trading volume of 806,194 shares, compared to its average volume of 769,746. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 1.78. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $95.43 and its 200-day moving average price is $98.58. The firm has a market cap of $5.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -16.17 and a beta of 1.35. Mohawk Industries has a one year low of $80.02 and a one year high of $130.63.

Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The company reported $2.76 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.65 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $2.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.95 billion. Mohawk Industries had a positive return on equity of 7.27% and a negative net margin of 2.82%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.41 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Mohawk Industries will post 9.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Mohawk Industries

In other Mohawk Industries news, CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum sold 10,000 shares of Mohawk Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.22, for a total transaction of $1,012,200.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 39,200 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,967,824. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Mohawk Industries news, CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum sold 10,000 shares of Mohawk Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.22, for a total transaction of $1,012,200.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 39,200 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,967,824. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Rodney David Patton sold 2,600 shares of Mohawk Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.76, for a total value of $277,576.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 14,487 shares in the company, valued at $1,546,632.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 17.20% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in shares of Mohawk Industries by 124.8% in the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 150,006 shares of the companys stock worth $15,476,000 after acquiring an additional 83,271 shares in the last quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Mohawk Industries by 446.3% in the 2nd quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp now owns 64,468 shares of the companys stock worth $6,651,000 after acquiring an additional 52,668 shares in the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Mohawk Industries by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 84,128 shares of the companys stock worth $8,679,000 after acquiring an additional 2,535 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Mohawk Industries by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 156,736 shares of the companys stock worth $16,169,000 after acquiring an additional 832 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its holdings in Mohawk Industries by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 73,984 shares of the companys stock worth $7,632,000 after buying an additional 783 shares in the last quarter. 77.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Mohawk Industries Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Mohawk Industries, Inc designs, manufactures, sources, distributes, and markets flooring products for residential and commercial remodeling, and new construction channels in the United States, Europe, Russia, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Global Ceramic, Flooring North America (Flooring NA), and Flooring Rest of the World (Flooring ROW).

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NatWest Group plc lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 1.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 16,685 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 193 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company makes up about 4.1% of NatWest Group plcs portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest position. NatWest Group plcs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $7,825,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth approximately $107,000. Roundview Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 2,056 shares of the companys stock valued at $589,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth $210,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.9% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 53,052 shares of the companys stock worth $15,193,000 after acquiring an additional 4,774 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth $561,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company

In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 204,409 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $523.74, for a total value of $107,057,169.66. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 100,823,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $52,805,462,249.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, EVP Alonzo Weems sold 1,148 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on 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 directly owns 7,760 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,586,004.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 204,409 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $523.74, for a total transaction of $107,057,169.66. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 100,823,810 shares in the company, valued at $52,805,462,249.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 693,246 shares of company stock worth $20,948,820,977 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

Shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock traded up $23.74 during trading on Friday, reaching $565.22. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,745,172 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,942,374. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $542.00 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $461.44. The firm has a market cap of $536.56 billion, a PE ratio of 78.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.33. Eli Lilly and Company has a fifty-two week low of $309.20 and a fifty-two week high of $601.84. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The company reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates 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 business had revenue of $8.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.58 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.25 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 9.84 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on LLY. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $617.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, September 5th. 22nd Century Group reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, June 27th. Credit Suisse Group upped their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $490.00 to $580.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $630.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased 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 report on Tuesday, August 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and twenty have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $537.13.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on LLY

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.

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StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:NAT  Free Report) in a research report released on Thursday. The firm issued a hold rating on the shipping companys stock.

Separately, B. Riley raised their price objective on shares of Nordic American Tankers from $5.50 to $6.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, August 29th.

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Nordic American Tankers Stock Up 1.3 %

NAT stock traded up $0.05 during trading on Thursday, reaching $4.05. The stock had a trading volume of 2,267,951 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,719,850. Nordic American Tankers has a 1-year low of $2.49 and a 1-year high of $4.65. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The company has a market capitalization of $845.62 million, a P/E ratio of 7.11 and a beta of 0.15. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $4.05 and a 200 day moving average price of $3.82.

Nordic American Tankers (NYSE:NAT  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 28th. The shipping company reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.13. Nordic American Tankers had a return on equity of 22.16% and a net margin of 43.81%. The company had revenue of $67.80 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $65.15 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($0.02) EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Nordic American Tankers will post 0.6 earnings per share for the current year.

Nordic American Tankers Cuts Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 14th were issued a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, September 13th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 12.84%. Nordic American Tankerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.23%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nordic American Tankers

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Nordic American Tankers by 77.2% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 6,327,573 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $25,057,000 after purchasing an additional 2,756,627 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in shares of Nordic American Tankers by 42.5% during the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 7,464,144 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $22,840,000 after buying an additional 2,225,910 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Nordic American Tankers by 41.7% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 7,525,850 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $27,620,000 after buying an additional 2,214,790 shares during the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP bought a new stake in shares of Nordic American Tankers during the 3rd quarter valued at about $4,993,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in Nordic American Tankers by 21.6% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 5,363,400 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $19,684,000 after purchasing an additional 952,534 shares during the period. 42.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Nordic American Tankers

(Get Free Report)

Nordic American Tankers Limited, a tanker company, acquires and charters double-hull tankers in Bermuda and internationally. It operates a fleet of 19 Suezmax crude oil tankers. The company was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

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Privium Fund Management B.V. increased its position in shares of NOV Inc. (NYSE:NOV  Free Report) by 26.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 40,919 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock after buying an additional 8,480 shares during the period. Privium Fund Management B.V.s holdings in NOV were worth $653,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of NOV by 0.9% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 38,925,240 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $629,810,000 after purchasing an additional 349,025 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of NOV by 0.8% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 37,748,140 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $698,718,000 after purchasing an additional 284,784 shares in the last quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC boosted its position in NOV by 3.8% during the first quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC now owns 18,010,985 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $333,383,000 after purchasing an additional 653,680 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its position in NOV by 1.0% during the first quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 15,398,280 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $285,024,000 after purchasing an additional 154,667 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its stake in NOV by 2.2% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 13,790,899 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $270,440,000 after purchasing an additional 298,492 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.19% of the companys stock.

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NOV Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE NOV traded up $0.18 during trading on Friday, reaching $18.96. 3,218,343 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,951,181. The company has a current ratio of 2.35, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The stock has a market cap of $7.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.06, a PEG ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 1.88. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $20.60 and its 200 day simple moving average is $18.12. NOV Inc. has a 12-month low of $14.05 and a 12-month high of $24.83.

NOV Announces Dividend

NOV ( NYSE:NOV Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $2.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.07 billion. NOV had a return on equity of 7.99% and a net margin of 5.20%. The businesss revenue was up 21.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.18 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that NOV Inc. will post 1.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 15th were paid a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.05%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, September 14th. NOVs dividend payout ratio is currently 19.05%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on NOV. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of NOV from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of NOV in a report on Thursday. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Citigroup increased their price objective on NOV from $21.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on NOV from $16.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Finally, Piper Sandler decreased their price target on NOV from $21.00 to $20.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, NOV has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $24.20.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on NOV

NOV Profile

(Free Report)

NOV Inc designs, constructs, manufactures, and sells systems, components, and products for oil and gas drilling and production, and industrial and renewable energy sectors worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Wellbore Technologies, Completion & Production Solutions, and Rig Technologies.

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RIA Advisory Group LLC boosted its stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK  Free Report) by 51.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,390 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 2,163 shares during the period. RIA Advisory Group LLCs holdings in Duke Energy were worth $573,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in Duke Energy by 7.5% in the second quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 32,453 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,912,000 after purchasing an additional 2,253 shares during the period. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy during the second quarter worth about $164,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 11.4% during the second quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 806,090 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $72,338,000 after acquiring an additional 82,397 shares during the period. Raymond James & Associates increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 5.7% during the second quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 1,754,636 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $157,461,000 after acquiring an additional 93,927 shares during the period. Finally, Summit Trail Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 86.2% during the second quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 4,278 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $384,000 after acquiring an additional 1,980 shares during the period. 63.68% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Duke Energy Price Performance

Shares of NYSE DUK traded up $1.44 on Friday, hitting $86.92. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,511,990 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,062,157. Duke Energy Co. has a 12-month low of $83.06 and a 12-month high of $106.43. The company has a market capitalization of $66.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 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. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $90.73 and a 200-day moving average of $92.84.

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). The firm had revenue of $6.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.16 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 5.06% and a return on equity of 8.05%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.14 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict 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. This is an increase from Duke Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.01. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 17th. This represents a $4.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.72%. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio is presently 229.05%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on DUK shares. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $96.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, September 14th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $104.00 to $101.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, September 6th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $105.00 to $98.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. KeyCorp decreased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $109.00 to $96.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Finally, Bank of America decreased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $112.00 to $110.00 in a report on Sunday, June 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $99.17.

Read Our Latest Report on DUK

Duke Energy 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.

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Equities research analysts at StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM  Get Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Thursday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the construction companys stock.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on MLM. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $446.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 28th. Raymond James increased their price objective on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $416.00 to $484.00 in a research note on Friday, July 28th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $430.00 to $490.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, July 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $470.00 to $490.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, August 24th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Martin Marietta Materials from $460.00 to $530.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Martin Marietta Materials currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $469.21.

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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Martin Marietta Materials

Martin Marietta Materials Stock Performance

Martin Marietta Materials stock traded up $12.45 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $432.70. 627,366 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 442,473. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 2.21 and a quick ratio of 1.55. Martin Marietta Materials has a fifty-two week low of $298.32 and a fifty-two week high of $463.41. The company has a market capitalization of $26.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.91. The firms fifty day moving average is $436.00 and its two-hundred day moving average is $413.49.

Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The construction company reported $5.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $4.83 by $0.77. Martin Marietta Materials had a net margin of 14.68% and a return on equity of 13.42%. The business had revenue of $1.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.96 EPS. Martin Marietta Materialss revenue for the quarter was up 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Martin Marietta Materials will post 17.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Martin Marietta Materials

In other Martin Marietta Materials news, VP Craig M. Latorre sold 1,934 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $431.68, for a total transaction of $834,869.12. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 9,731 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,200,678.08. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, VP Craig M. Latorre sold 500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $447.09, for a total value of $223,545.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 11,665 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,215,304.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP Craig M. Latorre sold 1,934 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $431.68, for a total transaction of $834,869.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 9,731 shares in the company, valued at $4,200,678.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.61% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Martin Marietta Materials

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 1.2% in the third quarter. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. now owns 8,355 shares of the construction companys stock worth $3,430,000 after buying an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Martin Marietta Materials in the third quarter worth about $49,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 95.5% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 129 shares of the construction companys stock worth $60,000 after buying an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Portside Wealth Group LLC acquired a new stake in Martin Marietta Materials during the second quarter worth about $225,000. Finally, Comerica Bank acquired a new stake in Martin Marietta Materials during the second quarter worth about $792,790,000. 93.22% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Martin Marietta Materials Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc, a natural resource-based building materials company, supplies aggregates and heavy-side building materials to the construction industry in the United States and internationally. It offers crushed stone, sand, and gravel products; ready mixed concrete and asphalt; paving products and services; and Portland and specialty cement for use in the infrastructure projects, and nonresidential and residential construction markets, as well as in the railroad, agricultural, utility, and environmental industries.

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Research analysts at StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of MGIC Investment (NYSE:MTG  Get Free Report) in a research report issued on Thursday. The firm set a hold rating on the insurance providers stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on MGIC Investment from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday, August 4th. Compass Point upped their target price on MGIC Investment from $18.00 to $20.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 3rd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $16.75.

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MGIC Investment Stock Down 0.1 %

MTG traded down $0.02 on Thursday, hitting $17.12. The company had a trading volume of 1,505,431 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,804,917. MGIC Investment has a 12-month low of $12.13 and a 12-month high of $18.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.49, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.66. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $17.27 and a 200-day moving average price of $15.75.

MGIC Investment (NYSE:MTG  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 2nd. The insurance provider reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.13. MGIC Investment had a return on equity of 17.26% and a net margin of 67.83%. The business had revenue of $290.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $292.51 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.81 earnings per share. The companys revenue was down .8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that MGIC Investment will post 2.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in MGIC Investment by 5.4% in the second quarter. Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC now owns 12,303 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $194,000 after acquiring an additional 633 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its stake in shares of MGIC Investment by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 44,929 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $709,000 after buying an additional 700 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of MGIC Investment by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 103,632 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $1,391,000 after buying an additional 799 shares during the period. Stifel Financial Corp raised its stake in shares of MGIC Investment by 5.3% during the 1st quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 18,064 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $242,000 after buying an additional 902 shares during the period. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors raised its stake in shares of MGIC Investment by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 17,046 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $219,000 after buying an additional 1,060 shares during the period. 93.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MGIC Investment Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

MGIC Investment Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides private mortgage insurance, other mortgage credit risk management solutions, and ancillary services to lenders and government sponsored entities in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The company offers primary mortgage insurance that provides mortgage default protection on individual loans, as well as covers unpaid loan principal, delinquent interest, and various expenses associated with the default and subsequent foreclosure.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Hamas members conduct patrols in communities in southern Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel said, Trend reports.

"Dozens of Hamas militants crossed from Gaza into Israel this morning. Thousands of Israelis are currently forced to sit in their homes while Hamas militants patrol communities in southern Israel, trying to enter homes and kill innocent Israeli families," the ministry said.

"Hamas will pay a high cost for its actions," said the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X (Twitter).

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Murphy Oil (NYSE:MUR  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Thursday. The firm issued a hold rating on the oil and gas producers stock.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on MUR. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Murphy Oil from $51.00 to $53.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, September 18th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Murphy Oil from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of Murphy Oil from $60.00 to $52.00 in a research report on Monday, July 24th. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of Murphy Oil from $50.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, August 14th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Murphy Oil from $50.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $49.60.

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Murphy Oil Trading Up 1.0 %

MUR traded up $0.42 during trading on Thursday, hitting $42.55. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,602,153 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,440,508. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.78. The stock has a market cap of $6.64 billion, a PE ratio of 6.59 and a beta of 2.35. The firms 50 day moving average price is $44.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $40.04. Murphy Oil has a twelve month low of $32.80 and a twelve month high of $51.28.

Murphy Oil (NYSE:MUR  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The oil and gas producer reported $0.79 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $814.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $779.77 million. Murphy Oil had a return on equity of 15.09% and a net margin of 25.86%. The firms revenue was down 26.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.93 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Murphy Oil will post 4.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Murphy Oil Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.275 per share. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.59%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 10th. Murphy Oils dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 17.03%.

Insider Activity at Murphy Oil

In related news, Director Robert Madison Murphy sold 100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.30, for a total value of $4,330,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,499,831 shares in the company, valued at approximately $64,942,682.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other Murphy Oil news, Director Robert Madison Murphy sold 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.30, for a total transaction of $4,330,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,499,831 shares in the company, valued at $64,942,682.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Elisabeth W. Keller sold 1,116 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.49, for a total value of $50,766.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 7,151 shares in the company, valued at approximately $325,298.99. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 111,116 shares of company stock valued at $4,810,267. Insiders own 5.92% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Murphy Oil

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MUR. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Murphy Oil by 73.5% in the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 21,212 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $857,000 after acquiring an additional 8,987 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Murphy Oil by 45.2% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 15,252 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $616,000 after purchasing an additional 4,749 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC grew its holdings in Murphy Oil by 22.5% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 10,669 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $431,000 after acquiring an additional 1,961 shares during the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers increased its stake in shares of Murphy Oil by 2.2% in the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 446,302 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $18,026,000 after buying an additional 9,758 shares during the period. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its stake in shares of Murphy Oil by 10.5% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 53,213 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $2,149,000 after purchasing an additional 5,075 shares during the last quarter. 79.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Murphy Oil Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Murphy Oil Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an oil and natural gas exploration and production company in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It explores for and produces crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The company was formerly known as Murphy Corporation and changed its name to Murphy Oil Corporation in 1964.

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McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 3.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,791 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 206 shares during the period. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc.s holdings in Southern were worth $407,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its stake in shares of Southern by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 61,472,651 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $4,277,269,000 after purchasing an additional 1,283,943 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 9.1% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 34,719,486 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,415,782,000 after buying an additional 2,906,914 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 15,428,181 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,073,493,000 after buying an additional 349,353 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,190,526 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $656,296,000 after buying an additional 255,838 shares during the period. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 34.9% in the 1st quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 7,613,826 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $529,770,000 after buying an additional 1,969,743 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.85% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

SO has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Southern from $75.00 to $74.00 in a report on Friday, August 4th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on Southern from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 31st. Bank of America upgraded Southern from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and upped their price target for the stock from $67.00 to $68.00 in a report on Wednesday, September 13th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on Southern from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 6th. Finally, Guggenheim reduced their price target on Southern from $79.00 to $77.00 in a research report on Friday, July 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Southern has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $73.00.

Southern Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE SO traded up $0.38 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $64.97. 5,158,490 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,670,582. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The Southern Company has a twelve month low of $58.85 and a twelve month high of $75.80. The company has a market cap of $70.85 billion, a PE ratio of 22.96, a P/E/G ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 0.53. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $68.08 and its 200-day simple moving average is $70.17.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $5.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.47 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 9.86% and a net margin of 11.17%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 20.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.07 EPS. Research analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 3.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 6th. Investors of record on Monday, August 21st were issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 18th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.31%. Southerns dividend payout ratio is presently 98.94%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, July 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.62, for a total value of $1,452,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 98,659 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,164,616.58. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Kimberly S. Greene sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, July 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.62, for a total value of $1,452,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 98,659 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,164,616.58. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.58, for a total value of $352,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 131,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,266,024.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 41,490 shares of company stock valued at $2,934,355. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Southern Company 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.

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WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC  Get Free Report) updated its FY23 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $4.58-4.62 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.61.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have issued reports on the stock. 888 reiterated a reiterates rating on shares of WEC Energy Group in a research note on Friday, June 30th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of WEC Energy Group from $98.00 to $95.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of WEC Energy Group from $98.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 16th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of WEC Energy Group in a research note on Thursday. They issued a sell rating for the company. Finally, Evercore ISI reduced their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $98.00 to $91.00 in a report on Friday, June 9th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given 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 an average target price of $93.38.

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WEC Energy Group Stock Up 1.7 %

Shares of WEC opened at $80.63 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $25.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. WEC Energy Group has a 12 month low of $75.47 and a 12 month high of $101.11. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $84.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $89.45.

WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported $0.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $1.83 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.05 billion. WEC Energy Group had a net margin of 14.57% and a return on equity of 11.48%. The companys revenue was down 14.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.91 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that WEC Energy Group will post 4.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

WEC Energy Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 14th were issued a dividend of $0.78 per share. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.87%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 11th. WEC Energy Groups payout ratio is 72.73%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On WEC Energy Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. USS Investment Management Ltd increased its stake in WEC Energy Group by 14.1% in the first quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd now owns 113,873 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $11,366,000 after purchasing an additional 14,109 shares in the last quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP raised its position in WEC Energy Group by 308.3% during the first quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP now owns 70,509 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $7,038,000 after acquiring an additional 53,240 shares in the last quarter. Stevens Capital Management LP raised its position in WEC Energy Group by 96.0% during the first quarter. Stevens Capital Management LP now owns 11,322 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,130,000 after acquiring an additional 5,545 shares in the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its position in WEC Energy Group by 2.2% during the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 104,314 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $10,412,000 after acquiring an additional 2,219 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in WEC Energy Group by 82.5% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,175 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $117,000 after buying an additional 531 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.75% of the companys stock.

About WEC Energy Group

(Get Free Report)

WEC Energy Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides regulated natural gas and electricity, and renewable and nonregulated renewable energy services in the United States. The company operates through six segments: Wisconsin, Illinois, Other States, Electric Transmission, Non-Utility Energy Infrastructure, and Corporate and Other.

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Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on shares of WK Kellogg (NYSE:KLG  Free Report) in a research report report published on Friday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm issued a hold rating and a $11.00 price target on the stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. BNP Paribas started coverage on WK Kellogg in a report on Tuesday. They set a neutral rating and a $14.00 price target on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on WK Kellogg in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. They set a hold rating and a $15.00 target price on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on WK Kellogg in a research note on Tuesday. They set a sell rating and a $11.00 target price on the stock.

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WK Kellogg Price Performance

WK Kellogg Company Profile

Shares of NYSE KLG traded up $0.20 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $10.39. The stock had a trading volume of 6,432,069 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,365,941. WK Kellogg has a 12-month low of $9.76 and a 12-month high of $21.00.

(Get Free Report)

WK Kellogg Co offer ready-to-eat cereal principally in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. The companys brand includes Kelloggs, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Mini-Wheats, Special K, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Kashi and Bear Naked. WK Kellogg Co is based in BATTLE CREEK, Mich.

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Meghna Mittal MEGHNA MITTAL is Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Israeli cities are being shelled by rockets every two minutes, a native of Azerbaijan, who lives in the Israeli city of Holon, Ronald Silberman told Trend.

He noted that an alarm sounds every time before a rocket attack.

"In the new buildings, one of the rooms is being built as a bomb shelter. There are no such rooms in old buildings. There are bomb shelters on the second floors of such buildings. In addition, there are bomb shelters in almost every part of the city," Silberman said.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that civilians were killed.

The Israel Defense Forces declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Sneha Mahale is an independent environment journalist. She is on Twitter @randomcards Views expressed are personal
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The war is already approaching to the city of Ashdod, Azerbaijani Sabir Guliyev (conditional name), who is a citizen of Israel, told Trend.

According to him, rockets are launched into every region of Israel, and the sounds of explosions can be heard from everywhere.

The geography of the war is already expanding to Ashdod, where we live. We took refuge in security rooms (bomb shelters), which are in many houses, this saves civilians, he added.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that more than 20 civilians were killed and more than 500 wounded.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Israel has declared state of emergency, Trend reports.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of leaders has been convened in Palestine.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that more than 20 civilians were killed and more than 540 wounded.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
EU summit on future strategy concludes in Spain's Granada

Xinhua) 08:43, October 07, 2023

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L, Rear), European Council President Charles Michel (C, Rear) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R, Rear) attend a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

GRANADA, Spain, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration.

The leaders gathered in the southern Spanish city to "mark the start of the process to define the Union's general political directions and priorities for the years to come, setting a strategic course of action to shape our common future for the benefit of all," stated the declaration.

Speaking at a press conference after the summit, European Council President Charles Michel said the adoption of the declaration was an important starting point for future work on the EU's Strategic Agenda (2024-2029). The Granada summit marked the first time that EU leaders debated future priorities for the Agenda, which is set to be adopted in June 2024.

On enlargement, the declaration said that both the EU and future member states need to be ready. "Aspiring members need to step up their reform efforts ... In parallel, the Union needs to lay the necessary internal groundwork and reforms."

"The accession process to the European Union is a merits-based one," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the press conference, adding that there are "no shortcuts, no automated accession."

The EU enlargement is the process whereby states join the bloc after they have fulfilled a set of political and economic conditions. Currently, eight countries, including several from the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, have been granted candidate status, but each follows different processes of rapprochement with the EU.

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country is currently holding the rotating six-month presidency of the EU Council, said a day before the summit that Spain is always open to enlargement, but noted that to include these new members would bring "many challenges internally."

The EU leaders also debated migration policy. However, there was no mention of migration in the summit declaration due to divisions among the member states. Poland and Hungary reportedly prevented leaders from including it in the final declaration.

There has been a recent increase in the arrival of migrants on European coasts. As of August, the EU has registered over 160,000 irregular arrivals this year.

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L, Rear), European Council President Charles Michel (C, Rear) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R, Rear) attend a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L, Rear), European Council President Charles Michel (C, Rear) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R, Rear) attend a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

European Council President Charles Michel speaks at a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L, Rear), European Council President Charles Michel (C, Rear) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R, Rear) attend a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

European Council President Charles Michel speaks at a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks at a press conference after an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit featuring the bloc's future strategy and enlargement here on Friday with the adoption of the Granada declaration. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Details added: first version posted on 14:25

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. About 2,200 rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel today from 06:29 (GMT+4) to noon, the Israeli Defense Ministry said, Trend reports.

According to the ministry, the Israeli army continues to counterattack targets in Gaza.

Currently, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are strengthening communities in the south and areas close to the Gaza Strip with operational forces.

"Operational commanders are arriving in every settlement to lead the battles. Concurrently, we have initiated the mobilization of all reservists for IDF units. This morning, approximately 2,200 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory," the ministry said. "A number of terrorists infiltrated into southern Israel. In response, the Israeli army launched Operation 'Swords of Iron'. Numerous soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces, including special forces, have been deployed to protect the residents in southern Israel, and various units are in action."

"Dozens of Israeli army fighter jets have conducted strikes on several targets in the Gaza Strip belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization," the ministry added.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that more than 20 civilians were killed and more than 500 wounded.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
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The Port Authority of Guam is seen Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in Piti.
Anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum departs after the U.S. Supreme Court heard appeals in two cases brought by an organization he founded on the legality of race-conscious admissions policies involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, outside the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, U.S. October 31, 2022.
A Palestinian man takes a selfie in front of a burning Israeli military vehicle after it was hit by Palestinian gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, at the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border, Oct. 7, 2023.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden have held a telephone conversation, Trend reports.

During a telephone conversation, the leaders of the two countries discussed the massive shelling of Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Government reported.

Biden emphasized that the US is on the side of Israel and fully supports Israels right to self-defense. Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Biden for his unconditional support and said that a strong and sustained campaign in the Gaza Strip, in which Israel will win, is necessary.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that more than 20 civilians were killed and more than 540 wounded.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Indonesia denies its fires are causing blankets of haze in neighboring Malaysia View Photo

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesia denied Friday that forest and peat fires on Sumatra and Borneo islands were causing the haze in Malaysia, after the neighboring government sent a letter complaining about the air quality and asking for both countries to work together to deal with the blazes.

Forest and peat fires are an annual problem in Indonesia that strains relations with neighboring countries. In recent years, smoke from the fires has blanketed parts of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and southern Thailand.

Some parts of Malaysia said they experienced smoke from the Indonesian blazes since last week, but the Indonesian government denied its fires are the cause.

Until now there is no transboundary haze. No cross-border smoke. I dont know what basis Malaysia uses to make these statements, Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar told The Associated Press.

Malaysias capital, Kuala Lumpur, and Kuching, one of its cities on Borneo island, were recently ranked as among the worlds top five most polluted cities by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company.

There are more than 1,900 recorded hot spots on Sumatra, mostly in South Sumatra province, according to the data from Indonesias Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. On Monday, the local government in South Sumatra asked residents to work from home and schools to go online amid a blanket of haze.

Hundreds of forest fires in South Kalimantan province in Borneo island made the smoke haze even more widespread, especially during the last week. The local government has also called the students to do online learning because the air quality is unhealthy.

Several districts in Central Kalimantan have declared emergency response status for forest and land fires, including Palangkaraya, the provinces capital city, which declared it on Friday and prepared more budgetary funds for handling forest and land fires. The local government in Central Kalimantan also said that students shouldnt go to school in the areas where the air quality is classified as dangerous.

Indonesian authorities have so far ignored Malaysias request.

Bakar provided government data showing that, while it fluctuates, air quality in the regions where the peat and forest fires were found in the past week were getting better.

We are still working to handle the forest and land fires in Borneo and Sumatra islands as well as possible. And the picture of the situation on the ground is getting better, she said, adding that rain was aiding the process in multiple areas, including through government cloud seeding efforts.

By EDNA TARIGAN

Associated Press
Six Colombians held in assassination of Ecuador presidential candidate reported slain inside prison View Photo

QUITO, Ecuador (AP)  Six Colombians arrested as the alleged assassins of a candidate in Ecuadors August presidential election were slain Friday inside a prison in Guayaquil, officials announced, without providing details on what happened.

The prison authority said only that six prisoners killed inside Litoral Penitentiary were the men charged with the murder of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. It identified them as Jhon Gregore R., Andres Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andres R., Sules Osmini C. and Jose Neyder L.

Earlier, the agency had reported that an event occurred inside the prison and six people were dead. Litoral is Ecuadors biggest prison and is considered one of its most dangerous, being the scene of several riots with deaths the past three years.

The killings came as the Prosecutors Office was near the conclusion of the investigation stage into the killing of Villavicencio, who was gunned down Aug. 9 while leaving a political rally.

The 59-year-old politician had not been considered among the front-runners, but the assassination in broad daylight less than two weeks before the vote was a shocking reminder of the surge in crime besetting Ecuador. He had reported being threatened by affiliates of Mexicos Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the many international organized crime groups operating in Ecuador.

Villavicencios alleged hitmen were captured hours after the crime and ordered held in preventive detention. Six other people also have been arrested for suspected involvement.

Although authorities released no information on the killings Friday, local media said the deaths occurred in pavilion 7, which officials have said is dominated by the local gang Los Choneros, led by Adolfo Macias. In his election campaign, Villaviciencio directly denounced Macias as the author of threats against his life.

President Guillermo Lasso, who is out of the country, wrote on the social network X, formerly called Twitter, that he would return to Ecuador to attend to the emergency.

Neither complicity nor cover-up, the truth will be known here, he said.

Ecuador is holding a runoff presidential election Oct. 15 pitting the two top finishers in the August vote  leftist Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker Daniel Noboa, who is the son of a banana tycoon.
Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation View Photo

JERUSALEM (AP)  Backed by a barrage of rockets, Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns, killing dozens and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday. A stunned Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza, with its prime minister saying the country is now at war with Hamas and vowing to inflict an unprecedented price.

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the Gaza border. In some places they gunned down civilians and soldiers as Israels military scrambled to muster a response.

Gunbattles continued well after nightfall, and militants held hostages in standoffs in two towns. Militants occupied a police station in a third town, where Israeli forces struggled until Sunday morning to finally reclaim the building.

Before daybreak Sunday, militants fired more rockets from Gaza, hitting a hospital in the Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon. The hospital sustained damage, said senior hospital official Tal Bergman. Video provided by Barzilai Medical Center showed a large hole punched into a wall and chunks of debris scattered on the ground of what appeared to an empty rooms and a hallway. There was no report of casualties.

Israeli media, citing rescue service officials, said at least 250 people were killed and 1,500 wounded in Saturdays attack, making it the deadliest in Israel in decades. At least 232 people in the Gaza Strip were killed and 1,700 wounded in Israeli strikes, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Hamas fighters took an unknown number of civilians and soldiers captive into Gaza.

The conflict threatened to escalate with Israels vows of retaliation. Previous conflicts between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers brought widespread death and destruction in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli towns. The situation is potentially more volatile now, with Israels far-right government stung by the security breach and with Palestinians in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and suffocating blockade of Gaza.

In a televised address Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who earlier declared Israel to be at war, said the military will use all of its strength to destroy Hamas capabilities. But he warned, This war will take time. It will be difficult.

All the places that Hamas hides in, operates from, we will turn them into ruins, he added. Get out of there now, he told Gaza residents, who have no way to leave the tiny, overcrowded Mediterranean territory of 2.3 million people.

Early Sunday, the Israeli military issued warnings in Arabic to residents of communities near the border with Israel to leave their homes and move to areas deeper inside the tiny enclave. In previous Israel-Hamas fighting on Gaza soil, the Gaza communities near the border were hit particularly hard, both by artillery fire and at times by ground incursions.

Gazas residents have endured a border blockade, enforced to varying degrees by Israel and Egypt, since Hamas militants seized control in 2007. Civilians are trapped and particularly vulnerable during wars and bouts of fighting.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza intensified after nightfall, flattening residential buildings in giant explosions, including a 14-story tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices in central Gaza City. Israeli forces fired a warning just before.

Around 3 a.m., a loudspeaker atop a mosque in Gaza City blared a stark warning to residents of nearby apartment buildings: Evacuate immediately. Just minutes later, an Israeli airstrike reduced one nearby five-story building to ashes.

After one Israeli strike, a Hamas rocket barrage hit four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb. Throughout the day, Hamas fired more than 3,500 rockets, the Israeli military said.

The strength, sophistication and timing of the Saturday morning attack shocked Israelis. Hamas fighters used explosives to break through the border fence enclosing Gaza, then crossed with motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders and speed boats on the coast.

In some towns, civilians bodies lay where they had encountered advancing gunmen. At least nine people gunned down at a bus shelter in the town of Sderot were laid out on stretchers on the street, their bags still on the curb nearby. One woman, screaming, embraced the body of a family member sprawled under a sheet next to a toppled motorcycle.

In amateur video, hundreds of terrified young people who had been dancing at a rave fled for their lives after Hamas militants entered the area and began firing at them. Israeli media said dozens of people were killed.

Among the dead was Col. Jonathan Steinberg, a senior officer who commanded the Israeli militarys Nahal Brigade, a prominent infantry unit.

The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, said the assault was in response to the 16-year blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al Aqsa  the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount  increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and the growth of settlements.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message. He said the attack was only the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight.

The Hamas incursion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, aiming to take back Israeli-occupied territories.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government and military over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

Asked by reporters how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, replied, Thats a good question.

The abduction of Israeli civilians and soldiers also raised a particularly thorny issue for Israel, which has a history of making heavily lopsided exchanges to bring captive Israelis home. Israel is holding thousands of Palestinians in its prisons. Hecht confirmed that substantial number of Israelis were abducted Saturday.

Associated Press photos showed an elderly Israeli woman being brought into Gaza on a golf cart by Hamas gunmen and another woman squeezed between two fighters on a motorcycle. AP journalists saw four people taken from the kibbutz of Kfar Azza, including two women.

In Gaza, a black jeep pulled to a stop and, when the rear door opened, a young Israeli woman stumbled out, bleeding from the head and with her hands tied behind her back. A man waving a gun in the air grabbed her by the hair and pushed her into the vehicles back seat. Israeli TV reported that workers from Thailand and the Philippines were also among the captives.

Netanyahu vowed that Hamas will pay an unprecedented price. A major question now was whether Israel will launch a ground assault into Gaza, a move that in the past has brought intensified casualties.

Israels military was bringing four divisions of troops as well as tanks to the Gaza border, joining 31 battalions already in the area, the spokesman Hagari said.

In Gaza, much of the population was thrown into darkness after nightfall as electrical supplies from Israel  which supplies almost all the territories power  were cut off. Netanyahus office said in a statement that Israel would stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods to Gaza.

Hamas said it had planned for a potentially long fight. We are prepared for all options, including all-out war, the deputy head of the Hamas political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri, told Al-Jazeera TV. We are ready to do whatever is necessary for the dignity and freedom of our people.

U.S. President Joe Biden said from the White House that he had spoken with Netanyahu to say the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop.

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel, called on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about the danger of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights.

Lebanons Hezbollah militant group congratulated Hamas, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds of thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness.

It also comes at a time of mounting tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, with the peace process effectively dead for years. Over the past year, Israels far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site.

Palestinians demonstrated in towns and cities around the West Bank on Saturday night. Palestinian health officials said Israeli fire killed five there, but gave few details.

___

Adwan reported from Rafah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Wafaa Shurafa in Gaza City and Isabel DeBre and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

By JOSEF FEDERMAN and ISSAM ADWAN

Associated Press
Death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan rises to over 2,000

Death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan rises to over 2,000 View Photo

ISLAMABAD (AP)  The death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan has risen to over 2,000, a Taliban government spokesman said Sunday. Its one of the deadliest earthquakes to strike the country in two decades.

A powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake followed by strong aftershocks killed dozens of people in western Afghanistan on Saturday, the countrys national disaster authority said.

But Abdul Wahid Rayan, spokesman at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said the death toll from the earthquake in Herat is higher than originally reported. About six villages have been destroyed, and hundreds of civilians have been buried under the debris, he said while calling for urgent help.

The United Nations late Saturday gave a preliminary figure of 320 dead, but later said the figure was still being verified. Local authorities gave an estimate of 100 people killed and 500 injured, according to the same update from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The update said 465 houses had been reported destroyed and a further 135 were damaged.

Partners and local authorities anticipate the number of casualties to increase as search and rescue efforts continue amid reports that some people may be trapped under collapsed buildings, the U.N. said.

Disaster authority spokesperson Mohammad Abdullah Jan said four villages in the Zenda Jan district in Herat province bore the brunt of the quake and aftershocks.

The United States Geological Survey said the quakes epicenter was about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Herat city. It was followed by three very strong aftershocks, measuring magnitude 6.3, 5.9 and 5.5, as well as lesser shocks.

At least five strong tremors struck the city around noon, Herat city resident Abdul Shakor Samadi said.

All people are out of their homes, Samadi said. Houses, offices and shops are all empty and there are fears of more earthquakes. My family and I were inside our home, I felt the quake. His family began shouting and ran outside, afraid to return indoors.

The World Health Organization in Afghanistan said it dispatched 12 ambulance cars to Zenda Jan to evacuate casualties to hospitals.

As deaths & casualties from the earthquake continue to be reported, teams are in hospitals assisting treatment of wounded & assessing additional needs, the U.N. agency said on X, formerly known as Twitter. WHO-supported ambulances are transporting those affected, most of them women and children.

Telephone connections went down in Herat, making it hard to get details from affected areas. Videos on social media showed hundreds of people in the streets outside their homes and offices in Herat city.

Herat province borders Iran. The quake also was felt in the nearby Afghan provinces of Farah and Badghis, according to local media reports.

Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister for economic affairs, expressed his condolences to the dead and injured in Herat and Badghis.

The Taliban urged local organizations to reach earthquake-hit areas as soon as possible to help take the injured to hospital, provide shelter for the homeless, and deliver food to survivors. They said security agencies should use all their resources and facilities to rescue people trapped under debris.

We ask our wealthy compatriots to give any possible cooperation and help to our afflicted brothers, the Taliban said on X.

Japans ambassador to Afghanistan, Takashi Okada, expressed his condolences saying on the social media platform X, that he was deeply grieved and saddened to learn the news of earthquake in Herat province.

In June 2022, a powerful earthquake struck a rugged, mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, flattening stone and mud-brick homes. The quake killed at least 1,000 people and injured about 1,500.
New York City mayor wraps up Latin America trip with call for right to work for migrants in US

New York City mayor wraps up Latin America trip with call for right to work for migrants in US View Photo

NECOCLI, Colombia (AP)  New York City Mayor Eric Adams capped off a four-day trip to Latin America on Saturday by calling for a right to work for migrants in the United States.

He spoke during a visit to Necocli, the northern Colombia town where thousands of migrants start the perilous trek across the roadless Darien jungle into Panama, as they head for the U.S.

Speaking from a dock where migrants take boats toward the jungle, Adams said countries in the region need to come together to find solutions to the immigration crisis being felt across the Americas as well as in cities in the United States, including New York.

He called on the U.S goverment to find pathways for migrants and asylum seekers to work legally in the United States.

When you look at Colombia they have really shown how to absorb individuals into their societies, and one of the most important ways to do it is to allow people to work, Adams told reporters in Necocli. Nothing is more humane and, nothing is more American than your right to work, and we believe that is a right we should extend.

New York City has struggled to provide emergency accommodation to tens of thousands of migrants who have arrived in the city this year, with Adams and other city leaders calling on the federal government to speed up work authorizations for those who are already in the city.

A unique rule dating from the 1980s requires New York to provide shelter to anyone in need. Adams has said the cost of supporting migrants could climb to $12 billion in the following three years, and this week challenged the statute that obliges the city to provide migrants with shelter.

The mayor also went to Ecuador and Mexico during his whistlestop tour, where he visited shelters for migrants and spoke to local legislators.

After stopping in Mexicos Puebla state, Adams said his city is at capacity.

Our hearts are endless, but our resources are not, Adams told reporters. We dont want to put people in congregate shelters. We dont want people to think they will be employed.

In Colombia, Adams said his goal is not to tell migrants what they should do, but to learn about their motives and find solutions to the immigration crisis.

The South American country has received 2.8 million migrants from Venezuela over the past seven years, and enabled them to apply for 10-year residency permits that also give them access to health and education services.

But despite the effort to regularize Venezuelan migrants, many are heading to the United States after struggling to rebuild their lives in Colombia and other South American countries, where economies are still reeling from the pandemic.

According to Panamas National Immigration Service, more than 200,000 Venezuelans crossed the Darien Gap this year on their way to the United States. Many are moving for the second or third time, after living in South American countries like Colombia, Chile and Peru.

This week the Biden administration struck a deal with Venezuelas socialist government to resume direct deportations flights to Venezuela and said that Venezuelans who do not qualify for ayslum will be returned to their homeland.

In Necocli, some Venezuelan migrants headed north said they would persist in their trek to reach the U.S. border despite the new policy.

Getting in (the U.S.) is also a matter of luck, said Miguel Ruben Camacaro, a Venezuelan migrant travelling with his two children and sleeping on a tent at Necoclis beach. We will chase the dream, until there are no other options.

At a news conference later in Bogota, Adams said countries like Colombia need more support with programs that incorporate migrants so people dont make the dangeous trek north.

The mayor described the visit as an eye opener, saying he was saddened to see dozens of families with children sleeping on the beach at Necocli in tents while they gather enough money to take boats toward the Darien jungle.

What I dont want is what I saw on the beach area of Colombia to play out in the streets of New York City, Adams said. We all want to help as many people as possible, we want to uphold our values as a city of immigrants. But to do that we need to stabilize the situation.

___

Rueda reported from Bogota, Colombia.

By ASTRID SUAREZ and MANUEL RUEDA

Associated Press
Trump is inserting himself into the messy race to become the next House speaker. Will it matter?

Trump is inserting himself into the messy race to become the next House speaker. Will it matter? View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  Donald Trump is again testing the power of his endorsement.

With an early morning social media post on Friday, Trump inserted himself into the chaotic race to replace Kevin McCarthy as House speaker by backing Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan for the post. The move was the latest example of Trump attempting to flex his influence within a Republican Party he has already fundamentally reshaped in the eight years since his first White House bid.

I think he does well. I hope he does well, Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination, said of Jordan in a Friday interview with Real Americas Voice. Hes got competition, as you understand. And theyre friendly with me, too. Very nice people and good people. Well see what happens.

With Trumps firm grip on the GOP base, his endorsement can effectively clear the field in many congressional primaries. But the speakers race is more complex, an intraparty fight that will play out in secret at points and in a tense environment with many Republicans furious about McCarthys ouster. Jordan is facing at least one other candidate  House Majority Leader Steve Scalise  who is also on good terms with Trump. Its unclear whether anyone has enough votes to win the gavel and if Jordan were to lose, another Trump ally could emerge.

Taken together, the dynamics mean that Trumps backing of Jordan may do little to sway the results. And that may not ultimately matter much.

Regardless of who becomes the next speaker, Trump has undeniable sway over House Republicans. It was his supporters  led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz  who orchestrated McCarthys ouster and who have driven much of the House GOPs agenda. They have been unable or unwilling to pull themselves from his grip and now find themselves heading toward another presidential election with him at the top of the ticket, even as many in the party worry about his electability in November and his potential impact on down-ballot races.

But other factors are at play in the complicated deliberations. Speakers elections are contests that can turn on personal relationships and deals between lawmakers that fall outside ideological lines.

It also remains unclear how much political capital Trump intends to use whipping votes on Jordans behalf. While Trump was poised to support Jordan, he was angry that Texas Rep. Troy Nehls broke the news before he was ready, according to two Republicans familiar with his thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A Trump spokesman did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

Trumps 11th-hour interventions helped McCarthy win the speakership after 15 rounds of voting back in January, but the holdouts in that case were Trump allies. This time most hardline conservatives were already lining up behind Jordan.

Instead, Jordan has been courting Republican moderates, trying to convince them that they will be heard if he is elected, despite his reputation as a hard-liner. Trumps endorsement ties Jordan even closer to the former president, potentially making it more difficult for moderate members to support him.

For his part, Jordan said the endorsement would aid his bid for the gavel.

Hes the leader of our party, and I think hes going to be the next president, Jordan told reporters Friday at the Capitol.

Beyond the immediate dynamics on Capitol Hill, Trumps involvement in the speakers race speaks to his outsized role in the party. More than three months before the first votes of the 2024 campaign, Republicans are increasingly open in referring to Trump as the partys leader. Thats despite the fact that he faces four separate criminal indictments.

And as he appears once again in a strong position to capture the GOP nomination, Trumps penchant for the spotlight is on display.

After creating a media firestorm Monday when he showed up at his civil fraud trial in New York, Trump quickly jumped on the speakership news that threatened to shift attention from his direction. After several of his closest allies raised the fanciful notion that Trump himself could potentially serve as speaker  perhaps on an interim basis  Trump stoked and flirted with the notion of swooping in to save the leaderless caucus from the chaos he has helped to stoke.

A lot of people have been calling me about speaker. All I can say is well do whatevers best for the country and for the Republican Party, Trump told reporters at the courthouse Wednesday.

He later told Fox News Digital that he would be open to serving 30 to 90 days in the role.

Trump was soon planning a trip to Capitol Hill where he planned to address Republicans at a closed-door candidate forum  a trip first reported by The Messenger  that would have marked his first visit to the building since the violence of Jan. 6, when a mob of his supporters stormed the building trying to overturn the election he lost to President Joe Biden.

That trip is no longer expected, according to Nehls and others familiar with the plans.

Jordan has long been one of Trumps biggest champions on the Hill. He has led investigations into prosecutors who have charged the former president with criminal conduct and has been helping lead efforts to impeach Biden.

Ahead of Jan. 6, he helped Trump strategize about how Congress could help Trump overturn his loss to Biden. In return, Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom  the nations highest civilian honor  five days after the attack on the Capitol.

Scalise, a veteran member of leadership who is also vying for the speakers gavel, has support from a significant portion of the Republican Conference, while other GOP lawmakers are either looking elsewhere or waiting to make their choices known.

Trumps involvement in the House GOPs upheaval comes just as Republican leaders have been trying to tamp down the drama and soothe tempers. On Friday, a planned Fox News debate between the candidates was called off. Republicans are also trying to avoid the spectacle of a protracted speakers contest by finding a consensus candidate in closed-door meetings next week.

However, many are bracing for a dayslong contest. The last time they all gathered in the same room  shortly after McCarthy was removed as speaker  insults were hurled and some lawmakers even thought it could turn to blows.

The contest had been dominated by three lawmakers seen as loyal to Trump: Jordan, Scalise and Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern each voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. On Saturday, Hern decided not to seek the job, saying in a statement that House Republicans must unify  and do it fast. Its clear to me that a three-man race  will only draw this process out longer, creating further division, which would make it harder for any candidate to win the required number of votes.

That allegiance to Trump by Jordan and Scalise could prove useful to Trump if he wins. Trumps agenda while in office was often thwarted by congressional leaders from his own party as he clashed with then-House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

In the years since leaving the White House, Trump has broken from past precedent and endorsed hundreds of like-minded candidates, hoping to fill the House and Senate with lawmakers who share his America First outlook should he become president again.

Trump made clear his ultimate goal earlier this week when he wrote on his Truth Social site that he would do whatever is necessary to help with the Speaker of the House selection process, short term, until the final selection of a GREAT REPUBLICAN SPEAKER is made  A Speaker who will help a new, but highly experienced President, ME, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

___ Colvin reported from New York. AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

By STEPHEN GROVES and JILL COLVIN

Associated Press
US Senate leader raises trade and fentanyl at start of 1st congressional visit to China since 2019

US Senate leader raises trade and fentanyl at start of 1st congressional visit to China since 2019 View Photo

SHANGHAI (AP)  A senior American lawmaker, leading the first congressional trip to China in four years, said Saturday that the U.S. does not want to cut economic ties with the worlds second-largest economy but seeks a level playing field so that American companies can compete freely.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and five other senators arrived in Shanghai earlier in the day on a three-country tour that will also take them to South Korea and Japan. The trip comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the U.S. and China and as officials try to lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November.

We are prepared to compete but we do not seek to conflict, Schumer told Shanghais Communist Party chief shortly after the delegations arrival.

The party head, Chen Jining, avoided specific issues in his public remarks, saying that a healthy and stable China-U.S. relationship would benefit the entire world. He noted the presence of 5,640 American companies in Shanghai, and said he is happy to have the opportunity to discuss how to promote trade at the local level.

The U.S. has placed tariff and other trade restrictions on China over national security, human rights and other concerns and blocked access to advanced semiconductors and other key technologies. China has accused the U.S. of seeking to contain its economic development as it emerges as a global power and potential threat to the U.S.-led international order.

Schumer said the U.S. wants the Chinese people to have increased economic opportunity but that many Americans feel China does not treat U.S. companies fairly.

We believe we need reciprocity allowing American companies to compete as freely in China as Chinese companies are able to compete here, he said.

A series of high-ranking Biden administration officials have met their Chinese counterparts in Beijing in recent months, but Schumer and his colleagues are the first American lawmakers to make the trip since China lifted its COVID-19 restrictions in December of last year.

The delegation of three Democrats and three Republicans landed on a U.S. government jet on an overcast and windy afternoon. The Republicans were led by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the senior member of his party on the Senate Finance Committee. Schumer is a New York Democrat.

China, in a statement earlier this week, said it hoped the visit would contribute to a more objective understanding of China in the U.S. Congress.

Schumer also raised the issue of Chinese companies that have stopped making fentanyl but which the U.S. government says continue to supply the ingredients for production of the opioid in Mexico.

They are fueling the fentanyl crisis that is poisoning communities across the United States, he said. Every one of us knows families who have lost young men and women to fentanyl.

China has said that it maintains strict control of the chemicals to ensure they are not exported for illegal purposes and that the U.S. should stop shifting the blame for its failure to curb drug abuse.

In a reminder of the tensions between the two countries, Chinas commerce ministry said on Saturday that new U.S. restrictions placed on 42 Chinese companies were a typical act of economic coercion and unilateral bullying.

The U.S. Commerce Department added the Chinese companies and seven others to its entity list on Friday. It said the companies supplied U.S.-origin semiconductors that Russia uses for missile guidance systems and drones in the war against Ukraine. American companies cannot export to organizations on the entity list without obtaining a special license.

A Chinese international relations expert said that Schumers visit is a sign of improvement in China-U.S. relations. The senators hope to meet Xi in Beijing during their visit.

If the talks proceed well, there is the possibility that President Xi will meet Schumer, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China. If their meeting is realized, the chances for a Xi-Biden meeting will become greater.

The White House has been in touch with Schumer and supports the delegations visit to the region, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said after the trip was announced.
How $6 billion in Ukraine aid collapsed in a government funding bill despite big support in Congress

How $6 billion in Ukraine aid collapsed in a government funding bill despite big support in Congress View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  The collapse of Ukraine aid in Congress was months in the making, and exactly what Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell had feared.

McConnell had warned that political support for Ukraine was in danger as a small but vocal contingent of fellow Republican lawmakers intensified their efforts against sending U.S. money overseas for the fight against Russia.

First in a series of high-profile speeches this summer then in direct overtures to the White House, the Republican leader who had visited Kyiv and put a priority on U.S. support for Ukraine tried to steer the hard-right flank of his party.

But in the end, neither McConnell nor the White House nor Democrats in Congress could muscle a scaled-back $6 billion military and civilian aid package for Ukraine to passage in last weeks deal to avoid a U.S. government shutdown.

Despite overwhelming bipartisan support in Washington for stopping Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion, the failure to approve Ukraine aid was a sizable setback for an administration seeking to lead a Western alliance to protect the young democracy as the fighting grinds on.

It also shows the perils ahead in Washington as a hardened band of Republican lawmakers who are just a minority in Congress  many allied with Donald Trump, the partys 2024 presidential front-runner  flex their power to overcome the will of the majority. The next steps are highly uncertain.

It does worry me, President Joe Biden acknowledged last week. But I know there are a majority of members in the House and Senate  both parties  who have said that they support funding Ukraine.

Biden said he is preparing to deliver a major speech on U.S. aid to Ukraine and has a plan in the works to ensure the flow of assistance after the upheaval on Capitol Hill, which was punctuated by the ouster of the Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

As Washington regroups, the sudden shift has unleashed political blame over the inability of the White House and Congress to work around the small but intensifying minority of lawmakers who are putting aid in jeopardy.

Not another penny for Ukraine! wrote Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Greene, a top Trump ally, arguing money should be spent on securing the U.S. border with Mexico instead.

McConnell, R-Ky., had been trying to build support Ukraine for months, ever since he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv in May.

The senator gave repeated floor speeches, talked with allies overseas and made the case his priority among colleagues on Capitol Hill, where Zelenskyy received a heros welcome last year and visited with a follow-up appeal weeks before the funding showdown.

But after the White House announced Bidens $24 billion request for Ukraine aid in August, McConnell knew it would not have the support needed to pass, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.

McConnell had met with a group of Republican defense hawks in the Senate before the end of September deadline to fund the government or risk a shutdown, which would typically be the time to also pass the White Houses spending request for Ukraine.

But the GOP senators left McConnell with the understanding the support for Ukraine funding overall would be lacking.

A week before the deadline, McConnell told Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, on a Friday call that it would be impossible for Congress to pass the full $24 billion request, said the person familiar with the situation.

Instead, McConnell encouraged the White House to look strongly at whether it could rely on sending Ukraine aid through existing ways for transferring or reprogramming money in the short term, the person said.

The White House, in a series of conversations with McConnells team over the weekend, considered smaller amounts of funding and insisted that the Ukraine aid was vital.

McConnell agreed to do what he could. Days later the Senate advanced its package to keep government open for the short term, until Nov 17, with $6 billion for Ukraine. It passed the Senate on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote.

The problem was, however, that the Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill had never fully articulated Ukraine as a top priority as they fought off House Republican demands for steep budget cuts to keep the government open.

And McCarthy, R-Calif., was having his own problems in the Republican-led House.

Greene and other hard-liners in the House had essentially forced McCarthy to strip a much smaller amount of Ukraine security assistance funds, $300 million, from an annual defense funding bill.

It was a stark example of how a growing flank of the party  some 100 Republicans  was wresting control from the majority who widely supported the bill.

It was a sign of the trouble to come.

Staring down a potentially devastating government shutdown, the embattled McCarthy then stripped the $6 billion Ukraine aid from the federal funding package before the House vote to keep the U.S. government open.

As the House was preparing last Saturday to avert a shutdown, McConnell convened his Republican senators behind closed doors for a lunch meeting.

McConnell spoke of the need to retain the Ukraine aid in the final package, but it was clear the room was not with him.

South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the Republicans second in command, had been in talks with McCarthy, including that morning, and understood from the speaker that the package could not pass with the Ukraine aid attached.

Thune told the Republican senators he thought they should move forward with the House version, without the Ukraine money, as the best way to avoid a shutdown, according to Republican familiar with the private meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it.

The third-ranking Republican senator, John Barrasso of Wyoming, swiftly agreed, according to another Republican granted anonymity to discuss the conversation.

Listening to his colleagues, McConnell then shifted course.

McConnell came out after lunch and said the Republicans would vote against advancing the Senate bill as they waited to see what their House colleague would do.

That afternoon, the House approved the package hours before the midnight deadline to keeping government open. The Ukraine aid was dropped.

Gone from the final bill was not only the $6 billion in Ukraine assistance, but also pages of text outlining the ability to transfer funds to Ukraine.

It was just what McConnell had been trying to avoid.

In the aftermath, the White House made it clear that McCarthy had made a commitment on Ukraine beyond what was in the package.

But when reporters asked McCarthy about it, the speaker said theres no secret deal with Biden on Ukraine.

What there was, McCarthy explained, was an assurance that the ability to transfer funds for Ukraine would remain intact. If there was any confusion about that, he said, Well fix it.

The next day, McCarthy was ousted from the office over long-simmering complaints about his leadership, leaving any fix for Ukraine funding uncertain.

Bidens speech about Ukraine aid is coming. The White House is waiting for the House to elect a new speaker. And its working with Congress to ensure the transferability of funds and to provide new support for Ukraine.

-

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

By LISA MASCARO

AP Congressional Correspondent
MERIDEN  The city of Meriden and Rushford, a mental health and addiction services provider with Hartford Healthcare, received another $2 million grant Friday morning to support and expand the work of the Meriden Opioid Referral for Recovery program, also known as MORR.

"Over the next four years, we hope to increase program reach and work with community partners and those with lived and living experience to reduce stigma and barriers to treatment and recovery services, as well as increase our capacity in surveillance and data sharing, said Meriden Health and Human Services Director Lea Crown in an email interview. We are thrilled to be awarded this grant!"

The MORR program is a partnership between Rushford, Meriden first responders and the city health department to address the ongoing opioid epidemic. In 2021, 1,531 state residents died of a drug overdose, an 11% increase from 2020, reported the state Department of Public Health. So far this year, 24 in Meriden have died due to an overdose, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

MORR began in 2018 with a four-year Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant as part of the First Responder Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.

Its funding expired in September 2022 and the Meriden Health and Human Services Department used a $300,000 grant to sustain the program. The grant was awarded by the National Association of County and City Health Officials for the Implementing Overdose Prevention Strategies at the Local Level program.

The latest grant is a renewal of the original funding stream and will fund the MORR program at $500,000 annually until Sept. 29, 2027. It will overlap with the grant provided by the health department through late January.

MORR works on a referral system. After first responders intervene in an opioid overdose, they submit a referral application to MORR on behalf of the client. A clinical team member contacts the individual to connect them with treatment services or other vital resources, such as housing, clothing and food.

The program also supplies all the first responders with Narcan and provides free Narcan kits for community members at training events.

MORR previously reported that its collaborative tactics have been successful. Over the last four years, first responders administered 560 doses of Narcan. Of the individuals revived, MORR received 288 referrals from first responders and could connect with 76% of those referred.

In addition, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration staff interviewed the MORR team regarding best practices to learn how other health departments can employ them.

Rushford Director of Crisis and Community Programs Jessica Matyka previously told the Record-Journal that the referral system works because it tracks real-time overdoses and outreach.

"When we're notified that there was naloxone deployed in the community, within a couple of hours of that happening, we're able to follow up with that individual in the hospital," said Matyka. "It really gives us the best outcomes when we're able to connect with people that quickly."

Rushford also announced an on-site press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 10:30 a.m. to discuss how the new funds will be applied. Matyka, Crown, the President of Hartford Healthcare Central Region Gary Havican and Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati will be leading the discussion.

To learn more, visit the Meriden Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention and Response webpage. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call 877-577-3233 to get in touch with MORR.

cvillalonga@record-journal.com203-317-2448

Reporter Cris Villalonga-Vivoni is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Support RFA reporters at the Record-Journal through a donation at https://bit.ly/3Pdb0re. To learn more about RFA, visit www.reportforamerica.org.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The Israel Defense Forses' (IDF) fighter jets struck a number of Hamas targets, including terrorist military installations in two multi-storey buildings in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army said in a statement, Trend reports.

It is noted that these buildings were used by senior Hamas terrorists to carry out terrorist activities.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel this morning. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air. It is reported that more than 20 civilians were killed and more than 540 wounded.

The IDF declared a state of readiness for war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
Looking to hit an Oktoberfest event and indulge in German culture, food, beer, music and festivities? This list will help you map out where to stop first.

Witchdoctor Brewing presents Oktoberfest, Saturday from 2 to 11 p.m., Witchdoctor Brewing Company, at 168 Center St, Southington: Enjoy hand-crafted food specials created by the lab, beer and live music by Borderline Genius.

Oktober Fest at Powder Ridge, Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m., 99 Powder Hill Rd, Middlefield: Enjoy beer sampling, keg tossing, Stein holding contest, live music by DB Kinney and Band Presence Led Zeppelin, food trucks and Vendor Village.

Fall Back Beer Wine Fest At Hawks Landing Country Club, Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., Hawks Landing Country Club, at 201 Pattonwood Drive, Southington: Enjoy beer, wine, liquor, craft cocktails, canned cocktails, vendors from all throughout New England and food as well.

Cheshire Chamber of Commerce presents Oktoberfest, Oct. 25 from 5 to 8 p.m., 125 Commerce Court Suite 7, Cheshire: Enjoy a meal catered by Spice Catering Group, beer, cider, wine, soft drinks, music and fun.

Oktoberfest for Soul Friends: 20 Year Celebration, Oct. 26. Witchdoctor Brewing, at 168 Center Street, Southington: Enjoy food, beer, snacks, live music from the Presence Trio  a Led Zepplin tribute band  and reveal of Soul Friends new logo.

Hungarian Community Club of Wallingford presents Oktoberfest, Nov. 4 from 6:30 to 11 p.m., 147 Ward St, Wallingford: Enjoy dinner and dancing with music by the Adlers Band.

Schlachtfest at the Meriden Turner Halle, Nov. 18 from 5 to 11 p.m., the Meriden Turner Halle located at 800 Old Colony Road, Meriden: Enjoy a roast pork dinner served with assorted German sausages, music provided by The Adlers. Traditional Schuhplattler dance will be featured and the Meriden Turner Players will regale you with a Schlachtfest Skit and more.

Surrounding areas

Oktoberfest @ Parkville Market, Saturday, from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., at 1400 Park St., Hartford

Fest Season in the Biergarten, through Sunday, Nod Hill Brewery, at 137 Ethan Allen Highway, Ridgefield

Sun BrewFest, Oct. 21 from 3 to 6 p.m., Mohegan Sun

chooks@record-journal.com203-317-2279
Yves here. Frankly, it had never occurred to me to consider the carbon footprint of hospitals and whether it was unduly large. And then we have the way hospitals now make great use of disposables, often plastic, that require special handling as biohazards. Can readers pipe up about what becomes of them? Are they treated before they wind up in landfills?

By David Introcaso, Ph.D., a health care research and policy consultant and Eric Reinhart, M.D., a political anthropologist of law and public health. Originally published at Undark

Health care in the United States  the largest industry in the worlds largest economy  is notoriously cost inefficient, consuming substantially more money per capita to deliver far inferior outcomes relative to peer nations. What is less widely recognized is that the health care industry is also remarkably energy inefficient. In an era of tightening connections between environmental destruction and disease, this widely neglected reality is a major cause behind many of the sicknesses our hospitals treat and the poor health outcomes they oversee.

The average energy intensity of U.S. hospitals is more than twice that of European hospitals, with no comparable quality advantage. In recent years, less than 2 percent of hospitals were certified as energy efficient by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Energy Star program, and only 0.6 percent, or 37 in total, have been certified for 2023. As a result, in 2018, the U.S. health care industry emitted approximately 610 million tons of greenhouse gases, or GHGs  the equivalent of burning 619 billion pounds of coal. This represented 8.5 percent of U.S. GHG emissions that year, and about 25 percent of global health care emissions.

If U.S. health care were its own country, it would rank 11th worldwide in GHG pollution. If every nation produced an equivalent per capita volume of health care emissions, it would immediately consume nearly the entire global carbon budget required to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2030. Without even considering their global impact, air pollution from U.S. emissions accounts for an estimated 77,000 excess deathsannually in the U.S. alone. And according to one 2016 study, emissions from the U.S. health care system lead to the loss of more than 400,000 years of healthy life among Americans. This level of harm is commensurate with the tens of thousands of deaths attributable to medical errors each year, around which a massive patient safety movement has been organized in response. But despite these human costs  along with sizable financial costs  there has been no parallel policy movement to address the health care industrys role in undermining health through its GHG emissions.

The climate crisis is not just another problem among many. It is instead a meta-problem that layers onto countless other problems, exacerbating their consequences for health. Research suggests that particulate matter resulting from burning fossil fuels can damage every organ in the human body. In light of this, efforts to improve public health, health care quality, and patient safety without confronting the role of emissions are, at best, compromised once one accounts for the health care industrys substantial contribution to a climate crisis that is driving an ongoing and accelerating sixth mass extinction.

In addition to the general disaster this presents for global public health, it also constitutes a specific problem for U.S. health policy, as the health harms associated with GHG emissions disproportionately harm the populations who constitute Medicare and Medicaids roughly 145 million beneficiaries, including the 30 million patients treated at community-based Federally Qualified Health Centers. These care systems are meant to protect poor and vulnerable populations, but the means by which they attempt to do so are causing the very harm they seek to address. Consistent with what Ivan Illich described in his 1975 book Medical Nemesis: The Expropriation of Health as cultural iatrogenesis  a phenomenon by which the supposed means of treating disease under capitalist health care regimes becomes not a cure but rather a cause of the debility it claims to alleviate  what we are seeing now is a form of environmental iatrogenesis.

Largely because of fossil fuel combustion, nearly the entire global population now breathes air that exceeds the World Health Organizations air quality limits, but exposure to unhealthy air and associated health risks are not evenly distributed. In the U.S., Medicare beneficiaries, who are 65 and older and far more likely to suffer chronic lung disease, are particularly threatened by bad air quality. This is inseparable from the fact that fossil fuel-related air pollution, the leading environmental cause of human mortality, accounts for 58 percent of excess annual U.S. deaths, which joins 8.7 million  or one in five, prior to Covid-19  excess deaths globally, according to a 2021 study.

Beyond breathing polluted air, Medicare seniors, already compromised by higher incidence of comorbidities, are also at greater risk of serious outcomes from climate-related arthropod-borne, food-borne, and water-borne diseases. The climate crisis can exacerbate the spread of over half of known human pathogens. And risk from extreme heat is especially severe: Globally, over the past 20 years, heat-related mortality among seniors has increased by over 50 percent.

Children, 46 percent of whom are Medicaid beneficiaries, are also especially vulnerable. Fine inhalable particles resulting from burning hydrocarbons, called PM 2.5 (particles 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter), are particularly harmful because children breathe more air than adults relative to their body weight, giving these particles more opportunity to diffuse into their bloodstreams and throughout their bodies. Research published last year found that climate-related adverse health effects to fetuses, infants, and children include low birth weight, death, hypertension, kidney and lung disease, immune-system dysregulation, structural and functional changes to the brain, and a constellation of behavioral and mental health diagnoses. Furthermore, evidence published by UNICEF in 2016 indicates that air polluted by fossil fuels contributes to more than half of the 1 million annual pneumonia deaths worldwide among children aged five and younger.

With respect to racialized and economically dispossessed groups, a study published in 2021 found that racial and ethnic minorities, regardless of income and geographic location, are disproportionately exposed to higher levels of 11 of 14 sources of particulate air pollution. In a United Nations report titled Climate change and poverty, Philip Alston concluded that governments have failed to seriously address climate change for decades, and that climate change threatens to undo the last 50 years of progress in development, global health and poverty reduction.

The health care industrys environmental disregard can be explained in part by what three bioethicists recently termed lifeboat ethics framing. In their book Bioethics Reenvisioned: A Path toward Health Justice, Nancy King, Gail Henderson, and Larry Churchill argue that bioethics has operated in a way such that any problem outside the lifeboat  that is, beyond the hospital bedside  is dismissed as irrelevant.

U.S. health officials have often exhibited the same narrow, clinically focused tunnel vision when it comes to health care emissions and the climate crisis. Public healths widespread takeover by narrow medical mentalities that sideline root-cause analyses and associated policy action is now one of the most pernicious threats to health.

To add insult to injury, it is in the health care industrys financial interests to decarbonize. New solar and wind energy are now the most affordable source of generating electricity in 96 percent of the world and cheaper than existing fossil fuels in 60 percent of the world. It is more expensive to continue to operate 99 percent of U.S. coal-fired power plants than to build and operate entirely new solar or wind energy generating stations.

Today, it is cheaper to save the climate than continue to destroy it. But federal policymakers and health care leaders continue to allow the industry to contribute to the climate crisis, which in turn is harming or killing those who are the most vulnerable. And if not stopped, GHG emissions could irreversibly undermine the possibility of health for all. Health care institutions should take a leading role in implementing immediate change to their own energy-use practices. As a core part of their ethical obligation to care, they should also use their enormous lobbying power to demand broader policy action to stop the environmental destruction to which they have been world-leading contributors.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana gave remarks at the (2BS) Be Secure Forum in Budva, Montenegro on Saturday 7 October 2023. The event was hosted by the Atlantic Council of Montenegro.

In his pre-recorded address, Mr Geoana said Montenegro was a highly valued Ally and essential to stability in the Western Balkans. The Deputy Secretary General also spoke about the security situation in the region, Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, and NATOs strengthened deterrence and defence.
American F-16 SHOOTS DOWN armed Turkish combat drone that flew within half a mile of U.S. troops in Syria

An American F-16 fighter jet shot down a Turkish combat drone over Syria on Thursday, Oct. 5, after the drone flew close to American forces stationed in northeast Syria.

The Turkish drone was spotted by U.S. troops stationed in northern Syria at around 7:30 a.m. local time. Department of Defense spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said U.S. forces observed multiple Turkish drones conducting airstrikes in cities in northern Syria, including in the Syrian opposition-controlled city of Heseke, which is around one kilometer (0.62 miles) away from a U.S. base, prompting U.S. troops to be ordered into bunkers for their safety.

One drone in particular ignored repeated warnings to stay away, so U.S. troops were forced to scramble F-16s to intercept it. At around 11:30 a.m., the drone entered a zone restricted for U.S. air assets, flying as close as half a kilometer (0.31 miles) away from U.S. troops. By 11:40 a.m., the F-16s had shot down the drone. (Related: Russia making progress toward goal of MASS PRODUCING combat drones to rival Ukraine's Western-supplied drone fleet.)

Roughly 900 U.S. troops are stationed in Syria, working with Syrian Kurdish-majority opposition group the Syrian Democratic Forces as they continue to battle the remnants of the Islamic State.

The Turkish drone was a Bayraktar TB2, a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone made famous for its participation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. U.S. forces note that the Bayraktar was armed with air-to-ground missiles.

Turkey launching drone strikes against U.S. allies in Syria

The reports of Turkish drones flying over northeast Syria confirm that Turkey was striking targets held by the Syrian Kurdish opposition in the region, who the Turkish Defense Ministry claims are linked to the Kurdish militant group the PKK.

Turkey has long complained to the U.S. that the Syrian Kurds are militants who pose a threat to Ankara's national security. The U.S., for its part, insists that the Syrian Kurds are longtime partners who are focused on combating the remnants of the Islamic State. The U.S. further notes that these forces are not pursuing an anti-Turkish agenda. The downing of a drone belonging to a U.S. ally is certain to escalate already-strained tensions.

Ankara claims its drone strikes over the region are in response to a bombing attack on the Turkish capital on Sunday, Oct. 1. Turkish officials claim the perpetrators of the bombing entered Turkey from Kurdish-held Syria  a claim that Turkish officials have not proven and the Syrian Kurds have refuted.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a nonprofit dedicated to documenting human rights abuses in Syria since the beginning of the country's civil war over a decade ago, claimed Turkish drone strikes on Thursday killed at least eight people and injured another five.

Turkey claims that it struck "legitimate targets" in Syria belonging to the PKK, including infrastructure and energy facilities. The Kurdish-populated regions of northern Iraq were also targeted by Turkish drone strikes, with Ankara similarly claiming without sufficient proof that the targeted infrastructure belongs to the PKK.

The Turkish Defense Ministry has also denied owning the drone the U.S. shot down, claiming instead that it operated other drones in the region that struck supposedly PKK-owned oil wells, shelters and warehouses.

Watch this video discussing the escalation of the conflict in northwestern Syria, largely because of Turkey's continued support for Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant groups and Ankara's refusal to withdraw from its military occupation of Syrian territory.

This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Russian killer drones being used in Ukraine found to contain Western electrical components.

The Economist implies Ukrainian drone strikes are ramped up to psychologically terrorize "ordinary Russians."

Pentagon deploys air and naval assets in Syria and the Persian Gulf as Russia and Iran threaten US assets in the region.

Fully autonomous KILLER DRONES now closer to reality as rapid development of AI continues.

BIOWEAPONS SMOKING GUN: Ukrainian firm asks Turkish drone maker for solution to disperse aerosol contents over wide areas.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

Politico.com

i24News.tv

SyriaHR.com

Brighteon.com
Austin officials complain of self-driving cars BLOCKING emergency vehicles

Officials in the city of Austin in Texas are complaining that driverless vehicles are blocking emergency vehicles from responding to incidents in the city.

According to InfoWars, the complaints come from both the Austin Police Department (APD) and Austin Fire Department (AFD). Officials from the two agencies are calling attention to the fact that autonomous cars are hindering first responders' abilities to assist the people of Austin, Axios reported. The AFD obtained internal emails and complaints regarding this issue through a Texas Public Information Act request.

The city's Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) has received more than 40 reports related to driverless cars for incidents such as as nearly hitting pedestrians and emergency vehicles. Fire, police and emergency rescue teams have even been forced to spend time, and waste tax dollars, learning how to deal with self-driving automobiles.

In one instance, an APD incident log disclosed how a driverless car had to be stopped from hitting civilians during an Oct. 1 fundraising walk. "If I didn't jump out on front and physically make contact with it, it would have possibly hit the walkers," an unnamed APD officer wrote. "They all stopped and thought it was going to drive into them."

"It goes without saying  these vehicles are becoming a major problem and someone is going to get hurt, probably one of us. I'm not sure if our [chain-of-command] is aware of all the issues, but it's getting ridiculous dealing with them."

Axios also published two emails from AFD personnel outlining the issues with self-driving cars. In one email, fire lieutenant Richard Porst lamented to colleagues that autonomous vehicles "present issues for us trying to exit the station." Two incident reports in September also involved autonomous vehicles hindering movements by AFD fire engines, with both logged as "near misses."

Self-driving cars are HEADACHES for Austin first responders

Three companies  Waymo, Volkswagen ADMT and Cruise  all have vehicles driving the city streets. However, local officials have little authority over them.

Speaking to Axios, TPWD officials recounted that Cruise made some of its vehicles available for firefighters, police officers and emergency medics during a Sept. 20 session. The training was meant for "police, fire and [emergency medical services] to build familiarity with [Cruise] vehicles and understand how to best interact with the devices during an emergency," said Cristal Corrales, a spokeswoman for TPW.

However, the session only pushed through after Austin officials had grown exasperated over the summer as they tried to schedule a training with Cruise. "Trying to communicate with you is  problematic," lamented AFD special operations training captain Matthew McElearney in an email to Cruise investigations manager Mike Shinn. "Frankly, you don't respond in a timely manner." (Related: It's a "no" for driverless cars: Americans prefer driving themselves to work than relying on autonomous vehicles.)

"We understand the frustration expressed by the fire captain, [so] we strive to be as responsive as possible," said Cruise spokeswoman Navideh Forgani. "We have spent the last few months growing our first responder training team and we hope this will not be a future issue. Our goal is to be good neighbors in the communities we serve and meeting with city officials and first responders is a top priority."

She also confirmed that Cruise also hosted other training sessions earlier in 2023. According to Forghani, the Sept. 20 training with the AFD and APD involved "a very productive dialogue."

InfoWars also noted that the problem isn't confined to Austin, as autonomous vehicles have "also caused headaches in the city of Houston." It concluded: "This is only the beginning of an issue that will surely be debated nationwide as more autonomous vehicles are rolled out each year."

Visit RoboCars.news for more stories about the problems caused by self-driving vehicles.

Watch this video explaining why driverless cars pose a new challenge to cybersecurity.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Waymo self-driving taxi goes rogue in Arizona, blocking traffic and escaping rescue crew.

Robotaxi malfunctions cause major traffic jam in San Francisco a day after CA approves expanding services.

Driverless car gets stuck in wet concrete in San Francisco a few days after CPUC approves robotaxi expansion services.

WAYMO PROBLEMS: Reported accidents involving Waymo driverless cars in San Francisco MULTIPLIED SIXFOLD this year.

FALSE START: Cruise self-driving vehicles cause traffic jam in San Francisco streets just a day after city expanded robotaxi services.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

Axios.com

Brighteon.com
OUTRAGE: Baylor College of Medicine in Texas to MANDATE useless but dangerous COVID jab for students, faculty and employees

Even though the state where it is located, Texas, is politically "red" and largely opposed to vaccine mandates, the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston has decided to mandate the newest Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccines" for students, faculty members and employees at the facility.

Since Texas does allow publicly funded institutions to mandate jabs, BCM is in full alignment with the law as it pertains to the new dictate. Even though Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has stated that the Lone Star State "should be leading the fight against COVID tyranny," BCM has other plans in mind.

BCM just so happens to be one of the largest public institutions in Texas, which makes the new mandate a blight on the state's landscape. There are apparently enough leftists in charge at the institution that they were able to issue the mandate at all.

"An updated COVID vaccine has been approved by the FDA and is now available," reads a September 28 statement from the school.

"A single dose is recommended for individuals 6 months and older. Because protection from prior vaccination fades over time and this updated vaccine better matches the currently circulating strains the updated dose is recommended. Baylor faculty, staff and students must get the COVID vaccine, or request a medical, religious, or personal exemption by Nov. 30."

"Because of the concern in case numbers, some entities have reinstated mask mandates. BCM does not have a mask mandate, but if you are at high risk you may consider making a personal choice to wear a mask in enclosed indoor areas."

(Related: Linda Yaccarino, the woman Elon Musk appointed as the new head of X [formerly Twitter], is a pro-vaccine zealot who supports jab mandates and lockdowns.)

More than 11,000 employees at the Baylor College of Medicine now being forced to get jabbed for COVID

Because "The Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Freedom Act" is currently stalled, the 11,288 people who were listed as employees at BCM as of 2022 will now have to roll up their sleeves for yet another COVID injection  or else quit if they value their lives.

"The Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Freedom Act," if it ever passes, would prohibit all Texas entities, including hospitals and private businesses, from mandating COVID jabs for their employees.

Right now, the only other protective bill on the books is Senate Bill 29, signed by Gov. Abbott back in September, which prohibits all local governments in Texas from requiring COVID-related masks, jabs, or business shutdowns.

In a statement to the independent media, Texas State Sen. Brian Harrison explained why he is pushing for a statewide ban on all vaccine mandates, as well as calling on Gov. Abbott to convene a special session of the legislature to protect patient rights.

"This is Texas," Rep. Harrison said. "We should not tolerate this here. The governor should demand we pass the COVID Vaccine Freedom Act in a special session. This makes no sense that people aren't protected. The Senate has passed it, the governor has called for it, and members of the House overwhelmingly support it. Now we need to do it."

It is actually a Republican by the name of Dustin Borrows, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, who is blocking the COVID Vaccine Freedom Act from even making it to the House floor. Rep. Borrows is currently in charge of the Calendar Committee, according to Rep. Harrison.

"The chairman waited until the very last day when a bill could be heard then he put it on page nine or 10 knowing that mathematically there would be no chance for the bill to be heard in time," Harrison further explained.

Whatever you do, don't get jabbed for COVID. Learn more at Vaccines.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Newstarget.com
Biden admin finally admits theres an acute and immediate need for a border wall as Democrat-run cities are OVERRUN by illegals

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced late Wednesday, Oct. 4, that they would be building a 20-mile stretch of wall in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas due to an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers that can prevent more people from entering the country illegally.

The announcement, which was quietly posted to the U.S. Federal Register overnight, identified the area as having high illegal entry and said that he would be taking steps to create the extra physical barriers. According to a document that Mayorkas signed, this sector was the site of attempts by 245,000 people to sneak into the country during the 2023 fiscal year alone.

Mayorkas also said in the announcement that he would use his authority to waive a total of 26 federal laws to fast-track the construction, including the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Biden promised no further wall construction

This was in stark contrast to a promise Biden made repeatedly in his presidential campaign not to build border walls. On one occasion in 2020, he said: There will not be another foot of wall construction in my administration.

After getting into office the following year, he issued an executive order that stated: "It shall be the policy of my administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall.  Building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious policy solution. It is a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security.

He also put a stop to all border wall construction and took the Trump administration to task for its actions, saying the wall was "just one example of the prior administrations misplaced priorities and failure to manage migration in a safe, orderly and humane way."

Now, however, the Biden administration appears to be responding to growing pressure from those within their own party to do something about the influx of immigrants entering the country at the border each day.

Democrat Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker asked Biden to take action on what he termed an untenable migrant crisis in his state, saying their resources were strained after 15,000 migrants were bused there during the last year.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are also among those who have been requesting action at the border.

Some people felt that expanding the wall would not be enough, however, with Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas) noting: Any additional barrier must be followed up by the political will to enforce our immigration laws.

Twenty miles of border wall will not stop the outright invasion of our countryonly consequences will.

Sources from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently told Fox News that more than 260,000 encounters took place at the border last month, marking the highest monthly total ever recorded. Internal CBP data shows they encountered almost 10,000 undocumented immigrants crossing the border on Wednesday alone, more than 8,000 of whom made the crossing illegally.

President Biden has already tried to distance himself from the wall, saying that he still believes it wont work and that he is essentially being forced to resume the construction because the money had already been appropriated for it.

"The money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to reappropriate, to redirect that money. They didn't. They wouldn't. In the meantime, there's nothing under the law other than they have to use the money for what it was appropriated for. I can't stop that," he claimed.

Although this move is long overdue, so much more needs to be done to stem the illegal immigration crisis that is taking over so many parts of the nation.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NYPost.com
Los Angeles court system SUED by 12 cities to stop zero-bail policy

Twelve Los Angeles County cities recently filed a lawsuit at the Los Angeles Superior Court asking a judge to cease the court system's new zero-bail policy that took effect Sunday, Oct. 1.

Announced last July, the Superior Court's decision to reinstate a Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19)-era bail schedule removed cash bail for certain non-violent crimes.

The group of cities is asking the L.A. court to stop the implementation of the zero-bail policy. According to a press release issued on Sept. 29 by the City of Glendora, the cities involved in the lawsuit are prioritizing the "safety and security of their residents, businesses and law enforcement."

The 12 cities filing the lawsuit are:

Arcadia Artesia Covina Downey Glendora Industry Lakewood La Verne Palmdale Santa Fe Springs Vernon Whittier

In the press release, Glendora officials said that because of the "severity of the impact this will have on local communities," they expect that more cities will join in their efforts.

Glendale Mayor Gary Boyer explained that the zero-bail schedule went against the citys "duty to protect its community." (Related: Rapper 50 Cent says LA is FINISHED after reinstatement of zero-bail policy.)

Boyer added that it is their duty to their communities to ensure the safety of residents, people who work in the area and tourists. He also said they are against the zero-bail schedule because it "fails to support local leaders in their pledge to protect their residents," which is unacceptable.

The Los Angeles Superior Court implemented its zero-bail schedule despite several concerns expressed by the countys district attorneys office, sheriff, police and other officials.

Why are the counties hesitant about the new bail policy?

The 12 LA county cities are hesitant about the zero-bail policy because, under the new policy, law enforcement can choose to "cite and release, book and release, or ask for a magistrate's review of an arrest." This means that the case would be reviewed by a judge before bail is applied.

However, their worry stems from the fact that many non-violent misdemeanors and felonies would qualify for zero-bail. In turn, officers would simply release a defendant at the location where they were arrested after issuing them a ticket.

Samantha Jessner, Los Angeles Countys Presiding Judge, said that under the new schedule, almost all defendants facing nonviolent felony charges or misdemeanors will be cited and released or freed on certain conditions within 24 hours of arrest.

As she was unveiling the new policy last July, Jessner said in a statement that someone's ability to pay a large sum of money "should not be the determining factor in deciding whether that person, who is presumed innocent, stays in jail before trial or is released."

She also claimed that a low-risk arrestee should not be held in jail just because they are unable to "post the necessary funds to be released pending arraignment."

On Sept. 26, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna talked to his county supervisors about his concerns regarding the new policy. He also warned that at least 20 percent of defendants released on zero-bail are rearrested.

Under the new schedule, most of those police arrests will be released at the location of the arrest with a notice to appear in court or be brought to jail to be "booked and released," along with a notice to appear in court, said Glendale officials.

However, a court appearance will be weeks or months away from the date of the arrest.

Zero-bail would apply to almost all misdemeanor crimes and an increasing list of non-violent felonies.

In the release from Glendale city officials, the list includes:

Car thefts

Car burglaries

Drug sales

Forgery

Possession of stolen property

Retail and commercial thefts and burglaries

Thefts of property at any value

On Sept. 26, Los Angeles County Chief Deputy District Attorney Sharon Woo told county supervisors that the felonies added to the schedule are considered serious and violent offenses under the state's penal code:

Hot-prowl burglaries, which happen when a resident is home

Residential burglary

Retail theft

Selling drugs

Someone arrested while on zero-bail could get released and "re-offend"

Under the new bail schedule, judges can also institute non-financial conditions of release, along with home supervision overseen by probation officials or electronic monitoring.

A judge will be available at all hours, seven days a week, to make those rulings. The defendants arrested on supervised release or on parole wont be eligible to be cited and released and will face judicial review.

According to the new schedule, misdemeanor offenses that will still require cash bail include domestic battery, stalking and violation of a protective order.

Individuals accused of rape, murder, manslaughter and most types of assault are still required to pay high cash bail amounts. Meanwhile, felony defendants including those accused of sex with a minor, battery on a peace officer and human trafficking will require a judicial review before being released.

Whittier officials called for more comprehensive case reviews, especially due to previous experiences where police officers were unaware of an arrestees prior bookings or citations in other jurisdictions.

Officials also said they were worried that the zero-bail schedule could be dangerous to public safety, "particularly where someone arrested for a crime while already on zero-bail gets released immediately to re-offend."

Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri said that at the local government level, their main responsibility is to keep citizens safe. He added that it is becoming more difficult to ignore the challenges their communities are facing and "what happens when there are no consequences for breaking the law."

The new system came to fruition after long-held criticism that cash bail favored the rich. In many cases, wealthy people arrested for the most serious of crimes could simply pay their way out of jail, while low-income people were stuck behind bars for far lesser offenses.

The new system is based not on cash, but on the risk an offender presents to public safety or the possibility someone might fail to appear in court.

After L.A. County implemented a zero-bail policy for many offenses to resolve jail crowding during the pandemic, some police officials said it instead resulted in an increase in crime and recidivism, or the tendency of a convicted criminal to re-offend.

However, a report to the Board of Supervisors revealed that failure to appear and re-arrest rates remained relatively unchanged during that time.

Visit CaliforniaCollapse.news for more updates on crime in Los Angeles.

Watch the video below as Nick Fuentes discusses the problems that can be caused by ending cash bail.

This video is from the Liberum Arbitrium channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Former CNN producer sentenced to more than 19 YEARS behind bars for child sexual abuse.

American citizens will face huge fines, jail sentences if RESTRICT Act passes.

L.A. County to close largest jail, releasing 900 mentally ill criminals onto the streets.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

LATimes.com

CBSNews.com

Brighteon.com
RIGGED: Lobbying group with deep ties to military-industrial complex behind articles demanding MORE TAXPAYER MONEY for Ukraine

Advisors to the influential lobbying group the United States-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) have coordinated the publishing of influential opinion pieces on mainstream news outlets calling for more taxpayer assistance for Ukraine while repeatedly failing to disclose their close  and sometimes financial  ties to either the defense industry or the Ukrainian government

The USUBC describes itself as a "strong international voice for business in Ukraine now promoting U.S.-Ukraine business relations." What the lobbying group isn't as upfront about is how it represents the interests of over 200 corporations, including leading members of the American military-industrial complex like Boeing, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

These same defense industries end up becoming direct beneficiaries of the multibillion-dollar foreign aid packages authorized by Congress and the White House for Ukraine. (Related: Western defense industry expected to make over $400 BILLION IN SALES by end of the year amid ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.)

Opinion pieces claim more military aid for Ukraine is in the nation's interest

USUBC Secretary-Treasurer David Kramer, who also serves as the executive director of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Texas, recently published an opinion piece in The Atlantic titled "The Only Realistic Answer to Putin." He co-wrote the article with USUBC senior advisors and former ambassadors to Ukraine John Herbst and William Taylor, both of whom also have deep ties to the defense industry.

"In Ukraine, the Ukrainians are the ones doing the fighting, and tragically the dying; the United States has no soldiers on the ground," they write. "But we have every interest in providing the military support Ukraine needs to win this war and drive every Russian occupying and invading force off Ukrainian territory.

"No one wants the war to end sooner than the Ukrainians, but they also believe, and with good reason, that they can win, if they get the assistance they need soon," they continue in their exhortation for more aid. "Now is not the time to snatch Russian defeat from Ukraine's jaws of victory."

Kramer, with the full backing of the USUBC, has been publishing multiple other opinion pieces in different magazines and news outlets since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, all of which argue for more military aid to be diverted for Kyiv.

In The Washington Post, Kramer co-authored an opinion piece with Taylor in December 2022 titled "The West Should Do Whatever It Takes to Help Ukrainians Survive the Winter." As its name suggests, Kramer wants the U.S. to spend not just on providing Ukraine with additional heavy military assets but also on more civilian aid such as fuel and repair parts for electricity generation.

In the magazine American Purpose, Kramer wrote an opinion piece titled "Don't Go Wobbly on Ukraine." Published in November 2022, the article argued that Ukrainian victory is in the nation's interest of the U.S. and that calls for peace negotiations "are damaging and counterproductive."

Learn more about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine at UkraineWitness.com.

Watch this episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how the United States continues to spend billions in taxpayer dollars on military aid for Ukraine.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukraine suddenly discovers money to manufacture its own weapons as U.S. funding dries up.

Kyiv's ex-defense minister stole $1 billion then fled the country; but Western media conceals the story to protect Biden.

Globalists put independent journalists on "hit list" for being critical of the endless Ukraine meat grinder, a war paid for with the blood of our children and grandchildren.

Zelensky dismisses seven top defense officials in bid to "reboot" his corruption-ridden Defense Ministry.

Nearly half of "foreign policy experts" who signed letter seeking more weapons for Ukraine are tied to lucrative defense industry.

Sources include:

WarRoom.org

TheAtlantic.com

USUBC.org

Brighteon.com
Putin claims successful test of nuclear-powered global-range cruise missile for 1st time

Each year, Russian President Vladimir Putin uses the occasion of the Valdai Discussion Club hosted in Sochi to present on a wide range of foreign policy issues in an off the cuff manner, which most often comes out in Q&A format. He did the same Thursday at this year's Valdai event, and one of the statements which is grabbing the attention of Western officials was related to testing nuclear weapons, at a sensitive moment where the last nuclear weapons treaty with Washington is set to fail

(Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com)

"I think no person of sound mind and clear memory would think of using nuclear weapons against Russia," Putin began in that segment of a speech before Russian foreign policy officials. That's when he made a statement being widely perceived as signaling openness to resumption of nuclear testing:

"I hear calls to start testing nuclear weapons, to return to testing," he added. "I am not ready to say whether we really need to conduct tests or not."

He also raised eyebrows in immediately touting completed work on the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, with the former being identified as a nuclear-powered cruise missile.

"We conducted the last successful test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered global-range cruise missile," he said. This weapon hasn't been publicly mentioned by Putin since 2018, and suddenly he's revealed it's been successfully tested.

Code-named Skyfall by NATO, the consensus among Western analysts has long been that the technology is likely too hard to achieve given unreliability and volatility of such a nuclear propulsion engine. On the deep significance of the 'threat' to possibly put the Burevestnik on combat readiness, Mario Nawfal comments:

Putin also declined to rule out the possibility it could carry out weapons tests involving nuclear explosions for the first time in more than three decades. Today, Putin warned the West of a response to the pressure, and his willingness to end the war: "There is permanently increasing military and political pressure [from the West]. We have to respond. I have said many times that it was not us who started the war in Ukraine. On the contrary, we are trying to end it." The West has lost the sense of reality. Ukrainian conflict is not about territories. The issue is about global order. Zelensky warned Europe that if Ukraine loses, Russia will attack other counties as well. Is Russia posturing again, as weve seen in the past, or is this not a bluff?

* * *

Other interesting moments from Putin's words before Valdai are as follows...

Putin: Not against Ukraine's EU aspirations, but categorically against NATO membership.

??Putin: We have never spoken negatively about Ukraines accession to the EU, but we are categorically against its accession to NATO pic.twitter.com/oBbGg4Nhek  War Monitor (@WarMonitors) October 5, 2023

West is now crossing all boundaries in the proxy war:

??Putin: Our counterparties in the West have lost their sense of reality and crossed all possible boundaries, in vain pic.twitter.com/sEeKKnfvRO  War Monitor (@WarMonitors) October 5, 2023

He additionally reiterated that Russia has not only resisted US-Europe led sanctions, but he is optimistic for the future of a thriving Russian economy...

"In general, the situation is stable. We have overcome all the sanctions-related issues, and have started the next stage of [economic] development on a new basis, which is fundamentally important," Putin stated.

The West always needs an enemy, he further stated:

? The West always needs an enemy ?? Vladimir Putin says attempts to throw the world into a state of constant struggle is a vicious legacy of the 20th century and a product of the Western political culture#Valdai #Russia #Putin pic.twitter.com/eazG5Etxx1  Sputnik (@SputnikInt) October 5, 2023

He also stressed the usual themes of US unilateralism and "colonialism" - and hegemony at the expense of the rest of the globe:

PUTIN at Valdai: "Western prosperity has largely been achieved by robbing the entire planet" pic.twitter.com/XiqUZQUOXx  COMBATE |?? (@upholdreality) October 5, 2023

Putin also at one point asserted that he's not seeking to expand the war to other countries - contrary to what many pundits in the West have claimed.

Read more at: ZeroHedge.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 8. 250 individuals lost their lives due to rocket attacks originating from the Gaza Strip on Israel. The attack also left 1,100 people injured, Trend reports.

This morning, Israel experienced a coordinated assault, commencing with a significant rocket barrage launched from the Gaza Strip. Subsequently, militants infiltrated by land, water, and air.

In response to the massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declared a state of preparedness for potential conflict. Additionally, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced the mobilization of reservists on a large scale.
Putin says it is Russias mission to create a new world free from American hegemony

Russian President Vladimir Putin said it is his country's mission to create a "new world."

Putin made this statement on Thursday, Oct. 5, during the annual summit of the Russian think tank the Valdai Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. "We are, in fact, faced with the task of building a new world," he said.

He further claimed that the United States and the rest of the Western world have spurned Moscow's "goodwill" and efforts to build a "new and fairer world order" after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, including by rebuffing the newly established Russian Federation's proposal to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which he said has raised the risk of global war. (Related: Putin accuses U.K. of training Ukrainian saboteurs to disrupt Russian nuclear plants.)

"Our readiness for constructive interaction was misunderstood by some as submission, as an agreement that the new order will be built by those who proclaimed themselves the winners of the Cold War," said Putin. "All these years we have repeatedly warned that this approach not only leads to a dead end but is fraught with the growing threat of military conflict."

"But no one was going to listen to us, no one wanted to hear us," he added. "The arrogance of our so-called partners in the West was simply off the charts."

Putin claims Russia did not start the conflict in Ukraine

In his speech during the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin also pointed out that the Russian special military operation in Ukraine is all about finishing the conflict that the U.S. started back in 2014 at the beginning of the Washington-supported Ukrainian Maidan Revolution.

"We did not start the so-called war in Ukraine. On the contrary, we are trying to finish it," he said. Putin added that the nearly decade-long conflict in Ukraine was started by the U.S. because it wanted to be a "hegemon" over Eastern Europe and because the country saw itself as the only arbiter of truth on the planet.

Putin further commented that Western leaders had lost "a sense of reality" because of Washington's "colonial thinking." He then questioned what right the U.S. had to lecture any other country on its actions.

Putin denied that Russia is seeking any territorial gains in Ukraine apart from maintaining its hold over Crimea, which it occupied in 2014 with the support of the Russian-speaking populace, and the breakaway Eastern Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, both of which are also dominated by Russian speakers and do not see themselves as Ukrainian. Putin added that the conflict was being fought over "the principles on which the new world order will be based."

"Lasting peace will be established only when everyone feels safe, understands that their opinion is respected and that there is balance in the world, when no one is able to force others to live and behave as the hegemon wishes," said Putin. "I have to say, unfortunately, that our counterparts in the West have lost their sense of reality and have crossed all possible boundaries."

Learn the latest news coming out of Russia at RussiaReport.news.

Watch this clip of a speech Putin gave to a classroom full of students about why he believes it is impossible for Russia to be defeated.

This video is from the Red Hope channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

BIZARRE: Ukraine spy chief claims Putin has been DEAD for a year  with Russia using DOPPELGANGERS in his place.

De-dollarization "gaining momentum  irreversible," Putin tells BRICS summit in remote address.

PROXY WAR: RFK Jr. says the West provoked Putin to invade Ukraine.

Putin approves series of legal amendments that could end online anonymity, curtail free speech and stifle innovation.

Putin is setting up private armies for protection against Wagner-style rebellion.

Sources include:

Barrons.com

TheMoscowTimes.com

JPost.com

Brighteon.com
Putin warns that when Russia nukes America there is no chance of survival and there will be no single enemy left

The Russians are feverishly preparing to fight a nuclear war, but our leaders continue to insist that nuclear war is not a threat because the Russians would never use their nuclear weapons against us no matter how much we may provoke them. In fact, I was just reading an article on the official NATO website that was authored by a former U.S. defense official in which he openly admitted that he is assuming that the war in Ukraine will end without Russian nuclear use. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin continues to make public statements about nuking America. This week, he told the entire world that there will be no chance of survival once he launches his nuclear missiles at us

(Article republished from EndOfTheAmericanDream.com)

President Vladimir Putin has threatened the West with total nuclear destruction leaving no chance of survival in the event of a strike on Russia. In a ranting anti-US speech, the dictator said his powerful Satan-2 and Flying Chernobyl missiles are ready for deployment in an ominous doomsday warning. Putin told a conference in Sochi: From the moment the launch of missiles is detected, no matter where it comes from  from any point of the world ocean or from any territory  such a number, so many hundreds of our missiles appear in the air in a retaliatory strike that there is no chance of survival there will be no single enemy left, and in several directions at once.

I dont know why our leaders are not taking such statements seriously.

If the Russians feel backed into a corner, they will not hesitate to use their most powerful weapons.

As I have repeatedly warned my readers, we do not have the ability to intercept and destroy Russian nuclear missiles.

Once the Russians launch their missiles, they will hit their targets.

And now the Sarmat is ready. It is the most advanced intercontinental missile in the entire world by a very wide margin, and Putin says that the Sarmat will be put on combat duty in the near future

He also claimed: We have actually finished work on Sarmat [Satan-2] on the super-heavy missile This unstoppable 15,880mph Armageddon intercontinental missile system is the size of a 14-storey tower block. We just need to finish some of the procedures in a purely administrative and bureaucratic way and move on to mass production and putting them on combat duty, Putin said. And we will do this in the near future.

Meanwhile, hopelessly outdated Minuteman missiles that went into service in the 1970s still form the backbone of our strategic nuclear arsenal.

The S-500 anti-missile system that the Russians possess was specifically designed for intercepting and destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles, and it could handle Minuteman missiles with relative ease.

But just in case some get through, the Russians have been spending enormous amounts of money to upgrade thousands of bomb shelters

Bomb shelters across Russia are undergoing systematic inspections and repairs following a Kremlin order to upgrade the countrys crumbling Soviet-era infrastructure, according to current and former officials who spoke to The Moscow Times. Many of Russias thousands of bunkers, reinforced cellars and other safe hideouts have been mothballed for decades. But as the war in Ukraine drags on, local authorities appear to be spending hundreds of millions of rubles to again make them fit for habitation. A decision to inspect the network of bomb shelters was made by the government in the spring, said one Russian official, citing knowledge of government meetings that have taken place on the subject.

And this week in Russia there was a nationwide drill meant to prepare the general population for a potential nuclear attack

SIRENS blared out across Russia today and children donned gas masks as part of a terrifying drill for an incoming nuclear attack. The eerie siren could be heard across the country and chilling messages were broadcast live as Putin forced his citizens to endure a WW3 drill. Chilling footage even shows schoolchildren being taught how to correctly don gas masks. Sirens and loudspeakers were sounded in all regions across Russias 11 time zones in drills that spawned two days.

They are practicing because they believe that something like this could actually happen.

At the same time, our leaders continue to assure us that there is no risk of a full-blown nuclear conflict.

So who is right and who is wrong?

If we were smart, we would try to end the war in Ukraine before things get out of hand.

The much-hyped Ukrainian counter-offensive has been a dismal failure, and now a top NATO official is admitting that Europe is literally running out of weapons to send to Ukraine

The head of NATOs Military Committee is urging the alliance to increase arms production, warning the bottom of the barrel of NATOs stockpiles is now visible due to the massive amounts of weapons and ammunition that have been shipped to Ukraine. Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer made the comments on the first day of the Warsaw Security Forum. He said NATO military budgets increased before the Russian invasion but that the Western arms industry did not increase production capacity. And that has led to higher prices already before the war. And that actually has (been) exacerbated by the fact that we now give away weapon systems to Ukraine, which is great, and ammunition, but not from full warehouses, Bauer said, according to TVP World. We started to give away from half-full or lower warehouses in Europe and therefore the bottom of the barrel is now visible. And we need the industry to ramp up production at a much higher tempo and we need large volumes, he added.

Here in the United States, the chaos in Congress could mean much less military aid for Ukraine in the months ahead.

When she was asked about this, one Ukrainian official admitted that this would be a disaster for them

Days after lawmakers shelved a vital U.S. plan to send billions of dollars in aid to Kyiv, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted by his own Republican Party colleagues. Aid to Ukraine was named as one of the reasons. In Kyiv, officials are at a loss as to what might happen next. Their staunchest military ally suddenly looks unreliable, despite assurances from President Biden and others the U.S. will remain steadfast until Ukraines invaders are defeated.

We are freaking out. For us it is a disaster, said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a senior Ukrainian MP who chairs the committee on the countrys integration with the European Union. We are interested in getting things sorted out so American democracy can function, and so we can restore the bipartisan consensus on supporting their own national interest by supporting Ukraine.

Of course there should be no bipartisan consensus because at this point most Americans are against sending Ukraine more weapons

The share of Americans across the political spectrum who support sending arms to Ukraine has dropped, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey released Thursday. The poll, conducted Tuesday and Wednesday, showed only 41 percent of respondents said they agreed that the United States should provide weapons to Ukraine, down from 65 percent of respondents who said the same in a June 2023 survey.

Meanwhile, military spending in Russia is scheduled to dramatically increase next year, and 50,000 new recruits signed up to fight for Russia in the month of September alone.

From a simply strategic viewpoint, it would make sense to try to get some sort of a ceasefire before the Russians start grabbing significant chunks of territory again.

But the Biden administration will never go for that.

Joe Biden has said over and over again that we will be involved in the war in Ukraine for as long as it takes.

And every day that this war continues, there is more of a chance that someone will push things a bit too far and nukes will start flying.

Before I end this article, there is one more thing that I wanted to share with you.

According to a shocking new survey that was just released, more than 71 percent of Americans have no faith in the U.S. government to save them or prevent a doomsday event

According to a survey of 6,200 Americans conducted by BonusFinder.com, 71.2 percent of Americans say they have no faith in the U.S. government to save them or prevent a doomsday event. Even more unnerving, many respondents believe Doomsday could come within the next year.

I was surprised to see such a high number.

But I think that it accurately reflects what so many people are feeling right now.

The Biden administration really does have us on a highway to disaster, and they have no intention of changing course.

Unfortunately for all of us, if a nuclear war between the United States and Russia does erupt, it will mean the end of our society and billions of people could end up dead.

Read more at: EndOfTheAmericanDream.com
About $20 Million budget is expected to mitigate harmful algal bloom's environmental and economic impacts (HAB). It will help to research and find ways to prevent HABs.

The algal bloom can emerge due to the growth of cyanobacteria affecting the coastal water in the US. Nutrient pollution and warmer temperatures can intensify HABs problem.

The emergence of HABs raised concerns in the US due to the devastating effects on marine ecosystems. The algal blooms can kill fish biodiversity, affecting the food sources and economy.

US Harmful Algal Bloom: How Does it Threaten the Fish System?

Increasing algal blooms can be due to rising temperatures, especially during summer. According to NOAA, it can unleash harmful toxins when they become out of control.

In the US, the HABs are reported in the country. Experts warned of the potential rise and devastating impacts. In the Great Lakes, a recent report showed the concerning deaths of fish due to the algal bloom.

Without efficient mitigation programs, the algal bloom can likely become disastrous. As a result, the latest report showed that NOAA awarded over $ 20 million to help mitigate the occurrence of HABs on the US coast.

Part of the budget will be allocated for hypoxia research and monitoring. Hypoxia can threaten marine ecosystems because it can cause low oxygen conditions.

$114 million will be allocated to the NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.

$6 million will be allocated to the US IOOS Office.

Furthermore, the budget will enhance the forecasting, monitoring and management of the HABs amidst the climate change threats.

NOAA explained that HABs can disrupt the shellfish harvest, commercial fisheries and aquaculture operations. Urgent efforts can prevent damage from HABs, especially in the US coastal areas.

Also Read: Global Impact of Extreme Weather Events: Climate Change Can Intensify Frequent Hurricanes, Drought, Wildfires

Harmful Algal Bloom: Is it Dangerous to Humans?

Recent reports warned of the potential health effects of HABS. The contamination of HABs can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory health risks, especially for people with medical conditions and older adults.

Increasing exposure to toxic algal blooms can make people and pets sick. It can be more life-threatening for pets and aquatic animals. The risks of HABs can be more noticeable during summer and warm weather.

Human illnesses associated with HAB can occur during June and peak reaches in August. In the 2021 report, the algal blooms were detected in at least 16 states in the country.

From the record, there were about 368 HABs reported. The illnesses due to HABs are the following:

117 human illnesses

At least 2,715 animal illnesses

In the case of animals, HAB contamination can show signs of dark urine, vomiting and gastrointestinal infections.

Related Article: Alarming Florida Keys Coral Bleaching: Warm Waters, Rise of Temperatures Impact Corals

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
The latest weather forecast warned that heavy rain could unload in New England, Central Gulf Coast and Great Lakes this week, bringing potential flash flood risk and travel disruptions.

People should watch for the travel dangers associated and flooding. Checking the road conditions is advisable this weekend, especially for motorists with travel plans.

The beginning of October brought much moisture to the US. Tropical Storm Philippe also helped unleash a rainy outlook from Eastern Maine to New England.

Heavy rain Weather in the New England and Central Gulf Coast: What will it impact?

In the latest advisory, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned of the remnants of a tropical storm and cold front impacting parts of New England and the Northeast.

The weather conditions will develop heavy rain, coastal hazards and high surf near the New England Coast. On Sunday, the stormy outlook will reach parts of Atlantic Canada.

The main concern in the Northeast is the flooding. Communities and roads in flood-prone or low-lying areas are at risk of flooding this weekend.

According to the recent forecast, flash flooding and rounds of rain could unload on the weekend in the following areas:

Kingston

Boston

Albany

Halifax

Moncton

Kingston

Montreal

Portland

Boston

Burlington

Buffalo

In addition, residents can anticipate the windy or challenging winds. The strong winds can impact power lines, outdoor equipment and trees. In Eastern Maine, the gusty winds could be noticeable near the coastal areas.

Widespread showers return Saturday into Saturday evening, with the heaviest rainfall across western MA/CT. But mainly light showery conditions for much of RI and SE MA. This system exits later Saturday night followed by blustery and cooler weather on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/gv8fK0QfmS  NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) October 6, 2023

In Boston, the advisory warned of widespread showers and flooding on Saturday. However, the weather will improve in early next week. In Upstate New York, the main concern is the flash flood risks.

The rainy conditions can ease the drought and dry areas in the Northeast. Residents can also experience cooler temperatures.

Weather in the Great Lakes: Cooler outlook and heavy rain

In the Great Lakes, NWS monitored the developments of the frontal systems and upper-level low. A lake-effect showers are expected on the weekend.

In the Northern and Central Plains, the advisory noted of the freeze and frost advisories in the region.

Also Read: Winter Season Forecast: Early Snow, More Severe Weather Risks To Unload in US

Weather in the Western US: Hotter outlook is likely in parts of California

Meanwhile, Western US can experience a shift in weather pattern. The forecast showed that record-highs are likely on the weekend, especially in parts of California. However, the hotter outlook will change next week.

In the October's first week, a major cooldown reported in the Pacific Northwest, Southern Oregon and Western US.

According to forecast, record highs could unload in the following areas:

Las Vegas

Salt Lake City

Boise

San Francisco

Seattle

Portland

Phoenix

In Phoenix, residents suffered from record highs and extreme heat during summer. The arrival of cooler air can ease the heat in the region.

Related Article: Northeastern US Weather: Heavy Rain to Bring Flooding Concerns This Late Week

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News
The analysis of about 75,000 pollen grains by scientists revealed that the oldest footprints found fossilized in New Mexico were actually 21,000 to 23,000 years old, demonstrating that humanity was in North America much earlier than defined in a previous study.

Oldest Footprints in New Mexico Possibly 23,000 Years Old

In 2021, a groundbreaking study unearthed ancient footprints at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, sparking debates about their accuracy. According to previous theories, people first appeared in North America between 13,500 and 16,000 years ago. An extensive follow-up investigation was carried out by a group of scientists, including co-author Jeff Pigati, a research geologist with the USGS, to validate these results.

The reliability of dating techniques was initially questioned by the archaeological community, particularly the claim that humans flourished in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum. However, the researchers' meticulous approach yielded valuable results. They employed two novel techniques to determine the age of the fossilized footprints, some of which resembled distinctly human feet with five toes.

The scientists began by analyzing seeds from the Ruppia cirrhosa plant discovered alongside the fossils. Radiocarbon dating was used, but a potential source of error was the plant's aquatic nature, which could retain carbon from water rather than air. Despite these challenges, their focused methodology ultimately proved successful.

Using 75,000 Pollen Grains Instead

In the new study, radiocarbon dating was applied to conifer pollen found in the same layers as the seeds, offering another line of evidence. Kathleen Springer, a co-author and USGS research geologist, emphasized the importance of testing results using multiple methods. The USGS team remained confident in their original ages due to strong geological, hydrological, and stratigraphic evidence, but they recognized the need for independent chronological validation.

Isolating a substantial 75,000 pollen grains from the same layer, they determined that the pollen's age was statistically identical to that of the Ruppia cirrhosa seeds. Additionally, the researchers used optically stimulated luminescence to date quartz grains in the footprints, revealing a minimum age of approximately 21,500 years.

With three corroborating pieces of evidence, the USGS contends that the age range of 21,000 to 23,000 years is highly unlikely to be incorrect.

Also Read: Cannibalism 15,000 Years Ago Was Common Ritual at Funerals to Dispose of Deceased

Fossilized Footprints at White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Footprints at White Sands have a rich history. Initially discovered in a lakebed in 2006, scientists later unearthed both human and sloth footprints.

In 2018, they found direwolf prints, dating them to 18,000 years by examining nearby ancient seeds. Notably, they also discovered footprints of a female and a toddler in 2018.

These footprints from 2018 provide a captivating narrative that resonates with modern life. They depict a female's journey, spanning nearly a mile, with intermittent toddler footprints beside hers. Evidence suggests she carried the child, shifting them from side to side and occasionally setting them down as they walked. The footprints widened and sank into the mud due to the added weight she bore.

In the 2021 study, the majority of footprints were attributed to teenagers and children, suggesting a division of labor with teenagers performing "fetching and carrying tasks," often accompanied by children.

Related Article: Unusual Ancient Footprints, Child's Shoe from Ice Age Found in Austria
In what could be described as "perfect timing," no birds were harmed when a sizable iceberg struck Clarence Island's two-year-old penguin refuge in Antarctica.

Massive Iceberg on the Loose

A massive iceberg, about half the size of Rhode Island, recently collided with an Antarctic penguin refuge, which was formed two years earlier from a similar collision. This massive tabular berg, known as D-30A, measures approximately 45 miles in length and 12.5 miles in width, being the largest remnant of D-30.

After passing the Antarctic Peninsula, Iceberg D-30A grazed (booped) the much smaller Clarence Island, spun around, and drifted north.



The MODIS sensor on NASAs Aqua satellite captured the image of D-30A on September 6, 2023. https://t.co/vYsKs1JxAc pic.twitter.com/Fd6RfHodbA  NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) October 6, 2023

D-30 was born in June 2021 when its parent berg, D-28, hit land near the Borchgrevink Ice Shelf in eastern Antarctica, splitting into two. D-30A slowly drifted west along the Antarctic coast.

In late 2022, D-30A abruptly changed course and headed for Clarence Island, the easternmost of the South Shetland Islands, despite its much smaller size. It collided with the island's southern coast on September 6, sandwiched the penguin refuge, then spun eastward and eventually departed. Fortunately, the impact caused minimal damage.

Clarence Island and Its Penguin Refuge

Clarence Island hosts a crucial breeding ground for chinstrap penguins, boasting 100,000 breeding pairs each winter. Recent concerns arose when an iceberg collided with the island, potentially impacting this population. Fortunately, timing played in favor of the penguins; they hadn't returned to the colony yet, averting a serious catastrophe.

Heather Lynch, a statistical ecologist from Stony Brook University, emphasized this stroke of luck, highlighting the potential devastation if the collision had occurred a few months later when the penguins were present.

Iceberg collisions with islands can disrupt wildlife significantly, particularly if they become grounded around these isolated landmasses. These ice formations hinder marine creatures from foraging at sea, alter local water temperature and salinity, and obliterate seafloor ecosystems while disturbing the broader food web dynamics. Thankfully, in this case, the penguins escaped a potentially disastrous encounter.

Colliding Icebergs

In late 2020, a major concern arose when the world's largest iceberg, A-68A, seemed poised to collide with South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean, a crucial refuge for penguins and seals. Experts feared it might become grounded, remaining there for years. Miraculously, just in time, the colossal iceberg altered its course, bypassing the island before breaking into several pieces.

Clarence Island's unique seafloor likely played a vital role in preventing a catastrophe, as its depth made it less probable for D-30A to become stuck. Christopher Shuman, a glaciologist from the University of Maryland and NASA's Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory, explained that the eastern side of Clarence Island's sheer drop-off allowed the iceberg to pass through.

Nevertheless, had the iceberg lingered, it could have posed severe problems for nesting penguins. While incubating their eggs, these birds rely on partners to hunt for food. Even a brief disruption in access to the colony could have resulted in a failed breeding season, highlighting the delicate balance of nature.

Also Read: Himalayan Glacier Massive Loss Reaches 65%

The Plus Side

The frightening close encounter may actually be advantageous for the local fauna as a result. According to researchers, as D-30A crossed the island, it likely produced meltwater that was iron-rich and could have helped the local algae population expand.

D-30A currently appears to be traveling through the Drake Passage, also known as "iceberg alley," where enormous icebergs are dragged into warmer waters and drown. The former largest iceberg in the world, A-76A, was first detected in this waterway in November 2022 and eventually disintegrated 1,500 miles further north in June of this year.

Related Article: Is Drinking Raw Iceberg Water Dangerous? 7 Reasons Why Experts Don't Recommend It
We associate the adjective "Hollywood" with something very beautiful and luxurious. A Hollywood smile is certainly healthy white teeth and an absolutely happy look. Hollywood chic is impeccably chosen things that at least look brand new and are combined into a perfect look. Naturally, sooner or later, an approach to cleaning the house that received this "title" had to appear.

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The trend originated on TikTok, where you can find all kinds of life hacks for home care. This approach has one significant drawback: it is effective for the visible side of the interior only. OBOZREVATEL took a closer look.

What is Hollywood cleaning?

The essence of "Hollywood cleaning" is to quickly give a neat look to those things and surfaces that are in plain sight. At the same time, you don't need to practice a major approach to cleaning corners and hidden parts of the room. Therefore, a house that is cleaned according to the Hollywood method can only look clean.

What's wrong with this method

Just as a Hollywood smile is often called insincere because its purpose is to make a fleeting impression, the essence of Hollywood cleaning is to create a presentable picture and nothing more. Adherents of the method clean up visible surfaces, vacuum and wash only the open part of the floor, take care of dishes, fold laundry, and take out the trash. At the same time, they may have a complete mess and even accumulate dirt under furniture, on top shelves, and inside storage systems.

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Why Hollywood cleaning can be useful

Cleaning experts say that any cleaning in the house is already beneficial. Therefore, the Hollywood method can be used quite well. For example, it's great for keeping your home tidy daily.

If you do not want to turn your home into complete chaos with a presentable facade, it is better to practice a combined approach. You take care of your home quickly during the week and then do a deeper cleaning on weekends. Thus, a kitchen where you quickly go over the sink with a damp sponge and wipe the table after washing the dishes may well look clean for 7-10 days, and a shower where you don't wash off foam residues and lime stains with special products can last for 2 weeks.

How to develop the right approach

The right balance can only be calculated taking into account your lifestyle, the size and features of your home, as well as everyone who lives in it, including animals. But the Hollywood method has one advantage beyond any doubt: it is easier to do general cleaning later in a home where it is used daily.

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That's why experts advise not to ignore this approach, even if you don't like its superficiality. A certain amount of daily cleaning won't overwhelm you after work and will reduce the amount of work you need to do on weekends. To optimize the process, you can make a list of daily, weekly, and monthly tasks.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL spoke about a simple three-component home remedy that will help keep the whole house clean.

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Jaison Wilson By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has granted bail to Shahrukh Pathan, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots, in connection with a case relating to causing injuries to several cops and gunshot injury to another man during the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests.

Pathans pictures, in which he was seen aiming a pistol at head constable Deepak Dahiya on February 24, 2020, went viral, and he was slapped with various cases during the riots.

Though he got bail in the present case in which an FIR was registered in Jaffrabad Police Station, which is related to causing injuries to police personnel and gunshot injury to one Rohit Shukla, Pathan will remain in jail as there is another case pending against him for attacking a cop.

Allowing him bail in the present case, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat at Karkardooma courts observed that the court is conscious of the fact that Pathan's conduct before he was arrested and even during trial and during judicial custody has been atrocious.

All other co-accused persons are on bail while he is remaining in judicial custody since April 3, it was noted.

"In the overall facts and circumstances of the case where accused Shahrukh Pathan is in custody since 03.04.2020, the stage of the prosecution evidence,where public witness/injured PW-2 Rohit Shukla has been examined and relevant remaining witnesses are all police officials and all other co-accused persons are on bail, the present bail application of accused Shahrukh Pathan @ Khan is allowed and he is admitted to regular bail on furnishing his personal bond in the sum of Rs 50000 with two local sureties of the like amount subject to the following conditions," the order read.

In May, before the High Court, he had submitted that others in the case got bail while he is the only person behind bars and the 'entire case is a farce.'

According to police, his illegal firearm, a 7.65 mm pistol along with two live rounds, was recovered and several shots had been fired by him. The FIR in the gun-waving case was registered under various Sections of the IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act. In December 2021, the trial court framed charges against Pathan and other accused in the FIR.

ALSO READ | NewsClick case: Police FIR names lawyer Gautam Bhatia, cites his 'legal defence' for Xiaomi and Vivo

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NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has granted bail to Shahrukh Pathan, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots, in connection with a case relating to causing injuries to several cops and gunshot injury to another man during the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests. Pathans pictures, in which he was seen aiming a pistol at head constable Deepak Dahiya on February 24, 2020, went viral, and he was slapped with various cases during the riots. Though he got bail in the present case in which an FIR was registered in Jaffrabad Police Station, which is related to causing injuries to police personnel and gunshot injury to one Rohit Shukla, Pathan will remain in jail as there is another case pending against him for attacking a cop.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Allowing him bail in the present case, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat at Karkardooma courts observed that the court is conscious of the fact that Pathan's conduct before he was arrested and even during trial and during judicial custody has been atrocious. All other co-accused persons are on bail while he is remaining in judicial custody since April 3, it was noted. "In the overall facts and circumstances of the case where accused Shahrukh Pathan is in custody since 03.04.2020, the stage of the prosecution evidence,where public witness/injured PW-2 Rohit Shukla has been examined and relevant remaining witnesses are all police officials and all other co-accused persons are on bail, the present bail application of accused Shahrukh Pathan @ Khan is allowed and he is admitted to regular bail on furnishing his personal bond in the sum of Rs 50000 with two local sureties of the like amount subject to the following conditions," the order read. In May, before the High Court, he had submitted that others in the case got bail while he is the only person behind bars and the 'entire case is a farce.' According to police, his illegal firearm, a 7.65 mm pistol along with two live rounds, was recovered and several shots had been fired by him. The FIR in the gun-waving case was registered under various Sections of the IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act. In December 2021, the trial court framed charges against Pathan and other accused in the FIR. ALSO READ | NewsClick case: Police FIR names lawyer Gautam Bhatia, cites his 'legal defence' for Xiaomi and Vivo Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By Express News Service

GUWAHATI/KOLKATA: Three days after the tragedy struck the Himalayan state there is no trace of at least 103 people, including some Army personnel. Army and NDRF teams, both on foot and in boats, have recovered 25 bodies including seven army men from the slush and debris of the flash flood which swept through Sikkims Teesta river, officials said on Friday.

The flood was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday. Officials said some 2,413 people have been rescued and are in shelters. After visiting some affected areas, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang quoting from a report released by the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority said 3,000 tourists and more than 800 drivers continued to remain stranded, but they were safe.

It is a massive disaster, not just for the state but also for the country, Tamang said, adding damage could be worth thousands of crores of rupees. He said a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs would visit the state to assess the damage while the state government would form a technical committee by drawing dam experts, scientists and environmentalists and find out what the state should do in the future.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the search for the missing Indian Army personnel continued. Meanwhile, a seven-year-old boy was killed while six others of his family were injured in a mortar explosion in West Bengals Jalpaiguri on Thursday evening. The mortar  part of the Indian Armys ammunition  was swept away by the Teesta. The river flows down into Bengal before entering Bangladesh. The victim was identified as Sahinur Alam.

Land sinking threat looms over Himachal

As the monsoon fury ends in Himachal Pradesh, 201 villages in the state face the threat of land subsidence or sudden sinking. Sources said land subsidence has taken place across the state with the highest in Solan district (51 villages) followed by Mandi (46) and Chamba (43).

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GUWAHATI/KOLKATA: Three days after the tragedy struck the Himalayan state there is no trace of at least 103 people, including some Army personnel. Army and NDRF teams, both on foot and in boats, have recovered 25 bodies including seven army men from the slush and debris of the flash flood which swept through Sikkims Teesta river, officials said on Friday. The flood was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday. Officials said some 2,413 people have been rescued and are in shelters. After visiting some affected areas, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang quoting from a report released by the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority said 3,000 tourists and more than 800 drivers continued to remain stranded, but they were safe. It is a massive disaster, not just for the state but also for the country, Tamang said, adding damage could be worth thousands of crores of rupees. He said a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs would visit the state to assess the damage while the state government would form a technical committee by drawing dam experts, scientists and environmentalists and find out what the state should do in the future.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the search for the missing Indian Army personnel continued. Meanwhile, a seven-year-old boy was killed while six others of his family were injured in a mortar explosion in West Bengals Jalpaiguri on Thursday evening. The mortar  part of the Indian Armys ammunition  was swept away by the Teesta. The river flows down into Bengal before entering Bangladesh. The victim was identified as Sahinur Alam. Land sinking threat looms over Himachal As the monsoon fury ends in Himachal Pradesh, 201 villages in the state face the threat of land subsidence or sudden sinking. Sources said land subsidence has taken place across the state with the highest in Solan district (51 villages) followed by Mandi (46) and Chamba (43). Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By PTI

MUMBAI: In light of the recent death of several patients at state-run hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday termed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state Health Minister Tanaji Sawant as "incompetent" and asked why the duo should not be sacked.

In a post on the social media platform 'X', Thackeray compared the work done in the health sector during his father Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as the chief minister with that of the present "illegal" regime.

"After his (chief minister's) home district of Thane, overnight infant and patient deaths were reported in Nanded, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur. The health minister is shamelessly absent," Aaditya said.

Thirty-one patients, including infants, died at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded in 48 hours since September 30, while the death of 18 patients was recorded at the Government Medical College and Hospital at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar between October 2 and 3.

Eighteen patients had died in 24 hours in a government-run hospital in Thane last month.

Aaditya claimed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had asked hospitals to create wards for coronavirus-infected women to deliver babies.

Newborns and infants were looked after by teams if they had contracted the infection, he said, adding that the government had also constituted a paediatric task force for children with COVID-19.

During the covid pandemic, Uddhav Thackeray ji (as CM) had asked hospitals to create wards for covid births- women with covid delivering babies- so that the newborns were safe.



Newborns and infants were looked after by teams if they had covid and when they went to govt/ private pic.twitter.com/Cm5PNvVX1w  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) October 7, 2023

"And today, this illegal regime's unconstitutional CM has no time to even visit the Nanded hospital," Aaditya said.

"The illegal CM was busy rushing to Delhi for his selfish purposes of guardian ministry/cabinet expansion, but has no time for the health sector that's collapsing in Maharashtra due to the government's corruption. The health minister is shamelessly absent," he wrote.

"Shouldn't the incompetent CM and health minister be sacked?" he said.

Uddhav Thackeray on Friday attacked the Shinde-led government over the death of several patients in some state-run hospitals in a short span of time, alleging that people were losing lives due to its corrupt governance.

He also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the lack of medicines at government-run hospitals.

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MUMBAI: In light of the recent death of several patients at state-run hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday termed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state Health Minister Tanaji Sawant as "incompetent" and asked why the duo should not be sacked. In a post on the social media platform 'X', Thackeray compared the work done in the health sector during his father Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as the chief minister with that of the present "illegal" regime. "After his (chief minister's) home district of Thane, overnight infant and patient deaths were reported in Nanded, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur. The health minister is shamelessly absent," Aaditya said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Thirty-one patients, including infants, died at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded in 48 hours since September 30, while the death of 18 patients was recorded at the Government Medical College and Hospital at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar between October 2 and 3. Eighteen patients had died in 24 hours in a government-run hospital in Thane last month. Aaditya claimed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had asked hospitals to create wards for coronavirus-infected women to deliver babies. Newborns and infants were looked after by teams if they had contracted the infection, he said, adding that the government had also constituted a paediatric task force for children with COVID-19. During the covid pandemic, Uddhav Thackeray ji (as CM) had asked hospitals to create wards for covid births- women with covid delivering babies- so that the newborns were safe. Newborns and infants were looked after by teams if they had covid and when they went to govt/ private pic.twitter.com/Cm5PNvVX1w  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) October 7, 2023 "And today, this illegal regime's unconstitutional CM has no time to even visit the Nanded hospital," Aaditya said. "The illegal CM was busy rushing to Delhi for his selfish purposes of guardian ministry/cabinet expansion, but has no time for the health sector that's collapsing in Maharashtra due to the government's corruption. The health minister is shamelessly absent," he wrote. "Shouldn't the incompetent CM and health minister be sacked?" he said. Uddhav Thackeray on Friday attacked the Shinde-led government over the death of several patients in some state-run hospitals in a short span of time, alleging that people were losing lives due to its corrupt governance. He also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the lack of medicines at government-run hospitals. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By Express News Service

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday rendered a significant verdict in the case involving the gang rape and murder of a 21-year-old college student that occurred in Kamduni, North 24 Parganas that shocked West Bengal a decade ago.

The High Court acquitted one individual who had initially been sentenced to capital punishment and commuted the death sentences of two others to life imprisonment.

Initially, a Barasat (lower) court had imposed the death penalty on three of the convicts and sentenced three others to life imprisonment for their roles in the horrifying incident, which unfolded on June 7, 2013, when the victim was returning home after completing an examination on a rainy day.

In response to the High Courts decision, the state government has decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court. The emotional impact of the verdict was palpable, as the victims brother fell unconscious on the court premises upon hearing the news.

In 2016, a lower court had handed down the death penalty to Amin Ali, Saiful Ali, and Ansar Ali, while Imanul Islam, Aminul Islam, and Bhola Naskar received life imprisonment sentences. The division bench, composed of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Ajay Kumar Gupta, acquitted Amin Ali and converted the death sentences of Saiful and Ansar to life imprisonment.

Furthermore, the bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest and that their convictions carry a maximum sentence of seven years, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each.

The family members of the victim expressed their dissatisfaction with the High Courts decision, with one of the victims two brothers voicing their concerns, stating, We are concerned about our security as three of the accused have been acquitted by the court. The incident in 2013 shook the state and Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, had visited the area and met the victims family members. She had also promised exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.

Guilty of criminal conspiracy

The bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each.

Whats the case

June 7, 2013: Victims brothers discover the body near a fishery

June 8, 2013: Post-mortem confirms gangrape, murder

January 28, 2016: Additional sessions judge in Barasat hands out death sentence to three of the accused and life imprisonment to three others.

October 6, 2023: Calcutta HC acquits a death sentence awardee and commutes the death sentence of two others to life imprisonment.

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KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday rendered a significant verdict in the case involving the gang rape and murder of a 21-year-old college student that occurred in Kamduni, North 24 Parganas that shocked West Bengal a decade ago. The High Court acquitted one individual who had initially been sentenced to capital punishment and commuted the death sentences of two others to life imprisonment. Initially, a Barasat (lower) court had imposed the death penalty on three of the convicts and sentenced three others to life imprisonment for their roles in the horrifying incident, which unfolded on June 7, 2013, when the victim was returning home after completing an examination on a rainy day.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In response to the High Courts decision, the state government has decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court. The emotional impact of the verdict was palpable, as the victims brother fell unconscious on the court premises upon hearing the news. In 2016, a lower court had handed down the death penalty to Amin Ali, Saiful Ali, and Ansar Ali, while Imanul Islam, Aminul Islam, and Bhola Naskar received life imprisonment sentences. The division bench, composed of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Ajay Kumar Gupta, acquitted Amin Ali and converted the death sentences of Saiful and Ansar to life imprisonment. Furthermore, the bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest and that their convictions carry a maximum sentence of seven years, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each. The family members of the victim expressed their dissatisfaction with the High Courts decision, with one of the victims two brothers voicing their concerns, stating, We are concerned about our security as three of the accused have been acquitted by the court. The incident in 2013 shook the state and Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, had visited the area and met the victims family members. She had also promised exemplary punishment for the perpetrators. Guilty of criminal conspiracy The bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each. Whats the case June 7, 2013: Victims brothers discover the body near a fishery June 8, 2013: Post-mortem confirms gangrape, murder January 28, 2016: Additional sessions judge in Barasat hands out death sentence to three of the accused and life imprisonment to three others. October 6, 2023: Calcutta HC acquits a death sentence awardee and commutes the death sentence of two others to life imprisonment. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Mukesh Ranjan By

Express News Service

RANCHI: Stressing that the Maoists are on the verge of extinction in Jharkhand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren during a review meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday, urged centre to continue its support so that the rebels could be completely uprooted from the State.

Maoists have reduced to an extent in Jharkhand, in order to prevent them from strengthening its roots again, it is essential that the deputation of central paramilitary forces should be continued in the state, said CM Hemant Soren. The tenure of IG, CRPF in the state should be extended for at least 3 more years,

he added.

Further adding that the anti-Maoist campaign has been intensified in the state; Soren said that efforts are also being made to win the trust of villagers in remote areas by establishing communication with them under the community policing program in Maoist affected areas.

Under Psy-Ops, the real face of extremists is being exposed before the villagers, he said. According to Soren, Jharkhand has achieved unexpected success in this multi-dimensional campaign being run against extremist organizations. The area of Maoist Influence is continuously decreasing and now their scope is limited to a few areas of the state.

Giving an account of the action taken against the Maoists in Jharkhand, Soren said that a total of 762 Maoists have been arrested since January 2022 last year, while 20 others, including two Special Area Committee (SAC) members, were gunned down and 37 Maoists have surrendered before the police.

Soren, however, admitted that 90 Maoist incidents took place in 2022 and 97 such incidents took place till August this year.

The Chief Minister also urged the center to continue reimbursement of the funds for using helicopters for anti-Maoist operations under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) head. He informed that an objection was lodged by the Home Ministry in reimbursement of expenses for the period 2018-2022.

I request that this amount should be paid from SRE head and the requirement of prior approval from the empowered committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India should be removed, said Soren.

CM Soren also informed that five organizations of CPI (M) -- Krantikari Kisan Committee, Nari Mukti Sangh, Jharkhand A-One Group, Jharkhand Cultural Forum, Mazdoor Sangathan Samiti, have been banned by the state government. Besides that, other organisations that are secretly supporting the militants and are becoming a hindrance in the eradication of extremism or development of the state are being monitored closely.

The Chief Minister said that as many as 48 security camps have been established since January 2020 in the highly Maoist-affected areas like -- Seraikela-Chaibasa-Khunti-Ranchi border areas, Budha Pahar, Kolhan and Parasnath areas

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RANCHI: Stressing that the Maoists are on the verge of extinction in Jharkhand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren during a review meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday, urged centre to continue its support so that the rebels could be completely uprooted from the State. Maoists have reduced to an extent in Jharkhand, in order to prevent them from strengthening its roots again, it is essential that the deputation of central paramilitary forces should be continued in the state, said CM Hemant Soren. The tenure of IG, CRPF in the state should be extended for at least 3 more years, he added. Further adding that the anti-Maoist campaign has been intensified in the state; Soren said that efforts are also being made to win the trust of villagers in remote areas by establishing communication with them under the community policing program in Maoist affected areas. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Under Psy-Ops, the real face of extremists is being exposed before the villagers, he said. According to Soren, Jharkhand has achieved unexpected success in this multi-dimensional campaign being run against extremist organizations. The area of Maoist Influence is continuously decreasing and now their scope is limited to a few areas of the state. Giving an account of the action taken against the Maoists in Jharkhand, Soren said that a total of 762 Maoists have been arrested since January 2022 last year, while 20 others, including two Special Area Committee (SAC) members, were gunned down and 37 Maoists have surrendered before the police. Soren, however, admitted that 90 Maoist incidents took place in 2022 and 97 such incidents took place till August this year. The Chief Minister also urged the center to continue reimbursement of the funds for using helicopters for anti-Maoist operations under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) head. He informed that an objection was lodged by the Home Ministry in reimbursement of expenses for the period 2018-2022. I request that this amount should be paid from SRE head and the requirement of prior approval from the empowered committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India should be removed, said Soren. CM Soren also informed that five organizations of CPI (M) -- Krantikari Kisan Committee, Nari Mukti Sangh, Jharkhand A-One Group, Jharkhand Cultural Forum, Mazdoor Sangathan Samiti, have been banned by the state government. Besides that, other organisations that are secretly supporting the militants and are becoming a hindrance in the eradication of extremism or development of the state are being monitored closely. The Chief Minister said that as many as 48 security camps have been established since January 2020 in the highly Maoist-affected areas like -- Seraikela-Chaibasa-Khunti-Ranchi border areas, Budha Pahar, Kolhan and Parasnath areas Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Jaison Wilson By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments on a plea against the announcement of distribution of freebies ahead of elections.

Seeking the responses of the plea which alleged that taxpayers monies are misused by the two state governments to lure voters, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud also issued notices to the Centre, the Election Commission and the Reserve Bank of India.

There can be nothing more atrocious than the government distributing cash before the polls, the petitioners counsel argued before the bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

It also tagged the plea along with an earlier case of Advocate and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyays plea which raised the issue of election freebies.

In his plea, petitioner Bhattulal Jain submitted that the financial situation of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh is bad, as evidenced by the reports of the RBI, however, the Chief Ministers of these states have announced cash benefits a few months ahead of the assembly elections, which are due the end of this year.

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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments on a plea against the announcement of distribution of freebies ahead of elections. Seeking the responses of the plea which alleged that taxpayers monies are misused by the two state governments to lure voters, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud also issued notices to the Centre, the Election Commission and the Reserve Bank of India. There can be nothing more atrocious than the government distributing cash before the polls, the petitioners counsel argued before the bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. It also tagged the plea along with an earlier case of Advocate and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyays plea which raised the issue of election freebies.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In his plea, petitioner Bhattulal Jain submitted that the financial situation of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh is bad, as evidenced by the reports of the RBI, however, the Chief Ministers of these states have announced cash benefits a few months ahead of the assembly elections, which are due the end of this year. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Preetha Nair By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A day after Prime Minister Modi invoked the delimitation issue, linking it with Rahul Gandhis campaign on the reservation, the Congress said the statement exposed the PMs double standard on the issue.

At a recent election rally in Telangana, Modi demanded that the Congress clarify whether rights can be given in proportion to the population, and asserted that poor people have the first right over the countrys resources. Referring to the delimitation exercise due in 2026, Modi said that the southern states are set to lose 100 seats and Congress slogan will hurt the south.

In the next delimitation, the number of Lok Sabha seats will be decided on the basis of population. If the population is less, the number of Lok Sabha seats will go down. As the southern states have achieved their target in population control, they will lose out heavily if the Congress new slogan of rights in proportion to population is implemented, he said.

Speaking to this newspaper, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said that linking delimitation with reservation for OBCs is like comparing apples to oranges. This is the usual Modi style to confuse facts. The PM is an expert on this. Gandhi raised the issue of reservation in jobs for OBCs. Modi doesnt want to address the issue of OBC reservation and he doesnt want to increase the share, said Tagore.

Several opposition leaders from southern states have expressed concerns over the 2026 delimitation exercise as they are bound to lose representation in Lok Sabha. The Congress Working Committee that is meeting on October 9 may discuss the delimitation issue. After the Bihar caste survey was released last week, the Opposition and some NDA allies have been pushing for a caste census across the country.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been consistently raising the slogan Jitni aabadi, utna haq, during his campaigns in the five poll-bound states. The Congress leader asserted that the PMs remarks would not hurt the Congress in the upcoming elections. Southern states are far ahead in terms of literacy than other states in India. They understand that Gandhi has spoken about delimitation and not about reservation, Tagore said, adding the PMs assertions are devoid of logic and facts.

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NEW DELHI: A day after Prime Minister Modi invoked the delimitation issue, linking it with Rahul Gandhis campaign on the reservation, the Congress said the statement exposed the PMs double standard on the issue. At a recent election rally in Telangana, Modi demanded that the Congress clarify whether rights can be given in proportion to the population, and asserted that poor people have the first right over the countrys resources. Referring to the delimitation exercise due in 2026, Modi said that the southern states are set to lose 100 seats and Congress slogan will hurt the south. In the next delimitation, the number of Lok Sabha seats will be decided on the basis of population. If the population is less, the number of Lok Sabha seats will go down. As the southern states have achieved their target in population control, they will lose out heavily if the Congress new slogan of rights in proportion to population is implemented, he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Speaking to this newspaper, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said that linking delimitation with reservation for OBCs is like comparing apples to oranges. This is the usual Modi style to confuse facts. The PM is an expert on this. Gandhi raised the issue of reservation in jobs for OBCs. Modi doesnt want to address the issue of OBC reservation and he doesnt want to increase the share, said Tagore. Several opposition leaders from southern states have expressed concerns over the 2026 delimitation exercise as they are bound to lose representation in Lok Sabha. The Congress Working Committee that is meeting on October 9 may discuss the delimitation issue. After the Bihar caste survey was released last week, the Opposition and some NDA allies have been pushing for a caste census across the country. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been consistently raising the slogan Jitni aabadi, utna haq, during his campaigns in the five poll-bound states. The Congress leader asserted that the PMs remarks would not hurt the Congress in the upcoming elections. Southern states are far ahead in terms of literacy than other states in India. They understand that Gandhi has spoken about delimitation and not about reservation, Tagore said, adding the PMs assertions are devoid of logic and facts. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Dilip Singh Kshatriya By

Express News Service

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government has been saying the government is working hard to educate poor and scheduled caste girls, but the state has not built even a single hostel or residential school for Scheduled Caste (SC) girls in the last three years.

The Gujarat government has stated in the Legislative Assembly that not a single New Government hostel or Adarsh Nivashi Kanya School (Ideal Residential School for Girls) for SC girls has been built in Gujarat in the last three years.

This is despite the fact that there is not a single government hostel or an Adarsh Nivashi Kanya School for SC girls in 10 districts in Gujarat. According to the Gujarat government, there are 32 government hostels for SC girls running in 33 districts, whereas there are only 12 Ideal Residential Schools. Adarsh residential schools assist children to pursue post-primary education.

These schools offer fully free education and lodging to students. On September 14, in response to a question from Congress MLA Vimal Chudasma, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment stated The state has built no new girls government hostels or Ideal Residential Schools for Scheduled Caste Girls in the three years.

According to government data, there is not a single government SC girls hostel or SC girls ideal residential school in Gujarat districts such as Bharuch, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Dwarka, Morbi, and SabarKantha.

Gujarat Congress scheduled caste (SC) Dept Chairman Hitendra Pithadiya alleged that In the budget allocated to the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, negligible budget is used for education. All other things are done in the name of the budget for SC education. As the Samaras hostel was built in Gujarat, it was built from the budget allocated to Dalits.

The government most likely does not know or does not want to reveal how many Dalits are studying in the Samaras hostel built with Dalit funds, he added Pithadiya asked a question and stated The government does not give a dedicated budget to Dalits and the budget it gives is used in other ways like they use for Samaras hostel, so how can the government build ideal residential schools or government hostels for Dalit girls in three years? On March 2023 31, 1,554 scheduled caste girls were in government hostels, while 1,170 girls were studying in ideal girls schools.

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AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government has been saying the government is working hard to educate poor and scheduled caste girls, but the state has not built even a single hostel or residential school for Scheduled Caste (SC) girls in the last three years. The Gujarat government has stated in the Legislative Assembly that not a single New Government hostel or Adarsh Nivashi Kanya School (Ideal Residential School for Girls) for SC girls has been built in Gujarat in the last three years. This is despite the fact that there is not a single government hostel or an Adarsh Nivashi Kanya School for SC girls in 10 districts in Gujarat. According to the Gujarat government, there are 32 government hostels for SC girls running in 33 districts, whereas there are only 12 Ideal Residential Schools. Adarsh residential schools assist children to pursue post-primary education.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); These schools offer fully free education and lodging to students. On September 14, in response to a question from Congress MLA Vimal Chudasma, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment stated The state has built no new girls government hostels or Ideal Residential Schools for Scheduled Caste Girls in the three years. According to government data, there is not a single government SC girls hostel or SC girls ideal residential school in Gujarat districts such as Bharuch, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Dwarka, Morbi, and SabarKantha. Gujarat Congress scheduled caste (SC) Dept Chairman Hitendra Pithadiya alleged that In the budget allocated to the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, negligible budget is used for education. All other things are done in the name of the budget for SC education. As the Samaras hostel was built in Gujarat, it was built from the budget allocated to Dalits. The government most likely does not know or does not want to reveal how many Dalits are studying in the Samaras hostel built with Dalit funds, he added Pithadiya asked a question and stated The government does not give a dedicated budget to Dalits and the budget it gives is used in other ways like they use for Samaras hostel, so how can the government build ideal residential schools or government hostels for Dalit girls in three years? On March 2023 31, 1,554 scheduled caste girls were in government hostels, while 1,170 girls were studying in ideal girls schools. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Ukraine's Armed Forces repelled enemy attacks in six areas. Ukrainian soldiers are also advancing in the Melitopol and Bakhmut directions.

ADVERTISIMENT

This is reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There were 28 combat engagements during the day.

Russia continues to wage a war of aggression. Despite significant losses, it has not abandoned its plans to fully occupy our territory.

The enemy continues to ignore the laws and customs of war and uses terror tactics, strikes and shells both on military and civilian objects, which unfortunately results in civilian casualties.

Over the last day, 28 combat engagements took place. The enemy launched 2 missile and 57 air strikes and fired 43 times from multiple launch rocket systems at the positions of our troops and populated areas.

The Russian Federation also struck Ukraine with 33 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs. Ukrainian Air Defense Forces and other means destroyed 25 enemy drones.

ADVERTISIMENT

Unfortunately, Russian terrorist attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and injuries. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

The operational situation in eastern and southern Ukraine remains difficult.

The situation has not changed significantly In the Volyn and Polissia directions. There are no signs of offensive groups forming.

Some units of the Armed Forces of Belarus are performing tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine.

The enemy maintains the military presence in the border areas, continues shelling settlements from the territory of the Russian Federation, and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine in the Siversky and Slobozhansk directions.

ADVERTISIMENT

More than 15 settlements came under enemy artillery and mortar fire, including Vovkivka, Stepove, Novodmytrivka, and Popivka in the Sumy region; Vovchansk, Hatyshche, and Zemlianky in the Kharkiv region.

Our defenders repelled enemy attacks near the towns of Synkivka and Ivanivka in the Kharkiv region In the Kupiansk direction. The enemy launched air strikes near Podoly, Ivanivka, Synkivka, and Petropavlivka in the Kharkiv region.

Artillery and mortar attacks by the enemy were carried out near more than 15 settlements, including Kamianka, Dvorichna, Berestove, Kyslivka, and Ivanivka in the Kharkiv region.

ADVERTISIMENT

Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled five enemy attacks in the area east of Makiivka, Luhansk region, in the Lyman direction. The enemy launched air strikes in the vicinity of Pisky-Radkivski in the Kharkiv region, Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region and Spirne and Vesele in the Donetsk region.

More than 10 localities suffered from artillery and mortar shelling, including Nevske and Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region and Spirne and Rozdolivka in the Donetsk region.

The enemy unsuccessfully tried to regain lost ground in the area south of Andriivka, Donetsk region, in the Bakhmut direction. He carried out air strikes in the vicinity of Klishchiivka and Andriivka in the Donetsk region.

ADVERTISIMENT

More than 15 localities came under artillery and mortar fire, including Khromove, Hodyn Yar, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka in the Donetsk region.

The enemy launched an air strike in the area of Avdiivka in the Avdiivka direction. About 10 localities came under enemy artillery and mortar fire, including Avdiivka, Pivnichne and Pervomaiske in the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian troops successfully repelled about 10 enemy attacks in the areas of Marinka and Novomykhailivka in the Maryinka direction over the last day. The enemy launched air strikes near Novomykhailivka and Kostiantynivka.

ADVERTISIMENT

About 10 settlements were under occupants' fire, including Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Peremoha and Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region.

Our defenders repelled enemy attacks near Vuhledar, Zolota Nyva, Staromaiorske in the Donetsk region and north of Pryiutne in the Zaporizhzhia region in the Shakhtarsk direction.

The occupants launched an air strike near the village of Vodiane. More than 10 localities came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vodiane, Vuhledar, Urozhaine, and Storozhove in the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully repelled enemy attacks in the area north-east of Novoprokopivka in the Zaporizhzhia direction. The occupants launched an air strike near Mala Tokmachka.

ADVERTISIMENT

More than 20 settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Poltavka, Huliaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne, Piatykhatky, and Kamianske in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Antonivka and Kherson came under hostile artillery and mortar fire in the Kherson direction.

At the same time, AFU continues to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol and Bakhmut directions, inflicting losses on the occupation forces in manpower and equipment and depleting the enemy along the entire front line.

During the day, the aviation of the defense forces carried out 11 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment and 3 strikes on enemy anti-aircraft missile systems.

ADVERTISIMENT

The missile troops destroyed 1 control center, 1 air defense system, 6 artillery units, 1 personnel concentration area and 1 enemy electronic warfare station.

As OBOZREVATEL wrote:

- On the night of October 6, the occupation forces attacked Ukraine with Shahed drones again. In particular, the enemy hit the infrastructure of the Danube region, damaging a grain storage facility.

- In total, the enemy launched 33 attack UAVs, and the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces destroyed 25 targets.

Only verified information is available on Obozrevatel Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Ujwal Jalali By

Express News Service

waNEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has accused NewsClick founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha and others of being involved in anti-India propaganda using Chinese funds. NewsClick responded to the charges by calling them untenable and bogus.

The FIR, registered on August 17 under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, says that since April 2018, funds in crores of rupees were received by NewsClick through illegal means during a span of five years from Neville Roy Singham, a resident of Shanghai in China, who is an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China.

READ MORE | NewsClick: Delhi HC seeks police response on 'missing grounds for arrest' in remand application

The police said Purkayastha and others used the funds for activities that were against the countrys sovereignty. NewsClick has said in a statement that it has not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. Further, NewsClick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever.

A perusal of NewsClicks coverage, which is freely available online, should be sufficient to indicate the veracity of NewsClicks claims. The completely absurd nature of allegations in the FIR clearly shows that the proceedings initiated against NewsClick are nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India.

The NewsClick has moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the First Information Report as well as release of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty. The court has issued notice in the petitions and listed them for hearing on Monday.

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waNEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has accused NewsClick founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha and others of being involved in anti-India propaganda using Chinese funds. NewsClick responded to the charges by calling them untenable and bogus. The FIR, registered on August 17 under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, says that since April 2018, funds in crores of rupees were received by NewsClick through illegal means during a span of five years from Neville Roy Singham, a resident of Shanghai in China, who is an active member of the propaganda department of the Communist Party of China. READ MORE | NewsClick: Delhi HC seeks police response on 'missing grounds for arrest' in remand applicationgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The police said Purkayastha and others used the funds for activities that were against the countrys sovereignty. NewsClick has said in a statement that it has not received any funding or instructions from China or Chinese entities. Further, NewsClick has never committed or sought to encourage violence, secession or any illegal act in any manner whatsoever. A perusal of NewsClicks coverage, which is freely available online, should be sufficient to indicate the veracity of NewsClicks claims. The completely absurd nature of allegations in the FIR clearly shows that the proceedings initiated against NewsClick are nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India. The NewsClick has moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the First Information Report as well as release of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakraborty. The court has issued notice in the petitions and listed them for hearing on Monday. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh is actively initiating development projects ahead of the announcement of election dates by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the subsequent enforcement of the model code of conduct for assembly polls.

With an eye on securing another term in power, the BJP government recently dedicated and laid the foundation for projects valued at Rs 53,000 crore across the state. During a state-level event in Bhopal, Chief Minister Chouhan disclosed that these projects included four significant endeavours totaling Rs 9,500 crore for Bhopal and its neighbouring districts.

In his own assembly segment of Budhni in Sehore district, Chouhan performed Bhoomi-Pujan and inaugurated construction and development projects exceeding Rs 334 crore. Similar ceremonies took place in various gram panchayats, including Budhni, Rehti, Shahganj, and Bherunda.

Furthermore, Chief Minister Chouhan facilitated the disbursement of Rs 219 crore as grants to beneficiaries of the PM Ujwala Yojana and non-Ujwala Ladli Behna Yojana, ensuring they can purchase cooking gas cylinders at a subsidized rate of Rs 450 each.

Notably, these initiatives transpired just two days after the state government announced a 35% quota for women in direct government department recruitment, excluding the forest department. In Ujjain, Chouhan inaugurated projects worth Rs 242.35 crore, marking the second phase of the Mahakal Lok temple corridor expansion.

This expansion extended the Mahakal Temple premises from 2.87 hectares to 47 hectares, encompassing features such as the Neelkanth Forest, green area development, sales space, landscape plaza, and modern Jan Suvidha Kendras. The newly constructed Anna Kshetra, the countrys largest, will provide food to one lakh devotees daily.

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BHOPAL: The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh is actively initiating development projects ahead of the announcement of election dates by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the subsequent enforcement of the model code of conduct for assembly polls. With an eye on securing another term in power, the BJP government recently dedicated and laid the foundation for projects valued at Rs 53,000 crore across the state. During a state-level event in Bhopal, Chief Minister Chouhan disclosed that these projects included four significant endeavours totaling Rs 9,500 crore for Bhopal and its neighbouring districts. In his own assembly segment of Budhni in Sehore district, Chouhan performed Bhoomi-Pujan and inaugurated construction and development projects exceeding Rs 334 crore. Similar ceremonies took place in various gram panchayats, including Budhni, Rehti, Shahganj, and Bherunda.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Furthermore, Chief Minister Chouhan facilitated the disbursement of Rs 219 crore as grants to beneficiaries of the PM Ujwala Yojana and non-Ujwala Ladli Behna Yojana, ensuring they can purchase cooking gas cylinders at a subsidized rate of Rs 450 each. Notably, these initiatives transpired just two days after the state government announced a 35% quota for women in direct government department recruitment, excluding the forest department. In Ujjain, Chouhan inaugurated projects worth Rs 242.35 crore, marking the second phase of the Mahakal Lok temple corridor expansion. This expansion extended the Mahakal Temple premises from 2.87 hectares to 47 hectares, encompassing features such as the Neelkanth Forest, green area development, sales space, landscape plaza, and modern Jan Suvidha Kendras. The newly constructed Anna Kshetra, the countrys largest, will provide food to one lakh devotees daily. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed solidarity with Israel after Hamas militants launched an attack on the country.

Modi condemned it as "terrorist attacks" in Israel as its leader Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is at war.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," Modi said.

A surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza at daybreak killed at least 22 Israelis on Saturday even as Prime Minister Netanyahu declared "war" and said his country would extract an "unprecedented price" from its enemy.

ALSO READ | International community condemns Hamas attack on Israel; Iran, Hezbollah support Palestine

Israel's national rescue service said at least 22 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the Hamas military incursion, making the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years.

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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed solidarity with Israel after Hamas militants launched an attack on the country. Modi condemned it as "terrorist attacks" in Israel as its leader Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is at war. "Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," Modi said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza at daybreak killed at least 22 Israelis on Saturday even as Prime Minister Netanyahu declared "war" and said his country would extract an "unprecedented price" from its enemy. ALSO READ | International community condemns Hamas attack on Israel; Iran, Hezbollah support Palestine Israel's national rescue service said at least 22 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the Hamas military incursion, making the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to put a stay on further publication of data related to caste survey by the Bihar government, saying it cannot stop any government from taking a policy decision. Asserting that the top court is not staying anything at the moment, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti adjourned a batch of pleas against the Bihar government for January next year.

The top court also issued a formal notice on petitions against the August 1 order of the Patna High Court that allowed the state government to go ahead with the caste survey. We are not staying anything at this moment. We cannot stop the state government or any government from making a policy decision. That would be wrong We are going to examine the other issue, regarding the power of the state government to conduct this exercise, the top court said.

The petitioners had approached the top court seeking a complete stay on further publication of data. The bench also rejected their submission that the state government has already published some data pre-empting a stay. During the hearing, senior advocate Aprajita Singh, representing the petitioners, argued that there is a breach of privacy in the matter and that the High Court order was wrong.

However, the bench said that since the name and other identities of no individual have been published, the argument that there was a breach of privacy may not be correct. The important issue for consideration of the court is breakdown of data and its availability to the public, it said.

Setting in motion the much-talked-about caste census (actually a survey) in Bihar on October 2, the Nitish Kumar government released the caste data months ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections.

It involved door-to-door surveys and covered 12.70 crore people divided among 204 castes across 38 districts of the state.

The exercise was carried out in two phases  the first from January to April involving the counting of the households and the second from April to May 31, where information on the caste, skill, income and religion of the individuals was collected. The whole exercise was carried out at an estimated cost of about Rs 500 crore.

The survey report will be made public in June. The data revealed that OBCs and EBCs constitute a whopping 63 per cent of the states total population, with Extremely Backward Classes at 36 per cent and Other Backward Classes at 27.13 per cent.

SC observations
Express News Service

NEW DELHI: UNICEF has withdrawn its policy brief on the age of consent in adolescents following objections by the National Commission on Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which had claimed that its interpretation of the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) was misleading.

Enfold Proactive Health Trust, UNFPA and UNICEF had jointly published the policy brief in 2022. In the policy brief, they had said that consensual sexual acts involving adolescents above 16 years of age should be decriminalised.

After NCPCR flagged the policy brief Implication of the POCSO Act in India on Adolescent Sexuality, UNICEF in a letter to the child rights body said that the report will not be publicly available.

UNICEF does not endorse any representation or portrayal of the conclusions of the brief as the official UNICEF position.

In a letter to NCPCR, Arjan de Wagt, Deputy Representative Programmes, UNICEF, also confirmed that the distribution of the report has been suspended and that the report is no longer available on official websites.

ALSO READ | Tinker not with consent age, amend POCSO Act: Law panel

We are pleased to confirm that the paper is not UNICEFs policy position on the complex issue of the age of consent, and the conclusions are not endorsed by UNICEF India as policy recommendations. UNICEF does not endorse any representation or portrayal of the conclusions of the brief as the official UNICEF position.

In its letter to UNICEF on September 19, the NCPCR said that no international law has defined the age of sexual consent.

In contrast, international legal frameworks like recruitment, trafficking, sale, prostitution and pornography have a well-defined threshold in their definition.

The child rights body had also said that even in international human rights laws, the age of consent is yet to be established.

There is a general belief that when the age of sexual consent is too young, it fails to protect the child from exploitation. The age of consent in trafficking is already 18 per the United Nations Convention RC, the letter, written by NCPCR Chairman Priyank Kanoongo, had said.

The NCPCR highlighted WHO's concerns about the risk of unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted diseases because of the initiation of sexual activities at an early age.

It also cited a Lancet Child and Adolescent Health report on India's national family health survey, saying that children born to adolescent mothers are at risk of being undernourished.

Even young boys and girls involved in romantic relationships have negative changes in behaviour, according to a study in 2016, the letter said.

The study concluded that issues about romantic relationships experienced by adolescents can impact their overall well-being, increasing the need for them to seek mental health assistance.

Kanoongo in his letter had requested them to approach the issue in a holistic manner, within the spirit of the law and withdraw the said policy brief and the report in the best interest of children.

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NEW DELHI: UNICEF has withdrawn its policy brief on the age of consent in adolescents following objections by the National Commission on Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which had claimed that its interpretation of the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) was misleading. Enfold Proactive Health Trust, UNFPA and UNICEF had jointly published the policy brief in 2022. In the policy brief, they had said that consensual sexual acts involving adolescents above 16 years of age should be decriminalised. After NCPCR flagged the policy brief Implication of the POCSO Act in India on Adolescent Sexuality, UNICEF in a letter to the child rights body said that the report will not be publicly available.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); UNICEF does not endorse any representation or portrayal of the conclusions of the brief as the official UNICEF position. In a letter to NCPCR, Arjan de Wagt, Deputy Representative Programmes, UNICEF, also confirmed that the distribution of the report has been suspended and that the report is no longer available on official websites. ALSO READ | Tinker not with consent age, amend POCSO Act: Law panel We are pleased to confirm that the paper is not UNICEFs policy position on the complex issue of the age of consent, and the conclusions are not endorsed by UNICEF India as policy recommendations. UNICEF does not endorse any representation or portrayal of the conclusions of the brief as the official UNICEF position. In its letter to UNICEF on September 19, the NCPCR said that no international law has defined the age of sexual consent. In contrast, international legal frameworks like recruitment, trafficking, sale, prostitution and pornography have a well-defined threshold in their definition. The child rights body had also said that even in international human rights laws, the age of consent is yet to be established. There is a general belief that when the age of sexual consent is too young, it fails to protect the child from exploitation. The age of consent in trafficking is already 18 per the United Nations Convention RC, the letter, written by NCPCR Chairman Priyank Kanoongo, had said. The NCPCR highlighted WHO's concerns about the risk of unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted diseases because of the initiation of sexual activities at an early age. It also cited a Lancet Child and Adolescent Health report on India's national family health survey, saying that children born to adolescent mothers are at risk of being undernourished. Even young boys and girls involved in romantic relationships have negative changes in behaviour, according to a study in 2016, the letter said. The study concluded that issues about romantic relationships experienced by adolescents can impact their overall well-being, increasing the need for them to seek mental health assistance. Kanoongo in his letter had requested them to approach the issue in a holistic manner, within the spirit of the law and withdraw the said policy brief and the report in the best interest of children. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Pratik Kanjilal By

Theres this Rome questionor is it a poll?on the internet thats gone a little too far. It asks men (why not women?) how often they think about ancient Rome. In the West, its a lot because they see Romes shadow everywhere, from philosophy to public health. Stoicism is big now, for instance, as the world turns hostile. Among the Stoics, there is no one easier on the nerves than the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE). In health, as COVID-19 becomes endemic, the world is just emerging from the greatest plague in a century. The first in recorded history was the Plague of Justinian (started in 541 CE), which is believed to have been bubonic.

So, Rome touches all, but this thing on the internet has gone too far. A recent tweet (sorry, an X-text) by Elon Musk said: I sometimes wonder if Rome was started by exiles from Troy. Its not completely out of the question. At some point in antiquity, a few ships of very competent soldiers (with almost no women) landed on the coast of Italy. Where did they come from?

Thousands of people know the answer to that question. Many more would have known, perhaps even Musk himself, if the worlds campuses hadnt gone all commercial and slashed funding to liberal arts programmes. The answer dates back to 29-19 BC, when Virgil, who was to ancient Italy what Camoes was later to Portugal in the Age of Exploration, wrote the Aeneid. The classic foundational tale traces the journey of Aeneas to Italy after the fall of Troy, to found Rome and invest it with the civilisational values of classical Greece. It was very well-written propaganda providing a sound pedigree for Roman civilisation.

Virgils rewrite of history was not deterred by the fact that perfectly good civilisations pre-existed the Romans in Italy. Apart from the Latins, the Etruscans had left behind signs of a flourishing culture in cities like Volterra, which has city gates that visibly predate Roman fortifications, and caves and catacombs filled with urns containing the ashes of the dead. The urns were made in the image of their owners, and the sculptures reveal a civilisation far more cosmopolitan than the Romans who would succeed them.

Virgil gathered together references to Aeneas scattered across the popular culture and literature of his time and created a figure who could serve as a legitimate conduit of Greek values to Roman culture. The Romans had an older founding story, of Romulus and Remus, the twins who make one recall the origin stories of Moses, Krishna and, just for variety, Mowgli. It was a free-standing story until Virgil recruited the twins to the bloodline of Aeneas.

In the ninth century, another alleged descendant of Aeneas was recruited for duty in the British Isles. Nennius was the first to write of Aeneas grandson Brutus, who gave his name and his bloodline to Britain, but that was in a footnote. Brutus appears in his full majesty in the opening pages of Geoffrey of Monmouths History of the Kings of Britain, which is dated to the 12th century. So, having served as the civilisational basis for the Roman empire, the line of Aeneas was coaxed into providing substantial antecedents to Britain which, in 400 years, would develop imperial ambitions.

ALSO READ | ISRO gives India more space in the world

Now, to return to that question travelling the internet: why is everyone thinking about the Roman empire in 2023? Because the US elections are due in 2024 and Donald Trumps voters fear that if he doesnt make the cut, civilisation as they know it will cease to exist. The Roman empire is being referenced because as far as they know, it lasted for 250 years, which they believe to be the outer limit for the life expectancy of empires. The US, in their opinion, is an empire thats 247 years old, uncomfortably close to its use-by date.

Of course, empires dont just crumple up at 250. The Portuguese empire launched by Prince Henry the Navigator lasted almost six centuries until 1999, when it relinquished Macau to China. The Ottoman empire lasted about 50 years longer, and the Khmer empire may have lasted even longer, though little is known about it. Moreover, the US is not acting very imperially at present. It has withdrawn its forces from occupation in Asia. It is more or less blase about India slipping under the wire of the Ukraine sanctions to buy Russian oil in vast quantities. It wants to use India as a cats paw against Chinese territoriality in the Asian seas, but seems to have no interest in helping India resolve its problem with China in the Himalayas. Presumably, many American voters want a champion whos quicker on the draw, who will make the world a livelier place, just like in the movies.

Unlike Britain and Rome, America does not have a canonical creation myth. Instead, it has a multimillion dollar creation storythe Western, which promotes ideas of national competence and confidence as effectively as a fake Aeneas genealogy. Next year, part of its population will be in search of a John Wayne-like person who can incarnate those ideas. Here at home, too, the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January, just before elections are likely to be announced, reflects a similar quest for a maryada purushottam. In the US, Donald Trump is caught up, Laocoon-like, in a web of litigation. But in India, the story of Ram Rajya could fly yet again. But whats really interesting is that the worlds most important democracies dont need Trojan blood to justify their existence.

Click here for all the earlier colums

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

Theres this Rome questionor is it a poll?on the internet thats gone a little too far. It asks men (why not women?) how often they think about ancient Rome. In the West, its a lot because they see Romes shadow everywhere, from philosophy to public health. Stoicism is big now, for instance, as the world turns hostile. Among the Stoics, there is no one easier on the nerves than the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE). In health, as COVID-19 becomes endemic, the world is just emerging from the greatest plague in a century. The first in recorded history was the Plague of Justinian (started in 541 CE), which is believed to have been bubonic. So, Rome touches all, but this thing on the internet has gone too far. A recent tweet (sorry, an X-text) by Elon Musk said: I sometimes wonder if Rome was started by exiles from Troy. Its not completely out of the question. At some point in antiquity, a few ships of very competent soldiers (with almost no women) landed on the coast of Italy. Where did they come from? Thousands of people know the answer to that question. Many more would have known, perhaps even Musk himself, if the worlds campuses hadnt gone all commercial and slashed funding to liberal arts programmes. The answer dates back to 29-19 BC, when Virgil, who was to ancient Italy what Camoes was later to Portugal in the Age of Exploration, wrote the Aeneid. The classic foundational tale traces the journey of Aeneas to Italy after the fall of Troy, to found Rome and invest it with the civilisational values of classical Greece. It was very well-written propaganda providing a sound pedigree for Roman civilisation.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Virgils rewrite of history was not deterred by the fact that perfectly good civilisations pre-existed the Romans in Italy. Apart from the Latins, the Etruscans had left behind signs of a flourishing culture in cities like Volterra, which has city gates that visibly predate Roman fortifications, and caves and catacombs filled with urns containing the ashes of the dead. The urns were made in the image of their owners, and the sculptures reveal a civilisation far more cosmopolitan than the Romans who would succeed them. Virgil gathered together references to Aeneas scattered across the popular culture and literature of his time and created a figure who could serve as a legitimate conduit of Greek values to Roman culture. The Romans had an older founding story, of Romulus and Remus, the twins who make one recall the origin stories of Moses, Krishna and, just for variety, Mowgli. It was a free-standing story until Virgil recruited the twins to the bloodline of Aeneas. In the ninth century, another alleged descendant of Aeneas was recruited for duty in the British Isles. Nennius was the first to write of Aeneas grandson Brutus, who gave his name and his bloodline to Britain, but that was in a footnote. Brutus appears in his full majesty in the opening pages of Geoffrey of Monmouths History of the Kings of Britain, which is dated to the 12th century. So, having served as the civilisational basis for the Roman empire, the line of Aeneas was coaxed into providing substantial antecedents to Britain which, in 400 years, would develop imperial ambitions. ALSO READ | ISRO gives India more space in the world Now, to return to that question travelling the internet: why is everyone thinking about the Roman empire in 2023? Because the US elections are due in 2024 and Donald Trumps voters fear that if he doesnt make the cut, civilisation as they know it will cease to exist. The Roman empire is being referenced because as far as they know, it lasted for 250 years, which they believe to be the outer limit for the life expectancy of empires. The US, in their opinion, is an empire thats 247 years old, uncomfortably close to its use-by date. Of course, empires dont just crumple up at 250. The Portuguese empire launched by Prince Henry the Navigator lasted almost six centuries until 1999, when it relinquished Macau to China. The Ottoman empire lasted about 50 years longer, and the Khmer empire may have lasted even longer, though little is known about it. Moreover, the US is not acting very imperially at present. It has withdrawn its forces from occupation in Asia. It is more or less blase about India slipping under the wire of the Ukraine sanctions to buy Russian oil in vast quantities. It wants to use India as a cats paw against Chinese territoriality in the Asian seas, but seems to have no interest in helping India resolve its problem with China in the Himalayas. Presumably, many American voters want a champion whos quicker on the draw, who will make the world a livelier place, just like in the movies. Unlike Britain and Rome, America does not have a canonical creation myth. Instead, it has a multimillion dollar creation storythe Western, which promotes ideas of national competence and confidence as effectively as a fake Aeneas genealogy. Next year, part of its population will be in search of a John Wayne-like person who can incarnate those ideas. Here at home, too, the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January, just before elections are likely to be announced, reflects a similar quest for a maryada purushottam. In the US, Donald Trump is caught up, Laocoon-like, in a web of litigation. But in India, the story of Ram Rajya could fly yet again. But whats really interesting is that the worlds most important democracies dont need Trojan blood to justify their existence. Click here for all the earlier colums Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Shankkar Aiyar By

Questions about a caste-based census surfaced regularly in parliament for nearly two decades. The standard response till date has been: The Government of India has not enumerated caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in the census since independence. The wall of ambiguity faces a politically challenging circumstance.

This week the government of Bihar set the cat among pigeons, unveiling the results of a survey of castes in the state. The findings of the Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana triggered a tsunami of reactions. The Bihar essay has reignited the debate on castes and quotas across Indias social and political faultlines. The absolutes and ratios underlined by the survey have awakened hopes and triggered fears.

Unsurprisingly, there is a chorus from the Opposition for a national caste-based census. The if, how and when of such a census would depend on the trajectory of politics and stance of parties. The issue is already fodder for raucous rhetoric and will be debated through the assembly polls and the 2024 elections.

It is instructive that caste continues to catalyse political passions seven decades after independence and three decades after adoption of the Mandal Commission recommendations. To appreciate the centrality of caste in the political economy one must separate the signal from the noise. Yes, there is no disputing the quest to reshuffle the social and political hierarchy. But above all, the clamour signals distress at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid.

Data illuminates and rivets the cause and the consequences. Consider the architecture of Indias economy. Agriculture accounts for 18.3 percent of GDP and employs over 45 per cent of the workforcesimply put, nearly half the workforce depends on one-sixth of the national income. The average size of operational holdings is barely 1.08 hectares and has eroded yield and income. On August 1, the government informed parliament that the average monthly income of agricultural households across India was Rs 10,218Rs 4,895 in Jharkhand, Rs 7,542 in Bihar and Rs 8,061 in Uttar Pradesh.

The calls for a fair share of quota are not limited to backward classes. Even those viewed as landed and powerfulthe Marathas, Patidars, Jats, Kapushave in recent times agitated for a spot on the quota map. Driving this demand is the eroding viability of agriculture as an enterprise. The correlation between dependence on the rural economy and low per capita income is stark. The per capita NVA (net value added) for rural areas, at Rs 40,925, is less than half that for urban areas at Rs 98,435.

The gap between industrialised and agrarian states is reflected in national data. Indias per capita income is Rs 196,983. Topping the list is Telangana at Rs 308,732followed by Karnataka at Rs 3.01 lakh and Haryana at Rs 2.96 lakh. In glaring contrast, per-capita GSDP in Bihar is nearly a fourth of the national average at Rs 54,383; that of Uttar Pradesh is Rs 79,396 and Jharkhand is Rs 80,060. The impact of lower income and resultant inequality is manifest in asset ownership. The 77th Round NSS report on debt and investment reveals that the top 10 percent of households owns over half the assets while the bottom 50 percent owns less than 10 percent of the assets.

The landscape of need is illustrated by the expansion of welfare. The rural employment scheme MGNREGS was legislated in 2005 to bridge the gap between hope for employment and reality. In 2023 it has over 26.59 crore registered workers. In the past three years, average outgo on MGNREGS has been around Rs 1 lakh crore - total expenditure since inception has been over Rs 9.68 lakh crore. The National Food Security Act is 10 years old. This year, the government has allocated about Rs 2 lakh crore to provide free rations to 81.35 crore individuals. Add programmes administered by statesfrom old age pensions to cash payments to women. The National Payments Corporation has as many as 7,517 codes registered for direct payment transfers.

ALSO READ | WTOs lazy hypothesis lumps India in China trade bloc

Characteristically, young India views a government job via quota as the way out of the rut of doles and poverty. The aspiration is challenged by a curious Indian paradoxthe coexistence of joblessness and vacant government postsperpetuated by political apathy. It is estimated that there are over 2 million posts vacant across central and state governments. This July, the government informed Rajya Sabha that there are 9.64 lakh posts vacant across departments in the central government. Add to this over 12 lakh teacher poststhere are 117,285 single-teacher schools across Indiaand those of healthcare workers and police personnel left vacant across states.

It is true that addressing asymmetries of opportunity and income calls for a reconfiguration of the current paradigm of reservations. It is equally true that the exercise cannot stop at merely identifying those in need. Diagnosis alone is scarcely sufficient to heal the polity. The parties chorusing the demand for enumeration must present a credible policy prescriptionfor modernising agriculture, for investing in human capital, for employment generationto propel growth and harness demographic dividend. The quest for equity must be enshrined in the altar of an ambitious plan for growth without which quotas will at best represent a post-dated promise.

Click here for all the earlier columns

Shankkar Aiyar can be reached at shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

Questions about a caste-based census surfaced regularly in parliament for nearly two decades. The standard response till date has been: The Government of India has not enumerated caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in the census since independence. The wall of ambiguity faces a politically challenging circumstance. This week the government of Bihar set the cat among pigeons, unveiling the results of a survey of castes in the state. The findings of the Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana triggered a tsunami of reactions. The Bihar essay has reignited the debate on castes and quotas across Indias social and political faultlines. The absolutes and ratios underlined by the survey have awakened hopes and triggered fears. Unsurprisingly, there is a chorus from the Opposition for a national caste-based census. The if, how and when of such a census would depend on the trajectory of politics and stance of parties. The issue is already fodder for raucous rhetoric and will be debated through the assembly polls and the 2024 elections.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); It is instructive that caste continues to catalyse political passions seven decades after independence and three decades after adoption of the Mandal Commission recommendations. To appreciate the centrality of caste in the political economy one must separate the signal from the noise. Yes, there is no disputing the quest to reshuffle the social and political hierarchy. But above all, the clamour signals distress at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid. Data illuminates and rivets the cause and the consequences. Consider the architecture of Indias economy. Agriculture accounts for 18.3 percent of GDP and employs over 45 per cent of the workforcesimply put, nearly half the workforce depends on one-sixth of the national income. The average size of operational holdings is barely 1.08 hectares and has eroded yield and income. On August 1, the government informed parliament that the average monthly income of agricultural households across India was Rs 10,218Rs 4,895 in Jharkhand, Rs 7,542 in Bihar and Rs 8,061 in Uttar Pradesh. The calls for a fair share of quota are not limited to backward classes. Even those viewed as landed and powerfulthe Marathas, Patidars, Jats, Kapushave in recent times agitated for a spot on the quota map. Driving this demand is the eroding viability of agriculture as an enterprise. The correlation between dependence on the rural economy and low per capita income is stark. The per capita NVA (net value added) for rural areas, at Rs 40,925, is less than half that for urban areas at Rs 98,435. The gap between industrialised and agrarian states is reflected in national data. Indias per capita income is Rs 196,983. Topping the list is Telangana at Rs 308,732followed by Karnataka at Rs 3.01 lakh and Haryana at Rs 2.96 lakh. In glaring contrast, per-capita GSDP in Bihar is nearly a fourth of the national average at Rs 54,383; that of Uttar Pradesh is Rs 79,396 and Jharkhand is Rs 80,060. The impact of lower income and resultant inequality is manifest in asset ownership. The 77th Round NSS report on debt and investment reveals that the top 10 percent of households owns over half the assets while the bottom 50 percent owns less than 10 percent of the assets. The landscape of need is illustrated by the expansion of welfare. The rural employment scheme MGNREGS was legislated in 2005 to bridge the gap between hope for employment and reality. In 2023 it has over 26.59 crore registered workers. In the past three years, average outgo on MGNREGS has been around Rs 1 lakh crore - total expenditure since inception has been over Rs 9.68 lakh crore. The National Food Security Act is 10 years old. This year, the government has allocated about Rs 2 lakh crore to provide free rations to 81.35 crore individuals. Add programmes administered by statesfrom old age pensions to cash payments to women. The National Payments Corporation has as many as 7,517 codes registered for direct payment transfers. ALSO READ | WTOs lazy hypothesis lumps India in China trade bloc Characteristically, young India views a government job via quota as the way out of the rut of doles and poverty. The aspiration is challenged by a curious Indian paradoxthe coexistence of joblessness and vacant government postsperpetuated by political apathy. It is estimated that there are over 2 million posts vacant across central and state governments. This July, the government informed Rajya Sabha that there are 9.64 lakh posts vacant across departments in the central government. Add to this over 12 lakh teacher poststhere are 117,285 single-teacher schools across Indiaand those of healthcare workers and police personnel left vacant across states. It is true that addressing asymmetries of opportunity and income calls for a reconfiguration of the current paradigm of reservations. It is equally true that the exercise cannot stop at merely identifying those in need. Diagnosis alone is scarcely sufficient to heal the polity. The parties chorusing the demand for enumeration must present a credible policy prescriptionfor modernising agriculture, for investing in human capital, for employment generationto propel growth and harness demographic dividend. The quest for equity must be enshrined in the altar of an ambitious plan for growth without which quotas will at best represent a post-dated promise. Click here for all the earlier columns Shankkar Aiyar can be reached at shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By AFP

Six Colombian suspects in the August assassination of Ecuador presidential candidate and anti-corruption crusader Fernando Villavicencio were killed in prison on Friday, officials said, just a week to a key election run-off.

Right-wing President Guillermo Lasso, who is on a private trip to New York and was due in South Korea on Saturday for an official visit, called off his foreign trip to immediately return to Ecuador to handle the incident.

The SNAI prisons authority announced that "an event occurred" in the Guayas 1 prison in Guayaquil "resulting in six dead people."

It later clarified the deceased were "of Colombian nationality and accused of the murder of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio."

Villavicencio, a 59-year-old journalist, was gunned down on August 9 as he left a campaign rally in the capital Quito days ahead of the first round vote, 11 days to the first round of voting.

After news broke of the prison deaths, Lasso said he was returning home.

"In the next few hours I will return to Ecuador to attend to this emergency. Neither complicity nor cover-up, here the truth will be known," Lasso said on X, formerly Twitter.

The public prosecutor's office said that its agents, along with police and the military, were "executing security protocols... in light of the disturbance that occurred Friday afternoon."

It added in a statement on X that "in the coming hours, specialized military personnel will carry out the first raids and reconnaissance of Cellblock 7, where the incidents originated, to take control of the situation."

Authorities have provided no further details about the killings, which come just days before the second round of voting in the presidential election on October 15.

The run-off will be between a close associate of former socialist president Rafael Correa, of whom Villavicencio was a fierce opponent, and a right-wing candidate.

Key election issue

The assassination of Villavicencio, a centrist who had been polling in second place, rocked Ecuador days ahead of the August 20 national elections in which corruption and the country's declining security situation were major themes.

Six Colombians with long criminal records were arrested shortly after, while a seventh was killed at the scene of the crime.

Villavicencio had carried out scores of investigations, including exposing a vast graft network which led to former president Correa being sentenced to eight years in prison.

Correa fled the country to avoid jail time and has been living in exile in Belgium for six years.

Villavicencio had drawn the ire of gangs and drug traffickers with his reputation for speaking out against the cartels, many of which operate out of prisons across Ecuador.

Guayas 1, which houses some 6,800 inmates, is one of five facilities that make up a large prison complex in Guayaquil, a key port city that has become one of the country's increasingly bloody centers of a turf war between rival drug-trafficking gangs.

More than 430 inmates have died violently since 2021, dozens of them dismembered and incinerated amid disputes between rival gangs.

In late August, dozens of guards were taken hostage at several prisons around the country before eventually being released.

On Ecuador's streets, homicides have quadrupled between 2018 and 2022, climbing to a record 26 per 100,000 inhabitants.

That rate could climb as high as 40 this year, according to experts.

Ecuador was once a peaceful haven nestled between the world's largest cocaine producers -- Colombia and Peru.

However, the war on drugs in other South American nations displaced drug cartels to Ecuador, which has large Pacific ports with laxer controls, widespread corruption, and a dollarized economy.

The prisons crisis has become a key point of debate ahead of the second round election on October 15, between leftist lawyer Luisa Gonzalez and 35-year-old upstart Daniel Noboa.

Noboa has proposed leasing ships to hold the country's most violent prisoners offshore.

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Six Colombian suspects in the August assassination of Ecuador presidential candidate and anti-corruption crusader Fernando Villavicencio were killed in prison on Friday, officials said, just a week to a key election run-off. Right-wing President Guillermo Lasso, who is on a private trip to New York and was due in South Korea on Saturday for an official visit, called off his foreign trip to immediately return to Ecuador to handle the incident. The SNAI prisons authority announced that "an event occurred" in the Guayas 1 prison in Guayaquil "resulting in six dead people."googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); It later clarified the deceased were "of Colombian nationality and accused of the murder of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio." Villavicencio, a 59-year-old journalist, was gunned down on August 9 as he left a campaign rally in the capital Quito days ahead of the first round vote, 11 days to the first round of voting. After news broke of the prison deaths, Lasso said he was returning home. "In the next few hours I will return to Ecuador to attend to this emergency. Neither complicity nor cover-up, here the truth will be known," Lasso said on X, formerly Twitter. The public prosecutor's office said that its agents, along with police and the military, were "executing security protocols... in light of the disturbance that occurred Friday afternoon." It added in a statement on X that "in the coming hours, specialized military personnel will carry out the first raids and reconnaissance of Cellblock 7, where the incidents originated, to take control of the situation." Authorities have provided no further details about the killings, which come just days before the second round of voting in the presidential election on October 15. The run-off will be between a close associate of former socialist president Rafael Correa, of whom Villavicencio was a fierce opponent, and a right-wing candidate. Key election issue The assassination of Villavicencio, a centrist who had been polling in second place, rocked Ecuador days ahead of the August 20 national elections in which corruption and the country's declining security situation were major themes. Six Colombians with long criminal records were arrested shortly after, while a seventh was killed at the scene of the crime. Villavicencio had carried out scores of investigations, including exposing a vast graft network which led to former president Correa being sentenced to eight years in prison. Correa fled the country to avoid jail time and has been living in exile in Belgium for six years. Villavicencio had drawn the ire of gangs and drug traffickers with his reputation for speaking out against the cartels, many of which operate out of prisons across Ecuador. Guayas 1, which houses some 6,800 inmates, is one of five facilities that make up a large prison complex in Guayaquil, a key port city that has become one of the country's increasingly bloody centers of a turf war between rival drug-trafficking gangs. More than 430 inmates have died violently since 2021, dozens of them dismembered and incinerated amid disputes between rival gangs. In late August, dozens of guards were taken hostage at several prisons around the country before eventually being released. On Ecuador's streets, homicides have quadrupled between 2018 and 2022, climbing to a record 26 per 100,000 inhabitants. That rate could climb as high as 40 this year, according to experts. Ecuador was once a peaceful haven nestled between the world's largest cocaine producers -- Colombia and Peru. However, the war on drugs in other South American nations displaced drug cartels to Ecuador, which has large Pacific ports with laxer controls, widespread corruption, and a dollarized economy. The prisons crisis has become a key point of debate ahead of the second round election on October 15, between leftist lawyer Luisa Gonzalez and 35-year-old upstart Daniel Noboa. Noboa has proposed leasing ships to hold the country's most violent prisoners offshore. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By Agencies

The United States on Saturday condemned the attacks by "Hamas terrorists" against Israel and vowed to ensure the key US ally has the means to defend itself.

President Joe Biden described the assault as "a terrible tragedy on a human level" and said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to underline his support.

"I told him the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults," Biden said in a televised address from the White House.

"In my administration, support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering.

"We'll make sure that they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves."

The statement came even as Netanyahu told his stunned nation that "We are at war," as the Israeli army retaliated by pounding targets in the blockaded enclave of Gaza, where several residential tower blocks were reduced to rubble.

About 80 people were killed in Israel, medical services said, while Gaza authorities released a death toll of 232 in the conflict's bloodiest escalation in years which also left many hundreds wounded on both sides.

"The enemy will pay an unprecedented price," Netanyahu vowed after Hamas had launched its first such combined ground, air and sea offensive, half a century after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

As the attacks threatened to trigger a wider conflict, Biden also warned "this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching."

Biden stressed that Israel -- which the United States has supplied with billions of dollars of arms -- has "a right to defend itself and its people" after the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas launched air, sea and land strikes.

ALSO READ | Surprise attack by Hamas stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed Washington's commitment, saying "over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs."

Trump weighs in

Former US president Donald Trump weighed in Saturday, blaming Biden, without evidence, for indirectly funding the attacks.

"These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force," Trump said in a statement.

"Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration."

Trump's allegations reflected Republican claims that $6 billion released last month to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange deal was used to fund the Hamas attack.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said on social media that "this is a shameful lie in every respect, at a time when both parties should be totally united in supporting Israel's defense."

The money "can only be used for verifiable purchases of humanitarian needs like food and medicine," Bates added, in a fierce pushback against the claims.

Israel normalized relations decades ago with neighboring Egypt and Jordan and in 2020 added three more Arab states to the list -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco -- in what Trump considered his towering foreign policy achievement.

ALSO READ | Stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour: Prime Minister Modi

The so-called "Abraham Accords" also included sweeteners from Trump, including a promise to sell jets to the United Arab Emirates.

"We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible," Trump, who plans to stand against Biden in the 2024 election, said.

Before Saturday's assault, Biden had been hoping to transform the Middle East -- and score a pre-election diplomatic victory -- by securing recognition of the Jewish state by Saudi Arabia, the guardian of Islam's two holiest sites.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Saturday that "this unprecedented and brutal attack by Hamas is not only supported by Iran, it was designed to stop peace efforts between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"A peace agreement between those two nations would be a nightmare for Iran and Hamas."

"It would serve Israel and the world well to respond to this outrage by launching an operation that will destroy the Hamas organization -- not just contain it," he added.

Hamas is backed by Iran, a fierce foe of Israel, with Iran's supreme leader declaring he was "proud" of Saturday's attacks.

Biden has had recently rocky relations with Netanyahu, publicly criticizing him for overhauling Israel's judiciary, a step seen by opponents as undermining democracy.

Netanyahu vows revenge

Israeli PM Netanyahu, meanwhile, warned Palestinians living near Hamas sites in Gaza to leave as he vowed to turn its hideouts into "rubble" following its surprise attack.

"All the places in which Hamas is based, in this city of evil, all the places Hamas is hiding in, acting from -- we'll turn them into rubble," he said.

"I'm telling the people of Gaza: get out of there now, because we're about to act everywhere with all our force," he said in a brief televised statement.

The latest conflagration erupted when dozens of Hamas fighters broke out of Gaza Strip and into nearby Israeli towns, killing many and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday.

Netanyahu said the Israeli military will use all of its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities. He also vowed to extract a heavy price if even a single hair is harmed on the Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then.

Jordanian king talks to Biden, warns against escalation

King Abdullah II of Jordan has called for intensifying international efforts to stop the escalation of the latest violence between the Palestinians and Israel.

A statement from the Royal Palace says Abdullah spoke to President Joe Biden about ways to to stop the conflict from escalating and ways to protect civilians.

Abdullah warned that continued escalation would have negative repercussions on the region and stressed the need for restraint, the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law.

Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday on Saturday.

It was the deadliest attack against Israel in decades.

Five things to know the multi-pronged attack by Hamas

Israel caught unawares

The shock that Israelis felt on Saturday morning -- on Simchat Torah, one of the most joyous days of the Jewish calendar -- recalled the surprise of the the 1973 Mideast war. Practically 50 years earlier to the day, a full-scale Egyptian-Syrian attack on a Jewish holiday quickly turned into a disaster for an unprepared Israeli military.

Then, as now, Israelis had assumed that their intelligence services would be able to alert the army to any major attack or invasion well in advance. That colossal failure still haunts the legacy of then-Prime Minister Golda Meir and helped bring down the lengthy rule of the once-dominant Labor Party.

Now, the question of how the militants were able to stage such a huge and coordinated attack -- which has already killed more Israelis than any single assault since the second Palestinian uprising two decades ago -- without triggering Israeli intelligence concerns has already presented a major challenge to Netanyahus ultranationalist government.

The governments supporters had expected Netanyahu and hard-line ministers with a history of anti-Arab rhetoric like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to take a particularly belligerent stance against the Palestinians and respond more forcefully to threats from militants in Gaza.

As political analysts lambast Netanyahu over the failure, and the casualty count climbs, Netanyahu risks losing control of both his government and the country.

Unprecedented infiltration

Hamas claimed its fighters took several Israelis captive in the enclave, releasing gruesome videos of militants dragging bloodied soldiers across the ground and standing over dead bodies, some of them stripped to their underwear. It said senior Israeli military officers were among the captives.

The videos could not immediately be verified but matched geographic features of the area. Fears that Israelis had been kidnapped evoked the 2006 capture of soldier Gilad Shalit, whom Hamas-linked militants seized in a cross-border raid. Hamas held Shalit for five years until he was exchanged for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In a dramatic escalation unseen in decades, Hamas also sent paragliders flying into Israel, the Israeli military said. The brazen attack recalled a famous assault in the late 1980s when Palestinian militants crossed from Lebanon into northern Israel on hang-gliders and killed six Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli army belatedly confirmed that soldiers and civilians were taken hostage in Gaza, but refused to provide further details.

A dangerous gamble by Hamas

Hamas officials cited long-simmering sources of tension between Israel and the Palestinians, including the dispute around the sensitive Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is is sacred to both Muslims and Jews and remains at the emotional heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Competing claims over the site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas in 2021.

In recent years, Israeli religious nationalists -- such as Ben-Gvir, the national security minister -- have increased their visits to the compound. Last week, during the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews and Israeli activists visited the site, prompting condemnation from Hamas and accusations that Jews were praying there in violation of the status quo agreement.

Hamas statements have also cited the expansion of Jewish settlements on lands that the Palestinians claim for a future state and Ben-Gvirs efforts to toughen restrictions on Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

More recently, tensions have escalated with violent Palestinian protests along the Gaza frontier. In negotiations with Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations, Hamas has pushed for Israeli concessions that could loosen the 17-year blockade on the enclave and help halt a worsening financial crisis that has sharpened public criticism of its rule.

Some political analysts have linked Hamas attack to current U.S.-brokered talks on normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. So far, reports of possible concessions to Palestinians in the negotiations have involved Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, not Gaza.

We have always said that normalization will not achieve security, stability, or calm, Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official, told the Associated Press.

Israel in crisis

The eruption of violence comes at a difficult time for Israel, which is facing the biggest protests in its history over Netanyahus proposal to weaken the Supreme Court while he is on trial for corruption.

The protest movement, which accuses Netanyahu of making a power grab, has bitterly divided Israeli society and unleashed turmoil within the Israeli military. Hundreds of reservists have threatened to stop volunteering to report for duty in protest at the judicial overhaul.

Reservists are the backbone of the countrys army, and protests within the army ranks have raised concerns about the militarys cohesion, operational readiness and power of deterrence as it confronts threats on multiple fronts. Netanyahu on Saturday called up an extensive mobilization of reserve forces.

A perilous cycle

Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and exchanged fire numerous times since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Cease-fires have stopped major fighting in past rounds of conflict but have always proven shaky.

Each agreement in the past has offered a period of calm, but the deeper, underlying issues of the conflict are rarely addressed and set the stage for the next round of airstrikes and rockets.

With its increased leverage in this round, Hamas is likely to push harder for concessions on key issues, such as easing the blockade and winning the release of prisoners held by Israel.



(With inputs from AP, AFP)

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The United States on Saturday condemned the attacks by "Hamas terrorists" against Israel and vowed to ensure the key US ally has the means to defend itself. President Joe Biden described the assault as "a terrible tragedy on a human level" and said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to underline his support. "I told him the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults," Biden said in a televised address from the White House.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "In my administration, support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering. "We'll make sure that they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves." The statement came even as Netanyahu told his stunned nation that "We are at war," as the Israeli army retaliated by pounding targets in the blockaded enclave of Gaza, where several residential tower blocks were reduced to rubble. About 80 people were killed in Israel, medical services said, while Gaza authorities released a death toll of 232 in the conflict's bloodiest escalation in years which also left many hundreds wounded on both sides. "The enemy will pay an unprecedented price," Netanyahu vowed after Hamas had launched its first such combined ground, air and sea offensive, half a century after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. As the attacks threatened to trigger a wider conflict, Biden also warned "this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching." Biden stressed that Israel -- which the United States has supplied with billions of dollars of arms -- has "a right to defend itself and its people" after the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas launched air, sea and land strikes. ALSO READ | Surprise attack by Hamas stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed Washington's commitment, saying "over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs." Trump weighs in Former US president Donald Trump weighed in Saturday, blaming Biden, without evidence, for indirectly funding the attacks. "These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force," Trump said in a statement. "Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration." Trump's allegations reflected Republican claims that $6 billion released last month to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange deal was used to fund the Hamas attack. White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said on social media that "this is a shameful lie in every respect, at a time when both parties should be totally united in supporting Israel's defense." The money "can only be used for verifiable purchases of humanitarian needs like food and medicine," Bates added, in a fierce pushback against the claims. Israel normalized relations decades ago with neighboring Egypt and Jordan and in 2020 added three more Arab states to the list -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco -- in what Trump considered his towering foreign policy achievement. ALSO READ | Stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour: Prime Minister Modi The so-called "Abraham Accords" also included sweeteners from Trump, including a promise to sell jets to the United Arab Emirates. "We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible," Trump, who plans to stand against Biden in the 2024 election, said. Before Saturday's assault, Biden had been hoping to transform the Middle East -- and score a pre-election diplomatic victory -- by securing recognition of the Jewish state by Saudi Arabia, the guardian of Islam's two holiest sites. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Saturday that "this unprecedented and brutal attack by Hamas is not only supported by Iran, it was designed to stop peace efforts between Saudi Arabia and Israel. "A peace agreement between those two nations would be a nightmare for Iran and Hamas." "It would serve Israel and the world well to respond to this outrage by launching an operation that will destroy the Hamas organization -- not just contain it," he added. Hamas is backed by Iran, a fierce foe of Israel, with Iran's supreme leader declaring he was "proud" of Saturday's attacks. Biden has had recently rocky relations with Netanyahu, publicly criticizing him for overhauling Israel's judiciary, a step seen by opponents as undermining democracy. Netanyahu vows revenge Israeli PM Netanyahu, meanwhile, warned Palestinians living near Hamas sites in Gaza to leave as he vowed to turn its hideouts into "rubble" following its surprise attack. "All the places in which Hamas is based, in this city of evil, all the places Hamas is hiding in, acting from -- we'll turn them into rubble," he said. "I'm telling the people of Gaza: get out of there now, because we're about to act everywhere with all our force," he said in a brief televised statement. The latest conflagration erupted when dozens of Hamas fighters broke out of Gaza Strip and into nearby Israeli towns, killing many and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday. Netanyahu said the Israeli military will use all of its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities. He also vowed to extract a heavy price if even a single hair is harmed on the Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity. Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. Jordanian king talks to Biden, warns against escalation King Abdullah II of Jordan has called for intensifying international efforts to stop the escalation of the latest violence between the Palestinians and Israel. A statement from the Royal Palace says Abdullah spoke to President Joe Biden about ways to to stop the conflict from escalating and ways to protect civilians. Abdullah warned that continued escalation would have negative repercussions on the region and stressed the need for restraint, the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law. Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday on Saturday. It was the deadliest attack against Israel in decades. Five things to know the multi-pronged attack by Hamas Israel caught unawares The shock that Israelis felt on Saturday morning -- on Simchat Torah, one of the most joyous days of the Jewish calendar -- recalled the surprise of the the 1973 Mideast war. Practically 50 years earlier to the day, a full-scale Egyptian-Syrian attack on a Jewish holiday quickly turned into a disaster for an unprepared Israeli military. Then, as now, Israelis had assumed that their intelligence services would be able to alert the army to any major attack or invasion well in advance. That colossal failure still haunts the legacy of then-Prime Minister Golda Meir and helped bring down the lengthy rule of the once-dominant Labor Party. Now, the question of how the militants were able to stage such a huge and coordinated attack -- which has already killed more Israelis than any single assault since the second Palestinian uprising two decades ago -- without triggering Israeli intelligence concerns has already presented a major challenge to Netanyahus ultranationalist government. The governments supporters had expected Netanyahu and hard-line ministers with a history of anti-Arab rhetoric like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to take a particularly belligerent stance against the Palestinians and respond more forcefully to threats from militants in Gaza. As political analysts lambast Netanyahu over the failure, and the casualty count climbs, Netanyahu risks losing control of both his government and the country. Unprecedented infiltration Hamas claimed its fighters took several Israelis captive in the enclave, releasing gruesome videos of militants dragging bloodied soldiers across the ground and standing over dead bodies, some of them stripped to their underwear. It said senior Israeli military officers were among the captives. The videos could not immediately be verified but matched geographic features of the area. Fears that Israelis had been kidnapped evoked the 2006 capture of soldier Gilad Shalit, whom Hamas-linked militants seized in a cross-border raid. Hamas held Shalit for five years until he was exchanged for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. In a dramatic escalation unseen in decades, Hamas also sent paragliders flying into Israel, the Israeli military said. The brazen attack recalled a famous assault in the late 1980s when Palestinian militants crossed from Lebanon into northern Israel on hang-gliders and killed six Israeli soldiers. The Israeli army belatedly confirmed that soldiers and civilians were taken hostage in Gaza, but refused to provide further details. A dangerous gamble by Hamas Hamas officials cited long-simmering sources of tension between Israel and the Palestinians, including the dispute around the sensitive Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is is sacred to both Muslims and Jews and remains at the emotional heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Competing claims over the site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas in 2021. In recent years, Israeli religious nationalists -- such as Ben-Gvir, the national security minister -- have increased their visits to the compound. Last week, during the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews and Israeli activists visited the site, prompting condemnation from Hamas and accusations that Jews were praying there in violation of the status quo agreement. Hamas statements have also cited the expansion of Jewish settlements on lands that the Palestinians claim for a future state and Ben-Gvirs efforts to toughen restrictions on Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. More recently, tensions have escalated with violent Palestinian protests along the Gaza frontier. In negotiations with Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations, Hamas has pushed for Israeli concessions that could loosen the 17-year blockade on the enclave and help halt a worsening financial crisis that has sharpened public criticism of its rule. Some political analysts have linked Hamas attack to current U.S.-brokered talks on normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. So far, reports of possible concessions to Palestinians in the negotiations have involved Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, not Gaza. We have always said that normalization will not achieve security, stability, or calm, Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official, told the Associated Press. Israel in crisis The eruption of violence comes at a difficult time for Israel, which is facing the biggest protests in its history over Netanyahus proposal to weaken the Supreme Court while he is on trial for corruption. The protest movement, which accuses Netanyahu of making a power grab, has bitterly divided Israeli society and unleashed turmoil within the Israeli military. Hundreds of reservists have threatened to stop volunteering to report for duty in protest at the judicial overhaul. Reservists are the backbone of the countrys army, and protests within the army ranks have raised concerns about the militarys cohesion, operational readiness and power of deterrence as it confronts threats on multiple fronts. Netanyahu on Saturday called up an extensive mobilization of reserve forces. A perilous cycle Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and exchanged fire numerous times since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Cease-fires have stopped major fighting in past rounds of conflict but have always proven shaky. Each agreement in the past has offered a period of calm, but the deeper, underlying issues of the conflict are rarely addressed and set the stage for the next round of airstrikes and rockets. With its increased leverage in this round, Hamas is likely to push harder for concessions on key issues, such as easing the blockade and winning the release of prisoners held by Israel. (With inputs from AP, AFP) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
The escalation of the military conflict between Israel and the right-wing Islamist terrorist group Hamas could have a significant impact on the war in Ukraine in terms of arms aid. After all, this was not a single terrorist attack against Israelis, but a targeted, well-coordinated operation by militants that resulted in dozens of casualties in the first hours after the attack.

ADVERTISIMENT

According to experts from the Defence Express platform, although Israel has been actively blocking the re-export of its weapons to the Ukrainian army, ammunition from US army depots in Israel has been going to Ukraine. Now this route will be blocked.

"It is predictable that Israel will be against this and will make every effort to ensure that the ammunition it can use for its needs as a reserve remains at its disposal," the analytical material says.

At the same time, the escalation in Israel is unlikely to change the supply from other countries. The IDF has all the necessary means to conduct any sizeable full-fledged military operation in the Gaza Strip. The only thing that could cause the Israeli army to need weapons from international allies is a protracted war, which Jerusalem will avoid, guided by state interests.

ADVERTISIMENT

To recap. On October 7, the Hamas terrorist organization managed to take Israel by surprise thanks to a carefully prepared military operation. The Palestinian terrorists were able to bypass Israel's vigilant security services and quickly invade a number of communities.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, President Zelenskyy reacted to Hamas's large-scale attacks against Israel. He noted that terror is always a crime not just against one country or its specific victims, but against humanity and the whole world.

At the same time, Iran has defended the terrorist attacks in Israel and supported the military operation against civilians.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Trudeau govt faces flak for not disclosing entire cost of Montana trip during Easter

Ottawa, Oct 6

C anadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced an onslaught from opposition MPs over his government allegedly suppressing the bulk of the costs of his Easter weekend trip to Montana earlier this year, reports said.

Conservative member Michelle Rempel Garner raised a point of privilege in the House of Commons on Thursday, terming the failure to include the costs incurred by the RCMP in the government's answer to an MP's question on the issue misled the MPs and the House of Commons, the CBC reported.

"The whole point of me raising this point of privilege is to show just how hard it is to get accurate information about the government," she said.

CBC News has reported that Trudeau's weekend vacation cost Canadian taxpayers nearly a quarter of a million dollars -- over ten times far more than the sum revealed to the Parliament earlier.

In its answer on September 18 to a question put on the order paper by Conservative MP Luc Berthold, the government disclosed $23,846 in spending by the Canadian Armed Forces and the Privy Council on the trip.

But that sum didn't include the $204,993 cost to the RCMP for overtime and money spent on accommodations, meals, incidentals and travel. That was only revealed this week, in response to a question to the police force from CBC News, bringing the total cost to taxpayers to more than $228,839.

Even this doesn't include the regular salary costs for RCMP officers, aircrew and a Privy Council official who handles secure communications for the Prime Minister when he travels.

The answer tabled on September 18 followed an earlier question posed by Berthold that was answered in June before the Department of National Defence had processed the costs. That too had failed to mention any costs incurred by the RCMP.

Trudeau's office has also refused to answer more questions about the trip, such as where he stayed in Montana, whether he paid for his accommodations, whether he visited anyone, and who accompanied him there.

It also refused to explain why the RCMP costs weren't disclosed when the government answered Berthold's question.

NDP ethics critic Matthew Green said that while the Prime Minister deserves to have security protection and take vacations, Canadians should know how much those vacations cost them, as he termed the lack of transparency and accountability as "unacceptable".

Trudeau govt faces flak for not disclosing entire cost of Montana trip during Easter

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New Delhi, Oct 6

I n the run up to 4th G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting in Marrakech, Morocco, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday chaired a meeting with the heads of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and co-conveners of the G20 independent expert group, NK Singh.

Various issues were discussed on MDBs and the related reforms to better serve the needs of client countries.

During the G20 summit in New Delhi last month, the grouping's leaders had emphasised on reforms to deliver better, bigger and more effective MDBs.

Under its key priority of strengthening MDBs to address global challenges of the 21st century, the G20 India presidency had constituted the G20 independent expert group on strengthening MDBs.

The second volume of the report of this expert group will be released post the 4th G20FMCBG meeting in Marrakech, Morocco on October 12-13, 2023.

World Bank president Ajay Banga, president of ADB Masatsugu Asakawa and Danny Alexander, vice-president of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and several other officials were present during the virtual meeting.

Sitharaman holds meeting with heads of MDBs, discusses reforms

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Los Angeles, Oct 6

H ollywood star Jamie Foxx has mourned the death of fellow actor and longtime friend Keith Jefferson, posting on his Instagram account, "This one hurts.

The Django Unchained star shared the news of Keith's death on social media with a heartfelt tribute.

Keith, youve been nothing but absolute grace, your whole life your heart is pure, your love is immeasurable you were an amazing soul," Foxx wrote in his caption.

"We will all miss you dearly. Its gonna take a long time for this to heal," Foxx added. "Goodbye, my friend. I love you."

Foxx added in another post, "Everything hurts right now having a hard time looking through these pictures reliving the memories of us having a great time going to miss you man gonna miss you."

He continued: "Ever since we met back in college, you have been in incredible soul God rest, NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO SEE THE WORDS ABOUT MY FRIEND RIP @keith.jefferson Keith."

Beneath the touching message, Foxx, 55, shared a picture of himself and Keith standing in front of a private plane and embracing in a brotherly handshake.

While the cause of death has yet to be revealed, in August, Keith shared on social media that he had cancer, eonline reported.

"Every now and then God will give you a challenge and leave it up to you to fix it," he posted on Instagram alongside a photo of himself in the hospital. "When I was first diagnosed with cancer I had to stop, pause, and didn't want to share with anyone. Not my family nor extended family. Today I'm finally at a place to share because my faith is getting stronger. I have a loving family and the best friends in the entire world."

Weeks later, Keith uploaded a snap of himself and Jamie with a friend, detailing how they've supported him.

"When I say the admiration I have for my friends is unmatched," Keith noted on August 30. "My heart will never lie. Rodney Mason who has been a beam of light through my dark times. Thank you brother. J Foxxyou already know. For you to take the time to spend with me everyday, every hour tells me everything.

"I already know. You are my family and I wouldn't have it any other way. Luv you bro. I will pull through because my faith is strong and with God on my side I won't worry."

Jamie Foxx mourns passing of co-star, longtime friend Keith Jefferson

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Amaravati, Oct 6

A ndhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the concerned authorities not to proceed further on the terms of reference given to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal -II for distribution of Krishna river water between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana saying the unilateral reference would jeopardise the interests of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

In a memorandum submitted the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Friday, the Chief Minister said

that such unilateral reference to an Inter State River Water Dispute Tribunal only for two states (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) to the absolute exclusion of the other two basin states (Maharashtra and Karnataka) is not only unscientific but is also against the overall judicious use of water resources as a national asset.

He said in the memorandum that in the earlier meetings, a working arrangement related to the regulation of waters by KRMB was made according to which 512 TMC to Andhra Pradesh and 299 TMC to Telangana out of 811 TMC allocated to the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a tripartite agreement signed by the Government of India and Governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Chief Minister said that he brought to the notice of the Minister of Jala Shakti on August 17, 2021 and subsequently on June 25, to take a judicious decision in regard to non-maintainability of the complaints given by the Telangana Government under law without disturbing the settled allocations by the Tribunals.

While this is the situation, the people of Andhra Pradesh are shocked to know about the Union Cabinet approval on October 4, 2023 for issue of Terms of Reference (ToR) to KWDT-II under Section 5(1) of ISRWD Act, 1956 on the request of the Telangana as per its complaint dates July 14, 2014.

He appealed to the Prime Minister to intervene immediately and direct the concerned authorities not to proceed further on the terms of reference given to the KWDT-II.

The Union Cabinets decision met a long-pending demand of Telangana. The BRS government had welcomed the Union Cabinets decision and termed it as a victory for the people of Telangana.

Telangana finance minister T. Harish Rao said the union government woke from deep slumber after nine years to take a decision on Telanganas demand.He said that with this move, Telangana will get its due share in Krishna waters.

Jagan urges PM to stop 'unilateral' reference to Krishna Water Tribunal

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Sunak tells Trudeau he hopes to see 'de-escalation' in India-Canada tension

London, Oct 7

B ritish Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that he hoped to see a de-escalation in diplomatic tensions between India and Canada after New Delhi asked Ottawa to withdraw its 41 diplomats by October 10 amid worsening ties.

In a call with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Friday evening, Sunak reaffirmed the UKs position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law.

"The Prime Minister reaffirmed the UKs position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," a government statement read.

Trudeau updated Sunak on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India, and both leaders "agreed to remain in contact on the next steps".

Relations between Canada and India have nosedived after Trudeau alleged in Parliament last month that Indian intelligence agents may have been involved in the murder of Sikh pro-Khalistan hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Following Trudeau's allegations, the two nations expelled a diplomat each, and India termed Canada's allegations as "politically driven" and "absurd".

Recently, New Delhi asked Ottawa to withdraw 41 out of its 62 diplomats in India to achieve a parity in the number of diplomatic staff in each country.

According to a CTV News report, Canada has evacuated the majority of its diplomatic staff from India and shifted them to either Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) or Singapore.

However, there has been no official word on their evacuation from New Delhi.

The news comes amid claims by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday that the government was engaged diplomatically with India on the issue of staff reduction.

We are in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats safety very seriously, and we will continue to engage privately because we think that diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private, Jolie had said.

Sunak tells Trudeau he hopes to see 'de-escalation' in India-Canada tension

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Washington DC, October 7

T he White House is planning for a November meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco, The Washington Post reported.

The meeting comes as an attempt to stabilize relations between the two countries, according to senior administration officials.

"It's pretty firm" that there will be a meeting, said one administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the engagement has not yet been announced formally. "We're beginning the process" of planning, the official said.

A second senior administration official said that Biden looks forward to meeting Xi, but that "nothing has been confirmed yet", The Washington Post reported.

The officials said that plans will become clearer after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi comes to Washington in the coming weeks.

"China and the US are in communication on bilateral engagement and exchange," said Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, in an e-mail. "Both sides," he said, "need to work in the same direction, clear obstacles and manage differences with concrete actions, and enhance dialogue and expand cooperation in good faith."

As per The Washington Post, the in-person meeting would be the first between the leaders of the two largest economies since they met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last November. There, both presidents emphasized the importance of face-to-face diplomacy and expressed hope they could get US-China relations back on track.

White House planning November meeting between Joe Biden, Xi Jinping

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Ukraine would die in a week, if Western military aid stops, says Russian President Putin

Moscow, October 7

A s the West continues to provide aid for war-torn Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that Ukraine would not survive for more than "a week" without Western military and financial aid, reported Al Jazeera.

Putin made this claim on the same day when the European Union official warned that the bloc could not replace the funding gap if the US's support dries up for Kyiv.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden said that he "does worry" US support for Ukraine might get derailed.

Putin while speaking at the meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, said that Ukraine was being propped up "thanks to multi-billion donations that come each month".

"If one just stops, it will all die in a week," Putin said.

"The same applies to the defence system. Just imagine the aid stops tomorrow. It will live for only a week when they run out of ammo," he added.

Additionally, Putin further noted that Ukraine had lost over 90,000 troops since Kyiv's counteroffensive against Russian forces till date.

Moreover, while addressing a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Spain on Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the EU could not replace the US as Kyiv's primary donor.

At a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Spain on Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU could not replace the US as Kyiv's primary donor.

"Can Europe fill the gap left by the US? Well, certainly Europe cannot replace the US," Borrell said.

Moreover, the EU and the US, which includes most NATO members are crucial in Ukraine's fight against Russia.

Over this period of time, the EU and its member states have promised over USD 100 billion of aid to Ukraine, including financing weapon deliveries.

Meanwhile, Washington has committed USD 43 billion in military assistance, whereas, Congress has approved USD 113 billion, including humanitarian aid.

However, following the weekend deal struck with opposition Republicans to avert the US government shutdown, the new US funding for Ukraine has been at a standstill.

Following the US House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to oust Republican Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, it has made the Ukraine support even more uncertain.

Hours after the short-term spending bill was passed to avoid a government shutdown, US President Joe Biden assured that Washington will "not walk away" from supporting Ukraine, CNN reported.

"I want to assure our American allies and the American people and the people of Ukraine that you can count on our support. We will not walk away," CNN quoted Biden as saying.

Moreover, some of the hardliners also want US aid to Ukraine to cease, according to Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking to the meeting in Spain of European leaders on Thursday expressed concerns about Washington's "political storms" but noted that he was confident that he still had US bipartisan backing.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron reassured Zelenskyy of further support and pledged "tireless" support for Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron reinforced that message in a meeting with Zelenskyy, pledging "tireless" support for Ukraine.

Ukraine would die in a week, if Western military aid stops, says Russian President Putin

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On the night of October 7, the Russian occupiers attacked the civilian and port infrastructure of the Odesa region with supersonic Onyx missiles. A building of a boarding house and a grain storage facility near the port were hit, and four people were injured.

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The consequences of another war crime of the invaders were reported on Telegram by the Southern Defense Forces and the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration Oleh Kiper. It is noted that the missiles were fired from the Bastion coastal missile system in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Missile fragments and a blast wave caused a fire in a garage cooperative, damaged several apartment buildings, and smashed windows.

According to Kiper, four people were injured by glass shards. The victims were provided with all the necessary medical care.

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As previously explained by the Ukrainian Air Force, the Onyx missile is designed to destroy ships. This is also the key feature of the Onyx as they fly very low over the water, which makes them virtually unattainable for Ukrainian air defense.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL:

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- On the night of October 7, at least three explosions occurred in Odesa and Chornomorsk. At 2 a.m., an air raid alert was declared in the region.

- Occupational forces of the aggressor country Russia also attacked Poltava region that night. Explosions during the air raid alert were heard in Myrhorod.

Only verified information on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Questions about bullfrogs, moths and mushrooms. Also, progress(?) on the I-74 sound barriers, whats being built east of the Brookens Center in Urbana, more about Lincoln Avenue in Urbana, and an answer to Now & Then.
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A new study conducted by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center suggests that enhanced infection prevention and control (IPC) measures implemented to address the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a significant decrease in many healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and a reduction in respiratory viral infections (RVIs). The findings, published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), provide some of the first evidence that strict pandemic-related IPC interventions reduced HAI rates among vulnerable patient populations.

"Previous, large-scale studies revealed an alarming increase in some HAIs during the pandemic, which may be partly attributed to the necessary, dramatic shift in institutional IPC priorities," said Roy F. Chemaly, M.D., MPH, Chair of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control, and Employee Health at MD Anderson, and the lead author on the published study. "Our findings suggest that enhanced and targeted IPC measures enabled our facility to avoid these increases and, in several cases, significantly reduce the incidence of HAIs among our patient population during the pandemic."

Beginning in March 2020, M.D. Anderson deployed enhanced IPC practices to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, including high-level personal protective equipment, universal masking, enhanced environmental disinfection, and visitor restrictions, among others.

Dr. Chemaly and colleagues calculated the incidence rates (IRs) of six HAIs among the approximately 30,000 patients admitted annually at the cancer center from September 2016 through March 2022: C. difficile infection (C. diff), multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), respiratory viral infections (RVIs) and three device-related infections -- catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), and ventilator-associated events (VAE). The researchers then compared IRs for all HAIs for the 42 months prior to the pandemic (September 2016-February 2020) and the 25 months after the pandemic onset (March 2020-March 2022), as well as during the time of COVID-19 surges and in COVID-19-designated wards at the 767-bed facility.

Results show that the incidences of laboratory-identified C. diff (Li-CDI), CLABSI, and total RVIs at MD Anderson decreased significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rates of MDROs were unchanged except among patients on COVID-19 wards, and rates of other device-related infections remained stable. Specifically:

The incidence of Li-CDI significantly decreased after the onset of the pandemic, from 6.58 cases per 10,000 patient days to 4.31, with a statistically significant incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.65. The Li-CDI rates were similar between surge and non-surge periods (0.43 during surge vs. 0.44 during non-surge periods).

The total IR of nosocomial RVIs significantly decreased from the pre-pandemic to the pandemic period, from 5.24 to 1.90 per 1,000 admissions, with an IRR of 0.36. The IR did not change significantly between surge and non-surge periods. When evaluated individually, the IRs of SARS-CoV-2 and nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections were significantly higher during the surge period, while the IR of nosocomial influenza infection was comparatively lower.

The overall IRs of nosocomial MDROs were similar from the pre-pandemic to the pandemic period (0.66-0.74 with an IRR of 1.22) and did not significantly change between surge and non-surge periods (0.16 vs. 0.14). Notably, the overall IR of MDROs in the COVID-19 wards was more than five times higher than in the other inpatient wards (1.99 vs. 0.35 with an IRR of 5.77).

The rate of CLABSI significantly decreased during the pandemic, from 0.51 to 0.32 per 1,000 catheter days (IRR of 0.63). Notably, MD Anderson recorded 100% CLABSI bundle compliance in September 2022, with central line placement and maintenance completed exclusively by trained and experienced staff.

The rates of CAUTI (0.75-0.66; IRR of 0.88) and VAE (3.10-1.82; IRR 0.60) did not significantly change between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.

The encouraging findings from this study suggest that prioritizing and investing in evidence-based IPC practices can reduce HAIs, even among particularly vulnerable populations during extreme situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic." Patricia Jackson, RN, BSN, MA, CIC, FAPIC, 2023 APIC president
On the night of October 7, Russian troops attacked Kupiansk, Kharkiv region. The enemy launched a guided aerial bomb at the city.

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There were no casualties, but destruction was recorded. This was reported on Saturday morning by the head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, on his Telegram channel.

"Three residential buildings were damaged," he said. According to Syniehubov, the explosion in Kupiansk occurred around 03:10.

Yesterday (October 6), the Russian Federation Armed Forces fired at the settlements of Chuhuiv and Kupiansk districts.

The occupants used a Tornado multiple rocket launcher system against the village of Shevchenkove in the Kupyansk district. A 56-year-old civilian was wounded there.

The enemy also fired at the town of Vovchansk in the Chuhuiv district, causing a one-story apartment building to catch fire. Three residents were hospitalized as a result of the fire: a 76-year-old man, a 75-year-old woman and a 25-year-old woman.

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The village of Kurylivka in the Kupiansk district also suffered from MLRS strikes. The warehouses and property of a civilian enterprise were damaged.

The villages of Petropavlivka, Nechvolodivka, and Moskovka in the Kupiansk district, Hatyshche and Zemlianky in the Chuhuiv district and others were under enemy fire.

Syniehubov added that on October 6, the Russian invaders once again carried out offensive actions in the areas of Synkivka and Ivanivka in the Kupiansk direction. The Russians retreated with losses under the fire of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

As OBOZREVATEL wrote:

- The occupation forces are severely understaffed and poorly trained in the Kupiansk-Lyman direction, the Institute for War Studies said.

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- The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that on October 6, our defenders repelled enemy attacks near the settlements of Synkivka and Ivanivka in the Kupiansk direction. More details can be found in the agency's report here.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has sought the Central governments approval for the proposed ring metro project in Thane city, an official from the district administration said on Saturday.

During his visit to Delhi on Friday, Shinde met Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and sought approval for the proposed project, which is pending with the Centre, the official said.

Ring Project Approval from Centre

As per a release issued by the district administration, a proposal for a 29-km Thane ring metro project was prepared and sent to the Centre for approval.

Total Stations in Ring Metro Stretch

Once the project gets the approval, it will have 22 stations along the route on a 26 km long elevated ring metro stretch in Thane. The remaining 3 km of work will be done on underground tracks, said the release.

Underground Metro Stations

As per the release, one of the underground metro stations will be connected to Thane railway station and the other stations will be connected to the metro corridor.
The Common University Entrance Test ( CUET ) 2023 was held from May 21 to May 31 across India. This entrance exam is conducted to secure admission to the central universities in India. Now, almost all the major universities set the minimum CUET score for the candidate to become eligible for admission to the course. This nationwide computer-based test is conducted by the National Testing Agency ( NTA). HNB Garhwal University is seeking candidates for admission without the CUET score this year.

Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna has 121 colleges and institutes affiliated with it over the Garhwal region in Uttrakhand. This year, the University Grant Commission ( UGC) has granted permission to HNB Garhwal University and its affiliated colleges to conduct admissions without the CUET score. It will be applicable for this year only. It should be noted that candidates have to submit their CUET score from next year to become eligible for admission.

This year, HNB Garhwal was supposed to participate in the CUET exams and the admissions were to be done based on the CUET score only but due to a lack of information by the authorities, a large number of students couldnt participate in it.

Due to this mishap, almost 5,000 seats are left in the University campus and 15000 seats in the affiliated colleges. A total of 20,000 seats are vacant at HNB Garhwal University.

The student organisations protested over the CUET norms. After this, the university sent a report regarding this matter to UGC requesting an exception this year. UGC Secretary Manish R Joshi has issued a Standard Operating Procedure i.e. SOP. As per this procedure, it has been decided that the first preference will be given to candidates who have appeared for CUET this year. If the seats remain empty after that, then the screening test will be conducted for the remaining seats. It can also be done based on merit made from Class 12 and the graduation marks. It is up to the college and its course guidelines.
If you want to achieve something in life, then you must put in your best efforts and think out of the box. A recent story about two friends, Atharva Puranik and Pranay Chouhan, is gaining traction on social media for this reason. Coming from humble beginnings in Dewas district, Madhya Pradesh, they both worked tirelessly to attain success in their professional lives. Pranays father runs a school in Dewas. Atharva and Pranay studied in the same school. One day, the duo noticed the monotonous education structure every school abides by. The school placed a higher emphasis on textbook teaching, rather than encouraging students to have a profound understanding of the subjects. This approach hindered students from developing a constructive mindset and thorough understanding of several topics. It was at this moment that Atharva and Pranay came up with the idea to invent a platform aimed at simplifying education for children.

Atharva and Pranay pursued separate fields after their schooling. While Pranay graduated from Amity University, Atharva enrolled and subsequently dropped out from SRM University in Chennai in the first year itself. Even while going their separate ways, the two friends were still dedicated to furthering the concept they had come up with in school.

With a joint investment of Rs 1,000 each, they established an app named Padhle in 2021. Atharva started sharing his notes for classes 9 and 10 on the platform. Additionally, he launched a YouTube channel through which he delivered video lectures to educate students. The website also included test series, thorough NCERT solutions, as well as notes.

The idea was to make course material readily available to students in an engaging way that is also informative. The experience is further enhanced by fun elements like memes and jokes that are incorporated into the study material. Although the course content had input from others from the teaching fraternity, the bulk of it was shaped by Atharva and Pranay.

Atharva stresses the importance of a friendly teaching approach for better understanding. His mission to reform education is succeeding, with hundreds of thousands benefiting from their courses. Over 10,000 students have subscribed, and their platform is now valued at around Rs 25 crore, with a first-quarter revenue of over Rs 1 crore. They plan to expand to classes 11 and 12 too.
Rubina Dilaik and Abhinav Shukla are filled with joy as they await the arrival of their first child. The couple recently had a wonderful babymoon in Los Angeles and also celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi in their Mumbai home. Through their social media posts, the couple has been giving us glimpses of their wonderful moments and leaving us captivated by mum-to-bes impeccable maternity fashion choices. In her latest post, Rubina Dilaik shared a set of images flaunting her baby bump and her maternity style cannot go unnoticed.

In her pictures, Rubina Dilaik is seen perched on the hood of a pink car, set against a charming pink-themed backdrop. In the subsequent snapshot, she is captured inside the car. The expectant mother looks radiant in these photos, showcasing her baby bump while wearing a stylish black strappy dress with a daring plunging neckline. She completes her look with layered chains, eye-catching bracelets, and chic boots. Lastly, she went for a dewy makeup look that enhanced her pregnancy glow further and kept her hair open. The Bump-py Ride (heart emoticon), Rubina wrote in the caption.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rubina Dilaik (@rubinadilaik)

Rubina Dilaiks fans showered her with compliments and well-wishes for her pregnancy journey. Many admired her by saying she looked gorgeous, while others expressed their sincere wishes for her health and happiness. One caring fan conveyed, I hope the baby and you both remain healthy and happyenjoy this beautiful period.

A few days ago, Rubina Dilaik took to Instagram to share a series of photos from what appeared to be her vacation. In these snapshots, she showcased her stylish outfit, and one close-up shot emphasized her radiant appearance. The actress exuded elegance in a beige body-con dress that perfectly accentuated her growing baby bump. Adding an extra layer of style, she wore a white and blue kimono shrug adorned with a beautiful blue floral pattern. Her accessories included coordinating blue stone dangling earrings and silver bracelets, completing her ensemble. She even sported blue-rimmed sunglasses and carried a silver handbag, rounding off her chic look.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rubina Dilaik (@rubinadilaik)

On September 16, Rubina Dilaik and Abhinav Shukla confirmed the pregnancy on social media. Rubina and Abhinav met while filming Choti Bahu. In 2018, they married. The duo also appeared together on Salman Khans reality show Bigg Boss 14 and rapidly became one of the countrys most popular celebrity couples. Rubina even emerged as the winner that season. Reportedly, the actress is slated to make her debut in the Punjabi film business. She was last seen on television in Season 10 of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, where she was one of the finalists.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday justified the need to replace the IPC, CrPC, and the Evidence Act saying any law becomes "obsolete" after 50 years.

"There has been no change in the IPC, CrPC, or the Evidence Act since 1860. Any law becomes obsolete after 50 years. The scale of crime has changed, and so has the method of committing them but there has been no change in the method of dealing with them," Shah said.

Addressing the 49th All India Police Science Congress, he said this has had a crippling effect on the country's criminal justice system.

Speaking of the three new legislations  the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (to replace IPC), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (to replace CrPC), and Bharatiya Sakshya (to replace the Evidence Act)  under consideration of a parliamentary panel, he said they will replace the three old codes once passed by the Parliament.

It will expedite the disposal of cases as they won't get inordinately delayed, Shah added.

He said numerous reforms right from the home ministry to the last police station have been conceived for "Amrit Kaal" and it is time to implement them on the ground. The All India Police Science Congress covers six subjects, including policing in the 5G era, narcotics, challenges of social media, community policing, internal security, coordination between police and the Central Armed Police Forces, Shah said.

The scope of the subjects taken up completely cover the country's internal security, law and order, and border security, the Union home minister said.

Drawing a comparison between ten years of the UPA and nine years of the Modi government, Shah cited the substantial decline in incidents of violence in three hot spots  Jammu and Kashmir, left extremist-affected states and the north-east. "The number of violent incidents in the three hot spots from 2004 to 2014 were 33,200, which reduced to 12,358 in nine years from 2014-2023. Even deaths of security personnel and civilians in these areas recorded a substantial decline from 11,947 to 3,240," Shah said.

Shah called for a strong and collective endeavour to achieve the prime minister's vision of making India one of the leading countries in the world by 2047, the 100th year of its independence. "We have to work as hard as it gets in every field to achieve that goal. But the first pre-condition for development is a sound law and order scenario, internal security, and the safety of our borders," he said. The entire roadmap to achieve that goal will be laid down during the police congress, he said.
The number of foreigners who visited India in 2022 more than doubled from the footfall in 2021, but remains almost 35% lower than the pre-Covid years, an annual report by the Ministry of Home Affairs has said.

According to the report, a total of 38,34,984 foreigners visited India between April 1, 2022 to October 31, 2022, an average of 6,39,000 foreigners a month. The highest number of during this period arrived from Bangladesh (8,42,869), followed by the United States (8,05,692), United Kingdom (3,75,157), Australia (1,84,343), and Canada (1,45,221).

In comparison, a total of 15,24,469 foreigners had visited India between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, an average of 1,27,000 foreigners a month. The maximum number of foreigners who visited India during this period were from the US (4,29,860), followed by Bangladesh (2,40,554), United Kingdom (1,64,143) and Canada (80,437).

Before the Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a grinding halt in 2020, India used to witness the flow of more than 1 crore foreigners every year. As many as 1,09,23,084 foreigners (including 39,018 Pakistani nationals) had visited India in calendar year 2019. Bangladesh accounted for the maximum number of foreigners who visited India in 2019, followed by the US, UK and Canada.

Similarly, the annual report of 2018-19 had said over 1.37 crore foreigners visited the country. On an average, over 9 lakh foreigners visited India every month during that period. Bangladesh had again accounted for the maximum number of foreigners visiting India between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019 at 28,76,064, followed by the US (18,63,278), UK (13,69,548), Canada (4,79,228), Sri Lanka (4,51,736), Australia (4,44,033), Malaysia (4,11,050), Russian Federation (3,77,083), China (3,75,449) and Germany (3,60,843).

In view of the political situation in Ukraine and Russia and as goodwill gesture all type of visa/e-Visa has been extended on gratis basis for Ukranian nationals and Russian nationals. Penalty for any overstaying by Ukranian and Russian nationals after 24.02.2022 has also been waived off, the latest report said.

Experts attribute Bangladeshs ascendancy on Indias tourism landscape to the lack of consulates for several European nations. Consequently, citizens of Bangladesh are compelled to journey to India for visa processing. Additionally, a significant number of Bangladeshis seek medical treatment in India, further adding up to their travel numbers.

Except for Bhutanese and Nepalese citizens directly traveling to India, all foreign nationals, including children, need a visa to travel to India.
In a tragic incident, 10 people were charred to death after a major fire broke out at a firecracker godown-cum-shop in Karnatakas Attibele town, located at the outskirts of Bengaluru on Saturday.

According to eye witnesses, the fire broke in Balaji Crackers shop at around 4:30 pm, when the cracker boxes were being unloaded from a canter vehicle.

The fire fighters rushed to the spot and extinguished almost 80%. of the fire, the police said adding that some employees were working inside the shop when the fire broke out.

So far 10 dead bodies have been recovered from the spot and few more are suspected to be caught in the fire.

Search operations are still underway to ascertain if anymore employees are still trapped inside the gutted shop, said Superintendent of Police (Bengaluru Rural) Mallikarjun Baladandi.

He also said, Five fire engines were pressed into operations and the fire has currently been brought under control.

The police also said that firecrackers worth several lakhs were being stored in the godown for the upcoming Deepavali festival.

(with PTI inputs)
The BJP on Friday accused Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge of running a false propaganda about MGNREGA budget cuts, and said the Narendra Modi government has repeatedly revised the budget estimates to meet the growing demand for work under the rural job scheme.

In a post on X on Friday, Kharge said the people in rural India are forced to wander from door-to-door in search of work under MGNREGA while the prime minister reduced its budget drastically and was hiding his failures by criticising the Congress in poll-bound states.

The Congress presidents remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan over recruitment exam paper leaks, corruption and law and order, saying it cared only for its vote bank and not the people of Rajasthan.

Hitting back at Kharge, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya wrote on X, His claim about budget cuts for MGNREGA in 2023-24 is false. Congress has become an expert in presenting data before the people by wrapping them in lies. The false propaganda and lamentations about MGNREGA are also a demonstration of the same, Malviya added.

The BJP leader said that MGNREGA is a demand-driven scheme and the Modi government has repeatedly revised its budget estimates to meet the growing demand for work under the scheme.

For example, in FY 2021-22, what started as a BE (Budget Estimate) of Rs 73,000 crore was revised to Rs 98,000 crore. For FY 2020-21, what started as BE of Rs 61,500 crore was revised to Rs 1,11,500 crore, Malviya said.

It is a matter of shame that even after ruling for decades, Congress could not understand this, he charged.

Targeting the government in a post on X, Kharge claimed that the economic crisis in rural India was so deep that the September demand for work under the MGNREGA increased by 30 per cent in four years.

Instead of doing anything about it, the prime minister is cursing the Congress in his speeches in poll-bound states to hide his massive failures, the Congress president charged.

Reacting sharply to Kharges remarks, Malviya charged, It would have been better if the Congress president had understood this (MGNREGA) scheme before levelling allegations. Perhaps Kharge ji forgot that MGNREGA is a demand-based scheme, which means when there is more demand, more money is allocated, he said.

Malviya asserted that the Modi government is safeguarding the rights of the people who are poor unlike the Congress which took away their rights.
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, former IAS and 17th chief election commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi has penned a new bookIndias Experiment with Democracyto provide an analysis of electoral, legal, and regulatory issues that aid all democratic practices in India.

In the book, published by HarperCollins India, he has spoken at length about topics that have been haunting the Election Commission of India and its various demands regarding reforms. One such topic was the ECIs neutrality.

Quraishi, in the book, explained how the ECI and the Supreme Court are independent authorities, deliberately separated from the executive. However, while the SCs order and decision cannot be disobeyed for fear of contempt, that is not the case with the ECI. When asked if that is making the ECI a toothless tiger, the former CEC said that the poll body has been effective even without the contempt power for decades.

When the ECI proposed the idea of contempt of court power for itself I had opposed it. Remember it has been effective even without this for decades. If it is strict, bold, and neutral in taking action, its reputation and effectiveness will survive, he told News18.

The book talks about the ECI, the democratic history of India, and various dialogues and debates around them starting from the first Lok Sabha election to the one in 2019 and even the assembly elections. It also discusses international elections.

In Indias Experiment with Democracy, Quraishi examines several key questions that the country is facing today, including One Nation, One Election, credibility in EC, infighting in parties for symbols, and horse trading and defection.

In one of the chapters, he discusses crime and politics and how even after an SC judgement, things have not improved. When asked what is the way out and who is at fault that MPs and MLAs with criminal charges are being elected, he said that the ECI, the government, and the Supreme Court, all three have a role to play.

I will take the government first. We have been demanding that candidates against whom criminal cases of heinous nature are pending should be debarred from contesting, as recommended even by the Law Commission. The SC had taken cognisance of it and had ordered that cases against politicians should be taken up on the fast track and decided within a year, he said.

If that is not done, the concerned courts will report to the respective chief justices of the High Courts with reasons. Its almost 10 years, we have not seen any results. SC has not even reviewed it. The role of ECI is limited and they are playing it well, he added.

While speaking about the 2019 general elections in the book, Quraishi says that it is politicians who flout the Model Code of Conduct but the ECI is questioned and blamed. On how to overcome this and how it can be ensured that political parties and candidates follow the rules, he said that the ECI has often been called toothless because of its limited power in enforcing model code.

Since it is not a law but a voluntary code agreed upon by politicians themselves, advice, warning, and censure is all that can be done. Actually, it has a great moral authority that people miss. The way the politicians are portrayed after receiving the notice is quite impactful, he said.

Besides, he added that FIRs are also registered simultaneously which take years to fructify.

The EC was criticised in 2019 for not even issuing notices against some top leadership till the SC came down on it. This selectiveness from the Election Commission is not acceptable, he said.

The book also discusses the reforms the ECI and the overall system needs to make it more inclusive. One such issue was reservation for women. While it has now been passed by Parliament, its implementation may take some time.

I have been advocating womens reservation for years and I am happy that finally an Act has been passed. I hope it will be implemented in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. I am sure it is doable. Till then, who stops the political parties from giving more tickets to women? (West Bengal chief minister and All India Trinamool Congress head) Mamata Banerjee has already demonstrated it by getting more women in Parliament than the quota seeks. (Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal head) Naveen Patnaik also gave tickets to more than 33% women, he said.

Quraishi added that women may seem docile in the beginning but will come into their own very quickly. We can already see some women making their presence felt very impressively.

In another chapter, he discusses simultaneous elections but says that while having logistical advantages, it has several constitutional issues. Unless a political national consensus is built, these are not possible.

He also advocated for state funding of political parties in elections but expressed displeasure that it has not been considered by them.

I have advocated state funding of political parties instead, through a national election fund. No party has bothered to even look at the proposal. Funding can be done by corporates (which they are already doing by giving directly to political parties) with a ban on individual donations, he told News18.

Priced at Rs 699, the 552-page book will be launched in Delhi on Wednesday.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was reluctant to accuse India of involvement in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but went ahead with the statement in parliament anyway since a court trial would have made the case public anyway, senior Indian-American journalist Fareed Zakaria told News18 in an interview.

Speaking to News18, Zakaria said the Trudeau government might be regretting the way the issue unfolded since Ottawa wants cordial ties with New Delhi.

My own view is that Trudeau was reluctant to do this and did it reluctantly knowing it would cause a firestorm, which, of course, it has caused. I believe there were some efforts to get Indians to cooperate, but when it didnt go anywhere, he decided he had to go public with it," Zakaria said.

My guess is there would probably be some kind of judicial process at some point. There would be an arrest. There has to be a trial In order to stall any bombshell coming out that way, Trudeau did what he did," he added.

They were motivated by the sense that this is going to go public anyway, but they have ended up in a situation they regret. Canada doesnt want bad relations with India," the journalist and author further said.

India had earlier this week asked Canada to withdraw several dozen diplomats from its missions amid the escalating diplomatic row that erupted following Trudeaus allegation linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist Nijjar in British Columbia in June.

India 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..

The charges are explosive, so Indians are responding in a similar vigorous way I think there has to be a way out. India benefits a lot from good relations with Canada, and Canada benefits a lot from good relations with India. One would hope both sides could see larger strategic interest," Zakaria told News18.

Explaining the US position on diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, Zakaria said: The Americans do believe that there is substantial evidence Some of the intelligence came from the US. The reason the US doesnt want to make a big deal out of it is that it has made a strategic decision over the last three administrations to have closer relationship with India."

The journalist added that the pro-Khalistanis are a only a minority of a minority of a minority". There are only a handful of people who are actually advocating Khalistani independence," he said.
Kremlin propagandists have started talking about the alleged explosion of the Kremenchuk hydroelectric power plant. At the same time, the Russian Federation brazenly accused the Armed Forces of Ukraine of allegedly mining an infrastructure facility.

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The aggressor country also cynically stated that the "Kakhovka scenario" could be repeated. This was reported by Russian propaganda media.

The propagandists published another nonsense about the "mining" of the Kremenchuk HPP, allegedly referring to a representative of Russian security forces who allegedly has "sources in the ranks of the Armed Forces" in the area of the power plant itself.

"We have received information about the mining and possible explosion of the Kremenchuk hydroelectric power plant in order to create public tension and accuse the Russian army of attacking the plant," Russia said.

It is worth noting that when the Russian occupiers committed a terrorist attack at the Kakhovka HPP, they immediately shifted the responsibility for the crime to Ukraine. Putin's terrorists pretended that Ukraine had allegedly launched a series of strikes on the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. In reality, the infrastructure facility was mined by Russian criminals.

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As a reminder, on the morning of June 6, Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka dum, flooding settlements in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.

A month after the explosion, the area turned into a desert. The hydroelectric power plant itself is beyond repair, with 11 out of 28 spans destroyed at the top of the dam.

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As reported by OBOZREVATEL:

- On August 21, the first water supply line was launched in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which will provide access to water for about 25% of the population of Kryvyi Rih. The city's water supply was damaged after the explosion of the Kakhovka dam.

- Russian propagandists showed what the Kakhovka HPP looks like now in a video. After the explosion, it was almost completely destroyed, and some of the structures went underwater.

Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned the terrorist attacks by Hamas on the country. He also prayed for all those Israelis who lost their lives in a surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza.

Israels national rescue service said at least 22 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the Hamas military incursion, making the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said, Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 7, 2023

Taking to X, Ambassador of Israel to India, Naor Gilon thanked people of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending support to Israel. Thank you @PMOIndia. Indias moral support is much appreciated. Israel will prevail, he shared on X.

Thank you @PMOIndia. Indias moral support is much appreciated. Israel will prevail. https://t.co/T6Xsu7gsW5 Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) October 7, 2023

Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared war and said his country would extract an unprecedented price from its enemy.

Netanyahu, in his first public statement following the attack, said that the nation is at war and will extract an unprecedented price from its enemy. We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours, Netanyahu told his countrymen in a televised address.

In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war, and we will win it, Netanyahu asserted.

The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out the unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea and caught the country off-guard on a major holiday. A senior commander from Hamas has claimed that thousands of rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel.

INDIAN EMBASSY IN ISRAEL ISSUES ADVISORY

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy asked all Indian nationals in Israel to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay close to safety shelters, the Embassy said in its advisory. The advisory gave relevant phone numbers in case of emergency and also provided URLs for Israeli Home Front Command and Preparedness brochures.

The advisory was issued in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages. According to the details on the website of the Indian Embassy in Delhi, there are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, primarily caregivers employed by Israeli elders, diamond traders, IT professionals and students.

(with inputs from PTI)
RSS affiliate Laghu Udyog Bharati (LUB) has asked the Union government to follow a considerate approach while inspecting micro and small pharma firms.

LBU has cautioned the government about the potential for medicine shortages in the upcoming months, attributing this concern to the atmosphere of apprehension generated by ongoing inspections and notifications of closures or production halts.

This is the second letter that LUB has written to the Centre expressing concern over the ongoing risk-based inspection drive across India. The previous letter, written in July, was retracted, saying it was sent due to some confusion.

In the latest letter titled Urgent Action Required to Preserve the MSME Pharma Industry  sent to Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on October 5  LBU has asked the government to avoid minor lapses.

It also argues for a minimum three-year period for the industry to adapt to Schedule M, calling the governments deadline of six months to one year impractical.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, via its drug regulatory wing  the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)  has been conducting inspections at certain shortlisted companies. These are called risk-based inspections and were triggered after the World Health Organization and several other countries, including Gambia, Uzbekistan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and the US, raised doubts over the quality of Indian medicines.

LBU Expects Favourable Response

The letter, also marked to the health secretary and Drug Controller General of India, emphasises patient safety and health over minor documentation discrepancies.

While we wholeheartedly support risk-based inspections initiative, we have observed that, in the last 30 days, several MSME units were inspected in a manner resembling a raid, Ghan Shyam Ojha, all-India president of LBU, wrote in the letter.

Ojha, in the letter accessed by News18, said: We advocate for a more considered approach to inspections, especially for small shortfalls (sic).

During the inspections, the Union government shut down the units and production lines when not found complying with good manufacturing practices. However, LBU demands a change in its stance.

Concluding the letter, LBU warned, shortages of medicines may be observed in the coming months which poses a threat to humanity, as our manufacturers are in deep dilemma and it has created fear factor among all of us.

The body, a registered national-level organisation working for the cause of micro, small and medium enterprises, has requested an appointment with the minister to discuss the issue further.

While confirming the dispatch of the four-page-long letter, Ojha told News18 over a call that LBU is awaiting the governments response. We expect a favourable response considering the future of the Indian pharma industry which has flourished on its strong foundation of MSME.

Upgrade to Schedule M Needs Minimum 3 Years

In August, the health ministry said drug manufacturers with annual turnover of more than Rs 250 crore have to comply with the standards of Schedule M (which are equivalent to WHO-GMP certification) within six months and for companies with less than Rs 250 crore turnover, the timeline will be a year.

However, in the letter, LBU has clarified that the industry needs a minimum three-year period to bring changes. It said that the draft rule of 2018 shall not be made applicable on a hue and cry basis.

It would be agreed that it took 77 years to reach this point, therefore upgradation of 8,000 units to Schedule M within one year is not practicable.

According to the letter, the pharma industry is already subject to multiple regulations such as narcotics, labour, pollution (Central and State), industries and more.

All these bodies oversee industry operations daily. If each of them were to initiate risk-based raids, it would be untenable.

Transparent Analysis

The body, which represents micro and small industries in over 400 districts, used an instance of US-based drugmaker Abbott  without naming the firm  to showcase how large corporates with top-class approvals also default regularly on quality parameters.

It said global practices need global evolution as all large corporates which are having USFDA, EU-GMP and minimum benchmark of WHO-GMP regularly defaulting on quality parameters and every month we have seen recall from such global markets as well as recently one MNC recalling approx. 6 million bottles of famous antacid suspension in the Indian market and earlier they issued public notices for recalling medicines due to wrong labelling (sic).

LBU has urged the government to adopt a holistic approach to address the issue of Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) rather than solely targeting the pharmaceutical formulation industry.

NSQ determinations involve several factors, including transportation breakages, quality reviews, laboratory analysis efficiency, storage conditions, and more, it said.
After a massive attack from the Gaza Strip, Israels Ambassador to India Naor Gilon on Saturday said the country is determined to retaliate to dual attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli citizens. He also thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending strong moral support to Israel.

In view of the unprecedented war-like situation in Israels southern parts that has killed at least 40 people and injured over 300, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords to retaliate against it.

Follow Israel-Palestine Conflict LIVE here

News agency ANI quoted Gilon as saying, Early this morning, when Israeli citizens were still in their beds. Hamas, the terror organization from Gaza, perpetrated a dual attack, both rockets toward Israeli civilians and ground attacks by terrorists against civilian population. Children, women, elderly, they have killed many and captured others. Israel will retaliate. Israel will go after the perpetrators and make sure they cannot repeat this kind of atrocities again.

Responding to PM Modis post on X (formally Twitter), he said, Thank you to the Indian people and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for your very strong moral support to Israel. We will prevail.

#WATCH | Ambassador of Israel to India, Naor Gilon says, Early this morning, when Israeli citizens were still in their beds. Hamas, the terror organization from Gaza, perpetrated a dual attack, both rockets towards Israeli civilians and ground attacks by terrorists against pic.twitter.com/pf7iRo6kkN ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2023

Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared war and said his country would extract an unprecedented price from its enemy. Citizens of Israel, we are at war. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. We will win this war, the Israeli Prime Minister said.

Indian Embassy in Israel Issues Advisory

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy asked all Indian nationals in Israel to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay close to safety shelters, the Embassy said in its advisory. The advisory gave relevant phone numbers in case of emergency and also provided URLs for Israeli Home Front Command and Preparedness brochures.

The advisory was issued in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages. According to the details on the website of the Indian Embassy in Delhi, there are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, primarily caregivers employed by Israeli elders, diamond traders, IT professionals and students.

There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian origin in Israel too that were part of the main waves of immigration into Israel from India in the fifties and sixties.

(with inputs from PTI)
The suspension of visas for Canadians is a temporary move by India keeping in mind the security of its diplomats, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for External Affairs on Saturday morning.

Sources said some MPs sought to know the current status of India-Canada ties which plummeted to new depths after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia this June.

India had 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 last month. New Delhi also suspended visa services for Canadians.

The Indian government had made several request for extradition of such extremist forces that managed to enter Canada. But the government there has been largely unresponsive to the demand by India, a source quoted Jaishankar as telling the Committee. Under the garb of freedom of speech, nobody can be seen supporting terrorism and extremism. This has been Indias stated position, the minister is said to have further explained.

Sources added that Jaishankar referred to the suspension of visas as temporary.

The situation in Canada towards Indian diplomats has been very hostile and their free movement hasnt been possible of recent. There have been attempts to incite violence against them. It is Indias duty to protect its people, including its diplomats. Keeping the situation in mind, till the condition improves, the visas will remain suspended. Therefore, this is just a temporary suspension.

The committee met on Saturday morning to discuss Indias G20 presidency and the successful conduct of the summit, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken up the issue of Khalistani separatism thriving on Canadian soil in informal meetings with Trudeau.

Sources said a detailed presentation on the G20 Summit was made by the Foreign Secretary at the meeting, while Jaishankar explained the detailed efforts put in by the Narendra Modi government to make it a success.

Glad to note the unanimous appreciation on its (G20s) unqualified success. And the positive impact of the Jan Bhagidari approach, Jaishankar posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The Parliamentary Consultative Committee met today to discuss our G20 Presidency. Glad to note the unanimous appreciation on its unqualified success. And the positive impact of the Jan Bhagidari approach. pic.twitter.com/JbWBGLaNZc  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 7, 2023

Sources said all members of the committee, including those from the Opposition, praised the government on Indias successful conduct of the G20 Summit in Delhi and the consensus achieved on the declaration despite global differences over the Russia-Ukraine war.

Jaishankar is said to have told the MPs of the appreciation received by India over the inclusion of the African Union into the bloc. It was the relentless efforts of PM Modi that made this happen. Talks have happened about Global South in the past, but nothing concrete was done, sources quoted Jaishankar as saying.

Those present at the meeting included Priyanka Chaturvedi from Shiv Sena-UBT, Premchandra Gupta from the RJD, Sujit Kumar from the BJD, GVL Narsimha Rao and Bhola Singh from the BJP, Vikramjit Singh Sahney from AAP, Dr Venkata Satyavathi Beesetti of the YSRCP.

Interestingly, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor were not present at the meeting.
A 17-year-old college student from Maharashtras Palghar was allegedly killed by a 23-year old man, on Friday for refusing his marriage proposal. Police said that the accused, identified as Prabhakar Waghare was her friend. The incident occured in the afternoon at Mokhada area which is located about 100 kilometres from Palghar.

A police offfical said that the victim, Archana Udar, a resident of Pimpalpada was a Class XII student in a junior college and was going to have lunch with her female friend when she was attacked by the man.

The accused man was in a one-sided relationship with her for the past two years and killed the victim by slitting her throat with a knife, the official added.

He further said, Waghare found out the girl had received a marriage proposal some 10 days ago and was distressed since. When he proposed to her and she refused, Waghare slit her throat with a knife. Udar was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival.

The accused, Waghare escaped from the spot and has been charged with murder. An official from the Mokhada police station said that efforts are underway to nab him.

In another incident that occured last month, a man allegedly killed a specially-abled woman n Rajasthans Pratapgarh district for refusing his marriage proposal. The body of the deceased was found hanging from a tree in a forested area near Khuntgarh village in Pratapgarhs Devgarh area.

The accused, identified as Kuldeep Gehlot was arrested in connection with the case.

During the probe, police found that the accused took the woman to the forest area and pressured her to get married to him. However when she refused the duo had a fight and Gehlot allegedly strangulated her to death and hanged the body on a tree with the help of her scarf.

Earlier this year, a man in Delhis Malviya Nagar was arrested for allegedly killing a 25-year-old college student, after she refused his marriage proposal. According to police, the accused and the victim were cousins. The womans body was discovered near Vijay Mandal Park, and a rod was also found in close proximity, the police added.

Sources told CNN-News18 that he police arrested the accused, Irfan for the murder of the woman, identified as Nargis. The police had received information about a man assaulting a woman at Vijay Mandal Park in Shivalik A Block of Malviya Nagar following which he fled the scene.

(with PTI inputs)
As the countdown for the return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan from London begins, his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif has claimed that his brother was ousted from power three times by one conspiracy or another, including in 1999 following the Kargil debacle.

Nawaz, 73, is expected to return to Pakistan on October 21 after about four years of self-imposed exile in London where he has been living since November 2019 when he went there for medical treatment.

The foremost conspiracy, Shehbaz, also a former prime minister, claimed was when his elder brother was conveniently blamed for the Kargil debacle to oust him from power in 1999.

Without naming the late army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president said the Kargil adventure was carried out and in the wake of it, Nawaz Sharif had to go to the US to stop the war.

Kargil debacle was conveniently imposed on then prime minister Nawaz Sharif (in 1999). If Kashmir was taken over in the wake of this adventure, then history might have been different, Shehbaz said sarcastically while talking to the media here on Friday.

But Nawaz had to rush to the US to end the war (with India) and sacrificed his government for the sake of the state, Shehbaz added.

On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of Operation Vijay, declaring victory over the Pakistan Army after a nearly three-month-long battle at the icy heights of Kargil.

After the Kargil War, Gen Musharraf staged a military coup against the elected government of Nawaz Sharif in October 1999, snatched power and ruled the country for the next nine years.

The elder Sharif, three-time premier, was on a self-imposed exile in London from November 2019 on medical grounds after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week bail.

Subsequently, he had been declared a proclaimed offender in corruption cases. He was serving a seven-year jail term at Kot Lakhpat Jail here in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case before securing bail for his treatment abroad.

Stating that during his third stint, Nawaz brought China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to the country, Shehbaz said, The conspiracy against him began when the Chinese presidents tour of Pakistan was cancelled because of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: chief Imran Khans sit-in in Islamabad in 2014. And then in 2017, Nawaz was ousted in the Panama Papers case that hampered Pakistans progress, Shehbaz added.

The PML-N party says Nawaz will secure protective bail ahead of his scheduled arrival and surrender to the court in the Al Azizia corruption case after addressing a rally at the Minar-i-Pakistan here on October 21.

Shehbaz had on Friday said, Nawaz would return and steer the country out of the economic crisis and also that his elder brother will be PML-Ns candidate for the slot of prime minister.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that general elections will be held by the end of January 2024.
The death toll in the flash floods in Sikkim has risen to 27 including those of seven Army personnel, with the number of missing persons going upto 143. Authorities fear that the true numbers in this disaster might be higher than what they estimated.

Meanwhile, the state chief minister Prem Singh Tamang on Friday announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the family of those who died in the flash floods. Tamang also announced an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 each to all those people who are taking shelter in relief camps.

The flash floods, which was triggered by a cloudburst on Wednesday, has affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses, and washed away 13 bridges, bringing the Himalayan state to its worst condition.

Death Toll Goes Upto 26, Search On For 143 Missing Persons

The death toll in the Sikkim flash floods has gone up to 27, seven of which were of Army personnel. With this the number of missing persons also went up to 143. Search operations to locate the ones missing is underway.

So far, 2,413 people have been rescued from different areas and 6,875 people are taking shelter in 22 relief camps set up across the state, most of which has been cut off from the rest of the country.

The bodies of seven Army personnel were recovered from different areas downstream of Teesta, while one of them was rescued earlier.

According to a defence statement, at Bardang, Army vehicles have been dug out and stores were recovered and adding that tracker dogs and special radars have been deployed for assistance in the search operations.

26 Meghalaya Students Stuck in Flood-hit Sikkim; State Govt Activates Helpline

The Meghalaya government activated a helpline to help those who are stranded in the flood-hit state of Sikkim after 26 of its student got stuck in the state.

The students got stranded in the state after the flash flood cut off roads and bridges in the state.

In a post on X, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that those affected by the devastation in Sikkim can reach out to the Directorate of Higher and Technical Educations Additional Director A Ali and Deputy Director FB Ramsiej.

Sikkim CM Announces Ex Gratia of Rs 4 Lakh

Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in the flash floods. He also announced an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 to each of those taking shelter in relief camps.

There have been damages worth thousands of crores of rupees. We cannot give exact details about damages, it will be revealed once a committee is formed and it completes its analysis. Our first priority is to save those who are stranded and provide them immediate relief, Tamang told PTI.

He also said that the road connectivity has been adversely affected by the floods as the roads and bridges have been washed away, adding that communication in North Sikkim is severely affected.

Centre Assures Necessary Assistance to Sikkim

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said that he has spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, President Droupadi Murmu and other Union ministers.

They have assured me that all necessary assistance will be provided to the state, Tamang said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved the release of Rs 44.8 crore as an advance amount from the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim to provide relief to flash floods-affected people.

Following a Shahs instructions, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has formed an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), which will visit the affected areas of Sikkim soon to make an assessment of the damage caused due to a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), cloudburst and flash floods, according to an official statement.

ITBP Team Rescues 68 Persons Stranded at the Height of 16,000 Ft

Amid the flash floods in Sikkim, 68 persons were stranded at the height of 16,000 feet and were totally cut off from others for three days.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) rescue team launched an extensive search operation and rescued all 68 persons safely. In a separate operation, six officials of Chungthams Teesta Power Project were also rescued, the ITBP said.

Aftermath of Flash Floods: Several Roads, Bridges & Homes Affected

In the aftermath of the flash floods triggered by a cloud burst in the Himalayan state of Sikkim, several roads and homes were affected. Visuals from the region show adversely damaged roads, homes and bridges.

#WATCH | Sikkim: Aftermath of flash floods in Singtam after a cloud burst. pic.twitter.com/jB460Lex4j ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023

CWCs 2015 Report Stands out Amid Glacial Lake Outburst

One study done by the Central Water Commission has stood out among the other researches that exist in the past about potential glacial lake outbursts and flash-floods triggered by them. The 2015 report of the CWC has clearly warned the state government that majority of the hydropower projects on the Teesta river are highly vulnerable to such events.

A GLOF occurred in parts of Lhonak Lake, leading to a rapid rise in water levels with very high velocities downstream along the Teesta River Basin in the early hours of October 4. This resulted in severe damage in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi districts.

The CWC study, titled Glacial Lake Outburst FloodSouth Lhonak System in Teesta River Basin noted that GLOFs in glacial lakes in the river basin could lead to severe flash floods downstream, impacting areas like Lachen, Chungthang, Dikchu, Singtam, Manipal, Rangpo, Bara Mungwa villages, and the entirety of hydropower projects Teesta I to VI along a 175-km stretch of the river.

A CWC official on condition of anonymity told PTI, Multiple studies, including one by the commission, had cautioned the state authorities about the GLOF hazard in the upper Teesta River region. We currently have one flood forecasting station 20 km upstream of Chungthang. More stations can be installed if the state submits a proposal.

Several occasions in the last two decades have seen government agencies and research studies warning about potential GLOFs in Sikkim.

(With PTI inputs)
Accounts from Indians in Israel have started coming in even as the embassy issued an advisory for all citizens to remain vigilant. Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said 27 Christians from his state were stuck in the holy city of Jerusalem. Students studying in the foreign nation said the situation is tense but they are safe.

In an unprecedented move, the Hamas militant group ruling Palestine launched a military incursion into Israel, which later retaliated with air strikes. The death toll has risen to 100 in Israel with hundreds wounded.

Indian citizens have said they are in a dilemma as they can neither go out or stay inside their homes. More than 5,000 rockets have been fired (on Israel) till now. We are in deep trouble right now. Neither can we go outside, nor we can stay inside (of house), said Prasad, an Indian citizen stuck in Israel.

Today was a very difficult day, we have never seen a situation (like this). Within 20 minutes, 5,000 rockets were fired. This is a very difficult situation for the country, said another Indian citizen Soma Ravi.

Vikas Sharma, an Indian student, said: The situation is tense in Israel because of the attack, but all the Indian students are safe. Most of the students are staying in dorms and accommodations provided by the college. We are in contact with each other as well as the Indian embassy.

I am very nervous and scaredThankfully, we have shelter and Israeli police forces nearby. So far we are safe We are in touch with Indian embassy people, we have a good Indian community around and we are connected said another student Goku Manavalan.

Sangma, meanwhile, sought the help of the ministry of external affairs to rescue 27 people from his state stranded in the war-like situation between Israel and Palestine. He said he is in touch with the ministry to bring them back.

Taking to X, he said, 27 citizens of Meghalaya who traveled to Jerusalem for the Holy Pilgrimage are stuck in Bethlehem due to the present tension between Israel and Palestine. I am in touch with the MEA to ensure their safe passage back home, the chief minister added.

Jesuralem is one of the international destinations for Christians in Meghalaya for its religious importance.

The Indian Embassy has asked all Indian nationals to observe safety protocols. In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay close to safety shelters, the embassy said in its advisory.

The advisory gave relevant phone numbers in case of emergency and also provided URLs for Israeli Home Front Command and Preparedness brochures. It was issued in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages.

According to the details on the website of the Indian Embassy here, there are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, primarily caregivers employed by Israeli elders, diamond traders, IT professionals and students. There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian origin in Israel too that were part of the main waves of immigration into Israel from India in the 50s and 60s.

(With PTI inputs)
A Ukrainian woman on Saturday performed pind daan at a temple here for the peace and salvation of the souls of all the soldiers and civilians who died in her country and Russia in the war between the two nations that began in February 2022.

It is believed by Hindus that those who perform the ritual in Gaya during Pitru Paksha, their ancestors are relieved from the cycle of birth and death and attain salvation.

Pitru Paksha, a 16-day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors, began on September 29 this year.

Yulia told reporters: This is the second time I have come to Gaya to perform pind daan. I had come here last year also for the salvation of my parents souls during this period. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war must end, she said adding that she came here to spread the message of peace.

Yulina performed the ritual with the help of Loknath Gaur, an ISKCON preacher.

Yulia is a firm believer of Sanatan Dharma and she has studied a lot about Gaya and the importance of performing pind daan here during Pitru Paksha, Gaur said.

The Pitru Paksha Mela is organised annually at Vishnupad temple here.

Every year, a large number of Hindus from across the world visit the temple during the Pitru Paksha to perform Pind Daan rituals.
Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez officially filed for divorce in September after two years, according to TMZ. Now, according to new reports from the portal, Ariana has paid over USD 1 million to Dalton as a settlement. The former couple got separated in July. However, the divorce filing occurred approximately two months later, as both were taking their time together to slowly work through the details of the agreement privately.

According to the report, Dalton will get USD 1,250,000 tax-free, as per their prenuptial agreement and after this payment, he will not receive any spousal support from the popstar. Reportedly, Dalton will also receive half the amount from the sale of their home in Los Angeles and Ariana will bear a part of Daltons legal fees.

TMZ quoted a source as saying, There is still a strong mutual love and respect between Ariana and Dalton and they wanted to make sure everything was done right in lockstep with one another. The settlement has been filed with the court and is pending the judges approval.

Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomezs romantic journey started in January 2020, culminating in their official relationship status when they appeared together in the music video for Grandes collaboration with Justin Bieber, titled Stuck with U, in May of that same year. Their engagement was subsequently announced in December 2020, and they took their wedding vows in an intimate wedding ceremony on May 15, 2021.

According to the latest reports, the former couple separated on February 20 this year and Ariana Grande is presently involved in a romantic relationship with her Wicked co-star, Broadway alum Ethan Slater. Ethan, who had tied the knot with his high school classmate Lilly Jay in November 2018, welcomed his first child with her in January this year. However, Ethan filed for divorce from Lilly in July this year.
The West cannot allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to win the war against Ukraine. This would mean new aggression and even more violence.

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The risks of escalation, which have made some European countries extremely cautious about supplying the Ukrainian army with weapons, pale in comparison to the threats the world will face if Russia wins in Ukraine. This was stated by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with Welt.

He made this statement while commenting on Germany's decision to provide Ukraine with another Patriot system amid Russia's likely increase in attacks on the Ukrainian energy system with the onset of cold weather.

"I welcome Germany's announcement that it will send Ukraine another Patriot air defense system... I understand the concern that our support for Ukraine carries a risk of escalation, but that risk pales in comparison to allowing Putin to win this war. If Putin wins the war in Ukraine, he will most likely resort to violence again," Stoltenberg emphasized.

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He emphasized that a powerful air defense system is crucial for saving Ukrainian lives in the face of the fact that Russia could start massive strikes on Ukraine's energy system at any moment.

"We can expect new Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system. Air defense is crucial to saving Ukrainian lives," the NATO Secretary-General emphasized.

He also called Berlin's support for Kyiv "resolute".

"The supply of weapons is a national matter. I welcome Germany's strong support for Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.

At the same time, he spoke about the permanent threats of using nuclear weapons coming from Moscow. Stoltenberg doubts that these threats will be realized.

"Russia's nuclear rhetoric is irresponsible, but the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons remains low... Of course, we continue to monitor Russia's activities very closely. NATO is a nuclear alliance, and nuclear deterrence has been working for 75 years," the NATO Secretary-General said.

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Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for an end to the war on Ukraine's terms. He is convinced that "Putin must understand that you cannot divide the world map into 'yours' and 'ours'.

It was also reported that Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, was outraged that Germany was in no hurry to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles. He called these missiles "simply necessary for survival."
In the 2022 National Geographic documentary series Limitless, Chris Hemsworth discovered heartbreaking news and came to know that he is at higher risk of developing Alzheimers disease compared to the average person. Nearly a year after this unsettling discovery, the Thor star has opened up about the impact and changes on his life. The Australian star, in a recent interview with Mens Health, discussed that he is prioritising his health, with a particular focus on strengthening his mental well-being. He further disclosed that he has reshaped certain daily habits and said, Now, Im incorporating more solitude into my life.

He explained, Ive always been pretty consistent with my exercise commitments, but lately Ive really felt the importance of taking time for yourself without any outside voice or stimulation and making time for stillness. I do a lot of meditation and breathing work mostly during sauna and ice bath routines.

For me my favorite mindfulness work comes from the immersion in physical actives that allow me to be fully present and force me out of me head and into my body, in particular surfing. I have a more consistent approach to my sleep, he said.

Chris Hemsworth highlighted that he refrains from using his mobile or watching TV at least an hour before bedtime and opts for reading instead. This practice helps in promoting better sleep quality. He also spoke about the importance of mental detachment and advised not to become too attached to every thought and be the observer to the noise when possible, just stepping back from the internal chatter. The actor acknowledges that his body weight fluctuates a lot these days from the various roles he undertakes in his acting career, each requiring different physical conditions.

The Extraction 2 star added, Im lifting less frequently than I was and Im incorporating more cardio and endurance workouts which I much prefer than heavy body building style sessions.

Apart from mental well-being, Chris Hemsworth is also making a conscious effort to enhance his work-life balance. Talking about his family, particularly his children and how they are rapidly growing up in a world that is constantly evolving. This has prompted him to prioritise being present in the moment and he no longer wishes to rush but instead aims to enjoy and appreciate every aspect of his life.

In the National Geographic interview, Dr Peter Attia provided Chris Hemsworth with an explanation regarding his genes. He mentioned that the actor has got two copies of APOE4, one from his mother and the other from his dad.
Gayatri Joshi and her husband Vikas Oberoi narrowly escaped a car crash involving a Ferrari, a Lamborghini and a camper van occurred on a rural road in Sardinia, Italy on Wednesday. The accident killed two elderly couple. A video of the accident had gone viral. In the aftermath, according to a report by CNBC TV18, no prima facie case has been registered against Vikas Oberoi.

The State Department in Italy has launched an official investigation into the accident, in which the Chairman and MD of Oberoi Realty was also driving a car, that got eventually involved in the fatal accident. As part of the investigation, a technical expert is already on the case, wholl be sifting through all the evidence to determine what led to the fatal crash. Meanwhile, Oberoi Reality has issued an official statement which reads, Our chairman and managing director Mr Vikas Oberoi and his wife Mrs Gayatri Oberoi had met with accident in Sardinia, Italy on 2nd October 2023. By Gods grace they both are unhurt and have returned back home to Mumbai safely.

Additionally, as per another report by Daily Mail, the double road homicide is also expected to be investigated by the prosecutors in Sardinias Cagliari. If found guilty, Vikas Oberoi might have to serve a sentence of 7 years of rigorous imprisonment.

According to multiple media reports, the collision took place when a red Ferrari and a blue Lamborghini attempted to overtake the camper van at the same time, causing it to overturn. Tragically, the Ferrari caught fire, claiming the lives of the elderly couple inside, identified as Melissa Krautli, 63, and Markus Krautli, 67, from Switzerland, according to a report by Free Press Journal.

Gayatri confirmed the news of her accident to the publication. She added that she and her husband were doing absolutely fine. Vikas and I are in Italy. We met with an accident here With gods grace, we both are absolutely fine, she was quoted by the portal.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday summoned Hindi film actor Ranbir Kapoor on Friday as part of its investigation into the Mahadev online betting app scam, in which four people have been arrested from Chhattisgarh. News18 had previously also reported that as many as 17 Bollywood celebrities have come under the scanner in connection with the case. These include Ranbir Kapoor, Huma Qureshi, Shraddha Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, and Sonakshi Sinha, among others. They are under the scanner for attending or performing at Chandrakars wedding in February this year and the companys success party in September last year.

Kangana Ranaut has now taken to Instagram Stories to comment on it. The actress, known for her controversial remarks, wrote, This endorsement came to me almost 6 times over a span of one year, every time they added several crores to the offer to buy me but I said NO each time, look anymore, yeh integrity is not good just for your conscience anymore, yeh naya Baharat hai, sudhar jao nahi toh sudhar diye jaoge (sic). She added a laugh emoji and Indian Flag emojis with the comment.

The company promoted by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal was being operated from Dubai. It was allegedly using the online book betting application to enrol new users, create IDs and launder money through a layered web of benami bank accounts.

Ranbir Kapoors team has responded to the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate, News18 exclusively learnt. The Bollywood actor was summoned in connection with the Mahadev money-laundering case. News18 learned that the actors team has reached out to ED and requested them two weeks time to appear before the team. We have also been told the ED has not confirmed any communication yet with his team.
The highly-anticipated sequel to the 2018 Marathi film Naal is gearing up for release and the recently unveiled teaser is generating significant buzz.

The teaser of Naal 2 made its debut on YouTube via the Zee Music Marathi channel, capturing the attention of eager audiences. Posted on October 6, the teaser has already garnered thousands of views and garnered hundreds of likes on the platform.

Viewers have flooded the comments section with expressions of anticipation and excitement. One user praised the film, stating, This has the potential to greatly boost Marathi cinema once again," while another noted the theme of adoption, saying, Adoption is a divine bond happens only for special people, be it Lord Krishna, Sita mata, Karna, Radharani, or todays adopted children." The official release date for the film was also revealed, with Naal 2 set to hit screens this Diwali on November 10, 2023.

The teaser offers a glimpse of the films protagonist, Chaitya, portrayed by Shreenivas Pokale, now all grown up. The first instalment of the film explored the theme of adoption and Chaityas journey upon discovering the truth about his origins. Notably, Nagraj Manjule and Devika Daftardar reprise their roles as Chaityas parents in the sequel.

Directed by Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti, Naal 2 features a talented cast including Shreenivas Pokale, Devika Daftardar and Nagraj Manjule. Given the critical and commercial success of the first instalment, expectations are running high for this sequel.

The original Naal, released in 2018, retained the same cast and director for its follow-up. The films music was composed by Advait Nemlekar and it was produced by a team comprising Nagraj Manjule, Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti, Vaishali Viraj Londhe, Nikhil Varadkar, Nitin Prakash Vaidya, Prashant Madhusudhan and Pethe, under the banner of Zee Studios.

The film received accolades, including the award for Best First Film of a Director at the 66th National Film Awards in 2019. It garnered positive reviews from critics, with The Times of India describing it as a beautiful piece of work" primarily due to its emotional storytelling and impactful performances.
Naseeruddin Shahs four-decade-long career boasts of some of the most pioneering projects in the Indian Film Industry. In his memoir titled And Then One Day, the actor opened up about an incident where he was stabbed by an actor friend Jaspal and Om Puri came to his rescue.

It was during the shooting days of his 1977 film Bhoomika, Naseeruddin had once gone out dining with Om Puri. Just then, his friend Jaspal, with whom the actor shared a strained relationship entered the restaurant. Naseeruddin Shah narrates, We ignored each other but, eyes fixed on me, he passed to sit on another table behind me, so I thought. After a while, I was reminded of his presence by what felt like a short sharp punch in the middle of my back. I started to rise, wearily preparing myself for another free-for-all. Before I could move, Om with a strangled cry lunged at something behind me. I turned to see Jaspal holding a small knife, its point dripping blood, his hand raised to strike again, and Om and two others grappling to subdue him.

The actor revealed further, Om returned to inform me that Jaspal had been taken to the kitchen and was being given the treatment. He wanted to take me to a doctor but was thwarted by the restaurant staff refusing to let us move till the police arrived. When the ambulance came, Om made the cardinal error of climbing in as well without permission and managed to rile the boss-man, thereby asking the cops to be gentle with me. He was ordered to get off and after considerable pleading with the goon in charge was allowed to stay. Neither of us had an idea where we were headed but I prayed it was not the police station.

The actor was rushed to Cooper Hospital in Juhu as he was bleeding profusely from his injury. The bleeding had not seized, the pain was getting intense and these cops obviously had not quite understood the situation. After a few cursory questions to us, and some garbled transmissions over the radio in Marathi, we arrived at Cooper Hospital in Juhu, he wrote.

The ace actor also revealed in his memoir that Jaspal had come to meet him when he was home alone. But instead of apologizing, he explained that whatever happened was not personal.
Throughout his career Salman Khan has delivered some massive hits. Having said that, his 2003 film Tere Naam was one of the most successful films back when it had released. But did you know, while shooting for the same, the actor was going through a low phase in life.

Salmans co-star and politician Ravi Kishan recently revealed in an interview that Salman seemed lost most of the time during Tere Naam shoot and was focusing only on his gymming. While speaking to Siddharth Kanan, he shared, He (Salman Khan) is a good man and soul. Tere Naam ke dauran low phase tha, mai uska gawa raha (He had a low phase during Tere Naam, Im witness to that). But, the way he used to work out even during his phase, hitting the gym for 1-1.5 hours. I have learnt from him that no matter how sad youre in life, whatever you may be going through, heartbreak, body break or brain break or maybe youre just tired from shooting, one should work out for 1.5-2 hours. Iron aapka bawadar dost hai. Sablog dhokha de sakte hai, loha aapko dhokha kabhi nhi dega. Toh, lohe se prem kar liya hai Salman Khan ne (Iron is your loyal friend. Everyone is capable of betraying you but not iron. Hence, Salman fell in love with iron).

Ravi further added that Tere Naam gave him a lot of energy. I think Tere Naam gave him energy. Bohot khoye huye rehte they uss film me (he used to be lost in the film). Uska result bhi, its one his finest performances.

Helmed by Satish Kaushik, Salman Khan shared the screen space with Bhumika Chawla for the same. While Ravi played a supporting character, which also turned out to be a break through for his career.

Salman Khan will next be seen in Tiger 3, which would be hitting the screens during Diwali this year.
In the grand theatre of international diplomacy, where words hold the power to shape a nations destiny, there emerges a curious character  Justin Trudeau. His actions and his words have ignited a blazing storm between India and Canada, a tempest that refuses to abate. Diplomatic relations they call it, but its more like a rollercoaster ride through Trudeaus political ambitions and his unwavering support for Khalistani radicals, all at the expense of a nations sovereignty.

Trudeau, the master of political acrobatics, unabashedly lends his support to Khalistan supporters, conveniently dubbing it freedom of speech. Yet, what he conveniently forgets is that freedom of speech should not infringe upon the sovereignty of another nation. Indias sovereignty, under constant attack, remains a beacon of resilience in the face of adversity.

On September 18, Trudeau threw diplomatic decorum to the winds, publicly accusing India of involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. For 18 long days, he paraded his allegations without a shred of evidence, as if mere words would suffice to mar Indias reputation. Its a dangerous game, Mr Trudeau, to wield accusations without substance. Reports emerged that India had summoned Canada to withdraw a staggering 41 diplomats from its soil by October 10, an unequivocal demand echoing the gravity of the situation.

Amid rising diplomatic tensions, the United States has officially acknowledged shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners that informed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the possible Indian governments involvement in a prominent killing. India has swiftly sought support from its close allies, the US, UK, and Australia. However, Indias cooperation hinges on one crucial condition: Ottawa must provide concrete evidence to support its claims. The diplomatic drama intensifies as the world waits for the next move in this high-stakes geopolitical showdown. Will evidence emerge to validate Trudeaus allegations?

But lo and behold, as the storm raged, Trudeaus tone began to soften, and suddenly, he yearned for private talks. How convenient, indeed. After casting aspersions on India, Trudeau now wants to discuss things behind closed doors. India, however, stands unyielding. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar categorically stated, Its not Indias policy. He called upon Canada to provide evidence, a request that still hangs in the air, unanswered.

Canadas stance seemingly supports granting secessionist space under the pretext of upholding democratic values. Yet, Ottawa should ponder its own domestic politics, where the Bloc Quebecois pushes for Quebec sovereignty, resembling a form of secessionism. If India backed provincial secession in Canada, it would strain bilateral ties. Shouldnt nations consider their internal dynamics before passing judgment on others?

Ah, the whimsical world of Western media, where the truth seems to wear a mask of mirth! According to The New York Times, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was the esteemed president of a temple. The Wire, on the other hand, saw him as a fervent Sikh activist, perhaps fighting for social justice armed with a wrench in one hand and a plunger in the other, right? But the BBC, in its infinite wisdom, transformed him into a humble plumber, probably wrestling with leaky pipes and clogged drains, far from any sinister plots, one would think. Yet, the plot thickens, my friends!

While Canada vehemently insisted that Nijjar was nothing more than an innocent, religious-minded head of Guru Nanak Gurudwara in Surrey, a photograph of his very own supporters surfaced, merrily dubbing him a member of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a group so notorious that its listed as a terrorist organisation in India. Ah, the delightful contradictions of media narratives! One moment, hes the benevolent temple president; the next, hes an activist, plumbing his way to justice. And then, his supporters unmask him as a member of a notorious terrorist organisation.

So, dear reader, as you navigate these entertaining twists and turns in the world of media, remember this curious tale of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a man who wore many hats, and whose true identity remains a captivating mystery, depending on which corner of the world you choose to believe and what the Western media wants you to believe. The plot thickens, indeed!

India, once perceived by some as a diplomatic pygmy, is now an unmistakable force on the global stage. Its a nation that cannot be pushed around at will, and its strategic clout resonates far beyond its borders. As this diplomatic saga unfolds, one question reverberates through the hallowed corridors of international politics: Will Justin Trudeau step forward, backed by concrete evidence, to support his claims, or will he, with humility, extend a public apology to India for these unfounded allegations? The spotlight is firmly fixed, the world is watching with bated breath, and let it be known, India will not yield.

In this dramatic crescendo, the world bears witness to a transformed India, a nation unyielding in the face of unjust accusations. Its a testament to Indias growing stature, a beacon of diplomacy, and a powerful reminder that in the arena of international relations, no nation  no matter its size  is to be trifled with.

The stage is set, the actors await their cues, and the final act of this gripping diplomatic theatre is yet to be written. But one thing remains abundantly clear: India stands resolute, asserting its dignity and demanding the truth. The world takes note, for in this defining moment, Indias voice resounds with unwavering strength.

The author is a practising Advocate. She writes article on womens rights, politics and law. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
The similarities are uncanny  both are women leaders, both hail from royal families of Rajasthan, and both have connections to Rajputs who have the ability to influence results in 85 assembly constituencies in the desert state.

No wonder, Diya Kumari and Vasundhara Raje Scindias names are increasingly being taken in the same sentence. But if politics is about perception, of late, there have been enough indications that made many question whether the BJP is preparing the 52-year-old princess to be the next Vasundhara Raje Scindia, who is 70 but still remains BJPs strongest face in Rajasthan.

WHY THE SUDDEN BUZZ?

Late last month, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Jaipur on the occasion of the completion of the Parivartan Sankalp Yatra, it was Diya Kumari  someone associated with the BJP for barely a decade  who was entrusted with the job of coordination on stage. Such responsibilities in a Modi rally are generally given to senior and trusted leaders of the party.

As the BJP has decided to go to all upcoming state elections with PM Modis face, sidelining top leaders  including sitting MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh  it also meant not projecting Vasundhara Raje Scindia as its Rajasthan CM face either.

Though Raje continues to remain the most influential BJP leader, her one-upmanship in the state unit has often brought the BJPs top leadership face-to-face with her in the past. Differences between then Rajasthan chief minister Raje and then BJP president Amit Shah delayed the appointment of a new president of the partys state unit in 2018.

This month, Diya Kumari was seen in a large demonstration by Hindu organisations and Jaipur Bachao Sangharsh Samiti in Jaipur against an atmosphere of fear. They alleged that their shops were being targeted by a particular community. The Jaipur royal family princess presence was seen as her effort to transcend the immediate Rajput voter base and reach out to Hindus at large.

Now, many BJP insiders have started to wonder whether the BJP is grooming Diya Kumari as the next Vasundhara Raje for the long run if not for the immediate purpose. News18 reached out to Diya Kumari for comments but her representatives refused to react, calling it speculative.

LONDON GRAD, BILLIONAIRE WHO JOINED BJP IN MODIS PRESENCE

Diya Kumari is the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling Maharaja of Jaipur during British rule in India. She herself is the princess of Jaipur and is the mother of the current Maharaja of Jaipur, Padmanabh Singh. However, going against the tradition, she married a commoner Narendra Singh in 1997, which ended in divorce in 2019.

A London graduate who pursued a Fine Arts Decorative Painting Diploma from the esteemed Parsons Art and Design School, the Indian billionaire manages the Jaigarh Fort, Amber, two trusts  Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum Trust, Jaipur and the Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust  two schools and three hotels.

It was in 2013 when the whole country was inching toward a political change with Narendra Modis arrival in national politics that Diya Kumari joined politics. She joined BJP before a massive crowd of lakhs, in the presence of then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and Vasundhara Raje at a rally in Jaipur  her home turf.

She fought and won the assembly election from Sawai Madhopur  a Rajput-dominated seat  instead of her home turf Jaipur whose caste calculus was more cosmopolitan. In 2019, she was elected from Rajsamand Lok Sabha constituency.

Now, just ahead of the Rajasthan assembly election, her name figures among the eight BJP MPs whom the party is actively considering to field in this years assembly poll, as reported by News18. She is likely to be fielded from Sawai Madhopur, the same seat where she started her political journey, say BJP sources.

The parallel being drawn between Raje and Diya Kumari is the fact that both are from erstwhile royal families. However what is yet to be seen is whether Diya Kumari has the same kind of backing in BJP, which Raje enjoyed by being the handpicked choice of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who wanted her to lead the BJP in Rajasthan, says Rajasthan-based journalist Tabeenah Anjum.

Will Raje be to Diya Kumari what Shekhawat was to Raje? It doesnt take a BJP insider to tell anyone in Rajasthan that its highly unlikely. What may further complicate things is the mass base Raje enjoys even today while Diya Kumari continues to be perceived as a royal first. What remains to be seen, though, is whether the BJP throws its weight behind Diya Kumari after the results are out.

Vasundhara Ji is still a very bankable leader. But as you are aware, she brings her own set of problems as well, said a Delhi-based BJP leader involved in the Rajasthan election. And there lies Diya Kumaris chance of working her way up to become the next Vasundhara Raje  whom BJP can control.
Uddhav Thackerays criticism of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over the crumbling healthcare in the state has not gone down well with the latters camp, with Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande reminding the former CM of Covid-19 deaths during his tenure.

Kayande, also a Member of Legislative Council, compared the coronavirus deaths with the recent deaths in government hospitals across the state and said: Almost 1,48,561 deaths, still they proudly propagate that he was declared one of the top 5 chief ministers. Uddhav-ji it was during your tenure that there was immense shortage of Remdesivir, the crucial medicine to treat Covid-19, inadequate supply of oxygen cylinders and the body bag scam. Also, Uddhav-ji, I wish to remind you that it was the people, the special task force and certain service organisations that had reached out to those suffering when you were sitting indoors with your motto My Family My Responsibility.

Defending Shinde, Kayande added: It was during Uddhav Thackerays tenure as the CM that Maharashtra had the maximum Covid-19 deaths. Shinde, with his PPE kit on, was constantly serving the people of Maharashtra even when he was down with coronavirus and you [Thackeray] had left the people to fend for themselves. Uddhav-ji, let me also remind you that Eknath Shinde was the urban development minister at that time. He never waited to become the chief minister to serve the people of Maharashtra.

Kayande also expressed confidence that responsibility will be fixed once the inquiry committee report is submitted.

She added: Our chief minister is committed to help people in need, especially by giving medical help. While MVA government disbursed barely Rs 2.5 crore funds through CM Relief Fund in two-and-a-half years, Mahayuti government under Shinde has disbursed over Rs 125 crore in the last one-and-a-half years. As chief minister, you [Thackeray] used to manage the states affairs from the comfort of your home and addressed peoples issues through Facebook Live.

In a rebuttal to Thackeray on the issue of Shindes Delhi tour, Kayande said: CM Shinde has gone to Delhi to attend a crucial meeting called by the Union home ministry to discuss measures to curtail the Naxalite movement across the country. The meeting is being attended by almost 14-15 chief ministers. I am sure Uddhav-ji would have criticised Shinde had he not attended this meeting.
Indian police have formally accused Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi Corp and Vivo Mobile of helping transfer funds illegally to a news portal under investigation on charges of spreading Chinese propaganda, documents showed on Friday.

A Xiaomi India spokesperson strongly denied the accusation. A spokesperson from Vivo did not respond immediately to repeated requests for comment. NewsClick said the allegations were untenable and bogus.

Media rights and opposition groups in India have said the investigation into NewsClick and surrounding accusations are part of a crackdown on the press  a charge dismissed by the government.

The allegations were laid out in a police complaint that was filed on Aug. 17.

It was shared with lawyers for people named in the complaint on Friday, days after officers raided NewsClicks New Delhi office and journalists homes, then arrested its founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and a senior administrative official.

The complaint, a copy of which has been seen by Reuters, accused NewsClicks Purkayastha of conspiring with a little-known voluntary group to disrupt Indias sovereignty and cause disaffection.

The police document said, as part of this plan, large amounts of funds were received from China to push biased news criticising Indian policies and projects and defending Chinese policies and programmes.

It is further learnt that big Chinese Telecom companies like Xiaomi, Vivo, etc. incorporated thousands of shell companies in India in violation of Indias foreign currency laws for illegally infusing foreign funds in India in furtherance of this conspiracy, the complaint said.

A senior police officer confirmed the document was genuine and that it made allegations about those two companies.

BASELESS, ABSURD

We have no knowledge about this. We strongly deny the said allegation against Xiaomi in the FIR, the spokesperson for Xiaomi India said, referring to the First Information Report as a police complaint is formally called in India.

Xiaomi conducts its business operations with utmost respect to, and in strict compliance of applicable laws. Any allegation of conspiracy is completely baseless, the spokesperson said.

Xiaomi and Vivo are among Indias biggest phone brands.

The police document did not go into further detail about how the information had been learned, set out any proof of the companies involvement or say what steps the police were now considering.

NewsClick said this week it does not publish any news or information at the behest of any Chinese entity or authority. Its lawyers have challenged the complaint in the Delhi High Court.

The completely absurd nature of allegations in the FIR clearly show that the proceedings initiated against NewsClick are nothing but a blatant attempt to muzzle the free and independent press in India, NewsClick said in a statement on Friday.

NewsClick has full faith in the judicial system of India and is confident that its stand will be vindicated, it added.

China has dismissed accusations of interference in India in the past and has urged New Delhi to provide a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.

Ties between India and China have nosedived since a 2020 military clash on their disputed Himalayan border in which 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed.

Although border tensions have since reduced after several rounds of military and diplomatic talks, New Delhi says relations cannot return to normal until there is complete disengagement and de-escalation.

(Additional reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by YP Rajesh and Andrew Heavens)
Ukrainian Defense Forces have advanced up to 400 meters in various parts of the southern flank of Bakhmut (Donetsk region) over the past day. The soldiers need to consolidate on the gained areas, and then it will be possible to announce the details of their successful advance.

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This was reported by Ilia Yevlash, spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on Radio Svoboda on October 6. "I won't specify where exactly..." he said, noting that the enemy could use the details for its own purposes (to watch the video, scroll to the end).

"We have to wait for a pause when we can gain a foothold and can talk about it openly. Yes, we are making progress. We continue to drive out the enemies," Yevlash said.

In particular, Russian invaders are trying to counterattack to regain lost ground near the village of Andriivka. The enemy is using the tactics of "meat assaults" again. Various units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces are jointly repelling enemy attacks, preventing the occupiers from advancing.

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The Ukrainian Armed Forces spokesman added that serious fighting continues in the vicinity of the railroad in Klyshchiivka. The country's defenders are consolidating their positions, although the overall situation is "complicated and very tense."

"The enemy is using hundreds, if not thousands of artillery shells there every day. However, we are holding the front despite this," Yevlash said.

On October 6, 34 combat engagements took place at the frontline in Ukraine. Our heroes had a partial success east of Andriivka in the Bakhmut direction, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. More details can be found in the operational summary here.

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As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, the 3rd Brigade released GoPro footage of clearing a forest belt in the Bakhmut direction.

Only verified information is available on Obozrevatel Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A Scottish man, Brian Morrison, recently shared a terrifying ordeal involving his own electric car, which seemed to have abducted him. The 53-year-old resident of Glasgow found himself in a terrifying situation when his brand new MG ZS EV inexplicably got stuck at 30mph on a Sunday night while he was heading home from work. The situation became so dire that the police had to intervene to safely bring the runaway car to a stop by allowing it to gently collide with their police van.

Morrison described this ordeal as a catastrophic malfunction that occurred while he was traveling on the A803 toward Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow. Fortunately, the incident unfolded late at night when the roads were relatively empty, which, he believed, contributed to his safety.

He recounted, I realised something was wrong when I was coming up to a roundabout and went to slow down but it didnt do it. He heard a loud grinding noise reminiscent of brake pads, although, given the newness of the car, he ruled out brake issues.

Also Read: Anand Mahindra Shares Inspiring Story Of Companys First EV, Bijlee: Way Ahead Of Its Time

I managed to get around the roundabout going at about 30mph and then had a long road ahead of me, so I assumed it would stop without me accelerating  but it didnt, he explained.

In his initial state of panic, Morrison contacted his wife and requested that she alert other motorists ahead of him about his inability to halt the car. However, as his concerns grew about the possibility of colliding with pedestrians or encountering more roundabouts and traffic lights, he dialed 999 for emergency assistance.

When I dialled 999, they sent police to help and put some engineers on the line to try and solve the problem, and they were asking if it was a self-driving car. Intriguingly, it was the first time that the call handlers had experienced the issue, and they had no idea what to do.

Shortly after making the call, three police vehicles arrived on the scene, positioning themselves in front and behind Morrisons car. He added, I was 100% concentrating on my steering, so when a police van pulled up beside me and asked if I was Brian and if I was okay, I just yelled no Im not, I cant stop.

The police requested Morrison to toss his electronic key through their vans window before attempting to forcibly shut off the cars engine. However, none of these attempts proved successful in halting the vehicle. Even holding the power button for several seconds resulted in the dashboard lighting up with various fault indicators. Faced with these challenges, the officers ultimately decided to guide Morrison into the back of their van before reaching a more densely populated area.

Also Read: Jaldi Vahan Se Hato: Mans Electric Scooter Horn is a Viral Meme and We Cant Stop LOLing

Meanwhile, Morrisons insurance provider launched an investigation into the incident, leaving him uncertain about whether he would consider driving another electric vehicle in the future.
Apart from sharing videos and images on Facebook with friends and family, the social media platform has also turned into a business model for many. People often sell products on their FB pages as part of their small businesses. Recently, a man has been mocked for selling a sofa for 750 (Rs 76,304) despite it being covered in his kids permanent marker artistry.

The leather cream three-seater is reported to be originally from DFS with two reclining seats. The entire sofa is in perfect condition but the cushion is marked with black permanent marker and each cushion has a different marking on it including a scribbled car made by his child.

According to the Mirror, the entirety of the settee has been covered with marker doodles including the arms and even the wall in seller Esfandiar Arias living room. The father listed the sofa for sale despite the unsightly drawings and has asked for 750 on the Facebook Marketplace, reduced from its original price of 1,250 (Rs 1.27 lakh). The sofa is available to be picked up from Luton, Bedfordshire in England.

The Facebook user in the caption of the post mentioned that he bought the sofa only a few months ago. He added that the sofa is in good condition except for what they can see in the picture. The listing reads, This is a beautiful creamy Winston three-seat sofa from DFS. Used only for a few months. Recliners: Electric/ automatic.

The user also mentioned the reason for selling the sofa. He said that his little one drew all over it with black ink permanent marker. There is nothing wrong with it except what you see, he added.

The Facebook-listed sofa has left the users in splits. One of the users called it an art while many related to his situation as a father. Some also said that it should be taken to a modern art gallery and sold for a good price.
A woman from Las Vegas, who was undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was accidentally given abortion medication by her local pharmacy, which reportedly resulted in the death of her two unborn babies. Timika Thomas, a mother of four, had been going through an IVF  a complex procedure where fertilised embryos are implanted into the uterus to achieve a successful pregnancy. She and her husband opted for IVF after she had her Fallopian tubes removed. After having two embryos transferred, Thomas went to pick up fertility medication to help her body in simulating a pregnancy. However, Thomas experienced severe cramping after taking the wrong medication.

The patient, who was familiar with the IVF process, was prepared for some level of cramping but the intensity and type of pain she experienced were beyond what she had anticipated, as per a report in People.

My cramping went beyond that, she said. It was extreme. It was painful. After taking two doses, Thomas checked the bottle she was given from the Vegas pharmacy. The first thing I read is its used for abortions, she added. They just killed my baby  Both my babies, because I transferred two embryos, as reported by 8 News Now.

A report from People reveals that following the incident, Thomas had filed a complaint against the CVS Pharmacy with the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy. Further investigation into the matter showed that the pharmacy had made several mistakes: first, they couldnt read the doctors handwriting, so they guessed the prescription and gave her Misoprostol (a medication used for abortion). Secondly, instead of reviewing the medication with Thomas, they directly dispensed it to her, missing the chance to realise the error. Its a standard practice for pharmacists to explain how to take medication and what to expect, which was overlooked in this situation.

It (the error) would have been caught because then they would have had to have the medicine in their hand, Thomas said. And they would have said, Oh, this is Misoprostol or Cytotek, have you taken this before? And I would have said no, Thomas told 8 News Now.

The CVS pharmacy, located at Craig Road and Camino Al Norte in Vegas, was fined $10,000 (approx Rs 8.31 lakh) by the pharmacy board.

In their statement, the pharmacy reportedly said, Weve apologised to our patient for the prescription incident that occurred in 2019 and have cooperated with the Nevada Board of Pharmacy in this matter. The health and well-being of our patients is our number one priority and we have comprehensive policies and procedures in place to support prescription safety. Prescription errors are very rare, but if one does occur, we take steps to learn from it in order to continuously improve quality and patient safety.

However, Thomas is not satisfied with the apology. All I got was a sorry, she said. It will never be good enough.
A bus carrying migrants overturned in southern Mexico on Friday, leaving at least 18 passengers dead and 27 injured, authorities said  the latest fatal road crash involving US-bound migrants.

The dead, three of them minors, were from Venezuela and Haiti, according to a statement from the prosecutors office in Oaxaca state.

The accident happened at around dawn on a highway linking Oaxaca and the neighbouring state of Puebla, it said.

The injured were taken to hospital for treatment, it added.

Images released by state authorities showed the wreckage of the bus lying on its side on a highway winding through hills.

According to Mexicos national immigration agency, 55 foreigners were on board the bus.

Peruvians were also among the victims, it said.

Thousands of migrants from different countries have been traveling across Mexico in buses, overcrowded trailers and atop freight trains in an attempt to reach the US-Mexican border.

They run the risk of fatal accidents, kidnapping by criminal groups and extortion by corrupt officials.

More than 8,200 migrants have died or disappeared in the Americas since 2014, most of them while trying to reach the United States via Mexico, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The US-Mexican border is the worlds deadliest migration land route, with 686 deaths and disappearances in 2022, the IOM said last month.

On Sunday, at least 10 Cuban migrants were killed and 25 injured when a cargo truck carrying them overturned in the southern state of Chiapas.

In early August, at least 18 people died and 23 were injured after a bus carrying local passengers and migrants from countries such as India, the Dominican Republic and some African nations plunged into a ravine in the state of Nayarit.

And in December 2021, 56 mostly Central American migrants were killed and dozens injured when a people smugglers truck carrying around 160 people overturned in Chiapas.

The Mexican government has admitted to being overwhelmed by the number of migrants crossing its territory, the vast majority of whom are from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti.

Mexican authorities said they detained more than 189,000 migrants last month, while the US border patrol has reported 1.8 million apprehensions between October 2022 and August 2023.

Senior US and Mexican officials pledged Thursday to redouble their efforts to tackle irregular migration through measures such as modernizing border security, increasing legal avenues and addressing the root causes.

The two countries were committed to expanding safe, orderly and lawful pathways for migrants but with strict consequences for those who enter the United States illegally, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said after talks in Mexico City.
The German government is planning to stop funding Mediterranean sea rescue charities after being slammed by Italy over the issue, the popular Bild daily reported on Friday.

Germanys 2023 budget allocated two million euros ($2.1 million) in funding to sea rescue charities but there is no such mention of them in the draft budget for 2024, Bild reported.

This was not an oversight, it said, citing sources in the German parliaments budget committee.

The chancellery and the foreign ministry are both in favour of cancelling the funding, Bild said.

Neither institution was immediately available for comment.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently wrote a letter of complaint to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to express her amazement about Berlin funding charities helping irregular migrants arrive in her country.

Asked about the letter, Berlin confirmed that it was providing between 400,000 euros and 800,000 euros each to two projects relating to migrants.

At a press conference last week following talks with her Italian counterpart, Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock defended Berlins backing of rescue missions.

Volunteer sea rescuers have a life-saving task in the Mediterranean, she said.

However, at an EU summit in Granada on Friday, Scholz took a different tone.

Asked about the funds at a press conference, Scholz stressed they had been approved by parliament and not by the government.

I did not make the proposal, he said. When asked what his personal opinion was on the matter, he added: That is the opinion I have, that I did not make the proposal. And I think that is also unequivocal.

The Granada summit was dominated by a row over planned changes to Europes migration rules.

Poland and Hungary prevented the leaders from referring to migration in a joint statement, although supporters of the reform vowed it would not be derailed.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday vowed to retaliate strongly against the attack launched by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and other groups. Citizens of Israel, we are at war. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. We will win this war, Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu said, telling citizens that the terrorists will be thwarted. The enemy will receive a response they have never known before, he further added.

At least 22 have died and nearly 300 people have been injured as terrorists infiltrated a number of southern towns.

Hamas and other terrorist groups fired between 2,000-5,000 rockets towards Israel from the blockaded Palestinian area of Gaza Strip on Saturday morning and dozens of terrorists entered southern Israeli cities, laying siege and taking control of several key locations, including a police station.

Israel launched Operation Iron Swords to retaliate against the surprise attack launched by Hamas on Saturday. Israeli news outlets Haaretz and Times of Israel citing Israel defence minister Yoav Gallant said that Israel has launched the operation to eliminate and drive out Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah terrorists who have laid siege in Ashkelon and other southern Israeli cities that border the Gaza Strip.

According to reports by international news agencies, terrorists from Hamas have taken control of certain key locations, including a police station in Sderot, and are currently engaged in gun battles in over half a dozen locations.

The shootout has been reported from the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Beeri and the Reim military base, the Times of Israel said.

Dozens of Israelis have been kidnapped and residents in towns like Kibbutz Sufa have urged help from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). I dont understand how this is still going on. Weve been in this situation since 6 in the morning. Send help, please, a pregnant woman was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel.

Hamas made a grave mistake this morning and started a war against the State of Israel. IDF soldiers are fighting the enemy at all the infiltration sites. The State of Israel will win this war, Gallant said.

The IDF is also carrying out strikes against sites belonging to the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.
Police in the US state of New Jersey are investigating the murder of an Indian-origin couple and their two children who were found dead in their home. Tej Pratap Singh, 43, and Sonal Parihar, 42, were found dead alongside their 10-year-old son and 6-year-old in their Plainsboro home earlier this week on Wednesday.

The Plainsboro Police Department is investigating the matter as a homicide. However, the police is also looking into the tragedy as a possible murder-suicide, local news media outlets for Plainsboro said in a report.

On the evening of October 4, authorities received a 911 call requesting a welfare check at a residence in Plainsboro. Upon their arrival, the Plainsboro Police Department discovered four dead victims in the house, Middlesex County prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and chief Eamon Blanchard of the Plainsboro Police Department said in a joint statement on Thursday.

We are all saddened by this tragic event. What happened in our community is beyond comprehension, Plainsboro mayor Peter Cantu said.

Footage from News 12 New Jersey showed crime scene tape posted around the familys home on Titus Lane. The bodies were found when a relative called for a welfare check.

The relatives said that Singh was an active member of the community and Sonal and he appeared to be a happy couple. Singh was a lead APIX engineer for Ness Digital Engineering and Sonal too had a career in IT.

The neighbours said the family was friendly and they were often seen walking around the street. A neighbour said that her daughter used to meet the couples daughter at the bus stop to ride to school together every morning. The neighbour added that she texted Parihar but never received a reply.

It was weird for me to not see her in the morning. They were such a sweet family, the neighbour said.

The district was informed by local law enforcement of a horrific tragedy involving one of our Plainsboro families with a Wicoff student and a Millstone River School student, the authorities of the school the children went to said.

As the law enforcement investigation is ongoing, we are unable to provide any additional information at this time. The District joins our community in grief and sorrow over this tragic event, the statement further added.
Israel was caught off guard as the Hamas militant group ruling the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented early morning attack on Saturday  firing at least 5,000 rockets and sending dozens of fighters into Israeli towns during a major Jewish holiday. As a result, Israeli Prime Minister declared war with Palestine and launched operation Iron Swords in retaliation.

At least 268 people have been killed in the war-like situation, which is only escalating. Israeli authorities said 100 people have been killed on their side with the fighting still ongoing in many parts while the Palestinians said retaliatory strikes claimed 198 lives.

Israel was stunned and not fully prepared for the onslaught but got support from the US, UK, France, Ukraine, India among other countries. World leaders, including American President Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, said they recognised Israels right to self-defence in the light of the terrorist attacks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, said he is deeply shocked by the attack on Israel while saying India stands in solidarity with the foreign country. Amid all the fierce fighting, the Indian embassy in Israel issued an advisory for citizens stuck there to remain vigilant while an emergency helpline has also been established for Indian nationals stuck in Palestine.

Later into the evening, Gaza once again launched another barrage of rockets that are reportedly headed towards Tel Aviv while Hamas said the battle will now be taken to the West Bank and Jerusalem. Netanyahu promised, in a televised address to the nation, that the enemy will pay an unprecedented price and Israel will return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

Here is all you need to know about the Israel-Gaza clash:
Soon after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war in retaliation to the unprecedented Hamas military incursion into Israel early on Saturday, the Israel Defence Force said it has launched operation Iron Swords. The countrys air force bombed several Hamas targets across the border in response to the launch of at least 7,000 rockets by the ruling militant group of Palestine.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) posted a video on X showing Hamas targets being struck by missiles and smart bombs, as per a report published by NDTV.

Dozens of Air Force fighter jets attacked targets of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip a short time ago. The IDF spokesman is again asking the public to obey the instructions of the Home Front Command, which save lives, the IDF said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

                  . "       ,  .    : pic.twitter.com/pnxdRyv4Un     (@idfonline) October 7, 2023

At least 40 Israelis have been killed in the Hamas attack, which prompted Netanyahu to assert that his country would extract an unprecedented price from its enemy. There are unconfirmed reports of people being taken hostages and kidnapping of soldiers have been doing the rounds, but they remain unverified.

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours, Netanyahu said in a televised address.

He added: I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This is currently being carried out. At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.

Israels minister of defence, Yoav Gallant said, The IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions.

The Israeli military has issued instructions to the residents of towns near the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes, and the rest of the public to remain near bomb shelters.

(With PTI inputs)
At least nine Nepalese nationals were injured in the terrorist attack by the Hamas militant group in Israel on Saturday, the Nepal government said as it condemned the unprecedented assault and vowed solidarity with Tel Aviv. The Nepali government has strongly condemned the loss of precious human life in the attack that also injured many more, said a statement issued Nepali Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At this critical hour, we convey our solidarity with the government of Israel, the statement said. PTI
On the morning of October 7, thousands of rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza. Residents of southern and central cities were ordered to stay near shelters and take care of their own safety. For its part, the Israeli army began conducting air strikes on Palestine.

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In addition, armed Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli territory and organized chaotic machine-gun attacks. OBOZREVATEL is following the Palestinian-Israeli conflict online (scroll to the bottom of the page to see photos and videos).

There are casualties among civilians. Dozens of wounded people are also reported. One of the rockets hit a building in Tel Aviv. In addition, the sounds of explosions were heard in Jerusalem. A fire broke out in a building in Tel Aviv as a result of a direct hit by a missile. The video shows significant destruction as a result of the terrorist attack.

12:06 IDF spokesman Daniel Agari says that the Israeli army will soon unleash its full force on the Gaza Strip. The defense ministry spokesman also noted that defense forces are currently focused on clearing settlements in the south of the country. Additional forces continue to be deployed to the combat zone.

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11:58 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes his first public statement after the massive attack by the Hamas terrorist group. The head of government said that the country is in a state of war. Netanyahu also promised that "the enemies will pay a price they have never known before."

11:55 Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said on Facebook that the ministry has set up an operational headquarters to help Ukrainians in Israel. He also said that there are no Ukrainian citizens among the victims of the fighting so far. The Ukrainian embassy is in constant contact with the Israeli authorities and major hospitals.

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In case of emergency, Ukrainian citizens should contact the hotlines: Embassy of Ukraine in Israel: + 972 546 676 782, the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Ramallah: + 972 59 823 93 99.

11:40 The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that Hamas controls 7 Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. In some places, the terrorists have penetrated more than 20 km. It is also known that the militants have kidnapped 35 Israelis.

10:52 Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Hamas has declared war on Israel. According to him, the terrorist group made a serious mistake by launching a surprise attack on Israel with rockets and penetrating cities on the border with the Gaza Strip.

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"This morning Hamas made a serious mistake by launching a war against the State of Israel. IDF soldiers are fighting the enemy at all infiltration sites. Israel will win this war," Gallant said.

10:45 After a massive rocket attack, Hamas terrorists continued to kill Israelis with small arms. Civilians in the south of the country are forced to flee. Meanwhile, militants continue to shoot civilians in the back. The exact number of victims of the morning attack on Israel is currently unknown.

10:36 Hamas publishes images showing terrorists infiltrating Israel and an IDF military post on the border with the Gaza Strip.

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10:30 Hamas militants have taken an Israeli military SUV into the Gaza Strip. According to preliminary reports, the bodies of the dead IDF soldiers were taken to Palestine. Residents abuse the bodies of the dead

10:05 Palestinian terrorists have barricaded themselves in a building in the city of Sderot in southern Israel. The IDF forces are working at the site and the military is trying to eliminate the militants and knock them out of the building. Residents are posting footage of the IDF's special operation.

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The terrorists entered Israel in SUVs armed with machine guns, small arms and grenade launchers. In addition, some of the militants "landed" in Israel with parachutes.

09:00 Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declares a state of emergency within 80 kilometers of the Gaza Strip. This area includes the major cities of Tel Aviv and Beersheba. This order allows the military to restrict gatherings and close areas to movement.

In addition, the defense minister approved a large-scale conscription of reservists after a sudden attack on Israel. The number of reservists called up will depend on the needs of the military.

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08:50 The Israeli Defense Forces has published a map showing which areas were most affected by the massive rocket attack. The agency also stated that it is ready to confront the terrorists. It is also confirmed that terrorists entered Israel from the Gaza Strip. Israeli residents were asked to stay in their homes.

It is worth noting that the Israeli military is conducting air strikes on the Gaza Strip. The strikes were carried out almost two hours after Hamas launched a surprise attack.

Israel's Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, is assessing and approving action plans. He said that Hamas, which was behind the attack, would be held responsible for the consequences. The Israel Defense Forces also stated that it is ready for war against Palestine.

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As of 8:30 a.m., it was reported that continuous rocket fire had been going on for more than two hours. Hamas terrorist groups have infiltrated at least one city in the south of the country through the border. Terrorists are trying to break into Israel with the help of parachutes, boats and ground vehicles.

It is reported that Palestinian militants have begun to open fire on civilians. As a result of the attacks, the number of victims is growing. Israeli media published footage showing dead civilians.

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Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif issued a statement in which he called the morning's attacks and infiltrations into Israel "the day of the great revolution." The terrorists called on Israeli Arabs to take up arms and join the attack. He also called for "Islamic resistance" in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.

One of the leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, celebrates and prays for a terrorist operation in Israel. The social network showed footage of militant leaders watching footage of the shelling and invasion of Israel and starting to pray.

It is worth noting that Palestinian terrorists are deliberately killing Israeli civilians. Horrific footage of dead civilians has been posted on social media. Moreover, Hamas militants abuse the bodies of the dead.

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In July 2023, Israel conducted a large-scale military operation. It launched the largest strike on the Palestinian city of Jenin since 2002. The Israeli army used missiles, as well as helicopters and drones. The operation involved about 150 armored vehicles, about a thousand soldiers of the Elite Special Forces and the army, intelligence, police and border guard.

It was reported that Israeli fighter jets struck a Syrian Arab Army base on the evening of September 13. The military base is located near the port city of Tartus, which led to unrest among the local population.

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As reported by OBOZREVATEL, the Israeli Defense Forces is using an artificial intelligence system to select targets more quickly during air strikes. The IDF military assures that the results of the AI work are controlled by human operators, and it is them, not the machine, who approve each target for attack.

Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram and Viber. Don't fall for fakes!
Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine, India on Saturday issued an advisory for its citizens in Israel and urged them to exercise utmost caution and vigilance. The Indian embassy in Israel also issued a helpline in case of emergencies.

In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website (https://www.oref.org.il/en) or their preparedness brochure. In case of emergency, please contact us at +97235226748, or leave a message at cons1.telaviva@mea.gov.in. The Embassy personnel remain at your disposal for any further guidance, the government said in its statement.

*IMPORTANT ADVISORY FOR INDIAN NATIONALS IN ISRAEL*For details visit- Israel Home Front Command website: https://t.co/Sk8uu2Mrd4 Preparedness brochure: https://t.co/18bDjO9gL5 pic.twitter.com/LtAMGT9CwA  India in Israel (@indemtel) October 7, 2023

Earlier today, Israel declared a state of readiness for war, amid a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration into its southern area, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others.

Militant group Hamas, which is now joined by other terrorist groups as well fired between 2,000 and 5,000 rockets towards Israel from the blockaded Palestinian area of the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning and dozens of terrorists entered southern Israeli cities, laying siege and taking control of several key locations, including a police station.

Islamic faction Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, claimed it had launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning barrage called, Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Israels Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, following an operational situation assessment on Saturday morning warned that the Hamas [terrorist organisation] has made a grave mistake
The armed wing of Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and fired around 5,000 missiles into central and southern Israel on Saturday morning. Israel also declared a state of war after the missile strikes killed more than 22 citizens.

The AFP in its report said that rockets streamed across the sky repeatedly after the first launches from multiple locations across Gaza in the wee hours of early morning (local time). A sixty-year old woman died in Kfar Aviv when a missile hit her directly and a building in southern Ashkelon was damaged. Over 300 people have been injured in the attacks. There are reports that 10 Israeli soldiers have died in attacks across Israeli cities near the Gaza Strip.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the premier will shortly convene security chiefs over the violence.

The Palestinian militant group has also taken Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers hostage, according to reports from Israel-based news outlets. The Israeli army responded by striking a number of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in retaliation to the rocket fire.

We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel), their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over. We announce Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we fired, in the first strike of 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets, Hamas said, according to AFP.

We warned the enemy not to continue his aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The age of the enemys aggression without a response is over. I call on Palestinians everywhere in the West Bank and within the Green Line to launch an attack without restraint. Go to all the streets. I call on Muslims everywhere to launch an attack, Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas military wing, issued a statement.

Meanwhile, Palestinian militants have reportedly taken over a police station in Sderot and a shootout is going on.

The Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant declared a special state of emergency in a radius of 80 km from the Gaza Strip border after the IDF and the Mossad were caught napping by the surprise attack which the Hamas claims is a retaliation for the aggression against Al-Aqsa Mosque.

A report by Israeli newspaperHaaretz said Hamas terrorists used paragliders and forcibly broke through gates used by the IDF forces near the Gaza Strip border. Terrorists from Hamas were seen moving on foot in the southern city of Sderot, as per videos short by residents living in the area.

Israels pilots and reservists have suspended their protests against the judicial overhaul and have decided to resume their reserve duties with troops now on their way to their respective squadrons.
Terrorists from terror group Islamic Jihad joined Hamas terrorists in attacking Israel on Saturday after the latter declared war on Israel for arresting protesting Palestinians in Al-Aqsa mosque and the Israel-Gaza Strip border earlier this year.

According to a report by news agency Haaretz said that terrorists from the Islamic Jihad have joined the attack carried out by Hamas on Israel. Together, they have kidnapped dozens of Israeli citizens.

We warned the enemy not to continue his aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The age of the enemys aggression without a response is over. I call on Palestinians everywhere in the West Bank and within the Green Line to launch an attack without restraint. Go to all the streets. I call on Muslims everywhere to launch an attack, Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas military wing, issued a statement.

In a multi pronged attack, Hamas militants first fired around 5,000 missiles towards Israel from Gaza Strip, with some missiles penetrating Israels air defence system the Iron Dome and striking civilian areas. It led to the death of at least 22 people and injured over 300, according to Israeli news agencies.

The attacks are reminiscent of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks when a total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed when 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege in the financial capital of India.

Terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad have also captured several areas in southern Israel and many armed infiltrants are joining those who have already entered Israel, taking over police stations and other parts of towns bordering the Gaza Strip.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007 after the Hamas militant group took power. Palestinian militants and Israel have fought several devastating wars since.

Hamas has released several images and videos of its forces taking Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers hostage. The Hamas terrorist organisation made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said.

According to Israeli news agencies, Benjamin Netanyahu will reportedly order an Official Declaration of War against Hamas and the other Palestinian groups who are assisting in todays attack on Israel.

The attack follows a period of heightened tensions in September when Israel closed the border to workers from Gaza for a fortnight. This led to heavy protests in the heavily-militarised border.

In 2023, at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners were killed in the conflict, including combatants and civilians on both sides, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials, a report by AFP said.

The vast majority of fatalities have occurred in the West Bank, which has been annexed by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict.There has been a rise in army raids, Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property. Several far-right Israeli ministers live in settlements in the West Bank, which are deemed illegal under international law.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday issued his first public statement on the massive attack by the Hamas terrorist group and said Israel is at war.

Citizens of Israel, we are at war. And we will win, Netanyahu said. The enemy will pay a price like they have never known before, the Israeli Prime Minister further added.

This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered  first of all  to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This is currently being carried out, he said.

Netanyahus statement comes five hours after the start of the assault by the Gaza-based Palestinian terror group.

At least 22 people have died and nearly 300 people were injured as terrorists infiltrated a number of southern towns. Between 2,200 to 5,000 rockets were fired towards Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

The Israeli army said terrorists from Gaza entered Israel by land, sea and air using paragliders on Saturday following the barrage of rocket attacks. It was a combined ground raid which happened through paragliders, through the sea and through the ground. Right now were fighting. Were fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Strip our forces are now fighting on the ground. Were looking at all arenas we understand this is something big, Richard Hecht said.

Israel has remained tight-lipped regarding the number of casualties and has refused to discuss reports that multiple Israelis had been captured by Palestinian militants.

Israels army carried out at least two air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

Terrorist group Hamas has backed its fighters and encouraged them to keep fighting the Israeli IDF.

We warned the enemy not to continue his aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The age of the enemys aggression without a response is over. I call on Palestinians everywhere in the West Bank and within the Green Line to launch an attack without restraint. Go to all the streets. I call on Muslims everywhere to launch an attack, Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas military wing, issued a statement.

Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has also offered support to Hamas and said it is direct contact with the terrorists on the ground.
Ukrainian citizens in Israel have been advised to pay close attention to all warnings and instructions from local authorities in connection with Hamas shelling and hostilities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has set up an operational headquarters to help Ukrainians in Israel.

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This was announced on Facebook by Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko. As a reminder, on Saturday, October 7, a terrorist organization launched a massive rocket attack on Israel and used sabotage groups.

As of 11:40 a.m., there are no Ukrainian citizens among the casualties.

"The Ukrainian Embassy is in constant contact with the Israeli authorities and major hospitals. Diplomats are keeping the situation under control," Nikolenko assured.

He advised our citizens to refrain from visiting the central and southern regions of Israel.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Israel also published recommendations on its Facebook page. The diplomats called on Ukrainians to remain vigilant and "closely monitor the messages of the local competent authorities of Israel to know how to ensure safety."

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"In case of staying in the country's settlements located in the immediate vicinity of the Gaza Strip, it is recommended to use bomb shelters when the air raid alarm is on," the ministry said.

Emergency phone number of the Embassy of Ukraine: +972 546 676 782.

The phone number of the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Ramallah is +972 59 823 93 99.

Citizens were also reminded that up-to-date information can be obtained on the website of the Israeli Defense Forces Home Front Command: https://www.oref.org.il/en.

As OBOZREVATEL wrote:

- At 6:29 a.m., the Tzeva Adom sirens sounded in Israel. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas had declared war on Israel. A similar statement was later made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation, not a skirmish. War," he said.

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- There are casualties among the military and civilians. Israel responded by launching the Iron Swords operation.

Only verified information on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
DNA tests and forensic examinations of the six people, including four foreigners, who died last Friday when their light aircraft crashed in the Zvemahande area about 6km northwest of Mashava were conducted on Thursday and the remains have now been released for burial or cremation.

The victims have been identified as Indian billionaire Harpla Singh Randhawa (60) of Murowa Diamonds, his son Amer Singh Randhawa, George Sibanda (51) of Murowa Diamonds, Nikhil Mahadik Milind of Murowa Diamonds, Reginald Muchemwa (38) who was the pilot and Pichumoney Viswanath (58) of RioZim Limited, who is believed to have come into the country as a visitor.

Of the six victims, the remains of the four foreign nationals were cremated yesterday while Sibanda will be buried in South Africa where his family lives and Muchemwa in Zimbabwe.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the identity of all the six had now been confirmed by close relatives.

Meanwhile, the forensic analysis examination process is now complete and we are now waiting for the necessary documentation processes for the families to access the remains, he said.

Speaking after this weeks Cabinet meeting, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the National Civil Protection Fund was being used to assist the bereaved families.

The Riozim plane had six male persons on board and was travelling from Harare to Murowa Diamonds. The National Civil Protection Fund is being used to assist the bereaved families. Government, through the Civil Protection Unit, is meeting the following costs; forensic examination and DNA testing of the remains of the deceased persons, providing funeral assistance and psychosocial support to the bereaved families, said Minister Muswere, while also extending Cabinets condolences to the bereaved families.

Investigations are still in progress to establish the cause and contributing factors regarding the accident last Friday.

The Cessna plane crashed at Peter Farm in the Zvamahande area of Mashava on a flight from Harare to Zvishavane. The plane, owned by Rio Zimbabwe Company, is suspected to have developed a technical problem before crashing around 8am, killing all passengers and crew on board.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development said on Friday the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport flight information centre advised that they lost contact with a Zimbabwean registered Cessna C206 aircraft registration Z-CAM.

The aircraft got airborne from RGM International Airport at 06:30am Zimbabwe time, flying to Murowa near Zvishavane with six people on board. Last contact with the aircraft was at 07:03am Zimbabwe time. The FIC had checked with the destination and were told that the aircraft had not arrived.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Developments air accidents and serious incidents investigation department is carrying out investigations to establish the cause and contributing factors regarding the accident in-order to draw investigation conclusions and propose appropriate safety recommendations for prevention of future accidents from similar causes.

The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, sends heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of passengers and the pilot who lost their lives in the aircraft crash, said the ministry.

In February, five people were injured when a light plane owned by mining giant, Murowa (Private) Limited force-landed near Beatrice while carrying a parcel of diamonds which were being transported under armed guard by police and private security officials. Herald
Zimbabwe may start commercial production of lithium batteries for passenger vehicles next year following headway by the Harare Institute of Technology which has already purified lithium phosphate and manufactured protype cells.

The country has some of the worlds largest reserves of hard-rock lithium, a vital mineral in the production of clean energy technologies.

As education 5.0 continues to bear fruits, students are now being taught to look for solutions inwardly with several innovations being witnessed under the Second Republic.

While President Mnangagwa was capping 639 students at Harare Institute of Technologys 14th graduation ceremony yesterday, HIT Vice Chancellor Dr Quinton Kanhukamwe said the university has made significant progress in lithium battery production.

Among the 639 capped, 38,8 percent were females, while 48 students attained first class degree passes.

Dr Kanhukamwe said the university developed lithium carbonate from 2020 to 2022 however, there was a need to further beneficiate the battery-grade lithium carbonate to produce lithium phosphate which has improved chemical characteristics for battery production.

The Vice Chancellor said his team has managed to produce the required enhanced battery-grade lithium phosphate.

As a result, your university has been successful in developing a lithium phosphate 3.2V, 60Ah battery cell, when coupled in either parallel for more voltage or series for enhanced current, the cells will produce sufficient power to drive passenger vehicles.

Our vision is to start commercial production of lithium batteries for vehicles in 2024, he said.

Dr Kanhukamwe said the university was churning 639 engineering and technology graduates with a deep sense of mission accomplishment and equipped with the most refined technopreneurial skills and gutsy dare devil-mentality.

They are the embodiment of Heritage-based Education 5.0, as they are armed with the requisite skills and stamina to set up hi-tech enterprises. Your Excellency and Chancellor, as to the Universitys outlook for the future, we expect to accelerate and consolidate the execution of the HIT mandate.

We will continue to provide a superlative education and continue to be trailblazers in key research areas of our mandate. We will reinforce the development of a research enterprise that is pushing outward the boundaries of knowledge so that we educate talented students at the leading edge of their fields who can meaningfully contribute to the rapid industrialization and modernization of this country

Apart from the lithium battery breakthrough, said Dr Kanhukamwe, several innovations are being witnessed across all sectors of the economy including agriculture which is the backbone of the nation.

HIT is working with Kosygin Russian State University and local sister universities to develop mechanisms for improving cotton output. Currently, our national output is at a mere 700kg per hectare as compared to Russias and Indias 900kg to 1 100kg per hectare.

Through our Biotechnology Department, we are currently seized with cotton seed development and improvement. The envisaged outcomes will be an increase in income for the farmers and subsequently forex from exports, he said.

Dr Kanhukwamwe said other gains to be realised are drops in cooking oil prices, clothes, and animal feed.

The vice chancellor said while new developments are coming on board, the university is also enjoying the fruits of already established innovations.

The university continues to design and manufacture oil and dry power distribution transformers at our plant in Chitungwiza. The transformers are being sold commercially, he said.

The university, he added, has also launched three spin-off companies at a time the existing start-up and spin-off are now employing 179 people in their entities.

Among them InstiBio, a spin-off from the department of Biotechnology that brings industrial biotechnology, medical biotechnology and advanced mushroom technologies to the nation to improve food security through agriculture and horticultural solutions, as well as the health sector through medications.

The other company is InstiRad, a spin-off from the department of Radiography, specialising in bringing up accessible and affordable radiography services to disadvantaged and under-resourced communities in Zimbabwe.

HIT is also currently working with Norton Town Council and Norton Hospital in availing various ultrasound services, therefore working towards uplifting and boosting health service provision.

Dr Kanhukamwe said the third company is InstiQuip, a spin-off of their school of Engineering and Technology section, which provides machine design expertise, mould design and technology expertise and CAD & CIM technologies for the reverse engineering of advanced machine technologies.

He said this is increasing the viability of import substitution and the development of equipment suited and maintainable for Zimbabwean circumstances.

Dr Kanhukamwe said HITs research collaborations have increased significantly through partnership with Chinese, Russian, American, Indonesian and Belarussian universities to improve the quality of research and innovation outputs.

Your university is part of the Russia-Africa University network where we have secured over six partnerships and we are currently carrying out close to fifteen research activities in the fields of machine design, mechatronics, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.

We have also established a training collaboration with Rwandas Ministry of Health where we have enrolled students in the School of Allied Health Sciences Radiography and Ultrasound degree programmes, he said. Herald
The climate issue that's probably not on your radar? Rising underground temperatures. NBC News has the scoop on a recent paper published in Nature that examines how this trapped heat can affect cities if not mitigated properly. This phenomenon, dubbed "underground climate change," is unrelated to atmospheric climate change that's caused by an imbalance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Instead, increased temperatures come from heat generated from subways and buildings that's directly released into the ground, causing deformation and potential damage to city structures. The paper's author, Alessandro Rotta Loria of Northwestern University, calls it a "silent hazard." "There's already a significant amount of heat beneath our feet," he tells NBC. "And this heat has caused the ground to deform already."

Major cities like Chicago, New York, and London are at risk of sinking due to this underground climate change. Rotta Loria's data, which examines Chicago specifically, shows that underground heat associated with buildings and parking garages has been spreading and increasing faster than surface temperatures, with one exception being Millennium Park in Chicago. "If we compare it with global warming and how surface temperatures have risen, it's actually faster," he said. "The temperatures underground are rising faster in cities than at the surface." To track temperatures, Rotta Loria and his team installed more than 150 credit-card-size sensors across Chicago over a three-year period, per Scientific American.

He says that temperatures under human-made structures can be as much as 77 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than undisturbed underground locations. Mitigation solutions include installing thermal insulation, as well as capturing excess heat for geothermal energy. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged the importance of addressing this issue as part of the administration's climate agenda. "We're partnering with states on this, because it may be that something down to the kind of cement or steel or asphalt that you're using for the 21st century needs to look a little different than what we learned to build with 100 years ago," he told NBC. (There are some hopeful tones in this new climate report).
Nearly every Alaskan will receive a $1,312 check starting this week, their annual share from the earnings of the state's nest-egg oil fund. As the AP reports, some use the money for extras like tropical vacations, but othersparticularly in high-cost rural Alaska where jobs and housing are limitedrely on it for home heating fuel or snow machines that are critical for transportation. But the unique-to-Alaska benefit has become a blessing and a curse in a state that for decades has ridden the boom-bust cycle of oil, and it now competes for funding with services like public education, health care programs, and public safety as lawmakers tap into the earnings to help fund the state budget.

Squabbling over the oil checks' size has resulted in legislative paralysis, and a Senate proposal aimed at resolving the dividend debate this year fizzled with no agreement. As Alaska struggles to attract workers and stem a years-long trend of people moving away, some residents are wondering how the dividend fits into the future of a state with no income tax or statewide sales tax. "You cannot grow anything without investing in it  and we're not investing money in education, our university system, childcare. We're not investing in the very core services that are going to help grow our state," said Caroline Storm, who heads an education advocacy group and said her stepchildren left Alaska after high school because they didn't see opportunities for themselves.

This year, the state Legislature approved a one-time, $175 million funding boost for schools in response to pleas from administrators, but Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy cut the funding in half. Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, a Republican who is pushing for a new pension program as a way to retain state workers, said she is conflicted about the dividend. "I do understand that there are families that have come to rely on this, and that reliance increased as the size of the dividend increased. This is a tough adjustment in those scenarios," she said. "At the same time, if we had a more robust economy and job opportunities with livable wages and ... a pension for public employees, folks wouldn't have to be so reliant on a dividend."

story continues below

Residents have received the check known as the Permanent Fund Dividend since 1982, roughly six years after voters in the early days of oil development in Alaska created the nest-egg Permanent Fund to preserve some of the oil wealth for future generations. The fund is enshrined in the state constitution, which stipulates that at least 25% of mineral lease rentals, royalties, and other income go to the fund. The fund's principal is constitutionally protected but its earnings are spendable. Cynthia Erickson, who lives in the interior village of Tanana, said this year's $1,312 won't stretch far in the community of about 220 where goods must be brought in by plane or barge. Gas is $7.79 a gallon and the collapse of salmon fisheries and a poor moose hunting season means that locals' freezers aren't full heading into winter. (Last year's check was the biggest ever.)
As a result of the sharp escalation of the military conflict between Israel and Palestine, the Hamas terrorist law enforcement organization announced at least 35 captured Israeli soldiers. One of them is a woman.

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This was reported by Kan Bet Israeli radio, which broadcasts the events online. All prisoners of war are being taken to the Gaza Strip.

It was also reported that some Israeli army soldiers were killed. Footage of the massacre of civilians is also being published online.

On the morning of October 7, Hamas militants had infiltrated southern Israeli cities. The group demonstrated that they had managed to penetrate one of the military posts near the Gaza Strip and seized armored vehicles.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, Ukrainian citizens staying in Israel were advised to pay attention to all warnings and instructions of the local authorities in connection with Hamas shelling and hostilities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has established an operational headquarters to assist Ukrainians in Israel.

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Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the country is at war. He assured his citizens that the force was on their side and that the Israeli army would defeat the terrorists.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes killed dozens of people in western Afghanistan on Saturday, the country's national disaster authority said. The United Nations gave a preliminary figure of 320 dead but later said the figure was still being verified, the AP reports. Local authorities gave an estimate of 100 people killed and 500 injured, according to the same update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Mohammad Abdullah Jan said four villages in the Zenda Jan district in Herat province bore the brunt of the quakes and aftershocks. Dozens of houses were damaged.

The US Geological Survey reported the 6.3 magnitude tremblors. It said the epicenter was about 24 miles northwest of Herat city. There was an aftershock with a 5.5 magnitude. A map on the USGS website indicates seven earthquakes in the area. At least five powerful earthquakes struck the city around noon, Herat city resident Abdul Shakor Samadi said. "All people are out of their homes," said Samadi, who felt the earthquake. "Houses, offices and shops are all empty, and there are fears of more earthquakes." The World Health Organization in Afghanistan said it dispatched 12 ambulance cars to Zenda Jan to evacuate casualties to hospitals.

Telephone connections went down in Herat, making it hard to get details from affected areas, per the AP. Videos on social media showed hundreds of people in the streets outside homes and offices in Herat city. The quake was felt in the nearby Afghan provinces of Farah and Badghis, according to media reports. The Taliban urged local organizations to reach earthquake-hit areas as soon as possible to help take the injured to hospital, provide shelter for the homeless, and deliver food to survivors. They said security agencies should use all their resources to rescue people trapped under debris. "We ask our wealthy compatriots to give any possible cooperation and help to our afflicted brothers," the Taliban posted on X. (A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Pakistan and Afghanistan in June.)
U.S. Army Spc. Jason Clark, military policeman, Company A, 49th Missile Defense Battalion, protects the Missile Defense Complex from mock enemies during Exercise Guardian Strike at Fort Greely, Alaska, Aug. 1, 2023. Guardian Strike evaluated military police and battalion staff members in their abilities to react to a variety of scenarios. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Taylor Lakey-Tamacori)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Supreme Criminal Court has sentenced an Arab woman, married to a Bahraini man, to a suspended one-year jail sentence for illegally using her identification card. The woman gave her ID to ambulance personnel to assist another woman in labour, which the prosecution deemed an unauthorised use.

The woman's lawyer argued that humanitarian considerations drove her actions, as she witnessed the childbirth process and witnessed blood loss. The public prosecution charged both defendants in February 2020 for maliciously using a valid identification card in the name of the first defendant and benefiting from it without justification.

The second defendant was charged with complicity and assistance to the first defendant in using her card. The first defendant received a one-year sentence, while the second woman received a suspended sentence due to her clean criminal history and the humanitarian purpose of saving the first defendant's life.
AFP | Algiers

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Algeria has announced "preventative measures" to thwart the spread of bedbugs, after a surge of reported sightings in France, home to a large Algerian diaspora.

Fears are growing that with Paris set to host the Olympic Games in nine months, the surge in visitors could turbocharge numbers of the blood-sucking creatures in the French capital.

The Algerian health ministry announced in a statement Thursday "the activation of a health vigilance system" alongside a series of measures to prevent any infestation linked to harmful insects.

It said the measures would include "inspections and disinfection of aeroplanes, ships and land transportation... and the strengthening of epidemiological monitoring".

They would be preceded by the "cleaning and sanitising of airports, seaports, and land entries, inspection and sanitising baggage and merchandise liable to contain harmful insects".

Video footage from France showing bedbugs on trains and in cinemas has spread widely on social media.

Dozens of flights from French airports land in Algeria daily, while the two countries are also connected by ferry.

Fear of the bugs has caused panic in France, with the government under pressure from all sides as the Olympics loom.

One opposition MP even brandished a vial of bedbugs in the National Assembly this week while demanding action.

In the face of this growing anxiety, the government has scheduled an inter-ministerial meeting for Friday to discuss the problem.

Government spokesman Olivier Veran said ministers were keen to "respond to the legitimate anxieties of the French" public.

Bedbugs had largely disappeared from daily life in developed countries by the 1950s, but they rebounded in the past 30 years.

That is thanks to their growing resistance to insecticides, an increase in public travel and a rising proclivity for second-hand goods.

Figures released in July by the French health authorities show more than one in 10 households in the country have been affected by bedbugs in the past five years.
The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that militants of the Hamas terrorist organization have penetrated deep into the country. Currently, the militants control 7 Israeli communities.

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Terrorists have seized cities along the entire length of the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. OBOZREVATEL is following the Palestinian-Israeli conflict online (to see photos and videos, scroll to the bottom of the page).

Fighting continues along the Israeli-Palestinian border. The Israeli Defense Forces says it is deploying additional forces to the conflict zone. According to the IDF, Palestinian terrorists have penetrated to a depth of 20 km in some places.

The militants were spotted near the towns of Ofakim, Sderot, Erez, Kerem Shalom and other settlements. It is also known that the terrorists are taking civilians hostage and organizing public executions.

Residents of Be'eri kibbutz stated that they have barricaded themselves in their homes and believe that the authorities have abandoned them as Hamas terrorists continue to infiltrate their community. People reported deaths and destruction.

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On the morning of October 7, thousands of rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza. Residents of southern and central cities were ordered to stay near shelters and take care of their own safety. In turn, the Israeli army began to carry out air strikes on Palestine.

It was reported that the commander of the Hamas terrorist movement, Mohammad Deif, called the shelling and infiltration into Israel "the day of the great revolution." He called on Israeli Arabs to take up arms and join the militants.

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As OBOZREVATEL reported, in July 2023, Israel conducted a large-scale military operation. It was the largest strike at the Palestinian city of Jenin since 2002. The Israeli army used missiles, as well as helicopters and drones. The operation involved about 150 armored vehicles, about a thousand soldiers of the Elite Special Forces and the army, intelligence, police and border guard.

Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!




A few hours after the affirmation of the March 18 victory of Alex Otti by the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC has rejected the judgement, describing it as a miscarriage of justice.





In a statement he issued, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Abia State, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, said, This verdict handed down by the three-man panel is the mother of miscarriage of justice. It is unacceptable and we reject it.





We condemn unequivocally the judgement of the tribunal. Consequently, we have mandated our legal team to appeal the judgement of the tribunal.





With this judgement today, it is obvious that justice was strangulated; more so, and very worrisome is that the court may no longer be the hope of the common man if justice continues to be debased.





The statement added, As a party, we approached the tribunal with fundamental issues that question Non-compliance and qualifications. We provided substantial evidence and facts in support of our petitions but were surprised that the tribunal closed its eyes against all the evidence before it and averted justice.





Abia is aware that extraneous forces were at play during the proceedings. There was a high-ranking individual whose inappropriate presence during one of the proceedings was viewed with suspicion.





It was part of the machinations to intimidate, coax and arm-twist the judges to pervert justice and deliver judgement in favour of a particular client, irrespective of abundant evidence before the tribunal.





This undoubtedly, may have fuelled the audacity and open display of provocative arrogance by Labour Party led Abia State government, which had predicted the possible outcome of the judgement and switched into an excitement and celebration mood, a week before the verdict.





Speaking further, Ononogbu said, Regrettably, the Abia Election Petition Tribunal could not brush off or borrow courage to defeat intimidation to deliver justice as exemplified recently, by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.





We, therefore, call on our teaming supporters, members of our party and good people of Abia to remain calm, keep faith in the judiciary and be of good courage as all hope is not lost.





We will not be deterred by this temporary setback. We are confident that in the end, justice and the rule of law will prevail, knowing that Though the wheels of justice turn slowly, it grinds exceedingly fine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the massive attack by the Hamas terrorist group for the first time. The official said that the country is at war and expressed confidence that it will win.

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This was reported by Times of Israel. He emphasized that the terrorists will regret taking such a step (to watch the video, scroll to the end of the news).

"Citizens of Israel, we are at war. This is not an "operation" or an "escalation", it is a war. And we will win. Hamas will pay an unprecedented price for this war. I ordered to clear the border settlements of terrorists and to mobilize the reservists," Netanyahu emphasized.

The media noted that the prime minister made his first public statement on the attack about five hours after the terrorist group based in Gaza launched its attack.

As a reminder, on the morning of October 7, thousands of rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza. For its part, the Israeli army began to carry out air strikes on Palestine. Armed Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli territory and opened chaotic machine gun fire.

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There are casualties among civilians. Dozens of wounded people are also reported. One of the rockets hit a building in Tel Aviv. In addition, the sounds of explosions were heard in Jerusalem.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL:

- Ukrainians in Israel have been advised to pay attention to all warnings and instructions from local authorities in connection with Hamas shelling and hostilities. On Saturday, October 7, the terrorist organization launched a massive rocket attack on the country and used sabotage groups.

- Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas has declared war on Israel. The country launched the Iron Swords operation.

Only verified information on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!




Big Brother Naija reality show star, Pere Egbi has revealed his preference between colleagues, Mercy Eke and KimOprah.





In the latest episode of Clout Africas Getting Persona, Cross asked Pere who he preferred if he were to choose between KimOprah and Mercy, and without hesitation, Pere picked the latter.





Cross asked: Pere, be honest if you were to choose between Mercy Eke and KimOprah, who would you choose?





Pere responded: Mercy Eke 1000 times. Ill choose Mercy Eke aka Lamborghini.





Recall that houseguest KimOprah was in an entanglement triangle with best friends, Cross and Pere during her three-week stint in the just concluded BBNaija All Stars season.





Peres inability to admit that she later ditched him for Cross made him engage in a verbal altercation with Doyin who confronted him with the harsh reality.





However, Pere later found solace in Mercy Eke towards the twilight of the show.
The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has assured his support for the nation of Israel after they suffered an attack by a Palestinian group, Hamas, on Saturday.

He made this known while delivering his remarks on the attack via his X handle on Saturday evening.

Biden wrote, In this moment of tragedy, I want to say that the United States stands with Israel, we will not ever fail to have her back. Well make sure that they have the help that her citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves.

The world has seen appalling images, thousands of rockets in the space of hours raining down on Israeli cities killing not only the soldiers but Israeli civilians in the streets, in their homes. Innocent people were murdered, wounded, and entire families taken hostage by Hamas.

The United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of this terrorist assault.

Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. There is never a justification for terrorist attacks.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, convicted and sentenced two kidnappers, Kelvin Ezeiegbe and Frank Azuekor, to 20 years in prison.

The court, in the judgement that was delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, found that the duo were involved in the abduction of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Mike Ozekhome and his driver, on August 23, 2013.

Their kidnapping operation, which occured along Benin-Auchi highway in Edo State, led to the death of six security operatives that were attached to the senior lawyer.

Though the court found Ezeiegbe and Azuejor guilty of kidnapping, terrorism and murder, it, however, discharged and acquitted two of their alleged accomplices- Michael Omonigho and Haruna Momoh- who were cited as 3rd and 4th defendants, respectively, in the case that was prosecuted by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Whereas Omonigho regained his freedom, the court directed security agencies to trace and arrest Momoh who escaped from custody during the recent jail break at Kuje prison in Abuja.

Justice Nyako held that the prosecution could not establish allegations of conspiracy and kidnapping against Omonigho and Momoh.

She however ordered that Momoh should be apprehended and put on trial for escaping from lawful custody.

It will be recalled that the convicts were docked before the court in June 2013, on a 13-count criminal charge.

They were specifically charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist act, kidnapping of persons, inciting persons to commit act of terrorism recruitment.

The defendants were said to have committed an offence punishable under Section 17 of Terrorism Prevention Act 2011, as amended.





The prosecution, led by Mrs. Chioma Onuegbu, closed its case after it called a total of seven witnesses and tendered 16 exhibits before the court.

Among the witnesses that testified before the court included Prof. Ozekhome, SAN, who narrated how he was forcibly abducted by Ezeiegbe, Azuekor and other members of their gang.

The lawyer further disclosed that he was kept in captivity for three weeks and was only released from the dungeon of the kidnappers after he paid a ransom to the tune of N40million.

In her judgement on Friday, trial Justice Nyako said she was satisfied that the prosecution established a prima facie case against Ezeiegbe and Azuejor.

The court described Prof. Ozekhomes testimony in the matter as very central to the prosecutions evidence.

Mike Ozekhome is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and he swore with the Holy Bible while giving his testimony, Justice Nyako noted, adding that he was a witness of truth whose testimony could not be ignored.

While convicting Ezeiegbe and Azuekor, the judge further relied on a letter then Attorney-General of Delta State wrote to then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, which indicated that Azuekor was previously indicted for a crime in the state before he was eventually linked to Ozekhomes abduction.

Justice Nyako held that the convicts denial of their confessional statements was immaterial as they did not provide an alibi for the crimes.

The first defendant (Mr Ezeiegbe) aided and abetted the second defendant (Mr Azuekor), she held, adding that there was evidence that Ezeiegbe and his gang members had earlier killed two prison officials that were escorting Azuekor to a court in Delta State for another criminal trial.

According to evidence before the court, while Mr Azuekor was being taken for trial in Delta, Ezeiegbe and his armed gang members ambushed a prison vehicle, killing two personnel in the process before setting Mr Azuekor free.

I find him (Mr Azuekor) guilty of escaping from lawful custody.

I find that the prosecution has proven its case. This is very believable evidence. We need to send right messages to society that it is not acceptable to do bad behaviour.

The convicts are hereby sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each. Their prison term will run from the date of their arrest, the judge held.

The court, thereafter, directed the Department of State Services, DSS, which is keeping the convicts in its custody, to transfer them to a correctional center.




The federal government of Nigeria has called for a de-escalation of the latest crisis between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.

In a statement signed by Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, the federal government called on both sides to exercise restraint and prioritise the safety of civilians.

In the early hours of Saturday, the Hamas militant group infiltrated Israel from the Gaza strip, in what has been described as an unprecedented attack.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, has since called the invasion an act of war.

The Israeli death toll from the crisis has surpassed 100, per latest reports, with more than 200 killed in Israeli reprisal attacks in Gaza.

"The federal government of Nigeria is deeply concerned about the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the early hours of Saturday, 7th October, 2023 and calls for de-escalation and ceasefire," the statement reads.

"The cycle of violence and retaliation that the current escalation has assumed, only serves to perpetuate an unending cycle of pain and suffering for the civilian population that bear the brunt of every conflict.

"We are therefore calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue."




French President, Emmanuel Macron, on Saturday, said he strongly condemns the terrorist attacks that are currently striking Israel.





AFP earlier reported that Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, said Palestinian militant group, Hamas, launched a war against Israel after barrages of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on Saturday.





While commiserating with victims and their families after the attack, Macron said, I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and their loved ones.





Meanwhile, Frances foreign ministry said it reaffirms its absolute rejection of terrorism and its commitment to Israels security.
The Hamas militant group has infiltrated Israel and fired rockets from the Gaza strip.

According to media reports, one person has been confirmed killed in the attack and 100 have been injured, with many suffering gun shot wounds.

In a statement following the attack, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it has declared a state of alert for war.

It said Hamas will face consequences for their attacks and ordered residents in areas around Gaza to remain inside.

Over the past hour, the Hamas terrorist organization launched massive barrages of rockets from Gaza into Israel, and its terrorist operatives have infiltrated into Israel in a number of different locations in the south, the statement reads.

Civilians in southern and central Israel must remain near shelters, and in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip, inside shelters.

The Chief of the General staff is currently conducting a situational assessment and approving plans for the IDFs continued activity.

The IDF has closed roads near the border and routes used by farmers have been cordoned off by the army.

In a rare statement, Mohammed Deif, Hamas military commander, said Hamas had fired more than 5,000 rockets into Israel in what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

He said the ongoing attacks are in retaliation for Israels desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and said Israel has killed and wounded hundreds of Palestinians this year.

He also called on Palestinians inside Israel and Israels Arab neighbours to join the fight and set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers.

Today, the people are bringing back the revolution and reviving the March of Return, he said.

He also called on the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to merge their resistance with that of the Palestinians today and start marching towards Palestine now.

Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in 1967.

Hamas and Israel have fought four wars since 2007 when the extremist group seized Gaza, with Israel and Egypt commencing a land and sea blockade of the coastal enclave.
Jude Idimogu, deputy leader of Ndigbo in the Lagos state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has asked Nigerians to allow President Bola Tinubu to concentrate on giving the country good governance.

Idimogu, a former lawmaker representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency II in the Lagos house of assembly, spoke on Friday in an interview with NAN.

He said the certificate forgery allegations against Tinubu is a distraction, claiming that the president could not have committed the crime.

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, is challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 poll.





Abubakar is also challenging the tribunals judgement that upheld Tinubus victory on September 6.

The PDP candidate had alleged that Tinubus educational records were fraught with discrepancies and forgeries.

His request for the US court for the northern district of Illinois to compel Chicago State University (CSU) to release Tinubus academic records was granted on Monday.

Abubakar said he would use the academic records obtained from CSU against Tinubu at the supreme court.

At a world press conference on Thursday, Abubakar said he would only drop the case against Tinubus academic records after the apex courts verdict.

However, Idimogu said Tinubu did not and will never forge any certificate, noting that all the documents the president submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are clean and true.

We want to appeal to Nigerians to calm down and not allow themselves to be deceived by those dragging Nigerias name in the mud, NAN quoted him as saying.





We want the opposition to allow our President whom God gave to us, to breathe. Please allow him to breathe for the sake of the masses.

They (opposition) should desist from trying to tarnish the image of Nigeria and that of President Bola Tinubu.

There is nothing anyone can do right now because God has ordained him to be President and he emerged in spite of all visible hurdles.

God has crowned him as president, we should stop all pettiness.

No matter what the detractors are doing, they cannot pull Tinubu down because God and Nigerians are behind him and he is a man of grace.

The former lawmaker asked opposition candidates to wait for another election season to run for president.

The matter of certificate is a pre-election matter and cannot make any opposition presidential candidate come through the back door, he said.

Idimogu said Tinubu would overcome the allegations against him, adding that has surmounted such hurdles in the past.




The All Progressives Congress, APC in Osun State has accused the state governor, Ademola Adeleke of comfortably holding a programme while innocent lives were being cut down in the lingering communal clash between the Ifon and Ilobu communities.





The Osun APC also warned the state governor to desist from embarrassing the people of the state through his actions and inactions.





In a statement by the Osun APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal in Osogbo on Friday, the party maintained that the manner the Ipade Imole programme was handled on Thursday was crude.





The party also claimed that the conduct of Governor Adeleke revealed that he is ill-prepared and lacks the natural endowments required to successfully govern the state.





Governor Ademola Adeleke lacks empathy. I wonder why the governor was seemingly comfortable holding such a programme amidst singing and cracking of jokes while the lives of innocent souls were being cut short in the lingering communal clash between the people of Ifon-Osun and Ilobu about five kilometres away from the venue.





The time-wasting Ipade Imole which ran for several hours where Adeleke talked much without substance afforded the people of the state a golden opportunity to discover that the governor is not only an expert in dancing but he is an unrivalled political comedian who trivializes serious matters affecting the state for lack of not knowing what to do, how to do it and when to do same.





I also observed that apart from the fact that Adeleke was superfluous and empty yesterday, the whole exercise turned out to be a tirade whereby the governor was openly demanding to be clapped for by his burdened and embarrassed audience.





Hitting back, the Osun Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi described the current state of the opposition party as not only painful but shameful.





Bisi also advised the Osun APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal to desist from constantly embarrassing the state with his rudderless opinion about governance.





Governor Adelekes remarks at the meeting on the communal crisis in the Ifon-Ilobu area shed light on the depth of concern he holds for the affected communities. He immediately called a meeting with the two communities.





His empathy and visible commitment to addressing the concerns of the people have struck a chord with those looking for genuine and compassionate leadership.





This level of compassion, understanding and action should be expected from political leaders. However, it appears that the APC Chairman consistently falls short, disregarding the gravity of such issues and indulging in a brash display of politics devoid of shame.





The actions and statements emerging from APC have constantly shown why the Osun people rejected them across the state.





Despite being a dominant force in the state for 12 years, APCs inability to adapt to a role outside of power has drawn scrutiny. This transition from governance to opposition seems to have left the APC struggling to effectively engage with the public. Thereby amplifying their rudderless nature





It is embarrassing that a party with a history of leading the state has not effectively played its role as a constructive opposition. Attempting to talk about public engagement after a prolonged period of governing in secrecy only amplifies this embarrassment.




Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has dedicated his victory at the governorship election tribunal, to the people of the state, assuring them that the victory, would spur him to serve the people with greater zeal and passion, in appreciation.





This is even as he declared that he never entertained any level of fear over the law suits against his March 18, 2023 electoral victory.





Otti stated this in a message he issued, after the election petition tribunal sitting in Umuahia, dismissed the petitions brought against him by candidates of the PDP and APC, Okey Ahaiwe and Ikechi Emenike.





Ottis statement which was signed by Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, his Special Adviser on media and publicity, read in part;  Even though we never entertained any atom of fear over the suit filed against us, going by the landslide victory we recorded at the polls, coupled with the sound submissions made by our team of erudite lawyers to defend our victory, I was, however, moved by the unprecedented show of love, support and solidarity from our people which is a manifestation of their appreciation of the modest achievements we have recorded so far, hence my resolve to serve them with greater zeal and passion.





Otti also thanked the Judges for their sound judgement which, according to him, reflected what happened at the polls and what the majority of the people truly expected, maintaining that nothing enriches the legal jurisprudence and strengthens democracy more than dispensing justice to those who deserve it.





He called on his opponents to accept the judgement with humility and equanimity and join hands with him to work for the development of the state.





The Abia State Governor further promised to work for the overall well-being of all Abia citizens, irrespective of political party differences.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state has hired renowned legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) to prosecute the redemption of his mandate at the Court of Appeal.

According to a copy of the notice of appeal made available to newsmen on Friday, Olanipekun, who led the legal team of President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), is now the counsel for Governor Yusuf.

Other members of the legal team of the governor are Bode Olanipekun (SAN), Ibrahim G. Waru and Akintola Makinde, with Wole Olanipekun & Co as the legal firm handling the appeal.

Meanwhile, Chief E.O.B. Offiong (APC) remains the counsel for the APC.

Recall the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal last month had sacked Yusuf of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP and declared his opponent, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress, APC as the winner of the March 18 gubernatorial election.

But, Yusuf filed a 42-ground of appeal before the appellate court asking the court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal and also striking out the petition of the APC.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. The head of state said that terror should not be given a single chance anywhere in the world.

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Zelenskyy noted that terror is always a crime not just against one country or its specific victims, but against humanity and the whole world. The president said this in his Telegram.

According to the president, the world must be united and in solidarity so that terror never tries to conquer or break lives anywhere. Zelenskyy also said that Israel's right to defense is beyond question.

"All the circumstances of this terrorist attack must be clarified so that the world knows and brings to justice everyone who incited the attack and helped organize it," Zelenskyy said.

The President also addressed the citizens of Ukraine who are in the danger zone. Zelenskyy noted that people should carefully follow the instructions of the security forces on the ground and follow the information.

"Please take care of yourself! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and our embassy in Israel are ready to help in any situation. An operational headquarters has been set up to assist Ukrainians in Israel. If you need help, please immediately contact any of our diplomatic or consular missions in any way that is available to you," the president wrote.

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As a reminder, on the morning of October 7, thousands of rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel. Residents of southern and central cities were ordered to stay near shelters and take care of their own safety. In turn, the Israeli army began to carry out air strikes in Palestine.

Earlier it was reported that the commander of the Hamas terrorist movement, Mohammad Deif, called the shelling and infiltration into Israel "the day of the great revolution." He called on Israeli Arabs to take up arms and join the militants.

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As OBOZREVATEL reported, in July 2023, Israel conducted a large-scale military operation. It was the largest strike on the Palestinian city of Jenin since 2002. The Israeli army used missiles, as well as helicopters and drones. About 150 armored vehicles were involved in the operation, and about a thousand soldiers from the elite special forces and the army, intelligence, police, and border guard were involved.

Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The National Broadcasting Commission on Friday issued a final warning to Arise Television over what it called the use of derogatory and incendiary remarks on its programmes. 

In a warning letter dated October 6, 2023, and signed by NBCs Director-General, Dr Balarabe Ilelah, the Commission urged the TV station to install a delay mechanism to avoid unwanted content.

The warning comes eight months after the Commission fined Arise TV N2m for breaching Nigerias broadcasting codes. 

Illelahs letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Arise Global Media Limited, is titled Preponderance of derogatory and incendiary remarks: final warning. 

It read in part, The NBC has observed with concern preponderance of incendiary remarks allowed on Arise news. This letter seeks to underscore the tremendous responsibility put on the broadcaster to manage the array of guests that may feature on the station from time to time.

The commission listed the stations morning show programme on October 5 anchored by Reuben Abati, Rufai Oseni and Ayo Maio-Ese, which featured Oladokun Hassan and Dele Farotimi as guests. 

The programme contained unguarded incendiary remarks by Dele Farotimi against the Legislature and the Executive, the Judiciary and Mr. President. 

The NBC also accused Arise TV of defaulting on its responsibility while airing its Newsday programme which featured the Spokesperson of the Labour Party, Kenneth Okonkwo, who, it said, used derogatory remarks on air.

The commission therefore drew the attention of the broadcast station to broadcast rule and code 1.10.3, 3.3.1(a), 3.3.3(c), 3.3.1 (e), 5.3.3(b) and 5.5.6.

Arise TV is advised to install a delay mechanism to guard against undesirable contents as prescribed in section 5.5.6 of the broadcasting code, the letter read. 

On February 3, 2023, NBC fined Arise TV N2m for unprofessional broadcasts. 

Listing the broadcasts, the letter wrote, On January 24, 2023, between 1: 00 pm  2: 27pm, Arise TV aired the Presidential campaign rally of PDP which was held in Delta State, replete with unfair remarks and mockery of the APC presidential candidate by Dino Melaye.

Mr. Melaye sang a song hand dey shake, leg dey shake, baba wey no well, e dey shout emilokan he further went on to fall down demonstrating the frailty of the APC presidential candidate.

It argued that Arise TV did not only air the programme but repeated the clip of Dino Melaye in a mockery of the APC Presidential candidate in another programme anchored by Ojy Okpe Whats Trending.

On January 26, 2023, at 9: 40 am, during the programme Morning Show, a guest, Najaatu Muhammed described the Presidential Candidate of APC, Bola Tinubu as mentally deranged without caution from the anchor. The guest had a field day with vituperations against the presidential candidate of the APC.

On January 31, 2023, at 3:30 pm, during the broadcast of the PDP presidential rally in Sokoto State, Dino Melaye referred to the Vice-Presidential candidate of APC, Kashim Shettima as GCOB, meaning Grand Commander of Bandits.

Consequently, pursuant to the aforementioned Sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Arise TV is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira Only), the letter read.




The Ondo State Police Command has arraigned a man, Paul Oyewole, before a Chief Magistrate Court in Ondo town for allegedly threatening to kill a magistrate, Mrs Mosunmola Ikujuni.





Oyewole was alleged to have threatened to kill the magistrate following a disagreement between the two parties.





To this end, he was arrested by the men of the state police command and thereafter charged to court. The defendant was arraigned before the court on two-count charge.





During his arraignment, the police prosecutor, Mr Bernard Olagbayi, informed the court that the defendant committed the offences on July 21, 2023, at Oka in Ondo town, Ondo State.





According to the charge, That you, Paul Oyewole, on July 21, 2023 at Oka, Ondo in the Ondo Magisteriala District, did write a threat letter to kill his worship, Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni, if she refuses to listen to your warning and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 323 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of the Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.





That you, Paul Oyewole on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, corruptly promised to give, Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni money or recharge card to favour you in a case with charge number MOD/21c/2023, Commissioner of Police vs Paul Oyewole, in which you are a defendant, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 98a(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.





Oyewole however pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.





Ruling, the magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to November 16, 2023 for hearing.
Alex Otti, governor of Abia, has advised his political opponents to join him in developing the state.

On Friday, the election tribunal dismissed the petition filed by Okey Ahiwe, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against the victory of Otti.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Otti, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), as winner of the March 18 election.

Otti polled 175,466 votes to defeat Ahiwe who scored 88,529 votes.

In a statement issued on Saturday to celebrate his victory at the tribunal, Otti expressed his gratitude to the residents of the state for their unwavering support during and after the election.

The governor asked his opponents to save themselves the financial burden of appealing the tribunals verdict. He advised that they should instead use the money to help their communities.

My advice to my opponents is that this is a good time to sheathe their swords and join hands with me to develop our state, Abia, the statement reads.

Anyhow you slice and dice it, it costs a lot of money to engage in litigation.

While I will not ask them to bring the money to me, I would advise that each of them have villages that are dilapidating, without roads, without water and I believe that their communities will appreciate it if they would channel those resources into building roads in their villages and communities.

If you follow the election and everything that happened thereafter, you will know that quite frankly, this victory shouldnt have been contested in the first place, but then, I also do not deny my opponents their rights to go to court.

The governor also thanked the jurists and all those who ensured that justice prevailed in the end.

Otti said he is committed to improving the living standards of residents through the provision of social amenities and infrastructure.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, said President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated commitment to promote national unity and cohesion as key elements of his Renewed Hope Agenda.

Matawalle stated this at the inauguration of the National Defence College Course 32 in a lecture titled, Strengthening National Unity for Security and Development in Nigeria, on Friday in Abuja.

He said that threats to national unity, security and development remained a major priority for the administration of President Tinubu to drive his Renewed Hope Agenda.

The minister said that Nigeria was plagued with insecurity attributed to insurgency, sectionalism, banditry, demand for resource control, tribalism, and religious intolerance, among others.

According to him, the President had made efforts aimed at addressing some of the key issues which seemed to threaten Nigerias national unity, especially in the area of political appointments.

He avowed that President Tinubu has displayed a commitment to the inclusivity of all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religion or party affiliation.

Additionally, President Tinubu, while in New York for the UN General Assembly, had a sideline meeting with Nigerians in Diaspora and asked them to come back home and build our dear nation.

These are few of the efforts among many aimed at restoring national unity in our dear nation, Nigeria.

Although pockets of challenges such as terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping as well as militancy in parts of the country still exist, combined with the impact of oil subsidy removal.

You will all agree with me that this present government has recorded a lot of achievements in tackling not only the manifestations of the challenges but, more importantly, their root causes with the overall goal of strengthening national unity for the security and development of Nigeria, he said.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has expressed readiness for a peaceful negotiation and dialogue with the Nigerian government.

IPOBs spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the group would agree to a peaceful negotiation and a United Nations, UN, supervised referendum.

Powerful said IPOB would push for a peaceful referendum within the ambit of the law.

A statement by Powerful reads: We the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to reiterate once again that IPOB remains peaceful and we remain open for negotiations and dialogue on peaceful exit of Biafra from Nigeria through a UN supervised Referendum.

IPOBs peaceful agitation for Biafra Independence started in 2012. Never has IPOB been associated with violence or criminality in all our years of rallies and protests. Nevertheless, Nigerias government, through her murderous Security Forces, has levied war against IPOB.

IPOB is ready to meet with the Nigeria government any day they are ready for negotiations on Biafra referendum. IPOB supports peaceful separation from the contraption formed by foreigners called Nigeria. We believe Biafra can be achieved without war and shedding of innocent blood of Biafrans or Nigerians.

We are bold to say that IPOB has never raised arms against the Nigeria State, but we have defended ourselves and our land against Fulani herdsmen and their supporters. IPOB has not shedded any innocent blood and will not shed any innocent blood but will always defend ourselves against an attack from any quarter.

IPOB is ready for dialogue on Biafra referendum date and procedures. We want peace and are ever ready to leave Nigeria in peace but not the peace of the graveyard. We remain resolute and focused towards our goal, which is Biafra Independence via a referendum. The earlier the Nigeria government schedule a referendum date for Biafrans to decide their fate, the better for everyone.

This message represents the views of our leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU, IPOB leadership, and the global family members of IPOB.

IPOB stands for peace. We stand for dialogue, and we stand for discussions. The cardinal rule under which IPOB was formed is to lead the way to a peaceful separation of Biafra from Nigeria. Biafra and Nigeria are two different nations.
The state Superior Court judge in the five-year-old lawsuit over the high rates of segregation in New Jersey schools issued a decision late Friday that paves the way for a possible trial to address the problem.

State Superior Court Judge Robert T. Lougy wrote in his 99-page decision that the state failed to take sufficient steps to remedy that segregation. But he also discounted the plaintiffs arguments that the state needs to fix segregation based on student poverty.
In the burgeoning legal cannabis space, whether in New Jersey or in other legalized sates, one name has become synonymous with compliance and security planning: Tony Gallo.

A self-described Jersey guy from Carteret, Gallo is managing partner at Sapphire Risk Advisory Group, and is considered among the nations most influence people in cannabis, according to High Times. For two years in a row, Sapphire Risk was voted by the New Jersey cannabis business community Excellence in Consultancy and Professional Services in 2022, and for Excellence in Compliance, Security Planning and Insurance in 2023.

On Oct. 12, Gallo, who has helped hundreds of cannabis companies set up their security measures, will present a CannaTalk on mitigating risk at cannabis facilities at the NJ Cannabis Insider 2023 Fall Conference in Newark. Purchase tickets here.

Many operators dont realize how important their security/risk program should be, he told NJ Cannabis Insider. Rather, it should be integral to everything they do, every step of the way, if they want to not only be safe but be profitable,

Gallos talk is part of the session titled, Safeguarding Success: Compliance, Security and Commerce Readiness. Hell be joined by Jacob Hicks, associate vice president at Tenax Strategies.

We will dive deep into the world of compliance, said Hicks, and well help you discover invaluable strategies to establish and maintain compliance  a bedrock for operational triumph. Operators will glean insights on navigating regulatory complexities, securing local permits, and implementing robust facility security.

Jacob Hicks, associate vice president at Tenax Strategies.

In addition, Hicks, said, he and Gallo will emphasize the significance of fostering relationships and communication channels with both local and state officials.

Join us to unlock the keys to operational excellence, regulatory readiness, and fruitful partnerships within your community, Hicks said.

Both Tenax Strategies, and Sapphire Risk are sponsors of the all-day event.

Hicks and Gallo will be among nearly 30 other speakers scheduled to share actionable information cannabis businesses  whether theyre about to apply or about to open or expand  can use immediately.

A special speed-networking session, presented by Tenax Strategies, a full-service consulting firm, is designed to connect with you with the right people to help your business grow and thrive.

Doors open at 9 a.m. with cannabis trailblazer Wanda Jamess keynote address opening the all-day event at 10 a.m. The conference ends at 5 p.m. Attendees can join an official after party later that night minutes away in Downtown Newark. Tickets ($295) are limited for the conference. A select number of discounted tickets were made available for social equity applicants. Click here for more details and to purchase tickets.

Heres the full lineup, presentation topics, sponsors, vendors and special discovery areas:

Keynote

Wanda James, founder and CEO of , founder and CEO of Simply Pure

CannaTalks & Presentations

Government

Meet Your Regulators: Understanding How CRC Works For You

Dianna Houenou , chairwoman of the , chairwoman of the N.J. Cannabis Regulatory Commission

Wesley McWhite III, CRC director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Government Services

Grants & Training: What the N.J. Government Is Doing to Help You

Tauhid Chappell , NJ Business Action Center (NJBAC), , NJ Business Action Center (NJBAC), Cannabis Training Academy

Genna Jones , program manager at New Jersey Economic Development Authority ( , program manager at New Jersey Economic Development Authority ( NJEDA

Donald Newman, manager of Small Business Advocacy, , manager of Small Business Advocacy, NJBAC

Applications

The Road to License Approval Is Never a Straight Line

Ellie Siegel , CEO and founder of the cannabis consulting firm , CEO and founder of the cannabis consulting firm Longview Strategic

Mollie Hartman Lustig, an attorney, is the chair of , an attorney, is the chair of McLaughlin and Stern s Cannabis Practice Group

Wholesale, Distribution & Delivery: Following the Road to Success

Manufacturing & Edibles: Expansion is Here. Infusion Demonstration

Tara Misu , CEO of Blazin Bakery and Green Alchemy

Rob Mejia, author, founder of , author, founder of Our Community Harvest , professor at Stockton University

Cultivation

Essentials of Growing Indoors and Outdoors

Smrita Choubey , founder and CEO of , founder and CEO of Veda Farms

Spencer Belz, marketing director at Veda Farms

Municipalities

Talk to The Mayor and Council President: Insights on Municipal Approval

Supply and Demand

From Seed to Sale: Why Its Vital to Know Your Supply Chain

Suzan Nickelson , founder of , founder of Holistic Solutions , NJ Cannabis Insider sponsor of Social Equity Discovery Area

Kate Juliano, senior account manager, head of Social Equity-NJ at , senior account manager, head of Social Equity-NJ at Ascend Wellness Holdings

Commerce Readiness

Safeguarding Success: Compliance, Security and Commerce Readiness

Tony Gallo , CEO of , CEO of Sapphire Risk Advisory Group

Jacob Hicks, associate Vice President at associate Vice President at Tenax Strategies

Capital & Spending

Funding Your Build: Knowing the Costs Before Raising Money

Special Sessions

Ask This Attorney Anything: Licensing, Strategic Planning, SOPs, etc.

Chirali Patel, founder and CEO of founder and CEO of Blaze Responsibly and Blaze Law

Local and federal policy: Whats Next For N.J.s Cannabis Marketplace? presented by Simply Pure

The Speed Networking Session presented by Tenax Strategies

NJ Cannabis Insider has partnered with marketing and PR firm THCIAAB to moderate the 40-minute, intense speed-networking session designed to help license-holders meet other license-holders and all the other businesses they need to build and grow their operations.

Sponsors and exhibitors

The Social Equity Discovery Area presented by Holistic Solutions.

These are the social equity and minority-owned companies featured (read more here):

Strategic Partners

Rob Mejia , provides curious adults clear, researched information, stories from the cannabis community and products that offer confident, safe, and smart ways to experience cannabis. Mejia writes the Prof. Mejias Weed Corner for NJ Cannabis Insider. Our Community Harvest , founded by, provides curious adults clear, researched information, stories from the cannabis community and products that offer confident, safe, and smart ways to experience cannabis. Mejia writes the Prof. Mejias Weed Corner for NJ Cannabis Insider.

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The bayside town that became the poster child for some of the most severe devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 is making progress on a $395 million federal project thats been in the works even longer than that.

Union Beach began discussing a flood protection project back three years after the 1992 noreaster, said Mayor Charles Cocuzza. Im excited to see it finally come to fruition.

To see excavators, bulldozers and cranes finally hard at work in Union Beach is gratifying for locals, the mayor said this week.

The residents see it, Cocuzza added. They see whats going on down there. It does bring a sense of relief.

Thats also true for JakeaBobs Bay owner Angelita Gigi Liaguno-Dorr.

Liaguno-Dorr, who first opened her bayside restaurant in 1999 and has periodically reopened it following harsh storms, said she is happy to see the work advancing on the shore.

However, she said some of the berm construction has taken up part of her deck area and thus cost her 21 tables. Those make up about 72 seats of her roughly 400 total customer capacity.

Its for the betterment of the town, said Liaguno-Dorr on Friday regarding her support of the project and not wanting others to experience what she did during Sandy.

I just need some answers, she continued. Those are our most desirable tables. Our business is predicated on people dining out on the water ... Im not against the protection of the town. I understand that. I lived it. I just want to make sure Im protected too.

Liaguno-Dorr said the borough has been wonderful and project managers informed her of construction plans with advance notice that part of her deck would be dismantled at the end of September. They even allowed JakeaBobs to remain open for two weeks after Labor Day (she typically serves from May to early September) to make up for some business lost due to recent rain.

Nonetheless, she said, shes waited since the end of June for answers on the feasibility of rebuilding elsewhere on the property following the loss of her seating.

Caryn Shinske, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, on Friday referred questions about the berm construction to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Businesses interested in rebuilding may apply for the appropriate federal and state permits to do so, Shinske said.

Federal project managers with the Army Corps could not immediately be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Stopping just storm surge, for now

While Tropical Storm Ophelia slightly delayed sand dredging for the current $50 million portion of the Army Corps project, the low-lying community escaped any significant damage from the latest storm.

But thats not always the case.

A federal Army Corps report found that during Sandy about 90% of the land in Union Beach was flooded, with areas seeing between 2 and 10 feet of water. The town reported 60 properties destroyed by Sandy  including JakeaBobs  and more than 600 properties with substantial damage.

While discussing the aftermath of the major storm during its 10-year anniversary last October, Cocuzza said the boroughs population declined from more than 6,200 residents to just about 5,500  in part because people couldnt afford to stay. Paying to re-build or elevate homes was too costly for some. Others simply feared another big storm wiping away their property or worse.

On Friday, the mayor said residents were glad to see the town and Army Corps get closer to building two terminal groins and making progress on pumping about 607,000 cubic yards of sand onto the beach as part of the first phase of the project.

As of Sept. 28, town officials said, about 177,500 cubic yards of sand were delivered to a burrow area on-site. Thats almost 30% of the total sand needed.

Cocuzza said additionally he is working to help get more clarity for Liaguno-Dorr on what options she may have on hand for regaining her seating.

READ MORE: 10 years after Sandy, the state remains as vulnerable as ever to natures fury

A $395 million federal Union Beach project has made progress in the fall of 2023. However, one local business owner, Angelita Gigi Liaguno-Dorr of JakeaBob's Bay, said it's cost her part of her deck and about 21 tables. Pictured: Seating at the restaurant as of early October, the top portion showing where additional deck seating previously sat.Photo courtesy of JakeaBob's Bay

A $395 million federal Union Beach project has made progress in the fall of 2023. However, one local business owner, Angelita Gigi Liaguno-Dorr of JakeaBob's Bay, said it's cost her part of her deck and about 21 tables (circled in red in image provided by Liaguno-Dorr)Courtesy photo

State and local officials announced the start of the $395 million Union Beach project, the Union Beach Coastal Storm Risk Reduction Project, in March.

The town provides residents updates on its progress here.

In addition to more than 3,000 feet of dune in the first phase, future project work  when complete  is slated to add two tide gates, three pump stations, about 1.2 miles of levees and nearly 1 mile of flood walls, according to local officials and a Army Corps project outline.

The federal government will cover about 65% of the total project cost and the remaining 35% is split  with the state covering 75% of that and the borough paying the other 25%.

In all, the project may end up costing more than $395 million and funding for it has not all been acquired, the mayor said.

The contractor is currently working on the west groin and sand placement. The overall project is expected to be complete by spring of 2024, Mackenzie Adams-Zamara, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps New York District, said in a statement Friday morning.

Eagle-eyed residents may have seen what looked like rubber mats and old tires amid the equipment on the towns shore during construction.

Army Corps spokesman Michael Embrich explained old tires are used as matting for excavators to traverse over rock.

We do have rock mattresses that are used for the base of the groins that do look similar to the rubber, old tire mats, Embrich said. Rock is being used for the groin construction and sand for the dune and berm.

In hopes of managing expectations, Cocuzza was very clear about the work currently happening at Union Beach. Phase 1, he clarified, will ostensibly replenish the boroughs beach, construct jetties to reduce erosion and build dunes and berms to ease the impact of waves  prone to grow due to sea level rise from climate change.

I dont want people to get confused by what Phase 1 is, Cocuzza said. Phase 1 is meant to stop storm surge, thats not going to stop the normal coastal flooding that we see on our roads during full moon high tides.

The Union Beach mayor said additional design work is needed to complete the remaining three phases, which may take a decade or more to reach the finish line.

Phase 2 construction may not start until 2026, as that timeline is based on when the town starts the process of acquiring properties it needs to move forward. If that begins in January 2024, it may be as long as two years to see more major beach construction, he said.

We are eager to see the other phases begin, said Cocuzza. It took a very long time to get to this point, to start it. And we would like to all be here when they complete it.

Crews can be seen making progress on the east terminal groin of the Union Beach federal shore protection project on March 15, 2023.Photo courtesy of Union Beach

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Authorities charged a Bergen County man Thursday with sexually assaulting two teenagers in August, officials said.

Esmond Nimblett, 49, of Clifton, faces four counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of fourth-degree aggravated sexual contact, according to the Bergen County Prosecutors Office.

Authorities had already charged Nimblett with two counts of second-degree sexual assault in late August. The two additional charges came after an investigation revealed that Nimblett allegedly assaulted another teenager in Englewood, officials said.

Nimblett allegedly sexually assaulted two teens multiple times, authorities said. The teenagers are both between the ages of 13 and 16, prosecutors said.

Authorities arrested Nimblett in Hackensack, officials said. He remains in Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in court, prosecutors said.

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Most Americans, however begrudgingly, pay their tax bills in full and on time.

Whether or not you agree with the tax law, its your civic duty. And if you dont pay, you could be in for heaps of trouble, starting with costly penalties and interest.

So most of us do the right thing when it comes to the IRS.

But sometimes, mistakes happen. Theyre not uncommon when youre dealing with a large bureaucracy. What matters, though, is how the mistake is handled and ultimately  we would hope  fixed.

Not so with an error the IRS is making with taxpayer Renee Kaspar.

The Wyckoff woman paid her tax bill on time and in full, yet the IRS is insisting she paid a month late.

In the past, Kaspar paid her taxes electronically. But when she changed tax preparers, she sent a paper check to pay what she owed.

A carbon copy shows the $10,785 check was dated April 18, 2023, which was the 2022 tax year filing deadline. She said she mailed it on the same day.

But the check wasnt cashed by the IRS until a month later, on May 19. When the money was taken from her bank account, documents show it was done as an electronic transaction known as an ACH.

She thought all was well until June 6, when she received notice from the IRS that she was being slapped with nearly $200 in penalties and interest for paying her tax bill late.

But she didnt pay it late. The IRS took the money late, she said, and she didnt think it was fair for her to be penalized.

Multiple calls to the agency didnt help, so her tax preparer sent a letter to dispute the decision.

In response, the IRS sent a notice dated Aug. 17.

We cant allow your request to remove the Failure to Pay Tax Penalty, it said. The payment was submitted after the due date of April 18, 2023.

It said she owed the money.

Kaspar said shes angry with the governments response, insisting she shouldnt be held responsible for the IRS cashing the check late.

There are millionaires and billionaires not paying taxes and this is what happens to the hard-working, responsible American? she asked. Essentially they are taking money that is not rightfully owed to them and putting pressure and fear into people that they will be further penalized if they dont just pay. Awful.

HOW IT HAPPENED

A large problem in Kaspars case is that the IRS converted her check to an ACH payment, so she doesnt have a canceled check to use as evidence.

Nearly 94% of individual tax returns were filed electronically for the 2022 tax year, but millions of others used the mail, paying what the owed with a paper check.

The IRS says when taxpayers pay by check, they authorize the IRS to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from their account or to process the payment as a check transaction.

But the IRS proper doesnt receive the paper tax returns or the payment checks. Those go to a lockbox thats managed by a bank that acts as a contractor for the IRS, the agency said.

They take the check and make the deposit, then they send the paperwork to the related IRS center, it said of the contractors.

The bank that process the checks use Electronic Check Processing (ECP), which converts paper checks into Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions, according to the U.S. Treasury Departments Bureau of Fiscal Services.

The ACH system handled 30 billion payments in 2022, according to Nacha, the group that manages the system.

The bank employee representing the IRS, called a Financial Agent (FA), digitally scans the check to capture electronic images.

The FAs then send all image and data files to ECP for processing, Treasury said.

Then images would go to the taxpayers bank, which would then settle the transaction electronically, it said.

Importantly, ACH transactions are performed with only a routing and account number, so the bank doesnt receive a digital or physical copy of the check  the evidence Kaspar could use to show when the check was cashed.

So outside of her bank statement showing when the money came out of her account, she only has the carbon copy of the check and her word that it was mailed on time.

People truly dont owe the penalties and fines if they sent their checks in on time, she said.

WHATS NEXT?

The IRS once again said it cant comment on specific taxpayer issues, but it shared this link about what to do if the IRS hasnt cashed your payment.

Kaspar said she paid the penalties and fees the IRS said she owed so no more charges would accrue, but she isnt done yet.

She said she reached out to her congressman, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5th Dist.), to see if he could get the IRS attention.

Gottheimer confirmed that his office reached out to the IRS on Kaspars behalf. It was told that it needed proof of when Kaspars payment was mailed, according to an email from his office that was shared with Kaspar.

But that will never happen. Because she didnt send it certified mail, she would have to rely on the postmark on the envelope. But because the check was processed as an ACH payment, those envelopes are not saved for posterity, proof or otherwise.

That means, once again, there is only Kaspars word that she mailed it on time.

This is not about me, Kaspar said. My $175 is my money for sure but it will not break me. The government is holding me responsible for getting the money to them late when they cashed it late.

It is a slippery slope if we dont fight back on this. To acquiesce is to allow this to continue, she said. It is just despicable.

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Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KPMueller.
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Nicole Cabrera Mills grew up in the Philippines and after college went to New York to study at the French Culinary Institute. After working in restaurants in New York, Los Angeles and the Philippines, she and her family moved to New Orleans. She was on the opening team at Peche 10 years ago and is now chef de cuisine. On Oct. 21, Mills will prepare the keynote dinner at the Southern Foodways Alliance symposium in Oxford, Mississippi, entitled Where is the South?

Gambit: How did you get interested in cooking?

Nicole Cabrera Mills: I was always interested in cooking. My mom has always had a food business. My grandmother had a bakery that she ended up taking over. I worked in the bakery for a little bit. She had a popcorn stall that sold fresh corn from our farm. At another point she had a very popular siomai and siopao stall. Siomai is like a Chinese dumpling. Siopao is like a bun that is steamed and usually has pork in the middle. She did a lot of baking too. She would bake fruitcakes and cookies for the holidays, and I was also involved in that.

She also did the accounting for my dad. He is a farmer and owns land. He has a rubber plantation that he inherited from his father. He went on to plant corn, pineapple, coffee. Now he plants fruit trees. Hes a grower.

I went to college in the Philippines. I graduated from Ateneo de Manila University. But I had no plans to use a sociology degree. Then I moved to New York in 2001 to go to the French Culinary Institute. At that point, the push was fine dining and the French fine dining scene with white tablecloths and everything plated nicely. I worked at MOMA (at The Modern), Atelier (at the Ritz-Carlton on Central Park), and Eleven Madison Park. French food.

Gambit: How did you get to New Orleans and Peche?

Mills: We ended up moving to the Philippines, and we ended up opening a restaurant. It was New Orleans food. My husband is from New Orleans. There was a soft-shell crab po-boy. We did popcorn shrimp. We had fried chicken. There was a little bit of French flair to it. We did that almost two years.

My husband ended up getting recruited to work at the Ritz-Carlton here, so we moved. I ended up working at Restaurant Revolution. I was part of their opening team. I did pastry there for a year. A year after that, Peche was hiring for their opening team, so I joined.

When I came to Peche, I found my style, and what I like to cook and how I like to cook. It is a seafood restaurant and we also serve local produce. That is the center, and around that are the flavors and dishes I like to make. I am French trained, so a lot of that technique comes through. And because I am from the Philippines, a lot of Asian ingredients come through.

I like to use everything from soy sauce to fish sauce, a lot of vinegars. I love using different kinds of citrus. Calamondin is now in season, which is like calamansi, which is like citrus from where I was in the Philippines. Papaya grows around here and has been fun to use. I work within what I can get here. Dried shrimp is great.

Use of vinegar is a Filipino thing. I was surprised how much it is here. Lots of pickles. Thats not very French  with the sour notes. Here, people enjoy pickled okra and pickled green beans.

Also, with crawfish boils and crab boils, were all sitting around eating with our hands. Back home when were outside, we eat with our hands. Its called kamayan.

Gambit: What will you do for the Southern Foodways dinner?

Mills: I did an event for Project Threadways. Project Threadways and Southern Foodways Alliance have some overlap, so they invited me to do the symposium because they thought I would be the perfect person for the theme Where is the South?

I wouldnt call it Filipino food per se, but it is a lot of Filipino food, but also just things I like to do. Several dishes are dishes that I have done (at Peche). There are some that obviously I havent done here, like pork dishes. The menu is going to depend a lot on what fish I can get for that week. I am hoping to get fresh snapper. We work with Chris Ricouard, who is a spear fisherman. Fall produce is in, so I am going to do something with pumpkin and something with baby kale. There are going to be two rice dishes. One is a crab rice which I do here at Peche. Its rice that is sauteed with shallots and ginger; it has some soy sauce, fish sauce and jumbo lump crabmeat. It has alavar sauce on top. Alavar is a reduction of coconut milk and has ginger, lemon grass and crab roe. I also am going to do junai. It has burnt coconut and dried shrimp incorporated in the rice. I am going to use purple rice from Baton Rouge.

I am going to do lechon kawali. It is pork belly braised with ginger, garlic, lemon grass, cinnamon and anise. Then you fry it until it pops. Its going to have a liver sauce. Probably chicken liver. I make that at home at least once a month.

For dessert, buko pandan. Pandan is a leaf or herb. I was able to source it from the VEGGI co-op. I am making pandan jello with tapioca balls and brown sugar pandan syrup with coconut ice cream. And pinipig, which is like Rice Krispies.
Hey Blake,

I grew up in the Gentilly Woods area and my parents used to take me to an Italian restaurant that was upstairs in a shopping mall. Can you help?

Skip

Dear Skip,

I think youre remembering Il Ristorante, later called Leonas Il Ristorante, in the 2100 block of Foy Street in Gentilly. It was on the second floor, with a bar called The Black Orchid underneath. Both were owned and operated by legendary restaurateur Tony Angello.

In his 1970 book The New Orleans Underground Gourmet, restaurant critic Richard Collin explained that to enter the restaurant, one climbs a flight of iron steps over the Black Orchid Lounge. Inside are two dimly lighted rooms, the model of the European bistro, very romantic and intimate. He wrote that the food at Il Ristorante can be excellent; many think it ranks with the best in the city.

In 1972, Angello sold Il Ristorante to one of his employees, who renamed it Leonas Il Ristorante. In his 1976 restaurant guide, Collin said the new place kept the old menu and the substance of the old food, but not the spiritnot a bad restaurant, but a dispirited one.

By then Angello had opened his eponymous restaurant in Lakeview, in a building that resembled a suburban-style home at Fleur De Lis Drive and West Harrison Avenue. Angellos regulars loved his feed me menu option, where he and his staff would serve 10, 12 or more courses including the lobster cup, cannelloni, veal with peppers and mushrooms and Eggplant Tina. That lasagna-type dish, named for Angellos sister, was made with eggplant instead of pasta.

Angello and his family rebuilt the restaurant after it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures in 2005. Angello died in 2015 and the restaurant closed soon after. It is now Rizzutos Ristorante and Chop House. Angellos nephew Frank Catalanotto has recreated many of his uncles famous dishes at his restaurant, Nephews Ristorante, located in Metairie at 4445 W. Metairie Ave.
The acclaimed British abstract artist, Ian Davenport, will visit the Burton at Bideford on Saturday, October 28, to talk about his work.

His visit coincides with a current exhibition of his work on show at the gallery throughout October. Entry to the exhibition is free but booking is required to attend the talk - please see below.

Ian Davenport is well-known for his abstract paintings, which explore process and materiality. In recent years, his work has consisted of carefully poured lines of acrylic paint down a surface, which puddle and pool at the bottom.

This technique allows him to explore complex arrangements of line and colour. Over the past ten years he has also turned his attention to screen-printing and etching, building up an impressive body of graphic work.

The exhibition showcases work from throughout Ian Davenports career, from his time as a student at Goldsmiths College to the present day.

Many of the works have never been displayed together before and an illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition. It is the first of Davenports exhibition catalogues to be narrated by the artist himself.

Numbers for the talk are limited and tickets must be booked in advance, at a price of 5. Book your place via Eventbrite or visit the Burton website.
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The serial killer Belle Gunness claimed many victims through her lonely-hearts newspaper ads.

Unsuspecting suitors who came to her LaPorte farm ended up buried there, with some of the remains tossed to the hogs.

One can learn more about Gunness at the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum, where there's a replica of her farm and the skull of one of her victims.

The museum at 2405 Indiana Ave., Suite. 1 will host Belle Gunness: The History of the Mystery Event! on Saturday, Oct. 21.

"Join us on Saturday, Oct. 21 to learn about Belle Gunness and her terrible actions," Assistant Director Savannah Jackson said. "The event starts with 'The Gunness Mystery' documentary showing at 11 a.m."

Then people will get to do a Belle Gunness tour of local landmarks.

"At noon, a downtown historic walk will begin with participants viewing spots in LaPorte that Belle frequented. Participants will start at the Museum and will receive a booklet with explanations of each of the locations to visit," Jackson said. "Then at 2 p.m., retired Judge William Boklund will give his program, 'Stories from the Gunness Mystery.'"

The event costs $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and free for children under 18 years old.

The museum also is hosting a "Pets of LaPorte County" exhibit through the end of the month.

"From Catherine Barker's Boston Terrier who haunts the Barker Mansion to Jake the Bear who was the start of the Washington Park Zoo, this exhibit showcases La Porte County's best friends,"

It will host a Veterans Free Day to honor Navy Founding Day on Oct. 13. Any veteran with a military ID can get in free or charge.

Boklund will give his presentation to the Historical Society at its 7 p.m. meeting on Oct. 17.

"With updated research from the original court documents, this program delves into the turmoil of the LaPorte County courts after the 1908 fire on the Gunness Farm," Jackson said. "All are welcome to this free event."

Then on Oct. 28, the museum will host a trick-or-treat with time-traveling Halloween guests from 2 to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit laportecountyhistory.org or call 219-324-6767.
Steel import permit applications totaled 2.27 million in August, according to the U.S. Commerce Departments most recent data.

Thats down 4% from July, according to the Washington D.C.-based American Iron and Steel Institute. Imports of finished steel products that would require no further processing in the United States totaled 1.85 million in August, an increase of 1.4%.

For the first eight months of the year, total steel imports fell 10.6% year-over-year. Finished steel imports fell 15% as compared to the first eight months of 2022.

Total steel imports have fallen by 13.7% and finished steel imports by 14% over the last 12 months as compared to the previous 12 months, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Imports of finished steel products grabbed 21% of the market share in August and 22% so far this year.

In August, imports of sheets and strip and all other metallic coatings were up 60%, standard pipe 30%, wire rods 25%, cut lengths plates 24% and hot rolled sheets 17%. So far this year, imports of line pipe have been up 26%, oil country goods by 18% and cut lengths plates by 13%.

In August, imports from Canada rose by 3% to 547,000 tons, from Brazil fell 46% to 209,000 tons, from Mexico increased by 26% to 365,000 tons, from South Korea declined by 61% to 254,000 tons and from Japan fell by 23% to 95,000 tons. Over the past year, imports from Canada are down 2% to 6.8 million tons, from Mexico down 24% to 4.3 million tons, from Brazil up 9% to 3.2 million tons, from South Korea down 10% to 2.6 million tons and from Japan down 1% to 1.2 million tons.

Overall steel imports declined by 2% last year while finished steel imports rose by nearly 11%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. U.S. steelmakers made 88.775 million net tons of steel last year, down from 94.5 million the previous year.
CROWN POINT  The vehicle of a Crown Point driver ended up in a pond on Mary Ellen Drive Friday, according to a Facebook post from the Crown Point Fire Department.

Crown Point Fire Rescue, Emergency Services and the Fire Rescue's Dive Team were all dispatched to Mary Ellen Drive in Crown Point's Ellendale Farm neighborhood early Friday evening for a car that was underwater in the neighborhood's pond.

The Crown Point Fire Rescue Dive Team recovered the vehicle from the pond and the occupants were able to safely exit without injury, Fire Chief Mark Baumgardner Jr. said.

Baumgardner indicated that Crown Point Police will be handling the crash investigation.

Further information surrounding the circumstances of the crash or the individuals in the vehicle was not immediately available.
CROWN POINT  Prosecutors have withdrawn a petition to revoke bond for a Gary man who was charged last year after police said undercover officers encountered female dancers at a gentleman's club he owned who offered to perform sex acts for money.

The state said in August they would file the request after Anthony T.C. Kirkland, 39, was charged in July with multiple misdemeanors in a Knox City Court but then withdrew the request, saying the allegations didn't warrant revocation of bond, defense attorney John Cantrell said. Cantrell said he is still trying to negotiate a plea for Kirkland.

Kirkland and Maria Dorsey, a manager at the club, were each charged in June 2022 with felony counts of promoting prostitution and maintaining a common nuisance, and misdemeanor counts of unauthorized furnishing of an alcoholic beverage and sale of alcoholic beverage without a permit. Kirkland and Dorsey bonded out of jail soon after they were arrested, records show.

According to court documents, Kirkland owned Honey's Gentlemen's Club in Gary, where Indiana Excise Police executed a search warrant in March 2022 after multiple undercover visits. The women told officers the club had "VIP rooms" where "anything goes" and listed prices for various sex acts, according to court documents.

During interviews with the dancers, officers determined none of the women were victims of human trafficking, but they were fearful Kirkland would retaliate against them with violence, police said.

Kirkland's next hearing is set for Dec. 8 in Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota's courtroom.
HOBART  Christi Serna of St. John needed resources for her son Rylee, 19, who has muscular dystrophy. They found a selection at the inaugural Disability Resource Fair Saturday hosted by TradeWinds.

Im trying to help Rylee to live and be more independent, the mother said while visiting the table for Vocational Rehabilitation, one of 50 agencies represented.

Jessica Garber, marketing director for Connections Case Management, serving Medicaid patients statewide, said the goal of the fair was to provide one-stop shopping for families seeking assistance.

Vendors came from different parts of Indiana, some having offices locally, but all serving the entire state. Services included advocacy, home care, pediatric therapy, state agencies, and special education parental support.

Rhonda Crouch, a special education liaison with IN#SOURCE, which helps families navigate special education, explained, We are here to support families. We are all over the state and we know the school systems.

Laura Guistolisi, a coordinator with First Steps, Indianas early intervention program covering birth through age 3, said, We are a home-based program available to anyone in Indiana.

Guistolisi encourages parents to cooperate with their pediatricians for any developmental abnormalities any time before the third birthday. First Steps, she said, can evaluate the child at no cost.

Sara Marlow of Schererville was seeking resources for her adopted daughter Nora, 11, who has autism, anxiety, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, seizures, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Im looking for resources to help her live her best life, Marlow said, to help her manage her emotions and with independent living.

Lexie Westerfield of Highland represented Self-Advocates of Indiana. She is autistic and legally blind, with ADHD and Joubert Syndrome, a genetic disorder.

We want people to know that people with disabilities should always be involved in decisions about themselves and no decision should be made without our input, Westerfield said, citing the motto, Nothing about u without us.

As director of Achievers ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), Wendy Pagell reported a newly-opened Hammond office to deal with autism. Were here to help families create a better and happier life for kids, she said.

Melina Condie and Kelly Getchell, support coordinators with Community Ventures in Living of Lafayette, said their company provides respite services for caregivers.

The biggest challenge, Condie noted, is lack of support and resources. People dont know where to turn.

Kaitlyn Babjak of Wanatah recently moved to this area and needed resources for her son Jacob, 2. He has sleep and sensory disorders, along with communication and language issues.

Im new to the area and I need resources, the mother said.

Brittany Evans of Valparaiso is also in the market for resources for her son Levi, 10. The autistic boy was diagnosed with ADHD at 15 months, which is considered young.

Weve spent a long time traveling through special needs, Evans said. Now its time to search for help for ages 10 to 18. Were thinking about high school and job training.

Close Nancy Frigo, of Schererville, browses at silent auction items at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala on Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. Jane Kuva, of Highland, browses silent auction items the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. TradeWinds consumers, from left, Janice Flemon, Lori Land and Sabrina Scheeringa perform on stage at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala. The agency serving special needs people provided its own choir for evening entertainment. TradeWinds consumer Corey Crenshaw performs on stage at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala. TradeWinds staff member Annette Walker performs on stage at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. Walker directed the choir of TradeWinds consumers for evening entertainment. Natalie Shrader, president of the TradeWinds board of directors, addresses the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. The gala returned after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor delivers the invocation at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. Snedecor serves on the TradeWinds board. Gallery: TradeWinds annual gala returns in style Following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the agency serving special needs adults and children throughout Northwest Indiana brought back its annual gala. Nancy Frigo, of Schererville, browses at silent auction items at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala on Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. Jane Kuva, of Highland, browses silent auction items the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. TradeWinds consumers, from left, Janice Flemon, Lori Land and Sabrina Scheeringa perform on stage at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala. The agency serving special needs people provided its own choir for evening entertainment. TradeWinds consumer Corey Crenshaw performs on stage at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala. TradeWinds staff member Annette Walker performs on stage at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. Walker directed the choir of TradeWinds consumers for evening entertainment. Natalie Shrader, president of the TradeWinds board of directors, addresses the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. The gala returned after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor delivers the invocation at the Treasure of TradeWinds Gala Saturday at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary. Snedecor serves on the TradeWinds board.
CROWN POINT  The organization representing Indiana counties at the Statehouse recently honored Lake County for successfully advocating for a new state law aimed at improving the tax sale process.

The Association of Indiana Counties (AIC) presented Lake County its 2023 Local Government Cooperation Award Sept. 27 during the AIC annual conference at French Lick.

The award recognizes the partnership between Lake County, Indiana University Northwest (IUN) and its Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE) to systematically identify properties with unpaid property taxes that continually "churn" through county tax sales without attracting a buyer to pay the back taxes in the hope of acquiring the property.

The multiple reports generated by the project led to the creation of an economic development plan for the churner parcels and prompted the Indiana General Assembly to approve Senate Enrolled Act 157  permitting counties to transfer a land parcel to a municipality if it attracts no bids at two consecutive tax sales.

Lake County Commissioner Mike Repay, D-Hammond, said the county is grateful to AIC for recognizing the work that went into the project and appreciative to IUN and CURE for partnering with the county to make it better.

"It's an example for the state, and I think it's an example for regional universities also to cooperate with your municipalities," Repay said.

"They've got resources and they can be a resource for not only county government but all the local entities in terms of work that they can do on your behalf to help everybody else out."

Repay also credited former county attorney John Dull, who died Aug. 1 at 83 years old, for spearheading the churner initiative and its use of comprehensive data, instead of anecdotal reports, to identify the problem and establish a base for evaluating the impact of the legislative changes.

He said the project is another component in Dull's long legacy of public service on behalf of the people of Lake County.

"John Dull was instrumental in creating the cooperative approach to this. He was well aware of the ability of IUN and facilitated the whole thing," Repay said.

The project's reports are available online under the "Economic Impact" tab at northwest.iu.edu/cure.

Northwest Indiana 2023 early voting sites, hours Lake County Government Center, 2293 N. Main St., Crown Point Judge Lorenzo Arredondo Justice Center, 3711 Main St., East Chicago Gary Public Library, 220 W. 5th Ave., Gary Lake County Courthouse, 232 Russell St., Hammond Hobart Police and Community Center, 705 E. 4th St., Hobart Lowell Town Hall, 501 E. Main St., Lowell Munster Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Rd., Munster Schererville Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St., Schererville St. John Township Assessor's Office, 9157 Wicker Ave., St. John Wicker Park Social Center, 8554 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland Winfield Government Center, 10645 Randolph St., Winfield Porter County Administration Building, 155 Indiana Ave., Valparaiso North Porter County Government Complex, 3560 Willowcreek Road, Portage Valparaiso Fire Training Center, 355 Evans Ave., Valparaiso Chesterton Town Hall, 790 Broadway, Chesterton State Street Community Church, 209 State St., LaPorte LaPorte County Office Complex, 302 W. 8th St., Michigan City
A coalition of central Indiana media organizations filed a federal lawsuit Friday challenging the constitutionality of a new state law requiring bystanders at the scene of a police investigation to stay back at least 25 feet  if requested by a police officer.

It's the second lawsuit contesting the validity of House Enrolled Act 1186 following its approval in April by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb.

In August, South Bend "citizen-journalist" Donald Nicodemus, owner of the YouTube channel "Freedom to Film," asked a federal court to strike down the statute for infringing on his constitutional right to observe and record police officers acting in their official capacities because he said it invites police to engage in content and viewpoint discrimination by keeping Nicodemus away from crime scenes.

The Indianapolis-area news outlets, led by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, similarly claim the law runs afoul of the freedom of the press guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by criminalizing peaceful, nonobstructive newsgathering on matters of public importance.

"The act authorizes law enforcement officers to bar journalists from reporting  for any reason or no reason  on an enormous diversity of events of public interest, from a parade or political rally to an arrest or use of physical force," the lawsuit says.

"(It) authorizes officers to issue a dispersal order even if an individuals presence neither obstructs the officer in the performance of their duties nor poses any other safety risk."

The news organizations argue a 25-foot distance often is too far for visual journalists to obtain a clear line of sight to newsworthy events, especially at tumultuous public events like protests, and too far away to reliably capture audio of those events.

Likewise, they claim the statute is impermissibly overbroad and unlawfully vague because it provides no warning about what kind of conduct may prompt a dispersal order and different officers at the same crime scene easily could issue conflicting orders.

"The state has no power to restrict reporting that is not disruptive of public order or safety, and carried out by people who have a legal right to be in a particular public location and to watch and listen to what is going on around them," the lawsuit says.

Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita, the lead defendant in the suit, has not yet responded to the litigation.

Statehouse supporters of the new law said it improves officer and public safety by preventing distractions that potentially could give criminal suspects an opportunity to pull out a gun or attempt to flee from police, such as when a crowd of people approaches officers and demands to immediately know the legal basis for an arrest or traffic stop.

Opponents, meanwhile, said the law wrongly aims to shield officers from appropriate public scrutiny and recording of their actions in the wake of the 2020 police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Rulings in both cases are expected next year.

Northwest Indiana 2023 early voting sites, hours Lake County Government Center, 2293 N. Main St., Crown Point Judge Lorenzo Arredondo Justice Center, 3711 Main St., East Chicago Gary Public Library, 220 W. 5th Ave., Gary Lake County Courthouse, 232 Russell St., Hammond Hobart Police and Community Center, 705 E. 4th St., Hobart Lowell Town Hall, 501 E. Main St., Lowell Munster Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Rd., Munster Schererville Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St., Schererville St. John Township Assessor's Office, 9157 Wicker Ave., St. John Wicker Park Social Center, 8554 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland Winfield Government Center, 10645 Randolph St., Winfield Porter County Administration Building, 155 Indiana Ave., Valparaiso North Porter County Government Complex, 3560 Willowcreek Road, Portage Valparaiso Fire Training Center, 355 Evans Ave., Valparaiso Chesterton Town Hall, 790 Broadway, Chesterton State Street Community Church, 209 State St., LaPorte LaPorte County Office Complex, 302 W. 8th St., Michigan City
Jon Costas paused a few seconds to answer the question thats been on my mind for months.

Why am I running for this office again? he asked himself. Its really very simple. I just want to be useful. And I can be useful here.

In May, the 66-year-old former mayor of Valparaiso won the Republican primary with 83% of the vote. He will compete against newcomer Hannah Trueblood in the Nov. 7 mayoral election. Both candidates will take part in a debate Monday night at Memorial Opera House.

I wasnt looking to get back into politics. I didnt see this coming. But when Mayor Murphy decided not to run, they asked me to run, Costas said.

The first person he consulted was his wife of 43 years, Sharon, whom he didnt consult with before agreeing to run for Indiana attorney general in 2008.

That is the last time I ever did that because those were the most miserable nine weeks of my life, Costas said. Fortunately, I lost.

His wife agreed that this latest run for the mayors office is the right decision.

We prayed on it and we felt theres a need, Costas said. I have certain skills and talents. I have time. My kids are raised. Im not practicing law any more. And some of my side projects are completed. No one else was stepping up at the time so Im hoping to lead this city again.

I feel I had one of the very best political experiences a person could have as mayor here for 16 years, he said. I love the city. The people are awesome. I felt like we accomplished everything we wanted to in the original Costas Plan.

Twenty years ago, there was a lot of low-hanging fruit to pluck in regard to city growth. His new campaign, labeled Costas Plan 2.0: Greater Things, is aimed higher up the tree. He hopes that his deep roots in the city blossom into more votes than his challenger on Election Day. (Next week I will meet with Trueblood for a column and video.)

I dont know whats going to happen on Nov. 7, Costas said. But a persons vote for mayor of their city, particularly in Indiana, is the most important vote theyll make because it impacts their daily life more than any other vote.

I met with Costas in the banquet room of one of his family restaurants, Burgerhaus, on the north side of the city. We spoke for 90 minutes about a wide range of topics, from his four years away from the mayors office to his plans if hes elected again for the fifth time. (Watch a video and view more photos at the online version of this column.)

The next mayor in this city needs to do two things well, Costas said. No. 1 is to run a $75 million complex operation in a fiscally responsible manner. No. 2 is to bring this community together by creating a stronger sense of unity.

He touched on several factors that have divided our country and most communities, including the Vale of Paradise. Such as political tribalism, national media outlets, social media algorithms, primal instincts and human nature.

This sense of My tribe is good, your tribe is bad, really permeates our society like never before, Costas said. Some people are entrepreneurial dividers, making a lot of money dividing people. Its all taking a toll on our country. Local leaders from all sectors need to work to push against all this. We also have outliers in our political parties. We need to push against them too.

Mayor Matt Murphy has created a reputation as being too insular since he replaced Costas in 2020, though Im not sure if its Murphys blind spot as a public office holder or as a person. Ive never had a conversation with him.

Since Murphy has been in office, Ive dealt exclusively with city attorney Patrick Lyp for input from the city for this column space. Costas said he plans to make City Hall more accessible to leaders from all sectors and different parties, as well as to residents with concerns. Over the past few months, he has been meeting with people to hear their concerns or ideas about the city.

We are a community of choice, Costas said. You need to let people voice their concerns.

I asked Costas for a response to his critics complaints regarding the citys growth and its taxpayer benefits to wealthy developers and businessmen. Costas pointed out similar complaints he heard 20 years ago when his administration pushed for downtown developments that are now hailed as successful for attracting new residents and repeat visitors.

Change is hard, he said. People criticizing projects or policies is fair game. Leadership is the art of managing disappointment.

I asked Costas about affordable housing in a city that strives for affluence.

We simply need more housing units here, and we will do our best to develop more affordable housing, he said.

A demographer for the citys school district told officials that many older homes in certain neighborhoods are owned by older baby boomers.

Those homes will become available in the next five to 10 years, Costas said. We expect those neighborhoods turning over with more younger families and kids.

I asked Costas about public perception that he supports former President Donald Trump because Costas was a Republican conservative mayor in a mostly red state during Trumps presidential reign.

The mayors job is really an apolitical job. I truly believe this, Costas said. Im not bringing national politics into operating this city. It has no place here. Plus, frankly, how do you make sense of it? But I can make sense of working with leaders from both parties to create a culture of mutual trust and respect."

Im not only going to respect you. Im going to love and care for you. I may not be able to celebrate your perspective, but thats OK. And I dont expect you to celebrate mine, he said.

"We agree on a whole lot more than we disagree on. We need to get out of our silos. Theyre echo chambers that separate us. If Im elected into office, this will be something Ill deal with as one of my primary missions, he said.

PHOTOS: Valparaiso hosts Merrillville in high school football
[music]

michael barbaro

From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today: A secretive company promising the next generation of facial recognition software has compiled a database of images far bigger than anything ever constructed by the U.S. government. The Dailys Annie Brown speaks to reporter Kashmir Hill about whether the technology is a breakthrough for law enforcement or the end of privacy as we know it. Its Monday, February 10.

annie brown

Kashmir, how did this story come to you?

kashmir hill

So I got an email. It was a Wednesday morning. I was checking my phone. And it was from a tipster who had gotten a bunch of documents from police departments. And one of the police departments had sent along this memo about a private company that was offering a radical new tool to solve crimes using facial recognition.

annie brown

And what would make a facial recognition tool radical?

kashmir hill

So law enforcement has for years had access to facial recognition tools. But what this company was offering was unlike any other facial recognition tools that police have been using, because they had scraped the open web of public photos  from Facebook, from Venmo, from Twitter, from education sites, employment sites  and had a massive database of billions of photos. So the pitch is that you can take a picture of a criminal suspect, put their face into this app and identify them in seconds.

annie brown

And when you read this memo, what do you make of what this company is offering?

kashmir hill

So Ive been covering privacy for 10 years, and I know that a technology like this in public hands is the nightmare scenario.

[music]

This has been a tool that was too taboo for Silicon Valley giants who were capable of building it. Google in 2011 said that they could release a tool like this, but it was the one technology they were holding back because it could be used in a very bad way.

annie brown

And why exactly is this kind of technology this line in the sand that no one will cross? What makes it so dangerous?

kashmir hill

So imagine this technology in public hands. It would mean that if you were at a bar and someone saw you and was interested in you, they could take your photo, run your face through the app, and then it pulls up all these photos of you from the internet. It probably takes them back to your Facebook page. So now they know your name, they know who youre friends with, they can Google your name, they can see where you live, where you work, maybe how much money you make. Lets say youre a parent and youre walking down the street with your three-year-old. Somebody can take a photo of you and know where the two of you live. Imagine youre a protester in the U.S. or in a more authoritarian regime. All of a sudden they know everything about you, and you can face repercussions for just trying to exercise your political opinions. If this app were made publicly available, it would be the end of being anonymous in public. You would have to assume anyone can know who you are any time theyre able to take a photo of your face.

annie brown

And so that technology is what this company is pitching these police departments?

kashmir hill

Exactly.

annie brown

And what do you know about this company at this point?

kashmir hill

So at this point, all I really know is that the company is called Clearview AI. And so the first thing I do is Google it. And I find their website, which is clearview.ai. And the website is pretty bare, but theres also an office address listed there, 145 West 41st Street, which happens to be just a couple of blocks from The New York Times office.

annie brown

Right.

kashmir hill

So I decided to walk over there, and there just is no 145 West 41st Street. So that was weird. So now I have this company thats offering this radical new tool 

annie brown

Its got a fake address.

kashmir hill

Its got a fake address, which is a huge red flag.

annie brown

So what you do next?

kashmir hill

I found the company on LinkedIn. It only had one employee listed, a sales manager named John Good, which 

annie brown

John Good.

kashmir hill

John Good. It seemed like it could also be fake. And I sent that person a LinkedIn message and never heard back. So one of the things I find online is a website called PitchBook that lists investments in start-ups. And so it says that this Clearview AI has received $7 million from a venture capital firm and from Peter Thiel  you know, a big name in Silicon Valley, invested in Facebook and Palantir. So I reach out to his spokesperson, and he says Ill get back to you. I never hear from him again. And then one day, I open up Facebook, and I have a message from a friend whose name I dont recognize. And he says, hey, I hear youre looking into Clearview AI. I know them. Theyre a great company. How can I help?

annie brown

And you dont know who this guy is?

kashmir hill

I dont. I mean, its a guy I met once 10 years ago. And somehow he knows that Im looking into this company. But Ill take it. You know, finally 

annie brown

Right!

kashmir hill

 somebody wants to talk to me about Clearview AI. And so I say, hey, can I give you a call? And then he doesnt respond, which Im getting used to.

annie brown

You just cant catch a break.

kashmir hill

I know. Im like, I cannot believe this is another dead end. So phone and email are not working for me. So I just need to figure out another door to knock on to try to talk to a real human being. And one of the investors in the company is this venture capital firm that has an office in Bronxville, New York. So on a cold, rainy Tuesday, I got on the train and headed to Bronxville. I get to the companys address. Its just like in a retail space. And go inside. Theres this long, quiet hallway of office suites, and this venture capital firm is at the very end. And I knock on the door, and theres no one there. So I start trying to talk to their neighbors, and a woman who works next door says, oh yeah, theyre never here. So Im walking down the stairs to go back out of the building, and two guys walk through the door. Theyre both in dark suits with lavender and pink shirts underneath, and they just kind of look like V.C.s to me. So I say, hey, are you with this venture capital firm? And they say, we are. Who are you? And I was like, Im the New York Times reporter whos been trying to get in touch with you. And they said, the company has told us not to talk to you. And I said, well Ive come all the way out to Bronxville. Can we just chat for a little bit? And they say, O.K. If probably helps that Im very pregnant, and they offered me water. And they just start telling me everything.

[music]

annie brown

And what do they tell you?

kashmir hill

They confirm that theyve invested in Clearview AI and that Peter Thiel has also invested. They identified the genius coder behind the company, this guy named Hoan Ton-That. And they say hes Vietnamese royalty but hes from Australia. And they also tell me that Hoan is the one that was using the fake name John Good on LinkedIn.

annie brown

Hes John Good.

kashmir hill

Hes John Good. And they confirm that law enforcement is already using the app. And that law enforcement loves it and that its spreading like wildfire.

annie brown

Wow.

kashmir hill

So Ive learned some stuff from these two investors, but no one from the company is talking to me still. So in the meantime, I am also reaching out to law enforcement, because I want to know if this app really works as well as the company claims. By this point, I had learned that over 600 law enforcement agencies had tried the app, including the Department of Homeland Security and the F.B.I.

annie brown

Wow. Its not just local police departments. This is being used by the federal government already.

kashmir hill

Yeah, I mean, I was just shocked to discover how easily government agencies can just try a new technology without apparently knowing much about the company that provides it. So I talked to a retired police chief from Indiana, who was actually one of the first departments to use the app. And they solved a case within 20 seconds, he said.

annie brown

A case they hadnt been able to solve?

kashmir hill

That they hadnt been able to solve. One of the officers told me that he went back through like 30 dead-end cases that hadnt had any hits on the government database, and he got a bunch of hits using the app. So they were really excited about it.

annie brown

This is way more effective than what they were using before.

kashmir hill

Exactly. With the government databases they were previously using, they had to have a photo that was just a direct full-face photo of a suspect  like mug shots and drivers license photos. But with Clearview, it could be a person wearing glasses, or a hat, or part of their face was covered, or they were in profile, and officers were still getting results on these photos.

annie brown

Wow.

kashmir hill

But the most astounding story I was told was that investigators had this child exploitation video, and there was an adult who was visible in the video just for a few seconds in the background. So they had this persons face. They had run it through their usual databases and not gotten anything back. But then they ran his face through Clearviews app, and he turned up in the background of someone elses gym selfie. You could see his face in the mirror. And so they figured out what gym this photo was taken out. They went to the gym. They asked the employees, do you know who this is? And the employee said, we cant tell you. We have to protect our members privacy. But then later, the detectives got a text from somebody who worked there identifying the person. And that  I mean, thats just something that would not have been possible without Clearviews app. So because officers were telling me the tool works so well, I wanted to see it for myself, on myself. And I asked them if they would run my photo through the app. But every time I did this, things would get weird. The officers would tell me that they ran my photo and there were no results.

annie brown

No pictures of you?

kashmir hill

There were no pictures of me, which was really weird, because I have a lot of photos of myself online. And then officers would just stop responding to me or talking to me. And I had no idea what was going on until one officer was kind enough to explain to me.

[phone ringing] officer Hello, how are you. kashmir hill Hey. Its Kashmir. officer Yes, hi. Mm-hmm.

kashmir hill

Im keeping this officer anonymous because he could get in serious trouble for talking to me so openly about Clearview.

kashmir hill If you could just describe yourself, to the extent that you can describe yourself. officer Im a police officer at a large metropolitan police department.

kashmir hill

So hes a cop who was doing a 30-day free trial of the app. And he was really impressed with it. So I asked him if he wouldnt mind running my photo.

annie brown

And what did he tell you happened when he sent your picture through?

officer Yeah, nothing. I didnt get a response at all. kashmir hill No results? officer No results. And within a couple of minutes of me putting your photo up there  maybe five, less than 10  I got a phone call from the Clearview company. They wanted to know why I was uploading a New York Times reporters photo. kashmir hill That is so wild. I dont know. [LAUGHS] It creeps me out as a reporter. I mean yeah, it just  officer It kind of creeped me out as a user.

kashmir hill

So this implied that Clearview flagged my face in their system such that they got an alert when a police officer ran my face. Which I found 

annie brown

Wow.

kashmir hill

 very alarming, because this is telling me for the first time that this company is able to monitor who law enforcement is looking for, and not just know who theyre looking for, but manipulate the results. And so then that made me go back to the earlier officers who had run my photo. And they all confirmed, yes, I got a call from the company, and they said, were not supposed to be talking to the media.

[music]

kashmir hill So were you able to keep using the app after that? officer My account was deactivated. kashmir hill Did you ever get access back? officer I never did. But I have colleagues that have access. So if I were to need a picture searched, I could just email it to them and they can email me the results. kashmir hill And you think the trade-offs are worth it, in terms of what the company has access to? officer Do I think its worth it? So from a law enforcement perspective, its worth it. We get a lot of cases, and we dont usually have a lot of leads. And so anything that can  honestly, anything that can help us solve a crime is a win for us. From a privacy perspective, its rather frightening the amount of information that they were able to get and provide. As long as theyre doing it for the right reasons, then everything will work out. Lets put it that way.

[music]

kashmir hill

But the problem is we dont know anything about the company at this point. We dont know if theres any kind of oversight. We dont know who the people are that are operating this and what their intentions are with their product. The person in charge of the company wont talk to me. But then, its the end of December when I get a call from the companys spokeswoman. And she says that the founder, Hoan Ton-That, is ready to talk.

michael barbaro

Well be right back.

kashmir hill Do you have a hard stop? hoan ton-that No I dont actually. 12:30. lisa linden 12:00 noon. hoan ton-that Oh, 12:00 noon. kashmir hill I have no hard stop. lisa linden Oh. kashmir hill And I have lots of questions, so Ill take as much time as you can give me.

annie brown

So Kashmir, you finally got an interview with the founder of Clearview, this man named Hoan Ton-That. Where do you meet him?

kashmir hill

So we met in a WeWork in Chelsea. He came down to the lobby.

kashmir hill You like New York, youre going to stay here? hoan ton-that Oh, yeah.

kashmir hill

And his appearance surprised me, because I had Googled him online and there are a lot of photos of him. And hes usually pretty eccentric  like a lot of paisley shirts, hes at Burning Man.

hoan ton-that Lets go to the back room.

kashmir hill

But in person he was very conservative. He was in this dark blue navy suit with a white button-up and leather shoes. So he looked very much like the security start-up entrepreneur.

annie brown

He was looking the part.

kashmir hill

He was looking the part.

kashmir hill When were you born? How old are you? hoan ton-that 88, so Im 31. kashmir hill O.K.

annie brown

And what do you learn about him?

kashmir hill

So he is 31. He grew up in Australia, but you cant hear that in his voice.

hoan ton-that I love computers, obviously. kashmir hill Yeah, so how did you get interested in technology? hoan ton-that We had a computer, of course, when I was four or five years old.

kashmir hill

So his family got a computer when he was three or four, and he was always tinkering with computers growing up.

hoan ton-that We got the internet when I was 10, I think. And then you could discover all these things online. But Linux, I was like I have to get this thing. Its the nerdiest thing ever. I convinced my dad. We installed it, and I would spend the whole summer reinstalling and learning Linux stuff, staying home from high school and learning programming for fun. So thats  I just really liked it.

kashmir hill

He enrolled in college, decided to drop out like many technologists do, and moved to San Francisco when he was 19.

hoan ton-that  2007, before it was a big thing, right? It was kind of getting there, but it wasnt huge.

kashmir hill

This is 2007, and this is kind of a boom time. The iPhone has just come out.

hoan ton-that Thats the Facebook app era. Remember that? kashmir hill Yeah.

kashmir hill

People are becoming millionaires by making Facebook games. And he wants to be the next big app guy.

hoan ton-that Being there is a lot different from reading about it online. You absorb a lot more of how people get things done. And you learn a lot more secrets.

annie brown

What did he built?

kashmir hill

So the Facebook apps were like would you rather apps and kind of like romantic GIFs.

hoan ton-that Did Some of the first iPhone games as well.

kashmir hill

One of his most recent apps was called Trump Hair, and it was an app for adding Trumps hair to your photos.

annie brown

Thats it?

kashmir hill

Thats it. The tagline was, Its gonna be yuge!

annie brown

O.K. [LAUGHS] So how do you move from a Donald Trump hair app to something that seems like it could revolutionize police work?

kashmir hill

Well, he moved to New York. And that seemed to be a big change for him. And he started meeting very different people. And one of the most important people he met was Richard Schwartz.

hoan ton-that I ended up meeting Richard at a party.

kashmir hill

This 61-year-old guy who worked for Mayor Rudy Giuliani in the 1990s. He was just very politically connected.

hoan ton-that I really loved that. He had a lot of stories. And then we talked for an hour about different ideas. Because I was like, this is what I do  technology. I can make anything. And it went from there.

kashmir hill

And the two of them decided, with Hoan Ton-Thats tech know-how and Richards Rolodex, that they want to try to start a facial recognition company together.

annie brown

And why facial recognition? Why did the two of them choose that?

kashmir hill

I think it was because Hoan had started reading a lot of papers about facial recognition and machine learning.

hoan ton-that I had never really studied AI stuff before, but I could pick up a lot of it.

kashmir hill

And I think they realized they could make money doing it.

kashmir hill What would you say, in terms of the range of ideas at first, what were you thinking? hoan ton-that A lot. I could go on, really crazy, but 

kashmir hill

Theres a lot of face recognition algorithms out there, and a lot that work pretty well. What was different about what Hoan Ton-That and Richard Schwartz were doing is they had been willing to scrape all of these photos from the internet. So they just had a huge database of photos.

annie brown

Right, the billions of photos.

kashmir hill

Exactly.

hoan ton-that And then we had this point where we got to 99 percent accuracy. I remember that, it was just in the office. And he was like, wow, it works. Try that one again. Try that one again. And just every time, it would pick the right person out. And thats when we knew, this is crazy. This actually works.

annie brown

Is that legal? Can you just take photographs from anywhere on the internet and use them for this kind of thing?

kashmir hill

There was a ruling in a federal court this fall that said, yeah, this kind of public scraping seems to be legal.

annie brown

And what are they hoping to do with this software at this point?

kashmir hill

I mean, theyre just trying to figure out how they can make money off of the app. And so they eventually end up settling on law enforcement.

hoan ton-that And they start solving cases from grainy A.T.M. photos, cases they wouldve never solved. So this spread to different departments, and then from one agency to other agencies.

annie brown

And do you ask him about that thing that happened with the officer who couldnt find your photos?

kashmir hill

Yeah, so that was one of my questions, and I wasnt entirely satisfied by his answer.

hoan ton-that So  kashmir hill One thing that surprised me  some of the officers I talked to tried to run my photo through it, and they got no hits. And I tons of photos online. hoan ton-that [LAUGHS] It must have been a bug. kashmir hill Did you guys block me from like getting results? hoan ton-that I dont know about that. kashmir hill Because I was like, this doesnt make any sense.

kashmir hill

He said, oh yeah, that was a software bug. But he laughed.

kashmir hill I was like, I have 1,000 photos online. This cant work as well as they say it works. hoan ton-that Yeah, well, it must have been a bug in the software or something. kashmir hill [LAUGHS] Why did you do that? It totally made me think that  hoan ton-that Hey, maybe it doesnt work. You never know, right? This could be the long con. kashmir hill Ah, O.K. hoan ton-that Im kidding, Im kidding. It works.

annie brown

What do you think that was about?

kashmir hill

[LAUGHS] I dont think it was a software bug.

hoan ton-that Its a bug. I dont know. I  kashmir hill You have no idea, huh?

annie brown

Huh.

kashmir hill

Yeah. So he said the software bug is now fixed.

hoan ton-that Oh yes, so Ill show you. This is the iPhone version.

kashmir hill

And he took a photo of me.

hoan ton-that Oh, it does work. kashmir hill Oh, thats so surprising. hoan ton-that I know.

kashmir hill

And there, the results included a bunch of photos of me online.

kashmir hill Oh my god, I totally forgot. hoan ton-that Well, we can take  kashmir hill Thats 10 years ago.

kashmir hill

Including some I had never seen before.

kashmir hill Some of these photos I didnt know were online.

annie brown

So hes just brushing off this weird thing that happened to you. But do you get the sense that hes thinking at all about privacy?

kashmir hill

So I asked him, you know, this is a very powerful app. And I asked him what restrictions is he thinking about for it. And he said, one, that they were only selling it to law enforcement right now, though it does turn out that theyre also selling it to a few private companies for security purposes. But he said they wouldnt sell it to bad actors or bad governments.

hoan ton-that  and our philosophy is basically, if its a U.S. based  or like a democracy or an ally of the U.S.  we will consider it. But like, no China, no Russia or anything that wouldnt be good. So if its a country where its just governed terribly or whatever, I dont know if wed feel comfortable selling to certain countries.

annie brown

So it doesnt sound like he has much of a rubric for deciding who to sell to. And it sounds like theres no one really overseeing how hes making these decisions.

kashmir hill

At this point, its just up to Clearview to decide who they want to sell the app to.

hoan ton-that No pressure, but when we talk to some venture capitalists, theyre like, Why dont you make this consumer? Law enforcement is such a small market. You wont make that much money. And weve considered it, and were just like, whats the use case here? And right now, we catch, help catch pedophiles. What if a pedophile got access to this, goes around the street, runs 

kashmir hill

But when I was talking to one of their investors, he says, we want to dominate the law enforcement market, and then we want to move into other markets like hospitality, like real estate. And he predicted that one day, all consumers will have access to this app.

hoan ton-that Um, and  kashmir hill I can tell you that one of your investors hopes that you guys are going to go into the consumer market. hoan ton-that Well, yeah. He talks too much. But like, were not  were not going to do that. I just dont 

annie brown

Hoan seems to be saying, yeah, theres pressure on us to sell to private consumers, but were not going to do that. And how reasonable is it to think that he has control or the company has control at this point over where this technology goes?

kashmir hill

I mean, one point that I made when I was talking to him is that oftentimes, the tools that law enforcement use end up in the hands of the public.

kashmir hill I just  I personally feel like you guys have opened the door to now this becoming more normalized, just because a lot of tools that law enforcement have eventually make their way into public hands. hoan ton-that Not always. Not everyone has a gun. [LAUGHS] Right? That would be  kashmir hill Anyone who wants one can get one in the U.S. basically, but 

kashmir hill

His response was strange. He said, well, look at guns. Law enforcement has guns, but not everybody has a gun. And I dont know if thats because hes from Australia?

annie brown

Yeah, hes proving your point, in a way.

kashmir hill

[LAUGHS] It did seem like he was proving my point, rather than rebutting it.

[music]

Weve been building the technology to make this possible for years now. Facebook building this huge database of our photos with our names attached to it, advances in image recognition and search technologies, it all led us here. But theres been no accompanying regulation or rules around how the technology should be used. Theres no real law or regulation that makes this illegal. The scraping seems to be O.K. We dont have a big ban on facial recognition. We dont need to give consent for people to process our faces. And so in terms of holding this tool back, were just relying on the moral compasses of the companies that are making this technology and on the thoughtfulness of people like Hoan Tan-That.

kashmir hill But yeah, what do you think about that? Do you think that this is too dangerous a tool for everybody to have? hoan ton-that I have to think about that and really get back to you on an answer, because its a good question. kashmir hill Yeah. hoan ton-that Ive thought about it a little bit. kashmir hill You havent thought about it? You have? hoan ton-that I have, I have. But I need to really come up with a good answer for that. Honestly like, yeah.

[music]

annie brown

Thanks, Kashmir.

kashmir hill

Thank you.

michael barbaro

Since Kashmir began reporting on Clearview AI, several major social media companies including Facebook, Twitter and Venmo have demanded that the company stop using photos scraped from their websites. But its unclear what, if any, power those social media companies have to force Clearview to comply. A few weeks ago, the state of New Jersey barred law enforcement from using Clearviews technology, but police remain free to do so in 49 other states. Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today. President Trump has begun a campaign of retribution against witnesses in the impeachment inquiry, firing Gordon Sondland, his ambassador to the European Union, who called the presidents actions toward Ukraine a quid pro quo. And Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a member of the National Security Council, who expressed alarm over the presidents phone call with the leader of Ukraine. The Times reports that several Republican senators urged Trump not to fire the witnesses, fearing it would send a dangerous message, but that the president ignored their advice. And the global death toll from the coronavirus has reached more than 800, surpassing that of the SARS epidemic, which killed 774 in 2003. The number of confirmed infections from the coronavirus now stands at more than 37,000. Finally, new polling in New Hampshire, which will hold its primary tomorrow, shows Mayor Pete Buttigieg neck-and-neck with Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden slipping into fourth place.

archived recording (george stephanopoulos) Vice President Biden, the first question is for you. In the last few days, youve been saying that Democrats will be taking too big a risk if they nominate Senator Sanders or Mayor Buttigieg, but they came out on top in Iowa. What risks did the Iowa Democrats miss?

michael barbaro

The poll, conducted by The Boston Globe, WBZ and Suffolk University suggest Buttigieg is benefiting from a strong performance in the Iowa caucuses and that Biden may perform poorly for the second time in a row, a prediction Biden confirmed during Friday nights debate on ABC.

archived recording (joe biden) Oh, they didnt miss anything. This is a long race. I took a hit in Iowa, and Ill probably take it here.

michael barbaro
A 13-year-old boy died after he was stabbed Friday afternoon on a city bus on Staten Island, and another teenager is suspected of killing him, the police said.

The suspect, a 14-year-old boy, fled the bus and ran before a retired police sergeant apprehended him, the police said.

The incident happened near Littlefield Avenue on Hylan Boulevard, one of the boroughs major thoroughfares. The police were still investigating, but said at a news conference on Friday night that they believed the incident was gang-related.

Tragic, tragic homicide today, said John M. Chell, the Police Departments chief of patrol.

At around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, an argument broke out on the bus, during which a knife was seen and gang signs were flashed back and forth, Chief Chell said. The 13-year-old was stabbed in the chest and died later at a hospital, the police said.
John Wayne never dreamed of this kind of ventilation.

A pair of cowboy boots was unveiled on Thursday by Crocs, the footwear brand best known for aesthetically questionable clogs that combine the composition of a pool noodle with the perforation of Swiss cheese.

The new boots make regular Crocs look like dress shoes. Picture a pair of the clogs rendered in a glossy, black crocodile-skin texture. Then add the top half of a cowboy boot, complete with pull straps and hokey embroidery. Then add spurs.

I did a little bit of a double take, said Steve Natto, 25, a sneaker YouTuber in Philadelphia, when he saw the shoes on Instagram on Thursday.

That was most likely the goal for Crocs, a brand that has courted attention and outrage online through a series of bizarre shoe releases. There were the KFC chicken-scented Crocs in 2020 and the high-heeled Crocs, created in collaboration with Balenciaga, in 2021. Just last month, the company released chartreuse Shrek Crocs with ears.
Good girls falling for bad boys is a cornerstone of high school dramas. Usually the story goes something like this: She sticks to the rules while he breaks them, and their meeting inspires a mutual coming-of-age.

In Bite Me, by the playwright Eliana Pipes, the reasons a studious girl cant afford to slip up while her crush has the privilege to slack off hum beneath their budding friendship like the drone of a fluorescent blub.

The pair share custody of a neglected supply closet (the set is by Chika Shimizu), where Melody retreats to hide her tears from the queen bees and Nathan stores the petty contraband he swipes for fun, not because he needs money. As Nathan (David Garelik) makes clear, he has plenty of cash to pay for the homework he buys from Melody (Malika Samuel), a top student and an obvious outsider, who rides the bus for an hour each way to their suburban school from an unnamed city.

This 90-minute two-person play, a co-production with Colt Coeur that recently opened at the WP Theater, is set in 2004 (as illustrated by Sarita Fellowss fresh-from-the-mall costumes and Tosin Olufolabis alt-pop playlist). The fact that Melody is Black and Nathan is white does not immediately seem to influence their interactions as obviously as the conventional gender roles that have long governed the social and sexual politics of American teenagers: that every girl ought to be pretty and sweet, and guys should act tough and nonplused.
A judge ruled on Friday that the man charged with fatally shooting 10 people at a supermarket in Boulder, Colo., in 2021 is mentally competent to stand trial, court records show, a reversal of a prior ruling.

Judge Ingrid S. Bakke of the 20th Judicial District of Colorado said in a 13-page court filing that treatment providers and mental health evaluators had found that the defendant, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 24, was currently competent to proceed with a case that had unsettled Americans and once again raised anxieties over mass shootings in commonplace settings like grocery stores.

The ruling reversed one from December 2021, when Judge Bakke found, based on reviews from four doctors, that Mr. Alissa was incompetent to stand trial.

But in her ruling on Friday, Judge Bakke said that state mental health experts had evaluated him in August and determined he was competent, and that psychiatric medication given to Mr. Alissa had helped treat his schizophrenia.
A foul smell led investigators to find at least 115 decaying bodies at a funeral home in rural Colorado that had promised green burials, officials said on Friday, describing the scene as horrific.

Randy Keller, the Fremont County coroner, said it could take months to determine the identities of the deceased through fingerprints, dental records or DNA.

State and federal agencies, including the F.B.I., are helping, and Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado on Thursday issued a verbal disaster declaration for Fremont County to provide additional resources in the investigation into the remains found at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, about 105 miles south of Denver.

According to a letter from state regulators suspending the funeral homes license, the owner, Jon Hallford, spoke to a funeral home regulator on Wednesday and acknowledged that he has a problem at the property, and claimed that he practices taxidermy there.
In a filing late on Friday, Smartmatic, one of the firms suing Mr. Lindell for defamation, said it did not object to the withdrawal of lawyers but expressed concern that he was using the news as an opportunity to fund-raise for his election fraud campaign. The voting equipment firm noted that Mr. Lindell had already sent out a fund-raising email seeking $200,000 from supporters that invoked his lawyers motion.

Since 2021, Mr. Lindell, the chief executive of the bedding company MyPillow and a Trump associate, has financed conferences, legal efforts and even his own digital media venture to further unproven or debunked conspiracy theories regarding the use of voting machines to steal the 2020 election.

He has worked with state-level groups across the country, and continues to speak with activists on weekly conference calls. And he has used MyPillow advertising to support a range of conservative and right-wing media, including many outlets that amplify his claims.

Mr. Lindell says he has directly spent as much as $60 million on his political endeavors.

Days after Jan. 6, 2021, Mr. Lindell was photographed entering a brief meeting at the White House with Mr. Trump, carrying notes on which the phrase martial law if necessary was visible. That month, MyPillow lost brick-and-mortar distribution contracts with major big-box retailers. (The stores offered a variety of explanations unrelated to Mr. Lindells politics.) Last year, after Walmart pulled the companys products from its stores, it recorded a loss of $7 million, according to Mr. Lindell. MyPillow is a private company, and these figures could not be independently verified.

Property records show that one of the two residences he owns through a limited-liability corporation is under an Internal Revenue Service lien for $4.6 million in unpaid taxes from 2020. Mr. Lindell said the lien was related to an ongoing negotiation over a tax write-off for an investment in a pharmaceutical company.
House Republicans, divided and demoralized after the ouster of their speaker this week, are now quietly feuding over how to elect a successor.

The dispute, which erupted on Friday, suggests that the same divisions that led to the downfall of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy are continuing to fester inside the G.O.P. ranks, setting the stage for a potentially bruising contest next week when lawmakers were set to meet to elect his replacement.

At issue is a request made by more than 90 House Republicans on Friday to temporarily change the partys internal rules for nominating a candidate for speaker. In a brief letter to Representative Patrick T. McHenry of North Carolina, the interim speaker, and Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, the conference chair, the group requested a special organizational meeting to consider the change. The New York Times obtained a copy of the letter.

In the letter, they asked for an amendment to temporarily raise the threshold to become the nominee. Proponents of the change have been pushing to require a unanimous vote of the Republican conference, instead of the current bar of a majority.
The liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a case challenging the states Republican-drawn legislative districts, a decision that could spur impeachment proceedings against a newly elected justice, Janet Protasiewicz, who refused to recuse herself from the case.

The decision to accept the case  known as an original action because it means the case will bypass Wisconsins trial and appeals courts  comes over the objections of at least two of the courts three conservative justices and the states leading Republicans, who have threatened to impeach Justice Protasiewicz before she can rule on it.

Recusal decisions are controlled by the law, Justice Protasiewicz wrote in her 47-page decision to remain on the case. They are not a matter of personal preference. If precedent requires it, I must recuse. But if precedent does not warrant recusal, my oath binds me to participate.

The courts decision to accept the case will force Republicans to make a decision soon about whether to proceed with an impeachment of Justice Protasiewicz, who won a commanding victory in April and was seated on the bench on Aug. 1. The Republican-controlled State Assembly is set to convene on Tuesday.
A Florida man and three sons who used a business masquerading as a church to sell more than $1 million of a deadly bleach solution that they claimed was a miracle cure for Covid-19 and other diseases were each sentenced on Friday to several years in prison, federal prosecutors in Miami said.

Mark Grenon, 66, of Bradenton, Fla., and one of his sons, Joseph Grenon, 36, were sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the government, while the two other sons, Jonathan Grenon, 37, and Jordan Grenon, 29, were sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for defrauding the government and contempt of court, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a news release.

The Grenons poisoned thousands of people with their bogus miracle cure, which was nothing more than industrial bleach, Michael Homer, an assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted the case, said in a statement. They targeted vulnerable people who were suffering from life-threatening illnesses and who were desperate for a cure.

Prosecutors said that the Food and Drug Administration had received reports of people requiring hospitalizations, developing life-threatening conditions and dying after drinking the product.
Bove has created a big, film-friendly, black-box-style container for the show. And she has placed down at its center a zigzagging walled corridor for the display of little-known objects  paintings, drawings, prints, photographs  that Smith produced almost nonstop throughout his life and that he sometimes claimed to regard more highly than his films.

That life began in the Pacific Northwest. Smith was born in Portland, Ore., and grew up in Washington State. He was lucky in his family. They didnt have money: His father worked in the fish-canning industry; his mother was a teacher. But they encouraged his early interest in reading and art and folk music. And as practicing Theosophists, they made him comfortable with esoteric spiritualities and instilled in him their own pantheistic love of the natural world.

Because his mother taught school on the local Lummi Indian reservation, Smith became fascinated with Indigenous culture. By age 15, he was already a committed ethnologist, participating in Lummi dances and religious rituals, absorbing Native music, photographing objects, sacred and secular  a handful of foggy slide photographs of masks, drums and weavings are the shows earliest entries  while taking copious field notes on everything.
Yahya Bas, the hero of Guy Gunaratnes new novel, Mister, Mister, is a tricky character to pin down. Is he an idiot, poet, jihadist or all of these at once?

As Gunaratne answered this question and found Yahyas voice, the authors own self-conception evolved. This book fundamentally changed how I think about my own identity, Gunaratne, who was born in Britain to Sri Lankan parents, said during a recent interview in central London. This self-inquiry, which comes with an extended period of writing, led me to assert parts of myself that had gone unaffirmed. Now, Gunaratne identifies as nonbinary, and uses they/them pronouns.

There are passages within this novel where Yahya is trying to lend language to how he feels about his own desires for others, Gunaratne said. That might run the risk of being misread if you werent aware I have a fluid relationship with desire, sexuality and gender.

Mister, Mister begins with a shocking act of self-mutilation as Yahya, a young man in his 20s who is being held in a London detention center after returning from Syria, cuts out his tongue so that he can recount his own story in written missives without interruption. Yahyas action is designed to thwart his interrogator, known simply as Mister, who wants to take control of his story by fitting it into a preconceived arc.
Hoping to cash in a paper savings bond thats been lying around for a few decades? Set aside a lot of time for disappointment.

Those government-backed slips, doled out by generations of well-meaning grandparents to children expecting more exciting gifts, were long thought to be as good as cash. Shaped like dollar bills, savings bonds promise recipients a lucrative lesson in the value of prudence: The longer you keep them, the more interest they accrue and the more they will be worth when you finally cash them.

Of course it doesnt matter how much something is theoretically worth if you cant exchange it for money. And in the case of savings bonds, trying to do so increasingly results in a journey into a world of colliding, inconsistently enforced bank policies.

Like all bonds, savings bonds are essentially a loan, in this case, to the federal government. Though the paper slips may be labeled $100, they cost the purchaser only $50. The higher face value includes interest the loan accrues over years, which generally doubles the value of the bond over two decades and allows the holder to be paid out at the higher sum.
You can taste the climate change.

Frederic Chaudiere, a third-generation winemaker in the French village of Mormoiron, took a sip of white wine and set down his glass.

The tastes of centuries-old varieties are being altered by spiking temperatures, scant rainfall, snap frosts and unpredictable bouts of extreme weather. The hellish summer was the latest reminder of how urgently the $333 billion global wine industry is being forced to adapt. Temperature records were set in Europe, the United States, China, North Africa and the Middle East as hail, drought, wildfires and floods on a biblical scale inflicted damage.

Grape vines are some of the most weather-sensitive crops, and growers from Australia to Argentina have been struggling to cope. The imperative is particularly great in Europe, which is home to five of the worlds top 10 wine-producing countries and includes 45 percent of the planets wine-growing areas.
In the present, Tanner is an affable single dad suggesting that he chose the babe. This assumption makes up the films emotional backbone. After the girls go missing and return three days later with their feet mangled and eyes tweaky, they hit a monstrous form of puberty. Its teenage rebellion made sacrilegious, razed of all of the truly crass and nasty edges that made Linda Blairs Regan, the possessed girl in the original movie, so shocking to behold.

The film pivots away from the girls to focus on feels, courtesy of the original cast-member Ellen Burstyns Chris MacNeil (Regans mom), now the author of a book about Regans possession. Chris isnt a final girl, and shes not uniquely skilled at fending off the baddie. But because shes a legacy character, Believer treats her with an air of reverence that gives her a preternatural connection to the devil  and it makes him, a supposedly omnipotent, unknowable being, a lot less scary. The demonic version of Katherine jabs a crucifix through Chriss eyes, blinding her for the rest of the movie  a condition that parallels the films ideas about belief in the indemonstrable. Chris has long been estranged from Regan, who supposedly cut contact with her mother after the release of her book. Chris holds on to the possibility of Regans return, which she does, in a final-act cameo by Blair herself.

The Exorcist, a master class in grief and dread, is quite unlike the formulaic fun of, say, slasher movies that easily breed follow-ups. Famously, Friedkin (and Burstyn, at least until Believer) wanted nothing to do with the extended universe that spawned after its release. You dont need to watch any of the other Exorcist movies to understand Believer, which only draws from Friedkins version  and offers up this extension.

The films equal-opportunity possession encourages cooperation between racially diverse families, and the jumbo-exorcism in the end doubles as a kumbaya circle for religious harmony. Both families assemble a supergroup of believers to perform the rites: a Protestant minister, a voodoo mistress, an Evangelical speaker-in-tongues, and an ex-Catholic nun. Because believing isnt about any one religion, its a collective act of faith.

Circling back to Tanners decision in the beginning, the devil, trickster that he is, demands that the parents choose one girl to survive. Katherines dad, the most weak-willed of the three, screams out his daughters name and  just like Tanner, who had asked for the doctors to save his wife  the opposite happens. Angela survives. But given the shoddiness of the exorcism itself, and the fact that the devil seemed to be calling the shots through the end, Id imagine Satan has more in store for her.
Carin Bail said she was walking with a friend in Queens this spring when they stopped to talk with a woman who was holding a baby and crying. The woman had just arrived at a nearby migrant shelter, she explained in Spanish, and her baby would not eat the food there.

Ms. Bail bought the woman baby food and diapers. What tugged at my heartstrings, she said, was she had a kid with her.

Yet Ms. Bail, who teaches special education and yoga in public school, opposes the migrant shelters, and has spoken at rallies against them. She complained of overcrowding at her school, in Jamaica, Queens, which recently took in 132 students, many of whom do not speak English.

When asked to describe her feelings toward the migrants, she paused. Her own parents immigrated to the United States after the Holocaust, seeking a better life.
The actor S. Epatha Merkerson is perhaps best known for her 17 consecutive seasons as Lt. Anita van Buren on the Law & Order franchise. But she has held many stage, film and TV roles over her nearly 50-year career, ranging from Pee-wees Playhouse to Lincoln and The Piano Lesson, and has won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and several NAACP Image Awards.

This time of year, she usually spends weekends commuting between her two-bedroom condo in Harlem and Chicago, where Chicago Med, the NBC medical drama in which she now stars, is filmed. Until the SAG-AFTRA strike is settled, though, Ms. Merkerson, 70, doesnt mind staying home. During the week Im always running around, taking care of some kind of business, she said. Sundays give me a chance to just breathe.

APPOINTMENT TV Im not an early riser  Im still a night person from my theater days  so I might get up at 9 or 10 a.m., and the first thing I like to do is have a cup of coffee. Its the only time during the day I drink coffee. I love to watch the CBS Sunday Morning show with Jane Pauley. I might miss half an hour of it because I was sleeping, but Ill watch as much as I can.
This column has been updated.

Its easy to note the parallels between Hamass attack on Israel on Saturday morning and the Yom Kippur War, which began 50 years ago Friday.

Now, as then, Israel seems to have been taken almost wholly by surprise by an enemy whose capabilities it appears to have badly underestimated. Now, as then, Israelis have sustained losses  at least 600 dead, over 2,000 wounded and dozens of hostages taken  that go far beyond anything they suffered in recent years. Now, as then, there looms the prospect of a wider and deadlier war  the last time with the Soviet Union, this time with Iran and its proxies in Syria and Lebanon.

Now, as then, Israels military, intelligence and political leaders can soon expect hard questions about their failure to anticipate this attack. The Yom Kippur War helped end the Labor Partys iron grip on power in Israel. This war might yet do the same for the Likuds.

There are parallels on the Arab side, too. Like Egypts and Syrias in 1973, Hamass aims in this war almost surely have strategic purposes that go beyond killing, maiming and terrorizing Israelis.
The House of Representatives has no speaker, another budget showdown looms and the Republican majority is in disarray. To break down what happened in Congress this week, the domestic politics correspondent Michelle Cottle spoke with Opinion Audios executive producer, Annie-Rose Strasser. They discuss this unprecedented event  and what it means for the future of the House Democrats, American politics and democracy at large. Hint: According to Cottle, its not good news.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available midday on the Times website.)
The federal governments negligence is fueling anger against immigrants and stoking divisions. The question is whether Congress, mired in dysfunction, can stir itself to enact sensible changes so the nation can reap the benefits of immigration.

Neither party has come up with a solution that is both practical and compassionate. Many in the Republican Party want to return to the Trump-era policies of strictly curtailing refugee and asylum admissions and requiring many people to stay in Mexico while their asylum cases are heard. Some Republicans still embrace the fiction that building a huge wall would solve everything, despite abundant evidence that it would be ineffective in stopping people from coming to the border. On Thursday the Biden administration moved to expand that wall as well.

Some lawmakers on the left have tried to ignore or downplay the extent of this challenge. Illegal border crossings by families, while they are a small portion of the total number of people entering the United States, are rising. The consequences of allowing huge numbers of asylum seekers to enter without sufficiently providing for them are real. The result is not only relentless pressure on the immigration system at the border and elsewhere but also a devastating failure to protect people from smugglers, who have made sneaking people into the United States a big business, or from exploitation after they arrive.

Congress can raise the level of legal immigration  by increasing the quotas for employment visas and other categories that allow people to come to the United States legally and have the chance to become permanent residents and then citizens. Those targets have been too low for too long, particularly for people who can fill gaps in the labor market. In July there were more than two million open positions, for example, in construction, hospitality and retail, and the current system keeps out many engineers, computer programmers and scientists. To change that, Congress would need to act and to establish new quotas that more accurately reflect the level of immigration that Americans want and can reasonably accept.

The country has already seen the consequences of keeping legal immigration artificially low. The Trump administration, even before the pandemic, dramatically decreased its annual quota for refugees and made many other forms of legal immigration much harder to get. Even worse, the administration removed children from their parents in a cruel attempt at deterrence. That inhumane policy also didnt work, as people continued to travel north to present themselves at the border to make asylum claims. Those numbers rose every year of Mr. Trumps presidency, with the exception of 2020, and the result was chaos.
The Francis era in Roman Catholicism is a good example of how the abnormal and even extraordinary can come to feel, with enough repetition, old hat and status quo. The wildness of the last decade is undeniable: the first papal resignation in centuries, the elevation of a new pope who began casting about for the means to alter Catholic teaching, the attempted rebellions by that popes own cardinals, the growing threats of schism from both the traditional and progressive wings of the church.

For a long time there was grab-you-by-the-lapels urgency to writing about all this. Wherever the reader stood, Catholic or non-Catholic, it was important to convey the sheer drama enveloping the worlds largest religious institution.

Yet as the latest act unfolds in Rome, with the gathering of bishops and laypeople called the Synod on Synodality, the feeling now is more one of repetition and familiarity.

Once again, as he did with previous synods, Pope Francis has convened a discussion that is supposedly open-ended, dialogic, the Holy Spirit blowing where it wills  but in practice seems intended to provide cover for the pope himself, the only real decider, to bring the church more into alignment with the culture of the post-sexual-revolution West.
First, term limits violate the basic democratic principle that voters should be allowed to choose their representatives. If the people of a state or district believe that a lawmaker has represented and will continue to represent their interests in the legislature, they should have every right to elect him or her to office for as long as they like.

Second, and related to the first point, is the fact that term limits do not discriminate between effective and ineffective lawmakers. Term limits would, by design, force competent, conscientious and talented legislators out of office, depriving the legislature of their skill for no reason other than a knee-jerk distaste for long-serving lawmakers.

Which leads us to our third point: Term limits reduce congressional capacity and destroy any incentive that might exist for a lawmaker to develop policy or procedural expertise. Its easy to forget at a moment when some of our most prominent lawmakers are little more than influencers, but legislating is real work that demands actual expertise. Any elected official who hopes to do anything serious must build relationships with other members, as well as learn the ins and outs of writing laws. This takes time, the same way that expertise in any profession takes time.

To deprive a legislature of expertise and knowledge is to create a vacuum that will be filled, since the legislature still needs to legislate. In states where term limits exist, the executive bureaucracy tends to wield greater influence over policy than the publics elected representatives. So do lobbyists and interest groups, who simply have more time to build their own expertise. They, rather than lawmakers, become the stewards of institutional knowledge.

Term limits are a good way to create the appearance of change. They are also a good way to weaken a legislature. They are not a good way to solve the problem of political competition, which is what their proponents seem to want most.
Q: There is a vicious dog in my Philadelphia condo building. The dog has attacked at least two building employees, leaving bite marks and drawing blood. It also lunged at a resident who was able to jump out of the way. Each time, the dog was leashed. The owners have been asked by the condo board to muzzle the dog, but it doesnt wear one, and the condo board hasnt imposed fines. I reported the situation to the police, to no avail. Im concerned that someone may be mauled by this dog before long. What do you recommend?

A: Your condo board cant enforce criminal laws against dangerous dogs, but it can seek help in this situation.

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture employs dog wardens to handle complaints about dangerous dogs, maintain a dangerous dog registry and investigate dog bites. For a dog to be declared dangerous, one bite can be enough, but it must be severe, or the dog must have shown a prior propensity for violence, said Josephine Lee Wolf, a lawyer who represents condominium and homeowners associations in the Philadelphia area. Such a declaration is made in court and would lead to restrictions for the dog.
Hundreds of migrants illegally crossing from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, into El Paso each day are running smack into what feels like a war zone: miles of triple-stack concertina wire and armed National Guard troops ordering them to return to Mexico.

They wade in single file across the Rio Grande intent on turning themselves over to Border Patrol to be processed  more than 1,270 a day at this part of the border during September.

But many migrants crossing between points of entry now spend their first steps on U.S. soil confronted by Operation Lone Star, the multibillion-dollar initiative that Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas started two years ago, and bolstered again last month to address the border crisis and prevent drug and human smuggling.
When a judge disqualified a prisoner last month from being part of the conspiracy case in the Sept. 11 attacks, the ruling was based on one finding: a mental health boards diagnosis that the man, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, had post-traumatic stress disorder.

Yet, when the Pentagon released a transcript of a pretrial hearing this week where the diagnosis was discussed, every mention of PTSD was blacked out.

Its the latest example of a sometimes baffling pick-and-choose approach by censors to the public record that emerges from Guantanamo Bay.

On Sept. 19, reporters, families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and a law student were all watching the proceedings from the spectators gallery at court when lawyers mentioned PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder nine times in two hours.
In the summer of 2019, Uber, Lyft and other companies that use contract drivers faced a crisis in California. The State Legislature was poised to pass a law that would effectively require them to treat their drivers as employees, meaning the gig companies would have to pay drivers a minimum wage, cover their expenses and contribute to state unemployment  all significant new costs.

Desperate for a way out, the companies pushed legislators to exempt their drivers from the new law, saying they faced huge economic losses. But they wanted the backing of the states unions for the exemption, and promised to extend some new benefits for drivers if the unions got on board.

So Uber brought in a team of high-powered consultants, including one whose connections with organized labor were unimpeachable: Laphonza Butler, the former president of Californias largest union, a branch of the Service Employees International Union.

Ms. Butler, working through a prominent California consulting firm, advised Uber on how to deal with unions like the Teamsters and S.E.I.U., and sat in on several face-to-face meetings between the gig companies and union representatives, according to those familiar with the negotiations.
Republican presidential candidates seized on the Hamas attack on Israel Saturday to try to lay blame on President Biden, drawing a connection between the surprise assault and a recent hostage release deal between the United States and Iran, a longtime backer of the group.

Former President Donald J. Trump, who has frequently presented himself as a unflinching ally of Israel and who moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in 2018, blamed Mr. Biden for the conflict.

While campaigning on Saturday in Waterloo, Iowa, he said the attacks had occurred because we are perceived as being weak and ineffective, with a really weak leader.

On several occasions, Mr. Trump went further, saying that the hostage deal was a catalyst of the attacks. The war happened for two reasons, he said. The United States is giving  and gave to Iran  $6 billion over hostages.
The six Colombian men accused of murdering an Ecuadorean presidential candidate were found dead in a prison in the port city of Guayaquil on Friday, Ecuadors prison authority said in a statement.

The assassination of the candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, as he exited a campaign event in August was a traumatic jolt for a nation that has been shaken by an increasingly powerful narco-trafficking industry in recent years.

As foreign drug mafias have joined forces with local prison and street gangs they have transformed entire swaths of the country, extorting businesses, recruiting young people, infiltrating the government and killing those who investigate them.

Mr. Villavicencio, who had worked as a journalist, activist and legislator, was polling near the middle of a group of eight candidates when he was killed 11 days before the first round of the presidential election on Aug. 20. He was among the most outspoken about the links between organized crime and the government.
The Taliban administration declared a state of emergency because of the possibility of more aftershocks, said Musa Ashari, the head of the Talibans disaster management department for Herat Province. A dozen villages in the Zinda Jan district there were completely destroyed, he said on Saturday, and 600 injured people were pulled out of the rubble.

The force of the tremors stoked panic in Herat City, residents said. Videos circulating on social media show hundreds of people rushing out their homes and office buildings, fearing they could collapse on top of them.

Abdullah Ansari, 27, was working at a sewing workshop in Herat City on an underground floor when the first quake hit, he said. He and his co-workers ran outside, some barefoot, and he quickly checked if everyone had made it out.

I called my wife and asked about my sons, he said, then asked her to leave their home. There is a big building next to my house, and I was worried if it collapses, they might get killed.

He and his family had dinner in his father-in-laws yard, and he said that, like most people in the area, they planned to sleep outside. Some would be sleeping in parks or on the street, he said, because people were not feeling safe at their houses.
The ballots should, according to the official instructions, be marked with a yes or a no. A clear and legible y or n is also likely to be counted. So is a checkmark, for affirmative, but an X is considered too ambiguous by the authorities and does not count as a no vote.

This is how Australians have voted in constitutional referendums for decades. But as the debate over this months Aboriginal Voice referendum has become increasingly antagonistic and polarized, the process has come under attack.

For the first time, in as long as experts can remember, the leader of a mainstream political party in the country has cast doubt on the integrity of an electoral process. Conspiracy theories of a rigged election, the likes of which have led to the storming of government buildings in the United States and Brazil, have rippled from the far right of the political fringes, raising alarm. Election officials have fought back but faced vitriol on social media.
The tensions are all too familiar to Harjit Sajjan, a Sikh who is Canadas minister of emergency preparedness and the former defense minister who, before entering politics, was a Vancouver Police detective and a military intelligence officer who served in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Harassment, rumor mongering and threats  sometimes requiring police intervention  from Canadian Hindu nationalists were a part of his life long before Mr. Modi took power, he told me.

Ive gotten so used to it, now its like: Oh, OK, here we go again, he told me. It bewilders me why this is taking place. The only thing that I can think of is that there are some ulterior motives by some other organizations.

Mr. Sajjan, the son of the former chief constable of the Punjab Police who arrived in Canada with his family at the age of 5, said that anti-Sikh threats were part of his childhood in British Columbia.

From my perspective, as somebody who grew up in the community, theres always fear and there are different levels of fear: from physical harm to somebody is trying to discredit you, he said. Ive seen that almost on a daily basis.

Mr. Sajjan said that he had lost count of the number of times the police had warned him of threats to himself or his family and that they had frequently been given special protection. He was primarily concerned about the safety of his family and his staff, he said.
With cows grazing in a vast meadow surrounded by wire fencing, and with farmers checking to see how their livestock were faring under a scorching sun, it looked like a classic pastoral scene set on what was surely land dedicated to agriculture.

But the cows and the farmers were actually guests in a nature preserve, one where both were welcome  with some stringent restrictions.

As Europe looks for ways to balance what can be the competing demands of limiting the effects of extreme weather with producing enough affordable food, the Doode Bemde nature preserve, its supporters say, shows an innovative way to work toward achieving both goals.

The idea for this preserve, set in an unassuming corner of Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, was dreamed up in the 1980s by a group of idealistic conservationists who came to the local village of Neerijse with a daunting task: convincing farmers to sell their land, which provided both their income and their sense of identity.
Ireland is proud of its celebrated writers, particularly W.B. Yeats, the vaunted poet who grew up partly in Sligo, a rugged, rural West Coast county that treasures its enduring role as Yeats Country.

You can stop in at WBs Coffee House on Stephen Street in Sligo town or the nearby Yeats Society for a poetry reading. You can hike the Yeats Trail and stop by the poets modest grave at Drumcliffe Church.

So it was notable one morning last month when The Irish Times reported the biggest drug raid in Irish history had been carried out by  who else?  William Butler Yeats.

Not the poet himself, of course, who died in 1939, but his namesake, a 300-foot-long warship.

It was a reminder that the Irish Navy, to the delight of some and the scorn of others, has been naming ships in its small fleet after Irish writers for nearly a decade.
Russias hard-liners are rattling the nuclear saber vigorously these days, on television and in academic journals, arguing that an atomic blast  in Ukraine, in Europe, or maybe in a test over Siberia  is the only way to restore the Wests fear of Russian might.

But so far President Vladimir V. Putin is not joining the chorus.

Hes not exactly shedding his bellicose approach to the West, but these days, when it comes to nuclear weapons, he seems to relish the role of the coolheaded decider, even as he keeps the threat of a nuclear strike alive.

Discerning Mr. Putins motives is always a perilous undertaking, but American and European officials say there are several possible explanations for Mr. Putins more nuanced approach to nuclear weapons.

He may have been chastened by the backlash a year ago, when American officials were deeply worried about a potential nuclear detonation, and China and India, among others, warned that there was no justification for using nuclear weapons.
The Russian military carried out overnight missile strikes on the southern region of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday, injuring four people and damaging port infrastructure as part of a broader effort to strangle the Ukrainian economy.

The Ukrainian southern military command said Russia had used supersonic cruise missiles that hit a boardinghouse and a granary, in the second attack on the area in two days as Moscow continued to target its ports and grain facilities.

Ukraine has been among the worlds biggest exporters of grain and a major supplier to parts of Africa and the Middle East. After Russias blockade of the Black Sea this summer, those exports plummeted, worsening global shortages and raising fears of famine, but Ukraine has since devised alternative routes, trying to protect a crucial source of income during the war.

Missile debris and the blast wave from the strikes also caused a fire in a garage and damaged several apartment buildings, the Ukrainian military said in a post on the Telegram messaging app, which included photographs of smashed windows and collapsed building walls. The injuries were caused by broken glass, according to Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa regions military administration.
When Englands prosecution service announced last month that a police officer would be charged with murder after fatally shooting an unarmed Black man in London, the news was met with relief by the dead mans family.

We welcome this charging decision, which could not have come too soon, the family of the man, Chris Kaba, who was killed in September last year, said in a statement. Now we await the trial of the firearms officer without delay and hope and pray that justice will be served.

But among the armed police who work for Londons Metropolitan Police Service, known colloquially as the Met, there was consternation. Officers worried that the murder charge signaled a changed attitude toward the use of guns in the course of their duties, the Met police later wrote in a statement.

Within days, hundreds of officers had handed in their weapon permits  known as blue cards  and were refusing to carry their guns in protest. The Met was temporarily forced to request support from the army.
For Israelis, Saturdays surprise assault from Gaza was a recurring nightmare, coming 50 years and a day after invading forces from Egypt and Syria caught Israel off-guard, setting off a 19-day war that has long traumatized the nation.

Israeli television channels and newspapers have been filled in recent days with commemorations of that war, and many Israelis on Saturday saw parallels between the attack unfolding around them and the events decades earlier.

That war also began on the Sabbath, with sirens wailing across the country on Oct. 6, 1973, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

On Saturday, many Israelis had been planning to celebrate the holiday of Simchat Torah. Instead, the armed wing of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls Gaza, fired thousands of rockets toward Israel. Simultaneously, reports flooded in of a major breach of Israels fortifications along its border with Gaza, the Palestinian coastal enclave that Israel and neighboring Egypt have kept under blockade for 16 years, citing security reasons.
The streets of Gaza City were mostly empty throughout Saturday as Israeli airstrikes hit the blockaded Gaza Strip, sending huge plumes of gray-and-black smoke into the sky.

But hospitals and morgues were packed by relatives seeking news of their loved ones.

The tiny strip has witnessed many wars, but its inhabitants were terrified of what could come after Gazas armed groups launched a coordinated and unprecedented attack into southern Israel on Saturday morning.

The bodies of Palestinian fighters returned to Gaza from Israel filled the morgue at the Shifa Hospital, where by afternoon there was no space left inside the refrigerators and corpses were laid out on the floor. But more bodies and injured fighters continued to arrive, as did families of the dead.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said that 198 Palestinians had been killed and 1,610 wounded. Yousef Abu al-Rish, the top Palestinian health official in Gaza, said that most of the casualties resulted from clashes inside Israel.
Pinned

Israel battled on Saturday to repel one of the broadest invasions of its territory in 50 years after Palestinian militants from Gaza launched an early-morning assault on southern Israel, infiltrating 22 Israeli towns and army bases, kidnapping Israeli civilians and soldiers and firing thousands of rockets toward cities as far away as Jerusalem.

By early evening, the Israeli military said fighting continued in at least five places in southern Israel; multiple Israelis had been abducted and taken to Gaza, including an elderly grandmother; and at least 250 Israelis had been reported dead by officials and more than 1,400 wounded. Israel retaliated with huge strikes on Gazan cities, and the Gaza Health Ministry said at least 234 Palestinians had been killed in either gun battles or airstrikes.

In an assault without recent precedent in its complexity and scale, the militants crossed into Israel by land, sea and air, according to the Israeli military, leading to some of the first pitched battles between Israeli and Arab forces on Israeli soil in decades.

Image Rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel on Saturday morning. Credit... Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

Unverified video footage, circulated by Hamas, the Iran-backed militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, appeared to show some Palestinian gunmen arriving in Israel in a sort of makeshift hang glider.

Residents of Israeli border towns told broadcasters that gunmen were moving door to door, looking for civilians. Unverified footage appeared to show Palestinian fighters transporting captured Israeli civilians and bodies through the strip  to be bargained, analysts said, for Palestinian prisoners.

In Sderot, a southern city, photographs showed dead bodies strewn on the streets. The militants also targeted an all-night dance festival in the desert, prompting hundreds of young Israelis to sprint for safety.

We are at war and we will win it, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a televised statement, announcing a call-up of hundreds of thousands of Israeli military reservists.

Muhammad Deif, the leader of Hamass military wing, said in a recorded message that the group had decided to launch an operation so that the enemy will understand that the time of their rampaging without accountability has ended. He cited Israels occupation of the West Bank, which it captured during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, recent Israeli police raids on the Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the detention of thousands of Palestinian militants in Israeli jails.

The potential role of Iran in the operation drew scrutiny in Israel as the violence spread to other parts of the region. In addition to Hamas, Tehran backs another Palestinian militant group, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, providing all of them with weaponry and intelligence.

Hamas leaders called for Arabs living in Israel and the West Bank to seize the momentum created by the assault and carry out their own attacks on Israelis. Three Palestinians died in clashes on Saturday with Israeli security forces in the West Bank, according to Palestinian officials.

United Nations peacekeepers said they were bolstering their activity on Israels border with southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah holds sway, particularly after a skirmish with Israeli troops along the border on Saturday.

Image Damaged and destroyed cars in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Ashkelon. Credit... Tamir Kalifa for The New York Times

The timing of the assault was striking, hitting Israel at one of the most difficult moments in its history. It followed months of profound anxiety about the cohesion of Israeli society and the readiness of its military, a crisis set off by the far-right governments efforts to reduce the power of the judiciary.

And the violence came 50 years and a day after the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Israel was also surprised by an Arab attack on multiple fronts, leading to huge Israeli losses and soul-searching about the state of the country.

The shock of the attack appeared to rekindle a sense of unity among Israelis, as government critics who had resigned from reserve duty in protest of the judicial plan announced they would return to service in Israels hour of need. Yair Lapid, the centrist leader of the opposition, announced he was prepared to join a government of national unity  a move that would potentially postpone any further judicial changes and allow Mr. Netanyahu to end his alliance with the far right.

The attack also coincided with Israels escalating efforts to seal a landmark peace deal with Saudi Arabia, which has never recognized the Jewish state out of solidarity with the Palestinians, but had seemed ready to change its policy. It was not immediately clear how the normalization effort would be affected. The Saudi government issued a statement of concern about the situation and called for a cessation of hostilities.

Mr. Netanyahu spoke with President Biden by phone on Saturday afternoon, his office said, telling Mr. Biden that a forceful and continued battle will be required, in which Israel will triumph. In his own statement, Mr. Biden said that the United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel and that Israel has a right to defend itself and its people.

The ease with which Palestinian fighters entered Israel prompted recriminations and anger among Israelis. There were questions about the quality of Israeli intelligence gathering, normally a point of Israeli pride, and suggestions that the Israeli military  which has focused its recent activity on quelling an insurgency in the West Bank  had misdirected its energies.

Image Breaking through the Israel-Gaza border fence into Israel on Saturday. Credit... Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa/Reuters

Fighting often flares between Israel and Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israels existence and regularly organizes attacks on Israelis.

After Hamas  listed as a terrorist group by the United States  seized control of Gaza in 2007 from more moderate Palestinian factions, Israel and Egypt placed the enclave under a blockade, deepening the dire humanitarian situation there. Unemployment is close to 50 percent in the Gaza Strip, and only 10 percent of Gazans have direct access to clean water, according to UNICEF.

Hamas militants have occasionally broken out of Gaza, which is surrounded by both walls and fences, as well as subterranean fortifications to prevent tunneling into Israel. But they have never penetrated so deep into Israeli territory, for so long or in so many places. Militants are believed to have captured the remains of two Israeli soldiers during the 2014 war with Israel and held an Israeli soldier hostage for five years until 2011, when he was released in a prisoner swap.

The scale of the latest Palestinian attack shocked Israelis, many of whom were observing the Jewish Sabbath. Diplomats and analysts, too, were caught off guard. They had expected the Gaza front to remain quiet for the foreseeable future, after international mediators appeared to have persuaded Hamas to end a recent weekslong series of riots and protests on the border with Israel.

Image A woman running to the reinforced concrete shelter in her home in Ashkelon as a rocket siren sounded on Saturday. Credit... Tamir Kalifa for The New York Times

In recent months, Israel had been allowing up to 18,000 workers to cross daily from Gaza into Israel, helping Gazas economy and adding to a general sense that calm would prevail.

Hamass rocket arsenal was considered to be its primary weapon because the Israeli Army had secured the land border with walls and other fortifications, making a ground invasion difficult.

But early Saturday morning, Palestinian militants appeared to circumvent the border with relative ease, swiftly forcing their way through gaps in the fortifications and fanning out into several towns, army bases and the city of Sderot.

Image An Israeli soldier in Sderot standing by the bodies of people killed by Palestinian militants who entered from the Gaza Strip. Credit... Tsafrir Abayov/Associated Press

The head of a local council in southern Israel, Ofir Libstein, was killed in a subsequent gunfight with militants, the council announced.

In desperate interviews with Israeli broadcasters, residents of the Israeli border towns said the gunmen were walking through their houses, forcing them to barricade themselves in their bomb shelters  a common feature of Israeli homes.

The Israeli response came first by land, in the towns invaded by militants, and then by air, as its air force struck locations across the Gaza Strip.

Gazan civilians had first reacted with jubilation to the attacks on Israel, as crowds greeted returning militants like heroes, video showed.

But those celebrations quickly turned to fear as the Israeli response began.

Image The remains of a building destroyed in a strike on Saturday in Gaza City. Credit... Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

The streets of Gaza City, the enclaves largest urban area, emptied out as residents gathered at schools to take shelter. Lines also formed at supermarkets, as people stocked up on supplies. And Gazans living close to the Israeli border fled to areas further inside the enclave, fearing an Israeli ground invasion.

We cant take it anymore, said Jamila Al-Zanin, 39, a mother of three, who was one of those who fled with their families away from the border. The situation is really, really bad.

The Israeli government said Saturday evening that it was cutting off its electricity supply for Gaza, which gets two-thirds of its power from Israel.

Analysts expected the Gaza war could set off a surge in violence in the West Bank, which has already experienced its bloodiest year since the second intifada, a Palestinian uprising that left 1,000 Israelis and around 3,000 Palestinians dead by the time it ended in 2005.

Image Mourning a militant who was killed on Saturday in Gaza. Credit... Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank so far this year, often during gun battles between militants and the Israeli Army  a two-decade high. At least 36 Israelis had been killed this year before Saturdays attack  also a two-decade high.

The Hamas assault was condemned by most Western countries, but praised by Israels enemies  including Hezbollah and Iran, which saw it as a sign of Israeli weakness.

The spokesman for Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Kanani, said that todays operation opened a new chapter in the field of resistance and armed operations against the occupiers in the occupied territories.

Reporting was contributed by Raja Abdulrahim from Istanbul; Jonathan Rosen and Gabby Sobelman from Rehovot, Israel; Iyad Abuheweila from Cairo; Aaron Boxerman from London; Euan Ward and Hwaida Saad from Beirut, Lebanon; and Rami Nazzal from Ramallah, West Bank.
Gaza has been under siege for three weeks, as Israel bombards the territory with airstrikes in response to a brutal assault by Hamas. About half of Gazas two million people have been displaced, and they are facing increasingly desperate conditions. Local officials say thousands have been killed.

A densely populated neighborhood in Gaza called Jabaliya refugee camp was hit by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday, leaving many people dead, according to hospital and health officials in Gaza. On Wednesday, the Gazan interior ministry said that another airstrike in the same area had killed and injured more people.

The war began on Oct. 7, when Hamas, which controls Gaza, crossed the border into Israel and killed more than 1,400 people. Last week, Israeli forces entered the Gaza Strip, beginning the most sustained fighting against Hamas since the war began, though the Israeli military has not publicly described the operation as an invasion.

One of the challenges they will face is that Hamas took more than 200 hostages from Israel, according to the Israeli military.

Here are images from Hamass attacks and their aftermath, and of Israels response.

This gallery contains graphic images.

Wednesday

People flocked to the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, hoping to be able to leave the Gaza Strip.
Nearly 50 years to the day after the Yom Kippur war of 1973, Israel has again been taken by surprise by a sudden attack, a startling reminder that stability in the Middle East remains a bloody mirage.

Unlike the series of clashes with Palestinian forces in Gaza over the last three years, this appears to be a full-scale conflict mounted by Hamas and its allies, with rocket barrages and incursions into Israel proper, and with Israelis killed and captured.

The psychological impact on Israelis has been compared to the shock of Sept. 11 in America. So after the Israeli military repels the initial Palestinian attack, the question of what to do next will loom large. There are few good options for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has declared war and is being pressured into a major military response.

Given that 250 Israelis have died so far and an unknown number been taken hostage by Hamas, an Israeli invasion of Gaza  and even a temporary reoccupation of the territory, something that successive Israeli governments have tried hard to avoid  cannot be ruled out.
Israeli citizens, barricaded in their homes in towns near the Gaza Strip, called into television stations as Palestinian gunmen crossed the border into Israel and invaded their communities on Saturday morning. The Israelis spoke in whispers as they pleaded desperately for help.

One woman named Doreen told Israels Channel 12 that militants were in her house in Nahal Oz, a small rural community, and that she was hiding in a safe room. My husband is holding the door of the bomb shelter, she said. Now theyre shooting sprays of bullets at the bomb shelters window. Sprays. And my three children are here with me.

On the other side of the border in Gaza, Jamila Al-Zanin, 39, tried to distract her own three children as they fled their home and drove south.

The children were terrified. As we drove down they were looking left and right, everywhere there were explosions and booms, she said. They were hysterical.
And the violence came 50 years and a day after the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Israel was also surprised by an Arab attack on multiple fronts, leading to huge Israeli losses and soul-searching about the state of the country.

The shock of the attack appeared to rekindle a sense of unity among Israelis, as government critics who had resigned from reserve duty in protest of the judicial plan announced they would return to service in Israels hour of need. Yair Lapid, the centrist leader of the opposition, announced he was prepared to join a government of national unity  a move that would potentially postpone any further judicial changes and allow Mr. Netanyahu to end his alliance with the far right.

The attack also coincided with Israels escalating efforts to seal a landmark peace deal with Saudi Arabia, which has never recognized the Jewish state out of solidarity with the Palestinians, but had seemed ready to change its policy. It was not immediately clear how the normalization effort would be affected. The Saudi government issued a statement of concern about the situation and called for a cessation of hostilities.

Mr. Netanyahu spoke with President Biden by phone on Saturday afternoon, his office said, telling Mr. Biden that a forceful and continued battle will be required, in which Israel will triumph. In his own statement, Mr. Biden said that the United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel and that Israel has a right to defend itself and its people.

The ease with which Palestinian fighters entered Israel prompted recriminations and anger among Israelis. There were questions about the quality of Israeli intelligence gathering, normally a point of Israeli pride, and suggestions that the Israeli military  which has focused its recent activity on quelling an insurgency in the West Bank  had misdirected its energies.
The startling clash between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which threatens to become a regional conflict, jeopardizes the months-long effort by President Biden and his top aides to push Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel.

Even before the assault by Palestinian militants of Hamas on Israeli towns on Saturday morning, American officials, including Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, had warned that the complex diplomacy over normalization might not bear fruit. On Saturday, Mr. Blinken was at the White House making calls to foreign counterparts on the new conflict. He and other U.S. officials were focused on quelling the war, not on diplomacy over Saudi-Israel normalization.

Saudi Arabia has made significant demands of the United States, including a mutual defense treaty. But American and Arab officials from the region have said in private conversations in recent weeks that they thought the hardest part of the talks would be getting the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to grant enough concessions to the Palestinians to satisfy Saudi and American leaders.

With Israel now saying it was at war with Gaza, the prospect of such concessions looks even dimmer.

A statement on Saturday from Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized the plight of the Palestinians, saying the kingdom had warned repeatedly of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights and the repetition of systemic provocations against its sanctities.
Two staff members at an Offaly heritage site and tourists attraction have been awarded for their life-saving treatment of a visitor last year.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) honoured two of its guide staff from Clonmacnoise at a special ceremony at Farmleigh House, in the Phoenix Park on Wednesday, October 4.

The staff, Anthony Ryan and Aidan Doyle, were on duty at the popular Offaly heritage site in September of last year when a German tourist collapsed and was discovered unresponsive.

Michael Schaper, a 72-year-old German man, and his wife Heinke, were on a driving holiday around Ireland in 2022 when they visited Clonmacnoise on 16 September.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Patrick ODonovan, TD, congratulated Anthony and Aidan on their composure in dealing with the situation.

We are very proud in the OPW of how Anthony and Aidan responded in what was literally a life or death situation for Mr Schaper. It highlights once more how fortunate we are in the organisation to have staff of such high calibre and experience with the ability to go above and beyond the call of duty when circumstances require it.

Deputy Head of Germanys Mission in Ireland, Mr Christian Resch, presented Anthony and Aidan with their awards at the event in Farmleigh.

Mr Christian Resch said: We are so grateful to both Aidan and Anthony for their swift intervention in this serious situation. That day, they were the guardian angels of a German citizen, leaping into action and preserving the life of Mr Schaper. On behalf of the German embassy, we would like to thank the Office of Public Works staff for their assistance and efficient management of the incident.

The awards formed part of a ceremony that recognises the long service of OPW staff across the organisation. The ceremony was established to ensure that staff with long years of service are recognised and in a small way rewarded for their dedication and commitment to serving the state.

Maurice Buckley, Chairman of the Office of Public Works said: We are so proud of our staff for their rapid response to this critical situation. They managed to remove Mr Schaper from a tight spot, administer CPR and deploy the on-site defibrillator, ultimately saving his life. Mr Schaper was airlifted to hospital from the site and, following surgery, I am pleased to say he has made a full recovery.

Mr Schaper and his wife Heinke returned to the Clonmacnoise site this summer and were delighted to meet the heroic staff whose speedy response and actions saved Michaels life.

Minister ODonovan added: With over 2,000 staff in a wide range of activities in different parts of the country, the OPW undertakes work that impacts positively on large portions of the population and that endures for future generations. I want to acknowledge first-hand the calibre and expertise of the staff here today.

"The very act of all gathering together to recognise your years of service is as important for the organisation and management as it is for the individual recipient. The OPW truly is a critical provider of essential services for Government and the taxpayer and is valued as such.
Chasing Abbey, the sensational band hailing from Tullamore in Offaly, is set to take their homecoming celebration to new heights as they plan to host a massive free meet and greet event at the Bridge Centre Shopping Centre on October 14 at 2pm.

This grand event, open to fans of all ages, will give Chasing Abbey enthusiasts a chance to personally meet the trio and enjoy a live performance by the group.

Chasing Abbey, comprising members Ro, Bee, and Teddy C, have been making hughe waves in the Irish music scene. Their latest track, "Oh my Johnny," has achieved remarkable success, spending an incredible two months straight on the Irish Homegrown charts and now ranking at number 6 on the Official Charts. This monumental achievement has solidified their position as the highest-selling Irish artists in the country, and they are showing no signs of slowing down.

As Chasing Abbey prepares to embark on a nationwide tour of Ireland, they are dedicated to giving back to their home community in Tullamore. The Bridge Centre Shopping Centre event is a testament to their commitment to the people who have supported them from the beginning. By hosting this free event, Chasing Abbey aims to create an inclusive atmosphere where fans of all ages can come together to celebrate their success.

The event at the Bridge Centre Shopping Centre will kick off on October 14, at 2pm offering attendees the unique opportunity to meet Ro, Bee, and Teddy C in person. Fans can expect not only a chance to interact with the talented musicians but also to enjoy a live performance featuring some of Chasing Abbey's hit songs, creating an unforgettable experience for all who attend.

Chasing Abbey has always been deeply connected to their roots in Tullamore, and this event is their way of expressing gratitude to their hometown and their ever-supportive fanbase. Their dedication to the local community and their young fans demonstrates their commitment to both their music and their people.

The free meet and greet event promises to be a day of music, memories, and celebration, as well as prizes on the day as Chasing Abbey continues their remarkable journey in the music industry.

Event Details: Date: October 14, 2023 Time: 2pm Location: Bridge Centre Shopping Centre, Tullamore, Offaly

Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to meet Chasing Abbey and enjoy their live performance. For more information and updates, please visit www.chasingabbey.ie
Karnataka To Not Open More Liquor Shops, Says CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru

oi-Madhuri Adnal

In a significant development, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has now made it clear that there will be no new liquor shops in the state. The Chief Minister made this proclamation during an address in Mysuru and emphasised that this decision aligns with the opinion of senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar.

"No, we are not opening...who said we are opening? Minister has said we will think about it, but we will not open," he said while addressing the media. He confirmed that the excise department has no intention to issue fresh licences for liquor store establishments.

This declaration comes amid growing concerns and debates regarding the granting of new bar licenses in Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that the matter of issuing new bar licenses is not currently on the government's agenda. He also emphasized that DK Shivakumar has not expressed any intentions to grant new licenses for the time being.

The Chief Minister made it clear that there is no requirement for further discussions on the matter, as the government's stance is resolute: no new liquor licenses will be issued in Karnataka. This announcement underscores the state's commitment to its existing regulations and policies regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages.

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Earlier, the Karnataka Excise Department presented a proposal to the state government suggesting the establishment of liquor stores in gram panchayats with a population exceeding 3,000. However, this idea was met with strong opposition from the BJP and JD(S), who labeled it as "anti-people," and called upon the government to reject it. In response to the proposal, protests erupted in various locations in Karnataka, primarily led by women.

Addressing the matter, the Chief Minister stated on Friday, "It was merely a proposal under consideration, and we have decided not to proceed with the opening of new liquor stores."

Previously, the Karnataka excise department had put forth a series of reforms aimed at increasing revenue, including an expansion in the number of liquor outlets in the state.

The proposed reforms encompassed the introduction of 389 additional Mysore Sales International Limited (MSIL) outlets, the issuance of new licenses for liquor trade in villages with populations exceeding 3,000, the sale of liquor in supermarkets in Bengaluru and other urban centers within the state, and modifications to CL-2 (retail), CL-7 (hotel), and CL-9 (bar and restaurant) licenses, among other initiatives.
Air Quality In Delhi Dips To 'Poor' Category, AQI Above 250 In Some Parts

India

oi-PTI

Delhi's air quality witnessed a rapid decline on Friday due to the annual confluence of factors, including a decrease in temperatures, diminished wind speed, and the resurgence of farm fires in neighboring states. This triggered an emergency meeting and rolling out of the initial pollution control measures.

According to the bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Friday recorded a value of 212, categorising Delhi's air quality as "poor." Just 24 hours earlier, the air quality had been significantly better, falling within the "moderate" category with an AQI of 177.

In Anand Vihar, the AQI was at 278, i.e. in the 'poor' category, whereas in the IGI Airport (T3) area, the AQI was at 212 at 9 am. Pollution levels at Anand Vihar in east Delhi was recorded at PM10. Meanwhile, the air quality was in the ' very poor' category near Bawana area with AQI at 322.

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An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe.

As the AQI entered the "poor" category, the first phase of the government's Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) was activated. This empowers authorities to enforce a range of measures, including the suspension of unregistered construction sites, imposition of strict penalties on visibly polluting vehicles, and heightened Pollution Under Control (PUC) inspections, among other actions.

For the first time in 114 days, the air quality in the city dipped into the "poor" category on Friday, a situation last observed on June 14 when the AQI stood at 213.

Experts have warned that the situation is likely to deteriorate as winter approaches and the burning of paddy in agricultural states like Punjab and Haryana increases. This seasonal deterioration is a familiar occurrence for Delhi residents.

Annually, as October marks the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon and the shift of wind direction to northwesterly cold and dry winds, along with a drop in temperatures, the city's air quality typically deteriorates.

On Friday, the initial phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) was put into action. This empowers relevant authorities to shut down any construction and demolition (C&D) site larger than 500 square meters that isn't registered with the government.

Moreover, various other measures have been initiated, such as deploying traffic police at congested intersections, encouraging power distribution companies to reduce power interruptions, and conducting regular mechanized cleaning and water spraying on Delhi's roadways.

Delhi Police Conducts Raid At Kerala Residence Of Ex-NewsClick Staff

According to a sub-committee of the CAQM (Central Pollution Control Board), forecasts suggest that the air quality is likely to remain in the "poor" category throughout the weekend.

"The dynamic model and meteorological forecasts by these agencies predict the overall AQI of Delhi will stay in the 'poor' category in the next couple of days, and so it is considered necessary to invoke Stage-I of GRAP with immediate effect in the entire NCR," stated the CAQM.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 10:34 [IST]
Fire Breaks Out At Firecracker Shop In Attibele, Bengaluru City District; 12 Killed, Several Injured| Details

India

oi-Stuti Tripathi

A firecracker shop was gutted due to an accidental fire at Attibele in Anekal Taluk of Bangalore City District, 12 of the 20 workers are killed and many others were injured.

The incident unfolded on Saturday, 7th October in a firecracker shop owned by Naveen. When the fire broke out, fire brigade personnel swiftly responded to the scene to douse the flames. However, the exact number of casualties in the fire remains unclear at this time.

Local authorities, including the police, have been working diligently at the site, urging the public to maintain a safe distance. Additionally, three ambulances have been dispatched to provide medical assistance to those affected by the tragedy.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Fire broke out at a firecracker shop in Attibele. Several fire tenders were present at the spot. Further details awaited. pic.twitter.com/HcAzWItPVZ  ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2023

As the situation continues to develop, efforts are underway to address the aftermath of this devastating incident.

The firework store is still burning for four hours and the fire has not been brought under control. Five or six fire brigade vehicles and tens of personnel are trying to extinguish the fire. It is said that this store, which belonged to Naveen, had a collection of firecrackers worth around five crores.

The exact cause of the accident is yet to be known. It is said that 30-40 people were working in the firework shop and some of them escaped from the danger of their lives as they came out from the back door. The police have expressed the suspicion that many people are still trapped in this shop.

Also, a stock shop, a lorry, a freight transporter and four two-wheelers were burnt. Firecrackers are still bursting at the scene, and thick fire and smoke is engulfing the area. The injured have been admitted to the hospital. Four ambulances have reached the spot.
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Delhi Police Conducts Raid At Kerala Residence Of Ex-NewsClick Staff

India

oi-PTI

The Delhi police carried out a raid at the residence of former NewsClick employee Anusha Paul near Kodumon here and seized her laptop and phone for examination as part of a probe.

After a three-member team of the Delhi police recorded her statement and confiscated electronic devices on Friday, Paul told reporters that she was questioned about her association with NewsClick and the CPI(M).

She said the questions ranged from whether she reported on farmers' protest, anti-NRC-CAA protests, or about the COVID-19 management of the Centre.

''This is a witch-hunt to threaten the organisation and its employees who used to raise voice against the Narendra Modi government and the RSS,'' she said.

Paul was staying in Kerala for the treatment of a close family member.

She further said that the Delhi Police asked her whether she knows the Delhi state secretary of the CPI(M), K M Tiwari.

Delhi Police Special Cell Questions Journalists in NewsClick Funding Case

''Of course, I know him. I told them that. He is the state secretary of the CPI(M). I am a CPI(M) worker. I am a state committee member of Delhi unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and its state treasurer,'' she said.

Paul added that the Kerala police was not part of the raid team.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police arrested NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human resources department head Amit Chakravarty on Tuesday evening, after a total of 46 journalists and contributors to the online news portal were questioned and their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets seized.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 9:55 [IST]
No One Would Pay So Much Tax Nor the Govt. Would Get Anything:Ashneer Grover On Rs. 55000 Cr GST Demand

GST Council Slashes Tax On Molasses To 5%, Exempts Alcohol For Consumption

India

oi-Sushmita Halder

The Goods On Service Tax (GST) Council has announced a decrease in the tax rate for millets. Millets will now be taxed at 5 per cent under the GST, instead of the previous 28 per cent category. Additionally, alcohol for human consumption will be exempt from the tax.

Talking about the tax slab for millets, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "GST has been reduced from 28 per cent to 5 per cent. This will benefit sugarcane farmers we hope, and this will enable their dues to be cleared faster because more money will be left in the hands of the mills or whoever. The council and we all feel that it'll also lead to a reduction in the cost of manufacturing of cattle feed, which will be a major development." Molasses is a by-product of sugarcane and is used as a raw material for alcohol production.

The minister stated that a new tariff HS code has been created to cover industrial use of rectified spirit. Rectified spirit used in industries will now have its own HS code. The GST rate notification will be changed to include ENA for industrial use, which will be taxed at a rate of 18 per cent.

Sitharaman discussed changes made to the creation of the GST Appellate Tribunal body. The council decided that the president's age limit would be raised to 70 years and the members' limit to 67 years. Previously, the president's age limit was 67 years and the members' was 65 years.

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The finance minister confirmed that millet food preparations will be taxed at a reduced rate of 5 per cent. She stated that the GST Council wanted to support millets, and this can be seen in the promotion of millets through the GST. Millet food preparations in powder form with at least 70 per cent millets by weight fall under the HS 1901 category. If millets are blended with other flour and the millets composition is 70 per cent, there will be a 0 per cent GST if they are sold loose and a 5 per cent GST if sold pre-packaged and labelled.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T S Singh Deo discussed the issue of online gaming companies facing GST evasion notices with reporters. He mentioned that states like Delhi and Goa raised concerns about these companies being charged retrospective taxes. He explained that the tax component is much higher than the net revenue, amounting to around Rs 16,000 crore or Rs 18,000 crore. However, the Union finance minister clarified that the government cannot influence the decision-making process of independent bodies but can offer clarifications if needed.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 17:33 [IST]
Haryana Police Granted 4-Day Remand Of Cow Vigilante Monu Manesar

India

oi-PTI

The Haryana Police have been granted a four-day remand of cow vigilante Monu Manesar, accused in the Junaid-Nasir murder case.

Manesar was produced in the court of Tarannum Khan, chief judicial magistrate Taluka court (subsidiaries to district courts), Pataudi, on Saturday, police said.

The Gurugram Police had demanded seven-day remand, but the court granted four-day remand. "The police demanded seven-day remand of Monu Manesar, saying the weapon used in the crime will be recovered from his accomplice from Maharashtra.

They also said Monu would be questioned to find out his connection with gangsters. After this, the court allowed four-day police remand of Monu Manesar," said advocate Kulbhushan Bhardwaj, Manesar's counsel.

Haryana Police Gives Monu Manesar's Custody To Rajasthan Police

A senior police officer said they have taken Manesar on remand, and are questioning him. According to police, a brawl broke out between two groups in Pataudi's Baba Shah Mohalla on February 6 when Manesar was there along with his group.

A complaint was filed by Mubin Khan, a resident of the same locality, who alleged his son was shot at during firing between two groups. Following the complaint, an FIR was registered under section 307 (attempt to murder) against Manesar at Pataudi police station.

Manesar was arrested in connection with the abduction and killing of Nasir and Junaid. The charred bodies of the two men were found in a vehicle on the Rajasthan-Haryana border on February 16 after they were allegedly abducted by some vigilantes who accused them of cow smuggling.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 16:51 [IST]
Indians In Israel Urged To Stay Alert, Stay Close To Safety Shelters After Hamas Attack

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The Embassy of India in Israel on Saturday released a crucial advisory aimed at Indian nationals residing in the country.

In this advisory, they have urged individuals to limit their non-essential travel and remain in close proximity to safety shelters. Furthermore, the Indian Embassy has stressed the importance of vigilance and adherence to all safety guidelines provided by the local authorities.

"In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant, observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website or their preparedness brochure," it said in a statement.

"In case of emergency, please contact us at +97235226748, or leave a message at [email protected]. The Embassy personnel remain at your disposal for any further guidance," it added.

*IMPORTANT ADVISORY FOR INDIAN NATIONALS IN ISRAEL*



For details visit-

Israel Home Front Command website: https://t.co/Sk8uu2Mrd4



Preparedness brochure: https://t.co/18bDjO9gL5 pic.twitter.com/LtAMGT9CwA  India in Israel (@indemtel) October 7, 2023

Earlier in the day, in one the biggest escalation in recent times, Israel declared a "state of readiness for war" as it faced a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltrations into its southern region, resulting in at least one fatality and 16 injuries.

Hamas Militant Uses Hang Glider to Enter Israel, Video Goes Viral

Meanwhile, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has shared a video on X, formerly Twitter. He says, "We are at war".

 . pic.twitter.com/XNM3l7fEQH  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) October 7, 2023

The Islamic faction Hamas, which exercises control over the Gaza Strip, claimed responsibility for launching 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning assault they named "Operation al-Aqsa Flood."

Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, issued a warning after assessing the situation on Saturday morning, stating, "The Hamas terrorist organization has made a grave mistake this morning by initiating a war against the State of Israel."

He urged all of Israel's citizens to heed security instructions and declared, "The State of Israel will prevail in this conflict."

Israel Declares 'State Of Readiness For War' As Hamas Launches Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced in a statement that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi was conducting an assessment and approving action plans.

"The IDF has declared a state of readiness for war. Hamas, the group behind this attack, will be held responsible for the consequences of these events," the statement from the Israeli military said.
Behind The Headlines: Understanding The Hamas Attack On Israel That Took The World By Surprise

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel and Hamas are teetering on the edge of another conflict following a surprise attack on Saturday, which involved aerial, sea, and ground operations launched by the Palestinian group from the Gaza Strip. In response, Israel initiated a heavy bombardment of the blockaded coastal enclave.

Here's what you need to know:

What Happened and When:

Hamas, the Palestinian armed group, commenced "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel, marking the most significant escalation since the 11-day war in 2021.

Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets, while Israel confirmed that the group's fighters entered its territory.

Daniel Hagari, an Israeli army spokesman, stated that the group launched attacks from land, sea, and air.

The initial rocket strikes began at 06:30 am local time.

The Israeli army responded with "Operation Iron Swords" against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

These early-morning attacks coincided with Simchat Torah, a holiday that falls near the conclusion of the weeklong Jewish festival Sukkot.

Israel PM Declares 'We Are At War After Hamas Attack Kills 22, Injures Over 500

What is Hamas?

Hamas, officially known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, is a militant Palestinian nationalist and Islamist organisation operating in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with a primary goal of establishing an independent Islamic state in historic Palestine. Dozens of countries have classified Hamas as a terrorist group, with variations in the extent of this designation, some focusing only on its military branch.

Hamas gained significant influence following its victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election and later became the de facto governing authority in the Gaza Strip after the 2007 Battle of Gaza. Its origins trace back to the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and it was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian cleric in 1987 during the First Intifada, primarily with the goal of liberating Palestine, including modern-day Israel, from Israeli occupation and establishing an Islamic state.

Over the years, Hamas has been involved in multiple conflicts with Israel. Their military wing has carried out attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, including suicide bombings and rocket attacks. These attacks have resulted in condemnation from human rights organisations, which have labeled them as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Where Did the Attacks Take Place:

Rockets targeted locations as far north as Tel Aviv, while Hamas also sent fighters into southern Israel.

Israeli media reported gunmen opening fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot. Social media footage appeared to show clashes in city streets and armed individuals in jeeps patrolling rural areas. There were reports of Hamas fighters taking control of Israeli civilian population centers.

The Israeli army conducted attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Ongoing gun battles are concentrated in and around the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri, and the Re'im military base.

Casualties in Israel and Palestine:

At least 22 Israelis have been reported killed, with over 500 injured.

In confrontations between the Israeli army and Palestinian groups near the Gaza Strip's border area, at least four Palestinians have been killed, and five others are wounded.

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Why Did Hamas Attack Israel:

According to Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi, the military operation is a response to the injustices Palestinians have endured over the decades, including issues related to Gaza, the Al-Aqsa mosque, and other grievances.

Hamas leader Mohammed Deif stated that 5,000 rockets were launched, calling for all those with weapons to join the battle.

Hamas has urged resistance fighters in the West Bank, as well as Arab and Islamic nations, to participate in the conflict.

What Is the Israeli Government's Response:

The Israeli army issued warnings for residents living near Gaza to stay indoors or seek shelter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is in a war it will win.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged that the country is facing a very challenging moment.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed confidence in victory and emphasized that Hamas had made a grave mistake by launching a war against Israel.

Latest Developments on the Ground:

The Israeli military is engaging Hamas fighters in seven locations in southern Israel near the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli cabinet is scheduled to convene a meeting.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has issued a call for blood donations at local hospitals.
Canada Plane Crash: Two Indian Trainee Pilots Killed

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Tragedy struck on Saturday as a plane crash claimed the lives of two Indian trainee pilots in British Columbia, Canada. Canadian law enforcement officials reported that the unfortunate accident occurred when a twin-engined light aircraft, known as the Piper PA-34 Seneca, crashed into trees and shrubbery behind a motel in the city of Chilliwack.

The two individuals who lost their lives in this devastating incident were identified as Abhay Gadroo and Yash Vijay Ramugade, both hailing from Mumbai. Alongside the two Indian trainee pilots, another person also met with a tragic fate in the crash.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada swiftly responded to the incident by dispatching investigators to the scene, as reported by the Reuters news agency.

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Chilliwack, the location of the crash, lies approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Vancouver.

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Haylie Morris, an eyewitness who was working nearby, recounted her harrowing experience to the Vancouver Sun newspaper. She shared, "I started running and I saw it go into the forest across the street, crash through the trees."

Canadian law enforcement issued a statement assuring the public that the situation was contained, and there were no reports of additional injuries or hazards to the local community, as reported by India Today.

The incident came to the attention of the authorities at approximately 2:30 am (Indian Standard Time), according to police officials cited by the news agency ANI.

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BC Emergency Health Services, in collaboration with CBC News, revealed that they deployed five ambulances, including a paramedic supervisor, to respond to the crash. Additionally, two air ambulance helicopters were en route to the scene, although they were ultimately canceled before reaching the location.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 13:44 [IST]
Indian Techie Couple, Kids Found Dead In New Jersey, US Police Suspect Murder

International

oi-Sushmita Halder

An Indian-origin couple and their two children were found dead in their home in New Jersey, prompting an investigation by the US Police.

The deceased were recognised as Tej Pratap Singh and his wife Sonal Parihar. The bodies of the couple along with their children were found dead in their home.

According to local news media outlets in Plainsboro, the police department is investigating the incident as a potential murder-suicide in addition to a homicide.

The Plainsboro Police Department received a 911 call on October 4th, and when they arrived at a residence in Plainsboro, they found four deceased individuals inside the house, according to a statement from Middlesex County prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Plainsboro Police Department chief Eamon Blanchard.

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"We are all saddened by this tragic event. What happened in our community is beyond comprehension," Plainsboro mayor Peter Cantu was quoted as saying.

The family members stated that Singh was actively involved in the community and that he and Sonal seemed to be a happy couple. Singh worked as a senior APIX engineer for Ness Digital Engineering, while Sonal also had a career in the IT field.

According to the neighbors, the family was amiable and frequently spotted walking in the neighborhood. One neighbor mentioned that her daughter used to meet the couple's daughter at the bus stop to commute to school together every day. The same neighbor mentioned attempting to contact Parihar via text but never receiving a response.

The school authorities were notified by the local police about a terrible incident that involved a family from Plainsboro, and the children involved were attending Wicoff and Millstone River schools.

The statement further added, "As the law enforcement investigation is ongoing, we are unable to provide any additional information at this time. The District joins our community in grief and sorrow over this tragic event."

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 13:38 [IST]
Israel Declares 'State Of Readiness For War' As Hamas Launches Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

International

oi-PTI

In one the biggest escalation in recent times, Israel on Saturday morning declared a "state of readiness for war", amid a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration into its southern area, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others.

Islamic faction Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, claimed it had launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning barrage called, "Operation al-Aqsa Flood".

Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, following an operational situation assessment Saturday morning warned that "the Hamas [terrorist organisation] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel".

"IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions", he added.

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Palestinian Militants Launch Dozens Of Rockets Into Israel

"The State of Israel will win this war", he asserted.

In a statement, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) said that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi is holding an assessment and approving plans of action.

"The IDF declares a state of readiness for war. Hamas... which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events," the statement from the Israeli army said.

Rescue and relief services, Magen David Adom, said that one person has been killed and another 16 are wounded in the rocket attacks on southern and central Israel this morning.

A woman in her 60s was killed in a direct rocket hit in the southern Gderot area.

Another two people are said to be seriously wounded, six moderately and seven with minor injuries, the medics of the rescue services said.

IDF warned that "the Hamas terror group will pay a very heavy price" for its surprise attack this morning.

"Hamas carried out a combined operation that included firing rockets and a terrorist infiltration into the territory of the State of Israel," the Israeli army said.

"The IDF will protect the residents of the State of Israel, the Hamas terror organisation will pay a very heavy price", it added.

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The Head of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, in a statement, said "We warned the enemy not to continue its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque", Ha'aretz online reported.

"This is only the first stage" of Hamas' renewed efforts against Israel, he said.

Deif urged Arabs in Jerusalem and inside Israel, in the Negev, the Galilee and northern Israel to join the "revolution" and "set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers".

Deif also called upon the "Islamic resistance in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon" to "merge their resistance with that of the Palestinians" and "start marching towards Palestine now".

Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas, who is considered to be its leader in the West Bank, issued a similar statement calling on the Arab and Islamic nations to join "Operation al-Aqsa Flood".

The Israeli military has issued instructions to the residents of towns near the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes, and the rest of the public to remain near bomb shelters.

"Unverified footage from the Gaza Strip purports to show Hamas terrorists with the body of an IDF soldier taken from Israel during the attack this morning," the Times of Israel newspaper reported.

"The graphic videos show the body being taken out of a truck, as a crowd swarms around it", it reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on his way to the Defence Ministry Headquarters in order to conduct a security assessment with the participation of all of the heads of the security establishment, a statement from the PMO said.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 13:55 [IST]
Israel-Palestine War: IDF Plan To 'Expand The Attack' On Gaza; Know More About What UN, Netanyahu Are Upto

Israel All Set For A 'Lethal' Attack From 'Land, Sea and Air' On Gaza In Ongoing War With Hamas

Israel Strikes Back With Operation Iron Swords After Hamas Attack Kills 200, Injures 1100| Details

International

oi-Stuti Tripathi

Israel has launched 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas militants in response to the declaration of a 'state of war' on Saturday, 7th October. The Israel Air Force initiated a series of attacks involving dozens of fighter jets targeting Hamas in multiple locations within the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army spokesperson revealed that this operation included a combined ground raid conducted through paragliders, sea, and land. Israeli forces are currently engaged in combat on the ground against Hamas militants in various locations around the Gaza Strip.

As per media reports, Israel Army spokesperson was quoted saying, "It was a combined ground raid which happened through paragliders, through the sea and through the ground. Right now we're fighting. We're fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Stripa our forces are now fighting on the ground,"

Swords of Iron



The IDF is initiating a large-scale operation to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched against Israel by Hamas this morning. pic.twitter.com/O2fuWjFvNb  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video statement, emphasized Israel's determination to win the war, declaring, "We are at war, and we will win... Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known."

Following a security cabinet meeting at the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Hamas had committed "a grave mistake" by launching the attack. He affirmed Israel's resolve to emerge victorious in this conflict asserting, "Israel will win".

The situation escalated after Israel declared a 'state of war' in response to Hamas firing approximately 5,000 rockets from Gaza, marking one of the largest attacks on Israel in years. Multiple Hamas militants also crossed the border, infiltrating into Israel. Reports indicate that Israeli soldiers have been captured by Hamas militants.

According to Israeli media, the ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of 200 people in Israel, with approximately 1,100 individuals wounded. Among the injured, at least two dozen are reported to be in serious or critical condition, as per an update at 2:00 p.m.
Palestinian Militants Launch Dozens Of Rockets Into Israel

International

oi-PTI

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip launched dozens of rockets toward Israel early Saturday, setting off air raid sirens across the country and raising the likelihood of a new round of heavy fighting.

The sound of outgoing rockets whooshing through the air could be heard in Gaza and sirens wailed as far away as Tel Aviv, some 70 kilometres to the north, during an early morning barrage that lasted more than 30 minutes. Israel's Magen David Adom rescue agency said a 70-year-old woman was critically injured when a rocket hit a building in southern Israel. Elsewhere, a 20-year-old man was moderately injured by rocket shrapnel, it said.

There was no immediate response from Israel. But the Israeli military usually carries out airstrikes in response to rocket fire, raising the likelihood of wider fighting. Although there was no claim of responsibility for the rocket fire, Israel typically holds the ruling Hamas militant group responsible for any fire emanating from the territory.

Israel prez urges PM Netanyahu to halt judicial overhaul after widespread protest

The launches came after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

HUGE Israel declares WAR along GAZA STRIP



In a coordinated attack, At least 4 Groups (aprox 40-50) Palestinian Hamas Fighters have crossed the Border into Southern Israeli under cover of Rocket Fire over the last hour. Gliders and boats also used to enter Israel



Isreal has pic.twitter.com/nWyUSZhN6n  Megh Updates  (@MeghUpdates) October 7, 2023

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas, an Islamic militant group that opposes Israel, seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

Israel halts new settlement for 6 months

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 11:35 [IST]
PM Modi, Rishi Sunak, Other World Leaders Condemn Attack On Israel By Hamas| Details

International

oi-Stuti Tripathi

World leaders united in condemnation of the unprecedented rocket attacks launched by the Palestinian armed group Hamas against Israel on Saturday, 7th October, resulting in the tragic loss of 22 Israeli lives and injuries to 545 people.

In response to the attacks, Israel declared a 'state of war' as it faced multiple infiltrations and rocket strikes from the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a video statement, asserting that Israel was now in a state of war and vowing that Hamas would "pay the price" for its actions.

Here is what world leaders have said:

INDIA: Expressing his deep concern, Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced his solidarity with Israel, denouncing the "terrorist attacks" that had occurred. He conveyed his condolences on his social media handle X saying, "Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour."

Behind The Headlines: What Is Hamas? Why Did Palestinian Group Attack Israel That Took The World By Surprise?

BRITAIN: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also decried the attacks by "Hamas terrorists" and emphasized Israel's right to self-defense. He stated, "I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice."

TURKEY: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called for restraint from both Israelis and Palestinians, urging them to avoid actions that could escalate tensions further. "We call for restraint from all parties," Erdogan stated at a congress for his ruling AK Party in Ankara. "They must refrain from aggressive acts."

FRANCE: French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned the attacks by Hamas. Macron stated, "I strongly condemn the current terrorist attacks against Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families, and loved ones." he wrote on his social media handle X.

Even European Council President Charles Michel condemned Hamas's actions and said that the European Union "stands in solidarity with the Israeli people".

EGYPT: Egypt issued a warning about the "grave consequences" of an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. In a statement by the foreign ministry Egypt called for maximum restraint to protect civilians and "avoiding exposing civilians to further danger".

GERMANY: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned the Hamas attack and reiterated support for Israel's right to self-defense. She said, "Violence and rockets against innocent civilians must stop now. We stand in full solidarity with Israel and its right under international law to defend itself against terror" as quoted by a report in India Today.

RUSSIA: Russia maintained contact with Israel, the Palestinians, and Arab countries, emphasizing the importance of restraint to avoid further escalation as per a report in the Interfax news agency. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov was quoted saying, "It goes without saying that we always call for restraint,"

Israel PM Declares 'We Are At War After Hamas Attack Kills 22, Injures Over 500

UKRAINE: The Ukrainian foreign ministry expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself and condemned the "ongoing terrorist attacks against Israel" including rocket attacks on its civilian population in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem."We express our support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its people," said the foreign ministry statement.

BELGIUM: Belgium's Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib called for an end to violence, emphasizing the need for dialogue. "Belgium strongly condemns the massive rocket attacks against Israeli civilians. Violence and terror only perpetuates suffering and hinders the path to dialogue. Our thoughts are with all those affected. We are monitoring the situation closely," said Lahbib as per news reports.

GREECE: Greece expressed deep concern over the escalating violence and stood with Israel. The Greek Foreign Ministry posted on social media handle X, "Greece strongly condemns today's launch of heavy rocket attacks from Gaza against Israel. Greece stands with Israel and is deeply concerned by this unacceptable escalation of violence,"
Commuters Travelling Without Tickets On Mumbai Locals Has Increased, Here Is The Reason

Mumbai

oi-Sushmita Halder

The Western Railway caught 5,274 people during a three-day fortress checking, who were without valid tickets or without tickets, resulting in a revenue of Rs 13.93 lakhs in fines.

On September 30th, a group of ticket collectors encountered 1,647 passengers without tickets at Dadar station. The number increased to 2,693 when a similar operation was conducted at Andheri station on October 3rd. Two days later, on October 5th, ticket collectors checked passengers on AC trains travelling between Bandra and Mumbai Central from 7 AM to 2 PM. A total of 934 people were found to be travelling without tickets and were fined Rs 2.57 lakh. The operation involved 186 ticket collectors stationed at each train door. On Friday, checks were conducted at Virar station from 2 PM to 10 PM.

Ticketless travel is becoming more prevalent due to a shortage of ticket collectors and the adoption of ticketless travel during the pandemic. Additionally, the railway is looking into ways to digitize fine payments and enhance surveillance of individuals' movements at stations.

Threat To Kill PM, Blow Up Modi Stadium: NIA Alerts Mumbai Police Over Rs 500 Crore Demand, Release Of Bishnoi

A transport expert and member of Mumbai Mobility Forum, A V Shenoy, expressed concerns about individuals who refuse to purchase train tickets despite their low cost.

"This habit seems to be continuing. They are okay to pay fines rather than standing in long queues. Even though there are options to buy tickets on the UTS mobile app, the growth seems slow, yet it is steady," the official added.

Kailash Verma, president of Mumbai Rail Users Cell, expressed that the railway system should make sure that individuals have the option to make payments digitally. He suggested that at least a QR code-based device should be given to ticket collectors (TCs).

Nandkumar Deshmukh, the president of the Federation of Suburban Railway Passengers Association, expressed that the large number of people at ticket windows dissuades many from purchasing tickets. He also highlighted the problem of multiple entry and exit points at railway stations, as well as the challenge of controlling and monitoring people's movements.

BJP Leader Pankaja Munde Claims Denied House For Being Marathi In Mumbai

Over the past 10-12 days, approximately 200 ticket collectors have been inspecting railway stations every other day. On the other days, a separate group of 25 ticket collectors is divided among eight different stations to find passengers who do not have tickets. These ticket collectors are in addition to the regular staff who check tickets at the stations.

Reportedly, the number of ticket-checking employees in the Mumbai division of the WR has decreased from 1,100 to 700-750. Earlier, there were 250-300 ticket-checkers specifically assigned to Mumbai's suburban stations and local trains, but now there are only 150. These ticket checkers now manage both long-distance and local trains.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 12:59 [IST]
52nd GST Council Meeting Today: Key Points To Expect

New Delhi

oi-Sushmita Halder

The 52nd Goods On Service Tax (GST) Council meeting will take place at Vigyan Bhawan New Delhi on October 7th. The meeting will cover various topics including the extension of the concessional tax rate on vehicles for visually impaired individuals, exemption on powdered millets, and clarification on tax for bank and corporate guarantees.

Top points on 52nd GST Council meeting:

1. The GST Council is expected to assess the states' implementation of the approved changes in the taxation of online gaming in SGST laws. The central government has passed amendments to impose a 28 per cent tax on online gaming, casinos, and horse racing, which became effective from October 1st.

2. Last month, the GST Council, led by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and including state counterparts, approved changes to Central GST and Integrated GST laws to provide clarification on imposing a 28 per cent tax on the entire value of bets in online gaming, casinos, and horse race clubs.

3. The GST Council is anticipated to offer clarification on the taxation of banks and corporations given by directors and promoters to a company, as reported by The Economic Times.

All Your Questions Answered: New GST Rules For Gaming From 1st October; What It Means For Gamers And Companies

4. During the meeting, the council is likely to talk about excluding distilled alcohol, which is used in the production of liquor, from the indirect tax. This type of alcohol, known as high-distilled or extra-neutral alcohol, consists of 95% alcohol by volume and is used both in the liquor industry and for industrial purposes.

5. According to a source, the council will also review a plan to decrease the GST on molasses from 28% to 5 per cent. Molasses, which is derived from sugar production, is utilized in the production of extra-neutral alcohol and ethanol.

6. The committee will review a proposal to remove the 18 per cent GST on certain millet flour products and intends to maintain the 18 per cent tax on electric vehicle batteries.

7. There are chances that the government will examine methods of taxing certain services offered by cryptocurrency platforms.

8. The GST Council proposed revisions to the CGST Act 2017 and IGST Act 2017 during its 51st meeting. These revisions focused on modifying Schedule III of the CGST Act, 2017 to clarify the taxation of transactions involving casinos, horse racing, and online gaming.

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Story first published: Saturday, October 7, 2023, 11:03 [IST]
One day after the US president announced hed allow a section of wall to be built in south Texas, he faced an angry backlash from his own camp.
The US Congress recently passed a stopgap funding bill that did not include Ukraine aid. Germany's president said that Berlin and Washington wanted to send a "signal" they would continue supporting Ukraine.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin will keynote a Human Rights Campaign luncheon Saturday, where other speakers include transgender advocates who have lobbied for puberty blockers for children.
California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa warned that the war between Israel and Hamas could escalate after hundreds were killed on Saturday in a surprise attack.
Virgin Galactic made history by sending a Pakistani individual to space for the first time as part of the "Galactic 04" mission launched from New Mexico's Spaceport. This achievement followed closely on the heels of their groundbreaking Galactic 02 mission, which featured the first former Olympian and mother-daughter duo in space.
(RFE/RL) -- Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in an interview published on October 6 that the Wagner mercenary group founded by the now-deceased Yevgeny Prigozhin had planned a coup in Moldova.



Sandu *told* the Financial Times that according to government information, the coup was planned this year by Prigozhins...
Russian lawmakers will evaluate whether to revoke ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the speaker of the lower house of parliament said Friday.



Vyacheslav Volodins statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could consider rescinding the ratification of the international...
The upcoming months are primed to host many fascinating casino game releases. Curated by the OnlineCasinoReports team, these games promise to whisk players into realms of monstrous encounters, elusive treasures, and a chance to scratch your way to immense wins.

As we approach the end of the year, the gaming world is buzzing with excitement for new and captivating game releases. The dedicated team at OnlineCasinoReports has carefully curated a list of promising games that will be released in October and November. These upcoming titles range from creepy monster hunts to jungle adventures and medieval quests, promising an unparalleled gaming experience for players. Check out our comprehensive overview and discover which game intrigues your gaming senses the most.

Let's dive in!

Monster Hunt by BGaming:

Haunted adventures await in BGaming's Monster Hunt, a horror-themed slot game set to launch on October 12, 2023. With medium-low volatility and a 94.65% RTP, this 5x3 slot unfolds eerie narratives through its spooky symbols across 24 paylines. Engage with the Coin Respin feature and stand a chance to snag one of the three jackpot levels with a max win multiplier of x1,299.

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Lines: 25

Volatility: Medium-low

Free Spins Rate: 98

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Hit Rate: 2.71

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Release Date: October 12, 2023

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Snake's Gold Dream Drop by Relax Gaming:

Dive into the dense foliage with Relax Gaming's Snake's Gold Dream Drop, coming out on October 10. Traverse serpent trails to uncover hidden fortunes over ten paylines in this high-volatility 5x4 slot, with an RTP ranging between 90.25% and 94.19%.

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Layout: 5x4

Paylines: 10

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Release Date: October 10, 2023

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Scratch Alpaca by BGaming:

Prepare for a whimsical adventure in BGaming's Scratch Alpaca, launching on October 19. This collection of instant-win games invites players to scratch and match symbols across three titles for a chance to win up to 250,000 with a staggering max multiplier of x100,000.

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Game Type: Scratch Cards

Volatility: Very high

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Merge Up by BGaming:

BGaming unveils an innovative merging mechanic in its ground-breaking slot, Merge Up, ready to enthrall players on October 26. Uncover shimmering gems that merge into high-value symbols in this cascade slot, setting the stage for a thrilling chain of winnings. With a max win of 250,000, this game promises a riveting experience.

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Game Type: Slots

Lines: Cluster Pays

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Super Wheel by Stakelogic:

Set for release on November 9, Stakelogic's Super Wheel marries innovative slot action with a live-casino bonus wheel, opening avenues for big wins. This game-changing feature pledges a remarkable gaming venture with medium volatility and a 93.00% RTP.

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7 Shields Of Fortune by Atomic Slot Lab:

Embark on a medieval adventure with King Lionheart in Atomic Slot Lab's 7 Shields Of Fortune, launching on October 26. Unite the Frankish lands and enjoy generous rewards in this medium-volatility game boasting 1,875 paylines and a 95.66% RTP.

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Release Date: October 26, 2023

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This diverse collection of upcoming casino games, meticulously assembled by the OnlineCasinoReports team, assures a voyage into different eras and themes, each with unique gameplay mechanics and rewarding features. Get ready to mark your calendars and dive into these promising realms of fortune.
The Israeli military is striking targets in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas militant group announced a new operation against the country. The sounds of at least three explosions could be heard as Israel deployed anti-rocket defences.

Israel's national rescue service says at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in a Hamas military incursion on Saturday morning. The numbers make the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years.

"We are at war, not an 'operation,' not a 'round,' but at war," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a televised address mark. He also ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers.

The Islamist movement Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip.

Local media reports said that some 200 Israelis have been injured and several killed in the attacks since the morning, with some reports saying that as per Israel police estimates some 60 infiltrators have been located across 14 different locations.

Unconfirmed reports of people being taken hostages and also kidnapping of soldiers have been doing the rounds, but they remain unverified.

As warning sirens sounded across southern and central Israel, including in Jerusalem, Israel's military said it was on a war footing as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting of security officials.

Saturday's incident was the most serious since Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war in 2021, with Israeli media reporting gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel.

5,000 rockets fired

Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," he said, adding that 5,000 rockets had been launched.

One Israeli woman was killed, according to emergency services, as ambulance crews were deployed in areas around the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military said its forces were operating inside Gaza but gave no details.

"A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement, adding that residents in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip had been told to stay in their homes.

Israeli media reported that gunmen had opened fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot, in southern Israel, and footage circulating on social media appeared to show clashes in city streets as well as gunmen in jeeps roaming the countryside.

Palestinian media also reported that a number of Israelis had been taken captive by fighters and Hamas media circulated video footage apparently showing a destroyed Israeli tank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he would meet top security officials in the coming hours and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant authorised the call-up of reservists.

In Gaza the roar of rocket launches could be heard and residents reported armed clashes along the separation fence with Israel, near the southern town of Khan Younis, and said they had seen significant movement of armed fighters.

Israel's ambulance service said teams had been dispatched to areas in southern Israel near Gaza and residents were warned to stay inside.

A group representing military reservists who had planned to refuse to attend training over their objections to the government's plans to overhaul the judiciary called on reservists to report for duty.

(With inputs from AP and Reuters)
The British Museum in London is famous for many of its exhibits. It is also visual evidence of an era when Britain was the most powerful country in the world and the sun never set on its empire.

If the 19th century was a time of political dominance (although contested) for the British, it was also a time when British explorers were engaged in adventure, Lord Elgin being one. When he visited the acropolis, he decided to take its famous friezes with him. He stripped what he liked and sold to the British Museum. Thus Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, brought fame to this old Scottish peerage.

The Greeks now have been asking for them back but lacking international clout their requests have been summarily dismissed by Rishi Sunak the right-wing prime minister. "The UK has cared for the Elgin marbles for generations... The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it," he stated.



On the other hand, senior Greek ministers confirm there have been secret talks between their government and George Osborne, the museum's chair.



Time will tell what happens, except that is not the only bit of loot and plunder in Britain. There are, for example, Benin bronzes also in the British Museum although they say plans are afoot to return them after the government of Nigeria set out ground rules to repatriate them to the Oba of Benin, the rightful owner and a titular head.

Let us not forget China, which is fretting about its antiquities, and, yes, you guessed it,,, The British Museum owns the largest collection of Chinese antiquities in the Western world.

The collection embraces a wide variety of treasured items like ceramics, jade, bronzes and paintings. Among the latter is a replica of the scroll "Admonitions of the Instructress of the Court Ladies", considered a landmark in Chinese art history. A chorus of calls to return Chinese art has lately mushroomed on its social media.

There are a slew of questions on where art belongs or where it should be displayed. Should it be in its home country even if few get to see it? Or should it be among a huge number of items as in the British Museum or the Louvre where you could spend days and not cover all the exhibits. The former is a short walk from the University of London Students Union Building and not a bad way to spend an idle hour I remember. Everything was less busy then. I also remember going to Versailles and being the only person in the private apartments except for the guards. Imagine that now when you have to get a token and wait.

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"Without a public explanation, I would demand an investigation to determine the legality and propriety of the sudden write-off of $7,678,022 in over-allocation debt."



- BD3 Candidate Richard S. Ramos



(Image by Richard Ramos) Details DMCA



Richard S. Ramos is running against incumbent Scott Schmerelson in LAUSD's Board District 3, which covers most of the western San Fernando Valley. As part of my ongoing Candidate Forum series, Ramos was asked five questions about PROP-39 co-locations. For the introduction to this subject along with answers from other candidates, please see the article LAUSD Candidate Forum: PROP-39 Co-Locations.

The following are the candidate's responses, printed exactly how he provided them with the exception of some minor formatting edits:

Question 1: Do you support the "Creating a Charter Schools Co-Location Policy to Mitigate Impacts Caused by Proposition 39" authored by Board President Jackie Goldberg and Dr. Rocio Rivas? Yes

It is crucial to avoid Proposition 39 co-locations on school sites with the District's 100 Priority Schools, BSAP Schools, and Community Schools. Through policy, we can safeguard schools, and school-site shared decision-making can focus on addressing the unique needs of the students. I would advocate expanding the District Magnet office to support the District's 100 Priority Schools, BSAP schools, and Community Schools to expand Magnet Centers specializing in careers like AI, STEAM, STEM, business, etc.; this would better meet our communities' educational needs, including space utilization of any empty classrooms.

Question 2: Under The way that PROP-39 is currently implemented, rooms used to provide Special Education Services are considered to be "empty" and must be turned over to a charter school to satisfy its demand for space. As a Board member would you work to end this discriminatory practice? Yes

As a special education advocate and LAUSD principal, I am committed to addressing space utilization on LAUSD campuses. The current implementation of PROP-39, which considers rooms used for Special Education Services as "empty" and potentially reallocates these classrooms to charter schools, is a concerning practice that needs reform.

I'd advocate ending this practice of classifying rooms used for Special Education Services as "empty". Schools must be able to utilize classrooms for itinerant special education services, including psychological services, adaptive physical education (APE), learning lab interventions, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These services are mandated under Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and are crucial for the academic and personal development of students with disabilities.

Question 3: The text of PROP-39 specifies that charter schools that base their space requests on inflated enrollment must pay an over-allocation fee. Currently, charter schools have a past-due balance of $3,708,006. As a Board Member would you revoke the charter of any school that refused to pay these fees when a bill is presented? YES

I support enforcing PROP-39's requirement that charter schools pay over-allocation fees for inflated enrollment reports. I'd prioritize due process to address non-payment issues. The financial impact of inflated student enrollment numbers should be carefully investigated while ensuring transparency and accountability.

Question 4: In April of last year $7,678,022 of over-allocation debt was suddenly wiped off of the balance sheet without any explanation to the public. As a Board Member would you demand an investigation to determine whether this write-off was legal and proper? Yes

Without a public explanation, I would demand an investigation to determine the legality and propriety of the sudden write-off of $7,678,022 in over-allocation debt.

Question 5: The North Valley Military Institute (NVMI) was co-located on the campus of Sun Valley High School / Valley Oaks Center For Enriched Studies (VOCES) when one of its administrators was accused of "abhorrent child sex abuse" against a student. It does not appear that parents of students on the public school campus were ever notified about these accusations. As a Board Member would you terminate the PROP-39 lease agreement for any charter school that put LAUSD students at a district campus in danger?

Given California's litigious climate and considering that the case is currently pending, I would wait to evaluate until all aspects of the case have been thoroughly examined and all relevant information is available.

Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for public education, particularly for students with special education needs, who serves as the Education Chair for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him "a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
Four Oregon State Police troopers joined Portland polices bike squad on Friday as part of an experimental pilot program aimed at curbing open-air drug use, drug dealing and other crime in downtown Portland.

The troopers arrived less than two weeks after Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said she had directed state police to more aggressively crack down on the illegal supply and distribution of fentanyl. She said she would increase and reassign troopers to strategic local drug enforcement teams across Oregon.
More than a dozen callers to a Beaverton City Council meeting this week spouted racist, bigoted and conspiratorial views during a virtual public comment session.

Mayor Lacey Beaty quickly cut off one instance of epithet-laden testimony after another, before stating she thought this was likely artificial intelligence at play.

Its my gut feeling it was one person logging in, using AI, Beaty later told The Oregonian/OregonLive. I know this is not the heartbeat of our community.

The episode may be a first in Oregon and one of a tiny number across the nation in which someone with a basic understanding of AI surreptitiously used the technology to impersonate real human beings during a public forum. Elected officials in Beaverton and elsewhere are bracing for more encounters, as well as clambering for solutions.

Richard Anthony, who studies AI for the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen in Washington, D.C., said hes never heard of this happening before.

But it doesnt surprise me that AI can be used this way, Anthony said.

The episode unfolded after regular, in-person comments had concluded in Beaverton City Council chambers Tuesday evening. Beaty opened up the virtual portion of the public comment session, via Zoom, to anyone who had something to say. Their comments were broadcast over the public address system for all to hear.

The first caller launched into an antisemitic rant. Beaty interrupted, 17 seconds in.

OK thats enough, Im going to exercise some control, Beaty said. " We dont need comments like that. Thank you.

But the tenor of subsequent callers comments only worsened  as they espoused racist, homophobic, xenophobic and misogynistic views. Some used expletives. At times the audience, which included children, audibly gasped and jeered.

The city later posted a video of the meeting to its website, but stamped a warning upon it stating Viewer Discretion Advised.

The city also posted a statement to social media stating it stands united against such hateful and hurtful speech. It encouraged members of the public to continue to participate in local government.

We express our deepest empathy to anyone who witnessed this display of bigotry and reaffirm our commitment to maintaining safe and welcoming environments for all who choose to call our community home, the statement reads.

A Message to Our Community We want to acknowledge that the Oct. 3 City Council meeting was targeted by those wishing to... Posted by Beaverton City Government on Thursday, October 5, 2023

City spokeswoman Dianna Ballash added that the city is grateful for the professionalism displayed during the meeting under difficult circumstances.

Other elected officials in Oregon have taken notice and their lawyers have been discussing what to do if theyre hit with similar tirades. Jai Raj Singh, a city councilor in neighboring Tigard, said his citys lawyers are among them.

For me its about tracking it early, taking interventions, making sure we figure out ways that our spaces are safe, Singh said.

Beaty later told The Oregonian/OregonLive there were clues that someone was using AI and that they pre-recorded their comments. For instance, one callers voice suddenly became robotic and started talking at triple the normal speed.

Mayor Lacey Beaty is pictured here in early 2023. Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian

On her laptop computer screen, Beaty also noticed something odd: More than a dozen speakers indicated they wanted to speak by all raising their virtual hands at the same instant.

The city is now considering its options in preparation for the next city council meeting that will allow public comment, on Oct. 17. Though Beaty cut off the first round of virtual commenters after each spouted expletives and slurs or launched bigoted rants, assistant city attorney Megan Thornton advised her and other council members they needed to let the commenters speak because of First Amendment protections.

Unfortunately, you have to hear it, Thornton said.

Beaty said she got the same advice from the League of Oregon Cities, after consulting officials there on Friday.

So at least for now, the city may not be able to do anything but accept that the commenters may return. But she does have some ideas on how to soften the blow.

Beaty might resort to doing what she did Tuesday night: Moving public comments to the end of the meeting, limiting them to one minute instead of two and cutting the volume level of the public address system by 50%. She also could again tell city staff and audience members who are present that they are free to go and dont need to stick around to listen to callers spew hate.

Beaverton likes to be out ahead of a lot of things, Beaty said. This is one we didnt necessarily need to be out ahead of everyone else on.

Beaty said shes not in favor of eliminating virtual public comments altogether because they give a portion of the public who cant make it to meetings in person a chance to participate.

My hope, Beaty said, is it was one time. They got their kicks. And it doesnt happen again.

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee

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President Joe Biden on Saturday decried the appalling assault by Hamas militants and his administration pledged to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself after the surprise attack that drew worldwide condemnation and anger from Israels allies.

Biden made clear in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support, according to the White House. Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to the White House for meetings and was phoning foreign counterparts, while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israels defense minister.

The terrorist attack on Israel is appalling. The United States stands with our ally in the face of todays heinous violence.  Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) October 7, 2023

Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people, Biden said in a statement that also warned any other party hostile to Israel against seeking advantage in this situation. Washingtons support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering, the president said. His Pentagon chief said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel to protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism and with its defense needs.

Hamas unprecedented incursion, coming on a major Jewish holiday, was the deadliest attack in Israel in years and was threatening to spiral into a broader conflict. Israel retaliated with airstrikes in Gaza. We are at war, Netanyahu said.

I forcefully condemn the horrific attacks launched by Hamas. My heart is with the Israeli people and all those impacted by these acts of terrorism against innocent civilians.  Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) October 7, 2023

The hostilities dealt a significant blow to U.S. efforts to expand the Arab-Israeli Abraham Accords normalization agreements, not only with Saudi Arabia, which has commanded most of the public attention, but also with smaller Arab states.

U.S. officials say they intend to press ahead but acknowledge efforts are unlikely to bear fruit while there is an active conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Blinken had been planning a trip to the Middle East, with stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia, later this month, but those plans are now on hold, according to multiple U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations.

In the immediate term, these officials said the U.S. would work Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among Arab partners in the region, to try to deescalate the situation. But given the scale of the Hamas attacks and Israels military response, the officials said they were not optimistic about any short-term solution.

I strongly condemn the horrific attacks by Hamas against Israel and the Israeli people.  Suzanne Bonamici (@RepBonamici) October 7, 2023

Northwest politicians such as Sens. Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and Maria Cantwell, of Washington, issued statements condemning the attack. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Lori Chavez-Deremer posted statements of support for Israel on X. All are Democrats other than Chavez-Deremer, who is a Republican.

Like Biden, who said the U.S. unequivocally condemns this appalling assault, many world leaders stressed that Israel has a right to defend itself and they pledged solidarity.

We believe that order will be restored and the terrorists will be destroyed, Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a post on his official Telegram channel. Zelenskyy, who is Jewish and had relatives who died in the Holocaust, said Israels right to self-defense cannot be questioned.

European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen denounced the senseless attack by Hamas and said, This violence is neither a political solution nor an act of bravery. It is purely terrorism.

I'm devastated by the violence unfolding in Israel at the hands of Iran-backed Hamas terrorists.



America stands strongly with our ally Israel as they rightfully defend themselves from these brutal and unprovoked attacks. I'll be praying for the people of Israel   Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (@RepLCD) October 7, 2023

German Chancellor OIaf Scholz said his country stands beside Israel, a sentiment echoed by the Austrian chancellor, Karl Nehammer. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted that he was shocked by the attacks and that Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.

In Vienna, the Israeli flag was raised at the Austrian chancellors office and Foreign Ministry in a gesture of solidarity. There is no excuse for terror, Nehammer said in a post on X.

Mikhail Bogdanov, Russias deputy foreign minister and a former ambassador to Israel and Egypt, told the state Tass agency that Moscow was in touch with all parties (of the conflict), including Arab countries and urged an immediate cease-fire and peace between Hamas and Israel.

Bogdanov did not specify the Arab nations with which Russian diplomats were speaking.

Saudi Arabia called for an immediate halt to the fighting, urging both sides to protect civilians and exercise restraint.

The kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation, the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights and the repetition of system provocations against them by Israel, a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.

But in Iran, Israels regional archenemy, members of parliament opened their session Saturday by chanting Death to Israel and Israel will be doomed, Palestine will be the conqueror. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said todays operation created a new page in the field of resistance and armed operation against occupiers, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.

In Lebanons Palestinian refugee camps, hundreds took to the streets to celebrate the operation by Hamas. In the Bourj al-Barajneh camp south of Beirut, residents danced in the streets, while young men in the northern city of Tripoli distributed celebratory sweets to passersby in the streets.

In the Bekaa Valley, pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked the roads. The countrys highest Sunni religious authority called for mosques to broadcast God is great over loudspeakers following afternoon prayers in solidarity with our people in Palestine.

___

Associated Press writers from around the world contributed to this report.
Oregon white oaks, Quercus garryana, once covered the hills and dales of the Willamette Valley  but this is no longer the case. The owners of Cho Wines invite you to gather ye acorns while ye may to slow the loss of this critical habitat.

To replace some of the white oaks lost to nearly 200 years of Willamette Valley development, Lois and David Cho are participating in a partnership between Willamette Universitys student-led Oregon Oaks project and LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology). LIVE is a non-profit that supports environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing through third-party certification and education efforts.

The project aims to collect 100,000 acorns to plant 10,000 new Oregon white oaks in the Willamette Valley. As part of this effort, the Chos invite their winery guests to scoop up the acorns deposited by the 200-year-old Oregon white oaks surrounding their outdoor tasting room deck.

The Chos will take care of it from there, delivering the acorns to one of the drop-off sites located at Argyle Winery, Bethel Heights Vineyard, Coeur De Terre Vineyard, Left Coast Estate, Union Wine Co. and Van Duzer Vineyards. Willamette students will then nurse the acorns along to oaklings to be distributed this fall.

The Oregon Oaks program began collecting white oak acorns in the fall of 2021 as part of their larger efforts to restore the valleys native oak habitat.

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David Craig, a biology professor at Willamette University and an Oregon Oaks founder, said that Willamette students had handled a few thousand acorns to date, producing more than 1,000 oaklings. Craig said Oregon Oaks had shared more than half of those oaklings in the last year.

Although Oregon Oaks plants new white oaks on the Willamette University campus as well as public and private off-campus properties, Craig sees significant potential in winery locations.

Wineries have a special opportunity to plant oaks in places that will allow large old oaks to grow, but theyll have a few decades of small, not very impressive trees. The current wine ownership of smaller properties relative to the big industrial operations of California and eastern Washington increases the chance that we can steward a new generation of long, wide open canopy oaks, but it will take planning on the scale of decades, like is done with the management of old vines, Craig said.

That special opportunity has traditionally been a double-edged chainsaw. The 31,000 acres of vines currently planted in the Willamette Valley too often came at the expense of white oak habitat. The wine industry is among the biggest threats to oaks in the Willamette Valley as the places that are ideal for grapes are also ideal for oaks, Craig said.

Disrupting white oak habitat is a risky proposition. In addition to their majestic beauty and cultural importance, Oregon white oaks provide a long list of benefits, including improving air, water and soil quality and providing homes for hundreds of native animal, plant and insect species  some of which are endangered.

Craig also stresses the importance of advocating for the trees that are still standing.Planting acorns to promote more Oregon white oak is absolutely necessary, but the higher priority is protecting the very large, very complicated, and very old Oregon oak trees which provide unique structures for biodiversity, Craig said.

Anyone can collect white oak acorns and deliver them directly to one of the six drop-off locations. Collecting them at Cho Wines, however, offers added benefits.

First, you can rest assured that the acorns you collect around the tasting room deck are white oaks, the only kind the drop-off sites will accept.

While collecting acorns, you can also sip wine and enjoy the view from the Chos new vineyard atop Bald Peak. While waiting to complete their winery and permanent tasting room on their 77-acre property, the Chos constructed a beautiful outdoor tasting room deck with a cozy tent and wood-fired stove.

Best of all, Lois Cho said no Oregon white oaks were removed when the hillsides were cleared to create Cho Vineyards. Thanks to the efforts of Oregon Oaks and LIVE, the Chos look forward to adding to their existing collection of white oaks.

You have until Oct. 15 to make reservations to taste wine and hunt acorns at Cho Wines. After Oct. 15, the winery shifts to private tastings arranged by text or email.

This is the first in a series of articles that will examine Oregon white oaks, their importance and the role the wine industry can play in their protection.

Reservations only, noon-5:30 p.m., Friday-Sunday, 24399 N.E. Albertson Road, Hillsboro, getchowines.com; 503-405-8703 or info@getchowines.com.

-- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine
Germany's foreign minister on Friday expressed the European Unions deep concerns following the recent shootout between masked Serb gunmen and Kosovo police that left four people dead and sent tensions soaring in the region.

Annalena Baerbock was in Tirana, Albania at a foreign ministers' meeting ahead of the Oct. 16 summit on the Berlin Process, an initiative from Germany and France to encourage six Western Balkans countries to keep working toward membership in the bloc.

The top diplomats of the six countries  Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia  are meeting with Baerbock, EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi and other senior EU officials.

The foundation for mobility in the region is security and safety, Baerbock said ahead of the meeting, adding that tensions within the last days between Serbia and Kosovo are also endangering this Berlin Process.

The key to resolving the conflict is in Belgrade and Pristina, though some may not be pleased to listen to that, she said.

On Sept. 24, around 30 heavily armed Serb men first killed a Kosovar police officer and then set up barricades in northern Kosovo before launching an hours-long gunbattle with Kosovo police.

Kosovo has accused Serbia of orchestrating the act of aggression against its former province, whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade doesnt recognize. Serbia has denied this, saying that the gunmen acted on their own.

Meanwhile in Kosovo, Maj. Gen. Angelo Michele Ristuccia, the commander of the NATO-led peacekeeping force, called on both Kosovo and Serbia on Friday to return to the negotiating table to resolve their issues to prevent further violence. He urged both countries to refrain from inflammatory and counterproductive rhetoric and help to create the necessary conditions for lasting security.

The six Western Balkan countries are at different stages of integration into the bloc. In 2013, Croatia, also a Western Balkans country, became the EUs newest member. Since then, progress has stalled and there is no clear timeline for membership.

Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani said the October summit in Tirana will focus on proposals that will significantly improve the region's economic development with projects in transport, electronic development, telecommunication and raw materials.

It aims at the revitalization of the European integration process," he told a news conference, and to better prepare countries for EU membership.

Baerbock said the Berlin process is crucial in promoting connectivity and cooperation in the region. She added that a key conference in Berlin in November on EU enlargement will try to keep the promises given a long time ago.

The EU has not deemed the remaining Western Balkan countries economies and political institutions ready for integration into the EUs single market of borderless trade and Western democratic ideals.

Varhelyi of the European Commission said some 15 billion euros ($15.8 billion) are to be invested in 54 major projects in the region. A new EU investment plan will try to speed up" economic programs and help the region change even before EU membership.

The war in Ukraine has put integration of the Western Balkans high on the agenda as the EU works to reinvigorate its enlargement process. Ukraine is also seeking to join the bloc, along with Moldova and Georgia.

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One 29-year-old office worker in Seoul said, "I don't think marriage has any merits, so I have no intention of tying the knot. I think it's difficult to balance your career with marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and raising kids."

Statistics Korea said Wednesday that only 192,509 couples tied the knot in 2021, down 10 percent from the previous year. While many couples delayed getting married due to the coronavirus pandemic, an increasing number of people simply prefer to live alone.

Marriages in Korea fell below 200,000 last year for the first time ever as the pandemic scuppered wedding plans.

Couples who do get married put off having children till later, and a late first child means few are willing to have another as they approach middle age.

The average age of first-time mothers in Korea was 33.4 last year, compared to an average of 28.3 across the OECD. Some 69,000 couples had their first child five years after marriage last year, up 1.8 percent compared to 2020, while the number of children couples had less than two years after tying the knot declined 10.7 percent.

That trend meant an increase in childbirths among women over 35, which fell from 48.7 per 1,000 women in 2016 to 42.3 in 2020 but edged up to 43.5 last year.

Just 26,500 children were born last year, down 4.3 percent compared to 2020 and less than half of the number of 2001. Deaths rose 4.2 percent to 317,800 last year, so the natural decline in Korea's population reached 57,300, up from 32,600 in 2020 when the first natural decline occurred.

The population of Seoul also started to shrink as deaths in the capital outpaced births by 3,400 for the first time since the city began tallying such figures in 1981.

Late last year, Statistics Korea estimated the country's future population at a total fertility rate of 0.82 child. It set 0.81 child as a pessimistic outlook and 0.83 as an optimistic forecast, and the worst-case scenario has come to pass.

If the trend continues, Korea's fertility rate will fall to 0.73 child this year and decline even further to 0.68 in 2023. Noh Hyung-joon at Statistics Korea said, "The number of births is expected to keep declining, while the number of deaths will continue to rise as the population ages, so the natural population decline continues."
RYAM to Temporarily Idle Production at its Paperboard and High-Yield Pulp Operations in Quebec

Oct. 6, 2023 - Rayonier Advanced Materials (NYSE: RYAM) is announcing that in order to optimize inventory levels and address lower-than-anticipated demand, its Temiscaming Paperboard operation and one of its High-Yield Pulp lines will be idled for 3 weeks, beginning on October 7.

Customer orders will not be affected, the company said.

The Temiscaming mill, which is located in Quebec, Canada, produces high-purity cellulose, high-yield pulp, and coated paperboard. Its operations are powered by carbon-neutral hydroelectricity, and a renewable biomass power generation system on-site, which produces renewable energy for the Hydro Quebec grid.

The mill employs around 700 people.

RYAM is a global leader of cellulose-based technologies, including high purity cellulose specialties, a natural polymer commonly found in filters, food, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial applications. The Company also manufactures products for paper and packaging markets.

SOURCE: Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (RYAM)
Photo: (Photo : Brian McGowan on Unsplash)

In an ambitious move to reignite the magic of its world-renowned theme parks, Walt Disney announced on Wednesday its plan to introduce significant discounts on children's ticket prices for a specified duration. The goal is clear: to revitalize foot traffic and offer families an incentive to revisit the enchanting world of Disney.

The past couple of years have been challenging for amusement parks worldwide. The onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 mandated park closures and deterred families from visiting, causing a drastic dip in attendance. The enchanting realms of Disney parks, where fairy tales come alive, were eerily silent, with rides at a standstill and characters missing from the boulevards.

However, the resilience of the Disney brand shone through as the situation improved. The parks experienced a vigorous rebound, positioning themselves as the primary revenue stream for the media behemoth.

This recovery was instrumental in counterbalancing the losses faced by the company's streaming platform, Disney+. But as time progresses, there's a noticeable decline in park attendance, hinting at the need for innovative strategies to allure visitors.

CEO's Insight: Bob Iger's Optimistic Outlook on Theme Parks

Addressing this issue, Bob Iger, Disney's CEO, shared insights during a third-quarter earnings conference call held in August. He pointed out the "softer performance" observed at Walt Disney World, located in the vibrant city of Orlando.

Despite this, Iger exuded confidence in the park's potential, emphasizing its significant contribution to the company's overall revenue. He proudly mentioned that the performance metrics for Walt Disney World are still considerably above those observed before the pandemic.

Reaffirming its commitment to the theme park division, Disney unveiled plans to amplify its investments. The company is gearing up to almost double its capital allocation for the park segment, earmarking an impressive $60 billion for the next decade. Such a substantial financial commitment underscores the company's belief in the continued allure and appeal of its theme parks.

As part of its renewed engagement strategy, Disney is rolling out enticing pricing offers. From October 24, parents can purchase tickets for their children to the Disneyland Resort theme parks in Anaheim, California, at the attractive price of just $50 for an entire day's adventure. These promotional tickets will be valid from January 8 to March 10 of the upcoming year, providing families with a broad window to plan their visit, as detailed in Disney's latest blog post.

Read Also: Disney Delivers Magic to Kids With Special Needs, Launches New Adaptive Roleplay Costumes

An Exclusive Family Package: Walt Disney World's Alluring Deal

But that's not all. To further sweeten the deal, Walt Disney World will unveil an exclusive family package on November 14. This comprehensive package promises not only discounted access to theme parks for children but also exciting dining plan options. Families can capitalize on this offer from March 3 through June 30 of the next year.

Parents should note, however, that this promotional campaign targets young children specifically, catering to those aged between 3 and 9.

With these deliberate and well-thought-out pricing maneuvers, Disney is set on a course to rejuvenate its park's footfall. It beckons families across the globe to dive back into its enchanting world, to relive the magic, and to create new memories.

Related Article: TikTok Turns 10-Year-Old Cancer Fighter's Disney Wish Into Viral Celebrity Experience
Photo: (Photo : Matthew Moloney on Unsplash)

In an unsettling incident that has ruffled the Boston community, transit authorities took a 16-year-old male into custody this Monday. This action came after an alarming video surfaced, showing a group of teenagers engaging in both verbal and physical harassment against an Asian American woman aboard a train. Due to the suspect's age, which classifies him as a minor, his identity has been kept confidential. However, the gravity of the racially charged confrontation he is believed to have participated in has captured widespread attention.

Transit Police's Response

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit Police, in their official statement released on social media platforms, detailed that the apprehended teenager is currently facing charges of "unarmed assault to rob" as well as "assault with the intention of intimidation." Yet, while the identity of the teen remains shielded, the police have been tight-lipped about additional specifics surrounding the broader incident or any potential accomplices.

This harrowing confrontation transpired over a week prior when Vivian Dang, a 25-year-old commuter, became the target of racial animosity by a group of unidentified adolescents on the train.

A video, which has since gained significant traction on social media, chillingly captures these teenagers deploying racial epithets against Dang. They openly mocked her with a caricatured accent while also physically barricading her path, preventing her from vacating the train compartment.

Distinct voices from the group can be discerned, with comments such as "Can I get some dumplings?" and a derisive "Can I get some ramen with the egg?" following the racial taunts. In a brazen act of vandalism after the verbal attack, this group allegedly shattered a window of the train before hastily departing the scene.

Read Also: Is Racism More Evident Now? Teacher In Baltimore Caught On Video Using Racial Slurs, 'N' Word Towards Students

Bystanders Come to Aid

Vivian Dang, recounting the traumatic event to NBC News, conveyed a complex tapestry of emotions in light of the recent arrest.

"It's bittersweet. While it was a young individual, and instinctively, one might not want to see them face punitive measures, their actions undeniably precipitated this consequence," she shared introspectively.

Dang was also adamant in highlighting that the confrontation wasn't the handiwork of just one person, but rather a collective effort. She reflected on the group's unsettling group dynamics, commenting, "The remarks, the jeers, and their collective laughter seemed to stem from a place where they believed their behavior was humorous, aiming to elicit laughter from their peers. But words, especially those steeped in prejudice, carry weight."

Amidst the turmoil, Dang found solace in the actions of three compassionate female co-passengers. These individuals showcased commendable courage by confronting the teenagers, defending Dang, and subsequently offering her solace once the aggressors left. While Dang voiced heartfelt appreciation for their intervention, she underscored a broader societal obligation to support victims in such trying situations.

"There's a pressing need for individuals, irrespective of gender, to hold culprits accountable and be proactive in such scenarios," Dang articulated passionately. "This incident should serve as an impetus, initiating conversations about justice, solidarity, and standing up against prejudice."

This alarming episode in Boston accentuates the concerning uptick in racially-motivated offenses against Asian Americans across the United States. As communities grapple with these disconcerting events and as law enforcement strives for justice, the need for expansive dialogues surrounding racial harmony, active bystander roles, and unity becomes ever more paramount.

Related Article: Missouri Sophomore Student Faces Suspension After Recording Teacher's Racist Slur
Photo: (Photo : Screenshot Image from @TaskerLady89977 on X)

Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, the serial wedding crasher infamous for her uninvited appearances and alleged thefts, has once again struck, this time at a Mississippi wedding, leaving a trail of upset and questions in her wake.

Sandra Lynn Henson Strikes Again: A Mississippi Wedding Marred

A notorious shadow looms over wedding celebrations in the southern states.

Last Saturday, in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, what should have been a joyous celebration was disrupted by Henson's audacious actions.

When Lexi Loden and Brady Butler tied the knot at the picturesque Lilly Creek Farm, they expected cherished memories, not the unexpected turn of events that would connect their special day with the notorious Sandra Lynn Henson, the serial wedding crasher.

As Loden Butler would later recount, her own wedding cake was snatched by none other than Henson, the 57-year-old accused of making a career out of crashing weddings and pilfering the belongings of the attendees.

Loden Butler's sister walks into the bridal suite to find Henson mid-heist.

Upon interrogation, a flustered Henson tried to blend in, claiming she was a guest for Lexi. But as suspicions grew, the serial wedding crasher's act began to crumble.

When confronted with the theft of $200 from the wedding coordinator's purse, Henson finally confessed, producing the stolen cash from a rather unconventional hiding place: her bra.

An apologetic Henson tried to negotiate her way out of trouble, but her pleas fell on deaf ears when the family uncovered a notebook in her possession.

This notebook, a chilling ledger of her planned escapades, listed the locations of at least seven other weddings, marking unsuspecting couples as her next potential targets.

The Serial Wedding Crasher

Although authorities have yet to detail what Henson took from the Mississippi wedding, charges have swiftly been brought against her, including petit larceny, trespassing, and disturbing the peace.

This is not the first time the name Sandra Lynn Henson has been associated with wedding disruptions.

Her history of alleged wedding-related thefts began as early as 2017 when Alabama.com reported her conviction, resulting in probation.

Her serial wedding crasher activities didn't end there.

Over the years, a chorus of victims from Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi have shared their stories, accusing Sandra Lynn Henson of stealing not only gifts but cherished moments from their special day.

In 2021, her nefarious activities led to her capture in Marshall County, Mississippi. The outcome was a revoked probation and a sentencing of five years in prison.

By 2019, Henson's notoriety had grown; she was connected to thefts at nine different weddings in Alabama alone.

Florence's police department in Alabama went as far as to release a surveillance image of Henson from one of the weddings she purportedly targeted. This tactic seemed effective when she turned herself in, only to face a myriad of theft charges.

Read Also: Fueling Growth: How Omega-3 Fatty Acids Shape Early Brain Development

A Tri-State Legacy of Disruption

This series of incidents across state lines confirms her reputation and the challenges authorities face in curbing her alleged activities.

The recurring incidents involving Sandra Lynn Henson underscore a growing concern for many soon-to-be-married couples: the safety and security of their wedding day.

As her tales spread, they serve as a stark reminder to event organizers and couples of the need for tighter security measures and increased vigilance at such events.

No couple should have to worry about uninvited guests or potential thefts on what's meant to be one of the happiest days of their lives.

Related Article: Overwhelmed by Phone Prompts: New Study Reveals Kids Swamped with Notifications, Impacting Focus, Sleep
President Joe Biden said Friday that he could potentially meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco.

"There has been no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," Biden told reporters when asked about the prospects of a face-to-face meeting with the Chinese leader.

Biden and Xi have not spoken since their meeting last November of the sidelines of the Group of 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

White House officials have previously made clear that they hoped the two leaders would soon hold talks, and administration officials have been working to get the Chinese to agree to a meeting.

Relations between the world's two largest economies have faced no shortage of strain over the last year.

The Biden administration shot down a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the continental U.S. earlier this year. The Chinese government hacked the emails of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The U.S. government has restricted the exporting of advanced computer chips to China.
Photo: (Photo : PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA / Getty Images)

The Florida family bleach scam, one of the most startling deceptions to emerge amidst the pandemic, has met its legal reckoning.

Operating behind the guise of the Genesis II Church, a family in Florida touted a toxic bleach concoction as the ultimate miracle cure for COVID-19, ensnaring vulnerable individuals desperate for solutions in the challenging pandemic landscape.

The Genesis II Church COVID-19 Cure

While the pandemic spurred genuine global research efforts into finding a cure for the virus, the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing took a fraudulent detour.

Spearheaded by Mark Grenon and his family, the organization marketed their so-called "Miracle Mineral Solution" (MMS). This solution, far from miraculous, was a dangerous blend of sodium chlorite and water.

On ingestion, this concoction morphed into chlorine dioxide - a potent bleach used predominantly for industrial applications.

The Florida family bleach scam wasn't merely about the sale of a hazardous product. The trial exposed shocking evidence, including photographs and footage of a shed in Jonathan Grenon's backyard in Bradenton. This shed was brimming with blue chemical drums, holding an astonishing 10,000 pounds of the harmful sodium chlorite powder, complete with labels cautioning against consumption.

Countering COVID-19 Fake Cures

The name Grenon's Miracle Mineral Solution became synonymous with the dangers of COVID-19 fake cures. To the uninformed consumer, it promised a way out.

The Grenons made lofty claims, stating that their MMS could combat not just COVID-19 but also diseases as severe as Alzheimer's and leukemia. The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, recognized the peril and acted swiftly.

The DOJ's prosecution was exhaustive. Mark Grenon, 66, and his sons - Jonathan, 37, Jordan, 29, and Joseph, 36 - confronted the consequences of their dangerous deception.

As a result, Jonathan and Jordan Grenon were handed a stiff sentence of around 12 1/2 years. In contrast, the elder Grenons, Mark and Joseph, were sentenced to five years each.

Their audaciousness was evident even during the trial. In a blatant disregard for the legal system, Jonathan and Jordan Grenon defied court orders, going to the extreme of threatening an uprising against the presiding judge, invoking memories of the infamous "Waco" incident.

Read Also: Oxford High School Shooting: Court Weighs on Ethan Crumbley's Possible Life Sentence

FDA's Stance and the Grenons' Downfall

Since 2010, the FDA persistently cautioned against MMS, labeling it as one of the most dangerous COVID-19 fake cures. This cure had severe health implications, leading to acute liver failure, severe dehydration, and, tragically, some deaths.

The Grenons' operation wasn't merely a health threat but a financial scheme. They extracted over $1 million from MMS sales, cleverly masqueraded as donations to their church.

The Genesis II Church, devoid of any authentic religious affiliation, was merely a strategic tool designed by Mark Grenon to evade the law. The law's pursuit was relentless. Jonathan and Jordan Grenon were arrested in Florida following a 2020 court order to halt sales.

Mark and Joseph Grenon, opting for evasion, fled to Colombia. However, their freedom was short-lived as they were arrested and extradited back to the U.S.

In a world grappling with the complexities of a pandemic, the story of the Grenons serves as a potent reminder of the lengths some will go to exploit public desperation.

As we navigate the post-pandemic landscape, the lessons from the Florida family bleach scam and other COVID-19 fake cures underline the importance of rigorous due diligence and the perils of unchecked misinformation.

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Photo: (Photo : Screenshot Image From @Meidas_LaurenA on X)

Heather Rooks, an esteemed member of the Peoria Unified School District in Arizona, has initiated an Arizona school board lawsuit for freedom of speech.

This legal action argues that her freedom of speech has been stifled due to a prohibition on reading Bible verses during official meetings.

Heather Rooks' Quoting the Bible

Heather Rooks, whose name has become synonymous with dedication in her Arizona community, frequently turned to biblical scriptures for guidance.

To bolster her resolve in her demanding role, Rooks made it a practice to read a scripture at the onset of every Peoria Unified School District Governing Board gathering.

However, by July, this practice was challenged as she received a directive to discontinue her readings, suggesting a violation of the Establishment Clause, which ensures the state doesn't favor any particular religion.

Rooks' choice of scripture was never arbitrary. It was meticulously chosen to lend solemnity to the proceedings and to reinforce her commitment.

Notably, during her inaugural board meeting on January 12, she drew from Joshua 1:9 - a testament to her steadfast pledge to the community she was elected to serve.

Rising Tide of Opposition and Legal Impediments

Rooks' readings, although spiritually motivated, became a contentious issue. As specified in the lawsuit, during the "Board comments" segment, a slot allowing board members to discuss topics outside the formal agenda, Rooks would commence her remarks with a succinct Bible verse.

This would then be followed by her addressing the district's prevailing concerns or acknowledging the efforts of its staff. However, the waves of dissent began post the Feb. 9 meeting, when Secular AZ, an organization championing the clear division of church and state, registered a complaint.

They alleged that Rooks was engaging in unconstitutional proselytizing. A subsequent meeting on March 9 brought this escalating issue to a head.

As Rooks commenced her reading of 1 Corinthians 16:13, she was interrupted by the board president, who cautioned her about possibly infringing the Establishment Clause.

This stance was fortified by mounting complaints, resulting in an environment of intense pressure both from outside advocacy groups and from within the board.

Read Also: Tragic Collision at Oklahoma Airport: Single Mother Fatally Struck by Airplane while on Lawnmower

First Amendment Controversy: A Battle for Free Speech

Central to Rooks' Arizona school board lawsuit is her conviction that her right to quote scriptures or any other texts during public forums falls under the protected umbrella of freedom of speech.

Representing Rooks, Attorney Andy Gould accentuated her unwavering commitment to her community. He drew parallels between her religious quotations and the myriad inspirational references from historical and philosophical domains that many leaders resort to.

Amidst the increasing pressure, a reluctant Rooks decided to suspend her scripture readings. The catalyst for this decision was delineated as prolonged external and internal pressures.

Secular AZ's Executive Director, Jeanne Casteen, weighed in on the debate. While emphasizing Heather Rooks' individual right to religious practice, she underscored the distinct responsibilities she bore as a school board member.

Reiterating her stance, Rooks, through a statement, articulated her belief in the inspirational and uplifting nature of her scripture recitals, not just for herself but for many who attended the meetings.

The case underscores the delicate balance between school board religious rights and the broader principles of governance.

While the legal outcome remains uncertain, the debate around the First Amendment controversy and the essence of freedom of speech in such settings will undoubtedly shape future policy deliberations.

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A new article went up at noon today on the website of the Interpreter Foundation. It is the Introduction to Volume 58 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship:

Signals of Transcendence, written by . . . well, by one Daniel C. Peterson

Abstract: Hints of a different and better world  sometimes dimly remembered, often intuited, and commonly hoped for  and of a glorious, mighty power behind the world in which we currently live, are all around us. They are not so powerful that they cannot be missed or even ignored, but they have been and remain present for those with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to feel. As he always does, God has not left us without witnesses but he does not seek to compel. He loves us, but he also respects our agency.

Its time for a news break:

The Third Reich comes to the United Kingdom?

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: A Man Is a Man and a Woman Is a Woman

Perspective: Common sense returns to the U.K. Will the U.S. be next? As elections loom, boldness is on display in the United Kingdom

But this is encouraging and good to hear: Various faith groups support The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Huntsman tithing appeal: The Supreme Court has consistently refused to allow courts to hide theological elephants in secular mouseholes, 10 religions say in friend-of-the-court brief

And here are two quite different but remarkably interesting bits of science news:

Scientists say theyve confirmed evidence that humans arrived in the Americas far earlier than previously thought

Unprecedented discovery seems to defy fundamental astronomical theories

I frankly admit to an exceptional enjoyment of disruptive scientific developments. There is so very, very much that we dont yet know!

I greatly admire the approach and the thesis advanced by the Protestant theologians and ethicists Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon in their modern classic Resident Aliens (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2014). Here are a few passages from the early pages of the book:

As in Kierkegaards Denmark, North America is a place where people have absorbed just enough Christianity to inoculate them against the contagion by the real thing. We believe that the church can be a major means of conversion, detoxification, and inculcation of the practices required to be a Christian in a world that thinks it already is. (4)

The image that evokes this adventure for us is . . . found in Philippians 3:20  our commonwealth is in heaven. Moffat more vividly translates this politeuma as We are a colony of heaven. The Jews in Dispersion were well acquainted with what it meant to live as strangers in a strange land, aliens trying to stake out a living on someone elses turf. Jewish Christians had already learned in their day-to-day life in the synagogue, how important it was for resident aliens to gather to name the name, to tell the story, to sing Zions songs in a land that didnt know Zions God. A colony is a beachhead, an outpost, an island of one culture in the middle of another, a place where the values of home are reiterated and passed on to the young, a place where the distinctive language and life-style of the resident aliens are lovingly nurtured and reinforced. We believe that the designations of the church as a colony and Christians as resident aliens are not too strong for the modern American church  indeed, we believe it is the nature of the church, at any time and in any situation, to be a colony. . . . The church is a colony, an island of one culture in the middle of another. In baptism our citizenship is transferred from one dominion to another, and we become, in whatever culture we find ourselves, resident aliens. (11-12) The demise of the Constantinian world view, the gradual decline of the notion that the church needs some sort of surrounding Christian culture to prop it up and mold its young, is not a death to lament. It is an opportunity to celebrate. The decline of the old, Constantinian synthesis between the church and the world means that we American Christians are at last free to be faithful in a way that makes being a Christian today an exciting adventure. (18)
Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has slammed the Governor of Bank of Ghana over some comments attributed to him in relation to the #OccupyBoG protest by the Minority in Parliament and some Ghanaians on Tuesday, October 3.



The protesters marched to the Bank of Ghana to petition the Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison and his deputies to resign over accusations that they have mismanaged the bank, hence resulting in a staggering loss of GH60.8 billion.



The Governor, according to a publication by Central Banking, in response to the protest says it was "completely unnecessary and neither he nor his deputies intend to step down.



The Minority in parliament have many channels to channel their grievances in civilised societies, not through demonstrations in the streets as hooligans, Central Banking further quoted Dr. Addison.



Tackling the issue during "Kokrokoo" panel discussion programme on Peace FM Thursday morning, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah described the Governor's comments as unsavory.



The Governance lecturer at the Central University demanded an apology from Dr. Addison, stating, "I wish he did not go that tangent".



"He must apologize like Sosu has done for using a vulgar language on him (Addison)," he said and counseled Dr. Addison stressing "we don't listen to respond; we listen to understand", to wit he should be measured in his reply to the demonstrators.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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.

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Former General Secretary of the People's National Convention, Atik Mohammed has berated the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, for describing the Director of Security at the Bank of Ghana as a "watchman".



Sam George referred to Wing Commander Kwame Asare-Boateng as watchman for being sent by the Governor of the bank, Dr. Ernest Addison, to receive their petition during their protest on Tuesday, October 3.



The Minority in Parliament and a large section of the Ghanaian populace thronged the Bank of Ghana demanding the resignation of the Governor and his deputies over allegations of mismanagement and financial malfeasance.



Sam George, reacting to the Governor's act, replied; "Parliament invites the Bank of Ghana at least twice a year and he has appeared only three times in seven years so it's not strange. It is the height of disrespect that we will come here and he will send the watchman, the watchman at the Bank of Ghana to come and receive the petition."



"Okay, the watchman should come to Parliament as well, when next he needs anything from Parliament he should send the watchman as well but we will be back. We will give the Police some days to rest but we will be back," he added.



But to Atik, Sam George has failed to "grow" as a Parliamentarian, hence resorting to the use of dishonorable language.



"I don't even want to glorify that comment with any discussion or commentary because the person who is calling the man a watchman, let's place their profiles of the two and do an analysis. You will come to the conclusion that the accuser rather fits the position that he is giving to the accused...and it appears it is something he usually does," he responded.



He stressed while making his submissions on Peace FM's morning show that "I think it's about time he learned from the feedback that he receives when he says some of these things...and more so, the position he holds is big. Being a representative of the people of your constituency is a big deal; it's not for nothing that we call you 'honorables' because you are supposed to live exemplary lives".



Atik Mohammed concluded that there are some Members of Parliament whose behavior he likened to Sam George's but noted they have matured unlike the Ningo-Prampram MP and his likes who, to him, are still "stuck. They have stagnated. They don't want to grow".







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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.

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A gun shop and shooting range in Dauphin County has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it plans to reorganize and remain in business.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy provides businesses or large investors with protection from creditors while they continue operating and develop a repayment plan. Both creditors and owners must agree on a reorganization plan, which ultimately must be approved by a federal bankruptcy judge.
Three males were injured in a shooting in York just before 12:30 a.m. Saturday, according to York City Police.

Police responded to the 200 block of West Jackson Street and found the three with gunshot wounds, a police report says.

All three were taken to WellSpan York Hospital, where one is in critical condition, police say. The other two suffered whats believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Police did not release the ages of the shooting victims and have not announced any suspects or arrests. Detectives are investigating.

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A teenager in Lancaster who was tried as an adult in connection to the shooting death of Rolando Rivera in 2021 pleaded guilty this week.

The Lancaster County District Attorneys Office confirmed to PennLive that 16-year-old Elijahuwon Brown pleaded guilty Thursday to criminal homicide, possession of firearm by a minor and person not to possess a firearm.

The shooting took place on the 500 block of Third Street on Aug. 27, 2021, when Elijahuwon was 14 year old. Rivera, 23, died from multiple gunshot wounds, at the scene about a half mile from his home. Elijahuwon lived one block from the homicide scene.

Brown was charged, arrested, and arraigned six days after the killing, on September 2, 2021. He is expected to be sentenced after a pre-sentence investigation is completed, the DAs office said.

Lancaster detectives linked Brown to the case through video surveillance that captured the fatal shooting, according to a police news release. The footage showed Rivera and the suspect walking in the 500 block of Manor Street, but across the street from each other. Rivera is seen walking west on Manor Street and the suspect begins walking west behind him, but on the opposite side of the street.

Additional video footage shows Rivera walking into the 500 block of Third Street and the suspect runs toward him from behind. The suspect raises a gun and then fired multiple times at Rivera, continuing as as Rivera falls.

The killer then ran away. Detectives who watched the video footage said they recognized the suspect as Elijahuwon Ashmeir Brown. A motive was not provided in police news releases.

Rivera graduated from J.P. McCaskey High School in 2016 and was known to many as Peanut, according to his obituary. The obituary said he had many friends, and loved playing video games, listening to music.

He loved his mothers rice and beans and steak, the obituary said. He enjoyed swimming at Blue Marsh Lake. A loving, caring, and friendly person, he had a contagious smile and loved to help other people.

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Pa. winery listed for $3.4 million repurchased by popular botanical garden
Three people were hurt after a driver being chased by Pennsylvania State Police hit two uninvolved vehicles in Harrisburg and then ran away, police say.

Pennsylvania State Police in Harrisburg responded to the 2000 block of Market Street Thursday to assist troopers from York with a chase involving a 2022 Nissan Altima, according to a police report.

The Altima hit the two vehicles near Market and Whitehall Streets around 11:17 a.m., police say.

The three injured people  a 25-year-old man from Brooklyn, New York, a 62-year-old woman from Harrisburg and a 28-year-old woman from Harrisburg  were all taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The extent of their injuries is not known at this time.

Anyone with information about the male driving the Nissan Altima is asked to call State Police in Harrisburg at 717-671-7500.

READ MORE:

Despite what FBI claims, its Pa. gold search included night dig, truck: witnesses

3 injured in central Pa. shooting early Saturday: police
Do you understand? Thanks to subtitles or dubbing we can enjoy cultural products coming from any corner of the globe, but one wonders if their translations are capable of conveying their full complexity.

The phrase lost in translation is not easy to translate into other languages  which makes it the perfect example of itself, as it conveys the notion of how, lacking a faithful equivalent, the inherent sense or meaning that something has in one language can disappear when it is converted into another, leaving only the raw words. This is actually a good thing: it proves that in a globalized world that has rapidly become a gigantic non-place, there are still idiosyncrasies, idioms, accents and ways of saying things whose depth and complexity can only be captured in a specific time and place.

Every translation, no matter how faithful, is an interpretation of a work; not its mirror, states Joaquin Fernandez-Valdes, winner of the XVII Esther Benitez Translation Prize for his titanic Spanish translation of Tolstoys War and Peace, which took him four years to complete. A translation provides a different, unique and particular look at a literary text. This is clearly seen with classical music: why have so many pianists recorded Beethovens sonatas? Because each one offers their own interpretation.

This also happens in movies, of course. Jaume Ripoll, creator of Spanish streaming platform Filmin, says that when we watch subtitled or dubbed films from remote places, we inevitably lose details, nuances and unique elements that the original work may have. This clashes with a certain feeling of omnipotence that we have as viewers: we believe that we can see, read and understand it all, a misconception cultivated by globalization, cultural democratization and, these days, artificial intelligence.

One of the funniest and most revealing moments in A Brighter Tomorrow (Il sol dellavvenire, Italian director Nanni Morettis latest film), takes place when the protagonist, a director in crisis who dreams of making a movie about an Italian communist leader and a Hungarian circus, meets with some Netflix executives who keep telling him Our products are seen in 190 countries! while he seems to wonder what the point of being seen in 190 countries is  will they even understand it? The short answer is yes. The long one is: yes, with nuances. We are here to talk about the latter.

The translator as a traitor

There is a Latin saying that goes Traduttore, traditore (translator, traitor). I believe that every translation task implies, in some way, betraying the original text, reflects Alvaro Llamas, author of Esos dias a finales de aquel ano (Those days at the end of that year) and translator of French and English into Spanish. That said, some works are easier than others when it comes to being translated. A literary work full of localisms, jokes and puns is not the same as an academic article that deals with more or less abstract issues expressed in the international language of science.

The question is simple: is the faithful, complete translation of a cultural product from one language to another possible? Alba Hernandez, Japanese-Spanish translator, Ainhoa Urquia, Korean-Spanish translator, and Sandra Bustins, Chinese-Spanish translator, agree that something always has to be sacrificed. Are things lost? Surely. Does it happen more often in more distant languages? Yes, because we know less about the culture of those countries. But that doesnt mean that we cannot enjoy a work, explains Bustins.

Parasites by Bong Joon-Ho, probably the most famous Korean film in history.

Its not just the language: the cultural aspect is key. Many people outside the United States have no problem understanding American references, the cultural lingua franca of the entire world. An example: the first Spanish translation of Truman Capotes 1966 novel In Cold Blood, by Maria Luisa Borras, included a footnote explaining what Halloween was. Today, that clarification would be completely unnecessary. To explain or not to explain, to add a footnote or not; that is one of the translators great dilemmas. Urquia is facing a similar situation with the Korean translation she is currently working on.

I am working on a novel in which there is constant mention of a dosirak, which are packed meals that include different dishes. This is also popular in Japan, where it is called bento. The most logical thing would be to use the word bento, because they are more famous and people recognize them thanks to the ubiquitous Japanese restaurants and manga, but does it make sense to use a Japanese term in a Korean novel? There you are faced with a dilemma that has to do with the cultural hegemony of one country over another, in this case Japan over Korea. Using bento could be offensive. For now, and without much conviction, Urquia has found a way out by resorting to the term fiambrera, which means lunchbox in Spanish. The more knowledge we have about a culture, the easier the translation is, she concludes. Korean words like kimchi, or Japanese words like emoji, for example, dont even need [to be translated] anymore.

Every translator of a remote language has their own cursed word. For Fernandez-Valdes, it is toska. It is something very Russian that can be a real pain for me: a mixture of sadness, tedium, vital anguish and heartache. Depending on the context, I solve it one way or another. Back to Japan: A case that could fill an entire thesis is the word sumimasen, explains Alba Hernandez. It can be translated as sorry, thank you or please, among many other meanings. And, in addition to words, sometimes they make sounds like mmm or eh that also change their meaning, depending on the moment and intonation. They can be equivalent to the sounds we make, of thought or disbelief, or they can be affirmatory, like yes. She adds that Japanese is a language in which you can say good morning in six different ways.

In Chinese, explains Bustins, translating forms of address is particularly difficult. You can address anyone similar in age to your parents as uncle or aunt even if you are not related to them. The same thing happens with brother and sister, which [in other languages] can sometimes be confusing. In the first case, the translator uses sir or maam so that the narrative flows, but that is not exactly what is said in the original.

Being relentless

Urquia remembers that when she began to work as a Korean translator, she refused to sacrifice any structure, construction, expression or idiom, because they all seemed beautiful and essential to her. But the job makes you relentless. She also explains that enigma that Western viewers encounter when they watch films like Parasites and notice that, even if a character just says a word or two, the screen gets filled with subtitles. This is a language in which you say a lot with very few words.

Paz Vega and Tea Leoni try to have a conversation without understanding anything the other says in Spanglish. United Archives/Impress (United Archives / Cordon Press)

Cinema is full of paradigmatic examples in which subtitles are a limited weapon to translate a story in its entirety. Argentine translator Carolina Orloff mentions the example of Pedro Almodovars All About My Mother (Todo sobre mi madre), one of the most successful Spanish films on a global scale. For any Spanish speaker who sees it, it is obvious that the protagonist (played by Cecilia Roth) is Argentine. This paints a picture of her place in the world: after the death of her son she no longer has anyone in Spain, which is key to understanding the loneliness of the character. However, her Argentine origin is not explicitly mentioned during the first half of the film, so if a French, English or American person watches it subtitled, they might not notice that her accent is different and will not be able to get to the bottom of the character and understand one of her most significant traits until the movie is well underway.

This is something that could be solved  not easily  with a resource that almost any self-respecting movie buff looks down on: dubbing. One of the advantages of dubbing is that a speech defect or a particular accent will be easier to convey, says Bustins. I always prefer the original version, but I know that there are viewers who miss too much of what happens on the screen if they read the subtitles, argues Ripoll, so I welcome a good dubbing in which some actors honor others.

Good dubbing; that is the key. When Woody Allens Mighty Afrodite (1996) was released in Spain, something almost unheard of occurred: critics praised both Mira Sorvino and actress Vicky Pena, for the way in which she managed to adapt the piercing but emotional tone of the original Oscar-winning performer to the Spanish version. Other times, the original is inevitably betrayed. In the popular episode of Sex and the City in which Samantha Jones takes someone elses card to access the pool of a private club and someone in charge confronts her, saying that the woman she is impersonating is actually British, she fakes an English accent (in the original version) to defend herself. In the Spanish version, the owner of the card became French. Changing the nationality or origin of characters has been a constant in dubbing to justify misunderstandings or disagreements.

Translations of translations

Bustins points out a possible reason why many translations end up sounding strange: pivot translation. This occurs when someone makes a first translation of a film or book into English, and then that translation is distributed to other countries so that it can in turn be translated into other languages. It saves money  and ruins the product. This leaves a double deviation by unnecessarily, even damagingly, adding another language and culture to an audiovisual work, warns Bustins. The best option will always be to translate directly, without bridge languages.

Llamas is often able to detect this double deviation: I have come across translations of classic works, such as Dostoyevsky, which are clearly not translated directly from Russian but, say, from French. In other words, translations of translations. This was common [in Spain] in the 19th century and much of the 20th, but we have improved a lot. And it is a very good thing that some publishers are retranslating some classics that were terribly translated... and that they do it in a relatively updated language, so that the work reaches todays readers clearly. This is a continuous effort, like that of art restorers.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  In a horrific incident that is every parents worst nightmare, a 13-year-old student was stabbed to death on a major boulevard Friday afternoon, prompting an army of police officers to descend on the area, officials said.

The boy was rushed to Staten Island University Hospital in Princes Bay, where he was pronounced dead, multiple law-enforcement sources told the Advance/SILive.com. NBC reported Friday night that the child was a student at I.S. 7.

His death was confirmed by police officials at a press briefing held Friday evening at One Police Plaza, Manhattan.

According to comments at the briefing, the incident unfolded around 2:30 p.m. after the 13-year-old and a 14-year-old boy got into an altercation on an MTA bus. Police officials said witness accounts indicate that gang signs were displayed, leading police to believe the violence could be gang-related.

The 13-year-old was stabbed in the chest, police stated. It was not immediately clear if the stabbing occurred on the bus or off it. The childs motionless body was visible to witnesses laying on the street in front of the bus as emergency responders rushed to the scene.

Police said the suspect fled the scene and ran three blocks before witnesses -- a Good Samaritan described as a retired sergeant for the NYPD, an off-duty New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and a third bystander -- stepped in to apprehend him.

Three independent people were on-scene helping, said John M. Chell, NYPDs Chief of Patrol.

The retired sergeant started to follow the male who did the stabbing. At this time, another witness points him out as the one who just stabbed somebody and the sergeant affects the arrest, Chell said. Again, tragic, tragic homicide. We believe this motive is gang-related. Quick response and great response from our community.

A 14-year-old person of interest was taken into custody, he said.

Neighbors who live in the area told the Advance/SILive.com that they witnessed the suspect run through the streets before being taken into custody.

BUS DRIVER BROKEN UP BY TRAGEDY

In addition to Chell and the NYPDs First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella, several city, Department of Education and transit officials spoke at the press briefing, which focused on three separate incidents around the city impacting the safety of youth.

Demetrius Crichlow, the Senior Vice President of New York City Transit, stated in the press conference he spoke to the bus driver, who was broken up, but maintained his calm and contacted police rapidly. This was a tragic incident...our thoughts and prayers are with the families on both sides.

Earlier in the evening, Crichlow was on-scene at the incident of the stabbing, calling it just a tragic, tragic, tragic day.

Crichlow described the demise of the 13-year-old boy as a senseless death.

The subway boss said that the MTA is supporting the NYPD in their investigation, including with footage from surveillance cameras.

We had cameras on the bus so we have a good account of what transpired, he said.

He praised the actions of the bus operator who had roughly 20 customers on the bus when tragedy struck.

The bus driver was amazing, Crichlow said. He talked to the rest of the customers and calmed them down and contacted the control center immediately.

Hes broken up right now from what he experienced.

Crichlow spoke of the broader impact that the tragedy will have in New York City.

This is going to affect so many people beyond the children who were involved here -- employees, customers, communities as a whole.

TRAFFIC RE-ROUTED ON HYLAN

After the incident, Hylan was roped off with crime scene tape in the vicinity of Littlefield Avenue and Groton Street, where the stabbing occurred.

Traffic on Hylan from Richmond Avenue to Armstrong Avenue was diverted for multiple hours in both directions due to the investigation, prompting gridlock from one end of the Island to the other. At just about 5 p.m., authorities began allowing traffic to pass on Tottenville-bound Hylan.

There were several dozen police vehicles at the location and numerous NYPD officers and detectives.

38 1 / 38 NYPD: Student stabbed on Staten Islands Hylan Boulevard

Officers from the NYPDs Emergency Service Unit could be seen looking under cars in the area searching for the weapon.

They could also be seen banging the sewer grate with a sledgehammer on Hylan, presumably to see if the knife was dropped inside.

EVERY PARENTS NIGHTMARE

Borough President Vito Fossella headed to the scene after hearing about the horrific attack.

Every parents worst nightmare is playing out in real time, Fossella said. At this point pray for the kid, thats the most important thing.

This is something that has got to hit everybody in the gut in a real significant way, he said. And there is no room for things like that on Staten Island in my opinion.

Residents who lived on Littlefield Avenue were shocked in the aftermath of the attack.

Nothing like this ever happens over here, one said.

They said detectives were looking at surveillance footage on the block.
By Meg James, Los Angeles Times (TNS)

A New Mexico judge on Friday ordered Rust movie producers to turn over records demanded by a special prosecutor who is seeking accountability in the fatal accidental shooting of the films cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin.

The movies producers have been trying to quash a subpoena requesting documents, including its contracts with Baldwin, who was one of the low-budget films producers as well as its star. They also are seeking agreements and memos between the producers and Baldwins production company, El Dorado Pictures.

The special prosecutor wants to learn more about Baldwins financial arrangements  and whether he stood to profit if the movie was delivered on time and under budget.

The special prosecutor, Kari T. Morrissey, is probing why production managers denied a request by weapons handler Hannah Gutierrez Reed for additional days to train Baldwin on the use of his .45 caliber revolver. The gun fired during a rehearsal when Baldwin was practicing a cross-draw maneuver. Firearms experts have said Baldwin likely pulled the trigger, which Baldwin denies doing.

During Fridays court hearing in Santa Fe, conducted virtually, Morrissey said the producers actions contributed to the deadly October 2021 shooting that claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, near Santa Fe.

Morrissey also alleged that producers have attempted to thwart aspects of the criminal investigation.

Rust Productions has either intervened, interfered or obstructed the criminal investigation in this case, Morrissey told the judge overseeing Rust criminal prosecutions. This entire tragedy occurred because Rust Productions cut corners every chance they could and they hired inexperienced and ill-equipped crew members.

The special prosecutor is pursuing felony involuntary manslaughter charges against the armorer Gutierrez Reed, who acknowledges loading the weapon which was given to Baldwin by another crew member that day. The films assistant director, David Halls, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon earlier this year. Halls has since retired from the film industry.

A 3D reconstruction animation video displays actor-producer Alec Baldwin, right, on the set of the film "Rust" next to a portrait of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a news conference, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)AP

Morrissey has not ruled out bringing new counts against Baldwin, who was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter.

But after Morrissey and her law partner Jason J. Lewis took over the troubled Rust prosecution last spring, they dropped the charges against Baldwin, saying new information had come to light that needed to be investigated.

Baldwin later traveled to Montana to complete filming of the western movie.

Sources told the Los Angeles Times that prosecutors were told that the gun had been modified before arriving on set, potentially making it easier for it to discharge. However, the weapons provider, Seth Kenney, has stated during questioning that the gun wasnt altered. Kenney said he had just received the weapon  a Pietta-manufactured replica of a vintage 1880s Colt .45  from his supplier, before turning it over to films prop master.

Baldwin and other producers have said they are not to blame for the actions of others in the crew.

Rust producers have received scrutiny for their management of the conditions on the set of the western.

New Mexicos Occupational Safety and Health Bureau originally filed a complaint, saying Rust managers demonstrated plain indifference to employee safety and levied a $136,793 fine for safety violations that led to the death of Hutchins.

Camera crew members walked off the set hours before the fatal shooting, protesting what they called safety concerns.

After an appeal by the producers, the safety violations fine was reduced to $100,000. New Mexico regulators also agreed to downgrade its citation of the violations from willful-serious to serious.

On Friday, the lawyer for Rust Movie Productions suggested the states efforts to obtain documents was a back-door way to glean information to potentially bring new criminal charges against the high-profile actor.

The state has made it very clear in its statements that its still considering bringing charges against Alec Baldwin, attorney Abigail R. Wolberg said during Fridays hearing. I see these subpoenas as nothing more than continuing down that path.

Instead, Wolberg laid responsibility for the tragedy on Gutierrez Reed, who Wolberg said was an independent contractor  not an employee of Rust Movie Productions. Wolberg said documents the prosecutor sought were irrelevant to the states case against Gutierrez Reed.

The real question for the state, for the court, for the jury will be about her conduct and what she agreed to, Wolberg said.
Halifax High School hosts a US Band competition at their high school and features local bands, West Perry, East Pennsboro, Trinity, Millersburg, Upper Dauphin, Williams Valley, and New York band Rome Free Academy in Halifax, Pa., Oct. 7, 2023.
By Jonathan D. Silver, The Tribune-Review, Greensburg (TNS)

For the first time since 1960, the Carnegie Museum of Art will be absent its million-dollar Egon Schiele drawing, Portrait of a Man.

The museum Wednesday renounced its claim to the 1917 artwork, ending a criminal probe into whether the piece was stolen property and capping a long legal battle with the heirs of its original owner, a Jewish cabaret performer in Austria who died during World War II in a concentration camp.

With the stroke of a pen Wednesday, Steven Knapp, president and chief executive officer of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, surrendered its rights to the drawing by the provocative and irreverent Schiele, one of Austrias most illustrious artists.

Also giving up a Schiele in similar fashion Wednesday was the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College in Ohio, which turned over the 1911 watercolor Girl with Black Hair.

"Girl with Black Hair,'' 1911, by Egon Schiele, was ordered seized from Oberlin College's Allen Memorial Art Museum by New York authorities in relation to an investigation into Nazi art theft during World War II. The college said it is the rightful owner of the artwork and is cooperating with the Manhattan District Attorney's office.Courtesy Manhattan District Attorney

Both drawings, as well as a third at the Art Institute of Chicago, were the subject of search warrants executed last month by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who was investigating whether they were stolen by Nazis during World War II and eventually passed through New York City.

Under the pressure of a criminal investigation, Knapp signed the surrender agreement, as did Matthew Bogdanos, a prosecutor in Braggs office who heads the Antiquities Trafficking Unit and led efforts to look into the heirs claims.

Since the Sept. 12 search warrant, which ordered the seizure of Portrait of a Man but allowed the Carnegie to safeguard it in Pittsburgh for the time being, Carnegie officials referred all inquiries to a crisis communications firm in New York City.

In the wake of the surrender, the firm issued a statement on behalf of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh:

If at any time we believed that the Egon Schiele drawing Portrait of a Man had been stolen by the Nazis, Carnegie Museums would have returned it before now to those we believed to be its rightful owners.

To date, we have relied on a finding confirmed and upheld in federal court that the collection to which this drawing belonged was not, in fact, stolen by the Nazis.

Now that the Manhattan District Attorneys Office has become involved in this matter, we have decided not to contest the DAs claims and are therefore giving the drawing to the Manhattan DA.

Bragg was clear to point out his investigation had shown the drawing of a mans disembodied head, arm and hand had, indeed, been plundered by the Nazis from Fritz Grunbaum, a Viennese cabaret performer and art collector who owned dozens of Schieles.

I am pleased these two pieces are being returned to the family of Fritz Grunbaum following a criminal investigation by my office, Bragg said in a statement. The evidence makes clear the two drawings were stolen by the Nazis and subsequently transported into Manhattan, before landing in these museums.

The agreement between the Carnegie and the DAs office says that prosecutors found no evidence the Carnegie or anyone associated with it did anything criminal or wrong in connection with the drawing.

In response to the Carnegies action Wednesday, Grunbaums heirs dropped their lawsuit against the museum in federal court in New York City.

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Classic work of modernism or Nazi-looted art? Painters heirs sue Philadelphia Museum of Art over ownership

American tourist accused of smashing statues at Israeli museum
JERUSALEM (AP)  Backed by a barrage of rockets, dozens of Hamas militants broke out of the blockaded Gaza Strip and into nearby Israeli towns, killing dozens and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday.

A stunned Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza, with its prime minister saying the country is now at war with Hamas and vowing to inflict an unprecedented price.

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles from the Gaza border. In some places, they roamed for hours, gunning down civilians and soldiers as Israels military scrambled to muster a response. Gunbattles continued well after nightfall, and militants held hostages in standoffs in two towns.

Israels national rescue service said at least 200 people were killed and 1,100 wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in decades. At least 198 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed and at least 1,610 wounded in Israeli strikes, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Hamas fighters took an unknown number of civilians and soldiers captive into Gaza, a deeply sensitive issue for Israel.

A car destroyed in an attack by Palestinian militants is seen in Sderot, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)AP

The conflict threatened to escalate to an even deadlier stage with Israels vows of greater retaliation. Previous conflicts between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers brought widespread death and destruction in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli towns. The situation is potentially more volatile now, with Israels far-right government stung by the security breach and with Palestinians in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and suffocating blockade of Gaza.

In a televised address Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military will use all of its strength to destroy Hamas capabilities but the war will take time.

We will defeat them ... and take revenge for this black day, he said.

After nightfall, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza intensified, flattening several residential buildings in giant explosions, including a 14-story tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices in central Gaza City. Israeli forces fired a warning just before, and there were no reports of casualties.

Soon after, a Hamas rocket barrage into central Israel hit four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb, where two people were seriously injured. Throughout the day, Hamas fired more than 3,500 rockets, the Israeli military said.

A ball of fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)AP

The strength, sophistication and timing of the Saturday morning attack shocked Israelis. Hamas fighters used explosives to break through the border fence enclosing the Mediterranean territory, then crossed with motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders and speed boats on the coast.

In some towns, a trail of civilians bodies lay where they had encountered the advancing gunmen.

The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, said the assault was in response to the 16-year blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al Aqsa  the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount  increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and growth of settlements.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message. He said the attack was only the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

The Hamas incursion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, aiming to take back Israeli-occupied territories.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then.
By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)  A Texas man who attacked the U.S. Capitol with a metal tomahawk  and is now the face of a website selling merchandise portraying jailed rioters as political prisoners  was sentenced Friday to seven years behind bars.

Shane Jenkins, 46, tried to smash a Capitol window with his tomahawk during the Jan. 6, 2021, siege. He also repeatedly threw makeshift weapons at police officers, hurling a desk drawer, a flagpole, a metal walking stick and a wooden pole with a spear-like point.

A website touts Jenkins as the founder of a group that seeks to shed light on the January 6th defendants and the treatment they have faced from the government. The website sells T-shirts, hoodies, hats, tote bags and other merchandise with Jan. 6-themed slogans, including Free the J6 political prisoners and Want my vote? Help the J6ers. Another shirt for sale features former President Donald Trumps mugshot over the words Indicted we stand.

The website also commemorates Jenkins role in the riot. It displays a cartoon avatar of Jenkins, nicknamed Skullet, and a logo depicting crossed tomahawks below a silhouette of the Capitol building.

Prosecutors dont know how much money Jenkins has generated from the websites merchandise sales. But they said he has used another fundraising site to collect more than $118,000 in donations.

Far from contemplating the harm he has caused, examining his conscience, feeling shame for his actions, and resolving to change, Jenkins has chosen to use his January 6 status to build a brand in order to garner money and attention, prosecutors wrote in a court filing.

In this image from U.S. Capitol Police security video, released and annotated by the Justice Department in the Statement of Facts supporting an arrest warrant, Shane Jenkins, circled in red, is seen holding an object near the Lower West Terrace tunnel at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (Justice Department via AP, file)AP

Defense attorney Dennis Boyle said Jenkins hasnt received money from the sale of Jan. 6 merchandise and doesnt own the site that sells it, although he couldnt say who does.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who sentenced Jenkins, said it was shameful for him to capitalize on his role in the riot. The judge also rejected the notion that Jenkins and other jailed rioters are political prisoners who cant get a fair trial.

Nothing could be further from the truth, Mehta said. Its all on video.

Jenkins expressed remorse for his actions on Jan. 6, saying he got caught up in the heat of the moment.

I love this country, he told the judge. And Im not some crazed maniac set out to destroy this nation.

Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of 19 years and eight months. They also asked the judge to impose a fine of at least $118,888, equaling the money Jenkins has publicly raised.

Mehta denied their request for a fine. He also refused to impose a terrorism enhancement that would have significantly increased his sentencing guidelines.

In March, a jury convicted Jenkins of charges including civil disorder and obstructing the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying the presidential election victory of Joe Biden, a Democrat, over Trump, a Republican.

Jenkins flew from Houston to Washington, D.C., a day before Trumps rally near the White House on Jan. 6. Jenkins believed baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from Trump and envisioned that a medieval melee style battle would erupt at the Capitol, prosecutors said.

The defense lawyer said Jenkins endured a tumultuous, abusive upbringing to became a pillar in his community. When he was 20, Jenkins shot and killed his stepfather in self-defense after the man pointed a shotgun at him and made death threats, according to Boyle, who said Jenkins wasnt charged in the 1997 killing.

Prosecutors acknowledged that Jenkins wasnt prosecuted for his stepfathers killing, but they said his extensive criminal record before Jan. 6 included assault convictions and shows he has a penchant for violence.
By JOSEF FEDERMAN and ISSAM ADWAN, The Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP)  The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea, catching the country off guard on a major holiday.

Several hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country. Israels national rescue service said at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

The Soroka Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba said it was treating at least 280 casualties, with 60 in serious condition.

Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)AP

Israeli firefighters extinguish fire after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a parking lot in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)AP

There was no official comment on casualties in Gaza, but Associated Press reporters witnessed the funerals of 15 people who were killed and saw another eight bodies arrive at a hospital. It was not immediately clear if they were fighters or civilians.

Social media was replete with videos of Hamas fighters parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets and at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting God is greatest.

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

There were reports of many more casualties on both sides, but authorities did not immediately release details. Israeli media reported that dozens of people were hospitalized in southern Israel. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported injuries among many citizens without giving numbers and loudspeakers on mosques broadcast prayers of mourning for killed militants.

Rockets are fired toward Israel from Gaza, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)AP

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.

Israeli TV broadcast footage of explosions tearing through the Gaza-Israel border fence, followed by what appeared to be Palestinian gunmen riding into Israel on motorcycles. Gunmen also reportedly entered on pickup trucks.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Hamas to launch the attacks, which would have likely required months of planning.
By Jonathan D. Salant, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette(TNS)

WASHINGTON  Indicted U.S. Sen. Robert Menendezs worst nightmare in Congress is a fellow Democrat from a neighboring state: John Fetterman.

The freshman Pennsylvania Democrat was the first senator in either party to call for Menendez, who represents New Jersey, to resign after his indictment last month.

And he hasnt stopped. Since then, Fetterman:

Likened Menendez to Tony Soprano , the fictional New Jersey mob boss.

Refused to attend a Senate Democratic caucus meeting to hear Menendezs side of the story.

Suggested Menendez learn about former Allentown Mayor Ed Powkowski , who maintained his innocence after being convicted of trading city contracts for campaign donations.

Its on brand for his style of politics, Democratic political consultant Modia Mo Butler said.

Fetterman, the hoodie-and-shorts-wearing senator whose sartorial style caused a furor on Capitol Hill last month, hasnt minced words since returning to the Senate in April following treatment for depression.

He described the far-right House Freedom Caucus as losers and peckerheads during the recent fight over shutting down the government.

And he sent a case of Bud Light to House Oversight Committee chair James Comer, R-Ky., who launched impeachment hearings against President Joe Biden even as House Republicans admit there is no evidence yet of wrongdoing on his part.

Bud Light has been under fire from conservatives, including some congressional Republicans, for partnering with a transgender woman, Dylan Mulvaney, who has more than 10 million followers on TikTok.

Senator Fetterman is very uncharacteristic in size and wardrobe and any other way, said Zach Kennedy, a former Democratic operative with experience in Pennsylvania campaigns. The more off-message from the mainstream, the more on-message it is for him. ... When he uses the language that you talk about or does quirky things, for him thats good politics. Thats being authentic and continuing to play on the media attention that he gets.

In the case of Menendez, Fetterman was the first to respond to a 39-page indictment charging the New Jersey senator and his wife, Nadine, with taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes  including gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz, and cash found stuffed in envelopes  in exchange for taking steps to help business associates and the Egyptian government.

He has some very strong personal beliefs, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said of Fetterman. I think hes acting on his personal concerns.

We have an extra flashlight for our home emergencies https://t.co/pZ0kDmIcXI  John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) September 25, 2023

Just take Fettermans analysis of the case against Mr. Menendez on MSNBC.

I mean, its so black and white. I mean, its so clear, he said. The last time theres ever been a man with so much cash in their home in New Jersey was Tony Soprano. You know? I mean, its not a close call, and if you were looking for the most incriminating kinds of evidence, nobody could even come up with gold bars in a mattress.

Fettermans spokesman, Joe Calvello, has said a $5,000 donation that Menendezs leadership PAC gave the Pennsylvania senators campaign just three weeks before his victory last November would be returned  in envelopes stuffed with $100 bills.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, leave the federal courthouse in Manhattan after being charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. (John J. LaRosa | For NJ Advance, file)John J. LaRosa | For NJ Advance

When Menendez later appeared before the Senate Democratic caucus to plead his case, Fetterman made it clear he would not show up unless it was to hear the New Jersey Democrat resign.

I am not interested in hearing his explanation for gold bars stashed in a mattress, Fetterman tweeted. Were past the point of his tough talk and defiance, given the scope and scale of his alleged corruption.

Fetterman then suggested in a tweet that Menendez contact Pawlowski to see how that story ended in misplaced bravado.

Pawlowski was convicted in 2018 of trading city contracts for campaign contributions and lying to federal investigators. Prosecutors said he was trying to raise money to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Mr. Fetterman. The judge who sentenced Pawlowski to 15 years in prison said he didnt sense any remorse. no apologies, no contrition from the disgraced ex-mayor.

Menendezs New Jersey colleague, Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, also called for the resignation of his states senior senator, as did many other Senate Democrats.

But Booker cautioned against piling on. Despite the indictment, Menendez remains innocent until proven guilty, and senators should acknowledge that, he said.

READ MORE:

Pa.s Fetterman is back to wearing suits as Senate resets dress code
By Marc Levy, Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Spending in the campaign for an open Pennsylvania state Supreme Court seat is picking up, with millions of dollars flowing into the race as the sides sharpen their attacks over questions about ethics and abortion rights.

The race between Democrat Dan McCaffery and Republican Carolyn Carluccio wont change the partisan balance on the seven-seat high court, but it could narrow the Democratic majority to a one-vote margin, 4-3, should Carluccio win.

Total reported spending has passed $4.5 million, with millions more likely before the Nov. 7 election. Much of the campaign cash is from trial lawyers, labor unions and a billionaire who is considered one of the GOPs top national donors.

That money is underwriting attack ads.

In one flier, a pro-Carluccio group tried to tie McCaffery to a nearly decade-old email scandal that resulted in McCafferys brother, a one-time state Supreme Court justice, stepping down from the court.

Can we really trust Dan McCaffery on our court? the flier said. Its sponsored by the Commonwealth Leaders Fund, a group that is a conduit for campaign donations from Jeffrey Yass, a securities trading billionaire who spends millions to support school choice, anti-tax and anti-regulation groups.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported at the time that then-Justice Seamus McCaffery had sent two lewd emails in early 2014 to Dan McCaffery, who was then a Philadelphia judge.

Dan McCaffery responded to ask Seamus to send such messages to his personal email account, the Inquirer reported.

Carluccio, in turn, is the target of TV ads by Planned Parenthoods national political arm and a pro-McCaffery group called Pennsylvanians for Judicial Fairness that say she is a threat to abortion rights in Pennsylvania.

Carluccio, a Montgomery County judge, is endorsed by a pair of anti-abortion groups, the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation and Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania. One has said it did so after she represented herself as pro-life.

Publicly, she has avoided saying whether she supports or opposes abortion rights, and instead said she will uphold a state law that makes the procedure legal.

It has fascinated me that my opponents have made this entire race about abortion and the reality is, it has nothing to do with this race, Carluccio told a conservative radio host last week. The law is very set in Pennsylvania.

The U.S. Supreme Courts decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade and end nearly a half-century of federal abortion protections left the question to states. In Pennsylvania, the law allows an abortion up to the Roe v. Wade standard of 24 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother.

On Tuesday, her campaign began airing a TV ad in Philadelphia in which she says, The truth? I will uphold the law, including womens reproductive rights.

McCaffery, who sits on the statewide appellate Superior Court, has been blunt about his positions and warned that electing Carluccio and other Republican judges will undo the gains that Democrats have fought for, including voting, labor and abortion rights.

We cannot allow those gains to be stripped away, McCaffery told an online gathering of the Democratic Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth last week. Those are rights that we Democrats have fought for the last 60 years. Im unapologetic about it. We elect judges in Pennsylvania, the voters have a right to know what we are and what we stand for.

In recent years, Pennsylvanias Supreme Court has been pivotal in major voting rights and election-related cases, including rejecting GOP-drawn congressional districts as unconstitutionally gerrymandered and rejecting a Republican effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden in a bid to keep then-President Donald Trump in power.

Carluccio has reported spending more than $2.8 million, including contributions of good and services, with $600,000 still in the bank through Sept. 18.

Of that spending, more than $2.1 million was spent on fliers and TV ads by Commonwealth Leaders Fund.

McCaffery has reported spending about $900,000 including contributions of good and services, with $1.2 million in the bank.

Labor unions have given more than $630,000 to McCafferys campaign, while trial lawyers groups have given more than $1 million.

On top of that, Planned Parenthood and Pennsylvanians for Judicial Fairness have spent hundreds of thousands more, with more spending coming.

The ACLU said it will spend more than $1 million in the race, and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee said it will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Democrats hold a 4-2 majority on the court, which has an open seat following the death last fall of Chief Justice Max Baer, a Democrat.

READ MORE:

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By Katelyn Newberg, Las Vegas Review-Journal (TNS)

LAS VEGAS  The Las Vegas detective in charge of the renewed investigation into Tupac Shakurs murder testified that the killing is related to the fatal shooting of fellow hip-hop icon Christopher Biggie Wallace, according to court transcripts released Thursday night.

Former Metropolitan Police Department homicide detective Clifford Mogg, who took over the Tupac investigation in 2018 before he retired earlier this year, told a grand jury in early September that the two slayings have long been connected in the public eye. But Mogg testified that he investigated a theory pushed by the late Los Angeles Police Department detective Russell Poole.

Did you or did you not establish that Detective Poole was accurate in his theory of the Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur murders? a prosecutors asked Mogg.

His theory was accurate that they were related, Mogg testified.

Prosecutors did not ask Mogg about the specifics of Pooles theory, but it has been publicized that Poole believed Death Row Records CEO Marion Suge Knight planned Wallaces killing, with the help of former LAPD officer David Mack, in retaliation for Shakurs murder, Rolling Stone magazine reported in 2015.

Poole reportedly suffered a heart attack in 2015 during a meeting with Los Angeles law enforcement about a cold case.

DuaneDavis, the suspect on Shakurs killing, has long denied being involved in Wallaces killing, and Mogg testified that his denials are accurate.

So when you say they were related, youre not saying perpetrated by the same individuals? Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo questioned Mogg.

Thats correct, Mogg testified.

Davis, who goes by Keefe D or Keffe D, has been indicted on a murder charge in connection with Shakurs fatal drive-by shooting, which prosecutors allege was part of an ongoing feud between the South Side Crips and the Bloods-associated Mob Piru. Davis is accused of orchestrating Shakurs killing in retaliation for an attack on his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who was shot and killed in 1998.

Previously released transcripts of hearings show that prosecutors questioned multiple witnesses about the rivalry between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records, the East-coast label started by Sean Diddy Combs. Knight was known to hire members of Mob Piru and off-duty and retired police officers as security for Death Row. Meanwhile, Bad Boy was connected to members of the Crips and was known to use gang members as security, according to court records.

Wallace was killed in a drive-by shooting while leaving an awards show after party in Los Angeles, six months after Shakur was killed. Authorities have never charged anyone in connection with Wallaces death.

Mogg also testified that as part of his investigation he reviewed the BET documentary Death Row Records, about the investigation into Shakur and Wallaces killing, along with Davis own book and portions of a recorded interview between Davis and law enforcement that was publicized by former LAPD detective Greg Kading.

After Davis first court appearance on Wednesday, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson was asked if other law enforcement agencies have been corroborating with Las Vegas police about Wallaces killing.

Im not going to comment on anything involving that other matter, Wolfson said.

READ MORE:

Marshals look for 4 men accused of killing 2, injuring 11 in separate Harrisburg shootings

Man tied to suspected Tupac Shakur shooter arrested in Las Vegas: AP sources
Two bulldozers and a dozen workers with chainsaws and hoes were working against the clock on Friday to expand the cemetery grounds in the Ukrainian village of Hroza. The cemetery will double in size to accommodate the remains of 52 of its residents, who were killed on Thursday by a Russian missile. The tragedy is exceptionally painful because the attack killed half of the inhabitants of this village in the Kharkiv province, in the east of the country. The United Nations Human Rights Office in Ukraine believes that it was an intentional shelling and is investigating the episode as a war crime. On Friday, a day after the massacre in Hroza, Russia attacked several municipalities in the same province, including the capital, with missiles, killing two people and wounding about thirty.

Tatiana Buks cannot remember a time during the war when so much pain was concentrated in a single place, as is happening in Hroza. Buks is the director of the team of psychologists at Proliska, an NGO assisting Hroza survivors under the auspices of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). She was working on the largest massacre of civilians to date since the invasion began in April 2022, the Russian Armys shelling of the Kramatorsk train station, in which over 60 people died. But Kramatorsk is a city, and there were people from the entire Donetsk province at the station, Buks notes. [Hroza] is a town that had just over 300 inhabitants before the war, and now only a little over 100 remain.

Other residents this newspaper spoke to corroborate the fact that in a matter of seconds, Hroza was left without half of its population. Many survivors are aimlessly wandering the streets, still in a state of shock. A married couple and their two daughters sit silently on a bench in front of their house. See the house next to ours? They are all dead, the mother says between sobs. The data and testimonies EL PAIS collected in Hroza confirm that a Russian precision strike deliberately ended their lives.

After 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, a missile hit a municipal building that also served as a restaurant and cafeteria. The Kharkiv province Prosecutors Office has indicated that the weapon used was an Iskander ballistic rocket, known for its supersonic speed and huge explosive charge. At the time of the attack, a lunch was being held in that buildings dining room to commemorate serviceman Andrii Kozir, who was killed in action in the Dnipro province on March 29, 2022. According to Hroza municipality sources, Kozirs son Denis requested that his fathers remains, which were in Dnipro, be exhumed so that he could be buried in his native town. After the burial on Thursday, a meal was organized to bid farewell to the municipalitys well-known son. The Ukrainian Prosecutors Office suspects that a Russian collaborator in the area provided the coordinates of the meeting place to be attacked. Denis Kozir and the rest of his family were also killed in the attack.

A woman lays flowers at the site of Thursday's attack in Hroza, in Kharkiv province. THOMAS PETER (REUTERS)

The Russians must have believed that there were high-ranking army officers at the funeral, but there werent any. All of the dead are residents of the village, says Volodymyr Shudravii, the head of infrastructure at the Hroza municipal council. Shudravii is coordinating the repair of damaged buildings and assistance for emergency services at the site. Emergency and police teams with dogs search the area for evidence of the crime. Amid the rubble of the bombed building, crews of firefighters are carefully lifting debris to collect remains of the victims that can be used for DNA identification tests. Fingers, limbs and what look to be pieces of charred flesh lay on towels and plastic sheeting.

A precise strike

Shudravii also believes that a collaborator provided the information to the enemy. The hit was so precise, exactly in the center of the building, where they were eating. Kharkiv, like the rest of Eastern Ukraine, is one of the regions that historically has had a large part of the population with an affinity for Russian culture and identity. A military unit stationed in Hroza told EL PAIS that it is very unlikely that Russia would have obtained information on the attendance of the funeral through spy drones like the Orlan, because these do not move so far away from the combat zones; the village is located 32 kilometers (20 miles) from the Kupiansk war front. As in most of the rear villages, in Hroza soldiers are lodged in now empty houses. Another possible hypothesis is that the Russian Army mistook the funeral for a military gathering.

The grave of Andriy Kozir, the soldier for whom the funeral was held in Hrozar. Cristian Segura

The missile hit the facade of the building facing northeast, meaning that it came from the direction where Russia or Russian-occupied territories in Lugansk province are located. The fact that it was a Russian attack is demonstrable, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy emphasized on Thursday. The press has interpreted that comment as a veiled reference to the doubts that emerged over the cause of death of 16 people on September 6 in Kostiantinivka, in Donetsk province. Ukrainian authorities were quick to point out that the massacre was caused by a Russian missile, but an investigation by The New York Times concluded that the tragedy was caused by a malfunctioning Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile. Unlike the Kostiantinivka case, UN representatives in Ukraine lean toward Russian responsibility for the attack. Our thoughts are also with the people of Ukraine, who have once again borne witness to another barbaric consequence of the Russian invasion, Denise Brown, the coordinator of the UN Office in Ukraine, said in a statement.

As of Friday, 16 bodies were still unidentified and four people were missing, including two minors. The head of the municipal council of Hroza, a district of neighboring Shevchenkove, was also missing. His son, Dmitro Nechvolod, went to the scene of the massacre to retrieve what little was left of his fathers car, which had been parked in the courtyard of the building. The air raid warning sirens sounded again as Nechvolod removed what was left of his fathers old utility car. In Shevchenkove, 500 meters (310 miles) away, a Russian missile was falling.

The destruction caused by a Russian missile in downtown Kharkiv on October 6. Cristian Segura

In Kharkiv province, the day had already begun with a new attack in the center of the regional capital. Two missiles, also Iskander, according to the military authorities, killed two people, a grandmother and her 10-year-old grandson, and left about thirty wounded. Because of Kharkivs proximity to Russia  the border is 40 kilometers (25 miles) away  Russian cruise and ballistic missiles can reach their targets in a matter of minutes, giving anti-aircraft defenses little time to act. In the municipality of Vovchansk, on the provinces border with Russia, the invaders artillery left six wounded, the provinces governor said.

Kharkiv, Ukraines second city, has symbolized the countrys resistance against the invader, which tried unsuccessfully to occupy it in the early stages of the war. The Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated virtually the entire province in a surprise counteroffensive in September 2022. Towns like Hroza were under Russian control for seven months. The former occupiers returned to the village with a missile attack that left it strewn with death.

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State police on Saturday released new details about a single vehicle crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike that killed a 22-year-old Lititz man and injured a 20-year-old Lancaster County woman that morning.

The driver of the car  20-year-old Natasha Hoover, of Stevens, Pennsylvania  lost control of the car around 9:02 a.m. during steady moderate rainfall while in South Londonderry Township, about two miles west of Exit 266 for Lebanon Lancaster, state police say.

After losing control, the car struck a roadside embankment and overturned, causing the front seat passenger  Bryce Nolt, 22, of Lititz  to be ejected through the sunroof and thrown onto the road between the two westbound lanes, police say.

State police say Nolt was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, but listed that Hoover was.

The Lebanon County Coroners Office pronounced Nolt dead at the scene. Hoover was taken to Hershey Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a police report.

Mt. Gretna Community Volunteer Fire Company, Mastersonville Volunteer Fire Company and Northwest EMS assisted Pennsylvania State Police Troop L and Troop T with the crash.

The crash closed more than 20 miles of westbound Pennsylvania Turnpike lanes for multiple hours.

READ MORE:

Pa. father, mother now both charged in the death of their infant daughter

State police chase ends in Harrisburg with crash that injured three
The Republican party is becoming the party of corruption and violence. So as not to appear hypocritical, some Republican senators extended support to Sen. Bob Menendez, who has just been indicted. By doing so they might think that they provided cover for the corruption of Donald Trump and Clarence Thomas.

Might as well include George Santos. But that was not enough for them. They had to go along with Trump and tear down the FBI and DOJ. They have to know that if Trump is re-elected he will use the FBI and DOJ as his personal hit team to indict his political opponents.

Interestingly, this political cover does not extend to Hunter Biden, whose alleged crimes are far less serious. They have a right to defend Trump regarding the indictments against him, but what is dangerous is that they are not condemning his violent rhetoric, which is encouraging his supporters to kill prosecutors, judges, and witnesses.

Even Mafia bosses on trial never went that far publicly. And these same Republicans are cowardly when it comes to defending General Mark A. Milley even with his decades of service to the country, because he did his duty and refused to bow to an out of control Trump, who is now calling for his execution. And where are the Republicans condemnation of Trumps treatment of a disabled veteran?

These actions on the part of the Republicans raises the question as to what constitutes patriotism these days other than blind loyalty to an increasingly unhinged and violent Donald Trump?

George Magakis, Norristown, Pa.
PennLives Editorial Board will honor Ann Van Dyke, known throughout Pennsylvania for her decades of work fighting hate, with the 2023 Peace + Justice in PA Award.

Van Dyke will receive the honor during ceremonies that begin 11:30 a.m. Oct. 17 at Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, 326 Market St.

Mission Central and the Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project (YSRP) will receive the awards the PA Media group presents to organizations working for peace and justice in the commonwealth.

The individual award going to Van Dyke is a fitting tribute to a woman who served as an investigator and trainer with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission for 33 years. Even after she retired in 2012, Van Dyke continued her work as a passionate defender of equality and social justice in the commonwealth. Many would say her voice has only gotten louder.

Heeding Gods Call to End Gun Violence volunteer Ann Van Dyke puts up shirts with the names of local victims, lost to gun violence, outside the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity on State St. in Harrisburg, Pa., Jul. 8, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

Van Dyke has added her considerable passion and influence to address gun violence in Pennsylvania, working with Heeding Gods Call in Harrisburg to stand with victims and calling on the legislature to pass sensible gun laws to protect our communities.

Last years individuals award went to The Rev. Nathaniel Gadsden and his wife Pat Gadsden for their years of work advancing social justice, lifting the voices of people of color in the arts, and being an advocate for single mothers and families in Central Pennsylvania.

PennLive and The Patriot-News began presenting the Peace + Justice in PA awards in 2021 to inform our readers about the state of efforts to combat illegal harassment and extremism in the state. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is a partner in the forum, and its Executive Director, Chad Dion Lassiter, provides an annual report on the agencys efforts to investigate and prosecute those who violate state laws.

PHRC is charged with helping to protect vulnerable groups from discrimination and harassment, including racial and ethnic minorities, women, people with disabilities and those over 40 years old who are victims of age discrimination.

The PA Media Group is honoring people in our region who are advocates for social justice and equality.

Author and photojournalist Candacy Taylor will keynote the event and speak about the legacy of Sundown Towns that prohibited African Americans from being on the streets after dark.

PennLives Editorial Board also is honoring Mission Central for helping people facing disasters in the United States and around the globe. These past few years, theyve been busier than ever responding to famine, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires. And they expect the coming years to be even busier as the world faces in the impact of climate change.

The logo of Mission Central in Mechanicsburg. Image courtesy of a press release.

Mission Center also provides concrete help to people in our region, offering emergency health supplies, furniture, clothing, and food to those in need.

Mission Central began in 2002 under the umbrella of the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church. It now is an interfaith nonprofit that partners with more than 500 organizations and operates the Mission Central Store at 5 Pleasant View Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA.

In 2022, Mission Central says it served more than 6 million people, distributing an estimated$2.3 million in medical supplies and equipment, $700,000 in disaster relief and almost $790,000 in aid to families.

Mission Central says it also has provided more than $500,000 in aid to Ukraine. Its even distributed almost $400,000 in pet food to help animals in need.

Like Mission Central, the Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP) is doing vital work in Pennsylvania. It supports children who are accused of crimes in Pennsylvania. Many of these children come from impoverished families who are unable to afford to hire a lawyer. And many of them end up in adult jails before they are even able to have a hearing before a judge.

The organization has a special mission to support whats known as Juvenile Lifers. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Pennsylvania has the largest number of people who committed crimes while children and were sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

There are more than 500 Juvenile Lifers in our commonwealth.

YSRP works to keep children out of adult jails and prisons and work to get children transferred into the juvenile system and resentenced. But the organization doesnt stop there. It helps these children find a path back into society, providing resources for education, healthcare, housing, and employment.

The organization also provides training to families and volunteers on how to ensure children accused of crimes are treated humanely and fairly in the criminal justice system.

PennLive and The Patriot-News salute all the 2023 Peace + Justice in PA honorees. They deserve our accolades. They are working to make our commonwealth a place of peace and justice for all.

Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
By Mark S. Singel

When Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was ousted as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the armchair analysts were quick to assign blame. Most of the national news shows focused on Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and the eight-member arsonist caucus who turned against their own leader. Many correctly noted that the seeds were planted by McCarthy himself when he gave away most of the prerogatives of the Speakership in the wheeling and dealing that got him the gavel in the first place. Specifically, he agreed to a rules change that would allow a motion to vacate the office of Speaker by just one member of his conference.

Fox News attempted to pin the blame on Democrats who declined to provide any votes for the embattled Speaker. In fact, the Democrats had their own issues with McCarthy and simply didnt trust him to live up to any bargain they might strike to save him. As one Democrat said: This is his circus, and they are his clowns.

With no votes coming from the Democrats, the new Speaker must find a way to cobble together all 217 votes from his Republican colleagues. This means taming the 8 disgruntled members who have the candidates right where they want them.

The stakes are high. Government funding will expire in less than 40 days and interrupting funding for Ukraine could have dire consequences for all of Europe and democracies throughout the world  including the United States.

Beyond that, there are growing concerns about the diminishing of Americas stability. Professor Daniel Ziblatt of Harvard wrote: What precedes a democratic breakdown is political stalemate. When governments cant respond to genuine crises  it reinforces the sense among citizens that we have to resort to other means.

Thats right. Whether intentional or not the chaos circus in the Republican Party is sowing the seeds of a decline in American government, that has been the worlds shining example of progress and prosperity for 230 years. The question is whether Matt Gaetzs need for media attention outweighs his duty to his oath and his country. One of his own Republican colleagues put it this way: You can be an agent of chaos, or you can get back to work.

There may be a way out of this current mess. In our recent history, an insurgent by the name of Mark Meadows  yes, that Mark Meadows  made it clear that he was gunning for then-Speaker John Boehner (R-OH). Meadows had sufficient Tea Party votes in tow to bring down Boehner and, like Gaetz and his MAGA cronies of today, he was not focused on policy goals  just disruption.

At the time, Boehner had a friendly working relationship with Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and she made it clear that she could provide whatever votes were necessary to save his Speakership.

Boehner found his hold on his own caucus slipping away and resigned before he needed to make a deal with the opposition.

But there is hope for a similar demonstration of good faith today. It is conceivable that moderate Republicans and Democrats could carve out a coalition government. The Republicans could put forth a reasonable leader willing to cross the aisle to secure enough votes to win the gavel. In fact, if the new candidate for Speaker does not move in that direction, he will be forced to accept the terms dictated to him by the tiny minority that brought the House to its knees in the first place. Gathering some Democratic votes would put the chaos caucus in its place.

Of course, there will be some give and take associated with any such deal. The Democrats will be looking for assurances that the debt ceiling and government funding in the future would be resolved well in advance of deadlines. They would likely seek assurances that we do not walk away from our responsibilities in Ukraine.

Some have suggested that calling off the partisan circus of the Biden impeachment inquiry would be part of the deal.

As to other matters relating to controversial issues of the day like immigration reform, border security, crime, abortion, taxes, and spending priorities, we could return to the regular order of business. This would entail the House, the Senate, and the Office of the President engaging in a healthy exchange of ideas and engaging in the process that has prevailed in the legislative branch since it was established by the U.S. Constitution.

The alternative is disarray and the destruction that comes with the decline of the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

Mark S. Singel is former Lieutenant Governor and Acting Governor of Pennsylvania.
A homicide suspect in a Perry County cold case was arrested Sept. 26, and the victim was positively identified.

Pennsylvania State Police and the Perry County Coroners Office initiated an investigation into the discovery of human skeletal remains found in the area of Idle Road in Pennsylvania State Game Lands 170 in Rye Twp. in May of 2014.

The victim was examined by a forensic anthropologist and members of the Mercyhurst University Forensic Scene Recovery Team. Investigative efforts revealed the victim was a white male, between 45-70 years of age and standing approximately 511-66 tall. It was believed the victim could have been at the location at which he was discovered for approximately seven to 20 months.

The Perry County coroner authored a report ruling the victims death a homicide by a gunshot wound to the head. For nearly nine years, the victim remained unidentified.

The location of the scene, with it being down a steep mountainside in a wooded area with heavy brush and vegetation, certainly presented many challenges to investigators, said Trooper Megan Frazer, public information officer with PSP Troop H. At one point the search had to be suspended because of thunderstorms and heavy rain. The search of the area was over the course of a few days. During that time, we utilized cadets from the academies of the state police and the Pennsylvania Game Commission to assist with conducting grid searches. Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat and a team of anthropology students from Mercyhurst University responded to the scene and assisted criminal investigators with documenting and collecting physical evidence and skeletal remains. As the years progressed, the advancements in DNA and forensic genealogy greatly assisted investigators with identifying the victim.

It wasnt until October 2022 that Perry County District Attorney Lauren Eichelbergers office was awarded grant money to further attempts to identify the victim. Several items collected from the victim were forwarded to Othram Labs in Texas to complete a DNA analysis and genealogy study. In February 2023, a distant family member of the victim was identified. After several interviews and a DNA comparison, investigators were able to positively identify the victim as Michael Allen Holober. He would have been 47 years old at the time the remains were discovered.

Michael Allen Holober

After learning Mr. Holober was living in the area of Strasburg, Virginia, at the time of his disappearance, state police joined forces with detectives from the Strasburg Police Department in Virginia to further the investigation, explained Eichelberger during a Sept. 27 press conference. They determined Mr. Holober was shot and killed by an acquaintance, James Callahan, at a residence in Strasburg. Shortly after, Callahan transported and disposed of Mr. Holobers body in Perry County, where he was eventually found by a hiker in May of 2014. I am happy to announce that not only does Mr. Holober have a name, but on Sept. 26 an arrest was made in Strasburg, Virginia for his murder. I am grateful to the Pennsylvania State Police for their diligence and determination to find answers for Mr. Holober and his family. Time passes quickly when there are new cases to investigate every day, but this case is a testament to the fact that even when time passes, unsolved cases are never forgotten.

James Callahan

Due to the homicide occurring in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the investigation was turned over to Virginia authorities. According to Lt. Kenneth Tallman, station commander at PSP Troop H  Newport, the victims identity was established this past February. From the time the victim was identified until a suspect was identified was less than six months.

The remarkable thing was the victim was not from Pennsylvania, Tallman said during the press conference. Investigators had to travel out of state to conduct interviews and work with law enforcement throughout the country, including West Virginia, Virginia and as far away as Texas. I cannot say enough about how impressed I am with the incredible work done by these investigators, not only amongst themselves, but with other law enforcement agencies throughout the country to resolve this case successfully and provide the victims family with some closure.

Tallman stated that the investigation, which lasted nine years, entailed thousands of hours of labor from the PSP, lab personnel and analysts. Eichelberger added that not only was the investigation labor-intensive, but also expensive.

I know a lot of this is a matter of not only manpower but also financial assistance, Eichelberger said. Even if these capabilities were around, its difficult to find the funds to send them to the lab to get these results. Its a very expensive process, and that was why we needed to find that grant funding to do that.

Cpl. Kyle Tobin with PSP Troop H described his interaction with the victims brother.

I spoke directly with one of the family members, his brother, Tobin said. He was extremely thankful. He got a little teary-eyed on the phone and just couldnt have thanked us more. I think at one point he told me, If I could have come up there and give you guys a hug, I would have. It went a long time and he just didnt know what happened when his brother dropped off the face of the earth.
Quebec Liberal party MNA Frederic Beauchemin speaks to the media before the party caucus in St-Paulin, Que., Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023.Quebec Liberal Party interim leader Marc Tanguay has asked Quebec national assembly member Beauchemin to withdraw from the party caucus pending an inquiry into allegations of psychological harassment. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
The six Colombians detained in Ecuador for the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio were killed on Friday in an Ecuadorian prison, according to authorities. A source told EL PAIS that the prisoners were hanged. A few days ago, the United States offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the masterminds behind Villavicencios murder. The deaths of the six inmate comes just a week before Ecuadorians head to the polls to vote in the presidential election.

The six hitmen  Andres Mosquera Ortiz, Jose Neider Lopez Hitas, Adey Fernando Garcia Garcia, Camilo Romero Reyes, Jules Osmin Castano Alzate and Jhon Gregore Rodriguez  were being held in cellblock 7 of the Litoral penitentiary in Guayaquil, where some 5,700 people are incarcerated. Late Friday evening, teams from the Prosecutors Office and the Ecuadorian police gained access to the premises to remove the bodies and proceed with their identification.

The National Service of Integral Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI) reported that the victims did not present signs of torture or wounds resulting from a struggle. Although the prisoners bodies were found in cellblock 7, the prisoners had originally been assigned to cellblock 9. Five days ago, they were moved to cellblock 10, according to police sources. Since 2020, more than 400 prisoners have been killed in Ecuadors prison system, mainly due to clashes between rival criminal gangs.

More information The life and death of Ito, the hitman who assassinated a presidential candidate in Ecuador

President Guillermo Lasso, who was in New York, announced that he will return to Ecuador, where he will hold a meeting with his security cabinet. In the next few hours, I will return to Ecuador to attend to this emergency. [There will be] neither complicity nor a cover-up, the truth will be known, he tweeted in X. For his part, former president Rafael Correa wrote: If they are the hitmen who killed Villavicencio, it proves that the government was behind the crime. #LassoResponsible.

On the night of August 9, hours after the crime, the six Colombians who were killed in prison were arrested in two neighborhoods in southern Quito. Almost a month later, on September 8, six other people were arrested, and the investigation was extended for another 30 days, a period that ended on Saturday. Ecuadorian investigators believed they knew who had shot Villavicencio, but did not know who had organized the killing. The U.S. reward was intended to solve this mystery, a goal that will be more difficult due to the deaths of the hitmen.

I found out on Twitter, Diana Patricia Mosquera, the mother of Andres Mosquera Ortiz, one of those killed, said by phone. The family was worried about the prisoners safety after Ecuadorian authorities detonated a drone with explosives on the roof of the prison. Some saw this as part of a plan to silence the hitmen, who had been transferred from Quito to Guayaquil.

Ecuador is in the midst of an unprecedented security crisis. Drug cartels have infiltrated a nation that had been immune to the drug violence that plagued other countries in the region, such as Peru and Colombia. If the current pace continues, by the end of this year, Ecuador will have a crime rate of 40 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, making it among the most violent countries in the world. Violence is the main issue discussed by the two presidential candidates, Daniel Noboa and Luisa Gonzalez, who will compete for the presidency on October 15.

Villavicencios crime shook the country to its core. The politician  a journalist by profession  had denounced the infiltration of organized crime in Ecuadorian institutions. On August 9, as he was leaving a rally, he was gunned down by 18-year-old Colombian hitman, Johan David Castillo Lopez, alias Ito. According to security cameras in the vicinity, there were three other gunmen. Two of them were arrested at the scene by police and Villavicencios own supporters, who within minutes understood what had happened. Ito was shot while trying to escape and died at the scene a few minutes later. Hours later, the remaining six, all Colombians, were arrested. There was hope that they would reveal who had ordered the crime, but their voices have been silenced forever.

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President Biden is a steady hand at the wheel of American foreign policy as Israel has been attacked by Hamas.

President Biden condemned the attack in a statement:

This morning, I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel. The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My Administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

Jill and I are keeping in our prayers all of the families who have been hurt by this violence. We are heartbroken by the lives that have been tragically cut short and hope for a swift recovery for all those who have been wounded.

My team and I are tracking this situation closely, and I will remain in close touch with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Bidens statement is the difference between a sensible adult running US foreign policy, and the previous administration. There is no taking to social media to threaten, rant, rave, or self-praise for things that have not happened.

The United States has one of the most experienced foreign policy presidents in history, and he will navigate the nation through what could be a time of perilous international instability.

A year from now some in the country will be getting ready to vote early and cast their ballots by mail for the next President Of The United States.

The violence in the Middle East is another reminder of why that choice is so important.
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Fox Newss Chad Pergram fact-checked false claims that Republicans and Trump are using to blame Biden for the Hamas attack on Israel.

Trump falsely claimed in a statement that has been adopted by Republicans, These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force. Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration. We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again.

Pergram responded on Twitter (X):

2) The money was in South Korean bank ans is not taxpayer money.

This is Iranian money that even the Trump administration had agreed could be used by Iran for humanitarian reasons as long as those purchases for food and medicine were verified.  Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 7, 2023

4) So while Iran has funded Hamas, none of the money to secure the release of US prisoners has ever gone to Iran yet  Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 7, 2023

The lies that Trump and Republicans are putting forward are so far from reality that Fox News reporters are fact-checking them. The truth that Republicans dont want to talk about is that it was Trump who approved the Iranian selling of oil that netted the $6 billion. The money did not go to Iran. It is restricted for humanitarian use only and was not used to fund the attack on Israel.

It is certain that there will be more of these sorts of lies repeated by Republicans on the Sunday news shows.

House Republicans will also probably start an investigation into the $6 billion. Democrats should welcome such an investigation because it will show the world that Trump and his party are lying.
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Republicans are falsely claiming that Biden gave Iran $6 billion that funded the Hamas attack on Israel, but it was Trump who approved the $6 billion, which was not used in the Israel attack.

On September 18, 2023, CNN reported:

The money made accessible to Iran as a part of the deal are Iranian funds that have been held in restricted South Korean accounts. Sources told CNN the funds came from oil sales that were allowed and placed into accounts set up under the Trump administration.

The money is now available to the Iranian government for purchase of non-sanctionable items such as food and medicine. But it is not totally under the control of the Iranian government and will not reside in Iranian banks, according to the US.

Iran had the $6 billion in a South Korean bank, which Biden approved for humanitarian aid only, because Trump allowed Iran to sell the oil. The funding for the Hamas attack on Israel did not come from the deal that Biden made to bring American prisoners home from Iran.

Republicans are trying to twist facts to find a way to blame Biden for the attack on Israel.

However, the fact is that it was Trump who allowed the oil to be sold which netted the $6 billion. Biden attached strong humanitarian aid conditions to the funds and brought detained Americans home.

For his part, Biden said during a brief statement that the US will have Israels back and provide them with whatever they need.

Video of Biden:

Biden is not to blame for the attack on Israel. The facts dont align with the fiction Republicans are trying to sell. If Republicans want to blame somebody for the existence of the $6 billion, that person is Donald Trump.
The focus in the 1980s was to serve as a repository for books, said Mary Jo Dawson, director of the Aiken-Bamberg-Barnwell-Edgefield regional library system. Dawson said that Nancy Carson will still have its material collection but that service space would be re-organized. Read moreNancy Carson Library to get $1.12M update
Nude photos and Jolly Rancher candies played a role in a convicted kidnapper shaving 12 years off his South Carolina prison sentence after a closed-door court hearing led to his release last year.

Alberto Romero Lopez, 39, had been serving a 30-year prison term for repeatedly shooting a man and kidnapping two women during a 2006 home invasion in Aiken County, records show.

But his attorney, state lawmaker Todd Rutherford, got him sprung early from maximum-security McCormick state prison for providing authorities meaningful assistance that led to the arrest of a corrections officer, state records show. It's one of three cases in the past couple of years in which Rutherford has helped clients lop off years of prison time in exchange for helping prison officials.

The ruling by Circuit Judge Courtney Clyburn Pope in March 2022 that reduced Lopezs sentence makes no mention of what he specifically did to warrant such mercy. But court papers from the prison officers arrest indicate she was accused of providing an inmate with nude photos, candy and sunflower seeds.

The officer faced charges of misconduct and furnishing contraband. Those charges were later dismissed, court records show.

Lopez didnt stick around South Carolina after he left prison. He was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and deported to Mexico, authorities said.

The ruling cutting Lopezs prison term was among 27 sentence-reduction orders signed between January 2022 until mid-April 2023. The S.C. Department of Corrections released those orders earlier this year at the request of Gov. Henry McMaster amid a firestorm of public outrage over the early release of convicted killer Jeroid Price. Rutherford also helped broker Price's departure from prisoner some 16 years ahead of schedule.
While still in the "soft opening" phase, the newest Lowcountry state park already is attracting a steady flow of visitors.

May Forest was recently opened to the public for one of the first times since the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy sold their longtime waterfront property near the east end of James Island.

Last week, Nancylee Zimpleman and husband Jonathan were among the visitors. The Sumter couple wanted to learn about future plans for the site.

The preservation of places like this is vital for South Carolina, she said, motioning toward the trees. Not that anything is wrong with development, but we need some serene places, too.

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources acquired what's been described as a "breathtaking" 23-acre waterfront parcel off of Fort Johnson Road for $23.35 million in 2021. The May Forest Convent, built in the 1950s, is to be converted by the S.C. State Park Service into an event and hospitality space.

The grounds recently opened for visitors looking to roam the property, have a picnic or learn about the history of the Sisters of Charity who once lived there. Its stunning views include Charleston Harbor, the peninsula, Fort Sumter and the Ravenel Bridge.
Several environmental groups and a key Santee Cooper business customer are urging regulators to reject the utility's $23.4 billion plan to meet future electricity demand that includes building a natural gas-fired plant that they say will cost more than estimated.

At recent hearings before the S.C. Public Service Commission, experts representing conservation organizations and Alphabet Inc.'s Google unit said more reasonable and financially prudent options are available.

A primary point of opposition is Santee Coopers reliance on a new plant that would run on natural gas and produce as much as 1,400 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power more than 1 million homes.

The generator would replace some of the capacity that will be lost as aging coal-fired units  particularly at the Winyah Generating Station in Georgetown County  are retired before the end of the decade.

Evidence shows that this gas plant is unnecessary to maintain a reliable, affordable system after retiring the Winyah coal plant, said Kate Mixson, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center.

Maria Rumpani, a consultant for Santee Cooper customer Google, which operates a large energy-intensive data center in Berkley County, said the utility is underestimating the costs of building, operating and maintaining the new plant. She estimated the shortfall would be nearly $765 million over a projected 50-year lifespan.

Underestimated costs was a common theme among groups that reviewed Santee Coopers proposal, added Eddy Moore, energy program director at the S.C. Coastal Conservation League.

Swings in natural gas prices make the proposed plant an even riskier proposition, Moore said.

When natural gas prices fluctuate, customers will be more exposed, he said.

A rate freeze protects Santee Cooper customers from higher rates through 2024. But their bills are likely to start climbing in 2025 to pay for unbudgeted costs the power provider has incurred in recent years.
A little over a year ago, Basem Naim, a former Palestinian minister and director of Hamass international relations, told EL PAIS in Gaza, where the Islamists have been the de facto government for over five decades, that the decision to refrain from escalating war between the Israeli Armed Forces and the (pro-Iranian) Islamic Jihad militias marked a turning point in his organization. The previous year, Hamas had fought its fourth open war with Israel, following the ones in 2008-2009, 2012 and especially 2014.

Even before the May 2021 Israeli offensive, the situation in Gaza was already very bad because of the blockade, the lack of electricity, water pollution, poverty and unemployment. Now it is even worse, he said, justifying his pragmatic position. The next explosion is only a matter of time, and it is not going to happen in the distant future, he warned, as Gaza is suffering every day.

In a discreet document on its official website, on Friday afternoon Hamas commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War (it is known as the October War in the Arab world), which several Arab countries launched by surprise on the Day of Repentance, which shuts down daily life in the Jewish state. Resistance is the only way to put an end to the occupation, the message said. It was posted at the beginning of the day on the Sabbath that ended the week of Sukkot, the popular Jewish holiday of Booths or the Tabernacle. An image of Egyptian troops crossing the Suez Canal on October 6, 1973, to recapture the Sinai Peninsula, which Israel occupied seven years earlier, showed that red lines are made to be crossed.

Hamas now claims to have launched cyberattacks to sabotage Israels electronic surveillance systems, while a massive barrage of over 5,000 rockets, sent successive batches into southern and central Israel, overwhelmed the Iron Dome missile shield like a tsunami of missiles. The hail of fire from the Gaza Strip represented a smokescreen to facilitate the infiltration of elite commandos from the Ezedin al Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, into neighboring kibbutzim (collective farms) in order to capture Israeli civilian and military hostages. To this end, they broke down barriers and walls with bulldozers and entered enemy territory with motorized vehicles and paragliders.

It is the worst nightmare for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government, which was forced to release a thousand Palestinian prisoners in 2011 in exchange for the release of soldier Gilad Shalit, whom Hamas kidnapped and held for five years in Gaza. The Islamic resistance movement has crossed the red lines it had set for itself since the end of the 2014 conflict in Gaza, the longest after the war for the Jewish states independence and the deadliest since the Six-Day War, in which Israel occupied the West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights, in addition to the Sinai Peninsula, which it returned to Egypt after signing a peace agreement in 1979.

On Saturday, the head of the Ezedin al-Qasam brigades, Mohammed Deif, blamed Israel for the start of hostilities after accusing it of desecrating Islamic holy sites on the Esplanade of the Mosques (Temple Mount) in Jerusalem and mistreating thousands of Palestinian prisoners in its jails. Business as usual. The intolerable red line for the Islamists in Gaza is the threat of an imminent normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was preparing to impose the dictates of realpolitik vis-a-vis Iran, in an alliance with the greatest enemy of his main enemy. His father, the elder King Salman, had, in turn, made the creation of a Palestinian state a condition for establishing ties with the Israelis. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to tour the Middle East this month with stops in Jerusalem and Riyadh.

Hamas controls the civilian administration that governs the lives of Gazas 2.3 million inhabitants, 80% of whom survive on international aid. We have no one in Israel to negotiate a political solution with. The major parties believe that there is only a Jewish state between the [Jordan] river and the [Mediterranean] sea, leaving no room for a Palestinian state. They only offer to improve Palestinians living conditions, Basem Naim emphasized in August of last year. After 16 years in power, Hamas has become the de facto government, although the United States and the European Union continue to consider the organization a terrorist group.

Gazas Islamist leadership took a first step toward pragmatism in 2017, when it announced its acceptance of the creation of a State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 war borders (the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem), albeit without recognizing the State of Israel. Following the revision of the movements founding charter, Ismail Haniye assumed the top leadership role, abroad, and was replaced in the Gaza Strip by Yahya Sinwar, the former commander of the Ezedin al Qasam militias. The latter spent 23 years in prison in Israel and was one of the prisoners released in 2011 in exchange for the release of soldier Shalit. Considered a radical at the time of his appointment, Sinwar had taken pragmatic-minded steps to maintain the ceasefire that ended the 2014 war, through a long truce or hudna to allow for rebuilding the Gaza Strips economy. However, periodic offensives and skirmishes scuttled his good political intentions from time to time.

Misery and protests in the Gaza Strip

The misery that reigns in the Gaza Strip has sometimes led to outbreaks of social unrest and harshly repressed protests. In 2019, the Hamas-controlled security services interrogated a thousand Gazans after protests in the enclaves main cities that demanded economic improvements. Hundreds of them were arrested and dozens were severely tortured while in police custody.

Over the summer, thousands of demonstrators once again took to the streets of Gaza to demand better living conditions under the slogan we want to live. The United Nations described the territory as uninhabitable because of the impact of nearly two decades of Israeli blockade on the 2.2 million Gazans. The unemployment rate is the highest in the world; according to World Bank data, it is 46.6% (and 62.5% for those under 30). Two out of three Gazans depend on international aid for food (1.5 million people are registered as exiles with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The territorys only power plant barely meets 50% of demand, causing blackouts that last between 12 and 18 hours a day. Nearly 80% of the fresh water available in Gaza is unfit for human consumption. 80% of the population lives below the poverty line in one of the most densely populated areas on a narrow coastal strip of 365 square kilometers (slightly bigger than tiny Malta). The Gaza Strip lacks guaranteed access to the outside world.

In essence, the Islamic resistance movement Hamas is the Palestinian section of the Muslim Brotherhood, the pan-Arab organization founded a century ago in Egypt (where it triumphed at the ballot box before it was overthrown by a military coup detat in 2013). It also extends to Jordan and inspires the political Islamism installed in power in Turkey, with electoral backing, and in Qatar, in autocratic fashion. Founded during the First Intifada (1987-1991), Hamas has evolved from fundamentalist positions toward a certain realism after having governed in Gaza. After its undisputed victory in the 2006 legislative elections, Hamas forcibly displaced the government of Fatah, the nationalist party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the following year.

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It was a subtly puzzling feeling, walking past the Gibbes Museum of Art and spying that ornate, impressive feat of ironwork topped by forbidding, revolving spikes.

Omniscience, a permanent sculpture created by artist Fred Wilson, comprises fastidiously forged replicas of the towering black gates that for more than a century and a half have fronted the Miles Brewton House.

The historic double house at 27 King St., which is a National Historic Landmark, was built by the rice plantation owner of the same name. Completed in 1769, it remains in the family (who are also owners of this newspaper and who have supported the new sculpture).

As a child growing up around the corner, most of those details escaped me, but the potential of those gates did not, their yesteryear take on barbed wire certain to leave a marauder pinned and wriggling.

They so forged into my minds eye its almost hard to see them. On any peninsular block, Im met with layers upon layers of my own history. It can prompt a sudden smile when spotting a wall I climbed or a wince on a corner where I made an awkward teen joke. We live in town whose every cranny teems with myriad untold moments.

But then those centuries-old wrought iron gates caught the fresh attention of Wilson, who was willing and able to render them newly seen by all in Charleston.

In recent years, the artist connected with Angela Mack, president and CEO of the Gibbes, who credits the meeting to Nigel Redden, Spoleto Festival USAs former general director.

Redden was underway with Omar, the opera based on the autobiography of enslaved Muslim scholar Omar ibn Said, who entered this country in captivity by way of Charleston.

He then spent decades holding fast to his faith and to his identity, chronicling it all in Arabic writings that miraculously survived. In a declaration that translates to I am Omar, his words, his story somehow survived when so many stories and words have not.
COLUMBIA  University of South Carolina students may know little to nothing about the time the campus became majority Black. They may never have heard of the first Black student to enroll at the university, or of both the hope and blowback that came with such a thing in 1873.

Faculty and students at the state's flagship university are now looking to change that.

Oct. 7 marked 150 years since Henry Hayne registered for classes at the Medical University of South Carolina and became the school's first Black student, making it the first publicly funded university in the South to integrate before the 1960s.

There was hope, but with the hope also came blowback.

"This was a direct assault on the citadel of White power," said Bernard Powers, director of the Center for the Study of Slavery in Charleston.

University officials said Hayne's enrollment and many Reconstruction-era events that followed have gone overlooked.

Caley Bright, a senior at USC and president of the student National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, spoke during a panel discussion on Oct. 7 and mentioned that she'd never been taught as a freshman that the school had become majority Black by 1876, after White students and faculty withdrew in retaliation for Hayne's admission.

Bright had taught a University 101 course, where freshman learn about the history and culture of campus life, and she said the curriculum makes no mention of former Governor Wade Hampton's shutting USC's doors in 1877 in response to its mostly Black student and faculty body, before Hayne and others could graduate.

"When the university celebrated its centennial, the Reconstruction era was mentioned only in passing and only to downplay or denigrate its importance," USC's College of Education professor Christian Anderson said.
Americans celebrate Thanksgiving each November, thus kicking off a holiday season that lasts until January 1. Though many see November as the start to a festive time of year, there's even more interesting and fun facts about the eleventh month of the year. Read more5 fun facts about the month of November
 Funds will support more than 60 feeding programs throughout November Read moreDuke Energy kicks off monthlong campaign providing nearly $400,000 to help fight hunger in South Carolina this holiday season
As South Carolinians awoke Oct. 7 to news of the surprise incursion by Hamas militants into Israel, politicians across the state, far removed from the conflict, condemned the attacks which left several hundred people dead and more wounded.

Hamas fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip, in what the Associated Press called "an unprecedented surprise early morning attack" that shocked the Middle Eastern country. The wire service reported that Israel says its now at war with Hamas launching retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza.

The offensive came during the Jewish holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day marking the completion of the annual reading the Torah scroll. It was also nearly 50 years ago to the day, when Egypt and Syria launched a similar surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, aiming to take back Israeli-occupied territories.

Presidential hopeful and former Gov. Nikki Haley condemned the timing of the attack in a statement.

"Make no mistake: Hamas is a bloodthirsty terrorist organization backed by Iran and determined to kill as many innocent lives as possible. The reports out of Israel are horrific with a stunning number of dead and wounded and should be universally condemned," she said. "Israel has every right to defend its citizens from terror. We must always stand with Israel and against this Iranian regime."

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who also running for the Republican presidential nomination, said in a statement that the terrorist attack on Israel "is an assault on Western Civilization."

He criticized the Biden administration for a recent prisoner swap with Iran that gave the Hamas ally access to $6 billion of its own oil revenue that had been frozen.

"America's weakness is blood in the water for bad actors, but this is worse than that. We didnt just invite this aggression, we paid for it," he said

Quoting Psalms, the senator said, "we must pray for the peace of Jerusalem."
Sharon Jones Amphitheatre opened in North Augustas Riverside Village three years ago. Its now on the fast-track for expansion.

A nearby boat dock, first conceived of in March 2021, now has been approved by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and has a targeted opening date of Memorial Day next year.

Designs for the dock, released last July, show that an overlook onto the Savannah River has been added to the concept.

A public rest area and about 350 additional seats at the amphitheater itself are also part of the expansion.

That extra seating came about as a measure of making the best of a poor situation: the giant sycamore that had stood there for more than 80 years and that became a central part of Sharon Jones Amphitheatre was removed last spring when arborists couldnt save it from an infestation of the plant-gnawing mold phytophthora.

No site work has begun and no definite timeline for completion on all four components of the expansion has yet been set, but the city does have grant money secured and, this week, assigned a general contractor.

City Council on Oct. 2 authorized the amphitheaters original contractor, R.D. Brown Construction, to run point on the project, agreeing to an at-risk arrangement wherein the contractor eats any costs that go beyond budget.

That budget is yet to be determined. The city and R.D. Brown will in the next few weeks negotiate the budget, which then will come to City Council for approval.
BLUFFTON  Presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., appeared at the Corner Perk Brunch Cafe downtown on Oct. 6 to make his pitch for the Republican nomination.

Business in the coffee shop was brisk in the hour before the event was scheduled to start, but Heather Telinda, operations manager at the coffee shop, said that despite appearances, sales were a little off.

"I believe it's only because they've got refreshments upstairs," Telinda said. "I think they've got some Chick-fil-A up there."

A call to Scott's campaign office confirmed the campaign spent $2,250 on coffee, fruit and other food at the coffee shop. It wasn't clear if that included the bill for Chick-fil-A.

Upstairs, an estimated 300 people jammed in shoulder-to-shoulder for the chance to hear Scott. Another 100 remained outside, unable to squeeze in.

Sally O'Brien made the short trip from Hilton Head Island to help clarify which candidate will get her support.

"I'm kind of between Sen. Scott and Nikki Haley, so I wanted to hear what he had to say today," O'Brien said.

Bluffton resident Ray Morris said he liked Scott's political conservatism and has heard him speak several times before.

"He's got a conservative approach," Morris said. "He's a constitutional Republican and believes in the things I believe."

While he admires Scott, Morris added that he's voted for Donald Trump twice and hopes to have the opportunity to do so again.

Despite the wilting heat in the room, Scott received an enthusiastic welcome as he entered, noting that it took him 45 minutes just to make his way up the crowded stairway.

He began by talking about the flow of illegal immigrants across the country's southern border, while simultaneously taking a jab at President Joe Biden. Immigration was a topic he would return to frequently throughout his 20-minute spiel.

Noting the recent move by President Joe Biden to construct a wall along a portion of the border with Mexico, Scott said it should have been closed a long time ago and credited pressure from Republicans for prompting the action.
Russias 2024 budget draft clearly reflects Vladimir Putins priorities: prolong the conflict with Ukraine for at least another year and ensure social stability until the next presidential elections. But Russia faces increasingly limited options to accomplish these objectives when military expenditures are rising, revenue forecasts are based on over-optimistic oil income, and rampant government spending threatens to impoverish Russian households even more.

The imprint of the war in Ukraine can be seen everywhere in the budget, and has even affected demographic projections. Moscow acknowledged a sharp decline in birth rates, even lower than those observed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. With an economy debilitated by war and economic sanctions, the number of births has dropped this year to the same level Putin encountered when he succeeded Boris Yeltsin in 1999. Birth rates are expected to drop even more over the next three years. According to the Russian Social Fund, the projected number of births is as follows: 1.24 million in 2023; 1.17 million in 2024; 1.15 million in 2025; and 1.14 million in 2026. In the turbulent 1990s, Russias annual birth rate dropped from around two million pre-USSR dissolution to approximately 1.3 million, excluding 1999 when the effects of the 1998 ruble crisis were felt.

The country is also grappling with a draining war of attrition that started shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic caused over a million unnecessary deaths. Now, young Russians considering parenthood are being compelled to join the war, risking injury or death. In September, Russias Ministry of Labor issued 230,000 certificates for families of disabled or deceased war veterans. The Viortska newspaper reported that four months earlier, the ministry issued 23,716 such certifications. By comparison, the ministry only issued 5,777 certificates in all of 2022.

Money for a new military mobilization

Russias military budget of $106.9 billion will surpass spending on social programs like pensions and benefits ($74.2 billion). As a result, the budget allocated to war-related expenditures will increase from 3.9% to 6% of GDP, marking the highest level in the countrys recent history. However, this doesnt mean that Russia will soon have significantly more weaponry. The countrys arms industry has been operating at maximum capacity for a year now, and the new funding only reflects the current situation. The Reuters news agency reported in August that military spending had already exceeded its targeted 17.1% of the national budget in the first half of 2023, and could skyrocket to 33% by the end of the year. In 2024, military spending is projected to account for 29.5% of the national budget.

In a Russian-language report for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, analysts Alexandra Prokopenko and Pavel Luzin wrote, This record level of military spending suggests that the war is likely to persist in 2024. If it transitions to a less intense phase or even stops temporarily, Russias arms industry will focus on replenishing depleted arsenals... Moreover, the budget allows for another partial or even general mobilization, and enables the declaration of martial law if the Kremlin deems it necessary to escalate the conflict.

The Russian governments priorities are clear. We need this money to accomplish our most important immediate task  achieving victory, declared Finance Minister Anton Siluanov during budget discussions this week in the Russian Parliament. We are implementing a budget based on fairly optimistic macroeconomic forecasts, although we must be prepared for other scenarios. The Russian government estimates that its revenues will increase by over 33% next year to $346 billion, and expects one third to come from oil and gas sales despite economic sanctions that cap the price of a barrel of Russian oil at $60. But Russias budget estimates that it will earn $71.3 per barrel and over $90 if the Brent benchmark is re-established.

The artificial adjustment of the oil market is not sustainable and a price correction is expected in 2024. Our estimate is $75 a barrel, stated Swiss investment bank Julius Baer. Meanwhile, Bank of America is sticking to its $90 per barrel forecast despite other reports suggesting a potential price drop if Venezuela sanctions are lifted or Asian economies slow down.

The Kremlin developed its budget based on a 90.1-$1 exchange rate for the ruble. Analysts have serious doubts about the future strength of the Russian currency due to the significant internal demand for euros and dollars caused by capital outflows from the country. The Carnegie report calls the revenue forecast overestimated and unrealistic, and says these earnings will not materialize if oil prices were to suddenly collapse due to an economic slowdown in China or if Western countries ramp up sanctions.

Bearing the cost of war will fall on ordinary Russians as companies transfer higher operating expenses to consumers. Notably, the restaurant industry has revealed plans for an imminent 20% price hike.

Cutbacks in social programs

Russian President Vladimir Putin assured during the annual Valdai Club (a pro-government think tank) meeting that Moscow has not neglected social programs, and stated that development plans, strategic goals and social obligations will all be fulfilled. However, the 2024 budget reflects significant cuts to many social programs. Funding for relocating half a million Russians from unlivable housing will be reduced by 60% next year, and funding for new public housing and water facility renovations will be cut by 12% and 11%, respectively.

The Russian government seems committed to harnessing prisoner labor, and has a goal of increasing tax revenues from this sector by 58% next year. Prominent state-owned companies like Russian Railways and Uralvagonzavod, the countrys largest tank manufacturer, have used prisoner labor in their facilities.

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As I write it is the middle of the night in the U.S., but morning here in central Europe, where we are awakening to the shocking and barbaric attack Hamas has launched inside Israel from the Gaza strip. Some of the early videos and news accounts are horrific. This is no minor raid. Hamas is targeting civilians, clearly aiming at mass casualties. According to one TV report, Hamas has taken control of some population centers. It can be compared to 9/11.

Early reaction includes some criticism that Israeli intelligence may have missed seeing this coming, especially as this attack occurs around the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war when Israel came perilously close to losing. I think there is a more obvious motive for the timing. Hamas and Hezbollah want to derail the much-rumored normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which will marginalize Hamas and Hezbollah to some extent.

No doubt Hamas expectsand likely hopes fora strong Israeli response against them in Gaza, and I hope Netanyahu doesnt hesitate, in the world of Marsellus Wallace, to get medieval on Hamas, and Hezbollah too while they are at it. It risks a wider war with Iran. So be it. (If it were up to me, the entire civilian leadership of the Palestinian Authority would be dead by sundown.)

The most urgent question for Americans is how the Biden Administration will react. I do not hesitate go on record with the view that Biden has long been anti-Israel, and is likely a closet anti-Semite. At a minimum we should cut off all U.S. aid to Gaza; Republicans in Congress should demand this. Expect the worst from our State Department.

UPDATEAs predicted in the last sentence above, notice the difference in the statements issued by our State Department (refrain from retaliatory attacks), and the European Union (Israel has the right to defend itself). Its a rare day that the EU is tougher than the United States, but there it is.

P.S. Has anyone sent word of the matter up to a certain beach house in Delaware?

MoreNetanyahu declares Israel is at war.
PR-Inside.com: 2023-10-07 13:25:52

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The world of the advanced virtual assistants 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 advanced virtual assistants 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 advanced virtual assistants 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 advanced virtual assistants 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 Advanced Virtual Assistants market are as follows: Amazon, Baidu, Black Assistant, Google, Huawei, Microsoft, Miles Advisory Group, NTT Disruption, Prialto, Samsung, UAssist.Me , Vlingo, WoodBows, Worldwide101Guiding 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 advanced virtual assistants 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 advanced virtual assistants market.Exploring the Competitive LandscapeThe section dedicated to the competitive landscape of the advanced virtual assistants 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 advanced virtual assistants 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: Mobile, PCApplication: General Virtual Assistance, Content Writing, SEO & Digital Marketing, Social Media, Web Developer, Audio & Video EditorExploring Regional DynamicsThe section dedicated to the regional analysis of the advanced virtual assistants 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 advanced virtual assistants 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.
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The world of the lcd splicing screen 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 lcd splicing screen 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 lcd splicing screen 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 lcd splicing screen 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 LCD Splicing Screen market are as follows: BOE, BenQ-AUO Group, CITIC, LG, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Skyworth, TCL, ToshibaGuiding 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 lcd splicing screen 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 lcd splicing screen market.Exploring the Competitive LandscapeThe section dedicated to the competitive landscape of the lcd splicing screen 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 lcd splicing screen 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: 46Inches, 49Inches, 55InchesApplication: Government, Business, Monitor, ExhibitionExploring Regional DynamicsThe section dedicated to the regional analysis of the lcd splicing screen 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 lcd splicing screen 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.
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NXG Corp, 360 Talent Solutions Inc., Middleware & Identity Management (MWIDM), US IT Consulting Inc. to be consolidated under Pacer Staffing LLCPHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / October 7, 2023 / Pacer Staffing LLC, also known as Pacer Group, is a leader in IT Staffing, Services, Solutions, and Consulting, and is proud to announce a strategic move to unify all its subsidiary brands under one corporate identity. This initiative is a major step in Pacer's commitment to streamlining its operations, increasing brand recognition, and taking advantage of its varied portfolio of offerings.Pacer Group Pacer GroupIn response to the changes in the marketplace and customer preferences, Pacer Staffing has taken this step to create a unified presence that represents its core values, mission, and vision. This includes:1. Brand Integration: Pacer Staffing LLC will transition all its subsidiary brands, including 360 Talent Solutions Inc., Middleware & Identity Management Inc. (MWIDM Inc.), NXG Corp, and US IT Consulting Inc., to a single, comprehensive brand identity. This will help Pacer present a clear and consistent image to its customers. It is important to note that part of MWIDM Inc. was sold to Superbeo LLC as part of Pacer Group's strategy to support only large clients.2. Improved Customer Experience: Through this consolidation, Pacer Staffing seeks to deliver a more integrated and comprehensive customer experience. Customers will benefit from easier interactions, access to a wider range of staffing services, and a unified support system.3. Operational Efficiency: This strategic move enables Pacer to optimize its operations, eliminate redundancies, and create cost savings that can be invested in innovation and customer value.Vinny Dhillon, CEO of Pacer Staffing LLC, remarked on this major initiative, "Our decision to bring our brands under one corporate identity is an indication of our commitment to adapting and succeeding in today's business environment. By unifying our brands, we aim to establish a stronger, more consistent presence in the market while continuing to provide the exceptional staffing services, EOR/AOR, and consulting services our customers are used to." The rebranding process is being carried out with the utmost care and consideration, with a special focus on preserving the trust and loyalty of customers and stakeholders. Pacer Staffing is working closely with its teams and partners to ensure a smooth transition.About Pacer Staffing and Pacer Group: Pacer Staffing/Pacer Group is one of the largest minority-women-owned staffing firms serving Fortune 500 Clients with customized and scalable workforce solutions. With our Account Management integrated into our service delivery processes, clients are provided with transparent and robust staffing solutions regardless of the industry.Pacer currently also operates nearshore operations in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Colombia along with offshore operations in India.For more information about this brand consolidation initiative and updates on the transition, please visit Pacer's websites at http://www.pacerstaffing.com and http://www.thepacer.com Contact InformationSteve Grogan Director Marketing info@ pacerstaffing.com 215-666-0012SOURCE: Pacer Staffing LLC
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The Company announces a private placement opportunity for convertible note units for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000 USD (~$6.7M CAD).CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 7, 2023 / The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV:MYLK)(OTCQB:MYLKF)(FRA:J94) ("Planting Hope" or the "Company"), a FoodTech innovation company focused on leveraging cutting-edge ingredient, formulation, and packaging technology to develop breakthrough sustainable food and beverage solutions, is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of up to US$5,000,000 of convertible note units of the Company (the "Units") at a price per Unit of US$1,000 under US SEC Regulation D 506(c), open to accredited investors in the United States and to international investors outside of Canada.Strategic Inflection: Planting Hope's Focused Pivot to U.S. Capital MarketsIn the shadow of ongoing Canadian small-cap fundraising challenges, Planting Hope is actively redirecting its approach to driving investor awareness and broadening its investor base. Founded in Chicago, IL which continues to be its base of business operations, Planting Hope has a deep network in the United States, and its products are extensively distributed throughout US retailers and foodservice operators, including Whole Foods Markets and CAVA Mediterranean Restaurants (NYSE: CAVA). The Company is launching this US-focused Offering to engage more deeply with US-based accredited investors, and both fortify the Company's financial base and expand its market position."We believe that the capital markets are currently under-appreciating the enormous potential being built and expanded daily at Planting Hope, calling for a strategic pivot to recognize and capitalize on the breakthrough innovation of our products and their value-creation opportunities for investors ahead," states Planting Hope CEO and Co-founder Julia Stamberger."We believe that our products are exactly on-trend and exceedingly well positioned: Gen Z is actively seeking out better-for-you products that deliver on both taste and sustainability, and are voting with their food and beverage dollars; the markets where our products are scaling fastest, foodservice and grocery retail, are also the markets where growth is being accelerated by current economic conditions, where consumers are trading off sit down' restaurant dining for fast-casual concepts and holding strong to their morning coffee indulgence in the face of other budget cuts," Ms. Stamberger continues. "We have built a strong base of transactionally profitable revenue and clients, and these channels are experiencing increased demand; with the appropriate resources in place, we foresee significant opportunities to scale ahead, and our team is prepared to hit the accelerator on delivering on these enormous opportunities for profitable growth." Highlighted Strategy:Direct Engagement with U.S.-Based Accredited Investors: Intensifying communication and outreach to a broader investor base in the United States, where Planting Hope's operations are centered and its distribution is strongest, enhancing financial support and organizational growth.Emphasis on Transactional Profitability: Prioritizing immediately or short-term profitable revenue and accounts over developmental revenue, building sustainable growth and financial health.Expansive Customer Outreach: Meeting the rising demand for Planting Hope's food and beverage products through extending the Company's customer base, enhancing market presence, and ensuring a continuous influx of orders.These elements coalesce in Planting Hope's comprehensive fundraising strategy, which aims to attract new investors, secure essential funds, and broaden its customer base, scaling the Company's presence in the U.S. market and beyond.The OfferingEach Unit is comprised of one 10.0% unsecured convertible note of the Company having a face value of US$1,000 (each, a "Note") and 1,925 common share purchase warrants of the Company (each, a "Warrant").The offer and sale of the Units in the Offering will be made in the United States solely to accredited investors pursuant to the exemption from registration in Rule 506(c) of Regulation D promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act") and to certain other non-Canadian international investors, in each case in compliance with exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws.The NotesEach Note shall mature 36 months from the date of issue thereof (the "Maturity Date") and will bear interest at a rate of 10.0% per annum, payable annually in arrears commencing on March 31, 2024 ("Interest") (each such interest payment date, an "Interest Payment Date"). The Interest may be paid, at the election of the Company, either in cash or, subject to the prior approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), common shares of the Company ("Shares") at a deemed price per Share equal to the greater of: (i) the 30 trading day volume weighted average price of the Shares on the TSXV (the "30 Day VWAP") for the 30 trading day period ended five (5) trading days immediately prior to each Interest Payment Date; (ii) C$0.25; and (iii) the last closing price of the Common Shares on the TSXV immediately prior to the interest payment date (or such other minimum price prescribed by the TSXV), and using a conversion rate equal to the Bank of Canada conversion rate for US dollars to Canadian dollars on the date that is five (5) trading days immediately prior to each Interest Payment Date.Subject to the policies and approval of the TSXV, at any time prior to the Maturity Date, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to convert any part of or all of the Notes into Shares (the "Conversion Right") by issuing to the holder thereof that number of Shares as is equal to a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate principal together with all accrued and unpaid Interest thereon outstanding as of the date of conversion determined by the Company (the "Conversion Date") converted into Canadian funds using a conversion rate equal to the Bank of Canada conversion rate for US dollars to Canadian dollars on the date that is five (5) trading days immediately prior to the Conversion Date and the denominator of which is equal to the greater of: (i) the 30 Day VWAP for the 30 trading day period ended five (5) trading days immediately prior to the Conversion Date; and (ii) C$0.25. The Conversion Right may be exercised by the Company at any time by the delivery of a notice to the holder of
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The world of the smart barrier gate 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 smart barrier gate 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 smart barrier gate 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 smart barrier gate 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 Smart Barrier Gate market are as follows: AGSI, Avon Barrier, Bft Automation, Bollore Participations, FAAC, Houston System, Parking BOXX, Parking Facilities, Parklio, RAVIRAJ Technologies, Shlomo Car Lease (1987) Ltd, Smart Access Solutions, Smartpower, SystemHUB Distribution Inc.Guiding 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 smart barrier gate 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 smart barrier gate market.Exploring the Competitive LandscapeThe section dedicated to the competitive landscape of the smart barrier gate 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 smart barrier gate 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: Straight, CrankApplication: Residential, Commercial, IndustrialExploring Regional DynamicsThe section dedicated to the regional analysis of the smart barrier gate 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 smart barrier gate 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.
The race to the bottom by countries  the impact of globalisation and digitalisation on sovereign tax revenue  together these factors do account on an annual basis for about $600 billion worth of lost revenue to countries, Iyabo Masha, the director of the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs (G-24), told world leaders in her opening remarks, in New York at a 78th UN General Assembly gathering.

Ms Masha noted that there is a global consensus to address the issue and indicated that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-G-20 Inclusive Framework is a step in the right direction, but the scope does not provide enough revenue for developing countries. The G-24 is delighted that the UN has decided to get involved in the setting of global tax norms which will now put tax discussion at the centre of an inter-governmental process in which member countries have equal say on the outcome, she said.

The High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development took place at the UN Trusteeship Council Chamber following the General Assembly of Heads of Government. The event was declared open by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and brought together heads of government, leaders from international financial institutions, representatives of civil society organisations, and academics. Ms Masha had the role of moderating one of the segments of the Dialogue, titled Promoting Effective International Tax Cooperation and Mobilizing Domestic Resources. Noteworthy speakers, in the segment moderated by Ms Masha, were Jonas Stre, prime minister of Norway and Thabo Mbeki, chair, High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, and former President of South Africa, and former President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete.

Ms Masha spoke to Pearl Matibe, White House Correspondent for PREMIUM TIMES.

Heres an excerpt of the interview, edited for length and clarity:

Ms Matibe: Do you see any challenge in the implementation of Agenda 2030? We know that at the end of World War II, there were nation-states, who put together rules of how the world system works when other nation-states had not become nation-states. Do these types of issues become challenges in what needs to be done with this financing?

Ms Masha: Very, very important point you have raised and in this session that just ended, no less than four speakers raised a similar issue. With respect to tax cooperation, more specifically, its generally acknowledged that the current corporate tax architecture is not fit for purpose because it came about more than 100 years ago, and most of the agreements made at that time remain part of the international tax architecture. Secondly, with globalisation, and digitalisation, some of the existing tax laws are irrelevant since corporations can easily shift profits from one jurisdiction to the other. So yes, it is an antiquated system and it is a system that must be reformed.

Ms Matibe: And from your conversation that you had in this  well, more than an hour session in the Trusteeship Council chamber  what takeaway did you have from President Tinubu of Nigeria in his address?

Ms Masha: The organisers indicated that the President of Nigeria was not able to make it, but the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, did make an intervention from the floor. And the key takeaway from that intervention is that the country is implementing reforms to improve domestic resource mobilisation so that it can have the financial wherewithal to meet its obligations and to be able to implement its programmes.

Ms Matibe: And what role does Norway play in this conversation? Why was it important to have the set of speakers that you had this morning? What is it about their role that can lend itself to this conversation to move the needle forward?

Ms Masha: Yes, Norway is a North European country. First of all, the panel must be balanced and one of the considerations is to hear voices from different geographical regions. But if I can add, more specifically, Norway has the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, even though its population is just over five million. But even with sovereign wealth, it has a very strong and robust taxation system, and it is also a country that delivers a remarkably high level of services, health, education, and social services to its population. So, the voice of that kind of nation becomes important when you are talking about this kind of issue.

Ms Matibe: Thats interesting that you mentioned that because Norway is a small country, territory-wise, in comparison to many countries in the world, that it has been successful at having a significant amount of sovereign wealth is interesting. How about South Africa, the role of former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki?

Ms Masha: So, former President Thabo Mbeki is the head of the African Unions expert panel on illicit financial flows, whose reports estimate that African countries lose more than $50 billion every year from illicit financial flows. And that could be anything from multinationals hiding funds, to corporations using transfer prices to take money out of countries. So thats a very profound point. And what President Thabo Mbeki is advocating for is that international tax cooperation must be done within the UN system. So that is the crucial role that he is playing.

Ms Matibe: There are some critics, right? Not everybody agrees, and oftentimes, not even nation-states, who have good diplomatic relations with each other; they dont always agree. Right? Friends dont always agree. What do you say to those critics who might point a finger back at some countries in Africa, where there are illicit financial flows 

ot from external foreign entities, but from African actors?

Ms Masha: Yes, and that point did come out in my own presentation. My own position is that yes, we do have these challenges from the external tax environment, like multinationals illicit flows, digitalisation, and globalisation, but low revenue is not only due to gaps in the International Tax architecture. It could also be due to domestic factors. Tax revenue is often high when the domestic revenue mobilisation framework is relatively strong.

Ms Matibe: Dr Masha, your session lasted two hours, what would you say were the top three recommendations found to be workable?

Ms Masha: The discussion will continue beyond the UNGA, but certain threads run through the interventions from countries. First is the consensus that the United Nations Framework for Tax Reform is a step in the right direction. Secondly is a concern that because of the existence of initiatives like the OECD Framework, care should be taken not to duplicate efforts. Finally, some member states cannot meet their Agenda 2030 goals anymore, and there must be additional financial support from the multilateral system, and from developed countries. So, I will say that those are the three main takeaways. No less than 15 countries made statements on that floor in addition to the panel speakers that weve had, so thats a pretty high number.

Ms Matibe: Thank you so much for coming to talk to PREMIUM TIMES immediately after your just-ended session. To close, how far away are we in a timeline to implementation and a result coming to be?

Ms Masha: Its going to be a long process to reach an agreement on a new tax convention because the United Nations process does take a long time. So, before the end of this year, based on all the debates that have gone on during the United Nations General Assembly, there should be a report on the way forward.

Ms Matibe: Dr. Masha, do you have any closing remarks?

Ms Masha: My closing remarks are that an effective and efficient tax system is

fundamental to societal progress. I would also like to say that as much as mobilising strong and robust revenue is important, the rights of governments to tax should go hand in hand with their obligation to provide services, not just basic services but services at a very high level. And I am talking of education, access to energy, infrastructure, all of these things should reflect the tax money that people are giving up. So I very strongly encourage member countries to always have that in mind in the revenue mobilisation framework.

Ms Matibe: Thank you so much, Dr Masha, I really appreciate you, quite literally, after your meeting ended, spending some time with us at PREMIUM TIMES. It was wonderful talking to you.

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In a few hours, with 2,500 rockets and dozens of militiamen crossing a barrier hitherto considered almost impregnable, Hamas launched a surprise attack from Gaza in which armed groups killed at least 100 Israelis and kidnapped soldiers and civilians. The coordinated action is as much an unprecedented military achievement as it is psychological warfare and a deliberate message from Hamas to the Middle East at a key moment in international relations.

Israel has been calling the strategic shots for years, and its conflict with the Palestinians is buried on the list of global priorities, especially since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which has shifted the attention of foreign ministries. Meanwhile, since 2020, Israel has gained recognition from three Arab countries United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco without having to make concessions on the Palestinian issue or resolve the conflict with the creation of a Palestinian state.

That major achievement has changed the paradigm in the region and increased Palestinians sense of strategic isolation. Until that point, at least on paper, the Arab world as a bloc had made a peace agreement the condition for recognizing the Jewish state. Now, Israel is trying to gain recognition from Saudi Arabia, a major player in the region. In recent weeks, the negotiation of a pact between Washington and Riyadh that would involve recognition of the Jewish state has gained traction. We are getting closer every day, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview just three weeks ago. Shortly thereafter, Israeli ministers entered the country for the first time in an official capacity.

Hamas does not recognize Israel and has indicated in the past that Riyadh would cross a red line in doing so; for that reason, it wanted to send a message. The Lebanese Hezbollah militia, Irans ally and part of the self-proclaimed axis of resistance against the Jewish state, interpreted Saturdays attack as a clear message to the Arab and Muslim world, especially to those who are fighting for a normalization agreement.

The Saudi issue is clearly one of the main factors, Avi Melamed, an Israeli military expert, former member of the intelligence services and founder of the Inside the Middle East think tank, explained by telephone. Hamas has sent a message: whether or not there is a normalization of relations with Israel, we are the ones who define the fate of this conflict and who can lead the fight against Israel.

Despite having re-established diplomatic relations in March, Tehran and Riyadh continue to view each other with suspicion and to compete for regional hegemony. Iran also arms Islamic Jihad, one of the militias involved. That group is much smaller than the armed wing of Hamas, which is more measured in its activities and has been reducing its ties with Tehran. On Friday, in a parallel with the Yom Kippur War  a moment when Israel was surprised by its potential fragility  50 years ago, Hamas emphasized that resistance is the only way to stop Israel, a reference to armed violent struggle.

Caught by surprise

This Saturdays coordinated action caught Israeli forces completely by surprise, despite the countrys military might, electronic surveillance systems and network of on-the-ground informants. The amount of information and logistics required for Hamass attack (for example, breaching the barrier with paragliders attached to vehicles) points to months of preparation amid an escalating conflict: with over 200 Palestinians and hundres Israelis killed too, including this Saturdays casualties, 2023 is the deadliest year since the Second Intifada.

In the Middle East conflict, everything is connected, even more so in the age of social media, and the Temple Mount/Esplanade of Mosques in Jerusalem serves as the ultimate symbol. Hamas has cited aggressions on this site  the third holiest in Islam and a symbol of Palestinian identity  to justify the attack. Historically, it has been at the center of numerous clashes, and there is a sense among Palestinians that the site is at risk. In recent months, tensions have been increasing because of growing pressure from movements advocating the destruction of the mosques to build a third Jewish temple there (the holiest site in Judaism). The second temple was destroyed by the Romans two millennia ago, and the Wailing Wall is the only remnant. Videos of religious Jews visiting the site, chanting slogans, praying at its gates and trying to gain access without permission have increased in recent months.

Moreover, Saturdays unprecedented operation comes amid the discrediting of the Palestinian Authority, chaired by Mahmud Abbas, which is perceived by many Palestinians as a subsidiary of Israel. Hamas will be condemned internationally for murdering civilians and taking hostages this Saturday, but it is winning points with its own people as the true standard-bearer of the Palestinian resistance, a key word in Hamass very name.

In this regard, psychological warfare is key. After avoiding open confrontations with Israel since 2014 and getting involved more cautiously (it is aware of the price for a blockaded and impoverished population in Gaza), the images of militiamen walking with M-16s through Israeli towns, hostages humiliated on the ground and civilians fleeing in terror are just what Hamas wants: a movement divided between the supporters of a more pragmatic approach and the more irredentist ones, who won out this Saturday.

Melamed notes that, after the initial shock and sense of triumph, the key is Israels response and whether the conflict spreads to the West Bank, East Jerusalem or even southern Lebanon through Hezbollah. I see it as difficult for the [Israeli] government to be content with actions like those of the past. It may opt for something that changes its relationship with Gaza from A to Z. It is clear that some members of the government will call for the reoccupation of Gaza, from which Israel unilaterally withdrew its soldiers and settlers in 2005. Today, that decision is criticized, particularly by religious ultranationalists who, following the November elections, hold unprecedented power in the most right-wing coalition in the countrys 75-year history.

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The Nigerian government, on Saturday, announced the indefinite suspension of the N-Power scheme.

The scheme, initiated in 2016 by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari under the National Social Investment Programme, aimed at empowering the youth.

Though the programme has been touted as one of the most impactful legacies of the administration, the incumbent Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has alleged many irregularities in the scheme.

Ms Edu, while speaking during an interview on TVC News on Saturday, said the decision to suspend the scheme was a result of some identified irregularities within the scheme.

Alleged irregularities

Ms Edu noted that while some of the beneficiaries are usually not found in their place of assignments, others ought to have exited the programme since 2022 but are still on the payroll

We must go back to look into N-Power and understand what the problems are so we will basically suspend the programme for now until we are done with proper investigation into the utilisation of funds into the scheme, she said.

We want to know how many persons are basically on the programme right now, how many persons are owed, the amount they are owed.

She said the government plans to totally restructure and expand the programme.

The minister also said an investigation will be launched into how funds were expended since the beginning of the programme.

N-power Scheme

The N-Power scheme was inaugurated by Mr Buhari to reduce poverty, unemployment and social insecurity among Nigerians.

It involves the deployment of thousands of unemployed graduates to schools and other institutions to work there while the government pays them a stipend of N30,000 monthly.

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The terrorists who abducted five students of the Federal University, Dutsin Ma, Katsina State were avenging an attack on the relatives of some members of their gang by security operatives, the vice chancellor of the university, Armayau Bichi, has revealed.

Mr Bichi, during an interview with DW Hausa monitored by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday afternoon said the abductors revealed the reason for kidnapping the students during a negotiation to secure their release.

The female students were abducted on Wednesday when the terrorists invaded their off-campus residence in the Mariamoh Ajiri area of Dutsin Ma town.

Mr Bichi, however, didnt say whether the terrorists demanded a ransom for the release of the students.

Discussions are ongoing with them (terrorists). Security agencies in the state are doing their best (to rescue the students). They (terrorists) have spoken and they said it was a revenge for an attack on their (terrorists) parents in Batsari Local Government. Houses belonging to their parents were burnt down and their cattle as well as grains took away.

They wanted to avenge the attack in Batsari but another terror group leader was not in support of their actions and he stopped them so they came to Dutsin Ma to take the revenge.

But they (terrorists) have been told the truth that the people of Dutsin Ma and the students have done nothing wrong to them so they should release the abducted students. We believe that by Gods grace, theyll release them, Mr Bichi added.

He said students were warned to stop living in some areas of the town due to their vulnerability to attacks.

Our university is fenced, weve also dug trenches around the wall. When I was appointed VC, I wrote to the commander in Katsina to give us soldiers and 30 have been sent to us. We also have 30 policemen, weve also hired about 60 vigilante group members who conduct patrol at night.

Weve an area where we advised that students should live (off campus) but these ones live about two kilometres from where we asked them to live, he said.

Mr Bichi noted that the university and security agencies are working closely to ensure that the abducted students are rescued.

North-west Nigeria has been witnessing a surge in banditry activities with the abduction of students from Federal University Gusau and Federal University Dutsin Ma headlining the renewed assault.

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.

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the judgement by the Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which affirmed the election of Alex Otti as the governor of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that a three-member panel of judges headed by Justice H.T.D Gwadah, on Friday, dismissed a petition by the governorship candidate of the PDP, Okey Ahiwe, for lack of merit.

The tribunal held that the contention by Mr Ahiwe and the PDP over the qualification of Mr Otti to contest in the governorship poll in the state was a pre-election matter and that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain it.

It also ruled that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of overvoting in some parts of the state and doctoring of results from Obingwa Local Government Area of the state which was taken to Abuja for review by the Independent National Electoral Commission in March after the commission suspended the collation of results from the area.

The election court also dismissed a similar petition filed by the All Progressives Congress candidate in the election, Ikechi Emenike, for lack of merit.

You erred in your judgement

Reacting, the spokesperson of the PDP in Abia State, Abraham Amah, claimed in a statement that the party was not surprised with the ruling given that Mr Otti and his aides allegedly boasted that the court would throw out the petition of Mr Ahiwe and the PDP.

It is our firm belief that the justices erred in their judgement, Mr Amah said.

Having rejected the judgement, the Abia PDP has conferred with our team of lawyers and based on our understanding that the learned justices erred, we are appealing the judgement as a means to correct the wrongs by the election tribunal, he added.

The spokesperson thanked all PDP members and supporters for standing with the party during and after the election.

He urged them to continue to support the party, especially as they have embarked on a journey to challenge the ruling in a higher court.

As a responsible and law-abiding corporate citizen, the Abia PDP wishes to restate our democratic credentials anchored on the principles of rule of law, justice, law and order and also reaffirm our belief in the judiciary as one of the strongest pillars of democracy, the party spokesperson stated.

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President Bola Tinubu has extolled the virtue of his long-time ally, confidant, and present Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, on the occasion of his 67th birthday.

The president said he cherished Mr Alakes patriotism and unwavering dedication to service, as well as the close relationship they have shared for four decades.

President Tinubu reflected on the long journey they have embarked upon together, from the ministers days as Editor of the National Concord to his tenure as the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State during the Presidents service as the Executive Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, all the way through to their most recent and extraordinary journey into the State House.

Through it all, Dele has proven to be a partner and worthy brother, the president declares.

President Tinubu affirmed that Mr Alake possessed uncommon versatility and strength of character that leaves a lasting impression on everyone he encounters, imparting the true essence of loyalty, trust, respect, and empathy.

The president thanked the accomplished public servant for his loyalty over the years, both in times of triumph and in times of difficulty.

President Tinubu said he looks forward to many more years of great memories, successes, and continued camaraderie.

As the beloved celebrant embarks on a new chapter of service to our nation, the president joins family, friends and well-wishers at home and abroad in offering heartfelt prayers, seeking divine guidance and success for the Honourable Minister in his new assignment.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

October 6, 2023

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The Chairman, Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Diket Plang, says the upper chamber will give the expected new minimum wage bill expeditious consideration .

Mr Plang, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said the bill, when passed, would further ensure improved welfare of workers and promote industrial harmony in the country .

He assured Nigerians of the 10th National Assembly commitment toward improving the living conditions of workers and tackle the high level of poverty.

 Efforts of the federal government and the organised labour for agreeing to set in motion necessary machinery to review the current minimum wage as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed by the negotiating parties are commendable .

 The Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity under my chairmanship is prepared to give expeditious attention to the passage of a new Act once negotiation on the matter is concluded and such bill transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment, he said.

The chairman commended the federal government on the proactive actions taken to avert nationwide strike by workers on Tuesday but warned parties involved not to renege on the agreements reached .

 Nigerians and particularly members of this committee are happy that the looming industrial unrest was averted by memorandum of understanding signed by the federal government, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

However, all the parties involved , should avoid reneging on any of the agreement reached, he said .

The committee, he added, was committed to the International Labour Organisation principle of decent work and would take necessary legislative action to support efforts at improving the working conditions of Nigerians, including payment of living wage as enshrined in the decent work agenda .

(NAN)

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The police command in Kaduna State, says it has arrested 10 suspected kidnappers between September and 3 October.

The Commands Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, stated this at a news conference on Saturday in Kaduna.

He said that operatives of the command recovered three AK47 rifles; three fabricated 10 rounds revolver, 448 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm live ammunition, another cache of 15 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm live ammunition and a vehicle with registration number Ebonyi HKW 578 AA.

It is pertinent to note that we often have interface with you in an effort to showcasing our successes in the fight against robbery, banditry, kidnapping and other sundry crimes.

The accomplishments are not devoid of the assurances of our definite commitment to our statutory duty, thus we seek for a robust PolicePublic partnership in the continuous fight against criminal elements as the task of securing the communities is everybodys duty.

The Command is not unmindful of the security challenges bedeviling the state amongst which are banditry, kidnapping, robbery and farmers/herders skirmishes, among others.

However, remarkable efforts were not spared in addressing the untoward situation which culminates into the relative peace currently being experienced by the law abiding citizens in the state, he said.

According to him, the calm security atmosphere in the state is a product of strategic and tactical deployment of human and material resources as well as the purposeful synergy within the security architecture.

The suspects, he said, were being introgated and would be charged to court on completion of investigations.

The spokesman quoted the Commissioner of Police, Musa Garba, as commending officers and men of the command for their gallantry and dedication to duty.

The CP warned criminals to stay clear of the state, and reitrated commitment of the police to protect lives and property. (NAN)

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said its official who issued a statement that the commission was not interested in appealing the judgement of the Governorship Election Tribunal judgement sacking the Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf, was not authorised to do so.

The INECs head of the legal department in Kano, Suleiman Alkali, on Friday, stated that the commission had withdrawn its appeal as it had no reason to appeal the tribunal judgment.

The letter, which was addressed to the secretary of the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, partly read: I have been instructed by the Commission headquarters that INEC as an umpire have no reason to appeal any judgment.

Consequently, the National Commission in charge of Legal Services and National Commissioner in charge of Kano zone directed that the appeal be withdrawn and all processes for all appeals should be forwarded to the Kano Office, the letter said.

Reaction

But in a swift response late Saturday, the INECs National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the letter by Mr Alkali was not authorised and the officer has been reprimanded.

The attention of the Commission has been drawn to media reports based on a letter written by the Legal Officer of our Kano State office indicating that the Commission had withdrawn from the appeal process in the ongoing Kano governorship election petition case.

We wish to state categorically that the letter was not authorised. It has since been withdrawn and the officer reprimanded.

The public is therefore advised to discountenance the insinuation that the Commission has withdrawn from the case or even worse abandoned the appeal.

We wish to state categorically that where litigants join INEC in a case, the Commission is under obligation to respond accordingly. We have therefore instructed our lawyers to proceed in line with the extant policy of the Commission. The policy has not changed, Mr Olumekun said.

The appeal

Mr Yusuf filed a notice of appeal challenging the judgement of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sacking him as governor.

The tribunal ruled that the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Nasiru Gawuna, was the winner of the 18 March election.

The APC sued the INEC, the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) and Governor Yusuf as the respondents.

But Mr Yusuf through his party, the NNPP in appeal no EPT/KN/GOV/01/2023 dated 2 October said he is not satisfied with the tribunal judgement.

He therefore asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement of the tribunal because the tribunal erred by delivering the judgement virtually which violates the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) among other grounds he approached the Court of Appeal with.

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The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Saturday restored Umar Mukhtari Zakari of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as winner of the February National Assembly election held for Tarauni Federal Constituency, Kano State.

A three-member panel of the appellate court in its lead judgment by Obande Ogbuinya, set aside the judgment of the National and State Houses of Assembly Tribunal in Kano which had nullified Mr Zakaris victory.

Nigerias electoral commission, INEC, had declared Mr Zakari winner of the poll held on 25 February, but Ibrahim Kawu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged the outcome.

In its verdict on Saturday, the Court of Appeal agreed with Mr Zakaris lawyer, Mahmud Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), that the tribunal was wrong in its decision.

Mr Ogbuinya said the tribunal was wrong to have concluded that Mr Zakari forged his academic credential when the petitioner, Mr Kawu, failed to substantiate his claim.

In the petition, Mr Kawu had alleged that Mr Zakari forged the Housawa Special Primary School certificate which he presented to the INEC on the grounds that the name on it was simply Muktar Umar.

The appellate court said Mr Kawu and his party, APC, failed to prove that Mr Zakari was not the same person who attended the school and was awarded the certificate.

The Court of Appeal is the last arbiter in parliamentary elections in Nigeria.

With its decision affirming Mr Zakaris election on Saturday, the dispute over the Tarauni Federal Constituency poll last February has been laid to rest.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the tribunal in August voided Mr Zakaris election despite scoring the highest number of valid votes at the polls.

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The European Union (EU) has reassured of its relentless support for the development policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu, saying it will continue to identify more areas of collaboration.

The assurance was given by Rita Laranjinha, managing director of European Unions External Action Service, on Friday.

Ms Laranjinha was at the Presidential Villa to brief Vice President Kashim Shettima on the forthcoming Ministerial Dialogue holding on 19 October.

The VP, while welcoming her and her team, reiterated Nigerias resolve to remain open to interventions that work, adding that mutual and beneficial partnerships remained the utmost in President Tinubus foreign policy directive.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration a breath of fresh air, observing that despite its current share of challenges, the nation, like a phoenix, will rise from the ashes of despair and soar.

Support us and we will, in turn, support not just West Africa but the entire African continent as a result of our Domino effect. We are really out to reposition this country. God has blessed this nation. We have not utilised half of our arable and fertile land, much more our bountiful human resources.

We are ready to partner with the EU in the execution of mutually beneficial projects and programmes to the benefit of Nigerians, the VP stated.

Mr Shettima who expressed concerns about migration issues called on the EU to join hands with the Tinubu administration in creating jobs in the digital world, more so that the EU agenda perfectly blends with the eight-point agenda of the Tinubu administration.

Speaking earlier, Ms Laranjinha who led the EU delegation, said she was in the country ahead of the Ministerial Dialogue with Nigerian officials.

This Ministerial Dialogue will be chaired by the Vice President of the EU Mission. He will be here to hold meetings with members of the Nigerian government to take stock of the relations between the EU and Nigeria in different areas and to prepare the way forward in this relationship.

Today, it was very clear that there is a lot of common interest in the relationship but there is still a lot that we can still do. Nigeria matters in the region, continent and the world, and the EU wants to make sure that we will be a partner of choice for Nigeria, Ms Laranjinha said.

She thanked the vice president for his support, saying the EU delegation is committed to working closely with Nigeria in the different areas of trade, investments, energy, digitalisation, peace and security matters.

*Stanley Nkwocha*

*Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications*

*(Office of the Vice President)*

*6th October, 2023*

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Campbellsville University in Kentucky, United States, has denied reports circulating on X (formerly Twitter) that it had suspended admissions of students from Nigeria because of high rates of fraudulent applications.

A post on the microblogging platform claimed that two other countries  Nepal and Bangladesh  were also affected by the suspension.

However, the university in an email to PREMIUM TIMES, Thursday, refuted the report.

Campbellsville University does not deny admission based on nationality, origin, or location by policy or practice, the institutions Vice President for Enrollment Management, Jason Meriwether, said in the mail which was sent by the university spokesperson, Amber Meade.

The email from the university was in response to an inquiry from PREMIUM TIMES.

Campbellsville University has a long history of hosting students from Nigeria, Nepal, Bangladesh and more than 90 countries world-wide.

In addition to many gifted and academically talented students currently at Campbellsville, many alums are students from these countries. The university continues to strengthen its relationship with international students.

READ ALSO: Body of missing community leader found

As recently as July 2023, a delegation from Campbellsville University, led by Dr. Joseph Hopkins, university president, visited Nigeria and India to further partnerships and create opportunities for students pursuing graduate and undergraduate degrees at CU, Mr Meriwether said.

He said the university was investigating the sources of the misinformation.

The university encourages all students interested in Campbellsville University to continue applying for admission and rest assured that they are welcome at Campbellsville University, Mr Meriwether said.

Campbellsville University is a private Christian university. It was established in 1906.

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If you have ever read something about sexuality, you might know that the invention of vibrators responded to the need of Victorian doctors to cure female hysteria. Before that time, the story goes, doctors used to perform a manual massage in the genital area to calm symptoms that included dizziness, weakness or mood changes. Then, with the creation of the electric vibrator, the treatment became more effective  and easier on the arms of the long-suffering doctors. There is even a film about it, Hysteria (2011), which opens with the words This story is based on true events. Really. We must admit that the idea of doctors masturbating women in their consultation rooms and inventing the vibrator to treat them has many ingredients to succeed. Too bad it is not true.

Sex is not immune to hoaxes, and a lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth. That is what happened with the story of the invention of the vibrator. Just like fake news usually reach more people than their rebuttals, numerous articles have echoed this story, but far fewer have bothered to publish the rectification.

The book The Technology of Orgasm: Hysteria, the Vibrator, and Womens Sexual Satisfaction by Rachel P. Maines, a scientist specializing in the history of technology, was published in 2010. This is where the whole theory of the invention of vibrators to masturbate Victorian women as a medical treatment comes from. Maines justifies her theory with numerous quotes and adds the idea that the phallocentric model of sexuality made this treatment accepted because at that time it was not considered a sexual practice, as it did not involve vaginal penetration.

The book also explains that Dr. Mortimer Granville  the inventor of the vibrator  denied that he applied this form treatment on women, which the author justifies by assuring that physicians clearly had an interest in maintaining their professional dignity. We do not know if it was some inconsistency of this kind or the sheer eccentricity of the story what drove Hallie Lieberman and Eric Schatzberg, also historians, to focus their attention on this theory and conclude that there was no evidence to justify it. In 2018 they published A failure of academic quality control: The technology of orgasm, an article where they explained that, after carefully assessing the sources cited in the book, they had found no evidence that physicians ever used electromechanical vibrators to induce orgasms in female patients as a medical treatment. To this, Maines replied that her text was only a hypothesis that resonated among people, and that she was actually surprised that it had taken so long for someone to refute it. We rest our case.

In the first decades of the 20th century, domestic vibrators became popular, and some women began to use them for pleasurable purposes. IPGGutenbergUKLtd (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It is true that vibrators were invented at the end of the 19th century and had a medical use: massaging certain areas of the body to relieve various ailments such as digestive problems, flatulence and even to remove wrinkles. Just not to give women orgasms. In the first decades of the 20th century, however, domestic vibrators became popular and, in the privacy of their home, some suspect that there were women who did begin to use these types of stimulations for more pleasurable purposes. As it is done today.

The fake chastity belts of the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a time in human history that is often depicted as barbaric. Museums with torture devices from that era are examples of this. In this context, the existence of chastity belts  panty-shaped objects made of iron that the husband placed on his wife when he had to leave home for long periods of time to ensure that she was not penetrated by anyone  fits perfectly. The chastity belt would have had a double objective: on one hand, to guarantee fidelity and, on the other, to prevent possible rape. It was also placed on daughters to guarantee their virginity.

According to Jose Manuel Rodriguez Garcia, from the Department of Medieval History of the National University of Distance Education (Spain), there is not a single material piece of evidence that chastity belts existed in that period. That is to say, there is a lot of literary representation, but no historical references. In addition, the practical aspects of the contraption must be taken into account. Spending months or years with a heavy iron belt around the hips and pelvic area would have been very difficult, not to mention the wounds caused by the metal chafing the skin, which would probably cause infections at a time in which antibiotics did not exist.

And speaking about museums, you might have seen an alleged chastity belt from medieval times on display somewhere. The British Museum in London, for instance, had one that it removed after confirming that it was fake. According to Rodriguez Garcia, those chastity belts are recreations from the last two centuries. The oldest on record dates back to the first third of the 16th century. Chastity belts, like the droit du seigneur, were conceived during the Enlightenment to imbue the Middle Ages with a dark aura.

The inflatable doll that never existed

The Borghild Project is another unconfirmed story related to sex. This is the name given to an alleged Nazi project from 1941 designed to create an inflatable doll for the German soldiers during World War II. Casualties due to sexually transmitted infections, mainly syphilis, were a risk that depleted the armies of that time. This is true; you just need to see the posters that warned soldiers of the danger of seeing prostitutes, as it was a source of contagion of venereal diseases. To avoid potential casualties, and given the sexual needs of young male combatants, it made sense (according to the mentality of the time) to create an inflatable doll that soldiers could carry in their backpacks. In a moment of need, they would just take it out and inflate it. Hygienic and easy. Supposedly, this is how inflatable dolls were created.

To round off this urban legend, details of the dolls design have been provided. In true Aryan style, she was a 59 blue-eyed blonde with large lips and breasts and an articulated head, legs and arms. The project, they say, did not materialize because a bombing destroyed the factory that produced the dolls. Beyond a website that accepts their existence and a publication in the German tabloid Bild, however, numerous sources refute the veracity of the story after not finding  again  reliable historical references.

The Borghild Project is, to say the least, an interesting story. Just like the other two. Perfect for a fun evening among friends. But they are also hoaxes, not to be taken for historical truths, no matter how earnest those who spread them might seem or how much ink has been devoted to them. Dont believe everything you read.

Arola Poch is a psychologist from the University of Barcelona, has a degree in Audiovisual Communication from the UOC and is a sexologist from the Camilo Jose Cela University. She is an expert in sex education and sex education, with several books published. She is an expert in sexology and couples therapy.

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The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Angolan authorities to immediately release journalist Carlos Alberto, who was taken into custody on September 29 to serve a three-year prison sentence for criminal defamation, injurious denunciation, and violating press freedom.

A team of 15 Criminal Investigation Service officers arrested Alberto, editor of the online news outlet A Denuncia, at his home in the capital, Luanda, according to his lawyer, Almeida Lucas.

Alberto appeared in the Luanda District Court on Monday, October 2, where he was told the court issued an arrest warrant because he failed to comply with a June 23, 2022, sentence handed down by the Supreme Court in connection to his May 15, 2021, report about the allegedly illegal appropriation of land for a shopping mall by then-deputy attorney general Luis Liz.

The Supreme Court dismissed Albertos appeal against a lower court ruling and sentenced him to a suspended three-year prison term, a fine of 350 million kwanzas (US$4,240), and an apology every 10 days for 60 days, according to Lucas and CPJs review of the ruling.

Lucas said he applied for the journalists release and clarification on the decision to arrest Alberto since the journalist met his obligations by apologizing and had inquired about instructions to pay the fine, but a court date has yet to be set. Alberto remains in detention at the Viana District prison center.

Angolan authorities should immediately release journalist Carlos Alberto, who should never have been convicted and sentenced in the first place, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator, in New York. Angolas colonial-era criminal defamation and insult laws should be repealed as a matter of urgency, especially as aggrieved parties can pursue other remedies for redress that do not criminalize journalism and jail reporters for their work.

Two days before he was arrested on September 29, Alberto told CPJ that his arrest warrant was circulated on social media before authorities officially notified him or his lawyer, adding that he had written to the court in September asking about paying his fine in installments, but received no response.

They didnt reply, didnt warn me about not following the sentence, and went straight for an arrest warrant, Alberto told CPJ.

During his October 2 court appearance, Alberto told A Denuncia that his arrest at 8 p.m. on a Friday was aimed at derailing any attempt to free him before the weekend.

READ ALSO: Coalition demands release of Nigerian journalist detained in Benin

We should be notified in case the court doubts Alberto has been fulfilling his sentence well ahead of a decision of deprivation of liberty, Lucas told CPJ, adding that according to Article 53 of the penal code, an arrest should be the last resort.

Liz told CPJ via a messaging app that crimes against honor are protected by Angolas penal code, so that was the avenue to have restoration of the truth.

Alberto did irreparable damage to my reputation and had many opportunities to retract himself by apologizing, Liz told CPJ. He chose not to do so and complained about the judges instead. His arrest was a decision of the court. I did not want to see Alberto in prison. His fine will go straight for charity, but the truth needs to be out.

Manuel Alaiwa, a spokesperson for the Criminal Investigation Service, confirmed the arrest and told CPJ that the officers were enforcing an arrest warrant issued by the court.

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The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has asked the State High Court to drop Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as a defendant from his suit against the state House of Assembly over its move to impeach him.

Mr Aiyedatiwa said this in an application to amend the originating summons as Justice Akintan Osade on Friday in Akure took arguments from both parties.

The deputy governors lawyers said the amendment became necessary to bring the substantive issues in the suit before the court.

Although the defendants did not file a counter-affidavit to the application, they opposed it on points of law.

Whilst counsel to the deputy governor urged the court to rule on the application before proceeding in the case, the court ruled that it would take it with the application by the House of Assembly challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

The House of Assembly had filed a motion on notice, dated 29th September, challenging the competence of the substantive case, relying on section 188 (10) of the Constitution which it said ousts the jurisdiction of the court.

It contended that the suit was premature since the Assembly is yet to conclude the proceedings of removal, especially when there was no request before the chief judge to constitute a panel of investigators as of the time the suit was filed.

READ ALSO:

The Assembly also contended that the case constitutes an abuse of the court process because a similar suit had been filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the deputy governor.

However, Mr Aiyedatiwa, through his counsel, urged the court to dismiss the application of the Assembly because it amounted to a demurrer in law as they ought to have filed their defence and then raised all their preliminary points of law in their defence.

He also argued that the court cannot conveniently make an application for an amendment along with a preliminary objection as the objection can only be based on the substantive suit that is to be amended.

The normal procedure would be to take the objection together with the substantive suit, the deputy governor held.

He also argued that the Assembly had not placed any material before the Court to indicate compliance with the procedure for removal from office, such as evidence of personal service of the notice of allegations on him and service on all members of the Assembly.

He said the notice being circulated by the Assembly is invalid in law and also vitiated by the fact that the Assembly convened a plenary session on 20 September to discuss the notice ever before he was served.

He contended that the case in Abuja is between different parties and for different reliefs and that the Assembly had failed to supply details of the Abuja case to enable the court to make a comparison.

Mr Aiyedatiwa, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the objection as lacking in merit.

The court will rule on the applications on Tuesday.

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Three PREMIUM TIMES journalists on Friday shone at the 2023 PwC Media Excellence Awards.

Ronald Adamolekun won the overall award in the business and economy category with his story which explains the emergence of orange-fleshed potato as an alternative to wheat for baking bread.

The award-winning entry is titled Facing High Wheat Prices, Nigerian Bakers Turn to Potato Puree.

Caleb Ojewale of BusinessDay and Alfred Olufemi of The Punch won second and third places.

In the sustainability category, Abdulkareem Mojeed of PREMIUM TIMES clinched the third position for his report on Inside slaughterhouses where animal waste fuels greenhouse gas emission.

Kingsley Jeremiah of the Guardian won the sustainability category while Isaac Anyaogu took second place.

PREMIUM TIMES Oladeinde Olawoyin also emerged a finalist in the sustainability category for his report on In Bayelsa, flood-ravaged residents groan as food, petrol prices surge alongside Isaac Anyaogu of BusinessDay and Irene David-Arinze of LIDA Network.

The award

The PwC Media Excellence Awards which celebrate the best of business journalism yearly in Nigeria cut across six categories  tax and fiscal policy reporting, finance and capital markets reporting, SMEs reporting, business and economy Reporting, special investigative reporting and sustainability reporting.

Entries were received across digital media channels, online, TV, traditional broadcast, TV as well as print.

The total number of valid entries received in six categories was 230 compared to 221 in 2022 when the number of categories was four.

For the business and economy category 59 valid entries were received, 17 received for finance and capital market reporting, 47 for SMEs reporting, 34 for tax and fiscal policy reporting, 37 for sustainability reporting and 46 special investigative reporting.

PREMIUM TIMES winning entry

The story for which Mr Adamolekun was awarded detailed the emergence of orange-fleshed potato as an alternative to wheat for baking bread.

In recent years, the cost of importing wheat to Nigeria has made bread unaffordable for middle-class and poor families.

The orange-fleshed potato is cheaper and also contains Vitamin A which can revolutionise childhood nutrition. Moreover, Nigeria is the worlds third largest potato producer, so potatoes are a more economically self-sufficient option.

Combining perspectives of bakers, farm owners, industrial research, and food companies with economic, agricultural, and nutritional data, Adamolekun gives an extensive overview of this possible solution for Nigerian food security, The Pulitzer Centre said.

Other categories

In other categories, Kunle Adebajo emerged winner in the capital market category for his report  How are terrorists in Nigeria funding their violent campaigns while Caleb Ojewole won the SMEs reporting.

For the special investigative category, David Hundeyin clinched the award for his West Africa weekly aviation report while Damilola Banjo of Al Jazeera took the second position.

For his entry in the tax and fiscal policy category, Nurudeen Akewushola of the International Centre for Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) clinched the overall prize. His winning entry Maritime Bandits (Parts 1 and 2) detailed how law enforcement agencies collaborate with non-state actors to extort trailer drivers in Lagos port.

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The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it is now ready to dialogue with the federal government over a proposed referendum for the independence of Biafran State from Nigeria.

The group disclosed this in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, on Saturday, which was forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES.

We the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to reiterate once again that IPOB remains peaceful and remain open for negotiations and dialogue on peaceful exit of Biafra from Nigeria through a UN supervised referendum, Mr Powerful said.

IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria.

The group has been calling for the conduct of a referendum to allow people from the two regions to decide whether or not they want to exit from Nigeria.

Non violence

IPOB has been linked to some deadly attacks in the two regions especially on security agencies and government officials.

But Mr Powerful claimed the group has been non-violent and that Nigerias security agencies have been attacking them in the two regions  which IPOB often call, Biafra Land.

As a result of these unwarranted attacks, many IPOB members have been murdered in cold blood, some forcefully disappeared by the Nigeria Security Forces whereas some are still illegally detained in various detention facilities across Nigeria, he said.

Many IPOB members and sympathisers have had their houses and businesses burnt by the Nigeria Security Forces. IPOB has lost over 5,000 members, with properties worth over $1 billion as a result of the extreme use of force from Nigeria Security Forces, Mr Power claimed, adding that the group has not taken up arms against the country despite provocations.

The spokesperson said the group believes that it is impracticable for Biafra and Nigeria to coexist as one country given the events that occurred between 1948 and 2023.

He further claimed that the separatist group does not have any army and that its militant wing, Eastern Security Network is a vigilante arm of IPOB created to stop activities of herders and not a military arm.

IPOB is ready to meet with the Nigerian government any day they are ready for negotiations on the Biafran referendum. We believe that Biafra can be achieved without war and shedding of innocent blood of Biafrans or Nigerians.

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The Nigerian government has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid an ongoing war that has left over 300 people dead.

Nigerias foreign affairs minister, Yusuf Tuggar, in a Saturday night statement said the Nigerian government is deeply concerned about the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

Nigeria called for a ceasefire and a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how a surprise attack by Hamas on Israeli communities Saturday morning led to an all out war between both parties.

Analysts described it as the biggest attack Hamas launched on Israel in years with many killed and hostages taken. The attack included gunmen entering Israeli towns after a barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

Israel said Hamas has declared war and in response it mobilised its army and its air force launched strikes on Gaza with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising harsh retaliation.

But, the Nigerian government has urged both sides to exercise restraint and prioritise the safety of civilians.

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed and the number of injured people has exceeded 1,000 after the Israeli Air Force launched strikes on the Gaza Strip.

Over 100 Israelis are also reported to have been killed and more than 750 others injured during the attacks. Dozens of Israelis have also been abducted by Hamas militants.

Mr Tuggar, Nigerias foreign affairs minister, said both sides need to give room for humanitarian considerations.

While many world leaders have continued to take sides in the conflict, Abuja called for a peaceful resolution through dialogue.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was closely monitoring the situation in Israel and that Washingtons commitment to Israels right to defend itself remains unwavering.

He added, Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism.

Arab League chief Ahmed Gheit urged an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza and the cycle of armed confrontation between the two sides.

Israels continued implementation of violent and extremist policies is a time bomb depriving the region of any serious opportunity for stability in the foreseeable future, Mr Gheit was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks, European Commission President Ursula Leyen posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Saudi Arabias foreign affairs ministry said in a statement they closely following developments in the unprecedented situation adding, We recall our repeated warnings of the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation. Saudi Arabia also called on the international community to activate a credible peace process that would lead to a two-state solution.

The war between Israel and Palestine dates back to the end of the nineteenth century. The latest comes as tensions heightened after Israel closed its borders to Gazan workers. Israel has also continued to occupy Palestinian territory in violation of international laws and continues to expand Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.

Hamas maintained that the people had to draw a line to end the occupation and added that Israel continued to commit crimes across Palestinian land, especially on the holy site of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.

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The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has given the operators of Arise Television a final warning on the alleged violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

The Director-General of NBC, Balarabe llelah, gave the warning in a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Arise Global Limited and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja.

In the letter titled Preponderance of derogatory and incendiary remarks: Final warning, Mr Ilelah said the commission had observed with concern the preponderance of incendiary remarks allowed on Arise News.

He said the letter was to once again underscore the tremendous responsibility put on Arise TV to manage the array of guests that may feature on the station occasionally.

For the benefit of the doubt, on 5 October during the programme  The Morning Show, anchored by Reuben Abati, Rufai Useni and Ayo Mairo Ese, featured Oladotun Hassan and Dele Farotimi as guests. The programme contained unguarded incendiary remarks by Dele Farotimi against the legislature, executive, judiciary and Mr President.

Similarly, on 6 October, the programme Newsday featured Kenneth Okonkwo (Spokesperson for the Labour Party), who used derogatory remarks on air. Your attention is therefore drawn to the relevant sections of the NigeriaBroadcasting Code for compliance, please, Mr Ilelah said.

Arise TV and the law

The NBC boss explained further that section 1.10.3 says the broadcaster shall ensure that its presenter does not express their opinion in the programme as a matter of professional standard.

He said section 3.3.1 (a) stipulates that the broadcaster shall ensure that any information given in a programme, in whatever form, is accurate. He said Section 3.3.3 (c) provided that the broadcaster shall be above inherent biases, prejudices and subjective mindsets.

According to section 3.3.1(e), the Broadcaster, in this case Arise TV, shall not treat any individual or organisation unjustly and unfairly in any programme.

The NBC boss further explained that section 5.3.3(b) of the code stated that the broadcaster should, in using political materials for news and current affairs programmes, avoid hate speech, inflammatory, derogatory, and divisive remarks or allusions.

Section 5.5.6 says the broadcaster shall have a delay mechanism to guard against undesirable content.Arise TV is advised to install a delay mechanism to guard against possible undesirable contents as prescribed in Section 5.5.6 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

READ ALSO: NBC to appeal against judgement barring imposition of fine on broadcast stations

Please note that henceforth, your station shall be held liable for any infraction on your platform, and applicable sanctions shall be imposed as prescribed by Law, Mr Ilelah stressed.

The Deputy Managing Director of Arise TV, Emmanuel Efeni, did not answer or return calls seeking his comments on the allegations levelled against his station by NBC. He also did not respond to a text message sent to him.

(NAN)

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The police in Imo State, South-east Nigeria, say they have arraigned a 30-year-old notorious advance-fee fraudster for allegedly defrauding women with fake marriage proposals.

The suspect, Wisdom Mmaduka, was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Owerri, and remanded at a police facility in the state, the police said.

The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, disclosed this during a press conference at the police headquarters in Oweri on Friday.

A text of the conference was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Saturday morning.

How the suspect defrauded women

Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, said the suspect was arrested after he allegedly defrauded one of the women, identified as Judith, under the pretext of marrying her.

Judith had given the suspect the sum of N1 million, (N1,400,000) via ATM transfer after the suspect promised to marry her, according to the police.

In the course of the investigation, the accused revealed that his modus operandi is to go after wealthy unmarried ladies promising them marriage and, in the process, defraud them of their hard-earned money, Mr Okoye said.

READ ALSO:

He has a syndicate he uses as parents and in-laws that he takes these unsuspecting young ladies to in his village in Mbaise for confirmation of his intention.

On seeing these innocent women will believe he has good intentions; thus, he will steal their ATM cards, withdraw all the money in their accounts, and fade into thin air, he stated.

Amazingly, on his arrest, six ladies he has defrauded surfaced at the (police) station confirming being defrauded by this same suspect of huge sums of money with the same promise of marriage.

The police said one red highlander SUV which he allegedly stole from one of his unsuspecting victims, Rose Mgbe from Cross River State, was recovered from him.

More so, he has a duplex he allegedly built at Naze with the money he got from his fraud dealings, Mr Okoye added

Killing

Mr Okoye said the police in the state, in a separate operation, arrested a 72-year-old man for allegedly stabbing his 35-year-old brother to death in Umuoba, a community in Owerri North Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, Donald Akalonu, was said to have repeatedly stabbed the brother, Achilike, to death during a minor quarrel on 1 September.

The police spokesperson said another member of the family, Donald, reported the incident to the police.

He said the suspect was arrested following painstaking investigating efforts of police detectives at the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Homicide Department (SCIID).

The body of the deceased has since been evacuated and deposited at the morgue for preservation while the suspect will be arraigned in court upon completion of the investigation, he said.

Another Killing

Mr Okoye said, in a similar development, police have arrested a 20-year-old man, Chukwuebuka Ogugu, for allegedly shooting his 25-year-old friend, Ifeanyichukwu Ogukwe, to death in Obolo Nzerem, a community in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state.

The police spokesperson said the alleged murder was reported by a relative of the deceased Ekwutosi Ogukwe on 18 August which prompted the arrest of the suspect at the scene of the crime by detectives of the SCIID at about 6:25 p.m. of the same day.

On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he killed his friend but stated that it was not intentional, that he was servicing his late fathers single-barrel gun in preparation for usual hunting activities that faithful evening when he accidentally discharged the gun with the discharged pellets hitting his said friend that visited him on his head and chest, thus bleeding to death on the spot, the police said.

Accordingly, the body of the deceased has been evacuated and deposited at the morgue while the gun has been recovered and registered as exhibit. The suspect will be arraigned in court upon completion of the ongoing investigation by the SCIID, Mr Okoye added.

Arrest of other crime suspects

The police spokesperson said police, in separate operations, equally arrested 16 other crime suspects for various offences in the state.

The offences, according to the police, ranged from armed robbery, IPOB/ESN terrorism activities, stealing, receiving stolen properties, unlawful possession of firearms and cultism.

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The Nigerian army says pro-Biafra gunmen terrorising residents of the South-east were mainly condemned criminals that escaped from Owerri Prison Facility during the infamous jail break in Imo State.

The spokesperson of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Jonah Unuakhalu, in a statement, said the army made the discovery when troops of Operation Udo Ka II, conducted a clearance operation in the state on Friday.

Udo Ka II is a military operation in the South-east.

Mr Unuakhalu, a lieutenant colonel, said the operation was conducted on Friday along Ihioma  Ihittenansa in Orsu Local Government Area in Imo State and in Okigwe  Umulolo in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.

The army spokesperson said the operation was conducted a day after a similar operation in the area, which was a follow up to efforts to track down some suspected members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network.

These terrorists, mostly the condemned criminals that escaped from Owerri jail break, are low lives that are being used by a criminal abroad to unleash mayhem on all of us, Mr Unuakhalu said.

Armed persons, on 5 April 2021, attacked the Owerri Correctional Centre and freed a total of 1,844 prisoners, authorities had said.

There had been suspicion among residents of the South-east that some of the inmates who escaped from the Owerri facility might be responsible for the growing attacks in the region.

Arrest and destruction of IPOB shrines

Mr Unuakhalu, in the statement, said two suspected IPOB members were arrested during the clearance operations in Imo State.

The spokesperson said the operations were aimed at identifying and destroying the camps of suspected IPOB members who allegedly kill, maim and extort innocent residents of the region under the guise of being Biafra agitators.

During the simultaneous clearance operations at Umulolo, one of the troops vehicles was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). However, no causality was recorded.

Troops also came in contact with the terrorists who fled into the nearby bushes with gunshot wounds due to superior fire power. Two suspects were arrested, he said.

Two locally made guns, ammunition, one PKT machine gun barrel, one big locally made rocket propelled launcher and IED-making materials were among the items recovered from the suspects, according to the army.

Others include, three CCTV cameras, two laptops and a charger, eight mobile phones, three boots, camouflage shorts, two motorcycles and a beret.

Three shrines used by the terrorists for fortification were destroyed, he said.

Mr Unuakhalu said the troops, despite encountering the IEDs, further engaged some IPOB terrorists in Eke Ututu, Orsu Local Government Area of the state where they cleared the hoodlums.

The spokesperson said the terrorists, during the military operation, fled with gunshot wounds into forests of Lilu in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State and Mother Valley in Orsumoghu in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state.

He urged residents of the South-east region to support the military and other security agencies with timely, credible and reliable Information to end security challenges in the region.

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Two warring communities in Osun State, Ifon and Ilobu, have signed a peace agreement brokered by the state government after weeks of violence and tension.

This was disclosed in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi.

The state government also said the curfew it earlier imposed on the two communities in Orolu and Irepodun local government areas remains in place.

This statement came after seven houses were reportedly set on fire by the belligerents after Governor Ademola Adeleke had met leaders of the communities to appeal for peace.

For the past few days, violence in Ifon and Ilobu has led to killings and destruction of properties.

Earlier on Friday, Governor Adeleke announced the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on the two communities.

The spokesperson of Ilobu Development Union, Tairu Babatunde, in a statement on Friday, had said seven houses were burnt after the meeting with the governor.

Mr Babatunde blamed security personnel for not stopping the chaos from escalating to the razing of the houses.

He warned that the curfew may not stop the crisis and pleaded with the government to deploy more security agents to the two local government areas.

The 24-hour curfew is not enough if lives and property of the people are still not safe, hence, we plead with the state government to ensure that adequate personnel are deployed in the communities to restore law and order, he concluded.

READ ALSO:

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the carnage was ignited by the killing of Sodiq Alamu, a 28-year-old native of Ilobu, whose body was found at Opapa village in Ilobu.

Thereafter, the Ilobu Asake Development Union (IDU) accused people from the neighbouring Ifon of carrying out the killing.

The government reacted to the tension in the area over the incident by imposing an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on the two local government areas on September 18, 2023.

The police also assured that they were investigating the killing and urged people in the two LGAs to embrace peace.

Read below the latest statement by the commissioner, Mr Alimi.

1. The Ifon and Ilobu Communities of Orolu and Irepodun local governments respectively have agreed to sheath their swords with immediate effect following a signed Peace Agreement to stop the communal clashes.

2. That notwithstanding this cheering development, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun state in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state directs that the 24-hour Curfew earlier imposed in Orolu and Irepodun local governments housing Ifon and Ilobu communities be continued until further notice.

3. That the Peace pact agreement was arrived at during a stakeholders meeting held Friday night, between the Osun state government and the leaders of the two warring communities.

4. The Osun state government delegation to the peace agreement was led by the state Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, alongside the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye, and other top government officials.

5. That Otun Olobu, Chief Jimoh Waliyu, the Esa of Ifon, Chief Babatunde Oyetunji and the representative of the third community of Olokanla, Mr Bashiru Azeez, with two other representatives from each of the community, signed the peace agreement on behalf of their communities.

6. That Governor Ademola Adeleke commended the resolve by the warring communities in putting pen on paper to say *No To War* and *Yes To Peace* in Ifon, Ilobu and Olokanla communities.

7. That with the peace agreement reached, the 24-hour curfew should continue till a total restoration of peace, law and order in the communities, must have been seen to have returned totally.

8. That anyone or group of persons found or caught doing or saying anything contrary to the peace agreement would be prosecuted in line with the dictate of the law accordingly.

9. That strict restriction of both human and vehicular movements in the affected areas and communities subsists until otherwise directed by His Excellency, the state Governor and the Chief Security Officer of Osun state.

10. That officers of the Joint Security Task Force comprising the Nigerian Army, Police Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other security agents, as directed by His Excellency, are to remain on 24-hour surveillance of the two communities with a view to ensuring a lasting peace.

11. That as a government, the present administration will not stop at doing anything as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to protect the lives and properties of the people of Orolu and Irepodun local governments and by extension, Osun state in general.

12. The Osun state government appreciates the leadership of the Ifon and Ilobu communities as well as Olokanla for the signing of the peace agreement.

13. That, Osun state government, for the umpteenth time commiserates with the families of victims of the communal clashes, who lost their lives in the wake of the recent crisis, he concluded.

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The Mexican and United States delegations entered Mexicos National Palace, apologizing for the delay. After a lunch that lasted longer than expected, six high-ranking officials from both countries approached the dais to conclude two days of work and hold a press conference on the latest progress on the security agenda. During the meeting, they discussed a more aggressive strategy against fentanyl precursor chemicals, expediting criminal boss extraditions, increasing information exchange to stop arms trafficking, and taking decisive action against human trafficking networks. However, the topic that drew the most questions from reporters was the newly authorized funding for a border wall extension in south Texas. This turn of events cast a shadow over the meeting, prompting Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to hastily offer explanations to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and the media.

The Mexican government is absolutely opposed to any type of wall, said Mexicos Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena, reacting to the surprise announcement by the Department of Homeland Security. Barcena acknowledged the ongoing dialogue with the White House to address the migration crisis while resisting pressure from hardliners on both sides of the border. We build bridges, not walls. Were not about buoys and fences  we believe in working together, she stated elegantly. The timing of that announcement unfortunately coincided with the US visit.

Anticipating controversy, Mayorkas issued a statement 30 minutes before the press conference. From day one, this Administration has made clear that a border wall is not the answer... The construction project reported today was appropriated during the prior administration in 2019 and the law requires the government to use these funds for this purpose. President Biden conveyed the same message a few hours earlier at the White House, explaining that resources allocated to the wall during the previous administrations tenure couldnt be reappropriated for other purposes without Congressional approval. We had no choice, said Mayorkas, echoing the presidents words.

Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken; October 5, 2023; Mexico City. Jose Mendez (EFE)

The next day, Lopez Obrador provided a more detailed account of his closed-door meeting with Blinken and acknowledged the explanations offered by the White House. To prevent controversy and avoid fueling anti-Mexico rhetoric in the US, the Mexican president downplayed the announcement. Lopez Obrador said it was taken out of context, and that he was confident the new wall section would not be erected. US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar shared a similar view at an October 6 press conference: There are historic times of cooperation between Mexico and the United States with tough challenges. Thats why we must work together... Were not going to get distracted by a little piece [of wall].

According to Roberto Zepeda, an expert on North America with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the border wall announcement is a subtle message from Washington to the Lopez Obrador government. Biden has been heavily criticized for his handling of the relationship with Mexico. Its like hes saying, Hey, we really need you to do more. They say there are no coincidences in politics. They talk a good game and focus on appearances, but at the end of the day, actions always speak louder than words.

When the approval to extend the border wall was posted in the US Federal Register, Mayorkas initially struck a different tone. There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States. More than 20 laws, regulations and other legal requirements hindering the construction project were also waived. Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, says that Mayorkas, who is currently facing scrutiny amid record-high immigrant detentions, aimed to send a clear message about border control and reinforce that the border is not wide open.

Talking about a 32-kilometer (20 mile) section of wall on a border spanning over 3,000 kilometers isnt a big deal, although the timing is interesting, said Selee. The migration expert noted that the announcement of the wall project coincided with another report that the US will resume mass deportations of Venezuelans, another sign of tighter border controls. Its a sensitive issue for Biden. While these actions resonate with the average US voter on managing migration, they also provoke discontent among various Democratic Party factions.

The surprise announcement not only ambushed the high-level US delegation to Mexico, it also sparked sniping from both friends and foes. Will Joe Biden apologize to me and America for taking so long to get moving, and allowing our country to be flooded with 15 million illegal immigrants? Trump posted on his social network. Meanwhile, Biden allies like US Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) described the wall as a 14th-century solution. Several Hispanic and progressive lawmakers also expressed their disappointment with the presidents decision. No one likes it  neither the radicals nor the moderates, said Roberto Zepeda.

Calls for a more assertive approach to the migration crisis are coming from both parties. Biden is being pressured by both Republicans and Democrats, and his latest decisions seem to be driven by his low approval ratings said Selee. President Biden is perceived as weak and is under heavy pressure from Republicans, says Zepeda, so his hardening policies are understandable. Other examples of Bidens toughening stance are the inclusion of migration in the latest US-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue and the recent deployment of 800 troops to reinforce border security.

Mexico is highly aware of US political dynamics, which is why this visit was handled with great diplomatic sensitivity, said Zepeda. Hardline candidates in the US elections next year will continue to attack Lopez Obradors security policies and Bidens approach to migration and the fentanyl crisis, major issues for the US that involve Mexico. Let us not forget that everything were doing is an unprecedented effort. Nonetheless, the size of the issue must also render results of the corresponding magnitude, said Secretary Blinken at the final press conference for talks that ended on a difficult note.

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NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 23, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE: HE), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 28, 2019 and August 16, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Get Help

Hawaiian Electric investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-he/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Hawaiian Electric and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company's wildfire prevention and safety protocols and procedures were inadequate to meet the challenges for which they were ostensibly designed; (ii) 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 (iii) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

The case is Bhangal v. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., et al., No. 23-cv-04332.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
New Name, a Contract for Its Latest Innovation and an Enduring Commitment to Quality

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The group that announced its game-changing Trauma Reduction Technology here last year is returning to AUSA 2023 with the announcement of its first military contract for ballistic plates using that technology, a new name for the company and a renewed commitment to quality and customer service.



"We will meet you at Booth 2153 as Integris Composites USA, Inc.," said Andrew Bonham, president. Last month Integris became the new name for TenCate Advanced Armor. Integris is exhibiting at the Association of the United States Army 2023 Annual Meeting and Exposition, to be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., Oct. 911.



"Visitors can examine our Cratus 3650 Wave ballistic plates, which incorporate the Trauma Reduction Technology we premiered at last year's AUSA conference. This year we are demonstrating the plates and other innovative composite solutions," Bonham said.



Deep Experience

"Best of all, you can meet our team and experience their unwavering commitment to customized ballistic, blast, spall and weight solutions that stretch the boundaries of existing products and standards," said David Cordova, chief commercial officer.



"Our new name, Integris, embodies a quarter-century legacy of design, engineering and manufacturing armor for personal protection as well as land, air, and naval vehicle survivability.



"We'll continue challenging current limits with fresh approaches  such as our composite optronics housings that protect the sensors inside as well as our advanced spall-liner solutions, notable for their lightness and significant cone-angle reductions," added Cordova.



The global Integris Composites organization and Integris Composites USA, Inc. are headquartered in Tysons Corner, Va.



Contact:

David Cordova, CCO

[email protected]

+1 704 458 7796



Photo(s):

https://www.prlog.org/12987875



Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Integris Composites USA, Inc.
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 19, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Shift4 Payments, Inc. (NYSE: FOUR), if they purchased the Company's securities between November 10, 2021 and April 18, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Get Help

Shift4 investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-four/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Shift4 and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On April 19, 2023, Blue Orca Capital reported that "Shift4 [is], in reality, a roll-up of low-tech POS systems and payment processors which is substantially less profitable, generates far less cash, and is materially more levered than investors are led to believe," and that in 2022, the Company "engaged in a string of highly questionable and hyper-aggressive accounting maneuvers seemingly designed to keep the stock afloat, from cash flow manipulation to inexplicable distributor acquisitions that enabled it to capitalize a major component of COGS [cost of goods sold]."

On this news, shares of Shift4 fell $5.95 per share, or 8.68%, to close at $62.59 per share on April 19, 2023.

The case is O'Meara v. Shift4 Payments, Inc., et al., No. 23-cv-03206.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
The Loupe will host the "Pop-Up" Trunk Event at its boutique location within MartinPatrick 3, located at 212 Third Avenue North, Minneapolis MN, 55401 starting October 12th.

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Join us at The Loupe's Fernando Jorge Trunk Event on October 12th through 15th, where we will be showcasing the exquisite jewelry creations of renowned Brazilian designer Fernando Jorge.

Fernando Jorge Trunk Show at The Loupe

Fernando Jorge's designs are a testament to the laid-back attitude and effortless sensuality of his home country. Using locally sourced and hand-carved gemstones, each piece is meticulously detailed with his signature finish in fluid, delicate gold structures adorned with diamonds. The result is a collection of distinctly sculptural jewelry that exudes elegance and modernity.

Starting off the event on Thursday evening, Oct. 12th from 5pm to 7:30pm, we invite you to join us and immerse yourself in the world of Fernando Jorge at our cocktail reception in the Loupe Lounge on the 5th Floor, featuring a special appearance by Marco from 3Leche with a bespoke menu of cocktails inspired by the collection and its roots.

Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to discover and acquire one-of-a-kind pieces from Fernando Jorge's latest collection. Join us at The Loupe's Fernando Jorge Trunk Event for an unforgettable experience that blends artistry, sophistication, and the spirit of Brazil. Mark your calendars for October 12th thru 15th, and secure your place at the cocktail reception on Thursday evening. We look forward to welcoming you!

To attend, please email: [email protected]

ABOUT FERNANDO JORGE

Initially studying in Sao Paulo, Fernando gathered experience through key design roles in Brazil before moving to London for a Masters degree in Jewellery Design at Central Saint Martins. His graduation collection, presented in 2010, was received with critical acclaim and the designer subsequently established his eponymous brand in the UK.

Over the past 10 years as a brand, Fernando has released 10 collections and counting with each having their own unique storyline that cohesively sit together as a complete body of work.

Having gained an international media following, the designer is widely considered to be amongst the brightest emerging talents in the jewellery world. Jorge's dozens of notable achievements including multiple Couture Design Awards, Business of Fashion's 500 People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry and the GEM Award for "Jewellery Designer of the Year (2019).

ABOUT THE LOUPE

A literal jewel box boutique hidden inside of luxury retailer MartinPatrick3 in downtown Minneapolis, The Loupe is open daily and by appointment, offering a seasonally curated selection of fashion and fine jewelry for fashion aficionados. The Loupe is built from our founders' connection to their clients as well as to the designers they select and champion. As a purveyor of luxury, every encounter - down to the smallest detail  is managed with exquisite attention. Whether you are a collector with whom we have a long-standing relationship looking for some new fashion jewelry, or someone wanting to browse or learn and think about acquiring your first piece, we are looking forward to welcoming you into our store. Visit our exclusive shop or attend a designer jewelry event.

CONTACT

For more information, please contact [email protected]

SOURCE The Loupe
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until November 6, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against UiPath Inc. (NYSE: PATH), if they purchased the Company's shares between April 21, 2021 and March 30, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Get Help

UiPath investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-path or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

UiPath and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On March 30, 2022, the Company, a global provider of robotic process automation software, announced its financial results for the quarter and year ended January 31, 2022, disclosing disappointing earned revenues results as well as guidance for ARR (annualized renewal run-rate, an important indicator of the Company's success) and revenue that were substantially below consensus analysts' expectations, indicating that the declining growth trends adversely impacting the Company were expected to continue.

On this news, shares of UiPath fell $7.45, or more than 25%, to close at $21.59 per share on March 31, 2022.

The case is Gera v. UiPath, Inc., et al., No. 23-cv-7908.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- "Today, we come together in sorrow, grieving the tragic loss of precious lives in the wake of an indescribable ongoing tragedy. With hundreds of lives taken, more than one thousand injured, dozens kidnapped, and hundreds of rockets targeting civilians even as I write, we witness in shock and anger the unfolding of a heinous and barbaric ongoing terror attack, alongside war crimes perpetrated by Iran's proxy, Hamas, in southern Israel. This a moment of abject crisis spurred by acts of war that are at a level unseen for fifty years.

"As we grapple with the shock of this unprecedented attack, let us remember the resilience that has defined us throughout history. Our hearts are with the families of the murdered, the injured and kidnapped, and we extend our prayers and sorrow to all those affected by this heinous war waged on Israel.



"In times of darkness, we support Israel's inalienable right to self-defense and safety, while reaffirming our commitment to peace and unity among our people. We will not be defined by acts of terror, and we will stand together against those who seek to undermine the country we love and the values we hold dear.



"I call upon our community to support one another with unwavering strength and solidarity and keep vigilant wherever they are  and to not let politics and politicization divide us.

"I express my gratitude to President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and the Biden Administration, leadership of both parties in our Congress, and the majority of American Mayors and Governors on both sides of the aisle here in the United States, who have quickly joined world leaders in their immediate and steadfast support for Israel. As the President of the World Jewish Congress with long and deep relationships throughout the region, I stand ready to do whatever is needed to support Biden Administration and those of Israel's allies at this time.

"To Israel's new friends in the Middle East and our partners for peace in the Abraham Accords, I call on you to advocate for the safety of all hostages held by Hamas and to work towards their immediate release.

"May the memory of those we've lost be a blessing, and may the kidnapped and injured return home safe and swiftly. And may the IDF achieve a swift and victorious resolution to this conflict with minimal casualties."

SOURCE Ronald S. Lauder
KYODO NEWS - Oct 7, 2023 - 22:46 | All, Japan

Four elderly hikers, two men and two women, were found dead Saturday morning near a trail on Mt. Asahi in Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan, following a distress call the previous day, police said.

A rescue team was dispatched by local police after they received a call from a man in his 60s at around 12:20 p.m. on Friday saying one of the party could not move due to hypothermia. The four were spotted at three different locations and were confirmed dead where they were found.

The hikers likely lost their way somewhere along the route leading to and from the 1,896-meter peak in Nasu, located in the prefecture, the police said.

They have been identified as Seiji Noguchi, 69, Yoshiko Takeishi, 72, and Toshiko Takatsudo, 79, all from Tochigi, as well as Eiji Kimura, a 65-year-old doctor from Osaka, they said.

According to the police, shortly after the initial distress call, they received a second emergency call from another hiker reporting that several people had fallen and could not move while one person had been "pulled up" after a fall. Both callers have made a safe descend, they added.

The rescue team initially headed toward the mountain but was forced to suspend operations at sunset due to inclement weather conditions such as gusty winds, fearing a potential second accident.

The rescue team eventually resumed its search at 6 a.m. Saturday and found them between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.

There were signs that Takatsudo had fallen, the police added.

An official of a ropeway company located near the mountain said that winds at the time of the incident were "so strong that one could not have stood still. There were several climbers who descended earlier than planned."

With winds blowing at roughly 72 kilometers per hour on average, the company suspended its services around noon on Friday.

Between 8 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, the highest temperature at the site was 6.5 C, with the lowest reaching 4.5 C, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Mt. Asahi is a popular mountain for novice hikers but guides have to regularly warn about strong winds on mountain trails, where there are no trees to offer shelter.

In May, two climbers were rescued by police after they were unable to make their descent due to strong winds.

The latest accident occurred as the number of stranded mountaineers in Japan rose to 3,506 in 2022, the highest figure since 1961, according to police data, due partly to climbing trails and mountain huts reopening following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those aged 60 or over comprised over half of the total figure at 1,779, the National Police Agency said.
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Ankara, Oct 7 : The Turkish military carried out airstrikes against the Syrian Kurdish Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria for the second time after a suicidal bomb attack in Ankara over the weekend, Turkey's Defence Ministry said.

Air operations were carried out against YPG targets in the northern region of Syria, the Ministry said on Friday in a statement.

The airstrikes targeted "headquarters," shelters and warehouses, which were considered to contain "terrorists," and 15 targets were destroyed, according to the statement.

The operations came after a suicidal bomb attack in Ankara on Sunday, which targeted the entrance of the Turkish Interior Ministry building, leaving two assailants dead and two police officers wounded.

The Turkish Interior Ministry said the two attackers were identified as members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and came from Syria, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned on Wednesday that all PKK and the YPG infrastructure and energy facilities in Syria and Iraq were now "legitimate targets" for the Turkish military.

Turkey sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the PKK.

The Turkish Army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a YPG-free zone along its border within the neighbouring country.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
Beirut, Oct 7 : Three prisoners were killed and 16 others injured in a fire inside a prison in Zahle, located in the Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon, the media reported.

The fire was set by several prisoners as they were trying to escape from the prison due to dire living conditions there amid the current financial crisis, said the report on Friday.

Civil defence teams and the Red Cross staff have intervened and transferred the injured to nearby hospitals. The Army and security forces were deployed around the prison building, which hosts about 650 prisoners, to foil further escape attempts, Xinhua news agency reported.

Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi has assigned the Governor of Bekaa, Kamal Abou Jaoude, to follow up on the developments, especially in evacuating prisoners and treating the injured.

The situation in Lebanese prisons has worsened since the economic crisis in 2019, with prisoners complaining about the overcrowded space and the absence of proper meals.
Tripoli, Oct 7 : The UNHCR has said it has provided 35 tonne of humanitarian supplies for eastern Libya, which was hit by deadly floods last month.

These supplies, shipped from UNHCR's stockpile in Dubai, the UAE, were unloaded at the Benina International Airport near the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, the UN agency said on Friday in a statement.

It added that the shipment contains plastic sheets, blankets, solar lamps, kitchen sets, and other essentials, Xinhua news agency reported.

On September 10, Mediterranean storm Daniel triggered Libya's worst floods in decades, resulting in the death of thousands of people and widespread damage to the region's infrastructure.
Tehran, Oct 7 : Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said the responsibility for the recent deadly drone attack on a military academy in Syria's central province of Homs falls on "foreign supporters of terrorist groups".

He made the remarks on Friday in a message to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to extend condolences to Syria's government, Army and people over the tragic incident, in which tens of people were killed and hundreds were wounded, according to a statement published on the website of the Iranian President's office.

"No doubt, the responsibility for the tragic incident lies with the foreign supporters of terrorist groups, including the occupiers of the Syrian lands, who are preventing the exercise of national sovereignty over Syria's entire territory and effective fight against terrorism," the Iranian President added.

Raisi said that the recent "criminal act" is evidence that those opposing regional security, stability, and development persist in their "terrorist and brutal" tactics, which have afflicted the "oppressed" Syrian populace for years, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack, blamed on terrorists, took place on Thursday after a graduation ceremony of Syrian officers at the Military Academy in Homs.

The Syrian Health Ministry updated the death toll on Friday, saying 89 people were killed, including 31 women and five children, while 277 others were wounded in the deadly attack.
KYODO NEWS - Oct 7, 2023 - 05:11 | All, World

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday referred to the "possibility" of meeting face-to-face with Chinese President Xi Jinping next month in San Francisco, despite no signs of progress on narrowing differences over major diplomatic and economic issues.

"There is no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," Biden told reporters at the White House, when asked about the prospects of a bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Biden's brief statement, without further elaboration, came after he made remarks on the U.S. economy. He will chair this year's gathering of the multilateral economic forum, slated for mid-November in the major West Coast city.

Biden, who is running for re-election in 2024, has repeatedly expressed his desire to meet with Xi again in person later this year as well as his intention to properly manage the intensifying rivalry between the world's two largest economies.

Amid the election campaign next year, Biden will likely have less time to engage in diplomacy and it may also be difficult for China to arrange a summit with the United States as the race heats up and especially if the outcome is unpredictable.

"We seek to responsibly manage the competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict," Biden said in his speech to this year's U.N. General Assembly in New York last month, reiterating his administration's pursuit of "de-risking" relations rather than "decoupling" from China.

But at the same time, Biden underscored that the United States will "push back on aggression and intimidation" and defend the existing international order that has provided security and prosperity for decades worldwide.

Despite tensions over numerous issues, ranging from Taiwan and human rights to trade of semiconductors and other high-tech products, the United States and China have resumed direct contacts between senior officials in recent months.

Most recently, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong visited Washington in late September and the U.S. State Department said he had a "candid, in-depth and constructive consultation" with Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also agreed with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng to maintain open lines of communication and to hold "senior engagements in the coming weeks," when they met in New York during the U.N. assembly.

The meetings came after Biden's top national security aide Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi, a Chinese Communist Party Politburo member in charge of foreign affairs, spent 12 hours together over two days in the Mediterranean island nation of Malta to discuss key areas of confrontation between the two countries.

Wang, who doubles as foreign minister, is widely expected to visit Washington prior to the APEC summit to prepare for a potential meeting between the presidents, while officials of various government agencies from both sides are likely to increase interactions in the weeks ahead.
Los Angeles, Oct 7 : Screenwriter and producer Bryan Fuller, best known for creating shows such as 'Hannibal' and 'American Gods', faces a bunch of charges by his fellow co-worker related to sexual harassment on the set of his latest feature 'Queer For Fear'.

In addition, Fuller has also been accused of making constant and bizarrely perverted references to topics related to masturbation, engaging in casual bullying, and creating a hostile work environment.

Plaintiff Sam Wineman alleged that Fuller also repeatedly held him from behind to "crack his back," during which he would press his genitals against Wineman's buttocks as per Deadline.

The former complaint filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court states: "Defendant Bryan Fuller cultivated and maintained a hostile work environment as a result of harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation from the years 2020 to 2022."

"Mr. Fuller sexually assaulted plaintiff several times throughout the Steakhaus Production of 'Queer for Fear' for AMC defendants and their streaming service Shudder," Wineman and his Good Gustafson Aumais LLP and Atkins & Associates lawyers add in the September 28 dated complaint, which is seeking a jury trial.

A director on the project along with Fuller, Wineman is also gay and has collaborated with him before but then went on to claim that after he reported his co-worker's alleged "abuse aunlawful behaviour and comments" and "preoccupation with masturbation" to Shudder VP Nick Lazo and others, he was axed from 'Queer for Fear' in August 2021.

"AMC defendants and executive producer defendants ignored all warning signs, facilitated and permitted Mr. Fuller's unlawful conduct and ultimately ratified Mr. Fuller's behaviour and comments, the 21-page complaint declares. Defendants' final act of retaliation was reducing plaintiff's earned credits when the production aired around September 30, 2022."

While Fuller himself has made no statement, his lawyer Bryan Freedman has completely denied the charges and told Deadline: "Make no mistake, Sam Wineman will be sued for defamation based on what are 100 per cent probably false statements."

He added: "There is documented evidence which completely disproves the allegations against Bryan Fuller. Mr. Wineman created this fictitious story long after his gross incompetence necessitated his removal in an effort to extort AMC, Shudder, Steakhaus and Bryan Fuller."

"He never raised any allegation of wrongdoing prior to his removal because he knew that this was absolute garbage. Sam Wineman just made the biggest mistake of his life and once the evidence comes out, he will forever be known as a pathological liar. Rest assured; a malicious prosecution lawsuit aimed directly at him is coming soon."
Washington, Oct 7 : Just days after becoming the first ever US House Speaker to be ousted from office in the middle of his term, Republican Kevin McCarthy has denied reports that he was resigning from Congress.

Addressing reporters on Friday, the former Speaker said: "No, I am not resigning. We are going to keep the majority. I am going to help the people I got here, and we are going to expand it further."

Earlier on Friday, reports were doing the rounds saying that he was expected to step down at some point after the House Speaker's election.

Pressed on whether he has considered stepping down early, he told the reporters: "I look at it every time I have to decide whether I am going to run for reelection or not."

Amid party infighting, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a motion to oust McCarthy in an unprecedented move, days after he relied on Democratic votes to pass a "clean" stopgap funding bill to avert a federal government shutdown.

The 216-210 vote came nearly nine months after McCarthy won the position in a dramatic 15-round floor fight, marking the first time in US history that a House Speaker had been ousted from office in a no-confidence vote in the middle of a term.

Following the vote, the California Republican had announced that he will not not run for the post again.

"I will not run for speaker again. I'll have the (Republican) conference pick somebody else," Xinhua news agency quoted McCarthy as saying to reporters after a closed-door meeting with party lawmakers late Tuesday night.

"I don't regret standing up for choosing governing over grievance. It is my responsibility. It is my job. I do not regret negotiating. Our government is designed to find compromise," he said, adding: "You know it was personal... It had nothing to do with spending."

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Republican Representative Jim Jordan have both launched bids to be the next Speaker.
London, Oct 7 : The BBC, which along with other top media organisations like CNN blocked OpenAI's data scraping, has laid out three principles that will shape its approach to working with Generative AI.

In a blog post, BBC director of nations, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said GenAI provides opportunities to deliver "more value to our audiences and society".

"We believe Gen AI could provide a significant opportunity for the BBC to deepen and amplify our mission, enabling us to deliver more value to our audiences and to society," he added.

"It also has the potential to help our teams to work more effectively and efficiently across a broad range of areas including production workflows and our back-office," the BBC executive noted.

In August, several top new publications like The New York Times, CNN and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) blocked Microsoft-backed OpenAI to access their content to train its AI models.

The NYT blocked OpenAI's web crawler, meaning that the Sam Altman-run company can't use content from the publication to train its AI models.

OpenAI's web crawler called GPTBot may scan web pages to help improve its AI models.

Davies said in the blog post that Gen AI is likely to introduce new and significant risks if not harnessed properly.

"These include ethical issues, legal and copyright challenges, and significant risks around misinformation and bias. These risks are real and cannot be underestimated," he emphasised.

Among the three principles the UK's top media outlet outlined, it will explore how "we can harness Generative AI to strengthen our public mission and deliver greater value to audiences".

"We will always prioritise talent and creativity and be open and transparent," said the company.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Delhi Finance Minister Atishi on Saturday raised concerns regarding tax evasion notices totaling Rs 1.5-lakh crore that have been issued to online gaming companies.

While addressing the media, she emphasised that these notices, if enforced, could potentially spell the demise of these companies.

Atishi firmly pledged to advocate for the withdrawal of these notices during the GST Council meeting scheduled to be held later in the day.

She also underscored the importance of the online gaming sector, which is often hailed as a burgeoning industry within the startup ecosystem.

However, the Minister also expressed her deep reservations about a recent decision made by the GST Council, which imposed a hefty 28 per cent GST rate on online gaming, pushing it into the highest tax bracket.

"This sector has provided employment opportunities to over 50,000 young individuals and attracted a substantial foreign investment amounting to Rs 17,000 crore. Given these significant economic contributions," she said.

Atishi further stressed the critical need to rescind the tax evasion notices in order to safeguard the industry's future.

The Minister also pointed out that maintaining a stable and predictable tax environment is essential for attracting and retaining foreign investors in the online gaming sector.

She emphasised that any instability or unpredictability in the tax regime could dissuade foreign investments and, subsequently, have a detrimental impact on the broader startup ecosystem in the country.
Chennai, Oct 7 : A dip in water level at Mettur dam has left farmers in the Delta districts of Tamil Nadu, including those from the rice bowl of the state Thanjavur, worried.

On Friday, the water level in Mettur dam fell to 32 feet which was against its capacity of 120 feet leading to major concern for the farmers.

As a deficit South West monsoon in the catchment areas of dams and the North East monsoon is likely to hit Tamil Nadu only after October 15, the Samba farmers are worried that there won't be adequate water for agricultural activities.

Murugan K.R, a farmer from Thanjavur told IANS, "South West monsoon was a failure for Tamil Nadu and the water level in Mettur dam has fallen to 32 feet as against the capacity of 120 feet. This is an alarming situation for the farmers of the Delta districts and the state government should immediately act and try to speak to the Karnataka government for a daily release of Cauvery water."

The farmers said that if the situation in Mettur continues, there would be even shortage for drinking water in Delta districts.

Notably, people of 24 districts of Tamil Nadu depend on water from Mettur dam for irrigation and even drinking water needs. The less inflow of water to the dam will adversely affect the day to day lives of the people living in these districts in addition to the Samba paddy cultivation.
Sunak tells Trudeau he hopes to see 'de-escalation' in India-Canada tension. Image Source: IANS News

London, Oct 7 : British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that he hoped to see a de-escalation in diplomatic tensions between India and Canada after New Delhi asked Ottawa to withdraw its 41 diplomats by October 10 amid worsening ties.

In a call with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Friday evening, Sunak reaffirmed the UK's position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law.

"The Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK's position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," a government statement read.

Trudeau updated Sunak on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India, and both leaders "agreed to remain in contact on the next steps".

Relations between Canada and India have nosedived after Trudeau alleged in Parliament last month that Indian intelligence agents may have been involved in the murder of Sikh pro-Khalistan hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Following Trudeau's allegations, the two nations expelled a diplomat each, and India termed Canada's allegations as "politically driven" and "absurd".

Recently, New Delhi asked Ottawa to withdraw 41 out of its 62 diplomats in India to achieve a parity in the number of diplomatic staff in each country.

According to a CTV News report, Canada has evacuated the majority of its diplomatic staff from India and shifted them to either Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) or Singapore.

However, there has been no official word on their evacuation from New Delhi.

The news comes amid claims by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday that the government was engaged diplomatically with India on the issue of staff reduction.

"We are in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats' safety very seriously, and we will continue to engage privately because we think that diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private," Jolie had said.

--IANS

mi/ksk
Kochi, Oct 7 : The Kerala High Court has granted permission to a murder convict to seek admission in a Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) course.

A division bench of A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Kauser Edappagath, on Thursday, directed the KMCT Law College, Kuttipuram to make all facilities for the convict, P. Suresh Babu, to complete admission formalities online.

"The admission formalities of the petitioner/appellant to the 3 year LLB course at KMCT Law College, Kuttipuram shall be done through online mode on Saturday at 12.00 noon. The Jail Superintendent, Open Prison and Correctional Home, Cheemeni, Kannur shall coordinate with the Principal of the KMCT Law College to make necessary arrangements for the video conference," read the order.

Babu has by now undergone five years of imprisonment after he was convicted and sentenced to life. After graduation in BA Economics, Babu secured a Master degree holder in MA (Sociology) from Indira Gandhi National Open University while in jail.

His next target was to pursue a course in law and passed the entrance exam and secured admission at the KMCT Law College. He then approached the High Court seeking bail to complete his admission process and pursue his LL.B course. Following which the High Court spoke to the Controller of Examinations and the Principal of the college to ascertain the feasibility of conducting the admission process and the duo informed the Court that the admission process can be done online and that they would make arrangements for the same.

The Court then directed the jail and college authorities to ensure that this is done. At the next hearing slated on October 25, the Court will be informed about a likely proposal on the scope of Babu to do the course in the online mode.
FIR lodged against K'taka activist for asking people to keep weapons at home. Image Source: IANS News

Shivamogga, Oct 7 : Karnataka Police have lodged an FIR against a Hindu activist who asked members of the community to keep weapons at home and worship swords, officials said on Saturday.

Arun Kumar Puttila, a known Hindu activist from Dakshina Kannada, made the call after visiting victims of the Eid-e-Milad procession violence in the district's Ragigudda area last week.

Puttila had alleged that that the state government permits the flashing of swords in procession.

"One can see what kind of support they get. The government is supporting to attack on Hindus. Even our community has weapons and swords. The society is ready to give a befitting answer through weapons. During the Navaratri festival, the weapons are worshipped. On that day, every home should carry out worshipping of weapons. The people should stop worshipping screwdrivers, and spanners and start worshipping swords," he had stated.

The Shivamogga Rural police has registered the suo moto case against the activist.

Puttila further stated that the Congress government is supporting fundamental forces to garner votes.

"The Shivamogga violence was a preplanned act. In this region, the Ganesh festival is celebrated on a grand scale. The fundamental forces only with an intention to threaten the Hindu community have resorted to this act," he added.

Puttila was a BJP leader and after being denied a ticket he contested as an Independent from the Puttur constituency in the May Assembly polls and secured the second highest number of votes.
Jerusalem, Oct 7 : One woman was killed after dozens of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel on Saturday, with sirens sounded across southern Israel which were also heard in the capital Tel Aviv, the emergencies services said.

Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the besieged coastal enclave, has claimed responsibility for the attack, reports the BBC.

Hamas leader Mohammed al-Deif also announced the beginning of a new military operation the "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue agency, two people have also sustained injuries, of which one is in critical condition.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that security chiefs are due to meet as a result of the rocket strikes.

More details are awaited.
Kolkata, Oct 7 : The West Bengal forest department has arrested two people while they were attempting to smuggle clouded leopard skin near Jaldapara National Park in Alipurduar district, sources said on Saturday.

"We are not disclosing the names of two arrested as of now since we believe that they are just small pawns of a major wildlife smuggling racket," said a senior official of the state forest department.

The divisional forest officer of the Jaldapara National Park Sandeep Kumar Berwal told newspersons that both the persons who have been arrested in this connection on Friday are residents of north Bengal. The clouded leopard skins they were trying to smuggle were brought to the state from neighbouring Assam.

"We have started a thorough investigation in the matter," Berwal said.

It is learnt that the sleuths of the state forest department were informed by their sources that two persons were trying to sell clouded leopard skins in the grey market at an exorbitant price.

"The sleuths then contacted them as buyers through some middlemen. When the two persons came to meet the sleuths with the consignment clouded leopard skins, they were caught red-handed along with the smuggled products," a state forest department official said.

He admitted that the development is a major concern for the state forest department as the clouded leopards, a rare species of fauna, is available in limited numbers in some pockets of north Bengal.

Their skins are of high demand in the grey market for its use in interior decoration like wall plaques as well as for metaphysical healing purposes.
By Noriko Kawamura, KYODO NEWS - Oct 7, 2023 - 09:30 | All, Japan, Feature

In schools throughout Japan, unwritten rules and procedures exist that, while not explicitly outlined, have gained acceptance among educators who believe they foster a calming atmosphere among students and facilitate smoother classroom operations.

But as society increasingly recognizes the importance of nurturing the unique characteristics and attributes of children as individuals, some are reevaluating their practices with a stronger focus on cognitive diversity.

To an outsider, some of the customs entrenched in many Japanese schools may appear a little stringent -- examples include making students maintain eye contact with their teachers when greeting them or studying quietly at their desks before the start of class. Yet many believe that change is afoot.

In a second-year class at Fukuoka City Naka Junior High School last June, the class representative instructed fellow students to engage in a brief "meditation" session before the start of the sixth period.

The students immediately stopped talking, straightened their posture, and closed their eyes, creating a tranquil atmosphere. When the school bell signaled the start of class, they declared in unison, "We are ready," and the lesson began.

Students occupy their seats three minutes before lessons begin at the junior high school, and meditation starts one minute before the bell rings. "We can be quite noisy during recess, but after meditating, we feel calm and prepared for class," a 14-year-old female student said.

According to their 42-year-old teacher, these sessions "help refresh students' minds," with the practice originating in the city's junior high schools a decade ago.

Meditation sessions before lessons have also been adopted by other municipalities. The Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education has produced a video to promote the effectiveness of pre-class meditation among teachers.

An official overseeing the initiative stated that meditation "enhances students' concentration abilities," and the education board intends to encourage more schools to adopt the practice.

Many schools endorse meditation sessions and other unspoken customs because "teachers believe these rules make it easier to provide guidance to students," says Hiromichi Miyazawa, a 46-year-old teacher at a public elementary school in Tokyo.

Nevertheless, Miyazawa can recall a rule at a different school requiring that students maintain eye contact with teachers for at least two seconds when greeting them before class. Ultimately, he decided it was unnecessary and had it discontinued.

Miyazawa acknowledges that it is "convenient" for teachers to have students adhere to unspoken rules as a matter of routine. However, recognizing the diverse personalities of children, he fears that enforcing these rules "may exclude those who struggle to conform."

In the spring of 2022, Gifu City Shima Junior High School abolished a long-standing rule mandating that students spend "two minutes studying" at their desks before each class.

Initially intended to provide time for students to review their work, the rule was abandoned because, as Principal Nobuyuki Tsuji, 57, put it, "I felt it was not right to infringe on students' recess time."

Around a year has passed since the rule was ditched, and Tsuji reports, "We have not observed a decline in students' enthusiasm for learning or their academic performance."

Tsuji believes that such unspoken rules and practices once had their place as an effective way to manage schools at a time when maintaining group discipline and order was more of a challenge.

However, he emphasizes that his school will continue to assess both written and unwritten rules because "modern schools should respect children's rights."

Zenichiro Kato, 58, a graduate school professor at Gifu University who has worked with truant children for many years, observes that some students struggle to accept certain rules, such as raising their hands in unison or cleaning classrooms in silence.

Through conducting interviews with such children, Kato has found that some of the rules put in place by schools would also be considered "unreasonable in the adult world."

He asserts that in school classrooms, it is crucial for teachers to "empathize" with students' daily lives, pay sufficient attention to their point of view, and consider revising those procedures.
Toronto, Oct 7 : Canada has confirmed of relocating some lower-level diplomatic staff from its High Commission in New Delhi to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore amid the ongoing tensions with India.

The evacuation took placeover the last several weeks.

Alhough no official statement has been made by the Canadian government on the evacuation of the staff from Delhi, government sources confirmed to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on Friday that the lower-level diplomatic staff has been shifted from Delhi to Malaysia and Singapore.

However, the sources said, the decision to relocate diplomatic staff from Delhi was "not directly related to the demand this week from India for Canada to reduce its diplomatic footprint".

India has given October 10 as the deadline for Canada to evacuate 41 of its diplomatic staff in India to bring about parity in the staff in each country. It has threatened to grant no diplomatic immunity to those who stayed beyond the deadline.

Canada-India relations plunged after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons on September 18 about credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of pro-Khalistan Sikh hardliner, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, who was wanted in India for links to terrorist activities and spearheading the Khalistan referendum vote in Canada, was gunned down in June in a parking lot of a Surrey gurdwara in British Columbia.

Calling the allegations by Trudeau ``absurd," India responded by cancelling visa services in Canada and ordering two-thirds of Canadian diplomatic staff to leave the country by October 10.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Vivek Tyagi, one of the alleged close associates of arrested Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, on Saturday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the alleged liquor scam case.

Tyagi appeared before the ED at 11 a.m. on Saturday and went directly inside the agencyas headquarters.

While speaking to the media before entering into the agency headquarters, Tyagi said that this is a baseless scam as no illegal transactions took place, there was no corruption and we have full faith in the judiciary.

On Friday, the ED questioned Sarvesh Mishra for several hours in connection with the case.

In its remand note, the ED said that Singh has received proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 2 crore in the alleged Delhi liquor scam.

"And it is evident as the ED probe has revealed that businessman Dinesh Arora had collected Rs 3 crore bribe from Sameer Mahandru during August- October 2021, on the directions of AAP's communication incharge Vijay Nair.

"Since Nair was facilitating granting of Pernod Ricard's wholesale business to Mahandru's entity. Investigation further revealed that out of this amount, Rs 1 crore was given to Mishra (Sanjay Singh's person) on the directions of Nair," the ED alleged.

"This amount was delivered to Singh's house by an employee of Arora. Further, Arora had received Rs 4 crore from Abhishek Boinpally in March-April 2022 on the instructions of Nair.

"Out of Rs 4 crore, Rs 2 crore cash was collected by Harinder Singh from Boinpally's office in Defence colony. Out of this amount, Rs 1 crore cash was given to Mishra, delivered by an employee of Arora at the AAP RS MP's house," it said.

ED probe also revealed that he has given Rs 2 crore cash at Singh's house on two occasions (Rs 1 crore at each time). He has revealed that he had also picked cash of Rs 1 crore from the office of Indo Spirits in Okhla, the agency claimed.

The ED said that the facts are corroborated by CDR location of employee of Arora, who has communicated with Mishra, the same day he has visited Singh's house.

Singh was arrested on Wednesday by the ED after day-long searches at his premises. He was produced before a court on Thursday, which sent him to five days of ED custody till October 10.

The AAP has denied the allegations and dubbed the agency's action as vendetta politics.

The ED case of money laundering is based on the CBI FIR filed in August last year. The ED had earlier arrested former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the now scrapped excise policy case.
New York, Oct 7 : Researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have shown for the first time that mothers are much less likely to transmit a common virus known to cause miscarriages and birth defects if they are exposed to the virus prior to becoming pregnant.

The study marks a significant step toward the development of a vaccine that could protect mothers and their babies.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common herpesvirus that most women contract unknowingly before reaching child-bearing age.

It's usually harmless except during pregnancy when, if passed on to the developing foetus, it is a leading cause of miscarriage and birth defects, including cerebral palsy and hearing loss.

Researchers have long known that the risk for complications is particularly high for women infected by CMV for the first time during pregnancy, but they haven't fully understood why those who already carry the virus are less vulnerable.

The team at Tulane University in Louisiana, US, revealed how pre-existing immunity to CMV effectively limits its transmission during pregnancy and protects against associated birth defects.

The findings, published in PLOS Pathogens, pinpoints the specific immune mechanisms responsible for that protection.

"Understanding how pre-existing immunity can protect against CMV transmission during pregnancy is crucial for developing an effective CMV vaccine that can safeguard all pregnant women and their unborn babies," said Dr Amitinder Kaur, principal investigator and professor of microbiology and immunology.

For the study, the team used a nonhuman primate model that closely mirrors human CMV infection and transmission.

They observed that when pregnant mothers were initially infected with CMV during the first trimester, all of them transmitted the virus to their offspring, resulting in a high rate of miscarriage.

However, when nonhuman primates previously infected with CMV were reinfected during their pregnancies, their offspring were protected.

The robust immune response observed in mothers upon reinfection resulted in only one out of five mothers passing the virus through the placenta, with no adverse health outcomes for any of the infants.

The findings show that if a mother already has CMV immunity before becoming pregnant, her immune system can effectively protect her baby from congenital CMV transmission if she is reinfected during pregnancy.

This research could have highly significant implications for the development of a CMV vaccine to prevent infections in pregnant women, particularly in areas with a high prevalence of CMV.
Chennai, Oct 7 : In a bid to reduce the human-animal conflict and to prevent herbivores like wild elephants and Indian Guar reaching the human settlements, Tamil Nadu forest department has drawn an ambitious plan to grow palatable grass in forest areas in 22 districts of the state.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu forest department told IANS thata team of researchers from the Forest College and Research Institute, Mettupalayam, is providing training to around 200 forest staff on how to grow palatable grass between woods in forest lands.

K. Baranidharan, head of the Forest College and Research Institute, will lead the team of researchers to impart training to forest staff including rangers, foresters and guards of the Tamil Nadu forest department.

Baranidharan while speaking to media persons in Coimbatore said that the team has identified 10 species of grass that could be grown and amenable to herbivores like Indian Guar and Asian elephants.

The 10 species of grass identified by the Forest Research institute was seen commonly growing in forest areas at a height of 500 m from the sea level. However, due to unregulated cattle grazing and presence of invasive species, the grass did not grow.

Forest department officials told IANS that the lack of palatable grass has led to the herbivores like Asian elephants and Indian Guar reaching the human settlements resulting in clashes and conflict with human beings.

With the growth of palatable grass in the forest areas, it could reduce the presence of such animals in human settlements and confine the grass-eating herbivores to the forest land itself. This will also increase the prey base for the carnivores also thus maintaining an effective balance.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Congress mulling to replace at least 40 of the 99 legislators in the upcoming Assembly polls is giving sleepless nights to party MLAs in Rajasthan.

The party is focusing on kicking off its election campaign aggressively as the government programmes led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot too have come to a halt.

According to a party source, Gehlot government's welfare schemes have helped the Congress gain ground in the desert state beating anti-incumbency in most of the places.

Among the most popular schemes are subsidised LPG cylinders at Rs 500, and Chiranjeevi scheme which ensures free treatment upto Rs 25 lakh.

"As of now, the party is gearing up to kick off its campaign once the election dates are announced by next week," the source said.

Several programmes, including road shows, public meetings, door to door campaigns will be designed to highlight the works of the Congress government in the last five years.

"Senior leaders like party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and many others are expected to hold public rallies and interact with people across the state to take on the BJP," the source said.

Rural and tribal areas will form the focus of the party with efforts being made to aware people of the programmes and schemes of the Congress government.

To beat the anti-incumbency, the party has also decided to replace at least 40 out of 99 MLAs as mentioned in its internal survey. "The internal survey report has highlighted that at least 40 MLAs have bleak chances of beating anti-incumbency in their assembly constituencies," the source said. "Thus we have forwarded the report to the party leadership suggesting to replace the candidate in those seats," the source said.

However, a decision is awaited from the senior leadership if they wish to continue with the same MLas or field new candidates instead, he said.

He also said that there are many MLAs from the camps of Chief Minister Gehlot and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot's camp.

"Both the factions want to avoid the replacement of maximum MLAs from their camps as it would hurt their image, but the leadership's decision will be final," he said.

With the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress scheduled to meet in the national capital on Saturday to decide on the candidates of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, the MLAs of the desert state will be keeping a close tab on the developments.

The source said that with Pilot finding a place in the Congress Working Committee -- party's highest decision making body, the party leadership has also given a message to the party workers that all is well within the party after the truce between the two leaders (Pilot and Gehlot).

Workers at the ground level now feel the difference in the situation, which was prevalent six months ago.

As Gehlot and Pilot are working in sync, the party leaders feel more confident of taking on the BJP in the Assembly elections in coming days.

In addition to it, factionalism playing out in the BJP is only helping the grand-old-party in the state to gain the ground.

The crucial elections for the 200-member Assembly are scheduled later this year.

The Congress has been campaigning aggressively in the state to break the tradition of alternate party government in the desert state with its pro-people schemes.

While on the other hand, the BJP is also preparing for the grand battle in the state as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda are frequently visiting the state to turn the tide in its favour.
Mumbai, Oct 7 : The hit Punjabi film 'Ni Main Sass Kuttni' is set to return with its sequel titled 'Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2'. It will see most of the lead actors from the first part reprising their roles. The film, written & directed by Mohit Banwait, is set to release worldwide on March 1, 2024.

Anita Devgan, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Karamjit Anmol, Nirmal Rishi, Tanvi Nagi and Mehtab Virk, who featured in the first edition will be seen portraying the main roles again in 'Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2' along with Akshita Sharma and Nisha Bano.

Talking about the film, writer-director Mohit Banwait said: "Maintaining the momentum of success is a challenge when it comes to sequels. We are sure that with 'Ni Main Sass Kuttni -2', we will be able to strike that same humorous chord with the audience as its predecessor."

He further mentioned: "This is a smartly written film that offers a hilarious take on traditional family values and the generation gap within joint families. The chaos arising from the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sets the stage for some delicious drama," says Banwait, who is also co-producing the film."

The film is produced by Yoodlee Films, the film studio of Saregama and Banwait Films, and will be distributed by Munish Sahni of Omjee's Group.
Soren, allies bat for caste census; but don't move on it in Jharkhand. Image Source: IANS News

Ranchi, Oct 7 : After Bihar, the Jharkhand government is also aiming to introduce a caste census in the state. But given the current state of political affairs before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the chances of it being introduced by Chief Minister Hemant Soren seem far less.

The caste census issue is likely to dominate the political discourse during the general elections next year, followed by the Jharkhand Assembly polls in late 2024.

Chief Minister Soren has backed the demand for entitlements to the backward social groups, including the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and the Other Backward Classes (OBC), in proportion to their population.

All the three coalition allies leading the government in Jharkhand -- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) -- support the introduction of the caste-based census in the state.

The All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), which is a part of the NDA alliance, has also raised the demand for a caste census.

However, the opposition BJP has remained silent on this issue so far.

Soren has said that the issue of caste-based census was agreed upon by all parties in Jharkhand two years ago. Later, the members of the Jharkhand's all-party delegation went to Delhi in September 2021 and submitted a letter regarding conducting a caste census in the state to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"We want the Union government to have a discussion on conducting a caste census. It was said in the letter dated September 2021 that special facilities and reservation have been provided in the Constitution for the development of socially and educationally Backward Classes," the Jharkhand Chief Minister added.

Due to the absence of caste data in the census conducted since the country's independence, people belonging to Backward Classes are facing difficulties in getting special facilities.

The Backward Castes and Extremely Backward Classes are not able to make the requisite progress expected, Soren said.

"In such a situation, if the caste census is not conducted now, then the educational, social, political and economic condition of the Backward Castes and Extremely Backward Classes will neither be accurately assessed, nor will proper policies related to their betterment and upliftment be determined nor will the budget will be allocated in proportion to their numbers be determined. Ninety years ago, the caste census was conducted in 1931 and on the basis of the same, the Mandal Commission recommended providing reservation to the Backward Classes."

Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur says: "Our leader Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that different castes should get the benefit of reservation on the basis of their population. The Congress party is in favour of the caste census in the state. It is regrettable to say that the Union government is deliberately avoiding this issue so that the Backward Classes in the country do not get its benefits."

Jharkhand Congress Legislative party leader and state Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam called the Bihar government's initiative of introducing caste census in their state 'commendable' and said: "When the Central government is not implementing it (caste census) nationwide, then the state governments across the country should conduct the caste census on their own."

When all the constituents in the ruling Jharkhand government are in favour of a caste census in their state, is the government there going to take a decision to conduct caste census like Bihar? Given the current circumstances in the state, the government does not seem to be in a position to take immediate steps in this direction.

The tenure of all the municipal bodies in Jharkhand has already been completed seven to eight years, but the state government is still in a state of indecision regarding holding local body elections.

The JMM government had decided several months ago in a cabinet meeting that Backward Classes would be given reservation in upcoming municipal elections.

The difficulty which the Soren-led Jharkhand government faces is that to decide the percentage of this caste-based reservation, the state government will have to assess the number of population of the Backward Classes in the state and their economic as well as social condition through a triple test survey.

The Jharkhand government has also authorised the formation of a Backward Classes Commission to conduct the triple test. But it has not been formed yet.

There was also a proposal to make JMM MLA Sudivya Kumar Sonu as the Chairman of the State Commission for Backward Classes Commission, but his appointment was postponed due to hurdles regarding the post of profit.

Since then, the matter has been in cold storage for the last one month.

Therefore, the Backward Classes Commission, which had to conduct a triple test survey for the reservation of Backward Classes in the upcoming civic elections, has neither a chairman nor a member which is part of the commission.

After December, the process of voter list revision, determination of booths, training of polling personnel etc. will start before the Lok Sabha elections from February 2024.

When the Lok Sabha elections conclude, preparations for the upcoming Assembly polls in Jharkhand will begin.

Therefore, under these circumstances, there is no possibility of conducting the caste census in the state till 2024-end.

The new government which will form in the state in late 2024 will depend on what its political position will be regarding the caste census in Jharkhand.

However, till then this critical issue will keep the political temperatures soaring.
Bengaluru, Oct 7 : Following the Bihar government making its caste census report public, Karnataka's Congress government is under pressure to accept the state's caste census report pending for years. However, the government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is treading cautiously over the issue as it threatens to lead to a controversy in the state.

According to reliable sources, Lingayats and Vokkaligas, the two influential caste groups are shortly holding a meeting to discuss the caste census issue. Their leaders may take a decision to pressure the Congress government not to accept the report.

In Karnataka, though regarded as one of the most progressive states in the country, the politics is caste-driven. The leaked report has stirred a hornet's nest in the state as the report claimed that as per the findings, Muslims form the largest group after the Scheduled Castes.

The influential Congress leaders from the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities pressurized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to accept the report. As per the report, the Lingayats now considered to be the largest caste with 17 per cent of the population, were shown in third place. The Vokkaligas who are at second place with 14 per cent population are shown at the fourth place.

The Congress, BJP and the JD (S) are issuing diplomatic statements on the issue as any stand would antagonize either the upper castes or the oppressed classes and the minorities.

Political analyst Channabasappa Rudrappa told IANS that it is a tricky situation for the Congress government. Though, at the national level the Congress has supported the caste census, in Karnataka there is the need to take everyone along.

"The Vokkaligas and Lingayats are claiming that the survey was not done scientifically. The Lingayats are questioning that the Chinnappa Reddy Commission which conducted a caste census showed the Lingayats at 17 per cent and the present survey shows them at 14 per cent. Questions are being raised on how this could be possible?" he stated.

Rudrappa said that in Karnataka the tickets to contest elections are allotted as per the caste calculations. In other states, there is bi-polar politics of the upper castes oppressed classes, and minorities. But, in Karnataka, there is tri-polar politics. It is Lingayat versus Vokkaliga versus backward classes and minorities.

The alliance of the JD (S) and the BJP indicates the coming together of the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats. The Lingayat community has largely identified with the BJP while the Vokkaligas are with the JD (S). Amid this, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has emerged as the unquestioned leader of the oppressed classes and got a larger than life image among the poor. It is an uneasy situation in the state and the report is most likely to be kept in abeyance till the Lok Sabha results are announced, he said.

"Any movement with the caste census will upset the apple cart now," he underlined.

Journalist and author Mohammad Haneef, told IANS that the caste census conducted in the state is a socio-economic survey. Reservation is provided on the basis of caste. It is to be ascertained about their population, economic, and social conditions, whether they are employed in the government or the private sector, or whether they are daily wage labourers.

What is the scientific base for providing reservations? The caste census was done in 1952 and later the caste census was dropped. The Kantharaju Commission had worked for two years by using 1.25 lakh government employees to conduct a caste census in Karnataka. Rs 167 crores are spent on it. Just because upper castes are opposing this, the report can't be kept in abeyance, Haneef said.

The report is about administration and it should not be politicised. Reservation should be provided scientifically and the caste census report helps in it, he added.

Karunakar Kasale, the state media coordinator of the BJP told IANS that, "we welcome the caste census report of the Kantharaju Commission. The order to conduct the survey was given by then-CM Siddaramaiah. Later, the coalition government and the BJP governments did not accept it. Let the details of the report come out and then a discussion could be held."

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai had stated that his party was not against the caste census. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah admitted several times that the survey that he got done during his tenure (2013-2018) was a socio-economic survey and not the caste census. There was a lot of difference between the caste system in North India and South India, he added.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that the Backward Classes Commission has been asked to submit the caste census report to the state government. "Once the report is submitted, it will be verified," he said.

The socio-economic survey popularly known as the caste census was conducted in 2015 by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission (KSBCC) headed by H. Kantharaj. Sources said that the report claims that SC and ST groups form the majority in the state, followed by Muslims. The Lingayats considered to be the highest population group were shown as the third largest group and Vokkaligas who were in second position got the fourth position.

The facts created a stir in the state and triggered a huge controversy as the Muslim community was shown as having the second-highest population. Successive Chief Ministers including B.S. Yediyurappa, H.D. Kumaraswamy and Basavaraj Bommai did not even bother to look into the report, not even the present Chief Minister during his previous term.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Government to conduct a comprehensive review of the existing cap on beneficiaries under the Old Age Assistance Rules, 2009, considering the current socio-economic conditions and the needs of the elderly population.

The court also ordered a reevaluation of the eligibility criteria, which includes an annual family income of Rs 1 lakh, and suggested data-driven surveys to gauge the demand for the scheme and economic conditions.

In the interim, it instructed the government to establish a transparent mechanism for real-time information about vacancies under the Rules and to consider creating a wait list for eligible individuals.

The court stressed on simplifying the application process to ensure accessibility for indigent applicants. Its decision came in response to pleas from individuals affected by the Rules, one of whom had their enrollment application rejected due to slot exhaustion, while another sought an extension of benefits to more qualifying applicants.

The Old Age Assistance Rules provide financial aid to individuals aged 60 and above, with certain residency and income criteria.

The court recognised concerns about the cap on beneficiaries but stated that judicial intervention is limited unless there is manifest arbitrariness or unreasonableness.

While uniform eligibility criteria aim to distribute resources systematically and equitably, the court expressed concern that some deserving individuals are left out.

It emphasised the need for a transparent and accessible mechanism to improve the Rules' functionality and accessibility while aligning them with the goal of providing financial assistance and social security to the elderly.
Kabul, Oct 7 : Casualties were feared as a strong earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale rocked west Afghanistan's Herat, Badghis, Farah provinces, and adjoining areas on Saturday, locals said.

The tremor took place at around 11.10 local time a.m., forcing people to flee from their houses, Xinhua news agency quoted the locals as saying.

There no immediate information on injuries or damages.

Officials are also yet to comment.
KYODO NEWS - Oct 7, 2023 - 20:27 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism

Chinese holidaymakers visiting Japan have said they are enjoying eating sushi amid Beijing's ban on Japanese seafood imports, imposed following the release of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear complex into the sea.

"I eat sushi every day," said a woman in her 40s from China's Zhejiang Province while shopping in the upmarket Ginza shopping district in Tokyo during China's eight-day National Day vacation period, which kicked off on Sept. 29. "I don't care where the fish were caught."

Li Pei, another Chinese tourist who was visiting Ginza during the holiday season from Qingdao in Shandong Province, said he "has no worries" about the water discharge.

"I understand that the concentration level of (radioactive) tritium in the treated water is below international safety standards and has limited effect," the 40-year-old said.

Since Japan began releasing the water into the sea from the Fukushima plant in late August, Chinese media, including The Global Times, a tabloid affiliated with China's ruling Communist Party, have reported on Japan-bound trip cancellations and Chinese consumers' concerns about the safety of Japanese products.

Beijing, which has repeatedly urged Japan to halt the discharge and calls it "nuclear-contaminated water," imposed a blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports after the water release commenced.

The Chinese woman from Zhejiang Province said that Chinese local media outlets emphasizing the dangers of the Fukushima water are being "biased" but noted that "not many people in China" are able to make decisions based upon information obtained from overseas.

A tourist bus operator in Tokyo said it appears that "young people with flexible ways of thinking are choosing to travel independently" to Japan.

According to Japanese airline companies servicing flights from China to Japan, seats on their planes were almost fully booked during the eight-day holiday, which also combines the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Data analysis by Chinese internet search giant Baidu Inc. and other companies also showed that Japan tops the list of popular overseas destinations for Chinese travelers during the vacation period.

Related coverage:

IAEA team to visit Japan late October to review Fukushima water release

Japan stresses safety of Fukushima water release at ASEAN-plus-3 meet

Japan begins 2nd round of Fukushima treated water discharge
New Delhi, Oct 7 : The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested a criminal, who was wanted for murder and riot cases in the national capital and Haryana, in Gwalior, a top officer said on Saturday.

The accused was identified as Rahul (27), a resident of Badarpur

Special Commissioner of Police (crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav said that Rahul was declared a proclaimed offender in a murder case registered at Jaitpur police station and also in an attempt to murder case lodged at the Tughlak Road police station.

The top officer said that Crime Branch received inputs that the accused was hiding in Gwalior.

"Acting on the inputs, a team was formed and a search operation as well as technical surveillance was mounted. The accused was located in Shelter Hotel, Gwalior, and was subsequently arrested," he added

--IANS

ssh/ksk
(for Karishma) Situation not normal, but Israel will prevail: Israel Ambassador to India. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Oct 7 : Following a massive attack from the Gaza strip against Israel, Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India on Saturday said that the "situation is not normal" but "Israel will prevail".

In a post on X, Gilon said, "Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza during the Jewish holiday. Both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists."

"The situation is not simple but Israel will prevail," he said.

His remarks came after hundreds of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel on Saturday, with sirens sounding across southern Israel which were also heard in the capital Tel Aviv, the emergency services said.
Los Angeles, Oct 7 : Before his untimely tragic death, 'Euphoria' actor Angus Cloud had filmed another project titled 'Your Lucky Day'. This was one of the actor's last productions and now the trailer for the film has been released to honour Cloud's contributions to cinema.

Set during the Christmas Eve, 'Your Lucky Day' follows Sterling (Cloud), a young man who instigates a hostage situation upon watching a corner store customer win the lottery a" a $156 million prize, as per Collider.

After a shootout occurs, the remaining witnesses begin to question the lengths they're willing to go for the money and their freedom. Along with Cloud, the feature stars Elliot Knight, Jessica Garza, Sterling Beaumon, Mousa Hussein Kraish, Spencer Garrett, and Jason O'Mara.

The trailer begins on a tense note, highlighting the importance of the lottery to the story as Sterling is knocked unconscious and robbed. Unsure of where else to go, he heads into a corner store where another customer has just won the lottery, causing Sterling to spring into action to steal the ticket.

While Sterling didn't head into the store with the intention of robbing someone (probably), his quick decision suggests that money is something he's long struggled with a" and $156 million is a rather life-changing amount. Sterling may be in a tough spot, but he isn't the only one, as even the others around him begin wondering how their lives could be different, too. Of course, others are after the jackpot, and things only continue to escalate

In aYour Lucky Daya, a dispute over a $156 million winning Megaball Jackpot lottery ticket has a masked and hooded Sterling launching a deadly hostage situation in a small convenience store on Christmas Eve that leads to a rookie cop being shot and the winning ticket holder killed by gunfire.

In addition to aYour Lucky Daya, Cloudas final outings also includes Radio Silenceas forthcoming monster movie along with the horror thriller aFreaky Tales' with Ben Mendelsohn, Pedro Pascal and Jay Ellis, which Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden wrote, directed and produced for eOne and Macro.

Prior to his death, Cloud had also wrapped production on the film aThe Linea, where he stars opposite Alex Wolff, Austin Abrams, John Malkovich and Scoot McNairy in the project that is written and directed by Ethan Berger.

Cloud is also set to appear in the upcoming indie feature aNorth Hollywooda, which co-stars Miranda Cosgrove, Nico Haraga and Vince Vaughn.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Delhi Police have arrested seven loaders for stealing valuables from the baggage of passengers at IGI airport, an official said on Saturday.

Involvement of higher functionaries in the unit can not be ruled out, he added.

The officials said that they have also recovered a huge stash of gold ornaments, luxury watches, Apple airpods and foreign currency from the possession of the accused.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Devesh Kumar Mahla said that the present FIR was registered on the complaint of one Paramjeet Kaur, a resident of Punjab. The complainant alleged that on September 16, she arrived in Delhi from Melbourne on a Singapore Airlines flight.

"Furthermore, she had to catch another flight from Delhi to Amritsar. While boarding for Amritsar, her baggage was found to be overweight, so she opened her bags and adjusted the contents. Throughout this process, the wheelchair assistant she had booked observed her. When she reached home, she realised that her gold valuables were missing from her purse, which she had kept in her check-in baggage," said the DCP.

The police team thoroughly reviewed the CCTV footage and interrogated all the loaders working during that shift.

"Finally, one of the loaders broke down and admitted to stealing the aforementioned gold jewellery and selling it to a jeweller," said the DCP.

During sustained interrogation, he disclosed that he had stolen many more items from passengers' baggage in the past, with the assistance of various staff from different airlines.

"Additionally, six more individuals were named and interrogated in connection with the thefts," said the DCP.

"It became evident that the airlines were not adhering to the periodic guidelines issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and letters issued by the Delhi Police on multiple occasions. It was also learnt that they were collaborating with these thieves," said the DCP.

"Further investigation uncovered that some higher officials of the concerned airline were involved in these incidents. Therefore, their roles are also being investigated," he added.

"To combat such thefts on airlines, the responsible officials from the concerned airlines are being interrogated and may face charges," the DCP stated.
DCP, SPs will be held responsible for crimes in their jurisdiction: Siddaramaiah. Image Source: IANS News

Mysuru, Oct 7 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the caste census will not divide the society.

"There is a need to ascertain the economic, political and social status of the caste after the 76 years of independence. Ours is a caste-based society. The statistics are important to bring those castes who are politically, socially and economically not equal to the mainstream. Caste census is needed for this purpose," he said while talking to reporters.

He said that social and economic surveys should be done which will not divide the society.

He said that then Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy did not accept the caste report when Kantharaju was the President of the Backward Classes Commission.

"Now, the commission is headed by another person and I have asked him to submit the original census report. He has told me that he would submit the report in November," he said.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps on saying 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikas' but he does not give tickets to Muslims to contest elections.

"There is a difference in making statements while the ground reality is different," he said.

The Chief Minister said that there is a financial dearth for providing guarantee schemes in the state.

"We have sought Rs 4,860 for drought relief. There is crop loss in 42 lakh hectares. The total loss is Rs 30,000 crores. But, as per the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) package, Rs 4,860 crores are sought," he said.

He said that three central teams to assess the drought are visiting 11 districts in the state.

"Based on their report, the central government will give compensation," he said.

He also said lodging sedition cases on media houses by the Central government is not a correct measure.

He refused to answer a question on officers belonging to the Lingayat community being targeted by the Congress government. When asked about senior Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa's statement in this regard, he stated he is a senior leader and he will talk to him.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday acknowledged the Parliamentary Consultative Committee "unanimous appreciation" of the G20 Summit meeting hosted in the national capital under India's presidency.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Jaishankar said, "The Parliamentary Consultative Committee met today to discuss our G20 Presidency. Glad to note the unanimous appreciation on its unqualified success. And the positive impact of the Jan Bhagidari approach."

He also attached a photographs with the members.

India hosted the 18th G20 Summit in the national capital on September 9, and 10 which was attended the heads of nations of several countries.

The theme of the summit was "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", which translates to "One World, One Family, One Future".

The G20 leaders on September 9 arrived at a consensus on the Delhi Declaration and adopted it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Chair of the summit, announced this during the second session of the ongoing G20 summit in New Delhi.

"There is good news, with everyone's cooperation consensus has been reached on New Delhi G20 Leadership Declaration," Modi had informed during the summit.

During the summit, the G20 leaders announced to include the African Union, a continental body of 55 member states, as a permanent member of the G20 grouping.
Ahmedabad, Oct 7 : A middle-aged woman died of a heart attack while serving midday meal to students at a government school located in Vivekanandnagar, near Hathijan in Gujarat.

School board officials said that the incident took place on October 6.

Lagdhir Desai, the administrative officer of the school board within the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), provided details about the incident involving Sumitra Dabhi, a school helper at Vivekanandnagar Gujarati School No. 1.

This incident marks the latest occurrence in the state, where individuals have experienced sudden collapses with no chance of recovery. Over the past two weeks, Gujarat has witnessed more than five such tragic deaths reported from various regions.

Recently, on October 4, a man collapsed and succumbed while participating in a garba practice session in Surat.

He abruptly complained of severe chest pain and, in a shocking turn of events, collapsed while seated on a chair.

Preliminary findings from the post-mortem examination suggest that the young man may have suffered a heart attack.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Google-owned YouTube and encrypted messaging platform Telegram on Saturday responded to the IT Ministry's notice to remove any kind of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or face stringent action, saying they have a "zero-tolerance policy" on CSAM and related content.

A YouTube spokesperson told IANS that no form of content that endangers minors is acceptable to them.

"We have heavily invested in the technology and teams to fight child sexual abuse and exploitation online and take swift to remove it as quickly as possible," the spokesperson said.

"In Q2 2023, we removed over 94,000 channels and over 2.5 million videos for violations of our child safety policies. We will continue to work with experts inside and outside of YouTube to provide minors and families the best protections possible," the YouTube spokesperson added.

According to the Google-owned platform, it has a strong record of successfully fighting child sexual exploitation.

YouTube is working with the industry by offering expertise and technology (CSAI Match, YouTube's proprietary technology for combating Child Sexual Abuse Imagery) to smaller partners and NGOs.

YouTube also restricts live features, disable comments and limit recommendations of videos containing minors in potentially risky situations or categorised as "made for kids".

Encrypted messaging platform Telegram said it is "always committed" to upholding legal and ethical standards on its platform, particularly in this case of addressing issues related to Child Pornography (CP), Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and Rape and Gang Rape (RGR) content on the Indian internet.

In a statement, Telegram said that in response to reports of CP/CSAM/RGR content, it maintains a "zero-tolerance policy towards any unlawful activities conducted by users on our platform".

"We take immediate and stringent action as prescribed by the law of the land in response to any such violations. When CP/CSAM/RGR content is reported, we initiate prompt actions to remove the offending material. Our average response time for removal is 10-12 hours, well within the permissible time limit of 24 hours as stipulated by the aforementioned regulations," said the company's spokesperson.

Telegram said it also has a specialised team working towards removing all the illegal content that falls under the child abuse category.

"In compliance with Section 79 of the IT Act, Telegram is committed to complying with Section 79 of the Information Technology Act (IT Act) and any related notices issued by State/Union Territory Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) for the immediate removal of CP/CSAM/RGR content," said the company.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT notices were sent to social media intermediaries on Friday, emphasising the importance of prompt and permanent removal or disabling of access to any CSAM on their platforms.

"The rules under the IT Act lay down strict expectations from social media intermediaries that they should not allow criminal or harmful posts on their platforms. If they do not act swiftly, their safe harbour under section 79 of the IT Act would be withdrawn and consequences under the Indian law will follow," said Union Minister of State for Electronics & IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The ministry warned the three social media intermediaries that any delay in complying with the notices will result in the withdrawal of their safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the IT Act, which currently shields them from legal liability.

X Corp (formerly Twitter) was yet to respond to the Indian government's notice.
Gadchiroli, Oct 7 : A most-wanted and hardcore woman Maoist - carrying a Rs 11 lakh reward on her head - surrendered before the Maharashtra Police, a top official said here on Saturday.

The accused is identified as Rajani alias Kalawati S. Veladi, 28, from Bijapur in Chhattisgarh, said Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.

Barely aged 14, Rajani had joined the Red terror groups in 2009 and worked for a year with Farsegadh LOS before she was transferred to Orchha LOS till 2013.

After getting a apromotiona as ACM, she worked in the National Park Area Doctor Team for two years and then was assigned the Sandra LOS in 2015 where she served in Chhattisgarh, till her surrender with the Maharashtra Police, said Neelotpal.

According to the police, Rajani was involved in a forest encounter with security forces in Gundam (2015), an ambush-cum-encounter near Bejji in which 12 jawans were martyred (2017), two more gun-battles with police in 2018-2019 in Marewada and Boramajji, all in Chhattisgarh.

Rajani is also charged with burning a government bus (2018), and a murder (2020), arson and other crimes in Chhattisgarh state, and she carried a total reward of Rs 11 lakh on her head, comprising Rs 6 lakh by Maharashtra and Rs 5 lakh by Chhattisgarh state.

SP Neelotpal said that Rajani has cited various reasons for her decision to surrender including exploitation of poor tribals by the senior Maoist leaders, discrimination against women, extortion, no independent life for married Dalam cadres, anti-Maoist operations made their lives difficult, women abandoned by the male cadres or even killed during encounters, no medical help, etc.

As per the Maharashtra governmentas rehab policy, Rajani will be entitled to a compensation of Rs 4.50 lakh and other benefits to enable her rejoin the social and democratic mainstream, said Neelotpal.

In Rajanias prime 'catch', Maharashtra has notched a total of 586 surrenders by active, hardcore, wanted and notorious Maoists till date.
Bengaluru, Oct 7 : Former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah owes an explanation over the Lingayat community negligence charged by Akhila Bharath Veerashaiva Mahasabha President Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

He said that any further delay in the Lingayat controversy will have a bad impact on administration.

"The shadow of caste on the administration is not a good sign," he said while talking to reporters.

He said that the Congress has been creating one or the other problems, and a lot of resentment has also been created with the transfer issue.

"They promised social justice for all but it is not happening. The Chief Minister owes an explanation to the questions raised by Shamanur Shivashankarappa and till he does not respond to these allegations, it will adversely affect the administration. Siddaramaiah will also get a bad name till he is the Chief Minister," he said.

He also said that the census of the study of social and economic condition of the people was ordered in 2014-15 but there was no mention that caste census will be held. "This was not the caste census," he said.

He said that whenever the Congress has come to power, they have not been able to rule affectively. "A message had been given to the police not to touch a community because of which there was no fear of law, police, or the government for the anti-social elements," he said.

He said that an incident had occurred in Kolar City and taking note of it an elaborate security should have been made by the Shivamogga Police.

"Why a fool-proof security was not made during the Eid Milad procession? The anti-social elements were being instigated after the Congress came to power in the state," he said.

On draught situation in the state, he said that the Chief Minister had said they will do drought relief efficiently but the incumbent government is only making statement.

"Karnataka is witnessing drought since last three months. Farmers are distressed due to the withering of the khariff crops. Still the government has not released any relief package. No action has also been taken so far regarding the drinking water problem. The state government is unnecessarily pointing fingers at the centre. The state government already has a disaster relief fund. Release it immediately, then we can ask Centre for more funds and we will also support the government in this," he said.

Bommai said that during the BJP regime unprecedented floods affected several districts of the state. "Our government did not wait for the centre. It was in such a crisis that the government had to show that it was alive. But looking at the attitude of this government, it was evident that the present government is not pro-active to the various crises the state is facing. I would like to tell the Chief Minister that making the statement will not solve the drought. So far no funds have been released for the development. Funds have not been released for hospital, school, and road maintenance," he said.
KYODO NEWS - Oct 7, 2023 - 10:34 | All, Japan

Police in Nagasaki Prefecture have approved the use of sunglasses by their officers, prioritizing the safeguarding of their health and safety over concerns about appearance.

While officers in the southwestern Japan prefecture had not previously been banned from donning sunglasses, they had long refrained from wearing them for fear of appearing intimidating to locals, they said.

The official endorsement for the use of sunglasses came on Sept. 19 for those driving patrol vehicles, among others, after officers complained they had problems driving due to brightness and said they wanted to protect their eyes from ultraviolet light.

"We've started this to prevent accidents during patrolling and to reduce damage to eye health. We hope the public will understand," said Yoshiteru Oba of the Nagasaki Prefectural Police's community police affairs division.

The Toyama Prefectural Police similarly allowed the use of sunglasses by its officers in the traffic section from July.
Chennai, Oct 7 : Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram Regional Transport Officer (RTO), who is the licensing authority, on Saturday cancelled the driving license of YouTuber and racer T.T.F. Vasan alias Vaikunthavasan, who was recently arrested for rash driving on a public road.

Kancheepuram RTO N. Thinakaran said that the driving licence of Vasan was disqualified for a period of 10 years from October 6, 2023 to October 5, 2033.

The Madras High Court on October 5 dismissed a bail petition filed by Vasan in a case booked against him for rash driving on a public road.

The High Court had made strong observations against Vasan while pronouncing the verdict. The bike racer, who is also a vlogger, was thrown off his bike while he was trying to do a racing scene on his bike on September 17 at the Chennai-Vellore national highway.

Vasan was arrested on September 19 by the Baluchetty Chatram police and booked him under Sections 279 (Rash driving or driving on a public way), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of Indian Penal Code with Section 184 (Dangerous Driving ) and other provisions of Motor Vehicles Act.

The Superintendent of Police, Kancheepuram had sent a letter listing pending cases against Vasan to the RTO.

Vasan had cases booked against him in Greater Chennai Traffic limits, one in Sulur, in Coimbatore district, Nilgiris, Cuddalore district, and Manali in Himachal Pradesh. The police also listed out the details of vehicles used by Vasan and were involved in various traffic offenses that he had committed.

Kancheepuram RTO, Thinakaran told mediapersons that the driving licence was issued to Vasan by the Mettupalayam RTO and a show-cause notice was also issued to him asking him why action should not be taken against him under the relevant rules of the Central Motor Vehicles Rule.
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 7 : As the news of Palestinian militant group Hamas declaring a new military operation against Israel and firing a barrage of missiles towards the Jewish state from the Gaza Strip broke out, tension gripped numerous Kerala homes that have their family members eking out a living in the country.

A Keralite settled in Israel, who came live on TV channels, said since Saturday morning many Malayalee nurses in Israel are a worried lot.

"According to estimates there are around 6,000 Keralaites, mostly nurses. In many places there are bunkers and many have started to move into it and are eagerly waiting for this impasse to end," said the Keralaite.

Israel of late, especially in the past few years, has been the favourite destination for Kerala nurses as apart from working in hospitals, many are employed as caregivers to the elderly people living alone.

A Kerala woman nurse who has been working in Israel said she has been working for the past eight years. aI am now speaking from the bunker and can hear the sounds of explosions. There have been such situations in the past, but this time it appears itas very strong. At the moment we have supplies to last a while in the bunkers," she said.

Another Kerala nurse working close to Jerusalem said Saturday was the first day in a long time that such a thing has happened. "We have been told that whenever there are issues, an alarm will be given and when it comes , all should move to safe zones," said the nurse.

The Indian Embassy there has started a control room. Meanwhile, the husband of a Kerala nurse working in Israel after watching the news on TV when contacted by his wife said at the moment where she is residing things are normal.

"She said utmost caution has been sounded due to the developments that began on Saturday morning and alerts will be provided on mobiles. Issues are in the borders, but a general caution has been sounded," he said.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, who has recently collaborated with actor Ali Fazal for the spy thriller 'Khufiya', shared how he was fascinated by the latter's previous performances, saying he was looking for an opportunity to work with him.

Ali is best known for his role of Guddu Pandit in the action crime thriller web series 'Mirzapur'. Apart from Ali, it also stars Pankaj Tripathi, Shweta Tripathi Shamra, Divyenndu, Vikrant Massey, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Rasika Dugal, Harshita Gaur and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in pivotal roles.

The actor is also known for his work in projects like '3 Idiots', 'Fukrey', 'Sonali Cable', 'Milan Talkies', amongst many others.

In the Vishal Bhardwaj directorial 'Khufiya', Ali plays the character of Ravi Mohan.

Talking about casting Ali in the film, the National Film Award-winning director told IANS: "I have been seeing him for such a long time. Everyone has seen his work in 'Mirzapur'. Entire country loved his performance. I saw him in 'Fukrey'."

"I also saw him in a film, which unfortunately has not been released, and don't know when it will be released. It is directed by Shujaat Saudagar. So when it was sent to me during the pandemic  it was a story of two people, who are trapped in a home, riots are going on. One of them is Hindu, the other is Muslim. So that is such a beautiful performance by Ali. I saw a very different layer of Ali in that. It was very different from his image of Guddu bhaiya from 'Mirzapur'," shared the 'Maqbool' director.

The filmmaker further said: "I thought this man has a wonderful range in himself. I also saw his English movie 'Victoria & Abdul'".

So what this character 'Ravi Mohan' needed- a suave, glamour, and rootedness that I saw in Ali. And I was looking for an opportunity to work with him to be honest," added Vishal.

'Khufiya' marks an exciting departure from Vishal's usual forte, who is known for his exceptional work in adapting classic literature and crafting dark, intense narratives set in rural landscapes. This time, he ventures into the realm of espionage with a spy thriller that promises to be a captivating addition to his diverse filmography.

The film also stars Tabu and Wamiqa Gabbi. It is streaming on Netflix.

Ali was last seen in Hollywood film 'Kandahar', an American action film directed by Ric Roman Waugh and written by Mitchell LaFortune. The film stars Gerard Butler in the lead, and features a supporting cast that includes Ali Fazal, Navid Negahban, Bahador Foladi, Nina Toussaint-White, Tom Rhys Harries, Vassilis Koukalani, Mark Arnold, Corey Johnson, and Travis Fimmel.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : The Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested a wanted sharpshooter of 'Hashim Baba gang' who was wanted in connection with two cases of firing, an official said on Saturday.

The arrested individual has been identified as Zaheer a.k.a Guddu (25) -- a resident of Vishwas Nagar. He was previously involved in a total of six criminal cases, including three of the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Alok Kumar, said that after the police laid a trap on Friday after they received information about Zaheer's visit to a place near Vishwas Nagar extention.

"The accused was seen arriving on a scooty. When he was cornered by the police and asked to surrender, he whipped out his pistol and threatened to fire at the members of the team. However, he was overpowered and disarmed," the DCP said.

The police recovered from his possession one semi-automatic pistol of .32 bore with three live cartridges.

The DCP said Zaheer was currently wanted in two cases of firing at two places in the trans-Yamuna area on the intervening nights of September 23 and 24.

"The accused disclosed that he, along with his two associates, came on a two-wheeler and fired more than a dozen rounds at two places as per the directions of Hashim Baba and one Nitin Jain, an active associate of Hashim Baba," the police officer said.

During questioning, the police learned that the bike, the scooty, and the two pistols used in firing were supplied by Nitin Jain to them as per the directions of Hashim Baba.

"Both vehicles were returned to Nitin Jain by the accused after the firing incidents," said the DCP.
Mumbai, Oct 7 : One of Bollywood's biggest cult classics, director Dibakar Banerjee's film 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' is now going pan-India as it will get remakes in multiple Indian languages including Telugu, Marathi and Kannada. There is also a possibility of remakes in Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi and Bangla, but it has not been confirmed.

The other remakes were confirmed as revealed on the sidelines of the Busan International Film Festival's Asian Contents and Film Market, according to Variety.

A creative film, 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' is centered on a Delhi-based retired middle-class man who tries half-heartedly to get his land back from a swindling property dealer with the help of his sons and their friends.

The Kannada version will be directed by Adarsh Eshwarappa (titled 'Shuddhi'), the Telugu version by Vinod Anantoju ('Middle Class Melodies') and the Marathi one by Kedar Shinde ('Baipan Bhari Deva').

The Kannada-language version will be set in northern Karnataka, with director Adarsh Eshwarappa saying: "'Khosla Ka Ghosla!' boasts a devoted cult following, and I firmly believe that such cinematic gems need to be accessible to today's generation.

He further mentioned: "The remake presents an opportunity to reach a broader audience, enabling people to experience the film in their regional language, tailored to their cultural sensibilities. This adaptation ensures the movie's legacy lives on and resonates with diverse viewers."

Regarding the Telugu version, director Vinod Anantoju said: "The themes that the movie discusses are relatable to people from any part of the country, even today. I have experienced similar situations myself. Khosla reminds me of my own father.

"Every character reminds me of someone I know in real life. That's why the film feels so personal to me. I want to retain this relatability factor in my version and I believe the Telugu audience will also own the movie," he added.

For the Marathi version, Kedar Shinde said: "For the audience, the story will remain closely relatable, irrespective of its time period since the grassroot level problems still remain the same around us. And I strongly feel it'll still be relatable in the forthcoming years too as human nature and thought processes do not change."

"To most Indians, building a home in a lifetime is like a dream come true. It is relatable to a pan-Indian audience as property fraud is paramount and witnessed in large measure. Thus, the remakes of 'Khosla Ka Ghosla!' will be apt as there is a need to address the issue, entertain and monetise the creative rendition," producer Savita Raj Hiremath told Variety.

She further added: "Many regional producers contacted us for the remake and after speaking with them we realised that they feel that 'Khosla Ka Ghosla!' still has a very big commercial value as good content cinema is now the new trend. The audience wants a break from action sagas too."

'Khosla Ka Ghosla' , while not a commercial hit, was nonetheless greatly acclaimed and overtime, much like 'Lakshya' has become a cult classic. The film was Dibakar Banerjee's directorial debut and garnered him a win at the National Filmfare Awards with his second film 'Oye Lucky Oye' also receiving the same.

An experimental filmmaker, his films 'Bombay Talkies', 'Love Sex Aur Dhoka' and particularly 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!' were all acclaimed. None of his endeavours in particular have been commercial successes.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Russian MPs will soon engage in discussions regarding the potential withdrawal of the country's ratification of the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), a proposal that was introduced by President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, according to State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin.

The senior legislator pledged that this deliberation within the lower chamber of the Russian parliament would take place in the upcoming session of its agenda-setting council. He emphasized that this decision would align with the national interests of the country, reports RT.

The CTBT prohibits all nuclear explosions regardless of purpose and environment, expanding the limitations set in the earlier Partial Test Ban Treaty.

Unlike its 1963 predecessor, the current agreement never entered into force, since some nations, including the US, declined to ratify it, RT reported.

Putin brought up the ineffective ban during his participation in the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, while discussing Russia's advancement of new nuclear delivery systems.

He mentioned that some advisors were arguing that the true viability of a new platform could only be fully demonstrated through an actual nuclear payload detonation.

"I am not prepared to say whether or not we should conduct tests. But behaving in a mirror fashion in relations with the US  that we can do," he said, referring to the status of the CTBT.

However, Putin stressed that the final decision over the treaty lies with the State Duma, RT reported.
Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on Jan. 9, 2023. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua/IANS). Image Source: IANS News

United Nations, Oct 7 : The organisation formed to save the world "from the scourge of war" helplessly watches the brutal war in Ukraine launched by one of the permanent members of the Security Council that is charged with stopping violations of the UN Charter, even through force.

Ukraineas President Volodymyr Zelensky put his finger on the problem: "The veto in the hands of the aggressor is what drove the UN into a dead end."

Meanwhile, the one achievement of the UN, a deal to allow the export of foodgrains from Ukraine to a needy world, lies in shambles after Russia in July backed out of what is known as the Black Sea Initiative (BSI).

After two vetoes by Russia last year, the Security Council has given up on taking up any more measures on Ukraine a" there has been none since Moscow shot down a resolution in September last year.

Zelensky told the Security Council last month of the many years of efforts to reform the UN: "The use of the veto is what needs reform, and this could be a key reform."

But that is not going to happen because neither the three Western permanent members, the US, Britain and France, nor China would countenance a dilution of their power.

Ukraine also makes the audacious suggestion based on a literal reading of the unamended UN Charter that Russia does not have a place on the Security Council because it says the seat is for "theUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics" of which Ukraine was a part.

(At the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the seat passed on to Russia without any serious objections. Beijing occupies the seat for the "Republic of China", which is Taiwan's official name. )

Under the circumstances, there is no avenue open for the UN to stop wars unless there is a consensus among the permanent members.

The General Assembly that represents all the UN members has moved to make the permanent members answer for their vetoes by requiring them to defend their action a" but ultimately it canat force them to change their stance.

It has taken up the Ukraine war and condemned Russiaas invasion with significant majorities but has no way to enforce its demand.

In the latest instance, in the General Assembly of 193 members, 141 members voted on the February resolution demanding that Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine" and called for a cessation of hostilities.

A majority of Latin American, African, and Asian countries voted for the resolution, although the abstentions were almost all from the countries of the South.

Only seven voted against it and India and China joined 30 other countries in abstaining on the vote.

(It also showed the limits to what Chinaas President Xi Jinping called "friendship without limits".)

There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, but it also has no teeth: Its resolutions are only pablums and, at best, a moral statement that would have no effect on Russia while showing the world the dominant sentiment.

The Assembly can impose some relatively lenient penalties, but on those resolutions, the votes fall off as many countries donat want to take their condemnation to the next level.

In November, only 94 countries backed a resolution to set up a register of the damages caused by Russia in Ukraine which could be the basis for assessing reparations; 14 voted against it and 73 abstained, India among them.

Only 93 countries voted in April last year to oust Russia from the UN Human Rights Council; votes against rose to 24, with 58 abstentions that included India.

(Moscow is making another bid next week to enter the Human Rights Council.)

The BSI was launched last year after Secretary General Antonio Guterres brokered a deal with Ukraine and Russia to allow foodgrain and agricultural exports through the Black Sea naval war zone with Turkiye facilitating it.

The BSI crisis arose because Moscow trying to leverage the BSI crisis to slacken the sanctions imposed by the West pulled out of it in July and has come up with a slew of demands to allow the exports to resume.

Moscow says that the various sanctions imposed by the West made finding insurance for ships carrying its food exports difficult.

It has demanded lifting the sanctions on Russian companies in the agriculture and fertiliser sectors and on the export of agricultural equipment to Russia.

Hammered by sanctions against banking, Russia also wanted the restrictions on the Russian Agricultural Bank lifted so it could be paid for its own exports.

Guterres promised Russiaas Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the bankas subsidiary, the Luxembourg-based RSHB Capital, would get access to the international money transfer system used by banks that is known as SWIFT.

So far, there is no real role for the UN in the Ukraine war a" and unlikely in the future a" with even the modest BSI endeavour failing.

The UNas agenda for peace will continue to be restricted to the Global South or to the weaker European states in the Balkans.

Even in those cases, it all depends on the magnanimity of the five veto-wielders: The recent vote to allow the deployment of a Kenya-led international force outside the UN got through only because of grumpy China and Russia abstained while the continuation of entry points for relief to Syrian territories was vetoed by Russia.

(Arul Louis can be contacted atarul.l@ians.inand followed at @arulouis)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Dec. 4, 2019 shows the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has greenlighted the drafting of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, as. Image Source: IANS News

Washington, Oct 7 : Republican Kevin McCarthy, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, became the first American to lose his job over the country's continued funding for Ukraine in the wake of Russia's ongoing war.

The security aid -- which stands cumulatively $43.9 billion since the start of the war in February 2022 -- is in danger.

A temporary measure passed recently to keep the US government running till mid-November, in the absence of an annual budget, made no appropriation for Ukraine.

The US military has $5.4 billion left from previously committed funds, but that is likely to run out soon.

President Joe Biden has vowed to stand with Ukraine for "as long as it take". He has argued that the defense of Ukraine is in the larger security interest of the US.

"It's overwhelmingly in our interest," he said earlier this week. "I've spent two and a half years putting together coalitions that no one thought could be put together.And they've strengthened us across the board, not just as it relates to Ukraine, whether it's Japan and South Korea."

He might try to find ways to keep funding the war, but without budgetary support the money may not be sufficient.

Some members of the Republican party, which control the House of Representatives and the government's purse-strings, are opposing continued allocation of money to Ukraine.

And they, led by Representative Matt Gaetz, toppled McCarthy accusing him of striking a secret deal with the Democrats to keep the money flowing to Ukraine.

He denied it, but couldn't save his job, becoming the first Speaker in US history to be voted out of office; also the one with the shortest tenure.

McCarthy's ouster had other reasons as well, but growing fatigue in US congress, especially among his Republican colleagues, reflects narrowing of popular support for the war.

Although six out of 10 Americans still favour economic and military assistance in a poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. It's down slightly from last November. About half of Republicans agree.

A slim narrow majority of those polled said the $43 billion in weapons, equipment and training that the US has provided to Ukraine has been worth the cost  53 per cent again, 45 per cent not worth the cost.

Six in 10 Republicans say it has not been worth it. Jim Jordan, a Republican lawmaker who leads the race to replace McCarthy as speaker, has been a long-time opponent to military assistance and has voted against all bills that support it.

And he told reporters this week: "The most pressing issue on Americans' minds is not Ukraine. It is the border situation and crime on the streets."

But the Republicans are divided.

Steve Scalise, the other leading contender for McCarthy's chair, is a strong backer of Ukraine funding as are the Republicans heading the powerful armed services and foreign affairs committees of the House.

They want the administration to do more.

Two senior Republicans called upon the president to elucidate a strategy in a letter, saying: "A pledge to support Ukraine 'for as long as it takes' is not a strategy."

"The data show that flagging desire to support Ukraine could be influenced by several factors, including decreased interest in news about the war; a reduced sense of threat from Russia, a desire for Europeans to take a larger role, a decline in the popularity of Ukrainian President Zelensky, and a growing sense that Ukraine has not been able to gain advantage in the conflict," the council said.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Over the last few months, Ukrainian forces have slowly regained territory in the Russian-occupied regions in southern and eastern parts of the war-torn nation.

To date, the Ukrainians havereclaimed54 per cent of Russian-occupied land and are continuing to make progress, writes Mark Temnycky, a non-resident fellowat the Atlantic Councilas Eurasia Center for The Hill.

But as Ukraine continues this success, others are becoming impatient. According to reports, some Westerners arepressuringKiev to speed up its counteroffensive in southern and eastern Ukraine.

Others havepushedfor forced negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, believing that this is the best chance to end the war, even if it benefits Russiaas ambitions.

Unlike the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the spring of 2022, which saw the Ukrainians swiftly push the Russians out of northern Ukraine, the counteroffensive in the south and east has been a lot slower. Russian forces have fortified their positions in these regions, where Ukrainian soldiers are reporting deeptrenchesand other barriers that stretch for miles, the author said.

In addition, the Russians haveplantedhundreds of kilometers of minefields in the Russian-occupied regions.

These obstacles have delayed Ukrainian progress in the region as Ukrainian forces are removing the barriers and other hazards before their troops advance. In other words, the Ukrainians are makingcalculated decisions in thesouth and east to ensure that they avoid as many casualties as possible.

Morale within Ukraineremains high, but theloss of lifeis real, the article said.

Meanwhile, support for aid to Ukraine in the US appears to be waning.

One of the hold-ups for the 2024 government spending bill was aid to Ukraine. House Republicansare splitover assistance to Ukraine.

Events in Poland and the US areearly warning signsfor Ukraine. They suggest a weakening of support, and even that some elected officials are willing to risk continued support for Ukraine in exchange for political favourability amongst voters against Ukraine assistance.

Public opinion polls on aid to Ukraine have also seen adeclinein the US and Europe over time, the article said.

If support for Ukraine wanes in 2024, Russia could force a peace settlement with Ukraine. The international community might pressure the Ukrainians into negotiating and signing an agreement favorable to Russia.

Assuming that they would have learned from their previous errors, the Russians could launch a new invasion of Ukraine, and with the international community no longer motivated to support Ukraine, this could result in Russia making further advances, the article said.

Given all this, Ukraine must win the war against Russia in 2023.

And Ukraine is currently gaining ground in the southern and eastern occupied territories, it added.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached atSanjeev.s@ians.in)
New York, Oct 7 : A team of scientists have discovered the impact of a multitude of genes that are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, but whose effects on human brain development were previously unknown.

Studies have implicated at least 500 genes in such disorders. But scientists have no idea exactly how defects in most of these genes impair brain function.

The new findings, led by a team from the Stanford University in the US, are likely to accelerate drug development for neurodevelopmental disorders.

There are two main classes of neurons in the cerebral cortex: excitatory and inhibitory. Excitatory neurons fire impulses that activate other neurons, while inhibitory neurons' firing blocks other neurons from firing. Inhibitory and excitatory neurons integrate to form circuits, shaping signalling activity in the brain.

In humans, as many as half of all cells in the cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost and most recently evolved layer, are inhibitory. Scientists theorised that an imbalance in the number or function of inhibitory neurons compared with excitatory neurons might be at least partly responsible for autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy.

"If that's true, you could find ways to alter the functional balance of these cells in the cortex as a therapeutic approach for these disorders," said Sergiu Pasca, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the varsity.

But first, he wondered, how do you make sense of the enormous collection of genes that have been implicated in these conditions but whose impacts are largely unknown?

Does the existence of hundreds of genes associated with disease mean that there are hundreds of different types of neurodevelopmental disorders, each requiring a different remedy? Or might several different genes converge and lead to similar pathology, or some particular aspect of it?

"If it's the latter, a cluster of gene defects that all produce a similar physiological deficit might be amenable to a single type of treatment," Pasca said.

To explore, the team used two cutting edge technologies. They paired cortical organoids, developed using human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and a gene editing tool CRISPR and tested 425 genes that have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. Their test aimed to determine which ones interfere with the generation and migration of interneurons.

From those iPS cells, the researchers generated subpallial organoids. Some showed no fluorescence at all after 44 days in a dish, indicating theirfailure to generate interneurons.

By sequencing the genomes of these organoids, the researchers could tell which gene had been disabled by the CRISPR scissors, resulting in defective interneuron generation. They identified 13 such genes.

They also identified another 33 genes that, when missing, prevented interneurons from travelling to the cerebral cortex. All told, 46 genes, of the 425, appeared to affect the nerve cells that inhibit their neighbours, leading to an imbalance.

"The identification of 46 genes -- close to 10 per cent of all known neurodevelopmental-disorder-associated genes -- whose dysfunction impairs interneuron development points to a subgroup of neurodevelopmental disorders that are characterised by inadequate inhibition of excitatory cortical neurons," Pasca said.

Some of these genes have been previously uncharacterised, and their function unsuspected, Pasca said.
COLOMBO, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka Army has assigned two battalions comprising over 500 soldiers to assist flood relief work in the districts of Galle and Matara in the Southern Province, the Ministry of Defense said on Saturday.

The ministry said in a statement that there was a risk of breaking of the stone embankment built to prevent floods in Matara area due to the bad weather affecting the island country.

The army has established four food distribution centers each at Malimbada, Akuressa, Thihagoda and Matara Fort to provide food and water to the displaced people -- a main challenge in the disaster relief process, the ministry said.

It added that the army's medical teams were prepared to provide necessary support for every regional secretariat with disaster risk in Galle, Matara and Kalutara districts.

The Department of Meteorology said on Saturday that heavy showers above 100 mm are likely to hit parts of Western, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces, with the red alert being issued for seven districts in southwestern area of the South Asian country. 
Mumbai, Oct 7 : Persevering for 29 years, the Mumbai Police finally managed to nab a member of the Chhota Rajan gang -- absconding after being convicted in a dacoity case -- from his hideout in Gujarat, officials said here on Saturday.

The convict has been identified as Sakir Barkali Lakhani, 59, a member of the Chhota Rajan gang, who used to live in Antop Hill in south central Mumbai.

In 1994, Lakhani and four of his associates from the same gang, swooped on a realtoras office to commit dacoity. They attacked a police team which foiled their crime and they were arrested under various laws, including the Arms Act.

Later, a Mumbai Sessions Court had found Lakhani guilty and sentenced him to five years imprisonment, even as his three associates were gunned down in police encounters.

Lakhani managed to escape from the police clutches and had been on the run since then and the investigators made all attempts to nab him.

After sustained field investigations, tips from informers and using tech-intel, the Mumbai Police zeroed in on him in Gujarat.

The Mumbai Crime Branch laid a trap for Lakhani and without arousing any suspicions, successfully caught him, and brought him to Mumbai, said the officials.

During the intervening period, Lakhani was involved in at least 10 crimes including dacoities, robberies, vehicle thefts, etc and was wanted by the Gujarat Police also, declared an absconder by the Odhav Police, and further investigations are underway.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : The GST Council at its meeting held on Saturday recommended an increase in the retirement age of the president and members of the GST Appellate Tribunal.

Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman announced at a press conference that the age of retirement for the president of the appellate tribunal had been raised from 67 years to 70 years while that of the members had been raised from 65 years to 67 years.

She said that an advocate would have to have a minimum experience of 10 years to be eligible for appointment as a judicial member of the tribunal.

The GST Council also took a decision to recommend an extension in the last date for filing an appeal by industry against a GST order to January 31, 2024.

The step has been taken as a pro-industry measure because assessment orders were also delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Revenue Secretary said.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Delhi Police has arrested four currency smugglers and recovered Rs 18.5 lakhs of fake Indian notes and Nepal currency amounting to over 46 lakhs, an official said on Saturday.

The accused were identified as Chhavi Ram (25 ), Aasib aka Aasif (37), Imran (26) and Dinesh Kumar Jha (25).

According to police, a police personnel noticed a man carrying a bag and suspiciously roaming inside Anand Vihar Bus Terminal on September 28.

Accordingly, his bag was checked and Rs 1,22,000 (Rs 100 x 466 notes & Rs. 200 x 377 notes) Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) were found inside it. Identity of this person was established as Chavi Ram.

"Since a substantial amount of counterfeit currency was seized, and its links were found to connect to other states, the case indicated the involvement of a significant syndicate engaged in the smuggling of counterfeit currency," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (east), Amrutha Guguloth.

During the investigation, the Call Detail Records (CDRs) of this syndicate was analysed, which revealed that a certain individual named Dinesh serves as the mastermind of this gang.

"He maintained constant communication with numbers based in Nepal and was discovered to be using five SIM cards across three mobile phones to coordinate with his gang members," said the DCP.

Following the arrest of Chhavi Ram, two additional suppliers of counterfeit Indian Currency Notes, namely Aasib and Imran, were apprehended in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh.

"Counterfeit Indian currency notes amounting to Rs 45,000 and Rs 42,000 were recovered from their hiding places," said the DCP.

Meanwhile, Dinesh, the mastermind, deactivated his mobile phone.

"Based on Chhavi Ram's disclosure, it was evident that Dinesh possessed a significant quantity of counterfeit currency notes. Consequently, the investigative team conducted a raid on Dinesh's hideout in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Dinesh, in an attempt to evade the police, frequently changed his location," said the DCP.

"However, due to the unwavering determination of the police team, they successfully apprehended Dinesh at his residence on October 4, based on confidential information," said the DCP.

During the search of his house, a substantial amount of counterfeit Indian currency, Nepal currency notes, a color printer/scanner, and other materials used in the production of counterfeit currency notes were recovered.

On interrogation, Dinesh revealed that initially, he procured counterfeit Indian currency from his associates in Nepal, receiving a 10 per cent commission, and subsequently smuggled it into North India through his gang members.

"Later on, he began producing counterfeit Indian and Nepal currency notes at his residence, using high-quality printers and paper. To facilitate the distribution of counterfeit currency notes, he formed a gang consisting of Chhavi Ram, Aasib, Imran, and Islam (now incarcerated in Samastipur, Bihar), among others," said the DCP.

"Local inquiries also revealed that Dinesh had previous connections with Naxalites, and a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) had been registered against him at the Sakra police station in Muzaffarpur," the DCP added.
Chennai, Oct 7 : The Tamil Nadu government has allocated an amount of Rs 117. 18 crore for buying gold coins of eight grams each to be given as marriage assistance to women under various schemes.

The state government has already floated a tender for purchase of 25000 gold coins of 22 carat purity and weighing eight grams each.

The amount allocated is for purchase of new gold coins as well as to clear the backlog of previous four to five years.

The AIADMK government had stopped providing gold coins for marriage assistance in 2019 which was resumed after the DMK government assumed office in 2021.

The state government is providing assistance to girls under four marriage schemes

The aThalikku Thangama scheme was changed to aPuthumai Penna scheme in 2021 and issuing gold coin was stopped. Instead, under the new scheme, girl students from government schools who enroll for diploma or degree course after Class 12 are given a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 till they complete their higher studies.

Under the marriage assistance scheme for daughters of widows, eight grams gold coin and an amount of Rs 50,000 is given to graduates and diploma holders while eight gram gold coin and Rs 25000 is given to non- graduates by the state government.

The Mother Teresa scheme is constituted for orphan girls who are given gold coin and cash assistance of Rs 50,000.

There are assistances for widow remarriage as well as inter-caste married girls. Under the Dr. Dharmambal Ammayiar memorial widow remarriage scheme, the women who have a graduate or diploma certificate are given Rs 50,000 in cash as well as an eight gram gold coin. However, non graduates will get Rs 25000 in cash and an eight-gram gold.

The same conditions are applicable for inter-caste marriages under the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy memorial scheme.
Los Angeles, Oct 7 : Actor Mad Mikkeleson is known for his sinister and tough persona portrayals with one of his best known films being 'Casino Royal' where he played the main villain Le Chiffre.

While attending the Zurich Film Festival to promote his feature 'The Promised Land', the Danish actor told audiences that he had in fact forgotten the script and instead improvised for a great duration of the movie, with his partner-in-crime being James Bond actor Daniel Craig in an ironic twist.

Talking to the audience at the Zurich Film Festival, he detailed the incident and said: "'Casino Royale' was the first screenplay with my name on every single page. Which also means that if you lose it, it's on you. I got on a plane, started to read it and I fell asleep. Then I got out and just left it there."

He added: "I was lucky some cleaning person threw it away and didn't know what it was. That could have been the end of my career, right then."

The 'Rogue One' actor also revealed that he was completely unfamiliar with James Bond when he applied for the role. Adding on to this, he said: "I had never watched a Bond movie up to that point and of course I lied about it. I only knew that guy with metal teeth (Jaws)."

Describing the movie's end scene where Le Chiffe brutally beats Bond with a rope and how he and Craig pulled it off, he said: "I have seen the ones with Daniel Craig. (Back then) he was the new Bond and everything about him was 'wrong.'

"His height, his nose, his hair. I think he was glad I also came from indie films. He had a partner in crime. There was this scene where I tickled his b**** with a rope. We had so many ideas and the director just looked at us: 'Guys, come back. It's a Bond movie'."

The actor went on to even ridicule his own character Le Chiffre during the festival, not-so-subtly mocking his on-screen persona: "The 'smartest' Bond villain? He lost $100 million to a man who couldn't play poker. Not that smart."
Kathmandu, Oct 7 : At least seven Nepali students, who were working in an agriculture firm in Israel, have been injured in rocket attacks by Hamas while another 17 people have been held captive, Nepali Ambassador to Israel told media on Saturday.

The students were deployed to an agriculture farm in Alumim Kibbutz in southern Israel under the 'learn and earn programme'.

Nepal Ambassador to Israel Kanta Rizal said the building housing 17 students has been encircled by the militants who currently have hold of the area. Those injured seven students are also inside the captivity of the militant groups, she said.

"We have informed the Israeli Foreign Ministry and rescue team of the condition of the Nepalis. We have asked the students to remain alert and the embassy is in constant touch with them," she said.

She also said that it is difficult to rescue them because the rebels have taken over the area they are in.

"Those seventeen people are inside the housing of the agricultural farm. A group of armed people have surrounded the house where they are living," the Nepali ambassador told the Kantipur.

She said that they are also unable to leave their residence due to the curfew.

--IANS

giri/dan
Mumbai, Oct 7 : In a second instance in barely two months, the Mumbai Police have booked businessman Rahul Bhoopsingh Yadav, founder of 4B Networks Pvt Ltd., in a fresh case pertaining to alleged misappropriation of Rs 288-crore of investors' funds, according to officials.

Following a complaint by Info Edge, the proprietors of Naukri.com, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is now probing the case pertaining to allegedly transferring a part of the investorsa monies to another company where his wife Karishma Yadav is the co-owner and a CEO.

Info Edge had invested a total of Rs 276-crore in Yadavas company 4B Networks Pvt Ltd., and given him a Rs 12-crore loan, totalling to Rs 288-crore, and has claimed that the money was allegedly siphoned off through illegal means.

The complaint has accused Yadav of misappropriating the funds in different forms like shady transactions, loans to some former staffers, heavy deposit for an office allegedly routed via his wifeas company, and vendors purportedly transferring payments from 4B Networks to other companies of the family.

Earlier in August, the EOW had booked Yadav and his associate Sanjay Saini following a complaint lodged by Co-Founder of Interspace Communications Pvt Ltd, Vikas Omprakash Nowal, for allegedly cheating him of a total of Rs 10-crore.

Later, the EOW had raided the offices and homes of Yadav-Saini duo, a Look Out Circular was issued against Yadav, while a Mumbai Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in end-Aug.
Guwahati/Kohima, Oct 7 : Security has been further tightened along the Assam-Nagaland border areas to check and curb the movement of extremists, anti-social elements, and to prevent unlawful activities, an official said on Saturday.

Officials of both Assam and Nagaland governments said that militants and anti-social elements sometimes do various illegal activities including unlawful trade of forest resources and wildlife on either side of the border.

Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Sivasagar district of Assam has enforced night curfew in a 5-km belt on the Assam side of Sivasagar district, which shares a border with Nagaland.

The night curfew, which is in effect from 6 p.m. in the evening to 6 a.m. in the morning, will remain in place till November 6.

"The decision to enforce the night curfew has been taken as a precautionary measure to deter anti-social elements, extremists, and unlawful activities from crossing the Assam-Nagaland border within the Sivasagar district," a district official said.

He said that during the period of the night curfew, the movement of any person, group of persons, or vehicular traffic is strictly prohibited within the specified area.

Assam shares a 512-km-long border with Nagaland and several patches of the inter-state border are disputed and the two states are now in parley to resolve the dispute.

After a series of top-level meetings, the Assam and Nagaland governments in 2021 withdrew their respective forces from the disputed sites.

Though the decades-old Nagaland and Assam border dispute cases have been pending in the Supreme Court for many years, the Chief Ministers of the two states held several meetings and are trying to settle the issues out of court.

Many people have been killed, most of them on the Assam side, in the attacks by the armed forces from Nagaland in different incidents in 1979, 1985, 2007 and 2014.
New Delhi: Media briefing regarding the outcome of the 52nd Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council Meeting. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Oct 7 : The Central government has clarified to the states that the goods and services tax (GST) on online gaming companies is not being levied retrospectively since some online games involved in betting were already being charged a 28 per cent GST under the law earlier.

Certain states during the GST Council meeting on October 7 are reported to have flagged the issue of retrospectively imposing GST on online gaming companies, according to Maharashtra minister Deepak Vasant Kesarkar.

However, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman said the issue was not on the agenda of the GST Council meeting but raised by some states such as Goa after the meeting was over.

"It was informed to certain members that this is not retrospective and this was the law earlier. These liabilities were already existing because money online games played with bets... they were already attracting by way of betting or gambling 28 per cent GST," Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra said in answer to a question at a press conference after the meeting.

A number of online gaming companies have been issued show-cause noticing for allegedly evading GST with cumulative amount adding up to whopping Rs 55,000 crore.

Many have termed this as retrospective taxation claiming that the notices pertain to the period before the October 1, 2023 implementation date for a new tax treatment for gaming platforms.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo also said that the Council discussed the issue of retrospectively taxing online gaming under the indirect tax regime with the dues being demanded from some firms exceeding their turnover.

Delhi Finance Minister Atishi also said on Saturday that the proposed 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online gaming firms could jeopardise the entire Indian startup sector, potentially leading to significant job losses and hit foreign investments.
Bengaluru, Oct 7 : Criminal Investigating Department (CID) conducted raids on the residences of investigation officers of Bitcoin scam in Karnataka who are allegedly involved with the kingpin hacker.

Sources said that the raids were conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) at seven locations against five investigating officers after it was alleged that the officers are not investigating the scam properly and are also involved in destroying the evidence by colluding with the alleged kingpin hacker Sriki.

The raids were conducted in Bommanahalli, Koramangala and other locations.

CID special team had arrested Harvindar Singh, Nitin Mehsram and Darshit Patel recently in Nagpur, Maharashtra in connection with the hacking of the e-procurement portal of Karnataka government by joining hands with the prime accused Sriki.

The government had allotted the services of cyber forensic and cryptocurrency experts to assist the SIT team in probing the Bitcoin scam.

The SIT team had conducted raids on the residences of the main accused persons including the alleged kingpin in Bengaluru in connection with the Bitcoin scandal last month.

The Congress government had recently issued an order directing reinvestigation into the sensational Bitcoin scam allegedly involving top BJP leaders in the state.

Sources explain that the Bitcoin scandal had taken place after the arrest of alleged international hacker Srikrishna a.k.a Sriki by the CCB police in Bengaluru. It was alleged that using the accused hacker, the ruling BJP leaders had minted huge money by allowing him to commit the scandal in custody in 2020.

The police had arrested the accused while allegedly selling drugs. The probe revealed that the accused had siphoned off Rs 11 crores by hacking into online gaming companies and government web portals. The accused had allegedly converted the money into Bitcoins and carried out drug peddling in Bengaluru.

Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala earlier, in his series of tweets had attacked the BJP central leadership as well as former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai over the Bitcoin scandal.

"What is the role and responsibility of the Basavaraj Bommai? (who was the home minister in charge at the relevant time) and others in the state government? Surjewala had questioned, causing severe embarrassment to the BJP.

"The layers of the Bitcoin scam are finally being unearthed. Let Home Minister and Bommai answer. FBI in India to investigate India's biggest Bitcoins scam cover-up under the then Karnataka BJP government. If so, release details of the investigation and suspects including political people," he had stated.

"How many Bitcoins were stolen? And of what value? Who in Karnataka is involved? Were the stolen Bitcoins transferred from the wallet of the arranged hacker Sri Krishna?" Surjewala had questioned.

--IANS

mka/dan
This photo taken with a mobile phone shows people watching an immersive drama "Mists in Jiangzhou" in a building with historic flair in Yuzhong District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Oct. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Jiale)

CHONGQING, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The curtain had fallen on the show, but Zhou Jiamu remained immersed in the storyline. Throughout the whole process, in which she followed the performers in shuttling between different rooms in an old building, Zhou felt as if she were part of the story.

The immersive drama "Mists in Jiangzhou" was performed in a building with historic flair built in 1941 in Yuzhong District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. The building was packed with people during the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday, with tickets for this show often sold out days in advance.

"It's a unique experience that allows one to watch the facial expressions and body movements of actors at a very close distance, and sometimes, to even talk to the actors," said Zhou, a high school student from southwest China's Guizhou Province.

"If it were not for this drama performance, there would be barely anyone visiting this more than 8-decade-old building," said Liu Mingxi, producer of the drama.

"We can usually only see cultural relics through a glass showcase. But now people can better know about the history and stories of this site through the lens of drama," Liu added.

Also in Chongqing's Yuzhong District, a former banknote printing factory has now become an innovation center for artists and young entrepreneurs. The old factory site, once abandoned and forgotten, has gone viral on social media platforms as a place integrating business, food, fashion and historical atmosphere.

"I would like to spend hours here exploring these shops, as there are diverse business entities such as coffee shops and cultural creative products," said Sun Liting, a tourist from northwest China's Gansu Province.

During the holiday, Tian Taiquan, a local artist and drawing teacher for children, brought his students to the center and held an outdoor exhibition of their works. The strong expression and vivid color modulation of their paintings drew much attention.

"When I was young, only a remote and neglected industry remained here, but now the inflow of a bevy of young entrepreneurs and artists entails a fusion of multiple cultures. Therefore, this venue can strike a chord with most visitors," said Tian.

Over the past decade, Chongqing has stepped up efforts concerning the investigation and protection of its cultural relics and about 26,000 immovable cultural relics were registered.

Chongqing will continue to explore the value of cultural relics, promote scientific development of cultural relics protection, and strengthen the integration of technology in the use of cultural relics, said Liu Qi, director of Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development. 

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows people watching an immersive drama "Mists in Jiangzhou" in a building with historic flair in Yuzhong District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Oct. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Jiale)
Mumbai, October 7 : The survival drama series 'Kaala Paani' has just unveiled its trailer and it has a more haunting vibe than one can expect of a thriller series.

Amidst the allure of the salty seas, the oceanas breeze, there are many haunting mysteries in the dark of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and these things are menacing and unforgiving which warrants a desperate struggle for escape and survival.

This is what basically aKaala Paania trailer is, a search for something mysterious that should not be touched only for it to bite back and chase you till your demise.

The premise of the show follows certain individuals who journey from the mainland into the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, trying to explore the mystery of Kaala Paani who find themselves trapped on the islands, away from the mainland, with no immediate help coming.

There is a presence of supernatural terror that is present throughout the trailer though the narrative, while very intriguing, is mired in so many details that it is really not known what the show is fully about.

The production value is very high as indicated by the massive designs, soundtrack and just the overall aesthetic which is dramatic and yet rooted.

Actors Mona Singh, Ashutosh Gowariker and Chinmay Mandlekar are the highlights in the video while director Sameer Saxena and Amit Golani are fully able to depict the sheer feeling of helplessness and dread that everyone is feeling.

Sharing his excitement on the trailer launch, executive producer and Showrunner, Sameer Saxena said: aWe are thrilled to invite the audience to experience a whole new world of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with the release of this trailer. We are very happy to have created aKaala Paania, a series that offers a perspective on the human behaviour to survive, adapt and evolve as per the situation they find themselves in".

aThe narrative has been crafted in a way that allows the audience to admire the complexities of the characters, their fight for survival and extent to which they would go to for their families, loved ones and themselves. We can't wait for the audience to watch aKaala Paania," he added.

Produced by Posham Pa Pictures, the seriesa screenplay has been penned by Biswapati Sarkar, Amit Golani, Sandeep Saket and Nimisha Misra.

The series also stars Amey Wagh, Sukant, Goel, Vikas Kumar, Arushi Sharma, Radhika Mehrotra and Poornima Indrajith.

aKaala Paania drops on October 18, 2023 on Netflix.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : The Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested Harjeet Singh, the last prominent on-ground operative of the Arsh Dalla-Sukha Duneke terror-gangster alliance, who was wanted by the law enforcement agencies, including the NIA, for multiple murders in Punjab and Haryana, the police said on Saturday.

An official said that Harjeet Singh (27), a resident of Bathinda district in Punjab, had been evading arrest for the past two years.

The official said that Harjeet Singh, along with his close associate who was arrested by the Special Cell on September 7, had been the most trusted operatives of foreign-based gangster-turned-terrorists Sukha Duneke, Arsh Dalla, Lakhbir Singh (also known as Landa), and Harvinder Singh (also known as Rinda).

"Collectively, these four foreign-based gangsters constitute a terror-gangster syndicate engaged in anti-national activities within the country, in collaboration with Pakistan's ISI," the official said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Pratiksha Godara, said that Harjeet and Harry Rajpura had been on the run for the past two years, engaging in a series of criminal activities spanning various states.

"They posed a significant challenge to the internal security of the country while working at the behest of terrorists based abroad. They were involved in target killings, extortions, firing for financial gain, and cross-border smuggling of illegal firearms and drugs. The team had been continuously receiving information regarding their anti-national activities. Hence, a comprehensive operation was launched to dismantle this criminal syndicate," the DCP said.

During the intelligence gathering process, it was found that Neeraj Faridpuria, a fugitive gangster from Haryana who is believed to be in Portugal, had established connections with Canada-based Arsh Dalla.

"They had arranged safe havens for their associates and sought to expand their criminal network within Delhi-NCR. To address this threat, technical surveillance efforts were focused on the southeastern region of Haryana, and informants were activated to gather crucial information," the DCP said.

In the initial leads, one highly-suspicious individual, later identified as Munesh Lamba, a resident of Ballabgarh, Haryana, and a college friend of Neeraj Faridpuria, was arrested by the team on September 6.

"Munesh Lamba made some shocking revelations, revealing that the top operative of the alliance had been provided shelter by Neeraj Faridpuria near Faridabad on the directions of Arsh Dalla," Godara said.

"Acting on this lead, the team arrested Rajvinder Singh, also known as Bada Harry, from Hodal, Faridabad, the very next day (September 7). He was wanted in three cases by the NIA and Punjab Police," the DCP said.

He was subsequently interrogated to obtain further information about the other gang members, and he disclosed that Harjeet was also hiding somewhere nearby in Faridabad.

"Based on these findings, the team focused on technical indicators suggesting activity within a specific region. After conducting an analysis of the metadata, the team detected highly-suspicious activities," the DCP said.

"The technical team then initiated an in-depth data mining and digital trace collection operation. Simultaneously, intelligence sources were activated to support this endeavor. Recognising that technical leads can often be ambiguous, the team covertly validated these indicators. After several days, the team successfully pinpointed a suspicious individual," the officer said.

However, this suspect employed cunning tactics that made continuous surveillance impractical. Nevertheless, the team persisted in their efforts, and finally on Friday, they received a tip-off indicating that Harjeet would come near the Apollo Hospital in Sarita Vihar in late evening hours to meet someone.

"Subsequently, a trap was laid according to the tip-off, and after a brief operation, the team successfully apprehended him. One sophisticated semi-automatic pistol loaded with four cartridges was recovered from his possession," the DCP said.
Gangtok, Oct 7 : Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra on Saturday said that the government is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim.

He said that all the necessary support and assistance for the state is underway and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are in constant touch with the state Chief Minister with regard to the extent of damages and rescue and relief work.

The government, in the wake of the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), Shah has deputed Mishra to visit Sikkim.

Mishra reached Gangtok on Friday night, and chaired a meeting with the Chief Secretary and concerned head of departments of the state government, and senior officers of the Army, ITBP, BRO, NHIDCL and NHPC at Gangtok, on Saturday morning.

Addressing the meeting, Mishra said that the government is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim and all the necessary support and assistance for the state is underway.

He said that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister are in constant touch with the State Chief Minister with regard to the extent of damages and rescue and relief work.

Mishra further said that the government has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team comprising of senior officers of five Ministries of the Government of India, namely Agriculture, Road Transport & Highways, Jal Shakti, Energy and Finance.

"The team will visit the State from October 8 to take stock of the ground situation, assess the damages and provide assistance wherever necessary," he said.

He also said that the central government has granted an advance sanction of the allocated SDRF for 2023-24 to enable the State to carry out immediate rescue, relief and restoration.

He also asserted that the government urged the state government officials to prepare a short term and long-term plan to effectively accomplish the task of re-building the damaged or lost infrastructure in the shortest possible time.

Earlier, Chief Secretary, Sikkim briefed Mishra about the sequence of events since the early hours of October 4 that led to the disaster, and the extent of damages.

He apprised the Minister about the extensive damages to roads and other vital infrastructures like telecommunication, water and electricity. He also pointed out the casualties and the status of the relief camps.

In the afternoon, Mishra also visited the Army camp at Burdong where maximum casualties have happened. He will meet the Chief Minister on Sunday and will visit affected areas and relief camps.
Kathmandu, Oct 7 : Nepal has extended its support to Israel, which on Saturday witnessed deadly offensive by the Hamas.

Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said that at least nine of its nationals were injured in the attack.

"The Government of Nepal strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Israel today that caused loss of precious human lives and injured many more... at this critical hour, we convey our solidarity with the Government of Israel," the ministry said.

"The Government of Nepal extends heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the people and Government of Israel as well as the victims of this cruel attack and their families... We wish for speedy recovery of the injured," it added.

"We have been informed that a farm, where 14 Nepalis were working, was also under attack. Nine of the Nepalis have been reportedly injured while two of them are in serious condition," said the ministry.

The Nepal's Embassy in Israel is in close communication with the Nepalis living in the areas under attack, the ministry said, adding that the embassy is in contact and coordination with the Israeli authorities for the safety, security and rescue of the Nepalis as well as medical treatment of the injured.

Nepal has asked its citizens in Israel to remain cautious and follow the safety measures advised by the authorities.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : A galaxy frog looks like an archetypal alien popularised by Hollywood sci-fi thrillers, but that's not the reason why a picture of it shot by Sandip Das, an Indian researcher, has got Leonardo DiCaprio to share it on Instagram.

A National Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Zoology, Calicut University, Kerala, Das was a part of the team that studied the amphibian population of the Western Ghats.

And it was while conducting the study that he shot the frog's picture, which accompanied a scholarly article that appeared in the reputed scientific journal, 'Nature'. Das contributed to the article.

DiCaprio, a committed campaigner on climate issues, noted in his Instagram post: "Climate change is a major driver of amphibian declines globally, according to a new paper published in Nature reports." The actor went on to summarise the article and noted:

"Two decades' worth of data from around the world has found that climate change has emerged as one of the biggest threats to frogs, salamanders, and caecilians," he noted.

"The assessment evaluated the extinction risk of more than 8,000 amphibian species from all over the world, including 2,286 species evaluated for the first time. More than 1,000 experts across the globe contributed their data and expertise, which found that two out of every five amphibians are threatened with extinction."

The goblin-like galaxy frog is therefore one of the rare surviving members of the species. And it could disappear one day.

In his long caption accompanying Das's picture, DiCaprio said: "Climate change is especially concerning for amphibians in large part because they are particularly sensitive to changes in their environment. The 'Nature' paper provides an update to the 2004 landmark paper that was based on the first global amphibian assessment for the IUCN Red List, which revealed the unfolding amphibian crisis for the first time and established a baseline for monitoring trends and measuring conservation impact."

As many as 100 researchers, including Das, participated in writing the article, which was published in 'Nature' on October 4.
Kathmandu, Oct 7 : The fifteenth meeting of the Nepal-India Bilateral Consultative Group on Security Issues (BCGSI) discussed the furthering of defence and security cooperation between the two countries on Friday .

Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said the discussions covered a wide range of issues relating to mutual security, defence supplies, training and capacity building, joint military exercises and exchanges including through visits among others.

The Nepali delegation was led by Bhrigu Dhungana, joint secretary (South Asia) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian delegation was led by Anurag Srivastava, joint secretary (North) at the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

The delegations comprised officials from respective defence, foreign affairs and home affairs ministries and directorates of the Indian Army and the Nepal Army.

The BCGSI, established in 2003, is an important institutional mechanism between India and Nepal for promoting bilateral defence and security cooperation.

Likewise, Srivastava also co-chaired the 5th Joint Project Monitoring Committee meeting on Saturday on Terai Road projects undertaken in Nepal with Indian grant assistance.

Arjun Jung Thapa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure & Transport, government of Nepal had led the Nepali side.

The Indian Embassy said that both the sides noted that the project had been completed satisfactorily.

It said that it was also agreed that formalities for taking over of the project by the government of Nepalshall be completed at the earliest.

After completing the engagements in Kathmandu, Srivastava met with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal among other senior Nepali cabinet ministers.
London, Oct 7 : Dozens of Israelis are believed to have been captured by Palestinian militants in an unprecedented assault into the Israeli territory, a media report said.

At least 70 people in Israel have been confirmed killed, with hundreds of others being treated in hospitals, according to emergency services. Nearly 200 people have been killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes in the Gaza strip, officials there say, BBC reported.

Hamas commander Mohammed Deif said the Palestinian militant group had "decided to say enough is enough".

In its statement, the Israeli army also confirmed that there are hostage situations in the kibbutzes of Ofakim and Be'eri. It said special forces are involved and "live firefights" are ongoing.

Separately, the army confirmed Israeli soldiers have been killed, but did not provide numbers, BBC reported.

Meanwhile, Hamasa surprise attack on Israel, on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war, will be remembered as an intelligence failure for the ages, The Guardian reported.

In the space of several hours, dozens of Gaza militants broke through the border fence into southern Israel, surprising local military positions.

Gunmen kidnapped and murdered Israelis in the southern border communities, filming their assault as they advanced in numerous locations. In one instance, a Gaza television journalist delivered a stand-up report about one attack from inside Israel, an almost unthinkable moment.

While the images of several thousand rockets sectoring the sky has become familiar over the years during the periodic upticks in fighting around Gaza, the footage of Hamas assault teams moving through the streets in communities such as Sderot, blowing the gates of a kibbutz and firing on passing cars and pedestrians, showed scenes not witnessed by most Israelis, for whom short-lived attacks in cities have become a fact of life.
London, Oct 7 : The Palestinian armed group Hamas has launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel in the most serious escalation since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war in 2021, a media report said.

Hamas said it had fired 5,000 rockets, while Israel confirmed that the group's fighters had entered its territory.

Daniel Hagari, an Israeli army spokesman, said that the group attacked from land, sea and air.

The Israeli army also said it launched "Operation Iron Swords" against the Hamas group in the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reported.

The early-morning attacks occurred on Simchat Torah, a holiday which falls towards the conclusion of the weeklong Jewish festival known as Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles.

The rockets were fired as far north as Tel Aviv. Hamas also sent fighters into southern Israel, Al Jazeera reported.

Israeli media said that gunmen had opened fire on passers-by in the town of Sderot, and footage circulating on social media appeared to show clashes in city streets as well as gunmen in jeeps roaming the countryside.

One report claimed Hamas fighters had taken control of multiple Israeli civilian population centres, where residents were begging for help from their government, Al Jazeera reported.

The Israeli army says dozens of fighter jets were carrying out attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Dozens of Israelis are believed to have been captured by Palestinian militants in an unprecedented assault into Israeli territory, BBC reported.

At least 70 people in Israel have been confirmed killed, with hundreds of others being treated in hospitals, according to emergency services. Nearly 200 people have been killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes in the Gaza strip, officials there say, BBC reported.

Hamas commander Mohammed Deif says the Palestinian militant group had "decided to say enough is enough".

In its statement, the Israeli army also confirms that there are hostage situations in the kibbutzes of Ofakim and Be'eri. It says special forces are involved and "live firefights" are ongoing.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : A senior Hamas leader has said that the group has captured "enough" Israeli soldiers during an unprecedented attack against Israel to make Israeli authorities free all Palestinian prisoners in its jails, a media report said.

"We managed to kill and capture many Israeli soldiers. The fighting is still on," Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas' political bureau, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.

"Our detainees in (Israeli) prisons, their freedom is looming large. What we have in our hands will release all our prisoners. The longer fighting continues, the higher the number of prisoners will become," added al-Arouri, who said senior officers were among those captured, but did not provide any figures.

Nearly 5,200 Palestinians are in Israeli jails, including 33 women, 170 minors and more than 1,200 placed under administrative detention, Al Jazeera reported, citing the latest figures by Addameer, a prisoners' rights NGO.

The Israeli army has acknowledged soldiers and commanders have been killed and prisoners of war have been taken. It has not given any figures.

Hamas, the group running the besieged Gaza Strip, launched the biggest operation on Israel in years on Saturday, killing dozens of people and wounding hundreds after fighters crossed into Israel under the cover of a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas social media accounts posted footage of what were said to be Israeli captives moved alive into the Gaza Strip, the media outlet reported.

The Israeli military launched air raids on the Gaza Strip, killing at least 198 Palestinians and wounding hundreds of others, according to the enclaveas ministry of health.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, al-Arouri said the group is engaged in a battle for freedom.

"This is not a (hit-and-run) operation; we started an all-out battle. We expect fighting to continue and the fighting front to expand. We have one prime target: our freedom and the freedom of our holy sites," he told the media outlet.
Patna, Oct 7 : A Ukrainian woman on Saturday performed the 'Pind Daan' of her parents and others who were killed in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war at a temple in Bihar's Gaya.

Yulia Jito, a physiologist who lives in Ukraine, lost her parents and several relatives in the ongoing war. Besides offering pind daan for her parents, she also performed the rituals for the salvation of souls of those lost their lives in both the countries.

The Russia-Ukraine war is still underway and thousands of people have lost their lives so far.

Yulia performed the rituals at famous Vishnupad temple located on the bank of Falgu river in the city. Acharya Loknath Gaud helped her complete the rituals.

She will stay in Gaya till October 13 and will perform all the 'Karmakand' for the peace of departed souls.

Interacting with the media persons, she said that this was the second time she came to Gaya for the pind daan. "It gave me immense peace last time when I performed the pind daan in Gaya. So, I came here again to perform the ritual for my parents and people of both Ukraine and Russia who lost their lives in war," she said.
People mourn for their relatives at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on Oct. 7, 2023. Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave said on Saturday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave said on Saturday.

The airstrikes were carried out in response to an earlier rocket attack by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

"Today, at least 198 people lost their lives, and 1,610 sustained injuries due to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip," the ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli military confirmed that Palestinian militants had launched almost 3,000 rockets and several militants infiltrated into southern Israel.

Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, claimed to have captured a number of Israeli soldiers and settlers.

In response, the Israeli military said that it had targeted Hamas sites and headquarters, using dozens of warplanes across various regions of the coastal enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a national address that Israel was "in a state of war and ordered a full mobilization of reserves."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held an emergency meeting with key officials, emphasizing the right of the Palestinian people to defend themselves against Israeli forces and settlers. 

People gather around the body of a victim inside a morgue at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on Oct. 7, 2023. Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave said on Saturday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People carry the body of a victim at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on Oct. 7, 2023. Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave said on Saturday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People mourn for their relatives at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, on Oct. 7, 2023. Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave said on Saturday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows an ambulance damaged in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Health Ministry in Gaza said on Saturday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows an ambulance damaged in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Health Ministry in Gaza said on Saturday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)
New York, Oct 7 : Former US President Donald Trump is literally at his wits end as a New York appeals court has rejected his claim to cease the $250 million civil fraud trial against him, with his former lawyer Michael Cohen saying "he won't escape from this".

Trump has dropped his $500 million suit against his former attorney Michael Cohen.

Trump also had to backtrack in the legal mayhem by dropping his $500 million dollar suit against Cohen's earnings from his memoirs of their love hate relationship calling it a "fictionalized story".

The saving grace for Trump was that the judge, Associate Justice Peter Moultin did not break up his Trump Businesses, media reports said, claiming if the earlier order of Judge Erodogon had been pursued, Trump could have faced bankruptcy.

A New York appeals court judge on Friday rejected Donald Trump's attempt to stop the on-going $250 million civil fraud trial but temporarily halted the process of breaking up the former president's businesses.

Associate Justice Peter Moulton issued the ruling after a brief hearing Friday afternoon.

It leaves Trump's empire untouched for at least another month and perhaps offers the former president and his family a glimmer of hope to safeguard their businesses under attack from Manhattan DA Letitia James.

Trump sought to put on hold Judge Arthur Engoron's surprise summary judgement order last week that he is liable for fraud and must cancel business certificates for many of his business entities pending further appeal, CNN reported.

If Trump's business entities in New York had been dissolved in pursuance of that order it would have caused irreparable damage to his real estate businesses and hit a 1,000 employees on his payroll, Trump attorney Christopher Kise argued in court.

"We are very pleased the First Department upheld New York law and put a halt to any cancellation of business certificates, receivers or dissolution," Kise said following Friday's ruling.

"The trial court's attempt to reach issues, entities and assets beyond the scope of this case has been suspended," CNN reported.

Judge Engoron, sitting over DA Letitia James' $250 million dollar suit against Trump's businesses acquiring loans illegally from banks through inflated assets and availing insurance and tax concessions,had ordered Trump to propose potential receivers by October 26, to begin the process of dissolution. However, in the appeals court hearing, Justice Moulton speculated that such a broad interpretation of Engoronas ruling could mean LLCs holding the private homes of Trump and the other defendants could be at risk of being sold.

"Engoron clearly does not comprehend the scope of the chaos its decision has wrought," Trump's lawyers said in a court filing earlier in the day.

The DA's office had in its response to Trump's appeals had said any delay would be disruptive to the court and its witnesses, creating a "cascade of delays in not only this case but also other litigation involving Trump", media reports said.

"If the trial here is delayed at all, there is a significant risk that defendants will request further delays of trial based on the deadlines in these other cases. Indeed, defendants already appear to be attempting to play one court against the other," the DA's motion read.

Even as his once jailed former Attorney Michael Cohen , who reportedly paid hush money on behalf of Trump to silence adult porn star Stormy Daniels and othersduring the 2016 presidential race said: "There's no way for him to escape this time."

Trump abandoned his $500 million suit against the lawyer for what he termed telling fictionalised stories to the public through his memoirs of their relationship.

"I can assure you that, as I had stated once again before the House Oversight Committee, everything that happened at the Trump Organization happened with the direct knowledge and at the direction of, and ultimately signed off by, Donald J. Trump," Cohen said in a CNN interview on Friday.

New York prosecutors argued that Trump and his sons committed business fraud by intentionally inflating and deflating the value of their assets in order to get more favorable loans and insurance rates.

Cohen, who served time in prison after he testified against Trump in a separate criminal case, said he has evidence against the former president and plans to testify in court. Cohen claimed he had receipts now handed over to the AG.

"The damages, in my estimation, with interest and penalty, will exceed $600 million," Cohen said, referring to Judge Erdogon' ruling last week on DA Letitia James' $250 million suit.

Trump does not have the liquid cash to pay that off, Cohen said when asked if the judges ruling would have put him into bankruptcy.

"If you want to get to Donald, the way to do it is through his bank book," he continued.

Former President Donald Trump abandoned a lawsuit seeking $500 million from his former attorney, Michael Cohen, over his earnings from a memoir about their relationship. A Florida federal judge ordered the case closed Friday. Trump brought the lawsuit in April, arguing that Cohen gave "fictionalised accounts" of interactions with Trump that were barred by a confidentiality agreement through Cohen's 2020 book, Disloyal: A Memoir, media reports said.

Michael Cohen wrote the book while facing jail time. Trump accused Cohen of breaching his duty as Trump's lawyer, violating the pair's contract, and unjustly enriching himself, including by telling "fictionalized information" about Trump's personal and business life.
New Delhi, Oct 7 : The Israel Defense Forces said on Saturday that it carried out airstrikes at two high-rise towers in the Gaza Strip that were used to house Hamas assets, a media report said.

"The Hamas terrorist organisation deliberately places its military assets in the heart of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip," the IDF said, Times of Israel reported.

"Prior to the strike, the IDF provided advance warning to the occupants of the building and asked them to evacuate," the military added.

The Hamas terror group has threatened to launch rockets at Tel Aviv in response to the IDF strikes on the towers, Times of Israel reported.

A senior Hamas leader said that the group has captured enough Israeli soldiers during an unprecedented attack against Israel to make Israeli authorities free all Palestinian prisoners from its jails, Al Jazeera reported.

"We managed to kill and capture many Israeli soldiers. The fighting is still on," Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas' political bureau, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.

"Our detainees in [Israeli] prisons, their freedom is looming large. What we have in our hands will release all our prisoners. The longer fighting continues, the higher the number of prisoners will become," added al-Arouri, who said senior officers were among those captured, but did not provide any figures.

"This is not a [hit-and-run] operation; we started an all-out battle. We expect fighting to continue and the fighting front to expand. We have one prime target: our freedom and the freedom of our holy sites," he told Al Jazeera.
Shimla, Oct 7 : Himachal Pradesh's State Science Museum and Planetarium, a centre for science, learning and creativity, was inaugurated on Saturday by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu at Shoghi, near here.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the "centre will not only generate interest in science and mathematics among children and teachers, but will also develop scientific attitude. Students interested in science can easily understand scientific principles through the interactive science models installed in this centre".

The centre has 60 science exhibits, a 'Hall of Fame' showcasing the achievements of the country's top scientists, a library, and a YouTube studio.

It is aimed to inspire students, particularly from the rural areas, to pursue careers in science and technology through an adventurous journey.

"I request the Education Department to bring school students from every corner of the state to this centre so that they can avail the benefits of this facility. I have full confidence that this science centre will prove to be a milestone in promoting education in the field of science and generating interest in this subject among students," an official statement quoting the Chief Minister added.

The centre includes an auditorium and suitable facilities for children to participate in a variety of activities. There is also a hostel facility for children and teachers.

By the end of 2024, the state-of-the-art planetarium will also be ready. Students studying in remote rural areas of the state can also come and stay in this centre and participate in science-related activities.

The complex, set up by Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE), will be managed and curated by Solan-based Shoolini University.

--IANS

VG//arm
Patna, Oct 7 : Siwan police have registered an FIR against late Bahubali don Mohammad Shahabuddin's son Osama Sahab for allegedly threatening a person for 42 kathas (more than two acres) of land, an official said on Saturday.

The FIR has been registered at the Hussainganj police station under IPC Sections 147, 149, 447, 427, 120B, 504, 506 and Section 27 of the Arms Act on the statement of a person named Abhishek Kumar alias Jimmy.

Abhishek , a resident of Bania Toli in the district, has four bighas of land in Chapia Khurd village under Hussainganj police station. Abhishek signed an agreement with a person named Arjun Yadav to sell 42 kathas of land.

Abhishek alleged in his complaint that Osama Sahab and his aide Salman Mian alias Saif threatened him to cancel the agreement of selling the land to Arjun Yadav.

"After inking the agreement, Arjun Yadav was building the boundary wall on the land a couple of days ago. I received a WhatsApp call from Osama Sahab who threatened me to stop the construction and cancel the agreement with Arjun Yadav.

"Arjun Yadav and I did not agree with Osama and continued with the construction work. Then, some men carrying firearms came and forcibly stopped the work at around 1.45 p.m. on Friday. They also fired rounds in the air," Abhishek said.

"We have received a complaint and have registered an FIR against Osama Sahab and Salman Mian. During investigation, it was found that Salman, who lives with Osama, threatened Arjun Yadav to cancel the agreement and stop the construction work.

"Osama said that he wants to take the land, which Arjun Yadav did not agree to. We have recovered one dead cartridge from the spot. We have detained two persons in this connection and further investigation is currently underway," said Sailesh Kumar Sinha, SP of Siwan.

When contacted, Ajay Tiwari, a close associate of Osama Sahab, said: "The complaint against Osama Sahab is politically motivated. His mother Hina Sahab announced to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Siwan on Friday, and a complaint was lodged against Osama on that very day. You can understand what is happening here."
Jerusalem, Oct 7 : Mohammed Deif, the Hamas terror commander in Gaza, called for an all out attack on Israel on Saturday morning in a message that was posted on social media, media reported.

He called for widespread attacks to "sweep away the occupation".

Deif claimed that "we have warned the enemy" before noting that Israel had attacked Muslims and "desecrated al-Aqsa".

This was a reference to recent incidents in Jerusalem that have occurred during the high holidays. Deif called on Arabs and Muslims to carry out attacks on Israel in the West Bank and in Israel, Jerusalem Post reported.

"Our righteous mujahideen, this is your day to make the enemy understand that his time is over. They attacked and desecrated Al-Aqsa, and we had previously warned them," he said in the video.

He called for Palestinians to "organise their operations against the settlements and sweep away the occupier," according to the video posted online at Al-Mayadeen and other sites.

He urged "our people in Jerusalem to move and ignite the ground under the feet of the occupation," and also called on people "in the Negev, the Galilee, and the Triangle to move and confront the occupier everywhere". The Triangle refers to the area of Ummal-Fahm and Wadi Ara in central Israel, Jerusalem Post reported.

He called on Palestinians to attack Israel with whatever weapons they could find: "Bring out their guns today, and whoever does not have a gun, let him bring out a knife, a cleaver, or an axe."

He said Palestinians should "carry out your attacks on the settlements with all the means and tools at your disposal".

Deif has called the operation a "storm" or "flood" that is meant to strike Israel. Deif has been a terror commander for many years and was targeted by Israel in the past, Jerusalem Post reported.
Jerusalem, Oct 7 : Mohammed Deif, the Hamas commander in Gaza, called for an all out attack on Israel on Saturday morning in a message that was posted on social media, a media report said.

He called for widespread attacks to "sweep away the occupation", Jerusalem Post reported.

Deif claimed that "we have warned the enemy" before noting that Israel had attacked Muslims and "desecrated al-Aqsa".

This was a reference to recent incidents in Jerusalem that have occurred during the high holidays. Deif called on Arabs and Muslims to carry out attacks on Israel in the West Bank and in Israel.

"Our righteous mujahideen, this is your day to make the enemy understand that his time is over. They attacked and desecrated Al-Aqsa, and we had previously warned them," he said in the video.

He called for Palestinians to "organise their operations against the settlements and sweep away the occupier," according to the video posted online at Al-Mayadeen and other sites.

He urged "our people in Jerusalem to move and ignite the ground under the feet of the occupation," and also called on people "in the Negev, the Galilee, and the Triangle to move and confront the occupier everywhere". The Triangle refers to the area of Ummal-Fahm and Wadi Ara in central Israel, Jerusalem Post reported.

He called on Palestinians to attack Israel with whatever weapons they could find: "Bring out their guns today, and whoever does not have a gun, let him bring out a knife, a cleaver, or an axe."

He said Palestinians should "carry out your attacks on the settlements with all the means and tools at your disposal".

Deif has called the operation a "storm" or "flood" that is meant to strike Israel. Deif has been a terror commander for many years and was targeted by Israel in the past, Jerusalem Post reported.
Washington, Oct 8 : Former US President Donald Trump, who just managed to save his businesses from going into bankruptcy in the civil fraud suit, now faces more serious allegations of having disclosed sensitive information about nuclear submarines to an Australian billionaire at his Florida getaway home Mar-a-Lago, according to US media reports.

Some months after he left the White House, Trump allegedly discussed "potentially sensitive information about US nuclear submarines with a member of his Mar-a-Lago Club -- an Australian billionaire who then allegedly shared the information with scores of others", ABC News said in a new news revelation on its network.

The Australian billionaire shared the information with more than a dozen foreign officials, several of his own employees, and a handful of journalists, according to sources familiar with the matter, the network alleged.

The potential disclosure was brought to the attention of special counsel Jack Smith's teaminvestigating Trump's alleged handling of classified documents which he allegedly took home to his Florida residence instead of handing them over to the National Archives which is the normal tradition of all presidents leaving office.

Federal prosecutors and FBI agents have interviewed the Mar-a-Lago member, Anthony Pratt, who runs US-based Pratt Industries, one of the world's largest packaging companies at least twice this year.

In those interviews, Pratt described how while trying to engage Trump in aconversation inApril 2021 -- he brought up the American submarine fleet, which the two had discussed before, ABC News quoted authoritative sources as saying.

According to Pratt's account, as described by the sources, Pratt told Trump he believed Australia should start buying its submarines from the US, to which an excited Trump -- "leaning" toward Pratt as if to be discreet -- then told Pratt two pieces of information about US submarines -- the supposed exact number of nuclear warheads they routinely carry, and exactly how close they supposedly can get to a Russian submarine without being detected, the reports claimed.

Pratt described Trump's remarks to at least 45 others, including six journalists, 11 of his company's employees, 10 Australian officials, and three former Australian prime ministers, after the Mar A Lago encounter with the former president, the sources said.

Even as Pratt told investigators he couldnat differentiate between Trump's statements on the submarines were genuine or sheer bluster, he was cautioned by the prosecutors not to disclose the numbers that Trump allegedly told him, indicating the information was too sensitive to be relayed any further, ABC News was told.

It's not clear if the information was validated, but the episode was investigated by Smith's team nevertheless,reports said .

Another witness, one of Trump's former employees at Mar-a-Lago, told investigators that, within minutes of Pratt's meeting with Trump, he heard Pratt relaying to someone else some of what Trump had just said. According to the sources, the former Mar-a-Lago employee also told investigators he was "bothered" and "shocked" to hear that the former president had provided such seemingly sensitive information to a non-US citizen.

Pratt told investigators Trump didn't show him any government documents during their April 2021 meeting, nor at any other time they crossed paths at Mar-a-Lago, sources said.

Pratt insisted to investigators that he told others about his meeting with Trump to show them how he was advocating for Australia with the US.

Some of the Australian officials that sources said he told were, as reflected in news reports at the time, involved in the-on-going negotiations with the Biden administration over a deal for Australia to purchase a number of nuclear-powered attack submarines from the US, media reports said.

The deal was sealed ultimately early this year, when Australia agreed to buy at least three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines, even as President Joe Biden declared that none of the submarines sold to Australia will be armed with nuclear weapons.

Special counsel Jack Smith did not include any information about Trump's alleged April 2021 conversation with Pratt in his June indictment against Trump, which charged the former president with 40 counts of unlawful retention of national defence information and obstruction-related offences.

Last year, Trump while heckling the Biden administration for its alleged weak response to Russia's war on Ukraine, the former president had said that if he were still president, he would make sure Russia understood that the US is "a greater nuclear power" with "the greatest submarines in the world".

"They are the most powerful machines ever built, and nobody knows where they are," Trump had said on the Fox Business network.

Since the time Trump became president in 2017, Pratt joined Mar-a-Lago as a member and promised to invest $2 billion in American manufacturing jobs. Over the next few years, Pratt visited Mar-a-Lago about 10 times, interacting with Trump on several occasions, once even having dinner with Trump and a US senator at another Trump-owned property nearby.
Three youth drown in Kaveri River backwaters in Ktaka; one body recovered. Image Source: IANS News

Patna, Oct 8 : Five persons including five minor girls are feared dead after they fell into Sone river in Bihar's Bhojpur district on Saturday evening.

The incident took place in Bahiyara village under Chandi police station of the district when the victims went to the river bank to perform puja on the occasion of Jitiya festival.

Eyewitnesses said that after performing puja, the victims were taking selfies when they lost balance and fell into the river.

The local police and the SDRF team were called at the spot. None of the victims were found till Saturday evening.
Hamas has over the years claimed many attacks on Israel. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Oct 7 : Hamas is an Islamist organisation with a military wing that came into being in 1987, emerging out of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist group that was founded in the late 1920s in Egypt, media reported.

The word "Hamas" is itself an acronym for "Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia" -- Arabic for Islamic Resistance Movement.

The group, like most Palestinian factions and political parties, insists that Israel is an occupying power and that it is trying to liberate the Palestinian territories. It considers Israel an "illegitimate state".

Its refusal to recognise Israel is one reason why it has rejected peace talks in the past. In 1993, it opposed Oslo Accords, a peace pact between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), CNN reported.

The group presents itself as an alternative to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which has recognised Israel and has engaged in multiple failed peace initiatives with it. The PA is today led by Mahmoud Abbas and is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Hamas, meanwhile, controls the Gaza Strip, an enclave that is home to nearly two million Palestinians and is frequently the site of civilian casualties when fighting flares between militants and Israeli forces.

Hamas has over the years claimed many attacks on Israel and has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, the European Union and Israel. Israel accuses its archenemy Iran of backing Hamas, CNN reported.
New Delhi, Oct 8 : The Izzedine al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, says it has fired an additional 150 rockets toward Tel Aviv, media reported.

The group said this was in "response to the bombing of the residential tower in the centre of Gaza City," in a post on Telegram.

A grouping of high-rises in Gaza were hit by an explosion and two towers were seen collapsing.

"Now that the occupation has bombed the Palestine Tower in the middle of Gaza City, Tel Aviv must stand on one leg and wait for our earth-shattering response," Abu Obaida, Spokesperson of the AlQassam Brigades, had said on Telegram, CNN reported.

A new round of rockets fired by Gaza militants have made direct hits on multiple locations inside Israel, including in Tel Aviv, according to Israel's Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue service.

"Following the red alert sirens in the last few minutes, Magen David Adom teams are conducting searches in the areas where rocket hits have been reported," the organisation said on Saturday evening.

It listed Tel Aviv, Rishon Letzion and Bat Yam as the affected areas, CNN reported.

Hamas is an Islamist organisation with a military wing that came into being in 1987, emerging out of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist group that was founded in the late 1920s in Egypt, CNN reported.

The word "Hamas" is itself an acronym for "Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia" a" Arabic for Islamic Resistance Movement.

The group, like most Palestinian factions and political parties, insists that Israel is an occupying power and that it is trying to liberate the Palestinian territories. It considers Israel an illegitimate state.
BEIJING, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have newly proposed a strategy for brain-inspired neural circuit evolution, shedding light on developing spiking neural networks with better biological plausibility and efficiency, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

This study proposes an idea for the research of general brain-inspired cognitive intelligence, said Zeng Yi, a researcher with the Institute of Automation under the CAS and leader of the study team.

Different neural circuits in the brain are involved in the development of different cognitive functions, and the adaptive synergy of the circuits promotes human perception, learning, and decision-making. It is of value to explore the dynamic characteristics of biological neural circuits from a computational perspective and apply them to enhance the capabilities of artificial intelligence systems.

By applying the evolved neural circuits, the researchers construct spiking neural networks for image classification and reinforcement learning tasks. Using the brain-inspired Neural circuit Evolution strategy (NeuEvo) with rich neural circuit types, the evolved spiking neural network greatly enhances capability on perception and reinforcement learning tasks, according to the study.

Combined with on-policy and off-policy deep reinforcement learning algorithms, NeuEvo achieves comparable performance with artificial neural networks, as shown in the study.

The study was recently published in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 
12 May 2021, Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: Rockets are fired by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas from Gaza City towards Israel, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Photo: Mohammed Talatene/dpa/IANS. Image Source: IANS News

Jerusalem, Oct 7 : Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories are reeling from the most serious escalation between the Jewish state and the Islamist group Hamas to date, after a surprise Palestinian attack on the morning of a Jewish holiday led to hundreds of deaths, the seizure of dozens of Israeli hostages, and sparked fears of a regional escalation, media reported.

Unverified videos released by Hamas, the militant organisation that seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, showed captive young Israelis covered in blood, their hands tied behind their backs and eyes wide with fright as battles between the faction and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to rage across southern Israel and in the Palestinian enclave on Saturday, The Guardian reported.

At least 250 people in Israel were killed, with at least 1,800 injured, according to Israeli officials. The Red Crescent said 92 people had been injured in the West Bank.

On Israeli television, family members of the dead, and of dozens of missing people taken hostage by Hamas, wept down phones as they described how their homes and communities had been attacked while families slept.

In the Gaza Strip, at least 232 people were killed and 1,650 injured in the retaliatory Israeli airstrikes, sending the area's already crumbling medical infrastructure into chaos.

The security situation across Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank, volatile at the best of times, has been steadily deteriorating for a year- and-a-half. But no one on either side foresaw the scale and ferocity of what Hamas has dubbed "Operation al-Aqsa Deluge," an unprecedented sea, air and ground offensive by Hamas that has opened a frightening new chapter in the decades-old conflict, The Guardian reported.

The Israeli security establishment's failure to foil the attack could reverberate for decades to come, in much the same way as the Yom Kippur war that began 50 years ago this week. Israelis across the centre and south of the country were woken by the thud of missile fire and wailing of air raid sirens from about 7 a.m. on Saturday, the last day of the Jewish high holidays. Simultaneously, an unknown number of Hamas operatives blew up or used bulldozers to tear down several parts of Israel's hi-tech separation fence on the Gaza boundary, from there making their way into neighbouring Israeli towns and villages, The Guardian reported.

In the chaos, it is unclear how much land Hamas managed to seize, but by nightfall the IDF estimated there were still 200-300 militants in Israeli territory, and an unknown number of civilians were still barricaded inside their homes, or being held hostage. Israel declared a state of war, scrambling reservist forces and launching massive airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. Clashes between Palestinians and IDF troops were also reported throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Initial reports said that at least one Palestinian had been killed, The Guardian reported.

Hamas's operation must have been months, if not years, in the making, and is likely to have involved regional cooperation with Iran, which sponsors both Hamas and the Lebanese militant group, Hezbollah, The Guardian reported.

"Today is a game-changer in the conflict. No one is sure why this happened now, but it points to catastrophic failure of every single Israeli institution to do its job," said Dahlia Scheindlin, a political strategist and policy fellow at The Century Foundation.

Regional escalation was possible in the coming days, she added.

"It's an open question what happens next," she said, The Guardian reported.
Bengaluru, Oct 8 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed his condolences for the tragedy at the firecracker shop- cum-godown which claimed 13 lives in Attibele on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

"I am deeply saddened by the incident of firecracker-cum-godown in Attibele which claimed 13 lives. I will visit the place of tragedy on Sunday and conduct an inspection. My condolences to the family of the deceased," Siddaramaiah said on Saturday.

The statement by Chief Minister's Office said: "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had received information about the incident from government officers. He will directly come to the spot where the tragedy had occurred from Mysuru. After collecting complete information and verifications, he will take the future course of action regarding the incident."

The death toll in the firecracker shop-cum-godown is likely to rise, according to police sources.

In a major tragic incident, at least 13 persons were burnt alive and four others injured in the fire tragedy that was reported from Attibele on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Saturday.

Seven persons have miraculously escaped from the cracker shop before the fire engulfed it.

The fire personnel and emergency services rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire.

Naveen, Rajesh and Venkatesh are undergoing treatment at the Saint John's hospital while Sanjay, Chandru, Rajesh and Paul Kabir were admitted to the Oxford hospital.

Ravikanthe Gowda, IGP (Central Range), said that the tragedy had taken place when the firecrackers were loaded from a truck at about 3.30 p.m.

Of the 13 dead, nine have been identified while among the injured, condition of Venkatesh is critical.

Prima facie it is evident that the incident had taken place due to the negligence of the owner of the Balaji Crackers.

The case has been registered at the Attibele police station and one person has been taken into custody, IGP Gowda added.

The license of the cracker shop is owned by Ramaswamy Reddy and his son Naveen, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital, have been taken into custody and a manhunt is launched for others. The action will be taken against those who had sent the crackers after verifications. It is ascertained that the crackers are brought from Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu, he said.

A case has been registered by the injured persons and a special team is being formed to probe the matter. The culpable homicide angle was also taken up in the case. The action will also be taken against the government departments for negligence, he added.

Bengaluru Urban District Commissioner, Dayananda K.A., said that the license was taken to run the godown and it was renewed in 2018.

The incident had taken place probably due to heavy storage of crackers. The information is taken about those persons who had failed in their duties. Krishnagiri District Commissioner from Tamil Nadu is getting details of the incident. He is also set to visit the spot, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar rushed to the spot late Saturday night after the tragedy came to light and announced Rs five lakh compensation for the families of the 13 persons who were killed in the tragedy.

"It is suspected that few more persons are trapped. According to preliminary information, most of the labourers who were trapped and killed belong from Tamil Nadu. Their identities are yet to be ascertained."
Haveri : , Oct 8 (IANS) Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has warned the state government that the the BJP will not remain silent if Sanatan Dharma is compared with diseases like malaria, dengue, adding that the saffron party will not keep quiet if somer people try to abuse the Hindu religion.

"Should we have to keep quiet if our Sanatan Dharma is compared with malaria? The blood of Sanathan Dharma is flowing in our veins. We will not keep quiet if someone tries to hurt our sentiments," Bommai warned on Saturday.

Speaking at the Hindu Jagruthi convention here on Saturday, he said, "Attempts have been made to stop the Hindu Ganpati celebrations and then the powers of the Ganpati will come to the entire state. The step of Lord Ganpati will become a road and nobody has the power to stop it. This is the strength of the devotees of Lord Ganesha. Everyone knows what would happen if the powers of Ganesha were shown."

"We belonged to this great dharma, the Sanatan Dharma, which wishes the welfare of all the human beings in this world. People belonging to all religions are here. You go to Pakistan or Afghanistan where there is only one religion. It is not possible to stay alive."

"But here we are living by accepting everyone. For this nature of the Sanatan Dharma, some have called it dengue and malaria. Do they (Congress leaders) have the guts to compare other religions with these diseases? What would have happened to them if they had said it? The only solution to this is that we must unite and an awareness is required," Bommai added.

The former Chief Minister said the people of Karnataka must uphold the say "Sarve Jano Sukino bhavanthu" but some people don't want Bharat to become powerful and progress.

"When the BJP was in power in Karnataka, no evil force was allowed to rise to its ugly head. The culprits of KJ Halli and DJ Halli were not spared."

"But the Congress leaders wrote letters seeking the withdrawal of the cases against those involved in the arson and looting in those two places. If such evil forces were not destroyed, the concept of 'Sarve Jano Sukinobhavanthu' would not become a reality. Lawlessness was prevailing everywhere as well the communal clashes," Bommai said.

The veteran BJP leader said the Pakistan flag had been hoisted in Belagavi on the day the Congress came to power in the state.

The persons who were carrying the Pakistan flags have been the 'grandchildren' of the incumbent government, he added.

In Shivamogga, the anti-social elements pelted stones at the police but the Karnataka Home Minister described the Shivamogga incident as 'small'.

"Not a single incident happened during the Ganeshotsav in Ragi Gudda in Shivamogga city but the Id-Milad procession that was held last week witnessed stone pelting.However, a senior Minister said the BJP workers donned the dresses and fomented trouble."

"Our (BJP workers) boys are not cowards to wear the dress of another religion, Bommai said.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, among others were also present at the event.
GAZA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 198 people and injured 1,610, the Health Ministry in Gaza said on Saturday.

"Today, at least 198 people lost their lives, and 1,610 sustained injuries due to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip," the ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli airstrikes were carried out in response to earlier rocket attacks by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). 
In Jessens Red String Theory (Forever, Jan.), an engineer and a sculptor debate fate vs. free will in life and love.

Tell me about your heroine.

Rooney is a string installation artist inspired by the Red Thread of Fate, which is a Chinese legend that two people are connected by a red thread. No matter the circumstance or situation, they will always eventually find one another. She believes in the red thread of fate so deeply that she embodies it in her work. I wanted to have her visualize her belief, and I thought that would be fun to do with string, especially on this massive scale.

What drew you to the legend?

I learned about the red thread of fate a couple of years ago, on the Lantern Festival. I just thought it was so romantic for two people to be connected by a red thread. Ive always loved the idea of fate and soulmates, and so for there to be such a visual manifestation of this beautiful belief, I thought it could make an interesting story. I root my books in myths and elements of Chinese culture, and then I have to really figure out how to make those myths into something tangible.

Rooneys love interest, Jack, is a systems operation engineer. What went into creating that character?

I wanted to set Jack up as an opposite to Rooney, but I also felt like because of his career path, Jack could work really well managing NASAs artists in residency program. I did a lot of research on string theory, on NASA, on space. I read a lot of books about Mars, and I also spoke to systems engineers at NASA because I really wanted to make sure I captured the details, like the ice cream outside of Mission Control. I took virtual tours of NASA because I wrote this during Covid lockdown. I tried to really live it as much as I could to get a lot of the little details sprinkled throughout the book.

The other side of fate is free will. How did you reconcile the two?

Jack believes in choice. We make choices every day. Thats how we get from one place to another. For Jack, fate really isnt part of that conversation, which is directly opposed to Rooney, who, while she doesnt believe in fate for every single thing, really does believe in it when it comes to love and work. And so they create a hypothesis that fate can be operationalized and it can be tested. I think it was a natural talking point. When you talk about fate, youre also talking about choice, especially when you have characters who have different beliefs. Theyre learning from one another. Theyre growing over the course of their time together. Ultimately, they land in that sweet spot of opening their mind up to something bigger. And maybe there is something bigger at play! But also, there is power in making choices.
When Jeff Lindsay appears on Zoom, his face is plastered in front of a grainy black-and-white background image of an Old West schoolhouse. Hes not sure how it got there. Maybe I was researching for a play or something, says the 71-year-old crime writer, cutting what can only be described as a Santa Claus silhouettewhite beard, wide shoulders, a laugh that lifts his chest. But I have a thing for Americana in general.

This might not be the first aesthetic that comes to mind when considering Lindsays work, but a quick survey backs it up. The author is best known as the creator of Dexter Morgan, the quippy serial killer with a conscience whose literary exploits were adapted into an acclaimed Showtime series in 2006. Beneath buckets of blood and sickle-sharp zingers, Lindsays Dexter novels carried an unmistakable attunement to Miamis uniquely American dark heart.

In his pre-fame years, Lindsay wrote several experimental plays that followed American icons such as Paul Bunyan and Billy the Kid as they self-consciously made themselves into myths. His latest antihero, disguise-loving master thief Riley Wolfe, does plenty of globe-trotting, but at his core hes a self-styled heartland Robin Hood who steals from the ultra-wealthy while sucking down cheap beer.

Part of Lindsays interest in toying with American iconography and archetypes, as he puts it, comes from a lifelong knack for sniping from the sidelines. Dexter, Wolfe, and Lindsay share an outsider sensibility that, to borrow the authors own comparison, allows them to address their social environments with the same bewilderment Alexis de Tocqueville turned on American democracy in his Letters from America.

I like having a hero who has the perspective to look at these bizarre people and the odd things they do, he says, and then take advantage of it.

Of course, Lindsays also writing popcorn page-turnersthats the fun of it. Four years after wrapping up the Dexter series with 2015s Dexter Is Dead, Lindsay debuted Wolfe in Just Watch Me, a quick-witted caper in which the thief snatches Irans crown jewels. In December, Wolfe will return for his fourth adventure in The Fourth Rule (Dutton), which finds him plotting to steal the Rosetta Stone.

The loot may not be especially novel, but Lindsay sets the series apart with a secret weapon: Wolfes voice. Its modeled after Lindsays late father, a WWII Marine who spent two and a half years in the Navy hospital getting rebuilt after Iwo Jima, only to turn around and pursue a career as an art professor. When Lindsay was a kid, his father would get together with a wonderful generation of fellow veterans and discuss paintings with the same gruffness they brought to their conversations about combat. They would be sitting there with their scotch and going, Look at the fucking colors in that goddamn thing!  Lindsay says.

He wanted to find a similar tone for Wolfeone of aesthetic appreciation and understanding without all the academic accoutrements on it. A prime example comes early in The Fourth Rule, when Wolfe wanders London galleries in a rare moment of pure leisure. Maybe Im so enthusiastic about art because I found out about it late. Maybe because Id once fallen for an artist, he muses. I dont know, thats for the shrinks. I just know I love it.

Love is another major concern in The Fourth Rule, distinguishing it from Wolfes fairly sexless early outings. Wolfe begins the novel putzing around the British Museum, brainstorming ways to snag fabled Nazi treasure from continental Europe. At an exhibition on German expressionist Otto Dix, he bumps into Caitlin OBrian, a beautiful Irishwoman whom he wines, dines, and falls for almost immediately. After their whirlwind first date, Wolfe fails to get Caitlins phone number, so he retools his heist plans to keep him in London and increase his chances of seeing her again. All this despite the fact that he doesnt do romance. While youre giggling, somebody else, whose idea of fun is to see how much blood you have inside you, is probably sneaking up behind you with an assegai, as Wolfe puts it.

Despite his trepidations, however, Wolfe eventually lets his guard down enough to team up with Caitlin for his Rosetta-snagging scheme. Suffice it to say things dont go well, with the books breakneck third act comprising the particulars.

All that fictional cynicism about romance doesnt reflect Lindsays own feelings. For 37 years hes been blissfully married to Hilary HemingwayErnests niecewhom he first met when both were kids in Key West, Fla. Hilary was friends with Lindsays younger sister, and while the couple were quick enemiesI couldnt stand to be in the same room as her, he saysthey reconnected and hit it off as adults in 1980s Los Angeles. At the time, Lindsay was in a jack-of-all-trades phase, performing stand-up comedy and playing in bands after receiving a masters degree in theater direction and writing plays on the side. He credits Hemingway with getting him focused enough to become a professional. He recalls her telling him, You know, youre really talented. Youd be really good if you just did one thing for a while.

The pair decided to become an artistic teamshe was better with structure; his playwriting made him a dialogue whizand after a series of narrow misses as screenwriters, they tried their hand at novels. Their first copublication was 1995s Dreamland, an autofictional UFO conspiracy thriller; a year earlier, Lindsay had adapted one of their screenplays into Tropical Depression, a detective yarn about a melancholy Florida cop. An omnivorous reader since childhood, Lindsay wasnt especially set on crime fiction as his professional niche, but he was a lifelong fan of John D. MacDonalds Travis McGee thrillers and couldnt deny the genres commercial prospects. After the runaway success of 2004s Darkly Dreaming Dexter, it became his bread and butter.

Its a kind of typecasting, which occasionally Ive resented, but its put three kids through college and its paying the mortgage, so I really shouldnt complain, Lindsay says. A lot of writer friends who are really good are struggling a lot, so Im grateful. I accept my fate.

When the subject turns to the act of writing itself, Lindsays similarly unfussy. For a longtime bestseller with a self-proclaimed interest in American iconography, Lindsays methods and ambitions are delightfully modest: he has a home office where he spends a couple hours writing each day, even if he ends up scrapping what he gets down. Its a job, he says with a shrug. If you dont do it every day, eventually you lose it. Hes also one of few writers who freely admits to reading his own reviews, and the one hes most proud ofthe only one hes truly proud ofwas a USA Today review that read, Jeff Lindsay keeps getting better.

Thats a life goal, Lindsay says. Thats something I hold to and hope for. I want each book to be better in some way. If I succeed at that, I feel like Ive succeeded in everything.
ANKARA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish military carried out airstrikes against the Syrian Kurdish Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria for the second time after a suicidal bomb attack in Ankara over the weekend, Turkiye's Defense Ministry said Friday evening.

Air operations were carried out against YPG targets in the northern region of Syria, the ministry said in a statement.

The airstrikes targeted "headquarters," shelters and warehouses, which were considered to contain "terrorists," and 15 targets were destroyed, according to the statement.

The operations came after a suicidal bomb attack in Ankara on Sunday, which targeted the entrance of the Turkish Interior Ministry building, leaving two assailants dead and two police officers wounded.

The Turkish Interior Ministry said the two attackers were identified as members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and came from Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned on Wednesday that all PKK and the YPG infrastructure and energy facilities in Syria and Iraq were now "legitimate targets" for the Turkish military.

Turkiye sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the PKK.

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a YPG-free zone along its border within the neighboring country.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. 
Grand Central Lands Murdoch Bio Veteran journalist Claire Atkinson sold North American rights to Murdoch: The Life and Business of This Centurys Media Master to Grand Central executive editor Karyn Marcus at auction. The deal was brokered by Bridget Matzie at Aevitas Creative Management. Grand Central calls the book a nuanced portrait of Rupert Murdoch the conservative media mogul, who recently announced that he is stepping down from his role as chairman of Fox and News Corp. It will explore the enduring impact Murdoch has had on the world of politics and communications and shed light on his complicated relationships. Atkinson once worked for the Murdoch-owned New York Post. Murdoch is slated to be published in 2025.

Rossis Birdie Sings at Mira

In a preempt, Leah Mol at Mira acquired world rights to Amy Rossis debut novel, The Making of Birdie Rhodes. The deal was negotiated by Penelope Burns at Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents. Mira says the book, which is due out in March 2025, follows an aging model as she reckons with the manipulation she suffered at the hands of the two people she trusted most: her legendary former agent, and the older rock star who made himself both her boyfriend and her guardian when she was a teen.

Saga Ventures into the Voidverse

In a preempt, Tim OConnell at Simon & Schusters Saga Press acquired world English rights to Damien Obers sci-fi/fantasy epic Voidverse. The deal, which is generating buzz ahead of the upcoming Frankfurt Book Fair, was handled by Peter Steinberg and Brandi Bowles at UTA, with Melissa Chinchillo handling foreign rights and Emma Jamison at Curtis Brown handling translation. Saga says the book evokes blockbuster hits like Dune, Game of Thrones, and Rendezvous with Rama. Ober was a writer for the Netflix series The OA and Syfys Dominion. The book is set for a spring 2025 publication.

Knopf Takes Dimitrovs Ecstasy

In a preempt, Deb Garrison at Knopf won North American rights to Ecstasy, the latest collection of poems by Alex Dimitrov. The deal was handled by Marya Spence at Janklow & Nesbit Associates. This is the fourth collection from Dimitrov, a recipient of the American Poetry Reviews Stanley Kunitz Prize. Knopf describes him as a friend-out-of-time to Frank OHara, and the book is slated for publication in spring 2025.

Riverhead Extends Krasikovs Shelf Life

Riverhead editor-in-chief Sarah McGrath secured North American rights to The Shelf Life of Evelyn Shine by Sana Krasikov (The Patriots). The deal was handled by Claudia Ballard at WME. Riverhead said the novel is a story of early feminism, creative awakening, and personal responsibility that follows a beloved childrens book author as she confronts the ghosts of her past and challenges the limits of free expression in America. A publication date has yet to be announced, but the book is expected to be released in 2024.

Wheelers Gambit Pays Off at Viking

Laura Tisdel at Viking acquired North American rights to Claire Anderson Wheelers debut novel, The Gatsby Gambit, at auction. The deal was brokered by Grainne Fox at UTA, who described the book as a clever, atmospheric mystery in the vein of The Christie Affair and Gosford Park, adding that it features Jay Gatsbys sleuthing younger sister, the plucky and irresistible Greta, as she gets caught up in a Jazz Age murder mystery. The book is set for fall 2024.
Property details:

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE INVESTMENT PROPERTYIRON COUNTY, UTAH - 2.27 acresI have a nice 2.27 acre property west of Cedar City, (Iron County), Utah with a beautiful background view of the Mountains. This acreage is located about 30 minutes west of town an easy drive down Highway 56. It is a frequent visiting location for bald eagles which sometimes nest at a 20 feet pole erected at the SW corner of 36 in an area near the lot.Cedar City sits directly on Interstate 15, between Las...

Price: $ 5 Seller State of Residence: Illinois Property Address: Los Facones Type: Homesite, Lot Zip/Postal Code: 84753 Zoning: Residential City: Modena State/Province: Utah Location: 847**, Modena, Utah

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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/07/2023



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

Bachelor in Paradise bachelorette Rachel Recchia has revealed if she wishes she had her own season, completely separate from Gabby Windey 's journey to find love.Rachel and Gabby co-starred on 's nineteenth season in 2022 after they both got crushed by The Bachelor's Season 26 star Clayton Echard Rachel and Gabby had to share one lineup of bachelors, even though they did everything in their power not to step on each other's toes. And there was a lot of media scrutiny about whether the women had to compete against each other for the second time.During a recent Q&A session with her Instagram followers, Rachel was therefore asked if she wishes ABC had given her a solo season."Never," Rachel responded. "The best memories I have were spent with her and I would do it all over again!!!!!!!"As part of her reply, Rachel shared a photo of Gabby and herself cuddled up in bed together one morning after filming.One fan asked Rachel when she thinks it's time to leave a relationship."I am the WRONG girl to ask, I never know how to leave anything alone," Rachel admitted, according to BachelorNation.com."One time I went to a psychic to ask if I should break up with my boyfriend and she said no and I was so mad at her response (an obvious sign that I should have dumped him) and I still dated him for another year."Rachel continued in her response, "I knew in my gut every time it wasn't right and if you're asking this, you probably know the answer too. I will say this though, if you start making a pros and cons list... dump him."A third Instagram user asked Rachel to tease what she planned to wear on Bachelor in Paradise's ninth season, which just premiered last week on ABC.The former Bachelorette gushed about how she was "sosososo excited" for her outfits after undergoing a breast reduction surgery."The new boobs really came through," Rachel noted. "This is also the FIRST time I felt comfortable in my body while filming, so the clothes really reflect that."Rachel recently shared how her time on Bachelor in Paradise was "very real" for her following her stints on The Bachelor and ."I'm in Paradise and it's so funny because it started off as something we would all kind of talk about or joke about. And then, it turned into something very real. I can say my time in Paradise was very real," Rachel said during an early September appearance on the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast, which is co-hosted by Bachelor in Paradise spouses Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt Given Rachel's first two attempts on The Bachelor franchise ended in heartbreak , she admitted that she had low expectations going into Paradise.But once the former flight instructor arrived on the beach, she said she didn't hold back."When I was there, I was serious about knowing what Paradise can be for couples like you, [Joe and Serena], and [ Mari Pepin-Solis and Kenny Braasch ]... and I'm like, 'Let's see if this could work!'" Rachel shared.Rachel also pointed out how Becca Kufrin Thomas Jacobs on Paradise.In addition, Hannah Godwin and Dylan Barbour just got married in Paris, and Abigail Heringer recently accepted a marriage proposal from her Paradise partner, Noah Erb "Going into this, [I was] like, 'If anything can work, it's going to be Paradise.' Let's try it!" Rachel said.The blonde beauty apparently thought to herself, "Let's just see if this can work for me... It's worked for so many people... I was very much there to find someone, genuinely, so we'll see if I do. Who knows?!"During 's live Season 20 finale on August 21, Bachelor in Paradise host Jesse Palmer hinted how something may have happened between Rachel and 20 villain, Brayden Bowers , in Paradise.In fact, Rachel and Brayden were sitting next to each other in the live studio audience for finale.And ABC released a trailer for Bachelor in Paradise that showed Rachel kissing Jordan Vandergriff , a suitor whom she had sent packing during Week 2 of her joint season with Gabby."This is crazy -- getting a second chance," Rachel tells the cameras. "I think things happen for a reason."The trailer certainly had its wild, crazy and emotional moments, but Rachel actually thought it was pretty tame.Rachel explained on the podcast, "I thought [the trailer] was very underwhelming compared to what actually happened, which is a good thing! I watched it, and I was like, 'Wait, where is the drama? Where is the crying?'""There is so, so much more to see [this season]," she elaborated. "I am very excited for everyone to see it. I think what aired [in the trailer] is completely just very mild compared to what actually happened."Rachel said she had her sights set on an engagement in Paradise and that Gabby was nothing but "supportive" and "happy" for her in her continued search to find The One.Gabby, meanwhile, is in a happy romantic relationship with a woman , comedian Robby Hoffman.Rachel's 19 winner and ex-fiance, Tino Franco offered his opinion about Rachel appearing on Paradise during the August 23 episode of The Bachelor alum Courtney Robertson 's "After Reality" podcast."I'll probably watch because I heard rumors that [ Aven Jones ] and [ Tyler Norris ] and a couple of the guys I liked from my season went down," Tino shared."So I'll be rooting them on, and if [Rachel] thinks she can find love [on Paradise] after everything she's been through, I mean, good for her."Tino, who had cheated on Rachel during their short-lived engagement, proceeded to give Rachel props for putting her heart on the line again."One thing, I think -- whether you like her or dislike her -- you've got to give her credit for is there's no quit in her. I'll be watching, but, you know, I'll be focusing on and rooting for the boys," Tino shared.Rachel has had a change of heart about Bachelor in Paradise since last year.When Rachel spoke to Becca Kufrin about her love life during a November episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast, she initially said she'd only be interested in showing up to Paradise if her bestie Michelle Young -- who starred on 's eighteenth season and is single after her split from Nayte Olukoya -- would join her on the beach in Mexico.But Rachel said at the time she'd "absolutely" star on again if the show could provide her with her perfect match.One month earlier, Rachel complained on the "Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe " podcast how she just wants a commitment from a man and to be done with dating."The fact that I find myself now in the same position [as I was in before The Bachelor], I'm like, 'I don't want to do this.' I wanted to find my person," Rachel vented."I want to get married, I want to start a family. That's where I'm at in my life. I don't want to go back to the streets, and now I'm forced to! Literally!"Interested in more The Bachelor news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/06/2023



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Matt James has gushed about his girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell after three years of dating.Matt gave his final rose to Rachael on 's Season 25 finale that filmed in late 2020, and despite a two-month split in early 2021, they've been going strong as a couple ever since April 2021.And Matt recently took to Instagram Stories to pay tribute to Rachael in celebration of her 27th birthday.Matt posted a video compilation of sweet moments he's shared with Rachael over the years."Happy birthday Gamora. People always ask why I have your number saved as 'Gamora' and it's a simple answer," Matt wrote late last week, according to BachelorNation.com."Because in the most unlikely of circumstances, against all odds.. Star-Lord (me, obviously) and Gamora (YOU) found each other and fell in love. You're the best part of every day, I love you and can't wait to create more memories with you."Matt reportedly added, "We're meant for each other," along with multiple heart emojis.Rachael, meanwhile, uploaded a picture with her boyfriend via Instagram Stories and wrote, "I love celebrating with you!"In July, Matt and Rachael discussed the pressure they feel to get engaged, especially since they fell in love on a show like .Rachael joked with Us Weekly how she and Matt often "forget" they met on a reality show, but forgetting probably becomes more difficult when Bachelor Nation constantly asks them if they've broken up or if an engagement is on the horizon."I don't get annoyed by any of that stuff. I get it," Matt told Us in a joint interview with Rachael at the time."We post and share every aspect of our lives. So for people to be curious means that we're, you know, keeping them in the loop and we want them in the loop."Rachael agreed that she understands the hype surrounding her relationship."They've been waiting for an engagement since the finale of the show," Rachael acknowledged.But winner asked fans to consider the fact she and Matt weren't able to spend a lot of time together while filming and so their romance truly started in the real world, away from cameras."I do just want to put into perspective for people -- if we were in a normal relationship, met out on the street in New York and we've been dating going on three years... it's not that weird [to not be engaged]. I feel like that's pretty normal," Rachael explained earlier this summer."I feel like we're doing all the right things to take our relationship to the next step."winner and Matt gushed about how they're extremely happy with their relationship."Matt really is just my best friend," Rachael told the magazine."I think at the end of the day, it's just really fun to live the life that we live together. I don't think anything that we do would be nearly as fun if I weren't with him."Rachael continued, "I love our dynamic, I think that we make each other better people. We bring out the better version of ourselves. I think we have a lot to teach each other."Matt also agreed that he's been dating his best friend, which "makes everything that much better.""You get to enjoy life with that person," the former star elaborated. "It's a great come true. We're always telling ourselves how blessed we are."Matt and Rachael constantly post videos of each other on social media. They are either trying new restaurants or traveling to destinations such as Greece and Saint John.After falling in love on , Matt and Rachael briefly split in February 2021 during Rachael's memorable racism controversy , which resulted in former host Chris Harrison and ABC agreeing to part ways.But Rachael was extremely apologetic, and so she and Matt reconciled in April 2021.Rachael told Us in June 2022 of taking her relationship with Matt to the next level, "The only timeline I give him is I was like, 'I gotta have kids before, you know, I can't have kids.' So keep that in mind."Rachael said she and Matt weren't concerned with others' expectations for their relationship and future together."I feel like it's pretty crucial to just have fun with one another no matter where we're at or what we're doing," Rachael shared last year. "We got to make the most of everything."And Matt told the Los Angeles Times that same month, "We're one of the only couples from that franchise still going strong. The reason is we're going at things at our own pace. We're not playing games that a lot of people play just to stay in that circle."Matt said on a May 2022 episode of Watch What Happens Live that he had a feeling Rachael was The One for him when they met on the very first night of filming in late 2020."When I met everybody that first night, [our] interaction was the most genuine," Matt said, according to People. "I was looking for that genuine connection and just realness and she exuded it. And there it is."Matt also reportedly wrote in his book, First Impressions: Off Screen Conversations with a Bachelor on Race, Family, and Forgiveness, that he wanted to spend all of his time with Rachael while taping the show."In the beginning, she cut through the polished front I'd honed and into my nerdy side," Matt wrote of Rachael."We debated who was the bigger fan of How to Train Your Dragon and Marvel movies. I observed her empathy from afar, noticed how her kindness extended beyond our time alone and to everyone else she encountered."Due to Rachael and Matt's tight bond, Rachael and Matt's best friend, ette 15 alum Tyler Cameron , have confessed to having a love-hate relationship Tyler and Rachael explained the cause of their feud on Tyler's "Everybody But Me" radio show back in January.Interested in more news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
A staff member takes out a Chinese-made micro inverter from the batch packaging at the warehouse of Lauxx Energy in Ahrensburg, Germany, May 30, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

A staff member checks photovoltaic modules at the workshop of Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. in Dongyang City, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 18, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

Dirk Heil checks the Chinese-made solar-powered equipment installed at his house in Schwarzenbek, Germany, May 30, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

Dirk Heil installs the Chinese-made solar-powered equipment at his house in Schwarzenbek, Germany, May 30, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

A container ship of China's COSCO Shipping docks at the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, May 1, 2023. The Chinese-made solar-powered equipment installed in Dirk's house arrived by sea at the Port of Rotterdam before being transferred to Germany. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

A staff member checks the operation of the equipment at the workshop of Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. in Dongyang City, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 18, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

A staff member unwraps the packaging of Chinese-made micro inverters at the warehouse of Lauxx Energy in Ahrensburg, Germany, May 30, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

This aerial photo taken on April 18, 2023 shows the exterior view of the workshop of Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. in Dongyang City, east China's Zhejiang Province. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

This photo taken on May 30, 2023 shows the Chinese-made solar-powered equipment installed at the house of Dirk Heil in Schwarzenbek, Germany. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

Staff members work at the workshop of Beny New Energy Co., Ltd. in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 19, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

Staff members assemble inverter accessories at the workshop of Beny New Energy Co., Ltd. in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, April 19, 2023. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

This photo taken on April 18, 2023 shows the interior view of the workshop of Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. in Dongyang City, east China's Zhejiang Province. Dirk Heil, a resident living in the small town of Schwarzenbek in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, has been using solar-powered equipment made by Chinese companies in recent months. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, these high-quality and fair-priced products from China have entered German households by sea or by taking China-Europe freight trains.

Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd. and Beny New Energy Co., Ltd., two Chinese companies that produce solar-related equipment, have ramped up their production to meet the growing demands of domestic and international markets. Many of their products have entered the German market.

As electricity price rises in Europe, using solar-powered equipment helps reduce the cost of electricity. Dirk said that the equipment is easy to install and can help him save electricity bills. "This is the first time I have had solar power in my house and I am delighted with it." (Xinhua/Xu Yu)
The American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage on Sept. 11, citing a critically low blood supply that had dropped 25% since August. The demand still for blood remains constant, with someone needing blood every two seconds. The Red Cross provides approximately 40% of all of the nations blood supply needs  making it the largest blood supplier in the nation.
A barrage of rockets fired from Gaza to Israel are seen in the sky over Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Tens of rocket barrages were launched Saturday morning by the armed factions from Gaza into the Israeli cities for the first time since May last year, Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua.

They said that a series of explosions were heard near the separation fence as the Iron Dome system attempted to intercept them.

Locals shared some videos on their Facebook accounts, showing the launching of a number of rockets from various areas in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army said in a press statement that rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip in the last half hour, calling on the Israeli public in the south and center of the country to remain near the protected areas and comply with the orders of the Home Front Command.

Mohammed al-Deif, a leader from Hamas, announced on Saturday the beginning of a new military operation the "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel.

He made the declaration through a brief recorded statement. 

A barrage of rockets fired from Gaza to Israel are seen in the sky over Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People shelter themselves in a protected space after hearing the rocket attack alert at a building in Jerusalem, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun)

Smoke traces are seen after Iron Dome missiles intercepted rockets fired from the Gaza Strip over Jerusalem, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing)
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday sought the help of the ministry of external affairs to rescue 27 people from the state stranded in the war-like situation between Israel and Palestine.

IMAGE: Israeli soldiers work to secure residential areas following a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel October 7, 2023. Photograph: Ammar Awad/Reuters

Sangma said he is in touch with the ministry to bring the people back to the state.

Taking to 'X', he said, "27 citizens of Meghalaya who traveled to Jerusalem for the Holy Pilgrimage are stuck in Bethlehem due to the present tension between Israel and Palestine."

"I am in touch with the MEA to ensure their safe passage back home," the chief minister added.

Jesuralem is one of the international destinations for Christians in Meghalaya for its religious importance.
If a citizen chooses not to use Aadhaar as the default unique identity, then other unique identity proofs masked and linked to Aadhaar would be used.

The government is likely to mandate Aadhaar as the default unique identity of all citizens for the authentication of digital records, digital contracts, and signatures under the Digital India Bill, among other things, massively expanding its scope in the private sector, sources said.

The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) has created a draft framework for the new Bill, to be proposed as a replacement for India's primary digital law -- the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Though the draft is in its early stages, a senior official said it was in line with the broad principles of the law.

If a citizen chooses not to use Aadhaar as the default unique identity, then other unique identity proofs masked and linked to Aadhaar would be used.

According to the document, any digital signature should be considered reliable only if it is linked to Aadhaar.

The development may reignite the long-running debate about the use of Aadhaar-based eKYC (know your customer) procedures in the country.

According to the Supreme Court's judgment of September 2018 on Aadhaar, private firms were effectively banned from using the biometric authentication system. In other words, the verdict limited the ambit of Aadhaar for welfare services.

"Media reports since last December have been suggesting various provisions of the Bill that may replace the IT Act, and it would not be fair to comment on anything without an official communication from the government," said a law expert, who did not wish to be named.

"Still, it is suffice to say that the Aadhaar Amendment Act of 2019 was challenged immediately in the court," the law expert added.

The government is also likely to have sweeping powers to track, monitor, intercept, moderate and take down online content under the new law.

The central and state governments or any of their authorised officers may be able to direct their agencies to intercept, monitor or decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any digital system.

They can take such actions if they are satisfied that 'it is necessary or expedient so to do" in the interest of the sovereignty or integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence related to it.'

Experts have warned that such interception by the government would eliminate the security benefits of end-to-end encryption offered by messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram.

The new Bill may also allow the government to notify whether any category of intermediaries should be eligible to claim exemption from liability for third-party digital communication or digital records.

If enacted, it would be a major reversal from the 'safe harbour' or immunity for online platforms from legal action against them for illegal content shared on the platform.

Currently, Section 79 of the IT Act says an Internet intermediary shall not be liable for any third-party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted by him.

MeitY has so far conducted two rounds of 'pre-draft' consultations to discuss the principles of the Bill.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister of state for electronics and IT, had said the ministry would release the draft Bill by the first week of June. However, the Bill is still in its early stages, according to official sources.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau have underscored the importance of de-escalation of the India-Canada diplomatic row and respect for the rule of law in a call, which was dominated by the standoff over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada in June.

IMAGE: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau during G20 summit in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

According to a Downing Street statement, the British Indian leader spoke to Trudeau on Friday evening during which he was updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India.

Both leaders agreed to stay in contact as Sunak reaffirmed the UK position of respect for the rule of law after Canadas allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of a pro-Khalistan wanted terrorist.

Prime Minister Trudeau updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India, reads the Downing Street statement.

The Prime Minister [Sunak] reaffirmed the UK's position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He hoped to see a de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps, it said.

The Canadian Prime Minister's Office from Ottawa echoed the statement, saying that Trudeau provided an update on the current situation between Canada and India.

The leaders emphasised respect for the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the need to ensure the safety and security of their citizens. They underscored the importance of de-escalation in this context. Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Sunak agreed to remain in close contact and to continue working together to tackle global issues, the Canadian government statement reads.

The call comes in the wake of Trudeau's statement in the Canadian Parliament last month that its security forces were "actively pursuing credible allegations" linking Indian government agents to the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June, an allegation strongly rejected by India as absurd and motivated.

The telephonic talks between Sunak and Trudeau took place in the days after the fallout of that diplomatic row resonated in the UK when Indian high commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami was blocked from a planned visit to Glasgow Gurdwara in Scotland last week by pro-Khalistan extremists.

Concerned to see that the Indian high commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami, 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, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK Foreign Office minister for Indo-Pacific wrote on X.

In recent developments, the Ministry External Affairs said it has been coordinating with its mission in Ottawa and consulates in other Canadian cities over safety concerns.

We have been taking up concerns of security of our diplomats and premises from people there who are wanted by our security and our judicial systems, and we will continue to do that as that is a continued conversation. The issue is about security, and our diplomats are safe and the community is not targeted, said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi.

India has also asserted that Canada must reduce its diplomatic presence in the country to achieve parity in strength and alleged that some of the Canadian diplomats are involved in interfering in New Delhi's internal matters.

Bagchi said discussions on the modalities to arrive at mutual diplomatic presence are going on and gave clear indication that India will not review its position on the issue.
A doctor should not use an unusually large signboard and write on it anything other than his name, qualifications, titles, specialty or registration number, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has suggested, saying his prescription papers should also have the same contents.

Image only for representation. Photograph: Pixabay.com

It is improper to affix a signboard on a chemist's shop or in places where he does not reside or work, the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) said in its E-Book: 'Professional Conduct Review - Lessons from Case Archives'.

The book also highlighted that trust deficit in the doctor-patient relationship leads to litigation against the doctors and emphasised that the most common cause of complaints against doctors is due to a communication gap.

The commission stated that care should be taken not to mislead the public through signboards, visiting cards, announcements etc.

Medical practitioners may acquire skills and training in various areas related to a particular field, but the use of the title 'consultant/specialist' should be restricted to those who are qualified in the particular speciality, it said.

As an appellate body, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the NMC has been hearing cases of misconduct and passing judgments.

The need to disseminate the learnings from the complaint cases against doctors was felt right from the beginning, Dr Yogender Malik, editor of the booklet and member of the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the NMC, said.

The thought was shared with the board and a group of experts was formed.

They worked very hard, going through hundreds of pages of each case and summarised them without losing the essence of the case and the message, he stated.

The case studies in the book show that it is very difficult for a patient to differentiate between ethics, conduct and negligence, the NMC said.

Doctors too feel that patients have no right to complain unless there is harm, the NMC stated.
A surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza at daybreak killed at least 200 Israelis on Saturday even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared "war" and said his country would extract an "unprecedented price" from its enemy.

IMAGE: Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza, October 7, 2023. Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

Israel's national rescue service said at least 200 people were killed and more than 1100 wounded in terror attacks by Hamas terrorists, making the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years. In the Gaza Strip, at least 198 people have been killed and 1610 wounded in Israel's retaliatory attacks.

Hamas gunmen stormed at least 22 locations outside Gaza Strip, foraying as deep as 24 km from the border, overrunning many Israeli towns. The wandered around Israeli territory with impunity, shooting down civilians and soldiers at will, even taking many Israeli hostages.

"The fighting in southern Israel is still ongoing. Our security forces are securing areas which are under attack by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israeli communities and who have taken civilians captive," the Foreign Ministry said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours, Netanyahu told his countrymen in a televised address.

I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This is currently being carried out. At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he said in his first public comment since the attack began in the morning.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said it has launched operation Iron Swords' in response to Hamas's surprise attack -- by air, land and sea -- comprising a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration into its heavily fortified border in the southern area that caught the country off-guard on a major holiday.

IMAGE: A man runs on a road as fire burns after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, Israel. Photograph: Amir Cohen/Reuters

Meanwhile, at least 198 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed in Israel's retaliation and at least 1,610 wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said.

The government did not specify where the killings happened or if they were Hamas terrorists or civilians in Gaza.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed solidarity with Israel and condemned the "terrorist attacks".

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," Modi said.

The Indian embassy asked all Indian nationals in Israel to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

The advisory gave relevant phone numbers in case of emergency and also provided URLs for Israeli Home Front Command and Preparedness brochures.

Meanwhile, Air India cancelled its flight from the national capital to Tel Aviv amid the Israeli city coming under attack by Hamas militants.



The full-service carrier operates five weekly flights to Tel Aviv. The service is on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

IMAGE: Israeli soldiers work to secure residential areas following a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen . Photograph: Ammar Awad/Reuters

IDF spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters that more than 2,200 rockets have been fired into Israel since 6:30 AM. There are at least seven sites where Israeli troops were battling the infiltrators, Hagari added.

Hamas' action is against what it termed as aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. A senior commander from the Islamic faction Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has claimed that thousands of rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel.

Hamas also claimed it had launched 5,000 rockets towards Israel in the early morning barrage that it has called Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant said, The IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions.

IMAGE: Rockets are fired by Palestinian militants into Israel, in Gaza City. Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

United States President Joe Biden vowed to stand with Israel and expressed readiness to offer all appropriate means of support to the Jewish nation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "at war" after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets and entering Israel by land, sea and air using paragliders. At least 100 people were killed in Israel in the attacks.

The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, said President Biden, who is personally monitoring the situation and spoke with Netanyahu on the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel.

Ha'aretz online reported quoting the Head of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif's from his statement: We warned the enemy not to continue its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

This is only the first stage, of Hamas' renewed efforts against Israel, he said.

Deif urged Arabs in Jerusalem and inside Israel, in the Negev, the Galilee and northern Israel to join the "revolution" and set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers."

Deif also called upon the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to merge their resistance with that of the Palestinians, and start marching towards Palestine now.

IMAGE: Palestinian militants ride an Israeli military vehicle that was seized by gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip. Photograph: Ahmed Zakot/Reuters

Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas, considered its leader in the West Bank, issued a similar statement calling on the Arab and Islamic nations to join Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Meanwhile, the head of the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, Ofir Liebstein, was killed during the fighting with the infiltrators.

Ofir was killed when he went to defend a town during the terrorist attack, the Council was quoted by local media as saying.

The Israeli military has issued instructions to the residents of towns near the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes, and the rest of the public to remain near bomb shelters.

IMAGE: A man works to put out a fire engulfing a van in Ashkelon, southern Israel. Photograph: Ammar Awad/Reuters

At least nine Nepalese nationals were injured in the terrorist attack by the Hamas militant group in Israel on Saturday, the Nepal government said as it condemned the unprecedented assault and vowed solidarity with Tel Aviv.

The Nepali government has strongly condemned the "loss of precious human life" in the attack that also "injured many more, said a statement issued Nepali Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At this critical hour, we convey our solidarity with the government of Israel, the statement said.

Unconfirmed reports of people being taken hostages and kidnapping of soldiers have been doing the rounds, but they remain unverified.

The unprecedented attack meanwhile had led to internal unity with protest leaders calling off ongoing demonstrations against the government's judicial overhaul plan and protesting soldiers, who were boycotting army duty, at once deciding to report for duty.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah revived painful memories of the 1973 war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel's enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed solidarity with Israel after Hamas militants launched an attack on the country.

Modi condemned it as "terrorist attacks" in Israel as its leader Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is at war.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," Modi said.

A surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza at daybreak killed at least 22 Israelis on Saturday even as Prime Minister Netanyahu declared "war" and said his country would extract an "unprecedented price" from its enemy.

Israel's national rescue service said at least 40 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the Hamas military incursion, making the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years.

The United States too "unequivocally" condemned the attack by "Hamas terrorists" against Israel, the White House said in a statement. National security advisor Jake Sullivan was in close contact with Israeli partners over the operation, it informed.

"The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians," the statement said, adding, We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak expressed his shock over the attack.

"I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice," Sunka said.

French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the terrorist attacks on Israel saying, "I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks currently hitting Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and loved ones."

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong condemned the attacks on Israel by Hamas including indiscriminate rocket fire on cities and civilians.

"Australia unequivocally condemns the attacks on Israel by Hamas including indiscriminate rocket fire on cities & civilians. We call for these attacks to stop & recognise Israel's right to defend itself. Australia urges the exercise of restraint & protection of civilian lives," she posted on X.

German Foreign Office also strongly condemned the rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza. "Hamas is escalating the violence. I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks against #Israel from Gaza. Violence & rockets against innocent civilians must stop now. We stand in full solidarity with Israel & its rights under intl. law to defend itself against terror. - FM @ABaerbock," read a post on the handle of the German Foreign Office on X.

With inputs from agencies
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his first public statement following the surprise attack by Islamic Hamas on Saturday, said that the nation is "at war" and will extract an unprecedented price from its enemy.

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours, Netanyahu told his countrymen in a televised address.

I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This is currently being carried out, he said in his first public comment since the attack began in the morning.

Local media reports said that some 200 Israelis have been injured and several killed in the attacks since the morning, with some reports saying that as per Israel police estimates some 60 infiltrators have been located across 14 different locations.

Unconfirmed reports of people being taken hostages and also kidnapping of soldiers have been doing the rounds, but they remain unverified.

At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, Netanyahu warned as the Israeli army called for mobilisation of reservists.

In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war, and we will win it, Netanyahu asserted.

The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out the unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea and caught the country off-guard on a major holiday. A senior commander from Hamas has claimed that thousands of rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah revived painful memories of the 1973 war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel's enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.
Amid the diplomatic sparring and souring of bilateral ties in the wake of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Special Envoy and Coordinator, Global Engagement Centre, James Rubin said the standoff was a 'tricky subject' as he sought cooperation into the investigation as far as it goes.

IMAGE: A deserted view of Visa and Immigration service counters at the Canadian Embassy, at Shantipath in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

During a virtual press briefing on October 5, the US special envoy said, "This is a tricky subject. Let me just say that we support Canada's investigation. We want everyone to help -- including the Indian Government -- help advance the investigation into this murder, and we would urge everyone to cooperate and to take the investigation as far as it goes."

On whether such tensions as the one between New Delhi and Ottawa could breed disinformation campaigns, Rubin said it is an area that is ripe for 'information manipulation'.

"Let me just say in our report, if you take a look at it, there are a few examples given about particular Chinese interference in Canadian domestic politics and in their universities and ways in which they've sought to manipulate their individuals, coerce individuals, and discredit individuals. And those accounts are in the report, and I urge you to take a look at that. This is obviously an area that is ripe for information manipulation," he said.

"I haven't seen any specific evidence of the Canada-India issue, but I do know that China has made a big effort to interfere in the domestic affairs of Canada through the ways I mentioned. And it's particularly ironic, because you may remember that for decades China was the loudest demander that nobody interferes in their domestic affairs, and yet when it comes to information manipulation, when it comes to interfering in the politics in Canada, when it comes to the South China Sea, where they're interfering in the territorial waters of countries around the region, when it comes to the famous balloon incident -- suddenly sovereignty is not so important to the Chinese Government," the state department spokesperson added.

The State Department spokesperson was presenting a report that showed how China had been trying to distort global information.

"This is the first comprehensive US State Department analysis of how Beijing employs these deceptive and coercive methods as it attempts to distort the global information space. It is doing so to advance its geopolitical objectives," Rubin told media persons.

"When the provenance of information is not clear, when we don't know that it's the Chinese Government or the Russian Government doing something, that's when it's information manipulation. The Chinese have a phoney persona called Yi Fan, which we talk about in this report, who purports to be an international affairs commentator when we know full well he's a foreign affairs operative for their foreign ministry. So that's the hard part. I can't tell you for sure whether that will happen in Canada." he added.
GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Massive rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, while a number of Palestinian militants have infiltrated into Israel from Gaza, the Israeli military said Saturday.

The surprise attack started a few minutes before 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) on the morning of Israeli holiday Simchat Torah. The Israeli emergency service Megan David Adom said one civilian was killed and over a dozen injured.

Two hours after the attack began, the Israeli air force launched airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip, declaring that it was "on alert for war." Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the drafting of reserve soldiers to the military.

Footage on social media showed masked gunmen driving around the Israeli city of Sderot and shooting in the streets. There are no reports of casualties in these incidents. Israeli news channels quoted residents of several cities on the border with Gaza as saying there were masked gunmen in the streets and near homes.

Footage on news channels showed damage from rocket fire in several scenes.

Saying Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, is behind this attack, the Israeli military said in a statement that the Palestinian movement "will bear the results and responsibility for the events."

Mohammed al-Deif, a leader from Hamas, announced on Saturday the beginning of a new military operation, the "Al-Aqsa Flood," against Israel.

He made the declaration through a brief recorded statement.

In recent weeks, there have been protests at the border, with demonstrators burning tires and throwing explosive devices at Israeli troops. Hamas said the protests were in reaction to recent Jewish visits to the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. In response, Israel barred the entry of Gaza residents who had permits to work in the country. 
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TEHRAN, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Forces of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have arrested seven members of an armed "anti-security" team in the northern province of Alborz, the official news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

The team's members were arrested on Friday in a joint operation by the IRGC's Basij volunteer forces as well as police forces in the Garmdarreh district of the province, the report quoted the IRGC's Imam Hassan Mojtaba base in Alborz province as saying.

According to IRNA, one Kalashnikov rifle, an M1911 pistol, four magazines, 73 bullets, a bulletproof vest and a pepper spray were seized from the team's members.

It added that investigations are being conducted in this regard. 
Pakistan issued an ultimatum to the estimated 1.7 million undocumented Afghans living in the country: leave or face arrest and forcible expulsion after November 1.

One of them is Samina Hafizi, an Afghan writer and former journalist who lives with her mother and five siblings in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.



Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have fled to Pakistan to escape a devastating economic and humanitarian crisis and possible retribution by the militant group.

RFE/RL's Radio Azadi asked the 24-year-old Hafizi to keep a diary amid the mass exodus of undocumented Afghan refugees and migrants from the South Asian nation.



October 22



It is 6 a.m. I slept poorly. I had nightmares and anxious thoughts.



Why did we become refugees? This question haunts me.



Nobody dares to leave their homes.



Who wants to postpone their dreams?



Now that we are refugees, why should we endure such bad days?



If we leave, where can we seek refuge?



I have not written anything for a year. I suffer from pain -- the pain of homelessness, the pain of being a refugee, and the pain of helplessness.



Wherever I go, I hear that Afghans are being expelled from Pakistan -- drivers, shopkeepers, and cooks.

WATCH: Afghan refugees in Pakistan, many having traveled for days, crossed into Afghanistan as a November 1 deadline to leave the country took effect. Islamabad has vowed to deport an estimated 1.7 million undocumented Afghans living in Pakistan if they don't leave voluntarily.



Yesterday morning, the landlords of our apartment building came and checked everyones documents. They gave a deadline to two families to get valid residency papers or they would be evicted.



Members of these families once had good lives in Afghanistan. Some were journalists, while others were soldiers. Their daughters attended schools and universities. They now fret over what will happen to them.



While visiting the hospital yesterday, I felt that nothing was the same. Anxiety and fear were written over the faces of every Afghan I met.



In Islamabad, police were looking for Afghans at security checkpoints across the city. The Afghans they found were questioned and harassed.



While waiting for my turn to see the doctor at the hospital, an Afghan woman with her toddler was breathing heavily. I brought her a glass of water. She thanked me and asked whether I had valid documents.



She told me that she fled her oppressive husband in Afghanistan to seek a new life in a third country with the help of the United Nations. But the fear of being forced to return to her cruel husband and the Talibans harsh rule has stressed her deeply.



Tens of thousands of Afghan families across Pakistan are seeking a miracle. We dont know where fate will take us.



October 25



My sisters phone woke me up early in the morning.



When she finished talking, she told me that her Afghan friend was told by her landlord to leave her apartment by the afternoon. My sister was trembling. She said her friend and her family would stay with us until they found another place.



Later in the day, I went to a nearby market to buy supplies for our guests. The usually cheerful Afghan vegetable seller I go to was distressed. He told me that if he was deported, he would lose the business that enabled him to earn a living for the past 15 years.



Around 5 p.m., my sisters friend and her family arrived. Their voices were hoarse from crying so much. We all cried.



I felt like a caged bird unable to fly.



They were evicted because only one of the eight family members did not have a Pakistani visa. Her visa application was rejected several times.



Cruelty and fear have forced Afghans in Islamabad to stop leaving their houses.



It is heartbreaking to see dozens of Afghan families announcing the sale of their household items on Facebook daily.



October 28



Im always worried. My mental health has gradually deteriorated during the past two years.



In the morning today, Hajira, one of our Pakistani neighbors, visited us. We talked about the customs and traditions in Afghanistan and Pakistan.



Suddenly, Hajira blamed us helpless Afghans for some of the problems Pakistanis face these days.



She said Afghan refugees are bringing polio to Pakistan because our children are not vaccinated against the disease. And she said the price of everything has increased because of Afghan refugees.

When we disputed her claims, she threatened to call the police.



Thankfully, the police didnt show up. So far, we havent given anyone an excuse to evict us. But I feel nervous.



My generation will tell their children the stories of how our homeland, dreams, and hopes were snatched from us. We were defeated and destroyed just as we were ready to prosper.



We were broken into pieces and scattered to all corners of the world.



All this has broken our hearts.



October 31



If someone cannot talk, write, or cry to lessen their sorrows, what else should they do?



Die or break?



If someone asked me who are the most unfortunate people in the world, I would say refugees.



If someone asked what the worst state of existence is, I would say being a refugee.



I hate this word.



Recently, I asked fellow Afghans living in Pakistan to share their stories on Facebook.



Zuhal, 27, wrote that they left Afghanistan last year because her brother and sister worked as prosecutors for the fallen Afghan government. This prompted the Taliban to harass them and repeatedly raid their house to look for the armored car they had already returned to the government.



After constant harassment in Pakistan, most of her family members returned to Afghanistan. But she and her sister remain in Pakistan.



A 22-year-old young man told me about his ordeal.



He was stopped by the police in Islamabad a few days ago. Even though he had all the proper documents, he was detained for several hours, harassed, and threatened.



The ordeal was over when he paid a 10,000 rupee ($35) bribe to the police.



Hundreds of refugees like him are forced to pay bribes daily.

November 2



We are in a bind.



Im overwhelmed by the news of Afghans being arrested or forcibly deported.



I'm overwhelmed by the videos and photos showing their desperation, dispossession, and anguish.



Those who remain are trying to stay invisible. Everyone wants to avoid the humiliation of being forced back to a country many have not seen or, like us, fled because of the Taliban's draconian governance.



We are in limbo. We have no real choices.



Our efforts to be relocated to a third country through the UN have gone nowhere.



Returning to Taliban rule in Afghanistan is not a choice. My two younger sisters still need to go to university. But the Taliban closed that door for all Afghan women last year.



As a female-only household, we left Afghanistan because we feared that we would be forced to marry Taliban fighters. We witnessed such cases in Kabul.



We had sold everything before coming to Pakistan. We sold all our household items. Now, if we are forced to go back to Afghanistan, we will be forced to begin from zero again.

For now, we will stay in Pakistan until we are arrested or deported.



Uncertainty defines our lives. It describes the lives of all Afghans in our situation.

Diary entries have been edited for clarity; translated by Abubakar Siddique.
Thousands of Afghans continue to flood back into the country from Pakistan as they seek to avoid deportation following a deadline from Islamabad for undocumented migrants to leave, a move the United Nations warned could lead to "severe" human rights violations.

As of November 2, officials said more than 165,000 Afghans have fled Pakistan in the month since the government ordered some 1.7 million migrants -- more than 1 million of whom are Afghan nationals who fled following the August 2021 seizure of power in Kabul by Taliban militants -- to leave or face arrest and deportation.

The majority have rushed to the border in recent days as the November 1 deadline approached and police began to open dozens of centers to detain arrested Afghans before expelling them. On the other side of the border, Taliban officials have also opened temporary transit camps to assist those returning.



More than 100 people were detained in one police operation in the city of Karachi on November 2, while police rounded up 425 Afghans in Quetta, the city closest to the Chaman border crossing.

WATCH: Afghan refugees in Pakistan, many having traveled for days, crossed into Afghanistan as a November 1 deadline to leave the country took effect. Islamabad has vowed to deport an estimated 1.7 million undocumented Afghans living in Pakistan if they don't leave voluntarily.

Islamabad has said the deportations are to protect its "welfare and security" in Pakistan after a sharp rise in attacks, which the government blames on militants operating from Afghanistan.



Afghanistan's Taliban-run administration has dismissed Pakistans accusations against Afghan migrants and has asked all countries hosting Afghan refugees to give them more time to prepare for repatriation.



The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad has said the move will further damage relations between the neighboring countries.



Pakistan has brushed off calls to reconsider its decision from the UN, rights groups, and Western governments, who have urged it to incorporate into its plan a way to identify and protect Afghans facing the risk of persecution at home from the ruling militants.

At the country's busiest border crossing at Torkham in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, officials worked into the early hours of November 1 to clear a line of 28,000 people that stretched for 7 kilometers, AFP reported.



Just over 129,000 have fled from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial Interior Ministry said, while a total of 38,100 have crossed through Chaman in Balochistan Province, border officials there told AFP.



Authorities on the Afghan side of the border have set up a center several kilometers from a border crossing, as well as camps for families with nowhere to go.

WATCH: In Karachi, Afghan men and boys on November 1 were put on buses and taken to a temporary detention center.



Pakistan is home to more than 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, about 1.7 million of them undocumented, Islamabad says, although many have lived in Pakistan for their entire lives.



About 600,000 Afghans have crossed into neighboring Pakistan since the Taliban seized power and imposed its harsh interpretation of Islamic law, joining a large number there since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.



Some Afghans who have been ordered to leave have never been to Afghanistan and wonder how they can start a new life there.

Pakistan's move to remove undocumented foreigners is seen as part of an anti-immigrant crackdown that has been criticized by human rights groups.



The Pakistan People's Party, National Democratic Movement, and other politicians and human rights activists appealed for a stop to the forced deportation of undocumented foreigners in the Supreme Court on November 1.



On October 31, the chair of the nongovernmental Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Hina Jilani, wrote to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) warning that Islamabad's move to expel Afghans could "trigger a humanitarian crisis."



Human Rights Watch slammed Islamabad's deadline, saying it has resulted in significant threats against and abuse of Afghans living in the country.



Since returning to power, the hard-line Islamist Taliban has banned women and teenage girls from education in Afghanistan. It has also banned them from employment in most sectors and discouraged them from leaving their homes.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Nurjamal has been a chef for 10 years in Russia's Khabarovsk region, where she came as a labor migrant from Kyrgyzstan looking for a job.



Despite being a Kyrgyz citizen with no Russian passport, Nurjamal has received multiple offers with tantalizing benefits to work for the Russian military in war-torn areas of Ukraine.



"They promised me 200,000 rubles ($2,000) per month [contract] or 1 million rubles ($10,297) per year, said Nurjamal, whose name has been changed for security reasons. I immediately refused, saying that Russia has its own citizens to fight in Ukraine. They asked: 'What's the difference for you? You came here to work and you need money.' But I said I value my life more than money."



But recruiters did not give up easily.



They called her two more times from unlisted numbers, urging her to go to Ukraine to help the Russian war effort that began in February 2022 and has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people and uprooted millions of others.



"I declined those invitations as well. But these days -- despite not having Russian citizenship -- many Kyrgyz citizens, especially young men, have been recruited to join the war. Recruiters promise to provide you with a Russian passport and 1 million rubles. Most Kyrgyz migrants are still refusing the offers and [some even] return to Kyrgyzstan to avoid the [pressure to join the] war," she said.

Central Asian-born migrants both with and without Russian citizenship emerged as an important target in Russia's military recruitment drive through the mercenary group Wagner -- which scoured penal institutions for recruits -- or in the partial mobilization announced by President Vladimir Putin in September 2022.



Several hundred thousand Kyrgyz work in Russia as labor migrants due to the high rate of unemployment in Kyrgyzstan.



'She-Wolves' In The War



Relatives of an imprisoned woman in Russia originally from Kyrgyzstan showed one of her letters to them to RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service. In it, she said Russian Defense Ministry officials visited the prison to encourage women to join the war effort.



"[Officials from the Defense Ministry] recorded our names and listed the volunteers. [Many of] those with long sentences signed up to go [to the war] in the hope of gaining their freedom afterward. But I refused. God willing, I hope to go to Kyrgyzstan," wrote the woman, who was convicted of drug trafficking while working in Russia and sentenced to 12 years in prison in the Vladimir region.



Olga Romanova, a Russian journalist and human rights defender, said many female convicts from occupied areas in Ukraine as well as from prisons in southwest Russia have been recruited to work in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.

WATCH: Many Central Asian migrants are among the estimated 50,000 prisoners who were sent from Russian jails to fight in Ukraine. RFE/RL spoke with current and former prisoners and to parents of migrants killed fighting in Ukraine. They revealed the techniques used by the authorities to pressure reluctant prisoners onto the battlefield. (Published August 28, 2023)

"About 50 female prisoners from Donetsk and Snejnoe were recruited [from occupied parts of Ukraine] as well as at least 100 women from Russian prisons in southern regions who are working on the front line," Romanova told Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, adding that such women are calling themselves 'she-wolves.' They are not cooks, nurses, or paramedics. They fight like stormtroopers. It became known that women from a colony in the Lipetsk region [of western Russia] are also being recruited."



Quick Study To Become A 'War Nurse'



Recruiters also visited the home of Ainura (not her real name) -- another Kyrgyz woman who has been working in Russia for about a decade -- and asked both her and her husband to go to Ukraine.



"Now [recruiters] are even coming to our home and trying to recruit us as cooks or proposing to study for one or two months to become war nurses, she said. I heard that some of my colleagues have also received similar proposals.



Many of the Central Asia migrants in Russia are unable to openly discuss their involvement in the war due to personal concerns and family security. Some also fear that saying the wrong thing could result in deportation.



Jumabek, a migrant worker from Kyrgyzstan (his name has been changed), shared information about some migrants who were apprehended on the street by police and put in an "educational camp" before being sent to war a month later.



"There was a case in August where a Kyrgyz guy was forced to sign and enlist while walking on the street. He said he would go to the camp after doing some shopping, but instead ran away and [escaped back] to Kyrgyzstan, he said. Most labor migrants do not understand the nature of the documents they are signing."



Tajik and Uzbek nationals without work permits in Russia are really under pressure, Jumabek said. And if a Kyrgyz citizen has a Russian passport but has not registered for military service, they are taken directly to the war. We dont even notice it because officials are forcing them to sign agreements not to tell their relatives and sometimes their phones are confiscated.

RFE/RL has reported about hundreds of Central Asian migrants who have been hired by Russian firms to work in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory despite warnings from their governments not to do so. Kyiv has also stated that such workers will be seen as accomplices of the Russian invaders. Many have been killed in battle and sent back to Kyrgyzstan for burial.



The Kyrgyz Embassy in Moscow has also been holding informative meetings for migrants from Kyrgyzstan.



Embassy spokeswoman Nazgul Jusubakunova said diplomatic officials visit Russian prisons and meet with Kyrgyz detainees.



"We have not received any official reports indicating that women detainees from Kyrgyzstan were involuntarily involved in military actions," Jusubakunova said.



The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry said there were 1,077 Kyrgyz citizens in Russian prisons in January but did not say how many are women, making it hard to estimate how many imprisoned Kyrgyz women migrants have gone to Ukraine to aid in the war effort.



Kyrgyz authorities have urged their citizens to avoid taking part in military activities abroad as it violates the country's criminal code. Citizens found guilty can face up to 10 years in prison.

Two men were arrested in recent months in Kyrgyzstan -- and one given a prison sentence -- for fighting as mercenaries in Ukraine.

Written and reported by Baktygul Chynybaeva in Prague based on reporting by RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service correspondent Kanymgul Elkeeva.
BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese car brands are increasingly popular among consumers in Spain, according to Eric Iglesias, president of the National Association of Vehicle Dealers (Ancove).

Iglesias told Xinhua on Friday that quality offered by established brands, as well as competitive prices is the key to the increase in sales of Chinese cars in the country.

An example of the growing popularity was seen in August, when the MG ZS SUV became the best-selling vehicle in Spain, the first Chinese-made vehicle to take top place in the country's sales ranking, a feat that was repeated in September.

The quality of Chinese-made cars is "similar or the same as their European equivalents," the Ancove head said, expressing belief that the increase in sales of Chinese-made cars "will continue to grow in the future." 
By the time Russian Defense Ministry recruiters arrived at penitentiary IK-29 in the far northern region of Arkhangelsk in April, Artyom Bunyatov had already turned down two previous pitches by mercenary group representatives urging him to serve on the front lines in Ukraine in exchange for his freedom.

The 31-year-old convicted drug dealer had been warned by his mother, Larisa, not to make such a pact but instead to serve out the remaining three years of his prison term. He had no previous military training, she reminded him in a phone call.



This time, however, the cajoling finally worked. According to Larisa, the Defense Ministry officials promised him a clean criminal record and a job upon completion of a tour in Ukraine -- and he signed up for combat.



The practice of coaxing and pressuring inmates like Bunyatov to serve in Ukraine may soon come to an end -- but not because Russia has a surfeit of troops.

With Russian casualties estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands, no end to its invasion of Ukraine in sight, and another round of call-ups posing a political risk for the Kremlin ahead of a presidential election in March 2024, Moscow is seeking to make it legal to draft inmates to help fill the ranks.



Russian legislation currently forbids the military to register convicted prisoners for the draft or call them up for duty. But last month, the Defense Ministry submitted a proposal to remove that restriction from the law, potentially making tens of thousands of convicts fair game for deployment to Ukraine.



Its possible that they may start conscripting directly from prison, a representative of Russia Behind Bars, a group that advocates for prisoners rights, told RFE/RL.

The representative, who asked that their name be withheld out of safety concerns, said that it could take several months after the legislation is adopted for prisons to set up the necessary infrastructure before the first convict is drafted.



But when it is complete, then they will be able to start pulling [prisoners] indiscriminately for military service, the representative said.



Russia currently has 266,000 convicts behind bars, Deputy Justice Minister Vsevolod Vukolov said October 4. The overwhelming majority are men.

Manpower Shortage



Russia has been eagerly tapping the penitentiary system since last year after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 quickly turned into a war of attrition that experts say it was completely unprepared for.



As Ukraines troops routed Russian forces in the Kharkiv region in September 2022, exposing Moscows lack of manpower, President Vladimir Putin ordered the mobilization of some 300,000 men.



The call-up proved highly unpopular at home and led to the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens.

The recruitment of tens of thousands of inmates like Bunyatov over the past year helped bolster thin Russian forces at a crucial point. They have been thrown into the thick of the fighting and have suffered massive losses.



As many as 20,000 Russian prisoners were killed trying to take the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Western intelligence agencies have estimated.



Earlier this week, Reuters published an investigative report on the harsh conditions faced by fighting units known as Storm-Z that are comprised of convicts and insubordinate soldiers.



Dara Massicot, a Russia-focused military analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said Russia is suffering from a lack of skilled manpower and the authorities may be throwing convicts into battle can help conserve better-trained men.



They probably calculate that a combat loss of an inmate in a Storm-Z unit is more manageable and perhaps preferable than the loss of a skilled soldier or someone mobilized who in their judgement is a more productive part of Russian society, she told RFE/RL.

Bunyatov was released from prison on April 14 and was in the trenches by early May, despite having no previous military training. He complained about a lack of food and water, his mother said. His family last heard from him on May 17, and he is presumed by his family to be dead.



While nearly 300,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded as of mid-August, according to U.S. intelligence, and the military continues to lose men at a rapid pace, Putin is constrained in his ability to push through another mass mobilization.



He is expected to seek reelection in March 2024. Kremlin control over the entire election process and media all but guarantees him victory, but analysts say he will want to win in a landslide to demonstrate that the Russian people are behind him and his war.



Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on October 4 that there will be no additional mobilization, claiming 350,000 people had signed up for service since the start of the year.



In an October 4 thread on X, formerly know as Twitter, Massicot said that Shoigus figures appear inflated and could include double counting.



If Russia had anywhere near 50K a month getting ready for Ukraine, you can bet they would show them in mass somehow, she wrote.



Russia earlier this year required troops serving in private military companies to sign a contract with the military and Shoigu could be including them in his calculation, she said.



Special Military Registry



The Defense Ministrys new proposal requires penitentiaries to maintain a registry of prisoners who are eligible for mandatory conscription or mobilization along with their personal information such as address, criminal record, and sentence.



The proposal also requires penitentiaries to notify military registration offices when an inmate arrives and is transferred or released.



The proposal will need to be approved by parliament and signed into law by Putin. It is unclear when parliament will take up the proposal.



Just as Russian civilians go to great lengths to avoid conscription and mobilization, so, too, will convicts, creating the potential for vast corruption, the Russia Behind Bars representative told RFE/RL.



This scheme is a limitless corruption opportunity for the Federal Penitentiary Service. If prisoners used to pay to get out on parole, now they will pay not to get on the list and go to war, the representative said.

Written and with additional reporting by Todd Prince
NEW DELHI, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- India on Saturday issued an advisory to its nationals in Israel, asking them to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

The advisory was issued hours after armed factions from the Gaza Strip launched a surprise rocket attack on Israel.

"In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities," read the advisory issued by the Indian Embassy in Israel.

"Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters," it said. 
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A Sikh youth garners attention with a 'Say No to Khalistan' banner, asserting unity with India

NEW-DELHI: A Video capturing a Sikh youth proudly displaying a banner with the message 'Say No to Khalistan' in Delhi's Connaught Place has gained widespread attention on various social media platforms. The video shows the young individual waving the banner, affirming their love and allegiance to India with the slogan 'Mera Bharat Meri Jaan, Say No To Khalistan'. Passersby also engaged with the activist, indicating their support for the unity message.

The viral video has sparked significant discussions on social media, with users commending the Sikh youth for expressing a resolute desire to remain an integral part of India. Many users conveyed their firm stance against the idea of Khalistan, echoing the sentiment conveyed by the young activist.

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Recent events have thrust the Khalistani movement back into the limelight, notably following the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Canada's accusation of India's involvement in the murder has strained relations between the two nations, leading to a challenging period in their history. Just two days ago, India responded by asking Canadian diplomats to leave the country and implementing a ban on Canada's visa services. The Sikh youth's public demonstration in Connaught Place serves as a poignant reminder of the shared love and unity that binds the diverse fabric of India.
GAZA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 22 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured by the Israeli strikes attacking Gaza, a Palestinian medical source said on Saturday.

"The deaths, as well as injuries, were transferred to local hospitals in the Gaza Strip, while a number of injuries are suffering from critical health conditions," the source said to Xinhua.

The source explained that the emergency headquarters in the Shifa hospital complex in Gaza is constantly receiving critical injuries, adding the death toll is likely to rise sharply.

Local sources said that some journalists, who were killed by the Israeli strikes while covering developments near the fence separating the Gaza Strip and Israel, were among the deaths.

The Israeli army announced that it had targeted 17 sites and four headquarters of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) with dozens of warplanes in various areas of the coastal enclave. 
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Initiative Aims to Educate Students on Sikh Culture & Contributions, Fostering Cultural Understanding

CONNECTICUT: In a significant move towards promoting cultural inclusivity and understanding, the Connecticut State Board of Education has resolved to integrate Sikhism into its new social science curriculum. The decision aims to provide approximately 5,14,000 Connecticut students with an opportunity to learn about the Sikh community, fulfilling a long-standing demand from the local Sikh population.

Norwich City Councilman Swaranjit Singh praised the initiative, emphasizing that the new curriculum will offer students at all educational levels the chance to learn about the Sikh community. He noted that teaching students from a young age about the history and contributions of Sikhism will contribute to creating a safer and more informed educational environment.

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The Sikh Coalition, a prominent advocacy group, welcomed this development. In a press release, they affirmed their commitment to collaborate with the Connecticut Department of Education to ensure that Sikhism is effectively incorporated into the educational system across the state.

Connecticut now stands as the 18th state in the United States to join hands with the 'Sikh Coalition' in this endeavor, echoing the pioneering step taken by Washington in June. The initiative, which aims to provide inclusive and comprehensive education to over 2.5 crore students in the state, is gaining momentum, recognizing Sikhism as one of the world's largest religions.

Sikhism is not only one of the world's major religions but also represents a community that has made significant contributions to American society for over 125 years. These contributions encompass various fields, including civil rights, politics, agriculture, engineering, and medicine. The integration of Sikhism into the curriculum is set to shed light on its rich history, culture, and the invaluable role Sikhs have played in shaping American society.

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Punjab's Rajya Sabha Member, Vikramjit Sahney, urges proactive diplomacy to address strained ties between the two nations

CHANDIGARH: In a proactive move, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Punjab, has raised concerns about the deteriorating relations between India and Canada. He submitted a memorandum to India's Foreign Minister, Dr. Jaishankar, expressing apprehension about the current state of diplomatic ties between the two nations. Sahney emphasized the importance of fostering constructive and positive communication to address the issues at hand.

Sahney highlighted the saddening state of diplomatic relations between India and Canada and stressed the need for a more amicable approach to resolve grievances. He emphasized that maintaining open channels of communication was vital and urged both nations to pursue diplomatic discussions to find mutually agreeable solutions.

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Furthermore, Sahney pointed out that measures such as the closure of visa facilities in Canada or the reduction of visa facilities in India for travel to Canada would adversely impact millions of Indian families and relatives of students residing in Canada. He emphasized that it was crucial not to inconvenience ordinary citizens of both nations due to minor issues.

In response to Sahney's concerns, Dr. Jaishankar, the Foreign Minister of India, assured that the Indian government would consider the possibility of resuming visa services in Canada. However, he underlined the necessity for the Canadian government to provide full security assurances to Indian diplomats. This move towards resuming visa services would only be considered once the safety and well-being of Indian officials in Canada were ensured.
RAMALLAH, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), released on Saturday a short video showing some militants capturing a number of Israelis from the Israeli towns adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

In the 37-second short video, members of the Al-Qassam Brigades were shown kidnapping a number of Israelis in civilian clothes inside an army military base, without providing further details.

Abu Obaida, the spokesman of al-Qassam, said that "the sudden operations were taken place on the ground as planned in all axes." 
Oceanside Neighborhood Services Division Manager David Manley is in jail in San Bernardino County on a felony child molestation charge and has resigned from his post, officials said.

Manley, 46, resigned his position with the city on Thursday after he was arrested at John Wayne Airport on Sept. 29 by deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department.

According to a court records filed with the San Bernardino County Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga, Manley and another man, Carlos Garcia, 43, were charged with committing a felony lewd and lascivious act upon a child under the age of 14.

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The incident or incidents took place from on or about March 10, 2008 to March 09, 2010, according to court documents.

Manley pleaded not guilty during an arraignment held Sept. 30. Garcia also pleaded not guilty in a separate hearing.

A spokesman for the San Bernardino County District Attorneys office said the prosecutor in charge of Manleys case could not comment, citing an office policy against talking about open cases. Manley is being held in jail on $500,000 bail. Garcia, who was arrested Sept. 13 in Oceanside, is being held on $350,000 bail.

An attorney representing Manley also declined to comment.

Mayor Jim Wood said the news took him by surprise.

Hes been with the city a long time and hes been a good employee. Thats all I know, Wood said.

A more than 20-year city employee, Manley was first hired as a technical assistant in 1995. He worked his way up in the ranks in the code enforcement department eventually becoming its manager in 2001.

In 2008, Manley was promoted to neighborhood services division manager. His salary was $115,872 a year.

edward.sifuentes@sduniontribune.com

@EdwardSifuentes
Roger Hinds lifted the tail of the foam surfboard core that he just spent 90 minutes meticulously sanding and carving. He eyed it carefully to see if he got the tricky transition from rounded to flat near the fin just right.

Hinds, 63, was barefoot. The veteran Seal Beach board shaper was covered with fine dust inside a sealed chamber at the Boardroom International Surfboard Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Hinds main motivation Sunday morning was to advance to the finals of the Icons of Foam Masters Shape-off competition honoring renowned Santa Barbara surfboard maker Marc Andreini.

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But like many of the well-known shapers in the contest, Hinds also had a secondary goal  to highlight the supremely Southern California skill-set of handcrafting surfboards.

It gives people a chance to see our work, said Hinds, who has been making surfboards since 1973. A lot of surfboards are machine shaped these days. So its nice to be able to show the craftsmanship, the workmanship. that goes into making boards by hand.

The Boardroom trade show is in its 11th year at Del Mar, spotlighting the surf manufacturing industry.

Andreini, 67, was honored at the show after a long and still active career designing, shaping and building custom surfboards. He has a fervent underground following of surfers, and is known for designs that contain subtle flowing curves.

At the show, more than 100 exhibitors displayed their wares, with surfboards on display in all shapes and sizes. Exhibitors also served up wetsuits, skateboards, clothing and other merchandise.

People think the surf industry is centered in Orange County because of the soft goods industry, companies like Quiksilver and Hurley, said Scott Bass, executive director of the event. But San Diego is a hotbed for surfboard manufacturing.

There are several board-making shops in Oceanside and in San Diego, said Bass. Legendary surfer Bob Simmons was experimenting with novel materials in La Jolla and Coronado more than 70 years ago. Since the 1950s, Gordon & Smith has been building and shipping customer surfboards around the world from San Diego.

It is really something that the Chamber of Commerce could wrap their head around, said Bass. San Diego is big with craft beer. Thats great. But all they have to do is look in the history books and realize that the surfboard manufacturing industry is huge here.

Its not an easy business. Board makers work with toxic materials and face tough environmental regulations. There is competition from low-cost, mass-produced boards from overseas that are sold at Costco for hundreds less than their handcrafted brethren.

Despite some grumbling in the industry about low-cost competitors, there is still demand for handcrafted surfboards that work for you where you surf and really try to make the average surfer a better surfer, said Eric Gordon, son of Gordon & Smith co-founder Larry Gordon.

There is a strong base of consumers who want the board properly handmade, handcrafted, he added. And people are respecting the prices for what it takes to be handcrafted.

So what makes a good surfboard? Expert shapers refine thickness and create contours and channels across the board to enhance the surfing experience.

In addition to being honored, Andreini also served as a judge for the Masters shape-off competition.

In the semi-final contest featuring Hinds against veteran Santa Barbara designer Wayne Rich, each contestant had to shape a board that mimicked one of Andreinis designs. It was difficult because Andreinis board was rounded instead of flat on both the deck and bottom.

Theres not a flat spot anywhere except by the fin, said Andreini. These guys are masters so they can look at anything and replicate it. But it makes it stressful for them because they are not used to doing it.

In the end, the judges picked Richs design over Hinds in the shape-off semi-final. But there were no hard feelings between competitors.

They have been friends for 35 years in the Southern California surfboard making fraternity, said Hinds.

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mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com;

Twitter:@TechDiego

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Press Release

October 7, 2023 Sen. Tolentino: Bajo de Masinloc mishap probe to help determine PH 'archipelagic sea lane' Sen. Francis "Tol" Tolentino sees the need to conduct a Senate special investigation on the sea mishap that killed three Filipino fishermen at Bajo de Masinloc on Oct. 2 in the West Philippine Sea to help determine the country's 'archipelagic sea lane.' Sen. Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, on Oct. 7 said he is weighing the idea of whether to start the investigation while still waiting for reports from concerned entities required by international rules. The lawmaker said he is waiting for the final investigation report of the Marshall Islands since it is the flag carrier, Singapore as the port of destination of the Pacific Anna, the crude oil tanker identified to have rammed the fishing boat, and investigation reports from the Philippine Coast Guard and Marina. "So, habang hindi po nakakalap yon, ito po yong wine-weigh in ko kung sisimulan na ang imbestigasyon," he said. (So, while those have not been obtained yet, I am weighing in if I have to start the investigation.) Sen. Tolentino explained that there is a need for a Senate investigation even though other agencies are already conducting their respective investigations because they need to determine the Philippine archipelagic sea lane to prevent the same incidents that killed Filipino fishermen. "Ang pakay dito ay ang pagbubuo ng archipelagic sea lanes. Ang ibig sabihin po nito ay iyong talagang daanan---dito dadaan yong mga barkong domestic, foreign at international vessels na malalaki, nang sa ganun alam ng ating mangingisda kung saan dadaan at makakaiwas sa isa't isa," he said. "The objective here is to configure the archipelagic sea lanes. This would mean the definite lane---here, the domestic, foreign ships, and international vessels, which are big, would pass so that our fishermen know where to pass and avoid each other.) Sen. Tolentino, who visited the families of the sea mishap in Zambales, said that the fishermen-survivors told him that the incident happened at about 4:20 a.m. while they were having coffee and recounted that the Pacific Anna could have seen the FBB Dearyn, the rammed fishing boat because the lights were bright. He said this incident could have been avoided if the archipelagic sea lane in the Philippines had already been determined.#
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng encouraged China experts in the United States to contribute to the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations.

According to a news release published by the embassy on Friday, Xie made the appeal on Wednesday when meeting with a delegation of nearly 30 Chinese and American scholars visiting the embassy, led by the Institute of International and Strategic Studies (IISS) at Peking University and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

At the meeting, Xie commended the positive efforts made by the IISS and the CSIS to help resume in-person academic exchanges between China and the United States.

The ambassador said that exchanges between think tanks and scholars of the two countries have always played an important role in promoting mutual understanding. Their participation and wisdom are indispensable for finding the right way for China and the United States to get along in the new era.

He expressed hope that more China experts in the United States will deepen their research on Chinese history and culture, understand the fundamental logic of China's path of peaceful development, and contribute to the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations. 
JERUSALEM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Some Israeli civilians and soldiers have been taken as hostages by the Hamas militant group in Gaza Strip, confirmed Israel Defense Forces spokesman.

Daniel Hagari told reporters that some Israeli soldiers have been killed during clashes with Hamas, without revealing the number of hostages and soldiers killed. 
A barrage of rockets fired from Gaza into Israel are seen in the sky of the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Massive rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, while a number of Palestinian militants have penetrated into Israel from Gaza, the Israeli military said Saturday, while hitting back.

According to Israeli medical sources, the new round of conflict between the two sides has already killed 22 Israelis.

The surprise attack targeting Israel started a few minutes before 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) on the morning of Israeli holiday Simchat Torah. Earlier the Israeli emergency service Megan David Adom said one civilian was killed and over a dozen injured.

Two hours after the attack began, the Israeli air force launched airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip, declaring that it was "on alert for war." Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the drafting of reserve soldiers to the military.

Footage on social media showed masked gunmen driving around the Israeli city of Sderot and shooting in the streets. Israeli news channels quoted residents of several cities on the border with Gaza as saying there were masked gunmen in the streets and near homes.

Footage on news channels showed damage from rocket fire in several scenes.

Accusing Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, of being behind the attack, the Israeli military said in a statement that the Palestinian movement "will bear the results and responsibility for the events."

Mohammed al-Deif, a leader from Hamas, announced on Saturday the beginning of a new military operation "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel, via a brief recorded statement.

The Hamas-run health authorities said in a press statement that Israel attacked a hospital in north Gaza, killing a worker and injuring some locals.

In recent weeks, there have been protests at the border, with demonstrators burning tires and throwing explosive devices at Israeli troops. Hamas said the protests were in reaction to recent Jewish visits to the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. In response, Israel has barred the entry of Gaza residents who had permits to work in the country. 

Smoke traces are seen after Iron Dome missiles intercepted rockets fired from the Gaza Strip over Jerusalem, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing)

Palestinians are seen near an Israeli tank, near the fence of the Gaza-Israel border, east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

A rocket fired from Gaza into Israel is seen in the sky of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

Military helicopters hover over Jerusalem, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing)

A barrage of rockets fired from Gaza into Israel are seen in the sky of Gaza City, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

A rocket fired from Gaza into Israel is seen in the sky of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

A barrage of rockets fired from Gaza into Israel are seen in the sky of Gaza City, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Military helicopters hover over Jerusalem, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing)

Palestinians are seen near an Israeli tank, near the fence of the Gaza-Israel border, east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

People shelter themselves in a protected space after hearing the sirens at a building in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 7, 2023. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

People shelter themselves in a protected space after hearing the sirens at a building in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 7, 2023. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a building hit by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a car damaged by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a car damaged by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a building hit by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a building hit by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a building hit by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a building hit by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua)

Palestinians climb up an Israeli military vehicle in Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

Palestinians are seen on an Israeli military vehicle in Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians climb up an Israeli military vehicle in Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians drive an Israeli military vehicle in Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the "Israeli violations."

During an emergency leadership meeting held in Ramallah, Abbas instructed the concerned Palestinian authorities to provide everything necessary "to strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinians in the face of crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and settler gangs," Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported.

Abbas will chair in the coming hours another meeting of the Palestinian leadership, including members of the Executive Committees of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Central Committee of Fatah, and leaders of the security services, WAFA noted.

It was the first-ever comment issued by Abbas following Hamas's sudden military escalation against Israel. Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israeli cities. In addition, tens of its militants infiltrated into Israeli towns adjacent to the coastal enclave and fired at the Israeli settlers, causing casualty tolls.

Israeli Army Spokesman Avichai Adraee said in a statement that the Israeli army will defend the residents of Israel, noting "the Hamas organization will pay a heavy price." 
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The NYPD identified Syles Ular of Clifton as the 13-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed with a knife in a dispute that began on an MTA bus in Eltingville on Friday afternoon.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the horrific slaying that occurred on Friday on Hylan Boulevard between Littlefield Avenue and Groton Street, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Officers responded at about 2:23 p.m. to the scene where they saw Ular suffering from multiple stab wounds and transported him to Staten Island University Hospital in Princes Bay where he was pronounced dead, according to the police statement.

The knife has not been recovered as of Saturday morning, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

He was the sweetest kid, the Daily News quoted Ulars aunt, Ladrina Sheffield, 45, as saying. His life should not have been taken this way. This as just senseless. I cant believe my baby is gone.

The fatal encounter began with a confrontation between at least two males, Ular and the 14-year-old suspect, in what appeared to be a gang-motivated assault on a MTA bus, Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a press briefing held Friday evening at One Police Plaza, Manhattan.

As the argument escalated, Chell said that a knife is produced and gang signs were being shown back and forth. We have a male stabbed in the chest. Our perpetrator flees this bus.

Witnesses saw Ulars motionless body lying on the street in front of the bus as emergency responders rushed to the scene.

Chell said the suspect ran about three blocks before witnesses -- a Good Samaritan described as a retired sergeant for the NYPD, an off-duty New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officer, and a third bystander -- apprehended him.

Three independent people were on-scene helping, Chell said.

The retired sergeant started to follow the male who did the stabbing. At this time, another witness points him out as the one who just stabbed somebody and the sergeant affects the arrest, Chell said. Again, tragic, tragic homicide. We believe this motive is gang-related. Quick response and great response from our community.

MAJOR POLICE RESPONSE

Dozens of police vehicles and numerous NYPD officers and detectives swarmed the normally quiet, safe neighborhood.

Officers from the NYPDs Emergency Service Unit could be seen looking under cars, checking wooded areas, lifting grates to check sewers as they apparently searched for the murder weapon.

TRAFFIC RE-ROUTED ON HYLAN

After the incident, Hylan was roped off with crime scene tape in the vicinity of Littlefield Avenue and Groton Street, where the stabbing occurred.

Traffic on Hylan from Richmond Avenue to Armstrong Avenue was diverted for multiple hours in both directions due to the investigation, prompting gridlock from one end of the Island to the other. At just about 5 p.m., authorities began allowing traffic to pass on Tottenville-bound Hylan.

At one point a police official on scene said the lanes needed to be opened Tottenville bound because traffic was backed up several miles to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

EVERY PARENTS NIGHTMARE

Borough President Vito Fossella headed to the scene after hearing about the horrific attack.

Every parents worst nightmare is playing out in real time, Fossella said. At this point pray for the kid, thats the most important thing.

This is something that has got to hit everybody in the gut in a real significant way, the borough president said. And there is no room for things like that on Staten Island in my opinion.

Residents who lived on Littlefield Avenue were shocked in the aftermath of the attack.

Nothing like this ever happens over here, one said.

MTA SPEAKS ABOUT TRAGEDY

Demetrius Crichlow, senior vice president, New York City Transit Department of Subways, was on-scene at the incident of the stabbing, calling it just a tragic, tragic, tragic day.

Crichlow described the demise of the 13-year-old boy as a senseless death.

The subway boss said the MTA is supporting the NYPD in their investigation, including with footage from surveillance cameras.

We had cameras on the bus so we have a good account of what transpired, he said.

He praised the actions of the bus operator who had roughly 20 customers on the bus when tragedy struck.

The bus driver was amazing, Crichlow said. He talked to the rest of the customers and calmed them down and contacted the control center immediately.

Hes broken up right now from what he experienced.

Crichlow spoke of the broader impact that the tragedy will have in New York City.

This is going to affect so many people beyond the children who were involved here -- employees, customers, communities as a whole.

OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS:

>> Sources detail burglary at popular restaurant on Staten Island: Window broken, $3,700 and register stolen

>> 2 sought for questioning in connection with wallet theft on S.I.; debit card used at St. George Terminal, NYPD says

>> NYPD: Found with 10-inch knife, Staten Island man accused of series of attacks

>> NYPD: Pre-dawn raid on Staten Island nets heroin, crack cocaine, oxycodone

>> Source: Fireworks sparked Staten Island shooting where man, 41, was injured

>> NYPD: Car stop lead to arrests of 2 men in connection with gun seizure on the North Shore of Staten Island

>> Staten Island man, 51, arrested in carjacking attempt; victim allegedly punched
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 17-year-old female was found dead after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in a Stapleton apartment on Friday night, according to police.

Police responded to a 911 call at about 9:18 p.m. of a person shot inside an apartment on the 200 block of Gordon Street. Upon arrival, police found a 17-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head, police said.

This photo was taken at the scene of a fatal shooting where a 17-year-old female was found dead in Stapleton on Friday night, according to police. (Staten Island Advance)Staten Island Advance

EMS responded to the scene and pronounced the female deceased, police said.

A 17-year-old female was found dead after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in Stapleton on Friday night, according to police. (Staten Island Advance)Staten Island Advance

Sources said police are investigating the incident as a possible suicide.

Sources also told the Advance/SILive.com that the murder weapon wasnt found at the scene where there were multiple people gathering when the fatal incident occurred.

The deceased identity has yet to be released by police, and the investigation remains ongoing.

A 17-year-old female was found dead after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in Stapleton on Friday night, according to police. (Staten Island Advance)Staten Island Advance

STABBING IN ELTINGVILLE

The incident follows a fatal stabbing earlier on Friday of 13-year-old student on Hylan Boulevard in Eltingville.

The NYPD identified Syles Ular of Clifton as the boy who was fatally stabbed with a knife in a dispute that began on an MTA bus in Eltingville on Friday afternoon.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the horrific slaying that occurred on Friday on Hylan Boulevard between Littlefield Avenue and Groton Street, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Ular was rushed to Staten Island University Hospital in Princes Bay, where he was pronounced dead, multiple law-enforcement sources told the Advance/SILive.com. NBC reported Friday night that the child was a student at I.S. 7.

His death was confirmed by police officials at a press briefing held Friday evening at One Police Plaza, Manhattan.

38 1 / 38 NYPD: Student stabbed on Staten Islands Hylan Boulevard

According to comments at the briefing, the incident unfolded around 2:30 p.m. after the 13-year-old and a 14-year-old boy got into an altercation on an MTA bus. Police officials said witness accounts indicate that gang signs were displayed, leading police to believe the violence could be gang-related.

The 13-year-old was stabbed in the chest, police said. It was not immediately clear if the stabbing occurred on the bus or off it. The childs motionless body was visible to witnesses laying on the street in front of the bus as emergency responders rushed to the scene.

Police said the suspect fled the scene and ran three blocks before witnesses -- a Good Samaritan described as a retired sergeant for the NYPD, an off-duty New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and a third bystander -- stepped in to apprehend him.

OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS:

>> Sources detail burglary at popular restaurant on Staten Island: Window broken, $3,700 and register stolen

>> 2 sought for questioning in connection with wallet theft on S.I.; debit card used at St. George Terminal, NYPD says

>> NYPD: Found with 10-inch knife, Staten Island man accused of series of attacks

>> NYPD: Pre-dawn raid on Staten Island nets heroin, crack cocaine, oxycodone

>> Source: Fireworks sparked Staten Island shooting where man, 41, was injured

>> NYPD: Car stop lead to arrests of 2 men in connection with gun seizure on the North Shore of Staten Island
The off-Broadway comedy My Big Gay Italian Wedding  the beloved play that satirizes the controversies surrounding same-sex marriage and the comedic chaos that often accompanies wedding planning  is marking its 20th anniversary this year.

To celebrate the crystal anniversary of the play that originated in Actors Playhouse in Greenwich Village in 2003, there will be a one night only performance of My Big Gay Italian Wedding at Ocean Casino Resort on Oct. 7.

The creative powerhouse behind this enduring production is Anthony Wilkinson, who was born and raised on Staten Island.

For the 20th anniversary performance Im bringing back a lot of original performers that were fan favorites, Wilkinson said.

Through My Big Gay Italian Wedding, Wilkinson aimed to enlighten people about same-sex marriage, not an easy task in 2003 since same-sex marriage wasnt legally recognized at the time (Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004). Today, same-sex marriage has been legal since 2015.

I never thought this show would get an extension after its first six weeks, added Wilkinson. To see it still alive and people producing it all over the world is absolutely a dream come true.

The cast of "My Big Gay Italian Wedding" and creator Anthony Wilkinson, center, in Oct. 2022. (Courtesy Anthony Wilkinson)

SCRIPT HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED

Being Italian American, and growing up and coming out, I had such a big family, Wilkinson said. I always loved going to weddings and dreamt I could get married one day. So I thought it would be funny to tell a story through comedy that would actually enlighten people.

Surprisingly, the script of the original play has remained unchanged since its inception. Instead of modifying it to reflect changing times, Wilkinson has opted to create sequels, such as My Big Gay Italian Funeral and My Big Gay Italian Midlife Crisis.

The play has since enjoyed international success, entertaining sold-out audiences in China, France, Australia and Italy, where it even adapted into a film.

Throughout its run, the show has featured notable actors, like Scott Evans, the sibling of Chris Evans, and has welcomed appearances by members of the Real Housewives of New Jersey.

I still dont believe were where we need to be, Wilkinson told the Advance/SILive.com. Theres still so much hate and prejudice in this country. We have to celebrate Pride so our younger generation can be instilled with tolerance and acceptance and understating of what Pride is.

SAME SEX MARRIAGE NOT LEGALLY RECOGNIZED WHEN PLAY OPENED

Wilkinson believes the message of My Big Gay Italian Wedding remains relevant in 2023, despite the Supreme Court ruling in 2015 that legalized same-sex marriage in the United States.

Theres still a need for education and understanding, especially among those who may not be well-informed about LGBTQ+ issues and the reasons behind peoples identities and orientations, he said.

Notably, Wilkinson has spent a number of years on a speaking tour, visiting schools, including his alma mater, New Dorp High School, sharing his experiences as a young, closeted gay male, and preaching hope to other different, students as part of the national anti-bullying It Gets Better project.

Enlightening people back in 2003 about gay marriage was not an easy task. It still has its challenges, but we have come a long way, Wilkinson said. It wasnt as easy or as accepted as it is today.

So what I want people to take away from the wedding is the fact that its OK for two people to get married, no matter who they are. Love is love, always.

2015 Advance file photo: New Dorp High School Alumni returns to make a mark, Anthony Wilkinson attended the school from 1990-94, now an actor, playwright, director takes on "Its gets Better" project and describes his being bullied at egbert intermediate school and how his teacher, Ms Angela Carannante helped him through it.(Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel)

MORE ABOUT THE PLAY

My Big Gay Italian Wedding satirizes the controversy surrounding same-sex marriage while drawing on larger-than-life gay and Italian characters.

Heres the plot: Anthony Pinnunziato, a gay Italian-American from a large chaotic family, wants to marry his boyfriend, Andrew Polinski, in a traditional Italian ceremony.

Anthonys overbearing mother wont give her blessing unless Andrews estranged mother also gives her blessing and the ceremony be performed by a priest. Matters are further complicated by Andrews ex-boyfriend, intent on breaking up the couple.

After premiering in Actors Playhouse in 2003, an updated version of the play was staged at the St. George Theatre on Sept. 12, 2009, for a benefit performance. The show moved to St. Lukes Theatre in May 2010 for a 16-month run.

During the run, the show hosted major celebrities to raise money and awareness for marriage equality and the Trevor Project.

In January of 2011, Samuel French signed on to represent Wilkinson and license the show. So far, the show has played in El Paso, Texas; Omaha, Neb., and Louisville, Ky., and is scheduled to play in five other major cities in 2023, including Los Angeles in January.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Two of three Staten Island Community Boards will review applications for new retail adult-use weed dispensaries and a third will hold a North Shore Action Plan question-and-answer session during public meetings this week.

Community Board 1

Community Board 1 will host a full board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m. in St. Marys Episcopal Church, 347 Davis Ave., West Brighton.

During the meeting, representatives from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Office of City Councilmember Kamillah M. Hanks will conduct a North Shore Action Plan question-and-answer session.

Also during the meeting, Samuel Clarke, of the New York City Department of Social Services, will discuss the womens shelter on Victory Boulevard.

Community Board 2

Community Board 2 will hold a joint meeting of the Public Service and Health Services committees on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.

During the meeting, committee members will review New York State Office of Cannabis Management applications for adult-use retail cannabis dispensaries at the following locations:

690 Gulf Ave., Unit C, Bloomfield

1445 Richmond Ave., Graniteville

1692 Richmond Rd., Dongan Hills

Committee members will also review a liquor license application for 460 Bradley Ave., Meiers Corners.

The meeting will be held in The Regina McGinn Education Center, 475 Seaview Ave., second floor, rooms A and B.

There will also be a public hearing on Fiscal Year 2025 Capital and Expense Budget Priorities on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7 :30 p.m. The meeting will be held at 900 South Ave., Bloomfield, in the third-floor conference room.

Community Board 3

A representative from New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) will address the Parks and Recreation/Environmental Committee during a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 10, a 7 p.m. The discussion will center around the non-profit organizations campaign to increase the city Parks budget from .5% to 1% of the citys budget.

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, there will be a virtual public hearing of the Land Use Committee. There is no set agenda.

On Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m., during a virtual public hearing of the Community Alliance Committee, members will discuss New York State Office of Cannabis Management applications for retail dispensaries at the following locations:

The Weed Shoppe, 1547 Arthur Kill Rd., Arden Heights

DAD Distributors  1547 Arthur Kill Rd., Arden Heights

Nitecap LLC  639 Veterans Rd. West, Charleston

314234LLC  86 Page Ave., Richmond Valley

They will also discuss New York State Liquor Authority application for JDs Tavern, 3932 Amboy Rd., Great Kills.

Participants must register for virtual Community Board 3 meetings by 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting by visiting www.nyc.gov/sicb3.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  After officials said they were tipped off about a stash of alleged narcotics at a Staten Island hotel being used to house migrants, law enforcement sources later revealed to the Advance/SILive.com that the substance was Epson Salt.

Local government leaders -- who said they were initially told by law enforcement officials that the substance found was methamphetamine -- held a press conference on Friday outside the migrant shelter at the Ramada Inn in Willowbrook.

The citizens of New York are paying for this, said Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Mid Island), referring to whats now estimated as $12 billion price tag to house and care for migrants over the next three years. What is going on here? Its crazy.

While the elected officials were outraged over what they thought were narcotics, the white powder that was found was nothing more than Epson salt, which was first reported by the New York Post.

Whether the alleged substance is methamphetamine or not, the fact still remains that security at migrant shelters is inadequate both for the safety of the people staying at the migrant shelters and for the surrounding neighborhoods, said Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn).

Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-South Shore) told the Advance/SILive.com that the situation illustrates distrust in the government. Reilly said he hopes this is taken as a learning opportunity for open transparency from city officials and the community.

The press conference on Friday was called by Borough President Vito Fossella, who has been vocal at rallies across Staten Island opposing the use of several borough buildings, including some in residential areas and a former nursing home, being used as shelters

Just on the other side of Staten Island, people in Midland Beach and Arrochar are still fighting, and in Travis, not too far from here; because theyre concerned about the quality of life and impact its having on the residential neighborhoods.

Over the weekend, Mayor Eric Adams top advisor urged the federal government to close the (countrys) borders, as lawyers for his administration filed a court request to roll back the citys longstanding right-to-shelter rules, according to reports.

Additionally, the mayor has instituted a 30-day eviction notice for adults staying at shelters, which City Council minority leader Joe Borrelli (R-South Shore) said Friday is a step in the right direction.

Demonstrators rally outside a migrant shelter at the former St. John Villa Academy in Arrochar on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. (Owen Reiter for the Staten Island Advance)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks in New York's Times Square during a news conference on Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)AP

A sign on the front of the Ramada reads: We regret to inform you that the hotel is CLOSED INDEFINITELY due to government necessity. There are NO ROOMS AVAILABLE.

A middle-aged woman entering the hotel Friday who only spoke Spanish said she noticed a small police presence at the hotel Wednesday but didnt know why.

Nearby, a man wearing a security jacket was seen on the premises as men and women of various ages entered and exited the building.

The incident is not the first to rock the commercial location.

In 2016, when the hotel was being used to house homeless families, a man stabbed a woman and two children to death inside one of the rooms.

In this 2021 photo, the NYPD and FDNY approached a barricaded person in a car of the parking lot of the Ramada by Wyndham at 535 Gannon Ave. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

WORKING TOWARD A SOLUTION

In May, the city commissioned the hotel as one of approximately 200 shelters for migrants crossing over the border in what officials at all levels of government have since recognized as a growing strain on the city.

More than 60,000 migrants were in the citys care as of last week, as Adams administration has worked to respond to an influx of more than 122,000 new arrivals to the five boroughs since April of last year.

Last month, a Staten Island judge decided to shutter a migrant shelter at the former St. John Villa Academy in Arrochar, though the Adams administration notified the court of its intention to appeal.

The city, meanwhile, is engaged in a months-long court proceeding over whether it has a legal obligation to provide a shelter bed for any newly arriving migrant who requests one. The administrations formal application, filed this week, is drawing criticism from homeless advocates, who are named as parties in the right-to-shelter litigation, according to reports.

During a recent four-day trip through Latin America, Adams said he would discourage people from coming to New York

For migrants already living here, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that 18,000 jobs were available statewide for asylum seekers and migrants as part of an initiative to move individuals out of shelters and into independent living circumstances, Patch reported.

Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico are lined up for processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas.(Associated Press)AP

In Washington, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) said in a written statement Friday that shes joined a bipartisan group in expressing concerns about crime in and around migrant shelters in response to multiple police-involved incidents.

In June, we saw two asylum seekers die of apparent overdoses outside of a mega migrant shelter in Brooklyn, said Malliotakis. Its ludicrous that taxpayers are footing the bill for these lucrative contracts that are placing shelters in their community and putting their public safety at risk.

Pirozzolo suggested Friday that Adams couldve instead put the taxpayer money toward immigration attorneys to pay for legal processing for individuals trying to cross the border, likening the idea to the remain in Mexico policy instituted under President Trump.

The policy, in short, required certain asylum seekers to return to Mexico to await a hearing in U.S. immigration court.

Advocate groups raised concerns at the time about asylum seekers having to wait in dangerous and unsafe circumstances, including those in which their lives may be at risk, unable to access health services and humanitarian aid, according to a 2019 statement issued by the Justice for Immigrants campaign.

The Biden administration announced this week that it will resume deporting Venezuelan migrants, the largest single group encountered at the border over the last month, back to their economically troubled country as arrivals continue to grow, according to the Associated Press.
Have Democrats finally come to their senses about open borders?

Dont count on it.

The administration of President Joe Biden the other day waived 25 laws in order to build additional border barriers in the Rio Grande Valley, CNN reported.

In other words, after pledging he wouldnt do so, Biden is allowing former President Donald Trumps big, beautiful border wall to move forward.

Biden, who said during the 2020 campaign that he wouldnt allow another foot of the wall to be built, said that there was nothing he could do to stop it.

The money had already been appropriated, Biden said, and Congress had refused to rescind it. The money couldnt be spent on anything else, the president said.

Huh. I always thought a president had a little more power than that. And Biden had a Democratic-controlled Congress at the beginning of his term. He couldnt get their cooperation on this? Strange. Shows you that a congressional majority aint everything its cracked up to be.

Bidens move comes after his policy of a wide-open border led to a disastrous deluge of migrants arriving in the country.

The migrants  some legal and legitimate asylum seekers, others not  have overwhelmed cities like New York, which have scrambled to house, clothe and feed wave after unending wave of new arrivals.

Even if the border was completely sealed today, New York and other localities would still have to figure out how to deal with the thousands upon thousands of migrants who are already here. Where will they live and work? Where will kids go to school?

At the same time as the wall began to move forward again, the Biden administration also announced that it will again deport Venezuelans who enter the U.S. illegally and have no legal basis to be here directly back to Venezuela.

Mayor Eric Adams, meanwhile, is again looking to have New York Citys right to shelter decree suspended. The decades-old decree guarantees shelter for all those who need it. It was initially meant to aid the homeless but has now been applied to the migrants as well.

Only it hasnt worked. It cant work when busload after busload of migrants arrive every day. There is simply no room for them all. Even Gov. Kathy Hochul has said so.

Its all been a big turnaround for the Dems, who for years supported New York and other places being sanctuary cities where all are welcome.

The polling on the migrant crisis must be pretty bad for the Dems to take steps like these. We have a presidential election coming up next year, as well as House and Senate battles. The migrant issue must really be biting.

So dont be fooled. This could merely be a temporary strategic retreat ahead of the elections.

If the Dems do well next year, we could see same migrant crisis all over again. The Dems have pushed open borders for years and theyll be more emboldened to do so if the 2024 elections go their way.

And remember that Hochul and Adams dont object to the migrant flood as much as they want the feds to pay for it. Theyd be happy to take busload after busload of migrants as long as Biden was footing the bill for the new arrivals.

Remember that at the ballot box next year.

STATEN ISLAND STORIES FROM TOM WROBLESKI

Vacant stores at popular Great Kills shopping plaza a haunting sight

Heres whats really causing traffic on Staten Island | Opinion

Another Poltergeist? Kids find old headstones in vacant lot behind Mid-Island shopping plaza in 1982
MACAO, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday has sparked a travel boom in its Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), with visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy rates hitting record highs since the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the holiday from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6, Macao recorded a daily average of 116,000 visitor arrivals, an increase of 3.6 times from the same period of last year, the Judiciary Police under the Macao SAR government said on Saturday.

Among the over 930,000 visitor arrivals in total, 709,000 were from the mainland, nearly three times higher than the same period of last year, while 171,000 were from the Hong Kong SAR, a surge of around 10 times year on year.

Data from the hotel industry showed that the average hotel occupancy rate during the holiday reached 87.9 percent, up 23.7 percentage points from last year's National Day holiday. The hotel occupancy rate for Oct. 1 this year hit 94.3 percent, a record high this year.

This year's Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday is the longest public holiday in the second half of the year in China, encouraging many Chinese to hit the road.

Tourists were seen crowding the narrow streets of Macao and queuing in front of local specialty stores, forcing hot tourist spots to enforce limits on crowds.

On the evening of Oct. 1, a fireworks show was staged in Macao as part of the 31st Macao International Fireworks Display Contest.

A tourist from Shanghai with the surname of Xu livestreamed the fireworks show. "It is particularly jolly and meaningful to watch such a grand show on National Day," she told Xinhua.

To further diversify its tourism market, the Macao SAR government has made continuous efforts to tap the potential for community economy by turning historical communities into areas with cultural and leisure touches.

During this holiday, the area surrounding Rua da Felicidade, a centuries-old street in the center of Macao Peninsula, was turned into a pedestrian zone featuring art installations, markets, games and performances, giving local residents and tourists a chance to experience Macao's history.

On the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the Chinese celebrate family reunions, two outdoor concerts themed on the moon were staged in front of the landmark Ruins of St. Paul's, inviting local residents and tourists alike to indulge in the joyous moments.

Industry insiders believed that Macao's tourism market was rapidly recovering after the pandemic, voicing full confidence in its future performance.

"This is exciting," said Cheung Kin Chung, president of the Macao Hoteliers and Innkeepers Association. "We look forward to the performances of the tourism industry for the whole year and new tourism elements generated in the building of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, neighboring Zhuhai city."

Lou Chi Leong, chairman of the association, said Macao's hotel industry had generally recovered to around 80 percent of the level before the pandemic in 2019.

Li Xi, executive associate dean of the Faculty of International Tourism and Management of the City University of Macao, pointed out the challenges facing Macao in terms of infrastructure and services during travel peaks.

"In the long run, Macao should think about how to stabilize tourist flow and strike a balance between quality and quantity," Li added. 
A roundup of conversations we're having daily on the site. Subscribe to the Reckon Daily for stories centering marginalized communities and speaking to the under-covered issues of the moment.

Gerald Green was no stranger to hard work. The 31 year-old Waffle House employee worked his way up to RockStar Grill Operator through hurricanes, a personal injury and the death of a close friend.

But this week was different. From behind the counter of the restaurant where he has worked for seven years, he delivered a list of company-wide demands from workers across the Southeast. Like him, they are fed up with low wages and poor workplace protections. Together with the Union of Southern Service Workers, Green and his colleagues say that if their demands are not met, they are prepared to go on strike.

I was nervous as hell, Green said. but it had to be done.

The top of the employees list of demands is workplace safety.

Countless viral videos that have been uploaded online over the past decade paint an alarming portrait of a workplace that leaves its employees vulnerable to violence and frequent assaults.

In 2017, a gunman shot and killed 30-year old Jesse Hall inside the Tifton, Georgia Waffle House. Operations resumed the following morning.

Hall and Green were close friends.

They called me into work a shift the next morning and I didnt even know hed died, Green said. They had the store open trying to take peoples money and get food out when someone just died here.

Green says that simply put, workers dont feel safe. Their demands include 24-hour security in restaurantes, and a new safety plan that would take into account the needs of workers when natural disasters strike.

Waffle Houses are known for staying open during inclement weather. In 2011 a FEMA official even coined the Waffle House Index, a metric for determining how severe a storm will be, based on whether or not the restaurant chain shut down.

Waffle House employees are expected to clock in rain or shine. When Hurricane Irma knocked down trees and powerlines in South Georgia, Green showed up to work.

We dont get hazard pay. Theres no compensation for having to work during a hurricane and as hurricanes have gotten worse over the years, its become more dangerous to work at Waffle House, Green said.

Workers are also asking the company to raise their wages to $25 per hour. Minimum wage earns some Waffle House employees $7.25 per hour, but servers in some locations make as little as $2.32 hourly.

As workers struggle to make ends meet, the company boasts over $1billion in revenue annually.

For Green, a pay increase would mean time off to recover from a foot injury. He mans the Waffle House grill in an orthopedic boot for 40-hours a week and receives no breaks a practice that he says, is par for the course

In fact, employees say they receive mandatory meal deductions for breaks they rarely take. They are demanding an end to this practice, which eats up a significant portion of their pay.

It ends up being about $30, Green said. Thats gas money right there.

According to a story published on WSBTV.com on September 30th, a Waffle House spokesperson released a statement accusing union officials of embellishing descriptions and said that, 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.

Green said that if Waffle ignores the demands of the workers, they are prepared to strike.

Im glad to finally find a union thats ready to take on this fight.
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This story is part of the Sunday Life October 8 edition.

Each week, we quiz a prominent person about their style and the inspiration behind it. Ahead, designer Gabriella Pereira.

Gabriella Pereira: I love the spectacle of fashion but I try to be blind to trends. Credit: Holly Gibson

How would you describe your style? Its simple and comfortable but I also like to feel polished and chic. The antithesis of my style is fussy. Quality craftsmanship and materials are very important to me.



Whats the oldest thing in your wardrobe? An 80s Chanel tweed jacket I bought from a vintage store in Paris. Ive never worn it; its outrageous  red, blue and white with gold buttons.

And the most recent addition? A pair of Alaia jeans with an elastic waist I bought after seeing Lara Worthington wearing them.
CHICAGO, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain Friday proclaimed that "our strike is working," after the Big Three U.S. automakers made concessions in the negotiations this week.

"We are making significant progress," Fain said during a Facebook livestream Friday afternoon as the union's strike against the Big Three U.S. automakers entered the 22nd day. "In just three weeks, we have moved these companies further than anyone thought was possible."

General Motors (GM) agreed to place its battery plants under the union's national agreement at the last minute as the union was preparing to expand the strike to the Detroit-based automaker's full-size SUV plant in Arlington, Texas, on Friday.

GM's decision to include battery-plant workers in the master agreement "lays the foundation for a just transition" to electric vehicles, Fain said. GM has also agreed to a 23-percent wage hike.

In a letter to employees following Fain's livestream, Stellantis NV's Chief Operating Officer for North America Mark Stewart said the company's offer is a 21.4 percent compounded wage raise through 2027, including an immediate 10-percent raise upon ratification.

Ford has offered workers a 23-percent not compounded wage increase by April 2028, and promised to get there in three years instead of the current eight-year progression, Fain said. GM and Stellantis remain at four years.

On cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), Ford and Stellantis have agreed to reinstate the traditional formula that was suspended in 2009. GM isn't far behind, Fain said. Stellantis said its COLA would be calculated every quarter, added to every hour earned and included in weekly paychecks.

On job security, Ford agreed to allow the union to strike over plant closures, while Stellantis, at the last minute last week to stave off a strike expansion, agreed to give workers the right not to cross a picket line and to strike in the event of a plant closure, as well.

For temporary and supplemental workers, Ford is offering a wage of 21 dollars per hour, while GM and Stellantis 20 dollars per hour, Fain said. The Big Three have made commitments to converting temporary workers to full-time, but he didn't share details. Ford previously agreed to convert current temporary workers with at least three months of experience to full-time.

The union continues to fight for improved pension benefits for those with pensions, as well as the expansion of pensions and post-retirement health care to workers hired after the ratification of the 2007 agreements. Those workers receive 401(k) contributions and don't have company-provided health care into retirement.

Stellantis said it has offered more than 1 billion dollars in contributions to retirement funding and "significant improvements" to its 401(k) contribution. Ford said it has increased 401(k) contributions. GM's previous offers included payments to active and retired UAW members.

Details on profit sharing weren't provided. There's "still a lot of work to be done both on the wages and the conversions," Fain said.

"This strike is about righting the wrongs of the past and winning justice for all of our members," Fain said. 
I spoke to my breast nurse and surgeon about when and how to tell men I didnt have breasts. You get to know them first and then let them know, was the consensus response. On a first date, when he was keen to be intimate before I had a chance to tell him, I realised that this wasnt the way for me. As a result, I decided to let future dates know before meeting up. My biggest fear was being rejected, so to make these conversations easier for me, I would say: I have something really difficult to tell you and whatever you choose is okay with me. Apart from one guy who was quick to tell me that this wouldnt work for him  despite his honesty, it still hurt  the rest were fine with it and this acceptance made me feel great. My current partner was the fifth person I met and after chatting online for three weeks, I told him. He simply didnt mind at all. He was and still is a very caring and compassionate man. Weve been together now for over three years and its only with him that Ive taken my bra off during intimacy.

My chest is barely sensitive. To begin with, I was embarrassed about how I looked. But with my partners support Ive come to be comfortable with being naked in front of him. I dont look in the mirror with dread. To celebrate being discharged from my oncologist, I had some tasteful topless shots done through a charity event for the Jane McGrath Foundation. [In the photographs] my bare chest is covered with flowers. Its a reminder to me of how happy I am to have conquered cancer. Sex just wasnt at all on my mind Richelle Menzies, 62, found that hormone blockers can affect intimacy. Reaching out for support taught them that connection comes in many forms. For Richelle Menzies, it became a struggle to maintain sexual intimacy.

I was diagnosed with cancer of my right breast in 2022 after a routine mammogram, but I chose to have a double mastectomy as prevention. To avoid the risk and complications from implants or flap surgery, I decided not to have a reconstruction and instead chose to champion the aesthetic flat-closure option  which involves smoothing the tissue that is left  and remain completely flat. Just before surgery, my relationship with the person Id been dating for a year became more serious and they were very supportive of my decision not to have a reconstruction. They agreed that it was my body and therefore I needed to do what I felt was best for my health. Fortunately, I was no less attractive to them because I didnt have breasts. Even though I didnt struggle with body image post-surgery, what did contribute to my inability to be intimate were the side effects of the hormone blockers: night sweats, brain fog, memory loss, severe fatigue and, importantly, loss of libido. It became a struggle to maintain sexual intimacy. Sex just wasnt at all on my mind. As a sexologist myself, I still reached out to an occupational therapist, who helped me self-reflect and truly understand what was happening for me. Through that guidance I was able to find ways to express and communicate this with my partner and further work out what we both needed and how to give that to each other. Equally, tapping into support groups online and learning from their lived experiences proved very insightful.

Essentially, I realised that I didnt need desire or libido to begin with. Just being emotionally intimate  holding hands, skin-on-skin contact, kissing and cuddling  created enormous connection for us and it took the pressure off having to be sexually intimate. The desire for intimacy could kick in following a conscious effort to foster a bond with my partner. The goal, ultimately, was to feel connected, and we were able to achieve that. On our wedding night, we werent able to be intimate Alyx Stewart, 53, struggled with intimacy after undergoing a double mastectomy. Closeness with her partner has evolved into a bond of deep connection. Alyx Stewart had to fall in love with her new body image  scars and all.

Prior to my cancer, my sex life was fun and exciting. That immediately changed in 2005 when, nine weeks prior to my wedding, I was diagnosed with cancer of my right breast. Within a week, I was undergoing a single mastectomy. My right breast was reconstructed a year later when I underwent a second mastectomy and the reconstruction of my left breast. The moment I realised that our sex life had changed forever was on our wedding night. The side effects of early menopause, brought about by chemotherapy and hormone treatments, included loss of libido, and vaginal dryness made intercourse painful. Clearly this was not how we expected our married life to begin. Following breast reconstruction, the loss of nerve sensation in the area and pain I felt when my husband touched my breasts was an issue for me both psychologically and physically, which initially led to no intimacy. Further, in 2009, I decided to have my tubes clipped to avoid pregnancy, as using condoms amplified the dryness and pain. For a while it worked and we could once again be spontaneous. But the issue with dryness was still there, which meant we had to experiment with lubricants. This stop and start eventually took its toll.

Together we attended a session about intimacy after breast cancer put on by Counterpart [a woman-centred service of Womens Health Victoria] in Melbourne, which encouraged us to address the issue. We realised that to become sexually confident again we had to first become vulnerable. Because my partners love language is touch, I make sure that we often cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. Loading To heal, Ive also had to fall in love with my new body image  scars and all. As the years have gone by, Ive been able to reconcile how I look and gradually have my partner look at and touch my painful parts. I felt anger and guilt for years for not being able to be physically intimate with my partner. Gradually, Ive realised that this is not my fault. Though being physically intimate is still a work in progress for us, we have worked hard on our emotional connection. There was a stage when we feared we might become more like flatmates than soul mates, but connecting more on an emotional level has allowed us to be more physical with each other.
Inside a housing unit at Rikers Island. Violence often breaks out between gangs, even as correctional staff do their utmost to keep rivals segregated. It can be deadly; eight men have lost their lives on the Island this year, according to The New York Times. And it is where Australian expat Jarvis teaches meditation. Ive never been more excited about a job ever, than volunteering in jail, its the best job Ive ever had, she says. Jarvis had a 23-year career with ABC Radio before, eight years ago, she put her Surry Hills home on the market, packed up her bags and said goodbye to everything and everyone she knew.

She was accomplished; a reporter with The World Today, a senior producer for Jon Faine on his highly-rated morning Melbourne program, before moving into editorial leadership positions in Sydney. But it was two stints in the Northern Territory, reporting on First Nations communities and the aftermath of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, that imparted something on Jarvis that changed the way she thought, forever. Joh Jarvis, Australian journalist turned meditation teacher, leads meditation classes inside one of Americas most notorious jails  Rikers Island. I wanted to, as a journalist, to explain things to people. I wanted to explain things to myself, and I wanted to find solutions through journalism. And eventually, I just saw that things are repetitive, she explains. Journalism sort of became like Whack-a-Mole. There was this problem that you would expose, bringing the light of journalism to it. And then something else would pop up over there and suddenly something else would pop up over there, it was exhausting. And then I found meditation.

When she first arrived in New York, Jarvis supported her meditation teaching with freelance writing, but that soon fell away. A probing conversation with a mentor gave her the chance to realise what it was she really wanted to do. He said to me, if there was one cohort of people youd really feel passionately about teaching, who is it? And I said, incarcerated people without missing a page, she recalls. If theyre thrown out there with no new skills, no ability or no capacity to self-reflect because theyre so full of stress and trauma, then youre doing society a disservice. Joh Jarvis, Rikers Island meditation teachers But that was not straightforward. Gaining volunteering rights at Rikers Island was an arduous task, and months of unanswered emails and phone calls followed. Eventually, in 2020, she was granted access. Jarvis had applied to teach women, but it was with men, in the George Vierno maximum security unit, where she was given her opportunity.

And while there have been COVID periods where jails and prisons were shut down, Jarvis has had an incredible impact on the lives of these men. She has taught 100, so far, to meditate. Loading The guards, so familiar with her now, have given her the moniker Om. Her commitment is demonstrated by the two-hour to-and-from commute she carries out to get to Rikers every day; One long subway trip, followed by one very long bus trip. She then boards a hulking old bus that takes her to the different sections of the jail. She no longer has an escort and is trusted to make her way between units as she leads her four-day meditation course to new and newly interested inmates, and then shuttles around to other parts of the Island to see how her students are faring.

At six foot, three inches, inmate Angel is a huge guy. He is also one of Jarvis students. Following a recent class Angel told Jarvis he was feeling softness inside him and was scared of what that vulnerability might do to him on the inside. Jarvis leads a meditation class at Rikers Island. Its not how these men want to feel, theyre constantly in flight or fight, on edge, ready for anything, theyre used to life on the streets and that anxiety and fear is heightened in jail, Jarvis says. I told him that whats happening in meditation is that the stress is leaving your body; your senses become sharper, your eyesight becomes better, your peripheral vision becomes better. Your hearing becomes better. And anger disappears.

Angel wanted to know; Is this going to help me on the street? Loading You wont be overreacting, she explained to him. You will think before you act. Thats often what causes people to end up in jail, they react too quickly. And then something bad happens. Another student, Gerson, has been meditating twice a day, for five months. In a recent visit, Jarvis says he told her a lot of anger comes out of me after meditating. And that his mother had remarked about how different he sounded and that, while life had an uncertain trajectory, he felt more peaceful.
Overdue quarantine fees were identified as a high-risk issue in the Audit Office of NSWs 2020-21 report on the health system. The report noted the proportion of fees expected to be recovered had likely been overestimated as it had been modelled on patients repayments of hospital fees. A Revenue NSW spokesperson said the agency would only issue a garnishee order where a person has received at least three separate notices across a 90-day period and that bank accounts could not be reduced below a threshold ($570 as of October 1). However, The Sun-Herald is aware of cases where bank accounts have been overdrawn by the order, or where the order was made with no prior successful contact of the person owing the debt, who was not provided an opportunity to pay the fee on time. Diana Chang was shocked when her account was overdrawn by $358 while she was overseas last month. While the bank did restore her account to a positive balance after a few days, Chang said she had not been successfully contacted three times before the money was taken. Receiving no invoice following her February 2021 stint in hotel quarantine, in January this year Chang received a phone call purporting to be from Revenue NSW, but the caller would not reveal topic unless she provided her name and date of birth. Concerned it could be a scam call, Chang asked that they send an email or letter to her address listed on Service NSW, which never occurred.

Chang next heard from the agency in an automated text message on the morning of September 18, while she was overseas, which outlined her hotel quarantine debt. The funds, plus a $13 bank garnishing fee, were taken from her account later that day. Loading After pressing the issue with Revenue NSW, Chang was told she had been contacted multiple times to an incorrect email address and an old residential address, despite having current details with Service NSW. I just find it absurd that the garnish order was able to pass so easily when actually it was in their error and unlawful for them to have taken the money from me, she said. Lizzie Redding went through hotel quarantine in December 2020. She had been in the UK dealing with various family matters  including helping her parents move house and the sudden death of her sister  when the pandemic began. Like many, she struggled for months to book a flight back to Australia.

Redding, who has lived in Sydney since 1999, says she did not receive any communication from Revenue NSW before she arrived home to a letter informing her she was at the final stage of the debt recovery process, with an additional $65 debt recovery cost added to her $3000 fee. Her account had already been garnished. It came out of the account I use for bills and mortgage repayments. It didnt bankrupt me, but it did ruin my careful budgeting, she said. The Revenue NSW spokesperson said individuals were asked to provide contact details when checking in to hotel quarantine, which it used to pursue payment, and provided with a written notice detailing fees. Revenue NSW attempted to help all customers resolve their invoices via various channels including by phone, SMS, email or post, they said. Garnishee orders are issued by Revenue NSW after all contact attempts have been exhausted or there has been an extended period of no contact.
The biggest upgrade to one of Sydneys oldest and busiest stations in more than four decades will turn its southern side into the main gateway to nearby suburbs, reducing platform crowding and improving commuter accessibility.

After delays and cost overruns, a 90-metre-long pedestrian bridge spanning 10 rail lines at the heritage-listed Redfern station, complete with lifts and stairs to platforms, will open to passengers on Sunday.

Redfern stations new southern concourse will open on Sunday. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

More than 46,000 passengers tap on and off at the ticket gates at Redfern on average every weekday, making it the fifth-busiest station in NSW.

Redfern station upgrade project manager Michael Childs said 60 per cent of the stations commuters were forecast to now enter and exit from the new southern concourse, reducing pressure on the northern entrance.
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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) must have appropriate powers to punish blatant misinformation and disinformation, but theres no way voters will countenance an exemption for government authorised content (Pocock raises free speech fears over bill, October 1). Political parties are among the biggest offenders when it comes to false advertising. It was arrogant of Labor even to think they could get away with this exemption. David Pocock is right to demand its removal before any further consideration is given to Labors misinformation laws. It comes as no surprise that the Coalition would have a tizzy fit over any bill that might curtail their ability to peddle alternate truths. The Dutton-led opposition surely wouldnt have a hope of winning any contest without the use of misinformation and disinformation, which they would have us believe is simply freedom of expression. Graham Lum, North Rocks

Double standard

What a telling juxtaposition that these two stories should appear on the same page (Inside a dark tunnel: How asylum seeker family was left in limbo and Poor judgement or safe haven for perverts: Can the BBC survive Brand? , October 1). We seem to find it easy to demonise poor, traumatised people from different cultures to ours, imagining that they may be of serious threat. But we find it hard to believe that an institution designed to reflect who we are, run largely by the comfortable, the privileged and the educated, could harbour predators for years. Surely it is possible to be cautious without being suspicious, to be alert but not fearful, to protect the vulnerable without rejecting the needy, to be inclusive and generous while remaining wise and watchful, and to insist on honesty and accountability, all with a view to maintaining a society of freedom, welcome and safety? Meredith Williams, Northmead

Historys lessons

Your correspondent says that If history doesnt tell us what to do, why examine it in detail? and warns us that We dont look in the rearview mirror to drive forward . otherwise we may have a head on collision (Letters, October 1). Id suggest that while history may not tell us precisely what to do, it can provide invaluable lessons on avoiding the repetition of what not to do, and pursuing the metaphor, a competent driver will note what is in the rear and side mirrors, as well as ahead. The historical mistakes acknowledged have had a massively greater impact on Indigenous Australians than others and being far more recent than many seem to realise, have been instrumental in leading to current disadvantages which are well documented. If you dont know, find out for a better future. Al Svirskis, Mount Druitt

EV trend

The volume of fuel sold in Australia in the June quarter was 9 per cent less for the same quarter in 2019 (Why youre paying a high price at the fuel pump, October 1). Part of the reason was the uptake of hybrids and EVs. This trend will continue. The 2030s may see a role reversal when long road trips are taken. Currently, EV owners have to assess the feasibility of their trips in terms of charger locations. Planning is required. With a continuing drop in fossil-fuel demand, the number of service stations will decrease as well as the number of fuel bowsers at the remaining ones. It may end up being the fossil-fuel car owners doing the trip planning. Where are the remaining service stations? How many bowsers are at each one? As with EVs today, there may in the future be just one fuel bowser in the corner of the service station with a line of six cars waiting. Tell us about it! say todays EV owners. Dennis OHara, Wanniassa (ACT)
Removing phone access from a teenager could cut them off from supportive online networks, and cause additional distress by limiting their ability to manage critical aspects of their lives, such as quick logistical communication with an after-school job, she added. Associate Professor Bridianne ODea, a National Health and Medical Research Council Medical Research Future Fund investigator based at the institute, said it was difficult to draw conclusions from scientific evaluations of mobile phone bans on teenagers abroad and ultimately demonstrated little benefit. Studies in Sweden and Norway demonstrated no positive impact on educational outcomes in schools that banned mobile phones. While a Spanish study showed some potential reductions in bullying, it did not necessarily show a causal link between that reduction and the phone ban, she said. We would encourage a formal evaluation of the [NSW] ban, looking at the short-term and long-term impacts, ODea said, noting this would have ideally occurred through a pilot program before introducing the policy statewide. Acknowledging reducing distraction was important for young peoples learning, ODea said technology had increased teenagers ability to seek help when needed.

We need to ask: are there other ways we can teach our students to have safe, responsible and healthy uses of devices? In response, a NSW Department of Education spokesperson said it was confident the ban would improve student learning outcomes. We also expect the ban to facilitate greater social interaction in the playground and classroom, and help to address cyberbullying, they said. Schools that already have a ban in place are reporting a huge improvement in students social interaction at lunchtime and fewer distractions to learning when in the classroom. Principals were given a free hand in how they delivered the mobile phone policy for their school, and may allow students to use phones in specific circumstances, such as for educational purposes, health and wellbeing, or to enable students with specific needs to participate in learning with their peers.

The Ponds High School in Sydneys west has adopted an off and away approach that means within the school gates the phones must be in a students bag and not be seen. Students who find the ban challenging were told to make some time to talk to the counsellor while they were also given practical tips to help with navigating school life without a device. That includes packing a hard copy of their timetable and bringing a wallet to house the items teenagers normally stored on their phone, including a debit card or even banknotes and coins. Students caught using their mobile will be sent for a reflection session the first time theyre caught using their phone. By the third strike, a students parent will be called. Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College has taken a tougher stance, with students caught with a phone will have it placed in the schools phone safe for their first offence and may collect it after 2pm. If it happens again, a parent will have to come to the school to pick up the phone while a third offence will trigger a suspension from school, according to a flowchart detailing how the ban would work. Michael Carr-Gregg said the phone ban might mean children develop a bit more self responsibility. Credit: Wayne Taylor

Adolescent and child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, who led a 2018 review into mobiles in schools, backed the blanket ban on phones and supported each school having its own set of consequences, provided the rules were established in consultation with students, parents and staff. Policy from the top down rarely works  involving everyone in the decision-making process means its more likely to be accepted, Carr-Gregg said. Ahead of the ban, students at Rose Bay High were told they must not use other devices to communicate via text message instead. If a student receives a text message via their computer, this will be treated as a mobile phone infraction of the policy and the phone will be confiscated for parent/carer pick-up, it said. Carr-Gregg said the restrictions on parents contacting their children might be good for them.

As far as the helicopter parents are concerned  they will have to learn how to call the school office and their children will benefit from having some independence, he said. Child psychiatrist Dr Lisa Myers also said some children used their phone for help and support throughout the school day but said most students could go six hours without texting their parents. Loading Parents dont give children enough opportunities to learn through difficulties and giving kids the skills they need, she said. However, she did not believe it was fair for busy parents to have to go to a school office to retrieve a mobile phone that had been confiscated.

That means the parents get punished for the kids misdemeanours  I would be a bit frustrated; I think schools should be managing it within the school, she said. Granville South Creative and Performing Arts High School confiscated 35 devices on the first day of the phone ban they decided to introduce at the start of term three. Relieving principal Joumana Youssef said lunchtimes had become noisier, there were fewer distractions in class and the ban had made behaviour incidents easier to manage. They previously used their phone to call a parent when they got in trouble. For any small incident, they liked to get in first and give their side of the story and the parent would just turn up at the school, she said. When the phones are no longer part of the picture were able to get on top of things and do things right away. That is also teaching them that in life we need to have a conversation, we need to mediate and move forward.
Alcohol, clothing and food are the most frequently stolen goods from shops as retail crime across the state has spiked 47 per cent in the past 12 months.

Data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows supermarkets, licensed premises and shopping centres reported the highest volumes of theft.

Retail lobby groups say the true level of crime is actually much higher and shop assistants are facing increasing levels of violence and aggression.

Alcohol is the most frequently reported retail theft (37 per cent of reported incidents), with spirits such as bourbon, whiskey and vodka the most commonly stolen, followed by clothing (22 per cent), food and beverages (15 per cent) and perfume, cosmetics and toiletries (12 per cent).
An alleged paedophile accused of abusing 91 girls in Brisbane and Sydney childcare centres has been attacked in jail and taken to hospital.

Ashley Paul Griffith, 45, suffered burns after a fellow inmate allegedly poured scalding water on him inside Wolston Correctional Centre on Friday.

The attacker also allegedly punched Brett Peter Cowan, who is at the same jail for the murder of Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe. Cowan did not require treatment.

Gold Coast man Ashley Griffith was charged last year with more than 1600 offences, including rape. Credit: Nine

The incident came just days after changes to Queensland legislation allowed Griffith to be publicly identified as the man accused of committing more than 1600 offences, including 136 counts of rape.
A cruise ship has rescued a Queenslander attempting to become the youngest person to row solo across the Pacific Ocean.

Tom Robinson, 24, spent 13 hours clinging to his seven-metre boat, Maiwar, after it capsized 100 nautical miles south of Vanuatu.

The Brisbane man was on the final leg of his record bid after setting off from Peru in July last year.

However, he activated his distress beacon when his boat was damaged in rough seas about 6pm (AEDT) on Thursday, alerting the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
A targeted shooting at a busy northern Melbourne shopping centre that left one man dead and another with serious injuries is connected to a spate of tobacco store arson attacks in an escalating gang war, underworld sources say.

Victoria Police said two men were sitting inside a car in the Craigieburn Central shopping centre carpark on Windrock Avenue when a group of men approached on foot just before 3pm on Saturday.

Multiple gunshots were fired, killing a 27-year-old man from Craigieburn. A 28-year-old man from Hadfield was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Three underworld sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Age that the shooting was linked to a string of tobacco shop firebombings believed to be part of a turf war between organised criminals.
JERUSALEM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 100 Israelis were killed during Hamas rocket and infiltrating attack since Saturday morning, local media reported, citing Israeli Health Ministry, adding that over 900 were injured. 
Sometimes, even social change that some people think is radical at the time is not radical enough. Of course, any analogy between the female suffrage movement and the campaign for the Voice is imperfect. Loading In Australia, all Indigenous people have had the right to vote since 1965, when Queensland lifted the last restrictions, meaning that for the first time, all Indigenous Australians had equal voting rights at every level of government. Probably the strongest argument of the No case is that the Voice disturbs this equilibrium of one vote per citizen. No campaigners argue that the Voice elevates the rights of one group above another, which, they say, is anti-democratic.

Like many of the No campaign arguments, it only works if you squint a bit  the Voice would not confer any special rights, only the opportunity to offer an expert opinion on policy, something other groups already have as an entrenched feature of parliamentary democracy. Loading The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have reported that the Yes campaign will conduct a last-week blitz on multicultural Australians, of whom about 18 per cent are undecided on the Voice, apparently. The blitz will focus primarily on non-Anglo women in Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek and Italian communities in the hope they will feel empathy for Indigenous families who have suffered from structural disadvantage. According to Mary Crooks of the Victorian Womens Trust: Women from migrant and refugee communities are likely to empathise with First Nations people as many have also suffered dispossession, dislocation and tensions that harmed their loved ones and communities. Filmmaker Rachel Perkins, a lead Yes campaigner, says that at the core of this is being listened to.

Women have historically not been listened to  its a frustration I think many women might empathise with: Indigenous peoples experience of having laws and policies made about us, without us. A suffragette in Sydney, way back when. Credit: Fairfax Media Perkins told me that women have been key leaders in the movement for constitutional recognition  Megan Davis, Pat Anderson, Tania Hosch, Marcia Langton, Jackie Huggins and many others (including herself). Part of the design principle for the Voice is for gender equity, she says. Thats very important to me because I feel like in the Aboriginal movement, although women have done a lot of the work, we havent always had a seat at the table. That needs to be rectified. Perkins, who is from Alice Springs, says the women in her town suffer some of the greatest disadvantage, but are also the linchpins of family and community, and they should be given the opportunity to participate in high-level decision-making about the unique problems of the place.

They have the solution to a lot of our issues in domestic and family violence, the care of children, and having healthy families, Perkins says. I am not asking for the Voice for me, Im asking for the Voice for them. One of the best articulations of the case for the Voice was from Lauren Dubois, a former political journalist-turned-author with a large online following. She made a TikTok widely circulated among the formal Yes23 campaign (of which she is not part), in which she paints a picture of an all-male parliament making laws that affect women. When women offer expertise and advice to these male lawmakers, the men are outraged: How dare you expect to get something special? I thought we were supposed to be equal! and I know a woman who doesnt support this, so Im going to have to say no. But if the polls are any guide, such messages are either too late, or not strong enough to resonate with a majority of voters. Resolve polling shows that between August 2022 and March this year, there was about a 9-point gap between men and women intending to vote Yes, with women more likely to. But that gap has narrowed to less than three points, with women only slightly more likely to vote Yes (the overall percentage of Yes voters was 43 per cent last month).
But Vaz-Serra warned that such a rapid expansion of the construction sector would run the risk of encouraging bad behaviour from the industry, which could affect both the quality and safety of new homes. Experts are warning the government that it will struggle to achieve its ambitious housing target with the current shortage of qualified labour. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos Master Builders Victoria chief executive Michaela Lihou said regional Victoria had suffered the largest drop in the number of construction workers, with an 11 per cent decrease. She urged the government to invest in innovation and training to ensure the industry was ready for the pipeline of work. Governments and stakeholders must continue to explore and strengthen opportunities across the innovation and education spaces to widen the pool of skilled workers so we can get the job done, she said. Dr Duncan Maxwell, director of Monash Universitys Future Building Initiative, said training would be key to reaching the housing goal but change is required from both government and the construction industry to rethink the way we built homes.

He said to reach the goal, the sector would need to rely on technology and prefabricated materials, and focus on designing smaller and more efficient buildings. We need to look at new and innovative ways to build houses. We will need to do more with less; thats fewer materials and less labour, he said. Maxwell said Victoria had the potential to achieve its 800,000 dwelling target, but not if it continued building homes in the same way, adding we cant continue to do the same thing. There is a real opportunity to progress the industry to look at the problem more strategically, he said. A spokesperson for the Victorian government said on Saturday its ambitious housing reform would provide a pipeline of opportunities for skilled workers looking to make Victoria home.

Weve given industry the certainty they deserve and already weve received record levels of inquiries from industry ready to work with us to build the homes that Victorians need, the spokesperson said. Weve invested in training for the skills our economy needs through free TAFE, Big Build apprenticeships and Skills Solutions Partnerships  with more than 20 infrastructure-related courses available through free TAFE alone. When asked last month how Victoria could reach the 80,000 dwelling-a-year average given current workforce shortfalls, then premier Daniel Andrews said Labor had made record investments in TAFE, and its planning reform would remove the terrible cloud of uncertainty hovering over the construction sector. Loading If you give industry certainty, they know they are going to get a quick approval for a high-quality product, they will take on an apprentice, and they will bid for the next job; they can expand and grow, he said.

I am very confident we will get this done, he said, in what was his final major announcement before standing down as premier. The Grattan Institutes Brendan Coates said that while Victorias construction workforce had the capacity to grow, the governments residential building target would be difficult to achieve alongside its current pipeline of major infrastructure projects. Premier Jacinta Allan, pictured in August at early works for the Suburban Rail Loop project. Credit: Jason South "There are only so many projects we can run at once, and its no longer clear that all the projects we need to move people around the city are as necessary now that people are spending more time at home," he said. To avoid pausing major infrastructure projects, the state government would have to work with Canberra to develop new employer-sponsored pathways for construction workers and streamline skills assessments to meet the workforce demands created by the governments housing plan, Coates said.
Hundreds of stunned Israelis filed into a central police station on Sunday hoping for word on the fate of loved ones lost in the wake of a mass Palestinian infiltration from the Gaza Strip.

Not only was the number of those unaccounted for unknown, but many were believed to have been taken captive into Gaza -including young children - with others hiding in their besieged Israeli villages.

The Gaza border region, which is just an hours drive from the police information centre in Airport City, remained sealed off by the military as troops continued street-by-street battles with gunmen, learning with each stage the extent of the carnage.

Israeli police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on Saturday. Credit:

One mother spoke with Reuters after giving her DNA sample and handing over a brush with hair follicles from her son, who was at an outdoor dance party that was stormed by Hamas gunmen. She declined to give her name.

The last we heard from him, he was calling from the car, saying he was trying to get away and that they were shooting at him, she said. Im doing whatever I can to find out what happened.

Yoni Asher, who was back at his home in central Israel after countless attempts to get assistance from authorities, said his wife was visiting her mother in the community Nir Oz near the border with their two young daughters when Hamas attacked.

She told me the terrorists are in the house, he said. Then the call got cut off.

Later on he located her mobile phone through her Google account. Its location was Khan Younis, a city in Gaza. He then saw a video that spread on social media of them being taken to Gaza.

I surely identified my wife, my two daughters and my mother-in-law on some kind of a cart, and terrorists of Hamas all around them, he said.

My little two girls, they are only babies, they are not even five-years-old and three-years-old ... I dont know in what terms they are captive. I dont know what happened to them.

Reuters
The Sarawak Government commits to creating a tech and innovation-driven economy

Posted by Publisher Telecommunication

KUCHING, MALAYSIA, Oct 6, 2023  (ACN Newswire)  At the 27th World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT) and the 6th International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2023, collectively known as WCIT|IDECS 2023 (the aEventa), the Sarawak Government reaffirms its steadfast commitment to investing in innovation and technology to pave the way for Sarawaka?s transformation from a traditional economy to a modern technology-driven powerhouse.

Held on 4 to 6 October 2023, WCIT|IDECS 2023 reached a triumphant conclusion today after three days of groundbreaking discussions, visionary insights, and unprecedented networking opportunities. The Event, which saw the attendance of more than 10,000 attendees from 46 countries worldwide, brought together global leaders, tech pioneers, and innovators to explore the limitless potential of innovation and technology. In addition, the inaugural She-Tech Asia Forum 2023 served as a compelling prelude to WCIT|IDECS 2023, setting the stage for more women empowerment and representation in the field of technology.

Yang Berhormat (YB) Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah bin Ali Hasan, Deputy Premier of Sarawak delivered a resounding conclusion to the event, \WCIT|IDECS 2023 has illuminated our path towards a future where innovation and technology are the driving forces behind Sarawak\-s economic growth and prosperity. Our commitment remains steadfast as we transition from tradition to modernity. Many of these ideas shared over the past few days at WCIT|IDECS 2023 will come to shape Sarawaka?s journey forward, building on the statea?s current trajectory to becoming not only a digital economic powerhouse in the region, but a thriving society driven by innovation and technology where our people can enjoy economic prosperity, social inclusivity, and a sustainable environment.a

Sarawak made headlines on the very first day of the event with the official announcement of the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030, outlining an ambitious vision for the future of the region. This visionary blueprint underscores Sarawak\-s dedication to harnessing the power of digital technology to drive economic growth, create job opportunities, and improve the quality of life for its citizens.

YB Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah added, aThe Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030 is a culmination of Sarawaka?s concerted efforts over the past decade to transform our economy. It is our strategic roadmap to create positive impact and empower our people, and position Sarawak as an attractive investment, business and tourism destination at the international level.a

WCIT|IDECS 2023 marked the first-ever union of two leading global events in technology and innovation. The convergence of both WCIT and IDECS, which are prominent events in their own rights, aimed to address key issues relevant to our time and our tomorrows as well as tackling the challenges and opportunities presented by the ever-evolving digital age.

Dr Sean Seah, Chairman of World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) said, aWe firmly believe the partnerships, collaborative connections as well as debate and discussions on tech in general, and AI in particular, that have emerged from WITSAa?s catalytic platform will pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive digital future. This pivotal success stands as a testament to what can be achieved when governments, industry leaders, and communities come together with a shared vision.a

Host association PIKOM Chairman Ong Chin Seong said, aAfter 3 days of packed content and activities, WCIT|IDECS 2023 certainly left us with things to ponder in this age of transformation. The future of technology is not about predicting what will happen, but about creating what we want to happen and realizing its full potential. Our delegates certainly benefited from the event, and we look forward to WCIT 2024. Congratulations again to the Sarawak Government, especially to the WCIT|SDEC 2023 Secretariat led by SDEC. We are delighted to partner with the state in this endeavor.a

WCIT|IDECS 2023 also marked a momentous occasion with the announcement and official handover of WCIT to the new host city of 2024, Armenia, ushering in another chapter of global innovation collaboration.
"We want to experience the culture, and China is a great place to do that." During his travel in China, Canadian expat Jan Kerekes falls in love with the Chinese culture.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Especially over the years trying to get it in a shape that is a story I wanted to tell along with Leo, and Lily Gladstone and De Niro and Jesse Plemons and all the Osage with us on this picture.
BEIJING, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Fusheng, former deputy head of the formerly-named fire and rescue department under the Ministry of Emergency Management, has been indicted on charges of taking bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Saturday.

Zhang's case has been filed by the People's Procuratorate of Fuzhou, Fujian Province, to the city's intermediate people's court.

Prosecutors accused Zhang of taking advantage of his various posts at the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Emergency Management to seek benefits for others and accept an especially huge amount of money and valuables in exchange.

The prosecutors had informed the defendant of his litigation rights, interrogated him, and listened to the defense counsel's opinions. 
We have heard from a number of people but I am asking anyone who witnessed it to speak to us, in confidence, about what they saw.
The weapons they brought with them clearly show these men were ready to use violence, and murder was the result. This killing was pointless, it is probable that when the fatal stab wound was inflicted, Mr Isat was on the ground and not offering any resistance. It was a callous act of brutality that took his life. We may never know what the gang stole, but it was surely not worth killing a man while he was helpless on the ground.
It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing, which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.
Jill and I are keeping in our prayers all of the families who have been hurt by this violence. We are heartbroken by the lives that have been tragically cut short and hope for a swift recovery for all those who have been wounded.
There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.
Our country faces an important choice: Rishi Sunak, who will make the hard but necessary long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for the future, or Sir Keir Starmer, who is just like the same old politicians that have come before  always focused on the short-term and lacking the backbone to make the big changes Britain needs.
Anneliese Dodds MP said the party would use Section 106 of the Equality Act, which requires the publication of information about protected characteristics of those standing for it in elections, to implement the plan.
We have almost 60,000 institutions and were only talking about a few dozen here, but its true that cases are piling up, Attal said. An immediate response is needed, so that we can have institutions treated within 24 hours.
In Gaza the roar of rocket launches could be heard and residents reported armed clashes along the separation fence with Israel, near the southern town of Khan Younis, and said they had seen significant movement of armed fighters.
Following the missile strikes on Israel on Saturday morning, Hamas gunmen are believed to have infiltrated the country in the most serious escalation of the conflict since the two sides fought a ten-day war in 2021.
An ambulance enters the port of Tripoli to transfer immigrants on board an illegal immigration boat off the shores of al-Mina, northern Lebanon, on Oct. 6, 2023. The Lebanese navy on Friday rescued 124 Syrians and one Lebanese on board an illegal immigration boat off the shores of al-Mina in the northern city of Tripoli near the Palm Islands. (Photo by Khaled Habashiti/Xinhua)

BEIRUT, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese navy on Friday rescued 124 Syrians and one Lebanese on board an illegal immigration boat off the shores of al-Mina in the northern city of Tripoli near the Palm Islands.

According to the National News Agency, the boat had set off from al-Abda Beach, and its engine broke down on Friday afternoon. The passengers called for help from the army naval forces, whose members immediately intervened and rescued them.

The boat and passengers were transferred to the port of Tripoli and were provided with first aid immediately.

Over the past three years, Lebanon witnessed rising attempts at illegal immigration by sea to Europe amid the country's financial crisis which has plunged many Lebanese families into poverty. 
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But although it has been adhered to by all the official nuclear powers, Russia, US, China, France and the UK, it has not officially come into force because eight signatories among the 44 nations capable of making fissile-grade uranium have yet to officially ratify it, including China and the US.
It remained a special dance for Ukrainian Kuzmin whose parents watched from the audience, saying: I was really excited and I was really nervous but it just makes me feel like a kid, at the end of the day Im just a kid from Ukraine who is just living his dream.
Press Release

October 7, 2023 Statement of Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on the ongoing attacks in Israel We condemn in the strongest possible terms the senseless attacks of Hamas on Israel. Violence has no place in this world and there is certainly no excuse that can justify these inhumane attacks. This kind of violence must end. We stand in solidarity and offer our prayers to the people of Israel during this challenging time. We also call on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Philippine Embassy in Israel to provide any assistance possible, most especially to the Filipinos residing in the country.
OTTAWA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed Friday after a small plane crashed near an airport in the city of Chilliwack in Canada's British Columbia province, local police said.

The Piper PA-34 Seneca, a twin-engine light aircraft, went down on private property beside a motel about 1 km from the local airport at around 2:00 p.m. local time (2100 GMT), killing all on board, including the pilot, said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in a press release.

"The scene is contained and there were no other reported injuries or risks to the public in the area," it said.

Meanwhile, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has deployed investigators to determine the cause of the crash.

Pictures from the scene showed a heavy presence of first responders at the property, and the plane's rudder standing upright from behind dense foliage, CTV News reported.

Local authorities have not released the victims' names yet. 
JERUSALEM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli emergency services confirmed that at least 22 Israelis were killed and hundreds wounded in a surprise offensive carried out by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Saturday.

Since the morning hours, Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has fired thousands of rockets while simultaneously infiltrating Israeli border towns with dozens of militants. Media outlets have reported several Israelis have been taken captive by Hamas, while Israeli officials have not confirmed these reports.

"We are at war," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a video released by his office. "We will return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price."

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass drafting of the country's military reserve forces. The Israeli security cabinet is expected to convene later to discuss further response to the events.

The Israeli air force carried out several airstrikes against targets in the Gaza Strip in response.

Several communities on the border with the coastal enclave are being held by Hamas militants. A spokesman of the Israeli military said that operations were underway to regain control of the areas.

Footages on social media showed masked militants driving and walking around Israeli towns with guns and handheld rockets.

Israel's Home Front Command already announced schools would be closed on Sunday in many areas around the country. 
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Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the national leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said on Saturday that the government does not have problems of "inability to pay" wages and pensions, adding that there is a buffer of almost RON 12 billion with the Finance Ministry, Agerpres reports.

He answered journalists at the end of a meeting of the PSD National Standing Bureau at the party's main offices if there is a possibility of payments being suspended, as Minister of Finance Marcel Bolos said at a meeting of the ruling coalition.

"We have a buffer of almost RON 12 billion with the Finance Ministry. We have no problems of inability to pay, nothing. We have only one problem, of staying within a deficit, to see the direct and indirect expenses as far as supporting Ukraine is concerned. Once again, we started from a 0.5% fine. That moment has passed. Romania will not be fined 0.5% of GDP, as it would have in the event that it exceeded the deficit, but it will not. Things are under control. I am glad that the minister is so applied, he can't even sleep at night. I repeat, he is a very responsible man, but things are not critical. We have no problems with salaries, pensions (...)" said Ciolacu.

He added that next week he will meet Finance Minister Marcel Bolos to discuss with him the projection of the national budget for 2024."We want to have the budget approved by the end of the year," added Ciolacu.Some Romanian national newspapers reported this week about a discussion during a meeting of the governing coalition in which Bolos allegedly said that he could not sleep for several days due to a widening government deficit, and in September, as some government receipts fell short of the foreseen objective, he warned that freezing payments could happen before the end of the year.
On an official visit to Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday and Friday, Romania's Defence Minister Angel Tilvar met his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler, expressing his appreciation for Turkey's decision to deploy, between December 2023 and March 2024, a detachment of the Turkish Air Force that will carry out air policing missions under NATO command using F-16 aircraft.

In a press statement released on Saturday by the Romanian Defence Ministry (MApN), Tilvar is quoted as saying that the mission of the Turkish detachment at the 86th Air Base in Fetesti will be important support rounding up the security capabilities of Romania's airspace.

"The air policing mission, which will be conducted for the first time by Turkish military aviators in Romania, represents important support that Turkey, a strategic partner of Romania, provides for supplementing Romania's airspace security capabilities and comes in a context in which we are facing complex security challenges in the Black Sea region," Tilvar is quoted as saying in the MApN statement.

The frequency of high-level bilateral meetings intensified with the start of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine because of the desire of both sides to strengthen NATO's defence and deterrence posture, and the official visit to Ankara by the defence minister is said to be part of a consistent series of high-level political and military meetings of the two counties in the last two years.During their official bilateral talks, Tilvar and Guler addressed NATO current affairs amidst the latest security developments in the Black Sea region and the Middle East, as well as the management of large flows of refugees."It is very important that we continue to jointly promote an enhanced profile of the Black Sea on the NATO agenda as an area of strategic interest for Euro-Atlantic security and to emphasise the need to strengthen the security profile of the region," said Tilvar.The Romanian official brought to the attention of his counterpart in Ankara the security state of play on the Danube generated by the attacks of the Russian Federation on the Ukrainian port infrastructure. "We cannot accept such brutal and irresponsible behaviour on the part of a state that blatantly violates international law," said Tilvar.The meeting of the two ministers was also an opportunity for a revision of the state of bilateral relations, with the two interlocutors voicing their interest in intensifying and continuing the active partnership of the two countries, and Turkey's contribution to the upgrading of the Romanian Armed Forces through the purchase by Romania of three Bayraktar TB2 UAS systems being emphasised.At the same time, in order to strengthen the safety of civil navigation in the Black Sea amidst the growing danger of sea mines, the two ministers discussed identifying new ways to strengthen collaboration between the two countries in this area as well."I and Minister Guler agreed that there is a need to strengthen regional co-operation in order to cope with the danger represented by drifting mines, so that navigation can be carried out safely. It is a danger for the NATO member states of the Black Sea, and we need to work together to effectively manage this challenge," said Tilvar.The Romanian official also discussed the relevance to both countries of co-operation formats at the regional level. "I want to draw attention to the potential of the Southeast European Defence Ministerial Process (SEDM) to contribute to the achievement of common goals, such as increasing co-operation in the Black Sea and contributing to the stability of the Western Balkans, as Romania took over the SEDM chairmanship on July 1."At the meeting, the Turkish defence minister thanked Romania for its support provided after the devastating earthquake that hit the south-eastern part of Turkey at the beginning of this year.
Minister of European Investment and Projects Adrian Caciu said on Saturday that Romania does not risk losing European money, but it risks being fined if nothing is done about what tax and budget consolidation means.

He was asked by the press, before a meeting of the National Standing Bureau (BPN) of the Socialist Democratic Party (PSD), if Romania risks losing European money in the period immediately ahead.

"We don't risk losing European money. We have negotiations with the European Commission, we have talked with the European Commission. The regulations say something completely different than the suspension of European funds. If we did nothing related to what tax and budget consolidation means, we would risk a fine, but that will not happen. The negotiations started in August; I was in Brussels together with the[finance] minister. Things are where the European Commission understood that we have additional expenses related to what the continuation of this conflict in Ukraine means, although we do not want, none of us wanted it to continue. These are expenses that put pressure on the national budgets of the member states," said Caciu.

He added that, at this moment, all of Europe has an economic problem, but Romania manages to continue with economic growth."I think the world should put things in a European context: there are European states that have exceeded their deficit targets, strong states. At least three of them have overshot their deficit targets, the planned ones. What does this mean? That the economy did not evolve as it was predicted last year. We are avoiding a recession; it is a very important thing for Romanian citizens, for Romanian companies that we are moving forward, we have economic growth, one of the few EU states to witness economic growth this year. Let's not we look at things negatively only. (...) It's a complicated context; it's not because of us, the citizens of Romania, it's a context that is created at the regional level, and not only at the global level," said Caciu, a former finance minister.At the same time, he gave assurances that the government is firing on all engines so that things are stable from an economic and budgetary point of view.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Friday urged the Arraiolos Group to continue to give Ukraine the financial, military, and economic support it needs to win the war.

"The current war against Ukraine is an inflection point in our destiny and our duty is to defend the principles and international legal norms that are under attack by Russia.And this is what we have actually done. United and strong, to the surprise of Russia. Let's continue to give Ukraine the financial, military, economic support it needs to win the war. Let's continue to give them the political support and to plan how to help them reconstruct their country, once the war is over. Let's help them win the peace, too. The best chance to do it is to build on President Zelenskiy's Peace Formula.We, Europeans, individually and collectively, need not only to continue to provide support, but also to convince others to do it. So that Ukraine is in the best position to negotiate the peace. And Ukraine is the only one to decide the conditions for that negotiation. And Ukraine will be the only one to decide the conditions for that negotiation," Iohannis told a meeting of the Arraiolos Group at the Palacio da Bolsa in Porto on Friday.

He added that he is proud " to say that Romania has lived up to all these imperatives; we will continue to do so."

"When we consolidate the security of Ukraine, we also strengthen our national security. And of the whole region. This is even more acutely perceived by my citizens, as recent Russian strikes on the Ukrainian Danube ports have had an impact also on my country's territory.""We are constant and firm supporters of our neighbour and work towards consolidating their resilience so they should be able to withstand the Russian subversion. The Republic of Moldova is the second most affected country by the war. This is why we need to continue to also support Chisinau with all our means, in parallel to what we do for Ukraine," said Iohannis.He went on to say that winning the peace after the war in Ukraine would involve more than settling the relationship between Ukraine and Russia in accordance with the UN Charter." We need to make sure that what is correct and useful in the current security arrangements, actively undermined by Russia, stays in place. Our goal should be that, on the basis offered by the Helsinki principles, an aggression such as the Russian one on Ukraine does not ever happen again," said the chief of state.He added that if they want the EU to be effective on the global stage, they need to consolidate their internal resilience."We should aim not only at energy self-sufficiency and sustainability in environmental terms or infrastructure protection or reaction to civil emergencies. We should also aim at the smooth functioning of democratic political systems and protection against the dissemination of false information. At no point in our endeavor should we give up on our values. It is important to stay true to them and defend them. Also partly related to resilience, we need to reconcile European Union's enlargement with its functionality. Multi-speed Europe is not the answer. It might be the cheapest solution in terms of effort, a recipe for a diminished EU, not for a stronger one: the European Union would be as powerful as its most integrated grouping. The enlargement is necessary for the EU to play its rightful global role. At the same time, the European Union needs to have an efficient decision-making if it is to play that role," he added.He also said that they need to work better with like-minded partners, in Europe and around the world, especially with their transatlantic partners."The transatlantic relationship is fundamental for the future of the international order. For the Political West and the international order to thrive, it is crucial that the European Union and the United States continue to work together in harmony. There is no other way if we want to ensure our prosperity and security," Iohannis said.The Romanian chief of state attended the meeting of the Arraiolos Group as a special guest, part of a state visit to Portugal October 6-9.
GAZA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), announced on Saturday that the Israeli officers and soldiers it captured earlier in the day are being held in "safe places" in Gaza.

In a brief statement, Abu Obida, spokesperson of the armed group, said they have captured "dozens of Israeli officers and soldiers, and they have been secured in safe places and resistance tunnels."

Early this morning, Hamas launched a sudden military operation against Israel, firing thousands of rockets at Israeli cities.

In addition, dozens of its militants infiltrated Israeli towns adjacent to the coastal enclave and opened fires at Israeli settlers, killing some of them and capturing others.

In response, the Israeli army attacked tens of military sites and residential buildings in Gaza, killing at least 198 Palestinians. 
Romania firmly condemns the rocket attacks that took place on Saturday morning against Israel, says President Klaus Iohannis.

"Romania strongly condemns this morning rocket attacks against Israel. We stand in full solidarity with Israel in these terrible moments. Our thoughts are with the families of victims and with those who are under fire," he wrote in a social media post on Saturday.

The Israeli army declared a state of war following Saturday's massive attacks on Israel from the Palestinian Gaza Strip, according to a press statement quoted by the Israeli TPS news agency.

Dozens of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Saturday morning, ending a largely respected truce since the end of the five-day war in May.
As many as 91,435 people, including 9,318 Ukrainian citizens, entered Romania on Friday, October 6, the General Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) reported on Saturday.

According to IGPF, at the border points nationwide on Friday, nearly 205,700 people, Romanian and foreign citizens, were checked both on the way in and on the way out of Romania, as well as more than 54,650 means of transport.

Starting February 10, 2022 (pre-conflict time) 6,291,017 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania.

The border police detected 64 illegal acts (27 crimes and 37 misdemeanors) in the areas under their jurisdiction - the crossing points and the green border - committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens, levying about RON 74,000 in fines in the process.Assets in excess of RON 653,000 were impounded.Thirty-four foreign citizens who did not meet the conditions provided by the law were denied entry.Also on Friday, 14 Romanian citizens were not allowed to leave the country for various legal reasons.
The Romanian authorities are looking for solutions to bring home as quickly as possible approximately 790 Romanians, who are pilgrims in Israel, a country where a state of war alert was issued following attacks launched by the Hamas movement, Prime Minister Ciolacu said on Saturday.

He was asked,at the Social Democratic Party (PSD) main offices, if in Israel there are Romanians having asked for help to be repatriated from the Hamas controlled areas.

"There are about 790 Romanian nationals at the moment, pilgrims, and, together with the foreign minister, we are looking for options to bring them home as quickly as possible. As you well know, all airports in Israel are closed at the moment. A state of war warning has been issued. We will see how things evolve. There is no Romanian injured or in the war zone. There are about seven settlements where Hamas forces have advanced, we will see the dynamics moving forward," said Ciolacu.

The Israeli army declared a state of war following Saturday's massive attacks on Israel from the Palestinian Gaza Strip.Before that, the leader of the armed wing of the Hamas movement announced the launch of an operation - "Al-Aqsa Flood" - against Israel, launching hundreds of rockets from the Gaza Strip on Israeli territory.
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) strongly condemns the rocket attacks by Hamas against Israel, including against the civilian population, along with terrorist infiltrations and hostage-taking, MAE said in a press statement released on Saturday.

MAE expresses its deep regret for the victims of these attacks, sending condolences to the bereaved families and wishing speedy recovery to the injured.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underlines the sovereign right of the State of Israel to self-defense. We want to reiterate the condemnation of terrorism in all its forms of manifestation," reads the MAE statement.

The Israeli army declared a state of war following Saturday's massive attacks on Israel from the Palestinian Gaza Strip.Before that, the leader of the armed wing of the Hamas movement announced the launch of an operation - "Al-Aqsa Flood" - against Israel, launching hundreds of rockets from the Gaza Strip on Israeli territory.
Two aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, a C-130 Hercules and an AN-26, took off on Saturday from the 90th Air Transport Base bound for Yerevan, Armenia, to fly the first batch of the aid that Romania sends as free international aid to this country to support the civilian population affected by the conflict in the region, informs the Romanian Defence Ministry (MApN).

The Romanian Air Force has planned six flights on this route in which goods will be transported consisting of non-perishable food and munitions, of a total weight of approximately 9,000 kg, taken out from the reserves of the National Administration of State Reserves and Special Issues (ANRSPS).

"The transport missions are carried out on under Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union at the request of the Department for Emergency Management under Decision of the National Committee on Emergency Management 35 of 2023," according to MApN.

The European Union will double its humanitarian aid for Armenia to EUR 10.4 million, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced on Thursday.
Since Ross Chastain has lived in North Carolina, he's thought about sneaking through the gate every time he drives by North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Eventually, he didn't have to break into the historic track to check it out. Chastain got to race there in May  and will have another opportunity to do so next year.

NASCAR and North Wilkesboro Speedway announced Sept.28 that next year's Cup Series All-Star Race will return to the revitalized track. The site of this past year's All-Star Race, North Wilkesboro hadn't hosted a race since 1996. The 40th running of the All-Star Race is scheduled for May 19, 2024, with the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge on May 17 and the Craftsman Truck Series race on May 18.

"I realized why some of the old racers kind of laughed when we were going back," Chastain said. "It's frustrating. I realized that real quick. Man, everything about it, it's just not ideal for our race cars. And that's what I think will make good racing in the future.

"It frustrated me from a driving perspective. I didn't totally walk out of there confident that I did many things right and I do want another shot at it. So, we get that now."

North Wilkesboro, a 0.625-mile oval that first hosted NASCAR in 1949, was a regular track on the schedule until 1996, when Jeff Gordon won its final Cup Series race. The speedway was dormant until this past season, when NASCAR returned for the All-Star Race as part of its 75th anniversary celebration. Kyle Larson swept both the All-Star and truck races at North Wilkesboro this past May. He led the rest of the Cup field by about four seconds toward the end of his dominant victory.

While there weren't any races there for that 27year gap, the facility now has lights, safety barriers, grandstands and more. But the track itself? It hasn't been repaved since 1981.

"We're not gonna want to live in the good old days of that asphalt forever," Chastain said. "Just racing on it, seeing the chunks flying around."

It's the fifth track to host the All-Star Race. After Charlotte Motor Speedway held the first in 1985 and every one from 1987-2019, the 2020 installment was run at Bristol Motor Speedway before Texas Motor Speedway hosted it in 2021 and 2022.

The announcement that this once-abandoned track would host its second AllStar Race in a row came outside the North Carolina Legislative Building in Raleigh, when state lawmakers touted the economic development opportunity for Wilkes County.

"Great news," Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "This years event was the most fun I'd had at a racetrack in many years. Fun concerts, parties, food, cold drinks, and @CARSTour racing mid week. I'll be sure to take it all in again next year. All that AND a repaved surface to mix it up."
ST. LOUIS  Train catches wires: A train on Friday afternoon snagged a low-hanging set of wires, taking out several utility poles in the area of Chouteau Avenue and South First Street near the southern border of downtown St. Louis.

The train was headed south on a set of elevated tracks when it snagged on the wires, said St. Louis Fire Capt. Garon Mosby, a spokesman for the department. The train did not stop, he said, because the conductor was likely unaware that it had caught on the lines.

It took down four to five utility poles and fire crews were waiting on Ameren workers to arrive and turn off power to begin cleaning it up. Several streetlights lost power, as did a number of businesses, which sent their workers home early, Mosby said.

An Ameren spokesman later said that the lines were communication wires, not power lines.

Authorities were not aware of any injuries as of about 2 p.m.

"The wind may have played a factor, but we are right now putting the pieces together," Mosby said. "We had an almost immediate response because we were down here for body recovery that wound up being in East St. Louis."

ST. LOUIS  East St. Louis police find body: A body was found Friday afternoon in the Mississippi River in East St. Louis.

East St. Louis police reported the incident to Illinois State Police around 1:20 p.m.

ISP did not release additional information.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the ISP by email at ISP.Crime Tips@Illinois.gov. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

TROY, MO.  Lincoln County inmate dies: An inmate died Thursday morning at the Lincoln County jail.

Corrections officers said they found the 27-year-old man unresponsive in his cell around 11:30 a.m., said Lincoln County Sheriff Rick Harrell.

Jail staff tried to revive him but he was pronounced dead at the jail shortly after, Harrell said.

Harrell said he asked the St. Charles County Critical Incident Response Team to investigate the man's death.

The Lincoln County Coroner's Office will determine the manner and cause of the man's death.

Additional information was not immediately available.

JEFFERSON COUNTY  Man killed in motorcycle crash: A motorcyclist was killed Thursday after he crashed into a vehicle and then hit a utility pole in Scotsdale.

Police said Charles White, 45, of Cedar Hill was riding south on Dulin Creek Road around 5 p.m. when he crested a hill and hit a Ford Ranger that was turning onto the road from a private drive.

White's bike slid off the road and struck a utility police, police said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the crash. The other driver was uninjured.
When Rhanita Smith, a senior at McCluer High School, started to write her personal essay for college applications, she had no idea where to begin.

Smith, an A student, balances participating in Junior ROTC, volunteering as a Praise dancer and working in retail, along with earning her cosmetology license while still in school in the Ferguson-Florissant school district.

I didnt know how to sit and just talk about myself, Smith said. Her life changed when she was 11 years old and her mother died. The help she received from her middle school counselor inspired her to want to become a child therapist.

On her applications, she is focusing on her achievements.

I dont like using my sad story, she said. She would rather highlight how far she has come. This year, following the Supreme Courts decision banning the use of race-based preferences in college admissions, readers of her application will not know Rhanita is African American unless she finds a way to weave it into her personal narrative.

Veteran college counselors arent sure how the changes in this cycle will play out in admissions decisions. They will be looking closely at the demographic data on admission decisions when it is released. Despite the years when affirmative action was permitted, Black students are still underrepresented on the most selective college campuses.

Matt Essman, director of college counseling at MICDS, said a big part of the racial disparities in higher education are tied to the wealth and income disparities in the country. Students whose families are in the top income brackets are significantly over represented at the most selective institutions, and the vast majority of families in those top income levels are white.

Schools trying to use income to increase diversity on their campuses face an additional hurdle in the overhaul to the federal forms required for financial aid.

This year is going to be more challenging than ever because of the changes in the FAFSA and aid process, he said. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the form required to determine their eligibility for student financial aid. Normally, that form opens on October 1, but this year it wont be available until sometime in December. The goal of revamping the form is to simplify the process for applying for college aid.

Most colleges consider a students ability to pay when making admission decisions, but that information wont be available until more than two months later than normal in the cycle. Rhanita has already applied to a handful of colleges and plans to apply to several more. Her dream school is Bowie State University in Maryland, ranked as one of the top 20 historically black colleges and universities in the country. The amount of financial aid she receives will be critical to where she eventually enrolls.

Im not a rich kid, she said. I know I will also get a job on campus to help pay.

Jason Lum, owner of Scholar Edge College Counseling, has advised students for more than 23 years and has a legal background himself.

The Supreme Court did not say that race is completely irrelevant, he said. On its own, race cannot be a factor in decision making. But, in the context of essays and activities, the consideration is entirely permissible, he added.

Annalee Nissenholtz, St. Louis-based owner of Interface Education Services, said college interviews and videos submitted by students as part of applications will be even more important this year. Its still critical to be honest and authentic in every part of the application, she says.

That advice hasnt changed.

David Middleton, also a senior at McCluer, plans to apply to more than 30 schools and as many scholarships as possible. He will be a first-generation college student, the first in his family to earn a degree.

Between his AP courses, leadership roles in student government and sports, he manages his time carefully to work on all the required and supplemental essays.

Im busy all day, every day, he said.

As a Black student, hes not sure how the Supreme Court decision is going to affect his chances at the schools hes considering.

I just want to make sure I get the same education and support as my peers, he said. Hes relying on his English teachers feedback to revise his essays.

He said hes excited and nervous about the road ahead.
ST. LOUIS  Thousands of bulk listings for grocery store stock appeared this week on a local auction site, under the address of a recently shuttered Fields Foods store.

Ten bags of chocolate chips were listed for 80 cents. Forty-one bars of soap, for a dime. The going bid on 24 cans of Campbells cream of celery soup was a quarter.

Fields Foods, an independent, local grocery chain, closed its remaining stores last month. This week, the stock from the companys Lafayette Avenue location appeared on the website of BCL Auction.

Its an arduous process, said Paul Zemitzsch, a spokesman for Fields Foods. The company has to go in and inventory everything. From a can of tuna to a conveyor belt.

The economys good, but retail has been tough, he added.

The Lafayette Avenue store was the first location Fields Foods opened in 2014, as owner Chris Goodson sought to establish grocery stores in St. Louis food deserts.

This summer, the business struggles became more apparent, and Fields Foods was dogged by lawsuits. Goodson said he planned to sell the chain to an employee-led group. But last month, and again this week, the company said those talks had stalled.

Friday morning, prices for the stores stock were decidedly modest  though there were still five days left in the bidding.

For the time being, a night owl with 60 cents to spare could take home 50 bottles of 5-Hour Energy. Sixteen canisters of powdered coffee creamer were listed for $1.25.

The auction ends at 8 p.m. Wednesday, the site says. Buyers will have to transport their wares themselves.
AMMAN, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Saturday stressed the need to halt the dangerous escalation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings.

Jordan's Foreign Ministry warned in a statement of the serious repercussions of the escalation, especially in light of the Israeli attacks and violations against the Palestinian people, as well as against the Islamic and Christian holy sites in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The ministry emphasized the importance of self-restraint, protecting civilians, and respecting international humanitarian law, said the statement.

It underlined the need for finding a genuine political horizon for achieving peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, ending the occupation, establishing an independent sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem along the 1967 borders, and living in security and peace alongside Israel.

It also called for halting Israeli actions that perpetuate the occupation and undermine the prospects for a just and comprehensive peace, which is the only way to stop the deterioration and achieve security for all.

At least 100 Israelis were killed during a Hamas rocket and infiltrating attack since Saturday morning, according to the Israeli Health Ministry. As a result, the Israeli army attacked tens of military sites and residential buildings in Gaza, killing at least 198 Palestinians. 
A federal judge in St. Louis said the reality star had squandered the opportunity to do some good with her celebrity status and instead repeat
ST. LOUIS  A fire broke out at the historic Railway Exchange Building on Friday afternoon, adding further pressure on St. Louis officials to find a solution  and quickly  for the condemned property.

The fire broke out at the buildings southeast corner, at Sixth and Olive streets downtown. Video captured flames licking up the side of the 21-story building and engulfing an outer room on the ground level. Capt. Garon Mosby, spokesman for the St. Louis Fire Department, said the report came in just before 3:30 p.m. Crews quickly put out the flames, but were seen around 3:45 p.m. searching other floors.

But both Mosby and a former security manager for the building called the Railway Exchange treacherous on Friday, warning of open shafts, holes in the floor and a constant threat from people breaking in to live inside.

The interior floors are cluttered with old furniture, including wooden shelving, that can easily catch fire, said Kenneth Knackstedt, regional manager of Citizens Guard Security, who used to patrol the property. And narrow stairwells make it difficult for firefighters to maneuver through.

Theyre putting their lives in danger just walking in that building, Knackstedt said. Its so dangerous.

The 1.2 million-square-foot building once served as Famous-Barrs flagship store, at 615 Olive Street, before it became a Macys. Its one of four major vacant buildings, including the former AT&T tower, the Chemical Building and the Millennium Hotel, that officials say are crucial to revitalizing downtown.

But since Macys left in 2013, the Railway Exchange has been particularly troublesome for City Hall and downtown St. Louis boosters. It is mired in litigation with its lien holders, which has clouded the real estate title of the property and thwarted new efforts to renovate it. Countless first responders and city employees have been sent to board up doors and secure the property to stop people from living inside. And the building has been a focus for the citys Problem Properties Unit, whose small team is tasked with addressing public safety hazards.

In January, St. Louis officials condemned the building as a threat to public safety.

This spring, break-ins and the death of a St. Louis Fire Department search and rescue dog raised the buildings profile.

And just this week, Alderwoman Cara Spencer filed legislation to enable City Hall to take possession of the structure.

This fire, while small, underscores the dire need to adequately secure the building, Spencer said Friday. Im hoping we can move the bill to authorize steel plating and hire security quickly. Im grateful to our fire department who was there quickly and prevented more widespread damage.

The owner, Florida-based Hudson Holdings, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Knackstedt, the security officer, reviewed video footage of the fire and said that that area was primarily used as a display window when it was a department store and that it mostly had sheetrock and some carpet. It had no access to the rest of the structure, he said.

Knackstedt said his company had found evidence of a previous fire before that had burned itself out. He said people who get inside the building often start fires in the filing cabinets left behind to either cook food or drugs. Fire would spread quickly, he added.

But clearing the building would be an enormous task.

Some trespassers had managed to pry open plates that covered electrical and plumbing systems at the bottom of each elevator and crawled into that space, between the floors, that Knackstedt estimated to be about 6 feet wide. He and his boss once found six people living in one of the openings. One flashed a gun at them, he said.

Criminals and other bad actors  and sometimes families  have lived in the top floors. Homeless people typically find shelter in the middle floors. Copper thieves generally stay on the lower floors, he said. Knackstedt said his firm found one person trapped on one of the floors in the pitch dark after the persons flashlight had broken. The person said theyd been robbed several times, he said.

An affiliate of Hudson Holdings hired Knackstedts company to patrol Railway Exchange at the beginning of this year after the city pressured the owners to improve safety. Knackstedt said they were able to remove squatters and keep most of them out.

But his company was later replaced by a different firm. In July, the owners stopped paying for security altogether.

They are going to have to hire another company, Knackstedt said. That place is out of control.

The fire began around the time Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were expected to arrive for the Democratic National Committees annual fall meeting this weekend at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel on Washington Avenue, about four blocks from the blaze.

The fire department did not report any injuries.
ST. LOUIS  A train on Friday afternoon snagged a low-hanging set of wires, taking out several utility poles in the area of Chouteau Avenue and South First Street near the southern border of downtown St. Louis.

The train was headed south on a set of elevated tracks when it snagged on the wires, said St. Louis Fire Capt. Garon Mosby, a spokesman for the department. The train did not stop, he said, because the conductor was likely unaware that it had caught on the lines.

It took down four to five utility poles and fire crews were waiting on Ameren workers to arrive and turn off power to begin cleaning it up. Several streetlights lost power, as did a number of businesses, which sent their workers home early, Mosby said.

An Ameren spokesman later said that the lines were communication wires, not power lines.

Authorities were not aware of any injuries as of about 2 p.m.

The wind may have played a factor, but we are right now putting the pieces together, Mosby said. We had an almost immediate response because we were down here for body recovery that wound up being in East St. Louis.

Editor's note: This article has been edited to clarify the type of wires snagged by the train.
ST. LOUIS  Legislation to expand the rights of homeless people  including a provision exempting them from the citys law against urinating and defecating in public  was introduced Friday at the Board of Aldermen.

The sponsor, Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier of Tower Grove East, and Aldermanic President Megan Green asserted that the exemption was needed because police had targeted the unhoused with selective enforcement.

After every sporting event, after Mardi Gras, we see (other) people engaging in public urination, Green said at a news conference after the board meeting. But ... enforcing those laws against that segment of the population is not the same as the enforcement we see against our unhoused population.

Sonnier added that advocates for the unhoused pointed out to her that there are few public rest rooms in the city. Moreover, she said, businesses dont want them to use their bathrooms.

The provision, which wasnt in a similar bill of rights for the homeless measure that failed at the board last year, drew sharp criticism Friday from two opponents of the legislation.

What are we doing? Alderwoman Pam Boyd of Walnut Park West said in an interview. This is not a third world country. This is St. Louis, Missouri. Thats so disrespectful to us as a community. Thats unhealthy.

Does society have any rules any more? asked Alderman Tom Oldenburg, of St. Louis Hills. Give me a break.

Homeless people who need to relieve themselves should go to a shelter, he said. Thats where bathrooms exist, he said.

He also challenged Green and Sonniers statements that police have been selectively enforcing the ban. I would love to see the data, he said.

Sonnier said city police dont itemize such violations and that they are included under a more general category of vagrancy.

The police department didnt respond Friday to a request for comment.

Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard of the West End said she was undecided on the overall legislation but has concerns about the exemption from the urination/defecation ban.

I wouldnt want a man to ... publicly urinate in front of my home and my daughters and say, Well, Im within my rights, because of ordinances, she said.

Sonnier said she hopes that the debate over public urination will become a conversation about what can we do to get all the members of our community access to their basic needs and how we can destigmatize these things and decriminalize them.

Green added that arrests of unhoused people for such violations makes it more difficult for them to improve their situation. Once you get caught in the criminal justice system, its even harder to break that cycle of homelessness, she said.

The legislation also would bar the city from using police to target or harass homeless people through laws restricting panhandling and loitering. The goal, Sonnier said, is reducing city actions that criminalize poverty.

Sonniers bills, which were introduced just days after the city cleared a homeless encampment outside City Hall, also would set new rules on how officials can dismantle such impromptu camps.

The measures would require the city to generally give 30 days notice and offer campers appropriate shelter beds before clearing tents and sleeping bags.

In emergency situations in which people in the camp face potential serious injury or harm, the city could act more quickly, although giving less than 48 hours notice is strongly discouraged, according to the legislation.

The city would be required to provide a safe, secure place for campers personal items and couldnt dispose of such material for 90 days and only following reasonable efforts to contact the owners.

Sonnier said the legislation is aimed at treating our unhoused neighbors with human dignity when an encampment is cleared.

The legislation also would mandate the establishment of controlled encampments, dubbed safe camping areas, for those who dont want to go to shelters. The city would have to provide showers, portable toilets, handwashing stations, access to social services and 24-hour security.

It does not say where a safe camping zone would be, Sonnier said. That would have to be a later legislative political discussion.

Regarding security, the legislation leaves that up to the city public safety department, saying it could deploy officers, other personnel or technology such as cameras and emergency call buttons.

There will have to be a lot of conversation on what that might look like, Sonnier said.

One of Sonniers bills also would make it easier for homeless shelters to get approval to operate in city neighborhoods. The measure would repeal a rule requiring shelter operators to gather signatures from a majority of their closest neighbors to win approval.

Instead, plans for many new shelters would be considered by the city Board of Public Service, a panel of top city officials.

Oldenburg, one of the opponents, called the bills impulsive and reckless and that key city agencies should be consulted on the details before theyre considered.

He also said it would create a magnet effect and attract more homeless people from outside the city. He and Boyd also said they opposed reducing neighborhood input.

We need to have a homeowners bill of rights, Boyd said.
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ST. LOUIS  Vice President Kamala Harris flew to St. Louis on Friday to rally the troops attending the Democratic National Committees fall meeting.

And rally them she did, hitting on her political partys main themes for the 2024 election.

Democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, said Harris, in a 25-minute talk to about 600 people at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel. And were going to win because we love our country, she said.

Specifically, Harris focused on three major campaign issues Democrats already have honed in on recently: climate issues; gun control; and, most forcefully, abortion rights.

Harris, who addressed those issues in a staged, interview-style exchange with former DNC chair Donna Brazile, kicked off her talk with stories about her recent tours of U.S. college campuses.

While touting President Joe Bidens environmental efforts, Harris also praised the younger climate activists she has met on the school tour.

They want to know we are taking this matter seriously, Harris said, adding some students worry about having children or buying homes because of impending natural disasters.

They know the significance of the climate crisis, she said, then neatly dovetailed into Second Amendment issues by saying, And they know the significance of gun violence.

Harris said the majority of the students with whom she has met have all undergone classroom training about how to respond to an active shooter invading a school.

Older people dont fully understand ... the trauma younger people have endured about this problem, she added.

She then reiterated the Democrats endorsement of universal background checks, assault weapons bans and red flag laws to identify people who are a threat to themselves or others.

But the most energized moments, for both Harris and the crowd, came about when she brought up the issue of abortion and reproductive rights  drawing loud cheers and several standing ovations from the audience.

Harris said women have been brought together by the U.S. Supreme Courts decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that established a constitutional right to abortion.

She said women across the nation watched as the high court took a constitutional right from the women of America and brought the crowd to its feet when she added that the government doesnt have a right to tell them what they can do with their bodies.

Harris held out an even higher level of animosity for states now have abortion laws, which do not allow exceptions for women who are victims of rape or incest  which she described as a crime of violence to their bodies.

And then to deny those same women the right to abortion, Harris said, is immoral.

Harris also encouraged Democrats to keep talking about the efforts the Biden administration has made to help Americans, pointing out student debt relief, increased medication benefits for seniors and new-job creation.

We just need to let them know who brought it to them, Harris said.

Several Democrats, of the city and state level, gave Harris talk and appearance good reviews.

St. Louis Alderwoman Daniela Velazquez, of Shaw, said she especially appreciated Harris focus on college students, noting she has spent significant time talking to younger voters.

When we talk about the future, we have to get the next generation into the fight, said Velazquez, who had come to Harris talk after attending the DNCs Hispanic caucus meeting.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for Missouri governor in 2024, called Harris appearance a big boost for the city.

She also said the gathering has energized her bid for the states top job, by allowing her to meet fellow Democrats who have won elections in strong Republican states.

Quade said Democrats need to learn how to win in red-controlled states.

State Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, said she was pleased the DNC came to town.

Its a great opportunity for St. Louis to show itself off, she said. And delegates from across the nation have said how warmly theyve been welcomed.

The DNC meeting concludes with a general meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday.
An American man has been arrested in Israel on suspicion of the deliberate defacement of valuable sculptures at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Israeli police have confirmed.

The unnamed 40-year-old was arrested after police were called to reports from security personnel at the cultural institution in Jerusalem.

According to the Jerusalem Post, two ancient Roman sculptures dating to the 2nd century CE were damaged.

In a statement sent to CNN, Israeli police said: Yesterday (Thursday) in the late afternoon, Jerusalem District Police received a report from security personnel at the Israel Museum about a visitor who intentionally destroyed sculptures of significant financial value displayed at the museum, causing substantial damage.

The suspect, an American citizen, was taken in for questioning at the Moriah station in the Israeli capital, police said.

The police statement continued: During the initial investigation, it was revealed that the suspect carried out the act because he considered these sculptures to be idolatrous and contrary to the Torah.

But the mans lawyer denied that he had been acting on fundamentalist religious belief, saying instead that he was suffering from mental illness.

The suspect appeared in court on Friday where magistrates extended his detention until Monday while the police investigation continues.

The mans lawyer, Nick Kaufman, requested that his clients name not be disclosed. The magistrate rejected this request but postponed the decision on whether to name him until Sunday morning.

In an email sent to CNN, Kaufman said: The suspect did not act out of iconoclastic fanaticism. His acts prior to the incident and general demeanor suggest that he is suffering from a well recognized condition known as the Jerusalem Syndrome.

With his agreement and that of the police, he was referred for psychiatric evaluation with the expectation that he will be released from pre-trial detention on Monday.

Jerusalem syndrome is a rare condition in which tourists become so overwhelmed by the citys history and power that they dissociate from reality and believe themselves to be biblical figures.

The incident comes during the week-long festival of Sukkot and just days after Israeli police arrested five people on suspicion of spitting in the vicinity of Christians or churches in the Old City of Jerusalem.

___

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A front-end manager at King Soopers, Olds aspired to work her way up the ranks at the store, her family said.

She was 25 years old, just kind of starting life, bubbly and energetic and charismatic, her uncle Robert Olds said.

He said he still remembers the preschool-age niece who would tag along with him and his sons to baseball tournaments and ask to go to McDonalds afterward.

We are devastated, Robert Olds said. He added that the family had heard from one of her friends that she had been trying to lock the store doors after the shooting began in the parking lot.

Her grandmother choked up on the phone as she described the young woman she played a large role in raising.

She was just a very kind and loving, bubbly person who lit up the room when she walked in, said Jeanette Olds, 71, of Lafayette, Colorado.
From Alcatraz Island to a park in New York City, Native American people will celebrate their centuries-long history of resilience on Monday with ceremonies, dances and speeches.

The events across the U.S. come two years after President Joe Biden officially commemorated Indigenous Peoples Day. An increasing number of states and cities have also recognized it  pivoting from a day long rooted in the celebration of explorer Christopher Columbus to one focused on the people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism.

This day is about reclaiming histories, said Kyle Mays, an associate professor of American Indian Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. It's acknowledging the history of dispossession and violence against Indigenous people.

Here is a look at why it's called Indigenous Peoples Day, the history behind it and how people celebrate.

Why is it called Indigenous Peoples Day?

Indigenous Peoples Day has been recognized for decades in different forms and under a variety of names to celebrate Native Americans' history and culture and to recognize the challenges they continue to face.

In 2021, Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day. It is typically observed on the second Monday in October, the same day as Columbus Day, a federal holiday established decades ago to recognize Columbus sighting in 1492 of what came to be known as the Americas.

Columbus was a lost explorer who stumbled into this part of the world and brought famine, colonization, the deaths of millions of Indigenous peoples," said Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of the NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy group. For this country to celebrate that history is absolutely disrespectful.

Is it a federal holiday?

Although it is not a federal holiday, 17 states  including Washington, South Dakota and Maine  as well as Washington, D.C., have holidays honoring Native Americans, some of which are on the second Monday in October, according to the Pew Research Center. Indigenous Peoples Day is typically paired with Columbus Day or replaces the federal holiday altogether. Dozens of cities and school systems observe Indigenous Peoples Day as well.

Earlier this year, Anchorage and Phoenix became two of the latest municipalities to officially designate Indigenous Peoples Day a holiday. And on Monday, several U.S. lawmakers announced they had reintroduced legislation meant to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day as a federal holiday.

What is the significance?

Its significance for Native Americans has more to do with the fact that it's the day the U.S. has celebrated Columbus, explained Cliff Matias, cultural director for the New York-based Redhawk Indigenous Arts Council.

We celebrate our survival of Columbus and all that he brought, he said.

Matias, whose Indigenous Nations are Taino and Kichwa, said a more suitable day to honor Native people would be the "summer solstice, which is a powerful day for Indigenous people all over the world. It might be some sort of day that we recognize generally correlating with our connection to the planet.

Still, Tilsen said celebrating on this day is powerful.

When we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in place of Columbus Day, it shows a victory for Indigenous people," he said. It represents how we wont be erased, how we still stand in our power, no matter what they did to try to kill us off and steal our land.

How do people celebrate?

Indigenous Peoples Day is meant to recognize the painful history Indigenous people have faced and to celebrate their communities, said Tilsen, who is Oglala Lakota. But it is also a day of protest and resistance, he said.

The day is often marked by protests against memorials to Columbus, for environmental justice, for the return of Indigenous lands and in honor of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Tilsen said he often participates in protests a day before celebrating with Native food, performances, art, music and traditional ceremonies.

Activists say the effort to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day has been resisted by people who view Columbus as a representative of Italian-American history.

Italian-Americans have made so many contributions to America, and that should be celebrated," Mays said. But not like this. There is so much more in Italian-American history that should be celebrated instead.

What are some events this year?

As many as 3,000 people are expected to travel to Alcatraz Island to mark its occupation by Native Americans for 19 months, beginning in 1969, in what is often described as the original land back movement, said Morning Star Gali, California tribal liaison for the International Indian Treaty Council, which organized the event.

In New York City, Native people, including tribal chiefs, will gather throughout the long weekend at Randalls Island Park. The ninth annual gathering, a collaboration of 14 Indigenous organizations and area tribes in the New York City metropolitan region, will include prayers and the honoring of the original inhabitants of the city.

For people wanting to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, Tilsen said they should look out for community events and learn more about the Indigenous communities in their areas.

States with the biggest Native American populations States with the biggest Native American populations #51. Vermont #50. District of Columbia #49. New Hampshire #48. West Virginia #47. Rhode Island #46. Delaware #45. Maine #44. Hawaii #43. Wyoming #42. Kentucky #41. Connecticut #40. Iowa #39. Mississippi #38. Massachusetts #37. Arkansas #36. Tennessee #35. Indiana #34. South Carolina #33. Ohio #32. Kansas #31. Missouri #30. Pennsylvania #29. Nebraska #28. Louisiana #27. Idaho #26. Alabama #25. Maryland #24. Utah #23. New Jersey #22. North Dakota #21. Virginia #20. Wisconsin #19. Nevada #18. Minnesota #17. Michigan #16. Georgia #15. Oregon #14. Colorado #13. Florida #12. Montana #11. South Dakota #10. Illinois #9. Alaska #8. Washington #7. North Carolina #6. New York #5. New Mexico #4. Texas #3. Arizona #2. Oklahoma #1. California
An Unhoused Bill of Rights is being presented to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen as an answer to the city's homelessness problem. ("St. Louis aldermen push ahead on homeless bill of rights despite concerns," Oct. 3.) Anyone who studies this should reasonably be opposed.

Here are some issues proponents must address:

 The city is already carrying the weight of homelessness for the whole region. The idea that homelessness is a city problem reflects a wish to dump it on the city. Most of the homeless in the city are not from the city, but from the county, rural areas, Illinois and other states. It is known that police from suburban municipalities take and send their unhoused people to downtown St. Louis.

 Taking away the established right of voters, taxpayers, business and property owners to have a say as to whether a homeless facility will be located in their community is a recipe for undermining what stable neighborhoods remain. It is also undemocratic.

 Who will regulate these shelters? The city building division has staffing issues handling building codes and housing laws as it is. Who will enforce limits set for housing shelters?

 Who will run the shelters. Who will vet their qualifications to do so?

 How will residents' backgrounds be checked, so that there are not felons and registered sex offenders allowed to wander the neighborhood?

As it is, we do not have enough police in our city. It is unreasonable to assume they can do more. The county municipalities need to participate in solving this problem.

Lecil Saller  St. Louis
$1200 pill encapsulates drugmakers incessant greed as Gilead Sciences engages in patent manipulation and obscene price hikes

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has launched a new advertisement in its ongoing campaign against Gilead Sciences incessant greed. The full-page, full-color newspaper ad debuts this Sunday, October 8th, in the San Francisco Chronicle and New Jerseys Daily Record and will run weekly through at least November. AHF also has sent letters to financial institutions that manage socially responsible investment funds urging them to divest their portfolios of Gilead stock holdings.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231007230130/en/

AHF launched a new advertisement in its ongoing campaign against Gilead Sciences incessant greed. The full-page, full-color newspaper ad debuts this Sunday, October 8th, in the San Francisco Chronicle and New Jerseys Daily Record and will run weekly through at least November. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Bay Area pharmaceutical giant has an appetite for profit that cannot be satisfied, charging prices Americans without health insurance never can hope to afford, says Michael Weinstein, AHF president and cofounder. Gilead never has cared about patients, especially low-income, uninsured Americans.

AHFs ad highlights several of Gilead's unsavory business practices, including patent manipulation and out-of-control price hikes. For example, Gilead kept a more effective HIV-medicine with fewer risky side effects off the market to maximize profits of its older version. Gilead also raised the price of its hepatitis C wonder drug, Sovaldi, from an already absurd $1000 per pill to $1200 and doubled the price it charges safety net providers for HIV prevention drug Descovy in just two years.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the worlds largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 1.8 million individuals across 45 countries, including the U.S. and in Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, and subscribe to our AHFter Hours podcast.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231007230130/en/

Ged Kenslea, AHF Sr. Comms Dir.

(323) 791-5526

[email protected]

Source: AIDS Healthcare Foundation
CAIRO, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Egypt warned on Saturday of the dangers of the ongoing escalation between the Palestinians and Israelis.

In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for exercising the utmost restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further risks.

The ministry warned of serious repercussions as a result of the escalation of violence, which would negatively affect the future of truce efforts.

Egypt called on international actors involved in supporting efforts to resume the peace process and intervene immediately to stop the ongoing escalation.

It also urged Israel to stop attacks and provocative actions against the Palestinian people and to adhere to the rules of international humanitarian law with regard to the responsibilities of the occupied areas.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is working with international officials to stop the ongoing escalation between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Early on Saturday, massive rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, while a number of Palestinian militants have infiltrated into Israel from Gaza.

Two hours after the attack began, the Israeli air force launched airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip, declaring that it was "on alert for war." Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the drafting of reserve soldiers to the military. 
GALWAY, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WhiteSwell, a company pioneering a new paradigm in the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), announced today positive initial results from its ongoing DELTA-HF trial evaluating the WhiteSwell eLym System. The data were presented at the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Annual Scientific Meeting 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.

In DELTA-HF, a minimally invasive catheter-based system is introduced to facilitate the removal of excess fluid from the bodys tissues and organs concurrent with diuretic removal of excess vascular fluid. The eLym System targets the bodys largest lymphatic vessel and creates pressure conditions that support the tissue drainage capabilities of the overwhelmed lymphatic system.

Nine hospitalized patients received eLym therapy in conjunction with diuretic therapy, while six patients received standard of care treatment with loop diuretics alone.

Summary of key findings:

Treatment with the eLym System was performed safely and successfully. Deployed and activated in nine patients with a mean treatment time of 24 hours. No patient experienced a serious procedure-, device-, or therapy-related adverse event.



Early clinical results are promising and support further clinical investigation. Patients who underwent therapy with the eLym System plus loop diuretic lost a mean of 6.04.6 kg from baseline to hospital discharge while maintaining kidney function, as measured by a stable or improved creatinine (mean  -0.100.12 mg/dL). The loop diuretic-only group lost a mean of 3.33.7 kg. One treated patient (1/9, 11%) was hospitalized within 30 days of discharge.



It cannot be overemphasized how significant and challenging it is to fully decongest patients hospitalized with decompensated heart failure. Patients with persistent congestion at discharge are more likely to be rehospitalized, are less likely to be treated with optimal medical therapy and are at greater risk of poor outcomes. Most of the fluid accumulates in the tissues, and we have not previously had a way to actively target that fluid, said William Abraham, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Physiology, and Cell Biology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. WhiteSwells ingenious approach of reducing thoracic duct pressure to facilitate lymphatic drainage of the tissues enables us to actively address both interstitial tissue and intravascular decongestion simultaneously. Im particularly encouraged by the amount of decongestion achieved with stable or improved creatinine, an indicator of kidney function.

This is a new approach, and we are excited to investigate WhiteSwells catheter-based system, said Zviad Kereselidze, M.D., Head of the ICCU at Tbilisi Heart Center. We have treated some of our most challenging patients who are frequently hospitalized with congestion, and we have been pleasantly surprised with how well they have decongested at the time of discharge and how the benefit was sustained at 30-day follow-up.

WhiteSwell continues to evaluate this unique approach to treating ADHF patients with continued enrollment and follow-up in The Safety and Feasibility of the eLym System for the Decongestion of Excess Lymphatic Fluid via the Thoracic Duct in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (DELTA-HF) Trial. The company looks forward to sharing additional data in the future.

About the DELTA-HF Trial

The DELTA-HF trial is a non-randomized early feasibility trial evaluating the safety and performance of the eLym System in the treatment of fluid overload or congestion in patients with ADHF.

About the eLym System

The eLym System is a minimally invasive catheter-based system designed to facilitate the removal of excess fluid from tissues and organs (interstitial fluid) in patients with ADHF by supporting the overwhelmed lymphatic systems ability to actively drain fluid. The eLym System is deployed in the left internal jugular and innominate veins near where the lymphatic systems major highway, the thoracic duct, connects. It creates a low-pressure zone to facilitate fluid drainage in conjunction with intravenous diuretics.

About Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)

ADHF is an episode of worsening heart failure symptoms that results in millions of hospitalizations worldwide each year, including three million in the U.S. alone.1 Patients with ADHF experience difficulty breathing, fatigue, and edema (swelling) due to fluid back-up in the lungs and other parts of the body (congestion). The condition requires hospital-based treatment to remove excess fluid in a process called decongestion. Complete decongestion is the goal of ADHF treatment since residual congestion at hospital discharge is the strongest predictor of rehospitalization and death.2 As many as half of ADHF patients are discharged from the hospital not fully decongested, and one out of four ADHF patients is readmitted to the hospital within one month.3,4,5

About the Lymphatic System and ADHF

In healthy individuals, the lymphatic system continuously captures fluid from tissues throughout the body and pumps it back into the vascular system to maintain homeostasis. In ADHF, excess fluid collects in the tissues of the body (the interstitial compartment), causing edema and an increase in venous blood pressure. Excess tissue fluid and high venous blood pressure interfere with the lymphatic systems ability to move fluid back to the vascular system, which can further exacerbate congestion.

About WhiteSwell

WhiteSwell is a patient-focused company dedicated to improving treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), a primary cause of repeat hospitalization and emergency room visits. A privately held company, WhiteSwell is headquartered in Galway, Ireland. For more information, visit www.whiteswell.com.

___________________________

1 Hollenberg et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2019;74:19662011. (1M annual hospital discharges with HF as primary diagnosis and 2M hospital discharges with HF as secondary contributing diagnosis.)

2 Martens & Mullens, How to tackle congestion in acute heart failure, Korean J Intern Med 2018;33:462-473

3 Girerd et al, Integrative Assessment of Congestion in Heart Failure Throughout the Patient Journey, J Am Coll Cardiol HF 2018;6:27385

4 Arrigo et al, Nature Reviews Disease Primers volume 6, Article number: 16 (2020)

5 Rubio-Gracia, J. et al. (2018). International Journal of Cardiology, 258, pp. 185-191.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231007188660/en/

Dunia Cristan

Email: [email protected]

Source: WhiteSwell
All amounts expressed in US dollars

BAMAKO, Mali, Oct. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE: GOLD)(TSX:ABX)  The Loulo-Gounkoto complex is set to maintain its status as one of the worlds Top 10 gold producers as it stays on track to meet this years guidance and continues to replace the reserves depleted by mining, Barrick president and chief executive Mark Bristow said here today.



Briefing local journalists, he noted that in the 26 years Barrick had been in the country, it had worked tirelessly with successive governments and local partners to grow Malis mining industry and to promote it as a global investment destination, in the face of many social and political challenges.

Over this time, Barrick has contributed almost $10 billion to the Malian economy in the form of taxes, royalties, salaries and payments to local suppliers. Some 70% of the economic benefit currently generated by the complex goes to its Malian stakeholders. Loulo-Gounkoto has contributed between 5% and 10% to the Malian GDP over the past 10 years.

Barrick has also developed a previously non-existent mining skills base in the region and Loulo-Gounkotos entire management team are citizens of Mali.

Mali was the birthplace of Barricks philosophy of genuine partnerships with its host governments. Close relationships can over time be stressed by misconceptions but in the past we have always been able to find solutions through open and transparent dialogue. Mutually acceptable solutions can be achieved if there is a genuine commitment to seek outcomes that deliver real and long-term value for Mali and its people, he said.

Meanwhile, exploration teams continue to find new growth opportunities in the very prospective Loulo region. Updated geological models have already identified new high-priority targets with the potential of delivering the next generation of major discoveries.

We remain committed to Mali and, as we invest in future growth here, we look forward to maintaining a mutually beneficial partnership with the authorities and our in-country stakeholders, Bristow said.

Enquiries

Investor and Media Relations

Kathy du Plessis

+44 20 7557 7738

Email: [email protected]

Group Regional Manager, West Africa

Mahamadou Samake

+223 66 75 61 36

West Africa and Saudi Arabia Operations Manager

Chiaka Berthe

+223 66 74 75 88

Website: www.barrick.com

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

Certain information contained or incorporated by reference in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, projects, plans, or future financial or operating performance, constitutes forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words sustains, discoveries, maintain, on track, opportunities, guidance, recognize, develop, commitment, deliver, target, potential, remain, can, will, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to Loulo-Gounkotos ability to achieve its production guidance for 2023 and maintain its production profile; Loulo Gounkotos productive partnership with the government of Mali; the Complexs potential to continue to make major contributions to the countrys economy and mining industry while developing the skills of its in-country workforce; Loulo-Gounkotos ability to continue to replace mineral reserves net of depletion; Barricks exploration strategy and the potential to find new discoveries and growth opportunities in the Loulo region; Barricks strategy, plans, targets and goals in respect of environmental and social governance issues, including with respect to greenhouse gas emissions reductions and safety and health; and investments to support community projects, local procurement, employment, education and development programs in Mali.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this press release in light of managements experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, copper, or certain other commodities (such as diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity); the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation, and exploration successes; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/ or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices, expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in the Mali and other jurisdictions in which the Company or its affiliates do or may carry on business in the future; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; risks associated with new diseases, epidemics and pandemics, including the effects and potential effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; litigation and legal and administrative proceedings; employee relations including loss of key employees; increased costs and physical and transition risks related to climate change, including extreme weather events, resource shortages, emerging policies and increased regulations related to greenhouse gas emission levels, energy efficiency and reporting of risks; and availability and increased costs associated with mining inputs and labor. Barrick also cautions that its guidance may be impacted by the ongoing business and social disruption caused by the spread of Covid-19. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion, copper cathode or gold or copper concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks).

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barricks ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Barrick disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
CERN Inaugurates Science Gateway, Its New Outreach Centre for Science Education

CERN has inaugurated its new emblematic centre for science education and outreach targeting a public of all ages.

The building was designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano and funded by external donations, with the leading contribution coming from the Stellantis Foundation.

GENEVA, October 7, 2023  Today, CERN inaugurated its new state-of-the-art facility for science education and outreach. In a day-long inauguration event, CERN debuted Science Gateway to the President of the Swiss Confederation, ministers and other high-level authorities from CERNs Member and Associate Member States, the projects donors and partners in CERNs research, education and outreach. Designed by world-renowned Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the new facility is open to visitors from around the world, from the age of five and upwards. It will allow CERN to significantly expand its portfolio of educational and outreach activities. CERN Science Gateway will be open to the public as of tomorrow, 8 October 2023.

The inauguration ceremony began with an address by Fabiola Gianotti, the CERN Director-General, who stressed the value of education and outreach with the public. Sharing CERNs research and the beauty and utility of science with the public has always been a key objective and activity of CERN, and with Science Gateway, as of tomorrow, we can expand significantly this component of our mission. We want to show the importance of fundamental research and its applications to society, infuse everyone who comes here with curiosity and a passion for science, and inspire young people to take up careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) she said. Science Gateway will be a place where scientists and the public can interact daily. For me, personally, Science Gateway is a dream that has become a reality and I am deeply grateful to all the people who have contributed, starting with our generous donors.

CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, is the home of the Large Hadron Collider, the worlds largest and most powerful particle accelerator.

In his address, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, said: Those familiar with Venn diagrams will agree that this invisible circle puts CERN at the intersection between Switzerland, France and Europe, thus symbolising its commitment to shared scientific and political values. CERN truly is an exceptional facility and one that enables Switzerland and Geneva to shine on the world stage.

The iconic building, inspired by the tubular structure of CERNs accelerators, comprises five areas housing exhibitions, laboratories and an auditorium that can be flexibly configured into different spaces depending on requirements, as well as a shop and a restaurant.

The transparent glass panels and bridges further represent CERNs commitment to collaboration across borders and culture and open science that is accessible to all.

Renzo Piano, chief architect of the project, said: This will be a place where people meet: kids, students, adults, teachers and scientists, everybody attracted by the exploration of the Universe, from the infinitely vast to the infinitely small. It is a bridge, in both a metaphorical and a real sense. This building is fed by the energy of the Sun, landed in the middle of a newly grown forest.

Not only is the building visually striking, but CERN and the architects committed to it being fully carbon neutral, and almost 4000 square metres of solar panels supply more power than the buildings needs. Over 400 trees have been planted, situating the whole campus in a living forest.

While the full project was launched in 2018, construction of the Science Gateway campus took just over two years, with the first stone of the building being laid on 21 June 2021.

This new facility would not have been possible without the generous support of the CERN Science Gateway sponsors, who share the same values and, through their contributions, want to pay tribute to education and knowledge for the benefit of society. The overall cost of Science Gateway was about 100 million Swiss francs, and this was funded exclusively through donations. In particular, the Stellantis Foundation is the largest single donor and contributed 45 million Swiss francs towards the project. John Elkann, Chairman of Stellantis, said: CERN is an example of how we can work together in harmony, using scientific knowledge and ingenuity for the greater good. Stellantis Foundation is proud to partner with such an institution as it opens to the public the new Science Gateway, which also celebrates a great innovator like Sergio Marchionne. My family and I strongly believe in the power of education, which is the mission of the Fondazione Agnelli: a commitment we reinforce today with conviction and passion.

As part of wider society, Stellantis takes action to advance human achievement. Stellantis, through its philanthropic activities and its Foundation, invests in individuals through education projects that spark innovation and excellence.

The Fondation Hans Wilsdorf is also a major donor. Other donors are the LEGO foundation, the Loterie Romande, Ernst Gohner Stiftung, Rolex, the Carla Fendi Foundation, the Fondation Gelbert, Solvay, the Fondation Meyrinoise du Casino and the town of Meyrin. CERN thanks the Republique et Canton de Geneve and the CERN and Society Foundation for their support.

The ceremony took place in the new 900-seat auditorium, named after Sergio Marchionne, former CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, who recently passed away. Guests visited the education laboratories and the unique immersive exhibitions and enjoyed the Big Bang Cafe, the Collider Circle square and other areas of the Science Gateway campus.

Throughout the day, guided by CERN scientists and children of CERN personnel, visitors were able to experience first-hand the range of Science Gateways opportunities, from interactive exhibitions to laboratories for hands-on experiments and immersive spaces. They also had the opportunity to appreciate CERNs scientific breakthroughs and technologies, learn about the history of the Universe and admire the mysteries of the quantum world. Teenagers guided guests through various enquiry-based laboratory activities throughout the afternoon.

Eliezer Rabinovici, President of the CERN Council, speaking on behalf of CERNs Member and Associate Member States, said: Today we celebrate the courage and passion to innovate that CERN has always demonstrated and the commitment to share the fruits of its research with people from all countries and of all ages. May the science leaders of tomorrow come from among the curious children who will fill this wonderful place with joy in the coming years.

The new centre is expected to host up to 500 000 visitors a year from across the world. Science Gateway will be free of charge and open 6 days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday.

# # #

About CERN

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world's leading laboratories for particle physics. The Organization is located on the French-Swiss border, with its headquarters in Geneva. Its Member States are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Cyprus, Estonia and Slovenia are Associate Member States in the pre-stage to Membership. Croatia, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Pakistan, Turkiye and Ukraine are Associate Member States. Japan and the United States of America currently have Observer status, as do the European Union and UNESCO. The Observer status of the Russian Federation and of JINR is suspended in accordance with the CERN Council Resolutions of 8 March 2022 and 25 March 2022, respectively.

About RPBW

The Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) was established in 1981 by Renzo Piano with offices in Genoa, Italy and Paris, France. The practice has since expanded and now also operates from New York.

RPBW is led by ten partners, including the founder and Pritzker Prize laureate, the architect Renzo Piano. The practice permanently employs about 130 architects together with a further 30 support staff including 3D-visualisation artists, model makers, archivers and administrative and secretarial staff.

RPBW has successfully undertaken and completed over 140 projects around the world.

Currently, the main projects in progress include the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles and the Ecole normale superieure Paris-Saclay.

Major projects already completed include: the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris; the Kanak Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia; the Beyeler Foundation Museum in Basel; the New York Times Building in New York; the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco; the Chicago Art Institute expansion in Chicago, Illinois; the Shard in London; Columbia Universitys Manhattanville development project in New York City; the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York; the Valletta City Gate in Malta; the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre in Athens; the New Paris Courthouse; and others throughout the world.

Science Gateway has seen Renzo Piano Building Workshop collaborate with Brodbeck Roulet Architectes Associes (Geneva)

Design team: A.Belvedere, J.Moolhuijzen, L.Piazza (partners and associate in charge), N.Grawitz with G.Andrich, A.Karcher, D.Rat and J.P.Azares, M.Daubach, D.Gautrand, A.Manolioux, S.Giorgianni, J.Horcajo Rubi, M.Yildirim; A.Bagatella, T.Garofalo, D.Tsagkaropoulos (CGI); O.Aubert, C.Colson, Y.Kyrkos (models)

Consultants: Arup, EDMS (structure); SRG (MEP); Transsolar (sustainability); Muller BBM (acoustics); Eckersley OCallaghan (facades); Scenarchie (A/V, theater equipment); Arup (lighting); Charpente Concept (fire prevention / design phase); ISI (fire safety / construction phase) Atelier Descombes Rampini (landscaping); Sunsoak (solar PV system); Lama (food service); Trafitec (traffic, transporation)

About Stellantis

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA / Euronext Milan: STLAM / Euronext Paris: STLAP) is one of the worlds leading automakers and a mobility provider. Its storied and iconic brands embody the passion of their visionary founders and todays customers in their innovative products and services, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. Powered by our diversity, we lead the way the world moves  aspiring to become the greatest sustainable mobility tech company, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders as well as the communities in which it operates. For more information, visit www.stellantis.com.

Attachment

Source: STELLANTIS N.V
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 6, 2023) - Eureka Lithium Corp. (CSE: ERKA) (OTCQB: SCMCF) (FSE: S580) ("Eureka Lithium" or "Eureka" or the "Company") announces that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement financing (the "Private Placement") of up to 2,000,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.50 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000.

Each Unit shall consist of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company ("Share") and one-half (1/2) of one (1) Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase a Share at an exercise price of $0.65 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

Closing of the Private Placement is anticipated to occur on or about the week of October 30, 2023. Closing is subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals. The net proceeds of the Private Placement are intended to be used to advance the Company's Raglan West, Raglan South and New Leaf Camps and for general corporate purposes. Finders' fees may be paid to eligible arm's length persons with respect to certain subscriptions accepted by the Company.

Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Units issuable under the Private Placement will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in Canada and other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A.2 of NI 45-106 (the "LIFE Exemption"). Because the Private Placement is to be completed pursuant to the LIFE Exemption, the securities issued in connection with the Private Placement will not be subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

There is an offering document dated October 6th, 2023, related to the Private Placement that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.eurekalithiumcorp.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or available exemptions from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States, or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Corporate Video

To view a new Eureka Lithium corporate video, visit www.EurekaLithiumCorp.com (https://eurekalithiumcorp.com) or the following URL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vvm0zfNFp4

Corporate Presentation

Visit the Eureka Lithium homepage or click on the following URL to view the Company's Corporate Presentation:

https://eurekalithiumcorp.com/EurekaLithium_Q3_2023.pdf

About Eureka Lithium Corp.

Eureka Lithium is the largest lithium-focused landowner in the northern third of Quebec, known as the Nunavik region, with 100% ownership of three projects comprising 1,408 sq. km in the emerging Raglan West, Raglan South and New Leaf Lithium Camps. These claims were acquired from legendary prospector Shawn Ryan and are located in a region that hosts two operating nickel mines with deep-sea port access.

For more information please contact:

Jeffrey Wilson

Chief Executive Officer

Email: [email protected]

Cautionary Statement

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, such as statements regarding the contemplated closing of the Private Placement or whether it will close at all, the use of proceeds from the Private Placement, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's expectations and are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, nor that the Private Placement will be completed as contemplated, or at all. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/183260
Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

Experience Egypt's wonders with a Nile cruise: your ticket to exploring ancient temples, enjoying intimate river journeys, and ensuring a safe and enriching travel experience.



Do you want to observe the glorious Egyptian history? Are you looking for the ideal partner for this exploration? Dying to see and witness the beauty of Egypt and its attractions? Well, all these dreams can be realized by chartering a cruise for yourself. The Nile Cruise is undoubtedly the most used companion for you.

People are usually unaware of River Nile Cruises and the objectives behind their use. Well, throughout this reading we have tried our best to provide you with answers to 5 frequently asked questions in the simplest way. Let's get into the details.

What is a Nile cruise?

A Nile cruise is undoubtedly the best way to see Egypt's exceptional temples and valleys. This is a perfect partner for all those people who are traveling to conjure up romantic things among the ancient attractions of the country. Sailing between Luxor and Aswan will be easier if you book a Nile cruise for yourself.

What is a Nile cruise for?

A Nile cruise is used for several important tasks and things. Let's just look at the examples provided.

 Nile cruises offer you a type of tourism where you can see the entire beauty of Egypt.

 These cruises allow you to enjoy the perfect meals and witness the old museums, valleys, and temples that are far from your expectations in Egypt.

 You will have a fascinating journey on the most beautiful and mysterious Nile River in the world.

What can you do on a Nile cruise?

Everything is becoming possible for you on a Nile cruise. A Nile cruise allows you to visit the cities of Southern Upper Egypt and learn about the history of all these cities and their attractions.

Is it safe?

A Nile cruise is safe to travel through Egyptian rivers, hidden places, distant valleys, and ancient temples. You can safely reach any destination you want in one day with a Nile cruise. The Egyptian tourism industry and the Egyptian authorities are doing their best to assure you that a Nile cruise is much safer than it was in the old days. The Egyptian authorities are providing you with complete protection, a high level of security, and safety measures and precautions. The travel advisory is also going great to make the Nile cruise fully operational throughout the year.

What are the advantages of a Nile cruise for your trip?

Many advantages are in a row. Let's list just a few.

 A way to get a new destination to explore every day

 Helps you have a more intimate experience on your journey to the Nile River

 You will also have several opportunities to carry out a variety of activities on land

The takeaway:

A Nile cruise is a perfect way to embark on a completely fun and exciting journey to reveal and explore the hidden architecture, beauties, and extraordinary things in Egypt.

So, what else can you expect from a Nile cruise?

Contact Info:

Name: Salma Khaled

Email: Send Email

Organization: Memphis Tours

Website: https://www.memphistours.com/



Release ID: 89109435

Should you detect any errors, issues, or discrepancies with the content contained within this press release, or if you need assistance with a press release takedown, we kindly request that you inform us immediately by contacting [email protected]. Our expert team will be available to promptly respond and take necessary steps within the next 8 hours to resolve any identified issues or guide you through the removal process. We value the trust placed in us by our readers and remain dedicated to providing accurate and reliable information.
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For Stellantis, there is only one winning position from its $90 million investment: Argentina Lithium becomes a producer.



Global Stocks News  On October 5, 2023 Argentina Lithium (TSXV: LIT) (FSE: OAY3) (OTC: PNXLF) announced that it has closed a deal with $189 billion revenue automaker Stellantis.

According to the terms of the deal, Stellantis will strategically invest USD $90 million in funding, resulting in new entity ALE, 19.9% owned by Stellantis, 80.1% by Argentina Lithium.

Resource and tech companies like to talk about inflows of smart money. But the smart money often exits before the retail investors. For Stellantis, there is only one winning position from its $90 million investment: Argentina Lithium becomes a producer.

LIT is developing a number of high-quality lithium projects in Argentina and advancing them toward production in order to meet the growing global demand from the battery sector.

The deal will give Argentina Lithium the financial resources to accelerate the development of its lithium assets, while providing Stellantis with up to 15,000 tonnes of lithium per annum, for a 7-year period when LIT becomes a lithium producer.

Stellantis, one of the world's largest automakers, is known for its major brands such as Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, RAM, Vauxhall, Free2Move and Leasys.

Stellantis has a sprawling global footprint, with operations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, South America, China and India. The market cap is $59 billion. Last reported full-year Stellantis revenue (2022) was USD $189 billion.

Stellantis booked explosive 41% y-o-y growth in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV). Unlike hybrids, BEVs are powered exclusively by a battery-operated electric motor, which is charged via the power grid.

A typical EV battery has about 8 kilograms of lithium, states EVbox. Although this can often be much more depending on the battery size.

"We are delighted to have Stellantis as a partner in the future development of our lithium projects in Argentina, stated LIT President & CEO Nikolaos Cacos, Together, we share a vision to build a sustainable lithium mining operation for the future.

On September 28, 2023, Cacos joined Steve Darling from Proactive Investors to discuss the strategic $90 million agreement with Stellantis.



The $90 million does a lot for us, Cacos told Proactive Investors. It allows us to not think about funding anymore.

We have four exploration projects, all located in Argentina, within the prolific lithium triangle, Cacos continued. Where about 60% of the world's lithium is found. We're advancing, we're drilling and defining resources.

With this $90 million investment, our goal is to double if not triple our exploration efforts, to see if we can get to a resource stage much sooner than initially anticipated.

Stellantis has a track record of making savvy upstream investments.

On August 17, 2023 Stellantis announced a $100 million investment in CTR to advance the development of geothermal lithium project in California

Stellantis has emerged as the worlds fourth-largest car company by sales, ahead of GM and Ford, reports the Wall Street Journal. Sales of rugged Jeep SUVs and brawny Ram pickup trucks in the U.S. are a major profit generator.

But the company is more diverse than its two rivals, which generate nearly all of their profits in North America, continued the WSJ. It has established European brands, such as Peugeot and Opel, and a strong presence in South America.

The price of lithium products sold by ALE under the Offtake Agreement will be based on an agreed market-based price formula at the time of each shipment.

LIT is part of the Grosso Group, which has a vast network of local and regional contacts in Argentina. The Grosso Group has formed strategic alliances and negotiated with mining majors such as Barrick, Teck, Newmont, Viceroy and Vale.

Having a partner like Stellantis validates the projects and the work that we've been doing, confirmed Cacos, I'm very proud to have an organization of that stature alongside a junior exploration company like Argentina Lithium.

Contact: [email protected]

Full Disclaimer



Contact Info:

Name: Guy Bennett

Email: Send Email

Organization: Global Stocks News

Website: http://www.globalstocksnews.com



Release ID: 89109484

Should you detect any errors, issues, or discrepancies with the content contained within this press release, or if you need assistance with a press release takedown, we kindly request that you inform us immediately by contacting [email protected]. Our expert team will be available to promptly respond and take necessary steps within the next 8 hours to resolve any identified issues or guide you through the removal process. We value the trust placed in us by our readers and remain dedicated to providing accurate and reliable information.
BEIJING , Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from chinadaily.com.cn:

Fuyang district and Tonglu county in Hangzhou city, with rich history and vibrant traditions, offered a captivating journey for 10 global influencers seeking to immerse themselves in the local culture from Sept 29 to 30 .

Hangzhou , capital city of East China's Zhejiang province, is also the host city of the ongoing 19th Asian Games from Sept 23 to Oct 8 .

On the first day's trip to Fuyang district, the expats visited the former residence of Huang Gongwang, a painter and calligrapher of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) known for his masterpiece Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains .

The masterpiece of landscape art depicts the beautiful scenery of the Fuchun Mountains in Hangzhou , including lush green mountains, meandering rivers, and villages.

Displayed artifacts  including his brush, inkstone, and artworks  offered a glimpse into his creative process.

"Huang's painting is really beautiful and I feel that it's so different from our country's culture," Camila Thomas , an internet celebrity from Venezuela , said. "I like to get to know Chinese culture, and enjoying literature and painting is such a unique experience," she added.

Beyond the residence, the expats also explored the surrounding Fuchun River , which inspired Huang Gongwang's artwork.

Shen'ao village in Tonglu county with a history of nearly 1,000 years is also involved in the Fuchun River Basin . The village has become a popular tourist attraction relying on over 140 traditional architecture dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), local handicrafts, and delicious cuisine.

Walking into the village, the global tourists were captivated by the intricate beauty and delicate craftsmanship of local paper-cutting, as well as completed paper-cutting of the Chinese character for happiness, ducks, and butterflies.

"This is my first time experiencing Chinese paper-cutting, and it is very interesting. I would like to participate in such detailed and precise work," Borisenko Sofia from Russia said.

Moreover, the 10-person delegation explored more treasures of art and literature in Xindeng Ancient City in Fuyang and Dongziguan village in Tonglu, including bamboo paper-making craft, gourd carving, and Shaoxing Opera .

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SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn
BEIJING , Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On a recent summer afternoon in Tashkent , capital of Uzbekistan, there were very few people on the streets, and traffic was relatively light. Such a sight hardly showed any sign of a rapidly shifting global geo-economic landscape.

Yet, a closer look revealed a very interesting dynamic: While a vast majority of the cars on the streets are older sedans carrying the golden cross logo of US carmaker Chevrolet, newer, futuristic ones are often new-energy vehicles (NEVs) produced by Chinese carmaker BYD. The slogan - Build Your Dream - was a distinctive feature on the back of each BYD cars.

Such a dynamic is expected to become even more significant not just on the streets of Tashkent , but also those of other cities around the world. Last month, BYD and Uzbekistan signed an investment agreement to build a factory for NEVs in the country. Globally, China has become the world's biggest auto exporter and 60 percent of the world's total NEVs are produced and sold in China .

The rapid rise of China's NEV sector globally is a microcosm of the success of China's industrial upgrade and high-quality development. The achievement of China's industrial upgrade and its pursuit of high-quality development has not only seen major progress but also shown vast potential for long-term, sustainable growth that will contribute greatly for the world economy, Chinese officials and economists said.

Still, China's NEV industry did not rise to its global leading position without a lot of hard work and focus. Industrial transformation and upgrade often come with pain. At a ceremony marking the production of the 5 millionth NEV, Wang Chuanfu, founder of BYD, choked up a few times, as he recalled the hardships the company has faced over the years, including facing bankruptcy at one point. BYD is hardly the only Chinese company that has faced and ultimately overcome such hardships.

SAIC Volkswagen, a Chinese-German joint venture, represents a typical case. The company had been the industry leader for years in the field of fossil fuel cars. But in 2019, as sales of traditional fossil fuel cars plunged, China's auto industry saw its first ever negative growth, and SAIC also saw major drops in sales and profits. The company started its transition toward NEVs.

"Market choice has pointed toward a clear path. Even if there will be pain, we must closely follow the NEV trend," an executive from SAIC was quoted as saying by the People's Daily.

With that, the company shut down a 40-year-old factory, and invested 17 billion yuan in building a new plant that can produce 300,000 NEVs annually. The company also stepped up spending in research and development (R&D), with industry leading investment despite financial challenges. The result: Starting in July, sales of the company's ID NEVs surpassed 10,000 units for two consecutive months, leading sales of other NEVs produced by joint ventures. And the company continues to invest heavily in NEVs in the second half of 2023.

Such successful stories of transformation are shared by many other Chinese carmakers. Together, they represent the rise of China's auto industry, with leading production, sales as well as innovations. And the rise of China's industry also reflects China's overall industrial transformation and upgrade, which often encounters challenges but ultimately translates into high-quality development - the central goal of the Chinese economy.

In a speech at a reception to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on September 28 , Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that to achieve high-quality development, the country must fully and faithfully implement the new development philosophy in all aspects, and accelerate the development of a new development paradigm. Xi also pointed out that the economic recovery is picking up pace, contributing to the steady advancement of high-quality development, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Comprehensive view on GDP

In the first half of 2023, China's GDP grew by 5.5 percent, prompting many speculations and even dire predictions about the Chinese economy.

Is such a growth rate high or low? To answer this question, a comprehensive look at the new addition and the quality of growth, instead of just speed, is necessary.

"As the world's second-largest economy, a 1 percent growth today is vastly different from that of the past in terms of absolute increment," said Wang Xiaosong, a professor of economics at Renmin University of China in Beijing . In 2022, China's GDP stood at about $18 trillion , the increment from a 1 percent growth rate is equivalent to that of 2.1 percent growth rate 10 years ago - and that of 5.3 percent growth rate in India .

Moreover, a 5.5 percent growth rate is faster the 3 percent growth rate in 2022 and the 4.5 percent growth rate in the first quarter of 2023 and is the fastest growth rate among major economies. The growth rate is also in line with China's official growth target of about 5 percent in 2023. While many had expected a restorative economic recovery in China , the fact is that over the past three years, the global economy has been deeply troubled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the still ongoing Ukraine crisis. Like the world economy, China's economy also goes through a recovery process and a 5.5 percent growth rate is hard-won.

"You can't expect an athlete to break the 100-meter sprint record, while his body is still recovering," said Wang Changlin , vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the People's Daily.

In terms of quality, the 5.5 percent growth rate in the first half of 2023 was led by consumption and investment, instead of investment and exports in 2022. It was also driven by innovation and new growth models. In the first half of the year, the added value of information transmission, software and information technology services jumped by 12.9 percent, while online retail sales of physical goods grew by 10.8 percent. The real growth rate of per capita disposable income of residents across the country was 5.8 percent, significantly faster than that of 2022. China has not just achieved stable growth but also ensured the security of food, energy and industrial and supply chains.

"One of the highlights of China's economy this year is that the security and sustainability of economic development have been significantly enhanced," Wang Xiaosong said, noting that China's economy is currently very resilient and will continue to maintain the healthy and stable growth.

While some headline figures for areas such as exports, investment, employment and corporate profits were less than impressive, there are also many highlights. In the first half of the year, China's exports to countries participating in the joint construction of the China -proposed Belt and Road Initiative saw a double-digit growth, combined exports of NEVs, lithium batteries and solar cells jumped by 61.6 percent. In the first eight months, China's auto exports soared 104.4 percent, and ship exports increased by 28 percent.

"With the continued effect of a series of policy measures, we have the confidence, foundation and conditions to achieve the goal of promoting stability and improving the quality of imports and exports," said Lu Daliang, a spokesperson with the General Administration of Customs, during a press conference in July.

In terms of investment, in the first half of the year, total fixed-asset investment increased by 3.8 percent year-on-year, with private investment dropping 0.2 percent. However, excluding real estate investment, private investment jumped by 9.4 percent during the same period. China has also taken a slew of measures to stabilize the real estate market.

Vast potential

"Based on international experience, after an economy reaches a certain scale, industrial upgrading and transformation and development are generally accompanied by short-term slowdown. While accelerating structural adjustment, transformation and upgrading, China's economy has achieved effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth, which is extremely difficult," Yang Changyong, a senior researcher from the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, told the People's Daily.

Yang said that the Chinese economy can make new breakthroughs and reach new heights if the advantages of the vast domestic consumption are fully leveraged, greater efforts are made in adjusting growth models and structures and boosting growth engines, and a powerful and resilient domestic economy is established.

China also has the institutional advantage of being a socialist market economy, sufficient macro policy tools and adjustment room, and abundant means and measures to prevent and tackle risks, which ensures long-term stability of the Chinese economy despite challenges, according to Wang Changlin .

The bright prospect of China's high-quality development is also reflected in the steadfast efforts by companies such as BYD and SAIC Volkswagen to transform and innovate. With their advanced technologies and high-quality products reaching every corner of the globe, the world will feel and benefit from China's high-quality development.

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SOURCE Global Times
SEOUL, South Korea , Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Key Foundry, an 8-inch pure-play foundry in Korea , announced today that it has signed a long-term supply agreement with Vishay Intertechnology Inc. (NYSE: VSH) for multiple power MOSFET products.

Power MOSFETs are the typical power discrete device, characterized by low loss, high-speed switching, and high reliability during high-voltage, high-current operation, which are commonly used in almost every electronic device.

According to a market research firm OMDIA, the power discrete market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6% from $21.2 billion in 2022, reaching a $28.4 billion market in 2027. Vishay is one of the global leading companies in the power discrete market, and its power semiconductors are widely applied to automotive DC-DC converters, battery management systems, HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) control, LED lighting, as well as consumer and industrial products such as TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and VR/AR.

Key Foundry and Vishay have signed this long-term foundry service agreement for multiple power MOSFET products, with a plan to start mass production in 2024. In addition, both parties have begun discussions for other future product development.

With this agreement, Vishay secures a reliable source of foundry services for MOSFET production, while Key Foundry engages with a large customer for automotive power discrete, which will increase its share of automotive semiconductor sales in the long term.

"With this agreement we are taking another step forward in our plan to expand capacity, both internally and externally. In particular, it will help us alleviate our current MOSFET supply constraints especially for our automotive and industrial customers," said Joel Smejkal , President and CEO of Vishay. "In evaluating foundry partners, we decided to engage with Key Foundry because of its foundry's capabilities and proactive response, and we look forward to the synergies we can achieve through cooperation with Key Foundry."

"We are pleased to collaborate with Vishay, a leading automotive power semiconductor company," said Derek D. Lee , CEO of Key Foundry. "Key Foundry will continue to improve process technologies as well as strengthen capabilities in marketing, quality, and production to expand supply of automotive semiconductors and grow into a leading specialty foundry."

About Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.

Vishay manufactures one of the world's largest portfolios of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components that are essential to innovative designs in the automotive, industrial, computing, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and medical markets. Serving customers worldwide, Vishay is The DNA of tech. Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. is a Fortune 1,000 Company listed on the NYSE (VSH). More on Vishay at www.Vishay.com.

The DNA of tech is a trademark of Vishay Intertechnology.

About Key Foundry

Headquartered in Korea , Key Foundry provides specialty Analog and Mixed-Signal foundry services for semiconductor companies to serve a wide range of applications in the consumer, communications, computing, automotive and industrial industries. With a broad range of technology portfolios and process nodes, Key Foundry has the flexibility and capability to meet the ever-evolving needs of semiconductor companies across the globe. Please visit https://www.key-foundry.com for more information.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the expected impact of the agreement between Vishay and Key Foundry on product leadtimes and capacity expansions, and the risks set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in Vishay's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 , most recent Form 10-Q and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Vishay does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

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SOURCE Key Foundry
ONTARIO, Calif. , Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Alaska Airlines are leaders in creating a welcoming and accessible travel experience, and on Saturday, the two showcased the inspiring work they're doing on behalf of individuals with disabilities.

As part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, ONT and Alaska Airlines co-hosted the Alaska Airlines Disability Flight Experience, featuring the ' X aat K waani' ( Salmon People ) aircraft. Individuals with disabilities were able to experience the excitement of a day of travel, including receiving a boarding pass, going through security, boarding a Boeing 737-800, and taxiing out from the gate before coming right back.

ONT also hosted a Disability Awareness Resource Fair inside Terminal 2, where visitors were able to learn about the airport's disability resources, experience first-hand the airport's ONT+ Visitor Pass Program which allows the nontraveling public to enjoy the amenities on the post-security side of the terminal and meet the PAW Squad support dog team.

ONT offers numerous accessibility features and support services for travelers with disabilities, including ADA-compliant parking, shuttle services and airport grounds, checkpoint assistance in collaboration with TSA Cares, and partnerships with California Relay Services, ReciteMe and the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. For more on these programs and services, please visit: https://www.flyontario.com/ada.

"Today was a wonderful opportunity for visitors to get a better feel for the airport and to experience the commitment we have across our organization to breaking down barriers to travel and ensuring access for every visitor," said Alan D. Wapner , President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.

"We know that traveling with a disability can be intimidating, and we are proud to have put into place programs and services that ensure that all travelers can have an easy and enjoyable airport experience," said Atif Elkadi , OIAA's chief executive officer.

"Alaska Airlines is committed to providing our guests with inclusive travel experiences through our convenient, comfortable and caring service," said Steve Nelson , Alaska Airlines accessibility and diversity program manager. "We are grateful for this partnership with Ontario International Airport to help alleviate the anxiety that can be associated with traveling for passengers with disabilities and their families."

About Ontario International Airport

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States , according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California . It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to nearly two dozen major airports in the U.S. , Mexico , Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Councilmember Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Councilmember Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States , Belize , Canada , Costa Rica and Mexico . We strive to be the most caring airline with award-winning customer service and an industry-leading loyalty program. As a member of the oneworld alliance, and with our additional global partners, our guests can travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 25 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com and follow @alaskaairnews for news and stories. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.

ONT Media Contact:

Steve Lambert , (909) 841-7527 [email protected]

Alaska Airlines Media Contact:

Maria Cid , (916) 600-2022 maria.cid@alaskaair.com

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SOURCE Ontario International Airport
This photo taken on Oct. 6, 2023 shows the exhibition area of China at the 8th Nicosia Book Fest in Nicosia, Cyprus. The 8th Nicosia Book Fest, featuring China as the Country of Honor, was inaugurated on Friday. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)

NICOSIA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 8th Nicosia Book Fest, featuring China as the Country of Honor, was inaugurated on Friday.

When addressing the opening ceremony, Zhang Jianchun, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, underscored the notable strides in China-Cyprus relations.

Noting the cultural bonds between the two ancient civilizations, Zhang stressed the importance of cultural exchanges and mutual understanding in the rapidly evolving world.

Cypriot Deputy Minister of Culture Vasiliki Kassianidou expressed her pleasure for having China as the country of honor at the fest. She highlighted the enduring diplomatic and cultural ties between Cyprus and China that span over five decades, and underscored the significance of the event's role in promoting literature, knowledge, and love for reading across all age groups in Cyprus.

Menelaos Menelaou, president of the Board of Directors of the Promitheas Research Institute, highlighted the role of the festival as a cornerstone event that attracts visitors, bookshops, publishers, and literary talents. 
RoboForex was honored to take home the 'Best Copy Trading Platform' and 'Best Multi Asset Trading Platform' awards for 2023 at the prestigious Global Brand Awards.

LONDON , Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The prestigious Global Brand Awards, a revered yearly occasion orchestrated by the Global Brands Magazine (GBM) in the United Kingdom , strives to honour worldwide brands that distinguish themselves across diverse industries, all the while ensuring that readers are abreast of pivotal trends in the realm of branding. Amidst this distinguished exhibition of accomplishment, RoboForex stands out in this impressive display of success by becoming a pioneer and going through an evaluation conducted by an external assessment agency. Global Brands Magazine conducted an intensive assessment that considered numerous factors, including RoboForex's innovative trading technologies, extensive asset selection, exceptional customer support, and regulatory compliance as well as its dedication to educating and empowering traders. RoboForex stands out among traders; its user-friendly interface and commitment to client satisfaction has made RoboForex worthy of Global Brands Magazine's recognition.

Commenting on winning the award, Jay Reddy , Director of Global Brands Magazine , said, "We are delighted to recognize RoboForex for their extraordinary achievements in online trading. Receiving both the 'Best Copy Trading Platform' and 'Multi-Asset Trading Platform' awards this year from Global Brands Magazine speaks volumes of their commitment to innovation and excellence; their recent wins at this year's awards prove this point further."

They continue setting new industry standards; we look forward to watching RoboForex grow even more vital in future years.

About RoboForex

RoboForex is a company that delivers comprehensive brokerage services. The company provides traders in financial markets with access to its proprietary trading platforms. RoboForex Ltd operates under brokerage licence FSC 000138/437. View detailed information about the company's products and activities on the official website, roboforex.com.

RoboForex's proprietary CopyFX system has not only set industry standards but also redefined them. The recognition we have received highlights CopyFX's multifaceted capabilities: seamless integration with top-tier trading platforms, robust handling of high-volume transactions, unmatched security protocols, and exceptional network stability.

Beyond its technical merits, CopyFX adds a social dimension to trading. Whether you're an individual trader or a long-term RoboForex client, you can become a partner and guide newcomers to top trading strategies, earning a share of the trader's commission in return. The system's adaptable framework allows users to take on multiple roles  as a trader, investor, or partner  offering unprecedented opportunities to diversify trading approaches, engage with the community, and discover new revenue streams.

The 'Best Multi-Asset Trading Platform' award celebrates the sophisticated architecture of the R StocksTrader platform. This web-based terminal offers traders an unparalleled variety of asset classes, encompassing stocks, indices, oil, metals, currency pairs, and ETFs, altogether featuring over 12,000 distinct financial instruments for both trading and investment.

R StocksTrader is enriched by an array of advanced trading tools and a user-friendly interface. Additionally, it boasts a built-in strategy constructor, enabling traders to effortlessly design and deploy their own automated trading systems.

About Global Brands Magazine ( England )

Global Brands Magazine (GBM) has been at the forefront, bringing news, views, and opinions on brands shaping the future of their industry. The magazine covers a wide range of industries, including fashion, beauty, technology, and more. It is targeted towards business executives and marketing professionals, offering insights and analysis on brand building and management. The magazine has over 9.5 million visitors and 14 million page views per month, making it one of the best and most esteemed online magazines globally. The magazine also maintains a strong presence on social media, boasting 20k+ Facebook likes, 10k+ Instagram followers, 25k+ Twitter followers, and 3k+ LinkedIn followers.

About the Global Brand Awards

The Global Brand Awards is an annual event that celebrates the accomplishments of the world's leading brands. These awards honour brands across various categories, including innovation, sustainability, customer experience, and more. The aim is to showcase best practices in branding, marketing, and customer engagement while providing recognition and exposure for the winning brands. We are excited to announce the highly anticipated awards ceremony which will take place at The Athenee Hotel located in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand , in May 2024 . To learn more about the awards, please visit the Brand Awards Winners section on the GBM website.

To nominate your company or business leader for the Global Brand Awards 2023, please click on the following link:

https://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com/nomination-form/

Checkout our social media shoutouts from the links below:

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3PM3Co5

Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3Q5Yfl6

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3tlxnEV

Instagram: https://bit.ly/45k7F0D

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2080309/4043105/GBM_AWARDS_2023_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE Global Brands Magazine
(Reuters) - A party official in the Russian-held town of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine's Kherson province was killed by a car bomb on Saturday, the provincial governor said.

Vladimir Malov, executive secretary of the town branch of Russia's governing United Russia party, died in hospital, Vladimir Saldo said in a post on his Telegram channel.

He said it had been a "terrorist attack", meaning one orchestrated by Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv.

Officials seen as supporting Russian rule in the parts of Ukraine that Moscow claims to have annexed since its full-scale invasion in February last year have often been targeted in assassination attempts, many of them fatal.

In July, Russia said it had thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to kill Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-backed head of unilaterally annexed Crimea, arresting an agent before he could blow up Aksyonov's car.

(Reporting by Reuters; writing by Kevin Liffey; editing by Nick Macfie)
(Reuters) - Russian air defence forces took down a Ukrainian drone near Moscow early on Saturday that appeared to cause no damage or injuries, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported.

The attack, repelled over the Istra district northwest of the capital, was an attempt by Ukraine to attack Russian facilities, TASS reported, citing Russia's Defense Ministry.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said preliminary reports showed no casualties or damage but that "emergencies services are working at the scene," TASS said, citing his channel on the Telegram messaging app.

Flight operations resumed at Moscow's Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports after being suspended, TASS said.

The reported attack on Russia follows Russian air strikes on Ukraine on Friday that Ukrainian officials said killed a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother in Kharkiv and damaged grain and port infrastructure in the Odesa region. A day earlier, Ukrainian officials said dozens were killed in the village of Hroza in northeastern Ukraine during a gathering to mourn a fallen Ukrainian soldier.

(Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
Palestinian militants ride an Israeli military vehicle that was seized by gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip October 7, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot

(Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday.

The following is reaction from around the world.

UNITED STATES

"There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement released by the State Department.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

UNITED NATIONS

U.N. Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said: "This is a dangerous precipice, and I appeal to all to pull back from the brink."

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk said: "This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians ... Civilians must never be the target of attack."

PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS

The Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops," the official news agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying.

IRAN

An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday congratulated Palestinian fighters, the semi-official ISNA news site reported. "We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem," it quoted Yahya Rahim Safavi as saying.

Iran's state television showed parliament members rising from their seats to chant "Death to Israel".

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani spokesperson was quoted by ISNA as saying: "In this operation, the element of surprise and other combined methods were used, which show the Palestinian people's confidence in the face of the occupiers."

CHINA

The Chinese foreign ministry urged relevant parties "to remain calm, exercise restraint and immediately end the hostilities to protect civilians and avoid further deterioration of the situation".

"The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine," the foreign ministry said.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ

"Terrifying news reaches us today from #Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel," Scholz said on social media.

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON

Macron strongly condemned the attacks.

"I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them," he said.

SAUDI ARABIA

The foreign ministry called for an "immediate cessation of violence".

EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

Egypt warned of "grave consequences" and called for "exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger".

MOROCCO

Morocco, which is moving towards full diplomatic ties with Israel under the so-called "Abraham Accords", voiced "deep concern" and condemned attacks on civilians "where ever they are".

However, Morocco's Islamist PJD party, which had been the largest in parliament until elections in 2021, praised the Hamas attack as "a heroic act" and "a natural and legitimate reaction to daily violations".

EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JOSEP BORRELL

"Using civilians as hostages is a blatant violation of all laws. I will do my utmost to contribute to their freedom," Borrell said.

He added he was travelling to Muscat, Oman to meet Arab counterparts. "Even at this tragic moment, we recall the importance of working towards a lasting and sustainable peace through reinvigorated efforts in the Middle East Peace Process," he said.

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU

"Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel. These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this. Civilian life must be protected," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER JAMES CLEVERLY

"The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself," Cleverly said.

EUROPEAN UNION

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form."

TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN

"We call for restraint from all parties," Erdogan said.

QATAR

The foreign ministry said Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinian people, and called for both sides to show restraint.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MIKHAIL BOGDANOV

Russia is in contact with Israel, the Palestinians and Arab countries in connection with the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Bogdanov said, urging restraint.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY

Zelenskiy condemned what he called a "terror attack" on Israel and said Israel's right to defend itself "cannot be doubted".

HEZBOLLAH

The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, an arch foe of Israel, said it was in "direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance" and described events as a "decisive response to Israel's continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalisation with Israel".

POLISH PRESIDENT ANDRZEJ DUDA

"I'm shocked by today's brutal attacks on Israel by Hamas. Rockets attacks and detention of civilians as hostages arouse our deepest opposition. Poland strongly condemns all acts of violence," Duda said on Saturday.

CZECH PRESIDENT PETR PAVEL

"The attack conducted from the Gaza Strip is a deplorable act of terrorism against the State of Israel and the civilian population," Pavel said in a statement.

"The rocket attacks and the infiltration of Hamas commandos into Israel will block any efforts for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for a long time."

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

"A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was held today on the dramatic situation unfolding in Israel, which has been the target of a military and terrorist attack," a statement said on Saturday.

"The government is following the evolution of the situation with concern... Particular attention is being paid to the security of the Jewish community in the country."

JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA

"Hamas and other Palestinian militants attacked Israel from Gaza yesterday. Japan strongly condemns the attacks which severely harmed innocent civilians. I express my condolences to the bereaved families and heartfelt sympathies to the injured," Kishida said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"A number of people were reportedly abducted by the militants. Japan strongly condemns such acts and urges their immediate release. Japan is deeply concerned about a number of casualties in Gaza as well. All the parties concerned should exercise maximum restraint."

AFRICAN UNION

Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, said: "Denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, particularly that of an independent and sovereign State, is the main cause of the permanent Israeli-Palestinian tension."

"The Chairperson urgently appeals to both parties to put an end to military hostilities and to return, without conditions, to the negotiating table."

KUWAIT

Kuwait expressed its "grave concern" over developments between Israel and the Palestinians, blaming Israel for what it called its "blatant attacks".

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

"The UAE calls for the exercise of maximum restraint and an immediate ceasefire to avoid serious repercussions," the official news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

INDONESIA

"Indonesia is very concerned about the increasing escalation of the conflict between Palestine and Israel," the foreign ministry the worlds largest Muslim-majority country said on X.

"Indonesia requests that acts of violence stop immediately to avoid increasing human casualties. The root of the conflict, namely the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel, must be resolved according to the parameters agreed upon by the U.N."

KENYA

"We repudiate the planners, funders and implementers of this heinous attack. While Israel has a right to retaliate, a peaceful path to resolving this unfortunate development is urged," Korir Sing'oei, principal secretary at Kenya's foreign ministry, said on X.

UGANDA

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda said: "The break out of renewed violence in Israel- Palestine is regrettable. Why dont the two sides implement the two States Solution? To be condemned, in particular, is the practice of targeting civilians and non- combatants by the belligerents."

(Compiled by Reuters bureaux; Editing by Jan Harvey, Andrew Cawthorne, Ros Russell, Barbara Lewis and Toby Chopra)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement at the Palmachim Air Force Base near the city of Rishon Lezion, Israel July 5, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed "mighty vengeance" against Hamas after the Palestinian militant movement launched a surprise attack on Saturday, killing more than 150 Israelis and taking numerous captives.

In a brief video address, he said Hamas would be held responsible for the well-being of the captives and said Israel would settle the score with anyone who harmed them.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell, writing by James Mackenzie, editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
FILE PHOTO: A demonstrator holds up a Guatemalan national flag during a blockade of the Public Ministry building to demand the resignation of powerful senior prosecutors accused of working to undermine President-elect Bernardo Arevalo's ability to take of

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) -The Organization of American States (OAS) on Saturday named the representatives that will lead its mission to mediate between Guatemalan officials and street protesters seeking an orderly transfer to power to President-elect Bernardo Arevalo, according to a statement published on social media site X.

OAS head Luis Almagro previously said late on Friday that he accepted the invitation from Guatemala's government that asked to achieve "consensus among different sectors" of the country.

Former Minister of Defense of Uruguay Luis Rosadilla, and the OAS Secretary of Access to Rights and Equity Maricarmen Plata will lead the mission.

"The aforementioned mission will seek to meet with the main actors of the social and political situation that occupies the country and will present specific recommendations," said the document published Saturday.

These suggestions would have the purpose of allowing the Guatemalan Government "to adopt urgent political decisions that lead to the effective solution of the issues that are the subject of the social protest that is currently developing," it added.

Tens of thousands took to Guatemala's streets this week, demanding the resignation of powerful senior prosecutors accused of working to undermine Arevalo's ability to take office.

Rosadilla and Plata will travel to Guatemala City "at the earliest possible date," and they will be joined by the representative of the OAS office in Guatemala, Diego Paz, the organization specified.

Arevalo was elected in a landslide in August, but since then Attorney General Consuelo Porras has intensified efforts to disqualify Arevalo's anti-graft Movimiento Semilla party and ordered raids on the electoral authority's offices, seizing ballots.

Porras' office alleges the party's registration was tainted by illegalities six years ago, but her investigation was only launched after Arevalo's unexpectedly strong second-place finish in June's first-round vote.

The attorney general has been accused of corruption by the U.S. government.

During the weekend, the protests had spread to more than 60 locations across Central America's most-populous country, led by indigenous groups, students, teachers and medical workers.

As part of the steps taken for the transition process, the Guatemalan government said on Saturday that it set up offices for the teams of the elected authorities to "get to know the different institutions and facilitate the communication process between the teams."

(Reporting by Sofia Menchu in Guatemala City; Writing by David Alire Garcia and Anna-Catherine Brigida; editing by William Mallard)
(Reuters) - The governor of Russia's Belgorod region said on Saturday that one civilian had been killed in the village of Urazovo, near the Ukrainian border, as a result of Ukrainian shelling.

Russian air defence systems downed three Ukrainian missiles over the region, he said earlier.

Attacks on regions of Russia adjoining Ukraine have become an almost daily occurrence in the last few months.

Kyiv does not typically claim responsibility for attacks on targets inside Russia.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen outside of a Walgreens, owned by the Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 26, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo

(Reuters) - Pharmacy employees at some U.S. Walgreens stores, including pharmacists, technicians and support staff, plan a walkout between Monday and Wednesday, CNN reported on Friday, citing an organizer.

Some employees plan to walk out for one day, while others expect to close their pharmacies for all three, the network said, citing employees in three states.

The walkout is in response to what pharmacy employees call burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations placed on pharmacists, the report said.

Reuters could not immediately reach employees involved in the reported action for comment.

Walgreens said in an emailed response it was engaged and listening to concerns raised by some of its team members. "We are making significant investments in pharmacist wages and hiring bonuses to attract/retain talent in harder to staff locations," the company said.

In the biggest ever U.S. healthcare sector strike, Kaiser Permanente nurses, medical technicians and support staff walked off the job at hospitals and clinics for 72 hours this week.

The strike by 75,000 workers ended on Friday as the two sides agreed to resume stalled contract talks, although union officials warned of possible further walkouts.

(Reporting by Dimpal Gulwani in Bengaluru; Additional Reporting by Devika Nair and Rishabh Jaiswal; Editing by Sandra Maler, Rosalba O'Brien and William Mallard)
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the September Jobs Report and National Manufacturing Day in the Roosevelt room at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 6, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis

By Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden offered Israel on Saturday "all appropriate means of support" after a deadly attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas and warned "any party hostile to Israel" not to seek advantage.

U.S. and Israeli officials were coordinating about Israel's military needs in the wake of the attack, with a decision expected soon, a senior U.S. official said.

The United States is working with other governments to make sure the crisis does not spread and is contained to Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack in Israel, the official said.

"We want to make sure this is contained in Gaza," the official told reporters.

The assault by the Iran-backed Islamist group erupted amid efforts by Biden and his team to negotiate a landmark normalization agreement between foes Israel and Saudi Arabia and a U.S.-Saudi defense pact.

Biden spoke by phone to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to offer U.S. support, with scenes of violence playing out on American news networks. The two leaders have had strained relations but met in New York last month in a show of solidarity.

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel," Biden said in a written statement issued after their call.

In his televised remarks later, Biden issued a blunt warning.

"Israel has a right to defend itself and its people - full stop," he said. "Let me say this as clearly as I can. This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage. The world is watching."

The senior U.S. official, speaking on a conference call, said there was no indication yet that Iran was involved in the Hamas attack but vowed to look into it.

Amid worries about a massive Israeli intelligence failure, the official said Washington had no specific warning or indication that Hamas would launch the attack.

"We always share timely intelligence," the official said.

Biden directed his national security team to stay in touch about the situation with countries throughout the region including Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and European allies.

The violence came as Washington was in disarray: Republicans are looking for a successor to ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy of the House of Representatives, and a budget showdown looms with Biden and his Democrats that could lead to a government shutdown in about 40 days.

Biden's choice to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, has yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

IRAN CRITICISM

Republicans seeking to oust Biden in the 2024 presidential election were quick to criticize his handling of the situation.

"Iran has helped fund this war against Israel, and Joe Biden's policies that have gone easy on Iran has helped to fill their coffers. Israel is now paying the price for those policies," said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican running for his party's presidential nomination.

DeSantis appeared to be referring to a prisoner swap deal the Biden administration completed with Iran in September. The deal was first made public in August. Under the deal, the United States waived sanctions to allow the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar, a step needed to carry out the U.S.-Iran prisoner swap.

A Biden administration official said not a dollar of the $6 billion has been spent yet. The money is intended solely for humanitarian purposes.

"I can't comment on 2024 because of the Hatch Act. But I can clarify the facts: Not a single cent from these funds has been spent, and when it is spent, it can only be spent on things like food and medicine for the Iranian people," said White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

The Hatch Act prohibits White House officials from engaging in political activity.

Brian Nelson, a senior Treasury Department official, said: "All of the money held in restricted accounts in Doha as part of the arrangement to secure the release of five Americans in September remains in Doha."

The impact of the Hamas attack on the U.S.-Israel-Saudi normalization negotiations was unclear, but the U.S. official said Washington would not let the militant group derail the talks.

The United States has been insistent any agreement include some Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, but what those would be remained a subject of negotiations.

Reuters reported last month that Saudi Arabia is determined to secure a military pact requiring the United States to defend the kingdom in return for opening ties with Israel, and will not hold up a deal even if Israel does not offer major concessions to Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick; additional reporting by Ismail Shakil; editing by Heather Timmons, Chris Reese and Diane Craft)
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- A funeral home in the U.S. state of Colorado is under investigation after more than 100 rotting bodies were found at the facility, local authorities said Friday.

The deceased bodies were discovered on Wednesday in the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, a town in Fremont County. Police took a closer look at the "green" funeral operator's storage facility and found at least 115 decomposing bodies inside.

Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper told a news conference that "during the last 48 hours, my office made a very disturbing discovery."

"The area of the funeral home where the bodies were improperly stored was horrific," he said.

"There have been a lot of questions and concerns expressed by the community, especially those families who entrusted their loved ones to this funeral home. Our priority and our focus are on the families," said Cooper, adding that officials are committed to finding answers for the families as quickly as possible.

Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller also said at the conference that "after making entry into the facility, we found over 100 decedents, who were improperly stored and has created a hazardous scene."

A disaster emergency has been declared in the county, which will make more resources available, according to Keller.

No arrests have been made so far, but Keller said an investigation is in its early stages and will be a very lengthy process.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued an emergency disaster declaration Thursday night to provide "resources from the state to support the investigation and the clean-up of the facility."

Return to Nature Funeral Home described itself on its website as a family-owned and operated mortuary service, and "has operated with three generations of funeral service experience and education." 
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed hope that elections, which are due in Pakistan in January next year, would not be delayed, but everyone would be responsible if they were not held timely.

Addressing a press conference in Jacobabad, Bilawal said that it was his party's long-standing demand that Nawaz should return to Pakistan.

"It has been PPP's long-standing demand that Nawaz should return. PPP is very happy that he is coming back. It is incumbent upon everyone to work for Pakistan's development," the PPP chairman said.

Taking a jibe at the PML-N, Bilawal said the preparations of the party to welcome their leader "were not up to the mark" and they could have "at least done wall chalking".

"This is a test for those who were ministers during Nawaz and PDM's tenure," the PPP chief said.

In his press conference, Bilawal also mentioned that his party was heading into the general elections without an alliance and it "stands firm" on this decision.

"PPP's going to contest polls on its own symbol, we will not be a part of [any alliance, including] PDM."

On the possibility of an alliance with the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Bilawal said the PPP had no plans in this regard as of yet.

"Until those involved in the events of May 9 aren't 'minused', there is no chance of an alliance," Bilawal said, as several PTI workers and leaders face jail time and penalties for their involvement in attacks on state installations.
Eight leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were arrested including former provincial minister Dr. Amjad Ali for organizing a corner corner meetings in Swats area of Barikot and Shamuzi.

As per report, they all will be produced in court today on Saturday. All PTI leaders were attending corner meeting at the time of arrest.

Police also arrested Tehsil Chairman Kashif Ali, UC Chairman Iftikhar Khan. All PTI leaders have been shifted to the Ghaligay police station.
In this article, we will look at the 10 tax free retirement countries for US citizens. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis of the complex world of US tax filing, go to 5 Tax Free Retirement Countries for US Citizens.

The Complex World of U.S. Tax Filing

On average, Americans spend $250 and 13 hours each when filing their annual returns. Individuals earning less than $73,000 annually have access to a free tax filing service that they can utilize, too. However, only 4% tend to make use of the service. Analysis of IRS (Internal Revenue Service) data and a NerdWallet survey supervised by the Harris Poll indicates that in 2020 alone, out of 148 million individual tax returns, only 4.2 million were filed for free. On average, this gap of approximately 87 million taxpayers can fuel as much as $13 billion annually into the coffers of tax preparation companies and professionals.

In light of this, the US Government Accountability Office has noted that the IRS encourages taxpayers to file their tax returns electronically. This practice saves them money and allows tax payers to get their refunds faster. Even then, there is a low use of the IRS Free File, which in turn raises questions about its awareness amongst tax payers. While it is true that there are tax payers who need to consult tax professionals about their specific situations, it doesn't apply to all.

The low usage of Free File is exactly what the private tax corporations are seeking, critics observe. Nina Olson, the national taxpayer advocate, further highlights that under the agreement between IRS and private sector firms, the former cannot develop a "direct" filing option for the taxpayers. Moreover, this agreement also prohibits the IRS from developing an "automated return-free" option, that can let it calculate and generate taxes for individuals. The agreement stands because these private sector firms have the best technology and expertise in electronic tax preparation, and a Public Private Partnership seems the best way forward.

Story continues

Apart from the successful lobbying against the Free File service, major tax prep giants such as H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE:HRB) and Turbo Tax, owned by Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU), have also been sponsoring ads of the free versions of their tax software that are ungoverned by the Free File Alliance rules. As evidenced by the figures, preparation and filing of taxes is big business in the United States of America. H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE:HRB) and similar tax prep companies have spent millions since the 1990s to oppose such free filing systems. Due to such allegations and stricter levels of scrutiny by the IRS; H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE:HRB) left the Free File Alliance in 2020. TurboTax by Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) followed suit in 2021.

Derrick Plummer, a spokesman for Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU), has been stressing the free options that already are available, saying that,

An IRS direct-to-e-file system is redundant and will not be free  not free to build, not free to operate, and not free for taxpayers, Plummer said, adding that it will unnecessarily cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE:HRB) said that the direct e-file pilot "continues to be a solution in search of a problem." It further states that "this pilot is unnecessary and faces significant barriers to providing comprehensive tax preparation services."

While the US tax filing system is complex, the IRS should extend efforts to raise awareness about its Free File service. Moreover, the agency should follow suit of countries such as Germany and UK that provide their taxpayers with varying levels of tax filing ease. Many of these countries also have tax policies that do not tax foreign retirement income. For those seeking a better quality of life and potential cost savings, these countries can be appealing options for retirement.

Tax-free Retirement Countries

Retirement abroad can sound like a dream, but people often tend to forget about details such as taxes. Many countries offer retirement options for individuals relying solely on social security, yet others provide affordable healthcare or even attractive beach destinations in the Caribbean. However, foreign expats, especially Americans, should know that they cannot escape their taxes. If you are a US citizen, you are required to pay your taxes regardless of where you choose to live.

Therefore, it can be safe to assume that as a US citizen, you are liable to pay your taxes abroad under the same rules that apply retirement taxes stateside. However, the problem arises when you end up paying taxes twice. While Americans must file a US tax return, most also have to file a foreign tax return too. As a result, they end up paying taxes twice and fail to stretch their retirement incomes, which was their primary intention of retiring to the country.

Many options exist to help Americans avoid double taxation when retiring abroad. The first option is retiring to a tax-free country. Establishing residence in a country that does not tax foreign income allows Americans to free themselves of their foreign tax obligations. However, they may not be some of the easiest countries to retire to, like Mauritius or Indonesia. It is important, therefore, that a tax free country must be easy to retire to and also cheap to allow retirement savings to go higher. Some of the cheapest countries for retirement include Dominican Republic, Cambodia, and Portugal.

Other options for Americans to avoid double taxation include retiring to countries that the US has established tax treaties with. These treaties establish the country to which a particular expatriate will be liable for taxes, providing a safeguard against double taxation for citizens. For those individuals who wish to retire to a country that the US does not have a tax treaty with, there is another option called the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. For those who qualify for the FEIE, they can exclude a certain amount of foreign source income from their US taxation. Finally, another tax break for US expats is called the Foreign Tax Credit. A foreign tax credit lets a dollar-for-dollar credit for at least part of an individuals taxes to a foreign government.

10 Tax Free Retirement Countries for US Citizens

ATGImages / Shutterstock.com

Methodology

In order to compile the list of tax-free retirement countries for US citizens, we began by identifying countries that dont tax foreign income through government sources and related publications. After identifying these countries, we assessed them based on their quality of life rankings, ease of gaining citizenship, and their costs of living. The sources used for these rankings are Numbeo and Insider Monkey.

We assigned scores to evaluate each factor and then calculated the total scores for each country. Places were ranked in ascending order from the lowest to the highest scores.

Here are the best tax free retirement countries for US Citizens:

10. Greece

Insider Monkey Score: 5

Around 30,000 US expats live in Greece. Steeped in history and culture, the country is one of the best tax free retirement countries for US citizens in Europe. From the Greek cuisine and historical landmarks in Athens to top-class beaches and seaside taverns in Corfu, there are plenty of best places to retire in Greece. With regard to taxes in retirement, the US and Greece have signed a tax treaty together. The treaty ensures that US expats dont pay taxes on the same income to both US and Greek tax authorities. Pensions and withdrawals from non-Greek private pension schemes are taxed at an annual flat rate of 7%. In case the tax is already paid in the US, tax credits and deductions can be applied against the 7% tax in Greece.

9. Malta

Insider Monkey Score: 6

Ranked as one of the easiest countries to retire to, Malta is home to sunny weather and friendly people. Under the Malta Retirement Program (MRP), an individual who is aged 55 or older, receives a pension as their regular source of income and owns or rents a property in Malta, may obtain a retirement visa. Living in the country is approximately 36% cheaper than in the USA. Like Greece, Malta and the US also have a tax treaty with each other. Under this treaty, if the United States pays social security to a US expat residing in Malta, only the US is eligible to tax that social security income.

8. Portugal

Insider Monkey Score: 7

Portugal is a popular retirement destination and also one of the cheapest. The European country is home to more than 10,000 expats. From enjoying the golden sand beaches in the Algarve to relishing the miradouros in Lisbon, there are plenty of best places to retire in Portugal. Individuals retiring to this country often seek Non-habitual Residence (NHR) status in Portugal, a beneficial arrangement granting them 10 years of tax-free income. This includes exemptions on capital gains tax as well.

7. St. Kitts and Nevis

Insider Monkey Score: 8

Crowned as one of the best places to retire in the Caribbean, St. Kitts and Nevis is home to beautiful beaches, volcanic peaks, and lush rainforests. Individuals can retire to the country through Citizenship by Investment program. Moreover, the cost of living on the island is extremely reasonable too, approximating $1,200. The country does not have any income tax, inheritance tax, or capital gains tax. Undoubtedly, it is one of the best tax free retirement countries for US citizens from the USA.

6. Ecuador

Insider Monkey Score: 10

Affordable living costs, nice beaches, and friendly locals make for the perfect retirement in Ecuador. However, the cherry on top is that any foreign income taxed in another jurisdiction, in this case, the United States, is not taxed in the country. The country also motivates individuals to buy properties and establish residence there. Low property taxes are applied, too.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Tax Free Retirement Countries for US Citizens.

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Disclosure: none. 10 Tax Free Retirement Countries for US Citizens is originally published on Insider Monkey.
Dylan Brady (37) with a current address at Grove Road, Blanchardstown, appeared before Judge Maire Conneely at Dublin District Court

A Dublin man who claimed he had suffered a mental breakdown after being accused of trespassing at his former home because he had a "claim" over the property was released on bail.

Dylan Brady (37) with a current address at Grove Road, Blanchardstown, appeared before Judge Maire Conneely at Dublin District Court on Saturday.

He is charged with violent behaviour in a Garda station, trespassing at the house where he grew up in Ballybrack, Co Dublin, in a manner likely to cause fear in another.

He allegedly trespassed at the homes of a relative and one of her neighbours in Cabinteely.

The court heard that he was arrested at an N11 flyover bridge in the early hours of Saturday and "made no reply" when charged.

He was also accused of violent behaviour at a garda station following arrest, breach of the peace, and failing to comply with a garda direction to leave a vicinity.

Objecting to bail, Garda Gary Long alleged the accused was caught red-handed.

He said gardai believed the accused was a "dangerous individual" who thought he had a "claim" and a right over the Ballybrack house, his family home, until about ten years ago.

He added that the accused believed he was welcome there, but he was not, and there were no connections between the accused and the current residents.

The garda feared the accused would return or interfere with witnesses.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Kevin McCrave, the garda agreed the accused told him the incident in Cabinteely involved his client going to a family member's home.

The garda agreed witnesses were not present to give evidence at the bail hearing.

Pleading for bail, Mr McCrave said that his client would abide by conditions and that he had a letter to show he had been receiving treatment in a hospital.

The court heard he faced charges that must be prosecuted at the District Court level but could attract a 12-month sentence.

Mr Brady told the court he had suffered a mental breakdown and objected to being barred from Ballybrack because he had been raised there.

Granting bail, Judge Conneely ordered him to stay away from the two properties, obey a curfew and sign on three days a week at a garda station. He has not yet entered a plea and was remanded to appear at Dun Laoghaire District Court later this month.
Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case at Dublin District Court and said he would leave the defendant without a criminal record if she made a 250 donation to charity.

Lisa Byrne of Pineview Grove, Old Bawn, charged with public order offences

A mother of three told gardai Ill make sure youre dead when they woke her after finding her passed-out drunk on a Dublin city centre street.

Lisa Byrne (35) warned that she knew certain people before resisting arrest by flailing her arms and becoming a dead weight.

Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case at Dublin District Court and said he would leave the defendant without a criminal record if she made a 250 donation to charity.

Byrne, of Pineview Grove, Old Bawn, pleaded guilty to public intoxication, threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and garda obstruction.

Sergeant Michelle Lynch said that last August 6, gardai found Byrne unconscious on OConnell Street.

She was clearly intoxicated, and when woken she became highly aggressive and threatening, shouting: Ill make sure youre dead.

Byrne said she knew certain people, told officers you are nothing and slagged off the gardai, Sgt Lynch said.

She resisted arrest by flailing her arms when gardai tried to handcuff her, then became a dead weight when placed in the patrol vehicle.

Gardai also found Byrne highly intoxicated on a footpath on College Green last December 21.

She had an open can of alcohol in her hand and was highly abusive to them.

She had no previous convictions.

Byrne was appalled by the language she used and apologised, her lawyer said.

The judge adjourned the case to next month and said he would leave her without convictions if she made a 250 charity donation.
Mr Kokoshvili is charged with violent disorder in the incident at Citywest Convention Centre last March 13.

The City West hotel and conference centre which is being used to house Ukrainian Refugees. Photo: Colin Keegan/Collins

An asylum-seeker has been accused of taking part in a mass brawl out at a centre for refugees in west Dublin.

Vakhtangi Kokoshvili (47) is alleged to have been in a 15-man fight between members of the Georgian and Algerian communities in the accommodation centre in Citywest.

Mr Kokoshvili is charged with violent disorder in the incident at Citywest Convention Centre last March 13.

Judge David McHugh adjourned the case for the accused to decide how he intends to plead to the charge.

A garda said the Director of Public Prosecutions consented to the case being dealt with summarily at district court level if the judge accepted jurisdiction.

Outlining the allegations, he said that on the day in question, gardai were called to the centre, where security guards told them about a large disorder incident that had happened a short time earlier.

It was alleged the dispute began over the theft of a phone a member of the Algerian community was alleged to have taken, and it escalated from there.

Security stated Mr Kokoshvili had taken part in the ensuing fight.

The garda said the accused had been arrested on foot of this allegation and the purported identification by security staff, and there was no CCTV evidence.

The allegation was that Mr Kokoshvili and another man were the first two people to start the fight and it all went from there.

The judge asked if there had been any physical injuries as a result of the fight.

Very few, the garda said. Little to none.

A number of people were removed to hospital, but they were discharged without any serious injuries, he added.

Judge McHugh accepted jurisdiction, meaning the case can be dealt with at district court level instead of being sent forward to the circuit court, which has tougher potential sentencing powers on conviction.

He ordered disclosure of prosecution evidence to the defence, at the request of Mr Kokoshvilis solicitor, William Cadogan. The court heard this would not include any CCTV as there was no footage.

The accused, who was not required to address the court during the jurisdiction hearing, was remanded on continuing bail to appear again on a date next month.

He will be expected to indicate how he intends to plead.

The charge against Mr Kokoshvili is under Section 15 of the Public Order Act.

The charge states that the accused, along with others, used or threatened to use unlawful violence causing a person of reasonable firmness present at that place to fear for his or another persons safety.
A man in his 50s died after he was discovered with serious injuries

A man has been extradited from the UK charged in relation to the fatal assault of a man in Co Kerry.

Gardai confirmed the man in his 50s was arrested at Dublin Airport yesterday over the incident in Tralee in May 2022.

A man in his 50s died after he was discovered with serious injuries in an apartment complex in the town.

"Gardai from the Kerry Division arrested a man (aged in his 50s) yesterday, Friday 6th October 2023, at Dublin Airport in relation to the ongoing investigation into the fatal assault of a man at Abbey Court, Tralee, County Kerry on 22nd May 2022, a garda spokesperson said today.

The arrest follows the extradition of the man from England where he had been arrested on foot of a Trade and Co-Operation Agreement arrest warrant.

He has since been charged in relation to this investigation and is due to appear before a special sitting of Kenmare District Court this afternoon at 3.00pm.

Investigations are ongoing, gardai said.

Gardai previously issued an appeal for witnesses in relation to the attack.

Gardai in Tralee are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a man in his 50s following an incident in Tralee, County Kerry on Sunday May 22, 2022, a spokesperson said at the time.

Shortly after 7pm, Gardai and Emergency Services attended at an apartment in the Abbey Court apartment complex, Tralee where a man in his 50s was discovered with serious injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

A man in his 50s has since been arrested in relation to the incident and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Tralee Garda Station.

The local Coroner has been notified and the services of the State Pathologist and Garda Technical Bureau have been requested by investigating Gardai.

The body of the deceased remains at the scene which is currently preserved. A technical examination of the scene and post-mortem examination will be conducted tomorrow morning.

The spokesperson added: Gardai are appealing for witnesses and are particularly appealing to those who were in the vicinity of Abbey Court Apartments and Denny Lane / Street areas between 6:30pm and 7:00pm this evening to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tralee Garda Station (066) 710 2300 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.
Gavin Coyle  described by Judge Patricia Smyth as being committed to acts of terrorism  was jailed for four years.

Forensics at the scene of a booby-trap car bomb attack on an off-duty Catholic policeman outside Castlederg in Co Tyrone (Pic Colm Lenaghan / Pacemaker)

A pitifully low sentence handed to a Co Tyrone man whose car was used in a dissident republican bomb attack on a police officer has been slammed.

Gavin Coyle  described by Judge Patricia Smyth as being committed to acts of terrorism  was jailed for four years.

The victim, who suffered permanent disfiguring injuries, had gone to the same school as Coyle.

The 46-year-old, from Mullaghmore Drive in Omagh, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on two charges arising from the May 2008 undercar bomb blast near Castlederg.

Two years of the six-year sentence will be spent on licence.

Detective Inspector Hazel Miller

TUV leader Jim Allister called on the Director of Public Prosecutions to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal as being unduly lenient.

To see an avowed terrorist, who admitted IRA membership and who has previous terrorist convictions, sentenced to a mere four years for this murderous attack, which caused permanent disfiguring injuries and which involved the intent to kill, is pathetic, he said.

Our courts must get real and hand out sentences to both fit the crime and provide strong deterrence to others. This sentence falls woefully short of what is required.

UUP leader Doug Beattie said: This must be appealed and I will be writing to the DPP.

Judges are bound by sentencing guidelines and must take into account mitigating circumstances, such as early guilty pleas, co-operation with police and remorse, as well as aggravating factors, such as intent and excessive violence.

Coyle pleaded guilty to membership of the IRA between May 1, 2007 and May 13, 2008.

He also admitted providing property to be used for the purpose of terrorism  namely his Audi A4  on May 11 2008.

The latter plea was entered on the grounds that whilst he accepted his car was going to be used for the purposes of terrorism, he was not aware of the precise nature of what this was.

Afterwards, PSNI Detective Inspector Hazel Miller said Coyle had been held accountable for his role in the nightmarish attack.

She said: This was a cowardly, calculated and cold-blooded attack, carried out with one aim: to take the life of a police officer.

Gavin Coyle accepts that he was a member of the IRA and that he provided his car to others knowing it would be used for the purpose of terrorism.

Our officers are committed to keeping people safe. Their dedication, and indeed the actions of those members of the public who ran to help, are in stark contrast to those intent on harming and killing.

Ms Miller said the officer suffered serious injuries and the attack has impacted on his wider family.

She added: He had initial surgery for deep puncture wounds to, and lacerations in, the muscles of his leg.

This was followed by a further operation and, later, plastic surgery.

No one should ever have to experience such a cruel ordeal, the lasting impact of which isnt just felt by the victim, but by family and loved ones too.

Forensics at the scene of a booby-trap car bomb attack on an off-duty Catholic policeman outside Castlederg in Co Tyrone (Pic Colm Lenaghan / Pacemaker)

The court heard that the day before the attack, May 11, 2008, Coyle provided his car to others. The vehicle was subsequently used in the deployment of the bomb left under the serving constables car.

The officer  who had just completed his probationary period  had got into his Ford Focus, parked in the driveway of his home on the outskirts of Castlederg the following evening.

He was en route to a night shift and, as he drove along the Drumnabey Road, the device exploded.

The officer recalled looking down and seeing ripped jeans and blood everywhere. He managed to stop the car, got out and sought help, but collapsed on the side of the road.

He was rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry where he underwent surgery before being transferred to the Ulster Hospital in Belfast where further surgery was required.

The device was packed with half a kilogram of explosives and the attempted murder bid was later admitted by the Tyrone brigade of the Real IRA.

Judge Smyth said that after reading a statement made by the officer, it was clear every aspect of his life has been affected by what happened 15 years ago.

She said the officer sustained permanent disfiguring injuries, has battled mental ill health and his career has spiralled downwards.

The officer also revealed he had to move home and in his statement, he said: Omagh was the place I called home but I no longer feel safe there.

It emerged that while Coyle knew the officer as they went to the same school, they were not friends.

Prior to the bomb attack, Coyle attempted to obtain information on the constable from two mutual acquaintances.

Coyle was arrested in the aftermath of the attack and made no reply when charged.

He was released four days later but was re-arrested following a separate incident in Coalisland in April 2011.

He was initially charged with four offences  including attempting to murder the officer in May 2008.

However, after he pleaded guilty to charges of membership and providing property to terrorists, two charges were not proceeded with by the Crown and he was found not guilty of attempted murder and causing an explosion likely to endanger life.

Jailing Coyle for at least four years, Judge Smyth described him as a person committed to acts of terrorism.
Routine mammogram picked up disease

Its been a milestone week for Tara Smith as she celebrates being cancer free  a year to the day after first getting a breast cancer diagnosis.

Just hours before speaking to the Sunday World, Tara learned the good news following her treatment for the disease.

Though she has always tried to be positive about her diagnosis, she was understandably anxious in the hours before her big appointment.

Today I was in because I had an appointment with the breast check surgeon, she says.

It was my first mammogram since all of this so were a year on.

This morning I was overwhelmed. I was anxious. I was crying. But the good news is that my mammogram is clear. Thats a year to the day since my diagnosis.

Tara has been sharing her cancer experiences on her social media, amusingly under the name Tara Prosecco Smith because of her fondness for a glass of the Italian fizz.

The Killester woman is backing a new campaign in support of the hospital where she received her treatment.

The Mater Foundation in Dublin is launching a Go Pink campaign to help raise vital funds for breast cancer care in the Mater public hospital.

Taking place on October 18, Go Pink is a new fundraising campaign that will support patients with breast cancer by investing funds where they are needed most in the hospital.

People are being encouraged to host a pink-themed gathering to mark the occasion.

Tara shared her journey on Facebook

Tara is also keen to raise awareness about breast cancer because she had NO disease symptoms before diagnosis  the cancer was picked up through a routine mammogram.

I didnt have any warning signs, she says. My story began with a mammogram, my first mammogram. I got a call back.

It was a blessing in a way that I was able to say to people that Ive had the mammogram and had the call back.

" Let them see that Im kind of okay with it all if you like, and the bad news wasnt so dramatic then. It was purely the mammogram that saved my life, basically, she says.

Tara underwent surgery to have the cancerous lump removed and specialists later analysed the tissue and recommended which course of action to take.

I was worried as you would be that theyd got everything. The surgeon assured me that I was cancer free and that they had gotten the lump and they were happy with how it went. However, I would need a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Tara has completed both forms of treatment and is now on a drug called Herceptin, after being deemed a suitable candidate.

All my family and friends were brilliant. My workplace was brilliant. Im in the Lucan Gospel Choir and my choir buddies are just brilliant, says Tara, adding that best pals Patrice, Val and Sharon were a huge support throughout her treatment.

But of course it has been a challenging year, and Tara found it helpful to share her thoughts on social media.

For me, putting the words down on the Facebook page was therapy. The feedback I was getting and the support was overwhelmingly positive and full of love, so that definitely did help, she says.

Humour also helped her cope. My first chemotherapy was the 29th of December 2022. I went in with Christmas lights around my neck and glasses with 2023 on them.

"Just some lightness for others because I really was okay. My God, I had some bad moments as well. But without that early detection, who knows. Today was such a monumental day in my life to get that mammogram result.

I would say to everybody get your bits checked. I urge everybody to get their mammograms. Dont miss their appointments, the services are there. Theyre amazing. It has saved my life.
Quite quickly I found myself in a situation where he was holding a knife to my gut

AN Irish-born film maker who was once stabbed five times has reached out to other victims of knife crime to document the affects the deadly scourge has on victims.

Aodh Breathnach is still suffering the consequences of being viciously attacked eight years ago by man who was carrying a blade stabbed him five times around the head and body.

The young film maker has already had several documentaries screened on British TV, including on paramedics and suicide, and will now focus on his own personal story in the BBC programme Scar: Surviving a stabbing.

I was born in Cork and then grew up in south Kerry until I was seven, Aodh tells the Sunday World. When my parents split up I moved over to southwest England. My mums English and my dads Irish.

All of my Irish family are still in Kerry, not far from Killarney, so I go back on a regular basis to visit, but sadly Ive lost my accent. Half of my family is still there, Dad, uncles, aunties. So I make it make at least a couple of times a year, more if I can.

I get texts from my aunt every St Patricks day telling me to wet the shamrock. Like a lot of people that are part of the Irish diaspora and are overseas.

His name means Hugh Walsh in Gaelic.

Aodh Breathnach

It was an interesting experience me moving over to England and doing school registers with this name, he smiles.

He is familiar that Ireland has some knife crime problems, with Limerick even gaining an unfair and unfortunate nickname because of it.

I am familiar with the name and knife crime activists here while I was making the film, brought up Limerick and referred to it as Stab City, he reflects.

I dont personally know the town myself and I would be quite careful to brand anywhere as being associated with stabbings.

For me the one thing Ive learned during the making of this programme is that knife crime is something that nowhere is immune to.

Its often something that we feel is specific to certain urban areas or certain marginalised groups, but I think its finding its way into the suburbs and into the sticks, especially in the UK we are seeing it much more in the rural towns.

After I moved from Ireland, I grew up in a small town in the south west of England and I know people from that town that have sadly been stabbed and even passed asway from knife crime.

Ive gone to feel its not something I would associate with any one place. I think it can affect all of us.

Aodh recalls his own terrible experience.

I was in my mid-20s, starting out as a film maker and doing part time bar work, he recollects.

Somebody I did some freelance video work for didnt pay me. When I saw him on a night out, we exchanged words. I was angry and I didnt hold my tongue.

Quite quickly I found myself in a situation where he was holding a knife to my gut.

But Aodh did not back down from the menacing situation he found himself in.

Out of male pride really I chose not to walk away and I stood my ground, he adds.

Looking backwards there were a couple of times I could have left and thats something in the film I take accountability for as well.

But sadly, I stood my ground and I found myself stabbed five times. I was really lucky to come away without any life changing injuries.

I was stabbed twice in the top of my head, under my eye and in both sides. Then there were just numerous smaller cuts across my head and my body really

I think whats really is that it was a small blade. Regardless of the side of the blade  it went about a centimetre, maybe two centimetres under my left eye. He was just stabbing frantically

When I came out of hospital, I felt really lucky to have my eyesight and that I didnt get stabbed in the jugular or anything like that, so it could have been really different.

He tries to tell stories of survivors who are still coming to terms with what happened.

What this film is not really about is the details that sort of lead up to the stabbing, he maintains.

 A lot of the contributors dont talk about their stabbing in the film, but we focus on the impact.

The reason for that is I came out and got my stiches out within a few weeks, my staples out of my head and I went back to my normal life but feeling very different.

I healed up quickly in a physical sense, but what I noticed was a lasting impact on my mental health

That surprised me because I had known friends that had been stabbed in the past growing up and none of them had talked about impact on their mental health.

One of his friends, Twizzy, had been stabbed over 20 years ago and opens up to him in the film for the first time about their shared connection.

He was stabbed years before me and 20 years later he still feels the ripples of what happened and has some anger, and is still affected by night terrors, he points out.

I think thats interesting that two close friends can have a close experience like that and not talk.

So, I was really intrigued going into this film to explore whether other people had been affected by stabbings like me, because it flipped my world upside down.

While Aodhs perpetrator was never convicted some assailants do face justice.

One survivor Kurtis tells of his he was stabbed in the back by as random stranger last year, who got 12 years in jail for the attack.

When I met Kurtis I could tell he was still trying to make sense of why someone could hurt him so randomly and care so little for his life and I think thats something I related to and felt as well, he notes.

But what I did see in him that was different was that through seeing this perpetrator being convicted he seemed to be free of the sense of anger and fear and injustice that I still carried. He seemed to have a sense of closure that I didnt.

One answer is restorative justice, where the survivor can reach out to the perpetrator and try and look for an opening up about what happened between them.

I feel if more people who have been stabbed receive therapy there might be less stabbings, because those people would have coping mechanisms and might be less fearful and be less susceptible to retaliation, he stresses.
Following hospital treatment there are strong hopes that Eileen (38) will make a full recovery.

A go-fund-me appeal has been issued on behalf of a young Mayo social worker who is recovering in a hospital in Darwin after being shot on Tuesday last.

Eileen Gibbons, a mother-of-one from Castlebar was shot by her estranged partner Ralph Donald (35) at his family's home at around 6.30pm on Tuesday before he turned the gun on himself.

Ms Gibbons who worked as a nurse was stabilised by paramedics at the scene before being rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

Relatives have been told that Ms Gibbons is conscious and her condition is stable.

Relatives and friends of Ms Gibbons have launched the appeal for Eileen whom they describe as a compassionate caregiver known for her dedication to her patients.

She now needs your help to overcome the challenges she faces, the appeal reads.

"In addition to the physical and emotional toll on Eileen, her mother Ann, and other family members, are desperate to be by her side as she embarks on her path to recovery."

The post adds: Every donation, no matter the size, will make a significant impact on Eileen's recovery and enable her family to be by her side during this challenging period and eventually bring her back home to Ireland.

Following hospital treatment there are strong hopes that Eileen (38) will make a full recovery.

She has responded well to emergency treatment for an abdominal wound in recent days and has been able to speak briefly by telephone with her mother, Anne.

Anne and other relatives are preparing this weekend to make the long trip to Darwin to be by Eileens bedside.

Eileen has a one-year old daughter.

The appeal has so far raised over 37,000 of its 50,000 target.

Cllr Martin McLoughlin, who knows her family well, told The Mayo News that local people in Castlebar are reeling following the news.

"It's on everybody's lips. The town is absolutely shocked and devastated. When you are in a situation like this theres no answers. You dont have adequate words even, never mind answers."

Cllr McLoughlin said he was full of hope for Ms Gibbons, who is being supported by a large community of Castlebar people living in Darwin.

Police in Darwin are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

For young Americans who have recently graduated or will soon graduate, the idea of moving out of their parents houses and achieving financial independence can be both exciting and daunting.

The Nuclear Savings Rule: 10 Frugal Living Tips From the 1950s Era

Next: How To Get Cash Back on Your Everyday Purchases

Unlike previous generations with more established financial foundations, Gen Z faces unique challenges as they enter the workforce. While it is common knowledge that cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco are expensive, there are lesser-known urban areas where Gen Zers should exercise caution if they are looking to build their savings.

Check out these eight cities that feature high living costs that can put a strain on Gen Zs budget.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Average one-bedroom rent in Honolulu: $2,344

Living in Hawaii is very attractive for young people due to its laid-back style and picturesque landscape. However, its not an ideal financial move.

Honolulu in Hawaii is considered the worst city for Gen Z when it comes to saving money, said Adam Chahl, a Vancouver Real Estate Agent. The high cost of rent and groceries make it difficult for young adults to save up, despite the city having a high median income for this age group.

San Jose, California

Average one-bedroom rent in San Jose: $2,098

Jan Jose, situated at the heart of Silicon Valleys tech innovation, may seem promising, but the presence of big tech companies has led to exorbitantly high costs of living.

As I have seen in my own experience, San Jose is one of the worst cities for Gen Z to move to if they are trying to save money, said Alex Locklear, realtor and founder of NC Cash Homebuyers.

The cost of living in San Jose is extremely high compared to the national average. Its nearly impossible for someone just starting out in their career to save money while living here. With the median home price being over $1 million and rent prices soaring, its no surprise that Gen Z would struggle to build up their savings in this city.

Story continues

Read: The Average American Spends This Much on Rent  See How You Stack Up

Raleigh, North Carolina

Average one-bedroom rent in Raleigh: $1,307

While Raleighs location inside the research triangle offers countless career opportunities, these opportunities come alongside higher pay and thus, higher expenses.

Despite having a lower cost of living compared to other cities, Raleigh-Durhams housing market has become increasingly competitive and expensive, Locklear said. In fact, the median home price in Raleigh is over $300,000 while the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around $1,300. You can also expect to pay higher taxes and utility costs in this area.

Seattle, Washington

Average one-bedroom rent in Seattle: $1,648

Seattle, despite its gloomy weather, is a popular choice for Gen Zers. Unfortunately, its not very budget-friendly.

Seattle often surprises individuals with its high cost of living, said Ritika Asrani, founder and head broker at St. Martin Real Estate.

The booming tech industry has driven up housing prices, making it difficult for young professionals to find affordable housing. Despite the competitive salaries in the tech sector, the expenses associated with housing, transportation and other living costs can eat into savings.

Asrani suggests exploring suburbs or neighborhoods outside the city center for more affordable housing options as well as understanding the local transportation system to reduce commuting costs.

Austin, Texas

Average one-bedroom rent in Austin, Texas: $1,425

Austins appeal to the younger generation lies in its vibrant culture and tax benefits due to the absence of personal income tax.

However, the citys popularity has contributed to rising housing prices, Asrani said. The cost of living in Austin has been on the upswing, and the demand for housing often outpaces the supply, creating challenges for those looking to save money.

Fairfax, Virginia

Average one-bedroom rent in Fairfax: $1,762

For Gen Zers looking to experience four seasons, Fairfax likely seems like an idyllic city to settle in. However, while this citys proximity and job opportunities are vast, the costs of living here are not.

Mitchell G. David, real estate agent and founder of Beach Life Premier Team, said, Fairfaxs proximity to federal corporations, Capital Washington, and renowned colleges (Virginia Tech, George Mason, etc.) made the city attractive to young professionals. However, it is among the 1% of costliest cities in the world, where $4,754 per month covers the basic necessities and a modest lifestyle.

Wilmington, Delaware

Average one-bedroom rent in Wilmington: $1,135

Wilmington, known for banking and innovation, appeals to young Americans seeking professional opportunities. However, its high cost of living can delay savings growth.

Wilmington has zero sales tax, David said. Yet, living there can break the bank due to the cost of transportation (13% higher than the national average), goods and services (6% higher than the national average) and housing (10% higher than the US average). Also, modest companies (less than 50 employees) dont offer insurance for new employees, which can be a money pitfall as the citys healthcare cost is 16% higher than the US average.

Chicago, Illinois

Average one-bedroom rent inSan Jose: $1,364

For Gen Zers attracted to big city life, Chicago may not be the best choice. High housing and transportation costs are likely to leave little room in the budget for saving.

First, renting in Chicago, especially for Gen Z, who might be entering the rental market for the first time or seeking shared living arrangements, can be a bit of a maze, said, Bailey Moran, COO of Austin TX Realty, a boutique real estate brokerage serving a greater Austin Metro.

For downtown Chicago (Prime Locations), studio apartments can cost $1,200 to $1,800 monthly. Transportation also can be a factor. Unlike other cities where public transport is an economical choice, in Chicago, owning a car becomes necessary, leading to higher fuel, maintenance and parking expenses.

One-bedroom rent for each city has been compiled from Apartment List.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Worst Cities for Gen Z To Move While Trying To Build Up Their Savings
The house was sealed off and a full investigation has been launched into the discovery of the remains.

Both men were treated in Letterkenny University Hospital

An investigation has been launched after a woman's body was found in a house in Co Donegal.

The remains of the woman, who was in her 60s, was found at a house in St Johnston on Thursday.

The house was sealed off and a full investigation has been launched into the discovery of the remains.

A Garda spokesperson confirmed the Donegal coroner, Dr Denis McCauley has been informed of the find.

A post mortem on the body will then decide the direction the Garda investigation will take.

The Garda spokesperson said: "Gardai are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman at a house in Saint Johnstown, Co Donegal yesterday, Thursday 5th October 2023.

"The body of the woman was removed to the mortuary at Letterkenny University Hospital.

"A post mortem will take place in the coming days, the results of which will determine the course of the investigation.

"The Coroner has been notified. Investigations are ongoing."

No details of the woman's identity or nationality have yet been released.
The shocking fact has been uncovered from official documents by author Huw Bennett

Members of the Loyalist paramilitary organization, the Ulster Defence Association, form a barricade on a Belfast street. (Photo by  Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Army arrested the entire leadership of the UVF early in the Troubles but was ordered to let them go, an explosive new book has said.

Huw Bennett, author of Uncivil War, has uncovered evidence that government fears of a loyalist backlash led to a softly-softly approach to paramilitary groups including the UDA and UVF despite a rise in their sectarian killings.

Its just one of the shocking facts hes uncovered from official documents which shed new light on the Armys role and backroom government decisions in Northern Ireland.

But the respected academic says he was blocked at almost every turn  from an unofficial omerta among Parachute Regiment veterans to military museums which refused to cooperate with him, and obstruction from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

On one occasion, the MoD denied the existence of a document, then admitted it did exist, refused to let him see it, and then quietly released it to the National Archives.

Members of the Loyalist paramilitary organization, the Ulster Defence Association, form a barricade on a Belfast street. (Photo by  Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

His account of the start of the conflict from 1966 until 1975 reveals that the threat of loyalist violence against the Army and the rest of the UK, which was never borne out, instilled a hands-off approach in government to the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commando.

A lot of the work thats done on this period is about a war between the British state and the IRA, and thats where a lot of violence was happening, with books which tell a good guys and bad guys story, says Huw.

I think we should look not only at the violence, but the threat of violence.

Loyalism was dominant in, not just what the British Army was doing, but how the British high command was thinking.

They were always worried about a loyalist backlash and what would happen if the Shankill turned on the British Army.

What was especially worrying to the British Army was the size of the loyalist militant threat when it started to mobilise in 1972. Here are 25,000 people who can resist us if we take the wrong approach to loyalism, a lot of whom had a British military background.

"There was a real fear of the capacity of these very dangerous people to turn against the British state.

The most significant event, says the professor of international relations at Cardiff University, was the unexpected arrests of the UVF leadership in October 1972.

Members of the Parachute Regiment thought they were going to arrest UVF chief Gusty Spence at an address in Belfast, who was on the run after escaping from prison.

When they kicked down the door they found 50 others, the entire leadership of the UVF from the different regions of Northern Ireland, says Huw.

This was an illegal organisation and its very likely that a certain proportion of people in that room were wanted for murder, given that the UVF were murdering people in the weeks and months beforehand. They were all out within 24 hours on the orders of the Northern Ireland Office.

Book

He says the knowledge that the British government feared a loyalist uprising led to the collapse of the Executive two years later.

Why did loyalist groups feel confident they could stop Sunningdale and stop power-sharing? They knew they could get away with it because the British Army was taking a softly-softly approach to them.

Huw says a wealth of detail about troop operations in Northern Ireland is being held by military museums across the UK, many of which arent entitled to retain official documents.

The author, who has previously written about the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in the 1950s and the conduct of British troops there, approached more than 50 museums, but just seven gave him information.

Researching the behaviour of the Paras, he went to the museum of another regiment which had served in Northern Ireland at the same time, and had a less violent reputation.

There was an example where they were under fire from the IRA but didnt return fire because they couldnt find a target, and lost soldiers. When the Paras got shot at, they shot back and werent too bothered who they hit, he says.

Huw Bennett

I approached the museum of the second regiment and asked if I could come in and they said yes, I could look at their papers and talk to guys from their tours.

The day before I was due to go, I got an email saying the invitation had been rescinded, you are not welcome here, and they had been forbidden from having any contact with me.

He learned that among former Paras there is an unofficial instruction not to talk to journalists or historians if they ask about Northern Ireland.

In the museum of another regiment, a staff member told him documents had been removed before his arrival.

All government departments have become much more hostile to Freedom of Information requests and the MoD is one of the worst offenders, he says.

Ive got some requests which took them two years.

I found a reference in an archive to a report written in 1972 and asked the MoD for a copy of it. They said it didnt exist.

I appealed and they said it does exist, but we cant give it to you because its too big.

I asked for the contents page or index, and they said it didnt have one.

By accident, a year later, I happened to be in the National Archives and found this document which they had released without telling me, which had a very detailed contents page. They are just lying, he says.

Huw also details the political strategy behind the decision to send the Paras to Derry on Bloody Sunday and how the Army and government dealt with lawbreaking by soldiers to prevent prosecutions.

He says there are still thousands of documents held under increasing levels of security, some of which will never be made public.

If this information is in the documents which are open, whats in the documents which are closed, Huw asks.

- Uncivil War: The British Army and the Troubles, 1966-1975 by Huw Bennett is published by Cambridge University Press on Thursday of this week
A group of recreational fishers caught with a total of 348 fish, including more than nine times their collective daily limit for snapper, has been fined $10,500.

The five fishers  Tai ah You, age 46, Laupagigi Tupua Siliva, 69, Lameta Kasiano, 49, Metai Fialelei Lotoa, 58, and Avia Amosa, 55  went fishing in May 2022 in the Hauraki Gulf and caught 317 snapper. The daily limit for snapper per person is seven.

The group also had 19 kahawai, two John Dory, two gurnard, six jack mackerel, one kingfish and one blue mackerel, which they caught around the Noises islands in the Hauraki Gulf.

The group had its catch inspected by Fisheries New Zealand Fishery Officers at the popular Half Moon Bay boat ramp.

The inspection revealed seven large chilly bins filled with fish. At least two of the five fishers knew the size and daily limit for snapper, and there was also a fish measurer on board their fishing vessel.

They all pleaded guilty to charges under the Fisheries Act and were all sentenced in the Manukau District Court on Friday October 5.

Tai ah You, who was skipper of their fishing vessel, was fined $2,500. The other four fishers were each fined $2,000.

The rules are there for a reason  to protect fishing resources for everyone. This was a lot of fish, and 95 of the snapper were undersize. Some of the group said they knew the rules and others didnt, says MPI regional manager Fisheries Compliance, Andre Espinoza.

We would strongly encourage people to download the free NZ Fishing Rules mobile app which will provide you with the latest rules at your fingertips. If you follow the rules, youll be doing your bit for sustainability and avoiding a large fine.

Along with the fines, the groups vessel and trailer was forfeited to the Crown, along with a range of fishing equipment and chilly bins. The Court ordered Tai ah You to pay a redemption fee of $5,248 before the end of November.

Fisheries New Zealand encourages fishing industry operators and non-commercial fishers to report any suspected illegal activity through the Ministry for Primary Industries 0800 4 POACHER line (0800 47 62 24).




The Bay of Plenty is embarking on a culinary revolution by introducing a one-of-a-kind culinary arts degree to invigorate and fortify the regions thriving food industry.

Toi Ohomai | Te Pukenga is launching the Bay of Plenty delivery of the Bachelor of Culinary Arts, with the aim that this course helps to reinvigorate and bolster the booming food industry in the rohe.

The degree course is already offered at Otago Polytechnic | Te Pukenga, and Dunedin was the only location in New Zealand to offer the qualification previously. Under Te Pukenga, Toi Ohomai is now able to offer the course to akonga in the Bay of Plenty and the wider North Island.

Toi Ohomai culinary arts tutor and industry stalwart Peter Blakeway is excited to be able to offer the course in the Bay of Plenty and says demand is high for a degree-level culinary course.

He says this modern course will be the future of culinary arts as it is not just about becoming a chef.

The outcomes are going to be different to a trade qualification, its about the wider food industry. This programme is designed to help people become an industry leader in the food world by empowering them to follow their passions.

Akonga will cultivate applied technical and creative thinking skills, including specialised culinary techniques within their area of interest, and ways to develop new and innovative offerings to give themself a competitive edge.

Through hands-on projects with local employers and businesses, akonga will develop real-world skills and apply both creative and technical knowledge in everyday situations.

Career pathways upon completing the degree include food producer, chef, recipe developer, food stylist, writer or product entrepreneur.

Peter says the food industry in the Bay of Plenty is in full support of the degree course being offered at Toi Ohomai.

Toi Ohomai culinary arts tutor and industry stalwart Peter Blakeway. Photo: Supplied.

Tauranga Business Chamber Chief Executive Matt Cowley says the Western Bay of Plenty subregion was facing dramatic changes over the next few decades and that there was an immediate priority to support and enhance the regions changing hospitality sector to complement New Zealands tourism reset and reconnection with the global economy following the pandemic.

It is a priority to upskill our hospitality and food industries to forge lifelong learning and career pathways to ensure the sector maintains its knowledge and skill bases.

The Tauranga Business Chamber supports this initiative as its aligned with the regions natural assets, regional strengths, economic strategies, and private sector industry investment.

Solera Wine Bar Director Nick Potts says he was excited to hear about this initiative.

I agree our industry is hurting and we as professionals in the industry need to lead the way in this change.

Peter says there is already considerable interest from akonga, with many looking at it as a pathway to open their own business.

Were also seeing a lot of interest from women, which is great as historically culinary arts has been somewhat male dominated.

The Bachelor of Culinary Arts kicks off in February 2024 at both the Toi Ohomai Rotorua and Tauranga campuses.
The North Island is likely to get some heavy rain throughout the remainder of the weekend, as well as some windy conditions and even thunderstorms, as school holidays draw to a close.

According to MetService, parts of the North Island can expect bad weather from as early as 6am on Sunday.

A front is expected to move eastwards across the top of the North Island on Saturday evening, bringing with it a low risk of isolated thunderstorms.

That risk increases to moderate heading into Sunday morning.

The thunderstorms, if they occur, have the potential to bring localised heavy rain with intensities of 10 to 25mm/h and hail 5 to 15mm in diameter, says a MetService spokesperson.

A heavy rain watch has been put in place for the Wairoa District, as well as Tairawhiti/Gisborne, on Sunday morning.

On Sunday, theres a low risk of thunderstorms in these regions, that, if they develop, could become severe, MetService says.

Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, especially about the ranges.

Northland and Bay of Plenty are in for a spell of bad weather as well, with a strong wind watch being placed on the regions.

The winds may approach severe gales in exposed places, says MetService.

A front embedded within a complex trough is expected to affect the North Island from Sunday into Monday morning.

Much of the country is experiencing a rainy and cold end to the school holidays, with Saturday and Sunday likely to be bleak on the weather front.

The North Island generally gets the worst of the rain on Saturday, according to MetService, with Kaitaia, Whangarei and Auckland experiencing isolated showers.

Its cold in the capital, dropping to 10C in Wellington before midday, but much of the rain was over by the morning.

Much of the same story moving down into the South Island, with Christchurch and Timaru sitting just below 10C.

A west to southwest flow will predominate over New Zealand from Monday to Thursday with embedded fronts moving north over the country at times.

The westerly flow is expected to strengthen for a time on Monday and early Tuesday, then again during Wednesday and Thursday.



A Severe Weather Watch for possible severe southeast gales about eastern Bay of Plenty extends into Monday morning, and there is consequently low confidence of severe gale in area on Monday morning.



There is moderate confidence that west and/or southwest winds will reach severe gale about southern Fiordland, Southland and southern Otago (especially near the coast) for a time on Monday and early Tuesday, than again on Wednesday and Thursday morning.



There is low confidence that westerly winds could reach severe gale about exposed parts of Hawke's Bay and northern Wairarapa (including the Tararua District) late Monday and Tuesday morning, then again later Wednesday and Thursday (with the strongest winds more likely during the second period).



There is also low confidence of westerly winds reaching severe gale about exposed parts of Tasman/Nelson, inland Marlborough, Canterbury and other parts of Otago and Fiordland for a time on Wednesday and Thursday.



Finally, there is low confidence that rainfall amounts could reach warning criteria about Fiordland on Wednesday and Thursday morning.


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Syracuse, N.Y.  Syracuse police were called to a rally at the Columbus statue in downtown Syracuse Saturday morning after pro-statue and anti-statue groups started to argue and shout at each other.

The exchanges got heated as people shouted over speakers and each other. Some got into each others faces as they argued and pointed at each other.
Alibaba Group Holding has decided to close its Luohan Academy, a social science institute that founder Jack Ma had hoped could exist for 300 years when it was created in June 2018, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The unannounced closure of Luohan Academy, an open research institute with the grand mission of helping solve "some of the world's most pressing economic and social challenges", came as part of a sweeping restructuring at Alibaba, the Hangzhou-based e-commerce giant that owns the South China Morning Post.

At the same time, parts of the academy's operations have remained within Alibaba, including the environmental, social and governance research team, according to people familiar with the matter.

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.

Alibaba is breaking up its sprawling business empire into six major groups; Taobao and Tmall, cloud, local services, international commerce, entertainment and Cainiao, as well as a number of smaller business units. Cainiao, the smart logistics network, has filed an initial public offering application in Hong Kong to raise at least US$1 billion.

As part of the restructuring, resources and people are being deployed to frontline businesses.

Eddie Wu Yongming, Alibaba's new CEO, said in a letter to employees last month that Alibaba will focus on two main themes, "users first" and "artificial intelligence-driven", as it seeks new growth amid a shifting internet landscape.

Luohan Academy, which sponsored research programmes on topics such as "privacy and data governance", "measuring the new economy" and "future finance", has been functioning as an academic institute rather than a revenue-generating business entity, according to insiders. It has published research reports with titles such as "Digital Circular Economy for Net Zero".

Story continues

Jack Ma poses for a group photo with members of the Luohan Academy on June 26, 2018. Photo: Handout alt=Jack Ma poses for a group photo with members of the Luohan Academy on June 26, 2018. Photo: Handout>

The academy's latest annual digital economy conference in Hangzhou in June 2023, for instance, brought together scholars and economists from the US, Europe and China for a two-day discussion under the theme of "exploring the evolving digital future".

It was initiated with the support of Ma, who stepped down as Alibaba's chairman in September 2019, when the Chinese entrepreneur said the move was part of the company's responsibility to answer certain questions about the impact of technology on society. As such, he hoped the Luohan Academy could continue for 300 years.

Alibaba declined to comment. Luohan Academy, which is also based in Hangzhou, did not reply to a request for comment.

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.
Join NY Cannabis Insider for our next full-day conference on Nov. 16 at the Sonesta White Plains.

This week marked the opening of general cannabis business licensing in New York. We at NY Cannabis Insider will keep you updated on how its going as the licensing period proceeds.

For now, lets take a look at the stories NY Cannabis Insider covered last week:

We ran a story that breaks down all the significant lawsuits that have been filed against the Office of Cannabis Management, and the cases statuses. Some of these lawsuits were filed by aggrieved cannabis industry operators, while others were filed by parties looking to undue cannabis legalization in New York.

This update comes amid an injunction against the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary program, which is currently preventing more CAURD dispensaries from opening. The judge in that case ordered a pause as part of a lawsuit brought by a group of service-disabled veterans who planned to pursue dispensary licenses.



Sign up for the NY Cannabis Insider Newsletter

Enter your email address to get exclusive reporting on NY's cannabis market delivered to your inbox:









Thomas Spanos, a cannabis attorney and advisor based in Buffalo, wrote a guest column that dives into the crisis of credibility New Yorks OCM and Cannabis Control Board currently face amid repeated missteps.

As a cannabis attorney, it is my job to follow all the twists and turns of how we got here, Spanos wrote. So, in this article I explain how the top brass at the OCM have repeatedly misled the public, how these actions set New York cannabis businesses up to fail, and what actions our state should take to right the course.

Colin Decker, owner and founder of 7 SEAZ, New Yorks first legacy-to-legal adult-use cannabis brand, wrote a piece about the transition from operating on the legacy market to joining the legal market. In this column, Decker provides branding tips for legacy operators who want to run a licensed business.

I wanted to provide insight into ways that a truly unique brand could be shaped; how products can be envisioned to make them stand out amongst the crowd; and how to survive this ever-changing landscape, Decker wrote.

We ran a piece by Jordan Isenstadt, a senior vice president at Marino PR who founded the agencys cannabis practice, about Navigating New Yorks adult-use dispensary licensing with expert guidance.

In his column, Isenstadt lists the key categories cannabis retail entrepreneurs should be vetting  such as security, construction and marketing  and some businesses that already have experience working with weed dispensaries in New York.

Continuing our NYs women in cannabis series, we ran a profile on Jahmila Edwards, the co-founder of Stash Queens and associate director of District Council 37.

Lastly, we posted attorney Jeffrey Hoffmans latest Ask Me Anything segment, in which he answered questions about licensing, labor unions and much more.

Have a great weekend everyone, well be back with plenty more next week.
The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
The UAE government has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) to launch Waste to Zero, a global initiative to mobilize and advance waste decarbonization efforts, and to establish a circular economy platform.

The initiative aims to strengthen the UAE's role in leading global action and contribute to international efforts to achieve the 43% emission reduction target by 2030 by urging nations to adopt and maintain advanced technology-based solutions to decarbonize sectors including waste management, and to boost the circular economy.

This comes as part of the Year of Sustainability and UAE's preparations for hosting the Conference of the Parties COP28,

The MoU was signed at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment headquarters in Dubai in the presence of Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment; Engineer Othaibah Al Qaydi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment; and Engineer Ali Al Dhaheri, Tadweer MD and CEO

On the deal, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change & Environment said: "As we prepare to host COP28, the UAE is keen to play a stronger role in driving global climate action by reducing emissions and contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement, mitigating climate change effects and protecting the planet."

"Our partnerships with major players are a key pillar in delivering the UAE's climate commitments and achieving Net Zero by 2050," she stated.

Almheiri pointed out that through the collaboration with Tadweer, the country will mobilize global efforts once again to adopt practical solutions in the waste management sector to achieve sustainability and increase its contribution to reducing emissions.

"This will further enhance the role of the UAE in creating a sustainable future for people around the globe. We trust our ability to make a significant difference in global waste management sector, and contribute to the international environmental and climate agenda in the coming period," she added.

Al Mohammed Saeed Nuaimi emphasized that this cooperation will play a significant role in strengthening the circular economy in the UAE and abroad by providing an integrated economic system that keeps pace with the global transition towards a green economy.

COP28, he stated, will be an important opportunity for the UAE and the private sector to highlight their pioneering projects in combating climate change and protecting the environment.

These projects span several sectors and will be announced in the coming period as well as during COP28, he added.

Tadweer CEO Ali Al Dhaheri said this was an important step in consolidating its efforts to address climate change.

"Through 'Waste to Zero', we hope to create a platform for dialogue, raise awareness, and drive actionable solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. Together with our partners, MOCCAE and Roland Berger, we look forward to inspiring change and creating a more sustainable and prosperous future," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Online fraudsters have taken billions of dollars from Americans in recent years and they are using social media to do it.

Since 2021, Americans lost $2.7 billion in scams from social media, the Federal Trade Commission said in a scam report published Friday. And that figure is only a fraction of the actual harm, as most cases of fraud go unreported, the agency noted.

People continue to fall victim to social media scams in part because criminals have a trove of techniques they use for finding their prey, Emma Fletcher, a senior data researcher for the FTC, wrote in an analysis of the scam report.

"They can easily manufacture a fake persona, or hack into your profile, pretend to be you, and con your friends," Fletcher said. "They can learn to tailor their approach from what you share on social media."

Most money is lost to scams on social media

The FTC analysis draws on nearly 258,000 social media fraud instances reported directly to the federal agency as well as reports provided by Sentinel Data. One in four people who reported losing money to fraud since 2021 pointed to social media as the origin of the scam. Americans lose money to fraud on social media platforms more than any other method of communication, including websites, phone calls, e-mails, online advertising or mail, the FTC said.

Most cases of fraud on social media this year have stemmed from a user trying to buy clothes, electronics or other goods that had been marketed on Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat, the FTC report reveals. In such instances, a user would order the product, but the item would reportedly never be delivered.

Fletcher said more than half of money reported lost due to social media went to investment scammers. These scammers promote themselves as successful investors but are often just trying to trick people into investing in bogus apps or websites by promising huge returns, she said.

The FTC report said Americans also often fall for so-called "romance scams" via social media, in which case a stranger sends someone a friend request and soon starts asking for money.

Story continues

More skilled at deceiving victims

Cybercriminals have become more creative and skilled at tricking victims through text messages, by phone and online. Cybersecurity experts say the first defense against scams is looking for telltale signs such as someone creating a sense of urgency while soliciting you for money.

Here are tips provided by the FTC on steering clear of scams on social media:

Social media users can reduce their chances of getting scammed by limiting the number of people online who can view their posts. All platforms collect information about you from your activities on social media, but visit your privacy settings to set restrictions.If you get a message from a friend requesting money or letting you know about a financial opportunity, it may be that their account was hacked by a scammer. Call them up to verify the message, particularly if they ask you to make a payment by cryptocurrency, gift card, or wire transfer. Beware if someone reaches out to you on social media to start a friendship or romance. Read here about romance scams. Never send money to anyone you haven't met in person.Research any company found on social media before making a purchase. Search its name plus "scam" or "complaint."

You can learn more about how to spot scams, as well as how to recover money if you've been scammed, at ftc.gov/scams. To report a scam, contact the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
swiftvxi06 BHPian



Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: Kolkata Posts: 113 Thanked: 583 Times

View My Garage





Our Nissan Magnite Turbo's 1st outstation trip | Team-BHP Kolkatas drive to Ghatshila



The next day, I paid advance to Amitendra da and booked my slot. In the meanwhile, it was decided that Dibya da (cdibya) would break the news on Independence Day in our Teambhp WB Whatsapp Group. Soon the D Day came and Dibya da made the announcement. All the members were very happy to hear about me joining the road trip with them.



On 25th Aug, after office work, I went and filled petrol in the car since we had to start early. I was really excited about the roadtrip. On 26th Aug morning, I left home around 7am to meet Dibya da (cdibya) near the Pepsi manufacturing plant.





Thats me waiting to start the trip from home





Waiting for Dibya da near Pepsi plant



From there we passed through EM Bypass and from Avishikta More crossing we took Anwar Shah Connector and reached IOCL Uma Service Station where Bhpain Atamu da (edunata) was waiting for me. I picked up Atanu da and we moved towards Golpark where Bhpians Debdeep da (Dip27in) and Sashwat Da was waiting in latters Mitsubishi Pajero. Bhpian Debdeep da (Dip27in) was indeed very happy to see me joining this trip.



Before I forget to tell you, we were accompanied by a very special guest in Dibya das (cdibya) Red Magnite, Shantigopal, a very cute and friendly Labrador.

Around 8am all of us proceeded towards AHD Uluberia for breakfast. Soon we crossed AJC Bose Road Flyover and took Vidyasagar Setu. It was drizzling lightly and being Saturday morning the roads werent crowded. Just after crossing the toll plaza at Vidyasagar Setu, was our first meeting with Bhpians- Subhasish (ron82x3), Abhishek Da (ABHI_1512), Pawan Da (PapaBravo).



We exchanged greetings and then proceeded towards AHD Uluberia. In the meanwhile, traffic has slowly started piling up at Kona Expressway and we managed to cut them off by using the bylanes.





Our White Beauty in action, image courtesy Abhishek Da (ABHI_1512)



We took NH 16 from Kona Expressway and I was following Sashwat das Pajero. After entering NH 16, we decided to floor our cars, and I also floored my Magnite.





Our White Beauty passing by Dibya da's Red Magnite, also seen is Abhishek da's Ford Ecosport fondly named as Bahon, pic taken by Debdeep da (Dip27in)



The drive was becoming an enthusiastic one as soon Subhashis (ron82x3) in his Ford Ecosport S Diesel started going ahead. Our Magnite was at its sweet spot, its instant thrust from its turbo petrol unit made sure that it was at ease with fellow members cars. I was driving above 80kmph and soon we reached AHD Uluberia where other bhpians especially from the Northern part of Kolkata were waiting for us.

AHD Uluberia was packed on Saturday morning and there I met fellow bhpians- Sumanta Da( Neversaygbye), Niladri Da (Mile_Breaker) Rhitobrata (HornNot Ok Please ), our beloved Billu Da aka Arindom Da (Nomadiclife), Kousik (Kousikjana) Dyutimoy (Mountain_Deep) Ananyo da (Breathe2drive ) Soumyadeep (Apollo_1999 ) Subhradeep (HORSEPOWER), Subhro (Tacho9000). We also met Bhpian Meethun Da (Mi2N) who just came to AHD Uluberia to say hi to all of us.



Debdeep Da (Dip27in) soon ordered breakfast comprising of Chicken Bharta, Butter Tandoori Roti and Dal Makhni and Coffee. Debdeep Da as usual was very jovial and cracked hilarious jokes which made everyone laugh out of their wits.



Debdeep Da clicking my pic





One of the group pics at AHD Uluberia





Butter Tandoori Roti and Chicken Bharta



After breakfast, we did some group photo shoot. Soumyadeep also took some photos of our guest Shantigopal and also pics of White Beauty with his camera.





Group photo at AHD Uluberia





Yours truly with his Magnite Turbo, image courtesy - Soumyadeep



Soon, we started our journey towards Ghatshila around 11am. The route we all took was Kolaghat- Kharagpur City Bypass- NH49- Baharagora- Kokpara Toll- Dhalbhumgarh- Bara Juri Road.



I was maintaining a steady speed of 80 kmph and near Kharagpur Chowringee Round About, I lost my way. Instead of crossing the roundabout straight, I went towards Kharagpur town, but sooner I realized that I made a mistake and stopped the car and called Dibya da (cdibya), who told me to take a u-turn and take the left from the roundabout to continue the journey.

After crossing into Jharkhand, I noticed the roads were a bit better compared to the ones in West Bengal plus there were no haphazardly placed barricades near crossings as seen in West Bengal.





Stopping somewhere in Jharkhand for a photoshoot



After crossing Kokpara Toll, Atanu da (edunata) sat in the drivers seat. Atanu da liked the brisk pick up of Magnite Turbo and soon he was at ease with the car, clocking some high speeds in no time. This was also the first time our White Beauty was driven at such high speeds.



The car performed well and was stable in that high speed too. There was a panic braking situation though when a Ford Ecosport in front suddenly braked after seeing some potholes and our White Beauty stopped in no time without any fuss maintaining its straight-line stability. Soon we crossed our surprise guest Shuvsee das (Shuvc) Mitsubishi Pajero.





With Shuvsee da and Subhro



After crossing some distance we took a right turn towards a small road which took us through the rural part of Jharkhand to Mukhtadhara Resort. It was a 3km narrow road through a village.





All of us reached the place around 1.30pm and stopped for a photo session and then continued our journey in a convoy of 14 cars. Muktadhara Resort is a beautiful resort situated amidst nature in Jharkhand. There was a small river following next to our resort.











Muktadhara Resort





Small stream flowing next to our resort





Our cars at the resort



The staff members allocated our rooms and then all of us freshened up and went straight ahead for lunch. The lunch comprised of delectable Bengali delicacies like Alu Posto, Moong Dal, Alu Bhaja, Mutton Curry, Chutney, Papad. The food quality and taste was amazing especially the lip-smacking mutton curry. Having detected with cholesterol some days back, all fellow bhpians were keeping any eye on me if I took more mutton or not than what was given to me.





A closeup view of the delicious Mutton Curry



After a hearty lunch, we went to our rooms to rest for some time since it was decided that we would visit Burudi Dam around 5pm. Little did I know that things will be totally different than what I had thought. To know more, continue reading



Debdeep da, Subhasish, Amitendra Da and others were chatting in our room and I went to the washroom to freshen up. I came out and saw all of them suddenly left the room and couldnt find my car key. I immediately understood something must be cooking in their minds I came out of the room and didnt find my car which was parked in front of our guest house. Nevertheless, I asked some fellow bhpians about my car and they said they didnt know anything.





While i was in the room, fellow bhpians clicked pics with White Beauty





Thats Subhasish ((ron82x3) sitting on top of the bonnet



With a heavy heart, I sat in Rhitobratas Maruti XL6 and all of us went to the nearby Burudi Dam which was 12 kms away from Muktadhara Resort. While going towards the dam, I had partial glimpse of my car parked near the newly constructed guest houses and alerted everyone but everyone said nothing was there.



I was sad that I couldnt click a photo of White Beauty at Burudi Dam. But still we clicked group pics at the site. By that time it was slowly getting dark and we decided to head back to the resort.





Our cars





Burudi Dam





Yours truly still smiling after losing his car



While returning to our guest house, I couldnt see my car which I had previously seen near an under construction site. In the evening, our beloved Billu da & Amitendra Da had arranged for lipsmacking snacks comprising of French fries, chicken pakoda, veg pakoda, fish finger and magic items comprising of butter masala corn, chicken seekh kebabs.





Evening Snacks



The evening saw bhpians performing to some top Bollywood numbers like Kajra Re. Billu da, Subhradeep, Kousikjana, enthralled the audience with their dance. It was a fun-filled evening yet our White Beauty hadnt been found by then !!



We had a nice homely dinner comprising of Roti, Daal Fry, Paneer, Country Chicken Curry, Chutney and Rossogolla. Some of the guests at the resort were very happy to see Shantigopal, the cute rockstar of our road trip.

As the night passed, I became worried and started frantically searching for the car but it was nowhere to be found. I began asking every bhpian if they had seen my car but they said no. I kept asking Debdeep da who said that its parked very safely and I could make out it was his master plan to hide my car.



Amidst this another development was happening, bhpian Soumyadeeps Baleno car was unlocked while he was sleeping and some of the members opened the bonnet and removed the fuses from the fuse box and kept it carefully inside the glovebox of his car.



At around 12am Debdeep da, handed over my car keys which was hidden in Subhros Maruti 800 and told me to search for the vehicle. Me along with Koushik went to search the vehicle and after pressing the keys in the remote, noticed the indicators flashing inside a nursery. Little did I know that fellow bhpians had parked my vehicle carefully inside a nursery within the resort and covered the area with blue coloured nets so that white Magnite is not visible in the dark. Must say Debdeep das planning and execution was topnotch.



After getting back my car, I was relieved and went to sleep.

The next day woke up around 7.30am and then went for a morning drive on the highway in our White Beauty with bhpian Soumyadeep and Ananyo Da. Both of them drove my car and appreciated the pick-up of the turbo petrol engine. While returning back, we did a small photoshoot with White Beauty.









Photoshoot of White Beauty



Since it was a Sunday, we saw other guests coming to the resort. Our breakfast comprised of Lunchi (poori), Alu Dam, Boiled Egg/ Omlette and Bread.





Fellow bhpians at breakfast



After breakfast we decided to get ready to return to Kolkata. After freshening up, I found one of my shoes missing. Again I searched throughout the room but couldnt find it. Again I went and asked Debdeep da and he again gave a witty smile. I knew he had hidden it. After some search it was found inside a paper bag.



After a group photo, we set again for our return journey to Kolkata around 11am.



Group pic



While some of the members went to Burudi Lake while others continued their journey towards Kolkata. I was following Subhro (Tacho9000). Both of us refueled our cars for the rest of the journey. I followed Subhro for a considerable part of the return leg till Baharagora. I was driving all alone and was maintaining a speed of 75-80kmph. The return drive was uneventful one. Reached Kolaghat where I was asked by some members to book seats at Aminia. Being a Sunday, Aminia was packed and there was a huge queue outside. I also checked out Express Food Plaza which was also packed with people. In the meanwhile bhpian Abhishek da (ABHI_1512) came and told me to follow him to Abhijit Hotel which was around 1 km from Aminia. Followed him there, being a Sunday, we were lucky to get car parking and ordered Mutton Biriyani, Mutton Kasha and Chicken Kebabs. Abhishek da was accompanied by Devarsi (DevOnWheels). Soon other bhpians came and after lunch we had a small photo session once again.





Final photosession at Abhijit Hotel



While returning home, I was energized after having lunch and drove quite enthusiastically. I was following Bhpian Sumanta Da who was driving his Red Tata Indica Vista D90 and I was followed by Subhasishs Ecosport which was driven by Subhradeep. Being a Sunday traffic was building up towards the city and it was already past 5pm. I reached home around 6.30pm. Our White Beauty covered a total of 513kms and had used 23 litres of petrol thereby giving an overall mileage of around 22kmpl.



Before signing off, I want to thank Dibya da once again for encouraging me to make this trip and special thanks to Amitendra Da & Arindom Da for arranging such a wonderful trip. And last but not the least, thank you Debdeep da for filling in the fun factor in the trip by hiding my car and my shoes. It was indeed a memorable road trip. On 27th July while returning home from a clients party, near Dhalai Bridge crossing, I noticed bhpian Dibya das (cdibya) Red Magnite passing by. Nevertheless, he saw my car and we stopped near a roadside tea stall. Dibya da told me about the road trip being planned for 26th August to Muktadhara Nature Resort in Ghatshila and he told me that I should take my car. My car has run very less, over the last two years and it would be a perfect opportunity to fully utilize the performance of the turbo petrol engine. I decided that I will go for the road trip. Bhpians Amitendra Da (SchrodingersCar) and Arindom Da (Nomadiclife) were organizers of the whole trip.The next day, I paid advance to Amitendra da and booked my slot. In the meanwhile, it was decided that Dibya da (cdibya) would break the news on Independence Day in our Teambhp WB Whatsapp Group. Soon the D Day came and Dibya da made the announcement. All the members were very happy to hear about me joining the road trip with them.On 25th Aug, after office work, I went and filled petrol in the car since we had to start early. I was really excited about the roadtrip. On 26th Aug morning, I left home around 7am to meet Dibya da (cdibya) near the Pepsi manufacturing plant.Thats me waiting to start the trip from homeWaiting for Dibya da near Pepsi plantFrom there we passed through EM Bypass and from Avishikta More crossing we took Anwar Shah Connector and reached IOCL Uma Service Station where Bhpain Atamu da (edunata) was waiting for me. I picked up Atanu da and we moved towards Golpark where Bhpians Debdeep da (Dip27in) and Sashwat Da was waiting in latters Mitsubishi Pajero. Bhpian Debdeep da (Dip27in) was indeed very happy to see me joining this trip.Before I forget to tell you, we were accompanied by a very special guest in Dibya das (cdibya) Red Magnite, Shantigopal, a very cute and friendly Labrador.Around 8am all of us proceeded towards AHD Uluberia for breakfast. Soon we crossed AJC Bose Road Flyover and took Vidyasagar Setu. It was drizzling lightly and being Saturday morning the roads werent crowded. Just after crossing the toll plaza at Vidyasagar Setu, was our first meeting with Bhpians- Subhasish (ron82x3), Abhishek Da (ABHI_1512), Pawan Da (PapaBravo).We exchanged greetings and then proceeded towards AHD Uluberia. In the meanwhile, traffic has slowly started piling up at Kona Expressway and we managed to cut them off by using the bylanes.Our White Beauty in action, image courtesy Abhishek Da (ABHI_1512)We took NH 16 from Kona Expressway and I was following Sashwat das Pajero. After entering NH 16, we decided to floor our cars, and I also floored my Magnite.Our White Beauty passing by Dibya da's Red Magnite, also seen is Abhishek da's Ford Ecosport fondly named as Bahon, pic taken by Debdeep da (Dip27in)The drive was becoming an enthusiastic one as soon Subhashis (ron82x3) in his Ford Ecosport S Diesel started going ahead. Our Magnite was at its sweet spot, its instant thrust from its turbo petrol unit made sure that it was at ease with fellow members cars. I was driving above 80kmph and soon we reached AHD Uluberia where other bhpians especially from the Northern part of Kolkata were waiting for us.AHD Uluberia was packed on Saturday morning and there I met fellow bhpians- Sumanta Da( Neversaygbye), Niladri Da (Mile_Breaker) Rhitobrata (HornNot Ok Please ), our beloved Billu Da aka Arindom Da (Nomadiclife), Kousik (Kousikjana) Dyutimoy (Mountain_Deep) Ananyo da (Breathe2drive ) Soumyadeep (Apollo_1999 ) Subhradeep (HORSEPOWER), Subhro (Tacho9000). We also met Bhpian Meethun Da (Mi2N) who just came to AHD Uluberia to say hi to all of us.Debdeep Da (Dip27in) soon ordered breakfast comprising of Chicken Bharta, Butter Tandoori Roti and Dal Makhni and Coffee. Debdeep Da as usual was very jovial and cracked hilarious jokes which made everyone laugh out of their wits.Debdeep Da clicking my picOne of the group pics at AHD UluberiaButter Tandoori Roti and Chicken BhartaAfter breakfast, we did some group photo shoot. Soumyadeep also took some photos of our guest Shantigopal and also pics of White Beauty with his camera.Group photo at AHD UluberiaYours truly with his Magnite Turbo, image courtesy - SoumyadeepSoon, we started our journey towards Ghatshila around 11am. The route we all took was Kolaghat- Kharagpur City Bypass- NH49- Baharagora- Kokpara Toll- Dhalbhumgarh- Bara Juri Road.I was maintaining a steady speed of 80 kmph and near Kharagpur Chowringee Round About, I lost my way. Instead of crossing the roundabout straight, I went towards Kharagpur town, but sooner I realized that I made a mistake and stopped the car and called Dibya da (cdibya), who told me to take a u-turn and take the left from the roundabout to continue the journey.After crossing into Jharkhand, I noticed the roads were a bit better compared to the ones in West Bengal plus there were no haphazardly placed barricades near crossings as seen in West Bengal.Stopping somewhere in Jharkhand for a photoshootAfter crossing Kokpara Toll, Atanu da (edunata) sat in the drivers seat. Atanu da liked the brisk pick up of Magnite Turbo and soon he was at ease with the car, clocking some high speeds in no time. This was also the first time our White Beauty was driven at such high speeds.The car performed well and was stable in that high speed too. There was a panic braking situation though when a Ford Ecosport in front suddenly braked after seeing some potholes and our White Beauty stopped in no time without any fuss maintaining its straight-line stability. Soon we crossed our surprise guest Shuvsee das (Shuvc) Mitsubishi Pajero.With Shuvsee da and SubhroAfter crossing some distance we took a right turn towards a small road which took us through the rural part of Jharkhand to Mukhtadhara Resort. It was a 3km narrow road through a village.All of us reached the place around 1.30pm and stopped for a photo session and then continued our journey in a convoy of 14 cars. Muktadhara Resort is a beautiful resort situated amidst nature in Jharkhand. There was a small river following next to our resort.Muktadhara ResortSmall stream flowing next to our resortOur cars at the resortThe staff members allocated our rooms and then all of us freshened up and went straight ahead for lunch. The lunch comprised of delectable Bengali delicacies like Alu Posto, Moong Dal, Alu Bhaja, Mutton Curry, Chutney, Papad. The food quality and taste was amazing especially the lip-smacking mutton curry. Having detected with cholesterol some days back, all fellow bhpians were keeping any eye on me if I took more mutton or not than what was given to me.A closeup view of the delicious Mutton CurryAfter a hearty lunch, we went to our rooms to rest for some time since it was decided that we would visit Burudi Dam around 5pm. Little did I know that things will be totally different than what I had thought. To know more, continue readingDebdeep da, Subhasish, Amitendra Da and others were chatting in our room and I went to the washroom to freshen up. I came out and saw all of them suddenly left the room and couldnt find my car key. I immediately understood something must be cooking in their minds I came out of the room and didnt find my car which was parked in front of our guest house. Nevertheless, I asked some fellow bhpians about my car and they said they didnt know anything.While i was in the room, fellow bhpians clicked pics with White BeautyThats Subhasish ((ron82x3) sitting on top of the bonnetWith a heavy heart, I sat in Rhitobratas Maruti XL6 and all of us went to the nearby Burudi Dam which was 12 kms away from Muktadhara Resort. While going towards the dam, I had partial glimpse of my car parked near the newly constructed guest houses and alerted everyone but everyone said nothing was there.I was sad that I couldnt click a photo of White Beauty at Burudi Dam. But still we clicked group pics at the site. By that time it was slowly getting dark and we decided to head back to the resort.Our carsBurudi DamYours truly still smiling after losing his carWhile returning to our guest house, I couldnt see my car which I had previously seen near an under construction site. In the evening, our beloved Billu da & Amitendra Da had arranged for lipsmacking snacks comprising of French fries, chicken pakoda, veg pakoda, fish finger and magic items comprising of butter masala corn, chicken seekh kebabs.Evening SnacksThe evening saw bhpians performing to some top Bollywood numbers like Kajra Re. Billu da, Subhradeep, Kousikjana, enthralled the audience with their dance. It was a fun-filled evening yet our White Beauty hadnt been found by then !!We had a nice homely dinner comprising of Roti, Daal Fry, Paneer, Country Chicken Curry, Chutney and Rossogolla. Some of the guests at the resort were very happy to see Shantigopal, the cute rockstar of our road trip.As the night passed, I became worried and started frantically searching for the car but it was nowhere to be found. I began asking every bhpian if they had seen my car but they said no. I kept asking Debdeep da who said that its parked very safely and I could make out it was his master plan to hide my car.Amidst this another development was happening, bhpian Soumyadeeps Baleno car was unlocked while he was sleeping and some of the members opened the bonnet and removed the fuses from the fuse box and kept it carefully inside the glovebox of his car.At around 12am Debdeep da, handed over my car keys which was hidden in Subhros Maruti 800 and told me to search for the vehicle. Me along with Koushik went to search the vehicle and after pressing the keys in the remote, noticed the indicators flashing inside a nursery. Little did I know that fellow bhpians had parked my vehicle carefully inside a nursery within the resort and covered the area with blue coloured nets so that white Magnite is not visible in the dark. Must say Debdeep das planning and execution was topnotch.After getting back my car, I was relieved and went to sleep.The next day woke up around 7.30am and then went for a morning drive on the highway in our White Beauty with bhpian Soumyadeep and Ananyo Da. Both of them drove my car and appreciated the pick-up of the turbo petrol engine. While returning back, we did a small photoshoot with White Beauty.Photoshoot of White BeautySince it was a Sunday, we saw other guests coming to the resort. Our breakfast comprised of Lunchi (poori), Alu Dam, Boiled Egg/ Omlette and Bread.Fellow bhpians at breakfastAfter breakfast we decided to get ready to return to Kolkata. After freshening up, I found one of my shoes missing. Again I searched throughout the room but couldnt find it. Again I went and asked Debdeep da and he again gave a witty smile. I knew he had hidden it. After some search it was found inside a paper bag.After a group photo, we set again for our return journey to Kolkata around 11am.Group picWhile some of the members went to Burudi Lake while others continued their journey towards Kolkata. I was following Subhro (Tacho9000). Both of us refueled our cars for the rest of the journey. I followed Subhro for a considerable part of the return leg till Baharagora. I was driving all alone and was maintaining a speed of 75-80kmph. The return drive was uneventful one. Reached Kolaghat where I was asked by some members to book seats at Aminia. Being a Sunday, Aminia was packed and there was a huge queue outside. I also checked out Express Food Plaza which was also packed with people. In the meanwhile bhpian Abhishek da (ABHI_1512) came and told me to follow him to Abhijit Hotel which was around 1 km from Aminia. Followed him there, being a Sunday, we were lucky to get car parking and ordered Mutton Biriyani, Mutton Kasha and Chicken Kebabs. Abhishek da was accompanied by Devarsi (DevOnWheels). Soon other bhpians came and after lunch we had a small photo session once again.Final photosession at Abhijit HotelWhile returning home, I was energized after having lunch and drove quite enthusiastically. I was following Bhpian Sumanta Da who was driving his Red Tata Indica Vista D90 and I was followed by Subhasishs Ecosport which was driven by Subhradeep. Being a Sunday traffic was building up towards the city and it was already past 5pm. I reached home around 6.30pm. Our White Beauty covered a total of 513kms and had used 23 litres of petrol thereby giving an overall mileage of around 22kmpl.Before signing off, I want to thank Dibya da once again for encouraging me to make this trip and special thanks to Amitendra Da & Arindom Da for arranging such a wonderful trip. And last but not the least, thank you Debdeep da for filling in the fun factor in the trip by hiding my car and my shoes. It was indeed a memorable road trip. Attached Thumbnails







Last edited by swiftvxi06 : 6th October 2023 at 23:32 .
Chetan_Rao Team-BHP Support



Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,480 Thanked: 22,460 Times

Day 1 (Afternoon Session): Track Day @ Sepang International Circuit



Finally, it is time to go to Sepang!



Sepang is special for me. Those of you who grew up around the turn of the century like me and/or are video game aficionados, will remember F1 2002, arguably one of EA Sports' most popular PC gaming titles of that era. Of all the historic tracks on that game (including the old Nurburgring layout, if memory serves me right), I found myself fascinated by this recent (for that time) 'Tilkedrome', arguably one of Hermann Tilke's finest efforts. I spent hours playing it in time-trial mode on my modest PC, the BMW-Williams of Juan Pablo Montoya my car of choice as I tried to shave fractions of a second off my lap time. Ah, happy days!



Driving at Sepang became a bucket list item, long before I truly knew the significance of one. I had no idea if it'll ever get checked off of it, but then you don't make bucket lists of stuff you expect to happen, do you?



Cut to present, nearly two decades later, I find myself at this sign. My inner kid is doing cartwheels (outer adult would too, if he could!) and if my grin got any wider it'd turn my face inside out. A fellow media colleague notices me staring at it, and offers to take a picture. Thank you, good Sir!





We're taken straight to the 'Briefing Pit', where the event team takes us through the day's agenda while we sign indemnity paperwork and join our color-coded groups we were given wrist tags for earlier in the morning (I got Green):





First up, safety briefing. Sign the forms, stay with your assigned group, obey instructors at all times. Simple and to the point:





We are then briefed on the events of the day, and location of each on the track premises:





The day's agenda, designed around driving experience with the newly launched tyres: Dry Handling with Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6, two laps on a modified track layout Wet/Dry Slalom with Assurance Maxguard further down the main straight (near turn 1) Off-road with Wrangler Duratrac RT at a custom 4x4 track elsewhere on the premises EV Workshop, a presentation about the ElectricDrive tyre Wet Braking Experience with Assurance Maxguard along the main straight



Before we set off to the driving experience areas, there's a demo comparison of the Assurance Maxguard's wet braking abilities with a competitor's tyre. A volunteer is sought, and yours truly puts his hand up before anyone else can react.



Off I go, riding shotgun with Goodyear test driver Azizi in a Civic RS shod with a set of the competitor's tyres (not at liberty to take names, though it's a rather popular brand).



The track has been Bernie Ecclestone'd, as in trackside sprinklers used to create a wet patch for the test, and we'll be rolling down at about 60 km/h before slamming the brakes, while a RaceLogic display in front of me captures stopping time & distance:





Run 1 - Competitor's tyre:





We pull into the pits for a quick tyre swap to Goodyear rubber and out we go again:





Run 2 - Assurance Maxguard:





With the usual caveats; same car, same bit of road, same driver etc. What stood out to me wasn't just the difference in stopping time and distance, but the tyre's behaviour under braking.



The Assurance Maxguard is noticeably more composed, appears to have more grip and the Civic's ABS kicks in far less violently compared to the other tyre we demoed. We'll be driving the Civic again later, so there'll be a chance to validate the first impression.



We hop onto a shuttle and make tracks to our first driving experience of the day: Dry Handling with Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6. We'll be driving two laps of a modified layout on the south side of the track, consisting of the back straight and turns 8 through 14. Not the whole track as I'd love to do, but arguably my favorite infield bits of the circuit have been included, so I ain't complaining.



Before any actual driving takes place, is a chance to pretend you're a racing driver for the day, walking down the pit-lane to your garage, like all the famous ones do on a race weekend:





Another angle, because why not! It's fun playing pretend racing driver:





Safety and lap layout briefing done. Helmet on. Time to Drive:





Drive what, you ask? One of these!





More specifically, THIS!!!





Again, yours truly has called dibs on the only hot hatch in the fleet before anyone else could blink. Pays to be quick, eh? The others will have to make do with CLA45S specimens, the coupe cousin. Hatchbacks for the win, I say!





An AMG A45S, powered by a 2-litre turbo petrol heart mated to an 8-speed AMG Speedshift DCT. Puts down ~420 horses through delicious-looking 19-inch forged wheels, gallops to 100 in 3.9 ticks of your heart and tops out around 270 km/h. A spoiler at the back large enough that people more vertically-endowed than me could eat their lunch off of it. Nevertheless, the AMG looks compact and quick, just how I like it!



An instructor rides shotgun, both to ensure you drive within the track & car's - and most importantly - your limits, and to remind you having signed up for a hefty fine if you disobey the instructor or damage the car. No reminders needed, I say, and we head out.



Out lap is done at a brisk but not-full-beans-yet pace, as the instructor points out the lines (marked by cones I wish weren't there), braking and corner entry/exit points, apexes etc. He quickly realises I'm very familiar with the track and comfortable with the car, so lets me drive and speaks up only when a cautionary word is needed.



We come out of turn 14, everything dialed up, gearbox in manual mode in 2nd gear for the give-it-the-beans hot lap. Gun it, he says. Already did, I say grinning wide, as the growl of the motor drowns both of us out! We get up to speeds only legal on a race track, blast past the pits and approach the kink at the end of the straight in what felt like barely a heartbeat.



'We just left Turn 14!'



'Yeah.'



'This thing is quick, and LOUD!'



'Yeah. Brake & downshift.'



As I tap the flappy paddles to hit M2 while slowing down for the corner (slight kink right and a revised hairpin at turn 8), the motor growls like it'll rip my head off. We go through the corners, hitting the apexes and hugging (and sometimes slipping a bit off) the racing line, the rear itching to step out but the tyres holding it in (barely), until the lap is done as quickly as it began.



One of the most fun-condensed 5 minutes or so I've ever had. Unfortunately, no second go (I asked, shamelessly!) so I have to reluctantly get out and hand the car over to the next person in line.



Down the straight:





Through the infield:





Out of the corner:





One of the AMGs barreling down the straight (turn the sound UP, or use headphones!). The camera mic doesn't do justice capturing the aural experience in the slightest. It has to be heard in person, both at full tilt and when aggressively downshifting:

https://youtu.be/8rv0LjzOvlA



A close up shot of the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 on a CLA45S. Two laps are a small sample to judge a tyre on, but given what we put it through on the shortened lap, the tyre held its own and never felt like it wasn't up to the little pocket rocket it was attached to:





Off to the next stop, Wet Slalom with the Assurance Maxguard, mounted on vanilla C200 specimens:





The sprinklers are taking a break, so no Ecclestone-ing the track for this bit for our round and we ended up with an impromptu dry slalom. The task is simple enough; out of the pits, U-turn and line up on main straight for a standing start, speed up to about 50-60 km/h and swerve around the slalom course without knocking down the cones, then stop in an assigned box. Go around, and do it again.



Doing this straight after the AMG laps, the C-Class feels S-L-O-W. Still, the tyres feel grippy at mid-double digit speeds, minimal squeal as we swerved around the cones before braking to a stop.



A couple pics from an earlier session on a wet track:









A close up shot of the Assurance Maxguard:





Hot enough after a dry slalom run for pebbles to stick:

Finally, it is time to go to Sepang!Sepang is special for me. Those of you who grew up around the turn of the century like me and/or are video game aficionados, will remember F1 2002, arguably one of EA Sports' most popular PC gaming titles of that era. Of all the historic tracks on that game (including the old Nurburgring layout, if memory serves me right), I found myself fascinated by this recent (for that time) 'Tilkedrome', arguably one of Hermann Tilke's finest efforts. I spent hours playing it in time-trial mode on my modest PC, the BMW-Williams of Juan Pablo Montoya my car of choice as I tried to shave fractions of a second off my lap time. Ah, happy days!Driving at Sepang became a bucket list item, long before I truly knew the significance of one. I had no idea if it'll ever get checked off of it, but then you don't make bucket lists of stuff youto happen, do you?Cut to present, nearly two decades later, I find myself at this sign. My inner kid is doing cartwheels (outer adult would too, if he could!) and if my grin got any wider it'd turn my face inside out. A fellow media colleague notices me staring at it, and offers to take a picture. Thank you, good Sir!We're taken straight to the 'Briefing Pit', where the event team takes us through the day's agenda while we sign indemnity paperwork and join our color-coded groups we were given wrist tags for earlier in the morning (I got Green):First up, safety briefing. Sign the forms, stay with your assigned group, obey instructors at all times. Simple and to the point:We are then briefed on the events of the day, and location of each on the track premises:The day's agenda, designed around driving experience with the newly launched tyres:Before we set off to the driving experience areas, there's a demo comparison of the Assurance Maxguard's wet braking abilities with a competitor's tyre. A volunteer is sought, and yours truly puts his hand up before anyone else can react.Off I go, riding shotgun with Goodyear test driver Azizi in a Civic RS shod with a set of the competitor's tyres (not at liberty to take names, though it's a rather popular brand).The track has been Bernie Ecclestone'd, as in trackside sprinklers used to create a wet patch for the test, and we'll be rolling down at about 60 km/h before slamming the brakes, while a RaceLogic display in front of me captures stopping time & distance:Run 1 - Competitor's tyre:We pull into the pits for a quick tyre swap to Goodyear rubber and out we go again:Run 2 - Assurance Maxguard:With the usual caveats; same car, same bit of road, same driver etc. What stood out to me wasn't just the difference in stopping time and distance, but the tyre's behaviour under braking.The Assurance Maxguard is noticeably more composed, appears to have more grip and the Civic's ABS kicks in far less violently compared to the other tyre we demoed. We'll be driving the Civic again later, so there'll be a chance to validate the first impression.We hop onto a shuttle and make tracks to our first driving experience of the day: Dry Handling with Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6. We'll be driving two laps of a modified layout on the south side of the track, consisting of the back straight and turns 8 through 14. Not the whole track as I'd love to do, but arguably my favorite infield bits of the circuit have been included, so I ain't complaining.Before any actual driving takes place, is a chance to pretend you're a racing driver for the day, walking down the pit-lane to your garage, like all the famous ones do on a race weekend:Another angle, because why not! It's fun playing pretend racing driver:Safety and lap layout briefing done. Helmet on. Time to Drive:Drive what, you ask? One of these!More specifically, THIS!!!Again, yours truly has called dibs on the only hot hatch in the fleet before anyone else could blink. Pays to be quick, eh? The others will have to make do with CLA45S specimens, the coupe cousin. Hatchbacks for the win, I say!An AMG A45S, powered by a 2-litre turbo petrol heart mated to an 8-speed AMG Speedshift DCT. Puts down ~420 horses through delicious-looking 19-inch forged wheels, gallops to 100 in 3.9 ticks ofheart and tops out around 270 km/h. A spoiler at the back large enough that people more vertically-endowed than me could eat their lunch off of it. Nevertheless, the AMG looks compact and quick, just how I like it!An instructor rides shotgun, both to ensure you drive within the track & car's -- your limits, and to remind you having signed up for a hefty fine if you disobey the instructor or damage the car. No reminders needed, I say, and we head out.Out lap is done at a brisk but not-full-beans-yet pace, as the instructor points out the lines (marked by cones I wish weren't there), braking and corner entry/exit points, apexes etc. He quickly realises I'm very familiar with the track and comfortable with the car, so lets me drive and speaks up only when a cautionary word is needed.We come out of turn 14, everything dialed up, gearbox in manual mode in 2nd gear for the give-it-the-beans hot lap. Gun it, he says. Already did, I say grinning wide, as the growl of the motor drowns both of us out! We get up to speeds only legal on a race track, blast past the pits and approach the kink at the end of the straight in what felt like barely a heartbeat.As I tap the flappy paddles to hit M2 while slowing down for the corner (slight kink right and a revised hairpin at turn 8), the motor growls like it'll rip my head off. We go through the corners, hitting the apexes and hugging (and sometimes slipping a bit off) the racing line, the rear itching to step out but the tyres holding it in (barely), until the lap is done as quickly as it began.One of the most fun-condensed 5 minutes or so I've ever had. Unfortunately, no second go (I asked, shamelessly!) so I have to reluctantly get out and hand the car over to the next person in line.Down the straight:Through the infield:Out of the corner:One of the AMGs barreling down the straight (turn the sound UP, or use headphones!). The camera mic doesn't do justice capturing the aural experience in the slightest. It has to be heard in person, both at full tilt and when aggressively downshifting:A close up shot of the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 on a CLA45S. Two laps are a small sample to judge a tyre on, but given what we put it through on the shortened lap, the tyre held its own and never felt like it wasn't up to the little pocket rocket it was attached to:Off to the next stop, Wet Slalom with the Assurance Maxguard, mounted on vanilla C200 specimens:The sprinklers are taking a break, so no Ecclestone-ing the track for this bit for our round and we ended up with an impromptu dry slalom. The task is simple enough; out of the pits, U-turn and line up on main straight for a standing start, speed up to about 50-60 km/h and swerve around the slalom course without knocking down the cones, then stop in an assigned box. Go around, and do it again.Doing this straight after the AMG laps, the C-Class feels S-L-O-W. Still, the tyres feel grippy at mid-double digit speeds, minimal squeal as we swerved around the cones before braking to a stop.A couple pics from an earlier session on a wet track:A close up shot of the Assurance Maxguard:Hot enough after a dry slalom run for pebbles to stick: Last edited by Aditya : 6th October 2023 at 10:49 .
Its main function is file transfer between a local and a remote computer. Beyond this, WinSCP offers scripting and basic file manager functionality.

Features

Graphical user interface (screenshots)

Translated into many languages

Integration with Windows (drag&drop, URL, shortcut icons, jump list)

All common operations with files

Support for SFTP and SCP protocols over SSH and FTP and WebDAV and S3 protocols

Batch file scripting and command-line interface and .NET assembly for advanced programming tasks

Directory synchronization in several semi or fully automatic ways

Integrated text editor

Shares site settings with PuTTY

Support for password, keyboard-interactive, public key and Kerberos (GSS) authentication

Integrates with Pageant (PuTTY authentication agent) for full support of public key authentication with SSH

Explorer and Commander interfaces

Optionally protects stored site information with master password

Optionally supports portable operation using a configuration file in place of registry entries, suitable for operation from removable media

What's New

Single large file can be downloaded using multiple SFTP connections. 513

Support for OpenSSH certificates for host verification. Sponsored by Teleport. 2145

SSH core and SSH private key tools (PuTTYgen and Pageant) upgraded to PuTTY 0.79.

It brings the following change:
Why it matters: Since the emergence of generative AI and large language models, some have warned that AI-generated output could eventually influence subsequent AI-generated output, creating a dangerous feedback loop. We now have a documented case of such an occurrence, further highlighting the risk to the emerging technology field.

While attempting to cite examples of false information from hallucinating AI chatbots, a researcher inadvertently caused another chatbot to hallucinate by influencing ranked search results. The incident reveals the need for further safeguards as AI-enhanced search engines proliferate.

Information science researcher Daniel S. Griffin posted two examples of misinformation from chatbots on his blog earlier this year concerning influential computer scientist Claude E. Shannon. Griffin also included a disclaimer noting that the chatbots' information was untrue to dissuade machine scrapers from indexing it, but it wasn't enough.

Griffin eventually discovered that multiple chatbots, including Microsoft's Bing and Google's Bard, had referenced the hallucinations he'd posted as if they were true, ranking them at the top of their search results. When asked specific questions about Shannon, the bots used Griffin's warning as the basis for a consistent but false narrative, attributing a paper to Shannon that he never wrote. More concerningly, the Bing and Bard results offer no indication that their sources originated from LLMs.

Oops. It looks like my links to chat results for my Claude Shannon hallucination test have poisoned @bing. pic.twitter.com/42lZpV12PY  Daniel Griffin (@danielsgriffin) September 29, 2023

The situation is similar to cases where people paraphrase or quote sources out of context, leading to misinformed research. The case with Griffin proves that generative AI models can potentially automate that mistake at a frightening scale.

Microsoft has since corrected the error in Bing and hypothesized that the problem is more likely to occur when dealing with subjects where relatively little human-written material exists online. Another reason the precedent is dangerous is that it presents a theoretical blueprint for bad actors to intentionally weaponize LLMs to spread misinformation by influencing search results. Hackers have been known to deliver malware by tuning fraudulent websites to attain top search result rankings.

The vulnerability echoes a warning from June suggesting that as more LLM-generated content fills the web, it will be used to train future LLMs. The resulting feedback loop could dramatically erode AI models' quality and trustworthiness in a phenomenon called "Model Collapse."

Companies working with AI should ensure training continually prioritizes human-made content. Preserving less well-known information and material made by minority groups could help combat the problem.
Rumor mill: Windows 11 is two years old and is still behind Windows 10's market share, but rumors have long suggested Microsoft is already preparing Windows 12's debut. A recent comment from Intel, together with the latest information regarding the company's near-future hardware plans, could heighten that suspicion.

During a recent earnings call, Intel chief financial officer Dave Zinsner mentioned a "Windows Refresh" expected in 2024. He doesn't explicitly mention Windows 12, but his comments fit rumors about the upcoming OS release. At the Citi 2023 Global Technology Conference, Zinsner said the company thinks the refresh will make next year a good one for its client-side business. A "Windows catalyst" will initiate a refresh for an aging installed base.

If previously reported rumors are true, then the CFO could be implying that Intel's upcoming Meteor Lake processors will benefit from Windows 12, spurring strong shipments when it appears. The OS and CPUs could herald a new environment of AI-based tools and client-side hardware working in tandem. Both products are said to present significant overhauls over their predecessors.

Earlier rumors suggest Microsoft will introduce Windows 12 in the second half of 2024, possibly leading to a full launch in 2025. Microsoft could embed features leveraging generative AI throughout the OS, building on the AI functionality that recently arrived with the Windows 11 23H2 update to its search bar, image editing apps, and Microsoft 365. Windows 12 might also rework its user interface and organize partitions differently to facilitate security and patches.

Microsoft could be taking a different approach to major OS upgrades altogether if it's forging ahead with Windows 12, while its predecessor struggles to establish dominance within the user base. A report from Statcounter reveals that over 70 percent of Windows users still prefer Windows 10, and Windows 11 adoption hasn't significantly increased beyond a 23 percent share since April. Steam's software survey has the latest Windows OS at a slightly better 37 percent adoption.

Meanwhile, the Meteor Lake series processors, expected to arrive next year, will feature dedicated AI acceleration cores to make systems more responsive when performing AI-related tasks. Similarly, AMD's recently released Ryzen 7000 mobile CPUs include a dedicated engine for Windows Studio Effects. Microsoft is said to be working with both CPU vendors in designing Windows 12's AI features.
In a bid to shield its independent bookstores and fortify its cultural heritage, France has unveiled a new law that will impose a minimum delivery fee of 3 on Amazon and other online retailers for book orders.

Starting this Saturday, Oct. 7, this significant development is set to level the playing field between small, local bookshops and tech giants like Amazon.

A Closer Look

EuroNews tells us that France has long been known for its robust support of literature and its unique "cultural exception," which includes price regulations on French-language books, banning discounts exceeding 5 percent of the regular price.

However, the emergence of e-commerce behemoths has posed a substantial challenge to the survival of independent bookstores nationwide.

Before this law's enactment, Amazon charged a meager single euro cent for book deliveries, regardless of the order's total value.

The new regulation mandates that this 3 minimum delivery fee applies to all book orders under 35. This move, nicknamed the "Darcos Law," intends to provide small bookshops, often operating on thin profit margins, a fighting chance to stay afloat in the digital age.

The measure directly aims at a glaring loophole exploited by large conglomerates, allowing them to offer delivery fees as low as 0.01.

In 2014, a precedent known as the "anti-Amazon law" was established, effectively banning free shipping on online book purchases. The Darcos Law is an evolution of France's enduring commitment to protecting its literary heritage.

What This Means

The Times UK tells us that France boasts one of the highest concentrations of independent brick-and-mortar bookstores globally, with an estimated 3,500 shops, over three times the number in the United Kingdom.

These establishments often offer a personalized touch, specializing in unique genres or rare and historic books while hosting in-person events like book signings and discussions.

However, maintaining this vibrant ecosystem has proven increasingly challenging as consumers flock to online giants for the convenience of rapid and low-cost book deliveries.

In the digital era, Amazon's swift delivery model has posed a formidable threat to the existence of these quaint, community-focused bookstores.

Anticipating this regulation, Amazon has been engaged in a protracted legal battle since 2021, arguing that the law infringes on consumer rights.

While awaiting a ruling from the French Council of State, the company has begun informing its customers of the impending delivery fee increase.

Read Also: AI Watermarking: Research Exposes Vulnerabilities, Unveiling Theft-Proof Intellectual Property Protection

Failed Petition

In June, Amazon appealed to France's highest administrative court to remove a portion of the legislation requiring a minimum 3-euro delivery cost for books ordered online.

Amazon France said that the law's provision requiring a minimum 3-euro delivery fee for books acquired online for less than 35 euros went against the general interest of French consumers at a time of growing costs.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Author Discovers AI-Generated Book on Amazon, Raising Questions About Intellectual Property Rights

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Researchers have successfully harnessed the power of lasers to deflect lightning strikes.

IFLScience reports that Dr. Aurelien Houard and his team at ENSTA Paris have demonstrated that lasers can serve as virtual lightning rods, altering the course of lightning bolts in an experiment conducted atop Switzerland's Santis Mountain.

The implications of this discovery extend far beyond our everyday fears of thunder and lightning storms, potentially safeguarding vital infrastructure and human lives in the face of nature's fury.

Upgrading Old Lightning Tech

Traditionally, humanity has relied on the Franklin lightning rod for protection against the unpredictable nature of lightning. Over 270 years since its inception, it has effectively prevented countless fires and electrocutions, reassuring us that we can control the forces once believed to belong to the gods.

However, Dr. Houard and his co-authors make a compelling case for an upgrade to this age-old technology. Their remarkable research, published in Nature Photonics, presents laser pulses as a revolutionary means to manipulate the path of a lightning strike.

Deflecting Lightning with Lasers

The key to this groundbreaking experiment lies in the ability of laser pulses to ionize the air, creating low-density channels that can redirect the lightning's trajectory.

To put their theory to the test, the team set up a laser machine the size of a car on the lightning-prone Santis Mountain in Switzerland - a place hit by 100 lightning strikes each year!

Read Also: New Study Reveals Synthetic Diamonds Can Self-Heal at Room Temperature

Impressive Results

For six hours during a thunderstorm, the laser pulses successfully controlled the direction of four lightning discharges.

Astonishingly, high-speed cameras recorded one lightning bolt following the laser beams' path for a staggering 50 meters (164 feet).

These electrifying events were accompanied by heightened X-ray bursts, underscoring the magnitude of the experiment's success.

Dr. Houard's team achieved what had eluded scientists for over two decades. They attributed their triumph to using significantly faster laser pulses, repeated thousands of times per second.

This breakthrough is promising to improve lightning safety measures, particularly in scenarios where traditional lightning rods may fall short.

Important Questions

While this cutting-edge technology undoubtedly excites our scientific curiosity, questions about its practicality and cost-effectiveness loom large.

Constructing and operating such powerful lasers may be relatively inexpensive for many applications. Moreover, existing infrastructure, like the telecommunications tower used in the experiment, has proven its mettle over the years with reliable Franklin rods.

Dr. Houard's laser machine, operating in the terawatt range for short bursts, consumed more electricity than the entire continent of Europe. However, the potential benefits extend beyond the realm of stationary rods.

Lasers could offer a versatile alternative in open fields or areas where mobility is essential. Additionally, compared to single-use rockets with wire attachments, lasers may present a more cost-effective, reusable solution for defusing strong electric fields and preventing subsequent lightning strikes.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Large Hadron Collider Experiment Detects a Rare 'Hypernuclei' From Proton Collisions

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Researchers continue to seek answers as to how important is fluorescence to the animal kingdom. It turns out that even your cat at home is fluorescent under ultraviolet (UV) light.

The latest study discovered that 125 species of mammals have "apparent fluorescence." This could be the reason why some of them appear to be glowing in the dark.

Discovering the Fluorescent Mammals

A study titled "All-a-glow: spectral characteristics confirm widespread fluorescence for mammals" was posted in the Royal Society. A team of researchers from the Western Australian Museum and Curtin University, shed light on this interesting topic.

According to scientists, fluorescence is not an exception but a rule among mammals, describing it as "extremely common."

The investigation tackled an impressive spectrum of 125 mammal species, utilizing both preserved and frozen specimens found in museum collections.

Under the exposure to UV light, researchers unearthed "apparent fluorescence" in all mammal specimens studied, albeit in varying degrees.

Among the luminous stars of this discovery are some unexpected names, including domestic cats (Felis catus), polar bears, bats, mountain zebras, wombats, dwarf spinner dolphins, leopards, and Tasmanian devils.

Interestingly, fluorescent compounds were detected in an array of mammalian features, from bones, teeth, claws, and fur to feathers and skin, showcasing the multifaceted nature of this captivating phenomenon.

Revealing the Diverse Spectrum of Colors Among Mammals

The fluorescent colors displayed by these mammals are nothing short of breathtaking. According to ABC News, these include a mesmerizing palette of red, yellow, green, pink, and blue, adding a newfound dimension to our perception of these creatures.

By employing the spectrophotometer in Curtin University's School of Molecular and Life Sciences, researchers quantified the emitted light from each specimen when exposed to UV light. This technique enabled them to study the science of mammalian fluorescence more deeply.

"We were quite curious to find out about fluorescence in mammals," study's author and curator of Mammalogy at the Western Australian Museum, Kenny Travouillon said.

Related Article: World's First Underwater Fluorescence Microscope To Detect Algae Outbreaks

The Chemistry Behind the Glow

Fluorescence, it turns out, is a result of specific chemicals on the mammal's surface, such as proteins or carotenoids, absorbing UV light and subsequently emitting it at "longer and lower-energy wavelengths," per ScienceAlert. This often results in a pink, green, or blue luminescence.

Even the iconic platypus, one of Australia's most cherished species, was unveiled as a fluorescent marvel under UV light.

For years, our understanding of fluorescence in mammals had been limited to only a handful of species. This study, however, has expanded this understanding significantly by documenting fluorescence in 125 mammal species.

Notably, it revealed that the most fluorescent mammals tend to be those with predominantly white or lighter-colored fur, comprising 107 out of 125 species, which is approximately 86%.

In contrast, melanin masked fluorescence in mammals with darker fur, as exemplified by the Tasmanian devil.

The white fur of animals such as koalas, Tasmanian devils, short-beaked echidnas, southern hairy-nosed wombats, quendas, greater bilbies, and cats radiated fluorescence, while the dark hairs of zebras did not display this remarkable feature.

Fluorescence is Mostly Common in Nocturnal Animals

The study also disclosed that fluorescence is most prevalent and intense among nocturnal species, as well as those with terrestrial, arboreal, and fossorial habits. This suggests a potential correlation between mammalian behavior and their tendency to fluoresce.

While this study demonstrates that fluorescent qualities are indeed common in mammals, a lingering debate surrounds the biological function of this phenomenon. Some scientists question whether fluorescence serves any particular purpose in mammals or if it is merely a result of their surface chemistry, a topic that warrants further exploration.

As the study's authors put it, "For most fluorescent animals, there is insufficient information to evaluate."

The researchers suggest that further studies should explore non-preserved animals, including live or freshly deceased specimens, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of this mesmerizing phenomenon.

Moreover, they anticipate that the lemur, a major mammalian clade missing from their dataset, may also reveal the presence of fluorescent species due to the prevalence of white fur within the group.

Read Also: Scientists Confirm Ancient Footprints in New Mexico to Be the Oldest Sign of Humans in Americas

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Despite an FBI takedown, the operators behind Qakbot malware seem to be moving freely to launch their brand-new phishing scheme.

The cybersecurity researchers grew alarmed by this report. As a matter of fact, they said that the threat actors remain active in attacking their target victims.

Qakbot Malware Returns With a Vengeance

FBI said back in August that it already "disrupted and dismantled" the notorious Qakbot malware operation. However, it appears that the hackers responsible for this conundrum are far from defeated.

Recent research by Cisco Talos suggests that these cybercriminals remain active and continue to target unsuspecting victims with new and evolving strategies.

Operation Duck Hunt is Not Successful

The FBI's Operation Duck Hunt, as it was named, did seem like a significant win. It involved the seizure of 52 servers, which was anticipated to "permanently dismantle" the Qakbot botnet.

Qakbot, a long-running malware operation, had wreaked havoc on over 700,000 machines globally, causing losses amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. However, as the recent findings reveal, the victory might have been far from over.

Cisco Talos' latest research indicates that since early August, the Qakbot hackers have been actively conducting campaigns and they showed no signs of slowing down.

The tactics of the threat actors include distributing Ransom Knight ransomware (a rebrand of the Cyclops ransomware-as-a-service operation), the Remcos remote access trojan, and the distribution of the RedLine information stealer malware and the Darkgate backdoor via phishing emails. The threat landscape continues to evolve up to this day.

Related Article: US, Global Authorities Dismantle Qakbot Malware Platform Used in Financial Crimes

Talos experts note that there is a "moderate confidence" assessment that Qakbot-affiliated hackers are responsible for this ongoing campaign. The evidence lies in the choice of filenames and the consistent theme of urgent financial matters, aligning with previous Qakbot campaigns.

This botnet provided cybercriminals like these with a command-and-control infrastructure consisting of hundreds of thousands of computers used to carry out attacks against individuals and businesses all around the globe," FBI Director Christoper Wray said.

The hackers have also introduced an interesting twist by using filenames in Italian, suggesting a primary focus on Italian-speaking regions, TechCrunch writes in a report. Nonetheless, the campaign has also cast its net wide, targeting English and German-speaking individuals.

Cracking Qakbot is Still a Challenge for the FBI

Understanding the exact scope of this campaign remains a challenge. Qakbot's distribution network has proven to be highly effective, and capable of executing large-scale campaigns. Given the elusive nature of cybercriminals, the true extent of their activities is hard to pinpoint.

The FBI's records show that past victims of Qakbot have included a power engineering firm in Illinois, financial services organizations in Alabama, Kansas, and Maryland, a defense manufacturer in Maryland, and a food distribution company in Southern California.

It's imperative to recognize that this ongoing campaign began before the FBI's takedown operation. This hints that Operation Duck Hunt might not have significantly impacted the Qakbot operators' spam delivery infrastructure, focusing mainly on their command and control (C2) servers.

Read Also: Your Android Smartphone Might Be Infected With Anatsa Banking Trojan- Uninstall These Apps NOW!

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In a recent anonymous CEO approval survey conducted by the professional social network Blind, some of the tech industry's top leaders have emerged with notable results.

Among them, Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, stands out as the clear frontrunner, securing an impressive 96% approval rating from Nvidia employees, reaffirming his strong leadership.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, also shines, with an 83% approval rating, highlighting his popularity among the company's workforce.

Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta still garnered a respectable 45% approval.

This survey provides a fascinating insight into employees' sentiments toward their top executives, shedding light on what makes a successful CEO in today's competitive tech landscape.

The Exclusive Survey

As first reported by 9to5Mac, the survey, which gathered responses from 13,171 verified professionals in the United States, aimed to answer a single question: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way your CEO is handling their job?"

Jensen Huang's commanding 96% approval rating underscores his exceptional leadership at Nvidia, a company renowned for its powerhouse graphics chips dominating the AI boom.

Apple's Tim Cook, securing an impressive 83% approval rating, ranks fourth overall but takes second among tech CEOs. This result is a testament to Cook's steady guidance of Apple, which prides itself on innovation and customer satisfaction.

Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Meta, formerly known as Facebook, may not top the charts with his 45% approval, but it's a respectable showing.

Considering the recent scrutiny and challenges Meta has faced, this rating suggests that a significant portion of the workforce supports Zuckerberg's vision and leadership.

Which CEOs Fall Behind

Delving deeper into the survey, it becomes evident that not all CEOs enjoy the same employee approval levels. Satya Nadella of Microsoft scored 30%, Sundar Pichai of Google received a 26% approval rating, and Andy Jassy of Amazon trailed with just 10%.

Linda Yaccarino of X (formerly Twitter) took the spotlight for the lowest approval rating, scraping by with a mere 4%. This stark contrast in approval ratings reflects employees' diverse experiences with their respective leaders.

PhoneArena points out that the CEOs with the lowest approval ratings were those associated with significant job cuts in 2023. X (formerly Twitter), Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta collectively sent over 50,000 employees packing in the same year.

Read Also: Elon Musk Faces SEC Lawsuit for Skipping Testimony in Twitter Probe

Elon Musk, Bob Iger

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and owner of X, garnered a 38% approval rating in the survey, underscoring employees' mixed feelings toward his leadership style.

Even outside the tech industry, the survey revealed interesting findings. Disney's Bob Iger received a tepid 26% approval rating, demonstrating that even highly regarded CEOs may only sometimes win over their entire workforce.

Factors at play in these approval ratings include higher company valuations and stock-based compensation, which tend to boost CEO popularity. At the same time, layoffs, as witnessed in several tech giants, have detrimentally impacted employee sentiment.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Elon Musk's Intelligence Examined in New Study: How Does He Stack Up Against Zuckerberg, Bezos?

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Key Insights

Significantly high institutional ownership implies Barratt Developments' stock price is sensitive to their trading actions

50% of the business is held by the top 17 shareholders

Recent purchases by insiders

Every investor in Barratt Developments plc (LON:BDEV) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 85% to be precise, is institutions. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Losing money on investments is something no shareholder enjoys, least of all institutional investors who saw their holdings value drop by 3.3% last week. However, the 35% one-year return to shareholders might have softened the blow. They should, however, be mindful of further losses in the future.

Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Barratt Developments, beginning with the chart below.

View our latest analysis for Barratt Developments

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Barratt Developments?

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.

Barratt Developments already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. 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 Barratt Developments' earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Barratt Developments. BlackRock, Inc. is currently the largest shareholder, with 9.8% of shares outstanding. With 7.0% and 4.6% of the shares outstanding respectively, FMR LLC and The Vanguard Group, Inc. are the second and third largest shareholders.

Story continues

After doing some more digging, we found that the top 17 have the combined ownership of 50% in the company, suggesting that no single shareholder has significant control over the company.

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 plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Barratt Developments

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. 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.

Our data suggests that insiders own under 1% of Barratt Developments plc in their own names. It is a pretty big company, so it would be possible for board members to own a meaningful interest in the company, without owning much of a proportional interest. In this case, they own around UK9.3m worth of shares (at current prices). It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 14% stake in Barratt Developments. 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.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Barratt Developments better, we need to consider many other factors. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Barratt Developments you should be aware of, and 1 of them is concerning.

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.
US lawmakers urge President Joe Biden's administration to restrict US corporations' use of RISC-V, a Chinese open-source semiconductor technology that might undermine international tech industry relationships.

RISC-V, pronounced "risk five," competes with Arm Holdings' exclusive technology, a British semiconductor and software design business. RISC-V is a flexible technology that may be used in a wide range of tech products, including powerful processors for artificial intelligence (AI) and smartphone chips.



Several US legislators, including two Republican House committee chairmen, Senator Marco Rubio, and Democrat Senator Mark Warner, are asking the Biden administration to act on RISC-V for national security reasons.

US Lawmakers: Chinese Communist Party Taking Advantage of RISC-V

These legislators aim to limit US corporations' RISC-V participation as they worry that Beijing is taking advantage of US companies' open engagement to benefit China's semiconductor industry, which might damage US leadership in the semiconductor industry and help China modernize its military.



The head of the House Select Committee on China, Representative Mike Gallagher, emphasized the necessity for the Commerce Department to require anybody from the United States to get an export license before conducting business with Chinese organizations about RISC-V technology.



These RISC-V regulatory requests are the latest in the US-China chip war. Broad export prohibitions, which the Biden administration seeks to revise this month, contributed to the conflict's escalation last year.



US Lawmakers worry that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using RISC-V technology to get around the supremacy of the United States in the intellectual property required for chip design.



Chairman Michael McCaul of the House Foreign Affairs Committee echoed this sentiment, saying, "The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is abusing RISC-V to get around US dominance of the intellectual property needed to design chips. US persons should not be supporting a PRC tech transfer strategy that serves to degrade US export control laws," as quoted by Reuters.

Read Also: MGM Resorts Cyberattack: Massive $100 Million Loss, Extent of Data Breach Disclosed



Rubio stated that China is creating an open-source chip architecture to get around US sanctions and boost its chip sector. The senator believes China might overtake the US in semiconductor design without strengthening export limits.



Warner expressed concern that current export-control regulations do not adequately cover open-source software, whether it be in cutting-edge semiconductor designs like RISC-V or AI.

A Swiss nonprofit foundation oversees for-profit firms' RISC-V development. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the Pentagon provided funds for the technology's development in the Berkeley labs of the University of California.

Tech Industry Calls For Collaboration

RISC stands for reduced instruction set computer, and RISC-V proposes a completely alternative architecture for its instruction set. It runs on an open-source framework that permits unrestricted use to boost innovation and cut expenses, according to CNBC.



In addition, RISC-V is becoming increasingly popular in China, where a third of its cores are made. Chinese enterprises may independently produce semiconductors due to RISC-V's open-source design, even in Taiwan.



Industry players, including China's Huawei Technologies, Qualcomm, and Google, regard RISC-V as a possible substitute for well-established instruction set architectures despite political issues.

According to an EPS News report, they believe collaboration is necessary for the technology's evolution and its role in making chips cheaper and more flexible.



Jing Yang, president of the semiconductor division at Alibaba, and Carlie Su, chief technology officer of Taiwan's Andes Technology, express optimism that RISC-V will grow as a competitive alternative to well-established instruction set architectures, highlighting the significance of stakeholder cooperation.

Related Article: EU Launches Initiative to Protect Its Tech Industry from Foreign Surveillance

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Spanish startup PLD Space is poised to make history with the launch of its revolutionary Miura-1 rocket, marking Europe's first fully private rocket launch.

Reuters reports that the highly anticipated test launch is scheduled for the early hours of Saturday, thrusting Spain into the forefront of the burgeoning 'microlauncher' industry.

After overcoming previous setbacks, PLD Space is gearing up for a mission that could reshape the continent's access to space.

You can watch the launch live here.

Con MIURA 1 ya izado en la rampa de lanzamiento, iniciamos el procedimiento #VamosMIURA pic.twitter.com/EbonAyEaki  PLD Space (@PLD_Space) October 6, 2023

A Bold Launch Attempt

PLD Space's Miura-1 is set to break new ground in the European space race.

With a height equivalent to a three-story building and the capacity to carry 100 kg of cargo, this single-stage rocket represents the future of private space travel.

Designed to be reusable and capable of conducting zero-gravity experiments, the Miura-1 embodies the latest advancements in rocket technology.

According to Space.com, if everything goes as planned, tonight's mission will take 12 minutes and reach 50 miles above Earth's surface - the altitude at which space begins.

According to PLD Space, the mission will conclude with the Miura 1 splashdown into the Atlantic Ocean, which will be recovered for inspection and analysis.

Read Also: Russia's Lunar Lander Crash Blamed on Control Unit Malfunction, Mission Upgrades Underway





Learning from Past Failed Attempts

This launch has its share of challenges and expectations.

Adverse weather conditions and technical glitches marred previous attempts in May and June. High-altitude winds and umbilical cable issues temporarily halted the dreams of the PLD Space team.

However, the setbacks served as valuable learning experiences. Rigorous testing has been conducted to ensure that past mistakes are not repeated, instilling confidence in the upcoming launch.

Location and Security Measures

Airspace, sea areas, and roads surrounding the high-security site in Huelva, southwest Spain, have been closed off to safeguard the launch.

The public's enthusiasm has not been overlooked, as dedicated viewing points have been established for spectators eager to witness history in the making.

PLD Space's CEO and co-founder, Raul Torres expressed his excitement on X.

Eyes on the Microlauncher Industry

Europe's venture into microlaunchers gains momentum with this pioneering launch.

In the wake of Virgin Orbit's failed orbital rocket launch from Britain in January, Europe has been in dire need of reliable small satellite launch capabilities.

PLD Space's Miura-1 is set to fill this void, putting Europe on the map as a key player in the global space industry.

The Path Forward

The Miura-1 launch is just the beginning. PLD Space plans two suborbital missions before taking its ambitions to the next level with the larger Miura-5 in 2025.

While this inaugural mission carries a payload for test purposes, its success will have far-reaching implications. If all goes according to plan, this launch will mark the first time a rocket has lifted off from continental Europe outside Russia.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Japan's JAXA to Launch Next-Gen Reusable Rocket Research, Following SpaceX Trend

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Tesla dropped US Model 3 and Model Y prices after Q3 deliveries missed expectations. The company aims to deliver 1.8 million electric vehicles by year's end.



The Tesla price cuts range from 2.7 to 4.2 percent. Tesla's website lists the Model 3 sedan at $38,990, down $1,250, and the Model Y long-range at $48,490, as reported by Reuters. Discounts were also applied to more costly models.



Since the start of the year, the ordinary Model 3 has dropped by over 17% and the long-range Model Y by over 26%. Tesla lowered prices in January to encourage sales in an uncertain economy and compete with Ford and BYD.



Tesla's shares plummeted 2.1% after the announcements of these price revisions due to concerns about the EV manufacturing company's industry-leading profit margins dipped to a nearly four-year low in second quarter.

Tesla, headquartered at Austin, Texas, will report its Q3 earnings on Oct. 18.

Lagging Behind 2023 Delivery Target

Late last year, Tesla began lowering prices abroad to encourage demand amid concerns about weak consumer spending in key markets including the US and China. However, the most recent Tesla price cuts follow Tesla's Q3 car delivery data of 435,059, which fell short of analyst projections and represented a decrease from the prior quarter. Factory renovations caused production site disruptions, Tesla said. According to a previous TechTimes report, Tesla's third-quarter deliveries number still were a record showcasing the continued demand for electric cars.



Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, has said publicly that the firm would prioritize increasing sales volumes above profit margins this year. That has so far generated dividend payments for the company, whose shares have increased by nearly 100% in 2023, per CNBC.

Read Also: US Lawmakers Push for RISC-V Chip Technology Restrictions Amid National Security Concerns

Kia, Hyundai Adopt Tesla EV Charging

In related news, Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis will equip their electric vehicles with Tesla-style charging stations in the US in Q4 2024. CNN reported that owners of these EV brands will be able to utilize Tesla chargers without any issues due to this change. Hyundai Motor Group includes all three brands, while Hyundai and Kia operate separately in the US.



According to Kelley Blue Book data, Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are now the second-largest EV manufacturers behind Tesla, which is a significant development for Tesla's charging infrastructure. The three companies sold 37,800 EVs in the first half of 2023, but Tesla sold almost 330,000.



The Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Kona Electric are the three fully electric vehicles Hyundai sells in the United States. The EV6 and Niro EV are offered by Kia, and the G80 sedan, GV70 SUV, and electric-only GV60 SUV are provided by Genesis. In 2025, Hyundai will provide adapters for older Hyundai automobiles with Combined Charging System connectors to use Tesla-style chargers.

Related Article: Ford Joins General Motors With Q3 Sales Surge Amid Ongoing Labor Strike

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A new study has unveiled a concerning connection between rising global temperatures and increased emissions of harmful compounds from plants like oaks and poplars.

These emissions were found to contribute to deteriorating air quality, leading to elevated levels of problematic particulate matter and low-atmosphere ozone.

(Photo : OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE/AFP via Getty Images)

A truffle hunter Jean-Luc Monteillet's dog searches for black truffles through the oaks of the Domaine of Montine in Grignan, southern France, on December 23, 2022.

Examining Isoprene Emission From Poplar Plants

Conducted by a team of researchers at Michigan State University, the research focused on examining isoprene emissions from poplar plants.

Isoprene is a significant atmospheric hydrocarbon with both protective effects against environmental stress and contributions to ozone and aerosol formation.

The research sought to comprehend the impact of heightened CO2 levels on isoprene emissions, an essential element in understanding the consequences of climate change.

The findings suggest that elevated CO2 concentrations reduced isoprene emissions, a phenomenon associated with specific alterations in plant metabolic pathways.

Read Also: Biological Annihilation Era: Study Reveals Human Activities Speed Up Extinction of Animal Species

Raising Questions

This dilemma has prompted Professor Tom Sharkey of the Plant Resilience Institute to ponder a critical question of considering the removal of all oak trees.

Interesting Engineering reported that he raises essential questions about the trade-off between enhancing a plant's resilience through increased isoprene production and mitigating the worsening air pollution caused by these emissions.

Sharkey emphasized the significance of a comprehensive understanding, as it enables more informed responses to these challenges.

Sharkey noted that isoprene, a hydrocarbon emitted by plants, ranks as the second-highest in terms of emissions on Earth, surpassed only by methane emissions from human activities. Surprisingly, isoprene remains relatively unfamiliar to most people.

According to the study, isoprene undergoes chemical reactions with nitrogen oxide compounds found in air pollution stemming from various sources such as coal-fired power plants and vehicle engines.

These reactions give rise to the creation of ozone, aerosols, and other harmful byproducts. These pollutants harm human health and plant life, contributing significantly to the deterioration of air quality and environmental degradation.

Sharkey also explained the intriguing phenomenon where air flows across urban landscapes, accumulating nitrogen oxides, and subsequently passes over forests, creating a toxic mixture.

"There's this interesting phenomenon where you have air moving across a city landscape, picking up nitrogen oxides, then moving over a forest to give you this toxic brew... The air quality downwind of a city is often worse than the air quality in the city itself," Sharkey noted.

Abira Sahu, a postdoctoral research associate in Sharkey's research group and the study's lead author, said they aimed to identify a specific regulation point in the isoprene's biosynthesis pathway under high carbon dioxide, and they finally got it.

"For the biologists out there, the crux of the paper is that we identified the specific reaction slowed by carbon dioxide, CO2," Sahu noted.

Sahu pointed out that once the temperature reaches 95 degrees Fahrenheit, "there's basically no CO2 suppression," and "isoprene is pouring out like crazy."

During their investigation involving poplar plant leaf, the research team made an intriguing observation: when the leaf was subjected to warming at a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it emitted 10 times more isoprene.

This discovery holds the potential to enhance our comprehension of future isoprene emissions from plants and their subsequent impact on the environment. Such knowledge could empower individuals and communities to make informed choices. The team's findings were published in the journal PNAS.

Related Article: Underground Climate Change: How This Silent Hazard Impact the Cities

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
India has ordered X, YouTube, and Telegram to make sure there are no child sexual abuse materials on their platforms, the government said on Friday.

Reuters reported that the country's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has sent notices to these tech companies to inform them that they must immediately remove child sexual abuse materials on their platforms.

In a press statement, the government noted that X, YouTube, and Telegram could be stripped of their protection from legal liability if they do not comply. The MEITY said any child sexual abuse material on these platforms must be immediately and permanently removed.

The agency also asked X, YouTube, and Telegram to moderate content and to place reporting mechanisms to prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material in the future.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar, the junior minister for information technology, said in the statement that if the tech companies do not act swiftly, "their safe harbour under section 79 of the IT Act would be withdrawn and consequences under the Indian law will follow."

India's Present Regulations on X, YouTube, and Telegram Content

Section 79 of the Information Technology Act of 2000 (IT Act) exempts social media platforms from responsibility in certain circumstances. It specifies that X, YouTube, Telegram, and others are not responsible for any user-generated or posted content on their platforms.

"The Act extends 'safe harbor protection' only to those instances where the intermediary merely acts a facilitator and does not play any part in creation or modification of the data or information," the law noted.

With the recent order, the Indian government has stated it was determined to build a safer and "trusted internet" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. X, YouTube, and Telegram have yet to respond regarding the order.

According to Reuters, India also told Netflix, Disney, and other streaming platforms last July to review their content before being shown online. While a government-appointed board review and certify all films in Indian cinemas, streamed content is not.

Representatives from the streaming platforms reportedly objected to a proposal that their content be independently reviewed for obscenity and violence before being released online.

Government officials asked the industry to consider an independent panel to review their content, but the industry objected. The officials asked them to consider the idea.

The proposal came as streaming giants protested a government order to add 50-second tobacco health warnings in each piece of content. It also happened two years after the government ordered setting up self-regulatory bodies for complaints about streaming content.

Content moderation and the proposed warnings have been welcomed by various activists, with Truth Initiative claiming that streaming shows expose around "25 million" adolescents to smoking back in 2021.

Read Also: X Challenges California Law on Content Moderation Disclosure in New Lawsuit

Global Call for Content Moderation

Hindustan Times reported that last April, India was among the top countries to request X to remove content related to "abuse or harassment abuse or harassment, child sexual exploitation, hacked materials, hateful conduct..." and other illegal or sensitive content.

France, Japan, and Germany were the other countries that joined India. India's government and the public have previously scrutinized various content from streaming platforms where it was claimed to be too "vulgar or offensive to religious sentiments."

Different national and international bodies, including the EU and UN, have long proposed content moderation on social media platforms.

Related Article: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Meets EU Official as Europe's New Content Moderation Rules Loom

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Lyca Mobile, a UK-based mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) functioning on EE's network infrastructure, has confirmed a cyberattack that led to unauthorized access to customers' personal data.

It reportedly impacted millions of its users globally, except those in the United States, Australia, Ukraine, and Tunisia. The breach was first discovered on September 30, prompting Lyca Mobile to take swift action, including the isolation and shutdown of affected systems.

The company has since engaged security experts to investigate the incident and mitigate potential data exposures.

Lyca Mobile's Recent Update

In its official statement, Lyca Mobile emphasized its dedication to minimizing customer impact and assured ongoing efforts to restore affected systems securely.

Regulatory authorities have been notified, and the company is closely coordinating with them. As a precautionary measure, Lyca Mobile advised affected customers to remain vigilant for any suspicious activity and take additional steps to safeguard their information.

That includes resetting Lyca Mobile passwords, especially if used across multiple online accounts, and being cautious of unsolicited communications requesting personal or financial details.

The breach encompasses various categories of personal data retained by Lyca Mobile, ranging from identification information, such as names, addresses, and contact details, to interactions with customer service, which may have been recorded for up to 60 days.

Additionally, customers using online accounts with Lyca Mobile may have stored passwords. Regarding credit card information, Lyca Mobile keeps the last four digits and expiration date, with the full number encrypted for enhanced security. The company does not retain the 3-digit CVV code in any form.

The incident has also impacted Lyca Mobile's number porting functionality, temporarily inhibiting the issuance of PAC codes. The company said it is working to rectify this issue and fully restore all services.

Read Also: Clorox Product Shortage May Last for Months Due to Cyber Criminals-Here's Everything You Need to Know

Lyca Mobile Expressed Regret

Lyca Mobile has expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the breach and assures customers that measures are in place to protect their data in the future. While efforts are underway to bring systems back online, the company is proceeding with caution to prevent any potential further complications.

Lyca Mobile also said it is communicating with regulatory authorities, including the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and Ofcom, as part of its commitment to transparency and compliance in handling this incident. Customers are encouraged to exercise prudence and promptly report any suspicious activity related to the breach.

"Be suspicious of unsolicited requests for your personal or financial details. If you receive an e-mail which you're not sure about, treat it with caution, or if you have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime, contact your bank immediately and you should report this to the police," the company said in the statement.

"The security of your personal information is very important to us and as our investigation progresses, we will consider whether we need to take any further steps to help protect that information. While we hope to bring all of our systems back online as soon as possible, we are doing so carefully to minimise any further issues," it added.

Related Article: DC Health Link Informs Congress of Sensitive Health Data Breach

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has hit Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, with a preliminary enforcement notice over privacy concerns associated with its AI chatbot, "My AI."

While this action does not constitute a finding of a breach, it suggests that the regulator is apprehensive about Snap's approach to ensuring compliance with data protection regulations, including the Children's Design Code implemented in 2021.

Preliminary Enforcement Notice Against Snap

The ICO's preliminary enforcement notice outlines potential measures that may be imposed on Snap, pending the company's response.

If a final enforcement notice is issued, Snap could face a fine of millions of pounds and might be instructed to halt data processing linked to the My AI feature. This would entail discontinuing the My AI service for UK users until Snap conducts a comprehensive risk assessment.

Snap introduced the My AI feature to UK subscribers of Snapchat+ last February, followed by a wider rollout to all Snapchat users in the UK in April.

Powered by OpenAI's GPT technology, My AI represented a significant milestone as the first instance of generative AI integration into a major messaging platform in the UK.

The ICO's preliminary investigation revealed that Snap's initial risk assessment conducted before the launch of My AI did not sufficiently evaluate the data protection risks inherent to generative AI technology, particularly concerning minors.

"The assessment of data protection risk is particularly important in this context which involves the use of innovative technology and the processing of personal data of 13 to 17 year old children," the ICO said in a statement.

It is important to note that the Commissioner's findings at this stage are provisional, and no definitive conclusions regarding a breach of data protection laws or the issuance of an enforcement notice have been made. The ICO said it is committed to thoroughly reviewing any representations put forth by Snap before arriving at a final decision.

"The provisional findings of our investigation suggest a worrying failure by Snap to adequately identify and assess the privacy risks to children and other users before launching 'My AI'. We have been clear that organisations must consider the risks associated with AI, alongside the benefits. Today's preliminary enforcement notice shows we will take action in order to protect UK consumers' privacy rights," John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner, said in a statement.

Read Also: Snapchat Teams Up With MTV to Allow Users to Vote for VMAs via Lenses

Ads Coming Soon to Snapchat 'My AI'

In related news, Snapchat has collaborated with Microsoft to incorporate advertisements into its AI offering, My AI. This chatbot was unveiled earlier this year to a broader user base within Snapchat.

Last May, the company announced plans to pilot sponsored links in My AI. These are links suggested in tandem with the user's interaction with the AI assistant. Snap and Microsoft will now collaborate on these link suggestions.

Microsoft disclosed this partnership during its recent advertiser event. By leveraging Microsoft Advertising's Ads for Chat API, Snap's sponsored links will connect users with pertinent partners related to their conversation.

Related Article: Snapchat 'My AI' Chatbot Glitch: Mysterious Story and Unusual Responses Raise Users' Concerns

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo: Christina @ wocintechchat.com/Unsplash)

Organizations, companies, and other entities in need of top-notch data security require a dedicated server. This tool ensures a dependable data storage solution that end-users can access, hence the name.

In addition to secure access, dedicated servers (often involving virtual servers) allow organizations to delegate demanding maintenance and security tasks to the company offering dedicated server hosting services. These tasks encompass:

Data backup

Firewall maintenance

Intrusion detection and prevention

Disaster recovery

OS updates

Server and applications monitoring

Applications updates

One company that provides high-quality dedicated server hosting is Gcore. Gcore offers competitively priced hosting services for clients seeking robust DDoS prevention, virtual servers, extensive coverage, support for multiple operating systems, ample bandwidth, and other vital features to securely host sensitive data. If your organization is in need of a top-tier dedicated and virtual server hosting provider, GCore should be your top choice.

What Is a Dedicated Server?

A dedicated server is an exclusive hosting solution provided by a web hosting company. Dedicated servers grant sole access to a single client at any given time, which is why they are called "dedicated." The term "dedicated" also signifies the web hosting company's commitment to serving only that client, with no other parties allowed to use its resources.

Dedicated servers typically offer the following advantages:

Flexible payment options: Clients working with hosting companies usually pay monthly, quarterly, or yearly fees to access a dedicated or virtual server.

Significant cost savings: Utilizing dedicated servers leads to substantial cost savings compared to the expenses associated with hosting, maintaining, and independently managing on-site servers.

Reduced workload: Dedicated servers are primarily used for hosting applications and services. An organization manages and maintains the server on behalf of the client, who pays a fee for this service.

Remote task execution: Clients can establish remote connections to execute server-based tasks with dedicated servers, improving operational efficiency.

Gcore Dedicated Server Features

In its role as a web hosting provider offering dedicated server solutions to a wide range of organizations, Gcore offers a selection of cost-effective features, including:

1. High-speed Dedicated Servers

(Photo: Gcore)

Gcore boasts genuine dedicated servers that guarantee exclusive access to clients. These high-speed servers are strategically located worldwide, typically in major cities and countries. They are housed in data centers across various regions, including the US, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). Clients have the freedom to customize their dedicated servers, choosing the CPU type, RAM size, and disk type (SAS, SATA, and SSD) to ensure they perfectly align with their specific requirements.

2. Virtual Servers

(Photo: Gcore)

For organizations in search of dependable virtual dedicated server (VDS), Gcore offers feature-rich VDS solutions. Gcore's virtual servers provide clients with immediate access to reliable virtual servers boasting exceptional connectivity of at least 200 Mbps or higher.

3. Robust DDoS Protection

(Photo: Gcore)

DDoS, short for distributed denial of service, stands among the most common threats faced by data centers. Gcore offers highly robust DDoS protection services featuring global coverage and "all-in-one real-time protection" that effectively shields servers, websites, and applications from various DDoS attacks, including volumetric and connection-based attacks. Gcore's multi-layered protection extends to safeguarding web servers and dedicated server infrastructure, ensuring clients remain shielded from the detrimental effects of DDoS attacks.

4. Wide Geographical Coverage

(Photo: Gcore)

Gcore's remarkable global data center infrastructure earned it a Guinness World Record for "the most players online simultaneously on one MOG server (190,541)." Since its inception with seven data centers in six cities in 2012, Gcore has expanded to encompass 23 data centers by 2013. The company has plans to establish new data centers in additional global locations, solidifying its reputation as a leading dedicated server hosting provider with an extensive data center presence. This global reach assures clients that their data is not confined to a single geographical location, adding an extra layer of security.

5. Additional Options

(Photo: Gcore)

In addition to its core offerings, Gcore provides supplementary services such as SSL certificates, VLAN+Subnet, BGP, LACP, and GPU dedicated servers. The company also caters to diverse hosting requirements, including gaming, landing pages, business hosting, online stores, and large-scale projects. These additional options grant clients greater flexibility in meeting their data hosting needs, a level of versatility not commonly found among other service providers.

Advantages

Gcore offers the following advantages to its clients:

1. Customizable Configurations from Top Manufacturers

Organizations have the option to enhance their dedicated server configurations, choosing from reputable manufacturers such as Dell, Intel, and Supermicro. This empowers clients to select server setups from trusted brands, reinforcing their confidence in Gcore's web hosting services.

2.Assured Bandwidth Speed of 200+ Mbps

In the realm of dedicated and virtual server access, speed reigns supreme. Gcore ensures lightning-fast bandwidth, starting at a minimum of 200 Mbps. This swift connectivity grants organizations rapid access to their data whenever required.

3. DDoS Protection for Servers in Europe and the USA

Gcore fortifies the security of its dedicated and virtual servers situated in data centers across Europe and the USA, shielding them against DDoS attacks. The company is also actively working to extend this protective measure to its data centers in other locations, further enhancing its overall data security capabilities.

4. Support for Multiple Operating Systems

Whether clients prefer the Linux or Windows operating system, Gcore caters to their needs. The company offers support for multiple operating systems to accommodate a broader client base.

5. Additional Service Offerings

Beyond its core web hosting services, Gcore provides a range of supplementary offerings, including infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), AI infrastructure, content delivery network (CDN), and Streaming Platform services. This versatility benefits clients seeking these services alongside their web hosting requirements.

Get the Gcore Dedicated Server Now

Gcore stands as a cost-effective dedicated server and virtual server web hosting service provider, delivering industry-leading features and advantages. With its competitive pricing, high-speed accessibility, DDoS protection, global reach, multi-OS support, and server configuration choices, Gcore emerges as the optimal web host for clients who prioritize their data security. Obtain the Gcore dedicated server without delay.
Key Insights

Significant control over Brown-Forman by individual investors implies that the general public has more power to influence management and governance-related decisions

A total of 25 investors have a majority stake in the company with 49% ownership

Institutions own 37% of Brown-Forman

Every investor in Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF.B) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. With 37% stake, individual investors possess the maximum shares in the company. 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 37% ownership in the company. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Brown-Forman.

See our latest analysis for Brown-Forman

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Brown-Forman?

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.

We can see that Brown-Forman does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. 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 Brown-Forman's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Brown-Forman. The company's largest shareholder is Wolf Pen Branch, LP, with ownership of 20%. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 6.3% and 3.8%, of the shares outstanding, respectively.

Story continues

Our studies suggest that the top 25 shareholders collectively control less than half of the company's shares, meaning that the company's shares are widely disseminated and there is no dominant shareholder.

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. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Insider Ownership Of Brown-Forman

The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. 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.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in Brown-Forman Corporation. Insiders own US$685m worth of shares (at current prices). 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

With a 37% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Brown-Forman. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

Private Company Ownership

Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 24%, of the company's shares. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Brown-Forman that you should be aware of.

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.
According to the study, sperm are proficient in different swimming styles

As a result of a violent collision, the Earth's mantle could still contain remnants of the primordial planet

YouTube is cracking down on ad blockers  and making its subscription more expensive

As a result of a violent collision, remnants of the primordial planet could still be found in the Earth's mantle

'Now and Then': Discover the Beatles' new track, made possible by AI

Cologne: Shooting at teenagers  16-year-old is said to have threatened police officers with a knife

Teachers' Everyday Life at Berlin's Hotspot School: Schools Must Learn More from Each Other

"The story behind it is stronger than the song"

Sending top athletes to the Asian Games to be held in Japan in three years JOC, etc.

Rainbow armband in Qatar: "We have been abandoned by the authorities", says Didier Deschamps

He came behind Messi and Haaland. Enrique: Mbappe will win the Ballon d'Or many times

Tennis in Paris: Zverev out in the round of 13 - 15th bankruptcy in the <>th duel against top players

Looking for someone to blame: why Manchester United and Bayern can sack ten Hag and Tuchel

The Government will eliminate tomorrow the exemption for the Church in the tax on constructions and works

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: By 2025, the complete humanoid robot products will reach the international advanced level

The court of St. Petersburg ruled to recover $1.5 billion from Europol GAZ in violation of the ban

Is the former president and former president of "Tamron" diverting more than 1 million yen for personal use?

Aid to the Rafah crossing. Coffins and a drink of water for every displaced person

The PSOE and ERC agree to create a table of parties with a mediator to address the independence process

Belarus banned the import of socks and bricks from Latvia to the republic

Expenses for dealing with teacher shortages to be included in this year's supplementary budget proposal Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

What is the curse of the "eighth decade" that Ehud Barak feared and Abu Obeida waved?

Matthew Perry's Estate: His Parents and Five Siblings, the Possible Heirs to His Million-Dollar Fortune

Heavyweight enterprises layout the payment market The user experience is similar to that of mainstream payment platforms

Nebenzia said that Israel does not have the right to self-defense as an occupying country

Habeck stands up to German anti-Semitism  from both the right and the left

Ehime Ozu Mountain forest fire continues to spread, water to be released from the sky by helicopter

Ford, Stellantis and GM defeated: What the victory of the US union UAW means for German carmakers

Habeck stands up to German anti-Semitism  from both the right and the left

Equatorial Guinea has offered itself as a platform for the next Russia-Africa summit

 Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Investors looking for a very promising buy-the-dip candidate after recent market volatility may want to consider National Fuel Gas Company NFG which is one of the latest utility stocks to garnish a spot on the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) list and lands the Bull of the Day.

Recently added to the strong buy list on Monday, National Fuel joins 8 other Zacks Utilities sector stocks on the list at the moment. To that point, The Zacks Utilities sector is currently ranked second out of 16 Zacks Sectors with National Fuels Zacks Utility- Gas Distribution Industry in the top 29% of over 250 Zacks industries.

Strong Buy Overview

As an integrated gas company, National Fuel has natural gas assets in the Appalachian Basin and oil-producing assets in California with the companys operations consisting of exploration and production, pipeline and storage, along with gathering, and utility and energy marketing.

National Fuel stock is down -17% year to date to slightly trail the Utility-Gas Distribution Industrys -12% but makes a very strong case for being undervalued considering its somewhat essential services and the strengthening prospects of the broader utility sector.

Plus, NFG shares are still up +24% over the last three years which is roughly on par with the S&P 500s +27% while largely outperforming its Zacks Subindustrys +3%. Its also noteworthy that when including dividends, National Fuels +37% total return during this period has topped the benchmark.

Zacks Investment Research



Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Making National Fuels YTD drop more enticing is that annual EPS estimates are still higher over the last two months and NFG shares trade at just 9.5X forward earnings which is a nice discount to the industry average of 13.6X and the S&P 500s 19.7X.

Zacks Investment Research



Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Respectable Growth & Stellar Dividend

National Fuels annual earnings are forecasted to dip -10% in fiscal 2023 but rebound and rise 11% in FY24 at $5.88 per share. Fiscal 2023 earnings estimates are still up 1% in the last 60 days with FY24 estimates up 5%. Furthermore, FY24 EPS projections would be a 101% increase over the last five years with earnings at $2.92 a share in 2020.

Story continues

Zacks Investment Research



Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

On the top line, sales are expected to rise 7% this year and jump another 8% in FY24 to $2.55 billion. Fiscal 2024 sales projections would represent 65% growth over the last five years with 2020 sales at $1.54 billion.

Zacks Investment Research



Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Accompanying National Fuels steady growth and more intriguing to investors is its 3.92% dividend yield which trumps its stellar industry average of 3.69% and towers over the S&P 500s 1.50%.

Zacks Investment Research



Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Bottom Line

Among stocks that look poised for a rebound, National Fuels is one of the most intriguing. Now looks like a great time to buy with NFG shares making a strong case for being undervalued and investors are supported by its robust dividend which has led to an impressive total return over the last few years.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research
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Police in Philadelphia say they have identified and issued a warrant for the arrest of a man following the death of journalist Joshua Kruger.

Mr Kruger, 39, who went from sleeping on the street to working for the mayor, was shot multiple times and killed in the early hours of Monday.

Police have named 19-year-old Robert Davis, an acquaintance of Mr Kruger, as a suspect, though did not specify a motive. The force has a video of Mr Davis in the area prior to the shooting.

They said that Mr Kruger, who as a freelance journalist was known for urgent columns on the citys most pressing social issues, had been trying to help Mr Davis get through life.

At a press conference on Friday Lieutenant Hamilton Marshmond said the warrant for Mr Daviss arrest included the charges of murder and related offences and that he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Recommended Philadelphia journalist shot dead by home invader

Lt Marshmond asked Davis to surrender to the police, and said that the goal was to have him taken into custody in a safe manner for the public, our officers and himself.

Mr Kruger was found collapsed in the street on the 2300 block of Watkins Street with multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. He was taken by ambulance to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center but died at 2.15am.

He had worked for the city of Philadelphia for more than five years, primarily within communication and social media teams. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney paid tribute to him in an emotional statement following his death.

Josh Kruger was remembered for having 'shone bright in everything that he did (joshkruger.com)

Josh cared deeply about our city and its residents, which was evident both in his public service and in his writing, Mr Kenney said.

His intelligence, creativity, passion, and wit shone bright in everything that he did  and his light was dimmed much too soon.

In addition to his communications work, Mr Kruger wrote freelance articles about issues impacting the citys LGBT+ community.
Its no longer Boomtown.

The city of Shasta Lakes long-awaited redevelopment of Shasta Dam Boulevard, its main thoroughfare, has a new name and work could start on the massive project next year.

Introducing: Cascade Village.

The $36.5 million project is a team effort that includes the city, K2 Development Companies, Redding Rancheria and the Community Revitalization & Development Corp. (CRDC).

The project will be 53,000 square feet and include 49 affordable apartments and 7,5000 square feet of commercial space. This portion of the project will essentially take up the block between Deer Creek Avenue and Stanton Drive on the south side of the street and Grand River Avenue and Median Avenue on the north side.

The Redding Rancheria's contribution will be east of Cascade Village, where it plans to build a 120-room hotel, retail/commercial center and a drive-thru coffee kiosk on 11 acres near the corner of Shasta Dam and Cascade boulevards.

A rendering of the Cascade Village project that will be built in the city of Shasta Lake along Shasta Dam Boulevard.

When the project was unveiled in early 2020, it was dubbed Boomtown, the name an ode to the boomtown that grew during the construction of Shasta Dam some 80 years ago. But the project was renamed and redesigned.

City Manager Jessaca Lugo has said that they had public meetings about the project and many of the comments they received urged officials to work with the community to choose a different name.

Allen Knott, K2's chief executive officer, said work on Cascade Village could get started in mid-November, and construction is expected to take 21 months.

K2 is no stranger to this type of civic redevelopment.

The Redding-based company partnered with the city of Redding to build the $38 million Market Center, which has been one of the catalysts for revitalization efforts downtown.

Dave Rutledge, president of the CRDC, calls Cascade Village a critical project for Shasta Lake.

"It's really going to help the downtown of Shasta Lake because this is going to be a really attractive piece," he said. "We really look at this to help kick-start some other things on Shasta Dam Boulevard and make it really the center of Shasta Lake."

Story continues

Also part of the project are upgrades along Shasta Dam Boulevard that will stretch from the Redding Rancheria commercial center west to Montana Avenue. Curb, gutter, sidewalk, pavement striping, flashing crosswalk beacons and new landscaping that will include benches, planters, tree wells, decorative streetlights, and bike amenities will be part of the new-look boulevard.

The project was awarded more than $16.5 million from the California Strategic Growth Council program to help build it.

Huckleberry's did look at the old Denny's. What did chain think?

The Denny's on East Cypress Avenue closed about three months ago. The restaurant opened in 1984.

Last week, I told you that Huckleberrys plans to open a location in Redding.

The restaurant chain likes to come into communities and repurpose former buildings, preferably restaurants, because infrastructure like grease traps and walk-in freezers are already in place.

So I asked readers to name an empty commercial space in town that they think would work.

Among the responses was the former Denny's on Cypress Avenue west of Interstate 5. And why not? The I-5/Cypress Avenue corridor is one of the busiest spots for traffic in Redding, teaming with locals and tourists alike.

More: The Buzz: New Clairvaux tasting room has opening date. 2 new businesses in downtown Redding?

The building shares a parking lot with the Red Lion Inn & Suites on Cypress.

Hans Monvik of ReMax in Redding is listing the former Dennys for lease.

"I have had contact with them (Huckleberry's)," Monvik said. "They came up to take a look at the property a good two months ago; it's on their radar, let's put it that way. But they have made no commitments."

Stay tuned.

Huckleberry's markets itself as Southern Cooking with a California twist. The franchise is looking to open a location in Redding.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. Hes part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter, @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta Lake Cascade Village update; Huckleberry's eyes Redding Denny's?
From left to right: State Rep. Richard Nelson, State Treasurer John Schroder, Stephen Waguespack, Attorney General Jeff Landry, former Department of Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson, State Sen. Sharon Hewitt, and Hunter Lundy face off at the third televised debate of the governor's race Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 at KLFY-TV studios in Lafayette. It was the first time Landry has appeared on stage with the other gubernatorial candidates.
In 1972, Cameroon confronted the challenges of its federal system, as President Ahmadou Ahidjo proposed its replacement with a unitary state.

In African political history, few events stand as pivotal as President Ahmadou Ahidjo's proposal to abolish Cameroon's federal structure in 1972. This moment was important for the country's path and impacted how it is governed and organized politically.

A federal system is a form of government that divides powers and responsibilities between a central or national government and smaller political units, such as states, provinces, or regions.

President Ahmadou Ahidjo

In the years leading up to this monumental decision, Cameroon had been navigating the complexities of a federal system. This system, instituted upon the country's independence from France and the United Kingdom in the early 1960s, comprised two distinct regions: East Cameroon, hitherto a part of French Cameroon, and West Cameroon, the legacy of British colonial rule. Under the federal arrangement, each region enjoyed a substantial degree of autonomy in managing its internal affairs, with the federal government in Yaounde tasked with overseeing matters of national importance.

President Ahidjo's audacious proposal to dismantle the federal structure was underpinned by a vision of centralizing power within the federal government. His objective was to transform Cameroon into a unitary state, which elicited impassioned responses from various quarters of society.

Proponents of Ahidjo's proposal argued that a unitary state would serve as a crucible for fostering national unity, streamlining governance, and catalyzing the country's development and modernization efforts. The belief was that this transformation would alleviate any potential divisions between the English-speaking and French-speaking regions that had existed under the federal paradigm.

However, opponents, particularly within West Cameroon, perceived the proposed change as a direct threat to their hard-fought regional autonomy and cultural identity. Their apprehensions revolved around the looming specter of losing their distinct legal and educational systems, which had been woven into the fabric of their identity during the era of British colonialism.

While proponents argued that centralizing power would promote national unity, it also led to political centralization. This concentration of authority in the hands of the federal government in Yaounde has been criticized for limiting local decision-making and exacerbating corruption and inefficiency.

Cameroon 1972

As the nation stood at the crossroads of its future, President Ahidjo's gambit was submitted to a historic referendum on May 20, 1972. The referendum became the crucible in which the fate of Cameroon's federal structure was sealed. The outcome saw the abolition of the federal system, heralding the birth of a unitary state. Consequently, the regions of East and West Cameroon were fused into a single entity, formally christened the United Republic of Cameroon.

The reverberations of this seismic shift in governance were felt throughout Cameroon. It fundamentally reshaped the nation's political landscape, ushering in a new administration era and precipitating profound changes in regional dynamics. More than four decades later, the echoes of this momentous decision continue to reverberate in the sociopolitical fabric of Cameroon, engendering complexities surrounding issues of political representation, linguistic diversity, and regional identity.

President Ahmadou Ahidjo's proposition to dismantle the federal structure in 1972 is a pivotal chapter in Cameroon's political narrative. This profound shift in governance, driven by a vision of centralization, carries with it a complex legacy that underscores the intricate interplay between political expediency and the preservation of cultural and regional identities on the African continent.

The decision to merge the English-speaking West Cameroon with the French-speaking East Cameroon created linguistic and cultural tensions that persist today. The Anglophone-Francophone divide has been a source of political strife, leading to protests, strikes, and calls for greater recognition of English-speaking Cameroonians' rights and identity.

In recent years, the Anglophone regions of Cameroon have witnessed the rise of secessionist movements seeking independence from the rest of the country. These movements, such as the Ambazonia movement, have led to armed conflict, displacement of civilians, and further instability in the country.
Its no secret that Australia faces a significant challenge when it comes to childcare, where there is a large disconnect between the high costs worn by parents to have their children in care, and the low incomes received by educators.

Its been littered through the media this week, childcare centres closing down and children being sent home due to unprecedented staff shortages. While as an ex-financial adviser Ive always known that the numbers dont add up for early childhood educators or parents, its a reality that I have not needed to face. Until now.

The transformation of childcare into a luxury service is deeply troubling, as it creates an environment where essential care and education are unreachable for many. Credit: Dionne Gain

My husband and I are so excited to be welcoming our first child into our family in February next year, and this week I started to dive into what our childcare options are. While Ive always been privy to the cost (my local centre charges $194 per day, before any subsidies are applied), this week I was met with the unsettling reality that is not only hard to comprehend but impossible to justify.

Despite the skyrocketing costs of childcare in Australia, the diligent educators responsible for nurturing our children are struggling in a profession that pays them less than workers in the fast-food industry. Walking out of my first daycare centre tour, I felt overwhelming guilt knowing the educators who would be looking after my bundle of joy would not be able to afford the same luxury.
It was just hours since being sworn in as leader when new Victorian Premier Jacinta Allans coronation was completed with the donning of the ceremonial hard hat at her first press conference in the top job.

Speaking at the site of a level crossing removal in Pakenham, the new premier was surrounded by nodders in hi-vis. During the press conference, which was held under a rail bridge and fenced off from the actual work site, those nodders wore clear protective glasses which had no other purpose than to shield them against the white-hot flame of their new leaders genius.

At another press conference earlier that month, journalists were told to show up wearing closed-toed shoes but werent provided with hi-vis vests or other safety gear. Melbourne mayor Sally Capp, speaking at the presser, wore hi-vis and a helmet with unsafe high heels, the latter  of course  out of shot.

Former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet famously got in trouble for dressing up when he was young, but that didnt stop him dressing up for infrastructure photo-ops as premier. And before the last federal election, the real starting gun was fired not when PM Scott Morrison announced the poll date but when his opponent, inner-urban DJ Albanese, first donned an Akubra.
Iran, a sworn enemy of Israel, is an important backer of Hamas as well as Hezbollah and has supplied both groups with weapons and intelligence. The conflict will unite Israel behind its government, at least for a while, with the opposition cancelling its planned demonstrations against Netanyahus proposed judicial changes and obeying calls for reservists to muster. It will give Netanyahu full political cover to do what he wants, said Natan Sachs, the director of the Centre for Middle East Policy of the Brookings Institution. Nevertheless, he added, Netanyahu has in the past rejected calls to send thousands of troops into Gaza to try to destroy armed Palestinian groups like Hamas, given the cost and the inevitable question of what happens the day after. But the psychological impact of this for Israel is similar to 9/11, he said. So the calculus about cost could be quite different this time.

The question will always be what happens afterward, said Mark Heller, a senior researcher at Israels Institute for National Security Studies. Nearly every year there have been limited Israeli military operations in the occupied territories, but they have not provided any solutions. There is a lot of heavy pressure already for a large-scale incursion, to finish with Hamas, but I dont think it will solve anything in the longer run, Heller said. Young Palestinians chant and celebrate atop a car that was burned after being taken from Israeli territory and brought back to Gaza. Credit: NYT But Carl Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister and foreign minister, said a major Israeli assault on Gaza was almost inevitable, particularly if Israeli soldiers were taken hostage. If Hamas has taken Israeli soldiers as prisoners and taken them to Gaza, a full-scale Israeli operation into Gaza looks highly likely, he said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Another war. The same presumably would hold true for Israeli citizens. Israel and Netanyahu have been wary of sending ground forces into Gaza. Even in 2002, when Ariel Sharon was prime minister and Israeli forces crushed a Palestinian uprising in the West Bank, the government chose to avoid sending significant extra forces into Gaza, where it then had Israeli settlements.

Israel unilaterally withdrew its soldiers and citizens from Gaza in 2005, while retaining effective control of large parts of the occupied West Bank. The failure of that withdrawal to secure any sort of lasting peace agreement has left Gaza a kind of orphan, largely cut off from other Palestinians in the West Bank and almost entirely isolated by both Israel and Egypt, which control Gazas borders and its seacoast. Palestinians often call Gaza an open-air prison. Loading After the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the conflict of 2006, an internal struggle between the Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the more radical, Islamist Hamas movement ended with Hamas taking control of the territory in 2007, prompting Israel to try to isolate Gaza even further. Even in an extended conflict of 2008 and 2009, Israeli forces entered Gaza and its population centres but chose not to move too deeply into the territory or to reoccupy it. A ceasefire was brokered by Egypt after three weeks of warfare.

Successive Israeli governments insist that after the 2005 withdrawal, it no longer has responsibility for Gaza. But given Israels control over the borders and its overwhelming military advantage, many groups like BTselem, which monitors human rights in the occupied territories, argue that Israel retains significant legal responsibilities and obligations for Gaza under international humanitarian law. While Hamas has not been clear about why it chose to attack now, it may be a response to growing Israeli ties to the Arab world, in particular to Saudi Arabia, which has been negotiating a putative defence treaty with the United States in return for normalising relations with Israel, potentially to the neglect of the Palestinians. That is the view of Amberin Zaman, an analyst for Al-Monitor, a Washington-based news website that covers the Middle East. Israels response to todays attacks will likely be of a scale that will set back US efforts for Saudi-Israeli normalisation, if not torpedo them altogether, she said in a message on X. Palestinians inspect a destroyed building as emergency responders try to contain fires after Israeli jets bombed Gaza City in the Gaza Strip. Credit: NYT Saudi Arabia has not recognised Israel since it was founded in 1948 and until now had signalled that it would not even consider normalising relations until Israel agreed to allow the creation of a Palestinian state.

But recently even the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has gone public with affirmations that some sort of deal with Israel seemed plausible. In an interview with Fox News last month, he said that talk of normalisation was for the first time, real. That will now be in question, depending on how long this conflict lasts and with what level of dead and wounded. Mikhail Shvetz surveys the damage to cars gutted by fires set when a rocket from Gaza struck the parking lot of an apartment complex in Ashkelon, Israel. Credit: NYT Loading The ramifications of the war and its aftermath will be far-reaching and take a long time to manifest, Sachs said. There will be commissions of inquiry into the military and intelligence agencies and the political echelon wont escape blame, either.
Key Insights

Boston Scientific's estimated fair value is US$48.30 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Current share price of US$52.12 suggests Boston Scientific is potentially trading close to its fair value

The US$60.80 analyst price target for BSX is 26% more than our estimate of fair value

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Boston Scientific

Crunching The Numbers

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. 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, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

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10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$2.63b US$2.85b US$3.18b US$3.37b US$3.53b US$3.66b US$3.78b US$3.89b US$4.00b US$4.10b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x5 Analyst x4 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ 4.51% Est @ 3.80% Est @ 3.31% Est @ 2.96% Est @ 2.72% Est @ 2.55% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 6.8% US$2.5k US$2.5k US$2.6k US$2.6k US$2.5k US$2.5k US$2.4k US$2.3k US$2.2k US$2.1k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$24b

The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.8%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$4.1b (1 + 2.2%)  (6.8% 2.2%) = US$90b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$90b ( 1 + 6.8%)10= US$47b

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$71b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$52.1, 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

Now 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 Boston Scientific 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 6.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.932. 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 Boston Scientific

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded its 5-year average.

Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year underperformed the Medical Equipment industry.

Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Shareholders have been diluted in the past year.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the American market.

Threat

Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year.

Next Steps:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Boston Scientific, there are three further elements you should explore:

Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Boston Scientific you should know about. Future Earnings: How does BSX'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 NYSE 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.
Addressing Israels Security Cabinet, Netanyahu said the first objective in responding was to clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated our territory and restore security. The second objective...is to exact an immense price from the enemy, within the Gaza Strip as well. The third objective is to reinforce other fronts so that nobody should mistakenly join this war. A man runs past cars damaged during a rocket attack in Ashqelon, Israel. Credit: Bloomberg The leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, on Saturday announced the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight.

Today the people are regaining their revolution. This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth, he said, claiming that 5000 rockets had been launched. The incident marks the most serious escalation since Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day war in 2021, when 4300 rockets were fired over the course of 11 days. Within 10 hours of the start of the conflict on Saturday, officials on both sides claimed the attack was close to, or had surpassed, that number. Extraordinary scenes were reported across Gaza as a portion of a fence with Israel was smashed and a group of men crowded around an Israeli tank before they set it on fire. Netanyahu ordered the military to clear the infiltrated towns of Hamas militants that remained locked in gunfights with Israeli soldiers. Cars on fire after they were hit by rockets in Ashkelon, Israel. Credit: AP

The Israeli military said it had launched air strikes into the territory, where witnesses reported hearing heavy explosions. They said at least two people had been killed. Other unconfirmed local media reports said at least two army bases had been infiltrated by militants. US President Joe Biden released a statement condemning the attack after speaking with Netanyahu on Saturday, describing the incident as an appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. Biden said the US stood ready to offer all appropriate support to the government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation, he said. The surprise assault almost 50 years to the day of the 1973 Yom Kippur war has shaken the country, catching intelligence services unawares. The attack on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 attack on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

As warning sirens wailed across southern and central Israel, including in Jerusalem, Israels military said it was on a war footing and the defence minister said the Iran-backed Hamas had made a grave mistake by declaring war on Israel. In an Israeli town close to the Gaza border, masked militants were caught on tape firing shots.

A retaliatory Israeli air strike hit Gazas interior security building, destroying it. No official figures were immediately available on casualties in the Gaza Strip. Israeli firefighters extinguish fire after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a parking lot in Ashkelon. Credit: AP Chaos as gun battles erupt Israeli media reported gun battles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel. In Gaza, people rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of conflict ahead, while others fled their homes.

Several rounds of sirens and rockets were heard across Israel, including in Jerusalem, while cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israels rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood. The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty, raising fears over the militarys battlefield readiness. Reports of Israelis taken captive Israeli media reported that gunmen had opened fire on passers-by in the border town of Sderot, in southern Israel, and footage circulating on social media appeared to show clashes in city streets as well as gunmen in jeeps roaming the countryside. A video from Gaza showed what looked like the lifeless body of an Israeli soldier being trampled by an angry crowd shouting God is great. Another video appeared to show Palestinian militants dragging away a live Israeli soldier on a motorcycle. The authenticity of the videos could not immediately be verified.

Palestinian media also reported that a number of Israelis had been taken captive by fighters and Hamas media circulated video footage apparently showing a destroyed Israeli tank. The aftermath or a retaliatory Israeli air strike on Gaza City. Credit: AP Salah Arouri, an exiled Hamas leader, said the operation was a response to the crimes of the occupation. He said fighters were defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, four kilometres from the Gaza Strip, residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued hours after the initial attack. With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defence system) and our safe rooms, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.
Surely, the Nobel Peace Prize will make me more resilient, determined, hopeful and enthusiastic on this path, and it will accelerate my pace, she said in the statement, prepared in advance in case she was named the Nobel laureate. An engineer by training, Mohammadis latest incarceration began when she was detained in 2021 after attending a memorial for a person killed in nationwide protests. She has been held at Tehrans notorious Evin Prison, whose inmates include those with Western ties and political prisoners. US President Joe Biden and Amnesty International joined calls for Mohammadis immediate release.

This award is a recognition that, even as she is currently and unjustly held in Evin Prison, the world still hears the clarion voice of Narges Mohammadi calling for freedom and equality, Biden said in a statement. I urge the government in Iran to immediately release her and her fellow gender equality advocates from captivity. The prize sent a clear message to the Iranian authorities that their crackdown on peaceful critics and human rights defenders will not go unchallenged, Amnesty said. Mohammadis brother, Hamidreza, said that while the prize means that the world has seen this movement, it would not affect the situation in Iran. The regime will double down on the opposition he said. They will just crush people. Mohammadis husband, Taghi Rahmani, who lives in exile in Paris with their children, 16-year-old twins, said his wife has a sentence she always repeats: Every single award will make me more intrepid, more resilient and more brave for realising human rights, freedom, civil equality and democracy.

Narges Mohammadis husband Taghi Rahmani and their son, Ali, in Paris. Credit: AP Rahmani hadnt been able to see his wife for 11 years, and their children hadnt seen their mother for seven, he said. Their son, Ali Rahmani, said the Nobel Prize was not just for his mother, its for the struggle. This prize is for the entire population, for the whole struggle from the beginning, since the Islamic government came to power, the teen said. Female political prisoners in Evin werent allowed to use the phone on Thursday and Friday, so Mohammadi had prepared her statement in advance of the Nobel announcement in case she won, said exiled Iranian photographer Reihane Taravati, a family friend who spent 14 days in solitary confinement there before fleeing to France this year.

Mohammadi is the 19th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the second Iranian woman, after human rights activist Shirin Ebadi won in 2003. Before being jailed, Mohammadi was vice president of the banned Defenders of Human Rights Centre in Iran, founded by Ebadi. Prominent Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, right, listens to Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi in Tehran in 2007. Credit: AP UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Fridays selection a tribute to all those women who are fighting for their rights at the risk of their freedom, their health and even their lives. Its the fifth time in its 122-year history that the Nobel Peace Prize has been given to someone in prison or under house arrest. Last year, the top human rights advocate in Belarus, Ales Bialiatski, was among the winners. He remains imprisoned.

Mohammadi is in detention after protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, who was picked up by the morality police for her allegedly loose headscarf. More than 500 people were killed in a security crackdown, while more than 22,000 others were arrested. Loading But from behind bars, Mohammadi contributed an opinion piece for The New York Times last month. What the government may not understand is that the more of us they lock up, the stronger we become, she wrote. In a first reaction from Tehran, the semi-official Fars news agency dismissed Mohammadi as someone who persisted in creating tension and unrest and falsely claimed that she was beaten in prison. Abuse in Iranian prisons  something Mohammadi has campaigned against both outside and behind bars  has been widely reported by the UN and human rights groups.

In Tehran, people expressed support for Mohammadi and her resilience. Loading The prize was her right. She stayed inside the country, in prison and defended people, bravo! said Mina Gilani, a girls high school teacher. Arezou Mohebi, a 22-year-old chemistry student, called the Nobel Prize win an award for all Iranian girls and women, and described Mohammadi as the bravest I have ever seen. Political analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi said the prize might lead to more pressure on Mohammadi.
Investors who take an interest in Ceres Power Holdings plc (LON:CWR) should definitely note that the CEO & Executive Director, Philip Caldwell, recently paid UK3.20 per share to buy UK262k worth of the stock. That's a very solid buy in our book, and increased their holding by a noteworthy 29%.

Check out our latest analysis for Ceres Power Holdings

Ceres Power Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

Notably, that recent purchase by Philip Caldwell is the biggest insider purchase of Ceres Power Holdings shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of UK2.80. 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. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

While Ceres Power Holdings insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

Ceres Power Holdings 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

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data suggests Ceres Power Holdings insiders own 0.3% of the company, worth about UK1.5m. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. I generally like to see higher levels of ownership.

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So What Does This Data Suggest About Ceres Power Holdings Insiders?

It is good to see the recent insider purchase. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. 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 Ceres Power Holdings stock. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Ceres Power Holdings. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Ceres Power Holdings and we suggest you have a look.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting 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.
The U.S. Justice Department this week dropped criminal charges against a metro Detroit auto accident attorney and two businessmen in a case involving allegations of illegally obtained police reports and car crash victim solicitation that has already brought guilty pleas from two Detroit police officers.

The Justice Department dismissed the indictments for wire fraud conspiracy that it brought in December 2020 against attorney Brent Sitto, of Bloomfield Township, who is a principal of Southfield-based Auto Accident Attorneys, and businessmen Cory Mann and Michael Daneshvar.

The decision followed a pretrial hearing, known as an Enright hearing, last month in U.S. District Court in Detroit that concerned the admissibility of evidence to support the government's conspiracy claims. At issue was whether all defendants in the 2020 indictment knew that police reports were fraudulently obtained.

During the hearing, a witness testified that police reports of vehicle accidents that he obtained for Sitto were purchased through proper channels via an information service that is commonly used by lawyers and now known as LexisNexis.

The witness also testified that police reports on the information service sometimes had watermarks indicating that they weren't yet officially approved  even though they were available for download and purchase by any lawyer.

More: Insurers warn of higher auto premiums under proposed no-fault payment rules

More: Michigan no-fault auto insurance: How to pick the cheapest options

The witness said there was once intense competition for "fresh" police reports of car crashes because individuals might solicit the crash victims for medical and other services.

The witness also described how, in a separate chain of events in the mid-2010s, a "councilman" was obtaining fresh police reports from a higher-up in the Detroit Police Department and passing them to an owner of another law firm before those reports ultimately came into his possession. The witness said he didn't know the councilman's name.

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Earlier this week, a deputy assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Tax Division said they were dropping the wire fraud conspiracy charge against the three men.

On Friday, Judge Matthew Leitman officially dismissed the charges, yet confirmed an Oct. 17 trial date for similar charges against other defendants, including Sitto's law firm partner, Glenn Franklin III. Franklin has pleaded not guilty.

The U.S. Justice Department dropped its criminal charge against metro Detroit attorney Brent Sitto, second from left. Also pictured are his wife and their two kids and defense attorneys Steven Haney and Walter Piszczatowski, far right.

Sitto and Franklin continued to work as attorneys and take new clients while the case against them moved forward.

"Brent was indicted almost three years ago, his reputation was damaged, his business was damaged, his life has been disrupted for three long years, and we were fully prepared to go to trial in two weeks, but were ecstatic today," Sitto's lawyers, Steven Haney and Walter Piszczatowski, said in a statement Friday.

"The government did the right thing and dismissed this case against him. ... Now he can move on with the next chapter in his life with his name finally cleared."

It has been illegal since January 2014 to solicit an accident victim in Michigan for commercial purposes within 30 days of a car crash or to access or buy police reports of crashes for solicitation purposes in that first month.

The Justice Department's indictment claimed that between July 2014 and April 2018, Franklin, Sitto, "Individual A" and others paid money to two businessmen as well as another attorney  Mathew Schwartz, principal founder of Southfield-based Legal Genius  to share stolen police reports about Detroit car accidents with a pair of Florida men.

The Floridians then worked as phone solicitors for businesses that contacted Michigan accident victims to steer them to specific personal injury lawyers, chiropractors and MRI centers.

Justice Department lawyers had claimed the police reports were illegally obtained before they were publicly available, courtesy of then-Detroit Police Officers Karen Miller and Carol Almeranti, who took plea deals in 2019 with federal prosecutors for their roles.

Sentencing for Miller and Almeranti is scheduled for December. Schwartz pleaded guilty in October 2020 to two charges, including conspiracy to defraud the IRS. His sentencing also is scheduled for December.

Two others  Jayson Rosett, of Bloomfield Hills, and his father, Robert Rosett  took plea deals in 2019 along with the former Detroit police officers. They admitted to tax crimes and involvement in a car crash victim solicitation scheme.

The "Individual A" referenced in the Justice Department's December 2020 indictment has not been named, but was described as owning a Southfield-based personal injury law firm.

Businessman Cory Mann still faces separate tax-related charges in the 2020 case. A trial date hasn't been set for those charges.

Mann's lawyer, Eric Nemeth of Varnum, said they were pleased with this week's developments.

This first dismissal is hopefully a harbinger of things to come," Nemeth said.

A lawyer for Franklin told the Free Press that he, too, may soon join Sitto in having all the Justice Department's charges dropped.

A message Friday for the Justice Department seeking comment about the dropped charges was not returned.

Contact JC Reindl: 313-222-6631 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Criminal charge dropped against metro Detroit auto accident attorney
Dr. Karcher is working to establish the CAP as the preeminent association where all pathologists can unite.

CHICAGO, October 07, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Donald S. Karcher, MD, FCAP, is the newly elected President of the College of American Pathologists (CAP). At a meeting of the membership on Saturday, October 7, 2023, Dr. Karcher was inaugurated as the organizations 38th President.

Dr. Karcher is celebrating 45 years as a practicing pathologist, beginning his career as an Army pathologist, moving to private practice and now, currently in academia. "As pathologists we all share the same challenges, celebrate the same victories, and deal with the same defeats. I feel there is special value in having one organization where all pathologists can come together to advocate, learn, and work to benefit our profession and our patients. And I strongly believe the CAP is that organization."

Goals during his presidency include maintaining the leadership of the CAP in advocating for what pathologists need to practice successfully and increasing the positive impact of the CAP in clinical laboratories and pathology practices both in the United States and internationally. Another goal is to assure pathologists are increasingly visible to the healthcare system and to their patients. This includes providing formal consultations to other physicians and having direct consultations with patients and their family members, helping to explain a critical or life-changing diagnosis. "I very much want to see the CAP continue to support this more visible, more expansive kind of practice. We are the patients doctor," explains Dr. Karcher, "in every sense of those words."

Along with CAP members and staff, he will also be working towards removing as many health disparities as possible and helping under-resourced pathologists and clinical laboratories around the world get access to what the CAP has to offer. "I also want to see the CAP complete its journey to full diversity and equity in everything we do," said Dr. Karcher.

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In addition, there is a mounting shortage of pathologists but a growing demand for pathology services. "The CAP, Im proud to say, started a Pathologist Pipeline initiative a few years ago and this initiative, even in its early stages, is starting to bend the curve. We now have more medical students aware of pathology as a great career option, and pathology residency programs are experiencing better recruiting results."

Dr. Karcher is Professor and Immediate Past Chair, Department of Pathology, at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC. He has been on the faculty in the Department of Pathology for many years, rising through the ranks to become Pathology Chair, a role in which he served for 20 years. He is board-certified in Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology (AP/CP) as well as Hematopathology and continues to actively practice and teach at GW.

He received his MD degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Completing his residency training in AP/CP at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston (San Antonio), Texas, he then served as Director of Hematopathology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC and subsequently at LSU Medical Center in New Orleans.

Prior to becoming President, Dr. Karcher has been a longstanding member of the CAP Board of Governors and Executive Committee as well as active in many CAP councils and committees.

"My hope is that all pathologists will join the important work of the CAP. It has certainly made me a better pathologist and a better leader. Having those important connections is key to an exciting and productive career."

Dr. Karcher is married to his high school sweetheart, Lois, and he has three children and seven grandchildren, all of whom he is immensely proud of. An avid "do it-yourselfer," Dr. Karcher is currently working on rehabbing the basement of his home.

About the College of American Pathologists

As the worlds largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, visit the CAP Newsroom, CAP.org and yourpathologist.org to watch pathologists at work and see the stories of the patients who trust them with their care.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231007070448/en/

Contacts

Angela Panateri

apanate@cap.org
7 killed, over 68 injured as fire engulfs Mumbai residential building; 30 rescued





MUMBAI,

SEVEN people, including two minors, were killed and over 68 injured after a fire swept through a residential building in Mumbais Goregaon area in the early hours of Friday, a civic official said. Five of the injured are in critical condition. Hours later, the citys fire brigade chief said the building had no fire-fighting system. As many as 30 residents were rescued from the terrace and various floors of the seven-storey structure, he said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condoled the loss of lives in the fire and announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of each of the deceased victims. Those injured would be treated at Government expense. The blaze started around 3 am at Jay Bhavani SRA building near Azad Maidan at Unnat Nagar in Goregaon West. It had a lot of old clothes on the ground floor, they said.

A total of 68 residents were rushed to various hospitals. While 42 were admitted to the civic-run HBT Trauma Care hospital and 15 to Cooper Hospital, 11 were taken to three private hospitals. Of these, seven including two minors and as many women died. President, PM condole tragedy: PRESIDENT Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and others expressed grief over the tragedy and condoled the families of the victims. The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Key Insights

Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, EPH European Property Holdings fair value estimate is 22.24

EPH European Property Holdings' 26.00 share price indicates it is trading at similar levels as its fair value estimate

When compared to theindustry average discount of -98%, EPH European Property Holdings' competitors seem to be trading at a greater premium to fair value

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of EPH European Property Holdings PLC (VTX:EPH) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple!

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.

View our latest analysis for EPH European Property Holdings

Is EPH European Property Holdings Fairly Valued?

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last 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.

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Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (, Millions) 43.6m 37.3m 33.5m 31.1m 29.6m 28.5m 27.8m 27.4m 27.1m 26.8m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -20.71% Est @ -14.49% Est @ -10.14% Est @ -7.10% Est @ -4.97% Est @ -3.47% Est @ -2.43% Est @ -1.70% Est @ -1.18% Est @ -0.83% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 9.5% 39.8 31.1 25.5 21.6 18.8 16.6 14.8 13.2 12.0 10.8

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 204m

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 0.01%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 9.5%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = 27m (1 + 0.01%)  (9.5% 0.01%) = 283m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 283m ( 1 + 9.5%)10= 114m

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 318m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of 26.0, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. 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

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. 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 EPH European Property Holdings 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 9.5%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.897. 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 EPH European Property Holdings

Strength

No major strengths identified for EPH.

Weakness

Interest payments on debt are not well covered.

Current share price is above our estimate of fair value.

Opportunity

Has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years based on current free cash flows.

Lack of analyst coverage makes it difficult to determine EPH's earnings prospects.

Threat

Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow.

Next Steps:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for 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. For EPH European Property Holdings, we've put together three important aspects you should further research:

Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with EPH European Property Holdings , and understanding these should be part of your investment process. 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! Other Environmentally-Friendly Companies: Concerned about the environment and think consumers will buy eco-friendly products more and more? Browse through our interactive list of companies that are thinking about a greener future to discover some stocks you may not have thought of!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Swiss 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.
At EC hearing, Ajit claims support of 42 NCP MLAs, six MLCs and 2 MPs from Mah





NEW DELHI,

THE Election Commission on Friday met the warring factions of the NCP led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar over their claims to the party name and poll symbol. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar was present at the personal hearing of the rival factions called by the Election Commission, which decided to continue the proceedings on October 9. Ajit Pawar, who had moved the Election Commission staking claim to the party name and poll symbol, submitted that he had the support of 42 of the 53 MLAs in Maharashtra, six of the nine MLCs, all seven MLAs in Nagaland and one member each in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

At the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared before the poll panel on behalf of Sharad Pawar. Senior advocates N K Kaul and Maninder Singh were present on behalf of Ajit Pawar. The faction led by Ajit Pawar had rebelled against NCP leader Sharad Pawar and moved the poll panel staking claim to the party name and symbol.

Under the circumstances, the petitioner submits that he enjoys overwhelming support in the Organisational Wing as well as Legislative Wing of the NCP and therefore the present petition may be allowed by the Honble Commission by recognising the faction led by the petitioner to be the real Political Party, Ajit Pawar said in his submission to the Election Commission. The Ajit Pawar faction submitted its arguments in support of its claim before the poll panel on Friday. The arguments of the Ajit Pawar faction are expected to continue on Monday.
Staff Reporter

The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday directed a temporary halt to the Gram Panchayat (GP) elections at Kondhali, Digdoh (Devi) and Nildoh villages. The High Court (HC) order pertains to writ petitions filed by Balkrishna Paliwal, MLA Sameer Meghe and ZP member Salil Deshmukh who sought to address the matter of establishing Nagar Panchayats/Municipal Councils from existing Gram Panchayats. The Urban Development Department, exercising its authority under Section 341A of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats, and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, had proposed the formation of a Nagar Parishad/Municipal Council in specific regions. Following the prescribed procedure, the District Collector reported on August 14, 2023, and September 25, 2023, that no objections were received regarding the Draft Notifications related to these areas.

However, on October 3, 2023, the State Election Commission issued an order and proposed Gram Panchayat elections in various areas including those mentioned in the Draft Notifications. As a result, the Urban Development Department requested a deferment of these elections until the Final Notification for the Nagar Panchayat/Municipal Council formation is issued. The petitioners counsel argued that no further steps should be taken for holding elections in these Gram Panchayats until the Urban Development Department makes a decision or the State Election Commission considers the request for deferment. In response to these arguments, the division bench of Justices A S Chandurkar and Vrushali Joshi issued a notice to the respondents, returnable on October 10, 2023.

Considering the fact that the Urban Development Department itself has made a request to the State Election Commission to defer holding of elections at the concerned Gram Panchayats, we find that till the time this request is considered by the State Election Commission, no further steps ought to be taken to hold the elections at the concerned Gram Panchayats of Mouza Kondhali, Mouza Digdoh (Devi) and Mouza Nildoh in terms of the order dated October 3, 2023 issued by the State Election Commission, the court said. Advs M P Khajanchi, M I Dhatrak, R R Dawda, A A Madiwale appeared for the petitioners while APP N P Mehta for Respondent-State.
Mah Govt claims hospital facilities burdened







MUMBAI,

THE Maharashtra Government on Friday told the Bombay High Court that the State-run hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar which recently saw a spurt in patient deaths faced a heavy inflow of extremely critical patients from private hospitals. However, the court said the State cant escape its responsibility.

The State Government also told a division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor that there does not seem to be any gross negligence on the part of the State-run hospitals. Advocate General Birendra Saraf, appearing for the Government, told the court on Friday that all medicines and other equipment required at the hospitals for the management of patients were available and administered as per protocol.

The patients who died had been brought in critical condition from other hospitals. There are issues. There is no denying that. But it does not seem like there was any gross negligence by the hospitals. Of course, it is sad what has happened. People have died. Every death is unfortunate, Saraf said. He said the doctors and medical staff at the hospitals were burdened. The bench sought to know how the Government plans to strengthen public healthcare.
Pawar meets Kharge, Rahul, discusses road ahead for I.N.D.I. Alliance





NEW DELHI,

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday met Congress President Mallaikarjun Kharge as well as Rahul Gandhi and is learnt have discussed the plan forward for the Opposition I.N.D.I. Alliance, which last met in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1. The Opposition bloc has not met since Mumbai and is likely to do so soon, sources said. The three leaders discussed the current political situation and the road ahead for the alliance, which is looking to take on the BJP in the upcoming Assembly and general elections. The meeting lasted around 40 minutes.

They also chalked out plans for the next meeting of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, the sources said.Kharge later posted pictures of his meeting with Pawar on X, and said Today, along with Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, met NCP President Shri Sharad Pawar ji to further raise the voice of the people of the country. We are ready for every challenge, he said while using I.N.D.I.A. blocs tagline - Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA (India will unite, INDIA will win).

Pawar also posted his pictures of the meeting on X and said, Paid a courtesy visit to INC President MP Malikarjun Kharge at his residence. MP Rahul Gandhi, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad and Gurdeep Sappal, INC CWC Member were also present for the meeting.Fridays discussions come after a joint public meeting of the INDIA alliance in Bhopal in October was cancelled. It could not be held following opposition by Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath over statements by DMK leaders, including Udhayanidhi Stalin, against Sanatan Dharma, sources said.
Sikkim flood: Toll rises to 25, search on for 143 missing people





GANGTOK/JALPAIGURI,

ARMY and NDRF teams, both on foot and in boats, have recovered 25 bodies including seven Armymen from the slush and debris of the flash flood which swept through Sikkims Teesta river, officials said Friday. The flood which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday also resulted in a large number of people going missing. Officials said 143 are still missing though some 2,413 people have been rescued and are in shelters. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those who died in the flash flood in the state. He also declared an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 each to all those who are being sheltered in relief camps. There have been damages worth thousands of crores of rupees. We cannot give exact details about damages, it will be revealed once a committee is formed and it completes its analysis. Our first priority is to save those who are stranded and provide them immediate relief, he told PTI Video. Road connectivity between districts has been cut off and bridges have been washed away. Communication in North Sikkim has been severely affected, Tamang said. Of the 23 Army personnel who had gone missing from Bardang area, the bodies of seven have been recovered from different areas downstream while one had been rescued earlier. Search for the remaining is continuing both in Sikkim and the neighbouring northern part of West Bengal through which the Teesta river flows, the chief minister said.

The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said in its latest bulletin that 25 people have died so far and 143 have gone missing. While 15 people including six Army personnel died in Pakyong district, Mangan and Gangtok districts accounted for four and six deaths respectively, the SSDMA said. Nearly 25,100 people have been affected by the calamity, it said. The Chief Minister said that he has spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, President Droupadi Murmu and other Union ministers. They have assured me that all necessary assistance will be provided to the state, Tamang said. Shah has approved the release of Rs 44.8 crore as an advance amount from the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim to provide relief to flash floods-affected people.

Following a directive from Shah, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has formed an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), which will visit the affected areas of Sikkim soon to make an assessment of the damage caused due to a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), cloudburst and flash floods, according to an official statement. The flash flood in the Teesta River, triggered by the cloudburst in Lhonak Lake, caused an accumulation of a huge quantity of water, which turned towards Chungthang Dam destroying the power infrastructure before moving downstream in spate flooding towns and villages. The flood destroyed 13 bridges in the state, with eight bridges getting washed away in Mangan district alone. Three bridges were destroyed in Gangtok and two in Namchi. Meanwhile, the search for the remaining 15 missing Army personnel is underway downstream near Teesta barrage.
Spreading rumours lands youth in police custody





Kalmeshwar Correspondent

A young man from Budhla village in the Kalmeshwar tehsil was arrested by the police on Friday for making viral a fake video of a lion sighting in the area. The residents of the tehsil had been having sleepless nights for the past two days since the video went viral on social media. The Forest Department has filed a complaint with the Kalmeshwar Police regarding the spread of rumours on social media which led to the arrest of the accused, identified as Pratap Amarlal Madavi (27), a resident of Budhla village. Madavi has been booked under section 505 of the Indian Penal Code for his role in creating panic by sharing a fabricated video.

A police official said that Madavi claimed to have encountered a lion and urged citizens to be vigilant in the Budhla village area in the video. The video quickly went viral on various social media platforms, including WhatsApp. It caused widespread fear among local residents. Many residents forwarded the video to their friends and relatives and even called others to exercise caution. Officials from the Forest Department led by Conservator of Forest Katol (Additional Charge), P R Shirpurkar and Forest Range Officer Bagde initiated an investigation. The investigation revealed that the video was fabricated with no factual basis.
STRATEGIC NEED





CHIEF of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has highlighted again what India has been doing with much care and concern -- weaving into its strategic calculus the response to the issues that China is throwing up into global geopolitics corresponding to its rise in international arena. Though General Chauhan has used a mild word -- assertiveness, he actually meant to use aggressiveness or brazenness to describe the Chinese global conduct. For, what India has been experiencing in the past several decades is only Chinas brazenness vis-a-vis every other country. No matter what India ha done to communicate its goodwill, China has not bothered to change its approach to India. General Anil Chauhans statement in the General V.K. Krishna Rao Memorial Lecture points to the general anxiety China has heaped on India. Of course, India has evolved its response to the continued Chinese overtures over time. Its policy of tit-for-tat is proving to be useful in the short and the long term handling of the issues. What else can a country like India do if it is saddled with a cantankerous neighbour playing all the time blow-hot-blow-cold game? Thanks to this realism, India needs to keep redefining its strategic calculus all the time -- underlined so well by the Chief of Defence Staff. Of course, the Indian response over the past 7-8 years has actually shocked China in a big way. The moment China made excessive deployment of its troops in eastern Ladakh three years ago, India counter-deployed equal or even bigger numbers of troops and weapons.

It also took a similar approach in other theatres as well to counter the Chinese brazenness -- something that Beijing had never expected. Another parallel move of India was in the field of business. It mounted intense pressure on China by imposing a social moratorium on Chinese goods in domestic market, so much so that Beijing had to start issuing warnings to New Delhi about a counter-offensive. Unbothered by that stance India continued to employ a mix of soft-and-hard tackling of the Chinese aggressiveness as and when required. Several other measures by India applied reasonable brakes on the undesirable economic designs by China. Thanks to its economic and business policies, India is becoming a better investment destination for the world, particularly vis-a-vis China. Many international players are moving out from China and appear to choose India instead. Realising this shift in the global mood, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has shifted his gears quickly to accommodate the needs of the international business. China had really not expected India to engage in such a comprehensive confrontation.

All this was an integral part of Indias strategic calculus -- giving a clear message that China was far more vulnerable to counter-offensives than the world ever thought. This approach by India raised Indias stature in the global arena like nothing else had ever done. Beijing is still trying to find an effective response to the Indian assertiveness against its own aggressiveness. This is, of course, a long-drawn game and India will have to keep at it painstakingly and endlessly. It will also have to keep its military machine in a state of full alert all the time since China has proved to be an unreliable neighbour. When General Anil Chauhan talked of the countrys strategic calculus, he was incorporating all these dimensions in his thought-process. He has rightly insisted that it is Indias strategic need to keep redefining its strategic calculus and redraw its overall security doctrine from time to time. When the CDS talks of such a need, it is obvious that he is doing so only for public education on the issue. In actuality, India has been on the track all along.
The Bharat Metaphor! - IV





By Vijay phanshikar

Tatkarma Yanna Bandhaya Saa Vidya Yaa Vimuktaye/ Ayasayaparam Karma Vidyanya Shilpanaipunyam// -Vishnu Purana, 1.19.41 (In loose translation, the verse means: Vidya is that which liberates; the rest is only a skilled work)

THIS is the most critical nuance of the Bharat metaphor. Bharat was (and is and will be) one place where liberation -- Moksha -- is the goal of all learning or acquisition of knowledge. Most ancient texts (whose timeline enormous beyond calculation) refer to this nuance time and again -- moksha as the goal of every human endeavour of learning. This Vishnu Purana verse, thus, offers a clear-cut distinction between Vidya as the tool to liberation and the skill as something that ties one down. To understand the multi-faceted Bharat metaphor, one, therefore, needs to understand this nuance in full measure. Minus that, nobody can decipher the metaphor correctly. Historically, the whole of the Indian society -- the people of Bharatvarsh, so to say -- had worked out a system, style and substance of education to achieve that sublime goal of helping people to attain moksha or liberation of salvation. So, even as countless lakhs of schools -- Gurukuls -- and institutions of higher learning worked tirelessly to educate the young generations as fully as possible in acquiring different skill-sets that helped in making an honourable living under the confines of Dharma, the aim was to help the students understand that the ultimate goal of life was salvation. Education, thus, was geared to that fine purpose. Of course, the entire body of knowledge was traditionally spread over several segments -- four Veds, six Shastras, fourteen Vidyas, and sixty-four kalas (arts). Trained under such a system of learning, nobody in the society ever went hungry to bed.

In other words, the society was capable of creating its own wealth in ample measure so that the idea of poverty was hardly known. There were people with limited resources, all right. Yet, they were never described as poor in the strict sense. In still other words, there might have been poor people, but there was no poverty in the larger Indian society. For, to be poor might have been linked to not having enough resources. The term poverty, however, indicated a damning condition of the mind. The ancient society of Bharat has ensured that poverty was banished from its midst. And this near-utopian condition was achieved over thousands of years of the purist approach to learning -- Saa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye ! -- as stated earlier. It is this nuance of the Bharat metaphor that appears to be beyond the comprehension of the West in particular. This is not unnecessarily poetic description of the India of those times. Enough textual and contextual evidence is available strewn across the vast of body of written and verbal literature from ancient Indias long time-line to prove that the entire society stood on a fine foundation of education that is so much beyond common comprehension to day -- dominated by the western narrowness of thought. This body evidence relates to all subjects that including different sciences such as mathematics, cosmology, oceanography, astronomy, logic, literature, music, sculpture, painting ...! And interestingly, all these come under one single word Bharat (that suggests deepest and highest and finest engagement in pursuit of light -- of knowledge, pure and applied).

It must be noted here unfailingly that the entire body of knowledge that ancient India had earned over lakhs of years of tapasya had lakhs of books -- granthas -- on different subjects indicating deep research on every possible issue under the Sun -- and even beyond the Sun, so to say. For, countless ancient treatises of science show clearly that the universe -- ever-expanding -- had multiple Suns and Solar-systems numbering in lakhs. Enough textual and contextual evidence is available in ancient literature showing a very detailed understanding of the universe. In lakhs of Indian homes even today, a simple Sanskrut shlok -- verse -- is chanted daily: Bhanuh Shashi Bhumisuto Bhudhasya Guruh Cha Shukrah Shani Rahu Ketuh/ Kurvantu Sarve Mam Suprabhatam// (Bhanu - Sun, Shashi - Moon, Bhumisut - Mars, Budh - Mercury, Guru - Jupiter, Shukra - Venus, Shani - Saturn, Rahu - North Lunar Node, Ketu - South Lunar Node/ I offer my prayers to all these to mark this good morning//) This verse has been an integral part of morning prayers in lakhs of Indian homes for generations spanning thousands of years. It shows how a good celestial comprehension is woven into consciousness. A word on Bhumisut is necessary here: Bhumi (Earth) Sut (off-spring) -- pointing to striking similarities between geographies of Earth and Mars. This is only to highlight one more nuance of the Bharat metaphor -- with infinite and complex dimensions.
Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, killing at least 40 people and wounding hundreds in a surprise assault, that combined gunmen crossing into Israel with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza, said media reports.

Forty people have been killed in wide-ranging incursion by the militant group Hamas into Israel, the country's national rescue service said today.

Israel said the Iran-backed group had declared war as its army confirmed fighting with militants in several Israeli towns and military bases near Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate.

"Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known," he said. "We are in a war and we will win it," Netanyahu was quoted as saying by the Reuters.

Mohammad Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, announced the start of the operation in a broadcast on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.

"This is the day of the greatest battle end the last occupation on earth," he said, adding that 5,000 rockets had been launched.

Israel's ambulance service said at least 40 Israelis were killed and hundreds wounded in the Hamas attack but the total appeared likely to rise. A Reuters photographer saw multiple bodies lying in streets of the southern town of Sderot.

The Israeli army warned of sirens across the country's south and central areas, urging the public to stay near bomb shelters.

The Israeli military said it had responded with air strikes into Gaza, where witnesses reported hearing heavy explosions and multiple dead and wounded being carried into hospitals.

Palestinian health officials said dozens of people had been killed as bombardments hit deep into Gaza City, sending clouds of black smoke spiralling into the sky.

Hamas said the attack was driven by what it said were Israel's escalated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and against Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

It marked an unprecedented infiltration into Israel by an unknown number of Hamas gunmen crossing from the Gaza Strip, and the heaviest blow for Israel in the conflict with Palestinians since the suicide bombings of the Second Intifada some two decades ago.

The armed wing of Palestinian group Hamas said it was behind the fire, claiming its militants had launched more than 5,000 rockets, reported AFP.

"We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel), their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over," the group said.

Israel and Hamas had fought a 10-day war in 2021.

The militant group said it had joined the attacks and was holding several Israeli soldiers captive and Hamas social media accounts showed footage of what were said to be Israeli captives being taken alive into Gaza.

Hamas footage on its Telegram account showed its fighters pulling Israeli soldiers out of a tank.

The Israeli military has declined to comment, saying it would address the reports of Israeli captives later.

Israeli broadcaster Reshet 13 TV News said militants were holding Israelis hostage in the town of Ofakim, and that five Palestinian militants had been killed in Sderot and homes had been set on fire.

Israeli media reported gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in towns in southern Israel. Israel's police chief said there were "21 active scenes" in southern Israel.

In Gaza, people rushed to buy supplies in anticipation of days of conflict ahead. Some evacuated their homes and headed for shelters.

Meanwhile, Iran's foreign ministry said Hamas attacks on Saturday were proof of the Palestinians' increased confidence in the face of Israel.

"In this operation, the element of surprise and other combined methods were used, which show the Palestinian people's confidence in the face of the occupiers," reported the semi-official ISNA news agency citing ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.
MoreISO / Getty Images/iStockphoto

If you want to buy a home, a shopping sweet spot is generally found in the early fall months. Some of the advantages available to potential homebuyers during early fall include less competition from other buyers, more active inventory and price reductions.

Housing Market 2023: The 10 Most Overpriced Housing Markets in the US  5 Are in Florida

Find Out: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000

Those who plan to buy a home this fall are likely asking themselves which cities have the most favorable conditions. The good news is potential buyers have a wide range of major metros with affordable listings to choose from this year. According to experts, here are the six best cities to buy a home this fall.

Dallas

In January 2023, CNBC Make It ranked Dallas as the third best U.S. city to buy a home in 2023, thanks to the citys tremendous job growth and high number of active listings.

Hannah Jones, economic research analyst at Realtor.com, said home prices fell 0.9% year-over-year in Dallas in September 2023. Active inventory increased by 4.8% and homes spent 3.5% more time on the market. The median home listing price in September was $450,000, which was $23,000 lower than the peak prices during summer 2023.

Thanks to the inventory increase and fading buyer demand, Jones said buyers may be able to secure a favorable deal on a home in Dallas this fall.

Arthur Greenstein, real estate agent at Douglas Elliman, agrees with Jones assessment of the Dallas housing market.

Many sellers pull their properties off the market after Thanksgiving until January so they dont become stagnant when buyers are busy and traveling during the holiday season, said Greenstein. Because of this, off-market inventory often increases. A licensed real agent can pull these up and help you find a great deal.

Read: 5 Reasons the Housing Market Is Reversing

New Orleans

Buyers interested in buying a home in New Orleans this fall will benefit from a major win-win because prices are down and active inventory is up.

Story continues

According to Jones, home prices in New Orleans fell $10,000 from the summers peak in September 2023. Meanwhile, active inventory continued piling up on a month-over-month and year-over-year basis.

Homes also spent the most time on market since February, signaling buyers this fall may have more time to consider their home purchase, in line with seasonal patterns, said Jones.

Austin, Texas

Even though buyers shopping in Austin face home prices almost $200,000 higher than pre-pandemic levels, Jones said there are three things on their side: inventory, time on the market and demand.

According to Jones, Austin homes are spending almost 15% more time on the market compared to one year ago. This means Austin home shoppers will see lower prices and more flexibility from sellers this fall. Austins active inventory, Jones said, was higher in September 2023 than at any point in the datas history (tracking back to mid-2016).

Nashville, Tennessee

From Julys peak in September, Jones said Nashville home prices fell $15,000. Additionally in September, active inventory went up 8.4% year-over-year and time on the market expanded 17.7%.

This fall, Nashville buyers are likely to have more options to choose from, and more time to deliberate than last year, said Jones.

St. Louis, Missouri

The city of St. Louis received an honorable mention by Forbes as one of the 10 most affordable cities to buy a home in 2023. This fall, home shoppers might find St. Louis offers a better buying environment for their needs.

In September 2023, Jones said home prices in St. Louis fell to an affordable $280,000, nearly $10,000 less than they were priced at summers peak. Active inventory also increased by 3.7% and price reductions increased 10.8% year-over-year. According to Jones, St. Louis home shoppers may have more suitable options thanks to the citys falling prices, increased inventory and price reductions.

Houston

Buyers have the upper hand in Houston this fall. Jones said while home prices fell only slightly in September, active listings are up 1.8% compared to the previous month and previous year.

In September 2023, the median Houston listing price was $370,000.

This is almost 15% below the national level, and roughly $10,00 below the summers peak, meaning both market conditions and home prices are tilted in favor of buyers, said Jones.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Experts: Here Are the 6 Best Cities To Buy a Home This Fall
Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE  Free Report)  DA Davidson decreased their FY2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Cadence Bank in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, October 3rd. DA Davidson analyst K. Fitzsimmons now forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of $2.57 for the year, down from their previous forecast of $2.61. The consensus estimate for Cadence Banks current full-year earnings is $2.44 per share.

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Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Stephens boosted their target price on shares of Cadence Bank from $24.00 to $27.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. TheStreet upgraded Cadence Bank from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Tuesday, August 8th. Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of Cadence Bank from $27.00 to $25.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, September 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Cadence Bank from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cadence Bank presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $25.50.

Cadence Bank Stock Up 0.1 %

NYSE CADE opened at $21.12 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $22.75 and a 200 day simple moving average of $21.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.79. The stock has a market cap of $3.86 billion, a PE ratio of 9.64 and a beta of 1.02. Cadence Bank has a twelve month low of $16.95 and a twelve month high of $29.41.

Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.68 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $465.84 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $476.12 million. Cadence Bank had a net margin of 16.99% and a return on equity of 12.79%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.73 EPS.

Cadence Bank Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, October 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th were paid a dividend of $0.235 per share. This represents a $0.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, September 14th. Cadence Banks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.92%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in CADE. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in Cadence Bank by 4.4% during the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 19,804 shares of the companys stock valued at $603,000 after acquiring an additional 841 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its holdings in shares of Cadence Bank by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 69,024 shares of the companys stock worth $2,020,000 after buying an additional 4,059 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. bought a new position in Cadence Bank during the first quarter valued at about $2,437,000. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in Cadence Bank by 1,892.1% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 251,737 shares of the companys stock worth $7,370,000 after acquiring an additional 239,100 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in Cadence Bank in the first quarter valued at about $2,458,000. 80.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Cadence Bank Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Cadence Bank provides commercial banking and financial services. Its products and services include consumer banking, consumer loans, mortgages, home equity lines and loans, credit cards, commercial and business banking, treasury management, specialized and asset-based lending, commercial real estate, equipment financing, and correspondent banking services.

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Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta (NYSE:VTMX  Get Free Report) is one of 73 public companies in the Real estate industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta to similar companies based on the strength of its dividends, valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability and institutional ownership.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta 0 1 1 0 2.50 Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta Competitors 234 1077 1164 29 2.39

Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta presently has a consensus target price of $39.00, indicating a potential upside of 21.31%. As a group, Real estate companies have a potential upside of 28.77%. Given Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vestas competitors higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors.

Earnings and Valuation

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta $178.03 million $243.63 million 7.37 Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta Competitors $1.49 billion $65.24 million 28.35

This table compares Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta and its competitors revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vestas competitors have higher revenue, but lower earnings than Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta. Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Profitability

This table compares Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta 149.56% 17.81% 9.83% Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta Competitors -294.56% -2.74% 0.18%

Insider & Institutional Ownership

7.1% of Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 46.4% of shares of all Real estate companies are owned by institutional investors. 17.9% of shares of all Real estate companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Dividends

Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta pays an annual dividend of $0.15 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.5%. Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta pays out 3.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Real estate companies pay a dividend yield of 4.4% and pay out 120.1% of their earnings in the form of a dividend.

Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta, S.A.B. de C.V., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, develops, manages, operates, and leases industrial buildings and distribution centers in Mexico. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico.

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IRON Financial LLC increased its stake in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 7.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 8,657 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 564 shares during the period. IRON Financial LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $318,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Calton & Associates Inc. grew its stake in Pfizer by 44.8% in the 2nd quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 14,073 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $516,000 after acquiring an additional 4,356 shares during the period. Trilogy Capital Inc. grew its stake in Pfizer by 21.7% in the 2nd quarter. Trilogy Capital Inc. now owns 10,118 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $378,000 after acquiring an additional 1,805 shares during the period. Accurate Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Pfizer by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Accurate Wealth Management LLC now owns 32,929 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,196,000 after acquiring an additional 1,536 shares during the period. Benin Management CORP grew its stake in Pfizer by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Benin Management CORP now owns 38,516 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,413,000 after acquiring an additional 1,109 shares during the period. Finally, Sage Mountain Advisors LLC grew its stake in Pfizer by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 25,874 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $949,000 after acquiring an additional 743 shares during the period. 68.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Pfizer Stock Performance

Shares of PFE stock opened at $33.13 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a 12 month low of $31.77 and a 12 month high of $54.93. 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 market capitalization of $187.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.81, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.61. The companys fifty day moving average price is $34.81 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.25.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

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, topping 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 analyst estimates of $13.36 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.04 EPS. The firms revenue was down 54.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 10th will be issued a $0.41 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 9th. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.95%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is currently 43.62%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have commented on PFE. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Thursday. They issued a hold rating for the company. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $38.00 to $35.00 in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $39.00 to $36.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday. TheStreet cut shares of Pfizer from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, September 25th. Finally, HSBC assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Friday, July 14th. They set a buy rating and a $50.00 price objective for the company. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Pfizer has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $45.88.

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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.

Further Reading

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Rice Hall James & Associates LLC lessened its position in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW  Free Report) by 41.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 11,649 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 8,128 shares during the period. Rice Hall James & Associates LLCs holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $1,099,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Stonegate Investment Group LLC increased its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 22.3% during the 1st quarter. Stonegate Investment Group LLC now owns 13,118 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,085,000 after purchasing an additional 2,392 shares in the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its holdings 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 valued at $60,323,000 after buying an additional 306,664 shares during the last quarter. Crescent Grove Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Edwards Lifesciences during the 2nd quarter worth about $205,000. Columbia Trust Co 01012016 grew its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 5.4% during the 2nd quarter. Columbia Trust Co 01012016 now owns 16,613 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,567,000 after acquiring an additional 845 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marcum Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Edwards Lifesciences in the 2nd quarter valued at about $219,000. Institutional investors own 79.25% of the companys stock.

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Edwards Lifesciences Stock Up 2.1 %

NYSE:EW opened at $73.70 on Friday. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 1 year low of $67.13 and a 1 year high of $94.87. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $75.31 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $83.07. The stock has a market cap of $44.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.61, a PEG ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 3.15, a quick ratio of 2.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Edwards Lifesciences ( NYSE:EW Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $1.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.51 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 25.43% and a net margin of 24.56%. Edwards Lifesciencess quarterly revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.63 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.55 earnings per share for the current year.

EW has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $95.00 to $102.00 in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Edwards Lifesciences from $101.00 to $105.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 19th. StockNews.com downgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Piper Sandler decreased their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $88.00 to $83.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 8th. Finally, Robert W. Baird began coverage on Edwards Lifesciences in a report on Tuesday, July 18th. They set an outperform rating and a $107.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $91.50.

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Insider Transactions at Edwards Lifesciences

In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Daveen Chopra sold 1,500 shares of Edwards Lifesciences 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 owns 23,950 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,836,725.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.52, for a total transaction of $452,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 34,814 shares in the company, valued at $3,151,363.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Daveen Chopra sold 1,500 shares of Edwards Lifesciences stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.69, for a total transaction of $115,035.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 23,950 shares in the company, valued at $1,836,725.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 182,859 shares of company stock valued at $14,080,422 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

Edwards Lifesciences 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.

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Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ  Free Report) by 2.4% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 54,367 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,259 shares during the period. Vontobel Holding Ltd.s holdings in Constellation Brands were worth $13,381,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of STZ. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 103,844.2% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 9,206,335 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,265,955,000 after acquiring an additional 9,197,478 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 100.8% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 7,890,702 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,782,432,000 after acquiring an additional 3,961,836 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 84,839.5% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,742,434 shares of the companys stock valued at $867,309,000 after acquiring an additional 3,738,028 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands during the 4th quarter valued at about $373,796,000. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 31.3% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 3,809,273 shares of the companys stock valued at $882,799,000 after acquiring an additional 908,486 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 88.99% of the companys stock.

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Constellation Brands Price Performance

STZ opened at $236.57 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.14. Constellation Brands, Inc. has a 52-week low of $208.12 and a 52-week high of $273.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $43.37 billion, a PE ratio of -129.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.75. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $259.79 and its 200-day moving average price is $245.60.

Constellation Brands Announces Dividend

Constellation Brands ( NYSE:STZ Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 5th. The company reported $3.70 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.37 by $0.33. Constellation Brands had a positive return on equity of 22.32% and a negative net margin of 3.14%. The company had revenue of $2.84 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.82 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $3.17 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Constellation Brands, Inc. will post 11.63 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 17th. Investors of record on Friday, November 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.89 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 2nd. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.50%. Constellation Brandss dividend payout ratio is presently -194.54%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on STZ. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $295.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Friday, September 15th. Roth Mkm restated a buy rating and issued a $311.00 target price on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Friday. Truist Financial restated a hold rating and issued a $260.00 target price on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Friday. Citigroup boosted their target price on Constellation Brands from $265.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 21st. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price on Constellation Brands from $294.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Friday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Constellation Brands presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $277.64.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on STZ

Insider Activity at Constellation Brands

In related news, CEO William A. Newlands sold 49,425 shares of Constellation Brands stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $267.90, for a total transaction of $13,240,957.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 9,316 shares in the company, valued at $2,495,756.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO William A. Newlands sold 49,425 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $267.90, for a total transaction of $13,240,957.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 9,316 shares in the company, valued at $2,495,756.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Garth Hankinson sold 1,550 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $267.96, for a total value of $415,338.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 9,491 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,543,208.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 100,819 shares of company stock worth $27,054,755 over the last ninety days. 16.19% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Constellation Brands Profile

(Free Report)

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Premier, Corona Familiar, Corona Light, Corona Refresca, Corona Hard Seltzer, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, Modelo Chelada, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.

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Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 40,449 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 1,468 shares during the period. Vontobel Holding Ltd.s holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $13,046,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 747 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $241,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Atticus Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 9.4% during the 1st quarter. Atticus Wealth Management LLC now owns 350 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $114,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group increased its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 23.3% during the 4th quarter. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group now owns 164 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Advisors LLC grew its position in The Goldman Sachs Group by 3.4% in the 1st quarter. Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 968 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $317,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schear Investment Advisers LLC grew its position in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Schear Investment Advisers LLC now owns 3,022 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $975,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. 69.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Buying and Selling at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other news, CEO David M. Solomon sold 4,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.28, for a total value of $1,496,376.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 124,782 shares in the company, valued at $44,457,330.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, CEO David M. Solomon sold 4,200 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.28, for a total transaction of $1,496,376.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 124,782 shares of the companys stock, valued at $44,457,330.96. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO David M. Solomon sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $345.71, for a total value of $3,457,100.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 128,982 shares in the company, valued at approximately $44,590,367.22. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.54% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have commented on the company. Atlantic Securities raised The Goldman Sachs Group from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and upped their price objective for the company from $330.00 to $351.00 in a research report on Tuesday, August 1st. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $347.00 to $329.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Odeon Capital Group raised The Goldman Sachs Group from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $355.75 price objective on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 13th. UBS Group upped their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $385.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 24th. Finally, Societe Generale downgraded The Goldman Sachs Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, July 10th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, The Goldman Sachs Group currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $393.32.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on GS

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of GS stock opened at $312.48 on Friday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $331.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $329.85. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $103.02 billion, a PE ratio of 13.33, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.38. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $287.75 and a fifty-two week high of $389.58.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 19th. The investment management company reported $3.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.25 by ($0.17). The firm had revenue of $10.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.61 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 9.74% and a return on equity of 8.27%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $7.73 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 24.44 earnings per share for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 31st were issued a $2.75 dividend. This is a positive change from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $2.50. This represents a $11.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 30th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.93%.

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.

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Accusations of disruptive tactics lie at the heart of a lawsuit that has caused the International Longshore and Warehouse Union to file for bankruptcy protection. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Only weeks ago, the dockworkers union was riding high as its members voted to approve a new six-year contract, ensuring peace at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and 27 other West Coast harbors.

Now, the union has landed in bankruptcy protection as it figures out how to pay a hefty court judgment involving accusations of slowdowns and other labor actions during a 2011 dispute  the same kind of tactics employed during the recent contentious contract negotiation. Labor experts are concerned that a serious precedent is being set.

"We intend to use the Chapter 11 process to implement a plan that will bring this matter to resolution and ensure that our Union continues to do its important work for our members and the community," said Willie Adams, president of the 40,000-member International Longshore and Warehouse Union, in a news release this week.

The union said it will continue to operate as usual but can no longer afford to defend itself in the lawsuit brought by a former shipping terminal operator at the Port of Portland, Ore.

The company, ICTSI Oregon Inc., which is based in the Philippines, could not be reached for comment. In a statement emailed to Reuters, the terminal operator said that the bankruptcy filing was the union's "latest maneuver to avoid accountability."

Read more: West Coast dockworkers ratify a new six-year contract

Ken Jacobs, a labor specialist and chair of the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, said "people are very concerned about the precedent this is setting with an employer suing a union over labor activity. The severity of the penalty that was levied was also disconcerting."

Nelson Lichtenstein, director of the UC Santa Barbara Center for the Study of Work, Labor and Democracy, said: "I think it means that when employers see a legal opening against a union they are going to run with it to bankrupt or weaken existing unions."

The case involves a bitter labor dispute over just two jobs that pitted the ILWU against terminal operator ICTSI Oregon at a seaport of only minor significance in terms of the number of cargo containers moved.

Story continues

The obscure feud began when ILWU leaders pushed ICTSI Oregon to give it two jobs previously represented by the electricians' local after ICTSI signed a lease with the Portland port in 2011 to begin running the container yard. ICTSI, which accused the union of work slowdowns, said it could not reassign the jobs because the port controlled them. During the dispute, international shipping lines stopped sending cargo containers to Portland.

ICTSI paid the port $20 million to get out of its lease and sued the union, listing that amount and other losses as damages.

Read more: UAW aims for drivers' attention by striking parts warehouses, including two in the Inland Empire

A federal jury found the union liable for unlawful labor practices and awarded the company $94 million, an amount subsequently reduced by a U.S. District Court judge to $19 million. But ICTSI rejected that amount, and a retrial was set for next year, leading to the bankruptcy filing, ILWU told its members.

While we have attempted numerous times to resolve the decade-long litigation with ICTSI Oregon, Inc., at this point, the Union can no longer afford to defend against ICTSIs scorched-earth litigation tactic," Adams said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG  Free Report)  Equities research analysts at Zacks Research increased their Q3 2025 earnings per share estimates for shares of TransDigm Group in a report released on Tuesday, October 3rd. Zacks Research analyst S. Kedia now anticipates that the aerospace company will earn $7.69 per share for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of $7.54. The consensus estimate for TransDigm Groups current full-year earnings is $23.14 per share.

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TransDigm Group (NYSE:TDG  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The aerospace company reported $7.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.87 by $1.38. TransDigm Group had a negative return on equity of 39.57% and a net margin of 18.41%. The company had revenue of $1.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.69 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.36 earnings per share. TransDigm Groups quarterly revenue was up 24.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on TDG. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on shares of TransDigm Group from $960.00 to $1,013.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. StockNews.com cut shares of TransDigm Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, September 29th. Susquehanna increased their price objective on shares of TransDigm Group from $820.00 to $850.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of TransDigm Group from $870.00 to $1,044.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 21st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of TransDigm Group from $920.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, TransDigm Group currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $926.29.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on TransDigm Group

TransDigm Group Stock Up 1.3 %

NYSE TDG opened at $850.08 on Thursday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $868.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $826.79. TransDigm Group has a twelve month low of $499.63 and a twelve month high of $940.00. The company has a market capitalization of $46.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.29, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.39.

Insider Buying and Selling at TransDigm Group

In other TransDigm Group news, COO Joel Reiss sold 3,000 shares of TransDigm Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $853.76, for a total value of $2,561,280.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 3,600 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,073,536. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other TransDigm Group news, Director Robert J. Small sold 2,967 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $880.47, for a total transaction of $2,612,354.49. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 191,171 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $168,320,330.37. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Joel Reiss sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $853.76, for a total transaction of $2,561,280.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 3,600 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,073,536. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 73,961 shares of company stock valued at $65,346,077. Corporate insiders own 7.18% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of TransDigm Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $274,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of TransDigm Group during the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Lavaca Capital LLC purchased a new position in TransDigm Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $11,624,000. Alberta Investment Management Corp grew its position in TransDigm Group by 14.8% during the second quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp now owns 3,100 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $2,772,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System grew its position in TransDigm Group by 2.7% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 87,863 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $78,564,000 after purchasing an additional 2,332 shares in the last quarter. 95.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

TransDigm Group Company Profile

(Get 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.

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The Nigeria Customs Federal Operations Unit Zone 'A' has intercepted no fewer than eight trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice on Friday, October 6, 2023.

Acting Comptroller-general Of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made this known during a press briefing on Friday at the Zone 'A' Command in Ikeja, Lagos.

He said in alignment with commitment of the federal government to achieving self-sustaining growth and enhancing the quality of life for all Nigerians, officers of the service executed a series of operations resulting in the interception and seizure of 7,029 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice.

He added that the decisive actions took place at various times and locations within the border corridors of the South-Western states.

Speaking on the aim of the operation, he said the objective was twofold: to discourage potential traders from engaging in smuggling activities and to inflict financial losses on active smugglers.

Beyond the parboiled rice seizures, our operations yielded significant results in September, with the interception of various goods. These include:

a. 35,100 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS)

b. 1,100 liters of diesel

c. 1 40-foot container carrying 360 bales of used clothes

d. 1 40-foot container containing 150 cartons of ladies' handbags, 50 bales of nickers, and other falsely declared items

e. 1 20-foot container of unprocessed wood

f. 106 cartons of foreign frozen poultry

g. 55 pieces of used fridges

h. 110 pieces of used compressors

i. 148 cartons of foreign soap

j. 121 cartons of expired hair oil

k. 25 units of vehicles (Tokunbo)

Investigations into some of these seizures are ongoing. Fourteen suspects have been apprehended in connection with various offenses, including violating import/export guidelines, concealment, undervaluation, wrong classification, smuggling, and contravening policy directives.

The cumulative duty paid value of the intercepted goods amounts to an impressive One Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty-five Million, Eighty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety-eight Naira (1,755,080,898).

Furthermore, the Unit generated Seventy-two Million, Eight Hundred and Seven Thousand, Twenty-five Naira, Eleven Kobo (N72,807,025.11) in revenue through meticulous documentary checks and the issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have paid lesser amounts than the appropriate customs duty, the Customs boss said.

He urged importers and licensed agents to always make sincere declarations, and adhere to existing import and export guidelines, to avoid the risk of losing their investments.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A Ikeja, has disclosed that it intercepted imported used cars (tokunbo), bags of foreign parboiled rice, and other contrabands worth N1.8bn.

This was disclosed by the acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, on Friday while showcasing some of the seized goods to journalists at the unit in Lagos.

According to Adeniyi, Other items seized included, 35,100 liters of premium motor spirit, 1,100 liters of diesel, one 40-foot container carrying 360 bales of used clothes. One 40-foot container containing 150 cartons of ladies handbags, 50 bales of nickers, one 20-foot container of unprocessed wood.

Also included are 106 cartons of foreign frozen poultry, 55 pieces of used fridges, 110 pieces of used compressors, 148 cartons of foreign soap, 121 cartons of expired hair oil, and 25 units of vehicles (Tokunbo).

He further noted that agriculture, being the cornerstone of Nigerias economy, showed the Federal Governments commitment to achieving self-sustaining growth and enhancing the quality of life for all Nigerians.

He said, In alignment with this commitment and the spirit of patriotism, our dedicated officers executed a series of operations resulting in the interception and seizure of 7,029 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice. The objective of this action is twofold, to discourage potential traders from engaging in smuggling activities and to inflict financial losses on active smugglers."
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has applied for leave of the Supreme Court to file a fresh evidence before the court.

Atiku, in the motion he filed through his team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, said the evidence he is seeking to tender before the apex court, would establish his allegation that President Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, submitted forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in aid of his qualification to participate in the presidential election that was held on February 25.

The former Vice President maintained that President Tinubu, by his action, committed a twin offence of forgery and perjury, and therefore deserved to be sacked from office by the Supreme Court.

Though the Supreme Court is yet to fix a date for the motion to be heard, Atiku sought the leave of the court to tender Tinubus academic records which he said were handed over to him by the Chicago State University, CSU, on October 2, 2023.

According to the motion, the 32 paged documents, were released by the CSU on the orders of Judge Nancy Maldonado of the District Court of Illinois, Eastern Division, Illinois, United States of America.

Atiku predicated his motion for leave to file fresh evidence against Tinubu, on Order 2, Rule 12(1) of the Supreme Court Rules 1985, Section 137(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as the inherent jurisdiction of the apex court as encapsulated in section 6(6)(a) of the 1999 Constitution.

The PDP flag-bearer prayed the court for an order, granting him leave, to produce and for the court to receive fresh and additional evidence by way of deposition on oath from the Chicago State University for use in this appeal to wit: the certified discovery deposition made by Caleb Westberg on behalf of Chicago State University on October 3, 2023, disclaiming the certificate presented by the 2nd respondent, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He equally prayed the apex court to receive the said deposition in evidence as exhibit in the resolution of this appeal, and to further make order or orders the apex court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of the case.

The application was predicated on 20 grounds, among which included a claim that the deposition sought to be adduced along with its accompanying documents, would have important effect in the resolution of this appeal.

The deposition is relevant to this matter, having confirmed that the certificate presented by the 2nd Respondent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not emanate from Chicago State University, and that whoever issued the certificate presented by the 2nd Respondent, did not have the authority of the Chicago State University, and that the 2nd Respondent never applied for any replacement certificate nor was he issued any replacement certificate by the Chicago State University.

The deposition which is on oath and deposed to in the presence of the 2nd Respondents Attorney is credible and believable, and ought to be believed.

The deposition is clear and unambiguous, and no further evidence is needed to be adduced on it.

The evidence is such that could not have been obtained with reasonable diligence for use at the trial, as the deposition required the commencement of the suit in the United States of America before receiving same. It was not possible to obtain the said evidence before the trial at the Court below.

The deposition was made on October 03, 2023 after the conclusion of trial at the Court below, and was not available to be tendered at the trial, Atiku averred.

He argued that the presentation of a forged certificate to the independent National Electoral Commission by a candidate for election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a weighty constitutional matter, requiring consideration by the Courts as custodians of the Constitution.

Atikus lawyer, Uche, SAN, stated that the original certified deposition from the CSU, had since been forwarded to the Supreme Court by a letter that was addressed to the Chief Registrar of the court.

More so, in a 20 paragraph affidavit that was attached in support of the appeal marked: SC/CV/935/2023 with petition number: CA/PEPC/05/2023, the deponent, one Uyi Giwa-Osagie, who is a legal practitioner, averred that the certificate President Tinubu presented to INEC in support of his qualification to contest the presidential election, was earlier tendered in evidence before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, and was marked as Exhibit PBDlB.

He attached a copy of the said certificate that was admitted in evidence by the PEPC in the appeal before the Supreme Court as Exhibit E.

Giwa-Osagie added that the same document was tendered with the deposition in the USA and that at the trial, a certificate obtained from the Chicago State University was also tendered in evidence as exhibit PBE4.

He also annexed the document as exhibit G.

That the deposition is a relevant piece of fresh evidence explaining the status of the certificate the 2nd Respondent presented to INEC in support of his qualification to contest the election, Giwa-Osagie added.

Atikus legal team said they would during the hearing at the Supreme Court, rely on the Record of Appeal already transmitted.

My Lords, we most humbly adopt the facts as presented in the supporting affidavit, and same will be referred to in the course of the argument, Atikus lawyer added, insisting that the apex court has the power, jurisdiction and discretion to grant an application for fresh or additional evidence to be adduced on appeal.

Order 2 Rule 12 (7), (2) and (3) of the Supreme Court Rules provide as follows:

(1) A party who wishes the Court to receive the evidence of witnesses (whether they were or were not called at the trial) or to order the production of any document, exhibit or other thing connected with the proceedings in accordance with the provisions of Section 33 of the Act, shall apply for leave on notice of motion prior to the date set down for the hearing of the appeal.

The application shall be supported by affidavit of the facts on which the party relies for making it and of the nature of the evidence or the document concerned.

lt shall not be necessary for the other party to question the additional evidence intended to be called but if leave is granted the other party shall be entitled to a reasonable opportunity to give his own evidence in reply if he so wishes.

My Lords, we submit that the requirements for the grant of applications to adduce fresh or additional evidence on appeal have been established by this Honourable Court in a plethora of cases, and they are as follows:

It must be shown that the evidence sought to be adduced in evidence could not have been obtained with reasonable diligence for use at the trial.

The fresh evidence must be such that if given, it would probably have an important effect on the result of the case, although it need not be decisive; and

The evidence must be such as is presumably to be believed, in other words it must be apparently credible, Atikus lawyer, Uche, SAN, argued.

He further contended that in line with plethora of cases that were previously determined by the Supreme Court, the only requirement from the court was for it to do justice, fairly, equitably and justly.

We humbly submit that the grant of the present application will certainly be in furtherance of the course of justice in this matter.

This is a case in which the 2nd Respondent was returned purportedly as the winner of the said election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Appellants/Applicants have amongst other grounds, challenged the election of the 2nd Respondent on the ground of his qualification to contest the said election and more especially on the basis that the 2nd Respondents presented a forged document to the INEC.

The Appellants/Applicants have also in their appeal challenged the striking out of their pleadings raising the issue of qualification of the 2nd Respondent to contest the said election.

The evidence required to establish that the certificate presented by the 2nd Respondent to the 1st Respondent in support of his qualification to contest the said election is the deposition from the Chicago State University, which deposition did not become available until after the determination of the case by the lower Court.

The said evidence is now available, and forwarded to this Honourable Court.

We submit that the Appellants/Applicants have successfully explained the delay and difficulties in obtaining the said evidence earlier than now, and all the necessary steps taken to obtain the evidence and to present same to this Honourable Court.

We submit that a successful proof of the said allegation will render the 2nd Respondent unqualified to have contested the said election ab initio for presentation of forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pursuant to the provisions of Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution, being a weighty matter of constitutional importance, Uche, SAN, added.

He equally argued that the Supreme Court had in the case of Saleh vs Abah, 2017, held thus: The intention of the Constitution is that anyone who had presented a forged certificate to INEC should stand automatically disqualified for all future elections if, as in this case, a Court or tribunal finds the certificate to have been forged, and it matters not whether or not such fact is further fraudulently or desperately concealed in subsequent elections or declaration forms.

No decent system or polity should condone, or through judicial policy and decisions, encourage the dangerous culture of forging certificates with impunity to seek electoral contest.

Atikus team maintained that a weighty constitutional issue as the one raised in the case against Tinubu, was akin to a jurisdictional issue which is so fundamental and important that it can be raised at any time and in any manner in the course of the proceedings or on appeal.

We pray this honourable court to resolve this issue in favour of the Appellants/Applicants and grant this Application, Atikus lawyer added.
Baan Don honours traditional Jad festival

PHUKET: Villagers in Baan Don, Cherng Talay, held their annual street procession to commemorate the Jad festival today (Oct 7), remaining the only village on the island to maintain public observance of the Thai festival.

culture

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 7 October 2023 11:15 AM

The Jad festival, a Buddhist event, occurs on the eighth day of the waning moon of the 10th lunar month on the Thai lunar calendar.

The festival involves mass merit making to ward off evil spirits and usher in good fortune.

The street procession today honoured a eclectic mix of images and icons, including naga serpents, yak giants and fabled kinaree birds all hailing from Thai Buddhist legends, as well as effigies of hungry ghosts and street floats carrying a classic sailing ship, a shark, a giant green minion and even the Disney-creation Nemo.

The participants, many dressed in traditional Thai dress, made their way to Wat Ban Don (Wat Thepkrasattri) in Moo 4, Thepkrasattri, to make merit.

The festival as observed each year in Baan Don marks a coming together of a broad range of local residents, including people working at local businesses in the area and local government offices.

Many of the participants note that observing the festival creates love and unity among people in the community and passes on traditions to children and grandchildren.
Ozempic. Getty Images

The rise of GLP-1 drugs is driving consumer-staple stocks lower as patients eat less food.

PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Walmart, and Costco have been slammed on the prospect of less food demand.

Walmart's US CEO said he'd already seen patients using GLP-1 drugs buy less food at the retailer.

Consumer-staple stocks have been slammed this week as investors try to size up the negative impact GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro could have on food companies.

Shares of PepsiCo and Coca-Cola fell 6% this week, McDonald's lost 5%, and top food retailers including Walmart and Costco fell as much as 4% on Friday alone, despite the session's broader market rally.

The wave of selling was initially sparked by comments from Walmart US CEO John Furner, who told Bloomberg on Wednesday that he was already seeing an impact from the GLP-1 agonists.

"We definitely do see a slight change compared to the total population. We do see a slight pullback in overall basket, just less units, slightly less calories," he said.

Walmart is the top food and grocery retailer in the US. And through its pharmacy unit, the company can use anonymized data to analyze the spending habits of its customers that are taking GLP-1 drugs.

The drugs, approved for conditions including diabetes and obesity, help patients feel fuller faster.

"When you go on GLP-1, you eat significantly less and you feel fuller. So you lose the weight," Jeff Johnson, a Baird analyst, told Insider last month.

And a recent Morgan Stanley survey of 300 patients taking the GLP-1 drugs echoed the idea that when you're on them, you eat less and therefore buy less food. In the survey, 77% of respondents said they visited fast-food restaurants less frequently and that their calorie intake fell 20% to 30% on a daily basis.

In a Friday note, Bank of America estimated that GLP-1 drugs could quell addictive behaviors among consumers, which could lead to an overall decline in consumption of snacks and beverages. That's bad news for soda companies such as Coca-Cola, and it could be a double whammy for PepsiCo, which sells both sodas and snacks.

Story continues

"Based on our US calorie consumption model, calorie and consumption reductions could be in the 1% to 3% range," Bank of America said, adding: "We see highest risk to alcohol, snacking relative to meals, and non-alcoholic beverages."

And while retailers including Walmart and Costco, which both operate a network of in-house pharmacies, could see a sales boost from filling GLP-1 prescriptions, the profits would be less noticeable because of the lower margins for branded drugs.

About 9 million Americans were taking a GLP-1 drug as of the end of 2022, a Trilliant Health analysis found. That number could increase significantly over time as supply shortages of the drug are resolved, as indications for the drugs expand, and especially if health-insurance companies increase coverage for the drugs.

YCharts

Read the original article on Business Insider
Effort to unlock other tourism markets

BANGKOK: Tourism authorities should work to mitigate the short-term impact of the shooting at a Bangkok mall this week by pivoting to other potential markets less affected by the news to keep a steady flow of arrivals during high season, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta).

tourismeconomics

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 7 October 2023 09:23 AM

Passengers step off a flight and make their way through the Satellite 1 (SAT-1) terminal which had its soft opening on Sept 28. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb / Bangkok Post

Atta president Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn said news reports on the shooting at Siam Paragon had spread in many countries, but at differing levels, reports the Bangkok Post.

Atta finished a roadshow in Mumbai this week and the association monitored feedback from the Indian market.

The group found there were less concerns among Indians about the shooting than from the Chinese market.

He said while Indian tourists were not granted visa exemptions like the Chinese and Kazakhs, the flow of tourists from that country remains stable and has great potential for next year.

As of Oct 1, the Indian market was ranked fourth in terms of arrivals to Thailand with 1.16 million, behind Malaysia, China and South Korea.

The tourism sector believes the most critical obstacle for India is not visa requirements, but rather the limited aviation rights that restrict the number of seats, said Mr Sisdivachr.

Suksit Suvunditkul, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, said forward bookings from the Chinese market have not dropped significantly this week, partly because the Chinese have been slow to return to Phuket.

Based on direct flights to the island the first nine months this year, Russia was ranked No.1 with 506,244 arrivals, exceeding the 443,821 the nation recorded in the corresponding period of 2019.

The Chinese market was No.2, but had a recovery rate of only 24% with 370,899 arrivals flying direct to Phuket, which was the lowest among the Indian, Australian and UK markets, which tallied recovery rates of 80%, 88% and 94%, respectively.

Mr Suksit said hotel operators in Phuket believe the impact of the shooting incident will not be as severe as the boat accident in Phuket in July 2018, which caused the deaths of more than 40 Chinese tourists.

It took roughly three months to restore tourism confidence among the Chinese in 2018, he said.

The shooting might not affect Phuket as much as Bangkok, with many Chinese tourists choosing the capital as their main destination during their travels, said Mr Suksit.

He said he agrees with Atta that the government should look to other markets unfazed by the incident, of which India holds the highest potential for Phuket as well as other provinces.
New Exorcist film to test true believers

In a world where remakes and reboots are now a frequent occurrence in the cinematic sphere it must be acknowledged that filmmakers that take on the task of rebirthing a classic film are taking on a very brave role. Get it wrong and the fans of the original film will launch a hate campaign that could see said filmmaker finding themselves making B or C Grade movies for the rest of their Hollywood career.

World-Entertainment

By David Griffiths

Saturday 7 October 2023 11:00 AM

Olivia ONeill and Lidya Jewett in The Exorcist: Believer (2023). Image: IMDb

One filmmaker who has taken that brave step is David Gordon Green. Green came onto the radar of most film fans when he teamed up with the kings of horror, Blumhouse Productions, to make the 2018 film Halloween. It was a brave decision, horror fans are known for being vocal when it comes to people messing with the classics  and not only was Green scheduled to make one film, it was going to be a trilogy.

To manys surprise, Green pulled it off  all three films were praised by horror fans and it seemed like the unthinkable could happen there was a way for modern-day filmmakers to use original source material and bring franchises alive in todays cinema. Well, it seems like Green is not a man to rest on his laurels because he is back and this time he is taking on perennial horror favourite The Exorcist with his latest instalment  The Exorcist: Believer.

Like he did with Halloween, Green and his co-writer Peter Sattler (Broken Diamonds) ignore subsequent The Exorcist sequels and go back to the source material  William Friedkins 1973 classic. From there they tell the story of Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jnr.  Murder on the Orient Express), a gifted photographer who finds himself the single father of Angela (Lidya Jewett  Feel The Beat) after his wife died in an earthquake years earlier.

Victor and Angela have a healthy father-daughter relationship and he feels like he knows his daughter quite well until she and another girl who he didnt even know she was friends with, Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum), go missing and then reappear three days later.

When the girls return there is something seriously wrong. While Katherines family turn to their church for help, Victor is left fending for himself until his neighbour and nurse, Ann (Ann Dowd  Compliance), comes to him saying she believes that the girls are possessed as the symptoms are very similar to what she has read in Chris MacNeils (Ellen Burstyn  Requiem for a Dream) book chronicling the events years earlier.

For the most part The Exorcist: Believer does work and pays true respect to the original film  but having said that there are some downsides to the film. First it feels like Green lets everything in the film run too long. It takes ages to get into the bulk of the plot and then when it does scenes such as the exorcism themselves run too long  and given that there is nothing new that audiences havent seen in other exorcism films over the years it feels like it never capitalises on the suspense that it should.

What the film does do well is tie into the 1973 original with ease. Bringing back the character of Chris MacNeil in a meaningful and believable way is a stroke of genius from Green and Sattler  whether hardcore Exorcist fans are happy with the outcome remains to be seen. Her inclusion, and a late twist, does provide perfect plot fodder going forward though.

The other surprising turn with this film that actually adds power to its storyline is the way that it embraces religion just like the original film did. With the world turning its back on religion more and more these days, most people could have understood if Green had decided that it wouldnt play an important part in The Exorcist: Believer.

Instead, he seems to go the other way. The film explores the fact that Katherines parents find solace in their Baptist church family, even using their Pastor (Raphael Sbarge  Risky Business) as one of the catalysts of the events that occur in a bid to save the girls.

Green also explores Catholicisms beliefs on exorcism with the inclusion of a renegade priest, Father Maddox (E.J. Bonilla  Gemini Man), but to be truthful that storyline is not explored as deeply as it should have been and in the end the character is completely wasted.

As a film The Exorcist: Believer does have its good and bad points. On the one hand fans of the original film should embrace the fact that Green has entwined the two plots so well, but on the other hand the film feels like it runs too long and brings nothing new to the exorcism sub-genre. Some will view this as a good fresh start to the franchise while others might see it as a wasted opportunity.

2.5/5 Stars

The Exorcist: Believer is currently screening in Phuket and is rated 15.

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. He is also an accredited reviewer for Rotten Tomatoes. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
Spanish tourist Maxim Gomez climbed the Great Wall in Beijing in May, something he could not do during the pandemic's border closures. However, his visit was more difficult than expected.

The exchange student in Hong Kong applied for a one-year multiple-entry tourist visa for mainland China in April, three months after the borders reopened. When he passed through immigration at Beijing Capital International Airport, Gomez realised straight away that he needed to make some hard adjustments.

"Many cities require you to book in advance on WeChat not only to visit famous tourist sites, [but] even for big parks, and the codes were sent over for mainland SIM cards," said Gomez, 24, who could not obtain such a card because he does not read Chinese.

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.

Even in cosmopolitan Shanghai, he was rejected by taxi drivers and could not order food - in both cases due to the language barrier.

"Restaurant owners said they don't even bother to hire English-speaking waiters because it's not really necessary any more," he said. "There are fewer foreigners than before."

Stories such as Gomez's, along with visa obstacles and fears of China itself, are keeping many people offshore. Their reluctance to visit has slowed the post-pandemic recovery of the nation's inbound tourism sector, which has in turn hobbled a multi-trillion yuan service industry. This has had knock-on effects for attracting foreign direct investment inflows, which have fallen but remain key to economic growth.

"After encountering difficulties while attempting to visit China, business executives may cut their trips short and could eventually ditch their investment plans," Nomura's chief China economist Ting Lu said in a September research note.

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"This could lead to less supportive voices for engagement with China among foreign business executives," he said.

"With visits by foreign scientists, technicians and corporate executives potentially failing to recover, the pace at which China climbs the value ladder could slow materially."

Beijing's firm control on national security and intensified anti-espionage probes have triggered concerns among foreigners and business executives over their future trips. This in turn may have weighed on the operations of foreign businesses in China and their future investment decisions in the market - at a time when confidence is already fragile.

Andrew Collier, a US citizen who lives in Hong Kong, hopes to reestablish on-the-ground contact this year with a trip to Beijing - his first foray up north since 2019.

But he is hesitant. Western academics and businesspeople, he said, fear being stopped in China for any links to people or institutions that the government does not like.

"As a China expert, I need to visit the country and get a sense of what my friends are seeing, but I'm going to avoid reaching out to government people," the China economist at Global Source Partners said. "The problem is that nobody knows what the rules are now."

Foreign direct investment dropped year on year by more than 9.8 per cent in the first seven months of 2023 to US$111.8 billion, the Ministry of Commerce said.

Inbound tourism has recovered to 67 per cent of 2019 levels, before China sealed its borders, according to the travel sector analytics firm ForwardKeys.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Culture and Tourism data has shown Chinese travel agencies received 477,800 foreign tourists in the first six months of 2023, only 5.58 per cent of the same period from 2019.

Tourists paddle on a river in Guilin, southern China. But the slow recovery of the tourism sector has seen it having to rely largely on domestic travellers with many foreigners staying away. Photo: Xinhua alt=Tourists paddle on a river in Guilin, southern China. But the slow recovery of the tourism sector has seen it having to rely largely on domestic travellers with many foreigners staying away. Photo: Xinhua>

The ministry said 31.88 million foreigners came to China for tourism in 2019 and spent US$77.1 billion in China.

That year, the combined contribution of the tourism sector - domestic and inbound - to China's economy was 10.94 trillion yuan (US$1.56 trillion), 11.05 per cent of the gross domestic product.

But continued declines in inbound foreign investment this year, as well as the supply chain diversification away from China amid geopolitical issues, have raised the alarm on China's 2023 economic growth.

Sluggish inbound tourism is hurting China's attractiveness for overseas investment and exacerbating geopolitical risks, said Chong Ja Ian, a political-science professor at the National University of Singapore.

"Often investors need to go on the ground to get a feel for the environment and meet with people to develop a more holistic picture on which to make their decisions," Chong said. Limited contact could lead foreigners to see China only as it is portrayed in the media, he said.

Reduced contact also raises the odds of sharp public reactions to crises between China and other countries, in turn making it difficult for Beijing to reach any diplomatic compromises, Chong added.

"Given the competitive relationship between the United States and the PRC, such dynamics are likely to become more acute for the two populations," Chong said.

China unveiled measures in August designed to make it easier for employees of foreign companies to get visas, but Chong added that the leadership's priority on security may stymie its goal of attracting more foreign investment.

Back in 2019, tourism had driven up job creation, employing a total of 79.87 million people directly and indirectly. This accounted for 10.31 per cent of the country's total employed population, the ministry data shows.

This is now a headache for Beijing, with the gap between 2019 and 2023 expected to impact China's wider economy and near-term investment climate.

Complicated visa applications and fear of being stopped during a visit to China are keeping foreign tourists and business travellers away. Source: Bloomberg alt=Complicated visa applications and fear of being stopped during a visit to China are keeping foreign tourists and business travellers away. Source: Bloomberg>

"For a developing economy, attracting inbound tourism is a necessary component of its economic diplomacy," said Zha Daojiong, a professor of international political economy at Peking University.

"China's economic policymakers have every reason to view the poor performance of inbound tourism this year as a loss larger than income for its travel industry," Zha said. He called tourism "one of the most effective measures to help deflect maligned policy intent towards China" in the face of international supply chain decoupling.

Zha said with regards to China's visa policy, reciprocity in required paperwork for visa applications should be reconsidered. It is something that the country did in the early 2000s and it worked well.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on September 20 that it would reduce the amount of text required to fill in personal backgrounds on visa application forms. The change is designed to simplify applications.

A more complicated visa application process asking for the disclosure of each applicant's educational background, family member information and five years of international travel experience held back some foreign visitors.

"The visa restrictions in particular are a difficult hurdle," a spokeswoman for the Rough Guides travel book series said. Senior travellers, she also noted, in particular may feel "hesitant" to go cashless while visiting China.

The State Council, China's cabinet, issued 30 measures to boost tourism in late September, pledging to optimise visa policies, increase international flights, and simplify hotel registrations, ticket purchases and payment methods for overseas tourists.

Group tours from Western countries have almost completely disappeared from China, said Steven Zhao, CEO of the Guilin-based online travel agency China Highlights. Many agencies have quit planning itineraries for them, he said.

"It's a vicious cycle," Zhao said. "If you have no products, you can promote, but no one wants to come."

Travel agencies and hotels are getting by mainly on domestic travel, with Zhao saying the summer holiday was a boom period. Domestic travel will bring US$700 billion in revenue to the travel sector this year, ForwardKeys said.

About 80 per cent of 2023 arrivals have gone sightseeing, roughly the same percentage as in 2019, said Bing Han Kee, Asia-Pacific vice-president of sales with ForwardKeys. Meanwhile Rough Guides estimated sightseers at 50 per cent of the total.

But some travellers have never made the journey back to China.

Lin Yang, 44, hoped in February to visit her mother in Tianjin after she suffered a stroke. Yang was born in China and has lived in the US since 2015.

Now a US citizen, she started applying for a Chinese visa but bowed out when the embassy in Washington demanded documentation on her old media jobs in China.

"I'm not a big fish, but once I'm there, I'm afraid they could cause trouble for me," said Yang, referring to China's scrutiny of journalists. She's resigned to not seeing her mother again. "I feel like I have to make peace with it. It's a shame."

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.
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Eight members of a family at Bhagabati Bazar in Illambazar area of Birbhum district, who were visiting Sikkim, are missing.

Their relatives have lodged a missing diary at Illambazar police station.

At least 50 tourists from Birbhum district had gone to Sikkim, according to a district travel agency office in Birbhum.

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On 1 October, the eightmember family, including a woman and a child, started from Bolpur to Lachung in Sikkim. Since 3 October, the relatives are unable to get information about them and have lost all contact.

Mohammed Mahfouz Rahman said that he has already informed the district police and civil administration and urged them to trace his family members.

My son, daughter-in-law, grandson along with five other members went to Sikkim for holidays on 1 October. We were in touch till 3 October, but since 9pm we lost contact. Cellphones are switched off. We are really worried about their safety and have been having sleepless nights since then, he added.

They were staying at a hotel named Dragon. From Lachung, they went to Lachene.

The missing persons are  Sohan Rajvi (9), Reha Tanvi (10), Rayna Jahan (4), Raysa Jahan (13), Esta Uddin Sheikh (42), Najia Khatoon (37), Muzaffar Ahmed (40), Rebika Mondal (34).

District Magistrate of Birbhum, Bidhan Roy has urged the families of relatives stuck in Sikkim to immediately contact the police and civil administration.

We will contact our counterparts there and our government will take all necessary arrangements to bring them back safely, he added.

Presently, around 3,000 tourists from different parts of West Bengal are in Sikkim.
More than 500 tourists, scouts from Kolkata, Durgapur and Barrackpore, gone missing after the devastating glacial lake outburst leading to flash flood in North Sikkim, have been traced back by the HAM Radio operators of Bengal.

The kin of two tourist families comprising six heads from Durgapurs Bhiringhee remained clueless after the catastrophic disaster.

The district administration had sought assistance from the state inter agency group  a voluntary special purpose vehicle for rescue operations in which HAM Radio operators of West Bengal Radio Club are also accommodated.

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Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary, WB Radio Club said, The marooned Durgapur families were traced back in Lachen by our licensed operator Soumik Ghosh this morning. The families couldnt contact either their kin or the civil administration for want of telecommunications. The batteries of their cell phones were also exhausted.

He added: Weve identified 547 tourists from different parts of the country in Sikkim and today weve uploaded their signatures in the public domain for their true identification and to facilitate their kin in the plains.

The families, headed by Soumitra Banerjee and Nilendu Bikash Mukherjee, had left for Sikkim last week.

The SDM, Durgapur, Sourabh Chatterjee, said, The authorities confirmed that they will be airlifted in a day or two.

The HAM operators of the WBRC also have rescued a 12- member group of tourists from Gujarat and one 150 member group of scouts of Barrackpore from the disaster-hit Sikkim.

Ambarish told The Statesman: The scouts already returned to Kolkata at 3pm yesterday.
Calcutta High Court on Friday dismissed the death penalty for three convicts in the 2013 rape and murder of a college girl at Kamduni in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district, and acquitted one of them while sentencing the other two to life.

The high courts division bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta pronounced the verdict. A lower court in Kolkata in January 2016 had convicted three of the six accused, namely Saiful Ali, Ansar Ali and Amin Ali to death.

However, on Friday the division bench of Calcutta High Court acquitted Amin Ali of all charges, and changed the punishment for Saiful Ali and Ansar Ali to life imprisonment while dismissing the lower courts death penalty order for all of them.

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The other three convicts, namely Imanul Islam, Aminul Islam ad Bholanath Naskar, who were earlier sentenced to life imprisonment by the lower court, were set free on Friday by the division bench of Calcutta High Court as they have already completed ten years behind the bars since the time the investigation process started in the matter. The parents of the victim girl said they will be approaching the Supreme Court against the order of the Calcutta High Court, and will take the help of the lawyer who lead the argument in case of the Nirbhaya rape and murder case in Delhi.

To recall, the rape and murder of a 20-year-old college student in June 2013.

Initially, nine persons were named in the charge sheet.

(With input from Agencies)
Locals have started reporting on any unfamiliar objects, suspicious items, crates, packages and even firearms seen floating in the river Teesta to the nearest police station following a notification from the Jalpaiguri police.

In a notification the police yesterday said: In light of the severe flooding in Sikkim, certain military equipment including firearms and explosives were carried away by the river Teesta. We urge the public to be vigilant and report on any unfamiliar objects, any suspicious items and even firearms seen floating in the water to the nearest police station immediately.

The administration took such decision after the death of a minor boy at Chapadanga village in Kranti under Jalpaiguri district yesterday.

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He died when an explosive shell, which was collected by the curious locals from the river Teesta, exploded last afternoon. Five others were injured and two of them were serious.

The police have also asked them refrain from handling these items in any manner as they pose a potential risk of a dangerous explosion.

Army sources said that the people have started reporting on the matter to the police but they do not have any ideas about exact recovery of equipment swept away from flood hit Sikkim area.

The search for the missing Indian Army persons continues. Meanwhile Indian Army is providing assistance in terms of food, medical aid and extending communication facility to civilians and tourists stranded in North Sikkim, a senior Army officer said. According to him, the search for the missing Indian Army soldiers continues with the search focusing in the downstream in areas of Teesta Barrage.

At the site of incident at Burdang near Singtam, the army vehicles are being dug out and stores being recovered.

Additional resources in terms of teams of Tiranga Mountain Rescue (TMR), tracker dogs, special radars have been brought in, to assist in the search operations.

Meanwhile, Troops of TriShakti Corps Indian Army have been able to take account of 1471 tourists present the areas of Lachen/Chatten, Lachung and Chungthang.

With the weather improving on 6 October there may be a ray of hope for evacuation of stranded tourists by Helicopters.

Sources said the same is being planned jointly by the State Government, Indian Army and Indian Air Force.

Survey is being carried out by all agencies to assess the damage and plan restoration of road connectivity.

The road link between Singtam and Burdang has been restored with the clearing of a single lane for vehicular traffic.

According to a district official in Jalpaiguri, a total of 22 bodies including 15 male recovered from different areas mostly from Jalpaiguri district till 5 October.

Police have recovered body from Cooch Beher areas and even from Bangladesh with the help of Bangladesh Border Guard. Sources said only four of them have been identified.

On the other hand, following a prayer from the district police, Kalimpong district magistrate Balasubramanian T today imposed restriction over the movement of all types of vehicles from Rangpoo to 29th Mile via National Highway 10 from the day until further order.

Kalimpong DM has also suggested an alternative route for the movement of small and light vehicles from Rangpoo to Siliguri via Munsong and 17th Mile round the clock. Similarly, small vehicles will move from Melli Bridge via Chitrey -Kalimpong-Algarah-LavaGorubathan to Siliguri.

Heavy goods vehicles will move from Reshi-PedongAlgarah-Lava-Gorubathan to Siliguri. Alternative routes for heavy/ goods vehicles from Melli Bridge-ChitreyKalimpong town AlgarahLava-Garubathan between 21 hours and 6 hours only.

Similarly, Sikkim has also released present status of its road conditions and alternative routes connecting Rango and an alternative route via Mansung-Kalimpong -Lava since Rangpo to Siliguri route is blocked at Melli.
Barclays Plc has embarked on a strategic move to bolster its executive team in India even as it implements significant job cuts across its global corporate and investment banking divisions, resulting in the elimination of 300 positions. This approach underscores the banks commitment to maintaining a strong presence in the Indian market.

Two seasoned professionals from Credit Suisse, Srikanth Chakka and Sameer Sood, will join Barclays advisory business in India by the end of the year. This recruitment signals Barclays determination to revitalize its talent pool in the wake of Ashish Jhaveris departure, who previously served as the head of mergers and acquisitions for the bank in India and has now moved on to Jefferies Financial Group Inc.

Barclays is actively pursuing additional hires in the investment banking sector within India, showcasing its confidence in the regions growth potential. Over the past two years, the bank has played a pivotal role as an advisor in high-profile deals, including billionaire Gautam Adanis acquisition of Holcim Ltd.s India operations and JSW Energy Ltd.s acquisitions in the renewable energy sector. These successes have solidified Barclays position as a trusted partner in Indias dynamic business landscape.

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In terms of revenue, India ranked fourth among Barclays global units last year. It trails only behind the United Kingdom, the United States, and Ireland. This remarkable performance is indicative of Indias growing significance within the banks international operations.

Barclays presence in India:

Over nearly a decade, the banks turnover in India has experienced exponential growth, surpassing the performance of key Asian markets. In the same period, the India business segment outperformed the combined size of Singapores and Japans operations.

Barclays commitment to India is further underscored by the presence of Jaideep Khanna, the banks head of Asia Pacific. This strategic placement allows Barclays to maintain strong ties with Indias burgeoning community of corporate giants and affluent individuals.

Furthermore, Barclays has demonstrated its focus on strengthening its leadership team in India with key appointments. Nitin Singh is the new head of the private bank in Asia, overseeing India and Singapore operations under his purview. In addition, Vijay Santhanam is the corporate banking head, while Chintan Thattey is the Risk Solutions Group for the country.
Under significant operations conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to investigate the cases related to multi-crore crypto currency frauds, around 35 locations were searched on Saturday in Himachal Pradesh.

According to Himachal Pradesh Police, the SIT diligently working to uncover the truth behind this elaborate fraud scheme conducted searches at residential premises of accused, suspected persons at various locations in districts including Kangra, Mandi, Una, Chamba, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Shimla, and Baddi. Searches were also conducted in Punjab and Chandigarh, said the police.

Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu said, These searches have yielded crucial evidence, including incriminating documents, property records, mobile phones, and other digital devices. Additionally, we have seized vehicles and obtained various details related to the proceeds of the crime.

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The police department is resolute in its pursuit of those who have orchestrated this crypto currency scam, manipulated the market, and exploited innocent investors, he said, adding that the evidence collected during these searches will play a vital role in our ongoing investigation, and it brings us one step closer to holding the culprits accountable for their actions.

The searches are still continuing. We are committed to a thorough and fair investigation, leaving no stone unturned in our quest for justice, he said, appealing the public to exercise caution and refrain from investing in schemes that promise unusually high returns within a short period.

Meanwhile, the SIT is working on to nab the Crypto kingpin Subhash from Mandi district behind Rs 200 crore cryptocurrency fraud in Himachal Pradesh. He is still at large and is suspected to have fled the country after having duped thousands of people across Himachal Pradesh.

The police have already arrested two other masterminds, both residents of Mandi Hem Raj and Sukhdev from Gujrat.
States have contended that the GST on online gaming companies should not be imposed retrospectively, deliberating on the issue during the GST Council meeting on Saturday, said Maharashtra minister Deepak Vasant Kesarkar.

TS Singh Deo, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister, said that the Council discussed the issue of retrospectively taxing online gaming under the indirect tax regime.

States pointed out that dues being demanded from some firms is much more than their turnover, he added.

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Post meeting, he said, There were discussions on charges on these companies retrospectively. Because DGGI is an independent body there cannot be any interference. The chairperson said she would make clarifications available to the DGGI, if required,

Delhi Finance Minister Atishi Marlena said tax notices are being sent for a much higher amount than even the estimated valuation of the gaming industry.

From October 1, this 28% GST on online gaming was to be implemented. But tax notices for the last six years calculated at a much higher rate have been sent to online gaming companies, she highlighted.

It is to be noted that over the past couple of weeks, a host of gaming companies were slapped with show-cause notices.

A lot of them termed this as retrospective taxation since the flurry of notices pertain to the period before the implementation date of October 1, 2023  the date since the amended law came into place.

GST Council announced the decision to amend the indirect tax law in August. This was done to clarify that all online games involving wagers, irrespective of whether they are based on skill or chance, will attract a GST of 28% on the full value of the bets placed.

On states accusations, the central government has so far maintained that the show-cause notices follow a clarification of the law rather than a change and the demand for dues is not retrospective in nature.
Gary Wang testifies during Sam Bankman-Fried fraud trial over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

Gary Wang agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in his first meeting with them.

He told jurors at Sam Bankman-Fried's trial that he knew what they did at FTX was wrong.

"I thought I was likely to be charged and I wanted to get a shorter prison sentence," he testified Friday.

Gary Wang and Sam Bankman-Fried had known each other for years. The two met at a math camp in their high school years and later lived together while attending MIT before co-founding FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange.

It took only six days after FTX's bankruptcy for Wang to tell federal prosecutors he wanted to cooperate with their criminal investigation into his friend.

"I thought I was likely to be charged and I wanted to get a shorter prison sentence," Wang, FTX's chief technology officer at the time of its implosion, testified in Manhattan federal court on Friday in Bankman-Fried's criminal trial.

On the witness stand, the 30-year-old Wang detailed his experience working with Bankman-Fried at FTX and explained how deeply its funds were commingled with Alameda Research.

FTX collapsed after it was revealed that Alameda  a cryptocurrency hedge fund that Bankman-Fried also controlled  had taken enormous losses on risky bets with funds from ordinary FTX customers. Prosecutors accused Bankman-Fried of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.

The cryptocurrency exchange declared bankruptcy on November 10, 2022, and its servers were shut down the next morning. Wang testified that he spent November 11 and 12 dealing with regulators in the Bahamas, where FTX was based, and working with US-based lawyers to identify assets in different accounts that could be restored to customers and any other creditors.

Gary Wang. Chelsea Jia Feng/Insider

Wang returned to the US from the Bahamas on November 13, meeting with the FBI and prosecutors on November 17. At the very first meeting, he said he would cooperate with the prosecutors' criminal investigation, he testified. He met with investigators more than a dozen times in the past year, he said.

Story continues

In December 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

One of his co-conspirators, he said on the witness stand Friday, was his FTX co-founder Bankman-Fried.

A few days after Wang's plea, Bankman-Fried was extradited from the Bahamas to the US, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

On Friday, Wang said he wanted to cooperate with prosecutors because he knew what he did at FTX was wrong. FTX had lied to customers when it told them their deposits were safe, he said. In reality, those funds were used by Alameda Research.

"Customers did not agree for us to use their funds," Wang said.

Wang testified that on the same day in the summer of 2019 when Bankman-Fried publically claimed that Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading firm, got the same treatment as any other FTX customer, FTX actually rolled out a new coding feature that allowed Alameda an unlimited line of credit of $65 billion. Few other customers had a line of credit with FTX at all, and none of them had unlimited credit.

Wang faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. His cooperation agreement doesn't include a guarantee of a lower sentence, which will ultimately be determined by a judge. He said he hoped he'd get a sentence of zero years behind bars.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Two minor sisters in Rajasthans Pratapgarh district died by suicide on Saturday after alleged rape and subsequent harassment four of their classmates, police said. The police have detained four accused including a minor and registered case against them under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

According to a complaint filed by the father of the victims, the girls were staying at a rented house in Patapgarhs Pipalkhunt when one of their minor classmates raped them with the help of his three associates. The girls informed the family and were taken to their home.

Following the incident, the accused on Wednesday called the girls to meet them in the school to sort out the matter. However, the accused allegedly misbehaved with the girls during the meeting and snatched their phones when the victims tried to contact their family members.

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The same day, father of the girls lodged an FIR against the accused. Soon after the incident, the accused went into hiding and police could not find them. On Saturday morning, both girls died by suicide after consuming poison at their home.

Reacting to the incident, BJP leader and Rajasthan assembly LoP Rajendra Rathore slammed the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government for the prevailing jungle raj in the state. In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Rathore said that the latest incident is shameful for the humanity.

Atrocities against women and daughters are at their peak under the jungle raj of Congress. The incident of suicide by two schoolgirls troubled by teasing in Pipalkhunt of Pratapgarh district is shameful to humanity. This incident is also a question mark on the poor law and order system of the state. This is not the first case under the rule of Ashok Gehlot ji who has failed as the head of the Home Department, he said.

The issue of women safety is being aggressively raised by the BJP in Rajasthan where elections are scheduled to take place later this year. Earlier last month, a woman was also paraded naked in Pratapgarh by her husband. The issue of women safety has also been raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions during his election rallies in the state.
The BJP will win record seats in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls later this year, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said here on Friday.

Ahead of the assembly election in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP and Congress leaders have intensified their rallies in the state.

Every party has a strategy as to how to go in which elections. Should the party go with a (CM) face, should the party go without a (CM) face, or when should it announce the (CM) face.. The elections have not been announced yet. Let the dates be announced first. The BJP will win record seats in Madhya Pradesh, Thakur said.

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The BJP has already declared two lists of candidates in Madhya Pradesh. The second list had several BJP heavyweights in the state, including Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel, and Faggan Singh Kulaste.

The Congress is seeking to oust the BJP from power in Madhya Pradesh. Party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have addressed rallies in the state.

AAP has also declared its candidates for some seats in the state.

Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to go for the assembly polls in the months of October and November 2023. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.

Of the five states going to the polls at the end of this year, the BJP is in power in Madhya Pradesh.
Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said on Saturday that at the meeting of the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the party, caste census was also discussed as it is one of the top priorities of the party to ensure justice for the OBC, SC and ST communities.

The CEC meeting chaired by party President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party (CCP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi, among other senior leaders.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Surjewala, who is also the in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, said the CEC meeting discussed the political situation in the poll-bound state.

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We discussed how the BJP and the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has brought the state to a situation where government jobs are sold, where women and daughters are not safe Madhya Pradesh has a number of alleged scams, he said.

We briefed the CEC that the state needs to change and there is also a wave of change. This is the reason why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stopped taking the name of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He is also not discussing his works in the last 18 years in the state, the Congress leader said, adding that there is no such scheme that the Prime Minister can mention.

The CEC also discussed the candidates for the Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh. We have decided to meet again, he said.

When asked if caste-based census was discussed at the meeting, Surjewala said, Caste census is one of the primary agendas of the party. OBC, SC and ST communities should get justice, and it is the priority of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. The matter was discussed and Kamal Nath said that this will remain our primary agenda.

The Congress is campaigning aggressively in Madhya Pradesh with Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading from the front.

All the three senior leaders have addressed public meetings in the poll-bound state.
A meeting of the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress was held here on Saturday to discuss party strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.

The meeting, chaired by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, was held at the party headquarters here in the presence of Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, partys general secretary in-charge of organisation KC Venugopal, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief and former chief minister Kamal Nath and the partys state in-charge and MP Randeep Singh Surjewala were also present on the occasion.

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It is believed that they have deliberated on the choice of candidates along with the partys strategy for the forthcoming polls.

The Congress had earlier exuded confidence that it would oust the ruling BJP in the state by winning 150 of the 230 assembly seats.

It may be mentioned here that the BJP, in a departure from its tradition of releasing the names of candidates after the announcement of the polls, has already released two lists of candidates for the state elections.

Among the prominent names that figured in the list are Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and the partys national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.

Assembly elections in MP are scheduled to be held later this year.

speaking to reporters later, former chief minister Kamal Nath said, No decision was taken though many issues were discussedin the meeting. A decisions will be taken on the polls within next six to seven days.

We discussed on around 140 Assembly seats, he informed.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for a significant milestone in the Gaganyaan mission, Indias ambitious human spaceflight endeavor. ISRO, in collaboration with the Indian Navy, has unveiled its plans for the upcoming Gaganyaan abort test, a critical component of the project.

In an official statement released on Saturday, ISRO confirmed that the unmanned flight tests for the Gaganyaan mission are set to commence shortly. This crucial phase involves the testing of the Crew Escape Systems performance, known as the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1).

The test launch will originate from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, located in Sriharikota. During the test, the Crew Module, housing the astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission, will separate from the launch vehicle at an altitude of 17 kilometers. Subsequently, an autonomous abort sequence will be initiated, followed by the deployment of parachutes, leading to the modules safe splashdown in the Bay of Bengal.

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A significant highlight of the abort test is the role played by the Indian Navy. ISRO has enlisted the support of a dedicated vessel and a proficient diving team from the Navy to recover the Crew Module after it touches down in the sea. This collaboration underscores the importance of teamwork and safety in the Gaganyaan mission.

The Gaganyaan mission itself is an ambitious venture aimed at developing a human-habitable space capsule capable of carrying a three-member crew into orbit, where they will orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometers for three days before safely splashing down in the Indian Ocean.

In addition to these developments, ISRO has provided an exciting glimpse into the future. They recently unveiled images of the Gaganyaan spacecraft, which is slated to transport humans to space in December 2024. This revelation marks a significant step forward in Indias space exploration journey.

As ISRO readies itself for the impending unmanned flight tests, the nation anticipates this historic moment with great enthusiasm. The Gaganyaan mission represents Indias relentless pursuit of space exploration and reinforces its position in the global space community.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinararyi Vijayan has alleged that job fraud allegations against the state Health Ministers office are part of a conspiracy.

Addressing the LDF family meeting in Kannur on Saturday, he said that the cases proportions went beyond a simple instance of swindling.

Terming the job fraud allegation a political conspiracy to denigrate the Kerala government and rob its successful Nipah control strategy of its sheen, CM Vijayn said that there are a group of people behind this conspiracy. He added that more fabricated stories will come up in future too.

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Meanwhile, CPI-M state secretary MV Govindan said that those who are in police custody related to the case have no connection with the party or LDF. He also alleged conspiracy against the Health Ministers office and that the Health Ministers personal staff member Akhil Mathews name was dragged into the case.

Chief Minister Vijayan alleged that an instigator with expertise in planting fake news and a few media organisations orchestrated the scandal.

The other day, police detained Akhil Sajeev, the main accused in the job fraud involving the office of the Health Minister.

According to reports, Sajeev has informed the police that he has no connection with Akhil Mathew, personal staff of Health Minister Veena George.

Haridasan Kummali, a native of Malappuram,alleged that Akhil Mathew,one of the personal staff member of health minister Veena George , and Akhil Sajeev, acting as a mediator, demanded bribe in exchange for the appointment of a Homeo Medical Officer at the Ayush Kendra.

Haridasan earlier disclosed to the media that he paid sums of Rs 1 lakh to the ministers staff Akhil Mathew and Rs 75,000 to Pathanamthitta CITU leader Akhil Sajeev. These payments were intended to secure a temporary job for his daughter-in-law, Dr. Nitha Raj, at Ayush Kendra.
With assembly polls drawing closer, the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) will meet Saturday to finalise the candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled to be hold later this year. The meeting to CEC meeting will be held at senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhis 10 Janpath Road residence in Delhi.

According to sources, the CEC meeting will be held around 4 pm and will be attended by its chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and other members, including KC Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury among others.

Earlier on October 3, the Congress party held a meeting of its screening committee for Madhya Pradesh to decide candidates for the state assembly elections.

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The Congress party is hoping to dethrone Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh with top party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, his sister and partys general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and Kamal Nath holding election rallies across the state.

The elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly are likely to be held before December this year and final date will be announced by the Election Commission of India in some days.

Besides Madhya Pradesh, four other sates  Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram  will also go to polls this year.

Ahead of the electoral battle in the state, seen as a semifinal to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the ruling BJP and the Congress have intensified their campaigns, taking pot shots at each other.

Both parties have pulled out their top leaders and campaign heavyweights, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah toplining the campaign for the BJP and the likes of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other prominent leaders leading the Congresss efforts to win the voters confidence.

The BJP has already put out two lists of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh polls. Their second list included several BJP heavyweights in the state, including Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel, and Faggan Singh Kulaste.

(With ANI inputs)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that the Opposition parties, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, are deliberately misleading the people of Punjab on the issue of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Punjab AAP chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the SYL was an issue related to the sentiments of the people of Punjab. The stand taken by the AAP on the matter is that the Punjab government will neither allow the SYL canal to be built nor will it give even a single additional drop of Punjabs water to any state.

Kang lashed out at the BJP for its ambiguous stand in the matter citing the statement Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave yesterday in Rajasthan in which he said some states always fight over water. Sharing an old video of the BJPs Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar, he said while in the Congress he used to say the matter needs to be decided by the prime minister, and not he says it should be decided by the chief minister.

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Jakhar used to say that Prime Minister Modis intentions were not good which is why he was procrastinating on the issue. If he wanted, he could have resolved this issue in just two days. Now that Sunil Jakhar is in the BJP why doesnt he ask the prime minister to resolve this issue, Kang asked.

Attacking SAD (Badal) for its stand, Kang said it would be better if party chief Sukhbir Badal remained silent on the issue because his father Prakash Singh Badal was the first to issue a notification for the acquisition of land for SYL in 1978 when he was chief minister.

The AAP leader said Badal senior as CM had issued this notification at the behest of his dear friend, former Chief Minister of Haryana, Devi Lal. After this, Prakash Singh Badal wrote another letter to Haryana Chief Minister Devi Lal that the Haryana government should give Rs 3 crore to the Punjab government to acquire land for SYL. All of this is on record, he added.

Kang alleged that in exchange for SYL, the Badal family took a plot for a five-star hotel in Gurgaon from the then Devi Lal government. Apart from this, the Badal family amassed wealth worth billions of rupees in Haryana through Devi Lal, he alleged.

He said the BJP and the Akali Dal are trying to break the relationship that was formed between the farmers of Punjab and Haryana during the farmers movement. BJP is provoking people in Haryana and Akali Dal in Punjab on the issue of SYL, he said.

On the Congress, he recalled that in 1980, then Congress chief minister Darbara Singh gave an affidavit in the Supreme Court that the state has no objection to giving any amount of water to Haryana and Rajasthan. Darbara Singh had given this affidavit at the behest of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. After that, in 1982, Indira Gandhi and former Congress Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh inaugurated the construction work of SYL in Kapuri village of Patiala, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep shock over terrorist attacks in Israel even as India issued an advisory, asking its nationals in the Jewish nation to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour, the PM wrote on X.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour. Advertisement  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 7, 2023



The Indian Embassy in Israel said: In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant, and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website (https://www.oref.org.il/en or their preparedness brochure. In case of an emergency, please contact us at +97235226748, or leave a message a cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in. The Embassy personnel remain at your disposal for any further guidance.

Meanwhile, Mr Naor Gilon, Israels Ambassador to India appreciated the support of the people of India for his country as it stood in the face of terrorism.

He said that Israel was currently fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi pronged palestinian terror attacks. These attacks which were launched early this morning by Hamas on Israeli civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of the south and central Israel were war crimes.

The cowardly actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children and elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians and firing indiscriminately over 2000 missiles and rockets at our cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists and will take any and all actions to protect our citizens, Mr Gilon added.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday alleged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is keen to release Punjabs river water to Haryana and Rajasthan for electoral gains in these two neighbouring states.

Addressing a public gathering at Kapuri village in Patiala which was at the epicenter of the dharam yudh morcha launched by the SAD to stop construction of the SYL canal, Badal said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was the biggest culprit vis a vis selling off Punjabs interests on the SYL.

The SAD leader said the AAP government had deliberately capitulated in the Apex court during hearing on the SYL case by expressing its willingness to construct the SYL canal but for pressure from Opposition parties as well as difficulties in acquiring land for the canal which had been returned back to farmers by the erstwhile SAD government.

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Chief minister Bhagwant Mann took this stand to satisfy his boss Arvind Kejriwal who is keen to release Punjab river waters to Haryana and Rajasthan to win support for his party in the forthcoming elections in the two states, he said while announcing that the SAD would gherao Chief Minister Bhagwant Manns residence on 10 October.

Badal also appealed to Punjabis not to allow any Central team wishing to conduct a survey to facilitate supply of Ravi-Beas water from the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to Haryana to enter the State.

Be it any direction of the Apex court or even the dispatch of the army by the Prime Minister to facilitate transfer of water to Haryana, we will not let this become a reality, the SAD leader said adding his party would not allow a single drop of water to go to Haryana come what may.

Badal said the SAD would resolve this issue once and for all when it assumed power in Punjab. We are committed to terminating all water sharing agreements and stopping the flow of water to Rajasthan, he said.

Stating that land meant for the canal had been returned back to farmers by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2016, Mr Badal said as of now there is no canal. Also Punjab does not have any water to spare. So there is no question of releasing any water to Haryana.
Gateway Spoon Cafe and Grill opened to the public Thursday, Oct. 5, where Denny's once stood.

HOLLAND  Gateway Spoon Cafe and Grill opened to the public Thursday, Oct. 5, where Denny's once stood.

The local restaurant is a partnership between Gateway Mission and Creative Dining Services at 631 E. 24th St.

More: New breakfast, lunch restaurant will employ members of Gateway programs

Located adjacent to the Gateway Center, the restaurant offers dine-in and to-go options for breakfast and lunch, plus a separate cafe with additional seating and a grab-and-go counter for coffee, tea and baked goods.

Customers enjoy a meal during the grand opening of Gateway Spoon Cafe and Grill on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Menu items include a smoked brisket biscuit, a farmers breakfast and a breakfast bowl.

The restaurant joins the list of businesses the organization uses to provide on-the-job training, including the Gateway Store, Gateway Detailing and the online Gateway Bookstore.

Located adjacent to the Gateway Center, Gateway Spoon offers dine-in and to-go options for breakfast and lunch.

Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage

The restaurant will be open 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, with the cafe open one hour longer.

For more information, visit gatewayspoon.com.

 Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Gateway Spoon Cafe and Grill opens for business in Holland
At least 26 people have died in the flash floods in Sikkim according to State Disaster Management Authority, while 142 people are still missing.

According to the report from the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) as of midnight on October 6, the death toll stood at 26. It further disclosed that 2,413 people have been successfully rescued, however the floods have caused damage to 1,203 houses.

The glacial-fed Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim triggered a flash flood in Teesta river basin on October 4.

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The disaster inflicted severe damage, with 1,173 houses suffering extensive harm, 26 people sustaining injuries, and 13 bridges being washed away. 6,875 individuals are currently residing in 22 relief camps, while 25,065 people have been affected by the floods, as reported by the Sikkim Disaster Management Authority.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang presided over a high-level meeting attended by various officials, including Lt. Gen. Raghu Srinivasan, Director General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and VB Pathak, Chief Secretary of the Government of Sikkim. The CM announced that the state government, in collaboration with Sikkim Urja Limited, has devised a special financial relief package to aid the disaster-affected areas.

We have allocated a relief package of Rs 25 crore for Mangan District and Rs 15 crore each for the districts of Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi. This allocation is in addition to the relief aid provided by both the state and the central government, he said in the statement that has been posted on Facebook.

The Sikkim Government, he said will offer subsidies to those who transport essential commodities, vegetables, and other food items to our state. This measure aims to ensure that the additional expenses incurred due to longer travel routes do not inflate the selling prices for local residents.

CM Tamang has warned against stockpiling and overcharging of goods. Those found in violation of these regulations will face the permanent revocation of their licenses, the chief minister said.

The chief minister said that his government is committed to exploring all possible avenues to restore road and network connectivity in the severely affected regions of Mangan District, which are currently completely cut off from the rest of the state.

He said that priority was given to open the road connectivity up to Chungthang, while the road from Naga to Toong will be constructed subject to the availability of land as soon as possible.

He stated that in the face of the calamity that has ravaged several parts of the State while disrupting normal life, numerous officers, personnel from the National Disaster Management Authority and the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) and dedicated volunteers are tirelessly engaged in rescue and relief operations.

As per ITBP, the people evacuated safely, were totally cut off for last three days because of the deluge caused by a glacial lake outburst.

Taking to social media platform, X, ITBP said, In the recent flash flood, 68 persons were stranded at the height of 16000 feet, totally cut off for the last 3 days in North Sikkim. #Himveers of ITBP rescue team, launched a massive rescue operation and evacuated all the 68 persons safely.

According to Sikkim Chief secretary, as many as 3,000 people including tourists, drivers and motorcyclists have been stranded in Lachen and Lachung areas.

Due to the glacial lake outburst flood and flash floods, there was a sudden surge in flows in the Teesta River, which washed away several bridges, parts of NH-10, the Chungthang Dam and has impacted several small towns and several infrastructure projects in the upper reaches of the river valley in Sikkim.

The Sikkim government has set up 18 relief camps in Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu and Adarsh Gaon which have faced most of the damages. However, due to a lack of connectivity with Chungthang, the relief camps there are being set up by the Indian Army and other paramilitaries.

(With Inputs from ANI)
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called for de-escalation of India-Canada diplomatic row over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a telephonic conversation with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau. According to a statement from UK PMs office, Sunak was briefed by Trudeau about the row over Nijjar killing, which triggered serious diplomatic tension between India and Canada.

The Prime Minister (Sunak) reaffirmed the UKs position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He hoped to see de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps, the Downing Street statement read.

Canadian government also echoed the statement and said that Trudeau updated his British counterpart about the current situation between India and Canada.

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The leaders emphasised respect for the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the need to ensure the safety and security of their citizens. They underscored the importance of de-escalation in this context. Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Sunak agreed to remain in close contact and to continue working together to tackle global issues, the Canadian government statement reads.

Earlier last month, Trudeau accused India of involvement in the extra-judicial killing of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen. India vehemently rejected Trudeaus allegations, terming them absurd and politically motivated. The Indian government also demanded Trudeau to provide specific evidence backing his claim but received none.

The allegations resulted in diplomatic tension between India and Canada  two countries historically connected through trade and culture. India expelled a Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat action and suspended visa services for Canadian citizen.

New Delhi also sought parity in terms of diplomatic strength and asked Ottawa to withdraw its diplomats posted outside of New Delhi, citing their interference in Indias internal matters.
The recent Health Ministry directive reducing the cut-off qualifying percentile for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET )-Post Graduate (PG) 2023, from fifty to zero across all categories, exposes the sorry state of medical education because the affected students, who had scored zero or had negative marks, had earned an MBBS degree after five years of academic and practical instruction. Should these students clear their post-graduate examination in the same way they had graduated, which is more than likely, the country will be burdened by medical specialists of zero competence. Eminent doctors, and professional medical bodies, like the Federation of All India Medical Association came out against the Governments decision, but to no avail. To put things in proper perspective, NEET-PG 2023 had 200 multiple choice questions each with four options; a correct answer would get the candidate four marks while one mark would be deducted for a wrong answer. A candidate who chose a certain option, say option (a), for all questions would get a net of 50 marks (50 correct answers fetching 200 marks and 150 wrong answers resulting in deduction of 150 marks). Thus, examinees getting less than 50 marks were neither professionally competent nor were blessed with basic intelligence, and therefore, did not deserve to be admitted to a professional postgraduate course. The NEET-PG 2023 imbroglio, is not an isolated instance; education, at all levels, is floundering in India. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2022 found glaring shortcomings in the learning of schoolgoing children, of the kind that only 42.8 per cent of class five students could read a class two text ~ down from 50.2 per cent in 2018. Apparently, the Covid19 pandemic that had forced all educational institutions to close down for two years, worsened the already poor standard of education. Significantly, since 2009, when we were ranked 73rd out of 74 countries, the Government of India has consistently refused to participate in OECDs Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which measures 15-year-olds ability to use their reading, mathematics and science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges. Examining Boards, throughout India, have tried to mask the fall in educational standards; more students were declared passed in Board examinations of 2022 than in earlier years despite most examinees not attending classes for a single day. Also, Board examinations saw a record number of students who scored more than 90 per cent marks. Anomalously, the cut-off marks for JEE-Advanced 2022 were kept at a mere 15 per cent, so that available seats could be filled up. It would appear that educational standards were deliberately lowered to conceal the rot in the educational system. Such blatant window dressing fools no one, but puts a question mark on the credibility of Board results. The most significant cause for the rot in the education system is insufficient funding by the Government. Till today, Government schools established by the British more than a century ago, are the backbone of our education system. Most of these schools are now floundering, with falling buildings and a huge shortage of teachers, affecting the learning of the majority of students in the country. A viral video from Bihar shows five primary Government schools operating from a single room, with five teachers writing on a single blackboard, to a roomful of bemused children. Obviously, education imparted in such schools would be of an abysmal standard, yet no efforts are visible for the improvement of Government schools. The condition of higher education is even worse, with hardly any employment opportunities for young men with traditional education, i.e., ordinary BA and BSc degrees. Resultantly, the great universities of yesteryears, like Calcutta University, have a large number of vacant seats at undergraduate level. Even engineering courses in run-of-the-mill institutions have no value in the job market. Not surprisingly, hardly half the seats for undergraduate engineering courses could be filled up across India. Non-professional college degrees are losing their importance worldwide. Two years after the 2008-09 meltdown, half of the college graduates in the US became unemployed or underemployed. Slowly, after the effects of the recession wore down, college degrees regained their importance, but the percentage of high school graduates enrolling in college came down; from 70 per cent in 2009 to 61.8 per cent in 2021. After the Covid-19 pandemic, when the job market became unusually tight, the college degree again lost its relevance because while hiring for ordinary jobs, potential employers stopped asking for college degrees. According to a Harvard Business Review and the Burning Glass Institute estimate for the US, in the next five years, college degrees would not be required for 14 lakh jobs. However, students still vie for quality college education, because it develops essential skills like analytical thinking, active learning, and complex problem solving, which results in brighter college graduates with the right skillset, being paid more, and being employed at higher levels. This would explain why eight lakh students appear for the 16,000 IIT seats, and admissions to some Delhi colleges require 100 per cent marks in Twelfth Board, or why private universities, which charge a bomb for their courses, are burgeoning ~ the bottom line being that students graduating from these institutions can easily land a good job. The icing on the cake is that a talented alumnus of IIT/IIM can, one day, aspire to become the CEO of some top US corporate. However, outside this charmed circle, a student of ordinary means faces a cruel dilemma. After completing his school education, he has little capital, skill or experience to strike out on his own. If he goes to a second-grade college, he can only hope that he will get some small-time employment ~ after wasting his parents money and several years of his own life. The obvious solution is to link education to jobs, which would entail providing the wherewithal to colleges to offer vocational education to interested students. This is not an untried idea; one-half to nearly two-thirds of students pursue vocational education in countries like Germany and Switzerland. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 rightly aims to introduce vocational education at all levels by integrating vocational education into mainstream education, in all educational institutions, by 2030. NEP also proposes to remove the hard separation between the vocational and academic streams and overcome the stigma attached to vocational education. Further, NEP aims to ensure universal access to quality holistic education ~ including vocational education ~ from pre-school to Grade XII and every child would learn at least one vocation and be exposed to several more. However, implementation of NEP 2020, seems to be running far behind schedule; NEP had envisaged that by 2025, at least half of the students would have vocational exposure through school and higher education. The problem in implementation of NEP appears to be of finance and resolve; the NEP document requires that 6 per cent of GDP be spent on education, while we are spending only half of that. Further, changeover to NEP would require teacher re-education, new infrastructure and a complete overhaul of the education system ~ which is easier said than achieved. An obvious first step to popularize vocational education would be to stop lionizing higher education, and running down its alternatives. The Government can also help by developing online courses on the pattern of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), as an alternative to college enrolment, which would provide an affordable and flexible way for students to learn the latest skills, supplement their learning, and advance their career. The popularity of Coursera in the US, which has 118 million registered learners, and which adds about 5 million new learners every quarter, is a pointer to the usefulness of good online courses. The Government can also rethink about its Institutes of Eminence (IoE) initiative, which has hit a roadblock, with only 12 institutes, out of a possible 20, being granted the IoE tag, and funding of Rs.3,200 crore, out of a budget of Rs.10,000 crore, being utilized. Currently, the Empowered Expert Committee for IoE, has been defunct for more than two years, making any action on IoE unlikely. Probably, the unutilized funds of Rs.6,800 crore of IoE can be used to establish good vocational colleges in all districts, and thereby kickstart vocational education. Finally, learning requires great effort from students. As Mahatma Gandhi had said: Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

(The writer is a retired Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-Tax)

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The Lhonak glacial lake disaster in Sikkim is a wake-up call for India and the world to acknowledge the grim reality of climate change. With at least 18 people confirmed dead and 102 missing, this tragedy serves as a heart-wrenching reminder that the consequences of our changing climate are not some distant, abstract future but a chilling presentday reality. The initial death toll of 18 is devastating enough, but what is equally distressing is the uncertainty that hovers over the fate of those 102 missing individuals. As rescue efforts continue, the number of casualties could tragically rise.

It is jolting enough to witness natural disasters exacerbated by climate change that are becoming more frequent and severe, leaving communities in their path vulnerable and helpless. What unfolded in Sikkim is a stark illustration of how climate change isnt just about rising global temperatures or melting ice caps. It is about the tangible, immediate impact on peoples lives. Heavy rains triggered a cloudburst that inundated the Lhonak glacial lake, causing it to burst its banks and flood the Teesta valley. Entire villages were submerged, bridges washed away and lives shattered. The toll on human life is not the only tragedy here. The environment, too, has borne the brunt of this catastrophe. Satellite imagery reveals that nearly two-thirds of the lake has drained and the consequences for the local ecosystem are dire. The delicate balance of nature in this pristine region has been disrupted and it will take years, if not decades, for it to recover ~ if recovery is even possible.

It is worth noting that this disaster is not an isolated incident. South Asias mountains, including the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region, have witnessed a series of deadly flash floods and landslides this monsoon season. These events are consistent with the predictions made by climate scientists a decade ago. Glacial lakes are expanding, posing a growing threat to downstream communities and infrastructure. One question looms large. Why wasnt more done to prevent or mitigate this disaster? Reports suggest that a decade ago, Indias National Remote Sensing Centre had issued a warning, indicating a very high risk of the Lhonak Lake bursting its banks. Yet, here we are, with the aftermath of a preventable tragedy on our hands. The failure to open dam gates in time to manage the water from National Hydroelectric Power Corporations Teesta V dam is another troubling aspect of this crisis.

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It raises serious questions about disaster preparedness and response. As climate change brings more extreme weather events, it is imperative that governments and agencies act swiftly and decisively to protect their citizens.The disaster is a clarion call for all to recognise the urgency of addressing climate change before more tragedies like this unfold. It is a stark reminder that actions today will determine the fate of the planet and its inhabitants tomorrow.
Just days after becoming the first ever US House Speaker to be ousted from office in the middle of his term, Republican Kevin McCarthy has denied reports that he was resigning from Congress.

Addressing reporters on Friday, the former Speaker said: No, I am not resigning. We are going to keep the majority. I am going to help the people I got here, and we are going to expand it further.

Earlier on Friday, reports were doing the rounds saying that he was expected to step down at some point after the House Speakers election.

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Pressed on whether he has considered stepping down early, he told the reporters: I look at it every time I have to decide whether I am going to run for reelection or not.

Amid party infighting, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a motion to oust McCarthy in an unprecedented move, days after he relied on Democratic votes to pass a clean stopgap funding bill to avert a federal government shutdown.

The 216-210 vote came nearly nine months after McCarthy won the position in a dramatic 15-round floor fight, marking the first time in US history that a House Speaker had been ousted from office in a no-confidence vote in the middle of a term.

Following the vote, the California Republican had announced that he will not not run for the post again.

I will not run for speaker again. Ill have the (Republican) conference pick somebody else, Xinhua news agency quoted McCarthy as saying to reporters after a closed-door meeting with party lawmakers late Tuesday night.

I dont regret standing up for choosing governing over grievance. It is my responsibility. It is my job. I do not regret negotiating. Our government is designed to find compromise, he said, adding: You know it was personal It had nothing to do with spending.

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Republican Representative Jim Jordan have both launched bids to be the next Speaker.
An incident has shaken the community in Plainsboro, New Jersey, as an Indian-origin techie couple and their two children were discovered dead inside their home. Tej Pratap Singh, aged 43, and Sonal Parihar, aged 42, along with their 10-year-old son and 6-year-old were found lifeless in their Titus Lane residence on a Wednesday evening at 4:30 pm.

Authorities are diligently investigating this distressing situation, considering it both as a homicide and a potential murder-suicide. The Plainsboro Police Department has taken charge of the case, working closely with local law enforcement agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The unfortunate discovery came to light when a concerned relative made a 911 call requesting a welfare check at the familys home. Upon arriving at the scene, officers from the Plainsboro Police Department found the lifeless bodies of the four victims.

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Singh, described as an active community member, and his wife Sonal, were known to be a seemingly contented couple. Both had successful careers in the IT industry. Singh served as a lead APIX engineer at Ness Digital Engineering, while Sonal also had her own career in the same field.

The tragedy has left the community in shock and mourning, as they struggle to come to terms with the loss of this family. The couple had purchased their home on Titus Lane back in August 2018, for a reported sum of $635,000.

Authorities are now focused on piecing together the events leading up to this heart-wrenching incident. The investigation is ongoing, and details are expected to emerge as law enforcement officials work diligently to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths of the Indian-origin techie couple Tej Pratap Singh, Sonal Parihar, and their two children.

Superintendent David Aderhold of the West-Windsor Plainsboro district conveyed in a statement that the district was made aware by local law enforcement of a deeply distressing incident involving a Plainsboro family, including a student from Wicoff and another from Millstone River School.
Israel has declared a state of war after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on massive scale and scores of rockets were fired towards the country from Gaza strip, leaving one woman dead and several others injured. Dozens of Hamas militants have also infiltrated Israel and remain at large even as Israeli defence forces launch retaliatory action.

In a surprise attack on Saturday morning, scores of rockets were fired towards Israel from Gaza strip, in what appears to be a cover for militants to infiltrate into Israeli territory. According to Israeli defence forces, the militants entered from different locations after a rocket barrage.

A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Residents in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip have been asked to stay in their homes, the Israel Defence Forces said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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The rockets were filed from Gaza stripes towards Israel on Saturday following which loud sirens rang out across the south Israel and Tel Aviv.

Israelis across the countryon Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torahwoke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning. We will defend ourselves. pic.twitter.com/S9GN8fld4Y  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

According to Israels Magen David Adom rescue agency, one woman has been confirmed dead while at least two others sustained serious injuries.

Footage on social media showed a thick plume of smoke as firefighters try to distinguish flames. Several vehicles were also charred and damage to infrastructure was also reported in the city of Ashkelon.

Palestinian militant Islamist group Hamas has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Following the rocket strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called an emergency meeting of the countrys security chiefs. According to Israeli officials, Hamas terrorists infiltrated into Israeli terrority from the the Gaza Strip. Residents in border areas infiltrated by terrorists have been asked to stay inside their homes. Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces said retaliatory actions have already been initiated and they are carrying out air strikes on Hamas militants in the Gaza strip.
The Israeli Defence Forces on Saturday launched major air strikes on Gaza after a surprise attack by Islamist militant group Hamas killed at least 100 Israelis and injured more than 1,000 others. Earlier today, hundreds of Hamas militants infiltrated Israel through land, air and sea along the Gaza Strip. Armed with assault rifles, the militants shot civilians and reportedly abducted several Israeli Defence Forces soldiers.

The infiltration came after Hamas carried out its operation Al Aqsa Floods and fired thousands of rockets towards Israel from Gaza Strip in a span of 20 minutes. The unexpected attack caught Israel by surprise as militants continued to roam freely and shooting residents at will for hours.

Israel quickly swung into action and declared a state of readiness for war. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war and vowed that the militants will pay unprecedented price for the attack.

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The enemy will pay a price he has never known. In the meantime, I call on all citizens of Israel to strictly obey the instructions of the army and the instructions of the Home Command, Netayahu said, declaring war against Hamas.

Israel launched counter air strikes on militant locations in Gaza in response to Hamas attack. According to Palestinian officials, Israeli air strikes have killed over 200 people and injured nearly 1000.

Swords of Iron. The IDF is initiating a large-scale operation to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched against Israel by Hamas this morning, IDF said in a post on X.

Israel right now. pic.twitter.com/zEWSwHIPSj  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) 710651624329236841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>October 7, 2023

Meanwhile, Israel Foreign Ministry has informed that fighting between IDF and Hamas militants is still on in southern Israel and security forces are trying to secure area under Hamas attack,

The fighting in southern Israel is still ongoing. Our security forces are securing areas which are under attack by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israeli communities and who have taken civilians captive, Israel Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas made a grave mistake by launching a war against the State of Israel.

Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops (Israeli army) are fighting against the enemy at every location, Gallant said in a statement.

The Palestinian attack on Israel was condemned by several top world leaders with Iran being the only exception. Yahya Rahim Safavi, an adviser to Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei congratulated Palestinian fighters for the deadliest attack on Israel in decades.

We congratulate the Palestinian fighters, Safavi said adding we will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.
Recent developments in the Israel-Palestine conflict have once again brought this long-standing and complex issue to the forefront. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported the infiltration of multiple militants from Gaza into Israeli territory, following a barrage of rockets that tragically claimed one life and left at least three individuals injured. Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, claimed responsibility for this rocket attack.

As the region grapples with these ongoing events, it is essential to understand the historical context of the Israel-Palestine conflict. This conflicts roots trace back to various historical events:

 70 BC: The seeds of the conflict were sown as the Jews led a revolt and occupied Jerusalem in 66 CE, sparking the first Roman-Jewish war. However, in 70 CE, the Romans recaptured Jerusalem, destroying the Second Temple, with only a fragment of the western wall surviving.

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 7th Century: Islams propagation initiated a mass exodus of Jews to Europe, particularly Germany, amid widespread persecution.

 Late 19th and Early 20th Century: This period witnessed increased Jewish immigration to Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire, as part of the Zionist movement. Tensions began to simmer between Jewish immigrants and Arab residents.

 1917: The Balfour Declaration, issued by the British government during World War I, expressed support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

 Post-World War I: The aftermath of World War I saw Hitler blaming Jews for Germanys defeat, resulting in their significant exodus from Germany. Britain received the mandate for Palestine and Trans-Jordan, leading to a surge in Jewish immigration to Israel.

 Post-World War II (1939-45): With support from the United States and the United Kingdom, Jews established the state of Israel in 1948 after failing to reach a deal with Arabs for a separate state in Palestine.

 1947-1948: The United Nations approved a plan to partition Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, which led to violence. Israel declared independence in 1948, and neighboring Arab nations intervened, triggering the Arab-Israeli War.

 1949: Armistice agreements were signed, establishing borders and ceasefire lines. Jordan annexed the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while Egypt administered Gaza.

 1956: The second Israel-Arab war ensued following Egypts nationalization of the Suez Canal, with Israel invading Egypt and receiving support from Britain and France. The conflict eventually saw a resolution through U.S. and USSR intervention.

 1964: The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed to organize Palestinians against Israel.

 1967: The Six-Day War erupted, with Israel capturing the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and Sinai Peninsula.

 1973: The Yom Kippur War unfolded as Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel, leading to ceasefires and peace agreements.

 1978: The Camp David Accords resulted in a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

 1987: The first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, began, marked by protests and clashes across Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel.

 1993: The parties signed the Oslo Accords, establishing a framework for negotiations between Israel and the PLO.

 1994: The Palestinian Authority (PA) was established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

 2000-2005: The Second Intifada erupted, resulting in widespread violence following a visit to a sensitive religious site by an Israeli hardliner.

 2005: Israel unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip.

 2006: Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by Israel and the West, won Palestinian legislative elections.

 2008-2009: Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in response to rocket attacks from Gaza.

 2014: Another conflict in Gaza, known as Operation Protective Edge, erupted.

 2021: Israel blocked access to the Damascus Gate Plaza in East Jerusalem. It is a well-known gathering spot for Palestinians during the Ramadan season, sparking protests. Four days later, Israel imposed restrictions on the number of worshippers allowed at the Al Aqsa Mosque.

The Israel-Palestine conflict remains an ongoing struggle, characterized by sporadic violence, clashes, settlement expansion, and disputes over borders, refugees, and the status of Jerusalem. Amid this tumultuous history, the conflict continues to evolve, posing enduring challenges to peace and stability in the region.
In a combined surprise attack, dozens of armed militants from Islamist militant group Hamas infiltrated into Israel and fired thousands of rockets from Gaza Strip, Israeli Defence Forces said on Saturday. The militants carrying assault rifles and grenades entered into Israeli territory from different points through Gaza Strip border. Before infiltration, Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and fired around 5,000 rockets towards Israel killing at least one woman and leaving several injured.

Israeli Army has declared a state of war and said it has initiated retaliatory action and carrying out airstrikes on several locations of Hamas militants in Gaza. Civilians have been asked to stay near bomb shelters and follow the special instructions posted on the National Emergency Portal. This is one of the biggest attacks Israel has faced in decades on its land.

10 points on what we know so far about Hamas attack on Israel

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Israel has launched Operation Iron Swords after Hamas fired some 5,000 rockets from Gaza Strip towards the country in what appears to be an attempt to provide cover for its militants to infiltrate into Israeli territory. According to local media reports, the Hamas militants remain at large after they took several people, including 35 soldiers, hostage. The military wing of Hamas, Al Qassam Bridages, announced operation Al Aqsa Floods and fired a barrage of rockets in response to the alleged provocations in Al-Aqsa and the ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails. Israeli Diplomat Maya Kadosh said, My home is under attack for the last 3 hours , sirens are wailing and we can clearly hear the incoming rockets. The entire family is in the safe room and we are ok. I will keep you all updated, thank you for the messages of support. Several countries, including the US, the UK, and Australia have condemned the Hamas attack on Israel in which innocent civilians have died. ISRAEL UNDER ATTACK: On Shabbat & the holiday of Simchat Torah  non-stop rocket sirens are sounding across Israel, including Jerusalem. Israel is under terrorist infiltration carried out by the Hamas terrorist organization. We will do everything to protect ourselves, Israeli Foreign Ministry said. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called an emergency meeting of the countrys security chiefs in view of the Hamas attack. Israeli Defence Forces have shut all the roads, bridges and border crossings near the Gaza Strip. According to locals, Hamas militants invaded a festival where hundreds of Israelis were camping out for the Shemini Atzeret holiday. The exact number of causalities is not yet known but Israeli officials have claimed that the Hamas gunmen are randomly shooting civilians who come in their way. Several videos have gone viral on social media showing armed militants roaming inside Israel. In one such video, a group of armed men is seen standing on top of an army tank before setting it on fire. Israels Defence Forces said its chief of the general staff was conducting a situational assessment and vowed Hamas would have to face the consequences and responsibility for the attack.
Just because a business does not make any money, does not mean that the stock will go down. 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 while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com?

So, the natural question for Blue Star Helium (ASX:BNL) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of 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. The first step is to compare its cash burn with its cash reserves, to give us its 'cash runway'.

Check out our latest analysis for Blue Star Helium

Does Blue Star Helium Have A Long Cash Runway?

A company's cash runway is the amount of time it would take to burn through its cash reserves at its current cash burn rate. As at June 2023, Blue Star Helium had cash of AU$3.8m and no debt. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through AU$7.1m. Therefore, from June 2023 it had roughly 6 months of cash runway. To be frank, this kind of short runway puts us on edge, as it indicates the company must reduce its cash burn significantly, or else raise cash imminently. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time.

How Is Blue Star Helium's Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

Whilst it's great to see that Blue Star Helium has already begun generating revenue from operations, last year it only produced AU$10k, so we don't think it is generating significant revenue, at this point. Therefore, for the purposes of this analysis we'll focus on how the cash burn is tracking. Cash burn was pretty flat over the last year, which suggests that management are holding spending steady while the business advances its strategy. Blue Star Helium 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.

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How Easily Can Blue Star Helium Raise Cash?

Even though it has reduced its cash burn recently, shareholders should still consider how easy it would be for Blue Star Helium to raise more cash in the future. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future 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.

Since it has a market capitalisation of AU$43m, Blue Star Helium's AU$7.1m in cash burn equates to about 17% of its market value. Given that situation, it's fair to say the company wouldn't have much trouble raising more cash for growth, but shareholders would be somewhat diluted.

How Risky Is Blue Star Helium's Cash Burn Situation?

On this analysis of Blue Star Helium's cash burn, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap was reassuring, while its cash runway has us a bit worried. Considering all the measures mentioned in this report, we reckon that its cash burn is fairly risky, and if we held shares we'd be watching like a hawk for any deterioration. Taking a deeper dive, we've spotted 4 warning signs for Blue Star Helium you should be aware of, and 3 of them shouldn't be ignored.

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.
New York City, a historic haven for migrants seeking a new start, has welcomed a staggering influx of 118,000 newcomers since last year. However, the challenges of accommodating and supporting this wave of arrivals have presented a complex and pressing issue for city officials.

Over 60,000 of these migrants have found shelter within the citys existing system, and their presence is placing substantial fiscal strain on New York City.

Mayor Eric Adams has characterized this situation as a humanitarian crisis, one that he fears could have the potential to destroy New York City.

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As of September, nearly sixty thousand newly arrived migrants were residing in the citys shelters, with around two-thirds of them comprising families with children. The sheer number of migrants has exerted enormous financial pressure on New York City, with expenditures exceeding $1 billion thus far, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency.

Some estimates even suggest that the cost of housing could surpass $4.3 billion by July 2024. While this is a substantial sum, it accounts for less than 5 percent of New Yorks budget for fiscal year 2022.

Demographics of Immigrants in New York City

Most of the migrants have come to New York from countries in South America and West Africa, driven by hopes of finding safety, employment, and stability. However, the process of integrating them into the city presents a formidable challenge, both for the newcomers and the citys administration.

Typically, the city has provided shelter for migrants in a variety of unconventional spaces, including hotels, office buildings, and school gyms. Budget hotels have been utilized to house them, but the city is rapidly running out of housing options.

The ongoing migrant influx could accumulate a staggering $12 billion cost over the course of three years. While New York City has a rich history of embracing its immigrant population and benefiting from their contributions, the current situation underscores the critical need to address pressing issues such as housing affordability, healthcare access, and education for these newcomers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed his shock over the surprise Palestinian attack on Israel and said that India will stand in solidarity with people of Israel at their difficult hour. Hundreds of gunmen from the Islamist militant group Hamas infiltrated Israeli city of Sderot after firing thousands of rockets from Gaza Strip.

Reacting to the attack, Prime Minister Modi said, Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.

At least 40 people were killed and over 500 sustained injuries in one of the deadliest Hamas attack on Israel in decades. Israel has declared war against Palestine and the countrys Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed Hamas will pay unprecedented price for todays attack.

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The enemy will pay a price he has never known. In the meantime, I call on all citizens of Israel to strictly obey the instructions of the army and the instructions of the Home Command, Netayahu said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have launched counter offensive and carried out several airstrikes on Hamas hideouts in Gaza under its Operation Iron Swords.

According to Palestinian officials, the retaliatory airstrikes from Israeli Defence Forces have killed 161 people and injured nearly 1,000.

Besides India, the US, the UK, Australia and France among several other countries have condemned the attack and expressed their solidarity with Israel. The US said that it will stand firmly with Israel.

The combined attack on Israel was launched by the military wing of Hamas, Al Qassam Bridages under operation Al Aqsa Floods in response to the alleged provocations in Al-Aqsa and the ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that a grenade blast brought down the plane carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the private military company known as Wagner.

Speaking at a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin stated that they had discovered fragments of hand grenades in the bodies of those who perished in the jet crash that claimed Prigozhins life.

The incident occurred in August, between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, when Prigozhins private plane crashed in a field, resulting in the loss of all 10 individuals on board, including Prigozhin himself. This event transpired just two months after Prigozhin had led a brief mutiny against Russias top military leadership, further complicating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

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Putins statement has cast doubt on earlier speculations, notably those by US officials. They believed that the plane might have been shot down. The Russian leader emphatically asserted, There was no external impact on the plane  this is already an established fact.

Putin on grenade and drug tests:

In addition to addressing the grenade fragments found in the victims bodies, Putin also criticized investigators for failing to conduct alcohol and drug tests on Prigozhin and the other nine crash victims. This omission has raised questions about potential factors that could have contributed to the incident.

Moreover, Putin disclosed that searches carried out at Wagners offices in St. Petersburg following the crash yielded astonishing discoveries. Authorities reportedly uncovered a staggering 10 billion roubles (equivalent to $100 million) in cash, along with a significant quantity of cocaine weighing 5 kilograms (approximately 11 pounds).

To provide some visual context to the tragedy, Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti released a video showing a plane in descent, notably with a visibly absent wing. While CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the video, RIA Novosti has asserted that it captures the crucial moment when the Embraer jet plummeted from the sky over the Tver region. The video raises further questions about the circumstances leading to the planes crash, as the cause remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Russian authorities have expressed their unwavering commitment to conducting a thorough investigation into the incident, including search operations and forensic analysis, to shed light on the plane crash that claimed the lives of Yevgeny Prigozhin and nine others.
In the midst of diplomatic tensions and the deterioration of relations between countries following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus accusation of Indian complicity in the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, James Rubin, the Special Envoy and Coordinator of the Global Engagement Centre, described the situation as a tricky subject. He expressed the desire for cooperation in the investigation, to the extent possible, while acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue.

During a virtual press briefing on October 5, the US special envoy said, This is a tricky subject. Let me just say that we support Canadas investigation. We want everyone to help  including the Indian Government  help advance the investigation into this murder, and we would urge everyone to cooperate and to take the investigation as far as it goes.

On whether such tensions as the one between New Delhi and Ottawa could breed disinformation campaigns, Rubin said it is an area that is ripe for information manipulation.

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Let me just say in our report, if you take a look at it, there are a few examples given about particular Chinese interference in Canadian domestic politics and in their universities and ways in which theyve sought to manipulate their individuals, coerce individuals, and discredit individuals. And those accounts are in the report, and I urge you to take a look at that. This is obviously an area that is ripe for information manipulation, he said.

I havent seen any specific evidence of the Canadian-Indian issue, but I do know that China has made a big effort to interfere in the domestic affairs of Canada through the ways I mentioned. And its particularly ironic, because you may remember that for decades China was the loudest demander that nobody interferes in their domestic affairs, and yet when it comes to information manipulation, when it comes to interfering in the politics in Canada, when it comes to the South China Sea, where theyre interfering in the territorial waters of countries around the region, when it comes to the famous balloon incident  suddenly sovereignty is not so important to the Chinese Government, the state department spokesperson added.

The State Department spokesperson was presenting a report that showed how China had been trying to distort global information.

This is the first comprehensive US State Department analysis of how Beijing employs these deceptive and coercive methods as it attempts to distort the global information space. It is doing so to advance its geopolitical objectives, Rubin told media persons.

When the provenance of information is not clear, when we dont know that its the Chinese Government or the Russian Government doing something, thats when its information manipulation. The Chinese have a phoney persona called Yi Fan, which we talk about in this report, who purports to be an international affairs commentator when we know full well hes a foreign affairs operative for their foreign ministry. So thats the hard part. I cant tell you for sure whether that will happen in Canada. he added.

Meanwhile, amid the diplomatic spat, New Delhi has suspended the visa operations to Canada and sought a reduction in Canadian diplomatic presence in India citing interference in internal matters.

Addressing the press briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, Given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence hereand their continued interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing on the modalities of achieving this.

Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction, he added.

Asked if the reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats could result in a decrease in the number of visas issued by the Canadian High Commission in India, Bagchi said, Its up to the Canadian side, who they choose to staff the High Commission withour concerns are related to ensuring parity in diplomatic presence.

Earlier, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau claimed his countrys national security officials had reasons to believe that agents of the Indian government carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen Nijjar. The allegation was termed absurd by the Ministry of External Affairs.

(With Inputs from Agency)
Hundreds of gunmen from Islamist militant group Hamas infiltrated southern Israel in a combined surprise attack on Saturday morning, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said. The militants, including paragliders, entered into Israeli territory from different locations via land, air and sea.

Before infiltrating the Israeli city of Sderot, Hamas launched as many as 5,000 rockets towards Israel from Gaza Strip in what appears to be a cover for militants to infiltrate into Israeli territory.

Nearly two hundred people are undergoing treatment in several Israeli hospitals with at least seven confirmed deaths. Barzilai hospital in Ashkelon and Soroka hospital in Beer Sheva said they are treating 68 and 80 victims, respectively. Some of the victims in both these hospitals are said to be serious condition.

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According to local media reports, Hamas militants entered civilian homes near Gaza Strip and shot several people. They have also reportedly captured as many as 35 Israeli Defence Force soldiers.

The IDF has launched Operation Iron Swords to neutralize the Hamas militants and carried out air strikes on several hideouts of Hamas militants in Gaza. The IDF has also asked civilians to follow emergency protocols published on the National Emergency Portal.

Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against Israel as he vowed to give a suitable to reply to the Islamist militant group.

We are at war, declares Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called an emergency meeting of security cabinet in view of the unexpected Hamas attack. Israel has also declared a state of readiness for war.

In a statement, Netanyahu declared Israel is at war and said that Hamas will pay the price it has never seen for Todays attack.

our enemy will pay a price, the type of which it has never known, the PM said, adding that Israel will win this war.

According to locals, Hamas militants invaded a festival where hundreds of Israelis were camping out for the Shemini Atzeret holiday. The exact number of causalities is not yet known but Israeli officials have claimed that the Hamas gunmen are randomly shooting civilians who ever came in their way.

Several videos have gone viral on social media showing armed militants roaming inside Israel. In one such video, a group of armed men is seen standing on top of an army tank before setting it on fire.

The combined attack on Israel was launched by the military wing of Hamas, Al Qassam Bridages under operation Al Aqsa Floods in response to the alleged provocations in Al-Aqsa and the ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails.
Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Overcast with rain showers at times. High around 45F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 39F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Pictured from left are Nick Bodine, VP digital lending officer, HarborOne Bank; Edmund Addai of Stack House; Sammantha Putosova, Bee Balm Co. (grand prize winner), and Scott Sanborn, EVP and chief lending officer, HarborOne Bank.
Sam Bankman-Fried authorized the illegal use of FTX customers funds and assets to plug financial gaps at an affiliated hedge fund from the exchanges earliest days, FTXs co-founder Gary Wang told a New York jury on Friday, as prosecutors pressed their case that Bankman-Fried was the mastermind behind one of the biggest frauds in U.S. history
One Tennessee homeowner has taken a short-term vacation rental dispute with his homeowners association to the state's highest court in the first Tennessee Supreme Court case specific to short-term rentals in the age of Airbnb and Vrbo.

It reflects a growing number of court disputes between homeowners who list their homes as short-term rentals online and the HOAs that say rentals change the character of their communities.

The case comes at a perilous time for the giant vacation rental companies, which are facing stricter regulations in tourist destinations like New York City and pushback online over scam listings and high prices.

In Pratik Pandharipande vs. FSD Corporation, a Vanderbilt University anesthesiologist claims the HOA in his DeKalb County lake resort community tried to retroactively take away his right to rent his home.

The HOA, which won its case both in a trial court and in an appeals court, says short-term vacation rentals were never allowed to begin with.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has not ruled specifically on short-term rentals. The Pandharipande case will test how far the court is willing to go either to exempt short-term rentals from residential use restrictions and amendments or to affirm an HOA's ability to prohibit them.

At stake is the question of what "residential" even means.

This case presents this court with the opportunity to uphold Tennessee jurisprudence that strikes a careful balance when weighing a property owners prerogative to use their property against the respect that the law in Tennessee affords to a partys right to a contract," said Emmie Kinnard, a lawyer for the HOA, in oral arguments before the court in February.

The story of a doctor and his HOA

Pandharipande bought a home in Four Seasons, a resort community on Center Hill Lake, in 2015. The property was subject to the community's 1984 declaration of covenants, which stated that "each lot shall be used for residential and no other purposes," according to the Court of Appeals ruling.

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From the time he bought the property, Pandharipande rented it out on a short-term basis. He hired a management company to clean the home and listed it on up to 25 vacation rental sites, for stays between two and 28 days. While this fact is undisputed, Pandharipande said in court documents he also lived at his home periodically, a claim that could set his case apart from prior cases.

Protect yourself: Airbnb adds verification icons, updates search

Then, in 2018, a majority of property owners in Four Seasons voted to amend the community covenants to allow short-term rentals, but only for 30 days or longer. State law defines a short-term rental as a property rented out for fewer than 30 days.

Pandharipande continued to rent his home for less than 30 days and received a letter from the FSD Corporation's lawyer in March 2019 informing him that his rental violated Four Season's covenants, according to a brief his lawyer filed with the state Supreme Court.

By June 2019, he had filed a lawsuit against the HOA and the association filed its response a month later, kicking off a years-long legal dispute between the two.

Pandharipande asserted the amendment should not apply to him since he bought his property before it went into effect. He also argued the community's residential-use restriction did not apply to him because he also occupied the home.

A trial court in DeKalb County ruled in favor of the HOA in July 2020. Pandharipande appealed the decision to the Court of Appeals, which affirmed the trial court's ruling.

In June 2022, he appealed the case to the state Supreme Court, which agreed later that year to hear his case. The court heard oral arguments in February, though it is unclear when it will release an opinion. The court releases opinions most months of the year.

Neither Pandharipande and his legal counsel nor FSD Corporation and its legal counsel agreed to speak about the pending case.

What the law already says about Airbnb, Vrbo

Tennessee law allows HOAs to prohibit short-term rentals, though it limits the ability of city and county governments to do the same.

The Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation in 2018 called the Short-Term Rental Unit Act, the only statewide legal framework for regulating Airbnbs and Vrbos.

Are Airbnbs cheaper than hotels? Depends on your trip details, travel site survey says

While the law prevents city and county governments from wholesale banning short-term rentals, it allows them to regulate units based on their classification, use or occupancy, primarily in the interest of public health and safety.

The law grandfathers in short-term rental units in use before a local government put any regulation or restriction in place. It defines a short-term rental as a home or apartment that is rented wholly or partially for less than 30 continuous days, not including hotels or bed and breakfasts.

Even as it limits the restrictions local governments can place on short-term rentals, the law allows HOAs to outright prohibit Airbnbs according to their governing documents.

State law is generally favorable to the right of HOAs to enforce contracts, even when those contracts limit property rights. While HOAs cannot contradict state and local law, they can enforce rules and regulations that go further than the law.

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee heard oral arguments for the Pandharipande case in February 2023, but retired while the case was still pending. Her seat was filled by Knoxville native Justice Dwight Tarwater.

What the courts have said about HOAs and rentals

The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled on HOA cases several times, even if it has never directly addressed the question of short-term rentals.

In a case from 1940, the court ruled against homeowners who used a portion of their home as a tourist lodge in a Johnson City community restricted to residential use. The court found the tourist lodge, which the owners advertised with a lighted sign on the highway, to be a commercial activity.

The court held in a 2021 case that developers could not apply restrictive covenants to lots they purchased later, after the rules were enacted. Pandharipande's legal counsel argues that the case, called Phillips v. Hatfield, affirms the right of property owners to unrestricted enjoyment of their home and demonstrates that Tennessee law looks down on retroactive restrictions.

But the precedent that weighs most heavily on the Pandharipande case came not from the Tennessee Supreme Court, but from the state Court of Appeals. In Shields Mountain Property Owners Assocation, Inc v. Teffeteller, better known simply as "Teffeteller," the Court of Appeals ruled that an HOA's residential use restriction prohibited short-term vacation rentals, which operate more like a motel than a home.

The 2006 ruling stated that the HOA's residential use restrictions in that case were unambiguous in preventing Airbnbs and Vrbos.

Pandharipande wants Teffeteller reversed, and the FSD Corporation wants it upheld. In fact, the HOA wants the court to make "residential" a more specific term so it could be used to prohibit short-term vacation rentals, according to its lawyer's statements to the court.

Homeowner or HOA: Who gets to determine property rights?

Pandharipande's lawyer Ben Rose argues in court documents that if the Tennessee Supreme Court does not reverse lower court rulings, then HOAs will ban short-term rentals through "retroactive amendments" and residential use restrictions, which he says threaten property rights.

Rose cites dozens of cases as precedent, including Tennessee Supreme Court rulings dating back to 1839, to make the argument that FSD Corporation wrongly stripped a homeowner of his rights.

They are trying to take away a property right that Dr. Pandharipande had when he acquired the property and prohibit him from doing something that he enjoyed at the time he took the property, Rose said in oral arguments.

Previous Tennessee Court of Appeals rulings appear to boost the HOA's case, though Rose argues against their application here.

A case known as DeVaughn established that condominiums are subject to restrictions enacted by an owners association even after an owner purchased a unit, though the Pandharipande case does not involve condos, which are more strictly regulated.

In Teffeteller, the court ruled that HOA residential use restrictions could be used to prohibit short-term rentals.

Rose wants the court to reverse the Teffeteller decision on the grounds that it is outdated, given the rise of Airbnbs and Vrbos, which he said function more like residences. The Teffetellers ran a cabin rental company, whereas Pandharipande is a physician who owns only one property for rent.

Instead, Rose points to dozens of more recent cases from other states that provide updated standards of judging short-term rentals as either residential or commercial, such as whether the presence of Airbnbs fundamentally alters a community. Rose said his client's rental has not altered Four Seasons.

Rose has asked the court to reverse the Court of Appeals ruling and return the case to a trial court for further proceedings.

HOA: Airbnbs aren't a residential use

Two lower courts already have sided with FSD Corporation, which successfully made the case that Pandharipande rented his property in violation of the 1984 covenants and 2018 amendment.

Both the trial court and the Court of Appeals saw no meaningful difference between Pandharipande's renters and those in previous cases that favored HOAs, especially because he used a management service that provided laundry, cleaning and concierge services to guests.

The courts ruled that he intended to make money from his short-term rental for commercial purposes in violation of the 1984 residential use restriction.

Kinnard, speaking for the FSD Corporation, argued that long-term rentals are permitted under the HOA's covenants. Still, FSD's legal counsel seeks the court's specific guidance on what counts as residential and commercial, guideposts that could help lower courts, developers and homeowners.

How this case could change state Airbnb law

The Tennessee Supreme Court could release its opinion in Pandharipande v. FSD Corporation in days or months. In the court's latest pending case report, the case was listed alongside cases heard back in 2022. The retirement earlier this year of Justice Sharon Lee, who was on the bench for oral arguments, might have delayed the ruling. Lee's seat was filled by Knoxville attorney Dwight Tarwater.

The court could agree with Pandharipande's lawyer that there are factual discrepancies that require a trial court to resolve. In that instance, the court could reverse the Court of Appeals ruling and send the case back to DeKalb County. Rose wants the court to reverse Teffeteller at the same time, though it's unlikely the court would go as far as to overturn lower court precedent.

On the other hand, the court might side with the HOA and affirm lower court rulings. If that happens, Teffeteller will likely stand as good precedent, even as the short-term rental market has undergone massive transformation since the 2006 ruling. That would be welcome news for HOAs and residents who want to prohibit Airbnbs using residential-only rules.

Daniel Dassow is a reporting intern focusing on trending and business news. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Airbnb, Vrbo law could change after Tennessee Supreme Court weighs in
FILE - Trans-rights activists protest outside the House chamber at the state Capitol before the State of the State address in Oklahoma City, Feb. 6, 2023. In a ruling late Thursday, Oct. 5, a federal judge in Oklahoma declined to stop a new law from taking effect that makes it a felony crime for health care workers to provide gender-affirming care to young transgender people.
Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation

Hamas militants have fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday
An awful smell seeped from a neglected building in a small Colorado town for days, then police took a closer look at the funeral operators storage facility
The Ukrainian village of Hroza has been plunged into mourning by a missile strike that killed more than 50 people
2nd suspect arraigned in shooting that claimed life of baby delivered after mother was shot on bus

A second suspect has been arraigned on murder charges after a pregnant woman who was hit by gunfire on a bus in Holyoke, Massachusetts, delivered a baby that later died
MUMBAI (Reuters) -India has sent notices to social media platforms X, formerly known as Twitter, YouTube and Telegram asking them to ensure there is no child sexual abuse material on their platforms, the government said on Friday.

The companies could be stripped of their protection from legal liability if they don't comply, the government said in a statement.

The notices, sent by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), emphasised the importance of prompt and permanent removal of any child sexual abuse material on the platforms.

"If they do not act swiftly, their safe harbour under section 79 of the IT Act would be withdrawn and consequences under the Indian law will follow," the junior minister for information technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, was quoted as saying in the statement.

Chandrasekhar has been a vocal advocate for removing such content from the internet in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was determined "to build a safe and trusted internet under the IT rules," the government said.

Telegram said child abuse materials were explicitly forbidden by its terms of service.

"Telegram's moderators actively patrol public parts of the platform and accept user reports in order to remove content that breaches our terms," Telegram said on Saturday.

A spokesperson for YouTube, owned by Google, said: "We have a zero-tolerance policy on child sexual abuse material. No form of content that endangers minors is acceptable to us."

YouTube also said it removed over 94,000 channels and over 2.5 million videos for violations of its child safety policies in the third quarter of 2023.

Representatives for X did not respond to a request for comment.

The government, in the notices, also asked companies to take measures, such as content moderation algorithms and reporting mechanisms, to prevent the dissemination of child sexual abuse material in future.

Reuters reported in July that India had told online streamers like Netflix and Disney that their content should be independently reviewed for obscenity and violence before being shown online.

(Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar and Hritam Mukherjee; additional reporting by Shubhendu Deshmukh and Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Robert Birsel and Ros Russell)
With Air India rebranding itself, the Tata Group-owned airlines has unveiled the new look of its A350 planes with the updated logo at a workshop in the French city of Toulouse.

"Here's the first look of the majestic A350 in our new livery at the paint shop in Toulouse. Our A350s start coming home this winter," Air India posted on the X platform.

The old logo of a red swan with orange spokes was replaced with The Vista, as the new Air India new logo is called, flaunts a combination of gold, red, and aubergine. Air India, which was acquired by Tata Sons in January last year, reportedly spent $400 million to incorporate the new look in its fleet.

Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & MD, earlier said that all Air India planes will get the new logo by 2025.

Here's the first look of the majestic A350 in our new livery at the paint shop in Toulouse. Our A350s start coming home this winter... @Airbus #FlyAI #AirIndia #NewFleet #Airbus350 pic.twitter.com/nGe3hIExsx  Air India (@airindia) October 6, 2023

The new look was unveiled a day after Air India said it has commissioned a 54,000 sqft centralised warehouse facility near Air India's aircraft hangars at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport. The facility, which can store more than 10 lakh engineering spares for aircraft maintenance, is expected to improve the turnaround time of flights operating out of Delhi.



"This facility will not only boost Air India's fleet and operational efficiency but will also strengthen India's aviation ecosystem. The warehouse will offer us more proximate access to and better control over our aircraft spares enabling us to meet any engineering requirement promptly -- leading to improved punctuality of flights," PTI quoted Wilson as saying.

On September 29, Air India announced that it concluded the acquisition of its first A350 plane, The Week had reported. It was part of Air Indias record order for 470 planes placed back in June. The first of Air Indias six Airbus A350-900 is expected to arrive in India by the end of this year, with the remaining aircraft scheduled for deliveries through March 2024.
Key Insights

Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Ford Motor's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions

A total of 25 investors have a majority stake in the company with 43% ownership

Ownership research along with analyst forecasts data help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock

Every investor in Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are institutions with 58% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Institutional investors was the group most impacted after the company's market cap fell to US$48b last week. However, the 8.1% one-year returns may have helped alleviate their overall losses. They should, however, be mindful of further losses in the future.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Ford Motor.

See our latest analysis for Ford Motor

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Ford Motor?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Ford Motor. 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. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Ford Motor, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Ford Motor is not owned by hedge funds. The company's largest shareholder is The Vanguard Group, Inc., with ownership of 8.5%. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 7.6% and 7.2%, of the shares outstanding, respectively.

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On studying our ownership data, we found that 25 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest.

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. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Insider Ownership Of Ford Motor

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.

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 Ford Motor Company. Insiders own US$609m worth of shares (at current prices). Most would say this shows a good alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 41% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Ford Motor (of which 1 is significant!) you should know about.

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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India stands in solidarity with Israel where at least 22 people were killed in a surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza.

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour, Modi said in a post on X.

Hamas launched the attack on Saturday morning, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare "war". Israel's national rescue service said hundreds of others have been wounded in the military incursion.

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours, Netanyahu told his countrymen in a televised address.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said more than 2,200 rockets have been fired into Israel since 6:30 am.
The Delhi Police's probe into operations of NewsClick, the online portal accused of being linked to Chinese entities, has reached Kerala too. A team of the Delhi Police on Friday raided the residence of former NewsClick employee Anusha Paul in Pathanamthitta district.

A three-member team recorded her statement and also seized her mobile phone and laptop, according to reports. Anusha, who worked as videographer with NewsClick, has also been asked to return to Delhi and appear before the police as soon as possible. She was visiting her maternal home in Kodumon in Kerala.

Speaking to reporters later, Anusha said she was also questioned about her ties with the CPI(M). She said that the Delhi Police asked her whether she knows the Delhi state secretary of the CPI(M), K.M. Tiwari. Anusha, a state committee member of the Delhi unit of the DYFI, called the raids a witch-hunt against journalists who had raised their voice against the Narendra Modi-led government.

According to reports, Anusha was asked a range of questions on her work on the farmers' protests, anti-NRC and CAA protests, and Covid-19 management of the Modi government.

According to the Delhi Police's FIR against NewsClick, a large amount of money came in from China and paid news were intentionally peddled. The portal's founder Prabir Purkayastha and human resources head Amit Chakravarthy were arrested in the case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA.

...paid news were intentionally peddled, criticising domestic policies, development projects of India and promoting, projecting and defending policies and programmes of the Chinese government," the FIR stated.

The Delhi Police on Tuesday raided over 80 locations in the Delhi in connection with the case. A total of 46 journalists and contributors to the NewsClick were questioned on Tuesday and their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets were seized.
The Indian Parliament was relocated to the swanky new complex on September 19 from the colonial-era building built in 1921. The old Parliament building, which was opened on January 19, 1927, will now be known as Sanvidhan Sabha. The historic building of architectural marvel will continue to be remembered as an icon of Indias chequered history and parliamentary polity.

What would be conspicuously missing in the new Parliament building, besides other memorabilia, is the grandeur of the Central Hall, a mute testimony to Indias pulsating democracy, where the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru made his famous Tryst with Destiny speech on the eve of transfer of power from the British. Originally designed as the Reading Room of the Library of the Central Legislature, the Central Hall was redesigned in 1946 for the purpose of the Constituent Assembly which met there from December 9, 1946 to January 24, 1950.

The Central Hall has been used to enable President of India to address the members of Parliament, belonging to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at the commencement of the Lok Sabha after the general elections and also at the beginning of the first session of the year, besides the joint sittings of the two Houses when needed. It is an icon of solemnity and a melting pot of Indias plurality exuding bonhomie and camaraderie in Indias political spectrum.

Who could forget the time when the Central Hall hosted the members belonging varying political persuasion with open arms; where MPs relaxed and unwinded after heated debates in the House, over a cup of filtered coffee from the Coffee Board or steaming hot tea from the Tea Board, or a sandwich or simply a frugal khichdi or dahibhat from the adjacent cafeteria. The Central Hall was a level-playing field and a meeting point of MPs, ministers and even senior journalists.

The Central Hall also hosted world leaders including heads of state and government since 1953. These events carried a lot of symbolic significance and recognition besides enabling the Members of Parliament to listen to world leaders in person. Richard Nixon, then Vice-President of USA, was the first to be accorded this honour way back in 1953. US President Barack Obama was the last foreign dignitary who addressed the members of Parliament in 2010, when he urged India to engage East. Other American statesman who have been accorded this honour include Dwight D. Eisenhower (1959), Jimmy Carter (1978) and Bill Clinton (2000).

Russian leaders have also earned this privilege in equal numbers starting from Marshal Bulganin in 1955 to Vladimir Putin in 2002. In between, Russian leaders who had the distinction of addressing the members of Parliament include Nikita Khrushchev (1960), Aleksey Kosygin (1979), and Boris Yelstin (1992).

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe conceptualised his idea of confluence of the seas, suggesting the seamless connect between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans in the Central Hall while addressing the lawmakers. Even Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai was extended this honour in 1953 during the Panchsheel era.

UK Prime Ministers who addressed the Indian legislators in the Central Hall include Sir Anthony Eden (1955), James Callaghan (1978) and Margaret Thatcher (1981).

Other world leaders who had addressed the Parliament in the Central Hall include Yugoslavia President Josip Broz Tito, (1959), Egyptian Premier Gamel Abdel Nasser (1955), Zambian President Dr Keneth Kaunda (1967) and Pan Van Dong, the Prime Minister of Socialist Republic of Vietnam (1978).

Like the governments tradition of inviting a chief guest for the Republic Day parade, the practice of inviting the heads of the state or the government to address the Parliament has been an important tool of diplomatic and strategic significance. The government should consider continuing the practice as the Lok Sabha Chamber in the new complex is spacious enough to accommodate both the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

It is understood that the practice of floral tributes to national leaders continue in the Central Hall even after relocation of the Parliament to the new building. The new Parliament building may have its sheen and glitter, but it lacks the grandeur and majesty of old Parliament's Central Hall. The Central Hall should be a continuum of the old and the new.

The writer is a former joint secretary of the Lok Sabha Secretariat and a former senior fellow of Indian Council of Social Science Research.

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.
A strong earthquake of 6.3 magnitude had hit western Afghanistan on Saturday claiming at least 15 lives. Reportedly, at least five powerful earthquakes struck the city around noon. Initial reports said that over 40 were injured after roofs and walls collapsed in many quake-affected areas. Authorities also said that the toll is likely to rise.

The United States Geological Survey reported that the epicentre of the quake was 40 km northwest of Herat province and was followed by an aftershock with a 5.5 magnitude.

A map posted on the USGS website indicates seven earthquakes in the region, including a magnitude 5.9 earthquake 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) north-northwest of Herat, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake 33 kilometres (20.5 miles) north-northeast of Zindah Jan and another 6.3 magnitude earthquake 29 kilometres (18 miles) north-northeast Zindah Jan, which is about 43 kilometres (26 miles) west of Herat city.

Telephone connections were down, causing difficulties in obtaining precise details from the impacted areas. Videos that went viral on the social media showed hundreds of people in the streets outside their homes and offices in Herat city.

Authorities are trying to assess the damage and rescue operations are ongoing in the quake-affected areas.

Afghanistan was hit with one of the deadliest quakes in June last year killing at least 1,000 people and injuring hundreds.
It may not be all smooth sailing for India in the Maldives. The Maldives President-elect Mohamed Muizzu has set the cat amongst pigeons by raising the issue of Indian debt as well as removing Indian military presence in Male as issues he will work towards. This is likely to be a prickly issue. But so far, India is playing a wait-and-watch.



Instead of tackling the issue head on, the ministry of external affairs has chosen to focus on the bigger picture. Asked about the plans to remove Indian troops from Male, the spokesperson of the MEA, sidestepped the question. All I would say the focus of our partnership with the Maldives has always been on capacity building and working together to address our shared challenges and priorities, including security challenges and priorities, he said. As neighbours, we need to collaborate closely to address these challenges confronting our region, such as transnational crimes and humanitarian and disaster relief situations. We look forward to engaging with the new administration in Maldives on all these issues.

The tensions between India and China have been played out in Maldives for a while. And with Muizzus winningwho has been a vocal supporter of protecting the sovereignty of Maldiveskeeping the balance in the relationship will require skill. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first leader to congratulate the President-elect pointed out Bagchi. The Indian High Commissioner also called on the President-elect. He had a good discussion on various aspects of our bilateral partnership, including development cooperation, said Bagchi.

Choosing to keep the larger aspects of the relationship in focus, India has certainly taken away from the immediate trigger of the troops. The relationship India has with the island country goes beyond just the strategic, there is a lot more on offer. For a while, India has chosen to focus on bonds that last with Maldives by focusing on capacity building. It is these bonds that India will choose to highlight.

In the read-out issued by the President-elect's office, Muizzu may have chosen to bring up sovereignty, but he also hoped to enhance the age-old special bond between Maldives and India to new heights, a signal that Maldives was keen on relations with India. New Delhi too is aware of the sensitivities. The Indian High Commissioner responded by reaffirming Indias commitment to enhancing Maldives-India relations and to providing full support and cooperation in fulfilling Maldives developmental needs. He provided assurance India will fully respect Maldives 'independence and sovereignty', the read-out said.
Warning sirens were sounded across Israel as the Hamas militant group launched a surprise military operation firing 5,000 rockets on the country during the early hours of Saturday. Israeli defence forces have advised residents near the Gaza Strip to stay within their homes.



Calling the operation Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, Hamas military wing has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas military wing al-Qassam Brigades said they have launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and they have decided to say, enough is enough. Al Jazeera reported that the rocket fire began at around 6.30am local time from multiple locations in Gaza.

Deif said, We have already warned the enemy before. The occupation committed hundreds of massacres against civilians. Hundreds of martyrs and wounded died this year due to the crimes of the occupation, Al Jazeera reported.

We announce that the first strike, which targeted enemy positions, airports, and military fortifications, exceeded 5,000 missiles and shells, the publication reported quoting Deif.

The Israeli defense forces tweeted, Israelis across the countryon Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torahwoke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning. We will defend ourselves. Israels military said it is striking targets in Gaza Strip and Israel has reportedly announced a state of war. Israeli defence minister has approved call-up of reservists.
After the surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza, Israel launched a counterattack with its fighter jets targeting the city of Gaza. World leaders had condemned the attack and called for peace. Meanwhile, the Israels national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and over 700 were injured in the attack.

Reportedly, Palestinian militants are holding Israelis hostages in the southern town of Ofakim. Hamas and Islamic Jihad had claimed of holding Israeli soldiers hostages as well.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the beginning of the cabinet meeting said that the focus presently is to clear the impacted areas of militant attack and restore security.

I call on all of Israels citizens to unite, said Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, at least 160 Palestinians have been killed in the counterattack, reported Al Jazeera.

World leaders calls for peace

Many countries including the United States, India, United Kingdom, France, Egypt and Spain extended support to Israel.

United States White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that Washington condemns the attack and extends condolences. "The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks."

United Kingdom also condemned the attack. "The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself," UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly posted on social media.

France also expressed its solidarity with Israel and the victims of these attacks. France "expresses its full solidarity with Israel and the victims of these attacks. It reaffirms its absolute rejection of terrorism and its commitment to Israel's security" said the French foreign ministry.

"I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks against Israel from Gaza. Violence and rockets against innocent civilians must stop now. We stand in full solidarity with Israel and its right under international law to defend itself against terror," said German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock.

Meanwhile Iran backed the Palestinian attack. Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei supported the Palestinian attack on Israel. "We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem," Rahim Safavi was quoted by ISNA news agency.

Also, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that his people have the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops".

Consul General of Israel Kobbi Shoshani said that since 1973 he havent seen such an attack against Israel. Right now our mission is first of all to bring peace to the southern part of Israel, to the citizens...This is something that is very sad and it's very, very sensitive...Definitely, such an attack is not something that you can do alone...We are not searching for another war and we don't have anything against the people of Gaza...Hamas declared the war and Hamas will pay the price, Shoshani was quoted by ANI.
After videos of a loud blast being heard in Pakistan's Punjab province, rumours started making rounds on X platform that the incident took place near a 'nuclear research site'.

Some social media posts even alleged that a Shaheen missile test had gone wrong. However, the local administration has ruled out any such incidents, according to Pakistani media.



The incident occurred in Dera Ghazi Khan district in southwestern Punjab on Friday afternoon. Dera Ghazi Khan houses a uranium exploration facility and the country's largest nuclear center is also located there.

Reports claimed that the blast was heard as far as 25 km from the city. The district administration ruled out any terrorism links in the so-called explosion and claimed it was a sonic boom, reported Pakistan-based Dawn.

Massive explosion being reported in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab. Developing. pic.twitter.com/sGXjMzhmOZ  FJ (@Natsecjeff) October 6, 2023

Viral videos on social media showed local residents evacuating from the site as rescue personnel reached the area.



In a video uploaded on the Facebook page of Dera Ghazi Khan Times, the district's Commissioner Nasir Mahmood Bashir said the noise was likely caused by the PAF fighter jets "breaking the sound barrier."

Ruling out rumours about bomb explosions, Bashir said, Concerned departments have said that no such incident took place in DG Khan or adjoining areas.

Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioners spokesperson Mazhar Sheerani also ruled out vandalism, accident or damage, citing government departments and witnesses and revealed that there was no loss of life or property.
Dismissing the possibility of an international probe into the 2019 Easter terror attacks, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has reiterated that such an investigation into the incident was not permissible under the country's law.



Responding to Sunday's editorial in the Catholic Church's Messenger newspaper titled An international investigation team is needed for an independent, transparent, and thorough investigation and monitoring, the President's Media Division (PMD) said, "We cannot endorse the idea of international investigations into Sri Lanka's internal matters. The Constitution of Sri Lanka and all other existing laws do not provide for conducting international investigations. Consequently, carrying out such investigations would be in violation of the law," a press release by the PMD said on Friday.

Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians, and injuring over 500.

The issue of the Easter attacks and its political undertone resurfaced in early September when the UK's Channel 4 television station aired a documentary titled Sri Lanka's Easter Bombings - Dispatches', alleging the involvement and complicity of certain government officials, including intelligence service chief Major General Suresh Sallay, in orchestrating the 2019 Easter suicide bombings. It called the attacks a "crafted act aimed at forcing a political change in favour of the then-powerful Rajapaksa brothers.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced his candidature three days after the attacks and was elected president seven months later. His elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was also the country's former president and prime minister. Both Rajapaksa brothers were forced to resign last year amidst the unprecedented economic crisis in the island nation.

The Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles, spoke to the Catholic Bishops Conference on Thursday and was informed that the Rev Father Harold Anthony was in the process of studying a voluminous presidential commission report on the Easter attack investigation that had been delivered to him in April, the press release said. It added that Wickremesinghe would meet the Catholic Bishops conference after they study the report.

During a fiery interview with the German state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) against the backdrop of Channel 4's allegations last week, Wickremesinghe dismissed the Channel 4 revelations and said that Sri Lanka will not have any international inquiry into the Easter blasts. "It is out," he said. "The Sri Lankan government does not have international investigations. Full stop. Few people may want (it), but the Parliament doesn't," he said.

A prime panel headed by retired Supreme Court Justice S.I. Imam was appointed by Wickremesinghe to investigate the British channel's allegations. The Opposition, however, blames the president for going back on his earlier pledge to let Scotland Yard investigate the 2019 attacks.

They claim that Wickremesinghe is reliant on the support of the Rajapaksas to remain the president and, therefore, would not initiate an inquiry which could expose those behind the attacks.

The attacks led to a significant political change in Sri Lanka. It has emerged that the then authorities had ignored prior intelligence on the attack by Indian intelligence agencies.


We are at war and we will win, said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he declared a 'state of war' in response to a surprise rocket attack by Palestine's Hamas militants and retaliated with air strikes on Gaza strip.



Our enemy will receive a response that it has never known, said Netanyahu hours after the attack. Following this, India issued advisory for its citizens in Israel and asked them to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

According to Israel national rescue service, at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds were injured. The Soroka Medical Centre in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba said it is treating at least 280 casualties.

Launching Operation Iron Swords to retaliate, the IDF said it is initiating a large-scale operation to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched against Israel by Hamas this morning. The Israeli military has instructed residents of towns near the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes, and the rest of the public to remain near bomb shelters.

Meanwhile, India expressed its shock over the attacks and extended its support to Israel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that "We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour."

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 7, 2023

Speaking about Operation Iron Swords, Israel's Ambassador to India Naor Gilon told ANI, "Israel is currently fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi-pronged Palestinian terror attacks. These attacks which were launched early this morning by Hamas on our civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of the south and central Israel are war crimes.

The cowardly actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children and elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians and firing indiscriminately over 2,000 missiles and rockets at our cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, he added. Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists and will take any and all actions to protect our citizens. We appreciate the support of the people of India as we stand firm in the face of terrorism."

Following the attacks, Ha'aretz quoted Mohammed Deif, the Head of Hamas' military wing as saying, "We warned the enemy not to continue its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He added that this is only the first stage" of Hamas' renewed efforts against Israel.
U.S. to launch first mission to explore metal-rich asteroid

Xinhua) 09:10, October 07, 2023

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- NASA is scheduled to launch its Psyche mission next week, the first-ever mission to study a metal-rich asteroid.

Psyche aims to help scientists learn more about the formation of rocky bodies in the solar system, said NASA.

The Psyche spacecraft is slated to launch next Thursday, Oct. 12, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will travel 2.2 billion miles to a metal-rich asteroid in the far reaches of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The spacecraft has three science instruments to investigate the asteroid, including the magnetometer that will look for evidence of an ancient magnetic field at Psyche; the gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer that will help determine the chemical elements that make up the asteroid; and the multispectral imager that will provide information about the mineral composition and topography of Psyche.

Once the spacecraft reaches Psyche in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, it will spend about 26 months orbiting the asteroid, gathering images and other data that will tell scientists more about its history and what it is made of, according to NASA.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
For many, the main point of investing is to generate higher returns than the overall market. But every investor is virtually certain to have both over-performing and under-performing stocks. At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESRT), since the last five years saw the share price fall 52%. Unfortunately the share price momentum is still quite negative, with prices down 15% in thirty days.

If the past week is anything to go by, investor sentiment for Empire State Realty Trust isn't positive, so let's see if there's a mismatch between fundamentals and the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Empire State Realty Trust

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

Looking back five years, both Empire State Realty Trust's share price and EPS declined; the latter at a rate of 5.7% per year. This reduction in EPS is less than the 14% annual reduction in the share price. This implies that the market was previously too optimistic about the stock.

The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

We know that Empire State Realty Trust has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? You could check out this free report showing analyst revenue forecasts.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Empire State Realty Trust the TSR over the last 5 years was -47%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that Empire State Realty Trust shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 20% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. That certainly beats the loss of about 8% per year over the last half decade. The long term loss makes us cautious, but the short term TSR gain certainly hints at a brighter future. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Empire State Realty Trust better, we need to consider many other factors. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for Empire State Realty Trust (2 don't sit too well with us) that you should be aware of.

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges.

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.
What is common to Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, the light rail transit system in Mauritius and the Abu Dhabi International Airport Complex? They were all built by Larsen & Toubro.

Founded in 1938 by Danish engineers Henning Holck-Larsen and Soren Kristian Toubro in Mumbai, the company made its name in the engineering and construction space building landmark projects like bridges, airports, nuclear plants, factories, metro rail systems, defence installations, defence vessels, hydroelectric projects among many other things.

On track: The light rail transit system built by L&T in Mauritius.

Though the engineers from Copenhagen laid the foundation of the company, the credit for what L&T is today goes to the Navsari-born Anil Manibhai Naik. He joined L&T in 1965 as a junior engineer and, after 58 years, stepped down as the groups chairman on October 1.

Naiks father was a schoolteacher, who left Bombay for his village in Gujarat in 1952. After earning a degree from Birla Vishvakarma Mahavidyalaya Engineering College in Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand, Naik joined Nestor Boilers, but soon left it for L&T. My dream was to go to L&T and serve the nation. L&T was the only platform, and today also is the only platform, which can serve our country, he said in an exclusive interview.

L&T founders Henning Holck-Larsen and Soren Kristian Toubro | L&T photo Archives

Naiks dedication and hard work saw him rise quickly in the company. He did not take a day off for 21 years, and used to sleep on his office desk frequently. He was appointed the CEO in 1999 and chairman four years later. Under him, L&T grew into an engineering and construction power house. Along the way, it also expanded into areas as diverse as information technology, financial services and real estate. Naik has been instrumental in making L&T what it is today, a nimble-footed tech-driven engineering and solutions conglomerate, said S.N. Subrahmanyan, who succeeded Naik as L&Ts chairman and CEO.

And Naik could connect the vision for the industry, the long-term strategy and short-term tactics with seamless ease. He brought the spirit of entrepreneurship into the mindset of professional managers within L&T, said R. Shankar Raman, chief financial officer of L&T.

Big family: A.M. Naik and wife, Geeta, at the annual general meeting of L&T in Mumbai in August | PTI

But, it has not always been smooth sailing for Naik. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he had to resist hostile takeover attempts by the Ambanis and the Birlas. Naik rarely talks about it, but he succeeded in keeping L&T independent. To me, L&T is like a temple, and I consider myself its keeper. If anyone tries to take over L&T, I am like a wounded tiger. I will do everything within my power to ensure that L&T stays independent and adheres to the highest standards of governance, Naik told Minhaz Merchant, who wrote the book, The Nationalist (published by HarperCollins), about him.

Naik had a knack for turning crises into opportunities. When the companys captive IT services business was plagued by high attrition, he converted it to an IT services provider, L&T Infotech. Over the years, the company expanded to overseas markets, securing clients such as Motorola and Chevron. In 2019, L&T acquired Mindtree to become the sixth largest IT company in India.

But, Naiks standout achievement could be L&Ts manufacturing complex in Hazira, Gujarat. L&T bought the saline wasteland and the initial investment at Hazira was Rs42 crore, mentions Merchants book. Now the Hazira campus, or the A.M. Naik Heavy Engineering Complex, is a multi-facility manufacturing campus for heavy engineering, defence, shipbuilding and power equipment.

Another of his big contributions was, perhaps, bringing in meritocracy at L&T. Earlier, promotions were entirely based on the years of service. Naik himself got a promotion only after 12 years. Now merit is the only key metric.

Even as L&T was spreading its wings across sectors, the engineering, construction and contracts (ECC) business remained at the heart of the company, and Naiks impact is visible the most here. He restructured the business, separating the heavy civil engineering business into one division and building factories into another. He decided not to take up projects that are less than Rs25 crore. As projects got bigger and bigger, it now does not do projects less than Rs1,000 crore.

The tremendous growth under Naik reflects on L&Ts financials. Between 1999 and 2023, its revenue rose from Rs5,000 crore to around Rs1.83 lakh crore. One aspect that makes Naik all the more special is his ability to visualise the future and plan for it well ahead. L&Ts evolution and staying relevant can be largely attributed to this quality of Naik, said Subrahmanyan.

Naik groomed Subrahmanyan for more than a decade, and was proud that it was one of the smoothest transitions of power in a publicly held company. He kept away his family from the business, said Merchant. There is no dynastic thing going on like we see in other companies. He could not only have become a promoter, but also promoted his family to positions of power. But, it is a completely professional succession, said Merchant.

And Naik is happy man. Why am I happy? Because the leader L&T has will take the company forward, he said.

Naik dedicated his life to L&T, but he was clear that he will not own it. When the Birlas sold the stake Grasim owned in L&T, an employees trust was created to hold the shares. L&T Employees Trust now holds around 14 per cent, and is the largest shareholder in the company.

Naik spent a lot of time with employees on the shop floor, and that helped him build excellent relations with union leaders. Merchant has quoted Shailendra Roy, a former director on the board of L&T, in his book as: Trade union leaders and workers always recognised Naik as a fair person and held him in high regard. This quality helped him negotiate and settle their charter of demands successfully over the years.

Naik is not hanging up his boots just yet. He will remain the chairman of L&T Employees Trust, and the IT and technology subsidiaries for another year. He is also mentoring a clutch of future leaders in the 35 to 42 age group. They should be ready to take up leadership roles by 2032. Mentoring is a big thing I do. Right now I am mentoring 40 people as a part of creating future leaders, he said.

The leadership development involves a management education programme in association with IIM Ahmedabad, a global leadership development programme at Ross School of Business, Michigan, a programme in association with INSEAD Asia campus in Singapore, and a global CEO programme with Harvard Business School.

In the past few years, Naik has also been devoting a lot of time to philanthropy. He pledged 75 per cent of his income to charity, setting up the Naik Charitable Trust, which focuses on education and skill building, and Nirali Memorial Medical Trust, which focuses on providing health care facilities. The Nirali Memorial Medical Trust is named after his granddaughter whom he lost to cancer at two. Naik turned his personal loss into a philanthropic goal. The trust runs several facilities, including a multi-specialty health care facility in Mumbai, a radiation centre in Surat, and a health campus in Navsari, which has a state-of-the-art cancer care centre and a multi-speciality hospital.

He was ahead of the times in philanthropy and generosity as well, giving 75 per cent of his wealth to charity, said Merchant. His contribution to building a school and hospitals is extraordinary and predates the philanthropic work of many others.

My life and legacy are L&T, Naik wrote in his letter to shareholders this year. And he was happy and content that he was leaving it in capable hands to continue its exemplary record of service to the nation and society.

The famous Raj Kapoor number Jeena yahan, marna yahan, iske siva jaana kahan is Naiks favourite song. Nothing sums up more aptly his legacy and his sense of belonging at L&T.
Jammu, Oct 6 (PTI) In a groundbreaking discovery, a rare mushroom variety was discovered in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district by a botanist.

Professor Faisal Mushtaq Kichloo, head of the Department of Botany at Government Degree College Kishtwar, has brought to light an extremely rare and unique mushroom genus, marking its first-ever report in India, an official spokesman said on Friday.

The findings, confirmed by a scientist from New Zealand and published in a renowned international research journal, unveiled a novel addition to the mycological landscape of the region.

Kichloo's relentless pursuit of knowledge in the realm of wild mushrooms has yielded an unprecedented find -- a mushroom Taxa previously unknown to India, the spokesperson said.

"The discovery was made in one of the most remote areas of district Kishtwar, highlighting the ecological richness of the region," he said.

The significance of this discovery resonates globally, as it was reported in an esteemed international research journal. The publication of the manuscript faced an unforeseen delay due to the sudden demise of the Editor in Chief, Lorelei Norwell of Mycotaxon, based in the US, in August 2023.

The identification of this unique mushroom genus was accomplished through meticulous morpho-microscopic characterisation, complemented by Molecular Phylogeny, the spokesperson said.

The research was conducted at a reputed research institute in India, contributing to the scientific understanding of this newfound species.

The manuscript, authored by Kichloo, also boasts the collaboration of a distinguished co-author, currently serving as the Principal Scientist at the Botanical Survey of India. This collaborative effort enhances the credibility and depth of the research findings.

The discovery not only adds to the biodiversity archives of district Kishtwar but also underscores the importance of ongoing research efforts in understanding and conserving our natural heritage.
Kochi, Oct 6 (PTI) A district-level meeting convened on Friday decided to form a technical committee to study the alleged gas leak from an LPG terminal at Puthuvype, operated by the Indian Oil Corporation.

A few locals living nearby were hospitalised on October 4 due to physical discomfort following a suspected leak from the terminal.

Police said Mercaptan, which is used to mix with LPG at the plant for identifying leakages, was suspected to have leaked.

The alleged incident occurred between 6 pm and 9 pm, the police said, adding that the leakage was stopped immediately.

In the meeting attended by MLA KN Unnnikrishnan and District Collector NSK Umesh, it was decided that an expert panel will be formed to study the issue.

The district medical officer, Indian Oil Corporation representative, the factory and boilers department joint director and the chemical inspector, Pollution Control Board member, the district hazard analyst, three independent chemical engineers and others have been included in the panel, the district authorities said in a release.

The collector directed the panel to study the issue and submit a report within a month.

The district authorities will organise an awareness campaign at the place where the alleged leak occurred and conduct mock drills.

Representatives of residents who attended the meeting said there is no facility to deal with leakages.

The meeting also decided to strengthen the medical facilities in the nearby panchayats.
Mumbai, Oct 7 (PTI) The sequel to popular Punjabi comedy "Ni Main Sass Kuttni" will hit the theatres countrywide on March 1, 2024, the makers have announced.

"Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2" is written and directed by Mohit Banwait. It is produced by Yoodlee Films, the film studio of Saregama and Banwait Films, a press release said.

Actors Anita Devgan, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Karamjit Anmol, Nirmal Rishi, Tanvi Nagi, Akshita Sharma, Nisha Bano and Mehtab Virk are reprising their roles from the 2022 movie.

"We are delighted to carry forward the successful legacy of 'Ni Main Sass Kuttni'. And this time, the ride promises to be even more enjoyable, maintaining the trademark situational comedy that the franchise is known for. The team has ensured that the rib-tickling moments viewers will expect from this franchise are present in 'Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2'.

"This film reflects Yoodlees commitment to delivering entertaining Punjabi content which has now garnered a significant audience worldwide," said Siddharth Anand Kumar, Sr Vice President, Films and Events at Saregama India Ltd.

Banwait said "Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2" is a smartly written film that offers a funny take on traditional family values and the generation gap within joint families.

"Maintaining the momentum of success is a challenge when it comes to sequels. We are sure that with 'Ni Main Sass Kuttni -2', we will be able to strike that same humorous chord with the audience as its predecessor," he added.

The film will be distributed by Munish Sahni of Omjees Group.
New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) Designer Bibhu Mohapatra, known for dressing up famous personalities such as Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zendaya and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, will bring the curtains down at the Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) on October 15 here.

At the House of Lakme Grand Finale, the Odisha-born designer, who is now based in New York, will showcase his latest collection 'Come Home' as well as some his iconic signature pieces to chronicle the journey of his eponymous brand.

The exhibition, which is also Mohapatra's first at the fashion gala since 2012, will feature 75 looks that will create a "harmonious blend of classic and contemporary beauty and fashion."

Mohapatra said he is delighted to return to his homeland with a collection that "champions prowess of the modern Indian women".

India holds a very special place in my heart, and I am delighted to return to my homeland and bring to the Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI runway a collection that champions the prowess of the modern Indian woman. I look forward to presenting my Come Home collection drawing inspiration from the House of Lakme and its effortless amalgamation of beauty x fashion," the designer said in a statement.

Harman Dhillon, Vice President Skin Care & Color Cosmetics at Hindustan Unilever Limited, said the team is excited to pay homage to the "vibrant Indian woman" and share the evolving story of House of Lakme in collaboration with Mohapatra.

"The unparalleled range of beauty products curated for every showstopper on and off the runway, the creative energy of Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI and the indulgent Lakme salons, House of Lakme is here to deliver the experience of a lifetime, every time. In this seasons finale, we join hands with Bibhu Mohapatra for his homecoming show, to pay homage to the vibrant Indian woman and celebrate her independence, confidence and leadership," Dhillon said.

The upcoming edition of Lakme Fashion Week X FDCI is set to take place from October 11-15 at Pragati Maidan here.
Mumbai, Oct 7 (PTI) Actor-reality TV star Shehnaaz Gill, who currently stars in comedy film "Thank You For Coming", says she aspires to have a versatile filmography.

The actor, a known name in Punjabi movies, shot to fame with her stint on the 13th season of reality show Bigg Boss in 2019 and made her Bollywood debut with Salman Khans Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan earlier this year.

The 29-year-old actor said she is often approached with roles which are closer to her real self and she now wants to break the cycle.

"Dont judge a book by its cover, read me carefully. They (makers) are thinking of me in a certain way. I feel they want to show my real-self on screen but I cant be doing only this kind of role. Like, recently I heard a script, in which Im playing a beautiful girl who is an internet sensation.

"This is my reality and I want to break this notion in films. I want to do something different on screen. I would like filmmakers to take risks and present me in a different way. Im willing to do a workshop and all. I believe my talent just gives me a chance to do different things, Gill told PTI in an interview.

As an actor, she wants to develop her own process for playing a character, which includes preparation and improvisation.

"I believe actors should improvise. When you have the script, you should not learn it by heart, just understand the character, do a workshop and play the part accordingly. I want to work on my craft and analyse the script, Gill said.

Her latest release Thank You For Coming follows the story of Kanika Kapoor (Bhumi Pednekar), a single woman in her 30s, and her quest for true love and pleasure.

The coming-of-age comedy is directed by Karan Boolani from a script penned by Radhika Anand and Prashasti Singh.

The film has a crucial message regarding sex education, according to Gill.

"I believe in narrations. When I heard this script, I liked it and felt, This is something different, lets do it.' Sex education is very important. This is really very important, she added.

Actors Dolly Singh, Kusha Kapila and Shibani Bedi star in pivotal roles in the film, which hit the screens Friday.

Kapila, who previously acted in movies such as Sukhee, Selfiee, and Ghost Stories, said it was the first time she received a bound script.

Many times, when we get the film, we dont get the script. We are just called for an audition and are not told anything. There are times when you dont get to see the film before the release.

"This is the first time we were invited for a table reading and we got a bound script, so I knew what I was going to do. We would earlier get synopsis, character sketch only and nothing beyond that. So this is a milestone for me, Kapila, 34, said.

Bedi said she realised her character has an important part in the story after reading the script.

When we heard the script, we felt it was more than just a side character. Every character is important, adding something to the story and has a beautiful arc. Besides, it is really funny, the 37-year-old actor said.

Singh, 30, said she could relate to the story of "Thank You For Coming".

After giving two to four rounds of auditions, then you get an idea about the story and the character. I was like, This is so funny. When I was finalised and I got the script, which was written by two girls, it felt as if it was my story, she added.

"Thank You For Coming" is produced by Rhea Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor.
Islamabad, Oct 7 (PTI) The Pakistan government has decided to go ahead with its controversial plan to evict all illegal immigrants -- including around 1.7 million Afghan refugees-- from the country by October 31, saying that the decision was in line with international practices, according to a media report.

The move came as law enforcement agencies continued their crackdown on people they call illegal aliens, a sizeable number of families have been crossing the border into Afghanistan over the past week.

No country allows illegal people to live in their country whether it is Europe, whether it is countries in Asia, in our neighbourhood. So, accordingly, this is in line with the international practice that we have taken this decision, caretaker

Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani was quoted as saying to Hong Kong's Phoenix TV in an interview on the sidelines of a forum in Tibet.

Pakistans decision to ask illegal immigrants to leave by October 31 or face forcible expulsion from November 1 has drawn criticism, with organisations such as UNHCR and Amnesty International calling on the government to rethink its plans. The Taliban government in Kabul has also expressed its reservations over the move.

Whenever there was any problem, people would immigrate to Pakistan, take refuge in Pakistan, Jilani said.

But now I think it has been more than 40 years, so the government of Pakistan has taken a decision, he said, noting that the situation in Afghanistan had stabilised.

The caretaker foreign minister said Pakistan had been discussing the migrant issue with Afghanistan for a very long time and called on international humanitarian agencies to help with the process.

Separately, speaking to reporters on Friday evening, caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi called on all foreign nationals illegally residing in Punjab to depart voluntarily, saying that provincial authorities had collected initial data on foreign residents.

He was stern in his warning, saying that any foreigner found staying unlawfully in the province would not be permitted to remain, and stressed that illegal immigrants should leave Punjab of their own accord. In case they didnt, he cautioned, a comprehensive crackdown would ensue.

However, the caretaker Punjab Chief Minister assured that no one would be abused in this process.

Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the expulsion plan would be carried out in phases, according to Dawn.
Colombo, Oct 7 (PTI) Dismissing the possibility of an international probe into the 2019 Easter terror attacks, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has reiterated that such an investigation into the incident was not permissible under the country's law.

Responding to Sunday's editorial in the Catholic Church's Messenger newspaper titled An international investigation team is needed for an independent, transparent, and thorough investigation and monitoring, the President's Media Division (PMD) said, "We cannot endorse the idea of international investigations into Sri Lankas internal matters."

"The Constitution of Sri Lanka and all other existing laws do not provide for conducting international investigations. Consequently, carrying out such investigations would be in violation of the law," a press release by the PMD said on Friday.

Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians, and injuring over 500.

The issue of the Easter attacks and its political undertone resurfaced in early September when the UKs Channel 4 television station aired a documentary titled Sri Lankas Easter Bombings - Dispatches, alleging the involvement and complicity of certain government officials, including intelligence service chief Major General Suresh Sallay, in orchestrating the 2019 Easter suicide bombings.

It called the attacks a "crafted act aimed at forcing a political change in favour of the then-powerful Rajapaksa brothers.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced his candidature three days after the attacks and was elected president seven months later. His elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was also the country's former president and prime minister. Both Rajapaksa brothers were forced to resign last year amidst the unprecedented economic crisis in the island nation.

The Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles, spoke to the Catholic Bishops Conference on Thursday and was informed that the Rev. Father Harold Anthony was in the process of studying a voluminous presidential commission report on the Easter attack investigation that had been delivered to him in April, the press release said. It added that Wickremesinghe would meet the Catholic Bishops conference after they study the report.

During a fiery interview with the German state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) against the backdrop of Channel 4's allegations last week, Wickremesinghe dismissed the Channel 4 revelations and said that Sri Lanka will not have any international inquiry into the Easter blasts. "It is out," he said.

"The Sri Lankan government does not have international investigations. Full stop. Few people may want (it), but the Parliament doesn't," he said.

A prime panel headed by retired Supreme Court Justice S I Imam was appointed by Wickremesinghe to investigate the British channel's allegations.

The Opposition, however, blames the president for going back on his earlier pledge to let Scotland Yard investigate the 2019 attacks.

They claim that Wickremesinghe is reliant on the support of the Rajapaksas to remain the president and, therefore, would not initiate an inquiry which could expose those behind the attacks.

The attacks led to a significant political change in Sri Lanka. It has emerged that the then authorities had ignored prior intelligence on the attack by Indian intelligence agencies.
Jerusalem, Oct 7 (PTI) In one the biggest escalation in recent times, Israel on Saturday morning declared a state of readiness for war, amid a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration into its southern area, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others.

Islamic faction Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, claimed it had launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning barrage called, Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, following an operational situation assessment Saturday morning warned that the Hamas [terrorist organisation] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel".

"IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions", he added.

"The State of Israel will win this war, he asserted.

In a statement, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) said that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi is holding an assessment and approving plans of action.

The IDF declares a state of readiness for war. Hamas which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events, the statement from the Israeli army said.

Rescue and relief services, Magen David Adom, said that one person has been killed and another 16 are wounded in the rocket attacks on southern and central Israel this morning.

A woman in her 60s was killed in a direct rocket hit in the southern Gderot area.

Another two people are said to be seriously wounded, six moderately and seven with minor injuries, the medics of the rescue services said.

IDF warned that the Hamas terror group will pay a very heavy price for its surprise attack this morning.

Hamas carried out a combined operation that included firing rockets and a terrorist infiltration into the territory of the State of Israel, the Israeli army said.

The IDF will protect the residents of the State of Israel, the Hamas terror organisation will pay a very heavy price, it added.

The Head of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, in a statement, said "We warned the enemy not to continue its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Haaretz online reported.

This is only the first stage" of Hamas' renewed efforts against Israel, he said.

Deif urged Arabs in Jerusalem and inside Israel, in the Negev, the Galilee and northern Israel to join the "revolution" and set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers.

Deif also called upon the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to merge their resistance with that of the Palestinians" and start marching towards Palestine now.

Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas, who is considered to be its leader in the West Bank, issued a similar statement calling on the Arab and Islamic nations to join Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

The Israeli military has issued instructions to the residents of towns near the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes, and the rest of the public to remain near bomb shelters.

Unverified footage from the Gaza Strip purports to show Hamas terrorists with the body of an IDF soldier taken from Israel during the attack this morning, the Times of Israel newspaper reported.

The graphic videos show the body being taken out of a truck, as a crowd swarms around it, it reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on his way to the Defence Ministry Headquarters in order to conduct a security assessment with the participation of all of the heads of the security establishment, a statement from the PMO said.
London, Oct 7 (PTI) British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he hopes to see a de-escalation of the India-Canada diplomatic row in a call with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau, which was dominated by the standoff over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in June.

According to a Downing Street statement, the British Indian leader spoke to Trudeau on Friday evening during which he was updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India. Both leaders agreed to stay in contact as Sunak reaffirmed the UK position of respect for the rule of law after Canadas allegation of Indian involvement in the killing of a pro-Khalistan wanted terrorist.

Prime Minister Trudeau updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India, reads the Downing Street statement.

The Prime Minister [Sunak] reaffirmed the UKs position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He hoped to see a de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps, it said.

The call comes in the wake of Trudeaus statement in the Canadian Parliament last month that its security forces were "actively pursuing credible allegations" linking Indian government agents to the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June, an allegation strongly rejected by the India as absurd and motivated.

It comes in the days after the fallout of that diplomatic row resonated in the UK when Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami was blocked from a planned visit to Glasgow Gurdwara in Scotland last week by pro-Khalistan extremists.

Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami, 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, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK Foreign Office minister for Indo-Pacific wrote on X.

In recent developments, the Ministry External Affairs (MEA) said it has been coordinating with its mission in Ottawa and consulates in other Canadian cities over safety concerns.

We have been taking up concerns of security of our diplomats and premises from people there who are wanted by our security and our judicial systems, and we will continue to do that as that is a continued conversation. The issue is about security, and our diplomats are safe and the community is not targeted, said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi.
The main aim of stock picking is to find the market-beating stocks. But even the best stock picker will only win with some selections. At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Wee Hur Holdings Ltd. (SGX:E3B), since the last five years saw the share price fall 19%.

With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.

View our latest analysis for Wee Hur Holdings

While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

Wee Hur Holdings has made a profit in the past. However, it made a loss in the last twelve months, suggesting profit may be an unreliable metric at this stage. Other metrics may better explain the share price move.

It could be that the revenue decline of 5.2% per year is viewed as evidence that Wee Hur Holdings is shrinking. This has probably encouraged some shareholders to sell down the stock.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. We note that for Wee Hur Holdings the TSR over the last 5 years was -5.8%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

Wee Hur Holdings shareholders are down 8.4% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 2.5%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 1.1% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Wee Hur Holdings (2 shouldn't be ignored) that you should be aware of.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Singaporean exchanges.

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.
Islamabad, Oct 7 (AP) Forcibly deporting Afghans from Pakistan could lead to severe human rights violations including the separation of families and deportation of minors, the United Nations warned Saturday.

Pakistan recently announced a crackdown on migrants living in the country illegally, including 1.7 million Afghans, telling them to return to their home countries by October 31 to avoid mass arrest and expulsion.

The government denies targeting Afghans and says the focus is on people who are in the country illegally, regardless of their nationality. It said it is setting up a hotline and offering rewards to people who tip off authorities about such migrants.

The UN agencies said Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis with several rights challenges, particularly for women and girls, who are banned by the Taliban from education beyond sixth grade, most public spaces and many jobs.

Such plans would have serious implications for all who have been forced to leave the country and may face serious protection risks upon return, it said, referring to Pakistan's crackdown.

They acknowledged Pakistan's sovereign prerogative over domestic policies and said they are ready to help register and manage Afghan nationals, including those who may be in need of international protection.

The International Organisation for Migration and UN Refugee Agency called on countries to suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals and ensure any possible returns to the country take place in a safe, dignified and voluntary manner.

Landlords and real estate owners in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, have received notices telling them to evict illegal Afghans and their families by the end of the month or face action.

Police have asked clerics in some of the city's mosques to tell worshippers of their duty to inform on Afghans in their neighbourhoods.

The information minister in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan, Jan Achakzai, said hundreds of Afghan families have voluntarily left the country and crossed the border since the announcement. Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including Afghans and Iranians, he said.

Rights groups and the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan have criticised the crackdown.

Pakistan has been a haven for Afghan refugees since millions fled Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation, creating one of the world's largest refugee populations. More Afghans have fled since then, including an estimated 100,000 since the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021.

Although Pakistani security forces and police have routinely arrested and deported Afghans who have entered the country without valid documents in recent years, this is the first time the government has announced plans for such a major crackdown.

It comes amid a spike in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, who have hideouts and bases in Afghanistan but regularly cross into Pakistan to stage attacks on its security forces.

Pakistan has long demanded that the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan cease their support for the TTP, which is a separate group but allied with the Afghan Taliban.

The Taliban deny providing sanctuary to the TTP. (AP)



GRS

GRS
Jerusalem, Oct 7 (PTI) A surprise attack by Hamas militants from Gaza at daybreak killed at least 22 Israelis on Saturday even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared "war" and said his country would extract an "unprecedented price" from its enemy.

Israel's national rescue service said at least 22 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the Hamas military incursion, making the operation the deadliest in Israeli territory in years.

We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours, Netanyahu told his countrymen in a televised address.

I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This is currently being carried out. At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he said in his first public comment since the attack began in the morning.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said it has launched operation Iron Swords in response to Hamass surprise attack  by air, land and sea  comprising a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration into its heavily fortified border in the southern area that caught the country off-guard on a major holiday.

IDF spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters that more than 2,200 rockets have been fired into Israel since 6:30 AM. There are at least seven sites where Israeli troops were battling the infiltrators, Hagari added.

Hamas action is against what it termed as aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque. A senior commander from the Islamic faction Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has claimed that thousands of rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel.

Hamas also claimed it had launched 5,000 rockets towards Israel in the early morning barrage that it has called Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

A woman in her 60s was among those killed in a direct rocket hit in the southern Gderot area. Two other people are said to be seriously wounded, six moderately and seven with minor injuries, the medics of the rescue services said.

Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant said, The IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israels citizens to follow security instructions.

Haaretz online reported quoting the Head of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deifs from his statement: We warned the enemy not to continue its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

This is only the first stage, of Hamas' renewed efforts against Israel, he said.

Deif urged Arabs in Jerusalem and inside Israel, in the Negev, the Galilee and northern Israel to join the "revolution" and set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers."

Deif also called upon the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to merge their resistance with that of the Palestinians, and start marching towards Palestine now.

Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas, considered its leader in the West Bank, issued a similar statement calling on the Arab and Islamic nations to join Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Meanwhile, the head of the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council, Ofir Liebstein, was killed during the fighting with the infiltrators.

Ofir was killed when he went to defend a town during the terrorist attack, the Council was quoted by local media as saying.

The Israeli military has issued instructions to the residents of towns near the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes, and the rest of the public to remain near bomb shelters.

Unconfirmed reports of people being taken hostages and kidnapping of soldiers have been doing the rounds, but they remain unverified.

The unprecedented attack meanwhile had led to internal unity with protest leaders calling off ongoing demonstrations against the government's judicial overhaul plan and protesting soldiers, who were boycotting army duty, at once deciding to report for duty.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah revived painful memories of the 1973 war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel's enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur.
Islamabad, Oct 7 (AP) Forcibly deporting Afghans from Pakistan could lead to severe human rights violations including the separation of families and deportation of minors, the United Nations warned Saturday.

Pakistan recently announced a crackdown on migrants living in the country illegally, including 1.7 million Afghans, telling them to return to their home countries by October 31 to avoid mass arrest and expulsion.

The government denies targeting Afghans and says the focus is on people who are in the country illegally, regardless of their nationality.

It said it is setting up a hotline and offering rewards to people who tip off authorities about such migrants.

The UN agencies said Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis with several rights challenges, particularly for women and girls, who are banned by the Taliban from education beyond sixth grade, most public spaces and many jobs.

Such plans would have serious implications for all who have been forced to leave the country and may face serious protection risks upon return, it said, referring to Pakistan's crackdown.

They acknowledged Pakistan's sovereign prerogative over domestic policies and said they are ready to help register and manage Afghan nationals, including those who may be in need of international protection.

The International Organization for Migration and the UN refugee agency called on countries to suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals and ensure any possible returns to the country take place in a safe, dignified and voluntary manner.

Landlords and real estate owners in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, have received notices telling them to evict illegal Afghans and their families by the end of the month or face action.

Police have asked clerics in some of the city's mosques to tell worshippers of their duty to inform on Afghans in their neighborhoods.

Over 2,000 people were arrested across the country since the crackdown began earlier this week.

Police in southern Sindh province have detained some 1,100 Afghan nationals, according to Inspector General Riffat Mukhtar.

He said the courts released about 300 after they provided their documents. The rest remain in prison awaiting deportation to Afghanistan.

In Islamabad, police are using social media and TV tickers to create public awareness about the anti-migrant policy, said force spokesperson Taqi Jawad. He said police have so far not used mosques and clerics for this purpose.

Of the 1,126 Afghans detained in Islamabad during the past few days, 503 have been charged with staying in the country illegally.

They will stay behind bars until their deportation said Jawad, who denied that officers are harassing Afghans.

The information minister in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan, Jan Achakzai, said hundreds of Afghan families have voluntarily left the country and crossed the border since the announcement.

Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including Afghans and Iranians, he said.

Rights groups and the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan have criticised the crackdown.

Pakistan has been a haven for Afghan refugees since millions fled Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation, creating one of the world's largest refugee populations.

More Afghans have fled since then, including an estimated 100,000 since the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021.

Although Pakistani security forces and police have routinely arrested and deported Afghans who have entered the country without valid documents in recent years, this is the first time the government has announced plans for such a major crackdown.

It comes amid a spike in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, who have hideouts and bases in Afghanistan but regularly cross into Pakistan to stage attacks on its security forces.

On Saturday, a police patrol in Pakistan's northwest came under rocket fire, killing the driver and wounding a soldier. The TTP claimed responsibility for the assault in Buner district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan has long demanded that the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan cease their support for the TTP, which is a separate group but allied with the Afghan Taliban.

The Taliban denies providing sanctuary to the TTP. (AP) FZH
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
Lahore, Oct 7 (PTI) As the countdown for the return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan from London begins, his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif has claimed that his brother was ousted from power three times by one conspiracy or another, including in 1999 following the "Kargil debacle".

Nawaz, 73, is expected to return to Pakistan on October 21 after about four years of self-imposed exile in London where he has been living since November 2019 when he went there for medical treatment.

The foremost conspiracy, Shehbaz, also a former prime minister, claimed was when his elder brother was conveniently blamed for the Kargil debacle to oust him from power in 1999.

Without naming the late army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president said the "Kargil adventure" was carried out and in the wake of it, Nawaz Sharif had to go to the US to stop the war.

Kargil debacle was conveniently imposed on then prime minister Nawaz Sharif (in 1999). If Kashmir was taken over in the wake of this adventure, then history might have been different, Shehbaz said sarcastically while talking to the media here on Friday.

But Nawaz had to rush to the US to end the war (with India) and sacrificed his government for the sake of the state, Shehbaz added.

On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of "Operation Vijay", declaring victory over the Pakistan Army after a nearly three-month-long battle at the icy heights of Kargil.

After the Kargil War, Gen Musharraf staged a military coup against the elected government of Nawaz Sharif in October 1999, snatched power and ruled the country for the next nine years.

The elder Sharif, three-time premier, was on a self-imposed exile in London from November 2019 on medical grounds after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week bail.

Subsequently, he had been declared a proclaimed offender in corruption cases. He was serving a seven-year jail term at Kot Lakhpat Jail here in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case before securing bail for his treatment abroad.

Stating that during his third stint, Nawaz brought China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to the country, Shehbaz said, The conspiracy against him began when the Chinese president's tour of Pakistan was cancelled because of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khans sit-in in Islamabad in 2014.

And then in 2017, Nawaz was ousted in the Panama Papers case that hampered Pakistan's progress, Shehbaz added.

The PML-N party says Nawaz will secure protective bail ahead of his scheduled arrival and surrender to the court in the Al Azizia corruption case after addressing a rally at the Minar-i-Pakistan here on October 21.

Shehbaz had on Friday said, Nawaz would return and steer the country out of the economic crisis and also that his elder brother will be PML-N's candidate for the slot of prime minister.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that general elections will be held by the end of January 2024.
Jerusalem, Oct 7 (AP) The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza says at least 198 people have been killed and at least 1,610 wounded in the territory in Israel's retaliation after a wide-ranging Hamas assault into Israel.

The toll came as Israel has carried out a number of airstrikes in Gaza and has clashed with gunmen at the border fence around the coastal territory.

The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea, catching the country off guard on a major holiday.

Several hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country.

Israel's national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

At least 561 wounded people were being treated in Israeli hospitals, including at least 77 who were in critical condition, according to an Associated Press count based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

There was no official comment on casualties in Gaza, but AP reporters witnessed the funerals of 15 people who were killed and saw another eight bodies arrive at a local hospital. It was not immediately clear if they were fighters or civilians.

Social media was replete with videos of Hamas fighters parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets and at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting God is Greatest.

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation,' not a round,' but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

At a meeting of top security officials later on Saturday, Netanyahu said the first priority was to cleanse the area of enemy infiltrators, then to exact a huge price from the enemy, and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel's enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.

Israeli TV broadcast footage of explosions tearing through the Gaza-Israel border fence, followed by what appeared to be Palestinian gunmen riding into Israel on motorcycles. Gunmen also reportedly entered on pickup trucks.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Hamas to launch the attacks, which would have likely required months of planning.

But over the past year Israel's far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there, and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site.

The shadowy leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. The Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam, and is located on the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

In a televised address, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

Western nations condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel, while others called for restraint on both sides.

The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the US National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

Watson said Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the US about normalising relations with Israel, released a statement calling on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights.

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahu's proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the military's battlefield readiness and raised concerns about its deterrence over its enemies.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major escalation by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms. Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israel's rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood.

We understand that this is something big, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.

Hecht declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. That's a good question, he said.

Ismail Haniyeh, the exiled leader of Hamas, said that Palestinian fighters were engaged in these historic moments in a heroic operation to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Saturday's wide-ranging assault threatened to undermine Netanyahu's reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel. It also raised questions about the cohesion of a security apparatus crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation. (AP) PY

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Jerusalem, Oct 7 (AP) Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday on Saturday, killing dozens and stunning the country.

Israel said it was now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an unprecedented price.

Several hours after the incursion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities near Gaza. Israel's national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years. Also, an unknown number of Israeli soldiers and civilians had been seized and taken into Gaza.

At least 198 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed in Israel's retaliation and at least 1,610 wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said.

The strength, sophistication and timing of the attack shocked Israelis, with images of Hamas gunmen bringing seized soldiers and civilians into Gaza on motorbikes and parading what appeared to be captured Israeli military vehicles through the streets.

Videos on social media showed what appeared to be at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting God is Greatest.

The assault threatened to spiral into a greater conflict, mirroring previous Hamas-Israel conflicts that brought widespread death and destruction in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli communities.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation,' not a round,' but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

The shadowy leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, in turn, said the assault was in response to the continued blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al Aqsa  the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount  increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and continued growth of settlements. He said the morning attack was only the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

At a meeting of top security officials later on Saturday, Netanyahu said the first priority was to cleanse the area of enemy infiltrators, then to exact a huge price from the enemy, and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.

The serious incursion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israel's enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.

Israeli TV broadcast footage of explosions tearing through the Gaza-Israel border fence, followed by what appeared to be Palestinian gunmen riding into Israel on motorcycles. Gunmen also reportedly entered on pickup trucks.

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

At least 561 wounded people were being treated in Israeli hospitals, including at least 77 who were in critical condition, according to an Associated Press count based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

The Hamas assault would have likely required months of planning. It comes at a time of mounting tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. Over the past year Israel's far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there, and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site.

In a televised address, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

Western nations condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel, while others called for restraint on both sides.

The US unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the US National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

Watson said Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the US about normalising relations with Israel, released a statement calling on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights.

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahu's proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the military's battlefield readiness and raised concerns about its deterrence over its enemies.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major escalation by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms. Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israel's rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood.

We understand that this is something big, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.

Hecht declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. That's a good question, he said.

Ismail Haniyeh, the exiled leader of Hamas, said that Palestinian fighters were engaged in these historic moments in a heroic operation to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defence system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel's volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Saturday's wide-ranging assault threatened to undermine Netanyahu's reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel. It also raised questions about the cohesion of a security apparatus crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territory's economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation. (AP) PY

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Cairo, Oct 6 (AP) Heavy artillery fire killed at least 11 people and wounded 90 in a major city in conflict-torn Sudan, the aid group Doctors Without Borders said.

The attack took place on Thursday in the Karari neighbourhood in the city of Omdurman, just next to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, the group said, without saying which of the country's warring parties was responsible.

The group, also known by its French acronym MSF, said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that children were among those killed and that the wounded are being treated at Al Nao hospital in Omdurman. The hospital is one of several facilities where the medical group operates.

Sudan has been rocked by violence since mid-April, when fighting erupted between the country's military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Gen. Mohamed Hamden Dagalo.

The clashes then spread to several parts of the country, reducing Khartoum and Omdurman to an urban battlefield, and fuelling ethnic violence in the restive western Darfur region.

The military and the paramilitary force did not respond to requests for comment.

Separately, MSF said one of its vans was hit by gunfire Thursday while travelling between Khartoum and Wadi Madani, a small city roughly 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Khartoum. No one was hurt in the incident. On Friday, the MSF blamed the military for the attack.

Wadi Madani is entirely controlled by the army, while Khartoum remains contested, with the paramilitary occupying vast swaths of the city.

In September, our teams have already responded to seven mass casualty incidents in hospitals we support. The suffering this brutal fighting is causing for the population is unbearable, MSF posted on X.

The fighting has driven 5.5 million people from their homes, according to the latest United Nations' figures. There are 4.3 million people internally displaced within Sudan while 1.2 million have crossed into neighbouring countries.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, said Thursday that 18 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. So far, aid agencies have only reached around 3.6 million people in the country, she said.

The population of Sudan is balancing on a knife's edge, she added, describing the situation as the world's fastest growing displacement crisis.

Sudan's conflict has killed at least 5,000 and wounded more than 12,000, according to the UN. Activists and medical groups in Sudan say the true death is far higher. (AP) PY

PY
KOLKATA: At least two persons were killed and four injured in West Bengals Jalpaiguri district as a mortar shell, reportedly carried by the floodwaters of Teesta river, exploded, police said.

Police believe that the mortar shell belonged to the Army and was carried away by floodwaters flowing down from the hills following the cloudburst and flash floods in Sikkim on Wednesday.

Police said the identities of the two killed in the blast are yet to be ascertained.

"The four injured persons have been admitted to hospital. A thorough probe has started," a senior police officer said.

Local police sources said the victims possibly tried to physically inspect the mortar shells carried to the area by the floodwaters when it exploded on Thursday night.

"The condition of a couple of the four injured is extremely critical and the death toll might increase," police said.
Kolkata, Oct 7 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday alleged that the Centre is discriminating against the flood-affected people of north Bengal despite the "gravity" of the disaster in the area and the number of deaths being similar to that in neighbouring Sikkim.

She said that the Bengal government has and will continue to help Sikkim at this hour of need.

"Bengal is not a beggar", she said demanding "equality in treatment and non-discrimination in matters related

to central help".

Banerjee mentioned that since the night of the flashflood, her government has sent assistance of Rs 25 crore to Gorkhaland Territorial

Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts and teams senior ministers and officials are still in the affected areas monitoring the situation in the flood-hit north Bengal districts.

"The disaster that struck our brothers and sisters in Sikkim has also struck my people in Darjeeling hills and Kalimpong also. The

strategic chicken's neck area of West Bengal has been affected," she posted on X.

"Since the night of the flashflood, I am working 24X7 with my entire administration to save people from further distress and have

rushed in all help, including Rs 25 crore assistance to GTA. Ministers and senior IAS officers have been sent and the teams are on

the spot even now. We have helped and will help the Army authorities and the Sikkim government in every way and will work with the people of that state shoulder to shoulder," she added.

"But I am stunned by the Centre's discrimination against the affected people of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in north Bengal, despite the gravity of the disaster and a number of deaths there too. We are not beggars and we are certainly for Sikkim. But we want equality of treatment and non-discrimination in matters relating to central help in disaster management," Banerjee posted.
(Bloomberg) -- Israel is at war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, after militants from the Gaza Strip fired over 3,000 missiles and infiltrated southern parts of the country early Saturday. The surprise attack  not yet under control as of early Sunday  killed at least 200 Israelis, while at least 230 Palestinians died in fighting and reprisal strikes by the Israeli military.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The operation by militant group Hamas  which included taking scores of Israeli hostages  was an unprecedented incursion into Israel and a consequential failure of the nations intelligence operations. The Israel embassy in the US said 100 civilians and soldiers have been kidnapped.

Netanyahu, in a call with Joe Biden, said Israel is preparing for a long conflict. The US president condemned Hamas and said Americas support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

All timestamps Israel.

IDF Strikes Lebanon (7:25 a.m.)

The Israeli Defence Forces said its carrying out artillery strikes in an area in Lebanon from where a shooting took place.

Al Jazeera said explosions were heard in the Shebaa Farms area, land claimed by both Lebanon and Syria that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

China Says Two-State Solution Needed to Resolve Conflict (5:40 a.m)

China called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent a further deterioration of the situation, according to a foreign ministry statement. It reiterated a call for a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The recurring conflicts between Palestine and Israel fully demonstrate that the long-term stagnation of the peace process is unsustainable, it said. The international community should increase its sense of urgency, increase investment in the Palestinian issue, promote the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and seek a path to lasting peace. China will continue to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to this end.

Story continues

Thailand Says Its Citizens Among Dead, Captured (5:30 a.m.)

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Sunday that one of its nationals was killed during the Hamas attack and four have been kidnapped. He has ordered the Thai air force to be on standby for any immediate evacuation effort as soon as airspace can be accessed.

Rocket Warning Sirens Continue (3:40 a.m.)

Sirens to warn of incoming rocket attacks continued to sound in parts of southern Israel in the early hours of Sunday, the Times of Israel reported.

Israeli forces rescued at least 48 people who were held hostage in a dining hall in Kibbutz Beeri, the paper said.

Hundreds May Be Missing From Music Festival: New York Times (3:30 a.m.)

Dozens of bodies were reported to have been removed from the site of a music festival held in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, the New York Times said, citing local media.

Lists are circulating on social media of attendees who were still missing as of Saturday evening, and one seen by the New York Times had more than 500 names on it, the paper said.

Blinken Speaks to Middle Eastern, European Counterparts (3:15 a.m.)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to leaders and counterparts in the Middle East and Europe including Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Germany, Italy, the UK and the European Union. He urged close coordination and engagement, while reiterating US support for Israels right to defend itself, according to various readouts by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Fighting Not Yet Under Control Inside Israel (2:03 a.m.)

Fighting continued overnight inside Israel between the military and Hamas militants who crossed over from Gaza and killed more than 200 people, an army spokesman said early Sunday.

As were speaking the situation in Israel is still not fully under control, Israeli Defence Forces spokesman Jonathan Conricus said on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter. There are still Hamas terrorists inside Israel, and Israeli Special Forces and IDF troops are fighting going house to house and making sure that each and every community is clear.

He said hundreds of terrorists crossed into Israel on Saturday, taking a significant but unspecified number of hostages back to Gaza. Conricus said more than 200 Israelis were killed .

I can say with sadness that these are not the final figures. That number will unfortunately rise, he said, adding that there were were 1200 casualties, both military and civilian.

Israel Targets Gaza in Overnight Strikes (12:16 a.m.)

Israeli warplanes struck targets in Gaza overnight, including militant cells it said were trying to enter Israel by sea and through the security fence that encloses the enclave, the military said in a statement.

An operational command center tied to rocket launching and a Palestinian Islamic Jihad post were also targeted, the military said.

Almost 250 Palestinians Killed in Gaza, Hamas Says (12:09 a.m.)

The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported 232 dead and close to 1,700 wounded on Saturday, following an incursion into Israel by heavily armed Hamas gunmen.

Blinken Urges PA to Help Restore Calm (10:50 p.m.)

In a call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the attacks and urged the Palestinian Authority to continue and enhance steps to restore calm and stability in the West Bank, spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Netanyahu Says War Will Be Difficult (10:38 p.m.)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip will be lengthy. He said the attack that left over 200 Israelis dead is some of the worst violence the nation has ever seen.

This war will take time. It will be difficult. Challenging times are ahead, Netanyahu said in a televised address from the Defense Ministry headquarters. We will win this war, but the price is hard to bear.

The Israeli prime minister said children and elderly civilians are among the dead and among the hostages taken to Gaza.

Israel Death Toll Rises Above 200 (10:20 p.m.)

The Israeli death toll has risen to at least 200, the foreign ministry said. Heavily armed Hamas militants infiltrated towns near Gaza and went door to door in Israel killing and kidnapping innocent civilians, the ministry said. It added that Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israeli towns and cities.

Biden Says Israel Under Terrorist Attack (10:08 p.m.)

President Joe Biden condemned the deadly surprise attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas as an assault by a terrorist organization and pledged rock solid US support for Israel.

Today, the people of Israel are under attack, orchestrated by a terrorist organization, Hamas. In this moment of tragedy I want to say to them and to the world, and to terrorists everywhere: The United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have her back, Biden said Saturday in remarks from the White House.

Israeli Air Force Targets High Rises (9:41 p.m.)

Israeli fighter jets struck two multi-story buildings in the Gaza Strip, which housed Hamass Intelligence headquarters and its weapons production offices, among other units, Israels military spokesman said. This demonstrates how Hamas deliberately embeds its military assets in the heart of Gazas civilian population, the spokesman said.

We will change the reality on the ground in Gaza for the next 50 years, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a separate statement. What was before, will be no more. We will operate at full force.

Netanyahu Calls for Emergency Unity Government (9:06 p.m.)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited opposition leaders to form an emergency unity government, his party said in a statement, following the deadly incursion in southern Israel.

The Likud Party says the proposal was raised in a meeting between Netanyahu and opposition party leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz earlier today. Lapid has called for an emergency unity government. Gantz, in a statement, said he is considering Netanyahus offer to join a wartime government that would focus solely on the security challenges.

Oil Supplies Unlikely to Be Affected, Says Rapidan (7:40 p.m.)

While hugely escalatory, the Hamas-Israel war is unlikely to disrupt oil supplies, according to Washington-based Rapidan Energy Group, which advises energy investors. Still, were Israel to strike Iranian defense, political, economic, or nuclear facilities, crude prices would immediately spike on the perceived risk of a disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and risks to regional oil facilities.

For Oil, Its Not 1973. But It Could Still Get Ugly: Javier Blas

Israel Cuts Power to Gaza (7:35 p.m.)

Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz signed an order for the Israeli Electric Company to stop power supply to Gaza.

Ex-PM Lapid Warns of Multi-Front War (6:30 p.m.)

Yair Lapid, Netanyahus predecessor as prime minister and now opposition leader, warned there is a serious risk that this becomes a multi-front war.

Attack on Israel Is Shrewd, Brutal. Thats Hamas: Marc Champion

He said he told Netanyahu he was willing to put aside our differences and form an emergency, narrow professional government.

Iran Praises Attacks on Israel (6 p.m.)

A spokesman for Irans Foreign Ministry praised the attacks, saying they opened a new page in resistance and armed operations against the usurpers of occupied territories.

The element of surprise was used again in this operation and it shows the self-confidence of Palestinians against their usurpers, the spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, said, according to the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency. It showed once again how fragile the Israelis are in the face of a serious operation.

Israels Military Says Hamas Has Taken Prisoners (5:40 p.m.)

The Israel military confirmed prisoners of war were taken by Hamas during Saturdays fighting, citing hostage incidents in Ofakim and Bari. The military spokesman, Daniel Hagari, added that they dont have exact numbers yet. An unspecified number of Israeli soldiers have been killed.

Hagari said dozens of Hamas militants infiltrated a large number of locations, with a separate naval infiltration at Zikim. We are fighting in 22 locations, he said Saturday evening.

Brazil to Call Urgent UN Security Council Meeting (5:10 p.m.)

Brazil, which holds this months rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, said it plans to urgently convene a meeting on the Hamas attack on Israel. The timing hasnt been confirmed.

Biden Backs Israels Right to Defend Itself in Call (5 p.m.)

President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the US stands by Israel and backed Israels right to defend itself, according to a statement from the prime ministers office after the pair spoke by phone Saturday. Netanyahu thanked Biden for his support.

Biden Offers Israel Sweeping US Support in Hamas Attack Response

Netanyahu told the US president that a forceful, prolonged campaign is needed to neutralize threats to Israel.

Red Cross Decries Civilian Hostage-Taking (4:10 p.m.)

A top Red Cross official, responding to images on social media, said the agency was aware of reports relating to people being captured or detained in Israel by armed Hamas insurgents in Saturdays surprise attack.

Carrying out, or threatening to carry out, an act of hostage-taking is prohibited under international humanitarian law, Fabrizio Carboni, International Committee of the Red Cross regional director for the Near and Middle East, said in a release. The violence directed against civilians is appalling and cannot be justified.

Saudi Arabia Calls for Halt to Escalation (4 p.m.)

Saudi Arabia called for an end to hostilities, while saying the situation had been inflamed by Israel depriving Palestinians of their rights.

White House Weighs Defense Treaties to Aid Israel-Saudi Pact

The Kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continuation of the occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities, the Saudi government said in a statement.

The international community needs to activate a credible peace process leading to the two-state solution, according to the statement.

UN Envoy Urges All Sides to Pull Back From the Brink (3:10 p.m.)

I am deeply concerned for the well-being of all civilians, said Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, who said he was in close contact with all sides.

This is a dangerous precipice and I appeal to all to pull back from the brink.

Hezbollah Says Attack Should Send Message About Israeli Ties (2 p.m.)

The Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah called the Hamas operation a message to Arab countries against normalizing ties with Israel. Armed resistance was the only way to confront Israeli aggression, Hezbollah said in a statement reported by the Times of Israel.

Hezbollah said it was in direct contact with Hamas leadership in Gaza and beyond.

Israeli Jets Strike Hard in Gaza Strip (1:52 p.m.)

Dozens of Israeli fighter jets struck 17 military compounds and four operational command centers belonging to Hamas in the past few hours, Israels defense forces said.

Israel At War With Militants, Netanyahu Says in Video Message (11:40 a.m.)

Israel is at war. Not an operation, not a round  war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement in Hebrew after what he termed a lethal, surprise offensive by Hamas early Saturday.

Netanyahu said hed issued guidance to the heads of Israels security establishment to cleanse all settlements of the terrorists who have infiltrated them. Israels reserves will be mobilized to fight back at a scope and power that the enemy has not met, he added.

Israel Calls State of Alert for War as Gaza Rockets Strike

--With assistance from Omar Tamo, Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Ethan Bronner, Galit Altstein, Gwen Ackerman, Fadwa Hodali, Arsalan Shahla, Marie Patino and Grant Smith.

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Bhubaneswar, Oct 7 (PTI) Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday paid tributes to Indian Army jawan Saroj Kumar Das, who lost his life in the Sikkim flash flood, after his mortal remains arrived here.

He was also accorded a guard of honour in the state capital.

Twenty-seven people, including eight army men, were killed in the flood, which was triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of Wednesday and affected over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges in the Himalayan state, officials said.

The jawans mortal remains were later taken to his native place in Dhenkanal district.

The district administration has made all arrangements for the funeral of Das, Dhenkanal Collector Saroj Sethi said.

His last rites would take place at Kendudip village in Kamakshanagar area, Sethi said.
Darjeeling, Oct 7 (PTI) A three-member Trinamool Congress delegation called on Governor C V Ananda Bose in Darjeeling on Saturday, where they presented their demands regarding clearance of the state's financial dues under the MGNREGA scheme from the Centre.

They also requested the Governor to meet with the protestors, led by senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, on an indefinite sit-in near Raj Bhavan since Thursday.

Following the meeting, senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee claimed that Bose is convinced of the legitimacy of the state's demands.

"We have placed our demands before the Governor and have suggested that he should come to Kolkata and meet Abhishek Banerjee and the deprived job-card holders who are protesting in the city," Kalyan Banerjee said.

He asserted that the Governor expressed alignment with the state's "legitimate demands" and pledged to pursue the matter with the Union government.

But he has also said that if there is any political intervention regarding the matter, he cant help, he said.

On Friday, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had announced that a TMC delegation would meet with Governor CV Ananda Bose in Darjeeling on Saturday, in response to the Governor's invitation.

Abhishek Banerjee, considered number 2 in the TMC, had also emphasised that the indefinite sit-in outside the Governor's House in Kolkata would continue till Bose personally holds talks with the protesters.

Abhishek Banerjee initiated the sit-in on Thursday, following a substantial gathering of party members and top leadership marching to Raj Bhavan in Kolkata to protest against the alleged withholding of West Bengal's MGNREGA dues by the Centre.
New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described green revolution pioneer M S Swaminathan, who died recently, as a true "kisan vaigyanik" (farmers' scientist) for the impact his work has had in the farm fields outside the laboratories.

In a tribute that appeared in several newspapers on Saturday, Modi said the renowned agronomist narrowed the gap between scientific knowledge and its practical application.

"A lot of people call him a "Krishi Vaigyanik"  an Agricultural Scientist. But, I have always believed that he was even more. He was a true "Kisan Vaigyanik"  a Farmers' Scientist. In his heart there was a farmer," he said.

Citing the famous Tamil book 'Kural' to pay respects to Swaminathan, Modi said, "It is written there 'If those who have planned have firmness, they will attain what they have desired the way they have desired.' Here was a stalwart who decided early on in his life that he wants to strengthen agriculture and serve farmers."

The book describes farmers as the pin that holds the world together because it is the farmers who sustain everyone and Swaminathan understood this principle very well, Modi said.

Lauding his vision, the prime minister said the world is today talking about millets as super foods but he had encouraged discourse around millets since the 1990s and emphasised on the need for sustainable farming and the delicate balance between human advancement and ecological sustainability.

Swaminathan put special emphasis on improving the lives of small farmers and ensuring that they also enjoy the fruits of innovation, Modi said, adding he was particularly passionate about improving the lives of women farmers.

The prime minister also recalled his personal association with Swaminathan after he took over as Gujarat chief minister in 2001 when the state was not known for its agricultural prowess, with droughts, super cyclone and earthquake impacting its growth trajectory.

Swaminathan appreciated the state's initiatives like the soil health card and gave valuable inputs, Modi said.

"His endorsement was enough to convince those who were sceptical about the scheme which would eventually set the stage for Gujarat's agricultural success," he said.

Swaminathan was offered a faculty position in the US but he rejected it as he wanted to work in and for India, Modi said.

In the challenging circumstances the country faced such as food shortages, Swaminathan stood as a colossus, guiding the nation towards the path of self-sufficiency and self-confidence, the prime minister said.

In the early 1960s, India was grappling with the ominous shadows of famine and it is then that Swaminathan's unyielding commitment and foresight ushered a new era of agricultural prosperity, he said.

His pioneering work in agriculture and specific sectors such as wheat breeding led to a significant increase in wheat production, thus turning India from a food-deficient to a self-sufficient nation, earning him the well-deserved title of "Father of the Indian Green Revolution", the prime minister said.

"Five decades after the Green Revolution began, Indian agriculture has become far more modern and progressive. But, the very foundations laid by Prof. Swaminathan can never be forgotten," he said, while also lauding his pioneering research in combatting parasites affecting potato crops.

Modi said he also stands tall as a paragon of innovation and mentorship and when he won the World Food Prize in 1987, he used the prize money to establish a not-for-profit research foundation.

"He has nurtured countless minds, instilling in them a passion for learning and innovation. In a rapidly changing world, his life reminds us of the enduring power of knowledge, mentorship, and innovation. He was an institution builder as well," the prime minister said.

"We must also keep reaffirming our commitment to the principles he held dear, championing the cause of farmers and ensuring the fruits of scientific innovation reach the roots of our agricultural expanse, fostering growth, sustainability, and prosperity for generations to come," he added.

Swaminathan (98) passed away on September 28 at his residence in Chennai.

He was a recipient of Padma Shri in 1967, Padma Bhushan (1972) and Padma Vibushan (1989). He was a nominated member of Rajya Sabha during 2007-2013.
New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday alleged that the Narendra Modi government has "forced digitalisation" in MGNREGA in the name of transparency, using it as a tool to discourage demand for the programme among those who genuinely need the scheme.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's attack on the government came after a media report claimed that six months into the financial year, the flagship rural employment programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), has run out of funds.

In a post on X, Ramesh said that on the one hand, 48 per cent of all vehicle sales in India between April and Sept this financial year year were of SUVs, and in the same six-month period, Rs. 60,000 crore budgeted under MGNREGA for the whole year has been exhausted.

"This not only clearly indicates the deepening rural distress and rising inequality across the country, but also demonstrates the Modi government's priorities which is indirectly suppressing demand for MGNREGA work by inordinately delaying wage payments," Ramesh said.

"To make matters worse, the Modi government has forced digitalisation in the name of transparency, while actually using it as a tool to discourage demand for MGNREGA among those who genuinely need the programme," he alleged.

The Congress last week had accused the Centre of carrying out a planned euthanasia of MGNREGS by inordinately delaying the funding of social audits, claiming this results in compromising the process, which is used by the government to deny funds to the states.
Dehradun, Oct 7 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the problem of malnutrition among children has to be eliminated collectively with sensitivity.

Chairing the 24th meeting of the Central Zonal Council near Rishikesh, Shah praised the Central Zonal Councils member states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh for hugely contributing to the countrys GDP and development.

He emphasised the need to eliminate malnutrition among children saying, "It is our collective responsibility to address this problem with sensitivity."

Shah asked the member states of the council to prioritise issues like cooperation, reducing the dropout ratio of school-going children and malnutrition.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, zonal councils have transformed from being advisory bodies to action platforms, he said.

Central Zonal Councils states have implemented Prime Minister Modis concept of Team India at the grassroots level, Shah said.

The prime minister has always emphasised strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism. Under this policy, zonal councils have played the role of catalysts in solving problems, increasing financial inclusion and bringing policy changes.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami were present at the meeting, while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel attended it virtually.

The member states of the Central Zonal Council are the major centres for agriculture, animal husbandry and food grain production, mining, water supply and tourism in the country.

"Without these states, adequate water supply cannot be imagined", he said.

Taking an important step towards realising the prime minister's resolve to make the countrys farmers prosperous, now pulses, oilseeds and maize across the country will be procured 100 per cent at the minimum support price (MSP) by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), the Union home minister said.

In the meeting, it was decided to fix the price of Kodo and Kutki produce at par with the MSP of Ragi. The decision will benefit crores of farmers across the country, especially in member states of the Central Zonal Council, Shah said.

Issues like providing banking facilities to every village within a radius of 5 km, royalty and mining-related issues and building basic infrastructure in the districts affected by left-wing extremism were also discussed in the meeting.
Gorakhpur/Sultanpur (UP), Oct 6 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday met the families of six people killed in a clash over a land dispute in Deoria district earlier this week and assured strict action against the culprits.

Six people, including five members of a family, were killed in the clash between two groups over a land dispute in the Rudrapur area of Deoria district on Monday.

Pathak first visited the trauma centre of BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur and enquired about the condition of Anmol Dubey, who was injured in the violence.

Pathak was told that Anmol Dubey's condition is improving and his treatment is continuing under the supervision of experienced doctors. The deputy chief minister directed the doctors to ensure proper treatment and stressed that there should be no compromise.

In a post on X, Pathak said, "Strict action will be taken for the violence in Deoria. Timely high-level investigation is underway. This is also being monitored by me. Any kind of delay or negligence will not be tolerated."

In the same post, he said, "The son of late (Satya Prakash) Dubey ji, who was injured in this tragic incident, is undergoing intensive medical treatment and his health continues to improve. Doctors are also continuously monitoring his condition."

Pathak also announced that the case will be tried in a fast-track court.

"The government stands on the principle that justice should be given to all and injustice not be done to anyone," he said in the post.

He also held a review meeting with health department officials in Gorakhpur and instructed the doctors that there should be no negligence in the treatment of the injured.

Pathak then went to Deoria to meet the family members of those killed in the violence. He assured all possible assistance to the families and said "the government will take strict action against the culprits. No matter who the guilty party is, they will not be spared".

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday ordered the suspension of 15 police and revenue department personnel, including a subdivisional magistrate and a circle officer of police, for alleged negligence.

According to a press statement, a probe report on the incident in Fatehpur village in Rudrapur tehsil revealed significant negligence and lack of diligence in performing duties on the part of the employees and officers.

The statement said, "...several complaints under IGRS (Integrated Grievances Redressal System) regarding the illegal occupation of 'gram samaj' land by the late Satya Prakash Dubey were sent online to the police and the revenue department and the same were not resolved by taking serious cognisance of it by the officials concerned of both the departments."

Former panchayat member Prem Yadav (50) was attacked with sharp weapons and killed by Satya Prakash Dubey and his family members when he went to his house, the police said.

In retaliation, Yadav's supporters killed Satya Prakash Dubey and four members of his family. Besides Satya Prakash Dubey, his wife Kiran (52), daughters Saloni (18) and Nandani (10), and son Gandhi (15) were killed.

Pathak also met the family members of Dr Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was murdered in Sultanpur a fortnight ago. He assured them that the accused will not be spared.

Tiwari (53) was allegedly beaten to death following a property dispute on September 23.
New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) A doctor should not use an unusually large signboard and write on it anything other than his name, qualifications, titles, specialty or registration number, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has suggested, saying his prescription papers should also have the same contents.

It is improper to affix a signboard on a chemist's shop or in places where he does not reside or work, the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) said in its E-Book: "Professional Conduct Review - Lessons from Case Archives".

The book also highlighted that trust deficit in the doctor-patient relationship leads to litigation against the doctors and emphasised that the most common cause of complaints against doctors is due to a communication gap.

The commission stated that care should be taken not to mislead the public through signboards, visiting cards, announcements etc.

Medical practitioners may acquire skills and training in various areas related to a particular field, but the use of the title 'consultant/specialist' should be restricted to those who are qualified in the particular speciality, it said.

As an appellate body, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the NMC has been hearing cases of misconduct and passing judgments.

The need to disseminate the learnings from the complaint cases against doctors was felt right from the beginning, Dr Yogender Malik, editor of the booklet and member of the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the NMC, said.

The thought was shared with the board and a group of experts was formed.

They worked very hard, going through hundreds of pages of each case and summarised them without losing the essence of the case and the message, he stated.

The case studies in the book show that it is very difficult for a patient to differentiate between ethics, conduct and negligence, the NMC said.

Doctors too feel that patients have no right to complain unless there is harm, the NMC stated.
Shahjahanpur (UP), Oct 7 (PTI) A court here on Saturday sentenced to death a British citizen for murdering her NRI husband with the help of a friend seven years ago, a government counsel said.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Pankaj Kumar Srivastava held Ramandeep Kaur (wife of deceased Sukhjeet Singh) guilty. Her friend and accomplice Gurpreet Singh was also held guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3 lakh imposed on him.

The court also held Gurpreet guilty under the Arms Act and sentenced him to three years of imprisonment along with imposing a fine of Rs 10,000.

Additional District Government Counsel Shree Pal Verma said Sukhjeet Singh (34), a resident of Basantapur under Banda police station, went to England for a job in 2002. There he became friends with Ramandeep Kaur, a resident of Derby.

Sukhjeet got the job of a driver and subsequently married Ramandeep in 2005. On July 28, 2016, Sukhjeet along with Ramandeep and their sons came to Shahjahanpur on a vacation.

"On September 1, 2016, when Sukhjeet was sleeping with his sons Arjun and Aryan, he was attacked by a sharp-edged weapon by Ramandeep and her friend Gurpreet Singh," Verma said, adding Arjun was 9 years and Aryan 7 years old at that time.

Both Ramandeep and Gurpreet were arrested and sent to jail.

Verma said after Sukhjeet's murder, Ramandeep's parents moved a court in England seeking custody of their grandchildren. However, the court rejected their application and said the minor children should live with their paternal relatives.

"During the hearing in India, Arjun told the court that he was sleeping with his father, when his mother smothered her husband with a pillow. Then, Gurpreet hit Sukhjeet with a hammer on his head. After that, Gurpreet took out a knife from his pocket and gave it to Ramandeep, who slit the throat of Sukhjeet," Verma said.

Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Meena said information about the judgement is being sent to the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and the high commission.

On whether, a British citizen can be sentenced to death by a court in India, Verma said, "Why not? She committed a crime here and this was her in-laws' place. She was staying here. Before committing the crime, she was in Shahjahanpur, and she was in Shahjahanpur after the crime as well."
Ghaziabad (UP), Oct 6 (PTI) A 35-year-old man was arrested for allegedly attacking a minor schoolgirl with a sword in the Modinagar area of the district, police said on Friday.

The girl, a Class 9 student, suffered severe injuries in the attack, they said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Gyan Prakash Rai said, "The minor girl was on her way to tuition on Thursday when she was attacked in Jagatpuri Colony by one Shaukin. She suffered nine cuts in the attack and was admitted to hospital."

According to police, Shaukin knew the girl and wanted her to stop going to that particular school.

The attacker was caught by bystanders and handed over to the police.

Shaukin, however, snatched the pistol of a policeman when he was being taken to hospital and and opened fire.

"Shaukin was being taken to hospital for medical examination when he snatched the pistol of a policeman and opened fire. In the retaliatory firing, he suffered a bullet injury on his leg. He was caught again by our team," said the officer.

The accused was sent to jail on Friday.
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The allure of glamorous lifestyles, decadence and the high-stakes world of finance has always captured the public's imagination. From over-the-top parties to lavish yachts, the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street" painted a picture of the American dream taken to its extreme.

While audiences watched in both awe and disbelief as the character lavishly spent his millions, the reality presents an intriguing twist. Leonardo DiCaprio, the actor who brought Jordan Belfort's character to life with such vibrancy, is wealthier than the infamous stockbroker he portrayed.

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Jordan Belfort: The Rise And Fall

The rags-to-riches  and in some cases, back to rags  stories of celebrities and moguls can be fascinating. In this case, the lines between fiction and reality blur intriguingly. Belfort, once a celebrated stockbroker with an estimated net worth of $200 million, saw his world crumble because of fraudulent activities. His firm Stratton Oakmont Inc. was notorious for its pump-and-dump schemes, defrauding innocent victims of hundreds of millions of dollars between 1989 and 1996. By 1999, Belfort and his partner Danny Porush faced the music with indictments for securities fraud and money laundering. Though their sentences were reduced in a deal with prosecutors, Belfort's reputation and fortune took a nosedive.

His story was immortalized in his 2007 memoir, "The Wolf of Wall Street," which was adapted into a blockbuster film starring Leonardo DiCaprio in 2013. Today, after paying off huge sums to defrauded investors, Celebrity Net Worth reports that Belfort's net worth stands at negative $100 million.

Story continues

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It used to take a fortune to own premium bottles, but right now, $25 is enough to get started in this $229.4 billion asset class.

Leonardo DiCaprio: The A-Lister's Fortune

DiCaprio, a renowned actor and producer, is not just a Hollywood icon but a significant figure among the wealthy. With an estimated net worth of $300 million, DiCaprio's fortune surpasses Belfort's peak net worth.

But how does DiCaprio spend his earnings? Unlike the reckless spending habits of some celebrities, DiCaprio's expenditures range from valuable artwork to eco-friendly initiatives.

He has shown interest in high-end art galleries and auctions, acquiring pieces from luminaries such as Ed Ruscha, Banksy, Pablo Picasso and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

DiCaprio also makes significant real estate investments worldwide. One of his condos boasts a luxury shower with Vitamin C-infused water. To champion sustainability, he invested in the Blackadore Caye in Belize, aiming to develop it into a wellness-focused eco-resort.

And don't forget his unique collection of items such as Star Wars action figures, the iconic piano from "Casablanca," a Bono guitar and dinosaur skulls.

Unraveling The Pump-and-Dump Scheme

The allure of "The Wolf of Wall Street" wasn't just the extravagant lifestyle but also the revelation of the inner workings of pump-and-dump schemes. The schemes involve artificially inflating the value of a stock, luring investors to jump on the bandwagon and then selling off the stock at its peak price, leaving those investors with devalued shares.

Belfort's Stratton Oakmont used this strategy ruthlessly, leveraging high-pressure sales tactics to induce a buying frenzy. They even took companies like Steve Madden public using this method.

Opportunities In Startups: The Legitimate Path

For those looking for legitimate avenues to invest without landing on the wrong side of the law, startups present a promising opportunity. These ventures offer the chance for investors to put their money into the next big innovation. Startups can be a path to real money without the shadows of deception. Anyone can invest  no need to be a stockbroker or a celebrity.

Lessons From The Wolf's Den

Belfort's journey highlights the rise of an ordinary person who reached the pinnacle of success and embraced luxury. His descent serves as a cautionary lesson about unchecked ambition and the importance of regulatory oversight. While the Securities and Exchange Commission has made strides in monitoring such fraudulent activities, potential investors should always exercise caution, be wary of too-good-to-be-true opportunities and conduct thorough research.

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This article Leonardo DiCaprio Is Much Wealthier Than The Flashy Millionaire Stockbroker He Played In 'The Wolf Of Wall Street,' Who Made His Fortune Using The Pump-And-Dump Scheme originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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At about 6:30 a.m. on Shabbos/Simchas Torah morning, hundreds of terrorists infiltrated into Israel, took over Israeli border communities, including an IDF base, and nearby towns, and murdered hundreds of Jews and injured thousands. At the same time, Hamas terrorists launched thousands of rockets at Israel, including the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem area, killing several Israelis, seriously injuring others, and causing widespread damage.

Terrorists entered dozens of Israeli yishuvim, towns and cities and went door to door firing with automatic weapons, sometimes killing entire families. They also took over 100 hostages, including many women, children, and the elderly. Some of the murdered victims bodies were taken hostage as well.

The terrorists captured an IDF base and murdered and took hostage dozens of IDF officers and soldiers and captured tanks and other equipment and brought them into Gaza. In Sderot, terrorists captured the local police station, murdering at least 10 police officers, and opened fire on the streets, murderous numerous civilians. Israeli security forces destroyed the police station overnight to eliminate the terrorists who were holed inside.

As of about 8 p.m. on Sunday evening, it was reported that over 700 Israelis had been murdered and 2,500 wounded, including 20 in critical condition and over 300 in serious condition. Sadly, the death toll is expected to rise. Thirty-four Israel Police and Border Police officers and policemen fell in clashes with the terrorists and at least 57 IDF officers and soldiers were killed, many of whom were only 19 or 20 years old.

Israels security cabinet unanimously voted on Motzei Shabbos to declare a war, Operation Iron Swords  a first since the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

As of Sunday morning at 11 a.m., Israeli security forces were still trying to gain control of terrorists in six Israeli communities in the south, including Sderot, Kissufim, Kibbutz Beeri, Kfar Aza and Zikim. Earlier on Sunday morning, security forces recaptured the Sderot police station, which had been in the hands of terrorists since early Shabbos morning.

In a neis, about 50 Israeli hostages being held in the dining room of Kibbutz Beeri since Shabbos morning were rescued on Sunday morning by Israeli security forces and the terrorists were eliminated. About an hour later, Yamam officers eliminated the terrorists holding hostages in Ofakim. Three officers were injured during the clashes.

The terrifying video below shows Hamas terrorists armed with automatic weapons going from door to door in Kibbutz Beeri looking for Israelis to murder and abduct:

VIDEOS BELOW MAY BE DISTURBING  VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

On Sunday morning, Hezbollah terrorists fired a number of rockets from Lebanon into the Har Dov area of northern Israel. The IDF responded with artillery fire and a drone strike.

About 2,000 young Israelis, including many high school students, who were attending an overnight nature rave at Kibbutz Reim outside Ofakim were caught outside during the incursion and hundreds were gunned down by the terrorists. Terrorists also threw grenades inside the tents where some of the Israelis were sleeping. Some Israelis tried to flee only to be killed after terrorist threw grenades at them or fired into their cars. Others were taken hostage and brought to Gaza. Witnesses saw the terrorists dragging away some of the murdered Israelis bodies.

Sadly, the bodies of about 240 of the participants at the rave were found dead later in the day by Israeli security officials. A number of fatalities were tourists from the US and Europe.

As of Motzei Shabbos, Israeli security forces were still trying to subdue terrorists who took hostages in 22 locations. In Ofakim on Motzei Shabbos, at least ten terrorists were inside apartments after murdering residents and taking some hostage. Gun battles ensued between Israeli security forces and the terrorists and some of the security forces were killed. At about 11 p.m. on Motzei Shabbos, a number of Israelis were still being held hostage in the dining room at Kibbutz Beeri.

One Israeli man from Kibbutz Nir, near the Gaza border, told Channel 12 on Motzei Shabbos that his wife, two small children, and mother-in-law were abducted and taken into the Gaza Strip. An Israeli mother tearfully told Channel 12 that she was on the phone with her 12 and 16-year-old sons as they were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz into Gaza, causing the TV host to begin crying as well.
Exxon Mobil is in talks to buy a major US rival for 50billion as it doubles down on fossil fuels.

In a move likely to raise eyebrows among the green lobby, the American multinational oil giant is closing in on a takeover of Pioneer Natural Resources.

The acquisition would be Exxon's biggest since it bought Mobil for 66billion in 1998 and would expand its footprint in one of the most lucrative regions of the US oil patch.

In the spotlight: Exxon Mobil is closing in on a takeover of Pioneer Natural Resources

Pioneer is the third-largest producer of oil in the Permian basin after Chevron and ConocoPhillips.

The basin, which stretches across parts of Texas and New Mexico, is the US energy industry's most coveted because of its relatively low cost to extract oil and gas.

If the negotiations are successful, a deal between Exxon and Pioneer could be reached in the coming days, according to Reuters. Spokesmen for Exxon and Pioneer declined to comment.

Exxon is the largest US oil producer with an average 3.8million barrels per day from its global operations. Last year profits hit a record 45billion thanks to high oil and gas prices.

Acquiring Pioneer would give Exxon more established oil-producing land that it can rely on to increase production when needed, rather than risk its cash on the development of unproven acreage.

Any deal is set to attract political and regulatory scrutiny.

The White House accused Exxon in February of achieving bumper profits at the expense of consumers.
Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. acquired a new stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP  Free Report) in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor acquired 298 shares of the railroad operators stock, valued at approximately $61,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Miller Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 108.3% during the 1st quarter. Miller Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 125 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Tucker Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 116.7% during the 1st quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 130 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Power Corp of Canada purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at $40,000. Finally, Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Institutional investors own 77.36% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UNP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Benchmark upped their price target on Union Pacific from $230.00 to $264.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. Raymond James increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 27th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $200.00 to $245.00 in a report on Thursday, July 27th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $233.00 to $232.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Credit Suisse Group increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $235.00 to $262.00 in a report on Thursday, July 27th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $232.97.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 8,700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $222.43, for a total value of $1,935,141.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 42,061 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,355,628.23. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 8,700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $222.43, for a total transaction of $1,935,141.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 42,061 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,355,628.23. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Jennifer L. Hamann sold 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $222.83, for a total value of $222,830.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 99,378 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,144,399.74. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the companys stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded down $0.03 during trading on Friday, hitting $200.61. 281,195 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,879,238. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.39, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.57. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $183.69 and a 52-week high of $240.48. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $218.41 and its 200 day simple moving average is $206.99. The company has a market cap of $122.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.31, a PEG ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.12.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The railroad operator reported $2.57 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.75 by ($0.18). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.18% and a return on equity of 55.03%. The firm had revenue of $5.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.93 earnings per share. Union Pacifics quarterly revenue was down 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.37 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 31st were paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.59%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 30th. Union Pacifics payout ratio is 47.45%.

Union Pacific Company Profile

(Free Report)

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, and other agricultural users; petroleum, and liquid petroleum gases; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.

Further Reading

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Creative Capital Management Investments LLC lowered its holdings in McDonalds Co. (NYSE:MCD  Free Report) by 23.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 828 shares of the fast-food giants stock after selling 247 shares during the period. Creative Capital Management Investments LLCs holdings in McDonalds were worth $247,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Homestead Advisers Corp lifted its stake in McDonalds by 0.5% in the second quarter. Homestead Advisers Corp now owns 215,577 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $64,330,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares during the last quarter. Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. lifted its stake in McDonalds by 5.6% in the second quarter. Roman Butler Fullerton & Co. now owns 3,772 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $1,110,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale lifted its stake in McDonalds by 1.4% in the second quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 1,003,671 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $296,979,000 after acquiring an additional 14,034 shares during the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its stake in McDonalds by 5.5% in the second quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 76,260 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $22,757,000 after acquiring an additional 3,960 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Source Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in McDonalds by 8.8% in the second quarter. Source Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,623 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $484,000 after acquiring an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.60% of the companys stock.

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McDonalds Trading Down 2.2 %

Shares of NYSE:MCD traded down $5.65 on Friday, reaching $246.58. 1,417,503 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,556,469. McDonalds Co. has a 1-year low of $232.08 and a 1-year high of $299.35. The firm has a market cap of $179.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a 50-day moving average of $279.31 and a 200-day moving average of $285.93.

McDonalds Increases Dividend

McDonalds ( NYSE:MCD Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The fast-food giant reported $3.17 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.77 by $0.40. The business had revenue of $6.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.30 billion. McDonalds had a net margin of 33.06% and a negative return on equity of 139.57%. The companys revenue was up 13.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.55 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that McDonalds Co. will post 11.52 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 1st will be given a dividend of $1.67 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 30th. This represents a $6.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.71%. This is an increase from McDonaldss previous quarterly dividend of $1.52. McDonaldss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 55.93%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on MCD shares. BTIG Research decreased their price target on shares of McDonalds from $315.00 to $300.00 in a research note on Monday. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on shares of McDonalds from $340.00 to $335.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 20th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of McDonalds in a research report on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on shares of McDonalds from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of McDonalds from $330.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, McDonalds has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $321.67.

Check Out Our Latest Report on MCD

Insider Transactions at McDonalds

In other news, EVP Marion K. Gross sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $289.52, for a total transaction of $868,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 1,605 shares of the companys stock, valued at $464,679.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski sold 5,606 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.00, for a total transaction of $1,569,680.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 29,031 shares in the company, valued at $8,128,680. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Marion K. Gross sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $289.52, for a total value of $868,560.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 1,605 shares in the company, valued at $464,679.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 24,443 shares of company stock valued at $6,916,994. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About McDonalds

(Free Report)

McDonald's Corporation operates and franchises McDonald's restaurants in the United States and internationally. The company's restaurants offer hamburgers and cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches and nuggets, fries, salads, shakes, frozen desserts, sundaes, soft serve cones, bakery items, soft drinks, coffee, and beverages and other beverages, as well as breakfast menu, including muffins, Sausages, biscuit and bagel sandwiches, oatmeal, hash browns, breakfast burritos and hotcakes.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI  Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Tuesday morning.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on GPI. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $134.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. Benchmark raised their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $300.00 to $340.00 in a report on Monday, July 31st. Stephens raised their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $295.00 to $350.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Bank of America raised their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $430.00 to $445.00 in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $280.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, September 27th.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Group 1 Automotive

Group 1 Automotive Stock Up 1.5 %

Shares of NYSE:GPI opened at $250.07 on Tuesday. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $262.47 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $244.14. The firm has a market cap of $3.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.39, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 1.11. Group 1 Automotive has a 52-week low of $148.18 and a 52-week high of $277.47.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The company reported $11.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $11.08 by $0.65. The business had revenue of $4.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.36 billion. Group 1 Automotive had a return on equity of 28.33% and a net margin of 3.98%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $12.00 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Group 1 Automotive will post 44.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Investors of record on Friday, September 1st were issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 31st. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.72%. Group 1 Automotives dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 3.88%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Daniel James Mchenry sold 2,259 shares of Group 1 Automotive stock in a transaction on Monday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $264.96, for a total transaction of $598,544.64. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 19,355 shares in the company, valued at $5,128,300.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Group 1 Automotive news, CFO Daniel James Mchenry sold 2,259 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $264.96, for a total value of $598,544.64. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 19,355 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,128,300.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Daryl Kenningham sold 9,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $262.41, for a total value of $2,492,895.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 24,548 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,441,640.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 12,609 shares of company stock worth $3,310,468. 3.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Group 1 Automotive

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in Group 1 Automotive by 2.1% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,628,581 shares of the companys stock worth $595,163,000 after buying an additional 54,412 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 68.0% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 621,455 shares of the companys stock valued at $104,299,000 after purchasing an additional 251,565 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 1.2% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 596,620 shares of the companys stock valued at $135,087,000 after purchasing an additional 7,293 shares in the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company grew its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 5.5% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 510,835 shares of the companys stock valued at $131,847,000 after purchasing an additional 26,458 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 3,302.8% in the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 493,061 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,752,000 after purchasing an additional 478,571 shares in the last quarter. 99.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Group 1 Automotive

(Get Free Report)

Group 1 Automotive, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the automotive retail industry in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company sells new and used cars, light trucks, and vehicle parts, as well as service and insurance contracts; arranges related vehicle financing; and offers automotive maintenance and repair services.

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StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Corporate Office Properties Trust (NYSE:OFC  Free Report) in a research report released on Tuesday. The firm issued a hold rating on the real estate investment trusts stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Evercore ISI upped their target price on Corporate Office Properties Trust from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a report on Wednesday, August 16th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Corporate Office Properties Trust from $29.00 to $31.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 30th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price target on Corporate Office Properties Trust from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th.

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View Our Latest Analysis on Corporate Office Properties Trust

Corporate Office Properties Trust Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 2.10, a quick ratio of 2.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. Corporate Office Properties Trust has a 1 year low of $21.59 and a 1 year high of $28.69. The company has a market cap of $2.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.76, a P/E/G ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.03. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $25.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $24.22.

Corporate Office Properties Trust (NYSE:OFC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 28th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.27 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.59 by ($0.32). Corporate Office Properties Trust had a return on equity of 10.93% and a net margin of 27.43%. The business had revenue of $169.20 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $150.38 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.59 earnings per share. Corporate Office Properties Trusts quarterly revenue was down 8.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Corporate Office Properties Trust will post 2.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Corporate Office Properties Trust Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 16th. Investors of record on Friday, September 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.285 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 28th. This represents a $1.14 annualized dividend and a yield of ?. Corporate Office Properties Trusts dividend payout ratio is currently 67.46%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Corporate Office Properties Trust

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL acquired a new stake in Corporate Office Properties Trust during the second quarter worth approximately $4,879,000. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky grew its stake in Corporate Office Properties Trust by 2.4% during the second quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 77,677 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,845,000 after purchasing an additional 1,853 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its stake in Corporate Office Properties Trust by 75.6% during the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 495,008 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $11,756,000 after purchasing an additional 213,123 shares during the period. Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its holdings in Corporate Office Properties Trust by 22.3% in the second quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 276,586 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $6,569,000 after acquiring an additional 50,422 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its holdings in Corporate Office Properties Trust by 99.9% in the second quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 97,633 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,319,000 after acquiring an additional 48,792 shares in the last quarter.

About Corporate Office Properties Trust

(Get Free Report)

COPT is a REIT that owns, manages, leases, develops and selectively acquires office and data center properties. The majority of its portfolio is in locations that support the United States Government and its contractors, most of whom are engaged in national security, defense and information technology (IT) related activities servicing what the Company believes are growing, durable, priority missions (Defense/IT Locations).

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Shares of M&T Bank Co. (NYSE:MTB  Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of Hold from the fifteen ratings firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $154.69.

Several research analysts have weighed in on MTB shares. StockNews.com downgraded shares of M&T Bank from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of M&T Bank from $153.00 to $150.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on M&T Bank from $133.00 to $147.00 in a report on Thursday, June 29th. SpectralCast restated a maintains rating on shares of M&T Bank in a report on Wednesday, June 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on M&T Bank from $145.00 to $140.00 in a report on Thursday, July 6th.

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View Our Latest Analysis on MTB

M&T Bank Price Performance

MTB stock opened at $124.82 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.97. The companys 50-day moving average is $128.33 and its 200-day moving average is $125.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $20.71 billion, a PE ratio of 7.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.79. M&T Bank has a 1 year low of $109.36 and a 1 year high of $192.56.

M&T Bank (NYSE:MTB  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 19th. The financial services provider reported $5.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.16 by $0.89. The business had revenue of $3.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.39 billion. M&T Bank had a return on equity of 13.26% and a net margin of 26.30%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.10 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that M&T Bank will post 16.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.

M&T Bank Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Investors of record on Friday, September 1st were issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 31st. M&T Banks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.81%.

Insider Activity at M&T Bank

In related news, EVP Doris P. Meister sold 1,000 shares of M&T Bank stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $136.02, for a total value of $136,020.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 7,055 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $959,621.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Doris P. Meister sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.02, for a total transaction of $136,020.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 7,055 shares in the company, valued at approximately $959,621.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director John P. Barnes sold 53,542 shares of M&T Bank stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $140.00, for a total value of $7,495,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 34,545 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,836,300. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 55,876 shares of company stock worth $7,819,234. 0.97% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in M&T Bank by 35.2% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 15,153,301 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,811,880,000 after buying an additional 3,945,773 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in M&T Bank by 2.2% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 14,607,431 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,475,959,000 after acquiring an additional 316,266 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in M&T Bank by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 13,106,150 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,567,102,000 after acquiring an additional 108,068 shares during the period. FMR LLC lifted its stake in M&T Bank by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 7,994,434 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $955,894,000 after purchasing an additional 87,768 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its holdings in M&T Bank by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,985,096 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $954,778,000 after purchasing an additional 55,623 shares during the period. 82.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

M&T Bank Company Profile

(Get Free Report

M&T Bank Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association that offer retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States. The company's Business Banking segment offers deposit, lending, cash management, and other financial services to small businesses and professionals.

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Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS  Free Report) had its target price cut by Wells Fargo & Company from $50.00 to $42.00 in a research note published on Wednesday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the financial services providers stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Webster Financial from $42.00 to $46.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Webster Financial from $43.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, September 27th. StockNews.com upgraded Webster Financial from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler increased their target price on Webster Financial from $50.00 to $53.00 in a report on Tuesday, August 8th. Finally, Wedbush increased their target price on Webster Financial from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, July 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $51.00.

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Webster Financial Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of Webster Financial stock opened at $39.63 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $42.21 and a 200 day simple moving average of $39.67. Webster Financial has a 12-month low of $31.03 and a 12-month high of $56.46. The company has a market capitalization of $6.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.55 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 20th. The financial services provider reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.03. Webster Financial had a return on equity of 13.68% and a net margin of 26.69%. The business had revenue of $673.20 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $690.83 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.29 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 10.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Webster Financial will post 5.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Webster Financial Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 16th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 2nd were issued a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.04%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 1st. Webster Financials payout ratio is 30.48%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Webster Financial

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Neo Ivy Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Webster Financial in the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Webster Financial by 9,388.9% in the second quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 854 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 845 shares in the last quarter. AllSquare Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Webster Financial in the first quarter valued at about $35,000. Montag A & Associates Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Webster Financial in the second quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Harbour Investments Inc. lifted its position in shares of 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 in the last quarter. 86.37% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Webster Financial

(Get 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.

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(Bloomberg) -- When Sterling Infrastructure Inc. Chief Executive Officer Joe Cutillo first started telling Wall Street that factories would return to the US, everybody thought he was crazy.

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The first fifteen years of my career were more about consolidation. Moving manufacturing to Mexico or Asia or to Eastern Europe, Cutillo said in an interview. It is truly the first time in my life Ive seen stuff coming back.

American firms mentions of nearshoring, reshoring and onshoring  synonyms for moving manufacturing back or closer to a companys home country  grew by an average of 216% year over year since the start of 2022, data compiled by Bloomberg showed. Thats as private companies announced $516 billion of investments since President Joe Biden took office, according to White House figures last updated September 26.

That half a trillion dollars is less a catalyst and more the escalation of a trend that started gaining traction during the Trump administration. The trade war [with China] was the first big shock, Bloomberg Senior Geo-Economics Analyst Gerard DiPippo said in an interview.

But it was the pandemic that crystallized the fragility of the globalized supply chain, spurring companies to accelerate their nearshoring plans in earnest. Backlogged ports and high-profile shipping blockages in the all-important Suez and Panama canals illustrated the risks of relying on cheap production in Latin America and Asia, while advances in automation and rising freight costs have made it more economically attractive to move production back to the US.

That means boom-time for the little-known companies building all of the new factories, data centers and warehouses, like Sterling Infrastructure  its market value jumped 506% in the past four years, to $2.4 billion from $390 million. Contracting giant Quanta Services Inc. grew nearly fivefold to $25 billion in that time, while peers TopBuild Corp., Emcor Group Inc. and Fluor Corp. rallied over 100%.

Story continues

Demand for nearshoring-related construction is coming from a wide array of industries including life sciences, hospitals and technology. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence have driven demand for data centers, Sterlings Cutillo said, powering sales growth of 20% to 30% in recent years. We dont see any slowdown happening in data center projects, he said.

Foreign companies are joining American firms in boosting US-based manufacturing. In Georgia, Sterling is helping both South Koreas Hyundai Motor Co. and California-based Rivian Automotive Inc. build electric-vehicle plants encompassing 1,100 acres in total.

Read more: US Factory Boom Brings Billion-Dollar Projects to Tiny Towns

Many construction companies now have large and rapidly growing waiting lists as a result. Quanta, Fluor, and three of its peers have a combined backlog of nearly $120 billion, about $20 billion higher than their pre-pandemic average. And thats expected to have grown by about 4% sequentially in the third quarter.

Spending on construction and manufacturing reached $198 billion on an annualized basis in August, jumping almost 66% from last year to the highest level since the Bureau of Economic Analysts began tracking the data in the 1950s.

Much of that recent spending surge is attributable to a pair of laws pushed through Congress by the Biden administration that together offer billions in subsidies, tax credits and other incentives to foster local manufacturing of semiconductors and electric vehicles  geopolitically significant industries in which China has taken major strides in recent years.

Read more: Huaweis Surprise Comeback Marks New Phase in the Tech Cold War

Congress cant take all the credit though. These trends were happening with or without government stimulus, Emcor CEO Tony Guzzi said in an interview. The government stimulus solidifies demand or elongates demand.

And while billions more have been set aside in a third bill for supportive infrastructure like roads and airports to connect the newly minted factories, Cutillo says more is needed: Were nowhere near the levels you really need to spend on the infrastructure, he said.

The appeal of nearshoring will likely grow as US-China relations remain tense. President Biden has allowed Trump-era tariffs on Chinese goods to continue, while US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in August that businesses are telling her the country is becoming uninvestible because its become too risky. For the first time since 2004, China fell to Americas third largest trading partner last year, after Mexico and Canada, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Presidents Biden and Xi Jinping may meet for the first time in about a year at next months Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit as the two superpowers look to steady ties wobbled by the nearshoring boom.

It is eroding what has been called the ballast of the relationship, which was the economic and commercial relationship, Bloombergs DiPippo said.

--With assistance from Lars Klemming.

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Research analysts at StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB  Get Free Report) in a report released on Thursday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the real estate investment trusts stock.

A number of other research firms also recently commented on AVB. Wedbush assumed coverage on AvalonBay Communities in a research note on Tuesday. They issued a neutral rating and a $179.00 price objective on the stock. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on AvalonBay Communities from $193.00 to $205.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 12th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on AvalonBay Communities from $193.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. Truist Financial boosted their target price on AvalonBay Communities from $190.00 to $211.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 14th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on AvalonBay Communities from $200.00 to $215.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $195.56.

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AvalonBay Communities Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of AvalonBay Communities stock opened at $172.00 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $180.10 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $179.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 2.49 and a quick ratio of 2.49. The company has a market capitalization of $24.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.35, a PEG ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.93. AvalonBay Communities has a 1-year low of $153.07 and a 1-year high of $198.65.

AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The real estate investment trust reported $2.59 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.60 by ($0.01). AvalonBay Communities had a net margin of 46.32% and a return on equity of 11.01%. The business had revenue of $690.86 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $675.67 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.43 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that AvalonBay Communities will post 10.58 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Joanne M. Lockridge sold 3,331 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $186.25, for a total transaction of $620,398.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 21,558 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,015,177.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.42% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AvalonBay Communities

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in AVB. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in AvalonBay Communities by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 15,723,924 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,976,067,000 after acquiring an additional 69,187 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its holdings in AvalonBay Communities by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,147,624 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,937,005,000 after acquiring an additional 60,027 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of AvalonBay Communities in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,001,550,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in shares of AvalonBay Communities by 8.0% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 5,250,683 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $993,797,000 after purchasing an additional 387,254 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of AvalonBay Communities by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,861,951 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $817,098,000 after purchasing an additional 12,865 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.71% of the companys stock.

AvalonBay Communities Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

As of June 30, 2023, the Company owned or held a direct or indirect ownership interest in 294 apartment communities containing 88,659 apartment homes in 12 states and the District of Columbia, of which 18 communities were under development and one community was under redevelopment. The Company is an equity REIT in the business of developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing apartment communities in leading metropolitan areas in New England, the New York/New Jersey Metro area, the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, and Northern and Southern California, as well as in the Company's expansion regions of Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte, North Carolina, Southeast Florida, Dallas and Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado.

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Wells Fargo & Company reiterated their equal weight rating on shares of Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB  Free Report) in a report released on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on ASB. Raymond James raised their price objective on Associated Banc from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, July 24th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on Associated Banc from $17.50 to $18.50 in a research note on Friday, July 21st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Associated Banc in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a sell rating on the stock. Robert W. Baird raised Associated Banc from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $19.00 to $24.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. Finally, Stephens lifted their price objective on Associated Banc from $19.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, July 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Associated Banc currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $21.17.

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Associated Banc Price Performance

Shares of Associated Banc stock opened at $16.69 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. The company has a market cap of $2.52 billion, a PE ratio of 6.57, a P/E/G ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 1.02. The business has a 50 day moving average of $17.46 and a 200 day moving average of $17.09. Associated Banc has a 52 week low of $14.47 and a 52 week high of $25.50.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The bank reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.59 by ($0.03). Associated Banc had a net margin of 20.93% and a return on equity of 10.25%. The company had revenue of $328.25 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $332.65 million. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Associated Banc will post 2.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Associated Banc Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 1st were issued a $0.21 dividend. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.03%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 31st. Associated Bancs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 33.07%.

Insider Transactions at Associated Banc

In other news, EVP Randall J. Erickson sold 26,335 shares of Associated Banc stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.00, for a total value of $500,365.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 138,055 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,623,045. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.49% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Associated Banc

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 17,712,813 shares of the banks stock valued at $403,145,000 after acquiring an additional 172,329 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 15,302,572 shares of the banks stock valued at $307,277,000 after acquiring an additional 328,137 shares during the period. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 51.0% during the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 13,562,933 shares of the banks stock valued at $243,862,000 after acquiring an additional 4,580,115 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 11,052,719 shares of the banks stock valued at $198,728,000 after acquiring an additional 210,115 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 13.6% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 9,356,990 shares of the banks stock valued at $151,864,000 after acquiring an additional 1,118,108 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.52% of the companys stock.

Associated Banc Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Associated Banc-Corp, a bank holding company, provides various banking and nonbanking products to individuals and businesses in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. The company operates through three segments: Corporate and Commercial Specialty; Community, Consumer, and Business; and Risk Management and Shared Services.

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Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV  Free Report) had its price target decreased by Citigroup from $32.75 to $28.00 in a report released on Wednesday, FlyOnTheWall reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on Southwest Airlines from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 26th. 22nd Century Group restated a maintains rating on shares of Southwest Airlines in a report on Monday, June 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Southwest Airlines from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $52.00 to $38.00 in a report on Friday, July 28th. Bank of America lowered shares of Southwest Airlines from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $45.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines to $50.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $35.33.

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Southwest Airlines Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE:LUV opened at $27.08 on Wednesday. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $30.47 and its 200-day moving average price is $31.78. Southwest Airlines has a 1 year low of $26.46 and a 1 year high of $40.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.19.

Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The airline reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $7.04 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.98 billion. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 2.31% and a return on equity of 5.81%. The companys revenue was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.30 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Southwest Airlines will post 1.82 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southwest Airlines Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 6th were issued a dividend of $0.18 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 5th. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.66%. Southwest Airliness payout ratio is currently 81.82%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Roundview Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 21.2% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 13,336 shares of the airlines stock valued at $611,000 after purchasing an additional 2,335 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Southwest Airlines in the first quarter valued at approximately $403,000. APG Asset Management N.V. boosted its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 16.6% in the first quarter. APG Asset Management N.V. now owns 6,335 shares of the airlines stock valued at $261,000 after acquiring an additional 900 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its position in shares of Southwest Airlines by 5.3% during the first quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 12,187 shares of the airlines stock worth $559,000 after acquiring an additional 615 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cibc World Market Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 40,189 shares of the airlines stock valued at $1,841,000 after acquiring an additional 1,246 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.22% of the companys stock.

Southwest Airlines Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Southwest Airlines Co operates as a passenger airline company that provide scheduled air transportation services in the United States and near-international markets. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated a total fleet of 770 Boeing 737 aircrafts; and served 121 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as ten near-international countries, including Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos.

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United Asset Strategies Inc. raised its stake in EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 20.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,160 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after acquiring an additional 885 shares during the quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc.s holdings in EOG Resources were worth $590,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of EOG. First Merchants Corp lifted its holdings in EOG Resources by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. First Merchants Corp now owns 63,072 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $7,218,000 after purchasing an additional 2,438 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its stake in EOG Resources by 1,469.9% in the 2nd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 254,931 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $29,174,000 after purchasing an additional 238,692 shares in the last quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN grew its holdings in shares of EOG Resources by 541.8% during the 2nd quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN now owns 56,386 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $6,453,000 after purchasing an additional 47,601 shares in the last quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC grew its stake in EOG Resources by 9.2% during the second quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC now owns 622,380 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $71,225,000 after buying an additional 52,693 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale increased its holdings in EOG Resources by 10.5% in the 2nd quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 1,120,249 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $126,258,000 after buying an additional 106,888 shares during the period. 89.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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EOG Resources Trading Up 1.9 %

NYSE:EOG opened at $120.68 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $128.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $119.97. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 12 month low of $98.52 and a 12 month high of $150.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.13, a PEG ratio of 0.36 and a beta of 1.55. The company has a current ratio of 2.39, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14.

EOG Resources Dividend Announcement

EOG Resources ( NYSE:EOG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 3rd. The energy exploration company reported $2.49 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.28 by $0.21. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 28.52% and a net margin of 33.58%. The firm had revenue of $5.57 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.74 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.74 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.825 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, October 16th. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.73%. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.24%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, COO Lloyd W. Helms, Jr. sold 4,551 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.76, for a total transaction of $595,088.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 145,259 shares of the companys stock, valued at $18,994,066.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on EOG. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of EOG Resources from $155.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, September 18th. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of EOG Resources from $138.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 20th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of EOG Resources from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 28th. Raymond James lowered their target price on EOG Resources from $150.00 to $140.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on EOG Resources from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $150.04.

View Our Latest Analysis on EOG Resources

EOG Resources Profile

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, and natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its principal producing areas are in New Mexico and Texas in the United States; and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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Analysts at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Boise Cascade (NYSE:BCC  Get Free Report) in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday. The firm set a buy rating on the construction companys stock.

Several other research firms have also commented on BCC. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Boise Cascade from $90.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Boise Cascade from $96.00 to $108.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Bank of America raised Boise Cascade from an underperform rating to a neutral rating in a report on Monday, July 10th. Finally, Truist Financial raised their price objective on Boise Cascade from $100.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $103.00.

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Boise Cascade Stock Down 2.2 %

NYSE:BCC opened at $97.60 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 3.44 and a quick ratio of 2.39. The companys fifty day moving average price is $105.14 and its 200-day moving average price is $86.65. Boise Cascade has a 1-year low of $58.12 and a 1-year high of $112.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.70 and a beta of 1.56.

Boise Cascade (NYSE:BCC  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The construction company reported $3.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.54 by $1.13. The business had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.71 billion. Boise Cascade had a return on equity of 27.77% and a net margin of 8.12%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 20.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $5.49 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Boise Cascade will post 11.75 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Kristopher J. Matula sold 8,633 shares of Boise Cascade stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.50, for a total value of $928,047.50. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 14,172 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,523,490. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Boise Cascade news, Director Sue Ying Taylor sold 300 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.92, for a total value of $31,476.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 9,642 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,011,638.64. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Kristopher J. Matula sold 8,633 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $107.50, for a total value of $928,047.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 14,172 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,523,490. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 18,968 shares of company stock worth $2,045,908. Corporate insiders own 0.98% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Boise Cascade

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in shares of Boise Cascade by 3.0% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 6,609,770 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $459,180,000 after buying an additional 191,595 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Boise Cascade by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,757,993 shares of the construction companys stock worth $174,439,000 after purchasing an additional 145,629 shares during the period. Macquarie Group Ltd. raised its holdings in Boise Cascade by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 2,124,951 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $134,403,000 after buying an additional 43,014 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its position in Boise Cascade by 0.5% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,466,646 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $87,207,000 after buying an additional 7,651 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Boise Cascade by 0.3% during the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,295,181 shares of the construction companys stock worth $117,001,000 after buying an additional 3,491 shares during the period. 91.75% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Boise Cascade Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Boise Cascade Company engages in manufacture of wood products and distribution of building materials in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments, Wood Products and Building Materials Distribution. The Wood Products segment manufactures laminated veneer lumber and laminated beams used in headers and beams; I-joists for residential and commercial flooring and roofing systems, and other structural applications; structural, appearance, and industrial plywood panels; and ponderosa pine lumber products.

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Raymond James & Associates lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN  Free Report) by 9.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,076,053 shares of the information technology services providers stock after buying an additional 88,744 shares during the quarter. Raymond James & Associates owned approximately 0.16% of Accenture worth $332,048,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in ACN. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture in the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Barrett & Company Inc. purchased a new stake in Accenture during the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Sageworth Trust Co lifted its position in shares of Accenture by 872.7% in the first quarter. Sageworth Trust Co now owns 107 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Guardian Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture in the first quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, First Command Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Accenture by 131.6% during the first quarter. First Command Financial Services Inc. now owns 132 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.42% of the companys stock.

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Accenture Stock Up 0.8 %

ACN opened at $312.19 on Friday. Accenture plc has a 52 week low of $242.80 and a 52 week high of $330.43. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $315.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $301.45. The firm has a market cap of $207.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 1.22.

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 for the quarter, beating 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 company had revenue of $15.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.07 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.60 EPS. Accentures revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Accenture plc will post 12.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Accenture declared that its board has initiated a stock buyback program on Thursday, September 28th that allows the company to buyback $4.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the information technology services provider to purchase up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.

Accenture Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 12th will be paid a $1.29 dividend. This is an increase from Accentures previous quarterly dividend of $1.12. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 11th. This represents a $5.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.65%. Accentures payout ratio is 41.60%.

Insider Transactions at Accenture

In related news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 7,000 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $320.60, for a total value of $2,244,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 36,034 shares in the company, valued at $11,552,500.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 7,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $320.60, for a total value of $2,244,200.00. Following the sale, the general counsel now owns 36,034 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,552,500.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $316.19, for a total transaction of $1,976,187.50. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 167,854 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $53,073,756.26. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 24,430 shares of company stock valued at $7,735,251. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ACN has been the topic of several recent research reports. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Accenture from $340.00 to $356.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 12th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $340.00 price objective on shares of Accenture in a report on Friday, September 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Accenture from $314.00 to $341.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 22nd. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on Accenture from $312.00 to $300.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 29th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on Accenture from $332.00 to $322.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 29th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $333.24.

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Accenture Profile

(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.

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Raymond James & Associates lessened its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV  Free Report) by 32.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 15,910,405 shares of the companys stock after selling 7,685,562 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF makes up approximately 1.0% of Raymond James & Associates holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Raymond James & Associates owned about 3.99% of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF worth $1,182,620,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 2.2% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 41,054,967 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,986,338,000 after purchasing an additional 869,759 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 12.5% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 25,463,301 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,852,201,000 after acquiring an additional 2,832,040 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 7.6% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 15,673,112 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,130,031,000 after acquiring an additional 1,111,338 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 140,054.1% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 10,961,456 shares of the companys stock worth $790,321,000 after acquiring an additional 10,953,635 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LPL Financial LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 8.5% during the 1st quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 8,346,981 shares of the companys stock worth $607,159,000 after acquiring an additional 651,701 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Stock Performance

Shares of BATS:USMV opened at $72.22 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $74.24 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $73.58. The company has a market capitalization of $27.70 billion, a PE ratio of 20.17 and a beta of 0.75. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF has a 52 week low of $47.44 and a 52 week high of $55.45.

iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Company Profile

The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed firms selected and weighted to create a low-volatility portfolio subject to various constraints. USMV was launched on Oct 18, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock.

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PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG  Free Report) had its price target cut by Citigroup from $174.00 to $154.00 in a research note published on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the specialty chemicals companys stock.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on PPG. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of PPG Industries in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of PPG Industries from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, July 24th. Credit Suisse Group increased their price target on PPG Industries from $133.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Friday, July 21st. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on PPG Industries from $143.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, July 24th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price target on PPG Industries from $152.00 to $166.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $155.29.

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View Our Latest Analysis on PPG

PPG Industries Trading Up 1.4 %

PPG Industries stock opened at $133.13 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $136.43 and a 200 day simple moving average of $138.89. The stock has a market capitalization of $31.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.90, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.49. PPG Industries has a 52 week low of $107.40 and a 52 week high of $152.89.

PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.25 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.14 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $4.87 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.84 billion. PPG Industries had a return on equity of 23.59% and a net margin of 7.38%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.81 EPS. Analysts expect that PPG Industries will post 7.49 earnings per share for the current year.

PPG Industries Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 12th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 10th were given a $0.65 dividend. This is a boost from PPG Industriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 9th. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.95%. PPG Industriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.68%.

Insider Activity

In other PPG Industries news, Chairman Michael H. Mcgarry sold 58,378 shares of PPG Industries stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.46, for a total transaction of $8,491,663.88. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 195,706 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $28,467,394.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other PPG Industries news, CFO Vincent J. Morales sold 3,700 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $143.33, for a total value of $530,321.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 22,665 shares in the company, valued at $3,248,574.45. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Chairman Michael H. Mcgarry sold 58,378 shares of PPG Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.46, for a total transaction of $8,491,663.88. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 195,706 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,467,394.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.55% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Quarry LP bought a new stake in PPG Industries during the second quarter valued at $29,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in PPG Industries in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in PPG Industries in the second quarter worth approximately $30,000. Fiduciary Alliance LLC bought a new position in PPG Industries during the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Harbour Investments Inc. grew its position in PPG Industries by 84.9% during the first quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 220 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.18% of the companys stock.

PPG Industries Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

PPG Industries, Inc manufactures and distributes paints, coatings, and specialty materials worldwide. The company operates through Performance Coatings and Industrial Coatings. The Performance Coatings segment offers coatings, solvents, adhesives, sealants, sundries, and software for automotive and commercial transport/fleet repair and refurbishing, light industrial coatings, and specialty coatings for signs; and coatings, sealants, transparencies, transparent armor, adhesives, engineered materials, and packaging and chemical management services for commercial, military, regional jet, and general aviation aircraft.

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WealthPlan Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Newmont Co. (NYSE:NEM  Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 564 shares of the basic materials companys stock, valued at approximately $112,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Ziegler Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Newmont during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,458,000. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd raised its stake in Newmont by 115.9% during the 2nd quarter. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd now owns 172,958 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $7,378,000 after purchasing an additional 92,852 shares during the last quarter. Dfpg Investments LLC raised its stake in Newmont by 5.4% during the 2nd quarter. Dfpg Investments LLC now owns 8,756 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $396,000 after purchasing an additional 451 shares during the last quarter. Meridian Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Newmont during the 2nd quarter valued at $290,000. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. raised its stake in Newmont by 22.2% during the 2nd quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 679,947 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $29,007,000 after purchasing an additional 123,717 shares during the last quarter. 79.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently commented on NEM shares. Argus cut their target price on shares of Newmont from $55.00 to $50.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 25th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of Newmont from $53.00 to $42.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 29th. TD Securities dropped their price objective on shares of Newmont from $59.00 to $55.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 24th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Newmont in a research note on Thursday. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, CIBC cut shares of Newmont from a sector outperform rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $54.00 to $50.00 in a research note on Friday, July 21st. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $56.82.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Newmont news, CEO Thomas Ronald Palmer sold 11,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.16, for a total transaction of $463,760.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 267,039 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,258,364.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CEO Thomas Ronald Palmer sold 11,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.16, for a total transaction of $463,760.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 267,039 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,258,364.24. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Robert D. Atkinson sold 5,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.47, for a total transaction of $200,585.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 70,751 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,580,288.97. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 44,366 shares of company stock worth $1,738,008. Company insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock.

Newmont Price Performance

Newmont stock opened at $37.80 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 1.87 and a current ratio of 2.28. Newmont Co. has a 1 year low of $34.81 and a 1 year high of $60.08. The companys 50-day moving average is $39.11 and its two-hundred day moving average is $43.11.

Newmont (NYSE:NEM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The basic materials company reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.39 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $2.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.93 billion. Newmont had a negative net margin of 6.77% and a positive return on equity of 5.74%. The businesss revenue was down 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.46 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Newmont Co. will post 2.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Newmont Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 21st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 7th were issued a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, September 6th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.23%. Newmonts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -166.66%.

Newmont Profile

(Free Report)

Newmont Corporation engages in the production and exploration of gold. It also explores for copper, silver, zinc, and lead. The company has operations and/or assets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and Ghana. As of December 31, 2022, it had proven and probable gold reserves of 96.1 million ounces and land position of 61,500 square kilometers.

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Buffington Mohr McNeal raised its stake in shares of IDACORP, Inc. (NYSE:IDA  Free Report) by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,512 shares of the energy companys stock after acquiring an additional 224 shares during the quarter. Buffington Mohr McNeals holdings in IDACORP were worth $566,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in IDA. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. bought a new position in shares of IDACORP during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,064,000. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale increased its position in IDACORP by 3.1% during the 2nd quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 23,818 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $2,443,000 after buying an additional 727 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its stake in IDACORP by 11,597.9% in the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 27,841 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $2,856,000 after buying an additional 27,603 shares during the last quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp grew its stake in shares of IDACORP by 4.5% during the second quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 545,080 shares of the energy companys stock worth $55,925,000 after acquiring an additional 23,320 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Creative Planning increased its holdings in shares of IDACORP by 7.8% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 5,860 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $601,000 after acquiring an additional 426 shares in the last quarter. 83.00% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at IDACORP

In other IDACORP news, SVP Jeffrey L. Malmen sold 1,463 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.16, for a total transaction of $143,608.08. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 15,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,544,449.44. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.47% of the companys stock.

IDACORP Stock Performance

IDA opened at $95.42 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $96.23 and a 200 day moving average price of $102.91. IDACORP, Inc. has a 1 year low of $88.10 and a 1 year high of $112.96. The stock has a market cap of $4.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.70, a P/E/G ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.27.

IDACORP (NYSE:IDA  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The energy company reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.22 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $413.84 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $359.32 million. IDACORP had a net margin of 15.31% and a return on equity of 9.67%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.27 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that IDACORP, Inc. will post 4.97 earnings per share for the current year.

IDACORP Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 2nd were given a dividend of $0.79 per share. This represents a $3.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 1st. IDACORPs dividend payout ratio is presently 58.63%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of IDACORP in a research note on Thursday. They set a sell rating for the company. Mizuho decreased their target price on IDACORP from $105.00 to $97.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 22nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of IDACORP from $112.00 to $108.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 4th.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on IDA

IDACORP Company Profile

(Free Report)

IDACORP, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, purchase, and sale of electric energy in the United States. The company operates 17 hydropower generating plants located in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon; three natural gas-fired plants in southern Idaho; and interests in two coal-fired steam electric generating plants located in Wyoming and Nevada.

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What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. That's why when we briefly looked at United Parcel Service's (NYSE:UPS) ROCE trend, we were very happy with what we saw.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for United Parcel Service:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.21 = US$12b  (US$70b - US$15b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).

So, United Parcel Service has an ROCE of 21%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Logistics industry average of 15%.

View our latest analysis for United Parcel Service

roce

In the above chart we have measured United Parcel Service's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

So How Is United Parcel Service's ROCE Trending?

In terms of United Parcel Service's history of ROCE, it's quite impressive. The company has consistently earned 21% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 65% in that time. Now considering ROCE is an attractive 21%, this combination is actually pretty appealing because it means the business can consistently put money to work and generate these high returns. If these trends can continue, it wouldn't surprise us if the company became a multi-bagger.

Story continues

The Bottom Line On United Parcel Service's ROCE

In short, we'd argue United Parcel Service has the makings of a multi-bagger since its been able to compound its capital at very profitable rates of return. And the stock has followed suit returning a meaningful 56% to shareholders over the last five years. So while the positive underlying trends may be accounted for by investors, we still think this stock is worth looking into further.

One more thing, we've spotted 2 warning signs facing United Parcel Service that you might find interesting.

If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets 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.
Dupont Capital Management Corp lowered its stake in shares of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED  Free Report) by 20.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,232 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 3,383 shares during the period. Dupont Capital Management Corps holdings in Consolidated Edison were worth $1,196,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,949,371 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $761,387,000 after acquiring an additional 154,945 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc raised its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 6,182,332 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $589,238,000 after acquiring an additional 56,681 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 1,869.2% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,786,202 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $29,777,000 after acquiring an additional 4,543,146 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 89,231.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,145,861 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $395,142,000 after acquiring an additional 4,141,220 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 33.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,128,579 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $393,495,000 after acquiring an additional 1,030,730 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.53% of the companys stock.

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Consolidated Edison Trading Up 1.9 %

Shares of NYSE ED opened at $86.35 on Friday. Consolidated Edison, Inc. has a 1-year low of $78.10 and a 1-year high of $100.92. The company has a market cap of $29.78 billion, a PE ratio of 12.42, a P/E/G ratio of 8.64 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99. The company has a 50-day moving average of $89.19 and a two-hundred day moving average of $93.03.

Consolidated Edison Announces Dividend

Consolidated Edison ( NYSE:ED Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.61 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.03. Consolidated Edison had a net margin of 15.84% and a return on equity of 8.27%. The company had revenue of $2.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.31 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.64 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Consolidated Edison, Inc. will post 4.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 16th were paid a dividend of $0.81 per share. This represents a $3.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.75%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 15th. Consolidated Edisons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.62%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have issued reports on ED. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $73.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, September 21st. Argus decreased their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $104.00 to $93.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $97.00 to $92.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, September 6th. Guggenheim reduced their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $90.00 to $85.00 in a research report on Friday, July 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $102.00 to $96.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 4th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $89.14.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on ED

Consolidated Edison Profile

(Free Report)

Consolidated Edison, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.6 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,530 customers in parts of Manhattan.

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United Asset Strategies Inc. lifted its stake in Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED  Free Report) by 11.6% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,760 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 601 shares during the quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc.s holdings in Consolidated Edison were worth $521,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 757.7% during the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 384,013 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $34,715,000 after buying an additional 339,241 shares in the last quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale raised its holdings in Consolidated Edison by 12.7% in the 2nd quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 200,267 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $17,873,000 after purchasing an additional 22,599 shares during the period. Center For Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Consolidated Edison in the second quarter valued at approximately $386,000. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. raised its stake in shares of Consolidated Edison by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 715,491 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $64,680,000 after buying an additional 6,322 shares during the period. Finally, Achmea Investment Management B.V. grew its stake in Consolidated Edison by 30.0% in the 2nd quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. now owns 151,573 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $13,702,000 after acquiring an additional 34,981 shares during the period. 64.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently commented on ED. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Consolidated Edison in a research note on Thursday. They set a hold rating for the company. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $103.00 to $96.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 16th. Argus dropped their price objective on shares of Consolidated Edison from $104.00 to $93.00 in a research note on Wednesday. Guggenheim decreased their target price on shares of Consolidated Edison from $90.00 to $85.00 in a research note on Friday, July 7th. Finally, Mizuho cut their price target on Consolidated Edison from $95.00 to $88.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 5th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $89.14.

Consolidated Edison Price Performance

Shares of ED opened at $86.35 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $89.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $93.03. The stock has a market cap of $29.78 billion, a PE ratio of 12.42, a P/E/G ratio of 8.64 and a beta of 0.38. Consolidated Edison, Inc. has a 1-year low of $78.10 and a 1-year high of $100.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 0.95.

Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.61 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $2.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.31 billion. Consolidated Edison had a net margin of 15.84% and a return on equity of 8.27%. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.64 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Consolidated Edison, Inc. will post 4.9 EPS for the current year.

Consolidated Edison Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 16th were issued a $0.81 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 15th. This represents a $3.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.75%. Consolidated Edisons dividend payout ratio is presently 46.62%.

About Consolidated Edison

(Free Report)

Consolidated Edison, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.6 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,530 customers in parts of Manhattan.

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Forza Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL  Free Report) by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 21,915 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 1,040 shares during the quarter. Forza Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Aflac were worth $1,530,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Scissortail Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Aflac in the 1st quarter worth about $287,202,000. CoreFirst Bank & Trust bought a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Silicon Valley Capital Partners bought a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Finally, Studio Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. 66.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on AFL shares. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Aflac from $71.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 15th. Raymond James boosted their price target on Aflac from $77.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 26th. 58.com restated a reiterates rating on shares of Aflac in a research note on Friday, June 9th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Aflac from $70.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, September 14th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on Aflac in a research report on Thursday. They set a hold rating on the stock. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Aflac has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $76.36.

Aflac Stock Up 1.5 %

NYSE AFL opened at $77.60 on Friday. The stocks 50 day moving average is $75.69 and its 200 day moving average is $70.31. The company has a current ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 0.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Aflac Incorporated has a 12 month low of $56.26 and a 12 month high of $78.43. The stock has a market cap of $46.10 billion, a PE ratio of 10.38, a P/E/G ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.91.

Aflac (NYSE:AFL  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.16. Aflac had a return on equity of 16.10% and a net margin of 24.48%. The company had revenue of $5.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.52 billion. Research analysts predict that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Aflac Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 23rd were paid a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 22nd. Aflacs payout ratio is 22.46%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Aflac news, Director Charles D. Lake II sold 16,040 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.86, for a total value of $1,216,794.40. Following the sale, the director now owns 53,925 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,090,750.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Aflac news, Director Joseph L. Moskowitz sold 500 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.47, for a total value of $38,235.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 26,598 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,033,949.06. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Charles D. Lake II sold 16,040 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.86, for a total value of $1,216,794.40. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 53,925 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,090,750.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 30,170 shares of company stock valued at $2,289,435 in the last quarter. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About Aflac

(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.

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Forza Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB  Free Report) by 5.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 11,459 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after purchasing an additional 600 shares during the quarter. Forza Wealth Management LLCs holdings in LyondellBasell Industries were worth $1,052,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Blair William & Co. IL increased its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 10,812 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $1,112,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc. now owns 20,945 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $1,967,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd increased its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 33.9% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 446 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. Rise Advisors LLC increased its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 9.1% during the 2nd quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 1,363 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $125,000 after acquiring an additional 114 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hexagon Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,368 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $410,000 after acquiring an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.41% of the companys stock.

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LyondellBasell Industries Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of LYB stock opened at $90.59 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $29.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. LyondellBasell Industries has a fifty-two week low of $75.24 and a fifty-two week high of $102.04. The firms 50 day moving average price is $97.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $93.44.

LyondellBasell Industries Announces Dividend

LyondellBasell Industries ( NYSE:LYB Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 4th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $10.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.79 billion. LyondellBasell Industries had a net margin of 4.92% and a return on equity of 21.31%. LyondellBasell Industriess revenue was down 30.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $5.19 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that LyondellBasell Industries will post 8.26 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 28th were given a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 25th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.52%. LyondellBasell Industriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 77.64%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp upgraded shares of LyondellBasell Industries from an underweight rating to a sector weight rating in a report on Tuesday. SpectralCast reiterated a maintains rating on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a report on Thursday, June 29th. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $113.00 to $108.00 in a report on Thursday, June 29th. Citigroup upgraded shares of LyondellBasell Industries from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $104.00 to $106.00 in a report on Tuesday. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a report on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $100.19.

Get Our Latest Research Report on LyondellBasell Industries

Insider Buying and Selling at LyondellBasell Industries

In other news, major shareholder Ai Investments Holdings Llc sold 483 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.61, for a total transaction of $48,111.63. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 765,996 shares of the companys stock, valued at $76,300,861.56. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, major shareholder Ai Investments Holdings Llc sold 483 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.61, for a total transaction of $48,111.63. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 765,996 shares of the companys stock, valued at $76,300,861.56. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Jeffrey A. Kaplan sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.56, for a total transaction of $975,600.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 49,876 shares in the company, valued at $4,865,902.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

LyondellBasell Industries Company Profile

(Free Report)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. operates as a chemical company in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company operates in six segments: Olefins and PolyolefinsAmericas; Olefins and PolyolefinsEurope, Asia, International; Intermediates and Derivatives; Advanced Polymer Solutions; Refining; and Technology.

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Leo Brokerage LLC raised its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS  Free Report) by 17.2% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,496 shares of the transportation companys stock after purchasing an additional 220 shares during the quarter. Leo Brokerage LLCs holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $268,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in United Parcel Service by 210.7% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 14,943,616 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,878,723,000 after purchasing an additional 10,134,386 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in United Parcel Service by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 13,202,727 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,556,095,000 after purchasing an additional 414,934 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp raised its position in United Parcel Service by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,273,417 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,988,777,000 after purchasing an additional 54,401 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley raised its position in United Parcel Service by 33.7% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 7,730,090 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,343,799,000 after purchasing an additional 1,949,775 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new stake in United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter worth about $1,255,623,000. 58.45% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently commented on UPS. TD Cowen reduced 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. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $180.00 to $175.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 28th. HSBC began coverage on shares of United Parcel Service in a research report on Friday, September 29th. They set a hold rating and a $170.00 target price on the stock. Raymond James reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $205.00 to $200.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 29th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $177.00 to $167.00 in a research report on Friday, September 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seventeen have given a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $188.26.

United Parcel Service Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of United Parcel Service stock opened at $154.27 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.32. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $166.13 and a 200 day moving average price of $175.27. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 1 year low of $150.54 and a 1 year high of $197.80. The stock has a market cap of $131.82 billion, a PE ratio of 13.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.09.

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 the consensus estimate of $2.49 by $0.05. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 10.41% and a return on equity of 51.28%. The firm had revenue of $22.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $23.04 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.29 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 9.37 earnings per share for the current year.

United Parcel Service Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 14th were issued a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 11th. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.20%. United Parcel Services payout ratio is 56.20%.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Parcel Service

In other United Parcel Service news, insider Nando Cesarone sold 22,825 shares of United Parcel Service stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.70, for a total value of $3,919,052.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 1 shares of the companys stock, valued at $171.70. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.12% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About United Parcel Service

(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.

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Ziegler Capital Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 196,612 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 8,059 shares during the period. Ziegler Capital Management LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $8,391,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Defender Capital LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the first quarter valued at approximately $246,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the first quarter valued at approximately $124,000. Dakota Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the first quarter valued at approximately $222,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. grew its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 0.3% in the first quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 273,936 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $13,274,000 after purchasing an additional 770 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 24.5% in the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 9,630 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $467,000 after purchasing an additional 1,895 shares in the last quarter. 72.47% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently weighed in on WFC. Atlantic Securities increased their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $50.00 to $52.50 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 1st. Wolfe Research cut Wells Fargo & Company from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Friday, July 7th. Citigroup raised their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $50.00 to $52.00 in a research note on Sunday, July 16th. Odeon Capital Group cut 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. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Thursday. They set a hold rating for the company. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Wells Fargo & Company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $48.02.

Wells Fargo & Company Trading Up 1.0 %

NYSE:WFC opened at $39.70 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $145.25 billion, a PE ratio of 9.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $42.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $41.35. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $35.25 and a 12-month high of $48.84.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.16 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.11 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 11.15% and a net margin of 16.18%. Wells Fargo & Companys revenue for the quarter was up 20.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.74 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.53%. This is an increase from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 3rd. Wells Fargo & Companys 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.

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Forza Wealth Management LLC reduced its holdings in shares of iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU  Free Report) by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 205,719 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 1,820 shares during the quarter. iShares Gold Trust makes up 3.8% of Forza Wealth Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its largest position. Forza Wealth Management LLCs holdings in iShares Gold Trust were worth $7,486,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its position in iShares Gold Trust by 72,670.4% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 689,886,989 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $25,104,988,000 after purchasing an additional 688,938,957 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its stake in iShares Gold Trust by 5.9% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 40,608,382 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,517,535,000 after buying an additional 2,273,819 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in iShares Gold Trust by 413,629.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 28,998,294 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,003,051,000 after buying an additional 28,991,285 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 22,233,703 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $769,064,000 after acquiring an additional 694,430 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Advisory Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 21,165,835 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $779,537,000 after acquiring an additional 292,574 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.45% of the companys stock.

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iShares Gold Trust Price Performance

IAU opened at $34.64 on Friday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $36.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $36.93. iShares Gold Trust has a 1 year low of $30.69 and a 1 year high of $39.04.

About iShares Gold Trust

iShares Gold Trust (the Trust) is to own gold transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (Shares). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist of gold held by the Trusts custodian on behalf of the Trust.

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MV Oil Trust (NYSE:MVO  Get Free Report)s stock price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $12.31 and traded as high as $12.81. MV Oil Trust shares last traded at $12.60, with a volume of 44,720 shares trading hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of MV Oil Trust in a report on Thursday. They issued a hold rating on the stock.

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MV Oil Trust Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $153.99 million, a PE ratio of 6.60 and a beta of 0.91. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $12.80 and its 200-day simple moving average is $12.34.

MV Oil Trust (NYSE:MVO  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 10th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $4.39 million during the quarter.

MV Oil Trust Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, October 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.38 per share. This is a positive change from MV Oil Trusts previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. This represents a $1.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 11.35%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 13th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. PSI Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MV Oil Trust by 57.1% during the 1st quarter. PSI Advisors LLC now owns 2,750 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its position in MV Oil Trust by 105.4% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 48,496 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $792,000 after purchasing an additional 24,891 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC increased its position in MV Oil Trust by 61.6% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 19,998 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $249,000 after purchasing an additional 7,623 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA acquired a new stake in MV Oil Trust during the 1st quarter worth approximately $137,000. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in MV Oil Trust during the 1st quarter worth approximately $128,000. 2.68% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About MV Oil Trust

(Get Free Report)

MV Oil Trust acquires and holds term net profits interests in the oil and natural gas properties of MV Partners, LLC. Its properties include approximately 860 producing oil and gas wells located in the Mid-Continent region in the states of Kansas and Colorado. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Houston, Texas.

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Montecito Bank & Trust lifted its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 3.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,626 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the quarter. Montecito Bank & Trusts holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $441,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of EFG. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 98,322.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 128,318,231 shares of the companys stock worth $10,747,935,000 after purchasing an additional 128,187,856 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 46.2% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 31,400,726 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,941,620,000 after acquiring an additional 9,923,520 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 73.9% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,466,922 shares of the companys stock valued at $605,820,000 after acquiring an additional 2,747,559 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 46.7% in the 1st quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 6,413,251 shares of the companys stock valued at $600,793,000 after acquiring an additional 2,041,010 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 54.1% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,270,511 shares of the companys stock valued at $400,061,000 after acquiring an additional 1,498,476 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Trading Up 1.0 %

BATS EFG opened at $86.38 on Friday. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a 1-year low of $67.58 and a 1-year high of $85.81. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $90.26 and a 200-day moving average of $93.24. The firm has a market cap of $11.57 billion, a PE ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.89.

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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Silverlake Wealth Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,244 shares of the companys stock after selling 54 shares during the period. Silverlake Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $583,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LLY. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted 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 valued at $8,938,609,000 after purchasing an additional 19,056,108 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter valued at about $3,416,206,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 102,752.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,446,026 shares of the companys stock worth $1,992,374,000 after acquiring an additional 5,440,731 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 44.1% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,059,204 shares of the companys stock worth $4,411,740,000 after acquiring an additional 3,691,436 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 316.9% during the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,434,073 shares of the companys stock valued at $217,569,000 after acquiring an additional 1,850,187 shares in the last quarter. 81.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $565.22 on Friday. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $542.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $461.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $536.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 78.61, a PEG ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.33. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12 month low of $309.20 and a 12 month high of $601.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.87.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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 (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates 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 business had revenue of $8.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.58 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.25 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 28.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 9.84 EPS for the current year.

Several research analysts have commented on LLY shares. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $490.00 to $580.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, August 8th. HSBC began coverage on Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Friday, July 14th. They issued a buy rating and a $560.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $360.00 to $525.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $385.00 to $470.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $565.00 to $633.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. One equities research 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 MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $537.13.

View Our Latest Research Report on LLY

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the companys 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 transaction, the insider now owns 99,983,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $57,131,748,872.10. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the businesss 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 sale, the insider now directly owns 99,983,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $57,131,748,872.10. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Alonzo Weems sold 1,148 shares of the 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,760 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,586,004.80. 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. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

Further Reading

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Battleship North Carolina hires new marketing/promotions director

Scott

Battleship North Carolina named Dena Scott as the Battleships marketing and promotions director effective Sept. 1. Scott, a native of Philadelphia, earned a bachelors and masters degree from Rutgers University. She has over 15 years of international and domestic marketing, graphic design, and public relations experience.

Thomas Construction Group

Ericksen

Emma Ericksen has been named the new marketing coordinator for Thomas Construction Group. Ericksen will be responsible for assisting with the companys corporate marketing, business development, and client engagement initiatives and strategies. Prior to joining Thomas Construction Group, Ericksen served as the marketing and engagement manager at the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Highland Roofing Company

Neufang

Nick Neufang has been named Wilmington account manager at Highland Roofing Company. He will manager Highland's repair, maintenance and reroof services of all types of commercial facilities in the Cape Fear region. Neufang previous serve as a roof technician at Highland Roofing and as an assistant superintendent at Meridian Construction Company.

Cape Fear Homeless Continuum of Care

Stough

Andrea Stough has been named the new homeless services director for The Cape Fear Homeless Continuum of Care. As an employee of the Cape Fear Council of Governments, Stough will be responsible for staffing, supporting the mission and values, administer federal and state grants, and coordinate the local system of assessment and prioritization of services for the homeless population. Stough has over 20 years of social services experience. She served as the residential services director at Open Gate Domestic Violence Shelter and Services and was the outreach/advocacy coordinator.

Cranfill Sumner

Wheeler

Cranfill Sumner LLP recently announced the hiring of Gracie Wheeler as a paralegal at the firms Wilmington office. She will be supporting attorneys in the Cranfill Sumner Medical Malpractice Group. Sumner received a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Clemson University.

Story continues

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage announces additions and transfers

Denise Kinney, president of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage has announced several additions and transfers within their management team.

Medina

Michael Medina has been named managing broker of the Sneads Ferry and Topsail offices. He served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps as an expeditionary firefighting and rescue specialist. Medina transitioned into real estate in 2020 and has consistently been a top producer.

Misciagno

Phil Misciagno has been named managing broker for the Hampstead office. He joined the company in 2017 as an agent and has served for the past four years as the managing broker of the Sneads Ferry and Topsail offices.

Helm

Amy Helm, who has served as the managing broker in the Hampstead office, will remain as a sales associate in that office. Helm plans to earn her teaching certificate with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission this fall, using her experience and knowledge in the educational side of the real estate industry.

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage welcomes 5 agents

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage recently welcomed five agents to different offices in the Wilmington area.

Dani and Paul Colantuno

"Having earned a reputation for focusing on the priorities of their clients and providing the highest level of service," said Kimberly Sands, managing broker, Paul and Dani Colantuno has joined the Oak Island office.

Flynn

Wendy Flynn, a real estate veteran with 23 years, has join the South Brunswick office. Flynn also has a degree in interior design from Bauder College.

Gentry

Craig Gentry, with over 20 years in the accounting field and experience working for a major property management firm, has joined the South Brunswick office.

Canady

Latasha Canady, a native of Pender County, has joined the Hampstead office. Canady is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and East Carolina University, where she earned a masters degree in social work.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New hires for businesses in Wilmington
WealthPlan Investment Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 62.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,571 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 4,267 shares during the quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $392,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 86,002.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 659,143,253 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $42,152,211,000 after purchasing an additional 658,377,716 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 175,584,734 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $12,169,778,000 after purchasing an additional 2,856,746 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 10.3% during the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 26,084,266 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,807,487,000 after purchasing an additional 2,439,814 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter worth $1,873,696,000. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 114,228.7% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 21,469,785 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,544,751,000 after buying an additional 21,451,006 shares during the last quarter. 74.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently weighed in on BMY shares. Barclays dropped their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $62.00 to $60.00 in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Truist Financial restated a buy rating and set a $84.00 price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Friday. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $80.00 to $66.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 15th. StockNews.com started coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. Finally, Credit Suisse Group dropped their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $72.00 to $66.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $69.50.

Insider Activity at Bristol-Myers Squibb

In related news, EVP Robert M. Plenge sold 732 shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.14, for a total transaction of $44,754.48. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 6,584 shares of the companys stock, valued at $402,545.76. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, EVP Ann Powell sold 17,986 shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.25, for a total transaction of $1,101,642.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 27,868 shares in the company, valued at $1,706,915. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Robert M. Plenge sold 732 shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.14, for a total value of $44,754.48. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 6,584 shares in the company, valued at $402,545.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.09% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE BMY opened at $56.66 on Friday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $60.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of $64.17. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a one year low of $55.83 and a one year high of $81.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $118.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.28.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.75 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.99 by ($0.24). Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 17.62% and a return on equity of 50.51%. The firm had revenue of $11.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.81 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.93 EPS. The companys revenue was down 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 7.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 5th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.02%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 60.64%.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Godsey & Gibb Inc. raised its position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 25.7% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 582 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the period. Godsey & Gibb Inc.s holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $57,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Key Financial Inc boosted its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 8.2% in the first quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 1,370 shares of the companys stock valued at $137,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. Gries Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Gries Financial LLC now owns 10,703 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,066,000 after buying an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Benin Management CORP boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 4.4% in the 1st quarter. Benin Management CORP now owns 2,611 shares of the companys stock valued at $260,000 after buying an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. VAUGHAN & Co SECURITIES INC. grew its position in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. VAUGHAN & Co SECURITIES INC. now owns 4,277 shares of the companys stock valued at $419,000 after buying an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pathstone Family Office LLC raised its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Family Office LLC now owns 6,033 shares of the companys stock worth $581,000 after acquiring an additional 118 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.21% of the companys stock.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Price Performance

Shares of AGG opened at $92.75 on Friday. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 1-year low of $92.37 and a 1-year high of $101.15. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $95.47 and a 200 day moving average price of $97.54.

iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Profile

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.

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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).

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Summit Trail Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 24.0% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,312 shares of the asset managers stock after acquiring an additional 254 shares during the quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLCs holdings in BlackRock were worth $907,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in BlackRock during the 1st quarter worth about $115,000. United Bank increased its position in shares of BlackRock by 17.1% during the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 1,287 shares of the asset managers stock worth $983,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares during the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of BlackRock by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,978 shares of the asset managers stock worth $1,512,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of BlackRock by 35.4% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,025 shares of the asset managers stock worth $783,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its position in shares of BlackRock by 11.7% during the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 1,452 shares of the asset managers stock worth $1,110,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.01% of the companys stock.

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BlackRock Trading Up 1.2 %

Shares of BlackRock stock opened at $648.22 on Friday. BlackRock, Inc. has a 52-week low of $503.12 and a 52-week high of $785.65. The stock has a market cap of $96.78 billion, a PE ratio of 18.93, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.29. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $682.54 and a 200-day moving average of $680.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 4.21 and a current ratio of 4.21.

BlackRock Announces Dividend

BlackRock ( NYSE:BLK Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 14th. The asset manager reported $9.28 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $8.52 by $0.76. BlackRock had a net margin of 29.90% and a return on equity of 14.29%. The business had revenue of $4.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.47 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $7.36 earnings per share. BlackRocks revenue for the quarter was down 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that BlackRock, Inc. will post 35.3 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 8th were paid a dividend of $5.00 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, September 7th. This represents a $20.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.09%. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 58.41%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other BlackRock news, Director Mark Wiedman sold 2,079 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $733.82, for a total transaction of $1,525,611.78. Following the transaction, the director now owns 6,160 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,520,331.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other BlackRock news, Director Mark Wiedman sold 2,079 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $733.82, for a total transaction of $1,525,611.78. Following the transaction, the director now owns 6,160 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,520,331.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Laurence Fink sold 20,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $742.04, for a total transaction of $14,989,208.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 464,125 shares in the company, valued at $344,399,315. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on BLK shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $780.00 to $770.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 3rd. Bank of America decreased their price objective on shares of BlackRock from $921.00 to $868.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on BlackRock from $780.00 to $785.00 in a research report on Monday, July 17th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on BlackRock from $888.00 to $836.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on BlackRock in a research report on Thursday. They issued a hold rating for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, BlackRock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $751.92.

View Our Latest Stock Report on BLK

BlackRock Profile

(Free Report)

BlackRock, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks.

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Summit Trail Advisors LLC grew its stake in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS  Free Report) by 43.8% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 5,292 shares of the transportation companys stock after buying an additional 1,613 shares during the period. Summit Trail Advisors LLCs holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $949,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 210.7% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 14,943,616 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $2,878,723,000 after acquiring an additional 10,134,386 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,255,623,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 105,818.6% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,215,560 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $732,833,000 after buying an additional 4,211,580 shares during the period. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 83,903.7% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 4,134,664 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $741,139,000 after buying an additional 4,129,742 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 33.7% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 7,730,090 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,343,799,000 after buying an additional 1,949,775 shares during the period. 58.45% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on UPS shares. UBS Group lowered shares of United Parcel Service from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their target price for the company from $198.00 to $185.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. HSBC began coverage on United Parcel Service in a research report on Friday, September 29th. They set a hold rating and a $170.00 target price on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on United Parcel Service to $203.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 26th. Raymond James decreased their target price on United Parcel Service from $205.00 to $200.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 29th. Finally, Oppenheimer decreased their target price on United Parcel Service from $195.00 to $184.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seventeen have issued a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $188.26.

United Parcel Service Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of UPS opened at $154.27 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $166.13 and a 200 day moving average price of $175.27. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 12-month low of $150.54 and a 12-month high of $197.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $131.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.09.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The transportation company reported $2.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.49 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $22.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.04 billion. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 10.41% and a return on equity of 51.28%. United Parcel Services revenue was down 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.29 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 9.37 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 14th were paid a $1.62 dividend. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.20%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 11th. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 56.20%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Nando Cesarone sold 22,825 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.70, for a total value of $3,919,052.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 1 shares of the companys stock, valued at $171.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock.

United Parcel Service Profile

(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.

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Bill Yelenak has been promoted from chief operating officer to chief executive officer at The Providers Council, which is based in Framingham and is the largest human services membership association in Massachusetts.

Yelenak, who has been with the organization for more than 16 years, replaces Michael Weekes, who stepped down after 25 years leading the organization.

As COO, he oversaw association team members and helped run the organizations annual convention, the largest of its kind in the Northeast. Yelenak has also been a steady presence on Beacon Hill, where he often testifies on legislation pertaining to key human services provider issues.

Yelenak

A former journalist, Yelenak holds an MBA from Suffolk University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University.

Founded in 1975, The Providers' Council has nearly 220 members throughout the state.

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Two Bowditch & Dewey attorneys were recently named "Top Women of Law" by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Samantha McDonald and Lynette Paczkowski, both partners at the firm, received the award that honors exceptional female attorneys who are pioneers, educators, trail blazers and role models.

McDonald concentrates on business and real estate law, regularly steering commercial real estate deals to closing. She represents both buyers and sellers of commercial real estate and advises property owners on landlord-tenant disputes and environmental issues.

She earned her law degree at Suffolk University Law School and holds a bachelors degree from Clark University.

McDonald

Paczkowski, a past president of the Worcester County Bar Association, refocused her practice in 2019 from general litigation to domestic relations and probate litigation. She now routinely helps people navigate divorces, child custody issues, prenuptial agreements, trust disputes, estate administration claims and breach of fiduciary duty cases. She also continues to represent companies and individuals in commercial litigation.

Story continues

She earned her law degree at Boston College Law School and holds a bachelors degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Paczkowski

Bowditch & Dewey has offices in Framingham, Worcester and Boston. It handles sophisticated transactions, challenging litigation and complex regulatory issues.

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Kathleen Burke was recntly named art director at Sundin Marketing in Sherborn.

Their responsibilities include supporting the account executive team in designing collateral and advertising projects for clients while implementing brand standards across all projects.

Burke

Burke brings more than five years of graphic design experience, having previously held the position of graphic designer at Residential Properties Ltd, where they oversaw implementing updated brand standards, designed print advertisements, and led multiple high-stake campaigns.

Burke holds a bachelor of fine arts degree with a concentration in graphic design from Arcadia University.

Founded in 1976, Sundin Marketing is a full-service marketing and advertising agency.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Bowditch Dewey Framingham has two top women attorneys of law
[October 06, 2023] Modular Data Centers Market to grow by USD 26.78 billion from 2022 to 2027, Growth Driven by the Requirement to reduce the complexity of traditional data centers- Technavio Tweet

NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "modular data centers market by end-user (IT and telecom, BFSI, healthcare, retail and e-commerce, and others), component (solution and services), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa) - Forecast and Analysis 2023-2027" report has been added to technavio offering. With ISO 9001:2015 certification, Technavio has proudly partnered with more than 100 Fortune 500 companies for over 16 years. The potential growth difference for the modular data centers market between 2023 and 2027 is USD 26.78 billion. The requirement to reduce the complexity of traditional data centers is a key factor driving market growth. The need for additional infrastructure or the need to build additional facilities is increasing due to the increasing demand for data centers from businesses. Additionally, building a traditional data center comes with increasing costs due to the installation of modern infrastructure with advanced power and cooling systems. Additionally, the complexity of facility management and operations increases significantly due to the addition of new infrastructure components to existing data centers. As a result, some organizations are increasingly turning to building modular data center facilities. Hence, these factors are expected to drive market growth during the forecast period. Get deeper insights into the market size, current market scenario, future growth opportunities, major growth driving factors, the latest trends, and much more. Buy the full report here Market Challenge The lack of awareness and expertise in operating modular data centers is a significant challenge restricting market growth. Even though modular facilities are on the rise and telecommunications and colocation providers are gaining popularity, data center operators still lack awareness about modular data centers. Additionally, building a traditional facility has high upfront costs. Additionally, there is a shortage of qualified professionals to operate modular and containerized data center solutions in terms of configuration, as expertise is essential in building and operating the infrastructure including data center, and modular data, regardless of company or data center staff. Hence, these factors are expected to restrict market growth during the forecast period. Learn about additonal key drivers, trends, and challenges available with Technavio. Read FREE Sample PDF Report Now



The modular data centers market has been segmented by end-user (IT and telecom, BFSI, healthcare, retail and e-commerce, and others), component (solution and services), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The IT and telecom segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Modular data centers are increasingly being adopted in the IT and telecommunications sectors, providing the computing power and storage needed for a variety of applications and services. Some companies are relying on cloud computing for access to the computing resources needed, such as central processing units, CPUs, memory, File Storage, and Input Output Units. Without the need to invest in expensive hardware and infrastructure. Moreover, due to the explosion of data produced by enterprises and individuals, there has been an increasing demand for modular data centers that are able to process and store a high volume of data. Hence, these factors are expected to drive segment growth during the forecast period. North America is estimated to contribute 32% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. View the FREE Sample Report for insights into the contribution of all the segments and regional opportunities in the report.

Key Companies in the Modular Data Centers Market: Amazon.com Inc., Cannon Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Colt Technology Services Group Ltd., Datapod, Dell Technologies Inc., Delta Electronics Inc., Eaton Corp. Plc, Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd., GREEN4T SOLUCOES TI LTDA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., IE Corp., International Business Machines Corp., Iron Mountain Inc., Microsoft Corp., Rittal GmbH and Co. KG, Schneider Electric SE, Vertiv Holdings Co., and WESCO International Inc. Related Reports: The data center IT equipment market size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 9.09% between 2022 and 2027. The market size is forecast to increase by USD 65.26 billion. The data loss prevention (DLP) market size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 23.38% between 2022 and 2027. The market size is forecast to increase by USD 3,247.21 million. ToC: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market Sizing Historic Market Sizes Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation by End-User Market Segmentation by Component Market Segmentation by Geography Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Drivers, Challenges, & Trends Company Landscape Company Analysis Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

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[October 06, 2023] The Impact of Smart Farming in Addressing Agricultural Challenges Tweet

DUBLIN, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In light of the recently highlighted global move towards precision agriculture and digital farming, a new comprehensive market research product titled "Global Smart Farming Market 2023" is now available on ResearchandMarkets.com. This release comes timely, as the agricultural sector confronts the manifold challenges of climate change-induced weather unpredictability, resource scarcity, and the escalating global demand for food.

According to the news piece "Smart farming, often referred to as precision agriculture or digital agriculture," advanced technologies, including IoT sensors, AI algorithms, GPS and GIS technologies, UAVs, and smart farming systems with automation and robotics, have become increasingly integral in modern agriculture. They promise not only enhanced productivity and crop yields but also champion sustainable practices, minimizing resource waste, and preserving the health of the environment. The "Global Smart Farming Market 2023" report offers an extensive and in-depth analysis of the burgeoning smart farming industry, revealing its transformative potential in revolutionising onventional agricultural practices. This research product captures essential information, including company sizes, KPIs, financial data, funding details, and feature comparisons from major players in the smart farming space such as ClimateCorp, Agdata, Corteva, and many more.



Investors will find the report particularly enlightening as it meticulously collates data from diverse sources, offering an opportunity to: Monitor competitors and market players.

Identify potential collaborative partnerships.

Assess ripe investment opportunities in the Smart Farming market. Spanning various countries and regions, from North America to Australia & Oceania, the report's scope offers a holistic view of the smart farming landscape. Additionally, the product delves into intricate details like workforce size, funding amounts, exit prices, and even provides insights into the leadership and expertise of key personnel within the smart farming enterprises.

Several highlighted companies within the report, such as the US-based Farmers Business Network, focus on enhancing crop yields by employing sophisticated data analytics. On the other hand, Agworld, with its presence in Australia and the USA, has developed a farm management app to bridge information sharing among farmers, consultants, and contractors. The relevance of the "Global Smart Farming Market 2023" report extends beyond just investors. Agricultural Technology Companies, Farming Equipment Manufacturers, Agricultural Cooperatives, and Government Agencies can all benefit from this robust analysis, allowing them to tailor their strategies to the shifting demands of the market. As smart farming technologies continue to gain momentum, aiming to address the myriad challenges faced by the global agricultural sector, the "Global Smart Farming Market 2023" report emerges as a must-have for all stakeholders seeking to harness the potential of this transformative trend. The Global Smart Farming Market Report provides comprehensive insights into the state and future of smart farming. With meticulous research from a plethora of sources, this product caters to a wide range of stakeholders, from investors to government agencies, facilitating strategic decision-making and market analysis. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/q6h3q About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Laura Wood | +353-1-481-1716 | [email protected] Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

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Key Insights

Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad's significant public companies ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public

60% of the business is held by the top 2 shareholders

Institutions own 21% of Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad

Every investor in Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad (KLSE:PANAMY) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 47% to be precise, is public companies. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Individual investors, on the other hand, account for 25% of the company's stockholders.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad.

See our latest analysis for Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad?

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.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Hedge funds don't have many shares in Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad. The company's largest shareholder is Panasonic Holdings Corporation, with ownership of 47%. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 13% and 5.7% of the stock.

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After doing some more digging, we found that the top 2 shareholders collectively control more than half of the company's shares, implying that they have considerable power to influence the company's decisions.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There is a little analyst coverage of the stock, but not much. So there is room for it to gain more coverage.

Insider Ownership Of Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. 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.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad. In their own names, insiders own RM36m worth of stock in the RM1.1b company. Some would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. But it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

With a 25% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

Private Company Ownership

We can see that Private Companies own 3.5%, of the shares on issue. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Public Company Ownership

Public companies currently own 47% of Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad stock. This may be a strategic interest and the two companies may have related business interests. It could be that they have de-merged. This holding is probably worth investigating further.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad .

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.
[October 06, 2023] Sungrow FPV energizes REI Expo 2023 with floating PV system Tweet

HEFEI, China, Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 4th, Sungrow FPV attended the Renewable Energy India Expo, the largest international renewable energy professional exhibition in South Asia, which was held at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR, India from October 4th to 6th. At the exhibition, the system solution SGF-PT50 launched by Sungrow FPV for the Indian market was grandly unveiled. The system solution adopts the design of height difference at the ear of the floating body, and there is no inclination difference between the front and rear components to ensure high power generation efficiency. The system has high protection design, suitable for complex application scenarios and extreme environments, and can operate efficiently from at-40 C to 85 C. The overlap design between floating bodies ensures the stability of buoyancy transmission, and the operation and maintenance are safer and more convenient with the wide aisle. At the same time, the system is flexible and compatible, using a floating system series design, compatible with the mainsteam components of the Indian market.



As Asia's second-largest PV power generation market, India's PV installed capacity is at the forefront of the world. According to government planning, India is expected to achieve a cumulative PV installed capacity of 300GW by 2030, with an average annual PV installed space of 25-30GW. S&P Global predicts that the compound growth rate of India's floating PV market will exceed 50 % in the next five years. Sungrow FPV continues to lay out the Indian market and dig deeper into the pain points of customer demand in the Indian market. Based on the local market environment, a series of market and product development strategies have been formulated, and a localization service team has been gradually organized in India to provide local customers with more convenient local services. At the exhibition site, Raghav Malhotra, an Indian customer of Sungrow FPV, visited the booth. He praised the continuous innovation of Sungrow FPV in products and expressed his expectation to develop long-term business with Sungrow FPV through joint efforts. As an important station in the global development strategy, Sungrow FPV will continue to cultivate the Indian market, give full play to its core competitiveness in the Indian market, and continue to bring better products and services to global customers through the improvement of R&D technology and service systems.

About Sungrow FPV Sungrow Floating PV is a key high-tech enterprise dedicated to providing floating PV system solutions. Relies on Sungrow Group's 25 years' accumulation of development and production experience in the photovoltaic industry, Sungrow Floating PV focuses on providing ecologically friendly, reliable, and efficient Floating PV system solutions. With the vision of "to be the global navigator of FPV", its persistent pursuit is to provide high-yield one-stop services and lead the environmentally friendly development of floating PV. Learn more at http://en.sungrowfpv.com/ View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/sungrow-fpv-energizes-rei-expo-2023-with-floating-pv-system-301950032.html

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[October 06, 2023] Quantum Computing, Sensing, and Communication: The Future of Military Advancements Explored in New Report Tweet

DUBLIN, Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Quantum Technology for Military Applications - Market and Technology Forecast to 2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Quantum technologies are poised to revolutionize the military globally by offering unmatched advantages in terms of speed, security, and accuracy. Groundbreaking applications of quantum technologies for military purposes include Quantum Computing, Quantum Sensing, and Quantum Communication. These technologies are based on the principles of quantum physics, governing the behavior of subatomic particles. Market Forecast's Comprehensive Study Market Forecast has conducted an in-depth study titled "Quantum Technologies for Military Applications - Market and Technology Forecast to 2031." This study analyzes and predicts the evolution of quantum technologies, markets, and expenditures (outlays) over the next 8 years, spanning from 2023 to 2031. The research delves into the global quantum technology for military application markets, with a geographic focus on the top 95% of global markets, encompassing the United States, Europe, and Asia. Key Highlights of the Study In this comprehensive study, the following aspects are covered: Overview : A snapshot of the Quantum Technologies for Military Applications market during 2023-2031, including insights into demand drivers, trends, challenges, and spending patterns across regions and segments. The report also highlights emerging technologies.

: A snapshot of the Quantum Technologies for Military Applications market during 2023-2031, including insights into demand drivers, trends, challenges, and spending patterns across regions and segments. The report also highlights emerging technologies. Market Dynamics : Insights into technological developments in the Quantum Technologies for Military Applications market, analysis of changing governmental preferences worldwide, examination of industry structure trends, and identification of industry challenges.

: Insights into technological developments in the Quantum Technologies for Military Applications market, analysis of changing governmental preferences worldwide, examination of industry structure trends, and identification of industry challenges. Segment Analysis : In-depth analysis of various systems markets from a segmental perspective, along with detailed examination of factors influencing each segment's market.

: In-depth analysis of various systems markets from a segmental perspective, along with detailed examination of factors influencing each segment's market. Regional Review : Insights into modernization trends and budget allocation for top countries within each region.

: Insights into modernization trends and budget allocation for top countries within each region. Regional Analysis : A regional perspective on the systems markt, including an analysis of factors impacting each region's market.

: A regional perspective on the systems markt, including an analysis of factors impacting each region's market. Trend Analysis : Evaluation of key Quantum Technologies for Military Applications markets, analyzing the demand for various Systems segments in each region.

: Evaluation of key Quantum Technologies for Military Applications markets, analyzing the demand for various Systems segments in each region. Key Program Analysis : Details of top programs in each segment expected to be executed during the forecast period.

: Details of top programs in each segment expected to be executed during the forecast period. Competitive Landscape Analysis: Examination of the competitive landscape in the industry, providing an overview of key companies, strategic initiatives, alliances, and a brief financial analysis.



Segmentation and Focus Areas The study segments the Quantum Technologies for Military Applications market into four major groups, providing forecast figures from 2023 to 2031:

Region: North America

Latin America

Europe

APAC

Middle East & Africa Technology: Quantum Computing

Quantum Sensing

Quantum Communication Application: Quantum Cybersecurity

Quantum Communication Network

Quantum Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) System

Quantum ISTAR

Quantum Electronic Warfare

Quantum Radar and Lidar

Quantum Underwater Warfare

Quantum Space Warfare

Quantum Chemical and Biological Simulations and Detection End User: Air Force

Army

Navy Reasons to Buy This study empowers stakeholders to: Identify prospective investment areas based on a comprehensive trend analysis of the Global Quantum Technologies for Military Applications Market over the next eight years.

Gain in-depth understanding of the factors driving demand for various system segments in top spending countries globally.

Strengthen comprehension of the market, including demand drivers, industry trends, and the latest technological developments.

Identify major channels driving the global quantum technologies for military applications market, providing insights into future opportunities for revenue expansion.

Allocate resources strategically by focusing on ongoing programs undertaken by ministries of different countries within the Quantum Technologies for Military Applications market.

Make informed business decisions based on a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape, including detailed profiles of top systems providers worldwide, including product information, alliances, recent contract wins, and available financial analysis. Companies Mentioned 1QB Information Technologies

Alibaba Group

Alice and Bob

Alpine Quantum Technologies

Amazon Web Service

Anyon Systems

Atlantic Quantum

Atos SE

Baidu Inc

Bleximo Corp.

Bosch

C12 Quantum Electronics

ColdQuanta

D-Wave Quantum Systems Inc

EvolutionQ

Fujitsu

Google

Hitachi

Huawei

IBM

Intel

IonQ

ISARA Corporation

Microsoft

NEC Corporation

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Northrop Grumman Corporation

PsiQuantum

QC Ware

Quantica Computacao

Quantinuum

Quantum Circuits Inc

Quantum Corporation

Quantum Machines

Rigetti Computing

Riverlane

Strangeworks

Toshiba

Xanadu

Zapata Computing For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2epqz5 About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quantum-computing-sensing-and-communication-the-future-of-military-advancements-explored-in-new-report-301949764.html SOURCE Research and Markets

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[October 07, 2023] vivo Launches Funtouch OS 14: Smoother than Ever Tweet

SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 7, 2023 /CNW/ -- vivo today announced the launch of Funtouch OS 14 for vivo users in international markets. The Android-based system comes with all the benefits introduced in the new Android 14 version, with a unique vivo twist to deliver an enhanced, always-smooth user experience. With a focus on improving memory management, multitasking capabilities, personalization, privacy and security, as well as offering new video editing tools to allow for greater creativity and flexibility, Funtouch OS 14 ensures users enjoy every interaction with their device. Smooth Envision: Smooth, Every Time Funtouch OS 14 introduces Smooth Envision, an innovative approach that makes the OS experience smoother inside and out. By reducing the number of persistent processes and optimizing RAM usage, Funtouch OS 14 enhances system performance, responsiveness, and the ability to keep more apps active simultaneously. This enhanced RAM Saver feature adds up to 600 MB in available RAM space to devices with RAM configuration of 8 GB and above, making multitasking a breeze. For additional convenience, a new App Retainer feature ensures whitelisted apps that have not been closed manually are always restored to the last interface so users can easily continue where they left off. On select smartphone models, smoothness is also achieved visually with Motion Blur, another exciting upgrade that uses advanced algorithms to simulate motion blur when opening and closing apps on the home screen. This software-driven approach enhances the smoothness of displays with a 60 Hz refresh rate by an impressive 18.7%, ensuring silky-smooth visual transitions. Do More at Once with Enhanced Multitasking Features Funtouch OS 14 takes multitasking to the next level, introducing an upgraded small window feature. Thanks to the improved visibility of adjustment lines, users will now find it easier to navigate and understand the adjustment range. Users can keep up to 12 small windows active in the background, and the OS offers support for side-swipe suspension, giving users more control. For scenarios such as ride-hailing, watching a video, and chatting at the same time, when users want to focus on one app but still monitor another, a new non-interactive mini small window mode is introduced. Users can easily switch between the small window modes with a single tap. More Color, More You: Personalize Your Experience Funtouch OS 14 introduces a range of new personalization options, enabling users to express their unique style. Users can now customize the clock style on the lock screen, with options to choose from three clock layout styles and eight font styles. New always on display stylesi and a new minimalist theme have also been introduced. Based on Material You design, the new monochrome theme, called MY color palette, is simple and elegant and offers a diverse section of colors to choose from. Additionally, this feature contributes to power saving by optimizing the display for grayscale visuals. Get Creative with New Advanced Video Editing Tools Funtouch OS 14 comes with enhanced video editing capabilities, making it easier for users to create unique and captivating content without the need to rely on third-party apps. Users can now export videos in their original quality, supporting lossless export. Customizable video quality settings, including resolutions up to 4K at 60FPSii , give users greater creative control. Additionally, 25 filters have been added for easy video editing, all presented in improved thumbnails to better showcase the unique effects and usage scenarios and make it easier to choose. Furthermore, Funtouch OS 14 delivers an improved album browsing and viewing experience, allowing users to adjust the video playback speed, loop playback, enjoy full-screen playback, or take screenshots. Safeguarding User Privacy and Security Funtouch OS 14 empowers users to share their device while maintaining control over their personal information. A new Smart Mirroring feature allows users to seamlessly share their screen without worrying that the notification bar will pop up, accidentally revealing any personal information. Furthermore, users' hidden photos are now protected with an additional password verification step. Availability Funtouch OS 14 will be available for download starting from mid-October on vivo X90 Pro and iQOO 11. About vivo vivo is a technology company that creates great products based on a design-driven value, with smart devices and intelligent services as its core. The company aims to build a bridge between humans and the digital world. Through unique creativity, vivo provides users with an increasingly convenient mobile and digital life. Following the company's core values, which include Benfen*, user-orientation, design-driven value, continuous learning and team spirit, vivo has implemented a sustainable development strategy with the vision of developing into a healthier, more sustainable world-class corporation. While bringing together and developing the best local talents to deliver excellence, vivo is supported by a network of R&D centers in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an and more cities, focusing on the development of state-of-the-art consumer technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence, industrial design, imaging system and other up-and-coming technologies. Vivo has also set up an intelligent manufacturing network (including those authorized by vivo), with an annual production capacity of nearly 200 million smartphones. As of now, vivo has branched out its sales network across more than 60 countries and regions, and is loved by more than 500 million users worldwide. *"Benfen" is a term describing the attitude on doing the right things and doing things right  which is the ideal description of vivo's mission to create value for society.

Stay informed of latest vivo news at https://www.vivo.com/en/about-vivo/news







i Always on display styles availability varies based on hardware specifications. ii Available resolution options may vary across smartphone models.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vivo-launches-funtouch-os-14-smoother-than-ever-301941515.html SOURCE vivo

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[October 07, 2023] RoboForex bags multiple accolades at the highly regarded Global Brands Magazine Awards Tweet

RoboForex was honored to take home the 'Best Copy Trading Platform' and 'Best Multi Asset Trading Platform' awards for 2023 at the prestigious Global Brand Awards. LONDON, Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The prestigious Global Brand Awards, a revered yearly occasion orchestrated by the Global Brands Magazine (GBM) in the United Kingdom, strives to honour worldwide brands that distinguish themselves across diverse industries, all the while ensuring that readers are abreast of pivotal trends in the realm of branding. Amidst this distinguished exhibition of accomplishment, RoboForex stands out in this impressive display of success by becoming a pioneer and going through an evaluation conducted by an external assessment agency. Global Brands Magazine conducted an intensive assessment that considered numerous factors, including RoboForex's innovative trading technologies, extensive asset selection, exceptional customer support, and regulatory compliance as well as its dedication to educating and empowering traders. RoboForex stands out among traders; its user-friendly interface and commitment to client satisfaction has made RoboForex worthy of Global Brands Magazine's recognition. Commenting on winning the award, Jay Reddy, Director of Global Brands Magazine , said, "We are delighted to recognize RoboForex for their extraordinary achievements in online trading. Receiving both the 'Best Copy Trading Platform' and 'Multi-Asset Trading Platform' awards this year from Global Brands Magazine speaks volumes of their commitment to innovation and excellence; their recent wins at this year's awards prove this point further." They continue setting new industry standards; we look forward to watching RoboForex grow even more vital in future years. About RoboForex RoboForex is a company that delivers comprehensive brokerage services. The company provides traders in financial markets with access to its proprietary trading platforms. RoboForex Ltd operates under brokerage licence FSC 000138/437. View detailed information about the company's products and activities on the official website, roboforex.com.



RoboForex's proprietary CopyFX system has not only set industry standards but also redefined them. The recognition we have received highlights CopyFX's multifaceted capabilities: seamless integration with top-tier trading platforms, robust handling of high-volume transactions, unmatched security protocols, and exceptional network stability. Beyond its technical merits, CopyFX adds a social dimension to trading. Whether you're an individual trader or a long-term RoboForex client, you can become a partner and guide newcomers to top trading strategies, earning a share of the trader's commission in return. The system's adaptable framework allows users to take on multiple roles  as a trader, investor, or partner  offering unprecedented opportunities to diversify trading approaches, engage with the community, and discover new revenue streams.

The 'Best Multi-Asset Trading Platform' award celebrates the sophisticated architecture of the R StocksTrader platform. This web-based terminal offers traders an unparalleled variety of asset classes, encompassing stocks, indices, oil, metals, currency pairs, and ETFs, altogether featuring over 12,000 distinct financial instruments for both trading and investment. R StocksTrader is enriched by an array of advanced trading tools and a user-friendly interface. Additionally, it boasts a built-in strategy constructor, enabling traders to effortlessly design and deploy their own automated trading systems. About Global Brands Magazine (England) Global Brands Magazine (GBM) has been at the forefront, bringing news, views, and opinions on brands shaping the future of their industry. The magazine covers a wide range of industries, including fashion, beauty, technology, and more. It is targeted towards business executives and marketing professionals, offering insights and analysis on brand building and management. The magazine has over 9.5 million visitors and 14 million page views per month, making it one of the best and most esteemed online magazines globally. The magazine also maintains a strong presence on social media, boasting 20k+ Facebook likes, 10k+ Instagram followers, 25k+ Twitter followers, and 3k+ LinkedIn followers. About the Global Brand Awards The Global Brand Awards is an annual event that celebrates the accomplishments of the world's leading brands. These awards honour brands across various categories, including innovation, sustainability, customer experience, and more. The aim is to showcase best practices in branding, marketing, and customer engagement while providing recognition and exposure for the winning brands. We are excited to announce the highly anticipated awards ceremony which will take place at The Athenee Hotel located in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand, in May 2024. To learn more about the awards, please visit the Brand Awards Winners section on the GBM website. To nominate your company or business leader for the Global Brand Awards 2023, please click on the following link:

https://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com/nomination-form/ Checkout our social media shoutouts from the links below: Facebook: https://bit.ly/3PM3Co5

Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3Q5Yfl6

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3tlxnEV

Instagram: https://bit.ly/45k7F0D Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2080309/4043105/GBM_AWARDS_2023_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/roboforex-bags-multiple-accolades-at-the-highly-regarded-global-brands-magazine-awards-301949548.html

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[October 07, 2023] Sungrow at IGEM Malaysia 2023: Pioneering Renewable Energy Solutions to Facilitate Malaysia's Transition to a More Sustainable and Responsible Society Tweet

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, the global leading inverter and energy storage system supplier, showed its latest state-of-the-art renewable energy solutions to audiences at IGEM Malaysia 2023. Solutions include inverters, energy storage systems, electric vehicle chargers, digital energy management platforms, etc. that can supply utility, C&I and residential solar power plants. As Malaysia is undergoing its critical energy transition phase, Sungrow's cutting-edge products and technologies will contribute to the transformation of society. During the exhibition, the Sungrow booth attracted the attention of many leading customers and honored guests to visit, including Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment & Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa. Innovative utility-scale solar energy solution launched to unleash Malaysia's energy potential Utility-scale?power plants?dominate the Malaysian photovoltaic market which holds a 210GW potential.?With the aim of facilitating renewable energy development in Malaysia, Sungrow displays a variety of solutions to meet that need. These solutions include the ultra-powerful 350kW string inverter SG350HX, the innovative "1+X"?modular inverter, and the latest generation liquid-cooled energy storage system, the PowerTitan 2.0. The "1+X"?modular inverter is an innovative product that combines the advantages of central and string inverters. By combining eight units, the "1+X"?Modular Inverter can reach 8.8 MW in capacity, offering a minimum capacity of 1.1 MW per unit.?And for the energy storage system, the PowerTitan 2.0 debuts in Southeast Asia for the first time. It is a professional integration of Sungrow's power electronics, electrochemistry, and power grid support technologies. The latest nnovation for the utility-scale energy storage market adopts a large battery cell capacity of 314Ah, integrates a string Power Conversion System (PCS) in the battery container, embeds strong grid support technology, and features systematic liquid-cooled temperature control.



Comprehensive C&I solar-plus-storage solutions with power optimizer promote the low-carbon transformation of the Malaysian manufacturing industry The rapid expansion of the manufacturing industry and the support of the Net Energy Metering Scheme in Malaysia encourage local factories and commercial buildings to install photovoltaics?to reduce electricity bills.

A full range of Sungrow's renewable energy solutions for the C&I sector are available. They introduced the?SG125CX-P2 inverter, the?PowerStack ESS,?SP600S power optimizer,?the AC22E-01?EV charger, and the new generation digital O&M platform iSolarCloud.?With an all-encompassing solution, these parks can harness clean energy systematically. Tailored to meet Southeast Asia's policy requisites and long-term plant benefits, the SP600S surpasses similar products due to its dual functionality of "optimization"?and "shutdown". This product, certified by TUV Rheinland and CSA, has already found application in Thai enterprises?and won high praise. Safe and high-efficiency residential solar solutions embark allow local families to increase their income from electricity sales Malaysia's government is strongly supporting the installation of photovoltaics on household roofs. Sungrow brings 10kW and 20kW hybrid single-phase inverters to Malaysia, SH10RS and SG20RT-P2, giving customers a choice of suitable products based on roof size. With quick arc fault circuit interrupter, high anti-corrosion rating C5, etc., protecting houses from potential threats. At the same time, Sungrow inverters have lower startup & wider MPPT voltage, built-in PID recovery function and are better compatible with bi-facial modules, leading to higher yields for plant owners and homeowners. So far, Sungrow's residential solar solutions have been widely applied around the world, especially in mainstream markets such as Europe, America, and Australia. Kevin Guo, Head of Sungrow Malaysia, states that Sungrow will be Malaysia's sincere partner to promote its energy transition. "With the ambitious target to achieve 70% RE installed capacity in the power mix by 2050, primarily driven by solar PV installation, Malaysia is facing challenges. We have commissioned several solar projects in Malaysia, such as Sungai Petani 100 MW project, IBvolt 100 MW project, and provided C&I solutions for Intel Malaysia, Bosch Malaysia, and more. Our innovative technologies can provide Malaysia with efficient, safe, durable and stylish products, helping Malaysia achieve its net-zero goal as soon as possible." About Sungrow Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over?405?GW installed worldwide as of?June?2023. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions, NEV driving solutions, EV charging solutions and renewable hydrogen production systems. With a strong 26-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power over 150 countries worldwide.?For more information about Sungrow, visit www.sungrowpower.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/sungrow-at-igem-malaysia-2023-pioneering-renewable-energy-solutions-to-facilitate-malaysias-transition-to-a-more-sustainable-and-responsible-society-301950112.html SOURCE Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.

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In the aftermath of a controversial SCOTUS decision on affirmative-action . . . The congressman advocates for continues assistance for minority students.



Here's the money line . . .



Members of Congress, Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and Rep. Cori Bush, appealed to those in power . . .



"This is an image issue," Cleaver said. "Anyone from Missouri can tell you MU has had a bad image as it relates to minorities; all we're saying is try to fix it. Fix it."



In a letter sent to the UM System President, congress members stated, "The [Supreme] Court did not restrict the use of race-based scholarships or financial aid."



"The SCOTUS decision did not mention the word scholarship or scholarship program . . . It ain't there," Rep. Cleaver said.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Of all the aftermath notes following a sketchy Kansas raid that forced the resignation of a small town top cop . . . Here's the most memorable fact that informs the conversation along with newsie bluster that was backed up by international outrage . . . Check-it:



"Under the Kansas Shield Law, police who want to obtain news gathering items should first issue a subpoena, which allows journalists to provide or decline the materials and to have their day in court."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Despite so many promises from tech companies . . . Online access is still an ongoing problem for many Americans.

Here's a look at upcoming conversations on the issue for Kansas voters:



The DE Plan outlines digital skills training, affordable service plans, and the availability of broadband-ready devices as top priorities. Additionally, the plan emphasizes technologys positive effect on various areas of everyday life, such as health care, education, and civic engagement.



Digital equity empowers Kansans with the tools they need to succeed in the modern world, Governor Laura Kelly said. The release of the Digital Equity Plan marks a significant milestone in our commitment to closing technology gaps. I urge everyone to participate in the public comment process.





Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
The level of local violence continues to escalate in KCMO as our homicide count nearly keeps pace with record breaking 2020 numbers and eclipses last year's YTD total by more than 15%.



Here is the first report from the latest fatality . . .



Homicide 2700 block of Independence Ave.

Today just after noon officers were dispatched to a business in the 2700 block of Independence avenue on a shooting call.



On arrival officers were directed inside the business where they located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive.



Officers summoned EMS into the scene for treatment of the victim. EMS declared the victim deceased here at the scene.



Officers detained a subject of interest, an adult male, at the scene for further investigation.



Preliminary investigation indicates the victim and the subject of interest were inside the business when they became involved in an interaction that led to one or more shots being fired and the victim was struck.



Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Investigators are speaking to people who were at the scene when officers arrived, canvassing for witnesses, and processing the scene for evidence.



Detectives are not searching for any additional suspects at this time.



We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents.

##############



Check TKC news gathering . . .

KCPD reports shooting homicide inside business on Independence Avenue The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is at the scene of a fatal shooting.

Kansas City, Missouri, police respond to fatal shooting, armed robbery Saturday An adult man died in a fatal shooting Saturday afternoon in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kansas City man killed in business near downtown, police report Kansas City police responded to a shooting inside a business near downtown KCMO, police say a man was shot and killed and suspect is in custody.

Homicide near Independence and Chestnut Today just after noon officers were dispatched to a business in the 2700 block of Independence avenue on a shooting [...]

Developing . . .


In this compilation there's a lot of follow-up reports to cover along with deets on police action, court cases and ALLEGED misdeeds.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Trial delayed for ChiefsAHolic, Chiefs super fan accused of robbing several banks Xaviar Michael Babudar, the Chiefs superfan accused of a series of bank robberies across multiple states, will have his trial delayed for three months.

Off-duty Wyandotte County sheriff's deputy shot during car break-in at apartments Police are looking for the suspect who shot an off-duty Wyandotte County sheriff's deputy at the Village West apartments Friday morning.

Wrong-way driver nearly hits Gladstone police officer Clay County Sheriff's Deputies took a driver who nearly hit a Gladstone Police Officer to the hospital before he was arrested for DWI.

Andrew Lester demands jury trial in Ralph Yarl shooting case Andrew Lester, a Northland man accused of shooting teenager Ralph Yarl who went to the wrong address, is now demanding a jury trial.

Neighbors raised concerns about 5-year-old murdered in Topeka before her death, say no action was taken Neighbors say they contacted police and Child Protective Services about the child, but nothing was ever done.

Critics say Missouri's parole practices are unconstitutional. A federal appeals court agrees The decision by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds an earlier decision that attempts to fix what critics called a "procedural vortex" that unfairly kept people in prison with confusing documents, unfair hearings and petty interpretations of violations.

Leavenworth man sentenced after threatening family, cops with axe and machete Justin L. Toms-Gardner, 34, was sentenced to 28 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Police, family asking for help locating Kansas City man last seen on Monday KCK police said Roger Hunt left his work at I-635 and Kansas Avenue early Monday and arrived home near North Oak Trafficway and 152 Highway and hasn't been seen since.

Developing . . .
Many Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) insiders ditched their stock over the past year, which may be of interest to the company's shareholders. When analyzing insider transactions, it is usually more valuable to know whether insiders are buying versus knowing if they are selling, as the latter sends an ambiguous message. However, if numerous insiders are selling, shareholders should investigate more.

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.

Check out our latest analysis for Intercontinental Exchange

Intercontinental Exchange Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Founder, Jeffrey Sprecher, sold US$1.6m worth of shares at a price of US$108 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (US$111). As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower valuation. While insider selling is not a positive sign, we can't be sure if it does mean insiders think the shares are fully valued, so it's only a weak sign. This single sale was just 1.2% of Jeffrey Sprecher's stake.

Insiders in Intercontinental Exchange didn't buy any shares in the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Does Intercontinental Exchange Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It's great to see that Intercontinental Exchange insiders own 0.5% of the company, worth about US$281m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

Story continues

So What Do The Intercontinental Exchange Insider Transactions Indicate?

The fact that there have been no Intercontinental Exchange insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. It's heartening that insiders own plenty of stock, but we'd like to see more insider buying, since the last year of Intercontinental Exchange insider transactions don't fill us with confidence. 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. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Intercontinental Exchange you should know about.

Of course Intercontinental Exchange 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.
Another war breaks out amid worsening global military conflict and the local mainstream perspective, obviously, sides with longtime U.S. allies.



A quick breakdown which pretty much captures local political sentiment . . .



Israel has every right to defend itself, Republcian Senator Schmitt said in response.



His sentiments are joined by two other Missouri leaders- House Speaker Dean Plocher and Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden.



As the top two elected officials in the Missouri Legislature, we strongly condemn the series of attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel today, a joint press release stated. These acts of violence have caused immense suffering to innocent civilians and should be seen as an act of war.

A few moments ago . . .



Kansas Senator Roger Marshall simply tweetd: #StandWithIsrael

A recent statement from Mayor Q:

As the day goes on we expect more local politico to express their support or stay silent.

International politics is above our pay grade at this bloggy dump BUT we will share some of the headlines we're checking on the topic . . .



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Developing . . .



Israel's military says force is 'at war' with Hamas as IDF hits back at terror targets The Israel Defense Force announced the start of "Operations Swords of Iron" as it sends forces to the Gaza border and aim to clear out all Hamas soldiers from southern Israel.

U.S. condemns Hamas 'terrorism,' attacks on Israeli civilians Israel says at least 22 people have died.

World in shock at overnight declaration of war, Missouri Senator voices support for Israel "Israel has every right to defend itself," Senator Eric Schmitt said in a statement early Saturday.

Hamas and Israel at war: what we know so far Palestinian Islamist group launches a surprise attack and incursion into southern Israel

Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza Strip stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning...

What to know as conflict erupts between Hamas and Israel after deadly attack, retaliation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel was "at war" Saturday after the militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multifront attack on Israel.

22 killed in unprecedented Hamas attack in Israel; prime minister says country is "at war" Israel's national rescue service says at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in a Hamas military incursion on Saturday morning.

Developing . . .
Igor Zhadanov: My staff were shipping updates to customers two weeks after the war broke out. This part of their life was still in place and they knew they could lean on it - Eddie Mulholland

Igor Zhadanov saw Vladimir Putins invasion coming earlier than most. In 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and spread unrest across the Donbas, the chief executive of software company Readdle started making plans.

Zhadanovs father had managed communication lines in the Soviet military and identified the conflict as just the start. Because my dad was in the military service, I understood that its just a matter of when the next stage is going to come, he says.

Zhadanov, who had founded the company seven years earlier in the port city of Odessa, began overhauling his business to ensure that whatever happened to his homeland, Readdle would carry on as usual.

We needed to make sure that whatever we do, wed continue doing this, were not going to let our customers down and were not going to let our customer information out whatever happens to Odessa, he says.

Readdle, which makes email and document apps for Apple devices as well as task management software used by large companies such as BMW, Roche and Zurich, moved data online and toughened up its systems, ensuring that the company would be prepared for any further incursion.

So when Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine again in February 2022, it did not miss a beat.

Just grab your families

My people were in shelters pushing updates and replying to customers. I was yelling at them saying what are you doing, just grab your families.

But they were shipping updates to our customers two weeks after the war broke [out], exactly as we had promised. They understood that this part of their life is in place and they can lean on it.

Eighteen months later, Readdles office in Odessa is still running despite regular Russian attacks on the city, supported by two Starlink internet terminals, power generators and food and water supplies. Around 140 of Readdles 310 employees remain in Ukraine.

Everybody in Ukraine is a volunteer right now. The whole country is fighting back, says Zhadanov.

Story continues

Only in Britain...

The 39-year-old chief executive and his brother, Denys moved to London before the invasion as part of plans to grow the business.

He is in the process of setting up an office in the capital as well as a legal entity in Britain, although adapting to life in Britain has not always been smooth.

Zhadanov says it has taken four months to set up a bank account with Barclays: The system is so complicated, its kind of tangled.

When we meet, his office providers strict indoor photography policies mean Zhadanov and The Telegraphs photographer must brave the English drizzle to get a headshot. Only in Britain, Zhadanov remarks.

Zhadanov must brave the London drizzle - Eddie Mulholland

Early start in Odessa

The companys staff have become scattered across the world, in 35 countries including Poland, Germany and Portugal. It is a common story. Ukraine has a young, technologically-literate population that was a rich recruiting ground for tech companies before the war.

Founding a tech start-up, though, was less common. Two of Zhadanovs co-founders, who launched the company in an Odessa apartment, were among the first people in Europe to get their hands on an iPhone in 2007.

They built one of the first popular iPhone apps, which let people read documents and became an instant hit.

At the time, founding a start-up in Ukraine was extremely rare but Readdles apps have now been downloaded more than 220 million times. Much of its early success came from techies adopting its apps.

However, the company eschews Silicon Valley, which Zhadanov says is unfortunately, a lot about being transactional and suffers from a cultural detachment from much of the rest of the world.

London, meanwhile, is an amazing place, if you want to go for opportunities.

Yet Zhadanov fears that the city risks becoming too expensive for tech companies to operate unless backed by venture capital.

I want to take out the desk from our office, so we have a space to put a small chair, and they want to bill us 200. For 200 back in the years, in Ukraine, you could have someone working for you full time for a week.

More of his staff are now moving back to Ukraine as Kyiv seeks to keep the economy running amid what is expected to be a long drawn-out war. Zhadanov says roughly 40 who left have returned in the past year.

Im used to uncertainty, way more than the normal person is and maybe way more than the normal person should be.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer.
On Wednesday, a group of students got to experience what it's like to make decisions in loca
New climate program launches underserved students into Arctic science

Photo courtesy of Erin Towns

Oregon State University Upward Bound students and chaperones stand in front of the Toolik Field Station sign.

Driving Alaskas Dalton Highway, the rugged 400-mile road that stretches from north of Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, is the trip of a lifetime for many. But 12 recent travelers from Oregon met this bucket list item before even graduating from high school.

The trip was part of a new collaboration between the University of Alaska Fairbanks Toolik Field Station, Oregon State University, and the University of Maines Juneau Icefield Research Program to boost climate education for students from underrepresented groups in polar science.

In late August, 12 students from OSUs TRIO Upward Bound program spent five days at the field research station, which is part of the Institute of Arctic Biology at UAF. The students participated firsthand with Toolik Field Station staff, scientists, artists and others responding to the warming Arctic.

Amas Aduviri, who oversees Upward Bound as director of OSUs Student Access and Enrichment Programs, said the programs inaugural trip to the Arctic was a success.

We need to provide more of these types of opportunities for first-generation and low-income students, Aduviri said, noting the impact the program had on students. They are planning to get better grades, are more motivated to graduate from high school and are now seeing college as a real possibility.

Upward Bound is a federal program that promotes education equity, access and opportunity for students who are either from low-income backgrounds or would be first-generation college students.

Photo by Haley Dunleavy/Toolik Field Station

Students take turns touching exposed ground ice where the ground collapsed because of thawing permafrost near Galbraith Lake.

At the station, students withstood Arctic rain and fog to take part in all aspects of Arctic science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Toolik staff coordinated field activities, which included diving into ground collapse caused by thawing permafrost, capturing 3D imagery with drones and photogrammetry, and walking among burned spruce trees in a recent Arctic wildfire scar.

The students also spoke with scientists and support staff about the wide range of science-related careers, wrote haikus about the science at Toolik and workshopped watercolor paintings of the tundra with visiting artist-in-residence Kristin Link. They even helped researchers collect samples for an ongoing study of tundra plant genetics.

Erin Towns, a graduate student at the University of Maine and high school teacher of 25 years who helped lead the trips curriculum, said the program empowered students to see the many different ways they could work toward a career in polar science.

Their curiosity was an absolute pleasure to watch, she said. It takes such a large team of researchers, crafts and trades people, technicians, mechanics, pilots, cooks, and more to make science in the Arctic successful, and the students were really excited about it.

Back home in Oregon, the participants are preparing to share their experience with other students who completed a similar program in Juneau. It has left some with a deeper sense of responsibility to the environment.

[The program] has opened my mind to how what we do affects environments that we dont even live nearby, wrote one student in a post-experience survey. Im more thoughtful about what I buy or waste.

Photo courtesy of Erin Towns

Students Gustavo Villegas, right, and JayDen Viles, back, help researcher Wes Mahler, left, collect plant samples at Toolik Field Station.

Junior Yatzareht Ramirez Lira encouraged others to join in future years.

Although its something super different than what we are used to, its honestly a wonderful experience to live like a research scientist and see what their day-to-day life looks like, she said. Its not every day you are given the opportunity to visit the Arctic.

The program was funded at no cost to the students by educational grants from Battelle and the U.S. Department of Education.

After completing a successful first run, Aduviri said he plans to continue the program for years to come.

Towns agreed. [This program] sparked something in the students to pay attention to the planet and the environment, and I think thats not just a short-term impact. Thats for life, she said.

059-24
Sea stars, urchins and kelp forests

Photo by Sarah Gravem

A sunflower sea star chases sea urchins that are prevented from escaping by a barrier installed by biologists offshore of Sitka.

A few weeks ago, Sarah Gravem lowered a ravenous, terrifying predator from her boat down to the ocean floor off Sitka. Then she released it.

In a slow-motion drama, sea urchins fled as a pizza-size sunflower sea star oozed toward them.

Gravem explained: I release one right in the middle and watch everybody freak out. Its not just that they eat them, but they scare them. (Urchins) leave and they dont come back.

A biologist and diver at Oregon State University, Gravem is trying to understand whether imperiled sunflower sea stars are beneficial to kelp forests, which have also greatly diminished in the last decade.

Sunflower sea stars  recently decimated from the ocean off western Mexico, California, Oregon and Washington  are like wolves of the kelp forest, eating sea urchins that will overgraze if left unchecked, often with a scorched-earth result.

In Sitka, Gravems students and research team members have spent much of the summer working out of the Sitka Sound Science Center. Each morning, they boat out to kelp forests to study the relationship between sea urchins that eat kelp and sunflower sea stars that eat the urchins.

Sunflower sea stars can be as large as a trash-can lid. They grow up to 25 slimy arms. They are one of the largest sea stars and are the fastest, using thousands of coordinated tube feet to move a meter every few minutes. They live 30 years. And they are feared eating machines.

Image by UAF Geophysical Institute

The map shows the location of Sitka in Southeast Alaska.

Anything they can catch, they will eat, Gravem said over the phone from Sitka as her diving gear dried. They will shove an urchin inside their stomach and later spit out the empty shell.

There are not many sunflower sea stars remaining in the Pacific Ocean. Sea star sunflowers are victims of a wasting disease, perhaps a virus, that killed 5.75 billion of them in a recent five-year period. It is difficult to find one today off the coast of California, Oregon or Washington.

There used to be thousands of them marching around all the time, Gravem said.

The sudden absence of the sea stars has been bad news for kelp forests off the Lower 48 and has been noticeable all the way up to Alaska, where there has been a 60-80% decline in the last decade.

Gravem, who has studied the sea stars the last five years, recently visited a former kelp forest about a mile offshore of Sitka, where today theres not even a scrap.

Kelp forests are important because they provide fish with places to hide and provide sustenance for many other creatures.

Theyre like trees, Gravem said, but theyre even better than trees. Most every herbivore eats kelp.

Kelp forests disappeared en masse following the staggering loss of sunflower sea stars.

With no sea stars, sea urchins had gangbuster years, Gravem said. Some places, they increased tenfold.

Photo by Jake Metzger

Oregon State University biologist and diver Sarah Gravem motors past Sitka on her way to a kelp forest she is monitoring.

In a study funded by the Nature Conservancy, Gravem is examining the sunflower sea star/urchin relationship to learn more about if the reintroduction of the predator sea star will help kelp forests, which grow from spores each year and die back in the winter.

Norah Eddy, associate director of the Nature Conservancys oceans program in California, envisions reintroducing sunflower sea stars in strategic areas off the West Coast where kelp forests used to thrive.

Our recent work on this has included raising sunflower sea stars in captivity and introducing them into the wild to find out whether they can survive the same way a wild-born sea star could, she said.

Gravem pointed out that females produce a million eggs each year. Once areas of the ocean are salted with them, the sea stars would reproduce on their own if the wasting disease has run its course.

I think it wouldnt be that crazy, she said.

Before returning to her home in Oregon, Gravem finished the phone call with a hint of hope.

The good news is that (sunflower sea stars) seem to be increasing right now, she said. Ive seen them more in Sitka this year than in the past.

And California had a sighting that I know of this year. If somebody saw one, theres probably more.

Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.
Sending Ukraine modern weapons may carry risks of escalation but they are less significant than the possibility of Russia winning a war against Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke in an interview with the German publication WELT AM SONNTAG, reacting to Berlin's refusal to hand over Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine immediately, Ukrinform reports.

"I understand the concern that our support for Ukraine carries the risk of escalation, but the risk pales in comparison to allowing Putin to win this war. If Putin wins the war in Ukraine, he will probably use force again," the NATO leader said.

Read also: NATO calls on allies to increase ammunition production for Ukraine

He added that the arms supply is an issue that shall be decided at the national level.

At the same time, the politician welcomed Germany's "resolute support" for Ukraine, in particular Germany's decision to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses with another Patriot system ahead of winter, when, according to him, new Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy grid can be expected. Air defense capabilities are crucial for saving the lives of Ukrainians, Stoltenberg emphasized.

Speaking about Kyiv's counteroffensive, which has been ongoing since early June, he noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine retain the offensive momentum.

"Progress is more important than pace. Ukraine is moving forward, slowly but surely," the politician emphasized. According to his assessment, Russia has lost its military prestige, while being weakened economically isolated politically.

Regarding the Alliance's unity in providing support to Ukraine amid the elections in member states, Stoltenberg expressed his belief that whatever the future governments in Bratislava and Warsaw are, the Allies will continue to stand together.

"It is in our own interests to support Ukraine, and I am sure that all Allies will continue to do so," Stoltenberg said.

The head of the defense Alliance also commented on Moscow's threats of employing tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
South Korea's Trade Minister Dukgeun Ahn met with a group of Ukrainian officials on Friday and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation on rebuilding war-torn infrastructure and broader economic ties.

According to Yonhap News, Ahn said South Korea is ready to work closely with Ukraine on its recovery efforts, particularly regarding electricity infrastructure, nuclear energy and joint resource development.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of South Korea also said that the country will send a second delegation of government officials and business representatives to Kyiv soon to discuss details.

Last month, a South Korean delegation visited Kyiv for talks on South Korea's potential involvement in reconstruction projects, estimated to be worth around 1,200 trillion won (US$890.07 billion).

South Korea has signed an agreement with Ukraine to offer low-interest loans, which is expected to pave the way for their discussions on detailed projects and terms of support.

As reported by Ukrinform, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that Seoul would provide Kyiv with an additional $2.3 billion aid for reconstruction.
The empty account of boutiques "ex-employee" and a fake receipt with the date when the First Lady was in Canada

The Kremlin state media published information claiming that First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, while visiting the USA, allegedly purchased over a million dollars worth of jewellery from a Cartier boutique in New York.

The source of the "news" was the site of The Nation Nigerian newspaper which refers to an Instagram story of an alleged store employee who was fired at the request of Olena Zelenska.

As proof, this "ex-employee" of a New York boutique shows a copy of Olena Zelenskas jewellery receipt.

This is fake. The receipt is dated September 22, 2023. On this day, Olena Zelenska was in Ottawa, not in New York. In addition, the day before in Washington, D.C., she visited Georgetown University and met with First Lady of the United States Jill Biden.

The Instagram account of the "dismissed sales employee" does not contain a single post, there are neither followers nor a following list.

Its only content is a story with a fake receipt and a photo of the Cartier boutique that appeared on the Internet in 2014.

Earlier, Russian propaganda created a fake about Olena Zelenska's Israeli passport.

Andriy Olenin
Bratislava will not be sending any more military aid to Kyiv as political parties that are now in talks to form a new government oppose such assistance.

Thats according to Politico, Ukrinform reports.

The outgoing bureaucratic government in Slovakia will not send any more military material to Ukraine, a government spokesman said.

The countrys defense ministry was considering sending a new package of aid.

As reported by Ukrinform, parliamentary elections were held in Slovakia on September 30, won by the populist party Smer-SD ("Course - Social Democracy"). Its leader, Robert Fico, built his campaign on rhetoric that rejected further support for Ukraine.

The new coalition government should be formed by October 16.
On October 7, the first round of negotiations with Japan on a bilateral agreement on security guarantees, as provided for in the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, began.

As the press service of the President's Office reports, the Ukrainian negotiating team was headed by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva. The team also included Deputy Head of the Office Roman Mashovets, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mykola Tochytskyi, Advisor to the Head of the Presidents Office Oleksandr Bevz.

Japan became the fourth country, after the USA, Great Britain and Canada, with which Ukraine started relevant negotiations.

"The start of bilateral consultations with Japan not only confirms our strategic partnership but also demonstrates global support for Ukraine which goes far beyond the borders of Europe and North America. It is symbolic that Japan started bilateral negotiations on security guarantees with Ukraine during its G7 presidency," Zhovkva emphasized.

For Ukraine, these bilateral guarantees are a continuation of the significant non-lethal, security, humanitarian and financial assistance that Japan has provided to our country since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. An integral part of security guarantees is also assistance in Ukraines economic recovery which will be additionally discussed during the Ukraine Recovery Conference scheduled for the beginning of next year in Japan.

The parties agreed on further coordination and a plan for bilateral negotiations by the end of this year.

As reported, 28 countries have already joined the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine. With some of them, the negotiation process regarding the conclusion of bilateral agreements on security guarantees for Ukraine has already begun.

Photos: President's Office
Ideally, your overall portfolio should beat the market average. But in any portfolio, there will be mixed results between individual stocks. At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Singapore Land Group Limited (SGX:U06), since the last five years saw the share price fall 30%.

With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.

View our latest analysis for Singapore Land Group

To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During the five years over which the share price declined, Singapore Land Group's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 4.7% each year. Readers should note that the share price has fallen faster than the EPS, at a rate of 7% per year, over the period. This implies that the market was previously too optimistic about the stock. The low P/E ratio of 11.14 further reflects this reticence.

The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Singapore Land Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What About Dividends?

When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Singapore Land Group the TSR over the last 5 years was -25%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

Singapore Land Group shareholders are down 9.4% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 2.5%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 5% per year over five years. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Singapore Land Group (including 1 which is potentially serious) .

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Singaporean exchanges.

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 of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Israel's right to defense is beyond question.

Appalling news from Israel. I extend my condolences to all those whose loved ones were killed in the terrorist attack. We believe that order will be restored and terrorists will be eliminated, Zelensky said in his statement.

He stressed that terror must not be given a single chance anywhere in the world, because terror is always a crime not just against one country or its specific victims, but against humanity as a whole and our entire world.

Whoever uses terror commits a crime against the world. Whoever sponsors terror commits a crime against the world. The world must stand in unity and solidarity so that terror never attempts to conquer or destroy life anywhere, the President stressed.

He added that Israel's right to defense is beyond question, and all the circumstances of this terrorist attack must be clarified so that the world knows and brings to justice everyone who incited the attack and helped organize it.

Zelensky underscored that all Ukrainian citizens in the danger zone should carefully follow the instructions of the security forces on the ground and closely monitor the information.

Please stay safe! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and our Embassy in Israel are ready to help in any situation. An operational headquarters has been established to assist Ukrainians in Israel. If you need assistance, please contact any of our diplomatic or consular missions immediately by any means available to you, he added.

As reported, a massive missile attack was launched on the central and southern regions of Israel on Saturday morning. As a result of the large-scale Hamas attack on Israel, at least 22 people were killed and 545 more were injured.

Mohammed Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, announced the start of the operation in a media broadcast, calling on Palestinians around the world to fight. He reported that 5,000 missiles were fired at Israel. Israel said that 2,200 missiles had been fired at the country.

Israeli defense minister approved mobilization of IDF reserve forces. The Israeli army announced the start of the counter-terrorist Operation Iron Swords in response to the Hamas attack.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country is in a state of war.

The EU, Ukraine and many other countries condemned the attacks on Israel.
Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 19% in the last month. But that scarcely detracts from the really solid long term returns generated by the company over five years. In fact, the share price is 145% higher today. We think it's more important to dwell on the long term returns than the short term returns. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean it's cheap now.

In light of the stock dropping 11% in the past week, we want to investigate the longer term story, and see if fundamentals have been the driver of the company's positive five-year return.

View our latest analysis for Sonic Automotive

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During five years of share price growth, Sonic Automotive moved from a loss to profitability. On the other hand, it reported a trailing twelve months loss, suggesting it isn't reliably profitable. So it might be better to look at other metrics to try to understand the share price.

In contrast revenue growth of 8.4% per year is probably viewed as evidence that Sonic Automotive is growing, a real positive. In that case, the company may be sacrificing current earnings per share to drive growth.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

Balance sheet strength is crucial. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

What About Dividends?

When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Sonic Automotive's TSR for the last 5 years was 166%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

Investors in Sonic Automotive had a tough year, with a total loss of 0.8% (including dividends), against a market gain of about 18%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 22%, each year, over five years. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Sonic Automotive better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Sonic Automotive (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges.

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.
(@FahadShabbir)

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 07th Oct, 2023) The United Arab Emirates has expressed great concern regarding the escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, and stressed the importance of halting escalation and preserving the lives of civilians. The UAE has expressed its sincere condolences to all the victims of the recent crisis.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stressed that the UAE has called for exercising the utmost restraint and an immediate ceasefire in order to avoid serious repercussions.

The Ministry expressed that the UAE, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, urges the international community to immediately reactivate the international Quartet to revive the path process of Arab-Israeli peace, and increase all efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace, and prevent the region from experiencing further violence, tension, and instability.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Saturday said that he was heartbroken by the escalating violence in the Middle East which underscored the urgent need to address the Palestine Question

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Oct, 2023) Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Saturday said that he was heartbroken by the escalating violence in the middle East which underscored the urgent need to address the Palestine Question.

In a post on X, the prime minister said We urge restraint and protection of civilians. Enduring peace in the Middle East lies in a two-state solution with a viable, contiguous, sovereign State of Palestine, founded on pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al-Sharif at its heart.
Labor unions are having a moment in the sun after 'a summer of strikes'  but who's actually getting burned in the end? These are the pros and cons of unions

Its been a big win for labor this fall. Alongside the UPS workers' new contract, the 148-day Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike ended. The Hollywood studios conceded to increase royalty payments and protect the writers work against AI, according to the almost ratified agreement.

Several other unions are still on strike, with SAG-AFTRA actively negotiating for a new agreement. For their part, the United Auto Workers reached a tentative deal with Ford Motors on Oct. 25, which could serve as a template for its ongoing negotiations with General Motors and Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler. These unions all want similar things as the writers: more money and more protections around infringing technology.

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Unions are the reason we have workplace benefits like two-day weekends and laws against child labor, says the United Food and Commercial Workers. But even with these current and historic wins, do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks of unions?

Why are there so many strikes?

Though it may seem like unions are infiltrating every workplace, only 10.1% of workers belong to unions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) most recent estimates  which is half of the 1983 rate. And they're not increasing as you might assume  the BLS noted a 0.2% decrease in union membership in 2022 compared to 2021.

Even though union membership isnt sky high, we saw the summer of strikes for several reasons, including corporations seeing record profits while wages remain stagnant and the cost of living continues to rise. And now, theres the looming threat of AI replacing workers  something even Ray Dalio has warned his colleagues about.

Story continues

With these economic shifts, Gallup reported 71% of Americans approve of labor unions  the highest percentage recorded since 1965. Even investing legend Warren Buffett counts himself among their supporters. On the other hand, many Americans are still skeptical or even opposed to unions, including Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. So who's right?

Read more: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now use $100 to cash in on prime real estate  without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how

The pros

Unions aim to create positive benefits for all workers  not just their individual members. And research shows their efforts have had a massive impact on the face of work in the U.S. From 1930 to 1960, union participation increased and contributed to reducing the income gap across America, according to a 2021 article in the Quarterly Journal of Economics.

A smaller income gap also means that workers have more money to spend  and funnel back into the economy and their own savings. An overwhelming 93% of union workers have access to retirement plans, compared to just 67% of non-union members in 2022, according to BLS data. With many older Americans in the grips of a homelessness epidemic, the government will need to spend more on the welfare of older adults. But advocates argue that if every retiree had these kinds of union retirement savings, more tax dollars could go toward things that benefit everyone directly, like parks, schools and roads.

A newer union benefit is the protections some are creating against technology that could take over jobs. Without proper protections against AI, you and many others could be out of work, which could have a serious impact on the unemployment rate and the strength of the American economy.

The cons

Though workers greatly benefit from unions, corporations dont always receive the same perks. For instance, if a corporation has to increase wages, like they did with UPS workers in August, theres less money for the company to either reinvest in the business or hand out to shareholders.

Plus, unions cost money  not just for the corporation, but for workers too. Every month or year, individual workers must pay their dues. And at many unionized workplaces, even if you dont want to be a member, you cant work there without being in the union, according to the National Right to Work Foundation.

Unfortunately, some unions have a history with corruption and criminal activity. (Just look at Jimmy Hoffa, a leader in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters with infamous ties to organized crime.) If you end up with poor union leadership who abuse your dues, youre not likely to see the protections you paid for.

Whether you cross the picket line or not, theres no getting around the fact that workers are frustrated with corporate America. While the Biden administration and several economists tout the benefits of unions in empowering workers, there are often personal trade-offs involved in acting on behalf of the collective. Deciding which is the lesser of two evils is up to you.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi reiterated on Saturday said that no government would permit the stay of illegal immigrants in their country

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Oct, 2023) Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi reiterated on Saturday said that no government would permit the stay of illegal immigrants in their country.

Talking to a private tv channel, the minister clarified that individuals with legal rights could only reside in Pakistan.

He mentioned three categories of Afghan residents residing in Pakistan currently. The first group comprised of individuals who arrived in Pakistan in 1978 and had Proof of Registration cards. While the second category included those Afghans who had been in Pakistan since 2016 and had Afghan citizen cards verified by the previous government of Afghanistan.

The third group, totaling approximately 1.7 million people, entered Pakistan after August 15, 2021, he said, adding among them, some possessed expired visas, while others had entered the country illegally.

To a query, he said most of the illegal immigrants in Pakistan were from Afghanistan.

Solangi emphasized that the illegal immigrants must voluntarily leave Pakistan by October 31, as the caretaker government was committed to implementing the law.

He stressed that the national interest could not be compromised for the sake of bilateral relations, underscoring that action would be taken indiscriminately against illegal activities.

The minister said a recovery amounting to Rs16 billion was made in the government's crackdown against electricity theft.

He also highlighted the positive impact of administrative actions, leading to a significant reduction in the prices of essential commodities such as oil, sugar, wheat flour, and fertilizer.

Solangi reassured the public that the caretaker government was dedicated to the betterment of the country and affirmed their responsibility to continue taking necessary actions.

In response to another query about the upcoming elections, the minister said that the Election Commission of Pakistan bore the responsibility for conducting free, fair, and transparent elections in the country.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

A senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed support for an attack Hamas launched against Israel on Saturday, calling it a "proud operation".

Tehran, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Oct, 2023) A senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed support for an attack Hamas launched against Israel on Saturday, calling it a "proud operation".

"We support the proud operation of Al-Aqsa Flood," Yahya Rahim Safavi said at a meeting held in support of Palestinian children in Tehran, quoted by ISNA news agency.

"We support this operation, and we are sure that the resistance front also supports this issue," said Safavi, who is senior general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Palestinian group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, launched barrages of rockets at Israel from dawn on Saturday as its militants crossed into Israel.

At least 22 people have been killed in Israel so far during the violence, according to the latest toll issued by Israeli medics.

Safavi expressed backing for the Palestinian militants "until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem".

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani also hailed the Palestinian assault on Israel.

"Today's operation marked a new page in the field of resistance and armed operations against the occupiers," he said.

"The resistance has so far achieved brilliant victories during this operation, and this is a bright spot in the history of the Palestinian people's struggle against the Zionists."

At a parliament session on Saturday, Iranian lawmakers chanted "Down with Israel", "Down with America", and "Welcome Palestine", according to a video published by Tasnim news agency.

Iran, which hosted leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in June, considers Israel its arch enemy.

The two sides have for years been engaged in a shadow war, with Iran accusing Israel of a series of sabotage attacks and assassinations targeting its nuclear programme.

The United States and Israel have previously accused Iran of using drones and missiles to attack US forces and Israel-linked ships in the Gulf.
(@FahadShabbir)

Guayaquil, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Oct, 2023) Six inmates were killed Friday during a disturbance inside a Guayaquil prison, authorities said, in the latest deadly unrest to strike Ecuador's penal system.

"An event occurred" in one of the cellblocks of the Guayas 1 prison, "resulting in six dead people," the SNAI national prison authority said in a statement.

The public prosecutor's office said that its agents, along with police and the military, were "executing security protocols... in light of the disturbance that occurred Friday afternoon."

It added in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that "in the coming hours, specialized military personnel will carry out the first raids and reconnaissance of Cellblock 7, where the incidents originated, to take control of the situation."

Guayas 1 is one of five facilities that make up a large prison complex in Guayaquil, a key port city that has become one of the country's increasingly bloody centers of a turf war between rival drug-trafficking gangs.

In late July, a riot in the Guayas 1 prison left more than 30 people dead.

According to press reports, the victims are the six Colombians who were arrested following the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio on August 9 as he was leaving a rally in northern Quito ahead of first round elections.

Authorities have not confirmed those reports.

Right-wing president Guillermo Lasso, who on Thursday traveled to New York for personal matters, announced on X that he would "immediately convene the Security Cabinet."

"In the next few hours I will return to Ecuador to attend to this emergency. Neither complicity nor cover-up, here the truth will be known," he added.
Hundreds of Namibian communal farmers who seasonally cross the border into Angola in search of pastures for their livestock have been asked to leave and apply for permits as Angola clamps down on illegal cattle herders in their country.

Changing weather patterns attributed to global warming are causing a decline in pastoral land, which is affecting cross-border migration of farmers.

Immanuel Nangolo has a herd of 300 cattle and, when pastures are not green in Namibia, he makes his way north to Angola to feed his hungry livestock. With the new restrictions introduced by the Angolan government, he cannot move as freely as he did in the past.

Nangola said that grazing land in Angola is sufficient and free, while in Namibia, fenced land makes it difficult for cattle to graze freely.

Walde Ndevashiya, governor of the Ohangewna region in northern Namibia, which borders Angola on the north, said Namibian communal farmers have been allowed to graze their cattle in Angola. But now some have started building permanent structures such as fences and buildings, which is not allowed.

There are those who go there, then they settle  there on [a] long-term basis, which will not allow for the grass to be replenished again, Ndevashiya said.

Namibia has dispatched its minister of international relations and cooperation, Netumbo Ndaitwah, to find a solution to the problem with her counterpart in Angola, Tete Antonoi, the minister of external relations.

Ambassador Penda Naanda, the Namibian government spokesperson on the matter, said, Namibia is a country that is draught prone  and this has necessitated our farmers to be in Angola.

Certain things might have developed in Angola, but the two countries continue to negotiate and see how best they can resolve this issue, he said.
President Joe Biden on Saturday condemned the surprise Hamas-led attacks that killed hundreds of Israelis, saying the events were "unconscionable" and "heartbreaking," with "no justification"  and reiterating Washington's "rock solid" support for Israel.

"As this situation continues to develop, let there be no mistake," he said, "The United States stands with the state of Israel."

Biden said he had also spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  who, like many Israelis and Jews around the world, was ending a week of religious observations for the holiday of Sukkot  to convey that message, and had also been in contact with the king of Jordan and top U.S. national security officials.

In a call Saturday evening with reporters, a senior Biden administration official said the White House had been engaging all day with top officials or leaders, including those from the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany, the U.K. and Italy. The official was not identified, as is customary during these background calls.

Saturday's attacks by the militant Palestinian group produced a rare moment of agreement among high-ranking American politicians on both sides of the U.S.' deep political divide. Many also alluded to the global impacts of the violence.

"The unprovoked terror attack today and the murders of innocent Israeli citizens are a stark reminder of the brutality of Hamas and Iran-backed extremists," Representative Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who is campaigning to be the next speaker of the House of Representatives, said in a statement. "The indiscriminate killings of men, women and children are sickening."

The White House official noted the unusual situation U.S. lawmakers find themselves in after the historic ouster of the previous House speaker, Kevin McCarthy  a move that leaves Congress effectively immobilized until a new speaker is chosen.

Without a speaker of the House, that is a unique situation were going to have to work through, the administration official said when asked about the ability of the current Congress to pass any Israel-related legislation.

The two top members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Republican Michael McCaul and Democrat Gregory Meeks, spoke as one in a statement and pledged their support.

"We strongly and unequivocally condemn Hamas' heinous attack on Israel today. We support Israel's right to self-defense and are ready to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself. We stand with Israel as it mourns the dead, cares for the wounded, and defends its homeland, citizens and visitors."

From the Senate, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, urged the United States and "the civilized world" to stand in solidarity with Israel and pointed to outside influence.

"The terrorists responsible for this ongoing war against Israel were trained and equipped by Iran, the same terror state providing lethal drones to Russia to attack Ukraine," he said in a statement. "There must be consequences for those who conduct or support such terror. Failure to support friends under attack  in Kyiv or Tel Aviv  will only embolden the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism and fellow authoritarians who watch closely for a weakening of American leadership and Western solidarity."

His Democrat counterpart, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, agreed.

"The terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel are absolutely horrific," Schumer said in a statement. "The United States stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so. My prayers are with the dead and those taken hostage, their families, and the hundreds injured."

Speaking from the White House Saturday afternoon, Biden said he had made his support clear to Netanyahu.

"We stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel," said Biden. "Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My administration's support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering."

American adversaries watching, say experts

Analysts say these events are being keenly watched by U.S. adversaries like Russia and China. And, they said, Iran is very much involved.

"It's very important to note that all these groups have one thing in common and that's Iran," said Joe Truzman, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Long War Journal.

Photo Gallery: In Photos: Hamas Attack on Israel and Retaliation Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip Saturday. Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza. Share on Facebook

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When asked about that, the White House official told journalists its too early to say whether the state of Iran was directly involved, or planning, or supporting.

But, the official added: That said, theres no doubt that Hamas is funded, equipped, armed by Iran and others. And so thats why we have taken action throughout this administration to hold Iran accountable, to impose sanctions on Iran for support to Hamas and other terrorist organizations. That is going to continue, believe me.

"It's absolutely in Russia's interest to create chaos in the Middle East," said Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the think tank. "It's a big distraction from the U.S. effort to support Ukraine. Certainly the Chinese are going to be enjoying this, too."

On whether this violence complicates a Biden administration initiative to get Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations, Dubowitz said while that may be Tehran's intent, that process may not be disrupted so easily.

"I don't think the Iranian strategy will work here to derail normalization," he said. "I think normalization from a Saudi perspective is so strategic to [Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] economically, politically, militarily, from a national security perspective, that he needs normalization and will continue to move forward."

Reactions from around world

The global impacts of this event were also made clear by swift reactions from other world leaders.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that these attacks, for his people, are something they "have a special feeling about" as they evoke Russia's attacks against Ukraine for 19 months.

"Our position is crystal clear: Anyone who causes terror and death anywhere on the planet must be held accountable," Zelenskyy said. "Today's terrorist attack on Israel was well-planned, and the entire world knows which sponsors of terrorism could have endorsed and enabled its organization. Israel has the full right to defend itself against terror. As any other state. And it's critical that the whole world responds to terror in a unified and principled manner."
A Canadian woman linked to Islamic State jihadis who was repatriated from a camp in Syria six months ago has been charged with participating in a terrorist group, police said Friday.

Ammara Amjad was arrested Thursday in Milton, Ontario, west of Toronto, "for her alleged participation in the activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.

The 29-year-old was granted bail during a brief court appearance and is scheduled to be back before a judge on November 17.

Amjad was among a group of women and children who in April were part of the fourth repatriation operation conducted by the Canadian government of its nationals held in camps in Kurdish-administered northeastern Syria.

Since the end of the "caliphate" established by the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, many countries have been reluctant to allow the repatriation of wives and children of jihadis, fearing security threats and domestic political backlash.

Thousands of jihadis and their family members continue to be held in detention centers and informal camps where U.S. commanders have warned they could fuel an IS revival.

In June, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken applauded countries, including Canada, that have brought home their nationals from Syria, and he urged other nations to follow suit.
Maldives President-elect Mohamed Muizzus election victory has put South Asian countries attempted balancing act between China and India into the global spotlight.

Muizzu is known as a pro-China politician, and analysts predict he will try to institute some pro-China policies. At the same time, they think Indias active presence in the Indian Ocean archipelago will force Muizzu to strike a delicate balance between Beijing and New Delhi.

"Muizzu tapped into the anti-India sentiment [during the campaign] and he certainly will try to distance his government from India to some extent, but I dont think this means he is going to jump onto the China bandwagon," David Brewster, a senior Australian National University research fellow, told VOA by phone.

"Indias interests are much broader and deeper across the Maldives. In the security sphere, India is building a new coast guard base near Maldives capital, Male, and they also have various projects around the Maldives," he added.

While it remains to be seen what actions Muizzu will take to fulfill his campaign promises under the "India Out" slogan, Brewster said he thinks Indias deep involvement in Maldives will make Muizzu feel "restrained and act cautiously."

Muizzu, backed by a coalition that calls for closer ties with China, won Maldives presidential runoff September 30, beating incumbent president Ibrahim Solih by winning 54% of the vote.

The election was viewed as a virtual referendum on Chinas and Indias influence on Maldives. Muizzu vowed to reduce Indias presence in Maldives by removing the 75 Indian military personnel stationed in the archipelago.

At an event celebrating his electoral victory on Monday, Muizzu said he would stick to his campaign promise. "We will send back foreign soldiers in the Maldives," he told a group of supporters.

Traditionally, India views Maldives as part of its sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean, and under outgoing President Solih, who adopted an "India First" foreign policy since coming to power in 2018, New Delhi has kept a small group of soldiers in the country for "humanitarian purposes."

In addition to the regular military presence, India has provided Maldives with defense-related facilities and equipment in recent decades, including a military hospital, a coastal surveillance radar system, and the Greater Male Connectivity Project, a $500 million infrastructure project connecting Male with several nearby islands.

However, Muizzus party has voiced concerns about the two countries elevated security ties.

"The argument that Muizzus party put forward was that India was infringing on Maldives territorial integrity by stationing 75 Indian military personnel on one of the islands," said Yogesh Joshi, an expert on South Asian affairs at the National University of Singapore, by phone.

Despite growing skepticism toward India in Maldives, some experts say they think Muizzu will have to consider other factors, such as infrastructure projects supported by India, when he decides how to manage Maldives relationship with New Delhi.

"There are more things that Muizzu has to consider, and this process will have a sobering effect on him when he takes over the office soon," Srikanth Kondapalli, professor of China studies at Indias Jawaharlal Nehru University, told VOA by phone.

As for Indias government, Brewster said he thinks it will continue projects it initiated under the previous government, including the connectivity project and the new coast guard base, while working out a new approach to engage with Muizzus administration.

In a brief statement on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Muizzu on his election victory and vowed to keep strengthening bilateral ties with the Maldives.

While India has enhanced cooperation with Maldives over the last five years, China has been expanding its presence in the Indian Ocean archipelago since 2010.

Beijing funded a number of infrastructure projects under its Belt and Road Initiative, causing Maldives to owe $935 million in sovereign guarantees to Chinese companies and another $600 million to the Chinese government, according to figures shared by Maldives Foreign Ministry in 2019.

Since Muizzu will likely focus on reviving economic ties with China, Brewster said he thinks his government should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of such an attempt.

"Im not sure to what extent Muizzu will reopen the floodgate to major Chinese infrastructure projects, but [since] Maldives is still highly indebted, any additional amount of debt that the country takes on will be a real problem for them," he told VOA.

As for Beijing, Joshi said he thinks it will try to reduce Indias involvement and present Maldives as a shining example of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"China would like to capitalize on the domestic political change in Maldives," he told VOA. "They will try to not only recover its lost space but also consolidate its security and economic presence in the country."

Following Muizzus victory, Chinese leader Xi Jinping congratulated him Tuesday, saying that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations between Maldives and China and stands ready to work with Muizzu to carry forward the friendship.

Despite his seemingly pro-China and India-skeptical stance, Brewster said he thinks Muizzu will try to play a balancing act between India and China rather than tilting too much toward Beijing.

"He will maintain the primacy of India in foreign policy and security while also reopening economic links with China," he told VOA, adding that such a balancing act has been a common approach adopted by other South Asian countries, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

While Muizzus victory may suggest a recalibration of Maldives foreign policy approach to some extent, Brewster said he thinks it will not significantly affect the competition between China and India in South Asia.

"I dont think this election adds anything different," he told VOA. "In each South Asian country, there is a pendulum that seems to swing back and forth between tilting towards India or tilting towards China, and that exact dynamic has been playing out throughout the region. This is just another swing of the pendulum in Maldives," he said.
Chinese real estate investors who once snapped up high-end condos and apartments in Thailand are cutting back due to an economic downturn and real estate crisis at home.

Many Chinese invest as much as 70% of their savings in real estate, a sensibility that has benefited Thailand's luxury condo and apartment sector for several years.

Kashif Ansari, co-founder and CEO of Juwai IQI Group, a real estate marketing firm that helps connect Chinese buyers to properties in Southeast Asia from Kuala Lumpur and other offices, told VOA's Korean Service that the trend is now leveling off.

"This year, Thailand is no longer the number one destination for Chinese buyers like it was in earlier years," Ansari said via email. "Instead, it is fifth, and the top four destinations are all the traditional English-speaking countries with prestigious educational sectors."

Thailand was the top location for Chinese to invest in residential properties from 2018 to 2021, according to the firm's list of the 10 countries most desired by Chinese buyers. By 2022, Thailand was fourth, and now, in the first half of 2023, it's fifth.

Thailand's Real Estate Information Center also found Chinese buyers have been the largest cohort of foreigners buying condominium units in Thailand since 2018, purchasing 3,562 units worth more than $511 million in the first nine months of 2022.

The four most popular countries among Chinese buyers in the first half of 2023 were Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., according to Juwai IQI.

Ansari said Chinese are buying homes in Australia to move and live there permanently. Chinese purchasing residential properties in Thailand are mostly investors.

"Most Chinese buyers [in Australia] this year have been purchasing for their own use and are on the path to becoming new Australian citizens," Ansari said. "Many of the buyers that we work with are either students studying in the destination country or are planning on moving to the country and purchasing a home to live in."

Neighboring Vietnam ranked ninth in Ansari's survey and, according to real estate agents, is less reliant on Chinese investors than Thailand.

Nguyen Thanh Nga, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City-based Global Green Real Estate property developer, told VOA's Vietnamese Service that "Chinese investors are mainly interested in apartments in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh."

He said the crash in the Chinese property market has not affected Vietnam and that investment from Chinese investors there remains steady.

Su Ngoc Khuong, senior director of investment at Ho Chi Minh City-based real estate firm Savills Vietnam, told VOA's Vietnamese Service that Vietnam does not heavily rely on Chinese buyers, adding the foreign buyers using his firm are from the U.S., Europe, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

China's economic uncertainties

According to a study by Shanghai Jiaotong University's Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance and financial firm Charles Schwab, overall financial confidence among China's growing numbers of affluent citizens fell slightly this year, leading them to hold back on high-end purchases.

China's interwoven economic problems such as a youth unemployment rate so high Beijing stopped releasing the rate as of August, exports dropping 8.8% in August, shrinking household consumption fueling deflation, and a massive real estate crisis have led to speculation that the next step in its decades-long red-hot economic growth may be stagnation.

These financial difficulties at home mean Chinese buyers are hesitating with Thai investments.

Deals now take months

Xin Qiu is a founder of Taiheju, a property agency in Thailand that mostly deals with Chinese customers intent on renting or investing in properties in the country.

"During the peak in 2018, it only took us a few weeks to close a deal, or within one week if a client came and saw the property," she told VOA's Thai Service in a telephone interview. "Now it takes a few months."

Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow at the Wilson Center and founder of the weekly ASEAN Wonk newsletter, told VOA's Korean Service, "We are seeing a recalibration of post-pandemic economic realities, and that includes the current slowdown of China's economy."

"Whether or not this continues in the long run will depend on the actions of other Chinese investors moving forward and what Southeast Asian states can do to manage this fallout both with Beijing as well as with other potential investment sources," he said.

Yiamyut Sutthichaya and Le Nguyen contributed to this report.



Editor's note: An earlier version of this report misspelled Xin Qiu's name. VOA regrets the error.
Pop-up companies aggressively pushing a small business tax credit may soon be in hot water with the IRS.

Last month, the agency stopped processing tax returns with the employee retention credit (ERC) until at least the end of the year due to growing concerns that these companies were persuading small business owners to fraudulently claim the credit. Now, the Internal Revenue Service is reviewing previously filed ERC returns, including auditing and investigating suspicious claims from these so-called "ERC mills."

The moves strongly suggest the agency is building criminal cases against these fraudulent firms altogether rather than just targeting specific tax returns, two IRS experts told Yahoo Finance. Any small business owners who fell prey to these promotions should be ready to return any money they received from the credit and  if complicit  possibly face charges themselves.

"I suspect you'll see some indictments in the next couple of months, and it will send a message to those bad actors to knock it off," Mark Everson, a former IRS commissioner from 2003 until 2007 and vice chairman at alliantgroup, a national tax consulting services firm, said.

"I agree with that completely," Michael Sardar, tax controversy attorney and partner at Kostelanetz LLP, said. "I am certain they are working on ERC criminal cases and I'm certain they will bring criminal cases."

The IRS is auditing and investigating suspicious claims from these so-called ERC mills. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The ERC scam

The ERC is a legitimate tax credit established to help businesses with the cost of keeping staff employed during the pandemic, enacted by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

But its been a target for abuse because the credit qualification is complicated and lucrative. Small business owners often don't have the resources to understand the IRS's filing requirements or were not aware that the ERC was retroactively available in 2023. And the payments are attractive  qualified employers can claim up to $26,000 per worker on the payroll between March 12, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2021, a windfall for the ERC companies that get a cut.

Story continues

"I think that's certainly a part of it," Sardar said.

A year ago, the IRS had been warning about abuse related to ERC. In May, it specifically warned against pop-up ERC companies that were luring unqualified small businesses into claiming credits through aggressive promotions  even adding it to the agency's annual Dirty Dozen scam list.

That came after the IRS criminal investigation division started 122 investigations involving over $1.2 billion of potentially fraudulent ERC claims.

These companies often advertise that they can determine ERC eligibility for a small business within minutes without a discussion with clients, according to the IRS. The companies file the ERC credit on behalf of a small business owner for a fee that is typically a percentage of the tax credit amounts.

"The problem is that while there are totally legitimate CPAs like us around the country who have helped taxpayers with [ERC claims]," Everson said, "there is a pop-up industry where people came in and they started saying, 'hey! you qualify for this.'"

The IRS is targeting "ERC mills" that prey on small businesses. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

One of the IRS's primary concerns was that ERC companies were improperly qualifying or over-qualifying small businesses.

The IRS website stated that to be eligible for credits, employers must have payroll employees between March 12, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2021, and experienced a significant decline in gross receipts during the pandemic.

But that's not all.

Another essential requirement is that a businesss decreasing income is directly related to government mandates or orders, a distinction often overlooked. For instance, a small business that sells event tickets experiencing a revenue downtown after government mandates had been lifted would not qualify for the ERC, Sardar said.

"You can have all sorts of losses, but unless it's tied to a government action that caused it, you don't qualify for the ERC," Sardar said, "[This is] where a lot of the mistakes happened, some of which were just innocent mistakes and some of which were fraudulent mistakes."

Businesses with no W-2 employees, no significant decline in gross receipts, and no more substantiated nominal impact on the business were other common reasons that clients dont qualify, according to alliantgroup, a tax advisory firm specializing in tax credits.

"We've processed thousands of [ERC returns] and helped taxpayers of different sizes get the money there," Everson said. "We have also screened out thousands and told taxpayers they don't qualify."

One ERC-filing company said while it wants to help small business owners who otherwise don't have the resources to apply for the credit, it understands the concerns the IRS has.

"While I can't speak to the process of others in the space, the IRS is right to address those that have not taken a data-driven and compliant approach. I am disappointed that there are companies using the complexity of this tax incentive to prey on deserving small businesses," Howard Makler, CEO of Innovation Refunds, told Yahoo Finance.

"As a compliant player in this space, we are mirroring the IRS moratorium."

Makler also detailed how his company uses tax attorneys to analyze documents from small businesses when deciding eligibility. A tax lawyer or CPA signs off on all applications. The company also defends its work in case of IRS questioning. It also charges a 25% contingency fee, a practice the IRS has warned taxpayers about on its website, though the company stated that clients only pay when a refund is received.

In light of the IRS announcement, the company has stopped taking on new clients and is preparing for an anticipated flood of audits from the tax agency.

"We haven't seen a large number of audits yet. Just too early," Makler said. "They are coming. We all know they're coming."

The ERC was established to help businesses with the cost of keeping staff employed during the pandemic. (designer491 via Getty Images)

While the IRS has directed its concerns toward the ERC mills, small business owners that relied on their services unfortunately will be caught up in the middle. For most, who innocently trusted these ERC mills, they will need to return any amounts for the credit they didnt qualify for.

The IRS is creating a settlement program for repayment for any small business owners who got "an improper ERC payment." The agency plans to release more details on that program soon.

"So [the IRS] is not doing anything to punish you," Sardar said. "It is just saying you were never entitled to it, so you should give it back and that's consistent with how the tax system always works."

But if the small business owner agreed to the ERC fraud, the IRS could prosecute them as well.

"That's a judgment that the IRS will make with the US Attorney in the jurisdiction they are looking at," Everson said. "It would have to be a pretty blatant case of fraud to go after the taxpayers."

Rebecca Chen is a reporter for Yahoo Finance and previously worked as an investment tax certified public accountant (CPA).

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The wife of Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei has confirmed that her husband has been deported to China from Laos, where he was detained more than two months ago.

Lu is being held in the Xindu Detention Center in Chengdu, Sichuan province, his wife, Zhang Chunxiao, wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

The detention center notified Lus family members to send clothes, medicine and money, she said. The center did not tell the family when Lu had arrived at the detention center or when he was returned to China.

"This is the result of a painful 65-day wait, [I am] full of pain and anger, Zhang said on X on Wednesday.

Lu was known for taking on politically sensitive cases, including one involving 12 Hong Kong pro-democracy student activists whom the Chinese coast guard arrested in August 2020 as they tried to flee to Taiwan by boat.

In January 2021, Sichuan judicial authorities revoked Lus license to practice law. In May of that year, authorities blocked his departure at Shanghai Pudong Airport as he tried to go to the United States as a visiting scholar. Lu was under a travel ban to prevent him from leaving China.

This year, on July 28, Lu was arrested in Laos as he tried to travel to the United States to reunite with his wife and daughter. Rights groups said that at the time of his arrest, Lu had a valid passport and visas for Laos and the United States.

Zhang said that as of early October, the Laotian government had yet to provide information in response to requests from U.S. and U.N. officials for evidence of Lu's being in Laos or formal deportation documents.

VOA reached out to the Chinese embassies in Laos and the U.K., as well as the Chinese Foreign Ministry, but received no response. VOA Cantonese contacted the Lao Embassy in London but did not receive a response.

Zhang added that Lus Laotian lawyer told her on September 11 that Lu had already been deported. VOA Cantonese contacted the lawyer but did not receive a response.

Since Lus arrest, the Laotian governments only response has been a brief email to the U.K.-based nonprofit 29 Principles, which supports Chinese human rights lawyers, Zhang said. In that August 4 email, Laos confirmed its police were holding Lu on suspicion of using fraudulent travel documents while entering Laos.

Is Lu Siwei, a small figure, worthy of Laos making up such a colossal lie? What is the truth behind this thick fog? Zhang said on X.

Zhang told VOA Cantonese that Chinese authorities had appointed a lawyer to represent Lu, but work wouldn't start until Saturday because of the Golden Week holiday.

She also said she was worried about her husbands health because he has psoriasis and requires daily medication.

Last month, a letter from the Chinese Embassy in Laos circulated online, stating that Sichuan police had approved the criminal detention of Lu on September 3 on charges of illegally crossing the border, according to Yahoo News. The letter said that the Chinese Ministry of Public Security had requested that Lu be handed over to China, and they asked Laos to inform China of the timing and method of the transfer.

Chakra Ip, executive director of 29 Principles, told VOA Cantonese that she was sad and angry about Lus deportation.

In Laos, criminal proceedings are not made public, and when we inquired about the case, we pointed out that Lu is a human rights lawyer, and he has no criminal record in China, therefore he should not be deported to China, as any deportation requires a solid background or evidence of the crime for the suspect to be deported, said Ip, who posted a video appeal on YouTube.

Ip also said that as Laos is a signatory to the U.N. Convention against Torture, it has a responsibility to protect Lu from human rights violations.

Laos has a responsibility to ensure that Lu, as a human rights lawyer, should not be deported to a place where he may face torture or even prolonged detention. We are very angry about this deportation, which should not have happened, she said.

In August, five U.N. human rights experts wrote to the Laotian government requesting information about Lus situation. There was no response.

The experts expressed grave concern about Lus case and said his deportation to China would be a violation of the principle of nonrefoulment under international law.

[T]here are substantial grounds to believe that Mr. Lu Siwei would be in danger of being subjected to irreparable harm upon return to China on account of torture, cruel, inhuman, degrading or ill treatment or punishment, and other serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance, they wrote.
Whales, dolphins and seals living in U.S. waters face major threats from warming ocean temperatures, rising sea levels and decreasing sea ice volumes associated with climate change, according to a first-of-its-kind assessment.

Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration examined more than 100 stocks of American marine mammal species and found more than 70% of those stocks are vulnerable to threats, such as loss of habitat and food, due to the consequences of warming waters. The impacts also include loss of dissolved oxygen and changes to ocean chemistry.

The scientists found large whales such as humpbacks and North Atlantic right whales were among the most vulnerable to climate change, and that other toothed whales and dolphins were also at high risk.

The study, published last month in the journal PLOS ONE, is evidence that the way the U.S. manages whales and dolphins needs to adapt in the era of climate change, advocates for marine mammals said.

The news is bleak, but the assessment also is the first to look solely at marine mammal stocks managed by the U.S. and the results can help inform federal ocean managers about how to safeguard the vulnerable animals, said Matthew Lettrich, a biologist and lead author of the study.

"As the climate's changing, we're seeing some of the effects already, and some of our marine mammal populations are more vulnerable to those changes than others," Lettrich said. "Based on this study, we see a good proportion are highly and very highly vulnerable."

The researchers studied marine mammals living in the western North Atlantic ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. The animals are managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the arm of the federal government responsible for stewardship and protection of marine resources.

The scientists looked at the animals' degree of exposure to climate change and sensitivity and capacity to adapt to it. They found 72% of the stocks were highly or very highly vulnerable to climate change, with a little less than half falling in the "very high" category.

The warming ocean primarily harms marine mammals by altering their ability to find food and reduces their amount of suitable habitat, the study said.

However, the scientists said changes to ocean temperature and chemistry also can change sound transmission. That can affect the sonar-like echolocation marine mammals such as dolphins use to communicate and hunt. Climate change "must be considered to adequately manage species," the study states.

The NOAA study is significant because it's the first to look broadly at U.S. marine mammals and attempt to predict their resiliency to climate change, said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, a biologist with Massachusetts-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation who was not involved in the study.

The whales will benefit from the study if the information is used to implement laws protecting them, Asmutis-Silvia said.

"The U.S. is one of the most data-rich countries when it comes to marine mammals, and those data should be driving what are arguably some of the world's strongest laws to protect marine mammals," she said. "However, data are meaningless without the political will to implement management measures."

The impact of climate change on whales around the world has grown as a subject of scientific inquiry in recent years. Many studies about whales and climate change look only at a single species or a narrower geographic area, said Laura Ganley, a research scientist with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

But the way climate change affects the giant animals is global in nature, so the broader approach is helpful, she said.

Many scientists have said the vanishing right whale that lives off New England in the summer is made more vulnerable by changes to its food availability caused by warming waters. But climate change also clearly affects less-studied species, Ganley said.

"This isn't just impacting North Atlantic right whales or bottlenose dolphins. This is impacting most stocks in the United States, and not just the ones in the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Maine," said Ganley, who was not involved in the study.

Climate change also could affect the distribution and behavior of marine mammals, the study states.

Whales such as the right whale, which travels north every year from the waters off Georgia and Florida, migrate hundreds of miles annually to breed and feed. Many also migrate across international boundaries, which could require new kinds of cooperation between countries. That is true of seals with large populations in the U.S. and Canada, such as the gray seal, the study says.

The federal government has tried numerous methods in recent years to try to protect declining whale species, including implementing new restrictions on commercial fishing and new vessel speed restrictions. Whales are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with large ships, and scientists have said both threats are made more severe by warming waters because ocean changes cause whales to move outside of protected zones.

Safeguarding whales during the era of climate change will require ocean managers to plan for a future in which whale habitats are potentially less suitable due to the warming waters, said Gib Brogan, campaign manager with environmental group Oceana.

"This study provides guidance on how managers could prioritize species that are most vulnerable to climate effects and give these species the attention that they need," Brogan said. "If we are going to preserve biodiversity, including marine mammals, ocean managers need to explicitly account for current and future changes in the ocean as they consider ways to conserve marine life."
A Congolese military court sentenced a lawmaker to death Friday for treason and involvement with the M23 rebel movement, a verdict his lawyer denounced as based on "ethnic hatred."

The death penalty is often handed down in the Democratic Republic of Congo but has not been applied for 20 years and is systematically commuted to life imprisonment.

The public prosecutor had in August requested life imprisonment for Edouard Mwangachuchu, 70, who represents the Masisi constituency in the National Assembly and also owns a mining company.

Mwangachuchu, who was not present at the sentencing, was found guilty of "illegal possession of weapons and munitions of war," as well as "treason" and "participation in the M23 insurrectionary movement," said presiding judge General Robert Kalala.

The Tutsi-led M23 militia has captured swathes of territory in Congo's North Kivu province since reemerging from dormancy in 2021.

Independent U.N. experts, the Kinshasa government and several Western nations including the United States and France accuse Rwanda of actively backing the M23.

Kigali strongly denies the charge.

Taken in for questioning in early March, Mwangachuchu was first held in Kinshasa's main prison, Makala, before being transferred to the Ndolo military prison where the 30 or so hearings in his trial were held.

His co-defendent Robert Muchamalirwa, a police captain prosecuted for "violation of orders" was acquitted by the court, which then ordered his immediate release.

Mwangachuchu's lawyer said he will appeal the verdict, calling it a trial "based on ethnic hatred and deductions."

Thomas Gamakolo said that it had never been proven that Mwangachuchu had links with Rwanda and was presumed guilty because he belonged to the Tutsi ethnic group.

"It is very difficult today in our country to live or exist as a Tutsi," the lawyer said.
Rescuers found more bodies overnight as they dug through slushy debris and ice-cold water in a hunt for survivors after a glacial lake burst through a dam in Indias Himalayan northeast, washing away houses and bridges and forcing thousands to flee.

Officials said the hundreds of rescuers recovered six more bodies early Saturday, bringing the death toll to 47. At least 150 people were still missing.

The flood began shortly after midnight Wednesday, when the waters of a glacial lake overflowed, cracking open the biggest hydroelectric dam in Sikkim state. The icy waters then cascaded through towns in the valley below, where it killed scores of people and carried some bodies kilometers away downstream, where they were found in the neighboring state of West Bengal and Bangladesh, police said.

Disasters caused by landslides and floods are common in Indias Himalayan region during the June-September monsoon season. Scientists say they are becoming more frequent as global warming contributes to the melting of glaciers there.

Police said nearly 4,000 tourists were stranded in two locations, Lachung and Lachen in the northern part of the state, where access was severely restricted as the floods had washed away roads. Bad weather has made rescue efforts more challenging, with authorities unable to deploy helicopters to assist those stuck in vulnerable areas.

Some 3,900 people are currently in 26 relief camps set up by the state, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said on Saturday. Out of the 23 Indian army soldiers who were earlier reported missing, one had been rescued and eight had died, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said, adding that search operations were carrying on.

It wasnt clear what triggered the deadly flood in the mountainous Sikkim state, the latest to hit northeast India in a year of unusually heavy monsoon rains. Nearly 50 people died in flash floods and landslides in August in nearby Himachal Pradesh state.

In July, record rains killed more than 100 people over two weeks in northern India.

Experts pointed to intense rain and a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck nearby Nepal on Tuesday afternoon as possible contributors.

But the disaster also underscores a climate dilemma that pits local environmental activists who say dams in the Himalayas are too dangerous against authorities pursuing a national green energy agenda.

The design and placement of the six-year-old Teesta 3 dam, the largest in Sikkim state, were controversial from the time it was built. A 2019 report compiled by the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority identified Lhonak Lake as highly vulnerable to flooding that could breach dams and cause extensive damage to life and property.

Despite risks to dams due to the increasing frequency of extreme weather, the Indian federal government aims to increase Indias hydroelectric dam output by half, to 70,000 megawatts, by 2030.

Prakash Chetri, an employee of the Teesta 3 dam operator, was working at the site when he and others were told that water levels were increasing and they should evacuate. Nearly an hour later, we saw a lot of water  the whole dam was filled with water, he said, adding that while he was lucky to escape, 14 others who worked with him were still missing.

I was running to save my life. ... In those moments, I thought this was the last day of my life, Chetri said.

Eleven bridges in the Lachen Valley were washed away by the floodwaters, which also hit pipelines and damaged or destroyed more than 270 houses in four districts, officials said on Friday.

Several towns, including Dikchu and Rangpo in the Teesta basin, were flooded, and schools in four districts were ordered shut until Sunday, the states education department said. The floods also hit several army camps, burying vehicles in feet of mud, according to images released by the Indian military.

Himalayan glaciers could lose 80% of their volume if global warming isnt controlled, according to a report from the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development.

Last month, dam breaches caused by Storm Daniel caused devastating damage to the city of Derna in Libya.

In February 2021, flash floods killed nearly 200 people and washed away houses in Uttarakhand state in northern India.
Migration and interior ministers from five European Union countries most affected by migration across the Mediterranean  Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain  hailed a new EU pact on migration but said more resources were needed.

The ministers from the Med 5 group, who met in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Friday and Saturday, took a hard line on returning migrants who have crossed into the bloc illegally to their countries of origin, arguing that if Europe does not tackle the problem decisively, more extreme voices will take over.

Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis, who hosted the sixth meeting of the Med 5, and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas congratulated the Spanish presidency of the EU for "doing what is humanly possible" to arrive at a compromise agreement.

In a news conference Saturday, Schinas took issue with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who said Friday Hungary was "legally raped" by its fellow EU members.

"Before he talks about rape, he should study the European Treaty," he said, adding that decisions on migration are taken on an enhanced majority basis. Hungary and Poland were the two dissenters at an EU summit in Granada, arguing for a tougher approach.

"Personally, I would have preferred unanimity," said Schinas. "But you cannot reach an understanding with someone who doesn't want to."

Kairidis added that Orban is a warning of what could happen if the EU does not come up with viable solutions.

"We are caught between the hateful shouters on the right and the naive people on the left who believe that any effort to guard borders violates human rights," he said.

The Med 5 agreed on taking a hard line on migrant crossings but also emphasized cooperation with the countries of migration origin.

"It is important to encourage repatriation," said Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.

Malta's Interior minister Byron Camillieri said that it is very important "to send a clear message (illegally entering migrants) have no right to stay and will return promptly to (their countries) countries of origin." He added that 70% of migrants who landed in Malta had been returned. All the migrants had traveled from Libya but 70% came originally from Asian countries, he said.

Cyprus' Konstantinos Ioannou said that, recently, repatriations had exceeded arrivals in his country.

Schinas emphasized cooperation with the migrants' countries of origin, including financial incentives. He said the countries should be made to understand that "if you cooperate with Europe, you gain; if you don't, you lose." He called this the "more for more and less for less," approach.

Agreements are already in progress with Tunisia, Egypt and some western African countries, Schinas said, adding the EU should also revisit its 2016 deal with Turkey.

Under that agreement, the EU offered Turkey up to 6 billion euros ($6.7 billion) in aid for the Syrian refugees it hosts, fast-tracked EU membership, and other incentives to stop Europe-bound migrants.

"We must destroy the traffickers' business model," Schinas said.

The Med 5 ministers called for an additional 2 billion euros to deal with migration. Most of the current EU budget was spent on accommodating Ukrainian refugees and tackling migrant flows through the EU's external border with Belarus, they said.

The ministers also expressed concern about the conflict between Israel and Gaza that erupted Saturday and concern that an expanded Middle East conflagration would affect migrant flows. Kairidis said already most of the recent migrants crossing into Greece are from Gaza.

It was also noted that, besides the more than 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, another 2.5 million are in Lebanon.
Six Colombians arrested as the alleged assassins of a candidate in Ecuador's August presidential election were slain Friday inside a prison in Guayaquil, officials announced, without providing details on what happened.

The prison authority said only that six prisoners killed inside Litoral Penitentiary were the men "charged with the murder of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio." It identified them as Jhon Gregore R., Andres Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andres R., Sules Osmini C. and Jose Neyder L.

Earlier, the agency had reported that "an event occurred inside" the prison and six people were dead. Litoral is Ecuador's biggest prison and is considered one of its most dangerous, being the scene of several riots with deaths the past three years.

The killings came as the Prosecutor's Office was near the conclusion of the investigation stage into the killing of Villavicencio, who was gunned down Aug. 9 while leaving a political rally.

The 59-year-old politician had not been considered among the front-runners, but the assassination in broad daylight less than two weeks before the vote was a shocking reminder of the surge in crime besetting Ecuador. He had reported being threatened by affiliates of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the many international organized crime groups operating in Ecuador.

Villavicencio's alleged hitmen were captured hours after the crime and ordered held in preventive detention. Six other people also have been arrested for suspected involvement.

Although authorities released no information on the killings Friday, local media said the deaths occurred in pavilion 7, which officials have said is dominated by the local gang Los Choneros, led by Adolfo Macias. In his election campaign, Villaviciencio directly denounced Macias as the author of threats against his life.

President Guillermo Lasso, who is out of the country, wrote on the social network X, formerly called Twitter, that he would return to Ecuador to attend to the emergency.

"Neither complicity nor cover-up, the truth will be known here," he said.

Ecuador is holding a runoff presidential election Oct. 15 pitting the two top finishers in the August vote  leftist Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker Daniel Noboa, who is the son of a banana tycoon.
When the megaphone called out for the daily Islamic prayers, the nonbeliever grabbed his prayer beads and ambled through the streets to join others at the mosque in Kano, northern Nigeria's largest city. Formerly a Muslim, he now identifies as an atheist but remains closeted, performing religious obligations only as a cover.

"To survive as an atheist, you cannot act like one," said the man, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity over fears for his safety. He said he narrowly escaped being killed by a mob in 2015 after some people found out he had forsaken Islam.

"If I ever come out in northern Nigeria to say I am an atheist, it will be an automatic death sentence," said the man, a business owner in his 30s.

In parts of the world, the religiously unaffiliated are on the rise, and can safely and publicly be a "none"  someone who identifies as an atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular. In countries like Nigeria, the situation is starkly different.

Nonbelievers in Nigeria said they perennially have been treated as second-class citizens in the deeply religious country whose 210 million population is almost evenly divided between Christians dominant in the south and Muslims who are the majority in the north. While the south is relatively safe for nonbelievers, some say threats and attacks have worsened in the north since the leader of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, Mubarak Bala, was arrested and later jailed for blasphemy.

The Associated Press spoke to seven nonbelievers to document their experiences. Most spoke anonymously and in secret locations over concerns for their safety.

"Bala's imprisonment rolled our movement underground," Leo Igwe, a founder of the humanist association, said of the group's leader, who in 2022 was jailed for 24 years. A court convicted him on an 18-count charge of blaspheming Islam and breach of public peace through his posts on Facebook.

Since Bala was prosecuted by the Kano state government, the humanist association  which has several hundred members  has gone underground, struggling with unprecedented threats to members who no longer hold meetings, Leo said.

Nigeria's constitution provides for freedom of religion and expression, but activists say threats to religious freedom are common, especially in the north.

Almost half of the countries in Africa, including Nigeria, have statutes outlawing blasphemy. In most secular courts in Nigeria, the stiffest penalty for a blasphemy charge is two years in prison, while it carries a death penalty in the country's Islamic courts, active in the majority Muslim north.

There are no records of any such executions in recent years. The most recent instance of a death sentence, issued in December against an Islamic cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, has not been carried out.

The Shariah law that operates in Islamic courts defines blasphemous acts as those committed by anyone who "intentionally abuses, insults, derogates, humiliates or seeks to incite contempt of the holy Prophet Muhammad."

But what exactly constitutes actions that insult Islam is often open to interpretation by accusers, Igwe said. As a result, some alleged offenders have been attacked and killed before any trial.

At least three people have been killed for alleged blasphemy in northern Nigeria in the past year. The latest victim, killed in June, was a Muslim stoned to death after being accused of making comments that blasphemed Islam.

Authorities in Nigeria have failed to act to prevent such attacks, and prosecutions have been rare, said Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International in Nigeria.

"The alarming uptick in blasphemy killings and accusations underscores the urgency with which the authorities must wake up to Nigeria's international legal obligations to respect and protect human rights," Sanusi said.

Threats against the nonreligious in Nigeria are common on social media. On Facebook, a group named Anti-Atheist, users frequently posted messages that trolled or threatened atheists.

The atheist in Kano, in a dimly lit room, spoke with a mix of grit and fear about his experiences as a nonbeliever in a nation where about 98% of the population are Christians or Muslims, according to the Pew Research Center. A Facebook post from Bala in 2015, critiquing some Islamic teachings, influenced the man's shift to atheism.

Once a Muslim, Bala was seen as an influential member of the humanist community; most of the nonbelievers who spoke to the AP credited him as a source of inspiration.

Life as a nonbeliever in Nigeria is also difficult for women, who already are severely underrepresented in government and other key sectors.

"Your achievements are reduced to nothing if you are irreligious," said Abosuahi Nimatu, who dropped out of university in Katsina state in 2020 to escape being killed after her peers learned she was no longer a Muslim.

Nimatu was so close to Bala that his prolonged detention depressed her for a year, she said. She used her Facebook account to campaign for his release, prompting threats that reached her cellphone and email inbox. Her home address was shared among people threatening to attack her and her family.

Even at home, she is often reminded that no man would marry her.

"You are seen as a rebel and as a wayward person," she said.

In 2020, Nigeria became the first secular democracy designated by the U.S. State Department as a "Country of Particular Concern" for engaging in or tolerating "systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom." It later was dropped from that list of countries, prompting criticism from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which says Nigeria should be re-added. It is a different reality for the openly faithless in southern Nigeria; they even hold public meetings occasionally. The two atheists who spoke to AP in the commercial hub of Lagos said they had never been attacked or threatened.

Busayo Cole, a former Christian, said his family is indifferent about his religious status. Beyond his family, the worst consequences he faces are occasional snide remarks.

"People are more liberal about things like that down here," said Cole.

At the Kuje prison in Abuja, Bala continues to serve his jail term, receiving visitors from time to time including his wife Amina Ahmed, also a humanist. She went to see him most recently with their 3-year-old son.

He is in good spirits, Ahmed said of her husband. But it has been difficult for her.

"I am trying to be strong (but) my strength sometimes fails me," she said.
Iran denounced the "biased and political" action by the Nobel committee Friday for awarding jailed Iranian rights campaigner Narges Mohammadi the Peace Prize.

Mohammadi, a 51-year-old journalist and activist, has spent much of the past two decades in prison on multiple charges including spreading propaganda against the state and committing actions against national security.

U.S. President Joe Biden called Friday for Iran to free Mohammadi, hailing her "unshakable courage" after she won the Nobel Peace Prize.

"This award is a recognition that... the world still hears the clarion voice of Narges Mohammadi calling for freedom and equality," Biden said in a statement. "I urge the government in Iran to immediately release her and her fellow gender equality advocates from captivity."

Iran has not replied to Biden's call, but an Iranian government spokesperson rebuffed the prestigious prize, saying it was awarded to a convicted felon.

"We note that the Nobel Peace Committee awarded the Peace Prize to a person who was convicted of repeated violations of laws and criminal acts," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani said in a statement. "We condemn this biased and political move."

Kanani also lambasted the Nobel Committee for making "false claims," which he said were "indicative of the approach of some European governments to falsify information and produce confusing and deviant narratives about internal developments in Iran."

He said the decision to award Mohammadi the prize was a "disappointing deviation from its initial objectives."

During Friday's announcement, Nobel Committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen hailed Mohammadi for her "brave struggle" and called for her release.

Mohammadi, who has most recently been incarcerated since November 2021, had expressed support for the protest movement that rocked Iran after the Sept. 16, 2022, death in police custody of Mahsa Amini.

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, had been arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women.

Her death triggered monthslong demonstrations that the authorities in Iran labeled as "riots" fomented by foreign governments.
Major airlines canceled dozens of flights to and from Tel Aviv this weekend after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale attack against Israel.

On the arrivals board at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Ryanair and Aegean Airlines were among those companies pulling flights.

Many departing flights were canceled, too.

"Given the current security situation in Tel Aviv, Lufthansa is canceling all flights to and from Tel Aviv up until and including Monday, a spokesperson for the German carrier told AFP.

The airline was "permanently monitoring the security situation in Israel," he added.

Air France said it had halted Tel Aviv flights "until further notice."

Air France-KLM group's low-cost carrier Transavia also canceled a flight from Paris to Tel Aviv Saturday evening.

In Warsaw, Polish carrier LOT said Saturday it had also canceled a flight to Tel Aviv.

However, airport authorities did not stop commercial air links with Eilat, Israel's second international airport and tourist destination on the Red Sea.
Fentanyl is hitting tribes hard; lawmaker urges Senate investigation

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, this week called on the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to investigate the disproportionate impact of the synthetic opioid fentanyl on Native American tribes.

American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians are on the front lines of a deadly fentanyl epidemic and are suffering, Cantwell said in an October 2 letter to Committee chairman Brian Schatz and vice chair Lisa Murkowski. I believe we have a duty to Indian Country to examine this crisis and work with Tribes to save lives in their communities.

Last month, Lummi Nation tribal chairman Anthony Hillaire declared a state of emergency after five tribe members died of fentanyl overdoses in one week. Among the steps the tribe is taking is evicting the residents of a house connected with the drug.

Elsewhere, tribal drug enforcement officers on the Tulalip reservation last week seized more than 50 so-called rainbow fentanyl pills.

We have not seen them before, Tulalip police chief Chris Sutter told VOA.

He counts close to 50 fentanyl-related deaths since joining the Tulalip police force in 2018.

Read more:

OAS reviewing Native American land case against US Government

The InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights, an arm of the Organization of American States, is for the first time reviewing a land rights case submitted by a Native American nation against the United States.

In 1788, the Onondaga Nation, one of the five original nations of the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy, signed a treaty with New York state, believing that the agreement provided for the shared use -- not surrender -- of nearly 2,800 hectares of land.

Since then, the Onondaga have fought for the state and federal government to acknowledge that their land was illegally taken, and they say theyre not looking for a return of the land or any reparations.

The InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights in May agreed to review their case. According to the commission website, reviews typically take less than a year.

Read more:

Virginia, Oregon tribes seek a congressional path to federal recognition

Lawmakers from Virginia and Oregon have introduced legislation seeking federal recognition for tribes in their states:

U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat from Virginia, and bipartisan co-sponsors introduced a bill in support of federal recognition for the Patawomeck Indian Tribe.

Elsewhere, U.S. Representatives Hillary Scholten, a Democrat from Michigan, and John Moolenaar, a Republican from Michigan, introduced a bill calling for recognition of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians.

The U.S. government recognizes 574 tribes, mostly through historic treaties, making them eligible for benefits and protections.

As VOA has previously reported, non-treaty tribes who want recognition must petition the U.S. Interior Department (DOI) and meet seven strict criteria. They also have the option to bypass DOI and directly petition Congress.

Virginia tribes like the Patawomeck have a hard time meeting some of these criteria owing to records destroyed in the Civil War and a 1924 state law that classified individuals as either Black or white.

The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians petitioned DOI for recognition in 2013 but were rejected on the grounds that they have not existed as a continuously existing community since historical times.

Read more:

Pretendian art dealer sentenced

A federal judge in Washington state has sentenced a Seattle artist to 24 months probation and 200 hours of community service for violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.

The case stems from an anonymous complaint in 2018 that Lewis Anthony Rath was selling carvings and jewelry, falsely claiming to be a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona.

Counterfeit Indian art, like Lewis Anthony Raths carvings and jewelry that he misrepresented and sold as San Carlos Apache-made, tears at the very fabric of Indian culture, livelihoods and communities, said Meridith Stanton, director of the DOI Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Mr. Raths actions demean and rob authentic Indian artists who rely on the creation and sale of their artwork to put food on the table, make ends meet, and pass along these important cultural traditions and skills from one generation to the next.

Read more:

Scholar: Indigenous Peoples Day an occasion to reflect

In the United States, October 9 is still the federal holiday Columbus Day, honoring the Italian explorer Christopher Colombus. But growing numbers of states and localities have chosen to observe the day as Indigenous Peoples Day or Native American Day, acknowledging the peoples who inhabited the continent many millennia before Columbus discovery.

University of Massachusetts Lowell history chair Chrisoph Strobel, an expert in colonial-Indigenous relations, this week notes that the day should serve as a reminder not only of Indigenous resilience but of the violence Indigenous peoples endured historically.

He examines the practice of scalping, which popular culture suggests was only practiced by Indigenous Americans.

White settlers wide use of scalping against Indigenous peoples is far less acknowledged and understood, he writes, noting that they were often encouraged by scalp bounties offering money for Indian scalps.

Read more:

Federal Appeals Court Considering Native Americans Challenge to Copper Mine

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering an appeal from a Native American group seeking to block the development of a copper mine on Arizona land sacred to Western Apache. VOA reporter Levi Stallings filed this story from Oak Flat.
American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date occurs one day before the record date which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order 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 American Financial Group's shares before the 12th of October in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 25th of October.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.71 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$2.52 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, American Financial Group has a trailing yield of 2.2% on the current stock price of $112.49. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing.

View our latest analysis for American Financial Group

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. American Financial Group paid out a comfortable 25% of its profit last year.

When a company paid out less in dividends than it earned in profit, this generally suggests its dividend is affordable. The lower the % of its profit that it pays out, the greater the margin of safety for the dividend if the business enters a downturn.

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 business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. For this reason, we're glad to see American Financial Group's earnings per share have risen 13% per annum over the last five years.

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Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. American Financial Group has delivered an average of 12% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.

The Bottom Line

Should investors buy American Financial Group for the upcoming dividend? Typically, companies that are growing rapidly and paying out a low fraction of earnings are keeping the profits for reinvestment in the business. Perhaps even more importantly - this can sometimes signal management is focused on the long term future of the business. In summary, American Financial Group appears to have some promise as a dividend stock, and we'd suggest taking a closer look at it.

In light of that, while American Financial Group has an appealing dividend, it's worth knowing the risks involved with this stock. For example, we've found 1 warning sign for American Financial Group that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.

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.
Two children scribbled petitions to St. Gabriele dell'Addolorata in the sanctuary where the young saint is venerated in this central Italian mountain village. Andrea, 6, asked for blessings for his family and pets, while Sofia, 9, offered thanksgiving for winning a dance competition.

Their parents bring them here often, and consider themselves better Catholics than many  but they rarely if ever go to Mass and don't receive Communion because they are not married, thus shunning two sacraments the Catholic Church considers foundational.

"I practice where I want," said the mother, Carmela Forino. "One has to believe in something, right? You do what you feel in your heart. You can't require me to go to Mass on Sundays."

That's the paradox in this country long considered the cradle of the Catholic faith. Elsewhere in deeply secular Western Europe, the "nones"  those rejecting organized religion  are growing fast.

In Italy, however, most retain a nominal affiliation, steeped in tradition but with little adherence to doctrine or practice. According to the latest Pew Research Center survey, 78% of Italians profess themselves to be Catholic  but only 19% attend services at least once a week while 31% never do, per data by the Italian statistics agency, ISTAT.

The COVID-19 pandemic pruned even more tepid Catholics, accelerating a loss in faith that started at least a generation ago, said Franco Garelli, a University of Turin sociology professor.

"'I don't have time, I don't feel like it'  there isn't a real reason. That's what's scary," said the Rev. Giovanni Mandozzi, parish priest in the sanctuary's village, Isola. "I tell them, 'I do Mass in under 40 minutes, you can leave your pasta sauce on the stove, and it won't even stick to the bottom of the pot.'"

On an early summer Saturday evening, he celebrated Mass with fewer than two dozen elderly parishioners in a former butcher shop, because Isola's church was damaged by earthquakes that have devastated the region of Abruzzo since 2009.

Nearby, several close friends in their 20s were enjoying drinks and appetizers outside a bar.

They described growing up attending Mass and catechism, only to stop after receiving the sacrament of confirmation  or "getting rid of it," as one put it  in their early teens.

"It would have become just a routine," said Agostino Tatulli, 24, a college and music conservatory student who sometimes still goes to church with his mother. "I'd say I'm spiritual. I don't know if God exists."

From his childhood serving as an altar boy, he misses "the sense of community that formed on Sunday mornings." Tatulli still finds some of that in his gigs with a marching band for the popular feasts of patron saints  whose celebrations are crucial to fellow band member Federico Ferri.

"I'm a Catholic believer in the saints, not in the church," Ferri added. He goes only occasionally to Mass, but often to the sanctuary.

Thousands of teens continue to flock each spring to San Gabriele sanctuary for the "blessing of the pens" with which high school seniors will take final exams  a tradition that felt lovely but "more superstitious than religious" to former pilgrim Michela Vignola.

"Now I don't even think about it," she said, referring to the faith she abandoned in her teens. "It's taken for granted that you're a believer, but you don't participate."

A hairdresser, Vignola coifs a lot of bridal parties, most still headed to church  the choice of about 60% of Italians getting married for the first time, making the sacrament just a bit less popular than a church funeral, favored by 70% of Italians, according to Garelli's research.

In a nearby village, fifth-generation funeral home director Antonio Ruggieri has added wake rooms for followers of non-Christian religions and is building a "neutral" one with no religious symbols. But almost all his funerals are in a church.

"It's a sort of redemption, even if you barely believe in it," he said.

For many priests, that attitude means that a social point of no return might have been reached. How to respond is a major challenge for clergy already struggling with a significant drop in vocations that leaves many with barely the time to celebrate Masses in multiple villages under their care.

Those who participate actively do so now out of a deliberate choice and not because the church, and its social and cultural programs for youth, are the only game in town as they used to be.

Such believers should be focused on as if they were the last of the species on Noah's Ark, joked the Rev. Bernardino Giordano, the vicar general of the pontifical delegation to Loreto, an even more popular sanctuary less than 160 kilometers away.

In a previous assignment in northern Italy, he dealt with the other extreme  the few who asked his diocese to be "sbattezzati," or de-baptized, which really meant expunged from the parish baptism record since a sacrament like baptism can't be undone.

But the majority remain in a grey area  drawn not by sacraments but by the church's social justice work.

"It's very reductionist to have as the only measure those who practice (the faith). The Holy Spirit is at work everywhere, it doesn't belong only to Catholics," said Archbishop Erio Castellucci, the vice president of the Italian bishops' conference.

That might appeal to Federica Nobile, 33, who defines herself as "Catholic but not too much." Raised in a very observant family, she felt she needed to exorcise "the absurd fear of hell" she grew up with.

"I tried to get above the concept of good vs. evil. Looking for nuances allows me to live a lot better," said the branding strategist and fiction author.

In the provincial capital of Teramo, when Marco Palareti asked the middle-school students in his optional religion class to rank values, family and freedom came first  and faith dead last.

"Kids' attitude has changed, because in earlier times almost all of them had a life in the parish, while today many don't go or go only for the sacraments" of First Communion and confirmation, added Palareti, who has taught religion for 36 years.

It's an attitude that Pietro di Bartolomeo remembers well. When he was a teen bullied because of his family's strong faith, he "saw God as a loser." Now a 45-year-old father of five, he runs a Bible group for teens in Teramo.

He believes the Church needs to evangelize more  or it's doomed to irrelevance.

"The old ladies sooner or later will go to the Creator, and that's where the cycle stops," he said.
Niger's junta said late on Thursday that 400 French soldiers based in the southwestern town of Ouallam would be the first to pack up in a withdrawal that is dealing a further blow to France's influence in the conflict-hit Sahel region.

The departure of French forces from Niger has been a key demand of the military officers who seized power in July  one of a series of recent coups in West Africa's Sahel that has drastically reshaped its decade-long battle with insurgents linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

France initially resisted, refusing to accept the legitimacy of the junta. But last month, French President Emmanuel Macron decided to end military cooperation with Niger and pull out all 1,500 French troops, leaving a gaping hole in Western efforts to counter the insurgency.

The town of Ouallam is on the front line of Niger's security crisis and holds thousands of people displaced from surrounding villages after years of attacks by armed groups.

"The 400 French soldiers based in Ouallam will be the first to pack up and go," the junta said in a statement read out on national radio.

The junta also said an aerial base in the capital, Niamey, where the majority of French soldiers are stationed, would be dismantled by the end of the year.

There was no immediate comment from France, whose influence over its former African colonies has diminished in the last three years as coup leaders in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have severed ties amid a wave of anti-French sentiment.

Paris said on Thursday that the withdrawal from Niger would begin this week and be completed by the end of the year but did not provide further details.

Since the coup, crowds of junta supporters have camped outside the Niamey base demanding the troops' departure.

They accuse France of exerting excessive influence and failing to resolve the security crisis that has killed thousands and displaced millions across the region.

Some analysts say the military juntas in the Sahel are using France as a scapegoat for hard-to-solve problems.

Violence has soared in Burkina Faso and Mali since they booted out French troops in the wake of their coups in 2020-2022, conflict data shows.
Pakistan said Friday that it would deport all undocumented immigrants, including 1.7 million Afghans, in a "phased and orderly" manner, as it sought to allay fears of mass arrests and deportations.



On Tuesday, the government ordered all foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan to return to their respective countries by November 1 or face deportation, a move Afghanistan's Taliban rulers swiftly decried as "inhumane." Global human rights groups also called on Pakistani authorities to review the decision.



Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch defended the policy Friday while responding to the criticism, saying that the decision to expel illegal migrants was in line with "our sovereign domestic laws," and that the government was determined to enforce them.



Baloch told reporters in Islamabad the crackdown was not directed against Afghans only, saying it would target all foreigners who were overstaying their visas and did not possess valid documentation.



"This policy will apply to all individuals of all nationalities, and there is no discrimination in that respect," she said. Baloch underscored that the campaign would not target the 1.4 million legal Afghan refugees hosted by Pakistan for years.



"The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan has registered them, and they are considered documented individuals," she said.

Departures begin



Baloch and independent sources confirmed Friday that many immigrant families had "voluntarily" started leaving for Afghanistan.



Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees who fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the subsequent Afghan civil war.



However, many returned to their native country after the United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to punish the Taliban rulers at the time for harboring al-Qaida leaders blamed for plotting deadly terrorist strikes on U.S. cities.



A fresh wave of Afghan refugees hit Pakistan after the hard-line Taliban seized power from an American-backed government in Kabul in August 2021.



Pakistani officials estimate they have since received about 700,000 Afghans fleeing the Islamist Taliban's return to power and deteriorating economic conditions in the country.



Nearly 200,000 have been or are being relocated to the U.S. and Europe in recognition of their services to U.S.-led international forces during their two-decade presence in Afghanistan.



About 500,000 more Afghans entered Pakistan illegally, or their visas have expired, and they are among those facing deportation, according to officials.



Pakistani Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, while announcing the crackdown against illegal migrants on Tuesday, cited growing terrorist attacks in the country. Bugti blamed militants operating out of Afghan sanctuaries for the deadly violence. He claimed that Afghan nationals had carried out 14 of 24 suicide bombings in Pakistan this year.

Baloch reiterated Friday that the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, was orchestrating the cross-border terrorism and said her government was discussing the issue with de facto Afghan authorities.



"We believe that there are hideouts and sanctuaries of TTP inside Afghanistan. Many of the terrorist incidents that we have seen in recent weeks and months have connections with elements inside Afghanistan," she said.



"Pakistan's concerns have been very clearly communicated to the Afghan side, and we have asked them to disarm these entities and rein in so that Afghan territory does not become a launching pad for terrorist attacks in Pakistan."



The Taliban reject allegations they allow TTP or any other group to use Afghan soil against other countries, including Pakistan.
Polish voters face a stark choice in parliamentary elections set for October 15, which are likely to have a significant impact not only on a deeply polarized Polish society but also on the future of Europe as a whole.



The ruling right-wing Law and Justice party and the opposition Civic Coalition bloc are competing for seats in the two-house, 460-member Parliament. Polling data aggregated by Politico indicate a close race.



One of these political forces will likely have to form a coalition in order to govern what is the largest post-communist EU and NATO member and a critical supporter of Ukraine in its defense against Russias invasion.



The Law and Justice party has held power for eight years. Led from behind the scenes by former Prime Minister Jarosaw Kaczynski, 74, the party pledges to maintain traditional values and ensure the country's security, especially in light of Russian aggression in neighboring Ukraine.



The party leadership also aims to conclude a revamping of the Polish judicial system, a process that started in 2019 and has been criticized by the EU as undermining judicial independence.

In contrast, the Civic Coalition bloc, headed by Donald Tusk, 66, a former president of the European Council and a former Polish prime minister, pledges to reverse the judicial amendments, safeguard media independence and protect civil liberties.

The Tusk coalition asserts that it will work to restore Poland's international reputation as a democratic nation and rebuild its cooperative relationships within the EU, particularly with Germany, which has faced strong criticism from the current government in recent months.

Political battle ahead



"It will be a very close run. The election result is extremely difficult to predict," Jacek Kucharczyk, president of the Institute of Public Affairs in Warsaw, said in an interview with VOA.



Tusks Civic Coalition trails the Law and Justice party by several percentage points in the polls, but Kucharczyk believes it has a chance to secure enough votes to form a parliamentary majority in partnership with other forces, like Poland's New Left.



Alternatively, he foresees "a coalition between the current ruling party, Law and Justice, and the far-right Confederation party"  an outcome that he believes "will likely result in further democratic backsliding in Poland."



Campaign strategist Sergiusz Trzeciak says it will be very challenging for either bloc to form a governing coalition "due to their differing platform positions."

He anticipates a protracted political struggle after the election, possibly leading to a new election. And bearing in mind that Poland will have local elections early next year and a presidential election later in 2025, this is going to be a very difficult time for Polish politics.



Ukraine factor

A protracted internal political struggle could have adverse implications for Poland's stance on Ukraine, as demonstrated in recent months with restrictions on agricultural products from Ukraine and rhetoric centered on protecting Polish farmers, an important voting bloc.



Initially, due to the war in Ukraine and Russian aggression, there was a rare moment of national unity in Poland, with widespread agreement on supporting Ukraine and against Russian aggression, said Kucharczyk, the Institute of Public Affairs president.

But that consensus has eroded during this election campaign, and in Kucharczyks view, the Law and Justice party is adjusting its rhetoric, particularly on Ukraine, to fend off competition from the far-right Confederates, who are perceived as pro-Russian.

Additionally, there is a crisis in agricultural imports, especially grain deliveries in rural areas, which is influencing the ruling party's messaging.



Analysts say the majority of polls still show support for the effort to assist Ukraine, but recent political rhetoric has created a crack in Polish-Ukraine unity. I am very, very relieved that Poles are fully aware that they still need to provide support to Ukraine, Trzeciak said.

Analysts assert that, when considering centuries of Polish suffering at the hands of Russia, it is highly unlikely that Poland would become pro-Russian, regardless of the election outcome.



From Euro enthusiasts to Euro realists



EU-Polish relations could be the next casualty of political uncertainty, especially with the upcoming 2024 European Parliament elections.



Poland, under the current ruling party, has had strained relations with the EU. On the one hand, EU funding has ensured a Polish economic revival. At the same time, the current political leadership in Warsaw is offended by criticism from Brussels toward its immigration policies and restrictions on civil liberties.

Poles used to be Euro enthusiasts. Now they have become Euro realists, or sometimes even more and more people are simply Euroskeptic, said Trzeciak, the campaign strategist.



Kucharczyk says he believes the Polish election is of major significance for the entire EU bloc. He says the outcome will affect external EU policies like relations with Russia and Ukraine, as well as its internal cohesion based on values like democracy and the rule of law.
While on a quest to solicit support for millions of Sudanese whose lives have been upended by war, a senior U.N. official Thursday warned that the people of Sudan are living on a knifes edge and are at risk of falling off the cliff if the world does not step up to help them.

United Nations statistics show Sudan has become the worlds fastest-growing displacement crisis since two rival generals plunged the country into war nearly six months ago. Some 5.4 million people are either displaced within Sudan or in neighboring countries as refugees.

That is an average of more than 30,000 a day, many fleeing with nothing but the clothes on their back, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan.

The U.N. official finished a weeklong visit in Geneva, where she met with donor countries as she seeks support for the U.N.s severely underfunded humanitarian operation in Sudan. To date, the effort has received one-third of the $2.6 billion needed to provide lifesaving assistance for more than 18 million people.

I have met mothers in Sudan who have told me they do not know where to find the next meal for their children, Nkweta-Salami said. I have met families sleeping in makeshift shelters, struggling to find food and water, unable to access health care, their children out of school and the family breadwinners out of work.

She noted that half of Sudans 24.7 million people need humanitarian aid and protection, warning that conflict, displacement and disease outbreaks threaten to consume the entire country.

She said people were unable to get health care because 70% of hospitals are not functioning. That, she said, was happening at a time when heavy flooding in the country could lead to more outbreaks of water-borne diseases and when a cholera outbreak has been declared in parts of the country.

Battling a cholera outbreak in a war zone is difficult at the best of times, she said. With fighting escalating, it may be near-impossible to control.

She said she was afraid that the conflict could reach areas like Jazirah State, Sudans breadbasket.

This would have grave consequences for food security, she said.

The Food and Agriculture Organization said the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report found that 20.3 million people in Sudan face a high level of acute food insecurity, making this one of the most food-insecure countries on the planet.

To make matters worse, Nkweta-Salami said, the warring parties do not keep their promises.

Four months ago, the parties meeting in Jeddah committed to de-escalate the fighting, minimize civilian harm and refrain from any disproportionate attacks, she said. But since then, the killing of civilians has continued in Khartoum, in Nyala, in al-Fasher, and other areas.

The Sudan Ministry of Health says 1,265 people have been killed and 8,396 injured since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in mid-April. U.N. agencies believe the actual number of casualties is likely much higher.

The clash between the armed forces also has ignited intercommunal violence in West Darfur, resulting in many casualties, displacements and widespread looting.

Nkweta-Salami said U.N. agencies so far have been able to deliver aid to at least 3.6 million people through two main access points  Port Sudan and from Chad to Darfur.

She said more people could be reached if the efforts were not hampered by bureaucratic obstacles, forced checks of humanitarian trucks and criminal activities, such as the looting of trucks by armed groups.

In both Port Sudan and Darfur, she said, the U.N. must negotiate with various militia for convoys to move in a safe, unimpeded manner.

Without a cessation of hostilities and a permanent cease-fire, she said, the conflict in Sudan risks becoming a protracted crisis.

She warned, There is also a risk that if the conflict is not brought to an end, that it will have a spillover effect in the region. And that is something we must and should avoid.
Syrian and Russian bombardment of rebel-held parts of northwest Syria claimed seven more lives and wounded others Saturday, two days after one of the country's deadliest attacks on a government target in years, a war monitor and a paramedic group said.

Thursdays drone strike on the Homs Military Academy killed 89 people, including 31 women and five children, and wounded as many as 277, according to the health ministry.

The Syrian military accused insurgents backed by known international forces of carrying out the attack and said, it will respond with full force and decisiveness to these terrorist organizations, wherever they exist. No one claimed responsibility for the attack that happened during a graduation ceremony at the academy.

On Saturday, Syrian artillery pounded towns and villages held by rebels in Idlib province, killing seven and wounding 10, according to the oppositions Syrian Civil Defense, also known as White Helmets.

After more than 12 years of civil war, Idlib is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, had a similar death toll and reported that insurgents fired rockets on government-held areas, including the outskirts of President Bashar Assads hometown of Qardaha. The Observatory said Russian warplanes carried out four airstrikes on the rebel-held region.

The pro-government Sham FM reported that three people were wounded in rebel shelling in the Latakia province that borders Idlib.

Since the attack in Homs, government forces and their Russian backers have intensified their attacks on Idlib.

Fearing harsh retaliation from the government, authorities in Idlib suspended this weeks Friday prayers and closed public and private schools Saturday and Sunday.

Syrias crisis started with peaceful protests of Assads government in March 2011 but quickly morphed into a full-blown civil war after the governments brutal crackdown on the protesters. The conflict has killed half a million people.
Russia's new silo-based intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile system is nearly combat-ready, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Saturday, after he inspected the manufacture of Sarmat missiles, one of Russia's most advanced weapons, according to Reuters.

"Re-equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with this system, which will become the basis of Russia's ground-based strategic nuclear forces, is a priority in ensuring the country's defense capability," Shoigu said in a Defense Ministry statement, according to Reuters.

Shoigu's comments reflect Russia's escalating nuclear rhetoric in its standoff with the West over the war in Ukraine.

Known to NATO military allies by the codename "Satan," the Sarmat missiles reportedly have a short initial launch phase, which gives little time for surveillance systems to track their takeoff.

On Friday, the Russian parliament speaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, said lawmakers will reevaluate whether to revoke the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT, a global nuclear test ban.

Volodin's statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could consider rescinding the ratification of the international pact because the United States never ratified it.

The 1996 treaty prohibiting "any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion" anywhere in the world has been signed by 187 nations but not ratified by eight of them, including the United States.

The U.S. did not ratify the treaty, but it has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions since 1992 that it says it will continue to abide by.

"We are disturbed by the comments of Ambassador (Mikhail) Ulyanov in Vienna today," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters, referring to comments by Russia's envoy to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, or CTBTO. "A move like this by any state party needlessly endangers the global norm against nuclear explosive testing."

"It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any state signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT," Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization Executive Secretary Robert Floyd said in a statement.

There are widespread concerns that Russia could move to resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West from continuing to offer military support to Ukraine.

Asked Friday whether rescinding the ban could greenlight the resumption of tests, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "it doesn't mean a statement about the intention to resume nuclear tests."

Peskov said a possible move to revoke Russia's ratification of the ban would "bring the situation to a common denominator" with the U.S.

Speaking Thursday at a forum with foreign affairs experts, Putin said that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasn't yet formed an opinion on the issue.

Putin also said Russia had successfully tested the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile with a potential range of many thousands of miles.

Ukraine-Russia strikes

Ukraine and Russia launched strikes on each other Saturday.

Russia's defense ministry said the country's air defense systems had "detected and destroyed" a Ukrainian S-200 anti-aircraft missile deployed in an attempted attack on the Crimean Peninsula.

Reuters, which reported the development, could not verify the statement by the Russian defense ministry, which did not say where the missile was shot down.

Ukrainian shelling killed one person in the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

A party official in the Russian-held town of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine's Kherson province was killed by a car bomb Saturday, the provincial governor said.

Vladimir Malov, executive secretary of the town branch of Russia's governing United Russia party, died in the hospital, Vladimir Saldo said in a post on his Telegram channel calling it "a terrorist attack."

There was no immediate comment from Kyiv.

Russia, meanwhile, launched a missile strike on Ukraine's Odesa region overnight. Local officials say four people were wounded in the attack that was launched from Russian-occupied Crimea.

Russian forces downed a Ukrainian drone near Moscow early Saturday, according to TASS, a Russian state news agency.

Meanwhile, analysts say satellite imagery shows "an unprecedented number of freight railcars" at North Korea's Tumangang Rail Station, located at the North Korean-Russian border.

The analysts at Beyond Parallel, a unit of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, say the rail traffic is larger than they have seen in the past five years. They say the traffic "likely indicates North Korea's supply of arms and munitions to Russia," following the two countries' recent summit.

They say tarps covering the containers make it impossible to identify what is in the containers. But the organization says that it is "probable that these shipments are to support Russia in its war with Ukraine," in line with the recent U.S. statement that North Korea has begun transferring artillery to Russia.

Kharkiv attacks

The Ukrainian village of Hroza is mourning the deaths of more than 50 people struck by a Russian precision missile while they were attending the wake of a soldier killed last year and sent to his final resting place in his hometown.

Almost every household in Hroza sent someone to the wake, which was held at a cafe that was obliterated by the strike. Fifty-two of the 300 people in the village died, including entire families.

On Friday, an earth mover extended the graveyard to make room for them all. Among the dead were a couple who left behind four children, the village leader, and the dead soldier's wife and son.

The U.N. and partners are mobilizing humanitarian assistance  including medical supplies and health support, shelter maintenance kits, nonfood items, cash and hygiene assistance  as well as mental health and psycho-social support after Russian strikes Thursday and Friday killed at least 54 civilians in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, said.

"These are barbaric consequences of this war, that 20% of the community can be wiped out in seconds," Brown said in a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Ukrainian officials condemned the attack.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
Officials in Afghanistan say the death toll from a powerful earthquake that shook western parts of the country on Saturday has risen to more than 2,000.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Natural Disasters confirmed the death toll in a statement Sunday, saying more than 1,300 houses were completely destroyed in the quake.

Naeemul Haq, the head of the Taliban-led information and media center in Herat province, said in a statement that more than 2,000 people were injured in the magnitude 6.3 quake. He added that rescue operations continued and said the number of victims is expected to increase further.

Watch related video by Arash Arabasadi:

The earthquake struck Herat, a western province bordering Iran, at about 11 a.m. Saturday morning. Its epicenter was located near Zinda Jan, a district in central Herat.

At least eight powerful aftershocks rattled the province within five hours and affected villages across three districts, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. It described as serious the condition of many of those injured.



Taliban officials told a meeting of humanitarian organization representatives Sunday that the calamity had flattened more than a dozen villages housing around 3,000 families.

The United Nations in an initial overnight assessment reported that more than 600 houses "were partially or fully damaged" in the disaster zone.

"At least 4,200 people [600 families] have been affected. Additionally, an estimated 300 families, or 2,100 people, are reported to have been displaced," the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

"In coordination with the health authorities, the World Health Organization Country Office in Kabul and the WHO Field Office in Herat rapidly mobilized resources and extended immediate life-saving support for the affected population," the statement said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed sadness at the loss of life in the earthquake, asserted his solidarity with the Afghanistan people, and extended his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured.



The rest of statement released by Stephane Dujarric, secretary-general spokesman, read, The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs and provide emergency assistance.

As winter approaches, the Secretary-General calls on the international community to come together and support people impacted by the earthquake, many of whom were already in need before this crisis.

In June 2022, a powerful earthquake in the eastern parts of the impoverished South Asian nation killed more than 1,000 people.

Afghanistan has faced prolonged conflict and natural disasters, including flooding, drought and earthquakes, leading to one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. The U.N. estimates that two-thirds of the country's population is in need of aid.

The hardline Taliban seized control of the country two years ago. They imposed sweeping restrictions on women's access to education and work per their strict interpretation of Islamic law. The de facto rulers have also barred women from working for aid groups, hampering humanitarian activities in Afghanistan.

No country has recognized the Taliban government, citing human rights concerns and their treatment of women.
The U.S. condemnation of the Hamas terror attack on Israel is being backed by pledges to make sure the Israeli military has what it needs to repel the assault and defend its people.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a phone call Saturday with Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant promised "his ironclad support" for the Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF, according to a Pentagon readout.

"Our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself remains unwavering," Austin said in a separate statement. "Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces and relationships with U.S. allies across the Middle East, likewise said it was in contact with its Israeli counterpart and was "closely tracking the situation surrounding the appalling terrorist attack."

What shape the U.S. support will take, though, is unclear.

We stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel, a senior U.S. administration official told reporters late Saturday, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.

There has been a deep engagement  up and down our military chains, just regular coordination about some of the needs that Israel anticipates, the official said. And I am not going to get ahead of that process.

Israel's security needs a priority

The official said the U.S. has made Israels security needs a priority, pointing to a $1 billion deal to help Israel restock its Iron Dome short range missile system in 2021.

The U.S. also maintains a weapons and ammunition stockpile in Israel and has made its contents available to Israel on at least two occasions.

In 2006, the U.S. granted Israel access to precision guided munitions during its war with Hezbollah. And in 2014, the U.S. gave Israel access to tank rounds and other ammunition to support operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

U.S. officials have declined to say, however, whether using the stockpile will be an option this time around.

"We will continue close consultations with the IDF regarding any requests for support they may have," according to a U.S. military official, speaking to VOA on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks. "Our focus remains on consulting with Israel and ensuring they have the support they need as a result of this abhorrent terrorist attack by Hamas."

Photo Gallery: In Photos: Hamas Attack on Israel and Retaliation Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip Saturday. Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza. Share on Facebook

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There also are concerns about the stockpile itself. The U.S. pulled 300,000 artillery shells from the stockpile late last year and early this year to give to Ukraine.

And the types of armaments and equipment in the stockpile may not be of immediate use in pushing back Hamas fighters.

"My initial impression is that the things that Israel needs most right now are not in there," said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

"There have been concerns about what's actually in that stockpile, whether it's well maintained, whether it's the right weapons and equipment, and how frequently we practice drawing that equipment out," he noted.

In addition, the U.S. maintains some military personnel in Israel, and U.S. forces periodically conduct exercises with Israeli troops  most recently this past July.

The U.S. military official said all U.S. personnel "are safe and accounted for," without elaborating on how many are currently in the country.

Additionally, the official said there was nothing to announce as far as any changes to the force posture of the more than 30,000 U.S. troops currently stationed across the Middle East and South Asia.

Still, U.S. military and intelligence officials have expressed ongoing concern about tensions in the region, specifically pointing to Iran, which helps fund Hamas.

What I see is a pretty brazen Iranian threat network that is willing to explore avenues for attack internationally and in the region, National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid told an audience in Washington in January. They are very active and intent on escalatory, a tit for tat with the Israelis, as far as we can tell.

Assessment warned of Iran's intent

The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment, issued by the top U.S. intelligence agencies in March further warned of Irans intentions toward Israel.

Iran remains a threat to Israel, both directly through its missile and UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] forces and indirectly through its support of Lebanese Hizballah, and other partners and proxies, the report said.

The senior U.S. administration official Saturday declined to tie Tehran directly to the Hamas attack on Israel, but said, We are going to be looking at that very closely.

"We don't have anything to indicate Iran was involved in this specific, what is unfolding now," the official said. That said, there's no doubt Hamas is funded, equipped, armed by Iran  Hamas would not exist without that support over many, many years.

Irans foreign ministry Saturday described the Hamas attack in a statement as a spontaneous movement of resistance groups and Palestine's oppressed people in defense of their inalienable rights, according a report by the Reuters news agency.

Separately, an account on X, formerly known as Twitter, belonging to Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei twice posted about the attack.

Today, the Palestinian youth and the Palestinian movement is more energetic, more alive, and more prepared than it has ever been during the last 80 years, one post said, using a hashtag AlAqsaStorm, the name Hamas gave to the operation.

A second post said, God willing, the cancer of the usurper Zionist regime will be eradicated at the hands of the Palestinian people, and showed a video of Israelis fleeing from Hamas forces.

For now, the U.S. official said the U.S. will share any relevant intelligence with Israel but denied Washington had any advance warning of the Hamas attack.

"We have had concern about, obviously, rising tensions, particularly in the West Bank," the official said. "But in terms of the level of sophistication of what transpired overnight here and what continues to transpire, that's a very different issue."

The U.S. in recent months has surged forces to the region to push back after Irans naval forces embarked on a campaign of harassing and seizing commercial ships in the Persian Gulf.

Earlier this week, the commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command said that surge, which included F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, a naval destroyer and an amphibious assault group that included 2,500 U.S. Marines, seemed to have deterred Iran for the moment.

"It doesn't suit their political ends right now to resort to violence," Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich told members of the Defense Writers Group in Washington. But there's no doubt in my military mind, at least, that they would resort to that at some point in the future if they saw it as in their interests."
A delegation of U.S. lawmakers led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in China on Saturday in the first congressional visit to the country since 2019.

The trip comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries and as Chinese and U.S. officials try to lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November.

The delegation of six senators  three Democrats and three Republicans  landed in Shanghai on a U.S. government jet on an overcast and windy afternoon. The Republicans were led by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, the senior member of his party on the Senate Finance Committee.

Asked about his expectations for the visit, Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said he hoped it would be productive.

A series of high-ranking Biden administration officials have met their Chinese counterparts in Beijing in recent months, but no other U.S lawmakers have made the trip since China lifted its COVID-19 restrictions in December 2022.

China, in a statement earlier this week, said it hoped the visit would contribute to a more objective understanding of China in the U.S. Congress.

In a reminder of the tensions between the two countries, China's commerce ministry said Saturday that new U.S. restrictions placed on 42 Chinese companies were "a typical act of economic coercion and unilateral bullying.

The U.S. Commerce Department added the Chinese companies and seven others to its entity list on Friday. It said the companies supplied U.S.-origin semiconductors that Russia uses for missile guidance systems and drones in the war against Ukraine. American companies cannot export to organizations on the entity list without obtaining a special license.

Schumer's office said the visit would focus on the need for reciprocity from China for U.S. business in trade and on maintaining American leadership in advanced technologies for national security. He also hoped to discuss human rights, fentanyl production and China's role in the international community, as well as areas for potential cooperation.

A smooth visit could help pave the way for a Biden-Xi summit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting of leaders in San Francisco next month. The senators hope to meet Xi in Beijing during their visit.

A Chinese international relations expert said that Schumer's visit is a sign of improvement in China-U.S. relations.

If the talks proceed well, there is the possibility that President Xi will meet Schumer, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China. If their meeting is realized, the chances for a Xi-Biden meeting will become greater.

The White House has been in touch with Schumer and supports the delegation's visit to the region, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said after the trip was announced. The senators will go to South Korea and Japan after their stop in China.
The fact that multiple The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) insiders offloaded a considerable amount of shares over the past year could have raised some eyebrows amongst investors. When evaluating insider transactions, knowing whether insiders are buying versus if they selling is usually more beneficial, as the latter can be open to many interpretations. However, shareholders should take a deeper look if several insiders are selling stock over a specific time period.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

View our latest analysis for TJX Companies

TJX Companies Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Executive Chairman, Carol Meyrowitz, sold US$5.9m worth of shares at a price of US$91.13 per share. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$88.56. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.

In the last year TJX Companies insiders didn't buy any company stock. 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!

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders At TJX Companies Have Sold Stock Recently

The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of TJX Companies shares. In total, insiders dumped US$10m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. Overall this makes us a bit cautious, but it's not the be all and end all.

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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. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. TJX Companies insiders own 0.1% of the company, currently worth about US$147m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

So What Does This Data Suggest About TJX Companies Insiders?

Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. Looking to the last twelve months, our data doesn't show any insider buying. On the plus side, TJX Companies makes money, and is growing profits. It is good to see high insider ownership, but the insider selling leaves us cautious. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for TJX Companies 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.
OSLO, NORWAY 

This years Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian womens and human rights activist who is imprisoned in the Islamic republic.

Mohammadi has been arrested by Iranian authorities 13 times, convicted five times and sentenced to 31 years imprisonment and 154 lashes.

The Nobel Committee said that Mohammadis life embodies the Woman, Life, Freedom motto of the protests that erupted in Iran last year in response to the death in custody of 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini, whom police arrested for not wearing her headscarf in accordance with Islamist rules.

Hours after the announcement of Mohammadi as the winner of the 2023 peace prize, her Instagram account published a statement from her family in which they congratulated all Iranians, especially the courageous women and girls of Iran who have captivated the world with their bravery in fighting for freedom and equality.

This prestigious recognition serves as an enduring testament to Narges Mohammadis tireless civic and peaceful work in bringing change and freedom to Iran, her family wrote. But the statement added: Regrettably, Narges is not with us to share this extraordinary moment. We cannot witness her joyous reaction to this remarkable and splendid news due to her unjust imprisonment.

In a subsequent Instagram post, Mohammadis family said it could not share the news with her because Tehrans Evin prison, where she is detained, does not allow phone calls on Fridays to inmates in the womens ward for political prisoners. It said family members would try to contact her on Saturday.

Mohammadi began her activism in the 1990s as a young physics student and was first arrested in 2011 for her work with incarcerated activists and their families.

Her subsequent activism, bringing attention to Irans death penalty, torture and sexual violence against political prisoners, especially women, resulted in more arrests.

Last year, as a leader among prisoners, she voiced support for the demonstrators who took to the streets of Iran to protest Aminis death while incarcerated. Prison officials stopped Mohammadi from receiving calls and visitors, but she managed to smuggle out an article for the New York Times that was published on September 16, exactly one year after Amini died.

Mohammadi wrote in the article, The more of us they lock up, the stronger we become.

U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement congratulating Mohammadi on the award and urging Iran to immediately release her and other jailed gender equality advocates.

Sadly, Mohammadis award comes the same week that horrifying reports have emerged about Irans so-called morality police assaulting 16-year-old Armita Geravand for not wearing a headscarf, Biden said.

He added that the U.S. will continue supporting Iranians advocacy for their freedoms by leading an ongoing diplomatic initiative at the United Nations to highlight, condemn, and promote accountability for Irans abuses; by deploying anti-censorship tools to improve internet access for Iranians; and by sanctioning Iranian individuals and entities responsible for supporting the regimes oppression of its people.
Alexandria Education Foundation (AEF) has been awarded $4,000 for the Meals with Care Fund. This is supported by a grant from the Ruth McDonald Fund of the Alexandria Area Community Foundation (AACF). Pictured Jannen Peterson and AEF Board member Anthony Zimny.
Photo: Prince Williams/Wireimage

Looks like Drakes new strategy is to ask for forgiveness, not permission. If youll recall, Halle Berry said last month that the corny Canadian asked her if he could use a picture of her as cover art for his song Slime You Out. According to Berry, after she said no, he went ahead and did it anyway. So for his new album, For All the Dogs, it seems that Drake didnt bother to reach out. The Pet Shop Boys have claimed that the rapper interpolated one of their hit songs from the 1980s without asking. Surprising to hear @Drake singing the chorus of West End girls in the track All the Parties on his new album, the English synth-pop duo tweeted. No credit given or permission requested. And PSB arent the only ones who feel slighted by Drake. Baltimore rapper Rye Rye also took to social media to tag Drake after hearing herself on the For All the Dogs track Calling For You. REALLY @Drake MY VOCALS AGAIN? & NO CREDIT? I really wanna be flattered but I feel like its trolling ATP OMG, wrote Rye Rye, whose vocals were previously heard on Drakes Honestly, Nevermind track Currents. Well have to wait and see if PSB or Rye Rye decide to follow in the footsteps of Ghanaian musician Obrafour, who sued Drizzy last year for allegedly not clearing a sample. With his tummy issues already putting him on a hiatus from music, can Drake stomach any more drama?

Surprising to hear @Drake singing the chorus of West End girls in the track All the Parties on his new album. No credit given or permission requested.#PetText #kobaltmusic #WestEndgirls #Drake #PetShopBoys pic.twitter.com/P5siIccTw9  Pet Shop Boys (@petshopboys) October 6, 2023

REALLY @Drake MY VOCALS AGAIN? & NO CREDIT? I really wanna be flattered but I feel like its trolling ATP OMG one of my fave artists doing this I dont know how to feel anymore  but thank you for reminding me that my 15 year old vocals are still legendary  pic.twitter.com/BhKbAm17CP  Rye Rye (@RyeRye) October 6, 2023
Let the Right One In. Photo: EFTI

So youve seen Midsommar, writer and director Ari Asters follow-up to his feature debut, Hereditary. Aster is not Swedish, and Midsommar was not actually filmed in Sweden, but that is indeed the setting for the filmmakers latest descent into existential hell. In a bucolic paradise, a grad student named Dani (Florence Pugh) tags along with her boyfriend (Jack Reynor) and his buddies to a summer festival in a secluded bucolic village. Their school friend Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren) invited them a ceremony that occurs only once every 90 years, but he doesnt disclose the particulars of what their time in his home will entail. Over the course of more than two hours, the Americans and the audience are slowly sucked into a brightly colored hell, which is exactly what youd expect from Ari Aster.

But what of the actual horror cinema of Sweden? If Midsommar left you hungry for more dread and gore and handsome blondes, Vulture has put together a ten-film list to guide you through some major beats of Swedish horror. When did zombies come into the picture? Do the Swedes do zombie movies? And what has Ingmar Bergman contributed to the genre? From the visual wonders of The Phantom Carriage to the modern classic reimagining of the vampire story with Let the Right One In, here is a getting-started guide to Swedish horror.

The Phantom Carriage (Korkarlen, 1921)

Ingmar Bergman was heavily inspired by Phantom Carriage director Victor Sjostrom, and called his initial viewing of the film at the age of 15 one of the major emotional and artistic experiences of my life. An adaptation of a Selma Lagerlof novel of the same name, Carriage tells the story of the soul charged with driving deaths chariot, a dubious honor given to the last person to die on New Years Eve before the clock strikes midnight. In this case, the driver is an abusive alcoholic who, over the course of one night, sees the error of his ways in a somewhat Christmas Carol fashion. The cinematography by Julius Jaenzon and special effects were groundbreaking, and while Sjostrom is hailed as the father of Swedish cinema, Carriage is likely his most world famous work.

Haxan (1922)

This landmark film by Benjamin Christensen blends documentary and fiction to explore witchcraft and the scientific hypothesis that the feared witches of lore were in fact women in need of psychiatric intervention. (You know, for the hysteria.) But what is posited as dispassionate analysis is a film that becomes a grotesque and tragic horror film unto itself. Through a series of vignettes, we see ritual Satanic celebrations, devil worship, torture at the hands of the Church, and in the movies most visually striking segment, women flying through the night sky on broomsticks. Special effects have come a long way in 100 years, but theres still something uniquely affecting about the gritty, crude recreations of atrocities in the Middle Ages that makes Haxan impactful even today.

Hour of the Wolf (Vargtimmen, 1968)

The trailer for Hour of the Wolf explains it as the time between night and morning when reality becomes a mockery of madness and when masks hide behind faces. This Ingmar Bergman film stars his stalwart collaborator Max von Sydow as a troubled painter living in self-imposed isolation with his wife. When the two are invited to a neighboring castle for dinner, the behavior of their wealthy hosts starts unraveling the artists already fragile mental state. Its a rare film from the cinematic master that veers into dizzying terror, and you could hardly have any list of Swedish films without Bergman.

Fear Has 1,000 Eyes (Skracken Har 1,000 Ogon, 1970)

Filmmaker Torgny Wickman was known for comedies and educational sex films (dubbed pornography by some) when he made Fear Has 1,000 Eyes, which is described by the Swedish Film Institute of representing the sex sensationalism subgenre of horror in the country. In it, a priest named Sven lives in a remote area with his wife, Anna, who is pregnant and suffers from general anxiety and nervousness. Annas friend Hedwig comes to live with the couple to help care for her, but Hedwig is a witch in concert with the Devil, and as Anna starts seeing things and people die around them, Hedwig brings the couple fully under her power. Note: In the United States, the film was titled Sensuous Sorceress.

The Visitors (Besokarna, 1988)

The SFIs description of The Visitorss plot is great: What are those creatures inhabiting the house that the Eriksson family just have bought, creatures who will not leave them any peace? Lets just, for the sake of simplicity, call them demons. Yes, lets! Directed by Jack Ersgard, The Visitors follows an American familys move into a Swedish country farmhouse, but the dad, Frank, has a bad feeling about the place. Before too long, theres a ghost hunter involved and a mystery presenting itself about the creepy attic. If you want to see some supberb Swedish haunted-house horror, check out The Visitors.

Mask of Murder (1988)

Arne Mattsson was a prolific Swedish filmmaker, and some of his most famous works are the five Hillman thrillers, named for the crime-solving couple at the center of them, Kajsa and John Hillman. But check out Mask of Murder for some cheap serial-killer thrills. The story takes place in a Canadian town where women are being murdered and top law-enforcement officers set out to stop the killings. Its not Mattssons most outstanding work, but hes an important figure in the countrys film history, and watching Mask of Murder is time better spent than watching The Snowman.

Evil Ed (1995)

This satire directed by Anders Jacobsson (who also shot, edited, and co-wrote it) is a big tone switch for Swedish genre, and it takes dead aim at the infamously restrictive Swedish censorship board that was active for almost all of the 20th century. A snooty art film editor named Edward Swenson is assigned the soul-killing task of working on the splatter pic Loose Limbs 5 after the films original editor committed suicide by blowing his own head up with a grenade. As the gore and horror and sexual degradation washes over him, Edward starts to crack, and by the time hes done with the assignment, he emerges into the world as Evil Ed, a psychotic woman-killer and mutilator and general deviant. The movies made him do it! Skip lunch and have a laugh with this rare Swedish horror comedy.

Insomnia (1997)

American audiences will likely know Insomnia best by the Stateside remake starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. The original, directed by Erik Skjoldbjrg, generally follows the same premise: A murder in a small community results in a police officer from out of town being brought in to investigate. The tricky part about the town is that its above the Arctic Circle, where the daylight hours are a lot different from lands farther south. Stellan Skarsgard plays the cop out of his element and struggling to stay stable as the midnight sun shines, and wont it be nice to see the elder Skarsgard play a hero before our American eyes for a change?

Frostbite (Frostbiten, 2006)

Although Swedens most famous vampire film would arrive two years later, Frostbite is possibly the countrys first, and that earns it a shout out here. (Props to Sweden for resisting the urge to make and remake vampire movies ad nauseam for 100 years!) The movie opens during World War II, when a group of wartime volunteers take shelter in an abandoned house, only to find a demon inside that they kill and bury. Fast forward to the present day and we find a young scientist named Annika who is working for a heralded old geneticist. It turns out the elder scientist has been trying to create a vampire super-race for decades since WWII ended, and his experiments lead to a bunch of interns recklessly consuming a solution that transforms them. Bottom line: Let the vampires stay buried!

Let the Right One In (Lat den Ratte Komma In, 2008)

Before the surge of prestige horror started picking up in 2015 with movies like It Follows and The Babadook and The Witch, Tomas Alfredson teased the coming genre boom with his modern take on the vampire tale, Let the Right One In. Young, sensitive Oskar lives a lonely sort of life until a strange girl, Eli, moves into his apartment complex. She becomes his friend and protector, and the two gradually form an intense bond, which survives even the revelation about her true nature. Let the Right One In blended art-house refinement with global fame and acclaim among film fans by toying with genre conventions and incorporating the fine filmmaking sensibilities of highbrow drama. And isnt that just the sort of cinematic alchemy youd expect from the land of Bergman?

Wither (2012)

For another switch-up in the subgenre smorgasbord, Wither brings you cabin-in-the-woods horror, Scandinavian mythology, and zombies. (Its also only the second zombie film from Sweden, after Die Zombiejager from 2005.) Based on Sam Raimis original Evil Dead, Wither centers on a group of young folks gathering at an abandoned house for a weekend away, but after arriving, they realize theyve invaded the home of a Vittra, a nature spirit known in Swedish folklore. So its really a cultural grab bag, and worth it to see Evil Dead through the lens of another countrys tribute to it. There is also a lot of gore, so be prepared.
Because The Boys is such a fast-paced show with such a large ensemble, it rarely gets to slow down for a monster of the week episode. But its useful to differentiate Gen V from its parent show, and the daily ecosystem of a setting like Godolkin University lends itself particularly well to that type of format.

The Whole Truth keeps up the brisk pace that the first three episodes established, but its also relatively short and pleasantly episodic, broadly focused around one new villain: Tek Knight (Derek Wilson), a Vought investigator who visits Godolkin to look into Golden Boys death for his true-crime series The Whole Truth. Teks superhuman vision provides a fun twist on Sherlock Holmes-esque observation techniques: He can sense when people are lying by noticing dilated pupils, beads of forehead sweat, and other subtle cues. Bringing in someone who can see through all the lies helps raise the stakes; we know that everyone at God U has secrets, and Teks arrival threatens to bring them to light.

Now is a particularly bad time, with Emma missing and Dean Shetty desperately trying to keep Sams escape from the Woods under wraps. (It turns out the last episodes cliffhanger wasnt really as concerning as it seemed. The guards at the Woods were no match for Sam and Emma.) Tek can tell something is off right away, and he already knows the truth about Brink and Luke. His mission on this visit isnt to actually figure out the truth; its to find a patsy.

A true crime parody is right in Gen Vs wheelhouse, and theres a touch of commentary here about how cynical storytellers exploit the pain of victims and their families. Teks interview subjects often end up dead, from suicide or otherwise, after meeting him. And while nobody in our squad is at risk of that, theyre also totally unprepared for his needling.

During spliced-together interviews with Andre, Jordan, and Cate, Tek manages to efficiently poke at their various insecurities: Andre and Jordan both coveted Lukes top spot in the rankings, and the former also coveted his best friends girlfriend. Cate, meanwhile, shaped her life around Golden Boy, changing her major from crime-fighting to hero management so she could one day manage him. Tek most effectively provokes Andre, whos still reeling from the discovery that his fathers heroic persona might be a total fiction. He idolized Polarity as a kid and wanted to be like him, but now he knows that his dad is covering for Vought  helping hide the truth of what Brink was involved in.

Some of this skews a little unbelievable; I had to rewind to make sure I correctly heard Teks question, How long have you been eating Golden Boys girlfriends hole? (It feels like there would be some pretense of civility, even if provocation is Teks main strategy.) Im also a little unclear on how many of Teks characterizations are based in fact. Hes looking for any possible motive so he can suggest a plausible patsy, but were supposed to think theres some truth to his deductions. But because we got so little time with Luke  and because his friends have been pretty effusive about their love for him since his death  we havent seen these apparent resentments. Has Andre been after Cate for a while, and did Cate want to stick with crime-fighting?

Teks interrogation of Marie is the most consequential, especially because of the setting: a guest lecture in a superhero branding class. He uses Marie as an (involuntary) volunteer to demonstrate his techniques, destabilizing her by mentioning her sister, and before long shes admitting the truth. Not only was Jordan the one who actually fought Golden Boy, but Marie was supposed to be expelled that day.

I hope we see how this revelation affects Maries ranking and campus popularity because it should be a big blow to her cred. But The Whole Truth blows past the social fallout for now, with Tek shifting his focus to Dean Shetty. After all, shes just a human, not one of the supes who bring Vought so much money. When it comes out that Sam has escaped  something Tek figured out by reading the deans face  shell be in big trouble.

The episodes way of resolving this story falls flat: Shetty blackmails Tek with a video compilation of the many holes on campus where he has stuck his dick. (Get it? The hole truth?) I know this compulsion is taken from the comics  along with the brain tumor that triggered it  but personally speaking, its hard to react much to a random supe humping inanimate objects after the other stuff weve seen in this universe, even in this same episode. Its also just a little too convenient of a way to wrap up Teks episodic story and maintain the deans fictions.

The rest of The Whole Truth deals with Sam and Emma, who hide out at a drive-in movie theater. This stuff is a bit rushed, too, with Sam moving past the initial news of his brothers death pretty quickly. (Its just a matter of Emma reassuring him that she wont leave him the way everyone else does.) The focus, first and foremost, is their budding flirtation, built on shared weirdness. And there are some cute moments here, especially when Sam says, Were both sick, and Emma quietly replies with a yeah. Kudos to Lizze Broadway, who lets you see just how gratified Emma would be to find someone who isnt turned off by her powers.

But Sam is more concerned with killing the people who hurt him (and could still hurt Emma). So, with the help of some encouragement from a televised hallucination of Jason Ritter and a puppet of the Deep, he sets off to find Dr. Cardosa. By the time he arrives at his home, Emma has enlisted the rest of the gang for help. So Cardosa and his family presumably live to see another day.

Theres lots of fun in these final minutes, especially with Emma binge eating to become huge enough to stop the super-strong Sam. Its another warm-and-fuzzy resolution to a high-stakes situation, with Andre and the others assuring Sam that theyre all on the same side. Maybe with Sam free of the Woods, everyone can band together and get to the bottom of whats really happening at Godolkin.

Before we can get to that point, though, the episode cuts abruptly to the next morning, with Marie in bed with Jordan. Its a confusing moment, but it seems thats by design. What happened to interrupt that confrontation at Dr. Cardosas house, and which supe is responsible? As soon as one mystery ends, another begins.

Extra Credit

 Most people will want to discuss this episodes tag-team cocksplosion, which is indeed pretty wild: Marie uses her blood-bending abilities to engorge Rufuss penis until it bursts. Its a fitting punishment for Rufus, who seems to have a pattern of using his psychic abilities to roofie girls on campus.

 Im into the developing romance between Marie and Jordan, though so far, I much prefer London Thors performance over Derek Luhs.

 Nice acknowledgment of Johnny Depps campaign of obfuscation and misdirection against Amber Heard, though I can tell the Depp defenders watching will interpret the joke the opposite way.

 Just leave me alone, televisions Jason Ritter!
Whilst it may not be a huge deal, we thought it was good to see that the Videndum Plc (LON:VID) Divisional CEO for Creative Solutions, Marco Vidali, recently bought UK64k worth of stock, for UK3.19 per share. While that isn't the hugest buy, it actually boosted their shareholding by 128%, which is good to see.

See our latest analysis for Videndum

Videndum Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent purchase by Marco Vidali was the biggest purchase of Videndum shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of UK3.25. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. We note that Marco Vidali was also the biggest seller.

Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 28.42k shares worth UK140k. On the other hand they divested 2.75k shares, for UK27k. Overall, Videndum insiders were net buyers during the last year. Their average price was about UK4.92. I'd consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

Videndum 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 Videndum

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Our data suggests Videndum insiders own 1.0% of the company, worth about UK1.6m. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. I generally like to see higher levels of ownership.

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So What Do The Videndum Insider Transactions Indicate?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that Videndum insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. 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. For example, Videndum has 4 warning signs (and 2 which are potentially serious) 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.
The biggest surprise in Hamass massive attack on Israel this morning is that it was a surprise. The operation was of unprecedented scale, involving thousands of personnel and pieces of equipment, from hang gliders to bulldozers and rockets. Such an effort demands weeks if not months of preparation, and all of it took place under the nose of an Israeli intelligence service that has a deserved reputation as one of the most effective in the world.How that happened is cause for deep embarrassment in Israels security community and will prompt a painful internal investigation. Israel lost control of military outposts, armored vehicles and settlements, and the conflict is far from over. Dozens of Israeli citizens were killed, others were taken hostage and hundreds were injured.Yet Saturdays assault was also an important reminder concerning Hamas. Its a US-designated terrorist group but no band of hotheads. It is a well-resourced organization with a paramilitary armed force that is as calculating as it is ruthless. Thats what kept it in control of Gaza since 2007 despite being under constant threat from Israel, as well as from still more radical Salafist and other Islamist groups within Gaza.Only Hamas knows the details of its strategy for Saturdays attack, but the potential fallout is plain to see. A war in Gaza threatens at a stroke to upend the direction of travel in the Middle East. It puts Israel in the invidious position of having to choose between appearing weak  a dangerous strategy in the region  and inflicting the kind of mass casualties in the crowded Gaza Strip that will enrage Israels entire Palestinian population, forcing tough decisions on Arab leaders in the Gulf and beyond. Already on Saturday there were reports of 160 Palestinian dead and more than 1000 wounded in Israels retaliatory airstrikes. Israel has had success normalizing relations with parts of the Arab world while supporting the expansion of Jewish settlements on the West Bank and, at best, slow walking prospects for Palestinian statehood. Since 2020, Israel has signed US-brokered recognition agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca, has been considering a deal. Even Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who for years had positioned himself as champion of the Palestinian cause for domestic political gain, met with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time last month.Saturdays calls from Erdogan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others for de-escalation came quickly and were doubtless genuine. All of them know the political pressures they will come under to condemn and break ties with Israel if Palestinian casualties mount. That now seems inevitable. Netanyahu said his country was at war, while Major General Ghasan Alyan said Hamas had opened the gates of hell to the Gaza strip, in a clip to camera posted on the Israeli Defense Forces feed on X (formerly Twitter). Alyan went on to say that Hamas will bear responsibility for the consequences, but no matter how true that may be  and it is  the question of who fired first on Saturday will count for little in the Muslim world. There, popular outrage over Israeli actions in recent months and years, in particular around the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, had been mounting. Alyans words will resonate less than those of Mohammed Deif, a Hamas military commander, who said that Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was launched because enough is enough. Already, the Saudi government statement calling for calm on Saturday sought to position Hamass actions as retaliatory, recalling the kingdoms repeated warnings of the dangers of the explosion of the situation, as a result of the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities.Hamas, which has never acknowledged Israels right to exist, will have predicted and factored all this into its decision to attack. I say this not because I have Deifs cell number, but because I have encountered the groups calculating nature. In 2011, I went to report in Gaza, unwittingly entering from Israel early on the morning that the US killed Osama bin Laden. Later that day, a Hamas official approached to offer a six-man security detail or escort to the border, because they had picked up Salafists who were looking for the American journalist so they could make a video. I had a friend with Fatah intelligence connections check, and they confirmed the Hamas arrests, so I left Gaza. I retell this only because it was clear even from the security official who sat down with me that Hamas had no liking for US journalists, nor any moral issue with hosting an exemplary retaliation for Bin Ladens death. Yet this was May 2011. Hamas was in reconciliation talks with Fatah then, under international scrutiny and the group didnt want the kind of attention a video would draw.Now, they do have a tactical interest in that kind of attention. Events had not been going Hamass way in recent years, and a Saudi-Israeli normalization would have been a major defeat. Hamass aggression will boost its support base, and the appalling videos of Israeli casualties it organized to take on Saturday will help with recruitment. Responding to Hamas while keeping Israeli-Arab normalization on track will be extraordinarily difficult for Netanyahu to pull off, and the more so the longer the fighting continues.
With just over two months until the nationwide nominating contest kicks off in Iowa, the former president is in a dominant position over his rivals in the state.
(Bloomberg) -- Walmart Inc. will face an antitrust panel in Mexico after a three-year probe concluded the retailers local unit abused its market power, a charge that could result in billions of dollars in fines.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The company, Mexicos biggest retailer, is reviewing the allegations and will get its first opportunity to defend itself in an administrative process before the board of antitrust regulator Cofece, according to a Walmart de Mexico statement Friday. Under Mexican law, Cofeces board reviews findings from agency investigators and the companys defense before deciding how to resolve the case.

Walmex is confident that it has always acted in accordance with applicable law to guarantee the best prices, quality and assortment to its customers and will exercise all rights and remedies available under applicable law, the company said.

Cofece launched the probe three years ago into alleged abuse of Walmexs market position in the wholesale supply and distribution markets, as well as retail operations and related services. At the time, the agency cited its own recently concluded study that found small businesses were disadvantaged by large retail chains that imposed tough conditions, such as delaying payments or requiring vendors to carry the risk of unsold products. Small companies in the US have also described Walmart as a demanding customer that can make or break their businesses.

Read More: Get It Right or Pay Up: Retailers Punish Vendor Missteps

Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, didnt provide information about the specific allegations its facing. It has 45 days to present its defense.

The antitrust regulator can fine companies in such cases for up to 8% of their Mexico units revenue. Walmart had sales of $33.8 billion last year in Mexico. The companys local operations are run by Wal-Mart de Mexico SAB, a publicly traded company controlled by the US parent. Shares of Walmex have dropped 6.7% this year, compared with a 2.5% gain for Mexicos benchmark index and a 10% increase in Walmart shares.

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Cofece is independent of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors administration, whose tax authorities used potential criminal fraud charges to push Walmex to pay an 8.1 billion peso tax settlement back in 2020 that heralded an aggressive charge by the government to collect more from big companies.

Read More: Dear Mexico, Sorry About Those Tax Issues, Wal-Mart Says in Ad

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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 Two months ago, on a summers day in New York, US comedian Catherine Cohen had heart surgery. She was fairly surprised. Two weeks earlier, the mild numbness of a mini-stroke had barely piqued concern. But as her symptoms increased, it was determined that the then 31-year-old had an atrial septal defect, a congenital heart condition. It was crazy, Cohen says in a video call from a friends house in the Hamptons, where she is resting up before her return to live performance. I was getting ready to go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and do four weeks of shows and then this freak thing happened. Doctors reassured her the hole between the upper chambers of her heart was easily fixed and that she could expect to make a full recovery. But I was like, wait, I had a stroke. I need heart surgery, she says, eyes widening. What the f--- are you talking about? I was freaking out. Still, she managed to look on the funny side. On the day of her operation, Cohen filmed a TikTok video, modelling her hospital outfit (black cashmere jumper, bronze silk dress, lasagne grease stains down the front) and explained with glee that she shared her heart condition with US model Hailey Bieber. Today, post-operation and completely healed, Cohen still finds this connection hilarious.

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It was my great comfort, she says. I now look at her Instagram all the time and be like, We are the exact same in every way. She can also joke about the surgery itself. They went in through my groin. Groin is not a word Ive said that much. For someone whose performance calling card is all about quick-fire, fizzing charisma merged with cabaret chanteuse, discovering shed had a stroke was rattling. A week out from returning to the stage, she admits she is nervous, despite having been on a hike and buzzing about physically. Ive always been such a hypochondriac, she says. I just love being alive. I really dont want to die. As a hypochondriac, when something actually goes wrong, youre like, Wait, I was right. This whole heart surgery situation has really made me more annoying than ever. Guys, everyone, listen, Im right. Catherine Cohen is bringing her new show Come for Me to Australia. Credit: Da Ping Luo Cohen, who is touring Australia for the first time next month, is best known for her Netflix special The Twist  Shes Gorgeous! As an actress, she has appeared in series including High Maintenance, Broad City, Search Party and What We Do in the Shadows; her film roles include the upcoming At Midnight. Between comedy gigs she also writes an advice column for W magazine and hosts a sex and dating podcast called Seek Treatment with comedian and Hacks writer Pat Regan. Episodes cover topics ranging from Taylor: She Sings So You Dont Have To (Think) to One Step Forward and Six Hundred Thousand Steps Back.

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In her book of poetry, God I Feel Modern Tonight: Poems From a Gal About Town, written during lockdown in New York, she jokes about such Millennial realities as guys who call you dude after sex. Her new show, Come For Me, which she is bringing to Australia, is her second musical stand-up show, with songs and patter that are a mix of scatty, whip-smart and stream of consciousness, flitting manically between lurid imaginings, intimate ponderings, smart feminist parley and self-referential Millennial angst. Its what are my biggest insecurities, worries, anxieties, obsessions? And then, how can I work through them in a way thats funny and relatable? Thats usually just by being as honest about them as possible. Catherine Cohen channels her inner Cher while performing on Late Night With Seth Myers in 2019. Credit: Getty Images Indeed, its this honesty that makes her humour so appealing to her own demographic. When I ask about her worst habit, she quips: Paying 1 billion American dollars to have food Im not really hungry for delivered straight to my door. As for her biggest regret, its one that many in her audience will likely relate to: Every second Ive wasted obsessing over my body/weight. Boring! Most of Cohens songs, written with accompanist Henry Koperski and performed with live back-up, are gleefully sharp with a knowing narcissism, powered by sparkly dresses, cat eye make-up and old-school cabaret chutzpah. The vibe is akin to Cher crossed with Barbra Streisand mixed with Ann-Margret. Some lines are winningly self-obsessed: Dating me is what critics and fans alike are calling an immersive experience. Others are archly self-reflective: I famously love porn if my boyfriend tells me the girl looks like me. But otherwise it is Bad! For! Women!

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In past live shows, Cohen has swung from toe-tapping angst-ditties about her gynaecologist not laughing at her jokes mid-pap smear to mocking self-portraits of identity crises (Boys never wanted to kiss me, so now I do comedy). Loading In Come for Me, the jokes are edged with more serious material as she explores what it means to leave your 20s behind. The New York Times described the show as like being swept up by a tornado, or maybe watching Fast & Furious: The Vaudeville Years. Cohen approves of the comment, particularly as she is fairly certain she targeted the reviewer with some of her quick-fire crowd work. I remember there was a woman in the front row scribbling notes, she says. I was saying to her, That better be good. That better be good. After growing up in Houston and studying English and theatre at Princeton, Cohen moved to New York at the age of 22. She began taking classes at improv-theatre company Upright Citizens Brigade and working at the Peoples Improv Theatre. I grew up loving to sing and I did musical theatre and stuff but I always felt there werent the right parts for me or it wasnt a perfect fit, she says. When I did a class at Upright Citizens Brigade ... straight away I thought, Oh, my God, this blows my mind.

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She fell into New Yorks comedy community, watching stand-up each night in tiny clubs, until she was ready to try it out herself. And then I felt bummed because I missed singing. So I said to myself, What if I wrote some songs? And thats when things came into focus. I started writing songs and doing stand-up together in my act in 2016 and ever since then Ive just been building upon that. One day, Scottish actor and comedian Alan Cumming saw her show and encouraged her to perform at his tiny Manhattan club, Club Cumming. Small guest spots led to a regular weekly show called Cabernet Cabaret, which she continues to host. Alans been very instrumental in me doing what I do now, she says. Hes incredibly supportive and encouraging. He comes to the club and bartends and watches shows and performs and just hangs out. Without that support, without that space at Club Cumming, I wouldnt have had all this room to experiment with new stuff and play. Its called X-factor, baby, and you either have it or you dont, says Catherine Cohen. Credit: Dev Bowman She says the weekly shows, which run alongside seasons at Joes Pub, a Manhattan performance space, and are always sold-out, offer a better training ground than studying comedy and musical performance. You cant learn it, Cohen says. And I dont even think it can be taught. Its called X-factor, baby, and you either have it or you dont. That being said, I do think you can improve and hone your skills. Getting out there and trying stuff is the only way because otherwise youre just in this vacuum on your computer.

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In online banking, it may seem like entering the correct BSB, account number and account name all play an important part in ensuring money is going to the right place.

But in reality, account names are not necessary for Australian banking transfers  a weakness thieves have exploited to steal millions of dollars through a ploy called invoice scamming.

Scam victim Simon Elvins, who lives in the Blue Mountains.

For Simon Elvins, victim of one of these scams, the impact has been devastating. This year, he received an email from what he thought was his conveyancer about the purchase of his first house.

The email had all the correct details about the new property in the Blue Mountains in NSW. Towards the bottom, it included a request for $274,311.57 to complete the upcoming settlement.
On July 12, 1957, guitarist Link Wray and his band performed at the Fredericksburg Arena, a concert venue that used to sit at the corner of U.S. 1 and Fall Hill Avenue.

The teens packing the hall yelled at him to play The Stroll, a song-and-dance hit that was sweeping the nation, but Wray didnt know it.

Instead, he made up a progression of five chords, which he played into the vocal microphone stationed in front of his amplifier.

The resulting distorted sound, bristling with fuzz and feedback, electrified the young crowd.

Everybody liked it, John Lightner, a local resident who attended the show, told The Free LanceStar in 2019. We yelled for him to play it again, play it again.

Those power chords and that primal sound, which Wray eventually recorded as the song Rumble, laid the foundation for the garage rock of the 1960s, the punk rock of the 1970s, the heavy metal of the 1980s and the grunge rock of the 1990s.

Next month, Wray, who died in 2005, will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a recipient of the Musical Influence Award.

The award is given to artists whose music and performance style have directly influenced, inspired, and evolved rock & roll and music impacting youth culture, according to the Hall of Fames website.

Every young rebel who has donned a leather jacket and slashed away at an electric guitar with loud, distorted abandon owes a significant debt to Wray, the Hall of Fames page on Wray reads.

Wray told Guitar Player magazine that when he went to record Rumble, he couldnt immediately recapture the sound that made those kids scream at the Fredericksburg show.

Finally, he punched holes in his amplifiers two-inch speakers with a pencil to create the distortion the teens had responded to.

Rumble reached No. 16 on the charts in 1958. It was banned by many radio stations because of fears that it would incite teen violence, but Wray told the magazine that the ban just made it sell more.

Local resident Sonya Flowers is a fan of Wray, a friend of his children and the administrator of a Facebook group called RUMBLE the instrumental created in Fredericksburg, Va.

She said words are not enough to adequately express what it means to see Wray inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Im glad as a fan, but moreover Im over the moon happy for his family, Flowers said. (Wrays daughter) Beth (Wray Webb) has worked tirelessly for many years to maintain and promote her fathers legacy, which for me has been a privilege to watch.

Flowers said she was with Webb and her brothers, Link III and Link Elvis, for the dedication of a mural depicting Wray in his hometown of Dunn, North Carolina, on May 2  what would have been his 94th birthday.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2023 inductees the next day, May 3.

It was quite the birthday surprise! Beth was ecstatic, and we all were very excited, Flowers said. I was in disbelief at first until I saw it in print. It was a special moment to witness, and be a part of it.

Webb will be present at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Nov. 3 in New York. She said she is most excited about being there to thank everybody for helping me get Daddy the recognition he deserves.

All his fans and musicians  they have been the ones to help keep his legacy alive. I wouldnt have been able to do it without them, Webb said. Its them. Theyre the ones. Im just the daughter thats proud of her father.

In July, Webb and Flowers went to visit Bobby Morris, a longtime friend of Wrays.

Morris presented Webb with three objects that belonged to her father  a red guitar pick, an unsealed album by Link Wray and the Wraymen and the pair of black-and-white shoes Wray wore in the album cover photo.

The items will be on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year.

Flowers and Webb said theyd like to work with the City of Fredericksburg to install a historical marker commemorating the creation of Rumble and its pioneering sound.

Bobby Morris put it well ... when he said, Link Wrays achievements have caught up with him. I say, now its Fredericksburgs turn, Flowers said.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be streamed live on Disney+, starting at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.
It happened during a mortar attack.

Sgt. Larry Holtz was helping soldiers, whod been sleeping, into a bunker when he was hit.

A 1964 Fremont High School graduate, Holtz was serving near the Cambodian border in South Vietnam. It was 1966 and Holtz had just been promoted to sergeant. Holtz was the last one headed into the bunker when he was wounded.

He made it into the bunker, but died of a metal fragment in his neck, according to an account on the Find a Grave website.

For quite some time, one of Holtzs FHS classmates  Cheryl Mueller  has taken care of his memorial on the website, which lets the public search and add to an online database of human and pet cemetery records.

Recently, the Fremont woman learned one of Holtzs army buddies, Tim Sands of Massachusetts, was coming to Fremont to honor his fallen friend in September. The plan was for Sands and his family members to meet with Holtzs brother, Bernie McLaughlin of Virginia Beach; Fremonter Gene Schultz, who served in the military at the same time, and Mueller at Holtzs grave.

It was a big deal and a one-time thing, Mueller said.

Thats when Mueller asked her sister, Kristy Hutchinson-Ellis, to find Holtzs grave in Ridge Cemetery in Fremont.

It took a long time, but I found him by accident, said Hutchinson-Ellis of Fremont. I was just walking along and his grave was right in front of me.

City of Fremont Sexton Jeff Hively and four seasonal workers take care of Ridge Municipal Cemetery, which consists of about 30 acres of irrigated land, where more than 13,000 graves are located.

Thats a lot of headstones to try to keep string-trimmed and hedged, Hively said.

Hively and seasonal employees, the latter of whom work from mid-April to November, also take care of another estimated 6 acres of land set for future cemetery development.

Holtzs grave is situated amid other veterans graves, at least one of which dates back to the early 1800s.

Hutchinson-Ellis said when she found Holtzs gravestone, grass had grown around it and she pulled weeds. She wanted to clean it up and make it look very neat before out-of-state visitors came to see it.

She began tidying up graves in the area she calls veterans row, south of the Civil War statue at the cemeterys entrance.

While there, Hutchinson-Ellis said she found many graves of friends whom shed gone to school with, but didnt know they were in that same area.

It gave me a chance to say welcome home and goodbye at the same time, Hutchinson-Ellis said.

Mueller noted some challenges faced in cemetery upkeep.

Moles can troll up dirt and flat, ledger gravestones that are level with the ground can be subject to the varmints activity, time and dirt shifts.

Mueller believes city workers try to take care of the historical cemetery, but its a big place.

Hutchinson-Ellis said she started going to the cemetery about six weeks ago.

The weather was still beautiful and I totally was at peace, Hutchinson-Ellis said. A lot of people dont feel comfortable in a cemetery, but I was. Ive had several people come by when I was working and saw me, but no one volunteered to help.

Mueller said her sister has uncovered a couple of graves.

I found one servicemans gravestone by accident and uncovered it, Hutchinson-Ellis said. He was a World War II veteran.

Hutchinson-Ellis continues to go out to edge around graves. On Thursday, she wiped dirt off a headstone where an empty, cement flower holder had fallen on it. She describes her volunteer work in the cemetery as comforting.

I find it peaceful, Hutchinson-Ellis said. Sometimes, the days will get real stressful, so you go to the cemetery. I have many moments that I totally enjoy just being alone and at peace.

Last month, Mueller, Sands, Schultz and McLaughlin went to Holtzs grave. Photos show them around the fallen servicemans headstone, decorated with flowers and American flags.

It was a very happy and poignant tribute, Mueller said.

Information on the Find a Grave website states that Holtz served in the same 196th Light Infantry Brigade as his stepfather, Ed, did in World War II. Originally, Larry Holtz was being sent to the Dominican Republic, but at the last minute was sent to Vietnam. The information also notes that Ed Holtz was a deputy sheriff in Fremont at the time of Larrys death.

Among Larry Holtzs honors was a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Hively said he greatly appreciates what the sisters have done in the cemetery.

They fine-tuned the area, Hively said. They edged around the veteran (gravestones) that are flush with the ground. They edged them and cleaned them up. Some of that fine, detail work they did, we dont often have time for that. So whenever we get some volunteers to help us out, its always greatly appreciated.

Hively pointed out the value of volunteer assistance.

We get Boy Scout groups and different church groups that volunteer their time to do cemetery maintenance, Hively said. We always appreciate any help.
Today

Mostly sunny and continued chilly; below freezing temps to start the day.

Tonight

Mostly clear and cold; another night of below freezing temperatures.

Tomorrow

Mostly sunny skies as the cool eases.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Metal detectors, or something similar, could be coming to the Allentown School District.

Superintendent Carol Birks says the district has met with vendors to talk options, following a pair of incidents involving students being caught with a loaded gun in William Allen High School in just the past two years.

Birks hasn't even been on the job for a full year, but she said she's working with parents and students to take action.

"I want to assure this community that we will be transparent and we will share what we know and put in the appropriate safeguards," said Birks.

The most recent incident happened on Sept. 27, when a student was caught with a loaded gun inside a bathroom at William Allen by a school resource officer.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk said his child was at school that day, and he was notified about the incident the same night. "I think it was deeply appreciated that something that happened in a city, or a school building in the city of Allentown, was communicated to parents by the superintendent of the school district," said Tuerk.

Now the work begins on how to make the dangerous trend stop. The district put out a survey, receiving around 5,000 responses from students, with a common request.

"We have an overwhelming amount of students who have said they think we should install weapon detection systems in their schools," said Birks.

So Birks said she isn't wasting any time in exploring that option.

"We have already met with vendors to have them present to us," said Birks.

Birks said she's also hoping at some point they can create a place for students having a mental or emotional crisis.

"Like a mental health resource center where students, when they face various aspects of feeling that their effective, developmental skill sets aren't being met, that we can address it in real time," said Birks.

Still, Birks and Tuerk said no decisions are going to be made until they hear from parents and students in person.

"We need to hear from the members of our community, and help them take a role in the safety of our children," said Tuerk.

Birks says those proposals will be discussed at the community meeting next week at William Allen High School. That meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday night.
HELLERTOWN, Pa.  Hellertown Borough Council held an emergency meeting Friday night during which the resignation of Hellertown Police Chief Robert Shupp was announced amid an investigation into his pay.

After going into executive session for more than 15 minutes, council returned to the meeting room to read a public statement. Council Vice President Matt Marcincin served as the acting chair for the meeting as President Thomas Rieger was attending via Zoom.

"Recently, the borough discovered some discrepancies with the now-former police chief's payroll," read Marcincin. "Following this discovery, the borough council conducted a preliminary investigation which revealed that these discrepancies were not caused by clerical errors but were more serious."

"This matter the borough council takes very seriously," the statement continued. "At this time, the borough council believes the best course of action is to have further investigation conducted by outside officials. To that end, we are referring this matter to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office."

Marcincin said that because the matter was turned over to state authorities, council would offer no additional comments until the investigation was completed.

Following the reading of the statement, council unanimously approved the resignation of Shupp and authorized borough attorneys to coordinate with state authorities on the matter.

Councilmember Liz Thompson then made motion to table the appointment of an interim chief until council and the mayor have had enough time to speak to interested members of the department and collectively make a decision. The motion also stated that Officer Dominick Fragano will serve as the officer in charge of department in the meantime.

Council unanimously approved the action before adjourning the meeting.

69 News reached out to members of council for comment, with the president responding with the same statement that was read at the meeting.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Backed by a barrage of rockets, Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns, killing dozens and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday. A stunned Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza, with its prime minister saying the country is now at war with Hamas and vowing to inflict an unprecedented price.

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the Gaza border. In some places they gunned down civilians and soldiers as Israels military scrambled to muster a response.

Gunbattles continued well after nightfall, and militants held hostages in standoffs in two towns. Militants occupied a police station in a third town, where Israeli forces struggled until Sunday morning to finally reclaim the building.

Before daybreak Sunday, militants fired more rockets from Gaza, hitting a hospital in the Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon. The hospital sustained damage, said senior hospital official Tal Bergman. Video provided by Barzilai Medical Center showed a large hole punched into a wall and chunks of debris scattered on the ground of what appeared to an empty rooms and a hallway. There was no report of casualties.

Israeli media, citing rescue service officials, said at least 250 people were killed and 1,500 wounded in Saturday's attack, making it the deadliest in Israel in decades. At least 232 people in the Gaza Strip were killed and 1,700 wounded in Israeli strikes, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Hamas fighters took an unknown number of civilians and soldiers captive into Gaza.

The conflict threatened to escalate with Israels vows of retaliation. Previous conflicts between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers brought widespread death and destruction in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli towns. The situation is potentially more volatile now, with Israels far-right government stung by the security breach and with Palestinians in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and suffocating blockade of Gaza.

In a televised address Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who earlier declared Israel to be at war, said the military will use all of its strength to destroy Hamas capabilities. But he warned, This war will take time. It will be difficult."

All the places that Hamas hides in, operates from, we will turn them into ruins," he added. Get out of there now," he told Gaza residents, who have no way to leave the tiny, overcrowded Mediterranean territory of 2.3 million people.

Early Sunday, the Israeli military issued warnings in Arabic to residents of communities near the border with Israel to leave their homes and move to areas deeper inside the tiny enclave. In previous Israel-Hamas fighting on Gaza soil, the Gaza communities near the border were hit particularly hard, both by artillery fire and at times by ground incursions.

Gazas residents have endured a border blockade, enforced to varying degrees by Israel and Egypt, since Hamas militants seized control in 2007. Civilians are trapped and particularly vulnerable during wars and bouts of fighting.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza intensified after nightfall, flattening residential buildings in giant explosions, including a 14-story tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices in central Gaza City. Israeli forces fired a warning just before.

Around 3 a.m., a loudspeaker atop a mosque in Gaza City blared a stark warning to residents of nearby apartment buildings: Evacuate immediately. Just minutes later, an Israeli airstrike reduced one nearby five-story building to ashes.

After one Israeli strike, a Hamas rocket barrage hit four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb. Throughout the day, Hamas fired more than 3,500 rockets, the Israeli military said.

The strength, sophistication and timing of the Saturday morning attack shocked Israelis. Hamas fighters used explosives to break through the border fence enclosing Gaza, then crossed with motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders and speed boats on the coast.

In some towns, civilians bodies lay where they had encountered advancing gunmen. At least nine people gunned down at a bus shelter in the town of Sderot were laid out on stretchers on the street, their bags still on the curb nearby. One woman, screaming, embraced the body of a family member sprawled under a sheet next to a toppled motorcycle.

In amateur video, hundreds of terrified young people who had been dancing at a rave fled for their lives after Hamas militants entered the area and began firing at them. Israeli media said dozens of people were killed.

Among the dead was Col. Jonathan Steinberg, a senior officer who commanded the Israeli military's Nahal Brigade, a prominent infantry unit.

The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, said the assault was in response to the 16-year blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at Al Aqsa  the disputed Jerusalem holy site sacred to Jews as the Temple Mount  increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and the growth of settlements.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message. He said the attack was only the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight.

The Hamas incursion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, aiming to take back Israeli-occupied territories.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government and military over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

Asked by reporters how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, replied, Thats a good question.

The abduction of Israeli civilians and soldiers also raised a particularly thorny issue for Israel, which has a history of making heavily lopsided exchanges to bring captive Israelis home. Israel is holding thousands of Palestinians in its prisons. Hecht confirmed that substantial number of Israelis were abducted Saturday.

Associated Press photos showed an elderly Israeli woman being brought into Gaza on a golf cart by Hamas gunmen and another woman squeezed between two fighters on a motorcycle. AP journalists saw four people taken from the kibbutz of Kfar Azza, including two women.

In Gaza, a black jeep pulled to a stop and, when the rear door opened, a young Israeli woman stumbled out, bleeding from the head and with her hands tied behind her back. A man waving a gun in the air grabbed her by the hair and pushed her into the vehicles back seat. Israeli TV reported that workers from Thailand and the Philippines were also among the captives.

Netanyahu vowed that Hamas will pay an unprecedented price. A major question now was whether Israel will launch a ground assault into Gaza, a move that in the past has brought intensified casualties.

Israels military was bringing four divisions of troops as well as tanks to the Gaza border, joining 31 battalions already in the area, the spokesman Hagari said.

In Gaza, much of the population was thrown into darkness after nightfall as electrical supplies from Israel  which supplies almost all the territories power  were cut off. Netanyahus office said in a statement that Israel would stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods to Gaza.

Hamas said it had planned for a potentially long fight. We are prepared for all options, including all-out war, the deputy head of the Hamas political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri, told Al-Jazeera TV. We are ready to do whatever is necessary for the dignity and freedom of our people.

U.S. President Joe Biden said from the White House that he had spoken with Netanyahu to say the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop."

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel, called on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about the danger of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights.

Lebanons Hezbollah militant group congratulated Hamas, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds of thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness.

It also comes at a time of mounting tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, with the peace process effectively dead for years. Over the past year, Israels far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site.

Palestinians demonstrated in towns and cities around the West Bank on Saturday night. Palestinian health officials said Israeli fire killed five there, but gave few details.

Adwan reported from Rafah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Wafaa Shurafa in Gaza City and Isabel DeBre and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
David Willard has been checking the grounds of Chicago's lakefront exhibition center for dead birds for 40 years. On Thursday morning he found something horrible: Hundreds of dead songbirds, so thick they looked like a carpet.

Nearly 1,000 songbirds perished during the night after crashing into the McCormick Place Lakeside Center's windows, the result, according to avian experts, of a deadly confluence of prime migration conditions, rain and the low-slung exhibition hall's lights and window-lined walls.

"It was just like a carpet of dead birds at the windows there," said Willard, a retired bird division collections manager at the Chicago Field Museum, where his duties included administering, preserving and cataloging the museum's collection of 500,000 bird specimens as well as searching for bird strikes as part of migration research.

"A normal night would be zero to 15 (dead) birds. It was just kind of a shocking outlier to what we've experienced," he said. "In 40 years of keeping track of what's happening at McCormick, we've never seen anything remotely on that scale."

Researchers estimate hundreds of millions of birds die in window strikes in the United States each year. Scientists with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a study in 2014 that put the number between 365 million and 988 million birds annually.

Window strikes are an issue in almost every major U.S. city. Birds don't see clear or reflective glass and don't understand it's a lethal barrier. When they see plants or bushes through windows or reflected in them, they head for them, killing themselves in the process.

Birds that migrate at night, such as sparrows and warblers, rely on stars to navigate. Bright lights from buildings both attract and confuse them, leading to window strikes or birds flying around the lights until they die from exhaustion  known as fatal light attraction. In 2017, for example, almost 400 passerines became disoriented in a Galveston, Texas, skyscraper's floodlights and died in collisions with windows.

"Unfortunately, it is really common," said Matt Igleski, executive director of the Chicago Audubon Society. "We see this in pretty much every major city during spring and fall migration. This (the window strikes at McCormick Place) was a very catastrophic single event, but when you add it all up (across the country), it's always like that."

Conditions were ripe for a massive wave of songbird southern migration over Chicago on Wednesday evening, said Stan Temple, a retired University of Wisconsin-Madison wildlife ecology professor and avian expert.

Small songbirds feed during the day and migrate at night to avoid air turbulence and predators. They've been waiting for northerly winds to give them a boost south, Temple said, but September saw unusually warm southern winds that kept birds in a holding pattern here. On Wednesday evening a front swept south, providing a tailwind, and thousands of birds took to the skies.

"You had all these birds that were just raring to go but they've been held up with this weird September and October with temperatures way above normal," Temple said. "You had this huge pack of birds take off."

The birds swept south over Chicago, following the Lake Michigan shoreline  right into a maze of illuminated structures, Temple said.

Pre-dawn rain forced the birds to drop to lower altitudes, where they found McCormick Place's lights on, Willard said. According to the field museum's count, 964 birds died at the center. That's about 700 more than have been found there at any point in the last 40 years, Willard said. Members of 33 species died, according to the field museum; most of them were palm and yellow-rumped warblers.

Window strikes and fatal light attraction are easily preventable, said Anna Pidgeon, an avian ecologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Building managers can simply dim their lights, she said, and architects can design windows with markings in the glass that birds can easily recognize. People can add screens, paint their windows or apply decals to the glass as well.

The National Audubon Society launched a program in 1999 called Lights Out, an effort to encourage urban centers to turn off or dim lights during migration months. Nearly 50 U.S. and Canadian cities joined the movement, including Toronto, New York, Boston, San Diego, Dallas and Miami. New York City took to shutting off the twin beams of light symbolizing the World Trade Center for periods of time during its annual Sept. 11 memorial ceremony to prevent birds from becoming trapped in the light shafts.

Chicago also participates in the Lights Out program. The City Council in 2020 passed an ordinance requiring bird safety measures in new buildings but has yet to implement them. The first buildings at McCormick Place were constructed in 1959.

Cynthia McCafferty, a spokesperson for McCormick Place, said the exhibition hall participates in Lights Out and interior lighting is turned off unless staff, clients or visitors need it. She said an event has been going on all week at the center so the lights have been on when the building was occupied but turned off when it wasn't. She added that the center maintains a 6-acre bird sanctuary.

Participation is down 40% in this agricultural program that protects wildlife, water, and soil Participation is down 40% in this agricultural program that protects wildlife, water, and soil There is less land in the Conservation Reserve Program than there used to be Most counties have seen declines in participation over the past 10 years Grassland establishment and habitat expansion are among the most common programs New changes from the USDA seek to improve participation
BETHLEHEM, Pa.  Bethlehem's Planning Commission will review a proposal for a 96-room Hilton hotel on the Southside on Thursday, Oct. 12.

Developer Steel9 proposes the Tru by Hilton for 1610 Spillman Drive. The site at the northeast corner of East Fourth Street and Lynn Avenue is a few blocks east of Wind Creek Bethlehem and near Lehigh University.

That stretch of Fourth Street leading east toward Hellertown, an area once dominated by Bethlehem Steel Corp., has been drawing development proposals. A Sheetz convenience store is being built on the other side of Fourth Street.

The hotel would be four stories high and cover 11,021 square feet. Hilton describes the Tru brand as "midscale."

The site covers 1.65 acres and was owned earlier by Lehigh Valley Industrial Park. Steel 9 acquired the property from LVIP in 2022 for $1.05 million, according to Northampton County property records.

Tru by Hilton is one of 22 Hilton brands. Other brands include Waldorf Astoria, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites and Hampton.

The website for Tru by Hilton promises "lean design" and free breakfast. The brand is for travelers "looking for a new, affordable hotel experience," according to a Hilton press release.

Hilton Worldwide Holdings has a portfolio of about 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms. There are Hilton-brand hotels in 123 countries and territories.

Shares in the company are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol HLT. The closing price Friday was $151.39, giving the company a market capitalization (share price times number of shares outstanding) of $39.6 billion.

The Bethlehem Planning Commission will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday in Town Hall. The agenda and a link to a webcast of the meeting is on the city website. Agendas are subject to change.
LAJAS BLANCAS, Panama (AP)  At the edge of Panamas Darien jungle Friday, Venezuelans made up the majority of migrants waiting for buses to speed them across the country to Costa Rica, where they planned to continue moving north.

Annie Carrillo, a 38-year-old Venezuelan traveling with her Colombian husband and a friend, said they had crossed the dense, lawless jungle from Colombia in three days after paying $350 each to a guide. When she heard about the U.S. governments plan to restart deportation flights to Venezuela in the coming days, Carrillo was discouraged.

No one emigrates from their country because they want to. One migrates because you have basic needs and there isnt support in your native country, she said, starting to cry.

The U.S. government hopes the threat of deportation will be enough to make Venezuelans reconsider trying to enter the United States illegally and opt instead for the online appointment system to make asylum claims or other legal paths. But some migrants said Friday that it would not stop them from continuing their journey.

Venezuela has suffered political, economic and humanitarian crises over the past decade, pushing at least 7.3 million people to migrate and making food and other necessities unaffordable for those who remain. The vast majority who fled settled in neighboring countries in Latin America, but many began coming to the United States in the last three years.

Observers have pointed out that earlier this week the Biden administration justified the expansion of temporary protected status for Venezuelans announced last month by noting the severe humanitarian challenges in the country. But now the administration has decided Venezuela is not bad enough to keep them from deporting migrants back there.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys assistant secretary for border and immigration policy said Friday that it is already repatriating people to countries with humanitarian situations similar to those in Venezuela.

These direct repatriations are obviously made now to Venezuela, but also to other countries that have complicated situations such as Haiti, Cuba and other countries around the world, Blas Nunez-Neto told reporters. What we are announcing is in accordance with our laws, with our international obligations.

The U.S. Border Patrol encountered Venezuelans 22,000 times along the southwest border in August, nearly double the number in July, but still slightly below the 25,000 encounters in August 2022. Although Venezuelans make up about 60% of the migrants crossing the Darien Gap this year, they trail migrant numbers from countries including Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala at the U.S. border. At least 16 migrants died and more were injured Friday when a bus carrying them crashed in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.

Nunez-Neto said more than 130,000 Venezuelans had arrived to the U.S. in the past year through legal paths, such as CBP One and humanitarian parole.

Still more than 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from the nearest U.S. border crossing, Carrillo hadnt made up her mind yet about whether they would wait for an appointment to seek asylum or risk crossing and turning themselves over to U.S. border agents. She said they had heard it could take more than three months to get an appointment through CBP One, an eternity for migrants who usually spend all their money just making it to the border.

What sense is there in making this journey where every second counts and every second youre putting your life at risk and only to arrive in a country and have them deport you just like that? Carrillo said.

Patricia Andrade, one of the founders of the humanitarian assistance organization Venezuelan Roots in Miami, was incredulous about the possibility of mass deportations to Venezuela considering that thousands of migrants arrive every day at the southern border.

How many flights are they going to take? Andrade said.

She said Venezuelans are fleeing their country out of desperation and will continue to come.

The announcement of deportations is not going to scare everyone, said Andrade, whose organization provides clothes, sheets, towels and pots to Venezuelan recent arrivals. As long as the Venezuelan problem is not resolved, people will continue arriving.

It was concerning for some, however. A 47-year-old Venezuelan woman living in Atlanta who arrived years ago and received temporary protected status requested anonymity because she worried speaking out could jeopardize the situation of her relatives.

She said one of her husband's cousins waited three months in Mexico for an appointment to request asylum in the United States, but finally decided to cross illegally and turn himself over to U.S. authorities. He has been in U.S. detention for 20 days and she now worries that he could be deported back to Venezuela.

Other relatives who have been at the border for two months waiting for appointments are now considering the possibility of crossing illegally, she said.

Now they are afraid to voluntarily surrender to U.S. authorities, they are very worried and we are, too," the woman said. They cannot return to Venezuela either, the conditions are not there.

Carmen Gabriela Rojas, 22, and her partner Julian Ascanio, 31, arrived in the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, on Friday. It was a four-day ride atop a freight train from Mexico City.

Ascanio said their plan was to apply for an appointment to request asylum and wait in Mexico, but to do so they needed to find work quickly because they were out of money.

Told of the resumption of deportation flights to Venezuela, Rojas said it was an additional concern, because being sent back to Mexico would be one thing, but all the way back to Venezuela would be really hard.

Back in Lajas Blancas, Panama, at the edge of the Darien jungle, Jhonny Zambrano, a 20-year-old Venezuelan, waited with his parents, sister and niece. He said the family did not have a plan yet for when they reach the U.S. border, but that if he was deported he would try again until he was successful.

He had been a student in Venezuela, but the economic situation made it impossible for him to continue his studies, forcing him at times to go without eating at school.

What am I going to do in our country? Zambrano asked. If deported, I would do it (migrate) again to work and to get my family ahead.

Salomon reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Alicia Fernandez in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, contributed to this report.
Here Weed Go! is back! After a few weeks in the wilderness, the podcast that puts the flame to flower when it comes to seed to sale coverage of Americas fastest growing cash crop: cannabis!

Im your host Eddie Celaya, cannabis, travel and food reporter for TucsonMarijuanaGuide.com!

Before I get this joint lit, I wanted to remind everyone that it really helps the podcast, and I truly do appreciate, when you subscribe, share and comment on Here Weed Go!, wherever youre streaming or downloading it from.

You can also give the podcast a shout and a follow on social media on Instagram by searching for the username Here.Weed.Go. And of course, dont forget to visit TucsonMarijuanaGuide.com to see all of my latest content, and to subscribe to the weekly Here Weed Go! newsletter.

Let me know what you think by emailing me at ecelaya- thats ecelaya@tucson.com to let me know what you think!

Anyway, about this episode youre currently listening to: its the start of a new season and new approach. Appropriate then to speak with someone who is using a technology that is on the cutting edge and disrupting everything it approaches.

Im referring to AI, or artificial intelligence. While the concept and its use within everyday technology is often taken for granted (think about predictive text for texting  thats AI), the latest offerings in the field have taken businesses in the cannabis (and media) space by storm  and with some push back.

My guest today however is an advocate for its use, at least when it comes to processing the mountains of paperwork and navigating the oftentimes contradictory levels of regulatory red-tape that comes along with establishing and running a marijuana business.

Dustin Robinson is an attorney and founding partner of Mr. Cannabis Law, a cannabis and psychedelics-focused law firm based out of Florida. His firm is pioneering the use of AI software to help speed up and simplify a process that has become for some, an insurmountable hurdle to gaining some sort of foothold in the burgeoning industry.

Our conversation begins with Robinson explaining how he came to a career in law, by way of accounting

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More on Mr. Cannabis Law: https://mrcannabislaw.com/

Dustin Robinson's profile: https://mrcannabislaw.com/dustin-robinson-attorney-profile/

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Area Entrepreneurs will be battling it out on live television for a chance to win 20-thousand dollars for their business.

Startup Lehigh Valley is set for October 25th at Lehigh University.

Sunrise hosts Bo Koltnow and Karin Mallett talked with Lehigh University Provost Nathan Urban and founder of the event Rich Thompson of the Factory.
Last weekend, Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown. After a turbulent week, the House of Representatives passed a short-term bipartisan spending bill. The Senate approved the bill hours before the deadline of Oct. 1.

From 2005 to 2013, I served as a member of the Nebraska Legislature. During that time, we ran into a major budget shortfall. All of us in the Unicameral worked together and compromised to find solutions to that fiscal crisis. We were legislators, so we legislated. In the end, we made tough decisions and funded government in Nebraska.

As your U.S. Senator, Im committed to working hard to ensure that we get our job done here in Washington, D.C., and fund the U.S. government. Thats why I voted in favor of this weekends bill that gives Congress more time to work through the regular appropriations process without a government shutdown.

The negotiations were having in Washington are important. But political fights shouldnt hurt the average American by shutting down access to vital government services, or forcing our military and border patrol agents to work without pay. In Congress, we need to make tough decisions to ensure that our government stays funded for the long term.

Instead of going on TV or Twitter to fight, my priority is working with my colleagues to find real solutions. We need to do more than just keep the government open  we also need to address our overwhelming $33 trillion national debt. Our debt keeps climbing, putting our childrens futures in jeopardy. More than that, its putting our national security in jeopardy.

As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I take our national defense extremely seriously. The United States is facing two peer nuclear adversaries, China and Russia, for the first time in history  so now is not the time to shut down operations. By shutting down our government, we are projecting weakness to our adversaries. The national debt is already threatening our national and economic security, but a government shutdown would exacerbate those issues.

Thats one reason I cosponsored the Pay Our Military Act last week. This bill, led by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), ensures that members of our military branches  Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, and Space Force  will be paid in the event of a government shutdown during Fiscal Year 2024. Our dedicated military men and women shouldnt miss a paycheck because of political fights in Washington. Congress needs to take action to protect this nations military readiness and make sure members of our Armed Forces receive the pay they have rightfully earned.

Congress will have to make some tough decisions as we near the new deadline of Nov. 17. Its vital that we address the crisis at our southern border and limit our spending to what needs to be addressed. But if we are ever going to seriously address our nations financial crisis, members of Congress must work together on responsible policies.
Shares of Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (BATS:CBOE  Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of Hold by the thirteen analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $154.67.

Several research analysts have commented on CBOE shares. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a buy rating and set a $172.00 price target on shares of Cboe Global Markets in a research note on Wednesday, September 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on shares of Cboe Global Markets from $148.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, August 7th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on Cboe Global Markets from $161.00 to $162.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, August 7th. Barclays boosted their target price on Cboe Global Markets from $146.00 to $155.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, August 7th. Finally, Argus raised their price target on Cboe Global Markets from $148.00 to $161.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 17th.

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Insider Activity at Cboe Global Markets

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cboe Global Markets

In other Cboe Global Markets news, CEO Edward T. Tilly sold 8,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.86, for a total value of $1,086,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 177,983 shares in the company, valued at $24,180,770.38. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . In other Cboe Global Markets news, CEO Edward T. Tilly sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.86, for a total value of $1,086,880.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 177,983 shares in the company, valued at $24,180,770.38. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . Also, COO Christopher A. Isaacson sold 3,850 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.08, for a total transaction of $573,958.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 54,599 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,139,618.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold 24,901 shares of company stock worth $3,580,340 over the last 90 days. 0.51% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S increased its position in Cboe Global Markets by 5.9% during the 1st quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S now owns 1,311 shares of the companys stock valued at $176,000 after buying an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Cboe Global Markets by 2.3% during the second quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,317 shares of the companys stock valued at $458,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its position in shares of Cboe Global Markets by 27.4% in the 2nd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 363 shares of the companys stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank raised its position in shares of Cboe Global Markets by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 12,496 shares of the companys stock worth $1,677,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Inspire Investing LLC boosted its stake in Cboe Global Markets by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 2,805 shares of the companys stock worth $377,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.73% of the companys stock.

Cboe Global Markets Stock Up 0.9 %

Shares of BATS:CBOE opened at $161.71 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.15 billion, a PE ratio of 83.36 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a current ratio of 1.21. Cboe Global Markets has a 52-week low of $103.82 and a 52-week high of $139.00. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $151.12 and a 200 day moving average of $142.31.

Cboe Global Markets (BATS:CBOE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 4th. The company reported $1.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.77 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $467.10 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $469.31 million. Cboe Global Markets had a return on equity of 20.05% and a net margin of 5.77%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.67 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Cboe Global Markets will post 6.41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Cboe Global Markets Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 31st were given a $0.55 dividend. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.36%. This is a boost from Cboe Global Marketss previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 30th. Cboe Global Marketss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 98.97%.

Cboe Global Markets Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Cboe Global Markets, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an options exchange worldwide. It operates through six segments: Options, North American Equities, Europe and Asia Pacific, Futures, Global FX, and Digital. The Options segment trades in listed market indices. The North American Equities segment trades in listed U.S.

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Block (NYSE:SQ  Free Report) had its price objective decreased by Citigroup from $90.00 to $65.00 in a research note released on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Citigroup currently has a buy rating on the technology companys stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Block from $96.00 to $75.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 22nd. BNP Paribas raised Block from an underperform rating to an outperform rating and set a $95.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on Block from $80.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 24th. Credit Suisse Group restated an outperform rating and set a $100.00 target price on shares of Block in a report on Friday, August 4th. Finally, UBS Group cut shares of Block from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the company from $102.00 to $65.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twenty-three have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Block has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $84.19.

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Block Stock Up 2.8 %

Shares of Block stock opened at $43.84 on Wednesday. The companys 50 day moving average price is $55.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $61.88. Block has a 52-week low of $40.77 and a 52-week high of $89.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a current ratio of 1.92. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -99.63 and a beta of 2.37.

Block (NYSE:SQ  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 3rd. The technology company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.04. Block had a negative net margin of 1.38% and a negative return on equity of 0.61%. The firm had revenue of $5.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.10 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned ($0.19) earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 25.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Block will post -0.27 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Block news, insider Brian Grassadonia sold 4,584 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.00, for a total value of $192,528.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 293,330 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,319,860. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, insider Brian Grassadonia sold 4,584 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.00, for a total value of $192,528.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 293,330 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $12,319,860. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Amrita Ahuja sold 3,998 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.16, for a total transaction of $176,551.68. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 226,725 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,012,176. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 30,541 shares of company stock valued at $1,722,034. Company insiders own 10.79% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SQ. Decatur Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Block by 11.1% during the first quarter. Decatur Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,783 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $513,000 after purchasing an additional 378 shares in the last quarter. Eudaimonia Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Block during the first quarter valued at approximately $387,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Block in the second quarter valued at approximately $228,000. Prudential Financial Inc. grew its holdings in Block by 31.3% in the second quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 25,320 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,616,000 after purchasing an additional 6,038 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kingsview Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Block during the second quarter worth $516,000. 61.17% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Block Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Square, Inc provides payment and point-of-sale solutions in the United States and internationally. The company's commerce ecosystem includes point-of-sale software and hardware that enables sellers to turn mobile and computing devices into payment and point-of-sale solutions. It offers hardware products, including Magstripe reader, which enables swiped transactions of magnetic stripe cards; Contactless and chip reader that accepts EMV chip cards and Near Field Communication payments; Chip card reader, which accepts EMV chip cards and enables swiped transactions of magnetic stripe cards; Square Stand, which enables an iPad to be used as a payment terminal or full point of sale solution; and Square Register that combines its hardware, point-of-sale software, and payments technology, as well as managed payments solutions.

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Mativ (NYSE:MATV  Get Free Report) is one of 17 publicly-traded companies in the Paper mills industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare Mativ to similar companies based on the strength of its dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, valuation and institutional ownership.

Dividends

Mativ pays an annual dividend of $0.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.0%. Mativ pays out -65.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Paper mills companies pay a dividend yield of 4.0% and pay out 76.6% of their earnings in the form of a dividend.

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Risk and Volatility

Mativ has a beta of 0.83, indicating that its share price is 17% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Mativs competitors have a beta of 1.31, indicating that their average share price is 31% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Mativ 0 0 1 0 3.00 Mativ Competitors 113 718 474 49 2.34

This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Mativ and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Mativ presently has a consensus price target of $32.00, indicating a potential upside of 138.81%. As a group, Paper mills companies have a potential upside of 15.70%. Given Mativs stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Mativ is more favorable than its competitors.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

91.4% of Mativ shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.7% of shares of all Paper mills companies are owned by institutional investors. 2.0% of Mativ shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.5% of shares of all Paper mills companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Mativ and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Mativ -1.21% 9.73% 3.06% Mativ Competitors 7.59% 18.89% 6.66%

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Mativ and its competitors top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Mativ $2.17 billion -$6.60 million -21.97 Mativ Competitors $5.57 billion $686.61 million 29.23

Mativs competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Mativ. Mativ is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Summary

Mativ competitors beat Mativ on 9 of the 14 factors compared.

About Mativ

(Get Free Report)

Mativ Holdings, Inc. operates as a performance materials company. The company operates through two segments, Advanced Technical Materials and Fiber-Based Solutions. The Advanced Technical Materials segment manufactures and sells polymer, resin and fiber-based substrates, nets, films, adhesive tapes, and other nonwovens. This segment serves filtration, protective solutions, release liners, healthcare, and industrials end-markets. The Fiber-Based Solutions segment provides packaging, printing, and specialty papers; and various paper-based products for the consumer channel, such as bright papers, cardstock, stationery paper, envelopes, journals, and planners. It also offers combustibles products comprising conventional papers and filter wraps, low-ignition propensity papers wrappers for small cigars, and hemp-based alternatives; noncombustibles; and lightweight papers. This segment serves cigarette and cigar manufacturers, and commercial print and combustibles end-markets. The company sells its products in the United States, Europe and the former Commonwealth of Independent States, the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and internationally. The company was formerly known as Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. and changed its name to Mativ Holdings, Inc. in July 2022. Mativ Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

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Shares of Fresnillo plc (LON:FRES  Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Reduce by the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have given a hold rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is GBX 720.71 ($8.71).

A number of research analysts have commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Fresnillo from GBX 690 ($8.34) to GBX 620 ($7.49) and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 21st. Barclays cut their target price on shares of Fresnillo from GBX 630 ($7.62) to GBX 525 ($6.35) and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 10th.

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Fresnillo Trading Up 2.0 %

Fresnillo Cuts Dividend

LON FRES opened at GBX 523.40 ($6.33) on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.58, a quick ratio of 3.28 and a current ratio of 3.12. The company has a market capitalization of 3.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,180.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -1.58 and a beta of 0.22. The companys 50-day simple moving average is GBX 556.19 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 639.77. Fresnillo has a one year low of GBX 499.30 ($6.04) and a one year high of GBX 996.80 ($12.05).

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 10th were given a $0.01 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 0.18%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 10th. Fresnillos payout ratio is currently 5,000.00%.

About Fresnillo

(Get Free Report

Fresnillo plc mines, develops, and produces non-ferrous minerals in Mexico. It operates through seven segments: Fresnillo, Saucito, Cienega, Herradura, Noche Buena, San Julian, and Juanicipio. The company primarily explores for silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates. Its projects include the Fresnillo silver mine located in the state of Zacatecas; Saucito silver mine situated in the state of Zacatecas; Cienega gold mine located in the state of Durango; Herradura gold mine situated in the state of Sonora; Noche Buena gold mine located in the state of Sonora; San Julian silver-gold mine situated on the border of Chihuahua/Durango states; and Juanicipio mine located in the state of Zacatecas.

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A man suspected of robbing seven Colorado Springs businesses over a span of seven weeks was arrested Wednesday, according to a news release from police.

Between Aug. 13 and Sept. 28, Colorado Springs police investigated seven aggravated robberies believed to have been committed by the same suspect.

The suspect typically held a firearm up to the victim and demanded money from the safe or cash register, as well as cigarettes, police said in the news release. One person was injured during one of the robberies; no other injuries were reported.

The suspect, identified as Lloyd Bridges, 37, of Colorado Springs, was arrested in the 3000 block of West Colorado Avenue. Bridges faces several charges including first-degree kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping and aggravated robbery. Bridges is listed as a sexually violent predator and is currently on parole, police said.

The dates and locations of the robberies associated with the arrest are:

Aug. 13  Dominos Pizza, 3025 Jet Wing Drive

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Aug. 20  Carls Jr., 1414 Harrison Rd.

Aug. 29  Circle K, 2715 W. Colorado Ave.

Sept. 14  Loaf N Jug, 4770 Drennan Rd.

Sept. 16  7-Eleven, 2407 N. Union Blvd.

Sept. 20  7-Eleven, 312 Mount View Ln.

Sept. 28  Circle K, 1204 E. Pikes Peak Ave.
Godsey & Gibb Inc. acquired a new stake in Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT  Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 9,993 shares of the retailers stock, valued at approximately $1,571,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMT. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich raised its stake in Walmart by 93,272.8% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 821,003,685 shares of the retailers stock valued at $129,045,359,000 after purchasing an additional 820,124,410 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Walmart by 112,181.6% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 22,854,919 shares of the retailers stock valued at $3,240,599,000 after purchasing an additional 22,834,564 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter valued at $2,598,736,000. Providence Capital Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 1,164,937.0% in the 1st quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,718,400 shares of the retailers stock worth $32,000,000 after acquiring an additional 4,717,995 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners increased its stake in shares of Walmart by 7,546.2% in the 1st quarter. Boston Partners now owns 3,166,995 shares of the retailers stock worth $467,747,000 after acquiring an additional 3,125,576 shares during the last quarter. 33.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Transactions at Walmart

In other news, EVP John R. Furner sold 4,375 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.24, for a total transaction of $696,675.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 277,868 shares in the company, valued at $44,247,700.32. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 9,708 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.58, for a total transaction of $1,549,202.64. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 1,480,924 shares of the companys stock, valued at $236,325,851.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 4,375 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.24, for a total value of $696,675.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 277,868 shares in the company, valued at approximately $44,247,700.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 31,166 shares of company stock worth $5,011,557 over the last 90 days. 46.51% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on WMT. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Walmart from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. TD Cowen reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $185.00 target price on shares of Walmart in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on Walmart from $170.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 11th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Walmart from $167.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 26th. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on Walmart from $162.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 18th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $177.22.

View Our Latest Report on Walmart

Walmart Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WMT opened at $156.41 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. Walmart Inc. has a twelve month low of $128.07 and a twelve month high of $165.85. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $160.74 and a two-hundred day moving average of $154.84. The stock has a market cap of $420.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.08, a P/E/G ratio of 3.75 and a beta of 0.49.

Walmart (NYSE:WMT  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 17th. The retailer reported $1.84 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.69 by $0.15. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.47% and a net margin of 2.23%. The company had revenue of $161.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $160.22 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.77 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 6.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Walmart Company Profile

(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.

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Horizonte Minerals (LON:HZM  Free Report) had its price objective cut by Canaccord Genuity Group from GBX 190 ($2.30) to GBX 90 ($1.09) in a report issued on Tuesday morning, MarketBeat reports. They currently have a speculative buy rating on the stock.

Horizonte Minerals Stock Up 5.4 %

HZM stock opened at GBX 21.40 ($0.26) on Tuesday. Horizonte Minerals has a fifty-two week low of GBX 14.06 ($0.17) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 172 ($2.08). The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 93.63, a quick ratio of 4.35 and a current ratio of 6.62. The firm has a market capitalization of 57.73 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -713.33 and a beta of 1.78. The companys 50 day moving average price is GBX 127.70 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 115.84.

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About Horizonte Minerals

(Get Free Report)

Further Reading

Horizonte Minerals Plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and development of mineral projects in Brazil. The company primarily explores for nickel deposits, as well as cobalt deposits. It holds 100% interest in the Araguaia ferronickel; and the Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt project in the eastern part of the Carajas mining district.

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Montecito Bank & Trust raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 4,626 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. Montecito Bank & Trusts holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $441,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in EFG. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. HM Payson & Co. acquired a new position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $37,000. MBM Wealth Consultants LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 4th quarter worth about $37,000. FSC Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 90.3% in the 2nd quarter. FSC Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 489 shares of the companys stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 232 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Private Ocean LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $49,000.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Price Performance

EFG opened at $86.38 on Friday. The companys 50 day moving average price is $90.26 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $93.24. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a fifty-two week low of $67.58 and a fifty-two week high of $85.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.89.

About iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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MV Oil Trust (NYSE:MVO  Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $12.31 and traded as high as $12.81. MV Oil Trust shares last traded at $12.60, with a volume of 44,720 shares traded.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com assumed coverage on MV Oil Trust in a research report on Thursday. They issued a hold rating on the stock.

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MV Oil Trust Stock Performance

The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $12.80 and a 200 day simple moving average of $12.34. The company has a market capitalization of $153.99 million, a P/E ratio of 6.60 and a beta of 0.91.

MV Oil Trust (NYSE:MVO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 10th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $4.39 million for the quarter.

MV Oil Trust Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 25th. Stockholders of record on Monday, October 16th will be given a dividend of $0.38 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 13th. This is a boost from MV Oil Trusts previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 11.35%.

Institutional Trading of MV Oil Trust

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MVO. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its position in shares of MV Oil Trust by 446.1% during the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 9,830 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 8,030 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of MV Oil Trust during the first quarter valued at approximately $128,000. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA bought a new stake in shares of MV Oil Trust during the first quarter valued at approximately $137,000. UBS Group AG boosted its stake in MV Oil Trust by 207.5% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,297 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 1,550 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC boosted its stake in MV Oil Trust by 61.6% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 19,998 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $249,000 after buying an additional 7,623 shares in the last quarter. 2.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

MV Oil Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

MV Oil Trust acquires and holds term net profits interests in the oil and natural gas properties of MV Partners, LLC. Its properties include approximately 860 producing oil and gas wells located in the Mid-Continent region in the states of Kansas and Colorado. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Houston, Texas.

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PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM  Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued on Thursday.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Seaport Res Ptn reiterated a buy rating on shares of PulteGroup in a research report on Wednesday, June 14th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on PulteGroup from $68.00 to $90.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 26th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of PulteGroup from $81.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 25th. Bank of America increased their price objective on PulteGroup from $82.00 to $92.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their target price on PulteGroup from $94.00 to $110.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $86.27.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on PulteGroup

PulteGroup Price Performance

NYSE:PHM opened at $72.21 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $78.92 and its 200 day moving average price is $72.59. PulteGroup has a 52-week low of $35.99 and a 52-week high of $86.15. The firm has a market cap of $15.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.97, a PEG ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 1.40.

PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 25th. The construction company reported $3.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.69. PulteGroup had a net margin of 16.37% and a return on equity of 29.58%. The company had revenue of $4.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.01 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.73 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that PulteGroup will post 11.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PHM. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in PulteGroup by 1.0% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 27,748,609 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $1,162,667,000 after purchasing an additional 261,934 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in PulteGroup by 10.8% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 20,885,474 shares of the construction companys stock worth $1,622,384,000 after acquiring an additional 2,030,200 shares during the period. Putnam Investments LLC lifted its position in PulteGroup by 14.7% during the 1st quarter. Putnam Investments LLC now owns 11,010,203 shares of the construction companys stock worth $641,675,000 after acquiring an additional 1,406,893 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in PulteGroup by 2.3% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,343,160 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $604,439,000 after acquiring an additional 228,040 shares during the period. Finally, Greenhaven Associates Inc. grew its position in shares of PulteGroup by 2.6% in the second quarter. Greenhaven Associates Inc. now owns 5,783,350 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $449,251,000 after purchasing an additional 144,960 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.84% of the companys stock.

PulteGroup Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

PulteGroup, Inc, through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the homebuilding business in the United States. It acquires and develops land primarily for residential purposes; and constructs housing on such land. The company also offers various home designs, including single-family detached, townhomes, condominiums, and duplexes under the Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, American West, and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods brand names.

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Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. raised its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 5.5% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 5,074,793 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 264,407 shares during the period. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF accounts for 0.9% of Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc.s holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $497,076,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of AGG. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the 4th quarter valued at about $359,000. Steph & Co. increased its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 80.4% in the 2nd quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 359 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the period. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC bought a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $37,000. First Manhattan Co. increased its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 697.9% in the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 375 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 328 shares during the period. Finally, Activest Wealth Management bought a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $37,000. 83.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Price Performance

AGG stock opened at $92.77 on Friday. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 12 month low of $92.37 and a 12 month high of $101.15. The companys 50-day moving average price is $95.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $97.54.

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.

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Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV  Free Report) had its target price decreased by Citigroup from $32.75 to $28.00 in a report released on Wednesday morning, FlyOnTheWall reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on LUV. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on Southwest Airlines from $42.00 to $38.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Southwest Airlines from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price objective for the company from $52.00 to $38.00 in a report on Friday, July 28th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their target price on shares of Southwest Airlines from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, September 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on shares of Southwest Airlines from $34.00 to $30.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Southwest Airlines to $50.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $35.33.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines Trading Down 0.9 %

Southwest Airlines stock opened at $27.08 on Wednesday. Southwest Airlines has a 12-month low of $26.46 and a 12-month high of $40.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.77, a P/E/G ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.19. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $30.47 and a 200 day moving average of $31.78. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The airline reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $7.04 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.98 billion. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 2.31% and a return on equity of 5.81%. The companys revenue was up 4.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Southwest Airlines will post 1.82 earnings per share for the current year.

Southwest Airlines Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 6th were paid a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.66%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 5th. Southwest Airliness payout ratio is 81.82%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Southwest Airlines

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in LUV. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC lifted its stake in Southwest Airlines by 247.5% in the first quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC now owns 702 shares of the airlines stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Pacific Center for Financial Services purchased a new stake in shares of Southwest Airlines in the first quarter worth approximately $33,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Southwest Airlines by 279.2% during the 2nd quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 948 shares of the airlines stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 698 shares during the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd purchased a new position in Southwest Airlines during the 2nd quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC bought a new position in Southwest Airlines in the 4th quarter valued at $38,000. Institutional investors own 78.22% of the companys stock.

About Southwest Airlines

(Get Free Report)

Southwest Airlines Co operates as a passenger airline company that provide scheduled air transportation services in the United States and near-international markets. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated a total fleet of 770 Boeing 737 aircrafts; and served 121 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as ten near-international countries, including Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos.

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Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY  Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the seven analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $20.00.

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on SEOAY. BNP Paribas lowered shares of Stora Enso Oyj from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research note on Friday, September 22nd. DNB Markets cut shares of Stora Enso Oyj from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, June 15th.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on SEOAY

Stora Enso Oyj Stock Performance

Stora Enso Oyj stock opened at $12.56 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $12.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of $12.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.97 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. Stora Enso Oyj has a 12-month low of $11.06 and a 12-month high of $15.50.

Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The basic materials company reported ($0.29) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.19 by ($0.48). The firm had revenue of $2.58 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.01 billion. Stora Enso Oyj had a return on equity of 4.73% and a net margin of 8.10%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Stora Enso Oyj will post 0.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Stora Enso Oyj Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Stora Enso Oyj provides renewable solutions for the packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions, and paper industries in Finland and internationally. It operates through Packaging Materials, Packaging Solutions, Biomaterials, Wood Products, Forest, Paper, and Other segments. The company's Packaging Materials segment offers virgin and recycled fiber replace fossil-based materials with low-carbon, renewable and recyclable packaging materials for food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and transport packaging.

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UMB Bank n.a. cut its position in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR  Free Report) by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 172,328 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 1,777 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Danaher were worth $41,359,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. raised its holdings in Danaher by 10.9% during the first quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. now owns 4,840 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $1,420,000 after buying an additional 475 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. lifted its position in Danaher by 19.3% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 2,468 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $724,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd boosted its stake in Danaher by 76.8% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 495 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $145,000 after purchasing an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Danaher by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 31,530 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $9,248,000 after purchasing an additional 3,897 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bridgewater Associates LP raised its stake in shares of Danaher by 135.9% in the first quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP now owns 35,270 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $10,346,000 after purchasing an additional 20,320 shares during the last quarter. 76.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Danaher Price Performance

Shares of DHR traded down $2.90 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $213.97. 258,761 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,856,952. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $251.80 and a 200-day moving average of $244.58. The firm has a market cap of $157.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.45, a PEG ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.81. Danaher Co. has a one year low of $208.96 and a one year high of $281.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 2.08 and a quick ratio of 1.70.

Danaher Announces Dividend

Danaher ( NYSE:DHR Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The conglomerate reported $2.05 EPS 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 firm had revenue of $7.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.12 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.76 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Danaher Co. will post 8.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 27th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 12th will be given a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 11th. Danahers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 12.68%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Danaher

In other news, EVP Joakim Weidemanis sold 22,439 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.42, for a total value of $5,910,881.38. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 88,689 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,362,456.38. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, Director Teri List sold 3,490 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.30, for a total transaction of $918,917.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,494 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,606,170.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Joakim Weidemanis sold 22,439 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.42, for a total value of $5,910,881.38. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 88,689 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,362,456.38. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 47,922 shares of company stock worth $12,552,233 over the last three months. 11.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on DHR shares. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Danaher from $285.00 to $247.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Danaher in a report on Friday. They issued a buy rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Danaher from $260.00 to $292.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 26th. KeyCorp dropped their target price on shares of Danaher from $325.00 to $300.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, September 27th. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on Danaher from $250.00 to $280.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 26th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $287.93.

View Our Latest Research Report on DHR

About Danaher

(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.

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Forza Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT  Free Report) by 6.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,605 shares of the retailers stock after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the quarter. Forza Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Walmart were worth $252,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of WMT. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 93,272.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 821,003,685 shares of the retailers stock worth $129,045,359,000 after acquiring an additional 820,124,410 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Walmart by 112,181.6% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 22,854,919 shares of the retailers stock worth $3,240,599,000 after acquiring an additional 22,834,564 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth $2,598,736,000. Providence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 1,164,937.0% in the first quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,718,400 shares of the retailers stock valued at $32,000,000 after purchasing an additional 4,717,995 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners lifted its holdings in shares of Walmart by 7,546.2% in the first quarter. Boston Partners now owns 3,166,995 shares of the retailers stock valued at $467,747,000 after purchasing an additional 3,125,576 shares in the last quarter. 33.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Walmart Stock Down 1.7 %

NYSE WMT opened at $156.41 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The stocks 50 day moving average is $160.74 and its two-hundred day moving average is $154.84. The company has a market capitalization of $420.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.08, a PEG ratio of 3.75 and a beta of 0.49. Walmart Inc. has a 1-year low of $128.07 and a 1-year high of $165.85.

Insider Activity

Walmart ( NYSE:WMT Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 17th. The retailer reported $1.84 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.69 by $0.15. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.47% and a net margin of 2.23%. The company had revenue of $161.63 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $160.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.77 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 6.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In other news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 9,708 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total value of $1,576,579.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,461,509 shares in the company, valued at $237,349,061.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO C Douglas Mcmillon sold 9,708 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total value of $1,576,579.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,461,509 shares in the company, valued at approximately $237,349,061.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 4,375 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.24, for a total transaction of $696,675.00. Following the completion of the transaction, 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. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 31,166 shares of company stock worth $5,011,557. Insiders own 46.51% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on WMT. Raymond James increased their target price on Walmart from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 18th. UBS Group increased their target price on Walmart from $173.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 18th. Bank of America increased their price objective on Walmart from $175.00 to $190.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on Walmart from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Walmart from $159.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Friday, August 18th. Four investment 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $177.22.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Walmart

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.

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CANON CITY  In the coming months, investigators will be piecing together the identities of 115 bodies found this week in a seemingly desolate building in Penrose.

The Return to Nature Funeral Home, a formerly Colorado Springs-based business, was using the modest 2,500-square-foot building, when neighbors reported a foul smell that led to an investigation this week.

Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper described the "very disturbing discovery," as a hazardous situation, requiring specialty clean-up and equipment.

"Our priority and our focus is on the impacted families," he said at a news conference in Canon City on Friday.

Cooper said officials will put up tents or fencing before clearing out the scene and identifying the bodies. Officials want to shield the property out of consideration of the families of the deceased.

"After the scene is made safe, and personal protective equipment is issued, dignified treatment of the deceased is our next priority," Cooper said.

Reached by The Gazette early Friday afternoon, Cecilia Converse said she had no complaints about her experience with the funeral home, which handled cremation of her daughter, 41-year-old daughter Amber Nichol Haines, who died April 16.

Return to Nature offered cremations and green funerals meaning the bodies are not embalmed and can be buried in a shroud or container made from natural materials.

Everyone Converse spoke to and worked with was polite, Converse said, and the services prompt.

Staff "told me it would take three days after I filled out the paperwork for them to decide whether or not I was legally able to make the decision of what to do with her remains, Converse said. Three days later I had her remains."

Converse said she was still processing the macabre breaking news out of Penrose, and what it could mean.

All I can say is  they were very nice. It was a good experience, she said. Now Im concerned whose ashes I have.

Investigators began searching the property, located off Colorado 115 in Penrose, 34 miles south of Colorado Springs, on Wednesday.

Scattered businesses neighbor the building with its tall, unkept grass  almost working to hide the building in plain sight.

Patrons of the post office located directly next door for the most part have paid it little attention, until the smell began wafting toward the direction of the back parking lot.

The neighbor directly behind the funeral home, James Glidewell said he's never seen anyone go in or out of the building, and vehicles, a hearse and SUV, only appeared in June.

The odor has been in the air for a month, he said.

"I'd randomly smell it, but I didn't think anything of it. I thought it was just roadkill or something like that," Glidewell said.

Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller said county and federal hazardous-materials officials surveyed the scene Wednesday night. It has since been declared a local disaster emergency.

Michelle Watkins approached the yellow tape surrounding the property in utter dismay.

"I heard about the story, but I didn't realize it was here," Watkins said, visibly shocked.

Keller described the scene as "truly horrific" and would not go into detail regarding how the bodies were stored, only that they were being stored improperly.

Officials confirmed one Fremont County employee was treated by paramedics for injuries resulting from the hazardous conditions present inside the building. The deputy is expected to make a full recovery.

On Wednesday, the Office of Funeral Home and Crematory Registration Program Director Zen Mayhugh spoke with the funeral home owner Jon Hallford after receiving reports about the smell. Hallford told the official he had a "problem" at the property and claimed he practiced taxidermy there, a state document said. Hallford agreed to meet later Wednesday at the building for an inspection.

The document went on to say Hallford attempted to conceal the improper storage of human remains.

Officials largely left the building early Friday afternoon but had returned in the early evening. The investigation, expected to take months, will involve agencies such as the FBI, El Paso County Coroner's Office, Douglas County Coroner's Office, The Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Colorado Governor's Office Emergency Management Team and the Department of Regulatory Agencies.

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Forensic fingerprint technology, dental records and DNA will be used in identifying the remains left in the building, Keller said.

FBI Special Agent Mark Michalek said specialized FBI forensic units from headquarters in Quantico, Va., will assist in in identifying remains, as well.

Sheriff Cooper did not speculate about arrests or potential charges.

"The owners of the funeral home have so far been cooperative with the investigation," Cooper said.

When the business opened in 2017, it was owned by Hallford, his wife, Carie Hallford, and Jack Dhooghe, The Gazette reported.

Since then, the Hallfords have struggled with financial and legal issues.

Return to Nature Funeral Home has a location in Colorado Springs at 944 Elkton Drive, a portion of a large industrial building, with tenants on either side.

The Colorado Springs Police Department confirmed the Elkton Drive location was searched on Thursday.

"Saw nothing out of the ordinary," said Travis DeWitte, who works next door to the Return to Nature location. "Smells  that's something else."

DeWitte and several other neighboring business workers all reported a "horrific" or "putrid" smell in early September. He said he initially thought it was something in his own trash can making the smell, which he said lingered for at least a week. With recent news, he's reconsidered.

Another business park neighbor was so overwhelmed by the odor that he approached Hallford about it.

"He was back there laser-engraving some wood and said that was what (the smell) was, and that he would ventilate it," said the neighbor. "It didn't smell at all like burning wood, though."

The neighbor said it took a call to the landlord and some additional days for the smell to dissipate.

DeWitte said Hallford also approached him and asked if the "wood burning" smell was bothering him.

"Seemed like an ordinary guy," DeWitte said of Hallford.

DeWitte and other business park neighbors said that business had seemed slow for Return to Nature in recent weeks.

The Elkton location was closed Friday, a lone lamp left on in the interior. A minivan with tinted windows and an empty gurney in the back remained parked in the rear.

The business had previous locations on Las Animas Street and East Platte Avenue. Neighbors of the East Platte building said the business was quiet. One resident, Ruben Villando, said he only recalls two services there.

The types of environmental services Return to Nature was offering have been growing in popularity in recent years. But it's unclear how many clients the business has drawn.

The Return to Nature website lists 22 obituaries, with the oldest from late 2022.

The business charged $1,895 for a natural burial and graveside ceremony. The price did not include a casket or cemetery space. In one case, the funeral home made a casket for a customer out of a cardboard box and burlap, The Gazette said previously.

The price list said cremation cost $1,290 and included a biodegradable cremation urn.

The business announced on its website it was ending cremation services in July 2023.

Family members of the decedents who used the Return to Nature Funeral Home are asked to send an email to the Fremont County Sheriff's Office at 23-1941@fremontso.com.

Victims' assistance personnel were expected to respond to messages on Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be victim assistance personnel available at 1901 E. Main St., Canon City, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Any information on the criminal investigation can be sent to tips@fremontso.com.

Gazette writers Zachary Dupont, Glenn Wallace, Stephanie Earls and Nick Sullivan contributed to this report.
WealthPlan Investment Management LLC decreased its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 62.4% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 2,571 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 4,267 shares during the quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $392,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Dakota Wealth Management purchased a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the first quarter worth about $332,000. Covestor Ltd grew its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 111.5% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 2,052 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $150,000 after acquiring an additional 1,082 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 53.2% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 165,336 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $12,075,000 after acquiring an additional 57,444 shares in the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC purchased a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the first quarter worth about $1,997,000. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp grew its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 25.1% in the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 338,563 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $24,725,000 after acquiring an additional 68,018 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.98% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Bristol-Myers Squibb

In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, EVP Robert M. Plenge sold 732 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.14, for a total value of $44,754.48. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 6,584 shares of the companys stock, valued at $402,545.76. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, EVP Robert M. Plenge sold 732 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.14, for a total value of $44,754.48. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 6,584 shares in the company, valued at $402,545.76. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Ann Powell sold 17,986 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.25, for a total transaction of $1,101,642.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 27,868 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,706,915. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance

Shares of BMY opened at $56.66 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $118.37 billion, a PE ratio of 15.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.28. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 1-year low of $55.83 and a 1-year high of $81.43. The companys fifty day moving average price is $60.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $64.17.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.99 by ($0.24). The company had revenue of $11.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.81 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 17.62% and a return on equity of 50.51%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs quarterly revenue was down 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.93 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 7.43 EPS for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be issued a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 5th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is 60.64%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

BMY has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Atlantic Securities dropped their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $90.00 to $85.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $78.00 to $65.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $84.00 price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Friday. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $85.00 to $80.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 28th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $69.50.

View Our Latest Analysis on BMY

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Relatives of Palestinians, killed by Israeli forces during airstrike clashes, mourn after they were taken to the morgue of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Laphonza Butler speaks during a political event with reproductive rights groups at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, June 23.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis takes the stage during one of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' "Fair-Side Chats" at the Iowa State Fair on August 12 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Optum closed its clinic in Fountain last week, cutting into options for primary care in the growing town.

The health care company said in a written statement the physician who worked at the Fontaine Boulevard location moved and its other employees who were working at the primary care clinic have been assigned to other clinic locations.

Patients have the option to transfer to a location off Lake and Nevada avenues or a location near Barnes Road and Powers Boulevard

The more convenient Optum clinic option is 6 miles north in Colorado Springs, where many Fountain residents have to seek care anyway.

"We just desperately need health care here," said Liz Rosenbaum, a health insurance broker in Fountain.

Primary care doctors in Fountain tend to not accept new patients right away and so Fountain residents face long wait times for local care, she said.

Peak Vista Community Health Centers offers some primary care in Fountain through its staff physician assistants. The nonprofit health care provider specializes in working with underserved populations and offers a sliding fee scale.

But Rosenbaum said the community is in need of specialists who can treat those exposed to high levels of PFAS and need to see gastroenterologists, kidney specialists and doctors who can treat immune disorders.

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She noted there aren't any community hospitals south of Platte Avenue. The Evans Army Community on Fort Carson is not accessible to all  for example, it does not accept ambulances, she said.

El Paso County Public Health spent more than $2 million on a new building in Fountain in 2020 to expand preventive services in town based on the social determinants of health in the area.

Social factors that can influence health include economic stability, health care access and quality and education, Michelle Beyrle, a spokeswoman for public health said.

The building houses a Women Infants and Children Office, which provides nutritional assistance.

"We strive to expand services to support prevention throughout El Paso County communities and have been successful in doing so in the southeastern portion of the county, where there has been tremendous population growth over the past couple of decades," said Susan Wheelan, director of El Paso County Public Health.

Public Health's Fountain building is currently closed for construction.

El Paso County Public Health's Community Health Improvement Plan based on data from 2011 to 2015 found that some areas in Fountain have a life expectancy of between 73 and 76. In northern Colorado Springs residents have life expectancies of between 79 and 82.
Smoke plumes rise over Gaza City on October 7 during Israeli air strikes. Palestinian militants have begun a "war" against Israel, the country's defence minister said on October 7 after a barrage of rockets were fired and fighters from the Palestinian enclave infiltrated Israel, a major escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Join the next online meeting of the WSWS Healthcare Workers Newsletter at 2 p.m. Pacific (5 p.m. Eastern) - Saturday, October 7, to discuss a strategy to unite all healthcare workers across the industry. Register here to attend. To sign up to join and build a Kaiser Workers Rank-and-File Committee, fill out the form at the bottom of this article.

On Saturday morning, the largest healthcare workers strike in US history will come to a temporary end. Without a tentative agreement and no concrete information about contract negotiations, workers are being told by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions (CKPU) to return to work under an expired contract with nothing resolved.

Despite being limited by the union bureaucracy, the strike by 75,000 workers at the behemoth provider Kaiser Permanente was a powerful expression of the deepening radicalization of the American and international working class.

Workers everywhere are determined to fight back against decades of ever-growing inequality and poverty, which have qualitatively deepened since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The Kaiser strike coincided with the struggle of 150,000 autoworkers against the Big Three corporations, 160,000 writers and screen actors, 1,700 New Jersey nurses, and numerous other struggles on every continent.

Throughout the strike, World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke with Kaiser workers at facilities across California, as well as Portland, Oregon. At every picket, workers described dangerous short-staffing and poverty wages that have lagged far being the rising costs of living. The impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have been nothing less than catastrophic, with healthcare workers killed, disabled by Long COVID, and traumatized en masse due to the criminal response of the capitalist system to the worst health crisis in over a century.

Striking Kaiser workers in Oakland, California

Underlying the terrible conditions facing healthcare workers and their patients, including the horrific experiences during the pandemic, is the private ownership of the healthcare industry.

Despite their non-profit pretenses, Kaiser raked in $3.3 billion in profits in the past six months alone, possesses an estimated $44.5 billion in cash reserves, and has another $113 billion held in dubious investments. Kaisers CEO Gregory Adams garners a $16 million salary, while 49 more Kaiser executives are paid over $1 million a year.

Kaiser is the largest healthcare system in the state of California, setting the bar for wages and working conditions across the state and surrounding region. It is not only in the interests of Kaiser to keep wages low, but a pressure imposed by the entire industry in order to extract the maximum amount of profit.

The terrible conditions which exist at Kaiser are reflected throughout the privatized American healthcare industry, the most overpriced and dysfunctional of all advanced economies.

According to financial analysis by STAT News, hospital and healthcare CEOs have reaped enormous profits during the pandemic, with CEOs making on average $15.3 million each in 2021 and in 2022. In 2022 alone, the profits of some 300 healthcare CEOs was a combined $4 billion.

Such vast wealth is generated through the exploitation of the underpaid and overworked healthcare workforce, with complete disregard for patients lives and safety.

The fundamental question arising from the Kaiser strike is who will control the healthcare industry? Will power remain in the hands of the healthcare executives who pour millions into preventing safe patient ratios, and who developed the lean staffing models that prioritize profits over workers and patients? Or will the healthcare workers take control of their workplaces, organize a broader fight for socialized medicine, and finally remove the profit motive from healthcare, guaranteeing it to all as a social and a human right?

The Kaiser workers whose labor produces billions of dollars in profits are in a powerful position to win all of their demands. However, such a fight requires a political perspective that lays out clearly who are their allies and who are their enemies.

The chief obstacle confronting Kaiser workers in their struggle is the Coalition for Kaiser Permanente Unions (CKPU) bureaucracy, which sits as a dead weight upon the rank-and-file. The CKPU deliberately limited the strike to a three-day unfair labor practice strike. They denied workers their right to strike pay, the historical purpose of union dues, instead advising them to seek charity from churches and food banks.

The CKPU prides itself on their Labor Management Partnership with Kaiser, which is nothing less than a bribery scheme through which the bureaucrats can pad their pockets. But there are no shared interests between Kaiser management and rank-and-file workers; the two are diametrically opposed.

The union bureaucracies affiliated with the CKPU are tied by a thousand threads to the Democratic party, which was on full display throughout the strike. As the WSWS explained, dozens of Democratic Party politicians were paraded at pickets and on the Twitter/X accounts of the SEIU-UHW, including California federal representatives Katie Porter, Ted Lieu, and Ro Khanna, all of whom voted to ban the rail strike last year.

The CKPU donates millions of dollars annually in workers dues to capitalist politicians who are in bed with the healthcare giants. According to Opensecrets.org, the Office and Professional Employees Union (OPEIU) alone donated $288,550 to Democratic party candidates in the 2022 fiscal year. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) collected $240 million in dues last year, donating $63.5 million to political campaigns primarily for Democrats.

As with the Republicans, the Democrats represent the interests of the financial elite, Wall Street and the corporations, including the healthcare giants such as Kaiser Permanente. The Democrats control much of state and local politics in California, which boasts some of the highest rates of poverty and social inequality in the US, as well as massive prison systems for citizens and immigrants alike.

While the union bureaucrats welcomed Democrats to the picket lines with open arms, providing them with staged photo opportunities for their upcoming 2024 election campaigns, the same bureaucrats harassed socialist WSWS reporters and sought to intimidate workers against taking our material at multiple picket lines.

At Kaiser Zion in San Diego, OPEIU Local 30 Executive Director Marianne Giordanowho nets $212,000 a year from union duesgave visceral expression to the anti-communist and anti-democratic sentiments which permeate the union bureaucracies. Grabbing WSWS leaflets from workers hands, whom she referred to contemptuously as my members she states, They dont have to talk to you if I tell them not to. She then shouted, Take your socialist shit and get out of here.

At the Kaiser San Jose facility, union bureaucrats hectored a WSWS reporting team who were on public property, demanding they delete media covering the strike.

Giordano and the San Jose union bureaucrats express the fear of the bureaucracy that workers will take this struggle into their own hands. They have not forgotten that the current contract was declared a major victory by the CKPU in 2019, despite the fact that it lacked any of workers concrete demands to improve working conditions.

Meanwhile, conditions have only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, which claimed the greatest loss of life among healthcare workers. The World Health Organization estimated that up to 180,000 healthcare workers lost their lives from COVID-19 globally in the period between January 2020 to May 2021, with tens of thousands more likely succumbing to the disease since then.

The corporatist trade unions, politically aligned with the Democratic Party, stood by and took no measures to protect the lives of nurses or other healthcare workers during the pandemic. In fact, they have sabotaged every strike and struggle that has erupted.

Nurses and health care workers are in a powerful position to fight and win their demands, but in order to do so they must come to understand that they confront not only Kaiser, but also the trade union bureaucracies and an underlying social and political order that is subordinated to the profit interests of a corporate and financial oligarchy.

Rumors are circulating that an open ended strike could break out in the weeks ahead, but such a fight can only be sustained through full strike pay to ensure that workers can stay on the line for as long as it takes. In their actions this week, the union apparatus has made clear that it will carry out no such measures.

In order to unlock the power of healthcare workers who are fighting for each other, their patients, and the future of their industry, workers must make a sober assessment of the role of trade union bureaucracies and begin organizing independent rank-and-file committees at every hospital, controlled by and accountable to workers themselves.

These committees must make clear their non-negotiable demands, including wage increases of at least 50 percent and ongoing cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the immediate hiring of tens of thousands more healthcare workers to ensure safe staffing, the resumption of COVID sick pay and infection control measures, and all other needs determined by the rank-and-file.

A network of rank-and-file committees comprised of nurses and other health care workers in every hospital and health care facility, and unified with other sections of workers in the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), will be able to coordinate a broader fight for an end to the subordination of health care to private profit. It will lay the basis for the socialist reorganization of the healthcare industry, in which workers control conditions and healthcare is provided free for all as a guaranteed social right.
In the Maldives presidential elections held last Saturday, the pro-Chinese opposition candidate was elected in a second-round runoff. Mohamed Muizzu, 45, a member of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and currently the mayor of Male, will replace the pro-Indian incumbent President Ibrahim Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

President-elect of the Maldives Mohamed Muizzu, (centre in white shirt), attends a victory celebration in Male, Maldives, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. Muiz says he will remove Indian military personnel stationed in the archipelago state, promising he would initiate the process. [AP Photo/Mohamed Sharuhaan]

Muizzu was able to exploit the growing discontent over deteriorating economic and social conditions to secure the majority. He won 54 percent of the vote from the 282,000 eligible voters, while Sohil received only 46 percent. Solih will serve as acting president until his successor is sworn in on November 17.

Maldives comprises 1,196 low-lying islands in the Indian Ocean with a population of under 521,000 people. It is strategically located near vital shipping lanes providing most of the energy and other supplies to Asia, including China, Japan and India. Roughly 30 percent of the worlds oil trade and 90 percent of Chinas oil passes through this area.

Access to Maldives therefore confers a vital strategic advantage for projecting naval power in the Indian Ocean. The tiny archipelago has become a hotspot for geo-political rivalry between the US and India on one side and China on the other, with tensions now accelerating as Washington prepares for war against Beijing.

Following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's four-day official visit to the US in June, Washington and New Delhi expanded their military-strategic partnership against China. It is now known that the Indian military is studying how it could support US and its allies in a war against China over Taiwan.

In this context, the election of a pro-China president will lead to intensification of the geo-political rivalry over influence in the Maldives. India has long treated the Indian Ocean as its exclusive sphere of influence and will not tolerate what it regards as Chinas intrusion.

After winning the election, Muizzu told reporters in Male: Today, the people made a firm decision to reclaim Maldives independence. This was directed very clearly against India. He later stated, without naming any country, that foreign military detachments stationed in Maldives will be removed. India alone has a military presence.

As a minister under pro-Beijing president Abdulla Yameen before 2018, Muizzu oversaw several Chinese-funded infrastructure projects, including a $US200 million causeway between the capital Male and the countrys main airport. During an online meeting with Chinese Communist Party officials last year, he pledged he would expand the strong ties between our two countries if he came to power.

President Solih, who was a strong advocate for an India First strategy during his presidency, came to office in late 2018 following a US-led regime-change operation to oust his predecessor Yameen. Under Yameen, the Maldives joined Beijing's Maritime Silk Road infrastructure program, aimed at countering Washingtons efforts to encircle China. China invested billions of dollars in the Maldives for bridges, airports, ports, and other projects.

After Yameens ouster, India rapidly expanded its influence in the Maldives through defence treaties and investment. It became heavily involved in disaster management, infrastructure development, capacity building, marine security and humanitarian relief in accordance with Indias Neighborhood First and Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) policies.

Solih, however, quickly lost popular support as the country plunged into economic and social crisis. The COVID-19 epidemic severely impacted the tourism industry, the backbone of its economy.

In 2020, Yameen launched an anti-Indian political movement, the India Out campaign, which was spearheaded by the opposition coalitionconsisting of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Peoples National Congress (PNC), both of which he led. He accused the Solih government of expanding Indias military presence and influence, which the government denied. The campaign opposed Indian investments and initiatives and attempted to channel popular opposition over deteriorating social and economic conditions into anti-Indian chauvinism.

The deteriorating economic conditions opened up a split within the government. Former president Mohamed Nasheed broke away from the ruling MDP and ran his own candidate in the first round of presidential elections. He also chose to remain impartial in last Saturdays run-off. According to Ahmed Shaheed, a former foreign minister, Nasheeds departure took the motherboard away from the MDP.

Concerned over the split in the pro-Indian MDP, Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh made a three-day visit to the Maldives from May 1, in an attempt to reconcile the two factions, but failed.

Following Solihs defeat, India congratulated Muizzu. Indian Prime Minister Modi tweeted: India remains committed to strengthening the time-tested India-Maldives bilateral relationship and enhancing our overall cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.

However, there are clearly deep concerns in India. The Times of India declared that India had suffered a setback in the Maldives. An editorial in the Indian Express complained that the somewhat surprising victory of Mohamed Muizzu was widely seen as to Chinas benefit.

There is no doubt that as in the past, intrigues are already being hatched in Washington and New Delhi to try to undermine Muizzu and ultimatedly replace him with a pliable client. As the US intensifies its war preparations against China throughout the Indo-Pacific, it cannot tolerate any expansion of Chinese influence.
European officials held two days of summits Thursday and Friday in Granada, Spain to discuss strategy as NATOs war with Russia in Ukraine threatens to erupt across Europe. After a summit Thursday of the European Political Community (EPC), a gathering of European states and countries bordering Russia launched by French President Emmanuel Macron last year, the EU met for a further summit.

Germanys Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks during a news conference on the second day of the Europe Summit in Granada, Spain, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. [AP Photo/Manu Fernandez]

The focus of the summits, called on the strategic issues posed by transitioning to renewable energy and the Ukraine war, was war with Russia. EU officials invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the head of NATOs Ukrainian puppet regime, to Grenada. Amid growing divisions and crisis over the conduct of the Ukraine war in Washington, as the Biden administration struggles to secure funding for it, EU officials signaled their firm support for further escalation.

Zelensky laid out most directly the Orwellian argument for war made by the EU pyromaniacs: the claim that only waging all-out war with Russia can preserve peace.

Fighting Russia in Ukraine, Zelensky claimed, ensures that a drone, tank or any other Russian weapon will not strike anyone else in Europe. He continued, We must not allow Putin to destabilize any other parts of the world and our partners in order to ruin Europes power  The presence of Russia, its military or proxies in the territory of any other country is a threat to all of us. We must work together to push Russia out of the territory of other countries.

In fact, as the NATO countries pump hundreds of billions of euros into Ukraine to fight Russia, the war threatens to rapidly explode across Europe and the world. After UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps proposed deploying British troops to Ukraine, and Russian officials said that this would make British troops targets of Russian forces, it is clear that the world is only a few decisions away from an all-out conflagration.

Yet EU officials kept advocating escalation. EU Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is preparing a further 70 billion aid package, atop the over 85 billion it has already spent on the war. Macron met Zelensky and stressed the EUs commitment to war with Russia: There is a very deep, very strong commitment because we all know that we are talking about Europe and about the very possibility of lasting peace on our continent.

European officials also signaled their concern and unhappiness at the crisis in Washington over the delay in further US escalation in Ukraine. The situation with the Unites States is dangerous, its a tough period, Zelensky said. However, he said he expected NATO escalation ultimately to continue: I think that the United States and Europe will be together with Ukraine and we will together get out of this crisis.

Ukraine needs the support of the European Unionwhich is sure, they will have it and we will increase itbut also the support of the US, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. Certainly Europe cannot replace the US.

Washington and the major European powers are desperate to escalate the war. During an emergency visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the White House on Friday, the German head of state and US president Joe Biden mutually pledged to maintain and even expand military support to Kiev. Our alliance is central to our ongoing commitment to support Ukrainians, a statement from the Office of the Federal President read.

In the run-up to the meeting, which was held in seclusion from the public, the White House said that the key point was the close coordination as NATO allies on a number of important issues. Germany and the US would continue to stand together with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russias brutal onslaught.

A sharp warning has to be made. Confronted with multiple crises at home and abroad, the imperialist powers are lashing out and plotting for all-out war.

A key aspect of the Grenada summit was the move to absorb countries near Russia, as preparation to surround and ultimately break up the Russian Federation itself.

In his opening statement to the EU summit Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that 20 years after making the commitment, the EU must finally be able to welcome the Western Balkan states into the European Union. The same is planned, he added, with Moldova and Ukraine and, in the long term, also with Georgia.

Scholzs comments were echoed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Albanias capital, Tirana, on Friday. Russias attack on Ukraine makes EU enlargement into the Western Balkans a geopolitical necessity, she said, speaking to her counterparts from Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Hezrzegovina, and Albania.

After he raised EU enlargement, Scholz advocated abolishing the principle of requiring unanimous decisions inside the EU. He said it would then not be possible for unanimity to be maintained in matters of foreign policy or tax policy  We must then also be able to take decisions with qualified majorities so that the sovereignty and ability to act of the European Union is guaranteed.

The imposition of majority rule would clearly enable Berlin, Paris and Brussels to push ahead even more decisively with war, rearmament and the massive social attacks needed to fund them.

In Grenada, Scholz announced the delivery of another Patriot missile system to Kiev and vowed further military aid for the winter. He did not rule out the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles that could reach deep into Russia.

Earlier, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius had announced another 400 million military package for Ukraine: We are supplying additional ammunition: explosive ammunition, mortar ammunition, mine rockets. Because ammunition is what Ukraine needs most in its defensive struggle against the brutal war of aggression.' He added, we will help with protected vehicles and mine-clearing systems.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Germany has so far supplied Kiev with weapons worth 17 billion euros, making it by far the leader within the EU.

Germany is also massing NATO troops in Eastern Europe. Traveling in the Baltic states last week, Pistorius boasted of Germanys central role in deterring Russia. Germany is taking responsibility. And Germany is taking a leading role,' the social-democrat said at a security conference in the Estonian capital, Tallinn. By the end of 2023, he added, Berlin will station a combat-ready brigade of 4,000 soldiers in Lithuania.

The fact that German imperialism, which has already tried to subjugate Russia twice in the 20th century, is spearheading the NATO offensive shows the real character of EU war policy. It is not about European values like freedom and democracy, but geopolitical and economic interests. German government strategy papers openly declare that the war in Ukraine is a struggle for raw materials like iron, titanium and lithium, some of which are now controlled by Russia.

The Grenada summits exposed the reactionary nature of the European ruling class. To the crisis of world capitalism and the growing movement of the working class in Europe and internationally, all its factions respond with an increasingly open turn towards war and fascism.

Another central question at the summit was tightening refugee policy. With the 'emergency crisis decree' drafted by the Spanish government of the social-democratic PSOE and the pseudo-left Podemos party, the EU is de facto implementing the programme of the far-right. Its measures provide for the detention of refugees in concentration camp-like facilities after they have crossed the border. In these camps, officials will decide in three months if someone has a chance of being granted asylum. If not, they will be deported immediately.

The attacks on refugees target the entire working class. The more the ruling class pushes militarism and social austerity, the more aggressively it seeks to suppress social and political opposition at home. To beat back the reactionary offensive, workers need their own independent organisations of struggle and a socialist leadership and perspective.

Workers must counterpose the perspective of the United Socialist States of Europe to the EU of the banks and corporations, mass death and war, writes the Socialist Equality Party (SGP) of Germany in its statement for next years European elections, which it is contesting in close cooperation with its sister parties in Britain, France and Turkey, and sympathizing groups in Ukraine and Russia.

The war cannot be ended, lives cannot be saved and wages cannot be defended without breaking the power of the banks and corporations and putting them under democratic control. Instead of shooting at each other, Russian and Ukrainian workers, as well as workers across Europe, must fight the warmongers in their own country with this perspective.
October 8 will mark two months since extreme winds from Hurricane Dora made landfall in Maui, causing a series of fires throughout the island. Downed power lines and strong winds sparked one the deadliest fires in over 100 years in Lahaina located in West Maui.

Burn zone with some homes still standing east of the Lahaina bypass road.



The Lahaina Fire alone burned over 2,170 acres and destroyed an estimated 2,300 structures, 86 percent of which were residential. Official reports have identified 98 deaths, what many residents state is a vast undercount.



After two months, residents of Lahaina are still without relief. On October 4, Maui City Council held a Disaster, Resilience, International Affairs, and Planning Committee meeting to give an update on recovery for the thousands of impacted residents in Lahaina. Josiah Nishita, Deputy Managing Director of the Department of Management, gave no definitive answer on the lack of aid. He stated, The office of recovery is still in the process of getting established. Many survivors are demanding meetings to be held in Lahaina where many residents remain or nearby in hotels just East of the burn zone.



Although the meeting room was largely empty given the lack of public advertising, those who testified in-person or online spoke to the enormous opposition and ongoing catastrophe thousands of Lahaina residents are still facing. Speakers lamented the lack of housing relief, economic impacts and overall ongoing health and environmental impacts from the fire.



One resident said, The idea that the disaster happened two months ago is misleading. It is still happening and could grow to be much larger with the first rain over Lahaina, when a significant rain either from a storm or a low pressure system, which this season comes to Lahaina if the ash has not been secured in place it will be mobilized by storm water, contaminate the groundwater, washed into the ocean, destroying your shore ecosystems impact ocean based food supplies and impose long term health and environmental hazards and cleanup issues.



The World Socialist Web Site interviewed people at distribution hubs throughout Maui who spoke on their experiences the day of the fire, as well as the conditions they, and so many other residents, are still facing.



Dan lost his home during the fire, Most of us did not know there was a hurricane going on. At 12:30 in the morning, I found out there was a hurricane. And at 2:30 am winds started coming hard. Things were flying everywhere in the back where we were staying. The wind was going so hard. It was so loud. And all the wires here werent more stable than the ones higher up. And it was moving. If this wind wasnt going to stop anytime soon, the poles would be coming down, and thats what happened.



Im sure sometime between 5:30-6:15 am, before you get to Lahaina Intermediate School the pole fell down, wires came off. That started the fire. After about 1.5 hours, it was contained. The video I took here was at 6:13 am.





Driven by hurricane force winds, and possibly more downed power lines, reports indicate the fire flared up again about an hour later. It barreled down the hillside toward the ocean and incinerated nearly everything in its path, including the town of Lahaina.



Hawaii Electric stated that the initial fire sparked by its downed power line was extinguished and claims that there is no information about a second fire that would go on to burn down Lahaina at the base of the hill. The attempt to draw a clear distinction between supposedly two separate fires is outrageous given the high levels of winds and amount of flammable plant debris that borders the hillsides around the town.



Dan continued, Objects were flying through my car. I knew something wasnt right because my kids had an appointment on the other side, and my two jobs were canceled.



We all headed out toward Kahului because there was no wind over there. In 30 minutes, we got up there. People were scrambling everywhere. People were saying, I didnt get a call. My dogs were locked at the house. And at Maalaea on the other side of Lahaina, they shut down the road so nobody could come into Lahaina from this side or that side.



I wasnt ready with my documents and needed to get my two dogs. Since they locked Maalaea, I went around on another road. It was so busy. Two and a half hours later, I reached Kaanapali, and it was locked down. I was about 20 yards away from the fire when I got up here to get my dogs and my documents.



I was so glad I did not get stuck in town, that I did not go to work. They canceled work at both of my jobs. It would have been difficult to come back up to get my stuff. Most of the people down in town did not make it because of the gridlock.



Poles fell down and blocked the access road to the highway, so it was blocked, and the fires were everywhere. You could only go toward the fire, or through the fire and go into the water. My partner, she doesnt have any swimming skills, and there were many people like that. Some didnt jump into the water because they were scared. Which are you going to choose? The fire or the water?



Gerry and his wife have been coming to the Pohaku distribution hub. Gerry also described his experience on the day of the fire. He emphasized the overall lack of communication from the government on relief as well as the need for housing and further relief given the reality that many families cost of living has more than doubled overnight and many have lost their jobs.



Edna has lived in Lahaina for over 10 years. She lost her home in the fires. She raised concern over the toxicity of Lahaina. We are living in a hotel right now. I dont think they are going to rebuild this for 2-3 years. They said come over here [to the hotels near Pohaku Park] because there [Lahaina] it is toxic.



Edna and her family were recently allowed to visit their home and sift through the ash. I cannot be there for 30 minutes or 20 minutes standing there looking through things. I cannot save what I cannot save. When we go through our things, they give us the full PPE and then after that we wash ourselves 2 or 3 times with shampoo. They told us to throw out all our clothes. The environmental agency and the government tell us to throw mostly everything away. Only mirrors and things like leather can be washed or cleaned, they say.



Edna also expressed opposition to the reopening of the schools within Lahaina beginning on October 16, No, she said. The air quality! Thats number one! The air quality for the kids. They are breathing it. Their immune system is getting kicked over time, they will get sick over time.



Maricel described the trauma from witnessing the fires. She also described the difficulty her two kids experience having been displaced from school, the toxicity of her home and continued economic impacts her family faces.



Janeo was at his home in Lahaina as the fire spread through town. He and his family evacuated with their neighbors. Janeo and his family members all lost their jobs due to the destruction and have been frequenting the distribution hubs for food and supplies. He said, Im still devastated by the loss of other people and peoples family and friends...Why didnt they turn on the siren to alert everyone?



Cathy used to work as a taxi driver in Lahaina. I saw a whole family die in their home in Lahaina. I saw their roof on fire. Many people saw the fire over here and didnt understand that the wind would reach their homes. They didnt understand how the wind would spread the fire so fast. I saw their pictures at the Lahaina Memorial. The fire was everywhere. So many people died. There were no sirens. Im coming to the hub to get water. But also, we have no money now because I cant work because of the fire.



Evangeline described the devastation she and her family experienced the day of the fire.



She said, All the houses were gone, my sister, all my sisters house, they have their own houses, all burn. My brother in law has 2 houses all burned on the same street...We did not want to go out because we did not expect the fire to reach us over there.


Ukrainian refugees across Europe and elsewhere in the world are facing increasingly dire prospects as NATO countries prepare to further slash humanitarian aid for those who have fled the war zone. While the EU just announced that it is extending the temporary protected status granted Ukrainians so that they can live and work legally in the EU until March 2025, governments are making it increasingly impossible for them to do so. There are tens of billions of dollars available to ensure that Ukrainian workers continue to kill their Russian brethren and die themselves in the process, but not so much to ensure that they live.

On Thursday, Poland, where around 1 to 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees currently reside, announced that it would end publicly-funded benefits for that population in the first quarter of 2024. Speaking to the press, government representative Piotr Muller declared, The term of decisions on providing assistance is gradually coming to an end; this is stated in the law and the payments will not continue.

In late August, Warsaw, which cut support for refugees in half earlier this year, canceled childcare benefits for Ukrainian refugees who leave the country for more than 30 days. Even if a person returns within that time frame, if their entry is not properly documented by a border guard, they are permanently ineligible for the family allowance.

This threatens the livelihood of thousands of Ukrainian families, many of whom have begun to travel back and forth to their home country to the extent that conditions on the ground make it possible. Because men between 18 and 65 years old are prohibited from leaving Ukraine, wives and children who fled are indefinitely separated from their husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers unless they make a return visit. Should an error be made at the Polish border or a train be delayed on its way back from Kiev, these Ukrainian female-headed refugee households in Poland will be stripped of essential means, jeopardizing their ability to survive. Mothers of young children who cannot pay for childcare also cannot work.

Making clear that it has no intention of accommodating any future waves of refugees, Poland recently closed its largest shelter for fleeing Ukrainians, kicking out three hundred people still living at the facility in Nadzaryn. They gave them some food in bags and that was it, one aid worker told FT. With the centers doors having been closed at 5pm and all denied admittance, some did not even have time to pack their belongings.

A recent study by HelpAge on older Ukrainian refugees in Poland, of which there are approximately 73,000, found that just 8 percent can pay their medical bills. Medicines, doctors visits, and specialist appointmentsin other words, pretty much everythingare unaffordable. Fully 80 percent of elderly Ukrainian refugees report suffering chronic depression and anxiety, which is magnified by social isolation. Unable to work, the population is highly dependent on various forms of public assistance.

Germany, whose chancellor, Olaf Scholz, just declared that the number of asylum seekers in the country is too high at the moment, is leading the way in the assault on refugees. In late September, the government announced that it will cut spending on refugee aid sent to states by nearly 50 percent and, according to Reuters, entirely halt its contribution to the costs of caring for and integrating the 1.08 million Ukrainian refugees.

In total, federal refugee expenditures will be reduced from 3.75 billion euros in 2023 to 1.25 billion in 2024 and subsequent years. Even with current funding levels, local authorities are reporting that the system for asylum seekers is in crisis.

In June of this year, Engelhard Mazanke, the head of Berlins immigration office, told the press, We are on the verge of dysfunctionality. Nonetheless, a spokesperson from Germanys finance ministry explained that going forward finding money for municipal administrations to provide for refugees will be the problem of the states.

According to the website of the German federal government, over the course of just 2023, Berlin has provided Kiev 5.4 billion euros worth of military aid and pledged another 10.5 billion worth.

In Britain, which in 2022 gave $2.8 billion to support Ukraines war machine, at least 7300 Ukrainian households, including 4740 with children, are now homeless. These data, published by the government on August 15, are a significant undercount, however, as they apply exclusively to England and do not include other parts of the United Kingdom. In addition, only about two-thirds of local authorities responded to the request for information.

The countrys Homes for Ukraine program, launched with much fanfare in the spring of 2022, has turned into a debacle. While tens of thousands of British families, for the derisory sum of 350 pounds a month, have volunteered to host Ukrainian refugees for a six-month period, the government has done nothing to find permanent housing for the population. Of those families who opened their doors to fleeing Ukrainians, just 12 percent indicate they have gotten any assistance in finding long-term accommodations for their guests. The refugees are hard-pressed to help themselves, as many landlords require proof of financial means and long-term employmentneither of which they havebefore they will rent out an apartment.

In both Britain and elsewhere, unemployment, underemployment and low-wage employment are an ongoing problem. With foreign degrees that governments do not recognize, language barriers, and other vulnerabilities, the experience of Ukrainian refugees is no exception to the near-universal reality that confronts all asylum seekers. They have been unable to find work that matches their skill levels or been taken advantage of by employers.

In July, Byline Times reported the case of a Ukrainian immigrant in Britain. The woman was offered trial shifts with various restaurants whereby she would work in the kitchen or clean and not be paid for her time, only to then be told several months later that, after trialing many others, the job was given to someone else. I spent four hours peeling kilos and kilos of broccoli and sweet potatoes, she explained, resulting in bleeding hands and no paycheck.

In Germany, the Institute for Employment Research found that 41 percent of refugees are underemployed, a number that rises to over 50 percent for Ukrainians.

Unfolding in the midst of a hysterical anti-immigrant atmosphere, there is a clear intention to drive Ukraines refugees out of the European Union.

After having already made large cuts to assistance for Ukrainian refugees earlier this year, the Czech Republic is now further encouraging them to go by providing them one-time financial assistance to return home. However, if these refugees later seek a long-term Czech visa, they will have to repay half of the repatriation aid they receive and be barred from ever receiving a visa should they not do so. In short, in the event of a dramatic worsening of war-time conditions, Czech borders will effectively be closed to thousands of people.

Meanwhile, the tiny country is doing its part to escalate the violence in Ukraine. According to RFE/RL, as of February, Prague has given Kiev 38 tanks, 55 armored vehicles, four aircraft, and 13 self-propelled howitzers from its army reserves alongside larger shipments from the private sector. In mid-September, the government came to a deal with Denmark and the Netherlands to finance the delivery of Czech arms to Ukraine.

Outside of Europe, the same prevails.

In late August, the Israeli government pulled medical care from 14,000 Ukrainian refugees. The move, which caused an uproar, was later reversed. However, authorities have only extended healthcare benefits until the end of 2023 and indicate they intend to cancel them again in the new year. Furthermore, the interior, social, and health service ministries are refusing to foot the bill for the extension and demanding that the state treasury pick up the tab.

For its part, Australia ended its humanitarian visa program for Ukrainians in July 2022. While some have been able to remain in the country by switching to other visa types, they have lost housing, income, and other forms of government aid, such as free English lessons. Canberra has committed several hundred million dollars worth of lethal aid to Kiev.

The United States, which now has reportedly accepted about 270,000 Ukrainian refugees, requires that these asylum seekers prove that they have a financial backer in the US before they are granted entry. Meanwhile, according to the Kiel Institute, Washington has thus far given Ukraine $46.6 billion in military aid. Its humanitarian funding for the country has amounted to under $4 billion.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced he had ordered the construction of a 20-mile extension of Donald Trumps border wall along a section of the US-Mexico border.

Biden claimed he had no choice and was simply implementing a mandate left over from the Trump administration. But Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas cited an acute and immediate need to prevent unlawful entries into the United States.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, left, listens to Deputy patrol agent in charge of the US Border Patrol Anthony Crane as he tours the section of the border wall Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Hidalgo, Texas. [AP Photo/Joel Martinez/The Monitor]

On Thursday, the DHS said it would begin deporting asylum seekers from Venezuela who had crossed into the US illegally. This could affect hundreds of thousands of desperate and impoverished workers who have been driven to seek refuge and employment in the US as a result of the economic crisis in Venezuela, stoked by US sanctions and a de facto blockade aimed at destabilizing the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

These vicious and anti-democratic attacks on the working class are a craven accommodation to the Republican right and Donald Trump, who in a recent interview took a page out of Mein Kampf to accuse migrants of poisoning the blood of our country.

Two days ago, in a statement on the ousting of Republican Kevin McCarthy from his position as House Speaker, the WSWS noted that the central priority of the Democratic Party and the Biden administration was the escalation of the US-NATO war against Russia.

The Democrats, we wrote, will collaborate with the domestic agenda of the Republicans in exchange for guarantees that funding for Ukraine is untouchable. The Democrats have no problem working with fascists in the Republican Party; after all, they are in an alliance with fascists in Ukraine.

Bidens action on the border completely confirms this appraisal. The Democrats are seeking, if they are able, to create some sort of rearrangement in the House that will make countless billions in financing for the Ukraine war inviolable, and in exchange they will agree to anything.

In 2020, Biden made his pledge to add not one foot to Trumps border wall a major part of his appeal to voters. The fact that he has so crudely reversed it is a measure of the desperation of the dominant sections of the American ruling class that see the war against Russia as an existential question. They know there is little popular support for the war, and fear that support is eroding within sections of the political elite, both in the US and internationally.

These developments have shattered all claims that the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine is about democracy, either in Ukraine or the United States itself. And along with mounting attacks on democratic rights comes an intensifying assault on social programs and living conditions of the working class. With the national debt and budget deficits exploding, mainly due to ever greater military spending and tax cuts and bailouts for the rich, there are increasing demands for the gutting of social benefits from both sides of the political aisle.

Aside from the military, the CIA, the state apparatus in general and the corporate elite, the social forces that enthusiastically support the war are the upper-middle class layers who benefited financially from three decades of US wars abroad and the suppression for nearly four decadesnow overof the class struggle within the US.

To pay for the spiraling costs of the war and military rearmament, the ruling class has launched an offensive against the wages, jobs and living conditions of workers to make the working class bear the burden of the war. This policy meets with enthusiastic approval among the affluent upper-middle-class and their political representatives in the pseudo-left political organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

The DSA is thoroughly integrated into the Democratic Party and the trade union bureaucracies, and has more recently been elevated into high positions in both as the movement of the working class has grown and increasingly assumed the form of a rebellion against the bureaucratic agents of capitalism in the trade unions.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the most prominent DSA Democrat, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders have supported the US-led war against Russia from the beginning, repeatedly voting for multi-billion-dollar arms packages for the right-wing regime in Kiev. That government, installed in a far-right coup in 2014 organized by the US and German governments, is allied with neo-Nazi outfits such as the Azov Battalion and honors Stepan Bandera, the Ukrainian nationalist and fascist who allied with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union in World War II and participated in massacres of Poles and Jews.

Late last month, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned Republican lawmakers as insufficiently committed to the war with Russia. Do they even support Ukraine? she asked. I dont think that Republicans have even made clear that they dont agree with Russia.

On September 30, Sanders publicly and vocally endorsed more funding for the Ukraine war, declaring on Twitter, I look forward to seeing Congress provide, in the very near future, financial support for Ukraine, which is valiantly struggling against Russian aggression.

How have these pro-imperialist, Democratic Party anti-socialists responded to Bidens attacks on migrants carried out as a quid quo pro for Republican support for the war?

AOC issued one mild statement calling on Biden to reverse course on extending the wall and repeating the standard Democratic Party mantra in favor of meaningful immigration reform. She said nothing about the connection between Bidens adaptation to Trumps fascistic migrant policy and the war in Ukraine. Nor did she retract her early endorsement of Bidens bid for reelection in 2024.

As for Sanders, he has evidently said nothing about Bidens border wall. On the war, his position was summed up Wednesday when at least 11 anti-war protesters were arrested outside his Senate office.

Jacobin magazine, which is politically aligned with the DSA, has published just one article on the budget crisis in the US, the removal of House Speaker McCarthy and the ongoing crisis over his replacement. The article, by Paul Heideman, mentions the Ukraine war only once in passing, makes no connection between it and the political crisis in Washington, and concludes that the passage of a continuing resolution last Saturday averting a government shutdown was a major defeat for the entire GOP.

The pseudo-left performs its most critical service to US imperialism by working from within as well as without the trade union apparatuses to promote every sellout and betrayal of workers struggles. From the current mini-strike by Detroit Three autoworkers, deliberately minimized and sabotaged by UAW President Shawn Fain, to the strike by Screen Actors Guild actors, to the three-day walkout by 85,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workersthe DSA and similar groups promote the capitalist stooges and imperialist agents who head these organizations and portray them as genuine workers leaders.

The working class is, in fact, the basic force that can and must stop the war in Ukrainewhich is already morphing into a world warthrough its independent, united and international industrial and political mobilization against the capitalist system and for socialism. The task of class conscious workers and youth is to build the necessary socialist leadership in the working class to provide a perspective and program to end imperialist war and the capitalist system that breeds it.
President Joe Biden talks with reporters after delivering remarks on student loan debt forgiveness, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Three days after federal student loan repayments resumed for the first time in more than three years, posing devastating choices for tens of millions of borrowers, President Biden moved to cancel the debt of 125,000 people worth a total of $9 billion.

Beginning on October 1, as many as 28 million of 43 million borrowerswho owe $1.7 trillion on U.S. government issued loansare being forced to decide between meeting their monthly student debt obligation or buying food for their families or paying their rent, not to mention putting off other financial decisions such as buying a house or getting married.

Speaking from the Roosevelt Room in the White House on Wednesday afternoon, the President acknowledged that the US government has been ripping off tens of thousands of student loan borrowers for decades by forcing them to make monthly payments under provisions of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income-Driven repayment programs, only to see their balances grow.

Biden claimed the program, was designed originally to make sure schoolteachers, firefighters, social workers, and other public servants can get their student loans forgiven if they make 10 years of payments and do 10 years of public service.

However, the president revealed that, after 15 years of the loan forgiveness program, only 7,000 people had been helped. He gave an example of a couple from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in their 50s who both worked for a public school in the state. The couple had made their monthly $800 payments, but their loans were never forgiven. Biden blamed this scamming of the public on red tape.

With the Income-Driven repayment program, Biden said, If you have an undergraduate loan after 20 straight years of straight payingnot missingpaying a debt on aon a monthly basis, whatever is left of your loan is forgiven at 20 years.

Biden said, some people who did pay their loans for 20 years or more did not get the debt relief they had earned. This instance, the President said, was because of administrative failures. In neither case did Biden name any government agency or individual as responsible for these financial crimes.

In this sense, Bidens announcement on Wednesdayrather than being a genuine student debt relief programassumes the character of a cover-up by the Democratic Party administration of a decades-long abuse by the US government and its Wall Street benefactors of the American public.

As explained by Josh Mitchell in his recent book, The Debt Trap: How Student Loans Became a National Catastrophe, the student loan system began in the 1950s as part of post-war American social reformism. With the collapse of the Johnson Administrations guns and butter politics in the 1960s during the Vietnam War and the transformation of the US into the worlds biggest debtor nation in the 1970s, the student loan program was likewise transformed.

Coinciding with the turn by the ruling elite to a policy of class warfare, beginning with the Reagan administration in 1980, Mitchell says the college loan system, unleashed an era of runaway tuition in the 1980s and 90s, and the governments primary college loan institution, Sallie Mae, became a Wall Street behemoth and the biggest student lender in the early 2000s and how investors stoked the for-profit college crisis in the 2000s.

Like every other aspect of society, getting a college education has been converted into a financial bonanza for the billionaire elite while the rest of the population is left holding the bag. This fleecing of the American public through college loans, which are guaranteed by the U.S. government and repackaged and sold in the form of Student Loan Asset-Backed Securities (SLABS) to investors on Wall Street, is but another form of the deep-going rot and crisis of the capitalist system.

The parasitic financial interests behind the massive US student debtit is greater than credit card debt and auto loan debthave been building fortunes based on the lie that the American Dream can be realized by going to college and earning a degree. Instead, for most students and their families, attending college guarantees a lifetime of debt and inability to ever get out from under it.

An article in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday entitled, When Parents and Kids Both Have Student Loans, reveals the realities facing working class and middle class families that are saddled with massive college loans.

The report states, Multiple generations are struggling to get out from their own college loans, compounding unease about their collective financial future. The breakdown also creates a practical problem: The younger generation isnt able to pay off their loans quickly without help from their parents, and then neither generation is able to save as much for the future.

The Journal report explains that there are an equal number of student borrowers under the age of 34 as there are age 35 and older. The older category holds nearly two-thirds of outstanding student debt, the data shows. Both groups will be saddled with an extra monthly payment when the $1.7 trillion in student loans comes due again this month.

It goes on, Borrowers aged 50 to 61 hold more than $296 billion in outstanding student-loan debt, according to the data from StudentAid.gov. Such a financial commitment has a lasting effect across generations.

The report explains that many parents have assumed the student debt of their children knowing that if they did not, the borrowing would ruin the lives of the younger generation.

Access to a free and high quality college education is the fundamental right of all students. The solution to the massive student loan crisis can only come through the cancellation of all debts and the commitment of billions of dollars to public education for all.
On Thursday, the Pentagon announced that it had shot down a Turkish armed drone with an F-16 fighter jet because it posed a threat to US troops in Syria. It was the first such incident between the two NATO allies.

On Thursday morning, Turkish drones carried out strikes near the Syrian city of Hasakah, about 1 kilometer from US troops, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said. A few hours later, a Turkish drone that came within 500 meters of US troops was deemed a threat and shot down by an F-16, according to the statement.

The escalation of tensions in Syria came amid the possible deployment of British troops in the NATO war against Russia in Ukraine and the resurgence of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It points to the danger that the imperialist-backed war for regime change against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which has been underway since 2011, could be reignited and escalate into a regional conflict.

Around 900 US troops maintain an illegal presence in northeastern Syria, in an area controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by Washingtons main proxy force in the region, the Kurdish nationalist Peoples Protection Units (YPG). Allied with the SDF, US forces control Syrias oil resources in the region. Ankara treats the YPG and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as terrorist groups.

Ryder said, We have no indication that Turkey was intentionally targeting US forces. Its a regrettable incident, before adding: The secretary has talked to his [Turkish] counterpart. They had the opportunity to have a fruitful conversation. Turkey does remain a very important and valuable NATO ally and partner to the United States.

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler made a statement on the X platform, stating he told his American counterpart that Turkey is ready for a joint fight with the USA against Daesh [ISIS].

Speaking to Reuters, a Turkish defense ministry official denied that the drone belonged to Turkey. However, Al-Monitor, citing two US officials, suggested that it belonged to Turkish intelligence (MIT). An unnamed US official also said Turkish military officials had been warned a dozen times before the incident.

Ankaras air campaign in Syria has continued despite the dangerous escalation between the US and Turkey. On Thursday evening, the Defense Ministry announced that 30 targets controlled by the YPG in northern Syria had been destroyed and many Kurdish militias were killed. The statement said the targets included oil wells and storage facilities. Local sources claimed that civilians were also harmed, an allegation denied by Ankara.

Turkeys air strikes against Kurdish forces in Syria began after an armed attack on the Turkish National Police headquarters in Ankara last Sunday, during which two attackers were killed and two policemen were wounded. The stolen car used in the incident belonged to a civilian named Mikail Bozlagan from Kayseri, who was killed before the attack, according to the official statements.

The PKK claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was intended to send the necessary message to the relevant places and give them a serious warning. In reality, the attack only served to provide justification for Ankaras police-state repression at home and new military operations in Iraq and Syria, contributing to the possibility of a broader conflict in the region.

The legal Kurdish nationalist Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) and Green Left Party (YSP) condemned the Ankara attack as unacceptable. However, at least 75 people have been detained so far in police operations mainly targeting the HDP-YSP.

The Turkish Defense Ministry has announced that air strikes have been carried out against PKK positions in northern Iraq since Sunday. On Wednesday, a security summit was held in Ankara with the participation of interior and foreign ministers, the head of the intelligence agency and the chief of the general staff.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan alleged that the perpetrators of the Ankara attack were YPG-PKK members coming from Syria. All infrastructure, superstructure and energy facilities belonging to the PKK/YPG, especially in Iraq and Syria, are from now on the legitimate targets of our security forces, armed forces and intelligence elements, he declared in a statement, warning the United States: I recommend that third parties stay away from PKK/YPG facilities and individuals.

SDF General Commander Mazlum Kobani rejected Ankaras claim and called on the United States and other NATO allies to protect them. He said, The perpetrators of the attack in Ankara did not travel there from our region, as the Turkish authorities claim. ... We expect the guarantor countries and the international community to stand up to these frequent threats and take a stand to ensure stability and peace in the region.

On Thursday, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Dabk base in the Azaz district of northwestern Syria was attacked. The Turkish Dogan News Agency (DHA) reported that five Turkish police officers and three soldiers were wounded in the attack. The Turkish Defense Ministry claimed that 26 PKK-YPG militants were killed in retaliatory airstrikes. The Syrian government has demanded for years that not only the US but also Turkish forces end their illegal occupation and leave the country.

The increased military operations in the area signals a possible large-scale Turkish ground operation. After the terrorist attack that killed six civilians in Istanbul on November 13, 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a ground operation in Syria would be launched at the most appropriate time. However, he backed down after sharp opposition from both Iran and Russia, which back the Damascus regime, and the United States.

On Wednesday, however, a Turkish Defense Ministry spokesman implied that the Turkish government does not rule out a ground invasion into Iraq and Syria, targeting Kurdish forces.

Fearing the possible emergence of a Kurdish state in its southern border, Ankara has long demanded that the US end its support for the YPG. Erdogan, who had been trying to reach an agreement with Washington, proved that his government essentially stands by the US in the war against Russia by lifting his veto on Finlands NATO membership in March. He also approved Swedens NATO membership; the Turkish parliament is expected to vote on this soon.

Amid a military escalation in Syria between the United States and its Kurdish proxy YPG and Turkey, at least 89 were killed on Thursday in a drone strike on a graduation ceremony at a military academy in the Homs region, about 150 kilometers north of Damascus. Syrias state-owned news agency SANA reported that 31 of them were women, five were children, and that 277 were wounded in addition.

Reuters reported that it was one of the bloodiest strikes against the military in the 12-year war. While no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, the Syrian government, which blamed unnamed terrorists, launched artillery strikes on US- and Turkey-backed Islamist forces in Idlib and Aleppo.

Meanwhile, SANA reported on Tuesday that Israel bombed Syrian forces in Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria, wounding two soldiers. Israel has long carried out air strikes against government soldiers and Iranian-backed militias in Syria.
The brutal arrest of 24-year-old LeKeian Woods on September 29 by the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office (JSO) has drawn national attention after video emerged on social media in the following days showing multiple arresting officers assaulting Woods after he was shocked with a taser while fleeing from police.



In the video, police are shown slamming a bloody and handcuffed Woods on the ground despite no indication he was resisting arrest.

Social anger continued to mount following the release of Woods mugshot by the cops last week. In the picture, both of Woods eyes are swollen shut because of the beating inflicted on the young African-American man. According to his family, Woods suffered a ruptured kidney during the police assault. The family also says that Woods continues to suffer from migraine headaches and has been unable to eat without vomiting since the attack.

Le'Kian Woods mugshot. [Photo: Jacksonville Sheriff's Office]

When I looked at that picture of my son I felt like Emmett Tills mother, when she seen her son and he was unrecognizable. Natassia Woods told local media following the police assault. And when I looked at [the photo], thats how I felt when I seen my son.



In an attempt to quell social anger, police released heavily edited body-camera video on October 2 showing part of the arrest and police assault. The footage confirms that Woods did not have a weapon, never attempted to strike or hit the police, and did not resist police as he was being beaten/arrested.



Woods had been riding in the passenger seat of a pick-up truck along with the driver and one other person when, according to the police, they pulled the car over due to the driver not wearing a seat belt. The JSO would later claim it witnessed Woods participating in what it alleges was a drug transaction at a nearby gas station, and that the cops had followed the truck he was riding in, using an unmarked vehicle.

Body cam footage released by the JSO shows Woods fleeing from the vehicle after the officers pulled the vehicle over in an apartment complex with guns drawn. In the footage one of the passengers in the vehicle tells the police, while he has his hands up, that he has a gun on his person. The cop responds, I appreciate you telling me, but if you put your hands down you are going to get shot.



While the police handcuff and arrest the driver and back-seat passenger, Woods flees from the vehicle. Body camera footage shows one officer giving chase to Woods across the apartment complex grounds. As soon as Woods starts running the cop chasing him begins yelling You are f***ed! You are so f***ed!



As he is chasing Woods, the cop pulls out his Taser and yells to Woods, Im going to tase you, get on the ground! The cop proceeds to shoot Woods with the Taser, sending two electric prongs into his back, allowing the cop to inject 50,000 volts into Woods.



As the electricity courses through Woods thin frame, his body becomes stiff and he falls face first on the street pavement. According to police body camera footage, the Taser shocks Woods for approximately 8 seconds, with Woods prone on the ground for the last five seconds, prompting the Taser to emit a beeping sounds, indicating the trigger has been pulled for longer than five seconds.



The officer then attempts to handcuff Woods, who is clearly disoriented from being electrocuted and from the head injury he sustained after falling. The cop repeatedly orders Woods to put your hands behind your back while pushing down on the back of Woods neck, shoving his bloody face into the ground, as he attempts to comply.

The officer can be seen shifting Woods, who is on his hands and knees, from one side to the other, making it impossible for him to put both hands behind his back at the same time. As Woods attempts to communicate that he is trying to put his hands behind his back, the cop strikes him in the face. The officer then pulls Woods onto the nearby grass and continues his assault.

The footage then shows the officer pinning Woods on his right side while controlling his left arm. He orders Woods again, put your hand behind your back. At this point Woods, still attempting to comply, is supporting himself on one hand while straddling the curb, as the officer presses down on the back of his neck. The officer then turns Woods to his side and punches him in the face a second time.

A second large officer then arrives on scene and immediately begins striking Woods in the face with his knees. Woods, who is still immobilized by the first officer, is struck in the head six times. The first officer then punches Woods multiple times in the back of the head. Both officers then begin striking Woods and slamming him to the ground, as he can be heard gasping and moaning in pain.

Another body cam video from the second officer plainly shows him kneeing the helpless Woods in the face and punching him repeatedly in the face and ribs while the first officer holds him down. At that point a third officer can be seen pinning Woods head to the ground under his knee as he delivers three vertical elbow strikes to Woods head.

Throughout the assault the officers, aware they are being recorded, continuously shout, hes still resisting and give me your hands, even though the battered and bloody Woods is heavily concussed and not trying to escape. After he is handcuffed, he can be seen bleeding profusely and making incoherent sounds as the police pick him up partially off the ground, and again shout stop resisting before slamming him back down.

After beating him, police left the handcuffed Woods sitting on the curb for approximately fifteen minutes before EMTs arrived. Upon searching the truck Woods was traveling in, the police reported finding drugs. Woods was later charged with armed trafficking in cocaine, armed trafficking in methamphetamine, armed possession of a controlled substance, resisting an officer with violence, altering, destroying, concealing or removing records, and possessing a controlled substance without a prescription.

No firearms were found on Woods, and the other passenger in the vehicle who was armed was not charged. The laundry list of felonies Woods is charged with, including the firearm enhancements, indicate that the police, fearing prosecution for their assault, have charged Woods with every imaginable crime in an attempt to justify their actions.

In fact, both of the other two passengers were released and not charged with felonies. One passenger was cited for driving under a suspended license and misdemeanor marijuana possession. It is unclear why Woods alone is being prosecuted. Woods attorney has noted that, because he was a passenger in the vehicle, he had the right to leave after the vehicle was pulled over and that the police had no legal right to detain him in the first place.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters has come out in defense of the officers who assaulted Woods, and thus far none have been suspended from duty or taken off the streets.



A nearby pedestrian recorded the end of the encounter, and it was because of this viral footage that the public first became aware of the assault. Waters initially claimed that the footage had been doctored to make the police look worse, and that they feared Woods had a gun in his waistband, both of which were refuted when the bodycam footage was released, as required by law.



Refuting racialist arguments that African-American police chiefs would foster more tolerant police departments, Waters said, just because force is ugly does not mean it is unlawful or contrary to policy. He added the police involved in the beating would remain on the street, where they belong.

At least one of the officers involved in the assault, Josue Garriga, has killed before. In 2019 Garriga shot and killed Jamee Johnson, a Florida student who was also pulled over by Garriga over an alleged seat belt violation before trying to flee and crashing his car in a nearby yard. Bodycam footage showed Johnson falling out of the drivers seat of the vehicle onto the ground before being shot multiple times by Garriga. The officer was cleared of wrongdoing, though the city later settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Johnsons family out of court.

In 2015 Garriga was involved in a similar incident when he served as a Putnam County Sheriffs deputy. Garriga was one of four officers who killed Andrew Williams after undercover officers sold drugs to Williams and then attempted to arrest him in an operation referred to as a reverse-sting. When he tried to drive away in his car he hit a tree and at that point officers claim he turned the car towards them before they opened fire, killing him.
The World Socialist Web Site is posting the following open letter from a group of United States Postal Workers in eastern Tennessee. We urge our readers to send in your own statements of support and descriptions of conditions at your own post office. All submissions will be kept anonymous.

Dear Brothers and sisters:

We are a group of rural mail carriers in Seymour, Tennessee, located less than half an hour outside of Knoxville, a major air freight hub. Jobs we once took great pride in have become intolerable due to the restructuring plan being forced on us by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, local management, and corrupt union officials.

Over the last three years, conditions at our post office have worsened and are now so toxic that every one of the letter carriers dreads coming into work. Appeals to our management and grievances filed with the union to address conditions have been ignored. Therefore, we are writing this letter to inform workers everywhere of what is happening at the post office and to appeal for their support.

Our facility is almost entirely devoted to delivering packages for Amazon. The package volume has more than doubled since Covid, almost tripling on certain days.

We are working double shifts, making two trips a day in 90 degree weather (32 degrees Celsius) with no air conditioning in our mail trucks. We get back hours later than we should. But although that extra trip shows up on our pay stubs, the money isnt in our checks.

The Rural Route Evaluated Compensation System (RRECS) system evaluates our routes upwards of 63 hours. But we only get paid for 48 hours. On average, we are giving the post office 24 hours and more of our time for free every month. To add insult to injury, our time off over the weekends are being taken away.

There is a constant battle trying to get our pay correct. Letter mail that has to be manually sorted entitles us to additional pay over 125 pieces. But even though we enter this amount on our timecards, management forgets to pay us.

Management isnt even honoring the disabled veteran leave and are changing our sick leave in the system to annual days (paid time off).

Nor have they made good on buying back time served in the military, for those of us who are veterans, to count towards our retirement. The HR Department claims it loses the paperwork, and its nearly impossible to reach HR to sort out the issue.

The worsening conditions are taking a physical and emotional toll on us. Several carriers have had to undergo carpal tunnel surgery and over half of us are going to chiropractors for relief from muscular skeletal pain due to the increased workload and stress. Alarmingly, several workers have even expressed suicidal ideation, a sign of extreme job-related stress.

We have filed grievances via the National Rural Letter Carriers Association (NRLCA) local about these abuses. But if they even respond it is to tell us there is nothing they can do, and that we should go talk to the postmaster. The postmaster then shrugs and tells us they dont know how to fix it and that we should file a grievance!

A group of us got together to write to the Congressional representative of our district, Diana Harshbarger. But her office only told us to take our issues up with our union, the dysfunctional bureaucracy that caused us to reach out to her in the first place!

Clearly, the USPS and the political parties are indifferent at best. That is why we are writing to the entire working class to organize your own offices independently and link up with us for support.

We are calling for post offices to write your own public letters to report on conditions where you work. Then, get in touch with us and lets begin a network of rank-and-file committees to fight the privatization of the US postal service!
Dr. Eleanor (Ellie) Murray is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health who has been an outspoken advocate for sound public health policies and infectious disease control of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been working on improving science communication about epidemiology and is an Associate Editor for social media at the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) spoke with Dr. Murray in February 2022 at the height of the first wave of the Omicron subvariant that engulfed the globe with hundreds of millions of cases in a few short months. At the time, pundits in the mainstream media and government officials were hailing the arrival of this fast-paced virus. At the time, former Biden White House top medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said in January 2022, Its an open question as to whether or not Omicron is going to be the live-virus vaccination everyone is hoping for.

Many were openly stating that with the passing Omicron wave, COVID-19 would settle into an endemic pattern and the world could move on from the pandemic and get on with business as usual. At the time, the WSWS wrote, The virus that causes COVID-19 is present worldwide, not localized, and it is highly infectious from person to person and continues to mutate. Also, the waning population immunity means SARS-CoV-2 infections will continue to threaten communities with repeated outbreaks. There is no possibility of it becoming endemic in a scientific sense of the word. The campaign to declare COVID-19 endemic is thus political rather than scientific. Its purpose is to accustom the worlds people to mass infection and death without end.

Since then, the world has faced repeated waves of infection. In May 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States and every other country across the globe unceremoniously and abruptly ended the emergency phase of the pandemic and all mitigation measures and tracking systems in place to trace the course of the ongoing global epidemic.

As the fourth year of the COVID-19 pandemic is coming to a close, the WSWS spoke to Dr. Murray once again to address the question if the pandemic is ongoing or have we arrived at the endemic phase of COVID-19 and what are the implications of these designations for the worlds population.

Benjamin Mateus (BM): Good afternoon, Dr. Murray. There has been much talk in the mainstream media that the pandemic is over, and here we are in the middle of another wave of COVID-19 infections. My first question for you, and it is one that keeps coming up, is are we still in a pandemic or not? I thought you would be the one person that could give me a straight answer on this point. So, where are we in the COVID-19 pandemic, in your opinion?

Ellie Murray (EM): Yes, I would love to give you a straight answer, but I think that the problem is that there isnt a straight answer.

Dr. Eleanor (Ellie) Murray [Photo by Dr. Ellie Murray]

One of the reasons for that is that pandemic is not an official term. Its an imprecise category of things that public health people and epidemiologists use, often retrospectively, to apply to diseases that they want to call attention to where theyre happening all at once, everywhere, and everyone is at risk all at once. But theres no hard and fast criteria for what makes something a pandemic.

[According to the Oxford University dictionary, a pandemic is defined as an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people. The definition does not incorporate levels of population immunity, viral evolution or disease severity.]

In fact, the only thing thats close to that is the WHO [World Health Organization] has a clear six-level pandemic staging for influenza. But each of those levels specifically references influenza. However, there was a lot of disagreement among infectious disease and epidemiologic experts whether those six levels could just be translated to any disease, and if they could be applied to COVID. As of now the official levels are specifically regarding influenza.

So, then the question becomes, What is the official designation that exists for such events? And the answer is the Public Health Emergency of International Concern, or PHEIC, which the WHO has ended for COVID. Whether or not it was reasonable to end that, I think, is very much open to discussion.

Public Health Emergency of International Concern designations are only recent developments that came out of the 2005 revision to the International Health Regulations [IHR] as a result of the SARS outbreak preceding it.

[The regulation became legally binding in 2007 when member states recognized that certain public health incidents had to be designated as PHEIC because they posed a significant global threat. The first full application of the response was to the 2009 swine flu pandemic. It is implemented to apply to an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other states through international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response.]

The longest running Public Health Emergency of International Concern is a polio outbreak in certain regions of Pakistan [declared in May 2014 and still in effect]. It was designated an outbreak of emergency of international concern because it is directly hampering the agreed upon global effort to eradicate polio. The fact that theres this geographic area that has had difficulty eliminating polio and is seeing constant circulation has meant that everywhere else in the world that has eliminated polio already is at risk of seeing polio reemerge if people travel to and from that region and bring polio with them.

And so, that kind of gives us a blueprint for what we might be thinking about in terms of public health emergency of international concern; that cases in one area exist at a sufficient level and frequency that every other part of the world should be on guard for the re-emergence of or the outbreak of that disease.

If thats our definition, then everywhere should be on guard for outbreaks of COVID. Were seeing regular clear patterns emerge of an increase in cases every three to six months. The idea that we shouldnt all be aware of the possibility of a COVID outbreak, that doesnt seem right.

For polio theres an explicit agreed upon global effort to eradicate that disease which is not the case of COVID. So maybe its the fact that the polio cases that are happening in this area in Pakistan are specifically a threat to the global communitys goal with respect to the disease that makes it an emergency of international concern. In which case, its not clear that COVID needs to be categorized as a public health emergency of international concern because the stated international goal seems to be  meh [complete indifference]. And so, theres pretty much no way to threaten that goal.

Criteria defined by politics not science

BM: Allow me to paraphrasewhat youre saying is the reason why the public health emergency of international concern is no longer a goal even though the constantly mutating virus that causes COVID remains a threat and spreads every three to six months causing hospitalizations, Long COVID and kills people is because governments no longer care about it. That tells me that what youre referring to is not a real public health scientific issue, but a political issue.

EM: And thats exactly the point that there are no specific defined criteria that we can look up and compare numbers to and say, scientifically, this makes something a pandemic.

The designation that the WHO has for the public health emergency of international concern is based on whats going on in the world, but its also based on politics in the same way that the United States federal emergency was based on what was happening on the ground but also on politics. Any official discussion on the issue of if we are still in a pandemic or not really became a political question even though these should be scientific and data-driven issues.

BM: If I may ask, in the same way that maybe pandemic is a vague term, I assume endemicity or endemic COVID is difficult to define because the two are somewhat related?

EM: Yeah, so this is another interesting term. We often see things which people who specialize in pandemic preparedness consider pandemics. I had a chance to speak with Stephen Morse, my mentor at Columbia with whom I did my masters degree, when the COVID outbreak started. He told me that this was the ninth or tenth pandemic he had dealt with. He said, Im not really concerned that were going to see something new here.

But the scale of it was so much bigger because of how badly they responded to it in large part. And for most people who are outside of the infectious disease pandemic response community, this is the first pandemic that they have ever encountered or are aware of.

Much of the literature in infectious diseases that discuss pandemic and endemic diseases discuss it in a retrospective sense. They are talking about events that have occurred in the past. For instance, the black death, cholera, etc. Its easy to look back and say, This is the time when this pandemic happened. And then the disease either went away or persisted at a low level.

There is a mathematical definition of endemic that is used frequently in infectious disease modeling, which is that over some long-run period, the average number of cases infected by any one case is basically one, so that it can fluctuate a little bit, but it averages out over the long run to one.

In a modeling scenario, the implications of that are that you run your models time scale out long enough until the average number of new cases stabilizes around one [R0-reproduction number]. And that period is however long it takes to get to that point. But in the real world we cant really apply that mathematical definition because we havent set a defined time period. For example, if we look at the COVID data and try to estimate the average number of new cases, should we be estimating this over the last week, the last six months, the last year or the last two years? We dont know. Obviously for COVID, we cant start the time before January 2020. So that, thats a cap on how long we could be talking about. But if we look at the last week compared to last year or the last 24 months, were going to get different averages.

BM: With regard to our discussion on endemic COVID, where we see infection rates at some low-level steady state, that proposition that is being claimed by various pundits seems absurd to me. There are two issues with this concept that are problematic.

First is the continuing convergent evolution of the coronavirus. It is constantly mutating with no end in sight in its ability to find new ways to adapt itself, especially in the context that we allow it to spread far and wide endlessly. Id even say that its improving and getting better at transmitting and evading. Additionally, the number of progenies and the speed of these various lineages is striking.

The second thing is because population immunity is constantly waning, we will never reach some meaningful population immunity where we will see low levels of disease where the reproductive number hovers around one.

How do you square these with this coronavirus and our discussion on the mathematical models for endemic disease? I dont think we will ever reach endemic COVID.

EM: Yes. And there is third aspect to the term endemic. One is that we have this mathematical aspect that we just cant apply it in the real world because its not specified well enough to apply to real data. The other piece is that when we actually look at the use of the word endemicboth currently and historicallythere is an implicit and sometimes explicit part of the definition of that term that means a disease is endemic when the people who are bearing the burden of infection and disease are people who we dont really care about.

When we talk about diseases that are occurring within a country thats rich, endemic disease are those affecting groups that are marginalized, that are in poverty, minoritized race, ethnicity groups, that kind of thing. When were talking about other countries, we talk about endemic diseases in places like the former colonies of the British Empire: Those people over there have an endemic disease.

Never do we talk about endemic syphilis in the United States or endemic herpes virus. We rolled out the human papillomavirus [HPV] vaccine several years ago. No one ever said, Why do we need a vaccine? HPV is endemic. We dont talk about diseases as endemic when we care about the people that they infect even if they routinely and regularly happen. We say, Seasonal influenza, we dont say, Endemic influenza. Health departments will put out reminders about the potential for norovirus outbreaks every winter in daycares and elementary schools because thats norovirus season, but we dont say we have endemic norovirus.

So, theres this whole aspect of endemic where the use of the word conveys a disinterest in preventing the disease. And thats not officially built into the definition. But if you unpack, explore, and ask how this is used and when this is used, what you see is that historically its very clear thats the real meaning behind the application of the word endemic. And then more recently, you see all the places where it isnt used.

And when you go back and review the use of these terms in the media, the switch from talking about COVID pandemic to endemic COVID, you start to see this shift in how people refer to endemic COVID as being only a problem for people with chronic diseases, immune-compromised, or for the very old. Its those people that have to deal with this disease, and not us. And if we take that definition, then, yes, I think a lot of the United States and the world has shifted to the idea that they dont really care about whos getting COVID, and so its endemic. But its also everywhere and all the time. And its worth asking ourselves whether we really dont care about the people who get COVID.

BM: Well, my own recent experiences in my hospital, I recently overheard two doctors discussing how a patient who had been admitted for some time for an assortment of ailments eventually died after catching the virus. The nature of the discussion was casual and anecdotal lacking any reflection. They didnt ask why the hospital wasnt testing the staff or why we werent mandated to mask. Or why did we fail to protect this patient under our care. All they said was, What a way to go!

And while Im listening to this, I am thinking about my residents who are catching COVID from each other and worried they will infect my patients. You barely see anyone wearing a mask anymore, and often when they are, its above the lip but below the nose masking.

The reason I raise these points is because you had made an important point in our first interview. You said if we eliminated COVID, then we would be able to stop thinking about it. But endemic COVID would mean paying constant attention to where the virus is and how to protect populations from infections by tracking, tracing, and employing public health measures to mitigate against it. But now with the public health emergency phase having ended, we have also stopped thinking about it. What does that say about the state of public health in the US?

EM: The closest analogy would be to say that were dealing with an established seasonal COVID. But I also hesitate to use the word seasonal because when we look at the curves, were seeing  let me rephrase. The flu has a single season each year. Norovirus has a single season each year. Even polio, when that was in the US, was seasonal once a year.

What were seeing with COVID is over and over these repeated spikes and troughs of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. When we look at the past four years, they do seem to roughly match up in terms of when in the year these things are happening, but its not once a year. And its not even twice a year. What were seeing is something that looks more like every three to four months.

There are some variations there, and its very hard to tell from that data that we have what the driver of these waves are. Originally there was a lot of suggestions that, because it was a respiratory virus, maybe we could expect it to settle down to the same season as influenza or RSV because there are environmental conditions that allow those diseases to transmit, and those conditions are more prevalent in the winter months. But we dont see that pattern happening with COVID.

And in fact, one of the key indicators thats probably not what we should expect is that we dont see a reversal of the timing of the peaks of COVID in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. For instance, Australias flu season is in Australias winter. Australias COVID season seems to be basically at the same time as everybody elses COVID season. Thats a tipoff that its not weather or other environmental conditions.

We reliably see that as we move into November and December during the holiday season that cases begin to skyrocket. And so, one reasonable hypothesis is that maybe gathering people together is increasing the spreadmeaning celebrating the holidays, traveling for the holidays, those things are causing these peaks that we see in the winter months because Australia celebrates Christmas at the same as everywhere else. Maybe thats a piece.

And when we look closer at the data, we do see that in May and June, as schools end, we have graduation parties and people go on summer trips and things of that nature, we see spikes in cases.

We also seem to see a spike in August and September as the new school year begins to roll out around the country. That says maybe it is something about bringing people together, especially people from multiple different places. And if that is whats driving these waves, then it would be feasible to control this because if it is everybody being everywhere for the summer and then theyre congregating back as school starts, then we can possibly prevent these waves.

People dont stay infected with COVID for very long. If you simply had precautions, extra precautions in place through the month, from the start of school to the end of the month of September, you would expect to not see that lead into cases. Similarly, if we moved into putting in precautions around, at least in terms of masks and ventilation on transits during November, December and January, we might be able to blunt the winter peaks.

BM: Youre speaking about a directed mitigation, right?

EM: Yes. If its basically that we are seeing repeated peaks of COVID and theyre happening at predictable times or theyre happening at roughly the same time every year, then we stand a chance to act in advance.

And when we talk about an endemic disease, ignoring the whole part about not caring about those people, we usually intend to mean something like we have some sense of being able to predict when the disease is going to be a problem. Since the emergency phase of the pandemic ended in May, weve basically stopped doing any precautions.

Now what were seeing is what happens when we dont do anything for COVID overall. (Mitigation is now at the individual level.) It turns out what were seeing is roughly the same pattern as what we saw last year and the year before and the year before that. And so, it is reasonable to guess that well see a big spike in cases fueled by Thanksgiving and Christmas travel.

If its reasonable to assume that, then its reasonable to take precautions.

Basically, what I am trying to say is that theres this tension between the idea of thinking its endemic, meaning we expect it is seasonal and therefore we expect it to happen, and the idea that therefore we have to let it happen.

BM: I think the other issue that is at play hereobviously we are seeing three waves each yearhas to do with the fact  given these movements of populations, the gathering indoors, knowing the virus is airborne that leads to high numbers of cases and rapid rates of short-lived infections, to a great extent can these repeated waves of infection across the globe be explained by the waning of immunity? If everyone gets infected rapidly, then everyones immunity has begun to wane or decline making the population susceptible again. So, its not just the gathering part of it, but there is the immunologic component. Meanwhile viral evolution finds better ways to transmit and evade. Your thoughts?

EM: Yeah, I have been thinking this for a while. And in particular, one of the kind of concerns I have had since 2021 is that the way that the vaccines were rolled out on this very strict, you must, you can only get it starting now type schedule, potentially synced up peoples immune systems. Meaning the majority of people were all immunized within a short time and their immune systems, roughly on average performing the same, therefore waning at roughly the same rate over the same time period, and COVID is mutating at its rate, then what you see at some point, you see the threshold of enough people whose immunity has waned that you are open to another peak.

That is the other piece. Its reasonable to look at the May-June peak and say this is probably the beginning of summer and the end of school thats fueling this, but then why arent we seeing an Easter peak or a spring break peak which we didnt really see? And so, I do think there may be this component of synced-up immunity. And every wave we have potentially resyncs peoples immunity. Every time we roll out these vaccines with a starting today, youre eligible, like get it now before its gone attitude, we might sync people up more.

But I will say, this is still just a hypothesis that I have. I have talked to a couple people I know who have COVID models that theyve been using for a couple years and weve discussed looking at, if this is what is happening and then consider ways of unsyncing population immunity and see if we can reduce disease burden and cases. But we just havent had time to do that project, unfortunately. My very strong suspicion is that, as you say, were seeing there are certain activities at certain times that make outbreaks more likely. And then, as we keep having outbreaks at that time, we end up again syncing peoples immunity, which then leads to a lull in infections when most people have immunity and then waning and mutation that leads to opportunity.

BM: You had said that when we consider COVID as endemic, then there is a social obligation to protect people and that implies bolstering our public health. Clearly this isnt happening. Wastewater now is being used to track disease in regions rather than using it as an early warning system. It has become our only surveillance system.

Long COVID, the pandemic within the pandemic

But now were now seeing this other component of the pandemic within the pandemic, and that is Long COVID, which is also not being addressed by our public health or healthcare infrastructure. Id like your thoughts about this. Because from what I understand with the recent studies on viral persistence and activation of the immune system and immune exhaustion, Long COVID isnt something that hits one person and skips another person. Rather there is a continuous spectrum of Long COVID from asymptomatic to symptomatic. And we dont know the very long-term issues about infection and reinfection in the population.

EM: I have a couple comments. One is that it was not unexpected that there should be some post-viral syndrome from a new respiratory virus pandemic. People get post-viral syndromes like post-viral fatigue from the flu and from other viruses. We are also learning more about how the possibility that early infection with viruses may be the cause of some later-in-life serious chronic diseases. And this is something that could have been on peoples radar.

Second, I think its very difficult to understand what exactly is happening with Long COVID because of the very ad hoc data that we have on the disease process. And a lot of that is also coming from the ad hoc data we have on COVID. If initially when the pandemic seemed it was getting out of control, the government could have designated a large group of people to follow, meaning they would be regularly tested and data collected on what happened to them, then those people could have served as a picture of what might be happening with the rest of us. But we dont really have something like that, certainly not something that was just initiated by the CDC.

We also dont really know much about what happens with other coronavirus infections. And the viruses that we have recently detected as possible causes of later-in-life chronic diseases tend to be viruses that dont cause very many symptoms when people are infected with them at younger ages.

So, I think that theres also an open question here of what later-in-life conditions were that were always caused by coronaviruses. However, we just didnt know because they were so far apart. And now that weve had so many people exposed to this new and more severe coronavirus all at once, it might make sense that we see these issues emerging. But its quite disconcerting to see so much emerging and persisting so rapidly after infection, because post-viral fatigue following influenza usually resolves in about six months.

Yet, were seeing people with Long COVID who still have symptoms from the 2020 infection. Thats definitely atypical.

We really need to be digging a lot deeper into that. Its also important that were aware of the challenges that lie ahead because, for example, we have almost no idea of who hasnt had COVID, which means we have almost no idea who the people are that we might use as a control group to see what the frequency of various symptoms is if you didnt have COVID.

And there were a lot of disruptions related to the pandemic that were not necessarily related to you yourself being infected. Without a clear idea of who hasnt been infected, without a clear set of people who havent been infected, its very difficult to say these things are due to this persons infection, rather than these things are due to some other issues that disrupted their lives in some important way, like missed medical visits.

Please dont take this as me saying that Long COVID isnt a thing. It absolutely is. But describing which pieces come from where, especially when were thinking about things that are so hard to measure, like fatigue and mental fogginess, which can also be related or exacerbated by stress and stressful life events and grief and all these things that most people have been experiencing. But we have no control group to say, What do we expect to have seen if the pandemic happened, but you didnt get infected? That makes it difficult.

BM: I think what youre saying is that we will need to dig into health records pre-pandemic to see what the incidence of certain diseases is and compare it to the population moving forward because it will be critical to make a correct accounting of the impact of COVID on the population. People will want answers.

But, to the point that you raised earlier, if endemic COVID is something that happens to those people, then Long COVID and the chronic diseases associated with it are something that happens to those people, we can call it endemic Long COVID, there may not be any interest in getting this data.

And I think, to a great extent, accepting Long COVID as a real problem then forces you to accept COVID as a serious issue. Ignoring Long COVID allows public health officials and governments to evade dealing with COVID as the primary causative factor.

As we near the end of our discussion, I wanted to ask you about your concerns over viral evolution.

EM: I think the biggest public misconception is the idea that viruses have to evolve to become tame.

I recently started using this analogy because I think it helps. COVID is a wild creature and its living amongst us, and at any time it could become more of a tiger and less of a house cat. Its not even, its not a house cat at all.

But theres no reason why it will necessarily be tamed. Wolves lived with us for many centuries, and we tamed them into dogs, but rats have not been tamed. We dont have wolves roaming our cities. We tamed them all to dogs. We got rid of the wolves. But we couldnt do it to rats. We couldnt do it to cockroaches. Maybe we cant do it to COVID.

And my understanding from the virologists and modelers is that there is a lot of ways in which COVID could mutate to completely escape our immunity that weve built up so far, which would potentially reset people to not exactly where we were in the beginning of the pandemic, but close to it. The other thing is we know it can evolve to be more severe, because we saw that with the Delta variant.

The Delta variant was much more severe, but we were lucky because it was only more severe. Omicron and its descendants are more transmissible. Theyre just as severe as the original version, perhaps similar to Alpha, but theyre less severe than Delta. But because theyre more transmissible, they cause more disease and death and hospitalization than either of those.

But if Omicron acquired a Delta level severity, that would be a colossal problem. And Delta wasnt that much more severe. Even if it doesnt acquire complete immune-escape, if it continues at the level its doing so far, which seems to be reasonably good at pushing past peoples immunity levels, and because its so transmissible, if it just also became as severe as Delta, with no other changes, we could be right back to where we were in the beginning in terms of hospitals being overwhelmed and a really massive catastrophe.

BM: Dr. Murray, any final comments youd like to make?

EM: Coming back to the original question of this interview, endemic, I think the main take-home is this: Catchphrases have been used frequently to sway public opinion without any regard to the science, and endemic is one of those catchphrases. And its not really a matter of if its endemic or not, its a matter of do we care?

BM: Yes, I agree with you. Dr. Murray, its been a pleasure to speak with you again. And I hope you stay safe. Thank you.

EM: Thank you.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has joined international journalism organisations in sounding the alarm over Latvias plans to remove the Russian language from public sector broadcasting, even though it is the mother tongue of one third of its 1.8 million population.

We are concerned that this new proposal will mean Russian speakers in Latvia will no longer have regular access to credible and fact-checked information, leaving them exposed to disinformation, fake news, and propaganda, read a statement issued by the EBU and half a dozen journalism bodies.

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The ability of public service media to provide vital information and connect with all of society is especially critical in light of Russias aggression in Ukraine.

Latvias move to ban Russian-language content is included in the countrys revised national security measures which were approved by the Latvian parliament (Saeima) on September 28.

The updated framework, setting out the Baltic states strategy to deal with direct and indirect threats, features a number of measures devised in the wake of deteriorating relations with neighboring Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

At the beginning of this year, Latvia joined its Baltic neighbor Estonia in downgrading its diplomatic relations with Russia, sending its Russian ambassadors back to Moscow.

The new national security measures include a stipulation that as of January 1, 2026, all content on Latvian public media should be only in Latvian or a language that belongs to the European cultural space. State financing for Russian-language content will also cease.

This means there will be no longer be Russian language content on state Latvian TV and radio networks, while dedicated Russian-language services will also be wound down.

The measure does not extend to the private sector so Russian-language content will still be available on commercial channels.

The EBU and the journalist organisations pointed to the fact that the Russian language is spoken natively by at least one third of Latvias population, including not only ethnic Russians, who make up around a quarter of the population, but many other minorities such as Ukrainian refugees.

Currently, Latvian TV and Latvian Radio provide content in a range of minority languages through a variety of platforms including the RUS.LSM portal which reached over 200,000 visitors in August 2023 and connects with many more on social media, and Latvian Radio 4 which reaches around 150,000 listeners a week and has around 1.3 million listeners to their podcasts every year, they said.

The signatory organisations  which also included the European Federation of Journalists, International Federation of Journalists, Justice for Journalists Foundation, South East Europe Media Organisation, Reporters Without Borders and Committee to Protect Journalist  called on the Latvian government to reconsider the proposal.

If adopted, the proposal will undermine citizens fundamental human rights  as enshrined in international, EU and European human rights law  to access the media and impart and receive information including in their own language. These principles are also reflected in the Latvian Law on Public Electronic Mass Media and Administration, they said.

In the backdrop, the proposal follows in the wake of Latvian legislation passed last year phasing out teaching in Russian, so that as of 2025 the only language used in the countrys schools will be Latvian, as well as street signage in Russian.

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Along with Hillary Clinton being a former First Lady and her daughter Chelsea Clinton being a part of a former first family, theyve added many ventures to their resumes. Both have done public speaking, written beloved books like Chelseas childrens book such as She Persisted, and are both Ivy League graduates; but this new venture comes as a bit of a shock. Both of them have stepped into their producer roles this year.

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Earlier in 2023, Hillary produced a film called Below the Belt, while Chelsea produced two last year, and another in early 2023 entitled How Haba Kept Singing. However, they joined forces to produce a film thats already getting Oscar buzz.

The documentary they produced is entitled In the Shadow of Beirut, which has been described as a searing, cinematic portrait of modern-day Lebanon as seen through the eyes of four families living in the city, per VIP.

Click here to read the full article.

You can watch the trailer below:

The film directed by Stephen Gerard Kelly and Garry Keane has gained a lot of awards, and recognition, and has now been chosen as Irelands official entry the upcoming Academy Awards. Specifically, its been entered to be a contender for the Best International Feature Film category.

The upcoming Oscars wont take place until March 10, 2024, but they actually decide the nominees months prior. For the 96th annual Academy Awards, the Academy will officially decide the nominees on Jan. 23, 2024.

Before you go, click here to see Oscar-nominated movies that center women and where to stream them.







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Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel Saturday, in which they fired thousands of rockets, sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip and kidnapped Israeli civilians and soldiers. The attacks started during a religious holiday weekend in Israel, and nearly 300 people have been killed, according to the New York Times.

President Joe Biden shared a statement regarding the attacks against Israel: This morning, I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel. The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My Administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

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Vice President Kamala Harris posted a statement on X/Twitter, writing that Bidens and her support for Israels security is unwavering.

Dougs and my prayers are with the victims of the heinous terrorist attacks in Israel. @POTUS and my support for Israels security is unwavering.  Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) October 7, 2023

Celebrities like Gal Gadot, Jamie Lee Curtis and Sarah Silverman took to social media to share their reactions to the attacks on Israel by the Palestinian militant group.

At least 250 Israeli have been murdered and dozens of women children and elders held as hostages in Gaza, by Palestinian military group Hamas, Gadot wrote in a caption on Instagram alongside a screenshot of a news story about the Israeli soldiers and civilians taken hostage.

She continued, Starting early morning more than 3,000 rockets were fire. Hamas is holding hostages, controlling bases and settlements in Israel. There have been more than 1,500 injured and heavy fighting is still ongoing. I hear their voices and they are banging on the door. I am with my two little children. My heart is aching.

Curtis reposted longtime manager Guy Osearys post on Instagram, in which he wrote, For Jews around the world, life will never be normal again. This is our new normal.

NBC News broadcast a special report on the Hamas surprise attack at 6 a.m. ET, featuring NBC News Now anchor Joe Fryer and NBC News senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett. They were joined by NBC News foreign correspondents Raf Sanchez and Richard Engel and foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell.

We havent seen something like this, this level of sophistication, to catch the Israelis off guard and to keep this operation moving for hours now. This began at dawn, its is already afternoon in Israel. So, this has been going on for multiple hours now, said Richard Engel, NBC News chief foreign correspondent, during Saturdays special report. I think its very likely that were going to see an escalation in some sort of small-scale war, maybe bigger scale war, between Hamas and Israel. And I think were in the early phases of that right now.

MSNBC announced the news channel will continue live, ongoing coverage of the latest developments in Israel, with Ayman Mohyeldin anchoring coverage live from New York starting at 8 p.m. ET. and Jose Diaz-Balart picking up coverage from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Fox News Channel is also presenting continuous coverage of the developing conflict in Israel, with FNC foreign correspondent Trey Yingst reporting live from southern Israel. FNC chief political anchor and Special Reports Bret Baier will contribute to live coverage throughout the day, while chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin will report from the Pentagon with correspondent Lucas Tomlinson reporting from the White House.

NewsNation will present a special edition of NewsNation Prime to cover the war in Israel and the Gaza Strip from 7 to 10 p.m. ET. Chief Washington anchor Leland Vittert will co-anchor from Washington D.C. with NewsNation Primes Natasha Zouves and The Hills Blake Burman live from the White House.

CNN chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper will anchor CNN Special Coverage: Israel at War from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET. CNNs Nic Robertson is covering live from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.

Read more reactions below.

My sister and nieces and nephews are there. Theyve been protesting BIBI for months. Fight for a two state solution. Israelis are Jews and Arabs and all colors. There is so much complexity to this. But make NO MISTAKE Hamas is a terror organization whos mission statement is kill https://t.co/RzfeXk13Vr  Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) October 7, 2023

The world is seeing appalling images.



Thousands of rockets raining down on Israeli cities. Hamas terrorists killing not only Israeli soldiers, but civilians on the streets and in their homes.



Its unconscionable. Israel has a right to defend itself  full stop.  President Biden (@POTUS) October 7, 2023

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While celebrity breakups are common in Hollywood, the news that Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith are divorcing still managed to be quite a surprise.

Citing "irreconcilable differences," the Queen & Slim actress, 37, filed for divorce from the Fatal Attraction star, 45, earlier this week, People reported. The former duo, who share a 3-year-old daughter, Juno, is staying mum about their split in the press. However, there has been intense speculation about what happened between the two stars, who were known for frequently sharing posts about each other on social media. Here's everything to know about their relationship.

How did Joshua Jackson meet Jodie Turner-Smith?

Jackson rose to fame portraying Pacey Witter in the beloved WB teen series Dawson's Creek. Though he didn't meet Turner-Smith until 2018, when they crossed paths for the first time at Usher's 40th birthday party, the Queen & Slim star was a longtime fan of the actor.

During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2021, Turner-Smith revealed that while that evening was the first time they had ever met, she had fancied Jackson all the way back in his Dawson's days. The couple soon found themselves head-over-heels for each other.

"When I first met my husband, we had a one-night stand," the actress told Meyers. "We're in a two, three-year one-night stand now."

The duo made their relationship Instagram official in 2019. "Two people who only fancy each other a little bit," Turner-Smith captioned a photo of the two staring into each other's eyes as they sat outside.

Their engagement and marriage

While appearing on The Tonight Show in 2021, Jackson opened up about how Turner-Smith proposed to him during a getaway. He said he knew it was meant to be "the moment she asked me."

"She asked me, yeah, on New Year's Eve," Jackson explained to host Jimmy Fallon. "We were in Nicaragua. It was very beautiful, incredibly romantic. We were walking down the beach, and she asked me to marry her."

Completely unaware that Turner-Smith would pop the question, Jackson said he recognized in an instant it was the right decision.

"There was like a preamble. There was a lead-up to it. I did not know [about it beforehand], but she was quite adamant, and she was right," he recalled. "This is the best choice I ever made."

They went on to marry in the following year and continued to frequently share their feelings for each other in the press.

"I think it's really beautiful to be with someone who is so supportive and so loving," Turner-Smith told People in 2021. "We're so similar in so many ways. We're like mirrors for each other. And I just really love that human being."

The birth of their daughter

In April 2020, the couple welcomed a daughter, Juno. Citing the Center for Disease Control and Prevention statistics that show the risk of pregnancy-related deaths is more than three times greater for Black women than white women, the duo decided to skip the hospital and instead have a home birth.

Delivering at home ensured that I had what every single woman deserves to have: full agency in determining my birth support," Turner-Smith told British Vogue at the time.

While speaking with Elle, Turner explained that she initially resisted having children with Jackson, but ultimately decided it was the right decision.

"I fell in love with my husband and we talked about having kids. To decide not to have a child with somebody you love, just because they're white, was insane to me," she said.

Turner-Smith also noted that having a child with Jackson has actually been a healing experience for her personally.

"Now that I've got this little, tiny, light-skinned boss, I feel like it's the universe teaching me lessons," said Turner-Smith. "I've been given a daughter who looks this way to heal my own conversations around colorism."

Going forward, the former couple will split joint custody of the 3-year-old, People reported.

Their last days as a couple

Just last month, Jackson and Turner-Smith appeared alongside each other at the COS Autumn/Winter 2023 runway show during New York Fashion Week.

(Getty Images) (Brian Ach via Getty Images)

It was a scene that was reminiscent of their past when the couple was known for frequently sharing about each other on social media.

In March of 2022, Turner-Smith set the Internet ablaze with a revealing post taken as the couple prepared to hit the red carpet at the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards. Standing naked on a balcony with a tux-clad Jackson clutching her from behind, Turner-Smith captioned the photo with "The cat that got the cream."
The ' Modern Family ' alum spoke exclusively with PEOPLE at the Step Up Inspiration Awards in Los Angeles on Friday

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic, Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty (L) Taylor Swift Taylor Swift attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in September 2023 in New Jersey (R) Julie Bowen at the Step Up Inspiration Awards in Los Angeles on October 6, 2023

Julie Bowen says she wishes Taylor Swift had been around during her 2018 divorce.

While speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at the Step Up Inspiration Awards  which were held at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles on Friday  the Modern Family alum, 53, opened up about how friend and former costar Sofia Vergara is doing amid her divorce, and why she wishes Swift, 33, had been around during her own.

Revealing that Vergara, 51, is great following her split from Joe Manganiello in July, and "has a wonderful family that surrounds her and wonderful friends," the actress jokingly said that she doesn't need Taylor Swift to take her to a game. Shes good.

I'm super happy that all those other girls are going to games with T Swifty, Bowen playfully added. I wish she had been around for me."

Swift attended last weekend's Kansas City Chiefs game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with friends, including Sophie Turner, who is currently going through a divorce from Joe Jonas.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Julie Bowen attends the Step Up Inspiration Awards at Skirball Cultural Center on October 06, 2023 in Los Angeles, California

Bowen and ex-husband Scott Phillips finalized their divorce in September 2018 after 13 years of marriage. Bowen had filed for divorce that February.

The actress and Phillips share three children together: son Oliver, 16, and 14-year-old twins Gustave and John.

When it comes to whether she is currently dating, Bowen told PEOPLE that her sons are her main focus.

No. No. Nah, I'm seeing three boys, she joked, noting, And they're terrible dates. They never pay, and they always just stiff me."

"They're great. They're really great, but they're teenagers, so it's mostly grunting, and it's mostly grunting and selling soap, because I'm doing JB Skrub, which is my tween and teen boys skincare line," she continued.

The actress also added that she and her twins have something quite unusual in common. I share clothes with my kids all the time, Bowen said.

They're 14-year-old boys. I love their clothes. High tops and baggy khakis, hell yes, she detailed, though she admitted Vergara has helped her to embrace dresses, stating, "Sofia is somebody that always has inspired me and given me the courage to get in a dress and stand up and say, It is okay to be a female.' It does not reveal a weakness, and it's okay to be embracing that."

Christopher Polk/Getty Sofia Vergara, Julie Bown

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Back in July, Bowen posted a rare photo of her three sons as she revealed that one of her twins needed to take a trip to the ER during a family vacation.

"Its not a vacation without a trip to the ER for a broken wrist Both bones broken, but John is on the mend and his brothers were total champs," she wrote in the posts caption.

Along with a snap of an X-ray, Bowen also posted a photo of her three sons. As John laid in a hospital bed with his arm covered in blankets, his two brothers stood nearby. The actress later updated her followers that John was doing well.



"Down, but not out! John is back in a boat after yesterdays run-in with a rogue wave," she captioned a subsequent Instagram post made on the same day.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

When shes not taking care of family emergencies, the actress is busy with her JB Skrub brand and said she's learning every day when it comes to the business.



It's crazy, Bowen noted of how the brand came to life. It's just me and this other mom from school who were like, 'Our kids smell, it's gross, and we don't like what's out there.' So over COVID, we developed this line, which is insane because I had no idea what I was doing. And now every day, I get spreadsheets and phone calls, I'm like, 'Oh, I'm a business bitch.' "

But I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm learning every day. The good news is I believe in the product a lot, because boys get left behind," she added.



"They go in the bathroom and ... let me tell you. I do their laundry. They're not clean, they're not taking care of all the parts. So our tagline is pits, nuts, butts  in that order," Bowen continued.



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Read the original article on People.
Katy Perry's legal battle over a $15 million property with an old man continues with a surprising twist!

The Pop star and her husband, Orlando Bloom, are embroiled in a fiery case against the veteran Carl Westcott over the sale of his Montecito house. In their latest court trial, the drama between the famous couple and the 84-year-old got interrupted by a woman's stormy entrance.

Woman Barges Into The Courtroom During Katy Perry's Property Trial

On Thursday, the legal proceedings in the real estate hearing were suddenly disrupted when an unidentified woman charged into the courtroom like a raging bull. The incident occurred while an expert neurologist took the stand to answer questions about Westcott's "cognitive capacity."

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Dr. Daniel Franc attended the trial at the request of Perry and Bloom's business manager, Bernie Gudvi. The neurologist was called to testify whether or not the 84-year-old entrepreneur had been incapable of reasoning in July 2020, when the couple had purchased his Montecito Mansion for $15 million.

The medical practitioner was giving his diagnosis when the unknown woman stormed into the courtroom, according to PEOPLE. Her first attempt to disrupt the legal proceedings was countered by a court clerk, who begged her to calm down and leave.

The woman's interruption visibly impacted Westcott's attorney, Andrew Thomas, who immediately requested deputies to be called into the courtroom. While some might have seen the lawyer's fear as an overreaction, it was the appropriate response as the unidentified woman barged into the courtroom a second time.

Fortunately, deputies arrived on time to remove her before the situation escalated. The woman's presence boggled the minds of those present, wondering if she had something to do with the property dispute case.

However, the judge stopped these speculations by revealing the lady's beef was with him. According to the legal umpire, the anonymous woman was displeased with an unrelated case he had presided over.

Woman Weighs In On Her Father-In-Law's Trial Against Katy Perry

Days before the aggrieved woman interrupted Perry's legal battle against the octogenarian, the veteran's daughter-in-law, Kameron Westcott, opened up about her family's case. The "Real Housewives of Dallas" star stressed that Carl never meant to sell his property to the "Roar" hitmaker.

Instagram | Kameron Westcott

In an Instagram Story update, the reality TV personality addressed the real estate dispute trial, which began on September 27. The case revolved around Perry and Bloom's insistence that the 84-year-old was in the right mental capacity when he agreed to sell his house, while Carl claimed otherwise.

Were on trial day two, and I just wanted to explain the obvious. The other side is basically saying he was in the right state of mind to sign the document that he signed. And again, he is 84 years old, Kameron explained in the video. At the time, he still had Huntingtons disease, dementia, and within that, you have impulsive behaviors.

The blonde beauty reaffirmed that her father-in-law never planned to sell the property but unfortunately came to his senses after signing the deal. Kameron claimed Carl's legal battle against Perry and Bloom was to raise awareness about elderly protection and prevent future victims.

Were just here fighting for his justice, and I just hope in the future this doesnt happen to anybody elses parents. Just horrible to have to go through this, the social media influencer lamented.

We have to protect our elders. We have to be a little more kind to our elders, and it might look like theyre in the right state of mind, but that doesnt mean they are, Kameron concluded her post.

Fans Slam Katy Perry As Her Real Estate Case Inspired Elderly Protection Bill

Nevertheless, the drama between the "Wide Awake" songstress and the octogenarian came with an unexpected blessing for the elderly. Following the viral case, efforts to pass the Protecting Elder Realty for Retirement Years Act skyrocketed as people became concerned about the older generations being kicked out of their homes.

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The bill, infamously known as the Katy Perry Act, would address the risks of elder financial abuse, especially as it relates to property and real estate sales and transfers if adopted. More information about the Act, according to its website, read:

The Act establishes a 72-hour cool-down period during which either party involved in a contract for conveyance of a personal residence, in which one party is over the age of 75, can rescind the agreement without penalty.

Fans positively reacted to the news, with many bashing the "Dark Horse" hitmaker for fighting to buy an unwilling man's home. Imagine getting an elder abuse bill named after you, a social media user quipped. Another critic slammed Perry, writing: Lmaooo they had to come up with something to stop her.
On Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m., Straits Area Audubon Society presents Kirtlands Warbler - From The Brink of Extinction to a New Model for Endangered Species Conservation with Bill Rapai, executive director, Kirtlands Warbler Alliance. The Kirtland Warbler is an iconic species in Michigan, nesting primarily in the jack pine forests of the Northern Lower Peninsula. The Kirtland Warbler was nearly extinct just 50 years ago but populations have recovered due to conservation efforts. Today there are more than 4,000 birds and the population continues to grow. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the warbler population level at recovered. In October 2019, the Kirtland Warbler was removed from the endangered species list. Learn how biologists are building a new model of conservation for this recovered species which continues to need our help.

Melissa F. Kaelin is a writer, painter, and photographer who moved to Michigan in 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She is a native to rural Ohio, having spent her formative years writing nonfiction and creative writing in Minnesota, where she lived for 11 years. An avid adventurer, she is a nature enthusiast, a dog lover, and a chaser of the Northern Lights. She also has more than a decade of experience writing, editing, working in design and social media management. Currently, she is on staff at the collegiate level, with a role in writing, press relations, communications and marketing. In 2021, Melissa founded the Michigan Aurora Chasers, which features news and events on their Facebook page. In 2017, she became one of the founders of the Aurora Summit, an international conference celebrating the Aurora Borealis. Melissa has published several books including, Below the 45th Parallel: The Beginners Guide to Chasing the Aurora in the Great Lakes Region. Join us at the library when we welcome Melissa Kaelin at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, for a book talk and discussion about viewing the Northern Lights. This is a free author event, registration is not required.

On Tuesday, October 24, the Lord of the Gourd will be demonstrating his master carving skills at the library. Drop 5-7:45 p.m. to see a master carver in action. His impressive animated carved faces will surely make you grin. Get ideas, tips and inspiration from a master pumpkin carver just in time for pumpkin season. This is a free event, registration is not required.

If you are looking to take advantage of the great autumn weather we are experiencing in Northern Michigan consider picking up a trails map from our entryway and exploring a trail or nature preserve. While you are at the library check out an Explore Cheboygan Backpack from our Library of Things collection. Our Explore Backpacks are customized activity kits designed to encourage exploration of the surrounding natural environment. Each backpack focuses on a different location and provides supplies for expanded learning. The parks featured for our Explore Backpacks include Cheboygan State Park with items in the backpack that focus on the beach and wildflowers. The Gordon Turner Park backpack has supplies that focus on birds. Take a scenic drive to Ocqueoc Falls State Park or the Black River Recreation Area. These backpacks are equipped with items focusing on trees and bugs. The Headlands Dark Sky Park is an amazing place to visit on the shores of Lake Michigan. Our Explore Backpack for this park is filled with tools for exploring in the dark. Whatever park, trail or preserve you choose to visit will not disappoint. Soak in these warm sunny days while they last. We hope you will be inspired to spend time exploring our beautiful surroundings.

 Paula Jewell is program director of the Cheboygan Area Public Library.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Library Lines: Learn the amazing story of Kirtland's Warbler
On October 21, 2021, Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on the set of the Western film when a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin went off.

Although the 30 Rock actor maintains he never pulled the trigger, both he and Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in January 2023. In April, charges were dropped against the 65-year-old actor. At the time, special prosecutors admitted that it was possible that the modified weapon had the potential to go off without the trigger being pulled.

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In early June, they said that they would submit the prop gun for further testing and make a decision on whether or not to charge the actor again within sixty days. Although Baldwin has yet to be charged, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is facing an additional charge of tampering with evidence after special prosecutors claimed that a witness came forward to say that she had transferred cocaine to another individual while the police were investigating Hutchins death.

Although they have claimed that Gutierrez-Reeds possible transfer of narcotics impeded the criminal investigation into Hutchins death, on Friday, special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey told a New Mexico judge on Friday that Rust producers have also attempted to obstruct the investigation into the death of the cinematographer.

Rust Producers Allegedly Obstructed Investigation Into Halyna Hutchins Death

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On Friday, October 6, special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey told District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer on Friday that Rust producers had attempted to interfere with the way law enforcement officials investigated the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.

Rust Productions has either intervened, interfered, or obstructed the criminal investigation in this case, special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey said, as per Deadline. This entire tragedy occurred because Rust Productions cut corners every chance they could and they hired inexperienced and ill-equipped crew members.

The livestreamed court hearing was part of the ongoing criminal investigation against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, which will go to trial on February 21, 2024. The trial was originally scheduled for December 2023 but had been delayed due to the difficulty of scheduling witnesses.

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During Fridays hearing, special prosecutors attempted to gain more information on Alec Baldwins true role on the Rust set. Although he is the starring actor in the film, he also has been listed as a producer on the set of the Western film. However, his legal team has argued that he only served as a producer in a creative capacity, as he came up with the idea for the film with director Joel Souza, who wrote the script.

Although special prosecutors want to know if Baldwin was involved with the films budget and hiring of crew members, Rust Movie Productions, LLC. has argued that the states subpoena to turn over all of the documents would be burdensome. They have also argued that the records impacting Baldwin are not relevant to the trial against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who is the only one currently facing charges.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Claims She Was Denied Additional Firearm Training

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Court documents obtained by The Blast in early October show that special prosecutors are now looking into the possibility that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was denied the ability to provide additional gun handling training to actor Alec Baldwin, as she requested days before the shooting.

The court filing claims that Ms. Gutierrez alleges she made requests for additional armorer days and for additional time to provide gun handling training to Mr. Baldwin. However, those claims were apparently denied. Ms. Gutierrez asserts that it is her belief these requests were denied for financial/budgetary reasons, the document adds.

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The state of New Mexico argues in the court documents that the state should be permitted to explore if her request to give Baldwin more training was denied due to financial considerations and not due to safety or other reasonable considerations. They also questioned if the motives at play in the decision altered the armorers ability to do her job.

Similarly, Mr. Baldwins contracts may provide that he receive a percentage of the profits from the movie, again demonstrating that financial gain may have impacted Ms. Gutierrezs ability to perform her job as an armorer, the documents state. As this Court is aware, the special prosecutors have a duty to investigate potentially exculpatory evidence, and as to Ms. Gutierrez, if it is proven true, it is exculpatory.
New Mexico special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey stated on Friday that the producers of ill-fated western Rust  including star Alec Baldwin  have obstructed the criminal investigation into the October 2021 on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins .

A judge ordered producers to hand over financial records and memos that were previously requested by Morrissey.

Rust Productions has either intervened, interfered or obstructed the criminal investigation in this case, said Morrissey, citing producers attempt to block a subpoena for the documents. Producers have yet to share Baldwins contract for the film, which prosecutors believe may have included incentives to bring the movie in ahead of schedule or under budget.

Morrissey said that Rust Productions is at fault for Hutchins death, because it cut corners at every chance and hired inexperienced and ill-equipped crew members, the L.A. Times reported.

Defense attorney Abigail R. Wolberg argued that Baldwins salary and how money was spent on the film isnt needed in the states case against armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. The armorer has already pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering. Her trial was recently pushed to February.

The state has made it very clear in its statements that its still considering bringing charges against Alec Baldwin, Wolberg said. I see these subpoenas as nothing more than continuing down that path.

A charge of involuntary manslaughter was initially filed against Baldwin, but was later dropped.

Morrissey also faulted Rust producers for possible interference with witnesses: A lawyer [was] on the scene within 30 to 60 minutes after this fatal shooting, who was running around and talking to witnesses before the police could speak to those witnesses, she said.

Baldwins renewed production of Rust, which was moved to Montana, has been on hold because of the actors and writers strikes.





The post Rust Producers Obstructed the Criminal Investigation of Halyna Hutchins Death, Prosecutor Says appeared first on TheWrap.
Richard Montano was convicted of accidentally murdering a mother of two, who he erroneously thought was his ex-girlfriend

Fairfax Police Richard Montano is pictured here. He was found guilty by Fairfax Circuit Court jurors on Thursday for the murder of Silvia Vaca Abacay.

A Virginia man was found guilty of first-degree murder and arson on Thursday for the killing of a mother of two last year who he thought was his ex, according to multiple outlets.

NBC4 Washington reported that prosecutors said Richard Montano, 48, killed Silvia Vaca Abacay, 40, on Aug. 10, 2022, inside his ex-girlfriend Fatima Via Rojas Seven Corners apartment.

According to The Washington Post, prosecutors said Montano intended to kill Via Rojas after she had recently broken up with him "at least twice" in late July 2022 following a volatile, abusive eight-year relationship, in which Via Rojas testified in court that Montano had struck and kicked her.

Related: Remains of Missing Calif. Woman Found, Former Boyfriend Faces Murder Charges

However, Montana didnt realize that Via Rojas friend Abacay, the mother of a son and daughter who live in Bolivia, was staying at the apartment when he attacked her upon answering the door, per NBC4 Washington.

He quite literally went for the jugular. He went for the face, the head, the neck. Hes going to where it will inflict the most damage, one lawyer said of Abacays injuries, according to the outlet.

The publication also reported that a medical examiner found Abacays body suffered/sustained at least 10 blunt force injuries and 10 stab wounds.

Listen to the pain and anguish in Silvias voice as she is screaming for her life in that call, a prosecutor said of a neighbors 911 call played in court to jurors.

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Once Montano realized he had killed the wrong person, he tried to cover up the murder by setting her on fire, prosecutors argued, according to NBC4 Washington.

He used her own clothing to burn her, a prosecutor said, per the Washington Post. He lit a body on fire to cover up a gruesome murder  a gruesome murder of the wrong person. He murdered the wrong person and now he needs to cover his tracks.

As a result, the Fairfax Circuit Court jurors also found Montano guilty of arson on Thursday, per NBC4 Washington.

Related: Suspect Arrested in Fatal Stabbing of N.Y. Social Justice Advocate in Front of Girlfriend: Reports

The Fairfax Circuit Court did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

Ive seen considerable crime scenes and photos, but the photos from this case stood out in terms of the severity of the victims wounds, Commonwealths Attorney Steve Descano said in a statement to the Washington Post.

"This case exhibited some of the most disturbing crime scenes Ive encountered," Descano also said in a statement, per Fox 5 Washington DC. "While we can't bring Silvia back, we can ensure that Montano doesnt pose further threats to the public."

According to Fox 5 Washington DC, Montano is facing life in prison as he awaits his sentencing trial on Jan. 24, 2024.



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The Bristol Police Department announced that Suzanne Laprise was taken into police custody after firing multiple rounds into the front lobby desk office window

Bristol Connecticut Police Department; Google Maps Suzanne Laprise (L), Bristol Connecticut Police Department (R)

A woman in Connecticut allegedly opened fire in the lobby of a police department on Thursday night.

The Bristol Police Department announced on Facebook that Suzanne Laprise of Plainville, Connecticut was taken into police custody after firing multiple rounds into the front lobby desk office window.

According to the department, Laprise, 51, arrived at the scene at approximately 10:35 p.m. when the desk was unoccupied. Laprise fired additional rounds at the desk's bullet-resistant glass after officers attempted to negotiate, police said.

Related: 2 Men Sentenced in Fatal Shooting of Mich. Singer Whose Hands Were Bound with Christmas Lights

BPD wants to recognize the heroic actions of our officers last night. Despite a truly life-threatening incident, they responded with calm, poise, and professionalism, resulting in no loss of life or serious injury to anyone.  Bristol CT Police (@BristolCTPolice) October 6, 2023

While the bullet-resistant glass prevented any injuries to the officers, the department announced in a separate Facebook post that the lobby was "closed for walk-in complaints to allow for repairs and maintenance."

"BPD wants to recognize the heroic actions of our officers last night," the department added in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Despite a truly life-threatening incident, they responded with calm, poise, and professionalism, resulting in no loss of life or serious injury to anyone."

Google Maps Bristol Connecticut Police Department

Laprise was released from the hospital early Friday morning after receiving an evaluation, police said. She was charged with multiple counts that included Illegal Discharge of Firearm, Illegal carry of firearms under the influence of drug/alcohol, Criminal Use of weapon, Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, Criminal Attempt/Murder with Special Circumstance, and Breach of Peace 2nd Degree.

Related: Remains of Missing Calif. Woman Found, Former Boyfriend Faces Murder Charges

While the incident currently remains under investigation by the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crimes Division and the Inspector Generals Office, Laprise was arraigned on Friday.

After being originally held in lieu of $3,000,000 bail, Judge Maureen M. Keegan lowered the amount to $1 million during the arraignment, reports CT Insider. The judge asked Laprise to come up with $300,000 herself to be released, reports CT Insider.

According to The Associated Press, Laprise is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 17. and remains detained. Laprise worked for a state agency that helps developmentally disabled people and retired in 2020, David Napierkowski, Laprise's public defender, told the Associated Press.

"This is an ongoing matter. Shes innocent until proven guilty," Napierkowski, who said Laprise has a son with Down syndrome, told the Associated Press.

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In court, Napierkowski told the judge she has never had a run-in with the law before, reports CT Insider. He said his client helped others with Down syndrome and volunteered at church.



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"We dont get too many spiders in this area," Debbie Ellwood, who was startled by the discovery, tells PEOPLE

Courtesy of Debbie Ellwood The spider Debbie Ellwood discovered in her office last month

An Australian woman was left stunned after finding an enormous pregnant spider in her office.

Debbie Ellwood, who lives in Central Queensland and works for a small trade business, discovered the arachnid in a ring binder at her place of work on Sept. 18.

"I was on a handheld phone when I picked up a ring binder folder and the spider jumped out as I opened it and it ran down my forearm and onto my desk," Ellwood tells PEOPLE.

"We dont get too many spiders in this area, most of the large dangerous ones are in the cooler states," she adds. "But it is possible for them to hitch rides on freight."

Courtesy of Debbie Ellwood

In photos taken by Ellwood, who was alone when she made the discovery, the creepy crawly can be seen next to a pink stapler and paperclip in her office.

Though startled by her finding, Ellwood was able to remove the spider with the help of a colander, a calendar and her laptop.

Related: Georgia Man Gets Bitten by Brown Recluse Spider  and Almost Loses His Leg: 'Very Lucky'

According to Newsweek, Ellwood then took pictures of the spider and sent them to her family to see if anyone could identify it.

When no one could, Tina Bates, Ellwoods niece, decided to share the photos on a Facebook group called Australian Spider Identification.

Courtesy of Debbie Ellwood Debbie Ellwood removed the spider using a colander

As reviewed by PEOPLE, Bates asked, Hi everyone, my Aunty found this spider in her office in Mackay QLD. It was relocated safely, outside in a colander so she didnt have to touch it. Does anyone know what type it is?

One group member, who is a top contributor to the Facebook group, described the spider as a very gravid jungle huntsman." (The word "gravid" refers to being pregnant, or carrying eggs.)

Related: Girl, 9, Finds Rare Megalodon Shark Tooth Fossil at Least 3.5 Million Years Old on Maryland Beach

Meanwhile, one group expert replied, Heteropoda species, female, Sparassidae family, as Jacinta indicated.

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Despite their chilling appearance, huntsman spiders are not considered to be dangerous, according to the Australian Museum.

As with most spiders, they do possess venom, and a bite may cause some ill effects. However, they are quite reluctant to bite, and will usually try to run away rather than be aggressive, the museum said.

Although she was unsettled by the encounter, Ellwood said she's "glad I never hurt" the spider.

Still, "it wasn't easy to be brave," she told Newsweek.



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The baby monkey's sex has not yet been confirmed

Ron Magill Zoo Miami's White Faced Saki Monkey Baby

Zoo Miami has recently expanded its animal family by one!

Last month, the Florida-based attraction welcomed a baby white-faced saki monkey, the zoo announced in a news release.

Born to 13-year-old parents  mother, Alejandra, and father, Macky  the baby monkey's sex has not yet been confirmed.

Since the animal's birth, the mom and newborn have been kept in a "secluded holding area," per the zoo, in an effort to allow them to "properly bond without any disturbance."

This week, the baby was found to be in good health and was observed nursing, according to the establishment.

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Zoo Miami

Related: Beloved Red Fox Named Swift Known for Her 'Warm Personality' Mourned at Miami Zoo

Recently, Alejandra and her newborn were given access to their habitat to get the baby monkey accustomed to it.

"She is very protective of her infant, which makes it difficult to get a clear view of it as it is cradled on her chest covered in a thick coat of hair," the zoo said.

In the future, the two monkeys will be able to be seen in their habitat at the Flooded Forest Building at the zoos Amazon and Beyond Exhibit.

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White-faced saki monkeys live in trees and can be found in the tropical forests of Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil and Suriname, according to the zoo.

The animals typically feed on fruits, seeds, nuts and invertebrates, the zoo added, and their main predators are large birds of prey, jaguars, ocelots and large constrictor snakes.



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With thousands of casualties resulting from rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel by Hamas militants, the United States is crafting a response to what President Joe Biden termed "the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel."

Biden delivered an address Saturday afternoon condemning the "unconscionable" actions by Hamas as the U.S. reactions continue to unfold to the attack, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.

Biden administration responds

The White House condemned the attacks on Saturday.

"In this moment of tragedy, I want to say to [Hamas] and to the world and to terrorists everywhere that the United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have their back," Biden said from the White House Saturday afternoon.

The president added that "Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop" and his administration's support for Israel's security is "rock solid."

PHOTO: President Joe Biden with Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks on the attacks in Israel in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington D.C., on Oct. 7, 2023. (Pool/ABACA via Shutterstock)

Earlier Saturday, Biden confirmed in a written statement that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel," Biden's statement said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed the president's statement, saying that the U.S. "unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities."

"We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israels right to defend itself," he added.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant "to convey his condolences for the victims of this appalling, abhorrent terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel."

"He conveyed that his thoughts are with the families of the victims, and that he sends his best wishes for recovery to those who were injured," Ryder said.

The Biden administration has said that Israel has a right to defend itself, though it is unclear how large a retaliatory strike Israel could execute before the U.S. would express disapproval.

The U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs tweeted and then deleted a message urging "all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks."

"We unequivocally condemn the attack of Hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred. We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. Terror and violence solve nothing," the message said, multiple outlets reported.

The State Department said the deleted tweet was not approved.

"This tweet was not approved and does not represent U.S. policy. The United States condemns the terrorist attack against Israel and unequivocally supports Israels right to defend itself, as the President and Secretary have both made clear," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Biden takes domestic political fire

Republican presidential candidates Saturday morning were quick to blame the Biden administration for the attack on Israel.

Specially, they point to the fact that last month, the U.S. agreed to un-freeze $6 billion in Iranian funds as a part of a prisoner exchange.

"I say to you with a heavy heart. This is what happens when you have a president like Joe Biden, who spends the last two and a half years projecting weakness on the world stage for from that disastrous withdrawal in Afghanistan, to kowtow into the mullahs in Iran for the last two and a half years begging them to get back in the Iran nuclear deal," former Vice President Mike Pence said in Iowa on Saturday.

"First, I just want to say that today, America stands with Israel against the terrorist attacks being perpetuated by Hamas, who is backed by Iran, and unfortunately funded by this American president with what he's done to Iran," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a campaign event in Iowa. "It's a disgrace."

Asked how he thought the Biden administration should respond to the attack, DeSantis first asked reporters whether Biden had made a statement yet on what happened. When the group responded yes, the governor said Biden needed to speak. (Biden had not yet delivered remarks from the White House.)

"This is a time for moral clarity. This is a time for the President of the United States to say unequivocally we stand with the people of Israel. We stand with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I know [Biden] doesn't always get along with and say you cannot have terrorists, raining down rockets on your civilian population going into these communities and killing people and hand to hand situations. That is totally unacceptable. And so, we've got to be very clear on that as Americans and he needs to make sure that he is doing moral clarity," DeSantis said.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates called the claims that Biden funded the attack "a shameful lie in every respect."

"Not a cent has been spent. They won't go to the Iranian govt. They can only be used for verifiable purchases of humanitarian needs like food & medicine," Bates added.

An intelligence failure?

There may have been indicators that intelligence should have picked up that an attack would happen in Israel, according to Mick Mulroy, former deputy, assistant secretary, defense for the Middle East, retired CIA, paramilitary officer, retired US Marine, and an ABC News national security and defense analyst. It was the start date of a similar attack in 1973 that started the Yom Kippur War, and there were likely indications of the buildup of munitions and the preparation of the assault force, and there was cyber activity in Israel prior to the assault, Mulroy noted.

After the president concluded his Saturday afternoon remarks, a reporter shouted out, "Mr. President, was there an intelligence failure in the lead-up to this attack?" Biden walked away without answering the question.

The attack itself was very complex. It was preceded by a rocket and missile barrage of thousands, which likely buttoned up the IDF and a lot of the police force in Israel; it was then followed by denial of service attacks in Israel and then an air, sea, and land attack with assaulters coming in on tractors to breach firms technical pickup trucks with soldiers, small boats, and paragliders. These multiple means of attack probably gave the IDF a significant tactical dilemma, per Mulroy.

The next phase will be mostly up to Israel, likely a ground invasion of Gaza to capture or kill militants and destroy the weapons and munitions supply, of which the Palestinians or prey pay the worst price, according to Mulroy who said this will be followed likely by special forces operations in an attempt to decapitate Hamas leadership and recover hostages and airstrikes as well.

The operation's complexity indicates a nation-state like Iran was behind this supporting the attackers with weapons and munitions, intelligence, and possibly operational planning. If Iran was behind it and is orchestrating this in any sense, they have multiple proxies around Israel and could escalate this by initiating attacks from multiple directions, including Syria, according to Mulroy.

Another possible consequence of the attack is the dissolution of the current U.S.-brokered negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

At least 300 people have died and over 2,000 have been injured so far in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.

ABC News' Mick Mulroy, Shannon Crawford, Hannah Demissie, MaryAlice Parks, Abby Cruz and Carly Roman contributed to this report.

How will America respond to the attack against Israel? originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Retired dean married to Pulitzer Prize-winning writer found shot to death on Vermont trail

A retired university dean who was married to Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ron Powers was found shot to death on a Vermont trail, police said, as a manhunt is underway for the suspect.

Honoree Fleming, 77, was found dead on a rail trail Thursday in Castleton, Vermont State Police said. She died from a gunshot to the head, and the medical examiner determined the manner of death a homicide, police said.

Fleming, who lived in the town, was a retired Dean of Education and "beloved teacher" at Vermont State University Castleton Campus, the university said.

MORE: Slain Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger allegedly shot by 19-year-old he was 'trying to help': Police

"Honoree was a part of the Castleton family and was beloved by faculty, staff, and students," the university said in a statement. "This is an unbelievable tragedy for the Castleton campus and for all of Vermont State University. Honoree will be deeply missed."

Prior to joining Castleton, Fleming was a faculty member at Trinity College, Middlebury College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Fleming was the wife of Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author, the university said. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1973 for his critical writing about television in 1972 while a TV and radio columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.

Powers said in a Facebook post Friday night that Fleming was walking "along her favorite trail near the college" when she was shot.

"I am still in shock," he wrote. "Those of you who knew her know that she was beautifully named. I have never known a more sterling heart and soul than hers. She has taken far more than half my own heart and soul with her."

PHOTO: Police are investigating the death of a woman who was found on a trail in the Castleton area. (WVNY)

The suspect in the fatal shooting is at large and considered armed and dangerous, police said.

Investigators are asking the public to review home and business surveillance systems to help track the suspect, Vermont State Police said on Friday.

Officers responded to a report of a deceased woman on the rail trail in Castleton around 4:30 p.m. ET Thursday, police said.

A witness reported hearing gunshots and seeing a possible suspect headed northbound on the rail trail in the direction of the Castleton campus, police said.

MORE: 'Catch Us If You Can': Inside the manhunt for an inmate and his alleged prison guard lover

The suspect is described by police as being a white man, approximately 5'10" with short red hair. He was last seen wearing a dark-colored T-shirt and carrying a black backpack, police said.

There were no witnesses to the crime itself, Maj. Daniel Trudeau with the Vermont State Police told reporters on Friday.

Residents were urged by police to "remain vigilant" amid the search for the suspect.

"The suspect is in all likelihood armed and dangerous, so should be treated as such," Trudeau said.

PHOTO: Police are investigating the death of a woman who was found on a trail in the Castleton area. (WVNY)

State police are asking the public and businesses in the Castleton area to review their surveillance systems for the suspect, from early afternoon into the evening hours on Thursday.

"We have no idea where this gentleman suspect took off," Trudeau said.

He added, "We're relying on the public to really help us here ... We really need a good first clue."

PHOTO: Vermont State Police released this photo of Honoree Fleming amid their investigation into her death. (Vermont State Police)

The Vermont State Police said Fleming started walking on the trail around 4 p.m. and was wearing a white-and-blue striped shirt, black pants and black sneakers. Police released an image of her on Saturday while asking anyone who saw her walking to contact them.

The Castleton campus closed Friday and a shelter-in-place order is in effect for those on campus due to the ongoing investigation, the university said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vermont State Police at 802-773-9101.

Retired dean married to Pulitzer Prize-winning writer found shot to death on Vermont trail originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Homemade sushi might just be the most satisfying way to claim dominion over your own kitchen. There might not be a more complicated or misunderstood way to show family or guests that you really know your stuff than to whip up a few perfect rolls on a whim. From tempura-coated shrimp to marinated mushrooms, you'll soon be cranking out all the most mouth-watering fillings you can imagine.

From the simplest, freshest hosomaki (sushi rolls with just one ingredient) to futomaki (fat sushi rolls stuffed with everything delicious), sushi is full of surprises. If you've been tempted to start rolling at home, let us give you a few pointers in the right direction in order to make things easier. Just remember to coat your fingers with rice vinegar before plucking a handful of warm rice (it will help to keep that stickiness at bay), mix your favorite protein and veggies, and don't look back.

Read more: 15 Different Ways To Cook Fish

Avocado

Avocados on wooden table - New Africa/Shutterstock

When you think avocado sushi rolls, the first thing that comes to mind are likely California rolls  and for good reason. California rolls, made with avocado, crab meat, and cucumber, with rice on the outside, are probably one of the most popular rolls in North America. Avocado isn't a traditional Japanese ingredient; instead, it was first used in 1970s North American restaurants as a way to make sushi more approachable. With its mild taste and creamy texture, avocado makes an excellent stand-in for fatty tuna when preparing sushi for vegetarians or people who aren't into raw fish.

If you decide to use avocado but are afraid of it turning brown, a little drizzle of rice vinegar over the sliced fruit will do wonders for keeping it fresh and bright until you serve your little bites. Rice vinegar works better in sushi because it won't really stand out, but go ahead and use a squirt of lemon juice if you prefer.

Carrot

Julienne carrots on cutting board - azerbaijan_stockers/Shutterstock

If you've made sushi at home before, you already know that the longest part of the process is prepping all the ingredients. Chopping all the veggies takes much longer than the rolling, for certain. Especially when you consider that the Japanese have myriad cutting techniques, each used for specific foods. While you might not get as in-depth with your own sushi prep for some vegetables, at least you might want to listen to those who know.

Carrots add a nice crunchy texture and a pop of color  two important things in the balance of sushi. Cutting them into long, thin julienne strips helps to reduce their bulk while still giving you enough carrot-filling to see and taste. And don't think that you have to stick with raw root veg, either. Pickled or even just lightly steamed carrots will still have a firm bite but won't be overly crunchy.

Crab

Crab legs on plate - Krass/Getty Images

There are a few ways to incorporate crab into your sushi, depending on taste, affordability, and availability. Fresh crab is great if you have the time to prepare it, but you might find that frozen imitation crab sticks are just as tasty and will save time when you just want a quick snack.

Crab is a great option for anyone who wants seafood but hesitates to try using raw fish at home. There are loads of options when it comes to choosing the type of crab you want to use, from fresh to frozen to tinned. Beyond ease of use, crab works well with all kinds of other ingredients, so the hardest part will be making up your mind about what kind of roll to make. Add cream cheese for a roll with a softer bite, or go with the classic combo of cucumber and avocado. Crab also works incredibly well when paired with something spicy, so give sriracha or shichimi togarashi (Japan's spicy, citrusy spice mixture) a try, maybe combined with some Japanese mayo.

Cucumber

Person julienning cucumbers - MDV Edwards/Shutterstock

Much like carrots, cucumbers are a lovely way to add instant freshness to your sushi rolls. The color and crunch help to bring balance while also keeping things healthy. In Japan, cucumber rolls (or kappa maki) are popular because of their simplicity and the cool taste that is perfect during the hot summers. If you want something a little more complex, you can add nearly any other filling to your cucumber roll, as their flavor works well with most other options.

When preparing your cucumber for sushi, look for Japanese or Persian cucumbers (rather than English or field) because they have fewer seeds and won't require as much work. Even so, most cucumbers will require you to get rid of the inner core once you've sliced it up in order to get rid of the softer center and any seeds. As well, be sure to leave the skin on so the spears retain their crunch and brightness.

Eggs

Plate with sliced Japanese omelet - Chiristsumo/Shutterstock

While eggs might not be your first choice when it comes to sushi fillings, we beg to differ. Tamagoyaki, in particular, is a slightly sweet omelet flavored with mirin, dashi, or soy sauce, depending on the recipe and your preferences. Usually served at the end of your meal, tamagoyaki-stuffed maki rolls are often called dessert sushi because of the lightly custardy, sweetened egg filling, but you'll find this omelet often makes an appearance during any meal during the day.

You might be worried that the Japanese omelet we think you should try will be tricky to pull off, but don't let the recipes fool you. Watch a few videos online and see how to proceed  slowly adding layer after layer of egg and rolling as you go until you have a multilayered, golden filling. Don't fret about using the requisite rectangular pan, either. You'll do nearly as well with any non-stick pan, as long as you're not concerned about having perfectly rectangular eggs.

Gari

Bowl with pickled ginger - Fudio/Getty Images

When it comes to talking about sushi, this is the part of our job that we really hate. Explaining that the slices of young, pickled ginger (known as gari) aren't meant to be a topping for your sushi but rather should be used as a palate cleanser between the various styles of filling is tough. Say, after you eat a succulent piece of fatty tuna nigiri and before you tuck into something lighter. We groaned out loud the first time we heard that, too. But hear us out.

You can, and should, still pair sushi with ginger for the optimal taste experience. Think about it this way  overload your sushi with a slice of gari or a blob of wasabi or drown it in soy sauce, and you're just drowning out the taste that you've worked so hard to produce. Using gari as a palate cleanser also means you get to enjoy it on its own, unlike wasabi or soy sauce.

Mushroom

Bowl with marinated mushrooms - nito/Shutterstock

Mushrooms are a huge part of Japanese cuisine, and sushi is no exception. They are, after all, one of the original umami bombs, so you'd certainly expect them to show up wrapped in rice and seaweed, right? If you're not a mushroom-lover, you might be tempted to stick with white buttons, but we'd urge you to look further afield for some really tasty options. Japanese mushrooms, like shiitake, matsutake, or enoki, can be prepared in a number of ways to make your sushi shine.

Mushrooms aren't usually added raw to sushi. This means you can cook them, but you can also marinate or pickle them to add flavor and a different texture. We'll caution you to be careful when marinating them, however, as fungi do an excellent job of absorbing liquids, and you might end up with soggier sushi than you expected. Another way to use mushrooms, especially enoki, is to fry them in tempura batter and roll them up or simply use them as the ultimate garnish.

Nori Sheets

Sheets of nori with chopsticks - Lyudmila Zavyalova/Shutterstock

Nori, otherwise known as seaweed sheets, are the crispy green wrappers that hold everything together. And don't fool yourself into thinking that there's no nori in those inside-out California rolls; it's just hidden inside. If you just can't stand the flavors of the sea, you might be in the wrong place  sushi relies on these briny beauties to make your sticky rice and lush fillings into the poppable treasures that you crave. A tip for better sushi? The rough side of the nori sheets is always the side that touches the rice; it gives a little traction that makes rolling the rolls easier.

When buying nori, you can find plain or toasted versions, although it's pretty simple to roast them yourself at home. This also works if you have nori in the back of your cupboard that could use a little perking up. Lightly coat the sheet with oil (preferably sesame) and, with tongs, hold over a flame from your gas stove. Continue for about 20 seconds, just enough time to add a little crispness and flavor. Lay on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt before moving on to the next piece.

Rice Vinegar

Rice vinegar with sushi - Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Another of the must-haves for sushi is rice vinegar. An important ingredient for flavoring the sticky rice that makes sushi what it is, rice vinegar is pretty easy to find and even easier to use. You can buy rice vinegar (sometimes labeled sushi vinegar), either seasoned or unseasoned. You can go the pre-seasoned route with little fuss, but using unseasoned means that you're in charge of how much sugar or salt is added to the finished product. Really, it's all a matter of choice and availability.

Making authentic sushi rice is something that needs a little practice in order to end up with a finished product that's not too gummy but still sticky enough and has the right balance of tangy, sweet, and salty without being overpowering. Take your time while making our traditional sushi rice recipe, and don't forget that the flavors will be less pronounced when the rice cools.

Shrimp

Tempura shrimp with dip - masa44/Shutterstock

For seafood lovers, shrimp is always a big hit when making sushi at home or for friends. Add a crispy, deep-fried layer, and no one will be able to resist your gorgeous rolls. If you're not into the deep-frying action (frozen shrimp tempura is pretty easy to find in stores  just pop them in the oven, and you're done), poached shrimp will also make a great filling as long as you don't make the biggest mistake of going too hot, too fast with your water.

Honestly, although tempura shrimp makes a terrific sushi filling, tempura veggies are also great. Try green beans, slices of squash, enoki mushrooms, or anything that could use a little extra deliciousness. And wait until you hear this option; you can absolutely fill your sushi rolls with the crispy, leftover bits of tempura (called tenkatsu) and drizzle spicy mayo over the rolls for a spicy, delicious little bite. This is such a common craving that you can actually buy bags of tempura scraps at Asian markets and online.

Smoked Salmon

Rolled smoked salmon - 4kodiak/Getty Images

Smoked salmon might have reached favor in North America because of the Philadelphia roll, but that doesn't mean it's any less tasty. Smoked salmon adds such a lovely taste to your sushi without being overpowering. Smoky, sweet, and just a little fishy, this option is close to raw salmon but without all the work or worry if you have questions about the safety of raw fish (don't fret, we're getting to that).

One of the best ways to use smoked salmon in sushi is with a shard of cream cheese in what's known as the aforementioned Philadelphia roll. Another combo to go with is avocado, like in this smoked salmon sushi. Fresh yet packed with flavor, it's easy enough to master quickly, so you can whip these up anytime you crave a creamy, seafood-packed treat in your bento lunch. Want a few more suggestions? Steam a few spears of asparagus or tempura-fry a handful of green beans for a little extra boost of crunch and taste.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce in a bowl - Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images

To try explaining soy sauce (shoyu in Japan) in two short paragraphs absolutely won't do it justice. More than just a basic condiment in Asia, soy sauce started in China in the 5th century B.C. before spreading across Asia. Japan fell in love with the combination of soybeans, salt, and koji (a rice mold that produces many extraordinary umami bombs, including miso and mirin) and started putting a lot of effort into many variations. Adding wheat to soy sauce makes it significantly different from the Chinese version, as well as making it unsuitable for eaters who need gluten-free options.

Besides that, you really don't need to be adding loads of salty shoyu to your maki rolls anyway. If you do, you're likely eating sushi the wrong way. Think about the balance of flavors and give your sushi rice a decent amount of seasoning; those rolls should be perfect on a plate. If not, rethink your ingredients and try again.

Spicy Mayo

Bowl of yum-yum sauce - Qioku/Shutterstock

More of a condiment than a filling, spicy mayo is still an important part of the homemade sushi experience. You might already know this as an easy mixture of mayo and something spicy, with a squeeze of lime if you're fancy. And we're not being snobby, but if you can get your mitts on Japanese mayo (we're talking Kewpie, baby), it will make all the difference. Like Duke's in the South, Kewpie adds just the perfect umami touch to your sushi. Just trust us  we know our mayo.

This spicy topping can give your tuna roll a little more heat, but it's also a gorgeous way to add a colorful and totally tasty topping to an otherwise so-so roll. Think back to the paragraph extolling the virtues of tenkatsu (those crispy, leftover tempura bits) rolls, and you'll get it. This creamy and spicy concoction could save your first sushi attempts by perking up the overly sticky rice and limp nori alone.

Sushi Rice

Sushi rice in bamboo box - Hungryworks/Getty Images

One of the most important parts of sushi rolls is the rice, right? Obviously, you can't just pack a ton of ingredients into a slice of crispy seaweed and roll it up without the sweet and salty goodness of rice. Sticky rice, the basis of sushi, might be much different from the stuff you've been using, especially if you're a fan of long-grain rice. Short-grain rice needs to be rinsed to get rid of the excess starch; otherwise, you'll go from perfectly sticky to unwieldy.

Don't beat yourself up if your first sushi experiment isn't as great as what you've experienced in a restaurant. According to chef Masaharu Morimoto, of Iron Chef fame, rice is the one sushi ingredient that you shouldn't mess up because it's instrumental to perfect maki rolls. However, we really need to stress the importance of not overworking that rice; you want it to be delicately seasoned and light. Take care not to end up with a sweet and salty carbo-mass.

Tofu

Strips of fried tofu - jreika/Shutterstock

There are lots of ways to use tofu, in sushi or otherwise. Don't assume that it should just be crowbarred into your dinner as a meat substitute, either, because in Japan, tofu isn't really seen that way at all. Rather, it's just another ingredient that can be used in a number of ways, from soft to firm, in both savory and sweet dishes.

In sushi rolls, strips of inari tofu are a perfectly acceptable substitute for meat but are often used in other 'dessert' sushi, much like the previously mentioned egg omelet, because of the sweet marinade. Inari tofu pouches are easy to use, as they come pre-marinated in soy sauce, sugar, dashi, and mirin, making them both sweet and savory. Often stuffed with rice and other tasty bits, inari tofu pouches can also be sliced into strips and added to your sushi rolls in place of meat or just to add a touch of sweet texture. Make them on your own, or buy the pre-seasoned pouches to slice and dice, to add a bit of intrigue to your sushi.

Tuna Steak

Tuna steak being sliced - LuismiCSS/Shutterstock

So you've finally decided that you're able to handle raw fish at home. Don't think we're judging you  sashimi isn't for the faint of heart. Starting with raw tuna is likely the best path for the at-home chef if you've done the research. Please don't assume that you can go fishing and start slicing up the first thing you snag; it's quite a bit more complicated than that. Sushi-grade fish means the difference between safe food and something much less delicious.

Here's the thing, sushi lovers. While sashimi (raw fish) or nigiri (raw fish on rice) might be the ultimate in mouthfuls, preparing raw fish yourself definitely needs some know-how before you set out on your own; this means that you need to be cautious when making sushi at home. Sushi-grade fish must be gutted and frozen as soon as it's caught to annihilate those pesky parasites  a practice that isn't regulated in North America. If you're itching to incorporate raw fish into your repertoire, make sure you trust your fishmonger. Otherwise, stick with something cooked and just as tasty.

Wasabi

Wasabi with sharkskin grater - Ukrainian Food Photo/Shutterstock

Finally, the condiment you've all been waiting for. Wasabi can make you a hero or an overblown try-hard. Unfortunately, wasabi isn't meant to be slathered on every bite of rice and nori, like jam on a peanut butter cracker. If you can't taste the individual components of a piece of sushi, you've definitely used too much.

To add insult to injury, most wasabi in North America isn't even the real thing. Seriously  it's just horseradish and a little bit of food coloring. Real wasabi needs to be grated right before serving, on a handsome sharkskin grater, preferably, as it loses potency pretty fast. But don't fret; adding a lot of wasabi, fake or not, will really only cover up the taste of your hard work, so go easy on the green stuff. Think of it as your crowning achievement in a tiny, feisty dollop.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
From booking flights to early hotel check-ins, A-List advisors share their advice.

So, youre dreaming of your next vacation. As you finalize your plans and the excitement grows, consider these tips from Travel + Leisures expert A-List advisors.

Pack strategically.

"Always pack a day bag if you're checking into a hotel early. With the huge demand for hotel stays at the moment, many properties can no longer accommodate early check-ins, but you are always welcome to use the facilities (go to the pool or hit the beach) while they store your big bags until your room is ready."  Kemi Wells, Wells Luxury Travel

Getty Images A view of the Laguna Bacalar, in Mexico.

Go against the crowds.

"Dare to go where others aren't. Now that we've emerged from the pandemic, people are flocking back to old favorites and cities. Consider bucking the trend and going to less popular destinations to reap the rewards of fewer people, lower prices, and more authentic experiences.

In Mexico, demand has leveled off in traditional beach destinations (including Riviera Maya, Tulum, Puerto Vallarta, Punta de Mita, and Los Cabos), which means opportunities are arising for more reasonable rates. Or, take it one step further and head to more remote destinations like the peaceful town of Bacalar, the wellness-focused Costa Careyes, and beyond."  Zachary Rabinor, Journey Mexico

Gary Yeowell/Getty Images When you've arrived, remember to pause and take in your surroundings.

Remember to pause in the moment once you're there.

"Sometimes, you need to find a good spot, take a seat and a glass of wine, and just watch what's happening around you. Travel with curiosity and attention to details and people."  Tova Wald, Tova Wald Boutique Travel & Events



Make plans well in advance.

"My biggest tip is to book early and always purchase travel insurance. Doing this means you can usually score the best options at the best prices, and by insuring your trip, you take a lot of the stress out of travel. Before working in travel, I never purchased insurance, but now I see the importance of it every day. Flight cancellations and delays are more and more common these days, but when your trip is insured (and you've worked with a great travel advisor), you can breathe easier knowing those issues can be worked through  and you won't be losing thousands of dollars when they arise!"  Erin Correia, Adventure Life

Be smart about ticket prices.

"For flights, use Skyscanner or Google Flight alerts so you don't overpay on air."  Kendra Thornton, Royal Travel



For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
At 76, action star Arnold Schwarzenegger still struggles with his body image.

In an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the star of The Terminator franchise said, I kind of smile because every day I do look in a mirror and I say, 'Yep, you suck. Look at this body. Look at the [pectoral] muscles that used to be firm and perky and really powerful. Now they're just hanging there.' I mean, what the hell is going on here?"

The one-time governor of California added that for most people, its one thing to see yourself get older and more and more out of shape but most of the people have never been in shape.

When youve been hailed for years as this supreme body, and you have the definition and you see the veins coming down your abs, and you see veins on top of your chest and then cut, you roll the clock 50 years and youre standing there and you dont see that anymore, he explained.

Yet even at the height of his bodybuilding days, Schwarzenegger was not always happy with his physique. In his Netflix documentary series Arnold, he admitted that he was never really satisfied with his body, and used to tell himself, I don't know how this s*** body could ever win this competition.

Jason Nagata, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, previously told Yahoo Life that competing in body building competitions, as Schwarzenegger did, are a risk factor for developing a type of body dysmorphia.

"Bodybuilders have higher risk for developing muscle dysmorphia, given the drive for a 'perfect' body, competitiveness, and need for control," he said. "They may perceive themselves to be puny or small, even if they are objectively muscular."

Schwarzengger has long spoken about feeling insecure in his own skin. In a 2016 interview with Cigar Aficionado, he recalled how he never saw perfection while looking in the mirror.

There was always something lacking, he said at the time. I could always find a million things wrong with myself and thats what got me back into the gym  because I started out with that mentality.
In the dusty Outback village of Areyonga, Tarna Andrews sat in the local schoolyard and rolled off a catalogue of problems afflicting her largely Indigenous community: a lack of jobs; inadequate health services; spotty internet.

Andrews has spent 38 years teaching in this tiny settlement, where dogs roam red-dirt streets some 135 miles from the nearest large town, Alice Springs.

On this cloudless afternoon, she was looking for answers but coming up short. Would Australias 14 October referendum on Indigenous issues, if successful, mean better housing, jobs, medical care and other improvements in Areyonga, known locally as Utju, where many live hand-to-mouth?

Local residents walk up a hill overlooking Alice Springs at sunset (Reuters)

An Aboriginal freehold land site is marked in the MacDonnell Ranges, near Alice Springs (Reuters)

Teacher Tarna Andrews sits in the school grounds in Areyonga (Reuters)

We dont see people coming from the government, coming and talking about what we need, Andrews, who is Indigenous, said in an interview. If I vote, is the government going to listen to me?

In just over a week, Australians will vote on whether to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the constitution and enshrine in it an advisory body called the Voice to Parliament that would give non-binding advice to lawmakers on matters concerning the continents first inhabitants. Polls show the measures are likely to be defeated.

A man walks across a park towards town in Hermannsburg, near Areyonga (Reuters)

Local residents Jonathan and Rosemary walk by the takeaway shop in Hermannsburg (Reuters)

Indigenous healthcare worker Sarah Gallagher, 48, at a care facility in Areyonga (Reuters)

The Voice had its genesis in the Uluru Statement From the Heart, a 2017 document setting out a roadmap for Indigenous relations with wider Australia. Its last paragraph says First Nations people seek to be heard.

But six years later, more than two dozen people in Areyonga and elsewhere in the Indigenous heartland of Australias Northern Territory revealed in interviews with Reuters last month how the Voice is struggling to connect with some of the people it is primarily designed to help.

Rosemary and Jonathan use the landline phone booth, as the local phone tower is out of service (Reuters)

Land council worker Conrad Malcolm Ratara, 61, poses in front of the dried river bank where his ancestors lived in what is now the Hermannsburg Historic Precinct (Reuters)

People rally during the Walk for Yes, hosted by the Yes23 campaign, at the Todd River in Alice Springs (Reuters)

While only two people were outright opposed to the Voice, most cited a lack of information about it within their communities and confusion about its purpose. Several said they had not heard of it.

Even those like Andrews who indicated they would vote for the change questioned whether it would address their practical, day-to-day struggles, from crumbling houses to a lack of paved roads.

Retiree Patrick Oliver, 70, poses for a photo on the front porch of his home in Hermannsburg (Reuters)

Its a really tough question for Aboriginal people, said Sarah Gallagher, a 48-year-old Indigenous healthcare worker, who was undecided. People should come to our community and explain to us about the vote.

Surveys show nationwide support for the Voice declining from around 60 per cent earlier this year to around 40 per cent, with voters prioritising economic issues instead. Experts have partly attributed the slump to misinformation, along with a lacklustre Yes campaign and conservative opposition.

A woman holds up a sign supporting the Voice to Parliament at the Walk for Yes event in Alice Springs (Reuters)

Artist Kathy Coulthard, who is Indigenous, walks onto the back porch of her home in Alice Springs (Reuters)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose centre-left Labor government supports the proposal, has described it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help close a glaring gap in socio-economic outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. He has resisted calls to offer more detail, saying the design of the Voice would be determined by parliament through legislation.

People say to me, What is the Voice about? Its about recognition and listening so as to get better results. Thats all its about, Albanese said during a visit to the Northern Territory in August.

People gather at the Walk for Yes event in Alice Springs (Reuters)

Writing on a car in Alice Springs shows support for the Voice (Reuters)

The lack of specificity has been a theme for the Voices detractors, fuelling fears on the right about its intentions. In this climate of uncertainty, with polls showing many voters undecided, the campaign against the Voice has prospered with a message of, If you dont know, vote No.

Unlike New Zealand, Canada and the US, Australia has no treaty with its Indigenous people, who make up about 3.8 per cent of the population. Under government policies, they suffered dispossession of their homelands and forced separation of children from their parents until well into the 20th century. Many live in poverty and experience lower life expectancy, high incarceration rates and poor educational outcomes.

Photography by Jaimi Joy

Reuters
This article originally appeared on Outside

Rescue crews are scanning the slopes of 26,335-foot Shishapangma in Tibet following a series of deadly avalanches that swept away several climbers on Saturday, October 7.

According to a report in The Himalayan Times, the slide killed American climber Anna Gutu and her guide, Mingmar Sherpa of Nepal. The report says that two other climbers are missing: Gina Marie Rzucidlo of the U.S. and Tenjen Lama Sherpa of Nepal. Sources at Shishapangma base camp confirmed the news to Outside.

Gutu and Rzucidlo were attempting to become the first American woman to climb the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 meters at the time of the disaster. Tenjen Lama Sherpa recently completed a record-breaking ascent of the mountains while guiding Norwegian Kristin Harila. The two scaled the peaks in 92 days.

Shishapangma is the world's 14th highest peak.

Quoting eyewitnesses, the Himalayan Times said the group of climbers was approximately 300 feet below the summit when two avalanches swept down the main route to the top. Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that 52 total people were climbing to the summit when the avalanche struck. The avalanches hit at least seven climbers; in addition to the two dead and two missing, three others--Kami Rita Sherpa, Mitra Bahadur Tamang, and Karma Gyalzen Sherpa.

Climber Mingma G of guiding company Imagine Nepal Treks organized a rescue party to reach the group. According to The Himalayan Times, the rescuers found the bodies of Gutu and Mingmar Sherpa in the snow.

Website Explorersweb said that Shishapangma was the final peak for Gutu and Rzucidlo in their respective attempts to complete the 14 peaks. Gutu was attempting to scale all of the famed mountains in the same season--Explorersweb said she was on pace to complete the challenge in six months. She was climbing with Elite Exped. Gutu had ascended her 13th peak, 26,864-foot Cho Oyu, on October 4 and then headed to Shishapangma after completing the trek.

Rzucidlo, who hails from New York City, had started her quest in 2022 by climbing eight peaks. She ascended Cho Oyu on October 1 and then also headed to Shishapangma. Quoting sources at base camp, Explorersweb said that Gutu began her ascent of Shishipangma on Friday, October 6. Rzucidlo was already at a higher camp by then.

Shishapangma is one of China's two 8000ers, alongside Cho Oyu. In 1999, an avalanche swept across the south face killing famed American climber Alex Lowe and cameraman David Bridges. American climber Conrad Anker was alongside the two and survived the slide. Sixteen years later, Swiss climber Ueli Steck found the bodies of Lowe and Bridges on the peak.

Giselle Cesin contributed to this report. This is a developing story--please check back with OutsideOnline for additional updates.

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Whether it appears as the oatmeal of Scotland, the polenta of Italy, or the grits of the American South, a porridge-like grain dish can be found in almost every culinary culture. For the Indigenous people of the Southwest, this bill is met by blue corn mush known as tanaashgiizh in Navajo.

A classic dish made from staple Indigenous ingredients, blue corn mush shares a kinship with other creamy grain dishes in texture and taste. But, this gray-blue mixture packs two additions that set it apart: finely ground blue corn and juniper ash. Blue corn itself is a signature crop of the Hopi tribe, and juniper ash has been used as a calcium health supplement by the Navajo for hundreds of years. Since Native Americans weren't introduced to dairy until the Spanish conquest, many are naturally lactose intolerant and so get their calcium from dairy-free sources like juniper ash. Beyond the calcium, both the blue-born flour and the juniper ash also pack a wallop of vitamins such as niacin and vitamin B.

Given that blue corn mush is a full creamy yet nutritious meal, the Navajo often enjoy it as a special treat all on its own. The best part about this moody blue mix? It can easily swing sweet or savory, depending on your cravings. So, how do you go about finding these ingredients and making your own version of blue corn mush at home?

Read more: 25 Most Popular Snacks In America Ranked Worst To Best

A Classic Indigenous Dish

blue corn with husks - Bonchan/Getty Images

Try to look for roasted, nixtamalized blue corn flour, as corn meal may be too roughly ground and can make your blue corn mush too gritty. You can find this in specialty grocery stores and online. Juniper ash, which is made by slow-burning a bunch of juniper branches, is best found online if you don't live in the American Southwest, where one could track it down at a trading post or burn foraged branches at home.

A basic recipe for blue corn mush features just three ingredients: blue corn flour, juniper ash, and water. Try using 1 cup of blue corn flour for every 3 cups of water. Add a teaspoon of juniper ash to the blue corn flour mix, then add the dry ingredients into cold water in a pot on the stove. Bring everything to a boil and stir until thickened and soft. A couple tablespoons of sugar, honey, or syrup would easily transform the base into something sweet with toppings like roasted berries, toasted nuts, or some coconut flakes to drive it home. For a savory take, you can treat your blue corn mush like you would a bowl of grits or polenta, adding salt, soy sauce, or a dash of hot sauce and topping it off with braised short ribs, smokey bacon, or a sauteed bitter green. Whether you try it sweet or savory, you'll soon understand why this dish has endured for generations within the Navajo community.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Dining at McDonald's in other countries is definitely a rite of passage for those who can't get enough of the chain's chicken nuggets, burgers, and fries. There are unique menu items at McDonald's all across the world, including specialty desserts, unique burgers, and of course, interesting sauces. Even though American McDonald's locations have seven specialty sauces to choose from, that hasn't stopped fans from traipsing the world looking for the newest sauce to try, and it turns out that McDonald's in Portugal offers a garlic dipping sauce that has people talking.

The dipping sauce, called Molho de Maionese com Alho, translates to garlic mayo. The garlic dip is popular throughout Portugal and is often made with mayonnaise, fresh garlic, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. The dip is known for its extremely strong garlic flavor and is typically eaten with crackers, fries, meat, or sandwiches. Those who have tried the sauce cannot stop raving about the flavor, with several TikTok videos showing fans singing the praises of the sauce.

Read more: The Most Overrated Chain Restaurants In The US, According To The Mashed Staff

Yes, The Sauce Is That Good

Molho de Maionese com Alhos - X

TikTok creator @Live_TheDash shared a video of the special Portuguese McDonald's sauce while on a "worldwide McDonald's tour." Sadly, the sauce is not available outside of Portugal, meaning travelers will have to smuggle the dip back into their pockets or luggage. Another video creator called the sauce, "The best sauce, hands down." People flooded the comments agreeing with the sentiment and begging for it to be sold worldwide. One person wrote, "That garlic mayo is the best thing I've ever tasted. They should sell it in stores." Another shared, "Yeah we use a loooooot of garlic in Portugal...and I think it's beautiful."

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Back in May 2023, McDonald's in the UK celebrated the 40th anniversary of its chicken nuggets with the release of a garlic mayo dip. Unfortunately, it was a limited-time offer and as of now, the dip is available solely in Portugal. Luckily, garlic aioli is very easy to make at home, and while it may not be exactly the same, it's sure to satisfy the craving when it hits. If you do happen to find yourself in Portugal, you might as well dine at the Portuguese McDonald's that looks like a cathedral. Just don't forget to get several Molho de Maionese com Alhos for the trip home.

Read the original article on Mashed.
We love a Heidi Klum fashion moment, and whether the supermodel is walking the red carpet or displaying her elevated street style, the television personality always looks chic. The 50-year-old SI Swimsuit model recently displayed the fall best fashion inspo when it comes to modern menswear-inspired styles.

Klum, who recently began filming the latest season of Germanys Next Topmodel, for which she serves as host, lead judge and executive producer, showed off an incredible outfit on Instagram on Oct. 3. The mom of four chose a black-and-white pinstriped ensemble that consisted of a bra top and high-waisted trousers. She accented the look with a pair of white pointed-toe pumps.

In her reel, Klum stood against a brick wall with her hands in her pockets before removing them to fluff up her signature blonde locks, which were styled in a textured blowout. As for glam, the Americas Got Talent judge stuck with her tried-and-true smokey eye and nude lip combo. She set the footage to Come Check This by FETISH.

The model then followed-up with an Elevator Selfi in which she donned a matching blazer over top, making for an incredibly impressive three-piece suit set. She tagged makeup artist Linda Hay, hairdresser Wendy Iles and photographer Rankin.

We love the way Klum played up the feminine aesthetic of her menswear look, which is giving us plenty of fall fashion inspiration. Not only can you wear white long after Labor Day, but three-piece suits are always a great fashion choice. While you can wear each of the pieces together, as Klum did, you can also incorporate them individually into other outfits, as well.

Make sure to follow SI Lifestyle in Google News!
Rich, creamy, and packing a mouthful of luscious textures, cheesecake is one dessert that ranks high for foodies with a sweet tooth. When the craving surfaces, Americans typically think of the dense smoothness of the widely popular New York-style cheesecake. It's a beloved classic that originated around a century ago, but its predecessor features a contrasting light and fluffy consistency, resembling more of a traditional cake. This is one of the main differences between regular and New York-style cheesecakes, the latter tasting much heavier due to the addition of cream cheese. If there was a cheesecake spectrum, international versions of this dessert fall somewhere between the two. Japan and Germany are two countries that each have their own unique, delicious cheesecake recipes that differ from ours across the pond.

Biting into a Japanese cheesecake hardly requires any chewing, since the sponge is so miraculously soft that it just melts right in your mouth. They can be eaten cold as well as warm, and you can often find them packaged as bite-sized snacks at local Asian markets. On the other hand, German cheesecakes lean a bit more towards the American kind in terms of mouthfeel, but are lighter and made with a specific, creamy European cheese that can be difficult to find in the U.S. Both have intriguing flavors that would make any cheesecake lover want to let their taste buds branch out and try something new.

Read more: 12 Popular Ice Cream Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

What Is A Japanese Cheesecake?

Japanese cotton cheesecake with raspberries - irina2511/Shutterstock

Commonly known as cotton or souffle cheesecake for its delicate, cloud-like texture, when you first try a Japanese cheesecake, you'll be wondering what culinary magic it could possibly be laced with. The fluffiness is partly achieved by whisking egg whites separately before adding them to the batter, much like that of airy meringue. After mixing in the other main ingredients of cream cheese, butter, sugar, and heavy whipping cream, the cotton cheesecake is then baked in the oven using a special baking method.

The secret of the Japanese cheesecake's consistency lies in the bain-marie, a French technique that translates to "water bath", but western bakers might know it better as a double boiler. The bain-marie cooks the cake uniformly in the oven until its edges have firmed up slightly. It's traditionally topped with a tangy apricot jam or glaze once it's ready to eat. Not only is it significantly lighter than New York-style cheesecake, it also contains much less sugar. In the end you're left with a great balance of flavor and feel, without having to put down your fork because it's too rich.

After World War II, Japan got to experience American cheesecake for the first time as soldiers brought new cheeses with them into the country, but the Japanese souffle cheesecake didn't become what it is today without help. Japanese chef Tomotaro Kuzuno was inspired by the German cheesecakes on his travels to Berlin in the 1960s, which ultimately led to its inception.

German Cheesecake's Star Ingredient Is Quark Cheese

slice of German cheesecake plated - Lecker Studio/Shutterstock

Depending on where you are in the world, cheesecake might go by a different name. In Germany, it's known as kasekuchen, and it's infused with a soft cheese made from soured milk that can be eaten in a variety of tasty ways. Not much is known about the kasekuchen's origins, just that it's existed in Europe since at least the 17th century. It's made with quark, a low-fat type of cottage cheese created very similarly to creme fraiche, although it tastes more like yogurt. When baked into a cheesecake, quark delivers a savory taste and gives the kasekuchen a lighter quality than that of American cheesecakes. Outside of German delis, specialty shops, and the occasional lucky score from a grocery chain, it can be challenging to find some quark cheese in the States, but you can substitute it with ricotta.

German cheesecakes don't boast any fancy ingredients. In fact, the recipe keeps it quite simple with just eggs, milk, and sugar as the necessary basics. It never hurts to include a dash of lemon zest or vanilla extract, as is also the case for many other sweet treats that might be on a baker's radar. It's common to enjoy a kasekuchen with fresh berries on top or to mix them with the quark cheese for a fruity cheesecake filling. Instead of the crumbly cookie layer featured in most western cheesecakes, it has a shortbread crust that gives this perfect cheesecake crust a bit of crunch.

Read the original article on Mashed.
It's no secret that winters in Sweden can be chilly to say the very least. Like many other snow-prone nations, Sweden has developed special meals to help combat the cold. Kalops, Sweden's version of beef stew, is their answer to the frigid nights of autumn and winter.

On outward appearance, kalops looks like any other old-fashioned beef stew. All of the prerequisites are there: beef, broth, carrots, potatoes, and parsley. Kalops adds a special ingredient that makes it unique: allspice. Whole allspice berries are added to the broth to give the stew a rich warmth that livens up the other flavors. Pickled beets are another key differentiator. The stew gets a touch of acidity from the pickling brine and a sweet earthiness from the beets.

Preparing kalops is as simple as making any other beef stew. You sear the beef and vegetables in a pot, add seasoning, cover everything in broth, and simmer for several hours. The potatoes and beets are prepared separately as side dishes. The goal is to have something hearty and warm to keep the blood pumping on chilly nights.

Read more: Tips You Need When Cooking With Ground Beef

Roots And Variations

Kalops with beets and potatoes - AS Foodstudio/Shutterstock

It would not be mere conjecture to assume that kalops share a heritage with English and Irish-style beef stews. England and Ireland were long subject to Viking raids, which made culinary crossover unavoidable. The first written account of kalops did not appear until the 18th century. Whether or not it was eaten in Sweden beforehand is unknown, but it has become a veritable staple. Kalops can be prepared in a few different ways. Some recipes take or leave the carrots and some prefer to swap in reindeer or elk in place of beef. The favored sides of pickled beets and boiled potatoes give the stew a bit of heft, and, thanks to all that allspice, a lively lift.

Making kalops is a great way to bring spice and warmth into your kitchen during the colder months. It is easy to make if you have the right ingredients and it just might become a familiar favorite if made often enough.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Colorado has found its gray wolves.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Friday announced a one-year agreement with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to source up to 10 wolves for the states voter-mandated reintroduction effort.

The wolves will be captured and relocated to Colorado between December 2023 and March 2024, CPW said.

In May, the CPW Commission approved a plan that cleared the way to reintroduce wolves in Colorados Western Slope. The state has until Dec. 31 to meet its voter-approved deadline for gray wolf reintroduction.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and our administration have worked tirelessly to safely reintroduce wolves consistent with that voter-mandated deadline, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a news release. To that end we have met with many stakeholders, held public meetings, and collected feedback from more than 3,400 Coloradans. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted unanimously in support of the wolf reintroduction plan. We are deeply grateful for Oregons partnership in this endeavor, and we are now one step closer to fulfilling the will of the voters in time.

Capturing the wolves will be up to CPW, but Oregon wildlife officials will share wolf locations and best practice for capturing them.

We are grateful to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for working with our agency on this critical next step in reintroducing gray wolves in the state, CPW Director Jeff Davis said in a news release. This agreement will help ensure Colorado Parks and Wildlife can meet its statutory mandate to begin releasing wolves in Colorado by December 31, 2023.

Colorado will pay for all costs associated with capturing the wolves in Oregon, CPW said. They plan to use helicopter crews and spotter planes during the operation.

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Once the wolves are captured, CPW said it will test and treat the animals for any diseases on site. Then theyll place tracking collars on them, and take measurements of the animals.

They plan to transport the wolves in sturdy aluminum crates back to Colorado, either by truck or airplane.

The wolves will be released at select sites in Colorado as soon as possible once they arrive in the state to minimize stress on the animals, CPW Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell said in a news release. CPW will aim to capture and reintroduce an equal number of males and females. We anticipate that the majority of animals will be in the 1- to 5-year-old range, which is the age that animals would typically disperse from the pack they were born in.

Wolves will have to reach a certain standard to be selected for reintroduction. CPW said it wont take wolves that have several broken canines, missing eyes, fractured or missing limbs, mange or lice infestation.

Oregon has a long history of helping other states meet their conservation goals by providing animals for translocation efforts. Some of our wildlife populations were also restored thanks to other states doing the same for us, including Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Curt Melcher said. The wolves will come from northeast Oregon, where wolves are most abundant in the state and where removal of 10 wolves will not impact any conservation goals.
Love is Blind season 5

Love is Blind creator Chris Coelen has responded to season 5 contestant Tran Dang's claims that she was assaulted by Thomas Smith while filming in Mexico, and barred from leaving her room in the aftermath.

In a statement shared with People, Coelen said Dang, who filed a lawsuit against the producers for the alleged incident, "never told [crew members] that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made."

He added, "If anybody ever came to us and said they felt unsafe in any way, we would immediately remove them from the experiment and talk to them, and try to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, in this case, that kind of sentiment was never addressed to us in any way, nor was any alleged wrongdoing brought to our attention ever."

Kinetic Content, LLC and Delirium TV, LLC, the production companies behind the series, also shared a statement.

"We support and stand with victims of sexual assault, but Ms. Dang's claims against the producers are meritless. We document the independent choices of adults who volunteer to participate in a social experiment," the statement read. "Their journey is not scripted, nor is it filmed around the clock. We have no knowledge or control over what occurs in private living spaces when not filming, and participants may choose to end their journey at any time."

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Kinetic additionally noted that it takes "any and all concerns of our participants seriously and prioritizes their well-being." The company also echoed Coelen's comments, saying that Dang "never informed the producers of any alleged wrongdoing of any kind. Nor did she choose to end her participation in the experiment. Instead, Ms. Dang continued in the experiment for weeks after the time her lawyers now claim an incident occurred."

In her lawsuit, Dang alleged that when she traveled to Mexico with her Love is Blind fiance, he assaulted her while filming. In court documents obtained by TMZ, she claimed that he "incessantly groped" her, exposed himself, and "forcibly and repeatedly made sexual contact" without consent. She alleged that when she brought up concerns to producers, her allegations were "swept aside."

She additionally sued the producers for false imprisonment, stating that she was not allowed to leave her hotel room which made her "unable to exercise her will in going anywhere she was lawfully allowed to go." She sought $1 million in damages, claiming she suffered "extreme emotional distress, pain, mental anguish, and suffering."

Related: Which Love Is Blind Couples Are Still Together in 2023?
Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have collaborated on another World War Two saga, the third epic in their trilogy of miniseries which began in 2001 with Band of Brothers and continued in 2010 with The Pacific. The acting and directing powerhouses are executive-producing new show Masters of the Air , about the 100th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Air Forcealso known as the "Bloody Hundredth" for Apple TV+. And if their previous work is anything to go by, it looks set to be appointment prestige television of next year.

Masters of the Air is based on real events.

Just like Band of Brothers and The Pacific, this series draws inspiration from real military figures in the Second World War. Much of the story takes its inspiration from the nonfiction book Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller, which recounts the actions of the Hundredth, tho would fly at heights of up to 25,000 feet in freezing cold temperatures over Nazi Germany.

The rights to Miller's book were optioned as far back as 10 years ago, with HBO originally reported to be developing the series in 2013. In 2019, Hanks and Spielberg announced that they had struck a deal with Apple TV+, and the Hollywood Reporter has since confirmed that nine epiodes with a total production cost of $250 million have been filmed with Apple Studio.s

Austin Butler leads the cast.

Masters of the Air comprises a sprawling ensemble cast, with some of the most exciting up-and-coming actors in key roles. Austin Butler, who garnered critical acclaim for his performance opposite Hanks in 2022's Elvis, will star as Major Gale Cleven. The series will also feature Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin) as Lt. Curtis Biddick, Callum Turner (The Capture) as Major John Egan, Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education) as 2nd Lt. Robert Daniels, and Freddy Carter (Shadow & Bone) as Lt. David Friedkin.

Apple

Masters of the Air will take flight in January 2024.

The series premiere of Masters of the Air will begin streaming on Apple TV+ on January 26, 2024, in a special two-episode event, with new episodes dropping each week after that until March 15.

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One city in Southern California is making headlines for a wonderfully unusual reason--animal rights! That's right, the city of Ojai has become the first in the nation to recognize another species' right to freedom following a 4-1 vote by the City Council.

It may sound like a small move, but it's a huge step forward in protecting animal welfare in California and in the country as a whole.This legislation, which was proposed by Council Member Leslie Rule, recognizes and defines elephants' right to liberty. Council Member Rule worked alongside the Nonhuman Rights Project to develop this animal rights legislation, and their work finally paid off on September 26.

While this is a great first step toward protecting animals in California, notes the Ojai Daily News it can be hard to know what exactly the legislation means. In the simplest terms, elephants cannot be imprisoned or kept against their will within Ojai city limits.

"There are efforts in other cities and states to pass similar ordinances," Rule explained to her fellow Council Members. Countries have passed constitutional amendments granting fundamental rights to nonhuman animals and natural entities, like rivers. That's true! Though uncommon in the United States, many natural landmarks and animal species have won bodily autonomy--or habeas corpus--rights around the world.

The passing of the law in Ojai is part of the Nonhuman Rights Project's nationwide efforts to ask for a hearing to determine whether several zoo elephants should be relocated to an animal sanctuary. The elephants in question are the trio from the Fresno Zoo, two of whom are pregnant. The southern California town's decision will be noted and considered in the California Supreme Court, when the Nonhuman Rights Project presents their case on a statewide level.

There are currently 19 elephants kept in zoos in California, though one town's decision could be the reason that all changes.

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Vaginal health can be an overwhelming topic. Many people are uncomfortable speaking about the issues that arise with their genitalia  which, unfortunately, only further stigmatizes discussions about vaginal health. Yet the vagina is an important part of the body, and its health can have great impacts on your wellness as a whole.

Heres everything you need to know about vaginal health.

Signs to watch out for

Vaginal discharge

Most vaginal discharge is normal  and even keeps the vagina healthy. However, changes in vaginal discharge can sometimes signal that there is something wrong, such as an infection. While vaginal discharge typically doesnt have an odor, an infection can cause a stronger smell, making it something to look out for.

The same goes for color: According to Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine, discharge caused by bacterial infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) can be grayish in color, while those linked to trichomoniasis are usually greenish-yellow. A yeast infection, meanwhile, typically produces white discharge with a cottage cheesy appearance, she said.

Vaginal/vulvar itchiness

Its no fun to be itchy down there, and often it can be a sign that something is amiss. Yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis (BV), lichen sclerosus, and even vulvar cancer can lead to itchiness around your vulva or inside your vagina, which means its important to speak to a medical professional.

Sometimes, however, its the products you use that can cause this type of itchiness.

Women are told they should use all these vulvar washes and other products, and its really poison to the vulva, says Dr. Lauren Streicher, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University. Its not meant for vulvar use, even if the product says it is. All these perfumes and chemicals can cause a lot of problems in terms of itching and burning and irritation.

Vaginal odor

While some people may feel insecure about vaginal odor, its worth noting that youre not supposed to smell like a bouquet of flowers down there  and you shouldnt use products that suggest you should because they can throw off your vaginas pH and cause a slew of issues. That being said, there are some odors  such as a strong fishy, rotten or yeasty smell  that can signal something is wrong, like BV or a yeast infection. If you sense some changes to the way you smell, its important to check in with your medical provider.

Vaginal penetration pain

Sex is not supposed to hurt  and neither is putting in a tampon. Certain conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, vaginismus, infections and fibroids, may cause pain from intercourse or other penetration.

"Frequent or moderate to severe pain usually indicates that something isn't right and is a strong indication that it should be addressed with a health care provider," womens health expert Dr. Jennifer Wider tells Yahoo Life.

Unfortunately, for people who experience pain constantly during penetration, it can become the norm  which stops them from seeking help for that specific issue.

"So many women wait until their annual visit [to bring it up], but there often isn't enough time to really dive into what's going on," Streicher tells Yahoo Life. "It's meant to be a well-woman visit, but this isn't a well woman  it's a problem."

Possible diagnoses

Bacterial vaginosis (BV)

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is typically caused by an overgrowth of a common type of bacteria called gardnerella vaginalis. Its the most common vaginal infection in women, affecting nearly 30% of women between 15 and 44 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Treatment involves a seven-day course of antibiotics, and its important to complete the course to avoid a relapse.

BV is diagnosed by testing a sample of vaginal fluid, and while there are sometimes no symptoms, Wider previously told Yahoo Life, the most common include an off-white, gray or greenish, watery vaginal discharge [and] a fishy odor that can be strongest during the period or after sex. A less common symptom is itchiness or soreness, she added.

Bartholin's cysts

The Bartholin's glands are located on each side of the vaginal opening, making a Bartholin's cyst a fluid-filled lump near the vaginal opening. According to the Mayo Clinic, a Bartholin's cyst forms when the glands become obstructed and cause fluid to back up into the gland. A small, noninfected cyst may go unnoticed  however, if the fluid becomes infected, it can cause pain, tenderness and discomfort while walking or sitting. A person may also develop a fever.

Its important to call your doctor if you have extreme pain from your Batholins cyst, especially if it doesnt go away after two to three days of self-care, such as sitting in a warm bath, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Treatment of a Bartholins cyst involves incision and drainage, and "if the cyst is large or if it recurs, a larger incision is made involving suturing in a procedure called marsupialization, usually done in an operating room," Dr. Jonathan Schaffir, an ob-gyn at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, previously told Yahoo Life.

If the cyst is infected, antibiotics are typically recommended.

Trichomoniasis

According to the Mayo Clinic, trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite. It can cause a foul-smelling vaginal discharge, which some liken to a fishy smell, as well as genital itching and painful urination.

According to Planned Parenthood, "Trich is often passed during vaginal sex. Its also spread by vulva-to-vulva contact, sharing sex toys, and touching your own or your partners genitals if you have infected fluids on your hand."

Antibiotics are used to treat trichomoniasis, so its important to seek out medical help if you experience any of the symptoms.

Two vaginas

Some people are born with a septum in their vagina, a wall of tissue that runs down the length of the vagina and creates two different vaginal openings.

This septum is the result of uterus didelphys, which is part of a spectrum of disorders that are referred to as Mullerian abnormalities, Dr. Erin Higgins, an ob-gyn at the Cleveland Clinic, previously told Yahoo Life. It is a congenital anomaly that someone is born with, she said, and you can have everything from complete uterus duplication ... to something just shy of normal, which is an arcuate uterus, a minor irregularity of the uterus that is sometimes referred to as a heart-shaped uterus.

Dr. Beth Oller, family physician at Rooks County Health Center in Kansas, told Yahoo Life that people with uterus didelphys can have two uteruses and either one or two cervixes. They may or may not have the vaginal septum.

Sex can be difficult for people with a vaginal septum, especially if they or their sexual partners are unaware of the condition. In addition, Oller noted, Someone with a double vagina may find that when they use a tampon during a period, for example, they still have bleeding, as blood is still flowing from the second uterus and vagina.

Vaginal atrophy

Vaginal atrophy is thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls that may occur when your body has less estrogen, per the Mayo Clinic.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, 50% of women develop symptoms related to vaginal atrophy. While its most common in women who've experienced menopause, there are other factors that may lower your estrogen levels, including chemotherapy or radiation treatment, certain medications and birth control pills, immune disorders, breastfeeding and smoking cigarettes, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Symptoms of vaginal atrophy include:

Burning and/or itching in your vagina

Pain during sex

Unusual vaginal discharge, typically yellow

Spotting or bleeding, especially during sex

Vulvar itching

According to the Mayo Clinic, the first treatment options include vaginal moisturizers and water-based lubricants. For those who need more help easing their symptoms, vaginal estrogen therapy can help. It comes in the form of tablets, suppositories, creams and rings. Estrogen pills, patches or gel, or a higher-dose estrogen ring may be recommended if the vaginal estrogen does not work.

In addition to estrogen therapy, medications like Ospemifene and Prasterone can also help. Topical lidocaine can also be used to lessen discomfort during sex.

Another option is using a vaginal dilator, which is available without a prescription and works by stretching the vagina in hopes of relieving discomfort.

Vaginismus

Some people who experience pain during vaginal penetration have vaginismus. This occurs when the muscles around the opening to the vagina tighten up like a clenched jaw due to actual or anticipated pain, ob-gyn Dr. Kimberly Langdon told Yahoo Life. Prior surgery, hormonal changes, recurring urinary tract infections, tears from childbirth and vaginal dryness can lead to the vaginismus, but psychological issues can be a factor as well, such as past sexual trauma or anxiety about sex.

Vaginismus is typically treatable by addressing the underlying physical or psychological conditions. In order to relax the muscles surrounding the vagina, ob-gyns may recommend pelvic muscle training, or vaginal dilator therapy, which stretches the vaginal muscles.

Yeast infection

A yeast infection is caused by an overgrowth of fungus called candida. A tell-tale sign is vaginal discharge that tends to be neutral smelling and whiteish in color with clumps in it, almost like cottage cheese, Dr. Andrea Braden, an ob-gyn in Atlanta, previously told Yahoo Life. Its almost a slam-dunk diagnosis if youre having itching and that discharge, and you can treat it at home.

According to VeryWell Health, a yeast infection can be treated by an over-the-counter antifungal treatments that come in the form of vaginal suppositories, vaginal tablets or creams with special applicators. Your doctor may prescribe a one-time dose or a multi-day dose depending on the nature of your yeast infection.

Risk factors for a yeast infection include things like sitting in a wet bathing suit or sweaty clothes, as well as using scented vaginal products such as tampons or deodorant, per the Cleveland Clinic. In addition, antibiotics, birth control, pregnancy, a weakened immune system and diabetes can be contributing factors.
You may be familiar with mochi ice cream now that it's standard in supermarket freezer sections, but have you tried mochi donuts? While you might think these donuts come from Japan, it seems the recipe is a more or less American creation - the first version was developed in Hawaii (also the home of butter mochi) and made with both poi and mochi, although it may have taken its inspiration from the donuts sold at a Japanese chain founded by an American. Well, whoever or however these donuts came to be, they're some of the prettiest, tastiest ones you'll find anywhere.

According to developer Chanel Murphy, "Readers should try this recipe because it offers a unique twist on traditional donuts due to its chewy texture." As for the signature chewiness, she explains that this comes from the glutinous rice flour, aka mochi. She also notes that "The technique of forming the pon de ring shape with eight small mochi balls is a unique feature." While Murphy opts for a plain white glaze here, you can add a drop or two of food coloring if you'd like more vibrantly-hued pics to post on your Instagram.

Read more: The 20 Best Olive Oils For Cooking

Gather The Ingredients For The Vanilla-Glazed Mochi Donuts

ingredients for vanilla mochi donuts - Chanel Murphy/Tasting Table

The donut dough is made with glutinous rice flour (mochi) plus all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, an egg, milk, vanilla, and vegetable oil, with this same oil being used for frying. You're also going to need powdered sugar to make the glaze.

Make The Mochi Donut Dough

vanilla mochi donut dough - Chanel Murphy/Tasting Table

Mix the rice flour with the sugar and baking powder. Beat the egg with the milk, vanilla, and  cup oil in a different bowl, then gradually mix this into the bowl with the flour. Once the mochi mix is well combined, add a little bit of the flour at a time. Start with just  cup of the stuff, adding up to  cup more as needed. As Murphy describes it, "The dough should be smooth and pliable but not overly sticky."

Shape The Donuts

uncooked vanilla mochi donuts - Chanel Murphy/Tasting Table

Once the dough is pliable enough so that you can shape it, divide it into 64 equal parts and roll each one into a 1-inch ball. Take 8 balls and stick them together into the shape of a ring, then do the same with the next 8 balls and so on until you have 8 ring-shaped donuts.

Fry The Donuts

ring-shaped donut frying - Chanel Murphy/Tasting Table

Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot and heat it to 350 F. If your pot is on the smaller side, you may only need about 3 cups of vegetable oil here rather than the full 4. Conversely, if your pot is large, you may need more oil.

Once the oil is hot, add a few donuts to the pot, but don't overcrowd the pan. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes until they are cooked through and golden brown in color. Murphy advises, "When frying, monitor the donuts and flip them over to ensure they cook evenly and do not burn." As each batch of donuts finishes, fish them out of the pot using a slotted spoon or strainer and set them on a wire rack over a baking sheet to drain. Continue the process until all of the donuts have been cooked.

Glaze The Donuts

mochi donuts with powdered sugar - Chanel Murphy/Tasting Table

Mix the powdered sugar and vanilla, then stir in just as much milk as is needed to get a proper drizzling consistency. (You may only need about 2 tablespoons rather than the 3 given here.) Sprinkle powdered sugar over the donuts, then drizzle them with the glaze. They're now ready to eat, possibly with a side of fruit or maybe a cup of tea or coffee.

Murphy says, unsurprisingly, "These donuts are best enjoyed fresh." She does say that leftovers can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days or frozen for longer storage. Should you do so, though, she cautions, "They may lose some of their texture upon thawing."

Vanilla-Glazed Mochi Donuts Recipe

mochi donuts with vanilla glaze - Chanel Murphy/Tasting Table

Prep Time: 25mCook Time: 15mYield: 8 piecesIngredients

:::For the Mochi Donuts:::

1 cup glutinous rice flour

 cup all-purpose flour

 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 egg

4  cups vegetable oil, divided

 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

:::For the Vanilla Glaze:::

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

Directions

Combine the rice flour, sugar, and baking powder. Beat the egg,  cup vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Gradually add  cup all-purpose flour while kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and pliable. (Add up to  more flour if the dough is too sticky to handle.) Divide the dough into 64 portions and roll each one into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Arrange 8 of these balls in a circle to form a ring, then repeat until you have 8 rings. Heat the remaining vegetable oil to 350 F in a deep, heavy pot. (You may only need 3 cups of oil, depending on the size of the pot.) Fry the donuts for about 3 to 4 minutes or until they're golden brown and cooked through, working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove the donuts from the oil and drain them on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and as much milk as is needed to get the desired consistency. Sprinkle the donuts with powdered sugar, then drizzle them with glaze. Eat the donuts alone, with fruit, or enjoy them with coffee.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
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Famed musician and leader of The Band, Robbie Robertson , passed away in August of this year at the age of 80. But hes left more than a remarkable catalogue of music behindRobertson collaborated with Vermont distillery WhistlePig on a new rye whiskey appropriately called Robbies Blend.

More from Robb Report



WhistlePig 12 Rye Whiskey  Robbies Blend is being released to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Martin Scorsese concert film The Last Waltz. For WhistlePig master distiller Mitch Mahar, watching the film during the holidays is a longstanding tradition. Watching The Last Waltz on Thanksgiving is a tradition for many, he said in a statement. Were humbled to give fans another way to celebrate The Last Waltzs legacy this season with a new whiskey created in collaboration with Robbie himself. With his personal touches, Robbies Blend offers a bespoke whiskey that gives you a symphony of flavor in every sip.

Price: $175

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Robbies Blend is a 12-year-old Canadian rye whiskey that was finished in three different types of casks, the same as the core Old World Rye but in different proportions: madeira (76 percent), port (19 percent), and sauternes (five percent). As far as Robertsons involvement with the whiskey, we reached out to a rep for WhistlePig who had this to say, WhistlePig met Robbie last summer, and together with the Iconoclast team, came up with the idea of a Thanksgiving blend for The Last Waltz. He weighed in on the blend, and they raise their first glass to him. Tasting notes for this whiskey describe citrus, cedar, walnut, oak, and white pepper on the palate. The Last Waltz is being reissued on vinyl to go along with this whiskey release, and there will be a party at Analog in Nashville tonight to celebrate the launch.



WhistlePig 12 Rye Whiskey  Robbies Blend is available now from the WhistlePig website for $175, and can also be found at stores across the state of Tennessee. If youre interested in checking out some other whiskeys from the distillery, you can find the entire portfolio available to purchase from ReserveBar.

Price: $175

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Many of the villages hit by the quake consist of little more than mud houses

Hundreds of people are feared dead after a powerful earthquake hit western Afghanistan, near the Iranian border.

The Taliban government initially said the death toll could be more than 2,000, but later clarified that this number included injured people as well.

The 6.3 magnitude quake devastated at least 12 villages near the city of Herat on Saturday.

There were powerful aftershocks. Survivors described their terror as buildings collapsed around them.

Rescue teams worked through the night trying to find survivors trapped beneath the rubble.

Thousands of people have been injured. In a country with sorely inadequate medical facilities, hospitals are struggling to treat the injured. The UN and other organisations have begun to rush in emergency supplies.

The earthquake struck about 40km (25 miles) north-west of Herat at around 11:00 local time (06:30 GMT) on Saturday.

The worst affected communities are remote and consist of mud structures. "In the very first shake all the houses collapsed," Herat resident Bashir Ahmad, whose family lives in the one of the villages, told AFP news agency.

"Those who were inside the houses were buried," he added. "There are families we have heard no news from."

The Taliban public health minister is visiting Herat to assess the scale of the impact. The World Health Organization (WHO) said at least 465 houses had been flattened.

People fled buildings in Herat after the earthquake on Saturday

Footage from Herat Central Hospital showed casualties linked up to intravenous drips being treated outside the main building - a sign of the sudden and overwhelming demand for emergency treatment.

Other pictures show scenes of devastation in Herat's Injil district where rubble blocked roads, hampering rescue efforts.

"The situation was very horrible, I have never experienced such a thing," student Idrees Arsala told AFP. He was the last to safely evacuate his classroom after the quakes began.

Herat is located 120km (75 miles) east of the Iranian border and is considered to be the cultural capital of Afghanistan. An estimated 1.9 million people are believed to be living in the province.

Afghanistan is frequently hit by earthquakes - especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range as it lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.

In June last year, the province of Paktika was hit by a 5.9 magnitude quake which killed more than 1,000 people and left tens of thousands homeless.

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Have you been affected by the earthquake? Please email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.
SAN DIEGO  Alaska Airlines announced Friday it will offer a new daily nonstop flight from San Diego International Airport (SAN).

Starting May 16, 2024, travelers headed out of Americas Finest City can hop a nonstop flight to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ALT) in Atlanta, Georgia. This is also true for those headed west after departing from the Peach State.

San Diego gets record ranking as top big city destination for travelers

We appreciate Alaska Airlines new options to destinations across the country, said Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President and CEO. This new nonstop service to Atlanta offers Southern Californians direct access to Georgias capital and key economic center, while providing easy access for Georgians to the warmth and beauty of San Diego.

Alaska Airlines joins three other carriers that provide nonstop service to Atlanta, including Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Free Dump Day to be held at two San Diego-area locations this month

Currently, Atlanta is among the larger transcontinental destinations from SAN with roughly, 450 passengers traveling per day each way between the two cities, according to the airlines.

Alaska Airlines schedules, fares, and flight times can be found here.

This marks the the 37th nonstop destination Alaska Airlines offers from SAN. The airline currently offers 36 nonstop destinations to cities across the Northwest, Northeast, California, Mexico, Florida and all four major islands in Hawaii.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
Migrants wait to be processed on U.S. soil after crossing from Mexico ahead of the expiration of the pandemic-era title 42 rule in El Paso, Texas, May 8, 2023. (Justin Hamel/The New York Times)

WASHINGTON  Immigration was dead simple when Joe Biden was campaigning for president: It was an easy way to attack Donald Trump as a racist, and it helped to rally Democrats with the promise of a more humane border policy.

Nothing worked better than Trumps big, beautiful wall that he was building along the southern border. Its existence was as much a metaphor for the polarization inside America as it was a largely ineffective barrier against foreigners fleeing to the United States from Central America.

There will not be, Biden proclaimed as he campaigned against Trump in the summer of 2020, another foot of wall constructed.

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But a massive surge of migration in the Western Hemisphere has scrambled the dynamics of an issue that has vexed presidents for decades, and radically reshaped the political pressures on Biden and his administration. Instead of becoming the president who quickly reversed his predecessors policies, Biden has repeatedly tried to curtail the migration of a record number of people  and the political fallout that has created  by embracing, or at least tolerating, some of Trumps anti-immigrant approaches.

Even, it turns out, the wall.

On Thursday, Biden administration officials formally sought to waive environmental regulations to allow construction of 20 additional miles of border wall in a part of Texas that is inundated by illegal migration. The move was a stunning reversal on a political and moral issue that had once galvanized Biden and Democrats like no other.

The funds for the wall had been approved by Congress during Trumps tenure, and on Friday, the president said he had no power to block their use.

The wall thing? Biden asked reporters on Friday. Yeah. Well, I was told that I had no choice  that I, you know, Congress passes legislation to build something, whether its an aircraft carrier wall or provide for a tax cut. I cant say, I dont like it. Im not going to do it.

White House officials said that they tried for years, without success, to get Congress to redirect the wall money to other border priorities. And they said Bidens lawyers had advised that the only way to get around the Impoundment Control Act, which requires the president to spend money as Congress directs, was to file a lawsuit. The administration chose not to do so.

The money had to be spent by the end of December, the officials said.

Asked on Thursday whether he thought a border wall works, Biden  who has long said a wall would not be effective  said simply: No.

Still, human rights groups are furious, accusing the president of abandoning the principles on which he campaigned. They praise him for opening new, legal opportunities for some migrants, including thousands from Venezuela, but question his recent reversals on enforcement policy.

It doesnt help this administration politically, to continue policies that they were very clear they were against, said Vanessa Cardenas, executive director of Americas Voice, an immigrant rights organization. That muddles the message and undermines the contrast that theyre trying to make when it comes to Republicans.

This president came into office with a lot of moral clarity about where the lines were, she added, noting that he and his aides need to sort of decide who they are on this issue.

Biden had previously adopted some of his predecessors policies, including the pandemic-era Title 42 restrictions that blocked most migrants at the border until they were lifted this year. Those have still failed to slow illegal immigration. The issue has become incendiary inside his own party, driving wedges between Biden and some of the countrys most prominent Democratic governors and mayors, whose communities are being taxed by the cost of providing for the new arrivals.

Eric Adams, the Democratic mayor of New York, has blamed the administration for a situation that he says could destroy his city. J.B. Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois and an ally of Biden, wrote this week in a letter to the president that a lack of intervention and coordination by Bidens government at the border has created an untenable situation for Illinois.

In comments to reporters at an event opposing book banning, Pritzker said that he had recently spoken with the White House on the matter to make sure that they heard us.

The moment underscores the new reality for the president as he prepares to campaign for a second term. His handling of immigration has become one of his biggest potential liabilities, with polls showing deep dissatisfaction among voters about how he deals with the new arrivals. With record numbers of migrants streaming across the border, he can no longer portray it in the simple terms he did a few years ago.

Since taking office, Biden has tried to balance his stated desire for a more humane approach with strict enforcement that aides believe is crucial to ensure that migrants do not believe the border is open to anyone.

This spring, the president announced new legal options for some migrants from several countries  Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti. He also has expanded protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants already in the United States, allowing more of them to work while they are in the country temporarily.

But the more welcoming policies have been balanced by tougher ones.

Biden this year approved a policy that had the effect of denying most immigrants the ability to seek asylum in the United States, a move that human rights groups noted was similar to an approach that Trump hailed as a way to close the border to immigrants he wanted to keep out.

The president and his aides have responded to the increased number of migrants by calling for more Border Patrol agents. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, bragged on Wednesday about the surge in border enforcement that Biden has pushed for.

Lets not forget, she said. The president got 25,000 Border Patrol, additional Border Patrol law enforcement, at the border.

In a budget request to Congress, the administration has asked for an additional $4 billion for border enforcement, including 4,000 more troops, 1,500 more Border Patrol agents, overtime pay for federal border personnel and new technology to detect drug trafficking.

And Thursday, the administration announced that it would resume deporting Venezuelans who arrive illegally, essentially conceding that its policy of creating legal immigration options from that country had failed to stem the tide of new arrivals as it had expected.

Ben LaBolt, the White House communications director, said Biden proposed an immigration overhaul on his first day in office that he noted has been blocked by Republican lawmakers.

He has used every available lever  enforcement, deterrence and diplomacy  to address historic migration across the Western Hemisphere, LaBolt said, adding that the administration is legally compelled to spend the wall money. President Biden has consistently made clear that this is not the most effective approach to securing our border.

Despite early reports that the number of migrants had dropped this summer, crossings have soared again this fall. Border Patrol agents arrested about 200,000 migrants in September, the highest number this year, according to an administration official who spoke anonymously to confirm the preliminary data.

Still, the administrations announcement about new wall construction was a surprise to many of the presidents allies, who had repeatedly heard Biden join them in condemning Trump for trying to seal the country off from immigrants.

In a notice published in the Federal Register on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that easing environmental and other laws was necessary to expedite construction of sections of a border wall in South Texas, where thousands of migrants have been crossing the Rio Grande daily to reach U.S. soil.

There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States, Mayorkas said.

In a statement later, Mayorkas made clear the administration would prefer to spend the money on other areas, including state-of the-art border surveillance technology and modernized ports of entry.

There have always been barriers at the border, and Democrats have voted for funding to construct them. But before Trump arrived on the scene, they were placed in high-traffic locations and were often short fences or barriers designed to prevent cars from crossing.

Trump changed that. He pushed for construction of a wall across the entire 2,000-mile border with Mexico, eventually building or reinforcing barriers along roughly 450 miles. And he insisted on a 30-foot-tall wall made of steel bollards, painted black to be more intimidating. At various points, Trump said he wanted to install sharp, pointed spikes at the top of the wall to skewer migrants who tried to climb over it.

The walls being constructed by Bidens administration will be different, border officials said. They will be 18 feet tall, not 30. And they will be movable, not permanent, to allow more flexibility and less environmental damage.

But the image of an ominous and even dangerous barrier  designed to send a message of keep out to anyone who approached  underscored the yearslong opposition from Democrats, including Biden, to its construction. At the end of 2018, the federal government shut down for 35 days  the longest in its history  over Democratic refusal to meet Trumps demands for $5.7 billion to build the wall.

For Biden, the politics of immigration have changed significantly since then.

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York put it bluntly in a letter to the president at the end of August, as New York City struggled to deal with tens of thousands of new migrants.

The challenges we face demand a much more vigorous federal response, she wrote. It is the federal governments direct responsibility to manage and control the nations borders. Without any capacity or responsibility to address the cause of the migrant influx, New Yorkers cannot then shoulder these costs.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
Property taxes for many residents of Calumet Township are on track to increase significantly after the 2023 Lake County Land Order recorded property values substantially higher than in previous assessments.

News of the order prompted one of Garys largest landowners to bring a formal challenge to state level regulators, who will make a decision on whether to uphold the order later this month.

Lake County Assessor LaTonya Spearman said that the order is the product of new assessment methods aimed at correcting the long-term undervaluation of properties in the area. At a Monday community forum organized by Gary City Councilman Darren Washington, D-At Large, and held at the Gary Public Library, Spearman fielded questions from frustrated landowners who decried the order as excessive.

I am not here to mislead you in any way or give you any false hope, Spearman told the crowd of over 100, there are going to be increases.

Property taxes, which fund an array of government services provided by counties, townships, municipalities, school districts and other government bodies, are based on the value of a property as determined by the assessors office. In Indiana, property assessments are conducted in a four-year cycle, with 25 percent of a countys properties assessed each year. Properties are assessed using mass appraisal techniques, which use data from an area to determine base property values.

The preferred and most common method of assessment is the sales comparison approach, which uses the amount paid for properties in an area as evidence of the value of similar properties. Through the process of annual adjustment, also called trending, property sales data is used to determine if the appraised value of properties should be adjusted to match the market value reflected in nearby recent sales.

Challenges arise, however, in areas with limited sales data, such as Gary. Without adequate sales figures, assessors need to employ alternative assessment methods, including using data from comparable neighborhoods elsewhere or attempting to determine how much a propertys improvements would cost to rebuild.

Unlike in previous years, the 2023 land order was produced by the Lake County Assessors office, rather than the Calumet Township Assessors office. Spearman said that the decision to take over the 2023 process was made after discussions with the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF), which oversees assessments in the state.

Statutorily it has always been the county assessors responsibility, Spearman told the Post-Tribune. but, historically, township assessors participated in a way that statute didnt really call for, and so during the 2022 land order review process and my conversations with the department, I determined that it was in the countys best interest for me to assume that responsibility to be closer in adherence to the governing statue.

Lake County is one of just nine Indiana counties with one or more township assessors offices. In 2008, the Indiana state legislature gave voters the choice of whether to give sole responsibility over determining the value property and land for tax purposes to county assessors. Subsequent referendums held across the state abolished more than 950 township assessors offices.

One key difference between the 2023 process and previous years, Spearman said, has to do with which property sales are included in the analysis.

The assessing officials review the sales and they determine whether or not those cells are valid or invalid for trending purposes for development of the land order, she said And what was happening in Calumet Township is that a lot of those sales were invalidated so as not to skew the number o because of that sales that should have been taken into consideration were not.

The revised assessment process yielded substantially higher base property values than in previous years. In one neighborhood area that includes lakefront lots in the citys relatively affluent Miller area, the base rate per front foot increased 101% from $3,531 to $7,100. Two other neighborhood areas in Miller saw increases of 233% and 263%.

Spearman stressed that base rates included in the land order do not represent a complete appraisal of individual parcels, the value of which might be impacted by specific circumstances, and that individuals tax liabilities will not increase by the same percentage amount as their appraisals. Though the change in appraisals was dramatic, she said, the figures are accurate, reflecting both an increase in property values and a correction from past assessments.

The reason you see significant increases is because for a very long time those areas have been undervalued, she told event attendees. The land rates are market-driven, and so these arent numbers that were just pulling out of thin air.

The substantially higher property taxes portended by the land order have prompted outrage from landowners.

George Rogge, president of the Miller Citizens Corporation, told the Post-Tribune that while property values in his neighborhood have undoubtedly increased, the assessors office has overvalued them.

I dont think anybody should not agree that it is better now than it was four years, he said. but not excessively, not to this extent, and taxation is supposed to be fair and comparable.

Mary Ann Best, a Gary native who moved back to Miller in the 2010s, said at the meeting that her decision to return was based in large part on Garys affordability.

The community that we have right now that has a very diverse economic range, Best said. Itll destroy that diversity if were continuing to increase (taxes) and price people out.

The land orders discontents have an opportunity to contest the 2023 land order. Andy Young, a Wadsworth, Illinois resident who owns hundreds of real estate parcels in and around Gary, secured the signatures of 171 Lake County taxpayers on a petition challenging the order that was filed with the DLGF, which oversees tax assessments, earlier this year. The petition triggered a rare review process as prescribed by Indiana law.

The DLGF will host a virtual public hearing on Oct. 10, during which Lake County taxpayers and the assessor will have the opportunity to speak on the land order. The department will accept written testimony via email from taxpayers who signed the petition until 5 p.m. on October 24. After reviewing the testimony, the DLGF will decide whether to uphold, overturn, or modify the land order.

A similar series of events played out last year when Young, along with 191 taxpayers who signed a petition, brought an unsuccessful challenge to the 2022 Lake County Land Order, the first such challenge to be brought in the state.

Young argued that property values had been assessed inconsistently and using outdated information. The DLGF ultimately concluded, however, that taxpayers submitted no evidence to demonstrate that the Department should modify or disapprove the order.

Once a land order is approved, landowners can exercise their legal right to appeal their property taxes with the Calumet Township Assessors office. Individuals who can provide evidence that their propertys estimated market value is inaccurate or that they are eligible for one or more tax deductions can see their tax liabilities reduced.

Indiana curbs the amount of property tax owed through tax caps which were enshrined in the State Constitution in 2010. State law limits the amount of property taxes owed annually to 1% of property values for owner-occupied properties, 2% for other residential property and farmland, and 3% for all other property.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported that a mother black bear had been put down on Wednesday of this week, following an aggressive run-in with two boys in an open-space area of Colorado Springs.

Additionally, one of the bear's two cubs did not survive the relocation process.

The Parks and Wildlife statement, sent out Friday afternoon, states that the initial call brought Colorado Springs police and Parks and Wildlife officers to a heavily wooded portion of the city, where two boys, ages 12 and 13, had encountered the bear. She had reportedly charged the boys twice, causing one boy to run into a tree branch and suffer minor injuries.

The bear, estimated to be 150 pounds, was found, and also acted aggressively toward the officers. She was euthanized by Parks and Wildlife.

The cubs were found, partially through the use of a Police Department drone searching for heat signatures. The cubs, each weighing about 50 pounds, were tranquilized and brought back to a CPW facility to be tagged.

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"The goal was to capture them and release them in the mountains in more suitable bear habitat. At their age and weight, the cubs were old enough to survive on their own," according to the release.

However, one of the cubs never revived from the tranquilizer.

The surviving cub was released Friday morning in a remote mountain location.

This was an unfortunate situation where a sow had become dangerously aggressive toward people instead of being scared of humans, Tim Kroening, CPW wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak area said in the release. There was no choice but to put it down after it repeatedly charged people."
Rep. Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. | Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press

Anyone watching the news recently has witnessed a terrible display of political acrimony that is an embarrassment to this country. We are not describing Republican versus Democrat but the Republican versus Republican fratricide resulting from the near shutdown of the federal government and the ousting of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. This tumult is generating conjecture about the health of the GOP nationally and highlighting recent initiatives to alter local politics. We offer our observations.

Anyone watching cable news programs or social media the last several days has been amused, but more likely appalled, by the antics of a handful of Republican members of Congress and the ensuing tumult and confusion. Democrats watched and allowed the carnage to occur. Is this the disintegration of the Republican Party?

Pignanelli: If the present Congress errs in too much talking, how can it be otherwise in a body to which the people send one hundred and fifty lawyers, whose trade it is to question everything, yield nothing, and talk by the hour?  Thomas Jefferson

Dozens of reality TV programs entertain millions with impromptu coverage of fights between families and friends. Usually, these differences are minor, but the camera incentivizes participants to amplify the emotions. Americans are now viewing a congressional version of such theater.

The main combatants  McCarthy and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.  are both aligned with Donald Trump. Allegiance to the former president is not at issue. Other factors are at play.

For over a decade, the demographics of both parties shifted, which created confusion and frustration among their ranks. Trump made it fashionable to challenge traditional Republican leadership without incurring ramifications. Additionally, promises by veteran leaders to control the deficits only prompted laughter and contempt from younger GOP officials. Thus, internal rebellions in Congress are not surprising.

The national Republican Party has weathered much greater challenges (i.e. Great Depression, Watergate, Great Recession), and will remain strong. But they will likely endure comedic comparisons to the Kardashians, Real Housewives, etc.

Related

Webb: The Republican Party has always had factions and, even today, its not on the verge of self-destruction, at least in most of the country. However, some members of Congress take dissension within the party to whole new levels, forming a circular firing squad and contributing to the embarrassing dysfunction of Congress. This is proof that Washington is broken.

In the big picture, its critical to remember that Republicans narrowly control the House, while Democrats control the presidency and the U.S. Senate. If anything worthwhile is accomplished in Congress, it requires compromise, support from both Republicans and Democrats. McCarthy was ousted by a small faction of right-wing ideologues for the unforgivable sin of compromising a little bit with Democrats to keep the government running.

In part, GOP schisms are more prevalent today because the apparent leader of the party, Donald Trump, is so polarizing himself.

It is worthwhile to contrast the chaos in Congress with what the nations 50 governors are doing. Under the leadership of their chair, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, they have undertaken a major initiative to produce better policy through healthy conflict and by disagreeing better. They have adopted a positive approach to political and social discourse. And states, with a few exceptions, are better governed than the federal government.

Local businessman Bruce Cummings along with others have developed a nonprofit organization People4Utah to open the closed Republican primary elections in Utah. This organization believes that restricting participation in party nomination activities marginalizes most citizens, and is unhealthy for democracy. Do local Republicans need such a change?

Pignanelli: Republican leaders demand with compelling logic that only the party faithful should choose their nominees in the primary elections. But this reasoning also raises the important question of why taxpayers should pay for elections in which they cannot participate. (Utahs second largest voting bloc is unaffiliated.)

Despite allegations of mischief, surveys indicate most Utahns vote for whom they consider the best person, including in the primaries. Such rational behavior oftentimes excludes the most conservative or liberal candidates, with selections toward better candidates to represent constituents. Therefore, I respectfully suggest if taxpayers are paying the freight, they can ride the train.

Webb: Im in favor of as much participation in the political process by as many citizens as possible. I was among those who supported opening the party nomination process to allow candidates to gather signatures to get on the ballot. I also support open primary elections if parties voluntarily choose that route.

However, I think we would go too far in forcing the Republican Party to allow non-Republicans to vote in its primary elections. If someone wants to vote in a Republican primary, its easy enough to join the party.

Is there a potential for such disruptions among Democrats nationally or locally?

Pignanelli: Far left progressives prevailed throughout the internal struggles of the Democratic Party in prior decades. Their control was secured by subdued, effective bloodletting of moderates outside the limelight.

Webb: Democrats have their own schisms. But at this time in history, Democrats are much more unified, both nationally and in Utah.

Republican LaVarr Webb is a former journalist and a semiretired small farmer and political consultant. Email: lwebb@exoro.com. Frank Pignanelli is a Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser who served as a Democrat in the Utah state Legislature. Email: frankp@xmission.com.
For Roy Getchell, it was a worrying summer.

Getchell, a school superintendent in Haines, Alaska, became alarmed a few months ago at the prospect of losing out on federal funding to support hunter safety and archery programs in his rural district.

These programs are a "way of life," he said.

Each of the couple hundred students he oversees is strongly encouraged to complete a hunting safety course in the seventh grade, he said. That's because by high school, many are already living a subsistence lifestyle, hunting and fishing for everyday food for their own families.

He and other rural school district leaders were relieved Friday after President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation protecting federal funds for K-12 schools with hunting education, archery and sport-shooting programs.

This wouldve been a very detrimental blow, Getchell said.

The bill became law after months of questions in rural America about Education Department guidance about how districts nationwide should interpret a provision in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a landmark piece of gun-safety legislation passed in the wake of the massacre at an elementary school in May 2022 in Uvalde, Texas.

Nineteen students and two teachers were killed in that shooting, rocking the nation and spurring one of the most significant and historic gun-control laws from Congress in decades. The legislation reformed the background-check system for gun purchasers and denied gun sales to convicted domestic abusers.

After Uvalde: The US passed a landmark gun deal one year ago. Is it working?

The legislation also set aside $1 billion for schools nationwide to expand their mental health services and improve safety. Guidance issued by the Department of Education in April, however, said none of the funds could be used to give anyone a "dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon. The guidance goes on to say the money may not be used to buy guns or train teachers to use them.

In July, two Republican senators  John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina  raised concerns about how the Biden administration was interpreting the guidance. In a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona that was later publicized by Fox News, the senators suggested the department was requiring the schools to defund archery and hunter-education classes.

Students learn hunter safety at the Haines Sportsmen Association shooting range in rural Alaska in December 2019.

No federal funds have actually been diverted from schools because of the language in the Bipartisan Safety Communities Act, the Education Department said.

Foxx: Federal guidance had a 'chilling effect' on rural schools

The specter of losing the programs was enough to spook some districts into pressing pause, at least momentarily, according to Tommy Floyd, president of the National Archery in the Schools Program.

Were good for kids, Floyd said. I dont want some little girl in Texas or a little boy in Kansas to do without it because of a political misunderstanding.

More than a million students in nearly 9,000 schools across the country participate in the archery program annually, according to its website, which also says it's for students in fourth through 12th grades and is intended to teach skills including patience and self control.

Young archers talk about their targets between shooting sessions at a summer archery camp in July.

The uproar got the attention of many Democrats, including some who soon face competitive elections. Both of Pennsylvanias Democratic senators urged Congress to find a way to protect hunting and archery programs. So did Arizonas Mark Kelly, another Democrat, and Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat-turned-independent who joined Texas Republicans to introduce the Senate's version of the bill.

In guest columns published across Montana newspapers in September, Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat staring down another tough reelection bid in a reliably red state, blamed the situation on the Biden administration and folks in Washington who dont understand our Montana values.

Montanans sent me to the Senate to protect our rural way of life, Tester said in a statement Friday celebrating the president's signature of the legislation.

It was a tone remarkably similar to that of Rep. Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican and the chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. The situation had a chilling effect on schools, said Foxx, who grew up around hunting.

The White House does not think outside the beltway, she said in a recent interview.

Is your child's school safe? These are the questions parents should ask

The House overwhelmingly passed a bill in late September to clarify the federal funding guidance and protect hunting and archery programs. Only one person, Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, voted against that bill. The next day, the Senate unanimously passed its own version of the bill.

A White House spokesperson referred USA TODAY to a Sept. 26 post on X, formerly Twitter, from Stefanie Feldman, the director of Bidens new Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In it, Feldman called hunter safety and archery valuable school enrichment programs.

The president, she said, was glad to see a legislative solution protecting them.

Zachary Schermele is a breaking news and education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden signs bill protecting hunting, archery education in US schools
Indigenous Peoples Day honors the truth about the American soil we live on.

Set on the second Monday of every October, the day serves as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day. It recognizes the perseverance and contributions of Indigenous people across the United States.

According to the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indian, approximately 95 percent of the Native American population was wiped out 130 years after Europeans landed in the Americas.

Young Native American woman dancing in traditional dress. (Tony Anderson / Getty Images)

Despite the killing, enslavement and forced relocation of the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, Native people are still standing and working to ensure that their culture isn't forgotten.

On Monday, Oct. 9, Indigenous peoples across the country honor and celebrate their community and also teach the lasting effects of colonialism.

Last year, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation on Indigenous Peoples' Day and said his administration will continue to uphold its "solemn trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations, strengthening our Nation-to-Nation ties."

He wrote that Indigenous peoples "feed the soul of our Nation." The president also asked all Americans to observe the important day.

However, Columbus Day is still an official federal holiday. Multiple representatives and senators recently introduced the bicameral Indigenous Peoples Day Act to replace Columbus Day. Read on to learn more about where Indigenous Peoples' Day is officially celebrated and how the Indigenous community is working to make Indigenous Peoples' Day a permanent holiday.

What is the purpose of Indigenous Peoples Day?

Columbus Day, named after Italian settler Christopher Columbus who sailed to the Americas in 1492, was observed for the first time in the United States in 1792, according to Smithsonian Magazine. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced the first national observance of the holiday in 1934 before he and Congress made October 12 its official national holiday in 1937. President Richard Nixon then signed a proclamation in 1972 to make the official holiday the second Monday in October, and it has remained as such for over 40 years...in some parts of the country.

Indigenous peoples proposed changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day during a 1977 United Nations conference that addressed the discrimination their community has faced for years.

Shannon Speed, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and director of the UCLA American Indian Studies Center, spoke to NPR in 2019 and explained why honoring and celebrating Columbus Day is harmful.

"Today we understand that while (Columbus) was an explorer and is credited with being one of the first Europeans to arrive in the Americas, we now know a great deal about the history and the way that he and his people behaved when they came to this continent, which included pillaging, raping and generally setting in motion a genocide of the people who were already here. Thats not something we want to celebrate," Speed said.

She added, "Thats not something anyone wants to celebrate."

Speed pointed out that Indigenous children are taught about Columbus Day in school despite it being an "incredibly painful" reminder of the suffering their communities endured.

"And so we cant have a national holiday that creates an ongoing harm for a significant portion of our citizens," she said.

Even though the initial proposal was put forth in 1977, it wasn't until 1990 that South Dakota became the first state to observe Native Americans' Day, according to the Pew Research Center. In October 2023, the center reported that just 16 states and the territory of American Samoa still exclusively celebrate Columbus Day on the second Monday in October.

When did the US start formally recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day?

In 2021, for the first time in U.S. history, President Joe Biden formally recognized the holiday with a presidential proclamation.

The city of Berkley, California claims it became the first in the United States to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in the 1980s. According to Berkleyside  a Berkley-based digital newspaper, the city launched Indigenous Peoples Day as a counter-celebration to then-U.S. President Ronald Reagans effort to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus landfall on the Americas.

As mentioned, just 16 states and the American Samoa view Columbus Day as an "official public holiday," meaning "government offices are closed and state workers, except those in essential positions, have a paid day off," the research center said.

Columbus, Ohio, even renamed the holiday to Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2020. As of October 2023, 17 states and Washington, D.C., have holidays honoring Native Americans, but they are not all celebrated on the same day.

"In four states, two territories and Washington, D.C., (Columbus Day) is an official public holiday but goes by a different name. Four other states and the U.S. Virgin Islands mark the day as both Columbus Day and something else. And in 26 states and the territory of Guam, the second Monday in October is pretty much like any other workday," the center found.

Is Indigenous Peoples Day 2023 a federal holiday?

Although President Biden and his administration officially recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day for the past two years, it is not a federal holiday.

On Oct. 2, Representatives Norma J. Torres, Suzanne Bonamici, Sharice Davids and Suzan DelBene partnered with Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan to reintroduce the Indigenous Peoples' Day Act to Congress, which would replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day permanently the second Monday of October on the federal level.

"Our country has long failed to recognize and acknowledge its dark history of erasure and harm brought upon the first inhabitants of the Americas," said Representative Norma Torres, who represents California's 35th congressional district, in a statement.

She continued, "By designating Indigenous Peoples Day a federal holiday, we take a small but important step toward recognizing the injustices in our nations history and uplifting the vibrant traditions, history, and culture of all indigenous communities  an integral part of the cultural fabric of the United States."

How to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day?

When President Joe Biden issued his proclamation last year, he called on Americans to observe the day with "appropriate ceremonies and activities."

The Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indian recommends that Americans celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day by recognizing that all people in the United States stand on Indigenous ancestral lands with a Land Acknowledgment.

Land Acknowledgments are formal statements that can be done before an event or ceremony that recognize and pay respect to Indigenous Peoples. This doesn't have to just be done on Indigenous Peoples Day. In 2020, actor and director Taika Waititi honored the Indigenous people of Los Angeles with a Land Acknowledgement at the Academy Awards.

Consumers can also support Indigenous Peoples Day by buying and consuming products made and produced by Indigenous people. There are scores of podcasts, books and movies made by Indigenous people to rent, borrow and own. According to the Smithsonian, Social Justice Books has a list of books for young elementary school and high school readers as well as educators to read.

Do other countries celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day?

On June 21, Canada recognizes National Indigenous Peoples Day. Canadians honored the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation for the first time on Sept. 30, 2021. The day serves as remembrance for the missing children and survivors who were forced to attend residential schools.

The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1994 that August 9 would mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous People every year.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
WASHINGTON  A Donald Trump supporter who smashed a window at the Capitol with a tomahawk ax and threw projectiles at officers during the most brutal battle of the Capitol riot was sentenced to seven years in federal prison Friday.

Shane Jenkins  who refers to himself as "Skullet" because of his shaved head and mullet  was found guilty of nine criminal counts in March, including felony civil disorder; obstruction of an official proceeding; assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer using a dangerous weapon; and destruction of government property.

The federal government had requested more than 19 years in federal prison, which would have been one of the longest sentences given in any Jan. 6 case. The longest sentence so far has gone to Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the Proud Boys, who was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison last month after he was convicted of seditious conspiracy in May.

Jenkins' attorney called the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, "one of the saddest episodes in American history" and said there "remain many grifters out there who remain free to continue propagating the 'great lie' that Trump won the election, Donald Trump being among the most prominent."

The government called Jenkins' conduct "egregious" and said he "planned for violent insurrection long before his arrival" in Washington.

His "lack of remorse is extraordinary," and he "thinks that political violence is acceptable," Assistant U.S. Attorney David Perri argued at the sentencing hearing Friday.

January 6 rioter (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

"What happens if his preferred candidate gets convicted of something?" Perri asked, referring to the four criminal cases against former President Donald Trump, including one unfolding in the federal courthouse in Washington where Jenkins was sentenced. "How would he react?"

Perri encouraged the judge not to "roll the dice with this country's democratic future."

Attorney Dennis Boyle said at the hearing that Trump promoted "a legal fiction" that Vice President Mike Pence could overturn the election results and that people like Jenkins were "particularly susceptible" to his lies and propaganda.

Before his sentencing, Jenkins talked about his troubled childhood and said his life began to come apart when he learned he was adopted. He said he tried to destroy himself with drugs and alcohol after he killed his stepfather in a gunfight when he was 20 years old. (Jenkins said he shot his stepfather in self-defense, and he was not charged.)

The Justice Department also said Jenkins took part in a jail attack on Jan. 6 defendant Taylor Taranto  who was arrested outside former President Barack Obama's home  on July 10, when a dozen inmates allegedly entered the television room of their pod and assaulted Taranto "because Taranto had been saying derogatory things about Ashli Babitt and her mother." Babbitt, whose last name the Justice Department misspelled in its filing, was shot and killed by a police officer at the Capitol riot.

Taranto was ordered held in pretrial detention.

In the 33 months since the Capitol attack, more than 1,100 participants have been arrested, and about 660 have been sentenced, including nearly 400 who have received sentences of incarceration.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
On to the next.

Jockeying to be the next Speaker of the House is in full swing after Rep. Kevin McCarthy s (R-Calif.) shocking ouster, with the two declared candidates  Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)  lobbying for support and lawmakers beginning to pick sides in what is expected to be an intense race.

Endorsements are rolling in for each of the candidates, and both are making the rounds to various groups within the GOP conference to earn support.

A clear front-runner has yet to emerge. And some lawmakers are wondering if any candidate will be able to garner enough support to win the gavel.

From having gone through the Speaker fight in January, I dont think there was a path for Scalise to get the votes then and talking to colleagues I dont think there will be a path now. And right now its not clear that Jim has a path either, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), who endorsed Jordan, told The Hill Thursday.

That could give way to a dark horse third option like Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee and a newcomer in Congress compared to the other two.

Hern has not officially entered the race and is working on contacting every member of the GOP conference before announcing his decision, according to a source familiar with his strategy.

They dont want the status quo, they dont want somebody thats been around 10, 15, 20 years, proceeding forward doing the same thing that weve seen time and time again, Hern said on Newsmax Wednesday night.

The top task for any candidate is to win enough support from the slim GOP majority that can carry them to victory on the House floor.

I think the most important thing is the vision that is cast that can unite the conference, Davidson added. The reality is, Im not sure theres any one person that everyone can trust. Its who can put together a plan that everyone can buy into and say alright, I can get on board with doing that.

Both Scalise and Jordan, in that context, think they are the right person for the job.

You need someone who can unite the conference and I think just as importantly unite the conservative and Republican movement across this country, thats what I think I can do, thats why Im running for the job, Jordan told Fox and Friends Thursday.

I have a proven track record of bringing together the diverse array of viewpoints within our Conference to build consensus where others thought it impossible, Scalise wrote in his letter to colleagues announcing his bid.

The majority leader also has the benefit of years of leadership experience and a team around him familiar with it, has been a major fundraiser for members, and has longtime relationships across the conference. While he was diagnosed with blood cancer in August and is undergoing treatment, that is not stopping him from seeking the Speakers gavel  and raking in endorsements.

We need a Speaker who will unite this conference and get everyone on the same page. Thats Steve Scalise, Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) said on Fox Business.

Scalise has picked up backing from members hailing from the South and Midwest.

Jordan, meanwhile, is racking up support from fellow hard-line conservatives  and from the Buckeye State. At least five Ohio lawmakers have said they want Jordan to be the next Speaker.

Jordan brings a different flavor of leadership. He was the founding chairman of the tactically confrontational House Freedom Caucus and was instrumental in pushing out former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio)  who has called Jordan a legislative terrorist. But after running against McCarthy for the House GOPs top spot in 2018, Jordan became his ally and secured more power for the hard-line conservatives  including, eventually, his Judiciary chairmanship.

While both claim to be unifiers, they have to prove it to their colleagues first.

Jordan spoke Thursday to members of the Main Street Caucus, according to a source familiar with the discussion. The groups members range from moderates in tough districts to Republicans in deep red ones who bill themselves as pragmatic conservatives.

It indicates that Jordan is seeking to build support from those who face tough races in 2024, who might worry about whether he can cater to their interests and needs, despite his firebrand past.

But a big issue for Main Street, as the group articulated in a statement Wednesday, is how to address the one-person motion to vacate threshold  the House rule that allows any single member to force a vote on ousting the Speaker, as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) did to McCarthy. That runs up against the demands of hard-line conservatives who pushed McCarthy to adopt a one-person threshold in January as a condition of supporting him for Speaker.

Jordan has indicated that whatever decision is made on the rule  which would require a House vote to change  it should be decided within the House GOP.

If Im Speaker, Im not going to go to the Democrats and make that change, because theyre going to want some kind of other agreement on some other things, Jordan said on Fox.

The campaigning comes ahead of a Tuesday candidate forum and a Wednesday vote in the GOP conference on a nominee for Speaker. That individual would go up on the House floor against Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), whom the Democratic caucus is planning to nominate for Speaker.

Those hoping to return to the business of the House quickly  doing work to avoid a government shutdown before the next deadline Nov. 17, for instance  hope that the conference will unite around a candidate during those closed-door meetings.

Members, however, are not confident that will be the case.

Hell no, Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), a close McCarthy ally, said Wednesday when asked if he is confident the group will coalesce around someone next week to avoid another protracted Speakers race.

In January, it took McCarthy 15 rounds to finally secure the gavel, a process that dragged on for four days.

I think theres scenarios where Patrick McHenry could be in this job for an extended period of time, Graves added, referring to the Speaker pro tempore, who will preside over the chamber until a new Speaker is elected.

Davidson said having the process wrapped up next week will require some divine intervention.

I hope that we can do it during the course of next week, he said. If we do it Tuesday night, I mean, I think itll take some divine intervention.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.


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On October 14, 2023, the annular solar eclipse will cross parts of North America. The astronomical spectacle is what happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth while its at the farthest point from Earth, causing the moon to partially block the sun and create a ring of fire effect in the sky. According to NASA, the eclipse will start in the United States, traveling from the coast of Oregon to the Texas Gulf Coast and, weather permitting, will be visible in New Mexico, Texas, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. A partial solar eclipse will be visible for all other parts of the nation.

But as enticing as it is to stare into the sky waiting for the eclipse, looking directly at the sun is never a good idea unless it's completely blocked by the moon that happens in April, by the way. Otherwise, stick to eye proper protection in the form of solar eclipse glasses.

Regular sunglasses are not OK to watch the eclipse with. We are protecting our sight with these simple tools, says Kelly Korreck, PhD, NASAs eclipse program manager in Washington, D.C.

Luckily, it isnt too hard to tell which eclipse glasses are safethe International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 certification has set clear guidelines for glasses thatll keep your eyes protected. Korreck says, This is the beauty of a standardthe glasses that meet this standard all should work about the same and protect one of our most valuable toolsour sight.

If you dont want to make your eclipse viewer at homeor use one of Korrecks recommended indirect eclipse viewing methodswe found a slew of solar viewing glasses that are certified for safety so you can look at the eclipse as it happens. These protect your retinas from permanent eye damage or even vision loss while providing a glimpse at this years annular solar eclipse, and next years total eclipse on April 8, 2024.

From bargain buys to sun spotting binoculars, these are the best solar viewing glasses and products to protect your eyes from the suns harmful rays.

The Best Solar Eclipse Glasses

What to Consider

Safety

Solar viewing glasses, also called eclipse glasses, have specialized lenses that block harmful radiation from penetrating your eyes and protect them from vision issues or even blindness. It doesnt matter how dark or thick those glasses are; regular sunglasses are unsafe to use to look at the sun.

According to Richard Tresch Fienberg, PhD and Project Manager of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force at the American Astronomical Society, such filters are at least 1,000 times darker than the darkest ordinary sunglasses. They not only dim the suns visible light by a factor of 100,000 to several million, but also block potentially harmful ultraviolet and infrared radiation.

The safest solar viewing glasses carry the ISO compliance label on their packaging. Look for any solar viewing glasses marked as being in line with the ISO 12312-2 (sometimes labeled as ISO 12312-2:2015) international safety standard. Although ISO sets the standards, a third-party lab tests products against the standardthe ISO does not approve or certify products itself. ISO-compliant sunglasses reduce sunlight to safe viewing levels and block solar UV and IR radiation.

Although the ISO is independent, both NASA and the American Astronomical Society recommend using its approved products. Alternatively, NASA says welding glasses with number 14 shadesconsidered the highest caliber of eye protection for welderscan also be used for viewing the sun.

At no time during an annular or partial solar eclipse is the entire disk of the sun covered, says Fienberg, and even the tiniest sliver of the suns brilliant face cannot safely be viewed directly. Looking at the sun without eye protection risks injury to the retina, the light-sensitive surface lining the inside back of the eye. Our instinct to turn away from intense light protects us from retinal injury.

Even when youre wearing eclipse glasses, dont look through a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope as itll amplify solar rays and cause them to burn through the retina.

Extremely bright light causes photochemical reactions in the retinas rod and cone cells, damaging them so that they no longer respond properly, Fienberg says. If the exposure is brief, the injury will heal over time. But if the exposure is too long, the damage will be permanent, leaving you with blind spots.



If your lenses are scratched or torn, throw them awayyou need complete protection to keep those eyes from UV and IR harm. And make sure to wear your glasses before and after the event to reduce the risk of injury.

Style and Budget

Fienberg says that the most common and least expensive eclipse glasses have cardboard frames with lenses made from a thin, metal-coated polyethylene film or a thin black-polymer resin, sometimes with a metal coating on one side.

Plastic frames with thicker, more durable lenses are slightly more expensive, while 3-by-5-inch handheld viewers made with the same materials as cardboard eclipse glasses are available as well.

Legitimacy

Ebay, Amazon, and other major retailers often see an uptick in counterfeit solar viewing glasses from third-party sellers in the days leading up to an eclipse. A list of reputable manufacturers can be found at the American Astronomical Society's website. These have been tested by the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force and are guaranteeed to protect your retinas from temporary or permanent damage.

While NASA recommends only using ISO-approved eclipse glasses, it doesnt officially endorse any pair. Products labeled NASA-approved or similar rely on marketing tactics to sell safety. Avoid them.

As for trusted brands, Fienberg only recommends U.S. companies that have been around for decades and are likely to be around long after the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses are behind us, specifically calling out products by American Paper Optics and Rainbow Symphony. They both use metal-coated black polymer film manufactured by Thousand Oaks Optical, and most of the resellers on our list get their glasses from either APO or RSincluding some big retail chains such as Home Depot, Lowes, and Walmart.



Eclipse Glasses With Prescriptions

If you wear prescription eyeglasses or contacts, you may be worried about comfort during your eclipse spotting. Denise Hill, heliophysics communications and outreach lead at NASA, has good news for you: solar viewing glasses are constructed to work with existing frames. Eclipse glasses are meant to be worn over prescription glasses or contacts, Hill says. They are not for viewing, but rather, they act as a shield.

For those with eyeglasses, consider grabbing a larger pair of eclipse glasses or even solar binoculars to assist.

How We Evaluated

To find the best solar eclipse glasses, we followed advice from authorities in astronomy and well guidance from NASA's eclipse safety webpage and Senior Advisor to the Executive Officer and Project Manager for the American Astronomical Society Richard Tresch Fienberg, PhD. Our list consists of glasses from reputable manufacturers according to the American Astronomical Society, and two alternatives to traditional solar viewing glasses: binoculars for strong magnification and a pair of welders glasses for a sturdier build.

Solar Eclipse Glasses

Rainbow Symphony takes our Best Overall distinction due to its frequent recommendation from space experts, critics, and the experts we spoke to. This eclipse viewers sturdy build and value-forward bundle includes one pair of plastic Eclipse Shades, an attachable elastic cord, a carry case, plus two bonus paper solar viewing glasses.

If youre viewing the 2023 annular solar eclipse with friends or kids, this set could be a great way to save them on cash. The plastic pair, meanwhile, can be tucked away until next years total eclipse.

They have a scratch-resistant coating, plus the brand claims it blocks 100 percent of harmful ultra-violet, 100 percent of harmful infrared, and 99.99 percent of intense visible light. Several user reviews say they work well and are comfortable, though the price is somewhat high, given their plastic build.

Also available as wrap-around goggles

Shop Now Solar Eclipse Glasses amazon.com $19.95

Solar Eclipse Safety Glasses

Plastic solar viewing glasses can get pricey when factoring in their materials. You can cut costs by going the cheapest route possible: paper. As effective at blocking harmful sun rays as their more robust counterparts, American Paper Opticss solar eclipse safety glasses are thin, compact, and easily fit into your pocket. You can grab a single pair for $1 and save even more by bundling up to 4, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, or 1,000 packs.

Of course, paper has its drawbacks. For one, it wont hold well in transport and can easily get creased and bent. Some folks also might throw them out after a single use. Still, these are the way to go to see the annular eclipse for the cheapest price possible.

Shop Now Solar Eclipse Safety Glasses bhphotovideo.com $0.99

2-Pack EclipSmart Safe Solar Power Viewers

Celestrons EclipSmart Solar Power viewers are great for eclipse watchers who want a slightly closer look at the sun. Theyre made of foldable paper and have two plastic lenses that offer some durability.

They work more like binoculars than a pair of glasses, so youll have to hold them up to your face, but they also offer double the magnification power of traditional lenses. This provides a closer look without spending more on a dedicated pair of binoculars.

Their construction is less flimsy than our Best Budget pick, but theyre still made with paper, making them somewhat fragile. This bundle includes an eclipse guidebook, which lists dates for upcoming events, and an additional pair for sharing.

Shop Now 2-Pack EclipSmart Safe Solar Power Viewers bhphotovideo.com $11.95

10x25 EclipSmart Solar Binoculars

Celestrons EclipSmart binoculars offer enough protection to safely view and magnify the eclipse without damaging your retinas. The binoculars are ISO 12312-2 compliant and have non-removable glass solar filters, as theyre built specifically for viewing the sun. This makes them safe to view the sun but also virtually unusable for any purpose other than watching sunspots.

If you seek something stronger than solar viewing glasses, reach for a pair of these. As always, when purchasing a pair of binoculars, the first number represents magnification power while the second indicates the lens diameterthe higher the number, the clearer, though less stable, the image.

Shop Now 10x25 EclipSmart Solar Binoculars bhphotovideo.com $35.95

Welding Glasses with Black Frame and Shade 14 Lenses

If youre looking for a pair of glasses sturdy enough to survive years of use, reach for this pair of welding glasses from Phillips Safety. These are rated shade 14 for the highest level of eye protection. The AAS says that shade level 12 or higher is safe for viewing the eclipse. They also meet all ISO 12312-2:2015 standards for direct solar observation. They block 99 percent of UV light, 97 percent of IR radiation and only allow a transmission of roughly 0.0003 percent of visible light through them.

These are pricier than other eclipse glasses on our list, but theyre also sturdier than other plastic picks, plus they offer some side shading so they aid in protecting your peripheral vision as well.

Shop Now Welding Glasses with Black Frame and Shade 14 Lenses safetyglassesusa.com $29.99

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Promoting literacy has been woven into the community fabric of Marion dating back more than a century, according to a joint research project by The Ohio State University at Marion, Marion Women's Club, and Marion Public Library.

Ohio State Marion faculty members Margaret Sumner (associate professor of history), Nikole Patson (associate professor of psychology), and Ben McCorkle (English professor) led a group of six students who comprised the research team. Cheyenne Anderson, Stephanie Karrick, Autumn Schafer, Casey Schetter, Sydney Schryer, and Abigail Smith were the students who conducted research for the project.

"We recruited a crack team from all of our different majors  English, psychology, history, and education  and worked together as a team to do research at the Marion Women's Club," Sumner said. "The students spent hours digging away in the archives, then interviewing some influential Marion leaders, and also volunteering to read for the kids at the Marion Public Library. Through their research, you can see the history of Marion's literacy promotion, the current ideas about literacy, and then, of course, Marion's future, which is the kids at the library."

Cheyenne Anderson looks over some of the work that she and fellow researchers from The Ohio State University at Marion did for a project on the history of literacy initiatives conducted in Marion. An exhibit highlighting their research was unveiled Sept. 21, 2023.

Marion Women's Club was instrumental in helping city get its library

The research discovered that, in 1904, the Marion Women's Club was instrumental in convincing local leaders to accept a gift from steel baron and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to build a library in the city. Established in 1907, the Marion Public Library became a community leader in promoting literacy for children and adults, an effort that continues to the present day. Fast forward to 1957 and Ohio State University at Marion began promoting higher education by hosting programs such as Science Cafes and a public lecture series.

Anderson, an alumna of Ohio State Marion who is now studying medical humanities and social sciences at Ohio State in Columbus, said she had been working alongside Sumner on other projects related to the Marion Women's Club Home prior to the start of the literacy project.

"It really meant a lot to me to get back there and get involved, searching through the archives. I really felt like a club member. It was just amazing and really an eye-opening opportunity to be involved so much with the community," Anderson said. "Reading to kids was just fascinating because I love community work, outreach, advocacy, especially for literacy."

The Ohio State University at Marion students, from left, Cheyenne Anderson, Abigail Smith, Stephanie Karrick, Sydney Schryer, and Autumn Schafer were part of a team that researched the history of literacy initiatives in Marion. Not shown is student Casey Schetter.

Anderson said doing the research for the literacy project and working directly with children falls right into line with her coursework in writing, rhetoric, and literacy focusing on the medical humanities and social sciences.

"Being able to talk, to communicate, to conduct interviews and that sort of thing is really vital and I really just enjoyed getting a toe in the water of how to do all this," Anderson said. "It's really amazing just to see what you can do with a group, a plan, a little bit of funding, and enough initiative on everybody's part to go out and put this whole thing together."

Community members contribute to project

A video created to accompany the research project features testimonials from six people about how their lives were impacted by people who encouraged them to read as youngsters. Tara Dyer, Rev. Jackie Peterson, Valerie Wigton, Heidi Jones, Kirk Detwiler, and Greg Rose each shared their experiences from their varied and diverse backgrounds.

"A lot of the (literacy) influence in my culture comes from African American churches, and of course your first piece of literature is the Bible," said Dyer, a current member of the Marion City Schools board of education, retired teacher, and community activist. "So when you ask about the interaction of people helping, that came in the form of helping to learn speeches for Christmas programs or Easter plays or even attending Bible school."

"Reading is fundamental, and if I didn't learn to read back then, I wouldn't be where I am now," said Peterson, pastor of Logos Christian Ministries and president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Marion.

"Our parents were involved with us from the beginning," said Wigton, president of the Marion Women's Club. "And it was usually dad saying, 'Do you have your homework done?' ... Mom, back in her day, was a valedictorian. ... She made sure that we got through school and we were all in honor society. ... I know that her influence and Dad's influence are still with me today."

The Ohio State University at Marion professors Ben McCorkle (English), Nikole Patson (psychology), and Margaret Sumner (history) are shown with student researcher Cheyenne Anderson, third from left, during an open house celebrating their literacy history project.

"I'll be at the grocery store and I'll run into a kid and they'll say, 'Miss Heidi, do you remember when you tutored me in spelling and reading?'" said Jones, president of the Marion Area Chamber of Commerce. "And I'll say, 'Absolutely!' Best times of my life were in my early 20s (tutoring young students)."

"If you're in a play, talking about imagination, you take it into the third dimension because you not only have to read and understand the script, you have to interpret it for an audience," Detwiler, executive director of the Marion Palace Theatre, said in regard to his days at "Set the Stage" summer theater camp for youth. "You're basically making the words on the page come to life."

"I've always been a voracious reader," said Rose, dean and director of The Ohio State University at Marion. "I read a lot  all the time  and continue to read a lot, and I think that has had a significantly positive impact on my ability to write."

A traveling exhibit showing highlights of the research project has been created. The exhibit was unveiled for the public during an open house held Sept. 21, appropriately enough, at the library shared by Ohio State Marion and Marion Technical College.

In addition to Ohio State Marion, Marion Women's Club, and Marion Public Library, supporting partners for the project included Let's Read 20 and the Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: OSU students, faculty compile history of literacy projects in Marion
By Joseph Ax

(Reuters) -A New Mexico judge on Friday rejected a Republican challenge to the state's Democratic-drawn congressional lines, improving the odds Democrats will maintain their hold on all three of the state's districts in next year's election.

The state is one of several in which crucial legal battles over congressional redistricting are still raging two years after most states enacted new maps following the once-a-decade U.S. Census.

With Democrats only five seats short of recapturing a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 2024 election, the outcome of those cases could swing control of Congress.

In Friday's decision, Ninth Judicial District Judge Fred Van Soelen found Democratic lawmakers intentionally split up the state's conservative southeastern region to dilute Republican votes, turning the historically Republican 2nd District into a highly competitive seat.

But, he said, the Democratic plan did not quite rise to the level of an "egregious gerrymander" that would violate the state constitution. He noted the Democrat who flipped the 2nd District in 2022, Gabe Vasquez, won by less than 1%, undermining Republican claims the new map "entrenched" Democrats in power.

"Some degree of a partisan gerrymander is permissible," Van Soelen said.

The Republican state party, which brought the lawsuit, said it would appeal the decision with the New Mexico Supreme Court.

"The legislature intended to and, in fact, did egregiously gerrymander the congressional maps," said state Republican party chairman Steve Pearce in a statement.

Earlier this week, a federal court approved new congressional lines for Alabama after finding a Republican-created map illegally hurt Black voters. The new map is expected to give Democrats an additional seat in that state.

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments next week over whether South Carolina's Republican-drawn congressional map unlawfully diluted the power of Black voters.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Additional reporting by Andrew Hay; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, David Gregorio and Chris Reese)
When Army Gen. Mark Milley formally handed the highest-ranking military title over to Air Force Gen. CQ Brown last week, he left a daunting series of challenges for a fellow commander with a markedly different personality than his own.

As the new Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Brown faces a West growing weary of support for Ukraine, partisan brawls over the Defense budget, growing culture war battles over the military, and an array of tensions abroad  from unrest in the Sahel to threats from China, Iran and North Korea.

But Brown, a quiet and steady diplomat to Milleys boisterous Massachusetts-native manner, will likely take a different approach to conflicts than his predecessor, experts say.

I think of Gen. Brown as much more buttoned down, very personally engaging but also professionally more cautious and more restrained than Gen. Milley, said Michael OHanlon, a security fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Milley, whom OHanlon described as having a back slapping, effusive personality and no shyness for the microphone, saw myriad crises and potential political pitfalls during his tenure, moments that prompted him to frequently wade into the middle of hot-button conversations.

Id be surprised if Gen. Brown has any interest in being that big of a presence himself in our public policy debates. I think hell be more focused on a more traditional limited portfolio the Joint Chiefs chairman takes on, OHanlon added.

At the ceremony last week to mark Milleys exit and Browns ascension, President Biden praised the Texas native and former fighter pilots unflappable demeanor. At the same event, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin lauded Browns leadership, noting that he will defend our democracy without flinching.

Brown steps into the role at a time when the Defense Department must navigate several festering issues, including a House Speaker fight that imperils future Ukraine aid, Sen. Tommy Tubervilles (R-Ala.) hold on military nominees in protest of the Pentagons abortion policy, and strained defense relations with China, which America sees as its chief military threat.

But the four-star general is also starting his new position with nearly four decades of military experience, most recently as Air Force chief of staff, where he routinely pressed for new innovations and efforts to grow and maintain the service in the face of competitors.

That background has experts predicting hell take the more traditional route when it comes to the job compared to his predecessor. The chairmans typical main jobs are to advise the president on the use of force, report to the president on the state of the military, and help guide innovation in the armed forces.

Milley was much more focused on the policy and strategy in kind of dealing with the White House and then [Capitol Hill], said Bryan Clark, a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute think tank.

Milley tended to maybe incorporate more of the political dimension in his work about the militarys role in society. I think that was partly because he got kind of pushed into it, but also I think that was maybe his predisposition. Hes got a Princeton University PhD and he comes out of that more kind of military-political world as opposed to Brown, who is going to come out of a much more operational, technical world.

Clark, who called Browns demeanor very thoughtful, said he believes the general will exert more of the operational, strategy dimensions of the office and focus on  whats the military doing to deal with its challenges? How does the military best support national strategy?

Still, Brown is no stranger to tackling the thornier issues, exerting a quiet yet powerful presence as he deftly addressed racial tensions in the country three years ago.

In an Air Force video released shortly after Minneapolis police officers murdered George Floyd in June 2020  an act that set off a wave of protests and civil unrest across the country  Brown spoke in a steady voice of his experiences as a Black man in America and in the military.

I cant fix centuries of racism in our country, nor can I fix decades of discrimination that may have impacted members of our Air Force, Brown said. Im thinking about how I can make improvements personally, professionally and institutionally so that all airmen both today and tomorrow, appreciate the value of diversity and can serve in an environment where they can reach their full potential.

That quiet demeanor carried over during his confirmation process to be the militarys highest-ranking officer, when he kept his thoughts to himself as the vote was held up for months by Tuberville. The Alabama senator ultimately opposed Browns confirmation, citing the generals support for woke policies.

In his first week on the job, Brown set a steady tone for his tenure in a message to the Joint Force, outlining his priorities for the next four years and calling for the U.S. military to continue to modernize and adapt.

Through all, trust is the foundation of our profession, Brown wrote in the Monday letter. Trust across the force, that we will do right by each other. The trust of our families, that we will care for them through trial and triumph. The trust of our nation and elected leaders, in our commitment to our oath and profession. As Chairman, I will strive every day to strengthen these bonds.

At least for the first year in his new role, Brown wont have to deal with some of the tumult Milley endured under former President Trump, who often sought to bend the military to his own political whims.

Milley quickly saw his own relationship with Trump deteriorate as the general sought to weather crisis after crisis including threats of nuclear war from Iran and North Korea, a worldwide pandemic, civil unrest in summer 2020 and an insurrection.

Trump as recently as last week was still lambasting the general, calling Milley slow moving and thinking and a woke train wreck.

And Milley appeared to have little love for his former commander in chief, telling service members during his farewell address that they do not take an oath to a king, or a queen, to a tyrant or a dictator or a wannabe dictator.

OHanlon predicted a far quieter start to Browns new job. But with most crises not easily foreseen and a presidential election next year, reality may have something else to say about it, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Oregon has become the first state to officially agree to supply Colorado with gray wolves for its ballot-mandated reintroduction.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced Friday a one-year agreement with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for up to 10 gray wolves, which will be captured and translocated between December 2023 and March 2024. Monday, the Nez Perce Tribe in Idaho told the Coloradoan it also will provide wolves to Colorado, possibly as soon as December, though no formal agreement has been reached.

"We are grateful to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for working with our agency on this critical next step in reintroducing gray wolves in the state,'' Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis said in a news release. "This agreement will help ensure Colorado Parks and Wildlife can meet its statutory mandate to begin releasing wolves in Colorado by December 31, 2023."

Here's how the capture and release of Oregon wolves to Colorado will work

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will begin capture operations in December with the assistance of its Oregon counterpart.

The wolves will come from northeast Oregon, where wolves are most abundant in the state and where removal of 10 wolves will not impact any conservation goals, according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Curt Melcher.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be responsible for all costs associated with capture and transport of wolves.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff will work with contracted helicopter crews and spotter planes to capture wolves.

Wolves will be tested and treated for disease at the source sites.

Collars will be placed on wolves and physical measurements will be done in the field in Oregon.

Wolves will be crated in sturdy aluminum crates and transported to Colorado either by truck or airplane.

Animals with major injuries  those suffering several broken canines, missing eyes, fractured or missing limbs, mange or lice infection  will not be chosen for reintroduction.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will make efforts to transplant wolves that have not been involved in repeated depredations.

The wolves will be released at select sites west of the Continental Divide as soon as possible.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will aim to capture and reintroduce an equal number of males and females, with the majority of animals in the 1- to 5-year-old range, which is the age wolves typically disperse from the pack they were born in.

Pressure was mounting for Colorado to find wolves

Before this week, there was growing concern Colorado would not secure wolves to reintroduce by the end of this year.

Per its recovery plan, Colorado's preferred states to secure wolves were Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. But those states refused to supply wolves to the state.

Washington has said it may provide wolves to Colorado but can't before the end of this year.

Of Colorado's potential source states, Oregon has the lowest population with 178 wolves at the end of 2022.

"Oregon has a long history of helping other states meet their conservation goals by providing animals for translocation efforts," Melcher said in the release. "Some of our wildlife populations were also restored thanks to other states doing the same for us, including Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat."

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado finally has secured its wolf source; Oregon steps up
Rep. Raul Grijalva joined about three dozen other progressive lawmakers to introduce a measure condemning some Republicans calls to use military force against Mexico as a way to stem the flow of fentanyl and other drugs across the border.

Grijalva, D-Ariz., also blasted the Biden administration's decision to build a new section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. In doing so, Biden broke a campaign trail promise that not one more foot of wall would be built on his watch.

Grijalva, who represents a congressional district on the border, dismissed the administration's move as "antithetical to the values they have promised to uphold for the American people."

The House resolution, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro , D-Texas, underscores that without the consent of Congress and the Mexican government, military aggression in Mexicos sovereign territory could be considered illegal under U.S. and international law.

It instead calls for continued United States engagement with Mexico and strong bilateral relations to support productive and effective means of combating rising crime, violence, and drug trafficking.

Several GOP presidential hopefuls  including former President Donald Trump, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  have pledged to take militaristic approaches to stemming the flow of fentanyl, which has contributed to steadily growing overdose deaths in the U.S. in recent years.

Their proposals have included sending U.S. special forces into Mexico, labeling drug cartels as terrorist organizations, or simply bombing Mexico.

In a written statement, Grijalva called those approaches "counterproductive" and "a placeholder for real policy solutions.

"Instead of pushing this harmful rhetoric, we should continue to foster strong dialogue and cooperation with our allies in Latin America," his statement reads.

Resolutions are strictly symbolic and not legally binding. Even if all House Democrats supported the measure, it would need a handful of Republican votes in order to pass.

Grijalva on Friday also released his statement condemning President Joe Biden's border wall development.

Up for bid: Arizona offers Doug Ducey's border shipping containers for auction

Administration officials have defended the move as a necessary response to an uptick in illegal immigration, which reached record levels over the summer.

For Biden's part, he blamed Congress for not reappropriating the border-wall money approved in a Trump-era 2019 law.

"The money was appropriated for the border wall," Biden said Thursday. "I tried to get them to reappropriate, to redirect that money. They didnt. They wouldnt. In the meantime, theres nothing under the law other than they have to use the money for what it was appropriated for. I cant stop that."

Laura Gersony is a national politics reporter for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @lauragersony.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Raul Grijalva backs resolution condemning calls to invade Mexico
The top US and Turkish diplomats have spoken by phone after US forces in Syria shot down an armed Turkish drone.

Washington said the drone came too close to its ground forces in Syria, but Ankara merely said it was lost during operations.

During the call between the Nato allies, Hakan Fidan told the US Turkey would keep targeting Kurdish groups.

The US works with Kurdish YPG forces in Syria, but Turkey views them as separatists and terrorists.

Mr Fidan told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Turkey's "counter-terrorism operations in Iraq and Syria will continue with determination".

Meanwhile a US State Department spokesperson said Mr Blinken highlighted the need for Washington and Ankara to "coordinate and deconflict" their activities.

On Thursday US military officials said a US F-16 fighter jet shot down the armed Turkish drone which was operating near American troops in Syria after giving several warnings.

Pentagon spokesperson Brig Gen Patrick Ryder told reporters that American forces had observed several drones carrying out airstrikes near Al Hasakah in north-eastern Syria at 07:30 local time (04:30 GMT).

Some of the strikes were approximately 1km away from US troops, prompting them to take shelter in bunkers, Ryder said.

Four hours later, the F-16 downed the drone after commanders assessed there was a potential threat, he said.

"It's regrettable when you have two NATO allies and there's an incident like this," he told reporters.

It marked the first such incident between the two Nato allies.

There are about 900 US troops operating in Syria as a part of the mission against the Islamic State jihadist group (IS).

Turkey has been launching air strikes against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq after a suicide blast hit its interior ministry in Ankara.

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said the interior ministry bombing had been carried out by a group linked to them.

The PKK is considered a terror group in Turkey, the EU, UK and US.

Turkey views the PKK and the YPG as the same group. However the US has been working with the YPG, which is part of the group of US-backed forces known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that has fought against IS in Syria.

Shortly after the phone call between Mr Blinken and Mr Fidan, Turkey said it had launched renewed attacks on Kurdish target in northern Syria.

The Turkish defence ministry said it had hit 15 Kurdish targets "with the maximum amount" of ammunition and they included "headquarters and shelters".

The PKK launched an armed struggle against the Turkish government in 1984, calling for an independent Kurdish state within Turkey.

In the 1990s, the PKK rolled back on its demands for an independent state, calling instead for more autonomy for the Kurds. More than 40,000 people have died in the conflict.

Fighting flared up again after a two-year-old ceasefire ended in July 2015.
Washington  Donald Trump allegedly discussed sensitive information pertaining to American nuclear submarines with an Australian billionaire at his Mar-a-Lago resort, according to three people familiar with the matter. The individual, Anthony Pratt, has been identified as a potential witness in special counsel Jack Smith's case against the former president, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to CBS News.

FILE: US President Donald Trump, Australian businessman Anthony Pratt and Australian Prime Minister Scott open Pratt Industries Wapakoneta, a recycling and paper plant owned by Anthony Pratt in Wapakoneta, Ohio, September 22, 2019. / Credit: Alex Ellinghausen/The Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images

The special counsel charged Trump with 32 counts of the unlawful retention of national defense information after federal investigators found more than 300 documents with classified markings at his Palm Beach estate after he left office. The former president and two of his aides are also accused of engaging in various alleged obstruction schemes to block the investigation. All have pleaded not guilty.

There is no indication that the former president shared any sensitive records with the Australian businessman, CBS News confirmed.

Pratt is not accused of any wrongdoing.

ABC News first reported Trump's conversations with Pratt, and the New York Times first reported Pratt's potential involvement in the upcoming criminal trial.

The special counsel's office declined to comment. Representatives for Pratt did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump has consistently denied wrongdoing in the case and on Friday called stories about his conversations with Pratt "false and ridiculous."

"I will often state that we make the best Submarines and Military Equipment anywhere in the WorldA pretty well known fact," Trump wrote on his social media site. "These fake stories are put out by corrupt prosecutors trying to interfere with the Presidential Election of 2024."

While the exact nature of the conversations and how seriously prosecutors view the allegations is not clear, Pratt's discussions with Trump could be used at trial as a way to bolster the special counsel's argument that the former president mishandled sensitive information.

At least some of Trump's discussions with Pratt about the capabilities of U.S. nuclear submarines occurred while Trump was president, at a time when Australia was still under contract to purchase French submarines, according to one person familiar with the matter. Pratt was not sure about the veracity of Trump's comments, the person said, and the billionaire later recounted the story as an anecdote about the former president's desire to tout American military products as paramount.

In 2021, President Biden and leaders from Australia and the U.K. announced a partnership between the three nations that would give Australia access to American nuclear submarine technology. The deal resulted in the cancellation of Australia's $100 billion contract with France, to the consternation of the French.

Trump is accused by the special counsel of showing other individuals on at least two other occasions sensitive government records after he left office, including a Defense Department memo allegedly containing classified information about plans for how the U.S. would attack Iran if it ever decided to do so.

According to a copy of a recording of that conversation obtained by CBS News, Trump is heard telling those in the room at his Bedminster club in New Jersey, "It is like highly confidential, secret. This is secret information. Look, look at this."

The document and recording are described in the indictment as an alleged meeting with "a writer, a publisher, and two members of" Trump's staff, "none of whom possessed a security clearance."

Smith's case against Trump  set to go to trial in May 2024 in the Southern District of Florida  stems from the former president's alleged refusal to return sensitive and classified government records to the National Archives after he left office.

Margaret Brennan contributed reporting

Furniture company Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams went bankrupt overnight. Here's how.

Saturday Sessions: Alvvays performs "Easy On Your Own?"

Saturday Sessions: Alvvays performs "After the Earthquake"
A new expansion of temporary protected status, better known as TPS, could be a game changer for nearly half a million qualifying Venezuelan migrants, at a time when repatriation flights to deport certain Venezuelans are expected to resume.

In New York City, Jhonnattan was among the first to apply for TPS this week, after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services started accepting applications from Venezuelans who have been continuously residing in the U.S. by July 31.

Jhonnattan, who is only being identified by his first name because of his current legal status, has a pending asylum case that can take years to resolve. Getting TPS could mean having some kind of temporary relief sooner, since those applications are more likely to be processed quicker than asylum claims, immigrant rights advocates said.

Jhonnattan, who served in the military back in Venezuela, said he first left his homeland in 2017 and settled in neighboring Colombia after facing death threats and surviving a gun attack. He said he spent six months in a prison after being caught up in the rising political turmoil and protests against President Nicolas Maduro, whose leftist regime has eviscerated Venezuelas democratic institutions and helped drive much of the nation into poverty.

Thats when I said to myself, I have to get out of here because theyre going to kill me, he told NBC News in Spanish.

After a few years in Colombia, Jhonnattan started fearing for his safety again after he saw that country's leadership soften its approach to Maduros regime as reports emerged that a high-profile Maduro ally was requesting the return of people who were against the government as well as the military who were asking for political asylum in Colombia, he said.

Thats when Jhonnattan decided to head to the U.S., which had sought to push Maduro out through sanctions and isolation, he said.

With TPS, recipients can remain and work in the U.S. for 18 months without fear of deportation. The federal government can extend the protection if conditions are still unstable in their home countries. Asylees, those who are granted asylum, can additionally apply for a Social Security card, request permission to travel overseas and petition to bring family members to the U.S. Migrants can apply for TPS and asylum at the same time.

Im told that getting political asylum takes a long time, too long, Jhonnattan said. Its somewhat difficult, and yes, hard.

His asylum application is among the more than 1.3 million still awaiting processing as of May. In fiscal year 2021, Venezuelans accounted for nearly 12% of those granted asylum, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Jhonnattan arrived to New York City on June 2022. Unlike many migrants who don't have family or connections, he was able to stay with members of his extended family who live in the city. In order to provide for his parents and two children still in Venezuela, he borrowed a bicycle and biked around Queens looking for work. He found a job assembling and fixing furniture. Three months later, he started renting a room and living on his own.

He recently got his drivers license and started a second job as a driver. New York is one of 18 states that allow noncitizens to get a driver's license.

It's time to give it my all to whatever comes my way and always keep my head held high and stay positive," he said.

Jhonnattan is among the more than 100,000 migrants who have arrived in New York City over the past year, when Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began putting migrants who came into the U.S. through the Texas border on buses and sending them to New York and other Democratic-run cities.

Migrants Arrive in New York (Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News / Getty Images)

Applying, becoming independent

NBC News spoke with five different Latino and immigration rights organizations in New York City that have been preparing to assist Venezuelans with their TPS applications and also providing legal and educational workshops and consultations.

Among the biggest groups doing this work are the New York Immigration Coalition, the Hispanic Federation and the New York Legal Assistance Group. There are also some smaller organizations providing crucial guidance to Venezuelans.

Project Rousseau, an organization offering immigration services, has helped nearly 200 asylum-seekers, many from Venezuela, file their TPS applications over the past week. They're also organizing a TPS clinic later this month, hoping to submit 500 applications for about 100 families, said founder and executive director Andrew Heinrich. A similar event is also scheduled for Nov. 29.

Andrew Heinrich, founder of Project Rousseau. (NBC News)

Democrats who advocated for the latest TPS designation said it would improve the ability of Venezuelans, who are estimated to be half of the migrants coming into New York City, to become more independent and be less reliant on city services such as shelters.

"They will be able to get into the economic ecosystem of the city," said Jesus Aguais, a Venezuelan native and the executive director of AID for AIDS, a group that has been working with Venezuelan asylum-seekers who now qualify for TPS.

"We will be able to fill [employment] positions in a legal way, people will be able to start paying taxes, and they will get out of the shelter system, although they are already getting out of the shelter system," he said.

A local mandate requires New York City to provide shelter and basic services to anyone regardless of immigration status.

AID for AIDS holds educational workshops twice a week and legal clinics once a month with Venezuelan paralegals who fly in from Miami to provide culturally competent services as they apply for asylum, TPS and work permits, he said.

Niurka Melendez, a Venezuelan asylum seeker and the director and founder of Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid, said that even with TPS or another kinds of deportation protections it's still difficult to have "enough to buy a place or rent an apartment [and] show a credit history to be able to lease a place."

Melendez's organization hosts virtual workshops with an attorney to explain the nuances of the different legal pathways migrants can seek when they arrive in the U.S. She said that oftentimes people from different states, and even Venezuela, listen in to then pass on the information to relatives who are heading to the U.S.

New York City officials have said they are also ramping up immigration case management efforts to be able to process the large number of applications.

They hope to "do hundreds of TPS appointments per day in November," Masha Gindler, executive director of the New York City Asylum Application Help, said in a news conference Wednesday. "Our goal is to really make outreach to identify, screen and make appointments for all eligible Venezuelans by the end of the year."

Deportations resume as protections expand

Only Venezuelans like Jhonnatan, who have been in the U.S. before the end of July, can apply for TPS  a protection currently available to other vulnerable populations from 15 other countries such as Ukraine and Afghanistan due to ongoing armed conflict and El Salvador and Nicaragua due to the impacts of environmental disasters.

The federal government said it will soon restart repatriation flights, after Venezuelan authorities agreed to accept the return of deported Venezuelan nationals who crossed the U.S. border unlawfully and were not able to establish a legal basis to remain in the U.S.

Jodi Ziesemer, director of the immigrant protection unit at the New York Legal Assistance Group, told NBC News she believes the repatriations will likely impact Venezuelans who recently arrived to the U.S. or who will be arriving without having a visa. Despite resuming deportations to Venezuela, immigration authorities must provide credible fear interviews to anyone looking to claim asylum.

Venezuelans who have arrived to the U.S. over the past two months may be vulnerable to deportation unless they are in the middle of applying for asylum or other protections, Ziesemer said.

The Biden administration had previously made TPS available to Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. before March 9, 2021, and last year extended their protections to allow those migrants to remain in the U.S. until March 2024.

Those applying under the most recent designation will be able to remain in the U.S. until April 2025.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Djokovic il depaseste pe Nadal in topul meciurilor jucate in Era Open

Novak Djokovic si-a inceput cursa pentru un al saptelea titlu record la Mastersul de la Paris cu o victorie confortabila in doua seturi in fata lui Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Asta il plaseaza acum pe locul 4 in topul numarului de meciuri jucate in istoria [citeste mai departe]
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu said that, according to the latest data, there are still 350 Romanians in the Gaza Strip and about 250 have already asked the crisis cell activated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be repatriated to Romania. He made the statement on Tuesday evening in a call-in

- The security situation in Israel was addressed during Thursday's meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT), in which context the members of the CSAT emphasized that Romania condemned the terrorist attacks by Hamas from the first day, attacks which caused numerous loss of lives humanity

- Omul de afaceri Gigi Becali sustine ca razboiul pornit de Hamas in Israel ar putea fi benefic pentru tara noastra. Latifundiarul crede ca refugiatii vor investi in Romania, considerata una dintre cele mai sigure tari pentru ei.Evenimentele din Israel Excluzand faptul ca mor oamenii si nu e bine,

- Actuala violenta dintre Hamas si Israel lucreaza in favoarea Rusiei, in timp ce distrage atentia internationala de la agresiunea Moscovei in Ucraina si poate duce la noi presiuni migratorii asupra Europei, a considerat duminica presedintele polonez Andrzej Duda, citat de Reuters.

- Patriarhia Romana transmite, printr-un comunicat de presa, ca isi exprima adanca ingrijorare cu privire la recrudescenta razboiului din Israel, ca urmare a atacului terorist declansat in zorii zilei de azi, 7 octombrie, atac soldat cu zeci de morti si sute de raniti.Razboiul reprezinta totdeauna

- Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the national leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said on Saturday that the government does not have problems of "inability to pay" wages and pensions, adding that there is a buffer of almost RON 12 billion with the Finance Ministry, Agerpres reports.He answered

- The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) strongly condemns the rocket attacks by Hamas against Israel, including against the civilian population, along with terrorist infiltrations and hostage-taking, MAE said in a press statement released on Saturday.MAE expresses its deep regret for the victims

- Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced, on Saturday, that the control authorities will check the shops, to ensure that the emergency ordinance capping the markups on basic products is being "correctly applied.""Protecting the purchasing power of Romanians with low and medium incomes, the most affected
Ahead of the crucial assembly polls, the Congress party is betting big on a Bihar-like caste survey. While Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has promised a caste census in the state, addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also promised a similar census in the state if the party is voted to power again. Since the Bihar government released its caste survey data earlier this week, the clamour has been growing among states for the census.

"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made the caste census system in the Raipur session of Congress, and we will do it here on the basis of the same. Rajasthan government will also conduct a caste census like Bihar. We will take the concept that there should be participation of the people as per their population. Instructions will be given to conducting caste-based census on the lines of Bihar," CM Gehlot said.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said if Congress is voted to power again in the state, a caste census will be conducted here as well. "I announce that if Congress repeats government in Chhattisgarh, then like Bihar, we will also hold caste census in the state," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said at a public event in poll-bound Chhattisgarh's Kanker.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has already demanded a national caste census while pitching for 'greater the population, greater the rights'. On the other hand, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has also announced a socio-economic survey of the state's indigenous Muslim sub-groups.

While the BJP has accused the opposition parties of trying to divide Hindus on caste lines, the opposition parties are seeing this as an opportunity to break BJP's vote bank on caste lines.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor to investigate the Mahadev online betting app scam, in which four people have been arrested from Chhattisgarh. It was reported that as many as 17 B-town celebs have come under the scanner in connection with the case including Huma Qureshi, Shraddha Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, and Sonakshi Sinha, among others. They are under the scanner for attending or performing at Chandrakar's wedding in February this year and the company's success party in September last year.

Controversy Queen Kangana Ranaut has now taken to Instagram stories to comment on it and asked the celebs to 'behave.' The 'Tejas' actress wrote, "This endorsement came to me almost 6 times over a span of one year, every time they added several crores to the offer to buy me but I said NO each time, look anymore, yeh integrity is not good just for your conscience anymore, yeh naya Baharat hai, sudhar jao nahi toh sudhar diye jaoge."

The company promoted by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal was being operated from Dubai. It allegedly used the online book betting application to enroll new users, create IDs and launder money through a layered web of benami bank accounts.

As per the digital evidence gathered by the Enforcement Directorate, Rs 112 crore was delivered via hawala to an event management company, while payment for hotel bookings, costing Rs 42 crore was made in cash, sources revealed last month. Last month, the agency conducted multiple raids in cities like Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai and seized assets worth Rs 417 crore in connection with the online betting case.

Earlier in August, the agency claimed that at least four persons were arrested in connection with the case.
The Israeli military today declared a 'state of readiness for war' and confirmed launching strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip as air raid sirens blared in Jerusalem following Hamas' announcement of a new operation against Israel. According to latest reports, Israeli Army has launched Operation Iron Swords against the Hamas group in the Gaza Strip in response to the missile attacks from the territory.

Israel also informed that several palestinian militants have infiltrated into many cities and asked residents to remain indoor. At least three explosions were heard, prompting Israel to activate its anti-rocket defenses. The assault on Jerusalem is seen as a significant escalation by Israel. Earlier, Hamas' military leader stated that over 5,000 rockets were fired into Israel. According to report, dozens of casualties have been recorded in Israel while over 80 people were injured following attacks by the Hamas militants. Several videos are doing rounds on social media showing militants firing indiscriminately on civilians.

The Israeli military reported the infiltration of several Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel and issued directives for residents along the border to stay indoors. This information was disclosed slightly more than an hour after Gaza militants commenced firing numerous rockets into Israel. Hamas mentioned that their military wing leader, Mohammed Deif, would release a statement later on Saturday.

HUGE Israel declares WAR along GAZA STRIP



In a coordinated attack, At least 4 Groups (aprox 40-50) Palestinian Hamas Fighters have crossed the Border into Southern Israeli under cover of Rocket Fire over the last hour. Gliders and boats also used to enter Israel



Isreal has pic.twitter.com/nWyUSZhN6n  Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) October 7, 2023

Previously, the elusive leader of Hamas' military wing confirmed a fresh military campaign against Israel. In a rare public address, Mohammed Deif declared the start of "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm," stating that 5,000 rockets had been launched into Israel at the onset of Saturday. Israel also acknowledged an infiltration from Gaza.

Many Palestinian terrorists have infiltrated Israel & attacking civilians.



Israel is under attack like 26/11 Mumbai attack in India. pic.twitter.com/8Kr6BoKUUX  Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) October 7, 2023

Deif emphasized, "We've decided to say enough is enough," urging all Palestinians to stand against Israel. Notably, Deif, a survivor of numerous Israeli assassination attempts, seldom appears in public.
Expressing solidarity with Israel over the rocket strikes launched by Hamas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that India's thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. This comes after a barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel on Saturday morning after Hamas launched a surprise attack.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 7, 2023

Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India said that the "situation is not normal" but "Israel will prevail". "Thank you@PMOIndia. India's moral support is much appreciated. Israel will prevail," Israel envoy posted on X. According to the latest developments, at least 22 people have been killed in the attack and over 300 people are wounded, with over 70 being seriously injured, The Times of Israel reported.

Thank you @PMOIndia. Indias moral support is much appreciated. Israel will prevail. https://t.co/T6Xsu7gsW5  Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) October 7, 2023

Following the attacks, the Indian Embassy in Israel on Saturday issued an advisory for its nationals, requesting them to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.

"In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant, and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement and stay close to safety shelters. For additional information, please see the Israeli Home Front Command website (https://www.oref.org.il/en or their preparedness brochure. In case of an emergency, please contact us at +97235226748, or leave a message a cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in. The Embassy personnel remain at your disposal for any further guidance," the advisory read.

Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India, appreciated the support of the people of India, adding "We stand firm in the face of terrorism." Hamas has also claimed to have kidnapped five IDF soldiers, however, IDF has not yet spoken on the report, according to The Times of Israel

Israel has already declared a state of war in the country after infiltration by Hamas fighters and missile attacks from Gaza. The Israel Defence Forces launched Operation 'Iron Swords' in response to Hamas's surprise attack on Israel, the Times of Israel reported. IDF is striking Hamas targets in Gaza.

The Israeli military is fighting Hamas terrorists in different locations in Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri and the Re'im military base, The Times of Israel reported.
Himachal Pradesh is yet to recover from the rain-induced disaster and people are coming forward to donate to the state's relief fund whatever amount they can. Not only different states but even Bollywood celebrities have also donated to the state's Disaster Relief Fund (Himachal CM Relief Fund). After Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, now Kangana Ranaut has also donated to the relief fund. Kangana Ranaut has donated Rs 5 lakh online to the disaster relief fund. Although, she wanted to pay more money, but the online payment could not be done and this made the actress upset. She even expressed her anger at the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government.

Kangana shared the screenshot of the conversation with her CA on Facebook and wrote, "My finance team and I are trying to donate for the Himachal floods disaster but guess what, the government there is unable to even operate the disaster fund. After trying 50-60 times the whole day, my team could only donate some amount and more is not going through. Such a shame."

Kangana also shared the chat with the CA in which the CA wrote that there is some problem in the portal. They could donate only Rs five lakh and an amount of Rs 10 lakh could not be paid.

Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a catastrophe this year with the monsoon causing massive infrastructural damage and claiming several lives.
SDM Jyoti Maurya, the famous PCS officer of Uttar Pradesh, has reportedly told the Delhi High Court that she has been made a villain in the public eye due to defamatory content published against her. The High Court was hearing the petition filed by Maurya seeking the removal of fake news and audio videos related to her personal life from social media platforms. The High Court has issued notice to other parties including the Central Government on her petition seeking a reply within a week.

Filing an application in the Delhi High Court, she said that the fake content is having an adverse effect on his social life, said many media reports. Her image is being tarnished in the society. She is being presented as a villain on social media. This is a violation of their fundamental rights. Not only this, Jyoti has also sought instructions to ban news related to her personal life from being broadcast on news channels or any social media platform.

Maurya had filed the petition in the Delhi High Court and had demanded the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to remove the videos, memes and fake news being circulated against her on social media.

Earlier, Jyoti Maurya's husband Alok had withdrawn his complaint by writing a letter to the inquiry committee. In this letter, Alok Maurya said that he is withdrawing the complaint after due consideration. The inquiry committee will send its report to the Prayagraj Commissioner, after which the government will decide whether an investigation should be done or not.

Alok had earlier accused Jyoti Maurya of corruption and having illicit relations with Home Guard Commandant Manish Dubey. Alok had also sent some pages of the diary to the administration as evidence, in which he had claimed that Jyoti Maurya had made wealth worth crores after becoming an officer.
New Delhi: When you come across stories of individuals securing lucrative job offers at the multinational tech giant Google, with salaries ranging in the lakhs and crores, it can be enticing, making you aspire to join the ranks and have your bank account reflect seven to eight-digit salary figures.

There is a common misconception that Google primarily hires candidates with technical qualifications, such as software engineers and data analysts. However, this is not entirely accurate. In addition to recruiting technical professionals, the multinational corporation also welcomes individuals in non-technical roles, such as content writing and SEO specialists.

If you are on the lookout for job opportunities at Google, you can visit their careers page at https://www.google.com/about/careers/applications/. There, you can search for openings in both technical and non-technical sectors that align with your qualifications and interests.

To enhance your prospects of landing a job at Google, consider following these straightforward steps:

Build a Strong Resume and Online Presence:

Tailor your resume to highlight relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that align with the job you're applying for at Google. Showcase your educational background, internships, projects, and any open-source contributions. Create a professional online presence by having an updated LinkedIn profile and a personal website or portfolio that showcases your work and skills.

Develop Technical Skills:

Google values technical expertise, so it's crucial to develop strong technical skills in areas relevant to the job you're seeking. This might include programming languages, machine learning, data analysis, or cloud computing. Consider earning relevant certifications, such as Google Cloud certifications, which can demonstrate your proficiency in Google's technologies.

Network and Connect with Googlers:

Attend industry conferences, meetups, and networking events to connect with current or former Google employees. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn to build connections with Google employees and recruiters. Engage with Google's online developer communities, forums, and open-source projects to establish your presence.

Prepare for Technical Interviews:

Google is known for its challenging technical interviews, so prepare extensively. Review data structures, algorithms, and coding questions. Websites like LeetCode and HackerRank offer practice problems. Practice behavioral interview questions that assess your problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and leadership skills.

Apply Strategically:

Monitor Google's career page for job openings that match your skills and interests. Tailor your application and cover letter to each position, highlighting how your qualifications align with the job requirements. Apply for multiple roles that match your expertise and career goals to increase your chances of getting noticed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the situation in the country is equal to war and not just an escalation. Netanyahu's statement came after hundreds of rockets fired by Hamas terrorists hit Israel today. "Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation not an escalation- at war," Netanyahu said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter. "We are at war and we will win," he asserted in a video statement.

Earlier, after firing over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip to Israel, Hamas fighters infiltrated the country and shot dead many civilians while taking hostage a number of people. Following the attack, red alert warning sirens were activated in Tel Aviv, located around 70 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, as well as, Sde Boker, Arad, and Dimona in the south. The Israel Defence Forces including the Air Force then launched a counterattack targeting the Hamas sites in Gaza.

"This morning, approximately 2,200 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. In parallel, a number of terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in southern Israel. In response, the IDF has launched Operation Swords of Iron. Dozens of IAF fighter jets struck a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip," said Israeli Air Force.

This morning, approximately 2,200 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.

In parallel, a number of terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in southern Israel.

In response, the IDF has launched Operation Swords of Iron. pic.twitter.com/cBaYeaSOcu  Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 7, 2023

Meanwhile, world leaders have extended their support to Israel. "I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice," said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

I am shocked by this morning's attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens.



Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.



We're in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice.  Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 7, 2023

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said, "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks."

I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel.



It is terrorism in its most despicable form.



Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.  Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 7, 2023

French President Emmanuel Macron said, "I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks currently hitting Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and loved ones."

Je condamne fermement les attaques terroristes qui frappent actuellement Israel. Jexprime ma pleine solidarite avec les victimes, leurs familles et leurs proches.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 7, 2023

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Israel has issued an advisory for its nationals, requesting them to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols.
A student playwrights work launched Springs Ensemble Theatre into its 14th season in equally horrific and endearing fashion, tackling a topic seldom explored on stage: transgender identity.

Midge and the Butcher chronicles a transgender teenage girl named Midge, played by Rose Mitchell, who reaches her breaking point after ongoing harassment and summons a demon named Xantheus the Butcher, played by Isaiah Culling, to exact revenge on the perpetrator.

The show is packed with lighthearted moments fit for any classic buddy comedy. Midge paints The Butchers nails and teaches him how to hug. The Butcher develops a knack for knitting with his claws and grows protective of the girl who summoned him, all the while plotting the grisly demise of her primary bully, Hunter, played by Gabriel Meadows.

Thats where the trauma and viscera come in. A content warning on the plays program alerts theatergoers of impending language, blasphemy, transphobia, dysphoria, self-harm and suicidal ideation, religious trauma, body horror and strobing lights.

It is a weird kind of mixed-genre piece, director Sheppard Shaver said. There are people who are drawn to the buddy comedy, wholesome, friendship parts and then are like, Oh, my God, what kind of horror is this? And then theres people who are like, Im here for the blood, oh, and a little friendship is good on the side, too. I hope theres a little something for everybody.

This unusual mash of genres makes this play special, Sheppard Shaver said. That, and the impeccable writing of her former Pikes Peak State College student, Quinn Smola, whom she described as the next great American playwright.

Smola is transgender, an identity he wanted to cover in one of his first-ever plays. Hed never explored the creative medium before taking Shavers introductory playwriting course.

Youre sort of creating your own world that youre inhabiting, and the way I wrote my play is sort of based on personal experiences but projecting them onto a fictional world of fictional characters. In a therapeutic way, Im copying down my feelings, Smola said. I havent seen too many plays about the trans experience, let alone the coming out process and being a trans teenager.

Chad Orr, an audience member during the Thursday showing at the Fifty-Niner Speakeasy in Old Colorado City, commended Smola and other young writers as trailblazers, pushing the envelope on stage in ways only their generation can.

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These fresh perspectives are so much more bold and have an ability to press into subjects in ways that we are sometimes scared to do, said Orr, who also serves as the vice president of local theater company Theatred Art. The only way we can talk about the things that are more complex, like gender, are through new playwrights. These are the topics that havent been fully broached or developed at this point.

Smola said he hopes people will leave with more empathy than when they walked into the show and an understanding that people are going through different experiences, the extent of which we may never fully comprehend. Nevertheless, Smola said, parents, friends and family members should extend love and support to queer youth who often feel isolated.

The shows goal in part is to give audience members a window into the lived experience of many transgender people. Smola and Shaver say the casting of Culling, a nonbinary person, and Mitchell, a transgender woman, in leading roles made the play even stronger in that regard.

We have gone through certain things that cisgender people never will, Smola said. While acting is a place where you can pretend to be someone else, and I feel that's kind of the point, but going into it with a worldly knowledge and passion for repping people correctly is so important and cant be replaced by someone who doesn't know or doesnt care to know.

Inside Out Youth Services, a nonprofit organization catering to LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, partnered with Springs Ensemble Theatre for several events, including an upcoming poetry workshop before the Oct. 8 show and a queer open mic for song, dance, spoken word and poetry before the Oct. 15 show.

Keeley Griego, the nonprofits digital and community editor, said SETs commitment to representative art and inclusive environment makes them a natural partner for the show, especially in a city with limited trans representation in media.

Its huge. Its just so important to have trans people telling trans stories, Griego said. Its a way to tell stories from our perspective, and with that we get to own our power, and that builds confidence.

Despite the horror elements, Smola said the ultimate message is one of hope: Theres a light at the end of the tunnel, even if matters feel grim in the moment.

For trans youth to see it and be like, I can do this, both from a plot sense of having renewed hope and life and feeling they can get through anything, but also from an artistic sense of being like, I can try anything, I can do art, I can go into music or science, Smola said. There is a future for them in this world, and its not all oppression and darkness and depression.

"Midge and the Butcher" runs through Oct. 15. A full list of dates, showtimes and prices can be found at springsensembletheatre.org.
In a note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the federal government reported that there is no information about Brazilians killed in the conflict

EFE/ Atef Safadi According to the latest official report, at least 40 people died during the offensive and more than 700 were injured



The Brazilian government condemned the attack carried out by Hamas against the territory and population of Israel. In a statement, the federal administration reiterated that there is no justification for resorting to violence, especially against civilians and encouraged both sides to avoid escalating the situation. Still according to the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is no information about victims among the Brazilian community in Palestine and Israel. Brazil regrets that in 2023, the year of the 30th anniversary of the Oslo Peace Accords, there will be a serious and growing deterioration in the security situation between Israel and Palestine, states the note. Also according to Itamaraty, as President of the United Nations Security Council, Brazil will call an emergency meeting to address the conflict. The government also says that mere management of the conflict does not constitute a viable alternative for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and the resumption of peace negotiations is urgent.

The Hamas attack began this Saturday morning, the 7th, with the firing of thousands of missiles and the action of soldiers in Israeli cities. According to the latest official report, at least 40 people died during the offensive and more than 700 were injured. Brazil was one of the last Western countries to speak out. Earlier, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and representatives of the European Union had already repudiated Hamas aggression. On the other hand, Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite group and rival to Israel, supported the Palestinian group.
The city of Garner was notified Sept. 25 that the Insurance Services Office has given the the Garner Fire Department a public protection classification 3 rating. The Fire Department was initially evaluated in April 2022 and received 69.1 points, which was a 4 rating.

The Fire Department spoke with the ISO auditor in 2022 and determined that the rating could be improved to a 3 through additional record keeping for training/driving/etc., moving locations of equipment on trucks and purchasing additional equipment for specific trucks. The Garner Fire Department had a re-audit completed May 17, which resulted in a rating of 3. The official notification arrived on Sept. 25. The rating takes effect on Jan. 1.

Garner Fire Chief Jim Thiele said in a statement, This is a great accomplishment as Garner Fire Department is one of only 67 fire departments in Iowa that has a 3 rating or better. There are approximately 830 fire departments in Iowa, so this puts Garner in the top 10% of fire departments in Iowa that achieve a 3 rating or higher.

Most of the fire departments that have a 3 rating or better have at least some or all paid staff, and the Garner Fire Department remains staffed with 30 dedicated and well-trained volunteers, Thiele said.

The grading system for the ISO rating includes the city water system, the dispatch system at the Hancock County Sheriffs Office and the trucks and equipment operated by the Fire Department.

This is a testament to work done by previous Garner City Councils, the city of Garner and Garner Fire Department laying the groundwork over the past many years that has helped to reach this rating, Thiele said.

He thanked Garner residents and the the surrounding community for the "tremendous support" the Fire Department receives.

The improved rating will most likely affect commercial property owners' insurance rates more than the residential property owners' insurance rates. Most insurance companies use the ISO rating when they determine rates for commercial and residential property rates. The residential rates will probably be a more modest saving than the commercial side. Residents may want to reach out to their insurance company and see if this rating will help with your business or residence.

The ISO evaluates fire departments every five years and gives them a rating. Fire departments can request an additional survey if it appears that there is a possibility of a PPC change. The PPC program provides important, up-to-date information about fire protection services throughout the country.

ISO collects and evaluates information from communities in the United States on their structure fire suppression capabilities. The data is analyzed using the fire suppression rating schedule and then a public protection classification grade is assigned to the community. The surveys are conducted whenever it appears that there is a possibility of a PPC change. The FSRS recognizes fire protection features only as they relate to suppression of first alarm structure fires. In many communities, fire suppression may be only a small part of the fire department's overall responsibility. ISO recognizes the dynamic and comprehensive duties of a community's fire service, and understands the complex decisions a community must make in planning and delivering emergency services. However, in developing a communitys PPC grade, only features related to reducing property losses from structural fires are evaluated.
Domestic violence claimed the lives of 385 Iowans between January 1995 and March 2023. The North Iowa Domestic and Sexual Assault Community Coalition holds its annual Remember My Name ceremony to honor those whose lives were cut short.

The Mason City Room at the Mason City Public Library was packed Friday with law enforcement, school personnel, attorneys, victims' rights advocates and the loved ones of those who suffered domestic violence.

"This is a powerful ceremony we use to honor victims," said Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley. "It's good to see so many family members and loved ones here. It's good to not just honor the ones they've lost, but to honor the relationship we've built with them in the aftermath. Law enforcement in the area is dedicated to supporting families and finding solutions for the challenges they face."

John Gish, section chief of the victim assistance program in the Iowa Attorney General's Office, spoke powerfully about his experience as a young man in an abusive home. That experience has informed his decision-making as he works with victims of crime.

"Abusers know what they're doing to maintain control," said Gish. "They manipulate and control. Money was always an issue in our house. My mother got a set allowance to spend each week. Domestic violence is an issue that belongs to all of us."

Presenters read the names of victims and their killers chronologically from 1995. Friends and family rose from their seats to tie a ribbon with the name of their loved one to the memorial tree.

"It's important to remember the names of those we are connected to. It's important for them to be remembered for their lives, not their deaths," said Cerro Gordo County Sherriff Kevin Pals.

Mary Ingham is director of Crisis Intervention Services which serves victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault in 15 counties in North Central Iowa. "I dream of a day that we have no new names to add. Until then, the coalition will strive to build a world that supports victims and prevents these situations wherever possible," Ingham said.

"Know that there is support and services available for anyone who has experienced domestic violence, needs a safe exit plan or just an ear to listen," she continued. "If you know of someone being abused, speak up. Offer help and support. I promise you, even if someone doesn't take you up, it's good to feel that love."

Crisis Intervention services are available 24 hours a day by calling (855) 424-9133. The many services include counseling and education for victim and the victims loved ones, legal and medical advocacy, accompaniment to hospitals, law enforcement agencies, court proceedings, etc., information and referrals and prevention and community education.
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There are some amazing bright spots in all this misery.

One of our translators, Esra Alev, and some of her friends started a Peace Campus after the earthquake. They saw that so many children were in need, living in tents with their families, crying all the time, no school, no home, lost pets.

So 3-4 times a week they gather children from her village in Antakya to play peace games, make art out of recycled things, take walks or go to the river. There is much laughter and camaraderie as the kids play and have a sense of normalcy.

Yesterday we did a medical clinic in a Syrian refugee center run by Syrian refugee women. Amazing, powerful, smart, compassionate women.

Cant help thinking how right on the idea of supporting women in every culture benefits all.

These women created programs for the handicapped, womens empowerment, education, craft and vocational skill training, all in a first floor foyer of an old apartment building.

They welcomed us and we set up a clinic and were busy with patients all day. Our team saw many health issues related to chronic poor nutrition, some skinny babies, failure to thrive and generally fragile health.

We will be going back on Thursday and they will be taking us to the border camp. We expect to see 100-125 patients and are planning to send Team 2 twice a week as there are many in camps on the border.

We have been assured these women know the immigration officer and we will be able to go in and treat patients, These camps also house a small percentage of poor Turkish citizens.

We passed the border wall and barbed-wire fences as we drove. We have been warned to not get out and walk around because there are mine fields. We could see the hills of Syria and were told just the other side were the huge Syrian camps.

It continues to be a struggle to work with the most disadvantaged.

The NGO (non-governmental organization) running the base REMAR has just gotten a fine for food distribution in a very poor Syrian camp. It is frustrating because it is politics not humanity running the show.

The weather has changed and we are in the rainy season and apparently it rains a lot here. The container ISO (International Organization for Standardization) boxes have been flooded in the rains , water pouring through them, and the tents are just rivers and then mud through them. It is pitiful to see losses of possessions again. This will continue for a very long time.

The environment continues to be toxic.

Cranes and bulldozers continue to clean up rubble and there are thousands of severely damaged buildings needing to be demolished. All this creates toxic dust. There is a huge increase in asthma-like symptoms in people and again we wonder the long term effects on the respiratory system.

The dust irritates the skin and we all rush back at the end of the day to wash off the sweat and toxic dust.

Tomorrow at the Syrian camp will be my last day.

Team 2 takes over. Although I am ready to come home I am sad to leave the wonderful translators I have worked with and the Turkish and Syrian people who continue to need support. Over and over we have heard how our presence has given them hope.

We see them, we hear them and we tell the story of their struggles.

Second email received Friday: Not to get alarmed but our last day was both tense and rewarding.

We went back to the Syrian Center, to be taken to a Syrian camp on the border and do a clinic. We arrived at the center and kept getting delayed, tea, tea, and tea again. So whats up???

The director, some translators and people coming in and out of the room puzzled us and finally after almost 3 hours we are told we can go to the camp. Apparently there had been a grenade go off in the camp we were heading to and it wasnt safe. I dont know who or why.

We went to another camp, we were a bit tense thinking it could happen there too.

As it turned out we were welcomed and brought to a large tent to set up and had over 100 patients to see: Some really sick and a lot of kids. Even did some minor surgery under local anesthesia.

We were so busy there was no time to think about being afraid, which is why we have security.

We finished around 6 p.m. and the kids lined up to the car with thank you waves and hugs. We were surrounded by people thanking us, which made our security person very nervous.

He kept trying to get us all in the vehicles and all our supplies and we could barely get through the crowd because people were hugging us and children were grabbing on to our clothes. All was well.

We returned to base for a farewell dinner, vodka and tonics, tearful goodbyes from our translators and a hand over to team 2.

On my way home!

For more on Hands On Global, go to https://www.facebook.com/handsonglobal/ or https://handsonglobal.org/.
There were 188 runners registered Saturday for the eighth annual Helena Sun Run, which aimed to finish up fundraising for a 60-kilowatt solar array on Bryant Elementary School.

The funds raised by the event at Central School, through business contributions, pledges and registration fees, are packaged with a Universal System Benefits grant from NorthWestern Energy.

This year, kids had the fun of the "Can you outrun the sun?" part of the 1-mile and 5K events. Youths who outrun the person in the goofy sun costume get their names announced and recognized after the race.

A "Green Energy Expo" was held during and after the run at Central School.

Previous Sun Runs have completed solar arrays at Lewis and Clark Library, the Holter Museum of Art, Carroll College, Central School and Jim Darcy Elementary.
Our national forests in Montana and North Idaho have seen their share of disaster and devastation over the last few decades.

Catastrophic wildfires have converted millions of acres of once-healthy green forests into moonscapes, leaving behind the charred remains of black snags.

Insect infestations have transformed lodgepole and Douglas-fir forests in Montana into brilliant red-colored trees that eventually lose their needles and become standing grey ghosts as a reminder of what Mother Nature can do.

Fortunately, public land managers use the best available science, and have learned what is needed to help curb the spread of fires when they start, and to reduce the risk of major insect and disease outbreaks.

Foresters at the U.S. Forest Service have years of training, much like medical doctors to develop prescriptions for treating landscapes, similar to a physician outlining a regiment for staying healthy and fit.

The results of their efforts can be seen by driving by or walking in thinned stands that provide healthy trees, clean water, forage for wildlife, and sawlogs for the mills that make the sustainable lumber our growing communities need.

The new plague that is now present on every national forest in Region 1 is anti-forestry litigation that attacks proactive efforts to restore forest health and resiliency.

This plague doesnt feed on unhealthy or overgrown forests, like wildfire and insects and disease. Rather, it is fed by a small minority who file lawsuits trying to stop good forest health projects and get a payday every time they win in court.

The federal Equal Access to Justice Act provides these fringe litigants with a windfall every time they win an argument in court and the judge sides with them. In recent years this plague has risen to epidemic levels often with multiple lawsuits on a single national forest.

These activists often mask their true intentions of claiming a payday by boasting that the forest is going to bulldoze up the streams or clearcut thousands of acres and painting a picture of destruction.

They portray themselves as the good guys saving everything from grizzly bears to Canada lynx and for thwarting the efforts of our public lands managers.

When you hear or read this rhetoric, beware that a lawsuit is coming or has already been filed in the hopes of winning another big payday. Much like any disease, this plague hopes to find a weakness to attack, and these anti-forestry activists seek out weaknesses in planning documents prepared by the Forest Service that might contain 500 to 600 pages of information.

If they get the court to side with them on a single issue that either halts the project or demands additional information  they hit the jackpot.

To date, the results of this plague has led to the stoppage of numerous forest health projects in Region 1  in fact the timber that is currently tied up in litigation could build 25,000 houses. But the real driver that feeds this plague is the $1.5 million that has been paid out in attorney fees to those groups since 2018 who have successfully shut down needed forest health projects.

To stop any plague, it first takes awareness of what is happening and to build up resistance and immunity. The Forests are doing this in the form of better planning documents and using the best science to help explain their work to the courts.

Our communities, along with the national forests, are the ones that really suffer. We need to understand how the plague works and be willing to confront it and to help shut it down.
ARTHUR  Peter Bysko has a workshop at home in Springfield, but his tools are all power tools.

I have hand tools, he said with a chuckle, but they're just for display.

He and his wife, Michele, and her brother, Tony Russell, visited the Harvest to Home festival at the Illinois Amish Heritage Preservation Center between Arthur and Arcola on Saturday because they enjoy the return to a simpler, less technological time.

Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce.

All Amish groups expect men and women to wear prescribed clothing. Children attend Amish schools through eighth grade only, and most Amish prefer to avoid being photographed.

Their faith requires them to be, as the Bible instructs, "in the world but not of the world."

Preservation Center staff member Bruce Weiman demonstrated a hand planer on a board and offered the family a chance to try it themselves, but he wasn't surprised when they all declined.

Time is money, Weiman said. Imagine doing this for a whole tabletop.

Michele Bysko said she's fascinated by how the Amish live without the modern conveniences she depends on, and though she doesn't think she could do that, she has to admit the slower pace and quiet are appealing.

The Byskos moved to Illinois to be near their grandson. They came from Connecticut, where conditions are much more congested, and the fields and elbow room in Central Illinois have become home.

Historian Troy Kauffman, who acted as announcer for the event, said the variety of activities were not to be missed. They included making apple butter, harvesting corn, sorghum pressing and cooking, shredding cornstalks with machinery powered by horses, buggy rides and free train rides  the train was a cleverly disguised tractor.

In the barn, where people could meet dogs, horses, rabbits and a pair of budgies up close, an Amish farrier demonstrated shoeing a horse, with a patient horse standing still and offering his front left hoof for the demonstration.

In the cornfield, Amish men harvested stalks and bundled them together for collection later while horse-drawn wagons waited to be loaded. Horsepower also ran the machines that chopped up the corn shucks and ground the cobs, and women stirred apple butter in an iron pot over an open fire.

Maxxis Woodring of Thompsonville attended with his parents and grandmother, Jane Harper, and took home a piece of rope that he helped make with the assistance of an Amish craftsman on a hand-cranked machine. He said he didn't know what he was going to use it for, but he enjoyed watching the process.

We always come, said Harper, of Cave-in-Rock. We really enjoy this.

PHOTOS: Taking a look inside the Amish community in Ava Jonathon Fence Jason Mast Feet Mast Tomatoes Reuben Mast Phone Amish Flowers David Mast Mast Laundry Jason Mast Amish Chickens Our favorite images of life in Southern Illinois from 2019 Mast men Our favorite images of life in Southern Illinois from 2019
DECATUR  The Harristown Foursquare Church will be hosting "Homecoming 2023" with special services on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10:30 a.m. followed with a free concert featuring the Gospel Messenger's Quartet at 6 p.m. at 7570 W. Main St., Decatur.

Food and fellowship will be offered afterwards along with a freewill offering. All our welcome.

For further information contact Brian Canaday at 217-454-4551.

***

HAMMOND  Hammond United Methodist Church will be hosting their annual "Gospel Sing" on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. in the church fellowship hall, 3rd and D Streets, Hammond.

Music will be provided by Collage of Faith, Lonnie and Monica Conner of Decatur, Shari and Bill Schable of Atwood, Bob Crossman of Arthur, Bobbi Welch of Arcola, Dennis Garmon of Lovington and Sara Rawlins of Atwood, guitarist Larry Purdeu of Decatur and New Creation, a singing trio from Assumption.

Everybody is invited to come and enjoy the gospel music along with snacks and drinks. A freewill offering will be taken for the music groups.

For more information call 217-262-3386.

***

DECATUR  Decatur Christian Women's Connection is hosting a chef-prepared dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Scovill Banquet Facility, 3909 W. Main St., Decatur.

Featured speaker Gayle Hess will present a dramatic portrayal of Corrie ten Boom and will show you the life of a Dutch Holocaust survivor.

The cost of the meal is $20 and registration is required by Wednesday, Oct. 11, to Von at 217-620-3710 or Pam at 217-433-9814.

***

Deadline for items in Faith Notes is noon Monday for publication in Saturdays section. Send information to: Herald & Review, 225 S. Main St., Suite 200, Decatur, IL 62523, lmargerum@herald-review.com, or fax (217) 421-7965. Please include a contact phone number for verification.
CHICAGO  With vocal support from the governor and $25 million from the state, biomedical researchers are beginning to work on studying the fundamentals of human disease at a new facility in Chicago.

The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub  named for philanthropists Priscilla Chan and her husband and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg  is the second biomedical research center launched by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. The first is in San Francisco.

In addition to initial state funding, the center will receive $250 million from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative over 10 years to fund research into inflammation, part of the bodys innate response to irritation and disease.

The for-profit philanthropy organization chose the Chicago location based on the application of a team of scientists from Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Theirs was chosen from a pool of 58 applications.

One of the things that set the Chicago applicants apart, according to Chan, was the enthusiasm from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who sent a formal letter of support for the project as well as adding a more personal touch.

Gov. Pritzker showed up at the applicant interview day as the top cheerleader of the team presenting their case, Chan said at the Biohubs launch event Thursday.

At the launch event, Pritzker delayed the days schedule  later lamenting he wasnt able to fully geek out  when he refused to leave a lab because he wanted to discuss the potential applications of research into inflammation in nervous systems and muscle tissue.

Im gonna get in trouble, Pritzker said when he noticed he was being watched by an event coordinator.

Yeah, you are, she replied, hurrying the governor out of the lab.

The $25 million state grant for the facility, which is still being processed, will come from the states Rebuild Illinois infrastructure program, according to a spokesperson from the states Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. A representative of the Biohub declined to divulge the total cost of the facility.

The under-construction Biohub is scheduled to be completed in January. The plan for the facility mixes elements of a university engineering department and a tech startup. Tissue incubation labs will be located down the hall from flexible workspaces and an office kitchen and bar.

The blend between a Silicon Valley ethos and academic research goes beyond the office design and into its budget as well. Thats evidenced in the $250 million the lab is set to receive from CZI, which is primarily funded through Chan and Zuckerbergs stock in Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook.

Shana Kelley, the Chicago Biohubs president, said the steady revenue stream will allow it to bypass the typical search for ongoing funding that is common in academia.

You dont have to ask the question could we fund this? Kelley told Capitol News Illinois. You can just say, is this worth trying?

Kelley, a professor at Northwestern University who is currently incubating her third and fourth companies, said the funding and more collaborative research model allow researchers to focus on high risk, high reward ideas.

Were not doing a lot of the other things you have to do in an academic institution, Kelley said. Were not training graduate students. Im not teaching undergraduates.

The disease agnostic focus on inflammation came from existing work at the Biohubs three partner universities which each have labs focused on studying instruments that can be inserted into tissue and immunoengineering. This type of research mostly revolves around building technology that will measure biological processes at the molecular level within human tissues, with the ultimate goal of treating inflammation involved in many conditions such as cancer and autoimmune disease.

Weve got to get inflammation figured out, Kelley said. Weve got to learn to control it.

Currently, the research center has 11 staff members  with a planned staff of 30 to 50  and has ongoing projects with partner universities. Hope Burks, a fellow at the Biohub, is working on creating devices that can be inserted into the skin that monitor inflammation in real time.

Burks said this research might be helpful in developing diagnostic or clinical tools that can identify and treat disease.

What kind of inflammation is happening? Burks said during a presentation Thursday. Do they have different signaling patterns that are specific to each other? Once we see what types of inflammation, what is effective against that?

Photos: Pritzker Military Archives Center
I sent a top Democratic strategist who I respect a copy of the Venezuelan migrant-related poll I posted for my subscribers last week.

Among other things, the M3 Strategies poll of 659 likely Chicago voters, found that pluralities of likely Chicago voters said they opposed migrants being housed by the city of Chicago (49-46), while also saying its time to end Chicagos status as a sanctuary city (46-39). The polls margin of error was +/-3.82%. This is a Republican pollster, but they very accurately predicted the Chicago mayors race results during the first round.

Black and Latino voters really helped drive those poll results, with 49 percent of Black voters and 57 percent of Latinos opposing the citys housing of migrants, and 51 percent of Black voters and 48 percent of Latinos saying they want to end the citys sanctuary system. Several Latino residents have told reporters that they resent the help given to the migrants when they received nothing at all after coming to the United States. 56 percent of Latino and Black voters told the pollster that the migrants made the city less safe.

Not surprised by any of this, the operative texted back. Indeed, plenty of Democratic legislators have been getting an earful from constituents about the problem, and not just in Chicago.

The question, he said, is whether this is just another law and order issue that polls well and seems persuasive but actually isnt, when you match up actual Republicans with Democrats. He said it would probably have more impact on Democratic primaries.

I suggested that Black voter turnout could be driven down by numbers like these. 79 percent of Black respondents told M3 Strategies that the asylum-seeker situation is negatively affecting current Chicago residents who may be in need, which seems to check out when looking at the strong push-back against housing migrants in Black neighborhoods. And Black turnout was already way down last year.

Maybe, the operative said, but added, Elections are an eternity away with how voters memories operate.

I agreed about the voter memory aspect, but countered that his prediction assumes the migrant influx would be resolved a year from now. Some analysts have predicted far more migrants next year.

Oof, he replied.

Support for housing migrants and positive views of the impact on the city is strongest among young, white voters on the North and Northwest sides, the polling firm reported. Everyone else, not so much.

If this keeps up, theres no doubt that the anger will spread to suburban communities, many of which have no local sanctuary ordinances. And the migrants have already started to arrive there.

During the uproar after Joliet Township Supervisor Angel Contreras applied for a state grant and more than just implied that he had support from the Joliet Mayor and the citys fire department when he apparently did not, news reports revealed that 2,200 asylum seekers had already been helped by the Spanish Community Center in Joliet.

Rep. Fred Crespo (D- Hoffman Estates), who chairs an appropriations committee, told me that at least one school district in his northwest Cook County district is looking at bringing back mobile classrooms, to help deal with the growing influx, and more are complaining that they cant sustain the pace.

The poll makes it fairly easy to see why the governor and his administration would like to continue defining this as a Chicago administrative problem.

When asked last week about how all these folks could possibly be housed, Gov. Pritzker said, This is a challenge I think the city has been facing since the beginning, the governor said. You know, we dont do city planning at the state level. This is, you know, a question best directed at the city.

Pritzker added that the state has been supporting the city as they have developed plans and as theyve implemented them.

What the city has actually done is floated a lot of ideas, but not implemented them and flailed all along the way. And after receiving more than $300 million in state assistance, the city is coming back for more cash, issuing demands in the news media and meeting with legislators.

Unlike Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Pritzker administration has lots of experience dealing with crises. Theyre not perfect, but they did manage to help get the state through the pandemic. And Pritzkers sharp letter to President Biden last month seems to have helped push the president forward. The White House announced it will resume deportation flights to Venezuela.

Despite the governors words, this is no longer a Chicago-only issue. And that means the state needs to start taking more of a lead here.
VALE  Hart Square Foundation will welcome visitors to its 38th annual Living History Festival on Oct. 28. Experience life as it would have been in the early 1800s as you stroll through the nations largest collection of historic log cabins. This immersive experience is a celebration of traditional arts, trades, and the pioneer lifestyle in North Carolina.

On festival day, Hart Square Village will bustle with knowledgeable artisans and living historians. Many of its craftspeople and historic demonstrators have gained regional and national acclaim for their artistry. This talented group volunteers their time to continue a tradition of bringing Hart Square Village to life and sharing the experience of our pioneer ancestors with the public.

Participants will witness everything from lacemaking to tin smithing, to turning pottery and firing it in a groundhog kiln.

Rebecca Hart, executive director, says, Our founders, Dr. Bob and Mrs. Becky Hart, envisioned this annual event as a celebration of the pioneer way of life and a place where traditional arts and trades can be shared with our community. This year will showcase over 100 historic demonstrations and 20 live bands. I invite you to step back in time at the 38th annual Living History Festival.

Tickets are available on the Hart Square website for this immersive historical experience.

Hart Square Village is an open-air museum located in Vale, consisting of over 100 historic log structures built between 1760 and 1893. Hart Square Foundation is the nonprofit organization tasked with instilling a pioneering spirit in the next generation through preserving and sharing the history and culture housed at Hart Square Village.
HICKORY  The Hickory High School Class of 1968 held its 55-year reunion on Sept. 16 at the Elks Lodge of Hickory. A total of 80 people were present, 51 of whom were classmates. All enjoyed an evening of fellowship, socializing, eating great food and listening and dancing to music.

A moment of silence and recognition was held for the classmates who have died. Forget-me-not flower packets of seeds were labeled in memory of each person, hung on a lighted tree and offered to any classmate who wished to take one in memory of a beloved classmate.

A donation of $500 was made by the Class of 1968 to the Elks Lodge for their scholarship fund for children or grandchildren of Elk members.

Classmate Ted Cooke delivered all the leftover food to New Beginnings of Hickory, a residency program for men wanting to make a change in their lives.

Decorations were again created by classmate Leslie W. Newton. Music was secured by Susan R. Osborne, after classmate DJ Jerry Peeler, could not attend at the last minute. A memorabilia table of pictures, yearbooks and more was set up by Jenny W. Propst for all to reminisce. Stan Bolton, husband of classmate Jean S. Bolton, again took a class picture and pictures throughout the evening.

The class was thrilled that Ensor Transfeldt, the AFS exchange student from South Africa with the Class of 1968, was again able to come to the reunion. He is always excited and willing to help in any way. Ensor, a retired spinal surgeon, traveled from Oregon. Other classmates traveled from California, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama and various cities of North Carolina.

The committee worked hard to reach out to as many classmates as possible and were glad so many were able to attend. Classmates, who had health concerns at the last minute and could not attend, were missed and prayers offered for their speedy recovery.
VALE  The 2023 Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year for North Carolina is Jerry Wyant of Vale.

Wyant was raised on the same farm where hes been planting crops and raising livestock for the last 52 years.

Im the fourth generation to live on this property, Wyant said. My great-grandfather bought 280 acres in the mid-1800s and cleared approximately 40 acres to farm. As time went on, my grandfather and father cleared even more land.

After high school Wyant went on to earn a degree in management and cost accounting at Kings Business College in Charlotte. Following graduation, he worked for Firestone of Charlotte and later for Vermont American Corporation as a cost accountant and office manager. He eventually became a manufacturers sales representative for the company. In the early 1970s, it was apparent that his dad needed help on the farm, so he left the corporate world for full-time farming.

Wyant has been married to Linda Wyant since 1972. They met in the same church where both of their families were long-time members. She learned hard work by growing up on a dairy farm. They have three adult children: twins Robert (Tommy) Wyant, 46, and Susan Wyant Barrett, 46, and David Wyant, 40, and a number of grandchildren.

Our farming operation is a family one, Wyant said. After our two sons graduated from college, they joined the family business. Our daughter is a CPA and helps on the farm by handling the bookkeeping. Even our grandchildren are involved.

For example, the grandchildren pick up roots in freshly cleared land and spend hours riding in the combines with either their dad or their grandfather. Some raise quail, chicken, and baby calves and sell eggs. Others have baled straw at wheat harvest time and run the combine during the summers. Both daughters-in-law and Linda Wyant have served as go fors and run the lead vehicle with flashing lights to move big equipment on the highway. Linda cooks lunch for all the farm workers every day and does all the mowing on the farm.

Wyant started off with 400 acres of farmland, 100 of which were rented and 300 owned. He now has a total of 1,800 acres, with 1,040 acres rented and 760 acres owned. Wyant Farms crop yields are as follows: 725 acres of wheat yielding 78 bushels/acre; 1,400 acres of soybeans yielding 53 bushes/acre; 100 acres of corn yielding 176 bushels/acre; 20 acres of alfalfa hay yielding 2.75 tons/acre; 120 acres of grass hay yielding 2.25 tons/acre; 70 acres of grass seed yielding 600 50-pound bags. On 725 acres he grows wheat straw yielding a total of 42,000 bales.

He bales straw in 40-pound rectangular bales and saves on labor costs by investing in a stack wagon and a bale handler to mechanize the moving and loading of the straw bales. Wyant also has a cow/calf operation of Black Angus breed consisting of 120 brood cows yielding 110 feeder calves/year. In addition, he is now feeding out steers and heifers and selling steaks and hamburgers to individual customers.

Wyant said, On our farm we harvest our own crops and store them in bins of varying sizes, from 3,000-bushel bins to 26,000-bushel bins. I enjoy driving a combine and seeing the grain come into the bins, especially in good years. We use tractor trailers to haul the wheat and corn to Renwood Mills in Newton and the soybeans to ADM in Kershaw, South Carolina. We also use futures contracts by marketing ahead six months and do our own hauling of these crops. Our cattle are transported directly to the auction barn, and we carefully watch market trends and balancing pasture conditions.

Wyant cleans his grass seed and has samples tested for germination and purity. He added, We sell grass seed from the farm and deliver to wholesale customers as well. We bag deer corn and sell it at the farm. And we sell the straw by the tractor trailer load, hauling it to various landscape businesses within a four-county area. We deliver large loads of hay to our customers and sell smaller hay loads directly from the farm.

Wyant also occasionally provides land improvements for others in the community using his own equipment. On the off-season he delivers wheat and soybeans to market for several local farmers, helping to defray the cost of owning four tractor trailers.

On the county level, Wyant is a past member and vice president of Lincolnton Jaycees, a past board member and president of the Union Volunteer Fire Department, and a past member of the Lincoln County Planning Board. In 1994, the Wyants were named Soil and Water Conservation Farm Family of the year. He is currently president and board member of the Lincoln County Farm Bureau and a past chairman of the Voluntary Ag District Committee. On the state level, he is currently serving as vice president of the North Carolina Farm Bureau and a member of its executive committee and board of directors. On the national level, Wyant has regularly attended the American Farm Bureau Annual convention and has been a voting delegate to the AFBF Annual meeting for over 20 years.

Each year in March, Wyant participates in Ag Day at the Legislature, meeting with state representatives to discuss issues that will impact agriculture and his farming operation. In 2015, he participated in a trade mission to China with the North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.

Jerry and Linda Wyant are active members of Daniels Lutheran Church.

Their grandchildren will be the sixth generation to farm on the family property. Wyant says one of the most important lessons hes learned from his long years in agriculture is to stay humble in the face of the almost constant unpredictability of Mother Nature. All you can do is work hard, do your best, and have faith in the good Lord that it will balance out in the long run, he said.

Jerry Wyant was nominated for North Carolina Farmer of the Year by Luke Beam, NC Farm Bureau field representative.

As the state winners of the Sunbelt Expo award, the Wyants will receive a $2,500 cash award and an expense-paid trip to the Sunbelt Expo. The state winners are now eligible for a $15,000 cash prize awarded to the overall winner by the sponsors. Massey Ferguson North America will provide each state winner with a gift package and the overall winner with the use of a Massey Ferguson tractor for a year or 250 hours (whichever comes first).
When Olaudah Equiano was just 11 years old, he and his sister were abducted by slave traders from their village in what's now southern Nigeria. Years later, he wrote his first impressions of the kidnappers who would take him across the horrific Middle Passage to the American colonies:

"I feared I should be put to death, the white people looked and acted, as I thought, in so savage a manner; for I had never seen among any people such instances of brutal cruelty; and this not only shewn towards us blacks, but also to some of the whites themselves."

In Virginia, Equiano was sold to a Royal Navy officer who treated Equiano well, teaching the young boy to read and write and taking him along on sea voyages for the next eight years. But Equiano, like all slaves, was still property and was sold again to an English merchant in Montserrat who employed him as a deckhand, valet and barber.

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Equiano never took his eyes off of freedom, though, and was able to work and trade on the side to save up 40 British pounds, the price of his freedom. Raised on the sea, he followed in his former masters' footsteps and became an explorer and merchant for the next 20 years, visiting far-flung ports like Turkey and the Arctic.

When Equiano finally settled in London, he joined the burgeoning movement to abolish slavery and became a member of the "Sons of Africa," a group of 12 free black men who lobbied for the end of the English slave trade.

In 1789, as Parliament was set to debate abolition, Equiano published his autobiography, "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African." The book was expressly written, as Equiano says, "to excite in your august assemblies [Parliament] a sense of compassion for the miseries which the Slave-Trade has entailed on my unfortunate countrymen."

Not only was his memoir one of the first English books written by a black African author, but it was a wildly popular best-seller and helped turn the tide of British public sentiment against slavery. Equiano died in 1797, 10 years before Britain formally outlawed the African slave trade.
When the yodeling, alphorn music, and bell ringing of the Brown Swiss parade of champions died down on Wednesday afternoon, Iroquois Acres Jong Cali was selected as Grand Champion of the International Brown Swiss Show by judge Chris Lahmers of Marysville, Ohio, and associate R.T. Thompson of Darlington, Wis.

Cali won the Component Merit Cow class before being named Senior Champion and is owned by Brian Pacheco of Kerman, Calif. The Component Merit class is open to cows over 5 years of age that are in at least their third lactation and have produced at least 8,500 combined pounds of fat and protein in their lifetime.

When you talk Brown Swiss, you talk dairy strength, longevity, and feet and legs, and this cow has it, described Lahmers of his champion.

Pacheco also earned Reserve Grand Champion honors among the 156 cows shown. That title went to Calis daughter and the winning Aged Cow and Reserve Senior Champion, Iroquois Acres Total Candy.

The last two cow classes also produced the champions in the Junior Show. Grand Champion went to the second place open and first Junior Component Merit Cow, Senior Champion Dutch-Marie Dundee Allie. She is owned by Hadleigh, Ezra, and Kenna Jones and Kelly Jo Manion of Edmonton, Ky. Reserve Senior and Grand Champion was the Aged Cow, Northkill Creek Groovy, exhibited by Hannah and Mark Balthaser of Bernville, Pa.

Three-year-olds dominated the young cow Open Show. The Junior Three-Year-Old, Topp B-3 Woodford, was Intermediate Champion for Topp-View and Brothers Three of Watertown, Wis., while the winning Senior Three-Year-Old, Just-So D Fortune-ET, exhibited by Just So Farm of Lake Mills, Wis., was Reserve.

Among the juniors, Pit-Crew Phantom Kristine was Intermediate Champion. The Summer Junior Two-Year-Old is leased by Abby Foss and owned by Pit-Crew Genetics of Cambridge, Minn. Abigail Wilber of New Hartford, Conn., had Reserve Intermediate Champion with her Junior Three-Year-Old, Colebrook Creek Dt Alina.

There were 217 Brown Swiss heifers shown on Tuesday, and the largest class of the day  52 fall calves  produced the Junior Champion in the Open Show. Jenlar Rasta Westlynn-ETV was exhibited by Siemers Holsteins of Lomira, Wis.

Shelburne BR Dells Designer NP was named Junior Champion of the Junior Show before earning Reserve honors in the Open Show. She is leased by Lilly Jensen and owned by Hayleigh Geurink and Kelvin Webster of Blue Mounds, Wis.

Designer was first junior and open in the Winter Yearling class, and right behind her in class and the champion lineup of the Junior Show was Pit-Crew Devils Rhythm. She is leased by Allison Foss and owned by Pit-Crew Genetics of Cambridge, Minn.

Pit-Crew Genetics took home both Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor of the Heifer Show. Brown-Heaven R Famous-ET was the Premier Sire there.

Premier Breeder of the entire show was Cutting Edge, Ken Main and Peter Vail of Copake, N.Y., while Ken Main and Kenny Joe Manion took home Premier Exhibitor. Voelkers TD Carter was named Premier Sire.

Hoard's at Expo is sponsored by Trioliet.

Katelyn Allen

Katelyn Allen joined the Hoards Dairyman team as the Publications Editor in August 2019 and is now an associate editor. Katelyn is a 2019 graduate of Virginia Tech, where she majored in dairy science and minored in communication. Katelyn grew up on her familys registered Holstein dairy, Glen-Toctin Farm, in Jefferson, Md.
It was a lucky day for Millcreek Lottery Ladyluck as she was selected as Senior Champion and then Grand Champion of the International Milking Shorthorn Show on Thursday for Taylor Graves of Danville, Ky.

The winning Aged Cow wasnt relying on luck, though. Judge Brandon Ferry of Hilbert, Wis., said the red cow was on the money with her balanced frame, beautiful udder, and correct feet and legs as he selected her as the winner of what he called a sensational show.

Ferry and his associate Mike Gregory of Hebron, Ill., then tapped the Reserve Senior Champion and first place Five-Year-Old as Reserve Grand Champion. She was Gin-Val Logic Lauretta-EXP, exhibited by Cory and Kristen Salzl of Litchfield, Minn.

When naming Intermediate Champion, Ferry and Gregory went with the top pair of Senior Two-Year-Olds. Winning that class of 13 and earning the champion banner was Heavenly Hushpuppy-EXP, exhibited by Tyler Endres and Peter Vail of Reedsburg, Wis. Second in the class and Reserve Intermediate Champion went to Allen Van Gorder, Glenn McNeil, and Gram Rozler of Little Falls, N.Y., with Garys Christos Saffron.

There were 112 heifers shown on Wednesday, and Junior Champion was awarded to Lands-Brook KnH Chilli Pepper, owned by Peter Vail of Englewood, Fla. When she comes in class, she floors you, said Ferry of his roan winning Fall Yearling.

Three of the five heifers pulled out for Junior Champion were exhibited by junior members, and Reserve Junior Champion of the Open Show went to the Junior Champion of the Junior Show. Judge Ferry said Maunesha Creek Excite Me-EXP was cut from the same cloth as his Junior Champion with her width and uphill run. Excite Me was the first place open and junior Fall Calf leased by Justin Brandel and owned by Mena Schmitt from Lake Mills, Wis.

In the Junior Show, she was followed by another Open class winner for Reserve Junior Champion. Old-N-Slow Lapdance-EXP-ET was the first-place Winter Yearling for Dana Johnson of Tomah, Wis.

Among the junior-owned cows, Heavenly Zora walked away with the Grand Champion banner for Dillon Freeman of Bremen, Ind., for the second straight year. She was the first place Five-Year-Old and Senior Champion.

Reserve Grand Champion went to the Intermediate Champion. Lazy-M-Jk Lady In-Red-EXP was the top Junior Three-Year-Old for Aubree, Aiden, and Alaina Topp of Botkins, Ohio.

Reserve Senior Champion was Corstar Mixin-It-Up-EXP-ET P, the top Four-Year-Old, for Cadence Spearman of West Concord, Minn. The Reserve Intermediate Champion was Lazy M Jekyll Zella-EXP, the winning open and junior Senior Three-Year-Old exhibited by Britton Allen of Belmont, Wis.

Lazy M Farm, Michael and Herman Maier, of Stitzer, Wis., took home both Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor of the show. The Premier Sire was North Stars Famous Patriot-EXP.

Hoard's at Expo is sponsored by Trioliet.

Katelyn Allen

Katelyn Allen joined the Hoards Dairyman team as the Publications Editor in August 2019 and is now an associate editor. Katelyn is a 2019 graduate of Virginia Tech, where she majored in dairy science and minored in communication. Katelyn grew up on her familys registered Holstein dairy, Glen-Toctin Farm, in Jefferson, Md.
Heineman Reagan Roz, owned by Angela Fuller of Attica, N.Y., isnt new to the winner's circle at World Dairy Expo after being Reserve Grand Champion in 2022. This four-year-old is the total package. Shes got that width, that strength, that dairyness, and a huge rear udder, said Kurt Wolf of Guttenberg, Iowa, as he selected Roz as his 2023 Grand Champion cow. Roz was also the Senior Champion of the show. Old-Bankston Jc Banner, owned by Glamourview-Iager and Walton of Walkersville, Md., followed closely behind, claiming the title of Reserve Senior Champion and Reserve Grand Champion.

The Junior Three-Year-Old, Vieux Village G Montana, exhibited by Florent Foley, of Piopolis, Quebec, was Intermediate Champion. Heineman Kingsire Cold Brew, also owned by Angela Fuller, of Attica, N.Y. was named Reserve Intermediate Champion.

The trend of selecting the Senior Champions for Grand Champion continued into the Junior Show. Toppglen Wishful Thinking-ET owned by Tanner, Brennan, Marissa, and Logan Topp, of West Salem, Ohio, was named Grand Champion and Senior Champion of the Junior Show. The Reserve Grand Champion and Reserve Senior Champion was Moy-Ayr Predator Lively shown by Steve, Pauline, Rebecca, and Emily Schmidt, of Delavan, Wis.

That group also had the Intermediate Champion of the Junior Show, Moy-Ayr Berkely Darling. Sco-Lo Kingsire Boom, owned by Cannon and Arnold, of Dyersville, Iowa, was awarded the title of Reserve Intermediate Champion.

Things heated up on Monday afternoon when the Ayrshire heifers entered the ring. It was the first and second place Fall Calves that received top honors. Wolf and associate judge, Steve Searles of Pine Island, Minn., selected Stylin Reynolds Monroe, shown by Leslie and Linda Bruchey of Westminster, Md., as Junior Champion of the Open Show. Grand-View Champ Dyna, owned by Jacob, Logan, and Madison Harbaugh, of Marion, Wis., was Reserve Junior Champion. Additionally, Dyna was named Junior Champion of the Junior Show. The Summer Yearling, Bricker-Farms Champions Choice, shown by Callen and Dawson Damrow and Abby Porte, of Pocatello, Idaho, was Reserve Junior Champion of the Junior Show.

As the dust cleared, Sunny Acres Farm of Georgetown, N.Y., received the honor of both Premier Breeder and Exhibitor. In the Heifer Show, the Premier Breeder was Budjon-Vail, of Lomira, Wis., and Peter Vail, Mile High, of Englewood, Fla., was the Premier Exhibitor.

Hoard's at Expo is sponsored by Trioliet.
It was the 4-year-old, Premium Apple Crisp Lilly-Red, owned by Jim Butler of Chebanse, Ill., that secured top honors by being named Senior Champion and Grand Champion in the International Red and White Show. Following closely behind was last years Grand Champion, Ransom-Rail Beth-Red, owned by Milk Source, Ransom-Rail, and Fischer of Kaukauna, Wis., taking home a triple win by being named Reserve Senior Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, and Champion Bred and Owned.

Judge Phillip Topp of Botkins, Ohio, alongside his associate, Tanner Schmaling of Elkhorn, Wis., found a pair of senior 3-year-olds in the younger cow division. Golden-Oaks Temptres-Red-ET owned by Milk Source, Fischer, Steincrest, and Crescentmead of Kaukauna, Wis., was awarded Intermediate Champion. Reserve Intermediate Champion was Willye Srndptous Legacy-Red shown by Oakfield Corners Dairy of Oakfield, N.Y.

In the Junior Show, attendees saw another triple win when Synergy Spikes Sequel-Red, owned by Jacob and Claire Betley and Evan Jauquet of Pulaski, Wis., was selected as Grand Champion, Senior Champion, and Champion Bred and Owned. Luck-E Diamond Tonto-Red, exhibited by Jacob Menzi of Millport, N.Y., was named Reserve Senior Champion and Reserve Grand Champion.

Schluter Atlanta-Red-ET, shown by Matthew and Elizabeth Gunst and Evan Hathaway of Hartford, Wis., was awarded Intermediate Champion of the Junior Show. Cherry-Lor Warrior Lime-Red, owned by Phillip Mccormick of Milmont, Pa., was Reserve Intermediate Champion.

The judges sorted through 216 heifers on Wednesday afternoon to select their junior champion. This Summer Yearling kind of puts it all together, said Topp, as he selected Sco-Lo Dc Rogue2470-Red-ET, owned by Fly Higher, Elmlo, Andy and Whitney Reynolds, and Mackenzie Reynolds of Corfu, N.Y., for Junior Champion. The winter yearling, Betley Lightsout-Red-ET shown by Claire and Jacob Betley, of Pulaski, Wis., was named Reserve Junior Champion.

This is the same heifer that was selected as Junior Champion and Champion Bred and Owned of the Junior Show. Kamryn, Kate, and Colt Kasbergen from Tulare, Calif., had the Reserve Junior Champion of the Junior Show with Betley Warrior Lynx-Red.

At the end of the heifer show, Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor were given to Bella-Ridge, Harbaugh and Loehr families, from Marion, Wis. The Premier Sire was Mr Blondin Warrior-Red-ET.

For the cow show, Premier Breeder went to Kress-Hill Dairy, of Newton, Wis., and Premier Exhibitor honors went to Oakfield Corners Dairy, from Oakfield, N.Y. Riverdown Unstopabull-Red was the Premier Sire.

Judge Topp completed the show by saying, What a show, outstanding quality all day. These words have rang true throughout all shows here at the 2023 World Dairy Expo.

Hoard's at Expo is sponsored by Trioliet.
For the second time in three years, Erbacres Snapple Shakira-ET claimed Supreme Champion honors on the colored shavings at World Dairy Expo.

On Friday afternoon, the speckled cow first ascended to the top of the Six-Year-Old and Older Cow class that included the Grand Champion Holstein from the last two Expos  and, in fact, the last two Expo Supreme Champions: herself and Oakfield Solomon Footloose-ET. At the close of the class, Shakira and Footloose stood first and second in the class, respectively, and earned raucous applause throughout the Coliseum.



Those two cows then went on to be named Senior and Reserve Senior Champion and, finally, Grand and Reserve Grand Champion of the International Holstein Show.

Two hours later, Shakira repeated her feat from 2021 when she earned the top award of the 2023 Expo dairy cattle show. She is owned by Ferme Jacobs, Antelimarck, Ty-D Holsteins, Theraulaz, and Attaboy Holsteins of Cap-Sante, Quebec.



Reserve Supreme Champion went to the Grand Champion Jersey. That was Stoney Point Joel Bailey, exhibited by Vierra Dairy Farms of Hilmar, Calif.

Among the heifers of the Open Show, the Red and White reigned Supreme. Sco-Lo Dc Rogue2470-Red-ET is owned by Fly Higher, Elmlo, Andy and Whitney Reynolds, and Mackenzie Reynolds of Corfu, N.Y. Reserve Supreme went to the Holstein, Kingsway Caught a Vibe, owned by Kingsway Farms and Velthuis Farms of Hastings, Ontario.

Both Supreme titles in the Junior Show went to the Ayrshire representative. Toppglen Wishful Thinking-ET was the winning cow for Tanner, Brennan, Marissa, and Logan Topp of West Salem, Ohio. The top heifer was Grand-View Champ Dyna, owned by Jacob, Logan, and Madison Harbaugh of Marion, Wis.

Both Reserve titles went to the Jersey animals. Reserve Supreme Champion in the Junior Show was Rolling Spring Premier Lucille owned by Evan Jauquet of Pulaski, Wis. Among the heifer contenders, Miss Gayles Grace-ET, owned by Kendall Thomas of North Lewisburg, Ohio, was Reserve.

Each Supreme and Reserve Supreme Champion goes home with banners, trophies, and awards donated by generous sponsors. Their support helps these exhibitors carry a piece of this momentous occasion home with them and for years to come as World Dairy Expo 2023 wrapped up.





Hoard's at Expo is sponsored by Trioliet.

Katelyn Allen

Katelyn Allen joined the Hoards Dairyman team as the Publications Editor in August 2019 and is now an associate editor. Katelyn is a 2019 graduate of Virginia Tech, where she majored in dairy science and minored in communication. Katelyn grew up on her familys registered Holstein dairy, Glen-Toctin Farm, in Jefferson, Md.
CHARLOTTE  West Charlotte will soon be home to a for-profit, cooperative grocery store. A capital campaign to fund the $10 million cost of the co-op on West Boulevard and Clanton Road has been given a notable boost with funding commitments from key public funding sources, most significantly Mecklenburg County, the projects longest-standing supporter and partner.

In addition to $3.25 million from Mecklenburg County, the Charlotte City Council has pledged $1.5 million and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has pledged $750,000 (with advocacy from North Carolina Congresswoman Alma Adams) to the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition, the nonprofit organization leading development efforts.

Long identified as a food desert, West Boulevard is on its way to redefining the neighborhoods proximity to fresh foods for residents. When it opens in 2025, the co-op  dubbed by community residents as Three Sisters Market  will be the first full-service grocery store on West Boulevard in more than 30 years and include community education and gathering spaces beyond the typical grocery store. It will provide what community leaders define as a catalyst for emerging economic development in the area related to food production, retail and distribution.

This has been a long-time coming, said Rickey Hall, who chairs the board of the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition, which drives community-led strategies promoting economic and community development for residents and businesses along West Boulevard. It has taken years of diligence by neighborhood residents as well as institutional support that has come alongside the communitys efforts.

UNC Charlottes urbanCORE facilitated the working group of community leaders and university researchers that developed the blueprint for the community-based, community-owned cooperative. In 2021, the group published Tackling Food Insecurity in West Charlotte, a comprehensive report that outlines the challenges, a proposed solution and outcomes as well as projected investment requirements that have been updated since the reports release.

The report concluded that bringing food retail to West Boulevard will require a different model than a conventional grocery store, and deploys a strategy that attracts residents who live nearby and beyond. Expanding the traditional notion of a supermarket, a successful co-op will offer educational programming, food preparation demonstrations, community gathering space and marketing driven by cultural affinity. Its goal will be to support efforts to mitigate widespread health challenges resulting from a decades-long dearth of accessible fresh foods while generating wealth and economic opportunity for residents.

The plan includes the development of a 12,500-square-foot grocery store on federal land currently managed by INLIVIAN, Charlottes housing authority. It is projected to cost approximately $10 million to build, equip and staff. When completed, it will be managed by the West Boulevard Cooperative Food Market, an independent organization whose board is made up of community members, including leaders from the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition, area churches and representatives from UNC Charlotte, Atrium Health, YMCA of Greater Charlotte, Johnson C. Smith University, Mecklenburg County and former Charlotte bank executive Mac Everett.

Mecklenburg County is proud to support this initiative to bring a cooperative grocery store to the West Boulevard neighborhoods, said Mecklenburg County Manager Dena R. Diorio. This partnership is the result of creative and innovative strategies to improve the lives of our residents. This will be a game changer in the neighborhood to address the inequity in access to fresh foods. This initiative can also serve as a catalyst in the area for employment and career development, wealth building, small business growth, and economic development.

When established, the business will be owned by community shareholders, with an emphasis on those who live in the co-ops vicinity. Leaders are in the process of hiring a general manager to lead the project with a $250,000 grant to the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition from Mecklenburg County. The goal of the capital campaign to begin in the coming weeks is to raise the balance of needed funds.
KANNAPOLIS  The Kannapolis Fire Department welcomes eight new firefighters.

They have completed three weeks of familiarization training with the city as each of them were already certified as Emergency Medical Technicians and Firefighters with previous experience at other departments.

They are:

Graham Abbuhl, who lives in Gold Hill and has been a firefighter for seven years and previously served for the town of Landis. He is assigned to Fire Station 5 on C Shift.

Brayden Griffith joins Kannapolis after serving with the Albemarle Fire Department for two years. He is assigned to Fire Station 2 on A Shift.

Matthew Chunn is a native of Blue Springs, Mississippi. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps he moved to North Carolina where he previously worked for the Albemarle Fire Department. He is assigned to Fire Station 2 on B Shift.

Joseph Collins has been a firefighter since 2019 when he joined the Bostian Heights Volunteer Fire Department. He also volunteers at the Rockwell Rural, China Grove and Spencer Fire Departments. He is assigned to Fire Station 4 on B Shift.

Garrett Credle is a native of Kannapolis and was a member of the Kannapolis Fire Explorers Program throughout high school. He previously served at the Belmont Fire Department. He is assigned to Fire Station 3 on B Shift.

Avery Kendall is a native of Mount Pleasant. He previously worked for Cabarrus County EMS and works with both the Allen and Midland Fire Departments. He is assigned to Fire Station 3 on C Shift.

Justin Ramsey is a native of Hickory where he started his firefighting career in 2018. He was previously employed by the Lenoir Fire Department. He is assigned to Fire Station 4 on A Shift.

Cody Martin has four years of experience as a firefighter and previously served with the Salisbury Fire Department. He is assigned to Fire Station 3 on A Shift.
Its that time of year again  state and federal officials are dumping rabies vaccine packets from planes across the Southeast.

In an effort to curb rabies among wild animal populations in Western North Carolina, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced Oct. 3 in a news release that its annual vaccination campaign would begin this month. NCDHHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture teamed up to drop bait with oral vaccine tablets inside to prevent the spread of rabies, officials said.

Avoiding contact with wild animals and vaccinating our domestic animals and pets is the best way to prevent rabies, which can often be fatal, NCDHHS deputy state public health veterinarian Erica Berl said in the release. The wildlife rabies vaccination program prevents the spread of rabies among animals in the wild, which in turn prevents humans, pets and other animals from becoming infected.

To widely distribute the vaccines among wild animals, officials will use airplanes to drop the vaccine-laced bait in rural areas, according to an Aug. 4 USDA news release. Helicopters, bait stations and other vehicles will be used in urban areas.

In North Carolina, the tablet drop began Oct. 4 in Alleghany, Ashe, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, Macon, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Wilkes and Yancey counties, according to NCDHHS.

Vaccines will be dropped in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia as well, according to USDA officials.

The oral vaccine will be in a plastic satchet, according to NCDHHS officials. To make wild raccoons interested in the bait, the packets were coated in fishmeal.

When a raccoon bites into a bait, the vaccine packet is punctured, and the animal is exposed to the vaccine, the release said. This activates the animals immune system to produce antibodies that provide protection against rabies infection.

NCDHHS expects the vaccine dumps to end around late October.

On average, the U.S. government spends around $500 million every year for rabies detection, prevention and control, USDA officials said.

Although the vaccine baits are generally considered safe, the NCDHHS included a list of precautions and best practices in case a person or pet encounters them:

If you touch one of the vaccines, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water and contact the phone number listed on the bait.

Leave baits where you found them unless it is on your lawn or driveway. If you need to remove the bait from those areas, it is recommended to wear a glove.

Do not remove an oral vaccine from your pet if they ingest it, because you could be bitten in the process. The vaccines are safe for animals to consume, but eating multiple of them could upset your pets stomach.

Tell children not to touch the baits, and if they ingest the vaccine, call 1-866-4-USDA-WS.

What to know about rabies

Rabies is considered to be a fatal but preventable viral disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rabies are mostly found in wild mammals such as raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks.

North Carolina law requires that all cats, dogs and ferrets are vaccinated for rabies by four months old, and that they continue to get their yearly vaccination throughout life, according to NCDHHS.

It is transmitted through direct contact with saliva, which is typically through a bite, the CDC said. If someone has been bitten by a wild or unfamiliar animal, the CDC highly recommends that person go see a doctor as soon as possible.
CHARLESTON  Sarah Bush Lincoln and the Coles County Council on Aging are partnering with the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight to host its first Flightless Honor Flight program.

The 90-minute program gives the veteran an experience of a tour of the nations capital and the monuments that have been placed in recognition of their service via video. Each veteran should attend with a guardian responsible for providing transportation and support for the veteran.

It will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at the LifeSpan Center, 11021 E Co Rd 800N, Charleston.

Veterans with service dates of Dec. 31, 1946 to May 7, 1975, who may not be physically able to withstand the rigors of an actual Honor Flight, yet are not deemed critically ill or homebound, are invited to register.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. Contact Coles County Council on Aging at 217-639-5150 for a reservation.

Top priority is given to WWII veterans followed by the Korean War and Vietnam War eras. Terminally ill veterans of any of these eras are given special consideration.

Community members are encouraged to participate in the reception following the presentation by sending letters to thank our veterans, assembling in a marching reception line to parade by seated veterans, or by lining the streets waving flags as they leave the event.

Cards and letters may be mailed directly to Flightless Honor Flight, 11021 E Co Rd 800N, Charleston, IL 61920. The reception will begin at 11 a.m.

Since 2005, The Honor Flight Network has provided a day trip to Washington, DC to allow veterans of WWII, Korean era and Vietnam era to visit various war monuments. Over the past 17 years, more than 275,000 veterans have flown to Washington to partake in this day-long event. Approximately 22,000 veterans fly annually from 125 airport hubs to experience this honor.

The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight program, located in Springfield, has provided this traditional, all-expenses-paid day trip, which begins with a 4 a.m. flight from the Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport and returns at 10 p.m.

Those who are able are still encouraged to apply for the flight, as the waiting list has diminished in recent years. The October 2023 flight was canceled due to the inability to fill the seats on the flight.
Truist Financial Corp. has reached a settlement with United Services Automobile Association concerning a high-profile patent lawsuit over mobile check-deposit technology.

Both disclosed their proposed agreement Thursday in a legal filing in the Eastern District of Texas. The companies did not disclose financial terms and asked the court for 30 days to finalize the settlement.

Truist said in a statement it was pleased to have the matter resolved. USAA Vice President Nathan McKinley said it remains willing to enter into mutually beneficial licensing arrangements with all banks and credit unions.

USAA has been here before. The company was awarded more than a combined $518 million from lawsuit settlements filed against Wells Fargo & Co. and PNC Financial Services Group over related mobile-banking patents. According to a media report, Wells Fargo and USAA later settled for an undisclosed amount while PNC has appealed the verdict.

USAA, based in San Antonio, filed its lawsuit against Truist in July 2022, claiming that the bank and legacy SunTrust Banks improperly used its mobile check-deposit technology in how they service members of the U.S. military and their families.

In its decades of serving the military community, USAA has worked to innovate in serving the needs of its members, including a lifestyle that can make getting to a bank branch difficult, particularly if they are out to sea or deployed outside the United States, USAA said in its complaint.

USAA accused Truist of using the technology without permission ... and for its own commercial gain.

In its complaint, USAA said that it launched an application in 2009 branded as Deposit Mobile, which is used worldwide on devices such as iPhones, iPads and Android-based mobile devices.

For the first time in banking history, USAAs patented systems allowed customers to deposit checks anytime, anywhere by taking photographs with consumer electronics that consumers actually own or can easily acquire, such as a mobile phones digital camera.

Even though USAA claimed Truist was aware of the high-profile lawsuits against Wells Fargo and PNC, it claimed the financial institution deliberately continued to infringe in a wanton, malicious and egregious manner, with reckless disregard for USAAs patent rights.

Truist said in its response that it specifically denies liability as to USAA, or that USAA has suffered any legally cognizable damage for which Truist is responsible.
The company at the center of a noise complaint in the Union Cross community has issued a short statement in response to the controversy, but its not likely to make the residents happy.

We are in compliance, Richard Burns, the chief executive of Piedmont Hoist & Crane said in an email sent to the Journal Thursday night.

While thats more or less what county officials had already concluded when it comes to zoning regulations, county officials say theyre working to find some other way to make neighborhoods quieter near the companys operation on Temple School Road.

I have never been so aggravated about something, Forsyth County Commissioner Gloria Whisenhunt said on Friday. It is a big mess. We are going to have to do something. Somebody was not truthful about what they were going to do. Somebody dropped the ball. Were not just going to sweep it under the rug.

Whisenhunt and Commissioner Dan Besse said county noise regulations may be an approach they can use.

I think these residents have a long history of severe noise issues that they can document and testify to, Bessie said, saying an assertive noise enforcement effort may be needed.

People who live in neighborhoods near the plant came to Thursdays meeting of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners with their gripes about loud sandblasting sounds on the company property. The residents say the noise has been disrupting their peace and quiet since 2019.

What irks the residents and commissioners is that when the county board approved a site plan for the company in 2018, they were told that no operations would be conducted outside. But what they didnt know was that Piedmont Hoist & Crane could later  in 2020  get a permit for outside work, including the sandblasting, without having to go back before commissioners for another vote.

One thing I was hoping for was to revoke that permit and make them go back to the original, said Jackie Seabolt, one of the complaining residents, commenting on Thursdays meeting.

Seabolt, who lives on Graytuck Drive, said company officials assured residents during a 2018 meeting that you wont know we are here.

Speaking to commissioners on Thursday, Chris Murphy, the countys planning and development director, said that under zoning that applied to the site from 2012, years before Piedmont Hoist & Crane moved there, outside manufacturing was an allowable use of the land.

The hoist and crane company acquired the site in 2018. That same year, it applied for an amended site plan, which required a public hearing and approval from the county board. The county approved the plan without controversy during a meeting in which Murphy told commissioners that all manufacturing would take place inside.

Residents say outdoor noise operations started in 2019. Murphy said Thursday that his office began issuing violation notices against the company in response. Piedmont obtained a permit allowing the outdoor work in 2020, but didnt change its site plan. No hearing was held before the county board.

Murphy told commissioners Thursday that the change the company sought was handled properly by his office, but residents and some commissioners are asking if the procedures need changing.

That is a flaw in the zoning, Seabolt said. It is wrong.

Keith Mahaffey, who lives in the Forest Trails subdivision, believes that Piedmont lied about what they were going to be doing on the site. Mahaffey said those complaining about the noise have talked with lawyers about possible steps they can take.

A Journal reporter contacted Piedmont on Friday for further comment on the noise complaint, but received no response.
George Bambalis walked into the bridal boutique at Nitsas Apparel and looked around to make sure no customers were browsing rows of elegant gowns before he spoke.

Force of habit.

I dont like to interrupt anything in here, he said after confirming that the coast was clear.

Hed ducked into the bridal room to confirm in person the news slowly making the rounds.

After 60 years as a clothier to generations of women in Winston-Salem  brides and their mothers in particular  Nitsas, the business his mom started over a pool hall downtown, was closing.

Charmolypi, Bambalis said when asked about his feelings. Thats a Greek word, obviously. It means joyful sorrow, a little deeper maybe than bittersweet.

You dont end something youve cultivated and cared for this long that involves family without feeling some sadness.

Modest beginning

In many ways, the story of Nitsas Apparel mirrors the mythology of the American dream.

An immigrant who came to this country after being forced from her home made good through hard work and determination.

The details, though, are best told by the second generation, George and Chrisanthy Chris Bambalis, who took over for Georges mother Nitsa following a health scare.

Mom was an immigrant, George Bambalis said. She came here in 1951, an orphan in a sense because her father, a lieutenant in the Greek army, was killed fighting the Italians in Albania (at the beginning of World War II.)

Her family ran a mill in their village, he said, which gave them access to electric generators.

But it also made the family a target of the Germans and communist insurgents after the war ended, so she and her two brothers came to the U.S.  Raleigh specifically  to start over.

Mom met Dad at a wedding. They got married in 1958, and I came along in 1959, George Bambalis said.

His father, George Pete Bambalis, was a beloved figure in his own right for operating Recreation Billiards, an institution downtown he opened in 1947 using most of his war pay from World War II.

A sharp businesswoman, Nitsa Dombalis Bambalis started doing alterations and making custom dresses in a room above the pool hall in 1964.

More than one couple met in the pool hall, and the bride had her dress made upstairs, George Bambalis said.

A shrewd eye for trends and spotting opportunities led to steady expansion after a modest beginning.

A difficult decision

The shop has been in its current  and final  home near Five Points since 1995.

It had grown from alterations and custom bridal gowns to offering sportswear, of all things, special-occasion dresses, a day spa, cosmetics and prom wear.

A second location opened in Charlotte, and was, as George Bambalis says with a great deal of pride, the first place in North Carolina to offer Vera Wang.

To be sure, that sounds a bit incongruous coming from a former Olympics-style powerlifter, but a noteworthy achievement nonetheless.

I never thought Id be in this business, George Bambalis said. But here we are. Ive been doing this for 37 years.

The decision to close a landmark after so long didnt come easily.

The Bamabises are approaching the age when Nitsa stepped away following a health scare to spend quality time with family. Slowing down carries a certain appeal.

We put a lot of thought into it, said Chris Bambalis. We analyzed the data and looked at the economic environment.

With a contract for renewing the lease for another five years coming due soon, the timing began to feel right.

Once a final consideration, the most personal of all, was factored in, the decision to wind down by years end became clear.

We lost our daughter, and our son moved to another city, Chris Bambalis said, referring to the passing of Sophia Bambalis, 25, in 2014. There was nobody to leave (the business) to.

An announcement rolled out via Instagram and an old-school Going Out of Business banner went up.

Were grateful for all the years we had, Chris Bambalis said.

PHOTOS: Nitsa's Apparel closing after 60 years
Services

Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller St., Winston-Salem, will have services at 8:15 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Pastor Tyler Tankersley continues a sermon series analyzing the deeper meaning of meals and food shared in the scriptures. This weeks sermon is titled A Meal that Celebrates exploring Isaiah 55:1-13. The service will be live streamed on YouTube and Facebook. All are invited to hear a presentation from Chaplain Tejado Hanchell of Forsyth Prison Ministries during the 9:30 Bible Study hour in the fellowship hall. All Together Ardmore fall classes and small groups, many of which meet on Sundays from 4 to 6 p.m. began Sept. 17. Signups are still available on the church website. For more information, go to www.ardmorebaptist.org.

Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, 4265 Ebert Road, Winston-Salem, will have worship at 10 a.m. Sunday. Sunday school is at 8:45 and childrens church starts at 9:30 a.m. There will be a New Beginnings dinner church for all ages from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Everyone is invited for a free meal, a message and music in the church fellowship hall.

Victory on the Frontline Church and Event Center, 4370 Wel-come-Arcadia Road, Arcadia, Sunday morning starts at 9:30 with a light breakfast. Sunday school for all ages starts at 10. The Victory worship service with Pastor Michael Duffy begins at 11. Wednesday evening, choir practice will be at 6 p.m., a fellowship meal will be served at 6:30 and the Just as I Am casual and family service is at 7. For more information, call 336-577-2873 or email mktvfl@att.net.

Green Street United Methodist Church, 639 S. Green St., Winston-Salem, will have an in-person service at 8:45 a.m. Sunday. The 11 a.m. service is held in-person and is streamed online via Facebook and YouTube and is a blended service featuring jazz and blues musicians as well as hymns, spirituals and elements of social gospel. The 8:45 a.m. service is a quiet, contemplative space including prayer, scripture, preaching and communion. Masks are optional in the building for services with some exceptions. For more information, go to www.greenstreetumc.org.

New Unity Missionary Baptist Church, 2946 Ivy Ave., Winston-Salem, invites you to join Pastor Willie Davidson and the New Unity Church Family each Sunday morning at 10 a.m. for in-person worship service. Let us praise the Lord together. Masks are available.

Trinity Methodist Church, 3819 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem, invites you to worship at 10 a.m. each Sunday. The Rev. Doug Miller is the lead pastor ordained in the Global Methodist Church. During worship there will be special music, busy bags for children, and prayers for the community and our congregation. There are two Sunday school classes for adults. One is at 9 a.m. and the other is at 11 a.m. You are invited to the Connection Cafe which consists of light refreshments and coffee at 9:15 a.m. in the fellowship hall. For more information, call the church office at 336-765-0150.

First Baptist Church  East, 700 N. Highland Ave., Winston-Salem, will have a worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday. Pastor A. Ray Campbell, the interim pastor, will deliver the message. The service is available on Facebook and YouTube. For more information, go to fbcwinston.org.

Parkway United Church of Christ, 1465 Irving St., Winston-Salem, worships at 11 a.m. Sunday. The sermon series on Touchstones for Building Trustworthy Community will continue. For more information, go to www.parkwayunited.org, or call 336-723-1395.

Lewisville United Methodist Church, 6290 Shallowford Road, Lewisville, will have contemporary worship at 9 a.m. Sunday in the fellowship hall. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. and traditional worship is in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. For more information, go to lewisvilleumc.org.

Unity Moravian Church, 8300 Concord Church Road, Lewisville, will have adult Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. Sunday. The service at 11 is in-person and live streamed. A nursery is provided. Childrens church is offered during the worship service. For more information, go to www.unitymoravianchurch.org or call 336-945-3801.

Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, 3543 Robinhood Road, Winston-Salem, offers two Sunday services: 9 a.m. modern worship in the Alspaugh Worship Center, and 11 a.m. traditional worship in the sanctuary. Both services are available online at http://youtube.com/MountTaborUMCVideoStreaming and the Mount Tabor United Methodist Church Facebook page. For more information, visit www.mttaborumc.org or call 336-765-5561.

Winston-Salem Friends Meeting, Quaker church, meets at Fairview Moravian Church, 6550 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem. Sunday morning live services begin with Unprogrammed (silent) Worship at 9:15, First-Day (Sunday) school for adults at 9:30, and Meeting for Worship at 10:30. Cheryl Bridges will bring the message Sunday. We are a community of seekers who meet together to worship God. We seek to express our faith through action, focusing on peace and social justice. We seek to find the Light of God in ourselves and in others. We seek to treat all persons with equality and integrity. For more information, email mary.simmons51@icloud.com.

New Philadelphia Moravian Church, 4440 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem, will meet in-person at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday and will live stream its 9:30 service on Face-book.com/newphiladelphiamoravianchurch. You do not need a Face-book account to view the service. If you are unable to view the live stream, a recorded version is on the churchs YouTube page.

Ardmore United Methodist Church, 630 S. Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem, has a traditional service at 10 a.m. and a contemporary service at 11:15 Sunday. The Rev. Bob Kerr and the Rev. Katy Medinas Lockley welcome all and lead the worship service. A special family Worship for children is held inside. Services are streamed on YouTube. For more information, go to ardmoreumc.org or call the office at 336-723-3695.

Lewisville Baptist Church, 125 Lewisville-Clemmons Road, Lewis-ville, invites all to celebrate Jesus Christ at 10 a.m. Sundays. Services are live streamed on Facebook and YouTube. Sunday school is at 9 a.m. There will be midweek activities for all ages at 6 p.m. Wednesdays. For more information, go to lewisvillebaptist.com.

Kingswood Church, 6840 University Parkway, Rural Hall, welcomes all to their Sunday services. Sunday school for all ages begins at 10 a.m. The traditional worship service begins at 11 and is led by the Rev. Mark Muckler. Weekly worship services, and other ministry related events, are also available online on the Kingswood Facebook page. For more information, call the church at 336-969-5437.

Olivet Moravian Church, 2205 Olivet Church Road, Winston-Salem, will have Sunday school at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall and an inside worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday. The worship service will also be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. For more information, call the church office at 336-924-8063.

Salem Creek Friends Meeting (Quakers) meets in the parsonage of Fries Memorial Moravian Church, 271 N. Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem. The unprogrammed meeting for worship starts at 10 a.m. each Sunday. For more information, email clerk@salemcreekfriends.org.

Burkhead United Methodist Church, 5250 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, invites you for worship at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. Sunday school classes begin at 9:15 and 9:30. The service is also available on the website and the Facebook page. For more information, go to www.burkheadumc.org or call 336-765-6590, ext. 3.

Konnoak Hills Moravian Church, 3401 Konnoak Drive, Winston-Salem, will have a worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday. The church receives a drive-thru food offering for Sunnyside Ministry each Sunday. Drop off non-perishable donations from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Primary needs are canned vegetables, crackers, pasta, rice, cereal, dry/powdered milk and bread. For more information, call 336-788-9321.

Union United Methodist Church, 8935 Shallowford Road, Lewisville, will have a Sunday worship service at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday school at 10:45. For those who cannot worship in person, the service is live streamed and archived on Facebook. Live and archived services may also be viewed on the churchs website, unionumclewisville.org.

Clemmons First Baptist Church, 3530 Clemmons Road, Clemmons, will have Sunday school at 9:15 a.m. At 10:30 a.m. Sunday there will be an in-person worship service. The Rev. David Pace will bring the message. The service will also be live streamed on Facebook and YouTube. For more information, call 336-766-6486 or go to cfbcto-day.org.

First Waughtown Baptist Church, 838 Moravia St., Winston-Salem, doors will open at 8 a.m. for Sunday school at 8:15 a.m. This weeks lesson is Old and New (Scriptural Reference  Romans 7:1-12; Key verse Romans 7:6). The worship service begins at 9:45 with devotion and announcements. Pastor Dennis W. Bishop will resume the series on How the Holy Spirit Helps Us as Believers to Manage Life on an Everyday Basis (Foundation Scripture  Deuteronomy 8:18. Masks are optional. Services are posted on YouTube, www.youtube.com (First Waughtown); Facebook, www.facebook.com/FirstWaughtown/; and the First Waughtown website, www.firstwaughtown.org. Services posted online are a one-week delay.

Home Moravian Church, 529 S. Church St., Winston-Salem, will have in-person and live stream worship at 10 a.m. Sunday. Bible discussion via Zoom and in-person will be held after the service using the adult programing link on the churchs website.

Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, 1905 N. Jackson Ave., Winston-Salem, will celebrate its 63 church anniversary at the 11 a.m. worship service. The special guests will be Minister Mattie Young and the Community Prayer Band. COVID protocols are practiced. Paul W. Hart is the pastor.

Pfafftown Christian Church, 3323 Transou Road, Pfafftown, invites everyone to worship in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. each Sunday. The Rev. Rodney Stilwell is the pastor, and the Rev. Timothy Shoaf is the minister of Music and Programs. Other events and ministries are listed online at www.pfafftownchristian.org. For more information, call 336-692-5214 or the church office at 336-924-9925.

New Friendship Baptist Church, 4258 Old Lexington Road, Winston-Salem, will have Sunday school at 9:15 a.m. A morning worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call the church office at 336-788-3112.

Clemmons Presbyterian Church, 3930 Clemmons Road, Clemmons, invites you to worship at 10 a.m. Sunday. Tom King will bring the morning message. The service will be in-person and live streamed on YouTube at youtube.com/ClemmonsPresbyterianChurch. For more information, go to www.clemmonspresbyterian.org or call 336-766-4631.

First Baptist Church of Stanleyville, 851 Ziglar Road, Winston-Salem, will have Sunday services at 8:45, 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. On Wednesday, a prayer and worship service is at 6:30 p.m. and Children in Action and Mission Friends are at 7 p.m. For more information, go to www.stanleyvillebaptist.com.

Rural Hall Christian Church, 280 Bethania-Rural Hall Road, Rural Hall, will hold the following in-person services on Sundays: The BLEND at 10 a.m. with Christian classes for all ages and congregational wor-ship at 11 a.m. Youth ministries will continue at 6 p.m. Sundays, un-less otherwise announced. For more information, go to RuralHallChurch.org and the churchs social media pages.

Shallowford Presbyterian Church, 1200 Lewisville Clemmons Road, Lewisville, offers a service in-person and live stream via YouTube at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. For more information, go to spcnc.org or call 336-766-3178.

Central Tabernacle Church, 715 Waughtown St., Winston-Salem, invites you to worship Sunday. Refreshments will be served during hospitality time at 9:30 a.m. Sunday school for all ages is at 10. Morning worship and Junior Church begin at 11. Pastor Sandra Bovender will bring an inspiring message. At 6 p.m. Wednesday the adults will continue their Bible study on the book of John taught by Bob Bennett. Handouts for the study are available each week.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4055 Robinhood Road, Winston-Salem, the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday will be held in-person, and also livestreamed at uufws.org/virtualworshipservice. The Rev. Kayla Parker will The Stories of our Faith. The Forum will be at 9 a.m. Patricia Gallagher, Ph.D., Wake Forest University professor, will present Grape Expectations. An antioxidant extract teased from muscadine is showing promise against breast and prostate cancers. https://uufws.org/virtualforum. For more information, go to www.uufws.org.

St. Philips Moravian Church, 911 S. Church St., Winston-Salem, is worshipping regularly in the brick church in Old Salem at 11 a.m. Sundays. All are welcome for traditional Moravian worship in the historically African American church.

Union Cross Baptist Church, 4350 High Point Road, Kernersville, invites you to Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and morning worship led by the Rev. Adam Woods at 11 a.m. each Sunday.

Bible Fellowship Baptist Church, 4950 Warner Road, Pfafftown, will have services at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. The topic at 11 a.m. will be Discovering the Beautiful Son of God, based on the Gospel of John. The topic at 5 p.m. will be Unusual Things in the Bible. There will be Bible study at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The topic will be Doing the 52, studying 52 chapters, 52 verses, in 52 weeks. For more information, go to BFBCnow.org or call 336-462-4844.

Faith and Family Baptist Church, 105 Nathan Ave., Winston-Salem, schedule of services: Sunday worship services are at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday school is at 9:45 a.m. and the midweek service is at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The church live streams all services at www.facebook.com/faithandfamilybaptist. A Facebook account is not required to access the video, scroll down for the live stream. Archive services are available there if you are unable to watch live. For more information, contact Pastor Robert Hutchens at 336-782-3747.

Liberty Baptist Church, 1548 Old Hollow Road, Winston-Salem, invites you to join them for services. They offer Facebook live for all services on the Facebook page of Gary Styers. For their schedule of services and more information, go to www.libertybaptistnc.org.

Rural Hall Moravian Church, 7939 Broad St., Rural Hall, has in-person Sunday School for all ages at 10 a.m. Sundays, followed by worship service at 11 with the Rev. Andrew Craver. Worship services are also available via online streaming at https://www.youtube.com/user/RHMoravian. For more information, go to www.rhmc.org.

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 357 Old Hollow Road, Winston-Salem, will have Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship with Pastor Emily Schlaman Larsen at 11 a.m. Sunday. The nursery is open. Weekly sermons are available on YouTube for people who prefer to join worship remotely. Search for: St. Andrews Presbyterian Church Winston Salem NC. For more information, go to www.standrewsnc.org.

First Christian Church, 2320 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem, will have an in-person worship service at 11 a.m. Sunday. Childrens worship and youth worship are available. A noon-day prayer service will be held at noon Wednesday. Worship services are also available by online streaming at www.wearefcc.church. For more information, go to www.wearefcc.church or call the church at 336-722-2714.

St. Paul United Methodist Church, Winston-Salem, will live stream its 11 a.m. worship service Sunday at www.facebook.com/stpaulumcws/live. Facebook does not require an account for access to the page. Additional information regarding prayer services and Bible study may be found on the churchs website www.stpaulumcws.org or by calling the church at 336-723-4531.

Fundraiser

Home Moravian Church, 529 S. Church St., Winston-Salem, will have a Stuff Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the fellowship hall. The proceeds will support world mission throughout the Unity. There will be antiques, newtiques, uniques and previously used merchandise for sell. The Unity Womens Desk will also have Moravian items to sell.

New Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 6408 Friendship Ledford Road, Winston-Salem, will have a bake sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 21.

Burkhead United Methodist Church, 5250 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, will have a Port-a-Pit chicken barbecue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 4. For more information, go to www.burkheadumc.org or call 336-765-6590, ext. 3 or go to https://www.burkheadumc.org.

Bible Fellowship Baptist Church, 4950 Warner Road, Pfafftown, is accepting donations for its roof replacement project. For more information, call Pastor Loyd Taylor at 336-462-4844.

Special events

Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1075 Shalimar Drive, Winston-Salem, will celebrate its 109th church anniversary and homecoming at 10 a.m. Sunday with the Reverend Tony W. Barr, as the guest preacher. The anniversary theme is What do these stones mean. Barr is the executive secretary and treasurer of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, Inc., and the senior pastor of Haw River Baptist Church, Chapel Hill.

The Forsyth County United Usher Board will meet at 3 p.m. Sunday at New Light Baptist Church, 1545 E. 15th St., Winston-Salem. For more information, call Bobby Clinkscales at 336-987-1027.

Shallowford Presbyterian Church, 1200 Lewisville-Clemmons Road, Lewisville, will have Pizza and Game Night from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. It will be a free family time of pizza, snacks, board games, activities and fellowship. For more information, call 336-766-3178 or go to www.shallowfordpresbyterian.org.

Friedberg Moravian Church, 2178 Friedberg Church Road, Winston-Salem, will have a car, truck, and tractor show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 14. Admission is free. Registration is $10 on the day of the show. Trophies will be awarded. There will be a silent auction, vendors, and live music during the day. Food and beverages will be available. For more information, go to friedberg.church or call 336-764-1830.

Union Cross Baptist Church,4350 High Point Road, Kernersville, will celebrate its annual Homecoming at 11 a.m. Oct. 15. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Steve Ayers. Lunch in the fellowship hall will follow the worship service.

First Baptist Church  Highland, 700 N. Highland Ave., Winston-Salem, will have its Fall Revival at 7 p.m. Oct. 16-18. The Rev. William Epps will be the guest speaker on Oct. 15 for Founders Day and will speak on Oct. 16 for the Revival. The Rev. W. Steven Allen will be the guest speaker on Oct. 17 and 18 during the Revival.

Burkhead United Methodist Church, 5250 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, will have its October Third Thursday program at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 19. The program will be a Hot Dog Halloweenie celebration with the YMCA. Bring a lunch to each program. For more information, go to www.burkheadumc.org or call 336-765-6590, ext. 3.

St. Paul United Methodist Church, 2400 Dellabrook Road, Winston-Salem, will have Homecoming at 11 a.m. Oct. 22. The Rev. Pamela Blackstock will be the speaker. A revival will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 23-24. Bishop Michael R. Trogdon, senior pastor of Kingdom Life Community Church in Asheboro, will be the speaker.

New Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 6408 Friendship-Ledford Road, Winston-Salem, will have the fourth annual Memorial Cruise-In for John Kermit McGee from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 21. The rain date is Oct. 28.

Forsyth County United Ushers Annual Youth Poetry/Oratorical contest will take place at 3 p.m. Nov. 12, at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 950 File St., Winston-Salem. All youth participating will receive a gift card. For more information call Rodney McCormick at 336-788-0515.

Trunk or treat

Bethel United Methodist Church, 2170 Bethel Methodist Church Lane, Winston-Salem, will have a Halloween Trunk or Treat in the church parking lot from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 28. For more information, call the church office at 336-765-8016.

New Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 6408 Friendship Ledford Road, Winston-Salem, will have a Halloween Trunk or Treat from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29. There will be trunks with candy, hot dogs and all the trimmings.

Information for the Religion Calendar should be emailed to news@wsjournal.com by 3 p.m. the Wednesday before you want it to run. It can be mailed to Religion Calendar, Winston-Salem Journal, 418 N. Marshall St., #100, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.
If the National Hurricane Center wants to classify a tropical cyclone beyond Whitney, a supplemental list of names are used.

These names have been in place since 2021. Before 2021, the Greek alphabet was used for additional storms. However, a very active 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and the Greek alphabet storm names, brought confusion. This led the World Meteorological Organization to swap those names for this list.
A Lincoln man on Friday was acquitted on felony charges in a case where prosecutors alleged he had shot his then-girlfriend in the head at the North Bottoms apartment they shared.

After deliberating for about two hours, the jury returned shortly after noon, finding Melvin Botts II, 61, not guilty of first-degree assault and use of a firearm to commit a felony in the shooting Dec. 21, 2021.

At the weeklong trial, Julie Jordan, now 62, said she was in the ICU for five and a half days before she woke up.

"I didn't remember anything. I had to ask why am I here and what happened," she testified. "I couldn't even remember my children's names. Then you want me to answer stupid questions."

She said she's trying to put it behind her and move on.

Jordan said things hadn't been working out with Botts and she had packed her suitcases to go around the time she was shot. Things are foggy. She remembered Botts asking how she was feeling and saying her legs feeling like she was walking on Jello.

"And that was the last thing I said to him," she said.

Jordan said she had been near the bedroom window looking out. Botts was sitting nearby. Everything happened so fast, she said.

"Is there anything else you remember?" Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jessica Murphy asked her.

"I don't know," Jordan said, tearfully.

She said she remembered hearing Botts say "oh, shit."

In the 911 call, Botts said, repeatedly, he didn't know what happened. He woke up, heard a pop and found her on the floor screaming.

Dr. Andrew Livingston, the neurosurgeon who treated Jordan, said he had to remove bone and bullet fragments from Jordan's brain.

"I think if the bullet had progressed another millimeter it would've lodged within the brain stem, which would most likely become a fatal injury," he said.

In closing arguments Friday, Murphy said Botts and Jordan had a toxic relationship that almost turned deadly. They did drugs and drank together, yelled at each other and fought.

"And on Dec. 21, 2021, he shot her and was 1 millimeter from killing her," she alleged.

Murphy said it boils down to one question: Who shot Julie Jordan? And the evidence shows that Botts "was the only person there that could have and would have shot Julie Jordan."

She said if he wasn't the one who shot her, why didn't he call 911 immediately after seeing her, bleeding, on the floor. Instead of waiting about 15 minutes.

The first officer on the scene thought her wound looked like a cut. But Botts knew Jordan had been shot because he pulled the trigger, the prosecutor said.

Another man who lived there told police he woke to what sounded like a gunshot, then found Jordan bleeding on the floor with Botts standing near her.

At trial, he testified he had gotten rid of the gun.

Chief Deputy Public Defender Shawn Elliott, who represented Botts along with Deputy Public Defender Sarah Safarik, said to believe the state's case, the jury had to believe Botts' roommate, a parolee who went back to prison for lying to police in the investigation, whose story about getting rid of the gun was full of holes and discrepancies.

Elliott pointed to the police bodycam footage from the initial officer on scene who said he didn't see any injuries on her and asked if she was shot. Jordan said yes.

"Get that girl," she said, saying a woman's name. "Get her."

Elliott said Jordan's almost immediate response was to call out a woman's name.

"You have to take her for what she's saying in court," he said. "It's not speculation or guesswork."

Elliott said Jordan said she never saw Botts with a gun and he'd never threatened to hit or shoot her. And Botts could've said "oh shit" upon finding her bleeding.

"It's not our burden to prove who shot Ms. Jordan or even why she was shot," he said.

But he said Botts wasn't responsible for it and asked the jury to find him not guilty.
A 44-year-old Omaha man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being found asleep at the wheel at a Lincoln intersection with a quarter pound of methamphetamine in the car.

Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Cameron Woods last week for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, to which he'd pleaded guilty. He also was given five years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr said that on April 16, 2022, Lincoln Police Department officers came upon Woods asleep in a Honda Accord at an intersection with a green light near North Cotner Boulevard and 66th Street with a partially empty bottle of liquor on the passenger seat.

She said when officers tried to put the car in park, Woods woke up and grabbed a purple Crown Royal bag from the center console area that contained a clear self-seal baggie with 110 grams of pure methamphetamine.

They arrested Woods, who was later indicted.

Top Journal Star photos for October 2023
Thanks to a Lincoln volunteer group, students at every Lincoln Public Schools elementary school will have access to a children's book about the architect who helped craft one of Nebraska's most well-known monuments.

Lincoln Center Kiwanis Club and Foundation donated the funds needed to provide all 41 elementary schools in the district with a copy of "Immigrant Architect: Rafael Guastavino and the American Dream."

Published in 2020, the book tells the story of Rafael Guastavino, an architect who immigrated to the United States from Spain in 1881 and contributed to many buildings across the world, including the Nebraska State Capitol.

Guastavino primarily worked with tiles to craft detailed, self-supporting arches and domes inside of buildings. Many of his designs can be found in New York City, but according to the book, the Nebraska Capitol building was his most spectacular piece of work.

"This building represented the height of achievement as a company," says the book, which was written from the perspective of Guastavino's son.

The Capitol was one of Guastavino's largest projects ever, using more tile than any of his other works and lasting more than a decade. His work can be seen throughout the building.

Because the book has been placed in every elementary school, LPS will be able to write curriculum around it, and the opportunities for lesson plans are endless, said Chris Haeffner, the district's director of library services.

"It will be really fun to see what kind of instruction is built around it," she said. "I can see it in a lot of STEM-related activities and Nebraska history and things like that."

When Russ Dantzler first heard about "Immigrant Architect," he purchased a copy for all of his friends and family hoping to spread a piece of the story of the Capitol's history.

Dantzler, who grew up in Lincoln and now lives in New York City, had a father who worked on and inside of the Capitol building, creating a deep appreciation for the monument.

It was Dantzler who passed the story along to Dave Merrill and the rest of the Lincoln Center Kiwanis Club, a volunteer group that focuses on helping children, sparking the idea to donate copies of the book to LPS.

"Because it involved our Capitol, which I really love, I just thought it needed to be in every school in Lincoln," said Merrill, a 35-year member of the organization. "I think it's so easy to take for granted what an architectural marvel it is."

The Capitol building is an integral part of Lincoln's skyline and is something children in Lincoln and across the state have grown up with, said Haeffner, who feels it's important for students to learn about the landmark's history.

"Kids are naturally curious and the Capitol is such a part of their lives. We drive by it, we see it in horizon. It's something very recognizable to every kid in Lincoln," Haeffner said. "To be able to learn that unique history, I think kids will really have fun with it."

Top Journal Star photos for October 2023
BOULDER, Colo. (AP)  A Colorado judge ruled Friday that the man accused of killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in a 2021 rampage is mentally competent to stand trial.

The decision allows the prosecution of Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa to move forward. Judge Ingrid Bakke ruled that Alissa, who has schizophrenia, is able to understand court proceedings and contribute to his own defense.

Bakke presided over a hearing last week to consider an August determination by experts at a state mental hospital that Alissa was competent after previous evaluations found otherwise. Alissa's defense attorney asked for the hearing to debate the finding.

Alissa, 24, is charged with murder and multiple attempted murder counts after the shooting spree on March 22, 2021, in a crowded King Soopers Store in Boulder, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Denver. Alissa has not yet been asked to enter a plea.

Alissa allegedly began firing outside the grocery store, shooting at least one person in the parking lot before moving inside, employees told investigators. Employees and customers scrambled to escape the violence, some leaving loading docks in the back and others sheltering in nearby stores.

A SWAT team took Alissa into custody. Authorities havent yet disclosed a motive for the shooting.

Alissas mental condition improved this spring after he was forced under a court order to take medication to treat his schizophrenia, said a psychologist who testified for the prosecution this week. He was admitted to the state hospital in December 2021.

Schizophrenia can shake someones grasp on reality, potentially interfering in a legal defense in court. Mental competency does not mean hes been cured.

Mental competency is also separate from pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, which is a claim that someones mental health prevented them from understanding right from wrong when a crime was committed.

Last year, the remodeled King Soopers reopened, with about half of those who worked there previously choosing to return.
WASHINGTON  Kevin McCarthy spent years raising mountains of Republican campaign cash, flying around the country to recruit top candidates in key districts and painstakingly building political relationships as he worked his way toward becoming speaker of the House.

Now that hes been ousted from the post after less than nine months, some in the GOP are wondering if anyone can take his place as a fundraising dynamo and party builder.

The House isnt scheduled to vote on who could replace McCarthy until at least next week with all legislative work suspended as the chamber navigates a situation never before seen in the nations history. In the meantime, House Republicans have no clear leader heading into next year's election as they cling to a razor-thin majority.

Nobody can raise money like him, said Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D. And no matter who is the next speaker of the House, none of them can do what Kevin McCarthy did.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, the GOPs House campaign arm, postponed its upcoming fall gala in Dallas that McCarthy was supposed to headline. The committee said McCarthy helped it raise more than $40 million during the last election cycle and more than $20 million so far this cycle.

The totals were even higher for a McCarthy-aligned super PAC, the Congressional Leadership Fund, which said that it and its associated nonprofits had raised about $645 million under McCarthy. That included about $215 million for the 2020 election, roughly $350 million during last years midterm races and around $80 million so far this cycle.

The leadership fund will shift its alignment to follow the new House speaker once one is elected. Paul Ryan replaced fellow Republican John Boehner in 2015. The GOP retained House control the following year when Donald Trump was elected president.

Speaker McCarthy has fundamentally altered House elections for Republicans through his recruitment efforts, his unmatched fundraising prowess, and his ability to inspire and generate confidence among donors, Congressional Leadership Fund President Dan Conston said in a statement. While this is an obvious loss for the House, CLF remains laser-focused on our mission of holding radical Democrats accountable, protecting our vulnerable incumbents, and expanding the House Republican majority.

As speaker and in his prior years leading the Republicans in the minority, McCarthy was viewed by many as less of a legislator and more of a political tactician who found strong Republican candidates and raised enough money to get them elected and to bolster the national party.

McCarthy visiting a district could often be a major draw, juicing fundraiser proceeds, though thats a role any new House speaker can grow into.

A bigger test for the next speaker is whether they will be able to raise the same kind of sums as McCarthy for the partys outside groups, which every year pour millions of dollars into advertising in key races, unburdened by contribution limits for individual campaigns.

Thats where McCarthy has crushed it, said Cam Savage, a longtime Republican strategist who works on House races. He did the heavy lifting for the Congressional Leadership Fund.

During the 2022 midterms, Republicans underperformed national expectations and eked out a House majority so narrow that McCarthy needed an unprecedented 15 rounds of voting to claim the speakership in January. McCarthy had to remain close to Trump, who is now the front-runner in the partys 2024 primary, and balance the interests of moderates and hard-right members alike. He ultimately couldn't.

The revolt against him featured eight Republicans teaming with House Democrats to vote McCarthy out of the speakership. Ironically, McCarthy had campaigned for some of those who eventually helped strip him of the post hed worked so long to obtain.

A lot of them, I helped get elected, so I probably should have picked somebody else, McCarthy joked at a news conference after being forced out.

He may still prove a force in 2024 races. McCarthy has so far suggested that hell continue to bolster the GOP nationally, saying, My goals have not changed, my ability to fight is just in a different form.

I intend to make sure that we gain and keep the majority in the next cycle as well, he said.

Holding the House already looked tough since the current majority includes 18 GOP members representing districts that Joe Biden won in 2020. Especially critical could be Republican-held districts in McCarthys native California, which Democrats were already targeting and could get even more competitive without the clout that comes with the state having one of its own as speaker.

After this weeks chaotic episode, House Republicans have basically upgraded to a Disney fast-pass in their never-ending roller coaster ride to the radical right, said Viet Shelton, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the partys House campaign arm.

These 8 Republicans stood apart to remove Kevin McCarthy as House speaker Rep. Andy Biggs Rep. Ken Buck Rep. Tim Burchett Rep. Eli Crane Rep. Matt Gaetz Rep. Bob Good Rep. Nancy Mace Rep. Matt Rosendale
As the Methodist Church finalized its plans to centralize their secondary education institutions in Nebraska, what was briefly called Athens formally became University Place northeast of the city of Lincoln.

The community and Nebraska Wesleyan centered on the Pitcher-Baldwin tract, bounded by Adams Street on the north, Leighton on the south with Warren Avenue, today 48th Street the north/south central street. As the population reached several hundred, a bank became an attractive business possibility and what better owner candidate than businessman LeGrand M. Baldwin, whose land created the possibility.

Nebraska Wesleyans initial faculty included Professor C. M. Ellinwood, Ph.M., who graduated from Northwestern University and was then with the faculty of Simpson Centenary College in Iowa.

With a limited number of employees, Ellinwood, an ordained minister, was not only professor of natural sciences, but the schools registrar and assistant treasurer.

On April 4, 1891, LeGrand Baldwin established the Windom Bank on the southwest corner of Warren Avenue and Miller Street (now 48th and Madison) with a capital of $25,000. While Baldwin was the banks cashier, Ellinwood became its vice president.

At the university, Ellinwood was the primary author of Wesleyans original rules. This code of conduct prohibited secret societies, required daily chapel and Sunday church attendance, forbade vulgar language, gambling, intoxicants, use of tobacco on the campus and stipulated no visiting saloons and places of Questionable resorts.

In 1893 Ellinwood advanced to the office of treasurer and was noted as professor of chemistry. Then, two years later, he became Windom Banks president. Ellinwoods career continued to rise, and in 1896 he was appointed acting chancellor and lauded as an expert accountant and clever businessman. In retrospect one might ponder, exactly how clever?

During 1897 Ellinwood suffered from several medical problems leading to his request that he be relieved as acting chancellor, after which he resigned as treasurer. These actions prompted an audit which in turn led to his resignation as the banks president. On Christmas Day, Mrs. Ellinwood died at the age of 42, leaving eight children, the youngest of which was three.

In March of 1898 Ellinwood sold his interest in Windom Bank to W.H. Horn and H.K. Franz to devote full time to teaching and the university. The audit then played out, showing he had been misappropriating Wesleyan funds as well as monies from Iowa and Nebraska banks, amounting to a total of around $31,250.

To answer the deficiencies, Ellinwood surrendered the bulk of his financial interests to Wesleyan, which reduced the schools loss to about $7,500. The Methodist Church then tried and expelled him from its membership while the state declined to prosecute.

On April 17, 1905, the First National Bank of University Place was organized with a capitalization of $25,000 while absorbing the Windom Bank and their building under President Charles G. Anderson. By 1913 First National was in the building illustrated above at 1801 Warren Avenue, the northwest corner of todays 48th and St. Paul.

In December of 1926 First National was closed by bank examiners due to incompetent management [and] frozen assets with little security value remaining, even though the president was considered as very conservative.

Interestingly the receiver was published as Charles B. Anderson with no mention as to his possible relationship to Charles G. Anderson, the banks first president.

Citizens State Bank of University Place was organized in 1905 and five years later moved into their new building on the southeast corner of Warren Avenue and St. Paul Street with E.S. Kirkland its first cashier, then its president. In the 1920s the Knight family began acquiring its interest in the bank.

In 1982 Gene Tallman and Paul Schorr III purchased the bulk of Citizens State Banks stock. 1986-87 saw the formation of Vistar Bank which, with FDIC approval, acquired and merged Citizens State, Gateway Bank and Lincoln Bank East. Norwest Bank then acquired Vistar in 1992-93 and in late 1998 Norwest merged into the current Wells Fargo Bank.

Two of the three University Place bank buildings are extant, but the Windom Bank building was lost when Greens Plumbing & Heating, then headquartered there, burned in January of 2003.
The former director of a Sarpy County nonprofit dedicated to helping kids and families in the juvenile justice system was sentenced to six months in prison Thursday after she pleaded guilty to mail fraud and admitted to defrauding the organization over a period of three years.

Paula Creps, 52, served as the executive director of Sarpy County Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children, or CASA, from 2019 to mid-2022. The purpose of the organization is to train and oversee volunteers who serve as advocates for children in juvenile court proceedings, and to help juveniles and their families with needed goods and services.

Creps was indicted on five counts of mail fraud last October and pleaded guilty to one of those charges earlier this year. As part of the plea agreement, she admitted to embezzling more than $44,000 of grant money and charitable donations intended for Sarpy CASA for her own benefit. She created fake receipts using templates she found online to present the transactions as legitimate.

Creps used these funds for concert tickets, car repairs, utility payments, shoes and a luau in Hawaii, among other things.

In federal court Thursday, Creps said she was humiliated and regrets her actions. Her attorney argued that probation would be the appropriate punishment, but prosecutors said a sentence not including prison time would depreciate the seriousness of the egregious crime.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert Rossiter agreed with prosecutors. He told Creps that he spent a significant amount of time reviewing her case and, despite her lack of criminal history, he believed a period of incarceration was necessary.

This is more serious given who you worked for and, more importantly, who you served, Rossiter said before handing down the six-month sentence.

Creps was also ordered to pay $44,884.95 in restitution, which she has already paid in full.

According to Creps plea agreement, CASA employees would sometimes buy items for families such as clothing, school supplies, or fees for special events like homecoming or prom. These purchases would be funded by a separate nonprofit, Lift Up Sarpy County, which distributes grant money to a number of organizations in the county.

These purchases could be made using a credit card supplied and funded by Lift Up Sarpy County, or with the employees own money. If the employee spent their own money on an expense, they could apply to be reimbursed. Creps was responsible for reviewing and approving credit card payment forms and reimbursements.

Creps used the CASA credit card to pay for her own personal expenses and then fraudulently represented that the purchases were made to assist a family. She also used the CASA credit card to buy herself gift cards, which she then spent on a luau and shuttle service in Hawaii.

Creps also repeatedly forged receipts claiming that she had used her own money to buy goods and services for families served by the nonprofit and for organizational expenses, when in fact, she spent the money on herself.

When investigators searched Creps computer in July 2022, they found altered receipts and template documents that were used to create the phony receipts. The use of counterfeit receipts, which were sent through the mail, constitutes mail fraud.

Creps will be allowed to self-surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons in mid-December. She will serve a three-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison.
UNDERSTANDING DEMENTIA

UNION GROVE  The public is invited to learn about dementia at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, or 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at Yorkville United Methodist Church, 17645 Old Yorkville Road. Kimberly Meitner, dementia care specialist with the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Racine County, is the speaker. For more information, call 262-878-2388

AURORA OFFERS CLASSES

BURLINGTON  Aurora Health Care is offering these classes:

Free Blood Pressure Clinic  8 a.m. to noon and 1-4:30 p.m. every Wednesday. To make an appointment, call 262-767-8000.

Exercise class  3:30-4:30 p.m. Oct. 10, 17, 24, 31; Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28; Dec. 5, 12 19, 26. Wisconsin Parkinson Association Movement and Music Exercise Classes are free and held in Classroom C at Aurora Wellness Center, 300 McCanna Parkway, Burlington. The classes incorporate stretches, strength training, posture, balance and walking drills, as well as vocal exercises. Modifications will be provided to ensure a safe and effective setting for all participants. Caregivers also are welcome. To register, email maryw@wiparkinson.org or call 414-430-3561.

Preparing for Labor and Birth  6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 11 and 18, Nov. 8 and 15, and Dec. 13 and 20 via Zoom. This two-session class will teach expectant parents what they need to prepare for the childbirth experience, including anatomy, the process of labor and delivery, and medical and non-medical care options. Relaxation techniques for coping with contractions will be briefly practiced. To register, visit aurora.org/events.

Stroke Support Group  1-2:30 p.m. Oct. 16 in Classroom C, lower level, at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center. This free group provides emotional support through opportunities to interact with other who have experienced stroke. Informational programs also will be provided about topics related to stroke/brain attack. The group welcomes individuals newly diagnosed, as well as those with a history of stroke. To register, visit aurora.org/events, call 800-499-5736 or email communityeducation@aah.org.

Memory Cafe  9:30-10:30 a.m., Oct. 20 and Nov. 17 at Aurora Wellness Center, Classroom C. The free Memory Cafe is a comfortable social gathering that allows people experiencing memory loss and a loved one to connect, socialize and build new support networks. For information, or first-time attendees, contact Chad at 262-212-3596 or csutkay@touchinghearts.com.

Walk with a Doc  8:30-9:30 a.m., Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16. The topic for October is Whats in with Skin? (Sarah Kaldem N.P.), the topic for November is foot health and longevity (Kevin Liberty DPM) and the topic for December is fitness and low back pain connection (Dr. Mark Dull, chiropractor). Walk with a Doc is free and no registration is required. Participants should meet in the front entrance vestibule by the flagpole at Burlington High School.

Infant CPR & Safety  6-7:15 p.m. Oct. 25, Nov. 29 and Dec. 27 via Zoom. This non-certification class is recommended for families with infants and small children to learn rescue breathing, CPR, safe sleep guidelines, SIDS reduction strategies and infant/child safety. To register visit aurora.org/events.

Stepping On Workshop  1-3 p.m. Mondays, through Oct. 30 at Aurora Wellness Center, Classroom C, 300 McCanna Parkway, Burlington. This free workshop is for those age 60-plus who live independently and can help participants avoid dangerous and costly falls. Attendees will learn to identify and remove or avoid fall hazards both inside and outside their homes; how vision, hearing, medication and footwear affect their risk of falling; strength and balance exercises they can adapt to their individual level; and how to get back on their feet the right way if they do fall. To register, visit aurora.org/events or call 800-499-5736 for more information.

Bringing Baby Home  Nov. 2 via Zoom. This class helps families prepare for their baby by covering the essentials of caring for baby during the first few months, including feeding, diapering, comforting, sleep schedules, signs of illness and when to call the pediatrician. To register visit aurora.org/events.

Breastfeeding Basics  7:30-9 p.m. Nov. 2 and 6-7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 via Zoom. This course will help expectant mothers have a better breastfeeding experience by learning how to establish a healthy supply of milk; how to help baby latch; how to know if baby is getting enough milk; different breastfeeding positions and who to call if help is needed. To register visit aurora.org/events.
A family says goodbye to a husband, father, brother, and

son, who was murdered by an assailant with 66 prior charges.

I was struck by the similarity of a random murder this week in New York  one that was remarkably like the random murder of an extended family member here in Chattanooga, Tennessee last week. In reality, these murders are not random, but rather a predictable consequence of failed urban leadership.

The murder of Ryan Carson, a white social justice activist in New York, was recorded on a security video. After leaving a Long Island wedding, he and his girlfriend were waiting for a ride on a Brooklyn street in the early morning hours when he was accosted by a thug. After an altercation, he was stabbed to death and died on that dirty sidewalk in front of his frantic girlfriend. Though clear images of his black assailant were captured and wanted posters issued, NYPD investigators are still seeking to identify the murderer.

Carson was the latest victim of the social polices for which he advocated. He was not killed by "knife violence."

In Philadelphia, activist/journalist Josh Kruger was shot and killed in his home by an unknown assailant. In Minneapolis, leftist "defund the police" activist Shivanthi Sathanandan was "mugged by reality" as she was "violently car jacked in the driveway of [her] home" by a group of black thugs. On Monday, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) was accosted at gunpoint in a Washington, DC, carjacking by a black street gang. .....
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

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KEARNEY  It was a dark, discouraging time when Nahum Gould arrived in tiny Kearney Junction in 1871, but he was undeterred.

Two years later, at the age of 72, Gould organized Kearneys first Presbyterian church. Four of his relatives were among its seven initial members.

In the fall of 1874 when the grasshoppers darkened the sun and swooped down upon us, destroying the crops and bringing want and desolation to the farmer ... my fathers one thought and prayer was that the church of his love should be sustained and kept together until brighter days should dawn for it, his daughter, Mrs. M.L. Greenman, recalled in 1893.

It was. Today, 150 years later, brighter days are still dawning.

This weekend, First Presbyterian Church is celebrating its sesquicentennial with a unique twist: It has invited the Pawnee, who are celebrating the Pawnee Scouts sesquicentennial at Fort Kearney Saturday, to join them at dinner Saturday night.

When our members decide to do something, they can be quite dogged in pursuit of what they think to be right. the Rev. Clint Cozier, pastor, said.

The opportunity to combine the anniversaries was just too great to let pass. I love the determination this church can display in reaching for things it holds to be important, Cozier said.

Goulds vision

Over the last 150 years, the church has survived grasshoppers, tornadoes and COVID-19.

It has happy memories, too. The Blue Goose, an old school bus that took teens to ski trips in Colorado. There were mission trips to Native American reservations, and storm clean-up work in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Joplin, Missouri and Moore, Oklahoma.

A weekend of food, music, memories First Presbyterian Church at 4511 Sixth Ave. will celebrate its 150th anniversary this weekend. The public is invited. *A community dinner will be held 5-7 p.m. Saturday at the church. A meal of pulled pork and baked beans will be followed by a program on the churchs first 150 years. Donation is $5 per person. Tickets are required. A few tickets will be available at the Pawnee celebration at Fort Kearny State Recreation Area today.  Six former pastors will participate in Sundays 10:30 a.m. worship service: Bob Houser, Nancy Tuma, Cindy Harvey, Polly Deppen-Williams, Sharon Rees and Eldon Wells. The Chancel Choir will sing an introit written by current church organist Connie Moon when she was 16 years old. At least 12 former choir members will return to sing.  At noon Sunday, a free catered prime rib dinner will be served in the church's fellowship hall, followed by stories and video memories.

The church rents day care space to the Kearney Family YMCA. Its used by the Red Cross Bloodmobile, ARC of Buffalo County and service club yard sales.

The congregation is currently helping build a water well that serves the Ilturisho Primary School in Narok, Kenya.

Saloon worship

But back to the beginning. After the church was officially organized in 1873, it met in homes, hotels, the Kearney Junction Times building and even in saloons.

Kearney was a wide-open frontier town at first, and . . it is difficult to tell what residents feared the most: the roaming Indians, the strong winds, the Texan and Mexican cowboys who would shoot up the town, or the occasional prairie fire, the Rev. John F. Wells wrote in The First Hundred Years, a 138-page book chronicling the church history that he produced in 1973.

By August 1874, the church had 11 members. By 1878, membership had climbed to 68.In April 1877, the congregation spent $450 to buy a 24 x 60-foot building on Central Avenue.

Three years later, the congregation built a $4,000 brick Romanesque building at 23rd Street and First Avenue. It stood for 40 years.

On Oct. 2, 1922, a much larger brick structure was dedicated at 115 W. 22nd St. It had a gymnasium, a bowling alley, a dining room and a kitchen.

Charlie Pickens, a 63-year member, remembers that building well. He and his wife Bev, lifelong Presbyterians, joined the church in 1960 when they moved to Kearney from Oklahoma City and Charlie began teaching math at what was then Kearney State College.

But the building had its flaws. The front steps were so steep that you didnt want to be a close friend of a Presbyterian. You might have to be a pallbearer, Charlie said.

We had no parking. If we had a funeral during the week, youd play potluck trying to find a place to park, he added.

The sanctuary also had a sloping wooden floor, If little kids dropped pencils, youd hear them rolling down the wooden floor toward the altar, Bev Pickens recalled.

In the late 70s, the church added an elevator and a back door. People no longer had to park behind the church and walk around to the front.

During the work, the congregation worshiped in the Extension Building at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds, but people had community dances in the big room the night before, and it wasnt unusual to smell the cigarettes and beer as we worshiped, Charlie Pickens said.

The church also endured a bit of turmoil with the 1951 split of the Presbyterian denomination. It is now affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of the U.S.A.

A new church

Finally, in the mid 90s, in need of more space and more parking, First Presbyterian launched a $2.5 million capital campaign to build a new church on donated land at 4511 Sixth Ave.

Before razing the old church, the congregation sold some of the oak woodwork. It saved some stained glass windows, the pipe organ, the church dome and the dishwasher, which is still being used in the new church.

The community rallied to save three of the four large paintings of Jesus that had hung in the sanctuary. They now hang in the church in the village at the Buffalo County Historical Societys Trails & Rails Museum.

The dome was brought to the new church, too, but its eight panels are simply laid into a metal framework, without clamps or bolts. During the 2008 tornado, the storm lifted the unit, and some parts crashed back down onto the organ pipes. The organ couldnt be used for several months.

Bev Pickens still recalls the final Sunday in the old building. She was the lay reader, but when she got up to the lectern, she could barely speak.

This building is where we had baptized and married and buried our family. It was right after we lost our daughter. That Sunday, bagpipes led us out, down the front steps, she said.

Love of music

The new church was dedicated in November 1996. Sundays celebration will focus on the years since then.

Speakers will include Sharon Rees, now pastor at Westminster Presbyterian in Minden. She believes that attending First Presbyterian from 1997-2019 led to her call to the ministry as a second career.

At First Presbyterian, I walked through life with this particular body of Christ. They encouraged me, patiently listened to me as I practiced my Hebrew and Greek and fancy theological terms, and even purchased all of my (seminary) books, she said.

They loved me through the process, and I am forever grateful. God is speaking in this church, she added.

Sandy and John McKirahan joined in 1989 after moving to Kearney, where John became director/curator of the Museum of Nebraska Art and later a senior lecturer at UNK.

We were lifelong Presbyterians, but I thought if the music was bad, we couldnt join the church, Sandy, a music teacher, said. But the music was fabulous, and so was the minister, Jim Cobb.

Sandy eventually became the organist, choir director and head of the entire music program. We have no family in Kearney, so the church is our family, she said.

John has taught an adult Sunday School class for 20 years. Hes especially proud of the fine art displayed in the church. When we joined, most of the art department at Kearney State were members here, he said. We had a lot of art displayed.

Like many mainline Protestant denominations, the church has lost members in recent years, especially since the COVID pandemic, but it has nearly 200 members who are generous and still support the church, Charlie Pickens said.

Renewing itself

Cozier arrived at the church in November 2020. Prior to accepting the call, he had felt drawn to the pastoral search committee.

One member was an academic with a spiritual journey that was similar to Coziers. There were a couple of dynamic Type A personalities who just got things done, and a couple of deeply reflective and contemplative people who provided grounding. I was excited to work with that group, he said.

He said the congregation is in the process of renewing itself and is committed to its intergenerational faith formation.

Instead of traditional Sunday School, the congregation gathers one night a week to hear and discuss Bible stories. Were all learners and teachers at the same time, he said.

For unexplained reasons, the sanctuary was built without a cross, so a liturgical expert at Concordia College in Seward designed a unique cross with flecks of color that appear to reach out to encompass the congregation.

To Bev Pickens, a quilter, it looks like a quilt. To Charlie, it looks like the Holy Spirit reaching out into the world.

At the heart of it, were simply inviting people into a journey to know and follow Jesus the Christ. Were just one strand in the mosaic that is the Body of Christ in Kearney, Cozier said.
Nick Peterson doesnt believe horror and comedy dont mix.

The idea behind comedy is taking somebodys prior knowledge and flipping it on its head, Peterson said. Getting from horror to funny isnt that difficult.

Peterson will blend the two genres into Camp Crystal Lake Comedy Bash: A Friday the 13th Slashtacular. It will be staged, appropriately enough, Friday, Oct. 13 at The Main in downtown La Crosse.

The show is an independent production from Peterson, who gathered up several Live! From La Crosse theater veterans for the 11-person cast.

Peterson said he was inspired by horror shows from the 1970s and 1980s when writing the script.

Theres no shortage of comedy/horror out there, and I thought why couldnt we do a show in that same vein? he said.

If you go What: 'Camp Crystal Lake Comedy Bash: A Friday the 13th Slashtacular' When: Friday, Oct. 13. Doors open at 6:30; show at 7:30 p.m. Where: The Main, 422 Main St., La Crosse Tickets: $15; Search "Slashtacular" at www.eventbrite.com

Peterson said horror/comedy stems from tropes and thin plot devices that can easily transition into comedy.

Getting to funny isnt that difficult, he said. The comedy comes pretty naturally.

Peterson watched horror movies as a youth and said horror fans will see many iconic horror characters on stage.

We really wanted to put together costumes that respect the characters and how they are supposed to be, he said.

Not every member of the cast is a horror movie fan. That includes Mike Bubbers, who plays the roles of Jigsaw, Michael Myers, a man-sized seagull from the movie The Birds and Loud Moron #1.

I dont care for horror myself, Bubbers said. Its not a genre I follow at all, but when Nick approached me about this, I knew it would be hilarious.

He emphasizes the comedy angle.

If youre coming here to get scared, youre coming to the wrong place, Bubbers said.

Lizz Bannon plays the role of lead camp counselor Carrie, who acts as the productions emcee. She describes herself as squeamish but couldnt resist another chance to work with Peterson.

The scariest movie I ever watched was E.T., she said. Any time Nick comes knocking at your door, you do it.

Peterson said the show comes with challenges.

The staging is the biggest monster because its a very physical show, Peterson said. We got very creative with how we handle the bloody messes.

The show is for one night only. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15 with $5 of each ticket donated to Mississippi Valley Conservancy, a nonprofit that protects land in southwestern Wisconsin. There will also be a silent auction of various crafts made by Peterson with 100% of those proceeds donated to the conservancy.

All ticket holders will be invited to join the cast after the show for drinks and a cast meet-and-greet.

Advance tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com and searching Slashtacular.
China's vision of a global community of shared future draws a new blueprint for a better world

09:17, October 07, 2023 By He Yin ( People's Daily

"The vision of a global community of shared future stands on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. It introduces a new approach for international relations, provides new ideas for global governance, opens up new prospects for international exchanges, and draws a new blueprint for a better world."

The white paper titled "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions" recently issued by China's State Council Information Office provides a profound explanation of the historical background, rich connotations, implementation paths, and vivid practices of building a global community of shared future.

It helps people from all sectors of society and the international community have a more comprehensive understanding of the far-reaching significance of building a global community of shared future. It also provides a clearer understanding of the great goals of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Furthermore, it consolidates the broad consensus and strong momentum for jointly building a global community of shared future.

The world is undergoing changes on a scale unseen in a century. Various problems old and new and complex issues are converging with and compounding each other. The peace deficit is growing, the development deficit ballooning, and the security deficit glaring.

In March 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping propounded the idea of building a global community of shared future, answering a question raised by the world, by history, and by the times: "What is wrong with this world, what we should do about it." His proposal lights the path forward as the world fumbles for solutions, and represents China's contribution to global efforts to protect the shared home and create a better future of prosperity for all.

The vision of building a global community of shared future complies with the prevailing trend of interdependence throughout history, responds to the needs of the times to tackle global challenges, and echoes the popular calls for peace, justice and progress.

Under the personal guidance and promotion of Xi, the building of a global community of shared future has evolved from a vision to action, and grown stronger. It has steadfastly adhered to the viable path amidst changing winds and storms, and has made remarkable achievements in the face of crises and challenges, demonstrating its leadership in shaping the era.

Over the past decade, the vision of building a global community of shared future has become increasingly refined. From state visits to multilateral summits, Xi has systematically expounded on this significant concept on various international occasions, continuously deepening the international community's understanding of it.

Xi proposed to forge partnerships in which countries treat each other as equals, engage in mutual consultation and show mutual understanding, create a security environment featuring fairness, justice, joint efforts, and shared interests, promote open, innovative and inclusive development that benefits all, increase inter-civilization exchanges to promote harmony, inclusiveness, and respect for differences, and build an ecosystem that puts Mother Nature and green development first. He also emphasized the importance to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity.

With its connotations and paths constantly deepened and expanded, the vision of building a global community of shared future has gradually formulated a science-based theoretical system pursuing the five goals for the world and the common values of humanity, with building a new type of international relations as the fundamental path, the Belt and Road Initiative as an important platform, and the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative as a crucial cornerstone.

The vision of building a global community of shared future conforms to the trend of the times and charts the course for improving global governance. It envisions a world characterized by openness and inclusiveness, equity and justice, harmonious coexistence, diversity and mutual learning, and unity and cooperation. It calls for peaceful development rather than conflict and confrontation, common security rather than absolute security, mutual benefit rather than zero-sum games, and exchange and mutual learning rather than a clash of cultures, as well as for green development to protect our planet.

Such a vision rises above the exclusive rules of bloc politics, the notion of might makes right, and the "universal values" defined by a handful of Western countries. It sets a new example for the theory of international relations and serves as a great banner that leads the trend of the times and the direction of human progress.

International dignitaries pointed out that the vision of building a global community of shared future outlines the path to achieve the grand vision of all humanity and charts the course for human development and progress, bringing hope for building a free, just, and beautiful world.

The vision of building a global community of shared future adheres to peace and cooperation, providing an important guideline for achieving mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

It mirrors the common values shared by all humanity, and reflects the broadest common aspiration of the peoples of all countries in pursuit of peace, development, and stability, and the broadest consensus among countries with different cultural backgrounds and at different stages of development. It has won broad understanding and support from the international community.

The vision has been included in United Nations General Assembly resolutions for six consecutive years and has been repeatedly incorporated into resolutions or declarations of multilateral mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS. From bilateral to multilateral occasions, and from regional to global levels, China has been forging communities with a shared future in different forms with dozens of countries and regions.

In the face of global challenges, all countries in the world are in the same big boat. Whatever they may encounter on their journey ahead, the only right choice is to work together for the benefit of all.

Only when all countries work together, only when they align individual interests with the interests of all, and only when they truly build a global community of shared future, can humanity sail towards a better future.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Photo: The Canadian Press Michael Chong (centre) appears before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China in Washington, D.C. on September 12, 2023. A senior State Department official says Canadas dispute with India could make for fertile ground for foreign efforts to sow disinformation. James Rubin, the co-ordinator of the Global Engagement Center, says the diplomatic standoff makes Canada ripe for manipulation, and not just from inside India. A new report from the centre describes in detail the lengths China is going to dominate the information space around the world, including in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/James McCarten

Canada's ongoing diplomatic standoff with India risks making it an even more tempting target for international efforts that use disinformation to reshape global narratives, a senior State Department official says.

Whether it's restive political factions, grassroots public outrage, economic instability or geopolitical disputes, conflict always makes it easier for falsehoods to take root, said Global Engagement Center co-ordinator James Rubin.

"Any time there is an underlying discontent in a country, the manipulators will use that," Rubin told a briefing Thursday about the centre's new report on China's goals for reshaping the information space.

"Unfortunately, they're getting better and better at it."

Social media now lays bare the divisions that exist in any given part of the world, "and through artificial intelligence and spending money on it, they can develop tailored narratives," he said.

And while Rubin was quick to note he's seen no evidence of China seeking to exploit the Canada-India dispute, "this is obviously an area that is ripe for information manipulation."

The dispute broke into public view last month when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed "credible allegations" of a link between the Indian government and the shooting death in June of a prominent Sikh leader in B.C.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, a longtime advocate for the idea of an independent Sikh state in the province of Punjab, was killed while at the wheel of his pickup truck by two masked gunmen outside a temple in Surrey, B.C.

India  where Nijjar had long been branded as a terrorist and was wanted in connection with multiple attacks dating back to 2007  has strenuously denied any involvement.

Rubin acknowledged Thursday that the dispute is a "tricky subject" in the U.S., which has been working to strengthen its ties with India as part of a long-term plan to build a geopolitical bulwark against China in the Indo-Pacific.

And while he hewed closely to official U.S. talking points, urging the two countries to co-operate on an investigation to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice, Rubin initially called the killing an "assassination," a term he later retracted.

"I meant the word 'murder,'" he said.

"It was clearly a murder, it should be investigated in Canada, it's terrible that it happened, but I should have used the word 'murder,' not assassination, because that has political overtones."

A spokesman for the Indian government acknowledged this week that New Delhi wants Canada to shrink its diplomatic presence in the country, but would not confirm reports that 41 of 62 Canadian envoys could be kicked out by Monday.

Ottawa has said the discussions are ongoing, but it needs its emissaries to remain in India while efforts continue to resolve the standoff.

Global Affairs Canada said in a statement late Thursday evening that "due to security and operational considerations," it was unable to provide details about Canada's current diplomatic footprint in India.

The turmoil has proven a resilient topic in both Washington and Ottawa, both of which had been more focused in recent months on how best to address the global threats posed by Russia and China.

The latter country has aggressively deployed its disinformation campaigns in Canada in recent years, with one particular target  Conservative MP Michael Chong  earning a specific mention in the new State Department report.

Chong, who represents an Ontario riding, testified before a congressional commission last month about his experience, which included a Chinese intimidation plot that targeted the MP and his relatives in Hong Kong in 2021.

Earlier this year, Chong was also at the centre of an effort by Chinese operatives to discredit him with false information, using WeChat, a social media and direct-messaging app popular in the Chinese diaspora.

"The (People's Republic of China) has used WeChat as a channel for disseminating disinformation targeting Chinese-language speakers residing in democracies," the report says.

The network involved accounts linked to state media and China's state apparatus "in opaque ways," and "shared and amplified false and misleading information about Mr. Chongs identity, background, and political views."

Rubin noted with some irony that China for decades was and remains a fierce guardian of its internal domestic affairs even as it engages in efforts to manipulate the narratives in countries around the world.

"There's nothing wrong with people asking hard questions, or even suggesting outrageous things, as long as it's done in an open, transparent manner where you know who's saying what to whom, and why," he said.

"When the provenance of information is not clear, when we don't know that it's the Chinese government or the Russian government doing something, that's when it's information manipulation."
EIR Raises German Peace Proposal Raised at NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Copenhagen

Oct. 6, 2023, (EIRNS)Today, the 69th session of NATOs Parliamentary Assembly, in Copenhagen, held an initial press conference to describe key issues of the session. EIRs journalist asked the first two questions about the peace proposal issued Aug. 28 by four prominent Germans. EIR in Denmark has posted a video of the exchange.

The press conference was addressed by Michal Szczerba, Acting President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, from Poland; Mads Fuglede, Head of the Danish Delegation; and Ruxandra Popa, Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The Parliamentary Assembly consists of 240 parliamentarians from the 31 NATO countries, plus guests and staff.

EIRs Michelle Rasmussen raised the first question:

A month ago, a proposal entitled, Ending the Ukraine War by a Negotiated Peace, was issued by four prominent Germans: General Kujat, former Chairman of the Military Committee of NATO, former Chief of Staff of the German Army; Peter Brandt, historian and the son of Willy Brandt; Horst Teltschik, former president of the Munich Security Conference, and Prof. Hajo Funke. It warns that we have come to a crucial point after the Ukrainian offensive has not made significant advancesthat either, there is a dangerous escalation pitting Russia and NATO in more direct conflict, which could lead to nuclear war, or we move toward ending the war in three phases: a UN organized ceasefire and pullback; negotiations to determine the status of the Eastern regions and a neutral Ukraine; and a new European security architecture. Our editor Helga Zepp-LaRouche has proposed a wide discussion of the proposal, which we printed this week. Do you think that there will be a possibility for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to discuss a road to a negotiated settlement before, as the authors say, it is too late?

Michal Szczerba replied that we will make crystal clear our unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes to prevail and to win; and also to hold Russia accountable for their crimes. We will discuss what more we can do to support Ukraine. He applauded Denmark taking the lead in the F16 coalition. As to your question, he went on, nothing should be decided without Ukraine. Ukraine should decide whether or not to negotiate. They want to win. This is a horrific war. Of course, we acknowledge all of these letters and statements, but it is the decision of the Ukrainian people to make the decision about peace talks.

Mads Fuglede from Denmark agreed that Ukraine has to decide. I understand the best intentions behind all of the discussion about what should happen, but going to negotiations before there is a settlement on the battlefield is very unwise, just helping Russia keep parts of Ukraine. Thats not what we are here for. We are here to help Ukraine free their territory.

Ruxandra Popa said that nine members of Ukraines unicameral parliament will participate in the Parliamentary Assembly.

The moderator then asked if EIR had another question, which was:

The Ukrainian people have been suffering so much. Is there any discussion about the possibility that the negotiations could be a way to end the suffering, if there is a willingness by both parts, both Ukraine and the Western supporters of Ukraine, and Russia, to say, We have come to a point, as they say in their statementthey conclude that neither side can win, and therefore, something else has to be put on the agenda to stop the suffering of, especially, the people of Ukraine. Is there a limit to the suffering, where we say, now we have to do something else? We have to take a different strategy than continuing the escalation.

Michal Szczerba said that Russia under the current regime is a terrorist state, and we are asking for a war crimes tribunal, and it will be hard for Ukraine to negotiate with terrorist aggressors. We know the suffering, but the best solution is to give them weapons, to win as soon as possible.

EIR distributed the German peace proposal to the speakers and other journalists.
Putin at Valdai, Rejects Idea of Lowering Threshold for Use of Nuclear Weapons

Oct. 6, 2023, (EIRNS)Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a discussion at the Valdai Clubs annual conference on Oct. 5 in Sochi, rejected any notion of lowering the threshold for Russias use of nuclear weapons. Putin was responding to a question from Sergei Karaganov, a founding member of the Valdai Club, who has been vociferously advocating for not only lowering the nuclear threshold, but even detonating a nuclear weapon in Europe on the theory that somehow this will prevent an escalation of the threat against Russia.

Karaganov asked Putin: Is it high time we modify the doctrine on using nuclear weapons, lowering the nuclear threshold and moving steadily and sufficiently quickly along the staircase of escalation, deterrence and bringing our partners down to Earth?

Putin replied by reminding the audience that there are two reasons for using nuclear weapons laid out in Russias nuclear doctrine. The first is the use of nuclear weapons against us, which would entail a so-called retaliatory strike, he said. He argued that the response to a nuclear attack on Russian soil

will be absolutely unacceptable for any potential aggressor, because seconds after we detect the launch of missiles, wherever they are coming from, from any point in the World Ocean or land, the counterstrike in response will involve hundredshundreds of our missiles in the air, so that no enemy will have a chance to survive. And [we can respond] in several directions at once,

he said. The second reason is a conventional attack on Russia sufficiently powerful to threaten the existence of the Russian state.

Do we need to change this? Why would we? Everything can be changed, but I just dont see that we need to, Putin continued. There is no situation imaginable today where something would threaten Russian statehood and the existence of the Russian state. I do not think anyone in their right mind would consider using nuclear weapons against Russia.

Putin reported that the development of the new strategic weapons that he announced during his March 1, 2018 speech to the Federal Assembly is nearing completion. The latest test launch of Burevestnik was a success, he said.

This is a nuclear-powered cruise missile with a basically unlimited range. By and large, Sarmat, the super heavy missile, is also ready. All we have left is to complete all the administrative and bureaucratic procedures and paperwork so that we can move to mass production and deploy it in combat standby mode. We will do this soon.

As for the matter of nuclear testing, Putin indicated that Russia could revoke its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treatythat would have to be enacted by the State Dumabut that it probably wouldnt be necessary to go beyond that point.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY OCTOBER 7, 2023

Seize the Opportunity To Bring About Peace-Making

Oct. 6, 2023, (EIRNS)It is crystal clear to the world that the weapons flow to Ukraine from the United States, the biggest supplier, has been disrupted by last weekends tumult in the House of Representatives, unseating the Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). There is gnashing of teeth by the NATO warhawks. In Europe, chief of the EU diplomacy Josep Borrell appealed for the U.S. to soon, somehow retake its role in arming Ukraine. He spoke at an Oct. 5 summit of the European Political Community in Granada, Spain, attended by Ukraine President Zelenskyy as well. In the U.S., warhawk circles are mooting various ways to get around Congress, which means evading the Constitutional authority of Congress on war powers. For example, there is talk of reprogramming Pentagon expenditures already approved by Congress, to divert funding to Ukraine, from other non-Ukraine purposes.

The imperative this tumult in the Trans-Atlantic creates, is for all nations and persons of reason and good will to utilize it to the hilt, to shift the U.S. and entrapped EU in the direction of peace-making. The vaunted counter-offensive by Ukraine has failed against Russia. Hundreds of thousands have been hurt and died. Negotiations must start now. Opposing that by committing to warfare indefinitely is the short road to escalating to a nuclear exchange and annihilation.

Today at the weekly meeting (online) of the International Peace Coalition, representatives of many networks from around the world, conferred on how to escalate world forces towards Ukraine negotiations and onto the path of a new world economic architecture for security. In the works is an open meeting of the IPC to soon rapidly augment its impact. In the U.S. we have the mobilization underway of citizens giving orders to Congress to stop the funding of warfare in Ukraine.

There are no grounds for complacency. The LondonChatham Housecrowd, after all, recommends a so-called tactical nuclear strike against Russia in the Ukraine theater, becauseaccording to their chicken game fantasyRussia wont respond. Russia will be vanquished.

Yesterday in Sochi, Russia, at the Valdai Discussion Club annual meeting, Sergei Karaganov, a founding member of Valdai, raised the option to President Putin at the plenary open discussion, about Russia modifying its nuclear use doctrine to lower the threshold for resort to nuclear action, a proposal Karaganov advocates. Putin restated Russias policy stance carefully, that the two circumstances remain, in which Russia would counterstrike with nuclear weapons: In the case of a nuclear attack, or in the case of an existential conventional attack on Russia. Do we need to change this? Why would we? He went on to remark, I do not think anyone in their right mind would consider using nuclear weapons against Russia.

The necessity for negotiations, not escalation, was put forward specifically at a NATO event today in Copenhagen. EIR correspondent Michelle Rasmussen directly asked the participants at a pre-event press conference of the 69th session of NATOs Parliamentary Assembly, to respond to the proposal for resolution of the Ukraine conflict by four prominent Germans, issued Aug. 28, Ending the Ukraine War by a Negotiated Peace. She asked, Do you think that there will be a possibility for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to discuss a road to a negotiated settlement before, as the authors say, it is too late? In a follow-up question, Rasmussen pointed to the suffering, and necessity for a strategy other than escalation. The speakers stuck to their back Ukraine stance. The attendees all received copies of the Germans statement.

At todays IPC meeting, Schiller Institute founder and leader Helga Zepp-LaRouche, calling for accelerated circulation of the German proposal worldwide, stressed that we have to understand the root cause of the war-making compulsion we are up against. The old order is expiring. Its the end of a colonialist financial/economic system. It is essential for the Global North to go with the Global South. Our task goes beyond stopping war, to making conditions for peace.

Look at the United States. The current mass strikes of health care and auto workers dramatize that across whole core sectors of the U.S. economy, the system is what is failing. The 75,000 health care workers of the Kaiser Permanente medical care network, whose three-day action ends Saturday morning, Oct. 7, plan continued protests. The United Auto Workers are striking, in a situation where auto workers pay, since 2003, has dropped further than any other of the 166 industries tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau. Depending on what tier a worker is in (the system penalizes workers in different ways, whether they are new hires, or long-time employees), the auto workers real wages have dropped 30 to 60% since 2003!

The worsening social-economic situation in the Global North calls out for collaboration with programs of the Belt and Road Initiativewhose 10th anniversary will be celebrated at an international forum in China, at the end of next week. What is in order is the LaRouche World Land-Bridge approach, completely consistent with the Belt and Road Initiative, with the new means of credit, and re-regulated banking and currency systems to match. This is at one with the existential battle to stop the war.

One bright note in this picture, is the joyful, official ceremony this week in Bangladesh, marking the delivery of Russian-made nuclear fuel to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plants No. 1 Unit. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Vladimir Putin took part by video conference. The complex is under construction by Russian State Corporation Rosatom, in the Pabna District, which will have two reactors, with a total capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Over 20,000 specialists, including 4,000 Russians, are at work onsite for the project, which was agreed upon in 2011.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said:
When Yared Markos moved to London 25 years ago, he did not see any Ethiopian coffee shops. Now, there are at least 12 around a city known for its tea drinkers.

In Ethiopia, coffee is usually drank at the end of each meal. Drinking coffee is a communal activity for Markos. When he first immigrated to London from Ethiopia 23 years ago, he did not understand the culture.

They sell our coffee in Starbucks and other places, but they dont follow our traditions, said Markos, who has owned Kaffa Coffee since 2004. The shop is now in an East London neighborhood. It holds coffee ceremonies every weekend in the summer. It also holds cultural events and fills special orders.

Tourists will walk by and smell the coffee and come in asking questions, Markos said. It makes people want to learn more about the culture.

Among some of the most popular Ethiopian kinds of coffee are the flowery Yirgacheffe, fruity Limu and nutty Kochere.

An ancient tradition

Markos named Kaffa after the southwestern area in Ethiopia where coffee beans are believed to have been discovered about 1,200 years ago.

An old story says that an Ethiopian goat farmer once noticed his goats acting strangely one day after eating berries from a tree. He tried them himself and felt energized and awake. The farmer took the berries to a religious worker, a monk, who threw them in a fire, calling them the work of the devil.

A strong smell was released, so the monks saved the burnt coffee, putting it in a container with hot water. When they drank the liquid, they realized it helped them stay awake during nightly prayers.

Coffee contains a lot of caffeine, a substance that has the effect of keeping people awake and feeling energetic.

Over the years, coffee-making in Ethiopia has changed into ceremonies led by the women in households.

The social value of the coffee ceremony is one of our biggest traditions, Markos said.

How the coffee is made

Fresh coffee beans are heated in a pot for a few minutes before being passed around, so everyone can breathe its smell. The beans are then ground down to a powder and placed inside an Ethiopian coffee pot, traditionally made of clay, on top of a stove.

While the coffee is being made, frankincense, a substance from a tree, is burned to enhance the taste. Once the water comes to a boil several times, the coffee is placed in a small cup called a sini.

International coffee day

Almost 10 years ago, the International Coffee Organization, with 77 member countries, officially marked October 1 as International Coffee Day. This year, the group is calling for a safe and healthy working environment in places involved in the coffee trade.

The London Coffee Festival started in 2011. It also provides a chance for coffee lovers to come together. Anteneh Mulu is one of the owners of The Ethiopian Coffee Company in central London. He said the festival has helped spread Ethiopian coffee to a new community.

Mulu and his business partner Polly Hamilton opened their store in 2013. Like Kaffa Coffee, they import directly from Ethiopia, where beans are named for the area where they were grown.

As Ethiopia's traditions spread outside the country, both Markos and Mulu hope more people will be pushed to value their community over concerns about drinking caffeine in their coffee.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press.

_______________________________________________

Words in This Story

tourist  n. someone who travels to a place for pleasure and not for work

berry n. a small kind of fruit

the devil n. the most powerful evil spirit in many religions

enhance  v. to improve or increase the effect of something

caffeine  n. a chemical compound made by a number of plants including the coffee and tea plants that affects the nervous system of animals

pot n. a container for cooking
Imprisoned Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. Mohammadi was recognized for womens rights and democracy, and against the death penalty.

Fifty-one-year-old Mohammadi has kept up her activism although she has been arrested many times by Iranian officials and has been sentenced to years in prison. She has remained a leader of nationwide, women-led protests. Major protests followed the death last year of a 22-year-old woman in police custody.

Berit Reiss-Andersen is the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. She said the prize is a recognition of the very important work of a whole movement in Iran with its undisputed leader, Narges Mohammadi.

Reiss-Andersen started the announcement with the words Woman, Life, Freedom in Farsi  the slogan of the protest movement in Iran. She said the committee hopes to send a message to women around the world with the award. She also urged Iran to release Mohammadi in time for the prize ceremony on December 10.

Reiss-Andersen said Mohammadi has been imprisoned 13 times. She was imprisoned for the recent protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by Irans morality police for wearing a loose headscarf. More than 500 people were killed and over 22,000 arrested in a security campaign against the protests.

Last month, Mohammadi wrote from Tehrans Evin Prison to The New York Times. She wrote, What the government may not understand is that the more of us they lock up, the stronger we become.

Her husband Taghi Rahmani lives in Paris with their two children. Rahmani, who has not seen his wife for at least 11 years, could not reach her after the announcement. He told the Associated Press that his wife always says: Every single award will make me more intrepid, more resilient and more brave for realizing human rights, freedom, civil equality and democracy.

Their son, Ali Rahmani, noted that the prize was not just for his mother. He said, Iranian men and women have been fighting for over a year. This prize is for the entire population, for the whole struggle from the beginning since the Islamic government came to power.

There was no official reaction from the Iranian government. But the unofficial news agency Fars said Mohammadi had "received her prize from the Westerners" for her actions against the national security."

Mohammadi is the 19th woman to win the 122-year-old prize. It also marks the fifth time that the Peace Prize has been given to someone who is in prison or under house arrest. Past winners include Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee chooses the Nobel Peace Prize winner, and the award is presented in Oslo, unlike all the other Nobel Prizes.

Im Jill Robbins.

Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English from Associated Press and Reuters sources.

__________________________________________________

Words in This Story

custody n. the state of being detained by law enforcement

slogan n. a word or phrase that is repeated that is used by a business or activist group to sell something or call people to action

headscarf n. a head covering for women, especially one used in Muslim countries

lock up v. (phrasal) to put someone in jail

intrepid adj. not fearful, brave

resilient adj. able to become healthy again after being sick or hurt

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In northern Chile, Teofila Challapa learned to weave, or make cloth, surrounded by the high hills and sandy roads of the Atacama Desert.

Spin the threads, girl, her grandmother told her fifty years ago.

The 59-year-old Challapa is Aymara, a native South American Indian people. She raises alpacas and llamas. The animals hair can be cut off and turned into cloth called wool.

We had no clothes or money, so we needed to learn how to dress with our own hands, said Challapa. She lives in Cariquima, a town with fewer than 500 people near the Chile-Bolivia border.

The knowledge of weaving passes from one generation to another, securing Aymara families connection with their land.

Challapa prays before beginning her work: Mother Earth, give me strength, because youre 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. Acts to honor Pachamama and asks for Earths blessings are a part of everyday life for the people.

I believe in God, but the Earth provides us with everything, Challapa said.

Pachamama inspires Challapas work in textiles. It provides means for survival, too.

My animals are my mother, Challapa said.

Her alpacas and llamas were a source of meat, wool, and emotional support during the difficult years she spent as a single parent raising her children.

Aymara weavers cut off their animals wool in October when the weather is warmer. The llamas keep several centimeters of wool to keep them warm and ready for the floreo. During this ancient ceremony celebrated in February, Aymaras tie wool flowers to their animals identifying them as their property. They also thank Pachamama for providing them the things they need.

Once the wool is collected and cleaned, the weavers use their fingers to pull threads out of it. The threads are grouped together and placed on a weaving machine called a loom.

Aymara women like Challapa use the money they make from the sale of wool products to send their children to school.

I thank God because I always told myself: I dont want them to be like me, said Marcelina Choque, another woman weaver who lives in the town of Pozo Almonte. This is my only profession. If I dont sell, I have nothing.

Such generational progress comes with mixed emotions, however. I taught my daughters how to weave just like me, but now that they have other jobs, they dont weave anymore, Choque said.

Several woman weavers say the traditional work may end because younger Aymara are moving away from their hometowns. The weavers say there are few 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.

The organization supports rural development for Chilean communities connected to the Aymara culture, Pizarro said. The goal is to increase the farming of alpacas and llamas and products through special events and online.

Recently, the Institute held a fashion show inside a shopping center in the city of Iquique. Teofila Challapa, Maria Choque and other women had their daughters serves as models at the show and sold some of 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 who taught her how to pick the perfect plants for coloring the cloth.

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. She said the work represents the makers emotions as well as the llamas, flowers and mountains she wants to keep present.

Nayareth Challapa moved to a city to attend university like so many others. 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.

Im Gregory Stachel. And I'm Gena Bennett.

Maria Teresa Hernandez reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted the story for VOA Learning English.

_________________________________________________

Words in This Story

thread  n. a long, thin piece of cotton, silk, or wool used for sewing

spin  v. to draw out and twist into yarn or thread

blessing  n. something that makes one happy or content

inspire  n. to cause to have a particular thought or feeling

significant  n. of a noticeably or measurably large amount

fashion  n. a common style especially of dress during a particular time or among a certain group
GOTHENBURG  The Gothenburg lady Swedes hosted an evening triangular against the Ogallala Indians and the Valentine Badgers on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Gothenburg took the court against Valentine in the first game.

Lady Swede Logan Hilbers kept the ball rolling with over 10 serves in a row in the first set as Gothenburg took a 14 to one lead.

The Swedes put a hurting to the Badgers with a 25 to one win.

In the second set, Gothenburg went on an 11-point scoring run.

Valentine was able to put up a point on a Swede error, but that didnt stop the Swedes from running up the score to 17.

Gothenburgs Whitney Cottingham slammed down a kill for set point.

The Swedes won 25 to four.

Lady Swede Clara Evert had nine kills, one ace, 11 digs and two blocks. Taryn OHare had eight kills two blocks and one dig. Madison had four kills, one dig and two solo blocks. Aubrey OHare had one kill, two block assists, four digs and 15 assists. Cottingham had one kill.

In the second game, Valentine faced Ogallala.

Ogallala caged the Badgers in two, 25 to 11 and 25 to nine.

The big match-up of the night was the lady Swedes against the lady Indians.

Gothenburg struggled in the first set and the Indians took the win 25 to 23.

In the second set, Gothenburg regrouped and blew away the Indians 25 to 10.

It was a close set in the third, but the Swedes were able to pull it off 25 to 22.

Taryn OHare had 16 kills, four aces, nine digs and two block assists. Aubrey OHare had six kills, 13 digs and 19 assists. Richeson had 11 assists and three digs. Smith had five kills, one solo block and three block assists. Evert had eight kills, two aces, 15 digs and one assist. Hilbers had four assists, seven digs and one ace.

The Swedes hosted McCook on Thursday, Oct. 5 in Gothenburg.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza says at least 198 people have been killed and at least 1,610 wounded in the territory in Israels retaliation after a wide-ranging Hamas assault into Israel.

The toll came as Israel has carried out a number of airstrikes in Gaza and has clashed with gunmen at the border fence around the coastal territory.

The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel at daybreak today (Saturday), firing thousands of rockets as dozens of fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea, catching the country off guard on a major holiday.

Several hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country. Israels national rescue service said at least 40 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

At least 561 wounded people were being treated in Israeli hospitals, including at least 77 who were in critical condition, according to an Associated Press count based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

There was no official comment on casualties in Gaza, but AP reporters witnessed the funerals of 15 people who were killed and saw another eight bodies arrive at a local hospital. It was not immediately clear if they were fighters or civilians.

Social media was replete with videos of Hamas fighters parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through the streets and at least one dead Israeli soldier within Gaza being dragged and trampled by an angry crowd of Palestinians shouting God is Greatest.

Videos released by Hamas appeared to show at least three Israelis captured alive. The military declined to give details about casualties or kidnappings as it continued to battle the infiltrators.

We are at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass army mobilization. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

At a meeting of top security officials later today, Netanyahu said the first priority was to cleanse the area of enemy infiltrators, then to exact a huge price from the enemy, and to fortify other areas so that no other militant groups join the war.

The serious invasion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Israels enemies launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Comparisons to one of the most traumatic moments in Israeli history sharpened criticism of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who had campaigned on more aggressive action against threats from Gaza. Political commentators lambasted the government over its failure to anticipate what appeared to be a Hamas attack unseen in its level of planning and coordination.

The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response for some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. It said its forces were engaged in gunfights with Hamas militants who had infiltrated Israel in at least seven locations. The fighters had sneaked across the separation fence and even invaded Israel through the air with paragliders, the army said.

Israeli TV broadcast footage of explosions tearing through the Gaza-Israel border fence, followed by what appeared to be Palestinian gunmen riding into Israel on motorcycles. Gunmen also reportedly entered on pickup trucks.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Hamas to launch the attacks, which would have likely required months of planning.

But over the past year Israels far-right government has ramped up settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settler violence has displaced hundreds of Palestinians there, and tensions have flared around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site.

The shadowy leader of Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. The Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam, and is located on the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.

Enough is enough, Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. Today the people are regaining their revolution.

In a televised address, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hamas had made a grave mistake and promised that the state of Israel will win this war.

Western nations condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel, while others called for restraint on both sides.

The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

Watson said Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

Saudi Arabia, which has been in talks with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel, released a statement calling on both sides to exercise restraint. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about  the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights.

The attack comes at a time of historic division within Israel over Netanyahus proposal to overhaul the judiciary. Mass protests over the plan have sent hundreds thousands of Israeli demonstrators into the streets and prompted hundreds of military reservists to avoid volunteer duty  turmoil that has raised fears over the militarys battlefield readiness and raised concerns about its deterrence over its enemies.

The infiltration of fighters into southern Israel marked a major escalation by Hamas that forced millions of Israelis to hunker down in safe rooms. Cities and towns emptied as the military closed roads near Gaza. Israels rescue service and the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza appealed to the public to donate blood.

We understand that this is something big, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli army spokesman, told reporters. He said the Israeli military had called up the army reserves.

Hecht declined to comment on how Hamas had managed to catch the army off guard. Thats a good question, he said.

Ismail Haniyeh, the exiled leader of Hamas, said that Palestinian fighters were engaged in these historic moments in a heroic operation to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In the kibbutz of Nahal Oz, just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Gaza Strip, terrified residents who were huddled indoors said they could hear constant gunfire echoing off the buildings as firefights continued even hours after the initial attack.

With rockets we somehow feel safer, knowing that we have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) and our safe rooms. But knowing that terrorists are walking around communities is a different kind of fear, said Mirjam Reijnen, a 42-year-old volunteer firefighter and mother of three in Nahal Oz.

Israel has built a massive fence along the Gaza border meant to prevent infiltrations. It goes deep underground and is equipped with cameras, high-tech sensors and sensitive listening technology.

The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israels volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Saturdays wide-ranging assault threatened to undermine Netanyahus reputation as a security expert who would do anything to protect Israel. It also raised questions about the cohesion of a security apparatus crucial to the stability of a country locked in low-intensity conflicts on multiple fronts and facing threats from Lebanons Hezbollah militant group.

Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday, praising the attack as a response to Israeli crimes and saying the militants had divine backing. The group said its command in Lebanon was in contact with Hamas about the operation.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then. There have also been numerous rounds of smaller fighting between Israel and Hamas and other smaller militant groups based in Gaza.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.

The rocket fire comes during a period of heavy fighting in the West Bank, where nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military raids this year. In the volatile northern West Bank, scores of militants and residents poured into the streets in celebration at the news of the rocket barrages.

Israel says the raids are aimed at militants, but stone-throwing protesters and people uninvolved in the violence have also been killed. Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets have killed over 30 people.

The tensions have also spread to Gaza, where Hamas-linked activists held violent demonstrations along the Israeli border in recent weeks. Those demonstrations were halted in late September after international mediation.

MDT/AP

JOSEF FEDERMAN & ISSAM ADWAN, JERUSALEM
JERUSALEM  Backed by a barrage of rockets, dozens of Hamas militants broke out of the blockaded Gaza Strip and into nearby Israeli towns, killing dozens and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday. A stunned Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza, with its prime minister declaring the country is now at war with Hamas and vowing to inflict an "unprecedented price."

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles from the Gaza border. In some places, they roamed for hours, gunning down civilians and soldiers as Israel's military scrambled to muster a response.

Gunbattles continued well after nightfall, and militants held hostages in standoffs in two towns. Militants also occupied a police station in a third town, where Israeli forces struggled until Sunday morning to reclaim the building.

Israeli media, citing rescue service officials, said at least 250 people were killed and 1,500 wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in decades. At least 232 people in the Gaza Strip were killed and at least 1,700 wounded in Israeli strikes, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Hamas fighters took an unknown number of civilians and soldiers captive into Gaza, a deeply sensitive issue for Israel, in harrowing scenes posted on social media videos.

The conflict threatened to escalate to an even deadlier stage with Israel's vows of greater retaliation. Previous conflicts brought widespread death and destruction in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli towns. The situation is potentially more volatile now, with Israel's far-right government stung by the security breach and with Palestinians in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and blockade of Gaza.

In a televised address Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military will use all of its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities and "take revenge for this black day. But he warned, "This war will take time. It will be difficult."

"All the places that Hamas hides in, operates from, we will turn them into ruins," he added. "Get out of there now," he told Gaza residents, who have no way to leave the tiny, overcrowded Mediterranean territory of 2.3 million people.

Netanyahus office said Israel would stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods to Gaza, where much of the population was thrown into darkness.

President Joe Biden decried Hamas appalling assault and his administration pledged to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself. He made clear in a call with Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support," according to the White House. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to the White House for meetings and phoned foreign counterparts, while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israels defense minister.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza intensified after nightfall, flattening residential buildings in giant explosions, including a 14-story tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices in central Gaza City. Israeli forces fired a warning just before.

After one Israeli strike, a Hamas rocket barrage hit four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb. Throughout the day, Hamas fired more than 3,500 rockets, the Israeli military said.

Palestinians demonstrated in towns and cities in the West Bank on Saturday night. Palestinian health officials said Israeli fire killed five there.

About 3 a.m. Sunday, a loudspeaker atop a mosque in Gaza City warned nearby residents: Evacuate immediately. Minutes later, an Israeli airstrike reduced a five-story building to ashes.

In the southern Gaza city of Rafah, an Israeli airstrike late Saturday flattened a home, killing 12 members of the Abu Qouto family, neighbors said. Ten members of a family in the northern town of Jebalya were killed in another airstrike, relatives said.

The strength, sophistication and timing of the Saturday morning attack shocked Israelis. Hamas fighters used explosives to break through the border fence enclosing Gaza, then crossed with motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders and speed boats on the coast without resistance from the military.

In some towns, a trail of civilians' bodies lay where they encountered the advancing gunmen.

In amateur video, hundreds of terrified young people who had been dancing at a rave fled for their lives after Hamas militants entered the area and began firing at them. Israeli media said dozens of people were killed.

Among the dead in Israel was Col. Jonathan Steinberg, a senior officer who commanded the military's Nahal Brigade, a prominent infantry unit.

The shadowy leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Deif, said the assault was in response to the 16-year blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at the disputed Jerusalem holy site Al Aqsa, growth of Israeli settlements and settlers' increasing attacks on Palestinians.

"Enough is enough," Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message. He said the attack was only the start of what he called "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm" and called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight. "Today the people are regaining their revolution."

The Hamas incursion on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll, revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, aiming to take back Israeli-occupied territories.

Asked by reporters how Hamas managed to catch the army off guard, Israeli army spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht replied, "That's a good question."

Hamas' military wing claimed it was holding dozens of Israeli soldiers captive in "safe places" and tunnels in the Gaza Strip. Civilians also were taken. Hecht confirmed a number of Israelis were abducted, saying the number was "substantial."

That could set the stage for complicated negotiations on a swap with Israel, which is holding thousands of Palestinians in its prisons.
Photo: GLACIER MEDIA FILE PHOTO A 2002 jail cell footage still of B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton after his arrest on murder charges.

Warning: This story contains disturbing details that may be distressing to some readers.

B.C.s chief coroner has apologized to the family of one of serial killer Robert William Picktons victims for the mishandling of her remains after his 2007 trial.

Marnie Frey vanished in 1997. Her jawbone was found on Picktons Port Coquitlam farm, the biggest crime scene in Canadian history.

Still, father Rick Frey is unsure if chief coroner Lisa Lapointes letter means there was an indignity to a human body, a Criminal Code offence. He wonders if anyone would be charged if that were the case. Hed like to see that happen.

If it was a member of the public, damned right theyd be nailed, he said. Why are they covering this up?

But, he added, shes not coming anywhere close to saying that.

After a year-long 2007 trial, Pickton was convicted by a B.C. Supreme Court jury of the second-degree murder of Frey as well as five other women. Twenty further charges were stayed.

Rick Frey was called to the coroners Burnaby office in December 2010 to retrieve his daughters remains.

He was given a small urn with several chunks of bone in it. They held a small going-home party for friends and family in a local hotel room. The urn took the centre spot on a table.

Evidence against Pickton included three bisected heads found with hands and feet in buckets, multiple bones found in pigsties and multiple DNA samples found throughout his property. It led to six charges and convictions.

Some of the remains of Picktons victims were allegedly cremated concurrently, cremated without informed family consent, mislaid and, in one case, heated and smashed with a mallet.

But, when Rick Frey and wife Lynn attempted to bury Marnie, they were told they could not as the remains were not acceptable to do so. Thus began a multi-year fight with B.C.s government to bury their daughter.

Glacier Media chronicled that fight in a 2018 investigative series, looking at the coroner and undertakers roles, how the complaints were handled through the RCMP, the Office of the Ombudsperson and Consumer Protection BC.

Now, in an Oct. 5 letter to the Freys, after an investigation into the work of those same agencies, the chief coroner has apologized for how the remains were handled.

I have previously confirmed that the management of your daughters remains by the Coroners Service in 2010 was not consistent with routine practice at the time, Lapointe wrote. I have extended an apology for the distress you and your family experienced as a result of the actions of Coroners Service employees.

In June 2013, she wrote Rick Frey that the management of the remains did not meet service standards and that the coroners service did not normally involve itself in the disposition of remains.

That changed again in a January 2015 briefing note Lapointe sent to then B.C. attorney general and minister of justice Suzanne Anton. There, Lapointe said, current practice and policy will ensure that errors that occurred with respect to the return of the remains will not happen in the future.

Glacier Media had to fight in 2019 to get the BC Coroners Service policy book but found nothing on the handling of such remains.

That said, Lapointe has noted the Pickton case posed unique challenges for the coroners service.

In a January 2012 memo to the deputy chief coroner, Norm Liebel, former deputy regional coroner Owen Court said he took remains to Lawrence Littles Pacific Crematorium in August 2010. His note didnt discuss how many sets of remains were involved. He had taken custody of the remains from the RCMP in Coquitlam in June 2004.

Both Court and Little have maintained they did things strictly by the book.

In the new letter, Lapointe told the Freys that investigations by the other independent agencies have also been concluded.

While I understand that you are aggrieved at decisions made by those responsible for your daughters remains in 2010, you have since been provided with all available information about what occurred, Lapointe said. There is simply no further information to provide, and no further action that can be taken.

But, Lapointes questions about the remains go back as far as January 2015.

In a January 2015 briefing note to Anton, obtained by Glacier Media, Lapointe said most remains were returned to families in 2010 but that there were lingering issues.

Some bone fragments and pulverized bone were inexplicably not returned to some families at that time, the note said. There is no satisfactory explanation for the delay in the return of all of the remains to all of the victims which should have been returned to families once identification of the deceased was confirmed and the police investigation was concluded.

That note did say there were errors with the return of the remains.

Lapointes letter came after Rick Frey sent Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth a letter in July, part of a correspondence that goes back years.

Glacier Media has reached out to the province for comment.

The Pickton case, the struggle of artist Pamela Masik to show the paintings of the women and the Freys experiences were documented in Vancouver director Damon Vignales 2013 film The Exhibition.

The documentary won the 2014 International Emmy for Outstanding Arts Production.

The film was rejected by the Vancouver International Film Festival and has never been publicly screened in the city. The film is available online.
Dash cam footage captured a driver ignoring roadblocks and nearly hitting runners and a police officer during the Ironman Wisconsin triathlon in September.

The footage, which was captured by a camera in Devinn Taufners vehicle, shows him driving through three police barricades and speeding down a street cleared for ambulances after nearly hitting a police officer manning one of the roadblocks who yelled at him to stop. At one point, Taufner could be seen traveling at least 50 mph on a street where the speed limit is 25, according to a probable cause affidavit. Taufner can be heard saying I just want to go home, man as Ironman participants jump out of the way to avoid getting hit.

Taufner, 23, said his memory of that day is blurry, but he told a Wisconsin State Journal reporter he was freaking out after encountering the roadblocks and said he was careful to avoid hitting anyone.

I have mental health issues, and there wasnt any really clear way to figure out where to go, Taufner said. I kind of freaked out when I shouldnt have, and I really regret it. Im sorry.

Minutes before crashing through the barricades, the video shows Taufner telling another officer that he lived at Capitol Centre Court Apartments on West Dayton Street. The officer told him to turn around, attempting to explain how he could get home by using a detour.

Taufner said hed been on his way home from his mothers house and didnt know how long Dayton Street would be closed.

I just wanted to go home, he said. I dont know what happened to me.

His mother, Dorothy Thomas, said the situation was complicated by the parking situation where Taufner lives. He has autism and lives in a building for the elderly and disabled, she said. When he left his apartment that morning hed been able to exit the garage on Broom Street with no issues. But his passkey to get back in the garage only works on the Dayton Street side, she said, and that street was closed.

He didnt know which way to go, Thomas said.

Without clear guidance from police or his apartment newsletter, she said, Taufner was confused and afraid. Its his first time living Downtown, and after this incident, likely his last.

Its been a really rough time, she said. We were all just so glad nobody was hurt.

Taufner was initially arrested on tentative charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety. In court, he faced one county ordinance violation of disorderly conduct, which was dismissed in the days after the incident. The state will instead be seeking criminal charges, according to the probable cause statement.

In the meantime, Taufner said hes been seeing doctors for his mental health issues. He said he hasnt driven since then, relying on the bus for transportation. Hes scared, he said, of going to jail and of people thinking hes a bad person.

Ive always respected the law, he said. Im sorry. I promise not to do it again.

Photos: Scenes from the 140.6 miles of Ironman Wisconsin
WISCONSIN MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD

Legislative Republicans are moving to fire the head of the state board that investigates complaints against doctors over what he says is his support for abortion rights.

The GOP-controlled Senate health committee on Wednesday voted to recommend against confirming Dr. Sheldon Wasserman, a former Democratic state legislator, as chair of the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board.

The Senate Health Committee's 4-2 vote along party lines came after a public hearing at which Wasserman, a plaintiff in the lawsuit seeking to reinstate abortion rights in Wisconsin, was questioned about his views on abortion. Additionally, he was asked why the board was penalizing physicians who prescribed medications for COVID-19 that the federal government didn't recommend.

"During the public hearing, Dr. Wasserman referred to the Medical Examining Board as an 'activist' board, targeting physicians and other medical professionals alike," committee chair Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, said. "The right thing to do was to stand with the patients of Wisconsin and vote 'no' on Dr. Wasserman's appointment."

Wasserman said the biggest reasons for his rejection were his support for abortion rights and his role in the lawsuit seeking to reinstate them in Wisconsin.

"I don't think they really care about anything else that goes on in the board," he said about the committee. "That's their only issue and protecting the citizens of Wisconsin really pales in comparison to the issue of abortion, and that's just wrong. Medicine is far more than just abortion."

Wasserman said the board has worked well despite the fact that some of the doctors on the board support abortion rights while others don't.

"To impose politics ... we're going in the wrong direction," he said, adding that the quality of the board will go down if the process remains politicized.

Wasserman has been confirmed by the Senate three times, most recently in 2019 with a 27-6 vote.

"I've been very proud of my record as the chair of the Medical Examining Board," he said. "I'm very proud of protecting citizens of Wisconsin and providing a safety net for citizens in Wisconsin, and really weeding out bad doctors."

The Medical Examining Board investigates medical complaints, which can be dismissed after an initial review or trigger sanctions up to revoking a practitioner's license. Last week, an anti-abortion advocate filed a complaint with the board alleging Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin physicians were illegally doing abortions.

The lawsuit deciding the future of abortion rights in Wisconsin is ongoing, though a Dane County judge in July said the law widely interpreted as a near-complete abortion ban applies to killing an unborn child by assaulting its mother, not consensual abortions.
Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

How to Apologize

As much as we try never to harm, as perfectly imperfect humans we sometimes make mistakes. Apologies are a way of conveying regret for any harm and intention to do better.

This Sunday our visiting minister, The Reverend Jenny Peek, shares her reflection on this topic.

Our service Sunday will be both in person at our location 160 Ninth Ave. E. in Twin Falls, as well as on Zoom beginning at 10:30 a.m. To access Zoom, email mvuuf83301@yahoo.com for sign-in information. In the subject line write ZOOM Service.

Everyone is welcome; NO EXCEPTIONS. We believe in justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another. We are handicapped accessible.

Please park at the rear of the building or on the street. Childcare is available.

Join us Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at 160 Ninth Ave. E. in Twin Falls.

For more information, call 208-420-1345 or email mvuuf83301@yahoo.com.

The Episcopal Church of the Ascension

The Episcopal Church of the Ascension invites you to a service of Morning Prayer at 9 a.m. this Sunday, Oct. 8. All are welcome at Ascensions services of worship, including children.

Ascension Churchs Sunday service is also available at 9 a.m. online at Ascensions YouTube channel The Episcopal Church of the AscensionTwin Falls. The building is handicapped accessible and located at 371 Eastland Drive N., Twin Falls. More information about Ascension can be found at www.episcopaltwinfalls.org or 208-733-1248.

This week Ascension will be hosting the American Red Cross blood drive Oct. 9, 10 and 11. Sign up at RedCrossBlood.org for an appointment.

First Presbyterian Church of Twin Falls

209 Fifth Ave. N.

Pastor: Don Hammond

Worship Time: 10 a.m.

Adult Bible Study: 8:30 a.m.

Everyone is Welcome!

Community Outreach: Sandwich Saturday  Free bag lunch at 10:30 a.m. every other Saturday (Oct. 14) located outside the church.

Blessing Box  always available. Food for the needy, take some food or be a blessing to someone else and leave some. Located outside the church entrance.
Five years ago on a cold autumn morning, Bob Knoebel was driving around looking for photo opportunities around the Wood River Valley.

Near the mouth of Croy Canyon in Hailey, Knoebel, a longtime fishing guide at Silver Creek Outfitters in Ketchum, spotted two sheepherders sleeping near a herd of 2,000 sheep.

I asked if I could take photos of them working and herding with their cohort of Great Pyrenees and Australian dogs, Knoebel said in a message to the Times-News.

All it took was a question and a few pictures to turn the encounter into a long, wholesome friendship.

Omar and Luis  contracted sheepherders with the H-2A program whose names have been changed for their privacy  had arrived in the Wood River Valley from Huancayo, Peru.

The two sheepherders planned to head to Rancho Cielo near Fairfield; they later would head back to Hagerman  their base for the winter months.

Since that first encounter, Knoebel made sure he would stop by whenever he could, even though they were still strangers and he spoke little Spanish.

I would meet them each morning at their campsites with breakfast from McDonalds and then follow behind them in my car, jumping out for photos when possible, Knoebel told the Times-News. When they reached their camp at Rancho Cielo  where they held over there for about a month  and Id visit them, Id ride a horse along with them as they checked the herd in the mountains above Fairfield.

Once Omar and Luis got to feel more comfortable around Knoebel, they let him into their lives one meal at a time.

Want to see some sheep? The annual tradition of the Trailing of the Sheep Festival has begun in the Wood River Valley, honoring the long migration of sheep moving through the high mountains to the winter grazing areas below. The events will continue through Sunday with nonstop workshops and panels, including multicultural performances, storytelling from former shepherds and sheep ranchers, cooking classes, and more. In its 27th year, the festival has kept the same goal: to make sure to preserve the stories and the history that brings this yearly migration to the valley, to celebrate the cultures of the past and present, and to educate community members of the Wood River Valley. Check out the schedule for Oct. 7-8 to catch a sweet performance from the Turtle Island Quartet. Or stop by and take a few Instagram-worthy photos at the Big Sheep Parade. For more information go to www.trailingofthesheep.org.

They started inviting me into their trailer for meals a number of times, Knoebel said. Its amazing what Luis can put together for a meal  lamb stew, boiled eggs, salad.

Reciprocating the invitations, Knoebel invited them both and some of their friends to his home for dinners and breakfasts, and even celebrated Luiss birthday on one of those occasions.

Knoebel told the Times-News the sheepherders were sure to check in with their employers whenever they were invited over.

Because the sheepherders were navigating harsh winters and hot summers in the mountains for months at a time, Knoebel extended his hospitality to other parts of his home and gave them various donations from his closet.

They took showers and did laundry at my house. I also took them shopping for clothes at the local thrift stores and gave them some of my warmer clothes for the winter, he said. They enjoy having company and are very approachable, as are their fellow herders.

Knoebel also would take along twin brothers Adan and Bryan Hernandez, students he mentored, on his adventures to meet with the sheepherders, mentioning it helped him communicate with Omar and Luis.

In a separate interview with the Times-News, Adan Hernandez said he didnt know anything about sheepherders until Knoebel told him about them, opening his eyes to the challenges of sheepherding.

They dont have power. They dont have a bathroom. They dont shower, he said. Its a pretty big sacrifice that they make. So whenever you see a sheepherder campsite, stop by and visit them. They appreciate any company because they never see anybody out there.

Sheepherders expect a weekly visit from their employers to bring them food. Most of the time, they will get what they ask for, but it depends on how much their employer is willing to spend for them.

They are at the mercy of their handlers who deliver foodstuffs to them on a regular basis from whichever ranch they are employed with, Knoebel said.

Herders who employ sheepherders go through the H-2A program and provides temporary visas to workers from other countries. If they leave their job as sheepherders, they wont be protected through their visas anymore.

In 2013, The Idaho Woolgrowers Association and former state Sen. Jeff Siddoway backed a bill that would make it a misdemeanor if a sheepherder left their job without telling their employer. The bill never got a hearing.

Siddoway told the Idaho Statesman in an interview for an article about the mistreatment in the sheep industry that he still supports the bill because of the amount of money ranchers spend to bring workers to the U.S.

Omar and Luis today are in the mountains where they have been working up to 18 hours a day caring for thousands of sheep. Now provided phones through their work, they contact their families whenever they can, FaceTiming their families back in Peru.

I observed both Luis and Omar as they video chatted with their families in Peru and their screens crowded with family members from home, Knoebel told the Times-News. I can only imagine the sadness in their hearts that they must go to these lengths in order to support their families.

Residente de Wood River abre su hogar para pastores de borregos Cerca de la desembocadura del Canon Croy en Hailey, un guia de pescados vio a dos pastores durmiendo cerca de un rebano de 2.000 ovejas. El encuentro se convirtio en una larga amistad.
Parasto Hakim was startled by a knock at the front gates.

She scanned her classroom for a quick headcount  all the girls were already in attendance. It could only be the Taliban.

Her heart pounding, she opened the door to find at least five members of the Afghan militant group demanding to check if she was breaking any rules. She was. This was a secret school, set up to teach girls despite the bans on female education imposed by the Taliban since they retook control of Afghanistan two years ago.

Hakim immediately employed the schools security protocols. In order to ensure her staff and students safety, she had instructed them on how to respond to a Taliban inspection.

I told the girls to stay silent, keep your eyes down and dont talk even if the Taliban speak to you directly, Hakim said from an undisclosed location outside Afghanistan.

So when they (the Taliban) were asking them questions, the girls were just looking at me and I had to reply  I was so scared.

Hakim says the Taliban tried to bribe the girls into talking, but they remained silent. The militants then started shouting at her and tried intimidating her and another teacher with their questions, she said. But after getting nowhere, they left.

Hakim operates SRAK, a clandestine network of schools, which educates around 400 girls across eight Afghan provinces with the help of 150 brave teachers and staff. CNN is not using the 25-year-olds real name, or the names of the female teachers and students we interviewed for this story to protect their safety.

CNN was granted access to film inside one of SRAKS underground classrooms on the condition the location of the school and the identity of the students and staff remain hidden for their safety.

Broken promises

In the summer of 2021, Hakim watched in horror as the Talibans tanks rolled into Kabul amid the United States chaotic final withdrawal from the country. This time the group vowed a more progressive government than its previous fundamentalist rule between 1996 and 2001.

At a news conference held shortly after the takeover, senior Taliban leadership insisted women and girls would be protected from violence and that education would remain a right for all. Hakim did not believe a word of it, she says.

They said the exact same words as before, saying they will make (Afghanistan) an environment according to the Sharia law and Islamic values, that they would have girls back at school and women would be able to work and attend university, Hakim said.

I thought to myself, they are lying, they wont change, and they will never ever allow girls to go to school again.

The Talibans promises were soon broken. Girls are not allowed to go to school beyond the 6th grade and are barred from attending university.

Women are being erased from Afghan public life by the all-male government. Last December, all local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the United Nations, were ordered to stop their female employees from coming to work. This year the Taliban closed all beauty salons across the country, an industry that had employed roughly 60,000 women.

The UN described the Talibans draconian restrictions as discriminatory and misogynistic in a report published in June this year and said their rule could amount to gender apartheid and a crime against humanity.

CNN has asked the Taliban for comment about why girls and women are barred from accessing educational opportunities but has not received a response.

Hakim says she came to the conclusion that continuing to provide girls with an education was the only way to fight back against the Taliban. In the face of history repeating itself, she turned to the example set by Afghan women who defied the odds more than 25 years ago, the last time the Taliban seized control.

I was asking myself, what was the young generation doing in 1996 when the Taliban were in power? How were they living? she said.

I wanted to scream, but I couldnt

Inspired, in part, by a 1996 Christiane Amanpour documentary titled Battle for Afghanistan, Hakim decided to create secret schools for a new generation of Afghan girls.

That night, Hakim says she made a series of frantic calls to her contacts, asking for help. Among them was her old friend, Maryam.

We have to start at least something for girls to gather together and have their own indoor community, in underground spaces to learn and be educated, Hakim recalled telling Maryam. I have all the resources you need; I just need you (Maryam) to expand it, she continued.

I was working so I could afford to buy books, notepads and everything we need for underground classes.

Maryam, a trained educator, said that when she heard from Hakim, she was eager to help and wanted to break free of the Talibans restrictions.

After the militant group imposed the bans on girls education, Maryam says she was trapped at home and felt like a zombie, with nothing to do and nowhere to go. The situation led to her suffering from severe anxiety and depression, she said.

I was in a situation where I wanted to scream, but I couldnt, it was some of the worst days of my life, she said.

Maryam says as word of the school got around, more students began to enroll, and she found girls were relieved to attend to escape the pressure of being at home.

Some girls refuse to stay home on government holidays, even if theres no teacher at the school, they ask me to let them come in, Maryam said.

That shows how desperate they are to escape the stress of sitting at home and thinking about how they are deprived of their rights.

On the day CNN visited Maryams hidden classroom, about 30 girls were huddled into a tiny room to learn everything from English to math to science and tailoring.

The school is like a light for me, its like a road where I can see happiness and sunrise at the end of it, Maryam said.

It gives me hope that one day regular schools will reopen, and every girl will be free to go back to school and women will be able to go back to their jobs.

Such hope is sorely needed in Afghanistan. Rates of anxiety, depression and suicide among women are on the rise in Afghanistan since the groups return to power, according to the UN.

It felt like being a prisoner

One of Maryams students, 16-year-old Fatima, was among the many girls and women feeling depressed and anxious while confined to their homes by the Talibans prohibitions, their future opportunities tragically curtailed.

I thought I was being thrown out of society, Fatima recalled. It felt like being a prisoner, like a prisoner who is only allowed to eat and drink, but not allowed to do anything else.

By sitting uneducated at home, we cant achieve anything, she continued. I didnt want to be a burden on my family and society, and by getting an education, I want to fulfill my dreams.

With the support of her family, she discovered the underground classes taught by Maryam and others and found her passion. She loves tailoring and dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer.

I want to be a woman who is well known amongst people, she said. I dont want to be behind a mask forever, I want to be able to show my real face.

For Yalda, another student, resuming her education proved to be a lifeline. She had nearly given up on her goal of becoming an engineer.

It was an escape from the anxiety and depression I felt sitting at home, the 14-year-old said about going back to school, even in this limited way.

Yalda, Fatima, Maryam and countless others are dreaming of a future without the Taliban and preparing for the day they can step out of the darkness.

Even if the Taliban stay seven or eight more years, they will eventually go and then we can go to university and continue our education, Yalda said.

Half a human being

Fawzia Koofi, a womens rights activist and pioneering Afghan lawmaker under the previous internationally backed administration, remembers living through a similar regime change when the Taliban first came to power.

Speaking from exile, Koofi says women then faced the same restrictions on movement and education that they face today. And back in 1997, she  just like Hakim  started a secret school, but with a few differences.

It was always a small number of girls, maybe six or seven, I only taught them English and science, not to arouse suspicion (from the Taliban), Koofi said. We still had to be very careful and take precautions to prevent them from detecting us.

Koofi had been accepted into medical school but was confined to her home when the Taliban took power in 1996.

When youre outside, the Taliban would look at you as if you are half a human being; telling you to cover your face, she said. It was never about what you can contribute to society or how talented you are, it was only about what you wore.

During her subsequent political career, Koofi made history in 2005 by becoming the first woman elected to Afghanistans parliament and then the countrys first female deputy speaker.

After the Taliban returned in 2021, she fled the country, hoping one day to return.

Hope stronger than fear

Back at the secret school, Maryam learns the Taliban are checking neighborhoods for illegal activities and fears they risk being caught. She still feels gut-wrenching nerves at the prospect of a visit from the militants.

I am scared, I experience fear at every moment, she said. But at the same time, I move on with the hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

There is a power stronger than fear, that is our hope for the future.

The future is something Fatima also keeps in mind while making her journey to school every morning.

She says she worries that she could be arrested by the Taliban but, to her, its worth the risk.

If they detain me, I will tell them I just want to be educated, Fatima said. I dont want to sit at home and that is not a crime.

___

Photos: A new view of life under the Taliban emerges
The government will stay open for another 45 days! What will happen in 45 days? Local and state elections will test the public sentiment for the MAGA agenda of a one-party autocratic government. Both sides of the budget divide expect more public approval. They will use public attitudes to add power to their positions.

Funding to support Ukraines defense of its sovereign territory was not part of the appropriations measure. Why is the MAGA faction pushing this feature and needing more money to secure our southern border? I invite you to look beyond our borders and at Russia and China and their strategies to gain more world power.

The countries two rulers want to restore their countries past world power. Chinas history includes the Western Worlds fostering of opium dependence as part of a trade war. That led to the collapse of their monarchy and a devastating civil war that Japan took advantage of during World War II.

Putin longs for the days of the Soviet Union. Long ago, he gave up the idea of a closely managed economy in favor of a capitalist one because the incomes of those in power are significantly higher. However, as he told President Joe Biden on one of their first calls about Ukraine, he believes that autocracy is superior to democracy for all future governments.

Both governments use a sophisticated propaganda campaign to sell the world, especially residents of countries with a democratic government, in their way of thinking. Russia led the way in 2014 when it abandoned the West and became anti-west. China was still focused on spying for economic advantage until Xi Jinping saw the benefit of using Russias strategy.

I am not saying there is a massive brainwashing campaign that is the product of a secret political group. The internet has provided the means to identify every IP address and assess the various personality traits using it. Search engines and media marketers will send information geared to reinforce confirmation bias. Various fact-checking services have tried to eliminate disinformation.

Still, the endless creativity of a free society has overloaded the capacity to counter all of it. The disinformation exchange in the West would never be allowed in China or Russia. The creators would likely be arrested and re-educated.

All radical movements begin in anger and a belief that someone or something must be extinguished and replaced. They are impractical because the harm to the status quo is overwhelming and creates an immediate opposition powered by resentment.

The sales pitch for autocratic governments always features general statements about leading the country to greater prosperity and freedom. However, the specific features of the two countries currently led by an authoritarian government may make you question that.

Russia opposes the LGBT movement. You might notice that the current leaders project a macho facade and are misogynistic. Male power dominates. No doubt, China allows abortion because they want to control their population. Russia wants white couples to have as many children as possible.

Russia and China push STEM education, but they maneuver the social sciences to promote their worldview. They punish anyone who advances individuality in psychology, sociology, economics, or the arts. They write history as centered on their countrys accomplishments and resentments. They severely limit the internet reach of most of their population. Research is encouraged for technology, but nowhere else.

You must be a member of the governing party to advance economically or socially. Otherwise, your life is limited to your employment, family, friends, and the church. The church of choice, of course, is the Russian Orthodox in Russia, and there are five officially recognized religions in China. China exerts pressure on all religions to adhere to the governments dictates.

Both countries hope to stir enough dissent within and between other countries to become more powerful. Putin believed that Ukraine would be an easy target after Brexit, NATO turmoil, the EUs economic problems, and Donald Trumps presidency in the US. They are promoting the idea that the Wests economic conditions are disastrous.

However, democracy and capitalism accommodate change. Autocracy is only efficient when it suppresses opposition. It will not allow modification and cannot respond to future demands from nature and the nature of the human spirit.

MAGA has picked the wrong horse in this race.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the Philippines climbed three spots in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023 to rank 56th overall.

It said that over the past five years, the country was considered an outperformer, surpassing expectations on innovation relative to its level of economic development among other countries.

The Philippines was also part of the top 10 climbers of the decade (2013-2023).

The Philippines performed well in business sophistication (38th), knowledge and technology outputs (46th) and market sophistication (55th).

It needed more interventions to advance in human capital and research (88th), infrastructure (86th) and institutions (79th).

As the world accelerates innovation faster than we could have imagined, we must be consistent in our goal of driving innovation across all industries. We must remain committed to our goal of shaping the future of this country to be a global innovation leader and a breeding ground for technological advancements. We need to change the mindsets of our people, recommend reforms of institutions, and lead a pathway towards global competitiveness, DTI Secretary Fred Pascual said.

The DTI and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) continue to work together in laying down the foundations for building platforms and innovation ecosystems through the establishment of Regional Inclusive Innovative Centers (RIICs).

Since 2019, there have already been 13 active RIICS across the Philippines and this number is continuously growing. Through these RIICs, various government agencies, the academe, and industry convene to drive the innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship agenda across the country.

RIICs aim to drive research commercialization and continuously build an institutional support system for innovation.

DTI Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation Group (CIG) Rafaelita Aldaba emphasized the governments support to accelerate the development of the countrys human capital, which it considers as the countrys main asset in driving innovation and global competitiveness.

We are committed to investing in our young Filipino talent. It is our belief that our people are our main competitive advantage among our peers. We need to continue to inspire the next generation of game changers, nurturing creativity, supporting technological innovation, and building an enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, Aldaba said.
Hilton hotels in the Philippines are set to take the country by storm this October as they proudly celebrate their historical connection to the world-famous Pina Colada cocktail.

The cocktail originated in 1954 at the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico, thanks to the ingenuity of bartender Ramon Monchito Marrero.

Throughout the month of October, Hilton hotels across the Philippines are inviting guests to savor the beloved Pina Colada in its true glory. From the luxurious Conrad Manila to the vibrant Hilton Manila and the serene Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort, each property has curated unique experiences to honor the iconic drink.

Conrad Manila offers a variety of ways to enjoy the classic Pina Colada and its unique variations. At C Lounge, the hotels bar overlooking the picturesque Manila Bay, guests can indulge in the timeless Pina Colada or savor the inventive twist on the iconic cocktail at P450++, all while swaying to the rhythmic beats of Latin music and other genres performed live by a live band every Monday to Thursday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

C Lounge also offers a Pina Colada-themed Afternoon Tea at P2,688++ per set featuring a special array of sweet and savory treats partnered with coffee, tea, or Pina Colada. Additionally, guests seeking a non-alcoholic option can relish the refreshing flavors of the Virgin Pina Colada at P330++.

Over at Hilton Manila, guests are invited to step into the shoes of a mixologist with their engaging and educational Pina Colada experience  a Make Your Own Cocktail promotion at the Freestyle pool bar for only P650++ per drink. Available all Fridays to Saturdays of October, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Pina Colada aficionados have the unique opportunity to learn the art of crafting their very own refreshing drink while soaking in the breathtaking view of the hotels iconic swimming pool.

In the heart of Pampanga, Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort extends a warm invitation to its guests to savor the exquisite taste of Hiltons famous Pina Colada at Treat, the hotels inviting and sophisticated bar for only P465++. With its elegant decor and relaxing atmosphere, guests can unwind and immerse themselves in the rich flavors of the celebrated cocktail, expertly crafted by the resorts skilled bartenders. Treat is open to welcome guests from Monday to Friday between 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday from 12 noon to 11 p.m.

Alternatively, Pina Colada may be enjoyed by their massive swimming pool, adding a dose of tropical charm to the overall ambiance.

(Join Hilton hotels in the Philippines this October for a month-long celebration of Pina Colada, a true testament to Hiltons legacy of innovation and hospitality excellence. For more information, please visit www.conradmanila.com, www.hiltonmanila.com, www.clarksunvalleyresort.hilton.com, or email MNLMB.FB@conradhotels.com, MNLPH_F&Binquiries@hilton.com, CRKPP_FB@hilton.com.)
ISTANBULTurkeys defense ministry said Friday it had a launched a new wave of air strikes against Kurdish targets in Syria in retaliation for a bombing attack in Ankara.

The announcement came just hours after Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the US downing of a Turkish combat drone involved in the Syria operation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Turkish defense ministry said it had hit 15 Kurdish targets in northern Syria on Friday evening with the maximum amount of ammunition.

The targets included headquarters and shelters used by Kurdish forces that the United States has relied on to fight the Islamic State group in Syria.

Fidan told Blinken that Ankaras air strikes in Syria will continue with determination despite Thursdays drone episode  the first of its kind between the strategic NATO allies.

Turkey stepped up cross-border air raids against Kurdish targets in northeastern Syria and northern Iraq in retaliation for a bombing in Ankara that injured two policemen last Sunday.

A branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)  listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies  claimed responsibility for the first bombing to hit the Turkish capital since 2016.

Turkey concluded that the two assailants who died in the Ankara attack came from Syria.

Turkeys operation in Syria has primarily been targeting oil and other energy facilities controlled by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG).

The group comprises an integral part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)  the Kurds de facto army in the area  that spearheaded the battle to dislodge Islamic State group jihadists from the region in 2019.

The SDF said Friday that eight civilians were among the 15 people confirmed killed in the first two days of Turkeys strikes.

United States support for the YPG has strained Ankaras ties with Washington since the jihadists defeat.

Washington said an F-16 jet shot down the Turkish drone after it came close enough to US positions supporting the Kurdish fighters to be deemed a security threat.

Blinken highlighted the need to coordinate and deconflict our activities, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said after the call with Fidan.
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Canadian politicians condemned an unprecedented Saturday attack Hamas militants waged on Israel that is being called the deadliest in the country in years.

Hours after the militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters to infiltrate the heavily fortified border by air, land and sea, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada strongly condemns the attacks and called for civilian life to be protected.

"These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself," Trudeau wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

At least 70 people have been killed and hundreds have been injured, Israel's national rescue service said Saturday. The Israeli military struck targets in Gaza in response to some 2,500 rockets that sent air raid sirens wailing constantly as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some 80 kilometres away.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said at least 198 people have been killed and at least 1,610 wounded in the territory in Israel's retaliation after the attack which caught the country off guard on a major Jewish holiday.

The attacks pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare the country is now at "at war" in a televised address, where he announced a mass army mobilization and vowed to inflict an "unprecedented price."

His declaration and the overseas violence were being watched in Canadian, where some police forces upped their presence at mosques and synagogues and politicians called for peace.

"I unequivocally condemn the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists and the sadistic violence they have subsequently carried out against innocent civilians," said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, said in a statement. "Canadians pledge their solidarity with all the victims."

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly posted on X condemning "the multi-front terror attack," as did NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who called for hostages to be immediately released.

"We fear what the coming days will bring. Terrorism and violence solve nothing," Singh said.

It's unclear how many Canadians may be in the region.

Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment, citing the evolving situation.

However, the organization's website urged Canadians travelling to the region to exercise "a high degree of caution" in Israel and avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip and the country's borders with Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. Non-essential travel to the West Bank and Gaza Strip border was also discouraged.

Global Affairs urged anyone in the affected areas to limit their movements, remain "extremely cautious" and shelter in place until it is safe to leave the area.

It said the Canadian government's ability to provide consular services to Canadians in the Gaza Strip is "limited" and in cases of deportation, local authorities are not obliged to notify the Canadian embassy in Tel Aviv nor the Representative Office of Canada in Ramallah. ?

"As a result, Canadian officials may not be able to provide you with consular assistance."

Meanwhile, advocacy organization Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East urged the Canadian government to support calls for a ceasefire and a negotiated resolution following the escalating violence.

"Canada must call on all parties to implement a ceasefire, including an immediate end to the brutal daily violence of Israel's military occupation and apartheid practices," said Thomas Woodley, CJPME president, in a statement.

The Trudeau government has opposed efforts for Palestinian justice through non-violence, the organization said, whether through the movement to boycott Israel, the United Nations General Assembly or international courts.

"Violence is an inevitable response when all avenues for peaceful, nonviolent, or diplomatic protest against oppression have been denied," said Woodley.

Iddo Moed, Israel's ambassador-designate to Canada, said in a statement that the attack proves Hamas has no interest in the safety of citizens of the Gaza Strip, seeing them as "nothing more than a pawns in its efforts to harm the citizens of Israel."

"On a holy day when the Jewish people should be peacefully coming together in a synagogue to celebrate the Torah, hundreds of Israelis are hiding for their lives while hundreds of thousands remain in shelter and Israel finds itself in a state of war.

Ottawa police said Saturday they would have an increased presence at areas or religious significance, including mosques and synagogues, as a result of the attack and its impact on the local community. Toronto's police chief, Myron Demkiw, said the force is not aware of any threats to Jewish communities in the city, but said they would also increase their presence to ensure the safety of residents.

Hamas militants were still fighting gun battles inside several Israeli communities hours after the incursion began. An unknown number of Israeli solider and civilians were also seized and taken into Gaza.

Hamas fighters used explosives to break through the border fence, then crossed with motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders and speed boats on the coast. The strength, sophistication and timing of the attack shocked Israelis.

Bodies of dead Israeli civilians and Hamas militants were seen on streets of Israeli towns. Images on social media appeared to show fighters parading what seemed to be captured Israeli military vehicles through Gaza streets and a dead Israeli solider being dragged and trampled by crowd of Palestinians.

The serious incursion occurred on Simchat Torah, a normally joyous day when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll. It revived painful memories of the 1973 Mideast war practically 50 years to the day, in which Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, aiming to take back Israeli-occupied territories.

Western nations such as the U.S. also condemned the incursion and reiterated their support for Israel, while others, like Saudi Arabia, called for restraint on both sides. The kingdom said it had repeatedly warned about "the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation (and) the Palestinian people being deprived of their legitimate rights."

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. The bitter enemies have fought four wars since then.

The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, has devastated the territorys economy. Israel says the blockade is needed to keep militant groups from building up their arsenals. The Palestinians say the closure amounts to collective punishment.
The Philippines and Australias foreign and trade ministers will meet in Canberra next week, a month after the two countries established a new strategic partnership.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu said the 6th Philippines-Australia Ministerial Meeting (PAMM) will be held on Oct.10, with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo present as co-chair.

The main purpose of this very important meeting will be to put our strategic partnership into action, she said during a journalist reception at her Makati City residence on Friday.

Our ministers will be coming together only just after a month of our leaders meeting to get to work and work out what it is that we can do more, she added.

Yu did not disclose if bilateral agreements will be signed but said there will be some announcements to be made after the meeting.

PAMM is regularly convened every two years and was virtually held in August 2021 due to pandemic restrictions.

The meeting comes after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met in Manila in September and finally elevated the two states comprehensive partnership into a strategic one.

The Australian government said the strategic partnership is founded on the two nations shared interests in promoting a peaceful Indo-Pacific

region and a common vision for the region where sovereignty is upheld.

Yu said the ministers will discuss wide-range issues as Australia seeks to step up its engagements with the country on defense, economic, combatting climate change, education, peace building, environment and people-to-people relations.

In the same reception, she said Canberra will continue to closely monitor developments happening on the South China Sea while helping the country enhance its capabilities in maritime protection.

I would say prevention is more important and thats exactly what Australia is already doing in the Philippines when we engage in exercises, when we are helping strengthen your governance, when we are helping with even marine environment, she said when asked if Australia will help the Philippines in the event tensions escalate in the contested sea.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has a plan to stop or reduce Chinese interference in its resupply missions to its outposts in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), its spokesman said Saturday, as he slammed Chinas latest indisputable sovereignty claim over the Spratly Islands.

AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said in a press briefing that the interference of Chinese vessels inside the countrys exclusive economic zone should not become the norm even as he was tight-lipped on how the Armed Forces would proceed with its plan.

We dont want to telegraph our plan because it is a matter of national security, Aguilar said while guaranteeing that Filipino soldiers deployed in the WPS are very much inspired at the moment.

First, because of the completed supply missions. Second, because of the support they are hearing from almost all Filipinos, and for the international community for standing by the Philippines in its position on matters concerning the West Philippine Sea, he said.

The morale of our troops in the West Philippine Sea is high and they are determined to work harder to make sure the interest of the country is protected, Aguilar said.

Meanwhile, Chinas use of the word indisputable for islands in the WPS is disputable, the spokesman added.

Beijing recently condemned a mission by four Philippine ships to resupply Filipino troops in Ayungin Shoal, which is part of the Spratly Islands or Renai Reef to China.

For one, the UNCLOS says no to its claim. Second, the arbitral award invalidated it. Third is several countries have expressed their support to the Philippines and to the rules-based international order, while no one has openly supported China in its actions at the WPS, Aguilar added.

Chinas unfounded claim and its offensive and irresponsible actions in the WPS led to the countrys global isolation, he added.

Teodoro Teddyboy Locsin Jr., the Philippine Special Envoy to China, was onboard one of the vessels that escorted the latest resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre last Wednesday.

Locsin, who was on board the BRP Cabra, was seen observing and taking photos of the Chinese maritime militia blocking the Philippine vessels on the way to the Sierra Madre.

Locsin, the Foreign Secretary under the Duterte administration which had warm relations with China, declined to share his observations with the media.

President Marcos in August appointed Locsin as his special envoy to China.
A bus carrying migrants overturned in southern Mexico on Friday, leaving at least 18 passengers dead and 27 injured, authorities said  the latest fatal road crash involving US-bound migrants.

The dead, three of them minors, were from Venezuela and Haiti, according to a statement from the prosecutors office in Oaxaca state.

The accident happened at around dawn on a highway linking Oaxaca and the neighboring state of Puebla, it said.

The injured were taken to hospital for treatment, it added.

Images released by state authorities showed the wreckage of the bus lying on its side on a highway winding through hills.

According to Mexicos national immigration agency, 55 foreigners were on board the bus.

Peruvians were also among the victims, it said.

Thousands of migrants from different countries have been traveling across Mexico in buses, overcrowded trailers and atop freight trains in an attempt to reach the US-Mexican border.

They run the risk of fatal accidents, kidnapping by criminal groups and extortion by corrupt officials.

More than 8,200 migrants have died or disappeared in the Americas since 2014, most of them while trying to reach the United States via Mexico, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The US-Mexican border is the worlds deadliest migration land route, with 686 deaths and disappearances in 2022, the IOM said last month.

On Sunday, at least 10 Cuban migrants were killed and 25 injured when a cargo truck carrying them overturned in the southern state of Chiapas.

In early August, at least 18 people died and 23 were injured after a bus carrying local passengers and migrants from countries such as India, the Dominican Republic and some African nations plunged into a ravine in the state of Nayarit.

And in December 2021, 56 mostly Central American migrants were killed and dozens injured when a people smugglers truck carrying around 160 people overturned in Chiapas.

The Mexican government has admitted to being overwhelmed by the number of migrants crossing its territory, the vast majority of whom are from Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti.

Mexican authorities said they detained more than 189,000 migrants last month, while the US border patrol has reported 1.8 million apprehensions between October 2022 and August 2023.

Senior US and Mexican officials pledged Thursday to redouble their efforts to tackle irregular migration through measures such as modernizing border security, increasing legal avenues and addressing the root causes.

The two countries were committed to expanding safe, orderly and lawful pathways for migrants but with strict consequences for those who enter the United States illegally, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said after talks in Mexico City.
Trains blow their whistles and rumble along the tracks all around Dudley Herndons life.

He doesnt seem to mind the noise and the movement, though.

After all, they are in the basement of his Martinsville home, all part of a world he created for himself after he retired.

The trains drive through and around a depiction of Martinsville life, with both realistic recreations of buildings and occasional comedic scenes.

A farm has a red barn with farm animals, including cows at the hay bale, cows and pigs eating from a trough and a pig rolling cheerfully in the mud. One cowboy is waving his lasso as he rides a cow, two men are working from a wheelbarrow and, outside the fence, Little Boy Blue who has fallen asleep instead of tending the sheep. Above the farm is Jacks legendary beanstalk, leading from behind the farm up to a shelf on the wall which has a giant at his castle.

A long building partly enclosed and partly open is the terminal of Dominion Freight Lines, where Herndon worked for 30 years. Transfer-trailer trucks are parked around it, as well as the vehicles of the workers. Little figures of men walk about and carry loads.

Near it are milk trucks, a nod to his earlier career as a milkman.

There are a couple of buildings under construction, with construction vehicles and a crane parked behind them. One has a tile floor, white walls with a red horizontal strip and a bright red roof. Inside, you can see a counter and tables. Thats going to be McDudleys, he quipped.

Theres a construction zone, where a section of a road is being paved. A road-work sign and orange cones block the work area as a man spread asphalt, with an asphalt roller, a dump truck and a cement truck at the edge. More construction vehicles and dump trucks are parked a distance away, backed up to stores of gravel, cement and mulch.

Herndons pride and joy is the rendition of Mount Vernon Baptist Church, the church in Axton where he and his wife, Doris, met and attended faithfully. It has the original old-fashioned brick sanctuary and the new fellowship hall wing built in the 1990s. Cars are parked in the lot, and people are walking in and out of the church and shaking hands. When asked which one he was, he said, Im inside.

The Herndons raised three sons, John Dudley Johnny or Rooster Herndon Jr., Allen Al Michael Herndon and Bobby Dean Herndon (Termite from his wrestling days at Martinsville High School).

Dudley Herndon moved to Martinsville at the age of 17, when he worked at a bakery washing pots and pans. I soon got a promotion to drive the bread truck, selling to stores, he said.

He was drafted into the Army, where he served in France just after the war. His wife joined him there. There they made lifelong friends, a couple from Pennsylvania.

When the Herndons returned from France, Dudley Herndon drove a milk truck, and his wife took care of children. After years as a milkman, he worked at Old Dominion Freight Lines for 33 years.

I started making the trains when I retired, he said.

I worked on them until my wife almost got a divorce, and I quit, he laughed. She said I had to help her some, and so I agreed with her, and I started helping her more.

To make amends, he used the jigsaw to cut out the phrase I love you. It still stands on the casing above the kitchen doorway.
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America's kids are safer now than a decade ago when it comes to many types of injury, with two glaring exceptions: drugs and guns.

That's the crux of a new study that looked at injury trends among U.S. children and teenagers between 2011 and 2021.

It found that nonfatal injuries from accidents and assaults fell by 55% and 60%, respectively, during that time period. That included substantial drops in injury due to car crashes, falls and other accidents that have long been leading causes of injury among kids.

Countering those gains, though, was the harsh reality of guns and drugs.

Firearm fatalities among children and teens rose by 87% during the study period, while nonfatal gun injuries more than doubled. Meanwhile, deadly drug overdoses also doubled.

"As a society, we've done a great job at targeted interventions," said senior researcher Dr. Rebekah Mannix, of Boston Children's Hospital.

Everything from better car and roadway design, to helmets, to childproof household products have made kids safer in many ways, Mannix said.

"But what we've missed," she added, "is that the most lethal means of injury are still incredibly accessible to kids."

The findings, published Oct. 5 in the journal Pediatrics, come at a time when a record number of U.S. kids, mainly older teenagers, are dying from gun-related injuries.

In 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death among Americans ages 1 to 19surpassing motor vehicle accidents for the first time. The pattern continued into 2021, when guns claimed a record 4,752 young lives, according to another recent study in Pediatrics.

Almost two-thirds of those deaths were homicides, while about 30% were suicides, researchers found.

The latest study puts things in a broader perspective, Mannix said, looking at recent trends in all kinds of pediatric injuries, fatal and nonfatal.

In many ways, her team found, kids are safer now. During the study period, motor vehicle occupant injuries fell by 47%; fall-related injuries declined by 53%; and injuries related to overexertion dropped by 67%. There was also a 63% decrease in "struck by or against" injuries, which can happen during sports, for example.

"Overall, kids are being injured less often," Mannix said.

Unfortunately, her team found, fatal injuries rose during the study period: from a rate of 14 per 100,000 U.S. kids in 2011, to just over 17 per 100,000 by 2021. That was fueled mainly by the rise in fatal injuries from guns and drug "poisonings" (which include overdoses).

And while nonfatal injuries mostly declined over time, there were a couple notable exceptions: gun injuries and self-harm injuries by any means. The latter rose by 57% in the past decade.

Mannix said it all paints a worrisome picture: A growing number of kids in mental health crisis, too often with access to lethal means of harming themselves.

The fact that firearms are now the leading cause of death among U.S. kids reflects two different stories, according to Dr. Patrick Carter, co-director of University of Michigan's Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.

"It's a failure to address firearms on one hand, and a success story in reducing motor vehicle injuries," said Carter, who was not involved in the new study.

He noted that it took many years, and changes on multiple levels, to make roads safer for kidsfrom seat belt and car seat laws, to improvements in vehicle technology and road design, to addressing drunk driving.

And initially, Carter added, there was resistance to those measures.

There needs to be the same kind of multi-prong "push" when it comes to firearms, he said. That could mean changes in laws and improved technology that makes firearms themselves safer, Carter said.

For parents who have a firearm in the home, he said, keeping it locked and inaccessible to kids is a basic safety measure.

But when a child is having mental health issues that raise the risk of self-harm, Carter said parents should go a step further and temporarily remove the gun from the home. He noted that gun shops sometimes offer storage, or parents can legally transfer the firearm to a family member for a time.

To Mannix, the reductions in other types of pediatric injuries show what is possible.

"We've taken on hard things before," she said. "We've made the world safer. What went on in the 1970s and 1980s worked."

More information: The American Academy of Pediatrics has advice for parents on gun safety. Bailey K. Roberts et al, Trends and Disparities in Firearm Deaths Among Children, Pediatrics (2023). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-061296 Journal information: Pediatrics

Copyright  2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Researcher wearing the Empatica E4 bracelet. Credit: Diego Hidalgo-Mazzei

Researchers have announced preliminary results of using wearable technology to measure electrical impulses in the skin and other physiological biomarkers which might be associated with mood changes in bipolar disorder. The work is at an early stage, but they hope that they will be able to build on these patterns to detect mood swings in bipolar disorder sufferers, so helping in diagnosis and potentially offering more rapid and personalized treatments.

Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental illness that causes swings in a person's mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. These shifts can make it difficult to carry out day-to-day tasks and can make interactions with other people difficult.

The degree of mood swing can vary from person to person, from feeling manic (very "up") to feeling depressed. At present, these mood swings are mostly diagnosed subjectively, through interview with doctors or by questionnaires. This takes time, and requires an immediate medical presence.

Now a group of Barcelona-based psychiatrists, in collaboration with data scientist in Edinburgh, have used a research grade wearable device to continuously collect several physiological biomarkers during the diverse phases and episodes of bipolar disorder.

Among the collected physiological biomarkers is electrodermal activity which uses changes in the skin's electrical conductivity to indicate the level of stress through the reactivity of the nervous system. This is a potential immediate indicator of whether someone is in a manic, depressive or in a normal mood state.

They recruited 38 patients with bipolar disorder, and 19 healthy controls, all from the Barcelona area.

Researcher Diego Hidalgo-Mazzei said "Each participant was fitted with a commercially available Empatica E4 bracelet, which they were asked to wear for around 48 hours. This can measure a variety of physiological changes, but we were most interested in measuring small electrophysiological changes in the skin of the wearer."

"We found that bipolar disorder patients in their depressed phase had on average a significantly lower skin electrical activity than the rest of the bipolar group or the healthy control group. We also found that as an individual moved from manic to depressive state (or vice versa), this was detectable by a change in skin surface electrical activity.

"It is important for the patient and doctor to know how and when these mood fluctuations take place. It is important also to highlight that the treatment is different for manic or depressive states. This can help with a prompt diagnosis and early personalized treatment, but it can also help in preventing adverse outcomes, for example in alerting to an increased risk of suicide, or of mood swings which may lead to dangers with activities such as driving.

"It is also easier to treat patients if we know if they are in a manic phase or a depressed phase. Until now, these mood swings have mostly been diagnosed subjectively, through interview with doctors or by questionnaires, and this had led to real difficulties. Arriving at the correct drug is difficult, with only around 30 to 40% of treated individuals having the expected response. We hope that the additional information these systems can provide will give us greater certainty in treating patients.

"We are still some way from that though. This is an exploratory observational study, so we need to look at a larger sample and use machine learning to analyze all the biomarkers collected by the wearers to confirm the findings to determine patterns which might indicate a specific episode.

"This may not be ideal for every bipolar disorder sufferer, in every circumstance, but a potential pattern may help in the future the people hardest hit by the mood changes which affect their lives."

According to a 2019 study between 1% and 2% of Europeans suffer from bipolar disorder (exact numbers are difficult to obtain), meaning that over 700,000 suffer in Europe. That's equivalent to a city the size of Frankfurt, Washington DC, or Glasgow.

Professor Paolo Ossola (of the University of Parma, Italy) said, "In this seminal study, Dr. Hidalgo and collaborators have laid the foundation for a new approach to diagnosing and treating bipolar disorders. Bipolar disorder is defined by the occurrence of episodes (either manic or depressive) interspersed with periods of well-being known as euthymia. To date, the course of the illness is entirely unpredictable, and the occurrence of new episodes relies solely on their early recognition at a subjective level through early-warning symptoms."

"Having a physiological biomarker that extends beyond the subjective level would enable more timely intervention. More importantly, the fact that it originates from a wearable device could assist individuals who, due to geographical reasons, lack easy access to clinical facilities.

"The shift from the subjective to the biological level could also promote understanding of the underlying mechanistic dynamics of mood swings. Previous attempts, based on the study of motor behavior using wearable devices, failed to differentiate, for example, the restlessness caused by anxiety in a depressive episode from the initial hyperactivation associated with a manic switch.

"A more finely tuned biomarker, such as skin conductance, could capture these subtle changes and thus determine whether a treatment is effective and the reasons behind it.

"As the authors note, this is just a preliminary exploratory study, but their encouraging results could pave the way for future research aimed at unraveling clinical puzzles in the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder.

"The exciting collaboration between doctors and data scientists is significantly accelerating the development of this new branch of precision psychiatry. I eagerly anticipate the much-needed transition from 'bench to bedside' with these technologies becoming available in community-based mental health settings."

This is an independent comment, Professor Ossola was not involved in this work.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Last year, a student fell unconscious after walking out of a bathroom at Central High School in Pueblo, Colorado. When Jessica Foster, the school district's lead nurse, heard the girl's distraught friends mention drugs, she knew she had to act fast.

Emergency responders were just four minutes away. "But still four minutesif they are completely not breathing, it's four minutes too long," Foster said.

Foster said she got a dose of naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, and gave it to the student. The girl revived.

Forty-five miles away in Colorado Springs, Mitchell High School officials didn't have naloxone on hand when a 15-year-old student overdosed in class in December 2021 after snorting a fentanyl-laced pill in a school bathroom. That student died.

Colorado Springs' school district has since joined Pueblo and dozens of other districts in the state in supplying middle and high schools with the lifesaving medication, often known by one of its brand names, Narcan. Since passage of a 2019 state law, Colorado has had a program that allows schools to obtain the medicine, typically in nasal spray form, for free or at a reduced cost.

Not all schools are on board with the idea, though. Though more districts have signed on since last year, only about a third of Colorado districts had enrolled in the state's giveaway program at the start of this school year. And within the dozen counties with the highest drug overdose death rates in the state, many school districts had not signed up in the face of ongoing stigma around the need for the overdose reversal medication.

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommends that schools, including elementary schools, keep naloxone on hand as fatal opioid overdoses rise, particularly from the potent drug fentanyl. And 33 states have laws that expressly allow schools or school employees to carry, store, or administer naloxone, according to Jon Woodruff, managing attorney at the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, which tracks naloxone policies across the country.

Among those, about nine states require at least some K-12 schools to store naloxone on-site, including Illinois, whose requirement goes into effect in January. Some states, such as Maine, also require that public schools offer training to students in how to administer naloxone in nasal spray form.

Rhode Island requires all K-12 schools, both public and private, to stock naloxone. Joseph Wendelken, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Health, said in the past four years naloxone was administered nine times to people ages 10 to 18 in educational settings.

In early September, the medication also became available over the counter nationally, though the $45 price tag per two-dose package has some addiction specialists worried it will be out of reach for those who need it most.

But the medicine still isn't as publicly widespread as automated external defibrillators or fire extinguishers. Kate King, president of the National Association of School Nurses, said reluctance to stock it in schools can stem from officials being afraid to provide a medical service or the ongoing cost of resupplying the naloxone and training people to use it. But the main hang-up she's heard is that schools are afraid they'll be stigmatized as a "bad school" that has a drug problem or as a school that condones bad choices.

"School districts are very careful regarding their image," said Yunuen Cisneros, community outreach and inclusion manager at the Public Education & Business Coalition, which serves most of the state's school districts. "Many of them don't want to accept this program, because to accept it is to accept a drug addiction problem."

That's the wrong way to think about it, King said. "We really equate it to our stock albuterol for asthma attacks, our stock epinephrine for anaphylactic reactions," she said.

Colorado health officials could not say how often naloxone had been used on school grounds in the state. So far this year, at least 15 children ages 10 to 18 have died of fentanyl overdoses but not necessarily in schools. And in 2022, 34 children in that age group died, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment. That included 13-year-old Jose Hernandez, who died in August 2022 from a fentanyl overdose at home just days after starting eighth grade at Aurora Hills Middle School.

With the arrival of this new school year, supplies of naloxone are on hand for kids in more Colorado schools. Last year, state lawmakers appropriated $19.7 million in federal aid to the Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund, which is accessible to school districts, jails, first responders, and community service organizations, among others.

"It's the most we've ever had," said Andres Guerrero, manager of the state health department's overdose prevention program.

According to data provided by Colorado's health department, 65 school districts were enrolled in the state program to receive naloxone at low or no cost at the start of the school year. Another 16 had reached out to the state for information but hadn't finalized orders as of mid-August. The remaining 97 school districts either didn't stock naloxone at their schools or sourced it from elsewhere.

Guerrero said the districts decide whom to train to administer the medicine. "In some cases, it's just the school nurses. In some cases, it's school nurses and the teachers," he said. "And in some cases, we have the students as well."

In Durango, the 2021 death of a high schooler galvanized students to push for the right to carry naloxone with them to school with parental permissionand to administer it if need bewithout fear of punishment.

It took picketing outside a school board meeting to get permission, said Hays Stritikus, who graduated this spring from Durango High School. He's now involved in drafting legislation that would expressly allow students across the state to carry and distribute Narcan on school grounds.

"The ultimate goal is a world where Narcan is not necessary," he said. "But that's just not where we live."

Some health experts disagree that all schools should stock naloxone. Lauren Cipriano, a health economist at Western University in Canada, has studied the cost-effectiveness of naloxone in secondary schools there. While opioid poisonings have occurred on school grounds, she said, high schools tend to be really low-risk settings.

More effective strategies for combating the opioid epidemic are needle exchange sites, supervised drug consumption sites, and medication-assisted treatment that reduces cravings or mutes highs, Cipriano said. But those approaches can be expensive compared with naloxone distribution.

"When the state makes a big, free program like this, it looks like they're doing something about the opioid epidemic," she said. "It's cheap and it looks like you're doing something, and that's, like, political gold."

Denver Public Schools, the largest school district in Colorado, started stocking naloxone in 2022, said Jade Williamson, manager of the district's healthy schools program.

"We know some of the students are on the forefront of these things before older generations," Williamson said. "To know where to find it, and to access it when needed through these adults who've trained, whether that's a school nurse or a school administrator, I think it brings them some sense of relief."

The state's seven largest districts, with more than 25,000 students each, all participate in the state program. By contrast, a KFF Health News analysis found, only 21% of districts with up to 1,200 students have signed up for iteven though many of those small districts are in areas with drug overdose death rates higher than the state average.

Some school districts figured out a path to getting naloxone outside of the state program. That includes Pueblo School District 60, where lead nurse Foster gave naloxone to a student last year.

The Pueblo school district gets naloxone at no cost from a local nonprofit called the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association. Foster said she tried signing up for the state program but encountered difficulties. So she decided to stick with what was already working.

Moffat County School District RE-1 in Craig, Colorado, gets its naloxone from a local addiction treatment center, according to district nurse Myranda Lyons. She said she trains school staffers on how to administer it when she teaches them CPR.

Christopher deKay, superintendent of Ignacio School District 11Jt, said its school resource officers already carry naloxone but that the district enrolled in the state program, too, so that schools could stock the medication in the nursing office in case a resource officer isn't around.

"It's like everythinglike training for fire safety. You don't know what's going to happen in your school," said deKay. "If the unthinkable happens, we want to be able to respond in the best way possible."

This story was produced with reporting assistance from El Comercio de Colorado.

2023 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Missoula Public Library closure

The library will be closed in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday, Oct. 9. Patrons can access their accounts at missoulapubliclibrary.org/.

Family History Month Series: Family History Writing Contest

Calling all family historians! Enter genealogical writing about your Montana ancestors in Missoula Public Librarys first annual Family History Writing Contest. Memorialize your familys history and compete for cash prizes. Prizes will be awarded for the top three submissions. Entries will be accepted until March 1 via Submittable: https://missoulapubliclibrary.submittable.com/submit. Full contest rules are available on our website: https://tinyurl.com/FamilyHistoryWritingContest.

Family History Month Series: Heirlooms Family History Writing Workshop

Do you consider yourself the family historian? Do you have more subscriptions to genealogy services than to streaming TV services? Then this workshop held on Oct. 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Cooper Room on Level Four of the library is for you! This interactive workshop will help you organize what you know about your family history into interesting stories. Participants should come into the class with a working knowledge of genealogy and personal family history. This workshop is sponsored by Humanities Montana and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

NEA Big Read: Closing Party

Dont miss the last event of our month of Big Read programming! Celebrate The Cold Millions, Montana history, and local music at the Big Read Closing Party on Oct. 11 from 6-8 p.m. in the Cooper Room on Level Four of the library. Enjoy a live recording of a brand new Death in the West podcast episode focused on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the Missoula murder of Maurice Higgins. All the members of the DITW team, Chad Dundas, Erika Fredrickson, Leif Fredrickson, and Zach Dundas, will be there! The closing party will also feature live music from local musicians Dylan Running Crane and Travis Yost. Drinks and snacks provided by the Friends of the Missoula Public Library. For more information about this event visit: readmissoula.org/. An initiative of the NEA in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience.

Talk Time

On Oct. 12 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Imaginarium on Level Two of the library come in and practice speaking with other English language learners. Learn about U.S. culture and meet people from around the world. Child care enrichment activities are provided onsite in collaboration with Families First Learning Lab.

Missoula Public Library Watercolor Painting Class

During this class, held on Oct. 13 from 12 to 2 p.m. in Cooper Room A/B on Level Four of the library, local artist Robert Peltzer will help you understand and develop the skills and techniques necessary to enjoy and succeed at watercolor painting. This class is open to adults ages 18 and older. For questions call Robert at 406-541-8868.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

The Friends of Missoula Public Library is hosting an upcoming bag sale during the Friends of the Library Book Sale, which occurs on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Oct. 15 from 12 to 4 p.m. in Cooper Room B on Level Four of the library. On Sunday, all books from 2 to 4 p.m. will be free! Shoppers will purchase a bag for 5 dollars, and then fill it up with books and other items of their choice. What a deal! The sale will feature plenty of non-fiction books, fiction books, some childrens books, some AV, and much more. Most items are old library items and will have library markings.

Song for a Whale, by Lynne Kelly

2019, Delacorte Press

Twelve-year-old Iris is the only deaf kid in her school, so shes lonely and often seen as less intelligent than other kids. But she also happens to be a tech genius who repairs old radios and who rocks in the digital world. And shes also very persistent. When she reads about a hybrid whale whose song is unintelligible to other whales, Iris claims Blue 55 as a kindred spirit and wont let anything stop her quest to create a song for him in his own language. Shes supported by her best friend Wendell, who goes to an all-deaf school which Iris longs to transfer to  against her parents full-inclusion instincts.

But the real booster rocket for Iriss dream comes from her deaf and recently widowed grandmother. Their journey together is poignant, suspenseful, and may even require a tissue at the climax. The author has been a sign language interpreter for years, and the story effectively depicts the challenges and gifts of being deaf, while really being focused on relationships and one girls indomitable spirit. This would be a fun book for precocious third graders through non-jaded middle schoolers. Its sweet but with just enough edge to keep it from being saccharine.

 Reviewed by Dana McMurray
One of two people accused of hoarding cats and dogs under deplorable conditions on a Yellowstone County property pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated animal abuse.

Jeremy Patrick Opie, 35, admitted to depriving more than a dozen animals of food, water and healthcare. Some of the animals were emaciated, diseased and showed signs of physical abuse. A co-defendant in the case against Opie, Tiffany Dyce Opie, is still awaiting trial.

Along with pleading guilty to animal abuse, Jeremy Opie admitted in Yellowstone County District Court to failing to register as a sexual offender. He appeared in court via teleconference from Yellowstone County Detention Facility after violating the conditions of his release set earlier this summer. During Fridays hearing, District Judge Ashley Harada allowed Opies release from custody until his sentencing, but warned she would not hesitate to revoke his release.

As far as Im concerned, you are one of the most dangerous people in this community, she said.

In early June 2023, court documents said, deputies with the Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office responded to a call from a Billings veterinary clinic. Jeremy Opie, with Tiffany Opie, had brought a cat to the clinic with a litter of seven kittens who were malnourished. A clinic staff member told a deputy Opie also brought in a dog, who was in a similar emaciated state, before leaving in a pickup truck.

Jeremy and Tiffany Opie returned to the clinic, according to court documents, and a deputy met the two at their truck. The truck reeked of feces and rotten meat. The deputy found at least six dogs and two cats inside the truck. All of them showed signs of starvation. Jeremy and Tiffany Opie told the deputy theyd been trying to get their animals to eat.

An officer with the Billings Police Department Animal Control advised getting all of the animals out of the truck and evaluated by the clinic. Although Jeremy and Tiffany Opie initially accused the deputy of trying to take away their animals, they eventually agreed to give them to the veterinary staff.

One dog, an 11-month-old Great Dane mix named Finn, had to be euthanized. Staff had to bring him into the clinic on a stretcher. Following a necropsy, a veterinarian determined Finns body was almost completely emaciated and had evidence of trauma.

An employee at one of the local animal shelters that took in the animals found in the truck reported to YCSO that Opie was on a no-adopt list. Opie had previously adopted an Akita mix, who was later found chained up outside a camper, court documents said.

While YCSO was investigating the case against Opie, they discovered he was a sex offender who failed to report his most recent address to the sheriffs office, per Montana law. In 2006, according to state records, Opie was sentenced in Fergus County for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl.

Jeremy and Tiffany Opie were charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a felony, while Jeremy Opie faced an additional count of failing to register as a sex offender. They were released from custody after pleading not guilty.

In September, the two again entered YCDF under suspicion of violating the conditions of their release, which included they have no contact with any animals. Two people reported seeing Jeremy and Tiffany Opie near a dog park in the Heights. They witnessed Tiffany Opie dragging a small dog by a choke collar into a truck, court documents said, while Jeremy Opie was punching a Rottweiler in the head.

The two were subsequently arrested, and Jeremy Opie agreed to speak with law enforcement, according to court documents. He allegedly said Tiffany Opie had been buying animals through Facebook or her friends and family, then bringing them to their trailer. When Jeremy Opie agreed to let officers search the trailer, court documents said, they found three dogs, one of them a Rottweiler mix, several cats, a parakeet and a large python. The floor of the trailer was allegedly cluttered with trash and feces.

Jeremy Opie remained in custody on a $100,000 bond until his change of plea hearing Friday. He reached an agreement with county prosecutors in late September. In exchange for admitting to aggravated animal abuse and failing to register as a sex offender, prosecutors will recommend he serve seven years with the Montana Department of Corrections, all of which would be suspended. His sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

Tiffany Opie is scheduled for trial later this month. Along with aggravated animal abuse, she is facing counts of attempting to tamper with evidence and criminal contempt.
Migrants live in tents along the Dan Ryan Expressway near 5100 S. Wentworth Avenue and outside a Chicago police station on Oct. 17, 2023. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

President Joe Bidens decision Thursday to resume deportation flights of Venezuelans sparked concern among immigration advocates Friday even as details about the policy shift remained murky.

It was not immediately clear how the deportation flights, which Biden officials said would resume within days, would affect the migrant population in Chicago and Illinois, state and city officials said. But the state expects the policy to reduce the number of Venezuelans arriving at the southwest U.S. border, said Alex Gough, a spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

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For people who are found ineligible for asylum, it could mean that there will be a higher number of them being processed for deportation, Gough said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday continued his public calls for the state and federal governments to ramp up aid to Chicago for the humanitarian crisis surrounding the citys growing migrant population, saying Springfield must make sacrifices to support the citys response to the asylum-seekers.

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Migrants from Venezuela listen to Brayan Lozano, back to camera, outside the Chicago Police Departments 1st District station on Oct. 6, 2023. Lozano, an asylum-seeker from Colombia, has become a leader of the mutual aid group at the station. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Johnsons remarks came a day after he met with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch at his City Hall office to discuss the statehouses fall veto session, and after Pritzker showed lukewarm interest in sending more large pots of money to Chicago for its thousands of asylum-seekers.

Im gonna continue to have conversations to ensure that the sacrifices that are being made, that it is shared equitably, Johnson said when asked whether its time for state legislators to trim fat elsewhere in the budget to afford more migrant grants to Chicago.

Pritzker appeared to close the door Thursday on any more state money being allocated for migrant relief by state lawmakers, who are meeting later this month and next for their fall veto session.

It isnt as if were coming in with enormous surpluses, Pritzker told reporters. This is not something where we have hundreds of millions of dollars to support.

The mayor did not answer whether Welch has signaled approval for his additional funding request but said he told the speaker, as well as the governor and the White House, that they must help alleviate the citys burden in caring for over 17,000 migrants who have arrived in Chicago from the southern U.S. border since August 2022.

Johnsons deputy chief-of-staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas, a former state senator, also during the week said that Springfield should look into trimming some of the states existing appropriations toward migrant grants for the city.

The people of Chicago, were being asked, and frankly tasked, with carrying the vast majority of this responsibility, Johnson said. I know that the leadership and the state of Illinois recognizes the importance of Chicago. And the only thing that I can do is do my part. And Im asking other folks to do their part.

Still, the mayor nodded to the growing impatience that Chicagoans are expressing, while maintaining, I know were gonna get to the other side of this.

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He also indicated that he was not worried about the race to enact his plan to relocate migrants sleeping on the floors of Chicago police stations and airports into winterized base camps before temperatures dip.

I know that the city of Chicago has been incredibly patient with my administration. Everyone knows. Its not like Im calling up relatives from another country saying, Yall want to come live with me? Our people know that, Johnson said.

Migrants grab a hot meal outside of the Chicago Police Departments 1st District station on South State Street on Oct. 6, 2023. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Though Bidens decision Thursday to resume deportation flights of Venezuelans alarmed immigration advocates and some of Johnsons allies, the mayor himself chose not to criticize the White House. The federal government had not been deporting people to Venezuela because of severed ties with the South American countrys government.

The sanctions, of course, that are causing the turmoil is being brought to us by the right-wing extremists in this country, Johnson said, referring to former President Donald Trumps oil sanctions against Venezuela. The real disconnect is the fact that you have global population shifts that have been propagated by the very failures of the Republican entities that want to score political points by attacking major cities where Black and brown people live.

Last month, the Biden administration announced it would grant temporary protected status, or protection from removal when the conditions in their home country prevent their safe return, to Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. between March 2021 and July 31 of this year.

Immigration advocates on Friday questioned Bidens decision to simultaneously grant protected status to nearly 500,000 Venezuelans in the United States and now resume deportations for others.

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Fred Tsao, the senior policy counsel at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said the response from the Biden administration concerns him. Its been contradictory, by first announcing the extension of TPS and then resuming deportations to Venezuela, he said.

Tsao said that the coalition of pro-immigrant organizations is still evaluating and trying to understand the announcement and how it could affect migrants already in Chicago.

The Department of Homeland Security did not provide details on how it will carry out the deportations, or whether it will solely be focused on the border.

Maria Salgado, a U.S. Department of Justice accredited representative who works in the legal department at Centro Romero, said migrants who entered the U.S. after July 31 could fall into the undocumented population, which puts them at risk of deportation.

If these individuals had orders of removal and missed their court dates or did not follow up with their cases, or had orders of removal, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can search for and deport them, even if theyre living in a sanctuary state, Salgado said.

Immigration attorney Salvador Cicero predicted the policy would not affect people who come to the U.S. with valid asylum claims, like political persecution. However, it is likely to affect economic migrants who move to the U.S. in hopes of finding better jobs, he said.

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The people who dont have any sort of (asylum) claim, now theyre just going to be deported, Cicero said, adding that prosecutors and judges will still have discretion. I think those people are likely to get sent back a lot sooner than they would have expected.

The policy will also allow the federal government to deport some Venezuelans who commit crimes while living in the U.S., Cicero said.

Illinois law enforcement agencies are not allowed to detain people solely on the basis of civil immigration warrants or arrest them based on immigration status, said Gough, Pritzkers spokesperson. He deferred to federal authorities to clarify the policys impact. A White House spokesperson did not respond to calls and emails requesting explanation of the policys effect Friday.

This is why no one trusts the immigration policy, because there is so much arbitrariness to it, theres no basis to it, Ruben Garcia, director of Annunciation House, a refugee shelter in El Paso, Texas, said. Two weeks ago, you found Venezuelans to be at risk, and now theyre no longer at risk and can be sent home.

On Friday afternoon, a group of migrants living at a police station on the Near South Side gathered around to try to make sense of the news.

But where do we find an attorney? a woman asked.
Deer Lodge newspaper owner Jesse Mullen says his enterprising business sense and support for local election officers makes him best suited for Secretary of State.

So far the only Democrat to announce a bid for SOS, Mullen would presumably challenge Republican incumbent Christi Jacobsen, a deputy in the Secretary of States office administration immediately prior to winning her first term in 2020.

In that 2020 race, a record-breaking turnout and a decisive sweep for Republicans, Jacobsen tallied up more votes than any other candidate. Jacobsen has not yet declared a bid for re-election, and a spokesperson for her office was not available late Thursday.

Mullen last year lost his first bid for state Senate to Republican Terry Vermeire, who had been a county commissioner in Deer Lodge for 10 years and won that race with 55% of the vote  the first time a Republican had claimed that seat since the district went into effect in 2014.

"She's seen that role from the government side," Mullen said of Jacobsen in an interview in Missoula this week. "Im the right person for the job. I understand the business needs of our state. I am truly passionate about having safe and secure elections and I understand the reality of how that work gets done on a county level. For me, it's not about politics."

Election integrity remains a volatile issue in some local Republican circles even while the national GOP officials have tried to nudge their party away from former President Donald Trumps 2020 claims and toward election practices at the heart of some of those claims, such as ballot collection. County election officials have resigned in droves since Trumps unproven claims that the election was stolen from him stirred up locals to the point of what county clerks called "harassment"  even in counties where Trump won.

Then-Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan made a public plea last year for Jacobsen to step up in their defense rather than staying on the sidelines. Jacobsen's office responded in a statement saying local election officials are "a trusted source" of election information and any election official under threat should contact law enforcement.

Mullen said he believes Montana elections are in fact secure, and if elected Secretary of State his office would lend more public support to those election officials that have been targeted by such attacks.

"I think that what she has done to our clerk and recorders, our election officials, election deputies, is essentially throw them under the bus," Mullen said. "The job of the Secretary of State is to be the chief elections officer, and I view that very much as supporting the people who are running the elections."

His campaign website and social media presence have focused a lot on big issues: healthcare, climate change, gun control, public lands. And while public lands management is a role of the SOS on the state Land Board, Mullens website specifically talks about national parks.

Mullen said he talks about the big issues to give voters his thoughts on the spectrum of political issues. He, like a handful of other Democratic challengers to Republicans' grip on statewide offices, is still trying to carve out some recognition with voters.

"I believe the average voter does want to have a holistic idea of the opinions of a candidate," he said. "They need to know who I am and where I stand, even on issues that aren't directly related to the job."

The Secretary of States Office has not lately fallen to the status of stepping-stone public office for election officials waiting their turn for governor or Congress. But Mullen pledged to seek a second term in the Secretary of States Office if elected to a first.

The Bitterroot Star, the Philipsburg Mail, Silver State Post in Deer Lodge, Seeley-Swan Pathfinder, and the combined Valerian-Cut Bank Pioneer-Glacier Reporter-Shelby Advertiser newspapers are all Mullen Newspapers, which Mullen said he "stepped away" from two months ago. His campaign will advertise in those papers as he did during his state senate run, and said any profit from his campaign advertising will be donated locally.
While we digest the ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, it might be informative to know that North Carolina was the first in the modern era to oust a speaker. We can learn from that history.

The year was 1989. Since early in the 20th century, Democrats had dominated state leadership. But in the 1988 elections, former Republican Congressman Jim Martin was elected to an unprecedented second term as governor. Republicans also gained legislative seats, electing 46 members, to Democrats 74.

Lincoln County freshman Johnathan Rhyne was elected by Republicans as minority leader. The Democratic caucus re-nominated Liston Ramsey, from Madison County, for an unprecedented fourth two-year term. But seasoned observers knew there was grumbling over leadership.

Those who previously served in the House were upset that a gang of eight essentially determined what did or didnt pass. Individual members felt disrespected and ignored, especially by Speaker Ramseys top lieutenant, Billy Watkins, chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee. Watkins could be vindictive, dictatorial and disrespectful to anyone who disagreed. Several Democratic members met with Speaker Ramsey and demanded that Watkins be removed from power. He refused.

A small group of about 20 Democrats met to discuss how to remove Watkins, concluding the only way was to oust Ramsey. But the group, as they called themselves, didnt have support from enough other Democrats to vote him out and recognized they needed help from Republicans. Conditions were not nearly so partisan or polarized as now, so they speculated who in the GOP they could approach about overthrowing the speaker.

Call it fate or whatever, but Democrat Joe Mavretic from Edgecombe County, volunteered that he had a personal relationship with Representative Rhyne and would be willing to probe whether a coalition might be possible.

Private discussions were begun. They readily acknowledged Ralph Waldo Emersons advice: If you shoot at a king, you must kill him. We can only imagine those deliberations.

Included in the 20 or so Democrats were names we know, like Sam Hunt, David Diamont, Pete Hasty, Harry Payne, Pryor Gibson, C. R. Edwards, Walter Jones, Jr., Joe Mavretic, Betty Wiser, Roy Cooper and Alex Warner. We know what they accomplished in later life, but in that moment they understood that failure would not only result in banishment to legislative purgatory, but also would impact their future personal and professional lives. They believed their cause was not only just, but necessary for the betterment of North Carolina.

Rhyne and Mavretic had developed strong bonds of trust and step by step helped build trust among their respective party members. Mavretic was chosen to be the speaker nominee. In addition to being a retired fighter pilot and Marine colonel, he had attended the War College, studied political science and had been schooled in how to conduct a quiet campaign, something necessary to avoid killing the plan before they were ready to go public.

An elaborate strategy evolved. Some of their agreements sound like action movie plots. The group divided into cells and kept each other constantly informed of relevant happenings. At one point they each agreed not to take personal phone calls, having assistants, spouses or family answer and relay messages.

Mavretic personally went to Speaker Ramsey the day before the vote and informed him that they had the votes to oust him. On the day of the vote all the group met for lunch; just before the appointed time they walked onto the House floor and elected Josephus Mavretic to be the speaker of the N.C. House.

I remember the reverberations that quickly spread over Raleigh and throughout the state. A new era had begun in our state legislature.

Heres my spin on six lessons that can be learned from the 1989 takeover:

1. We must reaffirm that every person has value and cannot or should not be diminished for any reason. Too many of the 120 House members didnt feel respected and heard.

2. Those in elected positions represent many others. Today, each member of the N.C. House is representing some 88,000, so disrespecting the representative also disrespects those they represent. That opposes every basic tenant of our founders beliefs.

3. We have become a state and nation of intractable factions. George Washington, in his farewell address, tried to warn us of the dangers of geographical sectionalism and political factionalism. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together, he said. The independence and Liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts, of common dangers, suffering and successes. Words worth heeding today.

4. We can get more accomplished working together than standing alone. Bipartisanship serves us all better.

5. Many political problems can be solved by term limits. The longer someone remains in power, the more susceptible they are to abuse that power. Our founders never envisioned career politicians, as too many have become.

6. The group of Democrats and Republicans in the N.C. House knew the possible consequences of what they were doing but were willing to take risks for the good of our state. There are times when you must act. Now is one of them.

The question now before us is whether we will meet the challenge.
Most people do not like to be in the hospital. It is a time of anxiety, fear and wondering what the results of a diagnosis may be.

Chaplains are taught to have a non-anxious presence when visiting patients and families. We responded to many calls. These calls and referrals include medical alerts, suicidal ideations, depression, death and overdoses.

A chaplain involved in patient care must have a non-judgmental presence. One does not know what a patient has been through or what may have caused the situation. We are called to these situations to provide care with our presence and good listening skills.

Chaplains are part of the team of caregivers and have a code of conduct.

Now let us get down to the nitty-gritty work of a chaplain. Due to confidentiality concerns, I am not sharing real names in these cases.

Case 1

"Johnny," age 9, was admitted for suicidal ideations. As I listened to him, he spoke as if his life was crumbling apart, but he still managed to have good eye contact and a wide smile. I asked him what were some of the things that were bothering him. He felt that he was not loved and did not fit in at school. As he went on to talk, he became teary-eyed and I told him it is OK to cry.

As our conversation went on, I inquired if he liked school, had a favorite teacher and subject he liked. The patient answered all the questions with a big smile on his face and after finishing gave me a high five. As chaplains we are taught that we are not counselors, and I still remember my supervisor telling us we were not to practice without a license. This young patient later went into a behavioral health facility.

Case 2

"Big Red," age 76. Big Red was diagnosed with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure. I introduced myself to this gentleman as the chaplain. He informed me that he was baptized a Catholic but now was an atheist. He worked in New Jersey shipyards and retired back home to Butte. This tall, strong man said he enjoyed the work.

He was a lifelong smoker, was married and later divorced and had two children, a daughter and son. His daughter was a drug addict who had passed away from an overdose in New Jersey when she was in her 20s. Big Red was admitted to the hospital a few more times, and each time, he would ask for a visit from a chaplain.

As he shared his life story with me, he teared up, saying he felt like he may have been a failure at being a father. I listened as he spoke about being in the Navy during Vietnam and wondering if he would make it home. During his last admission to the hospital, he asked if I would visit him. He wanted to let me know that he was dying but was not scared.

Big Red said, I am a believer again, John. I have reconciled my differences with God. And would you please pray with me? A few days later, he passed away.

Throughout my years as a chaplain, I have been called to the emergency department for medical alerts, motor vehicle accidents and overdoses.

It may seem like an incredibly stressful situation but your job as a chaplain is to be present to all involved. You are watching the caregivers do their best. Families are extremely anxious and fearful about what is happening. They may also be angry about the situation. Once again, as the chaplain, you are to have a non-anxious presence and a non-judgmental attitude.

In a very real way, our job is to embody the very hopeful spirit of the classic passage from the Book of Numbers: The Lord bless you land keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! (Numbers 6:24-26)
Matt Bugni

March 4, 1932 - October 1, 2023

BUTTE - Matt Bugni passed October 1, 2023, surrounded by loved ones in Butte, MT. Matt was born March 4, 1932, to Eva Bugni (Cerise) and Charles Bugni in Meaderville. His friends and co-workers nick named him Tuttie, that trademark nick name would follow him to his final resting place. His family affectionately called him Pat or Paddy. We are not sure by choice or expulsion, but he retired from his academic career at the ripe old age of 15 from Franklin Elementary. God bless his teachers and principle; we are in hopes that they can make amends in heaven.

Matt was able to sew most of his wild oates and then some (just ask his mom Eva) prior to his 35th birthday. Matt then met and married Arlene Bajovich, whom he enjoyed a marriage of over 50 years with. They would yield two sons, Dino and Gino. After the birth of his first son, Dino, Matt became a very dedicated family man providing for his wife and kids. The birth of his second son, Gino, only deepened that commitment to his family.

Pat joined the military in 1953 and was honorably discharged in 1955. He would serve our country at Dug Way Proving Ground in Salt Lake City, Utah. His early career included working at the Belmont and Leonard mines, cutting meat at Western Meats and Hanson Packing, hod carrying, tile laying, and cement finishing for Hanna Tile. He then picked a career as a laborer serving his entire stint with Taylor Macdonald and Walsh Construction. He was a proud member of the Labors Union from 1956 until the day he passed, for almost 67 years. Pat could also be found on either side of the bar at Sam's Place in Meaderville. He was either earning a wage as a bartender or spending his wage as a favored patron. Pat was a private person later in life not enjoying crowds, or any type of hubbub. He rarely felt the need to eat out or join big gatherings, but rather stay at home tending the yard, re-arranging the garage and most importantly care taking his wife, Arlene.

Matt excelled at being a compassionate husband, brother, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He played a HUGE part in the upbringing of his grandkids and great-granddaughter: Cole, Heather, and Avah. He played a vital role in helping them become the strong people they are today. Commitment to his entire family was his life. Nothing will replace him, a void left forever empty.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Arlene and brother, Lawrence, who was taken in a tragic mining accident while working for the Anaconda Company in 1975.

He is survived by the following loved ones: Bob Bugni, Arthur Bugni, Marie "Babe" Bajovich, Dino Bugni, Gino and Julie Bugni, Heather Bugni, Rob Nadeau, Avah Nadeau, and Cole Bugni. Bob and Matt always shared a special relationship from having coffee every day to helping one another with projects.

The family would like to thank Bob for his caregiving and devotion to Matt during his last years. We would like to give a big Thank You to St. James Hospital and its caring staff. The care provided for his last few days was tremendous.

There will be no services at Pat's request, but you may donate to a charity of your choice in his name.
VATICAN CITY  Pope Francis said the Catholic Church needs to be rebuilt to make it a place of welcome for everyone, everyone, everyone, as he opened a divisive meeting on the future of the church that has sparked hope among progressives and alarm among conservatives.

Francis presided over a solemn Mass in St. Peter's Square to formally open the meeting. But he warned both camps in the church's culture wars to put their human strategies, political calculations or ideological battles" aside and let the Holy Spirit guide debate.

We're not here to create a parliament, but to walk together with the gaze of Jesus," he said.

Rarely in recent times has a Vatican gathering generated as much hope, hype and fear as this three-week, closed-door meeting known as a synod. It wont make any binding decisions and is only the first session of a two-year process. But it nevertheless has drawn an acute battle line in the churchs perennial left-right divide and marks a defining moment for Francis and his reform agenda.

On the table are calls to take concrete steps to elevate more women to decision-making roles in the church, including as deacons, and for ordinary Catholic faithful to have more of a say in church governance.

Also under consideration are ways to better welcome of LGBTQ+ Catholics and others who have been marginalized by the church, and for new accountability measures to check how bishops exercise their authority to prevent abuses.

Even before it started, the gathering was historic because Francis decided to let women and laypeople vote alongside bishops in any final document produced. While fewer than a quarter of the 365 voting members are non-bishops, the reform is a radical shift away from a hierarchy-focused Synod of Bishops and evidence of Francis belief that the church is more about its flock than its shepherds.

The opening Mass and seating arrangements made that clear: The lay participants led off the processional into St. Peter's Square, followed by the vested clerics, suggesting their primacy of place. Inside the synod auditorium, laypeople sat at round tables alongside cardinals and bishops, rather than in the upper back row of the Vatican's audience hall as in previous synods.

Its a watershed moment, said JoAnn Lopez, an Indian-born lay minister who helped organize two years of consultations prior to the meeting at parishes where she has worked in Seattle and Toronto.

This is the first time that women have a very qualitatively different voice at the table, and the opportunity to vote in decision-making is huge, she said.

In his homily, Francis recalled that his namesake St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is celebrated Wednesday, also faced divisions and tensions in his lifetime and responded with prayer, charity, humility and unity when he was told: Go and rebuild my church."

Let us do the same! Francis said. And if Gods holy people with their shepherds from all over the world have expectations, hopes and even some fears about the synod we are beginning, let us continue to remember that it is not a political gathering, but a convocation in the spirit; not a polarized parliament, but a place of grace and communion.

He repeated that theme during the first working session of the synod and laid out the ground rules for participants, confirming a media blackout of the meeting. Francis called for a fasting of the public word" to allow for free debate without the glare or pressures of media coverage.

More than speaking, the priority is listening, he said.

Women have long complained they are treated as second-class citizens in the church, barred from the priesthood and highest ranks of power yet responsible for the lions share of church work  teaching in Catholic schools, running Catholic hospitals and passing the faith down to next generations.

They have long demanded a greater say in church governance, at the very least with voting rights at the periodic synods but also the right to preach at Mass and be ordained as priests or deacons. Before the opening Mass got under way, advocates for women priests unfurled a giant purple banner at a piazza nearby reading Ordain Women.

Lopez, 34, and other women are particularly excited about the potential that the synod might in some way endorse allowing women to be ordained as deacons, a ministry that is currently limited to men. The issue is on the agenda, and delegation from Lopez' group, Discerning Deacons, was in Rome for sideline events.

For years, supporters of female deacons have argued that women in the early church served as deacons and that restoring the ministry would both serve the church and recognize the gifts that women bring to it.

Francis has convened two study commissions to research the issue and was asked to consider it at a previous synod on the Amazon, but he has so far refused to make any change.

In his homily opening the synod, Francis said such preconceived ideas had no place in the gathering. But repeating his new mantra about the church as a place of welcome, he said tutti, tutti, tutti must be allowed in: Everyone, everyone, everyone.

The potential that this synod process could lead to real change on previously taboo topics has given hope to many women and progressive Catholics and sparked alarm from conservatives who have warned its call for radical inclusion of LGBTQ+ people could lead to schism.
There have been dozens of news articles celebrating the historic pro-housing reforms passed in the 2023 Legislature. Many of those national stories call the package of legislation the Montana Miracle.

While miracle may be a bit generous at this early stage of implementation, as the sponsors of two of the biggest zoning reforms, were happy to see Montanas transformative approach to housing being recognized.

Housing is one of our states most urgent and pressing needs. Home prices have escalated beyond the reach of average Montanans in many communities and the prohibitive cost of owning a home is threatening the long-term financial viability of young Montanans and their families.

One of the biggest reasons for skyrocketing home prices is that our housing supply has fallen way behind our population growth. Especially in bigger towns like Missoula and Bozeman, or midsize popular hotspots like Whitefish, there simply are not enough homes to go around. When supply is short, prices increase, and only the wealthy can afford to live here.

Since we cant prevent people from moving to Montana, the only solution to the housing supply problem is to build more houses. There are two main approaches to doing so: massive new developments that eat up agricultural land and forever transform the rural character of Montana, or encouraging more houses to be built within already-developed cities.

As millennials who dont want to see our children grow up in an unrecognizable Montana made up of concrete jungles, we favor the latter approach. Three of the Legislatures biggest housing bills were written to build more housing without causing urban sprawl. All three bills were targeted at Montanas larger towns, where the housing crisis is most acute.

Senate Bill 382 completely rewrites Montanas land use laws. It gives communities more input into their long-term development plans up front, requires cities to choose from a menu of zoning strategies to allow more affordable housing, and makes it easier to build housing within city limits.

Senate Bill 323 requires cities to allow duplexes in all city zones that allow single-family residences. We dont have a shortage of mansions in Montana; we have a shortage of affordable starter homes. Duplexes are a mild increase in density with a much lower cost barrier for young families or retirees on fixed incomes.

Senate Bill 245 allows multifamily and mixed-used development in city zones that allow commercial development. If a big-box store and huge parking lot can be built, it only makes sense that apartments or a mix of small business storefronts with apartments above can be built in the same area.

These reforms are only now starting to go into effect, but were already seeing positive impacts. Places like Whitefish and Bozeman are completely rewriting their zoning codes to be more friendly to affordable houses. Missoula recently approved housing for 162 more families thanks to a bill passed by the Legislature.

It took decades for Montanas housing problems to reach our current crisis point. Our housing needs cannot be fixed overnight, but these pro-housing bills passed by the Legislature are a transformative starting point toward creating a future for our state in which its still possible for the average Montanan to own a home.
Invariably in October, some student in my junior English class would slam his American literature anthology shut and groan, Thoreau! Why do we have to read this stuff?

Tempted as I was to reply, However mean your life is, meet it and live it, I refrained from Thoreau-ly exasperating him. Instead, I pointed to the aluminum plant and asked the complainer how many folks he thought were working there right now.

A thousand, maybe, hed say.

Well, all 1,000 give part of their paychecks to this school so that kids they dont even know can learn the stuff they think matters. And the people they elected to make sure that happens decided you need to read great American writers. Including Thoreau.

Its funny how adolescents can distort a lofty cause into an egregious assault on their dignity. Its maddening when adults do it. And when it comes to the education freedom movement now underway in Montana, distortions abound.

For decades, Montanans have engaged as a state and as communities to determine what young people need to learn to succeed as citizens, in employment, and/or at college. Yes, each new era brings tweaks, but high school graduation requirements today are pretty much what youd expect: a combined 10 credits of English, math, science and social studies and one credit each in the arts, health/P.E., and career/tech. The remaining seven credits  a third of the total  students can choose according to their druthers.

Local school boards decide what the content and learning materials in all those classes will be. If you think Thoreau is overrated, or language immersion is crucial to preserving your culture, or Latin should be a required class  as Thoreau would say, advance confidently in the direction of your school board and you may meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

Thats not what the education freedom riders do. If they participate at all in Montanas time-honored process for delivering public education, its only to bad-mouth it. They seldom ask a school board to implement their whiz-bang innovation, having built up true community support for it. Instead, they take their ball and go home.

Only its not their ball  its taxpayers dollars. Its not home, either: Its a gated community for splinter sects who make no effort to conceal their contempt for public education. And though they feel entitled to take your money, they shrug off any consequent obligation to you. You have no voice in the management of their community choice schools. Just put up and shut up.

Those 20 credits weve agreed Montana students need to graduate? Choice schools arent required to offer ANY of them. That teaching certificate assuring us that first-grade teachers know how to teach reading? Choice teachers dont need any credential. A teaching license is just an annoyance, a leading choice advocate tells us.

Im all for marching to the beat of a different drummer  but not on my dime without my input. And not with the results 30 years of this madness have produced in 45 states. Last year, public policy researcher Helen Ladd itemized them: Test results are mixed at best. Racial segregation and isolation in truly public schools increase. Management practices are neither transparent nor fiscally prudent. States trying to run multiple systems with funds inadequate for the existing one are wildly inefficient. As a Forbes reporter observed, when youre struggling with household expenses, buying another house isnt the solution.

Only that day dawns to which you are awake. Wake up, Montanans. Our public schools are the Treasure States greatest treasure. When you splinter them, you fracture us.
There was a round of applause from Moscow-area property owners when the Muscatine County Zoning Commission voted 4-1 to reject the proposed law enforcement training facility.

Muscatine Police Chief Tony Kies and Muscatine County Sheriff Quinn Riess both declined comment after the vote on what the next steps would be to secure land for a training facility.

During the meeting, it was commented that 19 tracts of land had been identified as possibilities for the facility, but Kies was concerned that the controversy surrounding this possibility would make any other land negotiations more difficult.

Commission member Martha Peterson cast the only vote approving of the Moscow location.

During deliberation, commission chair Tom Harper said There could be better land for the facility than this location.

The meeting was held according to Iowa code requiring the commission to approve the land for use, due to a shooting range on the location. A public hearing was held and residents of the area spoke in opposition to the facility for more than an hour.

Also during the public hearing, spokespeople for Muscatine Community College, the City of Muscatine, and Kent Corporation spoke in favor of the facility. The Muscatine County Farm Bureau spoke in opposition to the facility, citing that it would use farm land.

More than 100 people attended the meeting, which was held at the Education Center in Discovery Park to accommodate the larger than normal crowd. Around 25 law enforcement officers stood around the outside of the room to offer support for the facility.

Since the announcement of the location of the facility, residents have attended county supervisor meetings to object to the location, citing concerns about noise pollution, increased traffic and safety concerns. Many also objected to the possibility of lead polluting neighboring farm land and that the sale price was considerably higher than average market value.

During the meeting, a petition with 218 signatures opposing the location of the facility was presented to the commission.

Even while speaking in opposition to the facility, many of the speakers stressed they supported having a training facility for law enforcement, but that it should be located somewhere else. Many spoke of a shooting range in West Liberty and wondered why law enforcement could not use that.

Muscatine County and City of Muscatine teamed up several years ago on the planned facility outside of town. On Sept. 1, after discussion of a piece of property in the county, the supervisors approved its half of funding for the facility. Muscatine City Council approved its half on Sept. 16.

Law enforcement studied land in the area for about two years before identifying the Moscow location for the facility. Previously, a local citizen had allowed law enforcement to use his land to train on. He has since passed away.

Close Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday in Algona. Cram Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday in Algona. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Assistant Director Mitch Mortvedt speaks during a press conference at the Kossuth County Election Center on Thursday in Algona. Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens speaks during a press conference at the Kossuth County Election Center on Thursday in Algona. Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens speaks during a press conference at the Kossuth County Election Center on Thursday in Algona. Kossuth County EMS vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in Algona, Iowa. A northern Iowa police officer was shot Wednesday night, prompting a manhunt that ended with an arrest in Minnesota. (Lily Smith/The Des Moines Register via AP) Kossuth County EMS vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday in Algona. PHOTOS: Officer shot in Algona Wednesday night A press conference was held Thursday morning to address the shooting and killing of Algona officer Kevin Cram, 33. Cram was killed Wednesday night while in the line of duty. Suspect, 43-year-old Kyle Ricke, is in custody and is being held on charges of first-degree murder. Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday in Algona. Cram Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday in Algona. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Assistant Director Mitch Mortvedt speaks during a press conference at the Kossuth County Election Center on Thursday in Algona. Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens speaks during a press conference at the Kossuth County Election Center on Thursday in Algona. Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens speaks during a press conference at the Kossuth County Election Center on Thursday in Algona. Kossuth County EMS vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in Algona, Iowa. A northern Iowa police officer was shot Wednesday night, prompting a manhunt that ended with an arrest in Minnesota. (Lily Smith/The Des Moines Register via AP) Kossuth County EMS vehicles are at the scene of an officer-involved shooting north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds on South Minnesota Street on Thursday in Algona.
Muscatine School Board President John Dabeet said he is not allowed to release many details regarding an incident Monday involving a substitute teacher because it is a personnel matter, but he said the school district works hard to provide students, staff and teachers a safe and loving environment.

Dabeet commented that he had responded to concerned parents about the situation on behalf of the school board on Tuesday after receiving emails. He extended an apology and said an investigation would be conducted.

I was very happy with the communication shared by our superintendent, Dabeet said.

According to a press release from the district, on Monday, Oct. 2, Muscatine High School was made aware of a situation involving a substitute teacher in a German class. The district had seen two videos of the incident. Principal Ryan Castle immediately responded. Additionally human resources launched an investigation into the matter. The school administration met with the students who had been in the classroom at the time of the incident to discuss the situation and reinforce expectations.

Given this is a personnel matter, the school district cannot share details of what may or may not transpire with the employee in question, the release said.
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There are seven train stops between my home and my office downtown. I have a salaried job and can work from home as often as I want. But I want to be in the office more. Im more than happy to spend money on a coffee or lunch in the Loop.

Yet my commute often takes almost an hour each way. Too often, there are 20 minutes between trains during rush hour (both morning and evening). Trains packed with people arrive at overcrowded platforms. There is no sign of the new high-capacity cars, let alone another train for 20, even 30, more minutes. Its unbearable, and that is irrespective of the conditions of the stations or the people smoking on the trains.

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I bring up my fortunate circumstances because I am well aware that I have it significantly easier than others, such as people with far longer commutes and people with hourly jobs, to which they are expected to be on time. It is a daily struggle even for those with easy commutes.

Mayor Brandon Johnson should be aware of this, given he aligns himself with the working class and strivers. Poor transit service will prevent people from going downtown and contributing to the economic recovery of the business district. It will erode ridership and contribute to already-awful traffic congestion.

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But worse still, it will cause people to lose jobs for being repeatedly late, have their children pushed out of a day care because they are so frequently late for pickups and strand older kids at school. It robs people of time with their families and the energy that requires.

The total lack of accountability for CTA leadership has been apparent for years. State Rep. Kam Buckner spoke passionately about nearly all of these issues during his mayoral run, and none of that was new information to those who use public transit. He seems like a great person committed to public transit and the logical starting point for the change CTA riders need.

Johnson fired Dr. Allison Arwady over a difference of opinion, in his words. So it seems the bar for change in leadership in his administration is low. Johnson is slow to act on things. But if he needs time to deliberate on this obvious need for change at the CTA, he should head to the L during rush hour. Hell have all the time in the world.

 Eric Fahey, Chicago

Rectories as migrant shelters?

Walking past one of the many large and nearly empty Catholic church rectories, the buildings adjacent to a church where priests resided at a time when multiple priests served a parish, I thought, can we house migrants here? Many migrants from Latin American countries are Catholic, I would think. Now, perhaps, one priest lives in these big buildings with a kitchen and bathrooms. These residences could be outfitted with bunks, and parishioners could volunteer to provide various services.

Then perhaps, city funds could provide a widespread Meals on Wheels-type program to all the rectories, and parishioners could donate clothing, child care, English language lessons, etc.

This might be a better option then housing people in tents just prior to the long, cold Chicago winter.

 Beth Shannon, Oak Park

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Focusing on race and gender

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would appoint a Black woman to replace Dianne Feinstein as U.S. senator, which he did, just as President Joe Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson as Supreme Court justice. How is this not sexist and racist, and how can it possibly be right?

The recent obsession with classifying people as members of a race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition or marital status has resulted in the treatment of people not as individuals to be judged by their actions and deeds but by their membership in these various collectives.

This has served only to increase racism, bigotry and bias, and instead of making people more tolerant, it has brought about measures to silence dissent of any kind. Identity politics has only backfired and brought about the exact opposite result that it had intended.

The only way I see us ever coming together again as one nation is to follow the wisdom of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and start judging people by the content of their character.

 Charles Michael Sitero, Ormond Beach, Florida

Formal dress code for Senate

Thank you to Scott Petersen for his excellent letter on Sept. 29 concerning the fact that dress code matters (Why a dress code matters). I was happy to read that my friends and I are not the only people who thought this was deplorable.

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I was very pleased to read that business attire is now required for senators after the new relaxed dress code was reversed. Yeah!

Now U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has a decision to make: Get with the program, or find another job. He should stop being an embarrassment to his constituents in Pennsylvania.

 Priscilla Virelli, Geneva

Headline about Trump trial

Regarding Trump rips AG, judge at fraud trial (Oct. 3): Of all the possible front-page headlines, thats the Tribunes best, referring to the defendants politically motivated and staged emotional reaction? We have an ex-president who was impeached twice, faces 91 felony charges and has a track record of settlements for university and charity fraud  thats the news.

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 >

The news is about the trial and the alleged crime, the grift, not the bombastic theatricality of New Yorks most famous malignant narcissist.

 Lindsay R. Resnick, Chicago

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Officers keep their cool

Kudos to the two police officers flanking Donald Trump on the Oct. 3 front page. I dont know how they kept straight faces, with no eye rolling, as Trump, looking like a caricature of himself, lost his cool between them. Very professional conduct, gentlemen!

 Nancy Krauss, Aurora

Join the conversation in our Letters to the Editor Facebook group.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
The opening ceremony of the implementation phase of the EU program "Support to reforms of law enforcement bodies and security sector in Armenia" was held. It is announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The main objective of the program is to support Armenia in the implementation of reforms in the fields of law enforcement and security, in line with the priorities set within the framework of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed between the EU and Armenia.

The project was officially launched in May of this year and is scheduled to be completed by the end of April 2025. The budget of the project is 2.2 million euros, which was formed as a result of the joint investment of the European Union and the Republic of Lithuania.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia Vasilis Maragos, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania Andrius Pulokas, Chief Commissioner-General of the Lithuanian Police Renatas Pozhela, Director of the Central Project Management Agency Lidia Kashubiene, members of the project team, Head Tomas, participated in the launch event. led by Bikmanas and experts.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan noted in the opening speech that the Ministry of Internal Affairs highly appreciates the EU's continuous support for police reforms since their inception and thanked the governments of the Republics of Latvia and Lithuania, which submitted an application to support the reforms of the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs within the framework of this EU support program.

Arpine Sargsyan noted that as a result of close cooperation with the EU, significant progress has been made in a number of directions under the mandate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, particularly addressing the areas of migration and citizenship, police and disaster risk management.

He emphasized that the officially launched program is a bright indicator of the MIA-EU bilateral readiness to strengthen the achievements recorded within the framework of the RA-EU partnership and guarantee results in new directions.

In his speech, Sargsyan also noted that the program, according to the MIA needs assessment matrix, includes actions in four main directions: capacity development of MIA staff, institutional reforms in the field of disaster risk management, including the rescue service, institutional and legal reforms in the police field, as well as reforms and modernization of the migration and citizenship service sector.

Within the framework of the work plan of the project, special importance was given to planning such actions aimed at increasing the quality of public services provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and subordinate bodies and ensuring the effectiveness of communication with the public.

For this purpose, completely new standards for the quality of service delivery and the continuous assessment of public perception and impact will be established. Sargsyan expressed confidence that the collaborative work of the program team will enable to achieve the set goal in all the targeted directions.

Welcoming the participants of the meeting, Vasilis Maragos, the head of the delegation of the European Union in Armenia, highly appreciated the efforts aimed at the formation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Armenia and the implementation of reforms in the field of coordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Maragos recorded the positive results already registered in the initial stage of the reforms, in particular, he referred to the introduction of patrol service in the regions of the republic, the academic education of the employees, and the increase in the level of technical staffing. According to him, the reforms envisaged by this program implemented within the framework of the support of the European Union will contribute to the formation of a more citizen-centric Ministry of Internal Affairs and subordinate bodies, which will be able to effectively respond to any public problem.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania Andrius Pulokas, in his turn, noted that the program is also a good opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and expand the cooperation agenda.

The opening speech was also made by Chief Commissioner-General of the Lithuanian Police Renatas Pozela, Director of the Central Program Management Agency Lidia Kasubiene, who, welcoming the attendees and thanking them for the warm reception and cooperation, spoke about the importance of reforms and expressed their readiness to continue their support.

The head of the project team, Thomas Bikmanas, spoke about the first meeting of the coordinating committee held on September 18, during which the details of the 2-year project were discussed, in particular, the main goals, priorities, and all the activities planned in the work plan were presented.

It should also be noted that before the meeting, the project coordinating committee approved the work plan of the project.
A faculty member interacts with students at Elgin Community College, where fall enrollment is 7.8% higher this year than it was in fall 2022. (Elgin Community College/HANDOUT)

Enrollment at Elgin Community College is up 7.8% from last fall, building on a trend the school has been seeing for at least a year.

Total enrollment for the semester will surpass 9,800 students after the late fall start dates of some classes, according to information provided by the college.

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I am highly encouraged by the strength of our enrollment, ECC President David Sam said in the releease.

The enrollment trend at ECC mirrors whats happening across the state.

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While Illinois community colleges saw dramatic enrollment dips during the pandemic, the total number of students rose 1.5% in the fall 2022 compared to the prior fall, according to the Illinois Community College Board.

In March, the board reported the spring 2023 headcount was 7.3% higher than what it was in spring 2022. The report for this fall is set to be released later in October.

Sam said ECCs enrollment has been increasing each semester since fall 2022. The college saw one of its highest recent enrollments in the fall of 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is within 3% of that number with this falls class, he said.

The people of our community are returning to improve their lives through learning at ECC, he said.

Several factors are contributing to the colleges continued growth, Sam said.

ECC in recent years has increased the number of hybrid and online classes it offers, he said. The college also has launched five new programs and expanded others to train workers for in-demand fields.

Several career and technical programs have seen double or even triple-digit enrollment increases in the past two years, school officials said. Those include big enrollment increases in ECCs truck driving, emergency medical technician/paramedic, early childhood education and cybersecurity programs.

At the same time, ECC is becoming more diverse, numbers show. Compared to last fall, the college has seen an increase of more than 5% in the number of Asian and Black students and an increase of more than 21% in the number of Hispanic students, according to information provided by the school.

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The number of students who are 30 or older has increased by 13% since last fall as well. And dual credit enrollment increased by 13%, with a record-high 1,231 students earning college credit while still attending high school either at their home school or on ECCs campus.

Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
On October 7, the Romanian government dispatched two cargo planes loaded with humanitarian aid to Armenia. This assistance is intended for forcibly displaced people from Nagorno Karabakh.

According to a report from the "Armenpress" correspondent, the humanitarian aid was received at the "Zvartnots" airport by Cornel Ionescu, the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Romania to Armenia, along with Ara Fidanyan, the general secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Ambassador Cornel Ionescu expressed his satisfaction that his country could extend a helping hand to those in need. He emphasized the strong and close relations between Romania and Armenia.

"I believe this demonstrates the depth of our open and close relations, not just between our governments but between our peoples as well. I hope this will further strengthen our ties. In the near future, we will also assist in the evacuation of citizens affected by the explosion in Stepanakert to Bucharest. Once again, I'm pleased to be here to demonstrate that people can be friends and offer support to those in need. Thank you very much," remarked the Romanian Ambassador to Armenia.

The humanitarian cargo includes essential items such as food and basic necessities.
If you are lucky enough to view the annular solar eclipse Oct. 14 in its West Coast/Texas path, this is what you will see. (Courtesy NASA/Courtesy NASA/TNS/TNS)

The annular eclipse thats to occur next week wont be visible to the naked eye and likely will go unnoticed by most, but its a fascinating sight for people like School District U-46 Planetarium Director Peggy Hernandez.

An annular eclipse is a special type of partial eclipse that happens when the moon blocks all of the sun except for a small ring around the edge that is described as a ring of fire, according to science.nasa.gov.

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The moon is at its smallest because its at its farthest point away from Earth, Hernandez said, so it doesnt cover the sun entirely and creates the orange ring, she said.

Glasses like these, which are being distributed by the Elgin's Gail Borden Public Library, are needed for anyone who hopes to see the Oct. 14 annular eclipse. (Gail Borden Public Library/HANDOUT)

When it takes place Saturday, Oct. 14, the eclipse will travel on a path from the West Coast heading southeast through Texas, Hernandez said. Within the direct path, there will be areas where people will have a better view of the eclipse and some places in Texas where theyll be able to see the entire ring, she said.

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NASAs website has maps showing its direction and indicating where and who will get the best view. The space agency will be broadcasting the eclipse live online and its Eclipse Explorer is an interactive map that can predict events down to the second, its website said.

In Illinois, the sun will be 30% to 40% obscured, Hernandez said.

If its really sunny that day, it will look a little dimmer (outside), she said, but cloud cover will make it less noticeable.

If the weather on Oct. 14 cooperates, the annular eclipse could look like this in Elgin if viewed through protective glasses. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The annular eclipse is expected to be at its peak at noon in Illinois, she said. If you have something safe to view it through, it will look like a bite was taken out of the sun, she said, joking that the sun will look like a Pac-Man.

According to NASA, its the last annular solar eclipse that will be visible in the U.S. until June 2039.

The planetarium isnt holding any special programs for the annular eclipse, but the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin is holding a few.

A Solar Eclipse Extravaganza will be held from 11 a.m. to noon Monday, Oct. 9, in the Meadows Community Room of the 270 N. Grove Ave. library. Its billed as outer space fun for kids and families who are getting ready for the partial solar eclipse.

Families will learn the science and art of solar eclipses and how to view them safely. Solar eclipse filter glasses will be distributed at the event, which can be attended without registration.

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Hernandez sees the annular eclipse like a practice run for an April 2024 total eclipse, which will be more visible in the Midwest. It will be visible in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, but the best place to see it will be Indianapolis, will be 100% in the totality zone, Hernandez said.

Im going to it. Its the most intensive professional development experience I can have as a planetarium educator, she said.

A total solar eclipse is a totally different experience than a partial.

For a total solar eclipse, youre lucky to watch it once in your life, she said.

In Elgin, the sun will be 93% covered during the April eclipse but how its seen will depend on the weather. If its a clear day, streetlights will turn on and birds will stop chirping, she said. If its cloudy, it will be much more subdued.

The planetarium is already planning public shows in late March leading up to the big day, Hernandez said.

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One common thing about both eclipses is no one should look directly at the sun during the event. Solar glasses can be purchased on sites like Amazon and pinhole projections can be made at home by finding instructions online, Hernandez said.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) announced on Friday that a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) will inject Rs 4,966.80 crore into RRVL, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited. This transaction places RRVL's pre-money equity value at Rs 8.381 lakh crore, positioning it among India's top four companies by equity value. According to a media release by Reliance Retail, ADIA's investment will translate into a 0.59 per cent equity stake in RRVL on a fully-diluted basis. RRVL, along with its subsidiaries and associates, operates India's largest and fastest-growing retail business, catering to an impressive 267 million loyal customers. The company boasts an integrated omnichannel network, encompassing over 18,500 stores and digital commerce platforms, spanning grocery, consumer electronics, fashion and lifestyle and pharmaceuticals. RRVL's vision is to revolutionise the Indian retail sector through an inclusive strategy, serving millions of customers, empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and fostering collaborations with global and domestic firms. This approach aims to deliver substantial benefits to Indian society, while concurrently generating employment opportunities for millions of Indians. RRVL's New Commerce business has already digitally transformed over 3 million small and unorganized merchants, enabling them to utilize technology tools and an efficient supply chain infrastructure to offer enhanced value to their customers, according to a release. Isha Mukesh Ambani, Executive Director, Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, said, "We are pleased to further deepen our relationship with ADIA with their continued support as an investor in Reliance Retail Ventures Limited. Their long-standing experience of over decades of value creation globally will further benefit us in implementing our vision and driving transformation of the Indian retail sector. ADIA's investment in RRVL is a further testament to their belief in the Indian economy and our business fundamentals, strategy and execution capabilities." Hamad Shahwan Aldhaheri, Executive Director of the Private Equities Department at ADIA, said, "Reliance Retail has demonstrated strong growth and adaptability in a market that is evolving at an unprecedented pace. This investment aligns with our strategy of supporting our portfolio companies that are transforming their respective end-markets. We are pleased to partner with the Reliance Group, and increase our exposure to India's dynamic and fast-growing consumer sector." Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the parent company of RRVL, is India's largest private sector enterprise, with diverse interests spanning hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, renewables, retail, and digital services. RIL consistently ranks among the world's largest and most influential companies, highlighting its significant global footprint. This transaction is subject to customary approvals. Morgan Stanley served as the financial advisor to Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, while Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Davis Polk and Wardwell acted as legal counsels. (ANI)
BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 7: Jaipuriar School in Navi Mumbai is embarking on an exciting educational journey through a strategic partnership with Q&I, a renowned education technology platform. Together, they aim to empower educators with cutting-edge AI-driven personalized teaching solutions. This visionary collaboration is poised to revolutionize the educational landscape, placing a strong emphasis on delivering high-quality education with a personalized touch for every student, in alignment with the principles of the New Education Policy. At the heart of this initiative is the creation of a flexible and adaptive learning environment that revolves around both teachers and students. This approach introduces top-tier digital education enriched with content meticulously tailored to the curriculum, setting the stage for young minds to flourish. With the seamless integration of innovative technology, educators gain a powerful toolset to craft impactful lessons effortlessly. Teaching becomes as simple as a click, whether conducted online or offline. The platform's capabilities extend to assigning customized homework and conducting assessments, making the entire process streamlined and efficient. Vinay Singh, Executive Director and CEO of Thomson Digital and Q&I, enthuses, "Our collaboration with Jaipuriar School has empowered us to offer essential learning solutions to students during a critical phase of their career preparation. Our unwavering commitment is to ensure that both educators and students, irrespective of their mode of learning, reap the rich benefits of this technology-driven alliance. This becomes especially vital in light of the challenges the pandemic has posed to traditional school education." Navneet Jaipuriar, Chairperson of Jaipuriar School, Navi Mumbai, underscores the pivotal role of personalized learning in addressing students' individualized needs. He emphasizes, "This pioneering initiative not only grants students greater access to high-quality educational content but also offers deeper insights into their own performance and learning patterns. It is undoubtedly a game-changer for educators, who can now effortlessly identify each student's strengths and weaknesses and take immediate, targeted actions with just a simple click." Together, Jaipuriar School and Q&I embark on this educational adventure with a shared vision of shaping a brighter future through personalized, technology-driven learning experiences. Furthermore, this partnership opens up the doors to holistic student progress tracking, encompassing aspects such as grades, syllabus coverage, score trends, behavioural changes, and class engagement, among others. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PRNewswire Worcester [Massachusetts], October 7: No one has done it better! Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused organization, makes history by setting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for largest online photo album of smiling mouths. In all, 21, 274 people across the globe uploaded a smile. Today, a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator, Michael Empric verified the results and presented Smile Train with an Official Record Holder certificate. The recognition came during a celebration event at the Worcester Historical Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts -- home of Harvey Ball, who created the iconic smiley face in 1963. "This was truly a global effort, and what better place to celebrate! This honor is a win for the cleft community and all individuals born with a facial difference. At Smile Train, we're passionate about smiles because we know what a serious business they are. As an organization that supports free cleft surgeries and other comprehensive cleft care, this achievement reinforces the message that all smiles are beautiful," said Susannah Schaefer, President and CEO of Smile Train. The acknowledgment comes on World Smile Day -- a day dedicated to kindness, smiles, and good will across the globe. "We are honored to partner with Smile Train for this event," said William Wallace, Executive Director of the Worcester Historical Museum. "The Worcester community came together to upload smiles and support Smile Train's GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title attempt. World Smile Day is significant for us in Worcester, as Harvey Ball -- who gave the world its most iconic smile, the smiley face - is a Worcesterite who encouraged us to help one person smile." Smile Train began its ambitious campaign in July during National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention month. Showtime's Yellowjackets actress and Smile Train Celebrity Ambassador Samantha Hanratty kicked off the campaign by sharing her smile. Dentsply Sirona , a longstanding Smile Train corporate partner and the world's largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, joined Smile Train's call to invite everyone to share their smile, committing a $20,000 USD donation if the campaign was successful. The organization increased that figure to $120,000 USD and presented Smile Train with a check during today's celebration. "We are proud to help shine a light on the important work that Smile Train does to help children and all people living with clefts," said Erania Brackett, Senior Vice President Orthodontic Aligner Solutions & Customer Experience and Head of Sustainability at Dentsply Sirona. "This additional donation will help us continue to provide life-changing surgeries and safe and quality comprehensive cleft care to children all around the world." The organization will also receive a certificate from GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS as a co-record holder. About Smile Train : Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visitsmiletrain.org. Media Contact: Nicole Bell | Public Relationsnbell@smiletrain.org | (646)829-0996 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2240754/Smile_Train_Check.jpgPhoto - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2240755/Smile_Train_Group_shot.jpgLogo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/930835/Smile_Train_Logo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Taking to Instagram, Shahid dropped a string of images in a black outfit.

He donned a black vest coat with matching pants. He can be seen holding a matching blazer in his hand. He also spotted dark sunglasses in a few pictures.

"Kaala SHA kaala," Shahid captioned the pics.

The photos not only stole fans' attention but also garnered praise from wife Mira Rajput Kapoor.

She dropped a comment on the post that read, "Can you not look this hot..."

That's not all.

Mira also shared Shahid's pictures on her Instagram Story and wrote, "I need this guy in my life."

Shahid's step brother Ishaan Khatter also dropped a fire emoji in the comment section.

Shahid and Mira got married on July 7, 2015, in an intimate wedding in Delhi. The duo had an arranged marriage. They are doting parents to daughter Misha and son Zain. Misha was born in 2016 while Shahid-Mira welcomed Zain in 2018.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Shahid was recently seen in the action thriller film 'Bloody Daddy'. Helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the film streamed on the OTT platform JioCinema.

In the coming months, he will be soon romancing Kriti Sanon in a yet-to-be-titled film, which will hit the theatres on February 9, 2024.

Currently, Shahid is in Doha for an event 'Entertainer No.1', where he performed along with Kiara Advani, Tiger Shroff and Varun Dhawan among others. (ANI)
Marianos in Naperville is planning to phase out single-use plastic bags as part of a larger initiative by parent Kroger to eliminate the expendables company-wide by 2025. (Tess Kenny/Naperville Sun)

Marianos in Naperville will soon stop doling out single-use plastic bags, a company representative said.

The grocers Naperville location at 1300 South Naper Blvd. is piloting the change as part of a larger initiative by parent company Kroger, replacing single-use plastic bags with multiple sustainable options that are better for the planet while meeting the needs of customers, spokeswoman Amanda Puck said.

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Marianos in Naperville will be Krogers first Illinois store to pilot the policy, Puck said. Kroger currently operates 44 Marianos in Chicago and its suburbs, including the one in Naperville.

Were excited as a store, as a team and as an organization, Puck said, adding that Kroger is very serious about eliminating single-use plastic bags and that she hopes Napervilles pilot helps the company take a closer step towards that goal.

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Formal announcement of the pilot, as well as the programs launch, will likely come in November, Puck said. In the meantime, she said, more details for the Naperville test-run are being worked out internally.

Kroger is one of the largest grocery store chains in the country, with nearly 2,800 stores  under two-dozen different banners  spanning 35 states. The company announced it would be progressively discontinuing single-use plastic bags and transitioning to reusable bags in 2018. The venture aligns with an overarching commitment by Kroger to end hunger and waste in the communities it serves.

Over the last 20 years, the global annual production of plastic products  and in turn, plastic waste  has more than doubled, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In 2018, American shoppers alone sent more than three million tons of plastic bags, sacks and wraps to the landfill, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found.

Seattle-based QFC was Krogers first retail division to roll out its no single-use initiative in 2019. Last fall, the companys mid-Atlantic division, which includes Virginia and West Virginia, followed. Past pilot programs encouraged customers to bring their own bags, purchase a reusable plastic bag  designed for repeated use and in part made out of recycled material  for 10 cents or buy a 99-cent tote bag.

Plans for a Naperville pilot surfaced at the Naperville City Councils regular meeting Tuesday night as suggestions for a comprehensive, citywide plastic bag ban came up during public comment.

Though only broached informally, the concept was brought forward by local environmental advocate Anu Verma. She spoke to council members as a representative of the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST), a community organization that has been an official Naperville advisory body since 2019.

She argued that Naperville is ready to rethink the status quo of (plastic) bags in the retail system. The reason why? To some extent, she alluded, Marianos.

I think this is the perfect opportunity for us to grab, Verma said Tuesday.

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While Marianos hasnt officially publicized its Naperville program, NEST was made aware of plans behind closed doors.

A couple months ago, just as Marianos started fleshing out the local pilot, the grocer reached out to Naperville to notify the city of what it had in the works, according to Naperville Sustainability Coordinator Ben Mjolsness.

Were not a partner with them on it but Naperville is where its happening  so it makes sense to be made aware, Mjolsness said.

Still, it was Mjolsness that connected Marianos with NEST, in case the grocer was looking for support from someone that already had an edge in waste management locally, he said. (NEST has a committee dedicated to reducing waste in Naperville.)

Puck, on behalf of Marianos, said Friday that she couldnt give any feedback as to what has or might come of the city connecting her team with NEST.

As for NEST, the group has broader research on the subject to do.

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In response to Vermas council comment Tuesday, members expressed interest in exploring the citys approach to single-use plastics further, though to varying degrees. Council members Josh McBroom, Jennifer Bruzan Taylor, and Ian Holzhauer all said theyd be more open to encouraging retailers away from single-use plastics rather than deterring their use something like a bag tax, which have been popping up more and more in Chicagoland communities.

Last year, Batavia approved a 10-cent fee on retail single-use shopping bags at stores with a gross floor area of 5,000 square feet or more, a cost typically passed along to customers who dont provide their own bags. The fee went into effect in July. Evanston OKd a similar fee earlier this year, as did Northbrook.

Still, Naperville officials this week werent sure that would be the right path for their constituents.

I dont think that I would be comfortable going for an automatic ban of plastic bags, Bruzan Taylor said.

Instead, members offered several alternatives, including discount incentives for bringing in reusable bags. Ultimately, the council  tempted but not yet clear on where it wanted to go with ideas  kicked the matter back to NEST.

City Manager Doug Krieger advised the group to do more fact-finding and then write up a formal proposal for the city to consider at a later date.

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In an interview after Tuesdays meeting, Verma said NEST will come up with a few strategies and action plans in the near future.

Time will tell what the progress will be, she said.

tkenny@chicagotribune.com
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday handed over appointment letters to 10 candidates selected through the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission for the post of Junior Assistant under the Transport Department in the Secretariat. Congratulating all the selected candidates, Chief Minister Dhami said, "The selected candidates should work with complete honesty in their field of work." He said that one should start a new life in the workplace with self-discipline and regular routine and make full use of one's potential in the opportunity to serve the public. Earlier, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami handed over appointment letters to 17 selected candidates under the Higher Education Department at the state secretariat on Monday. The Chief Minister extended best wishes to all the selected candidates. He expressed hope that all the selected candidates will work with full honesty and dutifulness in their field of work.He said, "God has given all of you an opportunity to serve. I hope that everyone will contribute to the development of the state with a better working style." The Chief Minister said that in order to do better work, special care has to be taken of time management. It is necessary to make daily routine according to the timetable. The Chief Minister said that strict anti-copying law has been implemented in the state. After its implementation, all the recruitment examinations have been completed with transparency. Since the enactment of this law, more than 5 lakh people have appeared in competitive examinations in the state. (ANI)
The Chhattisgarh High Court on Friday rejected the bail application of three accused Anwar Dhebar, Trilok Singh Dhillon and Nitesh Purohit in the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam. Speaking to ANI, Enforcement Directorate lawyer, Saurabh Pandey said, "An investigation was done by ED in relation to the Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam. We arrested four people during the investigation, in which the prime accused were Anwar Dhebar, Trilok Singh Dhillon, Nitesh Purohit and Arun Tripathi. Their bail application was rejected by the Special Court, Raipur." "Although, the Chhattisgarh HC granted Anwar Dhebar, Trilok Singh Dhillon and Nitesh Purohit interim bail. But when the case was scheduled for its final hearing, HC reserved its order. In the hearing on October 6, their bail application was rejected," the ED lawyer said. ED is conducting an investigation into the liquor scam between 2019 to 2022 in which money was illegally generated and siphoned off in various corrupt ways. "Part A Commission - Bribe was collected from the distillers per case basis of liquor procured from the distillers by the CSMCL (State body for purchase and sale of liquor), by Part B sale of unaccounted kacha off-the-books Country Liquor. In this case, not even a single rupee reached the State Exchequer, and all the sale proceeds were pocketed by the Syndicate. The illegal liquor was sold from State-run shops only", an official statement said. The Enforcement Directorate on May 6 arrested Anwar Dhebar, elder brother of Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar, and claimed to unearth a liquor scam to the tune of around Rs 2000 crore. Earlier, ED had frozen Fixed Deposits worth Rs 27.5 Crore from Trilok Singh Dhillon. ED had seized jewellery worth Rs 28 Crore from the house of a Country Liquor Distiller. (ANI)
The Congress's Central Election Committee (CEC) will meet on Saturday to brainstorm on candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, which is scheduled to be held later this year. The meeting will be held at former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's 10 Janpath Road residence in the national capital. The meeting, according to sources, is scheduled to be held around 4 pm. Earlier, on October 3, the Congress held a meeting of its screening committee for Madhya Pradesh to decide on candidates for assembly polls in the state. Ahead of the electoral battle in the state, the ruling BJP and the Congress have intensified their campaigns, taking pot shots at each other. Both parties have pulled out their top leaders and campaign heavyweights, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah toplining the campaign for the BJP and the likes of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other prominent leaders leading the Congress's efforts to win the voters' confidence. The BJP has already put out two lists of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh polls. Their second list included several BJP heavyweights in the state, including Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Singh Patel, and Faggan Singh Kulaste. The Congress is bidding to wrest power from the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, with Rahul Gandhi and his sister and the party's national general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, already holding a clutch of rallies in the state. The polls, which are likely to be scheduled sometime between October and November this year, will see people electing legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies. Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states going to polls at the end of this year. (ANI)
Wading into the ongoing poster war with the Congress, BJP leader and former Union minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday demanded that the Election Commission ban the grand old party for a poster equating the current regime under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with one from the Tughlaq era. The BJP's former national general secretary said that the alleged poster in question makes for a "fit case" for the poll panel to derecognise the Congress and impose a ban on it. Taking to his official handle on X, formerly Twitter, Naqvi posted, "Fit case for derecognition & Ban on Congress @ECISVEEP." The Congress's Kerala unit came out with a poster earlier, distorting an image of Muhammed bin Tughlaq from textbooks to make the ruler look like PM Modi. "Dear Pradhan Mantriji, if you are eager to update textbooks, replace the Tughlaq era with your own," read the post on the official handle of the Kerala Congress on social media platform X. Earlier, on Thursday, the BJP, in a post on 'X', portrayed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as 'Ravan', the hydra-headed demon king from the epic 'Ramayana'. "The new age Ravan is here. He is Evil. Anti Dharma. Anti Ram. His aim is to destroy Bharat," read the post on the BJP's official handle. The BJP poster raised the hackles in the Congress, with party MP Manickam Tagore labelling it as 'unfortunate' and 'condemnable'. "They are provoking people to resort to violence directed at Rahul Gandhi. We all know how he lost his father and grandmother to violence. Such promotional materials from a national party are unfortunate and condemnable," Tagore told ANI. He also demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president JP Nadda. "PM Modi and JP Nadda should answer for this. They should apologise for it. Such violent behaviour towards Opposition leaders is unacceptable," he added. Taking a dig at the BJP over its poster, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were afraid of the rising popularity of Rahul Gandhi. "The BJP, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are starting to fear Rahul Gandhi. This only goes to show that the BJP is heading for a defeat in the 2024 (Lok Sabha) elections. The (mythological) battle between Ram and Ravan was fought in this country. The BJP embodies the vices associated with Ravan the most," Raut said. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also weighed in on the row, claiming that the BJP was frustrated with the coming of the INDIA bloc. (ANI)
After holding a meeting with UDF leaders, party convenor MM Hassan announced the holding of a mass protest against the State Government.

UDF convenor said that thousands of party workers are expected to attend the protest against the rise in the price of essential commodities, corruption and mismanagement in the state.

Hassan further said that UDF will also stage protests against the issues pertaining to the cooperative sector in the state on October 16.

Moreover, slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the poster depicting Rahul Gandhi as Ravan, Hassan said that the Congress MP is a symbol of peace and unity.

"BJP's reaction is not fair, portraying Rahul Gandhi like Ravan, is not fair, he is a symbol of peace and unity. Throughout the country, he was walking against hatred and spreading love and that kind of a leader can't be compared to Ravan."

The BJP had on Thursday shared the graphic poster on their official handle of the social media platform 'X, and captioned it, "India is in Danger. He is Evil. Anti-Dharma. Anti-Ram. His aim is to destroy Bharat."

The poster also linked the Congress leader to George Soros, a billionaire investor who has been accused of being involved in anti-India activities.

The poster has ignited a debate on social media, with supporters and critics expressing various opinions about its symbolism and intent. (ANI)
Ahead of his return to the Congress, expelled Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and former Uttar Pradesh MLA, Imran Masood, met AICC general secretary in charge of organisation, KC Venugopal at the party headquarters in the national capital on Saturday. Masood will formally join the Congress later on Saturday at the AICC office in the presence of Congress leader Pawan Khera, the party's UP chief Ajay Rai and secretary Pradeep Narwal. Ahead of the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022, Masood was with the Congress but after a brief stint with the Samajwadi Party, he later joined the Mayawati-led BSP. Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of his homecoming of sorts, Masood said an era of transformation has begun with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. "Amid the prevailing ambience of hate and violence, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took out the Bharat Jodo Yatra to send a message of peace and love. An era of transformation has begun with his march. I had a great working experience with him during my previous stint in the Congress. It's unfortunate that I couldn't be with the party for 1 to 1.5 years. I consider this to be my 'ghar wapsi'," Masood said on Friday. Earlier, on Wednesday, Masood said, "It is a matter of happiness for me that I am returning to the party. Rahul and Priyanka-ji are with us. I have worked with them before and the need of the hour now is to work in unison. I will rejoin the party at the AICC headquarters in Delhi." On his expulsion from the BSP, Masood said, "I was firm in my belief even during my time with the BSP that all Opposition forces should come together. I told Behenji (Mayawati) that she should consider joining the Opposition alliance as it is the need of the hour. However, I was expelled in the bargain. Now I am not in any party." (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday flagged off 'Mobile Kitchen Centres' under the Deendayal Rasoi Yojana to provide food at an affordable rate from the smart city park in the state capital Bhopal. Under the Yojana, the poor people will be provided a full meal for Rs 5. Till now, Deendayal Rasoi Yojana was not moveable, a place where people could go and have food. Now, Mobile Kitchen Centres under the Yojana have been started. Four mobile kitchen centres were started in Indore Municipal Corporation, three in Bhopal and two each in Jabalpur and Gwalior. Similarly, one Mobile Kitchen Centre was started in Pithampur (Indore) and Mandideep (Bhopal) municipal bodies along with the remaining 12 municipal corporations in the states. Speaking at the occasion CM Chouhan said "Poor people who come to the cities for work or for some other reasons generally use to have food at hotels and their hard-earned money used to be spent only on getting food. So, it came to my mind to start Deendayal Rasoi Yojana under which a full meal is provided for Rs 5." "Sometimes, people work in some places and cover long distances to have food. Time and money will be spent just commuting to the kitchen. Therefore, an idea came to my mind to take the kitchen to the places where poor people are working. That's why mobile kitchen centres under the yojana have been started," the CM said, adding that this kitchen will keep moving where poor people and labourers work and also near hospitals where people from various regions come. Mobile Kitchen Centres were opened to provide meals at affordable rates to labourers near their workplaces. "Deendayal Upadhyay used to say that the poor are god and serving them is the worship of God. This is a mantra for me. Therefore today we are starting 'Mobile Kitchen Centres' under Deendayal Rasoi Yojana to serve the poor," CM Chouhan added. (ANI)
"In another display of lack of seriousness & intent to address Bengaluru's decongestion issue, the Congress-led Karnataka Govt has failed to speed up the process of appointment of full-time MD at K-RIDE," Tejasvi Surya said in a post on X.

He added, "K-RIDE, tasked with Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project doesn't have a full-time MD. Though a notification was released to appoint, upon my intervention with the Minister for Railways, it failed to comply with basic eligibility criteria."

The BJP leader asserted that the govt should make this a priority and re-advertise in accordance with guidelines issued by the Railway Board at the earliest.

"This displays a serious lack of commitment to improving #BengaluruUrbanMobility," he added.

BSRP is crucial and can ease mobility challenges in the city and can only be done with an appropriate full-time officer in place, he said.

"At this time, both BMRCL and K-RIDE, the most important public mobility infrastructure projects of Bengaluru do not have full-time MDs, but the Government is planning to build a 190 km tunnel road," Tejasvi added.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has proposed a 190 km long tunnel to ease traffic in Bengaluru.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar while addressing a press conference at Vidhana Soudha on Thursday said that the government will be inviting public tenders for the tunnel within 45 days.

Shivakumar further said that he has already met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and discussed the same adding that the Union Minister "responded positively". (ANI)
A special team from Tripura Police's crime branch detained him in the early hours today from his hideout in a rented house in the Muragachha area, near Barasat Road, New Town Kolkata, in the North 24 Parganas district.

He was flown from Kolkata to Agartala by the crime branch team this morning.

The accused was later produced before a local court, where the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court sent him to Judicial Custody till October 12.

The arrest comes amid allegations against him of drug smuggling, womanizing, impersonation and spreading misleading information. Talapatra had been conducting a defamatory campaign against several political personalities, with the apparent intent of tarnishing the state's reputation, police said.

Authorities have been closely monitoring Talapatra's activities following numerous complaints about the content shared on his Facebook page, they added.

Tripura Police's Women's Police Station in Agartala has also received a complaint from one Antara Choudhary who alleged she was blackmailed and compelled to give Rs 1 lakh as extortion money.

Meanwhile, he was constantly blackmailing police officials through his page in lieu of smoothly running his drug business in the state.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the page disseminated unverified news and potentially manipulated information, raising concerns about its credibility. Also, the police are investigating his drug network in the state.Saikat is also accused of blackmailing women and other individuals in Tripura, as well as being involved in alleged antisocial activities to earn money. He blackmailed women in the state for his personal benefits, they said. (ANI)
Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday inaugurated the Centre for Science Learning and Creativity (CSLC) near Shoghi in Shimla. CSLC has been established at the cost of Rs 11 crore, according to an official statement. This institution is a joint initiative of the Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology & Environment (HIMCOSTE) and the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and boasts 60 interactive science exhibits, thematic galleries, and informatics displays, housed within the Institutional Block, said the official statement. As per the press release, the Himachal CM, during the inauguration ceremony said, "Fully funded by the state Government, this Centre would revolutionize science education, particularly for students hailing from rural backgrounds." He further showed a keen interest in the exhibits displayed at the centre, developed in collaboration with the NCSM, and dedicated science educators and said that it was due to the unwavering commitment of the Government that such a centre has been developed in the State, the foundation stone of which was laid way back in 2014 during the congress regime, mentioned the official release. CM Sukhu also highlighted that a modern Planetarium, set to be operational by the end of 2024, will play a pivotal role in promoting astronomical studies. The press release further mentioned that the Himachal CM acknowledged the pivotal role played by Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, often termed as the 'Father of Information Technology and Telecom Revolution of India', in India's remarkable progress in the IT sector. The release highlighted further facilities incorporated into the centre including a 'Hall of Fame' highlighting the accomplishments of the leading scientists of the country, a library and a YouTube studio. The hostel facilities here will make it possible for both the students and the teachers to dedicate much of their time in engaging themselves in science-related activities in an effective manner, said CM Sukhu at the inaugural ceremony. CM Sukhu further emphasized the state government's commitment to revolutionize the field of education, aiming to elevate Himachal Pradesh to the top ranks of literacy in the country, according to the official statement. The official statement further mentioned that CM Sukhu, during the event, also launched the official website of the Centre and honoured the winners of the science quiz and painting competition. Himachal Public Works Minister, Vikramaditya Singh, expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for this transformative centre in his assembly constituency and further emphasized the centre's crucial role in nurturing scientific talents and fostering curiosity for science among the youth, said the press release. Himachal Chief Secretary, Prabodh Saxena, during the event, said that this program realizes the vision of former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi for promoting science in modern India. He further said that the centre would become a significant tourist attraction as well. As per the press release, the event also saw ICICI bank Zonal Head, Haminder Gujral, presenting papers to the Chief Minister for rural connectivity projects, contributing vehicles for disaster relief, and providing off-grid solar systems for border villages. Additionally, Chief Executive Officer, Rajesh Gupta and Director Hemant Popli of Sharnagat Construction Company presented a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the Chief Minister towards 'Aapda Rahat Kosh' on the occasion, said the official statement. The event was also graced by the presence of other dignitaries including Additional Secretary of Environment and Science, Satpal Dhiman and Chancellor of Shoolini University, Professor PK Khosla. (ANI)
Veronica Simms, of Valparaiso, has been doing mosaic for five years and decided to try stained glass. Judy Gregurich, left, offers guidance at the Chesterton Art Center. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/Post-Tribune)

A former cattle barn and garage that once had oil-stained floors as a reminder of a past life is now a bustling, growing community art center glowing with warmth and artistic energy even as the weather outside dims and cools.

Chesterton Art Centers reach has grown in the more than six decades since its inception and continues to draw the creatively clever and curious into its fold, whether thats through outreach to the schools or through its classes.

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One such class is Beginning Stained Glass, taught by Judy Gregurich, the centers former director, and Mark Montgomery.

Montgomery, who is a retired BP chemical engineer, was looking for something to do during retirement and took his first class in 2010, with Gregurich as his instructor.

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We now teach together, said Montgomery. We both have a different approach with me being an engineer, and Judy coming from the creative side.

Stained glass is a great outlet, said Montgomery. Except for a few basic safety rules, there isnt a wrong way to do it.

Friends Lisa Thomas and Tracy Korth, both of Valparaiso, took the class together.

What started as a girls night out has turned into something super fun, said Korth, whose piece is inspired by her hiking experience on the Appalachian Trail.

Friends Lisa Thomas and Tracy Korth, both of Valparaiso, work on their stained glass pieces as Thomas solders and Korth works on framing. They are taking the Beginning Stained Glass class at the Chesterton Art Center. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/Post-Tribune)

Linda Bohney, of Schererville, used her dinner plates and salad plates from her home for sizes on her piece, which was inspired by her admiration for architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

I like all the different shapes and sizes he used, said Bohney. Im hoping that the beveled glass pieces will also work as suncatchers.

Gregurich has been doing stained glass and teaching for over 25 years, and is the former director of the Chesterton Art Center.

This place used to be a garage and cattle barn, and then it became a machine shop Gregurich said of the art centers location, at 115 S. Fourth St. There were pegboard walls and oil-stained floors when we first acquired the building, said Gregurich. We have come a long way.

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Nicole Pomeroy, of Valparaiso, works on her stained glass piece at Chesterton art center. Pomeroy received a membership as a gift. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/Post-Tribune)

We started with volunteers here, said Gregurich. Marsha (Demkovich) and I started classes and slowly found more friends that wanted to teach, and we had the gallery that was open and run by volunteers.

I plan to teach as long as I can, said Gregurich. The value of it is to see what people can do, and putting pieces together as a glass community.

The CAC was recently awarded an $18,000 grant from Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation to expand their Youth Arts Outreach Program, which was started in 2021 in partnership with the Duneland Boys & Girls Club and a year later with the Duneland YMCA. The CAC offers weekly visual arts instruction to their kids on site as well as offer classes at their five elementary after-school sites.

With this funding from Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation, we can continue to serve all six sites on a weekly basis and serve the five YMCA sites simultaneously, which doubles the amount of young artists making art with us, said Hannah Hammond-Hagman, CACs executive director.

This gift is a beautiful acknowledgment of the work weve been doing as an organization to expand our reach, said Hammond-Hagman. In the past two years, weve grown our team to capacity to expand our in-house programs and build new outreach initiatives to better serve our community and build more access to the arts and arts education.

Linda Bohney, of Schererville, adds a piece of glass to her project inspired by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the Beginning Stain Glass class at the Chesterton Art Center. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/Post-Tribune)

The CAC serves approximately 500 students annually with classes, camps, workshops and outreach programs. They also offer free Family Art Days, artist talks and demonstrations, and other free public programs.

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This place is a town miracle, said Gregurich. It has always been supported by the people here.

Student glass work from the Chesterton Art Center will be on display at the Ellen Firme Gallery, 92 W. U.S. 12 in Beverly Shores, beginning Nov. 5.

The CAC will celebrate its 65th anniversary in August 2024. For more information on the CAC and its programs and classes, visit chestertonart.org.

Deena Lawley-Dixon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
The mortal remains of eight Army personnel, who were part of a group of soldiers that went missing following flash floods in Sikkim, were recovered on Saturday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said. Singh also expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Sikkim. "Deeply pained by the tragic loss of precious lives including eight Army personnel in the recent flash floods arising out of a glacial lake burst in Sikkim," the Defence Minister said in a post on X. "Out of the 23 missing soldiers, one was rescued while the mortal remains of eight brave soldiers were recovered. Their sacrifice, while being deployed in forward areas in the service of the nation, will not be forgotten," Singh said. "Search operations to rescue the remaining 14 soldiers and missing civilians are underway," he added. As per the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) report, the death toll was registered at 26 with 142 people still reported missing. It said 2413 people have been rescued, and 1203 houses have been damaged in the flash flood. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday said that maximum damage in the flash floods in Teesta River took place after the 1200 MW dam in Chungthang in the State's Mangan district broke alleging substandard construction work by the previous government in the State. CM visited flood-affected areas and relief camps at Naga Village in Mangan to assess the situation and interacted with people there this morning. The Lhonak glacier in the Sikkim Himalayas burst on October 3, breaching one side of the lake leading to the rise in the water levels in Teesta and inundating several areas of the state. The Sikkim government has set up 18 relief camps in Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu and Adarsh Gaon which have faced most of the damages. However, due to a lack of connectivity with Chungthang, the relief camps there are being set up by the Indian Army and other paramilitaries. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have shifted from being advisory platforms to becoming action-oriented entities. He emphasized that these councils now play a vital role in problem-solving and implementing policy changes. Chairing the 24th meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Narendra Nagar, Amit Shah said, "The role of Zonal Councils has transformed from advisory to action platforms. Central Zonal Council's member states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh have hugely contributed to the country's GDP and development." Shah added that the member states of the Central Zonal Council are the major centres for agriculture, animal husbandry and food grain production, mining, water supply and tourism in the country. "Without these states, adequate water supply cannot be imagined," Home Minister said. Amit Shah further emphasized that PM Modi has always focussed on strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism. "Under this policy, Zonal Councils have played the role of catalyst in solving problems, increasing financial inclusion and bringing policy changes. Central Zonal Council's States have implemented Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concept of Team India at the grassroots level," he said. Union Home Minister said that taking an important step towards realizing the Prime Minister's resolve to make the country's farmers prosperous, pulses, oilseeds and maize of farmers across the country will be procured 100 per cent at Minimum Support Price (MSP) by NAFED. During the meeting, the Central Zonal Council unanimously passed a resolution congratulating all the players for winning more than 100 medals for the first time in the Asian Games for India and bringing glory to the country. The Central Zonal Council also welcomed the success of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, the successful organization of the G20 Summit and the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill by Parliament. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended the meeting. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also participated in the meeting through video conferencing. Chhattisgarh Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu and other officials were also present. The Central Zonal Council, comprises the States of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. (ANI)
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee criticized Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti on Saturday, accusing her of spreading false information about a meeting with the party's delegation in New Delhi. Banerjee stated that the TMC is prepared to meet her at Raj Bhavan to discuss the MGNREGA issue. Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary, also condemned the union minister of state for rural development for allegedly asking the TMC delegation to come to the state BJP office for a discussion on the state's MGNREGA "dues," characterizing it as a manifestation of a "Zamindari" culture mindset. "Yesterday I said that if (Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti) wants to come to Kolkata and meet us, then we will accept it. She can also meet us at Raj Bhavan, we have no objection but I got the information that she said that if they (TMC delegation) want to meet then they should come here. She (Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti) said this in the BJP office, so does she want us to go to the BJP office? Our fight is against this 'Zamindari' system...,"Abhishek Banerjee said. "When we went to meet her in New Delhi, she not only refused to meet us after making us wait for a long time but also instructed the police to remove us from Krishi Bhawan. Just yesterday, I had mentioned that senior BJP leaders, including Giriraj Singh and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, would come to Kolkata to meet us sensing the people's anger," Banerjee said during the sit-in near the Raj Bhavan, which entered its third day on Saturday. He further took a jibe at Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar and played a purported video where Sukanta Majumdar claims that funds would be released if he made one phone call. He further said, "Today, Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar was sitting beside MoS Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti. This same leader said over Rs 2,000 crore is kept there and it will come if he makes one phone call. That prompted me to ask Rajib Banerjee, who was briefly in BJP, if he had Sukanta Majumdar's contact. I believe the 20 lakh beneficiaries should know the number and they should call Sukanta Majumdar and ask him to urge the PMO to release their wages." Banerjee and other TMC leaders have been holding an indefinite sit-in outside Raj Bhavan in Kolkata since Thursday. They have stated that they will continue the demonstration until Governor CV Ananda Bose meets with the protesters. (ANI)
The Indian Army on Saturday said that search and rescue efforts are underway to locate and rescue the remaining 14 missing soldiers and other civilians in recent Sikkim flash floods. Indian Army also expressed condolences over the loss of eight jawans in recent flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Sikkim. The Army in a statement said that Army Chief General Manoj Pande and all ranks of the Indian Army express heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of eight Indian Army soldiers in the unfortunate incident of flash floods arising out of a glacial lake burst in Sikkim. "We stand firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. COAS and all ranks Indian Army also expressed grief at the loss of civilian lives in this tragic incident,' it said. "Concerted search and rescue efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining 14 missing soldiers and other civilians," the release further added. It said that Indian Army efforts towards providing safety, relief & succour to the local populace affected by this calamity will continue. "Despite the irreparable loss of lives & material, the Indian Army remains committed and prepared for all the contingencies". As per the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) report, the death toll was registered at 26 with 142 people still reported missing. It said 2413 people have been rescued, and 1203 houses have been damaged in the flash flood. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday said that maximum damage in the flash floods in Teesta River took place after the 1200 MW dam in Chungthang in the State's Mangan district broke alleging substandard construction work by the previous government in the State. CM visited flood-affected areas and relief camps at Naga Village in Mangan to assess the situation and interacted with people there this morning. The Lhonak glacier in the Sikkim Himalayas burst on October 3, breaching one side of the lake leading to the rise in the water levels in Teesta and inundating several areas of the state. The Sikkim government has set up 18 relief camps in Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu and Adarsh Gaon which have faced most of the damages. However, due to a lack of connectivity with Chungthang, the relief camps there are being set up by the Indian Army and other paramilitaries. (ANI)
Kamal Nath, the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh is Congress' CM face in poll-bound state as he is the President of Pradesh Congress Committee, said party leader Randeep Surjewala on Saturday. On being asked about the party face for the CM post in Madhya Pradesh, Surjewala told the reporters that whoever is the president of Pradesh Congress that person is naturally the face of party. "Kamal Nath is president of Madhya Pradesh Congress and whoever is the president of Pradesh Congress that person is naturally the face of Congress..." Surjewala said. However, talking about the Central Election Committee meeting of Congress which was held to finalise candidates for Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, Surjewala said that the decision will be made regarding the seats in the next meeting. He further said that the people of the state want 'change' in Madhya Pradesh. "...Discussion was held on the political situation of Madhya Pradesh, the way CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken the state on the path of destruction...There has been crime against women in the state and corruption is on the rise...Madhya Pradesh wants change... Another meeting will be called and the decision will be made regarding the seats..." the Congress leader said. After the meeting, Kamal Nath, while speaking to the reporters said that no decision has been taken at present regarding the name of the candidates. "...We have held discussions on several names. At present, no decision has been taken. The decision will be taken in the next 6-7 days. We have held a discussion on 130-140 seats," Kamal Nath said. However, party MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who also attended the meeting, said that the 'list will be released soon'. "...A lot of discussion happened but everything will not be revealed...The list will be released soon..." he said. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MPs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting. Congress leaders KC Venugopal and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath also participated in the meeting. Earlier, on October 3, the Congress screening committee held a meeting to decide on candidates for Madhya Pradesh assembly polls. Ahead of the electoral battle, the ruling BJP and the Congress have intensified their campaigns, taking potshots at each other. Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states going to polls at the end of this year. The terms of the legislative assemblies in Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh are set to conclude on various dates in January of the coming year, while the term of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly will end on December 17 this year. (ANI)
A recent study led by academics from UCL found that young people in higher education in England are marginally more likely than their peers to experience sadness and anxiety. The research paper, published in The Lancet Public Health, is the first to find evidence of higher levels of depression and anxiety among higher education students compared with their peers. The authors discovered that by the age of 25, there was no longer a difference between graduates and non-graduates. Lead author Dr Gemma Lewis (UCL Psychiatry) said, "In recent years in the UK we have seen an increase in mental health problems among young people, so there has been an increased focus on how to support students. Here we have found concerning evidence that students may have a higher risk of depression and anxiety than their peers of the same age who are not in higher education. "The first couple of years of higher education are a crucial time for development, so if we could improve the mental health of young people during this time it could have long-term benefits for their health and wellbeing, as well as for their educational achievement and longer-term success." The researchers used data from the Longitudinal Studies of Young People in England (LSYPE1 and LSYPE2). The first study included 4,832 young people born in 1989-90, who were aged 18-19 in the years 2007-9. The second study included 6,128 participants born in 1998-99, who were aged 18-19 in the years 2016-18 (i.e., prior to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic). In both studies, just over half attended higher education. Participants in the studies have completed surveys about their general mental health, to investigate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social dysfunction, at multiple time points over the years. The researchers found a small difference in symptoms of depression and anxiety at age 18-19 between students (including those at university and other higher education institutions) and non-students. This association persisted after adjustment for potentially confounding factors including, among others, socioeconomic status, parents' education, and alcohol use. The analysis suggests that if the potential mental health risks of attending higher education were eliminated, the incidence of depression and anxiety could potentially be reduced by 6% among people aged 18-19. First author Dr Tayla McCloud (UCL Psychiatry) said, "Based on our findings, we cannot say why students might be more at risk of depression and anxiety than their peers, but it could be related to academic or financial pressure. This increased risk among students has not been found in studies in the past, so if the association has only recently emerged, it may be related to increased financial pressures and worries about achieving high results in the wider economic and social context. "We would have expected higher education students to have better mental health than their non-student peers as they tend to be from more privileged backgrounds on average, so these results are particularly concerning. More research is needed to clarify the mental health risks facing students. "Improving our understanding of modifiable risk factors for depression and anxiety is a global health priority, and it is clear that supporting the mental health of our young people is vitally important." (ANI)
The Khaama Press is an Afghan news agency.

Karzai asserted that Pakistan's problems are unrelated to Afghanistan and Afghan migrants.

He further said that Pakistan's action starkly contrasts the country's four-decade-long history of extending brotherhood and hospitality to Afghan migrants.

He highlights the significant positive impact of Afghan migrants on Pakistan's economic and social sectors.

Karzai then urged Pakistan to reevaluate its stance towards Afghanistan, advocating for a more forward-looking and prudent approach in their bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has also urged the Pakistani government to continue its "historic support" for Afghan migrants and not carry out its threat of expelling them from Pakistan, as per Khaama Press.

The Pakistan interim government has made a significant announcement concerning expulsing what they categorize as "illegal" migrants. Under this decision, Pakistan has issued a one-month deadline for all Afghan migrants, including those holding valid residency permits, to depart the country.

As per Khaama Press, this action by Pakistan's interim government reflects a notable shift in their immigration policies. It raises questions about the fate of Afghan migrants, many of whom have resided in Pakistan for extended periods. (ANI)
Dubai [UAE], October 7 (ANI/WAM): Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has welcomed visitors to explore an exhibition at Al Shindagha Museum, the UAE's largest heritage museum, titled "History of Arabic Calligraphy in the United Arab Emirates". This exhibition showcases Emirati talent's profound passion for calligraphy, offering a reflection of the country's deep interest and commitment to this art form. The exhibition is part of the inaugural Dubai Calligraphy Biennale, held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, until October 31, 2023. The Biennale comprises 19 unique exhibitions across more than 35 locations throughout Dubai. The exhibition, held in partnership with Hroof Arabiya magazine and with lead support from Sandooq Al Watan, revisits the origins of this craft, tracing the roots of the national interest in calligraphy. In retrospect, it is an insight into the efforts of Emirati calligraphers to present the versatility of the Arabic letter. It also highlights the efforts of 12 Emirati calligraphers and artists, who, through their 12 artworks, shed light on their contributions to advancing this art form. (ANI/WAM)
The toll in the Hamas rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel climbed to 4, The Times of Israel reported. The daily reported earlier that after a barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel. The mayor of Kuseife, Abd al-Aziz Nassara, confirmed the toll, adding that several more have been wounded as the rockets from Gaza rained on the town. Kuseife, a Bedouin town in southern Israel, is located around 65 kilometres from the Gaza Strip. According to reports, a woman was killed earlier in the rocket attack and their multiple injuries as well. Following the attack, red alert warning sirens were activated in Tel Aviv, located around 70 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, as well as, Sde Boker, Arad, and Dimona in the south. Residents living across these areas heard the massive explosions, according to The Times of Israel. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Yair Lapid received a security briefing from the Israeli Prime Minister's military secretary, Avi Gil, following the attack. "Israel is in an emergency" and Lapid would back a "harsh military response" to Hamas's coordinated attack, a statement from the Opposition's leader's office said. Apart from the woman, who died of her wounds, the injured included a 52-year-old man from Gederot, who was moderately injured, and a 20-year-old man from Yavne, who also sustained minor injuries. Both victims were transferred to Kaplan Hospital, according to the Jerusalem Post. The Israel Defense Forces, meanwhile, declared a state of readiness for war following the attack. "There has been widespread rocket fire into Israeli territory from Gaza, and terrorists have infiltrated Israeli territory through various entry points. Residents in the south and centre of the country are required to be in close proximity to protected areas, and those in the Gaza periphery should remain within a secure space," the IDF added in its statement. The IDF said it was carrying out retaliatory airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The strikes come nearly two hours after Hamas launched a surprise attack, the Israeli daily reported. The Israel Defense Forces has closed the roads near the Gaza Strip border as Hamas's rocket fires in Israel, according to The Times of Israel. The closed roads include, Route 4 from the Zikim junction to Netiv Ha'asara; Route 34 from the Yad Mordechai junction to Nir Am; and Route 232 from Mefalsim to Sa'ad and Nir Yitzhak to Kerem Shalom. The army said it has also closed all routes used by farmers in the area. Additionally, the Zikim beach on the Gaza border is also closed off, The Times of Israel reported. Further, according to the IDF, the trains will not run between Ashkelon and Sderot. (ANI)
Following a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip fired towards Israel, Naor Gilon, Israel's Ambassador to India stressed that the situation is not simple but Israel will prevail. Noting that the attack happened during the Jewish holidays, the Indian envoy further stated that Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza, both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists. Taking to his social media 'X', he stated, "#Israel is under a combined attack from Gaza during the Jewish holiday. Both by rockets and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists. The situation is not simple but Israel will prevail." https://twitter.com/naorgilon/status/1710535054818976067?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw According to The Times of Israel, Hamas said that it launched 5,000 rockets at Israel in an early morning surprise attack, calling it "Operation al-Aqsa Flood." Mohammad Deif, the Hamas military commander, issued a statement saying that the ongoing attacks are in retaliation for Israel's "desecration" of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Moreover, Israel's Foreign Ministry stressed that Israel will do everything to protect itself. Noting that the attack happened on Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torah, he said non-stop rocket sirens were setting off across the country. "ISRAEL UNDER ATTACK: On Shabbat & the holiday of Simchat Torah - non-stop rocket sirens are sounding across Israel, including Jerusalem. Israel is under terrorist infiltration carried out by the Hamas terrorist organization. We will do everything to protect ourselves," the Israel Foreign Ministry shared on social media 'X'. Meanwhile, Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Jerusalem Stephanie Hallett also condemned the attack by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. She emphasized that she is in contact with Israeli officials and extends her support to Israel's right to defend itself from such terrorist acts. "I condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. I am in contact with Israeli officials, and fully support Israel's right to defend itself from such terrorist acts," Stephanie Hallett said in a post shared on 'X'. https://twitter.com/USAmbIsrael/status/1710528006685380673?t=xk83WCx6Vbvnm2XleXhPdw&s=08 A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel Saturday morning, including in Jerusalem, where sirens wailed at around 8.15 am (local time), Jerusalem Post reported. At least one rocket directly hit a building in the Gederot Regional Council, killing a woman in her 60s, according to Magen David Adom. Following the attack, the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday declared a state of readiness for war. "The IDF declares a state of readiness for war," the army said in a statement. "There has been widespread rocket fire into Israeli territory from Gaza, and terrorists have infiltrated Israeli territory through various entry points. Residents in the south and centre of the country are required to be in close proximity to protected areas, and those in the Gaza periphery should remain within a secure space," the IDF added in its statement. "Hamas... which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events," the IDF said. As of 8 am (local time) on Saturday morning, Magen David Adom (MDA) said it had, thus far, treated 16 people throughout the country, including two who were in critical condition, six in moderate condition and seven with minor injuries. There has been sustained rocket fire toward Israel for over two hours. One woman has been killed and there are multiple wounded from the barrages. (ANI)
Stopped trains at this crossing of Norfolk Southern railroad tracks on 173rd Street in Hammond have created a safety hazard for local children trying to walk to nearby Hess Elementary School. A overpass for car traffic would help ease the congestion, but not provide a solution for pedestrians. (Christin Nance Lazerus/Post-Tribune)

Two additional studies  prompted by local residents environmental concerns  have delayed a planned overpass project in Hammond by between four and six months, project manager Nick Batta told the Post-Tribune.

Batta, a consultant with the firm Crawford, Murphy and Tilly who is working with the city of Hammond and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), said that his team has undertaken a qualitative study of the wooded area between extending from 173rd Street to 169th Street between Parrish Avenue and Grand Avenue, where the overpass is slated to be built. The results of the study are being shared with federal and state environmental agencies, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and Department of Natural Resources, for review.

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In addition, a cost analysis of a potential Grand Avenue underpass, a possible alternative to the overpass plan, is in its early stages and is on track to be completed by Thanksgiving, Batta said. The results of both studies will be included in an environmental document prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Stopped trains along this stretch of Norfolk Southern railroad tracks in Hammond have created a safety hazard for local children trying to walk to nearby Hess Elementary School. A overpass for car traffic would help ease the congestion, but not provide a solution for pedestrians. (Christin Nance Lazerus/Post-Tribune)

The projects projected start time has been pushed back from the autumn of 2024 to the spring of 2025, Batta said.

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Local environmental advocates, who have sought to block the overpasss construction in order to preserve the woodland area, cheered the news, but Hammonds city engineer Dean Button said the overpass will be built regardless.

The planned overpass, to be called Governors Parkway, is intended to alleviate a persistent challenge facing Hammond residents  traffic blockages sometimes for hours at a time, multiple times a week  caused by stopped trains on the Norfolk Southern rail line that bisects the city. The problem has been particularly acute in Hammonds Hessville neighborhood, where some children have been documented climbing over or under stopped trains on their way to school in a ProPublica/InvestigateTV report. In April of 2018, Hammond was awarded $6.7 million from the INDOT for the project, which is projected to cost just under $14 million in total.

Critics of the proposed roadway have decried its environmental impact  the plan would require the removal of 12 acres of trees on a preserved area of dunes that serves as an important animal habitat  as well as its efficacy. While the proposed parkway would alleviate the impact of train blockages on motorists and emergency vehicles, children walking north to Scott Middle School and Hess Elementary School from south of the rail line will have to trek as much as two miles out of their way in some cases in order to use the new overpass during train blockages.

The Hessville Dune Dusters, an advocacy group organized by Hessville Resident Ken Rosek, have pushed instead for an underpass at Grand Avenue, which they say would preserve the dunes while better addressing the needs of pedestrians in the area.

Rosek took the news of the underpass cost study as a sign that he and his allies might still get their way.

A lot of people are very encouraged by it, he said. It gave a lot of people a big glimmer of hope.

A Grand Avenue overpass was among six options studied alongside the Governors Parkway proposal that were discussed at an April public meeting held by INDOT. Though projected to be more than $3 million cheaper than the new roadway, the Grand Avenue overpass would require nine residential relocations and block entrances to two nearby housing developments. (Governors Parkway would require just two residential relocations.) Batta told the Post-Tribune in May that a Grand Avenue underpass would likely have a similar impact on the surrounding area compared to the Grand Avenue overpass, but stressed that a study would be necessary to say for sure.

Button, who works with Batta on the project team, decried the idea that the underpass represents a viable alternative as disinformation. The cost study, he said, will prove to the opponents of this bridge that it will be way more expensive to construct this tunnel under this condition and displace the number of residents and change traffic patterns.

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He pointed to the town of Munster, which is currently at work on a $27 million underpass project at the intersection of 45th Street and the Canadian National Railroad.

Switching from the Governors Parkway plan to a different proposal could require the city to re-apply for federal funding. In June, the city was awarded a $7 million grant to build the overpass from the U.S. Department of Transportations Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) through its Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program (RCE).

In an email to the Post-Tribune, FRA spokesman William Wong wrote that the RCE funding is specific to the project outlined in the application.

Should local stakeholders reach consensus on additional grade crossing improvements, FRA encourages the city to consider future rounds of RCE funding, of which there are four more years thanks to President Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, he added.

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr. a staunch backer of the Governors Parkway proposal, has acknowledged that the overpass will not fully solve the problems of Hessville pedestrians, and has proposed an additional pedestrian bridge over the railway as a means of addressing the issue.

Button said that the project is currently in its design phase. The bridge, which Button estimates would cost around $5 million, would be built at Grand Avenue and could be completed within two to three years.

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adalton@chicagotribune.com
IDF is striking Hamas targets in Gaza. "In response to the barrages of rockets launched by Hamas from Gaza at Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hamas targets in Gaza," Israel Defense Forces said in a post on 'X'.

Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that the country will win this war and noted that Hamas has made a "grave mistake" by launching a surprise attack on Israel with rockets.

"Hamas made a grave mistake this morning and started a war against the State of Israel. IDF soldiers are fighting the enemy at all the infiltration sites. The State of Israel will win this war," Gallant said, Times of Israel reported citing his office.

https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1710562933770469547?s=20

The Israeli military is fighting Hamas terrorists in different locations in Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri and the Re'im military base.

IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that over 2200 rockets were fired into Israel since 6:30 am on Saturday, the report said. The firing took place for more than 3.5 hours.

Hagari said that Hamas terrorists infiltrated from land, sea and air. He further added that there are at least seven sites of fighting between Hamas and IDF troops.

Israel's military is expecting to draft tens of thousands of soldiers, the report said.

Hamas claimed to have kidnapped five IDF soldiers. IDF has not yet spoken on the report. (ANI)
Following the barrage of rockets on Israel from the Gaza Strip, Israel's Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, on Saturday said his country will "repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists". Meanwhile, Israel hit back with 'Operation Iron Swords', deploying its fighter jets to launch airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. "Israel is currently fighting to repel coordinated, large and multi-pronged Palestinian terror attacks. These attacks which were launched early this morning by Hamas on our civilians, sleeping peacefully in their beds, in cities and villages of the south and central Israel are war crimes," read an official statement from Ambassador Naor Gilon. A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel Saturday morning. Sirens went off as far as Jerusalem, multiple times beginning at 8.15 am (local time). The sirens were heard again at 10.15 (local time). At least one rocket directly hit a building in the Gederot Regional Council, killing a woman in her 60s, according to Magen David Adom, an Israeli national emergency service. "The cowardly actions of Hamas, targeting and killing women, children and elderly, injuring hundreds of civilians and firing indiscriminately over 2000 missiles and rockets at our cities, came during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah," the official statement added. Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip during the sacred Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. "Israel will repel this combined assault of rocket fire and ground infiltration of Hamas terrorists and will take any and all actions to protect our citizens," Gilon said. Gilon also appreciated the support from India, adding "We stand firm in the face of terrorism." Israel has already declared that it is in a state of war after infiltration by Hamas fighters and missile attacks from Gaza. The Israel Defence Forces said dozens of fighter jets are carrying out strikes on Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip. "Dozens of fighter jets of the Israeli Air Force are now attacking targets of the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip in several locations, more details to follow," Israeli Air Force posted on X. President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also unequivocally condemned the attack on Israel. "It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks," she posted on X. Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, said "Hamas terrorists made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against Israel". "IDF troops are fighting the enemy at every location. I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war," he said. Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, James Cleverly, also condemned the "horrific attacks" by Hamas on Israeli civilians, saying that the UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself. "The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israel's right to defend itself," he posted on X. (ANI)
"Citizens of Israel, we are at war. Not an operation not an escalation- at war," Netanyahu said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.

"We are at war and we will win," he asserted in a video statement according to translation provided by Reuters. "Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known," he added.

The Israeli PM's statement followed after rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel

https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1710574677385445775?t=RegWWId9eJn6qgJFGw66Xw&s=08

According to the latest reports, at least 5 people have been killed and over 100 injured in the Hamas rocket fire.

The centre and south of Israel came under heavy rocket fire for over 3.5 hours on Saturday morning, The Times of Israel reported.

"Israel is in an emergency" and Lapid would back a "harsh military response" to Hamas's coordinated attack, a statement from the Opposition's leader's office said.

Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant approved the draft of reserve soldiers in accordance with the Isreael Defence Force's requirements.

He further announced a "special security situation" in Israel's Homefront, within a 0-80 km radius of the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post reported, adding that this further enabled the IDF to provide civilians with safety instructions at "close and relevant sites".

The daily reported earlier that after a barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel.

Following the attack, red alert warning sirens were activated in Tel Aviv, located around 70 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, as well as, Sde Boker, Arad, and Dimona in the south. (ANI)
People attending an outdoor party near Kibbutz Urim in Israel recounted horrifying moments of gunshots after Hamas terrorists attacked on Saturday, which led to immediate evacuation, The Jerusalem Post reported. Eyewitness statements and videos from the spot showcase attendees running to safety, with security forces subsequently escorting some to a southern base. There is growing apprehension regarding the possibility of numerous casualties. One of the attendees, Daniel said, "We were alerted by a 'red siren' [rocket warning]. Chaos ensued, especially with vehicles trying to exit. Then the gunshots started, and we began to run. We're still hiding and awaiting rescue," The Jerusalem Post reported. Earlier on Saturday, dozens of terrorists unexpectedly entered Israel. It seems that some of them reached the outdoor gathering and carried out firing on the party-goers near Urim, the report said. At least 22 people have been killed since the Hamas terror group began its attacks, according to Magen David Adom emergency service, The Times of Israel reported. According to spokesperson, more than 70 people have been seriously injured. According to Health Ministry, 545 people have been injured since the terror group Hamas began attacks at around 6:30 am (local time). Meanwhile, the Hamas terror group released a video showing its members capturing a number of Israeli soldiers during an attack on a military base on the border with the Gaza Strip this morning. In his first reaction after Hamas launched a "surprise attack", Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said Israel "was at war" and has ordered the mobilization of reserves to give it back with the magnitude the enemy has not expected, asserting that they will "win it." In a video statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Netanyahu stated, "We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out." Netanyahu has ordered the mobilization of reserves. He called on people of Israel to adhere to the directives of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Home Front Command. "At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it," Netanyahu said. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday launched operation 'Iron Swords' in response to Hamas's surprise attack on Israel, the Times of Israel reported. In response to the barrages of rockets launched by Hamas from Gaza at Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hamas targets in Gaza," Israel Defense Forces said in a post on 'X'. The Israeli military is fighting Hamas terrorists in different locations in Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri and the Re'im military base. IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that over 2200 rockets were fired into Israel since 6:30 am on Saturday, the report said. The firing took place for more than 3.5 hours. Hagari said that Hamas terrorists infiltrated from land, sea and air. Meanwhile, Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant approved the draft of reserve soldiers in accordance with the Isreael Defence Force's requirements. He further announced a "special security situation" in Israel's Homefront, within a 0-80 km radius of the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post reported, adding that this further enabled the IDF to provide civilians with safety instructions at "close and relevant sites". (ANI)
Amid the rocket attacks from the Hamas side on Israel, Saudi Arabia has called for an "immediate halt" to the escalation of conflict between Palestinians and Israel, Times of Israel reported on Saturday. The Saudi Foreign Ministry further calls on the international community to lead a "credible peace process" to achieve a two-state solution. The statement further recalls its "repeated warnings of the danger of the explosion of the situation, as a result of the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities." The Kingdom has been conducting negotiations to achieve a normalization deal with Israel. According to recent leaks, the Saudi negotiators, while insisting on concessions for the Palestinians, do not see the creation of a Palestinian state as a precondition for a possible deal, reported Times of Israel. At least 40 people have been killed since the Hamas terror group began its attacks, according to the Magen David Adom emergency service, The Times of Israel reported. According to the spokesperson, more than 700 people have been seriously injured. According to the Israel Health Ministry, 779 people have been injured since the terror group Hamas began attacks at around 6:30 am (local time). Meanwhile, the Hamas terror group released a video showing its members capturing a number of Israeli soldiers during an attack on a military base on the border with the Gaza Strip this morning, The Times of Israel reported. Meanwhile, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "was at war" and he has ordered the mobilization of reserves to give it back with the magnitude the enemy has not expected, asserting that they will "win it." In a video statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Netanyahu stated, "We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out." Netanyahu has ordered the mobilization of reserves. He called on the people of Israel to adhere to the directives of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Home Front Command. "At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it," Netanyahu said. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday launched Operation 'Iron Swords' in response to Hamas's surprise attack on Israel, the Times of Israel reported. In response to the barrages of rockets launched by Hamas from Gaza at Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hamas targets in Gaza," Israel Defense Forces said in a post on 'X'. The Israeli military is fighting Hamas terrorists in different areas of Southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, including the towns of Kfar Aza, Sderot, Sufa, Nahal Oz, Magen, Be'eri and the Re'im military base. (ANI)
The Consulate General of Israel to Midwest India, Kobbi Shoshani said on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stand over the recent rocket attack by Hamas on Israel is really significant in the global war against terrorism and called the attack "unacceptable". "The stand of the Indian Government today is of significant importance in the global war against terrorism. Prime Minister Modi is a global leader and is very important to us as a state, as a friend, and as a brother. The situation of attacking the sovereignty of the state of Israel is not acceptable," said Shoshani. Earlier expressing solidarity with Israel over the rocket strikes launched by Hamas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that India's thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. "Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter). Mentioning the prevailing tensions between Hamas and Israel, Israel's Consulate General reiterated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address after the attack that his "country is at war". He added, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it very clear that we are at war. We are at war against a terror organization that started 6:30 in the morning, against war against the State of Israel, in such a brutal way against innocent people. We are at war. We will act as if we are in a wall." Shoshani also condemned the attack which claimed the loss of infrastructure, and the lives of several people, adding that Israel would retaliate very strongly against the "unacceptable" move. Shoshani said, "There is damage to the infrastructure and there is damage to buildings. But, the most important thing is the loss of human life. Dozens of innocent people have been killed. It's the last day of the Israeli holiday. That was something unacceptable. We will retaliate in a very, very severe way because the state of Israel and the Israeli spirit cannot do something else." He added, "Hamas declared the war and Hamas will pay the price." Mentioning the support, he got from the people of India, Shoshani asserted that Israel is really strong to act against the attack and added that "We don't need the help, but we need your support". He said further, "We need your support and understanding that today something happened, a declaration of war against the State of Israel. It's something that we need support. The good people and the good states in the world and India is among them and this is very, very important for us." This comes after a barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel on Saturday morning after Hamas launched a surprise attack. Following the attack, red alert warning sirens were activated in Tel Aviv, located around 70 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, as well as, Sde Boker, Arad, and Dimona in the south. In his first reaction after Hamas launched a "surprise attack", Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said Israel "was at war" and has ordered mobilization of reserves to give it back with the magnitude the enemy has not expected, asserting that they will "win it". In a video statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Netanyahu stated, "We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out." Netanyahu has ordered the mobilization of reserves. He called on people of Israel to adhere to the directives of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Home Front Command. "At the same time, I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. In the meantime, I call on the citizens of Israel to strictly adhere to the directives of the IDF and Home Front Command. We are at war and we will win it," Netanyahu said. (ANI)
Several Indian students in Israel have said that they feel nervous and scared in the face of Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel and are in constant touch with the Indian Embassy. An Indian student in Israel, Goku Manavalan said: "I am very nervous and scared...Thankfully we have shelter and Israeli police forces nearby. So far we are safe...We are in touch with Indian Embassy people, we have a good Indian community around and we are connected..." Another student, Vimal Krishnasamy Manivannan Chitra, said the attack was very intense and scary. He said the "Indian Embassy is in touch with us in the group. They are keeping a check on us..." A student, Aditya Karunanithi Nivedita, said, "...It was all very sudden we did not expect it, because there are religious holidays in Israel going on. We got the sirens early in the morning at around 5:30 am. We were in bunkers for around 7-8 hours the sirens went off...We are asked to stay inside our homes...We are in contact with the Indian Embassy and they will update us for the future things..." A major upheaval took place in the Middle East on Saturday, when the Hamas terror group launched a "surprise attack", firing a barrage of rockets into southern and central Israel. According to the latest developments, more than 200 people have been killed, at least 1104 people are injured and several Israelis have been held as hostages in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported citing officials. At about 6:30 am (local time), a barrage of rocket fire began from Gaza into Israel, hitting several cities including Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Gedera and Ashkelon. This was followed by several Hamas terrorists entering Israel from the Gaza Strip and taking over Israeli towns. Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif called the operation "Al-Aqsa Storm" and said that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza, CNN reported. Some graphic videos showed bodies strewn in the streets of the southern city of Sderot after the attack by Palestinian militants. Cars were riddled with bullets and lit on fire, according to The Washington Post. In a major development, the Israeli Mayor, and head of the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, Ofir Liebstein, was also killed in the deadly rocket fire. In response to the deadly attacks, the Israel Defense Forces also declared a 'readiness for war'. Israel launched "Operation Swords of Iron," striking a number of targets in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu said Israel's response to the Hamas incursion will "exact a huge price" from the militant group. This was followed by the Israeli air force launching airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, hitting 17 military compounds and four operational command centres belonging to Hamas. In the first reaction to the attacks, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel "is at war", further asserting that they will "win it". "We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war. This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours. I convened the heads of the security establishment and ordered, first of all, to clear out the communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists. This currently is being carried out," Netanyahu said in a video statement. (ANI)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday held talks with Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He condemned the attack carried out on Israel and affirmed France's support for the country. Macron held talks with Netanyahu and Herzog after a barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel on Saturday morning following Hamas' surprise attack. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Macron stated, "I have spoken to President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu. I condemn the attacks carried out from Gaza on Israel, its soldiers and its people. France stands in solidarity with Israel and the Israelis, committed to their security and their right to defend themselves." In a post shared on X, Israel's Prime Minister's Office stated, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke earlier today with French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Both leaders expressed full support for Israel's right to defend itself." Earlier in the day, Macron condemned the terrorist attacks against Israel. In a post shared on X, Macron stated, "I strongly condemn the current terrorist attacks against Israel. I express my full solidarity with the victims, their families and loved ones." Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary called Hamas "terrorists" and asserted that there is no other word to describe the brutality of terrorist attacks targeting civilians. In a post shared on X, Cleverly stated, "Hamas are not "fighters". Hamas are not "militants". Hamas are terrorists. There is no other word to describe the brutality of firing rockets or terrorist attacks targeting civilians." According to the latest developments, more than 100 people have been killed in the Hamas "terror attack" on Israel, according to medical officials, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew-language media. According to the Health Ministry, 908 injured people have been taken to hospital for treatment in the ongoing terror attack by Hamas on Israel's southern and central region, The Times of Israel reported. Some 800 people have been injured in the attacks, which have included dozens of Hamas terrorists infiltrating Israel and gunning down soldiers and people. Others were injured in rocket attacks. In a statement posted on X, Israel's Foreign Ministry stated, "At least 100 Israelis murdered and more than 900 wounded in terror attacks by Hamas terrorists." While sharing the post on X, Israel's Foreign Ministry stated, "The fighting in southern Israel is still ongoing. Our security forces are securing areas which are under attack by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israeli communities and who have taken civilians captive." Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces' top spokesman Rear (Adm.) Daniel Hagari has said that Hamas has taken Israelis as hostages to the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel reported.Speaking to reporters, Hagari said Israeli soldiers have also been killed in the fighting. He did not reveal the number of hostages or soldiers killed. Hagari said there are still 22 locations of ongoing fighting in southern Israel, including hostage situations in Be'eri and Ofakim.He said Israeli troops have reached all towns on the Gaza border and added that the forces are working to scan everyone, according to The Times of Israel report. According to Hagari, four divisions are being deployed to the Gaza border, joining 31 battalions that are already there. Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that the country's focus is on restoring security and to exact an "immense price from the enemy". While addressing the Security Cabinet meeting in Israel, Netanyahu further called on the citizens to unite for "victory" in the war. "Since this morning, the State of Israel has been at war. Our first objective is to clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated our territory and restore security and quiet to the communities that have been attacked. The second objective, at the same time, is to exact an immense price from the enemy, within the Gaza Strip as well. The third objective is to reinforce other fronts so that nobody should mistakenly join this war," Netanyahu said at the meeting. He added, "We are at war. In war, one needs to be level-headed. I call on all citizens of Israel to unite in order to achieve our highest goal, victory in the war." (ANI)
US President Joe Biden has said the US stands with Israel in the face of terrorist assaults by Hamas and will make sure the country has the help its citizens need. "Today, the people of Israel are under attack orchestrated by the terrorist organization, Hamas. In this moment of tragedy, I want to say to them and to the world and to terrorists everywhere that the United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have their back, we'll make sure that they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves," the US President said on Saturday. A major upheaval took place in the Middle East on Saturday, when the Hamas terror group launched a "surprise attack", firing a barrage of rockets into southern and central Israel. According to the latest developments, more than 200 people have been killed, at least 1104 people are injured and several Israelis have been held as hostages in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported citing officials. Biden said the world has seen appalling images, thousands of rockets in the space of hours raining down on Israeli cities. "I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning I told him the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. There's never a justification for terrorist attacks and my administration's support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering," Biden said. The US President said he has directed his team to remain in constant contact with leaders throughout the region including Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman the UAE as well as European partners and the Palestinian Authority. He said: "It's also a terrible strategy on a human level, it's hurting innocent people seeing the lives that have been broken by this, the families torn apart it's heart-breaking and Jill and I are praying for those families who've been impacted by this violence we grieve with those who've lost their loved ones lost a piece of their soul." The US President further said he hopes for a swift recovery for many who have been wounded but "we're going to remain in close touch with Prime Minister. I personally am going to remain in close contact with Prime Minister Netanyahu as this situation continues to develop and let there be no mistake the United States stands with the state of Israel just as we have from the moment the United States became the first nation to recognize Israel, 11 minutes after its founding 75 years ago," he said. At about 6:30 am (local time), a barrage of rocket fire began from Gaza into Israel, hitting several cities including Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Gedera and Ashkelon. This was followed by several Hamas terrorists entering Israel from the Gaza Strip and taking over Israeli towns. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Saturday spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. Secretary Blinken reiterated his condolences for the victims of the terrorist attacks against Israel and condemned those attacks in the strongest terms. The Secretary reaffirmed the United States' solidarity with the government and people of Israel. Secretary Blinken also discussed measures to bolster Israel's security. The Secretary underscored the United States' unwavering support for Israel's right to defend itself. Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said: "I spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Gallant to convey my condolences for this appalling terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel. I reaffirmed US commitment to Israel's security, and will stay in close touch with Minister Gallant in the coming days and weeks to ensure Israel has the support it needs." US State Department spokesperson Mattew Miller also reacted to the attack, said: "The deal to bring US citizens home from Iran has nothing to do with the horrific attack on Israel. Not a penny has been spent, and when it is, it can only go for humanitarian needs like food and medicine. Anything to the contrary is false." Former US President Donald Trump also reacted to the Hamas attack, said: "The Israeli attack was made because we are perceived as being weak and ineffective and with a really weak leader." The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold a closed-door session on the Middle East situation at 3 pm (US local time) on Sunday, as per the website of the UN. (ANI)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas has started a cruel, evil war and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will use all its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities. "Hamas forces invaded Israeli territory this morning, on the morning of a holiday and Shabbat, and murdered innocent civilians, children and the elderly. Hamas started a cruel and evil war. We will win this war, but the price is too heavy to bear. This is a very difficult day for all of us," the Israeli PM wrote on 'X' on Sunday. A major upheaval took place in the Middle East on Saturday, when the Hamas terror group launched a "surprise attack", firing a barrage of rockets into southern and central Israel. According to the latest developments, 250 people have been killed, at least 1104 people are injured and several Israelis have been held as hostages in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported citing officials. Netanyahu said: "Hamas wants to murder us all. It is an enemy who murders children and mothers in their homes, in their beds. An enemy who kidnaps the elderly, children, girls. Murderers who slap and slaughter our citizens, our children, who all in all went out to spend the holiday." He said that what happened in Israel on Saturday, he will make sure that it does not happen again. "What happened today is not seen in Israel - and I will make sure that it does not happen again. The entire government stands behind this decision," he said. "The IDF will immediately use all its strength to destroy Hamas' capabilities. We will cripple them to the point of destruction and we will take revenge with might for this black day they have brought upon the State of Israel and its citizens," he added. The IDF on Saturday said: "As families all over Israel are gathering around the dinner table, instead of eating dinner, they are once again forced to run to bomb shelters due to Hamas' incessant rocket fire." At about 6:30 am (local time), a barrage of rocket fire began from Gaza into Israel, hitting several cities including Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Gedera and Ashkelon. This was followed by several Hamas terrorists entering Israel from the Gaza Strip and taking over Israeli towns. Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif called the operation "Al-Aqsa Storm" and said that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza, CNN reported. Netanyahu said: "All the places where Hamas is organized, of this city of evil, all the places where Hamas hides, operates from - we will turn them into cities of ruins." "I say to the residents of Gaza: get out of there now because we will act everywhere and with all the strength. At this time, IDF forces are clearing the last settlements of terrorists. They are going settlement by settlement, house by house and returning control to our hands," he said. Some graphic videos showed bodies strewn in the streets of the southern city of Sderot after the attack by Palestinian militants. Cars were riddled with bullets and lit on fire, according to The Washington Post. In a major development, the Israeli Mayor, and head of the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, Ofir Liebstein, was also killed in the deadly rocket fire. In response to the deadly attacks, the Israel Defense Forces also declared a 'readiness for war'. Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said anyone who causes terror and death anywhere on the planet must be held accountable. "We in Ukraine have a special feeling about what has happened. Thousands of rockets in the Israeli sky... People killed just on the streets... Civilian cars shot through... Detainees being humiliated..." Zelenskyy wrote on 'X'. He said the attack on Israel was well-planned, and the entire world knows which sponsors of terrorism could have endorsed and enabled its organization. "Israel has the full right to defend itself against terror. As any other state. And it's critical that the whole world responds to terror in a unified and principled manner," he said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also reacted to the Hamas attack on Israel, saying: "Australia stands with our friend Israel in this time. We condemn the indiscriminate and abhorrent attacks by Hamas on Israel, its cities and civilians. We recognise Israel's right to defend itself." (ANI)
U.S. House Speaker's ouster showcases political chaos in Washington

09:43, October 07, 2023 By Matthew Rusling and Xiong Maoling ( Xinhua

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- This week's unprecedented ouster of the U.S. House Speaker has pushed U.S. party infighting to a climax, the fallout of which will undoubtedly complicate the trajectory of the U.S. House and potentially shape the country's wider political landscape, already mired in partisan wrestling.

Apart from disrupting the legislative process, the ouster could also impact the 2024 presidential elections, experts have said.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was booted out of his position by lawmakers on Tuesday, in a move initiated by a member of his own party, marking the first time in U.S. history that a House speaker has been voted out of office in the middle of a term.

This occurred in a 216 to 210 vote, in which eight GOP lawmakers sided with Democrats.

McCarthy was voted out after he cut a deal with Democrats to avoid a looming government shutdown, which a handful of GOP lawmakers viewed as giving in to the opposition.

Matt Gaetz, the fellow Republican who led the ouster, had earlier accused McCarthy of caving to what he described as Democrats' excessive spending agenda.

McCarthy initially attempted to pass a stopgap funding bill with spending cuts and border security provisions. But conservative Republicans opposed any "patchwork" funding package and refused to cooperate, forcing him to turn to Democrats for support.

The vote to oust McCarthy came nearly nine months after he won the position in a dramatic 15-round floor fight.

In many ways, McCarthy's ouster was set in motion when, in deal-making with hard-right holdouts at the start of the year, he agreed to a series of demands, including a House rule change that allows any one member to file a motion to vacate.

CHAOTIC LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

Republican Representative Patrick T. McHenry from North Carolina has been named acting speaker of the House after McCarthy's ouster. The House now needs to elect a new speaker, with a vote expected next week.

It remains unclear who will fill the vacant slot for speaker -- third in command after the president and the vice president.

Republican Representative Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise both announced Wednesday that they plan to join the race.

McCarthy has said Tuesday that he would not seek the position again, setting up an expected intense intraparty battle for the speakership.

The absence of a speaker will mean nothing gets done in the House as the closure of certain government departments inches closer.

Rep. Tom McClintock from California predicted that "the House will be paralyzed, we can expect week after week of fruitless ballots while no other business can be conducted."

Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua: "Until a speaker is elected there's not going to be anything meaningful happening in the House, and the clock is ticking on the 45 days the government will stay open."

In a last-minute effort to avert a government shutdown, McCarthy released a "clean" stopgap funding bill Saturday morning, which would keep federal agencies funded at current levels until mid-November.

"The legislative process is going to be chaotic as the two parties are strongly divided in their policy objectives," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

"Democrats will argue this shows Republicans are out of control and not able to govern effectively," West said.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, a Missouri Republican, said in a statement that the chaos could weaken the GOP negotiating position in the fights to come, arguing that the actions to remove the speaker actually "empower those who want to increase spending."

IMPACT ON ELECTIONS

The week's events could impact next year's presidential elections, with Democrats using the ouster as fodder to make the case that Republicans are disorganized and incapable of governing.

Hakeem Jeffries, the top House Democrat, already said in a statement Tuesday that under the Republican majority, the House "has been restructured to empower right-wing extremists, kowtow to their harsh demands and impose a rigid partisan ideology."

"House Republicans have undermined that principle at every turn and unleashed chaos, dysfunction and extremism on hardworking American taxpayers," said Jeffries.

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.

"If the discord in the House continues -- resulting, say, in a government shutdown or another impasse over the debt ceiling -- so that real citizens are hurt where they live, then I think there is a real potential for this to negatively impact Republican hopes at the polls," Greg Cusack, a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, told Xinhua.

Other experts believe the unprecedented event could lead some voters to view the GOP as factionalized.

Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua that a likely path is that the GOP "continues to be factionalized and gets a corresponding reputation among independent voters."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
George Dixon of Gary (left) signs in as voters showed up at the Government Center in Crown Point on Wednesday as early voting started in Indiana on Oct.12, 2022. (John Smierciak/Post Tribune) (John Smierciak / Post-Tribune)

Lake Countys voters can start heading to the polls Wednesday when early voting sites across the county open their doors in advance of the November general municipal election.

As local officials make decisions impacting development, road repairs, police and fire services, and more every day, municipal elections are arguably those that impact voters the most, experts say. Yet despite the significance, they are also the elections that drive the fewest number of voters to the polls.

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Its counter intuitive because voters are closest to local elected officials, Dr. Yu Ouyang, associate professor of political science at Purdue University Northwest, said.

Low voter turnout for municipal elections can be attributed to a number of things such as when the local elections are not held during a congressional election year and especially during a presidential election year. Voter turnout tends to drop by about 20% when moving from a presidential election year to a congressional election year. The drop from a congressional election year to a local election is even sharper.

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Indeed, voter turnout in 2019 was 15.67% with a total of 47,518 votes cast out of 303,168 eligible voters. In 2015, voter turnout came in at 15.21% with 48,482 total ballots cast out of 318,655 eligible voters, according to figures from the Lake County Board of Elections and Voter Registration.

For comparison, voter turnout in Lake County for the 2020 presidential election was 60.08% and in 2016 it was 56.76%. Turnout for the mid-term 2022 election was 36.92% and in 2018 it was 46.86%

Professor Ellen Szarletta, director of the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence, agreed voters are most connected to their local officials despite a relative lack of engagement at the polls. It is unlikely a voter can show up unannounced at the office of a state or U.S. senator, for example, to discuss a problem.

Local elected officials are the people voters can call on the phone or see at meetings or in their own neighborhoods. People can generally talk to their local officials firsthand to discuss their issues, she said.

Multiple factors contribute to voter engagement. Ouyang said voter fatigue can contribute to low voter turnout along with barriers to access to the election for some.

In Indiana it seems elections happen every year, he said. There is the presidential election cycle, the congressional cycle and the municipal cycle with one year off. Special elections and referendum votes can be conducted in off years.

There is some sense of voter fatigue with elections that if you miss this one, another one is coming soon, Ouyang said. Quite frankly, a lot of voters are apathetic and disengaged from the process. They dont see the government as working for themIt takes a lot of people out of participation in general, Ouyang said.

A lack of awareness of local issues can be a contributing factor to the problem of low voter turnout. News coverage focuses on national, state and large market issues, leaving smaller communities without coverage on local issues.

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In order for people to be interested, there has to be something to talk about, Szarletta said. There has to be conversation among people, whether in the same political party or if its between parties.

If there is no opposing candidate on the ballot, people tend to say their vote wont make a difference because there is only one candidate anyway. Any reasonable person would say to themselves that if they dont have a chance why bother to vote.

Michelle Fajman, the Democratic director of the Lake County Board of Elections, said there has been shifting in voter registration demographics in some communities as people from other states move to Lake County. In Lake Station and some communities deeper into Lake County, you are seeing a Republican presence emerge. Even in Gary, Republican candidates are beginning to crop up.

Hopefully more and more people will want to get involved in public service and government, Fajman said.

Having a choice in candidates is important to the process and could increase engagement. Fajman said so far has been encouraged this year by early mail-in ballot requests, which are up from the last municipal election four years ago.

What people dont realize is the municipal elections are the most important, she said.

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Since taking over as Lake Countys Republican party chair, Randy Niemeyer has focused on increasing the Republican candidate base and expanding voter choice. He hopes to see some of those efforts pay off in November.

I think in areas where we currently dont have a lot of representation of our party, you will see of few of them squeak in. In areas where we are strong, we will get stronger. Ive really excited about the quality of people who have signed up and the motivation of the ground game, Niemeyer said.

Im very optimistic we will have an awesome municipal cycle this year. Hopefully, it gets us some good people elected, Niemeyer said.

An influx of residents from Illinois western and southern suburbs are bringing with them a little more conservative voting style, he said.

The party in Illinois has done an extremely poor job running their state, Niemeyer said.

Jim Wieser, chairman of Lake Countys Democratic Party, did not return a request for comment.

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Municipal choices

In St. John, the November election was cancelled after Democrats failed to slate a single candidate for either the clerk-treasurer or two at-large and two district town council seats. In the northern part of the county, Griffith stands as a Republican stronghold, amid a largely Democratic landscape. The November primary there was cancelled after no Democrats signed up to run for the Clerk-Treasurer position or one of the five town council seats on the ballot.

Democrats remain a majority in the northern part of the county where Whiting and New Chicago both cancelled their November municipal elections because no Republican challengers were on the ballot.

There will be a public question on the ballot in November in Whiting seeking approval for an operating referendum for the Whiting Public Schools. Funds will be used to pay for teachers and educational programing and is expected to raise property taxes on the average home by about $120 a year, according to a referendum informational page on the School City of Whiting website.

North Lake Countys three largest cities  Hammond, East Chicago and Gary  remain Democratic strongholds, though some Republican candidates are beginning to emerge.

In Hammond, Democrats face challengers in three of the nine races on the ballot. Two Republicans and one Independent are running for city council seats. Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., a Democrat, is unchallenged.

Gary, while still overwhelmingly Democratic, is also seeing some Republican pressure. Democratic mayoral candidate Sen. Eddie Melton is facing an improbable challenge by Republican Andrew Delano. One Republican is vying for one of three at-large city council seats, while another is running against an incumbent for the 6th District spot.

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Perennial Republican candidate Arthur Santos Sr.s challenge of Anthony Copeland for the mayors office is the only race on the November ballot in that city. The Democrats running for clerk and the city council seats are unchallenged.

Dyer, Cedar Lake, Schererville, Crown Point, Munster and Lake Station offer a robust selection of Republican, Democratic and Independent candidates in November for multiple races. All but one of Munsters five council seats are contested along with its Clerk-Treasurers race. Two Democrats and two Republicans are seeking Cedar Lakes two at large council seats while a Democrat, Republican and Independent are running for the councils fifth ward. In Merrillville and Lowell, about half of the races have no challengers.

Six of the nine seats in Crown Point that appear on the November ballot have both Democratic and Republican candidates. Current Mayor Pete Land, a Democrat, who is seeking his first elected term after winning the post in a caucus, is facing a challenge from Republican Shirlene Olson. Incumbents Clerk-Treasurer Mike Benson and 3rd District Councilwoman Laura Sauerman, both Republicans, are unchallenged. On the other side of the aisle incumbent 4th District Councilman Andrew Kyres, a Democrat, is unchallenged.

All three races in Dyer and all six races in Highland feature both Republican and Democratic candidates for the seats. All Lake Station races also feature multiple candidates including two independents. Hobart has the most diverse candidate base including an independent candidate for mayor. Both a Republican and a Green Party candidate are on the ballot running against two Democrats for the two at-large city council seats. Another Independent also is running for the 2nd District Council seat.

Niemeyer said Republicans have had a lot of success in communities along the U.S. 30 corridor and knows they have to work extra hard in more urban-type communities to gain support for their candidates. He said he is hopeful the competitive nature of the some of the races drives turnout higher than 18%.

We need to help people understand municipal elections are the most important to your life, bar none, Niemeyer said. We need to participate.

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Ouyang agreed voters should be aware the impact of their vote is the greatest at the local level, especially due to the low levels of participation. It is very common for there to be only 700 votes in total for some municipal races.

If you think of the power of one vote, one vote means a lot if only several hundred people vote, Ouyang said.

Voters are actually pretty conscious of that fact. When voters perceive elections might be very close you usually get an uptick in voter turnout, Ouyang said.

cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com

Early voting locations

Registered Lake County voters who live in a community where a municipal election is taking place may use any of the 11 early voting locations.

The Lake County Board of Elections & Voter Registration Office, located in Room A-205 at 2293 N. Main St. in Crown Point, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday; from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 21 and 28; and from 8:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 6.

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Hours at the 10 other early voting locations are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 21 and 28, and 8:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 6.

East Chicago County Court House, 3711 Main St., East Chicago

Gary Public Library Main Branch, 220 W. 5th Ave., Gary

Hammond County Courthouse, 232 Russell St., Hammond

Hobart Police Community Center, 705 E. 4th St., Hobart

Lowell Town Hall, 501 E. Main St., Lowell

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Munster Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Road, Munster

Schererville Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St., Schererville

St. John Township Assessors Office, 9157 Wicker Ave., St. John

Wicker Park Breezeway, 8554 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland

Winfield Government Complex, 10645 Randolph St., Winfield
Almost 1,000 birds died after colliding with the McCormick Place Lakeside Center building  pictured above  in Chicago. Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

Almost 1,000 dead birds rained down on Chicago Thursday night after they collided with an exhibit hall.

Anti-collision activists say the building left its lights on that night, drawing in a flock of birds.

Now, they're calling for building officials to take measures to reduce their collision risk.

Anyone passing by the McCormick Place Lakeside Center in Chicago, Illinois, in the early morning hours on Thursday likely got quite the gruesome shock.

That's because almost 1,000 dead birds began raining from the sky as they all collided with the exhibit hall's windows on October 5.

Christine Sheppard, director of the glass collisions program for the American Bird Conservancy, told Insider the news made her stomach drop.

"It's just absolutely your worst nightmare," Sheppard said.

Now, anti-collision activists like Sheppard are calling on McCormick Place to make changes to protect migrating birds.

Bird collisions are nothing new for Chicago, but an event on this scale is an anomaly, according to Annette Prince, director of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors. Prince said her organization typically sees thousands of deaths over the course of a year, making the mass collision on October 5 a disturbing outlier.

Weather conditions in recent days presented a perfect storm for a mass migration event, according to Prince.

Low cloud cover and favorable winds combined with the fall migration season contributed to a large amount of birds flying through the region. She also said that weather conditions had been poor for flight in recent days, meaning there was a back-up of birds waiting to migrate leading up to Thursday.

"All these things made the perfect storm for what caused such a huge event," Prince told Insider.

The main catalyst for the collision itself, however, was the lights inside building, according to Prince. Prince said McCormick Place had kept its lights on throughout the night on October 5  something the rental hall has a history of doing, she said  which drew the mass of birds towards the building.

Cynthia McCafferty, a spokesperson for McCormick Place, said the hall turns its lights on when staff, clients, or visitors are present. Lights are turned off when the building is empty. McCafferty could not confirm whether or not the lights were on in the early morning hours of October 5 when the collisions happened.

Both Prince and Sheppard said McCormick Place has been a point of concern for 40 years given its location.

"It's the first encounter on the lake that birds can run into," Prince said.

Sheppard also noted that its low stature means the building sits at vegetation level  the height at which most bird collisions occur. She called on McCormick Place to implement anti-collision measures on its large windows.

"The solution  and there are many, many different kinds of retrofits available  is to put something on that glass so that birds can see and avoid it," Sheppard told Insider.

Prince said McCormick Place should treat the glass to prevent daytime collisions and ensure lights are off at night to prevent nighttime collisions.

"Neither either of those options  always turning the lights out and retrofitting the glass  have happened," Prince said.

McCafferty did not answer Insider's question asking whether the event hall had plans to implement anti-collision window treatments. McCormick Place does maintain a six-acre bird sanctuary and works with the Chicago Field Museum to minimize their bird collisions, McCafferty said.

For Sheppard, the key to preventing future collision events is ensuring new buildings have anti-collision windows and that all structures are mindful of turning their lights off at night.

"The problem is if you turn the lights off on one building, the birds just hit the next one,"Sheppard said. "So to have a real impact, you have to turn down the lights in a wide area."

Read the original article on Insider
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a state of war after Hamas launched a surprise attack.

Hamas has fired thousands of rockets at Israel in "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm."

Insider compiled 11 dramatic images showing the consequences of the surprise attack on Israel.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a state of war after Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched thousands of rockets in a surprise attack on Saturday.

"The Israel Defense Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organization will pay heavy price for its actions," Israel Defense Forces said in a statement, per Insider.

Hamas' military commander Mohammad Deif called on Palestinians in Israel and those in neighboring Arab countries to join the attack, which he called "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm," in a rare statement, per the Washington Post.

Palestinian militants infiltrated Israeli territory by land, sea, and some even used motorized paragliders as the attacks continued.

Images show the scale of the attacks, including captured Israeli military vehicles, buildings aflame, and Israelis fleeing areas targeted by Hamas.

Latest reports from Israeli media say 40 Israelis have been killed so far, with a further 740 people wounded by the Hamas bombings and raids.

Israel's foreign ministry claimed that Hamas fighters were wantonly murdering civilians, per Sky News.

Here are 11 dramatic images as the conflict unfolds.

1. A rocket being fired by Palestinian militants into Israel.

Rockets are fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza into Israel. Mohammed Salem/REUTERS

2. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets fired from Gaza in Ashkelon in southern Israel.

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from Ashkelon in southern Israel. Ammar Awad/REUTERS

3. Smoke rises from buildings in Israeli after Hamas launched rockets.

Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza, October 7, 2023. Mohammed Salem/REUTERS

4. A man running as cars a set ablaze fire following Hamas rocket attacks in Ashkelon Israel.

A man runs on a road as fire burns after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, Israel. Amir Cohen/REUTERS

5. A family is evacuated by Israeli police from a site hit by a rocket.

Israeli police officers evacuate a family from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Tsafrir Abayov/Associated Press

6. A house on fire in the Israeli community of Kibbutz Kfar Azza which was stormed by Palestinian fighters.

A house is on fire in the kibbutz of Kfar Azza that Palestinians stormed from the Gaza Strip on Saturday. Hassan Eslaiah/Associated Press

7. Palestinians break into the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border fence in a bulldozer.

Palestinians break into the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border fence after gunmen infiltrated areas of southern Israel. Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa/REUTERS

8. Palestinians in front of a burning Israeli tanks after it was captured by Palestinian gunmen.

Palestinians react as an Israeli military vehicle burns after it was hit by Palestinian gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, at the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border. Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa/REUTERS

9. A Palestinian man takes a selfie in front of a burning Israeli tanks

A Palestinian man takes a selfie in front of a burning Israeli military vehicle after it was hit by Palestinian gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, at the Israeli side of Israel-Gaza border. Yasser Qudih/REUTERS

Hamas fighters even used paragliders in the wave of attacks against Israel.

Hamas published video footage of their fighters training with paragliders, that were later sued in the attacks on Israel, on October 7. Hamas

Palestinian militants ride an Israeli military vehicle that was seized by gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian militants ride an Israeli military vehicle that was seized by gunmen who infiltrated areas of southern Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip. Ahmed Zakot/REUTERS

Read the original article on Business Insider
Nellie Bly in her traveling dress and coat. Bettmann/Getty Images

In 1889, journalist Nellie Bly set off on a trip around the world, trying to make it under 80 days.

Shortly after, another reporter, Elizabeth Bisland , joined the race.

A few decades earlier, such a race would have been impossible without technological advances.

On November 14, 1889, Nellie Bly boarded a steamship for London, planning to return to New Jersey 75 days later, beating the record set by the fictitious protagonist of Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days" with time to spare.

A few hours later, Elizabeth Bisland stepped on a train in New York, bound west for California. In a wild scramble, her editors at Cosmopolitan magazine decided to have her circumnavigate the globe in the opposite direction in an attempt to beat Bly.

The two women were very different. Bly was a daredevil reporter perhaps best known for exposing the horrific conditions of an asylum on Blackwell's Island, and Bisland was a literary critic and poet. But both were in their mid-20s and had made their way to live and work in New York on the strength of their writing.

Traveling such a far distance in only a few months would have been impossible only a few decades earlier. For women to make the journey, and by themselves, was also unusual.

"I do like thinking that they help flip the dial of what women could do at the time," Adrien Behn told Insider. She created "A Race Around the World: Based on the True Adventures of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland," a new podcast about the two women's race.

Through a combination of trains and steamships and with the assistance of some well-timed telegrams and a lot of luck, the two finished their race within days of each other.

These technologies were still developing at a rapid clip.

"These women were not only racing around the world; they were racing through the heart of the Victorian age," Matthew Goodman, author of "Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World," told Insider.

Steamships and seasickness

The first leg of Bly's trip was aboard the "Augusta Victoria," a brand-new ship with stained glass, shuffleboard games, and starlit concerts.

Though she was crossing from New York to London at the end of the Atlantic hurricane season, sea travel could still be dangerous. Everything from icebergs to collisions with other vessels to shipboard fires presented risks.

The Augusta Victoria sails past the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Henry Guttmann Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

For Bly and Bisland, seasickness proved the biggest hazard. The ship's captain recommended Bly keep eating until the nausea passed. It didn't work.

"She takes a bite, and she runs over to the deck and keeps vomiting," Behn said.

Other 19th-century seasickness "cures" included champagne, oysters, and chloroform.

Transcontinental rail from New York to California

Traveling by train had the trappings of luxury. On her first day, Bisland boarded a swanky sleeper car on the Fast Western Express from New York to Chicago.

A first-class passenger could expect opulent decor, access to a shared washroom, and smoking and library cars. Years later, all that Bisland could recall was the "coffin-like smell."

Such a journey  from New York to Chicago to Omaha to Utah to San Francisco  took Bisland on the transatlantic route. Just 20 years earlier, the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific railroads were joined for the first time north of the Great Salt Lake.

The buffet car of Union Pacific's Overland Limited, which ran between Iowa and San Francisco. Bettmann/Getty Images

Before rail travel, it took about six months to cross the country. Tracks crisscrossed the East and Midwest, but it took a gargantuan effort to help open the West. Between Nebraska and Sacramento, California, lay the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Rockies.

"The women were riding on these railroads that had been laid down by almost slave laborers who were facing extreme prejudice and discrimination in the course of doing it," Goodman said.

Railroad bosses gave the most dangerous jobs to Chinese workers. They lit the fuse that exploded the black powder, tunneling through mountains. Over 1,000 Chinese workers died during construction.

In 1882, the US passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which barred many Chinese immigrants from entering the country.

In the mid-1800s, artist John Mix Stanley illustrated a vast herd of bison near Lake Jessie, North Dakota. The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images

As the railway joined the two coasts, it cleaved vast numbers of bison into separate herds. Easy access to the huge animals nearly led to their extinction. Hunters shot them from trains and left carcasses to rot.

The devastation of the bison also impacted many Indigenous people who depended on the animals for survival and who now had railroad tracks running through their lands.

Treacherous trains and the new time zones

Just a few years before Bly's and Bisland's trips, the US ran on dozens of different local times. It might be noon in Washington, DC, but 12:08 in Philadelphia.

With different railroad companies coordinating trains on the same tracks based on different clocks, collisions could easily happen. In 1883, the companies adopted Standard Railway Time. Widespread use of time zones soon followed.

"That was another indication of the remarkable transformative power of the railroad companies in that period," Goodman said.

Even once the trains were all running on standard time, rail travel could still be dangerous. "There were men who were specifically hired to work close to railroads just in case the train tipped over, and they would have to do emergency surgery," Behn said.

Railway surgeons would treat passengers and crew for everyday illnesses when they were far from home. And in the case of not-infrequent accidents, they also set broken bones, amputated crushed limbs, and tended to scalded flesh.

"Unfortunately the mechanical devices for the transportation of human freight come to grief and a calamity as terrible as a battle," one chief surgeon wrote in 1904.

The Suez Canal opened the world

Before 1869, there was no direct sea route between Europe and Asia. Ships had to sail all the way around southern Africa.

It took an estimated 1.5 million builders and 10 years to connect the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Many Egyptians were forced into service and poorly paid. Cholera and other diseases killed thousands, though the death toll estimates vary widely.

The Suez Canal's opening shaved 4,500 miles off the voyage between Britain and India.

"That alone really does crack the world open in a sense," Behn said.

Port Said on the Suez Canal in 1880. Bildagentur-Online/Uig via Getty Images

Bly arrived at Port Said, Egypt, on November 27, 1889 and traveled southward toward Yemen. In early January 1890, Bisland sailed the opposite way through the canal, entering near Yemen.

Both women had plenty of time to take in the buildings, encampments, and camels. Ships in the Suez Canal traveled slow enough that Bly could exchange pleasantries with passengers on other vessels.

"If ships went through faster than that, the waves would stir up the dirt and erode the banks of the canal," Goodman said. The canal's speed limit is still between 7.6 knots and 8.6 knots, just under 10 miles per hour.

Here, as in other countries the two women visited, accounts of their journeys include stereotypical and offensive descriptions of the native people they saw and interacted with.

The sun never set on the British Empire

With commonwealths, countries, and colonies on six continents, Britain's reach was inescapable during Bly's and Bisland's race.

"They were traveling through the length and breadth of the British Empire," Goodman said, stopping in its ports all along the way. Aden, Colombo, Penang, and Hong Kong were all under British control.

"As I traveled on and realized more than ever before how the English have stolen almost all, if not all, desirable sea ports," Bly wrote, she no longer marveled at "the pride with which Englishmen view their flag floating in so many different climes and over so many different nationalities."

Workers lay a telegraph cable at the port of Aden in what is now Yemen circa 1870. Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Bisland, too, noted war ships guarded Aden, which was "valuable; and therefore, like Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Ceylon  like everything much worth having in this part of the world  it is an English possession."

British citizens could travel halfway around the world and still speak English, eat British food, read London newspapers, and stay in European hotels, Goodman said.

"That was a sort of imperial privilege," he said. "You can go halfway around the world and in a sense almost never feel like you're leaving home."

Even in ports the British didn't control, like Yokohama, the women still saw the empire's ships, as well as vessels from France, Germany, and America.

"Colonialism seeps through the entire story" of their travels, Behn said.

Avoiding the flu

In the third week of December 1889, the women were both in the South China Sea. Bly was headed to Hong Kong, while Bisland was traveling to Singapore.

A week later, a Nevada newspaper read: "The influenza is coming around the world in a good deal faster time than Nellie Bly or her rival will make."

Train and sea travel helped rapidly spread the pandemic from the Russian Empire to Europe, the US, and beyond. Modern researchers have suggested the disease may actually have been a coronavirus instead of influenza.

Bly had only a couple of days to prepare for her trip. Bisland left the same day her editor decided to send her. Even if they'd had time to get vaccines, there weren't a lot to choose from.

Painter Alfred Touchemolin's painting of French army recruits being vaccinated circa 1895. Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Medical professionals had been using the smallpox vaccine for over 100 years. In the 1860s, a new technique employed cowpox lesions instead of taking pus or scabs from an infected person and introducing it into a healthy person's bloodstream. (People in the Middle East and Africa had used similar techniques for centuries.)

None of the four other vaccines  for rabies, typhoid, cholera, and plague  were widespread before the 20th century.

This was also decades before antibiotics. "There's no penicillin," Behn said. "Hopefully some of those doctor surgeons are nearby in case anything goes wrong."

Luxury liners and lung disease

Bly and Bisland voyaged via first-class accommodations whenever possible. Nowhere was the difference more stark than the steamships, where a single meal might include soup, fish, beef, duck, potatoes, salad, pastry, cheese, and fruit.

Below the more sumptuous accommodations, hundreds of steerage passengers were crammed in airless rooms with unwashed dishes and clothes, and pools of vomit.

First-class rooms were further from the ceaseless vibration of the engines that stokers, or coal shovelers, worked furiously to power.

"You see a huge emphasis being placed on building ships that were ever faster than the previous generation of ships," Goodman said.

Many passengers enjoyed the idea of being on the "fastest" ship. And Bly had a race to win. She'd only recently learned that she wasn't just competing against time. A steamship company employee had shocked her with the news that Bisland was in the race, too.

On the journey between Hong Kong and San Francisco in late December, Bly urged the ship captain to go faster. "If I fail, I will never return to New York," she said.

Coal stokers shovel coal on a ship circa 1920s. SSPL/Getty Images

"The only way that that could happen is because you had these men down in the bowels of the ship shoveling coal in the most abject working conditions imaginable," Goodman said.

The stokers shoveled up 2 tons of coal a day in rooms that could reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit, Goodman said. Their shovels could get hot enough to blister their hands. Inhaling coal dust led to pneumoconiosis, also known as black lung disease.

One doctor described coal miners' and stokers' lungs during autopsies. They were leathery and coated in thick black mucus.

Telegrams and travel delays

Queen Victoria sent President James Buchanan a telegram on August 16, 1858. It celebrated the new transatlantic cable joining Europe and North America. People could send messages between the continents more quickly than ever before.

There were kinks in the system. New advances in the 1870s meant the cables could finally transmit more than one message at a time. Adding more cables helped lower the price of sending a telegram, too, to about 31 cents in the US. By 1889, a message could travel the transatlantic cables in about five minutes.

It wasn't until 1902 that cables stretched all the way around the world. Still, Bly and Bisland managed to dash off quick notes to their editors from various ports.

"The cables were actually few and far between," Behn said, much to Joseph Pulitzer's chagrin. The owner of The World, the paper Bly worked for, hoped to entice readers to follow her adventures.

Instead, the editors cooked up a contest. The person who came closest to guessing Bly's return time would win a trip to Europe. Naturally, entrants had to fill out a slip available in each Sunday's edition  "the more expensive paper," Behn said.

When Bly arrived in San Francisco on January 21, 1890, she had another unwelcome surprise. A massive snowstorm had delayed the train she was supposed to take back east. Instead, her editors spent thousands of dollars to get Bly her own private train that would take a route avoiding the bad weather.

Once aboard the train, Bly began to receive telegrams from her editors and well-wishers. "Sometimes it literally literally just says, 'Nelly Bly's train,'" Behn said.

Jules Verne, whom Bly met in France during her trek, sent her a congratulatory telegram.

Women working in the main instrument room at London's Post Office Telegraph Headquarters in 1871. Universal History Archive/Getty Images

There were a few times when communications technology more reliable and accessible than the telegraph would have helped the travelers. A man who said he was from the Thomas Cook & Son travel agency approached Bisland as she disembarked from a train in Italy on January 16, 1890. The boat she'd been hoping would wait for her had sailed, he said.

"It's not like she can send her boss a quick email," Behn said. Instead of sailing home from France, Bisland had to make her way to London then Ireland.

And, it turned out, the man had been wrong. The ship was waiting for Bisland, who never showed. "The cause of this false information was never satisfactorily ascertained," she later wrote.

After the race

As Bly's train raced through the US, thousands of people gathered at different stops to cheer her on. On January 25, 1890, she reached New Jersey after 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes, and 14 seconds of travel. She had handily beat Verne's fictional Fogg.

After a storm-tossed voyage across the Atlantic, Bisland arrived home on January 30, having completed a 76-day journey around the globe. She was greeted with much less fanfare.

Nellie Bly poses for a formal portrait. Bettmann/Getty

For a while, Bly was perhaps the most famous woman in the United States, Goodman said. Companies started slapping her name on products. "Just put her name on anything and people will buy it," Behn said. "So horse feed and games and a whole slew of items are named after Nelly."

After a brief speaking tour, the backlash against Bly began. "She was embarking on a nationwide lecture tour and presuming to speak uninterrupted for an hour," Goodman said. "I think that's when the public began to turn on her."

"Nellie Bly is not a success as a lecturer," one newspaper reporter wrote. "If she wishes to marry, however, this might be considered a recommendation."

Bisland, meanwhile, seemed happier off the front page. She continued writing and returned to Japan, China, Singapore, and other countries she'd visited on her first tour.

For Behn, what Bly and Bisland did remains incredible and deserve to be remembered as much as Verne's story.

"Two people actually did it," she said. "Two women actually did it."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Police said Friday that 19-year-old Robert Edmond Davis has been identified as the suspect in the killing of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger. Davis reportedly knew Kruger personally and should be considered armed and dangerous police said as they continue searching for him. Kruger was shot seven times in his house on Monday, but police are still investigating how the suspect made his way inside. Lt. Hamilton Marshmond said that police believe Kruger and Davis were acquaintances and that Kruger was trying to help the 19-year-old. He was just trying to help him just get through life, Marshmond said, adding that they are asking Davis to surrender himself to police. Larry Krasner, the district attorney, wrote a statement about Kruger saying he was an openly queer writer who wrote about his experiences with substance abuse and homelessness.

Read it at NBC News

Read more at The Daily Beast.
UPDATE:

American Airlines sent a statement to CBS Chicago confirming that the flight was headed to Dayton International Airport.

They also stated that six people from the bus were taken to an area hospital:

An employee bus made contact with American Eagle flight 6209 operated by Air Wisconsin Airlines while the aircraft was taxiing at Chicago OHare International Airport (ORD). Six team members onboard the bus are receiving further evaluation at a local hospital and there were no reported injuries onboard the aircraft. The aircraft has been taken out of service and customers have boarded a replacement aircraft to continue on to Dayton, OH (DAY) tonight.

INITIAL REPORT:

Two people were injured after a plane headed to Dayton collided with a shuttle bus at OHare International Airport in Chicago Friday evening.

The Chicago Fire Department was called to the crash around 7 p.m., according to CBS Chicago.

The plane was a twin-engine CJR-200. The Air Wisconsin flight was headed to Dayton.

Air Wisconsin is a regional carrier for American Airlines.

>> Loose mattress causes semi-fire on US-35 in Dayton; westbound lanes shut down

Fire officials said 50 people were on the plane during the crash but no one was injured.

Two people from the bus however were taken to an area hospital in good condition, according to CBS.

Further information was what led up to the crash was not available.

We will continue following this story.
Republican 2024 presidential candidates blamed the Biden administration for the attacks Hamas terrorists launched against Israel on Saturday, pointing to the deadly developments as evidence of U.S. weakness on the world stage and claiming that the administration is partly responsible.

Several of them insisted, without evidence, that the U.S. funded the attacks by suggesting that $6 billion in oil revenue that the Biden administration recently unfroze as a result of a prisoner exchange with Iran, which has historically funded Hamas, was used to carry them out.

"These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force. Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration," former President Donald Trump said in a statement.

Trump, who has been leading the GOP primary pack, added that his administration brought "so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again."

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who's running for president, said in a statement, This is what happens when Americas president projects weakness on the world stage, kowtows to the mullahs in Iran with a $6 Billion ransom, and leaders in the Republican Party signal American retreat as Leader of the Free World. Weakness arouses Evil."

In remarks at the beginning of an event in Glenwood, Iowa, on Saturday morning, Pence responded blamed both Biden and Republicans, who he said are "signaling retreat on the world stage."

The Biden administration rebutted the GOP criticism, saying the $6 billion in oil revenue to which Iran regained access recently did not come from U.S. taxpayer dollars.

"All of the money held in restricted accounts in Doha as part of the arrangement to secure the release of 5 Americans in September remains in Doha. Not a penny has been spent," Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson tweeted. "These restricted funds cannot go to Iran  it can only be used for future humanitarian-related purposes. Any suggestion to the contrary is false and misleading."

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson also said in a post on X that none of the money has been spent yet.

"I cant comment on 2024 because of the Hatch Act. But I can clarify the facts: Not a single cent from these funds has been spent, and when it is spent, it can only be spent on things like food and medicine for the Iranian people. These funds have absolutely nothing to do with the horrific attacks today and this is not the time to spread," she wrote. (The Hatch Act restricts executive branch officials political activities.)

A senior administration official said: "The ability to use these funds in Qatar will be tied directly to payment for bona fide humanitarian items  food, agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices only  requests vetted and approved by Qatari banks and their European correspondents, who are themselves committed to sanctions compliance. No funds go into Iran  ever. These funds will be used solely to provide essential humanitarian support to the Iranian people, with payment to vetted third-party vendors."

Another presidential contender, Vivek Ramaswamy, said on X: "Americas broken foreign policy establishment knew they were funding Hamas & went ahead with it anyway. The unprecedented $6BN in ransom paid to Iran last month worsened it: our taxpayer dollars are funding Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. This will end on Day 1 of my administration."

Despite the reassurances from the White House about the limits Iran would be under with the money, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in an interview in Tehran that his government would decide how it would spend the $6 billion.

Qatars central bank is overseeing the funds, which Iran can use only for humanitarian purposes, as allowed by U.S. sanctions, U.S. officials have said.

But Raisi said in the interview that Iran would have authority over how the money would be spent. This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money, he said, according to an Iranian government translator.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was extremely critical of President Joe Biden , faulting him for not only Hamas' attacks on Israel but also Russia's attacks against Ukraine.

"Bidens appeasement of Israels enemies has invited this war against Israel," Christie said on X. "Appeasement anywhere never works. We must do whatever it takes to support the State of Israel in its time of grave danger, and we must end the scourge of Iran-backed terrorism. This terrorism is funded by Bidens idiotic release of $6 billion to the Iranians.

"The Hamas war against Israel is now the second war started under Bidens failed presidency, first by Russia in Ukraine and now by Hamas in Israel," he added.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a similar post on X: "Israel is now under attack by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. Iran has helped fund this war against Israel and Joe Bidens policies that have gone easy on Iran have helped fill their coffers. We are going to stand with Israel as they root out Hamas and we need to stand up to Iran."

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, another GOP candidate, said in a statement that the attacks are an "assault on Western Civilization."

"The truth is though, Joe Biden funded these attacks on Israel," Scott said. "Americas weakness is blood in the water for bad actors, but this is worse than that. We didnt just invite this aggression, we paid for it. Iran is the biggest funder of Hamas. This is the Biden $6 billion ransom payment at work."

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, was the only Republican who didn't explicitly blame the Biden administration. "Hamas is a bloodthirsty terrorist organization backed by Iran and determined to kill as many innocent lives as possible. The reports out of Israel are horrific with a stunning number of dead and wounded and should be universally condemned. Israel has every right to defend its citizens from terror," she said in a statement.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on X that the attacks are "symbolic of the times we find ourselves in with weak leadership in the White House."

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum blamed Biden on X, writing that Iran pays for the terrorism against Israel. He said the U.S. "must provide maximum support to our democratic ally."

CORRECTION (Oct. 8, 2023, 6:50 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated Asa Hutchinsons previous position. He is a former governor of Arkansas, not the current governor.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
23andMe confirmed to Wired on Friday that a subset of their user data was compromised by hackers guessing login credentials. Once they were logged in, the hackers accessed additional data using the companys DNA Relatives feature.

23andMe is a biotechnology company that uses saliva to analyze a users DNA and then informs them about their genetics, ranging from ancestry to potential health risks.

Wired reported that though the data extracted doesnt appear to include actual, raw genetic data, it does include display name, sex, birth year and genetic ancestry like broadly European or broadly Arabian.

After extracting the data, hackers began selling it on BreachForums earlier this week and advertised that more than 1 million data points were from Ashkenazi Jews. The data was sold from $1 to $10 per account depending on how much data was purchased.

In its statement to Wired, 23andMe said, We were made aware that certain 23andMe customer profile information was compiled through access to individual 23andMe.com accounts. We believe that the threat actor may have then, in violation of our terms of service, accessed 23andme.com accounts without authorization and obtained information from those accounts.

Who are Ashkenazi Jews?

Ashkenazim originally referred to Jews in Germany, but has come to refer more broadly to Jews from Central and Eastern Europe, according to My Jewish Learning. Roughly half of the worlds Jewish population today identifies as Ashkenazi, per Harvard.

Wired reported, The full picture of why the data was stolen, how much more the attackers have, and whether it is actually focused entirely on Ashkenazim is still unclear.

One researcher examined several released files of 23andMes compromised data and discovered that in addition to the file containing 1 million data points on Ashkenazi Jews, another file contained 300,000 data points on users of Chinese heritage, per The Record.

How many users does 23andMe have?

In May, 23andMe reported that it has more than 14 million users.

The Company has also created the worlds largest, re-contactable crowdsourced platform of genotypic information paired with billions of phenotypic data points contributed by engaged customers, the May financial report said.
Mali

Cat Rescue and Adoption Network

Sofi and Mali are a bonded pair of 2-year-old cats described as sweet and friendly that will do best as the only cats in a multi-person household where they can get lots of attention.

"They love to play with cat toys, chase each other and gaze out the window at birds," said Beth Swanson, public outreach coordinator with Cat Rescue and Adoption Network. "They love to lay in your lap or on your chest and purr  they will vie for your attention."

Sofi

Sofi and Mali are vaccinated, microchipped, and have tested negative for FIV and FeLV.

To meet them in foster care, please call 541-225-4955 option 1, or visit our website at CatRescues.org

Oregon Coast Humane Society

Russell

Russell is described as shy but an "absolute delight" once he gets to know you.

Russell has managed to elude adopters for eight months, but the Oregon Coast Humane Society believe it's his turn to land a family of his own.

Russell loves to play with toys and climb up high in the cattery. He's also good with other cats.

To meet Russell, stop by the shelter, 2840 Rhododendron Drive in Florence, or apply online at oregoncoasthumanesociety.org. Shelter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Greenhill Humane Society

Breezy

Breezy is a 10-year-old domestic longhair cat who is described as extremely friendly and affectionate to all he meets.

A homebody cat, he loves attention, napping in a cat tree and playing with stuffed mouse toys.

"Breezy is an old soul but still very playful and loving," said a Greenhill Humane Society shelter volunteer.

He is FIV positive, which means he has a compromised immune system, but with regular vet visits and an indoor home, he will do very well. Breezy also can't interact with other cats unless they are FIV positive as well.

Greenhill Humane Society is open seven days a week, 11 am  6 pm at 88530 Green Hill Rd in Eugene. For more information call (541) 689.1503 or visit www.green-hill.org.

Haleigh Kochanski is a reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: 4 cats in Lane County ready for adoption
The new age space race has billionaires like Elon Musk wanting to colonize Mars.

Four scientists told Insider his plan is bad for technical, scientific, and ethical reasons.

The experts said forming a colony on another planetary body, like the moon, is more realistic.

SpaceX founder and entrepreneur Elon Musk has said he plans to have a million people on Mars by 2050.

Visions of a Mars metropolis, lush with trees, chrome cable cars, and crawling with humans in Jetsons uniforms, have long lived in the public's imagination, from Ray Bradbury's sci-fi novels to Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Total Recall".

"It's just something that is innate in humans to want to see over that next bridge," Christopher Edwards, who studies planetary science and is part of instrument development at Northern Arizona University, told Insider.

Musk's goal goes beyond mere aspiration. He's said a permanent colony on the red planet could sustain our species if all humanity is extinguished on Earth.

But what if Musk is making a mistake?

Yes, experts agree we might want to settle other worlds, but Mars might not be our best bet, at least not now, four scientists told Insider. SpaceX didn't respond to Insider's request for comment for this story.

Musk's plan to colonize Mars

SpaceX founder Elon Musk speaks during the 67th International Astronautical Congress. Musk said he envisions 1,000 passenger ships flying en masse to Mars, "Battlestar Galactica" style. AP Photo/Refugio Ruiz

Musk's plans for Mars rely on one mighty steed  SpaceX's Starship, a nearly 400-foot spacecraft that's built to be used multiple times.

Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress on Thursday, he estimated the first unmanned Starship could land on Mars in the next three or four years.

His early plans involve sending unmanned ships to the surface of Mars, then send people after that. Once these first missions land, they'd work to convert water and CO2 from the Mars surface into the liquid oxygen and methane fuel that powers the Starship.

After the Starships are refueled, they'd be able to make the journey back to Earth. SpaceX's first priority is "establishing a cargo route to Mars," Musk told the Washington Post in 2016.

Following the initial flights, Musk wants to bring people en masse to build colonies and factories in order to make the planet self-sustaining. Chief among those priorities is building a factory for rocket fuel, making Mars an outpost for space travel.

From Mars, Musk told the IAC, people could go to the asteroid belts, the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and the Kuiper belt.

Early on, people on Mars would have to live in giant glass domes, like greenhouses. Eventually though, he's said he hopes to warm the planet to make it habitable.

That's where some scientists begin to see problems with Musk's plans.

The Starship rocket system being transported. SpaceX via Elon Musk/Twitter

Problem 1: There isn't enough CO2 to transform the atmosphere

Musk has said that he plans to use the natural resources on Mars to transform its atmosphere, turning the planet into a warmer, wetter place like Earth. This process, called terraforming, relies on the premise that Mars has enough CO2 to do it.

Carbon dioxide molecules are great at trapping infrared rays from the sun. That's why Earth has been warming up since the Industrial Revolution when humans started pumping more CO2, and other greenhouse gasses, into the atmosphere.

Essentially, terraforming Mars would involve melting its polar ice caps, which would release CO2 reserves. Those heat-trapping molecules could then enter the atmosphere and warm the planet over time.

On paper, it sounds plausible, but there are several problems with it, Edwards told Insider.

A diagram detailing the terraforming process. NASA

First, Edwards said, we simply don't have the technology or resources on Mars to make terraforming a reality in the near future.

And even if we did, "with like the most generous of assumptions, there just isn't enough CO2 on Mars that you can mobilize and like create a long-lasting atmosphere," Edwards said.

Furthermore, he said, even if there were enough CO2 molecules to make a thick atmosphere like Earth's, Mars lacks a magnetic core that would keep the protective gasses from eroding over time.

Musk has also acknowledged the challenges with this part of the plan. "Terraforming will be too slow to be relevant in our lifetime. However, we can establish a human base there in our lifetime," he said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter before Musk bought it.

Problem 2: It's hard to get people to Mars

The SpaceX Starship lifts off from the launchpad during a flight test in Texas. It exploded a few minutes after takeoff. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

More short-term, there's also the issue of getting people to Mars in the first place.

Most of the missions to Mars have merely flown by or orbited the planet. Of the missions that attempted to land, only 40% were successful, and none had humans on them.

Even though Musk has revolutionized other parts of the rocket industry, getting a rocket onto Mars is, "really hard," Bruce Jakosky, a planetary scientist and primary investigator on the Mars Maven satellite, told Insider.

"It's not something you can just go down to the corner store, have them whip together a spacecraft, and launch it," he said.

Starship has yet to make a successful test flight. And yet Musk has said he plans to put the first person on Mars by 2029.

While Jakosky admires all Musk has done to reinvigorate public interest in space, he doesn't "think his approach to colonizing Mars is realistic or even plausible or credible."

Problem 3: What if there's life on Mars already?

A composite of Mars Express images. ESA

If Musk succeeds and gets people to Mars before scientists finish studying its surface, it could threaten humanity, "from making one of the greatest discoveries of all time," said Andrew Coates, a physics professor at University College London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory.

That is to finally answer the question, "Are we alone?"

Coates, who is a principal investigator on an upcoming mission to explore the red planet, said Mars is attractive for a reason. It has a lot of the conditions that would make it a good place to settle.

There's frozen water on the planet that could be melted for drinking water and to make more rocket fuel. And there's some of the chemistry that scientists look for in building livable spaces, Coates said, including carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

Scientific evidence suggests Mars was once covered in water. Today, it's a dry, barren land. NASA/GSFC

But those very elements are also the reason he thinks we should leave it alone.

Between 3-4.1 billion years ago, scientists think Mars looked a lot like Earth. It had a thick, protective atmosphere and certain parts were covered in giant lakes of liquid water, which may have contained life.

If humans somehow successfully terraformed Mars, the change in its global climate could disrupt the soil and ice that may preserve evidence of ancient alien life, Coates said. That would be "cosmic vandalism, in my view, to change the environment of Mars from what it is at the moment."

Bringing a million people to Mars could disrupt the collection of materials that could help scientists prove life can exist beyond Earth, he said.

Problem 4: Our bodies would be bombarded with radiation

Astronaut Alexander Gerst takes a vision test while aboard the ISS. Gravitational changes in space have been shown to affect eyes. NASA

Scientists still don't know how our bodies and minds would handle being on a different planet for a prolonged period of time.

Most of what we do know comes from astronauts staying in the International Space Station, which sits within Earth's protective magnetosphere.

The physiological toll of being on the ISS is "nothing like what might happen during a journey to Mars," Rachael Seidler, a professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida who studies astronauts, told Insider.

NASA estimated that astronauts who travel beyond the ISS would be exposed to an amount of radiation equivalent to 150 to 6,000 chest x-rays, depending on how long they're in space and what sorts of cosmic radiation they're exposed to.

Certain types of radiation, like from powerful solar eruptions, are more damaging than others, like UV radiation from sunlight.

Musk said a Mars colonial fleet could become reality within a century. Musk's goal is to establish a full-fledged city on Mars and thereby make humans a multi-planetary species. AP Photo/Refugio Ruiz

Earth's atmosphere protects us from the harshest forms of radiation. But on Mars, where the atmosphere is over 100 times thinner than on Earth, cosmic radiation can bombard the surface.

The level of radiation that hits Mars, "would fry anything on the surface," Coates said.

Cosmic radiation can cause cancer, harm the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and cause protective brain membranes to leak, Seidler wrote for The Conversation.

Studies of prolonged radiation exposure  like what humans would experience during a deep space trip to Mars  on mice have demonstrated that the cosmic rays can cause signs of higher anxiety, decreased social behavior, and worse memory.

To avoid radiation damage, terraforming would have to become a reality or people would need to live underground full-time  not ideal for folks used to the open air and freedom of Earth, Coates said.

He said that the current visions of Mars, with plants growing within beautiful open colonies, are, "very you know, romanticized." The reality of life on the red planet would likely be a lot dustier and bleaker than folks may think.

Problem 5: The lower gravity could also mess with the human body

A NASA diagram showing the effects of space on male and female astronauts. Some went away when they were back on Earth, while others persisted. NASA

Another concern Seidler cited that we cannot escape  and that NASA has specifically listed as a problem  is lower gravity, which can affect our circulatory system, brain, and balance system.

Humans evolved to move fluids like blood and water around our body against gravity, Seidler explained. Since Mars has 62.5% less gravity than Earth, our bodies would have to change the way they move fluid around.

In the astronauts she's observed so far, Seidler said bodily fluids tend to flow toward the head and upper body, causing the brain to sit higher in the skull. This can also cause the back of astronauts eyes to flatten, which can impact their vision.

Many of these symptoms subside when people return to Earth. But what happens if they never return?

Problem 6: The mental health toll could be huge

Finally, scientists have expressed concern over how long-haul space travel may affect people's mental health.

For previous space missions, NASA has relied on a carefully built team dynamic to support mental health, Seidler said.

But Musk has said he wants the Martian government to be a direct democracy.

Having a colony in space without a specific hierarchical structure could be challenging for people. "You might imagine a Mars colony without very specific team assignments that people might struggle with this," Seidler said.

Despite these limitations, Seidler, a self-described optimist, said that the science happening right now to mitigate some of these health concerns is promising. This includes using medication to offset radiation sickness, supplements to keep bones healthy in low gravity, suits to help astronauts with blood flow, and more.

Other moons could be more habitable, but Earth's moon is probably the most realistic to colonize sooner

A photo of Jupiter's moon Europa, which could harbor life. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute

There are other potentially habitable worlds within our cosmic neighborhood, like Saturn's moons Enceladus or Titan, or Jupiter's moon Europa.

But those worlds are hundreds of millions of miles farther than Mars, and getting to Mars is already hard enough.

Plus there's one world a lot closer than Mars.

Some of the same reasons Musk wants to go to Mars  to use it as a place for industry, as a safe haven from a doomed Earth, as an outpost for exploration  are also possible on the moon, Coates said.

An artist's rendering shows a Starship landing on the moon in the future. SpaceX

In fact, one of the other billionaires making his vie for space, Jeff Bezos, has narrowed in on moon colonies as the starting point for his space conquest.

Plus, settling the moon would cut costs. Musk estimated in 2019 that colonizing Mars would cost between $100 billion to $10 trillion.

To compare, developing a lunar base would cost $35 billion, according to a 2009 analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In today's dollars that amounts to $50 billion  half the cost of Musk's lower estimate.

An astronaut's footstep is seen on the surface of the moon. NASA photo AS11-40-5877.

The moon is especially intriguing when you consider it has reserves of ice water at its south pole that could be used to produce breathable oxygen and rocket fuel, Coates said.

Jakosky said that right now, trying to colonize any planet probably isn't viable, but he does see a future where these colonies may be possible, but just doesn't think it's necessary yet.

"The reality is when it becomes worth doing, somebody's going to do it," he said. "You know, if it becomes financially advantageous to put a call into there and start mining Mars, it'll happen."

But, if everything falls into place ...

An artist's impression of what an astronaut might look like on Mars. peepo/Getty Images

There's still a lot of support out there for Mars as an eventual target. Buzz Aldrin, the second man to set foot on the moon, told Insider in 2018 that it should be humanity's goal to settle Mars.

"I'm talking about Mars for permanence," he said. Establishing a colony on another planet would be a feat that could help unite humans across the world with a common goal  survival.

Some scientists are more aligned with Musk's plans for terraforming. Chris McKay, a senior scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center, said in a 2021 lecture that the timescale for terraforming Mars within the next century is feasible, but there are still questions about the availability of other natural resources like CO2.

Even the scientists with concerns about Musk's vision didn't say we should ignore Mars. "If you are going to pick a place to go, Mars is probably the place," Edwards said.

But they said that proceeding cautiously, rather than immediately trying to turn it into a second Earth, is the best path forward.

And even if a Mars settlement isn't going to be realistic in the near future, that's not necessarily a bad thing, Edwards said. The idea could still be inspiring.

"It's cool to dream, right?"

Read the original article on Business Insider
50 combat encounters with the Russians have occurred during the day; the Defence Forces of Ukraine have repelled 10 Russian attacks on the Kupiansk front, five on the Lyman front, 12 on the Marinka front and eight on the Shakhtarsk front.

Source: report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: The Russians launched eight missile attacks and 25 air strikes, 30 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems on the positions of the Ukrainian forces and the Ukrainian settlements.

At night, the Russian forces launched another attack on civil port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast as well as on the central part of the city of Myrhorod in Poltava Oblast.

As a result of the Russian terrorist attacks civilians were killed and injured. A grain storage, a pension in the recreation zone, residential blocks and private residential houses, a professional-technical college and other civilian infrastructure were damaged.

The operational situation in Ukraine's east and south remains difficult.

On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, there have been no changes to the operative situation and no signs of formation of offensive Russian groupings. Separate units of the Armed Forces of Belarus are performing missions in border regions.

On the Siversk and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russians maintain military presence in border regions, carrying on with the attacks on Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increasing the density of minefields along the Ukrainian border. The Russians launched an airstrike near the settlement of Stepne in Sumy Oblast. Over 15 settlements were attacked from artillery and mortars, including Volfyne, Pysarivka, Hrabovske, Porozok in Sumy Oblast; Udy, Pletenivka, Milove in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Kupiansk front, the Defence Forces repelled 10 Russian attacks near the settlements of Synkivka and Ivanivka in Kharkiv Oblast. The Russians launched airstrikes near the settlements of Kupiansk, Petropavlivka, Kurylivka, Pishchane in Kharkiv Oblast. Over 10 settlements, mainly Kyslivka, Kotliarivka, Tabaivka, Krokhmalne, Pishchane in Kharkiv Oblast were attacked from artillery and mortars.

On the Lyman front, the Defence Forces repelled five attacks on the Russians near the settlement of Makiivka in Luhansk Oblast. Air strikes were launched near Novoliubivka, Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast and Katerynivka, Spirne in Donetsk Oblast. The Russians launched artillery and mortar attacks on over 10 settlements, including Nevske and Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast and Spirne and Rozdolivka in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Bakhmut front, the Russians launched air strikes near the settlements of Klishchiivka and Niu-York in Donetsk Oblast. Over 15 settlements were under artillery and mortar attacks by the Russians, mainly Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Kurdiumivka, Dachne, Pivnichne, and Zalizne in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Avdiivka front, the Defence Forces repelled all attacks by the Russians near the settlements of Avdiivka and Pervomaiske in Donetsk Oblast. Artillery and mortar attacks were launched on more than 10 settlements including Sukha Balka, Novobakhmutivka, Keramik, Avdiivka, Opytne, and Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Marinka front, the Defence Forces have successfully repelled the Russian attacks near the settlements of Marinka, Krasnohorivka and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast. The Russians launched an airstrike near the settlement of Marinka in Donetsk Oblast. Over 10 settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Pobieda, Novomykhailivka, Antonivka and Katerynivka in Donetsk Oblast were under Russian attacks.

On the Shakhtarsk front, under dense artillery fire and airstrikes, the Defence Forces repelled eight Russian attacks near the settlement of Vodiane in Donetsk Oblast. The Russians were trying to regain the positions they lost to the east of the settlement of Zolota Nyva in Donetsk Oblast but to no avail. The Russians launched air strikes near the settlement of Volodyne in Donetsk Oblast. Artillery and mortar attacks were launched on more than 10 settlements, including Vodiane, Vuhledar, Novoukrainka, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva and Urozhaine in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Zaporizhzhia front the Russians launched an airstrike near the settlement of Pryutne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Artillery and mortar attacks were launched on nearly 30 settlements, specifically Orikhiv, Novodanylivka, Robotyne, Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaky, and Lobkove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

On the Kherson front artillery and mortar attacks were launched on the settlements of Zolota Balka, Nechaieve, Kherson and Shyroka Balka in Kherson Oblast.

Meanwhile, the Defence Forces of Ukraine continue conducting the offensive operation on the Melitopol front, offensive (assault) actions on the Bakhmut front, causing losses of the Russian forces in manpower and military equipment, exhausting the Russians along the frontline.

The Russians continue setting up military hospitals in houses with civilians inside. In the city of Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast, the Russians set up a military hospital in a residential block where civilians live. In the settlement of Nyzhni Sirohozy in Kherson Oblast, the Russians transferred civilian patients from the hospital into private houses located nearby so that there are free wards for injured soldiers of the occupying forces.

During the day, the Defence Forces aircraft launched eight attacks on the areas of concentration of manpower, armament and military equipment and five attacks on anti-aircraft systems of the Russians.

Missile units of the Defence Forces struck an artillery system, an area of concentration of manpower and a radio-electronic warfare station belonging to the Russians.

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!






Exit ramp closures ongoing for high friction surface treatment

The Indiana Department of Transportation contractor RAM Construction Services is conducting high friction surface treatment, which is designed to decrease road slippage for motorists exiting the interstate, on seven off-ramps along I-94 and I-65.

While work on the southbound I-65 to U.S. 231 ramp is complete, the ramps on eastbound I-94 to southbound Calumet Ave and eastbound I-94 to northbound S.R. 152/Indianapolis Blvd are currently closed.

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Closures are planned in the next week for eastbound I-94 to northbound U.S. 41/Calumet Ave ramp, eastbound I-94 to northbound Burr Street ramp; southbound I-65 to Ridge Road ramp; and eastbound I-94 to northbound Kennedy Avenue.

Each ramp is expected to close for 2-3 days while the treatment is applied and will reopen as soon as the material has cured. This work is extremely weather dependent so the schedule is likely to change over the course of the project. Motorists are encouraged to watch for signage in the area of these ramps or check 511in.org for updated information.

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Ramp closures to change along eastbound I-94

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Superior Construction Co Inc will change ramp closures on I-94 eastbound between State Road 912/Cline Ave and I-65 next week.

The ramps from northbound and southbound State Road 912/Cline Avenue to eastbound I-94 are expected to reopen on or around Monday. Once the ramps at the State Road 912 interchange open, the ramps from eastbound I-94 to Grant Street and from northbound and southbound Grant Street to eastbound I-94 will close.

The ramps from northbound and southbound Burr Street to eastbound I-94 are expected to reopen on or around Thursday. Once the ramps at the Burr Street interchange open, ramps from eastbound I-94 to State Road 53 and from northbound and southbound State Road 53 to eastbound I-94 will close.

This is part of phase 5 of the concrete restoration work occurring along this stretch of interstate, which will continue through late October. Motorists should be prepared for changing traffic configurations and overnight lane closures through late November. All schedules are weather dependent and subject to change.

Indiana 2 to have short-term closure for utility work

NIPSCO will close Indiana 2 between Hayes Leonard Rd and Thornapple Way in Porter County during daytime work hours starting Wednesday through Friday.

Indiana 2 will be closed daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. while NIPSCO replaces five utility poles. Motorists should seek an alternate route during those timeframes. The official detour will follow Indiana 8, Indiana 49 and U.S. 30.

NICTD work to close Fisher Street starting Monday

NICTD will close Fisher Street between Manor Avenue and Harrison Avenue in Munster starting Monday in order to lay tracks across the road.

The work is expected to last thorough Oct. 14 and is part of the West Lake Corridor extension. Drivers are encouraged to find alternate routes.

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New police officers join Crown Point force

Crown Point Mayor Pete Land administered the oath of office to two new police officers Sept. 20 during the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting, a release said.

Officer Shane McCormick is a 2017 graduate of Crown Point High School and attended the University of St. Francis. Previously, McCormick served with the Hammond Police Department, the release said.

Officer Henry Georgas is a 2016 graduate of Crown Point High School and earned a bachelors degree from Indiana University Northwest. In 2020, Georgas joined the Army National Guard and previously served with the East Chicago Police Department, the release said.

The hires bring the department to 51 full-time, sworn officers.
A 71-year-old man died from his injuries sustained from a crash involving his bicycle and a car in Bethany Beach on Oct. 3, according to Delaware State Police.

The bicyclist from Hockessin was wearing a helmet and was taken to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries two days later, according to police.

At about 11 a.m. on Oct. 3, the bicyclist was riding south on the southbound shoulder of Coastal Highway, just south of Indian River Inlet Bridge. A 2020 Lexus, driven by a 62-year-old man from Ocean View, was traveling south in the left lane when the bicyclist turned left and crossed from the right to the left lane in front of the car.

The bicyclist collided with the front of the Lexus and was ejected, according to police. His name is being withheld until his family is notified.

The Lexus driver did not sustain injuries during the crash, according to police.

Both southbound lanes of the Coastal Highway were closed for over two hours as officials investigated the crash and removed any obstructions from the roadway.

Delaware State Police Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit is still investigating the incident and is asking witnesses of the crash to contact Senior Cp. J. Smith by calling 302-703-3267. Tips can also be sent by Facebook message to Delaware State Police's Facebook page or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.

DELAWARE CRASH: Man in critical condition after crashing into Milltown home

TRAFFIC FATALITY: Police identify 62-year-old Wilmington woman who died from crash injuries

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 2 days after Bethany Beach crash with car, 71-year-old bicyclist dies
The absence of a House speaker amid the crisis in the Middle East, as Israel works to defend itself from an unprecedented attack by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists, has raised significant concerns among national security circles.

The rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East violence highlights the importance of having an operational House of Representatives speaker  and the underscores the challenges of what the interim speaker can do. Specifically, whether Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Patrick McHenry , R-N.C., can or should receive an intelligence briefing about the situation.

"The Middle East might speed up the election of a Speaker," said one House Republican who asked to remain anonymous. "This points to why it was a bad idea to kick out [former House Speaker] Kevin McCarthy."

The crisis in the Middle East involving a U.S. ally could recalibrate the thinking of House Republicans as the vacant speakership starts to approach a week.

FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS CALL ON HOUSE TO SOLVE 'CHAOS,' WARN 'ENEMIES WILL BE EMBOLDENED'

Fox is told if push came to shove, "(CIA) Director (Bill) Burns and (Director of National Intelligence) Avril (Haines) would probably go ahead and brief McHenry because its the right thing to do."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The source noted it would certainly happen if there was a direct threat to the United States or the U.S. needed to be involved militarily.

"Say if this went to DEFCON 2," said a source.

"DEFCON 1" is the highest "defense condition" security posture the U.S. has.

A source told Fox News that the Biden administration could take the line that there is no speaker for the House of Representatives. Thus, McHenry would not qualify for an intelligence briefing.

However, Fox was also told that President Biden's team sees McHenry as credible and a responsible individual, so even though he is not speaker, the administration may be willing to brief him.

So far, there has been no call for an intelligence briefing on the Middle East for the Congressional "Gang of 8." That group consists of the House speaker, the House minority leader, the Senate majority leader, the Senate minority leader, and the chairs and top minority members of the House and Senate Intelligence committees.

Smoke rises over Gaza City on October 7, 2023 during Israeli air strikes.

That said, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is overseas on a foreign trip to China.

Fox is told that a "Gang of 7" could convene and leave the top figure in the House out, because there is technically no top figure in the House with the speakership in limbo.

Fox has also heard from multiple lawmakers and congressional sources warning of potential problems for the U.S. should there be a need to respond to the Middle East situation or another foreign policy crisis.

The House, currently led by McHenry in its absence of a speaker, could not advance any legislative measure related to the crisis should that be necessary.

GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES DECLARE SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AFTER HAMAS ASSAULT: 'JOE BIDEN FUNDED THESE ATTACKS'

Rep. Kevin McCarthy , a Republican from California, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 3, 2023.

But heres the problem for McHenry. The House created the concept or "speaker pro Ttempore" as part of continuity of government concerns after 9/11. The House did not ancitipate installing a Speaker Pro Tempore over a political dispute which resulted in the removal of the sitting Speaker.

Scholars argue that McHenry cannot do anything to run the House except gavel in, gavel out and preside over the election of a new Speaker.

While the intelligence community may be willing to include McHenry in national security matters now, there is concern among House institutionalists about every action McHenry may take right now.

The House operates off a series of precedents, ordered by Deschlers, Cannons and Hinds Precedents. These books dictate how the House has operated in the past. Any action McHenry takes as Speaker Pro Tempore establishes a new precedent, dictating the authority of potential future Speakers Pro Tempores.

As it was put it Fox, if McHenry is aggressive in wielding power, that will give the next Speaker Pro Tempore wider latitude. In fact, one source said to Fox that if McHenry goes too far, that establiahes a precedent which may cause some in Congress to ask why they even bother to elect a Speaker and may just start "appointing a Speaker Pro Tempore by 2055."

In other words, if McHenry takes an intelligence briefing on the Middle East, future Speakers Pro Tempore may do that. If he tries to advance a bill on the floor, future Speakers Pro Tempore may do that.

"This is mission creep for a speaker pro tempore," said one knowledgeable House parlaimentary source. "A crisis could completely change the role for the future."

Fox is told this is why McHenry may be reluctant to take any action on any subject until the House elects a bonafide Speaker. He is handcuffed for now. But each move by McHenry. would widen the authority for the role. Fox is told thats why McHenry appears to be mindful and judicious in the use of any perceived powers he may have now.

"There are guardrails," said one source. "But because this is unprecedented, they dont have to be followed."

North Carolina GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry, the new speaker pro tempore of the House, speaks to members of the media at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on October 3, 2023.

Last week, foreign policy experts told Fox News Digital that the ensuing chaos that came as a result of McCarthy's removal could lead U.S. adversaries to take advantage of the crippling state of Congress on a number of fronts.

"The chaos in the House of Representatives and the Republican caucus is doing the U.S. reputation for governmental effectiveness no favors," said Alan Mendoza, co-founder and executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, Britains leading think tank fighting for the principles and alliances which keep societies free.

"Allies will be concerned that chronic instability appears to have infected the whole House leadership system. Enemies will be emboldened that the U.S. is going to become consumed by internal self-inflicted wounds and may move to seek advantage," Mendoza added at the time.

Eight Republicans voted with every Democrat present on Tuesday to vacate the speaker's chair, with the final vote being 216 to 210 in favor of McCarthy's ouster. McCarthy's immediate removal left Republicans scrambling to fill the role.

Two Republicans  Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana  have launched bids for House speaker, and a vote is scheduled for Wednesday.

Earlier this week, it was reported that House Republicans plan to hold a candidate forum on Tuesday and an election the following day.

This story has been updated.





Original article source: Absence of House speaker could have serious impact on US handling of terror attacks in Israel
Lieutenant Sean McMaster is currently serving as the acting chief of the Duval County Public School Police Department while Chief Gregory Burton recovers from a personal health issue.

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Prior to joining the Duval County School Police in 2018, Sean worked for the Detroit Police Department, the Gainesville Police Department, and the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, where he obtained the rank of Captain.

MacMaster has held several leadership responsibilities since joining the district police department in 2018, including Eastside operations, officer recruitment and selection, police communications, and emergency preparedness.

He also assisted Chief Burton with the school safety specialists program. Since March, he has served as head of operations for the westside.

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The district has informed the Florida Department of Education Office of Safe Schools, of this temporary leadership change.

While the district does not release or share health information regarding students or employees, our thoughts and prayers are with Chief Burton and his family, DCPS stated in a news release.

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Lawmakers have asked President Biden to release Leonard Peltier. (Photo/File)

In advance of Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday, October 9, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Friday led a bipartisan, bicameral letter signed by 33 members of Congress to President Joe Biden requesting clemency or compassionate release for renowned Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who has been imprisoned for nearly 50 years.

The lawmakers wrote, in part:

As Members of Congress, we sign this letter with a deep commitment to the crucial role we play in upholding justice for all Americans  and to also hold our government accountable when we see a case of injustice, as demonstrated by the long incarceration of Leonard Peltier. We stand with the Tribal Nations of the United States, Indigenous voices worldwide, and leading voices on human rights and criminal justice around the globe in support of Mr. Peltiers release.

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.

Peltier was convicted and sentenced to two life sentences in 1977 for the murders of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents Ronald Williams and Jack Coler. The agents were killed on June 26, 1975 during a confrontation with members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in 1975.

His conviction followed a trial marked by procedural errors and a lack of evidence. As the authors note, Over the course of his incarceration, particularly in recent years, key figures involved in Mr. Peltiers prosecution have stepped forward to underscore the constitutional violations and prosecutorial misconduct that took place during the investigation and trial that led to his conviction.

Civil rights leaders across America and around the world, from Nelson Mandela to the Dalai Lama to Rev. Jesse Jackson, have condemned the verdict as a miscarriage of justicea miscarriage all too familiar to Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities.

Peltier is now 79 years-old and in deteriorating health, suffering from diabetes and hypertension, alongside other health issues. He has contracted COVID-19 several times since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

CLICK HERE for the full letter. Full text can also be found below this release.

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
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with the guests of the Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran

DUBAI (Reuters) - An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday congratulated Palestinian fighters for launching the biggest attack on Israel in years, the semi-official ISNA news site reported.

"We congratulate the Palestinian fighters," it quoted Yahya Rahim Safavi as saying. "We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem."

In a surprise assault, Palestinian group Hamas crossed into several Israeli towns on Saturday with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

Iran's state television showed parliament members rising from their seats on Saturday to chant "Death to Israel" and "Palestine is victorious, Israel will be destroyed".

(Editing by Jason Neely)
The state Attorney Generals Office has released a new composite sketch of a suspect in the 1960 rape and homicide of a teen girl in northwest Ohio.

The man has been accused of abducting 14-year-old Nancy Eagleson in November 1960 as she and her 5-year-old sister were walking home. Her body was found a day later in a wooded area roughly eight miles from where she was taken. An investigation showed she had been sexually assaulted.

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Now, her sister was able to work with law enforcement to help make a sketch of what she recalled the man looking like.

This man was seared into the memory of a young girl who survived a heinous crime many years ago. Now, thanks to forensic artistry at [the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation], we can see the suspected killer through her eyes and hopefully discover his identity, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said.

At the time of the abduction, Eaglesons sister remembered the suspect being an adult white male of a medium build. She also recalled him wearing church clothes, including a tie, overcoat, and fedora.

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She also described his vehicle as being a dark sedan with a winged back.

Yost and Paulding County Sheriff Jason Landers are asking for the publics help in identifying the suspect. Anyone with information on this case is asked to the Paulding County Sheriffs Office at (419)-399-3791.
DALE COUNTY, Ala (WDHN)  An Alabama couple is behind bars after deputies say they burned and abused three young children.

According to the Dale County Sheriffs Office, investigators and the Department of Human Resources recently received reports of an abuse case involving three children under 12 in Ariton.

4 members of a Florida family are sentenced for selling a fake COVID-19 cure through online church

Lt. Caroline Jackson says during an investigation, they discovered that 27-year-old Ashleigh Ableman and her boyfriend, 53-year-old Howard Anderson, had burned Ablemans three children with a blowtorch several times.

Lt. Jackson tells WDHN the burns were severe, and the children had signs of other kinds of abuse.

On Oct. 5, DCSO deputies executed a search warrant at a home in Ariton and arrested Ableman and Anderson. They are both charged with one count of torture/wilful abuse of a child.

Anderson and Ableman are currently held in the Dale County Jail without bond pending a first appearance. The investigation is still ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com.
A couple was celebrating their wedding day in Mississippi on Saturday when an alleged serial wedding crasher snuck in.

Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, has been accused of crashing weddings in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee and stealing money and cards from purses, according to the Pontotoc Sheriffs Department.

She was already wanted in Alabama, the department said, when she was caught with sticky fingers at Lexi Loden and Brady Butler's wedding in Pontotoc County.

"When Sandra turned around in the bridal room, she was eating a piece of my cake," said newlywed Lexi Loden Butler, who recalled how her sister caught Henson at her wedding at Lilly Creek Farm.

serial wedding crasher (Courtesy Florence, AL Police)

Henson was arrested Sept. 30 and charged with petit larceny, trespassing, and disturbing the peace, the sheriff's department said Monday.

Henson has since bonded out of jail, Sheriff Leo Mask said.

Last week's wedding was the latest in a string of wedding crashing incidents allegedly linked to Henson.

From what we understand, shes been charged with [wedding crashing] several times," Mask said. He said he was unsure about Henson's convictions because some cases were in other states.

Henson was on parole in Mississippi, where she'd been behind bars on burglary and grand larceny charges, according to state corrections department records.

In 2019, Henson was accused of taking gifts from two weddings in Alabama, the Florence Alabama Police Department said at the time. She was charged with two counts of property theft. The outcome of the cases was not immediately clear Friday night.

In 2021, Henson stole wedding gifts, cash and gift cards amounting to over $1,000 in her home state of Mississippi and was indicted on a charge of grand larceny. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Marshall County to five years' probation, court records show.

Henson was caught this time by Loden Butler's sister, who had entered the bridal suite to fix a bottle for her baby when she found Henson rummaging through belongings. Loden Butler said her sister asked Henson who she was at the wedding for and Henson replied "I'm here for Lexi."

After Henson failed to answer other questions about the wedding, Loden Butler said her sister got help from other family members. The wedding coordinator found that $200 had been taken out of her purse, which Henson initially denied when asked, Loden Butler said.

When threatened with calling the cops, she admitted to stealing $200 in cash, Kristian Joshlin, Loden Butler's other sister, said in an interview. Henson "had the money hidden in her bra.

Henson then pulled the $200 out of her bra and handed it to back to the family, Loden Butler said.

Joshlin said Henson begged the family not to call the police because she said she didn't want to "go back to jail." She said they notified the Pontotoc County police shortly after.

She apologized and talked about how good shed been doing lately, saying, 'Ive been going to church and doordashing,' Joshlin said.

Joshlin and Loden Butler said they think Henson got the information about the wedding online or from social media. In Henson's belongings, they said they found a notebook listing the locations of at least seven other weddings and couples in the area.

The notebook blew my mind and broke my heart at the same time, Loden Butler said. To have people have no idea that their name is in a book and that theyre a target ... to go that far and to be that deep with something like that.

Loden Butler said she was grateful that her family hid the incident from her and her new husband until the police arrived on the scene.

She said when her sister initially told her what had happened, she was concerned that Henson was just homeless or hungry and needed help. That was until Loden Butler's family started googling Henson's name and found the other alleged incidents.

"We were in complete shock to find out that she was a serial wedding Crasher and had even been dubbed the Mid-South Wedding Crasher," Joshlin said. "We are all still in a state of disbelief that this happened to us."

Mask, the sheriff, commended the family for taking charge of the situation until police arrived. They pretty much had their own security, he said.

Loden Butler said that although she felt robbed of some of her quality time with her family on her wedding day, she's nonetheless grateful for how they handled the situation.

"Did she ruin our day? Absolutely not," Loden Butler said. "The day was about me and Brady getting married and we had the best day ever."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A major police presence near an apartment complex on the Westside displaced dozens of residents for several hours today. Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said it was searching for a suspect in the area.

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One non-police official on scene told Action News Jax Jake Stofan that earlier, a suspect had barricaded themselves into one of the Valencia Way apartment units and police were attempting to get them out. There was a large police presence in the area for hours, all the while residents of the apartments were stuck waiting outside.

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Multiple police drones could be seen circling as a JSO command center and police battering ram vehicle were at the scene.

JSO hasnt officially released any information regarding the incident, though a non-law enforcement official at the scene told Action News Jax that JSO was searching for a suspect who had barricaded themselves in one of the apartment units.

Residents like Donnicke, who had to wait hours before being allowed to return home, said this isnt the first time shes seen something like this happen in this area.

Read: Former youth pastor and hospital nurse facing 10 more counts of sexual battery

This here always happens, Donnicke said. It dont never fails.

Action News Jax Jake Stofan asked if the situation was surprising in anyway?

No, Donnicke said.

If more information is released on this incident this story will be updated.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 21 Aqsa School volleyball players and fans celebrate winning their last game of the regular season against the Universal School in Bridgeview on Oct. 5, 2023. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Last fall, the varsity girls volleyball team at Asqa School in Bridgeview made it to the Illinois High School Association regionals, but lost. This year, the team is heading into the playoffs, hoping to go all the way, but it continues to face one big hurdle: It still doesnt have a gym.
The United States is rare among world democracies for maintaining a two-party stranglehold for most of its history.

There have always been a few niche parties, but they rarely make an impact.

In the 2020 presidential election, the Libertarian candidate received 1.2% of the votes, while the Green Party got 0.26%. Those numbers aint gonna cut it.

Yet if a third party ever had a chance in the big leagues, 2024 is it.

According to Gallup, nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults say Republicans and Democrats do such a poor job of representing the people that a third major party is needed.

President Donald Trump, left, and former Vice President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate of the 2020 election.

Democrats want a 3rd option, Republicans even more so

Obviously, registered independents are the most eager, 75% of whom agreed with the survey question. More interesting is that 58% of Republicans want a new option. That number jumped 13 points in the past year.

I suspect the number among Arizona Republicans is even higher. After losing the governors race, Kari Lake filed for a losing U.S. Senate campaign, after which shell lose a second run for governor.

Despite controlling the White House, Democrats arent far behind in their support for a viable third party. Last year, 40% agreed with the same survey question; today, 46% support it.

A second Gallup poll showed just 42% of Americans have a positive view of the GOP, while 40% have a positive view of Democratic Party. This is the perfect environment for an outsider candidate.

Election is far from set: Are Americans stuck with a Trump vs. Biden rematch in 2024? Not even close.

US history of third-party candidates isn't pretty

Of course, the challenges for any new party are legion. The states have varying and complex electoral laws, and theres little financial backing from money men profiting from political mess.

Another problem is third parties' traditional status as spoilers. Democrats pointed fingers at the Green Party for the close losses in 2016 and 2000. Republicans, meanwhile, were quick to blame Ross Perot for President Bill Clintons two victories.

Independent presidential candidate Ross Perot holds aloft a copy of the 1948 Chicago Daily Tribune newspaper proclaiming Thomas Dewey the winner over Harry Truman in that year's presidential election. Perot displayed the paper while addressing a rally Sunday, Nov. 1, 1992 in Long Beach, Calif.

Political nerds like me are still steamed at Teddy Roosevelts Bull Moose Party clearing the way for the odious Woodrow Wilson. (He was a truly awful president.)

As the country careens toward a depressing Biden-Trump rematch, there are few glimmers of hope. Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to announce an independent run, and Cornel West declared one earlier this year.

To put it politely, their appeal is limited.

We deserve a better candidate: Trump vs. Biden (again) is bad for America. We're ready with an alternative.

We can perhaps hope for ... a celebrity?

Its unsurprising so many Americans pine for a new option.

On the left side of the fence, we have a doddering president and congressmen hiding gold bars and pulling fire alarms. To the right, an orange loser under multiple indictments and Capitol Hill kamikazes crashing into their own flight decks.

Gaetz is ruining GOP: 2024 should be cakewalk for Republicans, but they're determined to give failing Dems a win

Watching the nonsense in Washington, most Americans wonder, Is this the best we can do? Last weeks antics by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., would get them fired from the graveyard shift at a Gila Bend truck stop.

Maybe the U.S. Congress was the only place that would take them.

Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

While the idea of a third party is nice to contemplate, there is currently no popular, apolitical leader able to rally an insurgent campaign. In the past, a general could return from some great victory and win acclaim by voters in both parties.

There are no Dwight D. Eisenhowers waiting in the wings.

A more current option would be a business leader who has avoided sullying him or herself with the messy world of politics. But people are as divided on the various tech CEOs as they are on officeholders.

That leaves celebrities, heaven help us. Maybe Tom Hanks could act like a good president for the next few years while both parties get their acts together.

Jon Gabriel, a Mesa resident, is editor-in-chief of Ricochet.com and a contributor to The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com

Jon Gabriel, a Mesa resident, is editor-in-chief of Ricochet.com and a contributor to The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, where this column first published. Find him on X, formerly Twitter: @exjon

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Republican, Democrat support for third party is up. Could it happen?
34-year-old Suzanne Kjellenberg has been identified as one of the victims of the "Happy Face Killer" after 29 years of going unknown.

A new victim has been connected to convicted Oregon serial killer Keith Jesperson, also known as the Happy Face Killer.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office and the District 1 Medical Examiner's Office last week announced the identity of the victim as 34-year-old Suzanne L. Kjellenburg. Her remains were found in Okaloosa County, Fla., in 1994, and her murder had gone unsolved.

"Suzanne deserves a voice," Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said. "We're that voice for her today and this case has been years in the making."

Background of the Happy Face Killer

Jesperson, 68, is already serving several life sentences without the possibility of parole for murders in Oregon, California and Wyoming. He has been incarcerated at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem since 1995.

He gained notoriety during the 1990s for preying on multiple women throughout the Pacific Northwest. He worked as a long-haul truck driver and is connected to eight strangulation murders of women in Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming and Nebraska.

He got the name "Happy Face Killer" for drawing happy faces in letters in which he boasted of committing five murders on the West Coast.

In 2006, Jesperson wrote a letter to the Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office in California as well as former Statesman Journal reporter Jan Davies admitting to sexually assaulting and killing an unknown woman along a dirt turnout between Dinosaur Point and El Toro on Highway 152 in California, southeast of San Jose.

He pleaded guilty to first-degree homicide the following year for killing the unidentified woman known as Blue Pacheco," named for the denim she was wearing and the nickname of Highway 152, Pacheco Pass Highway.

California authorities in 2022 uncovered the identity of Oregon woman Patricia Skiple, who was one of the multiple victims of the "Happy Face Killer" in the 1990s.

The woman last year was determined to be Colton, Ore., mother Patricia Skiple, thanks to assistance from Santa Clara Sheriff's Office cold case detectives and DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit that provides investigative geology services to identify crime victims. She was about 45 at the time of her death.

Jesperson was also convicted of killing Laurie Ann Pentland, 23, of Carlton, whose body was found Nov. 14, 1992, behind an east Salem store, and Taujna Bennett, 23, of Portland, in 1990.

Suzanne L. Kjellenburg's death, identification

In August 1994, Jesperson picked up Kjellenberg, who was best described as a drifter in Tampa. Authorities believe she was raped, beaten and then strangled before her body was dumped in a wooden area off Interstate 10 near Holt, Fla.

Kjellenburg is believed to be the sixth of eight victims of Jespersen.

In 1994, the Medical Examiner's Office received the skeletal remains and sent them to the University of Florida. The initial analysis showed that the remains were of a white female in the age range of 35 to 55. A clay reconstruction of her face was made, but there were no leads.

In 1996, Jesperson admitted to killing Kjellenburg and told investigators that she referred to herself as either "Susan or Suzette."

In 2007, a new facial reconstruction was created, but to no avail. One year later, the Medical Examiner's Office sent additional anthropological analysis to the University of West Florida, and specimens were also sent to the FBI for DNA analysis and entry into the National Missing Persons DNA Database.

In late 2022, Dr. Deanna Oleske, the chief medical examiner for District 1, was at the National Association for Medical Examiners conference. A new approach for identifying remains through genealogy was discussed . Six weeks after the remains were sent to Othram, a company that uses this method, it made the identification of Kjellenberg.

"It was unbelievable," Oleske said. "I had no idea we would do it in six weeks."

What's next?

A news release from Florida officials notes that Jesperson has been charged with the murder of Kjellenberg. Officials will be working with the Oregon Department of Corrections to arrange prosecution in Florida. It is not expected that he will be extradited to Florida.

The family of Kjellenberg has been notified of the investigation and, according to the release, has expressed gratitude for the perseverance of the investigators. The family has also asked for privacy at this time.

Statesman Journal senior news editor Alia Beard Rau contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Florida woman identified as victim of Oregon 'Happy Face Killer'
Michael Benz, a former Trump State Department official whose work has been cited in congressional hearings and promoted by Elon Musk , has become a go-to voice for Republican criticism of government and social media censorship in the past year.

But before his stints in government and as a pundit, Benz appears to have been a pseudonymous alt-right content creator who courted and interacted with white nationalists and posted videos espousing racist conspiracy theories, according to recordings, livestreams and blog posts reviewed by NBC News.

The pseudonym, Frame Game, posted videos and participated in podcasts and livestreams during the rise of the alt-right following Donald Trumps election. Frame Game avoided showing his face in his videos or appearances, during which he pushed a variety of far-right narratives including the Great Replacement Theory that posits the white race is being eradicated in America for politics and profits. In others, Frame Game said he was a white identitarian, railed against the idea of diversity and made montages urging white viewers to unite under the banner of race.

In interviews with white nationalists, Frame Game blamed Jews for controlling the media and for the decline of the white race. If you were to remove the Jewish influence on the West, he said in one video, white people would not face the threat of white genocide that they currently do.

Frame Game stopped posting in 2018. A review of his content revealed various details that match Benzs appearance and life story. Benz, in his public posts and appearances, has not espoused the same racist views as Frame Game.

Frame Game went to some lengths to conceal his identity but inadvertent slips during several livestreams  in which he would often visit webpages and toggle between browser tabs  betrayed his anonymity. In one video, Frame Game brought up a website that automatically pulled a Facebook profile picture into its comments section. The picture appeared to be Benz with his then wife.

Benzs voice is also similar to Frame Games. The clip below is taken from the above video:

And this clip is taken from a video Benz posted to X.

In other videos, as Frame Game toggled windows, he displayed a web browser that showed the username Mike. In another instance, a profile page showed him signed into a browser as Michael. In one instance, Mike can be seen in the browser alongside a separate browser window thats logged into Twitter displaying Frame Games avatar of a person in a green hoodie.

A screenshot of a browser window showing the display name

In podcasts and on social media, Frame Game divulged other biographical information that mirrors details found in Benzs public records and archived social media accounts. Frame Game often shared his background as a Jewish attorney living in New York City and told interviewers he had studied psychology at an Ivy League college, graduating magna cum laude. These details match an archived LinkedIn profile for Benz, which said he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelors degree in psychology.

An acquaintance of Benz, who asked not to be named because of fear of backlash from Benzs followers, told NBC News that Benz had once told them he published online under the name Frame Game.

Reached by phone, Benz declined to speak to a reporter saying he was very busy. When asked if he had a comment on his previous writings as Frame Game, Benz hung up. He did not respond to voice messages and text messages with a detailed list of questions.

Hours after publication on Friday, Benz posted a lengthy statement confirming his connection to the Frame Game account. He said the account was a covert effort intended to somehow combat the anti-semitism it espoused. The account in question was a project by Jews to get people who hated Jews to stop hating Jews, he wrote. Let me be clear: I am extremely proud of this.

Benz, 39, has positioned himself as a leading voice for many conservatives by tapping into a broader right-wing wave of disaffection with perceived social media and government censorship. He heads a group dedicated to the subject, has been featured as an expert in dozens of news stories and spearheaded efforts to bring attention and pressure upon people and organizations involved in social media moderation.

Benz and his organization were also cited in reports and witness testimony from the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, led by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, as well as the Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. Benz also amplified the Twitter Files, documents released by Musk that revealed internal debates about content moderation and communications with outside organizations, governments, journalists and researchers. For months, in videos and threads posted to Twitter, Benz has framed those internal debates as grand conspiracies and maligned the academic researchers and institutions involved as government spies and plants.

Beyond the censorship debate, Benz has posted videos alleging a variety of shadowy doings in line with broader far-right paranoia around many hot-button issues. One video connecting criticism of Musk to a conspiracy theory around Ukraine and global energy markets was reposted by Musk, who added: Interesting perspective.

There have been a handful of intellectuals and experts who have risen to some prominence on the right and were later outed for their previous extremist rhetoric.

The slow normalization of extremist figures who become part of the fabric of our discourse are moving our discourse further and further to the right, and their tactics are becoming embedded into our institutions, said Nora Benavidez, the senior counsel at Free Press, a digital civil rights organization.

A review of Frame Game posts and appearances from 2017 to 2018 ran the gamut of alt-right causes from rants against social justice movements, the media and Disney films, to praise for Trump and odes to cryptocurrency.

In a blog post from 2017, Frame Game described himself as a Jew who is deeply sympathetic to the AltRights accurate depiction of the double-edged nature of Jewish influence on Europe and America. A former self-described libertarian, Frame Game credited alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos as putting the puzzle together and opening his eyes.

In the same 2017 blog, Frame Game railed against the censorship of his channel and of alt right ideas. Frame Game specifically mentioned Reddit banning the alt right community and quarantining a pro-Donald Trump community, Facebooks fact-checking efforts, and Twitters Trust and Safety Counsel and its consultation with the Jewish censorship squad Anti-Defamation League.

The Anti-Defamation League has been a frequent target of Benzs ire in recent livestreams.

The fight for white identity would mean a battle for the soul of the internet itself, Frame Game wrote in 2017. Frame Game sometimes referred to himself as alt-lite, a play on alt-right, a community that was resistant even to Jewish people who sympathized with them.

Frame Game was promoted by alt-right leaders including Richard Spencer, who led torch-carrying white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, and has appeared often on podcasts of white supremacists including Patrick Casey of the group then known as Identity Evropa, which helped plan the deadly Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville. On Canadian white-supremacist Jean-Francois Gariepys podcast, Frame Game discussed his views that whites are being systematically replaced by nonwhites  which he claimed Jews were responsible for.

If I, a Jew, a member of the Tribe, Hebrew Schooled, can read Mein Kampf & think holy shit, Hitler actually had some decent points. Then NO ONE is safe from hating you once they find out who is behind the White genocide happening all over the world, he wrote in another post.

In interviews with white nationalists, Frame Game said that he doesnt share the same end goals, such as a white ethnostate.

I want white identity politics to grow like wildfire, he said in an interview with a white nationalist publication in 2018, adding that his goals werent a white ethnostate, but a stop to ethnic identity politics in America and to reverse white demographic suicide.

Look, were in different movements, but theres overlap Frame Game told the interviewer, an avowed white nationalist. I just want white positivity to be normal instead of white toxicity. If you want something more than that, cool.

Frame Games online persona began to run into some of the same issues that Benz would later rail against: social media moderation. The rise of the alt-right online and the proliferation of hate speech triggered calls from civil society organizations and politicians for companies to take action. Many did, instituting new policies and punishments that began to limit the kind of content that Frame Game propagated.

By 2018, Frame Game had received multiple warnings and strikes on his YouTube videos. He posted that titles like How White People Turned Alt-Right were being censored. Sometime in the fall of 2018, Frame Game made his videos private and seemingly stepped away from the channel altogether. Many of his videos have been archived or republished on alternative platforms. Frame Game also disappeared from Twitter.

YouTube did not respond to a request for comment.

By winter 2018, Benz had taken a job as an assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, writing speeches for then-Secretary Ben Carson. He left in 2020 and went to the Department of State, where he held the position of deputy assistant secretary for international communications and information technology for less than a year.

Benz parlayed his credentials  a background in law and a short stint in government  into a self-styled position of cyber-expert and offered his positions to a new group of lawmakers, activists and journalists fighting against what they have deemed the censorship industrial complex.

In April 2022, Benz registered the Foundation for Freedom Online, a group of unknown size that describes itself as offering nonpartisan insights and assistance to all peoples taking a stand for freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and the free exchange of ideas online. Thus far, the foundation seems a vehicle for blog posts from Benz that have been promoted by Republican lawmakers in at least two official reports on alleged mass censorship.

Benz also connected through Twitter spaces with Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger, two of the people whom Elon Musk had tapped to report out the so-called Twitter Files. In March, Shellenberger appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and explained the importance of Benz to the Twitter Files reporting, misstating his credentials as the head of cyber at the State Department, a senior guy named Mike Benz.

It was hard to understand, Shellenberger said of Benzs research, which draws far-reaching links between disinformation researchers, Twitter employees and state intelligence agencies, suggesting a widespread conspiracy. You have to really go through it in a packet. I used a bunch of it in my testimony. I talked to him. I interviewed him a lot.

Benz appeared in the audience behind Shellenberger and Taibbi at a March hearing before the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, nodding along as Shellenberger testified.

He was quoted in reports that questioned the very existence of disinformation and disparaged researchers, texts that were later used as evidence in House and Senate committee hearings, including Jordans weaponization subcommittee.

When reached for comment about Benz and his connections to Frame Game, Shellenberger said in an email: Mike Benz has done some of the best research of anyone exposing the Censorship Industrial Complex, and I was glad to draw from it for our own reporting about the ways in which the US government and its proxies coerce and inspire censorship by social media companies of disfavored views and voices. I have no knowledge of Benzs other views and am skeptical they would change my view of his research into the Censorship Industrial Complex.

Taibbi did not respond to a request for comment.

Benz has gotten the attention of Musk, too. The billionaire owner of the X platform has publicly replied to some of Benzs posts on the platform. Benz at one point tweeted about how the leader of Xs team meant to deal with disinformation and election integrity, claiming they were trying to rig election discourse on X.

That person and others on the team were later fired, with Musk posting that the team was undermining election integrity.

Benz has amassed 99,000 followers on X and has been featured in scores of interviews with Fox News, OANN, Real Americas Voice and The Epoch Times.

A few in his former audience said they recognize Benz.

Dude, loved your old YouTube channel back in the before times, any chance of donning the green hoodie again? one user posted to X in September in response to a post from Benz.

In 2017, Frame Game tweeted his concern over what information might be unearthed about him in 10 years.

This is my story, he wrote.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A man who was arrested last Sunday for spewing antisemitic slurs in front of a Sunny Isles Beach synagogue and threatening congregants on their way to Shabbat services will face felony charges under a new Florida law enacted earlier this year.

The defendant, Yudel Antonio Herrero, 47, was charged with a misdemeanor for disturbing a religious assembly, but the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office said the charges will be upgraded to a third-degree felony under a new Florida statute that allows certain offenses to be re-classified as hate crimes and punishable by enhanced penalties.

Witnesses told police that Yudel approached multiple men on their way to King David Chabad and yelled all Jews must die and other antisemitic slurs. Yudel, serial-harasser of the synagogue, disturbed the service by blowing the shofar, or rams horn, a ritual thats performed during the High Holy Days and refused to leave after the rabbi asked him to, according to the arrest report.

READ NEXT: Man accused of maligning Jews at South Florida temple faces felony charge under new law

Upgrading the misdemeanor charge to a felony is one of the first uses of the hate crime law in Miami-Dade since it was enacted earlier this year, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office.

Before House Bill 269, this would have remained as a misdemeanor. And a misdemeanor is a misdemeanor, youre not going to do time, said James Somohano, director of community security for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. The new legislation makes it possible for that misdemeanor to be bumped up to a felony hate crime ... And thats a serious offense in Miami-Dade.

Somohanos role, the first of its kind at the Jewish Federation, is to help local synagogues, agencies and schools stay prepared against attacks. He said a big part of his job is acting as a liaison between the Jewish community and law enforcement when dealing with hate crimes, as well as educating police on the new enhanced penalties.

The reason that its important to have the statute is because we have seen such an elevation in antisemitic harassment and crimes. HB 269 is a fantastic tool, but it cant stop there. There needs to be more, said Somohano, referencing the bill that became law. Before joining the Federation, Somohano worked in Miami-Dade law enforcement for over 36 years.

Religious hate crimes on rise

Nationally, hate crime incidents are on the rise, increasing almost 12 percent from 2020 to 2021, according to an FBI report on 2021 hate crimes. Religious-based hate crimes made up a little over 15 percent of all incidents. Though Jews make up less than 3 percent of the U.S. population, anti-Jewish incidents accounted for over half of all religious hate crimes, the report said.

Antisemitic incidents are at an all-time high in Florida, according to a 2022 audit released earlier this year from the Anti-Defamation League, a nonprofit that tracks and combats antisemitism and other acts of hate. Last year, Florida saw 269 acts related to assault, harassment and vandalism  a 42 percent increase since 2021 and the highest number of recorded antisemitic incidents since ADL began tracking them in 1979.

Many hate crimes target victims simply for who they, while intimidating entire communities, said Lonny Wilk, deputy regional director of ADL in Florida.

Hate crime laws, which increase penalties or sentences from criminals who commit them, are a way for society to recognize that these crimes strike fear in targeted groups and fragment communities, he said.

A man shows up with a Come and Take It flag with an automatic weapon on it in response to the Anti-Hate March led by We the People on Sunday, July 2, 2023, in downtown Fort Lauderdale. A protester in the background was carrying a sign that said, Ban guns not drag queens.

Heres what to know about the newly expanded Florida hate crime laws:

What is the new Florida law?

Florida statute 784.0493  Harassment or intimidation based on religious or ethnic heritage  is a part of House Bill 269, the Public Nuisances bill, which was signed into law on May 1 and went into effect immediately. The law covers a variety of crimes, including dumping litter on private property and making threats to public universities.

The statute relates to religious or ethnic-based hate crimes and states that someone who willfully and maliciously harasses or intimidates another person based on their religion or ethnicity can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor. But if the person, while committing the harassment, makes a credible threat to the other parties, then the violation is a third-degree felony.

Another new state law, Florida statute 775.085, reclassifies hate crime offenses to include harsher punishments. For example, a second-degree misdemeanor is now reclassified to a first-degree misdemeanor  a charge treated with more severity  and a first-degree misdemeanor is reclassified to a third-degree felony, and so on.

What makes something a hate crime?

Hate crime offenses in Florida include acts committed based on the race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, or advanced age of the victim. This kind of crime might look like a group of white teenagers threatening a Black teenager while using racial slurs, a gay man who is physically assaulted in front of a gay bar, or a bomb threat called into an Islamic center, according to the State Attorneys website.

Hate speech alone would not constitute a hate crime under the First Amendment. But hate speech coupled with another offense, such as defacing public property or harassment, is considered a hate crime.

Unless it falls into one of these other categories of unprotected speech, just saying hateful things about a group of people is protected in the United States. Thats First Amendment law, said Caroline Mala Corbin, professor of law at the University of Miami School of Law.

Categories of unprotected speech include true threats, defamation and inciting lawless action.

The United States is unusually protective of free speech, much more so than most other countries, said Corbin. And one of the consequences of that is hate speech is protected.

As of this year, under the Hate Crimes Reporting Act, Florida now requires the state government and law enforcement to collect and disseminate data on all hate crimes. Miami-Dade County also has a Hate Crimes Unit Hot line (786) 687-2566.

What else does the law do?

The law also makes changes to an existing statute, which prohibits someone from maliciously interrupting any school or religious assembly, such as a church service or funeral.

The main changes include a penalty increase from a second-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree misdemeanor and allowing the person to be charged with a third-degree felony if the violator makes a credible threat.

Will the law deter hate crimes from happening?

Whether the law will act as a deterrent remains to be seen, but experts says the law is key toward combating hate crimes.

It is essential that law enforcement have the tools that are needed to effectively prosecute hate crimes, said Brian Siegal, Miami-Broward regional director of the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group. Many synagogues and other Jewish institutions have been forced to take extreme security measures because of such threats. We want to send a clear signal that religiously motivated attacks have no place in Florida.

But many advocacy groups believe the hate crime laws in Florida dont go far enough.

Floridas hate crime law is not comprehensive, said Wilk of the ADL. It does not cover the categories of gender, gender identity and physical disability.

Additionally, it takes time to inform the public and the police about the new laws, which is the case with House Bill 269, said Somohano, the federations new security director.

Its not that law enforcement doesnt want to pursue individuals that commit these crimes, its that sometimes they are unaware of all of the tools that they have, said Somohano. More and more agencies are aware of House Bill 269. More and more of them are looking for how to properly apply it.

This report was created with philanthropic support from Christian, Muslim and Jewish funders in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald retains editorial control of all work.
The Arizona Humane Society's director of field operations, Tracey Miiller, speaks to the media at the Humane Society's South Mountain location in Phoenix on Sept. 23, 2023. She informed the press about an operation with the Chandler Police Department to seize 55 dogs during a rescue the day before.

On Wednesday, the Arizona Humane Society released three dogs that were seized in the raid of April McLaughlin's home back to their former rescue groups.

The Humane Society said Kiska was from a rescue group in Alaska, and Jackson and Hopper were from a rescue group in California.

Bella Vita Rescue, the owners of Hopper and Jackson, posted to their Instagram that the two dogs have left their attorney's veterinary hospital and will be kept with a foster until they can return home. The post said Hopper had a brain tick, multiple sores on his legs and paws, and bacteria in his lungs. They said Jackson had a chronic ear infection and multiple legions and open sores on his legs and body.

According to the Humane Society, McLaughlin requested a hearing in response to the 55 dogs seized from her home on Sept. 22. She has requested the return of the 47 dogs.

"While we cannot speculate on her reasoning, we can tell you that the Arizona Humane Society was awarded custody of 13 dogs on Tuesday," their statement read. "Five of those were the dogs found in a freezer at McLaughlin's residence."

The Humane Society said out of the remaining eight dogs, one was humanely euthanized and that their team has begun the process of reuniting the seven remaining dogs with their former owners or rescue groups.

The Humane Society has reported that a court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 11. If the owner is found to have violated the Arizona Animal Cruelty law, the court may decide to terminate her rights to the dogs.

"The legal process can cause frustration, and we too empathize with others in the community, especially in this heartbreaking case," a portion of their statement read. "We all desire justice to be served."

The City of Chandler launched a webpage to address the questions surrounding McLaughlin's case. More information can be found at https://www.chandleraz.gov/government/city-managers-office/community-of-innovation/animals.

Learn more about the case: 'The warrant could not have come soon enough': More than 50 dogs seized from Chandler home

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Humane Society reunites 3 dogs with their former rescues
On Sept. 21, in a magnificent military ceremony, General Thierry Burkhard , chief of the Defense Staff of France, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. He was accompanied by U.S. General Mark Milley , chairman of our Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior officers.

In contrast to Franco-American policy conflicts over the decades, this significant event has received almost no media attention.

In 2021, France denounced Australias decision to purchase nuclear submarines from the United States and Britain. This meant the cancellation of purchase for French conventional submarines.

Arthur I. Cyr

In 2015, France agreed to supply two aircraft carriers to Russia. Paris canceled that deal only after sustained pressure from allies.

France began a singular, independent course after General Charles de Gaulle became president in 1958, during severe national crisis. In the midst of growing acrimony, in 1966 France demanded that NATO depart the nation. Alliance headquarters moved to Belgium.

However, in 2009, France returned to full participation in the alliance. This is another key point.

Breaking away from NATO was central to de Gaulles strategy. The dedicated leader of the Free French during World War II returned to national leadership in a time of grave crisis  and chaos. Defeat by Germany, then again in 1954 by communist revolutionaries in Indochina, another enervating war in Algeria, and the revolving door character of post-war governments all contributed to the perception that France was a crippled member of the Atlantic alliance.

After returning to power, de Gaulle skillfully employed a three-pronged strategy involving image, institutions and foreign policy. His remarkable career and personality permitted him to appeal simultaneously to French traditions of monarchism, patriotism and populism. He was aloof and also often imperious, yet skillfully used popular referenda. Enormous prestige facilitated dramatic political moves.

De Gaulle established the Fifth Republic, including a new constitution granting exceptional executive power to the president. He rebuilt French self-confidence through emphasis on the force de frappe, the independent national nuclear force, plus diplomacy. The nuclear deterrent became a potent symbol of national pride and independence.

Except for Britain, a unique special partner, the United States has opposed other nations development of nuclear weapons. The Kennedy administration was aggressive compared to the nonconfrontational Eisenhower administration in pressing U.S. policies on Europe.

The resulting clash between JFK and de Gaulle made for dramatic political theatre. Magnetic personalities were involved, but so were profound differences.

Along with rejoining NATO, the government of France announced financial compensation for people suffering ill health from Frances nuclear tests in the atmosphere. Previously, there was a refusal to acknowledge health risks.

De Gaulles legacy includes todays powerful political institutions and support of NATO from a position of strength. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, French aircraft patrolled North American air space. France actively supports the defense of Ukraine.

Crack French troops have been successful in Mali and other parts of Africa.

In 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development began. France is a leading founder of this effort to spur investment in Eastern Europe.

In contrast to the Cold War, enormous economic incentives keep investment capital moving across borders, and across the Atlantic. Europes and the Atlantic areas economic and military security organizations are strong.

As we committed significant combat forces to the Vietnam war in 1965, U.S. military officers sneered at the alleged weakness of France, defeated there in 1954.

We learned our attitude was mistaken.

Learn More: Stanley Hoffmann (Editor), In Search of France

 Arthur I. Cyr is author of After the Cold War (NYU Press and Palgrave/Macmillan). Contact acyr@carthage.edu.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Arthur Cyr: The complex French connection
Artwork believed to be stolen during the Holocaust from a Jewish art collector and entertainer have been rightly returned to the Nazi victims heirs after a 17-year battle with Oberlin College.

The Nazis first stole the drawing, "Girl With Black Hair," by Austrian Expressionist Egon Schiele, from Fritz Grunbaum, a prominent Jewish art collector and cabaret artist, under the Nazi confiscation of Jewish property. Grunbaum died at the Dachau concentration camp in Germany in 1941.

The Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin  a private liberal arts college in Ohio  contains 15,000 items in its collection, including for several decades, "Girl With Black Hair."

Girl With Black Hair, by Austrian Expressionist Egon Schiele, was the subject of a criminal seizure warrant out of the Manhattan District Attorneys office.

The Equal Protection Project (EPP) of the Legal Insurrection Foundation President William Jacobson told Fox News Digital that the art museum first bought the drawing in the late 1950s from an art dealer in France.

"They bought it, according to the court papers, in the late fifties from an art dealer in Paris, which of course should have raised flags," Jacobson said. "Any art purchased in immediate postwar Europe you would know to check the provenance of it to make sure it wasn't Nazi looted art."

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Jacobson said the Allen Memorial Art Museum was notified about the stolen piece from family members of Grunbaum "no later than 2006."

Court documents show the college's refusal to return the artwork in both 2006 and 2009, after Grunbaum family members requested the museum return it.

In 2016, Congress passed the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act (HEAR Act). The act provides victims of Nazi-era persecution and their heirs a fair and just opportunity to recover art stolen from their ancestors.

A bust and paintings inside the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, Ohio.

Under the HEAR Act, Grunbaum's family sued Oberlin in 2022 for the artwork.

"The Grunbaum estate sued Oberlin College in late 2022, and Oberlin has been fighting the lawsuit," Jacobson said. "(Oberlin) has been fighting it for about nine months. Still refusing to give it back."

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In September, the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office served a criminal seizure warrant to seize the disputed drawing.

Warrants issued by Bragg's office said there is reasonable cause to believe that the artwork is stolen property. Prosecutors believe they have jurisdiction, because the artwork was bought and sold by Manhattan art dealers at some point, the Associated Press reported.

Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College in Ohio.

"Oberlin College announced, consistent with their position for 17 years, that 'this is rightfully ours, we lawfully own it, and we're not giving it back,'" Jacobson said. "And that changed, after the criminal warrant.

"But the reality is they've been fighting this for 17 years," Jacobson added. "They fought it in civil court, in federal court, and they only gave in when they were going to look really bad, when all the world knew that they had stolen a painting looted by the Nazis from a concentration camp."

Earlier this week, the college announced its plan to voluntarily return the drawing to the Grunbaum family.

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Oberlin College said it "invested significant resources" in the history of the artwork and "concluded it had been lawfully acquired."

"Oberlin College purchased Egon Schieles drawing Girl with Black Hair in 1958. When questions relating to the artwork's ownership came to light in the years that followed, Oberlin invested significant resources researching the history of its sale and purchase and concluded it had been lawfully acquired," a spokesperson for the college said.

"This artwork was purchased for Oberlins Allen Memorial Art Museum by Charles Parkhurst, director of the museum from 1949 to 1962. As one of the Monuments Men, he was celebrated for tracking down and returning art looted by Nazis in WWII," the spokesperson added. "It is inconceivable that Parkhurst would have knowingly purchased any artwork that he believed might have been stolen."

A woman sat on a bench looking at artwork in the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College.

Oberlin said that once the Manhattan District Attorney's Office began investigating the artwork, it voluntarily returned the drawing.

"The Manhattan District Attorney's Office, through its ongoing investigation, has nonetheless raised questions about the ownership of Girl with Black Hair," the spokesperson continued. "As a result, we are voluntarily returning the drawing. We hope this will provide some measure of closure to the family of Fritz Grunbaum."

Jacobson noted the irony of the situation due to Oberlin College being "one of the most virtue signaling progressive colleges in the country."

The college recently voluntarily returned a Native American craft to the Nez Perce tribe.

"They had a whole symposium bragging about the fact that they're giving this bag back to the Nez Perce tribe. And I don't criticize them for giving it back," Jacobson said. "I think the point is, look how they're treating that tribe as opposed to this family who is trying to get back the property stolen from their immediate ancestor."

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.





Original article source: Artwork believed stolen during Holocaust returned after 17-year fight with Ohio college
An unprecedented attack by Hamas militants in Israel has resulted in at least 40 people killed and hundreds of people injured. Many armed people are attacking houses in the south of the country.

Source: The Times of Israel

Details: Hamas has been launching attacks on Israel for over eight hours.

The Ministry of Health of Israel reported that 545 people have been hospitalised since the beginning of the massive Hamas attack.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) reported that they have launched 17 attacks on military targets and four Hamas headquarters in the Gaza Strip, as well as on other targets.

IDF says it struck 17 military compounds and four headquarters belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, among other targets. pic.twitter.com/NtWCfNKy1C  Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

They also launched a series of attacks on several Hamas militants from UAVs.

The Hamas terrorist group posted footage showing its members capturing Israeli soldiers and civilians.

Militants filmed how they dropped a bomb from a drone on a military ambulance, injuring Israeli soldiers.

Hamas publishes a video showing it dropping a bomb from a drone on a military ambulance near the Gaza border, wounding troops. pic.twitter.com/5jJJnsBtbP  Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

A video with civilians killed in the middle of the road, where the militants decided to ambush them, also surfaced on the Internet.

TV channels are broadcasting footage showing a bulldozer breaching a border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

      , :       https://t.co/CaYiC9bCPi pic.twitter.com/p5dBmiy3rZ   - N12 (@N12News) October 7, 2023

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed people again and asked them to keep calm and unite for the sake of victory.

Iran, in its turn, expressed its support for Hamas.

Schools and kindergartens will be closed across the country on Sunday 8 October.

Background: On the morning of 7 October, missiles were launched en masse from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas militants, and fires surged through Israeli cities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a public statement concerning the wave of attacks by Hamas, saying that the country is at war, but they will prevail.

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Smoke rises over Gaza City on Saturday during Israeli airstrikes in response to an assault by Hamas militants. (Mahmud Hams / AFP/Getty Images)

Local leaders in Southern California swiftly denounced Hamas militants and increased security around Jewish institutions Saturday hours after a deadly attack killed at least 700 Israelis in the Middle East, with more than 400 in Gaza killed in counterattacks.

I join voices across the nation condemning this horrific attack on Israel, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Saturday in a statement. The Los Angeles region has the second largest Jewish population outside of Israel, and many families are anxiously awaiting developments as they unfold. My thoughts are with those families this morning. Angelenos stand with those under siege mourning loss. May their memories be a blessing."

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said Saturday that the department added extra patrols to areas of the city that serve Jewish and Muslim communities.

In Beverly Hills, where police also stepped up security, Mayor Julian Gold called on President Biden and Congress to act swiftly in support of Israel.

"Our hearts are with the people of Israel as we stand together and support Israel defending itself and condemn this heinous act," Gold said in a statement.

Read more: News Analysis: Sudden war in Israel and Gaza upends region's diplomatic, political calculations

News reports from Jerusalem indicated that some 2,000 Israelis had been injured as Palestinian Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent fighters into Israel from the Gaza Strip in a coordinated and sophisticated assault Saturday that shocked Israel, sent residents fleeing and left bodies on the streets. Militants also captured an unknown number of Israeli hostages. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Israel in years.

On Sunday, Israel fired a relentless barrage of bombs on the Gaza Strip and formally declared war on Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said Gaza's rulers had "launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens."

In a statement, Netanyahu said he ordered security to clear out the communities infiltrated by terrorists and ordered an "extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known."

The death toll in Gaza on Sunday was 413, health officials said, with 2,000 others in the enclave wounded.

Read more: Hundreds dead after surprise attack by Hamas and Israeli retaliation. We're at war, Netanyahu says

Brian Levin, former director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino, said Saturday that he was shocked and saddened to wake up to images of fire and violence overseas.

As a citizen of the world who has been working with diverse groups here and elsewhere to promote peace, it's beyond heartbreaking, Levin said. But additionally, as a Jewish person whose father was a POW to the Nazis and has relatives who have faced the horror of the Holocaust, to see photos of bloodied women and elderly grandmothers held hostage is jarring. So I guess I have two incredible disappointments.

Levin, who has long studied hate crime trends in the U.S., expressed fear that a prolonged conflict could lead to racial or religiously motivated violence in California and elsewhere. He pointed to data that showed antisemitic hate crimes in New York and Los Angeles boomed in May 2021, as violence broke out along the Gaza Strip.

On Saturday, inside Al Baraka restaurant in Anaheims Little Arabia neighborhood  a stretch of Brookhurst Avenue home to an array of Palestinian-, Egyptian- and Yemeni-owned businesses  owner Aref Mohammad had a large television tuned to Al Jazeera reports for hours.

Aref Mohammad, owner of Al Baraka restaurant in Anaheim, had a large television tuned to Al Jazeera reports for hours. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Mohammad's sister and brother live in Gaza, and he called them nearly every hour to make sure they were safe.

At a nearby table, a Palestinian man named Nazeeh called the Hamas strikes a tragedy as he sat with his family at a long table with half-finished plates of hummus and tabbouleh. But he cautioned that the violence, while worthy of condemnation, is far from isolated: The failure of the Israeli and U.S. governments to find a peaceable solution to the long-running dispute played a major factor in the latest bloodshed, he said.

Its like kids with a beach ball that they keep pushing under the water; eventually its going to pop back up, said Nazeeh, who asked to withhold his last name for fear that his businesses could be harmed by speaking out.

People in the Gaza Strip live in a big prison, he said. Its a human tragedy on both sides. Killing children is a tragedy. Innocent people are getting crushed.

Down the street, barber Ahmad Abusadeh said he hadnt watched a single news report since his friend called to alert him to the attacks. Hes fed up with a conflict he said is fostered by the Palestinian and Israeli governments  one that civilians pay for in blood.

Barber Ahmad Abusadeh says he hasn't watched a single news report since his friend called to alert him to the attacks. "This will never, ever stop," says Abusadeh, 42, while cutting hair on Saturday in Anaheim. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

This will never, ever stop, Abusadeh, 42, said as he threw his hands up in frustration. Theres no safety over there.

I dont care about Hamas. I dont care about the army, he added. I care about the normal people.

Although Saturday's deadly attack surprised Israeli military leaders, known for their network of informants and intelligence-gathering operations in the Palestinian territories, the attack itself wasn't surprising given the escalating violence and despair felt in the region, said Yousef Munayyer.

Munayyer, head of the Palestine/Israel program at research nonprofit Arab Center Washington DC, said Palestinians had been warning of such an outcome for years, and regional leaders warned officials as recently as a few weeks ago at the United Nations that "if we don't pay attention to this issue, there's going to be an explosion in the region."

In August, Tor Wennesland, United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, warned officials that Palestinians and Israelis are killed and injured in near-daily violence, noting that Palestinian and Israeli fatalities in 2023 had already surpassed 2022s annual figures.

This violence is fueled and exacerbated by a growing sense of despair about the future, Wennesland said.

Munayyer said these moments don't make headlines to grab the attention of U.S. policymakers, who make empty statements not followed up with meaningful action to "take a leadership role in demanding a genuine resolution to this issue by applying international law and by insisting the human rights are respected."

Munayyer said Palestianians live under military occupation that affects essentially every aspect of daily living  regardless of whether there's a bombardment.

In Gaza, drones hover in the sky, and Israeli naval ships are "picking off fishermen on the waters off Gaza," and farmers along the fence that separates the Gaza Strip from Israel are often attacked by Israeli forces, he said.

The West Bank, which is slightly smaller than Delaware, has a ground presence of Israeli troops and some 500 checkpoints, which are randomly closed, meaning families trying to visit each other might have to take three trips to find an open route amid the checkpoints.

"It's hard for us here in the United States to think about what life is like under military occupation," Munayyer said. "But it means that the military effectively dictates almost every decision in your life, where you can think about going to school, whether or not you're going to be able to reach your cousin's birthday party, whether or not you're going to make it to the hospital, whether or not you're going to make it back from the hospital. ... And that's been the case for generations."

Jeffrey Abrams, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Los Angeles, on Saturday called the attack a replay of history: Fifty years ago, on Oct. 6, 1973, a coalition led by Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel, which marked the beginning of the Yom Kippur War.

Hamas militants launched their latest assault on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, which follows the weeklong Sukkot festival and which Abrams described as a day to mourn our lost ones.

"We've already heard reports of people being called out of synagogue to report for duty to defend not just their country, but the people," Abrams said. "Elderly have been shot at bus stops. Young people have been attacked at dance parties. Young mothers and their children had been dragged out of homes and paraded through the streets. That is what is happening at this very moment. And those hostages have been taken to Gaza as pawns."

The Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, observed Sunday, marks a celebration of the completion of the annual cycle of the reading of the Torah and the beginning of the new cycle.

"It's traditionally a festive day when the Torah scroll is unrolled, from one side to the other, often paraded through the streets with joy," Abrams said Saturday. "Around the world tomorrow, we'll still celebrate this holiday, but the joy  given what we're under right now  still exists, but it's vastly diminished."

The ADL is communicating with law enforcement and its partner organizations to ensure the safety of Los Angeles' sizable Jewish community, Abrams said.

Elected leaders in California joined in the condemnation of Hamas militants.

"All responsible for this attack must be held to account," L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath posted on social media. "I pray for strength and safety in Israel."

Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and state Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), members of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus at the state Capitol, said they were "heartbroken and horrified by the devastating terrorist attacks against Israel."

"We have visited the Israeli communities that have been ravaged by indiscriminate killings and kidnappings and many of us have friends and family in Israel who are huddled in bomb shelters with their children amid ongoing rocket attacks," the lawmakers said in a joint statement. "Nothing can justify this brutal and grotesque violence. Israel has the right and responsibility to defend its civilians, and we are grateful to the many American leaders  including President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler and members of Congress from California  who have spoken out clearly and unequivocally in support of Israel at this difficult moment."

Jewish members of the House of Representatives also spoke out against the Hamas attacks.

"We are united in standing with and supporting our ally Israel as it responds to terrorist attacks from Gaza," said a joint statement from lawmakers including California Reps. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego), Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) and Brad Sherman (D-Northridge). "Hamas has declared war on Israel and her people. Our alliance with Israel is unbreakable; our commitment to Israels security is ironclad."

The members of the House committed to doing "all we can to ensure Israel has the ability and capacity to restore and maintain its security and the safety of all its citizens."

Gov. Gavin Newsom called the attacks "nothing short of horrific."

"Women, children  innocent people  being targeted with brutal acts of terrorism by Hamas," Newsom posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. "All on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. There is simply no justification for this. I stand with Israel and its people in denouncing this horrific act of terrorism. We must demand an end to this violence  now."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
LANSING  Police said suspects were caught following a bank robbery Friday afternoon in the area of Frandor Shopping Center.

Responding officers spotted a vehicle they believed was involved in the robbery at a bank on Clippert Street and tried to stop the driver, who sped off, sparking a chase, Lansing police spokeswoman Jordan Gulkis said.

The pursuit ended in the 2800 block of Cooley Street, where "individuals" were taken into custody, she said. It was not clear how many people were in custody.

Lansing police and the FBI were investigating, Gulkis said.

Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Bank robbbery near Frandor leads to pursuit, apparent arrests
A forum was held in Beijing on Sept. 23, addressing the opportunities and challenges presented by Chinese science fiction's industrialization and sustainable development.

Sci-fi experts, writers, and industry leaders at a forum discussing the industrialization and sustainable development of Chinese sci-fi pose for a photograph during the event in Beijing on Sept. 23, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction and Future Technology Research Institute]

At the event, Yin Chuanhong, deputy secretary of the Chinese Writer Association of Science Popularization, accentuated the recent growth in China's sci-fi industry, stressing the importance of innovation and skilled individuals. "With the acceleration of technological advancements, the future world will present more possibilities and challenges. Science fiction will play a central role in shaping and navigating them," he said.

In his keynote speech, sci-fi author Yang Peng analyzed the development of sci-fi across five domains: culture, era, technology, communication, and innovation. "We ought to proactively champion the growth of the sci-fi sector, delve deep, innovate, and step-by-step accomplish the goals of industrialization, commercialization, and serialization," he noted.

Jiang Bo, another accomplished writer, opined that for sci-fi to gain widespread popularity in society, it must align with societal progression and the country's technological advancement. Additionally, he encouraged science fiction authors to muster their passion when navigating the prospects of the genre's evolution.

Sun Shicheng, the general manager of Zhongguancun Science Fiction Industry Innovation Center, shared their ongoing experiments that blend science and art, with the goal of establishing a hub for innovative ideas. "At its core, we are creating a convenient platform dedicated to fostering connections, collaborations, services, and building an ecosystem. Yet, genuine breakthroughs, the inception of sci-fi works, and the industry's growth require partnerships with a diverse range of sci-fi professionals. There is a significant emphasis on how our industry can bolster related sectors or technologies and aid in realizing sci-fi aspirations. The sector's growth is contingent upon the creative expertise of our contributors and the enthusiasm they bring to the field," he said.

The forum included two roundtable discussions titled "From Science Fiction Creation to Independent Innovation in the Sci-fi Industry" and "Exploration of the Future and Sustainable Growth of China's Sci-fi Sphere." Renowned writers, specialists, and industry frontrunners enriched the discussions.

China's sci-fi researcher and writer, Xu Yanli, a professor at Hebei University of Science and Technology, emphasized that classic sci-fi works should have a robust cultural foundation. She suggested launching more influential studies on sci-fi classics to attract greater societal attention and refining these classics to enhance their quality.

Liu Bing, a professor at the Department of the History of Science at the School of Humanities at Tsinghua University, cautioned that while there is an urgent need to advance the industrialization of the sci-fi industry, it must be underpinned by support and a foundation tailored to local conditions. This approach ensures organic and sustainable development, preventing mere trend-following or forced implementations that could lead to waste.

Cui Li, a senior partner at the Beijing-based Jingshi Law Firm, offered insights on motivating sci-fi enthusiasts nationwide to become writers and produce more original works. She underscored the importance of promotion and marketing and discussed enhancing the protection of creators' legitimate rights and safeguarding the legal rights specific to sci-fi creators.

Xu Yangke, the former deputy editor-in-chief at China Science and Technology Press, emphasized that, compared to the West, China's sci-fi content, including original works, is relatively limited. This shortfall is also evident in popular science works. Considering China's immense market potential and communication abilities that match the West, Xu contends that the primary focus should be on improving the quality of Chinese sci-fi pieces. He also advocated for state-supported measures, such as tax benefits and curriculum changes, emphasizing the integration of sci-fi into educational settings.

"I believe China's sci-fi industry has much room for growth. It's understandable that the national and governmental levels are ardently promoting science fiction. I think the aim is to mold China into an innovative nation, and we wholeheartedly endorse this endeavor," he stated.
Even though its officially fall, Southern California is still experiencing summer-like weather as an autumn heat wave moves through the region.

Residents hoping to escape the heat by heading to the beach are advised to avoid water-related activities at certain locations, officials announced Friday.

Why some California beaches are always considered dirty

Officials with the County of Los Angeles Health Department are urging beachgoers to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters at the following locations:

The entire swimming areas at Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro and Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey.

100 yards up and down the coast at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica

100 yards up and down the coast near the storm drains at Venice Beach

The warnings were issued since bacterial levels exceeded health standards when last tested by experts.

However, its not all bad news since high bacterial warnings were cleared at the following locations:

Malibu Point at Surfrider Beach in Malibu

Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove in Malibu

Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu

Temperatures are expected to peak Friday in the 80s and 90s for coastal areas and coastal plains, while theyll be between 85 and 100 in the valleys and deserts, according to the National Weather Service.

The Santa Ana winds are contributing to the heat but are expected to decrease to 20-35 mph through Friday morning, then to 10-20 mph by Saturday, the NWS said.

Residents can get more information on beach conditions by calling the countys beach hotline at 1-800-525-5662 or visiting the L.A. County Public Health website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
President Biden on Saturday vowed his administration would offer unwavering support to Israel in response to an assault by the terrorist group Hamas that has left hundreds dead and more than 1,000 people wounded.

Today the people of Israel are under attack orchestrated by a terrorist organization, Hamas, Biden said in remarks from the White House. In this moment of tragedy, I want to say to them and to the world, and to terrorists everywhere, that the United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have their back. Well make sure that they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves.

Biden was joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken from the State Dining Room, where he delivered brief remarks in the aftermath of Saturday mornings violence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier Saturday declared they were at war with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization that controls Gaza, after it launched a barrage of rockets and invaded Israeli towns, leaving more than 100 Israelis dead and more than 1,000 wounded, including numerous civilians.

The New York Times reported nearly 200 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,600 were wounded in ensuing fighting.

Biden earlier in the day spoke with Netanyahu over the phone and said he would remain in touch with the Israeli prime minister while his national security team coordinated with Israeli counterparts.

Biden also spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan about the attacks, according to the White House.

When I spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning, I told him the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults, Biden said. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. Full stop. There is never a justification for terrorist attacks. And my administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

Biden further warned against nations hostile to Israel who might exploit Saturdays attacks for their benefit.

Several Republicans have been quick to try and blame the Biden administration for emboldening Iran, which has historically supported Hamas. GOP lawmakers and 2024 presidential candidates pointed to the unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian oil funds as part of a deal with Iran completed last month to release five Americans who had been detained.

Biden administration officials pushed back strongly against any suggestion that the $6 billion in funds were somehow connected to Hamas attack on Israel. They noted that the money did not come from U.S. taxpayers and was instead Iranian funds that had been unfrozen, and they cited restrictions that the money could only be used for humanitarian purposes.

Lets be clear: the deal to bring U.S. citizens home from Iran has nothing to do with the horrific attack on Israel, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. Not a penny has been spent, and when it is, it can only go for humanitarian needs like food and medicine. Anything to the contrary is false.

It is unclear if the Biden administration will send aid to Israel or how they will respond to Saturdays attacks or any ensuing fighting that takes place in the Middle East.

Any efforts by Congress to push support for Israel could be complicated by the fact that there is no Speaker of the House in place after Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted from the position last week after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) brought up a measure to remove him from the job.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Joe Biden , President of the US, has an intention to turn to the Congress with a request to allocate the largest aid package for Ukraine worth up to US$100 billion.

Source: The Telegraph with reference to sources

Details: Biden considers a "one-and-done" bill on financing the aid for Ukraine until the next presidential elections, trying to overcome an impasse with Republicans.

Some officials believe that adopting a single package of up to $100 billion may give Bidens administration the best chance to facilitate the financing of the aid for Ukraine before the presidential elections set to be held in the US next November. This step will allow tge government to avoid further debate in the Congress concerning the spending on Ukraine next year.

"The idea about the "big package" is firmly supported by many in the administration," a source familiar with the discussion reported.

Republican leader Donald Trump and two other leading presidential candidates from the Republican Party have many times criticised Biden due to providing Ukraine with aid, claiming that the money must be spent on internal priorities. Herewith the support of Ukraine among Americans is also decreasing.

According to two informed sources, the dismissal of Republican Kevin McCarthy, speaker of the Chamber of Representatives, may make it more difficult for Biden to ask the Congress for periodic replenishment of expenses on Ukraine, which will force him to change the approach.

The US administration representative told The Telegraph that the White House "does not adopt any decisions on whether to make one big package and what the sum will be" until the end of the elections for the new speaker who will replace McCarthy which will start on 11 October. Yet the big package for financing the aid for Ukraine until November 2024 is "one of the options" that are being considered.

Some Republicans will act against a "joint" bill about the expenses on Ukraine and, maybe, Biden will have to make concessions concerning border control and other rightwing theses in exchange for submitting his request for voting by the new speaker, as stated by The Telegraph.

Meanwhile it forecasts that if the "joint package" of the aid for Ukraine will be submitted for voting in the Chamber of Representatives, it will most likely be supported by almost all Democrats and about a half Republicans. Financing Ukraine also has the support of a large majority.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022, the Congress has approved four military aid packages with a total sum of about $113 billion. Nearly $73 billion of this sum were directly handed to Kyiv in cash or armament taken from American weapon stocks. The largest $45 billion package was adopted in December 2022 but it is getting depleted.

According to a representative of the Presidents administration, Bien plans a "big" speech concerning Ukraine, trying "to unite America as to why it is so important to support Ukraine, and how much is at stake".

The date of the speech has not been set yet but it will likely take place after the next speaker of the Chamber of Representatives is chosen.

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!






An undated photo provided by the Scuba Cancers Project shows cockle hemolymph cells, with tumor cells and some healthy cells, under a microscope on a slide that was stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain. (Scuba Cancers Project via The New York Times)

In the 1970s, soft-shell clams started mysteriously dying off in Maine and the Chesapeake Bay. Years later, scientists identified the culprit: a bizarre form of cancer that spread like an epidemic.

When people get cancer, it typically arises when some of their own cells gain mutations and multiply out of control. But the clams were being invaded by free-floating cells that came from other clams. The alien cancer cell multiplied inside its new victim, and then some of its descendant cells escaped to attack other clams.

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Other species of shellfish turn out to be victims of contagious cancer as well. And now researchers have found that these lineages of cancer cells have been jumping from one shellfish to the next for centuries, perhaps even thousands of years, picking up a surprising number of telltale mutations along the way.

It doesnt seem biologically possible that these cancers are doing this, said Adrian Baez-Ortega, a computational biologist at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in England and an author of one of two studies on the cancer published Monday. And yet they are long-lived.

In 2015, researchers sequenced short pieces of DNA in cancer cells collected from soft-shell clams in Canada, Maine and New York. The genetic analysis showed that the cancer cells did not belong to the animals they came from. Instead, they were all related to one another, descending from a single ancestral cell.

Before then, researchers knew of contagious cancers only in two mammals: the Tasmanian devil and dogs.

The cancer in Tasmanian devils forms tumors on the marsupials face. When the animals bite each other during fights or mating, they can pick up the cancer cells. The disease has wiped out 90% of the entire species.

Dogs, in contrast, can acquire a fairly benign cancer that spreads during mating. The cells form growths around the genitals, and the dogs immune systems typically destroy the invaders in a matter of weeks.

The discovery of contagious cancers in soft-shell clams spurred a search in other shellfish. So far, scientists have published details on contagious cancer in eight more species, including mussels and cockles.

More will be coming  more that we know of, and probably more that we dont know, said Michael Metzger, a biologist at the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in Seattle.

In recent years, Metzger and his colleagues have tried to catalog all the mutations that have arisen since the cancer cells left the original clam and became transmissible. Baez-Ortega and his colleagues carried out a similar study on the common cockle, which lives along the Atlantic coast of Europe.

Instead of sequencing tiny snippets of DNA from the cancer cells, the researchers sequenced the entire genomes as well as those of the animals. The scientists could then compare the DNA both from the animals healthy cells and from their diseased ones to find the hundreds of thousands of mutations that arose in the contagious cancers.

Certain cancer cells had mutations in common not found in other ones. That pattern revealed how they descended from a common ancestor, branching out in a family tree. In the soft-shell clams, Metzgers team found that the tree has two branches, one leading to cancer cells around Prince Edward Island, and the other leading to those found off the Northeastern U.S. coast.

Metzger and his colleagues looked at the number of mutations that have accumulated in the different branches to estimate how long ago the original ancestral cancer cell broke free. They estimated it became contagious more than 200 years ago or perhaps a few centuries earlier.

Baez-Ortega and his colleagues concluded that the cockle cancers are similarly ancient, although they were unable to come up with an estimate. They are probably thousands of years old, he said.

In both species, the cancer likely started off as an immune cell that mutated and multiplied. Those cells were then shed into the water, taken up by another shellfish and grew like a cancer again. Eventually, the cancer cells gained mutations that allowed them to survive in the water for months before finding a new host.

Studies on Tasmanian devils and dogs have revealed that the DNA of their cancers has changed relatively little. That finding is not too surprising in the case of Tasmanian devils, which probably gained their cancer just 40 years ago. But dogs gained their cancer 11,000 years ago. And in all that time, the cancer cells have gained only modest changes to their genomes.

By contrast, in both clams and cockles, cancer cells have experienced repeated rounds of drastic change. Some cancer cells ended up with extra chromosomes  hundreds of them, in some cases. Some have lost long stretches of DNA. In other cases, the entire genome has been duplicated.

This level of instability is usually lethal to a cancer cell, Baez-Ortega said. Neither he nor Metzger can explain how the contagious cancers have survived for centuries in this state of genetic chaos.

Beata Ujvari, an evolutionary ecologist at Deakin University in Australia who was not involved in the study, said that the massive mutations might be explained by the way the contagious cancers reproduce. Instead of combining two sets of DNA from a shellfish egg and sperm, the cancers clone themselves.

In that way, theyve become more like bacteria than animals. And like bacteria, they might try to beat their competition  other cancers  by mutating faster, Ujvari said. She noted that the new cockle study revealed that two different contagious cancers will sometimes invade a single animal.

Metzger hopes that by solving this puzzle, he and other scientists may be able to uncover some hidden rules of cancer that might apply not just to shellfish but to people.

It may be possible to zero in on the few parts of the genomes that have changed in the cancer cells to find new targets for drugs. He is also looking at the genomes of shellfish to see if they have evolved new ways to resist the invading cancer.

Nature has basically run an enormous experiment, Metzger said. If theres a way that an animal has evolved resistance to cancer, I want to know what it is.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels are currently in the San Francisco, California area for Fleet Week and were out over the bay there yesterday ahead of their shows this weekend. As part of yesterday's practice session, the team's F/A-18 Super Hornets did the Delta Breakout portion of their routine right over Alcatraz Island. The resulting spectacle, filmed on the island itself, looked directly ripped from the climax of Michael Bay 's 1996 blockbuster The Rock.

Adam Landau, an aviator photographer who is also the editor of the This is Flight airshow e-magazine , shared a video clip of Blue Angels zooming over the island and its famous now-decommissioned prison on social media earlier today. Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, which closed in 1963 and has since become a major tourist attraction , is also known as "the Rock."

The six Super Hornets flying in close formation "used Alcatraz as the datum point for their Delta Breakout during today's practice show  quite an experience for those of us on the island," Landau wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. While this in a usual occurrence for the team's yearly shows over the bay, the resulting video shot from the island, with the six-ship break framed perfectly by the prison's weathered walls, is truly spectacular and looks so much like the final scene in Michael Bay action flick.

https://twitter.com/AdamNLandau/status/1710142966533414954?s=20

A number of people, including The War Zone's editor-in-chief Tyler Rogoway, quickly drew attention to how similar the footage looked to a famous 'over-the-top' smoke-popping scene at the end of The Rock.

https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel/status/1710184133346083270 https://twitter.com/AdamLane351/status/1710159082823545128

For those who might not be familiar with it (spoilers for a nearly 30-year-old movie follow), the plot of The Rock centers on a group of rogue U.S. Marines led by General Francis X. Hummel (Ed Harris) seizing control of Alcatraz, taking tourists there hostage, and threatening to unleash a VX nerve gas attack on San Francisco. Hummel's reason for this is to force the U.S. military to monetarily compensate the families of Marines who died under his command while conducting top-secret covert operations.

The U.S. military subsequently dispatches a team of U.S. Navy SEALs , accompanied by FBI chemist Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) and ex- British Special Air Service (SAS) and MI6 officer and former Alcatraz inmate John Patrick Mason ( Sean Connery ). Their mission quickly goes awry, all the SEALs are killed, and Goodspeed and Mason have to put an end to Hummel's plans on their own (which they do).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3qcNyjj9ZQ

The U.S. government subsequently initiates a backup plan to neutralize the munitions loaded with VX on the island with an air strike, though this will also kill all the hostages. F/A-18 Hornets carrying bombs filled with "thermite plasma," an incendiary weapon that would burn hot enough to destroy the nerve agent completely without risking any accidental release, are tasked with this mission.

Near the very end of the movie, Nicolas Cage's character is able to get outside and signal the all-clear with green flares as the Hornets approach. Five of the jets are flying in a tight formation low over the bay, very similar to the Blue Angels' delta seen in the video. However, one of the fighters has already released a bomb by the time the flight gets the order to abort their strike, resulting in a trademark Michael Bay explosion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWxNLjgDwSo

Unlike the very real Blue Angels Super Hornets flying over Alcatraz yesterday, the older Hornet fighters seen in The Rock were anything but. In fact, the Hornets and their pilots in the movie are erroneously depicted as belonging to the U.S. Air Force, which has never operated the type.

A Hornet seen in The Rock depicted in fictitious US Air Force markings. Hollywood Pictures capture

There is also some very broad truth to the idea of using air strikes involving incendiary munitions as a method of destroying chemical weapons, though the "science" in The Rock and its treatment of VX are anything but accurate. A prime example of this is the BLU-119/B bomb the U.S. military developed in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2002.

Also known as the Crash Prompt Agent Defeat bomb, or Crash PAD , the BLU-119/B is a modified 2,000-pound class bomb with a traditional high-explosive filler in front and white phosphorus , which burns at extremely high temperatures on contact with air, loaded in the rear end. The bomb was designed to penetrate into whatever was holding the chemical agents using the explosive portion and then neutralize them with the white phosphorus. The weapon was intended to be employed with the help of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) precision guidance kit.

What the Blue Angels' iconic breakout maneuver looks like from San Fransisco's shoreline. This was taken during a 2016 performance. The Blues headline Fleet Week each year. (USN)

Beyond any comparisons to The Rock, the Blue Angels' maneuvers over San Francisco bay yesterday also just highlight the team's extreme skills . A longer video of them practicing is available on the This is Flight YouTube channel .

For anyone who is currently in the San Francisco area, or can make it there on short notice, the Blue Angels are scheduled to perform shows tomorrow and Sunday as part of this year's Fleet Week. We'll have to wait and see if they 'recreate' any more scenes from The Rock.

Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com
Former national security adviser John Bolton said former President Trump hasnt set a good example, claiming his actions could have an unfortunately ripple effect.

I think the Presidents example really has an unfortunate ripple effect throughout the bureaucracy and gives rise to a lot of cynicism and a lot of carelessness, Bolton said on CNN on Friday, responding to reports that Trump shared classified information with an Australian billionaire.

The news, first reported by ABC News on Thursday, alleges former president talked about U.S. nuclear submarine capabilities with billionaire Anthony Pratt at his Mar-a-Lago club in early 2021. Trump supposedly revealed classified details on the amount of nuclear armaments carried by the submarines, alongside other information.

Pratt then shared that information with over a dozen foreign officials, journalists and some of his employees, ABC News reported.

The billionaire has already been questioned by FBI and Justice Department prosecutors regarding the information at least twice.

Bolton said Trumps alleged actions in the situation wouldnt be unexpected.

A very insightful person said to me during the 2016 campaign, that Trump has no filter between his brain and his mouth, Bolton said. And I think thats a big part of the problem here, but it displays itself in a lot of different ways.

Theres the famous story of him being shown a sensitive overhead photograph of a failed missile launch in Iran, which normally we wouldnt even talk about. But he was so attracted to the photo that he asked to keep it, Bolton added.

He went on to explain that it wasnt long before Trump had shared it on social media.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Police say everything is safe after bomb threats were reported at Atlanta City Hall on Saturday morning.

Authorities confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that multiple threats were made against the government building on Trinity Avenue in downtown Atlanta.

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APD Homeland Security and Bomb Squad searched the building and the area to make sure everything was cleared.

Channel 2 Action News crews on the scene saw K9 units searching the building.

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Police say no injuries have been reported.

There is no word on if there are any suspects.

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A view of a junction shows the aftermath of a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in the Sderot area, southern Israel

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil hopes to prevent escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Saturday, after his country called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to address the crisis.

Brazil, which assumed the Security Council's rotating presidency this month, condemned the surprise Hamas attack on Israel on Saturday that killed dozens of people and prompted the Israeli military to launch deadly air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

A statement from the South American country's foreign ministry also reaffirmed a commitment to a "two-state solution," with Palestinians and Israelis coexisting within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders.

"Brazil will spare no efforts to prevent an escalation of the conflict, including during its tenure as President of the U.N. Security Council," Lula wrote on the social media platform X.

Diplomats said the council is due to meet on Sunday.

The coordinated Hamas operation, which included gunmen crossing into Israel as well as the firing of a barrage of rockets from Gaza, was the biggest attack on Israel in years. Israel said the Iran-backed group's militants had attacked several Israeli towns and military bases near Gaza.

"The Brazilian government reiterates that there is no justification for resorting to violence, especially against civilians, and urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent an escalation of the situation," Brazil's foreign ministry said.

It added that "the mere management of the conflict is not a viable alternative for addressing the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and the resumption of peace negotiations is urgent."

(Reporting by Marcela AyresEditing by Brad Haynes and Paul Simao)
The modern state of Israel was founded in May 1948 in the aftermath of the Holocaust and Second World War but the conflict that has raged between Israelis and Palestinians since can be traced back much further.

Historians and commentators offer differing opinions as to when this chapter of history begins. In her series Al Nakba(2008) on Al Jazeera, documentary maker Rawan Damen begins her story with Napoleon Bonaparte, who proposed a Jewish homeland in Palestine as long ago as 1799 in the wake of the siege of Acre during his war against the Ottoman Empire.

The French commander was ultimately defeated in that conquest but his attempt to establish a European stronghold in the Middle East was revived by the British 41 years on, when foreign secretary Lord Palmerston wrote to his ambassador in Istanbul, urging him to press the Sultan to open up Palestine to Jewish immigrants as a means of countering the considerable influence of Egyptian governor Mohammed Ali.

While there were only around 3,000 Jews living in Palestine at that time, wealthy benefactors such as French aristocrat Baron Edmond de Rothschild began to sponsor others from Europe to join them and establish settlements, the most notable being Rishon Le Zion, founded in 1882.

Austrian writer Nathan Birnbaum coined the term Zionism in 1885 as Jews, particularly from eastern Europe, continued to arrive in Palestine.

Austro-Hungarian journalist Dr Theodor Herzl s book The Jewish State appeared a decade later, envisioning the establishment of such an entity with the coming of the 20th century. According to Al Nakba, two rabbis were sent by Herzls friend Max Nordau to Palestine to investigate the feasibility of the prospect and reported back: The bride is beautiful but she is married to another man, although the authenticity of this exchange is contested.

Birnbaum, Herzl and Nordau organised the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897 to discuss their dream of an independent Jewish nation and plans to lobby European powers for its realisation.

By 1907, Britain was considering the need for a buffer state in the Middle East to bolster its dominance. British Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann , a biochemist, would arrive in Jerusalem at this time to establish a company engaged in buying up land near Jaffa. Within three years, about 10,000 dunums, an old land measurement equivalent to acres, had been acquired in the Marj Bin Amer region of northern Palestine, forcing out 60,000 local farmers to accommodate Jewish arrivals from Europe and Yemen.

As a Jewish militia, Hashomer, was established to protect the growing number of settlements, Palestinian pharmacist Najib Nassar set up a newspaper, Al-Karmel, to warn against what he considered to be a colonising force.

The outbreak of the First World War prompted a Britain distrustful of Mohammedans to intensify its interest in developing an allied presence in Palestine, not least to strengthen its grasp on the Suez Canal.

In January 1915, Liberal Party politician Herbert Samuel drafted his secret memo The Future of Palestine, which was circulated among the Cabinet and in which he backed annexation and the country gradually becoming an autonomous Jewish state under the protectorship of the British Empire.

Samuels recommendations were discussed privately by diplomats Sir Mark Sykes and Francois Georges-Picot the following year, architects of the Sykes-Picot Agreement that demarcated British and French spheres of influence in the event of the collapse of Ottoman rule.

Austro-Hungarian journalist Dr Theodor Herzl who wrote The Jewish State advocating a nation in Palestine (Getty)

The British governments Balfour Declaration followed on 9 November 1917, formally declaring support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine in a letter between David Lloyd Georges foreign secretary Arthur Balfour and Jewish community leader Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, effectively assuming ownership over a land that many would argue it had no legal right to give away.

Rothschild, Samuel, Sykes and Weizmann addressed a celebratory meeting in London a month later before, on 11 December 1917, General Edmund Allenby captured the holy city of Jerusalem.

Following the Kaisers defeat and the Great Wars end, US president Woodrow Wilson commissioned a report into the non-Turkish regions of the fallen Ottoman Empire conducted by academic Dr Henry King and orientalist Charles Crane, who found that the almost 90 per cent non-Jewish population of Palestine were emphatically against the Zionist project. The authors warned of the intensity of feeling and argued that Jewish immigration should be limited in the greater interests of peace but were roundly ignored by the international community, their conclusions suppressed until 1922.

At the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, lieutenant-colonel TE Lawrence (much-mythologised as Lawrence of Arabia) mediated the signing of an agreement between Weizmann, now leader of the Zionist delegation, and his Arab counterpart Prince Faisal bin Hussein, agreeing in principle the founding of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and an independent Arab nation in the Middle East.

In 1922, the League of Nations recognised the British Mandate to rule Palestine under the jurisdiction of Samuel, now high commissioner, who was instrumental in enacting at least 100 legal initiatives to establish a Jewish presence, including recognising Hebrew as an official language and permitting a separate Jewish educational system and Jewish army. The Hebrew University and Histadrut, a labour union, were in place by 1925.

As the decade progressed, mass protests began to erupt opposing Jewish immigration as the Palestinian movement tried in vain to counter and resist what its members considered a usurpation backed by the military and diplomatic muscle of imperial Britain.

Black flags were raised by Palestinians when Balfour visited Jerusalem and almost 250 Jews and Arabs were killed and many more wounded in August 1929 at the Wailing Wall in a tragedy that became known as the Buraq Revolt. Three Muslim men were put to death by Samuels successor, Sir John Chancellor, for their part in the unrest, an act of brutality intended as a deterrent.

Foreign secretary Arthur Balfour, right, formally declared British support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people (Getty)

But the protests continued, reaching fever pitch in 1933, as more Jewish immigrants arrived to make a home for themselves, the influx accelerating from 4,000 in 1931 to 62,000 in 1935. That same year, Muslim revolutionary leader Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam was shot dead by British soldiers in the hills above Jenin.

In 1936, the intensity of opposition to British colonial rule imposing the Balfour Declaration on a people who deplored it resulted in a six-month-long general strike, an impressive feat of organisation that nevertheless resulted in a backlash in which Palestinian homes were destroyed.

The wider world would once more be plunged into war in 1939 in the fightback against Adolf Hitlers Nazi Germany, whose Third Reich would ultimately be found responsible for executing six million Jews in extermination camps, and concentration camps.

Not long after the US entrance into the conflict, American-Zionist relations would be cemented with a 1942 conference at the Biltmore Hotel in New York. This occurred against a backdrop of several years activity by an armed Zionist paramilitary force known as Irgun, that had been attacking local Arab groups in Palestine.

Irgun would become notorious for the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on 22 July 1946, in which 91 people died, and the Deir Yassin Massacre on 9 April 1948, carried out in collaboration with another organisation, Lehi (or the Stern Gang), in which 107 were killed.

That summer, Lehi would assassinate Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish diplomat dispatched by the United Nations to mediate the dispute.

Following the Allied victories in Europe and the Pacific in 1945, world powers turned their attention towards ending the violence in Palestine.

A two-state solution to the disputed territory almost came into being in 1947, when the UN General Assembly volunteered Resolution 181, which proposed carving a new state from Palestine west of the River Jordan: one housing Jews, the other Arabs.

The resolution was adopted after a vote, allegedly as a result of diplomatic pressure from the US, but rejected by the Palestinians, who argued that Jewish residents owned no more than 5.5 per cent of the land at the time and so had no right to receive 56 per cent, in addition to the accompanying international legitimacy. Jewish jubilation met with Arab hostility and a civil war duly erupted.

The first Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion officially proclaims the state of Israel in Tel Aviv in 1948 (AFP/Getty)

The state of Israel was nevertheless founded under prime minister David Ben-Gurion on 14 May 1948 with the end of the British Mandate, winning immediate recognition from the US and Soviet Union but prompting the outbreak of the bloody Arab-Israeli War, which saw 3,000 resistance fighters rise up against the new nation and forced 700,000 Palestinian people to flee the fighting, seeking refuge in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza, often without citizenship being granted.

The displacement of the Palestinian people on that date is still marked every year on Nakba Day, named for an Arabic word for catastrophe and on which Palestinians give speeches, hold rallies and brandish the keys to the homes they were forced to leave behind and still hope to return to.

In December of 1948, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 194, recognising that Palestinian people who want to return to their homes and live in peace with their neighbours should be given the right to do so as soon as possible. Israel though rejected the notion as a threat to the exclusively Jewish nature of the new state. A year later, the chamber would establish the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to further support those displaced.

In the interim between those two events, Israel had signed armistice agreements with its neighbours in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

Jordan assumed administrative control of the West Bank in 1950 and Egypt would hold Gaza, an arrangement that would last until the Six-Day War of 1967, when Israeli forces conquered those territories.

Prior to that, the violence continued sporadically. Notable massacres took place in the villages of Qalqilya, Kufr Qasim and Khan Yunis in 1956 and in as-Samu in 1966.

The Palestinian Liberation Organisation was founded in Cairo in 1964, dedicated to fighting for the liberation of Palestine through armed revolution rather than dwelling on rights issues, a stance the PLO would not abandon until 1993 and which would see it labelled a terrorist organisation by both Israel and the US. It would be recognised as the sole representative of the Palestinian people by the Arab League in 1974.

Israels military advance on the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights and Egyptian Sinai in 1967 sparked fresh bloodshed and saw the UN Security Council pass Resolution 242 ordering it to withdraw from territories it considered occupied. The council was ignored.

Following the Yom Kippur War, the Security Council would pass another resolution, 338, calling for a ceasefire and again demanding Israel retreat from its 1967 incursions. Again, Israel refused.

On 30 March 1976, Israeli land confiscations were met with uprisings, strikes and further violent reprisals in towns from the Sea of Galilee to the Negev, a date commemorated by Palestinians ever after as Land Day.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was befriended by Donald Trump (AP)

An apparent breakthrough for peace in the Middle East occurred on 17 September 1978 when Israeli PM Menachem Begin met Egyptian president Anwar Sadat to sign the Camp David Accords at the Maryland retreat of president Jimmy Carter. One of the framework agreements clinched harmonious relations between their two nations and won the signatories the Nobel Peace Prize but the other, concerning the future of the disputed territories Palestine, would be condemned by the UN for being agreed without a Palestinian delegations involvement.

Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 while the first Intifada in Palestinian territories would erupt protesting occupation at the decades end. However, further incremental steps towards peace did occur when the PLO accepted UN Resolutions 242 and 338, formally recognising the state of Israel. Talks stalled again in 1991 and 1992, with no resolution in sight.

Then, in summer 1993, the Oslo I Accord was signed by Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, providing for the creation of a Palestinian interim self-government, the Palestinian National Authority, and the withdrawal of Israeli Defence Forces from zones still widely considered occupied. A second agreement, Oslo II, followed in 1995 and granted Palestinian autonomy in certain parts of the West Bank and Gaza but, again, did not offer statehood.

An uneasy truce held until a second Intifada saw Israel reoccupy West Bank cities in 2002, a destabilising event that would be worsened by the death of Arafat in 2004, a great blow to the Palestinian cause.

Since that time, violence has returned, with Israel declaring war on Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006 and launching repeated assaults on Hamas in Gaza, including Operation Cast Lead (2008), Operation Pillar of Defence (2012) and Operation Protective Edge (2014). Further violence blew up on Nakba Day in both 2017 and 2018, the latter severe enough to merit a UN war crimes investigation.

The election of Donald Trump as US president further shook up the situation, with the former reality television star befriending Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as a gesture of recognition that the city is its capital before designating the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, in defiance of the broad international consensus that the region was illegally annexed.

Mr Trump also cut US funding to the UNRWA and absurdly tasked his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner, with developing a plan to bring peace to the Middle East, something the junior property developer was confident he could achieve without bias having read no fewer than 25 books on the subject.

The tensions have subsequently erupted again, after Hamas sent fighters across the border and fired thousands of rockets at Israel in what it said was a new operation on Saturday. Israel has responded by saying the country is "at war" and fired at targets in Gaza in response.
Bumblebees have developed a remarkably successful method for fighting off Asian hornets, new research shows.

Scientists at the University of Exeter found buff-tailed bumblebees drop to the ground when attacked - taking the hornets down with them.

This either causes the hornet to lose its grip, or the bee raises its sting and tussles until the hornet gives up.

Researchers witnessed more than 120 such attacks and found the bumblebees fought off the hornets every time.

"While honey bees are often unable to escape the clutches of Asian hornets once grappled in the air, the bumblebees' defensive response of dropping to the ground appears to be more successful," said Thomas O'Shea-Wheller, of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

Despite the bees' fighting prowess, researchers found bumblebee colonies had reduced growth rates in areas with high numbers of Asian hornets - suggesting the hornets still had a negative impact, even if their attacks at colony entrances usually failed.

Record sightings of Asian hornets are raising fears of catastrophic consequences for the UK's bee populations for years to come.

The invasive hornets are wreaking havoc in mainland Europe and threaten to get a foothold in the UK, with nests found in East Sussex, Kent, Devon and Dorset.

'Surprising difference'

Mr O'Shea-Wheller said: "Asian hornets prey on a wide range of insects, including honey bees, but little is known about their impact on other pollinators.

"With honey bees, the hornets do something called 'hawking' - hovering outside the bees' nest and attacking returning foragers as they fly past.

"We recorded hornets doing the same thing to bumblebees but with the surprising difference that, in our observations, they were entirely unsuccessful."

In the study, published in the journal Communications Biology, commercially reared bumblebee colonies were placed at 12 locations across the province of Pontevedra, Spain, with varying local Asian hornet densities.

Mr O'Shea-Wheller said it was unclear why colonies in areas with higher Asian hornet densities grew more slowly.

'Persistent predators'

Commenting on the hornets' low success rate during attacks, Mr O'Shea-Wheller said: "I have seen hornets attack bumblebees of all sizes, including some that are larger than them.

"They are very persistent and generalist predators, so these attacks may still be worthwhile despite the high failure rate, as long as they sometimes get a kill."

In addition to the University of Exeter, the research team included scientists from the University of Vigo and the University of Santiago de Compostela.

The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

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 Flash

Ru Suichu, a 91-year-old veteran photojournalist, has dedicated his life to capturing the perfect shot. His passion has taken him to the remotest corners of China, documenting the country through his evocative images.

In his career spanning over seven decades, Ru braved inhospitable environments like the snowy mountains of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and took the world's first photos of the sources of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, China's mother rivers. His extraordinary journey has not only left a mark in the history of photography, but also inspired generations of Chinese photographers to push the boundaries of their craft.

Ru Suichu, a 91-year-old veteran photojournalist who took the world's first photos of the sources of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, sits among his lifetime of work in his study in Beijing on Sep. 12, 2023. [Photo by Sun Tao/China.org.cn]

An unbreakable bond with photography

One of the earliest photos taken by Ru Suichu after he became a photojournalist. The photo shows farmers writing a letter to Chairman Mao Zedong on the eve of the Spring Festival in 1951. [File Photo]

In 1949, Ru began as a print journalist at the Northwest Branch of Xinhua News Agency. Initially, he had many doubts about his abilities as a reporter.

"I didn't have much education or social experience," Ru said in his home in Beijing as he recalled the start of his career. "Moreover, my slight frame made me look like a child, which affected my confidence in conducting interviews."

Fortunately, Ru saw an opportunity to learn photography when the newly established photography department was looking for personnel. Ru approached the then editor-in-chief Lin Lang and expressed his desire to join, and Lin agreed on the condition that Ru would not quit at whim.

"I assured him that I would not quit," Ru said. "That brief conversation changed the course of my life, creating an unbreakable bond between photography and myself."

Capturing China's mother rivers

Ru Suichu took this photo of the Jianggendiru glacier of Geladandong Peak in the middle of the Tanggula Mountain Range in the northwestern province of Qinghai on Aug. 25, 1976. The Yangtze River begins its journey in the glacial meltwaters. [File photo]

In 1954, Ru started working as a photojournalist in China Pictorial, a publication under China International Communications Group. Over time, he journeyed throughout China's frontiers and ethnic regions. He made more than 10 trips to Xinjiang, each lasting between three to 15 months, bringing back images from the Altay Mountains to the Tarim Basin to readers around the country.

"I want to go where hardly any reporters have been, to dig up the stories that people are eager to know but just had not heard about yet," Ru said.

His crowning achievement came in 1972, when he had the opportunity to capture the source of the Yellow River.

With horses and yaks carrying equipment and supplies, Ru's exploration team ventured deep into the marshland area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau over a span of 29 days. Reflecting on their time traversing the plateau, which has an average elevation exceeding 4,000 meters, Ru said that the most formidable challenge they faced was the region's extreme weather.

"The plateau's climate was harsh and unforgiving," Ru said. "Skies could change from clear to overcast in minutes. Intense ultraviolet rays scorched the skin, while wind and snow could transform the grasslands into a vast, white expanse."

The rivers presented another major obstacle, as the rainy season made the currents unpredictable and risky. Before crossing the water, the Tibetan militiamen in the team would be the first to enter the water on their horses to look for a safe path, and then led the others across one at a time. They also carried boxes filled with photography equipment on their shoulders to walk across the river.

Ru said that, without the help of the experienced and strong Tibetan militiamen who lived in the wild, his team would have had a hard time carrying out that exploration plan.

The photos taken in August 1976 show Ru Suichu traveling to the origin of the Yangtze River. [File photo]

After traveling west through Gyaring Lake and Ngoring Lake, Ru and his team entered the Yogu Zonglie Basin. It was at the southwestern edge of the basin that they finally discovered a spring gushing forth from the earth.

"The surging spring formed a stream less than a meter wide, which turned out to be precisely the source of the Yellow River," Ru said. "As I gazed at the meandering stream stretching into the distance, I was in awe of the fact that the mighty and turbulent Yellow River had its humble beginnings right before my eyes."

Despite experiencing altitude sickness and fatigue from the journey, Ru quickly jumped off the horse and took advantage of a ray of sunlight that came through the clouds to capture the breathtaking landscape at the source of the Yellow River.

The trip to the Yellow River's source has become a significant chapter in Ru's photojournalism career, instilling in him immense confidence. It also made him realize the importance of documenting China through photography.

Four years later, Ru traversed deep into Qinghai on another expedition for the source of the Yangtze River. Bracing freezing temperatures at an elevation of 6,000 meters above sea level, he took the first photos of the Yangtze's headwaters. The team's discovery helped to confirm the Yangtze as the third longest river in the world.

A legacy of excellence and preservation

Photo taken by Ru Suichu in Lintao, Gansu province in 1958. Titled "Bringing Water from Taohe River to the Mountain," the photo won the gold award at two global photography exhibitions in 1959. [File photo]

Over the past 70 years, Ru's photographs have been shown in national and international exhibitions. They have captured the essence of China's natural beauty and reflected the remarkable transformation of the country. Ru received two gold awards at global photography exhibitions as early as 1959. In 2015, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Golden Statue Award for China Photography.

Even after retiring, Ru's passion for photography has remained unwavering. Recognizing the urgent need to preserve the legacy of photojournalism in China, Ru initiated the establishment of a website dedicated to the works of China's esteemed photographers in 2008.

Ru Suichu receives the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Golden Statue Award for China Photography on Jan. 8, 2015. [Photo by Dong Fang/China Pictorial]

To date, the online platform has exhibited the works of over 180 renowned photographers, spanning different eras and themes, with the earliest photo dating back to 1920.

With a sparkle in his eyes, Ru said he looked at the photos he took over his career as precious relics. "Our society is developing fast, and today's reality will be tomorrow's history. History cannot be repeated, and that's why these old photos are valuable. They offer a rich, authentic, and immersive glimpse into the past, making history come alive in the most real sense."
FILE - Marshmallow Peeps candy is on display at a store in Lafayette, Calif., on March 24, 2023. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law, Saturday, Oct. 7, making California the first state to ban four chemicals from food and drinks. It bans red dye no. 3, a food coloring used in candy like Peeps. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has taken action on a slew of bills. He has until Oct. 14 to act on legislation that lawmakers have sent to his desk.

Newsom vetoed some Saturday, including a measure that would have made California the first state in the nation to outlaw discrimination based on caste and another that would have decriminalized the possession and use of some hallucinogens, including psychedelic mushrooms. He also signed several into law, notably a sweeping mandate requiring large businesses to disclose a wide range of planet-warming emissions.

Here's a look at some of the other bills Newsom signed into law on Saturday:

FOOD INGREDIENTS BAN

California on Saturday became the first state to ban four chemicals used in well-known candies and other foods and drinks because of their link to certain health problems.

Newsom signed a law banning the red dye No. 3 chemical used as food coloring for products like Peeps, the marshmallow treat most associated with Easter. The chemical has been linked to cancer and has been banned from makeup for more than 30 years.

The law also bans brominated vegetable oil, which is used in some store brand sodas, and potassium bromate and propylparaben, two chemicals used in baked goods.

Newsom said in a signing statement that the additives addressed in the bill are already banned in various other countries. All four chemicals are already banned in foods in the European Union.

Signing this into law is a positive step forward on these four food additives until the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews and establishes national updated safety levels for these additives, Newsoms statement said.

Just Born Inc., the company that makes Peeps, has said it has been looking for other dye options for its products.

The bill was authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, a Democrat from Los Angeles.

The Governors signature today represents a huge step forward in our effort to protect children and families in California from dangerous and toxic chemicals in our food supply, Gabriel said in a statement Saturday.

The law doesn't take effect until 2027, which Newsom said should give companies plenty of time to adapt to the new rules.

LEGISLATIVE STAFF UNIONIZATION

Newsom signed a law allowing legislative staffers to unionize, a move that comes after lawmakers passed several labor initiatives amid a summer of strikes by hotel workers, actors and writers.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, a Democrat representing Inglewood who introduced the bill, said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in July that it was hypocritical for lawmakers to ask staffers to write legislation expanding other workers right to unionize when those staffers themselves cannot form a union.

Our staff arent looking for special treatment, McKinnor said. Theyre looking for the same dignity and respect afforded to all represented workers.

The law allows lower-level staff to join and form a union, but it does not apply to lawmakers, chiefs of staff or appointed officers in the Legislature.
By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday vetoed a bill passed recently by the state legislature to explicitly ban caste discrimination, citing existing laws that already prohibit ancestry discrimination, which made the bill "unnecessary."

Had Newsom signed the bill, officially called Senate Bill 403 or SB 403, California would have become the first ever U.S. state to explicitly ban caste discrimination.

Newsom's veto is a big setback for activists who had been advocating for the legislation. U.S. discrimination laws ban ancestry discrimination though they do not explicitly mention a prohibition on casteism.

California's legislation targeted the caste system in South Asian and Hindu immigrant communities by adding caste as a protected class to the state's existing anti-discrimination laws.

The bill was introduced and authored by Democratic state Senator Aisha Wahab, an Afghan American, in March. An earlier version of it passed the state Senate before undergoing revisions.

The revised version, which listed caste under "ancestry" and not as a separate category, was passed by California's state Assembly in late August and by the state Senate in early September with a near unanimous vote.

The bill defined caste as "an individual's perceived position in a system of social stratification on the basis of inherited status."

"Because discrimination based on caste is already prohibited under these existing categories, this bill is unnecessary," Newsom said in a letter to California state lawmakers posted on the website of the governor's office. "For this reason, I cannot sign this bill."

Activists opposing caste discrimination said it is no different from other forms of discrimination like racism and hence should be outlawed. Opponents of the bill in California said that since U.S. laws already ban ancestry discrimination, a legislation of this type becomes meaningless and only serves to stigmatize the entire community, mostly Hindus and South Asians, with a broad brush.

Prior to Newsom's veto, the movement to fight caste discrimination in North America had picked up energy in recent months.

Earlier this year, Seattle became the first U.S. city to outlaw caste discrimination after a city council vote and Toronto's school board became the first in Canada to recognize that caste discrimination existed in the city's schools.

In California itself, last month, Fresno became only the second U.S. city to ban caste discrimination after a unanimous city council vote.

The issue is particularly important to Americans of Indian descent and Hindus. As more Indians and South Asians have moved to the U.S., particularly to California and Silicon Valley, some of America's biggest technology companies have also had to confront the issue of caste discrimination.

Many U.S. tech firms are also headed by leaders of Indian origin such as Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and IBM CEO Arvind Krishna.

The caste system is among the world's oldest forms of rigid social stratification. It dates back thousands of years and allows many privileges to upper castes but represses lower castes. The Dalit community is on the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system; members have been treated as "untouchables."

India outlawed caste discrimination over 70 years ago, yet several studies in recent years show that bias persists. One study found people from lower castes were underrepresented in higher-paying jobs.

Dalits still face widespread abuse across India, where their attempts at upward social mobility have at times been violently put down.

Debate over the caste system in India and abroad is contentious and intertwined with religion. Some people say discrimination is now rare, especially outside India. Indian government policies reserving seats for lower-caste students at top Indian universities have helped many land tech jobs in the West in recent years.

(This story has been refiled to correct the spelling of 'existing' in paragraph 1)

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Grant McCool)
Oil companies will have a harder time passing off old California oil and gas wells to smaller firms that cant afford to clean them up, under a measure Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Saturday.

Marking a win for environmentalists and communities near aging oil fields,

The Orphaned Well Prevention Act will prohibit the sale of an oil well unless the new owner can pay to plug and clean it  with the goal of preventing wells from becoming orphaned. The governors signature is a win for environmentalists and communities near the states aging oil fields.

Supporters say the legislation would begin to hold the waning oil industry accountable for plugging and cleaning idle wells that are at risk of leaking oil, brine and methane into vulnerable communities.

Were thrilled that Gov. Newsom took the next step in holding the oil industry accountable for its messes by making it put up enough funds to clean up the riskiest oil and gas wells, said Laura Deehan, state director of Environment California. Its only fair for oil companies to foot the bill for the abandoned wells that endanger our neighborhoods, not the residents who unfairly have had to live with the pollution from these wells.

After overcoming opposition by the oil industry and criticism from the Department of Finance the bill, authored by Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, narrowly passed the Senate last month before clearing a final vote in the Assembly.

The Western States Petroleum Association and other industry groups long argued that AB 1167 would not meaningfully add to existing provisions intended to avoid orphaned wells and could create hurdles for large companies wanting to sell assets to smaller ones.

What were saying is if were going to address this issue, this bill is not the way, WSPA spokesman Kevin Slagle said. This is another piece of legislation that ignores the facts on the ground when it comes to the financial obligations our industry provides to the state, and we believe this will do more harm than good.

Newsom touched on this concern in his signing message, acknowledging that increasing the financial assurances required for oil and gas well transfers also potentially creates risk of current oil and gas well operators deserting these hazardous wells. He said he looked forward to working with lawmakers to make any necessary revisions.

California is seeing a long-term decline of its oil industry, falling from the countrys third-largest oil-producing state to seventh in five years. Some of the worlds largest oil companies including Shell and ExxonMobil have begun to sell their California assets.

Industry experts and environmentalists say those sales have often left liabilities for smaller companies  who in some cases have declared bankruptcy  to perform expensive environmental cleanups, leaving the state to sponsor cleanups or leave wells unplugged.

Orphaned wells, as theyre called, risk harmful leaks of oil, polluted water and methane often near residential areas. According to the Geologic Energy Management Division, or CalGEM, California has plugged about 1,400 wells since 1977 at a cost of $29.5 million.

The nonprofit California Council on Science and Technology estimates that of more than 100,000 active and idle oil wells in the state, some 5,540 are orphaned. Cleaning them up could cost the state an estimated $500 million.

As the onshore oil drilling industry further wanes, a recent Carbon Tracker report found that state taxpayers could be on the hook for a much higher $6.9 billion in cleanup even if all future industry profits  an estimated $6.3 billion  were redirected to decommissioning.

The states current system to prevent orphaned wells mandates that oil producers put up bonds, which act as a security deposit on the promise they will perform cleanups. Yet environmental groups cite a troublesome gap between bond amounts and the actual costs to plug wells.
Sadie Morgan had a feeling she wanted to be a firefighter back when she was in kindergarten.

A photo from her first day of school shows the smiling little girl holding a sign that reads, When I grow up, I want to be a computer lab teacheror a firefighter.

Shes now 14 and a high school freshman at Michigan Connections Academy, an online school. While the Grand Rapids student is not a firefighter yet, she did complete the Grand Rapids Fire Departments Youth Fire Academy.

The week-long program allows students to learn search and rescue drills, use fire hose lines and extinguishers and perfect hands-only CPR.

Sadies therapist told her about the program, but when she inquired about it, she saw that the age range was 15 to 18. With some encouragement from her parents, she reached out anyway in July to ask about participating.

They're probably just going to tell me we love your interest but you'll have to wait until next year, she told USA TODAY Friday morning. I was just so surprised that they were going to let me in.

Sadie Morgan on her first day of kindergarten. Now 14 years old, the Grand Rapids, Michigan teenager completed the Grand Rapids Fire Department's Fire Youth Academy in July 2023.

Not only is Sadie younger than people who typically complete the program, but shes also a young woman in an industry typically made up of men.

Part of thats just historical, said Rachael Staebell, vice president of Women in Fire, a networking organization for firefighters. Its just the nature of the history of the fire service  but in the last 30 to 40 years  we've seen a huge growth of women looking to enter the field.

Thats why academies like the one in Grand Rapids are important, Staebell told USA TODAY Friday morning.

The programs allow young women to get a brief glimpse into what firefighting is like and then decide if they want to keep it on their list of potential career paths.

You can't be what you can't see, Staebell said. These gals are exposed to, at a younger age, firefighting. They know before they even have to go take a physical test or written test, Hey, that's something I could go do.

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How the 14-year-old turned challenges into advantages

The program Sadie completed was at the Grand Rapids Fire Department's Training Center, Sadie's mother, Ella Morgan, confirmed. That allowed them to train using the same courses, exercises and equipment local firefighters do.

As a parent, I was so excited for her but honestly I was also a little nervous because by the second day, they were running these students in simulations with the air tanks and the smoke-filled rooms and things like that."

There were about seven participants, including Sadie, she said.

Each day, theyd report to the training center just before 8 a.m. to clean up and then start training. They learned CPR, the heimlich, wore firefighter gear and completed drills.

Sadie Morgan, 14, who aspires to be a firefighter and took a chance, applying for the Grand Rapids Fire Department's Fire Youth Academy in July 2023 despite not being old enough.

One of the hardest parts of the academy was working with the hoses, Sadie shared. Shes smaller than the other participants so it was hard to get around corners and make sharp turns up the stairs.

But I also knew how to use my strengths to my advantage, she said. I have pretty good leg strength so I knew how to use that to help propel myself forward. I was too stubborn to not try my best and not to get it done.

Being smaller than the rest of the group helped Sadie because she was able to jump over things much easier than others. Her smaller size also made crawling through small spaces simpler.

Like most people who try something new, the 14-year-old go-getter was a bit nervous about completing the program, but said she had tons of support.

It was all very equal between me and the other participants, she shared.

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Organization pushes for empowerment, equality in firefighting

While Sadie isnt a firefighter yet, its important that young women like her are aware of programs like Youth Fire Academy because they help prepare youth for when it comes time to take written and agility tests, said Staebell, from Women in Fire.

Women in Fire was created to change the culture of fire service and support women who want to enter the field, Staebell shared.

Currently, about 4% of firefighters in the U.S. are women, she said. That doesnt include volunteer fire departments. And because not many women have become firefighters, some accommodations have never been needed or thought of.

Some gear doesnt fit women properly, but its more cost-efficient for fire departments to buy one standard uniform, she said.

Some fire stations dont even have womens restrooms because the buildings are very dated. And add to that the need to breastfeed, she said. Some dont have spaces where women can do any of that.

Its also difficult to find boots and fire gloves that fit womens hands, which are sometimes smaller.

There's a whole number of things that because we just werent there, werent needed, Staebell shared. And now they're needed. A lot of places are facing some issues with budget, and it is expensive to retrofit stations and it is expensive to deal with all these things but ultimately, it's the right thing to do.

Staebell sees a rise in fire service leaders trying to accommodate women though, which has benefited some men as well who werent satisfied with the fit of their gear.

Sadie Morgan, a Grand Rapids 14-year-old who took a chance and applied for the Grand Rapids Fire Department's Fire Youth Academy in July 2023 despite not being old enough. She finished on July 28, 2023.

Fire academy programs set young women up for success

Camps such as the one in Grand Rapids help young women prepare for careers in firefighting by teaching them about fire hoses, fire safety and some even include training on vehicle extrication, or rescuing people who have been in car accidents, Staebell said.

Some of the camps will introduce these gals to not only firefighting, but also other public safety things, she said. Some camps will bring in a dispatcher to come talk. They'll introduce these gals to law enforcement as well, another career that's historically not got a lot of women in it.

It differs from program to program, but the goal is to introduce the young women to public safety, show them they can do things they never thought possible and give them the push they need to pursue it.

The programs also help them prepare for written and agility tests theyll have to take if they truly want to become firefighters, Staebell said. Many people falsely believe if women apply for firefighting jobs and test, they'll be sure to get a job. It doesnt work that way though.

If you're a woman and you're testing, youve got to put yourself in that top half of that group if you even want to be looked at, she said. Being a woman alone is not enough to get hired. But if you are equal to your counterparts, and let's say youre second or third on that list, there's no reason you're not going to get picked up.

Sadie Morgan a 14-year-old Grand Rapids teenager who completed the Grand Rapids Fire Department's Fire Youth Academy in July 2023. She reached out to ask for permission to participate since she wasn't old enough and was thrilled when she was accepted.

Whats next for Sadie?

Sadie, the aspiring firefighter in Michigan, plans to complete the Youth Fire Academy again until she ages out at 18. She also has a ridealong scheduled Monday with the fire department and plans to volunteer at the fire departments headquarters.

Ill be able to watch real firefighters in action, learning what they're doing and just bettering my knowledge about the community and the job, Sadie shared.

Sadies mom, Ella, said she knew from the very beginning that her daughter had a giving heart and was destined to be a trailblazer.

Her mother said she may grow up and become a firefighter or she could be an EMT. Whatever she does will be people-centered because thats just the type of person she is.

She will continue this heart of love for others and wanting to care for those that sometimes maybe are overlooked in our community, her mother said. Public service will definitely be in her path, whatever route she chooses.

For a list of fire camps in the U.S., check out www.tinyurl.com/FireCamps.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How fire academies are preparing young women to enter the workforce
Collaborator Volodymyr Malov died after a successful attempt on him in Nova Kakhovka

A prominent collaborator with the Russian occupation forces has been eliminated, according to reports in Russian state media on Oct. 7.

Vladimir Malov, who was the executive secretary of Russia's ruling United Russia party in temporarily occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, died this afternoon in hospital.

He succumbed to wounds sustained in an explosion after his car was blown up earlier this morning.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A gunfight erupted between carjackers and a car owner in San Antonio Thursday morning leaving one of the alleged thieves wounded in the head, police say. The suspects were apparently unable to steal the car they targeted due to struggles with its manual transmission.

The car owner and the other person they were with were approached by a pair of suspects on their way out of a bar at around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, a spokesperson for the San Antonio Police Department told Road & Track. The alleged carjackers then demanded they leave their vehicle and hand over their keys at gunpoint. The victims complied, giving their keys over to one of the suspects. One of the suspects then slunk into the drivers seat of the vehicle, but quickly realized the vehicle featured a manual transmission. Unable to operate an old-school standard, the thief immediately exited the victims vehicle before returning to their own ride, which was occupied by the second suspect.



One of the suspects began to open fire on the failed robbery targets shortly after returning to their vehicle, police say. The victims then returned fire on the suspects, ultimately striking one of them with a grazing wound to the head. This ended the gunfight, with the suspects fleeing the location.

Police later received a call from one of the suspects, who claimed to have been in an accident in the downtown area. Upon their investigation into the call, officers determined that the suspects injuries had actually come from the aforementioned robbery attempt and shooting. The suspect was then taken to a local hospital for treatment, and was later booked by proxy for aggravated robbery.

The investigation itself is still active, with no further details available to the public at this time. There is no word on the type of manual-equipped vehicle that was involved.

Theres been a saying about manual transmissions acting as anti-theft devices for a long time. While there has always been some truth to the fact that many Americans simply dont know how to use a clutch pedal, it isnt very often that it ends up saving your ride. Or leading to a gunfight.

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CHAMBERS COUNTY, Texas - Sarah Hartsfield is charged with murdering her fifth husband after having her bond lowered back in March, a judge lowered it for a second time.

Hartsfield, 48, originally had her bond set to $5 million but at the request of her attorney, Keaton Kirkwood, it was lowered to $4.5 million after he claimed the state was unfairly treating his client. It was recently confirmed by the Chambers County District Attorney's Office, that Hartsfield's bond was lowered to $2 million.

PREVIOUS STORY: Chambers County woman charged with murdering her 5th husband has bond lowered

The Chambers County woman is charged with murdering her fifth husband Joseph Hartsfield back in January. Hartsfield pleaded not guilty to the murder and is currently being held in a Chambers County jail.

Sarah Hartsfield

According to Chambers County Sheriffs Office Joseph Hartsfield was diabetic and they believe his insulin level was suspiciously high hours before his death and before Sarah Hartsfield called 911.

The case against Hartsfield in Texas prompted investigators in Minnesota to reopen an old case involving another one of her partners deaths.

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According to a determination letter from the Douglas County Attorney, Hartsfield shot and killed her fiance David Bragg five years ago during an argument that turned physical in Garfield, Minnesota. The Douglas County Attorney found that Hartsfield, whose last name was Donahue at the time, shot Bragg in self-defense because he fired a gun at her.

Authorities declined to file charges against Hartsfield in Bragg's death, but investigators have now re-opened the case.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.  A heavily intoxicated Craig Nelson Ross Jr. sped around another car in downtown Saratoga Springs around midnight on a September Tuesday in 1999, crossing the double yellow lines and yapping away on a cellphone.

Officer Kristen VanWert, who had eight years on the job and was the daughter of the department's first female police lieutenant, flipped on her lights and tried to stop his swerving blue 1986 Ford pickup, according to an arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital.

When he finally stopped in a parking lot off Ballston Avenue, VanWert approached the driver-side window and could smell the booze on his breath.

NEW YORK POLICE WERE HUNTING CHARLOTTE SENA SUSPECT VEHICLE HOURS BEFORE FINGERPRINTS CAME BACK

Patrol Officer Kristen VanWert in an undated photo provided by VanWert. VanWert pulled over accused Charlotte Sena kidnapper Craig Ross on a DWI in 1999.

"He was continuing his conversation even after he had pulled over," James Montagnino, the public safety commissioner for the city of Saratoga Springs, told Fox News Digital.

Ross ignored her command to hang up and shut off the car. So, she reached over and took the keys herself, picking up the strong scent of alcohol on his breath, according to the document.

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"She asked him to step out for a field sobriety test, and he said to her, basically, 'I'll fail the test anyway. You don't have to do the test. I know I'm drunk.'"

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Booking photo of Craig Ross Jr., Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.

Ross was 22 at the time, and police later recorded his blood alcohol level at .21%, more than double the legal limit at the time, which was .10%, compared to .08% today.

An encounter almost exactly 24 years later led to the harrowing rescue of an abducted 9-year-old girl named Charlotte Sena Monday, whom Ross is accused of snatching off her bicycle at a nearby state park and holding for ransom.

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"This case really kind of underscores is the necessity of having a well-trained, well-funded police department at the local level," Montagnino said. "It's the little things in policing that make all the difference."

City of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Public Safety Jim Montagnino talks about the September 1999 DWI stop of Craig Nelson Ross Jr. by Officer Kristen VanWert during an interview Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023.

VanWert has now been with the department 32 years, he said, and she's now the senior patrol officer. Half of the city's police force wasn't even born when she first put on the uniform, according to the commissioner.

State police were standing guard at the Sena family home early Monday as her family remained at the campsite where she had last been seen. A "suspicious" vehicle pulled up, and the driver slipped something into the mailbox.

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The trooper on guard, feeling something off, went to take a look at it and found it was a ransom note, police told Fox News Digital.

The Sena family released a new photo of Charlotte Sena Tuesday on a GoFundMe campaign to support the 9-year-old after New York State Police and federal tactical teams rescued her from a kidnapping suspect's cabinet.

The officer called in a description of the suspect vehicle, and forensic investigators began testing the document. The first set of prints they checked it against were not a match, Gov. Kathy Hochul said during a news briefing Monday. But the second turned out to be a match for Ross. Despite a plea deal that reduced Ross's 1999 charges to a minor infraction, a caveat in New York law specific to drunken driving cases meant his fingerprints would remain on file.

State police and federal authorities rushed in tactical teams, some of them landing by helicopter at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, a large amphitheater down the road from Ross' mother's house, where they soon rescued Charlotte from a camper in the backyard.

New York State Police secure evidence at the home of Joan Ross, the mother of Craig Nelson Ross Jr., on Barrett Road in Ballston Spa, N.Y., Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.

Neighbors told Fox News Digital they heard multiple flash bangs go off around 6:30 p.m. State police and the FBI rushed in. They arrested Ross and rescued Charlotte, who was reunited with her family at a hospital that evening.

"Even people in law enforcement who understand the risks involved in cases like this and the odds against a good resolution really breathed the collective sigh of relief here," Montagnino said. "It's just something that's almost like a dream come true  that the child is safe and back home."

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Ross is being held without bail at the Saratoga County Jail in Ballston Spa.

Ross's mother Joan, who owned the Milton parcel where Charlotte was rescued, shouted at reporters to "get off my property now," Thursday from behind a closed door.

Her double-wide trailer is just a few yards from the camper where police say her son stuffed the girl in a cabinet for nearly two days.





Original article source: Charlotte Sena abduction: Small-town cop played pivotal role in miracle rescue
Editors Note: This story contains language that some readers may find offensive.

Crooked cops. Drug dealers. Secret agendas.

The rumor mill churned after the body of 18-year-old Jessica Currin was found burned and decomposing behind Mayfield Middle School in 2000. People in the small Kentucky town still talk about the case  or dont want to talk at all, if an outsider is asking the questions.

A jury deliberated for 3 hours and 45 minutes before convicting Quincy Omar Cross of murder, rape, sodomy, kidnapping, evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse in 2008 and sentenced him to life in prison. But Cross has always expressed his innocence, and Currins father, Joe Currin, has come to believe Cross was wrongfully convicted. For over a decade, he has advocated for finding the person who, he says, really killed his daughter.

Weve just always (been) hoping that the truth would bring itself out, Joe Currin said. But when youve got more people hiding the truth than you do trying to get to the truth, its kind of hard to do.

Cross and his attorneys have tried to get his conviction overturned for years. In 2020, Miranda Hellman joined the Kentucky Innocence Project (KIP) and reignited the efforts. But the already convoluted case became more complicated when a tornado destroyed the Graves County courthouse in Mayfield, including documents and evidence being housed there.

The Graves County courthouse was destroyed by a tornado on December 12, 2021 in Mayfield, Kentucky. - Joshua Lott/The Washington Post/Getty Images

KIP recently filed several motions in its effort to get Cross conviction vacated, arguing it has new witnesses and evidence showing police and prosecutorial misconduct.

CNN will be following the team of the Wrongful Conviction podcast as it reports on KIPs efforts to overturn Cross conviction. Over the next year, we will interview the central figures in the case, sometimes in conjunction with the podcast team and other times independently. CNN will also be doing its own reporting on Currins murder.

CNN was present when Wrongful Conviction host Maggie Freleng interviewed Cross in June. This story was reported using that interview, along with several others conducted by CNN, the recent motions filed by KIP, court opinions from Cross previous legal battles, and recordings of the original 2008 trial.

Its clear in this case that there are more than two sides to the story.

Saturday night

Currin was at a friends house late on Saturday, July 29, 2000, playing cards with her 16-year-old cousin, Vinisha Stubblefield. Stubblefield testified at Cross trial that when the gathering wrapped up, Currin left to walk home.

According to a court summary of her testimony, Stubblefield was in a car that night with Cross, Jeffrey Burton, Tamara Caldwell and Victoria Caldwell. They were all high on pills, cocaine and marijuana. They found Currin, and Currin accepted what she thought would be a ride home. But Cross started to make sexual advances. The group drove to Burtons house where Cross hit Currin and forced Currin into a back bedroom, Stubblefield said. She testified she later saw Currin unconscious on a bed, with Cross pulling on a belt around her neck. Stubblefield said Burton had sex with Currin, and Cross encouraged Stubblefield to do the same. Then the group, including the Caldwells, engaged in sexual activities with each other.

Victoria Caldwell also testified against Cross. Her version of events that Saturday night followed the same plot line but differed in several details. Caldwell said Cross hit Currin in the car with a bat and carried an unconscious Currin inside Burtons house. She said Currin regained consciousness in the bedroom and repeated the name of her infant son as she was raped. Caldwell said Cross then hit Currin in the head with a metal tool and strangled her with his black, braided belt.

Jessica Currin is seen in an undated photograph. Her body was found behind Mayfield Middle School in August 2000. - The Paducah Sun/AP

Caldwell testified the group wrapped Currins naked body in a blanket and hid it in Burtons garage. When the body started to smell, Burton, Stubblefield, Caldwell and a few others drove it to the middle school and lit it on fire.

Cross has a very different story about what happened that Saturday night. Cross told the Wrongful Conviction podcast he was in Union City, Tennessee, on July 29, when a couple of friends picked him up. The group drove around for a while, buying drugs, he said, before someone suggested they head over the Kentucky state line.

In Cross telling, they arrived in Mayfield around 11 p.m. and eventually ended up at a gathering on Chris Drive, on the outskirts of the small town.

As Saturday night wore on, Cross borrowed a car and drove into Mayfield to grab something to eat. He told the podcast he got lost in the unfamiliar town and ran out of gas, found a gas can in the trunk and was filling up when Graves County Deputy Sheriff Mike Perkins stopped to help.

Perkins testified he smelled gasoline on Cross that morning, something the prosecution used to link Cross to the burning of Currins body. Perkins also testified Cross kept pulling up his pants because he wasnt wearing a belt.

Perkins dropped Cross off at Chris Drive before returning to the car, where he saw marijuana seeds and a gun. He then returned to Chris Drive where he found Cross with bags of powder and foil in his pockets, according to one of KIPs motions. Cross was arrested for drug possession early Sunday morning, July 30, along with several others at the party on Chris Drive and spent the next two years awaiting sentencing at the Kentucky Department of Corrections.

Cross says he was in jail the first time he ever heard Currins name.

Before Cross trial in 2008, Victoria Caldwell and Stubblefield pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse.

Victoria Caldwell testified during the trial of Quincy Cross on April 1, 2008. - Stephen Lance Dennee/The Paducah Sun/AP

Burton and Tamara Caldwell, Victoria Caldwells cousin, were charged alongside Cross but did not testify against him. After Cross conviction, they entered Alford pleas to second-degree manslaughter and abuse of a corpse; Burton also pleaded the same to tampering with evidence. An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain innocence while agreeing the prosecution has enough evidence to convict.

Both have maintained their innocence ever since.

Changing stories

The testimonies of Victoria Caldwell and Stubblefield were at the center of Cross trial.

Cross attorneys raised questions about the womens changing stories over the years. According to a judges summary of her testimony, Caldwell admitted at Cross trial that she lied to the police during their initial investigation, leading them to first charge Currins boyfriend, Carlos Lolo Saxton, and Jeremy Adams, who is believed to be the father of Currins child. (Saxton and Adams charges were later dismissed without prejudice. More on that shortly.)

Stubblefield didnt mention Cross to investigators until five years after the murder, according to a motion filed by Cross attorney, and instead implicated others in Mayfield.

Both Caldwell and Stubblefield said at trial they initially lied because they were afraid of Cross.

A new affidavit from Stubblefield is included in the motion to vacate Cross conviction. In the statement, signed July 31, 2023, Stubblefield states she did not go to Jeffrey Burtons house that Saturday night; that she did not see Cross, Burton or Tamara Caldwell that night and did not help dispose of the body. She says she is innocent of the charges she was convicted of and made false statements because of pressure and threats from law enforcement.

Vinisha Stubblefield testified in the trial of Quincy Cross on March 31, 2008. - Stephen Lance Dennee/The Paducah Sun/AP

Stubblefield recanting her testimony, however, is not new. Cross latest petition in federal court was denied in August 2022; the court opinion states Stubblefields statements dont clear Cross as she said she wasnt directly involved in the murder.

Stubblefield is currently serving time for drug possession, unrelated to the Currin case. CNN has reached out to her for comment.

The federal court also noted the back-and-forth on Victoria Caldwells testimony; a Kentucky Innocence Project investigator reported Caldwell told him in 2012 that she made up her story to get money from the state. But Caldwell later refuted that conversation in an affidavit saying her original testimony was the truth.

The new motions filed by KIP this year include a transcription of an August 2023 telephone call between a KIP volunteer and Caldwell where she repeats the claim that the state coerced her into giving false testimony. Caldwell has not, however, signed a new affidavit to that effect.

CNN reached Caldwell via Facebook, where she agreed to answer a few questions. Caldwell said she doesnt remember a lot about the case but that she was forced to say what she did at trial. She would not say who forced her. I didnt (want to) commit perjury but I also didnt (want to) die, she wrote.

At Cross trial, investigators denied threatening witnesses or paying them for their testimony.

CNN reached out to the law enforcement agencies involved in the Currin case  the Kentucky Attorney Generals Office, Kentucky State Police (KSP) and Mayfield Police Department  for comment. Mayfield Police Chief Nathan Kent referred CNN to KSP as the agency of record.

In their 2023 call, KIP also asked Caldwell about several diary entries that were presented at trial to back up Caldwells testimony. During the trial, Caldwell read one excerpt, purportedly dated August 1, 2000, that said, Damn they found the body. Man, I hope they dont find out it was us. F**k man Q is nowhere to be found. Jeff dont wanna talk to me. This is bullsh*t. F**k I am out.

The prosecution presented this diary page as Victoria Caldwell's, written the month that Jessica Currin's body was discovered at the middle school. - Courtesy Kentucky Innocence Project

In the transcript of her phone call with KIP thats included in the new court filings, Caldwell said the diary was forged at the direction of law enforcement. She has not made this claim under oath.

Hellman, Cross attorney, has filed a motion to reexamine the ink on Caldwells diary. At trial, the Secret Services chief forensics chemist testified the ink Caldwell used could not be matched to any inks in their library that were commercially available in 2000. The chemist said that did not mean the entries were fake. But the defense suggested the lack of a match could mean Victoria wrote those diary entries long after the murder in 2000. Hellman says the ink may now be in the database, which could help accurately date the diary.

The citizen detective

Years before Cross trial, in early 2001, Adams and Saxton were indicted on capital murder charges in the Currin case. But less than a week before Adams scheduled trial date in February 2003, the states case fell apart.

Adams attorney accused the Mayfield Police Department of not handing over critical evidence. The judge dismissed the case without prejudice, meaning Adams could be charged again if prosecutors wanted to retry. Charges against Saxton were also dropped. Both asserted their innocence.

Mayfield resident Susan Galbreath, a friend of Adams mother, set out to solve Currins murder. A self-described middle aged, cigarette smoking busy body wino with no investigative experience herself, Galbreath reached out to BBC reporter Tom Mangold for help. Mangold flew to Mayfield in 2004 and the unlikely pair started digging.

Mangold later wrote he and Galbreath decided after two weeks Cross had probably killed Currin in a sex-and-drug-fuelled attack. In 2004, three years before Cross was charged, Mangold published a story detailing their time in Mayfield and implicating Cross in the crime.

Pages of newly discovered emails between Mangold and Galbreath are a part of KIPs motion to vacate Cross conviction. Cross attorney argues the emails show Galbreath and Mangold were looking to sell the story of Currins murder. The motion also alleges police and prosecutorial misconduct, saying Galbreath was essentially deputized by the Kentucky State Police and Kentucky Bureau of Investigation to join their investigations; that Galbreath and police freely exchanged information; and that Galbreaths belief in Cross guilt influenced the states case.

Susan Galbreath gestured while she testified in the Quincy Cross trial on April 7, 2008. Galbreath conducted her own investigation into the death of Jessica Currin. - Stephen Lance Dennee/The Paducah Sun/AP

Galbreath testified she was the one who first put Victoria Caldwell in contact with the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation after they joined the investigation in 2006. She also conducted interviews with Cross and Adams. At trial, the lead investigator for the Kentucky State Police testified Galbreath was allowed in several interviews to encourage witnesses to cooperate with them.

Before Cross trial, the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation presented Galbreath with an Outstanding Citizen Award for her role in the Currin case.

CNN has reached out to the Kentucky Attorney Generals Office and Kentucky State Police for comment. The Kentucky Bureau of Investigation is no longer in operation.

Galbreath died in 2018 at the age of 58.

When CNN reached out to Mangold, he wrote, If your project is any attempt or reference to the fact that Quincy Coss [sic] and all the others who were convicted of Jessies murder might be innocent then I want nothing to do with it. If its anything else, Id be pleased to help. After CNN confirmed we would be fairly and accurately representing both sides of the story, Mangold politely declined to participate.

A charred crime scene

The state of Currins body made gathering physical evidence difficult  there was little at the crime scene that wasnt burned. Currins mother identified her from the jewelry she was wearing Saturday night.

A short piece of braided belt with a buckle attached was found close to the body  a piece of evidence the medical examiner used to determine Currin died by strangulation, though the body had none of the usual signs. Currins body also displayed no physical signs of rape due to the burning.

No forensic evidence was presented at trial linking Cross to the murder.

Cross is now waging several legal fights in an attempt to get his conviction overturned. Last year, a federal court denied a petition challenging his state court conviction. Cross is asking the court to revisit that judgment due to what his attorney describes as new evidence that calls into question the integrity of his conviction. The wardens response is expected in October.

In state court, Crosss attorney has moved to vacate the conviction on similar grounds. Shes also filed two motions seeking the release of certain evidence for re-examination and testing. In addition to examining the diary ink, she is requesting DNA testing of several items from the middle school that were not previously tested or were tested with the limited science available at the time. If the motion is granted, KIP plans to have hairs found on and around Currins body tested, as well as cigarette butts found at the scene and DNA from the belt buckle. They said they would also test a plastic Gatorade bottle that is believed to have carried the accelerant used to set Currins body on fire.

The Kentucky Attorney Generals Office has until December to respond to the state court motions. CNN plans to cover the next hearing in January 2024.

CNNs Joao Costa, Aaron Fisher and Matt Gannon contributed to this story.

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Ramzan Kadyrov , Head of the Chechen Republic, has suggested cancelling presidential elections in Russia until the war with Ukraine is over. (The Chechen Republic is a federal subject of the Russian Federation; the Ukrainian parliament has recognised it as the temporarily Russian-occupied territory of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria  ed.)

Source: TASS, a pro-Kremlin media outlet, citing Ramzan Kadyrov during an event to mark Russian President Vladimir Putin s birthday in Grozny, Chechnya

Quote from Kadyrov: "I suggest that while the Special Military Operation [Russias euphemism for the war against Ukraine  ed.] is ongoing, we should unanimously approve the decision that we will have only one candidate during the elections: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

Or postpone the elections  because we have no one else who could protect our country today."

Details: Kadyrov did not explain whom Putin was "protecting the country" from. That country has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for the past year and a half.

Russia has not declared martial law.

Putin turned 71 on 7 October.

Background:

Presidential elections are set to take place in Russia in 2024. Putin has not officially announced that he will run yet.

According to Russian media, Putin may announce his intention to run for a new presidential term during the International Russia Expo.

By law, the 2024 presidential elections must be scheduled from 8 to 18 December 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!
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Tourists visit a scenic spot in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 1, 2023. As a popular tourist destination, Sanya is seeing a tourism boom during the National Day holiday. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's domestic tourism market generated approximately 753.4 billion yuan (about 103.2 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, which ended on Friday, official statistics show.

The figure represents a year-on-year increase of 129.5 percent, and a rise of 1.5 percent from that of the National Day holiday in 2019, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

During the eight-day holiday, Chinese people made 826 million domestic tourist trips, an increase of 71.3 percent from last year and a rise of 4.1 percent from 2019, the ministry said.
China warned on Saturday of big waves, heavy rain and strong winds as Typhoon Koinu heads towards southern provinces after causing havoc in Taiwan.

In certain areas of Guangdong province, ferry services came to a halt, while the city of Guangzhou had to cancel several flights and train services.

Waves of up to nine metres were expected in the South China Sea under the impact of the storm on Saturday and Sunday, the State Oceanic Administration said as it issued an orange alert, the second highest in a four-coloured warning system.

Koinu, which means "puppy" in Japanese, was forecast to turn into a tropical storm by Saturday and turn to the southwest, taking it over waters that parallel Chinas southeastern coast on Sunday.

It is now heading west along Chinas southern coast at a speed of 5-10 kph, the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) said. It is expected to weaken into a strong tropical storm from late on Monday.

The NMC has urged locals to remain on high alert for flood and prepare for typhoon emergency response measures, reported China Daily. Shantou authorities in Guangdong province placed restricted movement on cross-bridges yesterday, the outlet reported.

Set to be the 14th typhoon in China this year, it was about 370km from Hong Kong on Friday morning and moving at about 10km per hour, the city governments Hong Kong Observatory said.

It brought pounding rain and wind gusts to southern and central Taiwan on Thursday, downing trees and damaging buildings. An 84-year-old woman was killed by flying glass in Taichung city and about 400 others were injured.

On Thursday, waves of up to seven metres were reported, and videos online showed significant damage to houses and shopfronts along coastal areas.

The situation is very bad, roads broken, cannot pump fuel and cannot buy anything from the convenience store, no food stocks and water. So everyone is collecting rainwater for cooking, Orchid Island restaurant owner Judy Chiu told Reuters.

The government was struggling to send the boats with aid supplies to the remote Orchid Island. Officials say the first aid may not arrive until Saturday morning.

Aid and repair works continue on the island state as the government and air force helicopters flew in engineers to restore electricity and telecommunications.

Additional reporting from the agencies
A sign reading "stop celebrating genocide" sits at the base of a statue of Christopher Columbus in Providence, Rhode Island, after it was vandalized with red paint. Michelle R. Smith/Associated Press

A Christopher Columbus statue removed from a park in 2020 has a new home.

Columbus statues became targets of vandalism during widespread protests in 2020.

The Columbus statue is now back in a new park nine miles away.

A controversial Christopher Columbus statue in Providence, Rhode Island that activists thought the city had permanently removed was actually only picked up and relocated  to a park just nine miles away.

The city originally took down the statue after vandalism in the wake of George Floyd 's killing in 2020.

Statues of Columbus and early-American political leaders became targets of vandalism in 2020 after Minneapolis police killed George Floyd, a Black man, by kneeling on his neck.

In the wake of Floyd's murder, protesters throughout the country called for the removal of statues of Columbus, Confederate leaders, and others. They said the explorer was responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native people.

Protesters toppled one statue in Baltimore and threw it into the harbor, while protesters in Chicago clashed with police as they tried to tear down a Columbus statue there.

Vandals first doused the Christopher Columbus statue in Providence with red paint in 2019 and placed a sign in front of it that said, "Stop celebrating genocide." The city finally removed the statue after the vandalism continued.

But now, three years later, it's back again. This time in a slightly different location in the nearby town of Johnston, the Associated Press reported.

Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. said residents of the town are excited to have the statue there, adding that the town's population is heavily Italian, the AP reported.

"It's important and not just for Italian Americans. It's American history," Polisena said. "It's world history. If you look at it from a historical perspective."

Polisena told the AP he understands the criticism of Columbus but doesn't think it's fair to compare his life to the moral standards of the current day.

Read the original article on Insider
ATLANTA - City of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and civil rights lawyer Ben Crump held a press conference on Friday to address the conditions at the Forest Cove apartment complex in southeast Atlanta and a lawsuit filed against the city.

Residents of the apartment complex have long voiced concerns about unsafe living conditions, including issues such as mold, rodents, extensive trash, broken windows, abandoned vehicles, general disrepair, and criminal activity.

RELATED: Residents frustrated with filthy living conditions at SW Atlanta apartment complex

In July 2021, Atlanta police identified 150 code violations during an inspection of the property.

In May 2022, Atlanta City Councilman Jason Winston, who was also present at Friday's press conference, announced the passing of legislation to fund the relocation of Forest Cove residents using funds from the city's American Rescue Plan. Mayor Andre Dickens promptly signed the legislation, allocating $1.5 million for immediate relocation. In October 2022, Mayor Dickens announced that a total of $9 million would be spent to aid Forest Cove residents.

RELATED: Mother of Atlanta teen shot, killed inside condemned apartment complex files lawsuit

According to Mayor Dickens, the city successfully relocated 240 families, comprising approximately 800 individuals. He emphasized that despite not owning the complex, the city had an obligation to act, given the deplorable conditions residents were enduring.

Mayor Dickens also leveled strong criticism at Millennia Property Management Group, accusing them of neglecting the needs of Forest Cove residents. He asserted that if Millennia had its way, residents would still be living in dire conditions. Dickens further alleged that Millennia had evaded their responsibilities, despite numerous meetings with his team resulting in no tangible improvements.

RELATED: Help is on the way for residents of dilapidated Atlanta apartments

In response to Millennia's lawsuit against the city, Crump announced that the City of Atlanta would file a class-action lawsuit. According to Crump, Millennia manages 280 apartment complexes in 26 cities, many participating in HUD rental assistance programs, with similar issues affecting residents in other locations such as Pittsburgh, Houston, North Little Rock, Birmingham, Memphis, and Jacksonville.

RELATED: Lawsuit lays out claims of roaches, mice, water damage at Blue Valley Court Townhouses

Crump also highlighted a class-action lawsuit filed by residents of Shorter College Garden Apartments in North Little Rock, following an explosion at the complex that claimed three lives on Oct. 4. The residents are seeking $5 billion in damages.

According to court documents filed in North Little Rock, Millennia's apartment communities, typically located in lower-income neighborhoods, house more than 86,000 people and employ over 1,110 individuals.

Before the press conference, Phoenix Ridge GA TC, LP, the property owner, issued a statement. Phoenix Ridge stated that their intention when acquiring the property in April 2021 was to invest $58 million in its redevelopment, allowing residents to return to upgraded homes. They claimed the relocation process was initiated following an order from the City of Atlanta's Municipal Court to demolish the property and relocate residents.

Phoenix Ridge alleged that rather than assisting residents, the City of Atlanta aims to gentrify the Thomasville Heights neighborhood, eliminating affordable housing in the process. They also noted the city's contractual right to secure the Forest Cove property in March 2022 but opted not to do so. Phoenix Ridge cited difficulties in securing tax credits and funding for the construction project, leading to the loss of HUD subsidies.

Following the press conference, Phoenix issued another statement. In this statement, they strongly contested the City of Atlanta's claims, asserting their deep concern for Forest Cove residents. They clarified their acquisition of the property was solely to relocate residents during a $58 million rehabilitation project. Phoenix Ridge insisted they had complied with all necessary approvals and permits from the City of Atlanta. They also refuted allegations of owing the city nearly $10 million in relocation fees, citing a breach of agreement by the city, upheld by the Fulton County Superior Court.

RELATED: Millennia heads back to court over Forest Cove's unsafe conditions

Phoenix Ridge vehemently denied turning a blind eye to Forest Cove residents and accused the City of Atlanta of prioritizing redevelopment over the needs of Forest Cove residents and suggested that the city was acting in its own interest rather than that of the residents.

READ FULL STATEMENT BELOW

The City of Atlanta painted a blatantly self-serving fabrication today regarding the Forest Cove Apartments and Phoenix Ridge and Millennias role in the property. As a company, we have the utmost respect and concern for the residents of Forest Cove, which is why we acquired the already severely distressed property in 2021 with the sole purpose of relocating the residents offsite while the property would undergo a $58M rehabilitation.

The City has chosen to prioritize gentrification of the Thomasville Heights area to the detriment of the residents of Forest Cove and to grant Mayor Dickens with a trophy achievement. These residents will not be able to return to their community, but Mayor Dickens will falsely position this as an affordable housing victory.

The City knows its claims that Phoenix Ridge had no concern for the Forest Cove residents and had no plans to improve the property are completely and utterly false. Phoenix Ridge only acquired the property as the company saw the need to immediately relocate the residents, which the previous owner would not allow. Phoenix Ridge allocated a $58M budget to the rehabilitation of this community and had received approval and permits to begin construction from the City of Atlanta. This rehabilitation would have ensured all rightful residents returned to the Forest Cove Apartment in updated, safer and more modern homes. Under the Citys current plans for Thomasville Heights, there are no plans for the volume of affordable, subsidized housing that would allow the residents of Forest Cove to return to their community.

The claim that Millennia and Phoenix Ridge owes the City almost $10M for relocation is patently false. There was agreement that the company would repay the relocation fees pending the sale or refinancing of the property. However, the City breached the agreement, blocking the sale or refinancing of the property, as upheld by the Fulton County Superior Court.

Phoenix Ridge has never turned a blind eye to the residents of Forest Cove, in stark contrast to the City of Atlanta's neglect in fulfilling its responsibilities with the necessary urgency. The deteriorated conditions of Forest Cove existed years before Millennia took over management of the property and bought it for the sole purpose of relocating and substantially transforming the property. Forest Cove has long been ignored by the City of Atlanta. At every turn, Phoenix Ridge has attempted to work with the City on this community. In fact, the City of Atlanta has had the contractual right since March 2022 to take steps to secure the property at Forest Cove but has chosen not to.

The City is right that the residents of Forest Cove deserve better, but halting the revitalization which would have seen the residents returned to newly renovated homes by now, in interest of redevelopment that does not provide adequate affordable housing but does increase the property value of Thomasville Heights, shows that Mayor Dickens and the City are only acting in their interest, not those of the residents of Forest Cove.

Millennia announced in late September that they were cutting staff and shedding 33 apartment complexes in the South.
The body of a missing Kansas City man was found in rural Clay County Saturday morning, according to police.

A property owner living north of Mosby, outside Liberty, found the body of Roger Hunt, 61, on his land a short distance from a vehicle, according to a statement from the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

Family members had reported Hunt missing earlier this week, saying he had returned to his Kansas City home after working in Kansas City, Kansas, around 7 a.m. Monday.

Family told officers he left again around 1 p.m. but had not been heard from since, according to KCKPD.

His death is being investigated by the Clay County Sheriffs Office, but police do not believe foul play was a factor in his death.
FIRST ON FOX: California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa warned that the war between Israel and Hamas could escalate.

Issa  a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee  spoke with Fox News Digital from a confidential location in the Middle East, where he was traveling when Israel came under sustained attack from Hamas-backed terrorists Saturday morning. Issa said he was within "a combined missile range, more from Iran" than the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas.

Issa said that "tensions are very high" in the Middle East "with a recognition that these are Iranian-supplied" attacks.

AT LEAST 100 DEAD AS HAMAS LAUNCHES UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON ISRAEL, NETANYAHU SAYS NATION IS AT WAR

California GOP Rep. Darrell Issa  a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee  spoke with Fox News Digital from a confidential location in the Middle East within "a combined missile range, more from Iran" than the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas.

Hamas has launched thousands of missiles, and the death and injured counts continue to mount "just at a time when Saudi Arabia has brokered much better relations with Israel but seemingly trying to lower tensions with Iran," he continued.

"And it has gotten where, sadly, the administration has been attempting to appease Iran," the California Republican said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Issa  who is leading a resolution in the House disapproving of the Biden administration's waiver of sanctions on Iran  said the $6 billion in unfrozen funds "certainly backfilled" Iran's "expenditures, whether the money flowed through this quickly or not."

Facing criticisms for the $6 billion in unfrozen assets in light of the attacks on Israel, the White House has said that none of the funds go directly to the Iranian government, and the money is limited to humanitarian uses only.

But the scale of Hamas' attack Saturday morning, plus the second round of missiles fired in the evening, indicates to Issa that the terror group has been building and smuggling in "tens of thousands of rockets" for a long time.

Issa said he believes that the understanding that other Middle Eastern nations have come to about Israel's permanence is "irreversible," but he added that the war "will make things difficult for a period of time."

"I don't think there's any question at all that the Saudi crown prince will, in time, reach an agreement with Israel in the foreseeable future," Issa said. At the same time, Issa noted that "Saudi Arabia is using its leverage to assist the Palestinians."

"It is now going to be much harder to do something as comprehensive as they would have wanted," Issa added.

The California Republican said that Hamas has been building and smuggling in "tens of thousands of rockets" for a long time but that the fact that they can fire 5,000 rockets and then another volley at nightfall shows the depth of Hamas' military capability.

Issa said he expects the death toll on both sides to rise in the aftermath of the surprise attack amid secondary explosions.

The Republican lawmaker also said that the attack's timing "couldn't be worse" as Jewish Israelis were "genuinely at odds over a hardliner approach." He noted that the nation of Israel is now "unified, as one would expect."

Issa also said that "whenever you see aggressive attacks like this" against Israel, it "actually strengthens both the left and the right in the country."

"I do believe that there was some significance in Hamas choosing today, whether it's the anniversary of the 73 war or high holy days. Theres no doubt about it: their timing appears to have been in order to be able to say they did something during this period, probably the anniversary of the '73 war as much as the significance of the holiday," Issa said.

Friday evening marked the end of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot as well as the anniversary of the beginning of the Yom Kippur War.

On the domestic front, Issa said that the two candidates for House speaker  Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio  are strong supporters of Israel but that Americans "absolutely have to have a functioning Congress that can assist in making decisions in favor of our ally Israel."

Issa said he believes that Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., "is in fact empowered" to be read into the Israel war situation alongside other legislative leaders and the Gang of Eight.

Issa said he believes that Speaker Pro-Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., "is in fact empowered" to be read into the Israel war situation alongside other legislative leaders and that his "expectation is that the Gang of Eight could and should be read-in," as well as other members of Congress.

"Because decisions are going to have to be made, perhaps even before there is a formal speaker's election," Issa said.

Issa said there are "two possibilities" as to how the war shakes out, one being "Hamas recognizes, quickly, the error of their way and just get to de-escalate it."

But on the other hand, "Iran wants this to be a sustained campaign and encourages other actors in addition to helping resupply Hamas, and that makes it go on for weeks or longer," he said.

Issa added that "hopefully" other factions "will stay out of it," but also that it "is very clearly Iran's war with Israel" and that Hamas is simply a proxy.

The California Republican added that several of Israel's Arab neighbors "have chosen to make peace" with the democracy in the Middle East and that "is a strong ally that cannot be allowed to be reversed."

"And all of us have an obligation to make sure that that direction toward peace continues, regardless of Iran's attempts to derail it," Issa said.

Issa also blasted the Biden administration on X, formerly Twitter, writing that President Biden's "White House trusted Iran, gave billions in cash to the Mullahs, and emboldened Tehrans terror war against Israel."

Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invaded areas of southern Israel as rocket barrages launched from the Gaza Strip struck the area on Saturday, killing at least 100 Israelis in an attack the Islamist movement Hamas is taking responsibility for.

A senior Hamas military commander, Mohammad Deif, announced the start of the operation in which he called on Palestinians everywhere to attack the Israelis, saying in a broadcast on Hamas media that the group had launched 5,000 rockets and calling the attack "the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth."

Local Israeli media reported that at least 100 people have been killed in the wide-ranging assault, while Gaza health officials say that 198 Palestinians have died in Israeli air strikes made in response to the Hamas attack. Hospitals are treating at least 985 wounded people, including 77 in critical condition, the Associated Press reported based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

Fox News Digital's Landon Mion, Chris Pandolfo, and Peter Aitkin contributed reporting.





Original article source: 'Clearly Iran's war with Israel': GOP congressman traveling in Middle East warns of 'sustained' conflict
Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen said that the ongoing New York business fraud trial is likely to spell the end of former president Trumps business empire, as Cohen prepares to testify against him in the case.

I can assure you that, as I had stated once again before the House Oversight Committee, everything that happened at the Trump Organization happened with the direct knowledge and at the direction of, and ultimately signed off by, Donald J. Trump, Cohen said in a CNN interview Friday. Theres no way for him to escape this.

New York prosecutors argued that Trump and his sons committed business fraud by intentionally inflating and deflating the value of their assets in order to get more favorable loans and insurance rates.

A judge ruled that Trump did commit fraud last month, and the trial this week is set to determine damages. Prosecutors are seeking $250 million in financial penalties and to bar Trump and his children from running businesses in New York.

Cohen, who served time in prison after he testified against Trump in a separate criminal case, said he has evidence against the former president and plans to testify in court.

So you have more examples? CNNs Erin Burnett asked him. Youve got the receipts?

Yes, Cohen replied. And, actually, the receipts are in the hands of the attorney general.

After the ruling against Trump late last month, Cohen said it could mean that Trump will need to sell his most iconic assets in order to raise funds. Trump has appealed that ruling.

The damages, in my estimation, with interest and penalty, will exceed $600 million, Cohen said. Will that put him into bankruptcy? He does not have the liquid cash in order to pay that off.

If you want to get to Donald, the way to do it is through his bank book, he continued. Its not by saying hes a narcissistic sociopath or that hes definitely not 63 and hes not 215 pounds. You go after the wallet.  Once you start hitting that bank book, thats what really gets to him.

Trump also dropped a civil suit against Cohen on Friday. Trump was scheduled to sit for a deposition next week.

In the Friday interview, Cohen theorized that the move was because Trump didnt want to be asked questions under oath.

He certainly was concerned that some of the information he may have to testify to, because it was an expansive testimony, that it could ultimately implicate him in crimes and that he earlier needed [attorney] Chris Kise to prevent him from implicating himself from being able to assert the Fifth Amendment, Cohen said. This is the craziest scenario.

A New York appeals court declined to halt Trumps trial on Friday, after requests from his attorneys, but did pause the process of canceling his New York business licenses.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A "green" funeral home in Fremont County, Colorado, is under investigation after a "horrific discovery" of more than 115 decaying corpses, the Fremont County Sheriff's Department confirmed Friday.

The Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, west of Colorado Springs, is accused of improperly storing bodies at the 2,500-square foot, one-story facility, the sheriff's department said, adding that deputies were called there for a "suspicious incident," which a suspension letter from a regulatory agency referred to as a report of an "abhorrent smell," Tuesday.

A search warrant was executed Thursday by the Fremont County Coroners Office and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, which oversees funeral homes in the state.

"Without providing too much detail to avoid further victimizing these families there, the funeral home where the bodies were improperly stored was horrific," Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper said in a press conference. He said no arrests have been made.

MOURNING LOVED ONES TARGETING BY DESPICABLE FUNERAL HOME SCAMS

The suspension letter sent to the owner of the funeral home, which specializes in green burials without embalming chemicals, claimed 115 bodies were found decaying inside, and the owner said he was attempting to do taxidermy there. The document didn't elaborate on the context of the taxidermy claim. Owner Jon Hallford also claimed he had a "problem" at the property, without explaining what he meant, the document said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Hallford is also accused of trying to conceal the alleged mishandling of corpses.

LICENSE OF IN FUNERAL HOME, DIRECTOR REVOKED AFTER 31 DECOMPOSING BODIES, 17 CREMAINS FOUND STORED AT FACILITY

Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller said the investigation could take months given the number of decedents and the need to identify them.

"I want to assure everyone," Keller added, taking a long pause, "that the loved ones in this facility will be treated with the upmost care and respect. Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this tragedy, and we will take every measure possible to get families the answers they deserve."

Some identifications would require taking fingerprints, finding medical or dental records and DNA, he said. He added that Fremont County has declared a disaster to possibly make more state funds available for the effort.

The sheriff's department asked family members who used the funeral home to contact them.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the sheriffs office, the state Department of Regulatory Agencies, and the funeral home.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source: Colorado 'green' funeral home under investigation after 'disturbing discovery' of over 115 decaying bodies
The man suspected of killing ten people in a Boulder, Colorado, grocery store in 2021 has been deemed fit to stand trial, a judge ruled Friday, and he will remain in custody at a state hospital to ensure he takes medication to maintain his competency.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa is accused of opening fire on March 22, 2021, at a King Soopers and killing 10 people, including a store manager and a police officer. He faces a total of 54 charges, including ten counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Colorado District Judge Ingrid Bakke initially ruled Alissa incompetent to stand trial in December 2021 after he was evaluated by a defense expert, two doctors from the state hospital and a doctor selected by the prosecutors, according to court documents filed by Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. The doctors determined Alissas condition got worse while at the Boulder County Jail, and he was then sent to the state hospital for treatment.

In her order Friday, the judge restored his competency and noted Alissas evaluators have diagnosed him with schizophrenia, but concluded he isnt suffering from delusions that interfere with his ability to stand trial.

CNN has reached out to Kathryn Herold, Alissas state-appointed defense attorney, for comment on the order.

Bakke acknowledged her court doesnt have the authority to order Alissa remain housed at the Colorado Mental Health Institute (CMHI) in Pueblo after he is found competent to stand trial, but she strongly urged the state hospital to retain him due to the gravity of this case.

Shortly after the order was filed, the CMHI granted the request to keep Alissa in its custody, deeming it necessary while his case is ongoing, according to the district attorney.

Dougherty said in a statement his office is pleased with the courts decision, saying it provides some hope for the victim families that this case will move forward and that justice will be done. We will never stop fighting for the right outcome in this case.

Alissa was able to purchase a Ruger AR-556 on March 16, which he used in the shooting, after passing a background check, John Mark Eagleton, the owner of Eagles Nest Armory in Arvada, said in 2021 after the attack.

Nothing in the federal system would have prevented Alissa from passing a background check and buying a firearm, a law enforcement source had previously told CNN.

The suspect pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of third-degree assault in 2018 after attacking a high school classmate one year earlier, according to court documents and a police report. He was sentenced to one year probation, 48 hours of community service and anger response treatment, court documents said.

Suspect had impoverished speech

Evaluators at the state hospital said Alissa had impoverished speech and thoughts when he arrived at the state hospital for treatment in December 2021. Impoverished speech is often linked to brain disorders and hinders someone from talking very much due to a mental illness, injury or disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Alissa had been in the hospital for more than a year in March 2023 when his functioning began to decline after refusing to take his antipsychotic medication, the order says. He was then forced to take medication and undergo individual and group competency sessions, during which he started to open up more, which the judge said marked a turning point in his restoration to competency.

Alissas condition improved significantly when he began court-ordered medication, which he was forced to take while in treatment at the CMHI, the judge wrote.

Several doctors who evaluated and treated Alissa testified during a restoration hearing last week. Independent and state psychologists testified Alissa should not be sent back to the Boulder County Jail because he would likely deteriorate if he refused his medications at the jail, and not all jails have the capacity or ability to maintain involuntary medications.

The doctors testified for the duration of Alissas time at the hospital, he has demonstrated a solid factual and rational understanding of the proceedings against him, which is crucial to his competency.

While there are still concerns about the suspects tendency toward isolating himself and his impoverished speech, Bakke wrote, the judge determined he has shown significant improvement in hospital reports from May to August.

DA agrees suspect should remain in hospital

In court documents filed by Dougherty in August, the Colorado Department of Human Services determined in a competency re-evaluation report that Alissa doesnt currently have a mental disability or developmental disability preventing him from being fit to stand trial.

The agency concluded Alissa had a rational and factual understanding of the criminal proceedings, noting his medication regime and stable therapeutic environment at the state hospital is vital to his competency.

The Boulder County Jail is not a mental health hospital and is not well equipped or able to administer care, medication, or the same level and methods of treatment, as the hospital, the prosecutor wrote.

Harold, Alissas attorney, argued during last Wednesdays restoration hearing Alissa does not have a good attention span, cannot fully understand court proceedings and should not be deemed competent.

In her order, Bakke agreed with his doctors and evaluators that his competency remains tenuous and is contingent on him taking medication. The judge highlighted a time in June of this year when Alissa specifically said that if he were found to be competent and is returned to jail that he would stop taking his medication.

The jail does not have the qualified staff and equipment to force him to take his medication, Bakke wrote, and if Alissa is transferred back and forth from the jail to the hospital, it could jeopardize his ability to be restored back to competency.

Such a result would be an injustice to everyone who has been impacted by this case, Bakke wrote.

A preliminary hearing during which prosecutors will present evidence and witnesses to prove he is most likely competent to stand trial has been scheduled for November 14.

CNNs Jeremy Harlan, Mallika Kallingal and Raja Razek contributed to this report.

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Every October, a parade of opinion writers, politicians and Americans of Italian descent celebrate Christopher Columbus as someone who represents Italian Americans.

But associating impoverished 19th- and 20th-century Italian immigrants with a 15th-century explorer disavows the cultural identities of Italian Americans.

It renders the diverse histories and hardships of such immigrants insignificant in favor of a representative of European imperialism already familiar to Americans and more consistent with Americas homogenized European ideal.

As a political philosopher, I think its worth examining how mythologies of the past can distort reality and erase indigenous and immigrant cultures.

Given Italian history, descendants of Italian immigrants have reason to stand in solidarity with indigenous groups as they reclaim histories that were previously expunged.

A mass lynching

A mass lynching remains the professed political reason for first associating Columbus with Italian Americans. In 1891, 11 Southern Italian immigrants were murdered by a mob in New Orleans.

This was not the first or last lynching of Italian immigrants in the United States. But it holds the distinction of being one of the largest mass lynchings in the nations history.

The killings were defended as vengeance for the murder of a police chief by unidentified assailants. Many of the nations papers, including The New York Times, applauded the lynching.

This media coverage contributed to political tensions between the U.S. and the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. The following year, President Benjamin Harrison announced a one-time national observance of the 400-year anniversary of Columbus voyage.

Harrisons proclamation did not mention Italy or Italian immigrants. Instead, American citizens were encouraged to observe the anniversary of the discovery of America  as shall impress upon our youth the patriotic duties of American citizenship.

Scientific racism

That message reached a ready audience shaped by late 19th and early 20th centuries notions of scientific racism, the pseudoscientific belief that empirical evidence exists to support racism or racial superiority.

Southern Italians, along with other Southern Europeans, North Africans and Middle Easterners, were viewed by many white Protestant Europeans as an inferior Mediterranean race. As such, Mediterranean immigrants in the U.S. were widely regarded with contempt.

Christopher Columbus landing in America. Original Artwork: Engraving by Nathaniel Currier. MPI/Getty Images

Amid racist theories marking the period, President Harrisons proclamation signaled distinctions between glorious European figures, like Columbus, and destitute Sicilians, whose appearance was unwelcome and whose lynchings were met with approval in the press.

In a 1924 letter to The New York Times defending immigration restrictions against Italians and other Southern Europeans, the eugenicist Henry Fairfield Osborn took care to exclude the so-called discoverer of America from the tainted races: Columbus from his portraits and his busts, whether authentic or not, was clearly Nordic.

Columbus died long before the unification of Italy in the 19th century, but he came to be its mythologized representative. With unification, Italys rulers attempted to forge a new national identity among disparate peoples, with different experiences of brutal colonialism.

By the 19th century, Southern Italians were leaving Italy in large numbers to escape the entrenched poverty wrought by political and economic subjugation.

That subjugation traces in part to Columbus sponsors, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand II, who possessed Sicily during Columbus lifetime, with Ferdinands cousin, Ferdinand I, controlling the southern mainland. Eventually, Ferdinand II controlled both Kingdoms of Sicily.

These so-called Catholic Monarchs of what is now Spain brought the Inquisition to Sicily. In the context of the long-standing cultural diversity of Sicily, the Spanish Inquisition imposed a Catholic monoculture, while literacy and other markers for social welfare plummeted.

As the historians Louis Mendola and Jacqueline Alio write of this time:

Compared to what she had been under the Byzantines, Fatmids, and Normans, Sicily was now in decline. Illiteracy became endemic, defining the educational level of the great majority of Sicilians  and indeed Italians generally  into the nineteenth century.

As a Spanish possession, Southern Italy was culturally throttled by the Inquisition while simultaneously exploited for natural resources and taxation. The corruption, poverty and misery that prompted waves of Southern Italians to seek escape between 1880 and 1924 has its roots in this period.

Reclaiming history

As such, a significant majority of Italian Americans descend from those Southern Italian immigrants.

The feudalistic cycles of poverty from which they sought escape were maintained and enforced by the same monarchical, imperialist powers Columbus served and helped enrich.

Identifying Italian Americans with Columbus in America meant identification of Italians more generally with Columbus, rather than with the waves of disadvantaged Southern Italians leaving Italy.

Because of this, the identification served as propaganda for both the U.S. and a newly formed Italy.

By rejecting their own association with Columbus, contemporary descendants of Italian immigrants have an opportunity to recognize the authentic cultural identities of their ancestors.

[Youre smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversations authors and editors. You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter.]

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. If you found it interesting, you could subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

It was written by: Lawrence Torcello, Rochester Institute of Technology.

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Lawrence Torcello does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
(Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas launched its biggest assault on Israel in years early on Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza and sending fighters across the border.

Israel said it was on a war footing and began its own strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza, with Israeli media reporting gunbattles between bands of Palestinian fighters and security forces in southern Israel.

The following timeline, which begins with Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, details the major flare-ups in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups in the crowded coastal enclave, which is home to 2.3 million people.

August 2005 - Israeli forces unilaterally withdraw from Gaza 38 years after capturing it from Egypt in the Middle East war, abandoning settlements and leaving the enclave under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

Jan. 25, 2006 - The Islamist group Hamas wins a majority of seats in a Palestinian legislative election. Israel and the U.S. cut off aid to Palestinians because Hamas refuses to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

June 25, 2006 - Hamas militants capture Israeli army conscript Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid from Gaza, prompting Israeli air strikes and incursions. Shalit is finally freed more than five years later in a prisoner exchange.

June 14, 2007 - Hamas takes over Gaza in a brief civil war, ousting Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is based in the West Bank.

Dec. 27, 2008 - Israel launches a 22-day military offensive in Gaza after Palestinians fire rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis are reported killed before a ceasefire is agreed.

Nov. 14, 2012 - Israel kills Hamas's military chief of staff, Ahmad Jabari. Eight days of Palestinian militant rocket fire and Israeli air strikes follow.

July-August 2014 - The kidnap and killing of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas leads to a seven-week war in which more than 2,100 Palestinians are reported killed in Gaza and 73 Israelis are reported dead, 67 of them military.

March 2018 - Palestinian protests begin at Gazas fenced border with Israel. Israeli troops open fire to keep protestors back. More than 170 Palestinians are reported killed in several months of protests, which also prompt fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces.

May 2021 - After weeks of tension during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, hundreds of Palestinians are wounded in clashes with Israeli security forces at the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, Islams third holiest site.

After demanding Israel withdraw security forces from the compound, Hamas unleashes a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Israel hits back with air strikes on Gaza. Fighting goes on for 11 days, killing at least 250 people in Gaza and 13 in Israel.

Aug 2022 - At least 44 people, including 15 children, are killed in three days of violence that begin when Israeli air strikes hit a senior Islamic Jihad commander.

Israel says the strikes were a pre-emptive operation against an imminent attack by the Iranian-backed militant movement, targeting commanders and arms depots. In response, Islamic Jihad fires more than 1,000 rockets towards Israel. Israel's Iron Dome air defence system prevents any serious damage or casualties.

Jan 2023 - Islamic Jihad in Gaza fires two rockets towards Israel after Israeli troops raid a refugee camp and kill seven Palestinian gunmen and two civilians. The rockets set off alarms in Israeli communities near the border but cause no casualties. Israel responds with air strikes on Gaza.

Oct 2023 - Hamas launches the biggest attack on Israel in years from the Gaza Strip, with a surprise assault combining gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets. Islamic Jihad says its fighters have joined the attack.

Israel's military said it was on a war footing, adding it had carried out strikes targeting Hamas in Gaza and had called up reservists.

(Compiled by Tom Perry and Angus McDowall; Editing by Jan Harvey)
You are here: China

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) on Friday said it will convene its 18th national congress in Beijing on Oct. 9.

A total of 2,002 elected delegates, 60 specially invited delegates and 50 guests from Hong Kong and Macao will attend the congress, which is held every five years, according to the ACFTU.

The congress will revise the Constitution of Trade Unions of the People's Republic of China and elect a new leadership for the ACFTU.
A Mount Dora man who admitted to shooting down a law enforcement drone in 2021 has pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge.

 WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

On July 11, 2021, Lake County deputies responded to a report of a burglary at a business on 10 acres of land in Mount Dora.

According to the State Attorneys Office, deputies were using a drone to help with a search of the property when it was destroyed by gunfire from a nearby home.

READ: Edgewater police arrest suspected gunman, fiance after 3 shot, 1 killed in the woods

Deputies responded to the home and were confronted by 56-year-old Wendell Doyle Goney, who admitted to shooting the drone down with a .22 caliber rifle.

According to the State Attorneys Office, Goney tried to claim the drone had been harassing him. He then admitted that he could not legally possess a firearm due to a history of felony convictions.

A check of Goneys criminal history confirmed 29 prior felony convictions in the state of Florida which included aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, drug possession and burglary. As a convicted felon, federal law prohibits Goney from possessing firearms and ammunition.

READ: Police: 3-month-old infant dies, twin sibling severely injured in Cocoa child abuse case

The State Attorneys Office announced Friday that Goney pleaded guilty to a single charge of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

A sentencing date has not been set

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Already in uncharted territory, House Republicans are navigating even more surprise waves as they race to select a replacement for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) next week.

The normally internal, relationship-based process is getting a swath of outside attention  a reality that is not sitting well with many in the House GOP.

Plans for a televised Fox News forum with the candidates were quickly scrapped after backlash.

And former President Trump has weighed in with a preferred pick, after showing openness to being a Speaker candidate himself and sources saying he considered showing up at the Capitol for the Republican nominating contest.

It has the potential to be the most competitive race for a partys top spot that the House seen in decades  a dynamic that members must grapple with on a severely condensed timeline, with a looming shutdown deadline exerting pressure to quickly elect a Speaker that can restore normal business of the House.

One of the few other times the House faced a mid-session Speaker change was in 2015, when around a month passed between Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announcing his resignation and the House GOPs internal nominating contest. Now, members have just more than a week between McCarthys ouster and their internal nominating contest set for Wednesday.

What were seeing is a very accelerated process, said Matthew Green, professor of politics at Catholic University and coauthor of Choosing the Leader: Leadership Elections in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Its like, super speed, he continued.

Two powerhouses in the GOP conference  House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)  are jockeying for the top spot in the chamber, reaching out to different coalitions within the party to secure support for the gavel. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, is also mulling a run for Speaker.

All three contenders bring a different flair to the table.

Scalise is a leadership veteran, having served in the highest echelons of the House since 2014; Jordan is the founding chairman of the influential conservative House Freedom Caucus and holds the gavel for the powerful House Judiciary Committee; and Hern, a newcomer relative to the other two, leads the largest GOP group in the chamber.

I will say Im impressed with the number of endorsements these candidates have gotten so quickly, Green said of Scalise and Jordan. I call them both serious competitors. The problem, though, is that if you have leadership ambitions, you really kind of have to start like years in advance.

The competitiveness of  and widespread interest in  the race was on full display Thursday morning, when news broke that Fox News would hold a televised forum with the three contenders. Such an event would be highly unusual, given that leadership elections are normally hashed out hidden from the public eye.

But those plans quickly fell apart as some lawmakers spoke out against the idea. Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (R-Fla.) called the event unproductive.

A Jordan spokesman said that he would prefer the candidates speak to the GOP conference before the televised event, CNN first reported.

Hern then wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he will not be participating in the televised debate. Scalise followed suit, and plans for the forum were scrapped within hours of them having been unveiled.

But the idea of the unconventional event  and its subsequent domino-effect fall  epitomizes the atypical nature of this months Speakers race, which has gained outsized attention on the national stage after McCarthys stunning, and unprecedented, fall from the top spot.

The peculiar essence of the race does not end there.

Trumps shadow has added to the chaos surrounding the Speaker saga, with the former president being endorsed for the job, floating a potential visit to the Capitol, offering himself up to be the interim GOP leader, and, eventually, throwing his support behind Jordan  all within a matter of days.

It is very unusual for a former president to get involved in a closely contested Speaker contest.

Usually they dont want to get involved, because heaven forbid they pick a losing candidate  now theyve just burned a bridge with the winner, Green said. But, he added: You know, Donald Trump does what he does.

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) announced Tuesday night  shortly after McCarthys ouster  that he would nominate Trump to be the next Speaker, with Reps. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) also backing the former president.

House rules do not require the Speaker to be a member of the chamber, but the possibility of a Trump Speakership was largely panned as unrealistic and far-fetched  especially as the former president, who is facing four indictments and a civil lawsuit in New York, barrels ahead with a comeback bid for the White House.

Despite those ongoing engagements, news broke Thursday afternoon that Trump was considering making a trip to the Capitol on Tuesday, when the GOP conference is scheduled to huddle for a candidate forum amid the Speaker race. Later in the day, Trump offered himself up for the top House job, albeit on a short-term basis.

They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party, until they come to a conclusion  Im not doing it because I want to  I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision, Trump told Fox News Digital.

But just hours later, Trump changed course, throwing his support behind Jordan for Speaker and urging his allies on Capitol Hill to do the same. The announcement came shortly after Nehls beat him to the announcement, writing on X that he had talked to Trump, and that the former president was endorsing Jordan.

He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement! Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Conservative outside groups, including Heritage Action and the Club for Growth, have also released public statements about what they are looking for in a Speaker.

Even in high-profile races like this, outsiders dont usually have as much influence as theyd like to think they do, Green said. Lawmakers are thinking about their own careers, and the person who can help them the most is usually the leader whos being elected.

Now, having said that  for very, very close races, sometimes it can make a difference, Green said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Next week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. turns 49. For those who remember him as NASCARs frosted blonde young gun of the early 2000s, glimpsing Dale Jr. on Thursday autographing a childrens book for fans during a visit to his decidedly nonthreatening restaurant at Charlotte Douglas International Airport hammered home how fast lifes left turns change your perspective.

READ MORE: Earnhardt Jr., Harvick part of new ownership group buying late-model racing series CARS Tour

Wearing a button-down shirt, rectangular black glasses and Lululemon pants  he acknowledged his wardrobe still includes plenty of Wranglers from his days pitching jeans  Dale Jr. has retained a high-profile perch in racing while tending to his Whisky River restaurants and other business interests.

With his wife, Amy, and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, who steered her brothers negotiations throughout his driving career, Dale Jr. has, over the years, created and nurtured a podcast company (Dirty Mo Media), developed a post-racing broadcast career with NBC Sports, published several books, and remained a pitchman for various companies, including Charlotte-based Bojangles.

RELATED: NASCAR moves Atlanta and Watkins Glen into the playoffs on 2024 schedule

Five years ago, he and Amy became parents of a daughter, Isla Rose. They have since had a second daughter, Nicole Lorraine. Fully domesticated, Dale Jr. just published his second childrens book, the racing-themed Buster Gets Back on Track, with plans for at least two more sequels.

On Thursday morning, Earnhardt paid his first visit to Whisky River in several years and pronounced himself happy with its condition. He licensed the sports-bar concept to HMSHost, the company that runs all concessions at Charlotte Douglas, and two more locations have since opened at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

SEE MORE: Car crashes into NASCAR Hall of Fame building in Uptown

He talked with CBJ about the evolution of Whisky River from EpiCentre nightclub to the airport restaurant model as well as his business philosophy, endorsement offers and more. Read the interview here.

(WATCH: NASCARs $1M All-Star Race to run at North Wilkesboro again in 2024)
I moved to Europe two years ago and have amassed quite a collection of dating stories.

I've also learned a lot about relationships, dating, and what I want.

It's important to communicate what you want and to say "yes" to adventure.

Some people collect souvenirs while traveling. I collect dating stories. And in the past two-plus years of living in Europe , I've collected many.

There was the South African guy I fell madly in love with during a whirlwind weekend romance in Warsaw  only to be ghosted on Monday morning when he returned to London. There was the Russian guy who, at the end of our first date, asked me to do a full photo shoot of him to show his Instagram fans he "lives a good life."

Then there was the Belgian guy who looked nothing like his photos once we met after a month of exchanging WhatsApp messages, and the Austrian guy whom I dated for a month and who made me a PowerPoint presentation about why we should still be together six months after we broke up. The list goes on  as does my search for love.

And while the stories are fun to tell over FaceTime with my friends back in the States or over cocktails in Vienna, where I've settled, my collection of overseas dating stories has also taught me many valuable lessons.

Dating is the best way to see a new city

Forget walking tours; when I first moved to Europe in 2021, it was actually Bumble that helped me explore new cities. I learned quickly that dating a local was the best way to discover the best parts of a town and find its little hidden gems. Now that I live in Vienna, nearly all of my go-to spots are places I was taken for a date when I first arrived.

The author in Sintra, Portugal. Courtesy of the author

Let go of outcomes, and embrace spontaneity

I remember waking up one morning to a voice note from a guy I'd been seeing who was eager to get away over the summer. Given that we'd had fun on our first two dates, he wanted to know whether I'd be up for going on a weekend vacation with him. "Why the hell not?" I thought.

While we didn't end up together in the end, we did wind up in Turkey for the weekend, and I got to experience the joy of exploring a new city and getting to know somebody over kebabs and hammams. Embracing spontaneity and experiences over outcomes has proved time and again to be the way to go.

You can be independent and enjoy chivalry from time to time

Chivalry feels ingrained in European men. (OK, most of them.) For one, on nearly every date, if the road were to the right of us, my date would always insist on walking on my right to block me from traffic. One guy I'd been seeing in Warsaw even surprised me at the train station when I was leaving; he wanted to see me off properly and help me load my luggage on the train and showed up just in time to do so.

The author in Lisbon. Courtesy of the author

While I consider myself fiercely independent and fully capable of opening my own doors and carrying my own bags, I can't help smiling at these gestures and daydreaming about raising a son who also values chivalry.

Sometimes the best dates can turn into best friends

My most successful date in Europe ended in friendship. Back in October 2021, I was sitting on a bench, unsure of what to do on my last day in Vienna, when I saw a sign on a bike saying, "Coffee this way!" I had already had three cups that day, but I followed the sign anyway. I instantly spotted the handsome barista once inside, and since it was my last night in Austria I boldly decided to ask him out to dinner.

We realized on the date that we weren't a fit romantically, but he's still one of my closest friends. And this is not the only time this has happened  a guy I dated in Poland also turned into a dear friend, and I've even gone to stay with him in Brussels to celebrate his getting a new job.

Don't be a baby about saying you want babies

I'm 32 years old, and while that still feels young to me, I'm at the age where most of my best friends in the US are married, and at least half of them have a child . But I noticed something interesting once I stopped dating for fun and started dating to find a partnership (which happened after six months of bouncing through different countries before settling in Austria): Relationships tend to move slower here, even among people in their 30s.

I also found that it's more common for European men to be uninterested in marriage or unsure whether they want to have kids. In turn, I learned it's good to be honest with yourself  and upfront with whomever you're dating  early on.

Heartache hurts more when you're abroad

As brave as I feel for spiriting away to another continent to pursue love and adventure, it sucks when your heart gets broken and the people you usually turn to are an ocean away. While I've made closer friends in Europe after two years living abroad, initially it was tough to have to process pain alone. (Thankfully, wine is much cheaper over here.)

Above all else, I learned how to say yes to love

I've said yes to dates during long layovers and to 30-minute dates over ice cream. I've said yes to a kiss in front of a palace and to a date that required a guy to drive across two countries. I've been told yes when I asked someone out at baggage claim. And perhaps most important, I've said yes to myself in the mirror whenever I wonder whether it's worth it to keep trying.

Dating in Europe is fun, exciting, and different, but in some ways it's also the same as anywhere else. Because, at the end of the day, whether I'm in Ljubljana or Amsterdam, I just want to find love instead of continuing to book my typical table for one.

Maybe it'll happen on the next plane, train, or, coffee shop I enter. But I'll never stop looking, even if I have to travel all over the world to find him.

Read the original article on Insider
TEL AVIVThe rocket that hit the next street Saturday morning made a sound like nothing else. It seeped into the body from the feet, up the spine, and finally into the head, as I heard my daughters quiet, fearful whimpers.

It was a sound that drowned out the incessant Israeli-Palestinian chatter flooding the global media; drowned out the condemnations by Western celebrities; drowned out the struggle of the West on how to place us, Israeli Jews: whether we are descended from white colonialists or beige victims of persecution. For a moment, this sound even drowned out the desperate, horrific posts by Palestinian Facebook friends from the Gaza Strip, which will soon become a lot worse.

Hundreds of Gazan insurgents have broken through the Israeli perimeter fence and have taken over kibbutzim, towns and settlements murdering more than 200 civilians and kidnapping dozens more. A relative was snatched away from his fallen kibbutz. The husband of a member of my native kibbutz has been hiding in his home since morning, contact with him has been lost. There is street fighting in the town of Sderot, and soldiers are deliberating plans of attack on their own conquered bases.

Israel Strikes Back at Hamas With Operation Swords of Iron

This is the worst attack ever within Israeli borders. The IDF will resolve this war in the coming days or weeks using unprecedented, unimaginable power, but they responded slowly. Hours passed before the army got to the besieged villages and towns near the Gaza border. Im in the middle of a warzone with my 2-year-old daughter and my 6-month-old son, one resident posted. Houses are burning with the tenants still inside. A 70-billion-shekel army which is barely here. A strong, fully right-wing government which barely says anything. And here we are, locked inside the safety room with a bread knife we found in the kitchen. On social media, which precedes Israeli media by a matter of hours, we see elderly women, some of them suffering from dementia, being taken into the Gaza Strip.

We dont know yet exactly how this could have happened. The perimeter fence is equipped with a sensor and camera array. Any passing tractor getting too near puts the army on high alert. What happened to the sensors? Moreover, civilians near the border have been complaining for more than a month of large-scale Hamas drills taking place very near the fence. Did nobody else see it? Many Israelis, who over the tumultuous last year lost faith in their state institutions, are starting to spread conspiracy theories. Is this a ploy to boot the extremist factions out of the coalition and open the way for an alliance with the centrist opposition parties? Is this a way to get rid of Bibi Netanyahu? Or is the national emergency a cover for an authoritarian takeover? And what role do Iran, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. play in this story?

Official Israel still isnt discussing this massive humiliation, but the deep social divide tearing Israelis apart since the current, extremist coalitions rise to power continues to rage on social media.

The group Brothers in Arms, which protests against Netanyahus controversial judicial reformslabeled a coup by some criticsannounced on Saturday morning that all members are going to war. I was called up for reserve service, one of them wrote in a post. Im going, knowing that there is no one in the leadership of this country I can trust. Im going, despite being a traitorous leftie. Even though my mother will be dying of worry.

How Trapped Palestinians Fell in Love With Bird-Watching

At the same time, many anti-judicial reform protesters are calling to overthrow the coalition and put its membersmany of whom did not serve in the army at allon trial, blaming them for prioritizing the safety of West Bank settlers over the civilians in the south: only yesterday, a number of battalions were dispatched to protect a sukkah, a ritual hut, constructed by messianic members of Netanyahus coalition in the main street of the Palestinian village of Huwara.

According to the anti-occupation organization Breaking the Silence, as of September, 22 battalions were stationed in the West Bank, along with other units. 600-800 are routinely protecting about 800 settlers if you were wondering where the Gaza Division was, reports indicate that parts of it were transferred to Huwara. Leading journalist Ben Caspit reported that as evidence mounts, it becomes clear that the Gaza Division was moved to the West Bank and The Strip was almost entirely abandoned.

The IDF will storm Gaza with terrible force, but the ravages of the political crisis are already apparent.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Wildlife officials are sounding the alarm, after determining several dead harbor seals found in the north Puget Sound had bird flu.

Its believed that avian influenza jumped from wild birds in the Salish Sea to local harbor seals. Thats after three adult seals tested positive for the virus in mid-August, according to a report from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The press release was also linked in a NOAA social media post.

Three adult harbor seals in Puget Sound, Washington have tested positive for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1... Posted by NOAA Fisheries West Coast on Friday, September 8, 2023

This is as an ongoing outbreak of avian flu has affected wild populations of seabirds around Rat Island and Marrowstone Island. Katie Haman, a wildlife veterinarian with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, recently recovered 1,600 dead birds in the area and said that she was trying to minimize exposure to the seals, among other mammals.

I think the fact that we only had five, I would like to think that number was lower than it could have been, because we were out collecting the carcasses and hopefully reducing that the transmission, Haman said. I hope that we are were in the clear, at least in the transmission from the birds to the mammals.

Currently, evidence shows the virus is spreading directly from birds to seals and is not being spread from seal to seal. Thats important as a mammal-to-mammal spread could mean a higher risk of the virus spreading to humans. Bird flu can infect humans, but health officials say that risk is low.

The discovery of HPAI H5N1 in seals brings to light the potential for cross-species transmission and highlights the complexity of managing infectious diseases in wildlife populations, says Kristin Wilkinson, NOAA Fisheries regional stranding and entanglement coordinator said in a report.

Even so, beachgoers are urged to keep themselves and their pets away from animal carcasses. If you encounter sick, injured, or dead seals, call the West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at (866) 767-6114, and the Washington State Department of Health is advising residents not to touch the dead bird.

On the East Coast, however, about 500 gray and harbor seals have died from bird flu around the coast of Maine. NOAA declared an unusual mortality event for the area due to the unexpectedly high volume of deaths.

Last winter, an outbreak of bird flu occurred in the domestic population in commercial poultry farms, causing price spikes for eggs and meat, and forcing the euthanasia of more than 47 million chickens and turkeys.

This isnt the first instance of bird flu among local animals in Washington in 2023. In January, an outbreak forced a Monroe farm to shut down for the rest of the year. That led to a mass culling of nearly 200 ducks.

In July, bird flu was found in birds and seals near Jefferson Countys Fort Flagler State Park.

This story was only posted by My Northwest.
Like most Arab countries, Saudi Arabia has never recognised Israel since its founding in 1948.

In principle, it will go on ostracising Israel until it permits the creation of a Palestinian state, said Patrick Kingsley in The New York Times. For decades, relations between the two countries have therefore been scarred by mutual distrust. But all that could be about to change.

In recent months, Riyadh has signalled it may be ready to normalise ties with Jerusalem as part of a US-brokered deal, a deal that could "pave the way for the rest of the Muslim world to follow suit". Hopes of a breakthrough were further raised last week, with the first ever public visit by an Israeli minister to Saudi Arabia, and a return visit by a Saudi envoy to the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claims the two countries are now "at the cusp" of a deal.

'A game changer'

Such an agreement could be a "game-changer" in so many ways, said Ruth Wasserman Lande in The Jerusalem Post. It would "legitimise Israel in the eyes of a long list of Muslim countries", thereby allowing Jerusalem to promote its interests in the region. It would mean Riyadh could get US support in its efforts to develop a civilian nuclear programme. It would strengthen defence ties between the countries, and in doing so reduce the threat posed by Iran's nuclear programme. And it would give Joe Biden a major foreign policy breakthrough to promote ahead of next year's US presidential election.

Whatever the merits of this deal, said The Economist, it won't be an easy one to secure. Many Saudis are sceptical of closer ties with Israel, and Riyadh's expressed desire to win concessions on behalf of Palestine is anathema to many in Netanyahu's hardline government. As for Biden, he'll struggle to sell the prospect of a Saudi nuclear programme to the US public, and will also face stiff opposition from progressives in his own party, who "abhor the Saudis' human-rights record".

'Any diplomatic agreement preferable to war'

Undeniably, it would be a "rotten deal with a rotten regime", said Gideon Levy in Haaretz (Tel Aviv). Only two years ago, the US was accusing Riyadh of responsibility for the murder in Istanbul of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. And like its predecessor, the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE, it will do nothing to address the suffering of the Palestinians. But granted all that, "history has taught us that any diplomatic agreement is always preferable to the alternative of war". That is why we must support the Israeli PM's efforts to bring it about, "even if his name is Benjamin Netanyahu".
Defense attorneys for two police officers in Aurora, Colorado, facing charges in the death of Elijah McClain during a 2019 arrest opted to rest their case in court Friday without calling any witnesses.

Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt have pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and assault causing serious bodily injury in connection with the 23-year-olds death. Rosenblatt was fired by the Aurora Police Department in 2020 and Roedema remains suspended.

The case stems back to August 24, 2019, when officers responded to a call about a suspicious person wearing a ski mask, according to an indictment. The officers confronted McClain, a massage therapist, musician and animal lover, who was walking home from a convenience store carrying a plastic bag with iced tea.

In a disturbing interaction captured on body-camera footage, police wrestled McClain to the ground and placed him in a carotid hold, and paramedics later injected him with the powerful sedative ketamine. He suffered a heart attack on the way to the hospital and was pronounced dead three days later.

In 2021, a grand jury indicted three police officers and two paramedics  Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec  involved in the McClain case. They face 32 counts in total, including reckless manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and assault. All five have pleaded not guilty.

They will be tried in three separate cases, with the trial of the third officer, Nathan Woodyard, scheduled to begin on Monday. Closing arguments in the trial for Roedema and Rosenblatt are scheduled for Tuesday morning. The paramedics will face a joint trial over their involvement in November.

Prosecutors in the wrongful death trial rested their case Friday morning after more than two weeks of testimony, setting the stage for the defense to begin its case, which was expected to continue for up to a week.

Roedemas attorney had previously indicated he planned to call a police use of force expert as his witness, but both defense teams decided to close their cases Friday afternoon after Judge Mark Warner denied their motion to acquit both men. Roedema and Rosenblatt declined to testify on their own behalf, and neither defense team called a witness.

He was just walking home, prosecution says

The trial for the two former officers began on September 20. Prosecutor Jonathan Bunge said in his opening statements, You will hear no evidence in this case, none, that Elijah McClain did something criminal that night (or) that he was about to engage in criminal activity. He was just walking home.

Bunge took jurors through the night of McClains interaction with police, narrating video footage from that night. He said three officers were dispatched after a 911 call from a 17-year-old boy who saw McClain walking home from a convenience store and thought it was strange he was wearing a coat and a nylon runners mask  something McClain did often because he was frequently cold and liked running, according to Bunge.

The prosecution alleged that during their interaction, Roedema, Rosenblatt and the third officer used excessive force without any proof McClain committed any criminal acts  despite his repeated attempts to tell them who he was  and administered two carotid control holds to subdue him.

When the two paramedics arrived, the officers failed to tell them McClains vital signs had not been checked and he had complained multiple times he couldnt breathe. Instead, they told paramedics he continued to resist and had crazy strength, Bunge said.

The paramedics diagnosed McClain with excited delirium, a controversial diagnosis that describes violent agitation, and administered ketamine, CNN has reported.

They injected McClain with a dose based on an estimate that he was 200 pounds; he in fact weighed 143 pounds, according to the indictment.

McClains death caused by complications from ketamine, coroner said

Defense attorneys for both officers offered a different narrative of the encounter in their opening statements, focusing on the physical resistance the officers said they experienced from McClain.

Roedemas attorney, Reid Elkus, alleged McClain resisted the officers and Roedema saw McClain attempt to grab one of the officers guns, prompting them to put him on the ground. The prosecution has disputed that McClain reached for a gun, and has said there is no evidence he did so.

The carotid hold, Elkus said, was the only time the officers were able to get McClain to stop resisting. After he was handcuffed, McClain remained responsive, the attorney said.

Defense attorney Harvey Steinberg, who represents Rosenblatt, told jurors Rosenblatt briefly attempted a carotid hold after he heard his colleague say McClain was reaching for a gun as they struggled with him.

McClains autopsy report was updated in September 2022 in response to new evidence from a grand jury investigation. His cause of death was changed from undetermined to complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint, Adams County Chief Coroner Monica Broncucia-Jordan wrote in the amended report.

Pathologist Dr. Stephen Cina, who was assisted in the autopsy, said they could not determine whether the carotid hold contributed to McClains death.

In 2021, the city settled a civil rights lawsuit with the McClain family for $15 million, and both Aurora police and fire departments agreed to a consent decree to address a pattern of racial bias found by a state investigation.

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Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) point to the resumption of offensive operations by Russian invaders on the Kupiansk front but deny the possibility of success for "degraded elements" of Russian forces operating in this area.

Source: ISW

Details: Ukrainian troops continued their counteroffensive operations near Bakhmut and advanced in the west of Zaporizhzhia Oblast on 6 October.

Experts note that Russian troops seem to have recently rotated on the Orikhiv front, demonstrating the ability to hold defences in this critical sector of the front.

In addition, the report says that Russian invaders continued offensive operations near Kupiansk on 6 October, and most of the Russian forces deployed in this sector of the front probably remain combat-ready.

The Ukrainian military reported a decrease in the activity of Russian troops near Kupiansk in recent weeks, but on 6 October, Ilya Yevlash, Ukrainian Eastern Grouping of Forces Spokesperson, said that Russian troops had resumed fighting on the Kupiansk-Lyman front.

Russian "military commanders" claim that Russian troops have launched an offensive near Synkivka (8 km north-east of Kupiansk) and that they are intensively shelling the N26 (Shevchenkove-Kupiansk) highway.

One of the "military commanders" described the renewed offensive of Russian troops on Kupiansk as "large-scale", and later deleted the post.

The review recalls that Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, had previously reported that the Russian military had deployed elements of the newly created 25th Combined Arms Army on the Kupiansk front to replace the 41st Combined Arms Army.

Analysts suggest that the resumption of Russian offensive operations near Kupiansk with the participation of elements of the 25th Combined Arms Army is likely intended to divert the Ukrainian side's attention from other parts of the frontline in the south of Ukraine.

However, ISW's preliminary assessment is that the 25th Combined Arms Army was hastily deployed ahead of its December 2023 target date and is likely to be severely understaffed, poorly trained, or both.

The ISW has also previously observed the presence of severely degraded elements of the Western Military District, including the 1st Guards Tank Army and the 6th Combined Arms Army, on the Kupiansk front. The ISW does not currently believe that a grouping consisting of the newly formed 25th Combined Arms Army with degraded elements of the Western Military District (WMD) would be capable of conducting a full-scale offensive in the area.

To quote ISWs Takeaways for 6 October:

Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations near Bakhmut and advanced in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast on 6 October.

Russian forces appear to have recently conducted a regimental rotation on the Orikhiv front, demonstrating an ability to sustain their defences in this critical sector of the frontline.

Russian forces reportedly resumed an offensive effort near Kupiansk on 6 October, but the majority of the Russian forces reportedly deployed to this sector of the front likely remain combat ineffective.

Russian forces may be expanding military training infrastructure in occupied eastern Ukraine as part of ongoing efforts to increase the training and mobilization capacity of the Russian military.

The Kremlins continued attempts to deflect blame for the crash of Wagner financier Yevgeny Prigozhins plane and disgrace Prigozhin are generating continued praise for Prigozhin and efforts to defend his legacy among select information space communities.

Former Russian military commanders who participated in the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 reportedly remain in peripheral positions of some influence within the Russian military or defense-industrial base.

Russian forces conducted a Shahed-131/136 drone strike targeting port, grain, and border infrastructure in southern Ukraine on the night of 5-6 October.

Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Kupiansk-Lyman line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia border area, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and advanced in some areas.

Ukrainian forces conducted offensive operations near Bakhmut and advanced in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Russia has reportedly recruited up to several hundred Serbian nationals to fight 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!
The gunman who carried out a mass shooting in New York City last year was sentenced to 10 life terms in prison by a federal judge this week.

In April 2022, 64-year-old Frank James discharged his firearm during rush hour at the 36 Street subway station in Brooklyn, leaving 10 people shot and more than a dozen injured.

ank James is suspected of the April 12 New York subway attack that wounded at least 10 and injured 13 others in Brooklyn. (Photo: YouTube Screenshot/KPIX CBS SF Bay Area)

During the attack, he was wearing a gas mask and let off smoke bombs. Video of the incident obtained by local news shows riders in the train cart filled with smoke amid the horror. People are also seen bleeding from gunshot wounds. He escaped but was taken into custody the next day after calling the police on himself. James had pleaded guilty to all of the 11 counts against him, which included 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation vehicle.

Watch the full video here.

James planned his act of terror for years  purchasing smoke bombs, disguises, firearms, and ammunition. He scouted the location for his attack and completed multiple practice runs, the Department of Justice said in a statement on Thursday, the day U.S. District Judge William F. Kuntz II handed down the sentence. As part of his attack, James, disguised in an orange reflective jacket and yellow hard hat to look like an MTA employee, set off a smoke bomb in a subway car before opening fire on his captive victims.

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The DOJ said James fired at least 32 times that day. He was also given another 10 years for his crimes. During the sentencing, James claimed that he executed the attack to shed light on the citys health care system, WABC reported. His defense team reportedly argued that James, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, has not been appropriately treated for his mental health condition.

I alone am responsible for that attack, it had nothing to do with race, creed, color or sexual orientation, he said in court, per WABC. They in no way deserved to have what happened to them.

According to the report, a victim said his experience doesnt just justify the attack. Law enforcement officials championed his sentence and credited multiple agencies for their efforts.

Today, Frank James was rightfully sentenced for his deliberate and calculated act of terror against our city. He aimed to kill innocent people, who were simply going about their daily lives amid the morning rush, FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge James Smith said. It is because of the dogged determination and vigilance of the investigators of the FBI New Yorks Joint Terrorism Task force that James was brought to justice and is facing the consequences he rightfully deserves.

James has been ordered to serve 10 concurrent life sentences, plus 10 years.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) appeared to make a slight dig at her Ohio delegation colleague Sen. J.D. Vance (R) during an interaction on a United Auto Workers (UAW) picket line in their home state.

First time here? Kaptur asked Vance, according to a video from local station WTVG 13 Action News.

First time here, yeah, Vance responded.

Thank you for coming, she then said.

The brief conversation followed an awkward interaction during which Kaptur held out a fist as Vance extended an open hand for a shake. Vance then attempted to extend his hand for a fist bump as Kaptur drew her hand back.

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The two Ohio politicians were on a picket line at the Toledo Assembly Complex in Toledo, Ohio, according to a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter by 13Action News. The plant appears to be aligned with Stellantis, one of the Big Three auto companies UAW workers are striking against.

Vance has said that UAW members should compel President Joe Biden and the Biden administration to end the subsidization of the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

Those who have claimed there will be a just transition to EVs should visit Northeast Ohio for a glimpse into the industrys bleak future, Vance wrote in an op-ed for the Toledo Blade in September.

He also called on UAW leadership to act, arguing this is an opportunity they cannot let slip through their grasp.

Rather than relenting to the Biden administrations unjust transition to EVs, the UAW should use their leverage and force the President to stop subsidizing an industry that benefits Communist China more than it does American workers, he continued.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Joe Biden s decision Thursday to resume deportation flights of Venezuelans sparked concern among immigration advocates Friday even as details about the policy shift remained murky.

It was not immediately clear how the deportation flights, which Biden officials said would resume within days, would affect the migrant population in Chicago and Illinois, state and city officials said. But the state expects the policy to reduce the number of Venezuelans arriving at the southwest U.S. border, said Alex Gough, a spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

For people who are found ineligible for asylum, it could mean that there will be a higher number of them being processed for deportation, Gough said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday continued his public calls for the state and federal governments to ramp up aid to Chicago for the humanitarian crisis surrounding the citys growing migrant population, saying Springfield must make sacrifices to support the citys response to the asylum-seekers.

Johnsons remarks came a day after he met with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch at his City Hall office to discuss the statehouses fall veto session, and after Pritzker showed lukewarm interest in sending more large pots of money to Chicago for its thousands of asylum-seekers.

Im gonna continue to have conversations to ensure that the sacrifices that are being made, that it is shared equitably, Johnson said when asked whether its time for state legislators to trim fat elsewhere in the budget to afford more migrant grants to Chicago.

Pritzker appeared to close the door Thursday on any more state money being allocated for migrant relief by state lawmakers, who are meeting later this month and next for their fall veto session.

It isnt as if were coming in with enormous surpluses, Pritzker told reporters. This is not something where we have hundreds of millions of dollars to support.

The mayor did not answer whether Welch has signaled approval for his additional funding request but said he told the speaker, as well as the governor and the White House, that they must help alleviate the citys burden in caring for over 17,000 migrants who have arrived in Chicago from the southern U.S. border since August 2022.

Johnsons deputy chief-of-staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas, a former state senator, also during the week said that Springfield should look into trimming some of the states existing appropriations toward migrant grants for the city.

The people of Chicago, were being asked, and frankly tasked, with carrying the vast majority of this responsibility, Johnson said. I know that the leadership and the state of Illinois recognizes the importance of Chicago. And the only thing that I can do is do my part. And Im asking other folks to do their part.

Still, the mayor nodded to the growing impatience that Chicagoans are expressing, while maintaining, I know were gonna get to the other side of this.

He also indicated that he was not worried about the race to enact his plan to relocate migrants sleeping on the floors of Chicago police stations and airports into winterized base camps before temperatures dip.

I know that the city of Chicago has been incredibly patient with my administration. Everyone knows. Its not like Im calling up relatives from another country saying, Yall want to come live with me? Our people know that, Johnson said.

Though Bidens decision Thursday to resume deportation flights of Venezuelans alarmed immigration advocates and some of Johnsons allies, the mayor himself chose not to criticize the White House. The federal government had not been deporting people to Venezuela because of severed ties with the South American countrys government.

The sanctions, of course, that are causing the turmoil is being brought to us by the right-wing extremists in this country, Johnson said, referring to former President Donald Trumps oil sanctions against Venezuela. The real disconnect is the fact that you have global population shifts that have been propagated by the very failures of the Republican entities that want to score political points by attacking major cities where Black and brown people live.

Last month, the Biden administration announced it would grant temporary protected status, or protection from removal when the conditions in their home country prevent their safe return, to Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. between March 2021 and July 31 of this year.

Immigration advocates on Friday questioned Bidens decision to simultaneously grant protected status to nearly 500,000 Venezuelans in the United States and now resume deportations for others.

Fred Tsao, the senior policy counsel at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said the response from the Biden administration concerns him. Its been contradictory, by first announcing the extension of TPS and then resuming deportations to Venezuela, he said.

Tsao said that the coalition of pro-immigrant organizations is still evaluating and trying to understand the announcement and how it could affect migrants already in Chicago.

The Department of Homeland Security did not provide details on how it will carry out the deportations, or whether it will solely be focused on the border.

Maria Salgado, a U.S. Department of Justice accredited representative who works in the legal department at Centro Romero, said migrants who entered the U.S. after July 31 could fall into the undocumented population, which puts them at risk of deportation.

If these individuals had orders of removal and missed their court dates or did not follow up with their cases, or had orders of removal, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can search for and deport them, even if theyre living in a sanctuary state, Salgado said.

Immigration attorney Salvador Cicero predicted the policy would not affect people who come to the U.S. with valid asylum claims, like political persecution. However, it is likely to affect economic migrants who move to the U.S. in hopes of finding better jobs, he said.

The people who dont have any sort of (asylum) claim, now theyre just going to be deported, Cicero said, adding that prosecutors and judges will still have discretion. I think those people are likely to get sent back a lot sooner than they would have expected.

The policy will also allow the federal government to deport some Venezuelans who commit crimes while living in the U.S., Cicero said.

Illinois law enforcement agencies are not allowed to detain people solely on the basis of civil immigration warrants or arrest them based on immigration status, said Gough, Pritzkers spokesperson. He deferred to federal authorities to clarify the policys impact. A White House spokesperson did not respond to calls and emails requesting explanation of the policys effect Friday.

This is why no one trusts the immigration policy, because there is so much arbitrariness to it, theres no basis to it, Ruben Garcia, director of Annunciation House, a refugee shelter in El Paso, Texas, said. Two weeks ago, you found Venezuelans to be at risk, and now theyre no longer at risk and can be sent home.

On Friday afternoon, a group of migrants living at a police station on the Near South Side gathered around to try to make sense of the news.

But where do we find an attorney? a woman asked.
On a warm but stormy summer Paris day in 1794, Maximilien Robespierre, a leader of the French Revolution, was taken to the Plaza de la Revolucion and summarily executed by guillotine before a cheering crowd. Just ten months earlier, Robespierre, a rising star in his political party, had cobbled together the support of the various rabid factions of the revolution (in part by reneging on previous promises and principled stands that had defined his early career) and was installed as the leader of the National Convention. The unruly mob, animated more by rumor, conspiracy theory and personal politics than an underlying philosophy of government, ultimately determined the leader they had just chosen couldnt be trusted and led him to his early and violent death.

The inglorious demise of Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, while not a literal execution, was a historic removal of a House leader led by members of his own party. Such a proceeding - called a motion to vacate - had only happened once before in our history in 1910 and that coup attempt failed. McCarthy stands alone in our history for being deposed by the most extreme members of his own party. In fact, save for the blood and the guillotine, the parallels between Robespierre and McCarthy are striking in that McCarthy also tried to make deals with his own unruly mob, known as the House Republican caucus. He also reneged on previous promises that resulted in Democrats refusing to save him as his fellow Republicans pilloried McCarthy on the House floor and in the court of public opinion.

Being politically deposed in real-time and on live television should also serve as a reminder to politicians that those who place power over principle usually end up with neither. In many ways, the surrender of McCarthys governing philosophy of conservatism to the chaotic whims of Donald Trump mirrors todays Republican Party. Perhaps no figure in recent American politics embodies that weakness than the gentleman from Bakersfield.

Having worked for three decades in politics, I have never met a politician who had a keener, more finely attuned sense of the Republican base voter than McCarthy. That great instinctual gift allowed for his meteoric rise through the ranks of the GOP as an activist, staffer, California state Assemblyman and ultimately the most powerful member of Congress.

But it was in the countrys moments of greatest need that McCarthy failed his oath to defend the Constitution, his country, and his countrymen. While many Americans have grown numb watching in horror and disgrace as Republican politicians take their place in line to genuflect before a leader they know to be unfit, no one more than McCarthy clearly recognized the danger Trump presented, shared those concerns in private and hypocritically stated the opposite in public.

McCarthy, more than any other member of Congress, spoke out privately about his awareness that Trump was a threat to the country.

Just days after the January 6th insurrection, when a violent mob directed by the President sought to overthrow the United States government, McCarthy said what every Republican officeholder, elected official, should have known to be: The president bears responsibility for Wednesdays attack on Congress by mob rioters, McCarthy said on the House floor. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump.

But just two weeks later, desperately needing Trumps support for his goal of becoming Speaker of the House, McCarthy flew to make amends with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and never publicly spoke of Trumps involvement with the insurrection again. As Robespierre did centuries before him, McCarthy made an unseemly deal that sealed his fate.

McCarthys downfall was a function of his desperate desire to reach the pinnacle of political power and his willingness to compromise himself to get there. American history will remember Kevin McCarthy as the weakest and most inconsequential Speaker in history. His only saving grace is there are likely to be worse arising from this Republican Congress in short order.

When historians look back at this era of American internal discord, it will be replete with examples of Republican leaders who werent bad so much as they were weak. In his final press conference as Speaker, McCarthy blamed Democrats for not putting up the votes to save his job, refusing until the bitter end to look the extremists in his own party straight in the eye. At least Robespierre faced the guillotine with his eyes wide open.

It is likely, however, that this is not McCarthys final act. He is still relatively young, hes talented and ambitious. Some are even suggesting he could resurrect himself as Speaker. His party and his country can only hope that he returns to principled conservatism over the pursuit of power.

Mike Madrid is a former political director of the California Republican Party and a co-founder of Grassroots Lab, a Sacramento-based public relations firm.
PIXLEY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A man has been found dead in Pixley, detectives with the Tulare County Sheriffs Office announced on Friday.

The Tulare County Sheriffs Office says they were called to the 12700 block of Avenue 128 for a report of a man down just before noon on Friday.

Upon arrival, sheriffs officials say they found a man dead.

Detectives say they are on the scene investigating. The identity of the man has not been released.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Tulare County Sheriffs Office at (559) 733-6218, or anonymously through the sheriffs TipNow Program at (559) 725-4194 or tcso@tipnow.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com.
Gov. Ron DeSantis  gloves are officially off.

His initial strategy of avoiding direct confrontation with his former ally-turned-foe Donald Trump proved ineffective in the Republican presidential primary. As he enters the crucial 100 days leading to the Iowa caucuses, DeSantis doesnt appear worried about alienating Trumps base as he struggles in national and state polls. In a Thursday campaign stop in Tampa, DeSantis threw all of his spaghetti at the wall.

He said Trump broke his promises, shifted left and failed to make Mexico pay for a border wall (the former president added a few miles of the wall at American taxpayers expense). He painted Trump as a loser who couldnt even stop Joe Biden, Politico reported, and suggested hes too old. DeSantis also compared his own landslide reelection in 2022 to Trumps measly three-point win in the Sunshine State in 2020.

Meanwhile, a super PAC backing DeSantis has a slew of online videos bashing Trump on anything from abortion to his allowing transgender women to compete at the Miss Universe, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Heres just the reality. If you want to know whos done more to actually implement and deliver on America First policies, the person thats done that more than anyone else in these United States is right here, DeSantis told a crowd in downtown Tampa.

Theres one obvious line of attack against the former president  and this shouldve been low-hanging fruit  DeSantis has largely ignored: Trump is dangerous to American democracy. Obviously, theres not a lot of appetite among GOP voters to hear about Trumps role inciting the Jan. 6 riot. His popularity has only grown after he was indicted twice for his efforts to overturn the 2020 elections.

And, granted, those attacks coming from DeSantis would sound hypocritical. The governor displayed his own anti-democratic instincts when he punished Disney for exercising its right to free speech and opposing an anti-gay bill, muzzled what teachers and academics can say in classrooms and neutered the role of the legislative branch in being a check and balance on his power.

With the exception of Chris Christie, you hardly hear any indignation from other GOP candidates over Trump openly vowing to attack democratic institutions and concentrate as much power as possible into his own hands if re-elected. DeSantis strongest rebuke of Trumps role on Jan. 6 came in July, when he said the former president should have come out more forcefully to stop the rioters. Trying to have it both ways, DeSantis also accused the investigation into Trumps actions of being politically motivated.

Trump has promised to wrest control from the U.S. Justice Department, prosecute his political rivals and bring regulatory agencies under his control. We couldnt think of a bigger threat to conservative values, but the Republican Partys populist shift has turned government overreach into they seem to think is a necessary evil to put America First.

At this point, calling out Trumps attacks against American democracy should be a given. But it hasnt been in our current warped political reality. And thats appalling.

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DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Detroit man who shot and killed another man over a card game in 2021 was found guilty of murder Friday.

Authorities said Lashawn Wells, 46, shot 41-year-old Marquell Scholar, of Sterling Heights, nine times during an argument while playing a card game in March 2021.

Wells will be sentenced Oct. 25.

"That a game of cards should result in murder is a tragedy, and I am grateful to see the jury bring accountability to this senseless crime," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Watch FOX 2 News Live
A Hamilton-based attorney pleaded guilty Friday to theft, Butler County Common Pleas Court filings show.

Dennis Lee Adams is facing as much as a year behind bars.

As part of his plea to a single count of theft by deception, prosecutors agreed to drop two other felony counts including grand theft and receiving stolen property.

Adams was also required to pay $12,492 in restitution to Teresa McAdams, a former client the attorney had represented in a personal injury case.

In June, Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser told Enquirer media partner Fox 19 the charges against Adams, accused of stealing thousands of dollars from his clients, were related to his civil cases, not his work on criminal cases as a public defender.

McAdams retained the attorney in 2017 to represent her and her husband in a suit over injuries she sustained during an automobile collision, documents filed with the Ohio Supreme Court show.

The couple settled a year later with the other driver in the crash and was awarded $22,000.

Adams agreed to use that money to pay a Medicare lien, which he never did, and then place the remainder in his trust account to finance the couples ongoing claim against Allstate Corp.

However, Adams moved to dismiss the lawsuit against Allstate and didnt inform his client, the documents state. He also didnt tell them he failed to refile the suit within the one-year time limit imposed under state law.

By October 2020, the attorney's trust account had been depleted to just $231 after his payments to himself and on other clients behalf. McAdams never received any of her settlement money.

Court records show McAdams and her husband later learned the attorney had dismissed the suit against Allstate and they filed a malpractice complaint against Adams.

In January, a judge ordered Adams to pay his former client $272,284 after he failed to respond to their complaint and appear in court.

The criminal charges against Adams in Butler County were filed in May.

His law license has been suspended since late last year.

In a June filing, the Board of Professional Conduct of the Ohio Supreme Court recommended Adams be permanently disbarred for infractions involving McAdams and other clients.

Adams misappropriated at least $26,000 belonging to three clients while neglecting to carry through to conclusion the legal work he contracted to handle on their behalf, and by failing to carry out his commitments to pay liens against their settlement moneys, thus causing them further harm, the board wrote.

Adams is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 15 for sentencing before Judge Dennis Langer.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hamilton attorney faces jail time after pleading guilty to theft
Israel declared "a state of war" Saturday after a surprise attack from Hamas.

Doctors Without Borders said Israeli forces struck a hospital and an ambulance, killing two people in Gaza.

The organization said "healthcare facilities cannot become targets" and "must remain a sanctuary."

Doctors Without Borders says healthcare facilities "must remain a sanctuary" after Israeli forces struck a hospital and ambulance amid rising tensions in Gaza.

Doctors Without Borders made the plea in an X post on Saturday. The humanitarian group said two people died, and several others were injured in the attack.

"Following the escalation between Israel and Gaza, Israeli forces struck the enclave's Indonesian Hospital and an ambulance in front of Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza," the post reads. "The strikes killed one nurse, one ambulance driver, injured several and damaged an oxygen station."

Photo shows a damaged ambulance in an Israeli army attack as clashes between Palestinian groups and Israeli forces continue in Gaza. Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

In the X post, Doctors Without Borders said it's been supporting Indonesian Hospital and Nasser Hospital  located at opposite ends of the Gaza Strip  since 2021 and 2011, respectively.

"Healthcare facilities cannot become targets. We ask all parties to respect health infrastructures, which must remain a sanctuary for people seeking treatment," the post continued.

It added: "The scale of this new round of hostilities must not be underestimated, with Palestinian and Israeli authorities reporting massive casualties all over Israel and Gaza."

Minutes before Doctors Without Borders statement, i24 News shared footage purportedly showing Hamas fighters attacking an ambulance in Israel.

Representatives for Doctors Without Borders were not available for comment.

Israel declared "a state of war" on Saturday after Hamas the political and military organization that governs Gaza  launched a wave of attacks. According to multiple reports, fighters from the Palestinian territory infiltrated Israel with boats, motor vehicles, and paragliders.

On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed citizens and the surprise attack via video. Israeli authorities said at least 150 people are dead, and more than 900 have been wounded.

People carry a body to Nasser Hospital in Gaza on October 7, 2023. Anadolu Agency

"Citizens of Israel, we are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war," Netanyahu said. "This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours."

In response to Hamas' attack, the Israel Defense Forces announced Operation "Swords of Iron." Israeli air strikes struck multiple targets in Gaza, including a high-rise apartment building.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 200 have been killed so far in Gaza.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a video of a corpse in Israel on Saturday, arguing that the savagery will come here to the U.S. Just so we understand what were up against, Trump wrote. Just so we all understand who the left is continually boosting at the expense of our #1 ally abroad. One day this savagery will come here because not only are we allowing it but we are encouraging it & funding it. The tweet came shortly after Trump Jr. lamented an apparent lack of video from Russias war in Ukraine. How is it possible that Ive seen more videos out of this war in Israel in a few hours than I have from Ukraine in almost 2 years??? he wrote. Hamas forces launched a surprise attack on Saturday, leading to returned fire from Israeli forces.

Read more at The Daily Beast.
A federal grand jury returned a six-count superseding indictment against a man in Tucson on Thursday, according to The United States Attorney's Office District of Arizona.

The DA said that the indictment alleged that Eric Ridenour, 58, burned down Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church, both located on Church Square in Douglas, around two hours southeast of Tucson.

The indictment mentioned that further investigation and evidence, including court testimony, alleged that Ridenour intentionally started the fires in both churches due to his hostility toward the churches' progressive doctrines. Specifically, he objected to their practice of having women and members of the LGBTQ community serve as church leaders, as stated by the DA in the news release.

According to the DA, Ridenour was arrested on May 23 and charged by complaint with maliciously damaging or destroying both buildings by means of fire, in violation of the United States Code. On June 22, he was indicted on two counts of these charges.

The DA stated that a conviction for arson of property used in interstate commerce and obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by fire both carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

A conviction of using fire to commit a federal crime carries a 10-year penalty, with a second conviction being an additional 10 years. Any conviction under this charge will run consecutively to any other conviction, according to the DA.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Douglas man indicted in arson case involving 2 Tucson churches
Israeli civilians and soldiers are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip amid a Hamas attack, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson confirmed. There are hostages and prisoners of war that Hamas took, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.There are also deaths among IDF soldiers. We dont have an exact number yet. We are at war. Haaretz and the Times of Israel reported that the number is estimated to be dozens, including in Kibbutz Beeri, in the country's south. One Kibbutz Beeri resident told Haaretz that his family had been hiding in a bomb shelter since early Saturday morning, and that they could hear gunfire outside. In his acknowledgement of the hostage situation Daniel Hagari listed 22 sites where fighting has taken place. We are engaged in very heavy fighting Hagari said. Our goal is that all the terrorists who entered Israel will be eliminated, that all the sites will be cleared.

Read it at Haaretz

Read more at The Daily Beast.
The rocket fire was launched from multiple locations in Gaza starting at 06:30 am (MAHMUD HAMS)

Barrages of rockets were fired at Israel from the blockaded Gaza Strip at dawn on Saturday as militants from the Palestinian enclave infiltrated Israel, with at least one person killed, the army and medics said.

Rockets streamed across the sky repeatedly after the first launches from multiple locations across the Palestinian territory from 06:30 am (0330 GMT), AFP journalists in Gaza City reported.

The outbreak of conflict follows months of surging violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with fatalities in the occupied West Bank hitting a scale not seen in years.

Air raid sirens wailed across Israel's south and central areas, with the Israeli army urging the public to stay near bomb shelters.

AFP journalists in Jerusalem heard multiple rockets being intercepted, with sirens blaring across the city on more occasions than in any Gaza conflict in the past three years.

The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas said it was behind the aerial assault, claiming its militants had launched more than 5,000 rockets.

"We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel), their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said.

"We announce Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we fired, in the first strike of 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets."

Israel's military said Hamas launched "massive shooting of rockets", while at the same time "terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations."

Hamas "will face the consequences and responsibility for these events", an army statement said.

A woman in her 60s was killed "due to a direct hit" in Israel, the Magen David Adom emergency services said.

Fifteen others were wounded, two of them seriously, medics said.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would shortly convene security chiefs over the violence.

- Hamas urges others to join battle -

In a statement posted on Telegram, Hamas called on "the resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as "our Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007 after Hamas took power.

Palestinian militants and Israel have fought several devastating wars since.

The latest fire follows a period of heightened tensions in September, when Israel closed the border to Gazan workers for two weeks.

The shutdown of the crossing came as Palestinian protest rocked the heavily militarised border.

Demonstrators had resorted to burning tyres and throwing rocks and petrol bombs at Israeli troops, who have responded with tear gas and live bullets.

Critics had slammed the border closure as collective punishment against thousands of Palestinian workers, who have far greater earning potential in Israel than Gaza, where unemployment is rife.

Resuming their passage on September 28 had raised hopes of calming the situation in Gaza, home to 2.3 million people.

In May, an exchange of Israeli air strikes and Gaza rocket fire resulted in the deaths of 34 Palestinians and one Israeli.

So far this year at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners have been killed in the conflict, including combatants and civilians on both sides, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

The vast majority of fatalities have occurred in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict.

There has been a rise in army raids, Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property.

Several far-right Israeli ministers live in settlements in the West Bank, which are deemed illegal under international law.

az-rsc/dv
The annual Draconid meteor shower peaks this weekend, and viewing conditions are favorable this year.

The Draconid meteor shower will be active from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10, with the peak happening around Sunday (Oct. 8) or Monday (Oct. 9). This year, the moon will be less than 20% illuminated, offering fairly dark skies for skywatchers hoping to catch sight of a few of these meteors streaking through the sky.

To see this shower, first locate the Draco constellation, from where the Draconids appear to originate (hence their name). From North America, look high to the northwest after sunset. If you can locate Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, Draco will be about 30 degrees above it, or three widths of your fist at arm's length. Otherwise, a stargazing app could help you locate it. Find a spot away from as much light as possible, set up a comfortable chair and allow your eyes time to adjust. With a little luck, you just might catch a few of these "falling stars."

Related: Meteor showers 2023: When is the next one?

TOP TELESCOPE PICK:

A Celestron telescope on a white background

Want to see cool stuff in the night sky? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide.

The Draconids are caused by pieces of rock and ice trailing away from Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. As it makes its way through our solar system, the comet leaves this debris behind it. When our planet passes through these "comet crumbs," bits of them burn up in Earth's atmosphere, creating the streaks of light we call a meteor shower.

This relatively small comet is just around 1.24 miles (2 kilometers) across and orbits the sun every 6.6 years. The comet gets its name from its discoverers; it was first spotted on Dec. 20, 1900, by French astronomer Michel Giacobini at the Nice Observatory in France and later observed by Ernst Zinner on Oct. 23, 1913, according to NASA Science.

The Draconids produced by the comet's leftovers have put on a show in the past, but they've been relatively quiet in recent years. The most productive years occurred in 1933 and 1946, although 2011 was a good year for the Draconid meteor shower as well.

If you are hoping to catch a look at the stars of the Draco constellation or anything else in the night sky while you're watching for meteors, our guides to the best telescopes and binoculars are a great place to start.

And if you're looking to snap photos of the meteor shower or the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph meteor showers, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

Editor's note: If you snap an amazing photo of a Draconid meteor or any other night-sky sight and you'd like to share it with Space.com for a story or image gallery, send images, comments and location information spacephotos@space.com.
Drake is taking a break from music to focus on his health.

While hosting the Friday, Oct. 6, episode of his radio show, Table For One," Drake revealed he plans to put a pause on his music.

"I probably won't make music for a little bit, I'm going to be honest," he said. "I got some other things I need to do for some other people that I made promises to, but I probably won't make music for a little bit."

Drake then revealed that he was also was going to take some time to focus on his well-being.

"I'm going to be real with you. I need to focus on my health first and foremost, and I'll talk about that soon enough," he said. "Nothing crazy, but just like, you know, I want people to be healthy in life, and I've been having the craziest problems for years with my stomach."

"So, I need to focus on my health, and I need to get right. And I'm going to do that," he added.

Drake also offered his fans a time frame for his hiatus, saying he was going to "lock the door on the studio" for "maybe a year" or "a little longer" than that.

Rapper Drake performing onstage. (Prince Williams / WireImage)

Drake's health revelation comes on the heels of the release of his eighth studio album, "For All the Dogs."

One day before the album came out, Drake released the music video for his new song, 8AM in Charlotte, which is featured on the album.

In the video, Drake is seen talking to his 5-year-old son, Adonis Graham, whom he shares with French artist Sophie Brussaux, about a drawing his kid made.

Adonis, tell me about your beautiful piece of artwork that you sold me, the "God's Plan" rapper tells his son in the clip.

While looking at the illustration, Adonis responds, So its the same story. So the goat was running away from the other monsters and the other animals and a flower blocking the way."

As Adonis continues talking, Drake then stops him to ask about the goat in his drawing.

Daddys name is next to the goat. Does that mean that Daddys the goat?, Drake asked, and Adonis sweetly replied, Yes. So its Daddy Goat."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that killed the driver of an SUV near Orangeburg early Saturday morning.

The passenger, a Charleston resident, survived the crash but was injured and transported to a hospital in Augusta, Georgia, by helicopter.

At approximately 5:30 a.m., the 2015 Toyota SUV was traveling west toward Orangeburg on U.S. 178, Charleston Highway, near Canaan Road when the accident occurred, according to Highway Patrol Master Trooper Mitchell Ridgeway.

The car traveled off the roadway to the right, hitting a ditch and then a tree, Ridgeway said.

The driver was pronounced dead the scene. Their identity was not released by Highway Patrol. The State has contacted the Orangeburg County Coroners Office.

Highway Patrol did not indicate that any other vehicles were involved in the crash, which took place approximately 2 miles southeast of Orangeburg.
A 66-year-old East Canton area woman died in an Akron hospital after she was seriously injured in a New Franklin motorcycle crash Tuesday afternoon that also killed her husband.

Kathleen Kostka was pronounced dead at 11:38 a.m. Thursday at Akron City Hospital, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner's office. The medical examiner has not yet issued an official cause and manner of death.

She died nearly two days after her husband Joseph Kostka died at Akron General Cleveland Clinic Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 4:07 p.m., nearly four hours after the 12:24 p.m. Tuesday crash.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Kathleen and Joseph Kostka were riding a motorcycle north on State Route 93 south of Swigart Road in New Franklin.

Robert Takacs, 65, of New Franklin, was driving a 2008 Chevy Silverado pickup truck south on Route 93. He crossed the center line to avoid collisiding into a 2017 Chevy Silverado, the Patrol said. Takacs collided head-on with the Kostkas, causing them to be thrown from the motorcycle. Both were wearing helmets.

Tokacs was not injured. There was no initial indication of alcohol or drug use by those involved in the crash, said the Patrol.

A call seeking a status of the investigation and information on whether anyone will be cited or charged was left for a trooper at the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Akron post.

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. X formerly known as Twitter: @rwangREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Kathleen Kostka dies days after crash that killed her husband
(Reuters) -Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso announced on Saturday a shake up of the high ranks of the security forces following the killing of seven inmates accused in the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio .

He removed two officials, the prisons director and the head of the police investigations unit, and replaced the head of the national police with Cesar Augusto Zapata Correa, a long-time member of the force with nearly 35 years of experience.

The announcement came after six inmates were killed at the Litoral Penitentiary on Friday and another was killed in a Quito prison Saturday.

Another prisons official in charge of the prison where the six were killed was taken into custody for questioning, according to the president's announcement. Lasso also ordered the transfer of six inmates implicated in Villavicencio's murder for their security.

Violence, blamed by the government on drug gangs, has sharply increased in Ecuador in recent years and the latest killings seemed to underline rising lawlessness.

Ecuador's attorney general's office also launched an investigation into the country's prisons agency, the office said earlier on Saturday.

Prosecutors said they initiated the investigation because the agency, SNAI, did not carry out a pending order to transfer for security reasons the six inmates killed at the Litoral Penitentiary on Friday.

Villavicencio, a prominent journalist who exposed corruption and organized crime, was gunned down while leaving a campaign event in August. Police arrested six people that day and one suspect was killed. Another seven suspects were later arrested.

Lasso was meeting with his security cabinet on Saturday and canceled an upcoming trip to South Korea to "address the crisis in the penitentiary system," according to his official social media account. The government has previously promised to identify the intellectual authors of Villavicencio's murder.

Villavicencio built his career on exposing corruption by politicians and business leaders and before his death had denounced both the Albanian mafia and a leader of the Los Choneros gang who goes by his alias Fito.

The minister of the interior said Friday an investigative police report into Villavicencio's killing was ready. The report is not yet public.

The second round run-off vote will be held on Oct. 15.

Both candidates, business heir Daniel Noboa, who is narrowly leading polls, and leftist Luisa Gonzalez, have demanded the government clarify information about the prison killings.

The killings of the suspects are unlikely to affect voting intentions for the second round, political analyst Alfredo Espinosa said. However, clarity about who is responsible for Villavicencio's murder could, especially if a politician were to be found to be involved, lead to "an ethical and moral shakeup in the country," Espinosa said.

(Reporting by Anna-Catherine Brigida, Julia Symmes Cobb and Alexandra Valencia, Editing by Franklin Paul and Chris Reese)
Libs of TikTok, one of the most extreme anti-LGBTQ+ accounts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, and the platforms billionaire owner have been attacking members of the LGBTQ+ community while changes to X plague it with continued chaos.

This week, Elon Musk implemented a change in how news articles are displayed on X and joined Libs of TikTok hate account owner Chaya Raichik attacking a transgender woman who pointed out the flaw. Whereas previously, headlines for articles were visible so that users could easily decide on what content to click on, now news articles contain no headlines. The posts are only images and a small credit to the site from which the information comes.

This led to confusion as users could no longer discern what a piece of content was without clicking on it.

Some took advantage of the ridiculousness and pointed out the deficiency in the new system.

Related: White House Blasts Online Harassment of Federal Employee by Hate Group Libs of TikTok

On Wednesday, Harvard Law instructor Alejandra Caraballo, a frequent target of right-wing hatred as a transgender woman activist, posted a link that appeared to be to CNBC, writing, Since you can't see the headline, Elon Musk was arrested after being found in the street in a ketamine induced fugue state.

Elon Musk is shown in the image wearing a suit and surrounded by people who appear to be bodyguards.

The article actually goes to a CNBC story with the headline, Elon Musks X gets rid of story headlines and links in some users feeds, but because of the change to the platforms display, thats not clear when posted to X.

Since you can't see the headline, Elon Musk was arrested after being found in the street in a ketamine induced fugue state.



https://t.co/Ex90mXSTit  Alejandra Caraballo (@Alejandra Caraballo) 1696477923

A popular account with more than 250,000 followers, @JUNlPER, also took advantage of the design shortcoming and posted a link to a Fortune article, according to the only thing displayed along with the articles lead image of Musk.

NEW SCOOP: evidence showing elon musk is a pedophile mounting quickly, the account posted.

This was seemingly too much for the second-richest person alive. By Friday afternoon, the account was suspended without explanation.

NBC News senior reporter Ben Collins, who covers Musk and disinformation and who recently revealed the billionaires secret plan for the platform, wrote, Hey Elon Musk, why was @JUNLPER suspended? Was her speech simply too free?

Hey Elon Musk, why was @JUNLPER suspended? Was her speech simply too free?  Ben Collins (@Ben Collins) 1696608266

After Caraballo had reposted the now-suspended accounts message the previous day, Raichik and Musk attacked her.

This is the person that the media cites as an online safety expert, Raichik wrote along with a screenshot that showed that Caraballo had reposted the @JUNIPER tweet.

The exchange led to Musk attacking Caraballo in a response to Raichiks post.



That person is [batshit] crazy, he wrote using emojis, following a critique by Raichik.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Caraballo hit back in a dialogue on X with The Advocate.

Chaya is terminally incapable of understanding jokes or satire but thinks its funny to incite bomb threats against elementary schools, she said, referring to recent reporting on patterns of bomb threats to schools and hospitals attacked by the Libs of TikTok account.

Regarding Musk, Caraballo added, Id rather be batshit crazy than a deadbeat parent who disowns their own kid simply because they are trans.

After the account suspension, Caraballo posted on X, Comedy is illegal again.

 (@)

Earlier on Friday, the White House condemned Raichik for attacking a queer federal employee, something that Musk pays her for through a mechanism that monetizes some users engagement on the platform.

Trans journalist Erin Reed summed it up, JUNlPER was suspended after Chaya Raichik, runner of Libs of Tiktok, complained to Elon Musk about a satire post showing how removing headlines leads to misinformation. The Libs of TikTok account has yet to be suspended despite calling people groomers and inciting bomb threats.

JUNlPER was suspended after Chaya Raichik, runner of Libs of Tiktok, complained to Elon Musk about a satire post showing how removing headlines leads to misinformation.



The Libs of TikTok account has yet to be suspended despite calling people groomers and inciting bomb threats.  Erin Reed (@Erin Reed) 1696607677

Lead image above shows Harvard lawyer Alejandra Caraballo, Libs of TikTok account runner Chaya Raichik and X owner Elon Musk.


Russia plans to reverse the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), Mikhail Ulyanov, the country's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, said on Oct. 6.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Ulyanov claimed that Russia aims to be "on equal footing" with the U.S., which became the first country to sign the major treaty banning nuclear explosion tests in 1996 but has yet to ratify it.

The CTBT bans any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion."

Ulyanov's tweet comes as Russia continues to issue nuclear threats to Ukraine and the West, illegally occupying Europe's largest nuclear plant in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast and deploying tactical nukes to Belarus.

In the same tweet, Ulyanov claimed that Russia doesn't intend to restart nuclear tests.

The U.S. slammed Moscow for the intention to withdraw from the "global norm" to prevent nuclear explosive accidents.

"We are disturbed by the comments of Ambassador Ulyanov in Vienna today," an. unnamed U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a statement cited by Reuters. "A move like this by any State Party needlessly endangers the global norm against nuclear explosive testing."

Russia signed the CTBT in 1996 and ratified it in 2000. The treaty has now been signed by 187 countries but ratified by 178.

CTBT Executive Director Robert Floyd said in an Oct. 6 statement that "it would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any State Signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT," but the organization hoped for a "continued close cooperation" with Russia and other states.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: North Korea supplies Russia with weaponry, US official says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Consequences of the Russian attack on Estonian volunteers

Estonian volunteer organizations, Vaba Ukraina (Free Ukraine) and Ukraina Abi (Ukraine Aid), found themselves under a missile attack in Ukraine on Oct. 6, Vaba Ukraina reported on X (Twitter).

Their joint convoy with Ukraina Abi was targeted by a Russian missile strike, and an Iskander missile landed approximately 20 meters away from them, the group reported. All the vehicles were destroyed in the attack, but the volunteers narrowly escaped with their lives and remained unharmed.

Read also: Estonia becomes 10th country to sign declaration of support for Ukraine's NATO membership

The guys miraculously remained alive and well. We will assist them as needed, together with our partners in cooperation in Ukraine, the statement read.

The organization noted that the attack was not without human casualties, as two young children in a nearby building lost their lives.

Read also: Estonia insists on clear path for Ukraines NATO membership

Before our joint convoy was targeted, they managed to deliver a significant amount of aid  FPV drones, watches and protective goggles donated by Rene, nets and helmet covers from Kristina Reineller, drone batteries from relvad.ee, overboots, and much more, the volunteers added in their latest update on X, accompanying them with photos.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast - Serhii Pletinka rushed to the scene just after a Russian Iskander-M missile struck a packed cafe in the village of Hroza in Kharkiv Oblast.

A soldier on vacation who lives just across the street from the cafe was the first to witness the fire, screams, and bodies.

I was thrown by the blast wave, but I immediately ran (to the scene of the attack). A woman was screaming. She had broken legs and was pinned down by a refrigerator. She didn't understand what was happening, Serhii told the Kyiv Independent.

A Russian missile struck the cafe on Oct. 5, where around 60 people had come for the funeral reception of the fallen soldier after his reburial in a cemetery nearby. The strike killed at least 52 people, including a child, and injured six others in what is the deadliest attack against civilians in Ukraine in 2023.

This was the first strike on the village during the full-scale invasion. Villagers and the law enforcement agency investigating the Russian attack believe that someone among the locals may have informed Russian forces about the funeral, which was supposed to involve military personnel.

The village of Hroza had a pre-war population of around 300 residents. Since many have fled since the start of the full-scale invasion, the attack killed roughly half of the residents who have stayed.

We rescued only five people. Police and emergency services rescued others. The rest were dead, Pletinka, a soldier who spent two months in a Russian torture chamber while Hroza was occupied, said.

Emergency workers clear the rubble at the site of a cafe that was entirely destroyed by a Russian missile in the village of Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast, on Oct. 5. (Photo: Alexander Khrebet)

Reburial turned massacre

The morning of Oct. 5 was busy in the village of Hroza. Locals had gathered at the cemetery for the reburial of Anrdii Kozyr, who was killed in action during the initial phase of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

When Kozyr, who had been fighting with the Aidar Battalion, was killed, his body couldn't be brought to the village at the time as it was occupied by Russian forces.

Hroza sits between Kharkiv and Kupiansk, which has come under increased attacks amid Russian attempts to retake the territories since mid-July.

A fresh grave of a reburied soldier in the village of Hroza in Kharkiv Oblast on Oct. 6. (Photo: Alexander Khrebet)

Kozyrs son, also a soldier, completed his service in the Ukrainian army two months ago and had decided to bring his fathers body back home, according to Pletinka, a family friend.

His son, daughter, wife, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, and father-in-law died in the cafe, Pletinka said.

Forensic experts have identified more than half of the bodies brought to the morgues in the area, according to locals. Throughout the day, villagers continued to gather on one of the four streets and go through the updated lists of killed in an attempt to find the names of their loved ones.

With teary eyes, Mykola Fomenko searches the list for the name of his wife, Valentyna, to whom he has been married for 48 years.

I didnt want to attend the reception because I didnt know the fallen soldier. I asked her to stay with me, Fomenko later told the Kyiv Independent, showing a black-and-white family picture.

Mykola Fomenko holds a picture of himself, his son, and his wife, who was killed in the Oct. 5 missile strike on the Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast village. (Photo: Alexander Khrebet)

Every family affected

Valentyna Fomenkos body has yet to be identified. Some of the bodies of those killed were completely dismembered in the attack.

The impact site near the Fomenkos home looks like a pile of bricks and smells of burnt flesh. Crushed chairs are visible from under broken concrete beams.

The children's playground just next to what once was the cafe is dotted with dark red blood spots. Bloody wooden stakes removed from the bodies of those killed and burned pieces of clothes and shoes are everywhere.

Bloodied wooden stakes, presumably extracted from the bodies of those killed in the Oct. 5 Russian missile strike on the village of Hroza in Kharkiv Oblast on Oct. 6. (Photo: Alexander Khrebet)

With hollow eyes, Serhii points at a destroyed car parked outside the cafe, saying it belonged to his cousin who went to the reception with her husband and a little son. They were all killed in the attack.

They left home just before (the attack), and I hoped that they would be late, Serhii, who didnt want to disclose his last name, told the Kyiv Independent.

Every house on the main street has been affected. Repairmen are walking around, quickly boarding up the broken windows and covering the damaged roofs with tarpaulin. Some of the homes owners have all been killed, according to locals.

Volodymyr Shudravyi, a chief repairman, cant hold back his tears while collecting data on the destruction.

The earth shook on Oct. 5. (Russia) used such powerful weapons against civilians. Every family is affected. There are no military hardware, bases, or even no military personnel. Why? This is the genocide of Ukrainians, he told the Kyiv Independent, interrupting himself to say the name of his friend who was killed in the attack, Anzhela.

Shudravyi, like other villagers, believes someone among locals leaked information to the Russian forces about the burial of the fallen soldier, as top commanders of the Aidar Battalion could possibly have been at the funeral.

Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutors Office supports this version as well. Dmytro Chubenko, a spokesperson for the prosecutors office, said the investigators are verifying the information.

Everyone wants to find logic to the attack. But Russian forces are striking settlements without any logic, Chubenko told the Kyiv Independent in a phone interview.

The other version suggests that Russian forces noticed a gathering of people in the Hroza village of the Kupyansk community, which is subjected to daily attacks with artillery, tanks, and mortars, he said.

A burnt Ukrainian passport on a playground near the site of the Russian missile strike on the village of Hroza in Kharkiv Oblast on Oct. 6. (Photo: Alexander Khrebet)

Burying those killed

A big Ukrainian flag flies above the grave of the fallen soldier, who was reburied two hours before the attack. Two workers were almost done digging the fresh grave. The adjacent square piece of land is enclosed with a white string and two handwritten signs that say "Occupied."

Serhii Starikov who heads the Shevchenkove Military Administration, which covers the village of Hroza, told the Kyiv Independent that local authorities would help villagers with all they need.

One of these needs is to bury the killed at the small local cemetery. Bulldozers have already started clearing the bushes for new burial plots. The cemetery will expand by about one-third.

"Look at who we'll be burying. It's mostly 50-year-old women," said Shedravyi, a chief repairman, who lost five of his friends.

Read also: Son, widow of fallen soldier killed in Russias attack on Kharkiv Oblast village

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Tire Fire

You've probably heard warnings that the ocean is filling up with microplastics, with blame often settling on single-use consumer goods like plastic straws.

But the villain may instead be sitting in your driveway. According to a recent report by the Pew Charitable Trust, an estimated 78 percent of microplastics found in the ocean come from synthetic tire rubber, making it a massive contributor to ocean plastic pollution.

Over the last couple of years, scientists have identified a chemical called 6PPD-q that's extremely toxic to a number of fish species, as a recent writeup on the subject by Yale University's Environment 360 publication points out.

Worryingly, tire manufacturers are still using 6PPD, the precursor of this chemical, to produce car and truck tires. We still don't know the exact scale of the issue, but given the sheer amount of microplastics in the ocean, it certainly doesn't bode well.

And that's not to mention the hundreds of other potentially carcinogenic chemicals and compounds used by tire manufacturers that eventually leach into our oceans.

Braking News

Last month, the legal nonprofit Earthjustice threatened to sue tire makers for violating the Endangered Species Act by using the chemical. Native American tribes also called on the US Environmental Protection Agency to ban its use, pointing at the devastating effects it has on local salmon species.

The scale of the issue is likely staggering. An estimated two billion tires are produced globally every year, a number that's expected to continue growing significantly.

When driven, the four tires of a car release one trillion ultrafine particles less than 100 nanometers in size per kilometer driven, according to a recent analysis by UK firm Emissions Analytics. That makes them small enough to make it into our lungs and bloodstream.

Other studies have concluded that in some cases, these particles can even exceed the emissions coming from a given car's tailpipe.

In short, 6PPD-q is only the tip of the tireberg, and we've only begun to understand its disastrous effects on the environment and our health.

"Youve got a chemical cocktail in these tires that no one really understands and is kept highly confidential by the tire manufacturers," Nick Molden, the CEO of Emissions Analytics, told Yale E360. "We struggle to think of another consumer product that is so prevalent in the world, and used by virtually everyone, where there is so little known of what is in them."

More on tires: Community Horrified by Plan to Burn Tires to Produce Bitcoin
Charlotte Sena's suspected abductor may have targeted her family for a ransom because he knew about her grandfather's $2.2 million lawsuit settlement from a sledding accident, the suspect's ex-girlfriend speculated.

New York State Police declined to answer questions and remained tightlipped about the case ever since Sena was miraculously found alive during law enforcement's dramatic raid of Craig Ross Jr.'s trailer.

But Amanda Preece, who briefly dated Ross Jr., told The Daily Mail that he "never wanted to work" and "always wanted to find people to mooch off of."

"Charlotte's grandfather sued the town of Greenfield years ago, and people around Saratoga are aware of this," Preece told DailyMail.com. "I think that's why he held her ransom, he was hoping to get some of the money because he's struggling financially."

MAN CLAIMING TO BE SON OF CHARLOTTE SENA KIDNAPPING SUSPECT BREAKS SILENCE: HOPE HE DIES IN PRISON

Craig Ross Jr.: Arrested for alleged first-degree kidnapping in Saratoga County, New York on Monday, October 2, 2023.

Fox News Digital attempted to reach Preece by phone and email on Saturday, but didn't get a response back.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Little Charlotte's grandfather, Patrick Sena, sued the town of Greenfield, New York, in 1998 over a sledding accident and was ultimately awarded a $2.2 million settlement.

NEIGHBORS OF CHARLOTTE SENA DESCRIBE BUILD UP AND EXECUTION OF TACTICAL RAID THAT SAVED CHARLOTTE

Law enforcement tracked Ross Jr. down after he allegedly left a ransom note in Sena's family mailbox demanding $50,000, New York State Police said.

"That kind of money would set him up for around four or five years," Preece told The Daily Mail. "He had been following her family, he knew where they lived."

External view showing the New York State Police released the crime the scene at the home of Craig Nelson Ross Jr., on 2133 Barrtlett Road in Ballston Spa, N.Y. Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. Ross has been charged with the abduction of Charlotte Sena, a 9-year-old girl riding her bike through Moreau Lake State Park.

New York State Police collect evidence at the home of Craig Nelson Ross Jr. in Ballston Spa, New York on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. Ross has been charged with the abduction of Charlotte Sena, a 9-year-old girl riding her bike through Moreau Lake State Park.

"He watched her until she went around one last time and scooped her up. I feel he definitely had this pre-planned," she said.

Preece mentioned a tarp that he put up over the windows of his RV a few months ago, according to Daily Mail's report.

His neighbor, Michael, who wished to keep his last name anonymous to protect his family, mentioned the same tarp in an interview with Fox News Digital.

WHO IS CRAIG ROSS? NEW YORK RECLUSE ACCUSED OF HIDING KIDNAPPED 9-YEAR-OLD IN CAMPER CABINET

The tarp was suddenly draped over the side of Ross Jr.'s RV that faces Michael's house, he said.

"At the time I didn't think anything of it. Maybe he had a leak or something," he said. "But looking back, I'm thinking was he doing something nefarious? Was he planning something."

WATCH: Timelapse of suspected kidnapper Craig Ross' potential route home

Ross Jr. left fingerprints on the ransom note, which came back with a hit from his 1999 DUI arrest.

Law enforcement zeroed in on Ross Jr. as the main suspect, and hit him with a lightning-strike hit with overwhelming force, neighbors told Fox News Digital.

CHARLOTTE SENA CASE: FBI CHILD ABDUCTION UNIT MAKING MIRACLE RECOVERS MORE COMMON

Dozens of police vehicles and SWAT trucks ripped down an otherwise quiet street in upstate New York, neighbors said.

Officers with long guns and tactical gear hit Ross Jr.'s trailer with flashbangs, cuffed him "with some resistance," according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, and found Charlotte alive in a cabinet.

Search teams look along the park boundary for Charlotte Sena, of Greenfield, NY, who was on a family outing in Moreau Lake State Park when she went missing Saturday evening as officials conduct a search on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, in Gansevoort, N.Y.

No details about Sena's condition were released, but the governor said there does not appear to be "outward harm," and state police said she is "in good health."

The girl is recovering and being evaluated in a hospital.

Her aunt, Jene Sena, told Fox News Digital in a text: "We are just elated she came home."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE TRUE CRIME FROM FOX NEWS

Hochul said most stories do not end like this, but "Charlotte will be going home."

"I'm happy we have a positive outcome," Charlene said as she smiled to her daughter.

Ross Jr. was charged with first-degree kidnapping, and is being held in Saratoga County jail without bond.

More charges could be filed, police said.





Original article source: Ex-girlfriend of Charlotte Sena's suspected abductor speculates about motive: Report
A former Trump official secretly spread racist conspiracy theories online while operating as a pseudonymous alt-right influencer, according to NBC News. Michael Benz, a former State Department official who specialized in international communications, is accused of being the face behind the internet figure known as Frame Game, who railed against the Jewish influence, pushed the narrative that white people were being replaced, and spewed racist ideas while rubbing elbows with white nationalists. NBC reports that biographical details revealed by Frame Game online match up with those of Benz, and an acquaintance of his told the news outlet Benz had once spoken of writing under that pseudonym. Benz reportedly hung up on an NBC reporter when asked directly if he was Frame Game. But in a lengthy statement on X late Friday, he appeared to admit he was behind the accountthough he said it was actually part of a deradicalization project. The account in question was a project by Jews to get people who hated Jews to stop hating Jews, Benz wrote, saying it was successful and produced deradicalization material.

First, let me state something for the record. Im a Jew. Im a Proud Jew. Im the descendant of Holocaust Survivors who fled Poland. I was Bar Mitzvahd, and not just Bar Mitzvahd, I did the additional 4 years of Hebrew School to get confirmed, meaning I went to Hebrew School  Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) October 7, 2023

Read it at NBC News

Read more at The Daily Beast.
New research could complicate the narrative over using exercise to help with depression and other mental health issues. A study compared depressed and/or anxious people who joined a running program to those who took a course of antidepressants, and found that both groups experienced a similar level of mental health improvement after several months. Those who exercised did experience greater physical health benefits, but those taking antidepressants were much more likely to stick with the regimen the entire time.

The research, conducted by scientists in the Netherlands, is apparently the first of its kind to attempt a head-to-head comparison between exercise and antidepressants.

Read more

The teams results were published in February in the Journal of Affective Disorders and are set to be discussed this weekend at the annual meeting of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP).

The findings, according to study author Brenda Penninx, a professor and epidemiologist at Vrije University in Amsterdam, show that both exercise and antidepressants can have a place in helping treat depression and anxiety, though each come with their own unique set of considerations and challenges.

Antidepressants are generally safe and effective. They work for most people. We know that not treating depression at all leads to worse outcomes; so antidepressants are generally a good choice. said Penninx in a statement released by the ECNP. Nevertheless, we need to extend our treatment arsenal as not all patients respond to antidepressants or are willing to take them.

And while exercise can be an appealing alternative for lots of patients, the lower adherence rate seen in this study suggests that many people will need support to help them maintain their routine.

Telling patients is to go run is not enough. Changing physical activity behavior will require adequate supervision and encouragement as we did by implementing exercise therapy in a mental health care institution, added Penninx.



Past research has found that exercise, and particularly outdoor exercise, has benefits for our mood and brain health in general. A study earlier this year even found a link between regular exercise and higher pain tolerance. While getting active is undoubtedly good for overall health, it remains to be seen whether it can truly be a depression treatment.

More from Gizmodo

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Click here to read the full article.
On 7 October after midnight, the media reported the sounds of explosions in the city of Myrhorod in Poltava Oblast.

Source: Suspilne with reference to local residents

Quote: "Sounds of explosions were heard in Myrhorod. This was reported to Suspline by local residents. "

Details: At 23:38 On Friday an air-raid warning was issued in Poltava Oblast.

Ukraines Air Force reported the danger of missile attacks.

At 00:11 in the air-raid warning was cancelled in Poltava Oblast.

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 F-35 is built for a war fought with missiles. The United States newest stealth fighter comes in three flavors: F-35A for the Air Force, F-35B for the Marine Corps, and F-35C for the Navy. All variants are built around a shared architecture and mission: to destroy enemy targets, while evading detection long enough to return and fly another day. These missions are, thanks to the specific nature of stealth, at cross-purposes: weapons carried externally by a plane make it more visible to radar, undermining stealth, while only storing weapons internally limits what a fighter can bring to battle.

On September 25, the Air Force publicly stated it had earlier that month awarded a contract to defense giant Northrop Grumman Defense Systems to start work on the Stand-in Attack Weapon, or SiAW. The contract, with a value of up to $705 million, is for an advanced air-to-surface missile providing stand-in platforms the ability to rapidly strike a wide variety of targets.

Air-to-surface encompasses virtually everything not in the sky or orbit as a potential target, and given that the F-35 is designed to fight at sea as well as over land, it includes ships, tanks, buildings, and anything else below. Northrop Grumman, in a September 25 release, emphasized that the SiAW will provide strike capability to defeat rapidly relocatable targets as part of an enemys anti-access/area denial environment.

The SiAW.

Anti-access/area denial is modern military jargon for an old concept. The terms essentially mean weapons that will attack and threaten to destroy planes, boats, and other enemies that move too close to the defenses. Because weapon technologies adapt, the military uses a catch-all term, though some specific examples are useful for understanding these techniques. On land and in the sea, mines are a kind of denial technology, as they threaten anyone attempting passage with an abrupt and explosive end. For aircraft, anti-air missiles can deny aircraft safe flight, as can jammers that interfere with sensors like radar or GPS. For marines advancing up a beach, or soldiers fighting through a forest, artillery fire is an attempt to deny access. Anti-ship missiles, like their anti-air counterparts, threaten any ship that advances within range, promising a watery death should they hit a vulnerable enough spot.

In peacetime, these defenses serve as a warning, as an ominous threat of what a country could threaten should hostilities break out. Should the United States go to war against a country with such defenses, it will want to destroy as many of them as it can, while allowing its own forces to get close enough. This is where a weapon like the SiAW comes into play.

The SiAW is designed to be carried internally by the F-35, Janes reports . That means the stealth fighters can use the weapon without compromising their stealth, as weapons carried externally make the planes more visible on radar. Stealth is largely a material and structural technology , where the specific shape and texture of a plane are used to minimize how few radio waves are reflected back towards the radar that emitted them. Earlier in September, the efficacy of this stealth was clearly on display, after an F-35B pilot ejected and the Marine Corps turned to the public for help tracking down the missing plane.

Stealth ensures that the F-35s can get closer to their targets than they would without it. Air and Space Forces Magazine reports that the Air Force is setting the targets for the SiAW as air defense radars, command posts, ballistic and cruise missile launchers, GPS jamming systems, anti-satellite systems, and other high-value or fleeting targets. Destroying any and all of those targets make it easier for other parts of the military to advance and survive, including jets with more weapons that arent stealthy.

The Air Force has declined to give the range for the new SiAW weapon, though the operating assumption is that it will be longer range than the High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) air-to-surface missiles in use today. Those missiles have a stated range of over 30 miles. The Air Force aims to have the SiAW at an initial operational capability by 2026; it expects to buy 400 of the missiles by 2028, with up to 3,000 eventually.

Should the missile deliver as promised, it will allow F-35s to launch attacks on targets at useful ranges, giving the military more options than just long-range cruise missiles to destroy important targets in advance of an assault. Unlike cruise missiles, SiAWs fired from F-35s or other planes will be able to catch more mobile vehicles, ensuring that if theres a weapon that can be relocated, the missile is a tool to destroy it before it disappears.
(Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday.

The following is reaction from around the world.

UNITED STATES

"There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement released by the State Department.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

UNITED NATIONS

U.N. Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said: "This is a dangerous precipice, and I appeal to all to pull back from the brink."

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk said: "This attack is having a horrific impact on Israeli civilians ... Civilians must never be the target of attack."

PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS

The Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops," the official news agency WAFA quoted Abbas as saying.

IRAN

An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday congratulated Palestinian fighters, the semi-official ISNA news site reported. "We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem," it quoted Yahya Rahim Safavi as saying.

Iran's state television showed parliament members rising from their seats to chant "Death to Israel".

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani spokesperson was quoted by ISNA as saying: "In this operation, the element of surprise and other combined methods were used, which show the Palestinian people's confidence in the face of the occupiers."

CHINA

The Chinese foreign ministry urged relevant parties "to remain calm, exercise restraint and immediately end the hostilities to protect civilians and avoid further deterioration of the situation".

"The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine," the foreign ministry said.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ

"Terrifying news reaches us today from #Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel," Scholz said on social media.

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON

Macron strongly condemned the attacks.

"I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them," he said.

SAUDI ARABIA

The foreign ministry called for an "immediate cessation of violence".

EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

Egypt warned of "grave consequences" and called for "exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger".

MOROCCO

Morocco, which is moving towards full diplomatic ties with Israel under the so-called "Abraham Accords", voiced "deep concern" and condemned attacks on civilians "where ever they are".

However, Morocco's Islamist PJD party, which had been the largest in parliament until elections in 2021, praised the Hamas attack as "a heroic act" and "a natural and legitimate reaction to daily violations".

EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JOSEP BORRELL

"Using civilians as hostages is a blatant violation of all laws. I will do my utmost to contribute to their freedom," Borrell said.

He added he was travelling to Muscat, Oman to meet Arab counterparts. "Even at this tragic moment, we recall the importance of working towards a lasting and sustainable peace through reinvigorated efforts in the Middle East Peace Process," he said.

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU

"Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel. These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this. Civilian life must be protected," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER JAMES CLEVERLY

"The UK unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The UK will always support Israels right to defend itself," Cleverly said.

EUROPEAN UNION

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form."

TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN

"We call for restraint from all parties," Erdogan said.

QATAR

The foreign ministry said Israel alone was responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence with the Palestinian people, and called for both sides to show restraint.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MIKHAIL BOGDANOV

Russia is in contact with Israel, the Palestinians and Arab countries in connection with the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Bogdanov said, urging restraint.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY

Zelenskiy condemned what he called a "terror attack" on Israel and said Israel's right to defend itself "cannot be doubted".

HEZBOLLAH

The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, an arch foe of Israel, said it was in "direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance" and described events as a "decisive response to Israel's continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalisation with Israel".

POLISH PRESIDENT ANDRZEJ DUDA

"I'm shocked by today's brutal attacks on Israel by Hamas. Rockets attacks and detention of civilians as hostages arouse our deepest opposition. Poland strongly condemns all acts of violence," Duda said on Saturday.

CZECH PRESIDENT PETR PAVEL

"The attack conducted from the Gaza Strip is a deplorable act of terrorism against the State of Israel and the civilian population," Pavel said in a statement.

"The rocket attacks and the infiltration of Hamas commandos into Israel will block any efforts for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for a long time."

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

"A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was held today on the dramatic situation unfolding in Israel, which has been the target of a military and terrorist attack," a statement said on Saturday.

"The government is following the evolution of the situation with concern... Particular attention is being paid to the security of the Jewish community in the country."

JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA

"Hamas and other Palestinian militants attacked Israel from Gaza yesterday. Japan strongly condemns the attacks which severely harmed innocent civilians. I express my condolences to the bereaved families and heartfelt sympathies to the injured," Kishida said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"A number of people were reportedly abducted by the militants. Japan strongly condemns such acts and urges their immediate release. Japan is deeply concerned about a number of casualties in Gaza as well. All the parties concerned should exercise maximum restraint."

AFRICAN UNION

Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, said: "Denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, particularly that of an independent and sovereign State, is the main cause of the permanent Israeli-Palestinian tension."

"The Chairperson urgently appeals to both parties to put an end to military hostilities and to return, without conditions, to the negotiating table."

KUWAIT

Kuwait expressed its "grave concern" over developments between Israel and the Palestinians, blaming Israel for what it called its "blatant attacks".

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

"The UAE calls for the exercise of maximum restraint and an immediate ceasefire to avoid serious repercussions," the official news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

INDONESIA

"Indonesia is very concerned about the increasing escalation of the conflict between Palestine and Israel," the foreign ministry the worlds largest Muslim-majority country said on X.

"Indonesia requests that acts of violence stop immediately to avoid increasing human casualties. The root of the conflict, namely the occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel, must be resolved according to the parameters agreed upon by the U.N."

KENYA

"We repudiate the planners, funders and implementers of this heinous attack. While Israel has a right to retaliate, a peaceful path to resolving this unfortunate development is urged," Korir Sing'oei, principal secretary at Kenya's foreign ministry, said on X.

UGANDA

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda said: "The break out of renewed violence in Israel- Palestine is regrettable. Why dont the two sides implement the two States Solution? To be condemned, in particular, is the practice of targeting civilians and non- combatants by the belligerents."

(Compiled by Reuters bureaux; Editing by Jan Harvey, Andrew Cawthorne, Ros Russell, Barbara Lewis and Toby Chopra)
A couple says the Hollywood rental property where they live is infested with rodents that are biting their children while their landlord refuses to help.

The family said the situation has become so dangerous, that theyve been forced to seek help from others as the situation remains unaddressed.

The landlord, however, has a different take, claiming the family are delinquent tenants who have refused to pay rent, owing him thousands of dollars.

Jessica Spratt first moved into the 1915 craftsman-style home on North Cherokee Avenue with her husband, their three young children and her mother during the pandemic.

Little did they know, they said the home was a hell house that contained all sorts of major issues including mice, roaches, animal excrement, mold, leaks and more. Stuck living there over the past few years, Spratt said she feels helpless at this point.

A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (KTLA)

A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family)

A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family)

A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family)

A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family)

Eviction notice from landlord claiming the Spratt Family has not paid their rent. (KTLA)

A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (KTLA)

There have been mice climbing up my walls, Spratt said. There have been mice pooping in my kids bed. Yesterday, I found mice on my newborn babys changing table. Theyve been biting my children.

When she brought up the myriad of issues, she claimed the response from her landlord was dismissive.

He told me to just get a cat, she recalled. A cat for the mosies. I guess its his nickname for mice.

Spratt said her landlord eventually provided the family with temporary alternative housing while promising to fix the issues. But when the Spratts returned home, they said nothing had actually changed.

Our whole life has been upside down,  Spratt said. If you go inside the house right now, everything is wrecked and ruined. [The landlord] keeps trying to use leverage and just say everything Im doing wrong.

Trapped driver rescued after crashing off bridge in Angeles National Forest

Spratt said the situation became so unbearable that a client of hers graciously put the family up at a Sunset Strip hotel for a few nights. Its a temporary reprieve as their future living situation remains uncertain.

Earlier in the day, KTLA found eviction notices from the landlord on the homes front gate claiming the Spratts are delinquent in rent payments.

The family is seeking help from city housing and health department officials along with attorneys.

I have given him so much money, Spratt said. This is disgusting.

An attorney for the landlord claimed the Spratts were illegally renting out a back house on the property and that they were warned about hoarding conditions and clutter inside the main house. He claims the familys accusations are a retaliatory move against those warnings.

The Spratts have denied that allegation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
GARVIN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR)  KFOR is learning more about the innocent bystander who was shot and killed by a stray bullet on Wednesday morning in Garvin County. He was a grandfather, dad and friend to many.

Gwaun Frierson was killed during an altercation between 25-year-old Kameron Jenkins and Cleveland County Deputy Sean Steadman near Exit 60 on I-35.

Day 3: Search ongoing for armed & dangerous suspect

Betty Holland said her son and Gwaun Frierson played high school football together and they have kept in touch ever since. She was heartbroken to hear his life was taken so soon.

Its devastating He took care of my girls. We were his family, said Betty Holland, family friend of the victim.

Gwaun Frierson. Image courtesy Tiara James.

Gwaun Frierson. Image courtesy Tiara James.

Gwaun Frierson. Image courtesy Tiara James.

I was either ma or momma He said, Momma, if anybody is messing with you, you let me know. Ill come down here and take care of it. He was always going to take care of me, said Holland.

Holland said last year, Gwaun gave his life to Christ.

He was saying, Well, you know, Ive done so much bad stuff, Momma. I said, The Lord dont care what youve done, honey, as long as you trust and know that Jesus died for you and your son and accept him and youre safe and youre going to go to heaven no matter what youve done, said Holland.

Holland said she is at peace knowing he is now in Heaven.

Its all in the Lord plans, his plans and timings are perfect, so I have to accept it and it helps, but it still breaks my heart, said Holland.

Cleveland County Deputy recovering after being shot during deadly shootout with current fugitive

Holland said Gwaun had just gotten his CDL license and had just started a new truck driving job in Oklahoma.

But tragically, while on the job this week, he ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Just days before the tragic shooting, Gwaun posted a picture on Facebook of him and his coworker, working on the job.

Gwaun Frierson and coworker in truck

Holland said the last thing she said to him was a reply on the post that said, Love you my son. Be careful out there.

He was happy with his new job, said Holland.

Help other families: The Penny Project fights a leading cause of death for Oklahoma babies

On Friday morning, Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason told KFOR they are still not sure whose gun the stray bullet came from that killed Gwaun.

We dont know. OSBI is obviously still investigating. Theyre taking their time and doing their due diligence to make sure they have everything just right, said Sheriff Amason.

I hope [Cleveland County Deputy Sean Steadman] is doing fine. And if they find out hes the one that did it, to know that it was just a freak accident. And I dont want him to feel guilty or anything else. If theres anybody to blame, its the one that was doing what he did But I have to pray for them. And either one, Ill have to forgive them, said Holland.

Gwaun had just started at Pioneer Transport Incorporated.

A spokesperson for the company told KFOR, A Pioneer Transport, Inc. employee, Gwaun Frierson, suffered a fatal gunshot wound from crossfire in the officer-involved shooting in Garvin County. The event deeply saddens us. We are providing support to Mr. Friersons family, and we ask that members of the community extend their own heartfelt prayers in this difficult time. We also wish Deputy Steadman a speedy recovery from his injuries. Our company is grateful to all law enforcement involved in the search for the suspect.

Family of Gwaun said there is still no date for the funeral.

Meanwhile, authorities are still looking for Jenkins, who they say should be considered armed and dangerous.

If you have information on where to find Jenkins or if you have seen him, call 911.

Authorities are offering an $11,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. You can submit information anonymously by calling 405-235-7300 or 1-855-211-STOP. You can also submit an anonymous tip on the OKC Crime Stoppers website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Representatives attend third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for Int'l Cooperation

Xinhua) 10:32, October 07, 2023

Chinese and foreign representatives attend the third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation in the city of Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Oct. 5, 2023. The forum, co-hosted by the regional government of Tibet and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled to run from Oct. 4 to 6. Representatives from more than 40 countries, regions and international organizations attended the forum. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

This photo taken on Oct. 5, 2023 shows a view of the third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation in the city of Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The forum, co-hosted by the regional government of Tibet and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled to run from Oct. 4 to 6. Representatives from more than 40 countries, regions and international organizations attended the forum. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A former U.S. Army Sergeant accused of offering classified national defense information to China was arrested on federal felony charges Friday upon arrival from a three-year stay in Hong Kong.

Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 29, had access to top secret information pertaining to China, which he offered to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and Chinese security services weeks after his separation from the military, court documents allege. He traveled to Hong Kong in March 2020 and remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until his return Friday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Schmidt flew into San Francisco from Hong Kong and was arrested at the airport, officials said.

Members of our military take a sworn oath to defend our country and the Constitution, said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. In that context the alleged actions of this former military member are shocking  not only attempting to provide national defense information, but also information that would assist a foreign adversary to gain access to Department of Defense secure computer networks.

Schmidts charges  attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information  are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He was the only person charged in the indictment, and there are no related indictments filed against anyone else, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office told USA TODAY.

FBI: Former soldier researched extradition, treason

Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020, and his primary assignment was at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, according to a 21-page affidavit filed in court by Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Brandon Tower.

Schmidt supervised human intelligence reporting, analysis and products, the affidavit said. His area of work was directly linked to the Indo-Pacific Command, the Department of Defense's geographic combatant command that covers the Pacific and Indian Ocean region, including China.

Schmidt had access to systems containing information classified up to Top Secret, a level of intelligence that could cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if disclosed without authorization, Tower said.

While on active duty, Schmidt took personal leave to go to China in 2017. In a copy of his visa application that he emailed to himself, Schmidt expressed interest in Chinese culture and said he planned to visit annually, according to the affidavit. In January 2020, six days after transitioning to inactive duty status, Schmidt flew to Beijing for less than a week, and to Istanbul the following month.

In February 2020, he conducted internet searches related to extradition, including countries that dont extradite and can you be extradited for treason, according to court documents.

Ex-soldiers alleged email to Chinese Consulate

According to the affidavit, Schmidt emailed the Chinese Consulate in Istanbul on Feb. 24, 2020 about divulging information.

I have a current top secret clearance, and would like to talk to someone from the Government to share this information with you if that is possible, the email stated, according to court documents. The email went on to request a meeting in-person, expressing concerns about communicating over email.

He also created a Word document a couple days later, titled Important Information to Share with Chinese Government, the affidavit said.

Court documents listed multiple emails Schmidt allegedly sent to the consulate and Chinese security services, as well as documents he created that contained national defense information. Officials did not say whether the information was received by China, only stating that he attempted to transmit it. The affidavit said emails offering information were sent.

Overstaying in Hong Kong

Since arriving in Hong Kong in March 2020, Schmidt attempted to get a job in China and subsequent immigration papers so he could relocate to China, the affidavit said. Four months later, Hong Kong immigration authorities denied his application for a visitor status extension and said he had been overstaying in Hong Kong.

However, he was eventually granted a work permit from China in August 2020 and has continued to "pursue legal immigration status, in Hong Kong, the affidavit said, while waiting to relocate to China.

Email to sister expresses dissent with U.S. government

In a May 2020 email to his sister included in the affidavit, Schmidt expressed dissent with the U.S. government and said he would be going off the map for a long time.

The real reason I left America is because of a disagreement with American policy. I dont talk about it often, but I learned some really terrible things about the American government while I was working in the Army, and I no longer feel safe living in America or like I want to support the American government, the email said, according to court documents.

Schmidt is scheduled for an identity and detention hearing Tuesday in San Francisco, after which he will appear in Western Washington District Court where the indictment was returned for further court proceedings, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office told USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-soldier charged with offering top-secret information to China
Authorities are looking for a 32-year-old Byrom Zuniga-Sanchez, accused of making threats to murder an Orange County judge and to "indiscriminately assassinate" people at the courthouse. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Authorities are looking for a Lake Forest man accused of making threats to murder an Orange County judge and to indiscriminately assassinate people at the courthouse.

Byrom Zuniga-Sanchez, 32, was enraged by his experience in family law court at the Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange from 2019 to 2021, according to an arrest warrant signed Thursday.

Court records show that Zuniga-Sanchez, who listed his occupation as a $12-an-hour lending officer for loandepot.com, has been involved in a child-support dispute with the mother of his 10-year-old son. They shared custody of the boy, and in 2019, she told the court, Zuniga-Sanchez made a $300 payment but refused to pay more.

In July, according to an FBI agents affidavit, Zuniga-Sanchez sent a threatening email intended for the family law judge  referred to as Victim Judge #1  who had presided over the court hearings, blaming the judge for damaging his relationship with his son.

It is time you die, he wrote, according to the affidavit. I am more committed to murdering you than I am to being present as a father.  Do you have any last words, apologies, or regrets you want to communicate before I lawfully kill you.  The remainder of my life will be dedicated to assassinating judges, attorneys, and a police station's entire shift staff.

Zuniga-Sanchez vowed to kill every rotten heart hiding in that building and added in an Instagram post that he had absolutely nothing on my mind all day every day except the unbearable desire to murder people, the affidavit said.

Read more: The use of jailhouse snitches in Orange County bungled at least 57 criminal cases, public defender says

The affidavit said Zuniga-Sanchez was in Mexico when he sent the threats, putting him in violation of federal laws against threats made across international borders or state lines. Authorities said Zuniga, who does not have legal status in the United States, tried to enter the country in June at the San Ysidro crossing but lacked legal papers and was turned away.

The complaint said Zuniga has outstanding warrants for evading police, reckless driving, criminal threats, invasion of privacy and violation of a court order.

In May 2022, according to court records, an Orange County sheriffs deputy found Zuniga-Sanchez in his car outside the Mission Viejo home occupied by the family of his childs mother. At the time, he was under a protective order that he was to remain 100 yards away from the home, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing in the case.

Zuniga-Sanchez sped away as the deputy approached. The deputy caught up to him nearby, though Zuniga-Sanchez did not surrender for hours, the deputy testified.

Zuniga-Sanchezs attorney called it an isolated incident, but Orange County Superior Court Judge John Adams decided there was enough evidence for prosecutors to take him to trial on a felony charge of evading while driving recklessly.

The fact that nobody was killed or injured, this is [an] extraordinary dangerous situation under any circumstances, the judge said of the chase.

The federal complaint filed this week said Zuniga-Sanchez went to the home of Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer one night in October 2021 and asked if he was home, then said Tell him Byrom stopped by and drove off.

In a statement Friday, Spitzer called it another example of the need to protect elected officials from the ongoing, unique threats that come with holding elected office. He called for legislation that bolstered security for candidates, officials and their families.

The FBI considers Zuniga-Sanchez a fugitive, and those with information about his whereabouts are asked to call the bureau at (310) 477-6565.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Tri-Citians can see how an outsider views them as a documentary director wrestles with the idea of a town built on the production of nuclear weapons and the comfortable middle-class life it offers residents.

Filmmaker Irene Lusztig spent years visiting Richland, Wash., to produce the feature-length documentary Richland, a film promoted as examining the habits of thought that normalize the extraordinary violence of the past.

It premiered at the Tribeca Festival in New York City in June and now will be shown in Washington state.

Screenings are scheduled at the Tri-Cities International Film Festival in Richland and at the Wanapum Heritage Center near Desert Aire. It also will be shown in Seattle, Tacoma and Bellingham this month.

Lusztig first visited Richland in 2015 when she was working on the documentary, Yours in Sisterhood, based on letters to Ms. magazine, and was startled by the large mushroom cloud rising above a capital letter R on the wall of the Richland High School.

In the months and years that followed, I couldnt stop thinking about Richland, she said.

What she found when she returned was a town where many residents are proud of its nuclear company town heritage and the atomic bomb it helped create.

She also was struck by the quality of life that the Hanford site provided for workers and their families.

Richland is a community where many people were working class, she said in an interview with Shannon Cram, an assistant professor at the University of Washington. People were making really good money and having these idyllic family suburban lives and able to live in a way that would not have been available to them somewhere else.

The small farming community of Richland was turned into a government town in the 1940s as land was seized for a secret World War II project. Workers there raced to produce plutonium to create atomic bombs ahead of the Nazis during World War II.

A program for the first Atomic Frontier Days in Richland in 1948, then a three-day event.

The plutonium that was produced at what was a 670-square-mile site in Eastern Washington was used first for a test explosion of an atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert and then the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, during World War II.

Taxpayers continue to provide more than $2.5 billion a year on environmental cleanup of contamination left from plutonium production that continued through the Cold War.

Richland regrets

Along with pride she heard in Richlands role in history, she also dug into regrets about the role Richland workers had played  regrets about cancers that people believed were linked to emissions from producing plutonium, about the contaminated environment left behind during the Hanford sites production years or about the suffering in Nagasaki.

Lusztig said she worked to build relationships and listen to the Richland community during her visits to film.

The feature length documentary Richland explores the Eastern Washington community as a nuclear town and the pride and regrets residents have in producing plutonium during wartime.

She said she didnt want to shy away from the tremendous environmental and human costs of nuclear arms manufacturing, but, at the same time, I also wanted to represent the stories of Hanford workers  people who politics often diverge drastically from my own  with dignity and generous listening.

The film includes encounters with nuclear workers, community members, archaeologists, Native Americans and a Japanese granddaughter of atomic bomb survivors.

Lex Briscuso wrote in a review for The Wrap that the documentary is unafraid to lay bare how people embrace destruction if there is a place for them inside it. It is also unafraid to counter that mindset with the truth about the cost of dancing with the devil  and thats what gives the film its power.

Richland screenings in WA

 Tri-Cities International Film Festival at 8 p.m. Oct. 13 followed by questions and answers with the director and 1:25 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Uptown Theater in Richland. A festival pass costs $25 and can be purchased at bit.ly/TRIFItickets.

 Wanapum Heritage Center, 29082 Highway 243 South, Mattawa, at 1 p.m. Oct. 14. There is no cost. It is about 50 miles from Richland.

 Seattle International Film Festival 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11. More information at bit.ly/SIFFRichland.

 Tacoma Film Festival, 5 p.m. Oct. 12 at The Grand Cinema. Cost is $12 for adults with discounts available. Purchase tickets at tacomafilmfestival.com/films/richland.

 Doctober at the Pickford Film Center in downtown Bellingham at 3:45 p.m. Oct. 15 with a question and answer session with the director and 5:15 p.m. Oct. 25. Admission is $12.50 plus a 95 cent service fee, with discounts available. Buy tickets at bit.ly/BellinghamRichland.
Fiona Bruce has apologised after facing criticism for referring to a Question Time audience member as a black guy.

During the shows broadcast on Thursday (6 October), Bruce, 59, was selecting a member of the audience to ask a question to the panel, saying: The guy there in the middle, the black guy in the middle, yes.

The comment was quickly edited out of the BBC iPlayer version of the episode and the broadcaster has apologised for the presenters choice of words.

In a statement released through the BBC, Bruce said: I totally understand why my words last night caused offence and I apologise.

I have spoken to the audience member directly and explained that usually I can see and describe an item of clothing or otherwise to help sound engineers with a microphone find people in the audience.

Last night that was not the case as my view was obscured.

In the split second I had, the easiest thing to do would have been to ignore the audience member and move on, but I felt strongly that his voice should be heard.

Nonetheless, I feel it was wrong to identify him as I did and thats why it was removed from the later edited programme.

Fiona Bruce on Question Time (BBC)

Appearing on the panel at the time were transport minister Richard Holden, shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth, writer Emma Dabiri, the executive chairman of Iceland supermarket, Richard Walker, and journalist and author Tony Parsons.

A BBC spokesperson said: We regret the choice of words used to identify the audience member.

The intent was to ensure his voice was heard, however we recognise we should not have identified him in this way and apologise for any offence caused.

As such the recorded version on iPlayer has been edited to remove this.

The show had been broadcast live at 8pm on Thursday on BBC iPlayer, and the recorded version, which was edited to remove the words, was broadcast on BBC One and is the version now available on BBC iPlayer.

Bruce has hosted Question Time since 2019, when she took over from long-serving host David Dimbleby.

During Thursdays episode, Bruce was also forced to address why she was wearing a sling and had the remnants of a black eye.

I thought Id just mention it  it is the least interesting thing in the programme  but in case youre wondering I broke my hand, and I have got the remnants of a black eye, because I fell off a horse, she said.

Additional reporting from PA
The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy announced it will be giving an award to the American Library Association (ALA), an organization that has come under fire in recent months after its president declared herself a "Marxist" after being elected to serve in her role.

The ALA will be one of two recipients of the "2023 Barbara Bush National Literacy Honors Award" during the foundation's signature event, the National Celebration of Reading, set to be held in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Oct. 11, according to a release by the foundation.

The ALA's award comes despite the organization receiving backlash in recent months for comments made by ALA President Emily Drabinski , who took to social media shortly after being elected to the role and declared herself a "Marxist lesbian."

SELF-DECLARED 'MARXIST' LIBRARY GROUP CHIEF STUNNED BY BACKLASH AS STATE PULLS FUNDING TO ALA

The Barbara Bush Foundation has been criticized for preparing to award an organization led by an avowed Marxist.

"I just cannot believe that a Marxist lesbian who believes that collective power is possible to build and can be wielded for a better world is the president-elect of @ALALibrary," Drabinski wrote in the post, which has since been deleted. "I am so excited for what we will do together. Solidarity! And my mom is SO PROUD. I love you mom."

The organization itself has also come under fire, including after reports earlier this year that the ALA was promoting "intersectionality" and various LGBT stories and authors that specifically targeted children and young adults at their Annual Conference and Exhibition in June.

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Drabinksi's comments and the ALA's policies under her leadership have sparked a movement in several states, including Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, South Carolina and Wyoming, to cut ties with the ALA. Such efforts were successful in both Texas and Montana, with the library commissions from both states voting earlier this year to end their association with the ALA.

'MARXIST LESBIAN' AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HEAD SAYS CONSERVATIVE BOOK BANS ARE ATTACKS ON CHILDREN'

Portrait of Bush family in the Red Room of the White House Jan. 6, 2005 in Washington, D.C.

"Texas should be leading the fight against dangerous Marxist ideology  not subsidizing it with my constituents hard earned tax dollars. Ill continue fighting to protect Texans from having their money weaponized against them, their values, and their children." Texas State Rep. Brian Harrison, who helped lead the charge in Texas, said of the move.

Meanwhile, the Montana State Library Commission released a statement arguing that their "duty to the Constitution forbids association with an organization led by a Marxist."

Marxism is a political philosophy that originated with German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who started the movement that led to the rise of communist states throughout the world. The movement has long been controversial and unpopular in the United States, with the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation estimating the ideology has led to the deaths of over 100 million people.

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The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy event, which promises to bring "together members of the Bush family, bestselling authors and entertainers, and special guests to advance the mission" of the organization, said the National Literacy Honors award is meant to honor "honor leaders at the both the national and grassroots levels who have made significant contributions toward a more literate America." In addition to the ALA, social media influencer Oliver James is set to receive the same award at the event.

"What Barbara Bush knew more than three decades ago is still true today: literacy changes lives," Andrew Roberts, the interim president and CEO of the organization, said in the release. "The National Celebration of Reading is the perfect opportunity to honor her legacy, celebrate the transformative power of reading and carry on the work that she began to build a stronger, more equitable America through literacy."

In an email to Fox News Digital, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Vice President of Communications Lauren Sproull said that the award is given "to recognize outstanding achievements and contributions toward the Foundations vision of an America in which everyone has the opportunity to read, write, and comprehend in order to navigate the world with dignity."

"The award will be presented to ALA at the organizational levelnot to any individualand should not be interpreted as endorsement of any individuals personal or political views," said Sproull, who further noted that ALA's interim associate executive director, Alan Inouye, "will accept the award on behalf of the organization and its staff."

Reached for comment by Fox News Digital, an ALA spokesperson said that the organization is "grateful to the Barbara Bush Foundation for recognizing ALAs unwavering commitment" to "provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all," but stressed that the ALA is a "non-partisan, non-profit organization."

"While we respect the rights of individuals to exercise their freedom of thought and expression, ALA does not align with, endorse, or promote the political beliefs, values, or ideologies of any one individualincluding its elected leaders," the spokesperson said.





Original article source: Late first lady's foundation set to honor group run by self-declared 'Marxist'
Moments after news spread that militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip launched more than 2,000 rockets in a multifront attack on Israel, Florida leaders spoke out against an attack that led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare Israel at war.

We condemn the assault in the strongest possible terms and recognize that Israels only plausible response is to rightfully pursue a comprehensive aggressive strategy to restore calm to the region. The surprise on the nation brings traumatizing resonance to the people of Israel, who this week are commemorating 50 years since the Yom Kippur War, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation said in a statement posted on its website.

No country should be asked to tolerate a barrage of thousands of rockets or militant infiltration to murder, kidnap or injure innocent civilians. Let us be unquestionably clear: These are tactics used by terror organizations whose goal is to wipe Israel off the map. The Jewish people and Israel will once again prevail, the federations statement read in part.

Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson called for Democratic nations to unite and support Israel, echoing the Greater Miami Jewish Federations call on our community to stand in solidarity with Israel and a pledge President Biden issued to Netanyahu early Saturday.

Florida politicians response to attacks

READ MORE: How you can help support Israel in Miami after terrorist attacks

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows vehicles damaged by rockets in Ashkelon, southern Israel. Over 40 Israelis have been killed and more than 700 injured in the Islamic Resistance Movements (Hamas) offensive that began earlier on Saturday, reported Israeli media citing Magen David Adom from emergency services. Ilan Assayag/Xinhua/Sipa USA

The Democratic State of Israel is under attack, facing unprovoked and despicable assaults by Hamas terrorists, Wilson said in her statement. These brazen acts of violence demand the strongest condemnation, as there is no justification for launching over 2,200 missiles in a brutal assault raining down upon innocent citizens. Democratic nations worldwide must unite to support Israel, as unity is our strength in the face of united terrorism.

Israels national rescue service said at least 100 people were killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in years, The Associated Press reported. An unknown number of Israeli soldiers and civilians were also taken captive and brought into Gaza, an enormously sensitive issue for Israel, according to AP.

At least 198 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed and at least 1,610 wounded in Israels retaliation, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, according to The Associated Press.

Netanyahu has called for a mass mobilization of army reserves. Israel returned strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, CNN reported. The surprise assault happened on the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah and stirred comparisons to the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, or Yom Kippur War, when Arab states Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. That assault came on Oct. 6, 1973  50 years ago nearly to the day of the dawn attack on Israel Saturday.

Mourners carry the bodies of Palestinians killed in the latest infiltration into Israel, outside Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Several armed Palestinians have entered Israeli territory during the barrage of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, according to army sources. Mohammed Talatene/dpa/picture-alliance/Sipa USA

I am deeply shocked and heartbroken at the news of attacks on Israeli civilians and the senseless acts of violence by Hamas terrorists, as Israel celebrated a Jewish holiday, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement.

These heinous acts of violence must come to an end to protect innocent lives. Miami-Dade stands with the people of Israel and their right to defend themselves against acts of terror today, tomorrow and always, Levine Cava said.

Levine Cava also ordered the lowering of Miami-Dade flags across the county to honor the innocent lives lost due to terrorist attacks in Israel, she said on social media.

I have ordered the lowering of County flags in Miami-Dade to honor the innocent lives lost due to terrorist attacks in Israel. We stand with Israel and all nations that champion democracy.



Together, we must work to create a world without violence and for peace among nations. pic.twitter.com/daRvUfPovN  Daniella Levine Cava (@MayorDaniella) October 7, 2023

Wilson added that the United States is committed to aiding the Jewish state.

Israel stands as the United States closest friend and ally, and our nations strength is intertwined with theirs, Wilson said. My prayers are with the people of Israel today, and as Israel prepares for war in these dark hours, the United States stands ready to support Israels right to defend itself. Our commitment to Israel is unwavering. 

From left to right, Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, Bahamian Prime Minister, Philip Davis, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, FL-24, and Miami-Dade County School Board Chair, Mari Tere Rojas, pose after Congresswoman Wilson announced the opening of the Role Models programs first international chapter in the Bahamas on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. Omar Rodriguez Ortiz/orodriguezortiz@miamiherald.com

Tallahassee and Washington reacts

The assault played its way into the race for the 2024 presidency.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination in its 2024 presidential primaries, released a 36-second video Saturday that supports Israel but devotes half of its length to an attack on his rival for the White House.

Israel is under attack. I stand with Israel. America stands with Israel. Not only do they have a right to defend themselves, they have a duty to defend themselves against these Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists, DeSantis said in the clip. Iran has helped fund this war against Israel and Joe Bidens policies that have gone easy on Iran has helped to fill their coffers. Israel is now paying the price for these policies. Were going to stand with the state of Israel. They need to root out Hamas. We need to stand up to Iran.

On Saturday, President Joe Biden called Netanyahu and stressed that the U.S. stands by Israel and fully supports Israels right to defend itself, The Times of Israel reported. According to the prime ministers office, Netanyahu told Biden that a prolonged and powerful campaign will be required in which Israel will win.

Biden also released a statement Saturday on social media.

I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, Bidens statement read in part. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My Administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2023 shows a building hit by a rocket in Tel Aviv, Israel. Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua/Sipa USA

Police react to attack

Police departments across South Florida told the public they would be keeping a more vigilant eye on synagogues and other locations in light of the attack.

Miami Beach police said on social media that it will be increasing police visibility near all synagogues and other strategic locations across the city.

The safety and well-being of our community is our top priority, especially during difficult times, the department said. This is a proactive measure to ensure the safety and security of everyone. We will continue to keep the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers.

Miami-Dade police said it isnt aware of any current threats to the communities in the county, but the department will have an increased police presence in areas of religious significance, including mosques and synagogues ...

We are also reaching out to community partners to ensure they know we are here to support them, the department said on social media. As always, we remind our residents to remain vigilant.

Sunny Isles Beach police also released a similar statement that it will have heightened police presence and visibility near synagogues and key locations.

Our goal is to ensure the safety and security of all residents and visitors, the department said. Our officers are actively patrolling and monitoring these areas to provide protection and peace of mind.

Hallandale Beach police is asking its residents to not be alarmed at heightened police presence in the community.

In light of the recent horrific events in Israel, the City of Hallandale Beach wants you to know that the safety of every member of our community is of utmost importance, the department said.

In light of the recent horrific events in Israel, the City of Hallandale Beach wants you to know that the safety of every member of our community is of utmost importance.



We ask our residents not to be alarmed at the heightened police presence in our community. pic.twitter.com/XsduSif9Hs  Hallandale Beach PD (@HallandaleBchPD) October 7, 2023

This report will be updated.
BOCA RATON  A Boca Raton man who pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in 2015 was sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison this week following his conviction for the crime a second time.

Prosecutors said Jerry Seal, 60, paid a woman in the Philippines for live videos of her children in sexually explicit positions. Seal was already prohibited from using the internet for nonwork purposes as part of the 25-year sexual offender probation that followed his 2015 conviction in Broward County.

U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal sentenced Seal to 15 years in federal prison Wednesday, followed by 30 years of supervised release.

Video sex morphed into child pornography, prosecutors say

Broward County authorities began investigating Seal again in November when they received word of suspicious activity on his PayPal account. Three months later, a Palm Beach County judge issued a warrant for Seal's arrest for failing to register his email addresses with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's sex-offender program, which he has belonged to since his conviction in 2015.

During the arrest, corrections officers found a Samsung tablet hidden inside a bathroom cabinet Seal shared with his brother. A forensic extraction revealed several conversations between him and a woman overseas, whose name and age are withheld from court filings.

More: South Florida attorney pleads guilty to possessing nearly 2,000 images of child pornography

During one conversation in October 2022, Seal offered to pay $1,000 for 15 minutes of video sex. Two months later, he told the woman he wanted more than her live sex shows. He wanted to see someone young.

The woman said she had a 1-year-old, and Seal declined.

"That's too young," he wrote.

She offered a 5-year-old, which Seal said was "OK," but he preferred children between 6 and 12. For $2,000, Seal could see her 12-year-old sister instead.

Investigators later reviewed a six-minute screen recording of a Skype call between Seal and the woman, in which he watched a nude child who appeared to be about 5 years old.

PayPal reported nearly $3,500 in payments from Seal's account to the woman's. Skype records included more than 1,000 messages between the pair, as well as more than 25,000 messages, images, videos and calls exchanged with hundreds of other users.

The prosecution of those who repeatedly sexually offend children is of the utmost priority, said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida Thursday. We implore the public to report all suspected child abuse and exploitation to law enforcement, so that we may protect our children from threats from near and afar.

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Registered sex offender continued to view child porn while on probation
Two Florida parents are facing child abuse charges after one of their 3-month-old twins died Thursday and the other child was found with "severe injuries," police said.

Quentin Smith, 23, is charged with aggravated child abuse, child neglect with great bodily injury, and domestic battery, the Cocoa Police Department said. Hannah Jones, 18, faces charges of aggravated child abuse, child neglect with great bodily injury, and failure to report incident to law enforcement.

Police officers responded to a home on N. Fiske Boulevard after receiving 911 calls about an unresponsive child. Attempts to revive the child failed, police said.

FLORIDA MAN ACCUSED OF CARJACKING WOMAN AT GAS STATION WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL DAYS PRIOR

Quentin Smith, 23, and Hannah Jones, 18, are charged with child abuse after one of their infants died Thursday and the other had "severe injuries," police said.

"Detectives responded and began the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the childs death and severe injuries to the twin sibling," a police statement said.

Investigators found probable cause to arrest the pair after interviews with multiple witnesses and gathering physical evidence from the home.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

In police interviews, Smith admitted to biting both children on multiple occasions, Fox Orlando reported. He also allegedly admitted to previously "yanking" on one of the children's arms, and shaking one to get them to be quiet.

Jones told investigators she knew about Smith's behavior but failed to report him to law enforcement, the news outlet said, citing a police report.

The couple is likely to face additional charges, police said.





Original article source: Florida parents arrested after twin infant dies, sibling suffers 'severe injuries,' police say
SAN DIEGO  A new tiny tracking technology is aiming to reshape the way food products are monitored from source to store.

Wiliot, an Israel-based company with a San Diego office, developed the devices as a means of solving a gray area in food supply chains that contributes to global food waste and the spread of foodborne illnesses.

The tiny tags are roughly the size of a postage stamp and contain a battery-free microprocessor, known as ambient IoT, that transmits information to a Bluetooth cloud system. From there, companies can gather data to both track and monitor their products.

The technology, which was rolled out for use last year, can be used by suppliers, manufacturers and stores to find information like where their products are in transit, the temperature of the environment it is in, and if a delivery made it to the right place.

Amtrak switching to fuel made from cooking oil for Pacific Surfliner service

Its size and inexpensive production cost  roughly 10 cents per stamp  allows it to be used to track individual units, everything from a crate of produce to a single package of food.

Its able to do more than just track and trace where a foods been at any point in time, Frank Yiannas, former deputy commissioner with the Food and Drug Administration, explained. What (these tags can do) is change and open up a new paradigm on how we try to regulate food.

Current practices for enforcing food regulations are relatively outdated, according to Yiannas, typically relying on paper records and in-person inspections to ensure compliance. As he explained, these inspections happen relatively infrequently at any given food facility, happening at least once every three to five years depending on risk factors.

Aside from these measures, its difficult to keep a close watch on food products as they move through their distribution channels.

The opaqueness of the process has contributed to the countless food scares over the last few decades  like the recurring E. Coli outbreaks from baby spinach or the fatal 2009 salmonella outbreak from peanut butter  that led to mass recalls of products from grocery store shelves.

Between this year and last, the number of FDA food recalls is on track to rise about 17.4%, setting a five-year high, according to a quarterly recall report from the business firm Sedgwick. Undeclared allergens were the leading cause of these recalls, while bacterial contamination came in a close second.

Upwards of 48 million Americans  about one in six  are affected by foodborne illness annually, leading to 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the food supply is pretty safe, theres still too much risk in the food system, Yiannas said, pointing to the prolonged response to the peanut butter outbreak. As he explained, it took food inspectors months to trace and pull all the impacted products from the market, leaving thousands vulnerable to infection.

Some types of tracking technologies are already used for goods shipped through large containers and truck trailers, but its typically not used for smaller shipments due to its high cost.

California lawsuit says oil giants deceived public on climate, seeks funds for storm damage

However, nearly all manufacturers and suppliers of food products are going to be expected to start keeping records about their goods movement under the FDAs new traceability rule, something Yiannas helped craft while he was with the agency.

The requirement, which was implemented last year and has a compliance deadline of 2026, allows for rapid identification and removal of potentially contaminated products.

Thats where a technology like Wiliots comes in, Yiannas, who now serves as an advisor to the company, explains.

A Wiliot tag. (Courtesy of Wiliot)

A Wiliot tag on a crate of peppers. (Courtesy of Wiliot)

A Wiliot tag on a packaged goood. (Courtesy of Wiliot)

Ambient IoT and Wiliots approach is saying, Hey, anything thats physical can be digital, he said. We can monitor attributes of that food product in real-time  it allows you to change the compliance paradigm from what I often refer to as a snapshot in time.

Its like turning on the light switch and being able to see all these food items are at with precision and accuracy that you just dont have with paper-based trails, he added.

Aside from the public health benefit, real-time information with technology that can be used to track shipments at a crate level creates more sustainable and efficient supply chains that can bring fresher products to the consumer, thus cutting down on household food waste.

Over a third of the U.S.s annual food supply is either wasted or lost, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Each year, about 119 billion pounds is thrown out, costing households upwards of $408 billion.

Excessive food waste and loss has also been linked to creating conditions that exacerbate the climate change crisis, given its significant greenhouse gas footprint.

Annual food loss embodies roughly 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  an amount that equals the annual CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants.

How you can get thousands back from the government for buying an EV

Every day of shelf life you give to the consumer, its a day less of waste, Yiannas said. Thats important for society, its important for consumers wallets and pocketbooks.

Technology like ambient IoT as a tool for supply-chain monitoring, he added, provides manufacturers and regulators the ability to solve some of our remaining and biggest food safety challenges.

This is technology that is already being used, Yiannas said. Some of the worlds largest retailers are working with Wiliot.

With the FDA food traceability rule going into effect in January 2026, I think youre gonna see a significant ramp up of people starting to leverage technology such as Wiliots IoT pixels, he added. The benefits of (the technology) is going to be so much more than just food safety  Itll be about running smarter, safer, more sustainable supply chains.

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I wasn't into partying until I went to college.

When I got married and had kids, my partying slowed down since they were my priority.

Just because I'm in my 60s it doesn't mean I don't enjoy to party and drink.

I wasn't much of a party girl in high school  primarily because I had strict parents who enforced stringent curfews.

But college was a different story. I went to a small school far from home and quickly discovered the freedom of dorm life with minimal rules. It was a whirlwind of non-stop parties, and once I swallowed my first shot of tequila at a frat house, I was immediately sucked into the party life.

I partied in college and then got married and had kids

Soon, I hosted my own parties off campus while honing my bartending skills. If my friends and I weren't drinking hunch punch in the woods around a bonfire, we were hanging out at our favorite disco bar, snorting or smoking whatever someone pulled out of their leather crossbody saddle bag in the restroom.

After college, my party days dwindled down to an occasional Saturday night out with the girls, where we sipped cheap chardonnay and dissed our boyfriends.

Within a few short years, I was married, paying a mortgage, and raising four kids. My partying days were far behind, but out of sight didn't always mean out of mind. Whenever I saw groups of younger women brunching at restaurants where the conversation and mimosas flowed freely, I yearned for my carefree college days.

Of course, when my kids were little, there were plenty of parties to attend  but the majority of them included a bounce house and face painting with BoBo the Clown. Sipping Kool-Aid from a styrofoam cup was a far cry from doing Jagerbombs at the club. However, I accepted it as my new normal because, like most moms, my children's happiness took precedence over my own interests.

When I became an empty nester, everything changed

But once the kids grew up, moved out, and I became an empty nester, everything changed. Freedom never tasted so sweet, and I found plenty of reasons to celebrate it.

My adult daughters and I hit the nightclubs together and danced until our feet ached. Yes, I was the oldest person throwing back shots at the bar and taking the occasional edible, but I didn't care what others thought. My girls and I were having fun; all that mattered was laughing and living in those moments together.

Becoming a grandmother years later didn't stop my desire to have fun. My circle of friends became considerably younger since most of my peers  in their 60s like me  were already asleep by 9 p.m. on a Saturday night.

People would shame me for partying at my age

But on the fringes of my fun came a certain amount of shaming, mostly from my siblings and elderly parents. They criticized how much I enjoyed going out on the town, drinking and dancing until late in the evening.

Rather than let judgmental remarks such as, "You're having another margarita?" or, "You're too old to go clubbing with kids in their thirties," bother me, I chose to ignore their sarcasm and toxic attitudes. Several social media photos of me with drinks in my hand were also filled with passive-aggressive remarks from considerably older friends who questioned my partying habits.

The author. Courtesy of the author

It was never a problem until the afternoon of my daughter-in-law's baby shower. There had been a lot of tension while organizing the party, and a sense of frustration was festering among the families. The edginess I felt spiked my anxiety, so I tried to calm my nerves with a glass of champagne, which was quickly followed by another and another, all on an empty stomach. Everything was fuzzy before I knew it, and my husband was shooting me side-eye looks. We argued, and then the rest of the family got involved, disrupting what was supposed to be a happy day for the mother-to-be.

Ashamed, I apologized for my behavior and vowed that it would never happen again  and it hasn't. However, what surprised me wasn't the gossip surrounding the incident as much as the comments about a "woman my age" partying.

Grandmothers are expected to act a certain way in our society

There are endless misconceptions about the social stereotypes of grandmothers and the roles they're expected to play in society. But not all grandmothers knit blankets and bake homemade bread.

Of course, I love baking cookies with my grandbabies and going to the park or a Disney movie with them, but I also enjoy rock concerts, Zumba classes, and poolside cocktails with my friends.

Now that I'm on the other side of the hill, I appreciate life more since time is getting shorter, but every day that I'm alive and healthy is a reason to celebrate.

Even my husband jokes that although my body is 64, my brain is still 34 with the same stamina and joie de vivre of my youth. Partying will always be a part of my life, and I don't plan on stopping all the fun  I just do it a bit more cautiously nowadays.

So, if you need to find me, look for the grandma in the shimmery pink dress  I'll be the one leading the conga line at your next party.

Marcia Kester Doyle is the author of "Who Stole My Spandex? Life In The Hot Flash Lane" and the voice behind the midlife blog Menopausal Mother.

Read the original article on Insider
 Flash

Three prisoners were killed and 16 others injured on Friday in a fire inside a prison in Zahle, located in the Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon, the National News Agency reported.

The fire was set by several prisoners as they were trying to escape from the prison due to dire living conditions there amid the current financial crisis, said the report.

Civil defense teams and the Red Cross staff have intervened and transferred the injured to nearby hospitals. The army and security forces were deployed around the prison building, which hosts about 650 prisoners, to foil further escape attempts.

Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi has assigned the governor of Bekaa, Kamal Abou Jaoude, to follow up on the developments, especially in evacuating prisoners and treating the injured.

The situation in Lebanese prisons has worsened since the economic crisis in 2019, with prisoners complaining about the overcrowded space and the absence of proper meals.
A former Forsyth County sheriffs deputy has been sentenced after his conviction on child exploitation charges.

On Nov. 10, 2020, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Grady Sanford after it received a tip that photos of child sexual abuse had been uploaded to the internet via email.

After opening the investigation, the GBI traced the computer IP address to Sanfords physical address.

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Agents then obtained a warrant to search his home, which resulted in his arrest.

On Wednesday Sanford was sentenced to 17 years, with the first two years suspended after six months are served in Probation Detention Center, and one year served in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.

The remainder of the sentence (15 years) will be served on probation.

Sanford was convicted of 16 counts of sexual exploitation of children, according to court documents.

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To say this is a shock is a gross understatement. We intentionally set our standards high at Forsyth County. Regardless of rank, every employee must meet those moral and legal standards, Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman said at the time of Sanfords arrest. There is no room for this type of crime in our State, and certainly not in the law enforcement profession. Our trust and that of our community has been betrayed. Ive made a commitment to be transparent, even when one of our own employees does wrong. No one is exempt, and no one is above the law.

The ICAC and GBI urge anyone with information about child exploitation cases to contact the GBIs Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes unit at 404-270-8870.

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Yevheniia Bilchenko, a former professor of the Mykhailo Drahomanov National Pedagogical University in Kyiv who is suspected of treason, has posted a photo of herself with an assault rifle in front of a Russian flag, showing her support for Russia's war against Ukraine.

Bilchenko, a former lecturer and professor of cultural studies, was charged with treason and recruiting collaborators in August 2022.

These days the former lecturer makes her pro-Kremlin position very clear on her Telegram channel. For example, she was in the temporarily Russian-occupied city of Melitopol on 3 October, claiming she had been "severely hurt by Ukraine".

"I had symptoms of PTSD, but I coped. We visited the street named after Dasha Dugina [the late daughter of Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin  ed.] It's nice. There are traces of the [Ukrainian] language everywhere: on the radio, in graffiti, on TV... There are even songs about the Ukrainian Armed Forces being played in cafes. No one is jamming it," Bilchenko said.

PHOTO: Yevheniia Bilchenko

Bilchenko actually admits in one of her posts that she "waged an underground campaign against Ukraine".

"What was I doing 'those nine years'? I was doing something that no one gives a sh*t about now, and, frankly, I don't either. Three of them were crazy, and for the other six years, I waged an underground campaign against Ukraine in complete isolation, without support, without any injection of glory or honours. Despite everything, thank God, I earned high treason, and thats what I wish for others. What else can I say... I serve the people of Russia."

Bilchenko also said she has been living in Russia for two years and has "no regrets".

It is worth mentioning that the former Kyiv university professor had expressed her anti-Ukrainian stance even before the full-scale Russian invasion. For instance, the cultural studies professor referred to Ukraine as an "American colony" in early 2021.

She also described the law "On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language" as "a swollen lymph node in a sick body". Her university said such remarks were unacceptable. A few weeks later, she was suspended from teaching, and her lectures were reviewed and found to be "saturated with hate speech".

Ukrainian academics have reacted to Bilchenko's photo. Svitlana Vovk, coordinator of the anti-plagiarism initiative Dissergate, suggested that Bilchenko be stripped of her academic degrees and titles and that the draft Law on Academic Integrity be amended to include academic liability for collaborators.

"The main issue is Bilchenko's liability for collaboration, particularly towards the academic and education community," she notes.

The artist Lesia Roi pointed out that a Ukrainian camouflage jacket was visible in the corner of the photo and suggested that Bilchenko was "roaming the fields looking for mines".

Film critic Ihor Kromf believes putting the collaborator on trial will not have the desired effect.

"But the trial I would like to see (I'd be prepared to pay for streaming) would be of all those professor functionaries from my alma mater who knew perfectly well that Yevheniia was friends with Major Zakhar Prilepin of the DPR special forces (the Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic) and used to call him 'the new Bernard Shaw'. Everybody has known about this since 2016-2017. And they supported her. And they issued merit certificates. They even nominated her for a grant from either the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) or the Cabinet of Ministers," he adds.

Olha Krychynska, a volunteer and PhD candidate in art history, had also stated earlier that the university had covered up its former lecturers collaborationist activity.

"I can imagine how many Yevheniias there still are within the walls of Ukrainian universities," she added.

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Consequences of the night attack in Odesa Oblast

Russia launched an attack on Odesa Oblast in southern Ukraine in the early hours of Oct. 7, injuring four civilians while targeting civilian infrastructure with Onyx supersonic anti-ship missiles, the South Ukraine Defense Forces reported on Telegram.

The strike originated from the coastal missile system Bastion, located in temporarily occupied Crimea.

Four civilians are known to have been injured as of 7:10 a.m. EET, said Odesa governor Oleh Kiper. The injuries are primarily from flying glass fragments, and the individuals received immediate medical attention.

The impact resulted in significant damage to a grain storage facility and multiple high-rise buildings. A boarding house in a recreational area was also hit.

Read also: SBU detains FSB agent caught planning espionage network in Odesa Oblast

The missile fragments and ensuing shockwave triggered a fire in a nearby garage, worsening the destruction.

Russia targeted civilian and port infrastructure, said Kiper.

The Onyx missiles, responsible for the assault, were launched from the Bastion coastal missile system in Crimea. Specific details regarding the exact locations in Odesa Oblast that were hit were not disclosed by the Southern Operational Command.

Local Telegram channels reported hearing explosions in the cities of Odesa and Chornomorsk overnight.

Earlier explanations from Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat shed light on the daunting challenge of intercepting such anti-ship missiles when employed by Russia. The Onyx missiles, designed for naval targets, travel at an incredible 2.6 Mach (over 3,000 kilometers per hour). During their trajectory, they can ascend to higher altitudes to conserve fuel before descending to skim just 10-15 meters above water to strike their intended ships.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday condemned the attacks against Israel, and said he had discussed the situation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other regional leaders.

The French presidency said Macron had held talks with Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati .

"The President expressed his concerns over the situation and reminded each of them of the importance of condemning unequivocally the terrorist attacks against Israel, its soldiers and its people," said a statement from Macron's Elysee office.

Macron had written earlier on Saturday that he had spoken with Netanyahu and Israel President Isaac Herzog.

"France stands in solidarity with Israel and the Israelis, committed to their security and their right to defend themselves," he said on social media platform X.

Abbas urged Macron to intervene to stop the "Israeli aggression", either conducted by "the occupation forces or the settler groups against the Palestinians," the official news agency WAFA reported.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Michel Rose; editing by Jason Neely)
Psychedelics will remain illegal in California, after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have decriminalized possession of certain hallucinogenic drugs.

In a veto statement released Saturday, Newsom said he believed in the underlying science of hallucingens  its effectiveness in treating mental illnesses like depression and PTSD  calling it an exciting frontier.

But the governor said the existing bill lacked the detail needed to implement decriminalization.

California should immediately begin work to set up regulated treatment guidelines  replete with dosing information, therapeutic guidelines, rules to prevent against exploitation during guided treatments... he said.

Unfortunately, this bill would decriminalize possession prior to these guidelines going into place, and I cannot sign it. 

The governors decision to veto Senate Bill 58, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, puts Newsom on the other side of the War on Drugs. He was a vocal champion for legalization of recreational marijuana and campaigned for Proposition 64 in 2016.

Newsoms veto also bucks a trend among western states toward decriminalization of certain drugs. Both Oregon and Colorado have passed laws decriminalizing possession of psychedelics.

Wiener fought for the bill, which passed out of the Senate, 21-14, and the Assembly, 43-15, on the grounds that psychedelics have been shown to be effective in treating certain mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Veterans and anyone suffering from PTSD and depression should not face criminal penalties for seeking relief, Wiener said in a statement after the bill passed out of the Legislature. Plant-based psychedelics are non-addictive and show tremendous promise at treating some of the most intractable drivers of our nations mental health crisis.

The bill had been supported by a number of social justice, veterans groups and mental health organizations.

It was opposed by several law enforcement organizations, including the California District Attorneys Association and the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called to assist in a north Georgia death investigation.

GBI officials told Channel 2 Action News on Thursday around 3:05 p.m., the Rossville Police Department received reports of a person shot at a home on Park City Road.

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When officers arrived, they located 51-year-old Tammy Cropper and 48-year-old Christopher Bullock, both of Rossville and had been shot.

According to officers, both victims were found shot inside Croppers bedroom of her home.

Bullock was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

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GBI officials confirmed that Cropper was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have not said if anyone has been taken into custody in connection to this incident.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
George Conway, a prominent conservative critic of former president Donald Trump , said Trumps rhetoric is getting worse Friday.

What he preaches is hatred, and he preaches hatred because this is the way he can save himself and gain power, Conway said on CNN. And right now, hes getting worse. They always get worse, the sociopaths, the psychopaths, like a Hitler or a Putin, they get worse over time, as they become more and more desperate.

And thats whats happening with Donald Trump, were seeing this rhetoric, the rhetoric of the about blood poisoning here, the rhetoric about executing the Chairman of the Joint ChiefsAll sorts of rhetoric that basically is designed to foment hatred and violence, Conway continued.

Conways words came in response to comments made by Trump in a recent interview with right wing outlet The National Pulse. In the interview, Trump implied that immigrants are poisoning the blood of the U.S.

Its so bad, and people are coming in with disease, people are coming in with every possible thing that you can have, Trump continued.

Conways comments also referred to recent comments the former president made accusing Milley of treason, appearing to reference calls made by Milley to China for reassurance at the end of Trumps term.

This is an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH! Trumps post read. A war between China and the United States could have been the result of this treasonous act. To be continued!!!

Milley said in an interview following the comments that he would take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of himself and his family.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
In France, soldiers from Operation Sentinelle, a special force deployed nationwide since the 2015 terror attacks, are being deployed (Alain JOCARD)

Germany and France on Saturday moved to reinforce security around Jewish temples, schools and monuments after the surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel.

Germany tightened police protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions, as some supporters of the Palestinians took to the streets of Berlin to celebrate the attack.

France focused on Jewish temples and schools in cities across the country, as one Jewish leader expressed concern at the possibility the conflict might be imported there.

"In Berlin, police protection has been immediately stepped up," Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told Bild newspaper. "The federal government and the regions are closely coordinating their actions."

Germany's authorities were also closely watching "potential supporters of Hamas in the Islamist sphere", she added.

Berlin police posted photos on social media showing "people celebrating the attacks on Israel by passing out pastries" on Sonnenallee, the main avenue in the city's Neukoelln district.

Police had in some cases carried out identity checks and filed complaints, they added.

The German account of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network posted photos of the distribution of pastries on the streets of Berlin and a message celebrating "the resistance of the Palestinian people".

Martin Hikel, mayor of the Neukoelln district, denounced "a horrible glorification of a terrible war", in comments to Welt television.

He called on the government to ban "the disgusting terrorist propaganda of Samidoun".

Later Saturday, Berlin's famous Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of reunified Germany, was lit up in the colours of the Israeli flag.

"In solidarity with Israel," wrote Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X, formerly Twitter. Israel's ambassador replied on the same platform, thanking him for "this beautiful symbol".

- 'Shocked and worried' -

In France, security had already been stepped up at synagogues in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Strasbourg because of religious holidays observed since late September.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin sent an urgent message to regional officials asking them to reinforce surveillance even further.

"At a time when terrorist attacks from Gaza are hitting Israel, I ask you to immediately step up vigilance, security and protection of Jewish community sites in France," he wrote in a message seen by AFP.

He called for a "visible and systematic static presence", and the use of soldiers from France's Operation Sentinelle, a special force deployed across the country since the 2015 terror attacks.

The interior ministry will review the security situation at a special meeting Sunday.

In the east of France, increased surveillance of Jewish schools and synagogues in the city of Strasbourg was being organised, said Pierre Haas, of the Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF).

"We were very shocked and worried by this outburst of violence," he told AFP.

Knowing the Israeli army would hit back, he said, "we're not reassured by the possibility of the conflict being imported to France".

Police sources confirmed that security had also been stepped up in the southern port city of Marseille, the north of France and in the Paris region.

London's police service said late Saturday it had increased patrols across parts of the UK capital after "a number of incidents ... in relation to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the border with Gaza".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country was at war after the large-scale, surprise attack launched by Hamas out of Gaza on Saturday.

Hundreds have already been killed on both sides according to figures from Israeli medical services and the Gaza authorities, the conflict's bloodiest escalation in years.

bur/jj/mca/aha
The problem with social media in-jokes is they dont stay funny for long. Someone takes them too seriously, then they become overblown commentaries on society as a whole, and then a media outlet goes and writes about them and drives it all into the ground.

The concept of girl math is currently coasting through this process. The trend features women trading jokes about the internal calculations they make to explain their silly-but-sometimes-not-so-silly behavior. Its less math and more, say, an internal feminine logic, often opaque but always amusing. Some examples of girl math include:

Girl math is essentially the recognition that time, convenience, and money are interchangeable currencies, disability rights influencer Imani Barbarin wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Its supposed to be a joke, and like all jokes, its not for everyone. You either understand the concept of girl math or you dont, and its not worth getting too upset about if youre in the latter camp. You dont necessarily need to know its heritage; that it comes during the 2023 Barbie-tinted Season of Girlhood, or on the heels of the girl dinner trend, or that it echoes a 2021 social media motto that posits, simply, The girls that get it, get it.

Enter boy math

Unfortunately, the relatable axioms of girl math found their way onto parts of the internet that, well, didnt get it. Groups of people started criticizing these innocent jokes, as if a single quip about the mysterious desire for free shipping indicates deep financial illiteracy or that the circuitous logic women admit to very occasionally using affects every serious decision of their lives.

Girl math is simply ignoring our responsibilities momentarily, one commenter wrote on X. And everyone has to make it a civil rights issue.

Naturally, girl math also entered the lexicon of brands and big names jumping on the latest trend. (Girl dinner, a term for essentially a personal charcuterie board or random bite-sized snacks from the fridge, attracted similar hype over the summer.)

You call it Girl Math, we call it the Labor Day sale, a recent promotion from clothing brand Lane Bryant read.

From this tangle of overly serious criticism and brand interference, the idea of girl math stretched far past its original intent. Finally, the social media peanut gallery turned the trend on its head. After all, if girl math exists, what is boy math?

I think the great equivalent to girl math for boy math is the fact that all of us dudes think we could land a plane, a man in one popular TikTok posited. (This could also be an interesting extension of the Roman Empire discourse, which began when many men admitted they think about the Roman Empire on a shockingly regular basis.)

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York is one of the big names to wade into the "girl math" trend. - Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Some boy math examples were a bit less, shall we say, lighthearted

Boy math is wanting a traditional wife but calling you a gold digger cause he has to provide.

Boy math is how 510 measures 6

When 51-year-old comedian Dane Cook married his 24-year-old longtime girlfriend Kelsi Taylor, the social media response was filled with jeers of boy math.

New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used this permutation in late September to call out Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy before he was ousted from his position as House speaker.

Boy math is needing 15 attempts to count the votes correctly to become Speaker and then shutting down the government 9 months later, she wrote on X, much to the consternation of some male commenters who called it sexism.

Girls were just being silly and making fun of themselves with girl math jokes but yall wanted to be rude for no reason now look at you, the boy math drag is endless, one commenter wrote on X.

All of a sudden, a lighthearted joke became so much more: A commentary on gender and stereotypes, an obscure reference through which even serious political conversations could be observed.

The deeper meanings of boy and girl math

Once a trend is mutilated and reanimated into discourse, its time to bring in an expert. Mary Louise Adams, a sociology expert and associate professor of kinesiology and health studies at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, gamely offered her take on what girl math and boy math may mean  if we want it to mean anything.

What I read through this trend is that people still do feel like they live in a profoundly gendered world, she told CNN via email. They assume, and their experience confirms for them, that women and men approach the world from quite different positions.

Some of the discomfort around the whole girl math joke has stemmed from the use of the term girl, which some people find belittling when used to describe grown women, and its apparent riff on the false stereotype that women are less mathematically capable than men.

Some women are trying to make jokes that rely on the fact that differences between men and women are still seen as fundamental to how people live, Adams said. In the 1970s feminists definitely would have thought we would be getting over this by now!

However, she said jokes about girl math could be a humorous reclamation of these stereotypes. Such humor, she says, is a form of natural bonding, and can produce a shared identity. Through this lens, jokes about spending money to save it, or how to manage time while trying to fulfill different social roles, serve as a subversion of these girl-coded expectations rather than a reiteration.

The desire for identity is not just about the math, of course, but maybe about resisting a bigger cultural belittling of womens consumption habits, and persistent assumptions that women cant be as good as men at math and other technical things, Adams said.

It could be women thumbing their noses at people who try to devalue them.

At that point, its less girl math and more girl calculus, or girl game theory. It makes sense to those who need it. For everyone else, its an equation they shouldnt trouble themselves to solve.

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Glendale residents will choose in less than a month whether their police department can be funded the money to build a new crime lab and a new evidence storage facility, among other projects.

On Nov. 7, Glendale voters are expected to decide in a special bond election whether $78 million should be invested into public safety projects. If Question 2 is approved, Glendale police would get a new forensics laboratory, a new police evidence storage facility, an expanded training facility shared with other agencies, and get their main building and other stations modernized.

Money would also go into acquiring additional and replacement fire and police protection equipment, crime prevention, public safety and security systems, fire trucks, police cars, and other public safety cars.

The rest of the funds would go to Glendale Fire projects and improving the city court.

Gina Winn, a spokesperson for Glendale police told The Arizona Republic in an email that these measures would help police clear cases sooner, improve employee training, and keep buildings functioning and serving the community more safely.

Advocates of the bond measure, some who previously worked for the department, say that the funds would give Glendale police more resources to work efficiently to keep criminals off the streets and reduce crime.

Brandon Keefer, a retired Glendale police detective, wrote in support of the measure stating that in his nearly 25 years with the agency, they had limited resources and could not work as efficiently as they wanted to.

"Caseloads stacked up, evidence took too long being analyzed, and occasionally we'd identify a suspect only to find out that they had left the city or even the state," Keefer said.

Glendale has a nearly 40-year-old forensics lab. However, the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducts all DNA and drug testing, according to Winn.

Keefer argued that in passing the bond, upgrading existing police and fire stations and constructing new ones would reduce response times. Additionally, Keefer stated that in building Glendale's own forensics lab, it would dramatically reduce the wait time for evidence that's needed to "solve violent crimes and get perpetrators off our streets."

Kara Pronko, a Glendale resident and supporter of the bond, stated that in addition to updating equipment, Glendale police need improved training, including attention to crime prevention and security. She wrote that she is a mother of three and wants her children to grow up and build their lives in a safe city.

However, the most common argument in support of Question 2's police projects was the construction of a new crime lab, according to the bond's informational pamphlet.

David Goitia and Troy Evans of the Fraternal Order of Police argued that currently, people like drug dealers, especially those dealing fentanyl, are able to roam free and potentially victimize others while police wait for lab results to secure an arrest.

"How many more people will they victimize? And then how are they tracked down a month later? What about victims of sexual assault," Goitia and Evans wrote.

With a new lab, the two argued that drug dealers and other criminals could be placed in jail sooner instead of being given the opportunity to victimize others while lab results stack up.

Former Glendale Police Chief John E. "Jack" Rose, who retired as chief in 1989, also wrote in support of the bond and a new crime lab. He explained that under the current process, investigators must submit evidence requiring examination to a lab that provides the same service to several other departments.

And despite any efforts to prioritize cases, Rose stated this "take-a-number" system causes delays in the overall investigation.

"Waiting for lab results is frustrating, inefficient, and dangerous."

Winn agreed. In addition to having the ability to submit cases for prosecution sooner and minimize the time it takes to test for illicit substances, she said having their own lab would generate flexibility with expediting priority cases.

The expansion of the training facility would provide more opportunities for more diverse and improved trainings for first responders, said Winn, adding that the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center is used by multiple police and fire departments and expanding would be more economical for them.

Types of training could include defensive tactics, defensive driving, firearms, narcotics training, physical fitness, wellness, active shooter, and multi-agency response, and the expansion would also provide the opportunities to coordinate their trainings in a greater capacity and work on coordinated responses to calls for service, according to Winn.

As for the modernization of the stations, Winn said that updating the infrastructure to the main police station will allow it to continue functioning in a safe manner, enhance the effectiveness and proficiency of their operations, and improve their service to the community. It would also increase the retention of current employees, and recruitment of future ones, she said.

There were no arguments filed against the bond in the informational pamphlet.

Residents will also vote on Question 1, which would provide $82 million in funds to improve streets and intersections. Assistant city manager Vicki Rios said in June that the bonds were not expected to result in a tax rate increase.

Ballots are expected to be mailed to Glendale residents on Oct. 11, as it is a mail-only election. The election is on Nov. 7, and ballots must be received by 7 p.m. that day.

Reporter Elena Santa Cruz covers Mesa, Tempe, and Glendale Police. Have a tip? Reach her at elena.santacruz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Glendale voters to decide on funding new crime lab, police projects
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A herder moves with cattle in the drought-stricken Somali Region of Ethiopia, June 11, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Russia will start delivering free grain to Africa in the coming months, local media reported, citing Russia's Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev on Friday.

"We are now finishing work on all the documents. I think ships will start heading there within a month or a month and a half," Patrushev noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi last month, where the two leaders discussed the situation around the Black Sea grain deal.

During this meeting, Putin noted that Russia was close to finalizing agreements with six African countries on the free delivery and shipment of grain.
The claim: Image shows flowering plants in Antarctica due to global warming

A Sept. 21 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows flowering plants growing on land with icebergs floating on water in the background.

"Flowers are now staring (sic) to bloom in Antarctica and experts say this is not good news," reads text around the image. "This would be the first evidence of accelerated ecosystem response in Antarctica that is directly associated as a consequence of global warming, according to Nicoletta Cannone, a professor of ecology at the University of Insubria."

The post garnered more than 2,000 likes in two weeks.

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Our rating: Partly false

While a 2022 study did find a global warming-related expansion in the range of two Antarctic flowering plants, the photo does not show those plant species. The photo is labeled as being captured in Greenland on a stock photo website.

Arctic  not Antarctic  flowers shown in the image

The photo in the social media post appears on the stock photo website Alamy, where it is labeled, "Iceberg floating in the water off the coast of Greenland. Flowers on the shore. Nature and landscapes of Greenland."

A spokesperson for the British Antarctic Survey told USA TODAY the photo "most definitely does not show Antarctic plants."

"The purple flower looks very much like Saxifraga oppositifolia  Purple saxifrage  which is frequent in the Arctic," the spokesperson said.

Skip Walker, director of the Alaska Geobotany Center, also told USA TODAY the plants in the photo are likely from the Arctic.

"I can't identify the plants with certainty, but they all look like Arctic plants," he said in an email.

Matt Davey, an ecologist at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, told USA TODAY there are only two species of flowering plants in Antarctica: Colobanthus quitensis and Deschampsia antarctica.

"The flowers in (the) photo are definitely not the two Antarctic flowering plants," he said in an email.

Fact check: Greenland's Petermann Glacier is shrinking; movement doesn't mean it's growing

The text associated with the image seems to loosely quote a 2022 paper co-authored by Nicoletta Cannone, an ecology professor at the University of Insubria in Italy.

While the photo in the post does not show Antarctic plants, Cannone's paper does document a global warming-related expansion in the range of both Colobanthus quitensis and Deschampsia antarctica on the continent's Signy Island.

Global warming has also caused the retreat of ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula, according to Discovering Antarctica, a website created by various U.K. government and research entities.

USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

AFP also debunked the claim.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: False claim photo shows flowers blooming in Antarctica | Fact check
30 buffalo are being released into the wild on the Colville Reservation. The Golden State Warriors hosted a surprising matchup against the inmates at San Quentin prison.

Here are your top feelgood stories of the week; Good News Only.

30 buffalo released into the wild on Colville Reservation

(Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

On Monday, 23 buffalo were released to live in the wild on the Colville Reservation, and seven additional buffalo are expected to be released on Tuesday.

For the full story, click here.

Golden State Warriors vs. San Quentin inmates

A surprising matchup inside the gates of San Quentin State Prison in California. The home team, the San Quentin Warriors, made up of guys serving time. And here, they're hosting the Golden State Warriors.

Teenagers arrested, stolen vehicles recovered in Parkland; kitten reunited with owner

Pierce County Sheriff's Department

Detectives arrested two teenagers and recovered three stolen vehicles in the Parkland area on Monday. They also recovered a small kitten found inside one of the cars and returned it to its owner.

If you would like to read the full article, click here.

Washington state minimum wage moving up to $16.28 per hour

HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA - MARCH 31: A Taco Bell employee delivers an order to a customer at the drive-up window of the restaurant on March 31, 2020 in Hollywood, Florida. Mark King, CEO of Taco Bell Corp. announced that Tuesday, March 31, Taco Bell drive-thru guests across America will receive a free seasoned beef Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos, no purchase necessary while supplies last as part of its coronavirus response. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Washington states minimum wage will increase 54 cents to $16.28 an hour next year.

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries made the announcement Friday, The Seattle Times reported. A full-time worker making that wage would earn nearly $34,000 per year. The 3.37% increase is a cost-of-living adjustment based on the federal Consumer Price Index.

To read the full article, click here.

Foo Fighters to perform at T-Mobile Park in first Seattle concert since member Taylor Hawkins' death

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC - JULY 08: Nate Mendel, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear of the Foo Fighters perform on day 3 of Festival d'ete de Quebec on July 08, 2023 in Quebec City, Quebec. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/WireImage)

The Foo Fighters will be performing in their hometown for the first time since drummer Taylor Hawkins was found dead in Colombia last year.

Click here to read the full article.
Candidates for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination condemned the Saturday attack on Israel by militant group Hamas.

Every American should condemn the unprovoked and massive attack on Israel by terrorists in Hamas, Former Vice President Mike Pence said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Our prayers are with the families and soldiers of our most cherished ally. @netanyahu says Israel is at war America Stands With Israel[.]

Hamas attack involved its militants infiltrating Israeli towns and the launching of missiles and has resulted in the deaths of at least 250 people in Israel and 232 in Gaza, according to Israeli local media and the Palestinian government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack murderous in a televised address Saturday.

We are at war  not in an operation or at rounds, but in a war, Netanyahu said. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.  We are at war and we will win it.

Former President Donald Trump said Israel has a right to defend itself in a statement.

Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration, Trump said. We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again.

The dastardly terrorist attacks perpetrated against innocent Israeli civilians by Iran-backed terror group Hamas deserve a swift and lethal response, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in his post on X. Israel not only has the right to defend itself against these attacks, it has a duty to respond with overwhelming force. I stand with Israel. America must stand with Israel.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy said he is appalled by the barbaric and medieval Hamas attacks.

Shooting civilians and kidnapping children are war crimes, Ramaswamy said in a post on X. Israels right to exist & defend itself should never be doubted and Iran-backed Hamas & Hezbollah cannot be allowed to prevail. I stand with Israel and the U.S. should too.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called Hamas a bloodthirsty terrorist organization backed by Iran.

The reports out of Israel are horrific with a stunning number of dead and wounded and should be universally condemned, Haley said on X. Israel has every right to defend its citizens from terror. We must always stand with Israel and against this Iranian regime.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said he was horrified by the attack.

This blatant disregard for innocent life must be unequivocally condemned, Scott said on X. Israel has a right to defend itself and the United States must stand in support of its steadfast ally.

Iran and its terror sponsors in Gaza are showing the world their true face: pure evil. Israel is at war with brutal terrorists and the United States must provide maximum support to our democratic ally, North Dakota Doug Burgum said on X.

Our prayers go up for the all the victims of these horrific attacks. We also must remember who pays for this terrorism: Iran, Burgum continued. An Iran that is billions of dollars wealthier thanks to Joe Biden.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie blamed Bidens appeasement for the attack.

Bidens appeasement of Israels enemies has invited this war against Israel, Christie said in a post on X. Appeasement anywhere never works. We must do whatever it takes to support the State of Israel in its time of grave danger, and we must end the scourge of Iran-backed terrorism. This terrorism is funded by Bidens idiotic release of $6 billion to the Iranians.

The Hamas war against Israel is now the second war started under Bidens failed presidency, first by Russia in Ukraine and now by Hamas in Israel. Both could have been deterred by strong American leadership. Under my presidency, America will restore the deterrence Biden has foolishly given away, Christie continued.

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said early Saturday that the U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians.

There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, Adrienne Watson said in a statement. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners.



Updated 4:05 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Several GOP presidential candidates declared their support for Israel on Saturday after Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invaded southern portions of the country and killed at least 100 people.

Local Israeli media reported that at least 100 people have been killed in the wide-ranging assault, while Gaza health officials say that 198 Palestinians have died in Israeli air strikes made in response to the Hamas attack. Hospitals are treating at least 561 wounded people, including 77 who were in critical condition, the Associated Press reported based on public statements and calls to hospitals.

In a video message early Saturday morning, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Citizens of Israel, we are at war  not in an operation, not in rounds  at war."

Ambulance crews responded to areas around the Gaza Strip, and sirens sounded across Israel. Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, the largest town in southern Israel, is treating 140 wounded, including 20 in serious and critical condition. Some of these wounded people are civilians. Another hospital in Ashkelon is treating 94 victims wounded in various conditions.

AT LEAST 100 DEAD AS HAMAS LAUNCHES UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON ISRAEL, NETANYAHU SAYS NATION IS 'AT WAR'

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, annihilate Israeli tank as smoke rises near Israel-Gaza border in Gaza Strip, Gaza on October 07, 2023.

Former President Donald Trump, who maintained a good relationship with Israel during his tenure in the White House, called the attacks a "disgrace" and insisted that Israel should defend itself with "overwhelming force."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force. Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration," Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social.

"We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again," he added.

Weighing in on the matter, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis offered a similar sentiment following the initial attacks.

In a video message shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, DeSantis declared: "America stands with Israel."

"Israel is now under attack," DeSantis said in the clip. "I stand with Israel. America stands with Israel. Not only do they have a right to defend themselves, they have the duty to defend themselves against these Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. Iran has helped fund this war against Israel and Joe Biden 's policies that have gone easy on Iran has helped to fill their coffers. Israel is now paying the price for those policies."

"We're gonna stand with the state of Israel. They need to root out Hamas and we need to stand up to Iran," he added.

Nikki Haley, a former ambassador to the United Nations who also served as the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, also insisted it's time to back Israel as it seeks to defend itself from a "bloodthirsty terrorist organization backed by Iran".

ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU DECLARES 'WAR AFTER HAMAS TERRORISTS LAUNCH MASSIVE ATTACK: LIVE UPDATES

From left to right: Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and South Carolina GOP Sen. Tim Scott.

"Hamas has declared war on Israel on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret and the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Make no mistake: Hamas is a bloodthirsty terrorist organization backed by Iran and determined to kill as many innocent lives as possible," Haley said in a statement Saturday morning. "The reports out of Israel are horrific with a stunning number of dead and wounded and should be universally condemned."

"Israel has every right to defend its citizens from terror. We must always stand with Israel and against this Iranian regime," she added.

Echoing his GOP counterparts, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy noted that the terrorists behind the attacks on Israel "cannot be allowed to prevail," and that the country's right to defend itself shouldn't be questioned.

"I am appalled by the barbaric and medieval Hamas attacks," Ramaswamy wrote in a post to X. "Shooting civilians and kidnapping children are war crimes. Israels right to exist & defend itself should never be doubted and Iran-backed Hamas & Hezbollah cannot be allowed to prevail. I stand with Israel and the U.S. should too."

South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott called for U.S. assistance to Israel and condemned the attacks, suggesting like many other Republicans did that President Biden "funded these attacks on Israel."

"Hamas terrorist attack on Israel today is an assault on Western Civilization," Scott said in a statement released by his campaign. "The truth is though, Joe Biden funded these attacks on Israel. America's weakness is blood in the water for bad actors, but this is worse than that. We didnt just invite this aggression, we paid for it. Iran is the biggest funder of Hamas. This is the Biden $6 billion ransom payment at work."



"Israel must defend its people and the nation, and the United States must do everything we can to assist our ally Israel," Scott added. "As Psalm 122:6 encourages us, we must pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

Smoke rises over Gaza City on October 7, 2023 during Israeli air strikes.

Former Vice President Mike Pence also declared his support for the country and insisted that Biden's "weakness" on the world stage was responsible for the attacks.

"This is what happens when @POTUS projects weakness on the world stage, kowtows to the mullahs in Iran with a $6 Billion ransom, and leaders in the Republican Party signal American retreat as Leader of the Free World. Weakness arouses Evil," Pence wrote in a post shared to X.

GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IDENTIFY TOP ISSUES FACING AMERICANS, FROM THE ECONOMY TO THE BORDER CRISIS

"Time to get back to Peace through strength. Time to get back to American leadership. Time to make sure the terrorists in Hamas and Tehran know . America Stands With Israel," Pence added.

Criticizing the attacks through social media, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum called for the United States to provide "maximum support" to Israel.

"Iran and its terror sponsors in Gaza are showing the world their true face: pure evil. Israel is at war with brutal terrorists and the United States must provide maximum support to our democratic ally," Burgum wrote in an X post. "Our prayers go up for the all the victims of these horrific attacks. We also must remember who pays for this terrorism: Iran. An Iran that is billions of dollars wealthier thanks to Joe Biden."

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also blasted Biden for the attacks on Israel, writing on X: "Bidens appeasement of Israels enemies has invited this war against Israel. Appeasement anywhere never works. We must do whatever it takes to support the State of Israel in its time of grave danger, and we must end the scourge of Iran-backed terrorism. This terrorism is funded by Bidens idiotic release of $6 billion to the Iranians."

"The Hamas war against Israel is now the second war started under Bidens failed presidency, first by Russia in Ukraine and now by Hamas in Israel. Both could have been deterred by strong American leadership. Under my presidency, America will restore the deterrence Biden has foolishly given away," Christie added in the post.

A senior Hamas military commander, Mohammad Deif, announced the start of the operation in which he called on Palestinians everywhere to attack the Israelis.

"This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," he said in a broadcast on Hamas media, saying that 5,000 rockets had been launched.

People walk with the Palestinian flag as smoke rises near Israel-Gaza border in Gaza Strip, Gaza on October 07, 2023.

According to Israeli media, gunmen opened fire on passersby in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, and footage of the fighting appeared to show attacks in city streets .

"A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip," the Israeli military said in a statement.

Residents in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip are urged to remain in their homes.

The sound of rocket launches could be heard in Gaza as residents reported armed clashes along the separation fence with Israel, near the southern town of Khan Younis. The residents said they had seen significant movement of armed fighters.

U.S. National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson "unequivocally" condemned the attacks, calling them unprovoked and stressing that "There is never any justification for terrorism."

Fox News' Landon Mion and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.





Original article source: GOP presidential candidates declare support for Israel after Hamas assault: 'Joe Biden funded these attacks'
DENVER (KDVR)  Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared Oct. 7, 2023, to be  Patrick Stewart Day in the Centennial State, in honor of acclaimed British actor Sir Patrick Stewart.

Polis announced the news Saturday morning on X (formerly Twitter), complete with images of Stewart and the official proclamation.

Why are movie theater snacks so expensive?

[Stewart] is well known for his roles both on stage and screen that shaped the lives of many Coloradans throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, Polis said in the proclamation. The governor went on to commend Stewart for his activism against domestic violence and for womens rights, as well as his support of the LGBTQ community.

The proclamation also praised Stewart for his impressive body of work, and called out his appearances in the Star Trek franchise, the X-Men films and his Shakespearean roles.

Patrick Stewart attends the Picard season 3 premiere on February 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Paramount+)

But what, exactly, prompted Polis to declare Saturday Patrick Stewart Day in the state? Its likely because Stewart, who is currently on tour promoting his memoir Making It So, has a sold-out appearance at the University of Colorado Boulder campus scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

It also seems Polis is a big fan of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, in particular.

I was thrilled to recognize Sir @SirPatStew, the incredible actor who played my favorite Star Trek Captain, Polis wrote on Twitter.

Ghost town discovered on Colorados Western Slope

Polis even borrowed from Picard when declaring Saturday a holiday in Stewarts honor, making a Star Trek reference near the end of the proclamation.

When it comes to declaring a day in honor of a true icon and hero to many, we must make it so,' Polis wrote.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Russian forces launched a cluster bomb attack on southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killing a woman and wounding two people, regional governor Yurii Malashko reported on Oct. 7.

At around 8 a.m., the Russians fired rockets containing cluster bombs using a multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS), according to the governor, citing the preliminary data.

The village of Bilenke, located across the Dnipro River from Russian-occupied territories and about 40 kilometers south of Zaporizhzhia, came under the attack.

A house and outbuildings were damaged, according to Malashko.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: North Korea supplies Russia with weaponry, US official says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russian forces struck the village of Peresichne in Kharkiv Oblast with a rocket on Oct. 7, injuring a 66-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram.

Peresichne is located about 22 kilometers from Kharkiv and 61 kilometers from the Russian border.

The rocket hit between two apartment buildings, causing fires and other destruction.

The 66-year-old man and 64-year-old woman required medical attention due to acute stress from the attack.

Kharkiv Oblast has been a constant target of Russian strikes.

A Russian attack on Kharkiv on the morning of Oct. 6 killed a 68-year-old woman and her 10-year-old grandson, as well as injuring 30 people, including the 68-year-old woman's 11-month-old grandchild.

The day before, on Oct. 5, Russian forces killed 52 people with a missile strike in the village of Hroza, also in Kharkiv Oblast. It was the single deadliest attack against civilians in 2023.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia kills 52 people in single deadliest attack against civilians this year

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
By Ammar Awad and Maayan Lubell

SDEROT, Israel (Reuters) - Bloodied bodies in the streets, gunmen raiding door-to-door and news of captives taken to Gaza left Israelis terrified and in shock after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack that was unprecedented in audacity and scale.

A resident reported seeing multiple bodies and bullet-scarred vehicles in the southern Israeli town of Sderot where groups of Hamas gunmen were still fighting Israeli troops 12 hours after the attack was launched.

"I went out, I saw loads of bodies of terrorists, civilians, cars shot up. A sea of bodies, inside Sderot along the road, other places, loads of bodies," said Shlomi from Sderot.

As night fell, at least 100 were reported dead and more than 1,000 wounded, according to Israeli media, with fighting still raging in more than 20 locations around the Gaza strip.

The assault, on the Jewish Sabbath and coinciding with the religious holiday of Simchat Torah, is unfolding as a major national trauma in a country proud of its strong military.

In one incident, young Israelis told of fleeing a dance party in the early hours of Saturday as Hamas gunmen backed by rocket barrages entered towns and villages by the border.

The rave party was attended by several hundred people near the Israeli kibbutz of Reim, witnesses said. Footage on social media showed dozens of people running through fields and along a road, escaping militants as gun shots were heard.

"The music stopped and there was a rocket siren," a young woman called Ortal told Israel's N12 News television. "Suddenly out of nowhere, they started shooting."

Another party goer, Esther Borochov, said a car had rammed her vehicle as she tried to flee before a young man told her and her friend to jump into his vehicle before he was shot point blank while she played dead until she was rescued.

"I couldn't move my legs," she told Reuters at the hospital. "Soldiers came and took us away to the bushes."

Israel's ambulance service said its crews were unable to reach the wounded in towns where fighting was ongoing. An ambulance was also attacked, Magen David Adom medical service said, one crew member was killed, it said.

The assaults on Israeli civilians were the deadliest since the Palestinian suicide bombing campaigns of the Second Intifada that hit the country's main cities some two decades ago.

Adding to the shock, Palestinian militant groups circulated footage on social media showing what they said were captured Israeli soldiers and civilians being driven into Gaza and hostages being held by more fighters inside Israel.

Israeli TV stations carried telephone calls from terrified residents of towns and kibbutzes speaking even as gunmen were trying to break into their shelters.

A woman identified as Ella, barricaded in a bomb shelter for hours in Be'eri kibbutz, where there were reports of 50 Israelis held hostage by Hamas, spoke live with N12 News.

"We can hear a lot of gunfire, we were told that terrorists are in the dining hall, we can hear a lot of shooting," she said. "I've lost contact with my family. I know my father has been kidnapped ... no one is telling us what's going on. I don't know if my mother is alive."

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Ros Russell)
Palestinian militants drive back to the Gaza Strip with the body of an Israeli soldier on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas, a Palestinian political and military group that governs the Gaza Strip, carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, catching the country off guard on a major holiday. The Associated Press

Hamas launched unprecedented attacks on Israel by air, land, and sea on Saturday.

The militant group has ruled the tiny Gaza Strip since winning local elections in 2006.

The US designated Hamas a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.

Hamas, a Palestinian political and military organization that governs the Gaza Strip, launched a wave of unprecedented attacks on Israel on Saturday.

At least 500 people in Israel have so far been killed and more than 900 injured since the attacks began, the Israeli authorities said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Saturday that Israel was in a "state of war" and promised an "unprecedented" retaliation.

That retaliation has already begun. Israeli air strikes on the densely populated Gaza Strip leveled a high-rise apartment building on Saturday. And the Palestinian Health Ministry said more than 230 Palestinians have so far been killed.

What is Hamas?

Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union due to repeated armed attacks inside Israel by means of suicide bombings and rocket attacks, among other methods.

"Hamas" is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya. It was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin , a Palestinian religious leader who became an activist in the Muslim Brotherhood. Yassin created Hamas as the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Gaza in 1987, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington-based think tank.

Hamas published a charter in 1988 that included a call to "obliterate" the state of Israel and to install a new Islamic society. The charter was amended in 2017, softening its language around Israel, though the new policy still does not recognize Israel as a state.

The United States first designated Hamas a foreign terrorist organization in 1997, according to the US State Department. The organization has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2006 after beating its rival political party, Fatah, in local elections.

Since the Hamas takeover of Gaza, Israel and Egypt instituted a blockade of the small sliver of land that has now lasted for 16 years. The blockade restricts the flow of goods into the Palestinian territory and has caused shortages of everything from food to medicine. It also largely restricts Palestinians from leaving Gaza. The blockade has devastated the local economy. Half the population of Gaza is unemployed, presenting fertile recruitment for Hamas military forces.

The surprise attack on Saturday was the deadliest since 2014, when the murder of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas sparked a seven-week retaliation from Israel. The violence caused the deaths of about 2,100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Dozens of Israelis  most of them soldiers  were also killed.

In May 2021, tensions in Jerusalem led to more violence, during which Hamas launched about 1,600 rockets into Israel.

During that attack, Israel's "Iron Dome" missile defense system intercepted about 90% of the projectiles fired into the country, the Israeli Defense Forces said at the time. The defense system uses its own rockets to destroy incoming missiles before they have a chance to land, Insider previously reported.

The United States and Egypt helped to negotiate a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel after less than two weeks.

President Joe Biden said at the time that the United States would provide aid to Gaza to help with reconstruction after the fighting. He added that the United States would partner with the Palestinian Authority "in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal." The Biden administration has given Palestinians more than half a billion dollars in non-military aid since his election in 2020.

Meanwhile, the United States has provided significant military aid to Israel since the 1990s. In 2019, the United States increased that aid to about $3.8 billion annually.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A view of a junction shows the aftermath of a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in the Sderot area, southern Israel

A view of a junction shows the aftermath of a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in the Sderot area, southern Israel

By Dan Williams

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which combined gunmen breaching security barriers with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza, was launched at dawn on Saturday during the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah.

The attack came 50 years and a day after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched an assault during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in an effort to retrieve territory Israel had taken during a brief conflict in 1967.

This is how it took place:

COVERING ROCKET BARRAGE

At about 6.30 a.m. (0430 GMT) Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fired a huge barrage of rockets across southern Israel, with sirens heard as far away as Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

Hamas said it had fired 5,000 rockets in a first barrage. Israel's military said 2,500 rockets were fired.

Smoke billowed over residential Israeli areas and people sheltered behind buildings as sirens sounded overhead. At least one woman was reported killed by the rockets.

DAWN INFILTRATION

The barrage served as cover for an unprecedented multi-pronged infiltration of fighters, with the Israeli military saying at 7.40 a.m. (0540 GMT) that Palestinian gunmen had crossed into Israel.

Most fighters crossed through breaches in land security barriers separating Gaza and Israel. But at least one was filmed crossing on a powered parachute while a motorboat was filmed heading to Zikim, an Israeli coastal town and military base.

Videos issued by Hamas showed fighters breaching the security fences, with the dim light and low sun suggesting it was at around the time of the rocket barrage.

One video showed at least six motorbikes with fighters crossing through a hole in a metal security barrier.

A photograph released by Hamas showed a bulldozer tearing down a section of security fence.

FIGHTING AT ISRAELI MILITARY BASES

Israel's military said at 10 a.m. that Palestinian fighters had penetrated at least three military installations around the frontier - the Erez border crossing, the Zikim base and the Gaza division headquarters at Reim. It said fighting at Erez and Zikim continued.

Hamas videos showed fighters running towards a burning building near a high concrete wall with a watchtower and fighters apparently overrunning part of an Israeli military facility and shooting from behind a wall.

Several captured Israeli military vehicles were later pictured being driven into Gaza and paraded there.

BORDER TOWN RAIDS

Fighters raided the Israeli border town of Sderot and were reported to be in another border community, Be'eri, and the town of Ofakim 30km (20 miles) east of Gaza, according to Israeli media citing phone calls from residents.

A video verified by Reuters showed several gunmen riding the back of a white pickup truck moving through Sderot.

Many residents of southern Israeli towns have fortified areas in their homes that function as bomb shelters and on Saturday they were using them as panic rooms.

Israel's military ordered residents to shelter inside, saying on the radio "we will reach you".

By mid morning Israel's police chief Yaacov Shabtai said forces were engaging gunmen in 21 locations and at 1.30 p.m. the military said troops were still working to clear communities that had been overrun by gunmen.

CASUALTIES

A Reuters photographer saw bodies on the streets of Sderot. Israeli news media have reported at least 100 Israelis killed and 800 wounded.

Hamas videos and unverified images circulating on social media showed dead civilians, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said Hamas gunmen had gone house-to-house killing civilians.

TAKING CAPTIVES

Israeli media has reported that gunmen have seized hostages in Ofakim. Islamic Jihad said it was holding several Israeli soldiers captive and Hamas social media accounts showed footage of appearing to show captives being taken alive into Gaza.

One video showed three young men in vests, shorts and slippers being marched through a security installation with Hebrew writing on the wall. Other videos showed female captives.

Another showed fighters dragging at least two Israeli soldiers from a military vehicle.

ISRAELI STRIKES

At 9.45 a.m. blasts were heard in central Gaza and Gaza city and at 10.00 a.m. Israel's military spokesperson said the airforce was carrying out strikes in Gaza. Medics in Gaza said dozens of people were killed in the strikes.

(Reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Ros Russell)
 Flash

Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (R) greets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen upon her arrival for an informal summit of the European Union (EU) in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 6, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states met in Granada on Friday for an informal summit to discuss the bloc's future strategy and enlargement.

Discussions include the future Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 and preparation for the bloc's next enlargement, according to the Spanish presidency of the EU Council.

The EU enlargement is the process whereby states join the 27-nation bloc after they have fulfilled a set of political and economic conditions. Currently, eight countries, including several from the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, have been granted candidate status, but each follows different processes of rapprochement with the EU.

Spain is currently holding the rotating six-month presidency of the EU Council. Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his country is always open to enlargement, but noted that to include these new members would bring "many challenges internally."

Speaking at the summit, European Council President Charles Michel said the EU leaders would address key issues, including the Strategic Agenda, for the future of the bloc.

Calling enlargement a "fundamental topic," he said candidate countries have reforms to implement, while the EU should prepare itself too.

In his invitation letter, Michel said the meeting in Granada will chart the course for the EU, defining its direction and goals for the years to come.

"This gathering holds significant importance: Not only will we engage in a constructive dialogue on the most pressing issues that our Union currently faces, such as migration, but this meeting marks the start of an important reflection process on our Union's future priorities," he said.

Spain is one of the five Mediterranean countries with the highest migratory pressure from Africa, along with Italy, Cyprus, Malta and Greece.

Following a recent increase in the arrival of migrants on European coasts, a debate on the EU pact on migration would be one of the main items on the agenda of the informal summit, the Spanish presidency said.
The number of fatalities of the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel has increased to more than 250 people, and over 1450 more have been injured.

Source: The Times of Israel

Details: The Ministry of Health of Israel reports that 1104 people were injured in the terrorist attacks on 7 October. They were injured both in the missile attacks and by the Hamas militants who entered the territory of Israel and shot the military and civilians.

It is expected that the number of fatalities will rise further.

On 7 October in the evening, Tel-Aviv and its outskirts were attacked with missiles again after Hamas threatened to launch an attack on this district.

 MASSIVE rocket barrage reportedly headed toward Tel Aviv.



Huge explosions reported in the north of Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/XM8xwkrqLx  Jackson Hinkle  (@jacksonhinklle) October 7, 2023

Loud explosions sound above Tel-Aviv.

Medical workers reported that the recent Hamas missile strike on central Israel injured at least nine civilians.

Four people sustained injuries in Tel-Aviv.

Hamas claims that it launched 150 missiles on Tel-Aviv from the Gaza Strip during the attack.

Earlier, Hamas threatened to attack Tel-Aviv after the IDF bombed two high towers in the Gaza Strip used for storing the Hamas assets.

"Before the attack, the IDF warned the residents of the building in advance and asked them to evacuate," the Israeli military stated.

BREAKING: Israeli fighter jets destroy the Palestine Tower in Gaza City, displacing its residents. pic.twitter.com/HM7d4XQxzr  Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 7, 2023

The Palestinian media also report that the Israeli Air Force bombed the house of Yahya Sinwar, the head of the Hamas terrorist group in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Israel Katz, Minister of Energy of Israel, signed an order, which obliges the Israeli Electric Corporation to stop power supply to the Gaza Strip.

The UN Security Council will hold an urgent meeting dedicated to the violence in the Middle East on 8 October, reads the statement published after the attack by the Hamas terrorists. The meeting will be closed for the press and the public.

Background:

On the morning of 7 October, a large number of missiles was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas militants; fires surged through Israeli cities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a public statement concerning the wave of attacks by Hamas, saying that the country is at war, but they will prevail.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out in support of Israel following the attack by Hamas terrorists.

Earlier, 100 fatalities were reported on the Israeli side and nearly 200 on the Palestinian.

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 PHOTO: United Nations Security Council meets on Israel and the Palestinians at U.N. headquarters in New York

(Reuters) - Israel told the United Nations Security Council on Saturday that Palestinian Islamist group Hamas "holds the sole responsibility and will bear the results" of its attack on the country.

"The state of Israel will act in any way necessary to protect its citizens and sovereignty from the ongoing terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip and carried out by Hamas and other terrorist organizations," Israel's U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan wrote to the 15-member council in a letter seen by Reuters.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Ismail Shakil)
On the morning of 7 October, missiles were launched en masse from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas militants; fires surged through Israeli cities, and at least one person was killed.

Source: CNN; Sky News; The Jerusalem Post

Details: Large clouds of smoke are visible over a number of Israeli cities.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have already announced that they are "at war".

Minister of Defence Yoav Galant approved the call-up of reserve soldiers.

Images on social media show burning cars and damaged buildings, and Israel's ambulance service said one person was killed and at least 15 were injured.

Israeli ambulance service, @Mdais, report 1 killed in rocket fire and 15 injured.



Footage of rocket impacts: pic.twitter.com/DjumRB6lWc  Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) October 7, 2023

Cellphone footage also shows Hamas militants trying to reach Israel by sea using small boats, and, very unusually, several Palestinian militants appear to have crossed the border using paragliders.

And footage of Hamas fighters crossing border using paragliders pic.twitter.com/p99GWx7dth  Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) October 7, 2023

Air-raid warnings sound across southern and central Israel, and explosions thunder in the cities of Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Yavne and Kfar Aviv.

The Israeli military ordered residents of border towns to stay home and said they were attacking targets in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Forces are crossing the Border into Southern Israel, this is War. pic.twitter.com/tdjS1qnu4F  OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 7, 2023

It is noted that Defence Minister Yoav Galant is heading to Tel Aviv for urgent information, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency cabinet meeting on security issues.

Hamas' military commander, Mohammad Deif, claimed that 5,000 rockets had been launched during the attack on Saturday, whereas an Israeli military spokesperson claimed that the group launched 2,500 rockets.

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Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing at least 70 people.

Critics have long been warning of a security lapse as a result of internal civil unrest in Israel.

They warned that protests linked to judicial reforms were impacting Israeli national security.

Hamas' surprise attack on Israel, which has killed at least 70 people so far and left hundreds wounded, is one of the biggest surprise attacks on Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

However, for those critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government, particularly of his judicial reform that led to months of protests and general strikes, this outcome was predictable.

Security experts and Netanyahu's opponents in Israel have been warning for months that the country's civil unrest, which even led to military reservists pledging not to show up for duty, has created an opportune moment for such a security lapse.

Journalist Yuval Sade of the Israeli business publication Calcalist wrote on Saturday: "The IDF has been warning for months about a reduction in readiness, a decrease in deterrence capability, and the possibility of a multi-front flare-up."

He went on: "The government responded by disdainfully dismissing those concerns and by pouring gasoline on the fire."

Netanyahu's judicial reforms, which were proposed in January and eventually passed in July, seek to limit the Supreme Court's power to exercise judicial review and declare legislation unconstitutional.

It sparked significant backlash, with opposition to the changes cautioning that Israel was sleepwalking into a dictatorship.

Netanyahu last month accused those protesting against his reforms of "joining forces with the PLO and Iran," characterizing them as being anti-Israel.

But among the opposition was a vocal chorus of critics warning that the civil unrest stemming from the controversial reforms, as well as a series of other rogue policies on Palestinian prisoners' rights, would have severe security repercussions.

Just last month, opposition leader Yair Lapid warned that Israel was "approaching a violent, multi-front confrontation," citing warnings from former senior officials of the security establishment.

A group of more than 180 former Israeli security service leaders, who held roles in the Mossad, the Shin Bet domestic security agency, the military, and the police, described Netanyahu's government as a threat to Israel's security.

"We were used to dealing with external threats," said Tamir Pardo, a former head of Israel's Mossad and a part of the new group, according to the Los Angeles Times. "We've been through wars, through military operations, and all of a sudden you realize that the greatest threat to the state of Israel is internal."

The group said Israel's cohesion as a society was collapsing as a result of judicial reforms, which makes it harder to counter threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.

In July, a high-ranking military official, Major-General Tomer Bar, who leads the Israeli Air Force, issued a similarly grim warning.

He said that Israel's enemies may seek to exploit the country's political crisis.

He said in an address to his forces that they needed to remain "vigilant and prepared" because enemy forces could "try to test the frontiers" amid the internal strife.

And in March, Netanyahu fired his then-defense minister Yoav Gallant after he voiced concerns that the government's proposed judicial reforms were resulting in a "deepening split" that was seeping into the military and security institutions.

"This is a clear, immediate, and real danger to Israel's security," Gallant said at the time.

Though many people tried to warn Netanyahu that Israel was failing to prepare for an unprecedented surprise attack, he stayed the course and persisted with his government's contentious agenda.

Now, as Netanyahu is leading a country in "a state of war," his critics are asserting that the signs were there all along, but his government chose to look in other directions.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Editors Note: A version of this story appears in CNNs Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the regions biggest stories. Sign up here.

The large-scale surprise attack by Gaza militants on Israel on Saturday has left hundreds of Israelis dead, prompting a lethal volley of retaliatory Israeli airstrikes and a formal declaration of war on Sunday.

Citizens of Israel, we are at war  not in an operation, not in rounds  at war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message shortly after the militant group Hamas, which controls the coastal enclave of Gaza, fired a barrage of rockets and sent gunmen into Israel in a multi-pronged and unprecedented attack in the long-running conflict.

Over a thousand people have died so far, with more than 700 Israelis killed under the Hamas assault and more than 400 Palestinians dead as Israel pounds Gaza with airstrikes.

Still unknown are the fates of at least 100 hostages, including Israeli soldiers, that Hamas says it captured.

Heres what we know so far.

What happened?

Around 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, when many Israelis were likely to have been asleep, sirens were heard as far as the Tel Aviv area as rockets flew over Israel.

Militants from Gaza then entered Israel by land, sea and air, with some using paragliders, the IDF said.

The IDF said around 2,200 rockets were fired at Israel. Hamas put the figure at 5,000. To put that in context, some 4,000 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel during the 50-day war between the two sides in 2014.

Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif called the operation Al-Aqsa Storm and said that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza.

Hamas said it captured Israeli soldiers, posting videos of soldiers it allegedly captured on its social media accounts. Videos geolocated and authenticated by CNN suggested that at least one Israeli soldier was taken prisoner by the group. On Sunday, the IDF published the names of 44 soldiers it says were killed in the attack.

Hamas said in a statement the same day that its fighters were still present in southern Israeli cities, and that the group was supporting them with rocket fire in the cities of Ofakim, Sderot, Yad Mordechai, Kfar Aza, Beeri, Yated, and Kissufim.

Smoke billows from a residential building following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Saturday. - Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

How has Israel responded?

In response to the attack, Israel launched Operation Swords of Iron, striking a number of targets in the Gaza strip. Netanyahu said Israels response to the Hamas incursion will exact a huge price from the group.

The IDF urged civilians in Gaza to leave their residential areas immediately for their safety as Israeli military operations continued to target Hamas.

Inside Gaza, the roar of Israeli warplanes could be heard followed by loud explosions and rising plumes of black smoke.

At least 313 people were killed over 24 hours, including at least 20 children, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said Sunday. Another 1,990 were injured, it added.

On Sunday, the IDF said it struck 426 targets in Gaza, including 10 towers it said were used by Hamas.

In the north, Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah group claimed responsibility for targeting three Israeli sites in an area known as Shebaa Farms using missiles and artillery. The area is considered by Lebanon as Israeli-occupied. Israel responded by firing artillery.

And in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers on Saturday when clashes broke out after the Israeli army blocked West Bank cities, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

A man carries a crying child as he walks in front of a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. - Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

How did the two sides get here?

Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians have existed since before the nations founding in 1948. Thousands of people on both sides have been killed and many more injured in the long-simmering conflict between the two sides over decades.

Violence has been particularly heightened this year. The number of Palestinians  militants and civilians  killed in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces is at its highest in nearly two decades. The same is true of Israelis and foreigners  most of them civilians  killed in Palestinian attacks.

Israel and Hamas have been involved in armed conflict dating back as early as the 1987 First Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, against Israels occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Israel captured Gaza from Egypt in a 1967 war, then withdrew in 2005. The territory, home to some 2 million Palestinians, fell under Hamas control in 2007 after a brief civil war with Fatah, a rival Palestinian faction that is the backbone of the Palestinian Authority.

After Hamas seized control of Gaza, Israel and Egypt imposed a strict siege on the territory, which is ongoing. Israel also maintains an air and naval blockade on Gaza.

Before Saturdays operation, the last war between Hamas and Israel was in 2021, which lasted for 11 days and killed at least 250 people in Gaza and 13 in Israel.

Saturdays assault occurred on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 war, when Israels Arab neighbors launched a surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, on October 6, 1973.

An Israeli woman donates blood at a hospital in Tel Aviv. - Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images

What is Hamas?

Hamas is an Islamist organization with a military wing that came into being in 1987, emerging out of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist group that was founded in the late 1920s in Egypt.

The word Hamas is itself an acronym for Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia  Arabic for Islamic Resistance Movement. the group, like most Palestinian factions and political parties, insists that Israel is an occupying power and that it is trying to liberate the Palestinian territories. It considers Israel an illegitimate state.

Its refusal to recognize Israel is one reason why it has rejected peace talks in the past. In 1993, it opposed the Oslo Accords, a peace pact between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

The group presents itself as an alternative to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which has recognized Israel and has engaged in multiple failed peace initiatives with it. The PA is today led by Mahmoud Abbas and is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Hamas has over the years claimed many attacks on Israel and has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Israel. Israel accuses its archenemy Iran of backing Hamas.

A member of Israeli security forces tries to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel. - Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

What is al-Aqsa?

The al-Aqsa compound is one of the most revered places in Islam and Judaism. The sacred grounds, known to Muslims as Al Haram Al Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as Temple Mount have been a flashpoint of tensions between Israel and the Palestinians for decades.

Hamas says it launched Saturdays Al-Aqsa Storm attack in part to defend the holy site.

Only Muslims are allowed to pray in the compound under a status quo arrangement originally reached more than a century ago. Non-Muslim visitors are allowed visits at certain times and only to certain areas of the complex.

But many in the Muslims world fear that the right to be the sole worshipers there has been eroded and that the sites themselves are being threatened by a growing far-right Jewish movement and Israels far-right government.

Clashes have frequently broken out at the site between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli forces. Police raided the compound several times over the last year.

The complex lies in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as the capital of their future state and which most of the international community considers to be occupied territory. Israel captured it from Jordan in its six-day war in 1967 and considers both East and West Jerusalem as its united, eternal capital.

What are key regional players saying?

Western states condemned the Hamas attack and pledged support for Israel while Arab states, including those that have recognized Israel, called for calm.

United States President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday and said that Washington unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza.

I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel, he said.

An aerial view shows vehicles on fire as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon. - Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters

Saudi Arabia, which is holding talks with the US to potentially normalize relations with Israel, said it is following closely the unprecedented situation and called on both sides to immediately stop the escalation, according to a statement by the Saudi foreign ministry on X.

Israels adversaries welcomed the attack. Major General Rahim Safavi, an adviser to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said: We congratulate the Palestinian fighters and will stand by their side until the liberation of Palestine and holy Jerusalem, state-run ISNA said.

Hezbollah praised the assaults and said it is in contact with Palestinian militant groups at home and abroad, its Al Manar channel said.

What happens next?

The IDF is now focusing on taking control of the Gaza Strip.

The significant thing that preoccupies us right now is the stabilization of control in the Gaza Strip, Hecht told a briefing Sunday.

We have targets for the next 12 hours: to end the Gaza enclave. To control the entire enclave and kill all the terrorists in our territory, he said, adding that the IDF will try to evict certain communities in areas of Gaza.

Israels Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant has expanded the countrys special security situation to the entirety of Israels territory.

This enables the IDF to provide security instructions to civilians and to close public sites as needed for security, the ministers office said. A special security situation area, within an 80-kilometer (48-mile) radius of the Gaza Strip, had been established earlier on Saturday.

Hecht said the IDF plans to put several potential next steps before the Israeli cabinet, which is meeting Sunday. The government is likely to take a decision on Sunday or Monday, he said.

Senior Hamas member Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera Arabic Saturday that Hamas is ready for all options, including a war and an escalation on all levels.

We are ready for the worst-case scenario, including a ground invasion, which will be the best for us to decide the ending of this battle, al-Arouri said.

CNNs Mostafa Salem and Hande Atay Alam contributed to this report

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Israeli jets are striking targets in Gaza after the Palestinian Hamas jihadi organization launched a an unprecedented, massive surprise attack on Israel Saturday. The operation saw strikes across that nation with thousands of rockets as well as drones before ground assaults captured several towns . At least 40 Israelis have been killed and at least another 740 injured so far, according to The Washington Post .

As of 5 p.m. Tel Aviv time, air raid alerts were still sounding, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Telegram channel.

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1710638702982996259 https://twitter.com/WarMonitors/status/1710633140279017791

Additional videos emerging on social media show the rocket attacks - including strikes on Tel Aviv. They also show a multi-domain operation, with Hamas fighters pouring over the border on the ground, flying in by paraglider and assaulting from the water. Other videos show Hamas fighters roaming Israeli streets and capturing Israeli citizens, troops and military equipment. There are also videos showing what appear to be massacred civilians, running ongoing gun battles between the two sides and Israeli air strikes in response.

https://twitter.com/neriakraus/status/1710504761705848962?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel/status/1710518457706713220 https://twitter.com/intermarium24/status/1710514906875764954 https://twitter.com/manniefabian/status/1710655221162971634 https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710674038974976491?s=20 https://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1710599974608629967?s=20 https://twitter.com/manniefabian/status/1710513643584983508?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A https://twitter.com/manniefabian/status/1710516343202525584?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710566746581581899?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710563366811361598 https://twitter.com/joetruzman/status/1710529161197125817 https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1710529170592195029 https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710549522869346561 https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1710644978307752186 https://twitter.com/JimFergusonUK/status/1710623083042619660 https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1710643653662613733

The attack, which Hamas calls "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" after the Arabic name for Jerusalem mosque that has been a frequent point of friction - especially over the last few days - "began in Gaza and will extend to the West Bank and abroad, and to every place where our people and nation are present, senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on the organizations Telegram channel.

"Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known," Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said. "We are in a war and we will win it."

https://twitter.com/i24news_en/status/1710575456884338903?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A

Netanyahu said that Israel's first objective "is to clear out the hostile force that infiltrated our territory and restore security and quiet to the communities that have been attacked."

"The second objective, at the same time, is to exact an immense price from the enemy, within the Gaza Strip as well," he said. "The third objective is to reinforce other fronts so that nobody should mistakenly join this war."

https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1710631847879717236

That message is a likely warning to Lebanon's Hezballah organization that has hundreds of thousands of missiles and rockets and a history of warring with Israel. There are major, persistent fears that the chances of an attack on Israel from southern Lebanon has only grown as Hezballah's weapons stockpile has expanded drastically  both in quantity and quality  via Iranian support.

It is also likely a warning to Iran as well.

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1710654722850390030?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A

Israeli Maj. Gen. Ghasan Alyan said Hamas has "opened up the gates of hell into the Gaza Strip," an indication of a likely Israeli ground assault into the densely populated strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea.

https://twitter.com/golub/status/1710630334230908973

This morning (Saturday), approximately 2,200 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said Saturday on its Telegram channel. In parallel, a number of terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in southern Israel. In response, the IDF has launched Operation Swords of Iron.

Media reporting says that the number of rockets fired into Israel has more than doubled since that initial IDF account.

Israels Chief of General Staff has announced an extensive mobilization of reserve forces, according to the IDF. Numerous IDF soldiers, including special forces, have been dispatched to the area surrounding the Gaza Strip and are operating in a number of different locations in the division in order to protect the residents of southern Israel.

Meanwhile, dozens of IDF fighter jets struck a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, the IDF reported. In the last few hours, dozens of IDF fighter jets struck 17 military compounds and 4 operational command centers belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1710591904272761126?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A

The IDF Spokesperson emphasizes the importance of all civilians following the life-saving instructions of the Home Front Command.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson quickly condemned Hamas.

"The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians. There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners."

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he is "closely monitoring developments in Israel. Our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself remains unwavering, and I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this abhorrent attack on civilians. Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

Palestinian officials, meanwhile, called for Operation Al-Aqsa to spread.

"As the Chief of Staff announced the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, we assure you that the results of this battle, the occupation leadership knew nothing about," said Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubaida in an interview with the official Al-Aqsa Satellite Channel, according to the Hamas Telegram channel.

"Our people of the West Bank, and you, our people in occupied Jerusalem, you who have proven that you are the people of confrontation, this is your opportunity that we started from the borders of Gaza, and all you have to do now is move and target the settlements and bypass roads."

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1710592433669427322?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A

Hamas published several pictures on its Telegram channel it claims show its forces inside an Israeli military base.

Hamas says its forces entered an Israeli military base that had several armored vehicles like these M113 Armored Personnel Carriers. (Hamas Telegram)

Hamas says its forces entered an Israeli military base that had at least one Merkava tank. (Hamas Telegram)

Saturday's highly coordinated attack, on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, represents one of the biggest intelligence failures in Israel's 75-year history. It also marks a new phase in the long-burning conflict between Israel and Palestine.

The rocket barrage was far larger than anything previously seen and the response from Israeli forces to Hamas ground incursions was not immediate.

https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel/status/1710676185980801056

Exhibiting new tactics that in some ways mirror the war in Ukraine, Hamas followed its massive wave of rockets by swift ground assaults with so many highly mobile teams across such a wide area that they were able to gain the initiative and capture towns and military bases.

There was also video showing Hamas drone strikes on Israeli positions, including attacks using drones, a tactic seen across Ukraine that's now ubiquitous in warfare.

https://twitter.com/astraiaintel/status/1710590904841408804 https://twitter.com/ytirawi/status/1710622183670608064 https://twitter.com/astraiaintel/status/1710633227436663201

How much further this escalates at the moment is unknown, but the Hezballah organization in Lebanon could decide to open up a northern front.

Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah praised the attack and said it served as a warning against recognizing Israel, The Wall Street Journal reported.

It sends a message to the Arab and Islamic world, and the international community as a whole, especially those seeking normalization with this enemy, that the Palestinian cause is an everlasting one, alive until victory and liberation," Nasrallah said in a statement.

A group of Arab countries, led by the United Arab Emirates, opened diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020, and since then, Saudi Arabia has held talks with the U.S. about also normalizing its relationship with the Israeli government.

Not surprisingly, Operation Al-Aqsa Flood is being greeted with cheers in Tehran.

https://twitter.com/IsraelWarRoom/status/1710644884657324291

Israel has promised an overwhelming response, something it has done in the past.

On Dec. 27, 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead, an attack against Hamas in Gaza. A response to a major increase in Palestinian rocket attacks, Israel began a 15-day ground assault into Gaza on Jan. 3, 2009 that resulted in about 1,440 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths, according to a 2009 Congressional Research Service report .

Israels technological superiority and reliance on heavy armor and firepower contributed to a wide disparity in casualties, the report stated.

This is a developing story which we will update throughout the day as new information comes in.

Update 11:46 AM Eastern:

One of the key elements of the timing of this attack is that negotiations are underway between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. to improve the kingdom's relationship with Israel. In response to Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the Saudi Foreign Ministry called for an immediate halt to the fighting, protection for civilians and also noted its previous warnings to Israel about the effects of its ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory.

https://twitter.com/Imranmuhdz/status/1710632577214689763

New video emerged of an Israeli Air Force F-16 being loaded up with a Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM .

https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1710659496509403314?s=20

Hamas leaders feigned surprise at the attacks.

https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1710536604627210455?s=20

Hamas posted video of its forces entering southern Israel on motorized hang gliders.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710564982281085397?s=20

Here is a close-up image of armed Hamas fighters on a motorized hang glider.

https://twitter.com/Havoc_Six/status/1710672080822227356?s=20

More video emerged of Israeli citizens being taken captive by Hamas. The fate of these people remains unknown at this time.

https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1710675805540438448?s=20 https://twitter.com/JimFergusonUK/status/1710642455165440277?s=20 https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1710617002040082636?s=20

After the incursions were underway, Israel began to mobilize its forces.

https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1710665241909162249?s=20

Update 1:02 PM Eastern:

The Pentagon released a readout of a phone exchange between Austin and his Israeli counterpart, reaffirming U.S. support for Israel:

"Secretary Austin spoke this morning with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant to convey his condolences for the victims of this appalling, abhorrent terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel. He conveyed that his thoughts are with the families of the victims, and that he sends his best wishes for recovery to those who were injured. Secretary Austin made clear to Minister Gallant his ironclad support for the Israeli Defense Forces and the Israeli people. He reaffirmed that the Departments commitment to Israels security and its absolute right to defend itself from acts of terrorism is unwavering. Secretary Austin has directed his team to ensure that DoD is closely consulting with all of our Allies and partners who share a commitment to peace and oppose terrorism. Secretary Austin will continue to consult with Minister Gallant in the coming days and weeks to ensure that Israel has the support it needs."

Update 1:24 PM Eastern:

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's top spokesman, responded to questions from The War Zone about the status of U.S. troops already in Israel at the time of the attack.

TWZ: How many US troops are in Israel right now? What's their role and what equipment do they have?

PR: For operational security, were not going to get into specifics at the moment. We can confirm all US military personnel present in Israel are safe and accounted for.

TWZ: Any U.S. military movements as a result of this?

PR: We have nothing to announce at this time, though we will continue close consultations with Israel on its defense needs as we do with all partners.

Update 1:57 PM Eastern

Hamas released a statement promising continued attacks on Tel Aviv, which came under attack again this evening.

"In response to the bombing of the residential tower in the center of Gaza Citythe Al-Qassam Brigades now direct a major missile strike with 150 missiles towards Tel Aviv."

https://twitter.com/auroraintel/status/1710703671619514681?s=12\u0026t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A

Update 3:52 PM Eastern

It's a near certainty that what's to come will be an IDF operation unlike any we have seen before. The messaging from Israel's top leadership is supporting that conjecture.

Israel's Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, made it very clear that the IDF's goal in terms of a response campaign will be far less restrained as they had been in the past. The objective will be to shatter Hamas permanently as a major threat emanating from Gaza:

"Today we saw the face of evil. The Hamas [terrorist organization] has launched a brutal attack against the citizens of the State of Israel - attacking men, women, children and the elderly, indiscriminately. Hamas will understand very quickly that it has made a mistake - a grave mistake, and will pay a [heavy] price. Fifteen years ago, as Head of the Southern Command, I came close to 'breaking the neck' [destroying] of Hamas. I was stopped by the political echelon. This phenomenon will not continue. We will change reality on the ground in Gaza for the next 50 years. What was before, will be no more. We will operate at full force. I ask Israel's citizens to remain determined and to support our security forces.

https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1710726426931175463?s=20

Netanyahu is conveying similar sentiments:

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710741149344838000?s=20 https://twitter.com/Global_Mil_Info/status/1710739295135264869?s=20 https://twitter.com/BarakRavid/status/1710738576915239401?s=20

Meanwhile, Israeli military equipment is showing up in Hamas hands on the streets of Gaza:

https://twitter.com/Global_Mil_Info/status/1710533611370283159?s=20

A video of Hamas RPG attacks on a Merkava tank and on a Namer APC has surfaced:

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710744016642293836?s=20 https://twitter.com/AndreiBtvt/status/1710721755826749898?s=20

Various hostage or siege situations continue around the country:

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1710737189145833559?s=20 https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1710745432790290578?s=20

Complicating a major IDF operation in Gaza will be the fact that many Israelis have been abducted and are effectively hostages there. Such widespread hostage rescue operations in such a hostile environment that is clearly aware that an operation is imminent are extremely challenging. The fact that these operations will be combined with what is likely to be the goal of largely destroying Hamas outright makes them that much more complex.

Update 6:32 PM Eastern:

A senior Biden administration official just wrapped up a briefing with reporters, including from The War Zone. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss these matters.

Here are some key takeaways:

The administration was first notified about the rocket attacks in Israel at 2:30 a.m. Friday, At 7 a.m. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with his Israeli counterpart then convened a meeting with his national security team at 7:30 a.m.

U.S. administration and military officials spoke throughout the day with their Israeli counterparts about anticipated needs, but the official declined to talk about specifics.

Asked if this represented a massive intelligence failure, the official said: Im just I'm not going to get into any specific intelligence. Obviously, the Israelis in particular, will be looking at this very closely. I'm not going to get ahead of that.

On how this affects the ongoing negotiations with Saudi Arabia for a normalization deal with Israel, the official said: ...the process has a ways to travel. I think it is premature to speculateI would say Hamas and terrorist groups and terrorist groups like Hamas will not derail the outcome.

On Iranian involvement: It's too early too early to say whether the State of Iran was directly involved in the planning or supporting, I'm not going to get ahead of that. We're going to be looking at that very closely. That said, there's no doubt that Hamas is funded, equipped, and armed by Iran and others.

The official declined to speculate on what, if any, action Hezbollah might take.

Asked about claims that Egypt provided information to the US, Israel and Russia about a potential Hamas attack as well as a potential Hezbollah attasck on the northern front, the senior administration official said: I can't speak to what the Egyptians are saying there but I don't want to characterize the intelligence and I don't want to get ahead of what the Israelis will be looking at. But if the allegation is that we had some specific warning or indicator from another country thats certainly not something that we've seen. So I think that's really not accurate, other than just general concern, as we have concerned about obviously, rising tensions - particularly in the West Bank - [that] we have been working very hard on. But in terms of the the level of sophistication of what transpired overnight here and what continues to transpire, that's a very different issue and I've not seen anything, support that.

Update 8:00 PM Eastern

The rockets continue to fly overnight:

https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1710797021374763080?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1710800235524747537?s=20

Evacuation instructions have been issued to large swathes of Gaza, basically telling people to relocate to the central areas of the strip.

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1710794984322916572?s=20 https://twitter.com/TreyYingst/status/1710796849408360697?s=20

Airstrikes continue as Israel prepares the battlefield for its impending ground operation and executes strikes on Hamas interests. Hezbollah is threatening to activate in the north if Israel enters Gaza with a military force.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1710800239639036080?s=20 https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1710748469051220052?s=20 https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1710763028050772279?s=20

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
(Reuters) - Ismail Haniyeh , the leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, told fellow Arab countries on Saturday that Israel cannot provide them with any protection despite recent diplomatic rapprochements.

Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israelin years on Saturday, killing dozens of people and taking hostages in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing into Israel with a barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

Israel said the Iran-backed group had declared war as its army confirmed fighting with militants in several Israeli towns and military bases near Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate.

In a televised speech, Haniyeh addressed the Arab countries that have normalised ties with Israel in recent years.

"We say to all countries, including our Arab brothers, that this entity, which cannot protect itself in the face of resistors, cannot provide you with any protection," he said.

"All the normalization agreements that you signed with that entity cannot resolve this (Palestinian) conflict."

In 2020, Israel reached normalisation with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and upgraded ties with Morocco and Sudan, despite talks with the Palestinians being frozen for years.

Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia and Israel are also engaged in U.S.-mediated talks to normalise relations, a prospect that drew condemnation from some Palestinian factions.

Haniyeh also said armed Palestinian factions intend to expand the ongoing battle in Gaza to the West Bank and Jerusalem. "The battle moved into the heart of the 'zionist entity'" he said.

(Reporting by Hatem Maher and Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Hamas says it has captured dozens of hostages as part of the Palestinian militant organisations suprise attack on Israel on Saturday.

"We bring good news to our (Palestinian) prisoners and our people that the al Qassam Brigades have dozens of captured (Israeli) officers and soldiers in their hands," Abu Obaida, a spokesperson for Hamass armed wing, said in a post on Telegram, CNN reports.

"They have been secured in safe places and resistance tunnels," the spokesperson added.

Militant groups claimed on social media fighters in Israeli were holding some hostages and other captives were being driven into Gaza, Reuters reports.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, has said hostages and prisoners of war, including both soldiers and civilians, have been taken captive.

Videos verified by The New York Times appear to show five Israelis with their hands behind their backs being led by armed men on a road in Beeri kibbutz, near the southeastern border with Gaza.

A substantial number of Israeli citizens and soldiers are being held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli military, Haaretz reports.

Israeli broadcaster N12 News reported that up to 50 hostages were being held in a dining hall in Beeri.

The reports of hostages underscore the already devastating civilian toll of the one-day conflict.

At least 150 Israelis and 230 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, Haaretz reports.

The assault began early on Saturday, when Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip stormed into southern Israel by land, air, and sea, appearing to catch the famed Israeli security apparatus by suprise.

Hamas militants next to a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis (AP)

Thousands of rockets from Gaza have been fired into civilian areas in Israel.

In response, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is at war.

Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known, he said. We are in a war and we will win it.

Joe Biden spoke with Mr Netanyahu on Saturday and condemned the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks against the US ally.

The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, President Biden said in a White House statement on Saturday morning. Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people.
Hamas said it had taken dozens of Israeli soldiers hostage and moved them to the Gaza Strip as footage emerged appearing to show gunmen in military fatigues leading a group of mostly barefoot women down a street in Israel.

The announcement and video verified by NBC News came hours after Hamas launched a deadly land, air and sea attack and fired a huge barrage of rockets at Israel.

Follow along for live coverage

The military captives were being held in safe places and resistance tunnels, said Abu Ubaida, a spokesperson for Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades. Video also showed what appeared to be armed militants with rifles driving a pickup carrying several bloodied and bound-up men lying in the back.

In a Saturday afternoon address, President Joe Biden said "entire families" were among those taken hostage by Hamas.

A spokesperson for the Israeli military confirmed to NBC News that Hamas took hostages and captives, but he did not say whether they were soldiers.

Image: Footage from a video verified by NBC News shows what appears to be an Israeli being taken hostage by a Hamas fighter (via Twitter)

The spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, added that there were hostage situations in the southern city of Ofakim and a nearby kibbutz called Beeri, where the video of the barefoot women appeared to have been filmed. There are special forces there with senior commanders and live fire fights are going on there, he said.

He did not say whether the hostages were civilians or military personnel.

Hagari said the military was fighting in 22 locations, adding there was no community in southern Israel where we do not have forces, in all the towns.

He added that soldiers had died in the conflict.

We dont have an exact number yet, we are at war, Hagari said.

Gaza militants have rarely succeeded in taking Israeli soldiers hostage. In 2006, Hamas fighters seized Gilad Shalit and held him for five years. He was ultimately exchanged for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

A spokesperson for the Israeli rescue service, Magen David Adom, said in an earlier statement that at least 150 people in Israel had been killed. Graphic but unverified video and photos shared on social media suggested that the toll could rise sharply.

Emergency personnel spray water on burning cars engulfed in flames following a rocket attack (Ahmad Gharabli / AFP via Getty Images)

Gazas health ministry said 232 people were killed after Israeli airstrikes there, with another 1,697 injured.

Israels air force had carried out strikes in several locations, Hagari said, adding there were hundreds of deaths, including many terrorists.

The main effort was to eliminate all those who infiltrated Israel and are trying to return to the Gaza Strip, he said. First of all we will strike from the air, and then also with heavy ground means, he added.

Hagari said a wide mobilization of reserves, had begun in Israel.

There are four divisions that we are immediately bringing down to Gaza. Thirty-one regular battalions are already in the area around the Gaza Strip and Southern Israel, he said. Tanks have also been brought down to the Gaza Strip.

In a speech on Saturday, Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas Political Bureau, praised the militant leaders who had begun what he described as the liberation of our Jerusalem and our prisoners from the occupation prisons.

Hamas, which runs the blockaded Gaza Strip, has never officially recognized Israel.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Smoke at the site of a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip over the city of Rehovot, 20 km from Tel Aviv

Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has launched an unprecedented terror attack on Israel.

NV is publishing photos and videos from the scene.

 A Palestinian boy stands near a burning Israeli car, which Palestinian terrorists brought to Gaza from southern Israel.

REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

 Smoke rises above buildings in Israel after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

 Smoke rises above buildings in Israel after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

 Smoke rises above buildings in Israel after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

 Smoke rises above buildings in Israel after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg

 Palestinians carry the body of a person, who they claim is an Israeli killed by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated southern Israel.

REUTERS/Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa

 Rockets soar from the Gaza Strip towards Israel.

REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

Read also: Ukrainian Parliament reiterates unwavering support Israels right to defend itself

 The body of a victim of Hamass attack lies near Ashkelon in southern Israel.

REUTERS/Ammar Awad

 Palestinians near an Israeli military vehicle damaged by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel.

REUTERS/Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa

Read also: Ukraine condemns terror attacks by Hamas, establishes task force for Ukrainians in Israel

 Hamas terrorists on a captured Israeli military vehicle.

REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot

 The Israeli Iron Dome anti-rocket system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip over Ashkelon in southern Israel.

REUTERS/Ammar Awad

 Damaged vehicles in Ashkelon, southern Israel, hit by Hamas rockets.

REUTERS/Ammar Awad

 An abandoned pickup truck with a machine gun that entered Israel from the Gaza Strip.

REUTERS/Ammar Awad

 Israeli soldiers stand next to a vehicle with the body of a man killed by Hamas terrorists.

REUTERS/Ammar Awad

 Debris from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip into Ashkelon, southern Israel.

REUTERS/Amir Cohen

 A burning building in Tel Aviv after a rocket attack by Hamas from the Gaza Strip.

REUTERS/Itai Ron

 An explosion in the Gaza Strip in response to an Israeli strike.

REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Read also: Zelenskyy condemns Hamas attack on Israel, says country has right to defend itself

 Footage from the Israeli military with fragments of the Hamas attack on Israel.

 Israeli Defense Forces conduct an operation against Hamas terrorists in Sderot.

 A woman held hostage by Hamas terrorists.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
 Flash

Turkish security forces responded to an "attack" by the Syrian Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG) in northern Syria and killed 26 Kurdish militants, Turkiye's Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Turkiye's retaliation came after the YPG launched an "attack" on the Dabiq Base area in the Euphrates Shield Operation zone of the Turkish military in northern Syria late Thursday, the ministry said in a statement.

Turkish warplanes also launched airstrikes against the YPG and hit 30 targets in the Tal Rifaat, Jazira and Derik regions on Thursday night, according to the ministry.

Early on Thursday, the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) hit the weapons and ammunition warehouses of the YPG with armed drones, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.

The tensions between the Syrian Kurdish group and Turkish forces in Syria have escalated following a suicide bomb attack in the Turkish capital Ankara on Sunday.

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack in front of the Turkish Interior Ministry, in which one assailant blew himself up and another was killed in a shootout with police. Two police officers were injured in the attack.

In another development, Turkish police on Friday detained 75 suspected members of the PKK across 11 provinces of Turkiye, the country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that all the PKK and the YPG infrastructure and energy facilities in Syria and Iraq were now "legitimate targets" for the Turkish military.

The Turkish army has conducted three air operations against the PKK targets in northern Iraq since Sunday.

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a YPG-free zone along its border within the neighboring country.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. Turkiye sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the PKK.
A man looks at a Torah scroll from the 16th century displayed at the Saudi International Book Fair in Riyadh on October 4, 2023 (Fayez Nureldine)

With its surprise attack against Israel, Hamas has violently shifted the world's eyes back to the Palestinians and dealt a severe blow to momentum to secure a landmark US-brokered deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The Iranian-backed Islamist militants who run the impoverished, blockaded Gaza Strip on Saturday fired thousands of rockets and infiltrated forces into Israel, 50 years after Arab states' assault on Israel during the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was at war. Just weeks earlier he had brushed aside the Palestinian issue during a speech at the United Nations and said normalization in 2020 with three other Arab nations in the so-called Abraham Accords had "heralded a new age of peace."

Netanyahu also said Israel was on the cusp of a bigger prize -- recognition by Saudi Arabia, guardian of Islam's two holiest sites.

President Joe Biden, eager before next year's US election for a major diplomatic win, has pushed for a deal, and more talks were expected in coming weeks -- despite skepticism from some of Biden's fellow Democrats about the proposed security guarantees to the conservative kingdom, whose rights record has long been under scrutiny.

"It was always a tough hill to climb, and that hill just got a lot steeper," said Brian Katulis, vice president of policy at the Middle East Institute in Washington.

The violence spotlights disputes between Israel and the Palestinians and "makes it harder to sweep those complicated issues under the rug the way the 2020 Abraham Accords did," he said.

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has spoken recently of progress with Israel but also insisted on movement on the Palestinian cause, seen as a priority for the aging King Salman.

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry returned to familiar language Saturday, saying in a statement that the kingdom had been warning of an "explosive situation as a result of the continued occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people's legitimate rights."

Aziz Alghashian, a Saudi expert on Saudi-Israeli relations, said the statement was intended to dispel any notion that the kingdom would prioritize normalization at the expense of supporting the Palestinians.

"This kind of situation has made Saudi Arabia go back to its traditional role," he said.

"Netanyahu put another obstacle to these normalization talks because he said this is now a war. I don't anticipate normalization is going to take place against the backdrop of war," Alghashian said.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN that disrupting Saudi-Israel normalization efforts may have partly motivated the Hamas attack.

"Look, who opposes normalization? Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran. So it wouldn't be a surprise that part of the motivation may have been to disrupt efforts to bring Saudi Arabia and Israel together," Blinken said. "So that's certainly a factor."

A US official said it was "premature" to discuss the violence's effect on normalization.

Blinken discussed the conflict with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, by telephone.

A Saudi readout of the call said Prince Faisal stressed "the kingdom's rejection of targeting civilians in any way and the need for all parties to respect international humanitarian law."

- Public opposition -

Netanyahu has cast diplomacy with the Palestinians as antiquated and described a future of friendship with Gulf Arabs, who share Israel's hostility toward Iran's clerical rulers.

Netanyahu's government, the most right-wing in Israeli history, has continued to pursue settlements, although the prime minister backtracked in 2020 on annexation in the West Bank as he sought to woo the United Arab Emirates, the lead country in the Abraham Accords.

Joost Hiltermann, Middle East director of the International Crisis Group, which looks to resolve conflicts, said Hamas may have acted in part due to fear of a "looming further marginalization of the Palestinian cause in Palestinian eyes" if Saudi Arabia recognizes Israel.

With Israel expected to respond forcefully to Saturday's attacks, Arab states will likely feel obliged to take a harder stance in line with public sentiment, he said.

"If that all happens, then I would foresee a scenario where, just like we have a cold peace between Israel and Jordan, between Israel and Egypt, we end up with a cooling of the relationship between Israel and the Emirates and probably a delay, at least, of any sort of deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia," he said.

Steven Cook, a senior fellow on the Council on Foreign Relations, pointed to a survey that showed just two percent of Saudis backed normalizing ties with Israel.

"It wasn't that long ago," he noted, "that there were telethons happening in Saudi Arabia in support of Hamas suicide bombers."

- Iran opposes normalization -

The Biden administration has largely sought to lessen US involvement in the Middle East, also by easing tensions with Iran.

Iran's clerical leadership, which since last year has suppressed major protests led by women, supports Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah and hailed the offensive.

"This is about Iran's priorities in the Middle East," said Danielle Pletka of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the attack appeared "designed to stop peace efforts between Saudi Arabia and Israel." A peace agreement between them, he said, "would be a nightmare for Iran and Hamas."

sct-rcb/sn/mtp/it
The sudden, massive attack unleashed by Hamas against Israel on Saturday has its roots in a long history of conflict. It may seem to echo past attacks, but it is very different in several key respects.

First, it is by far the most complex attack yet orchestrated by Hamas against Israel. Secondly, it caught Israel completely unawares and, in many respects, unprepared. In fact, it represents the biggest Israeli intelligence failure in at least half a century. Finally, while Israelis and the world were justifiably outraged at Hamas brutality, the anger of millions of Israelis including many close to their security services was also directed at what was seen as the catastrophic mismanagement of Israeli national security by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration.

Netanyahu has now promised a prolonged assault on Gaza in response. Weeks of bloodshed seem a certainty. Major Middle East diplomatic initiatives including normalization negotiations between Israel, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. will very likely be put on hold. And the future of both the Netanyahu government and the Hamas leadership seems very much in doubt.

The brutal Hamas attack, which included the launch of more than 2,500 missiles, armed incursions into southern Israeli communities, over 200 Israelis dead, and thousands more injured, as well as dozens of kidnappings, has already triggered a major Israeli response including air strikes in Gaza that have produced mass casualties. It is estimated that more than 200 Palestinians have died during the incursion and in Gaza as a consequence of the Israeli response.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (3rd L) holds a meeting with security cabinet in Tel Aviv, Israel. Anadolu Agency

Hamas assault has been widely condemned by the international community. President Biden, following a conversation Saturday morning with Prime Minister Netanyahu, stated, The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. He went on to state that the U.S. will offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel. In a statement Saturday afternoon he reiterated U.S. support for Israel remains rock solid and warned others in the region, presumably Iran and its proxies, not to try to exacerbate the situation.

Israel Strikes Back at Hamas With Operation Swords of Iron

The reaction of Israels Middle East neighbors attempted to suggest a balance in the responsibility for the attacks between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The Saudis, Egyptians, and Turks, for example, all called for both sides to stop the violence and reduce the risks of further escalation. The official Saudi statement said, Saudi Arabia warned Israel of the possible risks of escalation due to the occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights.

Russia called for restraint. Hezbollah, like Hamas a terrorist group backed by Iran, said they had been in direct contact with Palestinian leaders and that the attack was in response to Israels continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalization with Israel.

An Iranian spokesperson said, The forceful response of young Palestinians today to the child-murdering Zionist regime showed that it is more vulnerable than ever and the young Palestinians have the upper hand.

Netanyahu stated we are at war and called up Israels military reserves. But even as he did, there was an unprecedented surge of criticism of the prime minister that senior Israelis told me was without precedent. Veteran reporter Noga Tarnopolsky commented via X, The Israeli army warned Netanyahu for months that his push for government overhaul put Israel at great risk of a multi-front attack. He dismissed their warnings by accusing the military of joining the left-wing protestors against him. His ministers said the army could go to hell.

Retired Israeli general Amos Gilad said, The sources of this catastrophe lie in the regime change (referring to the ascent of Netanyahus new ultra-government.) Another retired general asserted via X that Israel was left exposed to the attack because more than two dozen battalions had been transferred from the south to the Palestinian territories on the West Bank.

Israels opposition leader Yair Lapid offered to work with Netanyahu in an emergency government of national unity, asserting Israel would be incapable of waging a war with a team as extreme and dysfunctional as Netanyahus current extremist circle.

Taken together, the timing, volume and severity of the critiques of Netanyahu suggest that as Tarnopolsky concludes that while Hamas leadership is unlikely to survive what is happening today it is difficult to imagine how exactly Netanyahu survives this catastrophic failure and the inevitable commission of investigation to follow.

Predictably, even in a moment like this one in which, in the past, President Biden could have expected bipartisan support for his actions, MAGA world instantly sought to blame the crisis on Biden. Typically, they bolstered their dangerous ideas with lies. Marjorie Taylor Greene, to choose one example, asked, How much of the $6 billion dollars Joe Biden gave back to Iran funded this attack against Israel? Donald Trump compounded the lie, asserting that U.S. taxpayer dollars helped fund the attack.

The U.S. has provided no funds to Iran. The funds to which Greene presumably was referring were those returned to Iran as part of a recent prisoner release agreement. That agreement made it clear that the use of the funds was restricted and was being carefully monitored specifically to ensure they could not in any way be used by Hamas or in any other way misused. But, as we all know, these days fomenting division is far more important to the American right than telling the truth.

To understand the true motivations behind the attack and in particular why it occurred now, is more complicated. First, any such analysis should make it clear that establishing the motivation for a crime does not diminish the fact that it is a crime. What Hamas has done will prove to have been both literally and figuratively indefensible. Nonetheless, as the Hezbollah statement indicated, one rationale for attacking now is that Hamas and their Iranian sponsors were concerned about the progress that was allegedly being made toward a deal normalizing Israel-Saudi relations.

Naturally, Iran saw the deal as strengthening their historical adversaries in the region and thus as undesirable. Undoubtedly they not only egged Hamas on but assisted them in preparing for the attacks. The Palestinians, on the other hand, were increasingly concerned that both the Israelis and the Saudis would effectively throw them under the bus en route to a deal. Netanyahus hard-right administration would not want to make serious concessions on the issue and it seemed like the Saudis would not demand such concessions.

Israel and Saudi Arabias Proposed U.S-Brokered Deal Is No Sure Thing

This was just one factor however, behind the attack. Another of course, is the long history of animosity between the Israelis and the Palestinians, decades of distrust and, it must be acknowledged, the cycle of inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israelis and attacks on Israel from terrorist groups within the Palestinian territories. More specifically, however, the actions of the Netanyahu government had become increasingly inflammatory toward Palestinians with the annexation of Palestinian territory a certainty in the months ahead. And, clearly, Netanyahu was so distracted by his own fight for political and legal survival, his judicial coup and his struggle with pro-democracy protesters that this could also have been seen as a time when Israel would have let its guard down.

Parsing the origins of the attack is more difficult than determining what will happen next. Netanyahus government will unleash a devastating and protracted assault against Hamas and Gaza. Horrors will ensue. Hamas will likely be devastated. But so too will be civilian bystanders, and the already inhospitable, overcrowded infrastructure of Gaza. Some portion of the response will be justified. Some portion of it will be overkill.

International debate and condemnation of both sides will follow. Neither will emerge closer to peace. So long as the assaults continue and for a good while after, the prospects of resuming the Saudi-Israeli talks will be dim. Ultimately, the Israelis will likely decapitate much of Hamas leadership.

What makes this particular crisis unusual, however, is that it is also possible that in the wake of the conflict to come and following an investigation of the origins of the massive intelligence and preparedness failure by the Netanyahu government, the people of Israel may then send their own government packing. Certainly, it is a fate Netanyahu deserves for many, many reasons.

That said, given Saturdays carnage and that which is certain to follow, I think it is fair to say we should all be more concerned with the fate of the people of Israel and of the Palestinian territories than that of their governments, both of which continue to serve their people abysmally.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A Hawthorne man was arrested Thursday evening after a crash left a motorcyclist dead in Fair Lawn.

William Clark, 38, faces vehicular homicide charges for the death of 33-year-old Harold Almonte of Hawthorne, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced Friday night.

Police in Fair Lawn responded to a call on Wagaraw Road near Maple Avenue at about 8:30 p.m. Officers stated that the truck Clark was driving crossed the double yellow line and hit a motorcycle going the other way, according to a statement from the prosecutors office.

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The motorcycle then hit a utility pole. The driver, Almonte, was taken to St. Josephs University Medical Center for treatment and later succumbed to his injuries. Police believed that Clark was driving while under the influence of alcohol and arrested, the statement said.

Clark faces charges of vehicular homicide resulting in the death of another, while in violation of driving while intoxicated. He was also give multiple motor vehicle summonses and was taken to Bergen County Jail while awaiting his first court appearance.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hawthorne man charged following crash that killed man in Fair Lawn
FILE PHOTO: Police officers use a hose in effort to extinguish wildfires in South Sumatra province, Indonesia

By Chen Lin

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA (Reuters) -Singapore's air quality fell into the unhealthy range on Saturday, official readings showed, as increased forest fires from neighbouring Indonesia brought haze to the city-state.

At 2 p.m. (0600 GMT), the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index readings in the eastern and central part of Singapore was above 100, levels at which people are advised to reduce prolonged strenuous outdoor activities.

Transborder haze is a perennial problem in Southeast Asia as regulatory loopholes make it hard for authorities to eliminate Indonesia's slash-and-burn land clearing practices.

Singapore's National Environment Agency said 212 hot spots were detected on Indonesia's nearby Sumatra island on Friday, up from 65 on Thursday and 15 the day before.

A brief shift in the wind direction on Friday afternoon blew some of the lighter haze toward Singapore, worsening the island nation's in air quality, it said.

The traditional land clearing methods are used almost every year to clear land in Indonesia for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations that public records show are owned both by domestic and foreign or overseas-listed companies.

Indonesia was dousing forest fires with water sprayed from helicopters and inducing rain through cloud-seeding, the environment minister said on Friday, denying that hazardous haze was crossing borders.

Earlier in the week Malaysia urged Indonesia to take action on the fires within Indonesia's borders as the air quality in Malaysia hit unhealthy levels.

Indonesia's president Joko Widodo told reporters on Saturday extreme dry weather was causing wildfires in many areas, but the situation was much better than in 2015 when 2.6 million hectares (6424739 acres) of land got burned, according to an estimate from the World Bank.

He urged the authorities and the local government to immediately put out any fires before they spread.

In 2015 and 2019, such fires burned millions of hectares of land in Indonesia and sent haze billowing across several Southeast Asian countries, generating record emissions, scientists have said.

The most severe haze conditions recorded in Singapore were in September 2015, when the 24-hour index exceeded 300 to the hazardous level, prompting school closures.

(Reporting by Chen Lin in Singapore, Additional reporting by Bernadette Christina in Jakarta; Editing by William Mallard and Clelia Oziel)
The mayor of a southern Israeli council was killed while defending his community.

Ofir Liebstein, the head of Sha'ar Hanegev Council, died in an exchange of fire with Hamas militants.

At least 22 people have been killed in the carnage, according to the latest reports.

Ofir Liebstein, the head of Sha'ar Hanegev Council was killed during fighting with Hamas militants this morning, The Times of Israel reports.

"Ofir was killed when he went to defend a town during the terrorist attack," the report said, quoting a statement from the Council.

Liebstein was killed in an exchange of fire with Hamas militants as a barrage of rockets pounded southern Israel and reports of Palestinian fighters pouring across the border from Gaza.

The Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council mayor was defending his community when he was killed. Yossi Keren, Deputy Head of the Council, is currently filling his place, The Jerusalem Post reports.

Palestinian militants are infiltrating Israeli territory by land, sea, and even paragliders.

According to the latest CNN report, at least 22 people have been killed.

Hamas claims to have kidnapped five Israel Defense Forces soldiers, which the IDF has not confirmed, per Business Standard.

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. AP

An IDF spokesperson said more than 2,200 rockets had been fired into Israel, while Hamas claimed over 5,000 rockets were unleashed.

"We are at war, and we will win," Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a social media video addressing Israelis.

"The enemy will pay a price it has never known," he added.

Sirens have been blaring for the past five hours since Hamas launched its surprise coordinated attack on Israel. The rocket bombardment struck southern Israel, but sirens are reaching as far north as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, per CNN.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Local lawmakers and Jewish organizations condemned a surprise attack launched by Hamas on Israel that killed at least 600 Israeli civilians and wounded several hundred others, thrusting the region back into a bloody conflict.

Images of lifeless, bloodied bodies circulated in news reports globally after the surprise attack by the Hamas militant group on Saturday that resulted in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that Israel is at war.

Locally, a Brandeis University professor, Ilan Troen, lost his daughter and son-in-law in the attacks, the university announced Sunday.

Officials said Gaza militants fired thousands of rockets and entered Israel by land, sea and air using paragliders. An Israeli airstrike later flattened a high-rise building in central Gaza City after Hamas launched its attack, according to The Associated Press.

Hamas attack: A historical timeline of conflict between Israel, Arabs

Israel is now at war. Here in Boston, we awoke to terrifying scenes in Israel, the Boston Jewish Community Relations Council said in a statement following the attacks.

The IDF has confirmed that hostages have been taken to Gaza and that, as of now, over 100 people were killed in a Hamas assault, with another 900 injured. The scale of the destruction is unfathomable, the council said. We have been in touch with our colleagues on the ground, all of whom are sharing how serious this moment is and how grateful they are to know that  as always  we stand in complete solidarity with them against terrorism and those who seek to destroy us.

A bicycle was targeted and two young Palestinian militants were killed near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war.

A general view of damage caused by Israeli air strikes on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war.

A general view of damage caused by Israeli air strikes on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war.

A general view of damage caused by Israeli air strikes on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war.

A paramedic helps an injured man near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023, in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war.

Palestinian citizens stand near an Israeli enclave seized from the Israeli occupation near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023, in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war.

A young man carries an injured man on his bicycle near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war.

Palestinians celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

A rocket from the Gaza Strip struck a street in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.

Palestinian militants drive back to the Gaza Strip with the body of an Israeli soldier on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.

Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday.

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

A column of smoke rises from the south of Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

Residents look at damage after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

Rockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against Israel.

A column of smoke rises from the south of Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

Israeli soldiers head south near Ashkelon, Israel, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response.

A building was damaged after being hit by a rocket fired from Gaza strip on Saturday in Tel Aviv.

Israeli security forces work at the scene where a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a building on Saturday in Tel Aviv.

A man passes the scene where a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a building in Tel Aviv.

Smoke and flames rise on the Gaza Strip after being attacked by Israeli forces on Sunday.

Palestinians fire rockets in response to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

Smoke and flames rise after Israeli forces strike targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions into rubble.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions into rubble.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions into rubble.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions into rubble.

Israeli rescue members work at a police station that was destroyed after a battle between Israeli troops and Hamas militants on October 8, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. On Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the largest surprise attack from Gaza in a generation, sending thousands of missiles and an unknown number of fighters by land, who shot and kidnapped Israelis in communities near the Gaza border. The attack prompted retaliatory strikes on Gaza and a declaration of war by the Israeli prime minister.

Rockets were fired towards Israel on October 8, 2023 at Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions into rubble.

Israeli rescue members work at a police station that was destroyed after a battle between Israeli troops and Hamas militants on October 8, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. On Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the largest surprise attack from Gaza in a generation, sending thousands of missiles and an unknown number of fighters by land, who shot and kidnapped Israelis in communities near the Gaza border. The attack prompted retaliatory strikes on Gaza and a declaration of war by the Israeli prime minister.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on Sunday in Gaza City, Gaza.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes after Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Sunday in Gaza City, Gaza.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes and business after Sunday's airstrikes by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli airstrikes caused extensive damage in Gaza City on Sunday.

Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike on Sunday.

A missile explodes in Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on Sunday.

The Boston Jewish Community Relations Council released their statement during Shabbat, a religious Jewish day of rest, which is a first for the organization.

We are taking the unprecedented step of coming online on Shabbat. We are praying for the safety and security of the Israeli people and for the civilians being put in harms way by the Hamas terrorist group, the council said.

Council officials said plans were underway to hold a gathering in Boston area to honor those killed in Israel, but details have not been released yet.

I stand firmly with Israel and unequivocally affirm its right to defend itself and its people.



I am confident @POTUS will act with purpose to assist the Israeli government, and I urge the Administration to move quickly.



1/5  Rep. Seth Moulton (@RepMoulton) October 7, 2023

President Joe Biden on Saturday decried the attacks. During a press conference, Biden said that he told Netanyahu that the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop.

In the street, in their homes, innocent people murdered, wounded, entire families taken hostage by Hamas, just days after Israel marked the holiest days in the Jewish calendar. Its unconscionable, Biden said.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, a Marine veteran of Iraq who represents Massachusetts Sixth District, said in a social media post that he stands firmly with Israel and he urged the Biden administration to move quickly to assist the Israeli government.

I stand firmly with Israel and unequivocally affirm its right to defend itself and its people, said Moulton, a Democrat. I am confident @POTUS will act with purpose to assist the Israeli government, and I urge the Administration to move quickly.

The world must figure out how to empower the peacemakers in this generations-long conflict.



Hamass actions to define the conflict today are evil, their tactics are criminal, and the future they paint is dark.



3/5  Rep. Seth Moulton (@RepMoulton) October 7, 2023

The world must figure out how to empower the peacemakers in this generations-long conflict. Hamass actions to define the conflict today are evil, their tactics are criminal, and the future they paint is dark, Moulton said.

World reacts to Hamas attack on Israel

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat who serves as senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, called the surprise attacks horrific.

These horrific and indiscriminate terrorist attacks on Israel and its people must stop immediately, Shaheen said in a statement. My thoughts and prayers are with all Israelis, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have been killed. Israel has a right to defend itself against these and any terrorist attack, and I will continue to monitor this situation closely.

We are taking the unprecedented step of coming online on Shabbat. We are praying for the safety and security of the Israeli people and for the civilians being put in harms way by the Hamas terrorist group.https://t.co/JUYoouU6C5 pic.twitter.com/ad4o1GetQR  Boston JCRC # (@BostonJCRC) October 7, 2023

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey also swiftly condemned the attacks on Israeli civilians, calling the actions by Hamas unconscionable.

I condemn the unconscionable attacks on innocent Israeli civilians by Hamas. Im holding the victims of this violence and their families in my heart, and praying for the safety of the people of Israel, Healey said in a social media post.

I condemn the unconscionable attacks on innocent Israeli civilians by Hamas. Im holding the victims of this violence and their families in my heart, and praying for the safety of the people of Israel.  Maura Healey (@MassGovernor) October 7, 2023

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, who represents Massachusettss 3rd congressional district, called the Hamas attack heinous.

I wholeheartedly condemn the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas that have killed dozens of Israeli citizens. The victims of this violence and their families are in my prayers. The United States will continue to stand strongly with our Israeli allies, Trahan said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday morning.

I wholeheartedly condemn the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas that have killed dozens of Israeli citizens. The victims of this violence and their families are in my prayers. The United States will continue to stand strongly with our Israeli allies.  Lori Trahan (@RepLoriTrahan) October 7, 2023

U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch said in a social media post that he is sickened to see the bloody footage of the attacks on innocent Israeli civilians.

I am sickened to see the footage of the savage terrorist attacks in Israel and the senseless killing of innocent Israeli civilians. There can be no justification for the slaughter of innocent people and I fully support Israels right to defend its civilian population, Lynch said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

I am sickened to see the footage of the savage terrorist attacks in Israel and the senseless killing of innocent Israeli civilians. There can be no justification for the slaughter of innocent people and I fully support Israels right to defend its civilian population.  Rep. Stephen Lynch (@RepStephenLynch) October 7, 2023

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts called for an immediate de-escalation of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian region to avoid further bloodshed.

I condemn this heinous attack on Israel, and am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of civilian life. We must do everything in our power to deescalate violence, engage diplomacy, and avert bloodshed. A war between Israel and Palestine would be catastrophic, Markey said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, early Saturday afternoon.

I condemn this heinous attack on Israel, and am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of civilian life. We must do everything in our power to deescalate violence, engage diplomacy, and avert bloodshed. A war between Israel and Palestine would be catastrophic.  Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) October 7, 2023

Congressman Bill Keating, who represents the 9th Congressional District of Massachusetts, called the Hamas attacks senseless.

I am saddened to learn of the senseless terrorist attacks in Israel and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. America stands with the Government and people of Israel in the fight against terrorism, Keating said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, who represents Massachusettss 5th congressional district, joined lawmakers in condemning the violence.

I strongly condemn the vicious terrorist attack by Hamas against innocent civilians in Israel. The violence is unprovoked and appalling, and I send prayers to the families in mourning and communities under siege, Clark said in a social media post.

I strongly condemn the vicious terrorist attack by Hamas against innocent civilians in Israel. The violence is unprovoked and appalling, and I send prayers to the families in mourning and communities under siege.  Katherine Clark (@WhipKClark) October 7, 2023

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren also condemned the terrorist attacks.

I strongly condemn the horrific attacks against Israel by Hamas. There is no justification for this terrorism, and my heart goes out to the innocent civilians suffering from this senseless violence, Warren said in a social media post on X.

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley said in a post on X, These devastating attacks on Israelis are deeply alarming and my heart breaks for the victims & their loved ones. We need an immediate ceasefire & de-escalation. It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence & trauma, and work toward a just & lasting peace in the region.

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, a Worcester Democrat, also condemned the attacks.

I am horrified by the news coming out of Israel. I strongly condemn these vicious terror attacks. There is never an excuse for such despicable violence. I am praying for the innocent Israelis & Palestinians who have been caught in the crossfire. May peace prevail, McGovern said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

I strongly condemn the horrific attacks against Israel by Hamas. There is no justification for this terrorism, and my heart goes out to the innocent civilians suffering from this senseless violence.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) October 7, 2023

The Massachusetts Republican Jewish Committee and the Massachusetts Republican Party said in a joint statement, Israel is currently enduring a continuous, multi-faceted series of terrorist attacks from Hamas-controlled Gaza. That Hamas has launched such an attack should come as no surprise. Hamas has been doing it for years. What is different now is that the scope of the attack is massive. Hamas is attacking Israel by land, air, and even the sea. Dozens of Israelis are already dead, with the casualties sure to rise with the launch of thousands of missiles into Israel.

In a statement, MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale said, The timing of this latest terrorist barrage is hardly a coincidence. The Biden Administration recently released $6 billion to Iran in return for five American hostages. Iran is the major funder of terrorism in the Middle East and thanks to Joe Biden, the formerly cash-starved Iran now has billions to funnel to Hamas.

History has taught us that appeasement only begets war. And war is what is occurring right now as the terrorist Hamas, with the apparent full military and financial backing of its terrorist-sponsor Iran, is determined to kill as many Jews in Israel as possible, the statement said.

Carnevale said that Massachusetts Republicans stand with our friends in Israel and urge our Nations leaders to stop appeasing terrorist regimes.

In a social media post on Saturday, Matthew Miller, spokesman for the U.S. State Department, refuted claims that the deal with Iran to return five American hostages were connected to the the surprise attacks on Israeli civilians.

Lets be clear: the deal to bring U.S. citizens home from Iran has nothing to do with the horrific attack on Israel. Not a penny has been spent, and when it is, it can only go for humanitarian needs like food and medicine. Anything to the contrary is false, Miller said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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The Greater Miami Jewish Federation opened an Israel Emergency Fund in response to its outrage Saturday over unprovoked Hamas attacks on Israel that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says has plunged the state into war. Rocket fire and armed assaults killed hundreds and injured and displaced thousands more Israelis and Palestinians during the Sabbath and the Jewish holy days.

We awoke to the shocking news that Israel is at war, Jacob Solomon, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, said in a statement.

Federation is in close contact with its overseas partners, and we anticipate an unprecedented need for donations to assist victims of terror and their families. Today is the Sabbath, a day of peace, a holiday on the Jewish calendar, and a time for Thanksgiving. We must come together in unity and in strength and know that Israel will prevail, Solomon said.

READ MORE: Florida leaders express support for Israel after surprise attack kills hundreds

The funds goal is to provide relief for families and counseling for traumatized citizens as well as food and other vital supplies to elderly and homebound Israelis, the Federation leader said.

How to contribute to the fund

Website: The Federations Israel Emergency Fund was set up at jewishmiami.org/gift/israel-emergency-fund/. You can click on the site and fill in your details and your chosen contribution.

Call: The Federation can provide assistance in donating by phone at 305-576-4000.

Mail: Donation checks with the notation Israel Emergency Fund can be mailed to: Greater Miami Jewish Federation, 4200 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, Florida 33137.

In a release sent to media sites, the Federation said it will absorb all administrative costs so that 100% of funds collected will go directly to those impacted.
The race to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the US House of Representatives is underway, and Republicans are currently being confronted with two very different choices that could represent two different paths for the party - and Congress itself.

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan are currently the two most prominent candidates. While their policy positions are similar - both are staunch conservatives who oppose abortion and gun restrictions, support more stringent immigration policies, want to slash government spending, and back Donald Trump - the two have wildly different styles that could determine how House Republicans operate for the foreseeable future.

Mr Scalise has risen through the ranks of the House Republicans through shrewd manoeuvring and an insider's ability to effectively whip votes. As the number two Republican in the House, ascending to the top leadership post is a natural progression for him.

Mr Jordan, however, is far more of a firebrand, and has become a favourite among the Republican base for his distrust of the federal government and public displays of allegiance to Donald Trump. As a result, he has become far more associated with Mr Trump and the "Make America Great Again" movement.

"The contrast between them is, Steve Scalise is more establishment, and Jim Jordan is more anti-establishment, more populist," said Laura Blessing, senior fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. "You've got an establishment versus insurgent energy."

In essence, Ms Blessing said, it was a choice between maintaining a semblance of the status quo that the House saw under Mr McCarthy, or heading towards a governing style laced with an obstructionist attitude.

Congress now faces a November deadline to agree on legislation to fund the government and avert a shutdown.

In Mr Jordan, Republicans have a candidate that "opens up a very real possibility of prolonged shutdowns or similar activity", Ms Blessing said.

"If you are looking for someone who is more likely to avert shutdowns, be more of a voice for the establishment, that appears to be Steve Scalise," she said.

Their reasoning for seeking the job has played out along these divisions.

Mr Scalise is pitching himself as a Speaker who could work through the rancorous divisions in Congress, particularly among Republicans.

"Look, the conversations right now are: How do we get back on track? How we come back together?" Mr Scalise told reporters Friday. "My background is somebody who's built coalitions, who has united Republicans to come together on really tough things."

In a letter announcing his candidacy, Mr Jordan used more heated partisan language, saying: "Far-left progressive policies are destroying our communities, our security, and our future."

The stylistic distinction is important, because their influence will be felt beyond Washington DC.

Whoever takes the helm will play a major role in setting the national party's agenda - and tone. And like the House Republicans, the party overall has been grappling with a similar populist versus establishment dynamic for years.

That connection to the overall party battles was made explicit when Mr Trump elbowed his way into the contest and endorsed Mr Jordan for Speaker.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is challenging Mr Trump, said that both candidates are "good guys" but added: "You can't just say, continue business as usual. You got to be somebody that understands we need a fundamentally different path here."

Republicans who oppose or seek to move on past Mr Trump have spoken against Mr Jordan's candidacy for Speaker, casting him as an extreme candidate.

The have specifically called out Mr Jordan's actions around the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol, when pro-Trump rioters stormed Congress in an attempt to stop the certification of Joe Biden's election. (Both Mr Scalise and Mr Jordan voted against certifying legitimate election results for Mr Biden.)

"Jim Jordan knew more about what Donald Trump had planned for January 6 than any other member of the House of Representatives," said former Rep Liz Cheney, who was Republican co-chair of the House committee investigating the attack and was later ousted from Congress.

Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump White House aide who testified before the House committee, said in a recent interview that "Jim can't be trusted with the Constitution."

"Jim Jordan was privy to nearly everything, if not everything, about and pertaining to January 6," she said.

In the coming days, one of these men must convince 218 of their colleagues to vote for them for Speaker.

Regardless of who wins, the next Speaker will have at least one major problem on their plate.

"I think the institution of the speakership has been damaged," said Doug Heye, a former Republican spokesman.

"The next speaker is going to have to work to repair that."
A Houston man was sentenced to life in prison without parole Thursday after being convicted of capital murder in the robbery and shooting of an employee at a Sunnyside recording studio specializing in rap and hip hop, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

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"This was an intentional and premeditated armed robbery and shootout," Ogg said. "This defendant gunned down a man who was a good father and a loving grandfather for practically nothing, and because of that, this defendant belongs in prison for the rest of his life."

Ethan Jenkins, 28, was convicted of capital murder by a Harris County jury for robbing and killing 42-year-old Jon Whitfield at about 10 p.m. on March 25, 2019.

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Jenkins took his mothers tan Suburban to HKMG (Hoodkats Music Group) at 4119 Reed Road in a strip mall across the street from Worthing High School. Jenkins went into a smoke shop in the mall for a few minutes but did not buy anything. Instead, he watched the parking lot as people left the recording studio.

After most of the people had left, Jenkins came out of the store, got a gun out of his vehicle, and went into the recording studio.

Surveillance video shows Jenkins walking in and immediately pulling the pistol and making demands.

Whitfield, who was employed by the recording studio and helped with security, was also armed. He pulled his gun, and the two men exchanged gunfire.

Whitfield was killed, and Jenkins then ransacked the studio. He forced another employee at gunpoint to show him where the valuables were.

Assistant District Attorney Napoleon Stewart, a Chief in the DAs Organized Crime Division, prosecuted the case with ADA Jacob Salinas in a four-day trial.

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"He waited in the smoke shop for the right time to strike, then went to his car to arm himself and then went in on the attackit was well-planned out," Stewart said. "Then, he put the hot pistol to the neck of the other employee and marched him around the studio looking for the money and made that employee damage the surveillance video equipment."

After Jenkins was convicted of capital murder, he was automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole.
HOUSTON - Gunfire rang out while officers were investigating a disturbance at an apparent after-hours bar in Houston, and one man was injured, police say. No officers were shot.

The incident occurred around 5 a.m. Saturday in the 10700 block of the Gulf Freeway.

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According to police, officers responded to a call about a disturbance and were gathering information near the front of the bar when shots rang out at the back of the parking lot.

Officers went over and found a man with a gunshot wound to the arm, but the shooter was gone.

The wounded man was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. Police say its unclear if he was the intended target or just a bystander.

Asst. Chief Keith Seafous Media Briefing on Shooting at 10729 Gulf Fwy https://t.co/8NXEKM0bJR  Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 7, 2023

Police say its also unclear if the shooter was directly shooting at the officers, but the gunfire reportedly came close to them.

"From what the officer described, the rounds came dangerously close to them because they could actually hear the rounds whizzing by their heads," Assistant Chief Keith Seafous said.

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Police did not have a detailed description of the suspect other than a male wearing dark clothing who left on foot.

Police are speaking with witnesses and looking for surveillance video. Anyone with information is asked to call the HPD Major Assault Division at (713)308-8800 or speak anonymously with Crime Stoppers at (713)222-TIPS.
 Flash

Smoke billows in Ashkelon on October 7, 2023. [Photo by Ahmad Gharabli/CFP]

Massive rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, while a number of Palestinian militants have penetrated into Israel from Gaza, the Israeli military said Saturday, while hitting back.



According to Israeli medical sources, the new round of conflict between the two sides has already killed 22 Israelis.

The surprise attack targeting Israel started a few minutes before 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) on the morning of Israeli holiday Simchat Torah. Earlier the Israeli emergency service Megan David Adom said one civilian was killed and over a dozen injured.

Two hours after the attack began, the Israeli air force launched airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip, declaring that it was "on alert for war." Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the drafting of reserve soldiers to the military.

Footage on social media showed masked gunmen driving around the Israeli city of Sderot and shooting in the streets. Israeli news channels quoted residents of several cities on the border with Gaza as saying there were masked gunmen in the streets and near homes.

Footage on news channels showed damage from rocket fire in several scenes.

Rockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. [Photo/CFP]

Accusing Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, of being behind the attack, the Israeli military said in a statement that the Palestinian movement "will bear the results and responsibility for the events."



Mohammed al-Deif, a leader from Hamas, announced on Saturday the beginning of a new military operation "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel, via a brief recorded statement.

The Hamas-run health authorities said in a press statement that Israel attacked a hospital in north Gaza, killing a worker and injuring some locals.

In recent weeks, there have been protests at the border, with demonstrators burning tires and throwing explosive devices at Israeli troops. Hamas said the protests were in reaction to recent Jewish visits to the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. In response, Israel has barred the entry of Gaza residents who had permits to work in the country.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said the plans could result in an Old Oak Common terminus "for decades, if not permanently"

The mayor of London has written to the Prime Minister to "express concern" at his plans for the HS2 project.

In his letter, Sadiq Khan tells Rishi Sunak that expecting private investment for a Euston terminal and underground connections is "wishful thinking".

He says the plans may result in a "ridiculous" journey that "could take as long as the existing route".

Number 10 claims there is already "extensive interest" from the private sector.

A government spokesperson said: "As has always been planned the line will finish at Euston - this is a world class regeneration opportunity and there is already extensive support and interest from the private sector to invest.

"We will respond in full to the mayor of London's letter in due course."

The letter follows news that the high-speed rail line will not be extended to Euston unless enough private investment is secured, meaning passengers' journeys would terminate at Old Oak Common in the capitals western suburbs.

The mayor wrote he is concerned about the government's "intention to withdraw public funding" for the Euston terminus and the four and-a-half mile tunnel from Old Oak Common to Euston.

Mr Khan said: "Given current challenges in the British economy, asserting that the 6.5bn cost of a terminus at Euston and potentially more for the tunnel link to Old Oak Common will be covered by the private sector seems wishful thinking."

He also asks for reassurance the government will "act as 'funder of last resort'" to make sure the terminus remains at Euston, and raises questions about how the government calculated 10,000 homes would be created through a development corporation.

Mr Khan warns much of the proposed area has height restrictions "resulting from the nationally protected views of St Paul's Cathedral".

Map of HS2 showing current plans and cancelled routes across England.

The mayor says he is worried the announcement "will leave the Euston terminus of HS2 a distant hope, resulting in a line which ends at Old Oak Common for decades, if not permanently, in what would be a devastating blow for passengers using the line and for the economy of London and the whole country".

Mr Khan continues by saying the plans could result in "a ridiculous situation where a 'high speed' journey between Birmingham and central London could take as long as the existing route, if not longer".

He also raises the issue of overcrowding at the existing entry and exit points for Euston, and on the Elizabeth line, saying it could "lead to potentially unsafe conditions for passengers".

"HS2's own figures show 85% of their passengers arriving at Euston then need to use the underground to continue their journey which will overwhelm the existing London Underground connections."

'Everyone just wants clarity'

BBC London's Transport Correspondent Tom Edwards said: "The Euston area has been worst affected by HS2.

"Hundreds of homes have been demolished or affected and businesses have been moved out. Hotels and pubs have been destroyed. There have been years of blight and disruption already.

"The big concern is there will be thousands of top-end luxury flats and affordable housing and businesses will be ditched.

"The local council fears it could also be cut out of the planning process, meaning there will be no affordable housing or business space.

"On top of that, the mayor and TfL fear scaling back Euston will mean the Underground getting overcrowded.

"Everyone just wants clarity and at the moment there isn't any."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk
The Red Crescent Society in Palestine is seen responding to Israeli violence on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Red Crescent Society/Facebook

Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Human rights groups are making varied responses to new Palestine-Israel violence, ranging from full-on support of Israel to warnings for both sides to respect human life.

The Anti-Defamation League, which bills itself as the "global leader in combatting antisemitism," fully backed Israel. The organization referred to Hamas as "terrorists" and noted its connections to Iran while stating that Israel has the "indisputable right to defend itself."

"The missiles aimed at Israeli towns and the terrorists infiltrating villages are no less than war crimes as they target civilians," the ADL said. "We call on responsible members of the international community to take concrete actions both in support of Israel and against those who support the Palestinian terrorists."

Amnesty International, the global non-governmental organization focused on human rights, was one of the groups that took a more measured response -- though noted Hamas' responsibility for escalating recent tensions with Saturday's rocket attack.

"We are deeply alarmed by the mounting civilian death tolls in Gaza, Israel and the occupied West Bank and urgently call on all parties to the conflict to abide by international law and make every effort to avoid further civilian bloodshed. Under international humanitarian law all sides in a conflict have a clear obligation to protect the lives of civilians caught up in the hostilities," said Agnes Callamard Amnesty International's Secretary General.

"Deliberately targeting civilians, carrying out disproportionate attacks, and indiscriminate attacks which kill or injure civilians are war crimes. Israel has a horrific track record of committing war crimes with impunity in previous wars on Gaza. Palestinian armed groups from Gaza, must refrain from targeting civilians and using indiscriminate weapons, as they have done in the past, and most intensively in this event, acts amounting to war crimes."

Doctors Without Borders also took a more balanced response but singled out Israeli forces for striking two hospitals in Gaza in retaliation against Palestine.

"Healthcare facilities cannot become targets. We ask all parties to respect health infrastructures, which must remain a sanctuary for people seeking treatment," Doctors Without Borders said in the statement."The scale of this new round of hostilities must not be underestimated, with Palestinian and Israeli authorities reporting massive casualties all over Israel and Gaza."

Human Rights Watch, another of the world's largest groups dedicated to such causes, did not appear to make any formal comment by press time. The HRW has previously blasted Israel for "apartheid and persecution."

Meanwhile, Israeli and Palestine-supporting Muslim groups in the United States volleyed with flurries of press releases in support of the respective nations.

Palestine is recognized by most nations around the world as a sovereign nation and has observer status with the U.N. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this year also reaffirmed Washington's commitment to a two-state solution to the conflict.

Still, Israel and the United States remain firm allies -- largely because of the Israeli lobby in the U.S.

"The United States Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the nation's largest American Muslim civil society umbrella organization, reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their right to freedom from the Israeli occupation," the organization said in its news release.

"The recent unprovoked and continuous attacks by Israel on Palestinian towns, cities, and refugee camps have resulted in tragic loss of Palestinian lives. We condemn Israel's targeted and indiscriminate killing of civilians, including innocent children, women, and the elderly."

The organization also urged Arab and Muslim countries that have normalized relations with Israel to "reconsider their approach in pursuit of peace and stability in the region."

"Normalizing relations should never come at the expense of the Palestinian people's rights to their lands. There can be no true peace that disregards the sanctity and Muslim rights of the Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds Alshareef."
Ornithology enthusiasts in Chicago were left stunned by a major bird collision in the city, which has left hundreds of the animals dead.

The incident which occurred earlier this week comes amid a major migration in the area, with adverse weather, glass and high-intensity migration thought to be among the causes.

The Chicago Bird Collision Monitors reported that its volunteers had collected close to 300 injured birds, with many more dead, on Thursday alone.

The groups volunteers work to protect and recover migratory birds killed and injured in the downtown Chicago area each year during spring and autumn migrations.

PhD candidate Taylor Hains, who works at the Chicago Field Museum and assists with bird collection told WTTV News that birds were still colliding with windows at the McCormick Place building as rescue operations continued.

The Independent understands that the total number of birds collected on Thursday eventually totalled nearly 900.

David Willard is a retired bird division collections manager at the Chicago Field Museum, where his duties included administering, preserving and cataloguing the museums collection of 500,000 bird specimens as well as searching for bird strikes as part of migration research.

He told the Associated Press that the scenes outside McCormick Place was like a carpet of dead birds at the windows.

A normal night would be zero to 15 (dead) birds. It was just kind of a shocking outlier to what weve experienced, Mr Willard said.

Dead birds in Chicago following a major bird collision event (Taylor Hains)

In 40 years of keeping track of whats happening at McCormick, weve never seen anything remotely on that scale.

A post from BirdCast, an organisation which provides real-time predictions of bird migrations, read: Our colleagues and friends in the Chicago, Illinois area have sad news about a major bird collision event that occurred last night and this morning, 4-5 October 2023.

Reports from the area indicate that large numbers of birds died in collisions while major migration was occurring in the area.

Although details are still emerging, this event appears to be a combination of high-intensity migration, adverse weather conditions for flying, and light and glass  a mix we know too well can be deadly.

(Taylor Hains)

The organisation also urged all businesses, building owners and private residences, as well as operators of any illuminated structures, to heed lights-out warnings for non-essential lights to be turned off during the migration season.

The American Bird Conservancy estimates 1 billion birds a year die from colliding with glass, with window strikes known to be an issue in almost every major US city.

Birds do not see clear or reflective glass and do not understand it is a lethal barrier. When they see plants or bushes through windows or reflected in them, they head for them, killing themselves in the process.

Birds that migrate at night, like sparrows and warblers, rely on the stars to navigate. Bright lights from buildings both attract and confuse them, leading to window strikes or birds flying around the lights until they die from exhaustion  a phenomenon known as fatal light attraction
An Idaho woman arrested last year when she was accused of being involved in the case of Michael Vaughan , a Fruitland boy who went missing over two years ago, will spend at least three years in prison on crimes stemming from a separate incident.

Sarah Wondra, 35, of Fruitland, pleaded guilty in August to two felonies: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. A charge of possession of a controlled substance was dismissed as part of a plea deal, according to online court records.

She was sentenced Friday in Payette County by District Judge Kiley Stuchlik to three years fixed in prison, followed by two years indeterminate, meaning she could be eligible for parole after serving three years.

Payette County Prosecutor Mike Duke did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sentencing from the Idaho Statesman.

The felony charges are related to an incident that occurred on April 13, 2022. According to court documents, Wondra pointed a gun at a guest who was staying with her and then brought the gun to her parents home, later admitting that she knew she was not supposed to be in possession of a firearm.

When police responded to a 911 call about the incident, they found that she unlawfully possessed acetaminophen/hydrocodone, commonly sold under the brand name Vicodin, the Statesman previously reported.

Wondra was arrested in November last year and eventually charged with failure to report a death in the Vaughan case. Police excavated the backyard of the home she shared with her husband, roughly half a mile from the Vaughan family home. Authorities have said they believe the missing boy was buried there at one point and later moved.

That lone charge connecting Wondra to the case was dismissed in August.

Idaho woman faced only charge for missing Fruitland boy. Why was it just dropped?

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LAS VEGAS - A couple celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary in a unique way, placing bets at casinos in Las Vegas.

John and Kristina Mehaffey marked their 21 years together by attempting to set an unofficial world record for placing bets at the most casinos in 24 hours. Their goal was to gamble at 93 casinos, surpassing the previous record of 74.

"We had it planned out. I had a Google Maps set up as well as a spreadsheet that literally had every stop, the estimated time we thought we'd be at every place, estimated time we thought we'd spend in each casino. We literally had it planned to the minute as much as we could," said Kristina.

The Mehaffeys successfully accomplished their goal in less than a day, but the real question remains: How much did they win on those bets?
If it is a truism that all political careers end in failure, the definition of failure in most democracies involves an election loss or the mundanity of a policy not working. In Israel, political failure can lead to catastrophe  as we are now witnessing in gruesome, sickening detail.

For most of his career Benjamin Netanyahu was a titanic figure  a colossus who dominated not just Israeli politics but, by extension, much of the region. He has been prime minister, on and off, for the past 15 years. He was also, vitally, right about almost everything, not least in his obsession with the threat posed to Israel and the wider Middle East by Iran.

But the Netanyahu who took office again in December was anything but titanic. He was diminished not just by having to stand trial for corruption  a trial which is ongoing  but by having to assemble a coalition comprised not in the usual Israeli way of various mainstream parties with differing nuances who pop in and out of power depending on whatever post-election deal they manage to do, but with extremist politicians who are so toxic that no mainstream politician would normally go near them.

There are two important contexts to remember in understanding yesterdays terrorist attacks. The first is the improvement in Israels relations with its Arab neighbours, codified in the Abraham Accords with Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the UAE  and even more importantly the rapprochement with Saudi Arabia. The other is Israels political situation.

The past 10 months have seen Israel riven apart by the governments proposed judicial reforms, which are intended to shackle the Supreme Courts power and willingness to rule legislation illegal. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest. The issue that matters in the context of the terror attacks is not which side is right, but that the only face Israel has presented to the world has been one of a divided country in political crisis, led by a man who is only able to maintain power by siding with extremists whose views are rejected by the vast majority of Israelis. When you demonstrate weakness and division your enemies notice.

Yom Kippur War

Having won every war it has had to fight after being attacked, Israel has since maintained an aura of invincibility for decades. That seeming invincibility has been vital to the security its citizens prize above all else. It has also been the key to Netanyahus political success. His promise to voters  on which he has previously delivered  has been that he will protect them. Security has always been his priority and his focus in government. But this time, he has not so much been distracted by the crisis over judicial reform as utterly shackled by it, without the time or political bandwidth to deal with almost anything else.

The weakness that this signalled to Israels enemies is why the crisis always mattered more than merely as a row about the powers of the Supreme Court.

Yesterdays terror attacks were clearly not an impromptu move. They were coordinated and planned on a scale never seen before, with rockets accompanied by incursions deep into Israel itself. And they took place the day after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War  the worst military and intelligence failure in Israels 75 years. That and the planning involved cannot have been a coincidence. The hand of Iran is clear.

Hamas is not, as some fools would have it, a plucky group of freedom fighters. It is a murderous proxy of the Iranians, who are the worlds largest funders of terror. The Iranians fund Hamas. The Iranians have been wrong-footed by the Abraham Accords  which were driven by the realisation by Arab states that they and Israel shared a common enemy in Iran. But however bad that may have been for them, an understanding between Israel and the Saudis is of a different order of magnitude. It would transform the Middle East.

Which brings us back to Netanyahu. The Iranians will have seen Israels divisions and his governments weakness  masquerading as a determination to ram through its judicial reforms  and pounced. He was determined that his legacy would be a deal with the Saudis. It now seems that his departing legacy will be Israels worst military and intelligence failure since the Yom Kippur War.

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FILE PHOTO: People walk along a street as a jeep is buried in the mud due to the flood at Teesta Bazaar in Kalimpong District, West Bengal

KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - Indian rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach flood-hit areas in the north-eastern state of Sikkim where more than 140 people are missing because the region is still experiencing bouts of heavy rain, officials said on Saturday.

The Lhonak Lake burst its banks on Wednesday after a cloudburst triggered torrential rains and an apparent avalanche, causing major flooding in the Teesta river.

"We are waiting for weather conditions to improve as only then air force and other rescue teams could venture into the flood-hit areas," said V.B.Pathak, the state's chief secretary.

The death toll has risen to 44, up by 2 from Friday, according to a government official overseeing rescue operations from Gangtok, the state's capital.

Hundreds of search and rescue personnel have been deployed across Sikkim and in the northern parts of the neighbouring West Bengal state. Areas near the river remain on high alert. Fifteen army personnel are among those reported missing.

About 2,000 tourists clustered in the Lachung, Lachen and Chungthung areas in north Sikkim were reported to be safe and the army has provided satellite phones so they can communicate with their families, said another official.

At least 13 bridges were washed away, hampering rescue operations. All bridges downstream of NHPC hydropower station Teesta-V have either been submerged or washed away.

A key highway that linked Sikkim with Siliguri in West Bengal also collapsed due to the floods.

Local lawmakers were looking at whether trekking routes could be used to reach disaster-hit areas, said Bandana Chettri, a spokeswoman for the state's tourism ministry.

The floods were one of the worst disasters in the region in more than 50 years and the latest in a series of extreme weather events that have caused widespread damage in South Asia's Himalayas and which scientists have said are due to climate change.

Sikkim, a small Buddhist state wedged between Nepal, Bhutan and China, is home to about 650,000 people.

(Reporting by Subrata Nag Choudhury; Writing by Rupam Jain; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
CHICAGO - A passenger was killed in a head-on collision on DuSable Lake Shore Drive near South Loop Friday night.

Officers responded to the 2900 block of South Lake Shore Drive at about 11:48 p.m. for a two-vehicle crash.

Chicago police say a 53-year-old man was driving the wrong direction in the northbound lanes of the highway when he struck an oncoming vehicle head-on.

A 29-year-old man who was riding passenger in the vehicle that was struck was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition where he was pronounced dead. He suffered blunt force trama to the body.

Police did not release the condition of the driver who was struck.

The driver of the striking vehicle was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition. Police say he was issued traffic citations.

The Major Accidents Unit is investigating the cause of the accident.
Iowa Democrats caved to the Democrat National Committee (DNC) on the party's new presidential nominating calendar and will allow the state's 2024 Democrat caucuses to move from one of the first contests in the nation, to an entirely vote-by-mail process with results released on March 5, or Super Tuesday.

The DNC rules panel on Friday approved the plan Iowa Democrats released earlier in the day that would see what has been the country's first presidential contest since 1972 move to a months-long process where voters have from mid-January until March to mail-in their presidential preference card.

Registration to receive a card will begin on November 1, and they will start being mailed out on January 12. Democratic voters have until February 19 to request a card, and must have them mailed by March 5.

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President Joe Biden address a campaign rally on the first anniversary of the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision which struck down a federal right to abortion at the Mayflower Hotel on June 23, 2023 in Washington, DC.

But Iowa Democrat's representative to the DNC panel said that the changes were only for 2024.

"We intend to be first in 2028," said Scott Brennan told the DNC committee, the Des Moines Register reported. "So we're here to support the president in 2024, and by releasing the results on March 5, that's what we're doing. But all bets are off for 2028."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Iowa's decision to comply with the DNC comes as the the party's fight continues with the crucial early voting state of New Hampshire over an effort to dramatically refigure the 2024 presidential nominating calendar. The Granite State's governor, Republican Chris Sununu, vowed it "will not back down" on its effort to keep its primary the first in the nation.

The DNC overwhelmingly voted in early February to dramatically alter the top of its presidential nominating calendar for the 2024 election cycle, bumping Iowa and New Hampshire from their longtime leadoff positions in favor of South Carolina in order to better reflect Black and Hispanic voters in the early primary contests.

Democrats for years have knocked both Iowa and New Hampshire as unrepresentative of the party as a whole, for being largely White with few major urban areas. Nevada and South Carolina, which in recent cycles have voted third and fourth on the calendar, are much more diverse than either Iowa or New Hampshire. Nevada and South Carolina were added to the Democratic calendar nearly two decades ago to increase the diversity of the early states electorate.

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But both Iowa and New Hampshire balked at the changes.

The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee voted last month to grant New Hampshire  which for a century has held the first primary in the race for the White House  a third extension to give the state more time to come into compliance with the national party committee's new schedule.

The move by the panel came after New Hampshire Secretary of State Dave Scanlan announced that his state's presidential primary filing period would start on Oct. 11, leading to a contest that will likely be held in late January  ahead of South Carolina  and putting the Granite State on a collision course with the DNC.

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A sign outside the state capital building in Concord, New Hampshire, spotlights the state's treasured position for the past century in holding the lead-off presidential primary.

The extension unanimously granted by the DNC panel on Thursday would last until Oct. 14.

However, New Hampshire is likely to eventually be found in non-compliance and penalized, with the state all but certain to hold an unsanctioned primary that would probably keep President Biden from putting his name on the ballot.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.





Original article source: Iowa caves to Dems' primary calendar eliminating it from early contests as New Hampshire continues rebellion
Israeli soldiers work to secure residential areas following a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's foreign ministry said attacks by its ally Hamas on Israel on Saturday were an act of self-defence by Palestinians, and called on Muslim countries to support their rights.

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took Israel by surprise with the biggest attack in decades by gunmen who killed scores of people and brought hostages back into the Gaza Strip.

"This operation ... is the spontaneous movement of resistance groups and Palestine's oppressed people in defence of their inalienable rights and their natural reaction to the Zionists' warmongering and provocative policies," Iranian state media quoted ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani as saying.

"Iran considers that the Zionist occupier regime and its well-known supporters are responsible ... for the violence and killing against Palestinians and calls on Islamic countries to support ...the rights of the Palestinian people," Kanaani said.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, said in a statement: "This victorious operation will certainly expedite the collapse of the Zionist regime and promises its imminent annihilation," the semi-official news agency Fars reported.

Iran's Nournews, affiliated with a top security body, said the attacks "showed that, contrary to its claims of intelligence-security dominance over the resistance, Israel could not predict their operations, and that its Iron Dome was nothing but a dome of straw above a sand castle".

Government spokesperson Ali Bahadori-Jahromi told state media that the attacks "proved that the Zionist regime is more vulnerable than ever and that the initiative is in the hands of Palestinian youth".

Videos carried by state television showed people gathered at Tehran's Palestine Square to welcome the news of the attack, chanting "Death to Israel" and setting off fireworks. TV footage also showed scenes of jubilation in a number of cities across Iran.

Yahya Rahim Safavi, a former Revolutionary Guards commander who is now an adviser to Khamenei, earlier said: "We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem."

State television showed parliament members rising from their seats on Saturday to chant "Death to Israel" and "Palestine is victorious, Israel will be destroyed".

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; editing by Jan Harvey, Clelia Oziel and Nick Macfie)
Iranian government officials congratulated Hamas on its surprise attack on Israel early Saturday morning, expressing support for anti-Zionist resistance across the region.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is at war," Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani praised Hamas.

What took place today is in line with the continuation of victories for the anti-Zionist resistance in different fields, including Syria, Lebanon and occupied lands, Kanani told the semi-official news agency ISNA.

Government-backed Tasnim News Agency reported that a top military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, pledged Iranian support to the Hamas operation against Israel.



Meanwhile, Iranian state television showed clips of parliament members standing and chanting Death to Israel and Palestine is victorious."

Just days before the attacks, Khamenei delivered a speech at the International Islamic Unity Conference, claiming that the usurper Zionist regime would soon come to an end.

Today, the Palestinian movement is more alive than it has ever been during these 70 or 80 years, Khamenei said. The honorable Imam [Khomeini], may God be pleased with him, described, the usurper [Zionist] regime as a cancer. This cancer will definitely be eradicated, God willing, at the hands of the Palestinian people and the resistance forces throughout the region.

High-level Iranian officials were also reported to have met with members of Hamas leadership in Lebanon last month.

The strong Iranian support for the attacks comes as President Joe Biden reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israels security and many GOP candidates jumped to place blame for Saturdays violence on the Islamic Republic.

Iran has historically maintained strong ties with both Palestinian Hamas and Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group that holds similar goals including the destruction of the Israeli state. Hezbollah issued a statement Saturday saying that the organization is in direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the attack sends a message to the Arab and Islamic world, and the international community as a whole, especially those seeking normalization with this enemy, that the Palestinian cause is an everlasting one, alive until victory and liberation.



The statement reflects the precarious state of affairs in the region, as Saudi Arabia and Israel have been inching toward a U.S.-backed rapprochement  a state of harmony that would be deeply troublesome for Iran.

While Iran was quick to celebrate the Hamas attacks, both the Saudi and Qatari governments released messages of concern regarding the escalating violence.

In respective statements on Saturday, both governments contextualized the latest flare in conflict by referencing the Israeli governments role in stripping rights away from Palestinian people  with the Qatari foreign ministry going so far as to blame Israel for the escalation in violence over the weekend.

The State of Qatar expresses its deep concern over the developments in Gaza Strip and calls on all parties to de-escalate, and exercise maximum restraint. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds Israel solely responsible for the ongoing escalation due to its ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which was the repeated incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli police.

The Qatari statement also called on the international community to compel Israel to stop its flagrant violations of international law, respect the resolutions of international legitimacy and the historical rights of the Palestinian people, and to prevent these events from being used as a pretext to ignite a new asymmetric war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

The Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia released a similar statement on Saturday stating that the kingdom is closely following the developing violence and calling for the international community to intervene and introduce a two-state solution to achieve security and peace in the region.

The Kingdom calls for an immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides, the protection of civilians, and restraint, the statement read. The Kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities.

Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
Rockets launched at Israel from Gaza

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a state of war alert in the southern regions of Israel within 80 kilometers of the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7 morning after militants from Gaza fired a deadly barrage of rockets and sent gunmen into Israeli territory in a major escalation of the long running conflict between the two sides, The Times of Israel reported.

The state of war allows military commanders to restrict gatherings and close access to certain areas.

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The early morning rocket attack left at least one person (60-years-old woman) dead and many wounded. Sirens warning of incoming rockets continued for at least three hours after the initial barrage.

The attack was described as massive by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), also known by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal.

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Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif claimed responsibility for the rocket attack and called for a general uprising against Israel. Dubbing the operation Al-Aqsa Storm he said that the group had targeted the enemy positions, airports and military positions with 5,000 rockets and that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and the ongoing siege of Gaza.

Hamas is the Palestinian militant movement that runs Gaza.

In the last hour, the Hamas terrorist organization has begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, and terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations. The Hamas terrorist organization is the sovereign in the Gaza Strip and is responsible for this attack. It will face the consequences and responsibility for these events, the IDF said in a statement on Oct. 7 morning.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Benjamin Netanyahu , Prime Minister of Israel, has called upon the residents of the Gaza Strip to immediately evacuate, and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israel will change the reality in Gaza for 50 years ahead.

Source: The Times of Israel

Details: In an address to the nation, Netanyahu promised to use "all the might" of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) for destroying the potential of the Hamas terrorist group and called upon the residents of the Gaza Strip to "go away immediately".

Having called the events of this Saturday "something not seen before in Israel", he promised that "it will not happen again".

"We will win this war but the price will be unbearably high", the Prime Minister stated.

"We will fight until the victorious end and will have revenge for this tragic day they prepared for Israel and its nation", he said.

Netanyahu said that Israel will launch attacks throughout Hamas, turning the places where its members "hide and act" into "ruins".

In his turn, Israels Defence Minister Yoav Gallant threatens to change the reality in the Gaza Strip for 50 years ahead.

"They (the terrorists  ed.) saw no difference between women, children and the elderly, they harmed everybody. Soon [Hamas] will understand that it made a serious mistake and will pay for itWe will change the reality in Gaza 50 years ahead," Gallant said in a video address.

Meanwhile, the number of people killed in Hamas' massive attack on Israel increased to over 250 people, medics report. It is expected that the number of victims will continue to grow.

At least 1,450 people were injured, many of them in critical condition.

Background:

On the morning of 7 October, a large number of missiles was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas militants; fires surged through Israeli cities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out in support of Israel following the attack by Hamas terrorists.

Pentagon promised Israel to send everything necessary for self-defence and protection of civilians.

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!






Hamas captured multiple Israeli soldiers and civilians in attacks early Saturday and is holding them hostage, an Israeli military spokesperson confirmed, according to The Associated Press.

The Palestinian militant group launched the largest attack on Israel in decades early Saturday, invading multiple Israeli towns from Gaza and launching missiles into the country.

Israeli media outlet N12 claimed that 52 people had been captured by Hamas militants, citing unconfirmed reports.

The Palestinian government has claimed that 232 people have died in the fighting, and Israeli local media has claimed an additional 250 casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the conflict a war in a public address early Saturday.

We are at war, he said. Not an operation, not a round, but at war.

The enemy will pay an unprecedented price, he added, promising that Israel would return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.

The attacks, nearly 50 years to the day after the 1973 Yom Kippur war, were met with shock and prompted widespread support for Israel from most world leaders and governments.

Governments in Europe and the U.S. have pledged to support Israel amid rising violence, while nations in the Middle East have mostly condemned Israel for its role in the ongoing conflict with Palestine.

The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.



Updated 4:04 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Israel declared a "state of war" after a stunning attack from Hamas from the land, sea, and air.

Authorities say 250 Israeli citizens have so far been killed and more than 1,500 wounded.

At least 232 Palestinians have been killed and 1,700 wounded in retaliatory air strikes from Israel.

Editor's note: This story is being updated as events unfold.

Israel has declared a "state of war" after Hamas launched a surprise wave of attacks from Gaza that has so far killed at least 250 people. More than 1,500 people have also been wounded, according to the Israeli authorities.

"Citizens of Israel, we are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address to the nation. "This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours."

Militants from the blockaded Palestinian territory infiltrated Israel with paragliders, as well as boats and motor vehicles, in a brazen Saturday attack.

"Over the past half an hour, barrages of rockets have been launched by the Hamas terrorist organization from Gaza into Israel," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement early Saturday morning. "We urge the public in southern and central Israel to stay near protected areas and follow the instructions of the Home Front Command."

Emergency sirens were activated across central and southern Israel. There are reports of civilians and Israeli soldiers being kidnapped. One woman told The Times of Israel that her father told her he was being taken to Gaza. Another Israeli civilian told Insider that Israeli officials were calling on armed civilians to guard towns.

In a recorded message, Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif urged Israeli Arabs and others within Israel to join the fight. He dubbed the attack "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm," claiming it was a response to Israeli misdeeds, including the treatment of worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque.

Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

In response to the attacks, the IDF announced Operation "Swords of Iron." Israeli fighter jets bombed targets in Gaza, including a high-rise apartment building. Photographs published later by the military showed the mobilization of ground forces near Gaza. Already, at least 232 Palestinians have been killed and 1,700 wounded in retaliatory air strikes from Israel, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

"At this time, the IDF is reinforcing the south and the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip with several operational forces. Operational commanders are arriving to manage the combat in each location. In parallel to this, we have begun a wide mobilization of reservists for all IDF units," said Rear. Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, in a Telegram statement.

Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza, October 7, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington is prepared to assist Israel's response to the Hamas attack. In the coming days, he said, the United States would "work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the United States "unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians."

"There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," she said, adding that national security advisor Jake Sullivan is in contact with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

The wave of coordinated attacks across southern and central Israel is the heaviest in years and comes as the country marks the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

In 2014, a war between Israel and fighters in Gaza  also known as Operation Protective Edge  left more than 2,100 Palestinians dead, a majority of them civilians, as Israel bombarded the densely populated territory.

Read the original article on Business Insider
An Israeli tank is hit on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip

Hamas has declared war against Israel and the country will respond in full force by calling up its military reserves, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement on Oct. 7.

"This morning, Hamas made a grave mistake and started a war against the State of Israel. IDF soldiers are engaging the enemy at all points of infiltration, Gallant said.

Reports have emerged that dozens of Israelis have been killed and more than 100 injured, some of whom remain in critical condition.

On the morning of October 7, Israel was hit by a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

Mohammed Deif, the leader of the military wing of Hamas, announced that the armed group had launched a new military operation against Israel. Trucks transporting militants crossed the border, and some militants were even spotted flying overhead in paragliders.

5,000 rockets were allegedly fired at Israel on Saturday morning as part of a Hamas operation called Al-Aqsa Storm, Deif said.

Palestinian militants have been filmed in several Israeli towns, including Sderot. Elderly civilians have reportedly been shot dead in the town, and there are reports that others have been kidnapped.

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The News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Hamas on Saturday after the militant group launched a massive surprise attack on Israel, sending more than 5,000 rockets and dozens of fighters into Israeli villages near the Gaza strip. Israeli authorities said that at least 100 people had died in the attack, the scale of which stunned the country on a major Jewish holiday.

Israel launched retaliatory strikes in Gaza, which Palestinian officials said have killed at least 198 people and injured more than 1,600.

In a recorded video, Netanyahu said he had ordered clearing the settlements of the terrorists who infiltrated.

The enemy will pay a price it has never known before, he said. We are in a war, not an operation, in a war.

The Israeli military said that Hamas militants were holding Israeli civilians and soldiers hostage in Gaza, the Associated Press reported. Israel halted energy supply to the Gaza strip, the countrys energy minister said.

Know More

President Joe Biden said in a statement that the U.S. unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. Biden said he spoke to Netanyahu and was ready to offer all appropriate means of support to his government. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation, Biden said.

During their call, Netanyahu said a forceful, prolonged campaign  which Israel will win  is necessary.

In a brief address from the White House later Saturday afternoon, Biden underscored that U.S. support for Israel is rock solid and said he had directed his national security team to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself.

Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. Full stop. There is never a justification for terrorist attacks, he said. He called the attacks by Hamas, which the U.S. and European Union designate as a terrorist organization, unconscionable.

Biden also spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Saturday and said he had directed his team to be in contact with other countries in the region, European counterparts, and the Palestinian Authority.

A senior Biden administration official described deep and ongoing engagements between the U.S. and Israeli militaries to determine what Israel needs in terms of assistance. That is very much underway and we might have something to say about it as early as tomorrow, the official said on a call with reporters Saturday evening.

The White House is also actively discussing the potential impact of the lack of a U.S. House speaker on the ability to provide Israel with defense support. There probably is a role for Congress here, the senior administration official said. Without a permanent speaker, the House cannot pass legislation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Palestinian militants after they launched a surprise attack on his country Saturday.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas, the group that rules Gaza, led the deadly, multifront attack that left at least 200 people dead.

Israel has touted the success of its Iron Dome air defense system, but its not yet clear how effective the system was in todays attack given the number of rockets launched into Israel.

What is the Iron Dome?

The Iron Dome is Israels air missile defense system that can defend against short-range rockets, intercepting them in the air above the state. According to Israels Ministry of Defense, its capable of successfully handling multiple rockets at a time.

Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the system became operational in March 2011 and performed its first interception of a rocket from Gaza in April 2011. Since then, its intercepted thousands of rockets.

The system was designed to respond to threats from Gaza and southern Lebanon.

The system has successfully prevented countless rockets from hitting Israeli communities, the ministry wrote online.

The Iron Dome is part of Israels Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), which has several other systems. Davids Sling intercepts short-to-medium and medium-to-long-range missiles, the Arrow-2 intercepts medium to long-range missiles and the Arrow-3 intercepts long-range missiles.

The United States partnered with Israels Iron Dome Department to develop the system. Former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper visited Tel Aviv in 2020 and saw the Iron Dome when the U.S. purchased two of its own. The IMDO receives joint funding with the United States Missile Defense Agency to carry out joint initiatives.

The great relationship between these two organizations also translates into the cooperation between Israeli and American defense industries, which serve as key contributors to the development and production processes of the defense array, the ministry said online.

How does it work?

The Iron Domes uses multi-mission radar to detect what a rockets route is. The systems command and control center analyzes the trajectory of the rocket and its estimated landing area, Israels Ministry of Defense said.

The launcher receives the order to operate from the command and control unit to fire a rocket and intercept the incoming one. The artificial intelligence component of the system determines if people would be in danger of the incoming missile. If a missile is not determined to be a threat, the system will let the rocket land.

Since its a short-range system, the Iron Dome is designed to shoot down missiles with a range of about 40 miles or less. It also has the ability to be moved, either onto ships or across land, to better suit defense needs.

The Iron Dome must be reloaded to continuously intercept incoming missiles.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his country is now at war with the Hamas militant group following the groups unprecedented missile attack that killed at least 100 Israelis on a major holiday.

Netanyahu called for a mass mobilization of army reserves as dozens of Hamas fighters crossed the heavily fortified border in several locations on Saturday during the Shemini Atzeret holiday.

Israeli health officials told the New York Times that as of 9:30 p.m. local time, more than 1,400 Israelis were wounded and at least 100 were reported dead; both figures are likely to rise.

Health officials in Gaza also reported that nearly 200 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,600 wounded in gun battles or airstrikes. That figure is also set to rise as conflict continues.

Back at home, several law enforcement agencies have confirmed that they will be increasing security and patrols in light of the attacks.

A ball of fire and smoke rise from an explosion on a Palestinian apartment tower following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against Israel. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building after it was struck by an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Palestinians ride on an Israeli military vehicle taken by an army base overrun by Hamas militants near the Gaza Strip fence, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Abed Abu Reash)

Palestinians celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. (AP Photo/Hassan Eslaiah)

Several organizations in Southern California and across the nation have reacted to the events happening on the other side of the world.

The City of Beverly Hills released a statement:

We are appalled by this act of terrorism by Hamas against the citizens and civilian communities in Israel. We call on President Biden and Congress to act swiftly in support of Israel. Additionally, we hope all peace-loving nations of the world and the United Nations will condemn this senseless violence. Our hearts are with the people of Israel as we stand together to support Israel defending itself and condemn this heinous act.

Beverly Hills Mayor Dr. Julian Gold also noted that the Beverly Hills Police Department will be increasing security and patrols around Jewish institutions throughout the city.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released a statement:

I join voices across the nation condemning this horrific attack on Israel. The Los Angeles region has the second largest Jewish population outside of Israel and many families are anxiously awaiting developments as they unfold. My thoughts are with those families this morning, and Angelenos stand with those under siege mourning loss. May their memories be a blessing.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore released a statement:

The Los Angeles Police Department is aware of the turmoil in the Middle East and the lives lost. In those areas where we serve both our Jewish and Muslim communities, we will be conducting extra patrol to ensure the safety of all.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles released a statement:

Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of innocent Israeli lives murdered by Hamas terrorists. We also pray for the health of those Israelis who have been injured and the safe return of those who have been kidnapped. Once again, on a holy day of the Jewish calendar, Israelis have come under attack. The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles stands in solidarity with our beloved homeland. We are working with our partners in Israel and across the globe to ensure the people of Israel have our full support and necessary resources. Israel will prevail and the Jewish people will stand together  as we always do.

The U.S. State Department released a statement:

The United States unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israels right to defend itself.

President Joe Biden released a statement that reads in part:

I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel. Terrorism is never justifiedThe United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation: my Administrations support for Israels security is rock solid and unwavering.

The Anti-Defamation League released a statement that reads in part:

We woke up this morning as Israel is under a severe, unprecedented and deadly attack by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. The news is hard and painful, especially as we mark Shemini Atzeret and 50 years since the Yom Kippur War, but Israels resolve remains strongThe missiles aimed at Israeli towns and the terrorists infiltrating villages are no less than war crimes as they target civilians.

The Long Beach Police Department said in part:

In response to violence in the Middle East, wed like to share the following  At this time, there are no known credible threats of violence to our community. As a precaution, we are increasing our patrols and are out engaging with our community, including places of worship.

For live updates on the conflict in Israel, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
An attack by Hamas on Israel's southern and central areas has claimed the lives of at least 100 people and left over 900 injured.

Source: The Times of Israel

This morning the Israeli Navy killed a number of Hamas terrorists who attempted to infiltrate into Israel, the military says. pic.twitter.com/VafBR80OVA  Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

Details: The Israeli Ministry of Health reported that at least 100 people were killed and 908 injured in a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel's southern and central regions.

Meanwhile, the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that 198 Palestinians have been killed and 1,610 injured since the group's attack on Saturday morning, 7 October.

Hamas Deputy Head Saleh al-Arouri claimed in an interview with Al Jazeera that the group had captured "a large number" of Israelis and there are "senior officers" among them.

Israel is at war.



Earlier this morning armed Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli communities and started going house to house and murdering innocent Israelis.



Some of the images are so disturbing we cannot even share them.



We will take every measure to protect our citizens pic.twitter.com/BdvD6nYHwq  Israel   (@Israel) October 7, 2023

The Israel Defence Forces top spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, has confirmed that Hamas has taken several Israeli citizens hostage in the Gaza Strip.

Hagari said that fighting continues across 22 sites, and hostages were taken in Beeri and Ofakim.

According to Hagari, Israeli forces have been able to enter every city on the border with Gaza to inspect each of them.

Background:

On the morning of 7 October, rockets were fired en masse from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, and fires broke out in cities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a public statement on the massive attack by Hamas, saying that the country is at war, but it will prevail.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out in support of Israel following the attack by Hamas terrorists.

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 Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported to have regained control over the majority of settlements in the country's south.

Source: the Haaretz media outlet with reference to the spokesperson of the IDF

Details: The spokesperson stated that on 7 October, the IDF regained control over most of the settlements along the border with the Gaza Strip infiltrated by the Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants.

Among them are the settlements of Sderot, Sofa, Kerem-Shalom, Nirim, Naziv-Hatara, Nir-Oz, the Nakhal-Oz outpost, Hulit, Nir-Am, Nir Yitzhak, Beer-Sheva, Sde-Yemen, Magen and Urim.

Israeli forces seen beginning to demolish a police station in Sderot where a number of Hamas terrorists were holed up earlier. Unclear how many terrorists left inside. pic.twitter.com/9VA9OBx2hc  Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

At the same time, Yoav Gallant, Minister of Defence of Israel, decided to spread the emergency situation throughout the state, as reported by his office.

Earlier, Gallant announced a "special situation" mode within a 80 km radius from the Gaza Strip.

The "special situation" mode allows the military command to limit gatherings and block off districts.

Background:

On the morning of 7 October, a large number of missiles was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas militants; fires surged through Israeli cities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out in support of Israel following the attack by Hamas terrorists.

As of the evening of Saturday, 7 October, the death toll has risen to over 200 following the Hamas attack on Israel; more than 1,100 people sustained injuries.

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!






Israeli officials called on armed civilians to guard their towns following attacks by Hamas.

Hamas launched an attack from Gaza on Saturday. Israel has since declared a "state of war."

Ziv Cohen, a tour guide from Mazkeret Batya, is one of the civilians who volunteered to stand guard.

Ziv Cohen woke up at about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday to the rumble of someone moving furniture in the apartment above him.

"Then, suddenly, after it continued again and again, it came to my head that I'm on the top floor," Cohen told Insider. "There is no one above me to move a chair. It was an attack."

Cohen, 54, was actually hearing "barrages of rockets" launched early Saturday by Hamas, the political and military organization governing the Gaza Strip that the United States designates a terrorist organization. The attack has so far killed 150 people and wounded hundreds more.

In the following hours, Israel officially declared "a state of war," launching air strikes on densely populated Gaza in response. Israel has held Gaza under a severe blockade since Hamas gained power in 2007, restricting the movement of goods and people. The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 200 have so far been killed in Gaza.

Local municipalities in Israel are now calling on armed civilians to guard their own communities.

Cohen, a tour guide from Mazkeret Batya, a small town about 24 miles from Gaza, is one of them.

A home in Mazkeret Batya that was hit by rockets on Saturday. Ziv Cohen

Cohen told Insider that officials from Mazkeret Batya, close enough to Gaza to be targeted by this morning's rockets, called for all civilians who are armed and willing to volunteer to do so.

"They said everyone who has a licensed weapon with him is being called to join the group that is guarding and watching the community," Cohen said. "Israel is in a war. We have to protect ourselves in every house, in every home, in every town."

Cohen, who has a pistol, volunteered to stand guard at one of the town's entrances.

Cohen said he's stationed at one of the town's main gates for his three-hour shift, which will stretch into Saturday night. There, he parked his car  a minivan, which on a typical day he'd use to guide tourists around Jerusalem and nearby historical sites  in the road, creating a blockade to slow down traffic.

He said his team's responsibility would be to speak with drivers and inspect their cars as they come into town.

Though the rockets struck homes and cars in his neighborhood this morning, Cohen said he wasn't nervous to stand guard. He said the job comes with an inherent risk, "but this is something that you don't think about. You make your duty, and everything has a risk in life."

Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

Hamas' surprise attack came on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

"Citizens of Israel, we are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address. "This morning, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its citizens. We have been in this since the early morning hours."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday declared war against Palestinian militants after they led a deadly, multi-front attack in his country that left at least 250 people dead.

Netanyahu said in a televised address he was mobilizing his forces for an extensive assault in Gaza after an attack from the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack against the state of Israel and its citizens.

We are at war  not in an operation or at rounds, but in a war, the Israeli leader said. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.  We are at war and we will win it.

Hamas, the militant and political group that rules Gaza, sent forces into Israel and launched a barrage of rocket strikes in a surprise offensive, wounding hundreds of people in addition to the 250 killed, according to The Times of Israel and local Israeli media reports.

Palestinian militants infiltrated the country and videos showed wide-scale attacks, including burning rubble and armored vehicles rolling through. Fighting is still reportedly ongoing.

Israelis across the countryon Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torahwoke up to sirens sounding and Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on X.

The IDF confirmed it was launching an operation called Swords of Iron to clear out militant groups in Gaza and had already begun strikes against Hamas.

The surprise attack from Hamas led to immediate condemnation from world leaders around the country.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians.

There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, she said in a statement. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners.

Netanyahu sat down with his security council leaders and afterward said the focus of the operation would be to defeat the militants responsible for the attack and to secure the border and protect against any other assaults.

After the creation of the Israeli state in 1948, Israel and Palestine fought a war that resulted in the mass displacement of Palestinians.

Both ethnic groups have remained in a state of high conflict ever since, with Israel occupying the West Bank, where many Palestinians live, and imposing a blockade on the Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Netanyahus far-right government has spurred even more conflict, launching a major raid earlier this year on the Jenin refugee camp to root out militant groups.

Updated 4:02 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Palestinian boy near a burning Israeli car that militants brought to the Gaza Strip after infiltrating areas of southern Israel

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that his country is at war with Hamas in his first video address since the Palestinian terror group launched a massive terror attack on Oct. 7.

We are at war  not in an operation, not in rounds  at war, [] The enemy will pay a price like they have never known before, Netanyahu said.

There are reports of dozens of deaths and at least 300 wounded after Hamas militants crossed into Israeli territory in the early hours of this morning, reportedly taking control of several communities in southern Israel.

Read also:

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant previously announced a state of war alert in the southern regions of Israel within 80 kilometers of the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7 morning after militants from Gaza fired a deadly barrage of rockets and sent gunmen into Israeli territory.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a public statement concerning the wave of attacks by Hamas, saying that the country is at war, but they will prevail.

Source: The Times of Israel

Quote from Netanyahu: "Citizens of Israel, we are at war. And we will win.

The enemy will pay a price like they have never known before.

Ive given directives, first and foremost, to clear the [affected] urban areas of the terrorists who penetrated them.

In parallel, I am initiating an extensive mobilization of the reserves to fight back on a scale and intensity that the enemy has so far not experienced. We are at war and will win."

 . pic.twitter.com/XNM3l7fEQH  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) October 7, 2023

Details: Media reports indicate that deaths and nearly 300 injuries have been recorded as terrorists infiltrate numerous southern towns and fire thousands of rockets across the centre and south of the country.

Background: On the morning of 7 October, rockets were fired en masse from the Gaza Strip on Israel, and fires broke out in cities.

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In a conversation with US President Joe Biden on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that Israel will need to undertake a major military campaign.

Source: European Pravda, with reference to CNN

Details: Netanyahus office released a statement saying that Biden called Netanyahu on Saturday and expressed his support for Israel.

Quote: "US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and stressed that the United States stands with Israel and fully supports Israels right to self-defence. [...]

The Prime Minister thanked the US President for his unconditional support and made it clear that a long and major campaign will be needed to ensure Israels victory."

Details: In a separate statement, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US "unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities."

"We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners," Blinken said.

Background:

The EU leadership has strongly condemned the Hamas missile attack on Israel and called for an immediate end to the violence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out in support of Israel following the attack by Hamas terrorists.

The US has promised to ensure Israel has everything it needs to defend itself.

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!






After Hamas launched its biggest attack on Israel in years, Israel said it was in "a state of war."

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas and Gaza would pay an "unprecedented price."

If past retaliations are any indication, Israel's response could be devastating for Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared "a state of war" after Hamas launched a wave of attacks from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 600 Israelis and injuring many others.

In a recorded statement released Saturday morning, Netanyahu added that he was mobilizing Israeli forces to strike back.

"I am initiating an extensive mobilization of the reserves to fight back on a scale and intensity that the enemy has so far not experienced. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price," Netanyahu said.

US officials, meanwhile, said Sunday they expect Israel to launch a full-scale ground invasion in the next 24 to 48 hours. The United States has dispatched a carrier strike group capable of launching guided missiles to Israel's coast, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Sunday.

If Netanyahu stays true to his word, that price could be astronomical for people living in Gaza.

Gaza is a small spit of Palestinian land that since local elections in 2006 has been controlled by Hamas. Hamas is a Palestinian political and military organization that refuses to recognize Israel as a state and has been locked in periodic armed conflict with the country for decades.

Since 2007, Israel and Egypt have held Gaza under a devastating blockade. That blockade has resulted in widespread unemployment in Gaza and a shortage of everything from food to medicine. It also restricts most residents from leaving the territory.

Under Netanyahu, Israel has also dramatically expanded its isolation of Palestinians in Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank, where Israeli settlements on Palestinian land have grown dramatically. Israel's far-right government approved 7,000 additional settlements in the occupied West Bank earlier this year.

How Israel might respond to Hamas attacks

What might Netanyahu's "unprecedented" response mean? If recent retaliations are any indication, the repercussions for Gazans could be catastrophic.

Israel has already begun launching attacks on Gaza, sending fighter jets to bomb Hamas targets and mobilizing ground forces. The Palestinian Health Ministry says about 400 Palestinians have so far been killed. But this is likely only the start.

In 2008, after Palestinian militants fired a barrage of rockets over a period of weeks into southern Israel, killing more than a dozen Israelis, Israel responded with air strikes on Gaza that killed 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Reuters.

And in one of the worst escalations of violence between the two sides in recent years, after the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers  an operation funded by Hamas  in 2014, Israel launched a seven-week war that killed more than 2,100 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly civilians, Reuters reported. Tens of thousands of homes in Gaza were also leveled. More than 70 Israelis also died in that conflict, 67 of them from the Israeli military.

After the initial Hamas attack on Saturday, Netanyahu said he told President Joe Biden that "a forceful, prolonged campaign" is necessary, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

Biden issued his own statement shortly after, saying he made it clear to Netanyahu in a phone call that his administration is "ready to offer all appropriate means of support" to Israel and its people.

"Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people," Biden said. "The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My Administration's support for Israel's security is rock solid and unwavering."

The United States has been providing billions in military aid to Israel annually since the late 1990s. In 2019, the United States increased the amount of military aid it gives Israel every year to $3.8 billion.

By comparison, the United States has provided Palestinians close to half a billion dollars in non-military assistance since the beginning of the Biden administration in 2020, according to the White House.

This story was updated to reflect the amount of aid the United States has provided to the Palestinian Occupied Territories. It was also updated to reflect that Egypt also maintains a blockade on Gaza.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his support for Israel after the unprecedented attacks by Hamas terrorists.

Source: Office of the President of Ukraine

Quote: "Appalling news from Israel. I extend my condolences to all those whose loved ones were killed in the terrorist attack.

We believe that order will be restored and terrorists will be eliminated.

Terror must not be given a single chance anywhere in the world, because terror is always a crime not just against one country or its specific victims, but against humanity as a whole and our entire world.

Whoever uses terror commits a crime against the world. Whoever sponsors terror commits a crime against the world.

The world must stand in unity and solidarity so that terror never attempts to conquer or destroy life anywhere.

Israel's right to defense is beyond question."

Details: Zelenskyy asks Ukrainians who are in the affected area to follow the instructions of the security forces on the ground and the information from local authorities.

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!
Israel's response to a surprise attack by Gaza militants could increase demand for US artillery shells.

Earlier this year, the US took shells from its stockpile in Israel and sent them to Ukraine.

The US may now have to decide which ally receives limited supplies of its ammunition.

The outbreak of another war in the Middle East could force the United States to make tough decisions about which ally gets its already-limited supplies of ammunition.

After militants from Gaza launched a surprise attack on Israel early Saturday, killing dozens and wounding hundreds more, the Biden administration pledged steadfast support.

"Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.

No country has received as much military support from Washington as Israel has over the decades. This year alone the country is set to receive a total of $3.8 billion in security assistance.

But Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has, until now, shifted attention  and weapons  away from the Middle East.

In January, The New York Times reported that the US was drawing artillery shells from a "vast but little-known stockpile" of the ammunition, located within Israel itself, and providing them to Ukraine. Washington has already transferred to Kyiv more than 2 million rounds of crucial 155mm artillery shells, running through its own domestic stockpiles in order to help push back Russian troops.

Last month, the Pentagon said it intends to produce 100,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition every 30 days by 2025, up from just 14,000 a month earlier this year. Even so, that alone may not be enough to supply Ukraine's defense, its military going through up to 6,000 rounds each day.

According to US and Israeli officials who spoke to the Times, the plan was to provide Ukraine some 300,000 rounds of the NATO-standard ammunition. At the time, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces dismissed questions about the transfer as "American business," per CNN.

But Israel now may not be so blase.

Already the country has launched retaliatory attacks on Gaza, killing nearly 200 people, according the Palestinian Health Ministry. Those attacks appear to have been conducted from the air. However, in its last major military conflict with Hamas the Israeli military also pummeled the territory with artillery.

In that 2014 war, the IDF fired at least 32,000 artillery shells at Gaza, Haaretz reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ukrainian military sources noted that Kyiv forces continued successful offensive actions some eight kilometers southeast of Bakhmut, near Andriivka, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

Geolocated footage posted on Oct. 5 shows that Ukrainian forces have advanced towards a tree line between Robotyne and Verbove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, about six kilometers southeast of Robotyne.

Illia Yevlash, the spokesperson for the Eastern Grouping of Forces, said that Ukrainian forces are preparing for offensive operations throughout the autumn-winter period. Yevlash emphasized that while supply requirements will increase and rainy and foggy conditions may complicate the use of drones and tactical and army aviation, Ukrainian forces will continue to fight through the winter.

Yevlashs statement supports ISWs longstanding assessment that weather will not prevent either side from conducting offensive operations throughout the winter of 2023-2024 if they are well-supplied and choose to do so, as they did last winter.

The ISW notes that the pace of Ukrainian offensives "will largely be metered by Western provision of appropriate small-arms and ammunition and non-lethal supplies to Ukraine" - not simply winter weather conditions or any specific weapons system.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: North Korea supplies Russia with weaponry, US official says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office reported that around 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning, Officers responded to 3100 West 16th Street because of calls stating that a person had been shot.

An adult male in his mid-twenties suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and transported himself to a local hospital. JSO states that the injuries are non-life-threatening.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

JSOs initial investigation has discovered that the victim was shot while driving, and that the suspect (or suspects) were waiting to ambushed the victim.

During the shooting, an occupied house was struck, causing a minor injury to an adult female.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

There are no descriptions of the suspect or suspects currently.

Violent Crimes Detectives were on the scene canvassing for witnesses and video surveillance, and it is an ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Sheriffs office at 904-630-0500 or go online to JSOCRIMETIPS@JAXSHERIFF.ORG or call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 866-845-TIPS.

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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.
Jewish institutions in the US are on guard following Hamas' surprise attack on Israel.

The Jewish Federations of North America said there are currently no known "credible threats."

But it is urging Jewish groups to review their security procedures and stay in touch with police.

The attack on Israel launched early Saturday morning by Hamas militants in Gaza has shocked Jewish organizations and prompted concerns of anti-Semitic attacks in the United States and elsewhere.

Security at Jewish institutions in the US was already heightened following terrorist attacks in recent years, such as the 2018 attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which killed 11 worshippers. This weekend, observant Jews also celebrate two holidays: Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

The Jewish Federations of North America, which represents some 400 Jewish groups in the US, said in a statement to Insider that its security team is "coordinating with law enforcement and key partners" following the outbreak of war.

"At this time, there are no known credible threats to the US Jewish community," said the statement, attributed to the group's Secure Community Network. Nevertheless, it is recommending that "Jewish facilities review and enforce security protocols, and maintain coordination with law enforcement."

Last year, the Anti-Defamation League said fighting between Israel and Hamas had contributed to a 34% rise in antisemitic incidents in the US in 2021. Israel and Gaza militants fought an 11-day war that year, result in the death of more than 240 Palestinians and a dozen Israelis.

"Jews were being attacked in the streets for no other reason than the fact that they were Jewish, and it seemed as if the working assumption was that if you were Jewish, you were blameworthy for what was happening half a world away," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement at the time, noting that there is always "a rise in antisemitic activity during periods of increased hostilities between Israel and terrorist groups."

Read the original article on Business Insider
7/18/19 2:38:37 PM -- Washington, DC, U.S.A -- Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Reform comments during Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin K. McAleenan testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform. The committee scheduled the hearing to "examine the Trump Administrations child separation policy, the treatment of immigrants detained in U.S. government facilities, and related issues."

Electing Jim Jordan speaker would be a catastrophe for America

With Trump s endorsement, I am assuming Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, will win.

That is a catastrophe for America. There is no worse human being to have a leadership position than Jim Jordan.

Terrible for policy  Ukraine, the economy, the planet and justice for those not like him.

More: Jim Jordan is Donald Trumps pick to be speaker. Why would he ever want that hard job?

It would be terrible for "process"  the end of civility and finding a problem-solving path forward as well as strong democratic institutions.

That catastrophe ultimately means one of two things: either all hope is lost or the resulting turmoil breaks the MAGA fever before it is too late.

Because of our constitutional structural vulnerabilities, I fear the worst.

Randal Morrison, Columbus

Never smoke pot

There is plenty of media interest on Issue 1, but what about Issue 2?

Legalizing cannabis?

When my son was 12 years old, we noticed a change in his behavior. We chalked it up to teen hormones.

Turns out he was given cannabis by the father of a school friend. He had started smoking pot. Fast-forward to high school. My son had two best friends.

State Issue 2: What to know about Ohio's recreational marijuana legalization ballot issue

June 23, 2023; Columbus, Oh., USA; Cannabis is hung and dried inside PharmaCann, Inc.'s cultivation and processing facility at Buckeye Lake.The cannabis industry opposes Senate Bill 9, which would revamp the state's medical program, saying there is an oversupply of cannabis in Ohio for the medical marijuana program.

Nice kids: artistic and musical, but despite being smart they were all unmotivated to learn in school and often ended up in the principals office.

Where are these three boys today: now age 30 and older?

The first got into serious drugs. He has long since passed away.

The second uses pot daily. He works at a fast-food restaurant and lives at home.

My son struggled with mental health issues. He overcame them with family help and counseling.

He is now able to support his family and give good advice to his 12-year-old son: Never smoke pot. Do not go down that road!

I encourage all readers to consider Issue 2 with the seriousness it deserves.

My son lives in Colorado Springs, where cannabis is legal, and wants to move back to Ohio. This issue is about protecting our kids and keeping Ohio a safe and pleasant place to live in.

Vote "no" on Issue 2.

Kira Hazen Burns, Athens

Women don't need their protection

"Protect Women Ohio"? Who are they, the American version of the Taliban? American women can fully protect themselves and don't need any help from the great white fathers in Columbus.

If Issue 1 fails, then every unwanted child thereafter should be laid on the doorsteps of these people.

Mike Howard, Westerville

Letters to the Editor

More: How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch

Stop the scare tactics

Re "Medical students will flee the state if Issue 1 fails," Oct. 4: Desperate to get a bill passed? Pull out all the stops and try the scare tactics. There is no proof medical students will flee the state of Issue 1 fails. In 2015 celebrities said they would move out of the United States if Donald Trump were elected president.

How many left the United States? Dont fall for the scare tactics.

Miles C Larrick, Dublin

Despite over one in five US households speaking a language other than English at home, misconceptions and myths about bilingualism persist. One such misconception is that bilingualism causes language delays in young children. Parents should be encouraged to communicate in their native language, rather than speaking only English to their child, without fear of causing a language delay. However, language delays can occur in bilingual children just as in any child, so they need proper assessment if their parents or teachers have concerns. Child health care providers should be proficient in assessing normal language development and identifying abnormal language development in a bilingual child.

May Alarmanazi, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Trump wants Jim Jordan to be speaker. Why that would be catastrophic
Pedestrians walk past Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue on Friday in New York City. A New York appeals judge temporarily paused the process of dissolving Trump 's businesses. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A New York appeals judge has temporarily halted the dissolution of former President Donald Trump's businesses but refused to stop his civil fraud trial, which wrapped up its first week of testimony Friday.

Associate Justice Peter Moulton ruled that Trump's New York trial will continue Tuesday. Trump's lawyers filed a motion seeking the halt while he appeals a different ruling last week that found him liable for fraud, Forbes reported.

They said the delay in the trial would "avoid an avalanche of compounding errors" in the case, while New York Attorney General Letitia James' office said that doing so "would severely undermine the fair and orderly administration of justice."

"And tellingly, they waited until after Mr. Trump decided to stop attending the trial," the attorney general's office said in response to Trump's filing.

A New York judge canceled all business licenses for Trump on Sept. 26, a process temporarily halted by Friday's ruling while an appeals court considers the case.

Former President Donald Trump sits in the court room on Wednesday, Day 3 of his civil fraud trial at State Supreme Court. Pool Photo by Jeenah Moon/UPI

"Terminating non-party business licenses without jurisdiction, without process, without statutory authority, without trial, and without reason renders impossible the lawful operation of multiple businesses and threatens termination of hundreds of New York employees without any jurisdiction or due process," Trump's lawyers wrote in a filing seeking the halt of the dissolution.

Meanwhile, former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney wrapped up his two days of testimony Friday. He said former CFO Allen Weisselberg asked him to process a payroll check for the latter's wife even though she wasn't employed by the company. McConney testified that Weisselberg told him it was so his wife could qualify for Social Security benefits, NBC News reported.

Allen Weisselberg (R) sits with his legal team before a hearing at Manhattan State Supreme Court on August 18, 2022. A former Trump Organization official testified that Weisselberg tried to get him to commit fraud. File Photo by Curtis Means/UPI

McConney added that he didn't realize doing so was illegal, but prosecutor Andrew Amer showed him testimony he gave in a 2022 tax fraud trial in which he acknowledged it was unlawful.

"You engaged in this illegal conduct because Mr. Weisselberg was your boss and if you refused his requests, you would lose your job," Amer asked?

Trump Park Avenue stands at 502 Park Ave. on Friday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

McConney responded, "Yes."

McConney was the first co-defendant in the case to give testimony, which he began Thursday.

A New York appeals judge has temporarily halted the dissolution of former President Donald Trump's businesses, such as his Park Avenue site in New York City (seen Friday). Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

He also said Friday that he valued Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., in excess of $500 million with the idea that it could be sold for private residences despite an agreement the former president made with the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2002 saying it could only be used as a club.

McConney initially said he wasn't aware of that 2002 agreement, but later testified he did know of it, ABC News reported.

Trump Park Avenue stands at 502 Park Ave on Friday, October 6, 2023 in New York City. A civil fraud trial at State Supreme Court brought last September by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accuses Trump, his eldest sons and his family business of inflating Trump's net worth by more than $2 billion by overvaluing his real estate portfolio. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
A judge has ruled that the Boulder King Soopers shooting suspect is mentally competent to stand trial. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa is facing multiple murder and attempted murder charges after the shooting spree on March 22, 2021, in the grocery store on South Table Mesa.

BOULDER, CO - MAY 25: Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa appears in a Boulder County District courtroom at the Boulder County Justice Center on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. / Credit: CBS

Ten people were shot and killed.

The competency of the suspect has been debated for months since the shooting. He was found mentally competent at the state mental hospital in August, but his defense attorney asked for the determination to be debated in a Boulder County Courtroom last week.

Judge Ingrid Bakke found that the suspect "has been restored to competency... and that the Court shall resume the criminal proceedings."

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in Boulder County Court for Nov. 14 at 9 a.m.

The suspect has not entered a plea.

RELATED: "We got a glimmer of hope": Family of Boulder shooting victim reacts as court moves one step closer to trial

The judge argued that when the suspect is medicated, he has a "far improved capacity to elucidate his reasoning and decision-making," which is considered a key element of competency.

Competency is a different legal issue than a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, which involves whether someone's mental health prevented them from understanding right from wrong when a crime was committed. The suspect remains in custody without bond.

Killed in the attack were Rikki Olds, Denny Stong, Neven Stanisic, Tralona Bartkowiak, Teri Leiker, Suzanne Fountain, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, Jody Waters and Eric Talley, who rushed into the store with an initial team of police officers.

The suspect lived in nearby Arvada, where authorities say he passed a background check to legally buy the Ruger AR-556 pistol six days before authorities say he used it in the shooting.

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A Kansas City man is held on a $1 million bond after being charged with killing a 24-year-old who was dropping off the alleged shooters ex-girlfriend outside their Northland residence.

Malik A. Collins, 25, was indicted by a Clay County grand jury this week on charges of first-degree murder, unlawful weapon use and two counts of armed criminal action. He is accused of fatally shooting Wysaun Brown-Cooper in the Lakeview Terrace mobile-home park on Sept. 17.

The indictment was unsealed Friday following Collins arrest. He has been held in Clay County jail since Thursday, according to an online booking log.

Kansas City police officers responded to the shooting in the 5700 block of North Jarboe Drive shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 17. Brown-Cooper was found in the drivers seat of a white Chevrolet Trailblazer bleeding from his neck as a woman was applying pressure to the gunshot wound.

The woman told police she lived with Collins, her ex-boyfriend, and had feared being seen with Brown-Cooper. She said Collins approached the vehicle once they pulled up and parked.

She heard Collins say something to the effect of so this is what youre doing? before her ears started ringing. She then realized Brown-Cooper had been shot.

A witness told police she tried to warn the pair not to pull up because Collins was outside. She heard a single gunshot and then saw Collins walk away with a firearm in hand, according to a probable cause affidavit prepared by a Kansas City police detective.

Prosecutors last month charged Collins with first-degree assault while Brown-Cooper remained in the hospital with no signs of brain activity. He died of his injuries a week later.

Collins is scheduled to appear for his arraignment in Clay County on Tuesday. Online court records did not list a defense attorney for Collins as of Friday.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A man was shot and killed inside a business in Kansas City, according to the Kansas City Police Department.

Just after 12 p.m. on Saturday, KCPD was called to a shooting inside a business near Independence Avenue and Montgall Avenue, located northeast of downtown Kansas City.

Louisburg woman found dead, child fighting for life in possible shooting

Shortly after the police arrived, they found the victim dead and arrested a potential suspect. The victim is Broderick Brown, a 42-year-old black man. The shooter has been identified as a man, but was not named. They were taken in for more questions.

Both the victim and suspect were in a business when they got into the altercation that led to a gun being fired and a man losing his life.

Police said they are not currently looking for any more suspects.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
LEAVENWORTH, Kan.  A Leavenworth County judge on Friday sentenced an Easton, Kansas man who was intoxicated when he crashed a UTV vehicle, killing his wife.

Gregory Zule, 59, was sentenced to two years and eight months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for involuntary manslaughter and six months in the Leavenworth County jail for DUI.

KC residents walk blocks for bathroom after 2 water main breaks

The judge suspended both sentences and ordered Zule to serve three years of probation.

According to the Leavenworth County Attorneys Office, before sentencing, dozens of letters displaying support for Zule were received by the court, and several members of Zules family addressed the court, asking that Zule be granted probation.

Zule previously pled guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of driving under the influence.

Police, family asking for help locating Kansas City man last seen on Monday

Zule was under the influence of alcohol on July 15, according to court documents, when he crashed a UTV vehicle he was driving in rural Leavenworth County.

Court documents say following the crash, Zule told Leavenworth deputies he swerved to miss a deer, causing the vehicle to roll. His wife died in the crash.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Kenneka Jenkins estate reached a settlement with Crowne Plaza OHare Hotel six years after her hypothermia death in the hotels walk-in freezer in September 2017.

Video footage captured the young woman, who was supposed to be attending a party, wandering into a private section that should not have been easily accessed by guests.

Kenneka Jenkins disappeared while attending a hotel party, her friends said. (YouTube screenshot/Kenneka Jenkins)

Tereasa Martin, the young womans mother, filed a lawsuit in December 2018 against the hotel, its security firm, and the restaurant that rented the freezer at the site in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont. She was joined by two other parties in the lawsuit, and they reportedly settled as well, according to Cook County records.

Trending Today:

Martins complaint alleged negligence on their part, asserting that they failed to adequately secure the freezer and conduct a proper search when the 19-year-old was reported missing. According to the lawsuit, Jenkins body was found on Sept. 10, 2017, about 24 hours after her family had alerted both the hotel and the police about her disappearance.

The lawsuit was filed for $50 million in damages. A settlement in Jenkins case was reached in August but hasnt been entered in court records due to Martins request for confidentiality.

The mother, her attorneys, and the other two plaintiffs in the case cited privacy and safety concerns as the reasons they didnt want the agreement to be made public. Martin believed that their privacy was more important than making the information public.

The widespread publicity of this case, including uncontrolled speculation and social media commentary, has resulted in various threats made against various individuals in the case, including, but not limited to, Petitioner, witnesses, and Defendants in this matter, one of Martins lawyers wrote, according to the Associated Press.

Due to public interest and scrutiny, all parties agree that the confidential terms, including settlement amounts, are in the best interest of all parties involved, including the Petitioner and the Defendants.

However, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, Judge Thomas Cushing denied the request but encouraged her and her legal team to resubmit the query. A status hearing is scheduled for next week, with the trial set for October 16 to argue their point in court.

Jenkins death devastated the family, with family members believing there may have been foul play. A police investigation concluded that this was not the case.

Video footage captured Jenkins leaving the party of 30 people in a room on the hotels ninth floor and going to the lobby before her friends left her there alone as they went back to the room to retrieve belongings she had left behind.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.

Alone and apparently disoriented, she then began walking through the hotel by herself. Once she reached the area where the kitchen was, she walked in and out of the surveillance camera frame.

Jenkins had been drinking, as multiple medical examiners explained. The alcohol, combined with the medication she was taking to treat epilepsy and migraines, played a major role in her mental state before she died.
Haiti has a long history of violence and chaos. It also has a long history of outsiders coming in ostensibly to bring order, but instead creating even more problems for the country's people. Will that history continue? CNN reported this week that the United Nations has given approval for Kenyan police to lead a multinational force to help get Haiti's gang violence under control. But critics say the Kenyan police force has a pattern of brutality that includes "extrajudicial killings and arbitrary execution of protestors."

There's no doubt that Haiti is in dire need of help. "Gangs have terrorized civilians" for two years, committing thousands of murders since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, Ellen Ioanes of Vox pointed out. Haitian police are "outgunned and underpaid," so many observers believe "an external force of some kind" is necessary. But previous interventions by outsiders are remembered mostly for their exploitation of the country  along with more killings, a cholera epidemic and widespread sexual abuse. All of which raises a question: "Will this be different from previous international interventions?"

Kenya does have a history of peacekeeping operations, Al Jazeera reported. And the African country stands to gain prestige if the Haiti mission is successful. "On the global stage, sending its forces to Haiti gives Kenya ... very serious political capital," said one analyst. Those gains could be undercut, though, if this intervention ends up as yet another disaster.

'Kenyan police are rogue'

Human rights groups say that "Kenyan police officers have shot and beaten hundreds of protesters this year," The New York Times reported. That raises concerns that the ostensible peacekeepers "will put civilians in harm's way" as they combat Haiti's gangs. Kenya was chosen for the mission to avoid "what might look like a Western occupation of a developing country." And Kenya's leaders say the country's peacekeeping missions have an "impeccable" record. That's questionable. Said one victim of the alleged brutality: "Kenyan police are rogue."

"Haiti has been treated as a ward of major powers  for decades," Daniel Larison argued at Responsible Statecraft. The Kenya-led intervention has "even less support and fewer resources than previous efforts," which makes it "foolish" to think that it can end up with a better outcome. A Haitian-led solution is needed, not another intrusion by outsiders. "No matter how well-intentioned the Kenyan-led mission may be, it is a mistake."

"As strange and unsavory as a Kenyan-led multinational force sounds, it's a solution that deserves a chance," The Boston Globe editorialized. The U.S. can't play a direct role  the American "history of ill-fated interventions in Haiti" means it has to step back and be supportive of other efforts. Backing Kenya's mission "may represent the most realistic way" for the U.S. to help Haiti. It's necessary to try. "Unfortunately, as bad and unprecedented as things are in Haiti right now, they can always get worse."

No U.S. troops

The U.S. is backing Kenya's mission, The Miami Herald reported. The State Department and Department of Defense have pledged $100 million each to the effort, though the particulars of how that money will be used is "not immediately clear." One thing that is clear: The U.S. won't be sending any of its own troops to Haiti. "The U.S. military will provide some enabling support," a White House spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the Kenyan police deployment isn't fully supported within Kenya. The Associated Press reported that opposition lawmakers are insisting that parliament approve the mission to Haiti. Assuming the deployment goes forward, though, Kenyan forces face a difficult task under the best of circumstances: "neutralize the armed gangs, protect civilians, and bring about peace, security and order," BBC pointed out. Haiti's history, a past filled with disastrous interventions, and the questions regarding Kenyan police only add to the challenge. The outsiders "will need to be careful to avoid innocent civilian casualties," BBC noted, "and also to win the 'hearts and minds' battle too."
WASHINGTON  Rep. Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif., who was ousted as House speaker this week, shot down reports that he was considering an early departure from Congress and said Friday that he won't be stepping down.

"I am not resigning. I got a lot more work to do," McCarthy told reporters on Capitol Hill.

"We're going to keep the majority. I'm going to help the people I got here, and we're going to expand it further," he said, referring to the 2024 elections.

His comments came shortly after two people familiar with the situation told NBC News said McCarthy was considering resigning.

One of the McCarthy allies said he was exploring his options but has not made a definitive decision.

"No decision made," the other source said.

Politico first reported that McCarthy was considering leaving Congress before his term ends in early January 2025.

McCarthy was removed as House speaker on Tuesday in a 216-210 vote, with Democrats joining eight conservatives frustrated with his leadership in voting to oust him.

Hours after the vote, McCarthy announced during a press conference that he would not run again for the top post in the House. Asked whether he planned to remain a member of Congress, McCarthy said, Ill look at that.

Before McCarthy denied reports of a possible resignation, a person who has not spoken to McCarthy directly but was in touch with people in his inner circle, said, His thinking has vacillated a bit.

I think hes considered multiple options. And what it means for his future. He said it in his remarks  he wants to help keep most of the members in their seats. How he does that and from what vantage point is the decision, the person said.

It is not unprecedented for a former speaker to leave Congress before their term is over. Then-Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, left Congress after abruptly announcing his decision in September 2015 to step down.

McCarthy, 58, has served in House GOP leadership since 2009 and has served in Congress since 2007. He represents California's 20th congressional district, which covers the state's Central Valley.

He took over as speaker in January after a chaotic effort initially within the GOP conference to elect him and he lasted nine months in the job. McCarthy has served as the top Republican leader since 2019 after the resignation of Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Before coming to Washington, he was a member of the California State Assembly.

House Republicans are slated to hold a closed-door candidate forum Tuesday for the next speaker. On Wednesday, they're expected to hold an internal election before an official vote on the House floor with Democrats and Republicans.

As of Friday afternoon, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, had launched official bids for speaker.

Jordan has so far received more public support than Scalise and Jordan received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump on Thursday. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., chairman of the Republican Study Committee, is also considering jumping into the race.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
An investigation is underway after Los Angeles police shot and killed a man in the parking lot of a Canoga Park shopping center early Saturday. The man was armed and did not comply with officers' commands, police said. (Ifan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles police officers shot and killed a man who was reported to be armed in a pickup truck in the parking lot of a shopping center in Canoga Park early Saturday, authorities said.

Officers received a radio call about the armed man at the corner of Sherman Way and Variel Avenue at 12:55 a.m. Upon arriving at the scene, they gave the man verbal commands, said LAPD spokesperson Jader Chaves. The man did not comply, and an unknown number of officers shot him, according to police.

Read more: LAPD releases video of officers who ignored robbery to play Pokemon Go

Chaves did not specify what those commands were or what exactly led up to the shooting.

The man, whose identity has yet to be released, was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel. He was in his 30s, police said.

A firearm was booked as evidence at the scene, police said. (Ifan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A firearm was recovered and booked as evidence.

Another individual, believed to be a man, was questioned and released. No officers or other community members were hurt, and the area remains closed for investigation, Chaves said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - Lake County is aiming to engage young people in the election process.

County Clerk Anthony Vega has initiated an 'I Voted' sticker design contest open to students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

The contest's theme is "Lake County Votes," but students are not obligated to include these words in their designs. Prizes include gift cards for one student from each grade level, with a grand prize winner having their design selected as the official Lake County 'I Voted' sticker for the 2024 elections.

Submissions will be accepted until November 30th. For more details, visit lakecountyclerk.info online.

Meanwhile, the presidential election is still more than a year away, but the primary process is getting underway in Illinois this weekend.

Candidates campaigns can begin seeking signatures from voters Saturday to place both the presidential hopefuls and candidates for national nominating delegates on the ballot.

The presidential primary in Illinois is on March 19, 2024.
Monks in saffron robes walk in front of the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, the largest Hindu temple outside India in the modern era, on Wednesday Oct. 4, 2023, in Robbinsville, N.J. The temple was partly built using marble from Italy and limestone from Bulgaria hand-carved by artisans in India and shipped to New Jersey. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)

ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. (AP)  If stones could talk, sing and tell stories, Yogi Trivedi believes the marble and limestone that adorn the spires, pillars and archways of the stunning Hindu temple in central New Jersey would compose a paean to the divine.

The tales these stones tell are those of seva (selfless service) and bhakti (devotion), which form the core of the Swaminarayan sect, a branch of Hinduism, said Trivedi, a scholar of Hinduism at Columbia University.

It took a combined total of about 4.7 million hours of work by artisans and volunteers to hand-carve about 2 million cubic feet of stone. The four varieties of marble from Italy and limestone from Bulgaria traveled first to India and then over 8,000 miles across the world to New Jersey.

They were then fitted together like a giant jigsaw to create what is now touted as the largest Hindu temple outside India to be built in the modern era, standing on a 126-acre tract. It will open to the public on Monday.

The largest temple complex in the world is the Ankgor Wat, originally constructed in the 12th century in Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia, and dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II. It is now described as a Hindu-Buddhist temple, and is one of 1,199 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Robbinsville temple is one of many built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha or BAPS, a worldwide religious and civic organization within the Swaminarayan sect.

Service and devotion are the two basic elements that form the subtle foundation of how a temple so majestic gets built here in central New Jersey, said Trivedi, who studies the Swaminarayan faith tradition and follows it.

This temple will be the third Akshardham or abode of the divine the organization has built after two others in New Delhi and Gujarat, where BAPS is headquartered. The former is the largest Hindu temple complex in the world. The sect, which will celebrate its 50th year in North America next year, oversees more than 1,200 temples and 3,850 centers around the world.

The New Jersey Akshardham, which has been in the works for about 12 years, came under scrutiny and criticism after a 2021 civil lawsuit alleging forced labor, meager wages and grim working conditions.

Twelve of the 19 plaintiffs have now retracted their allegations and the lawsuit is on hold pending an investigation with which BAPS continues to cooperate fully, Trivedi said.

The complaint alleges that those exploited were Dalits or members of the former untouchable caste in India. Caste is an ancient system of social hierarchy based on ones birth that is tied to concepts of purity and social status.

The case continues to raise questions among activists fighting caste discrimination and those advocating for workers rights, about the blurred lines between uncompensated work and the concept of selfless service, which followers of the faith say constitutes their core belief.

Trivedi said these allegations weighed heavily on community members because their faith has always taught them to see the divine in all and love and serve them as manifestations of the divine. He said Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the sects fifth spiritual successor, who envisioned such a temple campus in the United States, was a progressive guru who cared deeply about social equality.

Caste and class do not divide us, Trivedi said.

The temple project brought forth volunteerism and service, which like the sculptors chisel, chip away people's egos and prime them to learn, he said.

In that learning, one becomes a better person within and that is the end goal of seva, Trivedi said. Its not just to give to the community or build these (ornate structures), but to better oneself.

He said the temple would not have been possible without the service of thousands of volunteers many of whom took time off school and work to serve in different capacities. This might be the first Hindu temple where women were involved in the actual temple construction under the artisans supervision, he added.

This week, families from across the country, have been streaming into the temple campus to get a sneak peek. Devotees bowed to each other and to monks in saffron robes. As the sun set, two men in white robes performed a ceremony in front of the 49-foot-tall statue of the Bhagwan Nilkanth Varni, who later became known as Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the founder of the sect who ushered in a moral and spiritual renaissance in western India.

Other worshippers prostrated on the floor pressing their foreheads to the ground in reverence. As night fell, Nikita Patel meditated and lit an incense stick before the deity.

All religions, all communities are welcome here, she said, And here, they will feel the peace.

Avani Patel was visiting from Atlanta with her husband and their two children, ages 11 and 15. She knelt inside the temple and marveled at the ornate ceiling, her hands folded in prayer.

Its jaw dropping, mind blowing, she said. You can see divinity radiating through it all.

Patel said she and her husband, Pritesh, were among the volunteers who gave their time to create the complex, and she is proud to be a part of an organization that would build such a resource to pass on these values to posterity.

Trivedi said he does not view the temple just as a Hindu place of worship.

Its not even just Indian or Indian American, he said, adding that the temple stands for universal values that can be found in every religious text and in the hearts and minds of great thinkers and leaders of every era.

What weve tried to do is express these universal values in a way that relate to all visitors.

-

Bharath reported from Los Angeles

__

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Members of Congress reacted with concern and outrage to a surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel Saturday.

Our strongest ally in the Middle East is under attack, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Saturday. Make no mistake: Israeli civilians are being slaughtered by Hamas terrorists. We condemn these attacks, stand with our dear ally, Israel, and support its right to defend itself in this war.

Hamass attack consisted of infiltrating Israeli towns and launching missiles. Fighting has left at least 250 people in Israel and 232 in Palestine dead, according to Israeli local media reports and the Palestinian government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack murderous in a televised address Saturday.

We are at war  not in an operation or at rounds, but in a war, Netanyahu said. The enemy will pay an unprecedented priceWe are at war and we will win it.

Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D) said the attack must be condemned by all nations in a post to X Saturday.

Israel was attacked by a Hamas terror group funded & supplied by Iran, Sen. Marco Rubio (R) said in an X post. And the continued appeasement of Iran is encouraging these attacks.

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said the U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians.

There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand firmly with the Government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks, Adrienne Watson said in a statement. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken to Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and we remain in close contact with our Israeli partners.

New York Rep. Ritchie Torres said he unequivocally stands with Israel in his own X post on the situation.

Hamas has declared war on Israel, launching surprise attacks, invading Israeli towns, firing well over 2000 rockets, murdering 22 Israelis, and otherwise attacking Israel by air, land, and sea, Torres said. Israelis are doing precisely what we, as Americans, would do if we found ourselves under sudden attack: defending themselves.

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) said the U.S. must unflinchingly support Israels right of self defense in all its fullness.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said he is shocked by the barbaric images we are seeing of Hamas violence and by reports Hamas is taking innocent Israeli citizens hostage.

The United States grieves with Israel as they mourn their murdered citizens today. This horrifying violence must end, McCaul said in a statement. This is why I strongly support robust U.S. security assistance to Israel  because Israel always needs to be ready and able to fight back at any time. Israel has a right to defend itself and the United States stands with our friend and ally.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) posted a statement on the attack, saying the loss of life in Israel as a result of the violent, calculated and unprovoked attack by Hamas is heartbreaking.

America stands firmly and unequivocally with Israel, Jeffries said. We will strongly support Israels right to defend herself from this despicable attack that targeted civilians, including Israeli children, with rockets, gunfire and violent kidnappings.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) released a statement, calling the loss of life gut-wrenching. He said he has spoken with CIA and top State Department officials and has expressed his commitment to top Biden administration officials and directly to Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog.

This is one of the worst attacks Israel has ever experienced, and friends of Israel in the US and around the world must stand strongly by her, his statement said. My heart goes out to those that lost loved ones.

Other lawmakers who have condemned the attack include Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) and Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.).

Updated 9:32 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Democrat Adam Frisch raised nearly $3.4 million in Q3 in his quest to defeat Lauren Boebert in 2024.

Frisch has so far raised about $4.4 million in the fight for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District.

The district has a Republican lean, but Boebert's controversies have helped make the race a tossup.

The leading Democratic candidate running against Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado in 2024 raised nearly $3.4 million in the third quarter, according to recent campaign finance reports.

For Adam Frisch, who lost to Boebert last year in the closest House race in the country in 2022, the fundraising figure is a blockbuster sum which ensures that Democrats will remain focused on flipping the 3rd Congressional district  which leans Republican but nearly went blue last year.

"I am deeply humbled by the over 100,000 individual donations that were made to our campaign this quarter to defeat Lauren Boebert," Frisch said in a statement on Thursday. "Western and Southern Colorado deserve a representative who will work hard to deliver results and put the needs of the district first, not an extreme political agenda."

Per Frisch's campaign, the average donation to his campaign in the third quarter was about $32.

Frisch, a former Aspen city councilman, has so far raised nearly $4.4 million for the race, compared to Boebert's roughly $1.6 million haul, according to Federal Elections Commission financial summaries.

Boebert  who also faces challengers in the GOP primary  has not yet released for fundraising figures for the third quarter.

In campaigning for the seat, Frisch has sought to project himself as a moderate Democrat who would be a bridge-builder for the district, as opposed to Boebert's more controversial tenure on Capitol Hill.

Since Boebert was first elected to Congress in 2020, she has become one of the party's most visible conservatives in the lower chamber and has been a firm supporter of former President Donald Trump.

Last month, Boebert found herself under the media glare once again after she was kicked out of a Denver theater for vaping during a performance of the "Beetlejuice" musical. Another video of the congresswoman appeared to show her being fondled by her date.

Shortly after the incident, Frisch told MSNBC's Symone Sanders-Townsend that the Denver incident was "another notch in the belt of embarrassment."

Read the original article on Business Insider
At least two people suffered minor injuries when an employee shuttle clipped a passenger airplane taxiing for departure at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Friday, officials said.

The bus and plane made "minor contact," and the injuries to two people were characterized as very minor, said Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford.

The two were taken to medical facilities, he said.

American Airlines said that the ground vehicle was one of its employee buses and that six of its team members on board were being evaluated at a hospital. No injuries were reported among those on the aircraft, it said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether the airline's total included the two mentioned by the fire department.

The plane, a Bombardier CRJ-200 operated by Air Wisconsin Flight 6209, was taxiing ahead of takeoff when the collision took place about 7:20 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a preliminary statement.

American described the plane as one of its American Eagle flights operated by Air Wisconsin. The carrier said those on board were offered a different aircraft flying to their destination, Dayton, Ohio, later in the evening.

American and Air Wisconsin have a partnership for regional service.

It's not clear why the bus and plane were so close to each other, and cause was unavailable.

Langford said one of the vehicles clipped the other, though it wasn't initially clear which one struck the other.

The FAA said the collision was under investigation.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Its going to be a big week at Great Basin National Park.

The park near the Nevada and Utah border is expected to be one of the best places in the country to see the annular eclipse on Oct. 14. Thats when the moon blocks out a large portion of the sun, leaving what looks like a ring of fire in the sky.

Something like 96, 98% of the sun will be covered where we are, which is about as good as it's going to get, Bradley Mills, lead astronomy ranger at Great Basin, told USA TODAY.

The park is hosting a series of events leading up to the eclipse and preparing for a spike in visitors. Typically, Great Basin is among the least visited national parks in the country, but theres plenty to see beyond the eclipse.

Heres what travelers should know about Great Basin, the latest in USA TODAYs yearlong national park series.

What is special about the Great Basin National Park?

At 13,063 feet tall, Wheeler Peak is the second-tallest peak in Nevada.

Great Basin National Park spans 77,000 acres of the much larger Great Basin, which stretches from Utah to California and up to Oregon.

The park boasts one of the highest points in Nevada, Wheeler Peak, and the states longest cave system, Lehman Caves.

Its got some of the biggest density of cave features of almost any cave, Mills said. You get some really unique things in there that you dont get in other caves, like cave shields.

The park is also home to some of the oldest trees in the world, Bristlecone pines, which have been around for thousands of years.

We're like a little oasis, Mills said.

Great Basins remote location also makes it an excellent place to stargaze without light pollution, which the park further limits by using red lights and motion-activated lights at night, as well as glow-in-the dark curbs, so fewer lights are needed.

When can you see the Milky Way at Great Basin National Park?

We're one of the darkest national parks and one of the darkest spots in the country because we are so far from everything, Mills said. On a really, really good night, you can see thousands and thousands of stars. In the summertime, the Milky Way is just stretching right above your head.

The park is an International Dark Sky Park.

Great Basin National Park uses red lights to minimize light pollution as stargazers enjoy the night sky.

What is the closest town to the Great Basin National Park?

Great Basin National Park is located in eastern Nevada, less than five miles away from the small town of Baker, which has fewer than 250 residents, according to the U.S. Census.

The nearest major airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, is 234 miles away. Cedar City Regional Airport is closer, at 142 miles away, but only has regional service from Delta.

We are one of the most isolated national parks, which is one of the best benefits for us, Mills said. It's why we have such good night skies, but it's also why we have so few people. Its because not everybody is ready for this.

We are so, so remote, he added. Youve got to show up with plenty of gas. Youve got to be ready with plenty of water in case your car breaks down on one of these long roads. Youve got to make sure you have enough food  You need to be prepared for a trip here.

Its pretty special: Why Glacier Bay National Park is worth going out of the way for

Do you need a reservation for Great Basin National Park?

Neither a reservation nor an entry fee is required to visit Great Basin.

However, reservations are required for ranger-led tours of Lehman Caves. Tours of the Grand Palace cost $15 for visitors ages 16 and up and $8 for visitors ages five through 15. Tours of the Lodge Room cost $12 for visitors ages 16 and up and $6 for children ages five through 15. Discounts are available for Interagency Pass holders. Cave tour reservations may be made on Recreation.gov.

Visitors can see Gothic Palace on a ranger-led tour of Lehman Caves at Great Basin National Park.

How many days should I spend at Great Basin National Park?

If you're someone who's very into hiking, getting out and kind of being able to experience some solitude, I'd say three, four days, Mills said.

He recommended one to two days for more casual travelers.

That way you can get up, do all the hikes at the top of the scenic drive, which are some short nice, easy areas getting into some alpine lakes, letting you see the bristlecone pines, he said. Then another day would give you full access to being able to do all the ranger programs  get a cave tour, go to a camp campfire program, go do one of the astronomy programs.

Visitors should note Wheeler Peak Scenic Road is the parks only paved road and can close at any time of year due to snow, according to the park.

What is the best month to visit Great Basin National Park?

Late September, early October is wonderful, Mills said. We start to get the fall colors, and you can start to get a different, quieter experience out here because during the summertime is when we get the vast majority of our visitors.

He said the weather is perfect this time of year, though snowstorms are possible.

The Baker Creek area is a popular spot for hiking at Great Basin National Park.

Are there hot springs in Great Basin National Park?

No.

There's a couple of what we would call warm springs, Mills said. Smaller, little pools (where) the waters like 80 degrees, so it feels more like a heated pool.  You get in, and it still feels cold.

He noted most of Nevadas hot springs are several hours away.

Who are the Native people of Great Basin?

Several distinct tribes have historically occupied the Great Basin; the modern descendants of these people are still here today, according to the parks website. They are the Western Shoshone (a sub-group of the Shoshone), the Goshute, the Ute, the Paiute (often divided into Northern, Southern, and Owens Valley), and the Washoe.

Teresa Lake is one the lakes on the Alpine Lakes Loop trail at Great Basin National Park

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Great Basin National Park is so remote but so worth visiting
SAN DIEGO  An Imperial County dentist and his office manager admitted Tuesday in federal court to conspiring to defraud Medicare and covering it up, prosecutors said.

Dr. Javad Aghaloo pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud by billing Medicare for procedures that were not covered, not performed, or otherwise not necessary, Cindy Cipriani with the Office of the United States Attorney Southern District of California said in a news release Wednesday. His office manager, Theresa Flores, entered a guilty plea to obstructing a Medicare audit.

Aghaloo and Flores, knowing Medicare does not cover dental services, recruited Medicare patients by marketing the dental services to two individuals in Imperial County as being covered by Medicare, according to court records.

Raves popping up beneath San Diego freeways are extremely dangerous: CHP

Once a Medicare beneficiary was in one of Aghaloos offices, Aghaloo and others performed some type of procedure (usually a tooth extraction) and submitted false claims to Medicare using the persons Medicare beneficiary number, Cipirani said. Since tooth extractions are not covered by Medicare, Aghaloos offices instead submitted false claims for procedures like bone grafts that were never performed.

Over 7,000 false claims, worth over $18 million, were submitted by Aghaloos dental offices between March 1, 2016, and Oct. 18, 2018, for which they received $8,476,466.23 by Medicare, prosecutors said.

Between April 2017 and October 2018, Flores and Rosas concealed the fraud by causing false documents to be submitted to Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC. (NHS), a federal auditor for the Medicare program, per officials.

Aghaloo agreed to forfeit more than $1 million in property and pay restitution to Medicare in the amount of $8,476,466.23 as part of his plea, Cipriani said.

Aghaloo and Flores sentencing is set for Jan. 12, 2024, at 9 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
Chinese doctors provide free treatment for schoolchildren in Sierra Leone

Xinhua) 10:34, October 07, 2023

FREETOWN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The 24th batch of the Chinese medical team in Sierra Leone on Thursday provided medical treatment services for some schoolchildren in Jui, a town in the Western Area of Sierra Leone.

The free clinical outreach at the Simas pre-elementary and junior secondary school included a variety of checks from physical to ophthalmic examination.

Liu Qiuhong, a member of the Chinese medical team, told Xinhua after the outreach that the schoolchildren were healthy in general, while some were infected with malaria, a tropical disease common in West Africa.

Liu pledged that the team would do its best to carry out more free medical services for residents in local communities.

Melrose During, a midwife at the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital, praised the Chinese doctors for their kind gesture, saying the checkup helped the children better understand their physical health and receive medical treatment in a timely manner.

Victoria Jah, head of the school, expressed her gratitude to the Chinese doctors for their selfless help to the children. "I feel so blessed and honored that out of many schools, our school was chosen for the free clinic outreach."

The current Chinese medical team began their service in Sierra Leone in March this year.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
UPDATE: Oct. 8 @3:07 p.m.

The Endangered Missing Adult Alert has been cancelled for 66-year-old Barry Smith.

INITIAL REPORT:

The Centerville Police Department has issued a statewide missing adult alert for a local man who has been missing since Sept. 27, according to the alert.

>>One person injured after shooting in Harrison Township

Barry Smith, 66, has been missing ever since he left his Centerville apartment over a week ago.

Smith is a Black male, with black hair and brown eyes. He is 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighs 270 pounds.

He was driving a 2008 blue H2 Hummer, with an Ohio license plate. The plate number is ERS9799.

The alert said Smith left his apartment to get cleaning supplies for a house he and his wife owned, but never returned.

Smith sends out daily scripture messages to his friends and family but has not since Sept. 27.

>>Hamas attacked Israel and Netanyahu says his country is at war. Follow live updates

His phone rang at the beginning of his disappearance, but now it goes straight to voicemail, the alert said.

If you see him or the vehicle he was seen driving, contact 911 or the Centerville Police Department.
An artist's rendering depicts human youth during the ice age in what is now White Sands National Park in southern New Mexico, illustrating how footprints believed to be up to 23,000 years old might have been formed. Little to nothing is known, however, about the culture of the people who left the footprints.

New research has provided more evidence that prehistoric human footprints in New Mexico are likely the oldest direct evidence of human presence in the Americas, a long-studied and surprisingly controversial topic.

The question went mainstream in 2021, when scientists said they had found the oldest human footprints ever discovered in North America, about 23,000 years, sparking debate and questions about methods used. Until then, the earliest known dates of humanitys colonization of North America was about 15,000 years ago, after the last ice age.

Now the original researchers have responded with more evidence and explanations in a study published Thursday in the journal Science.

What was the original discovery?

A study published in September 2021 in Science said the oldest known human footprints in North America had been discovered at White Sands National Park in New Mexico. Researchers identified about 60 fossilized footprints buried in layers of gypsum soil on a large playa in the Tularosa Basin. By carbon dating seeds embedded in the footprints, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the prints were up to 23,000 years old.

The 2021 study said humans could have crossed from Asia into the Americas 26,000 to 19,000 years ago, through land connecting what is now Russia and Alaska, during the last ice age.

This discovery upset other archeological theories of how human beings came to populate the American continent, and how long ago. The reported age of the footprints challenges the once-conventional wisdom that humans didnt reach the Americas until a few thousand years before rising sea levels covered the Bering land bridge between Russia and Alaska about 15,000 years ago.

'Incredible:' Oldest known human footprints in North America discovered at national park

Human fossilized footprints, up to 23,000 years old based on carbon dating, at White Sands National Park in southern New Mexico

The debate about the footprints was all about the way the age of the seeds was determined  and a separate group of scientists in 2022 published a study that said the seeds were much younger than 23,000 years.

Questions focused on whether seeds of aquatic plants used for the original dating may have absorbed ancient carbon from the lake  which could, in theory, throw off radiocarbon dating by thousands of years.

Fossilized footprints in White Sands National Park in New Mexico are now believed to be 23,000 years old, according to a new study.

What's the latest news?

In the study released Thursday, scientists from the 2021 study said their methodology and findings were valid, which they say verifies that humans were indeed present in North America 23,000 years ago.

The new study undertook multiple independent age estimates of the White Sands footprints, which all supported their previous studys claims. We always knew that we would have to independently evaluate the accuracy of our ages to convince the archaeological community that the peopling of the Americas occurred far earlier than traditionally thought, said Jeff Pigati, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

According to the new study, with three separate lines of evidence  involving samples of pollen grains and two different sediments  pointing to the same approximate age, "it is highly unlikely that they are all incorrect or biased and, taken together, provide strong support for the 21,000 to 23,000-year age range for the footprints."

Kathleen Springer, USGS research geologist and co-lead author of the new study, said in a statement that "even as the original work was being published, we were forging ahead to test our results with multiple lines of evidence and independent chronologic techniques.

Although we were confident in the original seed ages, we wanted to develop community confidence in them as well. Our new ages, combined with the strong geologic, hydrologic, and stratigraphic evidence, unequivocally support the conclusion that humans were present in North America during the last Glacial Maximum, she said.

Thomas Stafford, an independent archaeological geologist in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was not involved in the study, said he was a bit skeptical before but now is convinced.

If three totally different methods converge around a single age range, thats really significant, he said.

Is the debate settled?

USA TODAY contacted two of the authors of the 2022 study that questioned the earlier findings, and both said some questions still remain about the new research released Thursday.

"The dating issue is not yet resolved because we dont know when the footprints were buried," said Loren Davis of Oregon State University, who added there are methods available that can determine that. "Until that information is available, the issue will remain unresolved."

Contributing: Algernon D'Ammassa, Las Cruces Sun-News; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How human history is being rewritten by footprints in New Mexico
A freelance model who was found dead in her Los Angeles apartment last month died from "homicidal violence," the medical examiner said Friday.

Maleesa Mooney, 31, was one of two models found dead in their apartments in Los Angeles days apart. Mooney's lived at the Skye at Bunker Hill Apartments in downtown Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES SHERIFF'S DEPUTY KILLED IN AMBUSH ATTACK BEING LAID TO REST

Maleesa Mooney, 31, a real estate agent and model, died from "homicidal violence," the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner said. Mooney was found dead in her Los Angeles apartment last month.

Her cause of death had previously been listed as "deferred," but "Cause A" has been updated to "homicidal violence," according to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner. "Cause D" was listed as "other significant conditions."

Jourdin Pauline, told KTLA that her sister was two months pregnant when she died.

"Its honestly so stressful," she said. "I have thousands and thousands of scenarios in my head of what could have happened because we dont know."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Mooney primarily worked as a real estate agent with NestSeekers International showing million dollar homes but was going back into modeling, Pauline previously told Fox News Digital.

"She was showing million-dollar homes and was in the process of closing a few," Pauline said.

The Los Angeles Police Department is still investigating her death. No suspects have been publicly identified.

Another aspiring model, Nichole Coats, 32, was found dead in her downtown Los Angeles apartment two days before Mooney.

Maleesa Mooney, 31, was found dead in her flooded Los Angeles apartment on Sept. 12.

Officers had responded to Coats' home to perform a welfare check around 10 a.m., on Sept. 10., but no one responded. Two hours later, someone called to report a dead body at the home.

Coats' cause of death is listed as "deferred" in the medical examiner's database. Her death is not being investigated as a homicide, police have said.

Fox News Digital's Christina Coulter contributed to this report.





Original article source: Los Angeles model found dead in apartment died from 'homicidal violence,' medical examiner rules
A high school senior in Louisiana was stripped of her student government president title and scholarship opportunities after a video circulating on social media showed the 17-year-old girl dancing with friends at a party last week.

Related: New Orleans restaurant turns saltwater woes into a spirited cocktail

Kaylee Timonet, a senior at Walker high school, was seen dancing at a private homecoming afterparty on 30 September, behind a friend who was twerking. Earlier this week, the school principal said he would revoke her leadership role and assistance in scholarship applications.

They basically told me that I should be ashamed of myself, Timonet told a local news outlet. That I wasnt basically following Gods ideals, which made me cry even more.

The event, attended by Timonets mother, has sparked outrage and debate within the student body, with many sharing their support on social media by posting Let the Girl Dance banners. Some parents compared the schools approach to the plot of the 1980s film Footloose.

The high school senior said that she was called into the principals office, and was made to watch the video of her dancing after she was informed that he was no longer endorsing her for a scholarship. The principal told Timonet that he questioned her faith after he saw the clip, according to the teen.

I just started crying hysterically, Timonet said. I was really, really upset because student government is the best thing that happened to me during high school.

Timonets mother, Rachel Timonet, said she was disappointed that she was not present during the meeting earlier this week. The mother, who was present at the event, added that the student body paid for the private venue at the Livingston Parish Country Club, as well as for the DJs performance.

They were just having fun, Timonets mother said. She should not be questioned or spoken about faith at all. Its a public school, not a private school.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is facing the threat of a primary challenge after her vote to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as Speaker.

Mace joined a handful of GOP members led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in voting to remove McCarthy from his leadership post on Tuesday. While some of those votes were expected, the South Carolina Republicans vote was seen as a surprise.

Now her vote is raising questions about potential consequences from the fallout of the Speakership drama, including how it could impact her reelection bid in 2024.

One could see a primary challenge coming at her because of her vote to throw the House of Representatives into chaos, said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean.

At least one Republican has already opened the door to a potential challenge  former state Rep. Katie Arrington (R), who ran against Mace with Trumps endorsement in 2022.

Arrington told The Hill that all options are on the table regarding another primary challenge. She called Maces vote to oust McCarthy a political stunt and suggested the congresswomans move was to get more press exposure.

If not me, there will be many others, Arrington said.

But other Republicans are skeptical that Mace is any real political danger. The South Carolina congresswoman has steadily built a national profile since first being elected to the House in 2020 and batted away Arringtons primary bid in 2022, winning by 8 points.

I havent heard of any credible primary threats to Congresswoman Mace. I dont anticipate any of them will arise, said South Carolina-based Republican strategist Rob Godfrey. And hopefully any sort of alleged threats that have come her way are nothing more than a lot of people talking and not taking any action, because as I said, no one deserves to feel threatened over a vote they cast.

Mace, who touts her bio as a former Waffle House waitress and first female graduate from The Citadel, first entered Congress after narrowly beating Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) in the Lowcountry House seat of South Carolinas 1st Congressional District. Since then, she has sought to cultivate an image as a lawmaker not afraid to buck her own party, even drawing the ire of former President Trump when she said the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack meant that Trumps entire legacy was wiped out.

Mace has been outspoken on other issues too, such as abortion. Some of the stances weve taken, especially when it comes to rape and incest and protecting the life of the mother, its so extreme, she said in the wake of the 2022 midterms. She introduced legislation earlier this year that would push to have over-the-counter contraceptives applications given priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Gun violence became another issue Mace diverged from her colleagues on when she said there are plenty of things that we could be doing besides offering prayers and silence. She introduced legislation last month that would seek to eliminate gaps in the integrated public alert and warning system, according to the bill.

I often joke that I live on an island back home, and I feel like Im on an island  its very lonely, Mace told The Hill in an interview in May. I would say this experience in stepping out and not toeing the party line is a very  its a very lonely experience in the environment that were in today.

Now, Maces decision to vote for ousting McCarthy has thrust her back into the spotlight.

The congresswoman defended her surprise vote after the fact, writing in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: The Speaker has not lived up to his word on how the House would operate. No budget, no separate spending bills until it was too late, a CR which takes spending power out of the hands of the people and puts all the power into the hands of a select few.

There has also been no action on many issues we care about and were promised. We were promised we would move on womens issues and legislation to keep our communities safe. Those things never happened, she added.

But in a nod to the impact her vote could have on fundraising ahead of 2024  the McCarthy-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund noted in 2020 that it had spent over $4.2 million to support her campaign  she has taken to X and media interviews to ask for help from donors.

Hey everyone, Nancy Mace here. Yesterday was crazy wild. I got a lot of calls of support, but I also got a lot of threats from the D.C. establishment who say Im done, she said in a selfie-style video she posted on X. Theyre trying to kick me off of committees, kick me out of the conference and recruit a candidate to run against me in the Republican primary next year all because I wouldnt fall in line with the establishment.

Maces seat, which leans Republican and has flipped between the parties over the last few cycles, will be closely watched in 2024. The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates the seat likely Republican.

Dave Wilson, a longtime Republican strategist in the Palmetto State, said that while theres always the potential for an incumbent to get primaried, Mace was likely safe for now. He noted that the congresswomans justification for ousting McCarthy could appeal to voters in the purple district.

When you look at the voting base there, theyre not your typical party-line Republican. Theyre a little bit more independent in the way that they think, he said. And so I think Nancy Mace voted with her constituency, or at least, can convince her constituency that she voted in the way that they should have or would have voted on this issue.

But Bonjean, a former House leadership aide, noted the potential peril of Maces move.

Usually, moderate members communicate with the leadership well in advance to say  This one, I got to do for my district, I cant take one for the team in this case, and that type of communications really healthy. And thats what normally happens. In this case, clearly theres no communication, Bonjean said. This is the equivalent of just pressing a  thermonuclear button.

And some Republicans are warning not to wave off the possibility of a serious primary challenge just yet.

I think her vote helps her ward off a challenge from the right but might encourage a challenge from the middle in a district that is trending purple, especially when we see who ends up becoming Speaker, Chip Felkel, a South Carolina-based GOP strategist, said in an email.

If she is part of the group that initiated a coup, that leads to weeks of civil war, and creates more concerns over the GOP chances in 2024, it might prove damaging but certainly not yet, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Federal Aviation Administration urged U.S. airlines and pilots to use "extreme caution" when flying at any altitude in Israeli airspace, in an updated Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) statement issued early Sunday, following Hamas' large-scale surprise attack on Israel one day earlier.

The NOTAM mirrors a similar alert issued by the Israeli government.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared "we are at war" after Saturday's attack, which left hundreds dead and thousands more injured. More than 300 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, Palestinian health officials said Sunday.

"Due to the ongoing conflict situation in the region, between Israel and Gaza based extremist militants, operators are advised to review current security, threat information and NOTAMS," read the alert issued Saturday by the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority. It advised pilots to "exercise caution" and said delays were expected.

United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines all announced that they have temporarily suspended flights to and from the international airport near Tel Aviv.

"Future operations at TLV will be suspended until conditions allow them to resume," United said in a statement to CBS News.



Passengers look at a departure board at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 7, 2023, as flights are canceled because of the Hamas surprise attacks. / Credit: GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images

Both Delta and AA said in statements that operations to Israel had been suspended through at least Sunday.

"We will continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed," American Airlines said.

Delta added that it was "working to safely transport Delta people back to the U.S. and will work with the U.S. government as needed to assist with the repatriation of U.S. citizens who want to return home."

Also canceling flights were Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Ryanair and Aegean Airlines.



However, airport authorities did not stop commercial air links with Eilat, Israel's second international airport and tourist destination on the Red Sea.



"Given the current security situation in Tel Aviv, Lufthansa is canceling all flights to and from Tel Aviv up until and including Monday, a spokesman for the German carrier told AFP. The airline was "monitoring the security situation in Israel," he added.



Brussels Airline, part of the Lufthansa group, also canceled its Tel Aviv flights.



Air France said it had halted Tel Aviv flights "until further notice".



"Commercial measures are in place, allowing customers to postpone or cancel their trip free of charge", an Air France spokesman said.



Air France-KLM group's low-cost carrier Transavia announced it was canceling all flights from Paris and Lyon to Tel Aviv up to and including Monday. Spanish airline Iberia announced that its budget subsidiary Iberia Express was canceling its Tel Aviv flights.



Italy's flag-carrier ITA airways canceled its flight until Sunday morning at the earliest "to protect the safety of passengers and crew."

Spanish airline Iberia announced that its budget subsidiary Iberia Express was canceling its Tel Aviv flights. In Warsaw, Polish carrier LOT said it had canceled its flights from the Polish capital on Saturday.

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A man accused of shooting at officers has been arrested, the Orlando Police Department said.

According to a news release, on Sept. 26, Orlando police were called to assist an armed robbery victim when they discovered an armed person near Conley Street and Short Avenue.

Read: Chief: Manhunt underway after robbery suspect opens fire on police officers in Orlando

Investigators said the incident then turned into an officer-involved shooting.

Police identified the suspect as 36-year-old Carlos Rosas.

Read: Edgewater police arrest suspected gunman, fiance after 3 shot, 1 killed in the woods

Rosas is charged with aggravated assault and armed robbery with a firearm.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is still investigating the shooting.

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A man has been charged in connection to a burglary in Derry Township in July.

According to state police, Michael Aaron Whitfield is facing felony charges of burglary, criminal trespassing and theft by unlawful taking. He is also facing misdemeanor charges of theft by unlawful taking and criminal mischief.

On July 12, 2023, police say Whitfield approached Lees Ice Cream on Route 217 between 6:15 and 7:55 a.m. and tried to open a window.

Blood was found smeared on the window.

Whitfield also allegedly broke into Kettle Dads BBQ food trailer along Route 217 within the same timeframe.

Police said Whitfield caused $1,8000 in damage to the trailer.

A dollar was stolen from the tip jar, and suspected blood was found inside.

A stolen truck that had been left unlocked with the keys in the cupholder, was found along Route 217 at 7:55 a.m. the same day.

A state trooper who saw a surveillance image identified Whitfield as the suspect.

On July 13, troopers were told that the Georgia Highway Patrol arrested Whitfield during a traffic stop. He was found in the stolen truck at the time of his arrest.

Whitfield, who is also facing charges in connection to a carjacking in Blairsville, was later extradited to Pennsylvania.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> State police looking for man involved in alleged carjacking in Blairsville

Charges for the robberies were filed against him on Thursday. Whitfield was arraigned Friday and denied bail.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man is in custody and facing multiple charges after allegedly evading police in a stolen vehicle, driving through someones front lawn, and crashing the car into a pond.

The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Thomas Yelvington, was arrested on Sept. 26 and charged with Theft of Property, Vandalism, Tampering with or Fabricating Evidence, Evading Arrest, Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, and Driving while Suspended.

According to reports, a Tennessee Highway Patrol State Trooper was in the area of Millington-Arlington Road and Osborntown Road around 3:50 p.m. when he noticed a maroon 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe with an Arkansas tag that was reported stolen.

The trooper signaled for the car to pull over, and the stolen car reportedly stopped for a brief second but quickly sped off, triggering a pursuit.

Reports say that Yelvington disregarded a stop sign and nearly collided with a school bus on Pleasant Ridge Road.

He continued south on Osborntown Road. Reports say he then drove through the front yard of a resident on Long Road. He drove around the house and into a pond in the backyard in an attempt to destroy the vehicle and its contents.

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While troopers were recovering the vehicle, a meth pipe was seen floating in the pond.

Reports say Yelvington admitted that he was aware that the car was stolen.

He is being held on a $2,500 bond and is set to appear in court on Oct. 9.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
For John Amalfitano, 60, the past is ever-present.

Amalfitano's Dunellen, New Jersey home is filled with relics from a bygone era, items that he says he has a connection with.

"I don't know what it is with me," he told CBS News.

The most memorable item in his home is an unusual find: A chicken egg that a neighbor found in an egg carton in 1951. Written on the egg is a message from a Miss Mary Foss of Forest City, Iowa.

John Amalfitano. / Credit: On the Road

"Whoever gets this egg please write," Foss had written, along with her name and location. Amalfitano said his neighbor held onto the egg for 50 years, without bothering to find Foss or write back.

The neighbor then gave it to Amalfitano, who held onto it for another two decades before sharing photos on social media. He posted pictures of it on a "Weird and Wonderful Secondhand Finds" Facebook page, wondering to the three million members of the group if Foss was still alive.

The dated egg included a message asking its finder to write. / Credit: On the Road

The group scrambled to find Foss. The message was 72 years old, and many feared it wouldn't be easy to find Foss, but in less than a day, they had tracked her down.

Foss, now 92 years old, told CBS News that she remembered writing on the egg. As a teenager, she had worked in an egg packing plant and dreamt of meeting someone in a far-off place.

"We all dream," she explained. The note on the egg was her own message in a bottle.

Mary Foss. / Credit: On the Road

Now, more than seven decades after writing it, she's made the connection she longed for  and been reunited with her egg. Amalfitano and Foss met on Zoom for the first time recently, and Amalfitano was sure to show her the egg, its message still visible.

Foss seemed delighted to see the egg again, but said she likely wouldn't meet up with Amalfitano in person.

"He's got his problem, keeping an egg that long," she said.

Mary Foss, John Amalfitano, and the old egg. / Credit: On the Road

To contact On the Road, or to send us a story idea, email us: OnTheRoad@cbsnews.com.

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SAN DIEGO  A man who molested a 5-year-old child at a San Diego-area church in 2017 was sentenced this week after he was extradited from Singapore, the county district attorney announced.

Chester Yang, 73, was arrested in December 2022 by the countys Fugitive Task Force in connection with the incident at the University of San Diego campus church, according to District Attorney Summer Stephan s office.

Following the incident, officers attempted to contact Yang at his familys home, but were unsuccessful. The day after, prosecutors say he fled to Taiwan  a country that does not have an extradition treaty with the United States  and was unable to be sent back to San Diego.

According to the DAs office, the U.S. Marshals service contacted Taiwanese authorities to get them to notify them if Yang left the country. In late May 2022, Interpol alerted U.S. authorities that he flew to Singapore, prosecutors said. A Deputy U.S. Marshal and the DA then made arrangements to have him extradited to San Diego.

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Yang pleaded guilty to one felony count of forcible lewd acts upon a child in September and was sentenced to 25 years in state prison. It was his second known offense, according to prosecutors  his last stemmed from a 2001 case.

No additional details about Yangs relationship with the victim in the 2017 case or the church were immediately available.

Chester Yang has been held accountable for his crimes, despite fleeing almost 7,000 miles away, DA Stephan said in a released. We will not stop pursuing justice, especially where it comes to those who sexually abuse children and this case demonstrated our commitment to reach out as far as Asia to stop them.

The DAs office has a dedicated Extraditions Unit that prosecutors say was integral in bringing Yang back to the U.S.

Bringing justice took the unified efforts by an international and local team that assembled to bring this predator to justice including, the U.S. Marshals Service, Interpol, the San Diego Police Departments Child Abuse Unit, and our own Deputy District Attorney Melissa Diaz and a team of District Attorney investigators, she added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
A man is in the hospital, but will soon face charges after he tried running over Georgia deputies during a chase.

White County deputies say Alan Paul Heinze, 53, was driving down Hwy. 115 in a Penske moving truck with the back open on Saturday morning. They say furniture was falling out of the back of the truck, so they tried pulling it over.

Heinze sped off and crashed into one patrol car, but was able to keep going.

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Deputies tried PIT maneuvers several times, but could not stop the truck.

While on Helen Highway, authorities say Heinze tried running over a deputy. Thats when deputies fired at him and shot him in the arm.

Despite being shot, Heinze was able to keep speeding away from deputies and Cleveland police.

Authorities were eventually able to crash the truck in the parking lot of Jack P. Nix Elementary School in Cleveland.

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Heinze was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for his injuries. He faces several charges, including aggravated assault on a police officer.

No deputies were injured.

Its unclear if the box truck and its contents belonged to Heinze.

The GBI is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police are investigating a deadly shooting in a senior living community in North Austin.

Police said on Oct. 6, around 3:34 p.m., officers responded to the 10100 block of Middle Fiskville Road after receiving multiple calls about a man being shot.

When officers arrived, they found 71-year-old Curtis Caldwell suffering from gunshot wounds.

Austin-Travis County EMS arrived on the scene and took Caldwell to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

During the investigation, detectives discovered Caldwell attacked a man he knew, and that man shot him.

No charges have been filed at this time.

Detectives encourage anyone with information or video of the incident to call APD Homicide at 512-974-TIPS, the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 512-472-8477 (TIPS), use the new Crime Stoppers App or email APD Homicide at homicide.apd@austintexas.gov. You may remain anonymous. You can also submit tips by downloading APD's mobile app, Austin PD, free on iPhone and Android.
Three months after a Florida man and his three sons were convicted of selling toxic industrial bleach as a fake COVID-19 cure through their online church, a federal judge in Miami sentenced them to serve prison time.

Jonathan Grenon, 37, and Jordan Grenon, 29, were sentenced on Friday to 151 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by distributing an unapproved and misbranded drug, and for contempt of court, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Florida. Mark Grenon, 66, and Joseph Grenon, 36, were sentenced to 60 months in prison, the statutory maximm for conspiring to defraud the United States by distributing an unapproved and misbranded drug.

All four had been found guilty by a federal judge this summer after a two-day trial where the Grenons represented themselves, according to The Miami Herald. Mark Grenon is the father of Jonathan, Jordan and Joseph Grenon.

Prosecutors called the Grenons "con men" and "snake-oil salesmen" and said the family's Genesis II Church of Health and Healing sold $1 million worth of their so-called Miracle Mineral Solution, distributing it to tens of thousands of people nationwide. In videos, the solution was sold as a cure for 95% of known diseases, including COVID-19, Alzheimer's, autism, brain cancer, HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis, prosecutors said.

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had not approved MMS for treatment of COVID-19, or for any other use. The FDA had strongly urged consumers not to purchase or use MMS for any reason, saying that drinking MMS was the same as drinking bleach and could cause dangerous side effects, including severe vomiting, diarrhea, and life-threatening low blood pressure. The FDA received reports of people requiring hospitalizations, developing life-threatening conditions, and even dying after drinking MMS.

A Miami federal judge ordered the church to stop selling the substance in 2020, but that was ignored.

During the trial in July, the jury saw photos and video of a dirty rundown shed in Jonathan Grenon's backyard in Bradenton, Florida, where the defendants were manufacturing MMS. The photos showed dozens of blue chemical drums containing nearly 10,000 pounds of sodium chlorite powder, thousands of bottles of MMS, and other items used in the manufacture and distribution of MMS. The blue chemical drums of sodium chlorite powderthe primary active ingredient in MMSwere affixed with warning labels advising the product was toxic and highly dangerous to consume.

Genesis' websites describe Genesis as a "non-religious church," and defendant Mark Grenon, the co-founder of Genesis, has repeatedly acknowledged that Genesis "has nothing to do with religion," and that he founded Genesis to "legalize the use of MMS" and avoid "going [ ] to jail."

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SAN DIEGO  A man was attacked by an armed suspect in the College East neighborhood Saturday, authorities said.

According to the San Diego Police Department, the 28-year-old victim was standing outside his apartment talking on the phone shortly after midnight prior to the incident. His resident was located on the 6500 block of Montezuma Road.

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Police say he saw another man acting strange and swinging his arms around in the air. The man reportedly ran up to the victim without saying a word and stabbed him in the face with a knife.

The suspect then ran away in an unknown direction, SDPD explained. Hes described as a white man with long hair, no shirt, and dark pants.

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The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

San Diego Police Eastern Division Detectives are investigating the stabbing. Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
SAN DIEGO  A man was re-arrested at the hospital Tuesday on suspicion of attempting to smuggle drugs into jail, authorities said.

Abraham Luniow, 48, was initially arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for sale, Sgt. Aaron Brooke with the San Diego County Sheriffs Department said in a news release Friday. He was taken to San Diego Central Jail for booking, where deputies say Luniow then attempted to smuggle drugs into jail.

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Luniow was then taken to a hospital, where four bindles of a substance that presumptively tested positive for fentanyl were found on him, according to authorities. The suspect was re-arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance inside a county jail.

Last Friday, a man was sentenced to four years in prison for smuggling drugs into the Vista Detention Facility after pleading guilty to possessing a controlled substance inside of a jail, per law enforcement.

The Sheriffs Detention Investigations Unit is investigating the case.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
Alsobrooks has received endorsements from multiple members of the Congressional Black Caucus

Prince Georges County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks has a chance to boost Black women representation in the U.S. Senate if elected next year to represent the state of Maryland.

In May, the Democrat jumped at the opportunity to fill the seat of outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek a fourth term. He has held the seat since 2007.

Given her work experience, Alsobrooks argues she would be the best advocate for her native state of Maryland and its residents. Alsobrooks said she would advocate to cut living costs, improve safety in communities and increase health care access for Americans.

U.S. Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland. (Source: Angela Alsobrooks for Senate)

The people of Maryland deserve a senator who not only fights hard for them, but one who understands them and shares their concerns, she told theGrio, adding that she would continue to fight to grow economic opportunity and jobs across the state.

Earlier this week, Democratic insider Laphonza Butler became the only Black woman currently in the U.S. Senate and just the third Black female senator in history after she was sworn in to replace the late California Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The chamber had no Black woman representation since 2021 when now-Vice President Kamala Harris resigned her seat to join President Joe Biden in the White House.

There are currently three Black male senators.

Marylands entire congressional delegation is made up of men. The states diversity has been growing in recent years as less than half of its population identifies as white, according to 2020 U.S. Census data.

Rep. David Trone of Maryland and Montgomery County Councilor Will Jawando, both Democrats, are also running for the Senate seat.

In her efforts to add to a short list of Black female senators, Alsobrooks will lean on her experiences as county executive, which she was elected to in 2018, and former states attorney for the county.

Ive had the opportunity to come to know Marylanders through my work as chief law enforcement officer and as county executive, she said. I understand the everyday issues of hardworking Maryland families around economic issues, income growth in jobs, in health care and education.

Alsobrooks has dedicated her life to public service. After earning a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law, the senatorial candidate served as a law clerk for the Howard County Circuit Court and Baltimore City Circuit Court. She then worked as a line prosecutor at the Prince Georges County states attorneys office. Before taking on her position as Prince Georges County executive, she served two terms as the countys states attorney.

In recent months, Alsobrooks has been endorsed by several Black Congress members, including Sen. Reverend Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Reps. Glenn Ivey of Maryland, Gregory Meeks of New York and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland.

The Congressional Black Caucus is built on the strength of its members. We need someone who will help to do the hard work of seeking justice, economic opportunities and a better tomorrow, Ivey said in a press release. Her strong work ethic and commitment to communities who have been underserved and undervalued for too long will be an asset to the Caucus, to the Senate and to the Country.

Steven Horsford speaks onstage at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation annual Legislative Conference National Town Hall on September 23, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference)

Meeks highlighted Alsobrooks experience as an asset to her campaign.

Our nation is at a crossroads, and at a time where voter rights and reproductive rights are under attack, we need to elect a woman who will get things done, he said.

Mfume stated in a press release that Alsobrooks will be a big asset to the Black Congressional Caucus and Congress.

Ive worked with Angela Alsobrooks for years. She is more than qualified to represent Maryland in the United States Senate and deserves our support, he said.

Alsobrooks is among a number of Black women who have announced a bid for Senate, including Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee of California and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware.

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The post Marylands Angela Alsobrooks leans on her experience in campaign for Senate appeared first on TheGrio.
A 13-year-old girl is recovering in a hospital after she was shot in front of her Hyattsville, Maryland, home Thursday night while jumping on a trampoline.

"It hurts," the teens brother, who spoke to FOX 5 with permission of his grandmother and without showing his face, said, calling the shooting "devastating."

"I hope she pulls through," he added.

Residents who live nearby in the Prince Georges County neighborhood said they heard several shots around 6:30 p.m., and a witness told investigators they saw two suspects in a red car open fire at the house before speeding away.

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A 13-year-old Maryland girl was jumping on a trampoline in her front yard when she was shot.

As the girl ran for cover, she was hit, FOX 5 reported. While she is expected to recover, her family said the girl is "traumatized" by the incident.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

GEORGIA MAN CHARGED AFTER STRAY BULLET KILLS 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL SLEEPING IN BEDROOM

Prince George's County police are searching for suspects after a teen was shot while jumping on a trampoline outside her home.

Police began interviewing potential witnesses Thursday night in the Hyattsville neighborhood, and are looking for any possible surveillance footage of the shooting.

The boy told FOX 5 he would tell the suspects, "I hope yall know that you shot a 13-year-old little girl. Think about that, you know?"

He said he had no idea who would shoot at his house.

"This is reality, so" he added of the prevalence of crime in the area.





Original article source: Maryland girl, 13, shot while jumping on trampoline outside home: 'Devastating'
A high school in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, was placed on lockdown Friday afternoon when a handgun was discovered in a backpack belonging to a substitute teacher.

Glen Burnie High School principal Kevin Carr said in a letter to families that the substitute left the backpack in a classroom as students were dismissed from third period, according to Fox 5 DC.

A staff member in a classroom found the bag and looked inside to determine who it belonged to shortly after 2 p.m., Carr wrote. The staff member noticed a handgun in the bag and the school was immediately placed on lockdown, in which students were held in classrooms and nobody was allowed into the hallways.

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The firearm was handed over to police, and it was determined that it belonged to the substitute, who was by then teaching in another classroom. The substitute was removed from that classroom and apprehended by police.

The substitute who brought the gun onto campus is now prohibited from working as a substitute teacher or any other role in Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"I want to be clear that we have no evidence at this time that the backpack was in the possession of any student today. We also have no information that the handgun was ever taken out of the backpack," Carr wrote.

BALTIMORE POLICE RELEASE VIDEO OF PERSONS OF INTEREST IN MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SHOOTING

Carr also commended the students for the "outstanding way in which they handled this situation."

"They were calm and orderly, and followed directions of staff," he wrote.





Original article source: Maryland high school placed on lockdown after handgun found in substitute teacher's backpack
Through open source research, Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, together with BBC Russia, confirmed the names of 33,904 Russian soldiers who had been killed since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Since Mediazona's last update on Sept. 22, the names of nearly 1,250 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.

The publication notes that number of Russian casualties is likely considerably higher since the information they have verified so far comes from public sources, including social media posts from relatives, local news reports, and confirmation from local authorities. A joint investigation by Mediazone and Meduza estimated that by the end of May, Russia's war in Ukraine resulted in the deaths of 47,000 Russians under the age of 50.

Since Russia's full-scare invasion began, over 2,500 officers, with 303 holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or above have been killed in combat in Ukraine. In contrast, there have been over 3,900 casualties among newly recruited Russian soldiers.

A majority of those killed in action come from Krasnodar, Sverdlovsk, Bashkiria, Chelyabinsk, and Moscow regions, as well as the Buryatia republic.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: North Korea supplies Russia with weaponry, US official says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Dani Cook opened a multicolored umbrella to shield a toddler and his grandmother from the cameras of the right-to-life protesters as the two sat in a car behind Bristol Womens Health in Virginia just across the border from Tennessee.

But there was nothing Cook could do as a volunteer with Stateline Abortion Access Partners to protect the child from what one of the protesters called out on the sunny morning of Sept. 9.

Young child, if you can hear me, please know they have brought you to this wicked and evil place where they kill little babies, the protester was recorded saying on a video taken at 9:17 am. Theres a baby inside your mommys womb today and today they're going to poison your little brother or sister.

The protester made a declaration that Cook had heard again and again during her five months as a volunteer escort at this facility, which had been located a half mile away in Tennessee until that state passed a near total ban.

Gods law says it is wrong.

Virginia still allowed abortion and in its Virginia location, the clinic became a prime focus of extreme right to lifers. The protesters wrote down license plates of cars parked outside. They also wore body cameras. And, before the owner of a neighboring house facing the facility allowed them to install there, one protester set up an 11-foot ladder.

She would climb up the ladder with a super zoom lens camera and take pictures of patients and doctors going in and out of the clinic, Cook told The Daily Beast. And she doxes the doctors.

Alarming Rise in Violence Against Abortion Clinics Since Fall of Roe

Cook has always been a defender of womens rights, but she had her own way of approaching the protesters.

I dont have to convince people of bodily autonomy or when a heartbeat is a heartbeat, she told The Daily Beast. People are always gonna argue that. So all Im gonna do is challenge you on the thing that you say brought you here. Lets talk about God for real.

She would ask the protesters, If God is who told you to be here, really? So, God said, Strap on some body cams, and put cameras on the house next door? Thats God?

A glimpse of what its like escorting & defending patients seeking reproductive healthcare. The hypocrisy is too much for me, so I give them a taste of their own medicine. pic.twitter.com/QkyCJiwcwF  Dani Cook (@realdanicook) October 5, 2023

Cook is a 50-year-old disabled Army veteran who was born and raised in Bristol, with a Black father and a white mother, bi-racial in a bi-state city. Her parents met in the military and settled in Bristol on the recommendation of a soldier who fought with her father during his combat tours in Vietnam. The father died at 32 from lung cancer. The mother raised Cook and her two brothers on her own. Cook has two daughters and three grandchildren. Her own faith has less to do with Bible thumping than with the beating of her heart.

The core of what I believe is that no matter what name you call God, God is love and love is God, she told The Daily Beast on Friday.

She would tell the protesters that what they were doing had nothing to do with love.

And they would tell me, Well, God is also wrath and justice, she recalled.

One of the protesters addressed her by name.

She said, Dani, what about the Black lives? You say Black lives matter. What about all the Black babies?

Dani Cook Courtesy of Dani Cook

Cook inquired if the protester asked white escorts the same question.

Do you only bring up race with me? Cook asked her. Maybe you ought to do a little prayer about that, because it seems to me all you saw when you saw me was race.

Cook herself was a protester of another kind in 2019-2020 against a successful attempt to combine the regions hospitals into a single monopoly. She had been among the demonstrators who camped for 257 days outside a medical facility.

Now she is one of the volunteers at Bristol Womens Health who offer what protection they can with umbrellas. She also welcomes opportunities to challenge the right to lifers verbally, speaking calmly in the shared accent of someone born and raised in Bristol, but with a very different background and beliefs.

Like my favorite thing to do is when one of them gets brave enough to say, Hey, well will you talk to me? she says. My thing is. Absolutely, I'll talk to you.

She recounted a typical exchange.

Cook: Let me just ask you something because you say you're here for God, right?

Protester: Yeah.

Cook: Great. Me, too. So lets just make sure were talking about the same God. Do you believe that God, um, is the creator and the giver of life? The source of life? 

Protester: Yeah.

Cook: Perfect. Me too. Do you believe that God is all knowing? Does he know from our beginning to our end, what were gonna do before we do it?

Protester: Yes.

Cook: Me too. Do you believe that God is everywhere present?

Protester: Absolutely.

Cook: Do you believe that God is all powerful?

Protester: Yes.

First States to Enact Abortion Bans Have One Thing in Common

Cook: I do, too. So explain this to me; that would mean that at the time that God gives a woman what you would consider to be life, He knows whether or not shes gonna have an abortion. He is present in the clinic when she does it, and he does not use his power to stop it. So could you share with me why you think you know better than God?

The protester only stammers.

Cook: You dont have an answer, right? Right. Because youre really not here for God.

She then asks, What do you think your yelling with a megaphone is doing? Do you think its helping? Probably not. I mean, like nobodys ever went out of the clinic and said, Oh my gosh, you made so much sense. Im so glad you were here.

Protesters often try to counter with a question: By what standard are you out here?

They are asking her to cite a justification from scripture. Cook explained to The Daily Beast, If its a standard thats not in the Bible, its not something they believe in.

Cook is quick to provide one.

Its real simple, she recently told one protester. The standard is, the Bible says to love thy neighbor as thyself and to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. So I would hope that at one of the worst moments of my life, when Im making the hardest decision possible, that someone would show me kindness and compassion, refrain from judgment, and just be there to support me in whatever way I might need. That is my standard.

Some of the protesters use a megaphone to read scripture aloud outside the clinic. Cook was inspired to summon a voice to match it and commence when the protester did. She spoke with what a friend called a preachers rhythm.

She recorded an example on video on Thursday.

There are many people that profess to know God the protester with a megaphone said.

Cook began with the same words and continued by her own personal standard.

... and they stand in judgment and condemnation of other people, and they read scriptures that are not on their hearts, but only in their minds and coming out of their mouth, she said. They have no idea that Jesus is actually empathy, compassionate love, and kindness.

She was speaking of Christ in keeping with Christs actual teachings.

They dont understand that Gods law is something that has been replaced by Jesuss grace and they dont understand that God is forgiving, that God is loving, that God is kind, that he just desires for us to make our choices and then to come have our conversations with them, she continued. Im just letting you know that there are people who believe that they know God so much that they stand on a hill and they scream scriptures through a megaphone.

She noted as in other encounters with the protesters that they were disregarding the commandment about loving your neighbors. She asked how they would like it if somebody went to their home and wrote down license plate numbers and took pictures of everybody who came and went and followed them to their doctors appointments.

Should we yell at you for your diabetes, for your heart disease, for your obesity? Cook asked. Should we do that for the way that you treat your godly vessel?

On Friday, Karolina Ogorek, administrative director of Bristol Womens Health, offered the highest praise for Cook and her efforts to make the patients feel protected in the face of wrath.

Extraordinary, Ogorek said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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TechCrunch

A Frontier AI taskforce established by the U.K. back in June to prepare for the AI Safety Summit held this week is on course to be a permanent fixture, as the U.K. bids to take a leadership role on AI policy in the future. The U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today formally announced the launch of the AI Safety Institute, a "global hub based in the U.K. and tasked with testing the safety of emerging types of AI." Now the government has confirmed that it will be led by Ian Hogarth -- an investor, founder and engineer had also chaired the taskforce -- and that Yoshio Bengio, one of the most prominent people in the field of AI, will be taking the lead on the production of its first report.
Scientists have long suspected that Mercury is actively shrinking over billions of years  but new research suggests that that process may still be going on, leaving cracked-up wrinkles behind.

In an essay for The Conversation, planetary scientist David Rothery, a professor at the UK's Open University and co-author of a new paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience, explained that the wrinkles on Mercury's crust may be the result of continued planetary cooling and contracting.

Since the 1970s, scientists have had telescopic evidence that Mercury's crust had shrunk due to internal cooling and created wrinkly ridges known scientifically as "scarps." As the planet compressed an estimated total of about 8.8 miles in diameter over the last 3.8 billion years, the wrinkles formed, as Rothery described, like those that appear on an old apple.

To see if Mercury might still be getting smaller, Rothery and Open University PhD student Ben Man turned their attention to another geographical feature of the closest planet to the Sun: "grabens," taken from the German word for "ditch," which are like small cuts on the backs of the ridge-like scarps that line the planet's surface.

Grabens, which are generally just over half a mile long and less than 300 feet deep as compared to the up to 1.25 mile-high wrinkly ridges on which they sit, occur as the scarps stretch due to "Mercury quakes," and are akin to the cracks that might appear if one tries to bend a piece of toast, as Rothery aptly illustrated.

These comparably small cracks, which the researchers posited would have smoothed over if they were as old as the scalps themselves, led Man and Rothery to believe that Mercury is still shrinking.

"Because there are such small structures," Rothery told Insider, "they wouldn't survive for very long."

The British scientist is, of course, speaking in terms of a planetary scale  the majority of grabens are estimated to be less than roughly 300 million years old, a fraction of the three billion years or so since Mercury's wrinkles were formed.

Between 2011 and 2015, NASA's MESSENGER probe sent back photos of hundreds of possible grabens and 48 scarps that definitely had grabens after it orbited Mercury. Since that probe, scientists have begun wondering whether Mercury might still be shrinking, and as NASA noted in a 2017 post, some grabens might be as "young" as 50 million years old.

Scientists are hoping to learn more about the phenomenon thanks to the European and Japanese BepiColombo probe mission, which was launched in 2018. The spacecraft has flown by the planet twice and should arrive back at Mercury in 2026, at which point, it'll be able to take higher-resolution photos than MESSENGER to verify if the 244 "probably" grabens are what they seemed to be.

That could give scientists a much more detailed look at the phenomenon and perhaps conclude once and for all if the smallest planet in the solar system is still seismically active  and therefore continuing to shrivel up like an old apple.

More on planetary goings-on: James Webb Spots Numerous Pairs of Planets, Hanging Out With No Stars
Over the past day, Ukrainian forces have recorded 774 Russian strikes on the Kupiansk-Lyman direction of the front line in Kharkiv and Luhansk oblasts, Eastern Force Grouping spokesperson Illia Yevlash said on air on Oct. 7.

The number of strikes is "one of record figures" Yevlash said, adding that Russian forces "used everything available" to attack Ukrainian positions, including attack drones, mortars, tank artillery, rockets, and small arms.

The day saw 14 combat engagements on this section of the front line, all of which were repelled due to powerful fortifications and the "fierce resistance" put up by Ukrainian forces, he said.

In particular, the Russian military is trying to break through Ukrainian defenses at Synkivka, a frontline village located eight kilometers northeast of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast. According to Yevlash, this is a key target due to its logistically-important railway.

The Kupiansk-Lyman axis is currently one of the hottest areas of the front line.

Russia has been concentrating its forces around Kupiansk since mid-July, trying to regain positions lost during the Ukrainian surprise counteroffensive last autumn.

Soldiers fighting near Kreminna, a Russian-occupied town on the Lyman axis, told the Kyiv Independent in July that there was a brief period every now and then when Russia's offensive would slow down  before it picked up the pace again after its rotation of units.

On Oct. 5, Yevlash said that Russia is again intensifying attacks on this axis.

Read also: Every family affected: Devastated village copes with aftermath of Russian strike on funeral

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(Reuters) - Moldova's pro-European President, Maia Sandu , said Russia's Wagner paramilitary force was the main force behind an attempt to foment a coup against her, she told the Financial Times in an interview published on Friday.

Sandu, interviewed by the Financial Times during the European Union's European Political Community summit in Spain, said Wagner's late leader Yevgeny Prigozhin stood behind the bid to overthrow her.

She also said Moscow remained engaged in attempts to destabilise the country lying between Ukraine and EU member Romania, notably by funnelling money into Moldova to bribe voters in next month's local elections.

"The information that we have is that it was a plan prepared by (Prigozhins) team," Sandu told the FT in reference to the alleged coup, adding that the group was trying to get anti-government protests, held periodically since last year, to turn violent.

"The situation is really dramatic and we have to protect ourselves."

Sandu accused Russia in February of plotting a coup against Moldova's government by exploiting protests.

Russia's foreign ministry has rejected such claims and previously accused Moldova of pursuing an anti-Russian agenda.

She and other leaders point to longstanding pressure on the country, particularly in terms of pricing and payment for Russian energy supplies. Moscow also exerts influence through a pro-Russian separatist enclave, Transdniestria, in Moldova's east.

Since Sandu's 2020 election, Moldova has denounced Russia's war in Ukraine and become a candidate for EU membership.

Prigozhin, whose mercenaries played a major role in capturing parts of eastern Ukraine for Russia in the past year, staged a brief mutiny against Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in June. He was killed in plane crash two months later.

"Russia is going to increase its pressure on Moldova," Sandu told the FT. "They tried energy and they failed. They tried to overthrow the government and they failed. And now they are trying massive interference in our elections, using a lot of money."

Moldova's parliament this week took steps to keep allies of fugitive businessman Ilan Shor from contesting the election. Shor was sentenced in absentia in April to 15 years in prison for fraud and his party was banned by the Constitutional Court.

Sandu's PAS party has a majority in parliament but faces competition in towns and cities against her pro-European policies throughout the country of 2.5 million.

Sandu said Moldovas intelligence services had detected at least 20 million euros ($21.2 million) in Russian finance coming into the country and suggested the true figure was higher.

Moldovans, she said, were entering the country with "bank cards that were issued in Dubai...they just distribute thousands of cards ...bank cards to people they wanted to bribe."

Moldovan police on Friday said they had seized thousands of bank cards issued in Dubai due to be given to Shor's allies.

"This is using bank cards instead of suitcases or black bags full of cash," Veronica Dragalin, head of Moldova's Anti-corruption prosecutors, told reporters. "We are talking here about money laundering, a much more serious crime."

(Writing by Ron Popeski; Additional reporting by Alexander Tanas in Chisinau; Editing by Josie Kao)
The City Council meeting in Hutto, Texas, had been in session for just a few minutes on Aug. 31 when local resident Nicole Calderone stepped up to the podium, moments after another speaker angrily rebuked Mayor Mike Snyder.

What happened next would plunge the city of less than 40,000 people, just a half-hour drive north of Austin, into a ferocious debate about racism. At the center of the controversyimprobably or inevitably, depending on where you standis a $20 banana holder that some see as a physical manifestation of the racist trope that compares Black people to monkeys.

Calderones three-minute speech began with a recounting of a visit to her cancer-stricken mother-in-laws home, where she admired a banana stand and said she would love to give it to the mayor as encouragement to continue the work he is trying to accomplish. She then bent down to reveal the colorful holder, which featured a figurine of a cartoonish monkey at the base and five ripe bananas hanging from the hook.

Im one of the many monkeys who keep trying to climb the ladder for bananas, regardless of how many times other monkeys try to pull me down and beat me up, Calderone said in the meeting. To me, the bananas represent what I expect and what Im willing to fight for: low taxes, keeping a roof over our heads, and food on the table. Authentic community.

When she was done talking, Calderone took the banana holder up to the dais, where it sat in front of the mayors face for the rest of the two-hour meeting. Its prolonged presence there has since sparked outraged complaints of racism and calls for the mayorwho is white, like approximately 49 percent of his constituentsto resign.

For context, heres the moment it happened. pic.twitter.com/CF74ncZpfa  Paige M. Hubbard (@THEPAIGEREPORT1) September 8, 2023

I believe the mayor has some racist tendencies that I think should be really alarming to the citizens he claims to represent, Brian Thompson, one of two Black members of the seven-seat Hutto council, told The Daily Beast last week.

Calderone insisted that her gifts monkey theme had no racial implications. Snyder apologized for offending anyone but claimed he wasnt even aware of the monkey trope, and insisted that he was not racist.

I tried everything I can do to understand things. For instance, I work at a company where our market is run by a Black man, and his boss, who runs the entire company, is a Black man. They know Im in politics, and I run a lot of things by them, Snyder said.

Last winter, our Santa Claus got COVID so we asked for a Santa. And theyre like, Well, but hes Black. And Im like, Whats that got to do with anything? he added. So we made a decision that Black Santa is fine and not one person made a comment.

Nicole Calderone presents the banana stand during the City of Hutto council meeting. Photo by City Council of Hutto/Hutto, Texas Government

The uproar over the banana hanger did not come out of nowhere, and this was not the first time that Snyder, a Republican who was elected mayor in March 2021, has been accused of racial insensitivity. Three years ago, when he was a council member, Snyder was named in a race discrimination and breach-of-contract lawsuit against the city.

The December 2020 complaint filed in Texas federal court by Odis Jones detailed a host of allegations against the city, including the claim that Snyder created a hostile work environment after he was elected to the council. Jones was Huttos first Black city manager, and after complaining about his treatment, he negotiated a $412,000 severance package to vacate his post.

Days after the deal was approved by the council, the lawsuit alleges, Snyder and another council member launched a campaign to disparage Jones and scuttle the severance payout. They allegedly put out a press release that accused Jones of violating the agreement, trashed him in the media, and threatened to ruin his life and career.

What the suit described as a racially motivated crusade culminated with the city declaring the severance agreement void and demanding a refund of the money it paid Jones nearly a year earlier. Jones sued the city the following week, and after a four-day trial in March 2023, the jury sided with him, finding the city illegally breached his contract because of race. The jury voted for $12.5 million in damages for Jones; the city appealed in April and asked for a new trial, claiming there was no evidence to support the excessive award. (A judge dismissed individual claims against Snyder and the other individuals prior to trial, but the mayor did testify.)

In an interview last week, Snyder 100 percent denied all the allegations made at trial, said there was a lot of misunderstanding, and predicted the truth would come out during the appeal. Jones disagreedand seems to be well aware of the current race controversy enveloping Snyder.

After a trial featuring testimony from multiple witnesses, including Mayor Mike Snyder, a federal jury considered the evidence presented and unanimously returned a historic verdict against the City of Hutto, Ted Smith, one of his attorneys, said in a statement to The Daily Beast. The jury found that the City had breached its agreements with Odis Jones, the Citys first Black City Manager, and had taken that illegal action against him because of his race.

Mr. Jones is saddened, but not surprised, to learn of this kind of reported racism continuing at Hutto City Hall.

The banana holder that started it all. Photo Courtesy of Nicole Calderone

The lawsuit and the massive jury verdicta sum that exceeds more than 10 percent of the citys entire budgetput Snyder in a precarious position.

The lawsuit confirmed to me what I had already seen happening, which was not upholding peoples civil rights, Onnesha Williams, a community advocate and co-founder of Black Families of Hutto, told The Daily Beast. The lawsuit had people holding their breath because the city is on the hook for it.

Still, nobody could have foreseen that a special summertime council meeting to discuss a new revenue tax proposal would leave Snyder under such intense public scrutiny.

After the meeting kicked off with the Pledge of Allegiance, the floor was given to a resident who sounded off on Snyder for ignoring anyone who doesnt agree with him. Every lawsuit this city has faced in the past few years has been a direct result of your actions, the speaker told the mayor.

When Calderone walked up to the podium, she was carrying a teal shopping bag, which she set down before launching into her speech. After she pulled the banana holder out of the bag and presented it to Snyder, she continued her remarks, which included a series of things she wants for Hutto, from the preservation of natural resources to limited government.

Calderone, who ran for mayor in 2019 and lost, told The Daily Beast last week that her speech, gift, and explanation of it referred to the five wet monkey experiment and challenging group think. In this experiment, scientists placed monkeys in a cage that had a ladder with bananas at the top and would spray all the animals with cold water when one tried to climb for the fruit. The other monkeys would pull down and attack the climber until they all learned not to climb the ladder.

To understand the five monkeys experiment is to understand a little bit of the politics thats been happening in Hutto, Calderone explained. I refer to myself as a monkey trying to climb the ladder and getting pulled down, and then what those bananas represent.

That is not how some others at the meeting viewed the gift or the fact that it sat in a place of prominence for the entire meeting.

Dana Wilcott, the other Black council member, said she froze in shock when Calderone whipped out the banana stand. She said that she and Thompson immediately stared at each other across the dais in disbelief. Their dismay only grew, she said, when Snyder not only accepted the gift but placed it right in front of his place before continuing the public comment section of the meeting.

Wilcott told The Daily Beast that she and Thompson texted each other, asking, Did that really just happen?" but did not say anything publicly. Several meeting attendees told The Daily Beast that there was no obvious reaction in the audience.

We chose not to respond at that moment because we wanted to remain professional, Wilcott said.

Thompson said that he did not think the over-the-top gift was racially motivated until after Calderone stressed that it was specifically for Snyder. Then I started to get very angry, he said. I understand bringing a prop and presenting it to get your point across, but then gifting it to a mayor, knowing that the mayor has had allegations of being racially biased?

The councilman added that having to look at the fruit stand for the rest of the meeting made him feel like he had been put in my place and that if he spoke up, he would be perceived as an angry Black man. It was not until a private session after the public meeting that Thompson and Wilcott said they complained. Wilcott said that Snyder acted really oblivious and insisted that the gift was harmless. (Snyder denies talking to Wilcott and Thompson privately about the gift.)

Were not supposed to be accepting gifts anyway, she added.

The banana holder sits in front of Mayor Mike Snyder Courtesy Nicole Calderone

Before long, the banana stand with the monkey motif was the talk of Huttoa town previously best known for its official symbol: a hippo.

The morning after the council meeting, Facebook posts featuring Calderones speech and her gift began to pop up. Several residents told The Daily Beast that they immediately thought the fruit stand was racially charged and an example of Snyders insensitivity to minorities.

I was mortified, to be honest, Heather Mack, a Hutto hair salon owner who saw the banana stand on Facebook, told The Daily Beast. I couldnt believe someone in this day and age was not better educated about what a banana and a monkey mean. (There are a variety of monkey-themed banana holders available through retailers, including Walmart and Amazon.)

Onnesha Williams, the community advocate, called the banana holder the straw that broke the camels back when it came to Snyder. Calls for his resignation ballooned, as did the online tensions between Synder supporters and critics. The mayor, in my opinion, has been highly harmful to marginalized people, Williams said. My immediate reaction is that it is one thing in a collection of issues that has been escalating.

The imbroglio featured at the Sept. 7 council meeting, where one resident slammed Snyder for allowing bananas on the dais with a monkey.

Terrence Owens, a school board member, also skewered Snyder. When he spoke, we saw bananas, he said, demanding that the council get diversity training. We have to do better.

Thompson also addressed the matter at the September meeting, saying he was deeply concerned and disappointed that Snyder accepted the gift of bananas, which is a historically racist symbol used to demean and dehumanize African Americans. He demanded an apology.

In response, Snyder said he was sorry and that he could now see how the gift could be taken wrong. Looking back, had I known it would be viewed or construed that way by other members of the community, then its an easy decision, Snyder said at the meeting.

The anger over the banana stand initially surprised Calderone, she said, because nobody in the community reached out to her. I did look inward, and I was like, maybe I am culturally insensitive, she said. So I started researching race relations and where do we go from here.

Calderone said her research took her to the writing of Black conservative Shelby Steele, and she stressed that her message and gift to the mayor never had racial undertones. Despite the apologies and soul-searching, the furor does not appear to be dying down. At recent meetings, more residents demanded Snyder resign, and anger from both sides is bubbling over online and in person.

At the Sept. 28 meeting, Calderone once again stood at the podium, thankfully without a shopping bag this time. She slammed the anti-banana stand group for never reaching out to her and said they had no intention of trying to make this into a teachable moment.

You have no intention of trying to bridge gaps between race; all you want to do is divide, she said. Then she began to speak directly at Wilcott, whom she claimed was shaking her head on the said dais. Is this a safe space for me? Are you trying to call me out and attack me? Fuck you, Calderone said.

As I was walking out, Onnesha was like, Oh, thats nice; I'll tell that to my kids, and I was like, Good, First Amendment, look it up. And fuck you, too, Calderone told The Daily Beast.

Despite the deepening discord, Snyder told The Daily Beast he has no intention of resigning because he does not believe that will solve the problem. He said he hears the communitys anger and wishes he had handled the gift, which he threw away at home after the meeting, differently. Also, he noted, he is allergic to bananas.

Meanwhile, residents are worried what Snyders refusal to resign and the continuing hostility will mean for a community centered around the hippo way of kindness and inclusiveness.

Things have never been worse, Wilcott said. I have been here for 13 years, and it has never been so divided as it is right now.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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U.S. Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland, right, and Deputy U.S. Atty. Gen. Lisa Monaco convene the coronavirus disease fraud enforcement task force at the Justice Department in Washington in March 2022. (Kevin Lamarque / Associated Press)

A Glendale laboratory owner acknowledged in federal court that she fraudulently billed hundreds of million of dollars in COVID-19 testing during a nearly two-year run.

Lourdes Navarro, 64, could potentially spend up to 20 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice , after pleading guilty Thursday to healthcare and wire fraud. A federal judge will determine her fate at a sentencing hearing on Jan. 23.

Those who stole from government health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic not only violated federal law, they betrayed the public trust, Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Navarro and her husband, Imran Shams, billed the government and private health companies $359 million for what were deemed unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel, or RPP, tests from June 2020 to April 2022, according to the Department of Justice.

At the time, Navarro and Shams were co-owners of Baldwin Park-based Matias Clinical Laboratory, according to court documents .

Read more: Seven Californians among people charged in $150-million COVID aid fraud scheme

Navarro and Shams collected nasal swab specimens from potential COVID-19 patients, including samples from residents and staffs at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and similar medical facilities, court documents allege. The duo also collected samples from Los Angeles-area students and staff while other physicians and medical professionals also sent over samples.

The couple were supposed to test for COVID-19 but, according to the Department of Justice, they also conducted non-requested advanced screening RPP exams.

Eventually they were reimbursed $54 million of the original $359 million initially billed to Medicare, the Health Resources and Services Administration and at least one private insurance company.

The defendant used her management position at a clinical testing laboratory to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic for personal gain, Acting Assistant Atty. Gen. Nicole M. Argentieri, of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, said in a statement. This case demonstrates the Criminal Divisions continued resolve in working with our partners to root out bad actors who steal from government health programs.

The total number of RPP tests conducted by Navarro and Shams is unknown. Calls to the U.S. attorneys office for the Central District of California were not immediately returned.

Read more: O.C. doctor charged with defrauding COVID healthcare program of $150 million

Attorney Patric Hooper, who represented Navarro, said in a statement that his client accepts responsibility for her conduct.

Hooper classified Navarros actions as misguided and ultimately were intended to help the community and vulnerable populations to screen for the deadly COVID-19 virus."

The decision to bill for the testing arose during the tumultuous and ever changing landscape of regulatory guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. The government has conceded that all testing was actually performed.

Hooper said Navarros plea agreement was conditional and she preserved her right to challenge certain regulatory aspects regarding the legality of the respiratory panel testing.

Shams was already awaiting sentencing on Jan. 9 after having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The US and most countries in Europe closed their airspace to Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

Still, dozens of airlines  mostly in Asia and the Middle East  continue to overfly Russia.

Carriers including Air India and Emirates cross Russian skies on routes to and from the US.

Even though Russian airspace is closed to US airlines, many Americans may still end up flying through Russian skies.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the US and many other Western nations imposed sanctions against Moscow.

This included closing off their respective airspace, meaning US airlines and most European carriers cannot currently fly over Russia  a reality reminiscent of the Cold War.

These airlines are now effectively banned from the favorable polar routes that more quickly connect far-away destinations, forcing carriers to spend extra time and money to skirt borders  or even cut routes altogether.

Russia's airspace closure is leading US and European airlines to detour around the country, according to data sent to Insider from the global travel-data provider OAG. Courtesy of FlightRadar24.com

However, data sent to Insider from travel data provider OAG, shows some 56 global cargo and passenger airlines are scheduled to fly to Russia in October and will traverse its airspace.

This includes four European carriers: Air Serbia, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, and Belarus' Belavia. FlightRadar24 cites the airlines' country's close relations with Moscow for the continued service.

A handful are also from Africa, like Egyptair and Ethiopian Airlines.

Most of the carriers still overflying Russia, however, are based in Asia and the Middle East  many of which are household names like Qatar Airways, Air China, Etihad Airways, and Emirates.

And, some of these routes are even flying to and from the US.

Emirates' route between Dubai and Los Angeles takes a northerly path directly up and across Russia before jumping over the North Pole and then turning back south towards the US West Coast, according to data from FlightAware.

Emirates' flight path from Dubai to Los Angeles on September 25 showed it flew over Russian airspace. FlightAware

And, while not on OAG's list because it does not directly serve Russia, Air India still regularly crosses Russian airspace on flights between New Delhi and US cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Uzbekistan Airways operates a similar routing between New York and its capital of Tashkent, as does Qatar from Doha.

A handful of flights operated by Chinese carriers between the US and China will overfly Russia on routes to and from the US as well, though the 16 new ones approved since May are detouring around Russia, Reuters reported in August.

Air India, Emirates, Qatar, and Uzbekistan did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Safety concerns arise as foreign airlines overfly Russia

In June, an Air India aircraft headed to San Francisco experienced an engine problem when flying over Russia and had to make an emergency landing.

Passengers, including some US citizens, had to rough it in the remote Siberian town where barely any support was available. Travelers reported there was little food, and the makeshift accommodations looked like a school.

The carrier was later criticized over its decision to land in Russia given its ongoing war with Ukraine, NBC News reported.

The event came after members of Congress urged the White House in February to ban all non-American airlines flying to and from the US from travering Russian airspace.

"The risk to Americans flying over Russian airspace is real, as demonstrated by Russian-backed separatists that shot down a Malaysian Airlines flight, killing all 298 passengers on board, or the government of Belarus, using as a pretense a false-bomb alert, ordered a Ryanair flight over its territory to land so that it could seize and detain a particular passenger," Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and James Risch (R-ID) wrote in the letter, which was viewed by Reuters.

Malaysian Airlines flight 17 was shot down in July 2014 using weapons believed to be supplied to the separatists by Putin, international investigators said in February 2023.

Top officials also say the Russian president gave the go-ahead for Belarus to divert a Ryanair plane in May 2021 so it could arrest Belarusian opposition journalist Roman Protasevich  a move that received condemnation from countries like the US, Australia, and EU member states.

"What's going to happen if an airline lands in Russia with some prominent US citizens on board?" United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, who has been vocal about barring airlines from overflying Russia on US routes, said at IATA's Annual General Meeting in June. "That is a crisis in the making, and I think we should solve it before the crisis happens."

Avoiding Russian skies puts US airlines at a disadvantage

During a February presentation, airline lobbying group Airlines for America said carriers like Air India, Emirates, and China Eastern Airlines are unfairly taking customers from US airlines because they have access to Russian airspace  an advantage that grants them shorter flight times, less fuel consumption, and overall lower costs.

"This situation is directly to the benefit of foreign airlines and at the expense of the US as a whole, with fewer connections to key markets, fewer high-paying airline jobs, and a dent in the overall economy," A4A told the NYT.

The Times noted fares between New Delhi and New York on Air India and American Airlines at the time differed by hundreds of dollars.

Looking at the time of writing for mid-November, a ticket on Air India is nearly $2,000 cheaper than American. The latter airline needs to spend an extra 90 minutes in the air because it can't cross Russia.

Screenshot of JFK to New Delhi nonstop flights in mid November. Air India costs $1,521 RT while American costs $3,471. Google Flights

In its presentation, A4A called on the federal government to take action, noting the problem could cost US airlines a combined $2 billion per year.

This was a particular concern earlier this year when Chinese airlines were using Russian airspace on routes to the US.

"It's a big issue for us," Kirby said in June, The Air Current reported.

However, the 16 additional flights approved by regulators since May bring the total to 48 total roundtrips allowed by US and Chinese airlines  or 24 per country.

This is expected to help remedy the competitive disadvantage US airlines were facing, with Delta Air Lines and United both adding flights to China this fall.

The two dozen flights are still significantly less than the more than 150 roundtrips running before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, but A4A told Reuters in August it "supports the gradual reopening of US-China air services commiserate with increases in passenger demand over time."

"Today's modified Order ensures fair and equal opportunity for US airlines to compete in," it continued.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Morgan State University has canceled its homecoming for the first time in school history after a campus shooting that injured five people.

The shooting occurred Tuesday after a homecoming event on the Baltimore campus, when Mr. and Ms. Morgan State were crowned at the school's event center. All five injured were expected to make full recovery, but with suspects still at large and prior experiences with gun violence around homecoming events, the university decided to cancel most homecoming festivities.

University President David K. Wilson explained in a press release that this decision did not come lightly.

Regrettably, for the very first time in Morgans history, all activities planned around Homecoming will be either canceled or postponed until the perpetrator(s) of this atrocity have been found and brought to justice, Wilson said.

Why is it a big deal?

Homecoming celebrations are important for many Historically Black Colleges and Universities for the traditional reasons common to many schools' fall celebrations  the return of alumni and opportunity for students to blow off steam mid-semester.

But networking is a big part of homecoming at many HBCU's, as well. Many students are allowed to connect with alumni and talk about their future, providing a chance to identify mentors and a path to a career after college.

And for the HBCU, many of which are underfunded nationwide, the celebrations represent a crucial fundraising period to solicit funds from alumni and other supporters.

A sign reading "Morgan Strong" is displayed on the campus of Morgan State University on October 04, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. Police are still looking for a suspect who opened fire on the campus of the historically black college as students were attending a homecoming week event, injuring five people. This is the third year in a row where gun violence has marred the University's homecoming festivities.

Ty Couey, the president of the National HBCU Alumni Associations Foundation, commended Wilson for making such a hard decision.

Homecoming is critical to any institution; however, what's more important is education. Many parents were concerned about their children that attend Morgan State, said Couey. Homecoming is a money maker, but the education of black students is far more important.

HBCU homecomings can also dramatically impact the local community. According to The Edvocate, homecoming brings money to small business owners around HBCUs. With the amount of alumni coming into town, many small businesses see a rise in sales for the week.

How are alumni and students feeling?

Morgan State graduate Sydney Parker said the shooting and response made for a sad situation that she is all too familiar with.

As a former student there, I hate to say that Im used to the gun violence that weve seen this week," Parker said. But to hear it happened during a really important time for my former HBCU and surrounding community, I think it is just really sad.

This is the third consecutive year of gun violence at a Morgan State homecoming event.

In 2021, an 18-year-old student was injured in a shooting after homecoming festivities. In 2022, another student was injured after a shooting at a non-sanctioned homecoming event.

Given the recent history and this year's shooting, some students were left with mixed emotions about the decision.

Kristopher Jackson, a second-year nursing major attending Morgan State, said he is unsure how he should feel about homecoming.

I respect our Presidents decision because its better safe than sorry, said Jackson. However, Im mad that homecoming is canceled. This is really the only chance to network and have fun simultaneously.

What happens now?

Morgan State canceled classes through the end of the week and the school said counselors would be available for students.

The Baltimore Police Department said investigators are searching for two people in connection with the shooting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Morgan State shooting prompts university to historically cancel homecoming
A woman was sentenced on Monday to 10 months in prison for purchasing a firearm for her son, who also is accused of shooting a Phoenix police officer, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Even though the pistol purchased by Erika LaRae Williams, 52, for her son, Essa Williams, was not the weapon reportedly used to shoot Phoenix police Officer Tyler Moldovan in December 2021, it is still illegal for Essa Williams to own a firearm according to state law, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. This is due to his prior violent felony convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms under state law, the news release said.

On Sept. 3, 2020, Erika Williams purchased a Taurus G3 pistol from AZESB LLC in Phoenix for Essa Williams, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. When Erika Williams was purchasing the firearm, she completed the Firearms Transactions Record, where she claimed she was the actual purchaser of the firearm, knowing she was buying it for her son, the news release said.

Later, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives obtained approval to search Erika Williams' phone, which revealed a text conversation between her and Essa Williams during the purchase of the pistol. In the text conversation, Essa Williams asked his mother which firearm was purchased, inquired about other available options, and asked if her background check had been successful, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The text also showed Erika Williams provided details to her son regarding who helped sell her the firearm and confirming the purchase was complete, the news release said.

After serving her 10-month prison sentence, Erika Williams will undergo three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Essa Williams' trial is pending in Maricopa County Superior Court in connection with the shooting of Moldovan on Dec. 14, 2021, the news release said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the pistol that Erika Williams bought for her son was not the firearm that he used in the shooting. On March 10, 2022, ATF obtained a search warrant for Erika Williams' house and confiscated the pistol that she bought for her son, the news release said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mother sentenced after buying gun for son, accused of shooting officer
I'm an American who moved to Paris and had a baby  now, I've lived here for 5 years.

I'm surprised the French put perfume on babies and don't use baby wipes.

The French eat four meals daily and are guaranteed more paid time off than Americans.

In 2018, I packed up my New York City studio apartment and moved to Paris to be with the French guy I met on vacation two years earlier.

After five years of living in France and having my first child here, many things have surprised me.

Giving birth wasn't very expensive in France  and I stayed in the hospital for a long time

Giving birth in the French public hospital system is much cheaper than giving birth in the US.

I gave birth in the private system and after an extended 10-day stay I left with a bill of 1,500 euros. I cannot begin to imagine what this number would have looked like if I had given birth in New York City.

I'm always shocked when I hear how my friends in the US are paying thousands of dollars on top of what their health insurance covers.

In France, I also found it's normal to spend a few days in the hospital after giving birth. My maternity ward required first-time moms to stay for five days minimum or seven if they had a C-section.

As a first-time mom, I loved the extra care and attention I received during my stay. I learned how to take care of my baby and breastfeed, plus I was able to get some sleep at night while the nurses looked after my daughter.

When we left, I felt rested and confident about bath time and breastfeeding. Meanwhile, in the US, some people go home within 24 hours of giving birth.

French people eat 4 meals a day

The French typically eat four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, gouter, and dinner.

Breakfast is usually on the lighter side  yogurt and bread with jam or maybe a croissant paired with an espresso. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day and sometimes contains more than one course. Dinner is typically lighter, maybe a quiche and salad or soup and salad.

A favorite meal of the day is gouter, an afternoon snack children typically eat around 4:30 p.m. when they leave school. Many continue this tradition into their adult lives, too.

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A common gouter is a piece of bread with a chocolate bar inside. Other options include a croissant or pain au chocolat, a fruit compote, or even a slice of brioche. Either way, the snack almost always involves sugar.

A lot of French kids eat better than I do

French kids are exposed to a wide variety of foods when they start eating at day care and school.

One of my first viral videos on TikTok was about the menu at my daughter's public day care in Paris. The diverse menu included organic fruit, vegetables, and grains, along with meat and fish several times a week.

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When kids start school in France, their lunch menus follow the same daily format: appetizer, main course, side, cheese course, and fruit/dessert. These kids are eating better than me!

Lunches in US public schools aren't exactly known for being healthy or varied. Common school lunches in the US include pizza, burgers, or chicken nuggets served with things like frozen veggies, chocolate milk, and fruit in syrup.

Baby wipes aren't really a thing here, and French babies wear perfume

One of the most popular newborn gifts in France is baby perfume  many popular brands even have a signature scent. It's generally non-toxic and water-based but the idea of putting perfume on my baby shocked me.

I was also surprised to learn baby wipes, which are super popular in the US, aren't really a thing here. I'll never forget when a French nurse scolded me for using one on my newborn daughter. She informed me that French parents don't use baby wipes because they're too harsh.

Instead, many people use liniment, a product made with olive oil and limestone water that's applied with a cotton pad. It gently cleanses the diaper area while leaving a protective layer on the skin to help prevent diaper rash.

Kids here also start school fairly young

Girl running toward yellow bus with backpack on to go to school

In France, kids go to school at a young age and get lots of time off.FatCamera/Getty Images

In France, mandatory school starts for all children the year they turn 3. This means children like my daughter who are born late in the year start school at just over 2  years old.

When kids in France start school, they're expected to be potty-trained, able to eat in a cafeteria with others, and put on their jackets and shoes on their own.

I often think one of the reasons people see French kids being so well-behaved comes from the fact that they are used to being quite independent from a young age. For comparison, children in the US are not required to be in school until they are 5 years old.

In France, time off is important for everyone, including kids

The minimum amount of paid time off of work in France is five weeks per year. Meanwhile, paid vacation isn't a legal requirement in the US.

I've also found it's common for some French families to take all of August off work and go on vacation. Many local stores, restaurants, and businesses close for August, too.

Kids also get lots of breaks throughout the year. The school holiday schedule consists of six weeks of classes followed by two weeks of time off. In the US, breaks tend to be much shorter and more spaced out.

Here, my kid has four two-week breaks through the school year followed by all of July and August off.

Read the original article on Insider
Californians will require large corporations to publicly disclose their carbon emissions and financial risks posed by climate change, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills on Saturday considered the years strongest environmental legislation.

The Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act requires companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue to disclose their carbon emissions  including estimates of pollution from their supply chain  starting in 2026.

Newsoms signature was expected, after saying of course he would sign the law at New Yorks Climate Week conference. Climate advocates say the law will fill information gaps on businesses responsibility for global warming and cut through corporate green-washing.

California is giving the world a powerful tool to combat climate change, said Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bills author, when it passed the legislature last month. We need the full picture to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, create transparency for investors, and hold large corporations accountable to their commitments.

Newsoms approval, however, came with several caveats.

In a signing message, he said the bills implementation deadlines were likely infeasible, and that the reporting protocols could result in inconsistent reporting across businesses subject to the measure. He directed his staff to work with Weiner and the Legislature to address these issues.

Newsom also expressed concern about the bills financial impact on businesses. He said he was asking the Caifornia Air Resources Board to closely monitor the cost impact as it implements this new bill and to make recommendations to streamline the program.

The governor voiced similar concerns about a sister measure he signed, Senate Bill 261, co-authored by Wiener and introduced by Sen. Henry Stern. It will require corporations with annual revenue above $500 million to file reports on financial risks tied to climate change.

California law already requires large polluters to disclose their emissions through its flagship cap-and-trade program. But the state currently has no means to measure the full scope of corporate carbon emissions up and down a companys supply chain.

Under the corporate transparency law, Senate Bill 253, companies will have to make a fuller disclosure of their greenhouse gas emissions available online. It sailed through a final vote in the Senate last month after a tighter contest in the assembly.

The measure mandates corporations ranging from Walmart to Chevron to disclose carbon pollution released not just through their operations, but throughout their supply chain  including transportation, waste disposal and power plants.

Powerful business interests lobbied against the measure, citing high compliance costs. But several major corporations including Google, Apple, Levis, Salesforce, Patagonia, Microsoft, IKEA USA and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. signed on in support.

A survey by Environmental Resources Management, an environmental consulting group, found that the average cost for companies with over $1 billion in annual revenue to fully report full climate risk was $533,000.

A previous version of the bill fell two votes short in the Assembly last year after major companies argued that downstream, or supply chain, emissions would be nearly impossible to calculate.

The current measure allows companies to use formulas to estimate them. The bill was also revised to remove the possibility of penalties on companies for inaccurate estimates made in good faith.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed similar rules on corporate emissions disclosure that apply to public companies, but Californias measure goes further.

Research shows that major corporations are responsible for a significant share of carbon emissions contributing to global warming. A 2017 Carbon Majors Report found 100 companies have been the source of more than 70% of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions since 1988.
Kratos has developed multiple new configurations of its stealthy XQ-58A Valkyrie drone, the company has confirmed. While it has so far not provided details of these further versions of the Valkyrie, they point to the possibility of XQ-58-based platforms being tailored for the U.S. Air Forces Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone program or CCA, which aims to field artificial intelligence-enabled and weaponized unmanned fighter companion vehicles, similar to the loyal wingman concept .

In an article yesterday by Aviation Weeks Steve Trimble, Steve Fendley, president of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, disclosed that: There are some additional configurations relative to the baseline Valkyrie thats been in the press that everybody has seen.

The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrates the separation of the ALTIUS-600 small unmanned aircraft system in a test at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground test range, Arizona, March 26, 2021. U.S. Air Force courtesy photo

That baseline XQ-58 Valkyrie, according to Kratos, has an overall length of 30 feet, a wingspan of 27 feet, a maximum range of around 3,000 miles and a maximum launch weight of 6,500 pounds (including up to 600 pounds in its internal payload bay and/or another 600 pounds under the wings). It has a subsonic cruising speed of Mach 0.72 and can achieve a maximum speed of around Mach 0.85.

Referring to the still-mysterious new configurations, Fendley told Aviation Week: It would be fair to conclude that the public data sheet on Valkyrie is maybe not the only Valkyrie that exists.

A XQ-58 Valkyrie launches for a test mission at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The mission successfully tested components that greatly reduce the risk of large scale crewed and uncrewed autonomous systems. U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Rebecca Abordo

At the same time, Fendley admitted that he was not able to talk about the specifics of the CCA, or how the Valkyrie, or versions of it, might fit into it.

Regardless, some kind of iteration of the Valkyrie could well be a candidate for the CCA program, although it could need some changes.

Various advanced drone concepts from General Atomics. GA-A

After all, an Air Force request for information for the CCA program issued last month specified a drone powered by an engine developing between 3,000 and 8,000 pounds of thrust. The baseline XQ-58 engine produced around 2,000 pounds of thrust, suggesting that its a Williams FJ33 turbofan, or similar. It isn't a reach in terms of logical speculation that Valkyrie could be bulked up a bit in size and engine thrust so that it can carry a bit more payload and do so faster in order to keep up with cruising jet fighters.

The service foresees its CCAs having a number of primary missions, at least to start with, including acting as weapons trucks, electronic warfare platforms, and sensor nodes, in cooperation with crewed tactical jets.

A rendering of an F-35 flying together with multiple types of drones. Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

Aside from the engine thrust requirement, the recent Air Force request for information revealed more details of the very broad specifications embodied in the CCA program, including an apparent emphasis on range and speed, as well as being able to take off from shorter runways.

The latter point is of particular interest, as the XQ-58, and other Kratos products, are completely runway-independent designs, relying on catapult launch or air launch. In the case of the Valkyrie, it uses a rocket-assisted takeoff method via a static ground-based launcher. The drone uses a parachute recovery system to get back on the ground, with inflatable airbags helping to cushion it when it touches down.

An XQ-58A descending under its parachutes after a mission. Kratos

Aside from the new configurations referred to by Fendley, Kratos is already working on refinements to its Valkyrie drone. Earlier this year, the company confirmed its working on a second batch of 12 XQ-58s, some of which will be completed to a Block 2B configuration. Its possible, too, that the Block 2B might also bring a new powerplant, and potentially other new features too.

Its also worth recalling that another operator, the U.S. Marine Corps, has plans to evaluate the Valkyrie in a range of different missions, testing them as highly autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance assets, electronic warfare platforms , and wingmen for crewed fighters, including in kinetic roles. The first flight of a Marine XQ-58 took place earlier this week, as we have previously reported on .

One of the U.S. Marine Corps two XQ-58A Valkyrie drones flies together with a U.S. Air Force F-16C fighter on October 3, 2023. U.S. Air Force

Marine Corps flight tests of the Valkyrie have objectives that include evaluating the platforms ability to support a variety of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions; the effectiveness of autonomous electronic support to crewed platforms; the potential for AI [artificial intelligence]-enabled platforms to augment combat air patrols; and continuing to mature other manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capability objectives, according to a press release from the service.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0GKziW5uGs

Intriguingly, Kratos may have another drone now in its portfolio that could be developed into something well suited to future CCA requirements.

This is the Fifth Generation Aerial Target (5GAT), a stealthy UAS that was developed by Sierra Technical Services (STS), a company that has recently been acquired by Kratos.

The Fifth Generation Aerial Target (5GAT). Sierra Technical Services

In its original form, the 5GAT is an advanced target drone, designed to replicate high-end Chinese and Russian fighters, to prove out future sensors and missiles. You can read about the drone in detail here .

Unlike the Valkyrie, the 5GAT takes off and lands from a runway, like a crewed fighter. With a size comparable to an F-5 fighter, a variation of the 5GAT design may lend itself well to the CCA program. This is especially so considering these drones were built to be targets, with a low cost and expendability in mind.

A rear view of the Fifth Generation Aerial Target (5GAT). Sierra Technical Services

Speaking to Aviation Week about the possibility of further developing the 5GAT design, Fendley was tight-lipped but did say that There are certainly characteristics and elements of 5GAT that become very interesting for a wide range of other applications.

CCA is unlikely to result in just a single aircraft, even early on. Kratos offering a family of systems that feature both runway dependent and runway independent types could be highly attractive considering the challenges the U.S. would face when it comes to airfield access in the Pacific.

While the Air Forces CCA requirements are still evolving, the service has already said that it wants to acquire a fleet of at least 1,000 CCAs , if not many more . That figure is based on a notional concept of operations that combines pairs of the drones with each of 200 new sixth-generation crewed stealth combat jets  a design being developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program  and 300 F-35A Joint Strike Fighters. 4th generation fighters, like the F-15 and F-16, could arguably benefit from CCAs just as much, if not more than their 5th generation counterparts, as well.

Clearly, the program offers massive opportunities for defense industry and it could disrupt the stranglehold 'prime' contractors have on the high-performance military aircraft market.

With the 5GAT having joined the Valkyrie in its portfolio, Kratos looks increasingly positioned to help the Air Force not only continue its autonomous aircraft testing efforts , which already involve the XQ-58 and multiple other types that it produces, but also to make an impact on the CCA program, that promises to do nothing less than revolutionize the way that crewed aircraft operate in conjunction with drones.

Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Tennessee Equality Project has sued the City of Murfreesboro over an ordinance and a local policy that they say targets the BoroPride Festival.

According to the ACLU of Tennessee, the lawsuit was filed after the Murfreesboro mayor and city manager engaged in a yearlong, concerted anti-LGBTQ+ campaign to chill TEP and Murfreesboro residents protected speech and expression through an established official policy prohibiting the issuance of permits to TEP; discriminatorily and unconstitutionally denying TEPs request for a permit for 2023 BoroPride; and implementing a sweeping and vague ordinance designed to censor any LGBTQ+ speech or conduct within Murfreesboro and by the TEP.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Murfreesboro and Rutherford County

BoroPride celebrates the growing and vibrant LGBTQ+ community in the Murfreesboro area, said TEP Executive Director Chris Sanders. Being able to hold our events in public spaces on the same terms as any other group is the basic fairness that we seek.

The ordinance, passed in June, placed restrictions on indecent behavior considered to be harmful to minors, using what the lawsuit calls staggeringly vague and overbroad language. The ordinance was drafted after allegedly dragging out a permitting process for TEP when it applied for a permit to host the 2023 BoroPride in the historic Cannonsburgh Village. TEP applied for the permit in November 2022, the lawsuit states, and the city refused to state whether it would grant the permit.

TN LGBTQ+ legislation: What the long-term impact of laws passed this year could mean for the state

By July, the lawsuit states, TEP was forced to abandon its plans to host the 2023 BoroPride event at the Cannonsburgh Village location and seek out a new venue. TEP later partnered with MTSU for a later event date.

The ordinance also contains language that includes any acts that may be construed as homosexual in nature in the definition of indecent behavior, putting any material or event that might even suggest at being related to the LGBTQ+ community at risk of facing civil or criminal penalties.

The government has no right to censor LGBTQ+ people and our expression, said ACLU-TN Legal Director Stella Yarbrough. Restricting drag performances and censoring affirming LGBTQ+ messages are discriminatory actions and violate community members First Amendment rights.

The lawsuit states the ordinance has already been used to ban books within the city library, using what the TEP claims is unfettered discretion to harm and silence the LGBTQ+ community.

The ACLU of Tennessee filed the suit along with the ACLU and law firms Ballard Spahr and Burr Forman on behalf of the Tennessee Equality Project. The suit names the City of Murfreesboro, the Murfreesboro City Council, Mayor Shane McFarland, City Manager Craig Tindall, Police Chief Michael Bowen, Director of Code Enforcement Kevin Jones, and City Council members Jami Averwater, Madelyn Scales Harris, Austin Maxwell, Kirt Wade and Shawn Wright individually as defendants.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

We stand with the plaintiff and the ACLU in challenging these blatantly unconstitutional restrictions on expression, as well as the citys discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, said Michael P. Robotti, partner in Ballard Spahrs Litigation Department. The city is taking these actions against the Tennessee Equality Project and the BoroPride Festival simply because city leaders disagree with their pro-LGBTQ+ message- and thats a violation of the law and plaintiffs constitutional rights.

TEP is asking the court to find Murfreesboros new anti-drag ordinance unconstitutional and to stop the city from enforcing its blanket denial of all future special event permits applied for by TEP.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called out Republicans who have criticized President Biden amid unprecedented attacks on Israel Saturday, calling those jabs partisan hackery.

This is partisan hackery at a time when we need statesmanship. Really bad faith, Murphy said. Trying to win cheap political points by shifting the blame away from the terrorists is a gift to Hamas right now

Murphys criticism came as a reply to former Vice President Mike Pence on X, formerly Twitter. Pence said Biden projects weakness as president and kowtowed to Iran, which financially supports Hamas.

The Palestinian militant group launched the largest attack on Israel in decades early Saturday, invading multiple Israeli towns from Gaza and launching masses of missiles into the country.

At least 250 Israelis and 232 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, according to Israeli local media and the Palestinian government.

Multiple Republicans, including former President Trump and several members of congress, have placed some blame on Biden alongside statements denouncing the violence and backing Israel.

Specifically, Pence, Trump and others referenced the $6 billion returned to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange last month. Those funds were owned by the Iranian government but frozen in South Korean banks due to U.S. sanctions, inaccessible.

Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone Saturday to affirm U.S. support for the country.

This morning, I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel, Biden said in a statement. The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel.

Updated 4:06 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Mystery sounds reported explosions in Mykoliav Oblast, origin unknown

There have been several reports of explosions in Mykoliav Oblast causing a considerable degree of confusion about their origin on Oct, 7, amid unconfirmed reports of a Russian missile launch, according to MP Oleksiy Honcharenko.

The Mayor of Mykoliav, Oleksandr Senkevych published a social media post at 2:12 p.m. urging residents to refrain from taking videos and to seek safety.

We will provide all the official information later, Senkevych said.

Read also:

Mykoliav Oblast governor Vitaliy Kim then subsequently reported that the explosions occurred outside of Mykoliav city and that an investigation remains ongoing.

The Telegram channel Mykolaiv Vanek also reported a possible ballistic strike, confirming that it likely occurred outside the city.

Read also: Ukraine grapples with another complex large-scale Russian drone attack overnight

However, a military drone was reportedly downed in the region, with explosions heard at 3:34 p.m. Unverified social media reports claim explosions were also recorded as a result.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The National Guard of Ukraine's 5th Separate Slobozhanska Brigade awarded their service dogs for helping protect the country amid war, the Interior Ministry said on Oct. 7.

Representatives of the unit's command congratulated the dogs and their handlers at an award ceremony that took place in Kharkiv's central square.

"They continue to serve and protect our country from all existing wartime threats," the ministry said in a Telegram post.

The Interior Ministry oversees the National Guard, whose units  including the 5th  are fighting on the war's hot spots with the regular Armed Forces and Territorial Defense brigades.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: North Korea supplies Russia with weaponry, US official says

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Esteemed Royal Navy test and fighter pilot Nathan Gray has opened up about the 2002 tragedy that claimed the life of his instructor during an event at Henley Literary Festival 2023.

Gray, 47, a distinguished serviceman and author of the 2023 memoir Hazard Spectrum: Life in The Danger Zone by the Fleet Air Arms Top Gun, appeared at the annual festival in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire  for which The Independent is the exclusive news partner  and discussed his career with BBC presenter Bridgitte Tetteh.

Introducing Gray on stage, Tetteh described the veteran as a real life Top Gun.

Among the topics explored during the talk was the death of Lt Cdr Martin Jack London in 2002. London, 43, died while out on the Sea Harrier he and Gray were piloting suffered engine failing at RAF Wittering, near Peterborough.

It was my 16th trip in the Harrier, with Jack, he said. Were learning how to do short take-offs from the area, where we put nozzles down at a certain speed around 50mph. So we leap into the air and we accelerate away, start flying a little bit more like a normal aircraft.

At 50ft, there was this huge explosion, this huge pressure wave, that came through the cockpit and I was flung to the front. Every single light was on and it was flashing, but there was no sound. It was like someone had turned off all the audio.

It was later determined that a rotor blade inside the vehicles engine had broken off during the short vertical take-off, prompting the explosion. After losing control of the plane, both Gray and London ejected themselves from the plane.

While Gray narrowly escaped hitting the ground or the fence, London was launched fatally into the ground. It was a matter of degrees that differentiated the two mens trajectories: Gray was fired slightly upwards at 89 degrees, while London, who ejected moments after, was travelling towards the ground at 92 degrees.

I think I knew quite early on that we had had different outcomes, he continued. I was on the other side of the security fence. So I just managed to miss the barbed wire. Maybe it was lucky that Jack was on the other side of the fence because I couldnt actually get to him.

His seat was angled away from me so I could only see the back of the seat, and I could see Jacks hand, but I couldnt see anything else. There was no movement. I think then, I knew.

In his book, Gray discusses the after-effects of the incident, revealing that he had suffered night terrors, and needed to take a break from flying around two years after the incident.

It affected me hugely, he told the Henley audience. I didnt think it did in the first year or two, but it really did. It was painful and is still painful but it changed my whole frame of reference for what, what extreme really is.

Gray continued to fly for the Royal Navy for years, completing more than 140 secret combat missions in Afghanistan. He left the navy with the rank of Commander in 2019.

Henley Literary Festival continues until 8 October.
Hunter Biden will seek to dismiss the federal indictment against him that included three charges he was arraigned on earlier this week, according to a new court filing.

The president's son "maintains" that the original plea deal, or diversion agreement, "remains in force," Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden's lawyer, wrote in the filing on Thursday.

"He will seek to dismiss the Indictment against him pursuant to the immunity provisions of that Agreement," Lowell said.

Under the terms of the original agreement, the younger Biden would have pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges over his failure to pay income taxes, and prosecutors had agreed to a related agreement that could have resulted in the gun charges being dismissed.

But the deal collapsed in federal court on the day of his arraignment in July and he wound up pleading not guilty on the tax charges.

David Weiss, the U.S. Attorney in Delaware and a Trump nominee, became special counsel overseeing the case in August. Hunter Biden was indicted in mid-September on three federal gun charges. Two counts accused him of falsely completing a form indicating he was not using illegal drugs when he bought a firearm in October 2018. The third count alleges he possessed a firearm while using a narcotic.

The indictment details that Hunter Biden knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intended and likely to deceive a firearms dealer when on or about Oct. 12, 2018, he was acquiring a gun, a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver.

The president's son pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert made it clear Ukraine aid will hang over the House speaker race.

The far-right Colorado congresswoman said it's clear to her that no future speaker can support additional aid.

Last week, conservatives forced leadership to remove Ukraine aid from a Pentagon funding bill.

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado is signaling that House conservatives will pressure a future speaker to cease further funding for Ukraine, confirming that the war could very much turn on how House Republicans move forward.

"For the first time, we saw that Ukraine funding alone does not have a majority of the majority's support," Boebert told Steve Bannon on Friday on his "War Room" show. "Any speaker has to recognize that and not allow more funding for Ukraine to come to the floor. We are absolutely tired of spending it."

Boebert was pointing to a vote last week where $300 million to fund Ukraine passed thanks to House Democrats' massive support. Of Republicans, 117 voted against the funding and 110 were in favor of it. House conservatives had narrowly forced GOP leadership to strip the $300 million from a much larger bill funding the Pentagon.

A growing number of Republicans are balking at the level of US support for Ukraine, or even demanding a stop to all aid  a push sharply at odds with the party's large contingent of hawks. Support is much stronger among Senate Republicans; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, for example, has called funding for Ukraine "the number one priority for the United States right now, according to most Republicans."

The White House and Congress have directed more than $75 billion to Ukraine, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German think tank. A majority of the funding has gone to supporting defense needs.

The two current leading candidates for House speaker appear to be split on the subject. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise voted in favor of the $300 million. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, who received Trump's backing early Friday morning, voted against it. Jordan has since told reporters that he doesn't support additional aid.

"We are not going to allow them to leverage our Southern border in Appropriations bills with more funding for Ukraine," Boebert said. "This is something that many of my colleagues and I will lock arms and fight against to ensure that we are not sending more hard-earned tax dollars to Ukraine when our own country has a Southern border that is not secure."

Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON  Former President Donald Trump waded into the contested race for House speaker Friday, throwing his support behind one of his top allies on Capitol Hill, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan.

As President, I had the honor of presenting Jim with our Countrys highest civilian award, The Presidential Medal of Freedom. So much is learned from sports, and Jim was a master! Trump said of the Ohio Republican, former NCAA wrestling champ and coach, in a post on Truth Social early Friday.

He is STRONG on Crime, Borders, our Military/Vets, & 2nd Amendment  Trump added. He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!

McCarthy Ouster Means More Turmoil As Next Shutdown Fight Looms (Sarah Silbiger / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The endorsement appears to take Trump himself out of the running for the speakership after several GOP allies, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Troy Nehls of Texas, endorsed the former president for the job following Rep. Kevin McCarthy's ouster from the position.

On Thursday, multiple GOP sources confirmed that Trump was considering a visit to the U.S. Capitol early next week. In the words of one GOP lawmaker familiar with the plans, the visit would be a bid to unify the party after McCarthy's stunning removal and amid a fractious brawl between Jordan and Majority Leader Steve Scalise , R-La., to seize the speaker's gavel.

Speaking on Friday with John Solomon, a right-wing political commentator and founder of the website Just the News, Trump said he hasnt decided whether hell visit the Capitol next week.

Elected to Congress in 2006, Jordan began his career in Washington as a conservative bomb thrower. Like Scalise, he led the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservatives on the Hill. But, frustrated that the group was too big and slow, Jordan, along with then-Reps. Mark Meadows, Mick Mulvaney and Ron DeSantis, founded the smaller, ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus in 2015.

Freedom Caucus members named Jordan their first chairman, and later that year the group was credited for forcing then-Speaker John Boehner, an Ohioan like Jordan, into an early retirement.

A terrorist. A legislative terrorist," Boehner said of Jordan during a no-holds-barred interview with Politico in 2017.

Because of that reputation, some moderate members of the GOP conference could balk at a Jordan speakership. And because of the GOPs razor-thin majority, it would take just five centrist Republicans to block Jordan in a formal speaker vote on the House floor, if all Democrats unite behind Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

But in recent years, Jordan underwent a stark political transformation. He aligned himself with McCarthy, stopped the public attacks on the GOP leadership team, and was brought into leaderships inner circle.

In fact, it was McCarthy who pushed for Jordan to get the top GOP slot on the Oversight Committee and later the powerful Judiciary Committee, where he is one of the three leaders of the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

No one has been more of a team player in the last three years than Jim Jordan, said a GOP source who has worked with both Trump and Jordan.

Trump is dominating the GOP presidential primary, and his endorsement of Jordan is a big blow to Scalise, the No. 2 Republican leader, who had been positioning himself as the heir apparent to McCarthy but also has been battling blood cancer.

During an interview on Fox News Friday morning, Scalise said he did speak to Trump before he made his endorsement and appeared to downplay it.

Theres a lot of interest in this race, you know, but at the end of the day, its a lot of one-on-one conversations with my colleagues and a lot of introspection about how we get things back on track, Scalise said on Fox & Friends. The problems that we have internally  they dont go away with a new speaker.

Fox News announced that anchor Brett Baier will moderate a televised speaker candidates forum at 6 p.m. Monday featuring Jordan, Scalise and Rep Kevin Hern, R-Okla., the current Republican Study Committee chairman who has been taking steps toward a formal bid.

But hours after announcing the forum, it was canceled when all three men said they would not participate. Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed said that Scalise and Jordan spoke and agreed it would not be a good idea.

A third source familiar told NBC News, Theres just a lot of members pissed that this could play out so publicly when they want to solve this behind closed doors.

Scalise and Jordan have virtual meetings Friday with freshmen Republicans and the Congressional Western Caucus on Friday, lawmakers and aides said. Scalise is also meeting with the business-oriented Main Street Caucus and Jordan with the Freedom Caucus on Friday.

The House GOP conference will have a meeting Monday evening as members wrestle with who to elect as speaker. On Tuesday, House Republicans will host their own private forum to hear pitches directly from the candidates. Then on Wednesday, Republicans will hold their closed-door, secret-ballot election for speaker. Once someone wins a simple majority of the 221 GOP lawmakers, that person will become the partys nominee.

But that GOP nominee still must receive 217 votes  a simple majority of the full House of Representatives  to be elected speaker on the House floor. That higher threshold vexed McCarthy in January, when it took him 15 rounds and a lot of political capital to win the coveted gavel.

Asked whether Wednesday was a realistic time frame for choosing a speaker, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who is serving temporarily in the role, told reporters he would "have an announcement from conference on a schedule today."

When questioned on whether he himself was interested in running for the position, McHenry just shook his head and sighed.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Saturday that would have decriminalized the possession and personal use of a short list of natural psychedelics, including "magic mushrooms."

The Democratic governor said that while he supports "new opportunities to address mental health through psychedelic medicines like those addressed in this bill," the state needs to establish regulations for the use of these substances before they are legalized.

"California should immediately begin work to set up regulated treatment guidelines  replete with dosing information, therapeutic guidelines, rules to prevent against exploitation during guided treatments, and medical clearance of no underlying psychoses. Unfortunately, this bill would decriminalize possession prior to these guidelines going into place, and I cannot sign it," Newsom said in his veto statement.

Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill's author, said the veto "is not the end of our fight," and pledged to reintroduce legislation for next year that would focus on the therapeutic use of the psychedelics, as Newsom requested.

This is a setback for the huge number of Californians  including combat veterans and first responders  who are safely using and benefiting from these non-addictive substances and who will now continue to be classified as criminals under California law, Wiener said. "Todays veto is a huge missed opportunity for California to follow the science and lead."

Wiener previously told The Times that the state lacks reliable data on arrests for possession of psychedelics because of outdated data collection practices, which as a result "unfairly lumps psychedelics in with other controlled substances like meth and heroin, despite the fact that psychedelics are not addictive."

The governor's veto of the legislation, Senate Bill 58, is another blow to criminal justice reform advocates who've spent the last two years lobbying the Legislature to end the "war on drugs" and reduce criminal penalties for possessing and using certain psychedelics, and to veterans groups that want to see broader access to psychedelics for veterans living with post-traumatic stress and other mental health disorders.

The response from the veterans community is overwhelming sadness and frustration, Jesse Gould, a veteran Army Ranger and founder of Heroic Hearts, told The Times.

He added that despite this defeat, veterans have faced worse and that the community will continue to fight to provide access to life-changing treatments for all Californians.

The bill would have decriminalized the possession and personal use of psilocybin and psilocin, the active ingredients in psychedelic mushrooms; mescaline; and dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, a key compound in the psychedelic brew known as ayahuasca, which is often used for spiritual or religious purposes.

The law would have applied only to people 21 or older. The bill also did not permit the personal transfer or sale of psychedelics in dispensaries.

The bill also would have mandated that the California Health and Human Services Agency study the therapeutic use of psychedelics and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature.

The veto marks a stark deviation from Newsom's liberal image. Newsom was a strong advocate of Proposition 64, a 2016 ballot measure he championed as lieutenant governor that legalized the recreational use of marijuana in California. But it also underscores the mounting challenges he faces seven years later amid a ballooning homelessness and drug addiction crisis in the state.

Last year, Newsom also vetoed Senate Bill 57, another controversial measure with Wiener as its author that would have authorized a pilot program for supervised injection sites in some California cities. At the time, Newsom said the bill could have induced "a world of unintended consequences."

Dr. Anna Lembke, a professor at Stanford who raised concerns years ago over the rise in opioid prescriptions, shares those concerns about decriminalizing psychedelics. Lembke said SB 58 would have sent "a message of normalization" and encouraged more unsupervised and dangerous use of the mind-altering drugs.

We know that when people have the perception that a drug is safe, use in the population increases, said Lembke, who also raised concern over the limited research on the health consequences of using psychedelics.

"When it comes to hallucinogens or psychedelics, there are lots of known harms and they're incredibly unpredictable," she said.

Opponents of the bill included a long list of law enforcement groups concerned with public safety issues and psychedelics skeptics in the medical field.

Jennifer Mitchell, a professor of neurology at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine, who has worked on developing psychedelic therapeutics for several psychiatric conditions, including psilocybin for demoralization and depression, was against the bill.

"My biggest concern is that it seeks to decriminalize personal use before developing an infrastructure that would ensure safety and education," she said. She added that had the measure passed, California would see "more adolescent use than we already do because it will give [them] a green light."

Despite Newsom's rejection, some cities in California may move forward with their own local laws to decriminalize psychedelics. Santa Cruz and Oakland have already implemented their own measures to make the arrests or investigations relating to possession or use of the drugs the lowest priority for police.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A nighttime training for the 144th Fighter Wing has been scheduled, the California Air National Guard in Fresno announced on Friday.

The California Air National Guards 144th Fighter Wing is scheduled to conduct night flying training from the Fresno Yosemite International Airport on Oct. 10 and 12.

The evening flights are scheduled to occur Tuesday and Thursday until approximately 10 p.m.

The U.S. Air Force assures the base has been successful in minimizing late-night flights to reduce the impact on neighboring communities, and says they will continue to use the noise abatement procedures agreed upon by the Fresno Yosemite International Airport and other agencies involved.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com.
Over a hundred unidentifiable flying objects are reported every month to the National UFO Reporting Center.

The center publishes these reports on their website's Data Bank and sorts them in different indexes based on their location, description, the date they were sent and the date of the sighting.

California, the most populated state in the U.S., leads as the state with the most sightings with just over 16,000, according to the data index.

Florida, the third most populated state, follows with over 8,000 and Washington, the 13th most populated state, with over 7,000.

From conspiracy theories to Congress: How UFOs became mainstream in America

Peter Davenport, the non-profit's director since 1994, said the states with the most sightings tend to be the most populated states. He explained Washington State's high UFO sightings could be explained by the fact that the center is based there.

Davenport said he's noticed an increase in reports throughout his career and credits that to people's willingness to report them rather than more UFOs existing.

"I think the most prominent feature is people who are much more willing to report things that they can't identify," Davenport said. "So, people generally are more willing to talk about the subject."

What states have the most UFO sightings?

These are the top 10 states in the U.S. with the most reports, shared by the center (along with their 2022 state population rank).

California -16,084 (1st)

Florida - 8,205 (3rd)

Washington - 7,145 (13th)

Texas - 6,107 (2nd)

New York - 5,834 (4th)

Pennsylvania - 4,984 (5th)

Arizona - 4,909 (14th)

Ohio - 4,412 (7th)

Illinois - 4,247 (6th)

North Carolina - 3,630 (9th)

What are the most common types of UFOs reported?

The most common description is just a non identified light in the sky, according to Davenport.

"We don't get too excited about reports of that nature, because there are many lights in the sky," he said. "Stars and planets, of course, satellites."

As a commercial pilot himself, Davenport said he's most intrigued by reports submitted by airline pilots, which he calls "pretty good sources of accurate information when they see something they can't identify or explain."

Descriptions of these objects from the center's data ranges from common shapes like circles, ovals, triangles and diamonds to images like a light, orb, flash, disk or fireball.

One report detailed a 15-20 minute sighting of a sphere-shaped object that changed colors and moved at a fast unsteady pace in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. on Aug. 16.

A NASA team published a report on Sept. 14 showing that the most common form of UAPs reported are orbs or spheres.

UFO report comes back empty: Give NASA a call if you see any UAP floating around

UFO center calls for more government transparency

At a July Congressional hearing, three former military members spoke about their knowledge of reported UFO encounters and discussed the security threats the phenomena could pose. The executive branch of government and the military continues to face bipartisan pressure to be more transparent about information relating to UAPs.

One of them was RRt. Commander David Fravor, who was among Navy pilots who during a 2004 flight, spotted the now-famous Tic Tac-shaped object that was captured on video off the Southern California coast. When testifying he described the oval object as "perfectly white, smooth, no windows," and said it displayed flight capabilities that were unheard of. Davenport said he knows Fravor and described him as a "reliable guy."

"They're trying to tell us what I suspect, they believe is the truth, and which I suspect is the truth," Davenport said. "Namely, we're being visited by objects or creatures, for which we have no explanation."

The researcher added that he's strongly convinced the U.S. government is shielding Americans from crucial information related to these sightings since 1947.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Department of Defense for comment.

Center director believes UFOs are a sign of extraterrestrial life

A 36-page report from NASAs Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team released in September found no evidence that UFOs or UAPs are of extraterrestrial origin.

The team said some UAP simply can't yet be explained but that NASA is increasing their role in scientific investigation of these sightings, even naming a new director of UAP research, whose identity has been withheld.

Davenport said he believes a significant fraction of reported sightings deal with extraterrestrial creatures, due to technology exhibiting "flight characteristics that we don't have on this planet."

He said the Phoenix Lights incident decades ago is proof that there is technology that cannot be part of Earth. On March 13, 1997, eyewitnesses reportedly saw a string of hovering lights in the sky forming a V shape. Authorities dispelled these accounts and said the lights were flares used by the Air National Guard.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: See states with the most UFO sightings as reports, research grows
ANTIOCH, Ill. - Antioch police say there is no threat to the public after a barricade situation ended Saturday morning.

Officials announced they were on the scene of a barricade situation with a suspect who was possibly armed in the 1100 block of Edgewater Lane at 9 a.m.

Residents were asked to avoid the area as law enforcement officers brought the situation to a safe resolution.

Neighboring police agencies assisted including the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS).

Just before 11 a.m., police said the subject surrendered peacefully. Nobody was injured in the situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has said that according to the latest reports, there are no Ukrainian citizens among the casualties of the missile strike in Israel on 7 October.

Source: Oleh Nikolenko, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on Facebook

Details: Ukraines Embassy in Israel maintains constant communication with the Israeli government and the countrys main hospitals.

Ukrainians in Israel are urged to follow the following steps:

Refrain from travelling to central and southern regions of Israel.

Remain vigilant and closely monitor the reports of local Israeli authorities to be aware of the latest developments.

An air-raid warning siren may be activated in the event of shelling. Pay close attention to all such warnings and follow the local authorities instructions.

Those staying in Israeli settlements located in close proximity to the Gaza Strip should hide in bomb shelters when the air-raid alarm is activated.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also shared the hotline number of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel: + 972 546 676 782.

Background:

On the morning of 7 October, a large number of missiles was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas militants; fires surged through Israeli cities, and at least one person was killed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a public statement concerning the wave of attacks by Hamas, saying that the country is at war, but they will prevail.

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 photo taken in 2021 shows Narges Mohammadi in Tehran, Iran. The imprisoned Iranian activist won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 in recognition of her tireless campaigning for womens rights and democracy and against the death penalty. | Reihane Taravati via Associated Press

Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Friday. Shes currently imprisoned in Irans notorious Evin Prison, serving a 10-year sentence, but she continues to be vocal critic of Irans government.

Who is Narges Mohammadi?

Mohammadi organized prison protests, wrote opinion pieces and led weekly workshops for female inmates about their rights, following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died while in morality police custody in 2022, leading to widespread protests throughout the country, The New York Times reported.

Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs, Norwegian Nobel committee chair Berit Reiss-Andersen said of Mohammadi, per the release. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes.

Prominent Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi is seen in a meeting on womens rights in Tehran, Iran, on July 3, 2008. The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Mohammadi for fighting oppression of women in Iran. The chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the prize on Oct. 6, 2023 in Oslo. | Vahid Salemi, Associated Press

The committee honored her and those behind recent unprecedented demonstrations in Iran and called for the release of Mohammadi, according to Reuters.

Standing alongside the brave mothers of Iran, she said in a statement shared by her family, promising to stay in Iran, even if she will remain in captivity for life, per the Times, I will continue to fight against the relentless discrimination, tyranny and gender-based oppression by the oppressive religious government until the liberation of women.

Under the banner of Woman, Life, Freedom, the women and activists behind the movement continue to press for change within the country, despite setbacks, according to CNN.

I also hope this recognition makes Iranians protesting for change stronger and more organized, she said in a written statement to the Times. Victory is near.
Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi in an undated photo provided by the foundation which bears her name (-)

Rights campaigner Narges Mohammadi "celebrated" her Nobel Peace Prize with fellow detainees in their Tehran prison cell, her family told AFP on Saturday.

"Narges learned that she had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday afternoon from messages sent from the men's unit, where they have easier access to telephones on Fridays," her family said.

That same evening, "state television broadcast the news at 10.30 pm with an insulting and defamatory portrait of Narges", the family's statement continued.

"Narges and her cellmates erupted in joy and celebrated this victory in their cell."

A 51-year-old journalist and activist, Mohammadi has spent much of the past two decades in and out of jail for her campaign against the mandatory wearing of a hijab for women and the death penalty.

After the Nobel announcement, US President Joe Biden called on Iran to free Mohammadi, hailing her "unshakable courage".

The prestigious peace prize was awarded to Mohammadi due to her "fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all," Nobel Committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said.

She is the second Iranian to win the peace prize, which comes on the 20th anniversary of the award to Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi , who was honoured "for her efforts for democracy and human rights".

Mohammadi is the vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre founded by Ebadi.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday this year's peace prize was "a tribute to all those women who are fighting for their rights at the risk of their freedom, their health and even their lives."

The United Nations urged Tehran to free Mohammadi and all the human rights defenders it has jailed.

Iran denounced the peace prize award as "biased and political" action by the Nobel committee.

"We note that the Nobel Peace Committee awarded the Peace Prize to a person who was convicted of repeated violations of laws and criminal acts," Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said.

Mohammadi's 17-year-old son Ali Rahmani, told a Paris news conference also attended by his father and twin sister, he was "very, very proud of my mother, very happy".

"The government is trying to break the prisoners in Iran," he added. "This prize is an award for her struggle in Iran."

Mohammadi's husband, Taghi Rahmani, also a rights activist and former political prisoner, said: "Narges is aware that this will also put her in difficulty, but she accepts this risk."

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SEOUL (Reuters) - Rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border spiked this week to the highest in years, suggesting arms supply by Pyongyang to Moscow after their leaders discussed deeper military cooperation, a U.S. think tank said on Friday.

Satellite imagery showed an "unprecedented" 73 or so freight cars at Tumangang Rail Station in the North Korean border city of Rason, the Beyond Parallel Project of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a report.

The traffic was far greater than that observed in the past five years, including pre-pandemic levels, it said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a week-long summit in Russia's Far East last month, discussing military matters, the war in Ukraine and deepening military and economic cooperation.

"Given that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic likely indicates North Koreas supply of arms and munitions to Russia," the think tank said, although it could not be sure due to the extensive use of tarps to cover the rail cars.

The U.S. and South Korea have warned military cooperation between North Korea and Russia was a violation of U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang. They expressed concern Moscow could seek ammunition from North Korea to prop up its dwindling stocks in its invasion of Ukraine, while Pyongyang could get technological aid for its spy satellite and missile programmes.

North Korea has slammed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for criticising Pyongyang's cooperation after the summit, saying it was "natural" and "normal" for neighbours to keep close relations.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by William Mallard)
The wife and daughters of New York City Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez were racially discriminated against by Ethical Culture Fieldston School, the family alleged in a lawsuit first reported by the New York Post. The school discriminated against Rodriguezs teenage daughter and subsequently expelled his 10-year-old daughter after the family brought up concerns to campus administrators, according to the lawsuit. Christina Melendez, Rodriguezs wife and an Executive Director at the NYC Department of Education, filed the suit with her daughters in June. The school purposefully and intentionally discriminated against persons of color  and purposefully and intentionally retaliated against persons of color  who complained about racism at the school, the lawsuit alleged. A spokesperson for Ethical Culture Fieldston School said in a statement to The Daily Beast that the campus addressed the allegations and has recently expanded its Community and Social Impact department. These allegations primarily date back to 2016 and have been thoroughly addressed by the school in the years since then, the spokesperson said.

Read it at New York Post

Read more at The Daily Beast.
FILE PHOTO: Blockades to demand the resignation of powerful senior prosecutors, in Guatemala City

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) -The Organization of American States (OAS) on Saturday named the representatives that will lead its mission to mediate between Guatemalan officials and street protesters seeking an orderly transfer to power to President-elect Bernardo Arevalo, according to a statement published on social media site X.

OAS head Luis Almagro previously said late on Friday that he accepted the invitation from Guatemala's government that asked to achieve "consensus among different sectors" of the country.

Former Minister of Defense of Uruguay Luis Rosadilla, and the OAS Secretary of Access to Rights and Equity Maricarmen Plata will lead the mission.

"The aforementioned mission will seek to meet with the main actors of the social and political situation that occupies the country and will present specific recommendations," said the document published Saturday.

These suggestions would have the purpose of allowing the Guatemalan Government "to adopt urgent political decisions that lead to the effective solution of the issues that are the subject of the social protest that is currently developing," it added.

Tens of thousands took to Guatemala's streets this week, demanding the resignation of powerful senior prosecutors accused of working to undermine Arevalo's ability to take office.

Rosadilla and Plata will travel to Guatemala City "at the earliest possible date," and they will be joined by the representative of the OAS office in Guatemala, Diego Paz, the organization specified.

Arevalo was elected in a landslide in August, but since then Attorney General Consuelo Porras has intensified efforts to disqualify Arevalo's anti-graft Movimiento Semilla party and ordered raids on the electoral authority's offices, seizing ballots.

Porras' office alleges the party's registration was tainted by illegalities six years ago, but her investigation was only launched after Arevalo's unexpectedly strong second-place finish in June's first-round vote.

The attorney general has been accused of corruption by the U.S. government.

During the weekend, the protests had spread to more than 60 locations across Central America's most-populous country, led by indigenous groups, students, teachers and medical workers.

As part of the steps taken for the transition process, the Guatemalan government said on Saturday that it set up offices for the teams of the elected authorities to "get to know the different institutions and facilitate the communication process between the teams."

(Reporting by Sofia Menchu in Guatemala City; Writing by David Alire Garcia and Anna-Catherine Brigida; editing by William Mallard)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) took a swing at her colleague Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) on Friday, telling him if Republicans need help from the Democrats, the line is open.

Stop trying to make fetch happen. Its not going to happen, Ocasio-Cortez said in an exchange with fellow New York Rep. Mike Lawler (R) on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, referencing a popular line from the 2004 comedy Mean Girls.

Take some personal responsibility for the fact that your party is a chaos factory, she continued. You asked for a GOP majority, and this is what we get with one. If you want Dems to bail you out so badly, try talking. Lines open!

Her remarks come after Lawler shared a post from Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) calling on five or more Republicans to unify with the Democrats  seemingly referring to the selection of the next House Speaker.

We need patriots to rise above the partisanship, Ryan wrote.

In response, Lawler shared the post on his X feed.

Patriots? he wrote. You voted with Matt Gaetz to burn the house down. Just stop.

Ocasio-Cortezs comments followed.

The fiery exchange comes after eight Republicans voted alongside Democrats in a 216-210 vote on Tuesday that led to the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his leadership role. McCarthy, ahead of the vote, said he wouldnt offer anything to Democrats to keep the gavel.

They havent asked for anything. Im not going to provide anything, he said.

Lawler had previously expressed disappointment in Democrats for not supporting McCarthy continuing as Speaker.

You have [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)] acting like hes trying to work in a bipartisan manner. He says were going to continue putting people over politics, Lawler said in response to a question from The Hill. That is the biggest load of garbage Ive ever heard.

They literally just aligned themselves with Matt Gaetz and the MAGA extremists to burn down the House, he continued. And they act as though you know, We stand up for democracy; we stand up for our institutions. This was an opportunity to actually show leadership, real leadership, not nonsensical BS.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Tiffany Coller of Fort Jennings holds up a homemade sign before the March for Life on High Street.

For those gathered on the Ohio Statehouse lawn Friday, Ohio Issue 1 is a matter of life and death.

"We're Catholics and we believe that life begins at conception, and there's no reason to stop that," said Julie Fischbach, the youth minister at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Jennings. She brought 19 children to the second Ohio March for Life on the west lawn of the Ohio Statehouse, including 15-year-old Tiffany Coller.

More: What Ohioans need to know about November ballot issue on abortion

"Babies should be born and not be killed and honestly, people should really stand by that more," said Tiffany, who held a hand-drawn sign featuring Star Wars characters that read: "Protect the child. This is the way."

The rally and march around downtown Columbus come shortly before early voting begins on Ohio Issue 1, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution and effectively eliminate many of the GOP bans and restrictions on the procedure.

Upcoming forum: How to get your questions answered and watch Issue 1 election forum

The Nov. 7 vote will happen more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, sending abortion policy back to state lawmakers and judges. In Ohio, that meant a 2019 law banning most abortions took effect almost immediately.

That law prohibited doctors from performing abortions after embryonic cardiac activity was detected, which is about six weeks gestation. In September 2022, a Hamilton County judge temporarily blocked that law. The result: abortion is currently legal in Ohio through 21 weeks and six days gestation  at least for now.

Republican politicians, including Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and about a dozen state lawmakers, joined prominent abortion opponents like the Center for Christian Virtue and Ohio Right to Life in a rallying cry Friday to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment. Columbus Bishop Earl Fernandes offered an opening prayer.

Their message: Issue 1 is too extreme for the average Ohio voter.

"They don't give a crap about the state of Ohio. They care about themselves," said Vance about those funding and running the abortion rights campaign. "If there's somebody out there telling you that what's in your best interest is to get rid of your own baby, they do not have your best interests at heart."

But Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the campaign for Issue 1, says that Ohioans care about protections for abortion and other reproductive choices.

Over 700,000 Ohioans came together and signed petitions to support an amendment in the Ohio Constitution that will protect abortion access for everyone in our state," according to a statement from the campaign. "Theyre asking their friends and neighbors to vote Yes on Issue 1 to end the Ohio abortion ban and make sure women and families can once again make the decisions that are best for them.

In the year after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, voters in six other states sided with abortion access, including neighboring Michigan and Kentucky. A July USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University poll found about 57.6% of Ohio voters supported the abortion rights proposal; 32.4% opposed it and 10% were undecided, according to the poll of 500 voters, 454 likely voters and 46 registered voters.

"I'm not exactly optimistic about it," said Mason Snider, of New Concord, who has knocked on doors to defeat Issue 1. "In my mind, I owe it to God and to the unborn to at least try to do something about it if I can. So I don't know how this is going to work out, but I'm going to do what I can."

Mason Snider of New Concord applauds during a gathering on the Ohio Statehouse lawn before the Second Annual Ohio March for Life on High Street.

Husted, who was adopted and opposes abortion, talked about the need to "win over the hearts and minds of the majority of voters."

"So please hear this, please, because we have to reach our brothers and sisters across the state to prevail on this issue," Husted said. "We must persuade them that Issue 1 is too radical for Ohio and that they need to vote no."

But abortion rights advocates say what's extreme is GOP-approved laws that restrict access to abortion, prosecute doctors who perform them and send patients out of state.

While Ohio's ban on most abortions was in effect last year, the number of abortions performed in Ohio dropped dramatically. Called "the heartbeat law" by supporters, the measure had no exceptions for rape or incest. Doctors could perform abortions to save the pregnant patient's life, but the medical emergency exemption was cited in only 20 abortions during that time, according to a recent Ohio Department of Health report.

Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, who sponsored that bill, told those gathered it was a good step to save lives, but life begins even earlier. Ohio lawmakers have not passed any abortion policy since the U.S. Supreme Court decision last year, but some would push to ban all abortions in the state.

Jeanne Mancici, president of March for Life, speaks during a gathering on the Ohio Statehouse lawn before the Ohio March for Life on High Street.

"Let me be clear," said Roegner. "Even though I am the sponsor of the heartbeat bill and am proud to do so, life begins at conception."

But first, Ohioans will vote on the constitutional amendment this November. Early voting starts Oct. 11.

"I really hope the issue goes down," said Rod Anderson, of Hilliard. "It'd be a sad day for the state of Ohio if it passes."

Jessie Balmert 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.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio March for Life rallies abortion opponents before Issue 1 vote
TULSA  A local leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knew it was only a matter of time before his faith group would build a second temple in Oklahoma  he just didn't know when or where it would happen.

The suspense ended for Michael Bright, 51, and other Oklahoma Latter-day Saints with the recent announcement that Tulsa has been chosen as one 20 sites around the world where new temples will be built. About 90 congregations representing more than 50,000 Latter-day Saints are currently in Oklahoma, according to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"I was just so grateful, I got so excited," said Bright, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Broken Arrow stake. "I was in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the time and I kept getting texts from people in Oklahoma saying 'Did you know? Did you know?'"

More: 2019 OKC temple open house Oklahoma City Temple has open house

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Russell M. Nelson's shared the news about new temple sites at the Latter-day Saints' semiannual general conference gathering on Oct. 1 in Salt Lake City.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints currently has 182 temples dedicated, 59 under construction or renovation and 99 in planning and design  a total of 335. Latter-day Saints have meeting houses and chapels for weekly gatherings throughout the state, but the faith group's temples are different because they are considered houses of the Lord. The temples are considered particularly set apart from Latter-day Saints church houses, because they are the site of Latter-day Saints' marriage ceremonies, baptisms and other ceremonies that unite families for eternity. For example, Bright said Latter-day Saints may have civil ceremonies in other locations, but church members believe that only marriages performed in temples are "sealed" or blessed to last for eternity.

A baptismal is shown in the Oklahoma City temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints after a major renovation project in 2019.

Meanwhile, the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in Oklahoma was built in 2000 at 12030 N Mustang Road in Oklahoma City. It is nestled among residential homes in the Surrey Hills area near Northwest Expressway and Mustang Road. It was closed in 2017 for remodeling and opened again in 2019 for rededication and a community open house. According to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the first Latter-Day Saint meetinghouse in Oklahoma was constructed in 1892.

Along with Tulsa, other U.S. locations where new temples will be built include Colorado Springs, Colorado; Vancouver, Washington; Roanoke, Virginia; Kahului, Hawaii; and Fairbanks, Alaska. New temples sites outside the U.S. include Cancun, Mexico; Osaka, Japan; Cape Coast, Ghana; Savai'i, Samoa; Piura, Peru; and Huancayo, Peru.

Others include: Vina del Mar, Chile; Goiania, Brazil; Joao Pessoa, Brazil; Calabar, Nigeria; Luanda, Angola; Laoag, Philippines; Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The Oklahoma City temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is shown in this photo shortly after a major renovation project was completed there in 2019.

Why is Tulsa getting a new temple?

Bright said there weren't any immediate details about why Tulsa was chosen as a temple site at this time, but he said his own view is that the Tulsa area's thriving Latter-day Saints community could have played a role in the selection process. Bright said there are five Tulsa-area Latter-day Saints stakes (Broken Arrow, Tulsa, Owasso, Gore and Bartlesville), which are geographical areas composed of about 3,000 people who make up congregations called wards. He said his Broken Arrow stake includes five wards in Tulsa, one in Tahlequah and one in Wagoner.

"Our population is growing as population growth hits the Tulsa area," Bright said. "And the Saints here have just been very faithful and diligent trying to do their part to be good Christians and representatives of Jesus Christ in all that they do."

Freedmen files: Oklahoma Mormons take on historic 'Freedmen Bureau Project' to help blacks trace ancestry

Also, Bright said Latter-day Saints leaders recently have indicated that a high priority has been placed on temple expansion throughout the world to give members of the faith group more access to the houses of worship.

"To have a temple close by is just a blessing in our lives," he said.

The church leader said the exact location of the temple has not yet been announced, and there are currently no architect's renderings or other images to show what the new Tulsa temple might look like. But he said local flavor/cultural is incorporated into most Latter-day Saints temples like the Oklahoma landscape mural featured in the Oklahoma City area temple or the Japanese architecture incorporated into the design of a temple in Japan. The Oklahoma City-area temple also includes stained glass windows featuring images of the Indian blanket, Oklahoma's official state wildflower, and Native American dreamcatchers.

'Really big news'

Charlotte Sellers, of Cleveland, Oklahoma, said much the same thing. She said she was surprised and excited to learn about the planned Tulsa temple.

"When I heard it announced, I literally almost fell out of my chair," Sellers said.

More: Faith groups work to 'record a life'

She said Oklahoma Latter-day Saints, including those in the Tulsa-area, had to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, to visit a temple many years ago. Sellers said a temple eventually was built in Mesa, Arizona, and then another one was constructed in Dallas, and Oklahomans flocked to those sites. Sellers said the construction of the Oklahoma City-area temple meant Oklahoma Latter-day Saints wouldn't have to travel outside the state, and now northeastern Oklahoma church members will have one in their own backyard.

"I think the proximity makes it even easier to go to the temple more frequently, and there's a lot of spiritual strength and learning about the Savior in the temple," she said.

The Oklahoma resident said the planned new temple will be good for the Tulsa area in general, not just Latter-day Saints.

"You know, whenever any people try to increase their devotion to God, it's a good thing and everybody benefits when we have things in mind, like loving our neighbors as ourselves. It's just good for everybody so, I'm just really happy about it," she said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to build new Tulsa temple
A 39-year-old Olympia woman whos accused of causing a fatal fentanyl overdose in June has been released from jail with conditions.

Jada Renee Lane attended her preliminary appearance in Thurston County Superior Court on Thursday. Detectives with the Thurston County Sheriffs Office arrested her on Wednesday on suspicion of controlled substance homicide.

Judge John C. Skinder found probable cause for the alleged crime on Thursday but did not set bail, according to court records.

However, Skinder did set various release conditions, including that she submit to electronic monitoring, not possess or consume controlled substances without a prescription and have no contact with illegal drug users, dealers or manufacturers.

Skinder also barred her from contacting the family of the alleged victim, a 43-year-old Olympia woman who died on June 6. Court records show the Thurston County Coroners Office ruled her death an accident and listed the cause as fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity.

The Sheriffs Office alleges Lane provided a narcotics mixture to the woman who died and her partner at a residence in the Nisqually Valley, according to a Thursday news release that announced Lanes arrest. The partners reportedly fell asleep but only one of them woke up.

The Thurston County Sheriffs Office and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force take the narcotic epidemic seriously and know the impacts on our community, the release says. We will vigorously investigate the sales, delivery and trafficking of narcotics within our jurisdiction.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid thats 50-100 times stronger than morphine and often mixed with numerous other drugs. Local officials have blamed it for a worsening trend of overdose deaths, The Olympian previously reported.

Lanes criminal history dates back to 2006 and includes cases in Thurston County District Court, Olympia Municipal Court and Thurston County Superior Court, according to a pretrial report.

She has three pending cases in Olympia Municipal Court where she has been accused of criminal trespass, fourth-degree assault, indecent exposure and third-degree malicious mischief, per the report.

The report also shows shes also facing a Thurston County Superior Court case in which shes accused of theft of a motor vehicle.

Lane is due back in court for her arraignment hearing her latest case on Oct. 17.

The investigation

A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the alleged homicide from the perspective of law enforcement.

Deputies responded to a residence on Winlock Court Southeast in Thurston County at 10:38 p.m. on June 6.

The decedents reported partner called 911 after waking up and finding her unresponsive, according to the statement.

Dispatch reportedly directed the partner to give CPR until first responders arrived. When deputies arrived, they continued CPR and provided the woman with naloxone, a drug that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses.

Medical personnel took over life-saving measures to no avail. The statement says a doctor at Providence St. Peter Hospital later called the time of death at 10:35 p.m. The decedents body reportedly showed no obvious signs of trauma.

The partner told law enforcement that the pair had smoked methamphetamine prior to falling asleep, which was unusual because methamphetamine is a stimulant.

He said they often smoked methamphetamine and did not consume opiates, which are depressants, according to the statement. He also alleged Lane provided methamphetamine to them and they smoked it out of a bong.

The partner voluntarily had his blood drawn and MultiCare Capital Medical Center so detectives could test it.

Lab results showed the bong and the partners blood contained both methamphetamine and fentanyl. Detectives reportedly did not find opiates anywhere else in the home.

The day of the incident, Lane reportedly told detectives that she only loaded the bong with a small amount of methamphetamine from a bag she had.

Lane also said she had previously used methamphetamine from that bag and didnt die, according to the statement. She was released at the scene.

The statement says the decedents partner died on June 23 in a motor vehicle collision on Interstate 5. A coroners report indicated he died from multiple blunt force injuries and had tested positive for methamphetamine but not for fentanyl.

Detectives located Lane on Wednesday at the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant on Plum Street in Olympia. The statement says she was arrested without incident.

RESOURCES

More information on preventing, recognizing and responding to overdoses can be found on the Washington State Department of Health website.

Naloxone, which reverses opioid overdoses, is available over the counter at many pharmacies. A search engine for where to find naloxone can be found at stopoverdose.org.

Those in need of help for substance abuse or mental health concerns can call the Washington Recovery Help Line at 866-789-1511.

Anyone experiencing a crisis can call 988 to reach a national lifeline.
Editors Note: Dr. Lara Freidenfelds is a historian of health, reproduction, and parenting. She is the author of The Modern Period: Menstruation in Twentieth-Century America and The Myth of the Perfect Pregnancy: A History of Miscarriage in America. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion on CNN.

Gen X is dealing with menopause, and women of this generation are looking for new and better solutions to manage the disruptions menopause can cause, and safely and effectively ease the transition past their menstruating years. Ostensibly noting this demand, in August, Clearblue released a menopause test kit. Noting that menopause is often shrouded in mystery, the companys head of scientific and medical affairs, Lucy Broadbent, has stated that the objective of the test is to alleviate some of the confusion. While other at-home tests are already on the market, Clearblue says that, unlike many alternatives, its test can be used any time during a womens cycle.

Lara Freidenfelds - Courtesy Lara Freidenfelds

Will women buy it? Should they?

Women themselves were the original drivers of hormone therapies for menopause. As Judith Houck noted in her book Hot and Bothered, Premarin, a mix of estrogen compounds introduced in 1941 to treat hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, was touted in newspaper and magazine articles as the latest and greatest medical breakthroughs. Exasperated doctors complained that demanding women read the articles and then told them how to practice medicine, but they nevertheless wrote the prescriptions.

In 1966, gynecologist Robert Wilson advocated long-term hormone replacement therapy for all women in the bestseller Feminine Forever. He had a misogynistic contempt for older women that was appalling; in a prior academic article Wilson described menopausal women as sexual eunuch[s] with dried up sexual organs and flabby, shrunken breasts, who saw the world through the gray veil of a vapid cow-like feeling called a negative state. But, nonetheless, many women embraced Wilsons promise that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) would give them enduring sex appeal, tame hot flashes in the workplaces women increasingly inhabited and even promote heart and bone health. Doctors liberally prescribed HRT, often at their patients behest.

Prescriptions diminished briefly in the mid-1970s after HRT was found to increase the rate of endometrial cancer, but bounced back after physicians began routinely prescribing progestin alongside estrogen to reduce the cancer risk. According to a 1998 survey, cited by Houck, around a third of women aged 50 and older used HRT.

But in 2002 there was more bad news: the National Institutes of Health sponsored Womens Health Initiative trial revealed the shocking finding that HRT as it was then prescribed increased rates of heart disease, stroke and invasive breast cancer. While further research and more nuanced analysis of the findings would show that HRT is safe and appropriate to prescribe for women who are under 60 or within 10 years of menopause, at the time women and their doctors were alarmed, and women cancelled their prescriptions in droves. Some turned to feminist ideas about embracing natural aging. Menopause was still miserable for many, though, and women searched for alternate pharmaceutical solutions.

Some clinicians, especially alternative providers such as naturopaths, proposed that hormones derived from plants should be safer than those synthesized in the lab. They began to prescribe what they called bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, compounding personalized combinations of estrogens and progestins and tweaking treatment regimens regularly on the basis of saliva and urine tests.

Professional organizations such as The North American Menopause Society and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have pointed out the these bioidentical hormones actually require laboratory synthesis of the natural ingredients, and the end product is indistinguishable from standard HRT. Compounded bioidenticals are also not regulated by the FDA, so they do not have that imprimatur of safety.

Nonetheless, the market for bioidenticals is booming. It was a $36 million market in 2022, and is forecasted by market research firm Fact.MR to be an almost $60 million market by 2032. Some analysts calculate a potential market in the billions of dollars, if women can be persuaded to take up bioidentical hormones in larger numbers. Women are searching for safe, effective, personalized menopause care, and they are clearly spending a lot of money trying to get it.

It is not surprising, then, that companies like Clearblue would see that market and hope to cash in. But the Clearblue menopause test kit seems like a solution in search of a problem. Even assuming the test is accurate, there isnt much to do with the results except show them to a health care provider. A respectful provider will order a clinical version of this test if it is relevant to treatment (which it may not be). And if a woman is being blown off by her medical provider, she is unlikely to be able to forge a useful clinical relationship to get assistance through perimenopause by showing that provider these test results.

Whats more, this test is not suitable for the women who might have been most likely to find it informative: Those who do not get regular periods because they use hormonal birth control or a hormone-based IUD, have had a hysterectomy, have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and so on. While the test involves urine samples, the algorithm that interprets these samples can only do so in combination with the test-takers menstrual cycle history. Its not clear how much value the test can add if it simply confirms that yes, your less-frequent periods likely mean that you are approaching menopause.

This is not to discourage companies from addressing menopause, if they really mean to tackle the frustrations women want solved. There is plenty of room for innovation. New non-hormonal pharmaceuticals that seek to address hot flashes are on the horizon, and more research can be done. Physicians can stay abreast of HRT -prescribing guidelines and communicate better with patients about balancing risks with benefits. Workplaces can fund benefits for menopause treatments, address age-related discrimination and take steps to destigmatize menopause in the workplace (hot flash jokes are reserved for those having the hot flashes!).

Companies selling consumer products could be a welcome addition to making menopause more comfortable, and treating female bodies as fully worthy of care in all their stages is imperative.

But the menopausal women of Gen X are practical and demand respect. If you have a product to sell us, ask us if we want it first. It wont do to simply take a lab test and wrap it in a pink package and expect us to be impressed. Show us that the product will make our lives meaningfully easier, more pleasant, healthier and safer. Then you might get to cash in on the spending power of women in the full flush of their prime years.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The Oregon Ethics Commission voted unanimously to dismiss the ethics complaint against Michael Selvaggio, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 lobbyist who led the failed recall campaign against Democratic State Rep. Paul Holvey.

Holvey, of Eugene, accused Selvaggio of violating state law by filing the recall while House Bill 3183, a priority bill for UFCW that Holvey opposed, was in the House Rules Committee. It is illegal for a lobbyist to influence a legislator's vote by funding or threatening to fund opposition.

OGEC on Friday ruled Selvaggio had not violated this law because he had sufficiently shown the recall was about other complaints in addition to HB 3183, and because he had initiated the recall without telling Holvey and had never offered to withdraw it in exchange for support from him.

"There does not appear to be any specific allegation or evidence that Mr. Selvaggio ever threatened  a recall election against Rep. Holvey unless Holvey supported HB 3183," OGEC investigator Hillary Murrieta said. "Similarly, there is no specific allegation or evidence to suggest that Mr. Selvaggio ever offered to stop the recall petition in exchange for Holvey agreeing to support the bill."

Selvaggio said this is the outcome he predicted.

"This was a very expected outcome for anybody that knows the law," Selvaggio told The Register-Guard. "It's disappointing to see that a state legislator would use the ethics commission to attempt to hassle his political opponent."

Murrieta told OGEC commissioners there was a lack of any additional information provided by Rep. Holvey after commission staff attempted to follow up," a detail Selvaggio and his lawyer said showed his innocence.

Holvey did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Register-Guard, but his aid Robert Unger said OGEC staff "have been in contact with us and Rep. Holvey just talked to them this week."

Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached over email at atorres@registerguard.com or on twitter @alanfryetorres

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Ethics commission dismisses complaint against Holvey recall leader
As of the end of 2022, there were a total of 178 wolves in Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has agreed to send 10 gray wolves to Colorado to support the states reintroduction efforts.

The announcement by Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the wolves will come from northeast Oregon, where they are most abundant in the state.

The wolves will transported by the end of the year so Colorado can meet a voter-approved deadline and begin the process of reintroducing the species, according to the announcement. Colorado's wolves were killed off by 1940, though a few wolves have been recorded here and there as recently as 2020.

Colorado will begin capturing the Oregon wolves in December, with the ODFW assisting by sharing location information and best practices for capture. Colorado will absorb all costs related to the project.

Oregon has a long history of helping other states meet their conservation goals by providing animals for translocation efforts," said Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Curt Melcher. "Some of our wildlife populations were also restored thanks to other states doing the same for us, including Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat.

Melcher said removal of 10 wolves will not impact Oregon's conservation goals.

Oregon has a minimum of 178 wolves, according to the latest statewide count. The number of wolves in the state has grown steadily since they started returning during the early 2000s. Their growth has slowed significantly in recent years due in part to deaths due to car accidents, poaching and lethal removal for attacking livestock.

The wolves in Oregon are descendants of wolves reintroduced in Idaho in 1996 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Map of areas where wolves live in Oregon.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said it hopes to transport five males and five females between the ages of one and five, when they would naturally leave their born pack.

CPW staff will work with contracted helicopter crews and spotter planes to capture wolves.

Wolves will be tested and treated for disease at the source sites.

Collars will be placed on wolves and physical measurements will be done in the field in Oregon.

Wolves will be crated in sturdy aluminum crates and transported to Colorado either by truck or airplane.

We are grateful to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for working with our agency on this critical next step in reintroducing gray wolves in the state, said Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis. This agreement will help ensure Colorado Parks and Wildlife can meet its statutory mandate to begin releasing wolves in Colorado by December 31, 2023.

More information about Colorados wolf reintroduction efforts is available on their website.

Olivia Stevens is an outdoor journalism intern at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at OStevens@statesmanjournal.com Find her on Twitter at @byoliviastevens.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon sending gray wolves to Colorado for reintroduction
Local leaders came together to raise money to fight poverty in the community.

United Against Poverty Orlando hosted a Friday fundraising luncheon at First Orlando on John Young Parkway.

All the money raised will go directly toward programs and services focused on helping low-income families in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.

Read: Osceola County gives free tuition to students graduating in 2024

These include the Member Share Grocery Program, crisis stabilization, workforce and education programs.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to see the community support for our mission, said Anjali Vaya, executive director of the Orlando Campus for United Against Poverty. Our model of a hand up, not a handout, is meant for people who need help making ends meet.

Read: Altamonte Springs to use AI to speed up development

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Crude oil from a well operated by Citation Oil & Gas Corp. is pictured in Alvey Wash in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, about 17 miles downstream from where the spill originated from. The spill was first reported on Sept. 12, 2023. | Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance

On a clear September day, a hiker exploring Alvey Wash in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument came across a troubling discovery  pools of what appeared to be crude oil.

The hiker was looking at some of the roughly 163 barrels of oil and over 6,200 barrels of produced water that spilled from a well operated on U.S. Forest Service land nearly 17 miles upstream. For context, 163 barrels of oil would fill about seven dump trucks.

Its not the first spill reported by the operator, Citation Oil & Gas Corporation, which over the last 35 years has had over 20 spills on its facilities in the Upper Valley near the border of Grand Staircase-Escalante alone. Just last year, nearly 400 barrels of crude oil spilled from one of Citations pipelines. And in 2014, the U.S. Forest Service reported two spills from the same company.

The Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining has inspected Citation four times for spills or incidents dating back to 1992. All four were in Summit County.

Related

However, well files from the wells on the Upper Valley oil field  located on Dixie National Forest about 9 miles southwest of Escalante  show that Citation reported over 20 spills in the area since 1988.

This has been happening, unfortunately, on repeat for the past 40 years. This isnt a one-off instance, said Landon Newell, an attorney who specializes in oil and gas issues for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, an environmental group. These spills are oftentimes discovered by hikers who are recreating in the area, theyre not always reported by the operator, and theyre not properly identified by the federal government.

A spokesperson for Citation on Friday told the Deseret News he was preparing an updated statement, though he said it would not be available until Monday.

In a report filed with the Department of Environmental Quality, Citation said its focus since the start of this release has been to ensure that the crude oil does not migrate further downgradient and that the cleanup is being conducted as quickly and as safely as possible to remove the impacted debris and any free standing crude oil. As a result, Citations investigation into the cause of this release is still underway.

Although the well in question is not located on the national monument, rainfall and the thousands of gallons of produced water carried the oil through Alvey Wash into Grand Staircase-Escalante. The produced water is often laden with heavy metals, oil contaminants, and has a high salinity level.

The Utah Division of Water Quality has asked for a report on the produced water that spilled. Until then, division director John Mackey says its unclear how contaminated the water was, and what the impact on the surrounding vegetation is.

In its report, Citation writes that it is not aware of any impacts to human health or any wildlife or domestic animals.

The Department of Environmental Qualitys Division of Water Quality is currently investigating the incident, Mackey confirmed on Friday. Due to the remote location of the contamination, assessing the damage is a slow-moving process, and Mackey said its too soon to know whether Citation will be fined.

This will take a long time given the situation and where this contamination resides, said Mackey. Its in a very difficult area to access.

Alvey Wash eventually empties into the Escalante River, which winds through the national monument and meets the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Mackey on Friday says the division has not found evidence that the oil spill reached the Escalante River.

The spill was likely the result of a valve malfunction that occurred overnight, which went unnoticed for about 14 hours, according to a report from Citation. The facility was shut in at about 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 13, the report states.

Due to extremely remote and difficult terrain and a lack of access roads, Citation initially only tracked the release from its facility into the National Monument, reads the report. It wasnt until the following day that the company discovered the scope of the spill, which traveled 17 miles through the wash, carried by the thousands of barrels of produced water and rainfall.

Immediate actions were taken to install barriers at various points in Alvey Wash to prevent further migration, the company said. Crews contracted by Citation are still working to clean up the spill, and the Bureau of Land Management issued a permit so the company can bring heavy machinery to the area.

Citation originally reported nearly twice as much oil spilled, with maximum estimates hovering around 360 barrels. The company later revised its estimate, based on the inventory at the well and how much oil was recovered. Those numbers could change, although Mackey said its probably more accurate than what the division can estimate through backend sampling.

The Upper Valley is not known as a high producing area  some of Citations wells will produce less than 400 barrels each month. In the Uintah Basin, some wells can produce more than 3,000 barrels during that same timeframe.

There is no incentive from the operators perspective to shut down these nominally producing wells. And thats very problematic because theyve been allowed to operate in this manner now for decades, said Newell, who told the Deseret News that the cheap leasing fees let companies operate wells for years, even if their production is low.

Southern Utah is preparing for an influx of tourists coming to see the rare annular solar eclipse, slated to pass over the state on Oct. 14.

Mackey said that poses some unique challenges. Citation may have to pause cleanup if its crews cannot find lodging in Escalante, and some of the contamination is easily accessible from town.

The contamination is pretty obvious, so it shouldnt be hard. But people should stay out of the wash and keep their pets out, for their own protection, Mackey said.
Petr Fiala , Prime Minister of Czechia, said after an informal meeting of European Union leaders on Friday, 6 October, that most of them were willing to start negotiations on Ukraines accession.

Source: European Pravda, with reference to CTK

Details: While speaking to journalists at the Granada airport, Fiala was asked about the statement of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who said he had doubts about Ukraines membership in the European Union.

Fiala responded that it was important to start accession talks with a country that had been attacked by Russia, a view supported by the "overwhelming majority of speakers" at the summit.

"I am convinced that this is an absolutely prevailing position among the leaders," Fiala said.

He also voiced his support for accelerating EU enlargement.

"We cannot continue to act in such an indecisive manner. We need to take concrete steps and give a clearer roadmap to countries that have long been seeking to join," Fiala said, pointing to the Western Balkans.

Background:

According to media reports, European Union leaders are preparing to give their political consent to what is expected to be a positive decision by the European Commission on Ukraines readiness to start accession talks in December.

In late August, European Council President Charles Michel said he wanted the EU to be ready for enlargement by 2030. However, some in the EU do not want to be tied to specific dates for the accession of new members.

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 first of a pair of 6.3 magnitude quakes, which struck at 2:41 a.m. EDT, was centered 20 miles north-northeast of Zindah Jan, Afghanistan. Image courtesy U.S. Geological Survey

Oct. 7 (UPI) -- A pair of 6.3 magnitude earthquakes and several strong aftershocks jolted western Afghanistan on Saturday, resulting in at least 15 deaths and 40 injuries, emergency officials said.

The casualties came in three villages of the Zinda Jan district of Afghanistan's Herat Province, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Ministry of Disaster Management told reporters.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the first 6.3 quake came at 11:11 a.m. Saturday local time, or 2:41 a.m. EDT, and was centered 20 miles north-northeast of Zinda Jan. This was followed 30 minutes later by another 6.3 temblor in the same area of the far western terminus of the Hindu Kush mountain range.

In between the two large jolts, a magnitude 5.5 quake was felt, while a 5.9 aftershock was recorded shortly thereafter. In total, six quakes occurred in western Afghanistan on Saturday, the USGS said.

Both of the 6.3 earthquakes "occurred on east-west striking fault planes that dip to either the north or south," the U.S. agency said. "The earthquakes occurred within the Eurasia plate in an intracontinental mountain belt."

A magnitude 7.3 quake in the same area of western Afghanistan caused 1,567 fatalities in May 1997.

Saturday's quakes were also felt in the eastern Iran, including the city of Mashhad in Khorasan Razavi province, as well by residents of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Palestinian officials are defending the Saturday attack against Israel after militant forces assaulted the country in multiple directions in a surprise maneuver that has left at lest 40 Israelis dead.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they have repeatedly warned against the consequences of blocking the political horizon and failing to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination and establish long their own state.

We have also warned against the consequences of daily provocations and attacks including the continued settlers and occupation forces terrorism, as well as the raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Christian and Islamic holy sites, officials said in a statement after world leaders condemned the invasion.

The attack Saturday caught Israel completely by surprise and led to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring war against Palestinian militant groups and immediately launching a massive military operation in Gaza.

Palestinian officials have said at least 232 are dead in Gaza and more than a thousand people are wounded.

United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Turk called for an immediate stop to violence & urges de-escalation to avoid further bloodshed.

Early Saturday morning, Hamas, a militant and political group that rules the Gaza Strip, fired more than 2,000 rockets at Israel and blitzed the country in multiple directions, with fighting reportedly ongoing across Israel.

Decades of violence has led to the latest outbreak, with Palestine and Israel fighting in several wars since the creation of Israel in 1948.

Hamas released a statement on its Telegram channel claiming it was defending its people and holy sites from Israeli occupation in an operation it calls Al-Aqsa Flood.

Their freedom is a right and a duty, and it constitutes one of the most important priorities of our Palestinian people and their glorious resistance, they wrote.

Hamas also called on other Arab and Islamic nations to join the fight, calling it a consequential religious battle against Israel, a predominantly Jewish state.

The Arab and Islamic countries have a direct responsibility to stand against the occupation and demand its end, they added, and to work to support the Palestinian people politically, diplomatically and financially, in all ways, and in all international forums and organizations.

Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi, told Al Jazeera the military operation is a response to decades of violence and called on the international community to join the response.

This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth, he told the outlet.

The world, however, has condemned the assault, including the U.S., which is standing behind Israel and promising to back the country in its defense.

Updated 4:03 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza amid ongoing violence, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said Saturday.

Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the largest attack on Israel in decades early Saturday, invading multiple Israeli towns and launching masses of missiles into the country.

The ministry said that 198 people were killed and 1,610 people have been injured as of about 4:30 p.m. local time Saturday.

Israeli authorities claimed that at least 40 people have died in the conflict.

The Palestinian government said the attacks Saturday are a result of Israel discrimination against Palestinians in the country, including attacks on Muslim minorities and occupation of the West Bank.

We have repeatedly warned against the consequences of blocking the political horizon and failing to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination and establish long their own state, a statement reads.

We have also warned against the consequences of daily provocations and attacks including the continued settlers and occupation forces terrorism, as well as the raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Christian and Muslim holy sites, it continues.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the violence as a war and mobilized the countrys military.

Governments in Europe and the U.S. have pledged to support Israel amid rising violence, while nations in the Middle East have mostly condemned Israel for its role in the ongoing conflict with Palestine.

The U.S. unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israeli civilians, said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council. We stand firmly with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Palestinian fighters appear to have captured an Israeli tank amid an unprecedented wave of attacks.

Videos circulating on social media show Palestinians celebrating on top of the tank as it burns.

Unconfirmed reports claim that Hamas has captured Israeli soldiers and taken them to the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian fighters appear to have captured an Israeli tank and set it on fire, according to videos circulating on social media.

The videos show Palestinians celebrating in front of and on top of the tank as it burns amid an unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas militants on Saturday.

Muhammad Arif Khan (@M_Arif61) October 7, 2023

One video appears to show the dead body of an Israeli soldier dragged out of the vehicle. Others appear to show injured soldiers being captured.

In another video, a man tells the camera in Arabic that the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, had kidnaped all Israeli soldiers inside the tank.

The videos were taken after Palestinians broke through a fence near the border with Israel, Al Arabiya reported.

Insider was unable to independently verify them.

Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, entering the country by "land, sea and air," an IDF spokesperson said.

At least 22 Israelis have died and over 300 have been injured, Israel's N12 news channel reported.

A Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel published multiple photos appearing to show dead Israeli soldiers lying in streets.

There have also been unconfirmed reports of IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians being captured by Hamas fighters and taken to Gaza.

A paramedic in Israel was also killed, and Hamas captured two ambulances, the spokesman for the Magen David Adom emergency service said, per The Times of Israel.

An IDF spokesperson said more than 2,200 rockets had been fired into Israel, while Hamas claimed over 5,000 rockets were launched.

The attacks on southern and central Israel are among the heaviest in years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "we are at war" and Israel "will win" in a video message.

The IDF has carried out several air strikes on the Gaza Strip in response.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Hamas militants appeared to capture Israeli tanks during unprecedented attacks on Israel early Saturday, according to social media reports.

The Palestinian militant group launched the largest attack on Israel in decades early Saturday, invading multiple Israeli towns from Gaza and launching masses of missiles into the country.

Video shared on social media appears to show Hamas militants walking around an abandoned Israeli military base and capturing armored vehicles. Other videos, which could not be confirmed, show militants taking photos with captured tanks.

The Hamas attacks appeared to catch the Israeli military off guard, while the massive scale and coordinated effort of the attacks point to a significant Israeli intelligence failure.

The attacks come on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah and is nearly 50 years to the day after the beginning of the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

An Israeli military spokesman confirmed Saturday that militants had captured Israeli soldiers and civilians and taken them hostage in the fighting.

At least 250 Israelis and 232 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, according to Israeli media reports and the Palestinian government.

The Palestinian government said the attacks Saturday are a result of Israel discrimination against Palestinians in the country, including attacks on Muslim minorities and occupation of the West Bank.

We have repeatedly warned against the consequences of blocking the political horizon and failing to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination and establish long their own state, a statement reads.

We have also warned against the consequences of daily provocations and attacks including the continued settlers and occupation forces terrorism, as well as the raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Christian and Muslim holy sites, it continues.

Governments in Europe and the U.S. have pledged to support Israel amid rising violence, while nations in the Middle East have mostly condemned Israel for its role in the ongoing conflict with Palestine.

President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone Saturday, where he pledged American support for the country.

The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, Biden said in a statement.

Updated 4:05 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
PATERSON  The citys Police Department next month plans to become the first in New Jersey to use artificial intelligence to monitor video of encounters between cops and residents recorded by officers body cameras.

City police officials said the AI technology  which is being used in a sprinkling of police departments around the country  will increase professionalism among Paterson officers and improve cops interactions with residents.

The technology, being provided by Truleo of Chicago under a $102,000 contract, has made its debut in several states in the past six months, including police departments in Maryland, Michigan and Arizona, the company said.

We are making good on our promise to bring in cutting-edge technologies to assist us in improving our ability to deliver the accountability, professionalism and customer service that the residents of Paterson demand, said Isa Abbassi, appointed officer in charge in Paterson under the state takeover of the Police Department.

Sep 26, 2023; Paterson, NJ, USA; (Center) NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin speaks with members of the press during an event at which (right) Paterson PD officer in charge Isa Abbassi unveiled his strategic plan for city law enforcement at the Paterson Public Library. Mandatory Credit: Michael Karas-The Record

We are looking forward to utilizing Truleos body-worn camera technology as a critical tool to evaluate officer conduct during professional interactions, Abbassi added.

Some express concern

But some experts expressed skepticism about the use of AI technology in monitoring footage from police body cameras, noting that there is not an extensive track record.

Adopting AI is abandoning the notion that front supervisors are best positioned to address subordinate performance, said Richard Rivera, a South Jersey police director and retired West New York cop who provides expert testimony in court cases involving law enforcement internal affairs functions.

AI is the new expensive toy chiefs want to buy while waiting for the next iPhone to come out, Rivera added. It is the flavor of the month.

Truleo says its system is being used in dozens of police departments around the country. Paterson Press made several requests for a list of all those law enforcement agencies. But Truleos public relations representative did not provide it.

Unions welcome new tech

In some places, Truleos AI has run into opposition from police unions, according to news accounts. But the presidents of Patersons two police unions said they welcome the new technology.

It will show the level of professionalism that our officers demonstrate, said Angel Jimenez, head of the Policemen's Benevolent Association. Every five to 10 years, theres changes in the technology, and we have to adapt to the changes.

Mason Maher, president of the Paterson Superior Officers Association, said high-ranking people in the Police Department have given the unions their assurances that the AI system wont be used in disciplinary proceedings against cops.

This will show all the positive interactions between our members and the community, Maher said.

At present, all city police officers are assigned body cameras, but they dont have to turn them on in all situations.

The Paterson Police Department conducts random spot checks on officers body-camera footage, officials said. The department also uses the recordings to investigate cases involving allegations of misconduct, officials said. But most of the recordings never get examined and eventually are discarded. The state guideline says the recordings must be preserved for a minimum of 180 days.

Strategic plan: This is what Isa Abbassi plans for the Paterson Police Department over the next 2 years

New program: Will new Paterson program have cops and mental health pros 'Arrive Together'?

What comes next?

Truleo said its technology automatically detects critical events such as uses of force, pursuits, frisks, and non-compliance incidents, and screens for both professional and unprofessional officer language so supervisors can then praise or review officers conduct.

Officials have not made clear how Truleos analysis would be conveyed to city police officials. Truleos public relations representative scheduled an interview between the companys founder, a former cop, and Paterson Press. But the company did not follow through in providing that interview.

Britt Paris, an assistant professor at Rutgers School of Communication and Information, said there are doubts regarding the accuracy of AIs spoken language analysis.

I feel like whenever institutions are looking to excuse themselves for any type of misconduct, they often turn to AI, Paris said.

Artificial intelligence often tends to mis-categorize the sentiments of people who speak with accents, Paris said. The professor also questioned whether the Police Department will be transparent with the AI analysis of the body-camera footage.

Paris and Rivera said there are better ways to monitor police conduct than using AI. Paris cited community oversight, and Rivera said police supervisors need to do a better job reviewing their subordinates performance.

Rivera said law enforcement officers found ways to dodge accountability when body cameras started being used.

They will find a way around artificial intelligence, Rivera said. It is part of our evolution as a species.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ police will use AI to monitor bodycam footage
Rep. Patrick McHenry s name echoes that of Patrick Henry, a leader of the American Revolution who famously declared: Give me liberty or give me death.

McHenry, the North Carolina Republican serving as the temporary speaker of a U.S. House in disarray, isnt a fiery orator, but he could offer his fellow Republicans a Patrick Henry-style call: Give us sanity, or give us defeat.

McHenry, 47, and now in his 10th term, is being called upon to restore order after a rogue group of eight Republicans unseated Speaker Kevin McCarthy only nine months into his tenure. McHenry was first on the former speakers secret list of who should preside in the event that he was unable to.

Though he is not seeking the job permanently, McHenry will oversee the delicate and potentially combustible process of electing McCarthys successor.

McHenry represents a choice about where House Republicans can go. The congressman from the 10th District, which covers all or part of nine counties north and west of Charlotte, is a former conservative insurgent turned team player. He is willing to compromise for incremental gains.

A position is not important in and of itself, McHenry said in a 2014 interview with McClatchy news. Its the opportunity to shape outcomes that is meaningful. And even more meaningful is the outcome. Im very mindful of that.

Now the question is whether the Republicans in Congress can adopt a similar view. Can they use their narrow majority to move beyond MAGA-driven symbolic bills to passage of legislation that has a real chance of becoming law? If not, they may well lose their majority in next years election.

Notably, McHenry showed what a more tactical and restrained GOP would look like after the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. He was the lone Republican among the eight in North Carolinas delegation to vote to certify all results of the 2020 presidential election.

He said at the time: Beyond the fact that voting against certification of legally submitted electors would violate the oath I took to our Constitution; I also have serious concerns about the precedent these actions could set were they to succeed.

The GOP s other potential path is to follow Republican extremists who would rather follow former President Donald Trumps burn-it-down approach to politics.

Many Republicans angered by McCarthys removal, the first such ouster in U.S. history, would like the Republican House conference to become more like McHenry. The extremists, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, want to purge the McHenrys, the McCarthys and all those whom they consider members of a uni-party in which Republicans and Democrats are indistinguishable.

Asher Hildebrand, an associate professor at Duke University and former aide to longtime Rep. David Price, D-NC, said of McHenry, This is someone who was a Bush-era Republican who now finds himself in the Donald Trump party and having to navigate those cross currents. He added that McHenry is really liked by members and is seen as someone who knows how to play the inside game in shrewd and effective ways.

The problem for McHenry and more moderate GOP members is that the inside game is being eclipsed by outside theatrics. Even freshman members can become prominent by provoking outrage through social media and raising huge sums in small donations.

Its a measure of how much the Republican Party has changed that McHenry is considered a moderate. He has an 89 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union, though hes fallen from 100 percent in 2005 to 71 percent in 2022.

The ouster of McCarthy was the end of a speakership but the beginning of a wider battle over where the Republican Party is headed. In the breach, for now, stands McHenry. How well he handles this transition could determine whether the narrow House majority survives the forces pulling it apart.

Associate opinion editor Ned Barnett can be reached at 919-404-7583, or nbarnett@ newsobserver.com
After the recent bipartisan deal funding the government for 45 more days, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) announced that he would move to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy for working with Democrats. The very idea that working with the other party is a major political said a lot about our dysfunctional Congress.

McCarthy's leadership here could have paved the way to major improvements. But unfortunately, Democrats in the House voted with anti-McCarthy Republicans to dethrone him from the speakership, despite his having risked his position in order to avoid shutting down the government. The old truism clearly applies here: No good deed goes unpunished!

Paul F. deLespinasse

The Democrats' irresponsible action preserves a very unhappy status quo in Washington, D.C., and will make it even more difficult for our leaders to act as adults, as Kevin McCarthy had finally attempted to do.

Members of Congress who compromise with the other party in order to enact legislation are vulnerable to being "primaried." Democrats fear being attacked in the next party primary for being insufficiently liberal, and Republicans fear primary challengers accusing them of not being conservative enough.

Moderates from both parties tend to vote mainly in general elections. But the more extreme Democratic liberals and Republican conservatives reliably turn out to vote when the parties have separate primaries. This makes reasonable compromises difficult and politically dangerous for our elected leaders.

Kevin McCarthy was Speaker of the House, a responsible position in which he was legally next in line to succeed to the presidency after Vice President Kamala Harris. But like his recent predecessors, he had been expected to act primarily as the leader of his own political party and only secondarily as leader of the whole House. This did not necessarily need to be the case.

In Great Britain, for example, the Speaker of the House of Commons, like the U.S. counterpart, is elected by members of the current majority party. But immediately upon election, the new speaker resigns from his or her party and presides in a completely non-partisan way.

It need not be necessary to copy the British model exactly, and the U.S. speaker would not need to resign from his or her party. But Kevin McCarthy's recent experience working with Democrats to prevent a governmental shutdown suggested that a speaker could help both parties minimize the leverage of their more extreme members.

One need not be an uncritical fan of Kevin McCarthy to appreciate the opportunity that his recent deal with the Democrats created. After all, in order to become speaker, he capitulated to extreme demands from the ultra-conservative group that led the move to unseat him.

And until the very last minute, he had tried to accommodate this group. He launched their demanded impeachment inquiry into President Biden, although this only whetted their appetite for blood. Then he tried to avoid a shutdown by enacting appropriations supported only by Republicans.

Only when this attempt failed did he reach out to make the deal, supported by Democrats and moderate Republicans, to fund the government for 45 more days. But the success of this deal demonstrated a way forward from today's extreme political polarization in Washington.

Democrats should have appreciated what Speaker McCarthy did, even if only in desperation. They should not have cooperated with the extreme elements in his own party to oust him.

If the Democrats had prevented the ouster of McCarthy, it could have been a small move in the direction of the non-partisan British speakership.

It would have been ironic if Republicans seeking to oust Kevin McCarthy had produced a major reduction in today's political polarization!

Alas! We may now be in for major trouble when the 45-day reprieve from an irresponsible government shutdown, bestowed by Speaker McCarthy, comes to an end.

 Paul F. deLespinasse is professor emeritus of political science and computer science at Adrian College. He can be reached at pdeles@proaxis.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Paul deLespinasse: RIP, Kevin McCarthy: No good deed goes unpunished
Duval County is competing in the Peanut Butter Challenge again this year. The challenge lasts through October and is part of the Start Giving Season.

The friendly competition among counties asks community members to bring a jar of peanut butter to their local Extension office or FAMU Cooperative Extension by October 31, after which the totals will be counted and bragging rights awarded to the counties that collect the most.

The donations are then given to local food pantries, backpack programs and other partners in the fight against food insecurity.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

The peanut butter challenge is a great way to donate for a cause and fight hunger. Many citizens in our local area are struggling with providing for their families. This act of kindness can help support those families in need. We are excited to be able to be that support and help for families in our community, said Stephen Jennewein, UF/IFAS Extension Duval County agriculture and natural resources agent and Peanut Butter Challenge coordinator.

The UF/IFAS Extension Duval County office, located at 1010 N. McDuff Avenue, will be collecting donations of unopened, unexpired peanut butter jars of any size.

Other community partners already signed on to accept donations include:

Ed Ball Building, 214 N. Hogan St, Public Works, 10th Fl

City Hall, 117 W. Duval St, Employee Services, Mezzanine Fl

Main Library, 303 N. Laura St.

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In addition to its nutritional value and easy collectability, peanut butter was originally selected as the donation item as a way to highlight Floridas peanut production.

Goober growers contributed $114 million to the state economy in 2020, with the majority of acreage in the northern parts of the state, including some in the counties recently affected by Hurricane Idalia.

The competition began in the Panhandle counties in 2012 and spread statewide in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic and a subsequent rise in food insecurity in mind.

Its always heartwarming to hear the stories of community involvement, said Jennifer Bearden, UF/IFAS Extension Okaloosa County agriculture agent and co-organizer of the 2023 event. This event has always relied on community support, and the competition between counties is all with a positive message at its heart.

In addition to the community donations, the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and Florida Peanut Federation (FPF) have partnered with the project for years.

These organizations are based in the northwest and northeast peanut-producing regions of the state and will again contribute to the totals distributed to food pantries in those regions.

For more information, visit sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/peanutbutter.

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The Hamas invasion of southern Israel on Saturday by hundreds of terrorists from the Gaza Strip is a Pearl Harbor moment for the State of Israel. This attack, that led to the murder of more than 250 Israelis and the abduction of dozens more, will change the equation and the way Israel manages its conflict with the Hamas rulers in Gaza. What was, will no longer be.

Like Pearl Harbor, Israel was taken completely by surprise when hundreds of Hamas terrorists  armed to the teeth  blew holes in the sophisticated security barrier that Israel had built along the international border with the Gaza Strip and infiltrated into around a dozen nearby Israeli towns, shooting anyone in their path. All of Israels military capabilities had failed. There was no intelligence, the defense measures along the border did not stop the terrorists, and by the end of the day, the military was still battling gunmen who had taken hostages in their homes.

Before Pearl Harbor, America knew what was happening in Europe and in the Pacific theater. But it decided to refrain from a confrontation. That changed on the fateful day in December 1941 when the war was brought to Americas doorstep.

While Israel and Hamas have periodically clashed over the years, in Jerusalem too, there was a hope that it could avoid a larger conflict. Israeli military intelligence constantly warned that Hamas was amassing sophisticated weapons and that the lack of a diplomatic horizon and the apparent death of the two-state solution would lead to more violence. But, Israeli politicians preferred a policy of containment. While there were clashes over the last decade  approximately one operation every two years  they lasted just a few days and were fought only from the air.

But just like Pearl Harbor changed the calculus for the United States, the events of October 7, 2023 will need to change the calculus for Israel.

What happened in Israel on Saturday was an attack directed against civilians  children, women, men, old and young hiding in their homes, in bomb shelters and in open fields. When armed terrorists go door-to-door in a Kibbutz there is nothing military about that. It is about murdering civilians for one reason  that they are Jewish and are living in the land of Israel.

This is an attack of another scale which illustrates the type of enemy Israel faces. This is an army of terrorists that has no morals and operates in total violation of the international rules of war. Just look at the videos  some too graphic to share  showing the way Palestinian gunmen abuse the bodies of the dead.

The immediate understanding in Israel is that the policy of containment will no longer work. And there was a policy of containment. It was embraced by Israel which found itself surprised in a way that no one imagined was possible in 2023, as well as by the Biden administration, whose National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said just last week that the Middle East was in the throes of the quietest period it has known in the last 20 years.

Everyone  in Jerusalem and Washington D.C.  lived under the false pretense that Hamas did not want a large-scale conflict with Israel and was more interested in the survival of its regime than in a war. That myth blew up on Saturday almost 50 years to the day that Egypt and Syria launched a surprise invasion of Israel on Yom Kippur 1973 shattering the myth then that Israel was invincible and that the Arab states were deterred.

Israel knows that its other adversaries are watching. There is Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad and of course the ayatollahs in Iran. They are all waiting to see how Israel responds and what it does. If Israel appears weak, they will think they can take advantage of this opportunity. President Joe Biden understood this when he spoke on Saturday warning against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation.

That is exactly what Hamas did. It took advantage of the situation that has prevailed in Israel for the last nine months as the country ripped itself apart over the proposed overhaul of the judicial system proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government.

There were weekly protests that brought out hundreds of thousands of Israelis, while elite IDF reservists and Air Force pilots announced that they would no longer serve in the reserves due to the governments policies.

But Netanyahu refused to stop. He plowed ahead with the legislation despite warnings that the countrys democratic character was crumbling, and that Israel would pay a price.

And that price came on Saturday when Hamas seized an opportunity.

Yaakov Katz (@yaakovkatz) is a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a former editor of the Jerusalem Post where he remains a columnist, and the author of three books on Israeli military affairs.

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House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday seemingly brushed off Rep. Patrick McHenry s (R-N.C.) decision to boot her from her Capitol hideaway office while acting as Speaker pro tem.

Thats so incidental, she told Elex Michaelson during a recent interview on The Issue Is, claiming she had more important concerns. The office means nothing to me!

McHenry, who became acting Speaker after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted from the role Tuesday, ordered Pelosi vacate the office by Wednesday, so he could take it over for official use.

A small number of senior lawmakers have hideaway offices inside the U.S. Capitol Building, giving lawmakers extra personal space to prepare for hearings, conduct confidential meetings or even nap.

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Pelosi initially denounced the demand, calling it a sharp departure from tradition.

With all of the important decisions that the new Republican Leadership must address, which we are all eagerly awaiting, one of the first actions taken by the new Speaker Pro Tempore was to order me to immediately vacate my office in the Capitol, she said Tuesday.

This eviction is a sharp departure from tradition, Pelosi continued. As Speaker, I gave former Speaker Hastert a significantly larger suite of offices for as long as he wished.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also commented on the decision in a Washington Post op-ed, calling it petty, partisan and petulant.

Jeffries calls effort to kick Pelosi, Hoyer out of hideaway offices petty, partisan and petulant

She wasnt the only top House Democrat ordered to vacate their hideaway office, either; McHenry asked Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) to be out of his space by Wednesday, as well.

The moves signal the anger among GOP leaders toward Democrats after the group joined with eight Republicans to remove McCarthy from the top leadership role in a 216-210 vote initiated by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

The House went on recess following the vote, as McHenry said Democrats and Republicans would need time to meet separately to discuss a path forward.

GOP sources told Punchbowl News on Wednesday morning that more office rearrangements could be coming.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
FILE - A prescription is filled, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, in Morganton, N.C. A dose of patience may come in handy at the pharmacy counter this fall, as drug and staffing shortages havent gone away. Stores are starting their busiest time of year as customers look for help with colds and the flu. And this fall, pharmacists are dealing with a new vaccine and the start of insurance coverage for COVID-19 shots. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A dose of patience may come in handy at the pharmacy counter this fall.

Drug and staffing shortages havent gone away. Stores are starting their busiest time of year as customers look for help with colds and the flu. And this fall, pharmacists are dealing with a new vaccine and the start of insurance coverage for COVID-19 shots.

Some drugstores have addressed their challenges by adding employees at busy hours. But experts say many pharmacies, particularly the big chains, still dont have enough workers behind the counter.

Chris Adkins said he left his job as a pharmacist with a major drugstore chain a couple years ago because of the stress. Aside from filling and checking prescriptions, Adkins routinely answered the phone, ran the register and stocked pharmacy shelves.

I just didnt have time for the patients, he said. I am OK working hard and working long hours, but I just felt like I was not doing a good job as a pharmacist.

In recent years, drugstores have struggled to fill open pharmacist and pharmacy technician positions, even as many have raised pay and dangled signing bonuses.

Larger drugstore chains often operate stores with only one pharmacist on duty per shift, said Richard Dang, an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of Southern California. That kind of thin staffing can make it hard to recruit employees.

I think that many pharmacists in the profession are hesitant to work for a company where they dont feel supported, said Dang, a former president of the California Pharmacists Association.

Customers have noticed.

John Staed, of Pelham, Alabama, said a CVS pharmacist gave him the wrong prescription about a decade ago: the pills were a different color than usual. He worries the chances for another mistake could increase as pharmacists take on more work.

These pharmacists always look stressed, he said.

A CVS spokeswoman said the company is focused on addressing concerns raised by its pharmacists and has taken several actions, including providing additional pharmacy resources in markets that need support. She declined to say how many pharmacists or technicians the company has hired.

Former Walgreens CEO Rosalind Brewer said in late June that the company had added more than 1,000 pharmacists in the second quarter, but was running into a shortage of job candidates. Walgreens is adding processing centers around the country to ease some of the prescription workload for its stores.

Brewer, who left in late August, also said the company was limiting hours at 1,100 pharmacies, or about 12% of its U.S. locations. That was down from 1,600 earlier this year, but a company executive has said it doesn't expect to return all pharmacies to normal operating hours by year's end.

Labor strife and staffing shortages in health care are not isolated to drugstores, as the recent Kaiser Permanente strike shows.

But drugstores have some additional challenges in the fall. Many customers come to them for vaccines for COVID-19, flu and pneumonia. Plus, federal officials have approved a new shot for people ages 60 and older for a virus called RSV.

All told, CVS touts in a pharmacy counter brochure that the company can offer more than 15 vaccines to customers.

Ongoing drug shortages also have kept pharmacy workers on the phone more.

Jonathan Marquess said one of his drugstores fielded 100 questions one day last fall about the antibiotic amoxicillin and the attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder treatment Adderall, two drugs in short supply.

Marquess runs several independent pharmacies in Georgia and serves on the National Community Pharmacists Association board. He has done a few things to help his stores adapt to the extra workload, he said, including training all employees to answer basic questions about vaccines.

Marquess also adds extra staff when he knows they will have an influx of customers, like when a nearby company sends its employees over for vaccines.

We learned from our experiences, he said. Training your entire staff is very, very important.

Pharmacists say customers aren't powerless and can help things run smoothly.

People should bring all their insurance cards to vaccine appointments, especially since insurance coverage is new for the COVID-19 shots, Marquess said.

Dang said customers should avoid showing up right after pharmacies reopen from a lunch break or just before they close, times when pharmacists and technicians are especially busy.

Making appointments for vaccines gives pharmacy workers a better sense for their workload. Calling several days in advance for a prescription refill also helps, said Jen Cocohoba, a pharmacy professor at University of California San Francisco.

That tiny piece of control can help, because theres so many things you cannot predict when youre inside the community pharmacy, Cocohoba said.

___

AP Business Writer Josh Funk contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a 19-year-old suspect in the death of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger, who was shot and killed inside his home this week.

The Philadelphia Police Department identified the suspect as Robert Davis, who is considered "armed and dangerous," police Lt. Hamilton Marshmond said Friday. Davis is wanted on suspicion of murder of other offenses.

Authorities are asking him to surrender. Investigators said Davis and Kruger were acquaintances, without going into specifics.

LAWYER FOR LOOTER KNOWN AS MEATBALL CLAIMS CRITICISM AGAINST LIVE-STREAMER IS RACIST

Robert Davis, 19, has been identified as the suspected killer of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger.

"At this time I believe that Mr. Kruger was trying to help Mr. Davis and they were acquaintances," Marshmond said. "He was just trying to help him just get through life."

Marshmond said a motive for the killing has not been determined. Davis is known to the police department, he said.

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Police responded to reports of gunshots inside Krugers apartment Monday and found that he was shot seven times through the chest and abdomen. Kruger was rushed to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center but pronounced dead shortly after arriving.

Investigators received several tips from family and friends and recovered video footage prior to the killing that led to the identification of Davis, Marshmond said.

Kruger, 39, a prominent supporter of the LGBTQ community, was a journalist and former Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services spokesperson who wrote for a variety of outlets including The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Citizen and LGBTQ Nation.

Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger was shot and killed in his home according to police.

In a statement earlier this week, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Kruger "lifted up the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in our communities."

"As an openly queer writer who wrote about his own journey surviving substance use disorder and homelessness, it was encouraging to see Josh join the (Mayor Jim) Kenney administration as a spokesperson for the Office of Homeless Services. Josh deserved to write the ending of his personal story."





Original article source: Philadelphia police ID murder suspect on the run in journalist killing, both were 'acquaintances,' cops say
If you have breasts, then you've likely wondered at some point if a change in their appearance, feel or shape is normal and then furiously Googled pictures of breast cancer lumps.

It's common knowledge that a new lump in your breast can be a sign of breast cancer (though not all breast cancers cause lumps). But what's less known is the difference between a lump that could indicate cancer and one that's normal. As Mayo Clinic explains, breast lumps are actually pretty common, and they can change with the menstrual cycle. Not to mention, breasts have different tissues in them, such as glands and fat, which can affect how they feel.

What's more, the guidance is no longer to perform self-breast exams  research has shown they don't help detect breast cancer or improve survival rates, per Mayo Clinic  so that can make it even more stressful when you do notice a lump in your breast.

Here's a guide to how to tell if a change in your breast should prompt a visit to a health care provider, as well as a guide with pictures of breast cancer lumps to help illustrate the warning signs.

Should you do self-breast exams?

If you have an average risk of breast cancer, then no, you do not need to perform regular self-breast exams.

Several years ago, multiple organizations stopped encouraging women to perform self-breast exams because there wasn't enough data to indicate they had any benefit, and many women would perform the exams and get a false positive, which can also cause harm, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists explained.

Instead, you should be familiar with your breasts so you are able to recognize a change in them  such as pain, redness, a mass or nipple discharge, which can sometimes indicate cancer  and see a health care provider. ACOG defines "being familiar" as knowing what is normal for your breasts' appearance and feel.

While the recommendation is not to perform regular inspections, data shows many patients self-detect their breast cancers, showing the importance of knowing how your breasts usually look and feel.

That's why Dr. Amy Kerger, a radiologist who specializes in breast cancer imaging at Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, part of Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, says there are benefits to picking one day a month to do a brief examination.

breast lump pictures (National Cancer Institute)

"Pick a date, because your breasts change with your hormones," Kerger said. "And you should do it in the same manner, whether you're in the shower, lying in bed, sitting up. ... All of that changes what you're feeling and where things are in your breasts, because breasts are mobile. It's really important that, if you're going to do something like that, to do it consistently."

Dr. Judy Song, chief of breast imaging at MedStar Health, added that at different points in your menstrual cycle, you may have more lumps and bumps, so being familiar with those changes can help you understand what's normal on your chest.

By regularly examining your breasts and the area around them  Kerger said to make sure your examination includes the area around your armpit and the sides of your breasts  you'll be more likely to notice alarming lumps or other changes quicker.

"I would more encourage women to say if something just doesn't feel right. If a woman is at all concerned, even if it may be nothing ... she should always err on the side of caution," said Dr. Jessica Jones, a breast oncologist at UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas. "It is easier to do a test than find out later."

What does a lump really look like?

Kerger said that any new lump "is a problem" that you should bring to a doctor.

According to Know Your Lemons, a nonprofit global organization that focuses on making information about breast cancer warning signs and detection methods accessible, a hard lump is a common sign of cancer.

breast cancer lump picture (TODAY Illustrations)

"The most common sign of breast cancer is a lump, deep in the breast. It often feels hard, like a lemon seed, and usually immovable. It can be any shape or size," said the site. You might also see a bump, according to the site, on the surface of your breast.

Kerger said that doctors are especially concerned if a lump is hard and "not mobile."

breast cancer lump picture (TODAY Illustrations)

"When something is hard and doesn't move around, like you're rolling a marble on a table under your hand, (that) is more concerning," she said. However, it can be hard for people to diagnose this on themselves, so she recommends going to your doctor with concerns like these.

For men, who can be diagnosed with breast cancer, hard lumps right near the nipple are a warning sign.

breast cancer lump picture (TODAY Illustration)

"Because (men) normally do not have breasts in the way women do, they may notice a lump or a dimple or a change in skin color on their breast that would indicate the presence of a breast cancer," said Jones. "If (a man) has a change on his breast, he should absolutely let his doctor know."

breast cancer lump picture ( TODAY Illustrations)

However, there are also a lot of innocent reasons behind the lumps and bumps on your breast. Some can be cysts, which are collections of fluid, or fibroadenomas, which are benign and made up of tissue. Your breasts also contain lymph nodes, which Know Your Lemons says can "feel like soft beans," and milk lobes, which "feel like soft peas."

Being familiar with your breasts can help you tell the difference between whats normal and whats new.

What are other breast cancer warning signs?

Lumps and bumps may be the first signs people think of when they think of breast cancer detection, but there are several more signs that people should be on the lookout for.

Kerger said that many changes can occur near the nipple and areola: Any change in that area, including color or inversion of the nipple, should be mentioned to your doctor.

breast cancer lump picture ( TODAY Illustrations)

Discharge from the breast, which can be clear fluid or contain blood, should also be mentioned.

breast cancer lump picture (TODAY Illustration)

Jones also said that dimpling, which usually looks like an indentation, is a warning sign. Another symptom can be breasts beginning to change shape - such as becoming lopsided or one becoming swollen.

breast cancer lump picture (TODAY Illustration)

Another less common symptom, Kerger said, is breast pain. While some breast pain is normal, especially when in tune with your menstrual cycle, breast pain in a specific area is less common.

"If you have breast pain you can point to with one finger or is ... in one quadrant of your breasts ... then that can be a little more concerning," Kerger said.

breast cancer lump picture (TODAY Illustrations)

If you have any of these signs or symptoms, tell your primary care physician. If you are 40 years or older, you should be receiving regular mammograms, but if you are younger and having these symptoms, you can still get a mammogram. Some people with dense breasts may need an ultrasound, which can give a more thorough look at the breast and surrounding area. Song said that if you do have these tests done, there's nothing wrong with asking your doctor for as much information as possible.

"Don't be shy to ask to see the images and get an understanding of what your breast makeup is," she said. "A picture's worth a thousand words."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
George Schloegel made things happen and his resume couldnt begin to list all of his accomplishments on one page.

He was president of Hancock Bank, mayor of his hometown Gulfport, a school board member and so much more.

He presided over countless ribbon cuttings. He filled leadership positions in many civic organizations. He won a lot of awards.

He served on the White House Task Force on Hunger and was passionate about early childhood education.

Schloegel, who died Friday, was raised in Gulfport and came up the hard way  helping his family operate a truck and poultry farm. His first job at Hancock Bank in 1956 paid $1 an hour.

Peggy and George Schloegel attend the 6th Annual United Way of South Mississippi CEO Talent Show.

He and his wife, Peggy, were married for 64 years and together they grew flowers in their greenhouses to landscape all the Hancock Bank offices. They kept horses on their city property and raised a family of four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

George Schloegels leadership transcended the private and public sector, said Jamie Miller, president of the Gulf Coast Business Council. His positive influence on business and industry in Mississippi is undeniable.

Perhaps it was his humble beginnings that kept him grounded. George treated everyone with kindness and respect and his legacy will love on with the people that had the pleasure of knowing him, Miller said.

George Schloegel, Gulfport mayor from 2009-2013, joined other mayors for a photo commemorating the citys 125th anniversary. Seated is former Mayor Leroy Urie. Standing, from left, are former Mayor Bob Short, current Mayor Billy Hewes, Schloegel and former Mayor Brent Warr.

Schloegel served on the executive board of the Business Council and worked to pull South Mississippi back together after hurricanes Camille and Katrina, the oil spill and several national recessions. He was among the group of leaders who worked for years to get Infinity Science Center built to inspire generations of South Mississippi residents and visitors.

In 1996, while he was Hancock Bank president, he was surprised with the the Navy public service award to salute his four decades of support for the military. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jay Johnson said when few in the country showed support, Schloegel personally greeted Seabees returning from the Vietnam War. In the mid-1970s, Schloegel was instrumental in helping transfer the Navys oceanography program from Washington, D.C., to South Mississippi.

Here are photographs and memories of his six decades of service to the Coast.

Gulfport Mayor George Schloegel and Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut and Biloxi native, talk before the start of the Salute to the Military Tuesday night.

AMANDA McCOY/SUN HERALD Mayor George Schloegel, left, and Roy Anderson sign the construction contract for the building of INFINITY Science Center on Tuesday, April 6 2010.

Walter Nixon, Mayor George Schloegel, Barbara Nixon, Peggy Schloegel and Katherine Blessey are pictured at a Black Tie Gala.

Gulfport Mayor George Schloegel speaks during the Gulfport NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet honoring Lucimarian Roberts (right) and Col. Lawrence Roberts.

Then President Barack Obama, along with Mayor George Schloegel (left) and Governor Haley Barbour, met with Coast business leaders in Gulfport to find out how they have been affected by the BP oil spill.

Hancock Holding CEO George Schloegel speaks at a Hancock Bank Financial Seminar for Women at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Convention Center in Biloxi.

Gulfport Mayor George Schloegel, left, Albert Potts and his father, David Potts, one of the few surviving Montford Point Marines, enjoyed a pancake breakfast at an Honor Flight orientation Saturday in preparation for the April 23, 2013 flight.

Gulfport mayoral candidates George Schloegel, left, and Joe Spraggins laugh Tuesday during their debate at the Gulfport Yacht Club.

Former Gulfport mayor George Schlegel speaks during an announcement at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport of plans for the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration Southbe held at the plaza.

Mayor George Schloegel (center) gives community leaders a tour of the Gulfport VA to show the potential of the property that now is Centennial Plaza resort on U.S. 90.

A pair of horses looks out from their stall at George and Peggy Schloegels house in Gulfport in 2014. The couple enjoyed raising Paso Finos and Peruvian Pasos.

Susan Sales waters spring and summer plants in greenhouses at the Gulfport home of George and Peggy Schloegel. The greenhouses supply plants and flowers for Hancock Banks 45 Coast branches.

Mayor George Schloegel stands with YouthBuild volunteers Justin Lewis, Shamae Armstead, Jermill Peterson and Demar Moses at the groundbreaking of the Boys and Girls Clubs community garden.

Supporters and friends thanks George Schloegel for his term as Gulfports mayor in a celebration at the Great Southern Club.

Colleagues Cecile Holt, left, and Annette Trahan visit with George Schoegel at a bank meeting. Both women are legacy employees of Whitney Bank and are now retired.

Former mayor and Hancock Bank CEO George Schloegel speaks at a the 115th birthday celebration for Hancock Bank on Thursday, October 9, 2014, in Gulfport.
The view from Pinnacle Rock State Park is magnificent any time of year.

BLUEFIELD, WV  Travelers looking to follow natures south-flowing tide of autumn color could find few better places to wash up than friendly and picturesque Mercer County, West Virginia (visitmercercounty.com).

The county lies in the rugged, mountainous coal-mining region along the states southeastern border with Virginia. Visitors who make the four-hour drive from central Ohio will be rewarded by hillsides covered with gorgeous autumn leaves, of course; but also soaring crags and cliffs and gurgling waterfalls that are spectacular any time of year.

Several of those waterfalls are part of the West Virginia Waterfall Trail. A free waterfall trail app (https://wvtourism.com/west-virginia-waterfall-trail/) guides visitors to the best falls around the state, including several in Mercer County such as Mash Creek Falls and Campbell Falls in Camp Creek State Park, which also offers attractive year-round campgrounds; and Brush Creek Falls, a 33-foot-high fall that offers magnificent scenery even at times of low water.

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Brush Creek Falls is one of several beautiful waterfalls in Mercer County.

For fans of off-roading, theres no better place to see the sights of autumn than along the Hatfield-McCoy Trails (https://trailsheaven.com/), more than 1,000 miles of twisting, history-packed and well-maintained dirt ATV trails through Mercer and adjacent counties that attract ATVers and off-road bikers from across the country.

Many local businesses cater to the off-roaders who visit to use the well-maintained trail system that follows, in part, old mining and logging trails and former narrow-gauge railroad beds. Several public roads leading from nearby towns to the trailheads are open to ATVs, making it easy to get to and from the trails from lodgings, restaurants and attractions.

The Hatfield-McCoy ATV trails attract off-road enthusiasts from around the country.

Trail permits for non-residents are $50 per year and can be purchased at many local merchants. And for those who dont have their own off-road vehicle or dont want to bring it along, rentals are available at several locations.

Even those who miss the peak leaf-peeping season will still have plenty of reasons to visit Mercer County.

High on that list is tiny historic Bramwell, tucked into a bend of the Bluestone River and which claims to have once been home to most millionaires per capita in the nation. Near the hamlets Millionaires Row is the Corner Shop, which serves up homemade ice cream and other treats from a century-old soda fountain. The old-timey general store claims to serve the best milkshake in West Virginia. And though I have yet to try every milkshake in the Mountain State, as of now I can personally endorse the claim.

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The best milkshake in West Virginia? Visit the Corner Shop in Bramwell and make your own assessment.

Another must-stop destination is the Grassroots District of Princetown (https://www.grassrootsdistrict.com/), a stretch of Mercer Street downtown that has been lovingly restored and is occupied by a variety of great local shops and restaurants.

One of my favorite stops in the district is the unique Blue Ridge Bee Company, which is something like a cross between an apiary supply store and a craft food and gift boutique.

Other highlights include the Hatters Bookshop, Sophisticated Hound Brewing Company and the Riff Raff Arts Collective featuring local artists.

Princeton is also home two fabled diners: Dollys Diner (https://dollys-diner.business.site/), a classic and popular diner on the edge of town; and Jimmies Restaurant (https://www.jimmiesrestaurantwv.com/) in the Grassroots District, a venerable eatery which celebrated a century in business last year.

Other good eating options nearby include the upscale Vault Downtown (https://www.thevaultdowntown.com/) located in a historic Bluefield bank building. The Vault is a fine-dining experience at least equal to that to be found in many big cities. (The restaurants lovely bar has a lovely bourbon selection, as well.)

For those with less of a hankering for the white-tablecloth experience, The Railyard (https://railyardwv.com/), just around the corner from the Vault, offers an upscale sports-bar atmosphere with lots of delicious West Virginia (and other) beers on tap.

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Baker's Hill Inn is a comfortable and friendly bed and breakfast in Bluefield,

Bluefield is also home to the delightful and oh-so-comfy Bakers Hill Inn (https://bakershillinn.com/), located in a restored historic home near downtown.

Visitors looking for a spooky Halloween attraction during a visit should consider Lake Shawnee (https://www.wvlakeshawnee.com), a former amusement park that today is supposedly one of the most haunted sites in the state. The park opened in the 1920s and closed in the 1980s, and during that time several tragedies befell guests who, according to believers, never completely left.

A rusty Ferris wheel is one of the picturesque relics dotting the former Lake Shawnee amusement park.

The site hosts a Dark Carnival on Friday and Saturday evenings during October. But the grounds at the old park are also open year-round by appointment to ghost-hunters, photographers, history buffs and the merely curious.

Steve Stephens is a freelance travel writer and photographer. Email him at sjstephensjr@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Travel: West Virginia's Mercer County offers beautiful autumn views
At some point during any election campaign, virtually anywhere in the democratic world, voters can expect to be told that their country is at a crossroads.

But rarely has the age-old electoral cliche been truer than right now in Poland.

The European Unions fifth-most populous nation will vote in a pivotal election on Sunday October 15, the results of which will reverberate westwards through the EU, eastwards into war-torn Ukraine, and across the Atlantic, where the White House will be watching closely.

Next weekends vote could see the ruling, populist Law and Justice party (known by its Polish acronym, PiS), clinch an unprecedented third consecutive term  which its critics say could complete an illiberal overhaul of the countrys institutions.

But the election is perilously tight; a united opposition coalition is in striking distance of taking power, while an ambiguous result could open a door for the far right to capitalize on.

Heres what you need to know.

Whats happening?

Poland is voting on October 15 to elect its new parliament, and PiS  which currently governs with the support of some smaller populist parties  is hoping to win a third consecutive term and form the countrys next government. It is opposed by a coalition of centrist parties led by Donald Tusk , Polands former prime minister and the ex-president of the European Council.

With just days remaining in the campaign, a number of outcomes remain possible.

Polls put PiS ahead of Tusks Civic Coalition, but by a narrow margin, suggesting its unlikely that any group will win an outright majority in the Sejm  Polands lower house. That outcome would fire the starting gun on several days of post-vote negotiations, with the leading party attempting to find a coalition that would allow it to govern.

There has been speculation about whether the Confederation  a smaller, far-right party  would enter such a pact with PiS if the election results make them kingmakers. Confederation leaders have insisted they are not interested in doing any deals.

A bitter campaign

Personal feuds and attacks have long been features of Polish politics. But by any standards, this years campaign has been vicious.

PiS, which has been accused of scapegoating migrants and LGBTQ people to stoke divisions ahead of previous elections, has relentlessly sought to paint Tusk as a stooge of Brussels and Berlin. A controversial probe the government announced earlier this year into Russian influence was criticized at home and abroad as an attempt to target the opposition leader.

Public media, which is largely controlled by PiS, has mirrored many of those talking points. Tusk has attempted to fight back, describing his run as a last chance to save Poland from the grips of corruption and authoritarianism.

The discourse is quite hysterical  that this would be the end of Poland, Jacek Kucharczyk, the president of the Executive Board at Warsaws Institute of Public Affairs, told CNN.

On both sides, you have this clash of good and evil, but the good and evil are described differently  on one hand you have democracy, and rule of law, and Western values, and on the other hand you have nationalism, Catholicism, and sovereignty, Kucharczyk said.

Stubbornly high inflation and cost-of-living struggles have dominated voters concerns in recent months, and security issues have been similarly prominent during the campaign. Reports last month that Polish officials have been involved in an alleged cash-for-visas scandal has damaged efforts by PiS lawmakers to present themselves as tough on border security.

A massive transformation of Poland

The illiberal turn Poland has taken during PiSs eight-year rule has caused the country  once seen as the exemplar post-Soviet democracy  to lose friends in the West, raising tensions ahead of next weeks vote.

Critics of the government insist that a third term would allow it to complete a full crackdown on judicial independence, media freedom, democratic institutions and the rights of women and minorities.

(The election) is perceived as the last chance to reverse the process of democratic backsliding, through democratic means, Kucharczyk told CNN. The concern here is that if PiS remains in power for another four years, they will close the gaps in the authoritarian system that theyve been building for the last eight years.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is seeking to win a new term. - Kacper Pempel/Reuters/FILE

The ruling partys efforts have included a significant overhaul of the judiciary, which has given the government increased power in choosing who fills key positions. In June, the EUs top court ruled that Polands judicial reforms were in breach of the blocs laws and ordered it to make changes or face steep fines.

It has been a massive institutional transformation, Piotr Buras, head of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in Warsaw, told CNN. This is quite a deep transformation towards an illiberal regime under the cover of democratic procedures.

PiS has argued that its reforms were needed to modernize Polands institutions and rid the judiciary of Communist-era appointees. But the partys critics suggest that it is attempting to follow the path of Hungary, whose growing authoritarianism has equally attracted the ire of Brussels.

What we may witness after this election is something truly unprecedented in the history of European democracy, which would be an attempt to roll back liberalism, Buras said.

Competing visions for Europe

There was this time that Poland was the best pupil in the class, in terms of the EU, Kucharczyk said, referring to the post-Soviet era in which Warsaw quickly became a thriving young, free-market democracy.

But things have changed in the past decade. Poland has been mired in a long-running battle with the EU. Brussels has withheld funding and sued Warsaw over its efforts to weaken the rule of law and judicial independence, while Polands government has shown a willingness to attack the institution in return  often while trumpeting Polish sovereignty as a more important priority than international cooperation.

(The ruling party) are increasingly hostile to the EU, and they have increasingly bad relations with almost all of their neighbors, especially Germany, Dariusz Stola, a historian at the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, told CNN.

Nonetheless, Poland remains in a powerful position in Europe, and this months vote could dramatically flip those dynamics. Membership of the EU  which Poland joined in 2004  remains overwhelmingly popular among Poles, and in Tusk, the opposition has chosen a towering figure in recent European politics to fight its campaign.

Donald Tusk, Poland's former prime minister, is seeking to oust the Law and Justice party but is behind in the opinion polls. - Omar Marques/Getty Images

Poland also gained a groundswell of unexpected goodwill in Europe through its response to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. Moscows aggression seemingly vindicated decades of Polish warnings about Russias motives and European reliance on Russian energy that, until February 2022, were usually brushed off in the West as antiquated grievances of a bygone era.

This months election will go some way towards determining whether Warsaw seeks to patch up its relationship with Brussels and pursue a leading role in responding to Russia, or whether a long-running dispute between the two sides deepens.

Poland is a major player in Europe; it borders Ukraine, it has a major land army, substantial military spending, and is the key hub for supporting Ukraine, Stola said. What happens in Poland will be very consequential for all of Europe in the coming years.

Kyiv and Washington watch on

Polands election will be watched not just to its west, but to its east  as a more contentious tone creeps into Warsaws once-steadfast relationship with Kyiv.

Support for Ukraine has been the source of Polands moral superiority in foreign policy for the last year and a half, Buras said. Now there are very serious cracks in this image.

The Polish government has increasingly targeted Ukraine with robust rhetoric  particularly over the imports of Ukrainian grain that it says would undercut Polish farmers, but also on the supply of Western weapons and Kyivs attempts to join NATO and the EU.

Historical grievances over a World War II-era massacre by Ukrainian nationalists have also been resurfaced this year, reinforcing tensions that were buried in the months following Russias invasion.

Poland pushed European partners to send Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine earlier this year. - Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images

Driving that change has been the emergence of a far-right party, the Confederation, which rallies against the economic assistance given to Ukrainian refugees in Poland. The group has gained support this year in many of PiSs rural strongholds, and government officials have responded by toughening their tone towards Kyiv.

One likely outcome is a coalition between PiS and Confederation, and that would be very bad news for Polish-Ukrainian relations, Kucharczyk said.

It is difficult to imagine any scenario in which Poland halts Western weapons crossing its territory for Ukraine, and Polands longstanding opposition towards Russia will remain a defining pillar of its worldview.

Still, experts say relations between Warsaw and Kyiv could sour further if Warsaw rows back on its financial and military support after the poll.

Poland has very deep interests in supporting Ukraine, Kucharczyk added. But the damage done during the election campaign would continue and the result would be that Ukrainians would more and more look to Berlin and Washington as their partners, rather than to Warsaw.

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Police said Friday that they found at least 115 bodies at a "green" funeral home in Colorado.

During a press conference on Oct. 6 at Fremont County Sheriff's Office in Canon City, Colorado, Sheriff Allen Cooper said his office made a "disturbing discovery" after investigators found at least 115 deceased bodies that were improperly stored at a building owned by the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado.

What is a green burial?

TODAY.com reached out to Return to Nature Funeral Home but did not receive a response. Its website describes a "green" burial as a traditional way of burial.

No chemicals, metal or unnatural materials. Just you and the Earth, returning to nature. Interment of the bodies is done in a biodegradable casket, basket, shroud, or even nothing at all. No embalming fluid, no concrete vaults. As natural as possible, the website reads.

What happened in Colorado?

Randy Keller, the Fremont County coroner, said in the press conference that the sheriff's office contacted his team about an odor coming from the funeral home. Investigators from the sheriffs office and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agency obtained a search warrant and entered the property on Oct. 4, where they made the discovery.

Cooper said the funeral home where the bodies were improperly stored was horrific, and added that the area to be searched is over 2,500 square feet.

Keller said one of his deputy coroners obtained a rash from the facility after entering it during the initial search. Hazmat mitigation is now the first priority before proceeding with next steps in safely removing and identifying the bodies.

It is not clear if a crime has been committed, the sheriff's office said, adding that it has been in touch with the owners of the facility and they are so far being cooperative.

Mark Michalek a special agent in charge of the FBI Denvers field office, said in the press conference that the FBI is offering specialized forensic and investigative support.

The Associated Press reported Friday that the facility's owner let the location's registration expire in November 2022.

Where is Penrose, Colorado?

Penrose is approximately 100 miles south of Denver, Colorado.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
KANSAS CITY, Kan.  The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is working to locate a man who hasnt been seen since Monday.

KCK police said Roger Hunt left his work at I-635 and Kansas Avenue early Monday and arrived home near North Oak Trafficway and 152 Highway in the north Kansas City area around 7 a.m. and hasnt been seen since.

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His phone and other belongings were left behind, according to family.

Hes described as standing 59 and weighs 180 pounds. He has gray hair and blue eyes.

Family says Hunt would be in a maroon 2014 Jeep Patriot, license plate JJ0-W7A. Identifying stickers on the car are attached and the vehicle also has a light up skull hitch cover.

Hunts family has land in the Turney, Missouri area, just south of Cameron.

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Family says this is extremely unusual behavior for him and there were no signs of problems in his personal life and was even planning for a vacation next week and a new grandbaby in a month or so.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or local law enforcement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WXIN/WTTV)  A Bloomington, Indiana man is charged after admitting he beat the [expletive] out of his neighbor, whom he accused of mistreating a dog, police said.

Bloomington police said they were called to North Arlington Park Drive on Oct. 1 around 4 p.m. Officers said they found a man with his shirt off, who appeared sweaty and had grass stains on his pants.

Chase Anthony Warfel booking photo (Monroe County)

The man was identified as 22-year-old Chase A. Warfel. Police said Warfel immediately claimed he did it.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce opens up about Taylor Swift, getting older

Court documents explained Warfel admitted the [altercation] was his fault because he was tired of the other man mistreating his dog, not feeding him or taking him outside.

Nexstars FOX59/CBS4 reached out to police and they could not confirm the dogs condition nor if the dog was removed from its owners possession.

Investigators said they also spoke with neighbors who live in the same complex, who all stated that Warfel assaulted the man, striking him in the face several times.

Warfel reportedly admitted that he struck the man several times and even started the fight after being read Miranda.

Man accidentally mummified will be buried and identified after 128 years of mystery

Officers then spoke to the other man who said that Warfel started striking him, then began choking him, causing him to see black and feel like he was going to pass out.

One witness said they recalled hearing the man say he couldnt breathe while getting choked.

Warfel was charged with one count of strangulation and Level 6 felony and battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor.

A jury trial has been scheduled for Feb. 19, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Detectives with the Clarksville Police Department are asking for the publics help identifying a possible suspect in a Sept. 30 shooting outside a local bar.

Officers were sent to the parking lot of NQuire Bar and Lounge on North Riverside Drive after a 911 call came in around 2:05 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30. When they arrived, they found a man who had been shot in the abdomen.

RELATED: Person in critical condition after shooting outside Clarksville bar

The man was taken to Tennova Healthcare and was later listed in critical condition at Vanderbilt, police reported. At the scene, witnesses told law enforcement that several vehicles had sped off after the shooting.

Clarksville police are trying to identify the man pictured in connection with a Sept. 30 shooting. (Courtesy: CPD)

Detectives said they believe the shooting was targeted and the individuals involved were likely acquainted with each other. A possible suspect was captured on video surveillance footage that police released on Friday, Oct. 6.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee

The man can be seen next to a dark gray Chrysler 300 with a sunroof. Police are asking anyone who recognizes the vehicle or man pictured to contact Detective Heath at 931-648-0656, ext. 5223.

To remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, call the Clarksville Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Tipsline at 931-645-8477, or go online and submit a tip at P3tips.com/591.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Police are urgently searching for a suspect after a shooting early Thursday in Downtown Detroit.

DeAngelo Davis was talking with an acquaintance in the area of Adams and Woodward around 3 a.m. when he allegedly pulled out a gun and shot that acquaintance. Police said there was no motive for the shooting, which hospitalized the victim.

"He is in mental health crisis," White said. "This person should be in a long-term care facility, yet they are walking the street armed with a weapon, and has already used it once and is likely prepared to use it again."

DeAngelo Davis (Detroit Police)

Davis fled on a bicycle and may have gotten into a red Ford Escape, police said.

White said Davis may have shaved and cut his hair in an attempt to change his appearance.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

---

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text to 741-741

CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.

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DeLand Mayor Chris Cloudman said via social media that people should expect to see more police officers and guardians at local schools in the next few days because of recent incidents.

Authorities have responded to multiple threat reports in recent weeks.

Police said they arrested a DeLand Middle School student in September after he was found with a gun in his bag on campus, police said. The school went on lockdown after a report came in about the weapon through the FortifyFL app, which allows students to report suspicious activity.

Authorities quickly found the child and took him to the Volusia Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Daytona Beach. No one reported the student threatening anyone.

On Wednesday, police responded to DeLand Middle School again to investigate another FortifyFL tip but found no threat, according to the DeLand Police Department. The school was placed on hold and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office responded along with the police department.

According to Volusia County Schools, "A 'hold' means that while individuals are not moving around campus, all doors are still locked and classroom instruction can continue. There is not an immediate threat. A 'lockdown' means that there is an immediate threat and further safety precautions to secure rooms are taken."

On Sept. 27, DeLand High School went on lockdown as officers investigated a threat. Officers responded with K-9s and determined that the threat was unfounded.

Cloudman said this week tips came in multiple times through the FortifyFL app about DeLand Middle School that caused the school to go on hold. None of the tips led to a real threat being discovered, he said.

"I hear about them because I have a daughter at DeLand Middle and a daughter at DeLand High," he said.

Cloudman said officials don't want people to ignore concerns, so it's better to be on the safe side.

He released the statement in part to reassure people about safety.

"As a parent myself I feel safe as far as my children being in the schools," he said. "We have a great relationship with law enforcement with our local schools."

Cloudman said in a Facebook post, shared by the city of DeLand and its police department, that Volusia County and DeLand authorities worked quickly to keep children safe in response to the incidents. As part of those efforts, people will probably see more law enforcement officers and guardians at schools for several days.

Chris Cloudman

"I want to assure all of our community members that the DeLand Police Department and its officers are committed to ensuring the safety and security of our children," he said. "Those who decide to make these threats will face very serious consequences that will follow them well into their future."

Flagler sheriff: Flagler Palm Coast High School student arrested, posted about blowing up school

Cloudman called the incidents "frustrating" and said on social media that he knows the community is "better than this." He encouraged parents to talk with their children about the consequences they will face for making prank calls or threats of violence.

"At the same time, if someone sees something, say something and report it immediately to the school/teachers," he said. "I have always maintained that this citys greatest quality is its people. I am confident that working together as a community we can move past these challenges."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DeLand mayor says more police will be at schools because of incidents
The proposed energy farm would span about 2,500 acres around several villages in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

Politicians are showing "incredible cowardice" in the way they are dealing with environmental issues, a campaigner has told BBC Politics East.

Elisabeth Whitebread, of Parents for a Sustainable Future, said all political parties should look at "long-term interests".

BBC Politics East has examined how important environment issues are to people and politicians.

The issues are being discussed at party conferences.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was still committed to government targets of net zero by 2050

Two weeks ago Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said moving too fast on green policies "risks losing the consent of the British people".

He brought in changes to the government's environmental policy including a five-year delay in the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, meaning a requirement for all new cars to be "zero emission" will not come into force until 2035.

Mr Sunak denied he was "watering down" the government's net zero commitments, and insisted the UK was on course to reach its target by 2050, saying that a "more pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach" was needed.

Catherine Judkins, who has been campaigning against plans for a huge solar farm near her village of Isleham, Cambridgeshire, said she supported measures to help the environment and solar farms but "not on green fields".

She said: "Why take away agricultural land when you could very easily put solar panels on commercial roof tops, on car parks, on disused landfill sites?

"There are real alternatives out there. We should be using these first for solar power."

She said the long-term provision of solar power on homes also would be preferable to the short-term use of the green fields near villages.

Sunnica, which wants to build the solar farm near Islesham, said: "The UK needs to double the amount of renewable energy it generates by 2050.

"Sunnica Energy Farm can be built quickly and would make an important contribution to this goal. Should the project be consented, we will work with the local councils and community throughout Sunnica's operating life."

A decision on the plans is expected in December.

Ms Whitebread, of Parents for a Sustainable Future, had backed the congestion charge for Cambridge.

But the scheme was scrapped after a survey found a majority were against the plans.

The congestion charge scheme for Cambridge was abandoned

Ms Whitebread said politicians do not realise how important the environment is to people.

"Both in Cambridge and nationally politicians are showing incredible cowardice at the moment about transport decisions in particular," she said.

"Most people are concerned about climate change. Most people are concerned about air quality and their children's futures.

"These are going to determine how people vote. We are a nation of families, not a nation of motorists."

You can see more on this story on Politics East on BBC One on Sunday, 8 October at 10:00 GMT, with it also available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion please email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk
Grace Carter of Alton High School is the winner of the Belleville News-Democrat Athlete of the Week, as selected by readers of bnd.com.

Carter, a senior, had 8 kills in 23 attempts with 15 points and 6 service aces during the Redbirds 1-1 stint against Lutheran North and Belleville West.

Carter received 78% of the votes after the Knights win streak continues this season.

Here are this weeks other nominees:

Aidan Welch, Althoff Catholic High School, Senior, Midfielder: Welch scored 4 goals  including a goal that was ranked No. 3 on ESPN SportsCenter Top 10  and 2 assists as the Crusader went 5-1 during the week.

Liam Bivins, Columbia High School, Junior, Defensive Midfielder: Bivins scored 2 goals in the Eagles 5-1 victory over Highland.

Ella Artis, Alton High School, Senior, Setter: Artis notched 17 assists as the Redbirds went 1-1 against Lutheran North and Belleville West.

Karen Lewis, Alton High School, Senior, Middle Blocker: Lewis had 9 kills in 19 attempts with 8 points and 3 service aces this past week as the Redbirds went 1-1 against Lutheran North and Belleville West.

The poll ended at 10 a.m. Friday.

To be clear, this poll is not scientific. In fact, we invite you to vote as many times as you want. Its all for fun, BND readers.

The next athlete of the week poll will appear on the BNDs website  www.bnd.com  at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Please email nominations to alathan@bnd.com.
Moon Drip

What would humanity's return to the Moon be without a hint of Italian luxury?

Last summer, the commercial spaceflight venture Axiom Space won a lucrative contract with NASA to design the spacesuits for the agency's upcoming Artemis III Moon mission, which is tentatively slated for 2025.

But Axiom won't be designing the suits on its own  it's getting a hand from luxury fashion brand Prada.

In what was billed in a Wednesday press release as a "groundbreaking partnership," the Texas-based startup has officially partnered with the Milanese fashion house to collaborate on suit materials and designs.

"Prada's technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy spacesuits," said Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space, in a statement.

In other words, Axiom is cooking up some serious space drip, as prophecied by pop sensation Katy Perry in her 2011 hit "E.T."

Interplanetary Style

Prada, for its part, seems absolutely thrilled, with Prada Group marketing director Lorenzo Bertelli adding in the statement that "the constantly forward-thinking ethos of [house founder Mario Prada] for humanity has broadened to his desire of adventure and to brave new horizons: space."

"We are honored to be a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space," Bertelli continued.

While we have our doubts about the fashion brand's familiarity with spacesuits, an infamously difficult and expensive design challenge given the extreme environment, it's a refreshing new take.

The house has a history of doing interesting work with materials, and at the end of the day, it's hard to imagine that these spacesuits won't be a huge upgrade over the puffy and unflattering suits worn by NASA astronauts over the last 60-odd years.

And honestly, when it comes to designing next-gen spacesuits for humanity's first crack at establishing a long-term presence on Earth's only natural satellite, isn't that all we really want for our brave astronauts' outfits?

Besides, this new collaboration might be an incredibly savvy business move for Prada; after all, if humanity is to become a spacefaring species, it probably behooves the brand to get its foot in the interplanetary fashion door.

More on Axiom's spacesuits: NASA Debuts Its Brand New Sci-fi-inspired Moonsuit  but It's a Rental
Hamas gunmen are infiltrating Israeli towns and communities with little or no IDF presence, reports say.

A pregnant woman in Sufa, a kibbutz, pleaded for help as militants tried to break into her home.

Armed residents were doing battle with the attackers, the report said.

A pregnant woman in Kibbutz Sufa, a settlement in southern Israel, told Israel's Channel 12 that Hamas gunmen were attacking her house, per The Times of Israel.

"They are shooting at our house. They are trying to break down the door of the safe room," she told the channel.

She spoke by phone to the channel from inside the safe room, where she, her two-year-old child, and other close family members were sheltering from the fighting.

The woman was pleading for help, according to the report. "Send help, please," she said.

She said her husband was fighting in the streets alongside four other armed residents, with no assistance from the military.

Her kibbutz is one of the communities where Hamas militia are engaging in urban warfare while there is little or no presence from the Israel Defense Forces on the streets, The Times of Israel reports.

Israeli residents around the Gaza Strip are asking for support as Palestinian militants appear to raid with impunity.

A woman in the settlement of Be'eri told Channel 12 that her father had been kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip.

"He told me they were taking him," she said tearfully. "I saw pictures of him in Gaza," she added.

"We are at war"

Israeli police officers evacuate a family from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Tsafrir Abayov/Associated Press

The Hamas offensive began on Saturday morning when the Palestinian militant group launched thousands of rockets from Gaza, in the unprecedented wave of coordinated attacks. Israel has declared a "state of war."

The death toll is at least 22.

Israel's foreign ministry claimed that Hamas fighters were wantonly murdering civilians, per Sky News.

"Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli communities and started going house to house and murdering innocent Israelis," it said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "we are at war" and Israel "will win" in a video message.

The IDF has carried out several air strikes on the Gaza Strip in response.

Read the original article on Business Insider
President Joe Biden condemned the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel Saturday after Gaza militants launched a surprise assault that has so far resulted in at least 250 people killed and over 1,000 wounded, an Israeli official said late Saturday, Haaretz reports.

Today, I spoke with @IsraeliPM about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israels security, Biden tweeted. @FLOTUS and I express our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones.

Militants videotaped shooting around a southern city near Gaza border. Images unprecedented. Credit unknown. pic.twitter.com/Z60gCbdaNR  Tal Schneider     (@talschneider) October 7, 2023

The surprise and unprovoked assault on the 50th anniversary of the onset of the Yom Kippur War began Saturday in areas throughout Israel, with Gaza militants firing thousands of rockets into Israel as well as engaging in a ground attack.

The Israeli Defense Forces launched Operation Swords of Iron in response to the attacks, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that the country was at war.

Citizens of Israel, we are at war  not in an operation, not in rounds  at war, Netanyahu said in a video message to Israelis.

Following the initial wave of violence, militants were still holding Israeli citizens and soldiers hostage, Haaretz reported. There are hostages and prisoners of war that Hamas took. There are also deaths among IDF soldiers. We dont have an exact number yet  we are at war, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Saturday. We are engaged in very heavy fighting. Our goal is that all the terrorists who entered Israel will be eliminated, that all the sites will be cleared.

Israeli forces responded by targeting military facilities and operational headquarters of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip; the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said that 198 Palestinians had been killed and 1,610 injured in firefights and air strike.

Israel right now. pic.twitter.com/zEWSwHIPSj  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 7, 2023

The Hamas [terrorist organization] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location, said Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the U.S. unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities.

There is never any justification for terrorism, Blinken continued. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israels right to defend itself.

This post was updated at October 7, 5 p.m. EST with the updated death toll.

More from Rolling Stone

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Click here to read the full article.
Presidential candidates competing for the coveted GOP nomination in 2024 have differing ideas of who should fill the currently vacant role of speaker of the House of Representatives.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., led a controversial ploy this to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy , R-Cali.  a position he earned in January after 15 rounds of voting.

Given their slim majority and unanimous support from House Democrats, a small group of eight Republicans voting along with every Democrat on the floor were successful in removing McCarthy Tuesday.

Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Steve Scalise , R- La., Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and Kevin Hern, R-Okla., have all been floated as potential candidates, as the House scurries to quickly elect a new speaker in the coming days.

TRUMP ENDORSES JIM JORDAN FOR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: COMPLETE & TOTAL ENDORSEMENT

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, left, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise are both running for Speaker of the House after Rep. Kevin McCarthy's ousting.

After several members of Congress suggested former President Donald Trump be chosen to fill the role of Speaker of the House, he revealed he would be endorsing Jordan for the seat.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"Congressman Jim Jordan has been a STAR long before making his very successful journey to Washington, D.C., representing Ohios 4th Congressional District," Trump posted on his TRUTH Social. "He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!"

GOP candidate for president and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters outside a campaign event this week that he had favorites for the next speaker of the House  but quipped that it isn't a role he would wish on anybody.

DeSantis immediately weighed in on Tuesday's drama in D.C., posting to X, formerly known as Twitter, that he "opposed McCarthy when it wasn't cool"" and that "he's really somebody that Donald Trump has backed and put into that position."

HERE ARE THE 8 REPUBLICANS WHO SIDED WITH DEMS TO OUST SPEAKER MCCARTHY

The Florida governor suggested that GOP Reps. Chip Roy, Thomas Massie, and Jim Jordan "could do a good job."

Some mebers suggested former President Trump be elected as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

"I was deeply disappointed to see Gatez, and several other members of congress, partner with every single Democrat in the House of Representatives to fire the Republican speaker of the House," former Vice President Mike Pence said on The Megyn Kelly Show. "It seems to me these eight republicans represent the chaos caucus."

Pence did not name who he would like to see become the next speaker, but did suggest congress amend the House rules that only required one member to introduce a motion to vacate the speaker.

Gov. Tim Scott, R-S.C., also remained open.

"I look forward to working with whomever the next Republican Speaker is when I am President of the United States," Scott told Fox News Digital. "The road to socialism runs right through a divided Republican Party - we have to get back to delivering for the American people. We need to focus on being the city on the hill. That starts with firing Joe Biden, and electing Republicans to secure the border, break the backs of teachers unions, and end Bidenomics."

2024 Republican presidential candidates Doug Burgum, from left, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Senator Tim Scott and former US Vice President Mike Pence.

When asked who he believed should fill the role as Speaker, Vivek Ramaswamy said it would be "ideal" if Trump secured the role for a short period of time.

"Jim Jordan is a strong choice. The ideal outcome would be for President Trump to take the position on an interim basis, shake things up, and then provide closure to this unusual phase in the House and then turn it over to Jim Jordan from there," Ramaswamy told Fox.

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and former Gov. Chris Christie did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The House is expected to hold a vote for the next speaker on Tuesday.





Original article source: Presidential candidates weigh in on historic speaker ousting, who they'd like to see fill the chair
Maia Sandu

The late leader of Russias private military company Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was planning to stage a coup detat in Moldova in early 2023, the countrys President, Maia Sandu , said in an interview with Financial Times on Oct. 6.

According to Moldovan intelligence, Prigozhin's team developed a plan for Wagner mercenaries to incite violent anti-government protests.

Read also: Putin claims Wagners Prigozhin and Utkin blew up their plane with grenades

The information that we have is that it was a plan prepared by [Prigozhins] team, Sandu said.

Russia is going to increase its pressure on Moldova. They tried energy and they failed. They tried to overthrow the government and they failed. And now they are trying massive interference in our elections, using a lot of money.

Read also: Ukraines Western allies divided on push to hold elections in wartime

Local elections will be held in Moldova in November. According to Sandu, Moscow hopes to gain a political momentum in these elections ahead of the presidential elections to be held in 2024 and parliamentary ones in 2025.

The president said that the country's special services discovered at least EUR 20 million ($21.2 million) of Russian funds coming into Moldova for political purposes, and the real figure could be even larger.

Read also: Moldova mulls bold move to bar pro-Russian party and criminals from elections

The tools they use to bring the money to the country are very diverse, she explained.

We have seen for a while that they were just sending Moldovans to Moscow by plane through Armenia. And these people would each bring [back] EUR 10,000. Weve seen recently that they were bringing cards, bank cards that were issued in Dubai  they just distribute thousands of cards  bank cards to people they wanted to bribe.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Oklahoma can enforce its law banning and criminalizing gender-affirming care for trans minors while a suit against it is heard, a federal court ruled Thursday.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, in an order made public Friday, declined a request from five families with transgender children and one health care provider to issue a preliminary injunction that would block the laws enforcement while their suit proceeds. Under an agreement between their lawyers and Oklahoma officials, the law was on hold until the court could rule on the preliminary injunction request.

Judge John F. Heil III said the plaintiffs had not shown that they were likely to succeed in proving that the law violated the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He wrote that the law allows gender-affirming care at a later age, and making distinctions based on age is permitted by the Constitution. He also cited a recent appellate court ruling saying states had a legitimate interest in regulating this care and that legislatures, not courts, are the appropriate venue for debates on the matter.

This an area in which medical and policy debate is unfolding and the Oklahoma Legislature can rationally take the side of caution before permitting irreversible medical treatments of its children, Heil wrote.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, signed Senate Bill 613, the gender-affirming care ban, into law May 1. It bars health care professionals from providing hormones, puberty blockers, and surgeries to people under 18 for the purpose of gender transition. Without the agreement reached between the plaintiffs lawyers and the state, it would have taken effect immediately, although young people already receiving hormones or puberty blockers have six months in which to cease treatment. Penalties for violation include felony charges, revocation of license, and civil lawsuits, which can be brought by a parent or guardian.

Lawyers representing the plaintiffs said they will appeal. This is a devastating result for transgender youth and their families in Oklahoma and across the region, said a joint statement from Lambda Legal, American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Oklahoma, and the law firm Jenner & Block. Denying transgender youth equality before the law and needlessly withholding the necessary medical care their families and their doctors know is right for them has caused and will continue to cause serious harm. But this is not the end. We are appealing this decision that is completely out of step with all other federal trial courts and that ignores the overwhelming evidence that gender-affirming medical care is safe and effective evidence-based care. We will continue our fight in defense of our clients and the constitutional rights of transgender people in Oklahoma and across the country.

The case is Poe v. Drummond, the latter being Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond.

Twenty-one states 21 ban all or most gender-affirming care for trans youth. Several federal trial courts have temporarily blocked these bans with preliminary injunctions, but some appeals courts have lifted them. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently did so, ruling that Kentucky and Tennessee could enforce their bans while lawsuits against them proceed.

Federal district courts in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and Indiana have also issued injunctions against bans on gender-affirming care, and the court in Arkansas has gone a step further by striking down that states law, the first ruling on such a laws merits. The Arkansas attorney general is appealing. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled Friday that the full court, rather than the usual panel of three judges, will hear the Arkansas appeal.

However, in the Alabama case, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has lifted the injunction, allowing the law to be enforced. The plaintiffs have asked the full court to review the decision. Since the 11th Circuit also includes Georgia, a federal district judge in that state has lifted her injunction against its gender-affirming care restrictions because of the circuit's ruling.
"Let's get this party started!" moderator Sarah Blackhurst proclaimed at the start of Thursday evening's mayoral debate. She introduced each of the candidates as "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC blared at Pueblo Memorial Hall.

What followed was less of a party and more reminiscent of a family dinner with relatives who can't get along, as the nine mayoral candidates sought to show voters who the best option is to lead Pueblo for the next four years.

Candidates were divided into groups of three. Each group was asked two different questions throughout the evening and each candidate had up to two minutes to respond. Candidates in other groups could also add one-minute rebuttals up to three times throughout the evening.

Here are four takeaways from the event, which was sponsored by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, Action 22, the League of Women Voters, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Comcast Business.

Candidates for the Pueblo Mayor participate in the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023

Candidates disagree on whether Pueblo is declining

Addressing crime and public safety are the top priorities for some of the mayoral candidates, while others are pushing back on the narrative of Pueblo in decay.

Randy Thurston, a former city councilor who ran for mayor in 2018, is running his campaign with a zero tolerance for crime slogan.

We're giving a free pass to have people come over from all the country and say, 'Go to Pueblo, Colorado. It's Oz, you can just do whatever you want,' and that is going to stop the day that I become mayor, Thurston said in his opening statement. This is something that is historic and it's a tipping point. The tipping point is if we don't turn it around now, we're going to tip off the cliff.

Chris Nicoll, also a former city councilor running again for mayor, said that Pueblo isnt doing so well right now and that the city is broken.

Chris Nicoll speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Have you had enough of the cars getting broken into your driveways  of getting accosted when you're downtown at our Riverwalk? You can't walk in our downtown, part of it, anymore? Are you tired of that and have you had enough? Nicoll asked during his opening remarks, adding that its hard to attract businesses and that it could lead to population decline.

Incumbent Mayor Nick Gradisar said that sales tax revenue has increased during his time as mayor. Gradisar said Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller has told him that type 1 crimes, which include the most severe offenses such as murder, rape and aggravated assault, are down 13% so far this year compared to 2022.

I think Pueblo has a bright future. We've been working hard for the last four and a half years to ensure that bright future, Gradisar said. The Pueblo you're going to hear some of these people describe simply doesn't exist. In many ways, they really don't know what they're talking about.

Incumbent Nick Gradisar speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Deryk Trujillo, who runs a talk channel on YouTube and is the youngest candidate in the race, said that rehabilitation is the true answer instead of slamming the hammer down repeatedly to these criminals.

We need to take a deeper look at our justice system, at where (criminals) are going, where they're spending their days while they're incarcerated, because it could be used to better their lives, to get education. But it's not, Trujillo said.

Candidates trade jabs on age, experience and more

Candidates throughout the debate were mostly cordial, but some capitalized on opportunities for rebuttals or quick zingers.

Gradisar during his closing remarks said it was hard to hear Thurstons zero-tolerance stance on crime after seeing Thurston post a picture of himself jaywalking, which is considered a traffic offense in Colorado, on his campaigns Facebook page.

What does that mean? That means hes obviously not serious about it. Hes just trying to get you agitated about something and try to blame that on somebody, Gradisar said.

Trujillo, 26, took a shot at other candidates in his opening remarks when he brought up their ages and his own. City council president Heather Graham, 35, is the only other candidate below the age of 50.

I dont want to be cynical, but are we voting for our future or for the next few years? Trujillo said.

Deryk Trujillo speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

When candidates were asked about their plans to make Pueblo more attractive to younger people, Trujillo again brought up the fields age.

Asking these candidates how theyre going to invigorate young people, it doesnt make any sense, Trujillo said. Its like asking a dog how its going to attract a cat.

Thurston seemed to pay no mind to Trujillos first comment about age, telling him that he appreciated it because hes not quite ready to go in two years yet. He also used it as an opportunity to highlight his experience and background as a former city council member and in real estate.

Other candidates also brought up their experience, including Dennis Flores, who spoke about his time on school and community boards and in management.

I have a lot of experience and Im proud of it, said Flores, a Vietnam veteran. Sometimes people will say we need somebody new and fresh, but I got to tell you, for this particular job, you need someone with experience.

Dennis Flores speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Regina Maestri said her experience in construction management made her the most qualified candidate to run the mayor's office. Gradisar underscored his time and accomplishments as mayor. Croshal discussed his background in management as well as being a small business owner.

Nicoll questioned the experience of some candidates and said Pueblo cant afford to elect inexperienced council members." He said he he thought it was important for someone to finish their first term on council before becoming mayor. His comments appeared to reference Graham and Maestri, whose first terms on council would end in 2025. Both have served on council since 2022.

At times during the debate, Graham mentioned her accomplishments during her time on council, such as an ordinance that mandates jail time for people who steal $300 worth of merchandise or more and a collaboration with the Pueblo Police Department union to help retain and recruit police officers. The union last month endorsed Graham's candidacy.

The dynamic between city council members and the mayor, which has irked some Puebloans over the past year, also took center stage when Larry Atencio said in his closing remarks that nobody on council speaks to one another and that little constituencies are built among them. He pledged that he would build a team with city council as mayor and claimed to not have had a conversation with Gradisar since he became mayor in 2019.

Larry Atencio speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Gradisar, who sported a smile and appeared to look surprised after Atencios remark, couldnt resist addressing it a few minutes later.

Sometimes its hard to sit up here and keep a straight face and maybe youve noticed that at city council meetings as well for me when you hear some of the stuff thats being said, said Gradisar, sparking a bout of laughter from the crowd. I took Councilor Atencio to Chihuahua, Mexico, with me to visit a real-time crime center. I assure you we had discussions on matters of importance to the city during that trip.

Candidates display contrasting rhetoric on homelessness

The candidates offered differing approaches to addressing unhoused people in Pueblo, from imposing a camping ban to providing housing.

Tom Croshal, a retired business owner, was the only candidate to state his support for a housing-first approach.

We have to get housing for these people: we need to get them into permanent housing, Croshal said. He said that some nonprofits that could provide on-site services for substance abuse are underfunded and they need support.

Thomas Croshal speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Flores said that millions of dollars come into Pueblo for mental health, whether its for the Colorado Mental Health Institute or addiction recovery centers. He would hold the existing agencies and nonprofits in Pueblo accountable for addressing addiction and mental health with people who are homeless.

Nicoll said that he would ban homeless illegal camping in Pueblo, including in the Fountain Creek area, on his first day in office. He said fires in encampments could spread to surrounding neighborhoods.

Maestri said we have a transient problem of people coming into Pueblo bringing addiction and crime. She said there are very heavy resources already in the community for people to transition to permanent housing and fight addiction if they want. She also implied that enforcing existing laws and ordinances could stop homeless encampments.

Regina Maestri speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Nicoll also claimed that he has spoken with a security guard in the Belmont area who told him that homeless people are being bussed into Pueblo.

He sees (a bus) come back in there on a reoccurring basis and drop people off, Nicoll said.

Atencio and Gradisar were both quick to offer rebuttals to Nicoll. Gradisar said hes asked people to send him evidence of the buses but nothing has materialized yet.

Atencio said that he asked the leadership of the Pueblo Rescue Mission at a Monday work session and they told him that people being bussed into Pueblo has not been a notable issue.

The politics of fear is really strong. Don't let them scare you into voting for them or voting for something that is not relevant, Atencio said.

Views on harm reduction take center stage

Evidence shows that harm reduction programs and resources can help reduce the risk of overdoses, reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases and encourage people to seek substance abuse treatment, but these programs have been in the public spotlight this year.

Some elected officials have questioned whether such programs are enabling people addicted to substances and why discarded syringes can be found around the city.

Pueblo County Commissioner Epimenio Eppie Griego publicly admonished harm reduction programs in February and some business owners objected to city funding for a wellness center run by the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association. City council initially denied funding on a 3-3 vote, but approved it 5-2 when it was re-introduced.

Blackhurst, the moderator and CEO of Action 22, hosted Griego on the Making Action Happen podcast in March. She implied that harm reduction programs are a grave disservice to Pueblo and that I felt with you absolutely enraged by this after reading his comments.

On Wednesday, Blackhurst asked at-large city council candidates if it was a benefit to have the program near a school or the fairgrounds. During Thursdays debate, she asked candidates if they felt it was a benefit or detriment to Pueblo.

Multiple candidates, including Nicoll, Thurston and Graham, said they have concerns about the needle exchange. Nicoll called the plan for SCHRA, which hosts the program once a week, to open a wellness center in Bessemer a development killer for the area.

Heather Graham speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Graham and Maestri voted against funding SCHRA both times. They said giving clean needles to drug addicts is enabling them and isnt a form of harm reduction.

Im really sorry to all those businesses that are down there in the Bessemer area, Graham said. Ive personally been down there helping them clean up needles, and the number of needles behind and in front of the businesses, its traumatic for a small business owner.

I dont believe in needle exchanges, Maestri said. I believe in addiction recovery, but we have to set expectations and theres expectations with recovery. Its just not a free reign of, Youre going to do it your way.

Thurston asked the crowd, Wheres the common sense? after hearing Gradisars and Croshals support for the program, while Gradisar pointed to the data that show people are more likely to enter rehab and stop using drugs after participating in a needle exchange program.

Randy Thurston speaks as a candidate for Pueblo Mayor during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

We can just close our eyes and pretend like its going to go away, but if the needle exchanges do go away, were still going to have needles in the street and our hospitals full of people with HIV and AIDS, Gradisar said.

Croshal, though he supports the program, said he didnt agree with city councils decision to fund SCHRAs planned wellness center and that there should be more oversight on how the organization operates the program if it receives taxpayer money.

The coordinated election will be on Nov. 7 and ballots will be mailed to voters starting October 16. This year's election includes contests for the mayor, city council, water board, Pueblo School District 60 school board and two state ballot questions. If a mayoral candidate does not receive more than 50% of votes, a runoff election will be held in January 2024.

Anna Lynn Winfrey and Josue Perez are reporters at the Pueblo Chieftain. They can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com and jhperez@gannett.com. Please support local news at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Four takeaways from the Pueblo mayoral debate at Memorial Hall
A Dallas-based cowboy boot brand made its Palm Beach debut Friday.

Miron Crosby, founded in 2017 by sisters Lizzie Means Duplantis and Sarah Means, opened at The Current, a 2,468-square-foot retail space in the Hibel House building at 150 Royal Poinciana Way.

Planned as an extended pop-up business, the store sells contemporary, luxury cowboy boots in various styles and colors.

It joins two other women-owned businesses operating at The Current, a retail incubation concept that opened in January at The Royal Poinciana Plaza. The others are La Vie Style House and Hill House Home.

Related: Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach is new home to fashion and lifestyle brand Hill House Home

"We think the Royal is special," Sarah Means told the Daily News in phone interview. "We love the bougainvillea and the restaurants. All of it. It's so pretty."

Miron Crosby is expected to stay open for eight months, Duplantis said. The brand's other locations, in Dallas and Aspen, Colorado, are permanent stores. A third store is planned for Houston.

Bespoke boot brand Miron Crosby opened a pop-up store Friday at The Current at Royal Poinciana Plaza. Run by sisters Lizzie Means Duplantis and Sarah Means, the store will sell artisanal cowboy boots designed with "a focus more fashion than western."

The Palm Beach pop-up will sell women's and children's cowboys boots and accessories, but not men's boots, Duplantis said. Those items are available online.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Means said she and her sister look forward to introducing their brand to Palm Beach.

"What would be a real win for us is to gain exposure in a new market," she said. "We know that people come down there for the winter, and we hope they get boots from there. We'd love to sell cowboy boots to Floridians, even in such a short period. We're anxious to do it well and try to be seen by people in the town. Our number one mission is always to serve our customers and clients."

Means and Duplantis launched Miron Crosby in an effort to bring more attention to cowboy boots as a fashion staple.

Sisters Lizzie Means Duplantis, left, and Sarah Means founded Miron Crosby, a bespoke boot brand, in Dallas. They opened their newest store in Royal Poinciana Plaza on Friday.

The sisters grew up on a cattle ranch in west Texas, and boots were a key element of their wardrobe.

Much of their footwear was created from their own designs and manufactured at a family factory in southern Texas.

"Because of our relationship with our cousins, they would allow Sarah and me to play with fun designs that we would come up with, or custom colors," Duplantis said. "These were things that we found were relevant given what our style was at the time, and what we thought was trending. We wanted what we thought was a really cool collection of cowboy boots that we made because that's what we wanted in our closet."

They brought their boots with them to New York City, where Duplantis worked in finance and Means worked in fashion.

Their footwear caught the attention of co-workers and others, and the sisters began discussing a potential business partnership.

Mini Maggie metallic light pink boots inside bespoke boot brand Miron Crosby's new pop-up store at The Current at Royal Poinciana Plaza.

"We wore our boots to work," Duplantis said. "I had my pencil skirts and my cowboy boots, and Sarah did the same. People loved them, and they resonated across the board among women. We felt there was a void in the market for contemporary cowboy boots that were on brand with the fashion trends and catwalks. We felt cowboy boots were really underrepresented in the market for a customer that wanted to wear them in a more urban setting, or traveling."

Years later, after Duplantis moved back to Dallas and started a family and Means was attending law school, they got serious about launching their business.

In 2017, Miron Crosby was born.

Carly Mini boots inside bespoke boot brand Miron Crosby's new pop-up store at The Current at the Royal Poinciana Plaza.

"We believe that cowboy boots should be at the fashion table," Duplantis said. "That's what we set out to do."

Miron Crosby, named after the sisters' great-grandfather and a pasture on the family's cattle ranch, sells handmade cowboy boots and accessories for men, women and children.

The collection features the iconic tall cowboy boot, the popular shorty, and a novel midi boot, the sisters said. Prices range from $1,195 to $3,395.

Boots are custom-made by artisans at factories in Mercedes, Texas, and Leon, Mexico.

Though the brand includes boots for men, women and children, the majority of the company's business is its women's collection.

"That certainly gets the most attention," Duplantis said.

Miron Crosby does a robust online business, but Duplantis and Means hope the new Palm Beach pop-up store will draw an enthusiastic customer base.

"I really don't know if there's an offering like ours, certainly not in the Royal," Duplantis said. "We feel like this is something new and really hard to get. It's almost impossible to get with the exception of online ordering. We're excited to offer something new and quite unique to an amazing customer base."

For information on Miron Crosby, visit https://mironcrosby.com.

Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Dallas-based cowboy boot brand opens pop-up store in Palm Beach
Word that she had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace reached Narges Mohammadi in Evin Prison, the notorious Tehran "House of Detention" where the Iranian activist is serving a 10-year sentence. Mohammadi was also there last October, when the streets of cities and towns across Iran surged with ordinary citizens protesting the rule of authoritarian government following the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, a young woman arrested by "morality police" for violating the theocracy's strict rules on hijab.



Mohammadi had been sentenced on the same charge, along with otherspropaganda against the state, actions against national securitythe Iranian regime routinely uses to populate Evin's Ward 8, the section reserved for political prisoners. In the fall of 2022, when the surging but truly leaderless protests were outstripping the regime's capacity to contain them, activists for a time dared to suggest aloud that the Islamic Republic might actually be toppled. To the question "What would replace it?" one answer was that the likeliest leadership of a democratic Iran currently resided in Evin's Ward 8.



So both concern and suspicion spiked on the evening of Oct. 15, 2022, when a massive fire broke out in Evin, accompanied by gunfire and explosions. Iranian authorities later claimed the blaze, which officially took eight lives, had been set by prisoners. Independent investigations, relying on forensic examinations of videos, cast that claim in doubt. But none more vividly than Mohammadi's eyewitness account, posted eight days later on her Instagram account:

It was Saturday October 15, they cancelled the scheduled hospital visits without giving a reason. At noon, the prison alarm sounded three times which was unprecedented. At 9 pm that night suddenly we heard incessant gunshots inside the prison which left us all in shock. You could hear the sound of bullets coming from all sides of the prison. The sound of the explosions shook the building and windows. It was impossible to track the number of bullets, it lasted for over two hours.

The cry of the protesters chanting "death to the oppressor" rose from the wards adjoining the women's ward. We too were chanting in the women's ward. The slogans echoed extensively. From the right side of our room, just under the hill, the motorbikes of the special anti-riot forces made a terrifying sound as they passed.

From the left side of the room and the kitchen of room 4, we could clearly hear the sound the security forces as they moved on the roof of the men's ward across from us screaming that if you stick your heads out we will shoot. They also threatened the neighboring ward where the prisoners were still chanting slogans. The guards screamed if you do not go in we will blow up your brains, and suddenly, the sound of bullets. Just imagining that the bullets were being shot at handcuffed prisoners constricted my heart. I couldn't breathe. The sound of explosions, bullets, threats of death and shooting at the brain, the terrifying screams of the guards echoed throughout the ward.

I joined a few cellmates in the yard of the guards. When the head of the prison system and eight of his associates entered the ward, the head of the prison security and his forces were standing on the yard's walls. Suddenly, the anti-riot guard broke into the yard and closed the door. The head of prison security was screaming that you have no right to enter this ward and ordered that the ward's gates should not be opened under any circumstance. It was a terrifying scene.

A picture obtained from the Iranian Mizan News Agency on Oct. 16, 2022 shows damage caused by a fire in the notorious Evin prison, northwest of the Iranian capital Tehran. Koosha Mahshid FalahiMIZAN/AFP/Getty Images

The sarkoob ["headbashers"] were racing each other and were impossible to control. They did not even know the prison officials and system and did not heed their commands. We could see the blaze of the fire. Tear gas was being fired right behind the gates of the ward. We were forced to use spray, cigars and burning newspapers to endure.

We could hear the people around Evin. We could hear their chants and we too would scream "death to the dictator" and "death to tyranny" and "murderer no more killing" and be-sharaf [without honor"] don't beat prisoners."

From a week before this event, there were developments in the ward. They shut the gate between the corridor leading to the ward and the corridor of the employees and locked it, with a small opening so things could be done without the prisoners accessing the corridors that led to the exits. Three days before the event, the fire extinguishers were taken out of the ward by order of the head of the prison system, supposedly to be refilled.

At any rate, taking into consideration all the conditions that prevailed in the prison and what we witnessed take place that night, the prison was not unlike a battlefield, with the security and military forces on the ground and roofs surrounding the wards and threatening to fire bullets at the prisoners. Hundreds of bullets were fired and there were massive explosions. The reason for these horrific events remained vague and riddled with doubt. We heard of the death of tens of prisoners from sources in the prison and the severe beating and assault on prisoners (political and regular) and their transfer to known and unknown locations, the transfer of more than 900 prisoners and the creation of alarming security situation. I wish to hereby express my deep concern about the repetition of such events and urge that human rights bodies, Amnesty International, the special rapporteur for human rights, and the European Union Human Rights Commission to pay serious attention to the condition of prisoners and to hold the Iranian government accountable for their life and health.

Taking into account the conditions in the country and the widespread nature of the public protests, I'm afraid that certain security-military forces are creating scenarios and conditions to endanger the life of some political prionsers in the prisons and to blame it on the upheaval].

Narges Mohammadi, Evin Prison

[Translated for TIME by Amir Soltani]



Acting much as a journalist behind bars, Mohammadi also publicized allegations by female prisoners of sexual assault by Iranian guards and interrogators. In August, her efforts brought a sentence of another year in prison. There, she is regarded as a coalition-builder "advocating for other detainees, including the ones who have less access to raise their voice," says Tara Sepehri Far, Iran researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Many many activists inside and outside the country" are celebrating her Nobel.



The award offers international support for act a movement that, after more than 500 deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, early this year conceded the streets to the regime. Not even the drama of another young woman's apparent beating by the morality police has sparked the banked embers of the uprising. But questions about leadership still lead to the prison on the northern border of Tehran, nestled in hills planted with land mines.



"The Evin women's wing is one of the most active, resistant and joyful quarters of political prisoners in Iran," Mohammadi told AFP in September. "During my years in prison, on three occasions, I shared detention with at least 600 women, and I am proud of each of them."



In the same interview she observed: "I have almost no prospect of freedom."

Contact us at letters@time.com.
In the past month, the social media account "Libs of TikTok," targeted around eleven schools or school districts over anti-LGBTQ+ grooming conspiracies. Shortly after these attacks, some of the targeted institutions received bomb threats, according to an investigation by Vice News.

Chaya Raichik, the individual behind the account, has employed right-wing "groomer" propaganda to target 42 school districts and their staff members. Her accusations have centered on false allegations of these institutions "indoctrinating" children into LGBTQ+ identities and exposing them to sexually explicit content, according to the report.

Of the 42 institutions that Vice reached out to, 11 schools or school districts reported receiving bomb threats while a majority didnt respond. And only three school districts said that they hadnt received bomb threats as a result of being featured in a Libs of TikTok post.

Although the school districts couldn't definitively attribute the bomb threats to Raichik's followers, the ones that did receive threats indicated a disturbing pattern  they received threats within five days of being featured in Raichiks post, district officials told Vice.

These accounts claim that they are protecting children, but that's not the main goal of many of their posts, Sarah Moore, an anti-LGBTQ+ extremism analyst at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in partnership with Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), told Salon.

One school in Salem, Massachusetts, was featured in a Libs of TikTok post on September 12, and received emailed bomb threats on September 15, 19, and 21, leading to evacuations, Vice News found.

Another was an elementary school near Chicago, which was highlighted in a post on September 15. Over the next four days, the school encountered three threats. The last bomb threat the district received was 25 years ago, a spokesperson from the North Shore School District, told the outlet.

A school in Oklahoma City featured in three Libs of TikTok posts had the state superintendent of education in Oklahoma post a photo with Raichik, lauding her for promoting transparency and accountability in schools, surpassing the efforts of many elected officials. Meanwhile, an elementary school in Western Heights ISD received a bomb threat, Vice News reported.

It comes as no surprise that schools or individuals featured by Libs of TikTok often become targets of relentless trolling, harassment and in some cases even real threats. Last summer, hospitals faced bomb threats after Libs of TikTok began highlighting that they offered gender-affirming care to transgender youth.

The Boston Childrens Hospital received a deluge of harassing emails including threats of violence toward their staff after Raichik falsely claimed on Aug. 11 that the hospital performs hysterectomies on children, The Washington Post reported. The hospital does provide hysterectomies to certain patients over 18.

Raichik leveled a similar accusation against Childrens National Hospital in Washington. On August 25, she posted a recording in which she questioned two unidentified hospital employees about the availability of gender-affirming hysterectomies for 16-year-old patients.

Both employees mistakenly stated that the procedure was offered to 16-year-olds, and one even suggested it might be available to even younger patients. However, the hospital clarified that this information was incorrect and that neither of the employees was involved in patient care.

After the recording was posted to Twitter, and was played more than 1.1 million times, Childrens National was inundated with threatening emails and phone calls, a hospital spokeswoman told The Post.

Libs of TikTok has been a significant driver in fueling the baseless grooming conspiracy theory, co-opted by some right-wing politicians and pundits. The trope has found its way into mainstream conversations, particularly as Republicans have actively opposed LGBTQ+ rights and introduced policies aimed at undermining them in recent years.

The "Don't Say Gay" bill for example has been referred to as the "anti-grooming bill," with advocates of the bill accusing opponents of preying on children.

The Anti-Defamation League and GLAAD published a report this June, which documented the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ incidents across the U.S. and found that more than half of them were linked to the "groomer" trope.

One of the other facets that they identified was the types of conspiratorial tropes that were linked to cases of real-world harm and found that about a third, or at least 191 of the cases, that included acts of real-world harm, were directly linked to tropes regarding the grooming conspiracy theory, Moore said.

So we know that there is a really significant overlap between folks sharing these conspiracy theories online, and then folks getting targeted as a result of the spread of that rhetoric, she added.

Raichik has also gained support from notable figures on the right as her account on X, the platform formally known as Twitter, has grown to 2.5 million followers. She has dined with former President Donald Trump and members of Congress frequently interact with content from Libs of TikTok.

Right-wing influencers consistently boost posts from the account, thereby broadening its reach. This places the responsibility on social media platforms to curb the spread of hate online, but little has been done to address this growing issue, advocates say.

We've seen a number of cases where the platforms themselves need to uphold their policies about hateful content when they're seeing these big accounts that have these large followings violate that content, Moore said. They should also be aware, at the same time, of what are the cases of real-world harm that's happening in direct correspondence to some of these posts.

There have been a number of instances where there's a clear violation of the terms of services of platforms and the content that Libs of TikTok is posting, she added.

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

YouTube's harassment policy, for example, provides specific instances of prohibited content, one of which involves targeting an individual due to their affiliation with a protected group. However, Libs of TikTok posted a video titled "The Top TEN Worst TikTok Videos of 2021" on their YouTube channel, where they reviewed videos created by individuals they assume to be transgender or part of the LGBTQ+ community, making negative comments about their appearance, Moore said.

This video should therefore be sanctioned under YouTube's policies, she said.

In addition to holding platforms accountable, Moore pointed out that addressing the targeting of the LGBTQ+ community is a broader societal concern that calls for a full society response.

The ADL is exploring different ideas to mitigate online harm, whether that includes the development of anti-doxxing legislation and other legislative measures that can be used to target those responsible for online harm, Moore said. At the same time, GLAAD is promoting a positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community on media outlets."
Police dashcam video and audio recordings are raising new questions about how local police and Bergen County prosecutors handled the 2018 fatal crash investigation involving a woman who soon married New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez.

Dashcam video from the scene that evening in Bogota, N.J., shows Nadine Arslanian Menendez saying that she done nothing wrong. At one point, she also asks an officer about the pedestrian who she had just struck and killed, Why was the guy in the middle of the street?

Several sources familiar with the matter are asking why a retired chief of detectives for the Bergen County Prosecutors Office showed up at the crash scene to apparently speak to police and assist Nadine Menendez.

The sources pointed to one section of the police dashboard video footage where retired the retired chief, Michael Mordaga, is heard asking police what is going on. An officer replies, Thats what we are gathering now  [its] dark her breath, ya know?

Police reports have suggested there was no signs that Nadine Arslsanian Menendez was driving while impaired at the time of the crash. Police reports also show that no Breathalyzer or other tests were performed on Menendez that night.

One can imagine police ordering someone to at least perform field sobriety tests just based on those words and observations alone, said NBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos.

robert menendez wife bob girlfriend (Bogota Police Dept)

Investigators said the victim, Richard Kopp, 49, had jaywalked after drinking with friends on the night that Nadine Menendez hit him with her Mercedes.

As NBC News first reported, the state attorney general is now investigating whether police and Bergen county prosecutors handled the fatal crash scene appropriately. Nadine Menendezs connection to the death of Richard Koop has come to light only this week.

Mrs. Menendezs lawyer, David Schertler, said in a statement, This is a case of a tragic accident, but Nadine Menendez was not at fault, did not violate any laws, and was therefore not charged with any crimes. Schertler added, "We are confident that any 're-opening' of an investigation into the accident will confirm that conclusion.

Several sources said public integrity division investigators from the state attorney generals office want to know who asked Mordaga to come to the crash scene.

Mordaga did not return several calls for comment.

A source close to Nadine Menendez said she was not drinking before the crash. But its still unclear who might have called Mordaga to the scene.

The optics of a former police chief or retired officer coming out to an accident scene and intervening on behalf of one of the people involved in the accident  they just arent good, Cevallos said.

New Jersey attorney general records show that one of the Bogota officers on scene, Michael LaFerrera, was later suspended for roughly 6 months for his handling of a separate DUI-related case. LaFerrera, union officials and other Bogota police representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokeswoman for state Attorney General Matthew Platkin, whose investigators questioned prosecution and police staff on Thursday about the handling of the accident, had no comment

Questions about the crashed Mercedes came to light in the midst the sprawling bribery indictment against Bob Menendez, his wife and three businessmen.

The FBI accuse Bob and Nadine Menendez of asking businessman Jose Uribe for help paying for a new Mercedes. In exchange, the senator allegedly tried to intervene with a state attorney general investigation that Uribe was concerned about. All of the individuals charged in the bribery case deny wrongdoing.

Nadine Menendezs lawyer denied the bribery case can be tied to the fatal crash, saying the fact of the accident has nothing to do with the allegations in the current indictment against Ms. Menendez.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Rent increases have stabilized since their pandemic peaks but South Florida remains in an affordability crisis with the average tenant needing to earn nearly $112,000 a year to avoid being house-poor, according to a new Florida Atlantic University study.

The study, done in conjunction with researchers at Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Alabama, looked at August prices in the nations 100 largest metro areas, including Miami, which includes Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

The tri-county area ranked ninth for the highest annual income needed to avoid spending more than 30% of a households earnings on rent. Spending more than 30% is a benchmark for when housing becomes unaffordable.

Outranking Miami for unaffordability is first-place New York, which requires an annual salary of $136,479 to avoid being house-poor. New York was followed by five California metro areas, including San Jose ($135,422), San Diego ($128,275), San Francisco ($126,936), Oxnard ($123,382), and Los Angeles ($120,010).

More dorms? More land?: Students squeezed out of FAU housing pay high rents off campus

Florida rent prices growing but not at pandemic pace

Augusts average rent increase in South Florida was 2.83% compared with the same time in 2022. Thats far below the double-digit hikes renters were experiencing in 2021 and 2022, but its still a problem, said housing economist Bennie Waller, the William Cary Hulsey Faculty Fellow at the University of Alabama.

Its going to be a place only for the wealthy, and thats going to be a huge concern because the workers that are needed to support the wealthy will have nowhere to live, said Waller about South Florida. They will have to drive, because how can they afford this?

In its 2022 American Community Survey released last month, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the median household income in Palm Beach County was $76,592. Thats $2,266 higher than the previous year, but far from the $111,914 needed in South Florida to avoid being house-poor.

Statewide, the median annual household income was estimated at $69,303. Thats $616 higher than the previous year, according to the survey.

From the perspective of tenants, it is a challenging market, said Realtor Donna Alexander, who works with renters and homebuyers in the Palm Beach Reserve office of Keller Williams. Prices remain strong, but landlord requirements for tenant qualifications are also some of the most rigid Ive ever seen.

Alexander said some landlords are asking for the traditional up-front down payments, but also want proof that a prospective tenant is earning three times higher than the rental cost. So, if the rent is $2,000 a month, the tenant would have to earn at least $6,000. Credit score requirements of 650 to 675 are also more common.

Its really daunting, Alexander said.

Stay up to date on South Florida's sizzling real estate market and sign up for The Dirt weekly newsletter, delivered every Tuesday! Exclusively for Palm Beach Post subscribers.

The FAU study uses leasing data from Zillow's Observed Rental Index and includes all rental types, including homes and apartments.

Rent growth nationally averaged 3.25% in August compared with the previous year. Ken H. Johnson, a housing economist at Florida Atlantic University, said normal rent growth has traditionally been between 3% to 5% per year.

Orlando, Jacksonville and Lakeland saw the lowest rent increases

In Florida, Orlando saw the smallest rent increase in August compared with the previous year at 1.10%. The average rent in Orlando was $2,087 in August. Jacksonvilles rent hike was second lowest at a 1.31%, increasing the rent to $1,807. Lakeland had a 2.08% increase, with the average rent in August hitting $1,922.

Finally! It's better to buy than rent: Homebuying in Palm Beach County makes more financial sense than renting, but with caveats

Waller said hes not optimistic that affordability will improve soon in South Florida. While people may leave the state to escape the high price of housing, it's not enough to balance out the influx of people coming in, he said.

A July 11 population report from the state's Demographic Estimating Conference said Florida's growth was "slightly stronger than expected" between April 1, 2022, and April 1 of this year because of a higher net migration of people coming into the state.

Deaths in Florida continue to outpace births, but an average increase of 298,191 net new residents is expected each year through mid-2028. That's 817 people per day.

"Florida has a vibrant, expanding economic base that will continue to draw people in, most likely preventing rents from falling," Waller said. And while more homes, apartments and condominiums are being built, they are in higher price ranges, he said.

Alexander agrees.

Yes, there is a building boom. Housing is available, but its not affordable, she said. We keep hearing there is a correction coming. Maybe in Louisiana or Indiana, but not in Florida. Florida is a different animal.

Kimberly Miller is a veteran journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and how growth affects South Florida's environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Rent costs in South Florida for apartments, homes rise but not as fast
Death toll from drone attack on Syrian military academy rises to 80

Xinhua) 10:35, October 07, 2023

DAMASCUS, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabbash confirmed on Thursday that the death toll resulting from a drone attack on a military academy in Homs province has risen to 80, with an additional 240 people injured.

The minister also expressed concerns that the casualty count may continue to rise.

In an earlier statement, the Syrian military said weaponized drones launched an attack immediately after a graduation ceremony for Syrian military officers at the academy, causing casualties among military personnel and civilians.

While the Syrian military did not identify the responsible parties, it described them as "terrorist groups backed by known international parties" and pledged a strong and firm response.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said over 78 were killed and dozens more injured in the attack, adding that the Syrian defense minister was present when the attack occurred but wasn't affected by the attack.

Syria has experienced an increase in drone attacks in recent years, with rebel groups using drones to target government installations and infrastructure. Conversely, the Syrian government and its allies have also employed drones for offensive operations against rebel positions.

The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has resulted in significant casualties and has left the country divided, with government forces engaged in conflict against various rebel groups.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, speaks on the topic Federal Taxes, Debt and Deficit at Sutherland Institutes 2023 Congressional Series at the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics and Public Service at Weber State University in Ogden on Aug. 29, 2023. Derek Monson, Sutherland Institute chief growth officer, moderates. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

A group of GOP representatives wrote a letter to their Republican colleagues, expressing their disapproval of the ousting of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his role as speaker.

We cannot allow our majority to be dictated to by the alliance between the chaos caucus and the minority party that will do nothing more than guarantee the failure of our next speaker, they wrote.

The letter, signed by 45 lawmakers including Rep. Blake Moore and dated Oct. 5, said that less than 4% of the Republican Conference joined Democrats in voting to oust McCarthy, going against the will of the majority of Republicans, in a 216-210 vote earlier this week.

The eight Republicans  including Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona and Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado  who voted to oust McCarthy were led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

McCarthy has alleged that Gaetz introduced the motion to take the speakers gavel over personal reasons, saying Gaetz accused McCarthy of not supporting him after an ethics complaint was filed against him.

Related

Meanwhile, all three Utah Republican congressmen voted to keep McCarthy as speaker, as the Deseret News previously reported.

Following the vote, Moore, who represents Utahs 1st Congressional District, said in a statement, Todays vote was not about Kevin McCarthys performance as speaker or disagreement over the House Republican agenda. Todays vote was about Matt Gaetz and his insatiable desire for attention.

The letter issued Thursday called McCarthy one of the most accomplished Republican leaders in modern history despite having only a four-seat majority in the House as well as the Democrat-controlled Senate and White House.

This response from lawmakers comes as House Republicans scramble to elect a new speaker. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio are vying for the position, as was former President Donald Trump until he changed his mind and endorsed Jordan.

The House of Representatives are also under pressure to pass spending bills before government funding runs out in less than 40 days.

USA Today reported that following his removal, McCarthy said the discussions he had with Senate leaders to avert a shutdown would not bear fruit since the House is focused on choosing the next leader.

Im concerned with the timeline now, McCarthy said.

Related

The Republican lawmakers wrote in the letter that they were ashamed and embarrassed by the actions of a select few in the party who abandoned and undermined our Conference to dictate every outcome in policy and personnel for the remainder of this Congress.

The injustice we all witnessed cannot go unaddressed, the letter said in conclusion. It called for reviewing the rules changes that were made earlier this year.

When McCarthy was struggling to become speaker in January, he promised a small group of lawmakers a rules change to allow a single representative to bring a motion to vacate the chair, which serves as a vote of no confidence.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, signed the letter. According to the Washington Examiner, McCarthy's allies like Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., and Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla, were also listed as signatories.
Information regarding the possibility that a Ukrainian woman was killed in Hamas attacks on Israel is being verified. Another two Ukrainian citizens in Israel are missing and are being searched for.

Source: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an evening address

Quote: "As of now, information about the possible death of a Ukrainian citizen is being verified and two other [Ukrainian] citizens are being searched for. Ukrainian diplomats will share more information with the world as soon as it is confirmed.

Dear Ukrainians, if you are currently in Israel, please be as careful as possible. Follow the security forces instructions, and take care of yourself and others around you. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact our embassy by any means available to you: Ukraine will help all its people, no matter what."

Details: Zelenskyy stressed that the terrorist attack on Israel appears to have been carefully planned.

"The entire world knows what sponsors of terrorism could have incited and supported the preparations for this attack," he added.

The Ukrainian president also said that Israel, like any other state, has every right to be protected from terror.

Background:

On the morning of 7 October, a large number of missiles was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas militants; fires surged through Israeli cities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out in support of Israel following the attack by Hamas terrorists.

As of the evening of Saturday, 7 October, the death toll has risen to over 200 following the Hamas attack on Israel; more than 1,100 people sustained injuries.

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!








U.S. House representatives from Arizona, from left, Republicans Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, Eli Crane, Debbie Lesko and David Schweikert.

Two of Arizonas six House Republicans threw their weight behind candidates in next weeks race to replace ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy .

Rep. Paul Gosar endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio; he's a right-wing firebrand known as a loyal ally of former President Donald Trump. Trump also wants Jordan to get the speaker's gavel.

Rep. Debbie Lesko endorsed Jordans leading challenger, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a longtime member of House GOP leadership.

My statement on the House Speaker race  pic.twitter.com/gQF4RCyHix  Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) October 6, 2023

Arizonas other four House Republicans, Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani, had not yet thrown their support behind a particular candidate as of Friday afternoon. Biggs wrote on social media earlier this week that he would support the most conservative speaker who can get 218 votes.

Two of Arizona's House Democrats, Reps. Greg Stanton and Raul Grijalva, said Thursday that they would consider voting for a Republican they deem trustworthy and moderate, but that none of the current GOP contenders fit the bill.

Explaining her endorsement, Lesko said in a written statement that Scalises skill set better suits the job of speaker, writing that Scalise can unite the caucus and has built relationships in swing districts.

Gosar praised Jordan for being tenacious, smart and America First.

I will be supporting my dear friend @Jim_Jordan to be our next Speaker. I've worked with Jim in the trenches. He's tenacious, smart and America First. Rep. Scalise is well-respected. Our conference has two great choices but Jim tops the list for me.  Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@RepGosar) October 6, 2023

Scalise and Jordan each had gathered between 30 and 40 public endorsements as of Friday afternoon, according to a rough tally by political analyst Nathaniel Rakich with the publication FiveThirtyEight. They would need either 218 votes, or a majority of lawmakers present to win election.

The Republican caucus is scheduled to hold internal elections next Wednesday, Oct. 11.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Reps. Debbie Lesko and Paul Gosar pick sides in the Speakers race
Republicans bashed former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over her recent comments suggesting supporters of former President Donald Trump be "formally" deprogrammed.

Clinton took heat Friday after her comments during an interview the previous night with CNN during which she suggested the GOP base is lined with bigots.

Some Republicans didn't mince words, including Tennessee GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn.

HILLARY CLINTON FLOATS FORMAL DEPROGRAMMING OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS, SUGGESTS GOP BASE IS MADE OF BIGOTS

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says there should be a "formal deprogramming" of Trump supporters during an interview with CNN.

"Hillary Clinton wants Trump supporters to be formally reeducated," Blackburn wrote Friday on X, formerly Twitter.

"Does she know that this is America and not a Communist regime?"

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican, pointed out that "7 years ago, Hillary Clinton infamously labeled half of our country deplorable [and] irredeemable.

"Last night on CNN, she called Republicans extremists, a cult [and] called for the formal [deprogramming] of Republicans across our country.'

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"This is unhinged behavior."

Former GOP congressional candidate Karoline Leavitt tweeted that Trump "has said countless times that they are only coming after him, because he stands in their way from coming after you  and Hillary Clinton just confirmed that to be true."

Discussing the recent upheaval on Capitol Hill, Clinton contrasted what she called the "sane" part of the GOP caucus that helped prevent a government shutdown and the "cult" wing devoted to Trump.

"That's the way it used to be," Clinton told CNN's Christiane Amanpour Thursday. "I mean, we had very strong partisans in both parties in the past, and we had very bitter battles over all kinds of things  but there wasn't this little tail of extremism, waving, you know, wagging the dog of the Republican Party as it is today.

"And, sadly, so many of those extremists, those MAGA extremists take their marching orders from Donald Trump, who has no credibility left by any measure. He's only in it for himself. He's now defending himself in civil actions and criminal actions. And when do they break with him?

"Because at some point, you know, maybe there needs to be a formal deprogramming of the cult members, but something needs to happen."

The former presidential hopeful predicted that "sadly" Trump will be the Republicans' 2024 nominee, but she expressed confidence President Biden would defeat him. Clinton was then asked how she has "processed" the reality that the man who defeated her in 2016 is seeking the White House again despite his legal battles.

Hillary Clinton and former President Donald Trump

"It's a classic tale of an authoritarian populist who really has a grip on the emotional, psychological needs and desires of a portion of the population," Clinton said. "And the base of the Republican Party, for whatever combination of reasons  and it is psychological  sees in him someone who speaks for them, and they are determined that they will continue to vote for him, attend his rallies, wear his merchandise because, for whatever reason, he and his very negative, nasty form of politics resonates with them.

"Maybe they don't like migrants. Maybe they don't like gay people or Black people or the woman who got the promotion at work they didn't get, whatever the reason," Clinton added.

"So, it is like a cult, and somebody has to break that momentum. And that's why I believe Joe Biden will defeat them and hopefully then that will be the end and the fever will break. And then Republicans can try to get back to fighting about issues among themselves and electing people who are at least, you know, responsible and accountable."

Fox News Digital's Joseph Wulfsohn contributed reporting.





Original article source: Republicans bash Hillary Clinton for floating 'formal deprogramming' of Trump supporters
Republicans in the House and Senate are tearing into the Biden administration for unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian assets months before Hamas terrorists launched a deadly and massive attack on Israel early Saturday  criticism that the Biden administration called "false and misleading."

"Just weeks ago, the Biden administration handed over $6 billion to Iran, and today, innocent Israelis were murdered by Iran-backed terrorists," Sen. Marsha Blackburn , R-Tenn., said in a statement. "We must continue to support our strongest ally in the Middle East and their right to defend themselves against these unprovoked, horrific attacks."

Blackburn spoke after Hamas terrorists invaded areas of southern Israel. Thousands of rockets were fired into Israel and dozens of fighters infiltrated through the border. Local Israeli media reported that at least 100 people have been killed in the assault.

AT LEAST 100 DEAD AS HAMAS LAUNCHES UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON ISRAEL, NETANYAHU SAYS NATION IS AT WAR

WASHINGTON - APRIL 19: Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., questions Internal Revenue Service Commisioner Daniel Werfel during the Senate Finance Committee hearing on "The Presidents Fiscal Year 2024 IRS Budget and the IRSs 2023 Filing Season" on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was "at war" and promised that the attackers would pay "an unprecedented price." The White House said that President Biden was briefed "on the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel."

But Republicans highlighted recent moves by the Biden administration to release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds as part of a prisoner swap deal. The deal allows the transfer of the money held in a South Korean bank to accounts in Qatar. The administration says the money can only be used for humanitarian purposes and the U.S. will have oversight as to how and when the funds are used. There is no evidence that any of that $6 billion has left the Qatari account as of yet.

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"Let's be clear: the deal to bring U.S. citizens home from Iran has nothing to do with the horrific attack on Israel. Not a penny has been spent, and when it is, it can only go for humanitarian needs like food and medicine. Anything to the contrary is false," State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter..

Separately, a State Dept. spokesperson said that the money in the accounts in Qatar "remains in Doha."

"Not a penny has been spent, and it will never go to Iranit can only be used for future humanitarian-related purposes. Any suggestion to the contrary is false and misleading," they said.

But critics have argued that the money is fungible and could be diverted elsewhere. Iran is a known backer of Hamas and praised the Saturday attacks on Israel. The State Department has previously said that Iran provides some $100 million a year to Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Republicans in both chambers highlighted the alleged link between the attacks and the funding being unfrozen by the Biden administration.

ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU DECLARES 'WAR AFTER HAMAS TERRORISTS LAUNCH MASSIVE ATTACK: LIVE UPDATES

"This is exactly why so many Americans & Israelis were DISGUSTED to see [President Biden] give the Iranian regime $6 billion last month," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said on X. "Every dollar given to Iran funds terrorism in the Ayatollahs quest to destroy Israel. Iran is behind todays invasion & everyone must say that."

In the House, Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., said that Biden "just gave Hamas sponsor Iran $6 billion."

"Today, innocent Israeli citizens have paid with their lives for his and the Obama holdovers' venal incompetence," he said.

"This is a clear attack on Israel. We must fully #StandWithIsrael to defend itself & stand strong on the front lines of terrorism," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, posted. "We must act quickly to help Israel & reverse the damage of Bidens $6BB funding of an Iranian regime backing each of the groups likely involved."

On the campaign trail, Sen. Tim Scott  who is running for the GOP 2024 White House nomination  said that the U.S. "didnt just invite this aggression, we paid for it."

"Iran is the biggest funder of Hamas. This is the Biden $6 billion ransom payment at work," he said.

TED CRUZ SLAMS BIDEN'S $6B IRAN HOSTAGE DEAL AS CRITICS CALL IT A WIN FOR TERRORISTS, PUTIN

The White House also pushed back against the narrative by Republicans, with Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates calling it a "shameful lie in every respect, at a time when both parties should be totally united in supporting Israel's defense."

"Not a cent has been spent -They won't go to the Iranian govt -They can only be used for verifiable purchases of humanitarian needs like food & medicine," he posted on X.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson also rejected the connection between the unfrozen payments and the attacks. "These funds have absolutely nothing to do with the horrific attacks today and this is not the time to spread disinformation," Watson posted on X.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday that the U.S. "unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities."

"There is never any justification for terrorism. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel, and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks. We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israels right to defend itself," he said.

Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal, Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story has been updated.





Original article source: Republicans blast Biden for releasing $6 billion in frozen Iran funds ahead of Hamas attack on Israel
The fuss around the fairy-tale wedding of influencers Lunden Stallings and Olivia Bennett came to a screeching halt this week when the couples past racist tweets resurfaced.

The backlash from Stallingss tweets prompted the couple, who were on their honeymoon, to film an apology video, which they uploaded onto a TikTok Story that disappeared after 24 hours. Screen recordings of the apology showed Stallings, with Bennett in the background, explaining that her usage of racist language was from when she was a teenager growing up in the South.

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Thats not who I am today, Stallings says. Thats what kills me the most, that at one point in time I thought that that was OK, I thought that that was normal.

Its truly just a really unfortunate and disgusting and ignorant mistake that you made as a teenager, Bennett adds.

However, tweets from Bennett from 2012 were discovered on Thursday using similar language.

Many social media users were unimpressed with the couple and their fans for suggesting that thinking racist language was OK 10 to 12 years ago was an excuse.

Growing upin the era of 2012?? one Reddit user asked. Nobody who came of age in the 21st century with access to the internet should be confused about the fact that this word is racist.

Former fans of the couple were frustrated because they had leveraged their very public relationship as proof that LGBTQ perception in the South was changing and that they were fighting to make it more inclusive.

In the People magazine write-up of the wedding, which took place in Georgia, Bennett said, There was nobody back then that looked like us, that was represented as a lesbian.  Were very grateful that were part of this movement.

(Some social media users are additionally accusing the couple of picking a former plantation for their wedding venue; however, Naylor Hall was not a plantation  although its history does have ties to the Confederacy.)

Their initial appeal was derived from the paradox they present: two Lily Pulitzer ladies emblematic of Southern class and grace embrace progressive values and each other, Jezebel reporter Kady Ruth Ashcraft wrote. Ashcraft argued that when the racist tweets resurfaced, it showed that these two lesbians are de facto queering that [Southern] aesthetic, but theyre simultaneously upholding it, too.

Others also pointed out that the couple, who share a joint TikTok account with almost 700,000 followers, have not posted a permanent message or statement regarding the tweets. As of reporting, the last post on their TikTok is a recap of their wedding.

The situation is not unique. There are countless examples of white influencers and even A-list mainstream celebrities who have had previous comments and social media posts resurface and reexamined for their content. TikTokers have pointed out that every wave of backlash seemingly results in the same thing: The person apologizes in a video or in a post, claims theyve grown since then, commits to a short pause in posting content until social media has moved on and then resume what they were doing before.

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Your favorite white creator just had their racist tweets released, creator Cameron Kira starts out one TikTok. Whats funny about that statement is, while obviously Im talking about Lunden and Olivia, I could say that statement every single year from now until the day I die and it will always be applicable because it happens every year.

Clarke Peoples (@claaaarke), an influencer with over 500,000 followers, commented on not only the specific situation regarding Stallings and Bennett, but also the larger conversation of how social media seems to sweep these alarmingly common occurrences under the rug.

Theres a whole faction of people in this society who are just so vehemently against cancel culture and hate it so much, Peoples explains. Lets be so for real right now, if you can comment 10 people who have actually been canceled  10 public figures who have lost their jobs, lost any source of income  lost the support of their family and friends, lost all of their followers.  [Cancel culture] is not a real phenomenon.

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Pew Research Center found in 2021 that the U.S. populations definition of cancel culture is split. Some view it as a call for accountability for public figures, while others think of it as censorship or an excuse for mob mentality online.

After the media firestorm ends in like a week and a half, the people who were offended and no longer support them will no longer support them and the people who [werent offended] will continue supporting them and life goes on, Peoples says. That is almost always what happens.

Peoples also called out the majority white commenters who are quick to say they forgive on an apology video.

Who are you to determine whether or not an apology or whatever is satisfactory to a group of people that you do not belong to, who are the people who are offended? Theyre the ones that have historically been on the receiving end of this slur, but youre the one whos going to say that the apology is accepted? Peoples asks.

Blavity, an outlet created by Black millennials for Black millennials, made a similar argument in 2018. Bishop Talbert Swan, a pastor in Massachusetts, reflected in an article that it always seems that following a traumatic experience, people of color are asked if they forgive.

Somehow, Black people are expected to immediately forgive violence done to them by the state, government or individual white people, Swan wrote. Forgiveness should never be used to salve white fears that justified Black anger will hold them accountable.

Peoples pointed out that this immediate forgiveness given to white creators like Stallings and Bennett is part of societys larger issue with infantilizing white people. According to Peoples, who references some of her experiences growing up, the Oh, well, she was a teenager and didnt know excuse doesnt make any sense.

Bria Jones (@heybriajones), another creator on TikTok, said in a video that she also couldnt wrap her mind around the idea that white teenagers wouldnt know they shouldnt say a racial slur.

I just dont buy that you didnt know it was wrong because I guarantee you, even if we went 10 years back in time, you wouldnt go up to a group of Black people and say it to their face, Jones argues. Why? Because you knew it was wrong.

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We do not get the privilege of being infantilized, were not often seen as children who dont know things, Peoples concludes. To sit here and infantilize white people when theyre teenagers  as if the N-word hasnt always been a terrible thing to say and a 16-year-old wouldnt know that or be expected to know that  is crazy.

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The post Resurfaced 10-year-old racist tweets from beloved influencer couple prompt conversation about holding creators accountable appeared first on In The Know.

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People are outraged that this UW Madison student still hasnt been reprimanded for her racist rant
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. - The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office announced the passing of retired K-9 Bosco.

Bosco, who was born in 2010 and served with the sheriff's office for seven years, caught over 200 suspects over his time with handler Corporal Aitken. Bosco was born in Poland and was a patrol canine from 2011 to 2018.

Cpl. Matthew Aitken, Bosco's handler, was shot three times after being ambushed by a suspect while with K-9 Taco, Bosco's brother. Cpl. Aitken was joined by Sgt. Jacob Viano, who fired back at the suspect, who died at the scene.

READ: Suspect who 'ambushed' deputies skipped court hearing; killed by sergeant after wounding K9 handler

Aitken was released from the hospital days after the incident.

Photo courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

READ: Man arrested in Manatee County for pointing laser at airplane, deputy's patrol vehicle

Bosco was certified as a Narcotics Detector Canine in 2012 and seized over $100,000 in drug money throughout his career.

K-9 Bosco enjoyed retirement with his family and k-9 Taco, the sheriff's office shared.
Reverend Robert Whitmer visits 'Stoneman Willie' during his funeral service in Reading, Pennsylvania, on October 7, 2023 (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS)

After more than a century living with a macabre mystery, the US town of Reading, Pennsylvania closed the casket Saturday on its oddest-ever resident -- a mummified man who was finally buried.

Crowds of people have lined up in recent days to pay their respects, snap photos or gaze with bewildered awe on a scene unlikely to ever be repeated in the United States.

"Stoneman Willie" was the nickname bestowed long ago on an alleged thief who died in 1895 in jail and was taken to the Theo C. Auman Funeral Home when no one claimed the body, before being accidentally mummified by undertakers.

"Fast-forward 128 years and he's still here," funeral home director Kyle Blankenbiller told AFP ahead of the burial.

At his interment, a crowd gathered under overcast skies, circling around Willie's black tombstone at a local cemetery for one final farewell.

The man who became known as Willie gave a false name when he was jailed, but his true identity was tracked down and finally revealed during Saturday's ceremony, a fitting end to his life -- and bizarre afterlife.

He was revealed to have been named James Murphy as his gravestone was unveiled at the climax of funeral events -- which also included his remains joining a recent parade commemorating Reading's 275th anniversary.

Both names are etched on his tombstone, though his real name only in small print at the bottom.

- 'Gawked at enough' -

The corpse has been in an open casket for almost his entire stay at the funeral home, until being loaded into a motorcycle-drawn hearse Saturday.

His leathery skin and smooth sunken facial features have been the object of fascination for thousands, including countless curious locals, researchers and, in decades past, schoolchildren on class trips.

Willie had become a quirky fixture of Reading history, "our friend" who now got a well-deserved sendoff, Blankenbiller said.

According to Willie's cellmate, the man arrested for pickpocketing adopted the fictitious name James Penn because he did not want to shame his wealthy Irish father.

On his death, no next of kin were located and the body was sent to Auman's.

With embalming still an emerging science, Blankenbiller said, Auman experimented with a new formula.

"The intensity of the concoction that he used" led to Stoneman Willie's mummification, a moisture removal process that forestalls decomposition.

Now, "he's been gawked at enough," Blankenbiller said. Burying Stoneman Willie during anniversary commemorations for the city was the "reverent, respectful thing to do."

Among those saying goodbye in recent days was Berks County resident Michael Klein, who was fascinated by the "mystery of who this guy really was," he told AFP.

Stoneman Willie was buried in a vintage black tuxedo, fittingly from the 1890s.

"Everyone comes to America to live the American dream. Nobody comes to die in a prison unknown," Klein said.

mlm/bgs/bfm/acb
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Germany's decision to provide Ukraine with another Patriot air defence system and stressed that Russia must be prevented from winning in Ukraine.

Source: Stoltenberg in an interview with Welt, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The NATO chief particularly praised Berlin's recent commitment to new arms deliveries: "I welcome Germany's announcement that it will provide Ukraine with another Patriot air defence system," Stoltenberg said.

"I understand the concern that our support for Ukraine carries the risk of escalation, but that risk pales compared to allowing Putin to win this war. Should Putin win the war in Ukraine, he will most likely resort to violence again," the secretary general stressed.

"We may expect more Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system. Air defence is crucial to saving lives in Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.

As the debate over whether Berlin should supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles gains momentum in Germany, Stoltenberg expressed his praise for Berlin.

"The supply of arms is a national matter. I welcome Germany's strong support for Ukraine," he said.

The NATO chief also commented on Moscow's threats of potential use of tactical nuclear weapons. "Russia's nuclear rhetoric is completely irresponsible, but the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons remains low," Stoltenberg said.

The official believes that Moscow is aware that a nuclear war cannot be won and should never be waged. "Of course, we continue to monitor Russia's activities with the utmost care. NATO is a nuclear alliance, and nuclear deterrence has been working for 75 years," he said.

Background:

On 5 October, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz explained that Germany has not yet made a decision to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles, as it is trying to prevent an "escalation" of the war.

As Bild previously reported, Scholz is concerned that Berlin will have to provide geodata on Russian targets to enable Ukraine to employ Taurus missiles. Therefore, the chancellor argues, Germany will be forced to take a more active role in the war.

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Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel implied Friday that her party cannot afford for House Speaker race to last too long.

I dont think our country can afford that to take too long, and I think its bad for our party, McDaniel said on Fox News. I also hope they get rid of this motion to vacate. We cannot have another chaotic turnover of Speaker before next years election and think its not gonna impact our results.

Her comments follow a chaotic few weeks in the House  featuring fights over government spending as a possible government shutdown loomed and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) being ousted from his leadership role Tuesday.

McDaniel added that she thinks the two most prominent contenders for the Speakership, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), are both up to the task.

Theyll do a great job, McDaniel said. But the longer this takes, the worse it is for us. So I hope, they do it privately.

Lets not have leaks. Lets make sure we come out united, she added.

McDaniel previously spoke about GOP infighting within the lower chamber earlier this week. She said she doesnt know how it will help the party defeat President Biden in 2024.

I think every Republican right now has to wake up every day and say, How does this help us beat the Democrats in November? What headline do we need today? she said Wednesday on Fox Business.

Anytime were fighting with each other, were taking away from our message against Joe Biden, she later added. Were about a year out from a critical election where we have a great Senate map, weve got to hold the House, and we can win the White House.

McDaniel added that the headlines being about Republicans fighting and not Bidens policies is not good.

The headlines today arent about the border, theyre not about the failure of Bidenomics, theyre not about fentanyl. Its about Republican Party infighting. It is not good, she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Rob Rinder weighed in on the controversy over Strictly Come Dancing contestants previous dance experience during an appearance at Henley Literary Festival 2023.

The Judge Rinder star discussed class bias in the legal system, antisemitism and more during a lively and wide-ranging talk at the event in Henley-upon-Thames, Oxfordshire. This year, The Independent is the festivals exclusive news partner.

Rinder, who is also a lawyer and the author of the recent whodunnit novel The Trial, competed on the popular BBC reality series in 2016.

Towards the end of the talk, which was conducted by writer and podcaster Daisy Buchanan, Rinder echoed one of the most frequent complaints from viewers  that the celebrity contestants often have a history of extensive dance training.

Strictlys on tonight, Rinder said, at the start of the Q&A portion of the talk. Angela Rippon all the way. And Krishnan [Guru-Murthy].

Although why do they do the weird thing where they say, Oh, theyve got no dance experience?, I remember the first time I walked into the Strictly room it was like a scene from [the 1980 musical film] Fame. I thought, This whole thing is youre not supposed to have danced before.

You know, Nigel Harmon, hes a kind, lovely person. But nevertheless, they are better than the professionals! Its supposed to be a journey.

Rinder went on to speak highly of his co-stars on Strictly, noting that they really loved each other and are still friends to this day.

Describing the moment he walked in to meet the other Strictly contestants with Olympian (and fellow contestant) Greg Rutherford, Rinder said: We walked in, and thought, What the hell is going on? Everybody can dance.

Kai Widdrington & Angela Rippon on Strictly' (BBC/Guy Levy)

He walked up and he said, Mate, weve made a terrible mistake.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One.

At the talk, Good Morning Britain presenter Rinder then joked about the psychopathy of TV executives.

Weve segued from Strictly stuff, he quipped, but I have seen more psychopathy and sociopathy  I mean that in the true sense, somebody who can deplete the happy molecules from a room  Ive seen that more in the executive branches of television than I ever did sit across tables from people in Belmarsh [prison].

Thats not a lie, its deadly true, he added.

Elsewhere today at Henley, David Walliams revealed to an audience that he had been apprehended by Italian authorities while travelling to Venice and held in a cell for seven hours. Fighter pilot Nathan Gray, described as a real-life Top Gun, also opened up about the 2002 training accident that claimed the life of his decorated instructor.

Henley Literary Festival continues until 8 October.
Russia attacked the city of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast three times in one day, Governor Serhii Lysak reported on Oct. 7.

Russian forces used heavy artillery against the city twice during the day and once in the evening, Lysak said.

A school, municipal enterprise, 11 homes, power lines, a gas pipeline, and nearly a dozen commercial buildings were damaged, the governor said.

However, no casualties were reported, according to the local authorities.

On Oct. 6, Lysak reported that a 44-year-old woman was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds following a Russian attack on the city.

Read also: Every family affected: Devastated village copes with aftermath of Russian strike on funeral

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia expresses its most serious concern at the sharp aggravation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

"We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to implement an immediate ceasefire, renounce violence, exercise the necessary restraint and establish, with the assistance of the international community, a negotiation process aimed at establishing a comprehensive, lasting and long-awaited peace in the Middle East," she said in a statement.

Russia is in contact with Israel, the Palestinians and Arab countries over the flare-up, the Interfax news agency reported earlier, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Jason Neely and Andrew Cawthorne)
Shells collected on agricultural land in Yahidne after an explosion at a Russian ammunition depot

The Russians have used about 10 million artillery shells and will soon exhaust their stockpiles, which at one time was estimated at up to 15 million, retired Ukrainian Air Force Colonel and military expert Roman Svitan said in an interview with Radio NV, commenting on Russias growing problems with artillery shells.

Soon Russia will only be able to use what they can produce per day or buy, he said.

"The Russians can produce five to seven thousand shells a day. Five to seven thousand. And that's about how many they use every day. Plus they add what they can acquire elsewhere. North Korea supplies, China supplies old Soviet weapons through North Korea, the Iranians supply both Soviet and their own weapons  The total number of shells is not 7,000, but about 10,000-15,000 at the moment, thanks to Iranian, North Korean and Chinese [artillery shells], or what is left of the Soviet Union," he said.

The occupiers are using fewer and fewer shells per day. By the end of the year "the Russians will reach seven thousand [shells limit] a day Svitan predicts, saying that Ukraine is now increasing the number of shells it uses per day.

Read also: US to supply Ukraine with weapons seized from Iran  report

"Our numbers are increasing: we can now use about 10,000 shells a day. The Russians still use about 15,000. But there is actually parity ahead. In terms of the number of shells, but not in terms of accuracy. Now we are already surpassing the Russians in some positions in terms of accuracy and the number of targets hit."

Russia may increase its production of shells to about 2 million a year, Reuters reported earlier.

Iran transferred about 100 million bullets and 300,000 shells to Russia in early 2023, likely for its war on Ukraine, British Sky News reported in March, citing British intelligence sources.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Russian forces launched several Onyx supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles from Crimea targeting Odesa Oblast in the early hours of Oct. 7, Ukraines Southern Defense Forces reported on Telegram.

The missiles hit a recreational facility and a grain storage of the port infrastructure.

Missile debris and a blast wave caused a fire to a number of garages and damaged several apartment buildings.

There was no information about casualties at the time of the publciation. Earlier, Ukraine's Air Force warned about the threat of missile attack.

The southern Odesa Oblast and its regional capital remain a frequent target of Russian attacks.

Read also: Explosive kills child in Sumy Oblast

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Israel declared a state of war after Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks on Saturday.

Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, called for "peace" between Israel and Hamas based on "recognized agreements."

That call comes nearly 600 days after Russia invaded and occupied parts of Ukraine.

Israel has declared a state of war after Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

Palestinian fighters poured into southern Israel by land, sea, and air, the Israeli Defense Forces said. Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif said his forces launched 5,000 rockets toward Israel on Saturday, Insider reported.

In response, a Russian defense official urged peace between Israel and Hamas.

"We urge to immediately start a peace process on the basis of existing internationally recognized agreements," Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to Israel and Egypt, told state media agency Tass on Saturday.

Bogdanov also told Tass that Russian officials have been in touch with all parties involved in the conflict, including unspecified Arab countries.

Bogdanov's diplomatic effort comes nearly 600 days after Russia invaded and occupied parts of Ukraine and almost a decade after its illegal annexation of Crimea.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Vladimir Malov, a member of Russia's ruling United Russia party, was killed in a car bomb explosion in the city of Nova Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast, Russian state-run media RIA Novosti claimed on Oct.7.

RIA Novosti said Malov was in "serious condition" following the explosion, and later reported that he died from the injuries he sustained.

No mention was made as to who was behind the explosion.

Malov, who Russian state-controlled media claim was building a so-called "new life" in Russian-occupied Nova Kakhovka, was an illegitimate representative of the United Russian party in the area.

Russia held sham "elections" in the parts of Ukraine's Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts that it illegally occupies in September.

The so-called elections, which were neither free nor democratic, were denounced by both Kyiv and the West.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: North Korea supplies Russia with weaponry, US official says

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Russian occupation forces have set up a military hospital in an apartment building in Lysychansk, Luhansk Oblast, where civilians are still dwelling.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Quote: "Russian occupiers are continuing to set up military hospitals in buildings where civilians are residing.

For example, Russian occupation forces have set up a military hospital in an apartment building in Lysychansk, Luhansk Oblast, where civilians still live."

Details: The General Staff also reported that Russian occupation forces have transferred inpatients from a hospital in Nyzhni Sirohozy, Kherson Oblast, to nearby private residential houses to vacate hospital beds so that injured Russian soldiers could be hospitalised.

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The Russian Ministry of Defence has claimed that its forces intercepted a Ukrainian missile strike on Russian-occupied Crimea. Social media users have reported explosions in the Crimean city of Dzhankoi.

Source: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation; the Crimean Wind Telegram channel

Details: The Russian Ministry of Defence said that Ukrainian forces deployed an "S-200 anti-aircraft missile modified for attack" around 18:00 on Saturday, 7 October.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that its air defence forces intercepted the Ukrainian missile, destroying it.

An air-raid warning was issued in Sevastopol. Social media reports suggest air-raid sirens were also heard at the Dzhankoi airfield.

A subscriber told Crimean Wind that "an explosion of some sort occurred in Dzhankoi".

Residents of Chornomorske, Krasnoperekopsk and Dzhankoi districts also reported hearing a loud explosion; a missiles trail was visible in the sky.

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The Russians attacked Odesa Oblast with Oniks missiles on the night of 6-7 October. A boarding house building and a grain storage facility were hit, and the houses were damaged.

Source: Defence Forces of Ukraines South; Oleh Kiper, head of the Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "The enemy attacked Odesa with Oniks supersonic anti-ship missiles launched from the Bastion coastal missile system in temporarily occupied Crimea.

The strike took place on the boarding house building in the recreation area and in the granary of the port infrastructure."

Details: It is also reported that missile fragments and the blast wave caused a fire in a garage cooperative, and several apartment buildings were damaged.

"There was no information about the victims," the South's Defence Forces added.

Updated: Oleh Kiper, head of the Oblast Military Administration reported that four people were injured in the missile attack.

Quote: "Four people were injured. They were injured by glass fragments. They were provided with all necessary medical assistance."

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A woman was killed and two more people were injured during the Russian shelling of Zaporizhzhia Oblast on 7 October.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine; Zaporizhzhia blast Military Administration

Details: The Russian army attacked the village of Bilenke, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, on 7 October at about 07:45 (Kyiv time).

A woman was killed, and two more people were injured during the attack.

Five private houses were damaged as a result of the attack.

The authorities specify that Russian servicemen fired cluster shells at a peaceful village with MLRS.

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Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that his country is at war after Hamas fired thousands of rockets across the border from Gaza on Saturday.

At least 40 Israelis have been killed and hundreds have been hospitalised, local media reported, as emerging reports from Gaza state multiple are dead and wounded in Israeli strikes on the besieged strip.

The surprise offensive has seen Hamas gunmen cross the border in attacks by land, sea and air, as warning sirens sounded across southern and central parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and reports emerged of civilians and soldiers being taken hostage.

In a rare public statement, Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif urged all Palestinians to confront Israel, adding: Weve decided to say enough is enough. This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth.

At least 40 Israelis have been killed in Hamas strikes on Israel (AFP via Getty Images)

As the international community watches on in horror, here we take a look at the UKs current travel advice for Israel:

Travel advice to Israel

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to:

Gaza

The Shebaa Farms and Ghajjar

Within 500m of the border with Lebanon (the Blue Line) east of Metula, including the northern edge of the town and within 500m of the border with Syria (the Alpha Line).

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

Areas north of and including Jenin city, Burqin and Arranah in the north of the West Bank. This includes Jenin refugee camp and all areas north of this until the Jalamah checkpoint for access to Israel

The city of Nablus, Josephs Tomb, and the Balata and New Askar refugee camps near Nablus and the village of Huwara, south of Nablus.

Map showing the FCDOs current travel advisory (Foreign, Commonweath and Development Office)

Have flights been cancelled?

Flights have continued to operate at Tel Aviv airport, the main gateway to the nation. But many airlines are diverting or cancelling flights.

Wizz Air has so far diverted four flights that were en route to Israel when the attacks began. Airbus jets from Catania, Cluj, Debrecen and Warsaw all diverted to Larnaca, the main airport on the island of Cyprus.

A Wizz Air flight from Rome to Tel Aviv turned around and flew back to its starting point  as did an Anadulojet service from Istanbul.

Palestinian militants celebrate by an Israeli tank at the border fence of the Gaza Strip on Saturday (AP)

Two Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt and one from Munich have been grounded, as have departures on Brussels Airlines from the Belgian capital and SunExpress from Antalya.

From the UK, Virgin Atlantics overnight flight from London Heathrow arrived at Tel Aviv at 5am as normal. British Airways has a flight from Heathrow this afternoon, which is still shown as departing normally.

The Independent has asked BA if it will be going ahead  and whether passengers booked to or from Tel Aviv will be given the option to change without penalty.

Saturday is a very quiet day at Ben Gurion international airport, serving Tel Aviv, due to observation of the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat). It runs from shortly before sunset on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. No aircraft from El Al, the Israeli national airline, are in the air.
Carol Novose of Sharon, Pennsylvania, will speak Oct. 10 at Salem Historical Society.

A folk artist and historian from Sharon, Pennsylvania, will share the tale of a fallen gypsy during Salem Historical Societys October meeting.

Carol Novose will discuss Gypsy Queen Lena Miller, who traveled to Sharon in May 1921 with the Wallis Brothers Circus. The 32-year-old mother of six, who appeared as a fortune teller, died in Pennsylvania of pneumonia and was buried in the local Oakwood Cemetery.

She was from a formidable Romany clan, and about 1,000 gypsies traveled in for her funeral, and local spectators brought the crowd to almost 5,000.

Lena Miller, the so-called Gypsy Queen whose grave is seen at Oakwood Cemetery in Sharon, Pennsylvania, will be the subject of a talk Oct. 10 at Salem Historical Society.

The Oct. 10program will be presented at 7 p.m. at the Shaffer Library, located at 239 S. Lundy Ave. Non-members of the society are welcome to attend.

Novose is a historian and volunteer with the Sharon Historical Society.

Contact Salem Historical Society with questions at 330-337-8514.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Salem Historical Society talk to highlight circus fortune teller
Residents pass by an advertisement for a Whole Foods store on April 12 in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

San Francisco police on Friday announced a new campaign to crack down on retail theft, the latest high-profile law enforcement action undertaken in a city still struggling to shake its negative reputation when it comes to crime.

The initiative  backed by a $15.3-million state grant to combat organized retail crime  entails deploying "blitz enforcement operations" that will involve teams of officers patrolling popular city shopping areas.

Our city will not tolerate criminals ransacking our businesses, Police Chief Bill Scott said in a statement. Not only are these crimes devastating to our business community and local economy, too often weve seen these crimes escalate into violence."

Crime, including shoplifting, has long been a hot-button issue in San Francisco  with some saying theft and other illegal activity are the reason retailers including Nordstrom, Whole Foods and Target have opted to close locations in the city.

Read more: San Francisco is dealt another blow as Westfield walks away from downtown mall

The city made national news in April when a security guard at a local Walgreens shot and killed an unarmed man he suspected of shoplifting.

As of the start of this month, overall crime was down in San Francisco compared to 2022  with larceny thefts down nearly 8%, according to Police Department data. In a statement, the department noted that arrests are also increasing.

Robberies, however, were up 15% from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1 of this year, compared to the same period in 2022.

Though officially announced Friday, authorities are already touting the results of previous "blitz" enforcement actions.

"The operations are already showing promising results, with officers making dozens of arrests recently and recovering thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise at San Franciscos most victimized retailers," the Police Department said in a statement Friday.

Read more: A troubling California trend: More violent crimes with guns even as restrictions tighten

An operation Tuesday netted nine arrests and the recovery of stolen property at the San Francisco Centre, which has been vacated by Nordstrom, the department said.

We will protect our businesses from being targeted by retail theft operations, Mayor London Breed said in a statement. "Retail theft impacts our businesses, workers, and residents, and it must be stopped.

Officers also recovered around $100,000 in stolen merchandise on Sept. 22 and arrested three "prolific Bay Area thieves," the department said.

The blitz operations coupled with vigorous prosecution from my office will send a message that these crimes are taken seriously, and San Francisco is not the place to commit these kinds of crimes," Dist. Atty. Brooke Jenkins said in a statement.

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 governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran appeared to blame Israel for its escalating conflict with Hamas on Saturday.

The Palestinian militant group launched a mass attack on Israeli forces and settlements, killing at least 250 people in Israel and 232 in Gaza early Saturday, according to Israeli local media and the Palestinian government.

While leaders in the U.S. and Europe quickly denounced the attack and gave support for Israel, the three Middle Eastern nations criticized the country over its treatment of Palestinians.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely following the developments of the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a high level of violence on several fronts there, the countrys Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continued occupation, and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities, the statement continues.

The condemnation comes as both the Israeli and Saudi governments have attempted to normalize relations in recent years, at the encouragement of the U.S.

A senior Iranian government adviser explicitly endorsed Hamas in the conflict, the most direct support for the militant group from any government official globally.

We congratulate the Palestinian fighters, adviser Yahya Rahim Safavi said, according to state media via Reuters. We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.

Iran state media showed video of parliament members chanting in support of Hamas on Saturday, saying Death to Israel and Palestine is victorious, Israel will be destroyed.

Iran has funded and supplied Hamas for years as part of its decades-long conflict with Israel.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry also blamed Israel for the violence.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds Israel alone responsible for the current escalation due to this ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which is the repeated raids on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under of the protection of Israeli police, the ministry said in a statement.

Violence erupted at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in April, a holy place for the Muslim faith. In multiple days of fighting, Israeli police raided the mosque and arrested dozens of worshipers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the conflict a war in a public address early Saturday.

The U.S. has vowed to support Israel, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying the government will ensure the country has what it needs to defend itself.

Updated 4:03 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
New Hampstead student Ronnie Talton holds a helmet from a bomb suit while visiting the Army recruiting booth at the SCCPSS Fall Ready to Work Job Fair on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at Woodville Lower Campus.

Savannah-Chatham County Public School System's Fall Student Job Fair at the Lower Woodville Campus provided employers and recruitment officers an opportunity to meet sophomores, juniors and seniors from all SCCPSS high schools. Employers ranged across industries with professional representing the likes of Gulfstream, local governments, JCB, the United States Postal Service, and Seoyon E-HWA (a Korean automotive interior parts company).

Students walk through the SCCPSS Fall Ready to Work Job Fair on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at Woodville Lower Campus.

Angie Lewis, the SCCPSS executive director of college and career readiness, said the event had about 70 vendors attend.

The job fair is one of two that SCCPSS offers in the spring and fall. Lewis said that the fairs connect students to actual jobs often ahead of the Christmas holiday and summer seasons. Representatives from colleges, technical schools, the U.S. Armed Forces and even local business owners also attended to round out students opportunities to explore.

Chelsea Pyles, senior admissions representative for South University and graduate of Savannah Arts Academy, talks with students during the SCCPSS Fall Ready to Work Job Fair on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Chelsea Pyles is a senior admissions representative for South University. She graduated from Savannah Arts in 2008 and recalls attending similar career-focused events. They were a great opportunity for folksto figure out what their next steps might be and as an admissions person now, I get to see that on the other side, which is really cool.

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at jschwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah-Chatham County Schools job fair offers seasonal jobs, future careers
After the coronavirus pandemic, the world is on high alert for the next global health emergency.

Scientists are now warning about the risk to humans from the food production network, and factory farms are among the most concerning areas that could spawn the next virus.

Whats happening?

At the Compassion in World Farming event in London in May 2023, scientists, policymakers, and farmers met to discuss challenges within the industry and potential threats to human health.

Among the issues discussed was the use of antibiotics in factory farming, which has been found to lead to a potential problem when humans eat meat.

Most antibiotic resistance in human medicine is actually due to the human use of antibiotics, scientific adviser at the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics Coilin Nunan told Euronews.green. However, there is clear evidence that the farm use of antibiotics is also contributing, not just to antibiotic resistance in farm animals, but also to infections in humans.

With animals kept in close quarters on factory farms, hygiene standards are poor, and disease spreads more easily, so antibiotic use is frequent.

Why is this a concern?

The World Health Organization has described antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a silent pandemic and one of the top 10 global public health threats. Bacterial AMR has already been estimated to kill 1.3 million people a year.

If antibiotics are overused in farming, it could impact humans higher up the food chain as bacteria develop resistance to the drugs and multiply.

If some of the bacteria have developed resistance, then these bacteria are unaffected by the antibiotic and can continue to proliferate, spreading from human to human, or from animal to animal, or from animal to human, Nunan explained, per Euronews.green.

Nunan also described how animals fed antibiotics could end up with resistant bacteria in their gut at slaughter, leading to potential contamination of the carcass. This can spread to humans when handled or when undercooked meat is eaten.

Further, resistant bacteria can also enter the food system via animal manure, which is used to fertilize crops.

How can we prevent a silent pandemic?

Controlling AMR is essential, as experts predict it could cause up to 10 million deaths a year by 2050, per Euronews.green.

Nunan noted that better animal husbandry, such as providing animals with more space and improving hygiene, is one of the keys to preventing the spread of disease and, thus, the overuse of antibiotics. But there are already positive changes happening in the farming industry.

The EU has banned all forms of routine antibiotics on farms and the use of antibiotics to make up for poor farm husbandry.

The U.K. has also seen a 55% decrease in antibiotic use on farms since 2014, Euronews.green reported.

Consumer choices like buying responsibly sourced meat can also make a difference and discourage cheap and intensive farming methods that lead to animal disease and potential problems later on in the food chain.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit last week against a company and a specific business deal that directly involves President Bidens younger brother, James Biden.

The complaint was filed in the Southern District of Florida against Third Friday Management and Michael Lewitt, a business associate of James Bidens. The SEC alleges that Third Friday and Lewitt participated in fraudulent conduct and gross breaches of fiduciary duty to their clients, the fund and investors.

Prior to 2018, the company exclusively invested in S&P 500 index options and marketed it to investors. The Commission claims the company suddenly changed course without disclosing the new investing strategy to investors, many of whom are senior citizens.

Lewitt failed to disclose to investors that he had a personal financial interest and a partnership with a group of private companies, the 28-page lawsuit said.

Lewitt, with sole authority of the Fund, also misappropriated at least $4.7 million of investor funds for his personal use, including over $900,000 to pay a personal IRS tax lien, the SEC said.

The SEC said Lewitt failed to tell investors that he had taken a total of $30 million from the fund and invested it in a group of companies that invests in distressed health care companies that eventually went bankrupt. One of the companies he invested in, Platinum Global Health Partners LLC, has a separate lawsuit out against Lewitt, James Biden and others.

Lewitt is said to be the sole manager. The companys lawyer is identified as George Mesires, who has represented both James Biden and Hunter Biden in the past.

That lawsuit alleges Lewitt, James Biden and others committed acts of fraud against the hospital corporation Diverse Medical Management. Diverse Medical Management invested in medical care in rural communities and filed a separate lawsuit against the group in 2019.

In a counterclaim, Lewitt, James Biden and other investors said they provided short-term funding but did not receive financial due diligence.

Lewitt was summoned and has 21 days until he appears in court.

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Russia carried out a second consecutive day of missile strikes on Ukrainian ports, wounding four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday.

The attacks on Ukraines southern Odesa region come amid Russian efforts to shut down Ukrainian shipping centers, which have recently announced plans to increase their operations after being blockaded earlier in the war. The back-to-back days of Russian missiles damaged a boarding house, a granary, local apartment buildings, and nine trucks, The New York Times reported.

The four people hurt in the latest round of attacks were reportedly injured by broken glass from the explosions.

When Russia launched its all-out war on Ukraine in Feb. 2022, the international community worried that the attacks could spell famine for other countries. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of grain, especially to Africa. With war sweeping the country and Ukraines Black Sea ports under fire, exports stood to plummet and food prices to skyrocket.

In summer 2022, the U.N. helped broker an agreement between Ukraine and Russia that would allow shipments of food to leave Ukraines Black Sea ports. But Russia backed out of the deal this summer, saying it would only rejoin the accord if its own shipping demands were met.

The move, Reuters reported, resulted in a de facto Russian blockade, which Ukraine announced it would defy this week, with a dozen ships scheduled to pass through its Black Sea shipping corridor.

But other nations have warned that the route might be dangerous. On Thursday, the U.K. accused Russia of planting mines on routes into the Black Sea. The explosives would threaten civilian ships. (That same day, a Turkish cargo ship on route to a Ukrainian port in the Black Sea hit a mine, but was not damaged, Turkish authorities said.)

British officials warned that Russia might try to blame Ukraine for mine explosions, and that the threat of mines was meant to deter other nations from doing business with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia has kept up a missile campaign against Ukrainian grain and shipping infrastructure in the region. Since backing out of the shipping ceasefire in July, Russia has destroyed an estimated 300,000 tons of grain: enough to feed over 1.3 million people for a year, U.K. officials estimate.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Boston Police have located the missing eight-year-old boy from Dorchester.

===================================================================================

PREVIOUS STORY:

Police say Cameron Shavers was last seen around 7:30 p.m. Friday night.

Cameron is Black, slim with short curly hair and brown eyes. He was last seen riding a blue bicycle, wearing a t-shirt and shorts and green and white Adidas sneakers.

He frequently visits Woolson Street in Mattapan and Harambee Park on Talbot Avenue, according to BPD.

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A seventh person has been charged in connection with the disappearance and death of 17-year-old Imperial Stewart.

Columbus police on Friday announced that Raymor Dumas, 43, of the Far East Side, has been indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on charges of tampering with evidence and obstructing justice. A warrant had been issued for his arrest and he was not in custody as of Saturday afternoon.

Stewart was last seen Sept. 20 near Cleveland Avenue and Huy Road with Michael Bowles, 20, and his brother, 18-year-old Mi'Quel Bowles, according to Columbus police.

Stewart's remains were found Tuesday night on a church property on the citys Northeast side, according to court records and Stewarts family. The remains have not been officially identified publicly by the Franklin County Coroner's Office or police.

Michael Bowles was charged with murder and arrested Wednesday, Columbus police said.

According to court records, Stewart bought a firearm from Michael Bowles, and after the transaction, the Bowles brothers and a 16-year-old attempted to rob Stewart. During that attempted robbery, Stewart resisted and was shot, according to court records.

The 16-year-old faces delinquency charges of murder, obstruction of justice and robbery in Franklin County Municipal Court. The Dispatch is not naming him because he has not been charged as an adult, at least at this time.

MiQuel Bowles, 18, of the city's Glenbrook/Easthaven area, faces a felony charge of obstructing justice. Police say he lied when he claimed not to have any knowledge of the shooting and denied being in the car when it happened.

Tywisha Peterson, 40, the mother of the Bowles brothers, faces a felony charge of obstructing justice. The resident of Columbus' Northern Woods neighborhood is accused of discussing with her sons about how to get rid of a vehicle involved in a murder, and then lying about the conversation.

Genee Dumas, 39, of Columbus' Southeast Side, faces charges of obstruction, tampering with evidence and resisting arrest. According to court records, she attempted to break her daughters cellphone as her daughter was interviewed by police.

Dumas 17-year-old daughter faces delinquency charges of obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence and resisting arrest.

Abyone with information about Raymor Dumas' whereabouts is asked to call the Columbus police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-8477.

bagallion@gannett.com

@baileygallion

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Raymour Dumas charged in death of Columbus teen Imperial Stewart
At 6:52 a.m., she took the escalator into a metro station in the Iranian capital of Tehran, her short, dark hair uncovered. Roughly 16 minutes later, the girl  identified by authorities and activists as 16-year-old Armita Geravand  was lying, seemingly unconscious, on the subway platform.

These details were gleaned from a patchwork of security camera footage that has been aired by Irans state broadcaster and reviewed by NBC News.

The grainy and soundless footage does not appear to be obviously manipulated, and appears to cover much of her time inside the station on Sunday, bar a gap of just under 90 seconds before she reaches the turnstiles.

However, the girl disappears from view during the crucial moment: a four-second period when she actually boards the subway carriage and ends up on the floor.

Human rights activists have called on Iranian authorities to release any security footage from inside the car itself, which a prominent Kurdish rights group has said would show government agents physically assaulting her for allegedly violating the countrys Islamic dress code.

Authorities have denied this, saying that Geravand had no altercation with the morality police, instead fainting and hitting her head after a drop in blood pressure.

A 'public relations crisis'

Most trains in Tehran have multiple security cameras that are viewable by guards, according to The Associated Press, leading government critics to question why it has not released footage from inside the car that would corroborate its side of the story. But Irans state-run IRNA news agency interviewed a conductor who said this train, number 134, did not.

The door opened, three teenage students entered the train and just when they got in, seconds later she lost her balance and fell, he said.

State media also ran interviews with people identified as Geravands parents, and what it said were friends who were with her on the day. They also said there was no encounter with morality police and that she had suddenly fallen.

Human rights groups have frequently accused Iranian authorities of forcing those involved in such incidents to deliver statements under duress.

Hengaw, an Iranian Kurdish rights group based in Norway, said Geravand fell into a coma as a result of injuries it said were inflicted by the morality police. According to reports obtained by the group, she was physically attacked by authorities, it said Tuesday.

The group also posted a photo that it said showed her in bed at an air force hospitals intensive care unit. It said authorities had imposed strict security measures around the hospital and her family.

Armita Geravand 16 year old Iranian girl in a coma (via X)

Reuters, citing two unnamed prominent rights activists inside Iran, reported that she was in a coma and that security forces were heavily involved around the hospital.

The case has generated significant attention on social media, echoing that of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman whose death in hospital after being detained by morality police last year sparked mass protests.

Tehran has dismissed the growing global outrage, and accused Western countries that have spoken out, including the United States, of insincere concern. It painted the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday to jailed Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi as further evidence of Western efforts to stoke tensions.

Nevertheless the Geravand incident is a potential public relations crisis for the Islamic Republic, which is looking to prevent this becoming a repeat of the Mahsa Amini protests, said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, a London think tank.

What happened on the metro?

NBC News collated and analyzed several bits of footage posted by Iranian state-run media that when stitched together track a large part of Geravands progress through the station.

Just after 6:52 a.m. local time Sunday (11:22 p.m. Sunday ET), a person identified by Irans state broadcasters as Geravand walks into Meydan-E Shohada, or Martyrs Square, Metro station in southern Tehran, the security camera footage shows.

She takes the escalator down toward the platform, and goes through the turnstiles using her metro card, according to the film, some of which is sped-up.

Armita Geravan Attack Tehran (Iranian State Television / via APTN)

After that, she is seen going into a store and heading to the platform. She waits on the platform as one train arrives and leaves, before boarding the last carriage of the next train.

Armita Geravan Metro Attack in Tehran on Oct. 1, 2023. (Iranian State Television / via AP)

Then four seconds later, at 7:08 a.m., another passenger steps back out of the carriage onto the platform edge, crouching down to seemingly attend to someone who is still inside the train and hidden from view.

Armita Geravan Iran Metro Attack Oct. 1, 2023. (Iranian State Television / via AP)

That person, identified by Iranian state-run media as Geravand, is then carried out of the car appearing to be motionless, laid on the platform and surrounded by other people as the train leaves.

The mysterious injury suffered by Geravand not wearing a headscarf while boarding a Metro train in Iran's capital has reignited anger just after the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini and the nationwide protests it sparked. (Iranian State Television / AP)

This is where the aired footage ends, timestamped 7:09 a.m.

Armita Geravan Tehran Subway Attack Oct. 1, 2023. (Iranian State Television / via AP)

The key gap in the evidence has fueled demands from human rights groups for clarity about what transpired during those four seconds, especially given whats been happening over the past year in Iran.

After the protests over Aminis death, many women in urban areas started wearing their hair uncovered in a show of defiance on a level never seen before. At the same time, the government has been extraordinarily repressive over the past year and cracking down on protests and trying to push people off of the streets, Vakil at Chatham House said.

Authorities have used very aggressive means, from surveillance, arrest, torture and execution, she said, setting up a tug and pull tension between the heavy-handed regime and dissenting public.

In recent months authorities have moved to crack down on that visible show of dissent, restoring the morality police to the streets and seeking to reimpose the mandatory hijab laws.

Irans parliament last month passed a law that would impose punishments of up to 10 years in prison for women who disobey the rules on headscarves. The bill must be ratified by the Guardian Council, an unelected conservative legislative body.

Its against that backdrop that Geravands hospitalization has emerged to once again fuel angry accusations against the state.

Unhappiness over the headscarf rules are a reflection of a broader dissatisfaction with the government on an array of issues that span politics, economics, society and culture, Vakil said.

And when you put them together, in a country as large as Iran, she said, it creates a tinderbox.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The Shoreline Police Department is working with the King County Sheriffs Office to host a gun buyback event in October.

The event will be held on October 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shoreline Community College.

Firearms can be anonymously traded for Visa and Mastercard gift cards.

For more updates stay tuned to the Shoreline police social media page.

Gun Buyback in Shoreline!



October 21, 2023

16101 Greenwood Ave N

Shoreline, WA 98133

10am-2pm https://t.co/pDqy1Fb9xj  Shoreline Police (@ShorelinePolice) October 6, 2023
Six children hospitalized in Florida after eating cannabis gummies at after-school program

Six children were hospitalized in Florida after they ate candy containing cannabis at the Lauderhill Boys & Girls Club on Wednesday.

Police officers were dispatched to the location in Broward County three times that afternoon, according to a local report from NBC 6 South Florida.

A total of eight children ranging from 6 to 8 years of age consumed the gummies. Six of the children were transported to Broward Health and Florida Medical Center, according to Lauderhill Fire Rescue officials.

CALLS TO POISON CENTERS FOR ADHD MEDICATION ERRORS HAVE RISEN 300% SINCE 2000, STUDY FINDS

All of the children now have been released and are "returning to their normal activities," said the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County in an official statement provided to Fox News Digital.

It is believed that one of the children brought a package of cannabis-infused gummy candies into the club after school and shared the candies with the other members, the statement said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Edible products are often packaged in ways that are very similar to name-brand candy and snack products for children, a toxicologist warned.

"The safety and protection of the young people we serve is always our absolute highest priority, and we take any situation that might impact their well-being very seriously," the club added.

A spokesperson for the club told Fox News Digital on Friday that the source of the gummies is still under investigation.

Edible products are often packaged in ways that are very similar to name-brand candy and snack products that are familiar to children, according to Kelly Johnson-Arbor, M.D., a medical toxicologist and co-medical director at the National Capital Poison Center in Washington, D.C.

"Children are often not able to differentiate between these snack products and their cannabis lookalike varieties  and this can result in unintentional consumption," she told Fox News Digital.

These products can also contain large amounts of cannabis, with doses intended for adults.

MELATONIN GUMMIES FOUND TO CONTAIN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS LEVELS OF THE HORMONE: STUDY

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, pharmacy editor at GoodRx in New York City , said its possible for cannabis edibles to be dangerous for children, but it depends on exactly what cannabinoids the edibles contain and how much the children consume.

"In most cases, if a child consumes a cannabis edible by mistake, theyll just feel extra sleepy or loopy until it wears off," she said.

"Agitation, red eyes and a fast heart rate are also possible," she added.

"More severe side effects, like seizures or breathing issues , are rare but still possible  especially with large amounts of THC."

Its possible for cannabis edibles to be dangerous for children, but it depends on exactly what cannabinoids the edibles contain and how much the children consume, a pharmacist told Fox News Digital.

The risk of a life-threatening issue is higher with illicit or unregulated cannabis edibles, said Woodcock, as these are more likely to contain heavy metals, pesticides or other substances  such as fentanyl  that could be dangerous for children to consume.

Children are more likely than adults to experience severe signs of symptoms, Johnson noted, which is why its important to seek medical attention .

FOURTH WAVE OF FENTANYL OVERDOSE DEATHS HAS GRIPPED THE NATION, EXPERTS SAY: THE NORM, NOT THE EXCEPTION

"The degree of monitoring and treatment needed after cannabis ingestion in children depends on multiple factors, including the dose consumed, the child's age and any underlying medical issues," she went on.

"In some cases, specialized treatments, including intravenous medications and respiratory support, may be required," said Johnson.

Regardless of whether the child has symptoms, experts say its important to reach out to a medical professional.

The signs and symptoms of cannabis poisoning in children may last for several hours, Johnson said  and in some cases, children may require hospitalization for several days.

Although cannabis possession is legal in some states, it remains illegal on a federal level, Johnson said.

"This means that for cannabis edibles, there are no federal regulations for childproofing or use of packaging that is not attractive to children," she said.

"Because of this, it is very important to keep all cannabis edible products far away and out of reach of children."

In the event of an accidental consumption, the first step is to gather the facts, said Woodcock.

"The packaging of the edible will tell you what kind of edible they ate and the THC level or other cannabinoid content, such as CBD or CBN," she said.

LOOK WHO'S EXPERIMENTING WITH MARIJUANA TODAY MORE THAN ANY OTHER AGE GROUP

Regardless of whether the child has symptoms, Woodcock said its important to reach out to a medical professional.

"Call 911 if theyre having severe symptoms, like trouble breathing or changes in behavior," she said.

"Its important to keep in mind that the effects of cannabis edibles can take an hour or two to appear," she noted. "So just because your child seems fine at first doesnt mean theyll stay that way."

If you keep cannabis in your home, experts say to store it in a secure location thats out of reach of children.

If you dont notice any changes, you should still contact Poison Control, either online at www.poison.org or by phone at 1-800-222-1222, to receive "free, personalized, and evidence-based medical guidance for monitoring and treatment," said Johnson.

If you keep cannabis in your home, Woodcock said to treat it like a prescription medication and keep it in a secure location thats out of reach of children  ideally a lockbox.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"Make sure everyone in your home knows the difference between a cannabis edible and a regular food item," she said.

"Keep cannabis products in their original packaging, and make sure its clearly marked to avoid any confusion."

"Since theres not much information on the long-term effects of a cannabis overdose in children, prevention is truly key to protecting your childs safety," Woodcock also said.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health .





Original article source: Six children hospitalized in Florida after eating cannabis gummies at after-school program
Soldiers and police provide security behind an armored vehicle as supporters of presidential candidate Daniel Noboa, of the National Democratic Action Alliance political party, attend a rally with their candidate in downtown Esmeraldas, Ecuador, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. Ecuador will hold a presidential runoff, Oct. 15. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

QUITO, Ecuador (AP)  Six Colombians arrested as the alleged assassins of a candidate in Ecuador's August presidential election were slain Friday inside a prison in Guayaquil, officials announced, without providing details on what happened.

The prison authority said only that six prisoners killed inside Litoral Penitentiary were the men charged with the murder of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio . It identified them as Jhon Gregore R., Andres Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andres R., Sules Osmini C. and Jose Neyder L.

Earlier, the agency had reported that an event occurred inside the prison and six people were dead. Litoral is Ecuador's biggest prison and is considered one of its most dangerous, being the scene of several riots with deaths the past three years.

The killings came as the Prosecutor's Office was near the conclusion of the investigation stage into the killing of Villavicencio, who was gunned down Aug. 9 while leaving a political rally.

The 59-year-old politician had not been considered among the front-runners, but the assassination in broad daylight less than two weeks before the vote was a shocking reminder of the surge in crime besetting Ecuador. He had reported being threatened by affiliates of Mexicos Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the many international organized crime groups operating in Ecuador.

Villavicencios alleged hitmen were captured hours after the crime and ordered held in preventive detention. Six other people also have been arrested for suspected involvement.

Although authorities released no information on the killings Friday, local media said the deaths occurred in pavilion 7, which officials have said is dominated by the local gang Los Choneros, led by Adolfo Macias. In his election campaign, Villaviciencio directly denounced Macias as the author of threats against his life.

President Guillermo Lasso, who is out of the country, wrote on the social network X, formerly called Twitter, that he would return to Ecuador to attend to the emergency.

Neither complicity nor cover-up, the truth will be known here, he said.

Ecuador is holding a runoff presidential election Oct. 15 pitting the two top finishers in the August vote  leftist Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker Daniel Noboa, who is the son of a banana tycoon.
Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead at a campaign event in Quito on August 9 - REUTERS

Six people accused of assassinating an anti-corruption presidential candidate in Ecuador were killed in prison on Friday.

The suspects who were implicated in the attack in August on Fernando Villavicencio were killed at a jail in the Guayas province, Ecuadors prisons agency, SNAI, said.

Ecuadors government condemned the killings which come barely a week before a crucial run-off election.

President Guillermo Lasso pledged neither complicity nor cover-up in getting to the bottom of the crime, in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Here the truth will be known, he said.

Mr Lasso announced he was calling off a visit to Seoul and returning from a trip to New York to handle the incident.

A woman wounded in the attack on Fernando Villavicencio - GETTY IMAGES

The killings took place in Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, the South American countrys largest city.

SNAI said in a statement the six men were all Colombian nationals. It gave no more details of the killings.

The government has said authorities are determined to identify those behind Mr Villavicencios murder.

Mr Lasso previously suggested Mr Villavicencio was the victim of a gang assassination.

Mr Villavicencio, a prominent journalist, was gunned down less than two weeks before a first-round general election.

Police arrested the six Colombians on the day of the assassination. A seventh suspect, also Colombian, was shot and killed by police, while other suspects were later arrested.

The US agreed to send FBI agents to assist Quito officials with the investigation.

Business heir Daniel Noboa, who holds a narrow lead in some polls ahead of the run-off, said in a social media post that the government must provide details of what occurred at the prison and that peace must be restored in the country.

His main rival for the presidency is Luisa Gonzalez, a protege of leftist former President Rafael Correa. She has said that surging crime is unprecedented and that voters should not allow terror to stop them from voting for change.

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FILE PHOTO: Ecuadorean presidential candidate Zurita and his running mate Gonzalez attend their closing campaign rally, in Quito

(Reuters) -Six men suspected of involvement in the murder in August of Ecuador's anti-corruption presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio were killed in prison on Friday, the prisons agency said, barely a week before a crucial run-off election.

The killings took place in a penitentiary in Guayaquil, the South American country's largest city, the attorney general's office announced earlier on Friday.

Ecuador's government swiftly condemned the killings.

Outgoing President Guillermo Lasso pledged "neither complicity nor cover-up" in getting to the bottom of the killings, in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Here the truth will be known," he said.

The SNAI prisons agency said in a statement the six men were all Colombian nationals. It gave no more details of the killings.

The government has said authorities are determined to identify those behind Villavicencio's murder.

Villavicencio, a prominent journalist, was gunned down less than two weeks before a first round general election as he left a campaign event in the capital, Quito.

Police arrested the six Colombians on the day of Villavicencio's assassination. A seventh suspect, also Colombian, was shot and killed by police, while other suspects were later arrested.

The second round run-off vote is scheduled for Oct. 15, the culmination of an election cycle marred by numerous incidents of violence.

Business heir Daniel Noboa, who holds a narrow lead in some polls ahead of the run-off, said in a social media post that the government must provide details of what occurred at the prison and that peace must be restored in the country.

His main rival for the presidency is Luisa Gonzalez, a protege of leftist former President Rafael Correa. She has said that surging crime is unprecedented and that voters should not allow "terror" to stop them from voting for change.

(Reporting by Julia Symms Cobb; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Robert Birsel)
Six Colombians suspected of assassinating Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio have been found dead in prison, officials said.

The six men were slain after an event inside the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil on Friday, the attorney generals office said.

No further details have been released about the circumstances of their deaths.

Villavicencio, a prominent journalist, was gunned down on 9 August while leaving a political rally in Quito, 11 days before the Ecuadorean general election.

The long shot candidate had reported receiving death threats from Mexicos Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the several organised crime groups which have caused surging crime rates in the country.

The alleged assassins were arrested hours after the shooting and had been kept in preventive detention.

Prison officials identified the men as Jhon Gregore R., Andres Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andres R., Sules Osmini C. and Jose Neyder L.

The deaths came as Ecuadors national prosecutors office had reportedly been close to finishing an investigation into Villavicencios murder.

In a statement to X/Twitter, the attorney generals office said specialised security personnel had carried out an operation at the prison in response to disturbances on Friday.

In an update, officials said the bodies of six prisoners had been removed and were being taken for autopsies to determine their cause of death.

Soldiers secure an area before the arrival of Ecuadorean presidential candidate Daniel Noboa, who was taking part in a rally on Friday ahead of the October 15 run-off (REUTERS)

President Guillermo Lasso condemned the killings and said there would be neither complicity nor cover-up in getting to the bottom of the crime.

Here the truth will be known, he said in a post on X.

Mr Lasso said he was cutting short a trip to South Korea due to the crisis in the prison system.

Litoral is the largest prison in Ecuador and has seen several deadly riots in recent years.

Ecuador is holding a runoff presidential election on 15 October with the two top candidates from the August elections Luisa Gonzalez and former lawmaker Daniel Noboa.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited Ecuador on Friday to hold meetings with local leaders about the migrant crisis.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department asked the community for help locating additional video of a man who allegedly was caught on a doorbell camera video masturbating outside of a home near Cal Poly.

Keith William Phillips, a 49-year-old unhoused resident of San Luis Obispo, allegedly was caught on camera on multiple occasions masturbating outside of a house on the 1200 block of Stafford Street in San Luis Obispo.

According to an update from the San Luis Obispo Police Department, investigators believe Phillips has engaged in similar activities in the neighborhoods around Cal Poly since May 2023, and possibly before.

The Police Departments update listed four female and one male residents as victims.

Most recently, on Monday, one of the women living in the 1200 block of Stafford Street reported to officers that they discovered Philip touching himself outside their home Sunday evening around 10 p.m.

A 17-year-old girl was showering at the time, police said, and doorbell camera footage allegedly showed Phillips watching the girl through a partially open bathroom window while masturbating.

The residents of the home also found a second video from their doorbell camera of Phillips masturbating outside of the home in May.

Then on Wednesday, one of the victims saw Phillips on Stafford Street and notified police.

Phillips was arrested on suspicion of felony indecent exposure with a prior conviction.

Phillips is also suspected of four misdemeanors: lewd conduct in public, prowling, peeping and annoying or molesting a child under 18.

Police said Phillips was a registered sex offender from Arizona, though his 10-year registry expired in 2014.

He moved to California between his Arizona conviction and 2014, police said.

Phillips remains in custody with an enhanced bail of $200,000, according to the police release.

If you have photos or videos of Phillips on private property, contact Officer Stevens at 805-594-8093.

How to get help

If you or someone you know are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.

The hotline offers a range of free services including confidential support from a trained staff member, help finding a local health facility, legal and medical advice and referrals for long-term support.

If you or someone you know are a survivor of domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.

The hotline offers a range of free services including confidential support from a trained staff member, help finding a local health facility, legal and medical advice and referrals for long-term support.

Survivor support and resources are also available through Lumina Alliance at luminaalliance.org or their Crisis and Information Line at 805-545-8888.
Robert Fico, leader of the anti-Ukrainian party Smer-SD, which won the parliamentary elections in Slovakia on October 1, 2023

Slovakia will discontinue its military assistance to Ukraine following the victory of pro-Russian politician Robert Fico s Smer-SD party in recent parliamentary elections, Politico reported on Oct. 6, citing the countrys interim government.

The decision to halt military aid to Ukraine stems from negotiations between political parties opposed to such support, as they are currently discussing the formation of a coalition after the elections.

The outgoing bureaucratic government in Slovakia will not send any more military material to Ukraine, a government spokesperson said.

Read also:

The news comes as Slovakias defense ministry had been considering the possibility of sending a new aid package.

In the parliamentary elections in Slovakia on Oct. 1, Smer-SD secured victory with 23.29% of the vote. The pro-European Progressive Slovakia (PS) party came second with 17.07% of the vote.

Read also: Wait for coalition formation before drawing conclusions  Ukraines Foreign Minister on Slovakian election

Fico had previously expressed his opposition to Ukraines support and its NATO aspirations. He also promotes false Russian narratives, claiming that the war began in 2014 when Ukrainian Nazis and fascists started killing Russian citizens in Donbas and Luhansk.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo.  Inclement weather has hampered ground search efforts for trail runner Chad Pallansch, who was last heard from nine days ago in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The last correspondence with Pallansch, 49, was Sept. 27, when he sent a text saying that he was near the summit of Mount Alice. According to the National Park Service, Mount Alice rises more than 13,000 feet.

Search efforts for Pallansch have included a variety of methods, such as dog teams, air reconnaissance, a heat-sensing fixed-wing flight and ground crews around Mount Alice, Black Lake and a number of other areas within the park.

Flight team during the search.

Snow, ice and wind at high elevations have complicated the ground search, according to the NPS. In the meantime, search efforts continue in the form of reviewing aerial reconnaissance photographs and preparing for a focused ground search effort.

RESCUERS FIND MISSING CLIMBER CLINGING TO CALIFORNIA GLACIER IN 12-HOUR MEGA RESCUE

Helicopter flights were used Friday as part of aerial reconnaissance and to confirm suitable landing sites for search teams starting Saturday.

The NPS noted that the area between Mount Alice and McHenrys Peak will close Friday night to limit scent distractions and increase the effectiveness of the dog teams.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Map of area closure (in red).

Pallansch had embarked on a 28-mile route through the park, according to the NPS. They said Pallansch had not attempted this route before, but noted that he is an experienced trail runner who has run a number of routes in the park more than 30 times.

The NPS described Pallansch as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 155 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He is likely wearing a black ultralight jacket, black running shorts or leggings and a gray fanny pack.

To share information that could help investigators visit the NPS website.





Original article source: Snow, ice in Colorado national park hampers search for missing trail runner
Arizona is set to receive $1.8 million in a multistate settlement with software company Blackbaud in a suit accusing it of deficient data security practices and of falling short in response to a ransomware incident in 2020 that exposed millions of Americans' personal information.

The payout is part of a $49.5 million settlement between the Charleston, South Carolina-based Blackbaud and 50 attorneys general, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes ' office announced Friday. "In todays digital world, companies must stringently safeguard data to ensure consumer privacy," Mayes said in a statement. "Bad actors will stop at nothing to exploit vulnerabilities, and it is incumbent upon companies like Blackbaud to be proactive, transparent, and accountable in their cybersecurity measures."

The settlement also calls for Blackbaud to overhaul its data security and data breach notification practices, according to the Attorney General's Office.

"The significant settlement weve reached not only holds Blackbaud accountable for past deficiencies but also ensures that consumers are better protected moving forward," Mayes' statement said.

According to Mayes' office, Blackbaud stood accused by the AG of four infractions:

Violating state consumer protection laws.

Violating data breach notification laws.

Violating privacy laws by failing to implement reasonable data security.

Violating privacy laws by failing to remediate known security gaps allowing unauthorized individuals to access the companys network.

Blackbaud, according to the AG's office, has agreed to stronger data security and breach notification practices:

Prohibit misrepresentations on the processing, storing and safeguarding of personal information.

Prohibit misrepresentations on the likelihood that personal information affected by a security incident may be subject to further disclosure or misuse.

Prohibit misrepresentation on breach notification requirements under state laws and federal privacy laws.

Implement and maintain plans to prepare for and more appropriately respond to future security incidents and breaches.

Provide appropriate assistance to customers.

Support customers compliance with applicable notification requirements in the event of a breach.

Report security incidents to the CEO and the company's board.

Enhance employee training and appropriate resources and support for cybersecurity.

Safeguard and control personal information by requiring total database encryption and dark web monitoring.

Require specific security measures on network traffic controls, protections against vulnerabilities, intrusion detection, firewalls, access controls, logging and monitoring and the testing of hacking vulnerabilities.

Have the company's compliance assessed for seven years by a third party.

The investigation into Blackbaud was led by Indiana and Vermont, according to Mayes' office. Arizona, along with Alabama, Florida, Illinois and New York, assisted with the investigation, according to the AG's office. Another remaining 42 states and the District of Columbia were also part of the investigation, the office noted. The only state that appears to not have participated in the investigation is California.

"Your organizations data security is mission-critical, and we take our commitment to protecting it extremely seriously," reads a statement on Blackbaud's website.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Software company settles for $1.8M with Arizona in data security case
SEATTLE - Data from the census bureau shows Seattles median household income is $110,000 a year. Black families are earning less than half of that, making it nearly impossible to afford the average monthly rent of nearly $2,300.

Africatown Plaza is the newest affordable housing option, right in the heart of the Central District. The project address historical disparities in the construction field and gives people displaced by gentrification an opportunity to come home again.

"The vision was to acquire land to acquire this whole block, for the Black community that has called this community home for over 140 years," said K. Wyking Garrett, CEO Africatown Community Land Trust.

Taking back the block started with the Liberty Bank Building. Africatown Plaza is the next step, creating 126 new affordable apartments on the south end of the Midtown Block redevelopment.

All the units are available to familys making 30-60 percent of the average median income (AMI).

(Africatown)

The Midtown square apartments are directly next door. Their 2-bedroom units are listed for $3,690, while a 2-bedroom at Africatown Plaza will go for $1,785.

"Just being able to know that you have a place to call home and that you can afford that rent," said Valenica Chambers Manora of Community Roots Housing, who is partnering with Africatown Land Trust on the development. "To live in the central area and not have to be in the six figures or mid-six-figures to live here, is going to make a big impact on lots of families."

In addition to addressing housing inequalities, Africatown Plaza made a commitment to secure a Black general contractor and just under 50% of the subcontractors, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work are also Black.

"Building with community not just for community," said Garrett. "Including those that are often excluded systemically from opportunities such as to be a general contractor on a project of this scale. To have architects to be able to design from a black culture or afro-centric design perspective."

GGLO, in collaboration with David Baker Architects, brought that vision to life. The design of the building features a unique wood-clad facade and was created to be a "visual statement of the Black American presence within the neighborhood."

READ MORE: Local organization works to restore Black culture, history in Seattle's Central District

"Really for the building its about a love letter to the Central District," said Whitney Lewis, Designer associate, GGLO Architecture. "You have touchpoints of what makes the Central Area important to the African American and Pan African communities. Touches of craft, jazz and just making sure theres semblance and meaning throughout everything. It shows we shouldnt be afraid to put our dollars behind projects like this and affordable housing projects dont have to be run-of-the-mill. They can have iconic points of nature really stand the test of time."

Construction on Africatown Plaza is over 75% complete. The goal is for the project to be finished by the end of the year, with people being able to move in sometime in January. Rental applications are currently being accepted and theres a phone line open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information on the income qualifications needed to live at Africatown Plaza, visit their website here.
EVANSVILLE  A weeks-long, state-spanning manhunt came to a close Friday night when a U.S. Marshals Service task force in Evansville arrested Johnathan Torell Kelly, who fled South Carolina after he allegedly killed a man in August.

Deputies booked Kelly, 34, into the Vanderburgh County jail just after 11 p.m. Kelly is being held without bond as he awaits extradition to South Carolina.

According to Sheriff Noah Robinson, Kelly had felony warrants stemming from an Aug. 13 slaying. South Carolina law enforcement officials identified the victim as Ronnie Crawford of Varnville, South Carolina.

At the time of Kelly's capture, prosecutors in Allendale, South Carolina, had charged him with felony murder, kidnapping, and weapons violations. By late August, Allendale police had requested the public's help to track down Kelly, who officials described as being "armed and dangerous."

On Friday, a U.S. Marshal Service Regional Task Force comprised of Vanderburgh County sheriff's deputies, Evansville police and the state police learned Kelly may have fled to the Evansville area. That realization followed earlier reports that Kelly had traveled to Lawrenceville, Illinois.

The search in Illinois netted one arrest, but not Kelly's: Officers arrested 29-year-old Evan W. Cave and charged him with aiding Kelly in his flight from the law, according to Lawrenceville Police Chief Jim White.

Kelly would remain on the run until Friday morning when the Evansville Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics unit surrounded a residence in the 2500 block of Pollack Avenue and secured Kelly's surrender, according to Robinson.

"Kelly is lodged at the Vanderburgh County jail awaiting extradition back to South Carolina," Robinson stated in a news release. "All inquiries into Kelly's alleged crimes should be made to the Allendale Police Department."

The Courier & Press left a message with the Allendale Police Department seeking further information about Kelly's alleged crimes.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: South Carolina fugitive Johnathan Torell Kelly arrested in Evansville
The first images from a new Earth-observing satellite reveal in unprecedented detail how temperatures change on the planet's surface.

The new images  captured by HOTSAT-1, a satellite developed and operated by London-based SatVu  show temperature differences in Las Vegas and Chicago down to a resolution of 33 feet (10 meters), according to an emailed statement.

The camera on board the spacecraft can even capture short video sequences. One such sequence, revealed as part of the first batch of released images, shows the thermal signature of a locomotive traveling on the main railway line in Chicago (but you have to look very carefully to find it).

Other images revealed a detailed thermal footprint of wildfires that devastated Canada's Northwest Territories in June. The superb resolution provided by HOTSAT-1 could help firefighters monitor how fire fronts advance in critical areas, such as near populated areas, Tobias Reinicke, chief technical officer and co-founder of SatVu, told Space.com in an interview.

Related: Satellites watch wildfires rage across Canadian northwest (photos)

According to Reinicke, the quality of HOTSAT-1's first images "exceeded" the company's expectations.

"Thermal imaging has been done for decades by scientific missions like NASA's Landsat and the European Sentinel satellites," Reinicke said. "But these satellites are only collecting thermal data at a very coarse resolution  100 meters, 500 meters or 1,000 meters [330 feet, 1,650 feet or 3,300 feet]. There's not been a commercial mission that is capturing data under 10 meters [33 feet] in the thermal spectrum."

Seeing temperature differences on Earth's surface in such a high resolution will allow city planners to understand how heat escapes from buildings, pipelines and factories, which, in turn, will enable them to make future infrastructure more energy efficient to help fight climate change.

The thermal profile of an area around the main port in Darwin, Australia, taken by SatVu's HOTSAT-1 satellite.

Satellites commonly observe the surface of our planet in visible light, the same wavelengths that humans can see with their eyes. In recent years, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellations have been launched that see Earth's surface even at night and through thick clouds. Both techniques image the planet's surface in very high resolution, revealing details as small as 12 inches (30 centimeters). However, neither technology shows spatial differences in temperature and how it changes within a day.

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Detecting heat (essentially infrared light) from space is more difficult than SAR and visible light imaging because of the longer wavelength of the measured signal, Reinecke said.

"You need a slow shutter," Reinecke said. "Effectively a longer exposure. But because our satellites travel through space at a speed of 7 kilometers per second [4.4 miles per second], we need to be able to carefully point the satellite; otherwise, the images would be blurry."

HOTSAT-1 launched into orbit in June aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The spacecraft, a cube that measures about 3.3 by 3.3 by 3.3 feet (1 by 1 by 1 m), follows a polar orbit that allows it to see every spot on Earth at roughly the same time every day.

SatVu, which has secured a total of 30.5 million British pounds ($37.1 million) in venture capital funding so far, hopes to launch its second satellite in about a year. Ultimately, the company envisions a constellation of eight to 10 satellites that would allow scientists, city planners and other parties to monitor in detail how temperatures on the planet's surface change every day.
A Spanish company launched the country's first private rocket on Saturday in a step towards bringing Spain into the exclusive club of space-faring nations.

The launch of the small MIURA1 rocket took place at 02:19 am (0019 GMT) from a military base in the southern region of Andalusia, according to the company, PLD Space.

The company hailed the launch as "successful" and said it had achieved all its "technical objectives", with the rocket rising 46 kilometres (29 miles) above the Gulf of Cadiz.

After five minutes in flight, it landed in the Atlantic Ocean, where PLD Space said it would send a team to recover it.

The launch was hailed as a "milestone" by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in a posting on social media.

"The launch of Miura 1, the first rocket built 100% with Spanish technology, has been successful, a milestone that positions Spanish research, development and innovation at the forefront of space transport," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, congratulating PLD Space.

The launch of the 12-metre (39-foot) rocket was first suspended in May because of strong wind, and then a second time in June because some of its umbilical cables -- which provide power and fuel to the rocket -- did not release in time.

The rocket is the first step in the development of MIURA5, a 35-metre-high, two-stage mini-launch vehicle designed to place satellites weighing less than 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) into orbit from 2025.

According to PLD Space, 70 percent of the components developed for MIURA1 will be used for MIURA5.

Under a deal signed with the French National Centre for Space Studies, the mini-launcher will take off from the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana.

Founded in 2011 by two Spanish academics, PLD Space is one of several European start-ups to have embarked on the development of a mini-satellite launcher in response to the fast-growing market for launching micro-satellites into orbit.

Compared with large launchers such as SpaceX's Falcon 9 or ArianeGroup's Ariane 6, small rockets have a number of uses, including the ability to carry a single satellite.

They can also be launched more quickly.

vab-mra/hmw/ach
Spanish company PLD Space now has one launch under its belt.

PLD Space's Miura 1 suborbital rocket lifted off today from the El Arenosillo Test Center at the National Institute of Aerospace Technology in Huelva, Spain, at 8:19 p.m. EDT (0019 GMT and 0219 local time in Spain on Oct. 7).

The mission was scheduled to last 12 minutes and get 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth's surface  the altitude at which space begins, according to NASA and the U.S. military. (That's not universally accepted, however; some organizations go with the Karman line, which lies 62 miles, or 100 km, up.)

Miura 1  which is named after a type of fighting bull  didn't get that high, topping out at 28.6 miles (46 km) on a flight that lasted 306 seconds, according to a company statement. But the rocket performed well enough on its first-ever test flight to have PLD Space celebrating.

Related: European spaceflight companies are racing to be the first to reach orbit

The Miura 1 is a single-stage rocket that stands 41 feet (12.5 meters) tall. It can carry about 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of payload on brief flights to suborbital space.

Miura 1 carried a payload on its debut mission  an experiment from the German Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity that studied microgravity conditions during the flight, according to PLD Space. The company also put photos of its employees on board to mark the milestone moment.

The mission ended with Miura 1's splashdown into the Atlantic Ocean. PLD Space had boats in the area, which aimed to recover the vehicle for inspection and analysis. (The Miura 1 is the first European rocket that's designed to be recoverable.)

a man and a woman in black t-shirts clap while confetti falls around them.

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PLD Space aims to learn a great deal about the vehicle from tonight's test mission, chiefly to inform the development of a more ambitious, more powerful vehicle.

"This launch is the result of more than 12 years of hard work, but it is only the beginning of what is to come," PLD Space launch director and co-founder Raul Torres said in the same statement.

"Thanks to this experimental flight, we will be able to extract a large volume of information that will allow us to validate a large part of the design and technology that will serve as the basis for developing our orbital launcher, Miura 5," he added.

The Miura 5 could launch as soon as 2025 and enter service in 2026, if everything goes well. The orbital rocket, which features a reusable first stage, will fly from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Tonight's launch wasn't be the first attempt for the Miura 1. An initial try on June 17 was aborted 0.2 seconds before liftoff, after ground software determined that one of the cables connecting the rocket to its launch tower hadn't disconnected in time. PLD Space's investigation subsequently found that the cable had indeed been released, but 0.1 seconds later than planned.

The Miura 1 liftoff was one of four space missions planned for today. Already in the books today are Virgin Galactic's fourth commercial space tourism mission and the launch of Amazon's first two prototype internet satellites atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. France-based company Arianespace aimed to loft 12 satellites tonight at 9:36 p.m. EDT (0136 GMT on Oct. 7) with its Vega rocket, but that attempt was scrubbed late in the countdown clock.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 9 p.m. EDT on Oct. 6 with the results of tonight's flight, then again at 9:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 7 with information from PLD Space's post-launch statement.
The Columbus Day Parade has been a tradition for 35 years in Pittsburghs Little Italy.

The parade made its way down Liberty Avenue in Pittsburghs Bloomfield neighborhood Saturday morning as spectators of all ages lined the streets.

Everybodys here, having a beautiful day, enjoying the parade, thats the only thing that matters, said James Piontek of Bloomfield.

The Italian Sons and Daughters of America Western PA District sponsored the parade, which included high school bands such as the Pittsburgh Obama Academy Marching Band.

Pittsburgh Police took part in the parade, as well as the sheriffs department. There were somber remembrances of fallen officers.

The Italian-American War Veterans have participated from the very beginning.

Ever since the parade started. That along with been how many years since Columbus 500, thats how long weve been doing it, said National Commander Tony Ficarri, with the Italian-American War Veterans.

This years Grand Marshal is Judge Robert Gallo.

All federal, state and county offices are closed Monday for the Columbus Day holiday.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The agency that oversees charter schools in Nevada is voicing its concerns with TEACH Las Vegas Charter School.

The charter school, which is located near Torrey Pines and Rancho drives, abruptly sent students back home on Thursday after parents dropped them off.

According to staff, classes wont resume at TEACH Las Vegas until Wednesday.

Parents angry after being told Las Vegas charter school is closed for 4 days due to internal disruption

Jennifer Bauer, the interim executive director of the State Public Charter School Authority, told 8 News Now the situation is not normal and very concerning.

TEACHs executive director and about 17 teachers have resigned from the school. This stems from an emergency meeting held last week.

We dont even know how to feel, Staff, parents express frustration over Las Vegas charter schools closure

Several parents and staff told 8 News Now theyre concerned with the future of the school.

Bauer said a new executive director will start on Monday at TEACH Las Vegas.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  A multi-agency sweep made up of both Oklahoma and federal law enforcement resulted in hundreds of arrests over the past couple months. Authorities unveiled Friday what they dubbed operation triple beam.

The whole point is trying to reduce violent crime and get dangerous offenders off the streets, said Johnny Kuhlman with the US Marshals Service.

LOCAL NEWS: Not just about financial compensation: Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors at State Capitol

The operation went into effect in early July. Kuhlman said its led to the seizing of over 175 guns, 4 missing children recovered, and over 450 alleged criminals arrested.

Oklahoma and federal law enforcement. Image KFOR.

Several of these fugitives were arrested in surrounding states, including Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and we even had one arrested in Thailand, Kuhlman said. Id also like to personally command all the law enforcement personnel who worked so extremely hard to make this operation success.

Over 150 pounds of drugs were also recovered. Part of that was 50 pounds of fentanyl in one incident alone.

The operation was a tremendous success, said Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley.

An operation of this scale does not happen without planning and preparation, said U.S. Attorney Bob Troester.

LOCAL NEWS: Some people think theyre above the law: OSBI investigating Garfield County judge after drive-by shooting

Troester and Gourley both said the numbers are only scratching the surface of what theyre wanting to do for public safety in Oklahoma City and beyond.

There is no doubt that this operation has made Oklahoma City and in Oklahoma central all of central Oklahoma a much safer place to be, Troester said.

We will hunt you down and find you and hold you accountable, Gourley said.

For more information, visit this link.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
U.S. Postal Service letter carriers rally at the USPS Compton main office to call attention to robberies and physical assaults they've experienced. Postal workers said crimes against them are more frequent, brazen and violent. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Bee Lee did not recognize the man who followed him as he delivered mail in Compton earlier this year.

Lee, a longtime letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, was wary but "had a job to do" and kept walking his route.

When Lee stopped to get a drink from his truck, the man punched him in the jaw  so hard that he blacked out  and ran away.

Lee, 62, of Torrance, has struggled with his memory since the March assault, saying his brain feels "like it's shut down." He retired  earlier than he wanted to  after three decades of carrying mail for the Postal Service.

Postal Service letter carriers rally at the USPS Compton main office on Wednesday to call attention to robberies and physical assaults they've experienced locally and across the nation. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Violent attacks, such as the one that cut Lee's career short, have become more common in Southern California and beyond since the start of the pandemic, according to the National Assn. of Letter Carriers, the union representing Postal Service carriers.

Dozens of postal workers this week rallied outside a Compton post office on Santa Fe Avenue, decrying the robberies, assaults and intimidation they face on the job.

The signs they carried read: "Enough is Enough  Protect Our Letter Carriers."

Brian Renfroe, president of the postal workers' union, said the violence is perplexing because letter carriers have been able to walk down "the meanest streets of the country without a problem" for the nearly 250 years since the Postal Service formed.

"Nobody messed with us," Renfroe said. "Unfortunately, that is no longer the case."

Since 2020, there have been more than 2,000 violent attacks on letter carriers represented by the NALC, which has more than 30,000 members in California, union leaders said this week.

In the first eight months of 2023, there were 20 robberies involving letter carriers in Lakewood alone, said Eli Torres, an NALC branch vice president.

Natashi Garvins, a USPS spokeswoman, said the Postal Service and its law enforcement arm, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, recognize the increasingly challenging environment and have partnered with local and federal authorities to protect the carriers and the mail they are delivering.

"We will continue to adapt to evolving security threats and implement expanded measures to safeguard our employees and preserve the security of the mail that our customers expect and deserve," Garvins said.

A postal worker rallies at the USPS Compton main office on Wednesday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

"We have been  and will continue to  implement an engaged, robust nationwide initiative to harden blue collection boxes, enhance collection box key and lock technology and institute dual authentication for change of address protocols."

Union leaders say recent attacks in Compton have been among the most violent in California.

Last year, a Compton letter carrier was pistol-whipped in the head while making a delivery.

And in September, another Compton carrier  a colleague of Lee's  had a gun pulled on him while delivering mail.

That carrier, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear for his safety on his route, had just dropped off some mail at a residence when a man started yelling at him and cussing him out.

The resident was furious that the mail banged during a delivery, the letter carrier said.

The carrier said he did not report the verbal assault to his bosses because he worried residents would know it was him who snitched. He returned to the street two days later  and the resident who had yelled aimed a gun at his face.

"I'm thinking, 'Dude, this is it for me,'" he told The Times.

The carrier still walks his route, but he avoids the man's street, he said.

Postal workers say crimes against them are more frequent, brazen and violent. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

"This problem is growing," Renfroe, the union president, said in a speech to workers at the Compton rally this week. Targeted armed robberies, assaults and shootings, he said, have become "part of our job."

Renfroe called for the federal government to help. An estimated 14% of crimes against letter carriers have been federally prosecuted and resulted in an arrest, he said.

"You know what that tells me?" he asked. That 86% of the people that do this get away with it. That has to change."

Keisha Lewis, a union representative who oversees carriers in Nevada, California, Hawaii and Guam, said she receives two to three emails every week about a letter carrier being robbed or attacked  something that was, until recently, unthinkable.

The most effective deterrent, she said, will always be customers speaking up and telling authorities when they see something.

Sharon Whitaker rolled up to the rally late  in her USPS truck, laying on the horn.

Whitaker, a 63-year-old letter carrier and union steward who grew up in Compton, said the job feels a lot more dangerous these days. She prays every day before taking off on her route.

I ask God to bring me back home safe, Whitaker said. But every time a car comes down the street Im ducking. Because you never know what will happen.

Ever since a shooting last September near South Park in Compton that left two men dead and a woman injured, Whitaker won't park her mail truck in the area while she walks her route.

Customers called the day after the shooting, warning her not to come out.

Whitaker said she has had her safety threatened numerous times during her nearly four decades working for the Postal Service.

While delivering mail in Compton early one morning in 1991, a gunfight broke out. Her shirt and shoes were grazed as she ran for safety to a nearby home, banging on the door until someone let her in.

I was so afraid, Whitaker told The Times. So afraid.

Once, a man put a gun to her head during a delivery at an automotive store near Rosecrans Avenue, she said. One of her customers rushed out to scare the man away.

Whitaker reported the incident, and her bosses told her she could head back to the post office if she did not want to finish the route that day.

But I did [finish] because I knew customers were waiting on me, she said. I had their paychecks. I had all they needed to survive."

Despite the scary incidents, Whitaker described her job as "the best in the world"  one that makes her long days well worth it.

Whitaker wakes up at 4 a.m. each day, caring for her 84-year-old mother and for her 30-year-old son, who has congestive heart failure and needs assistance. By 8 a.m., she's out the door, headed first to McDonald's for a caramel frappe and then to the post office.

She usually starts her route by noon.

Some customers have become like family  offering her iced drinks when it's hot outside and homemade sweet potato pie around Thanksgiving.

Whitaker was inspired to become a postal worker by her older sister, Robin Baker, one of the first Black women to work at the post office in Lakewood.

Whitaker started in 1985, walking Route 6 on central Compton Boulevard. There was no automation back then, so Whitaker sometimes came to work around 5 or 6 a.m. to manually sort the mail.

Carrying cash from grandparents, paychecks, love letters, mail carriers used to be greeted like celebrities when walking down the street. Now, what they carry makes them a target for robbery  which saddens Whitaker.

"The world is getting worse," she said.

Most of the people along her residential route are seniors, so she understands if they can't physically step in if someone tries to harm her. But keeping an eye on the streets and on letter carriers goes a long way toward making the job safer, she said.

One customer who is "always looking out" for Whitaker is 93-year-old Veola Baker.

Baker, who has the same name as Whitaker's grandmother, makes the letter carrier feel less scared and not so alone while she's out there delivering mail.

As she was discussing the uptick in violence before the rally, Whitaker's phone rang.

It was Baker calling to check on her.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kerry Wickman talks with a 6 year-old Afghan girl near her apartment in Salt Lake City on Thursday, July 27, 2023. The girls identity is not shown to protect her from the Taliban. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Editors note: This is the last of five stories from the six-episode KSL podcast Stranger Becomes Neighbor, which follows the experiences of Afghan refugees in Utah and the people who try to help them.

The 5-year-old girl knelt on the carpet next to a white piece of paper and rummaged through a collection of colored pencils in a large can.

While she searched, she glanced at the woman sitting next to her on the floor.

Put your eyes closed! she ordered.

After a few seconds, she thrust a pink pencil high above her head in triumph. Then, with the pencil in her grasp, she pushed her tongue against the space at the front of her mouth where her baby teeth used to be and intently crafted the letter A.

When the woman opened her eyes, she laughed  a mixture of admiration and disbelief. The girl had learned so much in such a short amount of time.

This little girl, who well call Ava, was one of the lucky ones to make it to America during the dangerous and chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan following the U.S. military withdrawal in August 2021. She and her extended family were all trying to get into the Kabul airport, but in the masses of people pressing towards the gates, they were separated. Avas aunt carried her in her arms so she wouldnt be crushed in the crowd. The girl and two of her aunts, then ages 15 and 31, somehow made it through the airport gates, but their parents did not.

Eventually, they were sent to Salt Lake City, as part of the federal governments resettlement program. They chose not to use their names because theyre afraid for the safety of their family who remain in Afghanistan.

As they struggled to rebuild their lives in a new home, in a new country, without their family, they met a neighbor named Kerry Wickman who lived a couple blocks away. Shes the one who was admiring Avas new alphabet skills.

When Wickman first met this family, Ava constantly was expecting her mother and father to show up at their Salt Lake City apartment. As weeks turned to months, she started kindergarten, made friends and began learning English. She did it all without being able to seek guidance from Mom or advice from Dad.

Over time, Wickmans frequent visits began to fill a void for the whole family and eventually, she wasnt just Kerry, a nice lady from down the street.

They started calling her Mom.

Can you do a K? Wickman asked, thinking of her first name. Or an M for Mom?

Ill do K, Ava decided, as she furrowed her brow and pressed down with the pink pencil.

Wickman, who is a social worker, said when Ava first arrived, she refused to speak to her parents on video chats.

Shed see their faces and hear their voices, but wouldnt look, would turn away, Wickman said. I think that she  not understanding what happened  believes that they abandoned her, that, you know, she wasnt important enough for them to come along. I dont know how you rectify this damage. Until this family is reunited again, I dont know how this is going to end up for Ava.

Since meeting this family, Wickman has done everything possible to help bring Avas parents to the U.S. She even researched the possibility of paying for a private rescue flight. When that didnt pan out, she started talking to attorneys, politicians and officials  anyone who would listen.

This familys life was in danger. The Taliban were searching for people to hurt and kill, who had family members in the U.S., she said. It was incredibly dangerous. It still is.

They were advised by lawyers, if they wanted to bring their family to the country, they needed permanent residence themselves. Like most Afghans who were evacuated to the U.S. in 2021, they were allowed to stay under a temporary status called humanitarian parole.

They have to apply for asylum in order to get a green card, to get on a path towards citizenship. Everything depends on the asylum application  whether they can stay in the U.S. legally, and whether they can bring their family to join them.

Everybodys nervous because you dont know whats going to happen, said Avas teenage aunt.

If they dont approve our case, maybe the lawyer said that youre going to have to go back to your country, Avas older aunt said.

The fear that theyll have to return to the country they fled is something many Afghans evacuated to America feel. In the final episode of the KSL Podcast Stranger Becomes Neighbor, Avas family and others struggle with the uncertainty of their immigration status and the continued separation from family. The people who have become their friends and neighbors try to help, but what can ordinary people do to change federal policy or to speed up the backlog of asylum applications?

Attorney Emily Nuvan felt the pressure when she volunteered to file an asylum application for an Afghan soldier from the Female Tactical Platoon who had assisted U.S. special forces. Nuvan, who had only recently graduated from law school, was working mostly with white-collar crime and securities litigation cases. Before taking on this pro bono case, she had never felt such a heavy responsibility.

A 17-year-old graduate from West High School poses for a picture after a ceremony at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on June 9, the day after President Joe Biden announced humanitarian parole would be extended for Afghan arrivals like her. Her face is not shown to protect her family in Afghanistan. | Andrea Smardon, KSL Podcasts

It really is having another persons life in your hands, Nuvan said. If they dont get approved for asylum, they would be sent back to Afghanistan, theyd be in danger of their lives. So this is a lot of weight on my shoulders.

Of the 43 soldiers from the Female Tactical Platoon now living in the U.S., 16 have been granted asylum. The woman who Nuvan represents is still waiting.

Aden Batar, director of Migration and Refugee Services for Catholic Community Services of Utah, said he has been trying to reassure Afghans in Utah.

You dont need to worry about your status, Batar said to a group of evacuees who attended an informational meeting. The government brought you here, theyre not going to abandon you. One way or the other, we will get everybody their legal status, he said. It might take some time.

Batar was more concerned that once their temporary status expired, Afghans could lose access to government assistance, or the ability to work legally or obtain healthcare. Basically, if they dont have this status, they may find it impossible to live in the country.

We dont want anything interrupting their benefits that theyre receiving from the state, he said. If the parole ends, and they dont have other immigration status, their benefits may be interrupted.

In August 2022, a bipartisan coalition in Congress introduced new legislation called the Afghan Adjustment Act. The bill was designed to speed up the process to obtain lawful permanent residence for evacuees, and to clear a pathway for those eligible in Afghanistan to come to the U.S.

In this bill, Kerry Wickman saw a chance to help her friends secure their futures in the country, and hopefully, a path to reunite Ava with her parents. Wickman, who never intended to get involved in politics, found herself working alongside military veterans and faith-based groups who were also advocating for the bill. She wrote editorials and met with U.S. senators and representatives, telling them about Avas family. But to this day, there has not been a vote in Congress on the Afghan Adjustment Act.

I dont know what else I can do, she told the family. Over time, they stopped asking her for updates or information, a sign that they were losing hope. Were just waiting.

Then, on June 8, just as their temporary status was about to expire, the Biden administration announced a fix  an extension of humanitarian parole for another two years. But this was another temporary solution. It did not get them any closer to lawful, permanent residence.

While they live with the uncertainty of their status in the country and the anxiety of being separated from family, Ava celebrated her sixth birthday and started first grade, her 17-year-old aunt graduated from high school, and her 32-year-old aunt got her drivers license. Kerry Wickman has been with them throughout, as their stand-in Mom, introducing Ava to swimming, taking them to appointments, navigating job and college applications, cheering them on or offering a shoulder to cry on during their triumphs and setbacks.

They were doing their best to build new lives in America, even as their hopes about being reunited with their families dimmed. But then, one day, they got an unexpected phone call from home. They didnt dare tell Ava, but there was a chance her parents might finally be coming to live with her in the U.S. Thats in the final episode of Stranger Becomes Neighbor.

Afghan Arrivals are available for free at StrangerBecomesNeighbor.com or wherever you listen to podcasts. Bonus episodes are available to Apple Premium subscribers.
Broken Algo

Using an algorithm similar to those that predict earthquake aftershocks, cops have for more than a decade tried to use "predictive policing" software to presage where crimes will take place before they happen  and as a joint investigation by The Markup and Wired shows, it seems to have failed miserably.

Geolitica, a predictive policing software used by police in Plainfield, New Jersey  the only department out of 38 departments willing to provide the publications with information  was so bad at predicting crimes that its success rate was less than half a percent.

Formerly known as PredPol, the machine learning [same as below] software purchased by authorities in Plainfield and other police departments promised to help cops fight crime before it happens, like Philip K. Dick's classic novella "Minority Report"  except with computers instead of psychics.

Unsurprisingly, these prediction models, which have been the subject of ample reporting over the years, are riddled with ethical concerns given the discriminatory and racist natures of both artificial intelligence and law enforcement. And, as this new investigation reveals, they're shockingly ineffective at predicting crime, as well.

Hilariously Bad

To get to this conclusion, The Markup and Wired looked at 23,631 of Geolitica's predictions between the months of February and December 2018 and found that less than 100 of those predictions actually aligned with an actual crime, a success rate of less than half a percent.

While the algorithm was slightly better at predicting some crimes than others  it correctly identified 0.6 percent of robberies or aggravated assaults, versus the 0.1 percent of burglaries it got right  the results still paint a damning picture of the tool's effectiveness.

Geolitica was so bad at predicting crime, in fact, that the head of Plainfield's police department actually admitted that it was rarely used.

"Why did we get PredPol? I guess we wanted to be more effective when it came to reducing crime," Plainfield PD captain David Guarino told the websites. "And having a prediction where we should be would help us to do that. I dont know that it did that."

"I dont believe we really used it that often, if at all," he continued. "Thats why we ended up getting rid of it."

Guarino went on to suggest that the money his department spent on its contract with Geolitica  which initially charged Plainfield PD for a $20,500 annual subscription fee and an additional $15,500 for a second yearlong extension  could have been better spent on community programs.

As Wired reported last week, Geolitica is going out of business at the end of this year  but the people who worked there have already been snatched up by SoundThinking, formerly known as ShotSpotter, another law enforcement software company to which the soon-to-be-defunct predictive policing platform's customers will be transferred.

Geolitica, thankfully, will be no more  but its legacy will seemingly live on.

More on police tech: NYPD Deploys Villanous-Looking Dalek in Subway System
President Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York on Sept. 20. Biden spoke with Netanyahu on Saturday, after which he said the U.S. would "stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support" to Israel. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

The Palestinian militant offensive against Israel on Saturday  possibly the deadliest and largest ever  will dramatically alter diplomatic and political calculations in the Middle East and deprive Washington of whatever leverage it has in influencing Israel, diplomats and analysts say.

Vowing "mighty vengeance," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched massive airstrikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in response to the militant attacks that left hundreds dead and many abducted. Netanyahu declared his country at war and a full-scale but perilous ground incursion, 18 years after Israel withdrew from Gaza, is not out of the question, experts say.

The looming and urgent question then will be whether fighting extends farther into the volatile region, involving Lebanon or other areas where anti-Israel militants including Hezbollah are based.

Addressing his nation, President Biden pledged "rock-solid and unwavering" support for Israel and warned other countries hostile toward Israel not to take advantage of the moment to attack Israelis. Iran has already voiced support for Hamas' actions.

"The United States stands with Israel," Biden said from the White House, flanked by senior Cabinet members. "We will always have her back."

Biden said he would personally handle the crisis directly with Netanyahu, a noteworthy gesture because the relationship between the two has been strained largely over the extremist nature of Netanyahu's coalition government.

Read more: Israel and Hamas continue to battle, with at least 1,100 dead and warnings of a long war

"Israel has the right to defend itself and its people  full stop," Biden said.

Biden said he's been in contact with members of Congress and directed his national security team to work with their Israeli counterparts on military and intelligence sharing. The president's team is in frequent contact with leaders throughout the region, including those from Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, the Palestinian Authority and European partners, he added. Before Biden's speech, the White House said he spoke to Jordan's King Abdullah II.

As the death toll of Israelis and Palestinians rose steadily Saturday, the capture of numerous Israeli hostages by Hamas militants who infiltrated southern Israel constitutes a new element with unpredictable consequences. Hamas could potentially use the hostages as human shields against Israel's retaliation.

Read more: Armenians who fled Turkish rule decades ago despair over Nagorno-Karabakh. 'This appears to be our fate'

Another immediate casualty of the unprecedented violence will be U.S.-backed efforts to open relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a highly prized, historic move that was gaining momentum in recent weeks.

To seal the deal, Saudi Arabia has been demanding a number of concessions from the U.S. and from Israel, including steps that would move the Palestinians closer to establishing an independent state. That concession has been steadfastly resisted by Netanyahu and his ultraconservative government, even though the Biden administration has insisted on the two-state solution, as it is known.

Read more: Hundreds dead after surprise attack by Hamas and Israeli retaliation. We're at war, Netanyahu says

Any leverage the Biden administration had to exact concessions from Netanyahu for improving conditions for the Palestinians has completely disappeared, said Aaron David Miller, a veteran former Middle East envoy now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Though perhaps not dead yet, Miller said in an interview, normalization has suffered a significant blow."

We dont know where all of this is going, but bloodiness will be going up on all sides.

Given the level of carnage, it would be impossible at this point for any Israeli prime minister to make concessions to the Palestinians, several analysts said. Similarly, the high death toll among Palestinian civilians would complicate any overtures the Saudis might have been willing to make toward Israel.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken was scheduled to travel to Israel, the Palestinian city of Ramallah, West Bank, and Saudi Arabia this month, but that trip may now be canceled. At a minimum, it will become a mission of crisis diplomacy instead of efforts to make progress on opening Israeli-Saudi ties.

Israel, Washington and allies were shocked by the sudden, massive scale of the attack, which was carried out with a degree of expansive complexity and sophistication never previously seen. Usual Palestinian assaults consist of rocket volleys that are readily intercepted by Israels efficient Iron Dome air defense system, or increasingly rare individual suicide bombers who target public transportation or civilian gathering points such as restaurants.

The specter of armed commandos infiltrating Israeli kibbutzim and towns was hard to imagine, until now.

Many observers of the region, however, have been predicting an explosion on the horizon  if not to this degree.

More Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and Gaza by Jewish settlers or the Israeli military this year than in any other year in the last two decades. Israels 11-month-old government has been steadily deepening its military occupation of the West Bank, expanding Jewish settlements that much of the world considers illegal and failing to thwart vigilante attacks by the settlers. The Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam, has been raided by the Israeli military on several occasions in recent months.

At the same time, the U.S. and other international actors largely failed to pay attention, critics say, beyond occasional reproach of Netanyahu's government and hand-wringing but little action.

Saturday's offensive came exactly 50 years after the start of the Yom Kippur War, when a coalition of Arab states, led by neighbors Egypt and Syria, launched surprise military operations against Israel  on its most holy of holidays  with the aim of retaking Israeli-occupied portions of the Sinai peninsula and Golan Heights.

This is so much bigger than anything weve seen in the past, ... an attempt to show that it won't be just the Palestinians who solely pay the price of the status quo," said Khaled Elgindy, of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.

"The Palestinian cause has become a nonissue," stoking Palestinian desperation, he said. "This was a deliberate attempt to shatter [Israel's] sense of complacency and comfort  a very deliberate attempt to change the whole calculus," and to force changes in international policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I don't know that it will," he added.

In fact, here and in Israel, a consensus was forming that the ways in which fighting between Israel and Palestinians has been resolved in the past, with each side stepping back from the brink after international mediation, at least temporarily, will no longer be enough to make peace. There may be no going back, some are saying.

At the White House, meanwhile, Biden was joined by Blinken and other senior national security officials for emergency meetings. Blinken was also telephoning world leaders and other senior officials, such as Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Eliot Cohen, to decide on a course of action, a State Department spokesman said.

U.S. condemnation of the massive surprise attack was uniform and universal. European governments, too, which are usually more sympathetic to Palestinians than U.S. administrations, were highly critical of the attack.

Biden said he telephoned Netanyahu to "unequivocally condemn" the "appalling ... horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel."

"I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel," Biden said in an earlier statement. "Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people."

Times staff writer Courtney Subramanian in Washington contributed to this report.







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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The anticipated election of a new Speaker of the House next week will likely be the focus of the weekends Sunday news shows.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) are the two declared candidates for the top House job. They will argue their cases to their colleagues in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday.

Jordan will be featured on Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures this weekend.

The House has been without a Speaker for nearly a week after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted from the role on Tuesday, the first Speaker to ever be voted out.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)  who led the effort to get rid of McCarthy  will be on NBCs Meet the Press. Three more of the eight GOP lawmakers to vote out McCarty will also make appearances on Sunday shows: Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) on ABCs This Week, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) on CBS  Face the Nation , and Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) on CNNs State of the Union.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) has been one of the most vocal GOP members calling for the party to change course after a chaotic week.

He said the GOP needs to have a real reckoning at the Tuesday meeting and that McCarthys removal was disgraceful.

Number one, I want to hear how any of these candidates plan to handle holding these eight members accountable, Lawler said in a CNN interview Wednesday. They voted with 208 Democrats to torpedo our House Republican majority. The American people elected us to govern to serve as a check and balance on the Biden agenda and everything that weve been focused on from cutting spending to securing our border was just imperiled by these eight individuals.

Lawler will appear on State of the Union, as will House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

Jordans chair of the House Judiciary Committee will likely take the focus on Sunday Morning Futures. The committees investigation into government weaponization, specifically through the FBI, garnered headlines accusing the body of helping Democrats.

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who have both supported the efforts, will appear on Sunday Morning Futures, as well as two witnesses for the committees hearings: Nicole Parker and Steve Friend.

Despite all the attention on the Speaker race, the government still faces a shutdown threat next month when funding runs out. The House and Senate passed a 45-day, last-second continuing resolution to keep the government open last week, but now lawmakers must again race against the clock to get the government funded.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is among the lawmakers who have pushed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to cancel the bodys upcoming planned recess and get to work on passing funding bills. He will be on State of the Union.

A likely late addition to Sunday news show rundowns will be the unprecedented attacks on Israel from Gaza that began Saturday morning. The Palestinian militant group Hamas invaded Israeli towns and fired hundreds of missiles into the country on Saturday.

At least 250 Israelis and 232 Palestinians have been killed, according to Israeli media and the Palestinian government.

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates will appear on Face the Nation.

The 2024 election will also hang over the shows as it does every weekend, with presidential candidates spreading out over the country on the campaign trail and with the next debate a month away.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) will feature on This Week, while Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) will take on Face the Nation.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) will have Fox News Sunday to himself, being the only planned guest alongside his wife, Casey.

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this weeks Sunday talk shows:

NBCs Meet the Press  Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash).

CBS Face the Nation  South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican presidential candidate; Rep. Nancy Mace, (R-S.C.); Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.); New York City Mayor Eric Adams; former Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

CNNs State of the Union  Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.); Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).

Fox News Sunday  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, and his wife, Casey.

Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures  Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.); Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R); FBI whistleblowers Nicole Parker and Steve Friend.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A suspect has been identified in connection with the shooting death of a man and woman in Atwater.

The Atwater Police Department said that with the publics help, authorities identified 42-year-old Livingston resident Daniel Corona Garibay as a suspect in the Oct. 2 homicide of Evangelina Ybarra, 42, and Ramon Lopez, 41, both of Livingston.

Police said Garibay is 6 feet, 1 inch and 198 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Atwater police requested the publics help in locating Garibay, who was last seen in the Atwater and Livingston area on a red and black Honda motorcycle with California license plate 24E3412.

Officers responded to a parking lot in the 2500 block of Schaffer Road near Fortuna Avenue after receiving multiple reports of shots fired. Authorities said the arriving officers located Ybarra and Lopez inside a vehicle, and both victims had been shot multiple times. Ybarra and Lopez were pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone who sees Garibay is asked to contact their local police department or the Atwater Police Department at 209-357-6384.
A GoFundMe for Teresa Ramsay, a Mars Hill postwoman shot in the face in a carjacking Sept. 5, had raised nearly $18,000 as of Sept. 11.

MARS HILL - The man accused of shooting a postal worker in the head and carjacking her mail vehicle in Mars Hill was indicted Oct. 4, the Department of Justice announced.

In an Oct. 4 news release from Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, the Department of Justice announced Jaden Garay, 24, of Weaverville, has been indicted in the attempted murder of Teresa Ramsay.

Tommy D. Coke, Inspector In Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, joined King in the announcement, according to the release.

"A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Garay to appear in federal court in Asheville on the federal charges," the release said.

In addition the attempted murder, Garay is charged with carjacking and assault on a mail carrier, each offense carries a statutory maximum prison term of 25 years. Garay also faces a charge of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years, the release said.

Garay was captured early Sept. 6 in Morganton after a manhunt went on through the night.

Burke County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Banks Hinceman confirmed the arrest in a Facebook post shortly after 12:30 p.m. Sept. 6.

Jaden Garay is currently detained in the Madison County Detention Center.

According to the post, shortly before 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5, Burke County Communications advised the Burke County Sheriff's Office of a high-speed chase that was occurring in McDowell County and was about to enter Burke County on Interstate 40.

According to the post, law enforcement set up a containment perimeter along the wooded area, I-40, Enola Road, Walker Road, Pete Brittian Road, and the property of J. Iverson Riddle Center, a state-operated developmental center for the western region of the state.

Mars Theatre Brewing Company was scheduled to hold an Oct. 5 fundraiser to benefit Ramsay.

More: Update: Mars Hill carjacking suspect charged with attempted murder, Sheriff's Office says

More: $18K raised for Mars Hill postal worker shot in carjacking; suspect gets new court date

As of Oct. 5, a GoFundMe account started by Ramsay's daughter, Scarlet, had raised more than $27,300 in support of Ramsay's recovery.

On Sept. 28, Scarlet Ramsay announced on the page her mother was to be released from CarePartners rehabilitation hospital in Asheville on Sept. 29.

"We are all so excited that she has been making such a quick recovery and will be able to continue recovering in the comfort of her own home!" Ramsay said in the GoFundMe update Sept. 28. "We are so appreciative of all the love that has been coming our way! Thank you all so so much!"

The GoFund Me is available here.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Suspect in Mars Hill attempted murder/carjacking federally indicted
PATERSON  A suspect fleeing what turned out to be a fatal shooting outside the Question Mark bar last weekend escaped capture when the Paterson police officer chasing the getaway car was directed by a lieutenant to stop his pursuit.

At one point, the police officer in the chase got close enough to read the New York license plate on the burgundy Hyundi Elantra, which was going through traffic lights and weaving in and out of traffic during the pursuit.

Sep 21, 2023; Paterson, NJ, USA; Rookie Paterson Police Department officers during their walking patrol on Broadway.

Where was the chase?

The chase went on for about 1.5 miles, mostly along Memorial Drive and West Broadway, the major thoroughfares. At Central Avenue in Haledon, the patrol officer was told over his police radio to stop the pursuit. The getaway car was found by authorities a short while after on North 7th Street in Paterson, with no one inside.

Those events were detailed in a police department offense report about the Oct. 1 shooting, a document that city officials provided to Paterson Press on Friday afternoon.

The victim, 22-year-old Mary Taylor, died the day after the shooting. Six days after the incident, authorities have not announced any arrests in her killing.

New pursuit policy just enacted

The Officer-in-Charge of Patersons police department, Isa Abbassi, had issued a new vehicle pursuit memo to all city cops 10 days before the car chase connected to Taylors death. Abbasi said in the memo that the new policy would be "more restrictive" than state guidelines.

Vehicle pursuits should only take place in stances when the driver was involved in a violent crime and presents an imminent threat to the community. The bold type was used in the memo. Abbasi issued that memo the day after a moped driver was killed in a crash in Paterson while being pursued by Totowa police.

Paterson Press asked city police officials whether the Oct. 1 pursuit involved a suspect who posed an imminent threat and whether it should have been called off.

The decision to authorize or terminate a police pursuit is a complex one, responded police department spokesman Rob Rowan. In making that decision supervisors take into account many factors including risk to the public, risk to the officers as well as environmental factors.

The Paterson Police Department will continue to prioritize the safety of our community and our officers as we work tirelessly to bring those who inflict harm on our city to justice, Rowan added.

Concerns about pursuit policy: This is why Paterson activists are concerned about a police pursuit and a fatal crash

Beyond insensitive: Sayegh wants Murphy counsel to apologize for Paterson crime post

Would the chase have continued?

Several Paterson police officers, speaking on the condition of confidentiality, said the Oct. 1 chase probably would not have been stopped under the previous guidelines. The officers said police supervisors are still going through a learning process about which pursuits they can and cant do.

Paterson Press had submitted a public records request for the police radio transmissions from the Oct. 1 pursuit. City officials responded to that request by providing the written offense report by the patrol officer, but not the audio recordings. City officials did not provide an explanation why they substituted the written report for the radio transmissions.

The offense report was written by patrol officer Dashawn Hinton. He wrote that he saw an unidentified male shooting a firearm at another person at the location of Ciani Street and Van Houten. Thats the corner where Taylor was fatally shot in the head.

Hinton wrote that he radioed the incident to dispatch, activated the emergency lights and sirens.

At that time this officer observed an unidentified male wearing all black with a face mask enter a burgundy-colored Hyundai Elantra with NY registration and flee the scene, Hinton wrote.

Hinton then detailed the route of his pursuit of the Hyundai. Hinton did not say in his report how many people were inside the getaway car. Multiple law enforcement sources have confirmed that investigators believe more than one person was involved in the shooting.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ: Fatal shooting suspect escaped when police chase ended
Army troops leave after an operation at Guayas 1 prison. Six suspects in the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio were killed in an incident at that prison (Gerardo MENOSCAL)

A seventh Colombian prisoner accused in the August assassination of Ecuadoran presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio has died behind bars, authorities in Quito said Saturday, as top security officials were sacked.

Ecuador's prison authority said in a statement that the Colombian who died in the capital's El Inca prison -- like the six killed Friday in a prison in port city Guayaquil -- was "linked" to the murder of presidential candidate and anti-corruption crusader Villavicencio.

President Guillermo Lasso on Saturday announced a "reorganization" of the country's police leadership, with the force's general commander, investigations chief and prisons director removed from their posts.

Lasso's office also said it will file a criminal complaint against the director of the Guayaquil prison, where the prisoners were said to have died amid "disturbances."

"He has already been detained... to give his version before the prosecutor's office," the presidency said.

Authorities have not provided details on the inmate deaths, nor explained how the Quito prison failed to provide extra protection for the seventh suspect following Friday's killings.

The assassination of Villavicencio, a centrist who had been polling in second place, rocked Ecuador days ahead of the August 20 national elections in which corruption and the country's declining security situation were major themes.

Six Colombians with long criminal records were arrested shortly after, while one was killed at the scene of the crime. Authorities arrested seven others days later.

The suspects' deaths come just over a week before the election between leftist frontrunner Luisa Gonzalez and challenger Daniel Noboa.

The winner of the October 15 vote will succeed Lasso, who called snap polls to avoid possible impeachment for embezzlement.

- Key election issue -

Villavicencio had carried out scores of investigations, including exposing a vast graft network which led to former president Correa being sentenced to eight years in prison.

Correa fled the country to avoid jail time and has been living in exile in Belgium for six years.

Villavicencio had drawn the ire of gangs and drug traffickers with his reputation for speaking out against the cartels, many of which operate out of prisons across Ecuador.

Ecuador was once a peaceful haven nestled between the world's largest cocaine producers -- Colombia and Peru.

However, the war on drugs in other South American nations displaced drug cartels to Ecuador, which has large Pacific ports, widespread corruption, and a dollarized economy.

Guayas 1, where the five inmates were killed Friday, houses some 6,800 inmates. It is one of five facilities that make up a large prison complex in Guayaquil, a key port city that has become one of the country's increasingly bloody centers of a turf war between rival drug-trafficking gangs.

More than 430 inmates have died violently since 2021, dozens of them dismembered and incinerated amid disputes between rival gangs.

In late August, dozens of guards were taken hostage at several prisons around the country before eventually being released.

On Ecuador's streets, homicides have quadrupled between 2018 and 2022, climbing to a record 26 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The prisons crisis has become a key point of debate ahead of the second round election, with Noboa proposing holding the country's most violent prisoners on ships offshore.

sp/atm/des/sn/mtp/bbk/md/acb/bfm
DOVER, DELAWARE - OCTOBER 21: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) speaks before U.S. President Joe Bidens remarks on student debt relief at Delaware State University on October 21, 2022 in Dover, Delaware. Yesterday a federal judge ruled that six states trying to block Presidents student loan forgiveness program lacked standing.



DOVER, DELAWARE - OCTOBER 21: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) speaks before U.S. President Joe Bidens remarks on student debt relief at Delaware State University on October 21, 2022 in Dover, Delaware. Yesterday a federal judge ruled that six states trying to block Presidents student loan forgiveness program lacked standing.

For the third time in our nations history a Black woman was sworn into the United States Senate. But Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks say one isnt enough.



Everybodys talking about, there are no Black women in the Senate, Rep. Rochester told the crowd at the annual Emilys List Conference in New York. Now theres one, but there needs to be 2,3,4,5.

Read more

Rep. Rochesters path, on the other hand, was filled with the tragedy. In 2014, the love of her life, her second-Husband, Charles Rochester, passed away from a blood clot to the heart. And for that whole year, just getting-up in the morning was a feat, she says. And then, on the anniversary of Charles passing, I saw a dad in the supermarket in front of me with three kids, put back grapes because they were $9.

In that moment, Rep. Rochester, says she realized that she had so much and that the people of her state were struggling. With the help of Emilys List Rochester ran for office, becoming the first woman and the first African American to represent Delaware in Congress. Now, if elected, shed make history all over again in the Senate.

In the Senate we have the ability to make change, she says. To say a Supreme Court needs to be ethical, needs to represent us, and we can fight for our bodily autonomy.

Its worth noting that Rep. Rochester, and County Executive Alsobrooks, face vastly different races. The retiring Delaware Senator Thomas R. Carper hand-picked Rochester as his successor, and she will not face a primary. Alsobrooks is currently the favorite in her race, with key support from the Democratic establishment, but she still faces a primary, where her criminal justice record could come into play.

Last month, the Intercept wrote a story digging into Alsobrooks record as prosecutor, un-earthing moments that could emerge during her primary race.

During past campaigns for Prince Georges states attorney, Alsobrooks positioned herself as staunchly tough-on-crime. In addition to pushing the notion that cannabis decriminalization led to drug dealers murdering each other, she has supported DNA collection of people without criminal convictions, putting police in schools, and harsh penalties in a variety of situations, among other positions opposed by justice system reformers.

Alsobrooks and Rochester also are not the only Black women running competitively for Senate in 2024. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), who many thought could be appointed as the late-Senator Feinsteins replacement, is currently battling it out in a heated primary.

These three races open-up the possibility that there could be more than one Black woman in the Senate at the same time for the first time in our nations history.

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Come Sail Away

In a win for both the environment and the bottom line of shipping corporations, a growing number of container ships are using sails to propel themselves across the ocean.

It's a simple idea that's been around for millennia, a win-win for those hauling materials over vast distances.

"We want to decarbonize  why not use whats available?" Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill Ocean Transportation, told the New York Times. "Wind is free fuel."

Switching over more oceangoing vessels to make use of wind currents could have a considerable effect on global emissions. The shipping industry contributes around three percent of all greenhouse gases.

High as a Kite

Case in point: the Pyxis Ocean, which used two collapsible 125-ton sails to make its way from China to Brazil. According to Dieleman, the sails can cut fuel usage by a whopping 30 percent.

Instead of relying on solid masts, other companies like French company Airseas are developing kites that can be deployed to drag a ship across the sea while flying almost 1,000 feet above the surface, where much stronger winds blow.

While the tech has come a long way, vessels typically still need backup fuel  especially when there's no wind.

But any bit of saved fuel can help.

"Every ton of carbon you save is actually a third of a ton of fuel that you save," Dieleman told the NYT. "We need to get the emissions profile down today."

Gone With the Wind

The vast majority of countries agreed earlier this year to eliminate all of the shipping industry's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. However, there's been significant blowback from nations that rely on oil and maritime trade.

Despite the headwind  forgive us  a growing number of countries have committed to developing wind-ships, high-tech vessels that can respond to quickly changing conditions with the use of sensors.

And given the saved fuel, even retrofitting older vessels could pay off in just a matter of three to five years, according to the NYT.

It's a promising new development for an industry that has historically been incredibly environmentally harmful. With the right strategy, the shipping industry has a real chance to slowly lessen its dependence on fossil fuels  and that can only be a good thing.

More on ships with sails: Several Companies Are Switching From Cargo Vessels to Wooden Sailing Ships
A mobile home in Kershaw County was left unlivable after it was consumed by flames early Saturday morning, Kershaw County Fire Service officials say.

There were no injuries, but three adults were displaced by the blaze.

At at 12:41 a.m., the Kershaw County Fire Service and Lugoff Fire Department were alerted to the fire on the 200 block of Watts Hill Rd., thats off of Smyrna Road in Elgin.

On arriving, first responders found flames emerging from the front of the house. A photo shared by the Kershaw County Fire Service showed flames gushing from the door and a window at the center of the mobile home, while smoke billowed from other windows.

It took half an hour, six trucks and 14 firefighters to bring the fire under control, said department officials.

No one was hurt and that was the biggest thing, said Kershaw County Fire Chief William Glover.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Kershaw County fire officials.

In a statement, Kershaw fire officials say that they notified the American Red Cross to assist with the three displaced adults.
A Thurston County Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of state lawmakers use of legislative privilege to withhold certain public records on Friday.

Judge Mary Sue Wilson presided over the case between Arthur West, an open government advocate, and the Washington State Legislature. Jeffrey T. Even, the former Deputy Solicitor General, argued on behalf of the Legislature in the lawsuit.

West filed the case in January after it was first reported by McClatchy that lawmakers were silently using the legislative privilege exemption to withhold public records. West filed the lawsuit for declaratory and injunctive relief regarding whether lawmakers can claim legislative privilege to withhold records and shield them from the states Public Records Act.

Wilson ruled that the so-called legislative privilege exists in Article 2, Section 17 of the Washington State Constitution, in-line with lawmakers assertions.

That article says that no member of the legislature shall be liable in any civil action or criminal prosecution whatever, for words spoken in debate.

West, on the other hand, argued that the language of the article is plain and unambiguous, and does not contain even a shadow of an exemption from disclosure. West also argued during the hearing that communications such as texts and emails didnt exist when the constitution was written, and as such the original intent of the Speech and Debate Clause was not meant to protect legislators from anything other than what they say on the debate floor.

Defendants also argued that federal case law exists to support the constitutionality of legislative privilege. Several other states that have considered the exemption in courts have upheld the ability for lawmakers to shield their records from disclosure based on the federal precedent.

The actual extent of the privilege and how far it will extend to lawmakers use of the exemption has not yet been decided, and will be discussed at a later date.

In a phone interview with McClatchy, West said that he was disappointed in the ruling. He also noted that he would be filing an appeal in the case.

Im concerned about how broad this exemption could come to be, said West.  I dont have a problem with legislators not being held liable for words that they speak publicly. But I do have a problem with them being able to hide words that they speak privately.

Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate told McClatchy in an email that it is nice to have the additional clarity provided by todays ruling.

Another lawsuit regarding legislative privilege is still moving through the courts and will be heard in November. That judge could still possibly rule in favor of petitioners Jamie Nixon, an open records advocate, and the Washington Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit government watchdog group.

That case along with Wests will most likely be combined and brought before the Washington State Supreme Court, according to West and the attorney for those clients, Joan Mell.

Mell told McClatchy in an interview that Judge Wilson revealed her bias in favoring the state government during the hearing Friday.

This big, huge dark curtain has just surrounded Olympia, Mell said.

If lawmakers get their way on shielding records with legislative privilege, Mell added that the ruling could impact the way the public can retrieve records related to deliberation on bills.

Its nobodys right to know what efforts were made with regard to union activities and the union controlling what legislative outcomes are, she continued. The efforts for dark money to control the outcome will be invisible to the outward public and theres no way to know how the dark money is being spent, because you cant see whos talking to the members or how theyre communicating on legislative specific topics.

This is not the first time the Legislature has been involved in litigation regarding public records.

In 2017, a lawsuit was filed by The Associated Press after the outlet was denied sexual harassment reports, calendar entries and other documents. Other media outlets also signed on in support of the lawsuit.

The Washington State Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of APs lawsuit in 2019 to reject lawmakers assertion that they are not required to turn over daily schedules, emails, text messages and other materials related to their work, the AP reported.
A TikTok-famous small-town police chief traded incest videos via a secret Twitter account discovered during a search of his home office, according to a newly unsealed federal complaint reviewed by The Daily Beast.

Joel Justice Womochil, 38, went by @ictbaddad on the social media platform now known as X, with a profile picture of Pedobearwhich the complaint describes as a pedophilic cartoon utilized by some individuals engaged in the pedophile community.

Hello kids :) read the banner across the top of the now-defunct accounts profile page. Womochil, as @ictbaddad, described himself online as a 38 w male looking 4 that special girl that was raised right and wants 2 continue the tradition, according to the complaint. If u luv the little things In life message on Wire same name[.]

Womochil became police chief in Burns, Kansas, a town of 250 people, in February 2022, and served until his sudden resignation in early August. He said only that it was in the best interest of me and this department, though he continued working part-time as a detention deputy in neighboring Butler County. A little over a week later, Womochil was arrested on state charges of possessing child sexual abuse material. As of Friday, he is now facing two federal counts of receipt and possession of child pornography, with penalties that could put the disgraced lawman behind bars for decades.

The details of what Womochil allegedly had been seeking out and exchanging online have not been previously revealed.

His TikTok videos of life as a police officer regularly racked up tens of thousands of views, with some getting more than 600,000.

In a 2022 interview with the Marion County Record under the headline, Making a Difference Keeps Deputy Going, Womochil said he entered law enforcement thanks to a deep-seated desire to help people who needed it.

As I got older, I thought more of myself as a protector, Womochil told the paper. I protected those who were bullied or could not protect themselves [W]hen I stood up for someone, I was respected.

Womochil has been a U.S. Army combat medic, an armed security guard, a property manager, a correctional officer, and a convenience store manager, according to his LinkedIn profile. As Burns police chief, Womochil was certified as a nonviolent crisis prevention instructor, it notes.

The investigation into Womochils alleged crimes began with a tip. Right around the same time Womochil tendered his resignation as Burns police chief, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTipline report from Synchronoss Technologies, which provides cloud storage for Verizon Wireless customers, saying that a certain account had backed up a dozen video and image files of hardcore child abuse, according to the complaint.

NCMEC officials notified law enforcement, and agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), were assigned to the case. They used databases available to law enforcement to trace the account to a phone belonging to Womochil, the complaint states. An analysis of the files turned up an array of abuse material, with a pair of particularly sadistic videos involving young children, the complaint states. (The Daily Beast has redacted the document to excise the most disturbing parts.)

Womochil went by ictbaddad on Twitter/X, investigators say. U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas

On Aug. 15, HSI had Womochils supervisor at the jail call and have him report to work immediately, according to the complaint. When Womochil arrived, he was interviewed by HSI agents, who seized Womochils phone after he confirmed he was the sole owner of the device and was the only one who used it.

At the same time, HSI agents spoke with Womochils fianceeherself a police officer in the town of Peabodyat the home the couple shared in El Dorado, Kansas. She directed the agents to Womochils home office, where, armed with a search warrant, they seized a laptop, an external hard drive, and other electronics, according to the complaint.

The phone, as expected, contained the materials flagged in the CyberTipline report, as well as further images of grotesque abuse, the complaint says.

During the examination of Womochils cellular telephone, investigators located a Twitter (now referred to as X) account utilizing the username @ictbaddad, it goes on, describing the Pedobear avatar and the various other suspicious signs.

Some 15 dick pics had been publicly posted to the account, and agents determined the photos had been taken inside Womochils home. Within a few days, HSI had a warrant for the contents of the @ictbaddad account, according to the complaint. (Under Elon Musks ownership, child sexual abuse material has proliferated on Twitter/X, according to researchers.)

They searched @ictbaddads DMs, locating a Feb. 14, 2023 conversation with another Twitter/X user who sent @ictbaddad a real incest video, after which @ictbaddad inquired about subscription rates to the users premium incest Telegram channel, the complaint states.

Womochils laptop contained at least 851 thumbnail images linked to videos and images stored on the hard drive agents took from his residence, according to the complaint.

During the examination of the external hard drive, numerous images of child exploitation material were located, it says.

Womochil does not have a lawyer listed in court records, and was unable to be reached for comment. His phone, which is still in HSI custody, went straight to voicemail on Saturday.

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Salvatore Vassallo, of Toms River, was sentenced to 18 months in prison this week on charges connected to his assaulting a police officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. He had earlier pleaded guilty to to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding a law enforcement officer, and other charges including another felony.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C. this week sentenced a Toms River man to 18 months in prison for grabbing and pushing a police officer who had been standing near the edge of a raised terrace while attempting to clear demonstrators away from the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The officer did not fall from the terrace and was not injured in the scuffle, according to authorities. Still, federal prosecutors called the actions of the New Jersey defendant, Salvatore Vassallo, 60, the epitome of disrespect for the law.

The actions occurred during the massive Jan. 6 riots  a violent gathering of supporters of former President Donald Trump who attempted to block Congressional certification of the 2020 presidential election.

They did so following months of unfounded claims made by the former president, and several of his associates, about widespread voter fraud during the previous election.

Fox News and its parent Fox Corp. would later be sued for defamation in a Delaware court for broadcasting many of those false claims. Fox settled the lawsuit for $787 million.

During an interview Friday, Vassallos attorney Ronald Ricci pointed to his clients belief that the 2020 election had been stolen as the reason he traveled to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6.

Salvatore Vassallo, circled, is seen during the Capitol insurrection where he admitted to assaulting a police officer.

While on the Capitol grounds that day, Vassallo joined a group of demonstrators who had gathered along an elevated terrace outside of the Capitol building, prosecutors said.

There, police ordered the demonstrators to leave the Capital complex. Many actively resisted and assaulted officers, prosecutors said.

Vassallo was among those in the crowd at the time, though he did not immediately resist officers, physically.

Following the police's command to leave, Vassallo lowered his facemask and lit a cigar, prosecutors said.

Shortly thereafter, Vassallo abruptly and seemingly unprovoked charged at an officer who was attempting to help other police fend off assaults, prosecutors said.

He then grabbed and pushed the officer with what appeared to be a significant amount of force, prosecutors said.

Ricci, Vassallos attorney, said his client simply got carried away.

He was basically an observer, smoking a cigar, watching it, he said. The other protestors were trying to force their way in, and as a reaction, he kind of ran up and grabbed an officer off of someone else.

Toms River resident Salvatore Vassallo is pictured during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Ricci said the courts 18-month sentence for his client was fair. The government had sought 27 months.

Vassallo also was satisfied with the result, said Ricci, a partner at Ricci & Fava, LLC.

Vassallo was indicted last year after a tipster pointed investigators to him. In May, Vassallo pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding a law enforcement officer  the second of seven counts. The other six counts included one felony and five misdemeanors.

When initially filing the charges, prosecutors had linked Vassallo with the Proud Boys, citing a photo taken during a previous demonstration showing the New Jersey man with members of the militaristic group, which became prominent in past years alongside the rise of Donald Trump.

Ricci denied that his client -- who does not use social media -- had any affiliation with the Proud Boys. The photo was taken, he said, because Proud Boys members had been going around taking pictures with numerous people at that previous demonstration.

At the time, he (Vassallo) just thought they were like a pro-patriot, and pro-working man group, Ricci said.

The Jan. 6 riot was not the first time Vassallo had been at odds with federal authorities. He faced federal tax liens in 2010, 2013, and 2014, according to New Jersey civil court documents.

Prosecutors also noted that Vassallo had previously been convicted of obstruction of justice, in which they said it appears that Vassallo shoved an officer in a melee.

Vassallo is among more than 1,100 people that federal authorities charged for crimes related to the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River man gets 18 months for attacking officer at Capitol insurrection
I spent three days exploring the Scottish isles of Barra, Seil, and Easdale.

Island-hopping was a fantastic experience, but I made some mistakes in each place I visited.

Next time, I'll visit during the warmer summer months and I'll fly over booking a ferry.

As a travel writer, I have been fortunate to visit mesmerizing places, from gorgeous seaside towns in Sicily to bustling city streets in Belgium.

But a major goal of mine is to put my home country, Scotland, on the map for curious travelers across the world.

With that in mind, in September I embarked on a trip to three Scottish islands that I had never set foot on before: Barra, Seil, and Easdale.

My reasons for wanting to visit each island were different. While Barra is known for its beautiful beaches which are often compared to the Caribbean, Seil and Easdale are known as slate islands with a fascinating history.

I was born and raised in Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, so I had no idea what to expect from island-hopping, and I ultimately made some errors along the way.

Whether you intend to follow in my footsteps or visit a different set of islands, there are five mistakes you could learn from when planning your own trip.

In September, my partner and I traveled from our home in Glasgow to three Scottish islands.

The author is pictured at the Isle of Barra Beach Hotel. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

We kicked off our journey with a one-hour flight from Glasgow to Barra, a remote island located in the Outer Hebrides. We spent two days exploring the beautiful beaches and countryside before flying back to Glasgow.

After that, we visited Seil and Easdale in the Inner Hebrides, which are known for their contribution to Scotland's slate mining history, according to the Slate Islands Heritage Trust.

We drove from Glasgow to Seil, which is connected to the mainland by Clachan Bridge. The bridge is around 200 years old and is often referred to as the "Bridge over the Atlantic," the organization states on its website.

We didn't spend very long on Seil as our main goal was to visit Easdale Island, which can be reached via a three-minute ferry from Seil. The island has no cars, no grocery stores, and a population of 60 people. We spent an evening meeting the locals and enjoying the tranquil scenery before heading back to Glasgow the following day.

The first mistake we made was booking the ferry to Barra instead of a flight.

Mikhaila Friel traveled on a tiny plane to Barra, an island in Scotland. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

From our home in Glasgow, Barra is accessible via ferry from Oban, which takes just under five hours, or by plane which takes just over one hour from Glasgow Airport.

We originally booked the ferry since the ferry port in Oban is close to Seil.

But when the week of our trip came around, we noticed there had been cancellations to some of the ferries because of weather conditions. When I asked the ferry operator about whether our trip would still go ahead, they told me that it was impossible to tell because the weather had been so unpredictable lately. They added that they wouldn't be able to let us know for sure until the day of the trip.

I previously didn't consider that the ferry could be canceled at such short notice. We didn't want to risk not being able to go on the trip, so we got a refund from the ferry operator and booked a flight instead.

It ended up being the best decision, as Barra has the only airport in the world where planes land directly on the beach. Next time, I'll save myself time and stress and refrain from booking a ferry if flying is an option.

I didn't realize when booking the trip that it would land right before Barra's off-season.

The empty restaurant at the Isle of Barra Beach Hotel. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

We spent two nights at the Isle of Barra Beach Hotel on Tangasdale Beach on the west of the island. On the first night, there were three other couples, but they all checked out the next day  leaving my partner and me as the only guests.

A hotel employee informed us that were the final guests before the hotel closed for the winter. She added that some of the restaurants in the area were also due to close a couple of days after our trip because soon there wouldn't be many tourists.

She said the best time to visit is May, as there is a higher chance of sunlight and less chance of rain.

It didn't massively affect our stay  in fact, we enjoyed having the place to ourselves. But it served as a reminder to do your research on timing, especially when it comes to visiting remote communities. I personally had no idea that the local businesses closed for the winter, and this knowledge will help me when planning future island trips.

Next time, we'll hire a car.

Mikhaila is pictured looking on to a white sandy beach in Barra, Scotland. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

Some islands, like Easdale, are car-free and incredibly small. My partner and I were able to walk around the entire island in 20 minutes.

But navigating Barra by foot took a lot longer, as it is five miles wide by eight miles long, according to the Scottish Highland Trails.

It took just under 50 minutes to walk from our hotel to Castlebay, the main village on the island where most of the restaurants and attractions are located. We mostly passed farms and houses during the walk. Plenty of cars passed by, but we didn't notice any other walkers on the single-track road leading to the village.

My partner and I would definitely consider renting a car on our next trip so we can see more of the island. But if you don't drive and want to visit, you can still see plenty.

We got a taxi back to the hotel a couple of times because it had become too dark outside or we were too tired to walk. Luckily for us, we had a lovely taxi driver, who we became on a first-name basis with. She allowed us to share rides with other tourists, which made the fares less expensive, and on one of the trips she didn't charge us simply because she was "going in that direction."

I wish we had spent more time exploring Seil.

Seil Island. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

The only reason we visited Seil was because it is where the ferry to Easdale was located.

The island, which has a population of around 551 people, appeared mostly residential as we passed batches of cream cottages on our way to the pier.

But the island has a fascinating history, and I wish I had extended the trip in order to learn about it. The Scottish Slate Islands Heritage Centre is located on Seil, close to the Easdale ferry departure point, according to Visit Scotland.

As slate islands, Seil and Easdale are responsible for providing the roofing to many important buildings across the country, including Ardmaddy Castle, Cawdor Castle in Invernesshire, and Glasgow Cathedral, according to Visit Scotland.

I would have fared better on Easdale with more waterproof and warmer clothing.

The author is pictured on Easdale. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

My partner and I took a three-minute ferry to Easdale, which cost 2.20, or around $2.77, per person for a single trip. The island has no cars, no grocery stores, and one pub and cafe where most of the local residents gathered when we visited on a Sunday evening.

After visiting the pub, we walked around the island and took in the stunning sea views. It was beautiful, but I wish I had considered the fact that I'd be spending most of the time outdoors when planning my wardrobe.

It was pouring rain and incredibly windy. I wore jeans, a sweater, a waterproof jacket, and pink boots. The jacket was great and the boots were sturdy and water-resistant. Nonetheless, I would have also benefited from waterproof pants or a hat to keep my ears warm and my hair intact.

Read the original article on Insider
Members of the LGBTQ+ community came together for a rally in Central Florida on Friday.

The rally began at City Hall, where they also announced plans for the National March to Protect Trans Youth, which will be held on Saturday at noon.

Transgender icon Miss Major, who spoke at the conference, challenged Gov. DeSantiss trans bathroom ban.

Read: Florida bathroom law faces court challenge

Im here to make sure we fight for this, she said.

Participants also paid tribute to the Pulse nightclub victims.

With only 5 days left until the National March to Protect #trans Youth, we need your support more than ever!! Show up with #Pride this Saturday and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA youth that are under attack! #transyouthmarch #activism #transrightsarehumanrights #queer pic.twitter.com/p66caQyRlG  Trans Kids March (@Transyouthmarch) October 2, 2023

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
We tried 9 of Trader Joe's Halloween-themed foods and ranked them from worst to best

We tried nine different Halloween-themed items from Trader Joe's. Erin McDowell/Insider

Three Insider reporters on two coasts tried every Halloween-themed item at Trader Joe's.

The Chocolate Mousse Pumpkins were the best, followed by the Wicked Good Mini Chocolate Bars.

We felt the Halloween Gummies were great for trick-or-treating, but we didn't love the flavors.

Nobody does seasonal treats quite like Trader Joe's.

Three Insider reporters  two based in New York and one based in California  tried every spooky, Halloween-themed item we could find at our local Trader Joe's stores and ranked them from worst to best.

We ended up trying nine items, from the chain's signature Joe Joe's to bags of trick-or-treating candy and a haunted-house cookie-decorating kit.

Here's every Halloween-themed item at Trader Joe's, ranked from worst to best.

Trader Joes' Halloween Gummies would be great to hand out for trick-or-treating, but none of us loved the flavors. We ranked them last.

Halloween Gummies from Trader Joe's. Erin McDowell/Insider

Each of the 20 individually wrapped packets featured nine bat- and skeleton-shaped gummy candies, which we thought was a bargain for $4.49.

We agreed that while these gummies would be great to pass out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween, we wouldn't buy them for ourselves.

Halloween Gummies from Trader Joe's. Erin McDowell/Insider

Insider correspondent Talia Lakritz thought the gummies were a little sickly sweet, while reporter Erin McDowell thought they were simply a little bland. They tasted like every other brand of gummies on grocery-store shelves  nothing more, nothing less.

The Howling Gourds pumpkin ale, which was only available on the West Coast, was overly sour, in our opinion.

Howling Gourds Pumpkin Ale from Trader Joe's. Melissa Wells/Insider

Insider fellow Melissa Wells purchased the six-pack of pumpkin ale for $7.99.

Wells felt the ale's pumpkin-spice flavor left a bad taste in her mouth.

Howling Gourds pumpkin ale from Trader Joes. Melissa Wells/Insider

It's worth noting that Wells is not a regular beer drinker  still, she wanted to give this themed drink a try.

Unfortunately, while the pumpkin ale looked enticing, she thought its modest pumpkin flavor was overpowered by too many added spices to make it enjoyable.

Meanwhile, on the East Coast, we sipped on Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Stout from Southern Tier Brewing Company based in Lakewood, New York.

Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Stout from Trader Joe's. Erin McDowell/Insider

A single bottle of Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Stout costs $3.75 at Trader Joe's.

We could see ourselves drinking this at a fall brewery, even though it was a tad bitter for our tastes.

Sampling Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Stout. Erin McDowell/Insider

Lakritz enjoyed the pumpkin-spice flavor, despite the bitterness. McDowell said she "wouldn't be mad" about drinking the pumpkin-flavored beer during a fall outing to a vineyard or brewery.

It's also worth noting that both of the beers we tried were at room-temperature. If they were colder, that could definitely have swayed our ranking in a more positive direction.

In sixth place, we thought the Haunted House Chocolate Cookie Kit was both tasty and a fun Halloween party activity.

Trader Joes' Haunted House Chocolate Cookie Kit. Melissa Wells/Insider

The cookie kit retails for $9.99.

The kit included tubes of frosting and more edible decorations than we were expecting.

Supplies inside Trader Joes' Haunted House Chocolate Cookie Kit. Erin McDowell/Insider

Lakritz thought the cookies tasted like chocolate graham crackers, while McDowell compared them to chocolate-flavored biscotti. The cookies were crisp and had a similar texture to gingerbread used to build gingerbread houses during the holiday season.

Wells tried constructing the haunted house and found the overall experience frightfully fun.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Cookie Haunted House. Melissa Wells/Insider

With eight cookie pieces to put together using two bags of orange and black icing, as well as bats, candy bones, jelly beans, and candy beads for decorating, Wells thought it made for the perfect spooky activity.

The Spooky Bats and Cats Sour Gummy Candies came in three flavors: cherry, green apple, and orange.

Spooky Bats and Cats Sour Gummy Candies from Trader Joe's. Melissa Wells/Insider

A 14-ounce bag of gummies costs $3.49.

While the candies tasted sour at first, the flavor dissipated quickly.

Sampling Spooky Bats and Cats Sour Gummy Candies from Trader Joe's. Erin McDowell/Insider

The green-apple gummy tasted the strongest to us, but even then, the sour flavor didn't last as long as we'd hoped.

We couldn't stop eating the Ghosts and Bats Crispy Potato Snacks, even if some of us found them a bit bland.

Talia Lakritz samples Ghosts and Bats Crispy Potato Snacks from Trader Joe's. Erin McDowell/Insider

A 5-ounce bag of potato snacks costs $2.49.

We felt the chips needed a little extra oomph, such as a sour-cream-and-onion flavor or a punchy dip.

A closer look at the potato snacks. Erin McDowell/Insider

Wells and Lakritz agreed that the potato snacks tasted similar to veggie straws. They reminded McDowell of rice cakes, and she felt they could have used more salt.

However, we all really enjoyed the light, super crunchy texture of the chips, and we couldn't help ourselves from repeatedly reaching back into the bag to grab another handful. We all agreed they would fit the bill for a Halloween-themed party's snack table.

We loved that the Halloween Joe Joe's Cookies seemed to feature the same amount of filling as Double Stuf Oreos.

Halloween Joe Joe's Cookies from Trader Joe's. Melissa Wells/Insider

A 1-pound box of sandwich cookies costs $3.99.

The crisp cookies combined with the velvety cream put Halloween Joe Joe's in our top three snacks.

A Halloween Joe Joe's sandwich cookie. Erin McDowell/Insider

Lakritz still preferred Oreos over Joe Joe's, but said that she'd buy these again. McDowell also enjoyed the festive design of the cookies and liked the crumbly texture. She thought the cookies were slightly crisp instead of chewy.

Wells also thought there was a good amount of cream, similar to a Double Stuf Oreo. However, she thought the cookie itself was a bit bland compared to the cream.

We thought the Wicked Good Mini Chocolate Bars were just as good as Snickers, 3 Musketeers, and Milky Ways.

Trader Joe's Wicked Good Mini Chocolate Bars. Melissa Wells/Insider

The variety pack featured four mini candy bars: nougat and caramel, peanut and caramel, caramel and wafer, and nougat. A bag of 24 mini candy bars costs $4.99.

However, we thought the caramel-and-wafer chocolate bar wasn't as delicious as the others, which kept this candy assortment from earning the top spot.

A mini chocolate bar from Trader Joe's. Erin McDowell/Insider

We enjoyed all of the flavors except for the caramel and wafer bar, which we thought was too hard compared to the other light and chewy treats. Still, McDowell said she preferred these Trader Joe's versions to the name-brand candy bars.

The caramel had a nice bite to it, and the chocolate was perfectly creamy and sweet.

Our favorite Halloween-themed Trader Joe's item was the moist, decadent Chocolate Mousse Pumpkins.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Mousse Pumpkins. Melissa Wells/Insider

The package of six pumpkin-shaped cakes cost $3.99.

When it came to the Chocolate Mousse Pumpkins, we had no negative notes.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Mousse Pumpkins. Erin McDowell/Insider

When we bit into the tiny cakes, we were speechless at how delicious they were.

Wells thought the chocolate cake was moist and the mousse was creamy and flavorful, without being too rich. McDowell thought the mousse had a slight coffee taste, and she could see herself easily polishing off two or three cakes.

This treat earned the top spot in our ranking  and pride of place on our Halloween-party snack tables.

Read the original article on Insider
It is rejuvenation and political expression, an explosion of color and costumes moving to the pulsating rhythms of steel pan drums and Calypso and soca rhymes as people across the Caribbean celebrate who they are.

Now, the biggest local celebration of Caribbean culture, Miami Carnival is also being used as a vehicle to help revive Caribbean tourism in a post COVID-19 pandemic era.

Tourism officials from both Trinidad and Tobago and St. Lucia are in South Florida this weekend not only to enjoy Miamis take on the pre-Lenten Mardis Gras debauchery first-hand, but to launch their own respective carnivals. Just as Miami Carnival draws thousands to Miami-Dade and Broward counties each year for the steel band competitions, hundreds of parties (there are 200 this year, one organizer claims) before Sundays parade of bands and concert finale at the Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds, 10901 SW 24th St., they are hoping it can do the same for them.

In two separate events last week, soca and Calypso artists joined National Carnival Committee members and tourism officials as they unveiled their plans for Carnival 2024. The hope is that as revelers end the Caribbean carnival circuit in Miami this Columbus Day weekend, they will be enticed to kick it off in just a few months in Trinidad and later join the bacchanal in St. Lucia.

Carnival, which takes place in the Caribbean and Latin America, has long been a driver of tourism, contributing $124 million to countries economies, according to the Inter-American Development Bank. There are the costume makers, the musicians and performers, and of course the vendors who cash in not just on the sequins and music, but the overall revelry.

Last year, we had an international launch of Carnival right here in Miami and this year, we are back in Miami, said Thaddeuus Antoine, chairman of the St. Lucia Tourism Authority. It allows us to have our diaspora who live in Miami, and also in the U.S. to come across and express how they feel about our Carnival and the views that they have, and give us suggestions.

St. Lucias Carnival is scheduled from July 10 to July 17. Antoine, partly joking, said if visitors cant come for all three weeks, then they should come for one if not two weeks.

When you come to a carnival, you just dont come for the party, for the costumes and events, he said. You come for the adventure, you come for the romance, you come for the nature, you come for the cuisine, you come for our hospitality, and St. Lucia has a hospitality that is second to none.

Last year, St. Lucia attracted more than 10,000 visitors over a period of five days to its carnival. This year, there were 16,000 visitors, a number the government is hoping to surpass next year as it bets on the celebration to promote its creativity and authentic, home-spawn products.

Along with the pitch, the invitation-only crowd at Briza on the Bay on Thursday night was also treated to a taste of the islands carnival offerings: There were beaded, barely-there embellished locally-designed costumes, tamarind preserves treats and of course, soca performances.

Artist Teddyson John, fresh off a performance in Dallas, made a surprise appearance, where he gave a tutorial on St. Lucian Creole as he sang his song, Pale, Pale, Pale.

Pale, means Talk, he said, as the crowd danced and sang along with him.

Ezra DFunmachine, another well known performer, sang his Caribbean-wide 2021 soca hit, On Di Road, which also mixes English and St. Lucia Creole lyrics. The artist, who also was serving as co-host of the event, said the level of investment in carnival in St. Lucia has been absolutely tremendous.

Im truly proud of us as a nation, of our carnival bands, said the artist, whose real name is Ezra Augustin.

But he noted, St. Lucia isnt just about carnival, its about us as a destination.

Since 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Caribbean nations have been struggling to rebuild their tourism. The pandemic led to a shutdown of borders throughout the region, devastating economies in many countries that are dependent on tourism dollars to stay afloat.

Now trying to bounce back, they are looking at carnival, and Miami Carnival, as a key driver.

We want you to come back home, Beverly Ramsey-Moore, president of Pan Trinbago said on Friday as the Trinidadian community hosted a launch of its countrys carnival at Central Broward Park on the sidelines of the Miami Carnival Steel Band Panorama competition. Spend the entire season.

Considered the mother of all carnivals, Trinidad and Tobago is the birthplace of the modern-day carnival and in 2019, the year before COVID-19, it drew more than 35,000 visitors. Winston Gypsy Peters, chairman of the National Carnival Committee, said they are in Miami not just to encourage people to consider traveling to Trinidad for its carnival but also to get feedback on how to improve so that they can take carnival global.

Trinidads Carnival calendar begins with Nov. 5 and the launch of Panorama and goes until Feb. 17, 2024. The re-enactment of the Canboulay riots of 1881, which usually marks the start of the carnival, is on Feb. 9 in Port-of-Spain. The riots erupted after the British failed in their attempt to ban emancipated slaves from celebrating their freedom with their carnival celebrations.

Come February, 12th and 13th, 2024, our proud nation is seriously ready, willing and able to welcome the world for the greatest carnival experience on earth, Peters said of the two days when revelers can enjoy Jouvert and the traditional parade.

To give a taste of what one can experience in Trinidad, organizers featured stilt walkers, steel pan drum performances and performers dressed as traditional characters. There were Blue Devils, whose job it is to strike fear in the hearts of spectator and mas players, and Baby Doll, the mother with an illegitimate baby who walks around the room in a satirical portrayal while dressed in a frilled dress with gloves.

And while its the 50th year since the founding of soca music, the focus among this crowd was on the music that birthed it: Calypso. The art form originated in the twin-island during the early to mid -19th century and is the cornerstone upon which the countrys musical landscape is shaped.

Rafiek Mohammed, a member of the Miami-Broward One Carnival Host committee and native of Trinidad, said he doesnt mind others turning to Miami Carnival to showcase their celebrations.

Its one Caribbean, he said. We are spreading the word and spreading the culture all over.

And as for Miami Carnival, which is now in its 39th year, Mohammed said, It has grown by leaps and bounds. We are the largest event in South Florida for our Caribbean diaspora.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Miami Carnival

WHEN: 10901 SW 24th St., Miami, Fl., 33165 (Parade of Band and Concert)

TICKETS: $20-$2500

For more information go to https://miamicarnival.org
Long-haul trucker Keith Hunter Jesperson killed at least eight women across the United States in the 1990s and sent authorities confession letters signed with smiley faces. But the identity of his last known victim remained a mystery for three decades.

Florida authorities this week identified her as Suzanne Kjellenberg, who was 34 when she was killed in Jespersons cross-country murder rampage.

Landscapers found her remains along Interstate 10 in September 1994, said Sheriff Eric Aden of Okaloosa County in Florida.

Jesperson, dubbed the Happy Face Killer for his letters, had confessed to killing a woman named Susan or Suzette after his arrest at the time, but her identity was unknown for decades, Aden said.

Of the eight women he admitted to killing, she was the only unidentified person until now, the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office told CNN.

Serial killer detailed victims last moments

Jesperson got the nickname Happy Face Killer after he sent confessions to journalists and police departments around the country to gain notoriety.

His victims spanned six states: California, Nebraska, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington and Florida. He was arrested in the mid-1990s and is serving seven life sentences at the Oregon State Penitentiary, Aden said.

In a recent prison interview, he told investigators how he met Kjellenberg at a truck stop near Tampa and they traveled together to a rest area. He parked next to a security guard and approached the victim as she slept in the trucks bed, Aden said in a news conference earlier this week.

Keith Hunter Jesperson, right, listens to his attorney moments before pleading guilty to murder charges in October 1995. - Troy Wayrynen/The Columbian/AP

He told investigators she began screaming and wouldnt stop. He was not allowed to have unauthorized riders in his truck, and didnt want to draw the security guards attention, so he put his fist against her neck and placed zip ties around her throat, Aden said.

Investigators visited the killer at the prison last month on the anniversary of the day her body was found 29 years ago and coaxed him into a confession, Aden said.

This interview was unannounced. He did not know they were coming, but he fully cooperated. He talked openly about the murder and how it took place, Aden said. He dumped her body a short time later in Holt on the side of the I-10.

Investigators have tried to identify her for years

For years, investigators worked to find the identity of the final victims skeletal remains. At the time of her death, Kjellenberg was a drifter and had no known job, Aden said.

In 2007, a forensic artist completed a facial reconstruction to help identify her, but it did not generate any leads, the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office said. A year later, it sent the remains for additional anthropological examination. It also sent specimens to the FBI lab for DNA analysis and entry into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System database.

A break in the case came when the medical examiners office sent samples to Othram, a Texas-based company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy. It created a genealogical profile to assist in the victims identification.

From the analysis, they were able to narrow down a family member and a family member gave a sample and it became a 100% DNA hit, Aden said during the news conference.

The forensic sequencing laboratory has provided several law enforcement agencies with advanced DNA testing and forensic-grade genome sequencing, leading to major clues in cold cases.

Suzanne deserves a voice, and were that voice for her today, Aden said. He said her family lives in Wisconsin and has requested privacy.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of so many over so long, the remains of Suzanne Kjellenberg, the final unidentified victim of Jespersons cross-country murder sprees, can finally leave the medical examiners office, and return home, Aden said.

Jesperson has been charged with one count of homicide in Florida.

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Former President Trump is looking to consolidate his lead in Iowa with 100 days left before the states all-important caucuses.

Trump is visiting Iowa again this weekend, the latest in a string of trips as he appears to be upping his presence in the Hawkeye State, with a few of his competitors centering their candidacies on the state.

The GOP front-runner is holding an event in the town of Waterloo on Saturday for the 100-day mark as part of his effort to ensure no other candidate is able to close in on his lead, which, although significant, is not certain to remain.

Its obviously Trumps to lose, said Republican strategist Doug Gross, referring to the caucuses. Hes got the strongest and the largest and the most intense base of support. In Iowa, for caucuses, thats a double-edged sword, because it also means expectations.

Trump has been the favorite for the Republican nomination for months, especially as his closest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis , has seen a major dip in the polls. The former president leads by as much as 30 points or more on the national level and in the early-voting states in most polling.

But Trumps lead in Iowa, while substantial, has remained less than his lead in national polls, signaling that the first state to vote in the GOP nominating process could be one of the best opportunities for another candidate to hand Trump a disappointing performance.

Strategists and political experts said Trumps front-runner status means the expectations will be high for him, while the other candidates will look at Iowa as the place to reinvigorate their campaigns.

Trump has been picking up his appearances in the Hawkeye State in recent weeks, as others in the race have as well. He will be appearing Saturday with two state representatives, among others.

Trump has also set up a website specifically designed for Iowa, with a countdown clock to the caucuses and directions for his supporters to get involved in the campaign and the Jan. 15 vote.

The website includes a message from Trump to Iowa voters in which he touts how his policies have helped the state.

I need all of my supporters to make sure youre registered Republicans in order to participate in this incredible Iowa tradition, he said in the video.

The caucuses are one night only, just one night. Turn around our country, Trump continued.

Gross, who was the Republican nominee for governor of Iowa in 2002, said Trump has a professional team who is aware of the expectations-factor of the race.

He said Trump is making more stops in the state, because if he does not meet those expectations, even if he wins, the world could change overnight.

Theres plenty of downside for Donald Trump in Iowa because if he doesnt meet expectations in terms of the results  it makes him vulnerable in future states, Gross said, adding that Trump is probably in the most vulnerable position [in Iowa] he is anywhere right now.

He said that merely winning the state would not be enough for Trump to have an impressive performance  he needs to be far ahead of anyone else.

Other candidates have increasingly staked more of their candidacies on Iowa, which has typically had a role in making clear who in the field has a strong chance at the nomination going forward.

Iowa isnt the kingmaker, but we separate the contenders from the pretenders, and its where the field will narrow a lot, said Tim Hagle, an associate professor of political science at the University of Iowa.

DeSantis has arguably gone the most all-in on Iowa. He has said he would visit all 99 counties in the state by the end of October, and his campaign announced Wednesday that it is relocating a third of its staff to Iowa.

The Never Back Down PAC, the super PAC supporting DeSantiss candidacy, appointed county-level chairs in all 99 counties in August to oversee operations.

Iowa may be the best chance for the Florida governor to break through of the early states.

Although he trails Trump by more than 30 points in the state, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average, he appears to be in a better position there than in New Hampshire or South Carolina.

Some polls have begun showing former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley ahead of DeSantis in New Hampshire, and DeSantis will have to compete with two candidates in South Carolina who claim the state as their home  Haley and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.).

Hagle said Iowa is more important in the process than it is usually, especially for DeSantis.

The idea is, if you dont stop Trump here, youre probably not going to stop him elsewhere, he said.

Former Vice President Mike Pence has been trying to get his message to appeal to the wide religious conservative segment of voters in Iowa.

The super PAC supporting him, Committed to America PAC, said in a memo last month that its members had knocked on more than half a million doors in the state during the campaign so far, and the organization has focused on directly contacting voters. Pence is also visiting the state and holding several events over the weekend.

Scott, who also focused much of his candidacy on trying to develop grassroots appeal to evangelical voters, visited the state Wednesday.

Barbara Hames-Bryant, the president of the Iowa Federation of Republican Women, said she has not noticed any of the candidates backing off from competing in Iowa despite Trumps lead in the polls. She said entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy might as well be an Iowa citizen based on the amount of time he has spent there.

None of the other candidates are irrelevant. Even though percentage-wise theyre way behind Trump, that still accounts for  hundreds of thousands of votes [available], she said.

Thats still pretty significant, given that Trump is a former president and kind of an incumbent.

One characteristic of Iowas caucus system that sets it apart from primaries is the need for a greater commitment from participants in the process. Caucus-goers gather at a local place like a school or church to listen to speakers advocate for a certain candidate before voting who they prefer, requiring more of a time commitment on their behalf than from voters than in a primary.

Hames-Bryant said the enthusiasm that many Trump supporters have could translate well to getting people to come vote in the caucuses, adding that she has never seen more loyal supporters than Trump supporters. But she said likely as many people would like to see another candidate as the nominee other than Trump.

Iowa does have a pretty good feel for who is going to make it and whos not going to make it, Hames-Bryant said.

Dennis Goldford, a professor of political science at Drake University in Des Moines, said Iowa voters expect their candidates to show up in the state to ask for their support, and the caucuses are a personal event for many voters.

They expect everybody to show up in Iowa in person. The old line about caucuses is, Do you support so-and-so? Well, I dont know. Ive only met him three or four times, and I havent decided yet, he said. And you cant do that in any other state, with the possible exception of New Hampshire.

Brett Samuels contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former President Trump said that recent attacks on Israel by the militant group Hamas are a result of the U.S. being seen as weak and ineffective in remarks on Saturday.

The Israeli attack was made because we are perceived as being weak and ineffective and with a really weak leader, the former president said at an event in Waterloo, Iowa.

All over the world things are not what they were just three years ago, he added.

Trump also said in an earlier statement on the attack that Israel has a right to defend itself.

Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration, Trump said. We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again.

President Joe Biden, Trumps 2020 presidential rival and likely his 2024 rival, also released a statement in which he said the U.S. condemns the attacks.

The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel, Biden said in a statement.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) went after Republicans on Saturday for their critiques of Biden during the attacks, calling the criticism partisan hackery.

This is partisan hackery at a time when we need statesmanship. Really bad faith, Murphy said on X. Trying to win cheap political points by shifting the blame away from the terrorists is a gift to Hamas right now

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former President Trumps lawyers laid out their hush money case defense strategy in court filings this week, urging a New York judge to dismiss the indictment outright before the case even gets to trial.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records over reimbursements he paid to his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, after Cohen made hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and others in the lead-up to the 2016 election.

Hush money by itself is legal, but the prosecutors case centers on a claim that Trump improperly deemed the reimbursements a legal retainer in order to conceal criminal conduct and hide damaging information during his campaign.

The new filings this week encapsulate Trumps attempt to get the case tossed ahead of trial, though a ruling is not expected until early next year.

Here are Trumps five biggest legal arguments in fighting the indictment:

Selective prosecution

Trumps attorneys in their dismissal motion accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) of selectively prosecuting the former president, calling the case extraordinary and unprecedented.

Because of the unprecedented nature of the charges, and the evidence that they resulted from political pressure rather than an unbiased assessment of the evidence in furtherance of a commitment to do justice, the charges against President Trump must be dismissed, Trumps lawyers wrote in court filings.

Trump has portrayed the case  and his three other indictments  as a political witch hunt, attacking prosecutors and the judge.

Beginning in 2018, DANY scoured every aspect of President Trumps life, both personal and professional, in the hopes of finding some legal basis to prosecute him. The Office was determined to pursue a case notwithstanding the factshowever far-fetched and noveland now it has, Trumps lawyers wrote, using an acronym to refer to the New York district attorney.

Bragg previously pushed back on the idea of the prosecution being a novel theory and has long insisted the case was not brought because of politics.

The alleged offenses herefelony counts for falsifying business records to commit or conceal another crimeare charges that this Office brings routinely, based on a wide variety of underlying crimes, prosecutors previously wrote in court filings.

Case brought too late

Trumps attorneys are also arguing prosecutors were too late in bringing the case.

The dismissal motion repeatedly references a tell-all book published earlier this year by Mark Pomerantz, a former senior prosecutor on the investigation. In the book, Pomerantz cast doubts on the legal theory of the hush money case, describing it as the zombie theory, because prosecutors had previously abandoned it before reviving it when other prongs of their investigation turned up dry.

DANY charged President Trump more than six years after public reporting regarding the facts at issue, and almost five years after commencing a grand jury investigation and accessing substantially all of the relevant evidence, Trumps attorneys wrote in court filings. The delay has prejudiced President Trump, interfered with his ongoing presidential campaign, and violated his due process rights.

Trumps attorneys also noted that the charges would typically be subject to a five-year statute of limitations, which had passed by the time the indictment was brought.

Then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) issued executive orders during the pandemic modifying legal deadlines, but Trumps attorneys say the extensions dont apply to the case. They also pushed back on the notion of applying a New York law that extends the statute of limitations when the defendant was continuously outside this state.

Unlike a criminal defendant who evades prosecution by fleeing or hiding, President Trumps whereabouts have been and continue to be well known, Trumps attorneys wrote.

Throughout the five-year statute of limitations, President Trumps time outside of the State remained intermittent, even as he resided in the White House and established permanent residence in Florida, they continued. He returned frequently to and maintained significant ties with the State of New York. He owned properties and businesses inside the State, and he was one of the single most tracked persons in the world.

Legally defective charges

Trumps attorneys are also attacking prosecutors legal theory of the case, saying the 34 falsifying business records counts are legally defective.

First, Trumps lawyers argue the records in question  a series of invoices, checks and ledger entries  were not business records, because they do not relate to the condition or activity of the Trump Organization.

To the contrary, the payments were made to President Trumps personal lawyer, from President Trumps personal accounts, and documented on President Trumps personal ledgers, effectively his personal checkbook, Trumps attorneys wrote.

Trumps attorneys also pushed back on how prosecutors also bumped up the charges to felonies, which requires connecting the falsified records to a second crime.

Prosecutors have suggested violations of federal election laws, state election laws and state tax laws.

But in their dismissal motion, Trumps attorneys argued that the second crime must be a state offense, so the federal election law cant be leveraged. For the state election law, Trumps attorneys argued it doesnt apply to federal candidates such as Trump, and that prosecutors also cant prove Trumps intent to commit the tax crime.

Because the People did not establish that the payment involved a tax crime and that President Trump was aware of it, they did not meet their burden in the grand jury, Trumps attorneys wrote.

Pre-indictment leaks

Trumps latest motion also takes aim at news reports detailing aspects of the closed-door grand jury proceedings that culminated in Trumps indictment, suggesting leaks will ultimately be a reason to dismiss the case.

Leaked information regarding grand jury proceedings relating to the investigation has prejudiced President Trump by creating political pressure on the prosecutors and grand jurors to indict him. A hearing is warranted to determine the extent of the leaks, the intent behind them, and the resulting prejudice, Trumps attorneys wrote.

The former president asked the judge to require the office to turn over any emails between prosecutors and the press.

Move to federal court

Beyond his new dismissal motion, Trump for months has been attempting to move his charges to federal court so he can assert various defenses in the case.

A judge rejected the effort earlier this year, but Trump has appealed the issue to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Moving courts would also broaden the jury pool beyond heavily-Democratic Manhattan to surrounding areas of southern New York. It would also have the case overseen by a federal judge and doom any chance of the proceedings being photographed or filmed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WASHINGTON  Despite facing decades in prison for the fallout from his last round of lies about the 2020 election, Donald Trump is already claiming  again without any evidence  that the 2024 election will be stolen from him, too.

At one campaign event after another, the former president claims that Democrats are already scheming to steal the election from him, and that the only way to stop them is to win so overwhelmingly to make it impossible for them to get away with it.

We have to stop them from cheating in elections, because if we dont win this next election, 2024, I truly believe our country is doomed, Trump said during a particularly dark campaign speech in Waco, Texas, in March.

They rigged the 2020 election, and now theyre trying to do the same thing all over again by rigging the most important election in the history of our country, the 2024 election, he said in a video released Aug. 30 from his country club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

And, in a new milestone, two of his well-regarded campaign advisers put out a statement under their own names repeating Trumps baseless claim as the reason the party should essentially end the 2024 primary and declare the coup-attempting former president the winner.

The Republican National Committee should immediately cancel the upcoming debate in Miami and end all future debates in order to refocus its manpower and money on preventing Democrats efforts to steal the 2024 election, wrote Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, both Republican consultants with decades of experience working for a variety of mainstream candidates.

Neither Wiles nor LaCivita responded to HuffPost queries about their choice to repeat Trumps baseless claim. Former colleagues from the GOP political world said it was yet another example of Trump dragging people down to his level.

Prolonged exposure to Trump is injurious to intelligence and fatal to principles, said Mac Stipanovich, a longtime Republican consultant in Florida. It is like a disease. You are exposed to it, become infected and succumb to it. The people I know who I once thought well of who have now lost their minds are legion. Its depressing.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Waco Regional Airport on March 25, 2023, in Waco, Texas.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Waco Regional Airport on March 25, 2023, in Waco, Texas.

To those who worry that Trumps Jan. 6, 2021, coup attempt has already been normalized by the Republican Party and perhaps by the public at large, the fact that long-respected political operatives are pitching Trumps election lies is another warning sign for American democracy.

This is the next iteration of the big election lie, said Amanda Carpenter, who once worked for Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and is now with the Protect Democracy research group.

Added Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor and authoritarianism expert at New York University: We have just been introduced to the talking point designed to create the circumstances for another Stop the Steal when the time is right.

A Long History Of Crying Fraud

Lying about elections, of course, is not at all new to Trump.

I will remind you that he accused the Iowa caucus of being stolen, said Oscar Brock, an RNC committee member from Tennessee, referring to the 2016 GOP primary. If he doesnt win, he just says it was stolen, its someone elses fault.

In that very first electoral contest of his life, the former real estate developer and television game show host lost to Cruz  and the very next morning began claiming that the election had somehow been taken from him.

Ted Cruz didnt win Iowa, he illegally stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong any [sic] why he got more votes than anticipated. Bad! Trump posted to Twitter, followed shortly by a demand for a do-over. Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified.

Then, after he secured the Republican nomination in 2016, he told supporters at his rallies that Democrats were working to rig the election against him. Im afraid the election is going to be rigged, he said at a rally in Ohio. The only way we can lose, in my opinionis if cheating goes on, he said days later in Pennsylvania.

Winning that election, though, did not end Trumps lying about it. It bothered him that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had received nearly 3 million more votes nationally than he had, and he began claiming it was only because undocumented immigrants had illegally cast ballots for her, some of them multiple times.

In one version of this theory, the illegal voters had fooled election workers by going out to their cars to change shirts and hats before going back into the precinct to fill out another ballot. Trump created a commission to look into all the illegal voting; it was disbanded less than eight months later without issuing a report.

But as Trumps reelection attempt geared up in 2020, so did the lying about it being stolen.

At first, it was related to the arrival of COVID, with elections officials of both parties in states all over the country expanding mail voting as a way to limit transmission of the disease. Even though Republicans had pioneered absentee ballot programs decades earlier to great advantage, Trump began claiming  without any evidence  that it was being done to encourage fraud to defeat him.

You get thousands and thousands of people sitting in somebodys living room, signing ballots all over the place, he said April 7, 2020, at one of his infamous, rambling coronavirus press conferences in the White House briefing room.

In an Aug. 7 news conference at his New Jersey country club, Trump actually claimed that ballots for the election would be printed overseas and sent here for tabulation. It is a much easier thing for a foreign power, whether its Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, many others, people  countries you wouldnt expect  its much easier for them to forge ballots and send them in, he said.

By that summer and autumn, claims that the only way he could possibly lose the election was if Democrats cheated had become a standard part of his stump speech.

The only way were going to lose this election is if the election is rigged, he said at an Aug. 17 rally in Pennsylvania.

And after laying months of foundation about fraud and a stolen election, Trump declared in the wee hours of election night that that was exactly what had happened. This is a fraud on the American public. This is an embarrassment to our country. We were getting ready to win this election, he said. Frankly, we did win this election.

Trump continued to amplify that lie right through the Jan. 6 insurrection, his last-ditch attempt to remain in power, and he continues to repeat it to this day.

Subverting An Election In Advance

In a sense, Trumps claims about the next election being stolen from him are just a continuation of his 2020 election lies, often in the same section of his speech.

Democrats are already planning to steal 2024 from him, just as they stole 2020 from him, he states, falsely, and the only way to stop it would be to win by such a large margin that it would be impossible to create the necessary number of fake ballots without public detection.

Protect Democracys Carpenter said the fact there has been such little criticism of Trumps claim demonstrates just how entrenched his corrosive view about elections has become in the Republican Party. Even worse, Trump folding his attacks on police and prosecutors for indicting him into his election interference conspiracy theory has also been adopted by many in the party, including most of those who are, in theory, running against him for the nomination, she said.

This idea has a lot of purchase, and is very ingrained, and theyre far ahead of the curve of where they were in 2020, Carpenter said.

She pointed to Trumps campaign visit in March to Waco  a mecca for anti-government conspiracy theorists because it was the site of the fatal showdown with David Koreshs cult in 1993. That was the main theme of that speech. That the government is out to get us, she said. Its not very subtle.

Trumps alternate reality of a system rigged specifically against him has so deeply pervaded GOP culture, in fact, that opposing candidates avoid trying to counter it. In response to Wiles and LaCivitas statement, for example, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss campaign denounced Trumps attempt to effectively end the primary more than three months before the first ballots are cast.

Donald Trump should defend his record to the American people and debate Ron DeSantis on their vision and specific plans to stop American decline and restore our country, said campaign spokesman Bryan Griffin.

But the campaign declined to address the stolen election portion of the Trump campaign statement. Even former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the few 2024 GOP hopefuls to forcefully condemn Trumps election lying and coup attempt, did not address that element of Wiles and LaCivitas statement in his response.

Hes a hypocrite and a coward who will do and say anything to advance his own interests and silence some of his critics by ducking and trying to cancel debates, Christie wrote in a social media post barely an hour after the Trump campaign released the call to end the primary.

RNC members, for their part, say they do not intend to cancel debates to help Trump.

Thats just not going to happen, said Brock, pointing out that, at this point, Trump has even refused to sign the RNC pledge that he would support the eventual nominee. Right now, Donald J. Trump is not qualified to be on the debate stage, because he refused to sign the pledge, Brock said. And the pledge was designed for him, not for anybody else.

Jim Dicke, an RNC member from Ohio, said he doesnt think much of Trumps claims of 2024 election theft. I dont think they stole the last one, he said, adding that he has not heard of any move to comply with Trumps demands. By and large the RNC members take the neutrality pledge seriously.

For Democrats likely to face Trump, again, as the general election candidate next year, Trumps words are, again, a call to action.

As President Biden said last week, our democracy is under constant threat from MAGA Republicans like Donald Trump who recklessly lie to undermine faith in our elections, said Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee. Its telling that the Trump campaign is already laying the groundwork to attack future elections.
NEW YORK  Former President Trump spent much of this week sitting at a defense table inside New Yorks Supreme Court, sometimes grumbling, scowling or throwing his hands up before exiting to deliver fiery stump speeches in the courthouse hallways.

Meanwhile, his political operation persisted, conducting a coordinated campaign to counterprogram his legal woes by blasting out fundraising emails and posts to Truth Social that squarely targeted the judge in the case, his clerk and the New York attorney general, all of whom sat just feet away from Trump and his legal team.

As is often the case with Trump, his week in court was defined by efforts to hog the spotlight and decry the political witch hunt against him, which he says is bent on keeping him out of the White House for a second term.

The start of Trumps civil fraud trial  his attendance at which was originally a surprise  offered a glimpse into how his 2024 political aspirations will collide with a myriad of legal troubles in the form of four criminal indictments and multiple civil cases. When those trials get underway, his appearance wont always be optional.

Trump has previously protested that sitting in a courtroom will keep him off the campaign trail, but with his growing double-digit lead in polls of likely GOP primary voters, his political advisers may see that as time well-spent.

While Trump spent the first three days of the trial in New York, hes scheduled to make major campaign stops in Iowa over the weekend and in New Hampshire on Monday, both early-voting states. There, hes likely to play up his legal troubles to his advantage after taking his first front-row seat in the courtroom.

Trumps week in court may serve as a blueprint for how his campaign strikes that balance in the future, when court dates and campaign stops collide.

Two federal civil cases involving Trump are scheduled to head to trial in January, and his first criminal trial  the federal case tied to the 2020 election  is set for March 4. The New York hush money trial is set to begin March 25, and the federal case over Trumps alleged mishandling of classified documents is scheduled to head to trial on May 20. A fourth criminal case in Georgia has not yet scheduled a trial date.

The dates are subject to change, especially if Trumps legal teams succeed in any of their bids to delay the trials until after the 2024 election  a core element of their legal strategy, which was on full display during the first week of Trumps fraud trial.

During a lengthy and meticulous cross-examination of ex-Trump accountant Donald Bender, Judge Arthur Engoron interjected that the governments first witness was not on trial.

I would disagree with thatWe need to be allowed to parse the evidence, Trumps attorney Chris Kise said.

Youre not allowed to waste time, Engoron replied. That is what this is becoming.

Benders testimony ultimately spanned four days  three of which involved cross-examination  requiring the government to call its second witness out of order to save time.

Trumps behavior in and outside the courtroom also caused delays. From the trials start, the former president consistently verged on disobeying the judges orders, including simple directives such as being on time.

Engoron repeatedly warned the court that he keeps a tight ship and would not tolerate delays, an admonition following several Trump speeches outside the courtroom that extended scheduled breaks.

Not an hour after one such warning, Trump strode into the courtroom a half-hour late amid the cross-examination of a government witness, flanked by multiple Secret Service agents whose uniform shuffle to the defense table caused the whole gallery to hush. With an unmoving scowl, Trump took his seat.

OK, lets pick up where we left off, Engoron said, sounding displeased.

Outside the courtroom, he similarly toed the line of the trial judges directives. After a post on Trumps Truth Social targeted Engorons principal clerk, Engoron issued a limited gag order barring Trump or any other party in the case from posting or speaking publicly about members of his staff.

Since then, Trump has continued to release campaign emails and Truth Social posts railing against the Witch Hunt Trial underway against him. The posts, which do not appear to violate the order, describe New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) as unfit and corrupt, and Engoron as a highly political, Trump Hating Judge.

Trumps rage over the lawsuit imperiling his business empire was most apparent during his first day in court, where he stared daggers at James when leaving the courtroom and later reviled Engoron outside it.

This is a judge that some people say should be charged criminally for what hes doing, he told reporters just outside the courtroom, adding that Engoron should be disbarred. Hes interfering with an election, and its a disgrace.

Attacking the judges presiding over his legal cases has become a hallmark of Trumps legal-political strategy. In Washington, where he faces federal charges over his efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results, the former president has castigated U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan as unfair and the Judge of [special counsel Jack Smiths] dreams.

Trump has previously posted multiple times about Judge Juan Merchan, who is handling his hush money case in Manhattan, also referring to him as a Trump Hating Judge and claiming Merchan HATES ME.

And, in the civil defamation case involving writer E. Jean Carroll, he has derided the judge overseeing it as a Clinton-appointed judge.

Trumps campaign has fine-tuned a coordinated effort through his multiple arraignments and indictments this year to try and maximize attention  and fundraising dollars  for their candidates.

His team has welcomed the media coverage of Trump arriving in court, timing fundraising emails to coincide with his appearances in front of judges or his departures from the courthouse. The strategy has already paid dividends, as evidenced by the roughly $45 million fundraising haul Trumps campaign brought in during the third quarter of the year, when the former president was indicted in Washington, D.C., and Georgia.

One Republican strategist said there is a risk that independent voters may view Trumps legal woes negatively in a general election, particularly if he is convicted. But in the meantime, the strategist said the Trump campaign has hammered home the idea among many GOP primary voters that there is a two-tiered system of justice, and that Trump is being unfairly targeted for political reasons.

The campaign is likely to deploy a similar strategy moving forward as Trump tries to solidify his support from various courtrooms next year.

Brett Samuels contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
By Tuvan Gumrukcu

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish forces have killed 58 Kurdish militants in northern Syria in overnight attacks on militant targets, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday, as conflict in the region escalated nearly a week after a bomb attack in Ankara.

Turkey this week said all targets belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia were "legitimate targets" for its forces, after the PKK claimed responsibility for Sunday's bombing in Ankara which wounded two police officers and killed the two attackers.

Turkey said the attackers came from Syria. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - a coalition of rebel groups spearheaded by the YPG militia - denied this.

Since the bomb attack, Ankara has launched a barrage of air strikes and ground-based attacks against militant targets in northern Syria and Iraq, while ramping up security operations at home.

"Targets belonging to PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syria's Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, and Peace Spring operation areas were hit strongly all night long," the ministry said, referring to regions where Turkey has previously mounted incursions.

The ministry said the operations, which it says are carried out under self-defence rights, had "neutralised" 58 militants in the region. Ankara typically uses the term "neutralised" to mean killed.

Late on Friday, the ministry had said Turkey's military had conducted air strikes in northern Syria, destroying 15 militant targets where it said militants were believed to be.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Saturday that police in the eastern province of Van had captured six people suspected of PKK links and in preparation of an attack. Following the bomb attack, authorities have carried out raids and operations across the country, seizing dozens of people.

Speaking at his ruling AK Party's congress in Ankara on Saturday, President Tayyip Erdogan repeated his warning that Turkey "may suddenly come one night", a term he has often used to target militants in Syria and Iraq.

"We will implement our strategy of ending terror at its root with determination, and hold the PKK, FETO, and Daesh to account over every drop of blood they have spilled," he said referring to the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a failed coup attempt in 2016 (FETO), and the Islamic State.

Turkey lists the YPG as a terrorist organisation and says it is indistinguishable from the PKK, which has fought an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.

The United States and European Union deem the PKK a terrorist organisation, but not the YPG.

The YPG is at the heart of the SDF forces in the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State militants. U.S. support for them has long caused tension with Turkey.

Underscoring the tension, the United States on Thursday shot down an armed Turkish drone that was operating near its troops in Syria, the first time Washington has brought down an aircraft of NATO ally Turkey.

Ankara and Washington held a series of calls following the incident, with Turkey saying non-conflict mechanisms with the parties on the ground would be improved, but vowing to continue hitting militants in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey, which has mounted several incursions into northern Syria against the YPG, has said a ground operation into Syria is an option it could consider.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; editing by Jan Harvey and Clelia Oziel)
Three people from Cincinnati have been arrested and charged in a shooting that left two men dead and a woman injured in Pike County.

Kentucky State Police in Pikeville found the three people shot when they were called to a home in the Belfry community Friday, state police said in a news release.

Rodney Estep, 38, of Lexington, and Jacob Adair, 28, of Belfry, were pronounced dead at the scene on Ky. 292 West by the Pike County Coroners Office. Chasity Adair, 28, was taken to a local hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds, state police said.

Jacob Adair and Chasity Adair were husband and wife, according to Trooper Michael Coleman.

Orlando Pack, Jolon McCree and Devon Overstreet, all of Cincinnati, have each been charged with two counts of complicity to murder and one count of attempted murder, according to the release.

They were being held Saturday in the Carter County Detention Center, according to the jail website.
Two teens are dead and another has life-threatening injuries after a car crashed Friday night just south of Kennewick, according to the Benton County Sheriffs Office.

The crash was called in at 9:20 p.m. near 73016 E. Homestead Road off East Country Heights Drive.

Dennis Morris, Benton County coroner chief deputy, said Mally Bruckelmyer, 16, died before she could be taken to a hospital.

Carma Pekkala, 15, died at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, he said.

There were six people in the car, all girls ages 15 to 17, according to the Benton County Sheriffs Office.

The initial caller to 911 said that the car had rolled several times and was in a ravine.

Three people with severe injuries and one with serious injuries were reported as the initial emergency responders arrived. One person was trapped in the car.

The sheriffs office posted Saturday afternoon that speed and unfamiliarity with the location may have contributed to the driver losing control.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., right, and other members of the delegation arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Aly Song/Pool Photo via AP)

SHANGHAI (AP)  A senior American lawmaker, leading the first congressional trip to China in four years, said Saturday that the U.S. does not want to cut economic ties with the world's second-largest economy but seeks a level playing field so that American companies can compete freely.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and five other senators arrived in Shanghai earlier in the day on a three-country tour that will also take them to South Korea and Japan. The trip comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the U.S. and China and as officials try to lay the groundwork for a possible meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November.

We are prepared to compete but we do not seek to conflict, Schumer told Shanghai's Communist Party chief shortly after the delegation's arrival.

The party head, Chen Jining, avoided specific issues in his public remarks, saying that a healthy and stable China-U.S. relationship would benefit the entire world. He noted the presence of 5,640 American companies in Shanghai, and said he is happy to have the opportunity to discuss how to promote trade at the local level.

The U.S. has placed tariff and other trade restrictions on China over national security, human rights and other concerns and blocked access to advanced semiconductors and other key technologies. China has accused the U.S. of seeking to contain its economic development as it emerges as a global power and potential threat to the U.S.-led international order.

Schumer said the U.S. wants the Chinese people to have increased economic opportunity but that many Americans feel China does not treat U.S. companies fairly.

We believe we need reciprocity allowing American companies to compete as freely in China as Chinese companies are able to compete here, he said.

A series of high-ranking Biden administration officials have met their Chinese counterparts in Beijing in recent months, but Schumer and his colleagues are the first American lawmakers to make the trip since China lifted its COVID-19 restrictions in December of last year.

The delegation of three Democrats and three Republicans landed on a U.S. government jet on an overcast and windy afternoon. The Republicans were led by Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the senior member of his party on the Senate Finance Committee. Schumer is a New York Democrat.

China, in a statement earlier this week, said it hoped the visit would contribute to a more objective understanding of China in the U.S. Congress.

Schumer also raised the issue of Chinese companies that have stopped making fentanyl but which the U.S. government says continue to supply the ingredients for production of the opioid in Mexico.

They are fueling the fentanyl crisis that is poisoning communities across the United States, he said. Every one of us knows families who have lost young men and women to fentanyl.

China has said that it maintains strict control of the chemicals to ensure they are not exported for illegal purposes and that the U.S. should stop shifting the blame for its failure to curb drug abuse.

In a reminder of the tensions between the two countries, China's commerce ministry said on Saturday that new U.S. restrictions placed on 42 Chinese companies were "a typical act of economic coercion and unilateral bullying.

The U.S. Commerce Department added the Chinese companies and seven others to its entity list on Friday. It said the companies supplied U.S.-origin semiconductors that Russia uses for missile guidance systems and drones in the war against Ukraine. American companies cannot export to organizations on the entity list without obtaining a special license.

A Chinese international relations expert said that Schumer's visit is a sign of improvement in China-U.S. relations. The senators hope to meet Xi in Beijing during their visit.

If the talks proceed well, there is the possibility that President Xi will meet Schumer, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China. If their meeting is realized, the chances for a Xi-Biden meeting will become greater.

The White House has been in touch with Schumer and supports the delegation's visit to the region, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said after the trip was announced.
Political leaders in the U.S. have vowed to support Israel after the Iran-backed Hamas militant group launched a bloody, early-morning surprise attack on Saturday. The unprecedented Hamas assault has left more than 700 people dead in Israel, with more than 2,000 others injured. Many Israelis, both civilians and security forces, have reportedly been taken hostage.

The multi-front attack began with a barrage of thousands of rockets fired at Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and then expanded as the Palestinian gunmen invaded southern Israel by land, sea and even on paragliders. In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was "at war" and swore the Palestinian militants would "pay an unprecedented price."

Almost 500 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, Palestinian health officials said Monday.

President Biden called Netanyahu Saturday morning and the Israeli president's office said Mr. Biden had "emphasized that the U.S. stands alongside Israel" and "fully supports" the country's right to self-defense.

Netanyahu characterized Biden's support as "unreserved."

The White House told CBS News Mr. Biden, who met Netanyahu last month, was being briefed on the situation regularly as officials "remain in close contact with Israeli partners."

Police officers evacuate a woman and a child from a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. / Credit: Tsafrir Abayov / AP

In a statement, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the U.S. "unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks" and "stands firmly with the Government and people of Israel." Watson said U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan haD communicated with his Israeli counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared a similar statement, noting that the U.S. "condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including civilians and civilian communities."

"There is never any justification for terrorism," said Blinken.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was "closely monitoring developments" in Israel.

"Our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself remains unwavering, and I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this abhorrent attack on civilians," Austin said. "Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

Congressional leaders react

Republican and Democratic leaders also issued statements about the situation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, called the attacks "absolutely horrific" in a statement shared on social media.

"The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so," Schumer said.

The terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel are absolutely horrific. The U.S. stands with Israel in its unwavering right to defend itself. I stand ready to ensure Israel has the support to do so. My prayers are with the dead, reported hostages, and hundreds injured.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 7, 2023

Rep. Patrick McHenry, Republican of North Carolina, the speaker pro tempore and temporary leader of congressional Republicans after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, was ousted from the speakership earlier this week, called Israel the U.S.' "most sacred ally" on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"America stands with Israel," McHenry said. "The Israeli people have our unwavering support and the Israeli government has every right to defend its citizens against this act of war."

America stands with Israel.



The vicious attack on our most sacred ally by Hamas terrorists cannot stand. The Israeli people have our unwavering support and the Israeli government has every right to defend its citizens against this act of war.   Patrick McHenry (@PatrickMcHenry) October 7, 2023

Sen. Ben Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement that he condemned "the brazen and ongoing terrorist attack."

"I mourn those lost and my heart goes out to their families. May their memory be for a blessing," Cardin said. "Just as the United States stood by Israel after it was attacked exactly 50 years ago on Yom Kippur, today we stand by Israel in this time of crisis. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I am committed to ensuring that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and its citizens, today and every day."

The chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, called the attack "unprovoked and despicable" in a statement.

"Today, Hamas terrorists launched an unprovoked and despicable attack on Israeli civilians," he said. "The United States must stand firmly beside our friend and partner Israel as it defends its security and its citizens," and he said the committee would "continue to monitor the situation closely."

GOP hopefuls on the Hamas attack

Several candidates campaigning for the 2024 Republican Party presidential nomination also condemned the attack.

Former President Donald Trump, who has not appeared at debates but is leading the polls, issued a statement calling the attacks "a disgrace" and criticizing Mr. Biden's handling of the Middle East.

"These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force," Trump said. "Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration. We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone possible. Here we go again."

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who criticized fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for comments he had made suggesting the U.S. cut funding to Israel during the first Republican presidential debate, issued a statement calling Hamas "a bloodthirsty terrorist organization... determined to kill as many innocent lives as possible."

"Hamas has declared war on Israel on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret and the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War," Haley said. "The reports out of Israel are horrific with a stunning number of dead and wounded and should be universally condemned. Israel has every right to defend its citizens from terror. We must always stand with Israel and against this Iranian regime."

Ramaswamy's team said in a statement that they were "appalled by the Hamas attack" and "stand with Israel."

On X, Florida governor Ron DeSantis called on the U.S. to "stand with Israel."

The dastardly terrorist attacks perpetrated against innocent Israeli civilians by Iran-backed terror group Hamas deserve a swift and lethal response.



Israel not only has the right to defend itself against these attacks, it has a duty to respond with overwhelming force.



I  Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 7, 2023

"The dastardly terrorist attacks perpetrated against innocent Israeli civilians by Iran-backed terror group Hamas deserve a swift and lethal response," DeSantis wrote. "Israel not only has the right to defend itself against these attacks, it has a duty to respond with overwhelming force. I stand with Israel. America must stand with Israel."

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also running for president, shared an article about the violence on X and called Israel the country's "most cherished ally."

Every American should condemn the unprovoked and massive attack on Israel by terrorists in Hamas. Our prayers are with the families and soldiers of our most cherished ally. @netanyahu says Israel is at war America Stands With Israel https://t.co/D1M8y5EjCe  Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) October 7, 2023

"Every American should condemn the unprovoked and massive attack on Israel by terrorists in Hamas," Pence wrote.

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Patriot

The United States is looking at providing Poland with the Iron Dome in exchange for Poland providing Ukraine with its Patriot air defense systems, Politico reported on Oct. 6, citing Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen .

Van Hollen may propose a detour route to assist Ukraine, involving a three-way exchange. Specifically, Poland, being a NATO member, could receive U.S. Iron Dome systems should it provide Ukraine with a portion of its Patriot anti-aircraft defense systems.

The Iron Dome is an Israeli mobile all-weather air defense system.

Politico noted that this approach became necessary after Israel declined requests from both Washington and Kyiv to provide the Iron Dome to Ukraine.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian resort city of Sochi are an example of how the war directly affects Russians far from the contact line.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 7 October, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The intelligence assessed two attacks on the city within two weeks. So, on 1 October 2023, the city of Sochi was hit by unmanned aerial vehicles. The media reported that a helipad at Sochi airport was damaged.

The previous attack on 20 September 2023 caused a large fire at an oil depot near the airport. This was the first recorded strike on the area since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

UK analysts note that Sochi is a popular holiday destination, closely connected with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and serves as a summer base for many representatives of the Russian elite.

Quote: "Strikes near the city mark a further example of the war directly affecting Russia's population well away from the Ukrainian border."

Background:

In the previous review, it was said that the Russian forces continue to expand and strengthen defensive fortifications on the outskirts of the city of Tokmak

Earlier, UK intelligence called very plausible news about Russian air defence forces shooting down their own Su-35 fighter jet over Tokmak at the end of September, noting that this is a rare case of losing this up-to-date fighter.

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) -- In 2021, the UK set out a bold ambition to become a global leader on hydrogen by 2030. Two years later, delivery is falling short and its dropped behind European rivals jostling for a piece of the market.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Britains target for 10 gigawatts of hydrogen would make it one of Europes top producers by the end of the decade, but a lack of clarity on subsidies means projects are not reaching financial approval.

Meanwhile Germany, Europes largest economy, has set aside 50 billion to support industry shifting to the clean fuel and the Netherlands is retrofitting a network of pipelines from the port of Rotterdam, straight into Germanys industrial heartland.

That means the UK is slipping, and both countries have overtaken it in development, according to the Energy Networks Association, an industry body. The UK has dropped to eighth place from second, it said last month, referring to missed opportunities and uncertainty around policies and funding.

Such criticisms are part of a pattern of frustration among investors and business leaders about the governments green ambitions.

Thats linked to concerns about the UKs plan to achieve net zero by 2050 as well as Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks environmental credentials. In the past month alone, both have taken a bashing after Sunak controversially pushed back some net-zero steps and the offshore wind energy sector suffered an embarrassing setback, undermining its position as a global leader.

The UK was quick to spot the need to build a market for hydrogen, and could lead Europe in clean hydrogen production volume by 2030, based on announced projects tracked in BloombergNEFs Hydrogen Project Database.

But within the industry, theres concern. Timelines have slipped and buyers have been shy to sign up to supply contracts, which are seen as too expensive without subsidies.

While the UK has spent time developing a complex support model for hydrogen, neighboring countries have been proceeding with projects, Steve Scrimshaw, vice president of Siemens Energy UK & Ireland, said at an event on the sidelines of the annual conference of Sunaks Conservative Party this week. We are yet to award anything in the UK over 5 megawatts whereas the scale of other green hydrogen projects is around 100 megawatts so the scale has been growing.

Scrimshaw also bemoaned slow progress in building electrolyzers, which produce hydrogen by splitting water molecules using electricity.

Hydrogen, which can be burned to create energy without releasing carbon dioxide, has become a backbone of many decarbonization plans partly because of the potential to use existing gas networks to bring the fuel to the grid.

Thats a big advantage for governments looking to keep key industries afloat while replacing fossil fuels. Hydrogen can be used where other renewables  such as wind and solar  arent suitable, because certain processes cant easily be electrified.

Given that, its become a global phenomenon: more than 1,000 projects have been announced, and investment commitments up to 2030 amount to some $320 billion, according to Nomura.

The UK must make sure theres sufficient budget committed and allocated, as both the US and the European Union have bigger balance sheets, said Viral Gathani of Essar Capital, owner of the UKs Stanlow Refinery. Both are starting later, but with much more money.

Essar plans to have a unit at Stanlow to produce blue hydrogen, made by splitting natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Its cheaper than green hydrogen, which uses renewables.

The UK has a good opportunity given its old oil and gas fields and infrastructure, said Gathani. The challenge now is to see projects through.

The financial part of the challenge was exposed earlier this month at an event in Berlin, where the UKs energy efficiency minister, Martin Callanan, was signing a hydrogen agreement with Germany.

Asked what the UK sets aside for hydrogen, Callanan cited two programs of over 240 million and 350 million. That compares with about 3.8 billion Germany earmarked in a special climate and transformation fund for the hydrogen industry just next year.

The UK said it has a comprehensive set of policy commitments to support investment in hydrogen.

While most of the UKs hydrogen production will initially be used for internal consumption, many continental countries  as well as suppliers outside Europe  are eying Germany as the nation shifts its energy use away from Russia.

Spains Cepsa SA is one example, counting on domestic solar and wind generation to feed German hydrogen needs. We have a perfect match, said Carlos Barrasa, Cepsas executive vice president for commercial and clean energies.

Read Also: Europes Manufacturers Are Struggling to Shift Away From Gas

Also part of that plan is the port of Rotterdam, the regions biggest commodity hub. There, authorities and major energy companies are developing a large-scale network that will provide support to hydrogen production and pipelines to transport the fuel.

The UK will have to move boldly and quickly, as being seen as a destination of choice is key to developing any new industry, said Martin Bradley, Macquarie Asset Managements head of infrastructure in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With many other nations who would love to drink from the UKs straw lining up, the race is well underway.

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IT Arena 2023

The war in Ukraine has been one of duality  trench warfare and artillery battles alongside revolutionary drone tactics; cities destroyed and occupied by Russia, and calm(er) ones where life has tried its best to carry forward; references to light and darkness, good and evil.

IT Arena, Ukraines largest annual tech event, breathed the same dualism, with events, presentations, and panels about topics such as generative AI (ChatGPT is an example) and the role of titanium in revolutionary robotics held in Lvivs 123-year-old neo-Baroque opera house and just-as-old nearby museums and theaters.

Its an uneasy feeling to talk about opportunities in tech and business during the war in the beautiful, relatively safe historic center of Ukraines western city of Lviv  thousands of kilometers from the front lines. Walking around the richly festive oil paintings and mirrored halls lit up by strobe lights with my single-origin coffee, I felt almost guilty, and a bit unsafe from realizing that the event could become a Russian target.

But as Chris Burry, investor and co-CEO at the Silicon Valley-based Market Access Center, put it at IT Arena last Friday, there is no denying that the war in Ukraine is a black swan event that has caused seismic, stacking shifts in the world that have opened up a whole set of opportunities for technological advancement.

Among Burrys many pieces of advice for Ukraines tech entrepreneurs, one stuck out the most. If the countrys techies are used to looking to Western markets to sell their products, they should start thinking about the Global South  a part of the world that stands to gain the most from the technological developments that are occurring right now in Ukraine in areas such as reconstruction and rehabilitation.

No tech event in Ukraine would be complete without the countrys young and charming minister of digital transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, who gave a crowd-pleasing presentation on the main ways Ukraine has used the war to transform tech on the battlefield.

As Fedorov was talking about transformative technologies that can save lives on the front lines, two small, unmanned ground vehicles came out onto the stage to a roaring applause. The minister thanked the robots for coming, adding that he was happy to see them.

It was hard not to get inspired by the buzz of the event, but a conversation with a young startup brought me back down to earth, reminding me just how much more work and money are needed to actually win the war.

Interview with the startup, called Frontline, about the unmanned demining vehicles theyre developing for Ukrainian soldiers, is coming soon on our website.

Russian Armed Forces conducting training exercises with the Zemledeliye mobile mine-laying systems. (Russian Defense Ministry)

Demining Ukraine will require a tech revolution

Russia has made a minefield out of Ukraine. According to Human Rights Watch, approximately 30% of the country  an area twice the size of Austria  is covered with mines. This poses a serious problem not only for civilians who unwittingly detonate them, especially children while playing outside, but for the military, who needs to clear them in order to advance.

Rich Wordsworth recently wrote a story for the Kyiv Independent on the problem of demining Ukraine. Not only is the technology for laying mines more advanced today, but landmines dont look like the classic, round landmine shape many of us still imagine them to be.

Russian forces have the ability, with the help of their Zemledeliye (a word eerily meaning agriculture in Russian) mobile mine-laying systems, to lay tens of thousands of mines across Ukrainian fields within minutes  exactly what they have been doing since the start of the full-scale invasion.

The technology to clear mines is in need of further development. There are bomb suits and machinery that are somewhere between a tank and a combine harvester, as well as drones, but in many cases, people and dogs are the ones out in the fields searching for and collecting mines.

As with all wars, unfortunately, the demining process cant begin in earnest until the shooting stops. What is the point of clearing somewhere, only to have to go back and re-clear that area again later? Jon Cunliffe, of the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) told Wordsworth.

Ukraine will have to rely heavily on its nuclear power plants to get through winter, experts say. (Sources: Ember and the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy/ Our World in Data/ Illustration: Lisa Kukharska)

Is Ukraines energy system ready for future Russian attacks?

As winter approaches in Ukraine, the concern on everyones mind is whether Russia is planning another series of missile and drone attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure this heating season.

I remember vividly when the attacks began last October. I was outside of Ukraine, working the news shift for the Kyiv Independent from my apartment in New York City when at around 3 oclock in the morning my time, the messages from my colleagues in Kyiv and around Ukraine came pouring in: Explosions near me, another explosion, another. After a relatively calm summer, it was earth-shaking.

Thus began a winter of terror, stretching from October 2022 to April of this year  the exact time period of the countrys heating season  during which Russia damaged or destroyed half of the countrys energy system.

Our reporter Alexander Query recently wrote a story about whether Ukraine has been able to prepare its energy infrastructure and gather enough energy resources to make it through this winter no matter what Russia has in store.

According to experts, Ukraine is likely ready, but it will all depend on the intensity of Russian attacks and how cold winter gets. What I found particularly interesting about Querys piece, however, was what Ukraine needs to do in the long term to not only make the energy network less vulnerable to outside forces but ultimately, more sustainable.

The key is decentralization. Experts told Query that Ukraine needs smaller backup power sources scattered around the country instead of keeping a post-Soviet central system that is easy to target. The full-scale invasion has opened an opportunity to speed up the energy transition, by thinking of how to rethink the entire energy structure.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Joe Biden walk to the Oval Office of the White House on Sept. 21, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Corruption crackdown

As the U.S. Congress stages a series of thrilling cliffhangers  will the government shut down, and will Ukraine aid be embedded in the bill thatd keep it running  the White House is signaling that its going to be stricter with preconditions.

Several leaked and public documents suggest that Washington will soon insist Ukraine gets its act together on corruption if it wants to keep the spigot flowing.

The first page of the State Department's public integrated country strategy highlights Ukraine's unique opportunity to tackle corruption and reforms. But the leaked version reported by Politico is a sight more pointed, saying perceptions of corruption at the top could undermine foreign faith in the wartime government.

The document obtained by the media outlet outlines steps the U.S. is taking to help Ukraine tackle corruption and reform the country's military, financial, and education sectors, among others.

Meanwhile, a working draft of mandatory reforms was sent to the Ukrainian government, with deadlines of three, six, 12, and 18 months. Some of these are about Ukraine's crawling judicial reforms for the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, the High Council of Justice, and the rest of its hilariously unreliable judiciary.

Other reforms concern changes at top state companies  another independent member for Ukrenergo and Naftogaz supervisory boards, finishing corporatizing Energoatom, cutting the umbilical between the Main Gas Pipelines of Ukraine and Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine for good, choosing a supervisory board for the Ukrainian Defense Industry and adopting Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines.

Its good for Joe to dig the spurs into Ukraines reform effort. Corruption burdens many of its institutions; the ones that came out during the war were public embarrassments. If Kyiv wants anyone to invest in defense and reconstruction, it has to make them reasonably sure the funds wont disappear into somebodys pockets.

Still, there is a concerted effort by fans of Russia, to block aid by portraying Ukraine as fundamentally corrupt from top to bottom, which its not. American scrutiny will contain voices looking for any exploitable opportunity to do so. We should be careful not to oversimplify. The opportunity is there but reforms are hard when youre fighting a trench war for survival.

Reporting by Igor Kossov, reporter at the Kyiv Independent.

A Burger King Restaurant in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on Sept. 1, 2022. (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Broken promises

Remember all those companies that promised to leave Russia after it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine? Well, some major international companies have continued on with business as usual.

While fast-food giant McDonalds has left, selling off its restaurants to a Russian buyer who did a quick rebrand and renamed the restaurants, Tasty, period, rival Burger King is still operating 800 restaurants in Russia.

Restaurant Brand International, which owns 15% of Burger Kings business in Russia, told the BBC it has no new updates on its plans to leave, following its pledge to exit in March 2022.

Forbes Russia released the revenue of the Russian divisions of the top 50 international companies featuring numerous household names including Nestle, Hyundai, PepsiCo, and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.

U.S. companies dominated the list, with eight of the 10 businesses from last years ranking featuring again this year. Tobacco giant FMSM/Philip Morris was the most successful U.S. company, with revenue amounting to 399.9 billion rubles ($4 billion) last year, a 1.8% increase compared to 2021.

French and German companies were also highly represented, with five companies each featured on the list. Frances Leroy Merlin saw the largest revenue of any international company with 529.7 billion rubles ($5.3 billion), a 16% increase compared to 2021. However, the company is currently waiting for approval from the Kremlin to hand over its stores to local management.

Nevertheless, many international businesses saw decreased revenue, particularly from countries allied with Ukraine. Dutch real estate company Ingka Holding felt the greatest loss with -60.2%, although it still saw a healthy revenue stream of 119.1 billion rubles ($1.2 billion).

The increasing pressure to leave the Russian market clearly has had some impact as 22 companies dropped off the list, with no representatives from Sweden, Spain, and Latvia featured in the ranking.

The Moral Ratings Agency published a list of shame in June last year spotlighting companies that failed to deliver on promises to exit Russia. According to the report, the majority of the 114 analyzed companies fell into a gray zone, wherein they partially reduced operations but hadnt left entirely.

Reporting by Dominic Culverwell, business reporter at the Kyiv Independent.

What else is happening

Ukraine grain exports fall 25.8% so far in 2023/24. Ukrainian grain exports have fallen to 6.68 million metric tons so far in the 2023/24 July-June season from 8.99 million tons in the same period of 2022/23, according to agriculture ministry data published on Oct. 2. Only 7,000 tons of grain were exported on Oct. 1, 2023 compared with 297,000 tons last year. Dominic Culverwell contributed reporting.

Five grain ships heading to Ukraines Black Sea ports for loading. Ukraines Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov also said that three other ships had recently left with cargo through Ukraines temporary corridor in the Black Sea. The five vessels  Olga, Ida, Danny Boy, Forza Doria, and New Legacy  will be loaded with 120,000 tons of grain for Africa and Europe at the Odesa ports of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, Kubrakov said on Facebook.

Denmark to open diplomatic mission in Mykolaiv to help restore city. Denmark's foreign minister also said that Copenhagen wants to open a new diplomatic office in Mykolaiv. "At the request of President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, we are taking separate responsibility for the restoration of Mykolaiv and the entire oblast," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in Kyiv ahead of a meeting of the EU foreign ministers.

Ukraines Central Bank ditches fixed exchange rate for first time since war. Ukraines central bank said it was bringing a more flexible rate starting on Oct. 3, removing the official peg it has had throughout the war with Russia. The move is aimed at boosting the economy and businesses. Central Bank Governor Andriy Pyshnyi said financial stability in Ukraine had climbed to a "historic maximum, Reuters reported.

High Anti-Corruption Court provides first monetary award to whistleblower. Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) announced on Oct. 2 that it had ruled to pay Hr 13.3 million (about $360,000) to a whistleblower in the case of a $6 million bribe attempted by a former first deputy head of the Kyiv tax service back in 2020. The case against the former deputy, Mykola Iliashenko, is the first example of a corruption-related whistleblower receiving a monetary award for their role in prosecuting a crime.

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Launching a rocket at Israel from the Gaza Strip

Ukraines Foreign Ministry has condemned the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas for its attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, and has established an operational task force to assist Ukrainian citizens in the country.

Ukraine strongly condemns the terrorist attacks on Israel, including rocket attacks on the civilian population of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. We express our support for Israels right to defend itself and its people, the ministry said in a statement on its social media pages.

The ministrys task force can be contacted via its website and through the Ukrainian embassy in Tel Aviv. Citizens are also advised to take shelter and monitor the ongoing situation.

Read also:

As of now, there have been no reported Ukrainian casualties as a result of attacks, said Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko.

Read also: Israeli PM Netanyahu announces war against Hamas terror group

The Ukrainian Embassy is in constant contact with the Israeli authorities and major hospitals. Diplomats are closely monitoring the situation, Nikolenko said.

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Drones

Approximately 2,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) software have been dispatched to frontline troops by the Army of Drones government program, Ukraines Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Oct. 6.

The Autel EVO MAX 4T drones were purchased with funds from the state program 'Army of Drones, Fedorov said in a Telegram post.

Read also: Ukraine grapples with another complex large-scale Russian drone attack overnight

They will assist in safely carrying out reconnaissance, adjusting artillery fire, and uncovering even well-concealed Russian objectives thanks to AI.

Read also: Russian night attack 25 of 33 Russian Shahed drones intercepted  Ukrainian Air Force

According to the minister, the AI software automatically identifies various types of targets, tracks them from high altitudes, and sends the data to military commanders.

Read also: Ukrainian Tactical UAVs rain hell on $7 million worth Russian equipment in one night

We send large batches of UAVs to the front every week, while attack squads of the 'Army of Drones' continue to set new records, he added.

Just last week, our soldiers took out 220 units of Russian hardware.

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Ukraine and Japan have started the first round of negotiations on a bilateral agreement on security guarantees, Ukraine's Presidential Office said on Oct. 7.

The talks demonstrate "global support for Ukraine, which goes far beyond Europe and North America," Ihor Zhovka, the lead negotiator and deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, said.

The negotiations with Japan also represent "a confirmation of our strategic partnership," Zhovka said.

The discussions are taking place following the announcement of the Group of 7 (G7) Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, which was made public during the NATO summit in Vilnius in July.

According to the declaration, each G7 member state will focus on long-term bilateral cooperation to help Ukraine build up a military force capable of defending itself and deterring future Russian aggression, according to the announcement.

A dozen other European countries have also joined the G7 declaration, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in August.

Japan, which currently holds the G7 presidency, is the fourth country with which Ukraine has started negotiations, following Canada, the U.K., and the U.S.

Zhovka recognized the significant "non-lethal, security, humanitarian and financial assistance" Japan has provided to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

Read also: Japan to aid Ukraine in restoring agriculture

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(Bloomberg) -- Russia struck multiple targets in Ukraines Odesa region with missiles, damaging port infrastructure and grain stockpiles and injuring at least four people, the regions governor said. The supersonic Oniks anti-ship missiles were fired from Crimea, Ukraines military said. The strikes come as Kyiv has defied Moscow in recent weeks by shipping grain from Black Sea ports after the collapse of the safe-transit deal two months ago. Kremlin forces also launched drone attacks overnight on several Ukrainian cities.

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A top aide to Ukraines president on Friday urged the supply of more air defense systems to protect the nations energy facilities from the type of Russian attacks that caused massive blackouts last winter.

Russia stepped up attacks on civilian targets in Ukraines northeast in recent days. Kremlin forces hit a residential area of Kharkiv, Ukraines second largest city, with ballistic missiles early Friday, and on Thursday killed 52 people in a strike on a cafe and grocery store in the village of Hroza near Kupyansk, to Kharkivs southeast - one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the 20-month-old conflict.

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Markets

Oil posted its biggest weekly drop since March, with the third-quarter rally stoked by Russia and Saudi Arabia choking off supplies abruptly thrown into reverse as macroeconomic concerns escalate. Moscow and Riyadh have reaffirmed their commitment to output cuts through to the year-end, though.

Wheat futures rose, extending the weeks rebound from a three-year low, amid signs of renewed demand at current price levels and ongoing jitters about stepped-up Russian attacks on Ukraine.

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Ukraines Armed Forces are conducting counter-battery combat, destroying the warehouses and successfully targeting the Russian rear on the Kherson front.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 06:00 on 7 October

Quote: "The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct defensive actions in the east and south of Ukraine, the offensive operation on the Melitopol front and offensive operations on the Bakhmut front, destroy the enemy, liberate the temporarily occupied territories step by step and consolidate their positions."

Details: Over the past day, the Russian troops launched another missile strike on a civilian facility in the central part of the city of Kharkiv.

As a result of such terrorist actions, two people were killed, and another 30 were injured. 61 apartment buildings, 17 private houses and 10 social and domestic facilities were damaged.

Airstrikes were inflicted upon the settlements of Ivanivka, Podoly, Synkivka, Petropavlivka and Pisky-Radkivski in Kharkiv Oblast; Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast; Spirne, Vesele, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Avdiivka, Novomykhailivka, Kostiantynivka and Vodiane in Donetsk Oblast; and Mala Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

In total, the Russians inflicted three missile and 67 air strikes and carried out 46 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems both on the positions of Ukrainian troops and on civilian targets in Ukraine. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

34 combat clashes were recorded at the contact line during the day.

In the area of responsibility of the Pivnich (North) Operational Strategic Group on the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russian forces maintain a military presence in the border areas, conducting subversive activities to prevent Ukrainian troops from moving to threatened areas, and increasing the density of mine barriers along the state border in Russias Belgorod Oblast.

In the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group on the Kupiansk front, the Ukrainian troops repelled the Russian attacks in the areas of the settlements of Synkivka and Ivanivka in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Lyman front, the Armed Forces repelled five attacks east of Makiivka, Luhansk Oblast. The Russians unsuccessfully tried to restore the lost position south of Andriivka, Donetsk Oblast.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue assault actions south of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, inflict losses on the Russians in manpower and equipment, and are fixed on the achieved lines.

In the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group on the Avdiivka and Marinka fronts, the Russians carried out over 10 unsuccessful attacks in the areas of Marinka and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast.

On the Shakhtarsk front, Ukrainian soldiers repelled Russian attacks near Uhledar, Zolota Nyva and Staromaiorske in Donetsk Oblast and north of Pryiutne, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

On the Zaporizhzhia front, the Ukrainian troops continue to restrain the Russians in the area northeast of Novoprokopivka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation on the Melitopol front. They have partial success north of Kopan and Novoprokopivka.

During the conduct of offensive (assault) operations on the Bakhmut front, Ukraines troops had partial success east of Andriivka, Donetsk Oblast.

Ukrainian soldiers inflict losses on the Russian forces in manpower and equipment, continue to consolidate their positions and exhaust the Russian units along the entire line of contact.

In the area of responsibility of the Odesa Operational Strategic Group on the Kherson front, Ukraines Defence Forces continue to engage in counter-battery combat, destroying storage points and successfully striking the Russian rear.

Over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Air Force inflicted 13 attacks on clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment and three more strikes on their anti-aircraft missile systems.

Ukrainian Rocket Forces and Artillery units targeted a command point, air defence systems, six artillery pieces, a cluster of Russian personnel and their electronic warfare station.

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By Dan Peleschuk and Nick Starkov

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on world leaders on Saturday to show solidarity and unity in supporting Israel and condemning the "terrorist attack" by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed "mighty vengeance" after a surprise assault by Hamas killed more than 200 people in the deadliest day of violence in Israel in half a century.

Zelenskiy, whose army has been fighting a war Russia launched against it 19 months ago, said that Israel - just like Ukraine - has "every right" to protect itself.

"Let the value of human life and the intolerance of terror be the principles that will finally unite the whole world," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

"Wherever they aim their missiles and whomever they attack, terrorists must lose. And this is important for the whole world."

Ukraine's relations with Israel have been tense since Russia's invasion began in February 2022. While having sent tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Netanyahu has consistently refused to supply weapons to Kyiv.

Israel, a major U.S. partner, has some of the closest ties with Russia among countries politically aligned with the West.

In a much more restrained message than Ukraine, Russia called on both Palestine and Israel to "implement an immediate ceasefire" and said it was in contact with Israel, the Palestinians and Arab countries over the violence.

The Ukrainian army put out a video on Saturday with Ukrainian soldiers condemning the Hamas attack and speaking in support of Israel.

"Every life matters, both in Israel and in Ukraine," one solder said while another added, "This is a crime against the civilized world."

(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk and Nick Starkov;Writing by Dan Peleschuk and Lidia Kelly; Editing by Jason Neely and Lisa Shumaker)
Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev , commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has recalled that Belarus has begun "combat readiness inspections" of its armed forces and that Ukraine is increasing the vigilance of its military.

Source: Naiev on Facebook

Quote from Naiev: "In turn, we are increasing the vigilance of our border units in the relevant areas.

We are also keeping the necessary forces and assets ready to respond adequately, which as of now are sufficient to perform these tasks."

Details: Naiev also explained the rules of military science, which state that the General Staff must add additional forces and assets in the event of a growing threat.

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Consequences of a Hamas rocket attack on Israel, October 7, 2023

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukraines Parliament) condemns the attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian groups against innocent civilians in Israel, according to speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk on Oct. 7.

"We express our unwavering support for Israel in its inalienable right to defend its people. Evil must be punished in all its manifestations, be they terrorist attacks or open acts of aggression," Stefanchuk said.

Read also:

All the circumstances of this terrorist attack must be clarified and all those involved must be brought to justice, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a statement earlier today.

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A Ukrainian sniper said he tracked and took out a Russian for wounding his friend

5: A Ukrainian sniper with the 28th Brigade looks towards a Russian position from a frontline trench outside of Bakhmut, Ukraine, on March 5, 2023. John Moore/Getty Images

A Ukrainian sniper described the moment he took out a Russian soldier who had wounded his friend.

He said he brought the video of the kill back to his friend to show him that he had taken revenge.

The soldier was speaking in a video interview to United 24, a Ukrainian government-run platform.

A Ukrainian sniper recounted the moment he took revenge for a wounded comrade by taking out a Russian soldier with precision.

The soldier spoke in a video interview to United 24, a Ukrainian government-run platform launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but kept his face and voice hidden.

"In Bakhmut, my comrade was wounded by a Russian. I tracked him down and hit him just when he was shooting with an RPG. Then I went to my wounded friend, showed him the video, and said: 'He's done. I took revenge for you," he said.

The sniper, who has the call sign, Taras, has been at war for years and is considered by Ukraine's special operations forces to be one of the best snipers in the country, the video's voiceover said. Insider was not able to independently verify his kill claim.

Taras said that all of their shots are recorded through the sights of their rifles and that a kill is not logged unless there is video confirmation of it.

He said that as a sniper, it is important not to exaggerate and that some who make outlandish claims about hitting targets at extremely long distances are not truthful.

He said that his furthest successful hit was at a distance of 1595 meters, around 5233 feet, but said it took him three attempts to get it right.

Taras said the job takes years of training and costs tens of thousands of dollars, making an expensive but worthwhile investment.

Ukrainian snipers have been playing an increasingly visible role in the conflict. One prolific sniper, the Ghost of Bakhmut, recently told Insider that his elite unit had killed 558 Russians.

Read the original article on Business Insider
KINGSTON - A jury convicted an Ulster County man of rape following a four-day trial before County Court Judge James Farrell.

According to the Ulster County District Attorney's office, Charles Burgher, 32, of Highland, was found guilty of five counts of second-degree rape and three counts of second-degree criminal sexual act, both felonies.

He is being held without bail in the Ulster County jail and will face a "significant period of incarceration in state prison" when he is sentenced on Dec. 8, the district attorney's office said.

According to the district attorney's office, Burgher and the child victim were neighbors in Highland for the better part of 2022, and the girl regularly watched his four children.

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The district attorney's office said Burgher's conviction stemmed from a course of conduct between August 2022 and Nov. 7, 2022, when the child victim's mother filed a missing persons report with the Town of Lloyd Police Department when she did not return home from school.

A subsequent investigation led police to a motel on Route 9W in Lake Katrine, where the child was recovered safely, and Burgher was arrested after a five-and-a-half-hour standoff with law enforcement.

The district attorney's office said Burgher finally surrendered to authorities when the Kingston-Ulster Emergency Services Unit was about to force entry into the hotel room.

The girl was brought to a hospital, where a nurse collected forensic evidence that ensured the prosecution and conviction of Burgher, the district attorney's office said.

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"The Town of Ulster Police Department captured the defendant in the nick of time, as he had planned on running off with the child the following morning to New York City," Senior Assistant District Attorney Nicholas LaStella said in a statement.

Burgher was represented by the Ulster County Public Defender's office. A representative of that office could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, Poughkeepsie Journal and The Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Rape conviction for Ulster County man
The Russian attack killed 51 people and injured six

A group of UN experts has visited Hroza village in Kharkiv Oblast, less than 24 hours after the brutal Russian missile strike that killed more than 50 people, the UNs Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, reported on X (Twitter) on Oct. 6.

"This is a barbaric consequence of this war that 20% of a community can be wiped out in seconds."she stated.

Denise Brown led the inter-agency UN mission to visit the community and deliver much-needed medical supplies and construction materials, as well as gather more information about the despicable Russian attack.

The death toll from the Oct. 5 Russian Iskander ballistic missile strike on a grocery store and a nearby cafe in Hroza village has risen to 52, including a six-year-old child, regional military administration head, Oleh Synehubov, reported on Telegram on Oct. 6. Six people were seriously injured. The building collapsed, and people were trapped under the rubble.

Read also: Relatives bidding final farewell to fallen defender among 52 killed in Hroza

The attack on Hroza was Russias deadliest civilian strike on Ukraine of 2023.

The village had gathered at a local cafe for the wake of a fallen soldier. About half of the villages residents were at the cafe at the time of the Russian missile strike, the regional prosecutor's office said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the first to respond to the Russian terrorist attack.

He called it an absolutely deliberate attack and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He added that Russian terror must be stopped so that genocide does not become "the new normal for the whole world.

Three days of mourning have been declared in Kharkiv Oblast from Oct. 6-8.

Investigators have opened an investigation under the article on violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), which provides for 15 years to life imprisonment. Investigators believe that the attack on the cafe was highly precise, so they will be looking for those who may have directed it among the local population.

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There have been many signs in recent years that the worlds preoccupation with global dangers ranging from climate change to the war in Ukraine has left it increasingly jaundiced by regular reports of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

But it would be a spectacular error to think that events precipitated from Gaza in the early hours of Saturday morning are somehow merely more of the same.

While the estimated figure of 2,200-2,500 rocket attacks from the Strip in a few hours is high, there have been plenty of such attacks in the past.

But the unexpected large-scale infiltration of armed militants of Hamas and Islamic Jihad into the heart of southern Israeli communities killing, wounding and abducting civilians as well as soldiers is profoundly ominous. In fact, it has not happened since long before the second intifada of 2000 to 2004 or in any of the four lethal Gaza wars this century.

Many details of the unfolding events are still unclear.

In time no doubt there will be an internal inquiry in Israel into how its supremely sophisticated intelligence service failed to see the operation coming on the last day of the Jewish Sukkot holiday.

Or how its military failed to prevent the militant units  apparently directed by Mohammed Deif, the Hamas military leader severely wounded and almost killed by the Israelis in 2006  from passing out of the famously well-fortified coastal enclave in which some two million Palestinians are imprisoned.

But that will do little to answer the question of what Hamas, as the dominant faction inside Gaza, thinks this unprecedented carnage will achieve.

Its all too easy of course to reel off the genuine grievances of ordinary Palestinians that Hamas can claim to be responding to. These include the long siege of Gaza which has all but demolished its internal economy and the recent block, in response to demonstrations along the border separation barrier, on up to 20,000 people being allowed out each day to work in Israel.

There has been a serious spike in violence in the occupied West Bank  on both sides, but seriously fuelled by growing aggressiveness often with tacit acceptance by the Army  against their Palestinian neighbours by the Jewish residents of settlements judged by most Western governments to be illegal in international law.

Israeli forces targeted Gaza in retaliation for the surprise attack by Hamas leaders on Saturday

And the one most frequently claimed by Hamas leaders this weekend  the desecration of Jerusalems Al-Aqsa mosque by hard-right Israel settlers choosing to pray in its vicinity. Palestinians see this as a violation of the delicately maintained status quo around the mosque compound, which Arabs know as Haram al-Sharif and Jews as the Temple Mount.

Perhaps Hamas felt goaded by what Iranian backed rival faction Islamic Jihad (and some of its own militants) said about its apparent inaction over these rapidly worsening conditions for Palestinians.

But none of that fully explains  nor in the eyes of many of the Palestinians friends as well as their enemies justifies  the escalation of its modus operandi to the ground onslaught on southern Israeli communities that began yesterday.

Especially as the war now declared by Netanyahu will put, indeed is already putting, the lives of unknowable numbers of civilian Palestinians in Gaza at risk with even a ground invasion of the Strip, which Israel has baulked at since 2014, not necessarily ruled out.

A woman flees with a child as a car burns in the street behind - hundreds have been died in Saturdays attacks

A driver in Gaza I have known for 20 years telephoned me and said: Everyone is afraid in Gaza. No one knows what is going to happen.

It may be that Hamas concluded that with Israel riven by internal dissension over the efforts by the most right-wing government in its history to neuter its supreme court, the country had weakened to a point which gave it the opportunity to strike.

And certainly some of the intelligence failures which it has been able to exploit may result from the countrys internal distractions.

The problem, however, with that argument is that the extreme-right ultranationalist politicians inside, and to a large extent, driving Netanyahus coalition, will be among those clamouring for the most extreme measures against Gaza.

Moreover, as Saturdays demonstrations against the supreme court overhaul were called off, army reservists who had withheld their service in protest began to return for duty in a demonstration of national unity.

I can imagine the terror of being held hostage as a woman by all these Islamists.



My heart bleeds seeing all those images of innocent civilians being slaughtered one by one by these terrorists with the slogan of Allahuakbar.#HamasTerrorists #IRGCterrorists pic.twitter.com/W2xVIxc6pC  Darya Safai MP (@SafaiDarya) October 7, 2023

It may be too that that the dozens of Israeli hostages the armed factions are now reported to be holding inside Gaza  like the frightened woman shown in the unauthenticated but plausible-looking video under armed guard in a Gaza street  may deter Israel from a full-scale onslaught on the Strip. But as of now that seems a far from bankable proposition.

Israels defence minister Yoav Gallant said on Saturday that Hamas had made a big mistake. This sounds like routine Israeli rhetoric familiar from many other conflicts with Gaza.

Events over the coming days, even hours, are almost impossible to predict. But as of now it would be rash to assume that this time Gallant has got that wrong.

Donald Macintyre is the author of Gaza: Preparing for Dawn
A beloved former dean at Vermont State Universitys Castleton campus was found shot to death on a local trail, officials announced Saturday, prompting an outpouring of support for her family as police hunt for her killer.

A manhunt is underway for the killer of Honoree Fleming, 77, who was discovered dead from a gunshot to the head on Thursday after taking her daily walk along her favorite trail, her husband said.

Fleming, who was married to Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ron Powers , was a biochemist and beloved teacher, her former university wrote in a statement.

Powers memorialized Fleming on Saturday, writing that I have never known a more sterling heart and soul than hers. She has taken far more than half my own heart and soul with her.

I am still in shock. There are moments when I wish to god I could cry. I will, Powers wrote.

Police say they are reviewing security footage for leads, and are looking for a man with short, dark hair. Powers said that police described the killing as random, but said that all possibilities remain open.

The couples elder son, Dean, took to Facebook to write a tribute to his late mother. It hasnt become reality. Mom cared for dad and I like the Saint she will be recognized as for eternity in my books. I hope justice will be served, he wrote, adding that if you can get killed on a bike path in Castleton, Vermont you can get killed anywhere.

The Fleming family was already no stranger to tragedy; Fleming and Powers youngest son, Kevin, took his own life just prior to his 21st birthday in 2005 following a three-year struggle with schizophrenia.

The tragedy led Powers to publish a book on mental health, titled No One Cares About Crazy People: The Chaos and Heartbreak of Mental Health in America.

Fleming and Powers were later invited to a Vermont legislative hearing on mental health to give testimony on the subject of medicating mentally ill patients against their will.

Vermont State Universitys Castleton campus announced in a statement Saturday that classes would be canceled on Monday, along with other previously scheduled events on campus.

We will follow up with more information about Dr. Fleming next week as we collectively remember and celebrate her legacy. In the meantime, take care of yourselves and one another, the school said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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